The Scorching dungeon ②

「Delicious」
「Amazing, Maika-san, this is delicious. Please teach me how to make this next time」
「I’m so happy that I can eat such delicious food」
「Delicious, this is delicious!」

After tasting the curry, I got these reactions.
My first curry was well-received.
For some reason, the vegetables of this world are almost all the same, so I was able to cook a curry similar to the one from Earth. I’m satisfied.
The only difference between the two is the type of meat.
In Japan, I would use pork or beef, and sometimes even some chicken meat, but there’s no such meat here, so I ended up using Red Dragon meat instead.
It’s excellent. As expected of a monster from the highest ranked dungeon, I’ve never tasted such a delicious meat before.
There was also another discovery.
When I took the Curry Roux out from the treasure chest, put the chest back into the item box, and once again took the chest out, the chest was once again full of Curry Roux.
This is probably because, when I put the treasure chest into the item box for the first time, the item box named the chest the “Treasure Chest filled with Curry Roux” and it “fixed” the chest when it was emptied.
In other words, every time I take out the treasure chest from the item box, it’s filled to the top with curry roux.
Tomorrow, let’s test this to see if it’s only possible with treasure chests.

After we finish eating dinner, I check my blacksmithing list to see if there’s anything I can make from the Combustion Stones I got in the dungeon.
In the end, I made a sword with Combustion stones and Red Dragon fangs.

– Burning Sword rank 8
Durability ７００／７００
STR+115
Increases damage done to insect and plant type enemies.

I used 5 Combustion Stones and 8 Red Dragon Fangs to make this sword with a crimson color. There shouldn’t be many people with a sword of such rank.

– Burning Claw rank 8
Durability ７００／７００
STR+100
Increases damage done to insect and plant type enemies.

There isn’t anyone who uses a claw weapon, but I made one for Charlotte just in case.

「Here, this is for you」
「Eh, is that really alright?」

I hand the sword, which I had just created in the tent, to Sara, which she received with quite the surprised expression.
Why are you so surprised? The only one who uses a sword is Sara, so of course she’s the one who would receive it.

「Well, but the sword I have is good enough for me」
「Just in case your sword breaks, it’s better to have a backup or two right?」

I persuade Sara to take the sword.
Was there such a need to be so afraid?

「This sword is most likely on an entirely different level than the ones used by a knight commander or royalty. Is it really alright for me to receive such sword?」

She went somewhere with an unpleasant face while mumbling something, but I’m glad she accepted the sword.
Afterwards, I talk to Charlotte, who is lying in the carriage because she ate too much.

「Mu, this is for me? I’m sure I told you that a lady like myself doesn’t require a weapon」
「Just in case. If you don’t need it, you can sell it」
「… You leave me no choice, I will accept it. However, don’t expect any gratitude」
「Un, thank you」
「Why the hell are you saying thanks」

Charlotte looks the other way.
I was worried that she wouldn’t take it, but I’m glad she received it properly.
I would prefer it if she used it instead of selling it, but I will leave that up to her.

The next morning, I once again dive into the dungeon alone. Everyone else stays at home.
I also thought about this yesterday, but I can’t help but feel anxious about leaving the four of them alone.
However, even if I’m being selfish, I’m the master, so those four have to listen to my orders. When this happens, and I’m going into high ranking dungeon by myself, the four blame themselves for being weak. 
Everyone became quite strong, so they won’t lose to the monsters around town. However, I’m still worried about them. I’ll return as soon as possible.

On the first floor, I searched the collection points and treasure chest locations that I had discovered yesterday, but I didn’t find anything. Seems like they don’t respawn in a day.
I decided to hunt a few Red Dragons and proceed to the second floor.
When I got to the second floor, I experienced the biggest change I’ve ever seen in a dungeon so far.
There’s still boiling magma around, just like on the first floor, but for some reason, huge red flowers bloom here.
Furthermore, the same kind of flower also blooms closely on the ceiling. They are so packed together, that there are no gaps in between them.
My detection skills react to these flowers, are they all monsters?
Honestly, it would be troublesome to take on such a large number of enemies that don’t move, so I thought I would leave them be and explore but…

「Maa, that’s not possible, is it?」

As soon as I set foot on the second floor, the flowers blew fire at me all at once.
Because it would be a problem if my clothes caught on fire, I rush back to the stairs.
As soon as I return to the stairway, the flowers stop their attack. Their petals close and they return to their state as a bud.
This is a troublesome situation.
Because the flowers are tightly packed together, there doesn’t seem to be a gap a person could pass through.
If I advance, even though I won’t take any damage, my clothes are ordinary clothing and would burn, so this won’t be easy.
I bought these clothes in a town, but then I learned the sewing skill, so I still have some clothes available.
However, because it would be a waste, I don’t want them to get burned.
Moreover, advancing across those flowers, while being under bombardment would seem to be a bit too hot aswell.
Isn’t there anything I can do?

「Ah, that’s right」

I use [Coercion] to the max, and step onto the second floor once again.
… Un. I think it’s okay.
With an intimidating skill on, the flowers won’t attack me.
It didn’t work on the Flaming Snakes, so I wasn’t sure if it would be effective. It’s good that it works.
Although there are many flowers, it seems that they are not a strong monster.
Now then, let’s explore the second floor while picking a few flowers.

This dungeon’s second floor can boast the same size as the first floor.
There weren’t any enemies aside from the flowers, so exploring this floor is easy, but this floor is so large that it’s bothersome.
My [Detection] and [Search] skills are always on, so every corner of the dungeon is thoroughly searched.

I stand in front of the hidden door I found during the search.
The [Detection] skill reacts to it, so there’s an enemy inside. Its name is displayed as ? ? ? so I don’t know what type of enemy it is.
I don’t know whether the enemy behind this hidden door is strong or not, so let’s be careful.

After I carefully entered the hidden door, I notice this room was much wider than the one I was in before.
In the center of the room stands 1 full set of body armor. There’s nobody inside, just an empty set of armor.
Suddenly, the armor starts to transmit an aura.
This armor is quite strong. Maybe even stronger than the troll.

I draw only one of my katanas.
The armor was sitting seiza, but when I pulled out the katana, it stood up and drew its own katana.
After the armor drew its katana, I thought it would be a waste to draw the second one. I have that kind of feeling.

「－－tsu!?」

At that moment, I kick off the ground to avoid the katana that was aiming at my neck.
The armor did not move from its spot.
Yet, I certainly felt a katana aiming at my neck.
Is an ultra high-speed slash possible? Was the space around me cut, or was it only a slash from the katana?
Which ever it was, it doesn’t change the fact that this is troublesome.
Even worse is the fact that when the armor unsheathed it’s katana, I almost didn’t see it.
Thanks to the [Perception] skill, I could barely see the katana move and was able to avoid the attack, but still, the attack itself was invisible and it made evading it difficult.

「Gu」

The katana blurred again. I rolled away to dodge the slash.

「Air blade!」

After rolling away, I took a posture and used one of my sword skills, and unleashed an air blade.
However, just when I think I see the its katana blur again, a sound of clashing metal echoes around the room. The air blade I used vanished.

Meanwhile I put some distance between the two of us.
Then, an attack that aimed for my neck was unleashed again. I couldn’t see the invisible attack, but I managed to evade it thanks to perception, and I closed the distance between us.
Perhaps that slashing attack cannot be used while moving.
If it used the attack continuously, I would have to avoid it by rolling, and then I wouldn’t be able to do any attacks of my own.
However, that armor didn’t do it.
There are about one or two seconds between each attack.
Even that small amount of time is enough for me.
I cover about 10 meters with one step.

「Thunder!」

It’s my fastest sword skill, a thunder-type skill that allows me to approach the armor at a lightning fast speed.
It doesn’t have a neck, so I aim at the torso.

However－－It doesn’t reach.

A high pitched sound echoes around. The our katanas collided.

「Thunder Strike」

I unsheathed my other katana.
When I landed the attack, the armor’s katana is flung away.
Now it has nothing to block my attacks with.
I break the armor with Thunder Strike.

「That was dangerous」

My arm that was cut off・・・・・・grows back while I mumble.
When I used the first Thunder strike, it used its invisible slash and cut off the arm that held the katana.
If I had been just a second slower, it may not ended with just an arm.
Because it was very dangerous to have taken that slash from so close, I’m glad it was defeated with this.

I pick up its katana from off the ground.
When I used Thunder Strike, the second katana had vanished. It seems I’m going one sword style for the rest of the day.
Maa, this katana is of the highest rank, so I don’t need to worry.
I mean, to begin with, I barely fought it with my 2 swords.
After all, my fights were usually finished bare handed. It won’t be problem to use only 1 sword.

– The demon sword – Muramasa rank 10
Durability １０００／１０００
STR+420
AGI+270
Puts the wielder under a 『curse』.

Fumu, a curse.
Because of my [Abnormal State Immunity], the curse doesn’t work on me.
I don’t know what curse this is, but the curse must be fairly strong because of this katana’s rank. It wouldn’t be possible for anyone besides me to use this katana.
I appraised the armor, but it was poor quality armor you could find at any market.
I thought the armor might have been high quality, so I’m kinda disappointed.
Perhaps the curse on the sword controlled the armor?
Just in case the armor is useful for something, I pick it up anyway.

Now, it doesn’t seem like anything else is in this room, so let’s continue exploring.