—–

“It seems my Ninjutsu was not enough to stop the Frostbane Prince’s magic,” Kaze said with a slightly surprised smile. “I am in awe. Would you allow us to have a friendly match with you, Prince Louis?”

Louis stared at the man before him. Kaze was a pure ninja, a green-haired young man who served the Amaterasu Family in the shadows until now. With a slender and tall frame and a handsome face hidden beneath his clothes, he wielded all sorts of secret weapons and Ninjutsu inherited from his family in Zipangu.

From what Louis knew, Kaze also possessed a Spirit Orb that allowed him to summon three powerful Elemental Spirits. He combined them with his Ninjutsu to become a devastating area-of-effect attacker with excellent dodging and critical strikes, essentially a better version of Hana in every way. His personality was that of a disciplined and loyal young ninja, nothing more. He was also a Kitsune, a descendant of half-foxes from Zipangu, carrying a mix of many bloodlines.

“I am well aware why you nobodies are here,” Louis smirked. “Kaguya likely knows you cannot do much, so she sent you to delay us and buy her time, right? That will not happen. We will not engage in any battle. Let’s go.”

“Eh?!” Agustina gasped in shock.

“Wait, what?!” Selene exclaimed.

“Huh?” Melisa tilted her head.

“WHAT?!”

The entire Yamato team screamed in disbelief as the prideful prince simply walked away, showing them his back completely defenseless.

Did he really plan to just leave like this?

He was not wrong. They were here to stall him and buy time for the rest of their side to gain momentum in the competition.

But this was ridiculous. Just how confident could one man be?

“This is it. Let’s go all out,” Kaze said, placing his hands together and performing various hand signs. “No helping it. He severely underestimates us. This is our only chance to hit him and delay him as much as possible!”

Suddenly, a giant green frog emerged, followed by a blue wolf and a red fox. All three spirits came from his Spirit Orb and were powerfully integrated with his Ninjutsu.

“Spirit Ninjutsu Art – Rain Frog’s Flood!”

“Spirit Ninjutsu Art – Mountain Wolf’s Avalanche!”

“Spirit Ninjutsu Art – Wildfire Fox’s Inferno!”

By channeling his Ninjutsu into his three spirits, Kaze unleashed a triple area-of-effect spell combination. Water, ice, and fire crashed toward Louis and his team at the same time.

BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!

“Go!”

Kaze roared as the four other members of his team charged forward. Oboro paired with Tsubaki, and Hana with Hinata. The two naginata wielders unleashed their Psychic Auras and fused them with their weapons. Meanwhile, the katana users combined their Ki with their Spiritual Energy and swung their Spirit Katanas simultaneously.

Louis’s team was bombarded by dozens of powerful long-range techniques. Countless explosions shook the ground, shattering it and revealing deep cracks everywhere.

However, a deep rumble echoed.

Amidst the explosions and smoke, a giant white dragon hand made of semi-transparent psychic energy burst forth. It punched all four warriors at once, sending powerful shockwaves across the sky and ground. The floor shattered, and dozens of boulders flew into the air.

“Is that all?”

Louis paused and glanced back without fully turning around. His back remained exposed, yet his Psychic Power, fused with his Draconic Power, Spiritual Energy, Fantasium, and the power of his Spiral, had manifested a giant dragon to protect him.

Although his Esper Spiritualization: Great Dragon King was only C Rank, when combined with all his different energies, cultivation methods, incarnations, and Spirals, it reached the strength of an A Rank Esper Ability, enough to demolish most obstacles with a single thrust of its fist.

“You should be ashamed of how pathetically weak you all are.”

Louis sneered and shook his head. His aura roared back to life, manifesting two gigantic, car-sized dragon fists that punched the warriors as they tried to rise.

BAAM! BAAM! BAAM! BAAM! BAAM!

“Aaaaggghh!”

They desperately tried to resist, but Hana was the first to fall unconscious. A massive fist struck her face directly, nearly exploding it from the damage. Her body rolled across the ground, splattering blood and teeth everywhere.

“H-Hana!” Tsubaki panicked and rushed to help her, only for the dragon hand to descend above him. Its index finger alone struck his chest and then his head, crushing his handsome face into the floor. Another dragon palm slammed him down, creating a large crater where the unconscious man lay barely alive.

“He’s tough,” Louis muttered, glancing back before continuing to walk away.

“Wait! Stop looking down on us!!!” Hinata charged through the dragon fists, using his superior physical strength to leap over them and aim straight for Louis. “Fight me like a warrior, Louis Drakeheart!”

“Fine.”

Louis’s eyes glowed sharply. He pulled his hands from his pockets and summoned Gungnir once more, charging the weapon with energy before thrusting it forward.

“Can you take this?”

“W-Wha…?!”

Hinata’s eyes widened as he saw Louis’s entire soul and aura transform into a divine holy dragon roaring back at him.

“Holy Dragon Lance Style. First Form – Radiant Fang!”

“Wait! Argh!”

Hinata screamed as the piercing attack reached him. His katana blocked it, but cracks quickly spread across the blade. A surge of holy light struck him the moment he defended, and he saw a giant holy dragon roaring, its fangs piercing his weapon.

CRASH!

The katana shattered into pieces and scattered away.

“Damn it!”

Hinata tried to use Sword Energy for a close-range slash, avoiding the spear and aiming for Louis’s neck. But Louis dodged skillfully, kicked his chin downward, and used the same trick, slashing Hinata’s entire body with his fingers like blades.

“Nnngh?! Aaaghh!”

Hinata screamed. Louis mercilessly kicked his face aside before turning to face Oboro, who wore a steady expression as her aura shifted.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nngh…”

She clenched her teeth, gripping her naginata tightly, realizing the struggle was futile. Yet she refused to give up.

“TERYAAAAA!”

With a fierce roar, she thrust and swung her naginata, unleashing dozens of attacks. Each one was too predictable to ever land on the dragon prince.

“Too slow and predictable.”

Louis swept her feet, knocking her down, then unleashed several thrusting attacks with Gungnir, shattering her armor in the process.

Leaving her utterly humiliated, Louis sensed Kaze’s presence. The ninja had ignored him and targeted the rest of his team instead, attempting to capture them as hostages.

He believed them to be far weaker.

And although he was not entirely wrong…

“RAAAARR!”

Selene roared, biting Kaze’s arm fiercely and destroying his spirits with her sharp claws.

“Leave us alone!”

Melisa fired dozens of holy light beams from her body, bombarding him with explosions.

“Hey, jackass!”

Agustina swung her hammer and struck Kaze’s face before he could react, knocking him out in a single blow.

[Congratulations! Your team has beaten Team Yamato 2!]

[You have taken 50% of the enemy team’s points, gaining +450 points.]

[You are currently ranked 3rd in the Dungeon Games.]

“Well done,” Louis said, brushing the dust from his hands. “Let’s move.”

The group quickly flew into the skies and disappeared, leaving Kaze and his team completely humiliated on the ground. Most of them were bleeding and barely conscious.

Louis could have easily killed them all if he wanted, but he chose mercy. He broke a few bones here and there but left no lethal wounds. Still, if they did not stop the bleeding soon, things could turn nasty.

“W-We barely managed to delay that bastard…” Hinata groaned, vomiting blood. “Ugh, he’s so strong. Why is he even a student anyway?!”

“It’s unfair…!” Hana complained, weakly hitting the grass with her small fists.

“Stop complaining,” Kaze muttered as he stood up. “Complaining will not help. You have to accept that we are weak… all of us. We need to do better. We need to become stronger, not just for our honor, but for our country.”

♢♢♢♢

“We’re finally here.”

Louis landed in front of the entrance to deep caves within the Starlight Crystal Mountains on the Dungeon’s Second Layer. He glanced at the beauty of the glistening crystals and smiled lightly.

“We will move through these caves all the way down to the entrance of the Third Layer. It should not take us longer than an hour if we hurry. Let’s move.”

“Ok!” Selene nodded.

“Hm!” Melisa agreed, riding on Selene’s back since she had grown a little tired.

“Ugh, keeping my armor with the wings activated is exhausting,” Agustina sighed. “Do I have to keep it on?”

“Your armor is the only thing standing between you and having your skin ripped apart by monsters, so the choice is yours,” Louis said as he walked forward.

“Ah, well… I guess I have to,” the young noble lady quickly realized this was serious. Her life truly was in danger if she became careless.

Once inside the caves, the party marveled at the beauty of the ceiling and walls. Glistening crystals and metals grew everywhere, creating a breathtaking sight.

“Wow, what are these crystals? Can we mine them?” Melisa wondered.

“We can, and that is exactly what we are doing,” Louis nodded. “Come!”

He summoned all his Incarnations and Familiars at once and gave them large pickaxes he had fashioned from Ashen Frost and reinforced with Fantasium. “Mine everything as we move. Hurry!”

The Familiars nodded and began striking key points. Large chunks of Starlit Crystals and Starlight Mithril fell everywhere. Pandora leaped from place to place, swallowing it all.

“Woah, I never thought this was possible. You’re making your Incarnations work for you?!” Agustina was shocked beyond belief.

“We need the materials to gain more points. They count as small treasures,” Louis explained. “Also, I want them to reinforce my body’s physique. You will need them for your Spiritual Forge too, and my Soul Treasures will benefit from absorbing them.”

While gathering resources, Louis scanned for enemies or monsters. With Selene’s help, the group quickly located a huge swarm of Anomalies roaming the caves.

Louis threw several Fantasium Cores from defeated Entities onto the ground. Their essence swiftly attracted the giant swarm, or rather, the entire colony.

The caves trembled as heavy footsteps echoed everywhere.

Agustina’s calm face twisted in horror at what she saw.

“WHAT ARE THOOOSE?!”

Monstrous giant ants emerged with gleaming blue exoskeletons and yellow eyes that resembled stars. The largest ones wore starlight armor, and some acted like mages, unleashing starfall spells on everyone.

“They are Starlit Ants, Level 3 Anomalies,” Louis explained. “The smaller ones are Level 2. This will be a good appetizer. Let’s begin. We need to level up anyway.”

“E-Eh? Wait…!” Agustina cried as Louis charged ahead, leaving her surrounded by dozens of massive, disgusting ants. They fired miniature stars at her, bombarding her with burning plasma explosions while their jaws snapped to tear her apart.

“D-Damn it!”

She summoned her Spiritual Armor once more and reinforced it with the Starlight Crystals and Starlight Mithril. Her armor and wings suddenly transformed into a cosmic version, gleaming blue with nebula-like colors spreading across them.

“Wow!”

Amazed by the change, her hammer greedily absorbed the surrounding ores as she smashed the heads of the ants, growing larger and stronger with every strike.

“So this is how I can grow stronger in battle!”

Fascinated, Agustina focused completely. She narrowed her eyes and flew swiftly like a small yet brave Valkyrie. Her hammer crushed heads while her wings helped her narrowly avoid the destructive miniature stars.

Meanwhile, Louis fought with equal ferocity. He thrust his spear and unleashed his Holy Dragon Lance Arts, obliterating dozens of ants at once. Explosions of holy light surged with every motion as Gungnir feasted on countless souls.

Melisa and Selene worked together as a team. Melisa rode on Selene’s back for safety and occasionally used her wings to lift her out of danger. Selene entered Berserk Mode, using her sharp claws and fangs to slash and bite through her foes. Melisa supported with beams of holy light and slicing halos, doing everything she could.

The massacre intensified as more swarming ants arrived. The colony grew mad with rage after seeing so many of their brethren fall. Louis pushed forward relentlessly. His Incarnations, Familiars, and Spirits tore through the army, destroying more and more ants.

In just ten minutes, eighty percent of the ants had perished. Then the heavy footsteps of something much larger echoed through the caves.

“GROOOOHHHH!”

A massive, fat Starlit Ant emerged, resembling a gigantic monstrous centipede. It rushed toward them at lightning speed, its giant jaws snapping at Louis.

CLAAASH!

Louis blocked with Gungnir and his armor. He fused with Pendragon to gain Spiritual Armor similar to Agustina’s, then transformed further by fusing with the rest of his Spiral Incarnations. He took on a burly, muscular, dark-gray-skinned Dragonoid form with blazing white hair and fiery gold-red eyes.

“Heh, finally something worth my time.”

It was the Starlit Ant Queen, marked by her massive centipede-like body and crown of sharp horns. Her jaws could easily rip apart entire buildings. This Level 4 Anomaly alone could destroy the entire capital if left unchecked.

Agustina was shocked by the creature’s sheer size and power. She quickly realized that every other student was supposed to run and escape to the deeper layers, yet Louis had other plans.

“The Starlit Ant Queen! If defeated, she drops the Legendary-Grade Starlight Ring, right?” Louis smirked.

The Starlight Ring was a powerful mid-game accessory that increased all stats by five percent when equipped. Louis intended to claim it just as he remembered doing in the past.

“SHYAAAAAA!”

The ferocious queen hissed as Louis smashed her head down with his fists while his second pair of arms slashed her face and pierced her eyes with swords and spears. Enraged, she gathered energy in her jaws and unleashed a massive beam of starlight energy straight into his body.

BOOOM!

The beam pushed Louis back and pierced the walls, creating a huge explosion that caused countless boulders to fall from the ceiling and crush many remaining ants.

“Louis!”

Agustina cried out, finding herself protected by the giant knight spirit Pendragon and Pandora, who stood guard over her and the children.

“A-Are you okay?!”

“Mister?”

“Big bro?”

As they called for him, the Ant Queen clicked her mandibles and charged at them with lightning speed. They panicked and screamed, trying to run.

“I’m fine.”

RUMBLE!

The walls shattered as Louis leaped forward. His body was slightly burnt, but he discarded the damaged skin and let new skin regrow rapidly. A giant black hand with a large red eye hugged his entire body, healing him at an incredible speed.

“Handy, go protect them.”

Handy leaped off his body, scuttling around and firing cursed beams at the approaching ants, destroying them one by one as it made its way toward the children and Agustina.

The Ant Queen hissed and rushed toward Handy, only for Louis to intercept her. He infused all his power into his spear and released it at once through the Rune of Slaughter.

“Die.”

BOOOMMM!!!

A single thrust was all it took. A massive wave of piercing white and golden light erupted, striking the Starlit Ant Queen and disintegrating half of her body completely.

“SHYAAAAEEEGGGHHHH!”

The monstrous insect let out one last agonizing scream as her body splattered everywhere, burning with white flames. Her head twisted in agony, spitting blood in every direction.

“Goodbye.”

Louis crushed her head into pieces with a single stomp. A surge of experience points flooded him as he rapidly leveled up from all the kills.

At the same time, a small sphere of light emerged from the monster’s body, revealing a beautiful glistening blue and golden ring.

“The Starlight Ring! I got it on the first try. So this is how dropped items spawn?”

Louis was amazed. He grabbed the ring and equipped it immediately, feeling his stats rise by five percent. It was a substantial boost given how high his stats had already grown.

“So how are you feeling?” Louis asked as he walked toward them.

“I’m exhausted…” Agustina sighed.

“Eugh…” Melisa groaned.

“I’m fine!” Selene wagged her tail. “That was fun!”

“Heh, you’re a natural,” Louis said, patting Selene’s head. He liked that she was an innate battle junkie. “Let’s keep moving. Pandora, store everything.”

“GRAWR!”

The giant cursed treasure chest opened her maws and devoured everything instantly, revealing the endless black hole inside her mouth that never stopped amazing Agustina.

“Just where did you even get such an amazing spirit?” she wondered.

“I developed it on my own,” Louis shrugged. “Let’s move!”

Without wasting any more time, Louis and his group resumed their journey toward the Third Layer.

While moving, Louis checked the system notifications.

Ding!

[You and your party have slain Living Mercury Slimes (Level 3 Anomaly) x4]

[You and your party have slain Starlit Ants (Level 2 ~ 3 Anomalies) x300+]

[You have slain the Starlit Ant Queen (Level 4 Anomaly) x1]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[…]

[Your Level has increased from Level 55 to Level 78/150.]

[Congratulations! You have reached 100% Fantasium Affinity.]

[Bonus Time!]

“It’s already at 100%?!”

Louis looked at the messages. He could feel it deep within him. His Fantasium levels had increased drastically, and their combination and concentration surged through his body, prompting it to evolve and unlock new powers.

“I can feel something new emerging within me… a new ability?”

[You have developed the first Core Spiral Ability: Fated Villain – Tier 7]

“What? Core Spiral Ability? Really, this soon?! But what is this stupid name?”

Louis’s eyebrows twitched as he read the ability’s ridiculous name. Never could he have guessed he would gain something like this. It felt almost too absurd to be true, yet it was real. Somehow, he had become a “Fated Villain” in the greatest sense of the word.

“What is this?”

He quickly analyzed the ability’s description.

—–

[Fated Villain – Tier 7 (1%)]

An ability developed by truly villainous Spiralwalkers who walk the path of malice and selfishness, purposely ruining the lives of others for their own vile benefit.

Fate is always looking to crush every single one of your actions, but as the Fated Villain, you also have a part within Fate that cannot be easily rewritten.

[Click to Show More]

—–

At first, it seemed quite simple. But Core Spiral Abilities were different. They were much larger abilities with many effects, usually able to grow independently. Sometimes they relied on materials to evolve and often had their own point systems.

Louis saw a small button labeled [Click to Show More]. When he clicked it, he was greeted by the complete information of the Core Spiral Ability.

—–

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep