"My parents made a deal with a minor devil," Celestia said calmly.
Her grip tightened around the hilt of her sword.
"They offered their firstborn daughter in exchange for riches."
Her crimson eyes hardened.
"So I was raised by a demon from the day I was born."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"I truly hate those disgusting creatures."
She stepped forward as the remaining zombies shambled closer.
"As the White Rabbit Knight, born from sin and tainted by its all-consuming blood—"
Her body moved in a blur.
"I shall slaughter every one of those foul beasts."
Steel flashed.
In a single sweeping motion, her blade cut through multiple zombies at once.
Their heads flew into the air.
Celestia fought with a strange mixture of grace and brutality. Every movement was elegant, yet each strike carried ruthless precision.
Zombies collapsed around her as she carved through the horde.
Behind her, River raised his hand.
"I'm still a cleric," he said quietly. "Even if I'm weak."
Light gathered beneath his feet.
"Holy Ground."
A glowing magic circle spread across the floor.
Golden symbols illuminated the tiles.
The undead immediately slowed.
Their rotting flesh began to smoke as faint burns spread across their bodies.
The spell wasn't strong enough to destroy them outright like a powerful cleric could—
But it weakened them.
And that was all Celestia needed.
She spun forward.
Her blades crossed in a swift motion.
Two bright arcs of steel cut through the last zombie.
The creature's body split apart in a clean X-shaped slash.
Silence returned to the hallway.
Celestia lowered her swords.
Then she turned toward River and gave a polite bow.
Undead blood splattered across her armor and face.
River immediately stepped forward.
"Undead blood is toxic," he said.
He raised his hands.
"Here, let me help."
Soft golden light gathered in his palms.
"Purification."
The warm glow spread gently across Celestia's armor and skin.
The tainted blood dissolved into harmless particles of light.
Celestia felt the warmth of the spell wash over her.
Her face turned slightly red.
She quickly tried to compose herself.
"Thank you so much," River said nervously. "I… um… accidentally stepped on a Brainchild and they all came swarming."
Inside the Bible, Buer quietly chuckled.
"Aw, poor baby," Celestia said sympathetically. "That must have been terrifying."
She leaned forward slightly, studying him.
"What's an adorable thing like you doing in a scary dungeon like this all by yourself?"
Her head tilted.
"Where's your party?"
River scratched the back of his head.
"They recently kicked me out of the party," he admitted. "So I'm going solo now…"
He forced a small smile.
"…Nobody really wants to team up with me."
Celestia blinked.
Then she smiled brightly.
"Well, us red-eyes need to stick together. Don't you think?"
She placed a hand on her chest proudly.
"How about it? Let me join your party."
River's eyes widened.
"Really?"
He stood up a little straighter.
"I'd be honored to have such a powerful knight like you!"
Celestia nodded happily.
"Great! Then we'll split the loot seventy–thirty."
She gestured toward him.
"You'll take the larger share, of course. As our party leader."
River blinked in confusion.
"Wait—what?"
Celestia had already started digging through the fallen zombies.
Inside each corpse's chest cavity rested a small magical gem.
Monster cores.
They weren't worth much individually, but they still sold for decent money.
And money was money.
River shook his head quickly.
"You killed all of them. I can't accept such a big split."
Inside the Bible, Buer whispered.
"Go ahead. Take it."
River glanced down slightly.
"She won't accept no for an answer," the demon continued. "I'm certain of it."
Buer's tone turned playful.
"I'll even give you a small magic buff if you accept."
Celestia turned around suddenly.
"Please, please! I insist," she said cheerfully.
She finished collecting the gems and stored them inside a bag of holding.
River hesitated.
Then nodded.
"…Alright. Thank you."
A faint surge of power flowed through his body.
His mana felt slightly stronger.
Inside the Bible, Buer smiled.
"Maybe this girl will be useful."
His voice lowered mischievously.
"She's pushy… and with that beauty, I bet I can awaken some lust in this dummy."
River pretended not to hear him.
Celestia grabbed River's arm excitedly.
"Once we get back to town we can divide the loot," she said with a bright smile.
"But until then—"
She pointed deeper into the dungeon.
"Let's keep exploring!"
With Celestia around, exploring the dungeon almost felt… enjoyable.
She moved through the halls with bright enthusiasm, happily cutting down monsters that wandered into their path. Zombies, stitched horrors, wandering undead—none of them lasted long once her blades started moving.
Celestia fought like a whirlwind.
And whenever she got hit—
Or let undead blood splash across her armor—
River would quickly step in.
"Heal."
Warm light would close the wound.
"Purification."
Golden light would wash away the toxic blood.
Celestia always turned to him with a bright smile afterward.
"Thank you!"
Unlike his old party, she never made him feel like a burden.
Even the smallest healing spell earned genuine gratitude.
River found himself smiling more as they continued through the first floor.
Then—
A scream echoed down the corridor.
It was followed by the loud crash of metal hitting the ground.
River and Celestia exchanged a glance.
Then they both ran toward the sound.
When they turned the corner—
They froze.
The Decrepit Patient stood in the middle of the hallway.
Its massive black sword was stained with fresh blood.
One adventurer's body lay on the ground—
Cleanly cut in half.
Another was still impaled on the monster's blade, hanging lifelessly in the air.
Only one person remained alive.
A young woman staggered backward in front of the monster.
A slave collar was fastened around her neck.
Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders.
A black cloth blindfold covered her eyes.
But the most unusual thing about her—
She was an elf, pointed ears and all.
They twitched desperately as she struggled to raise her shield and sword.
Her body trembled.
"I don't want to die…"
Her voice cracked as tears streamed down her face.
"…not in this shithole."
"Air Cutter!"
River thrust his hand forward.
A sharp blade of compressed wind shot through the air and sliced across the monster's back.
The Decrepit Patient staggered slightly as the attack tore through its stitched flesh.
"River… are you sure this is a good idea?" Celestia asked.
Her voice tried to sound cautious.
But the excitement in her eyes gave her away.
"I refuse to let someone die in front of me!" River declared.
Celestia sighed dramatically.
"Well… I'm a bit opposed to helping another woman when you're around…"
Her lips curled into a grin.
"But if it's what you want."
She launched herself forward.
Celestia leaped high into the air and drove both blades down into the Patient's shoulders.
The massive monster roared as the steel pierced deep into its body.
River turned toward the injured woman.
"Get up!" he shouted.
"Fight with us!"
Azura trembled.
But slowly—
She forced herself back onto her feet.
Her eleven ears twitched as she lifted her shield again.
River glanced down at his Bible.
"Hey, Buer."
"Yes?" the demon replied lazily.
"With every sin I commit… you give me power, right?"
"That's correct, my dear friend," Buer chuckled.
River smiled slightly.
"We killed a lot of zombies today."
"But I let Celestia handle most of them."
He tilted his head.
"She's even planning to give me the majority of the profits."
River's smile widened.
"That counts as individual sins… right?"
Buer paused.
"…Maybe."
The demon's tone became cautious.
"But what exactly are you getting at?"
River's eyes sharpened.
"Time to cash in."
He raised his hand as mana gathered around him.
"Give me the power from every minor sin I committed today."
There was a long silence.
"…Damn it," Buer muttered.
"Minor sins don't give me any power."
He groaned.
"But technically, under our agreement… you can still claim them."
The demon sighed.
"…Stupid cleric."
"Wind Magic — Sound of Discourse."
River raised his hand.
Mana gathered around him, then burst outward.
A piercing wave of sound filled the corridor, echoing from every direction around the Decrepit Patient.
The monster froze.
It was blind.
And now the noise surrounded it from all sides.
The Patient began to panic.
It thrashed wildly, swinging its massive blade in every direction.
Celestia quickly leaped back as the sword slammed into the ground, cracking the tile floor.
Azura struggled to stay on her feet.
"My lord!" she called out. "My masters have died, but I remain a slave."
She lowered her head slightly.
"As a noble adventurer, I am yours to command. May I remove my blindfold, my lord?"
River winced.
"Please don't call me your lord," he said quickly.
"And yes, take it off."
He pointed toward the monster.
"Its attacks are slow but powerful. Wait until it fully commits to a swing, then counterattack."
He looked at both of them.
"You two work together."
"Yes, my lord," Azura said obediently.
She removed the blindfold.
Orange eyes blinked open for the first time.
Celestia grinned.
"Well then… let's get to work."
The two women moved together.
Celestia darted forward, slicing across the monster's leg.
Azura followed immediately after, striking at its side.
The Decrepit Patient roared and swung downward.
The massive blade came crashing toward Celestia.
But before it could land—
Azura stepped in front of her.
CLANG.
Her shield caught the attack.
The impact pushed her backward across the floor, but she held firm.
"I'm a tank," Azura said calmly.
"I'll defend you. So don't worry."
Behind them, River raised his hand again.
"Stamina Recover."
Soft light spread across the two fighters.
Their fatigue faded as their bodies regained strength.
Celestia and Azura continued their coordinated assault.
Strike.
Block.
Counter.
River maintained both the sound spell and his support magic.
But the strain was beginning to show.
His chest tightened.
Mana drained rapidly.
Blood slowly dripped from his nose.
Still—
He kept going.
Inside the Bible, Buer spoke again.
"You don't look so good," the demon said casually.
"I've got an offer."
River didn't respond.
"If you kiss one of those two ladies when this is over," Buer continued, amused, "I'll lend you some power."
He chuckled.
"Bonus points if it's the slave girl."
"Not a chance!" River shouted.
He wiped the blood from his nose.
"We'll finish this without relying on any more of your power!"
His voice echoed through the hallway.
"The three of us will be the first to slay a floor boss!"
River coughed violently—
A bit of blood staining his sleeve.
"…You just watch."
"It's getting weaker… but also more desperate," River muttered.
Blood ran down from his nose as he struggled to stay standing.
"I need to end this soon."
He gathered the last of his remaining mana.
The piercing noise filling the hallway suddenly stopped.
For a brief moment—
Everything was silent.
But the Decrepit Patient was already disoriented.
Its massive body swayed as it struggled to understand where the attacks were coming from.
River raised his shaking hand.
"Air Piercer."
A compressed arrow of wind shot forward.
The invisible projectile struck the exposed flower-brain atop the monster's skull.
CRACK.
The brain shattered like fragile crystal.
Fragments scattered across the floor.
"Finish it…!" River shouted.
Then he coughed violently.
Blood spilled from his mouth as his legs gave out.
His vision blurred.
He collapsed to the ground.
Celestia didn't hesitate.
She rushed forward.
With a powerful swing, her blade split open the broken brain.
Inside—
A large glowing magic crystal pulsed with energy.
She reached in and tore it free.
The moment the crystal left the body—
The Decrepit Patient froze.
Its massive frame slowly dropped to its knees.
Then the enormous corpse collapsed forward.
The floor guardian was dead.
Celestia barely looked at the crystal.
It slipped from her fingers as she immediately ran back to River.
"River!"
She dropped to her knees beside him.
"Hey, River! Look at me!"
She gently lifted his shoulders.
"We did it… we actually did it."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Just stay awake, okay?"
River's eyes fluttered weakly—
Then closed.
He passed out.
"My lady," Azura said calmly.
"I will handle the loot."
She bowed slightly.
"Please take care of Master River."
Celestia nodded quickly and tossed her the bag of holding.
Azura retrieved the crystal and the massive black sword from the fallen guardian, placing both inside the bag.
Soon after, the three began making their way back toward the dungeon entrance.
Celestia carried River on her back.
Azura walked beside them silently.
Behind them—
The body of the Decrepit Patient lay motionless in the corridor.
For the first time in history—
A floor guardian had been slain.