Nightmare Fantasy Online - Chapter 57

On the plains connecting the port town and the forest I first visited after leaving the Darklands, a bunch of bull-like demons came charging at me. The bull spearheading the assault rushed toward me, and the second before he struck, I used my quick footwork and [Evasion] skill to dodge just in the last second.

I then fired a [Mythical Thread] at the bull’s unguarded flank. Several of them, as this walking beef’s likely to have lots of HP.

The bull collapsed after getting struck by my threads (maybe I hit its heart or something?), the second and third bull came at me. It was also then inspiration struck me. I took off my coat and used it as the cloth used by bullfighters.

I dodged the 2nd bull and then the 3rd before firing a new bunch of threads in the last bull’s guts. I didn’t let the 2nd one out of my sight, especially the sight of my Evil Eye, just like the already dead duo. But I gotta be careful for bull #4, #5, and last but not least, #6.

#4 and #5 came at me while I was trying to weaken #2. I jumped over #4 and onto its back, where I used [Dark Drain] to weaken it. No need for the HP, but I’ll live with it. #5 and #2 who’d turned around and joined the rest again looked at me while looking unsure of what to do. #4 tried to shake me off, but to no luck…, for me! This guy’s crazy! Take a [Mystical Thread] to the head, already!

I jumped off #4’s corpse and prepared myself for #2 and #5. But the one who attacked was #6! The bastard, he’s got something like [Lurk] in his repertoire. Not that it went unnoticed by my [Detect Monster] skill. I jumped out of #6’s way and saw him crash into #5.

But while I was in mid-air, #2 came at me. Hurriedly, I invoked the Create Earth spell I learned yesterday to produce some dirt in front of me. I sent it flying with the Breeze spell and blinded the bull. With his eyes covered in dirt, the straight line he was running on ended up less straight, so I escaped without harm.

Can’t say the same thing about that guy. He crashed into a huge rock. I fired a few [Mystical Threads] to make sure the job was finished.

All that was left were #5 and #6. I stabbed my magic dagger into the ground and used the Grasp Vine spell of the dagger to entangle the two bulls with solid vines. Then I made some precise shots with [Mystical Threads] at the bulls’ weak points, and one two three, the subjugation was done.

—

“Congratulation with your rank-up, miss Garami! We are wishing for you to stay safe on your even greater adventures!”

The receptionist gave me a beaming smile after returning my adventurer card. Defeating a party of dangerous E-rank monsters on your own is one of the “promotion quests” to elevate your rank to D in the Adventurers’ Union. D-rank adventurers should be capable of at least this.

After returning to the town with the witness from the Union, I was given back my Adventurers’ card, along with a new skill. I even gained a new level from that bout with the bulls.

Skill List:

Titles:

Hehehe~. I’m getting better and better~. And look at all that AP! The promotion quest counted as a D-rank quest, so I got enough to get 0.3 AP from the System~. Getting 0.5 each time my classes reaches a level that’s a multiple of 10 is nice too. Maybe I should take the third one already…?

Then there’s the new [Party] skill:

It’s a little limiting for someone not playing a strictly human race like me, but I’ll live with it.

While speaking of skills, I’ll wait with skill upgrades until the Dojo can be established. It would be a waste to spend AP on early skill levels I could get just from training. For now, let’s return to the Player Room. Bloom should be done cleaning the place now.

—

“I’m back.” – Garami

“Welcome back.” – Bloom

…this girl, who said she could be lazing around like some sloth on the couch? The only thing I could praise her for is that she finished cleaning up the place before I arrived, but show some diligence.

On an unrelated note, Bloom’s not wearing the rags from when she first arrived here, but what looks like a witch’s costume. It’s a black/gray dress with fur trims and decorations in aqua-blue colors. She got black stockings and boots in the same design as the dress. She’s also wearing a small, grey cape, and a witch’s hat that’s in the same style as the dress.

“Done much?” – Garami

“Actually, yes. Not sure if watching madmen throwing themselves into the Dungeon and getting killed several times counts as something, but it was a good way to kill some time.” – Bloom

…what?

“Hey, did those fanatics arrive here already!? That’s too fast!” – Garami

I hurriedly started to look up at the recordings on the 1st floor and saw…a bunch of idiots who half-heartedly fought against the fluffy Gloom Boogies and the dexterous Stygian Clowns.

They did say they were gonna lay down their own lives, but this is just creepy…, but they’re crushing the Dark Gazers and Dark Phantoms! Not to say anything about the poor Imps and the other low-ranked demons! Ah, and they went on to defeat one Clown. A male one…

Hey! You’re just letting the first group crush you because they’re beauties even as demons, right!? Sorry to say, but they’re all ladies here in my Fort! Especially the Imps who have a chance to evolve into Boogies and Clowns!!

Facilities:

I need to add that “female monster-only” special effect sooner or later. Fanservice, I mean, physiological warfare is a must in this age. When I get enough DP to buy it. The 5th floor is a must-have security-wise for my plans.

As for the division of demons, the 1st and 3rd floors are covered by Darkness demons while the 2nd and 4th floors have Crystal demons. The new 5th floor has both. And D-rank demons only appear from the 3rd floor onward.

Fast-forwarding the recording, I saw the invaders getting skewered by the many crystal arrows, which do not only do more damage than normal arrows, they also come in an economical package of 7 sets of arrows for the price of 5 wooden ones.

The invaders lost 1 of their members, but they managed to reach the 2nd floor. Some looked like they wanted to go to the casino, which is marked by a sign on the first crossroad when you enter this floor from the 1st one, but the majority voted the opposite.

Ah, I see. They found some Ticket Chests (treasure chests that contain tickets that can be used as cash replacements for facilities like the café and the casino), so they must want more to play with.

On the second floor, they first encountered some Vile Pebbles, rocks that gained life through demonic energies, and some Vile Crystals that have the same kinda background, except with crystals and not rocks. Needless to say, the poor G-, and F-ranks didn’t stand a chance.

Then the invaders discovered some Grey Demons…, HEY! Those rude bastards! Why’re you laughing at the poor grey ones!! Grr, I’ll make sure your end will be pitiful and miserable…

But they got all worked up when they saw the Pink Demon…, think I know why.

And their hopes turned true when they saw a Lesser Succubus (rank F) and a Lesser Jewelry Succubus (rank E). The former is a flirtatious woman, and so is the latter, but with gems on visible parts of her body. They lured the guys into a hug…, and then the Lesser Succubus stabbed the poor fool’s eyes. The Jewelry made the gem on her stomach into a spear and penetrated the other idiot. What irony…

Like on the 1st floor, the three remaining invaders didn’t seem so keen on hurting the female-looking monsters, so they opted to flee from the scene. When they rounded the corner, they were greeted by the buff, statue-like demon, the Hellion, and a demon that looks like me before my latest evolution but without the cracks and with dark fog surrounding her purple-blue body, the Evil Djinn.

The three survivors went at them with weapons raised, but their attacks didn’t work on the Hellion who acted as the tank. It’s too tough. And I can see that the Djinn is boosting the Hellion’s toughness by using support-type skills. And it’s throwing something at the survivors. What’re those? Balls?

*KA-BOOOOOM!!*

Correction. They’re bombs. Rest in pieces.

“Several people like those guys kept on entering the Dungeon when they had the chance. But it’s these guys that survived the longest. Most people died by being crushed by those female, teddy-bear-like demon women’s hugs. Think some’s getting their butts kicked right now.” – Bloom

Aha. I see. But a woman shouldn’t use such foul language. And doesn’t that mean…

The Dungeon: [Darkland Fort]’s level has increased. It has now reached Lv.3.

A new message saying so appeared on the Dungeon Terminal just as I thought of the idea. Right on schedule!

“I finally got enough for the most sought-after new addition to the Fort!” – Garami

“You mean the Dojo?” – Bloom

“Huh? Ah, eh, y-yes. Of course…” – Garami

Guess the “only female monster” thing has to wait…ah. And there’s the Treasury as well. Tch, things never go the way I want them to…