I was sent flying by the sudden impact, rolling across the floor with considerable momentum.
Despite the shock, I didn't let go of my sword.
I managed to plant a hand and push myself up, leveling my blade as I faced the man.
"――I’ve come to kill you, just like I promised, brat!!"
It was the middle-aged terrorist I’d encountered earlier in the hall with the Dungeon Gate.
He wore a crazed grin. A surge of anger, sharper than what I’d felt during our first meeting, welled up inside me.
"I don't remember making a promise like that."
"Fool! I made a promise to myself! I swore I’d teach an impudent brat like you a lesson he’d never forget!!"
He was talking about "teaching a lesson," but he was clearly playing for keeps.
"What do you have against me, anyway?"
"What do I have against you!?"
His eyes bulged, and he flew into a rage all on his own.
"Can young people today not even take responsibility for their own actions?! Don't tell me you’ve forgotten trying to kill me!!"
"That was just... I didn't actually intend to kill you."
"Just?! You say 'just'?! Are you out of your mind!?"
As I kept him talking, I checked my Status, which I’d kept open.
This was bad.
My HP had been shaved down by twenty from that single hit... though that in itself wasn't the end of the world.
The real problem was that the damage hadn't come from his magic, but from a simple kick.
In the split second I’d turned to defend myself, I’d seen him delivering a dynamic flying kick. He’d been propelling himself at high speed by jetting flames from the palms of his hands, using them like thrusters.
In all likelihood, everyone currently inside Shinjuku Station who possessed stats was suffering from a suppression of their stat values. I couldn't imagine being the only exception.
If that was the case, then the man in front of me should have been under the same handicap. And yet, he’d dealt that much damage――――which meant, almost certainly, that this man’s level was higher than mine.
Unlike when I’d been ambushed by Kanzaki’s group, this wasn't a Monster Room with no escape. If the situation turned dire, I had to consider running away as a valid option.
To make that call, I needed data. I decided to find out exactly what his level was.
I carefully maintained the conversation to ensure he wouldn't realize I was investigating him.
"I’m not as out of my mind as you are."
"Ho? You think I’m the crazy one? You’ve got quite a mouth for a piece of trash whose brain cells have been fried by magic waves!!"
He’d said something like that earlier, too. What was with these comments? He sounded like one of those people who wore tinfoil hats to block out government mind-control signals.
Was he... waiting for a retort?
"Like hell they have!"
"What’s with the sudden outburst!?"
Apparently not.
I brought the conversation back on track.
"The goblins popping inside the station—that was your handiwork, wasn't it?"
"Don't change the subject as if nothing happened."
"Why did you do it? What are you trying to achieve? People who have nothing to do with dungeons have died because of you."
"...Hmph! What of it? They are noble sacrifices required to show the world the true danger of the dungeons."
Would my skill activate in this state?...No, I’d already taken a hit from him. We were officially in combat. It should work fine.
...First, I’ll activate Seeker.
My method for verifying the man’s level was simple. First, I’d activate Seeker to reset my own level to zero, then I’d trigger Indomitable Spirit.
If I could find out how much my stats increased from their initial values, I could calculate the enemy’s level.
I used Seeker just in case his level was actually lower than mine—though I doubted it. Even if he was lower than my original level, resetting myself to zero would guarantee that Indomitable Spirit would trigger, revealing his level.
And as for his actual level...
"――!?"
"Hm?"
Immediately after I tried to trigger Indomitable Spirit, I froze.
It wasn't because his level was impossibly high.
It was because Indomitable Spirit failed to activate.
There were only two possible reasons for that.
One was that I wasn't in a state of combat with the target, or they harbored no hostility... meaning there was no valid enemy for the skill to target.
But that was impossible. He’d already attacked me; the combat state was active.
Which left only one other reason why Indomitable Spirit wouldn't trigger.
――The target’s level was lower than or exactly equal to my own.
And since I had Seeker active, my level was currently zero.
Which meant the level of the man in front of me was...
"Level... zero!?"
He was using magic skills, so he had to have a status.
And that kick earlier... there was no way that kind of power could be produced by a level zero, no matter how you looked at it.
That was what truly shook me.
The man let out an impressed-sounding "Ho."
"You don't look like you have Appraisal... No, even if you did, you shouldn't be able to see my status... Brat, what did you do?"
"............"
As if I’d tell him.
In silence, I deactivated Seeker and stole a quick glance at Hinata-san, who was facing off against the man with her guard up.
I had a bad feeling about this.
I didn't want to fight a mystery like this if I could avoid it... but if Hinata-san’s stats were suppressed like mine, running away might not even be an option.
"Well, no matter... By the way," the man said with a greasy smirk.
"You two are being remarkably cautious compared to when we met downstairs. As I thought... your stat values have dropped, haven't they?"
I felt a jolt of alarm.
This man... he had been testing us. He’d attacked just to see if we were weakened.
"And you’re any different?" I bluffed.
"...Kuh-ha-ha!"
Oh, come on. This was the worst.
That reaction... he definitely wasn't weakened.
"Shall we test that theory, brat?"
In an instant, flames roared to life from his right hand.
They weren't launched as a projectile. Instead, they rapidly condensed, shifting and hardening until they formed a single blade of forged fire held firmly in his grip.
The power of Fire Magic and Flame Magic depended on Intelligence and skill level, while the precise manipulation of those flames depended on experience, skill level, and Dexterity.
Forming a sword out of fire and then physically gripping it was something even Hinata-san—who could use her full stats inside a dungeon—couldn't do.
Actually, I’d never seen any explorer do something like that, even on DungeonTube.
This guy was dangerous.
I wanted to run, but it didn't look like he was going to give us the chance.
"Die, braaaat!!"
"You wish!!"
Flame sword in hand, the man closed the distance with terrifying speed.
Before he could bridge the gap, I reinforced my stats with Fighting Spirit and unleashed a slash of Sword Aura.
"Ha!! What is this?! It's pathetic!!"
"――Is that so!?"
The man swung his flame sword carelessly. The fire burst in a small explosion, and my flying blade shattered into nothingness.
However, the exchange managed to slow his momentum for a heartbeat.
I used that opening to close the distance myself, raising my sword high for a vertical strike.
Even if it looked like a sword, it was still fire. Fire couldn't parry a physical blade.
The man seemed to realize he couldn't dodge in time. He foolishly held his flame sword horizontally to block my attack.
Was it just a reflex?
Whatever the reason, this was my chance.
I didn't have the luxury of holding back. I put everything I had into the strike, swinging down with lethal intent――
"――Wha!?"
Clang!!
A metallic ring that shouldn't have been possible echoed through the corridor.
"Kuku... what’s the matter? Why so surprised?"
Unbelievably, my steel sword was being held back by his blade of fire.
――It was hot.
The radiant heat from the flame sword at such close range scorched my skin painfully. It was a stark reminder that this wasn't some illusion or trick of the light.
And this guy was holding this thing with his bare hands?!
Flame Magic isn't supposed to protect the caster from their own heat!
And besides...
"What’s wrong, brat?! Your power is nothing like it was downstairs!! Were you always this weak!?"
"――――!!"
How the hell could he parry a sword with "fire"!?
Magic or not, fire is fire. Flames created by Flame Magic shouldn't have physical mass or the ability to block solid objects. It shouldn't be able to behave like a weighted blade.
Could it be that he wasn't using Flame Magic at all...?
Was it some unique skill I’d never heard of...? As the thought crossed my mind—
"Fu-ha-ha-ha-ha!!"
"――Ugh!?"
Ging!! Our locked blades were knocked upward with overwhelming force.
I managed to keep hold of my sword, but my stance was broken, leaving my chest wide open.
"This is the end, brat!!"
The man swung the flame sword.
Just before it connected—
"Takeo-kun!!"
"Nuoh!?"
A fireball streaked through the air and slammed into the man.
It was Hinata-san.
The man reflexively shifted his target, slicing through the fireball with his flame sword.
I used that split second to leap backward and put some distance between us.
"Thank you, Hinata-san!!"
I called out to her as I corrected my stance and leveled my sword again.
"Grr!! An interference!!"
The man glared at Hinata-san, his face twisted in rage.
Seeing his reaction, a realization began to dawn on me.
Right now, his physical abilities were clearly superior to mine. On top of that, he was using a magic skill I didn't understand.
That had been a close call. Even with Hinata-san’s help, the odds were stacked against us.
There was no doubt about it—this man was strong.
However.
Could it be that this guy... wasn't actually used to fighting?