"In his eyes… I am only a friend, he has no special feeling for me," Firia said bitterly.
She continued, "That's why I told him that I won't give him up. I also said that it's normal for powerful people like him to have many wives, especially when he has such a caring personality, I know he will be able to love them equally. But he has chosen to only have you as his wife in the future. After hearing that, I want to ask you personally, I want to tell you that I still want to pursue him until the day I give up. I want to ask you to let me have the chance to pursue him, I won't try to kick you out of your position, I'm fine if he puts me as his second choice."
"..." no words came out of Alicia's mouth. She was so shocked to hear all of this.
"I… look, when Alex asked me to become his lover, I was overjoyed at that time. But I didn't pay attention to other people, I wasn't aware that my best friend was in so much pain because I was ecstatic with his confession. Alex seemed to only want to be with a woman he has special feelings for. I have also considered the thought of Alex wanting to have multiple wives. Alex is strong and capable, it's normal for people like him to have multiple wives. But in my heart, I don't want it.
My father told me back then that every time there is happiness, there might be sadness for other people that come along with it. And what happens between us might be exactly what he was talking about. Alex is my ultimate happiness but at the same time, my own best friend has to suffer so much pain.
At first, when I saw you get closer to Alex I was jealous. I don't have a good figure like you. So I thought you will snatch my Alex from me. I hated you at that time, but after spending more time together in the academy, I started to like you. I also noticed you found it hard to deal with your emotions for Alex. When I knew it, we already became friends.
I would surely be jealous if Alex has another wife beside me. But I'm also sad to see my best friend is in this much pain. That's why I will consider stepping back to give you a chance and I will still stand as a good lover for him. Just like what you said earlier, he will love equally even when he has many lovers. I think I will not stop you and let you pursue him. But I will warn you about one thing, don't try any trick on him or try to use any scheme to approach him. I will make you pay with your life even if you are my best friend," Alica explained at length.
Firia was the one who got shocked after seeing Alicia's generosity, "Yes, I won't use any scheme or purposely seduce him. I will try to approach his heart sincerely until I give up. Also, thank you for giving me the chance instead of stopping me. I appreciate what you are doing."
"Don't take it too easy for now. We have to make sure there are no other girls who will approach him from now on," Alicia added.
Firia's eyes brightened, "I agree, we have to ensure that!"
The two chatted a bit more that night after Firia's confession and most of the conversations were about Alex.
In the morning, Alex went to the inn's entrance because he had promised to take both Firia and Alicia to walk around the town.
The girls came down from the second floor and they finally walked around the town, like the date he did yesterday with Alicia. But Alex noticed that Alicia and Firia's relationship now looked more friendly and intimate. He was relieved to see that because he was worried how their relationship would develop because of a few things that had happened for the past two days.
Tomorrow, Alex planned to go to the dungeon again. Hearing that, Alicia and Firia wanted to follow him but Alex asked them to just stay in the inn or explore the town more. He didn't want to put them in danger again, especially when he couldn't always protect them.
The next morning Alex went to the dungeon and he directed his steps to the 50th floor. On his way to this floor, he killed all the monsters he ran into without mercy. He got so used to it that it felt too easy for him. He even killed the boss without much struggle.
"Since I've killed the boss, it might respawn in half a day. I have time so I better use this floor as my training space. Even when I somehow destroy this place, it will restore itself. Hehe… guess I'm very smart."
Alex also took out the Sanguin Sword again and he looked at the first three movements.
"Hmm... so, Sanguin Sword Art consists of 15 movements and it is divided into 5 sections. Each of them has three slashing movements. Interesting," Alex said to himself.
Alex then tried to copy the first three movements, "Sanguin Sword Art, First Slash!"
"Second Slash!"
"Third Slash!"
A crescent sword wave flew toward the wall as he swung the sword.
"Boom!"
He used three slashes in one movement. Alex was surprised with the power in that slash because the power of the slash was equal to rank 3 warrior.
Then, he went to the next step.
"First Slash"
"Second Slash"
"Third Slash"
"Fourth..."
He failed at the fourth slash, "It seems that I haven't grasped the movement yet. I need to try again for this until I succeed."
After an hour or so of trying this slash.
"Sanguin Sword Art, Fourth Slash!"
After that, a crescent sword wave flew once again toward the wall.
"Boom!"
"..."
Alex was now in shock to see that, this time the power of the sword wave was equal to that rank 4.
"If my prediction is correct, then each slash represents one rank? But… what if I manage to go to the tenth slash then?"
Alex shuddered when he thought about this. He couldn't imagine the amount of power the tenth slash would bring.
"This sword art... isn't this too much power to hold for a sword?"
[That's the System's power Host, what do you think about it?]
"Yes, you are a good system. But this is only an intermediate sword art. If I can beat a rank 9 warrior in the legend with this sword art, that means there is still someone stronger like rank 10 or above?"
[Host needs to find the answer by yourself!]
"But… this is an only intermediate skill, what kind of power does higher grade skill hold? Must be way greater than this, then?"
[Host has to look for the answer by yourself!]
"If I update you again, I will get better skills than this, am I right?"
[Yes Host, you will get a better skill. I can assure you that]
"Then, How can I upgrade you again?"
[The requirement is still not clear]
"..."
"What is the requirement? You don't know about it?"
[Host needs to find the answer by yourself!]
"..."
"System, aren't you a bit lazy today? You already give the same answers 3 times now?"
[System only give you the best answer Host]
"Whatever, I only want to know what is the above rank 9?"
[Host.... curiosity kills the cat]
"But I'm not the cat, I'm human!"
[...]
[Host only needs to know what you have to understand. There will come a time when you will know everything. For now, Host only needs to keep getting stronger and eventually find out everything]
"Okay… fine"
Alex continued his practice after debating with the System. He took another few hours to familiarize himself with the fourth slash.
"I'm already familiar with the fourth slash now, I should start with the fifth slash I guess," he was slightly exhausted by all the training but he was also excited to master it all.
He repeated the same movement and right at the fifth slash.
"Fifth Slash"
Pow!
Only a weak wind came out from the slash. He failed this time, he was wondering for a moment before continuing.
"Again!"
He tried again and again without thinking about the time he had spent on that floor. He was so frustrated why he couldn't succeed to master the fifth slash.
"Once again!"
First Slash. Second Slash. Third Slash. Fourth Slash.
"Fifth....ah!"
He tripped this time and fell to the floor.
"Ouch… I'm not hurt… I said 'Ouch' out of reflex," he embarrassedly muttered to himself.
When he wanted to get up, he suddenly heard something.
"Crack!"
Alex looked up and found out a huge Alligator with 2 meters in width and 5 meters in height. The alligator was also looking down in Alex's direction.
"Roar!"
The alligator waved its claw toward him right away once it saw Alex fell on the floor.
"Oh shit!"
He rolled, again and again, one the floor to get away from the alligator.
He forgot to take his sword when he rolled away. He then looked at his sword which was now under the alligator's foot. Alex thought hard about how to get it back.
He used boost steps to arrive in front of the alligator and tried to kick it. But the alligator dodged his attack nimbly and it counter attacked with its tail. Alex immediately put his guard. He knew it was kind of a strong opponent.
The alligator blew Alex away and he used his fire snipe, when the fireball flew away toward the alligator, it ran to the side.
Looking at this chance, Alex used his boost step again toward his sword and he quickly picked up his sword on the ground.
"This is my chance to try my new Sanguin Sword Art, you come at the right time!"
He readied his sword and started to use the sword art.
"Sanguin Sword Art!"
A sword wave consisted of four slashes flying toward the alligator. Knowing this, it used its hand to counter the sword wave and manage to repel the sword wave, but it left him with a cut wound on its hand.
"This one is pretty strong!"
Alex was surprised again with the power contained in this sword art.
Even when the power of the sword wave was equal to rank 4, it still managed to make a wound on the rank 5 monster.
The alligator charged toward him once again, the cut was not so deep that it didn't bother the alligator.
"Should I try the fifth slash?"
Alex prepared himself, he wanted to do the fifth slash and attack the alligator once again.
Looking at the alligator already arriving at his front, Alex prepared his Sanguin Sword Art. He created four slashes at one move and he wanted to use the fifth slash right after it. Alex put all his arm strength to do the fifth slash.
"Fifth Slash!"
"Fwoosh!"
The sword wave became a wind again, which meant Alex had failed to do his fifth slash. Since he couldn't do the fifth slash perfectly, the sword wave didn't do any damage to the alligator. Taking this chance, the alligator used its foot to kick Alex.
"Boom!"
Alex crashed to the wall due to the strong attack from the alligator.
"I really can't make it huh? I think I will need to seal this first, if I'm stubborn to fight this monster there might be an accident when I go to the lower floor. It is fortunate I only have one monster in front of me. If not... "
Alex decided to seal it first and practice it again back home. Alex closed his eyes, he started to focus again.
The alligator saw Alex crash to the wall, it made its way to Alex. Seeing Alex unalerted like that, the alligator underestimated him.
When the alligator almost reached him, Alex opened his eyes.
"Sword Intent!"
Seeing the dangerous Sword Intent, the alligator instinctively dodged his attack.
But it was very hard for it to escape since it was closer to Alex. Alex's sword cut the alligator's right hand. He then used the boosting step once again and arrived in front of the alligator, in seconds he cut the alligator into two.
Even after defeating the monster, Alex was slightly disappointed since he couldn't succeed in the fifth slash.
"Well that's alright, I guess. It is indeed an overpowered sword art... there's no way I can master it in a flash," he tried to encourage himself.
Alex shook his head and abandoned the sword art first. He needed to acquire many gacha tickets for the time being. That was his main goal for now. With this new system update, he might get something unexpected.
He continued to the 49th floor and kept killing on the 49th floor. He decided to move up since killing on the 49th floor was the fastest way to get tickets.
A few days have passed and today was the last day of the dungeon event. Alex managed to kill another three hundred of rank 4 monsters. His efficiency to kill the rank 4 monster was higher because of Sanguin Sword Art.
With his current prowess in Sanguin Sword Art, every time he killed a rank 4 monster the Mana consumption was lower than usual compared when he used Sword Intent or his element. This was another advantage when having sword art. He was eager to have another sword art, but he quickly shook his head.
"I shouldn't be too greedy!"
"System, how many tickets did I get these past few days?"
[Host acquired 49 tickets]
"Thank you."
After thanking the System, he went back to the surface. As he reached the surface, he looked back to the dungeon.
"Oh… I almost forgot, System, I recalled you can scan objects, right?"
He remembered when the System could scan spiritual liquids, pills, etc.
[Yes Host]
"Can you Scan this dungeon?"
[Scanning...]