Time Looping Snake

<One day ago...>

[Lacerate]

Slash!

Blood splattered against the walls.

"This is disgusting... what are these things?"

I said as I stared down at a corpse. It was a creature that looked like a large turtle, runs at the speed of a human's, and breath that smelled like saltwater.

One of these things had jumped me earlier. Luckily, my buffs had saved me from getting my bones crushed. These things weighed like... well, I don't know. It felt like ten pounds to me but if my strength stat wasn't so high, it would've felt like... a hundred pounds?

Well, not like they were a challenge or anything. Turns out, they are weak to wind magic. Specifically, distortion.

[Level up!]

[Wind magic level up! (Lv7)]

[Lacerate level up! (LvMax)]

[Your skill "Lacerate" is at the maximum level. The cost of mana will be halved.]

"Ooooooh, that's interesting."

Let's see, if I recall, [Lacerate] consumes fifty mana points. So now that it is halved, it will now consume only twenty-five. Not bad. So when all my skills become max level, I'll be able to use my skills more often and not worry about how much mana I use. Unless it's a skill that requires a large amount of mana.

Tingle~

I sensed something coming from my left. I took Koshiro and spun around. A what did they call it, a Kappa? Yeah, that's the name.

A Kappa jumped towards me, its mouth open. Now, I know that turtles don't have razor-sharp teeth, but these things did. I quickly used [Lacerate] and [Leap] at the same time. Jumping into the air and cutting the monster at the same time.

Shing!

The blade went through without drag. It cut through the bones with ease.

I landed and sheathed the Koshiro.

Ching!

The body was in two parts, and they fell onto the stairs.

"Heh heh, I'd say I improved a bit."

'That was impressive, my lord.'

"Why thank you Ichigo."

If you are complimented by a warrior from I don't know how long, that means you've done well. After all, I was just complimented by one who could slash a creature without pulling his blade out of its sheath.

Though I wished somebody else, then my spectrals saw it.

Everyone from before had fled when the general led the order. There was this... what was it? Earthshaker? Earthquaker? I don't know, but it's one of the two.

Comparing my centipede to this Earthshaker, I think it created a larger hole. I'm glad I didn't encounter Earthshakers in that cave.

Man, if only it didn't break that platform...

Zap!

There were electrical... eel thingies in the large pool of water in front of me. I don't think I'll be able to cross this thing without getting electrocuted.

But luckily, I have the perfect creature that can get me across without getting hurt.

I snapped my fingers and out came a large ogre with a samurai sword on his back and a club on his waist. The ogre knelt in front of me, awaiting his orders.

"Give me a ride across this pool."

The ogre nodded and lent me his hand. I hopped onto his hand and he began walking across the water. As expected, the ogre was getting zapped as he walked across the pool. But luckily, spectrals are immortal so they won't feel any pain or take any damage unless stricken at the area of where its heart is.

Within a few seconds, the ogre had made it past the electric zapping eel snake thingies. I thanked the ogre, and it nodded, returning into my arm. Then I proceeded forward.

Along the way, I encounter more Kappas. Is this dungeon just filled with Kappas?

Well, I'm not going to complain since it's the perfect exp farm for me.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Wind magic level up! (LvMax)]

A wall of messages popped up in front of me. It as if this dungeon was made just for me to level up in.

Ding!

[You have reached the required level!]

Ahh, it's that message again. What level was it this time? Level 50? What I learn that it's always the 5 or 10 levels that are the required level.

[Received: Ancient Keys{5}]

I pulled out these Keys from my storage.

Jingle!

There were 5 keys in total. Each was all rusted and old looking. I think if I tried bending it, it'll just snap. I think I'll just leave them in my storage so they don't accidentally break. From what I learned in video games is that the items you earn from ranking are important or beneficial.

[Souls are nearby]

Yeah, yeah, I know. But I'm not having these stupid dumb-looking turtles as minions. Though they do have pretty hard-hitting water moves.

Well, time to keep moving.

***

After many encounters with endless waves of Kappas and leveling up six more times, I eventually stopped at what looked like the boss' room. I mean, the boss' room is always behind large gates, am I correct?

The gates were all ancient-like. I always wondered how boss rooms were constructed and how the builders were able to place the boss in.

No matter. I guess it's time to fight this thing.

I tried pushing the door but it wouldn't budge, just some stupid pebbles falling from the ceiling. Jeez, how long was this thing left in the dust for?

I summoned the ogres and told them to push. It was the same. It wouldn't budge, and stupid falling rocks hit the ogres on the head.

Why won't this thing open? Does it need some kind of ke-

...

Of course... how stupid can I be?

I started searching for the keyholes on the door and eventually found them.

"Alright, now the keys."

I took the ancient keys out of my storage. Now, it's time to-

But then I noticed. Which one... was the key?

They all looked identical. There was no difference between them. Am I gonna have to guess which is which?

"Aww whatever, I'll just randomly try them one by one."

I put the first one in and turned it. To my surprise, it immediately unlocked the doors. Was it my luck that I guessed the first key correctly?

Shatter!

"Huh?!"

Suddenly, the key that I just used fell apart and scattered onto the floor.

[Ancient Keys remaining: 4]

Wait, they break right after I use them? Well, they were in the state of looking like they were going to break.

Now that I think of it, these might be keys that lead to different boss rooms. Maybe they all have the same locks and need the same kind of key, but the keys are like one-use and you'll need another one in order to go to another boss room. Yeah, it's like that, I think.

"Well, now that I have unlocked this door, it's time I get to boss-fighting."

I pushed the door, and it began sliding forward.

Zm.

I walked forward, and there was a gate in front of me. Another gate? Well, that's a bit weird. Who the hell puts another gate after a gate?

Wait, does that mean I have to use ANOTHER key?! God damn it. Damn it, I don't have time for this. I'll just use another key, I just want to finish this boss as soon as I can.

I took out the ancient keys again, but something felt weird. I had five ancient keys again.

Didn't I already use a key?

Hmm...

Oh well, whatever. Maybe I was just hallucinating when I saw that message.

I put the key in the keyhole once more and turned it. It shattered when I used it. And the same message popped up.

[Ancient Keys remaining: 4]

I opened the door once again and walked forward.

Zm.

Another gate, great. I guess I'll have to use another key.

Zm.

Didn't I just use this key? How did I...?

Zm.

Another gate?

Zm.

I slammed the gate. Again, there was ANOTHER gate. I pulled out my keys once more and there were five keys...

What is going on? Didn't I just open a gate already? Aren't these keys supposed to be one use?

I turned around and then I recognized what was going on. I had not opened any gates at all, there were no gates behind me. Instead, I hadn't opened a gate at all!

"Why... WHY?!"

I clenched my hands, and my body started making a sizzling sound.

Ichigo appeared in front of me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"My lord..."

"WHAT?!"

"... calm down. I know what this is."

When he said that I began calming down. I took deep breaths and steadied.

"This is the ability of an extinct species of snakes."

"What species?"

"Chronos Cobras."

"And what do they have to do with what is happening?"

"They were named after the ancient god of time. They have the ability to manipulate time as they wish. They use it to their advantage, if it's either hunting or fleeing, they can do it all. All they do is flick their tongues and they will be able to control the wheels of time. What it is doing right now is looping a certain event. They will loop it over and over until they drive their victims crazy, then they devour their victims."

"So I was being played by a time-controlling snake as soon as I unlocked those doors?!"

"Yes."

I clenched my fist again, my body began heating up. How could I be fooled by a dumb time controlling snake?!

I took deep breaths and calmed down again. Getting heated won't get me anywhere. I need to know how to beat this snake's ability to loop time.

"So, how do I escape out of it?"

"You just did."

"Huh? How?"

"You looked back. That's all you have to do."

Huh? Such an op ability can be interrupted just like that?

"When you noticed that time has been looping, the time loop stops. Though it may sound pretty terrifying, it is easy to break out off."

"So... that means I can proceed to unlock the gate now?"

Ichigo nodded.

So I've broken out. That means this time, time won't loop again.

I looked at the gate and inserted the key into the keyhole, then I turned it.

Click!

I hesitated before pushing through the doors.

"Calm down, the loop has stopped."

Then I pushed. Walking forward, there were no more gates. Finally, no more gates. I swear, if I saw another gate again, I was going to lose my mind.

That dumb snake thinks I'll fall for its tricks. Well, guess what? It's over.

I have to thank Ichigo. If he didn't explain to me, I would've gone insane.

"Now, let's go. Ichigo."

"Yes, my lord?"

"You may accompany me to slay this thing."

"I will do whatever you wish."

Tti-ring!

[Quest: Defeat the Chronos Cobra (0/1)]

No need to remind me, I was already going to do that.

And so I walked deeper into the dungeon.