Reisou stared at the floating screen before him, his heart pounding with excitement. After everything he had gone through, it seemed that his struggles hadn't been meaningless.
Killing the skeletons had granted him a significant amount of experience points, pushing his level higher than he had expected.
+++++++++
[Overview]
Name: Aragaki Reisou
Age: 16
Class: Lancer
Element: Wind
Level: 17
EXP: 432/1630
Titles: Intruder (???)
Race: Human (Awakened)
HP: 100/100 ⇾ 95/120
EP: 125/125 ⇾ 70/145
STM: 140/140 ⇾ 89/165
SP: 0[1]
WP: 0[2]
ATP: 7[3]
[Attributes]
STR: 10 ⇾ 11 {+7}
AGI: 8 ⇾ 9 {+7}
END: 12 ⇾ 14
INT: 8 ⇾ 10
CHA: 7
DEF: 8 {+11}
ATK: 8 {+14}
ATS: 8 {+8}
[Skills]
Intimidation (1⋆) and Fury (1⋆).
[Techniques]
Enhancement (1⋆) and Basic Armament Haki (2⋆).
[Talents]
Culinary (Beginner), Mathematics (Beginner), Polearm (Intermediate), Public Speaking (Beginner)
+++++++++
His level had jumped from 10 to 17, and now, with seven extra points to distribute, he had the chance to further enhance his combat abilities.
Without wasting a second, Reisou allocated two points to endurance, four to intelligence, and the remaining point to strength.
Even though his status wouldn't refresh instantly like in a game, the increase in energy would prove extremely useful later.
However, the Fallen King wasn't about to give him time to celebrate. Summoning ten fire orbs at once, he forced the slightly elated Reisou to snap back to reality.
He barely managed to dodge a few as he sprinted toward the stone throne, gritting his teeth while several orbs slammed into him, each one leaving behind a trail of sharp, burning pain.
Fortunately, his armor and Armament Haki absorbed most of the impact, but even so, a considerable portion of his health was chipped away.
In addition to dodging the dark orbs, a horde of skeletons had already climbed onto the platform, blocking his path.
Cornered and out of options, Reisou gathered his courage and dashed forward with all his might.
He reached the massive throne, barely weaving past a storm of sword strikes and yet another barrage of black spheres.
"Damn it... those damn spheres hurt like hell," Reisou muttered, his voice strained as he fought to keep himself upright.
Though he was almost behind the throne, the grin on the Fallen King's face grew even wider.
Slowly, he opened his mouth, just as he had with 2B earlier, causing Reisou to tremble.
'It's over... He's going to do it again...' Reisou thought, tensing up at the looming possibility of being hit by that dark laser beam.
As if things weren't bad enough, a few large skeletons charged at him from the side, their weapons raised.
In his desperation, Reisou made a miscalculation and was slammed by a shield bash, sending him crashing backwards.
Reisou hit the ground, blood trickling from his forehead, but he pushed through the pain.
Dazed from the impact, he staggered to his feet, raising his lance with determination, ready to continue the fight.
But just as he was about to lunge forward, a flicker of light to his side caught his attention.
Lying beside the throne was a broken altar, and on top of it rested a golden plate etched with strange white markings. Reisou had no idea what it was and was ready to dismiss it.
Until the symbols began to twist and distort, scrambling into a chaotic swirl before slowly reshaping into readable Japanese kanji right before his eyes.
"What is this?" Reisou muttered under his breath, eyes fixed on the shifting script.
A skeleton suddenly charged at him, and with a swift motion, Reisou drove his lance deep into its skull, shattering it into pieces.
He then sprinted toward the altar, his eyes darting between the Fallen King, whose mouth was nearly overflowing with dark energy, and the skeletons trailing behind him.
Once he reached the altar, he took a moment to read the inscription.
- - -
GOD grants blessings only to a true king, and a king without his crown is nothing but a pretender. The proud fool tried to deceive the divine, but the gold he presented was tainted and unworthy.
- - -
As Reisou finished reading the strange message, something clicked in his mind.
'A king without his crown is nothing but a pretender... and the gold he presented was tainted and unworthy...' he mused, his eyes locked on the golden crown perched atop the Fallen King's head.
Reisou then pieced together a possibility and connected it to the mission. He had been tasked with retrieving the crown, which meant the answer was right in front of him.
"2B, take off his crown!"
His shout made 2B, who was leaping across the shadows beneath her feet, lock her gaze on the enormous golden crown.
She immediately accelerated, and within seconds, she arrived atop the Fallen King's bald head. Now, sensing her presence, the Fallen King's expression darkened with anger as he clenched his mouth shut, canceling the beam aimed at Reisou.
"Shit! It seems I was right," Reisou said, fending off some skeletons in his way. "I need to get up there and help 2B take that thing off."
Taking advantage of the Fallen King's distraction, Reisou leaped into the air, soaring high before landing on the king's massive shoulder.
Meanwhile, 2B had no idea how to remove the crown, so she decided to slice through its golden walls instead.
Her strikes left deep gashes in the metal, prompting the Fallen King to let out a deafening scream.
*SHIIEEEKKK!
His piercing scream stunned both Reisou and 2B for a moment.
At the same time, thirty dark orbs materialized in the air, streaking toward 2B with terrifying speed.
But she moved like a blur, effortlessly dodging the barrage—her shadow techniques weaving illusions that left only fading afterimages behind, causing the deadly orbs to sail through empty space.
Reisou launched himself toward the crown, intent on helping.
With Enhancement, Fury, and Armament Haki fully unleashed, he drove his lance into the weakened section that 2B had already struck
The blade tore through the damaged gold, snapping one side of the crown with a resounding crack.
*SHIIIIIIEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!
Another deafening scream echoed, making everything tremble. The damaged golden crown was already on the verge of falling from the Fallen King's head.
2B immediately activated her shadow technique, dashing forward to kick the other side of the crown, sending it crashing to the ground.
*BOOOM!
The sound of the golden crown hitting the ground was all it took to announce their victory.
The confident Fallen King, who had relished in toying with his weak prey, met his end once again.
It was his punishment.
He was doomed to be trapped in madness, endlessly repeating the same mistake over and over again.
"V-Vulkrus Agarian Benkar... Tu... uS... Mita... Ru..."
With his last words, the Fallen King's red eyes faded to darkness, and his massive body began to disintegrate, turning to dust along with the other skeletal warriors below.
Reisou and 2B lost their footing and plunged into freefall.
However, the white-haired android was quick enough to activate her skill, catching her master and landing gracefully on the ground.
"We... WE DID IT!" Reisou shouted excitedly, his voice filled with pure exhilaration. In the heat of the moment, he pulled 2B into a hug and, overcome by a rush of emotions, kissed her right cheek.
He felt immense relief to have survived and finally eliminated such a complicated boss. Even the pain in his body was temporarily forgotten in that moment.
[Ding!]
[Your level has increased: 17 ⇾ 23]
[6 attribute points are available to reallocate.]
[Ding!]
[Congratulations on reaching Level 20! As a reward for your hard work, you've received a 30% OFF coupon for any purchase of your choice, along with five additional inventory slots.]
A few system notifications snapped Reisou out of his euphoria as he realized he had leveled up again. Upon seeing the rewards for reaching Level 20, a satisfied smile formed on his face.
They weren't the most amazing rewards, but it was still better than nothing. At least the discount coupon could help him snag a useful skill or technique later on.
Reisou released 2B from the hug and got lost in his thoughts, while she, still taken aback by the sudden embrace, blinked a few times.
That strange, unfamiliar sensation surged inside her once again, causing a faint blush to spread across her usually emotionless face.
Unfortunately, Reisou missed the rare and precious sight as he stumbled toward the massive golden crown, his legs trembling as the last traces of adrenaline drained away, leaving only fatigue and pain behind.
2B, who wasn't in much better shape herself, stepped forward to help, but they quickly stumbled into an awkward tangle—leaning on each other for support as they slowly made their way toward the crown.
Reisou was unsure how to transport such a large item to the Sun Knight.
Opting to try using his inventory, he was surprised when a notification suddenly popped up.
[The object the host wants to store is too large for a single slot. Would you like to temporarily convert ten slots to store it?]
"Yes!" he said excitedly.
It seemed that the five slots granted by the system were about to prove useful after all.
2B's inventory only consisted of five slots, which meant she couldn't store it.
After placing the crown in his inventory, Reisou now wanted to find a way out of that place.
"I never thought you would really pass the test, little ones. Well done!" a booming, familiar voice startled the exhausted duo. "Now, let's celebrate and PRAISE THE SUN!"
"Praise the sun, my ass! Get us out of here!" Reisou's anger got the better of him the moment he identified the voice as belonging to the Sun Knight.
"..."
A heavy silence lingered for a few moments before the space around them twisted into a spiral. Everything seemed to be sucked into something, leaving behind only a vast, empty darkness.
Reisou and 2B drifted through the void for what felt like an eternity—until, with a simultaneous blink, they suddenly found themselves back in the chamber, once again facing the Sun Knight.
"My apologies, little ones. I know the trial was harsh for mortals like you," the Sun Knight's statue said as they regained their composure. "But it was necessary to test your worth. As a reward for your success, I now grant you both the Blessing of the Sun."
The towering statue drew its stone sword and lifted it toward the ceiling. A warm, golden light started to radiate from the blade's tip, signaling the start of the blessing ritual.
"Wait! Before you start, take this!" Reisou interrupted, stepping forward.
He pulled the broken golden crown from his inventory, and it fell a few meters away from him, with a loud sound echoing through the chamber.
"..."
The Sun Knight paused, unsure of what to say, but the silence was brief.
"Hahaha! Splendid... truly splendid! I knew you two had potential!" the Sun Knight said, his voice echoing with amusement. "Instead of merely granting you the basic Blessing of Light, I shall bestow upon you something far more meaningful."
Reisou and 2B didn't fully grasp what he meant, but before they could react, the entire sword erupted with a radiant glow. The brilliance was so intense and warm, it felt as if they were staring directly at the sun on a blazing summer day, the light washing over them like a wave of pure energy.
"Amenu Soros Herchart Dorine, Vulgrust Vaktar Celestinus!" the Sun Knight chanted in a strange language, his voice deep and resonant.
As the words echoed through the chamber, the sword's glow grew blinding, filling the room with an overwhelming light that seemed to stretch into infinity.
"VALTZ!!!"
[1] (System Points)
[2] (World Points)
[3] (Attribute Points)