Aiden POV:
‘Not good.’
Significant wounds across my body had brought my HP bar down to the halfway point. It was the cost for the three dead Sentri Warriors that took up the middle of a nearby street.
I retreated from the open window and double-checked my Ki Reserves. It had fallen by 1/3rd, but the Sentri’s systematic approach to fighting was a perfect match for me.
Phoebe taught me the importance of rhythm. I couldn’t move the way she could, but I could watch her—I could watch Gerard from behind. It formed the basis of observations, which created calculations, and that formed preparation.
That was my fight.
‘It’s time to use a Ki Artifact.’
My weapons, up to this point, had been crafted by Shun. Their performance were more than reliable due to his mastery as a blacksmith. Or... was that the result of his Codex instead?
A mauveine window projected itself in front of Purple Dimension. The capacity to store 200 items was made manageable by customised shortcuts. Two quick blinks reshuffled the entire inventory, and I pulled out a pink spear from the top row.
[Ki Artifact: Cute Queen Spear V10 (Legend)
Ownership: Aiden Steelstone
Durability: 20/60
Description: Made with lots of love and devotion. It is the 10th and final iteration from the Cute Spear Line as the creator abandoned the project. It boasts tremendous power and flexibility.
• When not thrown around by an amateur, precision and accuracy are significantly increased.
• When utilised with the Fire Ki Nature, all damage is tripled.
• When utilised with the Wind Ki Nature, all damage is doubled.
• Doubles the power of chain thrusts within a 5 second window. (Cooldown: 30 seconds)
• Doubles the power of strikes landed in the same target area. (Cooldown: 1 minute)
• A cute barrier can be deployed every 5 minutes (Max: 4). Multiple barriers can be formed at once if stored.
• When held by the female sex, power is doubled.]
Sanura insisted on lending it to me as a memento. It was more important to her that I had something physical and useful to remind me of our... time together.
[Equipment Name: Extreme Ruthless Deadmin’s Spear (Enhanced +9)
Durability: 65/100
Description: A spear crafted with the bones ripped off Bloodied Deadmin and an Elite TunnelKing. It has been enhanced with the blade of an Imminence Reaver, the blood of a Goblin Warlock and the skin of an Ogre Chief, multiplying its offensive properties by 8x.
• Movement Speed and Accuracy are increased noticeably due to the blade of an Imminence Reaver.
• Technique triumphs all, but blood proves victory. A lack of blood on the blade causes slight dizziness, but when drenched, that dizziness shifts to the target and multiplies with every strike.
• It was made by Shun, an Expert Blacksmith.]
‘The dizziness limit can have a noticeable effect on Boss Monsters up to Jikki. The strength of equipment seems relative to the strength of the monsters used to create them.’
I observed the detailed craftmanship and the alignment of bones along its shaft. Its weight favoured the streamlined head that had several sharper spikes flaying down the form. They would flare out once the spear had punctured the target, leading to an almost brutal display of gouging.
A small breath left my mouth before I placed the Queen Spear on my back. I manoeuvred down the floors of the weathered building and manipulated the air to decrease the sound of footsteps.
“Scout the area. He should be nearby.”
Kiyuj examined her fingernails near cratered buildings. The death of her comrades had no effect on her outward composure.
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“...Kiyuj, you’re not trying to get me killed on purpose, are you?”
She swivelled her eyes toward Paroya. Behind her cold expression was a hint of care that Paroya was unable to detect. Kiyuj let out a deep sigh, emphasising an annoyance that wasn’t there.
“Is sex the only thing on your mind?”
“Rearing a strong child is important to me. You know that, Kiyuj!”
Traces of sadness coated the shout that echoed down the street. A momentary quiver ran through Kiyuj’s eyebrows. It seemed as though her next words would be affected by Paroya’s outburst.
“...Then find Bujir. He’s interested in you.”
“What?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”
Although the Sentri had dark skin, there was a small range in skin tone. Though the difference was slight, when the blood rushed to Paroya’s cheeks, it was more evident than Kiyuj, who was a shade darker. However, affection and love were nothing out of the ordinary for monsters or animals.
“Paroya, you may be my cousin, but I don’t need to do anything for you.”
“...”
Kiyuj folded her arms beneath her breasts. Her narrow eyes indicated that she had nothing more to say to anyone. Paroya turned away; a deep pain forced her eyes to fall with tears that rolled down her cheeks. Whether she always wanted Kiyuj’s acknowledgement, or her cousin to act like family, was none of my concern.
“Fight by yourself then. I’m going.”
Paroya spun around and flickered out of view. The moment Kiyuj was left alone, her lips spread into a wide smile. Her gaze rose till it met mine through the hole I observed them from.
“I’m right here. Alone, Aiden.”
I had kept track of her growth since our first fight. It was rapid.
Too rapid.
‘...Monsters that learn and can adapt. Kiyuj has started breaking out of her systematic approach to combat, which is leading to a growth I won’t be able to match once complete.’
Her Ki Sense improved to the point where I was unable to conceal my presence from her. This had to end now.
I stepped out from behind the wall and hopped forward. My toes hit the fractured ground before the heels of my boots planted against it. Kiyuj’s eyes followed the speed of my movements with ease.
“I was like you.”
She lifted her hand and pointed a long finger toward me.
“Always analysing everything. Always moving with care and the utmost preparation before any action would be made. But Aiden...”
The air around Kiyuj shifted with the arch of her eyes.
“You taught me so muc—“
A pink blur flashed forward right when she shattered the wall separating Jikki from Enryo. Blood splattered across the rubble, but the clearing of dust clouds made sweat run down my forehead.
‘...I shouldn’t have listened, but that last sentence was the only time her guard fell.’
I retracted the Cute Queen Spear embedded within Kiyuj’s turned shoulder and released all of my Ki. Her plump lips spread out, elated by the opportunity to fight me again.
“Sentri Style: Warrior Healing.”
The punctured flesh began to reform at a slow rate. The healing extended to any other wounds she had suffered from. Kiyuj splayed her hand and grabbed a black spear created from Ki.
“Jikki vs Enryo... Aiden vs Kiyuj. I feel... gratitude toward you.”
Her bright yellow eyes shone with sincerity. However, my focus was on scrutinising her every movement. I dashed in once I calculated the best opening to take. The air coated my body; the clash of spears caused flickering lights to emphasise the shadows within the dust clouds.
Buildings, rubble, debris, the ground: nothing was exempt from the high-speed assault laced with a feminine chuckle. We traversed the Floor, leaving a trail of sparks behind us. Rapid exchanges led to multiple explosions that I made use of to form a smokescreen.
“Keuk...”
A Spear Thrust tore the skin off my cheek. Kiyuj hopped forward, blurring her weapon at a speed I struggled to keep up with.
The air resistance increased from the manipulation of my fingers, which lead to the slowing down of her strikes enough for me to cope better. The Deadmin Spear knocked her weapon aside before transitioning into a flurry that shot her backwards.
“I never thought about using Elemental Ki like that.”
Kiyuj slid along a falling beam. She spun the spear around her twirling body when I felt the change occur again.
“!”
I was too late.
A blast of wind closed the 10 metres between us. Her spear pierced through the Ki Artifact protecting my abdomen, ripping out whatever contents it could.
“Ugh...”
A delirious smile stretched Kiyuj’s lips further from the improvement she had made. I widened the distance and performed several calculations in that moment.
My health had dropped to the 1/4 mark while Kiyuj had 3/4’s left. Her Spear Thrust now combined Spear Wind at the base of the shaft to double her movement speed. The gushing wound was deep but not life-threatening.
The conditions were suitable. The preparations were complete.
“If only you were a Sentri, I would marry you in a heartbeat. What a shame. A complete shame!”
Bloodlust spiralled out of Kiyuj’s excitement, hidden beneath her shadowed face.
The image of Sanura crying dropped over my vision. She pleaded for me to not enter this dungeon, knowing firsthand how dangerous they could be.
Her mother had died in an SSS+ Arcane Dungeon, but Phoebe and Gerard were my friends. They had supported me when I had nothing. I... was not a man that would turn his back on those precious to me.
And that was why Sanura let me go. I observed from behind so that I could walk to the front.
“...”
Fire ignited my hand and cauterised the wound. That same fire burned the colour away from my eyes. It hurt, but it paled in comparison to the pain of watching family be consumed by monsters.
“Steelflare.”
I moved my hand away, revealing two steel-gray eyes. Ki erupted out of me with the same colour, and Kiyuj welcomed another round of battle until she saw the gap between us.
It was a bridge she couldn’t cross.
It was a pit she couldn’t see the end of.
The shadow over her face rescinded. A deep fear replaced the thirst of improvement she craved for. In front of true resolve, Kiyuj was unable to move.
I pointed toward the middle of her forehead.
“??”
Kiyuj flopped to the ground in a pool of her own blood. Her HP deleted by a single finger. The entire area behind her was annihilated: a force that shattered the sky and quaked the Dungeon Floor.
“Preparation is always necessary. It allows you to brace yourself for what’s ahead, and grasp the best timing to explode.”
I turned around, and the colour returned to my eyes.
“Sanura, wait for me.”
Blood rushed to my cheeks as I sprinted toward the Floor Exit. After this dungeon, I... would propose.