Chapter 278: Advancing Deeper, Facing The Boss Of Floor 1!

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Daniela panicked for a moment as the leeches came from every direction at once, but Noir protected her instantly with solid shadow barriers. He then redirected the incoming projectiles back at the leeches with practiced ease, making several of them explode because he had infused the returned attacks with his own darkness.

"Let’s end this quickly. We can’t waste our time with a bunch of boring leeches!" Vladimir roared. He inhaled deeply and then released a powerful stream of dragon breath from his mouth. A massive explosion of flames followed. The fire evaporated large sections of the water and burned dozens of leeches at once. They exploded one after another, leaving tiny, red-colored monster cores floating on the surface of the remaining pools.

"You’re right. It’s no time to be worried about being too flashy."

Riven nodded, driven by the simple desire to finish this floor quickly so he could go home and prepare breakfast for his wife. He swiftly channeled his power into both hands and unleashed a wide wave of crushing psychic energy. When imbued with his Mana Nature, the psychic force became sharp like thousands of invisible blades that cut, stabbed, and impaled the remaining leeches without any mercy.

The leeches thrashed and tried to dive deeper into the murky water, but the blades followed them wherever they went. Some split apart mid-leap. Others burst open after being pierced through multiple times. The water around them churned and turned darker with each kill.

It turned into a total leech massacre in less than a minute.

Once they were done, every single leech within the vast vicinity was gone. They had killed well over a hundred of them in only a few short minutes of combat. The remaining pools were littered with floating cores and the occasional scrap of leech flesh that had not yet dissolved.

"S-So much loot! Wooaaahaha!"

Daniela could not help but laugh in pure delight at the dozens upon dozens of glowing golden items now floating in the bloody waters. The drop rates with her present remained as generous as ever. Rings, small weapons, bottles of strange liquid, and even a few skill books bobbed on the surface alongside the cores.

Noir helped her store them all within his shadows as they continued moving smoothly over the water’s surface. The black tendrils dipped in and out of the pools, scooping up everything of value without missing a single piece.

"Alright, let’s keep moving. The boss area is not so far from here. Behind it is the staircase that leads to the second floor as well."

They moved through the air once more, skimming above the water to avoid any remaining hazards. Not long after, they found the location they were looking for.

The boss area was a small island rising from the brown water. It had a dark cave entrance and something large sleeping peacefully inside the shadows. Thick roots and moss covered the entrance, and the air near it carried a stronger, heavier scent of damp earth and old blood.

Riven silently analyzed everything with careful eyes before making any move. He checked the surrounding water for more leeches, tested the ground for traps with a light pulse of energy, and watched the cave entrance for any sign of movement.

"This is the home of the boss of the first floor. Take a look."

They peered inside the cave and found it was not a leech as they had half imagined, but a giant, elephant-sized red frog with colorful patterns covering its thick, warty skin.

The frog had a pair of short white horns and looked to be covered in hard scales across several areas of its body. A few old scars marked its hide here and there, as if it were a battle-hardened warrior that had survived many fights. Its chest rose and fell slowly with each breath, and its large eyelids twitched occasionally in its sleep.

A monster like this was the dungeon’s first boss, the...

[Crimson Frog King – D+ Rank: Level 80]

"I-It really is a freaking frog, oh wow," Daniela said in pure disbelief, her eyes wide.

"Huh," Vladimir smiled with growing excitement. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s wake up this thing and— Gaaack?!"

Before he could finish speaking, a long, sticky tongue shot out at lightning speed. It wrapped tightly around his body and dragged him away in an instant. The tongue pulled him straight into the jaws of the frog, which closed its mouth with a wet gulp and swallowed him whole. The entire process took less than a second.

"Vladimir just got eaten," Daniela muttered in pure disbelief, staring at the now closed mouth of the giant frog.

Riven sighed and facepalmed lightly. "I know... I told him not to lower his guard even for a second. This guy’s really something else... well, let’s get this over with."

Riven rushed at the giant Frog King without further delay. The beast narrowed its large yellow eyes and rushed back at him with equal force. Its powerful legs clashed against Riven’s fists, releasing a powerful crimson shockwave of inner power that shook the entire island and sent mud and water flying in every direction.

CRAAASH!

RUMBLE!

The Crimson Frog King waited for nobody. It kicked and punched Riven from every angle with surprising skill and precision, constantly pushing him back more and more across the muddy ground. Each strike carried real weight. Its fists felt like stone, and its kicks landed with the force of a battering ram.

"GOOH! GOHAA! GOKYU!"

It moved with unexpected grace and incredible strength, exuding dense inner energy — true Ki — within its muscular body. The frog shifted its stance smoothly, redirecting Riven’s punches and countering with sharp, practiced movements that looked nothing like the wild thrashing of a normal monster.

"Oh, it is exactly as I’ve read in the records. The Crimson Frog King is... a master of Martial Arts!"

"Eh?!" Daniela’s eyes widened even further in shock. "A Kung Fu Frog?!"

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