Bug Revenge on the 10th Floor (1)
"Alright, you get the idea? Try it like this."
Pip?
"No, not like that—like this..."
I was teaching Blackie and Whitey something resembling spear and sword techniques. They watched my movements and tried to mimic them exactly.
Squeak...!
"Haa..."
Thud— Whitey swung the spear, spun a full 360 degrees, and toppled over.
I couldn't help but slap my forehead. These little shits had zero talent. Not even a rat's tail worth. Sure, it was spearwork straight out of a comic book, but it worked fine for me. How hard could swinging a single spear be?! It was fucking frustrating.
Pii-!
"...Yeah, yeah, at least you're making some progress."
That was a small mercy, I guess. Whitey kept face-planting, but Blackie was gradually getting the stance down. Fitting for a physical brawler type. Progress was progress.
"Keep practicing, then."
Squeak...! Pip-!
I left the two of them to drill on their own and headed into the forest. I couldn't just train them—I was itching for a workout myself. Controlling mana, boosting stats, even picking up advanced poison resistance... I was supposed to be stronger now, but it didn't feel real. It was driving me nuts.
"Hoo—"
I stretched my hand out in front of me. I couldn't test everything, but the basics—the stuff I could really feel—should be doable. No furnace blaze, since that might wreck the jellies' turf. Something else instead.
I recalled the sensation of mana circulating inside me. But not the furnace blaze this time—I added a twist. If the blaze skill made mana surge fast and clingy, this one would be heavy and forceful. Slow speed, but with crushing pressure, like circulating it with overwhelming weight.
And in my mind, I pictured everything related to water.
"Mmm~ Smells like the sea."
The sea. Not crashing beach waves, but the deep, heavy, mysterious abyss. The crushing pressure of water, hydrostatic force.
Slosh— A water sound came from right in front of me. But not a light splash—something quiet yet solemn and grave.
"Oh. Nice, that'll do."
A smile crept onto my face. Perfect. It wasn't the inky black from before, but a deep navy orb rippled in my palm. Even I had made it, but it felt off—dangerous.
"Alright, now... like this..."
I shaped the water orb like clay, stretching it slowly into a thick, heavy tendril. Then, like a serpent, I wrapped it around a tree in front of me.
Slosh—
"Shatter."
With a short incantation, I clenched my outstretched fist.
Crack-crunch—
"Whoa, fuck!"
Big success. The tree toppled limply. This shit was no joke. A fresh thrill compared to the furnace blaze—like I'd become a massive golem myself. Pretty damn fun.
But we weren't done. Just testing wasn't training. From now on, I'd make dozens of these orbs.
"Heh heh—tower, you're fucked."
Dozens of bug bastards waiting to greet me? After they got the drop on me once, time to pay back double. My lips split into a manic grin at the thought of what was coming.
And so, a hellish week passed.
*
Sip... pah—
The humid, muggy air filled my lungs, thick with the scent of rain. The gate floor must've gotten a downpour while I was gone—the ground was sopping. The smell of rain before climbing the tower. Not bad.
I clutched my pounding chest and stared up at the tower.
"Whoa, what a sight."
Rain-slicked tower, majestic. Dark clouds parting, sunlight piercing through, raindrops sparkling like jewels in a hypnotic display.
"If you ignore the part where I might die, that is."
Minus the whole 'stake my life on it' thing.
"Anyway, whatever. Tower! I'm here for payback."
Dead or not, they had it coming. I gripped my Daiso rose knife tight and headed for the entrance. Thinking of bug skewers already had me pumped.
"Let's go!"
Pip-!
No time for second thoughts. Just rip the heads off the boss and bugs. I threw myself into the open maw.
The familiar floating sensation enveloped me. Ah, this white—hurts my eyes every time.
Vision shifted. Tower lobby.
"Tower! 10th floor!"
Hesitation, prep, thinking? Fuck that. I! Want! To climb! The tower! Right fucking now! Ignoring lobby and white room, I bolted for the glowing blue window.
The long-awaited 10th floor. Facing my first boss, sweat slicked my palms—but the excitement matched it. How much hell had I gone through for this? A whole week of grinding and training. Pure suffering.
Grrr— Couldn't hold back. I mashed the "10th Floor" button like a maniac.
Commencing ascent to the 10th floor.
"Yeah, hurry up—I'm getting dizzy."
Staring at the message, I hugged Blackie and Whitey tight. Not from nerves or worry. Whitey maybe, but this Blackie might bolt again. Anyway.
"Hoo, you two better not cause trouble this time? It's really dangerous."
Pip-!
Good response. During the brief float, I warned them. They nodded, but Blackie? Sketchy trust levels.
"Oh, we're here."
Mid-warning, space warped ahead.
"This is... that cave from last time?"
We'd spawned at the cave I'd reached on 9th floor. And not just that.
"Even the ravine behind is the same?"
Usually you'd pop inside the cave, but turning back showed the ravine where I'd collapsed. No signs pointing the way—confusing as hell. Back to ravine or deeper in?
Tell me properly, damn it!
"Fuck it, let's just go out and see."
I turned toward the ravine with its rough sands. If nothing, backtrack to cave. When in doubt, charge in—answers come.
As I stepped cautiously toward the ravine—
Chill—!
"Wh-what the hell."
Something brushed past me. No—pierced right through. Goosebumps exploded over my skin. That energy was way more dangerous than the guards.
I stared where it came from. Ominous.
KieeeEEEEEEK—!!!
"Gah—fuck!"
A roar shredded my eardrums from deep in the cave. But the bad omens didn't stop.
Rumble—
"Why the hell is this happening to me."
Ravine too far to run. Guess the cave wants me inside—loud and clear. I clutched the two tighter and bolted deeper in.
"Fine, inside it is."
Cave mouth collapsed behind. Outside definitely not the way.
"You two okay? No injuries?"
I dusted off and checked them.
Pip-! Squeak...
Looked fine. Solid response eased me.
"Alright, let's see. Bigger inside than I thought?"
Glancing around post-check. Night vision shit, just silhouettes, but massive. Gym-sized. Full-on great cave territory.
But whatever—this cave size wasn't my focus. That roar had my nerves screaming.
"That energy earlier... would've flicked the guards aside easy..."
Guards? Nothing compared. This was overwhelming.
Gulp— Can I win? That crushing presence. Tension I'd lost crept back, throat dry.
And our hyper little shit didn't miss the chance.
Pip!
"You crazy little fucker!"
Blackie leaped from my arms, halberd in hand. That pattern again! Tension? Vanished.
Does this maniac need to stir shit every second?
"You wanna die for real? Should I make sincere jelly jam today?!"
Lucky catch—nabbed it mid-air while it swam.
"Boss fight's dangerous enough—what the hell?"
Piii?
Ah... One smack?
Blackie made a hurt face. Time to fight? While I'm dying from boss nerves...
"...You did that on purpose?"
Piiiing?
Blackie looked baffled. ...Just caught in its chaos, huh.
Its antics nuked the tension and anxiety.
"Yeah, like you'd think that deep."
Momentary suspicion, but nah—Blackie's not that scheming. Just collateral from its bullshit. Good result, so forgiven this once.
Hugged them tighter, sparked a small flame in one hand, and advanced into the cave.
"...Feels too artificial."
Not far in, human traces? Weird for a roar-loud monster den.
Questions, but—
Kieeek-!
No time.
"Yeah, felt too peaceful."
Scuttling and tiresome cries from deeper. Bad timing, but revenge hour.
"Damn, so many. This your house or what?"
Waited quietly—they poured out: scorpions, centipedes, flies, no discrimination. Ant hill? Hundreds easy. Numbers on another level from ravine.
But we don't flinch.
Pip!
The two hopped down. Why'd we train? Why suffer a week? These pests.
"Yo, Whitey, Blackie—show 'em hell."
Squeak...!
My word, and they charged bugs—not poison drops, but spear and blade in hand.