I gather myself and prepare to leave after I finished admiring my new gear and weapon. The chest vanished and the blue magic circle appears in the center of the clearing. I'm not ready to leave just yet. I want to feed my sword a little before heading to the next floor. Before I leave, I toss my battered and broken daggers in one of my bags. They served me so well that I would hate to just throw them away like trash. Maybe one day if I ever get out of here and settled into a home, I could mount them on the wall or something. They deserve it.
I head back through the door and to the clearing prior to the boss room. The first Dire Wolf at the far end has respawned. Perfect! This is the perfect beast to test my new power on. I walk toward the wolf, my footsteps eerily silent on the grass forest floor. The massive wolf doesn't even seem interested in attacking me. It actually appears frozen in place.
As I'm about 10 feet from the beast, I unsheathe my sword and prepare to strike. The wolf let's out a growl and lifts a paw to swipe at me.
"Utsusemi!"
Time seems to literally stop as the wolf swipe stops halfway to me. I run and stop behind the beast and watch as the swipe of the massive paw passes right through the image of me standing there. The image slowly vanishes soon after. The wolf is left bewildered at what just happened.
My turn. I lunge at the SUV sized wolf and slash with my sword horizontally. The whole attack takes a fraction of a second, and I end up 10 feet in front of the wolf's head. I turn and look at the wolf. I don't even see any slice from my attack. The wolf is just standing there motionless.
Suddenly blood erupts in all directions from the wolf from a near invisible wound that divides the wolf in two. The blood erupting from the wolf doesn't fall to the ground but flows straight to my sword where it swirls around the blade, and I watch as it is absorbed into the steel.
The top half of the wolf slowly slides off the lower half resulting in a larger explosion of blood which heads straight for my sword. The flow of blood soon stops as the wolf expires, the bottom half comically still standing there. A faint blue tinted mist releases from the corpse and flows directly into my armor. I am guessing that's the life essence (soul) the set bonus referred to.
That was insane! My attack was completely effortless. I sliced the whole Dire Wolf in half in less than the blink of an eye. I'm so fast! My sword sliced through the massive wolf effortlessly. There was no resistance at all. Fur, hide, muscle, and bone, were sliced cleanly through like they were all made of soft butter. No, even easier than that, like I was slicing through the air. The wound the sword made was so fine that you couldn't even see it. The wolf's brain couldn't even process that it was dead on its feet. This is the same kind of Elite monster that almost, well actually DID rip me to shreds the first time I faced one! Now, I can kill it so fast that it seems like a rather pathetic monster. Absolutely amazing!
After packing away the wolf's mana crystal, I begin to walk back toward the pond, stopping at each clearing to dispatch the wolfs there. The Hamon of my sword glows green after the first wolf I killed after the Dire Wolf. By the time I reached the pond, I dispatched a dozens of wolfs and the blade was glowing red.
At least now I know how quickly the blade charges, though it seemed to have charged faster for the Kitsune. It charged to green, then recharged to green again and then red all within her battle with me. I'm not sure why it charged faster for her than it is for me, but I really don't care as long as it charges, and I can use the skills.
I head back to the pond and dive to my dwelling in the grotto. I slaughter all the fish on the way to my arena home, where I take off my gear, set it alongside my bed, and curl up in my warm wolf pelt bed and head off to a well-deserved sleep after such a difficult fight.
Once I awaken, I begin collecting all the belongings I have, which isn't much to be honest. I roll up my wolf fur bedding and put it in my bag along with the plate, cup, and fork that I fashioned out of wood or stone. I really could have just left all this shit here as I have many extras in my bags. I guess, as was the case with my daggers, that there is some sentimental value to all this stuff. These are my only possessions after all, well not counting my gear and the tons of shit in my bags of course.
I take one last look around my home, as I'm certain this is the last time, I'm going to see it. I take in the sight of the massive aquarium and sit one last time in the gold throne, which I learned doesn't actually move. I wanted to put it in my bag and take it with me. But alas, it wouldn't budge. Don't blame me, who wouldn't want a gold throne?!
I head back to the pond, once again slaughtering another dozen or so fish and a couple sharks. I head back toward the boss room stopping by each clearing to slaughter more wolves. I have come to learn that respawn times for regular mobs is about 30 minutes, and an hour for the larger elite enemies.
Since I spent the last two months here grinding away, I killed a LOT of wolves. There are 34 regular wolves and 3 Dire Wolves in the clearings from the entrance to the floor to the boss room so per hour I can kill 68 wolves and 3 Dire Wolves. I did this for about 12 hours a day for the past 60 days presumably. That means I slaughtered a total of 48,960 wolves and 2,160 Dire Wolves. It's no wonder that Kitsune was so pissed off at me. I did kill a lot of wolves in her forest. I'm still killing wolves in her forest. She is free to challenge me again, though I don't think I'm going to be as damaged as I was last time with this new gear. Bitch better grow a few more tails if she wants to challenge me again!
I reach the boss room and push open the ornate door in the massive tree. I walk through the purple wisteria and enter the boss room. Surprisingly the blue magic circle was gone and instead stood a massive grey wolf with two tails. I inspect the beast to find out what the hell this is.
[Floor Boss] Fenrir Wolf
Level 100
HP: 9,000/9,000
MP: 2000/2000
Skills:
Maul
Dash
Lightning
Well, well! I presume THIS is the boss that was supposed to be here. I'm actually surprised it spawned. When I killed the Minotaur on the first floor, I spent longer messing around resting and eating my pie, than I did here gathering my stuff from the grotto, and that Minotaur never respawned. Of course, I did just sleep several hours, and I didn't leave the boss room on the first floor either, so perhaps that's the reason the boss here respawned. Perhaps it spawned now because it was never actually killed in the first place. The Kitsune just took its place temporarily, so that's probably why it showed up again.
Whatever the reason, it doesn't really matter. As for the Boss in front of me, this wolf is weak sauce. Compared to the Kitsune and her overwhelming power, this is a puppy... a bus sized puppy mind you, but in comparison to where I'm at now, it's really nothing to be concerned with.
I draw my sword and walk toward the massive wolf. It takes notice and snaps to an attack stance. It's eyes glow gold for a second and it raises its head. Suddenly I'm struck with a bolt of lightning from the sky. I was quite shocked at the attack, pun intended. The attack did nothing. I take my free left hand and dust off a shoulder guard as though that attack got some dirt on it.
"Ok then." I say unenthusiastically.
I dash toward the beast and jump toward its head. It only takes a fraction of a second to get from where I was standing 30 feet away, to right next to the wolf's neck. My speed has increased exponentially. The wolf hasn't even realized I moved yet as I slice its neck with my blade.
I land, then stand and watch. The wolf, unmoving, suddenly erupts blood from an unseen slice through its neck. It's head slowly slides off its neck and thuds to the ground, exposing arteries that fountain copious amounts of that glorious red fluid. All of that blood flows directly to my blade. It's a LOT of blood. Imagine how much blood is in an elephant. Here, I'll tell you, about 90 liters (24 gallons). That's about HALF of what's pouring out of the wolf's neck and flowing to my blade. Mid way through its consumption, the color of my blade changes to violet. Soon, I will get to see the sword's third weapon skill.
The boss finally gets absorbed by the dungeon and leaves behind its mana stone, which I stuff into one of my 4 bags on my hip where I keep my mana stones. I honestly don't know why I'm keeping all these. I have no use for them at all. Maybe if I ever get out of here, I will find out if there is any use for these, or if they are worth anything. That's my main thinking on the matter. If I ever get out of here, I will have to be able to make money. I don't want to resort to criminal means like my father says often occurs with people who don't register after their awakening. That would make me no better than the monsters who killed my mother and tortured me for half a decade! It's also why I keep a lot of the gear that has dropped. Perhaps it will sell for a decent price.
The Boss chest appears, and I open the rather plain looking chest. Inside is a pair of claw-type weapons with 4, foot-long blades protruding from each weapon. This is the quality of gear I should have received from this floor. The stats on these weapons are similar to, but slightly better, than the Dire Wolf Gauntlets that didn't survive the fight with the Kitsune. Still good quality weaponry, but vastly inferior to the demon sword at my side. I take the claws and put them into the bag containing gear. There is also a nice steak meal in the chest, but I am not hungry yet, so I put that in yet another bag with the rest of my foodstuffs. I'm too anxious to really test out this new gear to enjoy a nice steak meal.
The magic circle appears once again, and I step into it, immediately transporting me to the next floor.
Lesser Creschent Forest Labyrinth: 3rd floor
I arrive in another cave, this one not that dissimilar to the first one, except instead of the pleasant glowing algae on the walls, massive torches line these walls. The cave is also extremely cavernous. The ceiling is easily 30-40 feet high and almost as wide. I start walking through the cave and quickly arrive at the first cavern, which opens up to a room the size of a decent sized sports stadium, with a ceiling over 100 feet tall. The torches begin lighting and illuminating the room. At the far end stands a truly massive beast. Massive is a bit of an understatement for this thing.
This creature is at least as tall as a 4-story building, maybe even bigger. Its legs are as thick as an elephant. It sports a massive club that looks like it just pulled a tree straight from the ground. Its skin is a sickly cyanotic blue with large growths dotting it here and there. A large, crooked tan horn protrudes from its forehead. Its eyes are a disgusting bloodshot red, and copious amounts of snot oozes from its nose and gallons of drool pour from a mouth filled with gnarled brown teeth.
"Well, aren't you a big boy!" I say with a smile on my face. I inspect the towering foe.
[Elite]Greater Blue Cave Ogre
Level 120
HP: 13,000/13,000
MP: 0/0
Skills:
Smash
I let out a chuckle. If this guy was green, that skill would be most appropriate! Well, it turns out it's just like I thought it would be. This thing is much stronger than the boss from the 2nd floor. Without my current gear, this would be a tough fight. I am not even sure the pitiful little daggers I used to wield, would even be able to pierce the skin on this thing. It would be like trying to chop down a tree with a toothpick!
I unsheathe my sword as the massive ogre begins walking toward me. The impact of each step causes the whole cave to shake. I glance at my sword; its blade is glowing a gorgeous violet color. I decide it's time to see what this sword's final weapon skill is all about. I already know all too well what the first two weapon skills do, a shiver runs down my spine remembering the unbridled violence of those attacks. I prepare myself and I shout out:
"Iaijutsu- Mugyourikuren!"
I immediately lose control of my body as my body begins to move on its own. My hands grasp the sword and take an attack stance. A loud boom echoes through the cavern as my legs launch me off the cave floor, leaving cracks in the floor and shattered rocks flying away from my launch point. I hurtle toward the massive building size ogre at unimaginable speeds, my sword angled down and away ready to strike at the towering monster. All I can do is observe the spectacle as my body is acting on its own.
As I reach the ogre my momentum suddenly slows leaving me directly in front of the ogre's chest. No, I didn't actually stop, it appears more like time slowed down. My body immediately begins slashing the ogre.
SHING!!
SHING!!
SHING!!
SHING!!
SHING!!
SHING!!
Six lightning-fast strikes, each leaving a bright shining point on the Ogres body. There is one on each shoulder, each hip, one on its neck, and one in the middle of its abdomen. My body springs backward off the ogre's chest and I do a complete backflip heading away from the ogre.
I land on my feet without so much as a sound, my body still on autopilot. I'm staring at the ogre, the bright impact points shining brightly, the ogre unmoving, halted in its track by the attack. Suddenly my right-hand lifts up, my thumb and middle finger pressed together.
SNAP!!!
My fingers snap loudly, echoing off the cave walls, and all 6 points of light on the ogre erupt in a shower of blood, clean slices appearing completely through to the other side. All at the same time, the Ogres arms fall off, its legs fall away, its body is sliced in half, and its head slides off its shoulders. The massive building sized monster is reduced to a pile of 7 body parts, a reverse waterfall of blood geysers up from the carnage and flows back toward my sword, which immediately goes from white back to green then to red. That was a shitton of blood!
I regained control of my body immediately after the snap, but I couldn't move an inch. All I could do is stand in awe as the horrific scene unfolded in front of me. The massive ogre that I was earlier questioning whether I would even be able to slice through its thick skin, was literally sliced to pieces with seemingly no effort at all.
New Level Acquired!
New Level Acquired!