Almost done.
'Now, all I need is bait and a place to wait.'
Placing my hand into my pouch, I grabbed a specific piece of meat I had specially prepared for events like this.
Although it looked rotten to the core, it wasn't, time doesn't flow in the pouch.
Its smell wasn't any better.
"Seriously! How can a chunk of meat be this smelly? Well, to the monsters it just screams free dinner, so I guess it does its job."
Not wanting to hold this ticking time bomb in my hands any longer, I threw the bait into the middle of the now covered pit.
"Now a place to watch... Where. Should. I. Watch."
"The walls? Nah, can't come out quick enough, and since it's barren till I can see..."
The ceiling...?
"Why not?"
Channeling my mana, my hands and feet began to glow with the familiar yellowish-white color. Then, suddenly, bursts of wind manifested beneath me, sending me upward into the ceiling.
It wasn't too high, but it was still a way there, around 10 meters or so.
Almost reaching the top, I channeled more mana toward my hands and punched a hole into the ceiling, so I have something to hold onto.
With Transmutation, I made a little pocket for myself and withdrew my mana and cast a soundproufing spell while I started waiting for a monster to catch the bait.
Monsters of this level might be able to sense me if I don't do so, and if they do sense me before I sense them...
'The last moments of my life will be me being surprised.'
So I started waiting... and waiting... and waiting, it felt like hours, if not days had passed.
"Haaaaahhh, should I go somewhere else? No, no, no, this is a game of patience."
'If I go down at the wrong time, I'm today's dinner'
"Speaking of dinner, maybe I should eat something. I'm starting to get hungry."
Even though I was in the ceiling, it was pretty spacious up there.
I only needed a hole, where I have a clear sight of the trap... and I also need to fit through it.
Reaching into the pouch, I grabbed a little chunk of dried meat and a canteen filled with drinkable water.
"Can't fight with an empty stomach!"
Joy rushed through my body as I watched my meal in front of me.
I grabbed the dried meat and bit it in the most delicious looking place.
"pthu... and there goes my joy. Still bland as hell.
No matter how many years I spend down here, I still can't get used to the lack of spices"
"Like seriously! Not even a grain of salt, I searched every nook and cranny of this place."
While eating my not so filling meal, I finally heard something.
*Tap...Tap*
That was the moment I finally saw what type of monsters I will be dealing with on this floor.
It had the body of a wolf with two tails, and six onyx-black eyes, all blinking out of sync.
Its claws were more black than obsidian, and its fur was gray in color.
At times, some sparks could be seen between its two tails.
"Hmm... maybe it uses lightning, better be cautious."
The prey was in sight now. All I needed was for it to take the bait.
*Sniff... Sniff...*
The wolf's muzzle twitched, nostrils flaring as it caught the scent. My knuckles whitened around the sword's hilt.
'Come on. Just a little closer.'
It took a tentative step forward, then another, ears pinned back in that unnerving way predators move when suspicion overrides hunger. The damn thing started circling the meat, hackles raised like it expected the rancid chunk to sprout teeth and lunge.
'As expected, even regular wolves are pretty intelligent.'
I counted each cautious orbit, one... two... three... each pass tightening the coil in my gut.
Its muzzle dipped, jaws opening a hair's breadth from the bait...
Then jerked back like the meat had burned it.
'Breathe. Just breathe.'
The years of dungeon instincts screamed.
'Patience is the knife that cuts deepest.'
Then, after one last circle, it finally bit on the bait and started chewing.
Seeing this, I didn't waste a single second and placed my foot against the ceiling, and shot myself downward.
The sword angled at the monster.
The moment I made my move, it sensed it and tried to move, but its speed wasn't enough.
I channeled my mana, the yellowish-white glow flowed from my hand into the sword, making it harder and sharper.
Not even a second passed, and I finally made contact with the beast.
The floor beneath us cracked, then completely collapsed, with both of us falling into the pit laced with poisonous spears.
My sword hardly, but successfully penetrated its thick hide, but the spears bent under its weight as they could not penetrate its thick skin.
'tsk... knew it won't be that easy.'
Luckily, the poison on the sword had already shown its effect
The muscle and skin on its back started rotting the moment my blade made the slightest scratch.
'Now I just have to survive.'
The poison was powerful, but not powerful enough.
The wolf scrambled from the pit, twin tails sparking violently.
*Cra Crack!*
"Shit!"
I poured mana into my legs just as lightning tore through the air where I'd stood.
Hit the ground outside the pit rolling. Slammed my palms on the floor.
[Transmutation]
An earthen wall erupted between us.
A sound like grinding bones tore through the air as the beast howled and unleashed its fury.
Lightning shot through the air, destroying my barrier.
Flames roared from my palm, and through the debris, I shot a ball of fire that was faster than the wind.
—but the bastard twisted midair, barely dodging my attack.
"Tsk."
As heat seared empty air where it had been, it pressed its paws against the ground, shattering it completely.
A powerful blast swept through the surroundings as its figure blurred.
I raised my sword, and sparks flew in the air as it made contact with the wolf's obsidian claws
Flexing every muscle in my body. I flung it aside and immediately cast [air bullets] in its direction.
The monster tried to dodge my attack, but as the poison corroded more and more of its body, it couldn't dodge in time, and my attack hit, blasting one of its legs away.
Seeing this, I knew now was the time to go all out.
If I don't grab this chance, there probably won't be another one.
In fights of this level, everyone has to go step by step, slowly revealing each other's cards.
If one side decides to go all out from the start, the opponent just has to survive until they're all out of stamina.
It's something even monsters understand.
"Be a good monster and die!"
The yellowish-white hue flowed out of me, covering me as lightning started forming around my entire body.
*Cra Crack!*
The core of my blade was now barely visible as my mana fully coated it.
The ground cracked open as the pressure around my body multiplied, and I shot towards the wounded beast.
In a last-ditch effort, it summoned several [wind blades] in my direction, but it was all futile, as now I could dodge them with ease.
Seeing that it gathered all its mana, turned around, and started fleeing, but with a severed leg, it was nowhere near fast enough to outrun me.
Appearing before it, I thrust my sword down, aiming at its neck.
*Swoosh!*
*Crack!*
It was barely able to dodge my attack as my sword crashed into the ground, creating a small crater.
*Booom!*
But it didn't come without a cost, a sickening snap echoed as its front legs snapped in half."
"Crazy bastard!"
Releasing the lightning that was curling around my body, I shot it towards the now half-dead beast.
The lightning struck through the air and made contact with the beast, instantly paralyzing it.
Not wanting to drag this on any more, I rushed in and with one swift movement, I cut its head off