Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

After 5 hours, Allen's group had reached the 10th floor, and after a fierce battle the ghost inside the locked room was defeated, leaving behind a Spirit Crystal Stone.

'You defeated 1 ghost. You obtained 1000'000'000 Faith Points, 100'000'000 Spiritual Power, 100'000'000 Divine Power, and 10 Talent Change Points. You reached Level 224, Strength +275, Mana +440, Attack +154, Endurance +154, Agility +284, Intelligence +440, Luck +286.'

"Nice nice, that's another 1000'000'000 Faith Points in the bag, and a 6th Spirit Crystal Stone."

"Incredible! This is the fastest we've ever gone! We have so much left even after defeating the 10th floor's ghost!"

Merle shouted happily from within Tam-Tam.

"It's thanks to Rosetta finding 3 holes down."

"Heheh, Allen~ Don't be shy and praise me more~"

Rosetta's Skills were really useful in this dungeon, where the main point was to go down.

Allen had made the right choice in taking her away from the Divine Arena.

"Master Allen's new summons were helpful too, I didn't have to worry about Spiritual Power thanks to that."

(Fish summons's buffs are always good.)

-Fish E summon's stats, Skill, and Awakened Skill

[Species] Fish

[Rank] E

[Name] Shirayaki

[Strength] 30

[Spiritual Power] 50

[Attack] 25

[Endurance] 50

[Agility] 30

[Intelligence] 50

[Luck] 35

[Blessings] Spiritual Power +20, Intelligence +20

[Special Skill] Mucus

[Awakened Skill] Roasted Eel

[Fish E summon's appearance]

-Eel

-1 meter long

-Black and slimy

-Good for nourishment

[Special Skill [Mucus]'s effects]

-Resistance to fire attacks (Medium)

-Dodge Chance increase (Medium)

-Radius of effect 1 kilometer

-Effect lasts 24 hours

-No cooldown

[Awakened Skill [Roasted Eel]'s effects]

-30% decreased Spiritual Power costs

-30% decreased Skill cast time (only when using Spiritual Power)

-30% decreased Skill Experience

-Effect lasts 1 hour

-No cooldown

Sophie praised the Fish E summon, which Allen had obtained recently.

While a hit from a Demigod Rank ghost would not instantly kill Allen, Dogora, Merle within Tam-Tam, or Sophie and Luck who were being protected by Great Spirits, but everyone else was in danger.

Allen was trying out the new Fish E summon in the fight, and decided it was good against bosses, especially those with fire attacks like dragons.

The decreased Spiritual Power costs also helped against bosses, though anywhere else it would hinder gathering Skill Experience.

While everyone checked the treasure chests, a loud cheer came from where Dogora stood.

'I did it! I finally gained Divine Power! I'm back!!'

One of Dogora's axes, the Divine Artifact Kagutsuchi, transmitted the God of Fire Freya's voice.

"Did something happen, Lady Freya?"

'I've gained my Divine Power back thanks to you defeating ghosts, hah!'

"Hah? Ah, that burns. Hm? I feel so powerful now."

Kagutsuchi's blade turned red hot, thousands of degrees hot, which could melt steel without issue, but Dogora's Fire Resistance kept him safe. He could still feel the temperature though.

More importantly, he felt his stats going up.

"Oh? Dogora's stats just shot up. The Divine Artifact's power also went up."

Allen checked Dogora's stats in the Grimoire.

[Name] Dogora

[Age] 16

[Blessings] Goddess of Fire (Extra Large), Fire Resistance

[Talent] Barbarian King

[Level] 99

[Strength] 8729 + 30000 (Blessing) + 9600 (True Fighting Spirit)

[Mana] 4007 + 30000 + 4800

[Spiritual Power] 38807

[Attack] 8988 + 30000 + 9600

[Endurance] 8235 + 30000 + 9600

[Agility] 6213 + 30000 + 9600

[Intelligence] 3845 + 30000 + 4800

[Luck] 6028 + 30000 + 9600

[Divine Technique] Explosive Attack (7)

[Skills] Barbarian King (8), True Full-Body (8), True Bombing Defeat (8), True Peerless Slash (8), True Wicked Blow (8), Body and Soul (8), True Fighting Spirit (2), Formation Break (7), Furious Twin Barrage (6), Axemanship (8), Twin Axemanship (7), Shield Technique (4), Divine Technique Activation

-Skill Level

[Weapon 1] Divine Artifact Kagutsuchi: Attack 30000, Strength 10000, Critical Chance 30%

[Weapon 2] Orichalcum battleaxe: Attack 12000, Attack 6000

[Armor] Adamantite armor: Endurance 12000, Endurance 6000

[Ring 1] Attack 5000, Attack 5000

[Ring 2] Attack 5000, Attack 5000

[Necklace] Attack 3000, Attack 3000

[Earring 1] Physical Attack Damage +7%, Strength 2000

[Earring 2] Physical Attack Damage +10%, Strength 2000, Attack 2000

[Belt] Water Resistance, Strength +10000

[Anklet 1] Agility +5000, Dodge Chance +10%

[Anklet 2] Agility +5000, Dodge Chance +10%

His Blessing went from 10000 to 30000, and Kagutsuchi was more powerful, overpowering the axe made from Isiris' orichalcum.

"Oh? I see, I'll get to beat up that bastard Basque then."

Dogora grinned knowing he had become stronger.

(I guess Dogora kept skipping his training at the God of Dance's Temple this month, and instead worked on his Skill Levels, they've gone up a lot. And I guess Freya got some Divine Power.)

That reminded Allen of something.

"Lady Freya, congratulations on recovering your Divine Power."

'It was all thanks to you.'

"No no, I've been praying for the day when you recover your power. I have nothing but gratitude for you, giving so much power to Dogora."

Allen quickly came up with lies.

'O-oh, I see. It'll be hard for you to get more though!'

(Oops, I forgot she's always with Dogora. I guess she's already wary of me.)

She was well aware of Allen's behavior.

"What do you mean, get more of what?"

'Stop playing dumb, Allen. I can tell you just want to demand a bigger Blessing from me.'

"So you can't give us more?"

Allen wanted to know the limits of a God's Blessing.

'Of course not. I've already given you plenty of power. Dogora will have to provide more in exchange for power, at the cost of his humanity.'

"So he'll become like Makris?"

Dogora was already Freya's apostle, but it was possible to advance their connection with him becoming her servant.

'Exactly. It won't work if he wants to keep living as a human though.'

"I have to stop being human? That's asking too much, man."

Dogora trembled with excitement for a bit, but he was not ready to give up his humanity yet.

'There you have it. Live as you wish then.'

She had given Dogora a more powerful Blessing than a human should get.

Dogora was happy with that, but Allen's face just got more menacing, knowing he could negotiate more.

"I get you can't improve the Blessing, but he still has only 1 Divine Technique… Everyone else got 2, so I don't know if you simply didn't have the means but…"

'So you're demanding another Divine Technique?!'

"No, I just feel like there should be more ways to display your power to the world…"

Sophie, Luck, and Formar all had multiple Divine Technique.

'You really know how to get on someone's nerves, don't you? But I just gave him one, if you want me to give him another, then defeat another 5 ghosts like this one.'

"You heard her, Dogora."

"That's a piece of cake, Allen. Thanks."

"The party's frontline should be the strongest part after all."

"Yeah, I know. I'll get stronger."

Dogora had been stressed about not being as much use lately, but he felt more relieved now.

(Phew, now I can get Dogora stronger while I get the Spiritual Power regeneration ring. Now there's only Kiel left, though he's also closer to an early game character so I'm not sure how to make him stronger. Maybe I could send him to the God of Medicine, even though he's not that type of healer.)

Bump

While Allen thought of that, the Grimoire appeared out of nowhere.

[Dear Allen,

I hope you've been enjoying your stay in this realm.

Let me get straight to the point, the God of Creation Elmea has given me permission to give training. So I'm open to giving special training to your healers.

Please send them paired with 1 frontliner as well.

Everyone here at the herbal nursery will be waiting for your challengers.

Yours truly, the God of Medicine Poshon.]

"Wait, this has to refer to Kiel."

"Yeah, I guess Elmea has been working behind the scenes since Kiel was at the Divine Compass Lottery."

(It really feels like he's predicting what I'll do, like in the Divine Arena.)

"The God of Creation Elmea, don't forget that. But that's actually helpful, now Kiel won't be left behind anymore."

"What do you mean only me? You haven't gotten any progress either."

"But it's pretty much decided what I'll get."

Cecile talked like getting to Extra Mode was already assured for her.

"What should we do though, Master Allen? Who will accompany him?"

"Dogora, obviously. Once he gets his Divine Technique, he'll go help Kiel."

(That requirement makes me think they'll train with combat. I guess it makes sense though, there's only so much you can do with a healer alone. It'll be training like healing Dogora on time before he dies or something like that.)

Allen felt like this was the same as healers in games from his previous world, who would mainly heal someone else in the party.

"Alright, everything's sorted so let's keep going down the floors."

Allen continued going down the floors from the 10th floor.

Rosetta being able to spot the holes was a big help.

Soon they reached the 30th floor.

(Alright, we have Rosetta with us this time.)

"So this is the floor you told me about, and I should use my Extra Skill."

"Yes…and there it is."

'Pikii.'

A rat holding a key appeared in front of them, then ran away faster than the speed of sound.

The 30th floor had a locked room, and a ghost with the key.

Rosetta changed his equipment to rings, bracelets, and a necklace to enhance her Agility.

"I'm going then."

'Piki! Piki!'

The rat and Rosetta ran far into the distance. Even if Cecile tried to stop the rat with magic, the rat would run faster than the projectile, rendering it useless.

Soon Rosetta's body became blurry like a heat haze.

"Robber Hands!!"

Clink!

'Pikippa?!'

Rosetta moved her hand like taking something from a distance, and the small key made a clinking sound in her bag. The rat ghost also noticed the key vanishing from its back.

"Heheh, I feel like I'm too good for this."

Rosetta grinned as she held up the key she had stolen from the ghost.

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