Ugh, I’m tired of this dungeon.
After the first casino floor, I felt a bit optimistic. I thought maybe new life, new luck, you know?
But no. Absolutely not. If anything, it got worse.
That first level was a complete miracle.
After that? No comment.
No, I’m not telling. It’s just too embarrassing.
Eh? What was that?
Muh...fine. I’ll guess I’ll explain. No need to get personal, jeez.
The following floors were literal hell.
There was an assortment of different games they had me play.
There was Mausiurian Roulette. Which is exactly how you would expect it to be played. I don’t think I won a single round.
Another level had a variety of slot machines. My personal favorite was one called the Gastropod Gamble. It just resonated with me, you know? PSYCH!
I couldn’t even match up two symbols, far less three of them. And to pour salt into my open wound, the desired icon was a slug.
See what I did there? A slug and salt? No? Not funny?
Whatever, everyone’s a critic.
They also had poker. Which I was excited for...at first. I’m pretty confident about my poker face. Not that it matters when your hand is absolute garbage.
Also, I guess anglerfishes have a killer poker face by default?
I’m just going to omit saying the outcome of those games. For my confidence.
Anyways, let's look on the bright side….I got a new skill. Look!
BAM!
|
Slime Density Manipulation
An offshoot of the parent skill Slime Secretion. Allows the user to alter the density of the slime they secret. |
TA DAAAH!
Pretty nice if I do say so myself.
The rest of my skills are leveling...slowly? I don’t know, maybe it’s harder to level skills than I was expecting?
Oh yeah, I also leveled up a couple of times.
| Name: | |
| Race: | Joru Pa |
| Gender: | N/A |
| Condition: | Good |
| Level: | 8 |
| EXP: 450/1500 |
| HP: 17/17 | MP: 11/11 | STA: 16/16 |
| STR: 1 | INT: 10 | DEX:26 |
| Danger Rank: | G+ |
| Titles: | Migrant, Loved by a Goddess, Progenitor, ???, ??? |
| Racial Skills: | Slime Secretion LV.1 |
| Acquired Skills: | Appraisal LV 1, Night Vision LV Max, Mana Manipulation LV 1, Acid Resistance LV 2, Acid Manipulation LV 1 , Slime Density Manipulation LV 1 |
| Unique Skills: | Thoth |
See, see. I’ve been productive. Don’t say anything about the strength stat. Please!
A-anyways, now I’m here. In front of the door of the twenieth floor.
If foreshadowing and prior experience is to be trusted, there should be a boss waiting for me on the other side of the door.
Some sort of super anglerfish probably?
Whatever, enough random thoughts.
Time to open the door. Just have to infuse a little bit of mana and….
*CLANK* *POP*
Ah. Way easier than last time.
Hmm, the boss room looks pretty standar- wait.
Is that a table?
*SHIVER* *SHIVER*
I got a bad feeling… a really bad feeling.
Where’s the - ah. There’s the boss.
I’ve learned. Appraise first.
BING!
| Name: | Anassa |
| Race: | Tiamatian Queen Anglerfish |
| Gender: | Female |
| Condition: | Good |
| Level: | 9 |
| EXP: 963/1560 |
| HP: 60/60 | MP: 18/18 | STA: 42/42 |
| STR: 24 | INT: 18 | DEX:21 |
| Danger Rank: | F+ |
| Titles: | Tiamatian Face Card |
| Racial Skills: | Hooked Fangs LV 4, Night Vision LV. MAX |
| Acquired Skills: | Fluid Secretion LV 3, Water Manipulation LV. 2, Magic Manipulation LV 2, Acid Resistance LV. 2 |
| Unique Skills: | Lure Split LV 3 |
Okay, she’s definitely strong. Stronger than anything I’ve encountered for sure. She even has a unique skill?!
As far as appearance goes, she’s like that Knave eel guy. By that I mean she’s like the super version of her normal species. And she had three light lures on her head.
“Welcome challenger! To the final level of the Abyssal Zone! You’ve done well to make it this far!” Anassa chirped.
“In order to proceed past this floor, you must face three tasks. The first being testing your luck with a slot machine. The second will gauge your discernment with a game of Blackeel. And finally, the last one will measure your wit in the form of a riddle. Of course, if you are unsuccessful in any of these trials you will be fighting me.”
Fudge. A riddle I can definitely handle. Blackeel is questionable….but the slot machine is no good. And of course, it’s first. Seems like Maua is MIA too.
*POOF*
A slot machine popped into existence and Ms. Anassa appeared right next two it.
“Slide right up and try your luck with the Dangle with the Angle!” she bellowed.
Dangle with the Angle, huh? Quite the fitting name. I guess there’s no point delaying the inevitable.
Mind resolute, I crawled towards the machine.
The machine itself seemed pretty standard. A nice emerald green slot machine. The title shined with a golden luster. The lever had an emerald encrusted into it.
“ The goal of this is just like any slot machine. Simply match the desired symbol, being the silhouette of an anglerfish, three times in a row. You will receive three chances to do this.”
Only three?
“Only three.”
Alright. Let's do it.
I reached my antenna towards the lever and pushed down.
*BRA-RING GING GING ING!*
The first slot started to slow down, it was…. AN ANGLERFISH!
YES!
*BRA-RING GING GING!*
The second one was a… octopus...fudge.
*BRANG GING ING!*
The third one was a crab. Who the snail cares!
Haah. Breath in. And out. In and out.
Okay… let's try this again.
PULL THE LEVER, KRONK!
Whoops. My bad, got caught up in the moment. Let’s go though.
*BRA-RING GING GING!*
The first slot was a…starfish. Throw the whole roll away. I guess we’ll look at the other two just for the snail of it.
*BRANG GING ING!*
The second one was an anglerfish. No comment.
*BRANG GING GING!*
And the third one was… an anglerfish. Oi! Am I being teased?
Whatever… Last roll.
*BRANG GING ING!*
An ANGLER! NOICE!
*BR-ANG GING GING GING!*
Another one? AWESOME! I only need one more!
*BRANG GING ING!*
And it’s a….. a FUDGING SLUG!
“Unfortunately, you didn’t successfully complete the task. As punishment you shall fight me.” Anassa crowed.
Then, she literally split apart. Super gruesome, with her insides showing. Suddenly, the parts drifted apart and healed into two separate bodies. One with one lure and the other with two.
Is this what Lure Split does?
The one with a single stack approached me. I had a feeling I should appraise it. So I did.
BING!
| Name: | Anassa |
| Race: | Tiamatian Queen Anglerfish |
| Gender: | Female |
| Condition: | Good |
| Level: | 9 |
| EXP: 963/1560 |
| HP: 20/20 | MP: 6/6 | STA: 14/14 |
| STR: 8 | INT: 6 | DEX:7 |
| Danger Rank: | F+ |
| Titles: | Tiamatian Face Card |
| Racial Skills: | Hooked Fangs LV 4, Night Vision LV. MAX |
| Acquired Skills: | Fluid Secretion LV 3, Water Manipulation LV. 2, Magic Manipulation LV 2, Acid Resistance LV. 2 |
| Unique Skills: | Lure Split LV 3 |
Eh? Did that make her like really weak?
Well, I won’t complain, but it’d be stupid to underestimate her. I’ll hit her with the strongest attack I can at an affordable price.
Let’s see, an hardened acid javelin about 10 inches long should work? Let’s try.
FIRE!
Direct hit!
She’s not down though. Fire another one!
One more!
BING!
|
450 Experience points earned. |
Phew. Looks like my suspicion was unfounded. Better safe than sorry I guess. And I only used a little bit of mana.
I watched as the body dissolved into the water surrounding it.
“On to the game of Blackeel. Please come this way.” Anassa boomed from across the room.
As I looked at her, I noticed she had three lures again...interesting.
I scurried to the table where the cards were already placed.
“I assume you already know the rules? We’ll be playing the best of three. With me acting as the house.”
Okay sounds good.
I got a queen on the top.
And on the bottom… a ten. Nice.
“Would you like another card?”
No, I’m fine.
Then she flipped her cards. A six and a jack.
She dealt another card for herself. It was a ten. She busted!
“Congratulations on your first win!”
Thank you, thank you.
The cards collected, shuffled, and then redealt.
This time I got a five and an eight.
“Would you like another card?” Anassa asked.
Hmm. Yes, please.
Hmm. Another five. Meaning a total of eighteen. I’ll fold.
“Okay.”
She proceeded with her cards. The first was a eight and the other was also an eight.
She dealt another card. It was an ace, giving her either seventeen or making her over the limit. In other words, my win.
I guess I’m lucky when it really matters, huh?
BING!
|
600 Experience points earned. |
“You’ve done very well thus far. Now for your final test. It’s a singular riddle but you will get three chances. Are you ready?”
As I’ll ever be.
“I can't be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance. I'm worthless to one, but priceless to two. What am I?”
Hmm. Hmm. HMMM. I got nothing.
Wait, maybe a life?
It can’t be bought, but in this world someone could probably kill with eye lasers or something.
I would think it’d be worthless to who’d ever fire eye lasers at them… and priceless to their parents?
Well either way, I’ll still have two more guesses.
I’m going with ‘a life’ for five hundred.
“Incorrect.”
Then what the snail is it then?
And then suddenly two faces appeared in my mind. One full of warmth and adoration sparkling in her crimson eyes. The other filled with indifference, a total ice sculpture.
Wah- wait does that mean I - her?!
And I still have- for her?!
But that’s definitely the answer.
"Correct." she replied with a nod.
BING!
|
1500 Experience points earned. |
Let’s put all that emotional mumbo jumbo on the back burner, I can freak out and deny everything later. It seems like Anassa wants to say something before she fades away.
“Great job on completing all the tasks. With this you have completed the second zone of the Tiama Dungeon. If Fortune favors it, I hope that we will meet again. I bid you farewell, courageous challenger!”
Charming to the end, huh? Is that like a hidden racial skill for anglerfish or something?
Muh...fine. I'll guess I'll explain -> remove extra space before "Muh"
Anyways, let's look on the bright side -> remove extra space after comma
density of the slime they secret. -> secrete.
door of the twenieth floor. -> twentieth
Welcome challenger! To the final level of the -> challenger to the
" The goal of this is just like any slot -> remove extra space after quote mark
Unfortunately, you didn't successfully complete the task. -> remove extra space after "didn't"
apart. Super gruesome, with her insides showing. -> remove extra space before "Super"
The one with a single stack approached me. -> single lure approached
Please come this way." Anassa boomed from -> way," Anassa (remove extra space before Anassa as well as change period to comma)
best of three. With me acting as the -> three with
another card for herself. It was a ten -> remove extra space after period
It's a singular riddle but you will get three chances. -> riddle, but... chances to answer it.
And then suddenly two faces appeared in my > remove extra space before "two"
"Correct." she replied with a nod. -> "Correct," Anassa replied
"Me and my big mouth... Or would it be big brain? How does this communicating with telepathy stuff work anyways? Is a telepath that never shuts up called a motormouth or motorbrain? If they're awkward and say something they shouldn't, are they putting their foot in their mouth or their brain?
Whatever.... Well...I got to accuse people of cheating at the games and be all righteously indignant, but at what cost? So many fights....such awful luck. "
"I'm pretty confident about my poker face." "But that doesn't matter as much when you're literally talking with your mind and not even actually holding the cards! Who cares about a poker face when the opponent can literally read your mind!"
"And now a boss version of all that gambling?! I demand to see the manager! Wait, was my name in my past past life actually Karen? ...Where's Maua when I need her? She could probably help me talk to the manager...or at least help numb the pain with her jokes and humor."
"PULL THE LEVER, KRONK!"
"...sorry, wrong series. But at least the lady who's following me around is the lovely plant themed Maua instead of the god awful demon cat Yzma."
"I got the riddle right? Emotional turmoil and denial later, victory dance now. I can't believe I managed to only have to fight her once and actually won two of the games..."
The riddle's answer was love? Hmm. I would have guessed "a look/glance".
Thanks for the corrections as always!’
So telepathy, is like a phone call? Like you have to send it towards someone to use it. Or if you let your thoughts leak/ have no specific target, its like a speaker that everyone could hear.
I’d guess motorbrain probably. And they should probably put the foot in both.
The real question is how does a slug have a non-poker face in the first place?
Slug-chan is a previous life Karen confirmed?
Ah, it does the heart good to see someone got the Emperor’s New Groove reference.
More like a victory wiggle than dance. And yes, the answer was love, unfortunately for our protagonist .
@Lulla "how does a slug have a non-poker face in the first place?" Well, going by your drawing from before it's very obvious that displeasure (and therefore other emotions) can be seen on their face, and even without that I'm sure slug-chan's awful luck would somehow make them not have a good pokerface even without an expression
Kronk is one of the most entertaining characters of that time frame. So many memes and jokes made about him.
Lucky for Slug-chan they have Maua now to love them and help them :D
@MarkofWisdom
Its like Kumoko from Kumo Desu Ga Nani Ka, aka I’m A Spider So What. Slug-Chan and Kumoko have an appearance that they see themselves as in their mind, but in reality they look like a normal version of their species to anyone else. Except maybe Maua, but she’d think Slug-chan was cute regardless.
And I love Kronk, he’s just a great character.
The riddle I guessed love so I think I good at riddles, but this whole casino area reminds me of Octaopolis or whatever it’s called from Dragon Quest 11 where monster take over the whole city and make it a casino. Also whenever I see “tiamatian” I think the three headed dragon god Tiamat, I know it’s the name of the dungeon but my brain keeps seein it.
I definitely agree that you’re good at riddles. You pointed out the holes and even cover said holes in the other chapter. Thanks again, by the way.
And I hope that I don’t get hate for this but, I’ve never played any Dragon Quest. Is it fun? Should I try it out?
And maybe the dragon god has something to do with these dungeon shenanigans. Maybe not. I won’t say for sure because, being a mystery author who doesn’t directly answer things is fun.
@Lulla I like dragon quest, it's a pretty basic jrpg but it's basically the original I think it even was before final fantasy. They are all different stories but all good. My personal favorites are 8 and 11. Definitely worth checking out but if rpgs or turn based combat aren't your thing it's prob not worth it.
Thank you for the chapter!
Thank you for reading!