**Day 32? The Farthest Labyrinth 72F**
Jito-eyed Armor Committee Chair didn't seem interested in the staff either. Even though she's got crazy magic like "Demon God" or whatever? Sword over magic? Turning into a total muscle-brain character? The idiots are gonna love her. Gonna get dyed in idiot colors.
The staff's effects are seriously good, so composite it into "Wooden Staff?" anyway. "Elder Trent Staff – Magic Power +50%, Great Attribute Increase, Magic Control Up." Cheat weapon for any magic job. But right now? Digging pit traps faster? Sending smoke more efficiently? Freezing quicker? Kinda… underwhelming? Effects feel off? Really want bludgeoning power boost.
This dungeon has way too many magic-null or magic-reflect monsters anyway. Some even physical-null on top. Isn't this literally impossible normally?
Up ahead: "War Puppet Lv71." Puppet soldiers. War time apparently? Big round shields, long spears, armored heavy infantry in droves. Phalanx formation.
Phalanx—dense spear-wall heavy infantry, super strong in pitched battles. High offense/defense against frontal enemies. But ancient. Greek, Macedonian stuff. Puppets have impact resistance, so dropping useless. Climb to 71F. Fumigating or freezing puppets does nothing anyway. Fire resistance too. No paralysis or poison on dolls.
So on 71F, line up side-by-side with Jito-eyed Armor Committee Chair, wait for the phalanx charge.
Dust cloud rising, spears bristling—no gaps, spear tips everywhere, impenetrable wall rushing forward.
And they fell… tripped, piled up, crushed themselves.
Phalanx only works on flat, open fields. Dungeon's narrow—no flanking possible. But dig a trench with magic? They charge straight in and fall. Only one path. Guaranteed. So I dug. Lit oil in the trench. Not magic fire, so it burns despite fire resistance.
"Wasteful. Collected all that oil for deep-frying. Wanted karaage. Half gone now? That's why I hated fire attacks… So wasteful?"
Muttering complaints while collecting stones.
Jito-eyed Armor Committee Chair actually looked impressed for once, watching the battlefield.
Not jito eyes right now. Kinda lonely somehow.
Next, 70F. Another boss.
"Orthros Lv70." Huh? Lv70? Bosses were Lv100 before? Everyone? Changed from 75F? No idea since coming from below. …Double-headed dog. Huge. Cerberus's little brother, one head short. Big dog.
"Zaku!" "Bashu!"
As usual, Jito-eyed Armor Committee Chair slices both heads off. Still got plenty of vinegar left—dogs/wolves are safe. Oil's the problem. Expensive, limited stock, half gone. Saving for frying. Chili and pepper off-limits too.
Turned vinegar into water balls, slammed into Orthros's noses. Two heads, two front paws—covers both noses, heads drop to ground. Downward dog pose. Obviously gets heads chopped by Jito-eyed Armor Lady. Too defenseless.
Thanks to "Elder Trent Staff – Magic Power +50%, Great Attribute Increase, Magic Control Up," vinegar water balls were fast and precise. Homing too. Magic power +50% and control up really shine. Probably "Magician's Gloves – Great Magic Manipulation Up, DeX +30%" helping too. Meanwhile "Paradox Gauntlets" still collecting dust? When's their turn? "Magic Key" is definitely forgotten forever! Yeah, got "Trap Ring" and haven't seen a single trap since? Been searching! Thought "This is item-cheat territory, right?" but… no turns at all!? Practicing in secret with "Paradox Gauntlets," left hand out… "Kuh!" "Guwaaaaah!" Practiced so much…
Anyway? Magic stone and… "Collar of Submission – Forces absolute obedience"... Eh?
Yeah, pretend I didn't see that. Decided. Done! Can't give this to Jito-eyed Armor Committee Chair, and just carrying it tanks my favorability! Summoning issue already dropped my favorability below bedrock into labyrinth levels—now it'll sink even lower! Absolutely. Probably past 100F underground now. Might hit a hot spring soon.
Finally the 60s—69F. Enemy level dropped to Lv69. Think I can win? No way! Bottom floor fights didn't even get me to Lv20! Just hit Lv15 and celebrated! Wanna complain about the dungeon… but scary former manager behind me. Staying quiet.
"Sleep Owl Lv69." Owls. Popular healing owls right now. Surrounded by fluffy owls, sleep on mochi-mochi feathers? Cute moving feather blanket? I'd buy. I'd keep. But sleeping = instant death stab. This world has zero healing elements in monsters. Zero monster-girl elements. Monster-girl pack appears? Instant death confidence. Wanna get surrounded… what to do?
Has "Motion Sense" so long-range attacks bad. "Magic Evasion" too? Martial art "Feather Cutter"—hover surround, simultaneous feather barrage shredding. No healing attack. If it was sleepy owls… might fall for it? Has "Hypnosis" too, but Jito-eyed Armor Lady doesn't sleep, complete resistance? I've got complete resistance too. Lecture resistance incoming soon. Surface gonna be dangerous… suddenly don't wanna go up. Seiza resistance needed too.
Sleep Owls surround from air. Big, not cute. Enemy confirmed.
Hovering, stop mid-air—simultaneous feather barrage.
Feather Cutter as expected.
Air-walk up above hovering owls, pull rocks from item bag, throw. Non-heated version of otaku-killer Meteor. Stocked rocks from pit-trap otaku sessions. Practice needed, so pelt owls, slam them.
Sleep Owls hover-stop for Feather Cutter. Attacks only downward. So throw rocks from above. Hit = fall. Fall = Jito-eyed Armor Lady slash. Feather rain blocked by her slash umbrella. Rainy days safe too.
Dungeon monsters drop weapons but materials vanish. No owl feather blanket. But narrow dungeon = monster disadvantage? Why are they hikikomori? I'm the hikikomori exploring, monsters hikikomori—titles messed up? I'll give it to you? Seriously? Don't want it? Wanna give but no takers. Hikikomori effect protecting dungeon would suck anyway. Still wanna give it. Seriously.
Collected stones, check hidden room.
"Ahh, if I could employ owls, perch on shoulder—total magic-user vibe. Popular magic-user movies have owl familiars for the protag? But my familiar's a bitch! Never heard of that! No movie adaptation! High-school-girl summon = instant ban!"
Owls would be nice～? Trade for the bitch? Like… I'll give all five? Obe sleep owl for 5 butches?