Once we descended to the 33rd floor, our first priority was a perimeter check to ensure no monsters or traps were lying in wait. A surprise attack was the last thing we needed.
With the immediate area secured, we quickly measured the ceiling height and prepped the drone. Since this was our third launch today, we were starting to feel like pros.
"Alright, I'm sending it up."
"Keep it within visual range at first, Yuji. Scout the immediate area. We don't know if anything here might try to swat the drone out of the air."
"I know, I know. It’s a new floor; I’ll be careful."
Yuji began the flight, and the drone took off with a high-pitched whir from its rotors. It climbed straight toward the ceiling, hovered for a few seconds, then began its reconnaissance run, gliding smoothly through the air. Its movements were significantly more refined than when we had first started.
"Doesn't look like anything is lurking close by," Yuji noted. "I'm going to widen the radius and fly it out a bit further."
"Be careful."
"Got it."
Under Yuji’s control, the drone gradually expanded its search area. So far, there were no signs of anti-air traps or monster attacks. However, after several minutes of scouting, Yuji suddenly spoke up.
"Hm? Oh, hello... look at this."
"What did you find?"
"I think I found a new monster. Judging by the silhouette... is it a snake?"
"A snake? You mean the Sharp Snake from the documents?"
I gave a quick nod to Hiiragi-san, who was acting as our sentry, before peeking at the tablet in Yuji’s hands. On the screen, I saw something long and slender coiled up, its body covered in the same kind of camouflage as the Grass Lizards. That silhouette was unmistakable. It was almost certainly the Sharp Snake.
But there was one concern.
"...Isn't it a bit big?"
"Yeah, it's huge. Looking at it like this... maybe the size of a Japanese Ratsnake?"
"A Ratsnake? You mean the kind that occasionally makes the news when one shows up in someone's garden?"
"Probably. Based on how it’s coiled, I’d guess it’s between one and two meters long. It’ll be a nightmare if that thing gets its coils around someone."
A snake that long would be much more dangerous than a Grass Lizard. I remembered seeing a documentary once where a snake constricted and swallowed livestock whole. We didn't know if it was venomous yet, but this was a dungeon monster. Even if it just relied on pure constriction, it was a major threat.
Plus, the slithering, unpredictable movement of a snake was always a hassle. It would be much safer to take it out before it got close.
We continued the reconnaissance flight, searching carefully for other new species. By the end of it, we had confirmed two types of monsters on this floor: Grass Lizards and Sharp Snakes. Of course, there was still a chance other types were hiding deep in the long grass, so we had to remain vigilant.
Once the drone returned, we recovered it and began analyzing the data.
"Looking at the distribution," I said, "it seems like we could actually bypass the snakes if we really wanted to, unlike the Grass Lizards."
"Assuming they stay stationary like the lizards, then yeah, it's possible," Yuji agreed. "However..."
"We might reach the lower floors safely if we avoid them, but we’ll never gain combat experience against them," Hiiragi-san countered. "Since there’s no guarantee we can avoid every snake from here on out, I think we should confront at least one to gauge its strength."
She had a point. We could avoid them for now, but not forever. My Appraisal Analysis required me to actually see the target to work, too. I needed to confirm if they were venomous; if they were, we’d need to secure a means of detoxification immediately.
I turned to Yuji and Hiiragi-san, who both looked solemn, and made a suggestion.
"I’m with Hiiragi-san. It’s better to engage one now while we can dictate the terms of the fight, rather than being forced into a battle later when we're at a disadvantage. We know the general layout of the monsters on this floor thanks to the drone. We can pick a fight with a single, isolated snake right now."
Given the current monster distribution, we could engage a lone snake without worrying about other enemies joining in. It was the perfect chance to learn its patterns in a three-on-one situation where we could support each other safely.
Besides, snakes were different from anything we’d fought so far. Their combat style was bound to be irregular. If asked whether I could handle one perfectly on the first try, I wouldn't be able to say yes with much confidence. I wanted to face one with a plan rather than in a sudden encounter.
"True," Yuji said, nodding. "We have plenty of experience against humanoids and beasts, but we've never fought something with the irregular movements of a snake. The chances of us struggling aren't low. Since we might have to face groups of them later, it's better to know our enemy while we have the upper hand."
And so, it was decided. We would hunt a snake for the sake of experience. While it was usually best to avoid unnecessary battles, this fell under the category of "necessary."
"Then how about this one?" I pointed to the map.
"No, that one's too close to a Grass Lizard. It might join the fight. What about this one instead? It’s completely isolated, so the risk of an intrusion is low."
"But Hirose-kun, that one is in the opposite direction of the stairs," Hiiragi-san pointed out. "We'd be wasting a lot of time traveling. What about this snake? It’s a bit of a detour, but it’s still generally in the direction of the exit."
We all agreed to fight, but we were split on which target to choose. I wanted the closest one for a quick exit, Yuji wanted the most isolated for safety, and Hiiragi-san wanted the one that wasted the least amount of time. After a bit of back-and-forth, we reached a conclusion.
"Let's go with Yuji’s plan for the first fight," I decided. "I don't plan on being careless, but it would be a disaster if we got blindsided because we were too busy worrying about external interference."
"I suppose you're right," Hiiragi-san said, her expression slightly reluctant. "I hate wasting time, but if it's for the sake of safety, I'll yield."
With our goal set, we packed up the drone and began the trek toward the target.
We eventually found it after pushing through the thick, long grass. It sat there, a lustrous, vibrant green coil. As we approached, it sensed us and raised its head. A long, bright red tongue flicked out, and its head swayed slowly as it sized us up with an inorganic, predatory gaze. It was highly alert.
Without looking away, I activated Appraisal Analysis.
"Daiki, what's the word? Is it venomous?"
"Hang on... okay, I've got it. Good news—it doesn't have any poison."
That was a relief, but the analysis wasn't all good news.
"Be careful, though. It has a skill called Sharp Scale. If you touch it, the scales will cut you like blades. Since the skill applies to its whole body, getting constricted would be like being pulled through a meat grinder."
"Geez. No poison, but it’s still a nasty piece of work," Yuji muttered.
"The only silver lining is that Sharp Scale doesn't seem to increase the durability of the scales themselves."
It wasn't that its body was made of steel. If I had to describe it, the scales were like the edges of a piece of paper. A single sheet of paper isn't strong, but if you angle the edge and slide it across your skin, it'll give you a nasty cut. Of course, this was a 30th-floor monster, so the scales were much tougher than paper, but the principle was the same.
In short, the Sharp Snake was a living bundle of blades. We couldn't afford to touch it carelessly.
"Anyway, I definitely wouldn't recommend unarmed combat," I added.
"Obviously. Who in their right mind would try to grab a pile of razor blades? We should stick to weapons or magic."
"Magic is safer," Hiiragi-san said. "The terrain limits what we can use, but even with weapons, there's a risk the scales will chip our blades. If we were going to use physical attacks, a blunt weapon like a club would be better."
"Maybe I should bring some disposable iron pipes or shovels next time..." Yuji mused.
It was a truly troublesome skill to deal with. Our primary weapons were reinforced by our levels, so they should be fine, but there was no sense in risking the edge of a good blade if we didn't have to.
"Hiiragi-san."
"Yes, Kokonoe-kun?"
"Can we leave this one to you? I think we’d be fine, but to avoid any potential weapon damage, magic is the best choice for this first encounter."
"Understood. You two handle the backup."
"Roger."
Hiiragi-san stepped forward, a look of focused tension on her face. Sensing her as the primary threat, the Sharp Snake uncoiled. Its swaying stopped, its body tensed into a combat stance. It slithered forward, closing the distance as it measured the gap between them. The tension in the air was palpable.
The moment Hiiragi-san crossed into its range, the snake lunged with almost no warning.
"Shaaa!"
The attack was incredibly fast, but the trajectory was a straight line. Hiiragi-san pivoted on her right foot, evading the strike with ease. However, the snake wasn't done. As its body passed her, its tail whipped around like a lash, aiming straight for her.
She caught the movement at the last possible second and leaped back, narrowly avoiding the blow.
Hiiragi-san narrowed her eyes, a flash of irritation crossing her face. She was clearly annoyed at herself for letting the monster catch her off guard with that follow-up.
"Air Cutter!"
"Sha!?"
As the Sharp Snake coiled its body to lunge again, she unleashed her wind magic. The invisible blade of air flew true, striking the monster while it was momentarily frozen in its pouncing stance.
The spell bisected the snake at the midsection. It thrashed violently, spraying blood across the grass as it writhed in agony. Normally, a monster would die shortly after being cut in half, but the Sharp Snake possessed incredible vitality. Even after a full minute, it showed no signs of stopping.
It seemed that unless you crushed the head, it wouldn't die instantly.
"Hiiragi-san..."
"...I know, Kokonoe-kun. You don't have to say it."
She cast another spell, delivering a final, merciful blow to the snake's head.
The fight was over, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth.