[D'sP] Overestimated - Chapter 471

Doyle, ‘Wait a second. I just thought of something. We’re talking about the ability to sense the supernatural and how others do so, but what about me?’

Ally, ‘That’s a good question. A regular dungeon just knows. They’re like deities when it comes to their “domain”. I’ve heard it described as selectively all-knowing.

“So, like, a god of strength will always know what is happening in every official place of worship and any events dealing with the kind of strength they’ve rationalized to be a part of their portfolio. A warrior deity of strength will likely know every instance of arm wrestling that is happening in any universe they have a large enough base of worshippers.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean they remember or pay attention to such things. It is more like how humans know they’re breathing without actually paying attention to it. Though as with breathing, you can focus on it. Admittedly, small-scale stuff is harder to focus on. Whereas a large-scale event will practically shout at them.

‘And so a normal dungeon core will be constantly aware of everything in the dungeon, it is their body after all, but not as an active thing. You? Well, I guess it could work similarly. After all, as a human, you had a body and what not so in theory, you have the capability for the same. However, every being who has been turned into a core tends to feel stuff differently. Especially since this is a magical sense and not a physical one.’

Doyle, ‘Well, I know when power is around, but I can’t pinpoint anything or see it specifically. More of a vague feeling than a sense.’

Ally, ‘Then that is likely how it has decided to manifest for you. If I had to give a reason it would do so? I’d say it is because you don’t have to. The system takes care of it for you. Sort of like how humans are endurance hunters and yet most people even now don’t have all that much endurance.

‘Not even a matter of “use it or lose it”, but rather of never having it in the first place. If you train, there is always a possibility to get there. The question is whether the time taken to train such things ends up being worthwhile for you or not.’

Doyle sighs, ‘Well that’s annoying. Though while we were discussing this, the bear seems to have made some headway.’

Up on the second floor, the bear has made it to the second to last. Admittedly, the last two rooms take up much of the floor, but still.

Anyway, the more important part is that the monsters are finally getting some damage in. Well, bruises at least. The sling-wielding kobolds are more than capable of hitting a bear.

This is only a temporary matter though, as the bear charges up the dirt ramps and is on those kobolds well before they manage any serious damage. From there, the bear is into familiar territory, only having to climb down into the forest below. Though it does detour to the hidden beehive.

After some honey, the bear charges down into the kobolds and what happens can’t really be called a fight. The bear rolled on through their camp and left none alive.

Which means the bear is once again in front of a portal. This time though, whatever the bear might have been considering before, it now is locked in. Without hesitation, the bear enters the portal and heads to floor three.

Said floor is barely a speed bump to the bear’s progress. While it is a bit of a maze, the bear is comfortable with the more natural cave setting. Though it also gets lucky and, while not the most optimal path, ends up going pretty directly to the portal and on to floor 4.

Where the bear proves why they’re the apex predator around here and not wolves. Maybe if this was an open arena and the wolves could attack all at once? Though with the way the bear bodies them, maybe not and it was on to floor five, the first boss floor.

Here, the bear is finally forced to slow down. As a beast, if moderately magical, there was no planning involved. It simply charged at the little fortress the kobolds had built up.

Crash

The front gate bows inward, but holds, if barely.

Wham!

A meaty paw slaps against the gate and shakes the wooden building to its foundation.

It is at this point that the kobolds finally react and begin to rain spells and sling bullets down on the beast.

Too late to matter though as the next blow with the bear’s other paw rends wood and shatters the gate inward, revealing the kobolds arrayed to face it. The fight might have seemed almost heroic if this was happening out in the world. A small outpost defending itself against a rampaging beast.

Except this was a set piece of dungeon monsters fighting against a regular beast being drawn further into the dungeon in what is half a trap.

And it was this set piece that finally landed a solid blow on the bear. As the rest of the melee kobolds threw themselves onto the bear and tried to hold it down, the boss opened up a bleeding wound on the bear’s shoulder. A shame that this wasn’t a deep cut.

The fight ends with the bear surrounded by a pile of dead kobolds, the boss before them in a crumpled heap with their armor rent asunder. Seemingly satisfied with the carnage, the bear bellows out a roar that literally shakes dust off the ground.

Down in the core room, Doyle turns to Ally, ‘So uh, that’s not normal.’

Ally frowns, ‘Hmm? No, bears can do that.’

Doyle, ‘I never heard of a bear roaring so loud the ground rumbled with it.’

Ally, ‘Oh, right, yeah, no, they wouldn’t have. That’s a “now” kind of normal. It is the result of magic, even if the bear isn’t using magic to do it.’

Doyle, ‘What? Does magic have a flair for the dramatic or something?’

Ally shakes her head, ‘No, magical beasts that don’t yet have an outlet for their magic will have stuff manifest around them.’

Doyle, ‘Huh, fair enough.’

While they talk about that, the bear finishes roaring and trundles over to the portal and through to the sixth floor.

Doyle, ‘Well, presumably this floor will take it awhile.’

Ally nods, ‘I wonder how it will deal with the endless design you managed there. Though I guess the requirement to full clear the floor to progress isn’t going to be a problem for it.’

And it isn’t. The bear is more than happy to beat up every group of monsters they come across. More than that, it easily consumes all the dropped meat, seemingly having figured out that it should wait for the drops to form before trying to eat anything.

Though after beating a third of the monsters in the floor, something does finally manage to stop the bear. At least for a while. It wasn’t because of any danger. In fact, the bear apparently felt quite the opposite of danger, seeing as what stopped it was a full stomach and so it decided to take a nap.

Ally shakes her head, ‘Really?’

Doyle, ‘Eh, could be worse. Which floor do you think will finally stop it? I’m betting on floor 8 because of the vertical elements. Kind of unfair for anything that can’t climb like a monkey.’

Ally, ‘Nah, floor 7 will do it. The bear has been pretty safe because of out leveling everything. However, on floor seven you have a small pack of lesser shadow wolves. I don’t think they could take the bear in a fair fight. Good thing floor seven isn’t a fair fight.’

Doyle, ‘I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.’

Up on floor six, the bear eventually wakes up from its brief nap and continues rampaging through the cattle and goats, seemingly unstoppable. Even if a large herd of cattle manage to get a stampede going, the bear tanks it.

That is, until it gets unlucky. As each group of animals is a random assortment. The types of cattle and goats that show up can be anything from the weakest grouping of ten regular cattle to a herd of twenty earthen cattle. That last one being what the bear now faces.

The earthen cattle paw at the ground, preparing to all charge at the bear. A sight the bear has now seen a number of times. This time was different, though. While the earthen cattle might not be an offensive powerhouse, they have staying power for days.

The group of cattle stampede, charging right at the bear. Said bear roars at them, but otherwise stands strong to take the stampede head on. A tactic that had been working so far. All it takes is a mighty swing from their paw and the herd will break apart while also likely killing whichever monster is hit first.

This does not happen with the earthen cattle. Their tough hide skill blocks the mighty blow and Heavy Foot makes sure they aren’t thrown around by the strike.

In shock, the bear tries to slam their other paw into the front earthen cattle as well, but it is too late. The stampede, in a magical display of ability, continues on over the bear without detour. Each cattle that hits the bear, stomps all over its body as they move on past.

Though the cattle don’t go far. The herd slows and turns back towards the bear, this time simply surrounding the beast. They menace the bear with their horns and kick at it from behind.

Now finding itself surrounded and unable to just smack the pests away, the bear grows enraged. To the bear, this was not how it was supposed to go! Ever since things had changed, nothing could threaten it, not even the strange new things that had started to show up.

So the bear raged and tried to break out of the encirclement. It slammed into the cattle, tried to swipe them out of the way, and attempted to tear into them with claw and fang. And this wasn’t entirely unsuccessful.

Earthen cattle began to die. Their tough hides could only do so much and Heavy Foot only prevented them from being knocked around. Damage was still being done.

However, that was true in both directions. Every attack by the bear invited counterattacks from the surrounding cattle. Even the target of the bear’s attack would try to deal damage, not caring about their own life.

And in the end, the cattle’s ability to stand their ground in the face of a much stronger opponent was enough. The herd wore the bear down as they lost one member after the next until twelve remained, standing tall over the their defeated foe.

{

Brown Bear

S[18] A[5] C[12] I[3] W[3] P[5]

Skills: Claw lv5, Bite lv5, Grab lv2

Cost: World Energy[100]

}

Ally scratches her head, ‘Huh, well, I guess we were both wrong. Though to be fair, it got really unlucky. If even just a few of those cattle had been one of the other kinds, that bear could have escaped the encirclement.’

Doyle, ‘Now the question is, what am I going to do with a bear pattern? Which, after checking seems to weigh in at level 31. So I guess that’s about what the bear counted as. Give or take a couple levels.’

Ally shrugs, ‘It’s a bear. Making a cave? Throw one in. Got a forest? Bear. Empty white room with a treasure chest? Sure, add a bear. Though more seriously, I get what you mean. The stats are fine, but it’s a bear. Not a goat or cow.’

Doyle nods, ‘Some of my paths will boost it, but certainly not most of them.’

Future Fae Fun - Chapter 470

The Lizards And The Insects - Chapter 472