Ch.430Debuting NPC. (5)

# IT Dungeon 25th Floor Walkthrough

When EP.6 ‘IT’ first appeared, I wasn’t playing [Eight], but I know both the initial walkthrough method to reach the next floor and the true method that was discovered later. The original walkthrough involved finding the monster house at the very end of the 25th floor and defeating all the monsters there. According to this strategy, once all monsters in the trap room were defeated, the floor’s boss [Minotaurus] would appear, drawn by the smell of monster blood. Defeating it would open the entrance to the next floor from the trap room.

But of course, the monster house was itself a trap.

Deliberately entering a room designed to kill players, fighting like dogs, and then facing the boss in consecutive battles was enough to exhaust users. Honestly, it was perfect fodder for complaints about unnecessary grinding during story progression. However…

“Moooo⎯!!!”

The truth that this wasn’t actually the proper method, but just an accidental roundabout way to clear the floor, was only revealed much later. The monster house was truly just a trap, and the player who originally found that “strategy” later wrote on the community forum that they never claimed it was the official solution. They just happened to clear it that way. Nobody, not even the original player, knew how it became accepted as the standard approach. As a result, once the actual method was discovered, the monster house approach became just a historical curiosity for latecomers, and even that was eventually abandoned as a waste of time. Yes, the actual solution was…

“Yeah, yeah. Cry some more. Hurry up and call the boss~”

“…A human tormenting a monster, I have no words to describe this scene… Jack, something massive is approaching quickly, by the way?”

The correct method for this 25th floor dungeon—or more precisely, the 25th floor ‘maze’—to summon the randomly wandering Minotaurus is simply to capture a monster and make it roar continuously. Then the Minotaurus, master of the 25th floor, drawn by what might be either the monster’s scream or roar of rage, appears before the players. Once defeated, the entrance to the next floor opens ‘right there’ on the spot.

“Oh, already here? You even noticed before Gore. Gore, you might need to step up your game?”

[…Three other adventurer parties are tracking us. I wasn’t hiding it from you—I was planning to mention it when they got close enough to actually warrant concern, since you were busy wrestling with monsters.]

Gore’s slightly offended, forceful response is so cute that I can’t help but smile, and though she writes […..] in front of me again, I ignore it, making a mental note to pat her head later.

Anyway. Why did others think they had to go to the monster house to clear the floor? This was due to the update gap between EP.5 Empire and EP.6 IT.

As everyone knows, major online game updates don’t happen every day or month—they come at minimum in six-month intervals. So for users who had defeated the Empire’s Queen (now practically my wife), Ragni, and powered up, story monsters were truly one or two-hit kills, making it impossible to discover this mechanic. Since the monster house existed, the vanguard players spent hours hunting there and mistakenly believed that was the “solution.”

In other words, latecomers like me, returning with mediocre stats to push through the story, discovered during prolonged battles that the boss would suddenly appear and, after defeating it, a door would open—revealing that the monster house wasn’t the actual solution point.

As I recall this old game strategy, I’m holding the horns of an Armored Cow that’s thrashing about, trying to either headbutt me or break free. While I’m steadily holding my ground, I begin to hear loud footsteps echoing through the dungeon corridors. Good! You’ve done your job.

-Bueeork!!

“Mo⎯?!!!”

“Huh?”

I place my foot on top of the helmet I’m gripping and drive my heel down into its forehead. The metal cow helmet caves in, and the creature lets out a death cry before expiring. My stats are already at level 1,100 with post-EP.7 power-ups. Creatures barely over level 400 are all one-hit kills if I put my mind to it. After pushing aside the dead cow, I wait, and soon a roar echoes throughout the dungeon, as if responding to its fallen comrade.

“Jack, are you sure you don’t need help? I’ve never encountered a monster in Siltra that creates such tremendous pressure with just its sound—these heavy yet swift footsteps…”

“Nonsense, what about the Grand Elder? And really, it’s fine. Just stay back and deliver the finishing blow after I reduce it to near death.”

“…Sigh, alright.”

I smile as I remind him that the Grand Elder had also become a monster after demonization, and Salt Non rubs his forehead and steps back slightly. I stare down the dungeon corridor lined with small bonfires and start running. There’s no reason to stand still and take the full brunt of its charge, right?

“MUOOOOO⎯!!!”

“Hup!!”

-Kwaa⎯! Kwaang!!!

[-Minotaurus- : Level 598 (Master of the 25th Floor)]

[HP : 810,000]

Before Gore can even display the status window, I catch sight of the creature and throw a punch. It swings its axe in response, but my faster fist strikes the axe blade, sending the weapon crashing into and embedding in the wall.

Judging by its level, Tork Bigman, the chairman of IT, could probably hunt it with a well-formed party. But considering the monsters on the 25th floor are already above level 400, it certainly wouldn’t have been easy.

As I wonder what might have happened if he had put in more effort—something we’ll never know now—I spin around and deliver a roundhouse kick to the bull’s head. Before its neck can fully snap, I grab its horn and drive my knee into it.

“M⎯⎯?!!”

[-Minotaurus- : Level 598 (Master of the 25th Floor)]

[HP : 56,687]

After my rapid combo, the bull head’s HP is already near death, and its “MO” cry sounds more like a faint “Mu” to my ears. The horn I grabbed and smashed breaks off in my hands, and the bull’s head is bleeding profusely, ready to be made into soup. Sensing that hitting it any more might cost Salt Non his leveling opportunity, I ignore the slowly collapsing creature and pull its axe from the wall.

-Thwack!!!

“MOOO?!?!”

I strike its leg, pinning it to the ground. My strength control is perfect, leaving its HP just under 2,000. Satisfied, I call Salt Non over. After looking back and forth between me and the nearly dead boss monster for a mere dozen seconds, he quietly remarks:

“…I’m not sure who’s the monster and who’s the human here.”

“Come on, anyone can see I’m human and that thing’s a monster.”

“I recall you apologizing for being a ‘fucking asshole’ before…”

“What! I prepared this feast to help my friend level up, and you call me an asshole?!”

I was just treating a monster humanely, how unfair! I let my expression show how genuinely hurt I am by Salt Non’s reaction, and seeing my face, he smirks before saying, “Even you think you went a bit too far, don’t you?” as he draws his spear and pierces the creature’s neck, killing it.

Hmm. How did he know? Was it obvious from my expression? I do think I was a bit too merciless.

[-Siltra’s Gatekeeper : Level : 239 Name : Salt Non]

After sharing the experience from the level 500+ mid-boss, Salt Non’s level instantly rose by over 110, and he stared at me with eyes wide in shock at his suddenly increased power. Hehe. How does it feel?

“My god, is it true that hunting powerful monsters makes you stronger? I can feel my magical and physical abilities increasing instantly!”

“Hah! See what happens when you have a good friend? You gain power even while just hanging out!”

“…Hmm. Elves who live long lives have always known that training in real combat is the path to strength, but I never imagined that hunting monsters several times stronger than yourself would be the reason for growth. Then, what kind of life have you lived?”

Looking at the beautiful elf who seems unable to imagine what kind of hardships I’ve endured in my barely twenty years of life, and who seems somewhat concerned about it, I smile and wave dismissively. It’s true that until six years ago, my sister’s and my lives were terrible, but because of that, we can now work toward our happiness. It’s not something you need to worry about.

“I see. Then, as you say, I’ll continue to benefit from having a good friend. If I become stronger, it will be good for your group and for the elves of Siltra as well. Of course, I’ll have to select only those who are favorable or can develop positive feelings toward humans.”

“I’m leaving that part entirely to you, so do your best, okay?”

“Really, you are such a…”

-Creeeeak!!! Boom!!

In the middle of our conversation where we’re understanding each other as male friends, as if uninterested in our male bonding or telling us to proceed to the next floor, the monster’s corpse evaporates, dropping a magic stone as the dungeon opens the entrance to the next floor.