SWNOVELXO Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Beginner Dungeon (2)
Chapter 8: Beginner Dungeon (2)
Returning from the dungeon to my room, I took a moment to calm down. I reviewed the map and notebook I bought beforehand. It turns out that the dragonfly I encountered wasn’t supposed to appear on the second floor; it’s a monster from the fourth floor. Whether someone trained it there or it’s an irregular spawn, I don’t know, but crossing two levels seems to be a bad idea. I have a lot of complaints about the specifications.
Regarding the Stone Bullet I instinctively used, it seems to have been the right choice. The dragonfly (officially called a dragonfly, but since dragonflies are dragonflies, I’ll stick with that) is a wind attribute monster weak to earth attributes. Critical with a certain amount of earth attribute damage. As someone with earth attributes, it was probably a tasty monster.
The next day, I went to the armor shop again to buy headgear.
“Hey, facing a dragonfly solo is dangerous! You shouldn’t take on such monsters alone!”
I received a fist from the old man. It hurt more than being bitten by the dragonfly. He handed me a used leather hat. Apparently, he intended to give it to me when I seriously took on mid-level challenges. Facing a dragonfly solo was indeed a bad idea.
“That fear isn’t something like that. If you dilly-dally, they’ll keep spawning more and more. If you’re outnumbered, even strong guys will be done for.”
It’s impossible with swarms of dragonflies. The old man lectured me not to push myself solo and to consult with the weapons shop owner if I encounter opponents that can’t be dealt with using just the mace.
The leather hat, though showing some signs of wear, was well-maintained. It seems to be the one he used when he was younger. Buying a new one, even a cheap one, would cost 15,000 gold. When I tried to pay, he insisted, “Make it look a bit more stylish,” refusing to accept payment. I’ll gratefully accept it.
Next, I visited the weapons shop, and again, I received a fist from the weapons shop owner. He suggested a lightweight spear.
“Everyone wants swords or bows, but those won’t be useful if you’re not skilled. A spear is versatile for thrusting and cutting, with a long reach. If the tip gets damaged, just replace it. Despite its practicality and cost-effectiveness, it’s somehow unpopular.” I understand. If I were prioritizing visuals, I’d choose a sword too. It seems the owner recommends the spear not only for practicality but also because of his personal preference. Following his advice, I decided to purchase the short spear. The price tag said 50,000 gold, but he agreed to 30,000 gold. Since the armor shop owner gave me a hat, I can’t afford to lose. I’ll graciously accept it.
Regarding magical skills, he suggested buying a wand-like short staff at the magic tool shop. Although Stone Bullet happened to work out this time, the casting time and directionality are apparently on a different level. If I’m not aiming for a specialized rear-guard role in a party, it’s better to focus on physical aspects. While the directionality was fine, there was no casting time. Come to think of it, I just shouted “Stone Bullet” without chanting. Is this what they call instant casting or non-chanting? It’s a bit exciting, but it seems unconventional. I’ll ask Professor Kabaneru about the details next week. I can get the staff later.
Finally, I stopped by the guild to sell the shells from yesterday’s pillbugs and the wings of the dragonflies. There were over 100 shells, and the guy at the counter had a forced smile, but it successfully turned into funds. It’s a small amount, but it’s still a valuable income as an adventurer. I’m still in the red, but someday I’ll rise to the top.
The second time at the beginner dungeon. Let’s embark with more ease than yesterday.
Once again, the second floor had more people than the first. It was challenging to circulate through the spawning points with several parties engaged in battles. On the second floor, there were large centipedes, crickets, and cockroaches. Just outright disgusting. However, they had no poison or fatal attack power. The only problem was their agility, but the spear did a good job. Stabbing them before they got close, I dealt with them safely. Currently, I’m taking swordsmanship in class, but I might consider switching to spear technique. Spear technique is unpopular, and the class always has vacancies, so it should be fine.
“Pa-pa-pa-pa~n♪”
Soon, a fanfare resounded in my ears, and I veered into a side path to check my status.
Name: Alexi Appel
Race: Human
Title: Apel Trading Company Heir
Level: 5
HP: 80
MP: 120
POW: 8
INT: 12
AGI: 8
DEX: 12
Attribute: Earth
Skills:
+ Stone Bullet Lv2
+ Landscape Lv1
E Short Spear
E Leather Armor
E Leather Hat
E Leather Boots
E Mantle
Status Points Remaining: 10
Skill Points Remaining: 10
The status itself is the same as last time, with points added in increments of 10. Since skills can’t be leveled up with just 10 points, I’ll save them. Now, where should I allocate the status points?
Oh, a different window popped up.
===
Tutorial cleared. Inventory function has been unlocked.
===
“Inventory?!”
Oops, I said it out loud. But seriously, isn’t the inventory super cool? Space magic, right? It seems you can access it by tapping on the status screen. It’s probably better to take out things you’ll use in battle in advance.
But seriously, if they unlock this, won’t smuggling become rampant? It would be a big deal if I were a criminal. Well, I don’t plan to get involved with sketchy stuff. After all, I’m the King of Chicken, a scaredy-cat.
But if the inventory unlocks at level 5, I should have held out a bit more yesterday. Heck, I could have come to this dungeon last week. Well, there’s no use in playing the what-if game. Let’s move forward positively.
Again, let’s allocate the status points. Since I can defeat the second-floor enemies with the current POW and spear attack power in one hit without any issues, I increased the parameters of agility and dexterity. It made it slightly easier to target monsters, and I think the time to defeat them has shortened.
While collecting the small change dropped by insect-type monsters and their drop items like wings and antennae, I diligently circled through spawning points. The circulation speed and comfort are inferior to the first floor, but the profit efficiency and experience efficiency seem to be better on the second floor. Occasionally receiving counterattacks and getting grazed, I walked around until late afternoon, reaching level 6. Today, there were expenses for consumables, but I managed to recover the investment in the spear. Not bad.
I returned home for a moment to organize equipment and store it in the inventory, then went back to the school dorm. The feeling that my adventurer life has finally begun is indescribable. This loop seems like it’s going to be a lot of fun.