Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: 6th Floor. This is Bullshit!
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A flash of dark steel sliced through the air.
Splat! Splat!
The axe blade wasn't particularly sharp, but it was more than enough to sever a few tendrils from the plant stems flailing around in front of it.
The predatory vine, following the axe's trajectory as its stems were lopped off, writhed from the shock at the severed ends, then spread out wide and thrashed violently.
"Damn, for a plant, we all know it doesn't hurt, so quit the drama."
There was that paper he'd skimmed about plants feeling pain, but heroes didn't bother with studying, so he'd play dumb.
Whoosh!
'Man, it's seriously hard to spot.'
To be honest, the predatory vines weren't that tough.
Low attack power, low defense—if he wanted, he could probably handle three at once.
The problem was their camouflage. Not quite protective coloration, but they lurked silently all the same.
Predatory vines and other plant-type enemies were tough to detect. Lower your guard thinking there were none and stroll mindlessly, and you'd eat a surprise attack.
He took a whipping vine to the back like a lash and pressed forward.
Thwack!
The plate-lined body armor let out a sound like getting pelted with a rock, sending a jolt that made him catch his breath for a second, but no real pain worth calling damage.
As long as it didn't halt his movement, there was nothing to fear.
Arm pulled back to its limit, channeling maximum power into a horizontal slash aimed straight at the predatory vine's stem.
Crunch—with a tearing sound, it bit deep into the stem woven from dozens of tangled tendrils, snapping several with wet pops as they collapsed.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You dealt 21 damage to the Predatory Vine. You defeated the Predatory Vine. And just like that, the animal-hating plant that had been wriggling like a living thing crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
'No blood spray, feels just like weeding.'
The thick grassy scent was identical to the one he smelled every holiday when heading down for weeding duty, which only reinforced it.
He didn't particularly enjoy seeing blood, but this pungent grass stench had always irritated his nose since childhood, so he furrowed his brow slightly.
"Anyway, maybe I've gotten a bit stronger?"
Of course, the predatory plant series were the weakest enemies in this area, but taking one down without a scratch was encouraging.
He wiped the green sap from the axe blade that felled the predatory vine and slid it back into its holster before surveying the clearing.
It was called a clearing, but it wasn't much different from the passages—just walls of grass spaced a bit wider apart, with the same low-lying weeds carpeting the floor.
No chests or items in sight, so it was a total bust.
At least no traps—that was a small mercy.
He turned back the way he'd come.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hup!"
Splatter!
The pod split open, spilling digestive fluid onto the floor.
The predatory vine thrashed wildly, whipping its tendrils about as it leaked what looked like clear water—but was anything but.
Plants had no joints, of course, making their attack paths a nightmare to predict.
But like whips being tricky weapons, predatory vines—with limbs like whips—faced major constraints in recovering and thrusting attacks.
Not packing much punch either, they were foes you could beat easily by tanking hits just shy of danger.
But when their numbers swelled? Different story.
"Fuck this!! Progressive companies need to bulldoze every jungle right now and switch to massive plantations!"
The reason he was pushing for that dystopian tree mod...
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 【Predatory Vine】 Level: 9 Health: 17/53 ■■■□□□□□□□ Description: One of the mysterious plants inhabiting this labyrinthine jungle. It absorbs organic matter with its oval pods on its stems, but occasionally hunts directly. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 【Predatory Pincer】 Level: 9 Health: 51/51 ■■■■■■■■■■ Description: One of the mysterious plants inhabiting this labyrinthine jungle. Its clamshell pincers grab touching creatures and slowly digest them. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 【Predatory Sticky】 Level: 9 Health: 37/60 ■■■■■■□□□□ Description: One of the mysterious plants inhabiting this labyrinthine jungle. It catches prey with sticky mucus on its unique mouth, immobilizing them. …
…
…
Nepenthes, pitcher plants, sticky sundews... and more. The room brimmed with predatory plants in every shape.
Splatter!
Cleave one down, and the next—drooling digestive fluid like saliva—closed in from beside and behind, autonomous veggies lying in wait.
His axe arm ached from the frenzy, and the sticky sap caked on the unwipeable blade made each chop demand more effort.
"I'll survive and go full vegan!"
What horrors had vegans endured from plants to swear off everything else?
He'd join their ranks. Bye-bye homemade burgers. Bye-bye sirloin steak.
"Nah, scratch that!"
His revenge? Let another vegan handle it. He couldn't abandon juicy, crispy-tender steaks oozing goodness.
Slice!
"F... fuck...! Let go! I'll sue! You think I can't sue a plant?!"
In the gap of his frenzied pounding on the snapping pincers ahead, his left arm stuck fast to the body armor via the adhesive's tendril.
He could probably rip free with force, but wasting time meant tumbling into a full pod for marine soup—or clamped into marine jelly.
This mess wasn't from him losing his mind and kiting a mob.
The culprit: a pressure-plate trap about 5 meters away, in front of a chest. Camouflaged by dirt and grass until stepped on, its plate now mockingly protruded.
Summon trap.
Among traps, it dealt the least direct damage to players—but topped the "never wanna step on this" list as JOAT.
Spawned enemies from this floor at 33% chance per tile in a 5-tile radius around the player. Perfect setup to drown in numbers.
Non-AoE builds had to steel themselves and punch through upon triggering.
Most died there, reality check.
This area's quirks made summon traps the mildest difficulty, but still—he'd take spike pits or explosions over this.
Slash!
He severed the sticky tendril clinging to his body and arm, backpedaled to the wall.
One arm sealed. At least a dozen foes left.
Too costly for one chest.
'Fuck it. Fireball time?'
It'd wipe them sure, but he'd burn too—best case, two-faced crispy.
Easiest path, but he chose different.
"Wanderer!"
At her name's call, amid the swarming predatory plants, a swordswoman wielding a greatsword pitted with red rust materialized.
The Wanderer gripped her greatsword short, rearing her arm back wide.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Half-Moon Slash As the Wanderer assumed her stance, the plants lunged to subdue her—fresh nutrients—tendrils and leaves binding her arms, legs, waist, neck like tightening ropes.
Crunch.
The crescent slash tore free of her bonds and unleashed, bisecting a predatory plant at the waist; its leaves fluttered skyward.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Full-Moon Slash Sequel slashes chaining from that arc.
Plants rent apart again, spewing foul grass stench as they piled into a small hill on the floor.
Just two strikes felling five plants.
Flashy work trimming a third of their numbers, but near ten remained, tendrils writhing like tongues to devour him.
'Next time, bringing cement for sure...!'
Righteous fury toward User ㅇㅇ bubbling anew, he placed a hand on his holster.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Sploosh.
Teleport scroll.
A scroll inscribed with magic to whisk the user to a random spot on the current floor.
Unknown dangers at that random spot made most avoid it, but its value skyrocketed in certain moments.
Like when death loomed immediate.
It postponed doom, letting you try again—like a spare life.
Thus, the absolute counter to summon traps.
Though teleporting into waiting enemies or traps for an instant 1F reset wasn't rare.
No choice to be picky now—he had to use it.
Lingering meant certain death!
"Ugh! Why drop me in water of all places..."
Ripping the teleport scroll landed him in a pool up to his waist.
The tropical rainforest maze dubbed Osirislis's Labyrinth was 80% grass-choked space, but water-filled sections cropped up occasionally.
And no predatory plants in water.
A massive shadow slunk beneath the surface, dancing past.
Just other enemies instead.
"You fucking...!"
Splash!
A fish rocketed from the water, jaws gaping wide to chomp his face.
Its head mimicked an alligator's maw and teeth. The beast was:
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 【Alligator-Tooth Fish】 Level: 11 Health: 63/63 ■■■■■■■■■■ Description: A fish with a head like an alligator's. Usually docile, but this one's feral. Pumping explosive muscle power from beneath tough scales, it bullet-shot forth—a dodge impossible in waist-deep water.
So instead of his face, he shoved his arm into its maw.
Body armor shielded torso including gut and back. No guards for arms.
Hard teeth sank into flesh; he grimaced.
Seemed another unwelcome guest here craved him too.
"Aaaargh!!!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You took 21 damage. You took 16 damage. This is bullshit!