Dungeon Chapter 21 (Patreon)

There was one more adventurer of this group that seemed to be important.

It was a young woman whose eyes looked far too old for her age. She had a cowl up hiding most of her features, but she looked out at the field as Desmonda came up along with another girl.

“Haylon is already a gathering of who’s who.” Crimson whispered to me. “Most of the students here either come from a family with strong adventurers or have the backing of one. This girl is the latter. Watch Felicity. She has a unique and powerful class.”

That must be the girl facing up against Desmonda.

My favorite warlock had an expression that was unusually serious and she glanced over at her parents and then at me. Her brow pressing further down into a frown.

“She’s worried at what you’ll think.” Crimson whispered.

If the others around us heard her, they didn’t show it.

Maybe she was using some skill, no doubt the woman had a freaking bank of them.

“Start.” Miss Sae shouted.

“Would you like to make a bet, Mr. Renard? My Felicity will win.” The woman in the cloak asked Desmonda’s parents.

He chuckled darkly as he turned to her. “What would you want to bet?”

“My girl could use a few skill books, say three that would be suitable for her?”

Mr. Renard glowered at her. “I’ll take that bet. You can give me three skill books suitable for Desmonda if she wins.”

I looked back on the field Desmonda was charging across while Felicity was standing still with her head bowed.

But before Desmonda could reach her, a hand popped out of the ground and grabbed her ankle. It tripped up Desmonda, and she fell, pulling a small human shape made of earth with her.

It tackled her and her knife flashed several times before it crumbled into dirt and she leapt back to her feet, racing across the space. “Shadow Bolt.”

It hit Felicity, but she held under the attack, continuing to whisper under her breath.

Her cloak flapped, and a ball of concentrated wind shot out and zoomed for Desmonda.

“Shadow Bolt!” Des didn’t hold back, but ducked into a roll as the wind elemental tried to catch her.

The shadow bold hadn’t been enough to kill it and it was coming back around for a second pass.

“You might have guessed it. She is an elemental summoner, able to summon as many elementals as she wants. Her only limit is her own mana.” Crimson explained. “There’s a decent chance that you fight her in the finals.”

As she said that Des reached the girl only for her to jump back out of the way as a second wind elemental appeared and the two played defense, trying to keep Desmonda off as she hit them with shadow bolt.

It seemed that her dagger did little to them.

“They are immune to cutting weapons?” I asked.

“Resistant. Which means if she beats Desmonda, you will be at a disadvantage. You either kill her at the start or you lose.” Crimson said.

Felicity’s mentor looked over. “Coaching him?”

“Giving him the reality of the situation.” Crimson smiled. Her voice carried differently, confirming she’d been talking to me with some skill, or had hidden our conversation.

A third elemental joined the air just before Des killed the first. Meaning that if Felicity could keep summoning them, that she was going to overwhelm Des.

But my warlock was more resourceful than that, apparently.

She pulled something out of her pocket and the light caught off the blade as she threw it end over end at Felicity. “Hex of Lethargy.”

Felicity notably slowed down and her cloak fell off of her face as Des’s throwing knife slammed itself down to the hilt in her clavicle, just missing her throat and a lethal throw by inches.

Des had another knife in the air by now, but Felicity dodged this one, expecting it.

“Shadow Bolt.” Des ignored the air elementals now, firing off a blast at Felicity, who had stopped casting.

“You got this, Des!” I cheered her on, causing her mother to turn and raise an eyebrow at me and stare at me until Crimson shifted behind me, most likely warning her off.

I liked to think that my cheering was what helped her pull through, but Des managed to reach Felicity and plunge her dagger into the summoner several times. It was brutal, and clearly Felicity only trained to dodge and summon things.

Once Des got on her, she was done for. It was a bloody affair before Miss Sae called it and the healer came out to put them both back to rights.

Des’s Father laughed good naturally. “As expected. Never count a Renard out. About that bet.”

Felicity’s mentor nodded. “I’ll send you a list to choose from. Don’t say I don’t pay my debts.”

That solved, Mr. Renard and his four wives turned in my direction. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say Crimson’s.

“Well, now, interested in betting Crimson?” He raised a brow, feeling good about his odds.

Crimson pat my shoulder. “What do you want?”

I frowned. This was a valuable opportunity. There was little he could offer me to help with my class. In fact, his family had already helped me by giving Desmonda that grimoire. That left items or skillbooks, but items felt petty, and they were at my level.

My mind went to the four ways that Crimson talked about how to become stronger and I realized what I wanted.

“If I win, I’d like Desmonda to stay in my diving party.” Desmonda had talked several times about how strict her father was, and I was concerned that he’d try to pull her out of Haylon or push her into someone else’s group for some reason.

She was strong, and I was going to pursue her.

“Oh? Who said she was leaving?” Mr. Renard didn’t show much on his face, instead asked a question.

“No one, but you can’t offer me levels. Gear would be worthless inside of a week and skillbooks aren’t something I need right now. That leaves the last way to grow stronger, keep a powerful party, that includes the runner-up in this tournament.” I said plainly.

Her father raised a brow and pursed his lips in thought. “You have an excellent student there, Crimson, even if he does have this Aberrant class. I came here wondering if it was the best for my daughter to continue to dive with someone who doesn’t even know what direction to take their training. If you can win, I won’t have her moved.” He nodded.

A prickle ran down my back. He really had been thinking about moving her, but because he didn’t trust an aberrant to dive the dungeon with her.

Des came off the field to our area. “Ken.” She greeted me before her parents, making her mother frown.

“You did wonderful. Smart move to give up on the elementals and surprise her with that throwing knife and hex.” I smiled at her.

She gave me a big smile in return. “I had been hoping to save that knife for you, but she was a tough one.”

Des’s mother watched our exchange closely, but her father seemed to not pay her much attention, instead keeping his focus on Crimson and Felicity’s mentor.

“Ken.” Desmonda’s mother spoke, and her words felt like someone was pouring honey into my ears and made me shiver. “You should join us for dinner later.”

Des smiled and urged me to say yes.

“Absolutely.” I agreed.

Crimson stepped around me and drew Des to the side to meet Charlotte as she came over.

I couldn’t quite hear them, but I thought I saw ‘letters’ on Charlotte’s lips as the three started talking.

“Ken.” Desmonda’s mother stepped away from her husband as he started to talk to Felicity’s mentor. “I see you have my daughter’s attention.” Her eyes flashed a lovely shade of red. “Understand there are high expectations for my daughter’s affection.”

“I know. She has done much for me and I hope to repay her, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let her win this.” I stood my ground, even if it felt like I was saying a little too much.

Her mother hummed, and there was this magnetic sexuality around her. I knew Des had said she had a succubus secondary class.

I used that knowledge to temper the magnetism she had, but it was still hard to focus.

I couldn’t imagine the things I would do if Des had such a secondary class.

“Good. Just know, I see what my daughter has done to you. That means just how highly she thinks of you. Know that if you break her heart, you won’t have to worry one bit about my husband.” She gave me the sweetest smile. “You’ll suffer for eternity at my hand before he gets a chance.”

I swallowed, and it sounded abnormally loud to me. “Understood.” Des’s family was terrifying.

“Good. Now I have the blood from a succubus on the 25th floor, yet your blood resonates even stronger. Might I know what you have?” Her words pulled at my mind and I found myself speaking without thinking.

“Demon Lord S—“ The name I almost said snapped me out of it. I would never tell anyone that asshole’s name. “A boss from the 45th floor. A demon lord.” I saw no reason to lie to her. If anything, I should be trying to impress Des’s mother.

She frowned at my correction. “And you defeated it?”

I mimed sealing my lips. “That experience is going with me to my grave.”

She laughed. “Okay. I see there is more to you than meets the eye. No ordinary level two could do that. Maybe Desmonda sees more than the rest of us, you are selected by Crimson herself.” She looked up as the group of three women came back over.

Des had a new fire in her eyes. “I will win, Ken.”

“Sorry, Ken, I’m rooting for Des on this one.” Charlotte gave me a crooked smile.

“What did you promise them?” I asked Crimson.

“Oh nothing. If she wins, you’ll never know. But I’ll tell you if you win.” Crimson gave me a cryptic answer.

But that only made me want to win more just to see what it would be.

“Fine. I made a bet with your father, Des. You’ll stay in my party if I win.” I said.

She flashed a look at her father. “What if I lose?”

“Then an aberrant is no partner to dive into the dungeon with.” Her father said. “It will only put your life in danger.”

“You don’t know anything.” Des shot back.

He only smirked. “Only the strong get to decide what they want. If you lose on purpose, I’ll have you removed from this school.”

Des had a conflicting look on her face, but her mother came to her rescue.

“Oh dear, come, let’s talk for a minute.” She pulled him a few steps away, likely preventing Des from yelling at him.

Miss Sae waved from the field. “Are you two ready?”

“Go. It’ll all work out, I’m sure.” Crimson encouraged the two of us.

I went out into the open space, with Desmonda trailing behind me. “Look, whoever wins, this’ll work out.” I echoed Crimson’s promise. “Even if your father tries, good fucking luck to him.”

She snorted. “You don’t understand. But he was right, only the winner gets to decide anything, so be ready for a fight.”

I bumped fists with her and stepped away, squaring off against her.

“Alright. Finals, the winner gets a day of power leveling from Crimson. We have Ken Nagato, Aberrant versus Desmonda Renard, Warlock.” She gave a little more fanfare for this one as she backed away. “Start.”

“Hex of Lethargy.” Des shouted and drew a throwing knife, trying to catch me off guard.

I was slowed, but my sword came up, catching the blade and knocking it aside. “Going to have to be better than that.” I came at her feeling like I was pushing against an invisible force as I tried to hit my stride.

She came at me with her knife, determination painted on her face.

“Earth Stomp.” The ground rippled out from my step.

Des dodged to the side, having expected my skill before darting back in.

We knew each other too well.

Yet the last time we sparred, I was slower and weaker.

So when our knives clashed, I leaned into it, putting enough pressure on her that she had to brace her arm.

My sword came down as she shouted, “Shadow bolt.”

It hit my sword and made my arm jerk back from the blast.

She used that to break the deadlock with our knives and tried to sweep my legs.

“Earth Stomp.” The ground rippled, and she stumbled as she clipped my leg and I had to step back to get my footing.

All of this happened in quick succession, a blink of an eye, we traded move after move.

She was panting from the rapid exertion, but I felt completely fine with that stamina of mine paying off.

“Careful, going to tire yourself out.” I teased, not letting her rest and coming in swinging.

A knife flicked out of her hand that had been resting low.

Rather than dodge, I leaned into it, taking a cut across my shoulder and swinging harder for it.

Even when she blocked my sword, I sent her feet skidding back along the ground, out of the reach of my own knife.

Or so I thought.

Her hex ended, and I felt myself speed up and I lunged a little too far, catching her side as she tried to take advantage of it and grab my wrist, pivoting and slamming our hips together making a lever and tossing me onto my ass.

I rolled with the momentum as she missed with another of those throwing knives and used the roll to spring to my feet.

“Shadow Bolt.” At range, she was going to take advantage of it and throw another spell at me.

I took it head on, rushing her again.

It was time that I used my stamina to my advantage.

Taking the knife had made me realize how little it affected me. With a stamina over 30 a cut from a knife hurt less than a paper cut.

I was on her using my speed and strength, only fighting differently.

Rather than blocking, I let her knife stab into my chest, and my knife tore a jagged cut down her side as my sword came down on her other shoulder.

Des coughed and stumbled back, looking at me like I was a madman.

I stood tall, though. “Thirty stamina.” I said with a shrug and came at her again.

She understood now, she couldn’t trade attacks or she would certainly lose, but that one exchange had done plenty of damage.

My chest hurt, but only a little, yet she was clearly struggling with the blood coming out of her side and I must have hit her arm hard, because she wasn’t lifting it for shadow bolts or throwing knives.

Her knife and dodging backwards could only do so much.

She realized that and threw her knife into my thigh, before raising a hand and shouting. “Shadow Bolt.” Des wasn’t going to give up, even if she’d already lost.

In front of her father, who only respected strength, she had to fight to the death.

My sword pierced her heart, and I pulled it out quickly, not wanting to see her face even if there was a healer.

“Healer, it’s done.” I didn’t wait even for her body to hit the ground before calling for the healer.

They rushed over the field as people clapped and cheered for me.

Only now did I remember just how large an audience we had.

Girls threw things at me on the field, and I realized someone had even shot a pair of panties onto the field.

“Uh.” I didn’t know what to say or do.

A light flashed and Desmonda groaned as she sat up. “You look like shit.” She told me.

“Someone had to stab me twice. Tell me, if I keep pursuing you, am I going to end up with lots of scars?” I joked as the healer healed me too and rolled her eyes.

“No. Of course not. That’s why I want Charlotte too. She’ll keep you patched up so no one knows just how rough I am.” The way she grinned told me she wasn’t talking about fighting.

I held a hand down to her and she grabbed it, lifting herself up.

“Though.” She looked down at the panties. “You have a lot of girls here.”

“I like you. I like Char and Crimson wants to put the Elven envoy in our party.” I shrugged. “Maybe that’s enough for me. Any more come and I can just point Harley at them.”

Desmonda snorted. “Okay. We’ll see how long that lasts. Besides, we have my father to deal with now.” She looked over to where Crimson was being given something by her father.”

“Really? I think your mother is the terrifying one, but yes. We need to deal with your family. They invited me to dinner.”