Wanderer's Game

The weightlessness that comes with being teleported passes quickly, and I almost keel over on the spot as we land, my limbs aching with phantom pains leaving me weakened still.

The sound of grass crunching beneath my boot as I take an unsteady step forward is like music to my ears. The smell of fresh air, the cold chill of the night sky. It doesn't feel real. The longest weekend of my life is over.

I move my gaze up, from where it rested at my feet and see where we've been teleported to. It's nothing more than a humble estate, in the middle of the woods. No mansion, no gardens, no thousand acres of land. Just a single homely building surrounded by miles of forestry.

The servants of Clan Lucifuge are huddled around a fire in front of it, none speaking a word as they stare at the flames. Off to the side near a dirt track leading away is a carriage, one that Gehrman quickly marches over to. His eyes linger on the estate, and they gleam with nostalgia.

When the servants lay eyes upon me, it's as though they've seen a miracle worker. They look at me with something akin to awe, to adoration. It's heart warming in a way I had never expected.

Before I can go over to talk to them, to learn something about the people whose lives I've kept safe, I feel Grayfia squeeze my shoulder. It suddenly hits me that I've been standing only through her gracious assistance.

"Please, Master. The servants can wait. Rest for a moment. You need it."

I'm glad she cares so much for my wellbeing, but her still referring to me as Master now that we've escaped Lucifaad raises questions. Not that I'm complaining.

As I drop to my knees and take a seat on the grass, it feels like all the stress of the last three days has washed away. Feels like I can finally relax, take a moment to enjoy the world around me.

There's still a hundred odd alerts from the System I need to address, but right now they can wait. I'm busy appreciating my life after having it put in massive peril, of my own volition no less. Even with all the warnings, I underestimated Bidleid's ability to be a massive fucking sadist.

No use thinking about it now. I can only live with the decisions I made and the actions I took. Even if they were bloody stupid. Enough of that, though. I've grown tired of these self-sabotaging thoughts. I just want to lay down and watch the stars for a while.

Before I can fully lie down on the floor though, Grayfia yet again steps in. The similarities she has to an overbearing mother are not lost on me.

"You need not dirty yourself on the floor, Master. Please, allow me."

With no hesitation, Grayfia sets herself down behind me on her knees, resting on her feet as she lowers my head onto her thighs. She looks surprisingly timid as she does this, her eyes not fully meeting my own before I settle for gazing at the sky instead.

There's nothing. No stars, no shapes, nothing. Just the same purple sky that encompasses everything, day and night. The only other source of light in the sky comes from the tiny light of Heaven, millions of miles away, a reminder of what we can never achieve.

"I used to go stargazing all the time, before I came to the Underworld." The words spill forth from me before I even realise it. Perhaps I felt too comfortable in Grayfia's care. Clearly though, she's interested.

"Could you... tell me more, Lord Mammon?" She speaks so softly that I almost miss the words, but I don't miss the way her arms cross on either side of my head, her hands resting on my collar.

This whole scene is... oddly intimate. Especially considering her history, I figured she'd be far more hesitant with such things. No matter. Can't keep a lady waiting.

"It started off as a way to cope. After my father died, I'd go out to the garden and stare at the stars saying just about anything that crossed my mind, thinking he was up there in the sky listening. After a while, it became a way to relieve stress. For a few minutes, I could just let go of everything and watch the world turn around me."

"I can't do much of that here, though. The sky is so empty." She chuckles softly.

"We aren't allowed to see the stars. To gaze upon His works. We can only look up hopelessly at the gates of Heaven, an unattainable reprieve from the suffering so common to our lives."

Following my gaze, Grayfia stares at the soft light of Heaven in the distance, a stark contrast to the purple fire of the sky. Moments pass in comfortable silence, before a memory seems to come to her.

"I heard about Heaven once. From an Angel, kept prisoner beneath our manor after the Great War."

I'd rather not hear about a poor bastard put to slavery after the day I've had, Grayfia.

"He described it as peace. Peace made manifest. Every soul lives in constant tranquility, never experiencing doubt or worry. All beings united under His gaze." There's an odd longing in her eyes as she says this. A spark of jealousy.

"But that light, that happiness, cannot reach us here. We dwell in the infernal realm, home to the wretches of the Supernatural World. We aren't worthy of it."

This is... an incredibly morbid line of thinking. How little does she value herself?

"Were it not for Lilith and her assistance in the Great Heresy, this realm would have been home to Lucifer alone, to suffer in isolation for all of eternity. For a time it was."

Grayfia's gone quiet now, but I want to know more. "Why did he do it? What made Lucifer turn his back on God?"

The jolt of pain causes my body to twitch slightly, I'd forgotten about Raphael's curse with everything else on my mind. Still, the lady answers.

"There are many accounts. Hundreds of stories. Some claim he was tired of the disrespect, of being forced to kneel before mankind." She begins idly tracing circles over my collar with her thumb.

"Others claim he was swayed to corruption by other Pantheons, misled and deceived by those envious of his radiance." I can't help but chuckle at the idea.

"I always forget these Deities were just kicking around at the same time. Wonder if they ever met?" She doesn't respond verbally, only waits for me to finish before continuing.

"Some claim it was love."

The idea that a prideful bastard like Lucifer fell from Heaven over love leaves me stunned into silence. Now I'm really interested. Grayfia thankfully takes my lack of response as a cue to continue.

"The story goes that in the Age of Eden, Lucifer and Eve were deeply in love, eons before she ever became Lilith. They had spent years with these affections, but were unable to act on them, forced to stare longlingly at one another from afar."

"One day, upon seeing a deep loneliness in Eve's eyes, Lucifer spoke with his Father. He lamented that he couldn't comfort the woman he loved, couldn't truly be there for her lest he break the Holy Covenant."

"The Father was horrified. His most perfect son, the Lightbringer, the Morningstar, had fallen in love. It shouldn't have been possible. Angels were created with the avoidance of such things in mind."

As she narrates, I find myself enraptured by her voice, the atmosphere, the dark sky and the story itself. Everything seems so picturesque that for a moment I'm convinced this is a dream, and I'm still in Lucifaad.

"The Father felt worry seep into His heart for the first time in His existence. He was afraid to lose His most precious son, afraid that the Lightbringer would fall if such issues were not addressed immediately."

"So, he forbade Lucifer from ever laying eyes on Eve, until the end of Time itself."

I'm pretty sure I already know what comes next. At least, I thought I did, but given the fucking bombshell I've had dropped on me I'm not so sure anymore.

"From that day on, Lucifer began to hate. He came to hate the things his Father preached, the shackles he felt trapped within. He saw the Garden of Eden as a reminder of what had been taken from him."

"In his heart, he vowed to destroy it."

The words almost echo in our surroundings, as if they hold some form of residual power. The beginning of the end. The start to a chain of events that would lead to the Great War and the death of the Father himself.

And it all came about because the Father was scared to lose his son. It seems... oddly human. There's a tragedy to it all that I hadn't expected.

"The story ends there, I'm afraid. No Devil knows what happened the day Lucifer rebelled. Only the Angels know the true history, and they would never tell us."

"A shame. I was actually quite enjoying the impromptu history lesson." I say. She looks down at me, seemingly quite pleased with herself after that comment.

"I'm glad it was to your liking, Lord Mammon. I used to speak to a mirror in my years at the Manor, to stave off the loneliness. My oratory skills have improved significantly as a result."

...oh. I don't really know how to address that comment, that's just really sad. Fuck it, change the subject.

"I never expected to feel remorse for Lucifer. Always assumed him an arrogant asshat and nothing much else." Smooth, Ali.

A sudden kick to my leg throws my thoughts askew and jolts my body slightly.

"You'd do well not to insult my Master in my presence, boy. We were as brothers."

I don't even have the time to apologise to Gehrman, both for my words and for the fact that I am shamelessly indulging in his daughters body, before he sighs and continues talking.

"I suppose its understandable for you to feel that way. You weren't alive to see his majesty. Speaking of my master, though..."

With a terrible segue, Gehrman hands me a letter, which I have to quickly stand up and dust myself off to accept.

"You may not have my eternal servitude, but you have my gratitude. Should you ever have need, I vow to assist you in any way I can, as you have done for me."

He offers his hand to shake, and I don't hesitate to take it, something Grayfia seems surprised at given her chiming in from behind shortly after.

"I'm glad you've gotten over your sudden distaste for Lord Mammon, Father."

"There was never any distate, I just-" He turns to me, and quickly begins to explain himself.

"When we made it out of Lucifaad, I told Grayfia we should stay. Leave you behind. I didn't want to risk her going back for your sake, only to undo everything you'd worked for. Because of that, you got hurt. I won't apologise though."

Grayfia almost seems pleased, until he finishes talking. Before she can shout in indignation at his words, I reply.

"I understand why you made that choice. I can't relate to what you'd feel as a father, but just know that I don't judge you for it. Real fucking happy you decided to come back though, just to be clear." He snorts.

"Don't thank me. Thank Grayfia. It's because of her that you're still among the living."

"I had already guessed, but it's nice to hear it directly." I then turn and address the woman in question.

"I owe you my life, Grayfia. Thank you, for everything. Without you, I would have died in the pits of Lucifaad." I even place a hand over my chest and bow slightly, a gesture which I'm ninety percent sure shows sincerity.

It seems to have worked. When I raise my head, she can't meet my gaze. She's flustered. I never thought I'd say this about a killing machine like Grayfia, but she's fucking adorable sometimes.

I'm not sure how much time passes like this. Soft, easy conversation in the light of the fire, wasting away the night. It's the most calm I've felt since I arrived in this world. Even during all my time with Serafall, I felt a pressure, a necessity to perform well. Now? I feel peace. Relief. Pride.

Eventually though, all good things must come to an end.

Gehrman seems to be antsy about something as the night passes, constantly looking over to the carriage nearby. He shuffles in place, as if he wants to speak but can't find the words. Seeing his hesitance, I decided to try and ask him a question.

"I've been wondering for a while now, but what's the letter for?" He smiles ruefully, and the calm atmosphere withers away instantly.

"I'd planned to wait a little longer, but I suppose I cant hide it forever. It's for your friends among the Generals. I've already sent a copy of it to Lilith." He sighs and rubs his eyes.

"The letter is a written explanation of the circumstances our Clan were forced into by the Officio Satanorum. Of the horrors we were made to endure. With any luck, it should serve as a pardon for Grayfia's actions during the Civil War."

I can't help but raise a brow at his wording. He turns to Grayfia, his eyes suddenly far more remorseful.

"There was no way for us both to make it out of this unscathed. We've killed far too many good Devils for such a privilege. I've done everything I can to explain our actions in a way that ensures you are seen as an unwilling participant, but I couldn't do that fully without condemning myself. Knowing this, I chose to make a deal with Zekram."

Holy shit. He's giving himself to the High Court. He wants to paint himself as a villain, the bastard father who forced Grayfia to fight for the Satan's, so that she can be pardoned.

Knowing the leniency of the Generals, most importantly Sirzechs, and the sheer magnitude of Gehrman's writings, the pardon seems all but guaranteed. I only wonder what the cost of it will be for him.

"I've done many things in this life. Things that I regret. Things I've come to despise. This is not one of them. You, are not one of them. You are the greatest thing that ever happened to me."

"But... Father!-"

"Don't worry about me. I'll survive, Grayfia. My blood is far too valuable... Please, sweetheart. Live your life, be happy." He chokes up slightly as he speaks.

"And don't ever forget, you're a Lucifuge. Be proud of who you are. I know your mother would be if she could see you now." To my surprise, the old man begins to tear up.

He reaches out a hand to stroke her cheek, and I can't help but feel out of place here. An intruder. Seeing that a moment between family is occurring, I back away and allow them to say their goodbyes.

Looking on from a distance, I watch as Gehrman places an ornery dagger into Grayfia's hands, bent and crooked but sharp all the same. The instant she recognises it, her tears fall freely. I look away shortly after.

I'm surprised Gehrman was willing to wait so long to announce his departure for Lilith. Maybe he wanted to push it away for as long as possible, to enjoy one last moment with Grayfia before he leaves.

...I admire his willingness to do this for her. But I can't help but feel like it won't pay off the way he thinks. Surely the High Court won't just allow Grayfia to walk around free because of a sob story? What kind of bargain has he made with Zekram that could make all this possible? Why didn't he try to argue his own unwillingness? Too many questions. I need to find answers.

Ugh, this is going to be a bitch to explain to Serafall. I'm going to have to put a shift in to make sure she understands, but I'm certain I can-

"Alistair." The old bastard jolts me out of my thoughts yet again, now stood in front of me once more.

"I know this is a tall asking, after everything you have done for us. But please. Take care of Grayfia. You are the only one I can trust to do this." Despite the bleakness of the situation, I still smile.

"I already planned to. Good luck, Gehrman. I look forward to seeing you again someday." Thankfully, he smiles back.

"As do I. You have something immensely rare amongst our kind, Alistair. A heart. Don't lose it."

After that, he walks away, moving towards the carriage that will take him to the uncertain future. Before he enters though, he clears his throat and addresses the servants, who have long gone quiet.

"Tomorrow, I will be a prisoner of war. You now have one opportunity to flee. To return to the families you were stolen from. Your service to me is no longer required."

The words send a spark through every person in the crowd, murmurs of shock spilling out rapidly as servants feel their Mana return to them after years of absence. People shuffle on the spot, unsure of their next steps, until one person simply vanishes, teleporting away.

The flood gates open, then. One by one, each of the people I had worked tooth and nail to keep safe disappear, heading to anywhere but fucking here. The last one to leave, a small Youkai woman of some kind, gives a glance at me before vanishing.

Then nothing.

Gehrman looks on with a small degree of relief in his eyes. I wonder now, is this all his penance? Was he so ashamed of how long he had let his family suffer that he didn't wish to impose those shackles on more people? Had he planned this, or is it merely opportunistic on his part?

I suppose I'll never know, because shortly afterwards Gehrman gets in the carriage and rides off into the distance, vanishing completely moments later.

I've no doubt I'll see him again. I just wonder if he'll be the same when we next meet.

------------------------------------

Consoling Grayfia was... a difficult task. I tried telling her that it's alright, that at least he isn't dead, but then she spoke of Pandemonia, of the 9 Layers and how death might have been a better alternative.

It wasn't just the punishment she was distraught over either. In her eyes, after years of being a shadow in her life her father was finally coming back, only to disappear yet again almost instantly.

There's far more than that troubling her. Even I can see that. But she doesn't speak it aloud, instead choosing to just weep into my chest for a while after her initial words.

I can't help but be confused by her. I thought it would be far more difficult to gain her trust, but so far she's been treating me like I hung the stars myself. She looks at me like I can do no wrong. I worry that Gehrman's absence will only amplify those feelings in her desperation to not be alone as well, to cause her to act irrationally...

Fucking hell, what if that's why she's calling me Master? What if she's so desperate for some form of lasting attachment that she's thrown herself into my service in the hopes that I don't abandon her?

Bloody hell, why do I have to play the therapist for people capable of destroying small countries?

...I guess I dont specifically have to. But really, I don't think I could live with myself if I just left her to spiral into a painful obsession now that I've inserted myself into her life.

Again, I curse my bleeding heart. Why couldn't I have been one of those sociopaths who just kills everyone and takes women by force. Would've saved me the fucking trouble.

Moving on from my own shortcomings though, it's been a few hours since the aforementioned consoling of Grayfia. Seeing as the both of us were exhausted, we settled for resting through the night in Gehrman's estate.

I was only able to sleep for a few hours at best. It wasn't a very pleasant sleep, but it was enough. Now, I've two very important matters to deal with.

The first is to take care of all my business with the System. The second is to tell Serafall about what happened over the last few days. I've no doubt it will be one of the most difficult conversations of my life.

Now then, Anya, what do I need to address?

[You have 64 Skill Tokens, Alduin's Egg is hatching, the Dungeon Tutorial is available, and there are 3 Quest Rewards to claim.]

Give me the quest rewards first, then I'll deal with the Skill Tokens.

Multiple Quests completed. Distributing rewards for all objectives...

1850XP!

Level Up x7 (21 Stat Points)

x3 Skill Tokens

x1 Skill Evolution Token

x3 Gacha Pulls

Hmm. Not as much as I was expecting, but I guess my perception has been skewed a bit after getting 64 levels from a single kill. Oh well, time to get to work.

Alistair Mammon (Luocha)

Level: 119 (30/260)

HP: 7840

MP: 4279

STR: 60

AGI: 65

INT: 60

VIT: 63

LUK: 39

I probably could've optimised more into AGI or VIT, but to be honest I wanted more Stat Skills. They're annoyingly useful.

60 STR Skill Unlocked!

War God's Blessing: User will gain STR equal to 5% of total STR for every 60 seconds spent in active combat, lasting until said combat encounter concludes.

Huh. That sounds utterly fucking busted. Can't I theoretically win any fight as long as I stay alive long enough to gain the STR needed to kill my opponent? Granted, my opponent needs to not kill me until it happens which is a tall asking, but it's still a really damn interesting thought.

60 INT Skill Unlocked!

Precitro Amale: All MP costs are reduced by a further 25%.

...that's fine I suppose, I'm not gonna complain at Skills that make my life easier. Now time to roll the shitty Skill Gacha.

[Before you deal with the Skill Tokens, you have Level Up Skills to acknowledge!]

Oh damn, I'd forgotten all about those. I must have a good few stacked up with all the levels I gained from killing Euclid.

Level 50 Skill Augment Unlocked!

Ablution of the Quick: While in a Circle of Life, User will deal 10% more damage.

Level 70 Skill Augment Unlocked!

Bestowal From the Pure: Prayer of the Abyss increases STR, AGI, INT and LUK by 10% after being cast, lasting until the next use.

...can't help but feel like these would have been incredibly useful against Bidleid. What's the point of making me acknowledge a new Skill before it's actually useable?

Level 100 Skill Unlocked:

Through the Valley: User cannot lose HP above 80% of max HP from a single attack.

Holy shit. An actual safety net. There isn't even a cooldown mentioned for this, theoretically I should be assassination proof. Not that I plan to make that claim and tempt Murphy.

[There we go! All caught up! Now, spend your Gacha and Skill Tokens to your hearts content, User!]

Hopefully the boosts in my LUK actually end up doing something. I can only take so much Sodium Knowledge before I start questioning what I'm doing wrong.

Fuck it, Gacha first, I'm a gambling man.

Interdimensional Gacha Used!

Talon Of Horus (EX): A lightning claw once wielded by the traitor Primarch, Horus Lupercal, former Warmaster of the Imperium. The blood of the Emperor was spilled with this weapon.

Ohohoho! Now that is a real fucking Gacha Pull! I'm not sure I'd even be able to wield it properly, but I don't think I can resist the temptation to try.

*Contains lingering traces of the Chaos Gods' influence.

Fuck that. No, no thanks; to the bottom of the inventory with you. Never, nuh uh. Next Pulls. Moving on.

Interdimensional Gacha Used!

Wheel of cheese (R): A large wheel of cheese. Parmesan to be precise.

Interdimensional Gacha Used!

Used slippers (R): Pre-used pair of slippers.

Sensational. I'd argue the cheese wheel is the most worthwhile item of the spread, which says just about everything I need to about this bloody Gacha.

Sadly, my rotten luck extended to most of the Skill Tokens. Quite a lot of them were downright silly. For example, I'm now adept at making origami, can identify the different spices used in a dish with a single bite and dabble in minor carpentry.

Not of all the Skills were so worthless, though.

Perfect Parry: Parries are now enhanced, granting you a moment of enhanced perception after successfully parrying an attack. Basic Spells can now be Parried.

Unfinished Business: If a target is below User's Level and has less than 30% HP, User can teleport to the targets current location. No range restriction. 250MP cost.

Blood Sacrifice: User can 'Sacrifice' 50% of HP to gain a 100% boost to AGI and STR. This places the HP used in the Sacrifice in stasis, meaning HP cannot exceed 50% of Max HP while the Skill is active. Lasts 300s. Cooldown of 360s.

Boon of Nezarec: User can sense Fear, and grows 10% stronger in all Stats when someone is afraid of them.

A glorious banquet of Skills. Finally, some good fucking rewards. With each day that passes, I grow more and more powerful. Speaking of power, I suppose now is as good a time as any to see about Dungeons.

[I have been eagerly awaiting this moment!]

[Dungeons are unique combat encounters the User can face that grant XP and other rewards upon completion!]

[Dungeons are not physical realms, though. They are constructed entirely within your mind, and involve battles against mythical figures from across the vast multiverse.]

[As such, the flow of Time is unchanged while you are in a Dungeon, but you are able to die and retry a Dungeon infinitely!]

That... could be worse, I suppose. If anything I'd rather that than be taking portals to Dungeons every other minute. I could never trust that the exit wouldn't just close on me forever.

It does however mean that my sleep schedule will be even more fragmented, given that I'll likely be spending most of my time in Dungeons when I should be asleep.

How does it work then, Anya? Do I simply say the word and voila? And please, tell me everything you know about Dungeons. I'm not risking being uninformed this time.

[Being as they are cognitive realms, you can enter a Dungeon at any time, and anywhere. There is a Dungeon Menu in your UI which shows you all available Dungeons.]

[Rewards are not distributed until completion, and there are many variants of Dungeons, from Horde Slaughter to Boss Battle. The difficulty and rewards for each Dungeon increase as your level does, to ensure they remain a permanent part of your progression.]

Hmm. That certainly makes sense, and is a decent enough way of keeping them relevant, but it's annoying that the rewards are only available on completion.

The Dungeon Menu is quite easy to navigate at least. Nothing more than a long list I can endlessly refresh, showing me a location, the Dungeon Type, and the enemy I'll be facing.

I hadn't realised just what 'mythical figures from across the multiverse' truly meant until I saw a Boss Battle Dungeon where the objective was to defeat fucking Goku. Safe to say I'll be staying away from that one for a long, long time.

[Please select the Tutorial Dungeon and we can continue on our guide!]

More tutorials. Of course. The tutorial in question is a Boss Battle, taking place in what looks to be a relatively normal city street. It doesn't show me anything of my opponent though.

Alright. Not like I can fully die in this anyways. How does this work, Anya? Do I just make the mental command and-

------------------------------------

-spawn inside of the Dunge...

...what the fuck? I didn't even get a chance to feel the transportation, it's as though I blinked and suddenly I'm somewhere entirely new.

Somewhere I eerily recognise as well. London. Of all the bloody places it had to be.

[Dungeon Objectives are active the instant you spawn in, User! Keep your guard up!]

Ominous. Made even worse by how foggy it is, how dark out it is as well. Come to think of it, I should be feeling quite emotional right now. Technically I'm back home, after so much strife.

But no, I quickly find that I don't much care. I've got a new life now, and an objective here. I can't waste time on nostalgia, or sit here and admire a black sky after so many nights of purple.

I'm getting sidetracked. This always seems to happen, I need to find a way to keep focused on a single-

DANGER

An Instinct in my brain screams at me to dodge, to get away, and I don't hesitate to oblige, throwing myself to the side as a black scalpel whizzes past where my head was not a few seconds ago.

Following the flight path, I turn my head and find myself staring at... a little girl? Covered head to toe in a long black robe, with white hair and piercing green eyes.

The UI affixes a skull above her head, and I realise with creeping dread that this is the Boss, the thing I need to kill to succeed.

That building dread however vanishes the second I cast Wandering Eye on her, dodging a second scalpel thrown my way as I do so.

Jack the Ripper

Heroic Spirit

Level 137

I beg your fucking pardon!? This, this bloody child is the Ripper!? No, focus Ali. This is no time to be losing your head over absurdities.

"You shouldn't be here. We don't like you."

I make my move shortly after her lovely words, dashing forward as fast as I can throw my body, Harbinger poised to cleave her head from her shoulders.

Moments before contact, she shirks the robe and lifts two butchers knives to block the broadsword, sparks grinding as she struggles to hold the blade back.

-30MPx5!

All around her, my Magic Circle manifests and sends five separate stakes of ice in her direction, and I watch with slight awe as she ducks low, sliding beneath my legs to avoid the constructs, slicing both of my Achilles as she does so.

As quick as a flash though, I cast a Prayer on myself and a helping of Gravity Magic, slamming her down into the ground and halting her momentum, leaving her open target to the Harbinger's shotgun.

-179MP!

I raise the barrel to her head, but before I can pull the trigger I'm forced to lift the blade and hastily block a knife poised for my guts, fastened to her shoes as she simply shrugs off the amplified force of Gravity upon her.

A second, followed by a third and fourth slash towards my intestines is further deflected by the broad blade of the Harbinger, but after the final strike I push forward and try to skewer her on the sword's end.

I'm met with only mild success, as this fucking child somersaults away from the blade, receiving only a minor scratch as a result. With distance between us, I get to planning.

She's nimble, fast, and each limb is a dangerous weapon. I need to fight smart, since she's much faster than me.

The Ripper dashes forward once more, bouncing between the lampposts and running along the walls of the buildings on either side of us, her knives poised to strike.

Less than a second before impact, I lower Harbinger and clear my head, waiting.

DANGER

Like clockwork, the second I feel the Instinct I slash upwards with all my might, parrying the attack and shattering her guard, leaving her completely exposed to an attack as Perfect Parry kicks in.

With my perception enhanced, time slows to a crawl for a few brief moments. I watch, amused, as the anticipation in her eyes turns to horror upon seeing the Freikugel ready to fire in my palm.

Unfortunately, I'm not so lucky as to win that easily.

The horror I see in her quickly turns to glee as something in the air shifts, and I lose any semblance of calm as nothing but pure agony takes hold of my body.

-1570HP!

-1570HP!

-1570HP!

-1570HP!

Four daggers cut me apart from the inside, having manifested within my entrails and forcefully torn their way out as they move towards Jack. I can't heal the wound until they exit my body, so I'm forced to grit my teeth and endure the pain, blocking several hundred slashes from her blades as I continue to back away.

The pain only grows with each second, and the pressure keeps mounting as sparks fly violently between us, my limbs growing weak as HP continues to fall.

When the daggers finally fall from my eviscerated stomach, I cast a Prayer as quick as I can and instantly feel the agony wash over into cold fury.

7840HP!

I'd gone soft. Despite knowing it isn't real, I couldn't bring myself to go all out against something that looks so eerily like a child. I will not make that mistake again.

When I next look up at the young Ripper I see her grabbing the bloodied daggers with delight as she affixes them to her hands and feet, not giving me a moment of reprieve as she throws herself back into the fray.

Just as I wanted. Before she reaches me, I slam Caduceus into the ground and cast Circle of Life, cutting off any escape routes.

Seeing as I was now defenseless, I also summon my Doppelganger directly in her flight path, the clone quickly dashing forward and battering her away into the invisible wall of the zone while she was still caught off guard by its appearance.

Seconds later, she's right back up, barely winded by the blow to her chest. Unfortunately, the battle had long since ended the second I raised the Circle.

She fights to the bitter end, though, never once losing her insane attacking speed. This time, however, every swipe of her daggers, every slash and every stab is met with Caduceus' blade deftly parrying the strike as she fights a war on two fronts.

Tens of times per second, she swings at us, twisting and curling her body in disturbing ways to make use of each dagger, to make her every movement as unpredictable as possible, but she's slowly being backed into a corner.

When she reaches said corner I back away for a moment, using the Doppelganger to keep her attention as I charge a Spell. Seconds later, my Magic Circle has manifested on the ground both above and beneath her.

It is not a pretty death. When the screaming dies down and the scorching geysers of flame disappear, there's nothing left of her but soft particles of light withering away.

[Boss Battle Complete! Performance Assessment: C Rank!]

I'm not surprised. I didn't utilise my kit to the fullest extent, allowed myself to take a mortal wound through my negligence.

I probably should've waited until I'd fully recovered from my trip to Lucifaad before fighting someone 20 levels above me, but I'm nothing if not ambitious.

[Congratulations, User! I'll admit, I'm impressed! I didn't expect you to defeat a Heroic Spirit, especially when you knew nothing of their legend, but I guess having immortality cheats helps with that.]

What are you even saying? You didn't expect me to win? Were you planning for my death against Jack?

[Yes! I wanted to acclimate you to the feeling of dying so that you would not panic at it in the future, and would not fear the possibility of death in a Dungeon.]

You have an unnatural talent for doing nice things in quite possibly the shittest ways.

Dungeon: Jack the Ripper, Cleared! Rewards:

2000EXP

x6 Level Up! (18 Stat Points)

x1 Holy Grail Fragment

I hated every minute of that. I'm not sure I ever want to go into a Dungeon again.