Chapter 41: Green Caterpillar

"A Wand? Master is very lucky, this is a rare drop for the Udo Wood"

I pick up the long branch, it looks similar to the wand I use.

"Even Demons drop Equipment huh" I said while keeping it inside the Backpack

"Yes, but they are very rare drops" Roxanne replies stressing the rare part.

We looked around but didn't find anything else in the room.

When the boss was defeated the door behind the boss opened up. Going through the door we come into a small room with a pitch black door.

"This is the entrance to the second floor?" I asked seeing the black barrier

"Yes Master"

I take out the crystal from my drawstring bag. Even after defeating the boss it's color still remained purple. I knew from the og story that defeating a Boss gives you more magic and more exp that's why I used my Crystallization Upgrade x64 to see how much more magic does a Level 1 Boss gives.

But now looking at the same coloured Crystal it may be just around 10 times. I have to kill it one more time to be sure. I keep the crystal back in the drawstring bag and go through the black door.

After an instant of darkness, we came out into a small room looking exactly like the entrance to the first floor. Similar to the first floor there were paths stretching out in three different directions. If I didn't know any better I would have said that we are back to the first floor entrance.

Looking behind I see the black door we came from, if I go inside it right now I won't go back to the boss room and would instead exit the dungeon.

"Let's fight the first Boss one more time"

"Okay, Master"

I use warp and select the same location where we entered the dungeon today before. The Boss room and the waiting room, both of them don't allow Dungeon Walk. I would be able to go to both of those rooms directly with Warp, but I don't want someone to see me do it and start asking questions.

We go through the Warp and go back towards the waiting room. It was still empty. As we entered, the entrance to the Boss's room opened up. This is a new dungeon and it is still early right now, that's why we are able to go back and fight the first floor Boss so easily without waiting.

I enter the Boss room feeling much more confident this time and with a puff of smoke the Boss appears again in front of us. Roxanne swiftly attacks it with her scimitar.

This time I want to gain a bit of fighting experience and so I don't plan to use my cheat Hero skill. I see the Boss swiping at Roxanne's head with its branches, but Roxanne dodges by doing the matrix's back breaking dodge.

Seeing that Roxanne has all the aggro I rush near the boss. As I am closing in on it, a blue light appears on its feet. It was a small blue glowing circle with weird patterns, a Magic Formation.

Udo Wood can use a single target Water magic. The demons can't speak so they use Magic Formations in the place of Incantations. I raise Curtana before it can complete the magic.

'Rush'

I drove the sword into its shoulder. Curtana, which couldn't cut its hard body, goes several millimeters inside its shoulders. 'Rush' a Warrior Job skill lets me drive an attack a bit deeper. As soon as it's cut by Curtana, the Magic Formation disappears due to its Incantation Interruption skill.

The Boss swings its branch at me. I kick its green trunk removing the stuck Curtana from its shoulder and jump back avoiding its attack.

It launches another attack but Roxanne comes in front of me and deflects it with her wooden shield. Seeing a chance I go in and attack its trunk again with a Rush.

This time I am careful so my sword doesn't get stuck in its trunk. Roxanne also attacks it from the side. I back off and see that Roxanne is almost attacked by its branch. Before I could call out to her I saw her skilfully sidestep out of the branch's way.

I should stop worrying about her and focus on my battle, I think as I see the boss raise two of its branches towards me. Instead of backing off more, I sprint towards it and use 'Rush' a third time.

This time Curtana cuts cleanly through its body and the Udo Wood collapses to the ground. The body shakes wildly, becomes smoke and disappears, leaving behind a Leaf.

"Roxanne, your dodging skills are amazing" I praise her performance

This was the first time I was able to see the Matrix move in real life. Maybe I should use more of her flexibility at night.

"Really? It was a short fight so it was easy for me. But it was a good thing that it's Magic circle disappeared" Roxanne replied simply

"It was because of this sword. It is also made from my Bloodline Powers, it has a skill called Incantation Interruption so it can interrupt such Magic formations with just one attack" I explain it to her by showing her Curtana.

"Re-really? Master's Sword is Amazing" Roxanne replies amazed at the powerful sword.

I pick up the Leaf and keep it in the backpack, looking around we find nothing again. We go towards the adjacent room and I check out my Magic crystal.

"Roxanne look at this" I show her the magic crystal.

"B-Blue already? … Master is Amazing, Amazing!" Roxanne answers while checking the Blue crystal.

Yep the Magic crystal is Blue now, so it has above 1000 monster's magic in it. It makes sense if I consider the first floor Boss as giving 10 times the magic and using my x64 Crystallization Upgrade.

We go through the Black door and come out on the second floor.

"Let's try the second floor monsters. Lead the way Roxanne"

"Okay Master"

Meanwhile I rearrange my points again.

[Character Settings

BP:0

Status: Strength +13

Bonus Equipment: Gram

Bonus Spells: Incantation Omission

Bonus Skills: Required Experience x1/20, Experience Gain x20, Sixth Class, Appraisal, Character Reset]

Bonus point used:

Weapon(1): 1

Necessary Exp Reduction (x1/20): 31

Exp Gain Up (x20): 31

Incantation Omission: 3

Sixth Job: 31

Char reset: 1

Appraisal: 1

Strength:13

I added Villager Level 5 as my 6th Job and I am going forward with 400x Exp having removed Crystallization Upgrade for now.

Roxanne leads me towards the left and soon we encounter a familiar demon.

[Needle Wood Level 2]

The same one as the first floor, they even looked exactly the same, just a level higher.

We both rushed forward at once, Roxanne deflected its branch from my right side and I slashed through its trunk. Both of us stop as the demon collapses in smoke. Even though it's Level 2 I still one shot him with Gram. I guess it should also be because of my 6 Jobs and added BP into Strength.

Picking up its Branch, Roxanne leads the way. Next we encountered a Needle Wood again but there was something else behind it.

[Green Caterpillar Level 2]

It was a huge green hornworm. Gross! It looked utterly disgusting, it was a soft and flabby larva about the size of a dog. Is this how a Caterpie in real life would look like?

This is the second floor of the labyrinth, from here onwards monsters can come in pairs. Seeing that there were 2 demons, we both rushed forward.

'I'll take the Caterpillar'

'Then I'll draw the Needle Wood away'

Using party link is much faster than speaking, especially mid battle.

The caterpillar quickly approached me. But before it could jump at me I attacked it with Gram from above. It dissipated in green smoke. Good! These ugly creatures should really just disappear.

Ignoring it's demon drop I rushed towards the Needle Wood and killed it in one blow. Caterpillars comparatively have a simpler attack pattern, because for Needle Wood you have to keep in mind it's various branches.

[Thread]

I picked up the demon drop of the Green Caterpillar. It was a bundle of yarn. Keeping it in the backpack we moved on.

Next we encountered 2 Green Caterpillars. Rushing forward I attacked the caterpillar on the back while Roxanne aggroed the first one. I swiftly dealt with it and then looked towards the other one.

The caterpillar jumped towards Roxanne but she sent it flying back with her shield.

On the green caterpillar I saw a glowing orange Magic Formation beneath it's chest.

'Master, be careful'

The magic formation swiftly disappeared and the Green Caterpillar spat out white sticky thread. It came flying in every direction, but even at such a close distance Roxanne was able to dodge out of its way.

Knowing that I won't be able to dodge, I raise my palm towards it.

'Firewall'

A wall of fire instantly comes between the web and me. With a sizzling sound the thread gets incinerated. This string shot is the favourite attack of this Caterpie so I was always on the lookout for it.

If you get tangled in this string shot then it would be very hard to get out. You will have to cut the strings with your sword before the caterpillar tackles you. Thats why its best to use Fire to dissolve the thread or to kill it, as after killing it the thread it spitted out disappears with it.

I sidestepped the firewall and attacked the caterpillar, killing it.

"Your reaction timings are insane Roxanne"

"Master if you are watching it properly you should also be able to dodge it."

Easy for you to say! Shaking my head I pick up the thread and keep it in my backpack.

Moving on we kept hunting the demons.

"Master it's almost time for breakfast"

"Okay let's head back to Quratar then"