Aurora Morwyn was overjoyed at her newfound strength.
"Shura, I truly don't know how to thank you. Without your help, who knows how long it would have taken me to reach S-rank?" Her voice was warm, filled with genuine gratitude.
Fenric smiled lightly. "Haven't you always been helping me as well? Between us, there's no need to fuss over such things."
Aurora shook her head, her expression suddenly serious. "No, this is different. Shura, perhaps to you, a Devil Fruit Purifying Water is just a recycled trinket worth fifty thousand Samsara points. But for me, it's priceless. Without it, I might have been stuck at my former level forever—unable to challenge higher dungeons."
Fenric's brows furrowed slightly. So, Aurora intends to attempt the twenty-ninth floor dungeon?
He remembered what she'd told him—the twenty-ninth floor was tied to the Avengers storyline, specifically Avengers: Infinity War. If that was true, the mission objective was likely Thanos himself.
And not just any Thanos—Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet.
Everyone knew the difference between Thanos with and without the Gauntlet. In his base form, Fenric had full confidence he could crush the Mad Titan beneath his heel.
But once the Gauntlet came into play? That Thanos was no longer a tyrant—he was a god. With Fenric's current strength, escaping alive would already be an achievement.
Aurora's voice pulled him back from his thoughts. "Shura, you've done so much for me. I don't even know how I could possibly repay you."
"If you don't know," Fenric chuckled, "then just remember it."
He meant it as a joke, but Aurora nodded seriously. "Very well. Shura, if you ever need anything, no matter what it is, call me. I'll come immediately."
Fenric changed the subject. "By the way, Aurora, isn't it strange? In One Piece dungeons, I've never once heard of anyone receiving a Logia-type Devil Fruit. Doesn't that seem odd to you?"
Aurora's expression grew thoughtful. "So far, no one has. Many believe Samsara Space intentionally withholds them for the sake of balance. Logia powers—especially with elementalization—are practically invincible. Here in Samsara, Devil Fruit weaknesses like seawater no longer apply. Without Armament Haki, a Logia user would be untouchable. To allow such rewards would break the system."
Fenric nodded slowly. So my guess was right.
If Logia fruits were obtainable, then clearing dungeons outside of One Piece would become trivial. After all, in most worlds, Haki didn't exist—making any Logia user completely untouchable. Clearly, Samsara's system ensured fairness, preventing the appearance of game-breaking abilities.
He even suspected that not only were Logia rewards banned, but even encountering them within One Piece dungeons might be deliberately restricted.
"Aurora," Fenric asked casually, "I've heard Adam's Devil Fruit is a Mythical Zoan—specifically the Phoenix form. Is that true?"
Aurora nodded gravely. "Yes. And it's a troublesome ability. From what I've heard, it not only heals but can also absorb damage. That makes him extremely difficult to deal with."
Fenric frowned. "So then… even if we face him, we can't kill him?"
Aurora shook her head with a soft laugh. "Not exactly. Remember, Samsara is fair. Every ability comes at a cost. Nothing can be used without limits. A power as potent as the Phoenix fruit must consume a massive amount of energy. And don't forget—Armament Haki restrains Devil Fruits. Adam may be strong, but invincible? Hardly."
Fenric silently agreed. All of his own abilities consumed resources—mental energy, stamina, or physical power. Without his immense reserves, he wouldn't be able to sustain his techniques for long.
Aurora's tone softened. "Shura, would you like to sit down for some tea? My treat."
Fenric checked the time—it was already half past midnight. He shook his head. "Another time. I've got a dungeon to clear."
Aurora smiled knowingly. "Then I'll wish you the best of luck."
—--
"..."
After ending the video call, Fenric thought for a moment, then pulled out a Dungeon Cooldown Refresh Card and activated it. Without hesitation, he stepped into the Samsara Tower.
An elf spirit manifested at his side, bowing respectfully. "Welcome, Samsara Player Shura. How may I assist you?"
"I'm here to enter a dungeon," Fenric said plainly.
The elf spirit's tone grew formal. "This world is an evaluation dungeon: X-Men: Days of Future Past. Are you certain you wish to proceed?"
"Enter," Fenric replied without hesitation.
The elf raised a delicate hand, and light swallowed him whole. In the next moment, he was standing inside the white preparation room.
Fenric expected the chamber to be crowded. According to guides, from the fifteenth floor onward, dungeons were no longer regional instances—every Samsara worldwide entered the same scenario.
Yet here, there were only five or six people.
And every one of them had black hair and black eyes. Clearly, they were all from Jadeveil.
Strange. Did every Samsara from other nations just… skip this timeslot? Impossible.
"Someone's here—wait, damn! It's Shura!"
"It's really him!"
"What do we do? Should we back out?"
"Of course! Compete with Shura? Are you insane? We'd be crushed before we even started!"
Without hesitation, the small group began to shuffle toward the exit.
"Hold it."
Fenric's calm voice froze them in place.
The Samsaras turned back nervously, until one bold man stepped forward. "G-Great God Shura, is something wrong?"
"I have a question for you," Fenric said evenly.
"Please, ask! If we know, we'll tell you everything," the man replied hastily.
Fenric's gaze sharpened. "From the fifteenth floor onward, all Samsara players worldwide enter the same dungeon, correct? Then why are there only a few of you here in this preparation room?"
"Oh, that…" The man scratched his head. "You're correct. All Samsara players do enter the same dungeon. But the preparation rooms are regionalized. Each area only displays its own Samsaras. The others prepare in their own respective lobbies."
Fenric blinked, then chuckled. So that's how it is.