Shun POV:
I sheathed the Ninjatō and dashed it to the side. The scabbard contained the power within, allowing the weapon to hit the ground and not decimate the entire arena again. However, it also sealed the base increase I received.
Codex Knowledge could only be compressed this way if the creation was related and applicable to the information the book contained. It was also optional; I didn’t need to create a ninjatō using this method.
The kusarigama was an example of that. After I recited Kurosawa Kenjutsu Volume 1: Kuri’s Way, my grandmother wrote her own book for me: Kurosawa Kusarigama Volume 1: Butsu’s Way. Ji-ji’s competitive nature was sparked, and the two ended up writing 8 volumes in total.
I had memorised all of them.
“Sentri Style: Ultimate Warrior Healing.”
Vojiq got to his feet. He stretched his muscles before cracking his neck. His HP climbed in large chunks, reflected by the bubbling of blood inside the deep wounds across his body.
“Human, show me... MORE!!”
Vojiq blurred forward when my shin implanted his face into the stone tiles. The reason I defended against his Sentri Blur for an extended period of time was to acquire information on the new increase to his speed. Now that I figured out the extent of his specialisation and factored in the increase my own titles gave him, he was going to die.
“Sentri Style: Ultimate Sonic Boom.”
Vojiq flipped backwards. He clapped his hands together at the same time my mouth moved. The shockwave’s detonation consumed the entire space with a flash of light. It shattered the barriers like glass and expanded the sides of the tunnel against their will.
It also missed its target.
I loosened the tie and undid the top buttons of a white shirt before ruffling my hair. I peered down at Vojiq’s bulging eyes that shifted to the location he thought I should be in.
“...How did you dodge that, Human?”
“Are you blind?”
Propeller.
It was a simple gadget made out of Codex Knowledge that had a sealed box appearance. The jet-black colour hid the network of deep engravings formed across its surface. As for the size, Propeller was small enough to be held in the palm of my hand.
When in use, the index finger and middle finger clasped the front face over the top. The space in between was wide enough for the shaft to extend from a circular opening. Ki blades would spin in silence, and I would rise.
This was one method of activation.
I let go of Propeller and flipped through the air. By the time my feet hit the ground, the arena was restored with additional protection.
Spy.
Shinobi was adept in close combat, but its main focus was the Kuji-kiri. The core of the Spy Profession wasn’t just limited to the gadgets Codex Knowledge allowed me to create. The ideal spy never let their guard down; they were always prepared. Thus, the burden of thinking about the next best course of action was reduced by a drastic amount.
In other words, Spy put me in a state of heightened awareness by default. This constant focus was how I located the weakest part of the shockwave and manipulated the air to both defend and deflect parts of the attack while rising higher to reduce its force.
Split-second decisions were based on instincts for most, but for a Spy, they were based on data.
“Vojiq! Vojiq! Vojiq!”
“Human! Human! Human!”
The cheers were split. The Sentri recognised the strong, and I belonged to that category. Dibla’s eyes quaked from the battle she was witnessing.
I was alone.
But I became strong.
I didn’t rely on anyone. I was isolated, violated and stripped down till there was nothing left. Yet look at me now. Look...
AT MY GROWTH!
‘Your time is coming, Chloe Ravendawn! I will kill you!!’
“You seem confident in hand-to-hand combat, so let me school you in that area too.”
Vojiq’s eyebrows twitched. For the first time since the battle began, his grin waned. The veins on his face popped; their emergence summoned a thick bloodlust that laced the area with its dark hue.
“Human... LET’S FIGHT THEN!”
We met in the middle of the arena. Amidst the storm of cheers was a storm of exchanges. A fist for a fist. An elbow for an elbow. Whatever he threw, I threw.
One minute.
Vojiq’s knee hit the ground. Beads of sweat marked their course to his chin from the cold eyes peering down at him.
‘You’re good enough, Vojiq. So stand. Let your people see their Sentri Guardian.’
The smile hidden by the shadow rose. That exchange verified my fast ascent through Monzen. Improvement came knocking, so I opened the door.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Are you even trying, or did reaching mid Monzen push me this far?”
“HUMAANNN!!!”
The incoming barrage incorporated his ‘Blur.’ I kept the range the same and moved in a mechanical manner. I broke Vojiq down with systematic execution and efficiency. His knee buckled from the calve kick. His ribs caved in from the knuckles, striking the same spot.
Sternum. Wind pipe. Solar plexus. Peroneal nerve. Ulnar, radial, and median nerve.
Currents of air streamlined the blurring of hands. Sweat poured down my face from the level of concentration needed to avoid and reduce Vojiq’s strongest asset: his strength.
My Ki Armour was nothing to him. All it took was one blow to shatter it, yet every trade decreased his rising HP further. Ultimate Warrior Healing wasn’t a passive technique; there was a time limit. However, it benefitted me.
The longer Vojiq lasted, the more I would improve.
My fist slipped past his and snapped the monster’s head back. I reached his side before transitioning into a hip throw that sent the weight of his muscular body into the stone tiles.
The landing fractured the arena again.
It also turned Vojiq’s anger into bewilderment. The result of another exchange led to his defeat; a loss that became clearer than the last. He looked up, but Death looked down.
“Get up. I haven’t improved enough yet.”
***
Katherine POV:
An Armoured Sentri Knight bowed her head. Faint blue highlights separated themselves from the surrounding grey hair that was the curliest among the Sentri I had encountered.
“My name is Gilja, and I have been sent to escort you to Lord Lurz.”
Gilja’s bright yellow eyes held a deep longing that was kept in check by her nature. It was a sadness she had resolved herself to uphold for the benefit of not just herself but others.
“Thank you, Gilja. I am Katherine Brightfield. Please lead the way.”
Gilja lowered her head before turning around. Manners were always pleasant to see. My thoughts drifted to Shun, and the irritation on his face once I spoke of Lady Nefia.
‘This dungeon will be the breaking point.’
I held back the tears once this sudden realisation came to me. Such a thought carried a weight of certainty that I was unable to refute. Despite this, I held on to the hope that it would work out.
“Is something wrong, Gilja?”
Through the twisting paths, she had often stopped her gaze on me. There seemed to be something troubling her mind, so I wished to reach out first.
“...Are you popular among your kind?”
‘!’
My feet slowed till they came to a decisive stop. It was a harmless question, yet it was one that I had never once thought of in my life.
‘Was I... popular?’
The slight fall of my eyebrows soon became a dive. I wrestled with the few thoughts I had about this topic, bewildered by the difficulty it presented me.
‘What does it mean to be popular? How is it quantified? Are there special criteria one has to meet?’
My master and older brother would be considered popular with ease. Then...
‘Oh.’
This lack of popularity perhaps reflected the incompetence I had shown in producing respectable results. Perhaps this conclusion was also wrong. It felt wrong.
Whether people loved me or hated me, I would care for them just the same. Those were my morals and beliefs: an upbringing that I would not exchange for anything.
This was the right answer.
“I am afraid I do not have an answer to your question, Gilja.”
I dipped my head in her direction, but her eyebrows only rose higher. Sweat formed along Gilja’s forehead, at a loss to the response she received.
“...How can that be? Are you saying that someone like you is single?”
“Yes.”
We continued walking once a deep sigh left her mouth. The tight sealing of Gilja’s lips tried to prevent her disappointment from leaking out until she reached her limit.
“...Then you won’t be able to give me advice on a Sentri I love.”
“I can lend you my ear just the same, Gilja.”
Her lips spread into a soft smile. I didn’t have the answers to everything, but that wasn’t what people needed all the time.
“Um... He’s a Sentri Warrior and... H-he stole my heart from the moment I first saw him. Unlike others, he sees past the craving for war and violence. I-I think... he is a family man. A nice man.”
An accumulation of blood added depth to the unusual fairness of her dark skin. Gilja’s hand hid it from view like she had done many times in the past.
“I believe you should tell him your feelings.”
“H-how can I?! He’s only a... a mere Sentri Warrior!”
Distress accompanied the pain present on Gilja’s face. Tears pooled, then overflowed.
“Does status matter that much to the Sentri?”
“It’s a symbol of strength; proof of the growth we have obtained from conquering those around us. The females of my kind are very submissive but only to a dominant power.
If I were to marry a Sentri like him, it would be seen as a stain on both our legacies and a true disgrace to his lineage. It’s no different to chucking a bone to a starving dog; an attempt to take pity on an individual in a worse state but doing the opposite instead.”
The smooth skin between my eyebrows creased. It was displeasing to have such an attitude toward one another.
“But I can live with that. The real problem is... you become a target. An outcast forced to accept duels by those in higher positions of power. Refusal changes nothing, as everyone will strike you down just the same.
It’s a reminder to the Sentri race that this... is what happens when you disobey.”
Experienced Scout Byeol had only witnessed the Armoured Sentri Knights engaging in light spars. Therefore, the knowledge shared between the Sentri must be limited to the rank they possessed.
Sentri, Sentri Leader, Sentri Warrior, Sentri Knight, Armoured Sentri Knight, Sentri Guardian and the Sentri King.
Sentri that had distinguished themselves from their peers, obtained a more active role from a Sentri Knight. These Sentri Leaders were responsible for communication across the Dungeon Floors.
This was an example of an aristocratic layout, so the possibility of Gilja not being able to even train her lover seemed certain. Nevertheless, I needed to confirm these thoughts first.
“Is it not possible to train him yourself?”
A heartfelt sigh escaped Gilja’s mouth. She looked straight ahead and made several attempts to stop her lip from quivering.
“Once again, my status is too high to train him. Even if I did it under the guise of a duel, everyone would question the legitimacy of an unknown Sentri Warrior challenging a well-known Armoured Sentri Knight. He is also not an individual t-to challenge others. He’s s-sweet...”
Both of Gilja’s hands concealed her face beneath them. The ends of her ears darkened, but such unadulterated love made the corners of my mouth rise.
“Then Gilja, what happens once an Arcane Dungeon is cleared?”
“It depends on many factors, Ka—May I address you by your name, please?”
“Please do.”
Gilja dipped her head before our conversation resumed.
“By default, it’s best to cause a Dungeon End and implode the dungeon, Lady Katherine.”
She pointed toward a wide opening in the cream wall. It led to an empty arena at the bottom of the pit, where chatter filled the space as much as the torchlight did. Sentri talked amongst themselves, sitting down at tables in a peaceful manner. Waiters and waitresses weaved through the crowded area to serve the customers seated before moving back into the tunnel beneath the hallways.
“As you can see, we are smart and capable. The Will of Independence is dictated by the Boss Monster once they cross the threshold. That is why Dungeon Breaks are not immediate and why you encountered few abnormalities in the outside world.”
We stood side by side and observed the scene below. The explanation Phoebe provided on ‘The Will of Independence’ was worrisome, but in contrast to Gilja’s, it was far more preferred.
This was because Gilja’s version made it clear that Boss Monsters had access to the Dungeon System in some form.
If not for the changes our party encountered in the dungeons, this information may have remained unknown. I needed to inform the guild of this matter with haste.
“Opting for a Dungeon Clear means you lower the ranking of a dungeon till it’s no longer classed as Arcane, but for how long? With our training methods and the desire to conquer, it’s only a matter of time until a new king rises up with enough power to create that expansion once more, Lady Katherine.”