Chapter 68
Chapter 68
Exam period.
Normally, I would be holed up in my room studying or practicing in the training grounds, but I wasn't aiming for top marks, so it didn't matter. Leveling up my skills, even by one level, would be more helpful for the future.
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]Exp: 321/500
[Spatial Barrier Lv. 2]Exp: 1/700
It hadn't taken long to level up [Spatial Barrier]. I had focused on it after raising [Mana Dominator], so it was actually a bit late.
The effect of [Spatial Barrier] Lv. 2 was simple yet effective: I could deploy it at any location I desired. Previously, it was a disposable barrier used to block attacks, but now it had more uses. It wasn't just for protecting allies at the front lines.
For example,
"Uwaaar... Wah?"
[Spatial Barrier Lv. 2]
The arm of the [Giant Flame Golem], the boss monster of the 12th floor of the daily dungeon, which was about to swing at me, stopped as if caught on something. The circular barrier that appeared in mid-air just before its swing had negated its kinetic energy.
Furthermore, because the golem was in an awkward position and hadn't fully committed to the swing, the [Spatial Barrier] hadn't broken.
"It's nice to have time to prepare as a mage."
This brief moment. I could use this moment, while its movement was sealed, to cast spells that normally took time.
Advanced Magic[Pinaka]
A magic arrow pierced the center of the momentarily frozen boss monster, leaving a trail of light. [Pinaka] was the perfect spell for me, someone who couldn't normally use advanced magic. It was a non-attribute single-target spell, so it had no elemental weaknesses and performed consistently in all daily dungeons.
Elemental affinities were the main focus of daily dungeons, but if I could clear up to a certain floor with sheer firepower, nothing was better than this.
"Less than a minute."
It used to take nearly thirty minutes to defeat this thing, so this was significant progress. This was what growth looked like.
"At this rate, I could push down to the lower floors."
I could probably clear up to the 18th floor with this momentum. My goal was to raise [Mana Dominator] to Lv. 3 before the final exams ended.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much. I knew it was pointless to ask for increased probabilities. I just wished they would implement a pity system. Like guaranteed advanced magic every 50 attempts...
"No, let's not get our hopes up."
It would be easier to clear my mind.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
By the time I left the daily dungeon, the sun was setting. The timing was similar to before. If I didn't push myself beyond my limits, I usually finished around this time. Even if I went deeper, it just meant I had become stronger.
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]Exp: 436/500
And this was the result. The drop rate definitely seemed to increase on the lower floors. Since I never ran out of mana unless I used [Mana Dominator] or [Mage's Gearwheel], I could push as far as I could without any obstacles. My stamina and mental strength were fine; the only thing I lacked was firepower. Daily dungeons were mainly about elemental matchups, so it was a wonder I had made it this far with [Pinaka], a non-attribute spell.
"Hmm?"
As I was walking under the sunset, I sensed a familiar presence. Because I had just been in the daily dungeon, my [Contemplation] was heightened, so I noticed it in advance. There was no particular reason to avoid it, but...
"You're still wandering around at this hour? Oz."
"Alexios, can't you do anything about that habit of yours?"
"Ha! Wishful thinking."
I still felt a bit awkward around Alexios. Last time, I had pressed on because he had lost his home and was driven by momentum, but I wasn't brave enough to become close friends with someone as volatile as him, someone who might throw a punch at any moment.
So, I kept a reasonable distance, and since he seemed to want the same, we hadn't interacted much. I never imagined he would seek me out.
"Is there something you need?"
"You, you mentioned a parade or something last time, didn't you?"
Just from the word "parade," I could guess what Alexios wanted.
"...I wouldn't recommend approaching the Parade rashly."
Since they only appeared in the latter half of the main story, their power levels were significantly inflated. The leader of the Parade was considered a final boss candidate, so their true strength was hard to gauge.
"That's why I'm here."
"What?"
"Don't you know anything more about them? I need to know something, whether I'm going to crush them or pull Lena out."
"Wait a minute..."
A sudden headache struck me, and I clutched my head. Was Alexios really asking me for information? Was this the same guy who charged headfirst without thinking?
Then why did he do that to me? You bastard!
"Sigh... First of all, I don't know that much either."
"But you know more than I do. Tell me something."
I didn't understand how he could be so shameless while asking for help. Was this how I looked when I was grilling Tenebris? This was making me reflect on myself...
"Fine, since you'll charge in the moment you see them anyway, let's talk based on that..."
The Parade had some truly awful patterns in the game. It wasn't just that their attacks were difficult to dodge or that they had instant-death moves.
"It's best not to listen to anything they say."
"As you said, I plan to charge right in. Is that a problem?"
"Surprisingly, it is. They weave lies and deceit into their attacks, so their words and actions are twisted."
"What do you mean?"
"Basically, don't try to predict their attacks."
That was the most annoying thing about fighting the Parade. Their attacks were significantly different from what was described in the game's tooltips. Their patterns were strange, too. They would warn you to prepare for a wide-area attack that took time to charge, only for it to be a single-target instant-death attack.
I could have dismissed it as just game presentation, but after seeing their twisted nature firsthand, I couldn't ignore it.
"I'd advise against confronting them at this point in time."
"You don't think I'll listen to that kind of advice, do you?"
"Exactly."
"..."
I hadn't expected him to. He had a fiery personality and picked fights wherever he went. Alexios was well aware of his own personality. That's why he usually stayed within the dormitory.
"And this isn't about the Parade, but..."
While the Parade was a formidable opponent, Alexios was no slouch either. It wasn't ideal to leave him to his own devices, given that I couldn't fully grasp their strength, but I couldn't stop him anyway. So, I might as well help.
"Just in case, it would be good to get a magic tool."
"A magic tool? Those don't really suit me."
"I can see that."
"What did you say, you little..."
I didn't understand why he was getting angry about something he agreed with.
"Still, you'll definitely need it. I'll give you the materials, so ask Tenebris to make it for you."
I took out the materials from the bag-shaped magic tool I used when going to the daily dungeon and spread them out. They were items I had obtained from the daily dungeon. I usually had no use for them, so I just kept them stored in my magic tool, but this was a good opportunity to use them.
"Even if you give me these, I wouldn't know what to do with them..."
"Ah, right."
I hadn't expected him to, either. What could I expect from him other than violence?
"Tenebris, on that branch. Are you listening? Come out and answer me."
There was no way Tenebris wouldn't be near Alexios, who was at the level of a [Fist King]. I could see her even without focusing, so it seemed she wasn't really trying to hide. She was probably watching from a distance that wouldn't bother Alexios.
"...Ahaha, I'm not a fan of being called out in a private setting like this."
The person who appeared in response to my call was a lighthearted-looking girl with messy brown bobbed hair and dark sunglasses. Of course, I could see past the sunglasses and knew she had raptor-like eyes, similar to Alexios. No, not just "similar."
[SR Gazing Owl]
Ulla Stylena
She was a beastkin, after all. She probably wore the sunglasses because she could see more clearly at night than during the day.
"You know me, right?"
"Of course! Prince Oz! You're famous within Tenebris!"
Her boisterous attitude and smooth talking made it seem like we were strangers.
"You seem confident in your poker face, but it doesn't work on me. Stop deflecting and answer."
Lies didn't work on me with [Contemplation] active. I saw her eyes darting behind her sunglasses.
"Didn't you snipe me before? I think your name was 'Ulla'?"
"D-did Lucia sell you my name?"
"No, if anyone sold you out, it was Noah. You made it onto her 'especially close friends' list. Be proud."
Even without that, I would've recognized her from the game.
"That's... complicated. Should I be happy or sad?"
"That's your problem."
I narrowed my eyes at Ulla, and she nervously averted her gaze, sweating. She knew I was making eye contact, even through her sunglasses. Her beast-person instincts probably told her.
"What are you going to do to me? You're not going to kill me, are you?"
"I'm not going to do anything. I was just asking."
She sniped me twice, but I'd gotten compensation from Tenebris, so it was fine.
"How can I believe that with that scary look in your eyes?"
"Ah, right."
Beast-people had sharp senses, so they were more susceptible to the pressure of my [Contemplation]. Even Lucia's tail bristled when we made eye contact. This was the owl version. Actually, judging by the anxious look in her eyes beneath her casual demeanor, she seemed to have better danger detection than Lucia.
There was a simple solution:
[Contemplation - Deactivated]
Just turn it off.
"Huh?"
"Can we have a proper conversation now?"
"What? How...? How did you...?"
Ulla paled and stumbled backward, stammering. Her relaxed demeanor vanished.
[Contemplation - Activated]
She was troublesome. It was better to activate [Contemplation] fully and shut her up.
"Ugh?!"
"Now, there's no need for pointless chatter, right? I gave you the materials, and you know what I need."
I continued with my one-sided pronouncements. Ulla remained silent, seemingly terrified, but she would do as I said. No, because she was afraid, she had to.
"You should have a rough estimate of the cost, and I'm not asking for anything difficult, am I?"
"W-well~ I think I can make it for this much. Yeah, I can do it."
Seeing her terrified like this made me feel bad, like I was bullying a child.
"Wait a second, Oz."
"...What is it?"
As I was pressing Ulla, Alexios spoke up. What was it now? Was he going to tell me he couldn't stand watching me bully the weak? If Alexios said something so out of character, I'd have to assume he was a doppelganger and attack him.
"I don't have any money."
"...You don't have any money?"
"Yeah."
The [Fist King]? The human weapon who could rake in cash just by throwing a few punches outside of Scientia during his free time? He wasn't lacking in skill like me, so it wasn't like he was afraid to leave Scientia because of assassins. He wasn't constantly harassed day and night; any assassins he encountered outside would be nothing more than punching bags. He could've earned plenty just by taking out a few assassins and selling monster parts to the Adventurers' Guild.
"You should have plenty. Why don't you have any money?"
"...I got kicked out of the Adventurers' Guild for fighting."
"What the hell are you doing?"
Seriously, he was something else.