Looking at the serpent's head, I used my Detection Magic to see if I could find anything unusual. However, even after examining it carefully, I couldn't find anything different.
"I need to find a key, but where is it?"
If the key isn't in the serpent's head, then it might be inside its body.
I doubt the key is hidden somewhere among the trees in this dense forest.
I looked around and then up. The ceiling of this dungeon floor was light blue, as if I were truly outside. However, there was no sun despite how bright it was. It was just like Rivira.
"Dragon, do you know where the key is?"
[No. There's no way I could know something like that. I can't see or sense anything.]
"I see. Thanks anyway."
[But if I had to guess, it's probably underwater. That's where the serpent lived, and it's very deep.]
"They expect me to dive down there and look for a tiny key? When the serpent dragged me to the bottom of the lake, I didn't notice anything that stood out."
[You should take another look. You can move around underwater without any trouble, can't you?]
"Well, yes."
But honestly, I hate swimming and holding my breath.
"Alright, I'll do it."
I said as I put my sword away. Then I dove into the water and swam toward the bottom of the lake as fast as I could. I could have teleported straight there, but doing it this way was more fun.
When I reached the bottom, I saw the serpent's gigantic body lying motionless, coiled up. I activated Detection to inspect its body, but I still couldn't find anything unusual. So I began swimming across the lakebed, searching for anything hidden.
Since Detection wasn't helping at all, I deactivated it.
Several minutes passed. Even after all that time, I still hadn't run out of air.
"I can't find anything."
I searched the entire lakebed and even the walls, but I found nothing. After checking everything once, I decided to look again just to be sure.
Then, I finally noticed something.
"Huh?"
There was a small hole tucked away in the corner of one of the walls at the bottom of the lake.
I looked inside and saw the end of a rope.
"A rope?"
I grabbed it and started pulling.
I kept pulling, and it seemed endless. After a while, I finally reached the end. Tied to it was a small cloth pouch with something inside.
As soon as I tore the pouch open, I found a key.
'Why go through all this trouble? They could've just hidden the pouch somewhere.'
Well, the rope had been hidden really well.
Even so, this felt completely unnecessary.
Now that I had the key, I teleported back outside.
"Huff..."
I took a deep breath and said,
"It's great to be able to breathe again."
####
After obtaining the key, I returned to the room with the treasure chest.
As soon as I inserted the key into the lock, I took a deep breath and repeated to myself several times,
"I hope it's something good."
Then I opened the chest.
What I found was...
"A knife?"
It was a small knife, about the size of a pocketknife. Its handle was black, and its blade had a beautiful silver sheen.
Unlike the Black Dragon Sword, it had no decorations. It was just an ordinary-looking knife.
I picked it up, and the moment I did, a system message appeared before me.
[You have obtained the knife "Mercury Fang."]
"Mercury Fang? What a strange name."
Then the knife's stats appeared, just like when I bought the sword for Mikoto.
Attack - 8,000
Durability - 11,000
Special Skills - Lightning Dash, Instinctive Return
As soon as I saw its attack and durability, I thought,
"This knife isn't all that impressive. The Black Dragon Sword probably has much better stats."
However, even after asking the system, the Black Dragon Sword's stats didn't appear.
I let out a sigh before checking the two skills.
Lightning Dash increases the speed of the first attack I make immediately after drawing the knife. It says it increases the attack's speed, but it doesn't specify by how much.
At least 100%, right?
The second skill, Instinctive Return, was a bit more interesting.
After throwing the knife, I can summon it back to my hand whenever I want.
I gripped the knife tightly and swung it around a few times.
"Fighting with this could be fun. But I don't think it'll be very effective against the monsters on the lower floors."
Then I stored the knife in my inventory, and suddenly the dragon spoke.
[You're not replacing me with that piece of junk, are you?]
"Of course not. I'll only replace you when I find a sword that's better than you."
[Then that'll never happen.]
The dragon said confidently.
Feeling refreshed, I returned to the forty-first floor.
Even though it hadn't lasted very long, fighting that thing had been fun.
With a smile on my face, I continued walking toward the forty-second floor.
"I'll try to get there as quickly as possible."
####
I ran swiftly through the floor, killing countless monsters along the way. It was as if they were endless. Every time I killed one, another appeared.
Giant ogres, giant orcs, enormous lizards that looked like dragons, and many others.
I had expected to encounter a much wider variety of monsters, but that wasn't the case.
With the dragon's guidance, I finally reached the passage leading to the forty-second floor.
I thought it would be another boss room, but it wasn't.
The forty-second floor was identical to the previous one.
Rocky ground, intense heat, lakes of lava, and molten rock flowing down the walls.
It felt as though I were inside a volcano.
"Are the monsters on this floor stronger?" I asked.
The dragon simply replied,
[You just need to be a little more careful. You won't have any trouble on this floor.]
He also said that I probably wouldn't have any difficulties for the next several floors.
"Well then, I'd better pick up the pace until I find a real challenge."
####
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Next Chapters: 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 / Chapter 416 - My family is doing well. I'm happy. / Chapter 417 - A letter from Hephaestus. / Chapter 418 - Does Hephaestus want to sleep with Luan?