Once again, Kazumichi made his way through the dungeon, not encountering any more monsters for nearly two hours. He did, however, encounter several dead ends, and had to backtrack to find a new passage. This contributed to the majority of the time he spent exploring the dungeon.

Along his way through the dungeon, Kazumichi remembered the cylindrical crystal he found among Dalia’s belongings. Recalling how he wasn’t able to use [Analyze] to gain information about it, he opened his status screen and looked through his possible Sorcerer abilities until he found what he was looking for. Spending some points, he purchased [Identify] and got it to level 100. He then made sure to check the specifics of the new spell.

Identify - Lv100

When activated, you can target an item you can see within 100 feet of you to try and gain information about it. Your success rate is equal to your Identify ability level + 100% Luck (400%). You gain more information the higher your Identify ability level is compared to any countering abilities being used might have.

Casting Time, instant. Mana Cost, 100. Cooldown, 6 seconds.

After checking the ability, he then pulled out the crystal and immediately used [Identify] on it.

Experience Crystal - Rare

A white crystal capable of storing experience.

A single use item. When broken, all of the stored experience in the crystal will be absorbed by the one that broke the crystal.

When a creature is slain, instead of the holder gaining the experience, they can instead choose to have the crystal absorb and store the experience for later use. The maximum amount of experience that can be stored is dependent on the crystal’s rarity.

Experience Held: 5,896/125,000

Well now, that’s interesting. I wonder where she got something like this. He pondered. Another thought accrued to him. If I use the experience in this crystal, will it get multiplied by my unique ability and the boosts from my classes? I wish I could test it with just one experience, but I have to shatter the crystal and get all of it. Since I don’t know what all the different rarities are for items, I should wait to use it until it is full. Maybe I can sell it somewhere if I need money.

Next, he decided to use [Identify] on Kirk’s sword, curious if it would be beneficial for him to use it with his Warrior class.

Bastard Sword - Uncommon

A bastard sword made of steel.

Physical Damage increases depending on rarity while equipped.

Uncommon Rarity: Increases physical attack by 5% while equipped.

Rather lackluster, honesty. But I guess it’s better than nothing for now. He mused, fastening the belt with the sheath around his waist before sheathing the sword. He then brought up his status screen and looked through Warrior specific abilities. Deciding to spend points to grab some of the ones he recalled Kirk having. Spending 100 points each for [Empower Strike] and [Fire Slash] to finally give him something to use with his Warrior class.

He had continued slowly wandering deeper into the dungeon until his sharp hearing picked up the sound of something ahead. It was a light scratching sound, reminiscent of claws on stone. Without hesitation, Kazumichi activated [Stealth], then advanced to the next chamber of the dungeon.

When he arrived at the location of the sound, what he saw was even more surprising than the Dire Troll. A gargantuan green dragon laid on the floor, slowly dragging a claw across the wall. The wall was covered in what appeared to be mathematical and arcane formulas. But that wasn’t the interesting thing to him.

Although the creature before him was clearly a dragon, specifically similar to those he had seen depicted in Western media in his previous life, this one was covered in thick, green fur, rather than scales. Its wings were also not leathery, but feathered, with a slightly lighter green shade than its fur. Tilting his head in both awe and confusion, Kazumichi stepped into the chamber. As soon as he entered, the dragon paused its scratching into the wall and its head turned toward the entrance of the chamber.

“Oh, a challenger has finally reached me?” A surprisingly feminine voice came from the dragon’s mouth. “No point in trying to hide with any abilities. I can see through them,” she added.

Kazumichi narrowed his eyes, but let his [Stealth] end as he stepped forward a bit more. At the same time, he activated [Analyze] to see just how strong the dragon was. If she could see through his [Stealth], he figured she had to be quite powerful.

Name: Litha, the Graceful

Race: Dragon

Primary Class: Ancient Green Dragon - Level 22

Experience: 3,389,495/5,084,242

Strength: 194

Dexterity: 33

Constitution: 171

Intelligence: 125

Wisdom: 76

Charisma: 102

Luck: 10

HP: 171

HP Recovery: 17.1/second

Physical Attack: 194

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Physical Defense: 194

MP: 102

MP Recovery: 10.2/second

Magical Attack: 102

Magical Defense: 102

Movement Speed: 20.4 feet per second

Accuracy: 4.3

Evasion: 4.3

Critical Hit Chance: 4.3%

Critical Hit Damage: 4.3%

Racial Abilities: [Amphibious - Lv22], [Darkvision - Lv22], [Blindsight - Lv22], [Perception - Lv22], [Magic Resistance - Lv22], [Terrifying Aura - Lv22], [Truesight - Lv22]

Abilities: [Bite - Lv22], [Claw - Lv22], [Tail - Lv22], [Noxious Breath - Lv22], [Wingbeat - Lv22], [Arcane Blast - Lv22], [Fireball - Lv22], [Poison Cloud - Lv22], [Teleport - Lv22], [Read Mind - Lv22]

Skills: [Spellcraft - Lv22], [Alchemy - Lv22], [Apothecary - Lv22], [Potioncraft - Lv22], [Poisoncraft - Lv22]

To his surprise, the dragon was only level 22. He still wasn’t sure how powerful that was in comparison to the average adventurer, but the dragon, Litha, clearly wouldn’t pose a threat to him. Kazumichi also suspected it was her [Truesight] ability that allowed her to see through his [Stealth].

“Are you the boss of this dungeon?” He asked, not interested in playing whatever game she had in mind. Litha nodded, shifting only slightly to look at him more easily.

“I am. However, I’m not interested in fighting you. I can tell you would kill me in an instance. So instead, I propose a different challenge. Answer five riddles correctly, and I’ll consider you to have defeated my dungeon,” she said, her eyes remaining locked onto him.

Kazumichi considered her proposal for a moment, then narrowed his eyes. “Why would I agree to that, when I could simply kill must faster?” He asked with a hint of curiosity.

“Because if you agree and pass, not only will you get the normal rewards, but I will also grant you five magical items from my hoard as a bonus for not killing me,” she explained, not seeming to be scared of him.

Her offer was quite intriguing. However, Kazumichi did wonder if he could pass her challenge, get his rewards, then kill her anyway and take the rest of her hoard.

“No. Should you do that, my hoard would dissolve into dust, including the bonuses granted to you,” she spoke as if reading his thoughts.

“Very well. It seems accepting your challenge would be the most beneficial result for us both. How many riddles total will you give me, and what happens if I fail your challenge?” He asked for clarification.

Litha flashed him a draconic smile at his cleverness. “I will ask a total of seven riddles. You can fail two riddles before you fail the challenge itself. If you fail the challenge, then I will eat you,” she said as she showed even more teeth while smiling bigger.

Kazumichi wasn’t thrilled about possibly being eaten. However, he was confident he could answer five riddles correctly. If not, then he’d just have to kill her and forego his bonuses.

“Fine. I accept,” he replied after a few moments of consideration.

“Splendid! Let us begin,” Litha said as she turned sat up and stared down at him.

“First Riddle: I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?”

He thought for a few moments. Kazumichi had heard this one before, but it had been many years. A smirk then crossed his lips as he looked up at the dragon. “An echo,” he said confidently.

The dragon’s own smile faded, and she furrowed her brow. “Correct. Second Riddle: You see a boat filled with people. It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?”

Once again, the riddle was one Kazumichi had heard a long time ago. He recalled that this riddle was more tricky because of the specific wording. “I don’t see a single person, because all of the people are married,” he replied.

Litha’s lips curled back in a sneer, but she nodded. “Correct again. Third Riddle: A girl has as many brothers as sisters, but each brother has only half as many brothers as sisters. How many brothers and sisters are there in the family?”

Kazmuchi quickly realized that this was another trick question. It came down to simple mathematics, which was a subject Kazumichi excelled at. “Four sisters and three brothers,” he responded.

A low growl escaped the dragon at his answer. “Correct again,” she said, snarling the words out. “Fourth Riddle: I carry a greater load dead than alive. While I lie, serving many men; if I were to stand, I should serve a few. If my entrails are torn out to lie open out of doors, I bring life to all, and I give sustenance to many. A lifeless creature which bites nothing, when loaded down I run on my way yet never show my feet. What am I?”

He blinked in surprise at the much wordier riddle than the others. Thinking it over for several minutes, he was struggling to find the answer. However, he had narrowed it down to two options, but he wasn’t quite sure which was correct. Taking the gamble, he looked up at the dragon again. “A wagon,” he called out his answer.

The dragon’s once annoyed visage had shifted to one of cockiness. “Wrong! That’s three correct and one wrong. Two more to win, and one more to lose. Riddle Five: Truly no one is outstanding without me, nor fortunate; I embrace all those whose hearts ask for me. He who goes without me goes about in the company of death; and he who bears me will remain lucky forever. But I stand lower than earth and higher than heaven. What am I?”

Kazumichi could tell that the riddles were getting more difficult. Either that, or they were simply ones he had not heard before. As he thought through the riddle, the part that helped him come to his conclusion of an answer was the last line. ‘But I stand lower than earth and higher than heaven’. It was something he was familiar with in his past life, and had even shown to his boss right before his death, despite how he actually felt about the man.

“Humility,” he answered as his eyes locked onto the dragon’s.

Litha’s cocky smirk once again changed as she actually seemed surprised at his answer. “That’s correct. Impressive,” she admitted. “Final Riddle: An eater lacking mouth and even maw; yet trees and beasts to it are daily bread. Well fed it thrives and shows a lively life, but give it water and you do it dead.”

He stared up at the dragon, a look of disbelief on his face at the simplicity of the final riddle. It was so painfully obvious what the answer was, that he had to say the riddle in his head a few more times just to make sure it wasn’t a trick. “Fire,” he finally answered after a few moments.

The dragon let out a defeated sigh as she lowered herself back into her laying position. “That’s correct. You have won my challenge,” her voice was softer, a hint of disappointment filling her tone.

A few moments after Litha declared Kazumichi had won, he received a system notification.

Congratulations! You have defeated the rare grade Dungeon of Litha. You will be granted rewards based on the rarity of the dungeon, your classes, and levels.

Generating rewards.

Generating… Generating… Generating…

Generation complete.

Reward: Arcane Longsword - Rare

Reward: Psionic Longsword- Rare

Reward: Storage Ring - Very Rare

No experience? He pondered.

“The only experience you get from the dungeon is what you kill in it,” Litha said as she read his mind again.

Kazumichi took hold of the two new swords he had been awarded for completing the dungeon, and his eyes locked onto the dragon again. “I wonder, which is more valuable in this world; experience or magic items?” He questioned as he debated with himself if he should go ahead and kill the dragon for her experience, or honor their deal and take the bonus items in exchange for sparing her life.

Litha stared back at Kazumichi for a few moments in silence. She could tell he was conflicted, but eventually she sighed. “It depends on the individual. The items I can offer could prove more beneficial to you in the long term. However, my experience would be instant gratification. Which do you want more?” She challenged, her eyes not leaving his.

The silence between the two seemed to drag on for several minutes. Kazumichi stood with his swords poised to strike out at any second. Eventually, he exhaled his own sigh and sheathed the swords as he loosened his posture. “I suppose I can at least take a look at your treasures. But if I don’t find anything satisfying, I will kill you,” he said flatly.