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Chapter 80: Could a familiar greatly change the image?

Day 32? – The Faraway Labyrinth, 72F

It seems Armored Pres doesn’t want the staff. Even though she has some kind of insane『God of Magic』skill? Is she sword over magic? Is she going to become a muscle-brain character? Is she going to follow the idiots? Is she going to go down the same path?

Since the staff’s effects are pretty good, let’s fuse it with 『Evergreen Staff?』. 「Elder Treant Cane – Magic Power 50% Up, Elemental Affinity Increase (Greater), Magic Control Increase」is basically a cheat grade weapon for a spellcasting class. But for now, it would be limited to making holes faster, spreading smoke better, or improving the freezing speed? Kind of dubious isn’t it? I’d rather prefer Whacking Power Up?

In the first place, this dungeon has too many monsters with magic immunity or magic reflect. On top of that, some of them even had physical immunity. Isn’t this dungeon impossible to beat normally?

Above are 『War Puppets Lv 71』. Apparently, dolls made for war? A lot of warriors armed with huge round shields and long spears, wearing heavy looking armor. It’s a phalanx.

A formation based on heavy infantry armed with spears seems to have been very effective in engagements, boasting an overwhelming defensive and offensive power in frontal attacks. But it’s old? It’s something that was used in ancient Greece and Macedonia? As puppets have Crush Damage resistance, dropping them to the lower floors probably won’t do anything, so I climb up to 71F. Since they are puppets fumigating or chilling them has no meaning, and they also have Fire Magic Resistance. The same goes for paralysis and poison. These are dolls after all.

So going to 71F I take a stand with Armored Pres and take on the phalanx.

The wall of spears is charging at us raising clouds of dust. Not even a single gap could be seen, allowing no chance for a counterattack.

And then they fell…… Tumbling they fall on each other, smashing those below.

Phalanx is a formation that will work only on flat terrain without obstacles. Indeed, the dungeon is narrow, so it prevents from hitting on the flanks, but if someone creates a hole with magic, then they will have no choice but to fall in there? Since there is only one path for them to take. And since they will certainly pass there, I will create a hole. Now, I set the oil in the hole ablaze. Since it’s not magic they are going to burn, right? After all, they have Fire MAGIC resistance.

「Such a waste. Even though I bought this oil for deep frying. Half of it is gone already. That’s why I didn’t want to fight them with fire… Ah, such a waste.」

I mutter to myself as we gather magic stones.

Armored Pres was unusually looking at the battle situation with admiration.

Even now it’s not a flat gaze. That’s a bit disappointing. Like something is missing.

70F is next, which means another boss.

「Orthrus Lv 70」Hm? Level 70? But all of the bosses until now were level 100? So that was the case only from the floor 75+? I’m not sure since I was going in reverse. And… It’s a two-headed dog. And it is huge. If my memory serves me right, it’s Cerberus’ little brother with one fewer head. And it is huge.

*Slash! Slash!*

Armored Pres slashed off both heads in the usual manner. I still have plenty of vinegar left so it is quite convenient that it is a dog-type monster. The problem is oil. It’s pretty expensive and hard to get but I already used more than half of it. Even though I bought it for deep frying. And I’m not going to use spices at such a place.

Making spheres of vinegar I threw them at Orthrus’ nose. Orthrus has two heads but only two front paws, so trying to cover the one nose with each paw it ended up with its heads on the ground. Of course, it would lose both heads to Armored Pres if it does that. That was too thoughtless.

Probably because of『Elder Treant Cane – Magic Power 50% Up, Elemental Affinity Increase (Greater), Magic Control Increase』, but balls of vinegar flew faster than water balls usually did, and control also was pretty easy. They just home in even if the target tried to dodge. It seems like Magic power 50% Up, and increased magic control worked wonders here. Probably,『Magician’s Gloves Magic Control UP (Greater) Dex 30% Up』also effected this. Meanwhile, just when will I get to use『Gauntlets of Contradiction』? Probably will be forgotten just like 『Magic Key』and 『Trap Ring』. Not a single trap in sight. Even though I’m actively looking for them. I remember naively thinking『Wow, isn’t this item a cheat?』… But I don’t even get a chance to use them?!

So what do we have? Magic stone and… 「Choker of Submission – Forces into a state of absolute obedience」…Eh?

Yup, let’s pretend I didn’t see that. That would be for the best. Yup, decided! I mean, I can’t even give it away to Armored Pres-san, and just carrying it around is bound to lower my Affection Rating. The latest Taming incident already lowered it so low that it went deep under the ground, creating a whole dungeon in the process, but it will go even lower! I’m sure of it! I’m certain that at this point my Affection Rating is so low that even going to 100F is not enough to find it. Even if I dig for it, I probably will sooner find a hot spring than my affection rating.

Anyway, 69F. Finally, sixties. The level of the enemies also went down by one. As if it matters! No way I can fight that! I didn’t even get to Lv 20 after fighting on the lowest floors! I was overjoyed about barely reaching Lv 15 not so long ago? I’d like to call for a manager of this labyrinth and give them a piece of my mind, but the person behind me, who previously was in charge of it, is too scary, so I’ll keep it to myself.

『Sleep Owl Lv 69』, an owl, currently a very popular bird. Is this a therapy floor? Sleep surrounded by cute fluffy owls? Aren’t they basically cute moving mattresses? Oh my, I want one. But I’m pretty sure, if I fall asleep here they will tear me apart. I’m yet to encounter even a single friendly monster or a monster girl. I’m pretty confident that I will die if a pack of monster girls appear. Even though I’d like to get surrounded by them… Just what should I do?

They have『Dynamic Perception』among their skills, so long-range magic will be simply dodged with「Spell Evasion」. Among Martial Art skills, they have「Feather Cutter」so they are probably going to surround us, and then hover, showering us with razor-sharp feathers, trying to shred us to pieces. That’s not nice at all. Can’t they have something like 『Sleep Among Owl』? I’d probably fall for that. They of course also have「Hypnotizm」, a sleep-inducing attack, but Armored Pres doesn’t sleep, so she is completely resistant to that attack. I also have full resistance. I do… But I probably should start working on acquiring Sermon Resistance asap or I’ll regret it when I reach the surface… I suddenly don’t want to go back anymore… I probably will also need a seiza resistance.

Sleep Owls came from above and surrounded us. They are huge and not cute at all. That settles it, they are enemies.

The owls stopped in the air, hovering above us, and simultaneously shot feathers at us.

This attack is 『Feather Cutter』, I expected this.

Using Air Walk to get above the hovering owls, I pull out boulders from the item bag and drop them at the birds. Those were meant to be used as a part of the ultimate anti-geek spell 『Meteor』, but for now, they aren’t engulfed in flames. I was collecting those in preparation for the moment I drop the geeks down a pitfall, but realizing that I probably should get some practice, I’m currently throwing them at the owls.

When Sleep Owls attack with Feather Cutter they always stop flying around, hovering in place. And the Feather Cutter is Air-to-Ground. In other words, can be used to attack only targets below them. So I can freely throw boulders at them. When they get hit they fall to the ground where Armored Pres is already waiting to dissect them. The rain of feathers from countless Feather Cutters proved powerless to get through the barrier of slashes of Armored Pres. With this, she probably won’t even need an umbrella during real rain.

For some reason, while dungeon monsters drop weapons, monster parts simply disappear. So, I guess, I’m not getting owl feathers for a mattress.
However, doesn’t confined space like a dungeon put monsters of this type at a bigger disadvantage than challengers? Why are they shutting themselves in such a place? Even though a shut-in is exploring dungeons, they are just sitting here? Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Can’t I give my title away to them? Seriously? Though I don’t think anyone would take it even if I could… It also would be a problem if dungeon monsters were buffed by the effects of Hikikomori… Though I still would prefer to give it away.

After collecting the magic stones it’s time to check out a hidden room.

「Aah, if I Tamed an owl and put it on my shoulder I probably would’ve looked like a real mage. The protagonist of that popular movie series about wizards also had an owl as a familiar? Meanwhile, I never heard of a wizard that had bitches as familiars! Such a protagonist will never get to be on a big screen! Taming girls alone would get him banned!」

Owls are so nice… Can’t I trade bitches for an owl? At 5 for 1 rate?