-Vol 5: A New Life-

-Fall of a 100 years old family(7)-

From the bust stand, Kenshin had to book a taxi to reach the place where the dungeon was. After half an hour, he reached the mouth of Lake Hinuma from Orai, the place where the dungeon was located. The former tourist spot was now turned into a hunter’s attraction spot. The level 4 dungeon located at the mouth of the lake, though it's not an entirely aquatic dungeon.

Weirdly enough, even though the whole part of the lake was closed off due to the existence of the dungeon, the water stayed the same as it was all those years ago. It never turned dirty and stagnant, even the aquatic animals weren't seen since then. The lake remained eerie and calm throughout all these years. The locals were also long since relocated, only a huge army base and DCB’s branch office remained there.

But hunters knew the truth. Its actually not only the opening of Orai but the whole Lake was a part of the dungeon. The calm exterior was just a camouflage, it hid the true hideous nature of that water. Aquatic animals? They were long since died and eaten by the monsters residing inside the lake.

The whole place had turned into a swamp. How it was possible for a deep water body to turn into a swamp filled marsh nobody knew, but the dungeon was a swampy marsh inhabited by powerful aquatic monsters. This dungeon didn’t have floors, but the strength of the monsters increases as the deeper one goes. It was rumoured that at the end of the dungeon there was a boss room and the boss was a beautiful mermaid, but the one who truly cleared the dungeon never revealed the truth, and thus it remained a mystery forever.

To Kenshin, it didn’t matter at all. What he wanted was to practice his skills and stats. The monsters in a level 4 dungeon had a maximum level cap of level 40. But that wasn’t why he chose the dungeon, its because of the boss. They say that the boss was a level 50 monster, making it the perfect target for his practice after all the boost one receives after crossing that level was no longer comparable to all the previous levels.

One undergoes a qualitative change after crossing the barrier that was level 49. Their physique and magic, both undergo an unprecedented change. After which, each level ups increases their stats by the double amount of what it was before that.

In a way, someone who had already passed that threshold could no longer be counted among normal humans. Their strength, speed, health nothing remains same. Even their life spans increase by a small margin. If humans with their weak constitution could gain such rewards, what would happen to monsters?

Hopeful, Kenshin went through all the legal procedures and finally entered the dungeon.

[Ding* You have entered Level 4 dungeon Forbidden Swamps]

A notification popped up, showing him the name of the dungeon he entered. It was one of the properties of the system that would always provide this kind of information. Kenshin also made it his habit to record them, in case he needed it.

Like back in level 3 dungeons, he also didn’t equip any armour or weapon, he even deactivated all the title bonus effects. Just with his bare body and some of his skills, he was determined to clear this dungeon. He even thought of challenging the boss with this condition.

The moment he entered the dungeon, the peaceful scenery painted outside flashed and melted. What remained was a depressing yellow coloured sky and grey coloured small foliage. The ground was muddy and damp, living up to the name of the swamp. Narrowing his eyes, he started walking through the grey forest. Nonetheless, his map had already uploaded the current dungeon’s layout in front of him. Having no fear of getting ambushed, he walked step by step towards the dipper of the forest of the Forbidden Swamps.

[Ding* Slithering Lizzard appears!]

Not long after he entered the gloomy forest, a black coloured slimy komodo dragon variant appeared in front of him, baring its fangs at Kenshin. It's roughly the same size as normal Komodo dragons but faster and more poisonous. To such an opponent, Kenshin didn’t even blink an eye. Its level was only 18, except for its higher agility and a poison skill, it didn’t have anything impressive. To such a monster, Kenshin only lightly kicked it to splatter its body fluids all over the damp, muddy floors.

After its body disappeared with a shining yellow light, a lump of meat diced into cubical pieces stacked atop each other.

“This is?” he was very curious about the lump of meat. He was less inclined to believe that it was something edible. So he used his system to scan them.

[Diced meat of Slithering Lizzard][not edible]

A must get material to haunt for Poison Fish in the swamps. They loved the meat of Slithering Lizzard so much that they can smell it from miles away.

“Poison Fish? What’s that?” his question was immediately answered when the damp but otherwise solid ground started to ripple like water. Soon shark-like fin emerged from the rippling ground and gradually came towards him.

“Isn't that thing using the same skill as my Burrow?” Kenshin had never expected to see that kind of skill being used again in front of him. He thought it was a skill only limited to that mutated earthworm who had appeared as a special monster with a compulsory mission attached to it.

But now he was proven wrong, in fact, there was this fish who could do the same it seems. He used his system to scan it.

[Poison Fish][Level 34]

[AGI: 100][STR: 64]

[Skills]

Burrow Lv 3 Fin Hardening Lv 7

[Description]

A fish famous for its delicious meat. Despite being named as a poison fish, only the outer skin is a lethal poison. Once carefully removed, the inside meat was tender and easily edible. +5 PHY for 3 days when consumed The effect could be stacked ten times.

“Wow! It indeed has Burrow skill. And what’s this? Delicacy? Since when a fish living in swamps considered as a delicacy. And what’s the deal with +5 PHY?” there were many questions he didn’t have answers to. It was his first time coming to a level 4 dungeon after all. To not spoil the adventure, he also didn’t research on this dungeon or read any articles about it. Now it seems he should have done it. It seems he was missing quite a good things about this dungeon. Its only thanks to his system that notified of its delicacy or else he would have left such money making thing behind.

Despite having more than five hundred million gold coins, Kenshin’s money-making habits didn’t change. He knew that if he didn’t do this, sooner or later all those money would vanish, leaving not a single penny behind. Besides, what's wrong about earning a little bit more money?

Having this kind of mentality, Kenshin stored the meat cubes in his inventory and advanced at the rapidly approaching fish with his fists held high to pummel him to death.

…fifteen minutes later, Kenshin stood with an irritated face, holding the fish of approximately 3 meters in length. His body was filled with mud and grimes, which was splattered into his body while catching the fish.

Letting out a sigh, he stored the fish into his inventory and proceeded forwards. The adventure just begun.