After leaving the monster room, the group found nothing special along the right path.
However, some of the party became complacent about the current situation in the dark cave. Ryo and Akari muttered complaints under their breath.
"Ugh, it stinks like beasts and dirt."
"I want to go home. My feet hurt, and I need a shower."
Ryuji, despite his light fatigue, couldn't help but feel a sense of delight. He and Yumiko were the ones fighting and clearing the path, after all. Two people were carrying out the work of four.
The heavy scent of earth and copper, a bleak reminder of their situation, wasn't unpleasant either. Perhaps the scent of beasts had become less potent for him because of his long nights spent smelling Yumiko's body and tail.
'Well, her scent is strong and addictive.'
The next moment, a loud bang sounded from behind.
"Hm?"
Ryuji turned to find Yumiko's Fist penetrating the rocky wall, her gauntlet protecting her hand from heavy damage, but the faces of Ryo and Akari seemed terrified and pale.
"I don't care if you insult me, complain about my race. That's what humans do. But show some respect for the man who is using his body to help you live a good life. Did you forget who carried us here with his flesh body?"
"..."
"I'm sorry."
Yumiko's tone sounded vicious, like a feral wolf growing.
Ryuji found her captivating. He didn't care if people used him because they were just glorified walking torches for him. However, Yumiko constantly caused him to feel things that had never happened before.
He placed his hand on his chest—even through the bronze armour, the resounding thud of his heart echoed.
'Mother, would you approve of this woman? Because there is a feeling deep inside me that I cannot control. I want to hold her down and make her mine, unable to leave me forever.'
"Apologise to Ryuji!"
The tail on Yumiko's swaying tail stood on its ends as she gave one last growl, making sure they both apologised before letting out a snort and turning away from them. Once she saw Ryuji's gaze, she began skipping through the mud towards him with a huge smile and pointing ahead.
"Ah! It's a door!"
'Well, let's leave it at that,' Ryuji thought, waving to the two classmates who trembled and held the flaming torches.
"You know, you are a really nice person, Ryuji."
Yumiko, who was walking beside him, said as they approached the door covered in strange runes and a palm imprint at the centre. With several twisted runes, and others seemed almost familiar with their language from the other world.
"Hm?"
"It's rare for a guy not to be swayed by a pretty girl's tearful face begging for forgiveness, though." Yumiko closed one eye, as if wondering how he would respond as she felt competitive towards the cute and feminine Akari.
"The only woman that can sway me right now is you."
His straight voice, with a serious tone, resounded through the cave tunnel, making Yumiko's cheeks flush red. She couldn't say anything in response and simply nodded.
The two walked side by side, approaching the runic door.
Ryo and Akari were behind them, their faces still pale as the former had just realised the mistake they made.
"It seems to be a boss door. I think you three should wait out here."
Ryuji shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the tired couple. He didn't hate them or have any negative feelings, so he smiled at them and put his palm on the door imprint.
A sudden roar sounded from the rocks moving. A strange mechanism caused the door to slide upwards into the dungeon, making the walls and ground tremble like an earthquake.
The two were about to protest, but the sight of the large stone door rising into the ceiling and the room that appeared made their jaws drop.
"Whoa..."
The first thing that caught their eyes was the massive furry beast in the middle of the room—a giant kobold almost four feet tall.
A tall Kobold wore thick, dark green armour. Around its waist was a leather belt with a large, red crystal embedded in the buckle. It was holding a giant Warhammer, the head of which had a black-metal tip with a red glow that seemed to be charged with magic.
'Oh? A worthy opponent?'
Yumiko's eyes fixated on Ryuji seemed to realise his feelings of excitement. She, too, as a beastkin, felt this kind of desire to fight strong opponents now that she had discovered the other things she sought.
"Yumiko, will you let me fight him solo?" Ryuji asked, smiling.
"No, why would I?"
Yumiko grinned, showing off her sharp canine teeth as she raised her fists, punching the air several times with a violent snap of wind from each blow.
"You can fight the next one!"
The Kobold, realising intruders were here, roared, making the room shake once again. Blood-red ferocity filled its golden eyes as it slammed the ground with its hammer, and a massive shockwave swept through the area.
It couldn't leave the room, but the anger and frustration seemed to empower the beast.
Yumiko looked to consider Ryuji's plea. Her body springing forward, she pushed him against the boss's doorframe, his body almost inside. She leaned on her tiptoes and kissed him.
A sweet taste filled his mouth as the fox caught Ryuji off guard. His hands, moving by their own will, reached around her and pulled her closer. Her ears flicked against his face, tickling him as he held her by the ass.
Her firm buttocks were surprisingly soft as his fingers sank into the large flesh, her legs kicking in the air as they sucked on each other's tongues.
After a minute, Yumiko pulled back. Ryuji's saliva was stuck on her lips as she wiped it off and grinned.
"Go get 'em, demon!"
He blinked several times before his lips curled up into a wicked smile.
"Watch me."
Ryuji grasped his huge iron axe while leaning it on his shoulder as he entered the boss's room, his eyes focused on the kobold.
Yumiko and the two remained standing at the entrance. The sound of the battle started ringing through the tunnel.
"He's going to fight that monster alone, isn't he?" Akari whispered, only for Yumiko to glare at her and snort.
"Yes, he is. But he won't lose."
She turned and leaned against the doorway, watching the battle unfold with interest.
****
The Kobold Warhammer suddenly shone red, a burst of flame and mana erupting from its gemstone, and Ryuji knew the hammer was more dangerous than it looked.
'That's a powerful weapon for a low-tier monster.'
Ryuji's eyes narrowed as he twisted and swung his axe to divert the hammer's aim. His axe blade smashed into the ground, creating a spiderweb of cracks.
The force was so strong that even the boss monster staggered back from the aftershock.
It growled, its eyes turning red, and then its muscles bulged.
"Muscle on muscle?"
"Gruru! Gruru!"
The kobold's arms grew as if they were a berserker, its muscles popping out of its skin as its arms and chest grew twice the size, the furred skin stretching over the bulging muscles.
'This is not good.'
The Kobold raised its hammer and swung downward. Ryuji already committed to the battle of strength and used [Ravaging Blow] using 40 rages, hoping the critical damage could counter the Kobold's rage.
As the hammer fell, Ryuji swung his axe down to match the hammer.
Clang!
"GRUUUURU!"
The boss monster, roaring as their weapons collided mid-air, struggled to push down, and Ryuji found himself in a stalemate. The monster was strong and had the advantage of the extra muscle, but it didn't expect the human to be this strong.
"Ugh!"
Ryuji's muscles bulged, his forehead filled with veins, while small beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, the pain burning from his core as he felt himself slipping back towards the door.
His axe was glowing a deep, blood-red. The bloody aura that engulfed the axe was growing and spreading over his skin.
'Not yet!'
The boss monster roared in its enraged state, and Ryuji could see its crafty movement—pulling the Warhammer back made Ryuji and his force fly forward, leaving him with little choice.
"Ha!"
Ryuji roared back as he kicked the ground. With his momentum, he swung the axe forward, twisting his body as the blade cut across the air, its weight and the force pulling his arm forward in an arc.
His sudden attack surprised the kobold, and a flash of fear appeared in its eyes.
"GRURU!"
A scream of pain erupted from its mouth as its right arm released the hammer and fell to the ground with a thump. Blood splattered everywhere as the arm rolled on the floor.
"That's a lot of blood," he muttered, looking at the severed arm, its fur stained red with blood, as he shook his head and sighed. 'The kobold stopped my blade at the last moment to avoid his chest being carved. It's smarter than I thought.'
"Gruuu!"
The enraged monster's eyes went wild, blood dripping from the stump of its arm and veins bulging from its neck and forehead.
Those ugly golden eyes were now completely red. Yet it still held the Warhammer with one arm and growled at Ryuji, seeming furious at his action.