Chapter 508 - 507: Another Commission

Chapter 508: Chapter 507: Another Commission

"There’s one more thing we need your help with. We have to establish a stronghold on the sixth level, and if there are any monsters up ahead, I’d like you to help us deal with them," Durkin continued. "As for your reward, that will depend on the mission’s difficulty. How does that sound?"

Colin was reminded of the teleportation portals in the sewers.

He asked, "Will the stronghold you’re establishing have a teleportation portal? I mean one that can connect to that room in the sewers."

Durkin nodded. "That’s our very reason for coming down here."

"Alright, we’ll help you," Colin agreed with a nod.

’Rather than slowly climbing back up floor by floor, it’s better to stick with the Dwarves while they set up their stronghold. Then we can just teleport back. It’ll save a lot of trouble.’

Durkin nodded. "Then follow us."

With that, the Dwarves entered the winding staircase, heading for the next level down.

As Colin followed the group, he checked his Task Log.

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[Task: Escort the Dwarven Party]

[Rating: 6 (Local Hero)]

[Reward: 150 Skill Level points, "Cleave" Specialty]

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Colin glanced at the Skill Level points and immediately put all of them into Casting.

This brought his Skill Level to Casting (Expert) 3914/4000.

’I’m just over eighty Skill Level points away from getting a new Specialty. I can probably make it if we run into a slightly more troublesome monster on the next level.’

Colin then examined the new Specialty from the mission reward.

[Cleave]: 1. Only a creature that has learned [Power Attack] can master this Specialty, and its effect can only be activated when using a two-handed weapon. 2. The user can more easily take down multiple enemies in front of them with a single strike. After the blade cuts down the first opponent, its momentum will carry it into another foe.

’After a closer look, I see this Specialty is actually linked to the [Power Attack] I got earlier. It must be part of a series of melee Specialties.’

’If I use [Power Attack] to boost my slash’s attack power, I could cut down even more enemies with a single swing. These two Specialties really synergize well.’

Colin recalled how Kase had cut down three Bullywugs with a single strike. ’If he had a Panel, he would definitely have the [Cleave] Specialty, too.’

’All in all, this Specialty could, to a certain extent, replace a low-tier area-of-effect spell like [Burning Hand].’

’Generally, in most games, low-tier spells aren’t very useful and get replaced by high-tier spells after a while.’

’But in this world, because casting low-tier and high-tier magic affects different parts of the brain, low-tier spells can sometimes achieve things you’d think would require high-tier spells.’

’In short, every spell a Mage learns has its own value.’

’And the [Cleave] Specialty would allow me to make better use of those low-tier spells. That’s its core value.’

By the time Colin finished examining the mission rewards, the party had reached the end of the winding staircase.

The scene before them was much like the third level.

The winding staircase opened into a damp, natural rock tunnel filled with stalactites and stalagmites. However, a path had been cleared through the stalagmites on the ground, likely by Adventurers who had passed through earlier.

The party pressed on through the tunnel.

As the party advanced, the stalagmites along the path were gradually replaced by flourishing mushrooms.

Even Colin knew that this change meant an underground river was nearby.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the party came to the bank of an underground river.

"It seems like there are underground rivers everywhere from the third level down to here," Colin said. "Is that convenient Skeleton Boatman around?"

"You’ll only find him on the third level," said Dorn.

Langgrin looked at Donkexes. "Can’t you just make a bridge with [Move Earth]?"

"No, that spell can’t create a proper bridge. It would just turn into a rock dam," Donkexes said, glancing at the tall mushrooms nearby. "We can just rig up a few things that float to get across. The current doesn’t look too fast."

Colin eyed the river’s surface. ’I could probably get people across using a [Jade Water Ball].’

’But on second thought,’ he decided, ’there’s no rush. It’s better not to waste energy on Casting, in case we run into trouble later.’

The Dwarves began chopping down the surrounding mushrooms.

The larger caps were hollowed out to make small boats, while the stalks were bound together to form rafts. The cap-boats could only fit a single Dwarf at most; it would be difficult for Colin and the others to keep their balance in one, as their center of gravity was too high.

Colin and his friends stepped onto a raft made of mushroom stalks. River water immediately seeped up through the gaps between them.

"I’ve been meaning to ask," Orelia said suddenly. "Do you guys smell something... foul?"

"The stench of the Undead?" Colin sniffed the air. "No, probably not. I think I can smell it a little too."

"I smelled it too. Thought it was just the swamp stench, but it got way worse after we got on the raft," Kase said, reaching out to scoop up some of the river water.

The water was visibly viscous, and the Half-Orc’s fingers came away half-blackened from the brief contact.

Kase exclaimed, "Whoa, this water is filthy!"

"There’s probably something strange upstream, but we have enough fresh water. We just resupplied in that swamp, after all." Colin and Dorn silently edged away from the Half-Orc, lest he wipe the dirty water on them.

Seeing their reaction, Kase huffily rubbed the filth off his hand onto the raft, muttering a few complaints under his breath.

After crossing the river on their makeshift mushroom-craft, the party arrived at another pitch-black tunnel.

The party continued to follow Dorn, proceeding slowly through the dark, complex tunnels.

The surrounding scenery was incredibly repetitive, basically alternating between two backdrops: bare tunnels and tunnels overgrown with mushrooms. After just two hours, Colin started to feel dizzy, as if he were lost in a forest.

After what felt like an eternity, the tunnel finally came to an end.

The tunnel ended at a broken stone wall. Beyond the breach was an unusually regular-looking tunnel, one that looked as if it had been bored out by a purple worm. From where he stood, Colin could see a faint glow emanating from within the walled-off area.

Durkin, who was at the front, turned back to them. "This was originally our ancestors’ forging district, complete with extensive magical defenses. It wasn’t until a few years ago that the Magic Array designed to ward off purple worms failed, allowing one to accidentally breach it. We are the first Dwarves of the Shadow Anvil Clan to return to this place!"