Dungeon Refrigerator 87

Test

Mucus' Usefulness

I'm on the 9th floor of the Refrigerator Dungeon.

What on earth is this? 

A dungeon that gives the impression of a cold, pale light pouring down from the ceiling, and giant mantises the size of goats are bouncing vigorously on the floor. On the blue, brick-like dungeon walls, stink bugs as large as a car's hood made strange noises as they moved. 

It was a scene like a nightmarish vision that could hardly be described as hell-born in the depths of the earth.

However, I couldn't afford to be frightened by such a scene that my SAN value was low. I'm the one who holds the proud title of the Bug King.

"Mantises and stink bugs, hello! I am the Insect King! So, be quiet and listen to what I have to say. Hey, wait! Don't all of you rush at once! Ouch...! Hey, stop gnawing on my bar!"

Even though I, who held the title of the 'Insect King,' was trying to convey something important, the giant mantises and stink bugs completely ignored me and mercilessly attacked. 

What's the point of being the 'Insect King' if it only works on cockroaches?

"Damn... I'm getting angry! Overflow mucus, Overflow Mucus!!"

Surrounded and attacked by these monstrous creatures, the giant mantises and stink bugs, I calmly produced a heavy and sticky mucus from my entire body.

That's the effect of the [Mucus] skill. By manipulating mana, I can give various properties to the mucus. That allows me to create mucus as smooth and slippery as lotion mucus, or thick, sticky, and heavy like raw bread dough mucus.

[Mukumukumuku~... Gichigichi!... Jitabata...!]

The giant mantises and stink bugs, which were trying to bite me with their big jaws, were hindered by the thick mucus and had their movements restricted as they struggled.

"Really... That's what happens when you don't listen to people (Gas! Gush!)."

And it's not just a few insects caught in the mucus. I felt no different from gutting a fish. As I relentlessly hammered Excalibar into their heads.

But why can I move even though I'm completely wrapped in thick mucus? 

It's because I can manipulate mana and reduce the viscosity of the mucus around me. Therefore, the outside is soft and smooth, while the inside is gooey, like a special koryu wrap.

However, being surrounded by mucus limits my range of movement, so I can't attack monsters out of Excalibar's reach.

But.

"Hehehe... This special koryu wrap. No, that's not it. The Special Mucus Field is not to be underestimated! (Shubiyubiyu~!)"

Tentacle-like mucus extended from the mucus mass that enveloped me, entwining the giant mantises and stink bugs, gradually squeezing them and enveloping their entire bodies in mucus.

"""(Gyuchii!... Jitabata. Mogamoga...!)"""

The slimy mucus that overflowed eventually enveloped everything of the monsters.

(Hehehe. Don't underestimate this mucus. After all, even humans can die if they choke on rice cakes. Even though they're monsters, they still take on the form of insects, and isn't breathing essential to their survival?)

.....

[......Huff... huff!... huff!]

The giant mantises and stink bugs that choked to death as expected disappeared into the mucus, their struggles turning into smoke.

The battle was far from flashy, being extremely subdued, and slow-paced. However, it allowed for a one-sided dominance, as I received no attacks.

"Well, even the [Salt] skill isn't just about obtaining delicious salt. It can be quite useful for offense on how I use it. But more than salt, the [Mucus] skill seems useful offensively and defensively..."

By manipulating mucus with mana, I could move it like ropes or tentacles, effectively extending my limbs. [Strong Acid] was very powerful, but its use was limited, whereas [Salt] and [Mucus] were versatile.

Considering this, it might be a good idea to save [Strong Acid] as the ultimate move and build a combat style mainly based on [Salt] and [Mucus].

[Gyuchii!... Mog... Mog...!]

[Gichigichi!... Mogamoga...!]

The giant mantises and stink bugs, trapped in the mucus, were rendered helpless, unable to move or defend themselves.

And since the mucus was transparent, it was highly suitable for close observation.

"Now, let's start by examining the giant mantises..."

It was time for the usual analysis. Knowing your enemy and yourself makes for a hundred victories without problems.

The giant mantis, about the size of a goat, had a two-tone black or dark brown color. It had long antennae and limbs as distinctive features. In appearance, it resembled a cross between a wingless cricket and a grasshopper, as expected of a mantis. Apart from looking disturbing due to its enormous size, it didn't seem particularly formidable.

Next was the giant stink bug, approximately the size of a car's hood. However, its entire body was covered in a hard exoskeleton, making it even tougher than a car's hood. 

It had a vivid green color like tree leaves, but its size and constant [gichigichi] sounds made it far from cute.

But the most significant issue was the stench. Like the common stink bugs known as Hekokimushi or Heppirimushi, the giant stink bug also emitted a foul odor, just as regular stink bugs did.

Even in my Bug King Suit with a gas mask, the stench was strong enough to affect my nose. It might have rendered my combat ineffective if I had smelled it in my normal state.

"Hmm... in any case, they're not enjoyable opponents to fight... (Zash! Huff! Huff!)"

After finishing off the monsters I had restrained and observed, I glanced around and noticed that the other monsters caught in the mucus were gradually decreasing in number due to lack of oxygen.

"But... really. It seems like my Refrigerator Dungeon is teeming with monsters as unpleasant as pests. Maybe the dungeon is selecting monsters that humans find repulsive based on their subconscious...?"

I call this development the Nightmare System.

You know, it's like in horror movies. There's a template plot where monsters take on the appearance of things humans fear and attack. Some well-known examples include the [NightmarOs of R-M City] or [MOrshmallow MOn] from the [GhOstbusters], among others.

I love watching those old horror movies where they used puppets and special effects to create the scares instead of today's CGI. So, I think I watch a fair amount of horror movies.

[Ah, ah... Oh, that was scary! Ugh, bugs are scary! But it's a good thing it's not a cute girl! If I got attacked by a cute girl, I might have wet myself!]

Yeah, nothing happened. Well, I expected that.

"Sigh... oh well. It's a hassle, but I guess I should collect [Mucus] orbs on the 4th floor of the dungeon..."

I've come to realize that the [Mucus] skill is highly versatile and convenient. So, it's essential to level it up.

The 9th floor of the dungeon was like a hell teeming with insect-type monsters that appeared to be lurking in the shadows, such as giant mantises and giant stink bugs.

I moved to the 4th floor of the dungeon and found that even giant slugs, like creatures hiding in the shadows, awaited me. With mixed feelings, I began battling monsters once again.