Chapter 9 : Don't die Elvaria

We crossed through the doors, smiles on our faces, swords at our sides.

The first dungeon raid of Novus Obris was about to begin.

"A-Aley, the sky… there’s a sky in the dungeon?!" Elvaria exclaimed in disbelief. Indeed, as I looked up, there was a blue sky surrounding the entire place. The dungeon itself had no ground, which is strange to say, but below us was also "sky." The area was made up of towering spires, resembling guard towers, but without any peaks. They were pure white, stretching both below and above, so immense that I couldn’t tell where they began or how high they reached.

"These bridges… they’re beautiful," I remarked. Connecting each of these endless towers was a bridge, pure white like the spires themselves. A sort of sun hung above us, illuminating the bridges and reflecting its light. It felt as though we were walking in broad daylight.

The bridges were simple white walkways that connected one tower to the next. At the end of each bridge was an entrance leading inside the spires.

"I can feel an extremely powerful magical energy down below!" Elvaria shouted, her excitement clear.

"Let’s go!" I responded, a huge grin spreading across my face. Elvaria's excitement was contagious, and I shared her thrill. Exploring this magnificent place… this was what adventure truly meant to me.

Ahead of us, the first bridge stretched out, connecting the dungeon's entrance to the first tower. Near the end of the bridge, close to the tower's entrance, I noticed something strange.

Elvaria grabbed my shoulder.

"Aley, draw your sword. Those are Shadows, A-rank monsters. They don't have a physical form and can change shape to attack!"

At her words, I immediately drew my weapon, and she did the same.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Elvie," I said, finding it quicker to call her that in the heat of battle. Oh, she blushed—seems like she liked the nickname. That’s good.

"This time, let me handle it," Elvaria said, rushing toward the creatures.

She swung her sword, but it was blocked by one of the Shadows that had taken the form of a shield. These creatures were a mass of floating black matter, constantly shifting in shape.

"Try blocking this!" Elvaria’s sword suddenly burst into flames, and she launched a series of seven rapid strikes at one of the monsters, destroying it on the spot. But before she could rest, another Shadow attacked. She gracefully dodged with a backflip, but as soon as her feet touched the ground, another Shadow lunged at her. She barely managed to parry the attack before dashing behind them at blinding speed.

"Take this! Averium Devasta!" she shouted.

"My mother taught me this spell!" she added proudly, clearly satisfied with herself. Her sword, already ablaze, changed color and became a sword of green fire. The Shadows, noticing the weapon’s growing power, all jumped at her at once, trying to stop her, but it was too late.

She swung her sword in front of her, sending flames flying forward. The resulting explosion engulfed the Shadows, wiping them out.

"Phew… ahh… ahh…" She was visibly exhausted after the attack.

"You alright, Elvaria?" I asked. She turned to me with her usual confident smile and said:

"So, what did you think? Your cute guildmate is strong enough to handle a group of A-rank monsters all by herself," she said, striking a pose with her hands on her hips.

She was right—she was strong. I’d heard that an A-rank monster near a town was dangerous enough to warrant a full evacuation.

"Elvaria, how did you become so strong?" I asked, genuinely curious.

She froze for a moment.

"I suppose I can tell you…" she said, her eyes lowering.

Elvaria began to tell me about her mother, who turned out to be a hero. We continued exploring the dungeon, looking for a tower that led to the lowest zone while she told me how her mother had passed down her powers to her. She also explained that humans in this world could gain special magic called "skills" by repeating certain actions. It was probably similar to my Quick Step and Aleystria Reinforcement, though I didn’t remember repeating those kinds of actions in the past...

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We crossed yet another bridge, fighting off the Shadows guarding the entrance to the next tower. Inside, a spiraling staircase wound downward with no access to the upper levels. We continued descending the stairs, and upon exiting the tower, another bridge awaited us—same routine, over and over.

"I'm so done with this!" I said, out of breath.

"You’re all tired..." Elvaria replied, equally winded.

We were getting close to the lowest level. The concentration of magical energy we had sensed from above was now overwhelming. The next tower would likely lead us to the boss room... Suddenly, I felt something—like a presence behind us.

"Elvie, I just sensed someone behind us," I said, feeling uneasy.

"Let them come, we’ll deal with it," she said with a laugh. I wanted to scold her for being so reckless, but there was no turning back now. If that presence decided to attack us, we’d simply fight back—that’s all there was to it.

Right now, we’re standing on a white bridge, but not just any bridge—the last one of the dungeon. In front of us stands a tower, and unlike the others, which were entirely plain, this one is adorned with intricate patterns I can’t understand or decipher.

"Aley, this is it," Elvaria exclaims, tightening her grip on her sword.

"Let’s become rank A adventurers, and conquer the toughest dungeons in the world," I say, excited, a nearly wicked grin on my face. My eyes are sharp, filled with ambition. I’m about to enter this tower and face a terrifying foe, and yet, at this moment, I’m thrilled.

"It’s strange, I feel my magical energy, my mana, surging inside me," Elvaria says, with a smile just as full of ambition as mine. We’ve spent around nine hours exploring this dungeon to get here. Anyone else would be exhausted, but right now, my blood is boiling.

With a single step, Elvaria and I launch ourselves at blinding speed, swords drawn, through the next tower. As soon as we enter, we’re greeted by a horde of insect-type monsters—about a hundred of them. Contrary to what one might expect, these insects are massive, ranging from 2 to 5 meters in size. A rank A species, accompanied by the Shadows, the ever-present monsters since the first tower. The insects cling to the tower's walls, while the Shadows slither along the ground.

"Elvie!"

"I know, don’t worry."

We don’t need to say much more. Our teamwork has come a long way. I dash up the walls of the tower, using Quick Step to run on them, moving so fast that gravity barely applies. Elvaria stays on the ground, facing about fifty Shadows.

The plan is simple: I’ll obliterate the insectoid monsters clinging to the walls as fast as possible, while Elvaria handles the Shadows on the ground by herself.

What follows is pure carnage—not for us, but for the monsters. Exhausted yet exhilarated, smiles are glued to our faces. I dash along the walls, sword in hand, slicing through every insect. Their white blood splatters onto the floor.

Elvaria, meanwhile, gracefully dodges and parries every Shadow's attack, giving the impression they have the upper hand—a grave mistake. Once they’re gathered, she leaps into the air, transforms her sword into green flames, and unleashes an explosion that obliterates her poor victims below.

The entire tower is cleared in 2 minutes and 36 seconds. The result: 198 monsters slain by two rank C adventurers.

The only thing left in the room is an enormous door, similar to the one at the dungeon’s entrance. Behind it awaits the boss, the final adversary we have to face before completing the dungeon.

A boss is an immensely powerful creature, guarding the treasures hidden within the dungeon. They far surpass any other monster present, designed to be the ultimate protectors. The king of the gods, Orthos, placed them here as the final line of defense to prevent humans from claiming the artifacts of the lost civilization. But he also keeps them in check, should he ever decide to investigate and claim them himself.

"Can you push the door, please?" Elvaria asks, breathless, exhaustion heavy on her shoulders after our grueling battle.

"Of course," I reply confidently. With a single, forceful kick, I strike the door, flinging it open in an instant, sending a shockwave rippling through the room. I’ve grown much more adept at controlling my strength since first arriving in this world.

"There, job done—"

But suddenly, without warning, razor-sharp claws shoot out from behind the door, slashing into Elvaria with brutal force. She’s thrown back, her body smashing against the boss room’s wall. The impact is so violent that the stone cracks and splinters fly in every direction. The collision is bone-rattling, and a sickening crack echoes through the room. Her body slides slowly down the wall, leaving a trail of blood, before collapsing heavily onto the floor.

"Pfouah, urgh..." she murmurs, blood dribbling from her mouth, her voice weak. Her usually sharp eyes are clouded with pain as she struggles to stay conscious, her breathing ragged, her trembling hands grasping at nothing.

"Elvaria!" I shout, panic gripping my chest as I see her limp form, vulnerable and injured.

But I don’t have time to reach her. Before me, emerging from the shadows, is a massive, terrifying creature. A real dragon. Its black scales glint in the dim magical light of the room, and its piercing red eyes lock onto me. An overwhelming aura of pure dread fills the air. Its claws, still wet with Elvaria’s blood, scrape the ground with a metallic sound, ready to strike again.