The third battle in the dungeon was about to begin.
"Saiga, we have company coming up fast from behind," the voice of the cursed sword whispered.
"How can you tell?"
"I am a cursed sword, after all. I can sense souls," it replied.
Of course—souls. The sword had mentioned that before. It could track souls, and through that, pinpoint enemies' directions and positions. But nothing more. It didn't tell me what kind of enemy was coming.
"What's your plan?" the sword asked.
"Simple. I'm going to intercept them. Let's start with the usual combo: *Invisible* and *Poisonproof*."
Just like my last battle with the cockatrice, I planned to stay hidden and strike with poison.
"You really have no intention of swinging a sword around and engaging in combat, do you?" the cursed blade questioned, somewhat mockingly.
"I'm not a trained swordsman! I'm a regular high school student. No way I can pull off fancy swordsmanship like in the stories," I shot back.
"I see, Saiga is a student. I'll remember that."
Unlike characters blessed with skills like swordsmanship or powerful magic in those novels, I wasn't granted any special abilities. Sure, my stats were high, but that didn't mean I could just pick up a sword and instantly become a master warrior.
High stats don't mean you know how to fight. So, the best plan is the one that guarantees a win. Right now, for me, that's stealth and poison.
But—
"Saiga, be careful. The enemy is coming directly toward us—and fast."
"Good call, cursed sword."
That single piece of information changed everything. The enemy was heading straight for me despite my stealth. That could only mean one thing.
"They can sense me—just like I can sense them!"
If they can find me despite being invisible, stealth is useless. I immediately disabled *Invisible*.
"Ki-ki-ki!"
*Swoosh!*
I heard the creature's screech and the sharp sound of something slicing through the air. It had attacked, but... no pain followed. Normally, getting hit like that would have me writhing on the floor in agony.
"Cursed sword, did you catch what it was?"
"Too fast to see."
"Not very helpful, are you?"
"You are full of surprises. You didn't feel anything from that hit?"
"That's because I activated *No Pain*."
---
**No Pain**: Passive. Consumes 100 mana to equip. 10 mana per second to maintain.
---
The skill completely numbs pain. It doesn't stop damage, though—I still take hits, but I can keep thinking clearly, without pain clouding my mind.
"Clever—avoiding incapacitation through pain. What's next?"
The *No Pain* skill gave me the mental clarity to assess the situation. The enemy was incredibly fast, faster than my eyes or even the cursed blade could track.
Not only that, but it also had a way of tracking me. Stealth was useless. I'd tried hiding behind objects, but it still found me. So, it wasn't just using sight to find me.
"If only you had superhuman reflexes, you could parry and counter, but alas, you're just a student. So, what's the plan now?" the sword quipped.
I ducked behind a nearby pillar for cover.
*Swish!* Another attack cut through the air. Even hidden behind the pillar, the enemy still knew exactly where I was. It wasn't tracking me by sight or scent.
"Okay, time to try something new."
I gripped the cursed sword and activated a new skill. Then I waited.
"You're just standing there. That won't end well, Saiga."
"I know. Just watch."
*Thud!*
Something heavy hit the ground in front of me.
"Big bat, huh?"
"That's a Sonic Bat," the sword informed me. "A high-speed monster found in dungeons, known for its echolocation."
So that's it. That's how it could track me without seeing me.
"But how did you stop it?" the cursed sword asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.
"Technically, I haven't killed it yet. It's just paralyzed."
"Paralyzed?"
"Take a look around," I said.
Surrounding me was a cloud of yellowish gas, lingering in the air.
"Ah, I see now. You expelled my paralysis poison using *Venomous Breath*."
*Venomous Breath* was a skill I gained after eating the cockatrice. It allowed me to release any toxins stored within me, making it perfect for someone carrying a poisoned sword.
"The sword's poison is normally confined to its blade. You have to cut your enemy for the poison to work. But with *Venomous Breath*, I can release it into the air."
"So, you scattered the poison into the air around you, and when the bat zoomed toward you, it flew right into the cloud of poison and paralyzed itself," the sword deduced.
Exactly. The Sonic Bat had been tracking me using sound, not sight or smell. That's why it missed the fact that I had laid a toxic trap. It couldn't hear the poison.
I stepped closer to the bat as it struggled weakly on the ground.
*Thwack!* I stabbed my blade into its belly. The bat let out a high-pitched wail before falling silent.
"The poison worked faster than expected," I mused, pulling the blade from the corpse.
"It must be its weak constitution," the sword replied. "Now, time for the feast?"
I lifted the bat's lifeless body. While not too appetizing, this was my only way to recover health right now.
"I'm gonna need a strong stomach for this one."
Bats. They're not exactly... culinary delights. Chickens and snakes were one thing, but bats? My body recoiled at the thought.
Still, I forced myself to tear into the creature. This was my only way to heal, after all.
"You know... it's not as bad as I thought."
Surprisingly, it wasn't disgusting. The guts had a slight bitterness, like the taste of grilled fish innards, and the bones weren't too hard—crunchy, like chicken cartilage.
The meat, similar to chicken, was tender, with just the right amount of bite to it.
"Huh. Bat meat's not half bad."
I could only imagine how much better it would taste cooked. Fire would've been a luxury.
"Feeling better now?" asked the sword.
I glanced at my status screen. My health had fully recovered, and the pain from earlier had vanished. The small bat had surprisingly filled me up.
"I'm good. And it looks like I've gained another skill."
---
**Echo Location**: Emit ultrasonic waves to detect the precise location of objects and living beings around you.
---
"So, this is how it was tracking me," I said. "Echo Location."
"With that skill, you'll have a major advantage in this dungeon. You can now sense everything around you, no matter how well it hides."
I sheathed the cursed sword and moved forward. Despite everything, I couldn't help but feel a strange excitement for the battles ahead. Each fight made me stronger, more prepared.
And as always, the goal was clear: to escape the dungeon.