Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Boss Battle
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“Huff. Huff.”
-------------<Inheritance>-------------
[Strength 008 permanently increased]
[Agility 022 permanently increased]
[Intelligence 004 permanently increased]
[Luck 000 permanently increased]
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The final Grima vanished in a burst of blue flames.
With that, every monster in the cave had been wiped out.
A grueling four-hour ordeal.
It had been a nightmare.
Even now, it felt like bugs were crawling somewhere in the darkness.
The 'Inheritance' stats gained from monsters followed a different mechanism than usual.
Boss mobs gave a bonus over the standard 1%, while trash mobs came with a penalty.
When I asked Laura about the difference from villain hunts, she said it was just how the system worked.
I dragged myself to a spot free of money bug corpse dust(?) and collapsed.
After all that hardship, sitting down felt twice as blissful.
“Status window.”
------------[Status Window]------------
◈ Name
null
◈ Stats
[Strength 798 B]
[Agility 447 B] (+200)
[Intelligence 981 D]
[Luck 147 F]
[Overall C]
◈ Skills
[Inheritance 724 A]
[Dragon Heart --- A]
[Telekinesis 411 C]
[Magic Engraving --- B]
-----------------------------------
It had been a while since I last checked my status window.
Agility's rank had climbed from C to B.
Strength and Intelligence weren't far behind.
Telekinesis had returned to normal.
‘The name's still weird.’
“Laura. My name's still all messed up.”
[Ah, the name. It's not unfixable, but it's a big deal. No point explaining in detail—it's like reciting sutras to a cow. You're not some monkey who can't grasp more than three lines, right?]
She must have really taken offense to what I said when we first met.
“Ahem.”
Still, the massive stat gains made the suffering worthwhile.
One odd thing, though: no Orb of Growth from these money bugs.
As agility-specialized monsters, they should have dropped an 'Orb of Growth (Agility).'
But these charred husks yielded nothing.
I couldn't let curiosity slide.
“Lauraemon! Why no Orb of Growth?”
[Because Inheritance already sucked up all their resources. Long story short: monsters executed via 'Inheritance' don't drop Orbs of Growth. And what's this 'Lauraemon'?]
“It's a thing.”
I pulled a chocolate bar from my bag and munched it to recover.
Trauma must've set in—the scratching 'skritch skritch' still echoed in my ears, but I ignored it.
Fully restored, I pressed onward.
The cave was straightforward, no branches—just keep walking.
Here and there, human bones and scraps of clothing littered the path.
People from the vehicles sucked into the Gate when it first appeared.
The vehicles got filtered out, leaving only their bodies to be devoured by the money bugs.
Tragic, but they were doomed anyway.
By the time the original protagonist entered, they were long dead.
That's why he got flamed online after clearing the dungeon.
Some reporter's wild speculation painted him as the villain.
Said he recklessly stirred things up and got innocents killed.
Like the protagonist had trolled and caused their deaths.
Now I'd take that heat instead—at least it was worth one skill.
Before I knew it, I'd reached the end.
A massive door awaited.
Iron, so I had to shove with all my might to crack it open.
My heart raced.
I'd cheesed the money bugs, but this dungeon's boss was on another level.
No comparing it to C- or D-rank villains.
“You've come.”
A figure emerged from the shadows.
A man in black robes.
His appearance was blatantly unnatural.
Where a face should be was a smooth, egg-ghost blank.
His words didn't come from a mouth.
------------<Finale>----------------
['The Nameless One' has appeared.
A boy kidnapped by an assassin organization and raised as a nameless killer.
He was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy born for martial arts.
Though trained in assassin techniques, he grew strong enough to face top masters head-on.
The Nameless One terrified all with his prowess, eliminating countless experts.
In time, his organization betrayed him, leaving him utterly alone.
Branded a public enemy, the assassin fled to this cave with fatal wounds.
He endured a year, patching his rotting injuries and subsisting on bugs.
Despite his desperate struggle, the goddess of luck never smiled on him.
Untreated wounds festered, devouring his body until he perished in solitude.
One regret haunted him: etching his name into history.
That grudge bound his soul to this world, denying him peace.
'Had I been born to a noble house, training carefree, I'd have reached the Profound Realm in no time, praised by all—cursed by my lowly birth!']
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“Young warrior, your frame is too frail for my arts. Begone.”
The 'Nameless One' spoke like some hidden master.
C-rank my ass—him, Laura, they all had this knack for underestimating people.
“Fuck off.”
The nameless assassin dropped into combat stance.
Truth be told, I was scared.
Dungeon's C-rank boss meant B-rank power.
Worlds apart from my stats.
I muttered softly.
“Laura. Stay put, and when I signal, Dispel, please.”
Her voice tinged with worry.
[He's leagues beyond you. You sure?]
“Yeah. With you here.”
Underneath the 'Hermit's Leather,' I wore anti-slash armor.
It wouldn't stop a transcendent's attacks, but it could mitigate damage.
I gripped my mace in a defensive guard.
Watch the neck and face most.
Assassin—he'd target those.
The killer crouched.
In an instant, he vanished from sight.
I knew this pattern...
‘I got this.’
I spun and swung the mace.
“Kraaak.”
The 'Nameless One' popped up behind me, took the hit, and tumbled across the ground.
I'd come prepared.
Had a plan for the bugs.
Boss fight had winning odds.
I knew every attack pattern of the 'Nameless One.'
Faced him dozens of times in the game.
He crouches low, vanishes, reappears behind for a lethal strike.
I'd predicted from his stance and struck first.
The assassin crouched again.
Vanished once more.
Figured my counter was luck.
‘Don't underestimate me.’
I swung behind again; the mace's heavy thud sent him flying.
“How... how did you know?”
He growled low.
I sneered.
“An assassin who shows himself is nothing.”
Suddenly, black aura exploded from the 'Nameless One.'
Like a Super Saiyan from Dragon Ball.
Pissed off good.
The one thing this prideful killer hated most.
‘You're only good with ambushes. Face-to-face, I'd win.’
That kind of logic.
Dodge a few attacks, taunt like that, and final phase kicks in.
Movements double speed...
“Guh.”
A dagger flew into my thigh.
Then another.
“Hyaak.”
One in my shoulder.
Dodging wasn't my forte.
Now he attacked head-on.
Daggers blurring beyond sight.
Cheek. Temple. Gut. Thigh.
Each whoosh added wounds.
I swung the mace to block, but couldn't match the speed.
At least I focused on face and neck—staved off instant death.
‘Shit. Should've grabbed a shield.’
Coming with just the mace was sloppy.
The dagger slithered like a hunting serpent.
This time, straight for my throat.
‘This one's bad!’
Not a probe—a killing blow, brimming with intent.
Block rashly, and I might die.
I rolled desperately aside.
Then three daggers whistled in fluidly.
Rolling left me exposed.
A dagger sank into my right leg.
“Arrrgh!”
I dragged myself up, leg screaming.
No strength in it.
The 'Nameless One' drew a shortsword and approached leisurely.
Time for the hail mary.
“Wait, hold up. Stop. If you're gonna kill me, use your best move, right? Gotta know who sent me to the afterlife for bragging rights. Dying to some no-name assassin? Embarrassing.”
His ghosthood stemmed from 'honor lust.'
Not just a killer—he craved recognition as a mighty warrior.
No way he'd refuse.
“Very well. Meet your end by my ultimate technique.”
The moment I'd planned for since entering the boss room.
One shot.
I could win.