(C-Rank Party Leader POV)
'N-No way. That guy was way stronger than us and that boss he.... he actually lost?'
That was when the boss turned towards us walking towards us slowly as if he has all the time in the world to do as he pleases. The rest of the party stood behind me holding all the loot and backing away as the boss kept coming.
'What do we do? We can't possibly escape that thing, let alone beat it in a fight! We could even see them move earlier...' I thought swallowing my saliva as I gripped my shield tighter.
Looking behind me I speak to Hyun-Woo and Chaewon.
"Listen, we... we can't go down without a fight. Let's at least try to-"
PUCHI
I gasp in shock as I feel the spear of the boss stabbing into my chest. Turning back to look I see the boss standing face to face with me as I began to get lifted off the ground while impaled.
"No! Jihye!" Chaewon shouted before she was slapped away before she could even draw her bow.
Shink
The boss pulled out the spear as it seemed bored aiming it's palm towards the rest of the party it's hand glowing bright with flames.
Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...
Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...
Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...
Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...Thum-THUM... Thum-THUM...!
'What is that noise?' I thought to myself as the atmosphere in the boss room shifted becoming ice cold, so cold that everyone including the boss seemed to freeze in place as if trying to camouflage in plain sight.
Then Sukuna's body far across the room from us began to jerk on the ground in rhythm with the loud heartbeat we all heard; his blood floating into the air around him as his once still face split into a wide grin.
THUUUUUM-WHRRRR!
WHUUUUM!
The whole room shook as a crimson and black violet aura burst out like a tsunami of mana engulfing the entire room as his aura seemed like it was everywhere at once.
An indescribable pressure forced everyone in the room to their knees as the boss stood the least effected only it's knees buckling a bit but it forced itself to stand nonetheless.
When the aura cleared there stood Sukuna, smiling casually as if nothing happened, but I noticed something was definitely different about him now.
'What the hell? His wounds are all gone!'
—————————————————
(Sukuna POV)
Standing fully healed I stared at the system panel in front of me.
[You've completed 'Secret Quest: Truly a King'.]
[Completion rewards have arrived.]
[Would you like to confirm?] (Y/N)
'Yes'
[The following rewards are available.]
Reward 1. [Skill - RCT]
Reward 2. [Title: King of Curses]
Reward 3. [Instant Dungeon Key: The Glacial Crucible]
[Would you like to collect them all?]
'Yes'
Name: Ryomen Sukuna
Level: 20
Class: None
Title: King of Curses
HP: 16,500
MP: 5,040
Tiredness: 0
[Stat]
Strength: 40
Stamina: 40
Agility: 40
Intelligence: 40
Perception: 45
(Available points to distribute: 0)
[Skills]
[Cleave X Dismantle Lv. 5], [Cold Blooded Lv. 2], [R.C.T. Lv. 1]
[Skill: R.C.T. Reversed Curse Technique Lv. 1]
Active skill.
Mana required to activate: 50 per second.
By slamming together your own mana in a process similar to nuclear fusion, you are able to generate a special kind of mana called Reversal Mana thus allowing you to rapidly regenerate from any wounds that don't kill you so long as you have mana...
'Hehehe, I have it... I finally have the reversed cursed technique! I thought I'd have to wait long into the future to learn this technique but here I am!' I thought grinning like a feral beast.
"This must be the high Gojo felt when he awakened! It's so exhilarating, I feel like I can do anything I wished without effort!" I shout like a madman as the boss turns back to me fully firing the beam of flames at me instead of the other hunters.
FWOOOSH! BOOM!
The flames collide with my open palm yet unlike last time it barely leaves a small burn and that was sealed by my [R.C.T.] skill anyways.
'I can feel it my control over my Mana has drastically improved, it's easier to add more mana to my skills now...'
The boss interrupts my thoughts as I duck underneath a swing from that spear the wave of flames soaring over me as the boss looks down only to be punted across the room violently with a huge boom as the spear he used to block has cracks cover the entire shaft of it.
"I'm going to massacre you!" I said vanishing from my position only to grab the boss by the head slamming it into the ground before running around the entire room 5 times in seconds carving a deep trench with its body.
As I let go of the boss it slumped in the trench as I stare at it smirking.
Fwwoompp!
Bang!
A ray of flames burst from the bosses position as I tilt my head barely to dodge, kicking the boss in the ribs as it bounces off the wall and floor several times.
"It's a good thingy stats aren't linear, otherwise I wouldn't be a quarter as strong as I am now hehehe"
Rrraaawww!
The boss erupted with flames hotter than ever before breathing heavily and holding its ribs. A bright aura of fire engulfed its form as dozens of flame rays shot at me as I stood still wanting to try something.
As the beams reached me the seemed to stop 3 meters away as if one looked closely loads of tiny slashes were firing around my body like a false infinity stopping anything that couldn't overcome it.
"Would ya look at that, smaller slashes cost less than 1MP..."
Boom!
I reached behind me holding the tip of the bosses spear in my now bleeding hand as the force of it dents my feet into the ground. I look behind me to see the boss struggling to remove my grip on the spear but I grab the spear tighter swinging it with the boss, flinging him across the room into another wall.
"Alright, I got a decent feel for my new state... You're free to die now boss of this dungeon!" I say aloud as I gather 1,000MP around my body.
The boss, clawing it's way from the wall also began to charge its strongest track hoping to survive this unfair encounter.
RAAAAAHHHH!
"DISMANTLE!"
FWOOOOSH!
SHING!
A massive ray of flames tore through the air at me as my slash, bold and visible, Cut it in two causing the flames to burn two large holes through the wall behind me as the boss too, was cleaved in half, just like it's wolf pet before it, and as its body hit the floor I got lots of notifications.
[Level up!][Level up!][Level up!]
[Level up!][Level up!][Level up!]
[Level up!][Level up!][Level up!]
[Level up!][Level up!][Level up!]
[Level up!][Level up!][Level up!]
[Level up!][Level up!][Level up!]
[Level up!][Level up!]
"That's a lot of levels... And I feel even stronger already!"
Name: Ryomen Sukuna
Level: 37
Class: None
Title: King Of Curses
HP: 28,500
MP: 6,780/ 14,250
Tiredness: 0
[Stat]
Strength: 57
Stamina: 57
Agility: 57
Intelligence: 57
Perception: 62
(Available points to distribute: 0)
[Skills]
'Im way stronger than before, but I bet that Jin-Woo likely still has a higher Strength stat than me with his stat dumping he loves so much'
Turning to look at the other hunters all huddled in that same corner with a look of awe, I walk over and use [R.C.T.] to heal the injured idiot curled up on the floor and the girl slumped against the wall before I tell them to come on before they get left in the dungeon.
Nobody speaks as we walk leaving me in blissful silence as I clench and unclench my fists feeling my unreal new power.
Eventually we reach the exit portal and step through without hesitation to find the Hunters Association workers still guarding the area as they see all of us return alive.
Before anyone can say or do anything whoever I just take the Essence stones I wanted and leave in a burst of speed. I'm still hungry after all...