—Year 6,433 Since the Game Began
The Lightning Strike Zone was a stratum where thunderbolts relentlessly rained down.
Without abilities far surpassing mere lightning resistance, it was a deadly realm where one was not even permitted to set foot.
Only after spending countless years acquiring Lightning Assimilation was I finally able to begin exploring this land.
Currently, I was simply pressing forward across an endless expanse of jagged, rocky crags and barren wasteland.
Amid the downpour of lightning, several birds of thunder swooped down from behind me; with a single flash of my Flame Sword, they ignited and dissolved into dust.
"Hmm, another of these boxes, is it...?"
I let out a heavy sigh at the two metal chests nestled quietly in the shadows of the rocks.
For some reason, seemingly luxurious chests were scattered throughout this dungeon. Their contents varied wildly—recovery items like potions, convenient tools, and weapons possessing specialized effects—though peculiar ones existed as well.
The moment I tried to pry open the lid of the metal chest with the tip of my Flame Sword—
"Gii-gyaa-gyaa-gyaa-gyaaah!!"
The chest squirmed and warped into a colossal maw, lunging forward to swallow me whole.
"Annoying."
With a single strike of my Flame Sword, I cleaved the maw clean in two.
Indeed. These metal chests had a nasty habit of sprouting fangs to bite down on intruders or transforming into monsters to attack. They were what one might call traps, but since they completely failed to conceal their monstrous presence, they lacked any real effectiveness.
Honestly, if they wish to devour me, they ought to at least hide their presence. Being so blatant about it is merely irritating.
Clicking my tongue, I popped open the other completely ordinary metal chest. Inside lay a pair of gloves.
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★ Thunder Beast Gloves: Uses magical power from the atmosphere to create and manipulate beasts of lightning.
- Rank: High-Grade
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Gloves capable of creating beasts of lightning, hm? For a swordsman like me, I cannot see much use for such gear.
I suppose I shall toss these into the Item Box as well.
"I have traveled quite a distance. The end should be near."
For the past one hundred years, the stratum had remained unchanged, and I had wandered through the exact same scenery day in and day out. It would have been fine if it were teeming with formidable opponents, but there were no longer any foes left for me on this floor. Naturally, boredom had set in, and I wished to move on to the next stratum.
Just then, I spotted a gigantic waterfall in the distance. It appeared to be my destination.
Standing before me was a massive cylindrical pillar surrounded on all sides by cascading waterfalls. Far below the pillar, in the basin of the falls, countless gargantuan fish and reptilian creatures squirmed in the depths. Oho, so they were considerate enough to station enemies all the way down in the waterfall's basin, were they?
Fascinating! What a truly delightful arrangement!
With a pounding heart, I strode triumphantly across the stone bridge leading to the structure. Standing majestically atop the pillar was a several-meter-long tiger cloaked entirely in crackling lightning.
So, for the time being, I am meant to fight that?
"The Upper Stratum Final Trial: 'Defeat the Thunder Tiger King' will now commence."
Sure enough, the mechanical female voice echoed in my head. Now then, let us see whether this tiger can serve as a worthy opponent for me... though it will likely prove disappointing. I smell nothing but small fry on the creature. If anything, those fish and reptiles below are far more enticing. In fact, I can feel a numbing, overwhelming aura of true strength radiating from them. That settles it, then.
The lightning-clad beast sprinted across the stone and bounded into the air, aiming its razor-sharp fangs straight for my throat.
"Kai-Style Swordsmanship: One-Sword Style, First Form—Death Line."
With my quiet words serving as its final rite, the Thunder Tiger King was dismantled into scattered fragments.
Without missing a beat, I strode forward toward the main course of this trial.
"Thunder Tiger King subjugation confirmed—"
Just as the usual monotonous female voice echoing in my mind declared the beast's defeat, I threw myself off the edge and plunged into the waters below.
"Wha? Whaaaaat—?! W-Wait a second?! You are completely out of your mind?!"
During my descent, I thought I caught the sound of a frantic woman's shriek, but it was promptly drowned out by my own surging bloodlust.
It was a magnificent battle that made my very soul boil. Every single monster dwelling beneath the waterfall basin was an overwhelmingly powerful foe, making the Thunder Tiger King seem utterly pathetic by comparison. Having skirted death time and time again, right as I was down to my very last elixir, I finally slaughtered every last creature in the depths.
Now, having restored myself with that final elixir, I had just climbed back to the top of the pillar.
"T-The Upper Stratum Final Trial has been cleared. S-Subjugation of the Thunder Tiger King and fulfillment of the super-rare condition confirmed. Special clear reward will now manifest."
In stark contrast to the usual emotionless tone, a noticeably stammering female voice echoed through my mind, and an elongated metal box materialized at the center of the pillar.
Oho. It seems I am to receive a reward for slaying that weakling tiger. Still, it was a mere small fry, so the prize likely amounts to nothing special anyway.
Upon opening the metal box, I found a weapon of a design I had never laid eyes on before.
"Is this... a sword?"
Presumably, it was. When I took it in hand and gave it a practice swing, it felt astonishingly natural in my grip. I immediately appraised the weapon.
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★ Raikiri: A blade from another world said to have cut lightning, or even the God of Thunder—a Nihonto.
- Rank: Legendary
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A sword from another world, is it? The way it fits my hand... I have a feeling this will become my new partner. For a weakling, that tiger monster turned out to be quite useful after all.
Nodding repeatedly in satisfaction, I sheathed the blade, fastened it to my waist, and set off to resume my journey.