Kotori and Amelie once again entered the dungeon. They quickly cleared the skeletons floors and then made their way to Nero’s Throne room

As they  approached the imposing doors Kotori felt a shred of danger and had Amelie push it aside while she casted a Umi bonused level mana buff and prepared to fight

Sato Kotori

Race: [Human] Age: 9

HP: 83 (+54!) 

Mana: 1/27

Agility: 74 (+54)

Strength: 70 (+54)

Defense: 69 (+54)

Karma: -100,008,304

Skills: [Magic Musician], [Hunter], [Desire of Monte Cristo](Removed)

Traits: [Spirit Seer], [Monte Cristo], [＊*ーか＊](NEW!)

 

Dirt Spirit (Shu)

Race: [Spirit] Age: 2

HP: 63 (+54!) 

Mana: 14 

Agility: 63 (+54!) 

Strength: 67 (+54!) 

Defense: 72(+54!) 

Skills: [Rock Bullet]

Traits: [Earth Spirit] 

 

Water Spirit (Umi)

Race: [Spirit] Age: 0

HP: 69 (+54!) 

Mana: 1/28 

Agility: 71 (+54!) 

Strength: 62 (+54!) 

Defense: 66 (+54!) 

Skills: [Water blade] [Mana Flow]

Traits: [Water Spirit]

 

Amelie 

Race: [Half Wood Elf] Age: 18

HP: 84 (+54!) 

Mana: 0 

Agility: 78 (+54!) 

Strength: 79 (+54!) 

Defense: 76 (+54!) 

Skills: [Ninjistu]

Traits: [Wood Elf's Blessing]

 

She once again checked the stats of Nero who sat in the room

Grave Lord Nero

Race: [Dungeon beast] Age: 144   

HP: 200

Mana: 0

Agility:  86 

Strength: 165

Defense:  184

Karma: [N/A]

Skills: [Overlord]

Traits: [Shinigami]

 

[Happy birthday] she thought as she noticed Nero had gained another year in age. It had been three months since they last showed up here and it seemed like Nero’s birthday had passed during that time.

Aa they walked slightly closer, his eyes seemed to flare and the once dark pockets became lit with a red light. Steam came off Nero’s body as he slowly stood from the throne. Kotori felt a rumbling in the room as Nero came to life. 

The skeleton tar colors limbs began to move and grip the great sword hanging near it. When Kotori saw Nero stand up she realized that Nero was not a human skeleton. He stood over 10 feet tall and had lanky looks as a result of his skeletal appearance.

Despite having a humanoid appearance Nero was definitely not human in the slightest. 

As Nero lumbered towards them Kotori and her party executed their plan.

Shu and Umi ran forward as a front liner. Amelie and Kotori would play as flankers to draw attention and take aggro.

It was a very simple strategy that would ensure no one had the full attention of the boss. Despite having lower stats Kotori had a feeling they would win based on a simple concept.

“Action economy”

Although they were 4 fighters with lower stats. They had enough actions that they could overwhelm Nero with numbers.

While one party member distracted Nero the rest would land hits on the back of Nero

It was a sufficient strategy to kill Nero and was very similar to the strategy they used to kill the Lizard monster in the forest.

It should’ve been sufficient. 

Right?

After fighting Nero for a while although their strategy was working in the beginning. It was getting hard?

They were having a harder time fighting Nero. She couldn’t find as many angles and it seemed like Nero was becoming smarter?

This didn’t make sense, dungeon monsters couldn’t learn they were masses of mana after all.

The skeletons Nero’s dungeons lacked any sort of intelligence. And would just run into their deaths.

Kotori once again looked into Nero’s eyes and she saw it. 

Within the light of Nero’s eye’s there was a faint glint of intelligence.

Nero the “Dungeon Monster” had a sense of self.

Kotori’s heart was painted with shock. 

“Back off!” She said

As if sensing her realization Nero instantly swung his sword at Shu. Shu who was not ready to dodge was hit and the greatsword crashed against him. Fortunately, in his spirit buffed form he was not cut but the sword essentially acted like a club and his tortoise-like shell was cracked with shards breaking away from it. He was leaking mana which made Kotori realize that the hit was strong enough to damage Shu’s spiritual form.

“Shu!” She yelled out of concern.

Shu quickly lept out of the way rumbling in pain.

He was still slow and Nero swung back his sword and hit him again. The hit blasted Shu who was already unsteady on his feet flying across the room and left sprawling.

Amelie quickly slashed at Nero who had created an opening by over-focusing on Shu.

Nero didn’t seem to mind and took the hit. In his mind he had taken out one of the bees who had been buzzing near his ear. 

Nero greatly increased fervor began to bear down on them. His speed picked up and he swings grew faster. 

Instead of fighting slowly like earlier, Nero now seemed to want to take out these invaders quickly. 

His movements which were simple swings turned into trained swipes that only a professional who had studied the blade for years could make. 

Amelie who was now also taking the brunt of Nero’s focus was beginning to be overwhelmed under a flurry of strikes that cracked the ground and whistled through the air.

She had the highest physical stats out of all of them but was quickly being outmatched by Nero’s skill and raw stats.

Kotori tried to land hits on Nero but he would always quickly move out of the way and avoided taking any more damage.

And that was when she felt it.

 

[Overlord]