Chapter 6

— Nine Years Until The End of Yggdrasil —

"Fuck you, let me cook!"

"Don't let this motherfucker cook!"

"I don't know Ulbert, the fire is lit, and the spider is stirring!"

"Don't fucking encourage him! He's going to burn down the kitchen!" Ulbert shouted as I slashed through the dragon's body, killing it.

"You said what?" I asked smugly.

"Shut up." Ulbert stepped past me, going deeper into the dungeon.

"I thought you were cool, Kakuei!" Bukubukuchagama cooed, walking beside me.

"Thanks, Chagama." I grinned, walking after my goat friend.

"Don't mind Ulbert, Kakuei. "Waah, someone stole my kill! Waah, I wanted to level up!" Fuck that bitch Ulbert." Peroronchino mocked Ulbert. The Goat demon turned around, his staff glowing, and Pero looked away, inspecting the cave walls as if they were the most exciting thing in the world.

"You can have the next one, Ulbert." I tried to compromise, earning a short and hesitant nod from the guy. "Such a tsundere."

"I'll kill you."

"You'll die trying."

"Never change, Kakuei!" Touch Me shouted, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "We World Champions fight for justice and honor, and never let Ulbert's weak spirit defeat your passion for justice!"

"For the love of all things unholy, Touch Me, shut the fuck up." Ulbert groaned, and Touch Me laughed.

"Fight me, evildoer; let us settle this in a battle of strength and courage!" Touch Me offered, knowing what Ulbert's answer would be. The Arch Demon turned back around and kept walking. "A shame, I would have loved to test my [World Break] skill."

"Maybe next time." I grinned, and Touch Me returned it.

"Indeed."

"If you two are done bullying Ulbert, we have a Raid Boss to kill." Vampira stepped past us, heading deeper into the dungeon.

"It doesn't spawn for like two hours." I shrugged. "Why are you in such a rush?"

"You know how she is." Joni stepped forward, walking beside us. Momonga followed him seconds later. "She wants more power. Gotta kill those bastards in Seraphim, after all."

"I mean, yeah, but right now? Our guild only has twenty members; why are we in such a rush to challenge them? They have like thirty last I checked."

"Forty now." Joni corrected, and my eyes widened. "They are growing fast, and though Guilds cap at fifty players, they have smaller clans and even another guild that takes orders from them."

"I'm well aware of that." I frowned, falling into thought. It wasn't just Seraphim that we were up against, but Asgard in its entirety. The people of Seraphim were powerful, sure, but beyond that, they had way too many people working under them at the maximum level. It made any plans on attacking them impossible, less we wish to get wiped out.

"Plus, it looks like they're gearing up for a massive crusade on Nazarick," Momonga added, which was very worrying.

It's been five months since we formed our guild, and we were prioritizing reinforcing Nazarick over anything else. We had a few base NPCs created, but considering we had to level them up, they were still low-level and wouldn't be near max any time soon.

"We'll be fine; our positioning and the horrible high-level swamps around Nazarick are our natural protection." Tabula Smaragdina stepped past us and sped walked to catch up to Ulbert.

"He's right." I nodded. "I'm sure they'll attack in the future, but not anytime soon; I think I have something planned for them…but for that to work, we'll need to level up the NPCs and kill a few Raid Bosses."

"Well, let's finish this dungeon and get ready!" Touch Me held his sword into the air before bolting down the tunnel at full speed.

"Ever the energetic lifeform." Joni smirked as we bolted after Touch Me.

"He chose the right race; insects never pause in their everlasting annoyance, much like humans." Ulbert agreed as we passed him; he and Tabula sped up, following us to the boss's room.

When we arrived, we saw Vampira battling a level 100 dragon wearing black armor covering its entire body.

"I need that drop," Joni said, drawing his spear from his back with a toothy grin. "The midnight armor ain't no joke."

"You don't gotta tell us." I frowned, scrutinizing the armor.

[Midnight Armor Set (Rank - Mythical) - This armor has been worn by the powerful dragon, Maliketh, for millennia, thousands of years before Yggdrasil's Roots began growing throughout the realms. (Wearer is granted the skill - Midnight Aura)

"Although I have to tell you, Joni. I need this armor way more than you do." I grinned, launching forward.

"Hey, you bastard!" Joni shouted, following my lead as I pulled Gram out of my inventory and slashed the massive dragon's armor.

"GRAAHHHH!" The dragon roared, swiping its massive gauntlet-clad claw at me. I dodged the attack, getting blown back by the wind the attack generated. Joni followed my attack by stabbing his spear through the cracks of the dragon's armor.

[Dungeon Boss - Maliketh 'The Destroyer' Black (Lvl. 100)]

[-13,000 HP]

[132,000/150,000 HP]

"Nice hit!" I shouted, getting launched back. I looked to Vampira, who stepped back from the battle. She had come before us, yet she hadn't landed a hit?

That girl was always scheming; I wondered what it was this time.

"Let me!" Touch Me shouted, holding his bright blue sword, with golden lining and accents, high in the air.

[Holy Blade 'Durandal' (Rank - World) - This blade is blessed by Yggdrasil herself, gifted to the player 'Touch Me' after completing the quest 'Realm For Realm' (This sword is bound to Player - Touch Me)]

"Touch Me, get the fuck outta the way with your bullshit blade!" Joni shouted, dropping into his stance as he rushed the massive dragon again.

"Joni, that is no way for a World Champion to speak! I expect a twelve-page apology written tomorrow and no double spaces!"

"Eat my ass!" Joni gritted his teeth as he used his spear to block a claw swipe from the dragon. The dragon reared its head back, opening its maw. "Oh shit…"

"Breath attack!" I shouted; both Joni and I jumped behind Touch Me, who planted his shield down in front of us.

"RAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Blackish purple flames erupted from the dragon's mouth, blasting hard against Touch Me's shield, pushing him and, by extension, us back.

"Good thing your shield is busted!" I grinned as the dragon attack came to an end.

"As long as it is fueled by justice, nothing can pass its metal." Touch Me said, kissing his shield. "Now, let's slay this dragon and reap the rewards."

""Right!"" Joni and I nodded, rushing the dragon. I wound my arm back, aiming between the dragon's eyes, and threw Gram hard.

*BOOM*

"GRAAAHHH!"

[-8,000 HP]

[124,000/150,000 HP]

The blade impacted my target hard. Blackish-red energy zapped around the blade as the dragon roared in pain.

"I'm going!" Joni shouted, "Momonga, Ulbert!"

"R-Right!" Momonga pulled her staff from her inventory, as did Ulbert. Magic started to gather around them.

"Ancient One, Wish III, Vampira, move your asses!" I shouted, running at the dragon with plans of backing up Joni. "Pero, air support, Buku, stall it!"

"Easily done!" Pero nodded smugly. With a flap of his wings, he was in the air, already sending a barrage of arrows down on the poor dragon. Bukubukuchagama slid her way around the dragon aggroing it off of Joni, and with her fluid motions, it didn't have a fucking chance at hitting her.

The ultimate weakness of dragons is that they are all slow.

I jumped onto the dragon's head, getting its attention on me as it tried to shake me off. "Vampira!" I roared, plucking my blade from its head before ramming it back in again and again.

[- 23,261 HP]

[100,739/150,000 HP]

"Quit whining." She scoffed, forming a giant ball of blood before dividing it into five blood-red spears.

I jumped off the head, avoiding the spears as they slammed into the dragon's head, specifically its eyes.

"URGRAAAAH!"

[-3,974 HP]

[96,765/150,000 HP]

[Dungeon Boss - Maliketh 'The Destroyer' Black (Lvl.100; Status: Blinded)

"Everyone, now!" I shouted, gathering magic in Gram. The blade hummed black and red as magic circulated around my body with violent vibrations.

Pero stopped rapidly firing arrows and poured a bunch of his mana into a single arrow as he drew his bow. Wish III and Ancient One moved in, attacking the stunned yet thrashing dragon from close range. Nishikienrai slipped through the shadows, attacking and disappearing back into the shadows like he was never there. Touch Me, Joni, and I reared our swords back and waited for Ulbert and Momonga to finish.

"Ready!" Momonga shouted.

"Then do it!" I shouted back, and a massive blast of fire magic was launched at the dragon.

[-120,000 HP]

[0/150,000 HP]

[Dungeon Boss - Maliketh 'The Destroyer' Black has used 'Comeback!']

"Get ready!" I roared, looking to my left to see Touch Me's blade lit in golden light, then to Joni to see his spear swirling with blue light.

[Dungeon Boss - Evolution Complete; Maliketh 'The World Eater' Black (Lvl.100)

[300,000/300,000 HP]

The dragon's body had grown several times its original size, and now it was thrashing around even more violently than before, as if it had gone berserk.

"Now!" I grit my teeth, launching my blade forward. Touch Me and Joni mimicked my actions while Vampira jumped above the dragon and launched the same skill as the rest of us.

'World Break!'

Each of our slashes connected with weak spots of the dragon, and as a result, its pain-filled roar filled the cavern.

"GRAAHGURGHHH!"

[- 257,389 HP]

[42,611/300,000 HP]

"It's mine!" Vampira shouted, following up our attack with a series of several lighter strikes.

"Bitch, I knew you were up to something!" Joni roared angrily, attempting to do the same while the dragon was stunned.

I moved forward, launching my blade into the dragon, and grit my teeth as I looked at the health.

[-39,352 HP]

[3,259/300,000 HP]

"Shit!" I shouted, and then a flash of white passed me, striking the dragon one last time.

[-13,269 HP]

[0/300,000 HP]

[Dungeon Boss - Maliketh 'The World Eater' Has Been Slain!]

[+0 EXP (Lvl.100/100)]

[Dungeon Drops - Maliketh's Soul]

I grinned at the soul drop. Sure, it wasn't the mythical armor, but another soul for Gram to feast on was always appreciated.

I pulled the bluish-black light of Maliketh's soul out from my inventory and pushed it against Gram.

[Would You Like To Feed 'Maliketh's Soul to Cursed Sword Gram?]

[Y/N]

I clicked yes and the soul flew into Gram, the sword lighting up in crimson light for a bit before dimming down.

[Gram's Hunger Continues]

Fuck! I thought that would be the one to turn Gram into a World Item, but it looks like I was wrong.

"I got the armor!" Touch Me held his sword in the air. All eyes locked on him as everyone started to move towards us.

"Give it to me!" Joni demanded.

"I don't think I want to; you don't embody justice well enough." Touch Me crossed his arms and turned away.

"I-I, let me have it; I'll be a paragon of justice forever!" Joni pleaded, but Touch Me shook his head once.

"Touch Me; you remember all the times I saved players and all the Justice Stamps I gave you?" Vampira asked, slithering her way over. "You'll give me the armor, won't you, Dear?"

"Last I checked, I had to buy those stamps from you, and didn't I save those players?" Touch Me pondered, and the stilling of Vampira was his answer.

"Yo, Touch Me," I said, earning everyone in the Guild's attention. "Pretty please, let me have it."

"Well, since you asked nicely!"

"..."

"No fucking way!" Vampira shouted in outrage. "That was all you needed?! Someone to ask nicely?!"

"I am a simple insect with simple ambitions. Ask nicely, and you shall receive in the name of justice!" Touch Me posed before sending me a trade request. He dropped the armor in, and I gave him a single coin of Yggdrasil currency. He accepted the trade, and I grinned at the new armor set in my inventory.

Yes, I would need to enchant the ever-living shit out of this set, but there was only one Midnight Armor in the game, and I was now the proud owner of it. I equipped the armor and observed how it fit my character. All-black armor radiated purplish-black energy and had spikes covering it when in battle mode, and when normal, it was just sleek black armor with a nice dark shine to it.

"Fuck me in the ass and call me Sally!" Joni shouted in anger, slamming his hands on the ground hard. "Fuck!"