Eat.
Eat.
Eat.
I no longer even bother hiding the act.
I crunch through them with gusto, swallowing it all down.
As if devouring everything in existence.
《Proficiency has reached a certain threshold. Skill "Gluttony Lv3" has risen to "Gluttony Lv4"》 《Proficiency has reached a certain threshold. Skill "Divine Domain Expansion Lv5" has risen to "Divine Domain Expansion Lv6"》 I rampaged through the Lower Layer.
It was like venting every last bit of pent-up frustration.
I hunted down every Monster in my path — weak ones and strong ones alike.
And that was when I ran into it again.
The Earth Dragon, Kaguna.
The second Earth Dragon I'd encountered in the Lower Layer.
We fought.
I lost.
That's right — I lost.
An utterly unexpected defeat.
If I'd been even a fraction of a second slower with my teleportation, I would've been charred to a crisp by its breath.
Well, actually, since the Earth Dragon's breath is some kind of earth-power nonsense, I wouldn't have been burned, but still.
Ugh.
I really didn't think I'd lose.
Got a little stronger and got cocky.
Earth Dragons are terrifying after all.
Seriously, what is up with that absurd toughness?
Only getting a scratch from a Corrosion attack is straight-up cheating, isn't it?
Meanwhile, my Scythe becomes useless from the self-damage alone.
I can't use the big Abyss Magic spells right now either.
And if I go with weaker magic, its Scale Counter just negates everything.
Its movements are dead slow, yet the defense is just too insane.
Ugh. I can't deal with this.
Haa.
Well, I guess it was a good chance to cool my head.
I knew it wasn't like me.
Going on a rampage in a blind rage.
I mean, I know what caused it, and the fact that I was in a foul mood is undeniable.
But charging in with my blood still boiling just isn't my style.
I'll keep leveling up in the Lower Layer, but I need to be a bit more levelheaded from now on.
Then again, it's partly because the all-out combat phase in the Middle Layer dragged on for way too long. My default battle strategy was always setting up a base and hunkering down.
What was I doing charging headlong at an Earth Dragon with zero plan?
That's how much I'd lost myself.
No good, no good.
This is definitely the influence.
There's no way I'd fly off the handle this hard over the Taboo or anything else otherwise.
Before, I would've been like "For real? Alright, let's go slaughter some Humans and Demons!" in that carefree way of mine.
I shouldn't have felt this level of revulsion.
Ugh, ugh — Myctes, Myctes.
Main division here. Please respond.
[Original body division, go ahead—] {Reception is good, go ahead—} <Right, same here, go ahead—> (Left, same here, go ahead—) [Up, same here, go ahead—] "Uh, what do you mean 'up'? Go ahead—"
How's everyone holding up?
[Resistance remains intense, go ahead—] {Mostly fine, go ahead—} <Right, same here, go ahead—> (Left, same here, go ahead—) [Up, same here, go ahead—] "Down? Same here, go ahead—"
Then please carry on as you were.
So, uh, I challenged the Earth Dragon and lost. Hehe.
[Huh?]
{Haa?} <HAAAAH?!> (Are you stupid?)
[Are you an idiot?]
"Are you worthless?"
The nerve of you lot, saying whatever you want.
I'm sorry, I'm stupid, an idiot, and worthless, my bad.
<So? Any casualties?> None.
I managed to teleport away at the last second.
[Well, as long as you're fine.]
(After all, the main division is the core body, so if you die, the rest of us might die in a chain reaction, you know?)
"Exactly. Let's move a bit more carefully from now on."
Yes, ma'am. I'm reflecting on my actions.
So, yeah — I figured there was no way I could win that one alone.
Which means, next time I go up against it, can someone come back and help?
[Everyone? Or just one person?]
Hmm.
One person should be fine.
(Are you sure?)
Probably.
Besides, if I can't overcome even that kind of handicap, then becoming an Administrator is nothing but a pipe dream.
{Understood. If that's the case, I'll come back.} Roger that.
I'll call when the time comes.
"So, we're done for this session?"
(Take care—) Alright, alright.
Be well— <Roger that.> Now then.
The others are doing fine.
The real question is over here.
I need to come up with a strategy to take down that Earth Dragon.
Let me start by recalling its Status.
『Earth Dragon Kaguna — Lv26 HP: 4198/4198 (Green) MP: 3339/3654 (Blue) SP: 2798/2798 (Yellow) —: 2995/3112 (Red) Average Attack Power: 3989 (Details) Average Defense Power: 4333 (Details) Average Magic Power: 1837 (Details) Average Resistance: 4005 (Details) Average Speed: 1225 (Details) Skills "Earth Dragon Lv2" "Scale Counter Lv9" "Hard Carapace Lv8" "Steel Body Lv8" "HP Rapid Recovery Lv6" "MP Recovery Speed Lv2" "MP Cost Reduction Lv2" "Magic Power Perception Lv3" "Magic Power Operation Lv3" "Magic Strike Lv1" "SP Recovery Speed Lv1" "SP Cost Reduction Lv1" "Earth Attack Lv9" "Earth Enhancement Lv8" "Destruction Enhancement Lv8" "Piercing Enhancement Lv6" "Blunt Force Amplification Lv5" "Accuracy Lv3" "Danger Sense Lv10" "Heat Perception Lv6" "Earth Magic Lv2" "Destruction Resistance Lv9" "Slash Immunity Lv2" "Piercing Immunity Lv3" "Blunt Immunity Lv6" "Impact Immunity Lv4" "Earth Nullification" "Fire Resistance Lv3" "Lightning Resistance Lv7" "Water Resistance Lv3" "Wind Resistance Lv5" "Gravity Resistance Lv2" "Status Ailment Immunity Lv8" "Corrosion Resistance Lv3" "Pain Nullification" "Pain Reduction Lv3" "Dark Vision Lv10" "Visual Range Expansion Lv4" "Vision Enhancement Lv3" "Hearing Enhancement Lv1" "Destiny Lv2" "Mana Storage Lv3" "Flash Step Lv1" "Endurance Lv1" "Brute Force Lv9" "Fortress Lv2" "Taoist Lv2" "Citadel Lv1" "Stride Lv1"
Skill Points: 31200 Titles "Monster Slayer" "Monster Slaughterer" "Dragon" "Conqueror"』
That thing is stacked to the gills!
The problem is that its defensive Skills are damn near perfect.
This is a walking fortress.
Can I realistically beat that with a handicap?
My confidence is starting to crumble.