My eyes widened as I crouched low as one of the Black Tigers raised past my head and slammed face-first on the ground after failing to stop in time.
"Stab!!"
When its fangs pierced the ground, fissures sprang on the hard surface. After all, that is a beast!
Of course, I didn't have the luxury of staying and admiring the scene. At that moment, the other Black Tiger began running towards my front.
Dammit! I slashed a furious slice at the approaching Black Tiger.
"WHOOSH!!" My sword slashed straight ahead, accompanied by the bone-chilling sound of wind parting ways.
"Sluice" It only only one slice to separate the Black Tiger's head from its body.
The head-severed Black Tiger's carcass slammed into the tree, its head rolling far away from the location with the force that it sliced away. The decapitated body then dropped powerlessly to the ground.
Wait! Did I just cut that thing in half with one slice? My eyes widened, and I stared at myself, dumbfounded.
Well, what the heck! It was most likely due to my training. But...weird! Does this imply that the world has a different effect on martial arts training? Oh! Anything!
After observing this scenario, the other Black Tiger, which had just flown over my head, lowered its tail and began taking shaky steps backwards.
Huh....? Is the Black Tiger afraid of me?
I took a step nearer, apprehensive, but that Black Tiger bolted, leaving me and its kind's decapitated corpse in the Flame Lightened darkness.
Finally, the Flame arises eh?
I was able to conjure Fire mana now after this. Now that I've made it this far! I didn't want to retreat here at all.
If I turned away to go now, I'd never be able to take another step forward in my ambitions.
Now, then! After I've collected all of the loot from here, I should move farther within.
I deposited all of the loot in a place near the rock I saw. Well thinking that I'm all along in here, the stuff won't go anywhere, after all its all just mana cores of the beasts.
Then I began walking deeper into the dungeon.
...
While brushing away every single mana beast spotted along the road, I saw that they were all Grey Tarantulas or Little Spiders around the size of my hand. Undoubtedly there were all low ranked mana beasts. That is certain, but one thing remains unclear. Where does this path leading me? Will I be able to make it?
Walking inside, killing all the insect mana beasts that came at me, I found myself in another dark region like that previously just a few seconds of getting farther inside. And, looking back, I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary on the way. No matter where I looked, all I could see were the dead insects that I had slain.
I spent far too much time polishing my fire mana and techniques alongside all of the other elements I have. For some reason, I got the impression that several mana attributes are coursing down my mana channels, but...I still can't figure out what all of the attributes I have aside from the present ones are.
Wind, Lightning, Fire. Will I awaken others like water and may be ice? It would be nice.
Well, that's enough of that! What the hell is the matter with this place? Where is the supposedly present Mana Beast?
I used fire mana to lighten the place and make it easy to see forward.
Just as I increased the brightness of my Flaming lighting, I couldn't help but grumble.
The shredded wings, legs, torsos, and even heads of the bugs — the varied dead bugs' remains were strewn about as far as the light shone. The further down the dungeon the light penetrated, the more remains I could see. There's also a massive room at the end of it all.
"Huh? a massive chamber?" Because I was perplexed, I spoke aloud.
So, if the mana beast is going to be within the Chamber, why the hell did they have such a large dark space filled with dead remains?
I suppose...I will proceed to see what happens.
Let's get this party started!
...
Walking inside, I noticed that the surrounding cave walls were completely covered in mana crystals. These magical crystals reflected the light attractively. Man, is this for real? I'm going to be rich!
To begin with, magic crystals are one of the treasures that can be obtained inside dungeons, and many of them are mana-enhanced. Just like the normal Mana Crystals, they too contain elemental Mana inside them. So, I can use them to conjure other elements if needed, and if I didn't possess that element.
Although each magic crystal contained less mana than a Rune Stone recovered from a higher rated mana beast, they were usually always found in small quantities, thus if one was able to mine them, one might earn a large profit.
Besides, the magical crystal deposit I'd discovered was massive. The enormous cave's whole wall was covered in these stones.
Thinking about it now, I recall that if there were magic crystals, there should be a Boss guarding the treasures. With my current understanding, I guess I can confidently state that the mana beast should be at least an A-ranked mana Beast or higher.
They probably guard them, because these crystals can also gather mana from the surrounding to a single place like this place. With that, the beast can use the magic crystals and develop their mana cores.
...Oh-oh! could it be?
"rustle""rustle"
As a little piece of stone dropped from the cave's ceiling.
Looking up carefully, I was shocked to see what appeared to be a spider. After staring at it for a while, I assumed it was fast sleeping because the massive spider didn't move an inch from its location.
There were empty shells of dead insects heaped up as high as a mountain around the Spider.
Many of them were 'half-eaten,' and there were human fluids mixed in with them, suggesting a trash dump full with food waste.
I'd better hurry up and kill this monstrous spider! If I go out later at night, it becomes a little more dangerous.
My attention was drawn to the sleeping spider. I remained calm and content since I had a good idea of what was going to happen next.
So, let's get started.
Lets try an attack with Fire mana and Lightning Mana.
Closing my eyes, thinking of the two elements combining, the mana manipulation wasn't easy. It was hot and electrifying, then the last spark, the flames glowed with Lightning crackles.
Then, after a deep breath, *FIRE-BOLT*
"Kaboom!"
As the Spider slept upside down, I shot out lightning and fire, combining both into a heavy Fire-Bolt strike up the ceilings. With stones tumbling around,
"Keurruuuk. Keururuk."
The spider's slumber had been disturbed by the loud explosion, and it was gradually rising its gigantic body up. The body is the size of a small house. There are dozens upon dozens of eyeballs. That dreadful mouth. There are eight long, lengthy legs.
It appeared far more menacing now that it had began to move for real, rather than when it was actually in a deep slumber.
Oh dear! its...its....a Ginormous Tarantula!