We're Done with This Dungeon!

A few moments earlier when Faruk abruptly stopped his magic due to Oria entering his line of attack, he immediately warned her.

"Oria, wait, don't go! You're going to trigger its…!"

But those words of his fell on deaf ears. She was deeply focused on taking down the monster, despite her tired condition. In one final strike, she swung her magical knife, conjuring a sparkling horizontal silver slash towards the giant Mollis.

Suddenly, the monster went into berserker mode as a last resort attack. It unleashed a force field that negated the impending strike, sacrificing all its eyes and antennae.

As Oria was befuddled by the unexpected situation, Faruk thought something in less than a second.

"(Tsk! After its final attack, the Mega Mollis will try to incinerate its foes and swallow them whole. At this rate, it will certainly consume Oria without her ever knowing what's going on! This is bad. No, this is absolutely the worst. My entire life is on the line HERE!)"

Everything moved incredibly slow in Faruk's eyes, as his thoughts works faster than a blink of an eye.

"(Quick, Faruk… perform thine best abilities to the fullest and exterminate 'tis foe without harming the feeble child!)"

Faruk released a restraint in the Observer sphere. But when he gazed at the little girl again, he was in for a surprise.

"(W-What… is she trying to do!?)" Faruk watched the slow-moving Oria in midair, pulling her knife to the back of her head. "(Is she still poised to slay the vile beast?! No! With that simple witchcraft weapon, thy shall not succeed no matter how hard you try! Thou must destroy the monster's core in one blow if you wish to slay it!)"

Meanwhile, in Oria's point of view…

"N-No…! (No way! My… my Argent Slash is… gone!? Ah, but I see the core magistone clearly! I need to destroy it. But my knife won't be able to reach it!

Longer… I need a longer tool…!)"

Finally, her mind revealed her a memory of one of her skills that might help.

"(That's right… that weapon is long enough! I'll use [Weapon Witchcraft] to make it!)"

Oria drew her magical knife to the back, reverting it quickly to the ordinary wand. At the same time, too, she used her [Weapon Witchcraft] skill to create another weapon.

And now, much to Faruk's surprise, Oria's wand transforms into a glistening pole, whereas the top edge protrudes out a curved blade. She successfully formed a scythe. But that weapon wasn't holding on stably.

Quickly, Oria gives all her remaining might and swings her newly formed scythe and stabs through the squishy monster all the way through to its core magistone.

"Haaaa!"

She thrusts harder, causing the once only slightly cracked stone a severe shattering. Ultimately, the shining magistone crystal breaks apart inside the body of the Mega Mollis. At the same time, Oria's scythe weapon reverts due to her overwhelming fatigue. The little girl lands safely, yet she kneels the instant she touched down.

Silence taken over the room.

Faruk turned speechless by her outstanding final attack. He was captivated, somehow giving him a sense of nostalgic and proudness at the same time.

At long last, the Mega Mollis moved no longer. Followingly, all parts of its body melt. In the middle of that process, almost too soon, the melting body evaporates into sparkles of light, leaving nothing but the shattered pieces of once known as the core magistone.

The child is victorious.

She is tired, obvious from her heavy panting and sweat all over her body.

Almost instantly, too, Oria receives tons of information from the system. Five of them tells her an increase of level in her passive skills.

<Conditions are met. Passive Skill: Strategist Lv.3 is reached!>

<Conditions are met. Passive Skill: Knife Lv.4 is reached!>

<Conditions are met. Passive Skill: Sickle Lv.7 is reached!>

<Conditions are met. Passive Skill: Pathfinder Lv.2 is reached!>

<Conditions are met. Passive Skill: Survivor Lv.4 is reached!>

Another one is an upgrade in her [Weapon Witchcraft] skill. Surprisingly, it is upped by two levels at once.

<Conditions are met. Magic Skill: Weapon Witchcraft Lv.4 is reached!>

Lastly, her status level is greatly increased.

<Experience points has reached a required amount. You have reached level 5! Status increased significantly.>

<ORIA ARGENTORA>

LV: 3 => 5

HP: 704 => 1004

MP: 10,000==*#R!

ATK: 54 => 68

DEF: 36 => 48

MAT: 94 => 110

MDF: 75 => 95

SPD: 13 => 15

Oria's energy is full once again. In the following moments of her major level increase, Faruk, who was captivated finally spoke to his protégé.

"Oria…" he said lowly.

"Ahh… umm… y-yes…?" remaining on her knees, she looked at him while slightly lowering her head, preparing herself for the impending thousands of scolding words.

Soon Faruk let his voice out, "…id it."

"I'm sorry?" Oria couldn't hear him right.

"Oria… you did it. You actually… did it."

For the first time in 500 years, Faruk fails to express how the outcome has come to this. He certainly doesn't expect it to happen. The Observer eye, however, is enough to show what he's feeling. It displays not the eye of rage, but more of a humble, proudful eye.

"Ehh… ehehe, umm… t-to be honest, I'm not quite sure that last attack would work or not. But I'm glad it worked! Heehee!"

"You… truly have surpassed my expectations, child," Faruk's voice hoarsened a little. "That final blow was a remarkable one. But still, truth be told, I wouldn't simply let you go scot-free for your risky attack!"

"E-Errgh…" Oria pouted in regret. But that remorseful face turns brighter when Faruk says an unexpected thing to her.

"…But for this occasion, I, Faruk Argentora, shall let it pass."

"E-Eh? Really?"

"Hm. After all, you have shown something that I did not know of. You have an aptitude in using a scythe. Your last blow was indeed risky, but you pushed yourself to see that the monster is killed. Though, it's not the best attack, but you have certainly brought a tear of nostalgia to mine eyes."

"U-Uh… thank you?"

In a gentle voice, he nods to her, "Hm. You're welcome."

"Oh, right… I got leveled up a lot, you know!" she exclaimed.

"Haha. Obviously. Ye who slew the vile beast of this dungeon by thine own hands… certainly you are granted a grandiose amount of experience."

"Heehee. I guess! But it's kinda cool I reached level 5 so soon."

"That is, of course, the result of defeating a dungeon boss, Oria. It netted a ton of experience points, allowing you to level up. (Although, my [EXP Tripler] must've played a major role in that.)"

"Is that so…?"

"Hm. Now that the monster is slain, you have officially finished today's training, Oria. Congratulations."

"Oh… oh, yeah… the training's finished for today… YAAAY!" The young girl stands up and jumps gleefully, celebrating her accomplishment. "Ahh… I did it! The training's done for today…"

Amidst of her teary happiness, Faruk comments out, "You certainly think of finishing the training above all else, huh…"

"Hm! I'm really glad it's over! I mean, you told me that if I don't finish this dungeon, we won't be able to get out! Now that it's done, I'm sooo relieved!"

"(Huh, I did say that didn't I?)"

"Haaah…" the young girl felt a heavy burden being lifted off her shoulders.

"So, when will we go home, Faruk?" Oria asked in a childish manner.

"Home?"

"Hm! Home!"

"(I suppose she's referring to the mountain cave…) *sigh* it cannot be helped. Let us first leave this dungeon."

"Oh, what about those magistones on the floor?" she pointed out those shattered crystals lying about. "Can we carry them along?"

"Hmph. But of course. After all, it is yours to have."

"Yay! But how are we going to take it? I'm not strong enough to carry all of them at once…"

"Have you forgotten, child? All your gathered items were stored within me. Fear not, I shall carry the rest, too. And now…"

Slowly, a massive magic circle fitting the large circular platform is generated.

"How pretty… umm, Faruk, what's going on?"

"This is a spatial magic that shall activate upon the defeat of the dungeon boss. It'll take us back to our starting point."

"Whoa… that's cool…!"

Soon, Oria and the Silver Dragon is blanketed by the calm light of the magic circle. Finally, both are teleported back to the Raskiel Mountain Shrine, in the room just before they enter the pungent dungeon.

Upon their arrival, Oria feels like she entered heaven. The comforting atmosphere of the shrine and the alluring view of the architecture complimented by the calm flow of sparkling waters made her feel extremely relieved. What she did first is gathering air with her nose, though.

"Haaah… we're back. The smell of this place is really soothing, isn't it, Faruk?"

"Hm. I agree. Shall we head back to the entrance?"

"Sure do!"

As the two stride happily back to the entrance door, Oria's eyes capture a surprising sight.

"Oh, look! My bag is still there!"

Oria notices her equipment bag is still lying by the entrance, untouched. In fact, it's still there exactly how she had put it before. When she examined the bag, all its contents were still intact. The young girl lifts the bag and carries it with her again. Shortly, a pouch of seed fell off.

"Eeep. Aahh, how careless of me…" she bends her knees to pick it up. Shortly, she notices the seed being the rozferul flower seeds. She glares at Faruk, who still has the rozferul flower crown on the Observer sphere.

"What?"

"Oh… heehee. Nooothing."

"Hrrmph… don't start becoming a cryptic being like Dux, Oria."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Off we go, then."

Faruk glides ahead of her. With the same technique he used before, he makes the door opens, along with the cliff opening, allowing passage for them to leave. And when they reach outside… it's already sundown.

"Uwaah…! It's already this late?"

"Huh… it sure does. I had thought that we'd finish this dungeon in less than five hours. It turned out to be longer than I suspected."

"Ehehehe… s-sorry…"

"Perish the thought, Oria. After all, it benefits you greatly with higher stats as of now, no?"

"Heehee, yeah! It feels really satisfying to level up! Getting treasures was also fun!"

"(I certainly hope you do not commit yourself to treasure hunting forever… sheesh, what have I done?) So, what do you think of the dungeon? Are you willing to go through it again?"

"What?! No way! It smells terrible in there! The monsters are scary, too!"

"But you've grown stronger. Surely, you'd pass through easily the next time you enter it."

"U-Ugh… I guess… b-but I don't wanna go back in there for the time being. …You w-won't be mad, right…?"

"Fear not, little one. I'm satisfied for now. But still, your trainings are still a long way to go through. Better steel yourself for that."

"W-What?"

"Do you not wish to become stronger? To see the outside world along with the treasure from that human named Hilda?"

Oria reflectively looked at her amulet on her chest. "…You're right, Faruk. Miss Hilda pleaded me to take her precious treasure to the outside world with me. I must become stronger. Or else… her efforts to free me would end in vain. I… don't want that to happen."

"Hm. That resolve is enough, Oria."

"Mm. Until then, I'll be glad to train with you, Faruk."

"Hm. Certainly. (A little human girl training with a former Guardia… heh, what would the world think of this unorthodoxy? The Silver Dragon Lord took a child of man as his protégé… now that I think about it, I took her in as respect for her brave words. Now I realize… it was more responsibility for me to handle.

It is not just her that should get ready. I, myself, should prepare for the turn of the tide, too.)"

"Shall we go, Faruk?"

"Hm—oh, wait."

Suddenly, Faruk receives a call from someone. A screen pops up in front of his eye, surprising little Oria.

"What's that!?"

For a moment, Faruk stares at the screen seriously, squinting the Observer eye to it. It raises reticence. Shortly, a beep sound is heard, and from the screen, a familiar voice, shrilly and funny, tears the short-lived silence.

"Nyuuuhuhuhuhu~! Faruk, I have come with an interesting news for you!"