Free Web NovelChapter 35: Level 20
"Let the stream begin!"
The moment the words left Dan Moriarty’s lips, the Emerald Cavern answered. A low, guttural screech echoed from somewhere deeper within the winding tunnels.
SKREEEE—
It was followed by another. freewebnovel.cσ๓
Then another.
The sounds multiplied rapidly until the once tranquil cavern seemed to awaken from its slumber.
Dan remained perfectly still, as his grip around the Thousand Heavens Rainfall Divine Sword neither tightened nor loosened.
Instead, he quietly listened.
Footsteps.
Not human footsteps.
Dozens of tiny legs scraping against rough stone. The sound grew louder with every passing second, and the viewers immediately noticed.
[Current Viewers: 38]
[@DrunkenSwordImmortal: Hahaha! Finally! I was beginning to think this cavern had gone completely empty after sensing your sword’s aura. Let’s see whether these little creatures possess enough courage to charge anyway.]
[@StoneGiantKing: Judging from the rhythm of those footsteps... no fewer than twenty monsters are approaching. Against an ordinary Iron Rank Streamer this would already qualify as a dangerous situation, but his weapon alone completely changes the equation.]
[@NineTailEmpress: Emerald Cavern specializes in swarm-type monsters. They rely less on individual strength and more upon overwhelming their prey through sheer numbers. Although their levels are low, carelessness still claims many inexperienced Streamers every year.]
[@GoldenFeatherPrincess: Watching him stand there so calmly while everything approaches... how unexpectedly elegant. One almost forgets he’s preparing for battle rather than admiring the scenery.]
Dan slowly turned toward the source of the sounds.
A few seconds later, they appeared.
One after another, creatures roughly the size of wolves crawled out from the surrounding tunnels.
Their bodies resembled oversized insects covered in dark green chitin. Eight razor-sharp legs supported each creature while long, hooked claws scraped loudly against the stone beneath them.
Most unsettling of all were their mouths. Rows upon rows of jagged teeth continuously clicked together while glowing emerald eyes locked onto Dan.
More emerged. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty.
Soon, nearly thirty monsters surrounded him from every direction.
[Name: Cavern Crawler]
[Level: 9]
Dan quietly surveyed the encirclement.
"So these are the Cavern Crawlers."
Their numbers would undoubtedly intimidate most beginners. But numbers alone meant very little before overwhelming quality.
The Thousand Heavens Rainfall Divine Sword gently hummed within his hand, almost as though eager for battle.
Dan smiled faintly.
"Come."
The nearest crawler lunged instantly.
SKREEEE!!
Its claws sliced downward toward his chest. Dan moved, or perhaps he simply disappeared.
[Footwork Lv.15 Activated.]
His body shifted several meters sideways with astonishing fluidity, and the monster’s claws struck nothing but empty air. Before it could recover —
SWISH!
Lightning flashed. The divine sword swept horizontally, and there wasn’t even resistance, the Mythical-ranked blade sliced effortlessly through the monster’s armored shell, separating its body cleanly into two halves.
-190 HP!
[You have slain Cavern Crawler Lv.9, Experience Gained: +80.]
The remaining monsters hesitated — only briefly — then every single one charged simultaneously. The cavern erupted into chaos.
SKREEEE!! SKREEEE!! SKREEEE!!
Their shrill cries echoed endlessly through the tunnels. Dan stepped forward instead of retreating. A swordsman who continually fled eventually cornered himself, and meeting danger head-on often revealed opportunities invisible from behind.
His sword danced. Every swing possessed purpose, and every step flowed naturally into the next. Basic Slash, Parry, Footwork, the three techniques intertwined seamlessly. A claw descended with a CLANG! and Dan redirected it effortlessly.
Another monster lunged from behind, and without even looking, he twisted his body as the hooked fangs passed harmlessly beside his shoulder before his sword immediately answered.
SWISH!
Another crawler collapsed.
-198 HP!
A third attempted to leap from above, and Dan simply stepped once, and the monster overshot him entirely, and before it landed —
SCHHK!
Its head rolled across the cavern floor.
The viewers watched everything unfold with growing excitement.
[Current Viewers: 51]
[@DrunkenSwordImmortal: Beautiful! His sword movements have become noticeably smoother since the fight against the Skull Knight. Every exchange is cleaner than before. Experience truly is the greatest teacher, and this brat clearly knows how to learn from every opponent he faces.]
[@ShadowWarden: Observe his footwork carefully. He never allows himself to become surrounded despite standing inside the middle of the swarm. Every movement subtly changes the battlefield itself. That’s considerably advanced battlefield awareness for someone so young.]
[@StoneGiantKing: His weapon remains absurd. Monsters several levels beneath him cannot even withstand a single strike. Still... relying entirely upon equipment often creates future weaknesses. Hopefully he understands that.]
Dan continued advancing — one monster, then another, then another. The cavern floor gradually became littered with fading monster corpses that dissolved into countless particles of light, and experience notifications accumulated continuously.
[Experience Gained: +80.]
[Experience Gained: +80.]
[Experience Gained: +80.]
Minutes became an hour, and an hour became several. Dan never stopped moving. Whenever one group of Cavern Crawlers fell, another eventually appeared deeper inside the Emerald Cavern, and he explored every branching tunnel, every underground chamber, every crystal-filled corridor. The livestream continued throughout as viewers watched him methodically clear nest after nest without slowing his pace.
his spiritual power didn’t decline, as he already took a Spirit Wine Jar moments after the stream began. Continuous warm spiritual energy flooded every corner of his body, and his reserves instantly returned to their peak. Unlimited — exactly as advertised. Dan couldn’t help acknowledging their incredible value.
"So this is why entire guilds compete over Spirit Wine Jars."
Compared to Spirit Stones, they truly existed on an entirely different level. The gap between them wasn’t measured merely by effectiveness, but it was measured by convenience.
Hours passed. The emerald glow within the cavern subtly shifted, and by now hundreds of Cavern Crawlers had fallen beneath the Thousand Heavens Rainfall Divine Sword. Dan himself bore almost no injuries, only a few scratches decorating his clothing. The Mythical-ranked weapon simply overwhelmed everything the dungeon could offer.
Finally, after another group of monsters disappeared into particles of light —
[Ding!]
[Level Up!]
[Level 16 Reached!]
Dan barely paused. He simply continued fighting. Another hour later, Level 17 arrived, then Level Eighteen, then soon afterward Level Nineteen. Each increase strengthened his body further, his strikes became even faster, his reactions even sharper, and the viewers could visibly perceive his improvement despite watching through a broadcast.
Eventually, inside one of the cavern’s largest crystal chambers, the final group of Crawlers collapsed. Lightning slowly faded from Dan’s blade, and silence returned. Then —
[Ding!]
[You have slain Cavern Crawler Lv.9, Experience Gained: +80.]
[Ding!]
[Level Up!]
[Congratulations, Level 20 Reached!]
Warm power surged through Dan’s body once more. He slowly exhaled.
"Level Twenty."
A faint smile appeared. He had entered this dungeon at Level Fifteen, and now, after spending hours continuously hunting throughout the Emerald Cavern, he had gained five entire levels.
Such progress would have sounded impossible to most Streamers, yet with his Mythical weapon due to his Infinite Amplification Talent, it had simply become reality.
The livestream chat exploded once again.
[Current Viewers: 383]
[@DrunkenSwordImmortal: Hahaha! Five levels in a single stream! You’re becoming more entertaining every time you broadcast. Keep growing like this and perhaps this immortal will eventually witness something truly extraordinary.]
[@GoldenFeatherPrincess: It seems our little swordsman grows stronger every time he unsheathes that beautiful blade. One cannot help becoming curious... just how far will he eventually climb?]
