Chapter 31: First Floor Boss – Vampire Bat Commander

They moved into the next tunnel. This one sloped downward and got warmer as they descended. More glowing mushrooms lined the walls, but these were orange instead of blue.

“Second chamber isn’t that different like I imagined. Maybe the whole floors are one similar theme here. Usually it’s not.” Emily whispered. “And I hear movement.”

This time Eren could also hear the incoming sounds like the others, and perhaps he discovered that the more he concentrated, the better he could manage the functions of his stats.

When he didn’t try to hear sounds for a second or two, the very faint sounds of distant creatures slowly disappeared.

Interesting…

He decided to check and use his stats before the battle started.

Level: 17 / Mana: 170 (+10)

+ / –

Usable Evon Stat Points: 2

-Strength: 28 (+1)

-Perception: 28

-Endurance: 28

-Intelligence:28

-Agility: 24 (+11)

-Mana: 17

-Charisma: 28 (+40 – Locked) +99

-Luck: 28

Fire Resistance 1%

+ / –

Maybe the reason he couldn’t control his body well enough yet. Even though he was sure this wasn’t the answer, he made up his own logic and tried to escape one last time from the fact that he “wasn’t athletic.”

[Agility 24 + 2 > 26 (Requires 2 Evon Stat Points)]

[Do you confirm?]

“Yes.” He had to say it out loud, but it was still nice not to have to return to the totem in the village to use his stats.

[Congratulations. Agility: 26]

They entered another large room, this one filled with more bats. But these bats were different. Bigger, with longer fangs and darker fur.

“Elite monsters,” Emily said. “Worth more energy, but tougher to kill. Everyone ready?”

The cubs growled their agreement. Since they had leveled up so much in the last few days, they were no longer as weak or defenseless as when they were kicked out of their home. Both were close to Eren’s level, and unlike an Earthling human, they knew what to do with their strong bodies.

Eren gripped his knife and decided to leave the bow on his back for now. He’d only embarrass himself trying to use it.

“Ready,” he said.

“Good. Then let’s clear this floor.”

…

Four hours later, Eren lost count of how many bats they’d killed. Somewhere after the fifth chamber, the numbers stopped meaning anything. They just kept fighting.

Floors had random amounts of monsters but all bats. And the power level or the amount of time they had to hunt was close.

The third chamber had thirty bats for example. The fourth had fifty but mostly weaker ones. The fifth had a mix of regular and elite bats that took twenty minutes to clear but all ten monsters that room had were 17 level Elite Bats.

Eren’s knife skills were improving out of pure necessity. He was starting to predict where the bats would fly, learning to read their movements. His timing was still terrible compared to Emily, but at least he wasn’t panicking every time a bat dove at his face.

Moreover, it was possible for his stats to make him do things that were normally impossible for him emotionally, impulsively, or instinctively.

When he was confident enough or got caught up in excitement, he turned into a warrior almost as dangerous as the wolf cubs. Then when he screamed from a small cut on his arm, these emotions turned to embarrassment and all the buffs decreased. They didn’t completely disappear.

Whether he concentrated or not, he was now braver, more cautious, had better instincts, and was more athletic than when he first entered the Dungeon hours ago.

The stats probably needed to settle in in his theory, permeate the body or something. Or it became difficult to show their true potential without a change in mindset and adaptation to the developing body.

“When my father told me to go to karate class, I made fun of him. Maybe it would have been good if I had gone like the neighbor kids.” Between thoughts about childhood traumas and why he wasn’t athletic, he hugged Emily and kissed her on the cheek.

The shy woman first objected because she was covered in sweat and dirt, but Eren moved very suddenly, stole a kiss and collapsed to the ground.

All his remaining energy was spent with that kiss.

Worth it…

He looked at the wolf cubs next to him on the ground. The cubs were getting stronger too. The female cub’s new Beast Claw skill was devastating.

Every swipe left glowing red trails that seemed to hurt the bats even after the initial hit. Her brother adapted his fighting style to work with her, covering her blind spots and finishing off wounded bats.

Emily was in her level all together. She was an Elven Hunter had to act solo in a dangerous forest by herself. And it was clear life wasn’t easy to her.

She barely spoke during fights, maybe except for what she said to warn Eren, just used her katana with years of experience under her belt.

Eren watched her take down three elite bats with one fast wind slash, her only active attack skill in under one seconds. It was both impressive and slightly terrifying.

By the sixth chamber, Eren’s energy bar had climbed high enough that he felt the familiar sensation building.

He was about to level up again. One or two more bats. That’s all he needed.

The seventh chamber was the biggest yet. The ceiling stretched up at least fifty feet, and bats covered every surface. Eren counted at least seventy before he stopped trying.

“This can be the sub-boss chamber before the eight and the last chamber.” Emily said.

“One big bat commands all the small ones probably. We should kill the leader if there is any. Or just usual tactics, attack everything randomly. Hahaha…” She was too cheerful in that dark athmosfere.

In the center of the ceiling hung a bat three times larger than the others. Its eyes glowed brighter red, and strange markings covered its wings.

[Vampire Bat Commander – Level 15 – Elite Boss]

“Wow. It’s name is literally floating above his head. I really thought that only happened on TV.” He sounded genuinely amazed by the boss tag.

It was strange to see something like that in real life.

“That’s the target,” Emily said while ignoring his cryptic otherworldly words. One day she would understand him completely but it wasn’t today.

She pulled out her sword and used one of Eren’s favorite slashing pose. It was damn sexy.

“When I jump and slash it, everything attacks at once. Wolfies, focus on keeping the small bats off Eren. Eren, stay alive. I’ll handle the big one.”

Wolf cubs were wondering what “wolfie” meant. They were too young to know about nicknames.

“Just stay alive,” Eren repeated. “Great. My specialty.”

Emily smiled and kissed his cheek quickly. “You’ll be fine. You’re tougher than you think.”

Before Eren could respond, she jumped to an impressive altitude and slashed to the big monster.

The Vampire Bat Commander screeched and the battle began.

Bats swarmed from every direction.

The cubs went wild, claws and teeth flashing. Eren found himself back to back with Emily after two minutes and he didn’t know what happened in that time. He was just stabbing at anything that got close.

Haaaaaaaah! He used screaming to relax his nerves and it worked like a charm.

[You have defeated Dungeon Bat (Level 11)]

[You gained 70% energy]

One more. Just one more bat.

An elite bat dove at him from above. Eren ducked under Emily’s return slash and swung his knife up in a desperate stab. The blade caught the bat across its belly.

[You have defeated Dungeon Bat Elite (Level 12)]

[You gained 15% energy]

Just after the first message long awaited level up notification showed up.

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 20!]

[All stats increased by 1]

[You gained 1 Stat Point to distribute]

Power flooded through Eren’s body. His exhaustion vanished, replaced by new energy. His knife felt lighter, his movements faster.

“Finally!” He couldn’t hold his scream this time and Emily looked at him.

“I am level 20! But concentrate to boss please. You are carrying a baby!!”

Emily jumped to him and took her bow from behind him.

Her blurred, fast movements shot many arrows in two seconds. And the arrows turned the Vampire Bat Commander into a bloody figurine full of holes.

With one final screech, it dissolved into sparkles. The remaining bats scattered. Without their leader, they fled into the tunnels, disappearing into the darkness.

Eren collapsed against a wall, breathing hard. “Please tell me that was the last one.”

“One more chamber,” Emily said. She looked completely fine comparing to his desperate beggar look.

“The last rooms always has a loot. Others has a percentage change of appearing but the last one of floors, you have to finish it before escaping.”

“Whoever thought of this tactic is an evil genius.”

The eighth chamber was smaller than the others and completely empty except for a single ornate chest in the center.

[Congratulations! Your party has cleared Floor 1 of Verdant Hollow Dungeon]

[Rewards available at the Final Chamber Chest]

No one stepped toward the chest. The cubs and Eren trusted Emily, so she was the one who opened it.

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