Ready, set

"So let me get this straight. You were attacked by three purple humans, couldn't run because they were too strong and fast... so you killed them and brought me their clothes."

The idiot in front of me nodded, grinning like a dog wagging its tail after dropping a dead pigeon at its owner's feet. I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. Honestly, it didn't matter all that much. The Takemikazuchi Familia were nobodies, bottom-tier cannon fodder at best—except that...Mokoto? girl. If she survived long enough, she would've developed gravity magic, which might've been interesting. 

Alas, I didn't want to waste too much time hunting fodders on the upper floors when I could just keep pushing deeper, level the fuck up, and steamroll them later whenever it was convenient.

Still... Wasn't Mokito some kind of martial arts prodigy? ninja, sword master, judo expert, the whole shebang?

 I glanced at Golbin. 

He looked back at me with a blank stare, like a cat watching a washing machine spin. Nah, this wasn't adding up.

"Golbin, stay still," I said, crouching down next to him. I needed to check his "Falna." I put that in quotation marks mentally because, unlike actual falnas, Golbin's wasn't a neat readout of numbers and stats.

 This might have been because I didn't know jack shit about Falnas and wasn't even trying to create one when I revived the little guy. As a result, there were no levels, no stats listed out clearly—just a jumbled mess of letters that didn't make any sense. Normally, it was useless.

But this time, there were actual words forming out of the chaos.

A skill's description.

"Fines Mortis...Edge of Death ... Become stronger the closer one is to death... Consumes any other skills to strengthen this power..."

I read it again, blinking. What the hell?

Did he subconsciously figure out that if he developed anything useful, I'd rip it out of his corpse? Did his soul decided to forge the one skill I wouldn't want? 

This was...smart, I couldn't deny.

The only ability that wouldn't tempt me to devour him, lest I shoot myself in the foot by accident.

"How interesting," I muttered, glancing at Golbin. He still had that same goofy look, like he didn't have a single coherent thought in that tiny skull of his, but even this was proof that he was changing. A few days ago he would have been shivering.

Should I tell him about this skill, I wondered.

Despite everything, he was proving to be a good subordinate. If nothing else, he was useful for scouting, and since he had killed a future harem member of the Harem Lord himself, his fate was sealed anyway. Even if he crawled on his knees for forgiveness for daring to defend himself, nobody would care. 

Alas, if he knew about the skill, he might get overconfident. Conversely, if he didn't know, he might never reach mastery.

Eh, something to worry about later.

 I straightened up and looked around, taking in the surroundings. We were on the 16th floor of the Dungeon, deep into the Cave Labyrinth. 

From the 13th floor onward, everything was bedrock—walls, floors, ceiling. The air was heavy and damp, sticking to my armor like a wet rag. The light, dim and scattered, barely cut through the darkness, giving the place a claustrophobic feel. The tunnels twisted and overlapped, upper and lower levels intertwining in a mess of stone corridors. Sometimes, vertical holes yawned open beneath your feet, leading down into even deeper darkness.

And now, it was time for the Hail Mary, wasn't it? I grinned as I looked at the entrance to the 17th floor. 

The stone archway loomed ahead, wide and ominous, like the mouth of a beast. The air felt even heavier. Water dripped from above, splashing into small puddles at my feet, each echoing like a distant heartbeat. 

A small white fire blossomed in my palm.

Whatever could go wrong?

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Hellhounds - 45/100

Choose 2:

1. Fire Breath - The user can expel flames from their mouth, capable of setting targets ablaze or creating a burst of fire in front of them. (Based on mana expediture)

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2. Forged in Hell - The user has medium heat resistance, allowing them to withstand high temperatures without suffering burns or damage. 

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3. Hellhound Sense of Smell - The user's sense of smell is heightened, allowing them to detect scents from miles away and track targets based on their unique odors. The skill also helps identify different magical auras and the presence of heat sources, making it easier to hunt and locate prey.

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Almiraj - 10/100

Choose 2:

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1. Danger Sense (Low) - The user has a basic instinct for detecting nearby threats, giving them a slight warning when in immediate danger. 

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2. Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers - The user's muscles are optimized for speed and strength, granting a +20% increase in both attributes. (Duplicate - merges with identical trait to strengthen it to 30% increase)

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3. Martial Talent - The user learns fighting techniques 30% faster, enabling them to quickly adapt and master new combat skills. 

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Ligerfangs - 16/100

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Choose 2:

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1. Feline Flexibility - The user's body gains the flexibility and agility of a feline, allowing them to twist, turn, and move with exceptional grace. 

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2. Prey Chaser - The user can induce fear in those who are weaker, causing them to hesitate or flee. This fear effect can be resisted by those with strong mental resilience or powerful wills, but weaker foes may become paralyzed or disoriented.

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3. Lion's Pride - The user gains minor resistance to mental attacks causing fear, confusion, or intimidation. 

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Infant Dragon - 3/10

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Choose 1:

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1. Crimson Scales - The user's scales are as tough as steel, providing solid defense against physical attacks. 

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2. Draconic Blood - The user possesses draconic blood, granting a +50% increase in magical capacity and regeneration. 

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3. Fire Starter - The user's affinity with fire magic is enhanced, increasing the potency of fire-based spells and attacks by +30%. 

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Story choices : 

Tell Golbin about his skill? (Y/N)

Take Golbin along on the 17th floor? (Y/N)