77: Chapter 77 Which spell is strongest for climbing mountains? Long Step? NO! Spider Walk? Yes!

The campfire gradually dimmed, and the sound of waves in the distance ebbed and flowed in the night.

Su Wan leaned against a reef, her complexion having returned to a healthy flush; her seasickness symptoms had completely vanished after leaving the ghost ship.

She sipped the clear water in her cup, her gaze cast toward the dark shadows circling the distant cliffs. Under the moonlight, those Harpies looked like ominous silhouettes, emitting ear-piercing screeches from time to time.

Lin Rui cleared his throat, breaking the brief silence.

"Let me start by talking about tomorrow's plan."

He took out paper and a pen from his backpack and drew a simple diagram on it: "The scene for the sixth level should be the largest in the dungeon so far. We need to pass through three areas in sequence: the beach, the cliffs, and the interior of the temple."

"In the beach section, the enemies are mainly Harpies and Gnoll archers." He drew an arc in the sand with a pebble. "Harpies will dive from mid-air to attack. My load is too high; I can't jump at all on the soft beach, and dealing with them is really strenuous. Tomorrow, I'll leave the aerial targets to you, Hu Jinsi, and Su Wan. I'll be responsible for clearing the Gnoll archers on the ground."

Hu Jinsi nodded, his gaze falling on the beach beneath his feet. In the moonlight, the sand grains glimmered with a silvery-white light. Stepping on it was indeed soft, and every step would sink in by half a section.

"This terrain isn't suitable for prolonged combat," Lin Rui continued. "The longer the beach battle lasts, the greater the stamina consumption. My suggestion is to pass through quickly and don't be stingy with your stamina."

His finger moved on the stone slab to the second area: "The second section is mountain climbing. The enemies are all old friends: blue-skinned orcs, red-skinned orcs, skeleton warriors, and skeleton variants that can throw spears."

"But the real difficulty isn't the mobs; it's the terrain itself." Lin Rui looked up at the distant mountain looming in the moonlight. "From where we are now, that mountain is quite high. Even without any combat, just climbing it would probably take five hours. Add in the combat harassment along the way... I estimate this section will take at least half a day, or even seven or eight hours. Note that this is purely a mountain path, not like a scenic spot with guardrails and steps everywhere."

Su Wan followed his gaze and couldn't help but gasp. In the night, the mountain looked like a sleeping giant beast, its silhouette sharp and steep.

"Before reaching the entrance to the temple at the summit, we will encounter the second Minotaur of this dungeon, which is even stronger than the enhanced version in the second level." Lin Rui's tone became serious. "It has greater strength, faster attacks, and the combat scene is an open platform at the summit with no walls or obstacles to kite around."

"We have to defeat it to enter the temple. The enemies inside the temple are the same as on the mountain path, but we have to keep climbing stairs until we reach the very top to see the final boss, the Cyclops."

He took a deep breath and continued: "We have already discussed the tactics for the Cyclops before this week, so I won't repeat them here. We'll adjust the specific tactics when we see it. The current problem is how to meet it in the best condition."

"The core of this level is attrition," he summarized. "Stamina, mental energy, endurance—everything will be worn down significantly. The ideal situation is to make a one-time push to clear the level tomorrow and go home to have a good sleep at night."

"But that's obviously unlikely," he paused. "Stumbling through the beach, then climbing the mountain continuously, and then having to climb stairs once we reach the summit..."

"My inclination is, if it really doesn't work out, leave the Cyclops for the day after tomorrow morning. After waking up the day after tomorrow, we have until ten o'clock to exit the dungeon; there are still a few hours, which is more than enough to fight a boss. Our minimum requirement for tomorrow is just to climb to the temple entrance and finish off the Minotaur."

After listening, Hu Jinsi pondered for a moment and proposed an adjustment: "For the beach section, let's change the tactics. I'll take care of the Gnoll archers, and you use your firearms to attack the Harpies in the sky. This way, you can use your shield to protect Su Wan and also work with her to deal with flying targets from a distance. It will also consume less of your stamina; asking you to Charge on the beach with this equipment is indeed asking a bit much."

Lin Rui was stunned for a moment, then showed a wry smile. He looked down at the pieces of equipment on his body; on the soft sand, these things were indeed a burden rather than a help.

"You're right." He accepted the suggestion. "Your adaptability is indeed stronger than ours. After these six levels, you are almost unaffected by the terrain, whereas Su Wan and I are far worse off."

"This isn't a question of adaptability," Hu Jinsi waved his hand. "It's that this dungeon itself is modeled after Western fantasy classes. Just like we discussed before, classes like Mages can obviously take shortcuts in this dungeon."

"And my Monk happens to be of the Western fantasy type, so I have some advantages in this dungeon. You, as a Soldier, and Su Wan, as a Bard, also have your own areas of advantage; there's no need to force yourself in areas where you aren't proficient in this dungeon."

The three confirmed the tactics and then arranged for night watch. Unlike last night in the cave, tonight they could see the Harpies circling the distant cliffs, which meant danger could descend from the air at any time. The night watch standard was raised to the highest level to ensure someone remained awake at all times.

The campfire gradually extinguished. Except for Hu Jinsi, who remained in meditation, the other two found sheltered spots to lie down. The cries of seabirds in the distance echoed in the night sky, accompanying the rhythm of the waves, making it easier for people to fall into a deep sleep.

---

The next morning, the sea breeze with a faint salty taste dispersed the mist.

The three ate some biscuits and milk, then packed up their camping gear. Before setting off, Su Wan suddenly spoke: "Lin Rui, our enemies on that beach stretch are all Harpies in the sky. Can't you take off that tower shield on your back first?"

Lin Rui blinked, then suddenly realized. That's right, since the point is to save stamina, why carry that tower shield that is almost useless on the beach section?

Without a word, he took off his tower shield, greaves, and other heavy equipment, stuffing them into his backpack. He only kept his shoes, belt, and the steel helmet on his head; these were lightweight equipment and would not significantly increase his load.

After changing equipment, the three set off from the beach, heading towards the cliffs.

The sand underfoot was even softer than imagined; every step sank to ankle depth.

Not long after walking, a whistling sound came from the side. Several arrows nailed into the sand near the three, kicking up fine dust.

"Gnolls!" Hu Jinsi looked in the direction of the sound and saw several dark blue figures peeking out from behind some giant rocks. They were Gnoll archers. Their skin color should have made them easy to spot, but they were hiding in the shadows, making them unexpectedly difficult to detect for a moment.

Hu Jinsi signaled for Lin Rui and Su Wan to continue moving forward, while he activated [Unarmored Movement], his figure dashing towards the Gnolls like a gray shadow. Although the sand was soft, his speed was still far beyond ordinary people, and he rushed behind the giant rocks in a few steps.

Stick shadows flew, and in less than three minutes, those Gnoll archers dissipated into points of light. A white-quality bow and a quiver of arrows were left on the ground. Hu Jinsi picked up the loot and turned to catch up with the team.

By the time he caught up, Lin Rui and Su Wan were being entangled by five Harpies. Those monsters were circling and diving in mid-air, their sharp claws flashing with cold light.

The pistol in Lin Rui's hand banged away, but the Harpies' flight paths were erratic; it took two shots to take down one, and the efficiency was really not high.

When Hu Jinsi arrived, there were still three Harpies circling above the two.

He thought quickly and shouted: "Lin Rui, bend down!"

Lin Rui subconsciously bent his waist. Hu Jinsi activated [Parkour], his speed surged, and he kicked off Lin Rui's back, leaping into mid-air like an arrow released from a bowstring!

The ironwood staff drew a sharp arc in mid-air, accurately smashing into the head of a Harpy. [-15], the monster screamed and fell like a pebble.

Hu Jinsi used the force to turn in mid-air, activated [Water Bird Steps], and his figure drifted towards the second Harpy like a falling leaf, knocking it down with another strike of his staff.

The moment he landed, he quickly finished off the two Harpies that had fallen to the ground. The last one was hit in the wing by Su Wan's crossbow bolt in its panic and also fell down, being easily finished off by Hu Jinsi.

The entire sequence of actions was smooth and accomplished in one go, taking less than five seconds from takeoff to landing. Lin Rui remained bent over, stunned, and only straightened up after several seconds, looking at Hu Jinsi with a complex expression.

"...Tell me in advance next time." He patted the footprint on his back. "I almost thought you were going to snap my spine."

The battle ended, and a few Harpy feathers and a small amount of copper coins were scattered on the sand.

Lin Rui stood on the spot, his face somewhat embarrassed. As the only person in the team proficient in firearms, he couldn't even take down a few Harpies, and that was with Su Wan's assistance. Of the five Harpies, he only shot down two; the remaining three were all taken care of by Hu Jinsi. This made him feel a bit ashamed.

"Don't take it to heart." Hu Jinsi patted his shoulder. "Aerial targets are completely different from ground targets. These Harpies' flight paths have no pattern, and you haven't received specialized anti-aircraft shooting training, so it's normal not to hit them."

"But I am a Soldier," Lin Rui said in a low voice. "Firearms are my primary weapon. If I can't even handle a few flying units, what will I do when I encounter a more powerful flying boss later?"

"Don't worry too much about it." Hu Jinsi patted his shoulder. "Aerial targets are completely different from ground targets. Practice shooting aerial targets more after you get out; it will be very helpful for your future battles."

He paused and added: "Your career direction is heavy assault, and melee combat is your strength. But as a supplement, practicing good marksmanship can make up for the short range. And..." He smiled. "For dealing with flying units, net-throwing techniques might be more practical than marksmanship. Harpies aren't small; once they are entangled by a net, dragging them directly to the ground makes them sitting ducks."

Hu Jinsi's words were half-true and half-false; net-throwing was indeed an effective means of dealing with flying units, but he knew clearly in his heart that the suppression power of flying units over ground units was far beyond what ordinary people imagined.

In the world before he transmigrated, infantry were often helpless against drones in the air; sometimes, even a 1.8-meter-tall Soldier could only raise his hands in surrender when facing a drone the size of a fist. That sense of powerlessness could be felt even through the screen.

But he could only keep these thoughts to himself.

The drops from the Harpy were shockingly meager; besides a few feathers, there wasn't even a single copper coin.

"Poor wretches." Hu Jinsi stuffed the feathers into his backpack and shook his head.

The trio adjusted their formation and continued forward. Hu Jinsi expanded his patrol range, responsible for warning against Gnoll ambushes while guiding the path forward for Lin Rui and Su Wan.

Hidden enemies were often concealed behind the boulders on the beach, but Hu Jinsi's perception far exceeded that of an ordinary person, and he could always detect them in advance.

By the time they reached the middle of the beach, Su Wan was already panting. An hour of trekking through the deep, uneven sand had taken a great toll on her stamina.

"Rest here." Hu Jinsi made the decision. "I'll go scout ahead and see which direction the mountain path is in."

He left the two behind and activated [Unarmored Movement] to rush toward the foot of the cliff at full speed. Ten minutes later, he arrived at the base of the cliff.

Fortunately, their direction was basically correct; although the mountain path was not directly ahead, the deviation was only a dozen degrees, and they could reach it by adjusting slightly.

On the way back, Hu Jinsi stood at a high vantage point overlooking the beach, and the Gnolls hiding behind the boulders were completely exposed to his view.

Naturally, he didn't hold back and eliminated them one by one. This easy way of reaping kills surprised even him, but he wouldn't turn down experience points served on a silver platter.

The round trip took less than half an hour. When Hu Jinsi returned to Su Wan and Lin Rui, Su Wan had nearly recovered her stamina.

"The direction is basically correct." He pointed toward the cliff. "If we sprint at full speed, we can reach the entrance of the mountain path in about ten minutes. My suggestion is to shed whatever equipment you can. I'll carry Su Wan, and Lin Rui, you run light behind me. Ignore the Harpies in the sky for now; we'll deal with them once we reach the foot of the mountain."

Lin Rui and Su Wan exchanged glances and simultaneously began to shed more weight. Su Wan put all her equipment back into her backpack, wearing only a set of casual clothes. Lin Rui also kept only his shoes, hat, and belt, stuffing everything else into his backpack.

"Let's go!"

The three started their full-speed run across the beach. Hu Jinsi carried Su Wan, his speed undiminished, while Lin Rui followed lightly, leaving a trail of deep footprints in the soft sand.

Behind them, the screeching of the Harpies rose and fell, but the three did not look back, sprinting forward with all their might.

Fifteen minutes of full-speed sprinting left all three of them panting, especially Lin Rui; although he had shed his heavy equipment, the long duration of running on the sand still consumed a massive amount of stamina.

Hu Jinsi ran at the front, carrying Su Wan, his breathing still steady, with only a fine layer of sweat forming on his forehead.

"We're here!" Hu Jinsi set Su Wan down and immediately turned back to deliver a [Spinning Crane Kick]. The swirling energy acted like an invisible barrier, forcing the pursuing flock of Harpies back a distance. The monsters screeched and circled in mid-air, not daring to approach rashly.

"Quick! Put on your gear!" he shouted, maintaining a vigilant stance, his gaze locked on the restless shadows in the sky.

Su Wan didn't even put on her gear first. Seizing the moment when the Harpies were most densely packed, she directly released a [Shattering Sonic Wave].

The deafening noise exploded within the flock of Harpies, and the monsters fell one after another like raindrops.

Hu Jinsi immediately followed up by activating [Spinning Crane Kick], spinning to reap the kills at the landing point.

Lin Rui didn't hold back either, using a [Tactical Roll] to switch to his [MS-15 "Steel Nail" Heavy Pistol], firing bang-bang-bang into the sky. Facing such dense targets, it wasn't easy to miss.

The battle ended quickly. The bodies of the twenty-plus Harpies dissipated into points of light, leaving behind only a pile of feathers and a few scattered copper coins on the ground.

"...They really are poor." Su Wan sighed. "Over twenty of them, and there's nothing besides feathers. Skeletons at least drop a sword."

"Harpies are poor wretches to begin with." Hu Jinsi swept the feathers into his backpack. "They don't wear clothes or carry weapons. The only things of value on them are these few feathers, which can be used for arrow fletching or decoration, but I doubt they'll fetch a good price."

It was already past eight in the morning, two hours since they had set off. At this rate, it would be good if they could reach halfway up the mountain by noon.

After organizing their equipment, the three began to climb along the mountain path.

The mountain path was a bit wider than the cliffside plank road in the third level, but the steepness was no less severe. The stone steps were paved with irregular stones; in some places, they had weathered and crumbled, feeling precarious when stepped upon. On both sides were low stone walls covered in moss and vines.

The monsters along the way were just as the data described: Blue-skinned Orcs, Red-skinned Orcs, and Skeleton Warriors—all old friends they had fought before. The three even felt that the appearance of these monsters provided a bit of relief, at least breaking up the monotonous process of climbing the mountain.

A Blue-skinned Orc rushed out from behind a rock wall, raising a bone club to smash at Lin Rui. Lin Rui dodged to the side, and the bone club slammed into the stone steps, sending stone fragments flying. He took the opportunity to kick the Orc down the steps, and the monster rolled down over a dozen meters, screaming before it stopped.

"This terrain is advantageous for us." Hu Jinsi observed the surroundings. "The enemies can only rush from the front, so there won't be too many at once. Lin Rui, you hold the front, I'll flank from the side, and Su Wan, provide ranged support."

This simple tactic was executed very smoothly. The mountain path was narrow, and the enemies could not form an encirclement. The three were like a precision machine: Lin Rui blocked the front, Hu Jinsi dealt damage from the flanks, and Su Wan finished them off, eliminating wave after wave of enemies on the stone steps.

But for the most part, they were indeed just boringly climbing the mountain.

Half an hour later, Lin Rui stuffed his tower shield and light armor back into his backpack; the mountain path was too steep, and carrying these things forward was simply self-torture.

His back was soaked with sweat, and his breathing was as heavy as a bellows. Su Wan was no better; her face was flushed, and she had to stop to catch her breath every few dozen meters.

By noon, the three finally climbed to an open platform halfway up the mountain and stopped to rest and eat.

Su Wan slumped onto a rock, drinking a stamina-restoring potion while panting heavily.

"I completely agree with Lin Rui's conclusion from yesterday now..." she said weakly, leaning against the cold rock with her legs stretched out straight. "This level is just here to drain our stamina. Climbing the mountain all morning isn't even that tiring from fighting small monsters; the key is these endless stone steps... By the time I see that Minotaur, I suspect I won't even have the strength to speak."

Hu Jinsi, however, looked as composed as ever. The buff from [Unarmored Movement] made his movement speed far exceed the other two, and he often stopped to wait after walking a few steps. For him, this stretch of mountain path was no challenge at all.

"Actually, there is a solution," he said. "Su Wan, next time you level up, you can swap a spell slot for [Longstrider]."

"This spell can provide an additional 3 meters/second of movement speed, and it has an extra bonus for mountain climbing. When the time comes, if both you and Lin Rui cast it, you can maintain the same speed as me, and we'll probably be able to run to the summit in less than two hours."

"Swap!" Su Wan said fiercely, biting into an energy bar, her eyes burning with unprecedented determination. "As soon as I have enough experience points, I'm swapping it immediately! Forget about whatever second-circle spells; I want [Longstrider]!"

She swallowed a bite of the energy bar and counted on her fingers: "[Longstrider] lasts for an hour; I can cast it on both myself and Lin Rui. A 3 meters per second bonus... at our current speed, we can save at least half the time."

The three's lunch consisted mainly of high-calorie food: energy bars, canned braised pork, and chocolate. The greasy food they usually didn't like became exceptionally delicious after climbing half the mountain. The happy water in Hu Jinsi's backpack had all been drunk, so they had to make do with plain water.

Seeing that Su Wan had already fallen into the "trap" of his words, Hu Jinsi decided to add more fuel to the fire.

"Actually, there is another spell that is even more suitable for this scenario," he said, feigning mystery.

"Hm?" Su Wan became interested immediately. "What spell? How come I don't remember such a powerful spell?"

"[Spider Climb]." Hu Jinsi curled the corner of his mouth. "With this spell, we don't need to take the mountain path at all. We can just climb vertically up the cliff and reach the summit in an hour."

Su Wan was stunned for a moment, then recalled the description of the spell in her mind. Indeed, [Spider Climb] allowed the caster to walk freely on vertical surfaces and ceilings, completely unrestricted by terrain.

Not only for this level, but the cliffside plank road in the third level and the limestone cave in the fourth level—this spell could play a huge role in all of them.

She had experienced the effect of [Licker's Leg Bind] herself, and the feeling of walking vertically on a wall didn't repel her.

Moreover, if all three of them could use [Spider Climb], encountering similar terrain in future dungeons would not be a problem at all.

However, Su Wan did not express her stance immediately. She subconsciously looked at Lin Rui.

Lin Rui's face was a bit pale. Although he didn't say anything, Su Wan knew that Lin Rui was afraid of heights.

This was actually one of the deeper reasons why Lin Rui chose the "Spinning Impact" style. This style emphasized ground movement, the use of cover, and close-quarters combat, rarely involving high altitudes or vertical surfaces.

For Lin Rui, having his feet on the ground was what gave him a sense of security. Making him walk on a vertical rock wall was no different from leaving him hanging over a bottomless abyss; that feeling of losing control was what he feared most.

Hu Jinsi's suggestion, while seemingly directed at Su Wan, was in reality more of a test of Lin Rui's reaction.