Chapter 8: A Massive Enemy
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 8: A Massive Enemy
"What the hell is this, seriously?"
I’ve become faster. I can also clearly feel that my physical strength has increased.
I can jump this high?
At most, the average adult male's vertical leap is about 40cm. That means if you kick off the ground and spring into the air, assuming you don't bend your legs, the soles of your feet rise 40cm off the ground.
I think I heard that top-tier national athletes can hit a maximum of around 110cm.
But even when I’m just messing around, I can clear a vertical leap that reaches my solar plexus. Considering how hard I kicked off the ground during the fight earlier, I definitely jumped higher than my own height.
A two-meter vertical? I’m a monster.
My eyes are a bit strange, too. I plucked a blade of grass beaded with dew, held it up high, and shook it. A single drop of dew fell toward the ground.
—Slash!
It was a bit disappointing that it hit the flat of the blade, but my dynamic visual acuity has improved to the point where I can cut a falling drop of dew. It’s night and day compared to this afternoon. Something from that wolf has definitely taken root in my body.
The biggest difference, however, is my right forearm.
I haven't even had any "quality time" with myself lately. Normally, my muscle mass should be decreasing.
"Well, I did swing my sword a lot."
The battle on the 3rd Floor was the first time I’d gripped a sword hilt in the middle of the night. Because the fight started immediately, I couldn't feel it properly then, but now I know for sure.
My grip strength is way higher.
The power in my grasp is on a different level. I can feel a significant increase in strength in my left arm as well, but it’s nothing compared to my right forearm. It makes sense when I think about it.
I lost an eye, and a Direwolf’s eyeball took its place. My lost blood was replenished with Direwolf blood. And my mangled arm?
"Direwolf muscle..."
Aside from the increased strength, however, nothing feels particularly out of place. Does this mean if I injure other parts of my body, they’ll be replaced by Direwolf organs too?
Whatever the case, it’s clearly working in my favor for now. My body is overflowing with power, and my vision is sharp. Even during combat, I was able to quickly catch and react to their movements.
It’s like... the instincts of a wild beast.
"Whew. Have I turned into a werewolf?"
Fortunately, the spot where I landed on the 4th Floor was a forested area. I had been worried because the mountainous regions were expanding.
—Ting!
When I channeled mana into my Explorer’s Plate, it pulled taut in the direction of the portal. The forest here looks a bit different from the one on the 3rd Floor, and from here on out, other entities infused with mana will start to appear.
"Water? Check. Energy bar? Check."
I refilled my canteen. Despite it being night, I wasn't sleepy.
In the forest of the 4th Floor, the trees grow a bit further apart, but because their trunks are so thick, the visibility is actually shorter than on the 3rd Floor.
Weak mana-infused monsters like Horned Rabbits appear more frequently, and creatures that actually fetch a price, like the Blue-Horned Deer, start to show up. I’d like to catch one if I can.
—Rustle.
Though there’s a slight breeze, my footsteps have become quieter because there aren't as many miscellaneous plants growing knee-high. With the overall noise reduced, my senses feel even sharper.
This place is bloody terrifying.
I don't feel like anything is around, but that only makes me more cautious.
I have no way of knowing if there really is nothing there, or if something is just hidden so well that I can't even sense it.
My only experience with the 4th Floor was coming here as part of a party with an explorer who had a detection skill. It’s unclear if my current senses are on par with a dedicated skill.
Of course, thinking back to that time, it’s likely there really is nothing here right now. While the 3rd Floor is mostly a mess because of Direwolves at night, the biggest difference on the 4th Floor is that it’s dangerous even during the day.
My field of vision is narrow. The thick tree trunks prevent me from seeing far. Did I pace myself too much on the 3rd Floor? I’ve wasted some time. I should move at a light jog.
"Whew, whew."
Vitality surges through my body. Running definitely feels better than walking. Once I reach the 4th Floor portal, I’ll be at the 5th Floor, and reaching the 5th Floor means my goal is complete. It’s better to use my energy more aggressively.
After running through the forest for about thirty minutes while managing my pace, a plain suddenly came into view.
"There aren't many plains on the 4th Floor. I got lucky."
The moonlight, no longer blocked by leaves, did its job perfectly, brightly illuminating the vast grassland. However, unlike the plains on the 1st Floor, this one is more undulating, with the minor drawback of not being able to see over the hills.
That wasn't a problem, though.
"Time for a calorie recharge."
Thanks to the cool air, I wasn't sweating much. After taking a drink from my canteen, I popped a Grain Cube into my mouth and chewed as I walked slowly. The plain wasn't that large, and after a few minutes of walking, the forest reappeared.
"I hear water."
The sound of flowing water reached my ears. It probably wasn't a pond; judging by the light sound, it was likely a stream or a valley. I didn't have any particular reason to go there now.
Before entering the forest, I turned my head to check my surroundings. Fortunately, there were no high mountain ranges in the direction I was heading.
Since the mountainous terrain was far off, I didn't have to worry about taking a detour. I just needed to run to the portal.
About thirty minutes after re-entering the forest.
My senses picked something up.
There’s something to the right. The footsteps aren't exactly light...
It was a four-legged beast. One with hard hooves.
Holy shit... it’s a tank.
It was a Blue-Horned Deer, something I’d only ever heard of. I’d imagined something like a deer with horns, but this thing was massive, like a reindeer from some hellish arctic region. Even excluding the antlers, its shoulder height was nearly two meters.
The trees were thick and the branches grew high, so I couldn't count on its antlers getting caught in the wood. I’d heard they were aggressive...
Can I take it?
If it charged and rammed me with those antlers, my gambeson wouldn't matter—my guts would be on full display. Even if I were lucky enough not to have my belly ripped open, my internal organs would surely be turned into mush from the impact.
The distance was about 100 meters. Because of its size, I could only see its body, but its long antlers definitely had a blue tint. I’d heard they were good material for staves because they could hold mana, but...
Not that one. Let’s just go.
I didn't want to risk my life for a bit of cash. But why did that bastard suddenly stop moving?
No way.
Just in case, I took a small step.
Son of a...
It moved and stopped exactly when I did. It was an unnaturally synchronized movement; I could clearly feel it was wary of me. Dammit. I’ve been spotted.
Are deer usually this sensitive? I was far away and moving carefully so as not to make a sound.
Fine, since I’ve been caught, let’s try talking.
"Hey, deer. I just want to pass through peacefully."
There was no answer. Its snorting grew louder and it began thumping its hind hooves. It looked like it just wanted to say 'fuck you' and fight.
My life is a mess. No matter how fast or strong I’ve become, I don't have the confidence to win a fight against a deer the size of a truck.
It felt like I was preparing to go head-to-head with a van. I felt like I could tip the van over if I pushed it from the side, but it was still a vehicle. You can't ignore the power that comes from that kind of weight class.
"Shit, here it comes...!"
—Thump, thump, thump, thump!
The hard hooves supporting its massive frame kicked off the ground, creating ominous vibrations.
The Blue-Horned Deer charged forward at a decent speed, leading with its massive antlers. Since it couldn't run in a straight line because of the thick trees, I used the trees as obstacles, weaving in and out to try and escape.
I heard that explorers lure them out to the plains to fight so they can keep the antlers intact. Are they insane?
Right now, I didn't care about the antlers; I just wanted the damn thing to ram into something and break them off!
Boom!
"Incredible."
A deep gash was carved into the thick trunk of a tree it had rammed with its massive antlers. It was a wound deeper than anything a sword could make. I could gauge the impact of those antlers.
It was charging through the trees like a drunkard, swinging its head from side to side. If I kept running like this, forget the 5th Floor, I’d run out of stamina and...
Stamina...!
That was it. I wasn't the only one who would run out of stamina. I should aim for the moment its stamina drained from all that thrashing. Humans are much better suited for battles of endurance.
Boom!!
Look at that. It kept slamming its antlers into trees. It was skillfully avoiding them by shaking its head, but it was still just a beast.
The moment the impact accumulated in its head, its judgment would slow down, and an opening would appear.
While running, I lowered my body and grabbed a stone from the ground. As the beast slowed down, I slowed my pace as well.
I was aiming for just one thing.
A little closer...!
When it rams with its antlers, it has a tendency to jerk its head from the bottom up. If I use that...
"Come on, you bitch!"
I threw the stone at its head, and the beast, now fully enraged, charged at me. There was a tree behind me, and I was leaning my back against it.
The moment it thrust its antlers toward me—
"Hup...!"
I dropped to the ground as fast as I could! Since it didn't lower its antlers enough to scrape the ground, I was able to dodge them by lying flat.
CRASH—!!!
The massive antlers slammed into the tree trunk with full force. Because it had rammed while jerking its head up, its neck was completely exposed.
Now!
I gripped my sword tightly, and as I scrambled up from the ground, I thrust the blade into its neck.
"Go all the way to the spine...!"
—Crunch!
Luckily, the blade slid into the cartilage of the thick, hard cervical vertebrae. Deer have a field of vision that prevents them from seeing directly in front of them. It wouldn't be able to see me stabbing it.
—Rip!
Along with the sound of the skin on the back of its neck tearing, I twisted the blade and pulled the hilt to widen the wound for better bleeding.
—Squelch!
"Pfft, dammit."
Thanks to that, I, being directly under the deep neck wound, was showered in a fountain of blood. Aside from the fishy smell, it was warm and felt okay. I moved quickly, so I didn't get hit by too much of it.
The problem would be when the blood turned cold.
This was the fearsome Blue-Horned Deer that people said you needed to be at least Iron Grade to hunt solo. And I just took it down alone.
If it had been the old me, I would have been impaled and had my guts spilled while trying to drop to the ground.
No, I wouldn't have even been able to run around for thirty minutes in the first place.
"Is this... the Labyrinth?"
I can really feel myself growing.