The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

The 2nd Floor is as dark as ever, but with my Night Vision, this is the perfect hunting ground. 

There’s no monster that’s really strong aside from the Mantis. 

I take out my shortsword and walk while maintaining the Darkness Fog. 

(Figures there would be a decent amount of people today.) (Hikaru)

The 2nd Floor is an unpopular floor, but there’s a lot of explorers most likely because the dungeon was closed for a good while.

Being hidden in the darkness, they won’t be finding me. I don’t mind being seen, but I avoid them as I walk close to the wall.

“Does it get this crowded after it opens again? I am not that confident in my skills in the 2nd Floor, you know.” 

“If you get used to it, it can be easier than the 3rd Floor -as long as you don’t encounter a Mantis.” 

“I have not met one even once, but are Mantis that strong?” 

“It is strong. So strong that we wouldn’t be able to win. Well, we can run away from it if we use a smoke bomb though.” 

I listen in to the conversation of the explorers that fell in my line of sight, and it seems like the 3rd Floor is so full that they have switched to exploring the 2nd Floor. 

Even 3rd Floor explorers can’t win against the Mantis, huh…

I pass by the side of the explorers, and after a while of walking in areas with a low amount of people, I encounter a group of Goblins and Orcs.

4 Goblins and 3 Orcs.

“[Summon: Night Bug].” (Hikaru)

The dark rhinoceros beetles rush to the Goblins and devour their meat and into their bones. 

I went out within that confusion and defeated them one by one methodically. 

The monsters in the 2nd Floor should be able to see well enough in the darkness, but inside the perfect darkness of Darkness Fog, the best they can do is swing their weapons blindly. 

(Alright, next.) (Hikaru)

I collect the Spirit Stones and search for the next monsters. 

2 Ogres show up at the other side of the pathway. 

“[Shadow Bind]!” (Hikaru)

I can now use the higher tier ability Dark Coffin, but I can also use Shadow Bind as it is. 

It seems like its power has increased slightly. I feel like it can immobilize 2 Ogres at the same time for a few seconds. 

At the same time as dark tentacles bind the Ogres from the darkness, I spring at them from the very front and go for the throat with my shortsword. 

As someone who doesn’t have the defense of Jeanne or the power of Rifreya, the best method for me is to go all in on a one-hit kill.

I walk around the dungeon on my own convenience as I defeat monsters I encounter. 

I have the map of the 2nd Floor completely memorized in my head. Even if I walk around randomly, I won’t get lost. 

My body moved well as if it were a lie that it has been a while I haven’t been in the dungeon, and I could also see the movements of the enemies well. My Tier must have gone up.

(Even so, if we want to conquer this dungeon, I am far from an acceptable level though. I have to get stronger.) (Hikaru)

I think this while I use a Phantom Warrior as bait, get close to the back of an Ogre and defeat it in one hit. 

Getting a more powerful weapon is also an option. 

I could also put Points in Physical Strength and Endurance. 

I do think it is important to use Spirit Abilities a whole ton to increase the Tier of my Abilities. 

But I have already seen people who are beyond humans. 

(Even though Garnet-san from the Crimson Vials doesn’t have any enhancements from Points, she was that strong.) (Hikaru)

That figure of hers swinging around an axe that I could even call an iron pillar was something that was so out of human bounds it wouldn’t be strange to call her a monster. 

If we are talking about the source of that physical strength, it would be the Spirit Energy enhancement you get when defeating monsters.

In other words, Tiers.

Putting it simply, the most effective way is to defeat monsters and more monsters and more monsters in order to raise your level. 

For example; Jeanne has apparently already put her Points in Physical Strength to the max. However, it is not like she has strength that surpasses human boundaries. 

If I remember correctly, the Physical Strength Up amplifies the base power. For example; if the base grip strength of Jeanne is 30kg, a Physical Strength Up Level 5 would raise it to 10 times which would be 300kg. Truly a gorilla, but also just a mere gorilla. 

You can’t win against an elephant with that, and would most likely lose to a brown bear too. 

Of course, she is far stronger than I am, but if she seriously wants to conquer the dungeon, being satisfied with just that realm of power would be unacceptable. 

(If only you could see the level in the Status Board.) (Hikaru)

There were a number of version upgrades, but the level is not being shown. 

I open the Status Board and confirm the time. 

There’s still 3 more hours before the agreed time to meet up outside the dungeon.

(360 million viewers, huh…) (Hikaru)

After I began acting together with Jeanne, I have been able to keep a pretty high number of viewers. 

I don’t have any means to confirm whether Nanami has proven my innocence or hasn’t seen the face of the culprit. Just like Jeanne says, I am way too worried about my original world, and if she has come back to life, forgetting about that side and living here is one answer. 

I understand that in my mind.

When I see the numbers, I can feel the gazes and antagonism of the viewers in my back. 

Even when I understand it by logic, I can’t do anything about it. 

My heart refuses it. I can only describe it as that. 

(…But there’s no need to grow impatient because of it.) (Hikaru)

By obtaining the objective of helping Jeanne in her dungeon conquest, I can avert my gaze from the uncomfortable fact that I am being watched by the viewers. 

Alone, my mind would wander to that point. 

The reason why I didn’t get bothered by the gazes when Rifreya was with me wasn’t simply because I sealed my heart for the Viewer Count Race. 

Being with someone. 

The fact that someone worries about me and I was comforted must have played a role in this. 

I have had to face my weaknesses the whole time since coming to this world. 

“…Hm?” (Hikaru)

I confirmed the part of the Spirit Abilities in the Status Board, and I noticed. 

The Call of Darkness has gone up to 3rd Tier. 

(A new Ability…!) (Hikaru)

With a Spirit Ability going up to Tier 3, you learn a higher Ability. 

The latest Status is as follows: 

————————-

[Dark Spirit Ability]

Tier 2 Ability 

・Falsehood of Darkness [Shade Shift] Proficiency 34

Tier 3 Ability

・View of Darkness [Dark Sense] Proficiency 29

・Transformation of Darkness [Phantom Warrior] Proficiency 37

・Deposition of Darkness [Shadow Storage] Proficiency 20

・Casket of Darkness [Dark Coffin] Proficiency 2

・Call of Darkness [Summon: Dark Knight] Proficiency 0

Tier 4 Ability 

・Revelation of Darkness [Darkness Fog] Proficiency 95

Special Technique

・Return of Darkness [Create: Undead] Proficiency 5

————————-

Darkness Fog is also going to be increasing in Tier soon, but what’s most important right now is…Call of Darkness.

“Dark Knight…!” (Hikaru)

Finally, I feel as if I will finally be able to use an Ability that has actual attack power. 

Assuming from the name, it should be a knight of darkness?

Anyways, I should be able to tell if I use it.

“[Summon: Dark Knight]!” (Hikaru)

I cast the Ability and the darkness in the space condenses and shapes into a knight. 

A warrior with full armor and a splendid physique of around 190cm tall. 

It holds both a longsword and a shield. A figure I have seen before somewhere…

“Is it the same as the Phantom Warrior?” (Hikaru)

It looks the same as the Phantom Warrior that shows up with Transformation of Darkness. A spitting image. 

However, one is a phantom, and this one is the real deal with mass. Meaning that I can use them for different purposes.

There’s no doubt they can become a terrifying combo against monsters that learn and against people. 

Of course, that’s if the opponent has no prior knowledge about it. 

I try having the Dark Knight fight the 2nd Floor monsters just like that. 

Its fighting style of drawing attention to its surroundings by making loud noises hitting its sword to its shield is the same as the Phantom Warrior, but different from the slow movements of the Phantom whose main purpose is diversion, the Dark Knight is fast and strong. 

Goblins and Orcs are no match for it. 

It might be getting hit, but it doesn’t feel as if it is receiving damage. Well, it is darkness taken form, so I don’t really get it though. 

I tried making it fight against an Ogre too, but it crushed it completely there too. 

A team of 2 Ogres unfortunately didn’t show up, but it would most likely have no problem against 2 either. 

I thought we would be lacking in hands with just me and Jeanne, so this is quite the increase in fighting force. 

…Just that one use of this summon consumes quite a lot of Spirit Energy. It is equal to 5 uses of Darkness Fog. As a Loved One, I can get Spirit Energy from outside, but if I use Abilities consecutively too much, I eventually run dry. 

Looks like I won’t be able to use it without any limitations.

◇◆◆◆◇

(My hunting in the 2nd Floor really has stabilized quite a bit.) (Hikaru)

I have given myself the objective of leveling up, and I was defeating monsters at quite the high pace. 

I most likely already went over 100. 

Is it because the dungeon was closed until now? There were a lot of monsters. I went around defeating every single one of the monsters I encountered.

I must have earned close to 1 gold in Spirit Stones. 

I have also finished checking out the Dark Knight. Just when I was thinking about going back to where Jeanne is, an explorer party ran past me with desperate looks. 

A little bit after, a Mantis that seemed to be chasing after them appeared. 

(How unlucky…) (Hikaru)

The ones being chased were the explorer party that were talking about the Mantis just before with their novice comrade -most likely a porter that just got promoted.

Mantises rarely show up. They are so rare that I have only seen them 10 times.

They are running away from it, so I don’t think they need it. 

Doesn’t look like there will be any problems with me taking it. 

I come out from the darkness and summon Night Bugs. 

The Mantis that got prickling attacks from the Night Bugs stopped moving and turned this way. 

(Now, the last check.) (Hikaru)

“[Summon: Dark Knight]!” (Hikaru)

I undo the summon of the Night Bugs and call the Dark Knight. 

“Alright! Defeat it one on one!” (Hikaru)

 At my order, the Dark Knight answered by raising its sword, and began advancing towards the Mantis. 

The Mantis is strong enough to defeat Rifreya alone. 

In the 2nd Floor, it is a strong monster by miles and, even if compared to the 3rd Floor monsters, it could only be comparable to the Garden Panther falling a bit short. It is slightly weaker than a Lizardman from the 4th Floor. 

Anyways, I want to learn the true value of the Dark Knight here. 

From there on, the battle was a bit different from what I expected.

(Seriously?) (Hikaru)

Speaking of only the results, the Dark Knight won against the Mantis. 

Moreover, in just an exchange of a few tens of seconds. 

In other words, this Dark Knight that I can summon is stronger than Rifreya. 

This also means I myself have gotten stronger, but I feel a bit conflicted by this. 

I pick up the Chaotic Spirit Stone that came from the Mantis, hide in the darkness again, and head to the 1st Floor to meet up with Jeanne.