Nonoka got up just as it started to rain, but when she turned around, there was no one behind her.
"Huh."
She noticed her clothing getting wet, and she pulled out her phone and dialed Atsushi.
"Hey. I'm gonna crash here a little while. See ya later."
Atsushi's voice rang through the phone.
"Do not lose sight of your purpose. You are there to learn, to grow, not to slack."
"Yep, uh-huh, got it."
She hung up the phone and began to make her way off the roof. Once she landed on the ground, she knocked on the door as rain poured over her.
"Hey? Uh, it's freezing out here. I can come in, or?"
After a long while, Omariro opened the door, sipping coffee. "No groceries today. Come back later."
"What? No—-wait, did you want groceries?"
Omariro sipped some more coffee as Nonoka recomposed herself. "Anyway. I wanted to come in your place. Since it's hella cold out here and I don't feel like walking miles and miles to my dad's house."
Omariro turned around, heading back for his couch. "Girl avoid carpet."
"Phew. Thanks. Don't worry. I'll…walk around it. Do you have a bathroom I can use to like…change out of these wet clothes?"
Omariro watched the TV, seemingly oblivious, and Nonoka just gave a curt nod before walking down the hallway. "I'll…just go find it."
After checking room after room, she finally found a large bathroom.
"Whoa," Nonoka thought. "This bathroom is easily the size of three bedrooms! How much money does he have?"
As she set her bag down, pulling out casual clothing, she noticed a trophy on one of the bathroom shelves. She took it and read the label.
"This award goes to the Legendary Kaidanchō for his all-time dungeon success rate of 99.9%. We wish you a great retirement."
Nonoka's eyes widened. "99.9% success rate? I knew he was abnormal, but this is ridiculous! What kinda monster is he?"
A line rang through her head. One told to her long ago.
"There's a man. A very strong man. Hopefully, you meet him one day. When you do, make sure you do everything it takes to prove yourself to him. For it will be the greatest thing you shall ever do."
Nonoka blinked a few times. "99.9%…if I can even learn a fraction from him, I'll grow exponentially."
She quickly put the trophy back into place and prepared to take a shower.
Meanwhile—-
Han, now dressed in white robes with a hood on and white boots, paced around an empty gray room with a bench attached to the wall.
"Where's that damn teacher," Han muttered. "I don't have all day."
The door suddenly opened, and Han whirled around, but he found Zaria there, wearing a long-sleeved white dress with white heels.
"The hell—-?"
Zaria waved to him. "Sup, Han? He kinda told me these people dress a certain way when they're not fighting. So this is what I gotta put on. Don't I look good?"
"Huh? Yeah. Whatever. Cool."
Zaria pulled out a phone and took a picture. "Must send this to Mr. Nyugawa. Hmm…what to tag it?"
Seiya suddenly stepped into the room. "You, kid. Your turn."
Han straightened up. "Finally."
Zaria watched as Seiya led Han out. "Good luck, Han! I'm rooting for you!"
Leading him back to the large simulation room, Seiya stepped back and pressed a button.
"You're a Jugen-Kōbisha, so your training will be a lot different from your friend's."
"Obviously."
The room around him swirled and shifted into an image of his bedroom, where his parents were waiting.
"Mom and Dad?" he questioned. "No. Just a trick."
"No tricks, honey," his mom stated. "We're just here to support your dungeon training."
"Yeah, my ass."
"We'll show you, son," his dad promised. "Follow us downstairs."
〈Goal: Complete the Training.〉
〈Objective #1: Follow Parents.〉
Han got up, following his parents out of his room and down the stairs, where he noticed a figure resembling Kiyoshi sitting on the couch, who got up the moment he saw Han.
"Han! There you are, pal!"
"Kiyoshi? How many bad memories of my past is this stupid simulation gonna show me?"
"C'mon, you're calling me a 'bad' memory?"
"Nah. Just. What is it?"
Kiyoshi pointed to the cube in Han's hand. "You got a tool of mine. And I'm gonna show you how to use it. Starting now."
"Wait, what—-?"
The floor beneath them broke, causing Han and Kiyoshi to land inside a dungeon. As soon as Han got up, he noticed where he was.
"Back here? Back where you died?"
Kiyoshi patted him on the shoulder. "Yep. Make it different this time, pal."
〈Goal: Save Kiyoshi.〉
A large chimera-like beast emerged.
〈Boss: Makyō no Kimera—Metaru. Level: 71,000〉
Han watched as Metaru leaned in close, grabbing Kiyoshi, who gave Han a thumbs-up.
"Good luck, man!"
Metaru stepped back, narrowing its eyes.
"A puny human. Using a tool it doesn't even understand."
"Oh, look. A talking bird. Holding the body of a long-dead friend it didn't even bother to learn the name of. You gonna keep stating the obvious or what?"
Han formed his cube, a fierce look on his face. "Because I'm ready to tear you up, freak."
〈Objective *1*: Interrupt an Attack 3 Times.〉
〈Objective *2*: Seal an Attack 3 Times.〉
〈Objective *3:* Use a Stun Attack 3 Times.〉
Seiya's voice could be heard from afar.
"Since you're support and containment, you've gotta learn how to trap, stun, and seal. That's your bread and butter. Now put that cube to use!"
"Mhm," Han muttered. "I got this."
〈Domain Effect: Metal Claw. When *Enraged*, Metaru's claws will turn to metal and deal increased *ATK* damage.〉
"Even though I doubt it's actually that high a level," Han thought. "I still have to focus."
Metaru's claws lashed out, and Han jumped back.
"Don't retreat, brat," Seiya commanded. "You're a trapper. Control the battlefield, like Kōichi! Let's force it out of you."
〈Training Distortion #1: Darkness Will Continuously Obscure Vision Every 5s.〉
The area turned dark, just as the growls of the beast could be heard.
"Unpleasant surprise," Han murmured.
A voice echoed inside his head.
〈Use your senses…Han…〉
"Shut up, don't talk to me. I got this."
A metal claw struck out, slicing him in the back and causing him to fall down.
"It nicked me," Han realized. "Lost focus!"
〈Breathe, Han. Above!〉
The swipe of a claw came down, and Han quickly held his cube up. "Cube! Go!"
[Unleashing Tripwire.]
The tripwire grabbed the claw and caused it to slam into the wall just as light was restored to the area.
〈Interrupt: 1/3.〉
"That voice…" Han wondered. "Helped me?"
Kiyoshi called out to Han as Metaru struck again, firing its talons like bullets. "Watch your six!"
Han quickly pulled out his cube once again. "Cube! Cage!"
As the talons flew toward him, a large cage trapped them inside, stopping them in their tracks.
〈Seal: 1/3.〉
Han backed up as Metaru stomped closer.
"Don't let prey force the situation to change," Seiya ordered. "Hunt, don't get hunted. Let's see how you work with this."
Han's entire lower body was encased in a thick layer of concrete, rendering him unable to move.
〈Training Distortion #2: You Must Stay In Place.〉
Han attempted to step forward as the monster growled, but nothing happened.
"Don't let it intimidate you, man!" Kiyoshi called out.
"Stop thinking about fleeing," Seiya remarked. "Control the battlefield."
"Shut up, shut up, all of you, just shut up!" Han yelled.
Metaru slashed Han's face, causing a deep gash on it and destroying his cube in the process.
"Puny human."
〈Such a disappointment…Han.〉
As Han stood there, motionless, he saw a flicker of an image of Omariro, standing on top of a cliff with the wings of a dragon on his back.
〈How can you ever prove useful to him if all you are is a coward? Rika, Zaria, Rei. Look at all they've done compared to you.〉
"N…no…Mr. Nyugawa…"
〈Are you really his student? Or are you just his dead weight?〉
"No…I promised to…help him…to stand by his side…he's not…my parents…he's…the only thing…that matters…"
〈Ridiculous. I'd be better off leaving you here to die, then. You're not a lion. You're just a cat. Pick your path, Han. Pick it wisely.〉
Two UI's appeared before him.
〈Path A: Ascend.〉
〈Path B: Fall.〉
In one motion, Metaru slammed its palm into Han, crushing him into the ground.
"Oh dear," Seiya remarked. "That can't be good."
Zaria immediately rushed into the simulation room. "What's going on? I heard hella noise!"
But when she saw the simulation, she stopped in her tracks.
〈2nd *Kōbisha* Skill Unlocked: Tekubi Sōchaku Kyūbu.〉
A figure grappled away from under the palm of Metaru, pulling away to safety.
〈User can now unleash a variety of offensive and tactical tools and equipment from their wrists.〉
When Zaria caught a glimpse of Han, she noticed dark lines under his eyes. "…Han?"
There were two watch-like devices on his wrists, each with a floating cube above it.
"Let's put this into play."
As Metaru fired more metal talons from its feet, Han pointed at its face.
"Jugen-Kōbisha: Tekubi Sōchaku Kyūbu!"
[Please Select *1* of the following options: Wire. Dart. Chains. Cage. Smoke Bomb. Net. Electric Gate.]
"Wire."
Metaru ducked its head in preparation, but Han looked between it and the ceiling. "Let's try a physics lesson. I call this…"
He fired both his wires into the ceiling, pulling down with extreme force.
"Cheonjang Nakha!"
The entire roof of the dungeon collapsed onto the beast, slamming it into the ground with a large BOOM.
"Ugh..careful…!"
Kiyoshi rolled across the floor, slowly picking himself up as Metaru did the same.
〈Stun Attack: 1/3.〉
〈There…show it what you can do!〉
Han grappled onto the wall behind Metaru, firing a smoke bomb right into its face.
〈Stun Attack: 2/3.〉
Metaru lashed out with a claw, and Han fired a net, causing the creature to miss and hit the wall below him.
〈Interrupt: 2/3.〉
Zaria watched in awe as Han used his wire to pull himself over the creature's head, spinning around in mid-air and summoning a large cage over it as it tried to charge him.
〈Seal: 2/3.〉
The chimera banged against the cage a few times, finally shattering it and flinging talon after talon at Han, who took a deep breath.
"Aim…and…"
He fired another net, which sealed the front row of talons within.
〈Seal: *Complete.*〉
The ones at the back nearly struck him, and one spiraled toward his forehead, but he ducked under it, back hitting the floor, and fired his wire into it.
"Return!"
He twisted his body around and flung the spike back into Metaru's head, causing it to wobble, get to one knee, and then fall over.
〈Stun Attack: *Complete.*〉
〈Interrupt: *Complete.〉
The simulation disappeared, revealing a stunned Zaria and an impressed Seiya.
"I didn't expect you to pick up an entire new skill," Seiya admitted. "It seems the training works better than I thought."
Han pointed to his bloody face. "Look at my face."
"Ahh well. Your friend has a broken jaw. She isn't complaining."
Zaria immediately went up to Han, shaking him. "Hey! How'd you do that? And are you okay?"
"Fine. Perfectly fine."
"You…don't look fine."
"I got the job done, okay? Let's finish this training so we can head home."
Han bumped into a wall, growling before exiting the door.
"Your friend's a bit moody, eh?" Seiya noted.
"I've known him for years. He can be a wet blanket, but he's never like this. I don't know what this is…"
"Perhaps your failure in that tournament is hitting him hard. Once I whip you weaklings into shape, his mood should lift."
"I hope."
Beyond the wall, Han collapsed, grabbing his chest. "Shit, what's happening to me?"
〈I used my power to grant you a second skill. Of course, I had to remove some of your vitality to do so.〉
"You what? You bitch! Who are you?"
A dark cloud separated from his body, and for a brief moment, Han could catch a glimpse of a female silhouette.
"Now. You'd do better to watch that tone with me. I just saved your life."
The silhouette knelt right in front of him. "And as for who I am?"
Her voice suddenly turned distorted.
"I'm your Nurse."
———