episode_0029

Lizardman.

One of the low-level creatures in the labyrinth at the heart of the sea, a race that survives with high regenerative abilities and tough skin.

Roaming in groups, possessing unique skills like concealment, they were known to be quite challenging.

“Kyaah!”

‘But why is this one alone?’

Lizardmen, by nature, move in groups. Moreover, being a low-level creature, it would make more sense for them to stick together… So why does only one appear?

Well, it’s none of my concern. It might actually be better if there’s only one.

-Whoosh!

The lizardman swung its rusted sword.

The blade seemed to have been swung countless times, as it was worn out, making it seemingly difficult to cut through anything easily.

However, the opponent is a lizardman. Definitely above C-grade in strength, vitality, and endurance around B-grade, stronger than me. Underestimating them could lead to serious consequences.

Still, it’s fine.

[Skill: Ripple]

-Swish!

“Kyat?!”

With my defense-oriented skill, I can create openings at any time.

The lizardman’s endurance is about B-grade. My strength stat ranks at C, a stat difference that even flying won’t pierce through.

If it were a weapon skill, it might bridge the stat gap, but the ordinary sword hastily drawn by me was given by Rira headmaster for sparring with Piaran. Since the blade wasn’t dulled, it wouldn’t cause much harm when cutting something.

However, it’s not an exceptional weapon.

The only way to bridge the stat gap that can’t be pierced through by weapon or skill.

“I’ll disable you today.”

A strike to the vital spot.

-Shwoosh!

“Ki, Kyaaaahhh!”

Piercing the lizardman’s groin, it clutched its injured part while howling in pain.

As the lizardman’s skin wasn’t well developed except for the groin area left unprotected by armor, there were only two vulnerable spots. Testicles.

Hmm… It’s a bit pitiful as a man, but well, that’s the only vulnerable spot to aim for.

Although something pricked that spot on me, I wasn’t the one who got hurt.

“Ki, Kyaaah…! Kyaaaahhh!”

Trembling severely, the lizardman, with a terrified expression, crawled away from me.

Well, despite being stabbed in the testicles, it moves so agilely… Indeed, a true lizardman.

Now, what to do with this? Lizardman, where you’ve been…

“I won’t hesitate.”

-Shwoosh!

“Ki…!”

A monster much stronger than me. Expected stats: Strength A, Endurance C, Agility A, Stamina A, a place with monsters far stronger than me.

Piaran’s sword precisely pierced the lizardman’s head.

As Piaran pierced through the lizardman’s head in one go, he withdrew the bloodied sword.

As he pulled it out, the lizardman, starting to lose life as blood gushed out like a fountain, indicated imminent death.

Being alive after a headshot is strange in itself unless it’s a monster; getting pierced in the head or heart usually means instant death unless it’s a monster.

Though the testicles are a vulnerable spot, it doesn’t mean immediate death, but the loss is significant enough to want to die.

Ironically, being killed by Piaran might be a blessing. If the lizardman, whose purpose is to increase its tribe, becomes disabled, it would naturally be excluded and discarded. Lizardman, you should be grateful to Piaran.

“He’s dead, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The lively and cheerful Piaran from earlier was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a determined and stern Piaran, as if he had made up his mind.

Well, it’s a natural outcome. Piaran has been fighting against monsters in demon form rather than human form all this time.

But if suddenly a creature appears with a human body, knowing how to handle reproductive organs and swords, just with a different head? There would be no room for hesitation.

When it comes to stabbing humans, there are those who need to be mentally prepared, and that person seems to be Piiran. Even when he stabbed the Lizardman just now, he hesitated slightly but quickly regained his composure and stabbed.

Although he doesn’t seem to be fully prepared to stab humans yet, he feels relieved that he can stab humanoid monsters like Goblins or Lizardmen.

Thus, while delving deep into the labyrinth with Piiran, they encountered many Lizardmen.

I incapacitated each Lizardman I met by stabbing their groin, leaving them in a state of shock and fear, and Piiran dealt with the fleeing Lizardmen.

But since I didn’t deal with them directly, my stats didn’t increase.

Ah, but that doesn’t mean I gained nothing.

[You have destroyed the groins of numerous monsters. Acquired the trait ‘Groin Destroyer.’]

“Did I really have to stab them that hard?”

I never expected to gain such a cheap trait.

I only stabbed their groins because it was the only way to mess with the Lizardmen, so who would have known I’d get this kind of trait?

In this game, acquiring traits like this is great as most are innate. However, the name is a bit… well, not great.

I should check out this ability. I’m curious about what kind of ability it is.

I immediately pressed on the Groin Destroyer trait, emitting a bright blue light, to confirm the detailed description.

———————————————

{Trait} Groin Destroyer {S}[93%]

▶ Temporarily increases Strength stat by 1 rank every time you target a weakness.

▶ Temporarily increases Strength and Agility stats by 2 ranks every time you target groins.

▶ Permanently increases random stat proficiency by 0.05 every time you destroy a monster’s groin.

▶ Permanently increases random stat proficiency by 0.15 every time you destroy a human’s groin.

▶ Temporarily increases all stats by 1 rank every time you fight someone who has lost their groin.

▶ Those who possess groins instinctively fear you. Their Mental Rank decreases by 2 ranks.

———————————————

“Why is this so good?”

The Groin Destroyer trait is ranked S. It’s a rare trait to acquire, surpassing even Poker Face in grade.

Just by hearing the name, it sounds like a trash F-rank trait, but its abilities are on a completely different level.

Targeting groins or weaknesses increases Strength, or both Strength and Agility stats. How scammy is this skill?

It probably only applies to the first sentence when fighting women, but what about men? If you target the vital point, the groin, you not only get a boost in Strength but a whopping 3 ranks.

How deceitful is this trait? A complete nemesis of males.

But am I a male?

Moreover, the reason this trait is good. Every time you destroy a groin, proficiency in random stats increases by 0.01 or 0.05 permanently.

Even raising proficiency by 0.01 in this world is significant, let alone for simply smashing some groins… How deceitful is this trait?

It even lowers Mental Rank; does this mean it’s just a way to emasculate men?

One might feel repulsed. Being a man myself, destroying a man’s groin entails immense pain.

And the sense of loss and anger at losing functionality will likely engulf one’s entire being.

However, I am not affected. I merely used this trait, and my target was only the groin; there was no choice.

So, it’s not my fault. Just curse the system that gave me this trait.

With a gleeful smile at having obtained a good trait, I followed Piiran.

We are currently on the second floor of the labyrinth, descending towards the boss room.

This labyrinth, known as the center of the sea, consists of four floors, but the maximum we can reach is the second floor.

On the second floor, if we only kill that brat, we can receive a generous reward and satisfy Piiran.

With firm conviction, the two of us descended to the second floor and found a tightly closed iron door.

-clang!

“…It won’t break.”

Upon seeing the door, Piiran foolishly swung his sword at it like a thug.

That door is unbreakable. If the boss room door opens easily, the boss will undoubtedly rampage.

So how should we approach this door?

-creak!

“What are you doing?”

“…Ah.”

How to open it? Just push it open.

The boss room door opens easily. It’s just sturdy, not locked; simply opening it is enough.

Perplexed by this fact, Piiran, now embarrassed and blushing with shame, followed me with his head hung low.

Ignoring Piiran, I entered the boss room.

The boss room resembled an ordinary underwater cave, with a slight difference.

“Kuoooooo!”

That monster.

With more than twenty legs visible, an octopus-like mouth, and a massive body.

“Baby Kraken.”

Considered a mid-boss in the heart of this underwater labyrinth, an adolescent Kraken.

The adult Kraken is the boss of this underwater labyrinth, but we are not ready to face it yet. With only SS in magic and strength stats, how could we defeat it? This Baby Kraken, with all stats B or higher, is our limit.

“Senior… That’s a Baby Kraken, right?”

“With a body easily exceeding 10 meters, it seems to be the case. The adult surpasses 100 meters.”

Although both called sea monsters, the size difference between the Krakens from reality and this world is vast.

In reality, the imagined monster, the Kraken, might be around 13-20 meters, while here, it easily exceeds 100 meters.

Krakens are conquerors and monsters of the sea.

This being an adolescent stage of such a monster, maybe not even reaching 10 meters?

One thing is certain…

“Kuaaaa!”

“Whoa!”

-splash! splatter!

Each droplet carries properties similar to acid.

As the Baby Kraken spewed countless droplets from its mouth, the ground we stood on melted instantly.

Indeed, the Kraken is formidable, with skills matching its stats.

Nevertheless, it’s fine.

“Piiran, this is training. I will only defend against attacks; it’s up to you to kill it. Go ahead and fight as you wish.”

I’ll handle the defense.

Under the guise of training, I instructed Piiran to kill the Kraken, while I would block its tentacles.

With over 20 tentacles, it may be challenging to block them all, but using Instant Capture and Wave together should pose no problem.

Without any doubt about my abilities, Piiran nodded in understanding and charged forward.

Unlike yesterday when he used his aura solely to instill fear in his opponent, now he remained calm.

Observing the enemy’s movements, weaknesses, every detail, he saw through everything.

Rather than recklessly releasing his aura as before, he first assessed the opponent calmly and then unleashed his aura.

This is Piiran.

-thwack!

Brandishing his sword, Piiran rushed towards the Baby Kraken.

In response, the Baby Kraken calmly wielded three tentacles.

[Skill: Instant Capture]

[Skill: Instant Capture]

[Skill: Instant Capture]

[Skill: Wave]

I was already rushing towards the Baby Kraken from the beginning to prepare for its tentacle attack.

The Baby Kraken only targets one person within its sight. Therefore, it did not target me, who was outside its line of sight.

I instantly caught and redirected three tentacles swinging towards me, unleashing three waves in response.

⁅With exceptional agility and reflexes, I managed to defend against many attacks. The proficiency of the ‘Agility Stat’ increased by 0.54, raising the Agility Rank⁆

[Agility: C[3.04]ㅡ>C+[3.58]]

Stats are a bonus.

“Kwah?!”

As its three tentacles flew off in strange directions, the Baby Kraken, bewildered, tried to retract them.

However, the tentacles I redirected were all in their proper places, including two tentacles that were originally bound together when retracted.

“Kwah?!!”

Having never experienced such a situation before, the Baby Kraken, unable to delicately manipulate its tentacles like a human, struggled to untangle them, including the two tentacles that were bound together.

In what seemed like an act of mercy towards the struggling Baby Kraken, Peiran acted decisively.

[Skill: Strong Strike]

-Swish!

“Squishy squishy…”

Like slicing through paper, Peiran swiftly cut through the five tentacles gathered in one spot.

The Baby Kraken, solely focused on untangling its tentacles, was taken aback as its bound tentacles were suddenly severed, leaving it stunned.

Seizing the opportunity, Peiran breathed out determination and decisively overcame the Baby Kraken’s resistance.

-Grrr!

Oh, let me correct that. I’m striking with all my might.

With full force, veins bulging on my forehead, I relentlessly struck at the Baby Kraken’s head.

Its thick skull may not be easy to pierce, but with another strike of Peiran’s skill, Strong Strike,

[Skill: Strong Strike]

-Swish!

It could easily be overcome.

“It’s over… The reward… is that treasure chest?”

“Seems like it.”

Interestingly, in this labyrinth, when a boss monster dies, a treasure chest falls from the sky.

Inside that chest, Peiran and I will likely find various weapons, armor, and accessories welcoming us.

However, I came here to obtain what I need for growth, not just to get the treasure chest.

“I-senpai… Should we open it now?”

“Yes, let’s open it later.”

“Why…?”

“Just wait a moment.”

Calming Peiran, who was eager to open the treasure chest, I ventured into the deep waters where the Baby Kraken had been.

Hmm, it’s shallow here. I’ll stay here.

-Swish swish…

As I rummaged around in the shallow water, something slippery brushed against my hand.

Upon grabbing it, I immediately recognized it as ‘that thing’ and lifted it out of the water.

“Splish… Splash…”

“Exactly. Hello there! Our exhausted Kraken friend?”

What I held in my hand was none other than a miniature ‘Baby Kraken,’ small enough to fit in my hand.

“Splish… Splaaash…!!”