Chương 62: Late Night Musings

I leap off the ground and just as I reach the apex of my jump, I activate Steel Form. As I start to fall, I stare at the [Infernal Bear] below me, I watch as its eyes turn to look up at me. It tries to swat me out of the air, but a conveniently timed gust of wind from Dovey pushes me just out of its reach. I land right onto the monster's back and hold on for dear life. The monster thrashes around, trying to throw me off. But no fucking way am I letting that happen.

Summoning Luxmore from Storage, I repeatedly jab the shaft into the bear's side and back. Bones crunch due to the sheer weight behind my attack. Once the monster stops struggling as much, I cast a spell, "<Ice Burst>" The moment the monster freezes, I jump away. A deafening thunderclap fills the cavern and the world lights up in the beautiful color of Ari's purple flame.

'Ding', You have slain [Infernal Bear]. Experience split amongst group. 2 shards of might obtained. The flames die down and I head over to pick up the shards.

"Damn, those were the last two shards we needed. Can't believe we have killed this many monsters in just six hours…"

"Only thanks to that really big hammer of yours. Kinda hard for them to ignore it, which makes it really easy to charge up my shots." I wince as she slaps me on the back.

"Doesn't stop me from taking hits, though. I really need to get better at dodging, or blocking, or something."

"Tsk, why would you do that? Your style works well enough." Ari counters, "You just have to commit more to it I think. Obviously don't try to take more damage. But focus on ways to up your defense. Hammers don't seem very offensive anyways, they seem suited towards defense more than anything." I ponder her words and she does make a fair point. Fighting with her has especially shown me that I am not really great at dealing damage. I can hold my own, but I cannot kill anywhere near the speed of Ari.

Then again, most would probably call her rifle quite overkill, she can do ridiculous amounts of damage with that thing. Though it takes a few moments for her to charge up each attack. Still, we work quite well together. I disable and distract the monster, and she finishes it off. The only problem is, what about when we aren't fighting together? I am presuming Ari means to split ways after we exit the dungeon. She doesn't seem much like the party type in the first place.

My guess is that she is only working with me as an apology for nearly killing me and all that.

"I suppose I could put more effort into being tankier. My build does seem to naturally lean that way. What with the armor, and my high vitality gain. I have always used the hammer somewhat offensively though. But when i think about it, most hammer users tend to not do much actual damage…" Ari pats me on the shoulder.

"Now you are getting it. Lean into a build that fits your style. Not saying you gotta change that much, but just keep it in mind. The system is strange too, if it seems to be guiding you in a more tanky direction, perhaps it is best to listen to it."

"Wait, the system can guide us?" I ask, shocked that she would propose such a crazy idea. Like, it does make sense, but I didn't really peg her as the religious type. She simply shrugs, "I don't know. But in my time I have seen quite a few coincidences. Events that seem to be too convenient, you know? One's mind can only naturally start to wander." I laugh at that. Of course, she is just thinking about it logically.

"Suppose I can agree with ya there."

"We should head back soon. Probably best if we rest for a bit too, this floor boss is going to be even tougher than the last one." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Well I am just about ready for a bit of a challenge. These normal ones are hard and all, but it's time we fight a real monster, huh?"

"Now you are getting the idea! Honestly, these dungeons are kinda boring."

"Hmm, yeah. Great for the average person, perhaps. The loot is awesome too, but there is just something a bit too repetitive about them."

"Guess we better finish quickly, we still got a few more floors to go until the tenth. So let's slay this boss nicely and quickly and start on the next grind." — I try to get some sleep, I really do. Like, I use every technique I possibly can. But my body just refuses to go to sleep. A mix of not needing it as much, plus excitement and maybe a dash of fear just keep me awake. Sitting up, I extract myself from my bedroll and exit my tent. Oh, did I mention I bought a tent?

It has come in quite handy, as it has a cooling enchantment on it. Really does wonders at keeping the heat of the dungeon away from me as I sleep. As I glance around, I see Ari curled up against a wall. She doesn't need a tent, apparently her armor has what she calls air conditioning. Personally, I think such a lifestyle is quite disappointing. Like, she never gets to breathe in fresh air or whatever. But she has her reasons, or so it would seem.

I plop down by one of the rivers of lava, legs dangling as I stare down at the lava flows. The way lava moves is quite mesmerizing. If only it wasn't so damn deadly. Wonder if some day I could get enough tankiness to swim in some lava. That could be cool, albeit likely quite painful. Not that pain is a problem anymore. I just don't really mind it. Honestly, it is like that with a lot of other things too. Food, water, sleep, and even social interactions somewhat.

Like, I can enjoy them and stuff, and I can tell there is a need. But they just dont seem essential anymore. Of course, wandering off into the wilderness and never speaking to anyone again would get quite lonely. Plus food tastes awesome, especially desserts, and when you have good food, there is nothing better than a cold glass of water to wash it all down. Sleep is nice too, just a bit of planned unconsciousness to let the body rest. Part of me is definitely concerned though.

Just what is this system turning me into? I am already far stronger than any human in my old world, by several magnitudes too. I bet I could pierce any of the armor I used to make with my fingernail. Sure, humans here are stronger too, but with every level I get more separated from most. There is another reason why I suspect people don't level as highly in this world. The danger is the primary one, of course. But I think part of it is some desire to stay attached to things like food and sleep.

Not that I give a fuck about that stuff, I just need to get stronger. So that I can protect those of this world, and myself of course. I have gotten stronger, yes. But I am still weak. A coward, for one. Techniques are also a key weakness of mine. I have the raw power, but I simply do not know how to use it. After watching Ari, who seems to be suffering from a similar problem, but at lesser severity, it has become all the more clear. Knowledge, that is what I need. Raw power can only carry one so far.

I need the strategy, the instinct and the wits to survive in this world. I know that I will be dragged into politics and stuff someday, despite me doing my best to avoid it. If my experiences with Lord Cathartic are anything to go by, I will need every edge I can get. Not to mention with this 'Lady Astrea' that Ari has mentioned a few times. I am no expert, but that lady sounds like real bad news. Worse than Lord Cathartic for sure. Then again, what do I truly know? Nothing really.

I am just a guy musing about things that I have no way of understanding. Then, you must learn how to understand. A voice whispers into my mind. At first I think it is Dovey, but then I realize it isn't, he is snoozing away after a long day of scouting. The goddess? I think back. Tee-hee. Is the only response I get back. This isn't the first time she has spoken to me, to be fair. Though couldn't she have given me a bit more than 'just learn?'

I am no expert in divine wisdom, but that seems pretty shitty as far as it goes. Oh well, I think my brain is tired enough now. So I crawl back into my bedroll and manage a few hours of sleep.