Chapter 79

No, it's not that!

I was thinking that I could easily update today, but then the third episode's rough draft for the comic adaptation was sent to me!

While looking at Circula's erotic costume and thinking about revising the dialogue, before I knew it, two hours had passed—this was an irresistible force, you see, that, that... The comic adaptation is scheduled to start serialization in the February issue of Comp Ace, which will be released on December 26th (sudden advertisement).

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Rex

LV 50

HP 530

MP 265

Strength 201 (C+)

Vitality 200 (C+)

Magic 200 (C+)

Spirit 200 (C+)

Agility 200 (C+)

Focus 200 (C+)

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(...Really, I can't take it anymore.)

I looked at my status again and sighed heavily.

In this game, you don't get much experience from defeating enemies lower than your level.

And my initial level is fifty.

This means that with stats inferior to those of the level thirty party members, I can't earn much experience unless I defeat enemies over level fifty.

In fact, in these three months, the only enemies of my level or higher that I've defeated are the level sixty Doom Demon at the beginning and the level seventy Sword Saint Nilva in the arena.

Since I didn't gain any experience from the Nilva battle, the only experience I earned was from the Doom Demon.

However, in this game, there's no positive experience bonus for defeating higher-level enemies, only a negative one for defeating lower-level ones.

Even though the Doom Demon was a boss-level monster, defeating it alone wasn't enough to raise my level to fifty-one.

...But even if level-ups don't improve my stats, there is one other way to boost my abilities: "Ability Training."

By performing corresponding exercises—like swinging a sword for strength or meditating for magic—you can increase your ability scores without leveling up.

I remember that Rad and the others managed to raise their ability scores by about thirty points each in just one month through this training.

However, there's a catch.

The higher your innate potential in the ability you want to improve, and the lower your current value, the more effective the training is.

For example, Rad, who had a strength score of 54, managed to raise it by 22 points by repeatedly swinging a sword, while Recilia, who had a strength score of 126, only managed to raise it by 4 points with the same training.

So, it's obvious that I, who have even less potential in strength and a current value of 200, wouldn't see much improvement.

That's why I've given up on improving my abilities through training and only occasionally join Rad and the others.

(Still, I did some sword swinging as part of the Manual Arts training, and managed to raise it by one point...)

Raising just one point in three months is nothing.

At least, the conclusion that this method is too inefficient to realistically improve my ability scores hasn't changed.

(Man, this is way too hard, Rex.)

I complain to the grumpy face in the mirror, even though I know it's pointless.

"Hey, old man. What are you doing, staring at the mirror? Let's move on, already."

At that moment, Rad, who seemed in high spirits, called out to me from behind, and I reluctantly stopped my escapism.

I put my strength-up ring back on and turned to face Rad.

"I know. But be careful. Don't forget that the enemies here are higher level."

"Got it! No matter what, I'll buy enough time for Mana to cast her spells!"

His response didn't seem to show much understanding, but I sighed, thinking that at least he's grown enough not to say he'll defeat the enemies himself.

We moved forward from the mirror and continued down the corridor.

The cool air of the underground made me tense up.

"...Next, this room, I guess."

After walking a bit down the stone corridor, we came to a dilapidated door.

Fortunately, the door, which was already falling apart, was slightly open before we did anything.

It was a relief not to have to worry about locks or traps.

I nodded at Nuek's words and stepped into the room.

The room was empty, with bare stone walls and a wooden coffin quietly sitting in the center.

Other than some rotten wood leaning against the wall, there were no furnishings or decorations.

(This room...)

As I tried to recall a vague memory, I stopped in my tracks.

"...What, a dud?"

With a deflated voice, Rad slipped past me and carelessly entered the room.

(No, this is bad!)

A faint memory in the back of my head sounded a warning!

"Rad!!"

At that moment, the coffin burst open from the inside, and a black torrent spilled out.

The black "something" flew up with enough force to hit the ceiling.

At first glance, it seemed to be a single mass, but upon closer inspection, it was a swarm.

They split and spread out on the ceiling, and the "things" with red eyes that were sizing us up were...

"―<Black Blood Bats>! They're vampire bats!!"

I shouted, pulling Rad back and stepping forward to face them.

These bats, while individually weak, are numerous and hard to catch due to their erratic movements.

I didn't immediately remember them because they weren't much of a challenge in the game,

(Bad news! We're at a disadvantage!)

When your stats are low, enemies that are fast and numerous are more dangerous.

If we had the right stats, we could ignore hits and brute-force our way through or burn them with fire, but with Rad's current stats, their attacks could be fatal.

Also, unlike the enemies we've faced so far, these aren't undead.

Mana's light magic, which is our party's main firepower, won't be effective against them!

"Old man!? No way! With this many..."

I stopped Rad, who was about to rush forward in panic, and tried to sound confident.

"Don't underestimate me. This is a good opportunity. I'll show you the power of the 'grown' me!"

※ ※ ※

A swarm of bats fluttered around the room.

I didn't have time to count, but there must be a dozen or so.

If they all attack at once, we're in trouble.

"First, this one!"

With a shout, I threw the <Goblin Slayer> as a greeting.

Two of the bats were hit by the thrown daggers, but...

"Haha, of course."

The bats that were hit only staggered for a moment before continuing to fly as if nothing had happened.

(The advantage I had from game knowledge is catching up to the strength of the enemies.)

The <Goblin Slayer> is a powerful piece of equipment I got from the casino.

It has a special effect that makes it strong against goblins but weak against everything else, but I can avoid this by using the <Throw> skill without equipping it.

In other words, against enemies of this level, the <Goblin Slayer> I worked so hard to get isn't much of a strong weapon.

(But, if that's the case, there's still a way.)

I took out another <Goblin Slayer> in my left hand and held the <Metal King's Sword> in my right, ready to face the bats.

(I didn't plan to fight this time, but...)

I was tense, and sweat was beading on my forehead.

I swung the dagger in my left hand rhythmically.

(The key is timing.)

The bats are small and move erratically.

Ideally, we could use area-of-effect magic or long-range attacks, but we don't have enough firepower, and the room is too small for that.

―Here it comes!

A bat approached as if it couldn't stand it any longer.

I swung my sword to intercept it.

...But!

With a slippery trajectory, the small black demon evaded the sword and flew away.

This is the bats' greatest strength.

Because of this movement, linear attacks that can't change their trajectory mid-air, like Arts, can't catch them.

"Aah!"

A voice of despair came from behind me.

But it was premature to give up.

I stopped the swing.

Then, I stepped forward,

"You're too slow!"

I thrust the bat that was trying to escape and caught it.

The bat, impaled by the <Metal King's Sword>, struggled once and

"...First one."

Immediately turned into particles of light and disappeared.

Seizing the opportunity, I cut down the second bat with a backhand swing as it approached in a circling trajectory.

"What's wrong? Is that all?"

The bats didn't seem to be provoked, but they started to swarm like a dam had burst.

Still, I didn't change my approach.

I'm not just a gamer who can't swing a sword without Arts.

The sword skills of "Rex" are inside me.

"Four, five, six..."

By the time the fallen bats reached half, I had accelerated my sword even more.

Left, right, up, down.

I anticipated and chased the bats' erratic movements, overpowering them with the difference in sword speed and reach.

"...Amazing."

By the time I heard that voice from behind, only two bats were left, flying aimlessly in the center of the room.

(A prolonged battle is disadvantageous. So, I'll end it here!)

I took the rhythm with the dagger in my left hand and stepped forward when the two bats were in a straight line.

"Huh!"

I closed the two-meter distance in an instant.

Then,

"It's over!"

I cut down the last two bats with a single swing of my sword, using the momentum of my approach.

(...Somehow, I made it.)

As I was about to sigh in relief at the sight of the bats disappearing, I heard a scream.

"Rex!"

Mana's scream.

I turned my head instantly and saw a monster that had blown away the leaning wood and was about to attack us with its clawed hands.

―Ambush!

I regretted that the bad feeling I had when we entered the room was about this, but it was too late.

The approaching <Moon Werewolf> was fast.

Its deadly claws were already at my throat, and there was no time to dodge.

I pulled back my arm in a desperate attempt to resist and waited for the moment of impact,

―<Instant Step>!

In the next instant, I was "jumping" to the werewolf's back.

The Sword Saint's skill <Instant Step>.

By using the unreasonable power of this skill, which allows you to instantly teleport to the back of your attacker when hit, I raised my sword to strike the defenseless back.

"...Sorry."

The monster, which had lost sight of me, had no way to avoid the attack from behind,

―<Endless>

My critical strike split the poor creature's upper and lower body in a single breath, and it died on the spot.

It was the cool Rex I hadn't seen in a while!

The secret to Rex's strength will be revealed next!

Probably updating today!