Volume 4 Chapter 3-2 Valley of Trials – First Floor
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The bigger the level gap, the faster my skills sharpen up──so honestly, it doesn’t matter how tough the enemies get after this.
If anything, it’s the perfect setup for me.
As long as I don’t fight, I’ve technically got a way to sneak all the way to the Dragon God’s Herb.
The real problem? There’s a ticking clock.
If I don’t clear this dungeon before Ani-Ani gets lost forever, it’s game over.
I can’t afford to blow my pacing, not with everything on the line.
* * *
Now, I settle on the safe zone staircase and slip into meditation, letting my MP refill.
Meditation’s a basic skill──almost every job can learn it.
All it does is nudge my MP recovery up a bit, but for someone like me, who barely recovers any on my own, even that helps.
So whenever I need to recover MP, I make sure to meditate.
The catch is, I’m totally defenseless while I do it──so it’s a skill you only use somewhere safe.
The skill barely gives any experience, but there’s this one old high-elf who’s pretty insistent it’ll eventually evolve if you just keep at it for, like, centuries.
Before long, my MP’s all topped off──not that it takes much, since my max is pitiful anyway.
I crank Stealth up to max and slip back into the big chamber where the Naga’s on guard.
It feels like my recognition disruption skill’s burning less MP than last time.
Is my skill… actually evolving?
Boosts are nice, but honestly? What I’d love most is for it to start using less MP instead.
As far as I’m concerned, skill evolutions usually go in 2 directions: power-up type or conserve-energy type.
Most people go for more powerful skills, obviously.
But with my pathetic max MP, I’ve got no choice.
I have to go the efficiency route, even if it stings.
What’s the point of a flashy skill if I don’t have the MP to use it?
At least the experience keeps rolling in──almost unnaturally fast, honestly.
Evolving for efficiency doesn’t mean the skills get weaker, so as long as I keep on grinding, I’ll get somewhere.
Someday, my level will go up.
That’ll mean more max MP.
So if you’re thinking long-term, the conserve-energy path is basically a dead end.
I’ll probably regret this down the road, but right now… clearing this dungeon is all I care about.
Skills don’t just evolve──they branch out.
Sometimes, you get something brand new.
I’ve racked up this much proficiency, so I can’t help hoping for some kind of offshoot.
Right now, my top priority?
A skill that can mess with those snake-type monsters’ heat sensing.
* * *
Anyway, I’d lost count of how many rounds of meditation I’d done on the stairs when a party of 4 descended from above.
All 4 had faces straight out of the East.
No doubt about it──summoned Heroes.
”Whoa, hold up. What’s a level 4 newbie doing in a dungeon like this?”
The guy who looked like a textbook thief glared at me, voice edged with annoyance.
If they’re here, they’ve gotta be over level 50.
No way around it.
Guess my pitiful level was obvious at a glance.
They caught me so off guard I didn’t even resist.
Got way too comfortable in this so-called safe zone.
If these guys were hostile, I’d be toast.
…They’re not enemies, right?
”Move it, you’re in the way! We’re here to take this challenge seriously.”
I honestly didn’t expect anyone to show up, but, yeah, hogging the entrance is pretty rude.
I let the 4 of them pass and headed up the stairs to wait it out.
”Hey! Don’t go peeking at someone else’s fight! That’s just basic manners!”
Never heard of that rule, but I get not wanting strangers seeing your tricks.
To keep things simple, I ducked outside for a quick break.
* * *
As soon as I stepped out, the sunlight hit me like a hot iron──scorching my skin.
Four horses were tied to the posts──must be how those guys got here.
No one around, not even a lookout?
That’s just asking for trouble.
Figured I’d pop back in and give them a quick heads-up, but the 4 were nowhere to be found.
Instead, 2 nagas stood guard at the entrance, like nothing had ever happened.
Guess they’d already smashed through the nagas and moved on… but man, that was fast.
The nagas are absolute nightmares for me, but for them?
Probably just cannon fodder.
The dungeon monsters eventually respawn, no matter how many you take out.
Do even the monsters lose themselves in here?
When a monster gets taken down and another pops up… is it the same one, or just another lookalike?
Who even knows.
From where I’m standing, these nagas look exactly the same as the last ones.
I pace back and forth between the pillars and the stairs in the hall, grinding up my Stealth skill.
The skill-up notifications just keep rolling in.
Against the naga, my anti-detection skill alone is actually holding up way better now.
Rushing ahead would be a waste──it’s way more efficient to camp here and let my skills grow for a bit.
On the second basement floor, there’s supposed to be a whole pack of level 44 pixies waiting for me.
Pixies are a kind of fairy──practically straight out of a storybook, wings and all, just like the ones kids dream about.
They dart around on dragonfly wings, fast as lightning, and are apparently real pros at status magic.
With that many enemies at once, it’s just asking for something to go wrong.
Random disasters guaranteed.
Not exactly a great grind spot.
* * *
Still, third Basement’s monsters, huh… they’re basically my worst nightmare.
Hidden all over that labyrinth are level 46 Lamia Assassins.
They’re dangerous──masters of Searching and Stealth, plus they’re packing poison for an extra kick.
Lamias are snake monsters, lower half and all.
Like the naga, they’ve got thermal-sense abilities too.
Honestly, I’d kill for a skill that’d help counter that heat-detection.
Now would be the time for a breakthrough.
I grit my teeth and focus, forcing myself to imagine harder and harder while the nagas glare holes through me from across the room.
Ms. Marsha, that second-rank priest, always said: “Imagining it is key when evolving your skills.”
Trouble is, humans don’t have thermal vision.
It’s not exactly easy to picture.
What does it even feel like, seeing heat itself?
Maybe that was the trick──because, just like that, a new skill unlocks.
…Not the skill I wanted, though.
Instead of Stealth, my Searching skill branches──and now I’ve got thermal vision, just like the snake monsters.
Oh well, it’s not useless.
Knowing your enemy is half the battle, right?
I test out my new thermal sense.
Warm stuff glows, almost like I’m looking at the world through a heat camera.
Look at my own hand──it’s shining bright in the darkness.
No way this works for stealth.
Now I really get how much body heat makes you stand out.
If I went up against a lamia right now, they’d see me coming a mile away.
So what do I have to do to hide my heat from the enemy?
Easiest solution? Just don’t heat up in the first place.
Shame I’m not looking to join the zombie club just yet.
I could just throw on some sauna suit and sweat out my soul, but screw that──too damn hot.
Now, if someone invented an air-conditioned sauna suit, I’d be all over that.
Astronauts get spacesuits that keep them comfy no matter how boiling or freezing it is outside.
Lucky bastards.
* * *
Wait──something’s coming.
Yes! The “No-Heat” skill is here!
I’ve got skill points to burn.
Guess the real thing I was missing was the image in my head.
Doesn’t feel like I’m wearing anything, but somehow there’s a barrier around me killing all the infrared.
Even checking with infrared sense, I’m practically indistinguishable from the stone pillars.
Did I just make up this No-Heat skill out of my own imagination?
Or did my image just flip the switch on a skill that was always there?
Whatever. Doesn’t matter.
This thing’s gonna come in handy.
Against snake-type monsters?
This skill is on a whole new level──nothing short of dramatic.
I could stand right in front of a naga and my recognition jam doesn’t even take a dent.
In other words… I’m completely invisible to them.
Still, the closer I get to a naga, my proficiency shoots up like crazy.
There’s definitely some side effect waiting to happen.
Let’s hope my brain doesn’t explode.
* * *
With this, I’ve pretty much cleared the entire first basement floor.
Too much tension──I’ve totally lost track of time.
I’ll call a break here and grab something to eat.
Step outside and, yep──autumn sun’s still relentless as ever.
The horses tied outside look about ready to melt.
One wave from me and Ms. Claire’s already coming over.
Looks like she’s been on lookout the whole time.
”I’m starving. It’s a little early, but let’s have dinner anyway.”
”But you just ate a little while ago, didn’t you? They say mindless gluttony is a warrior’s downfall, you know.”
Kinda shocked to hear that from Ms. Claire of all people──the queen of snack breaks.
I guess my sense of time’s totally fried after being in the dungeon, but by my stomach, at least 5 hours have passed.
It’s not gluttony… right?
I dig into Ms. Claire’s bag, pull out some smoked quail and bread, and start munching away.
”Hunger really is the best spice,” they say. And… yeah, I could eat myself sick right now.
Better pace myself, though.
”Huh? Ms. Claire, you’re not eating?”
No need to hold back── I made sure to pack enough for the both of us.
”It’s way too early for snacks, you know. I’m not that much of a glutton, anyway.”
Says the woman who eats 5 times more than I do.
Sure, Claire.
Sure.
But… something feels off.
What is it?
There’s this weird sense of wrongness I can’t shake.
Is it the sun?
Why’s it still dead overhead?
Don’t even need Astronomer’s Eye── it’s still noon.
So, I haven’t even been in this dungeon an hour yet?
Did I grind too much and warp my sense of time…?
Or… is time just running faster in here?
Yeah, that’s gotta be it.
Makes sense── training dungeons always speed up time.
It’s a classic.
Still, never thought I’d actually experience it myself.
Asked Ms. Claire about it, and she just said, “Dungeons are full of weird mysteries──nothing’s out of bounds in there.”
Works for me.
Raises my chances of saving Ani-Ani, too.
Next time, I’m bringing a packed lunch.
You can’t let your guard down, but with my new No-Heat skill, the Naga crew isn’t much of a threat anymore.
I’ll have them help me grind up these skills for a while.
=============
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Here’s the comprehensive analysis of the new text, including all requested elements:
Ratings:
Consistency in Perspective: 10/10
Expanded Story Summary: 8/10
Character Dynamics: 7/10
Worldbuilding: 8/10
Magic/Skill Terms: 9/10
Unique Terms: 8/10
Consistency of Onomatopoeia: 6/10
Consistency of Terms: 9/10
Consistency of Quotes: 10/10
Age Rating: 13+ (Teen)
Total Score: 75/90
Consistency in Perspective:
The narration stays consistently in first-person perspective (“I”, “my”, “me”) throughout the story. There are no shifts to third person or second person, and the internal monologue is cleanly presented without abrupt or jarring transitions. No errors found.
Character Names, Pronouns, and Honorifics:
Ms. Claire (She) – The protagonist’s companion, possibly a bodyguard or mentor, known for snacking and keeping diligent watch.
Ani-Ani (He/She/They, unclear) – Person in distress; their rescue is the protagonist’s main motivation.
Marsha-san (She) – Second-rank priest, referenced in a quote about skill evolution.
(Protagonist) (He/She/They, unclear) – Main POV character; low-level adventurer with a focus on skill efficiency and stealth.
Worldbuilding Terms:
- Dragon God’s Herb – Highly valuable objective in the dungeon; likely a rare plant with vital plot significance.
- Safe zone staircase – A defined safe area within the dungeon used for recovery and meditation.
- Training dungeon – A dungeon where time flows differently and monsters respawn for grinding skills and levels.
- East – The summoning location/cultural reference associated with the summoned “Heroes”.
Magic/Skill Terms:
- Meditation – Basic magical or skill-based technique used for MP recovery.
- Stealth – Core skill for avoiding enemy detection; highly developed by the protagonist.
- Recognition Disruption – A stealth-related skill that consumes MP to impair enemy perception.
- Searching – Skill focused on detection and awareness, evolves to provide thermal sense.
- Thermal Vision – Allows the user to see heat signatures, unlocking new ways to interact and hide from monsters.
- No-Heat – Newly-unlocked skill negating the user’s body heat, providing near-invisibility to heat-based detection.
- Resist-Cold – Defensive skill granting resistance to cold, likely from dungeon or monster effects.
- Astronomer’s Eye – Referential skill/spell related to perception of time or celestial bodies (not detailed).
Unique Terms:
- Ani-Ani – Protagonist’s key motivation; a personal relation/object at risk within the dungeon.
- Summoned Heroes – High-level adventurers, summoned from another place or world, easily distinguishable by appearance and experience.
- Canon fodder – Used metaphorically for weak enemies relative to the summoned heroes.
- Mindless gluttony – Pseudo-proverb from Ms. Claire, referencing overindulgence as a failing.
List of Onomatopoeia with Romaji and English Equivalents:
- None explicitly presented in the narrative; onomatopoeia mainly conveyed through descriptive narrative and not sound effects.
Consistency of Onomatopoeia: No SFX present in the text; not applicable.
Consistency of Terms:
Terms such as MP, Stealth, Meditation, Naga, Lamia, etc., are used consistently throughout the story. The roles, classes, monsters, and skills retain their descriptions and context from introduction through application.
Consistency of Quotes:
Dialogue formatting is consistent, with clear separation of spoken lines and internal thought. Character voice is well preserved. Quoted advice from Marsha-san is set off and attributed.
Age Rating and Solutions for Non-Mature Content:
Age Rating: 13+ (Teen)
Reason: Mild fantasy violence implied, tense moments, dungeon survival themes, but nothing graphic, sexual, or deeply traumatic. No explicit language.
Solutions: None needed; content is appropriate for a teen audience.
Expanded Story Summary (Detailed):
A low-level adventurer is racing against time inside a training dungeon to rescue Ani-Ani, who is at risk of vanishing forever if the dungeon isn’t cleared in time. The dungeon is brimming with highly dangerous monsters, including naga sentries and lamia assassins, all with advanced detection abilities. The protagonist focuses on grinding skills, particularly Stealth and related magic, favoring efficiency over power due to a weak max MP pool. While meditating and training on the staircase safe zone, their skills evolve—unlocking not only thermal vision but also the potent “No-Heat” ability, rendering them invisible to heat-sensing foes. A summoned Hero party, vastly more powerful, briefly passes through, reinforcing the protagonist’s status as an underdog. There’s an ongoing motif of skill evolution, time distortion within the dungeon, and menu-driven self-improvement. After training and gaining new skills, the protagonist reunites with Ms. Claire outside, noticing the anomalies in time flow; they theorize real-world time is dilated within the dungeon, giving more time to achieve their goal of saving Ani-Ani.
Character Dynamics:
(Protagonist): Resourceful, self-deprecating, obsessed with efficiency and survival, realistic about their limitations, but driven by personal stakes.
Ms. Claire: Supportive, slightly whimsical, offers practical advice but teases about eating; serves as companion and protector figure.
Summoned Hero Party: Dismissive, mission-focused, powerful; highlights the protagonist’s vulnerability and social hierarchy within adventurers.
Marsha-san: Quoted mentor-type, inspires protagonist’s approach to skill evolution; only present in memory.
Thematic Elements:
- Underdog perseverance and adaptation
- The unpredictability of dungeon survival
- Relative vs. absolute power
- The tension between flashy power and practical efficiency
- The passage and distortion of time in dangerous spaces
- Mentorship, hope for growth, and self-doubt
Areas for Improvement:
- Further characterization: Protagonist’s personal history, and their relationship with Ani-Ani, could be developed for higher emotional stakes.
- Dialogue: Other than with Ms. Claire and the hero party, dialogue is sparse—could use more peer interactions for world texture.
- Onomatopoeia: Sound cues for dungeon atmosphere or monster encounters would add immersion.
- Descriptions: Visual and sensory setting details outside of skill mechanics are light; more could anchor readers in place.
- Unique terminology: Only a handful introduced; more unique flora, monster names, cultural artifacts could deepen worldbuilding.
- Ms. Claire’s role: She acts mostly as foil/commentator—her skills and backstory aren’t clarified.
- Villain or direct antagonist: Apart from dungeon monsters, no clear human adversary; adding one could boost narrative tension.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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