Chapter 13

Throw me your power stone! <3< p>

Once we reach 100 Power Stones there will be an additional chapter.

***

Objects shimmered around the fallen monster's body, encased in slender pillars of light visible only to my eyes. This was yet another boon of my system. No one else could perceive these "drops" left by vanquished enemies, save for me.

So I swiftly approached and stooped to gather the items. The moment my fingers grazed them, the glow vanished.

One of the treasures was a small pouch, and the other... a jet-black boot.

"A boot?"

I unfastened the pouch first. Within lay purple orbs pulsing with a soft light. As soon as I beheld them, they dissolved from my grasp and the system notified:

[You have acquired +900 Soul essence]

"900, nice".

Soul Essence was the system's currency, a treasure beyond compare. I could harness it to buy upgrades, items, and even skills within my system. Not to mention, I required it to attain one of my main goals. It was a currency that, quite frankly, outvalued all the gold in the world. Yet while that alone was cause for elation, what truly conjured a grin upon my face (one of those that would make any girl slowly back away) was the black boot now clutched in my hands.

"My first piece of Equipment..." My hands shook and I caressed the boot's surface.

In this world, adventurers like myself donned all manner of armor and weaponry. But the crux lay in the fact that my Equipment was unlike any other adventurer's. These were special. They bestowed stats that directly reflected in my system's attributes. No mere bonuses I couldn't quantify. Here, everything was clear, and I knew precisely what boons I reaped.

Not that every vanquished monster would leave these loot. Only those brimming with a minimun of energy. Flies and mosquitoes, no matter how many I slew, would never relinquish a potion. But when I felled something formidable, like this War Shadow, there lurked a small chance for a precious drop.

I drew a deep breath to quell my heart, which thundered as if yearning to burst from my chest. I summoned the system screen before me and scrutinized the black boot.

[Shadow Boot]

―Range: E+

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―Stats―

+10 Agility

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Passive Skill: "Silent Step".

Effect: Diminishes the wearer's footfalls by 50%

---

I gazed at the screen, a groofy grin plastered across my face.

"Not too bad, huh?"

Though the attribute this equipment bestowed upon its wearer wasn't particularly remarkable, it harbored a "skill". Not only would this Shadow Boot bolster my speed and heighten my agility, but with Silent Step, I could also sneak around like a thief in the middle of the night.

"Well, War Shadow, It was a pleasure killing you." I leaned over the lifeless husk with a smirk and took a few paces to test the boot.

The hushed nature of my steps astounded me. I scarcely made a sound. This would come in handy.

I felt like a child with a newfound plaything, bounding to and fro.

I stowed the War Shadow's Magic Stone in my inventory with an automatic motion. By now, the routine of tucking them away was as commonplace as jingling coins in a purse.

Floor 6 was a different. 'Twasn't merely that the enemies were tougher, but the very space felt more vast. The passages multiplied like a labyrinthine web, and with each turn, I seemed to stumble upon yet another dead end. I felt akin to a mouse trapped in some colossal experiment. Only instead of questing for cheese, I strove merely to cling to life.

In the process, I killed a handful more War Shadows. I hardly bothered to tally the times I plunged my chain sword through their skulls.

As I did so, I hummed a song to myself. Somehow, my mind had decided that the soundtrack for this dungeon should be something jaunty and upbeat, which didn't fit the dark, oppressive atmosphere at all.

"Fumu... this boot is truly amazing."

Not only was it snug and supple, but the effect of its passive skill far surpassed my expectations. Thanks to this equipment, even the sounds of my assaults was muffled by at least half. This reduction in noise during combat hindered foes from anticipating my movements as swiftly as before.

Rather than "Silent Steps," it ought to be called "Stealth Movement."

'Twas then that my peripheral vision caught something hurtling at full tilt from the right. My body reacted before my mind could fathom what was happening. I leapt back just as something pink and elongated grazed my face, leaving a damp, revolting sensation on my skin.

"What the heck...?!"

What had just whisked past me was... a tongue? Aye, an impossibly elongated tongue that had adhered to the dungeon wall with a slimy, repulsive squelch before quickly retracting. As it withdrew, it attempted to coil around me like some tentacle around a princess.

"No, no, I'll pass! Save that tongue for the girls."

I maneuvered my body, crouching at a 90-degree angle like a ninja in an action movie. I was about to revel in my dexterity until, naturally, I lost my footing and wound up smacking the ground butt first with a resounding thud.

"Damn!"

I cursed as I clambered to my feet, rubbing my butt.

With a irritated glare, I stared into the darkness whence this thing had come from. Ere long, a massive, grotesque silhouette revealed itself. As it approached, I could clearly see what it was.

A frog. And as one might expect from the Dungeon, no ordinary frog. This monster boasted a single, colossal glowing eye. Its tongue, lengthy as a scourge, flicked through the air, poised to strike anew at any moment.

"A Frog Shooter."

Another classic Floor 6 monster, famed for its prodigious tongue. They assail by lashing out with this thing like a whip, and then employ it to ensnare their prey before delivering the coup de grace.

Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that this little shit prefers to snare women over men? Behold that face, like it's disgusted with me.

***

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