I sidetrack my way back to the main nest.
Whew, that battle drained the life out of me! Getting poison in my nervous system is something I never want to happen to me again!
The pain is already embedded into my head.
I think I have roach trauma.
But does that mean I'll run away from roaches?
NO! Instead, I'm going to rush the main nest, slaughter all the queens and get the hell out of here!
Hahah! Roaches, beware!
You contractor just called in an exterminator!
I walk for a bit before finally stumbling upon the nest again.
Without making any noise, I throw my makeshift chakram. It cleaves through eight roaches before coming to a stop. The roaches halt and turn to face me.
With my chakram gone, I draw out my two [Roach Daggers].
Time to test out my new weapons and the power of level 9[Melee]!
However, instead of all jumping me, the roaches form some sort of pathway.
"...What?"
Erm, why am I getting rep carpet treatment?!
The roaches begin to start clicking their fangs, forming some sort of wicked chant. This is a scene straight out of a damn horror movie!
Then, the roaches immediately cease their chanting. Their clicks are barely audible, quieter than a whisper. They bow down.
Well, if you count lowering their front legs, and keeping their back legs up high as bowing. It looks more like a downward dog.
Eh, it's the thought that matters, right?
The roaches scutter backwards, making room for seven imposing figures. The [Queen Roaches].
What is this, royal pride? Jokes on you I'm going to shatter that conceit and make you look up in defeat!
Ooh, that rhymes.
I guess I should be serious about this, but compared to the menacing guard, these Queens aren't really a run for my money.
Sure, they're high-levelled D rank monsters, but that doesn't give the same feel, you know?
Also, compared to last time, both my stats and gear took a humungous leap forward!
One of the Queens lunges at me. I parry the bite with one of my daggers while kicking it aside, leaping up, and slicing its exoskeleton with a clean X shaped incision.
The roach’s recoil in shock. Almost instantly, one of their leaders died, just like that.
Even I'm surprised by what I pulled off. Cutting through the Queen felt like slicing through butter. Also, there’s that thing -
My movements seem much more dynamic, and I hurdled around with relative ease.
Is this the power of a level 9 skill?!
Then, the two Queens that were stalking me suddenly pounce.
Unfortunately for them, I easily dodge the attack.
Jumping away, I materialise another makeshift chakram from my inventory, and thrust it toward the Queens.
It Cuts into the head of a Queen. But that’s all. Unlike the roaches, who got shredded, a chakram can only kill a single Queen.
"Tch" I furrow my brow in annoyance.
That wasn't as effective as I hoped it would be. Yet, the difference in power is painstakingly apparent.
Because of my simply superior speed stat, I slide behind another Queen without it being able to react, and jam one of my daggers directly into its brain.
Unable to idly watch their leaders getting slaughtered, the roaches begin to attack me all at once.
"A swarm of weaklings can't hold me down!"
But...
The roaches bite onto me, trying to pin me down.
I ignore them. At this point, the roaches can only really bruise my skin. With some roaches latched on me, I sprint towards two Queens grouped together.
The Queens detect my presence and try biting me. I laxly move my arm in front of my head. Instead of feeling flesh in their serrated jaws, the Queens chomp into their own children.
After realising it harmed one of its kin, the Queen stares at me in disgust.
What are you looking at?
I materialise another dagger. Although it has no handle, it still works pretty well as a spearhead. I jam it up the Queens mouth, before finishing it off with multiple abdominal slashes.
I sure love my [Roach Daggers].
From then on, all I can say is that it was a one-sided massacre. I slaughtered all hundred of the roaches, before finishing off the Queens.
At the start of the battle, it took many cuts to wound and kill the Queens. Now, it only takes one strong slash to kill a Queen.
The more battles I fight, the stronger I get.
Once I finish, I take a break and slump down on a pile of corpses.
Part of my cheek is sliced off, but comparatively, I sustained almost no injuries.
All basic attributes increased. Level-up proficiency acquired. Proficiency has reached required level. Skill [Menace Lv3] has become [Menace Lv4] Skill [Run Lv1] has become [Run Lv2] Skill points acquired. Combat points acquired. 50% of max health recovered.> All basic attributes increased. Level-up proficiency acquired. Skill points acquired. Combat points acquired. 50% of max health recovered> Rena Shinohara has been gifted the [Monster hunter] title!> Rena Shinohara has been gifted the [Monster Slayer] title!> Whoa. Did I really kill that many roaches? During that battle, [Menace] levelled up a bunch, and I got that skill that was in the shop before: [Run] Well, I'll assume [Monster Slayer] is the advanced version of [Monster Hunter], so I guess I'll [Appraise] [Monster Slayer]. <[Monster Slayer] (title) A beast of beasts Effect: Have a high chance to deal critical damage to monsters. (Critical hit: 1.5x damage) Hey, this is useful, isn't it? I wonder how many monsters I needed to kill to get this… "...Wait-" I cheated the system, didn't I? Yes! I totally cheated the system! Killing those small fry roaches helped me gain this title, after all. And because I'm the lowest rank, anything I kill accounts to this! I'm even more hyped! Now, since I killed the dungeon boss/es, I can leave, right? Er. Shouldn't I get a notification? Why do I have a bad feeling about this? And then I see it. It looms above me, with a presence so strong that my knees start buckling. Name: Skr Level: 17 Rank: C Class: Monarch> Crap! So this guy is the dungeon boss! He even has a name! I got to guickly allocate my CP before he attacks! Which attributes do you wish to increase? Health: 91 The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Damage: 97 Mana: 26 Defence: 87 Speed: 102> Speed, all in! Confirm and check! Remaining combat points: 0> I react just in time to dodge a flying scythe. This guy is mad. STEAMING mad! (I would be too if some rando killed my entire family) To be honest, I have a much higher chance of beating the King than beating the guard. I mean, my stats were a third lower back then! Really shows how much I've grown. Unlike the guard or the Queens, the King seems to be super attack centred. The fact that our speed stat is evenly matched does say something. Purely stat-wise, speed is my highest stat. With [Run], it gets even higher. And then [Melee] allows me to move far more fluently. Perhaps that’s how I'm keeping pace with the King? BAM! I barely dodge in time, rolling away before summersaulting back onto my feet. If I reacted one or two second late, my body would be crushed, just like the ground itself. Yeah. The King left a dent in the floor! But with my skills and titles, my attack is actually my strongest suit. Skills like [Melee] and [Resentment] significantly increase my offensive capabilities. Pair that with my three titles, [Underdog], [Monster Hunter] and [Monster Slayer]. [Underdog] could come in handy in this situation. Both [Monster Hunter] and- CRSHH! Right before my eyes, a boulder gets smashed in two. The King grips onto pieces of rock, and spits on them. "...What the heck?" Uh- the rocks start to sizzle. That’s not supposed to happen right? Since the King isn't attacking for now, I'll continue my explanation. Both [Monster Hunter] and [Monster Slayer] Increase my critical hit ratio. I can't be sure if they can stack cumulatively, but [Monster Slayer] has a high chance of critting - it literally says so in the description. So, 'I'm thinking; what if I beat the King at his own game? Although at a glance, the King seems to have a significant upper hand, when you nail it down, the King probably only has a higher health and defence stat. Sure, it means he can endure more hits than me, but I'll just have to shred through that exoskeleton, just like with any other roach that comes my way- WHOOSH! The King hurls the rocks at me. The sizzling and greenish tint on the rocks seem familiar. Acid? Oh shit. Taking damage from these rocks is a trivial matter. However, if the acid gets into my blood stream, I'll be screwed. In fact, its more like a poison than acid. Maybe a mixture of both? Nope, don't get distracted! I lock in, zoning in on the rocks. I keep on running to my left, dodging more rocks as they propel towards me. As if the King takes in my precedent of movement, he starts shooting the pebbles more to his right. However, I simply shift to the right again. You thought you were onto something, weren't you? You thought you connected the dots, no? But, big fat NOPE! I've done enough gaming in my life to master the art of spatial psychology! You might be sentient, but were on different levels on the podium! You're down there, I'm up here! This keeps on going for a bit. Eventually, the King just throws rocks in both directions. I can picture a gnarly grin spread across his face. But me? I just stand still. The pebbles harmlessly scatter around me, but none of them hit. The King tried to predict my movements by not aiming at me, but my surroundings instead. Too bad I out-predicted him and moved nowhere near my surroundings. Stupid vermin! We can play this game all we want, you pest. Uh oh. As if he sensed my thoughts, or maybe because he gave up triny to snipe me, the King just roars and charges at me. His mouth is wide open, fangs glistening with his saliva. I grab some pebbles and chuck them in his mouth before leaping up and evading his reckless rampage. My hand just turns a bit red; most of the poison had worn off. [Reparation] should be able to deal with that. However, the King is in a much worse precedent than me. He literally swallowed those rocks after all… It'll probably be less effective than a direct poison gunk shot, but this should slightly paralyse him a bit. If I can just out speed him, I can hit and run, slowly whitling him down. However, the King just creates even more acid and spits it out. I see four or five dissolved pieces of cobble roll out. He melted acid with acid? What is this? Fight fire with fire? I check my inventory. I still have two spare daggers saved up. However, these lack a proper handle, making them much better to use as long distance projectiles. The King once again charges at me, swaying from side to side. Damn! I can't get a good shot in. I wait for the King to pounce at me. When he does, I slink below him and thrust the spear-head daggers into his back legs. The King snarls. He too knows the fatal mistake he made. After analysing the roaches, guard, Queens and finally, the King, I've to come to notice some similar traits. Biting is their primary method of attacking. I they can't, they use their sharp deadly frontal legs. And their rear legs are essential for them to move around. The middle ones are probably for balance. With his mobility significantly reduced, the King shouldn't be able to harm me. Those bite attacks heavily rely on movement, after all. And as long as I aim for the rear, his scythes cant do much. In fact, I feel really confident now. So I want to try something I haven't been able to try. If this experiment works correctly, it can vastly support me. You see, when I first got [Appraisal] I thought it was absolutely rubbish. In fact, [Appraisal] hasn't levelled up a single time yet! So I've been wondering, does [Appraisal] really have a level. Without [Appraisal] levelling up, I've still managed to do many things I never could do before with it. Such as back-to-back [Appraisal[. Also, I always had [Appraisal], even when I first spawned in… The only other skill that was like that is my Greed-based skill. And that Greed-based skill hasn't levelled up yet either. So what if [Appraisal] is a level less skill, only bound by my own imagination or cognitive recognition? And so, I try this. I try as hard as I can. I feel a strong desire. A yearning. "Work. Please, work." Name: Skr Level: 17 Rank: C Class: (primary) Monarch Class: (Secondary) None Health: 267 Damage: 387 Mana: 78 Speed: 140 Titles: [King] Skills: [Toxin], [Slash]> Whoa. Wow! WOW! You're saying the roach I was only half-heartedly fighting has stats THIS HIGH? That damage stat in insane! A single hit could easily shred right through me! And, if I kill the King, these stats will be MINE! Yesyesyesyesyesyes!!! MY STATS! Unable to contain my giddy excitement, I launch one of my daggers straight into the Kings torso. His HP bar drops down to yellow. I-… - DIE! I leap towards the King from his rear side. The King watches helplessly as I cleave through his exoskeleton. After a few slices, his HP bar drops to red. I keep on dicing. Until eventually, a sensational ring echoes through my head. All basic attributes increased. Level-up proficiency acquired. Rena Shinohara has acquired skill [Dodge Lv1] Proficiency has reached required level. Skill [Menace Lv4] has become [Menace Lv5] Skill points acquired. Combat points acquired. 50% of max health recovered.> All basic attributes increased. Level-up proficiency acquired. Skill points acquired. Combat points acquired. 50% of max health recovered.> Aahh… So my theorem really was true! [Appraisal] is really just bound by my imagination. Hoo boy. This is time for the mass revelation. I point at myself. "[Appraise]" Name: Rena Shinohara Level: 16 Rank: F Class: (primary): None Class (secondary): None Health: 122 Damage: 153 Mana: 35 Speed: 127 Titles: [Underdog], [Monster Hunter], [Monster Slayer], [Demon Lord] Skills: [Absorption], [Appraisal], [Melee Lv9], [Reparation Lv5], [Menace Lv5], [Run Lv2, [Resentment Lv2], [Rationality Lv2]> Holy moley. T-this is… no, I can't even describe it with a single word. It's too much. I'm not really the descriptive type, but it feels as if… ...as if- -I..- I'm speechless. Utterly lost for words. Rena Shinohara has been gifted the [Dungeon Master] title!> Rewards: 20 combat points Coin pouch> I see the words [Dungeon Master] pop out in my status. I also see some reward for clearing the dungeon, but I can check that later. I ignore instinct. I don't even bother [Appraising] it. I just sit there idly, like a duck. She sits there, immobile. For once, not a single thought passes through her head. She isn't shocked, bemused or dazzled. No; she feels nothing. She just is. After a while - I don't know how long - just a long time I snap back into reality. In a stupid, rather impactful way. Literally. As I just sat there, a notification popped up The notification was so sudden, I just leaped into the air. Well, I didn’t really leap. I just jolted in surprise and smashed into the wall. Ow. As I turn my head, I see blood smeared on the wall. If that wasn't impactful, then what was? Anyway, the notification bought be back to reality. <[Dungeon Master] (title) The dungeon is now yours. Effect: Any conquered dungeon will become a private sub-space.> Yeah. This is stupidly broken. In fact, how come I have so many skills and titles in comparison the King? Maybe because I had to fight in order to survive? I mean, the King probably just lounged around mating with his Queens or whatever. Urgh, yuck. I almost had a diabolical train of thought. Well, I suppose if I [Appraise] some of my unknown skills and stats, I can find out what they do? First of all, what the hell is [Absorption]? <[Absorption] (passive): Steals a fraction of stats from defeated enemies. (Hidden: Directly steals the soul of enemies. Skill limit is increased)> So this is my greed-based skill? Well, the function of [Absorption] is pretty obvious. What does ‘hidden’ mean though? Maybe hidden side effects? The increased skill limit part also seems interesting. Maybe I have so many skills because I can go past a skill limit? But no way the King was limited to two skills. He must have just been lazy. Do my other skills also have hidden abilities? I quickly [Appraise] all of them but find nothing. Huh. Must of just been for [Absorption], then. The other unseen thing is the title, [Demon Lord]. To be honest, it feels really ominous. I don't want to [Appraise] it. Actually, why not? N point stalling the inevitable. Let’s see what you are, [Demon Lord] <[Demon Lord] (title) The root of Greed lies in you Effect: Gives the user the Greed line skills> So this title gave me [Absorption]? I suppose there are seven [Demon Lord] titles out there, each with a correlating seven deadly sin. Also, it seems like I can choose which specific areas to [Appraise]. For now, I'm just keeping a health, mana and stamina bar in the corner of my peripheral vision. Also, it seems like stamina is a system factor. You just can't increase it manually with CP, I think. If I fight an enemy, I can now easily gauge out our power gap and form strategies against them! Even better, I can see their skills. I can think of so many possibilities with this already! Well… Boop. My vision starts go get a bit blurry. I feel a bit nauseous and feel something rise up my throat. But then that feeling vanishes, instantly. I look around, and I see two grey moons hover in the sky, obscured by clouds. Then, I hear some barking to too far away from me. Huh? I's the rabid chihuahuas. They stare at me and start barking… ...but, that's all. Why are they way less intimidating than before? The first time I saw them, I was super freaked out. Why are they even here at all? Wasn't I in the dungeon for a day or two? Could the dungeon possibly be connected to a separate dimension? Ah. That makes perfect sense. If the dungeon existed in a sub-space, only a few seconds would have passed in the real world. I don't feel like these dogs are dangerous to me, but I [Appraise] them, nonetheless. Uh, yeah… Rank D, level 12. Health: 70. Damage: 64, Mana: 32, Speed: 22. If I didn't get transported into the dungeon, these puppies would of annihilated me. They start barking at me. Judging by the strength of the roaches, I can infer that these guys are small fry. They're weak, so I don't need to worry too much about facing them. One of the dogs’ leaps at me, jaws closing around me- And I smack it down with one of my [Roach Daggers]. "Bad dog." The chihuahua yelps as it crashes back into the ground. It tries to get back up on its feet, and growls deeply, glancing up at me. "Sit?" The chihuahua jumps at me again, snarling. This time, I use the sharp end of my blade and cut it down mid-air. Its body went limp, and I kicked it away. I didn't want to kill them since I liked dogs, but they were really starting to get on my nerves. "Any more bad boys out there?" The dogs start whimpering, before scurrying away. I easily chase them down, and with equal ease, cut them down. Sorry, but I won't let any easy XP and stats run away. Oh wait - I haven’t allocated my CP yet. Well, speed. Speed all the way! Confirm?> Uh-huh Remaining combat points: 0> Alright… Now that I escaped the dungeon, I want to find human, or maybe demon civilisation I think I can rank up there. But, how do I find a town? [Appraisal], can you help? … Figures. [Appraisal] isn't a human being, nor is it sentient. It's just a skill. Aarg… I guess I’ll have to wait for a longer period of time. Only a few seconds passed in the real world while I was in that dungeon. And because I am the master of that dungeon, I can control it to my will right? Could I enter that separate sub-space and pop out near a town? If this works, then [Dungeon Master] is going to be a slick title! I could even train in there for 10 years while only 10 minutes pass in the real world! Though my main method of growing stronger is when I actually fight. Training can't improve my stats. Only my skills. I've got my eye on something in the skill shop, but it cost 500 SP, so I'll have to wait a while before I can get it. Well, either this works or not! Dungeon, open up! Suddenly a large, blue screen emerges in front of me. I hover my hand near it, before lightly tapping on it. A sickening feeling overwhelms me and I lose my grasp on my bearings. I feel like puking, but then… ...I jolt up. Yuck. I'll never be able to get used to that feeling. Well,, entering this dungeon certainly worked out well. What about the roaches? Are they still here? Are they under my command? I search around the dungeon, but I find no roaches. Weird. Oh well. That wasn't even my main intention. Next, I try exiting the dungeon. "Send me to the outskirts of the nearest human settlement, please." Everything goes black again. But I'm hoping this will work.