Lesser Purgatory - Insane Difficulty
Cutting the bud while it is still young is not an easy task in this place. I am still weak and incomparable to Kazuki. Even with the amount of money that I will be able to possess after I exchange the gold in my inventory, I won't be able to rival the wealth that Kazuki's family possesses. I won't be able to defend myself if his family attempts to hunt me and my family. In short, I am still vulnerable. I am merely biding my time and accumulating all the pieces I can use to stand against Kazuki. When the day comes, death would be a mercy for him...
So even though I was trying to confront him in front of this crowd of players, I held back and calmed myself. As expected, Kazuki was the first to approach and assess the situation.
"Who are you?" Kazuki asked as he scrutinized me from head to toe.
I didn't respond to his question. Not responding would add a touch of mystery to my current persona. Instead, I confirmed the selection of the insane difficulty for the dungeon.
As soon as I did that, the atmosphere at the dungeon entrance started to become scorching hot. Though I was familiar with it, this feeling was reminiscent of the last time I entered the place. However, this time, the portal didn't appear behind me; it appeared beneath my feet. I was used to it, but for those who were not, it was likely to be unnerving.
The players nearby started to make a fuss, some were even trying to capture a video of the spectacle that was happening before them.
"Wow! Is this some sort of event?!"
"Capture a video, man! It looks so epic!"
"Can someone check the website to see if there's an event happening right now?"
"Dude, that was amazing! If not for the player icon above his head, I'd mistake him for an NPC or something!"
"Wait, can you check who that guy is?"
"Let me check... Oh, it says I can't do that. It's blocked! I can't even send a friend request!"
"A bugged player?"
"That shouldn't be the case. The developers would definitely fix it right away. Should we report it?"
"Let's try, oh..."
"What is it?"
"It says he is not a bugged player, and he is certainly not cheating either. He's following the game rules properly! But what in the world..."
Didn't think the title effects would be this convenient. Totally a game changer indeed. Still, it is concerning that there are some players who would actively try to unmask you or try to find your real face.
I grinned to myself, relieved that I wasn't a flagged player. The thought of being caught with my ridiculously strong weapon and titles made me almost nervous. If the developers were to discover my exploits, they might reset me back to level 1. However, I had no intention of wasting my time. I shot a final glare at Kazuki and released a bloodlust into the air, causing him to shiver and unconsciously step back. I decided to let him enjoy his temporary glory, but I planned to make him suffer later.
A prompt appeared before my eyes:
[Enter the dungeon? Warning: This is the Insane Difficulty dungeon. It's not for the faint of heart, and it's recommended to form a party for this challenge. Are you sure you want to enter the dungeon anyway?]
Yes/No
Without hesitation, I clicked "Yes." I didn't wait for Kazuki's reaction; my body descended into the portal, leaving them with unanswered questions.
...
As soon as I descended, I plummeted to the ground. The first time I entered, I screamed from the fall. People wouldn't expect this on their first try, but for me, it was just the norm—a part of the difficulty of this node.
I drew my Versatile Weapon and transformed it into a crossbow. Why a crossbow? From my experience, the crossbow was much more effective, especially in this situation, compared to the original bow. Guns were more powerful than crossbows, but their accuracy was slightly lower in aerial battles and besides, they draw a lot of sounds when fired which may attract unnecessary attention from the enemies. A bow or a crossbow was the most recommended weapon, or you could partner with a player who had a Hunter class, especially when entering the Insane difficulty of Lesser Purgatory.
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[Wyverns of Hell]
Level 30
HP: 20,000/20,000
Attributes: Beast, Fire
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I saw twenty of them coming in my direction, ready to bare their jaws at me. This marked my first hurdle in the Insane difficulty: aerial combat. In my past timelines, Insane difficulty was one of the most talked-about aspects of the game. Solo players were quite common, and when they faced the Insane difficulty, they immediately felt the challenges unique to solo players. Many attempted to create walkthroughs and even live-streamed their solo dungeon runs, only to be defeated in actual combat. In the end, most decided to abandon solo play... until I single-handedly cleared it.
Yes, I successfully completed this dungeon in solo mode during my first timeline. However, my achievement was quickly overshadowed when Kazuki achieved the same feat, even though he was a popular figure, and I was just an ordinary person.
As the wyverns approached, I aimed and nocked an arrow, which appeared every time I was about to shoot. I didn't release the arrow immediately, as I knew my skill with a bow was subpar. Instead, I relied on the crossbow due to my prior experience, making me more comfortable using it. Crossbows also offered higher accuracy and attack speed compared to regular bows.
With my focus locked on the wyverns, I released the arrow from my bow.
*THUD!*
- Gained 5000 EXP (Additional 5000 EXP for an Instant Kill) (Title Effects Activated, Total 10000 EXP gained)
- Earned 10 Hunter AP
"That's one," I muttered and nocked the crossbow once more.
I didn't worry about the height I was falling from because I knew I could land safely in this situation. My priority was to eliminate every wyvern as quickly as possible.
- Gained 5000 EXP (Additional 5000 EXP for an Instant Kill) (Title Effects Activated, Total 10000 EXP gained)
- Earned 10 Hunter AP
"Two..."
- Gained 5000 EXP (Additional 5000 EXP for an Instant Kill) (Title Effects Activated, Total 10000 EXP gained)
- Earned 10 Hunter AP
"Three..."
I meticulously repeated every action and shot, and a wyvern fell as well. In just a matter of minutes, all the wyverns lay lifeless, granting me a significant experience boost. If only they dropped items and gold, everything would be perfect. Unfortunately, they offer nothing but experience points, which is quite underwhelming for monsters whose sole purpose is to harass the players entering the dungeon, making the challenge even more formidable.
After a few seconds of clearing out the wyverns, I finally spotted land beneath my feet, ready to start my next battle. I had memorized the optimal landing area to avoid any potential surprise attacks. One of the dungeon's tricks is these sneak attacks. The enemies here are devious and cunning, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike when you're most vulnerable.
Having pinpointed the ideal landing spot, I descended safely. To achieve this, you must angle your feet towards the ground, not your head. Newbies and first-timers often make the mistake of landing head-first, a costly error in this unforgiving dungeon.
I swiftly transformed my Versatile Weapon into a Magic Sword. The surroundings were filled with the silhouettes of not dozens, but hundreds of monsters beginning to converge on my location.
"Come little f*ckers, let's have a good dance, shall we?"