I slowly approached the chest, but kept a safe distance. Then, I used my fire magic to launch an attack toward it. As soon as my massive fireball struck the chest, a huge explosion erupted.
However, once the flames disappeared, the chest was completely intact.
"What is this, some kind of magical protection?" I said.
[Most likely. If you keep using magical attacks, nothing will happen.]
"So you're saying I have to go over there and open the chest with my own hands?"
[Why don't you use those hands you created with magic to try opening the chest? Even if it has magical protection, it might work.]
Following the dragon's advice, I used darkness magic to create enormous hands that traveled toward the chest. As soon as the hands touched it, nothing happened. I was able to touch the chest without my magic being dispelled.
Then, I slowly grabbed the chest and tried to lift it, but it was fixed to the ground. So I tried opening it. There was a keyhole—was it locked? After trying for several long minutes, I couldn't do it.
Even using all the strength of "my hands," the chest wouldn't open.
I clicked my tongue and dispelled the magic.
Then I sighed and said, "I'm going to get closer. If anything happens, I'll teleport away." I'm sure I'll be fast enough even if I'm caught in a surprise attack.
[Be careful,]the dragon said.
Taking slow steps, I arrived in front of the chest.
It was dark gray with a few golden details. Now that I was much closer, I noticed it was far larger than I had thought.
"Alright, here we go."
Being careful and fully focused in case something happened, I grabbed the lid of the chest and tried to open it. However, it didn't budge. I used all my strength, but I couldn't open it. Even after punching and kicking the chest, nothing happened.
"It really does have an incredibly strong protection," I said.
[You need to find the key.]
"Yeah…"
I looked around. It was an empty room; there was nothing special here.
If there had been totems, drawings, or something like that, I probably would have had to solve some kind of puzzle to obtain the key. Just like what happened in the first two episodes of Solo Leveling.
But there's nothing hidden here... is there?
I activated my detection skill inside the room and then noticed something strange.
All the magic in the room was white, very bright, but there was magic of a different color at a specific spot in the room.
I approached the wall and noticed a small button there.
Without thinking twice, I pressed it.
As soon as I did, the wall began to shake and slowly opened.
"A secret passage... though not a very secret one." I laughed.
A new passage appeared, but it wasn't a large, long tunnel like the first one. It was an extremely narrow path made for only one person. It was also dark, so I used fire magic to illuminate the area.
Contrary to what I expected, it was damp, as if the tunnel had once been submerged underwater. I could also see some slime on the walls. 'That's strange,' I thought as I moved forward.
I continued walking for several long minutes until I finally reached the end of the tunnel.
"What the hell..." I muttered.
I had arrived at a completely new floor. Or rather, another section of the 41st floor.
Unlike the previous area, which was dry and hot and even had lava covering the ground and walls, this place was basically a forest. No matter where I looked, there were enormous trees over five meters tall.
There was also tall grass everywhere.
But unlike what one would expect from a forest, the place was completely silent. There were no animal sounds, not even the sound of wind rustling through the trees. It was an ominous silence.
I froze for a moment.
[I can sense something. It's definitely a monster.]
The dragon suddenly spoke in my mind.
"Is it strong?"
[Not much stronger than the lizard Mikoto killed with your help.]
"I see. Then it should be fine."
I wish I had a flight skill so I could fly above these trees and get a better view of this place. Is this a forest as large as an entire dungeon floor, or is it just a small artificial space?
"I'm going to start exploring. If you sense anything, let me know."
[You'll notice if you're attacked. I don't need to interfere with that.]
Well, he had a point.
I smiled and took my sword out of my inventory. Then I began using it to cut through the dense vegetation in front of me as I moved forward. I activated my detection skill and noticed that the magic in the environment had a light blue color.
Does that mean the monster I'm going to face has something to do with water?
Well, that tunnel was wet, so maybe that's the case.
I continued advancing for a few minutes until I reached a new area. There was no dense vegetation around it; it was a more open space. A vast area with a blue lake in the center. "Yeah, it definitely has something to do with water..."
I couldn't sense or hear anything, but I was certain that thing was inside the water.
I slowly approached the lake so the monster hiding within it would try something. I wanted to see what it was. At the edge of the lake, I crouched down and placed my hand in the water.
It was deep, very deep.
I could only see the surface of the water. "There aren't any fish," I said before sighing.
Then I stood up and turned around.
Just as I expected, the monster hiding there finally attacked the moment I turned my back.
A loud sound echoed out, and water splashed everywhere, soaking everything around it—including me. A shadow loomed over me, and I looked back.
"What the hell are you? A snake?"
####
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Next Chapters: Chapter 395 - A snake? / Chapter 396 - Headless. / Chapter 397 - A real challenge. / Chapter 398 - 45th Floor / Chapter 399 - Papa! +18 / Chapter 400 - You're really trying to get pregnant again. +18 / Chapter 401 - Investigating his origin. / Chapter 402 - Intruder! / Chapter 403 - If you die, I'll give up my life. / Chapter 404 - What is she doing here? +18 / Chapter 405 - What's Going On? Threesome +18 / Chapter 406 - Foursome +!8 / Chapter 407 - Balls +18 / Chapter 408 - I Didn't Know That Hole Could Be Used. +18 / Chapter 409 - The Next Target +18 / Chapter 410 - Leaving Orario for the first time? / Chapter 411 - Sea. / Chapter 412 - Battle in the Middle of the Sea. / Chapter 413 - I want to know about the place where you were born. / Chapter 414 - Mess me up inside. +18 / Chapter 415 - Expression. +18