Today we are in a seafloor dungeon with a recommended level of 25.
The seafloor dungeon isn’t a dungeon meant for beginners at level 11, it was a dungeon where even veterans would come to hunt. That is the reason why we came today, as the number of monsters are reduced thanks to the veterans, making it much safer than it appears to be.
Usually, coming into this dungeon at level 11 would be suicidal.Despite our excellent equipment, and reset bonuses, it is still insufficient for us to have a proper hunt here. However, having magic catered to this sort of situations will allow us to get by somehow.
The higher the difference in level, the higher the bonus experience will be. For every level, the monster will provide an additional 5% experience points. If there is a level difference of 14, the experience given will be 1.0514 which is roughly 1.98 times the usual experience given. In the first place, the experience value given by a monster increases depending on their levels. If a level 25 monster’s experience value doubles when it’s defeated by a level 11, our levels will raise at an exponential rate.
[Let’s go, Luna, Til. Remember to have your return stones ready in case of an emergency.] (Youya)
[Uhn. Properly ready.] (Luna)
[My sister went out of her way to give it to us, of course I’m ready.] (Til)
The two of them held a blue jewel in their hands before placing it in their pockets. Clothing with deep pockets are an adventurer’s best friend. Therefore I suggested it to them as well. The more pockets there are, the more convenient it will be in the dungeon
[Actually, it is more beneficial to place the stone around your waist.] (Youya)
If there is an emphasis on how quickly a person can utilise an item, it would be better to attach the item to your waist belt. However, doing so with such an expensive item would require us to remove it when we are around other people as it would cause other people to become greedy, possibly exposing us to more danger.
[Now then, let’s go.] (Youya)
[Uhn.But.. I’m worried about Youya’s weird get-up.] (Luna)
[It feels like he’s a full-fledged Magic Caster right?] (Til)
[Well technically I am a knight who is capable of casting magic. But for now, I will be a Magic Caster who is able to use a sword.] (Youya)
Right now, my equipment resembles more of a Magic Caster than it is a Magic Knight. I was carrying a sword with me, but it was hung on my back. In both my hands, I held a two-handed cane and wore a robe instead of armour. Right now, even if it’s a mere 11 level difference, I should be able to handle the skills from monsters in the area. However, the fact about this dungeon is that the monsters have an abnormally high attack power. Even if I raised my defense power with my best equipment, the battle would still be over if I took a direct hit. Therefore, I decided to raise my magical power instead by equipping this set of equipment instead. The robe I was wearing now has a special effect of raising my magic power while my staff improved my magic chants.
[But the only magic I’ve seen you use has an extremely short-range. It’s dangerous to go close to any monsters he with such equipment. Especially without a sword, it’s too dangerous.] (Til)
[The magic that I’m using today will be much more magician-like. It’s a new magic that I haven’t used yet, but it’s a magic that I can finally use today.] (Youya)
The customized magic I have made by Magic Customization doesn’t just consist of Napalm Strike. This time, I’ll be using a customized version of Thunderstorm.
[As we planned, Luna did you raise the level of Presence Detection to level 10?] (Youya)
[Of course.] (Luna)
[Well done.] (Youya)
Presence Detection could go up to level 10 with skill points, however there aren’t any exceptional bonuses after level 5 and it was sufficient to stop at level 5. However, it was still a good skill to take to level 10. At level 5, you can detect the number and position of nearby enemies. However, at level 10 you will be able to clearly detect their figures as well as determine who had the monster’s attention.
[Til, your “Luring” will be the important factor in this hunt.] (Youya)
[Hehe, leave it to me! My bow is absolute!] (Til)
The plan in our dungeon is simple. Luna discovers the monsters with her Presence Detection, Till “lures” the monsters with her bow while I finish them off. If we pull this off successfully, we will be able to hunt safely in this dungeon.
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As the name of the dungeon implies, the seafloor dungeon is a dungeon at the bottom of the sea. More precisely, it is a cave at the bottom of the ocean. The ceiling of the cave is transparent, allowing sunlight to enter from above the ocean. Thanks to this, there was good visibility in the dungeon. There were also wide roads in the cave, making it easier and safer to transverse. This was the main reason why this dungeon is popular among veteran adventurers. Yesterday, it was easy to move around by avoiding monsters with Presence Detection when we were hunting.
[Wow, I can’t see the end of this wide path.] (Til)
[This is one of the reasons why we came to this dungeon.] (Youya)
Even though the layout of the dungeon changes during the respawn every week, the fundamental concept of the dungeon doesn’t change. That is why this long path can be expected inside this dungeon.
Relying on Luna’s Presence Detection to avoid monsters, we ventured deeper into the dungeon before encountering a giant hermit crab-type monster. Luna’s fox ears started to shake.
[The monster Youya mentioned is right there. It’s soo big.] (Luna)
[Alright, this time, I’ll defeat him alone.] (Youya)
The monster is a Hermit Crab, a giant hermit crab over 3 metres in size. It has extremely high defense, attacking power and a ridiculous rushing power. Although it’s rush isn’t very fast, it has a long-range, high power and a decent speed for a rushing skill. It’s rush frequently connects with the back line, causing the Magic Caster to be blown away while chanting.
However it has a crucial weak point. It has practically no defense against magic. However, it is only susceptible to Wind(Lightning) spells as it has resistance against Fire and Water(Ice). It typically activates it’s rush when it detects a magical chant in it’s vicinity. Although it’s greatest weakness was a Magic Caster, it is a monster suited for defeating Magic Casters as well. Parties often have to avoid this monster as long as they didn’t have a Magic Caster capable of defeating it, even when their levels were similar to the monster. Countless adventurers have fallen to this monster thanks to this, therefore they often clear the dungeon while avoiding this monster.
[However, there are lots of enemies around the Hermit Crab. Fishmen, shellfish and even insects.] (Luna)
[Because monsters naturally gather around him.] (Youya)
Although it isn’t understood why, there are many monsters surrounding the Hermit Crab. Such monsters were often declared as Mid-bosses as they were difficult to defeat with the monsters constantly respawning and surrounding them. However, we have Til in our party.
[That is why Til’s bow will become important. Luna, let’s approach the monsters slowly. If any monster other than the hermit crab notices us, we will run away at full speed.] (Youya)
[Uhn. Got it.] (Luna)
We started to approach the group of monsters slowly. Luna has been reading the distance between us ever since we noticed the monsters.
[Til, we are 200 metres away.] (Luna)
The monsters were far away, at the end of the huge road. I could see it.
[On my count, you shoot an arrow and make sure not to hit any of the surrounding monsters.] (Youya)
[I know. Believe in my bow.] (Til)
Now let’s get started.
There are several reasons why I chose to hunt the Hermit Crab in this dungeon.
Firstly, among the available monsters at it’s level, the Hermit Crab gives more experience as compared to it’s other counterparts. This is probably due to the monster’s difficulty.
Second, if you possessed sufficient firepower in the Wind (Lightning) attribute, you could easily defeat the monster with a single spell.
Normally, a magic caster would be unable to get over the fear of it’s rush as they rarely had spells that could be casted outside of it’s 30 metres detection range. However, I can use magic beyond 30 metres by utilizing magic that isn’t ordinary.
[Prepare for battle. Luna, Til, straighten yourselves. If we fail this, it’s certain death.] (Youya)
The two of them nod with a serious face and I start my chant.
I felt my magical power rising. Napalm Strike is a customized Firestorm which threw away every concept in exchange for power. However, the magic customized from Thunderstorm is different. I compress its area of effect into a straight line, resembling a bullet while increasing it’s cast time to improve it’s power. Right now, it takes about a minute for me to finish one chant. This spell won’t be usable in a high-speed battle, but there isn’t a problem.
This spell is designed for long-range shots or accurate sniping. With Presence Detection, I can fire at enemies outside of their range while escaping if we were noticed, and the long cast time won’t matter anymore.
The area of effect and casting time is worsened to improve it’s range and power. With Magic Customization, the spell that produces a rain of thunder over multiple enemies has become a spell that shoots an enemy from afar with a rifle made of thunder boasting a range of 100 metres.
It has been over 30 seconds since I began my chant. I gave the signal to Til and she shot the Hermit Crab from two hundred metres away. She easily landed her attacks on the crab. Originally, all monsters will attack anyone in its active range. Although it differs from monster to monster, the longest range is 100 metres while the shortest is about 5 metres. Unless the adventurers are within that range, the monsters would not notice them. However, whenever an attack lands on the monster, somehow the monster will automatically detect and move towards your location. These two rules can be abuse to “lure” monsters.
[Youya. Til. The crab has hostility towards Til.] (Luna)
Following Luna’s report, the crab can be seen moving towards our position. That was what we were aiming for. We weren’t in the other monsters’ perceptive range and thus none of them has noticed our positions. However, the Hermit Crab runs towards our position, drawing aggression onto Til. This is “Luring”.
Now, the Hermit Crab is isolated from its surroundings. In a few minutes, the monsters will be drawn to its current position, we’ll have to defeat it by then.
20 seconds until my chant is complete. I point the tip of my staff directly towards the crab which is receiving waves and waves of arrows onto it’s body. Thanks to it’s high defensive power, the arrows weren’t having any effect. It was pushing through the rain of arrows, closing the distance with tremendous force.
I felt cold sweat flowing down my back. Although my spell would be able to kill the crab in one hit, Magic Casters have their life endangered if the distance was reduced too quickly between them and the target. If my chant does not complete before it enters within 30 metres, it is over and my life will be forfeit. Thus, we have to defeat him from a distance in order to prevent endangering our lives.
It felt like an eternity as I watched the crab close the distance between us. However, time flowed much faster than I thought. The remaining distance is 110 metres. My chant was completed and the timing was perfect. Magic power began to gather around the tip of the staff and electricity started to crackle.
Intermediate Magic Customization Thunderstorm.
[Superconductive Bullet.] (Youya)
A bolt of lightning was released from the tip of the staff, moving at light speed. It is a long-range shot, made by sacrificing it’s area of effect and casting time to gain overwhelming distance and power, along with the characteristics of lightning that prevents you from dodging. This characteristic is the reason why Thunderstorm was the most-suited for a sniping-type spell. Fire and ice-type spells would not be as effective.
Superconductive Bullet easily penetrates the Hermit Crab, scorching a large hole into it’s body.
The crab was penetrated with so much speed and power that it didn’t notice the fact that it is already dead, continuing to run towards us as it turns into blue particles. Unlike Napalm Strike, Superconductive Bullet had both it’s range and power strengthened, this meant that it’s power was lower than Napalm Strike which focuses on pure power. However, it’s power is still extraordinary. Whatever the level difference is between the Hermit Crab and us, the crab will not be able to take a hit from Superconductive Bullet as it’s a huge weak point.
A large amount of experience points flow into our body and our level rises. Power flows throughout our body.
[As expected of a level 25 monster, with this large of a level difference, our levels will rise multiple times each kill.] (Youya)
[Amazing, we gained three levels. We’re already level 14!] (Luna)
[Didn’t big sis tell me that it would be harder to level up once we hit level 11?] (Til)
[It wasn’t a lie. It’s rather strange for us to gain three levels this quickly.] (Youya)
It is a simple task to get to level 11 when starting out as an adventurer. However, after every 10 levels, the experience required to level increases exponentially. Usually, it takes about three days to achieve level 12.
[Now, let’s continue the hunt. Luna finds the crab. Til lures it and I’ll defeat it.] (Youya)
[I’ll try my best! I want to become stronger!] (Luna)
[Can’t be helped. If Youya needs my help, I’ll lend a hand.] (Til)
I felt the appeal of their motivation rubbing onto me as I myself got more excited.
[Let’s go. Together we will become stronger.] (Youya)
Thanks to the increase in levels, the maximum number of Superconducdtive Bullets I can shoot increases to 6. I’ll leave one shot for emergencies, so let’s hunt four Hermit Crabs before turning back. At this pace, we will reach level 20 in less than a month, definitely the fastest pace in all of history,.