Sitting on a rock inside the dungeon, she drinks water and eats two granola bars, taking a moment to recover.
She feels her body adapting to her new strength, but using Curse Energy is still tough.
She holds her broken katana tightly in her right hand, ready to face the final boss.
Her eyes narrow as she takes a deep breath, focusing her unstable Curse Energy Manipulation (Lv.2), determined to master it.
With her body fully recovered, she steps forward into the boss chamber, gripping her weapon tightly.
Ryusei steps onto the dark and flooded subway platform, her broken katana gripped tightly in her right hand. Water sloshes beneath her feet as she cautiously surveys the area.
A low, rumbling vibration shakes the tunnel, causing dust and debris to fall from the ceiling. The stagnant water ripples violently. Then, a massive serpent emerges from the depths.
———————————————————
[King Of The Swamp, Blue Venom Fanged Kasaka]
[Level: ??]
[Compared to Player: Stronger]
———————————————————
Kasaka coils around the subway pillars, its giant form blocking all escape routes. The air is thick with tension as it fixes its glowing amber eyes on Ryusei.
System Alert!
———————————————————
[Final Dungeon Boss Battle Begins!]
[Defeat the Blue Venom Fanged Kasaka!]
[Rewards: ???]
———————————————————
The subway tunnel shakes violently as the Blue-Fanged Kasaka lets out a thunderous roar, the sheer force nearly sending Ryusei flying off her feet. She plants herself firmly, gritting her teeth as her hair whips in the wind from the serpent's powerful cry.
The massive serpent lunges forward, its glowing amber eyes locked onto her. Ryusei sidesteps just in time, swinging her broken katana at its scales.
CLANG!
The blade shatters completely, leaving only the handguard and hilt in her grip.
Her eyes widen. "Tch—!" Before she can react, Kasaka's massive body whips around and slams into her like a truck.
Ryusei is sent flying backward, her body colliding with a weakened subway pillar.
CRACK! The pillar fractures on impact, sending debris and dust flying. A sharp, searing pain explodes in her ribs as she coughs up blood, splattering red onto the broken concrete.
Ryusei grits her teeth, her vision momentarily blurring as she struggles to breathe.
Blood drips down her forehead, stinging her eye. Her entire body aches, her lungs burn, and her arms tremble from the shock of impact.
She looks up at the towering serpent, which coils around the destroyed subway, its black tongue flicking out menacingly.
It was toying with her.
She tightens her fists around the broken katana hilt, forcing herself to stand.
"Not... done yet..." she growls, wiping the blood from her mouth.
If a weapon couldn't pierce its scales… then she'd just have to use her bare hands!
The Blue Venom-Fanged Kasaka strikes again—
A blur of fangs, venom, and raw power lunging toward her!
At the last second, Ryusei channels Cursed Energy into her legs, pushing off the cracked subway floor. She leaps high—just as Kasaka's massive head crashes into the wall behind her!
BOOM!
Dust and debris explode outward, the serpent momentarily stunned from the impact.
Ryusei doesn't hesitate.
Mid-air, she twists her body, landing on the serpent's thick neck!
She immediately grips onto its rough scales, her fingers digging deep.
Her Cursed Energy flares, reinforcing her hands and fingertips.
CRACK—!
Her fingers puncture through Kasaka's scales, blood seeping out as she holds on for dear life. The beast screeches, thrashing wildly in pain and fury!
Her Half-Silverine healing kicks in. Slowly but surely, her wounds mend, her strength returning bit by bit.
But Kasaka wasn't going to make this easy.
The serpent roars, twisting and slamming its body into the walls, trying to throw her off.
Ryusei's body slams into the wall, sending shockwaves of pain through her ribs. But she refuses to let go.
Before she can regain control, the Blue Venom-Fanged Kasaka hurls her into the air.
The beast's massive jaws open wide, its poisonous fangs gleaming, dripping venom that sizzles as it hits the ground.
At the last second, Ryusei twists midair, reaching out with everything she has.
Her fingers clamp down on one of Kasaka's massive fangs!
"Tch!" She winces as her skin burns from the venom, her grip threatening to fail.
But she doesn't let go.
Her Cursed Energy surges, reinforcing her body.
Kasaka thrashes, trying to shake her off.
Ryusei roared, her entire body surging with adrenaline and raw instinct.
CRACK!
Her fist collided with the venomous fang, shattering it in a single, devastating punch. The jagged remains of the fang now rested in her burning hand, dripping toxic venom onto the ground.
Kasaka reared back, hissing in rage and pain.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Ryusei grabs the broken fang, her legs tensing as she launches herself high into the air—soaring above the thrashing serpent.
She spins midair, glowing blue eyes locked on Kasaka's skull.
"DIE!"
She hurls the fang downward!
SCHLUNK!
The sharpened fang pierced through Kasaka's thick skull, embedding deep between its glowing amber eyes!
The beast thrashed violently but Ryusei wasn't done.
As she fell, she cocked back her fist—
BOOM!
A Black Flash erupts.
The force of the punch drives the fang even deeper, detonating inside Kasaka's head—
BANG!
The serpent's skull explodes, blood, venom, and shattered bone splattering across the subway platform.
Its lifeless body collapses, shaking the ground as Ryusei lands hard on her feet, panting heavily.
———————————————————
[Final Boss Defeated!]
[You Have Leveled Up! (LVL 15 → 20)]
[New Title Earned: Serpent Slayer!]
[New Skill Gained: Black Flash (LVL 1)]
[New Skill Gained: Poison Resistance (LVL 1)]
[New Skill Gained: Tenacity (LVL 1)]
[Cursed Energy Manipulation has Leveled Up! (LVL 2 → LVL 4)]
[Bonus Reward for First Dungeon Clear!]
———————————————————
[Dungeon Cleared!]
Ryusei collapsed onto her back, staring at the ruined subway ceiling.
"…Holy…shit…" she wheezed.
A treasure chest materialized in front of her, glowing bright gold.
Her first dungeon reward.
"Yeah.... I did that shit..!"