Chapter 116

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 116

Chapter Title: Labyrinth 20th Floor (2)

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Heading toward the direction of the sound, I occasionally spotted dwarf parties rushing into the forest just like me, having heard it too.

"Ogre! Kyat-hoo!"

"Get out of the way! The ogre belongs to our 'Sturdy Iron' party!"

"Scram, Chex! An ogre's too much for your skills—go hunt werewolves instead!"

They all charged ahead without a trace of fear on their faces, confident they could take down an ogre.

And I leaped between the trees while maintaining [Stealth], my expression growing sterner by the minute.

'...Is that an ogre?'

[Detection] still felt buggy somehow. It had flickered between two, then one... the signals all jumbled up. But the strength I sensed from it was on a completely different level from the other monsters on the 20th floor.

And as the distance closed, it wasn't just [Detection]—my [Intuition] skill sent warnings too.

"...Hey, something's off."

"What? Run faster! We need to land at least one hammer blow to claim even a single hide!"

"No, it's weird! My [Crisis Detection] skill's been...!"

"What?"

-Boom!

Once close enough, I sensed something ominous and stopped approaching, but the dwarfs—blinded by greed—rushed blindly toward the sound, only to have their heads smashed by a black fist bursting from the forest.

-Plop... plop...

Flesh sprayed everywhere. The dwarf with [Crisis Detection] alone halted his steps and clearly watched his leading friend turn into a handful of bloody pulp.

Then, from beyond the bushes, he locked eyes with the gaze staring back at him.

"...Wh-what?"

"Grooo..."

"...Hiiik...!"

His [Crisis Detection] reacting like mad, the dwarf desperately turned his trembling legs and fled in a panic. But the black giant watching him chose not to pursue—instead, it made another choice.

"..........!"

A second head atop the black giant's shoulders twitched its lips, soon emitting an eerie chant. When the incantation finished, black energy surged from thin air and slammed into the back of the fleeing dwarf's head.

-Splat!

It sounded like a watermelon bursting, and the dwarf's head exploded as he ran.

"...What the hell is that?"

"Two heads? Kinda looks like an ogre..."

"Shit. Musg's dead!"

"What was that just now? Magic? Any monster on the 20th floor that uses magic or spells?"

The other two dwarf parties, who had approached nearby after hearing the sound, stared at the instantly slain dwarfs' corpses with shaking eyes. Only then did they sense something was wrong.

"Ru-run..."

"Raaaagh!"

As the terrified dwarfs staggered back, a thunderous roar erupted from the black ogre. Hearing it, my body tingled and stiffened slightly.

'Fear?'

The black ogre approached the frozen dwarfs and swung the massive club in its hand (which also resembled a staff). A dwarf snapped to his senses and confidently raised his enormous tower shield.

"Shit. It's a bit weird, but it's still just an ogre! How many ogre attacks have I blocked...!"

-Kwang!

"Gu...h..."

The black ogre struck the dwarf who had collected himself and raised his tower shield confidently. The shield crumpled in an instant, the dwarf's arm bent grotesquely, and he was flung backward, smashing through several trees.

"Sh-shit. Bran's down in one hit!"

"Everyone, run! It's a mutant monster! Nothing we can handle!"

"Retreat! Everyone retreat! Scatter and head to the 19th floor!"

Judging it unbeatable, the dwarfs fought back tears, abandoned their comrades' bodies, and scattered in all directions. The ogre gave them a quick once-over, then lunged at the nearest dwarf. It pulped one with its club, then used magic just like before to pick off the fleeing dwarfs one by one.

'...Insane.'

I watched the entire scene while holding my breath, maintaining [Stealth] to the end.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The dwarfs who had shown such confidence against a mere ogre were wiped out in an instant. By [Detection], they were a bit weak for the 20th floor, but their gear was solid—they could handle regular 20th-floor monsters. And there were over ten of them.

Such people, taken down in one hit each...

'What about Miranda?'

Only then did my thoughts turn elsewhere. Miranda, whom I had greeted earlier as she headed toward the sound. Had she already fallen too?

I activated [Scouting] and used [Sensory Amplification] to enhance my vision as I surveyed the gruesome surroundings.

'...There she is!'

Among the mangled corpses of what seemed to be the first group to face the ogre, I spotted Miranda collapsed with a dented shield in her hand.

'She's alive!'

Thankfully, Miranda was still breathing. It looked like she'd blocked with the shield in her hand. Her arm was bent grotesquely, and several bones in her body appeared broken, but she was alive. Unconscious, though...

-Crunch. Crunch.

The ogre, having finished hunting the fleeing dwarfs, returned to the site of the massacre and picked up the scattered dwarf corpses, beginning to tear into them.

While the ogre was focused on the bodies, I carefully leaped from tree to tree without breaking [Stealth], making my way near where ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Miranda had fallen.

"Ugh..."

"Sob... ngh..."

As I descended to a low branch near the ground, I saw not just Miranda but other survivors too—some with faint breaths, others desperately stifling screams and groans.

Every one of them was in horrific shape: limbs broken or torn off, traces of blackened mana staining their bodies.

-Thud! Thud!

Just as I tried to check on Miranda's condition, massive footsteps drew near. I hurriedly climbed back up into the tree and held my breath.

"Gasp...!"

"...Gods..."

The ogre, having devoured the scattered corpses, approached the fallen adventurers. And the first one it reached for was...

'...Shit.'

Miranda. There were corpses around, survivors, even non-dwarf adventurers who seemed to be their comrades—yet the ogre singled her out and extended its hand.

'Damn. Damn. Damn!'

Honestly, it wouldn't be a big problem for me. Thankfully, the ogre didn't seem able to detect stealth, so it hadn't spotted me. I could just slip away quietly to the 19th floor and save my own skin.

But I'm no hero, no paragon of morality...

'As a man with a dick, I can't stand by and watch a woman I've fucked get killed.'

Someone hearing that might laugh their ass off—an utterly unheroic reason with zero style—but I drew my sword anyway.

Skills activated, power overflowing my body. With [Mana Manipulation] at level 6, I could finely control mana to infuse my weapon without breaking [Stealth].

I wanted to bloody my gloves and trigger the effect too, but drawing blood took time, and there was the risk of it smelling the scent—so I skipped it.

"Gro..."

My trusty longsword was the weapon. The thing was huge, so a bigger weapon would be ideal... but this was my limit for now.

I drew my sword, infused it with mana, leaped from the tree, activated [Assassination], and thrust at the ogre.

'Die!'

"Gro."

And right before the sword reached the ogre, I locked eyes with it—grinning smugly, staring straight at me.

'...This bastard...'

"Growl."

"...##$@!"

'...It knew I was...!'

-Kwaaaang!

And I was engulfed in black flames conjured from thin air.

My whole body burned, excruciating pain hit, and my consciousness...

......

"Kraaaagh!"

I endured the black flames with my body. My [Magic Resistance] was level 6—not something a typical 20th-floor adventurer would have. On top of that, I'd coated my body with mana, and [Attribute Resistance] reduced the damage further.

A club swing I might dodge, but trying to block me with magic?

And so what if it noticed? Does that mean my sword won't stab?

Casually twisting my body to evade, I glared at the ogre that had slipped my sword's path, manipulated mana to create a foothold in midair, stepped on it, and leaped.

Shit, how'd I just do that? No idea. Figure it out later!

-Pshook!

"Graaaaaaaaagh!"

I plunged the sword deep into the chest of the off-guard ogre. It roared in agony, twisted its body, and reflexively swung its club. I hastily gathered mana, layering it over my skin's mana coating like the foothold earlier to protect my body.

-Kwajik!

"Cough!"

Even so, the club's power was immense—it pierced my barrier, and my body was flung helplessly into a nearby tree.

Mana coating, whatever barrier I'd somehow made with mana, plus [Physical Resistance]—and still, my arm bent at an unnatural angle, skin torn open.

I gritted my teeth, used [Heavenly Touch] to roughly realign the bones, and spat the blood trickling from my mouth. Where? Onto my gloves.

-Hummm...

The gloves greedily absorbed the blood from my body, glowed red, and explosive power surged through me. I'd left my sword embedded in the ogre's chest, so I grabbed a suitable longsword from the scattered corpses nearby.

Almost all dwarfs, and their gear was premium stuff! Too good to waste on throwing!

-Whoooosh!

With [Limit Break] fully unleashed, my arm swelled massively, and the amplified the enhanced strength even further. Channeling the surging power, I infused a bit of mana and hurled the sword at the ogre without hesitation.

-Kwaang!

"Groooaaar!"

Just throwing the sword caused a massive explosion, tearing the ogre's skin and spraying green blood. And from my throwing shoulder came an ominous crack—my arm dislocated.

Shit. Hurts like hell. Using [Limit Break] with the overloaded my body; it couldn't handle the excess power.

"Hup!"

-Crack.

I roughly realigned my arm with [Heavenly Touch], gulped down a potion, and grabbed another longsword. I'd tried to conserve skills, but this wasn't the time.

'[Sensory Block].'

Thankfully, the skill worked. I'd hoped to avoid using it. The surviving adventurers nearby were a concern, but I'd end this quick without dragging it out.

With [Sensory Block] in effect, the fight should be ea—

"Growl? Graaaah!"

How's that feel, you bastard? No matter how strong, blind and deaf—what can you do...?

"Kraaaagh!"

"Urk!"

This bastard's using Fear? Even then, it just stiffens the body briefly...

...What? What bullshit...

"Grur."

"Uh."

Off-guard because [Sensory Block] had worked, the ogre's club came crashing down on me.

"Shit."

-Kwaaaang!