The dryad monster was certainly dead and the monsters on this floor are back to normal but Yue was still sulking and hurt. So after they dealt with some obstacles and found the stairway, Ken surrendered as Yue sucked him dry till he was weakened. That was successful enough to put her back into a good mood, so they continued their journey. The levels kept going down as the monsters' strength kept rising. But the team moved on with a fierce vigor to leave this damned place.
Ken and Yue lost track of how many days had passed since they met, because there was no sense of time underground. Recently, Yue was displaying a more comfortable expression. She was even acting a little spoiled with Ken treating her as a queen even in the abyss.
Whenever they were resting at the base, she would especially get glued to him. If he laid down, she would cling to his arm while they slept near each other. Yue would embrace him from the back when he sat down. When she fed on his blood, she would cuddle him from the front. She would stay there even after she was done with the feeding. With a content expression, she would rub her face on his chest. Ken had great self control so he knew it wasn't yet time to claim the inevitable.
When Ken estimated that their current level was the 99th floor down from where they fell he stop the group and said.
"This should be the 99th floor from our landing position. That means the next is our last. I just know so don't ask me how. When we enter, Yue will be our magic supporter, Nagumo will be our ranger with your anti-materiel sniper and I will take on the beast from the front. Don't let your guard down unless I declare the beast dead. Any objections Yue?.... Nagumo?...."
Both nods their heads in approval of the plan and proceed to clear this floor and find the stairway to the supposed last floor.
When the duo and Yue finished all their preparations, they went to the stairway that led them down and met an entrance that showed how different things would be here and entered.
The level they stumbled upon, was a very large space supported by a vast number of pillars. Each of the pillars was 5m in diameter, and each had spiral designs and vine patterns engraved onto them. The arrangement of each row of pillars was very uniform, and was even spaced out evenly. There was about 30m to the ceiling. Unlike the usual rough ground in the dungeon, this place had beautiful flat ground, and the room gave off a solemn atmosphere.
They stepped into the room while they admired it. All the pillars started to shine faintly then. This got them to regain their caution. Pillars lit up sequentially towards the back of the room.
The team were vigilant for a while, but they decided to advance because nothing was happening. They advanced while making full use of their senses and perception skills. After they progressed 200m, they found a dead end ahead. No, not a dead end, but a huge door. The double door was 10m tall and had extravagant sculptures engraved onto it. Particularly, some of the patterns drawn were the same as the ones on top of the octagon system.
"…This looks amazing. By any chance…"
"Abode of Traitor Orcus?"
The three finally walked past the last of pillars and advanced towards the door.
At that moment, a huge magic formation nearly 30 meters wide appeared between them and the door. Crimson light emitted from the magic, and it pulsated.
Hajime was the first to immediately recognize this magic. He couldn't forget it, since it was the same magic that triggered because of the trap that day and caused him to fall into the abyss. But the magic formation for the Behemoth a measly 15m in diameter. Compared to the magic formation from last time, this was 3 times larger than that, a lot more complex and detailed.
"Hey hey, what's with this size? Is it really the last boss?"
"I thought I made that clear!"
"…It's fine…We won't lose…"
As expected, Ken smiled. Yue tugged on one of his arms tightly with a determined expression on her face.
The duo nodded at Yue's words, and glared at the magic formation. Seems like they wouldn't be able to advance if they didn't defeat the monster that came out of that magic formation.
The formation shone more and more until it finally burst. The team both held up their arms to prevent the light from blinding them. When the light disappeared, the boss awaited them.
A monster over 30m in length, 6 heads with long necks, sharp fangs, and dark red eyes. Comparable to the Hydra of the myths.
""""""Kruuaaaa!""""""
Those six pair of eyes stared at the gang as it gave off a strange roar. It seemed to want to bring judgment upon the intruders who didn't know their place. A fierce thirst for blood, that would have stopped an ordinary man's heart, was flung at Ken who was in front. One of the heads with a Red Crest on it opened its mouth as flames emitted from it. The flames were already on the scale of a massive wall.
The team split up to dodge the attack and got into their ideal positions. Ken air steps to the head with the red crest to test one of his theories but moves behind a pillar to dodge an ice attack from the head with the blue crest. Nagumo penetrates the green head with his Schlagen gun from his hiding spot while Yue kills the blue head with [Scarlet spear] spell to cover Ken.
White light from the head with the white crest illuminates upon the disabled heads of the monster and they regrow bones and muscles like time was reversed. Ken takes this opportunity to cleave the red head's neck and kick it away with crushing steps. The white light heals it but the head that was cut off did not disappear. Ken smiles at the positive results as he moves back. He talks to the others through small sound frequencies but can be heard with their hypersenses.
'"Nagumo, we can gain this monster's power now that my idea has been proven. So, I will continue to cut the heads off and away for later, Nagumo cover me with both Donner and Schlagen and Yue, prepare a great and final attack immediately I procure the last head. Godspeed everyone!'"
Ken uses a huge amount of mana to surround his longsword with lightning plasma and flash steps closer whiles blocking wind attacks from the green head, he jumps and air steps towards the blue head. Red head tries to attack but is unable to as its head is blown apart with the sound of a shot and Ken decapitates the blue, red and green heads which were left of the white head in 1 slash. The three heads were slow to regenerate even with the healing power of the white head. Nagumo tries to disrupt their healing by targeting the white head but the yellow head with the earth attribute defences.
"Ahhh!! NOOO... please"
"Yue!!?, what's wrong?!"
Ken stops his onslaught and flash steps to Yue to see her in a trance while the black head tries to swallow her whole. Ken then cuts its neck into five sections from behind in a seemingly one slash movement with his heated sword. Ken then calls Yue whiles shaking her but fails to get her attention.
'Right!! the black head has dark attribute, so she might in an illusion' .
Ken drinks some sacred water and feeds it to her by mouth to mouth.
"It's okay Yue. it's all an illusion, you're free now"
Ken calms her down with a hug and reassuring words for a moment before leaving Yue to battle again.
'"'Nagumo take the yellow head and make sure it doesn't interfere as I take their heads starting from the white head'"
'Okay!'
Ken uses the same technique to slash the neck of the white head along with the rest on it's right; the yellow and black head and somersaults backwards multiple times.
"Great Azure sky"
Yue uses the magic which almost killed the scorpion monster but on a grand scale emitting light and heat for more than 40meters. Ken was still hiding behind his shield even with the monster presumed dead and soon everything dies down.
A seventh head emerges from the the Hydra's body as the other six necks shrinks into it's body as if trying to preserve it's energy and converge it's strength and powers. Without wasting time, the now dragon like monster releases a barrage of pure magic attacks that exceeded what he knew and expected.
"""Guaaahh"""
""Aaahhh""
"Yue?..... Nagumo?. I TOLD YOU TO HIDE!!!"
Ken thinks fast as he can't reach them fast with his equipment and can't go far without them, so he immediately stopped thinking and moved as fast as he could without his equipment to save Yue who was hit in the belly and blood from her mouth while Nagumo managed to row behind a pillar.
In a moment of determination to evade the numerous attacks, he appears behind Yue instantaneously and moves her to take cover. He gives her mouth to mouth using the sacred water which causes him to ingest some of her blood when she coughs awake but he didn't care as he tries everything to make sure she's not in danger. He leans her against the pillar as she recovers and faces the monster head on.
He poses the Kamehameha as great amount of energy gather between his palms.
""Plasma energy beam!"''
Shouts Ken as he drains all his mana and stamina to release a big beam that instantly incinerates it's shield and most of its body.
"Please remember to take flesh from each head and the new monster as well as the demonstone, Nagumo".
Ken faints immediately like he's breathe his last.