Dungeon - 40th Floor:
Twak!
"Grah! What is this?!" Elfaria snapped, her voice cracking with irritation as a colossal arm swatted her aside like a fly.
Before her body could smash into the wall, she twisted her staff behind her back.
Fwoosh!
A sheet of snow erupted, softening her impact against the unnatural crimson surface.
Pwah.
Her back ached as she landed, heels clacking against the fleshy floor.
But then the ground rippled. Instinct shot through her, and she lifted twenty-five feet into the air on levitation magic.
Swish.
Creak!
She glanced down, sweat sliding along her temple. The floor where she stood had reshaped into a nest of crimson stalactites—grotesque, symmetrical, and hungry.
That would've skewered me alive. My robe might've held, but not for long. Long enough for it to finish the job.
Her lip curled in disgust as her gaze found the Devander.
It was massive. No longer just tall—giant. Almost rivaling the Grand Duke's size. But unlike that hulking brute, this thing hadn't lost a shred of speed.
Elfaria clenched her staff tighter. She had lost count of how many times she nearly ended it, only for the dungeon to throw new fodder its way. A dinoboros would appear, slaughtered in an instant, absorbed into the Devander's core, and then it grew again.
Taller. Faster. Stronger.
Every attempt she made was interrupted.
The Dungeon shifted walls. Raised or dropped floors. Shattered her concentration with sudden spikes erupting from the cavern or by hurling a dying grunt straight into her.
This isn't random. This is deliberate.
Her heart thudded harder as she realized it wasn't even hiding anymore. The walls were weeping miasma, birthing new horrors for the Devander to devour.
Her skin prickled with chills.
Just how sentient is The Dungeon? And why does it have it out for me?!
She wiped blood from her cheek, her robe torn and dirtied, hair tangled with dust and sweat. Nothing fatal, but enough to prove she was losing ground.
"Damn it…" she muttered, glaring up at the cavern roof. "If this is your game, Dungeon, I'm not playing pawn forever."
Her thoughts flickered toward the others.
Did Mr. Mystery provoke it? Is this punishment by proxy? Or… something else?
Her eyes narrowed.
The Mage Slayers had been bred here. That much was fact.
But had Gohtia gone further? Beyond breeding… into warping the Dungeon itself?
I need to report this, but right now bigger issues loom.
The Giganto Devander blurred forward and threw a hulking punch at her.
Swoosh!
Each finger dwarfed her body. The punch itself churned the air, locking her in place.
It's faster than it should be… stronger too. Has it already surpassed my target?
That wasn't good news.
Instead of dodging, she drew in a sharp breath and steadied her staff.
The Ice Empress staff looked pitiful before the incoming fist, no more than a toothpick about to snap. Yet when the crystal tip met flesh, the image of her body crushed to paste never came.
Vroom!
An air current blasted outward from the collision, neither giving an inch.
Elfaria's right arm quivered with pain. The Devander's eyes narrowed, confusion flickering—but only for a moment. It no longer underestimated her.
Good. Then maybe I can finally test myself against you.
Much had gone wrong since this dive began, yet one truth stood out: growth.
Ambient mana flooded in, reinforcing her body, her staff, and the unseen particles clinging to the Devander's arm. They locked it in place, killing its momentum.
Swish.
High above, another Elfaria floated unnoticed—even by the Dungeon—her staff aimed down.
Clone or body, it didn't matter.
In the tower, Ars Weiss's voice rang in her mind as the chant completed.
Glacia Last Albis… Mana Zone edition.
It was rudimentary, more a crude weave of Natural Confluence than refined Mana Zone, but still progress.
The Ice Phoenix erupted forth, vast and radiant, its wings no smaller than the supreme spells once unleashed by Zeo and Yuno during the Bloom.
Swish.
Silent as a shadow, the Ice Phoenix shot toward the Devander and sank its beak into its neck.
"Vrahh!"
Blood sprayed as the giant staggered back, one hand clutching its throat, the other crushing down on the Phoenix.
Vroom.
The construct blazed bright—then self-destructed.
BOOM!
But this time the second Elfaria spun her staff, seizing the mana in the chamber to trap the explosion around its target.
Only the boss room shook.
Icy smoke coiled around the Devander's head, jagged spikes bursting through flesh. Skin peeled as the behemoth collapsed.
Neither Elfaria spoke. Both leveled their staffs, unleashing merciless beams of ice.
This time nothing interfered. No monsters. No tricks.
So… even the Dungeon has limits.
Its walls no longer spawned horrors. Its strength for reproduction was spent—at least for now.
Creak.
The floor tilted into a ramp, sliding the Devander's dying body away.
One Elfaria shattered into shards of ice, leaving the main body to pursue.
Walls closed, spikes jutted, but Elfaria hardened her face and forced through.
Her mana reserves ran thin. She couldn't let the Devander recover, not stronger, not again.
I have to end this. I have to get out of here.
The Dungeon felt wrong. Too alive. Too aware. Staying longer would be reckless.
I should quit now. Leave while I can.
But the thought of retreat twisted in her chest. If the Devander—or worse—came chasing later, she wouldn't stand a chance.
And deeper still… satisfaction clawed at her.
After all the Dungeon's sabotage, after every insult and obstruction, she couldn't walk away empty-handed.
If I don't kill at least one of your brood, Mother… then I'm not Elfaria.
So she steadied herself once more. Out of pettiness. Out of defiance. Out of her hunger to grow.
And for that, she put her life on the line.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Shade:
After casting my spell on the little dummy, I slid into his head like always—another stroll down memory lane.
A pain in the ass, sure. But if it means getting a puppet like him? Worth it.
I licked my lips at the thought of it—Boy Wonder tearing Pretty Boy apart under my strings.
If I could make both of them mine, now that would be art.
Thump.
My heels—metaphysical or whatever—clacked against the jagged black floor as walls of glowing screens lit up around me, each one playing Blady Boy's pathetic little life.
Recollections. Breakdown after breakdown.
I tilted my head. There were too many.
And, believe it or not, that didn't thrill me.
If the kid's just a sniveling crybaby, then sifting through tantrums to find real nightmares is tedious.
"What's with these memories?" I muttered, narrowing my eyes as entire screens bled into darkness. Pitch black. Censored.
The brat's memories were butchered. Scrubbed clean.
"Did you crack your head as a child or what?"
Tch.
My tongue clicked with irritation—and, strangely, relief.
Annoyed because I might be missing something precious. Especially his younger days, when humans are softest, when regrets take root. Those tender little scraps are easy to twist, easy to water into despair.
But if Blady Boy really had some happy little childhood, then fine—fewer scraps for me to dig through.
Less work.
I rolled my shoulders, lips curling into a grin.
Whatever.
He's obviously a lovestruck fool.
All I need is one rotten memory with his sweetheart and he's mine.
Maybe I'll take her too—show her the exquisite despair of watching her crush bend to me.
"Hah hah hah!"
My laughter echoed down the hall, shrill and gleeful.
A former Vander is still a Vander. If I make one of them a toy, that's a gift in itself.
A birthday, let's say.
Not that I even know when I was born.
Hmm?
I stopped without realizing it—lost in my own head until the hall ended and the screens behind me vanished.
That little? This might be easier than I thought—
Vroom!
A blinding white light burst from the corridor's end. I flinched, covering my eyes.
"The fuck?!"
But it wasn't just light.
It hurt.
It stung. Pierced.
Not one beam but countless projectiles—blades, arrows, hammers, spears—every shape imaginable. They impaled me before I could even register what was happening.
"?!"
Agony flared as if the weapons were carved from poison, designed to kill me.
"Aaaahhhghhh?!"
My body dropped—splashing.
Water?
A river swallowed me whole. My limbs thrashed, my lungs burned.
What is this? Where did this come from?
I gasped, choking, sweat slicking down my chin even though I was already soaked.
This… this has never happened before! What the hell is going on?!
Twinkle.
Lights shimmered. A breeze stirred, steady but cruel.
Flower petals drifted across my vision.
"F-flower petals?" I choked, trembling as tears blurred my sight.
The scene warped again.
An ancient stone throne split the sky, rising from a massive thorned bush. Above, only blackness—and those damned petals swirling.
And there she was.
A woman in black, cloaked in mourning garb, veil draped like a widow's shroud. But there was nothing pitiful in her presence.
One pale eye peered at me through a curtain of dark hair.
An eye etched with a magic circle, like that bastard Masterias… but this wasn't his light.
This was darkness. A suffocating, absolute dark.
And for the first time in my life… I was afraid of the dark.
Before I could speak, her hand rose. A wand leveled at me.
Her voice carried one word. A word that hollowed my chest.
"Begone."
Vroom!
A black beam ripped through me where I hung, impaled and broken.
"A-ah… n-no… P-please—augh?!"
I screamed, my voice shredding as the blast consumed me.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Urbus Regarden:
Bwah?!
Shade jolted awake, lungs clawing for breath—yet none came.
I-I… what's happening?!
Something clamped around her throat. Sweat broke across her skin, mixing with the dried streaks of tears still etched on her face. Pain lingered, real and raw.
Whatever had happened inside Will's mind had bled into the world outside.
Her gaze dropped.
Will's hand was locked around her neck, hoisting her into the air.
W-when did he break free from my chains?!
His left arm still hung bound, but his right—
She froze. The shackles had shattered.
A tremor slid down her spine. The Will before her felt different. Alien.
D-did he repel my magic? Wait—no… that rat… he ate my spell!
The array beneath him had vanished. She could feel her own power coursing through his veins—but it wasn't hers to command.
He had stolen it.
Shade's throat bobbed in a terrified gulp, her body shaking in his grip.
Will's left eye was vacant white, the same as her puppets.
But his right—
Her stomach dropped. It glowed with that same cursed array as the woman in black.
This is insane… What kind of beast is hiding inside him?!
Across the street, Lihanna and Kiki struggled in their bindings, eyes wide with shock—and fear.
"Wh-what… what are you?" Shade choked out.
But she couldn't focus. That eye terrified her too much.
"Aagh!"
She fumbled another wand from her sleeve, forcing it up toward Will's arm.
Hngh!
A blast of darkness erupted point-blank.
Bwff.
His grip slackened at once, dropping her onto the ground.
Thump.
"Ack! Hah! Ack… haa!"
Shade clawed at her throat, savoring the air that rushed back in. Relief, however, lasted only a heartbeat.
"Ah…"
Clank.
The chains on Will's left arm shattered in his clenched fist.
Yet he didn't fall. He remained suspended seven feet above the street, as if an unseen platform bore his weight. Behind him, the Great Barrier glowed like a pale moon cradled in his hand.
As he descended, black energy twisted into his palms, solidifying into a blade.
M-magic?!
Shade and Lihanna trembled together.
Will's left eye regained its magenta hue, but his right remained seized by that other force. He muttered, voice warped, words tangled in some language not meant for human tongues:
"D̸̨̢̧̨̛̛̮̰̦͍͙̥̪̝̤̝̦̥ǫ̷̨̛̮̖̥̟͓̪̺̙̮̟̺̼̥̖̟n̸̢̢̡̡̙͚̪̜̫̱̹̳̯̠̪̞̮͙'̴̨̡̧̛̮̰̥̙̪͔̦̖̮̘̠̤̫̲t̵̨̡̡̛̤̪͓̪̟̟̤̣̟̟̙̱̮ ̷̨̧̢̡̛̰̘̥̪̟͙̟̯͓̯͙̟̳y̷̢̨̢̡̛̖̘̪͔͈̯̱̙̣̱̠̫o̷̢̡̧̡̪͓̪̟̤͙̞̟̪̫̱͙͔ų̸̧̨̡̛̖͓̪̟͓͙̯̯͚̪̩ ̶̢̨̡̡̡̖̮̪̜͙͙̫̜̫̫̘͓h̷̨̢̧̨̛̰̯̘͓͈̞̞͉͍̫̘e̷̡̡̧̢̛̙̰̫̪̯̟̟̤̣͓̞ą̵̨̢̧̡̙͚̪̟͙̫̯̠͚̟r̷̢̨̢̡̧̛̮̯͓̪̟̣͇̖̰̙ ̶̡̡̧̛̛̮͙̥̣̲i̸̡̢̢̧̛̘͙̠͚͕̝t̶̨̢̧̡̧̛̙̤̱̮̖?̵̨̢̧̨̡̘̘̥̱̝͉̪̲ T̶̨̧̨̛̛̮̰̦͍͙̯͉̣̣͍̦̥ḫ̷̨̨̛̖̥̟͓̪̺̙̮̟̺̼̥̖̟e̸̢̢̡̡̙͚̪̜̫̱̹̳̯̠̪̞̮͙y̸̡̧̛̖̥̜̘̤̯̠̘̘͖̟̜̤̳̳ ̴̨̡̧̛̮̰̥̙̪͔̦̖̮̘̠̤̫̲w̵̨̡̡̛̤̪͓̪̟̟̤̣̟̟̙̱̮h̷̨̧̢̡̛̰̘̥̪̟͙̟̯͓̯͙̟̳i̷̢̨̢̡̛̖̘̪͔͈̯̱̙̣̱̠̫s̷̢̡̧̡̪͓̪̟̤͙̞̟̪̫̱͙͔p̸̨̧̨̡̛̖͓̪̟͓͙̯̯͚̪̩e̶̢̨̡̡̡̖̮̪̜͙͙̫̜̫̫̘͓r̷̨̢̧̨̛̰̯̘͓͈̞̞͉͍̫̘ ̷̡̡̧̢̛̙̰̫̪̯̟̟̤̣͓̞f̵̨̨̢̧̡̙͚̪̟͙̫̯̠͚̟r̷̢̨̢̡̧̛̮̯͓̪̟̣͇̖̰̙ơ̶̡̡̧̛̮͙̥̣̲m̸̡̢̢̧̛̘͙̠͚͕̝ ̶̨̢̧̡̧̛̙̤̱̮̖b̵̨̢̧̨̡̘̘̥̱̝͉̪̲e̷̢̢̧̡̛̤̖̥̝͖̜̯y̷̨̡̡̧̨̛̙̪͓͎̗̣̳o̶̡̨̢̧̡̡̬̰͓̯͖n̵̡̡̡̡̛̛̬͖͚͇d̸̨̨̢̧̛̛̮̰̯̰͈̞ ̵̨̨̢̧̛͈̰̥̠t̸̢̨̡̨̛̖̯̘͚͉h̴̢̧̡̡̡̖̟̘͙̞̲̤̘e̷̡̢̨̢̛̖̘͚̪ ̴̨̡̡̧̡̘̝̤̰̪v̴̨̨̡̧̨̛͙̘̰̘͇e̸̢̧̨̢̨̛̤̣̤̮i̴̡̢̡̧̨̛̮̯̘̰l̴̨̧̡̧̡̛̪̖̟̩."
Then came the common tongue, though the voice wasn't his anymore.
"Load… burst summon: Melgitor."
The blade swept downward. Darkness tore across the street in a single devastating slash, straight toward the trembling Shade.
No buildings had been decimated. Not a single structure touched.
The streets remained silent, as if the world itself couldn't hear the catastrophe unfolding.
There was nothing but stillness—silence wrapped in a lingering dark aura.
Will stood upright on the cobblestone.
Lihanna, Kiki, and Shade stared at him blankly. His magical eye still gleamed, denying them even the courage to speak.
Will closed his eyes.
He cleared his mind.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Will Serfort:
I found myself in that same throne room I had just glimpsed through borrowed eyes—when the Gohtia witch walked its halls.
I looked up. The woman in black looked down.
Unmoving. Silent. Indifferent.
Her presence was unreadable. Like Master, when he chose to be.
My throat tightened. Anxiety—an emotion I rarely admitted to—pressed against my ribs. I bit my lip, then forced a weak smile, polite but trembling.
"H-Hi there…" I croaked. My voice cracked, but I pushed forward. "I-I believe this is the first time we've really met—"
"Second."
Her interruption was sharp. My words died.
"This is the second time you've appeared before me like this. Though it is not the only time we've met."
I clenched my fist. My lips parted again.
"A-are you my—"
"This is not somewhere you should be."
Her tone cut me down. I froze. My shoulders slumped, a bitter sigh escaping.
"I see—"
"At least… not yet."
This time her words didn't feel like dismissal. My chest stirred. Hope.
"W-what do you mean by that? W-when will I be ready?"
She was silent. Her face never changed—yet the throne room's air shifted. Softer.
And then she whispered.
"That is something you must understand yourself. Now…"
Her finger rose, aimed at me.
"W-wait—"
Flick.
"Begone."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Will's body remained still for a moment.
His eyes opened. The black overlapping array bled away, leaving only his natural magenta hue.
Vrm.
The blade of darkness crumbled, dissolving into motes of pale light, like sand scattering in the wind.
Then his eyes dulled. The boy collapsed face-first onto the road.
Unconscious.
Not a moment after he collapsed, Shade finally found her voice.
"W-what did you just do?! W-who are you?!!"
Her body trembled, hands shaking, eyes darting between the unconscious Will and the chaos around her.
H-he's knocked out? This is my chance!
Rage flared in her chest. I don't care about capturing him anymore… I must kill him!
Her legs wobbled, but slowly steadied. Sweat dripped down her temples.
Lihanna, watching from her bindings, gritted her teeth. Then her eyes widened.
T-the chains… they're coming loose?! His attack helped me!
She closed her eyes, took a shuddering breath, and let her mana flow back into her body.
Come on, Lihanna. Breathe. Move. Do something!
Every memory of her training, every oath she had taken, surged through her veins.
Lightning must be swift. Stand by your covenant. Protect your comrades!
Her wand tightened in her grip. Sweat ran down her chin. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
I am relentless. I am indomitable. I am an Owenzauss. A knight of thunder. I shall never surrender.
Bzzt!
Lightning danced across her arms and legs, crackling with raw energy.
Ka-ching!
"Owen Sique: Lisolde Dua!" she shouted, voice slicing through the tension.
The shackles around her wrists shattered in a spark of light, freeing her completely.
She surged forward, every step propelled by fury and focus—just as Shade lifted her wand.
Lightning coiled around her blade, snaking and twisting, enchanting it into a miniature sword.
"Argis!!"
"Augh!!"
Shade screamed, pain lancing across her chest as blood painted the ground.
The dark sorceress brought her wand down, aiming for Lihanna—but instead of striking, she slammed it into the floor.
"Nost!"
Black smog erupted, choking the air, blinding both sight and mana sense. Lihanna stumbled, coughing, panic clawing at her throat.
Bwoof.
The smoke dispersed.
Shade was gone.
Lihanna's chest heaved. Sweat dripped from her temples. She couldn't believe her eyes.
She actually ran away?! Did my spell—no… it was Will…
Her hands shook as realization settled.
I still can't believe it… a supporter of Gohtia in the flesh… and we survived.
Swiftly, Lihanna pivoted, adrenaline sharpening her senses.
"Will! Kiki! Everyone! Are you alright?!"
Her voice carried across the silent—and miraculously intact—street.
Lunais, Mimily, and Jhorua were slowly coming to.
Lihanna breathed a sigh of relief.
She would need help to carry Will and the others back.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Finn sighed wistfully as he looked down at the scene from the rooftop.
"Too bad. I was hoping to get a little more use out of the boy, but it seems this is the end of the road for now."
His expression softened.
"Still has a long way to go before he reaches his origins."
The dwarven guide scanned the street with a light chuckle.
"The fiend is getting away, Big Guy. Aren't you going to stop her?"
No reply came, so the dwarf turned to his right.
"Big Guy—"
Finn paused.
Asta wasn't looking at him.
A small bird, made of wind, perched on his shoulder while the magicless swordsman held a scroll in his hand.
A guardian?
Finn narrowed his eyes and angled his head to take a peek at the parchment. Then he froze again.
The script wasn't in any language he knew. It resembled the common tongue in a few shapes along the edges, but the rest was unreadable.
He scratched his chin.
"What's that?"
Asta pocketed the scroll and looked at him flatly.
"What it looks like. A letter."
Finn's lip twitched.
"Yeah. But what does it say?"
Asta sighed, his words both vague and certain.
"That someone else already called dibs on her."
He craned his head back toward the pitch-black false sky.
"What a waste of time."
The bird dissolved into a faint breeze.
Finn stared wordlessly at Asta before smiling brightly.
"That's great! Aaron's actually plotting something, and it'd be a shame if you ruined it."
Asta stood, shrugged his shoulders, and walked past him.
"I'll pass that message on."
Finn chuckled.
"Thanks. Yuno isn't an easy person to have a conversation with."
Asta paused—just a beat, but enough for Finn.
The antimage clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Tch. Goodnight."
He extended his right hand, index finger outstretched.
Vroom.
Finn's smile widened as a concentrated, bite-sized obsidian singularity outlined in crimson shot from Asta's fingertip in the direction Shade had fled.
Fwit.
Asta's body flickered and vanished.
Finn waved at the empty air.
"Goodnight, Big Guy!"
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Poof.
In an abandoned alleyway, a puff of dark smoke dispersed to reveal Shade.
Fresh blood leaked from her chest. Dried tears streaked through her mascara, painting a grotesque mask across her face.
Graahh! Damn it, damn it, damn it!
Twack.
She slammed the wall with the side of her fist, fury trembling in her arm.
I'll make them pay for this!
She limped forward, clutching her wound. Broken chains and scraps of jewelry clanged against her as if mocking her every step.
"This is ridiculous… what just happened?"
Her voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper, as her shoulder scraped the wall for support.
It… it hurts!
Shade had always been the one inflicting pain, never receiving it. The reversal sickened her, twisting her pride into something raw and ugly.
Tears welled again in her burning eyes.
The next time I see those rats… they're dead—
Thump.
Footsteps echoed behind her. She froze.
Her body stiffened as she glanced over her shoulder.
A slender woman stepped into the alley, clutching a wand to her chest as if it were a lifeline. Long black hair framed her anxious face.
Shade's eyes widened.
Argenta Hivernelle… what is she doing here?
Panic twisted in her gut.
Did those rats bring backup?! Is she investigating Reinburg's case?!
No… that couldn't be right.
If Elfaria was the tower's hidden sloth, Argenta was the one who didn't bother hiding it. Shade had never seen her do anything but idle around, drifting through life like a ghost.
For someone like that to be standing here now—it didn't make sense.
Shade knew her well enough. She'd studied her.
The woman's solitude hinted at a deeper story, one Shade had always assumed was tragic. Perfect prey.
Shade had tried to corner her before, to test her. Every time, fate seemed to pull Argenta away—some crowd, some interruption, some twist of timing always ruined the moment.
It was uncanny. Almost unnatural.
For a while, Shade even worried the woman was onto her. But seeing her get humiliated daily, powerless and meek, killed that fear quickly.
No… she's nothing but a weakling. A wasted effort. I only wanted her as a tool, a way to get closer to Elfaria. And since she refused to join Albis Vina, she lost her value.
Yet here she was, standing in the alley like some omen.
Shade trembled and gripped her wand tighter.
Dammit, I'm almost out of mana… no puppets nearby… am I really going to die here—
"Are you okay?"
Shade froze.
Huh?
Her mind blanked as Argenta stepped forward, eyes wide with worry.
"Y-you poor thing, who could've done that t-to you?!"
Shade doubted her ears. That look… it seemed genuine.
Argenta spun about, wringing her hands in panic.
"W-what do I do? S-should I get a doctor? B-but I don't like crowds… u-um, but she's really hurt, so I-I guess I have to…"
As the flustered woman mumbled to herself, Shade nearly let slip a smile.
Is this real? She's falling for it…
Instead, she wiped at her genuine tears, letting the pitiful image work in her favor.
"N-no, please… I-I was cornered by some bad men… they wanted my body… and I-I refused so—"
Argenta's hands seized her shoulders. A dark glare cut through the anxiety.
"AND THEY TRIED TO FORCE THEMSELVES ON YOU?! Those scum!!!"
Shade twitched, startled by the outburst, but kept her pitiful gaze steady.
"Y-yes… so please… this is too humiliating. If I report it… my life will be ruined."
Argenta stilled. Understanding filled her eyes as her grip loosened.
"I-I get it… what would you like to do?"
Heh. Too easy.
Shade hid her cackle behind trembling breaths.
Looks like I finally found my ticket into the Water Faction.
She sniffled, playing the part.
"M-my place isn't far… Could you guide me—agh?!"
Her words broke into a choke as blood spilled from her lips. She looked down in shock.
A thin blade pierced clean through her chest, sliding between her breasts, scraping her spine.
Her pupils trembled.
She looked up—Argenta's anxious mask was gone.
In its place, a sadistic grin stretched across her face.
"You did Julius in from this distance, right?"
Shade's whole body shook. Blood and sweat poured down her skin.
"H-huh?"
Argenta giggled softly, twisting the sword free.
Bwah?!
Shade collapsed to her knees, coughing up another mouthful of blood. Her strength fled with it.
She raised her head in disbelief, but Argenta's expression only grew darker.
The woman stretched out her long tongue, dragging it across the bloodstained katana like it was fine wine.
"That's nice. I'm going to enjoy dicing you up."
Shade's heart thrashed with terror.
What… what is she?!
Argenta tilted her head, voice dripping with mockery.
"I'm not as good as Fumito, but I've seen him work enough to make human sashimi."
Shade's body nearly gave out.
I don't know what that is… but I know I won't like it.
She tried to scream, but her throat was raw, clogged with blood. Nothing came out.
The light in her eyes dimmed—until she felt it.
Cold.
Dark purple tendrils rose from her shadow, curling like hands. They wrapped around her, pulling her down into the abyss.
The touch should have been terrifying. Yet in that moment, those icy hands felt warm.
So… I live to see another day.
She despised the thought of owing anyone a debt. But right now, she'd take it.
Argenta blinked as Shade vanished into the pool of shadow.
Then Kezōkaku Ginnojōmorifuyu nearly lost it on the spot.
"O-oh no, did I just do something I wasn't supposed to do?!"
She spun in place, eyes darting around the alley.
"Nacht?!"
No reply came.
Her chest tightened as panic swelled.
N-no, this can't be happening! I'm not in trouble, am I?! N-no one told me she was off-limits!!
Cold sweat poured down her back. Her lips trembled.
For the first time in four years she'd tried to do something—anything—other than laze around.
She even made a promise to Julius' corpse, half-baked though it was.
And now it felt like it was already coming back to bite her.
I-I'm gonna get chewed out, aren't I? They're going to yell at me…!
Plop.
She collapsed to her knees, tears spilling freely.
"Waaahhh… I knew I should've just stayed in bed and become a hermit… augh!!!"
Shouts rang out from nearby houses as lights flicked on.
"What's that racket?!"
"I'm trying to sleep!!"
"Can someone shut this bitch up?!"
"Let me see what's going on!"
Ginnojōmorifuyu whimpered, scrambling to her feet.
Snot and tears streaked down her face as she bolted from the alley, fleeing like a scolded child.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Dungeon:
"Hah… hah… hah…"
Elfaria's breath came ragged, sweat dripping from her chin.
Her hand pressed against her stomach, just above a gaping slash. Blood leaked freely.
Her body swayed with dizziness, every step weaker than the last.
Brr.
She pressed her palm to the wound, freezing it shut with a jagged patch of ice.
"Aah!"
The sting ripped through her nerves. Her skin was pale, corpse-like, but a wide, sadistic smile spread across her face.
Because she was sitting atop a corpse.
A thirty-foot monster lay beneath her.
The Devander. Its body had been impaled by colossal ice javelins, its flesh shredded by countless shards. Its face was twisted in frozen terror, as if it had glimpsed something beyond comprehension before dying.
Elfaria had won—against the Devander, against The Dungeon.
She laughed, coughing up blood as it dripped from her lips.
"Hah… m-maybe that savage does have a point. There's something different about putting your life on the line!!"
Her bones creaked as she forced herself upright, leaning on the Ice Empress staff like a crutch.
I-I need to recover enough mana to use Hide. Then I'll find a place to… hide and rest, before deciding whether to dive deeper.
Her current spot was far too exposed.
She lifted her head, scanning the tunnels—then froze.
Figures moved in from every direction.
Dinobori.
They were smaller than before, only her height now, but with her condition any single one of them could rip her apart.
Elfaria let out a bitter smile.
Of course. This is what I get for chasing the Devander.
She'd known the risk. She'd taken it anyway.
She had little choice in the matter, or perhaps that was what she was telling herself even now to lighten the mental anguish.
The point was she made her decision. And now she would pay the price.
Her grip tightened on her staff.
I'm sorry, Will. I couldn't keep my promise.
Her throat burned as she swallowed regret.
I didn't patch things up with Sarissa. Not really.
My faction… they were counting on me.
Her chest ached as despair twisted with bitter laughter.
And with my luck… I wouldn't be surprised if my death tore a hole in the barrier. Less than a month since we reinforced it… and I'll still ruin everything.
Elfaria sighed, then hardened her expression as she raised her staff high.
"Do your worst! I-I won't go down without a fight!"
The herd twitched, muscles bunching as they prepared to stampede.
Then a speck of blue shot down from the cavern's ceiling, hovering above Elfaria and bathing the chamber in light and drawing all attention to it.
"Stop."
The voice was mighty yet measured, mature and commanding.
Fwoosh.
Elfaria's jaw went slack as the ground trembled. Small geysers burst forth, crystal-clear streams twining together to form flowing curtains of a dress.
From the spiraling waters, a towering woman emerged—nearly as tall as the Devander itself.
Her skin was pale, lips soft pink, her gown woven from living water. Where ears should be, delicate fins shimmered. Her hair cascaded in icy strands, her eyes a deep, unending blue like the ocean.
The sheer magical power radiating from her froze the room in silence.
Elfaria's eyes quivered.
W-what is that?
A monster? But monsters don't talk… not that I know of!
Guardians can't either! Then… a summon? A familiar? No…
The figure before her pulsed with magic, but she felt alive. Too alive to be a spell or mere construct.
The woman's gaze lowered, pinning Elfaria in place with impossible weight. Then she turned, sweeping her eyes across the herd of Dinobori.
Her expression flickered—something like remembrance.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
14th of Carnsmoon – Undine:
"Have you thought about it yet? What I mentioned before?"
Noelle's question made me pause as she stroked Leviathan curled in her lap.
The so-called mighty Sea God… reduced to nuzzling like a spoiled puppy.
I turned my gaze to the window, to the false sky above. For all its flaws, the tower's view at least reminded me of home.
A home Noelle had just reminded me was gone.
My chest ached. I crossed my arms.
"Can't say I have."
Noelle sighed, disapproval etched across her face.
"Undine. This isn't right."
I clenched my fist, biting my lip.
"What you're doing isn't right! Why're you trying to push me away?! Are you still holding a grudge from Elysia? That was seven years ago, girl—let it rest."
Noelle raised a brow, unimpressed.
"Undine. Be serious."
"Hmph."
I turned away with a sharp snort, before drifting closer. My small, impish body flopped onto the armrest, feet dangling idly.
Noelle said nothing. She only looked at me, waiting.
To think this snobby princess could become so considerate…
I exhaled heavily, feeling the weight of years press against me.
I was ancient, older than human memory, yet only in the last decade had I begun to understand the true cruelty of time.
How I pitied humans for their short lives, their fragile morality.
And yet… how I envied them.
In days they could live more meaning than I found in millennia.
I had watched host after host, queen after queen, priestess after priestess crumble into dust while I lingered.
I lost a friend, a loved one, and then I reset.
I told myself I had stopped feeling sorrow.
But then I lost the last one.
I never imagined a world without my beloved Lolopechka.
And now I endure it.
How bleak it is.
For the first time, I wished for death—to be rid of my own immortality.
Only three beings could grant me that. Lucius. Asta. And that cursed Celestial Host.
The first was dead.
The second would never grant it.
And the last…
If I die, it will not be by that bastard's hand.
My face darkened as I turned to Noelle.
"Why are you trying to push me to Elfaria? It's not like you two are close!"
Noelle whispered back, calm as ever.
"We aren't. We're strangers, in fact." She nodded, raising a finger. "But you need a host."
"I have you!"
"We've been over this. You don't." Noelle sighed, patting my head. "Your mana and Leviathan's clash too much. You're opposites. I can only use one of you in any meaningful way."
I shrugged.
"So? Just use Leviathan. I'm not some battle junkie. I don't need to rage. I'm fine watching him and you tear things apart."
I flicked my hair.
"I'll just play with Nigel."
Noelle didn't look away.
"Are you really okay with that?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be—"
"Even when the sky shatters? Because I'm going to fight with Leviathan."
I froze, clenching my jaw.
"T-that's not fair. You know how much I wish to rip those things apart…"
Tears welled in my eyes as I turned on her.
"Fight with Leviathan all you want! But when the Fated Day comes, choose me!"
Noelle shook her head.
"No."
"Why?!"
"Because Leviathan is my partner. Not you."
My fury deepened.
"Still—"
"Moreover," she cut me off, her expression as cold as mine, "you're not the only one who craves revenge."
I stiffened.
Then I looked at the serpent coiled on her lap.
A scar carved up Leviathan's spine. His gills twitched, his eyes flaring red.
"Kill… them… all… I… will… kill… them… all!"
His mana spiked, the air heavy, until Noelle stroked his head, whispering as though coaxing a child.
"Yes. Yes. Go to sleep."
"Hmph."
Steam hissed from his nostrils before he curled back into her lap, drifting into rest.
Noelle turned to me again.
"You're strong, Undine. But without a proper host you'll never accomplish much. Revenge will stay out of your reach… and Elfaria is the only one we know who can handle your power and match your nature."
I ground my teeth.
"I don't like her."
Noelle chuckled.
"You didn't like me either. You just used me to save Lolopechka from Spade."
I shrugged.
"So what? I trained with you for six months first. You were at least a comrade. Someone I knew. That girl's a mess—and a stranger!"
Noelle's smile widened.
"Then investigate her yourself. Figure out who Elfaria Serfort really is. A little birdie told me she's heading into the dungeon right now. If you leave, you'll catch her."
I froze. Then I scoffed.
"You had this whole conversation planned from the start, didn't you?"
My host—perhaps my former host—flashed a mischievous grin.
I'd never admit it, but I'd miss her, just a little.
Ever since becoming a mother—or maybe even before—she'd become a charming, beautiful woman.
Not like my Lolopechka… never her.
But beautiful in her own way.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Present:
Undine sighed.
Like Noelle said, she had followed Elfaria into the dungeon.
Elfaria, as Undine understood, stood on the opposite shore from her beloved Lolopechka.
All that power, and no will to use it.
Lolopechka had courage to spare and mana to match, yet she lacked the tools to stand at the front. No attack spells under her belt.
One wanted to fight and did so even when she shouldn't.
The other had to be dragged up to do her job.
It did not endear Elfaria to her.
This will be a waste of time.
That was what Undine thought.
Then Undine watched.
She watched the dungeon tilt the board against Elfaria, traps biting and corridors shifting.
She watched Elfaria stagger, bleed, and still fight the Devander.
She watched Elfaria win.
And when the Dinobori ringed in for the kill, she watched the girl square her shoulders and face death standing.
For a heartbeat, the pose cut through Undine like old light through deep water.
Lolopechka… that same stubborn grace.
For a moment she saw the shadow of her little girl in her final moments.
Undine shut her eyes and forced the sting back down.
For Lolopechka. For Gadjah. For the spirit guardians. For Heart.
I am the last. I will not fail them.
Her face settled into something cold and clean.
She lifted her right hand and flicked a finger.
"This girl is mine. Perish."
Vroom!
Water surged from cracks, from puddles, from the very mist in the air.
Geysers knifed upward, seizing every Dinobori and hurling them headfirst into the cavern roof.
Stone boomed. Bodies burst. Wet thunder rolled across the chamber.
Swish.
Silence fell with the receding flood, leaving only drip and steam.
Elfaria winced as the last sheet of water slid away.
She tensed when Undine turned, the chamber's light running like silk across the spirit's gown of living water.
Undine looked down at the former Vander and parted her lips.
"I have a proposal for you. Want to hear me out?"
Elfaria blinked, stunned by the sudden calm after slaughter.
"Huh?"