April 3rd, 2011
The reason pocket dungeons are so good for leveling is the fact that the monsters aren'trealmonsters. The monsters in a pocket dungeon, if given enough time, will respawn and I can fight them all over again. Unlimited monsters for as much EXP as I want, though after a while it starts getting rather pointless, the EXP just stops being worth it.
I've spent the last few hours going back and forth through the storage rack maze killing monsters over and over again, memorizing every spawn point and attack pattern of every monster here, from the monster wolves to the monster monkeys.
I've also had to replace the steel jaw weapon a few times since it keeps despawning with whatever monster I took it from, it has been quite effective though.
Status
Name- Jude Sung
Level- 15
Job- None
Fatigue- 0
Title- None
HP- 1096/1470
MP- 178/178
STR- 33
VIT- 24
AGI- 24
INT- 24
Senses- 24
Remaining Points- 0
14 levels with one E-rank dungeon. If I remember correctly I'd be around a B-rank by Solo Leveling's standards, as for how that compares to Earth Bet, I have no idea. But my leveling has all but come to a halt. So how does a player level up in a dungeon when the mobs don't give enough EXP?
Boss fight.
I looked back at the maze, now thoroughly drenched in monster remains that would despawn in a few minutes, then to the stairs leading to the second floor, the boss room. Despite being able to handle the first floor monsters fairly easily I was hesitant.
Each monster has a name tag, and each name tag represents how the monster compares to me in strength. If the monster has a white name tag then it's easy to take down, orange means it's challenging, and a red name tag means I'm outmatched.
Even after all the first floor monsters I've taken out, I'm certain that the boss is still at least an orange name tag, that's how it was in Solo Leveling. But this isn't Solo Leveling, this is real life.
But… If I don't take the risk I won't progress.
So, I tightened my grip on the steel jaw, and began ascending the stairs, with each step the air felt like it was getting heavier. Upon arriving at the second floor I realized it wasn't just a trick of the mind, the air was definitely heavier, humid and thick with mana.
I didn't have time to dwell on it though, something big was coming at me,fast.My body reacted first, launching to the side to avoid the giant scaly foot planting itself where I was standing, absolutely demolishing the floor, enough so that, had this not been a dungeon, it would have gone straight through to the first floor.
I got back on my feet and quickly spun to face my new opponent. It was definitely big, nearly as big as a bus, and it radiated mana more than any of the other monsters I'd faced till now. But something else set me on edge. It's a lizard, I was expecting a snake.
In the original series the boss Sung Jinwoo fought was a giant snake the size of a train, what I was facing was not a snake, but a lizard, with a long body, tail, and four stumpy limbs.
[Labyrinth Ruler, Yellow Poison Monster Tur]
Orange name tag, better than red, but a small part of me was futilely hoping for white, but I can manage with orange. The most unnerving part for me was the unfamiliarity with my opponent, any preparations I had made for the boss were all but useless, not that I had made many.
Unlike the Raikans the lizard didn't wait for any signs of weakness, charging straight at me with reckless abandon. It was faster than it had any right being for its size, crossing the distance between us in no time at all, bringing its claw down in another attack, but I was ready for it this time.
I jumped, avoiding the attack and launching several meters into the air, right beside Tur's head, twisting my body and slamming the steel jaw into its face with everything I had.
Tur's head whipped to the side, but it didn't stop there, the rest of its body turning with the blow as it slammed its massive tail into me, sending me barreling across the room, only stopping once I slammed into a wall.
I pushed myself off the ground, drywall dust from the wall falling off my wrecked clothes.
That hurt, and the damn thing didn't even seem fazed by my attack, though it did seem to crack a good few of the scales on its face, a fact to which I couldn't help but smirk, which quickly turned into a pained wince.
"At least you're not invincible, you big lizard bastard."
It growled in response, or maybe it was just a low hiss, and charged at me again.
As I dodged around the room I strategized. I thought bludgeoning might work but Tur's scales are too tough for me to do any significant damage. So explosive force is a no, maybe constant pressure like the wolves, that might work, either that or somehow getting the steel jaw through Tur's eye to its brain. Actually… that gives me an idea.
My right foot slid back as I moved into a throwing position and took aim. Ignoring how the ground shook beneath my feet with every step Tur took, I waited.
Closer.
Tur's tail flailed around behind it, carving trenches and holes in the floor.
Closer.
The lizard's maw opened, drool leaking from the corners and getting lost in the wind it was kicking up.
Closer.
My arm tensed, ready to spring forward.
Now!
The lizard was only a few meters away when I released, my arm launching forward, freeing the jaw from my grasp. The jaw flew, roaring through the air, into Tur's eye, then I moved, dashing to the side as the giant lizard drove itself, face first, into the wall.
I took the opportunity, dashing to Tur and grabbing onto its neck, my fingers digging into the scales.
I expected Tur to struggle, like the wolves had, what I hadn't expected was that Tur was more flexible than I thought, reaching a scaly foot up and kicking me straight off its neck and tearing off a good few scales.
I recovered quickly, rolling to stand, only to jump back immediately as Tur tried to bite me, jaws closing with an audible snap.
As I skidded to a stop, so did Tur, halting his charge and eyeing me warily. It was finally taking me seriously.
I took stock of the damage I had done. Tur was missing its right eye now, and I did more damage to his neck then I thought, blood leaking from both wounds. So now I was dealing with a half blind lizard that's having trouble breathing.
Deciding my next move, I broke the standoff, running around the lizard at a superhuman pace, keeping to its blindspot.
Tur's size worked against it as it tried to follow my movements, quickly losing sight of me. The lizard may be fast in a straight line, but when moving sideways its massive body got in the way.
Once it couldn't see me I made a mad dash for its neck once again, projection or not Tur still needs to breathe.
My fingers penetrated Tur's scales once again, and I slammed my fist into the giant lizard's throat, punching it again, and again, and again, scales cracking under each blow.
I could feel my mana flare wildly with every punch, the energy reacting my emotions, the fear, the desperation, the excitement, and each blow was harder than the last, hammering down on Tur's windpipe.
Tur didn't just let it happen though. He clawed and thrashed, and every time he did my fingers would dig deeper into the scales to hold on. But I could feel my health go down, and my fatigue ramp up as the lizard struggled.
Alarm
You Leveled Up!
You Leveled Up!
You Leveled Up!
You Leveled Up!
And just like that it was over, Tur falling to the ground in a boneless heap, me right beside him.
Alarm
[You Have Slain Labyrinth Ruler,
Yellow Poison Monster.]
"...Ow…" and that explained how I was feeling perfectly. My back was covered in claw marks, and everywhere else was covered in bruises, though I wasn't bleeding anymore, the level ups seemed to have stopped that.
Despite the claw marks, the cool floor of the warehouse felt amazing on my back.
I think I'll just lay here for a while.
As my head lolled to the side, I noticed something on the floor beside me, or rather, somethings.
[Item: Tur's Fang Necklace]
Item Class- B
Type- Accessory
A Necklace Crafted From Tur's Severed
Fang. Obtainable By Defeating Tur.
Unlikely Drop Rate. Wearing It Will Give Any Bladed Weapons Weilded by You 10 Attack.
Effect 'Sharpened Fang'- 10 Attack To Any Bladed Weapon
[Item - Tur's Tail Spear.]
Item Classic.
Type- Spear
Attack- 35
A Spear Made From Sharpening Tur's Tail.
Can Be Equipped , Stored, Or Sold.
Huh… cool.
Alarm
[The Boss Has Been Slain. The Dungeon's Interior Will Now Revert To Normal.]
The dungeon began to dissolve, plants falling away from the floor and moss peeling off the walls, revealing the real warehouse. It wasn't an improvement.
Upon looking out a window I discovered it was night, I'd been in that dungeon longer than I thought.
"What the fuck?"
"Where'd this guy come from?"
Turns out the warehouse wasn't as empty as I thought, at least, not anymore. There were five people, all wearing the same colors, red, black, and white, the colors of the Empire Eighty-Eight. The one at the front, probably the leader, was also wearing a black leather jacket.
"Hey! Who are you!?" one of the thugs questioned, I didn't notice which one, I was busy examining my now-wrecked clothes, they had gotten pretty beat up in the dungeon.
I looked back up when I felt my shirt get grabbed, the presumed leader was glaring at me threateningly while holding the collar of my shirt.
"Hey you asian fucker! I'm talking to you!"
Well… I can't exactly walk around looking like this. Besides, these guys wouldn't even be considered E-ranks.
Making up my mind I looked the neo-nazi in the eyes, and smirked.
"Nice jacket."