Level Eater
Chapter 194

Tatsuro dragged out Big Piporin and immobilized it with tree magic, binding it so it couldn't move, and then proceeded to use [Level Eater].

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Level: 42

Skills: [Foot Regeneration Lv.7] [Scratching Lv.4] [Special Mucus Generation Lv.4]

[Diffusion Discharge Lv.2]

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(Foot Regeneration? Why just for feet? Well, maybe by narrowing the scope, it could level up exceptionally high. It regenerates quickly.)

Tatsuro stared at the foot that had been laser-cut moments ago, now growing back again.

(Next is this [Special Mucus]. I'll need to be careful not to let it use that next time. No, if I collect it, it might be useful for something.)

Level: 42

Skills: [Foot Regeneration Lv.0] [Scratching Lv.0] [Special Mucus Lv.0]

[Diffusion Discharge Lv.0]

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After absorbing all skill levels, Athena delivered the final blow to Big Piporin, which had lost water pressure and was now swollen like a balloon.

Then she recovered the corpse and used water magic to add moisture to the mucus scattered on the floor, gathering it all in one place and collecting it as well.

"Come to think of it, since a Piporin is here, the Piporins the doctor sacrificed for experiments might have been taken from here" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah. I was wondering how they would capture so many deep-sea monsters" (Ai)

Just as they were starting to feel convinced, Leah raised an objection.

"I don't think that's correct." (Leah)

"Why's that?" (Tatsuro)

"Dungeon monsters can't survive outside the dungeon." (Leah)

"Is that so?" (Ai)

Tatsuro and Ai both tilted their heads at this unfamiliar information.

"Yes. Outside monsters can basically generate magical power by obtaining energy through food, but dungeon monsters receive magical power through magic stones from the dungeon, and cannot replenish their magical power on their own." (Leah)

"But I've seen other monsters trying to attack and eat each other?" (Tatsuro)

"That might be more of an instinctual behavior for monsters. While they might eat for such reasons, dungeon monsters can live without eating from birth to death." (Leah)

"So instead, if they go outside the dungeon, they'll run out of magical power for activities and die. Is that correct?" (Tatsuro)

"That's exactly right." (Leah)

This made them even more curious about how the doctor had obtained the Piporins.

Leah seemed to sense this and offered a potential explanation.

"In this area, there's a place called the Shtralun Sea to the east. Perhaps they were setting traps in the sea to capture them? Though the cost of the traps, installation, and transportation would be astronomically expensive..." (Leah)

"But if a lord-level person is backing them, that could be solved." (Tatsuro)

"Yes, especially if they have connections with skilled merchants." (Leah)

While picturing the lords of Lyadus and Reginald, the conversation seemed to conclude.

But the truth was actually different.

The half-dragon Yorn, partner to the fairy female Marikka Shurjaniemi (who was currently busy with the mayoral election), could actually dive into the deep sea.

Marikka was also involved in the artificial magic stone generation plan, so Yorn had simply worked hard to capture them.

Though they still needed to know the capture location and tools to keep them alive, the explanation wasn't completely off...

Unaware of these circumstances, they continued walking, when Tatsuro felt a strange discomfort on the floor about several dozen meters ahead.

Having learned from the large sea dog incident that ignoring such reactions could be dangerous, he first lifted the surrounding alert and had Ai and the others prepare for potential enemies.

Then, together with Cardina, he spread out detection magic across the suspicious floor area.

"I see what's happening." (Tatsuro)

"What do you mean?" (Ai)

"It seems there's another monster with a camouflage skill. The floor is actually a level lower, and a board-shaped monster is fitted into it, waiting for someone to pass overhead. From the surface, it just looks like a flat floor." (Tatsuro)

"At this rate, they might appear on the ceiling too." (Ai)

"That seems likely." (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro carefully analyzed the monster's characteristics, memorizing its reactions so he could quickly identify it if it appeared again.

While using [Spirit Eye] would make it visible, it seemed to be camouflaged so well that it would require completely changing the field of view to see it.

So he prepared detection magic to identify it.

He then handed Ai an iron ball with a baseball-like mesh design, capable of throwing curve balls.

"Are you practicing [Trajectory Correction] with this?" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah. I'm going to mark the area, so try throwing it within this range." (Ai)

"Okay!" (Tatsuro)

He drew lines with light magic to visually distinguish the monster's body parts from the floor.

With no movement from the other side, they could proceed without hesitation.

"First, I'll try a curve that falls below. Let's see... like this..." (Ai)

Ai took out a throwing skill book from her [Item Box], opened it to a bookmarked page, and started moving her fingers with the ball in hand.

After memorizing the form, she stood up and took a throwing stance. And then───.

"Take thaaaaat!─────Huh?" (Ai)

She had slammed the iron ball down near her own feet.

"Looks like the ball didn't slide smoothly from your fingers. You don't need to go full force; try it lightly first." (Tatsuro)

"No, I'll get it next time!" (Ai)

"Where's that confidence coming from... Here's the next ball." (Tatsuro)

"Thanks!" (Ai)

With Tatsuro half-exasperated, handing her the second ball, Ai remained absolutely confident.

"Gooooo!　───Oops?" (Ai)

This time, the iron ball was embedded in the ceiling.

"Seems like it slipped out completely this time." (Tatsuro)

"Geez, I'm definitely following the instructions in the book!" (Ai)

"Remember, Ai isn't particularly dexterous, to begin with, so start more gently." (Tatsuro)

"Not true! I'll get it next time!" (Ai)

"Mooon... what a stubborn kid. Fine, practice until you're satisfied." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah. I love you, Tatsuro!" (Ai)

And with her clinging to him, Tatsuro would forgive everything – love is a terrifying thing in its own way.

After sacrificing numerous iron balls, she finally landed a hit on the monster.

"──Gigi"

"I hit it!" (Ai)

"Well, that was mostly just a straight throw." (Tatsuro)

While they were talking, the monster finally realized its location was exposed and began peeling off the floor.

It was a two-meter square blue thick board with round mouths about twenty centimeters wide completely covering its surface, with tentacles like sea anemones growing from the back, brushing the floor as it approached – like a toothbrush.

The mouths then suddenly shot out like moray eels, spraying saliva around.

"What is that? So gross!" (Tatsuro)

"How disgusting!" (Ai)

"...Ugh" (Nana)

Ai and Nana frankly expressed their feelings, while Leah looked like she might vomit just from looking at it.

As it was coming straight towards them, Tatsuro prepared a [Level Eater] black ball, had Ai create a shield, and stepped back.

At that moment, a rotten egg smell hit his nose.

When he investigated, the smell was coming from the saliva the monster was spraying.

Ai and Leah were about to genuinely vomit, so he had them step back and be attended to by Nana. He used life magic to suppress nausea and wind magic to blow away the smell.

Unable to completely eliminate it, he used water magic to shower the source of the smell.

The monster continued approaching unfazed by the deluge.

By then, the [Level Eater] he had launched earlier finally took effect.

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Level: 39

Skills: [Surface Camouflage Lv.7] [Offensive Stench Saliva Lv.4] [Bite Lv.4]

[Stealth Lv.2]

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(I thought it was exceptionally good at hiding, probably a result of combining camouflage and stealth skills. But that's not the issue now. I need to cut off the source of this smell.)

Tatsuro prioritized absorbing the [Offensive Stench Saliva] skill, eliminating the smell's source.

Afterwards, Jeanne and Athena used a combination of wind and lightning magic to deal damage and prevent the monster from getting closer.

However, they were holding back to avoid killing it, and its magic resistance was stronger than expected, which gradually closed the distance and made Tatsuro anxious.

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Level: 39

Skills: [Surface Camouflage Lv.0] [Offensive Stench Saliva Lv.0] [Bite Lv.0]

[Stealth Lv.0]

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"Alright, we can finish it off!" (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro spoke immediately after drinking a black ball, signaling to Jeanne and the others.

Athena then transformed and charged in with a large scythe.

With Jeanne's wind magic adding speed, she circled around horizontally and slashed across with a lightning-covered scythe, slicing through the protruding mouths and cauterizing the wound with lightning to prevent fluid leakage.

She also sliced through the brush-like tentacle feet, reducing it to just a thick board.

|Skill [Scythe Arts Lv.1] acquired|

"Eh? Well, whatever. Hyah!" (Athena)

Finally stomping on the board and breaking it, the monster completely ceased activity.