𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤

“Haaah!”

“. . . . . .. . . . . .!”

ㅤ

Utilizing the power of the bear zombie’s attack with my blade, I swing it into the other zombies.

Since the flesh of zombies has rotted, making them much softer than when they were alive, a single attack from a bear zombie provides enough force to cut down several small zombies with power to spare.

However, unless you turn zombies into dust by inflicting significant damage, they won’t stop, even if you decapitate them or pierce their hearts. This makes them incompatible with my sword technique, which focuses on counters and striking vital points.

Normally, I would relish the opportunity to overcome my weaknesses, but. . . . . . right now, there are more pressing matters.

I’ll speed things up here, despite my earlier statement about enjoying a good kill-off.

The number of zombies has significantly decreased due to our recent combat.

I can withdraw normally now.

ㅤ

Once again, I align my technique with the bear zombie’s attack.

ㅤ

“First Strike Deformation━━『Rapid Current』!”

ㅤ

Converting the enemy’s attack energy, which I would normally use for a counter, into movement speed, I make a temporary ultra-speed getaway from this zombie paradise.

There will be more than enough zombies to encounter by the time I reach my destination.

Plenty of opportunities for a killing spree.

Besides, with these numbers, there’s no way I can take them all on.

Even after thinning them out during my previous labyrinth assaults, there must still be around a thousand of them.

ㅤ

“””Wooooooooh. . . . . .”””

“So, after the zombies, it’s you guys.”

ㅤ

Next to appear are faintly transparent, ethereal monsters—ghosts.

They’re difficult foes because physical attacks don’t work on them.

Normally, I’d be stuck.

However,

ㅤ

“Hah!”

“Whaaa. . . . . .?!”

ㅤ

One of the ghosts vanishes as I strike it down.

The trick to getting through to opponents who are immune to physical attacks lies in Onryomaru.

This sword, too, was once left in the labyrinth.

While it may not have become a magic item, its blade is imbued with a small amount of magical energy, similar to a magic item.

Speaking of such swords that have become magic items, they are called “magic swords,” but Onryomaru could be considered a mere imitation of one.

And, while ghosts are invulnerable to physical attacks, they are incredibly weak against magic attacks.

They easily dissipate under the attacks of Onryomaru, the imitation magic sword.

It was truly a great purchase.

ㅤ

“Woooon!”

“You’re next.”

ㅤ

Following the ghosts, a black wolf exceeding 5 meters in length appears, letting out a howl as it charges at me.

Much larger than a Night Wolf, and even two sizes bigger than a Lonely Wolf.

It’s a Dark Wolf, a superior species of Night Wolf.

A truly rare living monster in these depths.

And the fact it can survive in this level of the Cave of the Dead is proof of its strength.

Only those who have fought off the hordes of the dead and won the right to survive are allowed to live in these depths.

That’s why the regular monsters that appear here are exceptionally strong.

ㅤ

“Grrr!”

ㅤ

The Dark Wolf swings its claws.

Its attack is fast, heavy, and incomparable to other wolves.

And of course, incomparable to me as well.

Moreover, the claws of the Dark Wolf are slightly imbued with the magic of darkness.

Darkness is the attribute of destruction.

Even a scratch would pierce my paper-thin armor and tear me apart like tofu.

ㅤ

But, this is nothing new.

The enemy is always stronger than me.

If I take a hit, I die.

It’s so typical that I don’t even feel any particular emotion.

As always, I’ll deflect their attacks completely, counter them, and kill them.

ㅤ

I parry not the descending claws of Dark Wolf but align my blade with its paw pad.

By embedding the blade into the pad, I simultaneously push off the ground, spinning my body around the blade as if performing a backflip.

I land on Dark Wolf’s swinging forepaw.

Using the momentum of the spin, I step in at a sharp angle.

Rapid Current.

The acceleration channeled into Onryomaru, just as with Demon Mantis, I drive into Dark Wolf’s eye.

ㅤ

“First Strike━『Flowing Blade』!”

“Gugyaa?!”

ㅤ

My even more refined Flowing Blade takes Dark Wolf’s life.

Unlike the time with Demon Mantis, this time it’s certain.

I feel my own growth.

ㅤ

“Well, should I take this as well?”

ㅤ

Like the Night Wolves I’ve defeated on upper floors, I pack the Dark Wolf’s corpse into the Magic item for storage.

It’s valuable loot, and leaving it would lead to zombification.

It seems that zombies are born when a corpse continues to absorb some labyrinthine magical energy, almost as if the body itself turns into a Magic item.

Therefore, leaving a corpse in a zombie-infested labyrinth is one of the taboos.

It is recommended to either take it with you, cremate it, or mutilate it to the point that it can’t act as a zombie.

ㅤ

“There’s no point in overstaying.”

ㅤ

So, I collect the Dark Wolf’s corpse and leave before the undead converge on the location.

ㅤ

After that, I continue moving while conserving energy by avoiding unnecessary battles and being as inconspicuous as possible.

In relatively safe places, I sleep and eat, occasionally waking up to fend off ambushes or bearing grudges over food, as I venture deeper and deeper into the labyrinth.

It’s a path I’ve traversed many times before.

Moreover, it’s a labyrinth I’ve conquered in my dreams.

I won’t get lost now.

ㅤ

And so, continuing my journey, about ten days had passed since I entered the labyrinth.

I finally reached the deepest part of the Cave of the Dead.