Once more, the man lunged at Lucas, compelling him to sidestep and skillfully navigate a storm of sword strikes. It became a frenzied dance of defense, with Lucas's jian expertly deflecting the man's sword at every turn.
Meanwhile, Lucy, having lost her katana due to the absurd whims of the teleportation system that whisked her away mid-shower into this dungeon, found herself in a state of panic behind the sword-wielding adversary, bereft of any weapon.
"You can't escape from me, the Winter King!" the man boasted.
With a furrowed brow, Lucas evaded a swipe, his movements sharp and agile. "I've told you, I'm not the Winter King!" he shot back, the tension in the air crackling as their deadly dance continued.
Lucy's heart raced as she observed the unfolding battle. Desperation seized her as she attempted to summon her powers. "Frozen!" she exclaimed, but her abilities remained dormant. Lethal attacks were off the table, so she glanced down at her feet, pondering the slingback heels strapped to them.
In a moment of inspiration, Lucy decided to wield the slingback heels as her unconventional weapon. Timing was crucial, and she subtly moved closer to the man, blending into the shadows, the ongoing struggle to mask her approach.
Closing the gap, Lucy unleashed her calculated sequence. With precision, she swung her chosen heel, delivering swift strikes to the back of the man's head. Each blow took its toll, his strength waning, movements slowing. The unconventional assault with the unconventional weapon proved effective.
Before he could turn to face his mysterious assailant, the man slumped onto the large branch of a mystical tree, lifeless. Lucy stood victorious.
Caught off guard, Lucas witnessed the man's collapse. Lucy hurried to his side, adrenaline coursing through her. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with concern.
Visibly exhausted, Lucas nodded. "Thanks to you," he replied, offering a grateful smile. Concern crossed his face. "He isn't dead, is he?"
Lucy, too, was worried, aware that killing wasn't an option. She checked the man's breathing and confirmed, "He's alive, just unconscious."
Feeling relieved, Lucy delved into the man's pockets with practiced hands. Lucas, puzzled, asked, "What are you doing?"
"He tried to harm us, and this is for our mental compensation," Lucy explained, frustration and fear tingeing her voice.
Lucas, thoughtful, said, "I get where you're coming from, Lucy, but consider this; he was trying to save you, not kill you."
Lucy raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Save me? From what? Don't think too much, Lucas. That guy is insane. I have already talked to him before."
"Besides, this is our loot," Lucy grinned, revealing an emblem from the man's pocket bearing a clock symbol.
"An emblem? Lucas, this is similar to the one we had when we received our classes, right?"
"Yeah, it's related to that. There's actually something else I want to tell you, but for now, what do we do with his body?" Lucas inquired.
"How about we tie him up here? Do you have a rope?" Lucy suggested.
Lucas shook his head. "No, I don't," he replied, then continued after some contemplation, "How about this? Let's strip him of everything and leave him here. He won't wake up anytime soon, anyway. If he's without clothes, he won't be quick to chase after us even if he wakes up later, especially with the time limit approaching."
Lucas's proposal left Lucy taken aback. She hesitated, uncomfortable with the idea. "Lucas, taking his stuff is fine, but stripping him? Isn't that a bit much?" she questioned, her voice reflecting her uncertainty.
Undeterred, Lucas shook his head, maintaining a mischievous grin. "It's our loot," he declared confidently.
Lucy couldn't help but let out a light chuckle as she continued her search of the man's pockets. Beside her, Lucas retrieved the appraisal magnifier and examined the man's sword.
---
Name: Serpent's Fang
Rank: Heroic
Description: Crafted from the fang of a mythical serpent, this sword poisons enemies in contact.
---
"What the hell!" Lucas exclaimed; astonishment evident in his voice as he read the sword's description. Startled, Lucy, still engrossed in the search, looked up. "What is it, Lucas?"
"This sword poisons enemies in contact," Lucas revealed. "And it's even a heroic-grade one. I might have a lot of heroic-grade items, but that was before the achievements kill count got locked. What did this guy even kill to obtain a heroic sword?"
"Oh," Lucy exclaimed in understanding as she continued searching the man's pockets, whether it was his blazer or his suit trousers—every pocket deserving of her scrutiny. After finding nothing else of interest, she looked up at Lucas and slowly stood up, dusting herself off. "That's pretty much it. Well then, Lucas, you strip him, and I'll go down."
Agreeing to the unusual task, Lucas was suddenly puzzled about Lucy's plan to descend from here, not understanding how she planned to do that. "And how will you go down?" he asked. With his wind-related abilities, he could swiftly and safely descend from the tree, but Lucy's skills were different.
Lucy flashed a smile, her previously charmed and madness-filled appearance replaced by her true self. As the wind flowed around her, her hair danced gracefully. "With this," she replied confidently. "Watch."
"Insect calls!" Lucy called out, and to Lucas's surprise, a large butterfly appeared.
"That worm?" Lucas quipped, earning a disdainful look from the transformed creature.
"It's not a worm anymore, Lucas. It's Ruu, and Ruu was a caterpillar, not a worm. It has already gone through metamorphosis thanks to the Epic Aqua Orb we obtained near the vampire place and my skilled insect evolution," Lucy explained.
"Since when?" Lucas inquired, amazed.
"Since the morning you gained the Class King Authority, this is my surprise for you. See? Ruu is pretty now," Lucy explained with a grin, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Lucas watched in awe as Lucy stood atop the giant butterfly's back, her silhouette set against the backdrop of the night sky. The transformation of what he had once referred to as an "ugly worm" into a majestic creature was nothing short of astonishing. Ruu, as it was now known, displayed vibrant, intricate patterns on its wings.
"I'll wait down," Lucy said from her elevated position, her voice carrying a tone of calm reassurance. With a wave and a warm smile, she added, "Don't worry, Lucas. I won't fall."
Lucas acknowledged Lucy's confidence with a nod and a faint smile as she gracefully descended from the tree branch.
He then shifted his attention back to the unconscious man, his amusement growing as he began to strip away the man's garments. Each article of clothing was removed with a certain methodical precision. First, the blazer came off, revealing the man's surprisingly fit torso. Lucas couldn't help but notice, awkwardly laughing to himself, 'This is weird.'
Next came the necktie, which Lucas gingerly untangled and set aside. It seemed like such a mundane object, yet it held an air of formality that contrasted sharply with the bizarre circumstances the man found himself in, being stripped by the man he hated.
The dress shirt followed; each button undone with care. Lucas's fingers worked deftly, and as the shirt joined the growing pile of discarded clothing, he couldn't help but wonder about the man's identity. For now, though, he couldn't care less.
With the suit trousers and belt removed, the man lay entirely bare-chested, his body naked except for his underwear. Lucas paused, glancing at the necklace, ring, and bracelet that adorned the man. They were the last remnants of his dignity.
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. "Oh," he exclaimed, a mischievous glint in his eye as he plucked away the last remnants of the man's dignity—the necklace, ring, and bracelet. Even the underwear wasn't spared from Lucas's thorough loot. Given that the clothing had likely manifested within the dungeon, Lucas doubted he could take it out into the real world. Besides, he had no need for the underwear.
Concluding that peculiar task, Lucas shot another glance at the man out cold. Now that he was in the buff and looking all exposed, he seemed way less of a threat. Chuckling, Lucas mumbled to himself, "Okay, time to head down." He packed away the man's sword and accessories into his little pouch.
With the task completed, Lucas employed his final hurricane leap of the day, descending slowly as he left the man completely naked on the branch of the ancient tree. Gracefully touching down, Lucas spied Lucy below, concealed by the tree, while a sizable butterfly danced nearby.
"Done, Lucas?" Lucy's voice echoed from below as she watched him gently lower himself from the overhanging tree branch.
"Yes," Lucas replied, dusting off his body and holding the small pouch containing the sword in his right hand.
"What else did you find?" Lucy inquired, genuinely curious about anything she might have missed.
"These three," Lucas responded, revealing the items for Lucy to see. "We'll examine them back at the university, but now isn't the best time. Let's find a hiding spot. Any ideas?"