'He's really unnerving me.'
Sato and I walked side by side, trudging through the forest.
'The way he laughs… And how he talks like nothing's happened. As if we've been buddies for years…'
I gulped, eyes fixed on the earthy ground.
'Just…'
I blinked as Sato's voice echoed inside my helmet.
"—SO YOU SEE, MAKOTO!? This world is fucked!" Sato roared.
'... Why does he talk so damn much…!?'
I twitched inside my helmet.
"I expected to get a harem, but all the good-looking women are taken!!! This was supposed to be my arc!"
He shouted to the sky.
'I laughed like a maniac an hour ago, and now he blabbers like Donkey from Shresh…! Be scared or creeped out, would you?'
"I was supposed to be the main character here!" Sato continued, waving his arms around as he detailed. "And then I find out she's taken!? Then I'm supposed to live beside them for a few months!? You think that's fair!? Fuck this world!!"
He chuckled like a maniac.
'That aside…'
"You said Takeshi cut your arms off," I interrupted. "And that it took that Hicks guy a while to gather enough potions to regrow them."
I glanced at Sato's arms.
Purple and wrinkled now, like something cursed lingered in them.
"Why aren't you angry? Why are you ranting about some failed harem stuff instead of revenge? Why do you look so… "
'Happy,' I completed in my thoughts, frowning.
"Like, why don't I wanna kill the fucker?" Sato asked.
"..."
"... Yes," I replied quietly.
Sato looked down, lips shifting, expression blank as he walked.
"I'm not sure. I wanted to at some point. But… the more I think about Takeshi," he looked up toward the sky through the treeline, "the more I pity him, really."
'Pity…?'
"Just some retarded cunt who can't lift a finger without blowing Kazuya's cock all the time." Sato shrugged, though there was too much motion in that shrug.
'What…?'
I tilted my head, caught off guard.
'... I don't think I've ever heard him swear in my life. Was Sato always like this?'
I paused.
'Ah, never mind. It's not like we were ever friends… Or ever will be.'
"But because of that. Because I know Takeshi is just someone pathetic who succumbs to social pressure like a piece of paper, I know I'm better than him," Sato said proudly, though unable to keep from pursing his lips at the mention of him.
"..."
"You don't succumb to social pressure, then?" I asked.
"... S-shut up." Sato looked away.
A pause.
Our footsteps filled the air.
"Point is… He's not worth it," Sato finally said. "Revenge. Wrath… Or whatnot."
Silence stretched between us.
"Anyway, anyway. Check this out," Sato shook his head. "Apparently the elves are like, real babes. But they apparently really hate humans due to a war that happened a few thousand years ago, and—"
"Even if it's not worth it."
My voice was firm, quiet, steady.
"..?"
"Even if Kazuya and Takeshi are pathetic."
"... Even if he's a king."
"Or a God."
"Or is now a good person…"
"... I'm still going to crush Kazuya's liver and feed it to him," I growled through my helmet.
'And Sato confirmed this. That I'm fucking overpowered.'
'I can do this.'
I clenched my fist.
'After my mom is saved… I'll kill them all.'
Sato frowned as he looked to the ground, a somewhat forced smile on his face.
He remained silent.
'That aside, I've gained some useful things after beating the dungeon.'
[You have become the Abyss Dungeon's new Master!]
'Like Lord Azhar? No, he was trapped there. So… Was he a pseudo boss, or…?'
[New skills are now available!]
'I'll worry about that later.'
[Skill Obtained: Dungeon Master's Authority (EX+)]
[Description: You can open and close the Abyss Dungeon's Circle doors at will and keep them locked against anyone attempting to enter or leave.]
'Pretty basic…' I thought.
'But if it really means anyone, then does that make it indestructible? They WERE indestructible when I tried breaking them, so maybe it's not about strength. Maybe it's impregnable for anyone who tries?'
I paused.
'Still, that's not what I really care about. The more interesting one is…'
[Dungeon Gateway (EX) has evolved into >> Dungeon Master's Gateway (EX+)]
[Description: Create a permanent portal with adjustable size and position to any Circle of the Abyss Dungeon from anywhere to all locations that were saved! Also includes the feature to hide it, making it imperceptible to anyone other than you and your allies!]
'What?'
[No mana cost / No cooldown]
[First Circle: EMPTY]
[Second Circle: EMPTY]
[Third Circle: EMPTY]
[Fourth Circle: EMPTY]
[Fifth Circle: EMPTY]
[Sixth Circle: EMPTY]
[Seventh Circle: EMPTY]
[Eighth Circle: EMPTY]
[Ninth Circle: EMPTY]
[Final Circle: Gateway to the Royal Palace of Aurelia]
[You may delete gateways at will. HOWEVER: once a gateway is deleted, that Circle becomes permanently inaccessible via this ability. The choice is irreversible.]
'That…'
I swallowed.
'That was why it kept saving locations?! Dungeon Gateway was just an incomplete version of Dungeon Master's Gateway!!?'
'That means, every location I've been to, and am going to, will continue to get saved…'
I gulped.
'... I haven't forgotten.'
My mind drifted back to a few months ago.
'When I killed myself on Earth, I saw that message… [Location Saved], despite how it wasn't supposed to do that because of the [Recess] item being in effect. Doesn't that mean… I can just open a permanent portal to Earth!?'
My chest tightened.
'I could bring my mother back safely…!!'
My fists tightened.
I exhaled slowly.
'Once… Once I revive her.'
Gulping.
'As for the Final Circle… I'd rather not delete that just yet. Instead, I'll use Dungeon Master's Authority and lock its door for now. And make the gateway unusable for anyone except me.'
I selected the skill.
[Dungeon Master's Authority activated.]
[Which door would you like to lock?]
[First Circle: OPEN]
[Second Circle: OPEN]
[Third Circle: OPEN]
[Fourth Circle: OPEN]
[Fifth Circle: OPEN]
[Sixth Circle: OPEN]
[Seventh Circle: OPEN]
[Eighth Circle: OPEN]
[Ninth Circle: OPEN]
[Final Circle: OPEN]
'…All of them.'
[Locking all doors.]
'No need to worry about pests for now. Though I bet the dwarf… Vorn, right, Vorn. He'd be confused along with the rest of them.'
'Oh well.'
My thoughts settled.
'The rest of the skills I gained are also noteworthy.'
[Skill Obtained: Mark Allies (B)]
[Description: You may mark individuals as your allies. Allowing them to make use of your Gateway portals as you create them alongside other benefits! Monsters of The Abyss Dungeon will also not attack your allies!]
[No limit.]
[Skill Obtained: Dungeon Master's Reset (EX+)]
[Description: Revive the Dungeon's bosses.]
[Restriction: Once per lifetime. The Abyss Dungeon may only be attempted again after your death after you've resetted it once.]
'Does that mean people could still farm monster drops… but never obtain the Dungeon Master privileges I have now?'
[Note: Dungeon bosses will not attack or attempt to harm you or anyone you mark as an ally, even if you attempt to kill them.]
'All in all a fine arsenal.'
'Now then,' I looked forward.
'To the elven forest.'
—---------MEANWHILE… A fare distance away, near the elven forest's entrance ------------------------
"Haaaah… To think they kicked us out like this…" A woman sighed while walking next to an armored figure, away from the elven forest.
The armor figure donned the insignia of the royal capital. A greatsword sheathed on his back as he walked straight, undeterred.
"Now we have to walk all the way to the capital… Fuck, couldn't they give us a horse at least?! It's pretty far!"
A pause.
The woman tilted her head as she leaned on his shoulder.
"Carry me." She said.
He paused, kneeling for her to jump on his back. And he started to walk, with her leaning against the leather-covered sheath of his big sword.
"...."
A few minutes passed as she leaned on his shoulder from his back.
"Hey," She called gently, "If you don't say something, I won't do something nice for you tonight."
"...."
No response.
"... I'll do stuff to you either way, just talk to me please?" she eventually said.
"Just what do you want me to say…" The armored man spoke, his voice hoarse, low and tired,
"... Mika?"
She looked away, puffing her cheeks.
"I don't know, Takeshi. Something. Tell me like… Ahh… Like what I'm supposed to think and all. About this. I don't know. Something entertaining." She groaned, holding his cold armor tighter from behind, wrapping her arms around him.
A beat. Takeshi hadn't moved his head, keeping it straight forward.
"Nothing entertaining that I can think of. Except… Those elves seemed tired." He noted.
She hummed.
"Well, yeah." Mika shrugged, "They've been fending off demonic forces for over a year now. I doubt any of them's seen a good night's sleep. To think they'd be so prideful as to refuse an offer from the Capital for support."
"What can you do?" He replied, "With how much they fucked them over in the past, I… Don't really blame them for not wanting to form an alliance."
Mika flinched.
"We… They. The Royal Capital deserves this somewhat." Takeshi concluded.
She looked at the back of his head, frowning.
"We'll just find someone else to form an alliance with." She said, "Now the elves are just going to suffer needlessly for refusing us like assholes. I honestly don't get how they get to be so damn snobby. I hope they all die, really."
"...."
"... You're probably right." Takeshi replied.
A long pause ensued.
"Actually, I can walk on my own." She said, trying to get off his grip.
"What?" He let out, "I can carry you all the way. Why not just—"
"LET GO OF ME!" She pushed out of his grip, falling on her back. Immediately scrambling and walking past him, with him just staring at her through his visor.
"I know why you wanna carry me."
"It's not because you want to. Fucking asshole. I'm not your stress ball!" She shouted as she marched forward.
Takeshi sighed, then started to follow silently.
Soon it turned night. Takeshi and Mika set up camp.
A sound of rustling and shuffling woke Mika up.
She instinctively felt around, noticing Takeshi was no longer sleeping next to her.
She turned to look. There his figure was, already dressed in full armor, sitting next to the fire.
"...." She blinked awake, narrowing her sleep-ridden eyes.
"Just come back to bed, Takeshi." She sighed.
"...."
A few seconds of silence, where he just looked at her through his visor.
"I know what you're thinking. Don't be fucking stupid. Kazuya will go livid. And if he doesn't, the king might. Especially after what happened to his son."
No response.
"He won't hesitate," She let out, revealing her bare chest.
A slave crest embedded on it.
"Just one word from him, no matter from how far, and you'll stop breathing… Like how Kiriko died when she had…" She gulped, looking away, "When she had that breakdown."
Still, nothing.
"Are you really going to be this stupid? Has your previous stupidity not been enough for you!?"
Nothing.
Mika's breathing quickened.
"So you go back to the elves. You'll offer to help, right? Then what?? They won't let you in! You'll die. Either from the king's mouth, or by whatever's attacking them."
"Takeshi, you—"
"Mika," he said quietly. The crackling of the fire filling the space between his words and hers.
"Are you really fine with this?"
She frowned.
"I've no idea what you're talking about." She replied. "So stop being an idiot, and come back to bed!"
"I'm not," he muttered calmly.
"You… I… I just… I want to stop seeing his face every time I close my—"
"SHUT UP!!!" She screamed. "SHUT UP!!! THIS AGAIN. JUST STOP!!"
Silence.
"He brought this on HIMSELF." She shouted, pointing at a random place at the dark,
"If he just didn't attack Kazuya, he'd have been FINE! ARE WE REALLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN!? You've done nothing wrong! Now COME BACK TO BED!!"
Takeshi sighed one more time, and stood up.
"I'm going. If they don't get help, they'll die." He said simply.
"You're being unhinged. Actually unhinged." She said as he turned around.
"... Kazuya needs you there. More than anything. Just what the fuck am I supposed to say to him?"
"...Just tell Kazuya I've gone to a brothel or something," Takeshi sighed,
"He'll believe it if you put your mind to it."
He then started marching toward the elven forest.
"Fine. See if I care. You're being unhinged.. And you'll die, while I'll be in a warm bath, not giving a fuck about you, or the elves. Because this is stupidity." She said as she turned to the side.
Takeshi's footsteps kept getting farther and farther away.
Mika bit her lip as she curled into herself.