The Incineration Level Has Risen

My Incineration level went up. No, that wasn't all. The demonic essence within the dancer was plentiful enough that I hit max level and still ended up saturated.

Leveling up makes you stronger. In other words, I'm stronger today than I was yesterday. But the problem is, my opponent is even stronger. The dancer was incredibly powerful, but this Failed Experiment No. 9 was on another level.

Even as I was sent flying, I instinctively focused my eyes—probably just habit.

They crammed in a ton of traits. Was this a reflection of Pellelian's will, the one who made it? If so, the guy was one greedy bastard. Right now, the size difference between that thing and me was dozens of times over.

Screeeee-!

Getting kicked by something like that converted most of the energy hitting my body into kinetic force. I was bouncing back at pretty much the same speed I'd been kicked. The moment I hit the wall, the shock I'd briefly delayed would come crashing in. I might even explode and turn into a flat snake patty.

Can't let that happen.

Time to focus on elastic, not rampage. I couldn't control my trajectory, but instead of bursting open, my body started bouncing.

Boingboingboingboingboing!

It was lightning-fast rebounding. I clamped my mouth shut tight to keep from puking. After about eight bounces, unbelievably, the failed experiment came charging like a tiger, trying to kick me again.

I twisted my body with all my might mid-air. Its foot smashed the wall instead of me.

Kaboom!

The dungeon walls are incredibly tough. Yet it crumbled like tofu. Seeing that made something click.

'That thing could've broken out of the dungeon!'

No matter how sturdy the dungeon materials were, with that kind of power, it could've smashed through a sealed door. So why had it stayed put all this time? Obvious reason.

—It probably thought the cage was the whole world.

Suddenly thrown into the world, the chimera must've assumed this dungeon was everything. That's why it never thought to escape and just wandered around.

'It would've busted out eventually when it got hungry.'

But how long could that have lasted? The monster would've eventually succumbed to hunger and left. Then, under the bright sunlight, it would've revealed its true form for the first time.

Hmm, when you think about it, kinda pitiful...

"Fail—ed! Work!"

Splat!

I pitied it and got smacked for it. The thing was insanely fast. It didn't have sharp claws or blade-like shins, but it pummeled me like a kid in a brawl—pure primal fury.

"Shame! Humili—ation! Fail! Youuuu!"

Are you the two-year-old? It spat out words that sounded straight out of Pellelian's vocabulary, all jumbled up. A truly bizarre sight.

The problem was, this bizarre freak was ridiculously strong and fast. I'm no slouch, but it was way quicker.

Kaboom!

Good thing I had Elastic Rampage. Without it, I'd have burst and died ages ago. The skill had an effect like strike immunity. Blades might've cut me, but punches and kicks barely fazed me.

Boingboingboingboing!

The downside? Bouncing dozens of times made my brain feel like it was getting scrambled.

'Why'd you make something that strong and freaky?'

—Urgh...

Yeah, a strong, tough body to hijack would be ideal.

'Take responsibility!'

—I will. I'll handle it.

I had no idea how he'd do that, but whatever. As I bounced back up, it came howling at me.

"Se—lle—na!"

What the hell?!

—Uwaaaah!

Damn it all!

"Ssssssk!"

I leaped—not at it, but straight up! The failed experiment shot past where I'd been.

Kabooooom!

It smashed right through the wall. I'd bought a brief moment.

Not running—a tactical retreat. Back in the Great Forest, I was known as the assassin of the shadows. It couldn't spot me.

—To the control room, control room!

That was the plan anyway. After clashing head-on, it was clear: even the dancer had been a tough fight, so no way could I win fair and square against this thing.

'What do you think that chimera's made of?'

Chimera means synthesizing various monster parts. Gathering essences that manifest monster traits to create a new species—a comprehensive art form, you could say.

—...Fairies.

'Gasp!'

I knew he was a creepy old geezer, but mixing his own kind with monsters for human experiments? Horrifying.

—Of course I used my blood! Duh!

Pellelian growled defensively.

'No wonder it's so ugly.'

—And... well... dragonkin and... World Tree?

At least that's what seems certain. Good lord. The concept was straight out of an elementary kid's self-insert fanfic. A fallen angel, heir to chaos and light, with dragon blood—left eye pierces lies, right eye sees the future. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠A chimera loaded with that much cheat potential.

'Would've been perfect without the fairy blood.'

—Still a failed experiment. Look at it.

True enough. Crashing sounds echoed from behind as it rampaged, searching everywhere now that it couldn't see me. I barely reached the control room, but it felt like it'd catch up any second. Scary as hell. Gotta end this quick.

I asked Pellelian, 'We'll use that method, right?'

—Yeah.

No need for words—we were in sync. If I can't beat it head-on, hunt it another way. And after a few days here, I'd thought of something perfect for this situation.

—Should've burned it all to ash from the start.

I adjusted the control room devices as Pellelian directed—pulling pins, turning dials. No clue how any of it worked, but whatever.

The magitech spirit repeated what it'd said before. Thanks to Zanil and his human buddy messing with the machines, the chimeras got loose, halting the incineration.

And now, Pellelian was restarting it. Not suicide—I had a plan too.

'Isil, you can help, right?'

I had Isil with me. No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠need to steal her flame immunity with Steal Crown—or reason to.

'Empathy...!'

Isil could share skills with me. Her Flame Immunity would let me survive the incineration.

Now, how to restart the halted procedure? Dr. Pellelian had a way.

Just a fragment of his soul, so Pellelian had lost some memories. But he was still the creator of this massive system and dungeon. Following his instructions alone triggered a barrage of magitech spirit announcements.

If the incineration stopped due to "incomplete experiments," just complete them.

Same as in other dungeons. Transmit experiment data—to Pellelian's location. So where would data from this "epitaph" in the mountains go?

The crystal panel's lights flickered complexly. Pellelian got it.

—Ah, below.

'Huh?'

—Under here, the dungeon, underground...?

Underground? I'd checked the crystal map dozens of times—no basement.

—Probably hidden. The signal's heading down now.

Either my corpse is buried underground, or there's a sub-level. Either way...

Then the magitech spirit declared:

Wait, wasn't it 30 seconds before? The thumping grew closer. The failed experiment had finally caught up. So damn scary!

Anyway, first...

—Into the vent! Down below!

Good call. As I slithered toward the vent—

Kaboom!

It appeared. Its fairy-like long ears twitched toward me. Ears that moved too well—definitely beastly. Our eyes met briefly. I shoved myself into the vent.

No matter how fast and agile, it couldn't squeeze into the narrow duct. I wriggled in like an eel.

Countdown continued. Pellelian directed: right! Left! Left!

Did he know something? Then—

Clunk!

The vent widened suddenly. It dropped near-vertically.

'This ain't a vent!'

Reason? Not just dust—grimy soot everywhere. Way too wide for ventilation. Slanted straight down like a disposal chute.

—As far as I remember, the dungeon's lowest level is for incinerating and dumping waste.

'Secret room below?'

—Who knows...

Definitely a trash chute then.

A booming voice echoed from above. Looking up, the failed experiment was sliding down too. It'd followed me here. We just met—why so obsessed? The ring with Pellelian in it?

"Shame—ful, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠monsteerrr…!"

'Happiness is the burning heretic's roundhouse!'

No matter how fast, it couldn't outpace gravity. Wood or iron ball, fall speed's the same. By the chute's end, distance unchanged.

I went splat on the floor.

Kabooooom!

The heavier chimera crashed louder. Ash exploded everywhere.

Time ticked on. I scrambled up, bracing. Isil's skill share wouldn't last forever.

Whoa. Mana draining at a crazy rate. Isil's feeling it too.

'Hang tight, Isil.'

Incinerating the whole dungeon means massive heat blast. It'll sweep this waste disposal clean.

Ash settled, revealing the failed experiment. Its grotesque body caked in black soot—like a demon from hell. Looked painful. And it probably was. Chimera and all. Despite wanting me dead, I felt a twinge of pity.

'Why make something like that?'

—Beats me. Makes me wanna kill the guy who did.

Even Pellelian hated his past self now.

"Fail— snake— fairy— Se—lle—na—!"

'I'll discipline Pellelian for you.'

Farewell.

Then—ssssshhh. Nozzles from the ceiling sprayed something. The click was ignition.

Flames spread at gas explosion speed. In a blink, the vast space filled with fire. Pressure surged, unleashing a destructive shockwave.

BOOM!

I'd coiled into a turd shape already. With Black Scale active too. Spun a few times mid-air before a rough landing.

Everything glowed red-hot. Like dropping from a dwarf mine peak to a lava lake below. Nozzles kept spraying mystery liquid—turning to fiery rain. Flames swirled. Fire flooded. A hellfire apocalypse in the mortal realm.

But that horrific blaze couldn't harm me. This was Flame Immunity…!

Rustle rustle.

Isil even seemed to enjoy it, swaying her leaves. Hard-boiled vine plant. Me too—aside from breathing issues, not bad.

And the enemy? Test Flesh 9th Failed Experiment engulfed in flames. Roaring inferno. Yet... still alive. Enduring the agony, it stood.

It mouthed something amid the whirlwind—inaudible over the roar. But I read its lips.

'Failed experiment.'

That's all you got? Fine. I'll free you from your birth's torment.

The burning chimera lunged. I met it head-on. Space here was plenty wide.

Room to grow huge.

End it in one hit.

My jaws outgrew the chimera's. I chomped it whole.

Crunch!

The burning thing couldn't resist. One hit.