Chapter 12

"Crunch, crunch... Rabbit meat is just as tasteless..."

Now, Aichi was devouring the rabbit meat in the base. Yes, the meat of the Kick Rabbit. The one who once mocked his kicking skills was now just food. Aichi had hoped the rabbit meat would have a decent taste, but his hopes were dashed. After all, it was still the meat of a monster, and it couldn't possibly taste normal.

He finished the entire rabbit in one go. After acquiring the skill to strengthen his stomach acid, Aichi felt he could eat almost anything. Especially after using his innate skill, his hunger became intense. He had used his innate skill when killing the Kick Rabbit, so it seemed to be a balanced trade-off. If he overused it, the hunger would return, so he needed to be careful.

By the way, the Kick Rabbit was defeated using a trap. He started by drawing water from a hidden stream and sprinkling it on the ground, then luring the Kick Rabbit. When the Kick Rabbit violently charged onto the wet ground, he used the maximum power of [Entangled Lightning] to electrocute it. As it smoked, he charged forward, seizing the moment of paralysis caused by the electric shock, and shot it with Dorna from the front.

After all, avoiding a bullet accelerated electromagnetically to a speed of two to three thousand meters per second was impossible. The rabbit's head exploded into pieces, and it died.

"Well, after eating the Kick Rabbit's meat for the first time... the attributes are..."

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Nagumo Aichi, 17 years old, male, Level: 12

Profession: Alchemist

Strength: 200

Vitality: 300

Endurance: 200

Agility: 400

Magic: 350

Magic Endurance: 350

Skills: Alchemy [Mineral Identification], [Precision Alchemy], [Mineral Detection]. Magic Manipulation, Stomach Acid Strengthening, Entangled Lightning, Heavenly Step [Earth Compression], [Ground Shrinkage]. Language Understanding

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As expected, his attributes increased after eating the monster's meat. Considering that eating a Two-Tailed Wolf now barely increases his attributes, eating a new monster should significantly boost them.

He immediately investigated what [Heavenly Step] was. The first impression was the Kick Rabbit leaving a pit in the ground with one kick, and the speed that left an afterimage. The [Ground Shrinkage] attached to Heavenly Step was not a separate skill. Speaking of [Ground Shrinkage], it was a famous high-speed movement technique on Earth.

Aichi imagined an explosion under his feet and stomped down. The magic power in his body gathered at his feet, and the ground where he stomped collapsed... Aichi flew out and crashed into the wall face-first.

"Ouch!?! It's, it's hard to adjust this..."

But, it was a success. If he continued to train, he should be able to perform the same movements as the Kick Rabbit. Combining it with gun skills, it could become a powerful weapon.

Next was [Air Force]. However, he couldn't activate it. Knowing only the name, it was hard to understand what the skill did. After various trials, Aichi remembered that the Kick Rabbit could stand in the air. Immediately, he imagined a transparent air platform in the sky and jumped forward.

He face-planted into the ground, falling flat.

"Ughhh!?! Haha"

Aichi rolled on the ground, clutching his face, his body contorted in pain. Then, with a pained and helpless expression, he drank the divine water.

"...Well, at least it worked..."

After jumping forward and face-planting, it was because he didn't fully land on the platform in mid-air. He stumbled and fell. Clearly, [Air Force] was an innate magic that created a foothold in the air.

Heavenly Step and the derived skills of innate magic felt like he had acquired two innate magics at once. With this special feeling, Aichi began training. His target was the Claw Bear. He might be able to kill it with long-range gunshots, but for caution, he needed to train. The possibility of encountering a stronger monster than the Claw Bear was not zero, and in the dungeon, being optimistic would lead to death. After defeating the Claw Bear, he needed to start looking for the escape route from this floor.

With this in mind, Aichi took a deep breath again.

～～～～～～～～～～

A blurry shadow was moving at high speed through the dungeon's corridors.

It was Aichi. Aichi had become a master of Heavenly Step, using [Ground Shrinkage] on the ground and walls, and [Air Force] in the air to create footholds, moving at high speed in search of his nemesis, the Claw Bear. He should have looked for the escape route first, but Aichi desperately wanted to kill the Claw Bear. He wanted to see if he could stand before it and fight, after his heart had been shattered once.

"Grrr!"

He encountered a group of Two-Tailed Wolves, one of which pounced at him. Aichi remained calm, jumped up, did a backflip, and drew Dorna, which was bound to his right leg with alchemized iron wire, and fired.

Bang!

The dry crack of the burning powder sounded, and the bullet, accelerated electromagnetically by [Entangled Lightning], shattered the head of the first wolf. He then used [Air Force] in mid-air to jump further and fired continuously at the charging Two-Tailed Wolves. Although not all shots hit, he managed to kill them all before running out of bullets.

Aichi tucked Dorna under his left armpit, quickly reloaded, and ran again, not even glancing at the Two-Tailed Wolves' corpses.

He continued to instantly kill the Kick Rabbits and Two-Tailed Wolves he encountered, and gradually found the shadow of his nemesis. The Claw Bear was currently eating, chewing on what seemed to be a Kick Rabbit. Aichi confirmed its presence and smiled confidently, walking over calmly.

The Claw Bear was the strongest species on this floor, essentially the floor boss. Many Two-Tailed Wolves and Kick Rabbits lived here, but there was only one Claw Bear. Therefore, the Claw Bear was the strongest and had no rivals. Other monsters, understanding this, carefully avoided the Claw Bear and would run away if encountered, without even fighting. Seeking it out was impossible.

However, now, the impossible was happening right before his eyes.

"Hey, Claw Bear, long time no see. How does my hand taste?"

The Claw Bear's sharp eyes narrowed. What was this creature in front of it? Why wasn't it showing its back to it? Why wasn't its body trembling in fear, and why wasn't its eyes filled with despair? Faced with an unprecedented situation, even the Claw Bear was confused.

"Your enemy for revenge, first, understand that I am not your food but your enemy."

Saying this, Aichi drew Dorna and pointed the gun at the Claw Bear. Aichi asked himself again. Was he afraid? The answer was no. There was no darkness or despair in front of him, and he didn't tremble in fear on the ground. There was only the pure desire to survive and the intent to kill his enemy.

Aichi's lips curled into a bold, fearless smile.

"I will kill and eat you."

With this declaration, Aichi fired Dorna. The gunshots echoed, and the Tauru mineral bullets, traveling at two to three thousand meters per second, approached the Claw Bear.

"Grrr!?"

The Claw Bear avoided the attack with a momentum that collapsed the ground. It wasn't because it saw the bullets but because it reacted to Aichi's killing intent. Truly, the strongest floor boss. Despite its massive, over two-meter-tall build, it had an incredible reaction speed. However, it didn't completely avoid the attack, and a patch of white fur on its shoulder was stained with blood.

The Claw Bear's eyes burned with anger, clearly recognizing Aichi as an 'enemy.'

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr