As I walked out of the inn, I directed myself towards another part of the slums, even deeper.
Just like when I walked in the inn, I accelerated not to get robbed and held a firm gaze, in front of me. I did my most to make a though look, because in reality I was on high-alert. I double-checked every person that came into my field of view, and my hearing was used to its maximum. It gave me a headache, but it was necessary as I absolutely needed my sword for what was coming.
My goal here was to reach an even shadier-looking place than the inn, which after a while came into my view.
It was just a small cabin, that felt out of place among the tall buildings from the surroundings. There were no windows, just a large metal door that occupied almost all the front. The sides rest was in typical cheap red bricks, that you would expect in a slum.
As it was bullet-proof, you would expect the door to be tightly locked, but I knew it wasn't. You just have to pull it veeeeryyyy hard, like so...
And the door opened. Ain't that wonderful?
Inside were classical, cliché-like stairs; meaning stairs that went down in a dark space, where you cant see the bottom nor the sides.
Taking them down, I started to smell a familiar, but still atrocious, odor, and soon the dungeon came into my purview. Because, like everybody guessed, I was walking into a dungeon.
This dungeon was a bit peculiar, probably because it was on the first trial, as it didn't have any monsters. Except, obviously, the boss.
Even with that, I don't think the dungeon was intended to be cleared. Not until the 3rd or 4th floor, at least.
There was a long, dark corridor, when you could only see what was at the end: a door. A very, very big door, probably in the 50 meters high zone. It had gold ornaments around it, and the rest was weird bright red color. To top it off, it had no handle.
To open it, I had to kick it with my full strength, and not just once.
What revealed inside was an underground dome, in full stone, with markings on the ground. When I walked in, flames lit up on the sides, and I some movement.
At the center of it all stood an enormous spider - Didn't see that one coming, didn't you?
When the monster sensed me, it immediately rushed at my face, and I had to precisely dodge not to get killed.
I wasn't stressed though because I knew all of its pattern by heart. I could literally foresee everything that it was going to do in the whole fight.
I immediately closed the distance to get a good punch, right in its face. It didn't deal any damage, but that wasn't the plan. I jumped, using its head as ground, to reposition, a few meters away.
The spider attacked with its front leg. It was a curvy, candy-cane like motion, which allowed me to dodge in. I used the momentum to jump towards the spider, but I jumped too high, so instead of a punch I threw a drop kick in its left eye, before propulsing with my other foot to reposition.
Still not enough, uh?
Seeing as the monster pulled its body back, I knew what it was going to do. It's going to jump at me. I realized this instantly because it's its most annoying attack: a sure kill on hit, and very hard to escape.
However, after much training, I pretty much always get the timing right, so I jumped again right at the same time as it, but higher, and, just like a few seconds ago, drop-kicked its left eye.
This caused its eye to crack, albeit slightly. It cried out, probably in pain. That was the signal I was waiting for; the signal for phase 2.
Unlike what most could imagine, I was glad. Because in, phase 2, it does this.
The spider changed form. Or more accurately, it changed size. The big thing that was two or three times the size of a car could now fit in the pulp of one of my finger.
Normally, during phase 2, it would go up and down in size, often getting even bigger and such, but it nevers goes back this small. So, normally, this phase 2 is a immense hassle
.
But obviously, as a first-trial boss, it couldn't just scale down without any downsides. Got it? I'm pretty funny, ain't I?
The probability on this trial would not allow for a size change without a durability or mass change, which meant that while it was smaller, it was also immensely weaker.
And, combined with its size, it did mean that i could strike it down with my sword, provided enough accuracy.
[ Attempting to use skill 'Precision Strike' ]
[ Action is impossible ]
[ Due to user's probability, the action will be rendered feasible ]
[ Using skill 'Precision Strike' ]
My hand went in front of my solar plexus, like a fencer, ready to stab. I locked my target with my eyes. For now, it was jumping around really fast, so I couldn't do much of anything.
But, moments later, it slowed down, because it was going to change size again. I wouldn't let such an opportunity be wasted though, and activated 'Precision Strike' aiming for its everything.
My body burst forward in a fluid motion, almost like a translation. I gave up on power, efficiency, and everything else for this one thing: speed, and in only one direction.
My arm didn't even move, as it was my entire body that did.
I think I stabbed through it, as blood neatly outlined the tip and surounding edge of my blade. That actually kind of looks like badass. Too bad it won't stay.
[ You have cleared a dungeon ]
[ Exiting the dungeon… ]
I was teleported in front of the iron door, and another message popped.
[ You have been rewarded with 'Size-changing Spider's fang' ]
I clicked on the name.
[ Size-changing Spider's fang ]
[ Rank: B ]
[ A fang ressembling a dagger. Holds the same power as the Spider it originated from. ]
This was it. The dagger I needed to 'resolve' the situation on this trial. Feels good to see you back, partner.