Episode(75) Close your eyes, Dance like nobody's business
SOVEREIGN OF DEATH~(75)
[I can feel the power but....]
It wasn't as much as he imagined.
It was a bit lackluster if he had to say it clearly.
Having been a modern person his thoughts of a hero was that becoming one would make you instantly invincible.
Shouldn't he had gained the power to instantly fly out of the universe and stop time?
Where was his laser vision?
Where was his thunder summoning hammer?
Well, jokes aside it seemed that wasn't the case at all.
'Since it's a trait that mostly shows its power around water-'
He would either need to use it in tandem with his sword or gain some water related skill somehow.
However that 'somehow' seemed impossible since he didn't know enough about this world to gain a skill beyond his current aptitude of darkness.
Although he had gained water magic from the talent, he doubted whether his aptitude was as high as it was for darkness so even if it was enhanced by the new trait it wouldn't be by much.
'Whatever-'
He sighed.
At the very least, he now gained water magic so it would be fun to practice.
Also, now that he had water magic he could finally take a bath!
Just the thought filled him with a sense of relief he hadn't felt in ages.
But his surprises didn't seem to be over.
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Nagisa's eyes opened wide in shock.
Well, wasn't this a surprise like no other. He almost wondered if it was his birthday.
Where was the cake?
As he pondered useless thoughts, he finally took a glance at the panel.
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[Description]: Water related magic requires no chanting and all water related skills will have their mana consumption reduced by 65%. Water can be created from nothing and formed to the users will.
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[Description]: The user gains 100% aptitude in all water related abilities. The output of all water related abilities increase by 20%.
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[Description]: Summon the rain and flood to wash away all things in a 10 meter radius. Lasts for 10 minutes.
Nagisa couldn't help letting out a whistle after reading the notifications.
It wasn't that overwhelming but he seemed to have become so much more powerful.
Especially rain calling, he could literally summon a flood. Though it was currently as useful as putting a band aid over a deep gash, when it leveled up in he future it had a lot of potential to show.
Most of all was that he gained what he needed, aptitude.
In other words, talent in the water element.
Now he could be as free and easy as he was with his original element.
Whether it was taking a bath or learning a skill, all would be easy with his trait [Master].
Excited, Nagisa couldn't help but silently activate water manipulation with a free open palm.
Swirl!
Above his palm, the air converged into a small droplet of water before later becoming a fist sized ball of water and stopped there.
He chuckled.
[Magic!]
Yes, he was disappointed by the size of the water ball but that quickly turned to amusement.
'The trait might not improve my stats too much but, I have other traits and skills that compensate for physical strength'
If he were to add all the stat boosts he received from other skills, it was sure to be well over 100%.
That was why for now, he was satisfied with skills that increased the weapons he could wield rather than his personal attributes overall.
[Good thing I noticed this guy before I left]
He sighed looking at the body that had long loosened its sticky skull from his palm.
Still, a hero.
Coming to this world Nagisa had thought all heroes had to be summoned but it seemed heroes were even born in this world.
'It seems hero isn't a unique class like ruler of death'
That must mean that even now there were other heroes besides Renji.
Then why summon other heroes?
Why not rely on those heroes instead of summoning themselves?
Just how much of a beast was this so called demon king that even the heroes of this world weren't enough?
Soon however, Nagisa shook his head.
What did that even matter when he was trapped in a dungeon?
Nagisa buried the corpse and gave a bow of respect praying that whatever lingering soul didn't latch onto himself.
Just as he turned to leave however-
Swoosh!
Spears made of earth shot up from the ground almost too quick to react.
Having always been wary of his surroundings, Nagisa easily avoided the cheap shot.
He prepared to step back in retreat but two spears of earth quickly formed targeting his back in quick succession.
In slight irritation, he could only nimbly twist and turn.
[The heck is going on?!]
Nagisa expanded his range of perception but couldn't feel a presence, not even a shift in the air.
That meant either he had somehow activated a trap, or it was a monster with such a high level of concealment not even his current perception could catch a whiff of it.
The latter would be terrifying honestly.
Woosh!
As he stood there while thinking and looking around, a pillar extended down from the ceiling falling directly on top of his head at break neck speed.
Nagisa looked up in bewilderment and dashed to the side.
The added force of the pillar crashing into the ground forced him off balance and he could only helplessly tumble through the air.
Several large stones bigger than his head crashed into him before he landed on his feet like a cat.
It didn't hurt.
Touching his side, even his armor was undamaged. Not even a dent.
Had it been a normal person that might have taken more than a chunk of flesh.
A sigh left his lips as he opened his eyes and seriously peered throughout the entire space.
'Where was it?'
No, what even was 'it', he had no idea.
His golden eyes lit up brightly burning through the dim room like a small sun.
Mana coursed wildly through his veins as his perception was activated to the limits and he took a breath to stabilize himself.
'Fuu'
Almost the same time, something silent whizzed through the air and shot straight at his back.
Almost as if predicting the attack, Nagisa drew Nightfall from its sheath blocking against the silent attack that connected with a metallic clash.
Sparks fluttered in the air.
Realizing that its attack had been blocked, the creature whipped its stinger around shooting it straight towards Nagisa's face as a speed so blurring a normal person would definitely have an extra hole in their face if it landed.
However Nagisa followed the attack clearly.
Crouching, he twisted while his feet danced swiftly against the ground tapping with neat footwork.
As he twisted, Nagisa held Nightfall and clashed against the tail whips and thrusts sent his way.
Sparks fluttered like petals and clanging noises echoed throughout the passage endlessly.
Every clash against the monster hiding somewhere made Nagisa's arm numb and he was left in shock.
Why was there such a powerful monster on a normal floor?
This went way beyond the realm of a variant monster!
It didn't even seem to be a troll!
No, to be honest he had indeed veered off course so this could be like a secret boss but it still didn't make sense to him at all.
However he couldn't stay on the defensive.
He already had a general idea where the attacks were coming from.
Whatever creature it was seemed to be excellent at concealment and constantly moved around but Nagisa was no doubt faster than it.
Every time it attacked, Nagisa could feel its presence all though slightly.
Perhaps, in order to concentrate on attack or defense it had to deactivate the other or perhaps it was just an unconscious doing.
Still, thanks to this Nagisa already knew how enter offense easily.
Just wait for the next attack.
However, as if it had read his thoughts, Nagisa saw something jumped down from the ceiling at him.
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[Good luck your mom!]
When did he challenge this guy!?
Didn't it attack all on its own?
And 170?
Wasn't this way too high even for a hidden boss?
He clicked his tongue in irritation and retreated faster than the scorpion could attack and shouted his horrible luck.
No wonder its strength was so high.
Nagisa grimaced and gritted his teeth.
This couldn't be allowed to happen.
If it zapped anymore of his stamina he might be left to its mercy and even if his class allowed him higher regeneration and reluctant protected him from dying to most attacks, he wasn't immune to whatever magical poison this thing had.
Reluctant wasn't invincible, it just gave him more options.
It just meant that out of every 5 killing blows, only one could actually threaten his life.
He wasn't sure whether poison was included in this equation at all.
Nagisa landed and took a stance ready to attack but the moment he did, the air around the monster rippled and it vanished again.
He grit his teeth in annoyance and took a breath before focusing on perception but furrowed his brow.
Sh*t!
[No luck…]
Even so, Nagisa opened his eyes and swung his sword.
A clang echoed as a stinger whipped into the darkness it came from and Nagisa huffed in annoyance.
[Annoying!...]
Back and forth, Nagisa sensed the moment where its concealment was lifted and could only block the attack only able to stay on the defensive once again.
Nagisa thought back to his original plan but the scorpion seemed to be moving through space in some impossible way.
He didn't know how but it didn't seem like normal movement. Almost as if it warped through the walls and floors or something.
If only it had stayed hidden that time allowing him to land a severe injury!
Just as he was thinking how to catch it, an earth spike rose from the ground before him stabbing toward his face.
Cr*p!
Flipping backwards, Nagisa twisted through the air before landing on the ground and looking around.
[Show yourself already!]
But it ignored his words and only sent rock spikes flying through the air from different directions.
Left, right, up, down, diagonal.
Nagisa spun, burning his mana while activating perception constantly in mere millisecond intervals.
If he missed even once he would be impaled through the neck or face, maybe even worse, his crotch!
Being a eunuch didn't seem too appealing so he dodged like crazy!
His body spun and his feet tapped smoothly like a professional dancer lost in moment.
As if it was nobody's business he was like an early rock singer enjoying the moment.
But this was no dance, it was a battle with his life on the line.
[This is getting nowhere]
At this rate he should just wear a sign that said 'tire me out then have your fill' on his back in all caps.
[Fine, I wanted to test this one out anyway]
Ignoring the deadly spikes aiming at him, the stinger shooting at his back and the murderous intent in the air.
Nagisa closed his eyes.