While Arthur secured his familial and political foundations in the Re:Zero world, Koneko Toujou plunged into her own crucible.
Along with Kuroka, Asia, Yuffie, Kitty Pryde, and Kurt Wagner, she was teleported by Arthur to the entrance of the Tower Dungeon's Second Floor—a rocky, volcanic landscape known for its aggressive, fire-elemental beasts.
Koneko, stripped of her reliance on the familiar Devil environment and Rias's easy protection, was immediately forced to confront her limits.
Her goal, set by Arthur, was simple: Level Up.
The team was barely minutes into the rugged terrain when a pack of three Magma Hounds—beasts capable of spitting molten rock—surged from the shadows.
Koneko moved first.
She focused her Youkai strength, charging a Hound with terrifying speed.
Her punch, laced with Devil magic, was immensely powerful, but the beast's thick, igneous hide barely cracked.
It retaliated with a searing blast of magma that forced Koneko to retreat rapidly, her armor smoking.
"Their defense is too high for pure kinetic force, nyaan!"
Kuroka called, already weaving a complex spell.
"They're not just strong, they're hot!"
Kitty Pryde exclaimed, phasing into a large boulder to avoid a molten strike, her phasing momentarily leaving streaks of residual heat in the air.
Asia's Purpose and Yuffie's Chaos
This was exactly the kind of situation Arthur wanted.
It demanded immediate, unconventional team synergy.
Asia Argento, holding a small, silver cross, stepped forward, her eyes wide but determined.
"I can help!"
She channeled her Twilight Healing—a golden-green aura flowing from her hands.
She targeted Koneko, not for physical wounds yet, but for the minor magical burns and the exhaustion of the fight.
The energy wasn't just healing; it was purification, making Koneko feel instantly refreshed and focused.
Yuffie Kisaragi, meanwhile, was pure, effective chaos.
She threw a barrage of ice shuriken, quickly followed by a Wind Materia blast.
The wind didn't hurt the Magma Hounds, but it scattered their attacks and bought precious seconds.
"Okay, my turn!"
Yuffie shouted, pulling out a large Ice Materia.
"Get ready to hit them hard!"
Koneko watched the chaos and the support.
She looked at Asia, an exiled nun who was using her power without fear for the first time, and at Kuroka, her sister, fighting fiercely by her side.
She looked at the chaotic ninja and the disciplined mutants. She realized her pure, focused punches weren't enough.
She took a deep breath, channeling not just physical power, but the raw, terrifying power of her Nekomata ancestry.
Her aura, a dense, purple-black energy, flared, and her cat ears twitched violently.
"I need to hit their core,"
Koneko thought, using the knowledge from Arthur's briefing.
As Yuffie hit the lead Magma Hound with a blinding Blizzaga spell, momentarily freezing its outer shell and cracking its dense core, Koneko darted forward.
She used the opening to launch a focused, magical punch.
This wasn't just physical force; it was a concentrated burst of destructive, anti-beast energy delivered straight into the visible crack.
CRUNCH.
The Magma Hound shattered like a porcelain vase, the frozen shell and molten core exploding into harmless dust.
A familiar, clear chime echoed only in Koneko's mind.
[Level Up!]
[Toujou Koneko is now Level 2!]
Koneko didn't stop. She was faster, stronger, and her magic was more potent.
This was what Arthur promised. She roared, an honest-to-goodness Nekomata growl, and charged the next stunned Hound. The training had begun.
…
Koneko roared, the sheer exhilaration of the Level Up fueling her next attack.
Her focused, magical punch shattered the second Magma Hound.
The final beast, sensing the shift in power dynamics, tried to retreat, but Kurt Wagner shimmered into existence near it, grabbing its flank with a prehensile tail before teleporting it directly into a crater where Kuroka had pre-charged a focused stream of destructive Senjutsu energy.
KABOOM! The final Hound vanished in a flash of purple-black energy.
Koneko stood panting, her white hair clinging to her damp brow, but her eyes held a fierce, satisfied light.
She was Level 2, and the power difference was immediately noticeable. She felt lighter, faster, and her magic flowed more smoothly.
"That was amazing, nyaan!"
Kuroka cheered, rushing over to hug her sister.
"You're already so much stronger! That's the power of the Tower!"
Yuffie Kisaragi wiped sweat from her forehead, grinning.
"Not bad for a kitty! But you gotta learn to use the environment! Look!"
She pointed to a giant obsidian shard.
"We need to lure the next wave into that chokepoint!"
The team settled into a rhythm. Asia provided consistent support, her Twilight Healing becoming the most valuable resource.
She was learning to anticipate injuries and magical burnout, healing the team members before they even asked.
Koneko used her increased speed to tank hits, testing her new limits, but she relied heavily on Kitty Pryde and Kurt Wagner for defensive maneuvers.
Kitty would phase Koneko through unavoidable attacks, and Kurt would swiftly reposition her when surrounded.
After an hour of intense, non-stop combat, the familiar chime rang again.
[Toujou Koneko is now Level 3!]
"I... I leveled up again!"
Koneko gasped, flexing her hands. Her base power had jumped in a single hour of fighting.
The team, flush with success, paused to rest near a flowing river of lukewarm water.
"That's enough for today, I think,"
Yuffie said, consulting her map.
"We need to find the exit before..."
Before she could finish, the ground began to shake violently.
The Magma Hounds and minor Mabeasts scattered instantly, fleeing the area.
A new, massive creature emerged from a crack in the volcanic ground—a true Tower Boss.
It was a towering entity forged entirely from hardened black basalt and glowing red magma, easily twenty feet tall, its face a single, malevolent red crack of light.
It radiated power far exceeding anything they had faced yet, a being that resonated with high B-Rank power, making it a clear threat.
[Alert! Encountering Volcanic Elemental Golem (Boss)!]
"That's not on the map, nyaan!"
Kuroka cried, instantly recognizing the danger.
She could interfere at any time but this was Koneko's fight.
"This is not a Level 3 fight, Koneko!"
Kitty yelled, phasing into the ground to assess its size.
Koneko, despite her fear, planted her feet.
She was Level 3 now, but this Boss was the real test.
She looked at her sister and her supportive friends. Her training trip had just gone from a grind to a trial by combat.
....ADVANCED CHAPTERS...
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