Chapter 61: Instance Dungeon (1)
"I'm sorry for making this a wasted trip," Baron Arsen apologized with a sorry expression to Yoo Ha-Rin, who had come to say goodbye before leaving the city.
However, Yoo Ha-Rin replied with an indifferent expression, "It’s really fine. You don't need to apologize."
"Thank you for thinking that way... wait, but what is that?"
On Yoo Ha-Rin's shoulder were two pieces of orc leather!
Baron Arsen, who had been sneaking glances at it, finally couldn't contain his curiosity and asked.
Is that a popular fashion among adventurers these days?
He was very curious!
Yoo Ha-Rin replied with a faint smile, "I received it as a gift."
"Oh, well, the person who gave it really has a terrible fashion sense," Baron Arsen said while shaking his head.
Then Yoo Ha-Rin shrugged with the orc leather on her shoulders. Each time she did, the orc leather shook up and down.
"I like it because it's warm."
"Well, if you like it, there's nothing more to say. Where do you plan to go now?"
"I'm going to...." Yoo Ha-Rin turned her head and looked toward the southern horizon visible beyond the fortress. "The Pivez Mountains."
The Pivez Mountains. It was a hunting ground known for having monsters above level 200, a place for the highest leveled hunters.
***
"I'll really get going now then."
"Don't go around getting beaten up. And if you do get beaten, don't ever say you learned from me."
"If anything like that happens, I'll threaten them by saying Master Huey of the Training Grounds of the Dawn will avenge me."
"Hmph." Master Huey of the Training Grounds of the Dawn shook his head.
Watching him, Kai smiled and continued, "Don't worry too much. If they hit me, I'll hit them back harder."
"Who said I’m worried? Still, uh... if you don't want to end up in jail, make sure you know who they are before you hit them back."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Huey was a grateful master who provided useful information until the end!
After a good farewell with Huey, Kai headed to the blacksmith.
"What? You're leaving already!?" Solid shouted, eyes wide with shock. "Of course, I knew you were an adventurer and would leave someday... but isn't this too soon?"
"Haha, I tend to improve and grow fast."
"Well... then it means you've gotten stronger, so I should congratulate you." Licking his lips, Solid swallowed his sadness, then abruptly went into his room and came out with a large box. "Take this with you."
"Solid, but this box is...."
It was not the first time Kai had seen the box. Inside was the Unique sword made by the adventurer who had challenged Solid and his blacksmithing skills.
"Take it. And if you meet the adventurer who made this sword, tell him this." Solid, with his bulging muscular arms, said with a confident expression, "Solid, the best blacksmith in Glendale, wants a rematch someday."
"B-but this sword is...."
"Just take it. Every time I see it, something surges up inside me and it annoys me." Solid glared at the box containing the sword and scoffed. "Of course, it's not that I'm afraid. If we compete again, I'll give it my all and win."
"Sure...." Kai picked up the sword with a soulless voice.
[You have obtained the Iron Will Long Sword.]
Well, this is basically like a good bargain, so I'm happy.
Of course, it wasn’t a sword he could start using right away as he was far off from the level 80 and Strength 500 requirements.
Come to think of it, what's my Strength right now?
Kai immediately checked his stats.
[Kai]
Class: Solaris Cleric
Level: 68
Title: Envoy of God
HP: 19,700
Holy Power: 26,100
Stats
Strength: 222 Stamina: 197
Intelligence: 104 Agility: 112
Holiness: 261 Dignity: 78
Benevolence: 68
Casting Time -30%
Skill Cooldown -9%
Damage Received -3%
Poison Resistance +30
Magic Defense +40%
222....
He would need to increase his stats by another 278 to equip the sword!
Kai shook his head.
Realistically, I won't be able to use this sword.
Of course, someday he could exceed 500 in Strength, but by then, he would be able to equip better weapons.
"I'll definitely pass on the message if I meet him. Do you know anything about his name or appearance?"
"I don't know his name, but as for his appearance... hm."
Solid’s eyebrows wiggled as he looked at the ceiling trying to recall the boy’s appearance.
"He'd be about as tall as your shoulders."
"He’s smaller than I thought."
"Yes, and he also looked quite young."
"Young and short... is that all?"
There would be tens of thousands of blacksmiths fitting that description!
But Solid shook his head. "That's all I remember. Oh, and he was more polite than you'd expect."
"Polite... right, this sword was a gift to you, wasn't it?"
"Hmph, that’s not a gift!" Solid turned his head away as if he couldn't stand the sight of the sword, then looked back at Kai. "When will you return if you leave now?"
"I'm not sure...."
It was a journey without a promise of return. Honestly, without a specific reason, there was a chance he could never come back to Glendale.
"Well, hopefully, I'll see your face at least once more before I die."
"Hey, you're still healthy. You'll live at least another 30 years."
"My body isn't what it used to be. Hammering is becoming more and more difficult. Well, I'll probably last at least another 10 years though."
"I'll make sure to visit at least once during that time. Along with that adventurer blacksmith."
"Hehe, I'll be looking forward to it."
After leaving Solid, Kai immediately headed toward the teleportation gate.
"Now I can use the teleportation gate too."
Endless confidence flowed from his abundant bank account!
After arriving in Aquaria in an instant, Kai's expression instantly brightened. "This is Aquaria!"
If Frica had the coziness of a mountain village and Glendale the sophistication of a city, the city of Aquaria possessed a refreshing feeling.
Moreover....
What surprised Kai was the city's canal system!
The numerous streams crisscrossing the city like a spider's web instantly caught his gaze.
"Heehee!"
"Do you like it, babe?"
"Yes! I love it!"
Boats shaped like canoes floated on the canals, either carrying heavy loads or couples enjoying a romantic date. In this city, boats had taken over the role usually filled by carriages in other cities.
"Indeed, it's worthy of being called the city of water."
Kai loved the new city.
Moreover, someone who could answer his questions also lived here.
If Baron Arsen's words are correct, the Sage of Water will be able to answer my questions.
***
The mansion where the Sage of Water resided was located somewhat away from the center of Aquaria.
As Kai slowly approached the mansion, guards quickly stopped him.
"Stop! This is the private property of Tardal, the Sage of Water. If you're lost, you should turn back."
"I came to meet the Sage of Water and have something to ask him."
"The Sage is not so idle as to meet with a mere adventurer."
"But I was sent by Baron Arsen."
Now, Kai mentioned the name of Baron Arsen as if it weren’t a big deal!
The response came immediately.
"What? Baron Arsen?"
"Baron Arsen... of Glendale?"
"Yes, that's right. That Baron Arsen," Kai nodded with a confident expression.
Having such a strong backing made him feel all the more self-assured!
However, the guards looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Bwahahaha!"
"What a funny guy. Look, the Sage sometimes even turns away guests sent by His Majesty."
"Being sent by the Baron means nothing."
Kai was left speechless at the guards' reaction.
Was I too complacent? Well, I guess even though he's retired, he was a chancellor of a nation... My preparation wasn’t enough.
But he wasn't too worried.
What? It can’t because Baron Arsen's rank is too low, can it?
If that was the case, he just needed to bring someone with a higher backing!
Kai activated his Friendly Brother skill and asked, "Then how can I meet with him?"
"I told you. Lord Tardal doesn't meet with adventurers like... hm?"
The soldier stopped speaking and tilted his head.
Now that I think about it, it seems I'm being too inflexible....
After all, he could at least give Kai a chance!
The soldiers around him indirectly suggested, "If he's insisting this much, shouldn't we at least check if he's qualified to meet Lord Tardal?"
"Seeing that he came with a noble's recommendation, he doesn't just seem like anybody."
"Well... that's true."
The soldier, sharing the same thoughts as his fellow guards, quickly scanned Kai. "Hm. Well, you seem to have the minimum qualifications to speak with Lord Tardal. Definitely not just a nobody."
A nobody...? Fame! I need a certain level of fame to meet Tardal!
It was finally the moment for the fame he had been steadily building to shine.
"Ah, of course, I'm talking about the minimum qualifications. Lord Tardal only believes in proven abilities. If you want to meet him, prove your skills."
"How should I prove my abilities?"
"Well... that’s up to you. You could defeat a powerful monster or capture a notorious wanted criminal. Of course, conquering a well-known dungeon is also an option."
In other words, there was more than one way to prove his skills.
Is there a place nearby where I can prove my skills?
After a moment's thought, Kai nodded. "Alright. I'll return with proof of my abilities."
"I’ll look forward to it. But no tricks, understood?"
"Of course."
That meant buying goods that came from high-level monsters was not an option!
Kai, who had no intention of doing such a thing, returned to the city streets and searched the internet.
"Oh, there’s an instance dungeon nearby."
An instance dungeon, as the name implied, was a dungeon that could be easily entered. Simply put, it could be considered a field in the form of a dungeon.
One thing that was certain was that it was different from places like the Tomb of the Gnolls or the Nest of Fermi.
Now that I think of it, it feels like it's been a long time since I've been in an instance dungeon.
When Kai had a lower level, he had joined several parties to tackle instance dungeons.
Remembering those times, he immediately checked the information about the dungeon.
"The Rat Kingdom is...?"
Kai's face brightened because he knew this dungeon had giant rats that walked on two legs like humans. He had also watched strategy videos uploaded by rankers on MewTube and was familiar with the boss's patterns.
This should be enough to prove my skills.
It was an instance dungeon recommended for players at level 75.
Typically, instance dungeons were tackled by parties, not solo adventurers. Although some people did attempt to tackle it alone, those who succeeded were very few.
As he hurriedly moved to the location of the dungeon in Aquaria, he saw several players waiting. Kai had been wearing his Cleric robes around the city, so no one recognized him.
"A level 78 Shield Knight is looking for a party!"
"Looking for someone to take a level 74 Berserker!"
"Selling a dish that increases all stats by 1 for ten minutes! I’m not confident about the taste, but it’s cheap!"
"I need to improve my proficiency so I'll repair anyone’s gear for free!"
At a glance, there were easily over a hundred players!
As Kai made his way through the crowd, Kai stopped in his tracks, hearing a conversation that caught his interest.
"Hey, look over there. It’s Greemz, the second-ranked solo player of Rat Kingdom."
"I heard he’s attempting another record today."
"I heard this is his last attempt."
"Yeah, since he won’t be able to with the level restriction soon."
"I’ll root for you! You should take first place at least once!"
"Haha. Thank you. I'll do my best." The tall and handsome Wizard, dressed in an elegant robe and carrying a staff, greeted them politely as he passed by.
Solo ranking? Oh! Come to think of it...
Kai remembered something as he overheard their conversation. It was the ranking specific to instance dungeons.
But that person is ranked second?
Finding out the truth was not particularly difficult as the rankings were recorded on a leaderboard at the dungeon's entrance.
Skipping over any entries involving parties of two or more, Kai checked the solo rankings.
[Rat Kingdom - Solo Party Rankings]
1. Raktasha LV.85 3 hours 42 minutes 16 seconds. Total score: A+
2. Greemz LV.85 3 hours 44 minutes 02 seconds. Total score: A
3. Smilla LV.84 3 hours 44 minutes 08 seconds. Total score: A
"Oh, he really is second."
Indeed, Greems was the man who had achieved the second rank in the Rat Kingdom dungeon.
He seems like a Wizard, but soloing in a dungeon... That's impressive.
Kai was genuinely amazed.
Although the giant rats had low fire resistance and magic resistance, it wasn't a dungeon just anyone could easily get through.
The total score being A also suggests it wasn't just good luck that got him through.
Records were not acknowledged if a player's level was more than 11 levels above the dungeon's recommended level. Therefore, those listed in the rankings were usually players whose levels were 9 to 10 levels higher than recommended!
However, a higher level didn't necessarily provide an advantage either as the total score was derived from a combination of the player's level, clear time, and number of hits taken.
In short, if one had the skills, even a player of a lower level could rank high!
I'm at level 68 now... I wonder how well I would do if I went all out?
Becoming curious about the result, Kai made an expression that seemed like he was amused.
However, there were things he needed to prepare before entering the dungeon.
"If I'm going to challenge it, I might as well do it right and get the best result possible."
Kai's eyes sparkled more than usual as he thought about the items he needed.