Danmachi with Haki skill - Chapter 4
Chapter 4: The Dungeon’s Call
The entrance to the Dungeon loomed before them—a gaping maw of stone and shadows, descending into the earth like the throat of some ancient beast.
Kaito adjusted the strap of his short sword, his heart pounding in his chest.
“This is it. No turning back now.”
Beside him, Chigusa checked her daggers with practiced ease, her sharp green eyes scanning the surroundings. Ouka stood like an immovable fortress, his massive shield strapped to his back.
Takemikazuchi had been clear: “Stick to the upper floors. Do not go deeper than the fourth. And do not die.”
Mikoto had given him one last warning before they left: “Your Haki won’t save you if you’re careless.”
Kaito grinned.
“Let’s go.”
—
Floor 1: The Trial Begins
The moment they stepped inside, the air changed—damp, heavy, tinged with the metallic scent of blood and magic. The walls pulsed faintly with an eerie glow, veins of luminescent crystal threading through the stone.
Chigusa took point, her steps silent. “Stay sharp. Even the first floor has ambushes.”
Kaito nodded, activating Mind’s Eye: Horizon.
The world sharpened.
A flicker of movement—
“Left!” he barked.
A Kobold lunged from the shadows, claws outstretched.
Ouka moved like a landslide, his shield slamming into the monster’s face with a sickening crunch.
The Kobold crumpled, its body dissolving into black mist, leaving behind a small magic stone.
Chigusa whistled. “Nice call.”
Kaito exhaled. “It worked.”
—
Floor 2: The First Kill
They moved deeper.
More Kobolds. Goblins. Even a Killer Ant—its chitinous body skittering across the walls.
Kaito’s Haki gave him the edge in predicting attacks, but his body still struggled to keep up.
Then—
A Kobold broke through Ouka’s guard, charging straight at Kaito.
Time slowed.
He saw the trajectory—the claw aiming for his throat.
His body moved on instinct.
A sidestep. A slash.
His sword bit into the monster’s side—not deep enough to kill, but enough to stagger it.
The Kobold snarled, lunging again—
Kaito ducked, reversed his grip, and stabbed upward.
The blade pierced through the monster’s jaw, into its skull.
The Kobold twitched—then collapsed.
[EXCELIA ACQUIRED]
Kaito’s hands shook.
“I… did it.”
Ouka clapped him on the shoulder, nearly knocking him over. “Not bad, rookie.”
Chigusa tossed him the magic stone. “Keep it. First kill’s a milestone.”
Kaito clenched the stone in his palm—
And then, on impulse, he absorbed it.
A faint warmth spread through his veins.
[MAGIC +1]
His eyes widened.
“What the—?!”
—
Over the next few hours, Kaito experimented.
– 1st Floor Kobold Stone: [MAGIC +1]
– 2nd Floor Goblin Stone: [MAGIC +2]
– 4th Floor Killer Ant Stone: [MAGIC +4]
“The deeper the floor, the more stats I get.”
But more importantly—no one else could do this.
Chigusa and Ouka treated magic stones as mere currency, pocketing them without a second thought.
“This isn’t normal. At all.”
A cold realization settled in his gut.
“If anyone finds out…”
Gods ruled this world. And from what he knew of mythology? Gods were fickle. Cruel. They played with mortals like toys.
If they discovered he could grow stronger without their direct blessing…
“I can’t tell anyone. Not even Takemikazuchi.”
—
By the time they reached the 4th Floor, Kaito had another revelation.
His Observation Haki was still Level I.
– Range: ~10 meters.
– Duration: Limited by his Magic stat (higher MAG = longer use).
– Effectiveness: Not improved by Magic—only by Skill Proficiency.
And proficiency came from use.
So he pushed himself.
Every ambush. Every attack. He relied on Haki, forcing his senses to adapt.
By the end of the dive, his vision swam from exhaustion—but his status screen flickered with progress.
[OBSERVATION HAKI PROFICIENCY: 85%]
“Almost there.”
—
As they exited the Dungeon, Kaito’s body ached, but his mind raced.
He had gained:
– 74 Magic stat points (from absorbed stones).
– 36 combined stat points (STR, END, DEX, AGI) from combat.
– 85% Haki proficiency.
But none of it mattered yet.
Because without Takemikazuchi updating his status, the power remained locked.
“That’s how they control us,” he realized bitterly. “The gods hold the keys to our growth.”
It was a system designed to keep adventurers dependent.
And Kaito?
He had just found a loophole.
—
Back at the Familia home, Takemikazuchi updated his status.
The god’s eyes narrowed as he read the changes.
“Your growth is… unusual.”
Kaito kept his face neutral. “I pushed myself.”
Takemikazuchi studied him for a long moment—then nodded.
“Rest. Tomorrow, you dive again.”
As Kaito left, he didn’t miss the way Mikoto’s gaze followed him.
“She suspects something.”
But for now?
He had a plan.