[NR] A Trap - Chapter 480

Rosha really enjoyed all the traps. Each one unique in a manner that wasn't quite human or plant. The dungeon's ability to make traps might not have been rated as complex by the System, but it certainly did things differently.

Complexity not found in naturally grown plants outside of some strange monsters. Designs that even those with the magic to create things whole cloth would find hard to faithfully replicate. Yet at the same time there is a simplicity inherent to the designs in a way that assures her that someone will have aped them.

Maybe not as a complete whole that these plant-like traps, or maybe better to call them trap-like plants, are created as. Even Rosha has figured out some new tricks based on what she has seen, so someone more skilled at trap creation? They would be able to do amazing things.

Much to Rosha's disappointment though, the eighth and ninth floor don't hold them back all that much. In fact, with the addition of traps, there are less monsters to fight. Sure, by the end of the ninth floor most of the tardigroids were level 25.

However, despite there being monsters that had broken through the bottleneck, the difference between 24 and 25 was really just down to stats. There was no big change like from 99 to 100. Just a simple difference of 12 more stat points on average.

Of course if they were fighting players or at least sapient monsters that wouldn't quite be true. There would be a chance for them to have picked up various bonuses and skills. Dungeon spawned generic monsters? No chance there as only the variants have any special stuff added to them.

Despite how wildly a tardigroids form can vary, they're all just based off of the same template. Sure, the dungeon was throwing almost exclusively humanoid forms at them on the ninth floor. That however had more to do with space constraints. Can't exactly fit all that many rhino-sized monsters in a hallway filled with vegetation.

After all that, Rosha does get one final hurrah. Right at the boundary between the ninth and tenth floor there was one final trap. Still not all that complex, yet it was connected to so many things. In fact, it was over connected to the point that even Jason and Courtney spotted the trap.

You would think that would make it easy. Except this trap was made with the knowledge that it would be easy to notice. So instead of trying to hide, the trap was designed to be impossible to miss.

Tripwire vines as fine as hair, pressure bladders layered on the floor like shingles on a roof, and even a few wispy fronds to pick up if the air is moving too much. The other two even doubt whether this counts as a single trap or not. Rosha however doesn't doubt as her senses show this entire setup is all connected.

To set off one part, is to set off the entire thing and while she is sure there is a method to bypass it all. Rosha is also just as certain that no one in her group, not even Lily, has the ability to do so.

Rosha, "So, I should be able to set it off from quite the distance. Though we don't know how far back the trap actually reaches. Worst case scenario might have this thing causing a mess across the entire floor. That or I try to disarm it.

"If I succeed with that, we're golden. If I fail? Well, I likely won't live long enough to realize it, but you all can be back on the eighth floor for safety. Sure, that is a couple hours walk, but better safe than sorry."

Courtney frowns, "How are we supposed to tell when you fail? The System will only inform us of your passing if you're within sight. Besides, I would much prefer to get through this without dying. We've managed it this far."

Rosha shrugs, "I'm sure with how crazy this trap is you'll be able to hear it go off even back on the eighth floor."

Jason laughs, "I'm thinking that this thing won't have quite that far reaching of a result. While it is tempting to give the dungeon godlike powers, what with how it has literal godlike powers in some regards. It is limited by design.

"This trap, if I had to guess, extends only a few hundred feet. Still a lot, mind you, but much more reasonable."

Rosha raises an eyebrow, "And by what magic did you come up with that answer? I can't even judge it despite having the skills for it."

Jason, "The cavern zigs and zags somewhat abruptly within that space and there weren't anymore traps or monsters. My guess is that those wisps are on a hair trigger and that all is to prevent them from going off. The sharp turns are to reduce any winds, while the lack of traps and monsters is to prevent an event where someone might use wind magic."

Rosha, "Still doesn't explain why you think that is the limit of the trap."

Jason shrugs, "This isn't a high level dungeon. It isn't going to 'rock falls, everyone dies' an entire floor. While this is the last trap and very obvious, which likely gives some leeway. The System and the Guild wouldn't let something like that happen."

Courtney, "The problem with that guess is the fact I didn't hear anything about a trap like this while researching the place. This isn't like the potential ambush at the very start. A lot of people would be in for a swift end if they were hiding something like this."

Rosha sighs, "This might be the System testing me. I just got a Journeyman rank skill and the System doesn't like handing those things out. Which is likely why Peter held off on actually teaching me enough to get the skills in the first place. I just hope this doesn't cause trouble for him now that I did get the skills."