Brook swallowed and looked back at Cain, Roxy, and Zoldat. When they all nodded, he threw his weight against the ornate stone door.
With a creak, the door slowly opened.
The group peered into the darkness beyond, puzzled.
The boss room was eerily quiet. There was no glow from any magic crystals, and no guardian boss in sight. They advanced in a staggered formation, with Zoldat holding a torch in the middle to light their way.
"Wow, it's quiet. Is this really the boss—"
"Bruce, move!"
As Bruce spoke, a massive claw taller than a man swung a sharp greatsword straight at him!
Zoldat roared a warning, but it was too late to shove Bruce aside. The blade was moving too fast.
Too fast. I can't dodge it. Bruce's pupils trembled as he watched the greatsword slash toward his neck at blinding speed. It was the Blade of Light of the Sword God Style—an ultimate technique he could hardly have blocked even if he had been ready.
But the next instant, clang! The giant skeletal arm swinging the sword at him flew off, then crashed to the floor along with the blade.
Cain had struck first, unleashing a Blade of Light even faster than its own and severing the entire skeletal arm.
"Whew... I thought I was dead."
Brook sank to the floor and steadied himself before looking at the thing that had nearly killed Bruce. It was the remains of a giant dragon skeleton, four meters tall and walking upright. Its other three hands held a massive shield, a long blade, and a spear.
Red light burned in the skeletal dragon's eyes as it stared at Cain, who approached with a calm expression.
"An S-rank Flamebone Dragon Guard?!"
Roxy had seen this monster in a spellbook before. Flamebone Dragon Guards usually appeared as the final bosses of A-rank Dungeons. They could breathe dragonfire, wield Fire Magic and rock magic, and even use techniques from various sword schools. The Ultimate Blade of Light just now had been its attack.
The Flamebone Dragon Guard's enormous body loomed like a fortress wall, and the weapons in its remaining three hands were deadly.
Zoldat and the others could never handle a monster this powerful on their own. They needed a monster on its level to fight it.
Fortunately, they had just such a monster in their party.
Cain glanced at the Flamebone Dragon Guard as it took a Water God Style stance. His brow rose slightly. He slid his steel sword into the sheath on his back, rested a hand on Instant Void at his waist, and crouched into the opening stance of the Blade of Light.
By the time the others realized what was happening, Cain had shattered the floor beneath his feet and shot forward like a cannonball! Two Blades of Light shrieked through the air in quick succession, splitting the Flamebone Dragon Guard and its thick metal shield into three sections. Cain sheathed his sword.
With a thud, the Flamebone Dragon Guard's three severed sections collapsed. The red Magic Power in its chest went dark, leaving only a heap of bones.
Cain scanned the darkness warily. Something felt wrong. This A-rank Dungeon boss had put a little more pressure on him than the S-rank Red Dragon, but only a little. Was it really the final guardian of such a dangerous labyrinth?
"I-it's over?!"
Zoldat stared wide-eyed at Cain, who stood calmly atop the Flamebone Dragon Guard's bones.
Was it really that easy? Zoldat felt as though Cain had moved even further beyond his reach. From now on, whenever they ran into a monster they could not beat, they might as well send Cain in. The guy was practically superhuman.
Then again, even a monster worthy of being an A-rank Dungeon boss was no match for someone known as the Second Sword God.
Roxy smiled with relief and slowly let out a breath. Her student really was strong.
"Wait, everyone... Something's wrong."
Cain looked around the still-dark chamber and frowned.
"What is it, Cain?" Roxy asked, blinking at him.
"Teacher Roxy, I thought Magic Crystal Stones and treasure were supposed to appear after we cleared a dungeon..."
Cain swept his gaze across the empty hall.
"But there's nothing here..."
Everyone's eyes widened.
That's right. Where are the Magic Crystal Stones? They had entered this labyrinth for those valuable items.
"Wait! Could it be..."
Zoldat's eyes widened sharply. He hurried past Cain to the far side of the hall, then swallowed when he saw another enormous stone door standing there.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"What's wrong?"
Roxy and Brook were both veteran adventurers, but when they came over and saw the huge stone door, they stopped dead and drew in sharp breaths.
"Is that...?"
Zoldat pushed the door open. Sure enough, a familiar staircase descended toward the twenty-first floor.
"An S-rank Dungeon?! It wasn't A-rank—it was S-rank?!"
Everyone but Cain went pale. They had spent all this time fighting their way through a brutally difficult S-rank Dungeon?! The thought alone sent chills through them. No wonder they had encountered A-rank monsters as early as the tenth floor.
Cain blinked and looked at Roxy's grave expression in confusion.
"Teacher, S-rank Dungeons are the hardest, right?"
"Not 'right,' you idiot, Cain! They are! That isn't a question!"
Roxy puffed out her cheeks in anger. Her student had spent twenty floors at the front of an S-rank Dungeon, scouting the way for the party. Just thinking about it terrified her. What if that idiot had stepped on a teleportation trap?
And what would she have done then? Roxy could not bear to lose another precious companion. Right now, this idiot student was all she had.
Cain watched Roxy puff out her cheeks, trying to look fierce, and scratched his face. Her mood seemed to have soured, though she had been fine a moment ago. He glanced at the Locator Ring he had given her, still on her finger, and felt strangely reassured.
"I-I get it. Don't be so mad, Teacher Roxy. I'll remember."
The group stopped to rest, and Roxy continued teaching Cain what an adventurer needed to know.
"Some S-rank Dungeons are S-rank Transfer Labyrinths. They're full of teleportation traps. Step on one, and you'll be sent somewhere at random. The consequences could be disastrous. So..."
"Captain Zoldat, could you please share the work of taking the lead?"
"M-me?" Zoldat swallowed under Roxy's doubtful, appraising gaze.
She's obviously just favoring her little boyfriend...
"Ahem. I understand. I honestly didn't know this labyrinth would turn out to be a dangerous S-rank Dungeon instead of an A-rank one. That was a failure of command on my part. I'll take responsibility."
Cain sighed at the cold sweat covering Zoldat's forehead and shook his head, folding his arms.
The elite monster on the twentieth floor had nearly killed Bruce, their tank, in one blow. Putting Zoldat, a swordsman, in front would be little better than feeding him to the monsters.
"No. I'll do it."
"Cain..." Zoldat was touched by the earnest look on Cain's face.
"No, you idiot! Making you take the lead alone this whole time was reckless enough!"
Roxy looked firmly at Cain.
Cain's gaze softened as he looked at her, warmth rising in his chest.
"Thank you for worrying about me, Teacher Roxy. I know you're concerned..."
"I-I... Well, it's only natural for a teacher to worry about her student! I'm your teacher. I have to take responsibility for your life!"
Before you continue