Chapter 4: Exploring the Caverns
Hello yet again o' observers of my plight of a situation. Riku the Basilisk coming back to you with yet another update on my exploration and level grinding here in this stupid freakin' labyrinth!
My level has increased a couple of times again, thanks to the slew of hunting I've done. All the way to level 9, in fact. I'm starting to see where some skill proficiencies fall behind the leveling now that at least my Demon Eye has hit Level 8. It seems this one might take a bit to actually max out. Though I also pretty much use it all the flipping time, I imagine it may not be much longer. As for Skill discoveries, it turns out I had a Skill called "Expel" the entire time. It's, for lack of better words, a force push. From what I can guess, it uses up mana to let me push objects, but right now, it's such a low level it's more like I'm just giving whatever I use it on a hard shove.
If I can't start throwing people off cliffs with this thing once it's a higher level, I will be sorely disappointed.
Other general skills leveled up as you could expect. But what did happen is thanks to my little hunting routine of sneaking around and getting kills with my Demon Eye, I'd also gotten my hands on yet another Title: Assassin. All it really did was add a free level to Stealth and Shadow Magic, but y'know what, I ain't gonna argue against free levels whenever I can get them. Yay for Skill Integration. What a wonderful thing it is!
And as for my progress on Appraisal, well… damn, I want this thing to go faster than it does when I level it. All I ask is for information from this Skill, and who knows how much more it's gonna be until I get anything actually worthwhile out of it. Well, okay, turns out level 4 at least gave me something useful out of it. Allow me to demonstrate.
Elroe Basilisk LV9 Riku Shiratori
HP Bar
MP Bar
SP Bar
Now underneath my name are three meters: Green, blue, and yellow, while the yellow bar has another red one below it. Figuring these out is all too simple: They're my overall health, current mana, and stamina. Testing led me to find out that with the stamina bar, the yellow portion is short use stamina. So say when sprinting, and red is my collective stamina that I'd started using up from physical exertion if the yellow meter runs out. I wish I had exact numbers, but at the least, I can keep an eye on those meters. Not like every RPG out there shows you the exact number of hit points you have on the meter. Though let's be real, it's a lot more useful when you do have the numbers.
I did at least put together how to continually have Appraisal on myself to keep the meters in the corner of my vision. It's no proper HUD, but I'll take what I can get if it means I'm always aware of my current status, at least in some regard or another. But once this dang thing is showing me my proper stats, I will have my day freaking made. I can tell you that much!
As for my exploration progress, it really is setting in for me just how dang big this cavern actually is. It's been what I can only assume is a few days since I ran into that unique spider, but with how expansive these caves are, I haven't run into it again. I've definitely run into other spiders when exploring, but none of them have been that one. The theory may be another reincarnation like me has yet to be fully tested and proven true or false.
Plus, while those small spiders may be dumb, I really have no idea if larger, more mature types will be smarter. This is the kind of place where the strong ones are the ones who make it, and I can only imagine what the bigger monsters that prowl around have been through to get where they are. And not to mention, there's still the lingering question of what else the labyrinth has in store. Is this upper cavern that connects two continents really it, or does it go deeper? All things to ask all over the place, and it's becoming harder to know just what the case is.
Anyway, today's exploration was leading me… somewhere. Like with time, I don't even have a proper sense of direction here, if I'm being honest. There's a reason I mark my path with earth magic as I go, or else I'd never find my way back to my nest after I'm done exploring around. Heck, I've gotten into the habit of making temporary nests in the walls just to be safe about it. I swear if any adventurers come around, they're probably gonna wonder what the freaking hell keeps marking the walls and digging out small tunnels. Maybe I'll start generating rumors about a unique Basilisk that wanders the Elroe Labyrinth and skulks within the walls, popping out from seemingly nowhere and petrifying anything that crosses it!
Hah, that'd be rich.
I was still looking for any signs of human exploration. However, I imagine with how often monsters prowl around, keeping a solid trail around is a problem and a half. It's not like they don't wind up mixing together or anything! Nah, if that wasn't the case, this job would be way easier than it usually is! At best, I've wandered into a side path where I found an occasional remnant of a campfire, but nothing much more than that before the tracks I found faded off.
And right now, I was in one such occasion. The side cave was part of a progressive path I'd found in some larger caverns. The ash from a campfire sat in the center of the room. Some drying bloodstains from whatever monsters had been killed were scattered around the space. Considering I very much doubt humans would even attempt to eat half the monsters in this place, I felt somewhat miffed I missed out on the free food. Ah lord, am I really getting to a point I casually think of these other monsters as food? I mean… not like I have much of a choice but man, this monster thing is starting to mess with my head.
At the least, I definitely had a solid idea of just how big I was now. I found some tracks from boot prints, and I just referred to my own former self as a reference point. I was an averagely sized person for a seventeen-year-old, and these prints were larger than I remember my own foot being. So, if I had to guess, a man taller than I'd been. Which, well, meant I was at least one meter long in total size. Which was also really putting into scope how big everything else was in this dang place. And lest I forget, the Cockatrice was even bigger. My rough guess was ten or so meters.
And who knew what else could be here that would be even larger than that? Ugh, that thought just unsettles me is what it does. But I'll have to burn that bridge once I actually get there. All of a matter of perspective, one could say.
And then I heard something move at the same instant my danger sense went off. Looks like the next catch of the day decided to check down this place too!
A glob of poison shot out from the dark, sailing past me as I ducked to the side. And the obvious source, yet another frog, came bounding into view. I swear these things are way too freaking plentiful! You're freaking everywhere, and I'm getting kind of tired of fighting them all the damn time! You're the com-mons of this area, ain't ya?!
Well, not like I got anything more in reply than more poison globs being shot my way. I countered them with bolts of fire that burnt the poison right out of the air, following them up by slamming a front foot to the ground, the stone floor beneath the frog giving way as it moved forward. And that's the cinch! Petrify!
The frog's head alone turned to stone in a flash, and boy did I feel proud of that. I've been experimenting with my Demon Eye enough that I've managed to learn how to control what I want to petrify instead of just turning the entire thing to stone with a single look. And with that kind of targeting in mind, it means I can very quickly take care of a target in whatever way I want to. It's one thing to just petrify something in my field of vision. It's another to be able to target things. And I am glad about that one! So at this point, should I probably consider frogs my nemesis or something? I swear I've fought them more than any other monster in these caves by now.
Condition satisfied. Acquired Title [Monster Slayer].
Acquired Skills [Strength LV1] [Solidity LV1] as a result of Title [Monster Slayer.]
So I've seriously killed that many monsters by now, have I, System? Gugh, this is like when I got Foul Feeder. It doesn't feel cool since I literally don't have any other options. Though, would that mean there's Slayer titles for things like, I'unno, dragons? Or, well… people? Probably. Let's uh… let's not dwell on that last one too much. Not a very good idea if you ask me.
Snapping up the frog to at least get some extra food in my stomach, the exploration continues on. Yet again, I'm glad I'm leaving marks along the walls so that I can find my way around. With how far out I've gone, for now, I feel like it makes a good time to head on back to the main nest and rest up for a little bit. Then I should start exploring the other end. Maybe I'll head back to where I saw that spider and see what's off in the direction it went, if it wasn't just wandering like I was. Spiders usually make nests anyway, so maybe that one has some web set up around here I can find. And not burn it because that's becoming another routine for as rarely as I've found myself running into these spiders. Or taratects, I suppose.
Though I do have to wonder something, why haven't I been growing? Considering I shed skin whenever I level up, shouldn't it stand to reason I should be getting bigger as well? It's an odd thought, really. Maybe growth just works differently for monsters, and hell, for all I know, this whole "heal on level up" thing is unique to a Reincarnator like me. For all I know, I've got some special Skill or Title I just can't see right now that doesn't level up or lacking access to my list of skills. Maybe monsters here only grow when they evolve or something. Would that even work? Like, does a monster just reach a certain level, and then it's able to evolve into something new? I'd say that line of thought makes sense, but it also keeps begging more questions.
Is that natural? It's a question that's been nagging my brain for a while now. As much as I'm trying to stave off the existential crisis this thought process leads to, I can't help it. Levels, skills, evolution, all of this. These are usually meant to streamline a thing for someone playing a game, not real life. I could understand if it was just a measure of someone's power since this is clearly a world where magic exists. But it doesn't seem that way. Ugh… maybe I should hold off on questioning all of this for now. Cave survival isn't exactly the most ideal situation for what I'd call pondering existentialism and the merits of an RPG system in real life. Refocus Riku, refocus. Let's get out of this dang cave before I start breaking my mind with things like this.
But, I guess the question will always be there. Perhaps it'll just be another mystery about this world I can unravel once I'm able to really explore it.
Another day, another set of hours wasted exploring mostly similar-looking cavern walls and hunting down monsters. As aimless as all of this wandering is, it makes me really wish I had a map. Hmm… y'know, if I come across some unfortunate adventurers, I might just have to loot their packs for anything I can probably make use of. Even if it'd be odd, I can at least read a map in a general sense. Hehe… now that's an image, a Basilisk toting around a map as it wanders caves. Comedy gold, I tell ya! Sure it may be prefaced by looting a corpse, but well, if they aren't gonna be using it, I might as well. Boy, that's kind of morbid to think about, isn't it?
As I'd planned this time, I headed back in the direction I'd seen the spider in. I'd had some marks in place, so I could generally find my way around to that point, or at least what I assumed was that point. But no signs of it. I did come across more than a few scattered sets of bones, so that was something. But those could be from anything. Not like I expect monsters to be tidy and all that. What I wasn't expecting to find coming down the cavern was smoke. Now it wasn't like the few times so far I'd lit a spider nest on fire, this hadn't happened.
But that was the thing. This wasn't me. And I'm not sure anything else on this floor besides me has access to fire attacks. Well, this is definitely something to go and check out.
But, I better be cautious about this. So, I slip into stealth as I move forward, following the smoke along. The further I go, the more noise I hear. And eventually, I see just what it actually is: People. Actual, live people! Four of them, all men, dressed in either light armor or heavy clothes, and each one carrying a torch. I've gotten so used to being able to see in the dark I'd honestly forgotten about using fire to make light for myself.
One of the men is waving his torch in front of a burning catch of webbing and moving further. Another of them is holding what looks to be that egg I'd seen the spider lugging around. Is this that thing's nest? Has to be. Sinking further back until I was sure I was in the shadows and out of sight, I simply decided to watch as the nest burned and the men moved away with the egg in tow. Another of them was carrying several glimmering white balls of thread. At the same time, the other two continued waving their torches through the air at any additional webbing around them as they started back the way they'd seemingly come from. This is the chance I've wanted!
Marking the wall just to keep a reminder, as I move out, I couldn't help but glance at that burning spider web. If that spider really was another reincarnation… well, I can only wonder what might be going through their head. If they're even still alive now. Obviously, these men must have known about them, same with that egg since, from my guess, they may just have come here to get it. It is the egg of a wyrm, so maybe those are considered valuable in this world. And not to mention I'd burned more than a handful of spider nests now myself. If my own nest got burned away like that… I'd feel pretty bad about it. I'll think about it later. Sorry possible reincarnation, but since I'm not sure if you're still alive, I'm gonna prioritize following these guys to the exit.
Looking away from the burning spider nest and trailing after the explorers, part of me did at least hope the spider survived. If it was another reincarnation, then it'd suck for them to die again in this place. So, good luck, little spider. Maybe we'll run into each other again if you're alive.
[Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Stealth LV3] has become [Stealth LV4].
I wasn't quite sure just how long it'd take to find wherever the dang exit was. Still, I wound up following those explorers until System chimed in about that skill up. And when the men decided to take a break, I decided to observe them as they set up around a fire and checked their haul. It was a good chance to learn at least a bit about what humans in this world are like.
For one, the language. Even if I have telepathy, no way in hell am I gonna get around this one unless some kind of language comprehension skill exists. No clue what it is, but these guys definitely aren't speaking anything like what you'd hear on earth. So this at least tells me for now, maybe I shouldn't try to telepathically communicate with anyone. All I can speak is Japanese and some very broken English. I'd probably get attacked on the spot for seeming like I'm trying to fill their heads with garbled nonsense.
But otherwise, I'd say it was pretty typical adventurer's fair. Even without knowing the language, I've got enough of an understanding of context clues to have a vague idea of what they're talking about as they look over the wyrm egg and those balls of silk. Probably sentences like "This will fetch us a fair bit of coin!" or "This egg is gonna be worth a fortune!" but that's me making hard guesses as to what they're gonna do. But hey, pays to be curious.
But damn, do I wish I could actually talk with them. Or really just be in a situation where I won't be looked at with caution from moment one. I've still got no relative clue what these guys would think of a Basilisk. Am I a kill-on-sight kind of target, or the one people try to avoid? I mean, I got the ever-handy Demon Eye of Petrification, so I've gotta be at least some level of dangerous in their minds. Wonder what they'd think of one who uses magic like I do. The other few Basilisks I've come across since getting booted out of the nest seem to only rely on their Demon Eye. Magic is just a tool to let them use it.
Heck, how dangerous would the Cockatrice be then? It doesn't just have a Demon Eye, I'd assume. Poison, a paralyzing stinger tail, and going by the wings, it can likely fly too. Yeesh, gotta be one of those things you hire the expert adventurers to go and take care of once you find out about it. I wonder if it's even still in the labyrinth anymore. I've had it pretty easy for now, so either I've just gotten lucky the entire time, or it's really not around. So then would that mean there are natural exits? Well, I'm already following these guys, so something to think about later.
And y'know what, I can certainly say right now I'm quite glad I blend in so well. The fire casts enough of a shadow that the cave is still dark enough for me to keep hidden behind some stalagmites. But again, I really freaking wish I could understand what exactly these guys were saying. I did hear one of them mention Kasanagara at least, so that must mean the exit they're headed for is at that continent. Fine by me, an exit is an exit, after all. And while I'm also curious about whether or not humans can sense someone using Appraisal on them, I'm not keen to test that theory out and get myself injured like last time. For now.
Plus, it's not like it'd tell me much. A name, level, and race isn't exactly a lot. So, better to just let these guys remain nameless bystanders doing their jobs who I am conveniently following to get outta this dang place. So I graciously thank you, unnamed explorers, for helping this unfortunate Basilisk find the entrance you came into here from.
Once the men are done with their break, following them was a fairly simple task. The ones carrying the egg and thread balls stayed in the middle, while the ones with torches and weapons guard them both. I may as well be nice and watch their rear for anything. Plus, hey, that'll benefit me as well, so it's a win-win. They get a mysterious protector at their backs, and I get free kills as I trail along. Perfect plan! So that was what the process became. I imagine these guys had done their share of hunting on the way into this part of the caves, so it ended up being pretty light in terms of monster attacks. Still, it makes me wonder just how dangerous to humans me and these other monsters can actually be that some of them are so willing to attack a well-armed group like this. Or they're just that stupid in these cases.
At least, to average humans. I can only think of what an actually well-trained and powered-up group of adventurers can do down in a place like this. Still, it really is weird when I think about it. Skills, EXP… would a world really need that kind of system to relegate what people can do? It doesn't actually make any sense. Heck, RPGs mechanics sometimes run against what could be logical… so the question is, why would a system like that exist in real life? It just… doesn't sound right no matter how I try to parse it. And yet again, I'm feeling my thoughts veer closer and closer to an existential crisis. Focus, focus. I have a chance to at least start planning my way out of this cave, if not outright escape now in the best-case scenario, so let's keep it at that!
Let's also start a running count about how often I go through this motion.
But anyway! After what had to be a good few hours of careful progress while fending off the occasional monster attack – the rear cleared out each time by yours truly – eventually, my tailing of the group led to a cavern they became much more relaxed in pace on reaching. Spacious and well-lit by scones bolted into the walls. Dominating the area was a man-made staircase that went up to a carved-out platform and a massive metallic set of doors. Yeah… no way I'm breaking through that with the magic I can use right now.
Observation time yet again. A man who's likely a guard is greeting the party as they make their way to the door, and to my left, there's a regular wooden door I have to assume leads to the guard post. Meaning there's probably more men inside. I guess you'd have to keep a place like this pretty well guarded since the dumber monsters would be liable to gun for the first thing that looks like a meal. Especially if this is one of the only ways to get from one continent to another. Hold on, can't they just go across the ocean? Either this world hasn't developed seafaring technology, which doesn't seem to be the case as the attire the men are in looks close to what I'd call, I dunno, fantastical Victorian? Let's go with that. Either that, or it's something else.
So, if lack of technology isn't the case, maybe the seas are too dangerous to cross. Not like I'd have an idea whether it is or not. I've been stuck in this cave for like two and a half weeks. I think. Again, I really wish I had a way to keep time. Anyway, ocean, possible danger in crossing it. Maybe they use this dungeon as a passageway for travel because they don't have a choice? Freaking hell, this just makes me wanna get out of this place even more. I need answers to these questions, dammit! Whatever one it is, I'll find out once I find it out.
My mental rambling is interrupted by the sound of the doors clanking open. The echo through the caves would almost surely be a signal to any nearby monsters. Still, a part of me hopes they're at least somewhat intelligent enough to avoid something that'd so obviously lead to death. I can hope so anyway. But from watching, the process was gone about rather casually. This is clearly so routine to these men that they don't think anything of it. I guess that's just to be expected. But, now that I know what this entrance looks like, it begs a straightforward question: How do I get out then?
I doubt that beyond that door, and its resulting passage is absolutely nothing. We're talking about a dungeon that's used as a freakin' transport route. The other side of that entrance has gotta be part of a town or something of the sort. It'd be a central hub, without a doubt. Travel and trade through one of the few accessible routes in the world from one continent to another. You'd be able to backbone the economy of a small country off of something like that. And like they'd just let some random monster waltz on out of the front gate into the wilds! You'd have to be insane to be okay with that idea!
I mean… I could just systematically take down every guard and work it out that way, but that's the last resort, absolutely-giving-up-on-my-remaining-humanity option. Not about to do that. I may not be super fond of people as a whole, but I'm not about to engage in wanton violence. Communication is obviously not on the table of things I can do to get out. This area has also got to be one of the closest spots to the surface.
Hmm… well, that leaves one real option: I've gotta dig my way up! I've already been using earth magic to make a buncha tiny hovels alongside my main nest back in lord knows what part of these caves now. Stands to reason I can just find a convenient spot around here and start making a tunnel to the top. If I do it right, I should be able to bypass anything around it. Hopefully. Probably. But that's also reckless as hell. So, well… I wanted to avoid it, but let's Appraise the guard and see what his level is. I also want to know if humans react to it the same way monsters do. Sorry in advanced Random Guard 1, but I'm gonna peek at your name and level. I already hear Oka-sensei grilling me about how it's rude to invade someone's privacy like this…
Human Ikson Melron LV 20.
Yeap, doesn't tell me much. As expected. Yay for immediately doing back on my earlier decisions. I ain't got a clue how stat scaling works, so not like even knowing this guy is level 20 tells me much. For all I know, being a monster means my stats are close to a human at a higher level than me. But also, for all I know, the numbers match, and it'd be stupid of me to try fighting this guy as I am now. Not like I want to, but I gotta keep the fact I'm a monster in a dangerous as hell dungeon in mind. But as for his reaction… it isn't much, surprisingly. He's looking around, but it's not a "something is watching me" look, more like the one someone does when they feel a chill up their back. I guess without the proper Skills, humans aren't as perceptive to this kinda thing as monsters. Notes for the future, I suppose.
Hmm… well, at least I know the deal here now. Giant door, guards, explorers routes, and most people who go here likely have the experience to manage. Plus, we're talking about humans. They're gonna be way smarter than these monsters any day of the week. Hmm… as much as I want to get out of here as soon as possible, it's not smart to just waltz up to the door and try to get through. I can assume I'm close to the surface here, so tunneling out is always an option, but then there's the question of what's on the other side. Is a town waiting for me up there, or a heavily guarded fort? I can't know until I actually get there, and that's the problem here. I doubt the guard detail is so lax to just ignore a monster trying to escape this place either, so that's a no-go.
That really leaves one option for me to go from here: Spend more time leveling up and getting stronger, same as I've been doing. I've at least accomplished objective one of the self-assigned "Escape the Elroe Labyrinth" quest, so now, preparing for what could come next is essential. I don't doubt I'll have a way easier time once I'm out of this place, but that's exactly it. Plus, since I can keep this place marked now, I may as well investigate a bit more. Maybe I can find traces of that spider if I explore where the burned-out web was. If I have a chance at meeting another reincarnation, then all the better, I'd say. Still, kinda sucks I get this far and then have to decide to turn back to prepare… ugh, if only I had a humanoid form. I could at least probably pass myself off and get out. But, gotta compensate for what I lack, so other options are a go!
So I think that lays out my plan for the next few days: Gain levels, improve my skills, and then make a tunnel out of here. Sounds simple enough, but I'm sure it'll become a lot more complicated for absolutely no reason at all other than to make my life that little bit harder! God, you've got one hell of a sense of humor going for ya, you know that?
Though, not like I thought anybody would hear my mental ramblings. I wouldn't have a reason to.
Also, for the curious when it comes to that egg, I eventually learned just what happened to it and what hatched from it.
Let's just say I'm quite glad it ended up where it did.