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"Ah, there you are." Issei smirked as he entered the second-from-last room and saw the eight remaining enemies. Six of them were Clanrats, armed in the same way as the last lot, but it was the other two that gave him pause.
They were half-again as big as the Clanrats and looked twice as mean. Black fur covered them and long sinuous tails lashed behind them. The armour they wore was made of what looked like iron and covered the same areas protected by the Clanrats' armour. Clasped in their hands were, for them, halberds. For a human, they'd be axes.
Stormvermin LV5
[Black Rat]
This…wasn't going to be easy. Those two were the same level as he was and had better equipment than he did. Those halberds were made of iron as well. Issei may not be the best student at history, but he had read a manga called Red River, which showed exactly what happened when bronze tried to compete with iron.
Bronze lost in the long run.
"Kill-kill!" one Stormvermin squeaked as it spotted him. Much to Issei's surprise, only the Clanrats attacked. The larger ratmen stayed back, guarding the lever.
Issei hacked and slashed his way through the Clanrats with greater ease than before. His height and reach advantage were complimented by his new [Basic Swordsmanship] skill. The Clanrats, despite their numbers, couldn't even touch him. Although they did cut his shirt and trousers more than once.
Only once the last Clanrat expired did the Stormvermin move. Wielding their iron halberds, they stalked towards Issei with slow deliberate steps designed to intimidate.
Issei noticed that they were angling to catch him in a pincer move, which was not something he was eager to let happen. He whispered, "{Inventory}" and readied himself.
"Die, Man-thing!" the one to his right squealed and charged, as the one to his left charged as well, albeit silently.
Quickly, Issei reached into the Inventory screen and pulled out a [Copper Short Sword] that he had taken from a defeated Clanrat. He then parried both attacking weapons with his own. The Copper sword bent from the impact, as expected, but it was enough to throw the Stormvermin off-guard.
He kicked the left-side one in the face before turning back to the right-hand ratman and shoving his bronze sword into its throat. The Stormvermin choked and died.
Returning his attention to the last remaining ratman minion, Issei was surprised to see it running at him, a crazed look in its eyes. He blocked another swipe of its iron halberd with the copper sword. This proved too much for the blade, as it snapped in two. Issei didn't hesitate to throw the handle and what little remained of the blade still attached to it in the face of the Stormvermin, making it flinch long enough for him to repeat the death of its companion.
You have slain X6 Clanrats! You earn 360 EXP!
You have slain X2 Stormvermin! You earn 240 EXP!
Do you wish to loot the bodies? Y/N
Hitting the 'Y' button, Issei grinned as the loot piled up.
Dirty Hemp Smock X6
Copper Short Sword X6
Copper Spaulders X6
Copper Vambraces X6
Leather Brigandine X6
Dirty Leather Tunic X2
Pig Iron Spaulders X2
Pig Iron Vambraces X2
Crude Pig Iron Cuirass X2
Stormvermin Pig Iron Halberd X2
¥4000
Selling the Hemp Smocks and Leather Tunics for a profit of ¥102, the rest went to his inventory. Issei then strode up to the lever and pulled it down.
Ratman Minions Dispatched: 30/30
"Right." he muttered as the lever clicked and was then retracted into the wall, "Now to find the boss' room."
It wasn't that hard at all; the pair of stupidly-large doors open at the end of the corridor that had swung open were a dead give away. Issei cautiously entered the room. It was full of straw dummies, human in shape, but with extra additions. Some had black bat-like wings on the back, while others had feathered wings of the feathered variety, coloured both black and white.
"Devil…Fallen Angel…Angel…" a snickering voice came from a shadowed area at the far side of the room. Issei peered forwards and managed to make out a figure sitting in a throne-like seat.
"These things?" Issei jerked his head at the dummies, "Are you telling me these guys exist?"
"Yes-yes, Man-thing…" the figure replied with another snicker, "Devil-things troublesome. Saving them for last. Fallen-things immoral and hide well. They'll be second last. Angel-things weakest of all. Destroy the Church-things and they're helpless."
"While hearing your plans is nice and all, we'd better get to the part where I kick your ass." Issei said challengingly.
The figure roared in laughter. "Kekekekekekekeke…foolish man-thing. You cannot defeat me, defeat Byral Warfang! Yes-yes…I shall enjoy your cries of pain…"
Bylan stood up and strode forward into the light, allowing Issei to gauge his enemy. Standing a head above even the Stormvermin, Byral Warfang cast an imposing figure for something that didn't even come up to Issei's chin. He wore a conical helm over his head, with a sheet of chain mail going down the back to protect his neck. His chest was protected by a steel cuirass, with pauldrons on his shoulders and a fauld going around his waist. Over his shoulders, a ragged brown cape fluttered.
With a sneer, the dungeon boss drew the sword at its hip. One side of it was straight, while the other half was curved like the waves. All of its equipment was steel, which meant trouble for Issei.
Byral Warfang LV6
[Lesser Ratman Warlord]
Great. Just great. Not only did the bastard have better equipment than he did, it was also a level higher than him. Perfect.
Issei readied his bronze sword and withdrew a copper sword from his inventory as well. He knew that if iron was a bad match up for his bronze and copper weapons, then steel was even worse for him. That sword would cut through them like a hot knife through butter.
'Well then, I'll just have to avoid hitting his blade or armour.' Issei thought as he shifted his grip on his weapons, 'This fight can't last long.'
With a shrieking warcry, Byral leapt forwards, sword raised to strike. Issei sidestepped to the left and struck out with his blades, cutting a line across Byral's arm.
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