As they approached the entrance to the dungeon, Synthia pointed it out to Ryota. "Look, Ryota-sama, that's the entrance," she said,
Ryota paused, scanning the area around them. "Do you think we're being followed?" he asked, his eyes darting around the area.
"I don't see anyone else around," Synthia replied confidently.
"Scan the area," Ryota ordered his tone firm but calm.
"As you wish, Ryota-sama," Synthia responded, closing her eyes and focusing her senses to survey the area for any hidden dangers.
After a few moments, Synthia opened her eyes and turned to Ryota. "It looks clear, Ryota-sama. We should be safe to proceed," she said, a note of reassurance in her voice.
Ryota nodded and took a deep breath. "Alright, let's go," he said, leading the way toward the dungeon entrance with Synthia following closely behind him.
As they entered the dungeon, a chill ran down their spines. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and the walls were lined with dusty, cobweb-covered bones. Strange symbols and runes were etched into the walls.
The faint glow of magical energy emanated from the darkness ahead, casting eerie shadows along the passageway. As they moved deeper into the catacombs, they could hear the faint whisper of voices and the shuffling of feet, growing louder with each step.
Ryota and Synthia's hearts raced as they heard the shuffling of feet growing louder. Suddenly, a skeletal hand burst through the ground, and the bones of the undead rose from the earth, their eyes glowing with otherworldly energy.
Ryota swiped the air, causing an inventory slot to appear in front of him. He then took out a pen and paper from the slot and started drawing a black, blade-shaped image.
<"Art Magic: Sword Summon!"> The drawing of the sword on the paper came to life, materializing into a real sword in Ryota's hand.
Meanwhile, Synthia began chanting her magic. <"Light Magic: Radiant Blade!"> The words echoed through the air, and a bright beam of light shot out from Synthia's fingertips. The beam twisted and turned, taking on the shape of a sword made entirely of light.
The radiant blade hummed with power as Synthia held it aloft. Its glow illuminated the darkness around them, causing the undead to falter and hesitate in their advance.
As the undead began to falter, Synthia's keen eyes spotted something moving in the shadows. She saw a figure clad in dark robes, its hands raised in a sinister gesture. It was the necromancer, the one who had raised these undead creatures from the grave.
"Ryota-sama, over there..." Synthia whispered urgently, pointing in the direction of the necromancer. "We have to take him out before he summons more of these creatures!"
Ryota's grip on his sword tightened as he and Synthia charged toward the necromancer. The sound of the bones clanking as they moved closer filled the air, but they didn't falter.
As they approached, the necromancer raised its arms, summoning even more undead to its side. The horde of skeletons closed in on Ryota and Synthia, their glowing eyes fixed on their targets.
But Ryota and Synthia were only focused on the undead. With the radiant blade in Synthia's hand and Ryota's blade, they fought back with all their might, cutting down the skeletons one by one.
As Ryota closed in on the necromancer, his heart racing with anticipation, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and assumed a combat stance. The air crackled with energy as his blade began to glow, casting an eerie blue light over the area.
As he concentrated, Ryota could feel the energy building up within him. He focused his gaze on the necromancer. With a swift and precise motion, Ryota raised his sword and whispered, <"Sword Style: Whispering Blade.">
<"Sword Style: Whispering Blade"> A Sword technique that emphasizes precision, stealth, and lethal strikes from a distance. It is designed to take out a single target quickly and quietly, without alerting any nearby enemies.
The sword glinted in the dim light as Ryota executed the technique flawlessly. With a flash of blue light, the sword streaked through the air toward the necromancer, striking it with deadly accuracy. The necromancer let out a bone-chilling scream as it fell to the ground, defeated.
With the necromancer's demise, the spell that had animated the undead was broken. As one, the undead fell to the ground, their bones clattering and crashing into each other as their lifeless bodies returned to the earth.
As Ryota removed his sword from the necromancer's body, he suddenly felt a dark magic surrounding him. Without realizing it, his surroundings turned dark, the necromancer appeared before him.
The exchange between Ryota and the necromancer seemed to last only a moment, but at that moment, the atmosphere around them had changed. As the necromancer slowly fades away, Ryota couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in the air.
"You... You are strong," the necromancer said, his voice echoing through the darkness.
Ryota tightened his grip on his blade and fixed his gaze upon the necromancer.
"Without a doubt. You are indeed strong..." The necromancer added as he stepped back.
"I have a request for you," the necromancer said, his form now barely visible in the darkness. "Please find my daughter in this dungeon and I shall reward you. A special one that only someone as strong as you could earn."
With that, the necromancer vanished completely, leaving Ryota standing alone in the darkness, pondering the request and the unknown dangers that awaited him in the dungeon.
Afterward, Ryota regained consciousness and found himself lying on the ground, his head cradled in Synthia's lap. Her soothing voice reached his ears, "You're awake, Ryota-sama."
Ryota groaned as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "What happened?"
"That's what I want to know," Synthia replied. "After you defeated the necromancer, you suddenly collapsed and didn't move for five hours."
"I see. Then I'll enjoy resting my head in your lap a little longer," Ryota said with a grin.
Synthia rolled her eyes and flicked Ryota's forehead. "You can rest all you want after the exam, but for now, we need to keep moving."
Ryota nodded, feeling a little embarrassed. He got to his feet and stretched.
"Synthia, can we explore this dungeon?" Ryota asked.
"Hm? Why the sudden interest?" Synthia responded.
"I was on the necromancer's mind... he asked me to find his daughter."
"Oh, I see. Well, about that, I've already finished exploring the dungeon," Synthia said with a smile.
"What? So you just left me here?!" Ryota exclaimed.
"Ehehe~ sure did!" Synthia giggled.
"That's so mean," Ryota grumbled.
"But I did find this orb..." Synthia waved her hand, producing the orb from her inventory slot.
"Hm?" Ryota took the orb from Synthia's outstretched hand, and as he held it, a blinding light burst forth, engulfing them both. When the light finally subsided, Ryota found himself holding a girl with white hair who was sound asleep in his arms.
"Eh!?" he exclaimed in surprise.
Synthia noticed the girl's state of undress and poked Ryota in the eyes with her finger.
"OUCH!!" he yelped, pulling away.
Synthia took the sleeping girl from Ryota's arms and scanned her with her eyes.
"A teen girl, Ryota-sama. Is this the necromancer's daughter?" Synthia asked.
"How would I know if you poked both of my eyes!?" Ryota grumbled.
"My apologies. My instincts suddenly took over," Synthia said.
"Then make sure your instincts don't take over again," Ryota retorted.
"Oh, So Ryota-sama wants to look at an unconscious girl's naked body?" Synthia's aura suddenly turned cold as if she were a bit disgusted with Ryota.
"Synthia, Calm down...I didn't even know she was..." He coughs. "Naked." Ryota turns around.
Synthia sighs as she lays the girl down on the ground then her palms get bright.
<"Creation Magic: Fabricate Garment"> A magic that can create a piece of clothing from raw materials or nothingness using the power of creation magic. The specific type of clothing and its design may depend on the caster's intentions and the spell's level of complexity.
With a bright glow emanating from her palms, Synthia cast her spell. <"Creation Magic: Fabricate Garment,"> she intoned, conjuring up a simple but serviceable outfit for the sleeping girl.
As the glowing fabric appeared in Synthia's palms, she cast her spell and skillfully created a modest and practical outfit for the sleeping girl.
"Are you done?" Ryota asked
"Finished," she announced to Ryota.
He turned around and gazed at the unconscious girl. "She resembles the necromancer's hair... I guess this must be her daughter."
"Hm, about her," Synthia asked. "What's the plan?"
Ryota took a moment to gather his thoughts. "For the Entrance Exam, we'll just have to rely on our strength."
"And what about her?" Synthia pressed.
"It's obvious, we're taking her with us," Ryota said confidently.
Synthia looked at him with a penetrating gaze. "No bad intentions, right?"
"Of course not," Ryota said, taken aback. "What are you implying?"
Ryota shifted uncomfortably on his feet and averted his gaze. He knew that Synthia was wary of his tendencies to go overboard with certain things. "I won't," he replied softly.
Synthia was not convinced and looked at him skeptically. "Ry-o-ta-sa-ma," she drawled, emphasizing each syllable. "I need you to be absolutely sure. I don't want any surprises."
Ryota sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I promise, Synthia. I won't do anything that will make you or her uncomfortable," he said firmly.
Synthia still seemed hesitant but eventually relented. "Fine, I trust you for now," she said, uncrossing her arms.
Ryota smiled in relief and thanked her. He knew that it was important to respect boundaries, especially when it came to something as sensitive as someone's clothing choices. He made a mental note to be more considerate in the future.
As the man with the scar on his face and his party entered the dungeon, Synthia suddenly looked towards the entrance and exclaimed, "Hm? I sense someone in there."
The man with the scar narrowed his eyes, "Oh boy... Woman, your detection skills must be high," he sneered.
"Oi, Boss, it's that boy," one of his party members pointed out.
The man with the scar grinned wickedly, "Lucky us. We've been trying to find you, but it seems like our luck is on our side," he said as he unsheathed his sword.
"It's them, Ryota-sama," Synthia warned, her eyes fixed on the approaching party.
"I know," Ryota replied with a calm demeanor, stepping forward and placing himself between Synthia and the enemy.
"Step back, This one's mine," he said firmly to Synthia.
She nodded and flicked her fingers, whispering a chant. "Light Magic: Enchanted Barrier," she cast, creating a shimmering barrier around herself.
<"Light Magic: Radiant Blade"> Ryota then makes a combat stance facing off the party of adventurers.
"Let's do this."