The Dungeon's Ballerina
‘I have to get friendly with that snake if I want to get out of here.’
How many people in the world could come up with such an idea? And it wasn’t even an ordinary snake—it was a monster with a crown on its head and scales made of crystal. A terrifying creature that sliced up chimeras and grilled them like steaks.
Yet Janil Peze was convinced. Not just anyone could think of cooperating with a monster. That alone showed how his mindset diverged from the average person’s.
Only those who truly knew monsters—people who’d encountered named monsters with intelligence and the ability to communicate—might judge like Janil. ‘That thing is a named monster… or if not, it’s definitely smart.’
He hadn’t thought that way at first. The snake had only roared ‘Saaak!’ and hadn’t spoken. But watching its actions made it clear. It had reason and intelligence.
Just look at what it was doing now. Why hadn’t he noticed the ring at first? It had to be enchanted with subspace magic. When it shook its tail with the ring, a dagger popped out of thin air.
He’d seen plenty of backpacks or pouches enchanted with subspace magic, but a ring? How could something so small hold such advanced magic? It was a treasure fit for the emperor’s vault—how could a snake be wearing it?
The sword was the problem. What the snake was doing with it was clearly dissection. It rummaged around to check for a magic stone first. Monsters did that too, but this looked more like a hunter at work.
It finally dug out an acorn-sized magic stone, then… started dancing. Yes, dancing. A monster dancing for joy. Definitely not ordinary.
And instead of eating the stone right away, it opened subspace to store it. It snatched up some decent-looking meat too, then turned back.
Janil held his breath, hiding his body. The ampule he’d sprayed to evade wyverns only lasted a few hours, so his scent should be gone by now. Holding his breath to erase his presence, the snake passed quietly.
Janil slowly tailed it. He’d mapped the dungeon’s layout in his head, so he could keep a safe distance.
The snake had made the control room its home. Janil had risked approaching it once and seen what it did there. ‘It was definitely operating those controls.’
Machines even Dr. Lobanton, a renowned scholar, couldn’t handle. A mere snake manipulated them. It even seemed to check maps for other chimeras or Janil’s position.
After learning that, he’d stayed away from the control room. A dangerous, intelligent monster. One wrong move, and he’d be dead in seconds.
‘The emperor who collects white monsters would drool over it.’
Everyone in the know knew the current emperor collected white monsters. A rare one like that would fetch its weight in gold.
Janil shook his head to dispel the thought. Not the time for that. Survival came first—and that meant allying with the snake.
‘Even a smart one like that… there’s a surefire way to befriend a monster.’
Janil knew it. With resolve hardening his face, he melted into the shadows.
“Saaak!”
Roll!
Roll lv10
I spun through the air—ping-grrr-rrring! Not rolling on the ground, but tumbling in midair.
It wasn’t spinning while jumping. You jump first, then spin. Try jumping and spinning right now—you’ll see how insanely hard it is.
Conservation of angular momentum, obviously. I’d seen it on X-Tube. When you try turning your upper body left in the air, your lower body swings right. Sit in a spinning chair and feel it for yourself.
-You know the weirdest things.
‘But cats can do it.’
-What?
‘You know if you drop a cat upside down from the sky, it always lands on its feet?’
-Falling from the sky is dangerous.
‘Oh.’
Right, it is dangerous. Pellelian was flustered by plain common sense. Anyway, there was a way to turn in midair. Adjust your moment of inertia like a cat or figure skater. Or use Roll like me.
Whirly-whirr! I spun sharply in the air. I could feel the difference. The Roll I’d stolen was still lv10 from start to finish.
But the spins per jump kept increasing. Now I did nineteen full rotations per leap. Mastery rose in real time—starting from just five.
‘Hup!’
Whirly-whirr-rrrr! Isil spun beside me too. Of course, it couldn’t jump—just flopped on the ground, over and over, until stamina ran out. Until it lost interest and returned to the flowerpot.
I didn’t stop. Not boredom. First, I saw potential in Roll. My main move Predator Leap started as basic bite and jump. Maybe Roll could evolve too.
Second, I needed to master it fully…
└─ Fully Acquired★
Like this! Only then could I don the Steal Crown again.
But something was off. Instead of hitting lv11, it stayed at lv10.
Checked status, just in case.
【Skills】
……
※Evolution Possible[Roll lv10]…….
Roll could evolve. Like Leap and Bite at lv10. But they needed max demonic essence saturation after hitting cap…
【Crystal Crown Python lv49】
My current body was right on the edge. Catching the dullahan and peg leg yesterday got me close to max. Evolution at lv50, for sure. Demonic essence felt saturated.
Three chimeras left: 7, 8, 9. All powerful—plenty of XP. One might hit lv50; all three would evolve skills too.
That’s when I sensed presence. Survival instinct didn’t trigger. Reflexively activated the crystal panel map.
But maybe unnecessary. The intruder wasn’t hiding.
“Knock knock.”
It knocked. That alone froze me. Anyone would—knocking with mouth and hand?
“I’m Janil Peze.”
The human who’d fled like a rat. We weren’t on good terms, yet he grinned ear to ear.
“Calm down. I come in peace…”
Assuming I understood? His smile clashed with his blood-soaked body—like he’d just survived hell. The mismatch felt eerie, insane.
The madman stopped short, staring. Eye contact? But then… he blinked slowly. Blink, blink.
I blanked—then it hit: cat kiss. Slow blinks to befriend a new cat.
Why me? Flustered, I froze as he approached. He thought it a good sign.
I noticed he dragged something—his cloak bundled like a sack.
“Great serpent, as a peace offering, I bring tribute.”
He set it before me heavily, backing off. Unsettling vibe prickled my scales. No way, no way…
“Accept this food and take me as your friend?”
His deliberate words cut short. I raised Dawnbreaker dagger—slash!
Thud thud. Inside: a hunk of meat. Once a chimera.
“Haha, saw you hunting them… nearly died catching it.”
My precious XP lump.
“Eat well, and show me the way out…”
“Saaak!”
This XP thief—! Killing him would lose more than a chimera. Rage nearly brought tears.
I quickly checked the panel. Life signs: none. Only two left elsewhere. The bundle was Chimera 6, ‘Pigman’—pig-like one this idiot killed and dragged.
“Saaak!”
“Wh-what? Don’t like the gift?”
I swear, I nearly blasted his dumb face with a ray. Or beheaded him with sword arts.
“Sorry, don’t know what, but sorry!”
“Saaak!”
“I’ll give anything—another chimera?”
No need—die!
-Wait. Pellelian halted my fury. Mercy?
-Kill him later. Look at this.
‘What!’
Blinking white dot on map: life sign. One heading here.
‘Uh…’
Speed was insane—like map glitch. Skipped 3rd floor stairs, blitzed 4th plaza. Then arrow-straight sprint—to control room.
Tang. Far off at first. Tang, tang. Closer before I processed. Tang tang tang tang.
Close now: ground-pounding leaps. Four legs plant, knees extend—jump. Then wall, wall, ceiling sometimes.
Chimera 8, Dancer. If this rush was dance, what style? Bouncy Spider Ballet?
Four-legged chimera lunged. Kaaang!
Sword flew out instinctively. I’m a proper swordsman now.
But not puuk or serak—kaang! Not flesh-cutting sound.
Dancer blocked with shin. Skin sliced, bone not. What iron body?
Eye contact—or so it felt. No eyes, but grinning red maw seemed to stare.
Human charged it. Kagak!
“I’ll help!”
Human was decent—dual daggers whirling. Chimera soft except shins—blades sank in.
It whooshed back, crouched.
Taang—! Gunshot rebound to ceiling.
‘Tough bastard…’
Strongest chimera yet. Overwhelmed dullahan 7.
Taang! It sprang again. I didn’t—no, couldn’t react.
Human took it. “Kuek!” Rolled away clutching gut. Saved his neck, barely.
Hyper-mobile. ‘Special skill, huh.’
I focused.
【Test Flesh 8: Dancer lv90】
【Traits】 [Swift], [Spider]
【Skills】 …….
Ah, that skill. Nearly drooled. Good I practiced Roll—unlocked Steal Crown.
Taang! It charged.
Elastic Burst lv3
And I stole its skill—simultaneous.