Kai stirred awake, his senses slowly coming back to him. He was in a carriage, the rhythmic sounds of the horses’ hooves and the gentle swaying bringing a sense of familiarity. He looked down at himself, his own hands, his own body. A wave of relief washed over him. "I’m back," he thought, a smile spreading across his face.

Across from him, Sakura was watching him with a warm smile. “Welcome back, son,” she said, her voice filled with relief and happiness. Kai returned her smile, feeling a sense of homecoming.

But then, he noticed something. Hiro wasn’t with them. He looked around, his eyes scanning the carriage. His hand slipped into his pocket, pulling out a notebook and pen. He opened the notebook, ready to write, when he froze. His eyes scanned the note, his mind racing. But he quickly shook it off, pushing the thoughts away. He scribbled down a quick note and showed it to Sakura. "Where is dad?"

Sakura read the note, her expression softening. “Your father had something important to discuss with Uncle Maximus, so he’s staying back,” she explained, her voice gentle. Kai nodded, understanding. He leaned back in his seat, his mind filled with thoughts. He was back in his own body, back home.

The scene shifted to Hiro and Maximus, ensconced in the quiet solitude of Maximus’s study. The room was filled with the scent of old books and polished wood, a testament to the many years of wisdom it housed. Maximus was speaking, his voice steady and calm, but the words he uttered left Hiro in shock. He stood there, his mind racing to keep up with the revelations being unveiled. He rubbed his forehead, a clear sign of his struggle to comprehend the situation. He asked Maximus a few questions, his voice barely above a whisper. Their discussion carried on, the room echoing with their voices.

The scene shifted again, to Kai. He had arrived at the archduke’s mansion, his body weary but his spirit undeterred. He was helped to his room by Ainz, slow but steady. On the way, he met Elysia who asked him about the incident at the palace, her eyes filled with concern. Unbeknownst to her, her own brother was deeply involved in it. Kai simply smiled at her, his eyes hiding the truth, as Sakura told her that Kai needed rest and shall tell her about the incident tomorrow.

After wishing goodnight to Elysia, they continued to their way back to his room. Once he reached his room, he lay down on his bed, his body sinking into the soft mattress. He sighed, taking off his wig and setting it aside. “Man…” he mused, his voice filled with exhaustion. “It was such a hectic day.” He reached into his top pocket, his fingers brushing against something. He pulled it out, revealing Eva’s earpiece. A smile spread across his face as he recalled the scene when Ray was shaking him, not wanting his secrets to be revealed. Kai had carefully put Eva’s earpiece in the pocket, a testament to his quick thinking.

“So smart, me,” he mused, his smile widening.

He put the earpiece back in his ear, his gaze drifting towards the window. The twin moons cast their soft glow into the room, their light painting the room in shades of silver. He seemed to be lost in deep thoughts, his mind a whirlwind of emotions and revelations. But then, he turned to the other side, his body curling up on the bed. “Let’s just sleep,” he thought to himself, his eyes slowly closing. And with that, he drifted off into a peaceful sleep, the events of the day slowly fading into the realm of dreams.

But Kai’s day of hectic events had yet another surprise in store for him. He found himself summoned back into the dungeon, standing amidst the cold, stone walls. His face was unreadable, a mask hiding his inner turmoil. “Why…” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Why?” This time, his voice was louder, echoing off the dungeon walls. “Just why!? Why am I back in the dungeon???” His voice reverberated around him, his question hanging in the air. “I just came back to my body and now I am in the dungeon again,” he mused, his mind racing with thoughts. As he was lost in his thoughts, the screen appeared in front of him.

{Welcome back, adventurer,} it said, its words glowing brightly. Kai looked at the screen, his eyes filled with frustration. “Can’t this wait a few days?” he asked, his voice demanding answers. The screen moved back a little, as if taken aback by his anger.

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{I am not sure why you seem angry, but let’s get going to continue your quest!} it said, its words filled with enthusiasm.

But Kai was not willing to do so. He laid down on the cold, hard floor, his body sprawled out. The screen lowered to his level, now floating above his head. {Move, adventurer! You have a long way to go!} it said, its words were the only conversation for Kai in the silent dungeon. But he simply sighed, turning to the other side. “Let me sleep,” he said, his voice filled with exhaustion.

The screen seemed unsure of what to do next. It hovered above Kai, its glow dimming slightly. The dungeon was silent, save for the soft sound of Kai’s breathing. The screen remained there, waiting for Kai to wake up.

Around the same time, back in the Royal Palace. Ray, who had woken up a few minutes back in his own body, sat on his bed. The soft moon light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow on his face. A maid, appointed to him, quietly slipped out of the room to inform Celestina about his awakening.

Celestina arrived shortly, her face filled with concern. She asked Ray about how he was feeling, her voice gentle. She continued to check on him, her eyes scanning for any signs of discomfort. Once she was sure Ray was alright, she left the room, asking him to get more sleep. Her words were filled with motherly affection, bringing a sense of comfort to Ray.

As the door to the room closed, Ray sighed. He lowered his head, his mind drifting back to the past. A memory played in his mind - him in Kai’s body, lowering his head, while Nino passed by him with tears in her eyes. Ray just stared down, helpless on the situation between them. As the memory faded, he fell back onto the bed. “I don’t know what to do…” he murmured under his breath, his voice barely audible.

The scene shifted to Kai again. He was still lying on the cold, hard floor of the dungeon, his gaze fixed on the stone walls. The dungeon was silent, save for the occasional drip of water. Just then, the screen floated over to his face.

{Get up, adventurer! The adventure has yet to begin,} it said, its words echoing in the silent dungeon.

“Get lost,” Kai replied, his voice filled with frustration. He turned to the other side, trying to ignore the screen. But the screen didn’t give up. It floated over to him again, this time with a warning.

{If you won’t move in 10 seconds, the system will be forced to take strict action on you,} it warned, its words glowing brightly.

Kai stared at the screen for a moment, his eyes reflecting a mix of annoyance and resignation. He sighed, closing his eyes. “Do whatever you want,” he said, his voice filled with defiance. The screen then floated in the air for few seconds, until the words formed in it.

{The adventurer’s confirmation has been gained. The event shall now take place.} its word flickered, as the number ten appeared on the screen. The countdown on the screen began, each number ticking away with an ominous finality. As it reached zero, clouds began to form around Kai, a foreboding sign of what was to come. Kai still had his eyes closed, not caring for the danger around him.

Suddenly, he heard a low growl. Slowly, he opened his left eye, only to find himself surrounded by a horde of monsters. Dark hounds, stone golems, giant fire lizards, and minotaurs were all closing in on him, their eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger.

“Is this the strict action?” Kai wondered aloud, his mind racing to understand the situation. Just then, the screen appeared in front of him, its words glowing brightly. {The special quest has begun! "Surviving the Monster Raid". The adventurer can either survive the attacks from the monsters or kill them all. It’s up to the adventurer. The time limit is 30 minutes. Good luck, adventurer!}

As soon as the screen disappeared, Kai sighed, irritation clear on his face. “If only I could punch you now…” he muttered under his breath. But there was no time for complaints. He had to focus on the monsters in front of him.

“If it was before, I would have been forced escaped. But not now,” Kai mused to himself, a determined smile playing on his lips. He moved his right arm forward, calling out, “Dominaredor!” His voice echoed throughout the dungeon, the air around him starting to catch speed. Dark and red lightning began to form around the palm of his hand, taking on a form that was NOT of the Scythe-Spear.

“Ehh?” Kai paused, his eyes widening in surprise. He extended his left arm as well, catching the manifestation with both his arms. “What is this…” he wondered, his eyes wide with shock. What formed instead of the Scythe-Spear was a small girl, fast asleep. She had blue hair and eyes, a black flower adorning her head, and was dressed in a black and blue uniform.

Kai just stared at her, his mind filled with questions. Finally, he found his voice. “Who is she!?” he demanded, his voice echoing in the silent dungeon.

-To be Continued