Volume 4 Chapter 5-2 Valley of Trials – Third Floor
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Now, I’ve maxed out my Stealth skill and tried multiple times.
But Lamia’s Searching skill is just too strong; even at full power, it gets shredded in an instant.
Dumping all my MP into it doesn’t cut it──I’m still outmatched.
I’ve trained until I’ve lost track of time, but it seems I still can’t withstand Lamia’s Searching skill.
Guess I’ll just have to wait it out, let Lamia and her crew lower their guard.
I’m out of water and food, anyway.
Time to head back outside.
* * *
The training with Lamia wasn’t a waste, though.
The flock of Pixies isn’t a threat anymore on the way back.
My Stealth skill barely takes a hit when I pass right by a group of 5.
Clearly, it’s grown.
Looks like I won’t have to starve anymore.
I can go back to normal meals.
It’s night outside the dungeon, and the 4 horses are still tethered, fast asleep.
How much time has passed since then, I wonder?
Judging by the movement of the stars, it’s still the first night in the outside world.
If I keep this pace up, I can level up my skills with time to spare.
Gonna wake up Ms. Claire and grab a bunch of supplies.
I’d like this to be my last challenge, but will it really go that smoothly?
* * *
Now, back at the third floor, Lamia’s guard is down.
My Stealth skill isn’t touched at all.
That means Lamia isn’t using her Searching skill right now.
Should I make a break for it while I can?
If another adventurer shows up and Lamia’s crew goes back on alert, that’d be the worst.
But it’s night now, so the chances are low.
I’ll move forward nice and slow with Stealth skill at full throttle.
I have a good idea of where Lamia might be hiding.
She’s not in the narrow passages, so I should be fine.
Of course, I won’t use Searching skill.
Only my infrared detection skill.
Snake-type monsters aren’t completely without body heat, after all.
Compared to humans, it’s extremely low, but they do give off a little warmth when they move.
Since Lamia doesn’t have a No-Heat Skill, my infrared detection skill should be able to pick her up.
The key here is clear: you must not look at anything you shouldn’t.
Even a faint glance can chip away at something like Stealth skill.
Probably because the opponent’s perception is blocked by using force to mask themselves.
If I try to sense the Lamia with my infrared skill, I’ll likely weaken my Stealth in the process.
And that’ll trigger her alert mode──and it’s over.
I’m not searching for the Lamia.
I’m just carefully avoiding any spots even slightly warmer than the surrounding air.
It could be her──or it could be nothing.
But in the end, I should be able to pass without stepping on her.
I made it through the first small room without issues.
Whether the Lamia was even inside──who knows.
I just kept to the cooler spots, that’s all.
Only one more small room left.
I thought I had a good chance of making it smoothly──then it happened.
Four of the previous Hero party suddenly appeared at the stairs to the 4th floor and started camping.
They must be working on closing in on the next floor.
Since Lamia tend to stay put, this floor is perfect for resting on even ground.
But for me──this is a nightmare come true.
Thanks to the chaos caused by the intruders charging in, the Lamia will definitely go on high alert.
My Stealth skill gets stripped away in seconds.
Surrounded by Lamia on both sides, I’ve got nowhere to run or hide.
Before, I could have given up and abandoned the dungeon.
Now──there’s no turning back.
So, I have no choice but to brace myself.
Luckily, Lamia only wait and ambush──they’re not aggressive unless provoked.
I’ve got water and food enough to last.
Time to level up this Stealth skill as much as I can.
After resting and eating, the Hero party calmly moved on to the next floor.
Meanwhile, I’m trapped──surrounded by 5 Lamia, and feeling hopeless.
Beating a single one’s tough enough──now I’ve got to overcome 5?
The only thing giving me hope is the astronomical──and I mean astronomical──training value streaming in.
As long as I don’t give up, I can win someday.
In the darkness, I keep douzing off, exhausted to the point my mind feels like it’s eroding.
The Hero party even came back a few times to sleep.
What the hell are they even doing?
According to the game, the next enemy stage should be a set of 4: Naga, Pixie, Lamia, and Salamander.
So, this is finally a 4-on-4 party showdown.
They’re tough enemies, no doubt, but since their formations are fixed, countering them should be pretty straightforward.
They say if you clear this dungeon, you’ll join the ranks of the advanced adventurers.
The monsters are tough, sure ── but their spawn patterns never change, so it’s not that hard to figure out the tricks.
There aren’t any sneaky traps, and the maze itself isn’t overly complex.
Do I really need to reteach those 4 the battle know-how for a 4-person party?
Why do they call this place the Valley of Trials?
If your party’s the right level, clearing it’s a breeze.
No way this world’s so easy that they already call it a trial.
Still, those 4 are really struggling on the 4th floor.
I shouldn’t be the one to say it, but maybe their level’s just not enough.
When facing a 4-on-4, I can tell their formation favors offense.
Since dying means a potential loss, the only way to clear it safely is by playing it smart.
The best bet?
Take down the weakest enemy first──quick and clean.
If you’ve got fire magic, you can one-shot the Pixie.
If you can take out Naga, the tank, instantly ── that’s a huge advantage.
That kind of quick kill would definitely break through the wall.
Looks like they’re struggling to bring down that first enemy──probably experimenting.
But if they’re wasting time here, they won’t stand a chance against the final boss, the dragon.
They should just retreat before everyone dies.
Maybe they’re after experience points or rare drops?
If they stick around just for that, it’s nothing but a pain for me.
They probably didn’t drop anything worth much, and if it’s just farming, fighting Naga on the first floor is faster and more efficient.
Or maybe there’s some hidden advantage to fighting on the 4th basement floor I don’t know about?
Perhaps some rare drop or secret event they’re keeping quiet…
There’s supposed to be a thief-like guy in the hero quartet.
He must have noticed my stuck situation here, given how high his Searching skill seems to be.
I’d be okay with him coming to help, but there’s no sign of that.
I can’t help but suspect he’s actually enjoying watching me struggle.
Fine, relying on others was my mistake to begin with.
Pitting my Searching skill against Lamia’s 5-fold might mean my proficiency points are getting a 5fold boost, maybe.
The influx of points is so massive that I’ve lost track of what’s what, but let’s just assume that’s the case.
No need to worry about MP, so I can spam Stealth skill to my heart’s content.
My nose won’t stop bleeding, but I’ll keep at it while healing with my Healing Touch.
It’s actually surprising that only normal proficiency points go into Healing Touch, even in this situation.
I’ve nodded off so many times to escape the splitting headache that I’ve lost track of how much time has passed.
I feel like every cell in my body is filled with exhaustion.
Thinking it’d be better to just die and end it all is a bad sign, I guess.
Mentally, I’m pretty fried too.
If I can’t stay calm in a moment like this, I’m really gonna die a foolish death.
I’ve forgotten my original goal and am now just grinding for the sake of it.
The rate at which my Stealth skill is being chipped away is slowing down, so I guess the goal is just around the corner.
Just a bit more, let’s try to hang in there a little longer.
And…
Finally, my Stealth skill can hold its own against Lamia’s 5fold Searching skill.
My head’s not exactly clear, and I’m not sure if I’m happy or what, but I do feel like I’ve accomplished something.
For now, let’s celebrate with a deep sleep.
* * *
After that, I wake up from some nightmare.
I feel like crap, but my head is somewhat clearer.
Now that I have a Stealth skill that can counter Lamia, I should be able to pass through this floor normally.
But I’m still detected by Lamia, and there are still a few things I need to take care of.
Once you’re spotted by the enemy, there’s no going back to stealth mode.
But lucky for me, I’ve got this special skill called Spiral Gun.
If I can just slam the Spiral Gun into Lamia, she’ll lose sight of me.
But to do that, I’ve gotta level up the Spiral Gun so it works on her.
And before that, I need to train up my Search skill to even detect Lamia.
More mind-numbing, repetitive work lies ahead until my Search skill can chop down Lamia’s Stealth skill.
These nosebleeds are bad news──got to be from the strain.
Pushing my skills this hard can’t be good for my health.
Once the Search skill evolves and I can finally spot Lamia, it’s time to level up the Spiral Gun skill.
When Lamia and I lock eyes, she doesn’t chase me all the way into the narrow passages for some reason.
I shoot the Spiral Gun from the brink of safety.
If the Spiral Gun misfires, it’s like nothing happened at all──so damn frustrating.
Well, at least Lamia’s hatred doesn’t spike, so it’s all good.
Let’s just keep it that way.
Lamia’s upper half is definitely the stunning beauty everyone talks about.
She’s like a living fantasy for guys──a sister figure everyone wishes would break their necks for.
I might already be enchanted by Lamia.
But, damn it, I don’t even have the energy for that anymore.
I mean, out of water and food, I’m going mad with hunger and thirst.
Desire for food beats out desire for looks, I guess.
Given the choice now, I’d pick a mug of muddy water over a timeless beauty.
But I’ve finally made it.
I succeeded in disrupting Lamia’s perception with the Spiral Gun.
Lamia, now clueless, is obviously distressed.
She’s searching for me with her skill, but it’s no match for my Stealth skill.
I slip past her quietly, moving through the shadows.
The breath of a lamia brushes my skin.
Her sweet scent is probably a pheromone that stirs a man’s heart ── but for some reason, it does nothing for me.
Maybe I’ve grown used to it, or maybe I’m just too exhausted──either way, I don’t really care.
In the pitch darkness, using my infrared senses, her stunning beauty appears in shades of black and white──like a photograph.
She wears that same emotionless expression as the Naga──like a mask, completely blank.
The staircase I finally reached feels strangely familiar.
But it’s not leading to the next floor──if I go up, I’ll just end up back where the pixies are.
Looks like I’ve accidentally returned to the start.
Well… honestly, this isn’t so bad.
Time to head back to the surface.
Hunger and thirst are tearing into me──ripping my will apart.
If I keep resisting, I’ll lose my mind.
I slip past the pixies without a hitch, sprint past the Nagas, and burst out of the dungeon.
In the refreshing pre-dawn air, I race to the water source and drink from the bucket until my throat’s raw.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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