"Get back here, you lousy ghosts! Come and meet the fists of the Growth Chimera Lily!!" - Lily (obviously, and chunni)

"Wha-ha-ha-ha! Pitiful undeads who defies the gods! Regret ever coming back in life when you return to Kur!" - Zelot (forgetting these are fake undeads)

"Don't run away! Just drop those weapons so I can sell them already!" - Mira (who has yet to get any Drop Items)

"...Am I even needed here?" - Garami

"Now, now, don't feel down. It's a good thing for a raid on a Haunt going so well." - Bermuda

"And the difficulty increases with each layer, so it's more intelligent to save you two as our trump cards." - Carion

I know, but we're already halfway through Layer 1, and these guys don't seem to go out of gas anytime soon. And wasn't Zelot supposed to be in charge of healing? Even Levi's going commando on the skeletons with her [Rolling] skill. That skill turns deadly given her massive body mass. It's scary to think about when she grows up.

Instead, I observed Lily, who is having a blast with those martial arts gloves she got from the blacksmith. They have Ghost Buster-properties, so pummeling the ghosts are giving her some well-needed training and experience. 

"Aren't you a little overprotective for lil' Lily? She's a chimera, a D-rank monster. She can handle a few ghosts on her own." - Bermuda

True, as the Skeletons are either run over or cut to pieces, and she has the support magic from the quack priest, then there should be no problems. However...

"I'm not that overprotective. This is normal supervision when one's doing a pet raising project." - Garami

"Eh, whatever's fine with... what did you say just now?" - Bermuda

"Pet raising project. As with virtual pets, only with a chimera." - Garami

"Okay, I've no idea what 'vurtual' is, but I get the pet-part." - Bermuda

"Garami tends to say something incomprehensible from time to time, just ignore it. However, you should be careful about saying that out loud. She may be the weakest of us all, but a woman's rage is nothing to sneeze-" - Carion

"Wha-ha-ha-ha! Feel the wrath of the Mistress of Darkness' faithful servant! Chimera! Punch!" - Lily (with Zelot crying tears of happiness as BGM¹Back-Ground Music)

"...Oh yeah, she's that kinda/kind of girl." - Bermuda & Carion

What did they even expect?

---

Layer 2

"Get them! Flatten them! Rock 'n roll!" - Mira

As she found out that the Desire Sensor doesn't react at Levi, we're letting her take out the bone-trash on this layer. It's a small tunnel-type, so a rolling dragon is all that's needed. Better tell that to the next guys challenging this place.

"1.000.000 to 1 that it was Garami who's the origin for whatever type of rock that is." - Carion

Hey! He's right, but still...

---

Layer 3

A cavern-like area like the first layer, around the size of a gymnasium instead of an official baseball stadium like the first one.

"Ghosts, ghosts, there's ghost everywhere!" - Garami

"Garami! There's too many! Lily's the one getting clobbered instead of the ghosts!" - Mira

"Sensei! It's all you." - Garami

"With pleasure! Ahh, to think the day where I would be able to fulfill the direct order of goddess Alvatria's saint-! Widen: Turn Undead!" - Zelot

*WHOOOeeeeeaaahhh*

Who're you calling a saint? Apologies to the real saints around the world. But nice work taking out the ghosts.

---

Layer 4

This layer is built in an X-shape, with the entrance to the previous and next layers located in the middle. To open the gate to the next layer we need to defeat 4 guardians, one located at each end of the X. We split up in four groups, searching for, and potentially defeating, the guardian on that path. 

"Stop it already!" - Garami

And that's why I'm doing my second rodeo show in my life. Not enough? Fiiiine.

The guardian that the duo of me and Carion found turned out to be a Skull-Taur, a skeletal bull undead. It was trying to ambush us, so I jumped on it, dished out some reins with my threads, and tried to exhaust the bull before finishing it off. Unlike the bison from before, this guy's an undead, so this plan's going to fail at this point. Someone get me off this thing!

*Crash!*

A wall of rock appeared right in front of the undead bull. It survived the crash, so I finished it off by cutting the neck before it got out of the confusion. A combo of my new dagger that deals blunt damage, Fatal Blow, [Surprise Attack], and the dagger Art "Neck Hunter" was more than enough to take out the bull. And out of the shadows came Carion, the guy who had created the wall just now.

"Yeah, yeah, good work there." - Garami

"I am honored by your praise." - Carion

"Still, you sure about that before? Not joining us when we leave the region?" - Garami

While we searched for the guardian before, Carion took the opportunity to say that he wanted to stay in Velantas when I told him about my plans of traveling the world. 

"Yes. This region has been my home since I was born. No matter how much people call me lazy or slothful, I cannot leave this place behind in this condition. Becoming an Earth Mage was something I did in hope of it being able to help with the dying earth." - Carion

So getting golems weren't the main goal then. He is a good guy then. 

"I want to make sure that my native country stays will survive before moving forward. It is not that I do not want to join, but-" - Carion

"But you're too attached to this region that you won't leave, or that traveling is too bothersome to do?" - Garami

"... Both." - Carion

"I knew it. But that's fine. I'm not gonna force you to do anything you don't wanna do. And don't worry about the whole 'kin' thing either. It's just a power-up after all. It's just to make sure you don't die on us while we crush this place." - Garami

We had a free space, and Carion's been a good help for us, so why not share the goods?

"? Is it not that demons only make people they trust into their kin? As the faults of the kin are the faults of the master?" - Carion

"Eh? Is that so? It's not only a power-up?" - Garami

"Not for the demon nobles in Solomar. There have even been cases where the master shared a death sentence with a kin." - Carion

Death sentence?! Why didn't anyone tell me about that?! The Kigal-Note didn't say anything about that!

"Just be glad the parties you have turned into your kin are only trustworthy people, even if they all have some personality faults." - Carion

Okay, it's time to stop using that skill so willy-nilling! 

"You better not make any troubles for me, you hear it! I've got the backing of the craziest church on Terra Sol!" - Garami

"I won't do anything. It's too tiresome anyway. And you saved my life, remember? Making trouble for my savior is unthinkable. Even more so when they are the Champion of the goddess with the second-worst reputation for holding a grudge." - Carion

I'll still stop using that skill for a while. Maybe I should get some hypnotize skill before starting to use it again? Or some sort of contract skill? I'm a demon after all.

"*Hahhhh*, fine. I'll trust you on this. We'll just have you stay here in this region as some PR-manager for our party. Despite the backing from that goddess, and having people think that I'm as bad as her will hurt us in the long run. Try to spread out my good name to people traveling between Avalar and Solomar when you got the chance." - Garami

"That's true... okay. I'll do it. But you," - Carion

What now? I'm gonna give that elf a punishment from hell if he's telling me I'm stupid or something.

"You are quite the loner type, even if you do not recognize it yourself." - Carion

Loner?! Me, a loner?!

"If what you told me was right, then I believe you grew up without much interaction with other living beings if any at all. You are therefore starving after a connection with people, even when you feel they are meddlesome. So, you connect with the persons that act friendly to you almost immediately, even turning them into your kin as an 'act of friendship', even if you do not recognize it yourse-" - Carion

"A-a-a-a-a-as if! An awesome demon like me, a loner!? Ha! W-wh-what a joke! And don't even dare to tell Mira and the rest about this conversation!" - Garami

"Yes, yes, I will stay quiet. Even if you had that atmosphere as a lonely demon since the first time I saw you." - Carion

Loner, me?! What a joke... 'since the first time I saw you'?

"Wait a sec, you knew I was a demon when we met at the temple? I was disguised as a human back then, like now." - Garami

"Yes, of course. Demons emit a special aura that reveals their identity no matter what disguise-, hey! Why are you hitting me? Stop hitting me while looking at me like some pest! I am not into that sort of treatment!" - Carion

---

Layer 5

Come on, damn Skeleton! I don't need Raoul to make you bleed! Figuratively speaking!

"Just what did you two do to make Garami go on a warpath like that?! Is it related to how you were halfdead on the fourth layer?" - Mira

"C-confidential information. Under paragraph 1 of the "Yet-to-be-named"-Guild, I cannot tell you that, or else I would risk the wrath of the Guild Master." - Carion

"O-okay. Wait, what paragraph of what Guild did you say?" - Mira

I ignored the peanut gallery and focused on the sub-boss that I challenged on my own.

=====================================================================

Nameless   | [Dead Man's Cave sub-boss]

Race: [Giant Skeleton Swordsman]   | Level: --

 

Main Class: Swordsman LV50

 

HP: 312/400   | MP: 21/21   | SP: 351/410

STR: 340   | VIT: 320   | MAG: 5

RES: 50   | SPD: 100  | DEX: 90

INT: 60   | LUC: 70

=====================================================================

They ain't joking when they say "Giant". The thing's head is reaching the ceiling of this 10 meter high cavern! And he has a damn big broadsword to match. 

I know it was me who decided to take this guy on my own so that I could vent some anger, but that's before I got to know he was THIS BIG!

I dodged the large downwards cut of the Skeleton, the Two-handed Sword Art "Landslide", and fired off the poltergeist-daggers towards the elbow-joint of the big guy's arm. The only good thing about this guy's size it that his weak-points gets easier to notice now. And I got to know that I can use some more skills when using [Poltergeist] on the Demon Blood Daggers, such as [Dismantling]. Just a little bit more now... yikes!

*Swish!*

"Field Mower"! Another Two-handed Sword Art! I jumped up to the ceiling using some elastic threads, dodging the massive sword that made justice to its Art's name. All these attacks are damn powerful, and the Skeleton's massive size is not helping in decreasing the destructive powers. 

The speed of the big guy's a different story. After the Art was finished, I dropped onto the sword's flat side and ran towards the Skeleton's arm. The Skeleton tried to shake me off, but right then, I used [Ghost Leap] for once after a long time. I leaped to the arm of the Skeleton, for then using a Fatal Blow-enhanced Backstab. That was the final push needed to dislocate the Skeleton's right arm, from the elbow and down, making it drop the broadsword along with the hand. 

The Giant roared in pain, anger or whatever, but due to its lack of voice, it did nothing to stop me. Wouldn't have anyway. I ran up the remains of his arm, aiming for his neck this time. The blood-daggers were sent in advance, only to b repelled by the Skeleton's too sturdy backbone. 

The Skeleton, now understanding what my goal was, tried to catch me with its remaining hand. I jumped off the Skeleton to dodge the hand, only to be chased by said hand in the air. I fired a Dark Bullet spell towards the Skeleton, more specifically, the fire in his eyesocket. The spell hit the fire-eye, and the Skeleton reached out to it with the remaining arms it had in pain.

Before that, I had connected a thread to the hand that was trying to catch me before and was dragged to the Skeleton's head along with the thread. I jumped onto his shoulder, for then continuing what I had planned in the beginning, beheading this big brute. And what better way to do that than with my newly acquired Dagger Art?

"Neck Hunter" - Garami

The new Art is a quick, horizontal slash, way quicker than I could do on my own, and it deals extra damage when used against a target's, you guessed it, neck. The cleaver knife went into the gap between the bones of the spine, and... it got stuck. Oops. 

The pain made the Skeleton notice me again. This is bad! Plan B!

I drew out Orimaru and made myself ready to strike at the gap with Backstab, the Skeleton's hand approached me again, and...

*Boink*

Blitz, who had snuck around the Skeleton's body inside a shadow, punched the other eye of the giant, making it retreat again. Now or never! Backstab!

*Crash!*

The attack broke off a part of the spine, allowing me to take back the Blood Cleaver. I then hurriedly used Neck Hunter again, this time with both weapons in hand. 

The Skeleton's neck broke off... almost! Just a little part remained! As I was preparing to make a do-or-die move, the Skeleton suddenly melted into dust. Guess all those attacks on the neck had shaved off more HP than I first expected. [Surprise Attack] must have played a role there.

After Blitz escaped to the shadows in my clothes, I stopped my fall by throwing a thread to the ceiling again. I turned around to the five + one who was watching the fight.

"There. Said I could do it." - Garami

"Yes, you did that. But you also said you would do solo! What was Blitz doing there?" - Mira

"He's always in my shadow. Of course, he would be together with me. And I am a Summoner. Having help from summoned or tamed monster is an obvious right I have." - Garami

"That's true, I know that, but still-!" - Mira

What's up with her? It wasn't a bet or something, so why's she nagging so much? Zelot is crying his eyes out for some reason, while Carion looks like he's making a prayer to where the Skeleton was. Lily is the opposite, with how she's looking at me with starry eyes. Levi looks apologizing for some reason. Did she feel some kinship with the undead boss?

"No matter, that was a great battle there, girl. It usually takes a party with a magician on board to take out a Giant Skeleton, and you did it only with the help of your tamed monster." - Bermuda

"Hm, hm. For someone like me, that's nothing impressive." - Garami

It was a close fight though. And all the blood that's gone to my head had made me forget about using Raoul too. I need to reflect on that.

"Hey, there's a chest there." - Lily

"Treasure?! Gimme, gimme, gim-ouch!" - Mira

That's mine, thank you very much. Just to be sure, I threw a stone at the chest, but no reaction. You can never know when a mimic pops up. Inside the chest, I found one nasty sword. Hey, it's a miniature variant of the one the Giant Skeleton used! Black blade, and a skeletal guard, everything matches. Except the size.

=====================================================================

Item Name: Death Breaker

Rank: C+

Type: Two-handed sword

Durability: 300/300

ATK: 155

Weight: 70

Requirements: 

• STR of 100 or more.
• Racial Death-attribute races only.

Effects:

• Additional Death-attribute Damage: 25%
• Life-force Eater
  • Recovers the user's HP by the amount of damage dealt: 10%
• Armor Crusher
  • Increased durability loss on armor attacked by this weapon: 30%

Description: A broadsword used by the denizen of death. It hungers for the living, and no walls, armors, or shields, can stop it from satin the hunger.

A Haunt-exclusive item. Cannot be forged.

===================================================================

Should I be happy for getting this on my first round, or should I be dissatisfied cause I got a useless weapon? And from the description I can guess that the Cobalt Edge Mira has is something that can be reproduced, but this one can't. Hmm.

"Eh? We can't use it?" - Mira

Don't read the appraisal result over my shoulder. It's rude.

"Better than nothing. Can hang it over your fireplace when you get a home for yourself." - Bermuda

Trying to get me to settle down in your town? Thanks, but no thanks. Be happy that Carion stays. 

I was storing away the nasty prize I had gotten when Zelot started to say something.

"As expected of milady! Only you could defeat such a creature on your own." - Zelot

"Even if she cheated by using Blitz..." - Mira

Someone knows how to hold their grudges. Hmm...

"Then shall we make a bet? If I'm able to defeat the Haunt Lord on my own, without anyone helping me in that battle, then you have to do anything I say for the rest of the night. On the other hand, if I lose, then we'll have the blacksmith make something awesome for you with all the materials we have gotten here, the sword included." - Garami

"Oi, Garami. The Lord is-" - Carion

"Let's do that! And if you get help from anyone, then I win!" - Mira

"Oi, oi, then you can just enter the fight whenever I want you to or not. The lose-condition is if I ask anyone of you to help me, or if I'm in dire need of help. If you guys try to enter the fight except for that, it will automatically be my win." - Garami

"... Fine. But if the Lord's targeting us, then I'll fight back anyway." - Mira

"Works for me. And no taunting." - Garami

"Deal." - Mira

After saying that, Mira went to the next layer. I moved over to Zelot, making sure that Mira didn't listen to what I had to say.

(Make sure to enhance us with something that lasts for the next layer on the 9th one. The best stuff you got.) - Garami

(! Leave it to me!) - Zelot

There. Secret weapon nr.2 is ready. And nr.1 is eager to do his part as well. Ignore the stares from Levi and Carion is gonna be tougher than the Lord though.