It's been more than 4 months since the day I found myself thrashed into the Hellhole Dungeon by my former elven friends.
My hero skills and magic abilities were taken away from me. On top of that, my Lv was also reset to 1. Fortunately, I somehow still managed to retain some of my skills.
While clearing the 2nd floor, I met an invaluable ally in the form of a chibi red dragon. Who would've thought that such a cute, tiny creature would soon form a contract with me—and then turn into an incredibly powerful combatant, not to mention an exceptionally attractive girl.
Together, we fought countless powerful monsters and overcame many dangerous situations as we pushed deeper into the dungeon that entrapped us. Unfortunately, even after reaching the 9th floor, we still hadn't found a way out.
Somehow, we turned out to be really compatible with each other, and before I could've knew it, we had become inseparable partners.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Hrrraaah!" Verdra screamed as she swung her Hellfire-coated sword downward, decapitating one of the monster's heads in front of us.
*Woosh* *Slash!*
"Groooaarrrlll!" The remaining 2 heads roared in pain.
"Verdra, get back!" I shouted from a distance.
She flapped her wings and pulled away just in time, narrowly avoiding the Black lightning that struck where she had been a moment earlier.
Right now, we're fighting the boss of the Hellhole Dungeon's 9th floor.
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Chimerberus
Lv: 6440
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The monster stood over 5 meters tall, stretching over 10 meters from head to tail. It had 3 heads: a wolf head controlling ice on the left, a dragon head controlling fire in the center, and a horned tiger head controlling lightning on the right. Its body resembled a massive tiger, complete with dragon wings on its back. It stood on 3 pairs of legs—each matching the species of its corresponding head—and the same went for its 3 tails.
"Yuu!" Verdra shouted after decapitating the Chimerberus' wolf head, flying toward me.
"Got it!" I replied. I already understood her intent without needing further explanation.
I activated my Electrokinesis, channeling electricity through my entire body—focusing especially on my legs. This was a technique I come up with after countless experimentation of Electrokinesis, it's a move that force my nerves and tendons into an overdrive, using strong electrical stimulation to boost my speed and strength.
I called this move:
"Reinforced."
I dashed forward at incredible speed, fast enough to rival even Verdra's.
I didn't need to shout the name to activate it or anything, but… it sounded so cool. I couldn't help myself.
In my previous world, I'd always wanted to do stuff like this without being labeled as someone suffering from severe middle-school syndrome. This world let me live out that dream—not as roleplay, but as reality. No one could stop me from achieving my mid-school's dream!
I summoned my book and pulled out a Lv5500 sword dropped by the Super Kijin Ōu.
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Tenrai no Tsurugi
Lv: 5500
Class: Phantasma
Special effect: massively increase lightning resistance and generate lightning surges at will.
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Even with high lightning resistance from my Lv9 Electrokinesis and the sword's special effect, my entire body still ached under the monster's Black-thunderous field—Lv9 Thunderous Field + Lv10 Black Lightning—a magic that create a field of Immense Black lightning around the caster.
I stopped directly beneath the Chimerberus' heads, still unnoticed. At the same time, a small Hellfire ball Verdra had launched reached my position.
After my Pyrokinesis reached Lv10, it gained a new effect—allowing me to manipulate blue flames, far hotter than normal fire. I could even control Verdra's Hellfire with it… though I still couldn't create fire on my own.
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Pyrokinesis(Lv10): Ability to manipulate heat and fire through the power of mind. Lv10 effect: Temperature increased (High) | Heat resistance (High) | Lighten brain load (High) | Azur-Pyrokinesis
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I caught Verdra's Hellfire and coated my blade with it. A normal fire would've been extinguished instantly under the Chimerberus' Black-thunderous field—if not for that, I could've just used a lighter.
Using Reinforced, I leapt upward, gripping my sword with both hands and pulling it back over my shoulder.
"Haaaaah!" I screamed, my eyes locked onto the Chimerberus' tiger head.
"Hellthunder Slash!" (Tenrai no Tsurugi's lightning effect + Lv9 Electrokinesis + Azur-Pyrokinesis)
*Woosh!* *Rumble!* *Slash!*
The blade tore cleanly through the Chimerberus' tiger head.
The severed head crashed to the ground, while the exposed neck erupted in a violent surge of thunderous blue flames, lightning and Hellfire intertwining as they exploded outward from the wound.
The sheer recoil of my jump sent my body rocketing high into the air— though it was intentional.
"Groooaarrrlll!!" The remaining dragon head roared in agony.
Massive wings flapped violently as it tried to take flight, Black lightning around its body disappeared as it lose its head controlling it. It opened its jaws wide as a massive Hellfire ball rapidly forming from its mouth—aimed straight at me while I was still airborne.
But before it could move even an inch—
"Verdra!!" I shouted from above.
"I'm on it!"
Verdra shot forward at terrifying speed, cutting in from the monster's side. Her sword, wrapped in raging Hellfire, flashed once—
*Slash!*
—and both of the Chimerberus' wings were dissected cleanly from its back. A colossal burst of blue flames exploded from the severed joints, far larger than the one I'd unleashed earlier.
"Groooaarrrlll!!"
The monster crashed back down, its flight completely denied.
"Your turn, Yuu!" Verdra called out the moment she finished her strike.
Still carried by my upward momentum, I twisted my body upside down midair, locking my gaze onto the Chimerberus' remaining dragon head.
With a sharp breath, I hurled my sword straight at its left eye, propelling it further with Pyrokinesis while maintaining the Hellfire coating.
The blade pierced through its dragon eye with a sickening crunch, drawing another agonized roar.
Without wasting a second, I pulled out two cards from my Book of Safekeeping—a weapon and a big chunk of ice.
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Super Minotyrant's Great Halberd
Lv: 5500
Class: Phantasma
Special effect: Disturb mana flow on hit and deliver a second blow with double the first impact.
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I flicked my lighter, igniting a flame and immediately converting it into blue fire. I coated the halberd's head with it, then manipulated the ice chunk to move beneath my feet, halting my upward momentum completely.
"Be ready for another one!" I announced to the monster.
Using the ice as a foothold, I leaped down.
Reinforced activated again—Through my whole body this time—sending me plummeting downward at extreme speed. As I descended, I spun vertically—my body rotating like a blazing wheel aimed straight at the Chimerberus' neck.
This was actually the second time we'd fought this monster. We already knew the dragon head was the toughest one.
That was why we saved it for last.
"Haaaaaah!!"
I brought the halberd down with everything I had.
The Hellfire-coated blade smashed into the dragon neck, sending blue flames splashing violently in every direction. The strike dug deep—but not deep enough. The neck wasn't severed yet.
That was fine.
That was exactly why I was using this halberd.
I intensified Reinforced in my arms, Azur-Pyrokinesis on my halberd, and poured Electrokinesis into the weapon at the same time.
A massive surge of thunderous blue flames erupted from the wound.
*Slash!* *BOOOOM!*
The halberd's special effect activated.
The second impact detonated through the monster's neck, cleaving it apart completely. The shockwave shattered the ground below with a deafening boom as an enormous pillar of thunderous blue flame bursting out violently from the severed neck.
The Chimerberus' body convulsed once—
—and then disintegrated into dust.
< Electrokinesis Lv9 → Lv10 >
< You have acquired a new skill >
< You have slain a Chimerberus, exp + xxxx >
< Lv up x390 >
< Maximum Lv increased to 6440 >
< HP and stamina fully recovered >
< You received 64400 Currencies >
"Haaah…" I let out a long sigh after the monster's body was completely disintegrated. I dropped down onto the ground, propping myself up with my hands behind me.
"I can't believe I still couldn't decapitate its dragon head in one strike, even with the help of a Greater Strengthening Potion (High)," I muttered. "Just how hard was that thing's head, anyway…?"
"Good work, Yuu." Verdra approached me from behind and offered her praise before sitting down beside me. "Now we're back to the same Lv limit again."
"Haha." I let out a dry laugh. "I'll never be as strong as you, though."
She froze.
Slowly, her head turned toward me, staring as if she'd just heard something utterly ridiculous. "…What kind of nonsense are you blabbering about?"
"With those Azre—Phyrl—whatever-kinesis skills of yours plus Reinforced," she continued, disbelief thick in her voice, "even I wouldn't come out unscathed if I fought you seriously—and that's while I'm currently at a higher Lv than you."
She paused, then added bluntly, "You can manipulate 3 elements at the same time. A feat mages—and even I—could only be dreamed of achieving, if it's not for that limitation, I'll be using my Lightning and Ice Magic more often."
"Haaah…" She sighed, crossed her arms, and concluded flatly. "To put it simply: you're absolutely scary."
"It feels nice to be complimented by the almighty True Dragon-sama," I shrugged, replying with a hint of sarcasm. "Also, it's Azur-Pyrokinesis."
"S-same thing, right?" she said quickly, then frowned. "Wait—which one is it again?"
"…don't worry about it." I waved it off. "By the way, couldn't you just use your True Dragon Supremacy skill on that monster? It had a dragon head, after all."
"Believe me, I tried." She shrugged again, this time with a faint scowl. "Maybe that thing just doesn't qualify as a dragon."
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True Dragon's Supremacy: Ability to subjugate any inferior dragon.
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"Maybe it's because our Lv was still lower than his…" I mused. Then something clicked in my head. I quickly stood up and stored my halberd away.
"More importantly! I just got a new skill—I need to check that first!"
"You got a new skill?" Verdra tilted her head. "Did you meet another Jack or something?"
"No. Seems like it wasn't from forming a contract or getting handed one this time," I replied as I opened my status page.
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Name: Yanagi Yuu (Human)
Lv: 5990/6440
Vitality: 11980
Strength: 11980 + 8985 (expired in 24 seconds)
Intelligence: 59900
Mana: –
Agility: 17970
Dexterity: 29950
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Brain load: 68%
Currencies: 43,677,640
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Skill: Basic gaming features | Book of Safekeeping | Draconic Contract (Verdra) | Plasmakinesis | Cryokinesis (Lv10)
Draconic Contract associated skill: Pyrokinesis (Lv10) | Electrokinesis (Lv10) | Draconic Contract's Telepathy
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Cryokinesis (Lv10): Ability to manipulate cold and ice through the power of mind. Lv10 effect: Range (Far) | Cold resistance (High) | Lighten brain load (High) | Picno-Cryokinesis
Electrokinesis (Lv10): Ability to manipulate electrical current through the power of mind. Lv10 effect: Electrical voltage increased (High) | electrical shock resistance increased (High) | lighten brain load (High) | Nega-Electrokinesis
Plasmakinesis: Ability to control immense Heat, Cold, and electricity by manipulating plasma through the power of mind.
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"So I got Nega-Electrokinesis from raising Electrokinesis to Lv10, and… Plasmakinesis?" I squinted at the screen. "Apparently, it lets me control plasma. I probably unlocked it after all 3 of my psychic skills hit Lv10."
"P-plums… what?" Verdra rolled her eyes. "Great. Another word I have absolutely no clue with. Why are all your skills' names so hard to pronounce?"
"It's plasma. It's… something you can find in outer space, extremely high-temperature fire, or inside electrical currents—o-or something like that," I explained with my painfully limited knowledge and poor vocabulary. "Man, times like this really make me wish I'd paid more attention in class."
"I'm not getting involved with whatever that you're scrutinizing with," she said flatly, already walking away.
"Oh, c'mon." I complained. "I don't fully understand what I'm talking about either. Can't you at least give me some words of encouragement or something?"
She stopped and glanced back at me. "Then tell me—how am I supposed to encourage you, when I don't even know what you're talking about?"
"Y-you could just… you know, stand there… a-and being pretty, I guess?" I blurted out desperately.
"You're the worst," she said coldly.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry! Please don't look at me like that," I hurriedly apologized before she slipped into one of her bad moods again.
Lately, she'd been acting cold toward me at times, and I had absolutely no clue why. I'd even bought her expensive sweets every day to cheer her up, but the effect never lasted that long.
I really don't understand a girl's heart at all.
Is she getting tired of me? N-no, God—please no!!
…I'd heard that misunderstandings between couples usually rooted from poor communication.
…Should I just ask her directly?
I swallowed hard and steeled myself. "H-hey, Verdra. You've been kinda cold to me lately, haven't you? Did I do something wrong? Please tell me—if I did, I'll try my best to fix it."
She looked down, guilt faintly showing on her face. "No. You did nothing wrong…" She hesitated, then muttered inaudibly, "You really didn't do anything at all, that's the problem."
"What was that?" I asked gently. "Please tell me."
"It's nothing," she replied, lifting her head again. Her expression returned to normal. "So, what do you need my help with?"
"Haah…" Seeing her back to normal, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. "I need you to create the hottest flame you can manage—and throw it at me."
She cocked her head to the side. "You finally want me to burn you?" she asked innocently, saying something ominous.
"I do not! Why are you so obsessed with burning me?!"
"Hehe." She giggled. "Relax, I'm joking. You just need the hottest flame I can make, right?"
"Y-yeah," I replied, still a little shaken.
"Then here I go!" she declared cheerfully, conjuring a Hellfire ball about the size of a tennis ball and slowly launching it toward me.
The moment the Hellfire ball entered what I felt was the range of my Plasmakinesis, I stretched my hands forward and activated the skill.
A massive amount of power was Yanked out of me all at once.
My head throbbed as Verdra's Hellfire froze midair. The blue colored flame slowly shifted toward a purplish hue, and the air around it vibrated violently as my headache worsened with every passing second.
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Brain load: 81%
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"U-umm… Yuu?" Verdra asked, confused by my sudden silence. "What's wrong?"
"Verdra…" I called her name. Sweat dripped down my brow, and my hands began to tremble. "It looks like… I can't control this thing very well. So, I just want to say—"
I smiled softly. "I'm really glad that we met."
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Brain load: 96%
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"Please don't say such ominous th—!" she cried out—
*BOOOOM*