Looking at the adventurer getting swallowed, I could not move a single step.
If I sent out a 「Slash」 … no, even if I did that and defeated it, the person inside it would be injured as well. Moreover, I hardly think that it would be defeated with a single 「Slash」.
There was a huge skink the size of an Indian Elephant in front of us as well as skinks the size of wolves between us.
"These guys look dangerous Elise."
"Yeah, dangerous Jofre."
Jofre and Elise held their breaths in fear as they saw the giant skink leave.
Ah, that was dangerous.
"It's rude to intrude when it's having a meal right."
"It was barely within its meal time."
That's not the problem here. I was about to comment when,
" … Or rather, it doesn't seem like a time to be joking around."
" … Or rather, we don't have the time to be joking around."
As expected, after seeing a person die, Jofre and Elise were tensed.
The remaining skinks all stared at the leaving giant skink.
The thought of all the skinks swarming over to attack made me shiver uncontrollably.
After the giant skink swallowed the male adventurer, it left toward the opposite direction from us.
Then, after the remaining skinks saw the giant skink leave, all at once, they all looked over.
Shit, I instinctively thought.
"Master! Please use flame magic! Skinks are weak to flames!"
"Un, understood! 「Petite Fire」!"
When the flame bullet from the palm of my hand collided with a skink, it was blown away, leaving a magic stone, meat and scales.
The flame smouldered on the earth and they certainly did not approach the flame.
"「Slash」! We're returning to the 55th-floor for now! You 2 as well!"
"「Slash」! Yes!"
Haru and I used 「Slash」to restrain our opponents as we prepared to flee.
"Yes, clearly ascertain with your own eyes the ability of a person who was once called the champion of fleeing!"
"If that's the case, then I'll show you the ability of a person called the great runner!"
These 2 were fully motivated when fleeing. Those 2 names were definitely unnecessary but I thought that it was perfect for the 2 of them.
Thankfully, it is common knowledge that monsters do not make chase up until other floors so after reaching the 55th floor, I caught my breath.
[Ichinojo Level up]
I got experience points because combat had ended.
Jofre and Elise should have received experience as well, I defeated 2 fish lizards so since half of the 40 fish lizard's worth of experience was split among 4 people, they each got 5 fish lizard's worth of experience. They wouldn't level up so easily with only that. Even the 1 defeated by Haru would only give them about 0.1 fish lizard's worth.
"Oh Elise, I leveled up."
"I leveled up as well, we're so lucky huh."
… Seems like they leveled up pretty easily.
Well, if it's only 1 level then they would think that it's by chance.
"Even so, what's with that skink? It even swallowed an adventurer …"
"Most likely a variant. Its colour was different and its size was different so even among rare types it's a special one. They are stronger, have increased fertility and are linked to large outbreaks of monsters. As soon as there is a discovery report, the Adventurers Guild will give out a special A-rank subjugation command … it would be good if the situation has only just occurred … but that number would mean …"
Just as Haru was trying to say something, it happened.
There were presences coming from the stairs.
A group of fish lizards. 4 of them climbed up the stair to the 55th-floor.
"After breeding, overtime, the magical power in the floor would decrease and monsters would overflow out onto other magical power-rich floors or even the surface. If they come to the 55th floor then there is a possibility that they would use the transfer circle to exit to the surface!"
"Did you hear that? Elise, Jofre, the 2 of you please report what that has transpired to the guild! We will stop them here. Show me the strength of the champion of fleeing and the great runner."
I audaciously smiled and the 2 of them grinned.
"Understood, leave it to us, rookie!"
"I'll make a grave for you there if you die!"
They left those words and left running, aiming for the transfer circle.
To leave after saying such inauspicious words until the very end.
"Haru, please take off the Friendship Ring. From now on, it's time for growth!"
I stored my sword into my item bag.
I heard from Margaret-san that the Pugilist earn bonus experience points if they defeat their prey with their bare hands.
Hence, I'll give it a try.
I kicked the ground and sent a punch toward the crown of the skink's head.
The skink sunk into the ground due to that.
Next, I crossed both my arms and cried out 「Slash」!
I can't handle 2 swords but I can handle both my arms since I was born with them.
I tried to reproduce the twin-sword style 「Slash」 that Haru showed me using my knife hands.
"Haru, stay … no, would you be alright?"
A monster like a skink isn't an opponent for Haru anyway.
When I turned around, the skink was dissected in a V-shape and turned into magic stones and scales.
[Ichinojo Level up]
[Apprentice Magician skill: 「Wind Magic」 obtained]
[Pugilist skill: 「Physical Defence Strengthening (Minor) 」 obtained]
Nice, I learned Wind Magic and my defence increased.
"Haru, we'll do some hit-and-run tactics for a while. We'll go to the 56th-floor, defeat our opponents, collect experience points and withdraw, and repeat. If the Giant Skink appears then disengage without hesitating."
"Yes, master!"
I descended the stairs and for control,
"「Petite Fire」!"
I released Flame Magic. Recharge time was 10 seconds so I continued to use my fist to defeat skinks.
Haru hit the skinks and defeated them in 1 or 2 hits, while I definitely killed them with a single hit. When 10 seconds passes, I would attack with 「Petite Fire」.
When we continued to beat them up until we did not have any time to collect the items, the Giant Skink came walking in from ahead.
It's the Giant Skink! (TL: Most likely a reference to Godzilla haha)
"「Petite Fire」! Let's flee!"
"Yes, master!"
With its frame, it would not be able to come up the stairs!
When we finished climbing up the stairs, it happened.
[Ichinojo Level up]
[Jobless skill: 「4th Job Setting」 skill has leveled up to 「5th Job Setting」]
Jobless skill: 「Job Appraisal」 skill has leveled up to 「Job Appraisal II」]
[Swordsman skill: 「Rotational Slash」 skill has leveled up to 「Rotational Slash II」]
[Apprentice Magician skill: 「Earth Magic」 obtained]
[Job: Magician is now available]
[Pugilist skill: 「HP Strengthening (minor)」 obtained]
[5th Job was automatically set as Commoner Lv15]
"Ha!"
I laughed. Just now, how many skinks did I defeat?
60? No, I defeated 80.
In other words, excluding the experience points given to Haru, I experienced growth similar to defeating 24000 skinks.
That's amazing. Even if I defeated 1 every 5 minutes, that would add up to 120000 minutes … or in other words, 2000 hours worth of work. Usually, some time would need to be spent finding the monsters as well.
Jobless leveled up to 60, Swordsman to 17, Apprentice Magician to 20, and Pugilist to 14.
In addition, I released 5th Job Setting … I set it as Merchant and I changed Apprentice Magician to Magician.
Well then, what should we do now.
"Haru, did you level up?"
"Yes, Beast Swordsman reached level 6 and I learned 「Olfactory Strengthening」."
"I see, can you still continue?"
"Yes, easily."
"Okay … as it is now, I feel like I can defeat that skink."
I said and snickered.
Author's Note:
Skink fever. I'll display the status page at the end of the volume.