Kaitansha HQ—-
Hayate sat away at his desk, watching the feed from the Okinawa Dungeon on his monitor.
"Few hours left," Hayate remarked. "Pick up the pace, Omariro."
The feed suddenly showed a flash of lightning, and Hayate lifted an eyebrow. "Hmm? This should be interesting. Marin!"
The woman walked into the office. "Yes, Sir?"
"Bring me some popcorn. I believe this confrontation will be good."
Okinawa Dungeon——Floor Three Thousand Four:
The dragon woman standing before Omariro leaned in, her eyes pulsing with red energy.
"Come, mortal," she ordered. "Face your judgement, or forfeit their lives."
She gestured to Han, Zaria, and Rika, who were being held up by the whips.
"We're fine, sir!" Zaria assured. "Whoop her ass!"
Omariro looked between them and the draconian woman. "Hmm."
The chains began to glow with red energy. "What will it be? Your life, or theirs?"
Omariro spun his staff before attaching it to his back. "Lead."
The dragon lifted her head. "Good. To Floor 10,000!"
BOOM.
Floor 10,000-—
The kids all crashed onto a hard surface. Omariro landed on his feet. The room they were in was large and resembled a colosseum, with an entrance waiting for them.
"Mr. Nyugawa," Han warned. "I feel this is a trap."
"Boy correct," Omariro agreed. "But no time. Come. Stay close."
They followed Omariro as the colosseum gates opened. Inside was an army of draconian soldiers seated, while a massive red-and-black dragon wearing a crown sat on a large throne.
"So it begins," the dragon remarked. "Omariro Nyugawa, in my Domain."
Rika bit her nails. "Guys, I'm getting nervous again…"
"That makes two of us," Han admitted.
"We're good," Zaria assured. "We've got Mr. Nyugawa here."
Raizen leaned down. "Who are the children? This Domain is no place for rabble."
"Students," Omariro explained. "Here to clear dungeon."
Raizen's eyes narrowed. "Picking low-level rookies? You're more senile than I thought. But it's fine, this…"
"…is where you meet your end!"
The army began to rise, but Raizen held up a hand. "No! This man is MINE!"
Raizen stood up, the room shaking beneath him. "I had a daughter. Michiko. Brave, but naive. She was sent to stop you, she failed. You've slaughtered many of my children in your heyday, mortal. It's time you joined them."
The air suddenly shifted.
"You want to clear this dungeon?"
〈Rule: Defeat Rainu no Fumetsu Rairyū-Ō—-Raizen. Level: 75,000.〉
"Then clear it."
Raizen's eyes flashed, and Omariro immediately turned back to his party. "Back!"
Raizen slammed his palm onto Omariro, but the old man stopped it with one hand.
"CRUMBLE!"
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Lightning rained down, shaking the entire arena. Zaria attempted to block a strike with her spear, but it sent her flying back.
"Zaria!" Rika called out.
"The lightning is too strong!" Han shouted. "You won't survive if you try to attack!"
"We have to help Mr. Nyugawa!" she insisted.
"We can't! This is the Dungeon Boss!"
〈Domain Effect: Oathkeeper. Raizen can make *Binding Oaths* which periodically reduce ATK power and DEF.〉
Raizen batted Omariro away, who recovered and formed his blade. Raizen roared.
〈*Binding Oath* Inflicted on All Party Members.〉
Lightning rained down toward Omariro, who jumped out of the way. Raizen formed a thunder spear in his hand, sending it raining down on Omariro.
"You cannot defy the rules, old man!" he roared. "You will die here!"
He attempted to stomp Omariro underfoot, but Omariro rolled away and fired his bow at Raizen, striking him with a few arrows.
〈Boss HP: 100% → 80%〉
"Mr. Nyugawa's holding his own!" Zaria realized. "Come on, now's our chance to back him!"
"But how?" Rika questioned. "Even with our level boost, we're still way too trash!"
"He isn't focused on us," Han noted. "Maybe we can use being weaker to our advantage."
Omariro clapped his hands together. "Jugen-Metsusha: Obliterate!"
〈Boss HP: 80% → 0%〉
Raizen disappeared, but suddenly, he reformed.
〈Boss HP: 0% → 150%〉
"Feeble human," he mocked, squeezing his claw into a fist. "Didn't I tell you, you CANNOT DEFY THE DUNGEON!"
〈With *Binding Oaths* active, Raizen gains 50% boosts in ATK, ATK SPD, DEF, and HP every *Revive.*〉
With a slash of his claw, half of the colosseum crumbled. Omariro and Raizen began clashing at immense speeds, while Zaria tried to keep track of them.
"Shit, can't see which one's Mr. Nyugawa!" she worried. "Han! Rika! We're jumping in!"
"If we find an opening, I can use my cube!" Han proposed. "Rika! How many sigils do you have?"
She held up two fingers, and Han pulled out a sigil from his pocket. "Take this one! That means you got three shots at that thing!"
"I don't know what they do!" she pointed out.
"It's better than nothing!"
Lightning rained down, and Zaria pulled the other two back. "Watch your six!"
Omariro formed his armor, trading room shaking blows with the dragon.
〈Boss HP: 150% → 120%〉
"Still holding back," Raizen taunted. "Trying to fight off the Oath? You're smart! But just a MORTAL!"
With a fist, he slammed Omariro into the ground. Omariro teleported away from another lightning barrage, while Razien summoned another thunder spear.
"Now's your chance, Han!" Zaria stated.
"Cube: Fire Tripwire!"
[Firing…]
A wire wrapped around Raizen, causing him to stumble. Omariro took the chance to slash him.
〈Boss HP: 120% → 90%〉
"Boy smart!" Omariro commended. "Keep distance!"
Raizen's eyes blazed. "Children shouldn't play with the adults! You should have run! Now you just may lose your LIFE!"
Raizen swung a fist at Han, but Zaria kicked it with her foot.
〈Boss HP: 90% → 89.5%〉
"Still?" Zaria complained. "Damn, I'm ass!"
"Tōshi User," Raizen noted. "So they've become more common. You look familiar, girl."
"Me?"
"There was a girl who entered this dungeon years before with her mother, attempting to clear it. You've got the same hair and eyes."
"Zuri?" Zaria realized.
"Unfortunately, she was forced to flee. Put up a good fight. Much stronger than you."
Zaria pointed her spear at him. "You watch your mouth!"
"If your only hope of survival is an old man on the edge of life, you humans don't deserve to enter our dungeons. Our homes!"
〈Boss Instance: +100% to *All Stats.*〉
"How strong is this guy?" Rika gasped.
Raizen swung his claw at them, but Han fired a net into his eyes. With a surge of thunder, it turned to dust, and the dragon sent the kids flying.
"Jugen-Kōbisha: Forbidden Prison!"
Omariro held his hand out, and a large portal opened, sucking Raizen inside.
〈Boss HP: 89.5% → 0%〉
The portal closed, and Raizen reappeared.
"Crap," Han realized. "Even if he's sealed, it just counts as a death. Now he's even stronger!"
"We've gotta find a way to break that Oath mess!" Zaria declared. "Mr. Nyugawa won't be able to put him down otherwise!"
"Michiko, all my children," the dragon growled. "Your deaths will not be in VAIN!"
Raizen formed a massive Blade of Thunder, charging it with lightning.
〈Use Jugen-Mahōshi to interrupt Raizen's *Lethal Skill.*〉
"Raikō-Goroshi!"
He lifted the sword and prepared to slam it down, but as he did, Omariro fired a large arrow from his bow.
"Jugen-Mahōshi: Ten'yokukyū—Tenfold!"
〈Boss HP: 225% → 150%〉
Raizen fell back, crushing his throne underneath his weight. Han nudged Rika. "See what those sigils do! This might be our only chance!"
Rika pulled out one.
〈Sigil Ability: Deflection. Deflects *1* attack regardless of ATK level. Charges: 3〉
"Okay, not bad!"
She pulled out another.
〈Sigil Ability: Petrify. Turns opponent to stone for *10s.* Charges: 3〉
"I can work with that!"
She pulled the final sigil out.
〈Sigil Ability: Slayer. Boosts ATK and SPD to 50% of opponents' stats. Duration: 1:30〉
"Whoa," Rika realized. "That's a game changer."
Zaria and Han crowded her.
"What's our options?" Zaria asked.
Rika pointed to the sigils. "One blocks damage, one turns the boss to stone, and one gives you half his strength. Take your pick!"
Han grabbed the Petrify Sigil. "I'll need this. Goes with my traps."
Zaria took the Slayer Sigil. "Now I can kick some dragon ass."
Rika grabbed the last one. "Okay. Now I can get closer and heal you guys if you're hurt. But I've only got one more in me!"
Raizen stood up.
"Hopefully that's all we're gonna need," Zaria replied. "Mr. Nyugawa's armor is cracking. And so is my spear."
Chunks of both lay scattered on the floor. Raizen stood tall.
"Raikoku."
The woman who transported the party suddenly appeared. As soon as she did, energy flowed into Raizen.
〈Boss HP: 150% → 225%〉
"Thank you, my child."
Raizen grew taller. "I've never known to struggle against such a mortal. I was right to be wary of you."
He turned to Omariro. "You've figured it out, haven't you?"
"Party hold you," Omariro declared. "I defeat you."
Zaria crushed the Slayer Sigil, running over to Omariro's side. "Can I, Sir?"
Omariro nodded. "Quick. Sharp. Firm. Or death come."
Raizen tilted his nose. "Hmm. Something's different about you, girl. What is your name?"
"Uh, Zaria?"
"I've heard that name. Ahh. Yes. *He* gave it to you."
"He?"
Raizen formed his blade once more. "You'd better fight with all you've got, girl. Or you will meet your end alongside your master."
Zaria stretched. "I'm ready!"
"No. You're not."
Raizen slammed his blade into the ground, and the floor beneath them crumbled, sending them all falling into an underground city of temples and stone towers. Omariro quickly grabbed the kids and landed on the ground as Raizen flew down.
"Dungeons were our homes," Raizen explained. "But here, it shall be your grave."
〈Domain Effect: Temple City of the Dragonsbane. All ATK damage will deal additional *Lightning* damage and cause *Dragon's Fury* to appear, dealing 2000% damage.〉
Raizen's daughter appeared in human form on his shoulder.
〈*Binding Oaths* Is Now Active.〉
"Two Domain abilities?" Zaria sighed. "This dungeon sure ain't making it easy."
Omariro reformed his blade. "Follow lead. Focus sharp."
At the same time, he and Raizen clashed, teleporting across the terrain.
"Wait for me!" Zaria shouted. "Guys! Action time!"
Zaria quickly raced to catch up to the battle, which was now shattering every structure in sight. She jumped from rooftop to rooftop as Raizen and Omariro crashed into the buildings below.
"Jumpin' in, Sir!"
Zaria leapt off the roof and stabbed her spear into Raizen's back.
〈Boss HP: 220% → 210%〉
"Hey, that actually did something!"
Raizen flung her off as he clashed blades with Omariro once again. He used his free hand to fire lightning at her.
"Shi—-!"
"Petrify!"
Han used his sigil, freezing Raizen and his lightning in their tracks.
"Bout time," Zaria said, relieved.
"We don't have a speed boost, Missy," Han informed her.
Omariro sliced the stone dragon.
〈Boss HP: 210% → 170%〉
"I've been watching the fight, and I think I get it now," Han analyzed. "Sir, that Oathkeeper ability is tied to his daughter, isn't it?"
Omariro nodded. "Wise claim."
"Then, as long as his daughter's in the vicinity, he can't be beat! We just have to take out the daughter, and then Mr. Nyugawa can deal with her father! Simple!"
Raizen broke free of the stone. "Simple does not mean easy. Many Kaitansha have lost their lives in the attempt."
Raikoku's eyes glowed. "And you shall be next."
Behind him, an army of dragons rose, thundering their way over to the party.
"Oh," Zaria noted. "He brought backup."
"Children," Raizen ordered. "These trespassers have murdered your kin and invaded our home. I order you all only one task: Do Not Let Them Leave."
〈Rule: Do Not Let Them Leave.〉
"Did…he just change the rule?" Rika gasped.
"This entire dungeon is my domain," Raizen clarified. "Rules bend to the whims of the master."
"Master will be broken…" Omariro declared.
More dragons swooped in, surrounding the party.
"…Into pieces," Omariro assured.
Meanwhile—-
The barefoot girl hummed to herself inside her cage, but she stopped once she saw a dragon fly by.
"Ooh! It must be time!"
With a touch of her hand, the bars shifted into a soft white light and burst open.
"♪Time to meet the strongest man ♪!"
And with a flash of light, she was gone.
——