Envi dashed forward, slicing through the monsters on the 16th floor with ridiculous ease. Watching him fight, I couldn’t help but think: if I get stronger, Envi gets stronger too.
He could use [Aura Force], the sa technique I’d painstakingly learned from Patriarch. "Hey, you damn system! You’re using [Aura Force] like it’s nothing, after all the blood, sweat, and tears I poured into mastering it! That’s so unfair!" I complained in my mind.
"Like I care," Envi retorted casually. "That’s the perk of being a system. I don’t need to waste ti training—I just inherit everything you learn. So keep working hard for , Nao! HAHAHA!" He laughed maniacally, effortlessly cutting down another wave of monsters.
I grumbled, annoyed by his arrogance, but I had no choice. At tis like this, I needed to rely on him. Envi took over clearing the next few floors while I conserved my energy.
Although we shared the sa body, the ntal fatigue affected us differently. If I didn’t switch with Envi, I’d probably collapse from exhaustion. That’s why, even though he was infuriating, I had to make peace with this cursed system.
After over six hours of progress, we reached the 20th floor. Envi didn’t show the slightest sign of fatigue, even after solo-clearing four entire floors.
"This floor’s aura feels just like the 10th," Envi remarked as we moved forward.
"Stay alert, Envi. We’re probably facing another mini-boss," I warned.
"Tch, I already know that, you nag!" he snapped, readying himself for battle.
From the shadows ahead, the mini-boss slowly erged. It was a dual-wielding knight clad in black full-body armor, though oddly, it wore no helt. Its exposed head revealed a grinning skull.
Envi and I froze for a mont. This was the first ti we’d encountered a monster like this. Envi quickly inspected its status:
---
Deathbound Duelist (Level 45)
Monster Type: Undead
---
"An undead, huh? This’ll be a first for ," Envi muttered, sounding slightly perplexed.
"I think that Berserker Troll King we fought before might’ve been undead—or at least becoming undead. If you noticed, it didn’t flinch when hurt and had no life aura, only death energy," I explained.
"Hmm, you’ve got a point, Nao. That explains a lot. Well, no matter—I’ll destroy this skeleton freak!" Envi declared, charging at the mini-boss.
Using [Aura Force] combined with [Blackmore Katana Style: Tsurugi no Mai], Envi attacked from every angle. He aid to finish the fight quickly, but it wasn’t going to be that easy.
The Deathbound Duelist displayed incredible swordsmanship, using [Swordsman Instinct] to block Envi’s relentless strikes.
"Ugh, this guy’s pretty good, Nao. Looks like this’ll take a while," Envi grumbled. I reminded him not to resort to Dark Magic, and he begrudgingly complied.
The Duelist retaliated with [Deadly Precision], its swift, devastating strikes forcing Envi to parry with [Blackmore Katana Style: Yanagi-uke]. Even so, Envi was starting to struggle.
Finally, he activated [Blackmore Katana Style: Kasoseki], doubling his speed and launching a fierce counterattack. Envi’s newfound agility and power put the Duelist on the defensive.
"Keep it up, Envi! Use [Aura Force] to finish him off!" I encouraged.
"Got it!" Envi responded, gathering energy while clashing with the boss. He unleashed [Blackmore Katana Style: Nisshou-Giri], a three-strike combo that severed the Duelist’s right arm, forcing it to fight with only one sword.
But the Duelist wasn’t done yet. It activated [Undying Challenge], marking Envi with a dueling curse. The spell forced them into close combat until one of them was dead.
"Damn it, a duel spell? You’ve got to be kidding !" Envi growled, dodging a flurry of attacks.
The Duelist’s strikes grew fiercer as it used [Revenge Strike], imbuing its blade with dark energy and enhancing its speed.
"HAHA! You think you can outpace with that? Oh, wait, I forgot—you don’t even have a brain! You’re just an empty skull in armor!" Envi taunted, clearly plotting his next move.
As the Duelist’s sword swung down, Envi released a powerful [Aura Force] blast, halting the attack.
"Now’s your chance, Envi! Finish it!" I yelled.
With his speed tripled by [Kasoseki 3X], Envi darted around the Duelist. Then, with a triumphant roar, he unleashed [Blackmore Katana Style: Inazuma 10X], delivering ten lightning-fast slashes that left the Duelist in pieces. Its remains disintegrated into nothing, vanquished by Envi’s overwhelming power.
A notification appeared before us:
---
[You have defeated the Mini-Boss: Deathbound Duelist!]
You gained no EXP due to the Dungeon Boss Skill.
---
"What?! No EXP?!" I scread.
"Stop shouting in my head, you idiot! It’s the Dungeon Boss Skill, rember?" Envi scolded.
"You’re right. If we defeat the dungeon boss, we’ll probably get a huge EXP reward!" My frustration turned into determination.
"Exactly. Now let’s keep going," Envi said nonchalantly, still full of energy.
"Are you even tired? I can take over if you need a break," I offered.
"Tired? ? The mighty Envi? I could clear another five floors easily!" he boasted, grinning smugly.
I sighed but couldn’t help smiling a little. Despite his attitude, I knew he was working hard to get us through this dungeon safely.
"Alright, Envi-sama, please carry us to the 25th floor."
"Leave it to !" Envi said with a confident laugh, descending to the next floor.
...
POV: Julius von Starlight
It’s been 18 hours since Naoki went ahead to clear the deeper floors of the dungeon on his own. I wanted to join him, but he entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the team.
Naoki warned that this dungeon was likely filled with undead—and he was right. We’ve made it to the 15th floor, where the monsters have already been significantly reduced thanks to Naoki. However, the undead keep reviving and attacking us relentlessly.
Naoki knows that my Starlight Swordsmanship, which incorporates light magic, is especially effective against undead. Light magic is their greatest weakness, allowing to dispatch them permanently.
Each swing of my blade feels sharper and more decisive than the last. My training under Naoki and the Blackmore Patriarch is paying off.
"I’m so glad I ca here with Naoki. I’ll grow even stronger!" I muttered, firming my resolve.
After clearing out the monsters, I felt a swell of pride. Naoki’s trust wasn’t misplaced—I was holding the team together and keeping them safe. Our reunion at the boss dungeon’s gate was getting closer by the hour.
We descended steadily, floor by floor, taking cautious steps. On the 20th floor, we braced ourselves for the possibility of a mini-boss. However, as expected, Naoki had already defeated it.
Mark knelt by the shattered remains of armor and remarked, "This isn’t Naoki’s gear... It must have belonged to the mini-boss."
"You’re right," Marius replied, analyzing the battle marks. "Judging by the damage, the mini-boss was a swordsman. The fight must have been fierce, but Naoki won."
"That’s Naoki for you," I said, nodding. "He wouldn’t lose so easily. He’s probably waiting for us at the boss room by now."
"Indeed, Julius-sama. Master Naoki is incredibly strong—I trust he’s fine," Vivin said with unwavering confidence.
"I can vouch for that," Nyssa added calmly.
Mia and Elan nodded in agreent, their expressions firm.
"Well, let’s rest here for a while," I suggested, addressing the team. "We’ll need to save our strength to assist Naoki when we face the dungeon boss. We’ll move on in six hours."
The team agreed, and we prepared a small al before taking turns resting. Knowing Naoki, he was probably relying on the food Vivin and Elan had prepared for him.
As I closed my eyes, I whispered to myself, "Wait for us, Naoki."
POV: Nao
"Hey, Envi, you idiot! You pushed yourself until you were starving, and now you’re dumping control of the body back on ? I’m starving, you moron!" I snapped at Envi.
"HAHAHA, I got a little carried away. But look—we’ve reached the 25th floor! Now quit whining and eat that bread!" Envi retorted smugly.
We bickered for a while, but in the end, I wolfed down the bread Vivin and Elan had packed for . Thank goodness I brought it; otherwise, I might’ve passed out from hunger.
Once I was refueled, I stood up and stretched.
"Alright, it’s my turn now! I’ll reach the boss room in no ti!" I declared, brimming with energy as I descended to the 26th floor.
The Hellhounds ca at in droves—hulking, fiery-eyed beasts with thick, sinewy muscles. They relied on fla magic, but they were no match for . It was almost disappointing how easily I dispatched them.
Three hours later, I reached the 30th floor. After countless battles, I had only gained a single level. I guess the dungeon’s boss-debuff was cutting my EXP gains.
"Finally! This is it, Envi. The 30th floor—the boss room!" My voice echoed in the chamber as I spotted the massive double doors ahead.
I felt a surge of excitent. This is just like in all those ani and manga! My inner otaku couldn’t contain its joy.
But I stopped myself before rushing in. I decided to wait for the others. This would be their fight too—a chance for them to grow.
I sat down, resting my body. Even Envi, the unstoppable system, seed to be snoring in my head. It was strange—he could even sleep like this. Despite the noise, I soon dozed off.
In my dreams, I found myself in a dark, silent space. A radiant light suddenly illuminated the void.
From within the light erged a figure I knew well—a cat-eared woman holding a staff.
"Goddess of Benevolence... is that you?" I asked, my voice trembling with curiosity.
She stepped closer, her hand gently touching my face.
A wave of warmth and longing swept through , and before I realized it, tears stread down my cheeks.
"I miss you" I only heard that from her.
The dream ended with a sweet smile from the Goddess of Benevolence.
I was confused about what she ant. But I was sure she just wanted to encourage .
I returned her smile and hugged her. I don’t know why I did that. But I felt very comfortable.
...
"Umm... Master Naoki, this is inappropriate... Please wake up."
I heard a familiar voice, pulling back to reality.
Opening my eyes, I found Vivin standing before , flustered and red-faced. I was hugging her—tightly.
"WAAH! VIVIN! I’m sorry! I didn’t an to!" I yelped, releasing her imdiately and bowing my head in apology.
"Damn it, big bro Naoki! I thought you’d stopped flirting with every girl you et!" Mark shouted, clearly annoyed.
"Oh? I didn’t know you had that kind of relationship with your maid," Julius teased with a sly grin.
"HAHAHA, you’re a real man, Naoki!" Marius laughed, giving a thumbs-up.
"Master Naoki, perhaps save it for after we return to the mansion," Elan remarked with a deadpan expression.
"Master Naoki..." Mia whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes.
Panic set in as I scrambled to explain myself. "No, no! It’s not what you think! I was dreaming—I didn’t an to!"
Vivin looked relieved, nodding slightly. The others, however, erupted in laughter, teasing rcilessly.
Eventually, I managed to redirect their focus.
"Alright, enough with the jokes! Let’s take down this dungeon boss!"
With renewed determination, I pushed open the dungeon boss’s door and entering the dungeon boss room.
It’s ti to end this.
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