Scene 1: Aftermath of Morvath
The metallic stench of blood still hung in the air when Juichi's eyes opened.
Lying against the cold stone floor, he blinked up at faint blue particles flickering from his body like fireflies. His breathing was heavy, chest rising and falling with effort, and a dull ache pulsed through every limb. His arms felt like they had been hammered. His ribs definitely were.
Nearby, Renji leaned against a wall, slumped and bandaged haphazardly, face pale but conscious. Alicia stood alert at the chamber's crumbled edge, her once-pristine armor cracked and blackened from the intense battle with Morvath.
Juichi groaned as he sat up, cracking his neck.
"Still alive, huh?" he muttered.
A transparent notification pinged softly in the corner of his vision:
> [Instant Regeneration: Active — Remaining MP: 12%]
He sighed.
So that's the catch. This skill guzzles mana like I guzzle ramen.
Watching his shallow cuts slowly knit back together, Juichi clenched his fists. Regeneration had slowed—his MP nearly empty. He couldn't afford another mistake.
"We're not done yet," Renji croaked, voice rough but steady. "There's something else deeper in... I can feel it."
Juichi followed his gaze toward the narrow corridor leading deeper into the dungeon. A thick, heavy pressure curled around his spine.
"A boss?" he asked.
Renji's eyes narrowed. "Worse. A presence that feels… ancient. Rotten."
Alicia turned. "This dungeon shouldn't have three bosses. It's supposed to be capped at two. This might be a layered anomaly..."
"Or something's tampered with the core," Renji said darkly.
Juichi stood, brushing the dust from his cloak. "Doesn't matter. I'll handle it."
"You're barely standing," Alicia protested, stepping toward him.
Juichi grinned. "You two chill near the exit. If I croak, run."
Renji opened his mouth, but Alicia raised a hand, stopping him. Her eyes narrowed.
"That's the same look he had when he faced Morvath," she said. "He's serious."
"Don't die, Juichi," Renji muttered.
"I won't," Juichi said, thumbs-up and all, as he stepped into the shadows alone.
---
Scene 2: Final Chamber
A rusted gate groaned open before him, revealing a ruined cathedral.
Shattered stained glass flickered with unnatural light. Faded banners hung like forgotten curses, depicting a kingdom now lost to time. At the center stood a figure clad in blackened armor, glowing green eyes burning beneath a rusted helm.
> [BOSS IDENTIFIED: Dread Revenant Varkhoss — A-Rank (Corrupted Lich Knight)]
The knight's massive sword dragged along the floor, leaving trails of rot wherever it scraped.
"I felt your arrival," Varkhoss rasped. "You bested Morvath. Amusing. But this is where your journey ends."
Juichi raised an eyebrow. "You sure talk a lot for someone who's technically dead."
The ground shook. Magic cracked. Varkhoss charged.
Their blades clashed—steel to steel, energy to energy. Juichi parried wildly, only to have his weapon cracked on the first blow. He ducked, rolled, summoned crimson aura around his limbs.
> [Crimson Dominion — Second Arc: Lotus Barrage!]
Juichi's fists became blurs, striking in rapid succession. Sparks burst with every hit, denting the knight's armor. Varkhoss roared and countered.
> [Gravebind Curse: Thousand Chains!]
Spectral chains erupted from the ground, binding Juichi's arms and legs. They sapped his strength, leeching his life. His vision darkened—
But he gritted his teeth and roared, snapping them with raw force.
"You think that's enough?" he growled, aura flaring. "I'm just getting warmed up."
He raised a glowing fist.
"Serious Time… Maybe."
The atmosphere warped. His energy condensed. His muscles burned with overclocked precision.
> [Crimson Dominion — Final Arc: Star Splitter!]
Juichi dashed in, blitzing past Varkhoss's strikes and hammering him with explosive speed. Every hit shook the cathedral, culminating in a brutal roundhouse kick that sent the lich crashing into a pillar.
But it wasn't over yet.
---
Scene 3: Varkhoss Unleashed
From the rubble, Varkhoss laughed. A corrupted glyph pulsed on his chest. The air twisted with dark magic.
"I am no mere knight," he snarled. "I am death."
> [Death March Ritual: Eternal Gravesong]
The entire floor ruptured. From beneath, skeletal warriors emerged—ten, twenty, then more. Each bore a weapon cursed with decay, eyes glowing with Varkhoss's will.
"An undead army now?" Juichi panted. "You really are insecure."
He wiped blood from his mouth.
> [Crimson Dominion: Phantom Lotus!]
He vanished, weaving through the skeletal ranks like a crimson storm. Bones shattered under his blows. But with every movement, his vision blurred.
> MP: 7%… 5%…
Then came Varkhoss again—his sword crashing downward.
Juichi caught it. With. His. Hands.
His arms trembled. Blood trickled down his wrists.
"You're still standing?" the lich hissed.
Juichi grinned. "Stubborn as hell. Just like my teacher."
He unleashed everything.
> [Martial Arts Surge: Overdrive Mode — Burning Limbs!]
Flames danced on his arms. His final strike launched Varkhoss skyward—
Then Juichi flash-stepped above him, curled his fist, and whispered:
> "Serious Time… FINAL FORM: Comet Fang."
He dropped like a meteor, punching straight into the corrupted glyph. A boom tore the air as the boss was driven through the dungeon floor into the core.
---
Scene 4: Collapse and Rescue
The dungeon began collapsing.
> [System Notification: Dread Revenant Varkhoss Defeated]
[Dungeon Core Stabilized]
[MP Recovery Lock Lifted]
Juichi collapsed, kneeling in the dust.
Then—
CRASH!
The wall burst open. Alicia sprinted through it.
"JUICHI!"
She knelt beside him, hands trembling. "Are you okay?!"
Juichi, eyes half-lidded, smirked. "Told ya I'd win."
Renji arrived next, slower, but calm. His eyes studied the ruins. "I thought I was strong… but this... You've gone beyond."
"Guess all that training with Pervy Sensei paid off," Juichi chuckled.
Alicia helped him up, her hand lingering longer than necessary.
"You idiot," she whispered. "Don't go doing that again."
"Were you worried about me?"
"Shut up."
Together, they exited the crumbling dungeon. Sunlight greeted them.
Renji exhaled. "We survived."
Alicia looked to Juichi. "And this is just the beginning."
Juichi yawned, exhausted. "Yeah... but for now… nap time."
The three walked toward Castle Town—bloodied, bruised, and victorious.
And far away, in a shadowed throne room, a crimson eye opened.
The Demon Lord stirred.
---
To be Continued...