VS Core Number 10 (1)

"… I never expected a trap like this."

I had just finished conquering one of the dungeons under Core Number 10. And in doing so, I stumbled into a trap.

I mean, the dungeon itself was incredibly simple.

It was just a basic maze with basic monsters. Hardly any traps—just the occasional bunch of arrows shooting out at me. The only noteworthy trait was that it had an undead vibe, but nothing really stood out otherwise.

When I sent in the rats to scout ahead, they cleared the place in no time. The blanket made them immune to damage, and with my [Elemental Burst], even the boss went down without a fuss.

For the record, I'm currently using [Humanization] while conquering dungeons. It's just easier to move in than my Living Armor form—not as noisy with the clanking either.

So, what was the trap, then?

"I can't believe destroying a Dungeon Core while in a [Possession] state still levels up my Hero Skill…"

As a Hero, destroying a Dungeon Core either grants me a new Hero Skill or levels one up.

But apparently, if a Hero Skill etched into your soul grows too quickly, it plants the instinct to destroy dungeons into you and makes you into some kind of [Spearhead of the Gods] thing. You're only supposed to destroy two or three Cores a year, tops, to avoid that.

Even though this enemy seemed undead-themed, the Core itself still counted, and that triggered the level-up… Even Dummy Cores cause level increases. What a trap—killing it was actually the worst move.

[I wonder if your level would go up by fifteen if you kept destroying all of them like this?]

"If I did that, my soul would get corrupted and I'd turn into a spearhead for the Light God."

I'd kept a buffer just in case something like this happened, but fifteen Cores is way too many.

… I'll try breaking off the [Possession] before destroying the Core next time. But if the system decides, [the dungeon minion broke it, so the Master levels up], then I'll be out of options.

Just as I was thinking that, Soto spoke up.

[Oh, Papa, I can handle this part if you'd like.]

"Hm? Would your [Minor Duplication] skill level up too, Soto?"

[Ahh, maybe. If it does, I might finally get a decent Hero Skill… But even without destroying it, if I just store the Dungeon Core inside my [Storage] Dungeon, that's still a win, right?]

"Wait wait—storing the Dungeon Core in [Storage]… Oh, you can actually do that?"

Come to think of it, before Soto was born, I did keep a Core stored inside [Storage] the whole time.

In other words, you can shove a Dungeon Core's main body into [Storage].

[Wow, great idea, Soto. That would probably disable the enemy dungeon. It's only natural—the dungeon and its Core would be disconnected.]

"It has divine attributes so the Core itself might still be able to function… but that's about it. Maybe it could summon immobile monsters inside or something?"

[Yup! And in my dungeon, there's no worry about it regaining DP. We could even lock it up like a prisoner.]

Which means we could just destroy them later when we've got more breathing room.

… Man, the [Storage] Dungeon really is insanely convenient.

"Oh. What about the Dungeon Battle gate? Will it just stay open forever?"

[It'll be our win, of course. After all, just touching the enemy's Core counts as a win in a normal Dungeon Battle. We could have the Dark GodOjii-chan clean up afterward in the worst case, right?]

… My daughter is a genius.

[Brilliant idea, Soto. So Kehma, go ahead and finish conquering that dungeon too!]

"Right. Niku, which way?"

[Yes, Master. Take the next left—wait! Enemy spotted. Core Number 10 has appeared. He seems to be waiting in the boss room.]

Core Number 10. Looks like he couldn't sit back after losing one of his subordinate dungeons and decided to step in directly.

Still, I've got the [Divine Blanket]—the strongest armor. Nothing to be afraid of.

"… Should I take him out?"

Destroying one more Dungeon Core is right at my limit for level-ups. If I'm going to do it, now's the only chance.

That said, Core Number 10 is top-tier—on par with Haku-san or the Demon King. Even if he's not fighting at full power during the Dungeon Battle, he might still be too much for me.

But even if I can't beat him, if I can draw his attention, that should give Haku-san a much better shot at conquering his dungeon in the battle.

"Alright. I'll take him down if I can. Rokkuko, tell Haku-san that I'm engaging Core Number 10."

[Got it! Do your best, Kehma! If you come back safe, I'll do something really nice for you!]

What the heck does she mean by really nice there…? Well, I'm lying down in the Master Room back in my real body anyway, so I could revive Narikin even if something happened anyway. Coming back safe is basically guaranteed.

Well, whatever. The point is, let's see how far I can push this against Core Number 10.

Following the rat Niku was controlling, I headed to the boss room—the domain of Core Number 10.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

A massive cavern of exposed earth. There, dressed in robes and adorned with jewels, was an old man—Core Number 10—waiting for me. As soon as he saw me, he grinned like a predator spotting prey.

"… Kukuku, so you've come. Tell me your name, brave one."

"Alright. I'm Shishido Leona."

"Ha! Don't mess with me—that's clearly a lie!"

Eyes glowing red, Core Number 10 released an aura of intimidation. But protected by the [Divine Blanket], all I felt was a mild buzz in the air.

"Of course it's a lie. Who gives out their real name? What if you try to curse me?"

"Hmph. At least you have the bare minimum of caution. Very well, kneel—[Giga Gravity]!"

Raising his staff, Core Number 10 cast a spell. A black wave spread out in a horizontal ring. Judging by the name, it's probably an upgraded version of the gravity attack [Mega Gravity] from the dungeon. I didn't feel a thing though.

"Was that supposed to do something? Hah!"

As a counter, I fired [Elemental Burst] at him. A white beam shot toward Core Number 10—

"As I thought. That mantle is defensive, a divine-grade item. Kukuku."

The light split before it hit him, veering off and slamming into the wall behind… So it didn't work, huh. That's my main attack, though.

Core Number 10 smirked upon seeing my [Divine Blanket]… Is there actually a way to bypass its absolute defense without putting someone to sleep? I double-checked to make sure [Stun Resistance Lv.9] was still active. Okay, that's good.

"Hey, you. Know how to kill a god?"

"Kill a god…? Yeah, I've heard something like that. Wasn't it about stealing their faith or authority or something?"

"Ha ha ha! Yes, that's true. But that's not the only way. You can kill them by force. For example, your mantle likely has divine-level protection… but—"

Raising his staff high, Core Number 10 declared:

"Super Magic Activation—[Enchant Route: D]… If you're a god, then only a god can kill you!! [FForce Gravity]!!"

A moment later, I felt an intense force slam me to the ground. Heavy. Way too heavy. I couldn't stay standing and dropped to my knees. The weight on my arms made it feel like they'd tear off—I had to support myself on the ground.

"Guh… wha…"

"Kahahaha!! Yes, that posture suits you before one such as I. Still able to talk, though? That mantle must be quite the masterpiece."

With my face forced down and me barely able to avoid collapsing, Core Number 10 spoke with unhidden joy.