The smoke dissipates, and drop items scatter, but what surprises me is the message.
I figured the unique tag meant it was a variant similar to dungeon bosses but… I didn’t expect this effect. How do I transmit this information…
“Shouta!”
“Darling!”
Maki and Ayane come running as I’m lost in thought.
I turn around, and see the light covering the settlement is gone, and also Aki and Aira coming this way. And Enki.
“Good job out there Shouta.”
“Wonderful fighting, master.”
“Thanks.”
With that monster gone, my stats should be back to normal. As before, I only have a faint understanding of how much of my Physical Strength I can actually use, and Dexterity and agility have too big of an amplitude for me to know where I stand.
But I feel like I’ve become a lot better after this fight. I even feel like I won’t lose if I run next to Aki.
“Did you get stronger again?”
Asks Aki, and I’m startled.
“I jumped to level one hundred and ninety.”
I say casually.
“No, not that. I mean you’ve gotten better at controlling your strength. Fufu, you just keep growing.”
“Ahh. You really are good…”
She’s too sharp.
“I also am happy about master’s growth, but I must inquire about something important. What was that message?”
“Eh?”
“Ah, you’re just gonna ask that?”
“Everyone over there seems curious as well, so we should check it.”
“I guess…”
Both look towards the audience, and that prompts me to look too. What I see is looks of respect and clear excitement they can’t conceal.
“A-are you saying… Everyone received that message?”
“Yes.”
“We sure did. And judging by the reactions of the onlookers, at the very least, everyone around this area saw it. And the contents lead me to believe it might have reached the whole dungeon.”
“Uhe…”
The dungeon core asked if I wanted to announce its message to the world, so I knew the dungeon had that functionality, but… I didn’t expect this to be sent without my consent…
I’m a little scared of the reaction.
“Is it really restricted to the dungeon… I wouldn’t like it if it was sent to the whole world.”
“We won’t know until we contact the outside. Good thing the camp has black pillars set for that very purpose, so we can send messages.”
“Okay then. I’m hungry, so let’s go back and rest. Aira, please collect the drops.”
“Understood. This is expected, but there are many. This battle will fill my bag, so it is good timing.”
“Come on Maki and Ayane, you can’t hold onto him forever. Let go.”
“…Yes.”
Both reluctantly do so.
They were worried because I was forced into a one on one fight with a strong opponent, and they know I can’t wield my power to its fullest even under normal circumstances.
Aki and Aira don’t show it, but they were scared too, so I need to make sure I can use my full power in a stable manner soon.
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
After that, we go back to the camp, with Shuu and the other adventurers crowding us. And since just moving feels like a waste of time, I’m activating Hawk Eye too.
Still, even with Magic Energy Super Recovery Lv2, Hawk Eye still uses a lot of magic energy if I move my point of view. And so, I’m holding hands with Maki and Ayane and walking with my eyes closed.
I feel like I can fill almost thirty percent of the fourth floor like this… Yes, the blank space is being filled in the shape of a triangle. All that’s left is the other half. This really is simpler than the third floor.
As I think that, we encounter orcs along the way.
‘Fugogo!’
‘Pugii!’
It looks like they have settlements like goblins, and form colonies around them. I want to keep hunting goblins in the afternoon, to spawn a powered up one, so I leave the path clearing to my partners and the audience. Enki and I are sitting this one out.
“Not being able to beat monsters because I can’t break the streak is nothing new.”
‘Goh.’
“But if we’re attacked by groups like this, we’ll be waiting for a while.”
‘Goh.’
I guess it’s because we passed by where they can see us from their settlement, and about thirty of them are attacking. Looking at the map, I can see easily over a hundred live in the settlement. I don’t think I’ll have trouble spawning a rare one.
I can’t fight, but while this is the beginner dungeon, there are quite a few veteran teams here. Six of them are forming a temporary group here.
I can’t see them losing.
＊＊＊＊＊
Name：Orc
Agility：60
Intelligence： 30
Luck：None
Equipment: Orc sword
Skills: None
Drops: Orc meat
Magic stone: Small
＊＊＊＊＊
“Orc meat… That meat…”
Orcs are bipedal pig monsters. They’re about two meters tall, and they’re hotheads who charge while screaming with a sword in hand. They are somewhat intelligent and can coordinate with each other, unlike goblins, but meat…!? Even if I consider it meat, they still look like that. Can you eat that?
“I have served it for dinner numerous times.”
Aira reveals a shocking truth all of a sudden.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Ignorance is bliss.
“Why only at dinner?”
“It is a robust source of nourishment.”
“Ah, I see…”
I’m thinking the meat these ones will drop will be used tonight.
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Thanks for the treat.