Chapter 68 Dungeon Master (Part ③)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hey, did you come up with a plan?” Faris asks, their voice tinged with worry as Kanata falls silent.
”Yeah,” Kanata says. “Just checking—when the guardian’s HP or MP drops below half, it stops, right?”
”HP and MP?” Faris says, catching the game terms. “Yeah, that’s right. Technically, it switches to minimal movement to recover, but it’ll still guard the altar.”
”Okay,” Kanata says. “One more thing. If I reach the altar, it stops attacking, correct?”
”Yep,” Faris replies. “The guardian protects the core at the altar. It won’t risk damaging the core by attacking there, unless it calculates an effective move or gets a self-destruct order. If you set me in the altar, I should take control before it attacks again.”
”Got it,” Kanata says. “That’s workable.”
He locks eyes with the dragon-like creature.
At the edge of his vision, its stats appear, thanks to the Insight skill from Camila. Kanata’s not as skilled with it as she is, but he’s trained enough to see basic stats.
[Guardian Armor – Doragonics Type III]
HP: 760,000/760,000
MP: 998,000/1,280,000
STR: 12,800
DEX: 6,800
Skills: Dragon Breath III, Regeneration Lv2, Body Enhancement Lv5…
The info’s incomplete, but it’s enough for now. Its MP’s down from all those breath attacks, Kanata thinks, but it’s still near a million. His own MP? Just 980.
That’s high for a Human Race—most have around 100, magic users average 300, and even Court Mages, the best of the best, hit about 1,000. For a non-magic user like Kanata, 980 is impressive. Still, compared to the guardian’s million-plus MP, it’s nothing.
”Need to make it burn another 400,000 MP,” Kanata says.
”That’s a huge number!” Faris says. “You say it like it’s easy.”
”It’s not,” Kanata replies. “I’ve been watching. It has three breath types: a single-shot one with no charge, a sweeping one with a short charge, and a grand breath that needs a long charge.”
The grand breath burns about 30,000 MP per use, covering the entire chamber with devastating power. Outside my defense area, I’d be toast instantly, Kanata thinks. Inside, he can survive, and the long charge gives him time to retreat to safety.
Plus, it has a cooldown, so the guardian can’t spam it. The sweeping breath, which swings side to side, uses 2,000 to 5,000 MP and might be dodgeable with good timing. The single-shot breath, with no charge, uses 100 to 300 MP and comes fast and often—most of the attacks so far.
Calling 300 MP “small” is crazy, Kanata thinks. My head’s stuck in this inflated scale.
”So,” he says, “if it uses single-shot breaths, including recovery, I’d need it to fire 3,000 to 5,000 times to drop its MP below half. I just dodge till then.”
”Dodge that many?” Faris says, stunned. “You’ll collapse from exhaustion first!”
”Normally, yeah,” Kanata says. “That’s where my Shadow Dive skill comes in.”
Shadow Dive comes from Maya. Kanata’s had all the girls’ skills scanned by the Dungeon Core, copying the useful ones.
Only a few, like Shadow Dive, have become Skill Orbs due to the sheer number. “And there’s another skill,” he adds. “Mana Drain.”
Mana Drain is one of Miyako’s shadow magic skills. Her Sage’s Gift lets her master any magic, but she’s best with shadow magic.
Kanata’s learned Mana Drain and Shadow Mist, though his skill level’s low. I can’t dodge near-infinite breaths forever, he thinks. That’s why these skills matter.
”I see,” Faris says, half-impressed, half-skeptical. “You dodge with Shadow Dive, and when you run low on MP, you use Mana Drain to siphon from the guardian. Genius, Master?”
”There’s more,” Kanata says. “If I get close enough, I’ll stab you into the dragon and try High Drain. You could suck up, what, 10,000 MP at once?”
”Maybe,” Faris says. “It’d take time to drain that much, but it could counter one or two breaths. That might work.”
Dodging hundreds of single-shot breaths with Shadow Dive is tough, but if the guardian uses sweeping or grand breaths, it’ll burn MP faster, reducing the dodges needed.
Adding drains cuts the strain even more. Faris pauses, then asks, “Why not use Shadow Dive to reach the altar in one go?”
”I tried,” Kanata says. “The core’s barrier is too strong. I could maybe do it from five meters, but not from here.”
The barrier protecting the master core limits Shadow Dive to about five meters per use. From thirty meters away, that’s at least six dives.
Between dives, dodging the dragon’s breath is tricky. He’d need to find the next shadow, dive, and repeat—all in the seconds Faris’s barrier holds. It’s tight, he thinks.
”So, I make it waste breaths while diving to unexpected spots,” Kanata says. “It’s not the shortest route, but keeping it guessing is key.”
It’s a battle of MP and timing.
Kanata will bait a breath, dive in the opposite direction at the last second, sprint while the guardian turns, and dive again, inching toward the altar. At five meters, one final Shadow Dive should get him there.
The problem is, getting there will take over an hour by rough estimate.
One hour to move just thirty meters? Kanata thinks. Can my nerves handle that?
Doubt creeps in. Dodging breaths, managing barriers, and picking the next spot—all at once—is overwhelming.
No way I can keep this up for an hour, he thinks, but shakes his head. I have to do this.
Images of El and Maya flash in his mind.
To see the girls again, I’ve got to push through. Kanata steels himself. “I’m not alone,” he mutters, gripping Faris tightly and activating Maya’s Shadow Dive skill.
”Ha… ha… ugh!” Kanata gasps. The moment the dragon-like creature turns and opens its mouth, he uses Shadow Dive to slip behind it. The creature can’t stop its breath mid-attack, so it blasts an empty spot.
While it’s locked in the attack, Kanata stabs Faris into its tail. “Hyper Drain!” he shouts.
Energy surges through Faris into Kanata’s body. Hyper Drain siphons life force and mana from the guardian, fully restoring Kanata’s near-depleted MP.
But the dragon finishes its breath and turns. Crap! Kanata spots another shadow, dives into it, and barely escapes as a fresh breath scorches where he stood.
That was close, he thinks, slumping in his controlled area—a safe zone where attacks can’t touch him or are deflected.
The dragon seems to know this, retreating to the altar to recover when Kanata stays put. It’s a temporary truce.
If I camp here, I’m safe, Kanata thinks. But so is it. I’m just giving it time to heal. Food’s the issue.
The guardian, a magical weapon, doesn’t need to eat. Kanata, a human, does. A staring contest means he starves. I need a quick win.
”That didn’t go as planned,” Faris says.
”Yeah,” Kanata replies. “It’s still got plenty of MP.”
”And it’s recovering as we sit here,” Faris says. “Three or four more hours, maybe?”
”No way,” Kanata says, collapsing dramatically. “I’m already breaking.”
The plan was to reach the altar in an hour. Five hours later, he’s barely halfway.
Fatigue’s piling up, forcing longer breaks. More breaks mean more recovery time for the guardian. At this rate, even five more hours might not be enough.
Two things went wrong. First, the guardian’s sticking to single-shot breaths, not the MP-heavy grand breath or sweeping breath, leaving no gaps to move.
Second, Shadow Dive’s tougher now. The rubble that once provided shadows has melted under constant breath attacks, shrinking hiding spots. Kanata’s had to carve rocks to create new rubble, wasting time and giving the guardian chances to recover or plan.
”No choice,” Kanata says. “Plan B.”
”What’s that?” Faris asks.
”Sprint to the altar in one go,” Kanata says.
”That’s reckless!” Faris cries.
”It’ll work,” Kanata insists. “There’s a defense area I set up earlier, less than five meters from the altar. If I reach it, I can dash the rest.”
”That’s insane!” Faris screams.
”I can’t keep dodging for another hour!” Kanata snaps. “I’m exhausted.”
His body and mind are shot. A risky gamble’s his only shot.
”It’s ten meters to that defense area,” he says. “Two seconds, and I’m there.”
”Two seconds?” Faris says. “You know how many breaths it can fire in that time?”
Kanata calculates. It’ll blast the moment I leave this area. The next shadow’s too far for Shadow Dive.
I’ll need to hit another point first, dive back here when it turns, then sprint. It’ll fire again… maybe a 0.01-second window to make it. If something delays the breath by a fraction, he might pull it off. “I’ve got to try,” he says weakly.
Faris sighs.
”You’re such an idiot, Master. But… that’s why I can’t help but like you.”
”What was that?” Kanata asks.
”Nothing,” Faris says. “Your dumb self needs my help.”
”Huh?” Kanata says.
”How long to sprint from here to the altar?” Faris asks.
”Five… no, seven seconds,” Kanata says. Fifteen meters would take three seconds normally, but with fatigue and reaction time, five’s the minimum. Seven’s safer.
”That’s so you,” Faris says. “Listen up. When you’re ready, slot me into the side hole on my hilt.”
Kanata glances at Faris’s hilt. The core sits in the center, surrounded by two larger slots and six smaller ones, each pair connected, totaling twelve.
Never noticed those before. What’s their deal?
”Which side?” Kanata asks.
”Either,” Faris says. “Slot me, channel mana, and run for the altar.”
”That’s suicide!” Kanata says. “It’ll spam breaths!”
”I know,” Faris says. “But its next attack will be a grand breath. It takes four seconds to charge after spotting you. I’ll shield you for the last three seconds, so you can reach the defense area.”
If Faris is right, Kanata could make it. After a grand breath, the guardian’s stunned for five seconds and can’t fire again for a few more due to cooldown.
Block that breath, and he’s golden. “What if it’s not a grand breath?” Kanata asks. “Can you even block it?”
”It will be a grand breath,” Faris insists. “And with all my mana, I can block it for three seconds. Trust me, okay?”
Faris’s voice carries a rare seriousness. “I’ll put my life in your hands… partner,” Kanata says.
”Heh, that makes me happy, Master,” Faris replies softly.
Kanata slots the core into the right side of Faris’s hilt, channeling mana.
A strange aura rises around him. “This okay?” he mutters.
No answer from Faris.
Guess I just have to trust them, he thinks. “Here goes!” Gripping Faris tightly, Kanata sprints toward the controlled area.
”GROAR!” The dragon-like creature opens its jaws wide, a clear sign of a grand breath [T/N: Massive energy attack].
Kanata doesn’t flinch, charging straight for the safe zone. Ten meters… five meters… Just one meter out, the dragon unleashes its grand breath.
”Faris!” Kanata yells, diving toward the altar.
The breath engulfs him, but a powerful barrier flares around his body, shielding him from the blast. “Ha… ha… I’m alive?” he gasps, landing in the altar’s area.
The grand breath surrounds him, blocking his view.
Even its power can’t break the altar’s barrier. Slowly, the attack weakens, and silence returns.
”I’m… alive,” Kanata mutters, staggering to his feet. He stumbles toward the altar. The dragon, stunned from its grand breath, glares at him, unable to move.
Reaching the altar, Kanata removes Faris’s core and slots it into the central groove.
Notes:
• May – Blonde, soft-eyed shrine girl. ch14–15. Gentle and pleading (“Please… just let us go…”), timid but loyal, relies on Mina’s strength. Came with Mina to save Sara, but was disarmed and bound by Kanata as his captive maid.
• Maya – Cheerful brown-haired girl, naturally charming and social, Kanata’s classmate and morning conversation neighbor.
• Miyako – Quiet library girl with golden hair, intelligent and book-savvy, occasional silent companion to Kanata.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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