After I had dealt with Cloyde and safely secured the sacred scroll, Kazike and I took a moment to catch our breath in the dim cavern.
Kazike looked at me, a complex mix of deep admiration and cautious curiosity on his face. "Kazu, your power is absolutely incredible. How can you teleport repeatedly to different locations without chanting? It's beyond anything I've ever seen an Assassin do."
I shook my head with a small smile, staring at my hands. "I don't really know, Kazike. Honestly, I'm just as surprised by what I can do as you are."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Whatever this power is, Kazu, you need to study it carefully. But for now, let's head back to the surface and report everything."
"Yes, Kazike," I agreed, a hint of uncertainty in my voice. "But I don't know how to study my power. Can you teach me?"
Kazike chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Are you sure? I don't even know if I can match a fraction of your strength anymore! But I guess I can try."
"Thank you, Kazike. Let's head back to the Guild."
As we prepared to leave, Kazike patted his pockets, his face suddenly dropping. "Ah, Kazu... I almost forgot. My Depth Teleportation Stone was depleted when we came down here. We'll need to stay on this floor a bit longer to hunt a monster that drops one."
"Alright," I nodded. "I'll follow your lead."
Kazike glanced at me, his expression turning serious. "Kazu, your power is terrifying. You completely overpowered an S-Rank Assassin without breaking a sweat. I'm not saying it's wrong, but you need to learn to control your aura to avoid drawing the wrong kind of attention."
Just as he spoke, a suffocating, icy pressure descended upon the cavern. The air grew impossibly heavy, making it hard to breathe.
"Kazike..." I whispered, my Murderous Intent Detection skill screaming in my mind. "What is this... this killing intent I'm feeling?"
Kazike noticed my distress, and all the color drained from his face. "Kazu... is there a problem?"
I nodded slowly, my eyes locked on the dark archway ahead. "Yes. I feel an immense, overwhelming danger coming right toward us."
Kazike's expression turned to pure panic. "This is bad. KAZU, GRAB MY ARM AND GIVE ME YOUR MANA! NOW!"
I didn't hesitate. "Here!" I channeled a massive surge of my infinite mana directly into him.
Kazike slammed his hands onto the stone floor, forcefully initiating an emergency teleportation circle just as an imposing, terrifying figure stepped out of the shadows.
Kazike's eyes widened in absolute shock. "Mizawa... the right hand of the Demon Lord... What is a demon general doing down here?!"
A blinding flash of blue light engulfed us.
When I opened my eyes, we were standing in the bright sunlight just outside the dungeon entrance. I looked around, confused and slightly dizzy. "Kazike, why did we leave the dungeon so suddenly? Who was that?"
Kazike forced a smile, though he was visibly sweating and shaking. "Nothing, Kazu. It's just... it's much better that we left when we did. That guy is bad news."
"But what about the depth teleportation stone?" I asked, puzzled.
"W-We'll just buy two at the central market when we pass by the smithing shop," he reassured me quickly. He patted my shoulder, his hand still trembling slightly. "Let's head to the Guild first and find out where we need to deliver your quest item."
Adventurer's Guild
I pushed the heavy tavern doors open and greeted our favorite receptionist with my usual enthusiasm. "Hi, Missy!"
Missy smiled warmly, her ears twitching. "Hello, Kazu! How was the quest?"
Kazike swaggered up to the counter, clearly trying to shake off his near-death experience. "We completed it, but a lot happened down there—"
Missy cut him off with a flat, irritated glare. "I was asking Kazu, not you, Kazike."
I stepped in, my expression turning serious. "Missy, we got the scroll, but a man named Cloyde ambushed us on Floor 34."
Missy's brow furrowed in shock. "Cloyde? The rogue S-Rank Assassin who disappeared years ago? Why would he show up now?"
"He wanted to kill us and take everything we had," I explained. "I had to fight him."
Kazike nodded vigorously. "Yes..." he muttered under his breath. "Why is Missy so curt with me? Is she having a bad day?"
Missy sighed, rubbing her temples. "I see. I'll report Cloyde's sighting to the Guild Master. Well, do you have the scroll?"
I pulled the ancient parchment from my pouch. "Here it is."
Missy inspected the wax seal with a discerning eye. "This is exactly what the noble family was looking for. However, the client specifically requested that the adventurer who completed the quest must personally deliver it to their estate." She glanced at Kazike, rolling her eyes. "Though they might mistakenly assume Kazike did all the heavy lifting because of your age..."
I nodded. "Alright, Missy. We'll head out now."
"Take care, Kazu," she reminded me softly. "The Sorinade family mansion is located in the wealthy central district of Druzka."
Kazike rolled his eyes, his patience wearing thin. "Sure, sure, old elf. Bye."
Missy completely ignored him, maintaining her perfect, professional smile directed only at me.
The Noble District
"Kazike, you seem to have a really close relationship with Missy," I noted as we walked down the cobblestone streets.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "It might seem that way, but it's nothing serious." He checked the quest details written on his hand. "The Sorinade family... It should be just up this hill."
Upon reaching the mansion's massive iron gates, we were immediately intercepted by a stern, heavily armored guard.
"State your business," the guard demanded, raising a suspicious eyebrow at our dungeon-worn clothes. "Who are you, and what is this child doing here?"
Kazike puffed out his chest confidently. "I am Kazike, an A-Rank adventurer, and this is Kazu. He is the one who completed Lord Sorinade's S-Rank quest."
The guard was taken aback. "A child? Completed an S-Rank dungeon dive? ...Very well. Follow me. I will escort you to Lord Raku."
The guards led us through a breathtakingly opulent courtyard and into a grand reception hall.
Lord Raku, a tall, distinguished man draped in fine silks, greeted us with a dignified air. "Good morning, gentlemen. How can I help the Adventurer's Guild today?"
Kazike bowed respectfully. "Good day, my Lord. We have successfully retrieved the item you requested."
Lord Raku's eyes lit up. "The scroll?"
Kazike handed it over. "Yes, here it is. Kazu here is the one who officially completed the quest. I merely accompanied him."
I bowed deeply. "Yes! Kazike was a great help to me!"
Lord Raku's eyes widened with profound interest as he looked down at me. "This young boy? Is the rumor true, then? Is he the youngest S-Rank adventurer in the history of our country?"
Kazike nodded, a hint of genuine pride in his voice. "That's right. Can we discuss the reward now?"
Lord Raku smiled, clearly pleased to hold his precious scroll again. "Of course. To express my deepest gratitude, you may choose one reward from the following three options."
Kazike's curiosity piqued. "Choose?"
"First," Lord Raku explained, gesturing to a nearby doorway. "My eldest daughter wishes to meet and marry the heroic adventurer who completed this dangerous task. Second, you may take this heavy chest, which contains exactly five thousand gold coins." He then pointed to an ornate velvet pillow resting on a pedestal. "Third, you may take this weapon. It is an ancient dagger known as the Wrath of God. It doubles the movement speed of its wielder and can be inscribed with powerful runes."
Kazike's mind visibly raced. "A wealthy noble bride... I've been single for a long time. This is the opportunity of a lifetime..." He cleared his throat. "My Lord, what about Kazu? Does he get to choose a reward too?"
"Since you both participated, you may each select one option," Lord Raku confirmed.
My eyes sparkled with excitement as I pointed at the pedestal. "I would like the dagger! I don't have a proper weapon yet!" (And I really want to see if I can use my Combat Rune Stone on it!)
Lord Raku picked up the dagger, a look of deep uncertainty in his eyes. "You may take it, young man, but... I must warn you. No one in our family can wield it. It actively drains the mana of whoever touches the hilt—"
I grabbed the dagger. It glowed brightly, humming perfectly in my grasp.
Lord Raku stared in absolute shock. "He's holding it effortlessly... but how?! He should be completely drained!"
I beamed, admiring the perfectly balanced blade. "REALLY?! THIS DAGGER IS MINE! Thank you so much!"
Kazike, feeling incredibly confident, puffed out his chest and flashed a charming grin. "Well then, I will gladly accept your daughter's hand in marriage!" He whispered to me, "I hit the jackpot, Kazu! A rich, beautiful noble wife!" He turned back to the Lord. "By the way, what is my lovely bride's name?"
A beautiful young woman in an elegant dress stepped out from the adjoining room. She bowed gracefully. "I am honored to meet you, brave adventurer. My name is Bitshu."
Kazike froze. The confident grin instantly melted off his face. "..."
Bitshu tilted her head, her expression gentle. "Is there a problem with my name, sir?"
Kazike stammered, his face turning pale. "N-No... no problem at all..." He muttered under his breath, "Oh my god... Of all the beautiful names in the world... her name is literally Bitshu. It sounds like a swear word... What have I done..."
I clapped Kazike on the back, completely oblivious to his internal crisis. "This is great, Kazike! You finally have a girlfriend!"
Kazike stared blankly into the distance, a hollow, faint smile on his lips. "Yeah... I guess so."
I tilted my head, concerned. "Are you okay, Kazike?"
He shook his head, trying desperately to regain his composure. "I'm fine, kid. Just... caught off guard by my own luck."
"Why don't you talk to her and get to know her?" I suggested brightly.
After a very awkward, stammering conversation between Kazike and his new fiancée, we finally excused ourselves from the mansion to return to the Guild and report our success.
[Notification: Your Assassin skill has reached Level 91] [Notification: Your Exploration skill has reached Level 88] [New Active Skill Received: Blood Steal] (Blood Steal: Drains 50% of an enemy's Mana upon physical contact. If your Mana is already full, the stolen energy converts into HP regeneration. The more Mana drained, the higher the healing output.)
I checked my status screen as we walked down the street, my excitement growing with every new notification.
[STATUS] Level: 79 Name: Kazu Gonomiya Age: 12 Job Class: God
Passive Skills:
Divine Knowledge
Infinite Mana
Maximized Self-Healing
Active Skills:
Blink
Explosive Blink
Bloodlust (Upgraded to RAGE: Locked)
Blood Steal
Magic Spells:
Fire Pierce
Fire Spirit Flare
Unique Skills:
Exploration (Level 88)
Assassin (Level 91)
Cooking (Level 8)
Mining (Level 1)
Smithing (Level 1)
I tapped my chin in thought. "What is Smithing actually for? Since I have this new dagger, could I use the skill to forge the Rune Stone into it myself?"
Kazike noticed my distraction. He shook his head with a tired, bemused smile. "Kazu, are you spacing out again?" he muttered to himself. "This kid is so strange..."
I just grinned at him, my mind racing with endless, thrilling possibilities for the future.