WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Irevi

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Chapter 27: Crossroads of Growth

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The strongest Lizardman I'd faced so far had been a Low-Ranking Warrior Lizardman with four White Stripes.

The number of stripes supposedly represented a warrior's experience, so even though it was low-ranking, it must've been a seasoned soldier with plenty of experience.

The entire time I fought it, I couldn't help thinking how accustomed to battle it seemed.

How much difference in combat power would there be between a seasoned Low-Ranking Warrior Lizardman and an inexperienced Intermediate Lizardman Warrior?

Like a command sergeant major and a newly commissioned second lieutenant, maybe a Low-Ranking Warrior Lizardman with four stripes was unexpectedly stronger.

Still, the High-Rank Warrior Lizardmen mixed in with them looked ridiculously strong at a glance, between their weapons and their size.

Fuck, what was I supposed to do?

I'd struggled against the Low-Ranking Warrior Lizardman because I'd deliberately equipped bad gear and lowered my stats.

But even if I switched back to my usual equipment now, I didn't think I could break through that swarm of Lizardmen.

I could hole up inside the ruins and draw them in one at a time, or wait for them to scatter.

The problem was that I was poisoned right now. If I just sat around and waited, I might drop dead like this.

Even now, the paralysis was getting worse, making it harder to move.

I had no idea how long I could last like this. I'd never been poisoned before, so I had nothing to go on.

Should I trust my Vitality, wait, and look for an opening? Or should I fight my way out before my condition got any worse?

“Fuck, fuck...”

I broke out in a cold sweat. I didn't even know if it was from nerves or the poison. Damn it, I couldn't think straight.

-Clank! Clank!

The armed Lizardmen were approaching the ruins. If I stayed here, they'd spot me. I had to choose fast.

Fuck, I didn't know anymore. Whatever happened, I refused to sit here and die.

I opened my inventory and quickly equipped the gear I'd sealed away.

-Tap!

I charged at the Lizardman standing at the entrance and scanning the area, starting the fight.

* * *

Maybe because of their extensive combat experience, Lizardmen tended to stay alert at all times.

But perhaps because so many had gathered at the ruins, these Lizardmen seemed completely off guard.

The moment I burst out, I pulled a dagger from my inventory and threw it at the High-Rank Warrior Lizardman wearing a red stripe.

I wanted to take out the strongest ones first, but they weren't that easy.

-Ting!

As if it had expected it, the Lizardman knocked aside the dagger I threw.

There was no way it had actually anticipated it, so its reaction speed when entering combat had to be insanely fast.

The ambush had completely failed. I quickly thrust my sword at the nearest Lizardman.

-Stab!

The Lizardman raised its guard quickly, but thanks to the attack power I'd gained by switching equipment, I pierced straight through its neck.

A red critical effect burst out. I spun around and slashed the Lizardman on my left.

-Crunch!

My powerful swing broke through its armor and landed a solid hit. Another critical.

I'd taken down two in an instant, but there were still dozens of Lizardmen left.

-Keruk! Keruruk!

The High-Rank Warrior Lizardman who looked like their commander shouted, and another Lizardman lunged at me with a spear.

The speed of the response, from assessing the situation to moving into combat, was insanely fast. So was that spear.

-Clang!

I raised my shield and blocked the spear, then stepped forward and brought my sword down at the top of the Lizardman's head.

But it read my attack trajectory and moved its head aside. My sword sank into its shoulder.

Damn it, the paralysis was slowing my attacks.

Normally, I would've split its skull open.

No, the problem wasn't just my physical condition deteriorating from the poison.

If that had been a Lizardman with a White Stripe, it wouldn't have been able to dodge that clumsy attack.

The Intermediate Lizardman Warriors with blue stripes were definitely stronger. Their basic reaction speed was on another level.

-Boom!

A hammer swung by another Lizardman slammed into my shield. Reaction speed wasn't the only difference.

Intermediate Lizardman Warriors had greater base strength than Low-Ranking Warrior Lizardmen too. I was starting to understand what determined a warrior's rank.

Even if their rank was low, experienced ones were naturally more seasoned and technically skilled.

The higher-ranked ones, regardless of skill, simply had better raw physical abilities.

Of course, that was hardly good news. There were Lizardmen here who were both high-ranking and experienced.

“Fuck...”

If rank had been based purely on skill, I might've been able to handle it somehow.

Like I'd done on the first and second floors, I could've just forced my way through with overwhelming stats.

-Thunk!

“Argh...!”

An arrow flew from between the Lizardmen and struck my shoulder. Fuck, why was that arrow so strong?

I looked toward where it had come from and saw a Lizardman with three red stripes holding a huge longbow.

Speak of the devil. A Lizardman with both a high rank and plenty of experience had shown up right away.

Judging by the power of its arrows, its Strength had to be incredible. Its skill was impressive too, hitting my shoulder precisely through this dense crowd of Lizardmen.

-Bam!

I kicked away the nearby Intermediate Lizardman Warriors and tried to push forward, but more and more Lizardmen rushed at me.

Two-meter-tall Lizardmen were blocking my path with sheer numbers. It was like trying to push through a mountain.

And the Lizardman with the longbow calmly nocked another arrow from far away and fired.

-Twang! Thunk!

“Argh!”

Another arrow slipped through a gap in my armor. It hurt like hell.

At the same time, the poisoning symptoms worsened. My vision was narrowing more and more.

No matter what I did, I couldn't see a way out of this. Was I going to die here?

[You have acquired Passive Skill: Poison Resistance Lv.1.]

* * *

I thought I'd die any second, but maybe awakening in a life-or-death crisis was actually real.

The battle that had seemed like it would end quickly with dozens of Lizardmen ganging up on me somehow kept going.

-Clang, slash!

The Lizardman trying to deflect my attack with its shield lost its head in one blow. A critical effect burst out.

[You have acquired Passive Skill: Paralysis Resistance Lv.2.]

The reason the battle could last this long was that I'd gained unexpected resistance skills.

As I acquired Poison Resistance and Paralysis Resistance, the poisoning symptoms that had only been getting worse gradually began to subside.

Of course, resistance was only resistance. As more time passed, the poison progressed again and the symptoms worsened.

-Keek!

In the meantime, the number of Lizardmen was gradually decreasing, while my wounds were actually healing.

[+2 Vampire's Ring]

Defense +15

Intelligence +2

20% chance to recover 5% of HP when defeating an enemy.

Enhancement Attempts Remaining: 0

That was thanks to the effect attached to the unique item I'd obtained on the first floor, the [Vampire's Ring].

I didn't have time to drink potions, but whenever I took down the Lizardmen charging at me, my HP occasionally recovered.

Apparently, the dozens I'd first spotted hadn't been all of them. Lizardmen kept reinforcing their numbers and attacking me.

But Lizardmen below a certain level were basically potions to me now.

-Stab!

“Ah, fuck.”

If only I could do something about that archer Lizardman.

* * *

[You have acquired Passive Skill: Intuition Lv.3.]

I knocked away an arrow aimed at my chest with my shield. That made three already.

Little by little, I was able to predict the timing of the incoming arrows. Of course, even when I predicted them, I still got hit more than half the time.

But my predictions were becoming more accurate, and at the same time, my Intuition skill was leveling up.

As Intuition improved, the battle became easier and easier.

I could now dodge some attacks from inexperienced Intermediate Lizardman Warriors without even looking. That wasn't the only skill growing.

[You have acquired Passive Skill: Battle Persistence Lv.9.]

Maybe because I'd kept fighting while poisoned, Battle Persistence was leveling up noticeably.

I still broke out in a cold sweat from the poisoning, and my vision still kept fading and clearing again.

How should I put it? I felt like I was gradually learning how to fight while in terrible condition.

At first, all I felt was more anxious as the battle dragged on, but watching myself grow in the middle of this crisis somehow made me laugh.

[You have acquired Passive Skill: Paralysis Resistance Lv.3.]

“Heh.”

It probably sounded insane, but now the pain from the poison tormenting my body was positively welcome.

* * *

It looked like the Lizardmen in the ruins that had seemed endless weren't actually infinite.

I'd killed an enormous number of Intermediate Lizardman Warriors, and the High-Rank Warrior Lizardman that had been firing arrows from afar was now right in front of me.

There were four High-Rank Warrior Lizardmen left, all wearing red stripes like the archer.

-Keruruk, keruk! Keruk!

They seemed furious as they held heavy-looking weapons, formed up, and surrounded me.

I'd never faced a High-Rank Warrior Lizardman head-on. Naturally, I'd never dealt with this kind of coordinated attack either.

But I didn't feel like I could lose.

This wasn't confidence born from high stats.

My fighting ability had improved by leaps and bounds during that brief, extreme situation, and the poison that had tormented me had now completely lost its effect.

“Hey, wait a second.”

I let go of the sword in my hand, opened my inventory, and switched equipment again.

This time, I put on a junk set with nothing but high Durability.

My fighting ability had already improved enormously, but I didn't think it was perfect yet.

When else would I get the chance to face four High-Rank Warrior Lizardmen at once?

“Alright, come at me.”

I wanted to grow stronger.

Footnotes:

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