Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Chapter 571: Earth Labyrinth RTA (4)

Allen used the shovel to escape a den of ghosts, descending to the next floor.

10 hours had passed since their entry to the dungeon, and tbey had descended 10 floors.

The room's exit was closed by a sturdy adamantite door, and the center of the room had a lock sign.

(We covered 1 floor each hour. That's decent for a first run, but not good enough to reach floor 99. I'd really like to speed things up from here.)

He looked at the clock on the mini-sculpture, then looked at the door and its keyhole.

'So this is a locked room.'

"Yes. I don't think we'll get attacked for now, but they'll be really strong enemies."

'Everyone be watchful. I think there might be a boss inside, probably a Demigod Rank ghost.'

"Alright, bring it on."

Allen spoke to Merle and Galara with the Special Skill [Transmission].

"So that's the boss room. They appear every 10 floors."

"Yes, Cecile. Though we need a key to get inside."

(I really like that design. I can hardly contain my excitement.)

This dungeon had been built as a prison for those who harmed the divine realm, but Allen was excited thinking about going through it.

[Notes about the Earth Labyrinth 3]

-There's a locked room every 10 floors

-A key is needed to get inside

-Keys can be obtained from stores (high chance) or chests (low chance)

-A key's material determines how many times it can be used

-A Copper Key can be used 1~3 times

-A shovel can be used to make a corridor to the next room, or down to the next floor

-A shovel breaks after being used a few times

-A shovel's material determines how many times it can be used

-A shovel can't break through a locked door

-A shovel can't make a hole in the black walls of a locked room

-A shovel breaks faster by making holes down to the next floor

-A Copper Shovel can be used 1~9 times on walls, 1~3 times on the floor

Allen closed his Grimoire and took out the key he stole, from the magic bag he also stole.

"...I thought you said we don't have time, but you'll fight this boss? I guess we have a key, and even number floors are the best…"

The best rewards were in even number floors.

"I know, but we might get a Spirit Crystal Stone here, and we already have the key."

It would take them some time to defeat the ghost, but they would obtain good loot.

They also had the key already, so Allen thought there was no reason not to fight it.

"I guess that's true."

(I guess this is how Merle got those 3 Spirit Crystal Stones.)

"Wait…I want to use the key."

Cecile stopped Allen as he walked towards the door.

"What are you saying! That's the duty of the party leader!!"

(This is why noobs are the words. I'll show them I can open 3 doors with this key.)

"Huh?! O-okay, I'll let you do it then."

Being denied with such a loud shout, Cecile recoiled.

Then Allen pushed the key into the keyhole, which made the lock sign light up and open.

But at the same time…

<em class="chakra-text css-0">Poof

"Wh-what? Why did it break?!"

The key in Allen's hand turned to light particles and vanished.

"Yeah, I knew it… Everything will break if Allen uses it."

Cecile muttered, sounding convinced of something.

"Alright, there it is. The Treasure Guardian."

An enormous cow ghost holding a large axe stood in front of 4 chests, guarding them.

[Name] Tauros

[Age] 3280

[Species] Treasure Guardian

[Strength] 90000

[Mana] 0

[Spiritual Power] 110000

[Attack] 120000

[Endurance] 80000

[Agility] 130000

[Intelligence] 78000

[Luck] 0

[Attack Element] Wind

[Endurance Element] Wind

(That's just barely a Demigod Rank ghost, not too strong. It seems to have mainly Agility, so there's no need to get close to it, and just blow it apart from here…)

Cecile and Sophie did not have much Endurance, and most of the other golems only had a fraction of the ghost's stats, so it was best to deal with it fast before any casualties arose.

But then the eyes of Galara's golem lit up.

"Everyone! We got to the 10th floor without issue, don't waste your Combination just yet!! Let's do it!!"

"Aye!" "Aye!" "Aye!"

"We'll go too, Tam-Tam. Use Super Electric Cannon!!"

(Merle's Skills sound so much better with Super in the start. It gives them a cool feeling.)

Merle used the Skill she gained when she entered Extra Mode.

'Understood.'

Tam-Tam's arms transformed and merged into a single cannon.

'Gumo?!'

As soon as the golems prepared to attack, the ghost also noticed them and reacted, running with its 100 meter tall body and similarly sized axe at Merle and the others.

The ground shook as the ghost ran, and Sophie also sprang into action.

"Light! Blind my enemies!!"

'I'll do that.'

The Light Great Spirit Light made a bright flash of light around the ghost.

Even while blinded by the light and feeling its body on fire, the ghost continued charging ahead.

"Super Electric Cannon!!"

As Merle shouted that, Galara's group also began to fire.

'Gumoooo!!'

That still was not enough to kill the ghost though. More than half its Strength was gone, but it mustered all its strength to swing its axe at Tam-Tam.

"That's not good! Inferno!!"

A barrage of fire enveloped the ghost, but it still had Strength remaining and rushed out of it.

"Step back! It's dangerous there!!"

Sophie shouted at the golems to step back, seeing that the ghost was still alive.

"Spectral Explosive Attack!!"

(It jumped straight into my arms.)

Allen used Graham's Awakened Skill [Possession Combination], and then used [Spectral Explosive Attack].

Allen's attack severed the ghost's head, and a Spirit Crystal Stone fell on the ground once its body vanished in particles of light.

'You defeated 1 Ghost. You gained 1000'000'000 Faith Points, 100'000'000 Spiritual Power, 100'000'000 Divine Power, and 10 Talent Change Points. You Level increased to 223, Strength +250, Mana +400, Attack +140, Endurance +140, Agility +260, Intelligence +400, Luck +260.'

"Nice nice, that's 1000'000'000 Faith Points more, and a 6th Spirit Crystal Stone. Now I can pull even more Divine Compasses."

(I can't wait to go to the lottery again, it's all I can think about.)

The lottery was so far the most fun thing for Allen.

"We got himm!! Thanks for the assist, Allen!!"

Merle exploded with joy as she descended from Tam-Tam.

"Nice work. You really are strong, Allen."

(I feel like that's the first time Galara has complimented me, but maybe I'm just imagining things.)

"You ended up using Possession Combination though. Isn't it better to save it for later?"

"Well, I can use it again with Sophie's Skill. Anyway, let's check what the chests have."

Allen quickly opened the 4 chests.

[Contents of the 4 chests]

-Mana Recovery Item (Large) x1

-Copper Key

-Iron Hammer

-Iron Ore

"That's all good stuff! There's ore and a hammer too. We can strengthen the shovel!!"

Merle's eyes were twinkling.

(That's why we brought Habarak here after all. The shovel is really useful in this dungeon.)

After that, 15 hours after they started, they reached the 18th floor.

They had foregone checking chests after the 10th floor, heading straight for the stairs.

Now they were in a perfectly square room, with a kiln on one wall, and an anvil.

It was the forge.

"We found the forge! Habarak, forge the shovel!"

"R-right…that's why I'm here."

Allen took out a Copper Shovel, Iron Ore, and the Iron Hammer from the magic bag.

Habarak hesitated for a bit as he nervously sat down and took the items.

<em class="chakra-text css-0">Clank clank clank

The Copper Shovel and Iron Ore merged into an Iron Shovel.

"Alright, now we can go all the way down!!"

Merle raised her fists as much as she could, exploding with happiness.

(She's been stuck with Copper Shovels all this time after all. Iron Shovels are more rare. But with the right materials it's possible to craft one.)

After that Allen prioritized going down, and they went all the way to the 20th floor.

There they searched for the stairs, and found a large door next to them.

"I see, so we can just keep going down, or go in there to enter Extra Mode."

"That's probably it. Everyone needs to get through some God's gate to change Modes."

(I guess if someone gets here without a key they have no option but to keep going down.)

"Ohh, we can finally get the reward from the 20th floor!"

"Alright! Merle, open the door!!"

"Mhm! Thanks Allen!!"

Allen gave the key he got on the 10th floor to Merle, who happily took it and used it on the lock.

They could go inside now, to a small room a few hundred meters wide, with a sculpture in the center.

"Hm? Does this mean we don't have to fight anything?"

(Give me Spirit Crystal Stones…)

As they got closer, the sculpture's eyes lit up.

'Congratulations on reaching the 20th floor, challengers of the God of Earth's Trial. Please select one person to enter Extra Mode.'

"We don't have to fight any ghosts here then?"

'No. Getting here was the Trial. If you enter this room again it'll be a regular locked room with a ghost though.'

(So this is a one-time thing, huh.)

"Nice, now you can finally enter Extra Mode, Admiral Galara… Is something wrong?"

Allen could not finish his original sentence, seeing that Galara looked pensive.

That made everyone else also look at Galara.

"So you want me to do it after all… But no, I shouldn't do that."

Everyone looked nervous seeing that Galara had rejected the offer to enter Extra Mode.