I meandered around for some time trying to find my way out of the dungeon. Since the floors were always changing by spatial distortion caused as a result of the high density magicube, I took note of any path or floor I came across.
Thanks to Scentia I hadn't fallen for any traps I encountered, best luck I've had so far.
I tried out all kinds of things and learnt some new skills and then I ran into the first sign of trouble, Ah Geez just when I was having a goodluck streak.
A Cryo Manzardill appeared, the creature was a poikilothermic creature which explained why the environment was so cold on this particular floor. It roared the moment it saw me.
It was a ginormous six-legged, white iguana that had sharp elongated spikes across it's body and a moderately tough scale. A B+ ranked monster.
An anomaly, since iguanas didn't like the cold, it must've evolved into this from being in a cold environment surrounded by magicubes.
The largest monster I'd seen so far, real bad, 'Is it too late to go back?' I asked myself. 'But wait a minute, this guy's not any scarier than the Blackulus Spider maybe I'm overreacting. Time to test out my mad skills! Let's go!' I motivated myself mentally.
I was the first to make a move, running toward it while [Oracle Engine] was activating and sourcing magicubes from the atmosphere.
Because I moved the Cryo Manzardill chose to react, roaring out so loudly that it's dewlaps spread out with sharp jagged spikes on the ends. This monster in particular was capable of breathing ice from his mouth and firing a long-range freeze ray that isolates targets in ice.
This ice breath is cold enough to freeze large bodies of water and molten lava. So when it made the first attack, a strong breath of ice beam descended from its mouth which covered a five meter radius, with me in it.
From my right hand manifested grids of magicubes that assembled to form a spherical shield around me [Reflect: Ultra Wall Formation]. I couldn't deflect the entire freeze beam back. But I sent a third of the freeze ray back while I was also taken aback some meters.
The creature was unaffected, it couldn't be affected by cryokinetic matter, 'I should've known better.' I thought.
This particular floor wasn't as large as the others so using destructive spells was a no if I wanted to avoid getting buried.
I manifested numerous fire balls [Fire Storm] from five magic seals all thanks to [Type Magic]. It caused damage to the creature but in it's environment it had better durability which gave me an idea.
My gaze shifted to the floating river above us, to which I cast the same spell toward it, having manifested twelve magic seals which sent multiple fire balls upward. Clashing with the water body, pressurized water vapor explodes through out the room, too hot for even me to withstand but the main purpose was to weaken its durability.
I cried out from the heat, but now the creature couldn't see, neither could I, but I could hear every movement it made and in what direction [Enhanced Hearing].
My index finger outstretched, and I created a magic seal four meters in diameter and as it rotates at a fixed velocity, a sea of flames emerged [Grand Storm] that completely cremated the monster.
The steam reduced but I had numerous burns on my body, stressed out.
"Geez, that was harder than I thought.." I fell on the ground to catch my breath for a moment.
[>> Analysis complete. Updating magic skill chart: "Freeze Ray Generation", "Cryo Immunity", "Water Movement", "Wall Scaling" acquired. <<]
Good news, it meant I could now swim and cold wouldn't be an issue anymore. But I could also project freeze rays?! Nothing beats the the [Oracle Engine] it's "da bomb."
That's it, I had to keep on pushing, I couldn't stop here. So I stood and continued my exploration. A way out didn't seem so sure yet.
Going forward, I encountered an Durosaurus, another admirably large creature.
This time I created an array of magic seals that sent cold converging blue light [Freeze Ray] toward the monster. I chose this attack because the monster was extremely durable to the point of diamond, contraction was the best way to defeat it.
Using so much ice beams resulted in cold gas masking the entire floor, but I could still see the Durosaurus being shattered to pieces. It was a C+ ranked monster, not really a big deal.
[>> "Exo Armor" acquired. <<]
Traversing a water body, I was able to properly swim via [Water Movement] so this time around irregardless of it being a river flowing in midair or one at normal gravity, I'd succeed.
Then I came across a bat, "Gosh! I hate bats!" and this prompted me to panic.
"Firestorm! Firestorm! Firestorm!" I cast the fire spell so many times, sending numerous balls of fire to decimate the creature in question.
[>> "Ultrasonic Wave" acquired. <<]
Continuing my journey, just bouncing around the dungeon with no apparent end. I got stressed out, although I didn't experience any loss in mana since I was in a literal reservoir of one.
"I'm so friggin' bored, and tired, I feel like I've been in here for days.." and yet it hasn't.
I resumed walking but obviously my body was giving out. More energy was required to walk and run in this magicube filled environment. I lost patience.
Finally, hunger, so I took a fruit from the magicubella tree on one of the floor rooms, they shouldn't be able to grow fruits or ones this big but the rich magicubes altered its normal characteristics. I'm guessing.
The fruit was of a juicy red colour.
"Is it safe to consume this?" for all I knew it could be poison since anything may be a trap here.
[>> Answer: "confirmed analysis complete, it is a magicubella fruit. A valuable fruit that only grows in areas rich in magicubes, stalk can be used to create medicinal herbs." <<]
"I knew this place was rich in magicubes but enough to make a magicubella fruit heaven is crazy... Hmm, so basically eating those fruits may give me certain ingredients for medicinal herbs and also increase my magic power." okay, maybe the last part was a bit unrealistic.
I'd tried so much to increase my magic power by eating a number of things but all have failed. But, "A guy can dream, can't he?"
I ate some of the fruit and even packed some for Grendeeny whenever.
"Sally sells seashells by the sea shores, Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppe– ah!"
My leg struck a huge rock and I immediately fell to the ground, out of frustration I stood up and kicked it again. Which only resulted in more pain, I screamed out.
It was like this dungeon was out to get me.
"What the hell is this stone?"
[>> "Gallanite ore, a very rare dark elemental substance acquired possibly from accumulated dark energy magicubes. You have already analysed this mineral." <<]
I didn't recognize it, but it had the same colour of blackness as the one I encountered in Zerstörungʼs lair. But I'd never heard of dark energy magicubes before, so it was a first.
I should've known this was Gallanite ore but the sizes of these ones were much larger than the ones we searched for on the lowest floors.
Although at this point I didn't know what floor I was on. These Gallanite ores were larger and more readily available here.
"Still though, I should probably be more careful from here on out.." I said while entering a darker floor, it was unbelievable the amount of dark magicubes that was present here.
The gravity here was intense, caused as a result of high density atmospheric mana.
"You there, can you hear me, little one..."
The voice that called me wasn't what you'd call friendly, it was intimidating, fearsome and similar to that of a monstrous creature with a deep, assertive voice. I didn't know whether to answer the voice or just ignore it instead.
I looked around, yet it was nothing but darkness
"I said little one, do you hear me? It's rude to just ignore me... you had best answer me."
The creature shrouded in darkness made a loud, deep cry, of rage that caused the entire dungeon to undergo tremulous movements. I could clearly see his red eyes now but not the physical form, everywhere was just so dark to make up much of anything.
I fell off my feet and landed on my buttocks, "Ah! Not again" I gently rubbed it as a means to relieve myself of pain.
"Do you have a death wish?! As I've been abandoned for years I tried to show hospitality you incompetent bipedal!"
The room was pulsating with too much dark magicubes to see, and my senses were disoriented, "I-I-I'm sorry it's just so dark here! I can't see anything!" I told the somewhat demonic voice that threatened to kill me.
Sure, I stuttered several times but this was only because the creature's voice was intimidating. I barely stood at this point, the dark magicubes were immensely dense, even more than the previous ones.
[>> Additional skill: "mana vision" has evolved to become "mana sense," acquired. Note: Additional skills are beyond what is due or usually expected from magic skills, it's evolutionary state. Would you like to use "mana sense?" <<]
"Yes!" I replied with haste.
In a moment's notice an energy surged all around me in a spiral manner which allowed me to completely sense everything and perceive them in full form like there was no darkness at all.
I could see it all.
"I can see!" I jubilated for some time, but then the voice asked me again, "How did it go little one.." and then I mentioned "It wo–" I was short of words, rather screaming instead, I'd never seen a creature this big before.
He was gargantuan.
The creature in question was a powerful figure, depicted with a red skin and a muscular physique.
He wore little clothing, only a tattered red fabric tied with a chain around his waist, bandages on his thighs, wrists, and biceps, and a pair of sandals with armored sections on his lower legs, all of which were wrapped with chains.
His most striking features were his horned helmet, which had cavities in the front of his face with what appeared to be "flames" inside, making it impossible to see his face. In addition to that, his body was covered in black spikes.
"Come.."
He used his index finger to gesture I come forward.
"S-Sure.." my body vibrated as I took one cautious step after the other, but I still kept a three meter distance between us.
But given his size it was obvious to tell he'd reach me with any part of his body, it was futile.
Then, his fearsomely bold voice that made the dungeon tremble told me.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself... I am Perses the lightning forger and one of only seven true demons that exists in this world.."
He started laughing again, with that intimidating voice of his which made the dungeon tremble while I wrestled to stay on my feet.
Sweat was dropped from every pore while I stared at this giant, what more could I do other than watch him bring chaos by merely a laugh, I wouldn't dare run now.