Floor 1,931—-
On top of the temple, thunderous BOOMS could be heard as Atsushi and Shishimaru traded blows.
"RAHHH!"
"HYAHHH!"
With one stony punch, Atsushi knocked Shishimaru back, who immediately shook off the punch and began rapidly dashing around Atsushi. Pausing for only a second, he lunged.
"Grrr…!"
Atsushi batted him away, but he sprang up effortlessly.
"Agile," Atsushi thought. "And fast. That combo is a bad sign for my golem form."
Shishimaru repeatedly slashed the air, causing the slashes to strike at Atsushi, putting small cracks in his arms as he moved to block.
"A new trick as well! This cat's got some claws to him!"
Shishimaru began dashing again, and Atsushi followed with his eyes.
"I need to turn up the pressure. If I can't keep up, I'll just out-muscle him."
He slammed his fists together. "Jugen-Henshōsha: Kokuyōseki no Kote!"
His hands suddenly formed large gauntlets around them, and he stepped forward, punching Shishimaru in the jaw, but the lion chomped down on his fist.
"Hrggh!
With a tug of his mouth, he ripped the arm out of its socket, but it regrew, stone re-forming from the stump, and Atsushi hammered the lion with powerful blows.
〈Boss HP: 100% → 90% → 80% → 70%〉
Shishimaru unleashed a powerful shockwave from his body, blasting Atsushi back. The tiles on the temple's roof began to rise and shatter.
"Strong will, human," Shishimaru commended. "But it will not be enough! My master's treasure…will remain contained!"
Atsushi grunted in response, charging at the beast and attempting to kick it, but Shishimaru headbutted his other leg, causing him to land on his back.
"Big…but slow!"
〈Lion's Bane: Activating in 3s…2s…1s…〉
The lion began to dash again, brushing past and slicing Atsushi's stone skin again and again, causing pieces of it to fall off. As Shishimaru went for the head, Atsushi blocked with his gauntlet and punched him into the ground, right before the lion took off both his legs with a powerful spinning attack.
BOOM.
Atsushi fell through the roof, landing inside the temple's inner chamber, the same room with the treasure.
"Back here…" Atsushi thought. "I must win. I will not come in second!"
Shishimaru descended into the chamber. "Funny story…when I was born, this was my first home. And it was the last place I resided before my death. Do you know what it's like to be attached to something for so long?"
Shishimaru's claws extended. "Painful. My duty is to guard this treasure, so I cannot watch you walk with it."
Atsushi hopped out of his golem form. "Pitiful story. Unfortunately, I do not have any sympathy to extend."
"I don't need your sympathy. I need your death."
With a growl, Shishimaru charged at Atsushi, who formed a stone arm to keep him at bay.
"I can only transform two more times today," Atsushi noted. "Do I waste another on this lion? Or should I save for the battle yet to come?"
Shishimaru batted Atsushi into a wall, causing him to collapse to the floor, rubble covering him. As Shishimaru slowly walked toward him, Atsushi almost could hear a voice. A woman's voice.
"Come now, dear. I've always told you, never put off anything you can do now for later! After all, nothing is guaranteed, right?"
"Aya? Is it really you?"
A beautifully gray-haired woman appeared before him, kneeling. "Stand up, Kaidanchō Sunahara. If you want to reach Sir Nyugawa, you'll have to work for it."
She gave him a wink. "I know you can."
As more rubble fell, the woman's image slowly shifted before disappearing.
"Aya…"
Shishimaru raised a claw, preparing to strike. "Don't tell me that's it, Sunahara. Well, time to face the same fate all others who trespass face."
The rocks began to shift, catching Shishimaru off guard.
"…?"
"Jugen-Henshōsha: Kokuyōseki no Kentōshi!"
With a loud bang, the rubble cleared away and blasted Shishimaru back. An obsidian hand emerged, followed by another, and another, and another.
"In the name of the Jugen-King, what madness is this…?"
A golem's body made from obsidian began to form, and so did the lower body, which was the same as a horse's.
"A centaur warrior!" Shishimaru realized.
With a yell, a mask formed over its face, along with a large stone mace. It looked down at the ground briefly before its eyes bore into Shishimaru. Without a moment's hesitation, it slammed its mace on the ground, causing Shishimaru to dash out of the way.
"You may not be easy pickings after all," Shishimaru remarked. "I've never seen such Jugen like this!"
Atsushi surged forward before jumping into the air and landing where Shishimaru previously stood, the room shaking in response.
As the golem and lion continued their brawl, Nonoka and Yuzuha entered the room through the hallway, and the moment they did, a flying rock nearly crushed them.
"Whoa!" Yuzuha gasped. "What's going on?"
Nonoka narrowed her eyes. "Atsushi?"
Atsushi jumped out of the way as Shishimaru slammed into the wall. His helmet briefly opened, revealing his face.
"Stay outside!"
BOOM.
The lion jumped onto his neck, pulling him down and smashing his face into the ground. Nonoka moved to help him, but a holographic wall blocked her.
"What the——?"
"This is his battle," Yuzuha pointed out. "I don't think we can join."
As they clashed again, more rocks fell, nearly striking the two.
"Then why are we still in danger?"
"I don't know! Dungeons aren't meant to be fair! They're supposed to challenge you! After all, not like they *WANT* to be cleared!"
Nonoka lifted her hands. "Hopefully I can do this."
〈Error: Jugen *Ineffective.*〉
"Can't even buff him. Stay strong, Atsushi!"
Atsushi kicked Shishimaru away with his front legs.
〈Boss HP: 70% → 60%〉
Shishimaru bit down on one, breaking it and causing Atsushi to tumble over, using his mace to support himself.
"I can't regenerate while he's still on the move," Atsushi thought. "My stone can't protect and heal simultaneously…"
〈Lion's Bane: Activated.〉
Shishimaru dashed toward Atsushi, slamming his back into the wall and causing him to drop his mace.
"C'mon, Atsushi!" Nonoka shouted. "What'd you promise me?"
Atsushi slowly tilted his head to look at her. "Nonoka…"
Shishimaru began to pin Atsushi against the wall, tearing into the stone with his jaw.
"I said…I'd become the strongest."
With a glint of rage in his eye, the golem reached out and picked up the mace, bashing it into Shishimaru's face.
〈Boss HP: 60% → 40%〉
Shishimaru wobbled, stunned, as Atsushi took the opportunity to shoulder smash him into the nearest wall.
〈Boss HP: 40% → 20%〉
"He's doing it!" Yuzuha realized.
"Sure is," Nonoka agreed. "Finish him, Atsushi!"
Shishimaru lunged at him, mouth open, but Atsushi grabbed him by his jaw.
"You've run out of lives, cat!"
With one final punch, he sent Shishimaru flying into the top of the wall. It shattered completely, burying the lion underneath.
〈Boss HP: 20% → 0%〉
The room lit up.
〈Challenge Completed.〉
Atsushi shifted out of his golem form as Yuzuha and Nonoka ran up.
"You did it," Nonoka cheered. "That was…impressive!"
Yuzuha clapped. "Very!"
Atsushi dropped to one knee as Nonoka caught him. "Hardly. Look at me. Unable to stand. Not the side of me I wanted you to see."
"C'mon, don't be stupid, now."
BOOM.
Shishimaru cleared the rubble with a shockwave as the trio immediately turned their attention toward him.
"Get behind me," Atsushi ordered. "Now!"
As Shishimaru got closer, instead of attacking, he bowed.
"Congratulations, humans," he announced. "You have proven yourselves worthy of the Jugen-Ō no Hihō."
The chest before them descended, dropping into Atsushi's hands.
〈Owner: Atsushi Sunahara〉
"Ooh, can we open it?" Yuzuha asked.
"Sure," Shishimaru replied. "But only when a night of the full moon occurs. That was when the Jugen-King first came into existence."
"And who is this *Jugen-King?*" Atsushi asked.
"My—our master. The one who first created dungeons. I was his loyal guard for many years until the end of my life. Now I protect his treasure. Which you have earned."
"What happens now?"
The room began to shake as a UI appeared.
〈Time to Escape: 10:00〉
"Seems you've only got ten minutes left to escape," Shishimaru warned. "Make haste, or you'll be stuck here with me…forever."
He laughed as he walked backward, phasing back into the wall.
"Crap!" Yuzuha exclaimed. "I forgot about the timer!"
"We can't stay here…" Atsushi replied. "Run!"
Nonoka helped Atsushi up as the trio hurried for the door, the room falling apart around them.
"This way!"
They ran through one of the dark hallways, sprinting through the room of the nymph, the bridge, and finally through the rune room. The exit to the temple soon became visible, as it began to close.
"There! We can make it!"
〈Time Remaining: 1:50〉
They hurried to the entrance, but they found themselves still floating in the air.
"It didn't drop?" Yuzuha questioned. "But we beat the boss!"
Nonoka looked back, where the UI was still counting. "We won't be safe until we get off this thing. Atsushi, what do we do?"
"I could transform again to get you both to the ground," Atsushi explained. "I only have one left today, but it should work."
〈Time Remaining: 0:30〉
"But, what about that guy you wanted to fight?"
Atsushi took a long moment to think. "A wise person once told me, nothing is guaranteed. If we don't make it off this temple, there will be no fight."
"But—-!"
〈Time Remaining: 0:20〉
"Do as I say and get on my back," Atsushi ordered. "Now. Both of you!"
The two girls shared a look.
"Yes, sir," Nonoka relented.
As she and Yuzuha both clung on for dear life, Atsushi jumped off the temple just as the timer hit zero.
"Jugen-Henshōsha: Kokuyōseki Gōremu!"
Nonoka and Yuzuha found themselves in the palms of two stone hands as Atsushi shifted, crashing into the ground with a mighty THUD. Yuzuha closed her eyes tightly.
"Are we…?"
Atsushi set them both down, as the rest of Naraku-Kaidan took notice.
"Sir! Nonoka!"
"You guys are back!"
"Did you clear the commission?"
Nonoka held up the box. "Yeah."
They cheered.
"First place, here we come!"
Nonoka turned back to Atsushi. "…Sir, what are you going to do?"
His stone mask split apart, revealing his face. "This form will have to last until we get there."
"I thought you could only hold it for so long—-"
"It'll work, Nonoka," he interrupted, firmly.
She held her tongue, nodding. Yuzuha looked between them before motioning to the chest. "So…can I get my treasure now?"
Atsushi knelt down. "I've got a better idea. How about you accompany us?"
"Accompany…you?"
"Yes. Naraku-Kaidan. You've got some impressive Jugen. I could use a summoner on my side."
"Me?"
"If you come with us, you'll have the opportunity to earn even more treasure. All that stands in our way is one man, one old man. With your power, you'll be a real asset. What do you say?"
Yuzuha paced back and forth. "I do like treasure…hmm…"
She stopped. "Okay! But if it gets too dangerous, I'm running!"
Atsushi stood up, chuckling. "Don't you worry. He's not as venomous as he seems. Not anymore. Glad to have you on board."
A new UI popped up.
〈Commission Complete. Relocating to *Next* Floor.〉
And sure enough, the scoreboard updated.
〈1st Place: Naraku-Kaidan. Points: 400.〉
The gate emerged from below.
"Let us move, soldiers. Let us move."
Meanwhile, Floor 1,321—
As the girls cried into his arms, Omariro watched as the scoreboard updated and a voice rang out across the floor.
"Naraku-Kaidan takes a 50-point lead over Sōkaidan! That puts them in first place, with time dwindling by the minute!"
Omariro narrowed his eyes. "Sunahara."
Zaria stepped back, taking notice of his fierce expression. "Sir…?"
He turned, walking towards the river. "Come."
The group shared a look before following him as he walked, staring at the river.
"Jugen-Sōunsha…"
"Sir," Rika asked. "What are you doing?"
"What must be done."
With a clap of his hands, he and the kids began to glow.
"…Cursed Movement."
And with a flicker, they were all gone.
——