Chapter 67: Draconian Lin (5)

"Kugagagaga!"

"Kak!"

The skeletons followed the Skeleton Knight's command and attacked me. However, my spear had already left my hand, and the skeletons in its path could not even die meaningful deaths, as their blows scattered in all directions without slowing down the spear in the slightest.

Naturally, the Skeleton Knight didn't have the time to dodge it. He hurriedly raised his sword, but the spear was already at his face. His sword bounced off into the air, while my spear pierced through his helmet perfectly and exploded with lightning.

[Critical Hit!]

[Kahak! Humaaaan!]

The Skeleton Knight let out a short scream. His helmet broke into pieces and his skeleton skull was revealed. The Silver Spear was still stuck in along the crack in his forehead as it flickered with lightning. Then, the will-o-wisps in the Skeleton Knight's eyes burned more violently. He let out an enraged roar, pulling out the Silver Spear and slamming it down on the ground. He then shook his head vehemently and brushed off the pieces of his helmet. At the same time, Peika came out of the Silver Spear and yelled angrily.

[Kyak! Treating a lady like this, you're the worst!]

"Peika, come back!"

[Okay!]

Gulping down a Middle Potion, I took out the Black Earthen Spear.

"You cowardly skeletons! Stop being scared and come fight me!"

[You used Provoke! 'Almost' all nearby enemies become hostile toward you!]

"Kugelgel... Kill Skull Breaker."

"I'll show him how hard my bones are."

"Understanding danger and withdrawing is not cowardice, but bravery!"

While most of the reluctant skeletons started charging towards me with hostility, there was one skeleton that threw out a wise saying as it backed away. Regardless, I used Tempest to take care of them all at once. The sound of dozens of skeletons shattering filled the area.

[Rise again and kill the enemy! Skeleton Rise!]

"Hey, when are you going to fight?"

[Kill him!]

That son of a bitch, he ignored me! Watching the skeletons rise back up like time had just gone backwards, I felt a headache coming. Unlike the zombies, the skeletons could deal damage to me. It meant that I couldn't just ignore them and go for the Skeleton Knight. In that case...

"Tempest!"

After using a few Tempests to make most of the skeletons incapable of battle, I kicked off the ground where I was standing and charged towards the Skeleton Knight. Shooting away the skeletons getting in the way with my spear, I arrived in front of the Skeleton Knight before he could chant another Skeleton Rise.

"Fight me one on one."

[Rise again and... Kak!]

"I said, fight me one on one!"

This bastard, he shuts up when things get disadvantageous for him! I cut off the skeleton mount's legs, forcing it to kneel. I then stabbed out with my spear consecutively. The Skeleton Knight received my spears with his sword and shouted.

[Rise again and kill the... Kak!]

"Let's see how long you can chant for!"

Every time he swung his sword once, I stabbed with my spear three times. Once at the skeleton mount's head, once at the Skeleton Knight's sword, and once at his face! After some time, the skeleton mount, who was unable to withstand the flurry of attacks, scattered into pieces. The Skeleton Knight became speechless as he finally set his foot on the ground.

Of course, because of the over 60 cm difference in our height, I was like a little kid looking up at an adult.

[Rise again... Kuhuk!]

"I'm tired of hearing it, you son of a bitch!"

Even while he was chanting, he managed to block my Heroic Strike with his sword. Perhaps because it was a Floor Master's weapon, there wasn't a single crack on his weapon. Even so, he had to take a few steps back from the vast force he had to withstand.

"Fine, just keep chanting!"

There was probably no one who deserved to get his knighthood revoked more than him! I gritted my teeth and assaulted the Skeleton Knight, who was irritating me from the very beginning. Unlike the 25th Floor Master, his skills had a certain depth to them. Even so, he couldn't win against me with his mindset!

[Critical Hit!]

[Critical Hit!]

[Critical Hit!]

[Kyak! You, Skull Breakeeeeer!]

The Skeleton Knight's armor quickly began to crumble. It was the result of him being unable to completely block my attacks. If it wasn't for his skeleton body that never grew tired, he would have been knocked out from the exhaustion already.

"Haaaaaap!"

[Critical Hit!]

[Kyak, kyaaaaaaak!]

It was then. Unable to finish chanting Skeleton Rise, the Skeleton Knight, whose breastplate shattered completely, let out a scream like he could no longer endure it. Immediately afterwards, my movements stopped. I wondered if it was a time stopping ability (The World1), but that wasn't it. It was just that my movements were slowed to the extreme.

[Skeleton Knight uses 'Undead Roar'! Those with living bodies are slowed to 5 percent of their maximum speed!]

"O...r...!"

Argh, even my talking speed got slower! Being relieved that I just now learned how to activate skills without saying their names, I activated Divine Speed. When I noticed it had succeeded, my next action was clear.

"Uwaaaaaaak!"

[You used Orc Lord's Warcry! All party members are cleansed of negative status effects. All party members' attack power increases by 50 percent for the duration. All party members become super-armored, unfazed by enemy attacks.]

The sense of weakness that enveloped me disappeared. It was a suffocating moment I didn't even want to think about. I released the tension I felt in my shoulders and aimed my spear at the Skeleton Knight.

"You're dead."

[H-How!? My Undead Roar!]

"Die!"

From then on, I simply beat him up, again and again until his skull shattered. This time, I was completely silent so as to prevent him from doing anything strange. The few skeletons that had remained alive also backed away in order to not get in my way.

"I just want to quietly commit suicide."

"Don't even breathe. He'll notice!"

"I don't want to be beaten to death by him... let's just kill each other."

"That's it!"

[A Grand Achievement! You defeated the Floor Master, Skeleton Knight, alone! Amazing!]

[You became level 31. You obtained the qualification to advance to the 31st floor.]

[You obtained 5 bonus stats.]

[You obtained the title, 'Skeleton Knight Slayer.' All stats permanently increase by 1. This effect will apply even if the title is not equipped.]

[You became Silver Rank 6. Congratulations.]

[You defeated the Skeleton Knight alone. You obtained the special reward, 'Skeleton Knight's Plate Armor Top.']

[You obtained 50,000 gold.]

[Choose your reward.]

[1. Riding Magic Book.]

I looked around and placed the silent wilderness' scenery in my eyes. All the skeletons had disappeared and everything was still in the moonlit wilderness. 'Huu' Letting out a sigh, I checked the solo raid reward. Riding Magic Book?

[You learned Riding. You can ride and battle on horses, elephants, Pegasi, cars, tanks, etc., and all disadvantages from riding them disappears.]

It was an amazing magic. It covered animal riding and even tank piloting! It made sense that it was considered magic rather than a technique. All knowledge and techniques pertaining to 'riding' were engraved into my mind. As long as it was rideable, I knew the way of doing so. Unfortunately, there wasn't a method of riding a Gundam. Realizing that there were no Gundams in the world, I became slightly disappointed.

"The solo raid rewards are really all special... Let's go back now."

[Master, spear!]

"Oh yeah."

With Peika's reminder, I picked up the Silver Spear I threw out. Then, I opened the door standing unnaturally in one corner of the wilderness. The Floor Shop was only a few steps away. Lin who was there batted his eyes after seeing me come out. When I closed the door, his mouth opened wide. The cigarette that was in his mouth fell to the ground.

"Y-You...!"

"You forgot my name?"

"You, pa, passed? In one try?"

"Yep."

"O-One. One..."

Lin almost seemed out of breath as he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. His thick lizard tail was spinning around as well.

"How many? How many people passed? No, it must have been ten! How did you gather a full party in just one day? It usually takes four days for ten people to gather...!"

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

I really did wonder what he was talking about.

"You said to clear the dungeon alone. Don't you remember?"

"When I said clear the dungeon, I, of course, meant the ordinary floors. How would you clear the boss raid alo... alone?"

"Yep."

Lin shut his mouth tightly. I tilted my head, distributed my level up bonus stats, and stretched my body to challenge the boss again. Then, Lin suddenly asked.

"Until the 25th floor! Did you do solo raids?"

"Yep."

"Haa... That means the number of skills in your pocket watch is?"

"Five."

"..."

Lin took out a new cigarette and put it in his mouth.

"That woman, she put me with you on purpose...!"

"Loretta did? Why?"

"She probably expected me to pick a fight with you. Then I'd undoubtedly make a bet and..."

I thought he was overthinking it and simply laughed it off. Lin, on the other hand, had a rotten expression. He wasn't even smoking the cigarette in his mouth, only gnawing on it. Finally, he let out a deep sigh.

"It's been a while since I suffered such a blow. I'm the one at fault for being tricked but... you're not bad yourself, Earth's Hero."

"I said don't call me that."

"I don't even know anymore. Just go as far as you want. This Lin-nim will watch over you."

"Wow, that was almost exactly the same thing Loretta said."

"... Ah... is that so...?"

I thought that was it, but Lin's expression became even worse. Although I really wanted to take a before-and-after photo of Lin's pretty face, I unfortunately didn't have a camera. After all, there was no reason to carry around a camera in my inventory.

Come to think of it, this boar that was filling up 240 spaces in my inventory, I had to take care of it somehow. If I brought it out on Earth, people would notice it instantly, and it wouldn't fit on the dungeon floor...

'Ei, I'll have to keep it for now.'

1. Jojo reference (Dio's time stopping ability)