Chapter 9: Sewer King Showdown

Seoeok, Wham!

[Lv. 17 Ratman Beast defeated.]

“Chiek!”

A muscular Ratman fell at the tip of my sword.

Ratman Beast.

It was a strange monster to me.

Unlike the equipped Warrior, it was a Ratman charging barehanded, almost like fighting a werewolf.

‘Phew, not bad.’

It had finally become manageable.

At last, I felt like I was truly in combat.

The sensation at my fingertips changed to a satisfying weight.

[★★ Goblin Sentry has fallen!]

Of course, there was a price to pay.

The green Gobori turned blue.

“Are you satisfied now? Our green one is dead! It’s your fault, idiot!”

Rose shouted into the air.

Still, Gobori’s expression was calm.

He smiled confidently, showing his trust.

“Hoho, believe me, Rose. The User has a plan. They must have figured something out!”

“What? Figured out what, you fool! You think it’s fun turning blue?”

“The User who summoned me. There’s no way they aren’t the strongest.”

“Sigh, you’re crazy too.”

Rose sighed and shook her head.

I appreciated their faith, but it was an embarrassing loyalty on my part.

“Hey.”

At that moment, Dolores, who had been walking silently up to the 6th floor, finally spoke for the first time.

“Yes?”

“Where did your equipment go? You had some pretty strong weapons. Did they break?”

“Ah. The User removed them. Maybe because the battles were too easy.”

“Removed them because it was easy? The User did that?”

“No, it wasn’t said directly by them. Just a guess.”

“Hah. You see all kinds of crazy people. To take off perfectly good gear and come here… really…”

Dolores grumbled.

That was another nuisance.

I should avoid doing that next time.

By the time I was fighting strong enemies like Ratman Warriors, Beasts, and Mages, “Wow! Here it is! If we go through here, it’s the village!”

Dolores returned in a dramatic tone.

‘Was this really the same woman who was grumbling moments ago? Her acting was admirable.’

“Haah……. this is screwed. Damn it.”

But Dolores’s expression darkened.

‘Screwed? Why?’

Rattle rattle…

In the passage she led us to sat a gigantic Ratman.

Green filth and tangled water flowed inside the corridor, and the Ratman, resting on its haunches, stood up as it saw us.

“Aargh.”

A massive figure standing 4 meters tall, filling the entire corridor.

This was a monster on a completely different level from any Ratman I had faced before.

“Oh. Now that I think about it, it’s a boss fight, right? We’re screwed.”

Rose flew over beside me and said.

“Hmph. I already knew. The User knew it too. That’s why you came here in just your underwear!”

Gobori spat out another strange remark.

If you knew, why didn’t you tell me!

“Chieeek!!!”

The Ratman opened its mouth and roared.

Inside its bright red mouth were rows of needle-like teeth.

Doon! Doodoodoon! Doodoodoodoon!

“Ah, that startled me!”

At the same time, lively drumbeats sounded.

Startled, I looked around.

“Ah. It’s the BGM, the background music!”

Gobori explained.

Explosive music echoed in the passage where the Ratman stood.

[Boss: Sewer King] Lv. 19

[Boss Monster has appeared!]

A message appeared.

Level 19 Sewer King.

I gripped my sword, preparing for battle.

“Haah. Do your best. I don’t know if we can clear it. Who comes to a boss fight without gear? What a joke.”

Dolores glanced back at me and said.

Then she approached the Ratman and—

“W-What are you doing…!”

Wham!

Before I could stop her, she was grabbed by the Ratman’s hand.

[Dolores is in danger! Rescue her before her HP runs out!]

[This is a boss battle.]

[Manual control recommended.]

“Help! Please help! Save me… Ugh! Fight quickly! I’m dying! Ack!”

Dolores screamed as she was held captive.

It wasn’t just my imagination—her cries felt genuine.

“Hmm, what now? Fight like this? It’s fine if she dies. After all, the User removed the gear. It’s their own fault.”

Rose shrugged.

“Kyuiik?”

Junior tilted his head, watching.

Haah…….

Of all times, the fight without equipment was against a boss monster.

I lightly sighed and rubbed my forehead.

But I wasn’t going to give up.

“I have to. I don’t want to die.”

“Kyah! Save me! Kyah! Cough cough! Stupid User bastard! Why take off your gear for a boss fight! I won’t forgive you if I die! Fight quickly! Save me fast! Ack!”

Dolores coughed and acted with passion.

If I didn’t rescue her soon, her voice would probably go hoarse.

“Haste!”

[★★ Wandering Swordsman: Haste Skill!]

[★★ Wandering Swordsman’s attack speed and movement speed increased by 10% each!]

Whoosh!

A white gust swirled as I charged the Ratman.

Sewage splattered beneath my feet, and—

“Kyah!”

The Ratman roared, swinging down its right hand.

Its left was busy holding Dolores, so it couldn’t use it.

Bang!

‘Ugh!’

Green filth burst up where the Ratman’s hand struck.

“Ugh! It went in my mouth!”

Rose gagged and whined.

Remembering something, I called out to Rose.

“Rose!”

“Waaah!”

“Stick with Dolores! I’ve healed myself, so heal Dolores!”

“What? You?”

“I have Potions! It’s fine!”

I said while looking at the screen.

The screen showed me and Rose, along with the HP bars of the Ratman and Dolores.

If Dolores’s HP hit zero, we would fail the battle.

I had Potions, but she didn’t.

Protecting Dolores while taking down the Ratman was the goal of this fight.

“Are you sure? You don’t need me?”

“I’m fine! Go!”

“Got it! Then I’ll do my best!”

Rose flew up.

‘Good.’

Dolores’s HP on the screen began to recover.

Now I could fight with peace of mind.

“Boss! Tail! Tail!”

Swish!

A whip-like tail brushed past.

Getting hit by that kind of tail was almost certainly fatal.

“Ugh!”

Wham!

I swung my sword and sliced the Ratman’s foot.

“Kyah!”

But it wasn’t enough to finish it off.

I had to aim for the neck or head and end it in one blow.

‘Of course…’

Though it was out of easy reach.

I had defeated demons and monsters bigger than this.

I stepped on the Ratman’s back and climbed all the way to its head.

Wham!

Then I drove my sword into its crown.

“Kyaaak!”

The huge Ratman howled.

Damn.

‘It wasn’t going deeper?’

Its skull was tougher than I thought.

Much harder than the demons I’d fought before.

“It has too much HP! Don’t go for critical hits!”

“Critical hits? What’s that?”

“It means critical damage! This isn’t a foe you can take down with critical hits! Take it down slowly!”

Gobori shouted as he watched.

I drew my sword and jumped down from the Ratman.

Splash!

The Ratman was still standing strong, as confirmed on the screen.

“Kyah!”

The enraged Ratman struck down with its right hand.

Green filth erupted like waves.

[☆ Consumed Healing Potion to recover Wandering Swordsman.]

“Ugh!”

I used a Potion to recover HP.

The shock mixed with sewage was no joke.

“Boss! Tail! Tail’s coming!”

Swish!

The tail brushed over my head.

I quickly dodged by dropping down when I heard Gobori’s warning.

“Kyah!”

And the roaring echoed.

Bang!

The Ratman’s right arm slammed down, splattering sticky filth.

‘Huh?’

But something felt off.

‘What was it?’

‘This familiar unease?’

The Ratman pulled back its hind leg and inhaled.

That move was…

“Boss! Tail!”

“Right! I figured it out too! It’s a simple guy!”

Swish!

I dodged the tail flying over my head.

Finally, I understood this boss.

The dwarf I met before was the same.

In this world, everything was light.

Battles, mistakes, even death.

This was just another lightweight aspect of Valhalla.

The Ratman had been repeating the same moves over and over.

“Kyah!”

When it roared like that, its right front paw would strike down.

Wham!

Then it pulled back its hind leg and took a breath.

That meant…

“Tail attack!”

“Exactly! You’ve figured out the pattern!”

“Thanks!”

Swish!

I dodged the tail again.

Now that I understood, it was nothing special.

A big roar meant a front paw strike.

Pulling back the hind leg to breathe meant a tail whip.

“Screech!”

And that strange cry was…

Wham!

The Ratman lunging to bite me!

Every action had a warning beforehand.

So there was no difficulty in countering.

“Kyah!”

The giant Ratman roared.

Right front paw attack.

I dodged lightly, slashing the incoming hand back.

“Screech!”

When it tried to bite, I ducked to avoid.

Wham!

Then sprang up and jabbed its chin.

By responding to its pattern, I slowly inflicted damage.

“That’s right! This is how you handle boss fights! Even if it’s just scratches, eventually it dies! You die bleeding from your fingertips, you know?”

Gobori, now blue, shouted.

He was right.

There was no need to aim for the neck or vital spots.

Wounds that by common sense shouldn’t take a life were gradually rendering the Ratman powerless.

“Gyaaek…!”

The Ratman lifted its head and groaned.

‘What now?’

It still had 10% HP left.

[Sewer King is in pain!]

[Finish with a final strike!]

The words ‘Final Strike!’ appeared on the screen.

‘Was it telling me to press it?’

Whoosh!

“Ughhhh…!”

I pressed ‘Final Strike’ and my body soared.

Spinning uncontrollably like a top,

[★★ Wandering Swordsman: Flurry of Strikes!]

Ka-bang! Ka-bang-bang!

“Ughhh…! What is this! What is this! Aaaah!”

I spun dizzyingly and tore into the Ratman’s neck.

The sensation of being pulled along felt like a puppet’s movements.

“Kyaaek!!!”

The Ratman screamed.

Thud!

Then collapsed onto the floor.

Sticky filth splashed everywhere.

[Sewer King defeated!]

[Achievement: Defeated Sewer King without wearing equipment.]

[★★ Wandering Swordsman leveled up!]

[★★ Wandering Swordsman Lv. 20]

[★★ Wandering Swordsman Lv. 21]

[★★ Wandering Swordsman Lv. 22]

[★★ Goblin Sentry’s level has…]

[★★ Goblin Sentry → Lv. 15]

[★★★★ Rose Fairy’s level…]

[★★★★ Rose Fairy → Lv. 16]

[★★★ Rose Fairy Lv. 17]

[★★★★ Rose Fairy → Lv. 18]

[Mission Clear!]

[+500 Gold]

[Pet Bonus!] [+120 Gold]

[Pet Bonus!] [+70 Steel Shards]

[+100 Diamonds]

[+10 Normal Cards]

And an overwhelming amount of messages popped up.

The dark void filled with text.

“Wooot! As expected, boss! Killing the boss alone! You really are amazing!”

Gobori cheered, clenching his fist.

Junior bounced around happily.

This guy seemed to have lost his Ratman identity.

“Kuuwek! Agh, I thought I was going to die! Kuwek!”

Dolores, who had fallen to the ground, got up.

She vomited for a while, then brushed off her clothes and turned around.

“Wow! You defeated the giant Ratman! You’re a hero!”

She hopped excitedly, continuing her act.

Her spirit was truly admirable.

‘Were these achievements the goal? I hadn’t even realized these were here after coming a few times! Green, you came.’

“That’s right! Amazing, huh?”

“Pfft. What did I say? The User who summoned us is definitely the strongest.”

“Oh! Gobori! Loyalty is overflowing!”

“You believe too! Believe in the User and be saved! Hahaha!”

Rose and Gobori rejoiced.

That this happened unintentionally was…

A secret I could never reveal.

“But what was that just now? The ‘Final Strike’. It felt like I was being pulled along.”

I asked about the ‘Final Strike’ I just experienced.

Gobori explained smoothly.

“‘Final Strike’ is a special move, a finisher. Right now, it can only be used in boss fights, but once you reach 3 stars, you can use it like a skill. It’s a core ability!”

“You can use it once you hit 3 stars?”

“Story later! The exit is here! We’re finally saying goodbye to this sewer! Let’s go, boss!”

The blue Gobori led the way.

‘But why aren’t we leaving yet?’

I felt curious and followed Dolores.

“Haah! We finally made it! Welcome to our village! Thank you for saving us!”

Dolores welcomed us from the front.

‘Ugh!’

We finally reached the exit, shining with a flash of light.

“Chirp! Chirp chirp!”

Birds chirped in the forest.

Smoke rose from the houses among the trees.

The scene reminded me of home and filled my chest with emotion.

[Episode 1: Unexpected Meeting cleared!]

[+100 Diamonds]

[Training and shop functions are now available!]