NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10 - The Steel Sword is an Amazing Sword
A weapon shop located slightly outside the central plaza.
Here, weapons range from B-rank at the top to E-rank at the bottom.
I looked at one sword propped up. It was an ominously large sword, strictly managed.
The label read: B-rank Equipment [Dragon Killer].
(Huh? One zero, two zeros, three zeros… What!? Over thirty million!?)
A sword with an absurdly high price, so unattainable it would take a lifetime to earn it.
It could buy a house.
B-rank equipment is known as unique equipment. It has some special ability, and this sword can deal significant damage to dragon-type creatures.
(Dragon types… will I ever face one someday…)
“Ain, I don’t have any money, you know?”
I probably came here to buy some weapon, but my family is broke.
Our finances are always in trouble.
“It’s fine, it’s fine, just pay me back when you get promoted!”
“Wh-what… I-I’m really sorry… Is there anything I can do for you?”
(What would she say if I asked to pay with my body…)
Ain shook her head vigorously, as if to shake off some evil thought.
While patting my head, she said apologetically,
“I’ll buy you the Steel Sword dropped by the mid-boss on the 5th floor.”
“Huh!? That costs around fifty thousand, right?”
The Steel Sword. Holding this sword proves that the bearer has defeated a mid-boss, and as an explorer, they are recognized at least as a third-rate.
Whether being recognized as third-rate is a good thing is unclear, but it means being acknowledged as an explorer who has defeated a dangerous mid-boss.
Before now, I was merely an amateur.
The Steel Sword always drops when defeating a mid-boss, so its rarity isn’t too high, and its price isn’t very high.
However, second-rate or higher adventurers explore beyond the 10th floor, so it’s not widely circulated.
“Instead…”
Ain took the Steel Sword to the counter and completed the purchase.
“Make sure you come back alive!”
I received the sword. It was very heavy, much heavier than an iron sword…
“I understand! I will definitely return safely!”
And I went through the gate towards the dungeon, equipped with the Steel Sword.
…
The stats of the Steel Sword are as follows:
Equipment Description
– Steel Sword D-rank
Increases attack power by +20. (Plus 1 per level)
With this, my attack power is 40.
Honestly, up to the 8th floor, while there is danger to life, it is possible to solo it.
The big boss is a bit risky to handle solo.
But with this, I should be able to defeat a mid-boss.
I swiftly cleared floors 2 to 4. Floors 3 and 4 are almost the same level as floor 2, so I had no trouble.
“This is the door to the mid-boss’s room…”
On the 5th floor, after passing through a red gate, there was a huge door in front of me.
The door was adorned with ominous patterns and glowed dully, making my heartbeat quicken.
(Alright!)
Resolutely, I opened the mid-boss’s room.
Inside was a large, round space.
It was about 100 meters in radius.
And in the center was the Hobgoblin.
“So this is the boss room…”
The goblin, upon making eye contact with me, raised a shout while holding a club.
It was about my size.
Too large to be called a small demon.
Too small to be called a demon.
Yet it was a goblin with the title of Hob, meaning it was somewhat impressive.
And I clashed with the Hobgoblin.
But…
“What’s this? It’s not heavy at all.”
Is this a mid-boss? No, it’s certainly strong.
But is this the power of 40 attacks?
I deflected the club I was supposed to clash with and cut the Hobgoblin in one strike.
“It was weaker than I imagined…”
Having conquered the 5th floor, I earned 10 dungeon points.
It didn’t feel like a significant challenge.
Still, many adventurers have died trying to fight this mid-boss without a strategy.
The Knight Series and the Steel Sword Ain bought for me made me strong.
(Thank you, Ain…)
The Hobgoblin’s corpse disappeared, and a copper treasure chest appeared.
The color of the chest indicates the rank of the weapon inside.
Copper means D-rank or lower.
I’ve seen up to silver before when I was in the hero party.
Silver means C-rank, and gold means B-rank.
The color of the treasure chest is determined by the floor level.
Rumor has it that occasionally different colors appear, but I’ve never seen that.
The chest color and adventurer rank are related.
Up to the 9th floor, it’s a copper adventurer tag.
After that, it’s silver, gold, platinum, and so on.
So I have a copper adventurer tag.
I opened the chest.
Inside was, of course, the ‘Steel Sword.’
“I’ve never alchemized a D-rank equipment before, should I try it?”
Level Up♪ Steel Sword Lv2
It worked normally.
The next skill level-up requires 1000 points.
So if I repeatedly challenge the mid-boss a hundred times, I can level up.
(Then I might be able to reach C-rank equipment?)
“For now, I’ll aim for the next level while collecting the Knight Series in the 6th floor…”
And so began the dungeon grinding.
Few knew the true strength of the third-rate adventurer Kenya.
But he was undoubtedly starting to walk the path to becoming the strongest step by step.