Chapter-08 · EP-115
Episode 115: Kobold
After advancing a bit on the sixth floor, I soon sensed a monster.
"Grrr..."
A low growl reached my ears.
I raised my iron sword. From beyond the shade of the trees, a monster appeared.
A bipedal monster with the head of a dog.
A Kobold.
It was about my height. Lean, but muscular. And – it held a crude club in its hand.
A monster with a weapon. Different from before.
"Come on!"
Provoked by me, the Kobold leaped at me.
I blocked its swinging club with my buckler.
Clang!
A heavy impact resonated through my body. It was heavy. Its strength was incomparable to a goblin's.
I jumped sideways to create distance, then slashed with my iron sword.
Slash!
The sword hit the Kobold's arm. But – it was shallow. The Kobold had dodged quickly.
"Tch, fast!"
The Kobold attacked again. It swung its club horizontally.
I ducked to dodge and slashed upward.
This time, it hit.
The Kobold screamed and vanished. A gem dropped.
I caught my breath.
So this was a monster of the sixth floor. Certainly strong. But – not too strong to defeat.
I decided to push forward. I had no intention of turning back here.
The next Kobold appeared. This time, two at once.
"Tch…!"
One attacked from the right, the other from the left.
I blocked the right club with my buckler while swinging my sword at the left.
Slash!
The first one vanished. I immediately slashed at the second.
Clang!
The club and sword clashed. The Kobold pushed with its strength.
I pushed back with all my might. But – the Kobold was slightly stronger. I was about to be overpowered.
Then, I pulled my sword back.
The Kobold lunged forward. In that opening, I slashed from the side.
Slash!
The second one was also defeated.
The third, the fourth, the fifth –
I defeated Kobolds one after another.
I struggled at first, but gradually got used to them. The Kobolds' movements had a pattern.
Just before raising their club, their bodies would sink slightly. If I attacked at that moment, I could get the initiative.
Then, the sixth, the seventh –
My movements became sharper. I was getting used to the iron sword.
The eighth, the ninth –
And the moment I defeated the tenth.
Heat coursed through my body.
――Level up.
I went from Level 5 to Level 6. My body felt lighter. Strength welled up.
"Good…!"
The eleventh Kobold was much easier to defeat than before. I was no longer outmatched in strength.
And I was convinced. I could do this.
Deciding that, I headed to the boss room.
To fight the sixth-floor boss, the Kobold Captain.
I opened the door in the rock wall.
A single Kobold stood there.
But – it was different from a normal Kobold. Its body was one size larger, and in its hand was not a club, but a sword.
"This is the sixth-floor boss, the Kobold Captain…"
"Grrrr…!"
Noticing my intrusion, the Kobold Captain growled and raised its sword.
I raised my iron sword as well.
We stared at each other.
It was the Kobold Captain who moved first.
It stepped in and slashed – I blocked with my buckler.
Clang!
Sparks flew. It was heavy. In a different league from the Kobolds I'd faced so far.
I circled to the side and slashed. But the Kobold Captain blocked with its sword.
Clang!
Swords clashed.
The Kobold Captain slashed repeatedly. I continued to block with my sword and buckler.
Clang, clang, clang!
I was on the defensive. But – I was looking for an opening.
I only blocked or dodged sideways. At this rate, I wouldn't get a chance to attack.
I had to change my approach. Just as I thought that, the Kobold Captain raised its sword high for a big swing.
Instinctively, I stepped forward. I leaped into the Kobold Captain's reach and swung my sword horizontally.
Slash!
It hit the Kobold Captain's flank.
But it didn't fall. The Kobold Captain roared in anger.
"Grooooh!"
It swung its sword wildly.
I created distance and waited for the right moment.
The wildly swinging sword stopped for an instant.
Now!
I stepped in and thrust my sword.
Stab!
The sword pierced the Kobold Captain's chest.
The Kobold Captain fell and vanished. A gem dropped.
"Haa… haa…"
Breathing heavily, I lowered my sword.
I finally defeated it. It was a messy sword fight with no strategy, but I had finally beaten the sixth-floor boss.
When I descended the stairs to the seventh floor, there was a portal.
This was a good stopping point. I had pushed a bit hard to get here, but this was far enough. I could restart from here next time. Today's goal was achieved. I had defeated both the fifth-floor boss and the sixth-floor boss.
I touched the portal and returned to the surface.
At the cafeteria in the dungeon building.
While eating lunch, I thought.
I reached Level 6. I got a new weapon. I was definitely getting stronger.
Exploration was going well, but I had one problem.
I felt that gaze again.
Someone was watching.
I looked around. The cafeteria was full of explorers.
I peeked at their statuses one after another. Activating my Analysis skill.
A Level 3 explorer. A Level 5 explorer. A Level 7 explorer.
And then –
That man sitting at a distant table… Tatsunori Susa. Level 43.
So he was still tailing me after all. I hadn't completely lost him.
I sighed softly.
What was this man's goal?
But he didn't seem to be attacking me. So, for now, I had no choice but to ignore him…
I finished lunch and prepared for the afternoon exploration.
The time to meet up with Yuno and the others was approaching.
But this gaze probably wouldn't disappear.