Read I Can Make Everything Level UP Chapter 91 - Dungeon (1) online for free - AllNovelFull
As if he had received orders for that, Pierre was waiting for them three days after they left the town and on the other side of the bridge and he had a carriage waiting for them. While Billy wanted a horse, he didn't know how to ride one yet…
"Although I wanted one, I probably can outrun them with my speed and the effects of the earring," Billy thought.
"Thank you for coming," Pierre said. "I will take you to the city where the dungeon is."
"There is a city near the dungeon? Isn't that dangerous?" Natalie asked.
Natalie more or less faced a dungeon monster with Billy before, so that idea seemed crazy to her. Usually, Billy would think the same, but since he had the knowledge of his previous life, he knew the reason.
"Well, dungeons are a good place to gather resources, so people tend to open their business near such spots in hopes to obtain profit," Pierre said. "To save time, adventurers sell and buy things nearby dungeons since their lives are constantly at stake."
"Do you know how many times the dungeon has been cleared? The types of monsters? Where can I get a map?" Billy asked.
"Here we go…" Lily said.
"... sorry, I have never been to a dungeon, so I don't know more than the basics," Pierre replied. "Still, I don't think you should worry about your skills, besides, it has been years since someone died in that dungeon."
"Knowing that people die there is enough for me…" Billy said.
While Billy was trying to gather as much Intel as possible, Kate was looking through the windows of the carriage with a smile on her face even when she was just looking at trees. All of Billy's mana inside her had vanished and there were no signs of the virus, so she was completely fine. In fact, she was more than fine since Billy made her level up quite a bit. In terms of status and levels alone, she was supposed to be at the level of Camilla when she gave birth to Billy and that was rather impressive.
In case, the group had to travel for two more days to reach the dungeon town. Naturally, it wasn't as big as Vergena, but even so, it had been built to support Adventurers, it was twice the size of their own. It also had two times more people. It wasn't a walled town, so the place didn't have a uniform shape, still, buildings had been built with some organization in mind. The roads were paved with bricks and there were no signs of monsters anywhere. No wonder it was considered the easiest dungeon… in any case, aside from the dungeon, it seemed like a plain town.
"I suppose that is to be expected… people are to work and help those who are working with things related to the dungeon," Billy thought.
"The carriage and the driver will take me back to my post tomorrow, so they will be back in five days," Pierre said. "I know that you want to explore the dungeon as soon as possible… at least most of you, but let me introduce you to the guild master of this town. He will help while you stay here."
Although they looked a bit disappointed, the group quickly recovered, they didn't want to be looked down upon. So, they needed to behave like adults. Billy knew exactly what they were thinking and that was the type of thinking that kids would have…
Regardless, the guild was exactly like Billy had imagined, a pretty big building built to stand out among the others, but it didn't look like a fancy place considering that it was the center of the business of the town. The first floor looked like a tavern where some people were having their much and drinking. Their levels were surprisingly low considering that they have been fighting monsters for a living. Around the fifties… the highest was at sixty-two. In any case, aside from the numerous chairs and tables where people were talking or eating, Billy saw a board with several papers in there and a balcony where a pretty woman in her twenties was talking with Adventurers. While Billy usually didn't stare much… he couldn't help but notice that she had some massive bazongas. Because he was surprised, Billy stopped walking and in the next moment, the back of his right leg was kicked.
"What was that for?" Billy asked.
"Sorry, I tripped," Kate said.
"How do you end up kicking someone by tripping?" Billy frowned.
"It is your fault for suddenly stopping walking,"
"... The guild master is on the third floor, follow me," Pierre furrowed his eyebrows since they were already making a scene in the guild.
Usually, newcomers can't go to the second and third floor, but the adventurers and the receptionist recognized that Pierre was a Captain because of his red spear. Usually, the spears defined the rank of the soldiers in Hiloh state and they also had special effects. Only a fool would try to look like one while carrying a fake.
In any case, when they arrived on the third floor, Pierre knocked on the door and then said his name. Until now he acted like he owned the place, but now he decided to show some manners… probably because the guild master had as much influence, or perhaps even more influence than him. After receiving permission coming from a rough voice, Pierre opened the door.
"It has been a while, Pierre," the guild master said.
Billy opened his eyes due to the surprise… The guild master looked like a boss of a fighting game he played before. He was one hell of a buffy old man who had a white beard and hair. Although he was bald, he had a pointy beard and hair above his ears.. When Billy used Appraisal, he got even more surprised… the old man was at level 141.
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Gerald - Lv 140
HP: 1255/1255
MP: 215/215
SP: 860/860
Strength: 429
Speed: 298
Magic: 40
Endurance: 378
Dexterity: 115
Status Points: 00
Skills: Brandish Lv 71, War Cry Lv 42, Stunning Strike Lv 35
Spells:
Passive: Language Skill Lv 63, Swordsmanship Lv 85, Archery Lv 27 ( 02), Quick Sword Lv 49 ( 03), Block Mastery Lv 45
Skill Points: 00
"Guild master Gerald, it has been a while," Pierre said. "I take it you received my letter."
"Yes, you really brought quite the group here, but they… young?" Gerald said while looking at Billy.
"Oh, boy… I wonder when I will have my growth spurt," Billy wondered.
"They participated in that mission that I mentioned, so they have skills beyond their age,"
"Ah, that… I don't dislike underhanded tactics, but even that was going too far," Gerald said. "Still, I heard that they knocked down two of the five elite guards of that brat and held their own against the other three. I suppose that is something. I take the tall and pretty Missy is the leader. It is nice to meet you, I am the guild master of this two, I am Gerald."
"No, I am…" Kate said.
"Yes, she is our leader, you can leave all the paperwork to her as well," Billy said. "She is also the only daughter of our lord, so she might deserve more respect than just her missy."
"Oh? My apologies, my lady," Gerald said and bowed slightly. "Forgive my rudeness."
"That is not a problem, just treat me the same as this others…" Kate said while forcing a smile. "By the way, despite his size and sharp tongue, he is our leader."
Billy wished that someone had protested, but no one did it. Natalie was quite prideful, so it was surprising for her not to say anything when the others declared that Billy was their leader.
"Oh, is that so? My apologies, kiddo." Gerald said.
"No problem, gramps," Billy said.
The atmosphere froze for a while, although Gerald was indeed in his sixties and he was old enough to have even grand, grandkids, no one dared call him tramps. Still, he just laughed at that.
"You have guts, kiddo, I like it!" Gerald said while laughing. "You compensate your size with spirit."
"And you compensate your hair with a high voice," Billy said.
"You got me there," Gerald said.
"Yes, I did," Billy said.
"Anyway, I am bored so I can help you guys if you want," Gerald said.
"No thanks, if you want to be useful you can tell me where I can a buy map for the dungeon and information about the monsters and tools that we will need," Billy said.
"Ah, right… you guys don't know our rules, but Adventurers have to follow a certain code, even if you don't work as one, you have to follow our rules inside and outside the dungeon if you are dealing with matters concerning them," Gerald said. "You can buy a map, but only from someone who has completed the dungeon, while the shape of the dungeon changes once someone clears it, the old version still can help. You can't make copies of the map. Anything found inside the dungeon needs to be inspected by the nearest guild, and if you want to sell it somewhere else, you will need special permission. If you find other groups of Adventurers inside the dungeon don't get in their way and don't pick a fight with them. If you break the regulations, you will lose your right to use the dungeon."
After stopping to think for a moment about the rules, Billy realized that they were fair since it was the lifeline of many people. Cowards and scums might want to make easy money by selling fake maps as well. The latest rules seemed a bit too much, to the point where it made the guild look like organizations that operated beyond the limits of the country, but it seemed that the rules were basically the same in other states. So, no one complained.
"All right, we will abide by them," Billy said.
"I will give you a list of the tools and the other things you will need," Gerald said and then took a piece of paper and then began to write it. "When you will enter the dungeon?"
"... In two days," Billy replied after he noticed that the written language used in that world was completely incomprehensible for him.
"What is that?" Lily asked. "Are you drawing something?"
Gerald frowned for a while and then he realized that the visitors didn't know the words. It will take a while, but Billy will definitely learn that. In any case, he quickly explained to the others what writing was and they quickly understood how useful it could be. While they knew that messengers were in their town, the messengers were the ones writing everything. It seemed quite interesting, but it also seemed something that would take decades to master.
"Don't worry, I will learn this in the blink of an eye and then I will teach you," Billy said. "Are there any books here that can help me learn that?"
"Oh, you are pretty confident," Gerald said. "There are and you can find them in any bookstore. We have a library in the guild and you can find the books that will help you if you are short on money. Naturally, you can't go outside."
"Of course," Billy said. "Anyway, I am going to hit the library. You guys go find an inn for us and then you are free for the rest of the day. Walk together and come to meet me when the sun begins to set."
"Ah, another acquaintance of mine is going to give you some rooms," Pierre said.
While that was useful, Billy thought that his group was receiving too much VIP treatment. Unfortunately, denying that would be rude… even though Billy was aware that he had been pretty rude with Gerald. Alexander would feel a bit off walking alone with three pretty girls, but that wasn't something Billy had to hurry about.
Once the conversation was done, Billy and the others split up… come to think of it, Billy wondered if the reading and writing skills should already be available in the skill shop. He checked while Gerald was guiding him to the library and he confirmed that they were there.. Each costing ten skill points.
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In the end, Billy decided not to buy those skills, after all, the very moment he manages to read or write a single word by himself, he would get those skills.
"Do you keep registers of things related to the dungeons here?" Billy asked.
"We have, but it is mostly documents regarding the guild and its members," Gerald replied. "Many things happen and we forget about them. Like those who were banned, those who increased their ranks. We also keep information about the special monsters that occasionally appear. However, I decided to buy many books regarding the history of the state for the sake of preservation."
Billy wondered if the guild would keep existing if one day the state is turned into ashes. If that is possible, then doing that was probably a good idea. In any case, to gain time, Billy would make the skills he was going to learn level up as soon as possible. The beginning of learning any language is a pain, after all. Once he gets some knowledge regarding most of the words, he can learn faster the others on his own.
Fortunately, there was also a receptionist there that had papers, ink and pen made of some kind of bird feather and Gerald asked for those for the receptionist.
"You can copy the words table since you are going to teach your friends," Gerald said.
"I am grateful," Billy said.
"So, you can even say that, huh," Gerald said.
"Naturally, I match the attitude of the other side during the conversations," Billy said.
Gerald wasn't someone who would think that acting like a twelve-year-old would make someone look arrogant and rude, but most people would. Billy knew that and even so, reacted like that with Gerald because he didn't like being looked down on. In any case, while Billy was looking for the book that teaches people how to read and write, he wondered if he could learn a cooking skill as well… since his mother didn't have that, it was probably impossible… it was weird, though. Why writing and reading are skills but cooking isn't?
In any case, Billy found the book and realized that it was pretty good… the book taught the pronunciation of each letter and then taught the syllables by showing the names of people. Even without someone to read the book, they could understand the words because they had some drawings below them. There was the initials letters for his name on the drawings of a ball, ink, leaf, and adult.
You have learned the writing skill.
You have learned the reading skill.
"You are pretty fast…" Gerald said, much to Billy's surprise since he had thought that he had already left.
"It is pretty intuitive… as long as you don't waste time second-guessing yourself, everything can be learned pretty fast," Billy said.
In any case, after copying all the letters by seeing the words above the drawings, Billy felt that the language of that world was pretty similar to Latin… the only difference was the fact that they used six vowels and they had twenty-five letters in their alphabet. A bit fewer consonants than in the previous world.
In the end, the rest of the day passed in the blink of an eye, even though Billy was doing something that he had already did in his previous life and it was a rather slow process. However, he only spent several hours because he was trying to come up with ways to make his friends learn faster. In the blink of an eye thanks to his powers, Billy made those skills reach level ten and he began to recognize words pretty fast. Even the new ones, he could understand them pretty fast, even when he never had seen them before. In any case, his friends came to pick him up when the sun started to set, and even though it was basically a town made for Adventurers, it was pretty good. The rooms were large and the beds were comfy as well. Speaking of rooms, the boys and girls had two separated by gender, naturally. The inn even had rooms with multiple beds for parties of adventurers. While he tried to play it cool, Alexander clearly looked disappointed.
"Despite his meek attitude, he is planning to make his move now that Leo isn't around…" Billy thought. "I suppose becoming a better archer than Leo is out of the question for him."
"Billy, didn't you think you have been rather reckless lately?" Alexander asked.
"How so?" Billy asked.
"Being mean to Kate like that… being rude to the guild master," Alexander replied.
"I am sure that they can take it… Besides, they aren't people who would be bothered by that," Billy said. "While you have to be careful around certain people, if you show them a weak attitude, they will take you lightly."
"I suppose that is true, but… you have to consider that how we act is exactly how people will see our own people as a whole," Alexander said.
"That is even more reason not to let others take me lightly," Billy said. "We have been invited here, so we shouldn't walk and act like they are doing us a favor. Besides, while you guys wanted to come and wanted as well, the main reason is because of Kate. While she is Edward's daughter, I plan to make her work like everyone. If you want to stay on the people's good sides by being meek all the time, feel free to do so, but with that attitude, you will never make any progress with Lily."
"Ugh… that is…" Alexander said while showing an expression like that one had been a low blow.
"Also, cutting corners will only make you look lame," Billy said. "If you do anything during this trip, Leo will probably skin you alive. Well, if you think it is worth the hassle..."
"I wasn't planning to do anything!" Alexander protested.
"Whatever you say," Billy shrugged.
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The next day, Billy started teaching everyone how to read and write. Once they learned the skills, Billy made them level up with his mana. Once they realized that they were making a lot of progress pretty fast, they felt even more motivated to study, so that was enough for the time being. The only problem was their handwriting… Kate and Lily were fine, but Natalie and Alexander were rather messy and rough. They liked to write as fast as possible, after all. Still, that was something that could be fixed over time.
While he was a bit slow, Billy already could read the list of things that Gerald prepared for them. The things that they would need were some torches, knives to cut and pull out some parts of the monsters, a bag to carry the materials and loot they find inside the dungeon, bandages to treat wounds, and water to clean them. Putting aside the last two, which was kind of obvious, the other three made Billy realize that clearing dungeons was a bit too simple… or perhaps Gerald was taking the dungeon lightly since he was so strong. Also, he put some notes aside from the things that they would need. He explained that the monsters were giant beetles that had two antennae. Those had two gems in them that they used to track their enemies. Those gems couldn't be used for much, but they were pretty and somewhat gave special effects to accessories… Billy recalled those. The accessory peddlers were selling that type of thing in his town.
"Giant beetles, huh…" Billy said.
"Insects? I was hoping to face something more… impressive?" Lily said.
"You didn't even fight one and are already complaining," Billy frowned. "Anyway, I could handle this alone."
"Shopping is kind of fun and it will also give us more chances to walk around the town," Lily said.
Billy didn't get the appeal of shopping. Spending money to buy new things… mostly things that were unnecessary was something beyond him. In any case, he visited some shops where he could buy those things, but he only asked the price and then left. When he was far away enough, he wrote the location of the shop and their prices.
"What and why are you writing?" Kate asked.
"To practice and not to be fooled by merchants that might be overpricing their goods," Billy replied.
"I see, while we use the same currency, we essentially use less money than the people of Hiloh state," Kate nodded.
Billy thought that someone would ask why they need knives when they had their weapons, but they knew the importance of using their weapons only to fight. Forcing their weapons to get drenched in the monster's blood all the time wasn't the best of ideas… even if they clean those, they would quickly deteriorate.
Although Edward gave them money to help with the mission, Billy wanted to return with more than he received. A lot more, that was why he already saved five silver coins on the shopping. While they walked around the town, they even got close to the entrance of the dungeon… as expected, it was an underground one. Hence the torches… Billy wasn't a fan of dark and tight places, but he had to deal with that, for the sake of money… and to make Kate think twice about her crazy ideas. He didn't forget his original goal. Once the shopping was done, they had dinner together in the first floor of the inn and Billy also decided to have a meeting with his friends.
"I overheard some things while we were shopping, it seems that the dungeon only has a single floor, but down there is like a maze," Billy said. "If we are lucky we will find the last part in ten hours, but I also hard that there was a group that took two weeks to map the entire maze."
"Since it is like that, we will have to make our own map, right?" Kate asked. "We will waste too much time trying to clear without making one, we might even get lost."
"Indeed," Billy nodded.
"I heard that the other two dungeons have five floors and the new ones apparently have more than that," Lily said.
"That seems pretty interesting… five floors of continuous encounters with those scorpions," Natalie said.
"Let's focus on the dungeon ahead of us… please," Billy said and then sighed. "The interior of the dungeon is tight, so we will have to be careful and assume a formation where we won't become a burden to each other. I was thinking of letting Alexander and Natalie in the vanguard and they will be supported by my and Kate long-ranged skills. Lily has a limited amount of arrowheads, so she will only use it in rare moments."
"Not fair, I want to participate as much as everyone," Lily said.
"You can do that if you solve your problem with ammunition," Billy shrugged.
"Can't you create them with Earth Manipulation? I saw you creating fire arrows with magic," Lily said.
"I probably can, but…" Billy said and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
If Billy just focuses on making them without firing those, he probably can save one-third of the usual mana. Still, even on the best of scenarios, they will break after every use and he won't be able to produce more than five each hour.
"Please, I will do anything," Lily said.
"Anything, you say… they will be heavy, are you fine with that?" Billy asked while noticing that Alexander was really jealous.
"It won't be a problem," Lily said.
"In that case, you should help Alexander practice his archery for a while," Billy said. "His skill still can be improved and we might need it since we don't know if we will end up facing the guardian of the dungeon."
"All right, leave it to me," Lily said while smiling in excitement.
Now Billy made Alexander owe him one, he looked pretty thankful.. Still, Billy was thinking of asking for money as payment since he couldn't imagine Alexander helping him with anything.
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The next day, the group headed toward the dungeon entrance that was in the center of the town. Although it was supposed to be a bustling place, they didn't find many people there. Apparently, the adventurers had to ask for permission and book a date and a time to use it. Only around ten parties could enter that dungeon. One hour after the previous group, the next group could enter.
"We are the third party… doesn't that mean that we will face fewer monsters?" Lily asked.
"Dungeons are formed when large concentrations of mana gather in a place, the mana becomes a crystal, and then it obtains the power to entice monsters," Billy explained. "They give them a lot of power, and then they become the guardian of the crystal and the boss of the dungeon… but the crystal also mass produces monsters by using the guardian as a basis."
"... So, they reproduce without the need to follow the rules of other living beings?" Natalie frowned.
"That is right," Billy nodded. "They can also appear anywhere, so it doesn't matter how many parties are inside. Apparently, the larger the crystal, the more power they have. So, they can entice more types of monsters, and thus they create dungeons with many layers and different types of monsters to guard the crystal."
"You are well-informed," Kate said.
"I did some research while I was in the library," Billy said. "Speaking of which, we will only explore for five hours and then return."
"What? Why?" Lily protested.
"To save energy… you want to clear the dungeon in one go and risk finding the guardian in not out best shape?" Billy asked.
"I thought that Billy was just being arrogant like usual when he declined Gerald's offer to help… but really did your research and thought thinks through," Natalie said.
"That is funny coming from you, and are you really that surprised?" Billy frowned. "Someone has to look after the kids here."
"You are the youngest here!" Alexander, Lily, and Natalie said in unison.
"And that is why most people still treat you like kids…" Billy shrugged.
In any case, some guards of the guild were guarding the entrance, and they knew the schedule and all the parties that would explore the dungeon that day, but they didn't expect such young people. The guild only accepts those older than twelve, and for a few years, most of the newcomers work like errand boys to save money and buy their gear.
The entrance of the dungeon was a hole that had a wooden staircase in it. Since Billy could see the bottom, he just jumped after lighting a torch. The interior of the dungeon was kind of rough, and as expected, only two people could walk side by side in there. Not even the entrance was big enough, so Billy stepped forward and gave the signs to the others to come. The area was clear. The others jumped as well, but Kate used the stairs since she wasn't that strong physically. Billy thought that they would be grinning, but their guards were up and ready to act.
They assumed their positions without wasting any time, and Billy created five Earth Arrows for Lily. She checked their balance and nodded to herself. In any case, since Billy would be the one to map the dungeon, he also would be busy holding the torches and illuminating the places ahead. He felt like he was an NPC responsible for doing miscellaneous things, but it couldn't be helped. He couldn't trust the others with such an important task.
Billy began to walk ahead while illuminating the area, but he told Lily with the task of keeping her ears sharp on their back. If monsters could appear anywhere, they certainly could appear from behind. However, instead of any monster, they found a bifurcation… the path was splitting in two.
"Wait a minute, keep your eyes open on the surroundings," Billy said and then took the piece of paper he wanted to draw the map and then created a line that divided it in two. He also put some numbers on the side of the first line.
"What are those?" Natalie asked.
"I told you to keep your guard up… they are the number of steps we took since we entered the dungeon until we find the path that was splitting in two," Billy explained. "If something happens and we end up lost we can use the number of steps to consider where in the dungeon we are."
Naturally, Billy would walk in his toes not to get lost, but there was always the chance that it might happen. So, he took the necessary precautions. In any case, they chose the path on their left side and then began to move, but then they quickly found a dead end. They saw two bottles emerging from the ground and blocking their exit when they turned around.
Dark Crawler - Lv 39
HP: 188/ 188
MP: 98/ 98
SP: 124/124
Strength: 43
Speed: 35
Magic: 15
Endurance: 35
Dexterity: 25
Status Points: 00
Skills: Bite Lv 22, Dash Lv 15
Spells:
Passive: Earth Resistance Lv 54, Fire Resistance Lv 22, Wind Resistance Lv 15
Skill Points: 00
The creatures were big, but they weren't that fearsome. They were like one meter long and half a meter talk… their bodies were covered by a gray carapace, but it seemed pretty thin. Right above their eyes, Billy saw two antennae that had some gems in them…
Out of reflex due to the surprise, Kate and Lily quickly fired their knives and arrows toward the eyes of the monsters, but also due to the surprises. They missed ended up hitting the foreheads of the creatures. Some blood began to fall from it while the creatures trembled after the attack, but those didn't pierce enough.
"Fall back!" Natalie said.
While the monsters were dealing with the pain, Natalie and Alexander stepped forward and then dashed to attack the monsters.. Unlike those two, they didn't miss, and their weapons pierced the monsters' eyes.
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You obtained 10 experience points.
The skill Appraisal obtained 10 experience points.
The skill Earth Manipulation obtained 10 experience points.
Billy blinked several times in surprise since he didn't expect to get those notifications… something was off. He didn't get any when he killed elementalists in the past… even when he killed monsters and animals, he didn't get that. Something was off... but it didn't seem harmful or troublesome at least.
"Phew… that scared me," Lily said and then sighed. "Billy was right and he warned me and still… I got caught by surprise. I will be more careful next time."
"I didn't expect that they would appear as soon as we faced a dead end…" Billy runner his chin thoughtfully. "Still, you guys attacked fast enough to prevent the attacks. Well done."
"Hmm… Billy is praising us… I guess he ate something weird," Lily smirked.
"I am grateful… now I won't have to do that anymore," Billy said. "This time, keep your guard up."
Billy added some more info to the map and then grabbed a knife from the bag to get the loot. The carapace and the body of the monster couldn't be used. Only the gems in the antennae, and now that he could see it from up close, Billy realized that they were fingertip size… but they came in all colors. They were smaller than the ones he saw in the accessories before.
"Are you fine touching that?" Kate said while frowning.
"It is a bit slimy, but it is not a problem," Billy said. "Maybe I should you put in charge of collecting those while I draw the map to save time."
"I would rather avoid it, but if it is an order…" Kate said.
Now Billy began to feel bad about it. Here was him trying to make Kate dislike that kind of job, and she was saying that she would if she received the order to do so. It was a pain to have a conscience, or so Billy thought.
In any case, the monsters weren't that durable despite their appearances, so Billy could see why that was the easiest dungeon. Still, he could tell that it wouldn't be easy forever. Billy checked his friends, and he confirmed that they had cleaned their weapons.
"Let's get going," Billy said.
Before they returned to the bifurcation, the group was attacked again. A beetle suddenly appeared in front of them, and when they focused their attention on the creature, another other appeared behind. Alexander and Lily focused their attention on the front while Natalie and Kate fought the other one. Meanwhile, Billy was expecting another one to come from above, but it never came.
You obtained 10 experience points.
The skill Earth Manipulation obtained 10 experience points.
"Again… I guess I am getting experience because I created the Earth Arrows," Billy thought. "Still, this amount of experience is pretty high for such a low level monster."
"It feels like the monsters are pretty smart… to use such tactics against us," Alexander said.
It wasn't the monsters… it was the crystal spawning them. However, Billy didn't say that out loud since an object having a conscience was more scary than a monster. In any case, the group soon returned to the bifurcation and chose the other path, and after that, they began to be attacked pretty often. However, Billy never managed to get a grasp of the enemy's spawning rate… three minutes, one minute… thirty seconds, ten minutes. They spawned at random moments. Thus, the group never had the chance to rest properly.
"I guess this really is a good starting dungeon for beginners…" Billy said.
"How so?" Natalie asked, visibly annoyed. "It is annoying that they can appear from everywhere, we basically never had the surprising factor."
"That is why it is a good dungeon… it teaches newbies to stay on their toes," Billy said. "If you want to be an adventurer, you have to get used to this eerie atmosphere and the fact that you might be attacked at any moment… There is no pause to water the plants or to eat anything."
Although he said that, Billy knew that among the things Geral told them to buy, there were some foods that they could eat as soon as the fight ended, and they apparently helped them recover energy and stay hydrated. The fruits didn't restore Billy's mana, and they were a bit sour, though.
Putting that aside, the group soon found a crossroad, and while it was barely visible, the paths to the left and right were bending lightly to backward… it was a sign that those paths would make it closer to the previous path and dead ends. Still, since the bending was barely noticeable, it made Billy wonder if the dungeon was longer than the town itself… It probably was.
In any case, it didn't take long for one of the beetles to appear from above, and then it almost fell on Kate. What was weird was the fact that they were already fighting two of those… in any case, Billy killed it with a spinning Earth Bullet.
"Thanks, you saved me," Kate said.
"Just doing my job of looking after the kids," Billy said.
Kate forced a smile since Billy was the one who looked like a kid the most, even though his attitude was probably the least child-like among them. Regardless, from that point onward, they began to fight against three beetles at a time. Although, since Kate and Lily were getting used to fighting in a confined place, they were starting to kill the enemies with a single shot, so they were only wasting time gathering the gems.
"The gems are getting bigger… and the number of enemies are increasing… I suppose the dungeon will become harder the more we approach the guardian," Billy said.
"Did you get the information if the guardian is alive?" Alexander asked.
"It was killed a week ago and until now… it didn't reappear," Billy replied.
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After walking for a while, the group was attacked by four beetles. On the first time, they appeared in front of them, and when Natalie and Alexander engaged them, the other two used their allies as a jumping platform to reach the backline. Fortunately, Kate and Lily were focused enough and killed the monster without any difficulties. Soon after, Natalie and Alexander did the same, but then Billy realized that everyone was sweating too much… even though only four hours had passed.
"Let's call it a day here," Billy said.
"Eh!" Alexander, Lily, and Natalie said in unison.
"Don't 'eh' me… you might not have noticed it, but the monsters are getting tougher and faster, so you are spending more energy dealing with them," Billy explained. "The atmosphere isn't helping either, and due to our lack of experience, we aren't pacing ourselves. It is a bit sooner than planned, but we should retreat. Tomorrow, we will reach this place in one hour, so we will have a lot of time to explore… if we recover enough today."
"Yeah… while I don't look that tired, I don't know if I can recover my mana in a single night if we keep going today," Kate said.
"Is that so… I suppose that even though we are killing them pretty fast, a lot of energy was spent," Lily said.
Although the group used the shortest route, they still had to fight a few times… the fight didn't leave them alone even though they were leaving. However, the number of enamels decreased to three and eventually two, and that confirmed Billy's theory.
Billy's friends were also thankful for his preparedness. They thought that returning would be easy, but they had no idea which path to take. Their footprints couldn't be relied on either since other parties had been there… It was weird that they didn't find the parties, though.
The guards frowned when they saw Billy's group returning. It was hard to know if it was due to the fact that they returned too soon or by the fact that they were unharmed.
"I am going to the guild to sell the gems. Only one of you needs to come with me. The others can return to the inn and then rest or study," Billy said.
"Why only one of us?" Alexander asked.
"To be proof that I won't lie about the money that we earned and steal some from myself," Billy replied.
"We trust you, so that is unnecessary," Lily said.
"Just shut up and choose one of you to come with me… I want to make things right," Billy said while massaging his forehead.
In the end, Kate volunteered to go, while Billy wanted her to go with the others to make sure they would study, it couldn't be helped. In any case, Billy wondered if it would be more profitable to make accessories with the gems instead of selling them. Still, for today, it was fine to sell to learn their prices.
When they reached the guild, they talked with the big boobed receptionist since she was the one responsible for that kind of work, but she actually went to talk with Gerald, and soon he appeared. Making a lot of noise like usual.
"Oh? You guys returned pretty soon," Gerald said. "It didn't seem like something happened since you guys are completely fine."
"We want to sell the gems," Billy said.
"Is that so?" Gerald asked. "Well, follow me to our warehouse."
Billy had used Analyze on the gems, but he didn't see anything in those, so he assumed that they would have the same price. Since they got one hundred and fifty-four of those, he was expecting a good amount of money since the accessories were pretty expensive. The gems probably weren't more expensive than ten copper coins, but Billy would be satisfied with five. Regardless, the warehouse didn't have only the gems in store. They had many other parts of monsters… but they weren't from the bark beetles. The number of gems in the store was also pretty low.
"We are offering right now five copper coins for each gem. Are you fine with that?" Gerald asked.
"Supposedly, if I am not fine with it, what are my options?" Billy asked.
"You can sell to other cities and guilds in our territory, but you will need the documents necessary, or no one will buy them from you," Gerald said. "Considering that you might have a good relationship with the lord of our state, then we might also issue some papers for you to take the gems to your land, but that will take a while."
Billy could always just try to make an item out of the earth and then use the gems to see what happens. In the end, if someone sees that, he could also say that he bought it from one of the peddlers that visited his town. Still, he sold them and got almost eight silver coins as planned. Considering that he got fifteen from Edward for the expenses, it wasn't a half-bad start. However, he didn't forget the difference between the economies.
"I suppose you want to enter the dungeon around the same time tomorrow," Gerald said.
"That is right. Is that possible?" Billy asked.
"I already booked your entrance at the same hour for seven days, so you can rest easy," Gerald said. "By the way, I don't smell blood coming from your glaive. You people managed to defeat this many enemies with only four of you?"
"That is right," Billy said. "Anyway, I am thankful for your assistance. Until later."
"This is quite the sum of money, right?" Kate asked. "Once the word spreads, many people in our town will decide to become adventurers."
"Many of them will get themselves killed if they don't make the right preparations or work with someone experienced in this," Billy said.. "Regardless, I suppose this will improve the economy of our state, and even if some of us die, now that we are at peace, we won't decrease in numbers like before."
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"You act like the miracle of life is just numbers to you…" Kate said while frowning. "Be that level-headed is one of your good points, but sometimes, you exaggerate."
While Kate was complaining, Billy was doing some math. If he divided the coins among the group, each one would have 1 and a half silver coins. That means that they earned ten times more than they would earn working outside their town in a single day. However, they worked only for four hours, and the work in the bridge only had paused to sleep and eat, so the difference was much greater. Still, that also means that a week of work in a dungeon was necessary to pay for the earring that increased the recovery of his stamina.
"Come to think of it, if I boost the ring and then lend it to Alexander, maybe he will have a chance to win against Leo," Billy thought. "He will owe me another one, and no one will notice it if there is no one to notice it. Just kidding."
Alexander was an honest kid, so he wouldn't accept such an underhanded tactic… even though he was pretty desperate. Leo may be a stubborn old man, but he won't let his only daughter be single forever. He wasn't such a lost cause… Regardless, Billy wondered why he was being so supportive of that kid. It wasn't like his previous romance life was full of frustrations. Playing the cupid wasn't something that he enjoyed that much either…
"Speaking of cupid, I have to find someone for Kate…" Billy thought. "I have a feeling that she might have developed some warped feelings for me… some guys might find that amusing, to have such a beautiful woman that adores you like a god, but I don't."
"What?" Kate asked when she noticed that Billy was looking at her and frowning.
"... You are pale," Billy said.
"I guess I still need to exercise more," Kate said.
Kate was going lightly at first, but visiting his home when he wasn't around, playing with his siblings, developing a good relationship with his mother… Billy could tell that Kate was trying to create a path in his life for her. Staying as friends were fine, but again… Billy was worried about her mental health.
"Let's pray that she won't turn into the ultimate yandere…" Billy thought.
At the inn, the group was quite surprised by their money. Still, it belonged to the party's fund, so no one could use it for the time being. In any case, as expected, the kids have been slacking off with their studies. Billy didn't want to waste his time and energy scolding them. He went to study instead of that. Still, they felt his cold gaze and decided to use their free time wisely. They felt even more compelled when Kate began to study on her own.
Billy wanted to check the library again to learn more and to practice his reading skill. It was only obvious that he read more than write in the future. So, he had to get that skill on the same level as in the previous world. However, he decided to stay in the inn and then study and meditate to recover his mana for the next day. After a good night's rest, everyone was prepared to clear the dungeon that day. Still, Billy knew that it wouldn't be that easy. That being said, Billy wanted to clear the place in three or four days, then he would have the leisure to enter alone and see what he could accomplish by himself. He didn't do much fighting inside the dungeon, after all.
"Hey, Billy, how do you do that thing where you make your Bullets make the weird sound?" Kate asked.
"Doing that with a short knife won't be that effective. You should use it with a short spear at least," Billy said.
Billy decided to explain to her the spinning and about rotation. They are very similar words in physics and can be used interchangeably in many situations. Still, spin usually refers to something rotating about its own axis, while rotation is a bit more versatile. So something spinning usually means all parts of the object rotate together. The object spins while an object rotates around another object. Naturally, they didn't get that rough explanation, so Billy had to give many examples.
"So, I will have to make the wind spin… I suppose with that was the fluids of the monsters, the knives won't last long," Kate said.
Putting that aside, they reached the dungeon and soon entered, and just like Billy said, they reached the same point as the previous day in just a single hour. They couldn't understand how Billy predicted that, but it was thanks to their pace and the fact that he calculated the number of steps on the routes.
"Coming to think of it… why are the gems at the same price when their size is increasing?" Billy thought while frowning.
Maybe it was due to their aesthetic value… or maybe the guild divided the value of a single one that could create a magic item among the failures. It would consume some of his mana, but Billy decided to use Appraisal on all the gems… it took a while for him to hit the Jackpot, but he eventually did it.
Red Gem of the Talent
DEX 15
SP 20
Durability: 05/05
"What is wrong?" Lily asked.
"... I feel a strange energy coming from this,'" Billy replied.
"... It is true. I can feel it as well," Natalie said after she touched it.
Lily would be the best one to use it considering its status and shape. A ring probably would be the best thing to put the gem in, but Alexander would feel jealous, and the atmosphere would get weird as well. So, Billy made a bracelet made of Earth and then put it before giving it to Lily.
"Try it," Billy said.
"Wow… I feel really light," Lily said. "I also feel like I have a better control of my body."
That was probably because of the effects of the extra Dexterity. It was good that Billy didn't enhance the bracelet… otherwise, Lily would think that the gem was something super rare. It was probably something Adventurers could get at least once after getting three hundred or so of those gems. Considering it was just a bracelet made of stone, it wouldn't be worth a lot in case it is sold, but it should cost at least five silver coins.
"Don't show it outside the dungeon. We don't want to make ourselves stand out," Billy said.
"Why not?" Kate asked. "Wouldn't show our resourcefulness something good for our town?"
"Clearing the dungeon will be enough advertising," Billy replied. "Achievements like that can't be stolen. Do you understand?"
"Billy is such a worrywart… but I suppose some caution is necessary," Lily said.
It didn't take long for the bracelet to come in handy. Lily made the Earth arrow pierce the eye of one of the targets pretty easily… and that was something that didn't happen in a while.
Dark Crawler - Lv 47
HP: 228/ 228
MP: 108/ 108
SP: 141/141
Strength: 47
Speed: 39
Magic: 16
Endurance: 41
Dexterity: 29
Status Points: 00
Skills: Bite Lv 22, Dash Lv 15
Spells:
Passive: Earth Resistance Lv 54, Fire Resistance Lv 22, Wind Resistance Lv 15
Skill Points: 00
You obtained 10 experience points.
The skill Appraisal obtained 10 experience points.
The skill Earth Manipulation obtained 10 experience points.
Although the monsters were getting stronger, the experience they were giving was the same. In any case, by Billy's estimations, things would be fine if the monsters even reach the level eighty. But beyond that, and if they attack in groups larger than five… then Bily will have to fight as well. That was the only leeway they had. In any case, they found another path that was divided into three, but before they could choose one, Natalie stopped them. Lily also heard some footsteps approaching… After a while, they found a party of Adventurers. They looked pretty beaten down, and one of them had a nasty wound in his left arm… they were at a party at least five years older than them.
"You guys must be the party of visitors that we have been hearing about," A man armed with a short sword and round shield said. "Since you have reached this point, you guys must have some skill, but the encounters are getting more frequent from here onward, so I would recommend you raise your guard."
"Thank you for the alert. We will keep our guard up," Billy said and then signaled for his friends to open the path.
The other party members nodded, and then they left. Billy noticed that their leader saw Lily's bracelet, but he only looked for a moment and lost interest. It was made of stone, after all. Most people would think that the best materials make the best gear… while they had a point, things weren't that simple.
"Did you guys see that?" Billy asked. "If we proceed forward, one of us might get their arms bitten, and after that, our combat power will decrease, and the fights will be a lot tougher to the others."
"We are ready for that," Natalie said.
"I want to see you say that with a straight face to the parents of the wounded if someone gets hurt like that…" Billy said.
While Natalie showed a complicated expression, the others didn't get fazed by Billy's harsh words. In any case, Billy checked the other party, and they were at level fifty… their level was basically the same with the exception of Kate. Still, their status was relatively low. They probably weren't trained like them from their youth… it was only natural. Most of the people of the Hiloh state had been trained when they joined the army, or they were self-taught.
In any case, that part they arrived in was most likely, the middle of the dungeon. The group felt that they didn't make much progress since it looked like they were walking in circles… as expected of a dungeon with a maze design.
As the leader of the previous party said, the number of encounters had increased, and Billy barely had the time to write anything on the map now… much less gathering the gems. So, they had to split the work to make real progress. Due to their experience as a hunter, Lily knew how to use a knife, so she took that role.
"Phew… things are getting pretty intense," Lily said as soon as they had their first battle against five monsters.
This time, two of them appeared in the front and behind the group, and when they split up, another appeared between the group, and Billy had to pierce its head with a spear that emerged from the ground. So, he had to agree with her.
"They are getting tired again… not because of the atmosphere, but because of the continuous fights," Billy thought. "Although they are getting better, unless we get another special gem, we will have to call it a day here…"
Considering that they progressed quite a bit after meeting with the other party, Billy would say that they completed around seventy percent of the dungeon… not bad for their second day of exploration. Even if they were unlucky… they were bound to find another special gem the next in one day or the other, and they reach the last part of the dungeon… clearing was another matter, though. Just when Billy was thinking about that, a giant beetle appeared behind them.
Although the arrival of the monster surprised everyone, they reacted on time to grab their weapons. Even Billy did that before confirming the status of the monster with Appraisal. After all, the beast was as big as a car and completely blocked their path to the retreat.
Dark Crawler - Lv 47
HP: 642/ 642
MP: 229/ 229
SP: 309/ 309
Strength: 112
Speed: 76
Magic: 29
Endurance: 116
Dexterity: 55
Status Points: 00
Skills: Bite Lv 22, Dash Lv 15
Spells:
Passive: Earth Resistance Lv 74, Fire Resistance Lv 22, Wind Resistance Lv 29
Skill Points: 00
The first one to move had been Alexander, followed by Natalie. They swung their weapons toward the monster's eyes, but the creature raised its front paws to block their attack. Much to their surprise, the beast didn't even flinch.
"What the…" Natalie frowned.
Despite the surprise, those two stepped backward because it was the backline's turn to attack. While she still had some room for improvement, Kate fired her two knives while making both of them spin at the same time… that was something that not even Billy tried yet. Still, the monster blocked her knives, and they broke into pieces.
Lily fired one of her real arrows and enhanced it with wind magic. The projectile pierced the paw of the monster quite a bit and made some blood gush out. It was clear that an attack of that level could pierce the monster's skull, but hitting it will be hard.
"Use fire magic, but don't use big attacks. Use the concentrated ones," Billy said to Kate.
Billy didn't explain that using fire magic inside the dungeon was dangerous since it would burn the oxygen. Still, she understood that putting everything on fire wasn't the answer. Kate just learned fire magic recently, but she was good at controlling her mana, so the fire bullets that she shot made the paws of the monster burn and a strong smell of burned flesh permeated the surroundings while the beast was trembling due to the pain.
"Now!" Billy shouted.
Lily fired three of her real arrows enhanced by wing magic on the monster's head, making the beast tremble even more. Then Alexander and Natalie dashed and made their weapons pierce the eyes of the monster.
You obtained 500 experience points.
The skill Appraisal obtained 100 experience points.
Billy sighed in relief because he thought that he would have to join the fight, but that was unnecessary… for some reason, the monster's fire resistance didn't level up like the other skills, and despite the fact that its level was only two times higher, the monster was three times stronger, faster and sturdier.
"Gather the gems. We are retreating now," Billy declared.
This time, no one protested since they knew that they couldn't keep facing creatures like that with their current level of exhaustion. Not to mention, Kate had lost her weapons… she would need new ones. Fortunately, in exchange for that, they got two gems that had magic properties.
Yellow Gem of the Power
STR 15
HP 20
Durability: 05/05
Green Gem of the Wisdom
MAG 15
MP 20
Durability: 05/05
Although they were gems that came from a creature way stronger than the ordinary beetles, their effects were the same. The green gem probably will be useful in Kate's hands. Still, the other one… it would be difficult to decide between Alexander and Natalie. Both of them would benefit from having that one. In any case, since they quickly hurried from the area, they didn't have to fight a big beetle again… the power of the crystal was stronger close to the end of the dungeon. Still, even so… that was something Billy didn't expect.
In any case, since the group literally ran to leave the dungeon as soon as possible, they avoided many battles, but Kate looked exhausted.
"That was intense…" Lily said with a pale expression on her face. "But it was quite fun as well. That is what I call exploring a dungeon."
"You are right, I don't know if we are going to face many more battles like that, but I sure will look forward to it," Natalie said while smirking.
Billy sighed after that. These people had no sense of danger… still, it was understandable. That was the world they had been born in. Where magic and monsters exist, and they can grow stronger by fighting those.
"Well, I will go with Billy this time," Alexander said. "You can rest first."
"Thank you, I appreciate it," Kate said.
Billy had left the other two gems with Lily, so he didn't have to hide those along the way to the guild.
"Billy, you can make an item using the other gem and give it to Natalie. I can wait," Alexander said while they were walking to the guild.
"Is that so?" Billy asked. "Ladies first, I guess."
"I owe you a few things, after all, so you can make two rings and give them to Kate and Natalie. I am sure they will like it," Alexander added.
"I am not sure how this counts as you repaying a favor, and you sure are imagining things if you think that I want to stay on their good side," Billy said. "I am only interested in women over thirty."
"Here you go again, saying weird things…" Alexander said.
"As expected of a kid… he doesn't get it," Billy shrugged. "He doesn't get the awesomeness of a milf… the thicker they are, the better. Even cougars pale in comparison to them."
In any case, they reached the guild, and the same things happened before. The big boobed receptionist called the guild master, and Gerald frowned when Billy and Alexander brought almost three hundred gems.
"This is a lot of progress… it seems that you are already reaching the last part of the dungeon," Gerald said. "Still… once again, you look completely fine."
"Are you disappointed?" Billy asked while frowning.
"Surprised, would be the best word… It has been a while since I saw a party like yours," Gerald said.
Billy wondered if he would be more surprised in knowing that he didn't fight and only did some miscellaneous things. Still, Billy had no reason to say that. In any case, they got almost fifteen silver coins, and Billy felt satisfied with the weight of his coin bag. Having money was always nice…
"Kate will have other knives that will increase her magic power, and while I can create some of the earth, it would be too risky since she will fire them… exposing the gem to danger," Billy thought.. "In any case, to avoid that from happening again, I will increase their durability."
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