Kai is currently clearing an A-Rank Cube with all his might. He would usually take his time, but today he wants to finish quickly since Nagi will return in about two hours.

 

Kai: “I bet that black knight will appear in this dungeon too.”

 

Every extra boss in the full clear of the A-Rank dungeons had been that black knight.

He had tried to communicate with it several times, but the knight would always attack him on sight, leaving no room for conversation. That’s why Kai had resolved to kill it.

From the fragmented conversations of those knights, he inferred the emergence of a massive enemy.

 

Kai: “I need to at least become a transcendent before that happens…”

 

Since then, he had cleared a Cube every day, and today marked his seventh A-Rank Cube.

As a result, his stats had grown monstrously high.

 

——————————

Name: Kai Amachi

Status: Good

Job: Awakened Knight【Awakened】

Skills: The Eye of God, Access Level 2, Mirage, Lightning

Magic Power: 851,185

Attack Power: Reflection Rate▶75(+30)% = 893,744

Defense Power: Reflection Rate▶25(+30)% = 468,151

Agility: Reflection Rate▶50(+30)% = 680,948

Intelligence: Reflection Rate▶50(+30)% = 680,948

 

Equipment:

• Dragon King’s White Sword = Total Reflection Rate +30%

——————————

 

Kai: “Looking at this, Aya’s power really is cheat-like. My attack power might even catch up to Big-brother Wang. Still, in other areas, I’m outmatched. Both Big-brother Wang and Arnold, when using their true awakening skills, become even more monstrous. I still can’t beat them.”

 

Growing stronger with each clear, he was now just a step away from becoming a transcendent.

Even an A-Rank dungeon was no match for the current Kai. What initially took him about six hours, he could now clear in just two if he went all out.

 

Kai: “…Alright, I need to defeat this quickly and then go pick up Nagi.”

 

With that, Kai opened the door to the boss room of the A-Rank dungeon.

 

◇ Meanwhile, Nagi ◇

 

Nagi: “How much longer will this go on?”

 

Over an hour had passed since then.

After each battle, there was only a brief interval before the next enemy appeared. Moreover, the enemies kept getting stronger.

They had just managed to defeat two Demon Kings and two Wolf Kings with the combined effort of 50 people.

It was a battle where they could have easily lost lives. The fact that they held on was likely due to the skills of the veterans and the higher number of healing magic users present. Having a healing mage in a party typically doubles the survival rate.

 

Nagi: “Hang in there!”

 

Nagi healed Yuuya, whose arm seemed to have turned purple, indicating it was probably broken. But with Nagi’s A-Rank power, she could heal even a broken bone.

 

Yuuya: “Thanks, Nagi. How much longer will this go on?”

 

Nagi: “This is the 10th time… It’s getting really dangerous.”

 

Looking around, Nagi saw many people waiting for treatment, injured. The endless onslaught was mentally exhausting, and the uncertainty of when this hellish march would end added to their anxiety.

However, a voice echoed in everyone’s minds, providing an answer.

 

System Voice: 『Stage 1 cleared.』

 

Yuuya: “We did it… We did it, Nagi!”

 

Yuuya rejoiced, thinking it was over.

But Nagi remembered the words from before they were transported. After “Stage 1,” the next words would surely be…

 

System Voice: 『Starting Stage 2.』

 

Yuuya: “Huh? Stage 2?”

 

The sudden realization that they were only halfway through and had another 10 rounds to face nearly broke their spirits.

 

Yuuya: “Darn it, we can do this! We can always give up later! This isn’t the time for our teachers to falter either!”

 

Although he nearly collapsed, Yuuya stood up again.

 

Midori: “Yuuya’s right! Come on, everyone, stand up! We still have energy left!”

 

Encouraged by Yuuya’s words, Midori shouted out, and both the veterans and the B-Rank students rose to their feet.

 

Various Voices: “We can do it!” “Me too!” “And me!”

 

Their fervor spread, uniting their hearts and spirits. They were determined to survive no matter what. The current team felt like they could win, even if 10 king species appeared.

All of them drew their swords and faced forward, their eyes burning with determination.

However, dungeons always surpassed one’s expectations, mocking their resolve.

As the teleportation light faded, it appeared.

A voice, so deep that it seemed to shake the world, resonated.

It was a single demon.

The demon had dark black skin, and its face resembled a human more than a monster. Yet, it was three times the size of an average adult male and wielded a sword as tall as itself.

 

Veteran: “Huh?”

 

The veterans knew what this was and thus, they despaired.

The students, however, did not know. So, they were just afraid.

This monster only appeared in five places in the world.

Even A-Rank veteran clearers would usually never face it. In fact, they should never face it.

Only a select few, the cream of the crop, the chosen geniuses, were allowed to face it. The top-Ranked S-Rank clearers, who would form teams and build walls, would fight this being together.

It was a creature that existed within the purple Cube, which mankind had never cleared.

 

Veteran: “Could it be… S-Rank… Emperor species?”

 

Monster: “OOOOOO!!”

 

With a roar of despair, the monster extinguished the students’ flames of determination as easily as blowing out a candle.

The monster gazed at the trembling students. The first to shout was Midori, who had seen this monster firsthand along with Tanaka.

 

Midori: “Magic units, attack!! A-Ranks, form a shield in the front!! Don’t let your guard down, not even for a second!!”

 

Following her command, the students somehow managed to move and confront the beast. The A-Rank clearers became a shield of flesh while the students capable of magic frantically cast their spells.

Explosions erupted, with enough power to defeat an A-Rank monster. But the opponent was one of the top-confirmed monsters.

It only took a minimal amount of damage.

Then, as if nothing had happened, the monster raised its massive sword and aimed it at a student.

 

Veteran: “Run!! Guhaaaa!!”

 

A veteran teacher shielding the student had his arm sliced in two along with his weapon.

Defending against such power was impossible, especially for an A-Rank.

 

Student: “Healers, hurry!! It’s still salvageable!!”

 

The students continued to strike the monster in hit-and-run tactics. Their life-risking blades and magic, little by little, started reaching the black demon.

It was a raid-like battle, where the weaker ones faced a powerful foe.

It was a battle of patience and endurance.

And then, what felt like an eternity for the students, 30 minutes passed.

 

Yuuya: “Ga… Gaa… After a long and fierce battle, the students had finally defeated the monster. With the combined effort of 50 top-tier awakened individuals, they managed to defeat one of the top monsters.

 

It was a miraculous victory.

 

Yuuya: “Ha… Ha… Ha… It’s a miracle… that we’re… still alive…”

 

Covered in wounds, Yuuya looked around. He had fought desperately in the latter half of the battle, slicing repeatedly in a trance. Once the monster fell, he returned to his senses and observed the aftermath.

The scene was chaotic and bloody. Limbs were everywhere, mangled and torn. Yuuya had to suppress his nausea.

That no one had died was likely because of the many skilled healers present.

Usually, a party wouldn’t even have one valuable healing mage, but today they had five.

 

Nagi: “Heal! Heal!”

 

Nagi was there, frantically healing everyone, moving from one injured person to another. She looked like a doctor in a battlefield hospital.

 

Yuuya: “Nagi, you need to rest. You’ll collapse from magic exhaustion.”

Nagi: “I won’t rest! Even if I collapse, I’ll heal everyone!”

 

The intensity of her words left Yuuya speechless.

 

Yuuya: “… At least drink some water.”

 

Yuuya handed Nagi a bottle of water from his backpack. She whispered a thank you and drank, calming down.

The situation was dire, with morale extremely low. Even Midori, who was treating the injured with a vacant look, couldn’t think straight due to fatigue and magic exhaustion.

However, dungeons never wait.

As if to teach them the meaning of despair.

As if to punish those who angered the gods.

And to mockingly thrust only despair at them.

If double wasn’t enough, then let’s give them triple. Along with a faint light, three beams of light transferred to the temple, bringing three times the despair.

 

Monster: “OOOOOO!!”

Monster: “OOOOOO!!”

Monster: “OOOOOO!!”

 

Three of the black demons, which they had barely defeated earlier, had now appeared. Their faces twisted into grotesque smiles.

Seeing this, the students dropped their swords, staves, and their will to fight. With hollow laughter, they resigned to their fate.

 

Student: “We’re going to die, haha.”

Student: “It’s over… just…”

Student: “Mom… sob sob…”

 

The middle school children all began to cry, reminded of their parents. These mentally immature children couldn’t bear the fear of death and cried out loudly.

No one could grasp their swords anymore.

No one had the heart to ignite their fighting spirit.

Except for one.

 

Nagi: “I won’t give up! Because I’m my big brother’s little sister!”

 

A girl who had always looked up to her brave older brother was the only one to pick up a sword from the ground, grip it tightly, and stand up.

 

Yuuya: “Nagi… You…”

Nagi: “I won’t give up! Because… because if it were my big brother, he’d never give up! Never ever!!”

 

Nagi Amachi held her sword and faced forward. Seeing this, one of the black demons approached her, recognizing her as an enemy as she was the only one to wield a sword against them.

 

Nagi: “I… I’m not scared! I’m not scared at all!”

 

But that was a lie.

Nagi was terrified, so terrified it was unbearable.

 

The black demon was the embodiment of death itself and evoked immense fear. Nagi’s hand, holding the sword, trembled. She felt weak in the knees and wanted to collapse.

 

But she still faced forward.

Just like her brother Kai wished to be someone his sister could be proud of.

 

Nagi: “Because I am Nagi Amachi! The little sister of the coolest guy in the world, Kai Amachi!!”

 

Nagi genuinely wanted to be a sister her brother wouldn’t be ashamed of.

 

Yuuya: “D-Damn it! You’re cool, you know that?!”

 

Inspired by Nagi, a young boy, aspiring to be a hero, trembled but stood up beside her.

 

Yuuya: “My name is Yuuya Akuzawa! The son of the most respected man in this country! And in the future, I’ll take his place and make Japan a powerful nation! That’s my dream!”

 

Nagi: “Yuuya…”

Yuuya: “So there’s no way I’m losing to a monster! Come at me!! I… I’m not scared at all!!”

 

With all the bravado he could muster, Yuuya stepped forward beside Nagi. His trembling legs moved solely by courage, and with a powerless arm, he raised his sword in defiance.

The demon laughed upon seeing this.

It slowly approached them and raised its massive sword. It seemed as though mere bravery couldn’t stand up to this overwhelming despair.

As the demon’s sword swung down, an attack that Yuuya couldn’t possibly stop was about to land.

 

Yuuya: “Aaaaaaaah!!”

 

However, for the sake of the girl behind him, he couldn’t think of running. Screaming from the depths of his stomach, he raised his sword to block.

He wouldn’t run.

Even if it meant dying here, at least he wouldn’t run!

 

Yuuya: “I won’t run awayyyyyy!!”

 

Everyone instinctively closed their eyes, expecting the worst.

But because everyone kept their resolve until the very end…

 

**Clang!!**

 

A hero appeared just in time.

 

Yuuya: “…Huh?”

 

Instead of the expected impact on Yuuya, a metallic clang and a sound reminiscent of lightning echoed throughout the temple. When Yuuya slowly opened his eyes, he saw the demon’s sword stopped just inches above his head.

Holding it back was a sturdy single arm, gripping a pure white longsword.

 

Kai: “You tried to protect Nagi. Thank you.”

 

With a light swing of his white sword, Kai repelled the massive blade. Before Yuuya could comprehend what had happened, a gentle and large hand ruffled his hair.

 

Kai: “I’ll take the baton now, so…”

 

Kai stepped forward, gripping his white sword, standing protectively in front of his injured beloved sister and the boy who tried to protect her.

His gaze fixed on the black demon, his eyes glowing golden, filled with anger, lightning, and light.

 

Kai: “Leave it to big brother.”