By the time Poti had finished her work, the leg looked like something entirely new. It was a bit leaner and was filled with strands of magenta energy like the fire covering her arm and leg. Only the foot remained the same solid steel it had been before. Bits of mana crystals were embedded throughout the upper part of the leg, with whole chunks of crystals remaining as the core.

Owin had spent time watching Amkati wander about, passing by too far to notice, though Owin was sure the boss had seen the bright flames of the demon.

Poti woke Myrsvai by smashing the top of the leg back into place, which apparently caused agonizing pain. Myrsvai woke up screaming, which didn’t even cause Poti to flinch. She twisted it and fit it in place before Myrsvai finished squirming. Before he could swear or attack, Poti grabbed his arm and yanked him to his feet. Owin quickly grabbed his staff and placed it in his hand, helping Myrsvai balance.

“This . . .” He bent his knee and moved it in the air, balancing on one foot. He hopped to the prosthetic and balanced on that, even squatting with just the metal leg. “Incredible job.”

“I’m aware. You owe me. And not some shit like—”

“I know,” Myrsvai interrupted. “I’ll gather the materials and summon you back in Atrevaar. We can make the trade in a few days when I’m home. Same as always.”

Potirantoma adjusted her grip on the sledgehammer. “Fine, but if you’re late, the debt goes up.”

“I thought you both said the debt was even,” Owin said.

“He doesn’t get anything,” Poti said.

Myrsvai smiled. “He’s learning.”

“Hm. Fine. Summon the bug before I go.”

Myrsvai’s index appeared. “Don’t give him a boon. Thalgodin’s is more useful.”

“Thal give him sight?”

Myrsvai brought his staff down on the sand, causing abyssal flames to form beside Owin. Suta quickly appeared, stretching.

“Sight that should help us find the dungeon secrets.”

She crouched in front of Suta, who blinked a few times. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Suta leaned forward, gently bumping his head against Poti’s. “Leg fixed?”

“It is. Take care of the old man. Can’t rely on a goblin who eats demons.”

“Just the one so far,” Owin said.

Poti pointed her fiery finger at him. “You notice how he added ‘so far?’ That means he’ll eat more.”

“Owin is friend.” Suta sidled over and put his arm over Owin’s shoulder. “See?”

Poti laughed. “I do see that. Then you two go show those cathkabel beasts what we think.”

“You leave?”

“Schemers aren’t made for fighting, and Myr needs to keep his mana high for a real fight. Are you using spells to help in fights?”

Suta diverted his gaze and tried to subtly glance at Myrsvai, who was waiting with his eyebrows raised. “No,” Suta said.

“If you use a spell, Myr might let me make an arm prosthetic.”

Owin watched Myrsvai’s expression darken. That one sentence made Suta slump.

Poti placed her fiery arm on Suta’s shoulder. “You can do it.”

“We’re leaving,” Myrsvai said. “I’ll see you back in Atrevaar.”

Poti stayed crouched and looked at Owin. “Keep them safe.”

“I will.”

Myrsvai opened a portal underneath Potirantoma. She flashed a beautiful smile full of sharp teeth before disappearing back into the Abyss. She disappeared faster than Thalgodin had back in the secret.

Suta kept his arm around Owin’s shoulder. The familiar stared at the spot Poti had just been standing.

“Did you sleep?” Owin asked.

“No. Rested.”

“I didn’t know there was a difference.”

Myrsvai approached, walking deftly on his repaired leg. “Ready to continue?”

Owin gently moved Suta’s arm from his shoulders. “Do all magi have demons to summon? Poti fixing your leg was like having an alchemist to summon. If I could just summon Ernie when my knives broke, I would have the best weapons.”

Myrsvai cracked a smile and walked on, making Owin rush after him. “Most, if not all, Abyssal Magi have demons they summon. If they’re newly level 15, they would only be able to summon random demons. I have the handful I have made deals with that will come when asked. I have to get the spell right, or I could summon one I don’t know.”

“What happens if you summon demons without a deal?”

“Suta?”

“Fight,” Suta said, lifting his hands. The familiar walked on Owin’s other side. He seemed as energized as he had been upon entering the dungeon. When Myrsvai had tired after using too many spells in the fortress, so did Suta. What would happen if Suta ran all over, tiring himself while Myrsvai sat still?

“Fight?” Owin repeated.

“Demons aren’t the kind to willingly obey. Even the Lords fight their subordinates from time to time if a demon thinks they’ve climbed high enough. As far as I’m aware, no Lord has lost its position. At least not in my lifetime.”

“The Malignant Spirit didn’t seem that strong. It did when I first fought it, I guess, but now I could rip it in half. I know it was only partially manifested, but I think I could beat it if it was fully manifested now,” Owin said.

“On Verdantallis, I am certain it would be a close fight, but you would come out on top. Probably with a full stomach.” Myrsvai paused at that comment, giving Owin a look.

“Do you want me to stop eating mobs?”

“No. It’s just something new. Something to adjust to.”

“Gross,” Suta said. “I want to try.”

Stolen novel; please report.

“You’re not eating mobs,” Myrsvai said quickly.

“Are you saying if I fought the Malignant Spirit in the Abyss it would be different?”

“Well, yes. Demons and cathkabel lose power when they come to our world. The portals sap energy. If they were in our world long enough, I suppose they could return to their full power, but no magus is strong enough to keep a demon in Verdantallis that long. Not without Power 7. And even when I unlock Dreadlord’s Ascendancy, I can’t imagine a time when I would use it.”

Owin stopped them in front of the snail’s pass. “I don’t know what that spell is. I’ve never heard of any Power 7 spells.”

“Now isn’t the time for a lesson. What’s through here?”

“A snail that Ernie wouldn’t let me fight. I never stopped thinking about it. He didn’t let me go through. We went that way and fought a single eel instead.” Owin pointed to the far path. “We should go this way.”

“You want to fight this snail?”

Owin nodded.

“Eat it?” Suta asked.

“Uh, no.” Owin shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like a good idea. Katalin was really specific about not eating things I wasn’t familiar with.”

Suta nodded. “Bad idea.”

“You didn’t know that.”

Suta nodded again.

“Is it a boss?”

“Ernie didn’t really tell me. I don’t think it is. There are wandering bosses and chest guardians on every floor, but the first floor doesn’t have a floor boss.” Owin stared into the dark pass. “I don’t think.”

“Are you hoping to fight this on your own?”

“No. You two can help. They said it was dangerous, but not what made it dangerous. I don’t want to die. I just want loot.” Owin tapped his fingers on the chitin breastplate. “I have an armor set to complete.”

“The chances of you finishing an armor set in two trips is so incredibly low that you shouldn’t risk yourself for any loot. You may find one more piece, but it is near impossible for you to find it all.”

Owin smiled and waited for Myrsvai to look down. “Is a goblin mob becoming self aware impossible?”

“Hm.” Myrsvai smiled back. “Alright. I’m eager to fight for real. Using spells back in the fortress was invigorating. Mind if I take this one?”

“You can fight the snail and Amkati if you want. I can learn from watching.”

“Suta?”

“Fight.” Suta pushed past Owin with his arms up.

“No. That’s not what I was saying. You’re going to watch me.”

“No.”

“Suta.”

The familiar refused to turn around. He stood at the mouth of the pass, back facing Myrsvai. “I will fight.”

“No, you won’t. I’ll unsummon you if you aren’t cooperating.”

Suta didn’t flinch.

“Suta.”

“Dangerous.”

Myrsvai approached and silently stood beside the familiar. They both stared into the pass while Owin stood awkwardly behind them. Whatever moment they were having seemed important, and the last thing he needed to do was interrupt.

“Range,” Suta finally said.

“Yes. I’ll leave anything close quarters to you. The expert.” Myrsvai looked back at Owin. “Stay ahead of me, with Suta, just in case.”

“I can do that.”

Suta held out his hand. When Owin got close, the familiar grabbed his shoulder. “Protect.”

“I will, but I don’t think he needs it.” Owin drew his knife. Without any luminous damage threatening them, he could use the lich bone knife again, which was undoubtedly the sharpest of the knives he had used.

Suta guided Owin into the pass, which looked no different from the opposite side where Owin had gone before. It was dark and narrow with coral above and seaweed and moss growing below.

Before long, a massive shape loomed in the dark. Myrsvai cast a light that revealed a long snail with an oblong shell. It had a single little tentacle-like appendage sticking out the front.

“Ew.”

“Thinking a cone snail is gross is absurd when you feast on mob flesh,” Myrsvai said.

The little appendage wiggled. While it didn’t look that dangerous, the snail was huge, especially compared to everything else on the first floor.

Ocean Mob

Amarvio

Sea Snail

Level 12

“What’s a cone snail? That says sea snail.”

“Cone snails exist in Verdantallis. They look the same in every possible way, other than size. That’s simply a cone snail.”

“Are they dangerous?”

“Incredibly so.” Myrsvai raised his staff. “I’ll end it.”

“End what?”

As soon as Myrsvai’s staff hit the ground, abyssal tentacles erupted all around the cone snail. They wrapped around the entire mob, crushing its shell immediately. It looked like the spell was trying to pull the creature into the Abyss, but without a portal, it was simply pulverized, leaving only chunks of shell and a thick cloud of blood. Not a single bit of flesh was left.

Myrsvai nodded slowly. “Interesting.”

“How was that so strong? What spell was that?”

“Dread Bind. Power 1.” Myrsvai strode to the edge of the blood cloud and waved his staff through it. “I don’t expect this to be toxic in any way. Cone snails are venomous, though that is from a gland.”

“Do you want me to walk through first?” Owin asked.

“Abyssal Blast.” Mrysvai launched a spell through the center of the blood cloud, causing it to move outward as the water shifted. “Now you can go through . . . Why did I receive experience for that?”

Suta stayed in front of Myrsvai, allowing Owin to walk through the cloud first. They weren’t far from the end of the pass, back near the stairs down to the second floor. As soon as Owin emerged from the pass, he found Amkati’s legs still standing upright. The girhuma’s torso and head were nowhere to be seen.

“Well, that is . . .” Myrsvai poked the legs with his staff, causing them to fall back and land in the sand. “Accidental.”

Some dungeon gold fell from the legs, which Suta immediately scooped up and placed in Myrsvai’s bag.

“That’s not how it went last time,” Owin said.

“I assume not. Apologies if you were hoping to stretch your legs in that fight.”

“No. Once was enough. Let’s get down to the second floor so I can eat Graliel again.”

“Eat,” Suta said.

Myrsvai walked to the edge of the stairs. “Did you see the Void Nexus heroes while I slept?”

“No. I think they passed when we were in the fortress. We’ll find them.” Owin was sure of it. He wasn’t going to let them slip by and get their shards so easily.

“How do you think Vondaire is doing?”

“Probably too good.”

Myrsvai grunted. “See you on the other side.” He walked down and disappeared through the door with Suta at his side.

Owin hopped down the stairs and stepped right through.

***

Vondaire twirled a ghostblade around his index finger. The fish that stood before him wasn’t any uglier than the rest of the lot, but the confidence it held was so beyond what it deserved that it had become even uglier in Vondaire’s eye.

Barracuda, the phyraena wizard floor boss, stood in front of the stairs, wand at the ready. His gills flared as he panted from stress. Vondaire had yet to move, and still the boss was bleeding from gashes all around his body.

“How?”

“What do I gain from explaining anything to you?” Vondaire flicked the knife into the air and snatched it perfectly as it fell. “I have to fight myself, you know, to stop going so quickly. Part of me, the part I wish I could squish, is curious to how the others are doing. Even if we are only newly comrades, we are comrades all the same. Did I feel anything for Taralim or the Unity Force?”

The cetanthro boss blinked.

“Obviously not. Who could care for an army full of twats? The Nimble Hogs might be insufferable, but at least they mean well.”

“Who are you?” Barracuda asked.

“Soon enough, I won’t hear that question anymore.” Vondaire flicked his wrist, sending the ghostblade right through the cetanthro’s head. The mob’s mana had already been drained, allowing the spell to slice right through the fish’s flesh.

Vondaire pushed the body aside with his foot and snatched a fish bone knife. It wasn’t his style, but perhaps the damn goblin could use it. It wasn’t as if Owin cared for his appearance anyway. He didn’t have a style. None of the Hogs really did. They used any equipment they found, even if it didn’t match.

That was one thing that Vondaire would never understand. One of the things that would always separate him from the rest of his company.

“Fourth floor,” he muttered to himself. “Not even halfway. When does the challenge begin?” He took each stair slowly, exaggerating his steps down. One last look back outside at the city and the wreck towering above it confirmed Owin and Myrsvai weren’t catching up.

“There’s no use waiting in the water when I could wait on the beach. I suppose I could use some sun. A bit of tanning would do me well. I just need to get the shard first.” He stepped through the void nexus, sending him down to the fifth floor.