That white-furred monkey…
Leon gripped his sword tighter, eyes narrowing.
Just from its stance alone, he could feel how terrifyingly strong it was.
This wasn't an ordinary monkey.
It was a beast that wielded blades—a monkey radiating menace and danger.
When Leon said "strong," he wasn't talking about raw stats. If you went by numbers alone, even a roasted pig could probably crush this White Ape in a single hit.
What Leon referred to was something else—its skill. The technique of the White Ape.
The taut muscles, the lean but powerful build, the subtle strength coiled in its legs, and those eyes—casual at first glance yet sharply focused—told Leon everything.
This was no mere beast. This was an elite among monkeys.
And strangely, an urge welled up inside him. An urge to test himself.
"I want to fight it one-on-one," Leon declared, voice steady. "Just look at it—this White Ape knows swordsmanship. Leave it to me."
"I get it, I get it," Maru sighed, waving her hand helplessly. "If you can't hold out, we'll just jump in and finish it off together, right? We've always done that before anyway."
"That's not called 'ganging up.' Too crude a term." Drew stroked his beard, correcting her with solemn dignity. "It's called recognizing and respecting the enemy's strength."
"I really want to fight it too…" Terl muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Next time, it'll be your turn," Leon promised.
He stepped forward, sword in hand, until only a few paces separated him from the White Ape. Then he lowered into an offensive stance.
Leon came from a family renowned for swordsmanship, trained from childhood in the way of the blade. His greatest strength lay in offense—storm-like assaults that gave opponents no chance to counter.
"Hey, come down."
The White Ape cast him a glance. Then, with effortless grace, it leapt down from the tall tree.
Twin blades clutched in its hands, it stood without a word—its calm aura that of a true master.
"Chii-chii!" the surrounding monkeys shrieked, their cries echoing through the canopy.
And then—the White Ape moved.
"What speed!"
With a thunderous impact, it lunged, twin blades slashing down with brutal force.
But Leon wasn't weak. He raised his sword, knocking both blades aside, then pivoted sharply, countering with a slash toward its chest.
Clang!
Steel rang against steel, sparks scattering—the White Ape had blocked his strike perfectly.
"Not bad!"
Leon grinned, teeth bared, his swordplay growing fiercer. His strikes flowed one into the next, a relentless combo designed to overwhelm, to finish the fight before the ape could retaliate.
The White Ape blocked every blow, but gradually, its stamina waned. Its D-rank power wasn't enough to sustain a drawn-out duel against someone of Leon's caliber.
Monsters like those in Sekiro were a lower tier—elite beasts like the Blazing Bull or the Chained Ogre couldn't even compare to minotaurs in this world. Only true bosses like the Divine Dragon or Demon of Hatred held power worth fearing.
Wade had placed the Apes in this dungeon not for their brute strength, but for their skill. Their swordsmanship was a specific danger—especially to human adventurers.
Nimble humanoid monsters were always troublesome. Their ability to disrupt often outweighed raw strength.
Leon's breathing grew heavier, fatigue setting in. The smart move would've been to ease off, recover.
But seeing the White Ape falter only fueled his competitiveness.
He pressed harder.
It wasn't just pride—it was redemption. The shame of having once been slain by that ridiculous blue slime burned in his chest. To be killed by such an unremarkable creature… it enraged him, clouded his judgment.
This kid's getting greedy…!
Everyone knew "greed" in combat—the urge to push when your opponent staggered—was the mark of mastery. But only when you'd already read your enemy completely.
To do it recklessly, without understanding their patterns, was to invite—
Clang!
A clear, crisp ring echoed. So much sharper, cleaner than their earlier heavy clashes.
Leon's sword had been knocked aside!
In game terms—his posture gauge had snapped.
His eyes widened in shock. He tried to parry again, but too late—
The Guardian Ape snarled, bringing its twin blades down!
Clang!
Another clash—but this time, the Guardian Ape froze in disbelief.
Its blades had snapped in two.
Leon glanced down at his silver armor—two shallow scratches marking the surface—then at the ape's broken swords. His lips curled.
"Pfft—hahaha!"
Seizing the moment, he drove his sword through the White Ape, cutting it down in victory.
How wise he had been, years ago, to borrow money and forge this armor! He silently praised his past self's foresight.
Even Sekiro, with his indestructible Kusabimaru, couldn't cut through an armored warrior. How could this White Ape's knockoff blades stand a chance against enchanted steel?
It was a triumph of defense!
Leon wasn't the only one laughing. Even Wade, watching from the shadows, chuckled bitterly.
Damn it. He'd focused so much on the monster's strength, he'd forgotten to upgrade its weapons. And now, that oversight had become an embarrassing flaw.
Still… these adventurers were strong. Stronger than most. After all, they were the first to reach this place.
Wade grudgingly acknowledged their skill.
The dungeon's mid-level zone was designed this way. Defeat two elite monsters to obtain the keys that unlocked the stone gate leading to the Great Hollow. The group was currently at one such key location.
The transport chests in Blighttown teleported adventurers into traps. But if they survived, they would often emerge in the mid-level zone. For capable adventurers, this served as a shortcut—since the traps were near the Guardian Apes' territory.
Every teleport chest in the dungeon was deliberately placed. Each had a trap nearby, but surviving it often led to clues, tools, or hidden rewards.
Of course, those rewards were well concealed. Without meticulous exploration—or sheer luck—most would never find them.
"Laugh while you can," Wade muttered with a sinister grin.
He had never said the key guardians were only as strong as the Guardian Ape.
"Chii-chii-chii!!!"
The monkeys erupted in a frenzy, their screeches stabbing into the ears like a maddening curse.
Rustling followed. Three, four more Apes dropped from the canopy, glaring murderously. Ordinary monkeys swarmed too, scavenged weapons in hand, surrounding the adventurers with violent intent.
"Hmph, beasts will be beasts."
Drew snorted coldly. At last, his spell was ready. He raised his left hand, and a perfect sphere of ice floated upward.
The air froze. Snowflakes drifted down. A thin sheet of frost spread across the ground.
One monkey lunged with a roar—only to be instantly frozen solid, entombed in a whirling miniature storm.
The icy tempest spun around the party, forming a barrier that no foe could breach.
[Intermediate Ice Magic — Storm Ice Prison]
A spell to entrap enemies while shielding allies. The storm would follow its caster wherever he moved.
Just as the group braced for a decisive clash, Maru pointed suddenly.
"Look! A purple light!"
Deep within the arboreal arena, behind cascading vines like a waterfall, a faint glow pulsed. Purple, soft yet alluring.
An Ape noticed too and bolted toward it.
This was no accident—Wade's design at work. Normally, monsters had no interest in such treasures.
"Maru!"
"On it!"
Like an arrow, she shot forward, intercepting the glow first. Her kick sent the Ape flying.
"Let's see what treasure this is."
Behind the curtain of vines lay a golden ring, exquisitely crafted.
The moment her fingers closed around it, knowledge bloomed in her mind.
[Ring of Favor · Replica]
[Slightly boosts vitality and stamina]
[Also used to open a certain door]
Before she could celebrate, a sound rolled out from behind the vines—heavy breathing.
So heavy, so deep, the creature must be massive.
Maru looked up instinctively—and locked eyes with it.
The stench hit her nose first. The shape came next.
Another monkey.
But not like the others.
"This one's… way too big…"
"Raaaaargh!"
The Guardian Ape roared.
[Guardian Ape (Boss) (Sekiro)]
[Mana Cost: 380 per unit]
[HP: C | Strength: D++ | Intelligence: E+ | Endurance: D++ | Speed: D+ | Overall Combat Power: D++]