Where is Marcel? Tharrelan.  

Why? Well, the Demon Lord and Sephana, Shalia, a call, and lastly, a dungeon.   

Yes, after Marcel learned how to curse in the literal sense, he got, um… a little hyperactive.   

What did he do? He challenged the Demon Lord with his newfound power. He cast a ‘Curse of Powerlessness’ on him. It failed epically, not only because of the proportional difference in power between those two but also the nature of the other’s power. The Demon Lord has familiarized himself with curses way longer than Marcel can imagine. Putting a puny curse like that on him was the same as Marcel throwing a pebble at him. He wasn’t very happy though. 

After this, he was put on a time-out, essentially prohibited from using any magic by Sephana. He was going to turn into a menace if he was left to go on like this. The Demon Lord agreed with this prohibition; thus, it became an order.  

After the order, everyone kept a close eye on him to ensure that he didn’t use any magic, including his doting, diligent three maids. They watched him like hawks, making sure he stayed magicless for many days until… an opportunity to escape presented itself in the form of Shalia and her family.  

Back in Tharrelan, a dungeon rift had suddenly appeared and the royal family’s youths wanted to enter and explore. It was quite obvious that the youngest of them would be invited as well, and seeing an opportunity to get out of his ‘imprisonment,’ he had himself added to the list of the royal family’s attendees.  

It didn’t take long before the Moonshadow elves came for him and their race’s princess. Albeit his unpreparedness for this journey, he was sure that it was going to be a good day. He had no idea that he was about to walk into a danger zone where he’d discover yet another thing about himself.  

Ah~, dungeons! Back to this topic once again, I see. If someone noticed, they might have heard me throw the term ‘landscape dungeon’ or ‘landscape-type dungeon’ out there a lot. Well, I probably explained somewhere but forgot where. Oh well! Looks like I’ll have to explain the dungeons in full detail. 

Unlike what people normally think, Vitalis doesn’t really control the dungeons. I thought that was pretty obvious from how our protagonist can’t even maintain his normal levels of luck in there.  

They are maintained by a separate system she has very limited control over. Dungeons exist in a separate part of reality but thanks to the mighty spirit’s efforts, it’s slightly tethered to her domain, with the system of the dungeons almost welcoming all visitors into its domain. 

Granting Vitalis access to its system, she created the luck system and the reward distribution system which allows its visitors to access different rewards. Like most things, there are different types of dungeons.  

First, there are landscape dungeons, then the domain dungeons, the hundred floors dungeons, and lastly, the labyrinths, which aren’t even classified as dungeons most of the time. 

The landscape-type dungeons are the type of dungeons that hold monsters of a particular element and class in a set landscape. Sometimes, the monsters who live here are versatile, so they can possess one or more elements, for example; plant-type dungeons and monsters in a forest or jungle landscape, fire-type dungeon in a volcanic area, and water-type dungeons with a sea landscape. Also, the monsters tend to be separated into different circles with a possible teleporter located at the center near where the monsters live. Sometimes you just wonder whose idea it was to put the thing that might save lives at the entrance or the most dangerous place in the dungeon, hehe~ 

Domain dungeons are a bit different from the landscape dungeons since, most of the time, the entire dungeon after one enters a portal, starts inside a building or a limited landscape of some sort. A domain dungeon can almost be the size of an entire island, so sometimes, but what separates it from a landscape-type dungeon are the elements that the creatures inside the dungeon can possess. The landscape-type dungeons tend to be limited to the basic elements while the domain dungeons can have monsters with rare elements like sound, space, or even the undead element. The dungeon space can be a cave or a gloomy palace or even an enormous gravesite. The possibilities are endless. Normally, after one enters such a dungeon, the way out is pretty similar to that of the landscape dungeons, except, unlike them, they can shift around a bit. I see someone... decided to spice things up. 

The hundred floors dungeons are a type of dungeon in which beasts of different classes are grouped into different power levels on different floors of a dungeon. The strength of the beasts on each floor as one ascends upward is higher than the last. The monsters in these places are also much more ravenous than in landscape dungeons or domain dungeons as they’re only limited to certain floors. This dungeon is the type that most adventurers tend to visit. It works by a strict level-based system without much deviation or changes from the rules. 

The labyrinths are huge, complicated mazes spanning over vast distances that visitors of the dungeon aim to reach designated exits. It’s also the most hated kind of dungeon. On the way, random monsters and deadly traps can appear. Visitors are left with the option of either running from them if one isn’t strong enough and losing the beasts in the complicated maze or killing the monster as one moves through the maze if one is strong enough. They aren’t frequented most of the time, even though they hold fewer monsters than the other dungeons since they’re much harder to traverse. At the goal of the maze is the ‘lucky wheel prize’ where one tries their luck to get amazing prizes. These leave most visitors very satisfied as its gains seem more like granted wishes than gained prizes. 

All that I just said should give you a brief idea of how the dungeons are in general. This is good! Now for the upcoming dungeon, we’re about to enter, throw away all the useful information I just gave you. The logic behind them is only limited to dungeons found in the Dimension of Dungeons. Inside a dungeon-rift is a unique and chaotic place. It’s like whatever created it decided to ditch and make a world where everything defies expectations, sort of like real life. 

Now let’s take the dungeon Marcel and the Ulvaris family’s youths are about to enter. Well, since the dungeon rift appeared in Thorngalt’s domain, it sounds pretty logical that entering it brings you to some lush forest, some jungle brimming with plant life, a swamp, or whatever your idea of ‘green nature’ would be right. This time, that idea is kind of correct; not that I'd suggest you judge dungeon rifts by the location in which they appear. It could cost someone their life if they aren’t accurately prepared; a common reason why scouts prepared to lose their lives are sent in before anyone else enters. 

Inside this dungeon rift, appears there to be a plant-type landscape, though, don’t go thinking it’s a landscape dungeon. The laws of space there are very different than in landscape dungeons found in the Dimension of Dungeons. 

It’s a lush jungle inside and the beasts found inside are ones typically found in tropical zones. Lizards, frogs, crawling vines, terrifying chameleons, giant hornets, wasps, snakes, etc. are examples. Most of the monsters inside appear to have evolved to be big and strong to better increase their chances of not becoming prey whilst some chose to evolve to be quick and agile but small, almost to the point of diverging to become different species. Evolution in dungeons found inside rifts is utterly scary and thanks to the energies around, it doesn’t seem to be stopping.   

Also, unlike the dungeons located in the Dimension of Dungeons, it’s utterly impossible to traverse a dungeon inside a rift. It seems to expand endlessly, sort of like their own pocket dimension of sorts, with many kinds of monsters and various landscapes hidden deep inside. It’s sort of like all the random-appearing dungeon rifts all lead to the same dimension, except different parts of it. 

One more thing I forgot to mention. Inside of this dungeon, Vitalis doesn’t seem to control anything inside when the rift randomly appears. It takes some time to establish connections and even when she does, whose is to say that the rift won’t just suddenly disappear tomorrow when no one’s looking. This also creates another problem: danger class identification, as her powers aren’t around to accurately access the dangers inside with logical statistics and information gathered in a short period of time. Also, the monsters can be divided amongst various classes, with some very unexpected, mutated beasts appearing occasionally. Sounds disadvantageous and unsafe right?  

Well, right now, Marcel is learning just how unfavorable a dungeon inside is. Why? Because the estimated danger class of B suddenly got jumped to an A while he and the others were still inside. It’s probably one of the times Marcel desperately hoped the partial grand spirit who rules over his life was there to boost his luck. Ah, where are you, stupid spirit, when our baby is suffering? He needs foreign intervention! 

<< Shut up, you! I know that already!!!’ >> Vitalis shouted at the narrator. He ignored her and continued the story. She’s useless, so why bother with her? 

<< Hey!!! >> 

Anyway, things aren’t going well for Marcel and the Ulvaris youngsters. I’ll explain! 

There were in the dungeon, doing what most people do: terrorizing monsters who tried to eat them like the awful people who’d suddenly choose to put themselves in danger that they are. It was going well when suddenly, they were surrounded. 

The monsters that appeared were Green Acid Frogs, meter-tall giant B-ranked dungeon beasts renowned for their slightly poisonous and corrosive acid which gave one an uncomfortable case of the burns that needed a Healer to be rid of. Normally, these monsters hang out in packs of four or five. This time, there was an entire horde of them, enough to fill everywhere they looked, and this wasn’t even the worst thing being awful dungeon terrorists brought them. 

The monster which made them suddenly reconsider the danger class of the dungeon was a mutated Green Acid frog with a possible half low-tier S-class ranking: a Red Acid Frog with a fully developed control-type spiritual skill There was no way they going to survive with it controlling all the B, A-class and lower-ranked Green Acid Frogs. They set up a barrier to protect themselves.  

“Ahhhh!!! Could this day get any worse?” Shalia yelled.  

And it did get worse. Cliché jinxes which put everyone’s life in danger exist for a reason. The Green Frogs were ordered to throw acid at the multi-layered barriers until they were all broken.  

They did as instructed by their commander, Shalia’s brother Vinarr, and slowly the group was getting tired. Shalia’s older siblings fighting in the vanguard with their swords and spears were slowly losing their vigor. The mages had begun suffering from magic exhaustion whilst the other attackers and defenders focused on creating multi-barriers to keep them safe from the acid which wore away their shields. 

Currently, they are all exhausted. They’d been at it for 10 hours straight, reinforcing barriers while Marcel threw a ‘Curse of Weakness’ and ‘Curse of Null Vitality’ that weakened their opponents whenever it looked like the frogs would succeed. They were all getting very exhausted, soon to be fatigued and unable to go on any more while the Red Acid Frog, the boss, expended very little energy to control the others via its spiritual skill, [Hive Mind]. Also, they wondered why a monster like that had suddenly gained a spiritual skill. This was just ridiculous!   

Guys, no matter how ready you think you are, never enter a dungeon rift until someone else tells you you’re ready. Ah, King Revalor! What are you doing sitting just slightly worried about your children and our hero? Do something already! They won’t survive for much longer. 

Okay, now back to the dungeon terrorists!  

Marcel did his best to assist with the Green Acid frogs via curses. He cast a bombardment of the stuff. The only things on his mind were thoughts of weakening their enemies and instant death. These thoughts manifested in his curses, and he took down a lot of the frogs. Even mustering up every curse he could think of, things weren’t looking good.  

Sure, he can keep casting the curses because he never has to worry about magic power, but what about stamina and fatigue? Even leveling them up in this situation where he’d only receive word of it when he got out of the dungeon, the advancements weren’t happening fast enough. He was also getting weaker by the second. His casting speed has already started dwindling and the monsters are throwing corrosive acid at their barriers. The reinforcement speed had dwindled dramatically compared to when they started. Again Vitalis, where are you?! Is this really the end?!! 

Just when all hope seemed lost, a ray of hope appeared. 

Ains, who’d been looking at the situation outside through his master’s eyes, told him something that would alter the course of their battle. 

“I have something that might turn this situation around, but in agreement with the promise I made to my former master, you must promise to not abuse my power if I show you. Promise me!” Ains was adamant about this. He really wasn’t going to come out to help if he didn’t hear a promise that might be broken right after he showed his power. 

“Fine! I promise! Anything to save us from this situation! I promise to not abuse your power, whatever it might be.” Yes, Marcel was willing to do anything if it meant Revalor’s kids and himself didn’t perish to some frogs. A death like this was just as embarrassing as dying from a simple sneeze.  

Ains nodded, having heard his master’s promise before telling him,  

“My power is related to why I am an ever-evolving wolf. I can adapt to any terrain I find myself in, thanks to this power. If I absorb people from the elements around me, I can evolve into a wolf suitable for those surroundings.”   

Yes, that’s the created ‘Elemental Emperor’ for you! What’s that, you might ask. 

It’s the one-of-a-kind class granted by Vitalis to him thanks to his extraordinary existence. It’s the perfect class for a marvelous beast like him. Ains is a master of his surroundings, a beast in perfect tune with the elements. One whom the elements bow down to. He devours the elements and becomes the elements, ruling on top as the top beast of that element. 

Yes, no beast can compare to him when it came to evolution or the abilities he could develop in certain situations. Paired together with a capable master, he could grow to be the most powerful beast to exist; even capable of becoming a divine beast like a certain Empress’s brother who’s already broken the chains of this world. 

“I see! So, how do you use your powers?” At this point in his development, what was he to be surprised about? Also, things were getting desperate, and it would be very helpful if Ains could help.  

“Right now, I need soul power and fire elements to deal with that frog and its lackeys. The ingredients are all with me already! I shall evolve, then come out!” The beast responded. 

“Huh?” Marcel didn’t get it. There aren’t many fire elements nor any soul power swimming around in the air. Where did Ains even get these elements from?  

Ains sensed his master’s brewing question,  

“You, master, are my cauldron for evolution. I can take the elements I need directly from you while in here. Our bond allows that. I feed on your energy to keep my material body stable. What do you expect?” 

“Ah, ok! But please... um, HURRY!! We won’t survive for long if something different doesn’t happen. That damn Red Acid Frog is calling more Green Frogs to attack our barriers.” Marcel was panicking. 

“I have already started! I will be done in about a minute. Hold on! I will show you the full extent of my abilities. Just you wait!” Marcel felt reassured by Ains’ words. Now all he had to do was continue casting curses at their opponents until Ains came out. 

While Marcel was hurling curses at the Green Acid Frogs, he felt a large portion of energy from the fire element be drawn out of his body into his beast who was calling upon them. Also, energy from his spiritual body; the one he used when inside illusory dungeons, left him. It was his soul power.  

The power of the fire element inside his body along with his soul power was being hastily drawn out of his body with the small portion of their energies that Ains had absorbed already functioning as a magnet, transferring the energies from Marcel’s physical and spiritual bodies to Ains’. Evolution quickly began and within a minute, Ains already had the necessary resources to defeat the frog outside. 

 After his evolution was complete, Ains came out. With flaming red fur set ablaze with streaks of the golden fire his master had once cultivated imprinted on his fur. His size differed slightly from when in his primary form. It had grown over two meters. He’d become a ‘Fiery Soul Wolf,’ a beast with the power to scorch his enemies' physical bodies while capable of suppressing their spiritual bodies.  

If left alone in the wind, the possibilities of Ains’ further evolution would differ greatly from what it is now that he’d contracted with Marcel.  

As he’d mentioned before, Marcel is his cauldron for evolution. With the various swimming around in his magic pool; some waiting to be unlocked in the future, Ains can try various combinations of energies. The possibilities are endless with Marcel as his contractor. 

Ok, back to the dangerous situation that might bring an end to the two’s contract if Marcel isn’t saved. 

Ains’ surroundings were set ablaze when he appeared. Luckily, he chose to appear right outside the barriers. He would have singed them even further than the two outer barriers his flames had already destroyed otherwise.  

He quickly got away from it before he damaged them any further, lighting a blazing path in his wake as he headed to the source of his master’s distress.  

Ains launched a flaming ball of fire at the Red Acid frog who jumped out of the way. It sensed the danger coming. It readily hopped out of the way. He hit the other frogs in the way with his fire, singing them to nothing. 

The Red Acid Frog looked frightened. It and the other Green Acid Frogs were facing their worst nemesis: flames that could bring harm to them. The power of these flames was almost A-class. The Green Acid Frogs whose opposing element was the fire element feared it but unlike them, the Red Acid Frog had mutated to withstand some flames. It had medium resistance to flames thanks to once surviving in a different environment from its current, but even it was scared, despite its current higher rank than Ains’. 

Currently, Ains was of a slightly higher rank as its master; having already entered the B-class rankings, halfway to the A-rank. Although his power wasn’t quite there yet, Marcel’s ever-growing magic strength elevated his abilities to that class. It pays to have a magic battery for a master. 

With the main skills it developed from having fused with the fire element and soul power into itself: [Soul Power Dispersion Field – Medium], a special field which nullified the effects of others’ soul power by breaking down its bonds and [Fire Soul Arrow], a composite skill of fire and soul power used to directly attack the souls of others, Ains launched a counterattack. How dare the damn frog cause his master distress. Unacceptable! 

With these skills, he launched attacks to weaken the Red Acid Frog’s [Hive Mind]. He also conjured up massive fireballs to cull the pesky Green Frogs who protected their manipulator. He didn’t worry about his energy reserves while attacking. He had a battery to recharge with. He launched multiple balls of fireballs at the frogs to stop them from gathering into massive hordes again.   

His plan worked. The attacks stopped the Green Acid Frogs from gathering too quickly, but soon, Ains was met with another problem: the strength of his opponent’s body. 

As a half S-ranked beast, its body was far stronger compared to the average B and A-ranked Acid Frogs. Acid Frogs have stretchy and springy but light bodies which allowed easy mobility and agility. Normal weapons did not affect them, thus most fought them with magic and enchanted weapons. Thanks to their speed, they could easily move around while launching their corroding acid at their opponents. This half-S-ranked Red Acid Frog was different from the others. 

The Red Acid Frog had a stretchy, springy, and light body like the other frogs; however, its entire body was reinforced by the magic power it gained from evolving. Its physical durability had also been reinforced, making it harder for even its opposing element to work against it.  

Although Ains’ attacks worked on it, the damage was less than favorable. The only thing he could do was hold it at bay while attacking the lackeys and restraining its skills. He could maybe use [Fire Soul Arrow] to kill its spiritual body but currently, the damage wasn’t enough. He could only focus on restraining the Red Acid Frog. 

While Ains was getting desperate to end the Red Acid Frog’s life, so too did it panic as it sensed impending doom if Ains continued to attack it. To try and turn the situation to its advantage, it forcibly used a large amount of its soul power to push its skill, [Hive Mind].  

Like a colony desperate to protect their endangered queen, the Green Acid Frogs rushed to its side. The Big Guy succeeded in summoning more Green Acid Frogs, but unlike what anyone had expected, especially Ains, the Red Acid Frog commanded them to focus their attention on the barrier while it fended off Ains. It seemed to have noticed something. Ah, why does this thing have to get smarter in the middle of battle? 

The Green Acid Frogs obeyed its command, launching attacks at the barriers of Shalia and her siblings. Things were starting to look very bad. 

The Green Acid Frogs launched massive corrosive acid attacks in succession at the barriers but hey, Revalor’s children aren’t pushovers. Even in their weakened states, they held out nicely, reinforcing the barriers whenever some layers were broken. 

When having its minions hurl acid attacks didn’t get the Red Acid Frog where it wanted to be, it switched plans of attack. No more holding back. It started using its last resort. 

Normally, when Green Acid Frogs sensed immense danger they couldn’t avoid, especially if they belonged to a group in danger, one or two of them launched a special attack; one that proved highly successful in killing whatever was bothering them, though, it was very suicidal. 

When under heavy stress, Acid Frogs can push every cell in their body into overdrive. By doing this, they increase the toxicity of their acid and the range of their attack to come. When everything was successfully in overdrive, they exploded, turning into acid bombs. 

The lackeys were ordered to use their last resort to break the barriers. 

Unexpectedly, the group who were busy reinforcing their barriers were suddenly shocked when the frogs near the barrier hurled themselves at it and exploded.  

One explosion would have been nothing but combining all the frogs surrounding the barrier working hard to break it by exploding together, they suffered losses that included immense shock and a loss of all their barriers except one. 

Now wasn’t the time to look in awe at the destructive power of hordes of Green Acid Frogs working together under a common leader. The barriers needed reinforcement. Without them, they would be toast. 

As they reinforced this barrier with more, another powerful Acid Frog Bomb comprising of more exploding frogs was launched. They worked hard to not be naked before the frogs who obviously wanted to enter, but it was no use. The frogs had penetrated too far. They couldn’t keep up with the number of clothes they lost each time the frogs became acid bombs. They could only keep at most four or five barriers after each attack. 

With how things were going, Marcel had a eureka moment. He suddenly had an idea of what to do to help in this situation. After all, suddenly, his curses became useless. The frogs weren’t using any powers and just exploding. He couldn’t do anything to stop it, so might as well try something else. 

“Reinforce the first barrier, please!” He pleaded. The others didn’t know what he was going on about. That barrier was what always broke first. Why would they do that if it’ll perish first? 

“Just do it!” Shalia screamed. After all, supporting your beloved no matter how unreasonable he might sound is what she does best. If Marcel said to lose all their barriers with her in command, she would have easily done it. 

“He has a plan. Just do it!” She told her siblings. 

The mages nodded and focused a great percentage of their power on the first outer barrier. Marcel began his idea but firstly, he asked for one more thing. 

“Is it possible to put me near the first barrier? I also need some legroom there.” 

Ok, now Marcel was starting to sound absurd. Just what was he going to do there? Did he want to die or something? They had no idea that Marcel was about to make himself famous in their eyes again. 

“Just do it!” She knocked her sister controlling the barrier on the head. The sister thought that since Marcel had a death wish, she might as well grant it. 

She extended the boundary of the first outer barrier, knocking the frogs back. Afterward, she ordered the mages to create a small to get Marcel outside to his destination: the first outer barrier. 

When they finally did it, Marcel walked outside, preparing the things he’d need for his plan. 

He’d need his magic perception and control skills, Sigurd, and a whole lot of concentration.  

Activating the skills as he took his beloved weapon out, he had Sigurd change form, making it into a staff. For this bizarre thing he was about to do, he not only needed the magic to be precise but also to make it easy to switch forms. Since he could only cast two spells at once, he needed to do that. 

Next, he conjured up eight clones as he did at the Oni Banquet and positioned them in different sections of the barrier, and began. 

For his first move, he cast a curse on the first outer barrier and the others while the others focused on strengthening it against the acid bombs. He cast a brand-new curse he’d never tried before on it: Curse of Transference. You’ll see what it does when he begins. 

Ok, it begins now. All the preparations are complete. Now time, for him to counterattack the bombs. 

For the next incoming attack, after the preparations, the others noticed a grand difference in the damage the barriers sustained whenever an acid bomb reached them. 

Huh? It disappeared? Where did the brunt force of the bombs breaking their attacks go? 

When the next attack came, Shalia finally got it. The innermost barrier surrounding them broke while the outermost was still intact. 

“I see! He’s channeling the force of the attacks through the first barrier, then into the others to a one we can easily repair: the innermost barrier!” Shalia couldn’t believe it. Was Marcel really channeling all that power through the barriers? Even still that should have been impossible, unless... no, he isn’t! 

But he is, he’s meeting the force of the attacks whenever they were launched with much smaller barriers with the help of his clones. With magic perception and control skills, he detected where the attacks launched would hit, and then he’d erect a small barrier to lessen the impact of the attack while channeling the rest of the power throughout the barrier, lessening the force before sending it to the innermost barrier which could be easily reinforced.  

By doing this, they could more easily handle the acid bombs. Marcel was essentially splitting his attention every second between his clones and his original body while also casting barrier spells to counteract attacks and channeling power with a curse. He was multitasking in real-time while the others couldn’t even handle more than reinforcing the barriers. 

“That’s a hero for you!” One of Shalia’s siblings and mages, Fjalles, commented. 

“Shut up! This has nothing to do with him being a hero. He worked hard to learn how to do all that. You should have seen him when we went to OniMachi.” Shalia hushed her brother. He shut up and watched in awe as Marcel worked with admiration in his heart. Ah, how lucky he would be if he married such a strong person. 

Soon after Marcel started his little show, Ains noticed the Red Acid Frog get increasingly more frantic and impatient with its attacks. Its attacks were suddenly much stronger, and it quickly evaded his fire.  

On the other hand, its sloppiness was making it much easier to predict what it would do next, but he could easily tell that he was losing. As it got stronger in response to something, his moves were being suppressed by it. The beast prepared a large corrosive acid attack to launch; one with force like none of the Green Acid Frogs. Its acid ball’s diameter was more than 2 meters compared to its lackeys, and anyone with a functioning brain could tell from its lethality as a drop of it touched the floor and left a hole half a meter deep in the ground. This acid ball was dangerous. 

Ains prepared to tackle the acid ball head-on. After all, even if his physical body was destroyed, he could easily create a new one as long as his master was still alive and Marcel. It prepared itself to lose its body, but the Red Acid Frog didn’t think so. It launched its attack at an unexpected target: Marcel, the source of its distress’ master. 

Yes, a while ago, it figured the connection between the beast fighting it and the boy who was its master. That’s why it got even more agitated and impatient when Marcel left the innermost barrier to start his little trick. All this while, it had wanted to get him out and destroy him and Marcel just put himself right in front where it could see him. It was perfect. 

Noticing the attack before it hit the outermost barrier, two of Shalia’s siblings, including herself, cast barriers around him. They were shocked because of what happened next after the barriers were cast. 

Marcel tried to protect the outermost barrier by channeling power the power of the upcoming attack like he was before, but it was no use. The acid ball easily singed through the barrier and from how much power the others had already used to keep it strong, they were already low on magic power. The outer barrier was done for. Marcel, meanwhile, was in even more danger. 

When the attack reached the barrier, he discovered yet another thing about himself that he would have liked to learn at a very different time. 

The attack came, and wanting to protect the others, took a step toward to reinforce the barrier. He had no idea that when he did, the three barriers cast to protect him by Shalia, and her two siblings would just let him out. That’s not how a barrier is supposed to work, and the consequences; he learned quickly after. 

Normally, when a barrier was cast on a specific place, especially on the ground, it functioned as a lock, keeping anything in the range of that barrier inside. The barriers around Marcel should have locked him in place or at least moved slightly with him if he took a step, NOT COMPLETELY ABANDON THEIR TARGET! 

Yes, on this exceptionally bad day, Marcel discovered that he could easily leave barriers created by others, and he paid the price for such a power. Today just isn’t his day at all! 

When he walked out of the barriers set by Shalia and her two siblings to reinforce the outermost barrier when the attack hit, the heavily corrosive acid hit him right after it tore through the barrier. He was badly burnt, his flesh burned away, muscles, tendons, and bones visible. Almost his entire body was badly burned. 

“Marcel!!!” Shalia screamed, terrified and overtly worried about what just happened to Marcel. She quickly had the range of the next barrier from the former outermost one’s extended outward. With that, Marcel’s body, soon to collapse entered right inside, like it wasn’t there. 

After Marcel entered the barrier, Shalia had a path through the barriers created, and she, along with her sibling brought Marcel’s injured body inside. 

Ains was angry, terribly enraged. How dare this lowly beast hurt its master?! This beast must die! 

Ains intensified his attacks. This frog needs to pay for what he’d done! Death is its only way of atonement for its actions. He amplified the wave of soul power he put through his two skills to quickly deal with his opponent. 

While he did that, Shalia and her brother who’d just brought Marcel inside the innermost barrier, tended to him. He was terribly burned with half his skin already burned away, and some of his bones exposed from under the similarly burnt muscle tissue and tendons.  

He grumbled through the pain and finally collapsed when it got too unbearable. 

Shalia cast plant healing spells on him to aid in his recovery. Even after falling unconscious, he still bore the look of pain and suffering on his beautiful face. It was hard to watch Marcel in this state. She wanted to heal him faster, but unfortunately, this was going to take a while. 

While Shalia was trying her best to hasten Marcel’s recovery speed as he grumbled in his unconscious state, a change took place. 

Suddenly, Alverona’s draconic aura covered his body, wrapping him in a warmth that soothed his pain. Right after came his green vine tattoo, which hastened Shalia’s recovery spell and Marcel’s body’s natural regeneration. His body was quickly healing, and he looked less pained. Soon, his pained expression vanished entirely as the rest of his healing continued. 

Meanwhile, back in Nephavion, a certain empress found the power of her implanted blessing being channeled from afar at a rapid pace. It was a clear sign that a certain someone was in danger.  

Wait, where did Marcel go again? Ah, Tharrelan! Despite how much this person hated receiving calls from her, she knew just who to contact, but now isn’t the time to gloat at his displeasure. 

“Hey you! Marcel is in danger! Help him!” She sent a message to him. Now all she could do was leave it in his hands. After all, it would take quite some time to find him all on her own, so telling the person who knows where her cute darling was, would be far more efficient in getting him help. 

Now, back to the dungeon terrorists who are heavily regretting their decision!  

Now that their former curse thrower and front-line of defense has fallen, what are they going to do? They were surely going to lose now! It wouldn’t take long. Ah, where’s their precious daddy’s immense power and protection when they finally need it. Someone HELP!!! 

And just then, help arrived! It was in the form of Shega, one of Shalia’s older brothers, known as the S-class Sniper Prince.  

Just before he arrived on the scene, he launched a massive barrage of enchanted arrows at the Acid Frogs, all of them. His shots didn’t miss a single target, with almost all the Green Acid Frogs exterminated and the Red Acid Frog wounded by its attacks. It was almost finished by just that one attack. 

Now in its weakened state, Ains finished it off with the point-blank range fire spell ‘Fire-Cannon’ and his skill [Fire Soul Arrow] to burn its soul to ashes. With that, vengeance was served with a side of charred Red Frog’s body and death. The rest of the Green Acid Frogs were dealt with by the prince’s tagalongs. The battle was finally over! 

The siblings deactivated their barrier, a huge air of relief washing over them as the danger finally disappeared. 

“Are you guys okay?” Shega asked. 

“Thank you so much!” The siblings looked at Shega with twinkling, tear-filled eyes. They’d never felt so stressed before in their lives, ever. Who knew that an ordinary trip to a dungeon rift to spice up their boring lives as Ulvaris family youths where they’d terrorize weaker creatures would almost end up killing them and a hero? After this, it was going to be a while before they lived down their frog-related traumas. 

With his siblings safe now, Shega scanned their surroundings for more unexpected threats. While doing so, he noticed something of the utmost interest... in Marcel’s beast companion: Ains. 

Looking at the former Fiery Soul Wolf, he felt a sense of familiarity when looking at the beast who hurried to its master side right after finishing off its opponent. He didn’t remember exactly where, but he could swear he’d seen such a beast or something similar to it somewhere. 

Ains reverted to his basic form when he reached his unconscious master’s side, keeping his body size the same to carry his resting body on its back. Marcel still needed more time to heal from that big attack. 

This move, however, made the feeling Shega had when seeing him, grow even further. He didn’t do anything though. 

Might as well not wake him nor interrupt the power healing him, Shega thought. Now that his siblings were safe, his mission was completed and that’s all that mattered. 

Besides, he feels like this information should be reported back to his father when he gets back home. 

* * * 

Soon after, they set off for the castle and Marcel woke up in the middle of the night. It was in a familiar yet, strangely different, with magic leaves wrapped around his body. They helped heal his body while he was asleep, aiding the green vine tattoo on his left arm. 

Now that he’s fine, let’s go back to a few hours earlier when something happened. 

Shega had a meeting with his father where he gave his old man a report of what had transpired in the dungeon earlier after being explained by his siblings.  

Yes, he was the one who sent Shega after he received that wretched Old Hag’s call.  

Shega relayed the information from his siblings. The sudden appearance of the Red Acid Frogs, their terrible predicament, Marcel stepping up for his amazing display of magic control, his summoned beast, everything. 

He had a lot to say about Marcel’s summoned beast and his father heard everything. 

After listening to his son, Revalor bore the same strange feeling of familiarity as his son when he heard about Ains. 

“How is he connected to the Saint? Hahaha! This little guy keeps getting interesting the more I watch him.” He wondered. 

He broke into a terrible case of the laughter, laughing maniacally, unable to stop himself. He couldn’t believe it. He might have finally found a clue relevant to locating that person. If he can find that person, his first to tenth sons would be so happy.  

The person he’s looking for, known as the ‘Saint of Wonders,’ was the one who got away for his sons. This person creates wonders where they go and captured the hearts of many. They came to visit and after leaving, his first ten sons almost killed themselves when they left without a world of either their next destination or the date of their return.   

Oh, if I remember right, they didn’t almost kill themselves. They actually did it. The Elven King negotiated with an agent of the Underworld, a certain lady we know, to get them back via reincarnation. 

Why? Well, Revalor’s first kids were more spiritual lifeforms than physical beings. They destroyed both their bodies, never wanting to live again after that person left. He paid a big price which affected the future of his lineage. Shalia and her siblings are the way they currently are because of said price. If not for that, why would the lineage of a semi-divine being like him still be hanging out in physical bodies, unable to grow further than the S-class? 

Hint: Something of everyone connected to his blood has been stolen and will only return when the underworld decides to give it back. The price of bringing back ten ‘shackled’ demigod-ranked souls isn’t cheap. Even half the potential of his entire progeny is a good bargain. 

Now, their only hope of recovering what was once lost is either Shega and the others awaken on their own or the ‘Saint of Wonders’ who has directly interfered in the events of the underworld more than once as another agent of the place. Maybe the owner of the beast belonging to them might be their only key in finding her. Revalor couldn’t believe that a possible key to his family’s matters had just presented itself to him. 

After laughing, King Revalor made his next move,  

“After he’s left our world, have more Moonshadow elves watch over him. I have a feeling I will get to see something very interesting from him one of these days.”  

“Understood, father!” Shega couldn’t understand what exactly his father wanted with Marcel, but if he said so. Maybe this has something to do with the ‘broken’ that his father usually speaks of when his father lamented with them when they cried about not getting any stronger. 

Anyway, let’s put aside possibly important information and focus more on our protagonist who suddenly has more stalkers. 

 

The next day, Marcel the oblivious, tagged along to raid the dungeon again. The others had wanted him to rest, but he had a lot to say about that.  

When they entered the dungeon rift again on this new day, the place it brought them to was slightly different from the other. It was way rockier, and by that, I mean a FREAKING GRAND CANYON!  

There, they met a high-ranked A-class monster; a dragon-like, scaly beast infamous for blending in perfectly with its surroundings with the ability to turn whatever it hit with its breath into stone: the ‘Basilisk,’ master of petrification. 

It just wasn’t Marcel’s day again, ah! He was made a victim yet again.  

Well, it’s the fault of the Ulvaris youths who never learn and the entire universe which mostly turned against a certain boy for his sake. You’ll find out why much later. 

In the end, he gained two skills: [He gained Corrosion Resistance – Medium] and [Petrification Resistance – Low].  

He got the latter from the basilisk that hurt him. It caught him off guard and petrified his dominant hand (right). He turned Sigurd into an ice spear and stabbed it in the throat with his other hand, turning it into ice.   

Ha, lately, he feels like his luck is just in the ‘Libra Zone’ where one moment, he’s in terrible danger, then in the other, he’s reaping terrifyingly good benefits. Is this how his luck is going to be in the future? What happened to the world that loves him so much? No... it couldn’t be! Did Vitalis finally act like the unfairly evil spirit she is and abandon him? 

<< Shut up, you! Are you trying to provoke me? >> 

Oops! I keep forgetting that whenever I mention her name, she automatically hears whatever I say. Sorry~ Carry on... 

<< Hmph! Stop bothering my work! >> 

 

* * *  

After they finally returned to Nephavion, Marcel talked with Ains again about something he thought of while they were in Tharrelan. 

He randomly joked about Ains’s abilities being, kind of, created to suit his. It was like the person who created him, his former master, knew that Ains was going to meet him someday. 

Ains thought of refuting him, but then suddenly, he didn’t anymore because of what he saw while he stayed with her. 

Maybe Marcel might be right after all! And how my master always talked about our separation through her death... maybe she knew, he thought. 

Err... wrong! This was all just a random coincidence.  

His former master had no idea that Marcel would meet Ains, trust me!  

Although her powers were great, she didn’t possess the blessing of divination. She was a master inventor, alchemist, sage, magician, biologist, explorer, and even considered a saint by some. Creating Ains was possible thanks to this stupid idea she had of giving life to something that was once lost and a whole lot of dangerous random things coming together to create the ultimate beast suitable for all environments. 

Besides, if even the great Spirit Fox Priestess can’t read Marcel’s fate, then what are her chances of succeeding? 

Once again, his journey to Tharrelan had confirmed his suspicion about that place being where he only got to suffer.  

Although the elves are extremely nice and welcoming, he... never wants to visit their world ever again. In his mind, it’s already getting to the level of Blitz. That place was a threat to his existence. He’d rather follow the Demon Lord’s orders than enter Tharrelan of his own free will.  

Yes, for some reason, that world’s getting blamed because of past events. Only another kidnapping will have him stepping foot in that place again; not that he wants to be kidnapped again, of course. 

Revalor, don’t-- Oh no! Marcel has to visit their decennial ‘Source Purification Festival’ to happen in two years.  

I won’t bore you with the details, but let’s just say that Tharrelan redeems itself somewhat in his eyes. He had fun! 

Onwards to the next chapter of this story. Marcel gains another partner?  

Oh, wait... It’s just a freeloader finally making itself useful. This will be slightly more amusing to watch!