At the Dungeon Maker Room—
"Everything is ruined! It's all your fault, Serdeck!" Cynthia screamed, slamming her fist on the control panel.
"Calm down, Cynthia," Serdeck replied with an irritatingly calm tone.
"Calm down!? What do you mean 'calm down,' Serdeck!?" Dengka snapped, his antlers twitching.
Serdeck only smirked. "Relax. I know what I'm doing. Maybe it's better if someone actually helps their boss… like Hummel did."
"My deer is already defeated! And Cynthia's fish too!" Dengka huffed, crossing his arms.
Amarath, eyes locked onto a glowing monitor, pointed. "There… that's my ram."
Without another word, she turned and skipped out of the room, her straitjacket flailing with every step.
"My ram, my ram~ my ram's gonna destroy them~ hahaha!" she sang manically, vanishing toward Aurora's section of the dungeon.
---
Back in Yuki's Dungeon—
The canopy exploded above as we broke through. I saw her.
Yuki stood tall on the highest branch, guarding the unconscious Prince Desmond and Princess Kana like a silver-blue sentinel.
"Allow me to barge in again... Yuki!" I called out with a grin.
Yuki looked up, eyes wide, fingers touching her lips.
"Ares~ You're safe..." she gasped, tears welling in her eyes.
As I fell, I cast Spectral Hands, grabbing my allies and flinging them toward Yuki's tree. I landed beside her, gently lowering everyone onto the massive branch.
Sasha, still unable to walk in her mermaid form, lay with a gentle allure. Her frilled ears twitched as she locked eyes with me.
> Sasha
Race: Mermaid (Alluring Aqualight)
Class: Songweaver
Magic: Aqua, Prismatic
Level: 350
Ability: Alluring Voice — Inspires allies with her song, increasing their stats by 100%.
Before I could react, Yuki pounced—pinning me down with labored breath—and kissed me.
Aisha grinned furiously.
Reshia pouted.
Hilda turned beet red.
Merlin's face ignited.
And Sasha gasped, hand covering her mouth.
Ion rushed to Kana, gently shaking her. "Kana, wake up!"
Her blurred gaze landed on him—and tears immediately followed.
"I missed you... and Kira," Kana sobbed. "But... Kira isn't here..."
"I'll find her," Ion whispered. "I promise."
Meanwhile, Desmond groaned and sat up. "Ugh... my head..."
"Prince Desmond, you're awake," I said.
He blinked at me. "Huh? Ares? Where's Aurora?"
"She's not with us... I think she's beyond this dungeon," I replied.
"What are we going to do now?" Desmond asked.
"We need—"
"Look there!" Reshia shouted.
Something was descending from above.
A tall figure dropped through the broken canopy—long crimson hair, glowing red eyes, chocolate-dark skin, and a frayed straitjacket fluttering like tattered wings.
It was Amarath. The Evil Goddess of Patience.
"Pitiful humans. You're too weak to stop me," she sneered. "I am Amarath... and behold!"
She gestured behind her.
> Rank-S Dungeon Boss: Sunbriar Ovis
"My ram," she announced proudly. "My beautiful dungeon boss."
I raised a hand to warn the others. "Excuse me, but—"
"Ram! Destroy them ALL!!" she screamed.
Instead, the massive Sunbriar Ovis charged directly at her.
"What? RAM?! You stubborn little creature!!" she yelped as she was knocked away.
Frustrated and impatient, Amarath attacked her own ram—but I intercepted the blow with my Daggers of Byakko, infused with Thunder Magic.
She turned her wrath on me, only for Ion to rush in and block her next attack. Above us, Desmond aimed his twin magic gatlings.
"Don't underestimate me, HUMANS!!" Amarath roared, hurling flames our way.
"Oi, Ares," Ion said with an unusual tone.
"I'm looking at it," I replied with equal strangeness.
"Oi, kids! Let's do this!" Desmond shouted, his tone absurdly heroic.
"OORAAAAA!!!" we shouted together.
The others stared, blank-faced.
"Really?" Yuki said, unamused.
"Master... so cool..." Sasha whispered dreamily.
Flames roared toward us.
"Chaos prevail! Canceling all forces! CHAOS—NULLIFIED!!" I shouted, dispelling Amarath's deadly flames with Nullified.
"With your blessing… I am a knight marching in light! ARCHLIGHT KNIGHT!!" Ion cried, his golden armor radiating holy power.
Kana switched to her flirt mode. "Deeeear~ good luck~"
"Oh crap... ARCHLIGHT CALVARY!!" Ion blushed as his radiant clones launched at Amarath.
"Everyone, stand back!!" Desmond declared. "Bullets harder than diamonds! Sharp like love! DIAMOND RAIN!! RAMPAGE GATLING!!"
Twin mounted turrets spun, firing a sparkling hailstorm.
"How long did you take to build that!?" Yuki shouted, flustered.
Despite the barrage, Amarath just laughed—gripping her belly.
I wasn't impressed.
"Ares!?" Ion and Desmond shouted.
I stepped forward. "Chaos and Necroflames!! Endless Nightmare!! ORAAAA!!!"
The explosion hit dead on. But before we could finish her—something pulled her away.
A hulking Mushroom Ent emerged, releasing thick miasma.
The ram stood still. Quiet. Unwilling to fight.
Like a stubborn, scared child.
"DARLING!! TAME THE RAM!!" Aisha screamed.
I ran toward it. Ion and Desmond held off the Ents.
I recalled Sasha's power as a Songweaver—perfect to weaken the beast.
"Aqua... Prismatic... Underwater Lullaby..." I whispered.
A glowing wave of soothing notes flowed toward the ram. It froze, mesmerized.
I added Magma Magic under its hooves—burning it slightly to drain stamina. Still, it didn't flinch.
I stepped forward and placed my hand on it.
> TAME
---
Back at the Dungeon Maker Room—
"Amarath!!" Dengka shouted, shaking her.
"Oi!! Look!!" Cynthia pointed to the screen.
"He's... taming the ram!!" Serdeck shouted.
---
Back in the Dungeon—
Sasha and Merlin listened to my lullaby. Everyone around us was mesmerized and buffed. Then Sasha sang her own, harmonizing with mine.
Light engulfed the ram. Its massive form shrank.
What remained… was a slender girl.
Short blonde hair. Spiral ram horns. Soft hazel eyes. Ram legs.
I caught her in my arms.
"Your name is... Lisa," I whispered gently.
She looked up at me, silent. I covered her with my cloak.
Aisha, Reshia, and Yuki rushed over.
I handed Yuki the Daggers of Byakko. The blades glowed—summoning the Cryo Tiger and Plasma Tiger spirits. Alongside them, Aisha's firebirds and Reshia's turtle and snake spirits materialized.
Everyone jumped down—except Sasha. I lifted her with Spectral Hands.
Hilda gave Lisa a set of spare armor. Lisa stared at her.
"Who... are you?" she asked softly.
"I'm Hilda. You're Lisa, right?"
"Yes," Lisa smiled faintly.
Hilda turned to me, heart aching. "It hurts, Husband," she whispered, hand on her chest.
Suddenly—the giant tree before us cracked.
A long, vertical tear appeared—like a blade's mark.
Voices echoed from beyond.
"Luna!" I called out.
"Kira!" Ion shouted.
"Honey!!" Desmond cried.
We lined up. In formation.
Everyone ready—except Sasha, who I lifted again for dramatic effect.
Ion, Desmond, and I struck a pose—like mafia bosses.
I drew my Bone Blade.
Desmond layered it with Diamond Magic.
Ion ignited it with Archlight.
Together—we slashed through the crack.
"ALLOW US TO BARGE IN!!"
Three voices, one roar.