Kazike turned to Kazu with a grave expression, his brow furrowed with concern. "Kazu, before we head to the next floor, there's a powerful monster waiting for us. It's guarding the magic circle, so I can't guarantee we'll make it to the next floor."
Kazu nodded, trying to hide his apprehension. "Okay, Kazike… But what is it?"
Kazike's face grew somber. "From what I know, it's a vampire. Given the circumstances, we might be facing a High Vampire, the strongest type of vampire."
Kazu's eyes widened. "Is that so? But Kazike, do you think you can defeat it?"
Kazike put on a brave face, though uncertainty flickered in his eyes. "Of course, I can! Well, maybe not… I'm not sure. But it's definitely powerful. We just need to be prepared."
Kazu remembered something. "Kazike, Rosalia once told me that every creature has a weakness. Maybe if we struggle against this High Vampire, we need to find out what its weakness is."
Kazike considered this. "True… I think vampires are weak to holy magic, but we don't have any. You only have Fire magic, right?"
Kazu hesitated. "Y-yes… But I sense a lot of murderous intent nearby. They're close… Kazike, there are many of them…"
Kazike's eyes narrowed. "The vampires? This is bad… Get ready, Kazu…"
"Okay, Kazike…" Kazu replied, his heart racing.
Suddenly, Kazike shouted, "Now!" and dashed forward. "Blade STRIKE! Blade Frenzy!" His blade swept through the air, attacking the oncoming vampires with a fierce and precise assault.
The vampires hissed and lunged at Kazike. Their razor-sharp claws and fangs glinted in the dim light. Kazike's movements were a blur as he deflected their attacks, his blade cutting through their ranks with deadly accuracy.
"Kazu, watch out! There's one behind you!" Kazike warned as he saw a vampire closing in on Kazu's neck. He threw his sword with perfect aim, distracting the vampire and buying Kazu a time to move.
Kazu turned in panic, his Fire Magic flaring to life. "K—Kazike! BEHIND YOU! FIRE PIERCE!" A searing lance of flame shot from his hand, incinerating the vampire threatening Kazike.
Kazike appreciated the help, a brief smile crossing his face. "Thanks, Kazu… Keep an eye on my back; I'll handle the front."
Kazu nodded firmly. "Got it, Kazike!"
Kazike's fists and blade moved in tandem, each strike precise and powerful. He punched a vampire in the face, sending it crashing into a wall, and then spun around to unleash a "Blade Frenzy!" His blade whirled, creating a deadly dance of steel that sliced through the horde.
Kazu marveled at Kazike's strength and skill. "Kazike's incredible…"
But his awe was short-lived. A vampire appeared behind Kazu, sinking its fangs into his neck. Pain surged through him as the vampire's poison began to spread.
"Kazu! DON'T MOVE!" Kazike roared as he unleashed a "Slashing Strike," his blade cleaving through the vampire's torso and freeing Kazu from its grip.
Kazu, weakened by the bite, could barely hold on. His vision blurred and darkened. "K—Kazike… (Everything's going dark…)"
Kazike, panic rising in his voice, urgently handed Kazu a potion. "Drink this, Kazu… Fight the poison! We need to keep moving!"
Kazu took the potion with trembling hands, but before the effects could take hold, he lost consciousness, collapsing onto the cold dungeon floor.
---
Kazu awoke in the orphanage, surrounded by a comforting warmth that contrasted sharply with the dungeon's chill.
"Kazu, my child! You're awake! You've been unconscious all day…" his mother said, her relief palpable.
Kazu blinked groggily. "What happened? Where's Kazike?" His heart raced as fragments of the dungeon flashed through his mind.
"He's gone back to finish the quest you started," she said gently. "He told me to let you rest."
"But, Kazike could be in danger alone! I need to help him!" Kazu's voice was urgent.
"Well, if that's what you want… But be careful. I worry about you. Take some food with you for the dungeon," she advised, concern etched in her features.
Kazu nodded resolutely. "Thank you, Nay."
---
**Dungeon Floor 25**
Kazike fought with relentless fury, his blade moving in a blur. "The scroll Kazu needs is on Floor 35… This is my fault… I need to finish this quest for Kazu."
Kazike's rage fueled his every move as he slaughtered the ogres on Floor 25. Each ogre fell before him with a roar of defiance. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO KAZU!"
After an hour of grueling combat, Kazike faced the High Ogre, the floor's boss. The massive creature roared in challenge, its eyes glowing with malevolence. Kazike clenched his teeth and charged. "You're the boss of these ogres, aren't you? I'LL KILL YOU!"
The battle was fierce. Kazike dodged the High Ogre's powerful blows and countered with swift, precise strikes. Blood sprayed against the walls as the High Ogre's massive fists pummeled Kazike, but Kazike's determination never wavered. He continued his assault, each strike fueled by a mix of vengeance and desperation.
---
**Floor 23**
Kazu surveyed the area, relieved to find no enemies. "It seems like all the enemies have been cleared… Maybe Kazike has already dealt with them. I need to move to the next floors."
Using his Explosive Blink, Kazu rapidly advanced through the dungeon. His journey through the lower floors was marked by brief, intense skirmishes with monsters. Each fight sharpened his skills and resolve, driving him forward.
---
**Floor 25**
Kazu's heart sank when he saw Kazike lying unconscious, his limbs severed and blood pooling around him. "Kazike!"
He rushed to Kazike's side, his hands trembling as he checked for signs of life. "Kazike, wake up!"
Kazike stirred weakly, his eyes fluttering open. "Kazu… You're alive… Don't worry about me… Finish what we started…"
Kazu focused on healing Kazike, invoking the spell Nanay Rosalia had taught him. "I, the mighty God, bless this individual to survive… HEALING!"
As Kazike's wounds began to mend, he watched in awe as Kazu battled with renewed strength. "Kazu… You're incredible."
Kazu unleashed his Bloodlust, a dangerous skill that heightened his strength but clouded his mind. His aura flared with dark energy. "I need to make sure Kazike is safe from this…"
Kazu used Fire Pierce to collapse the tunnel entrance, blocking Kazike from view. "This should do it… BLOODLUST!!!"
An overwhelming aura enveloped Kazu. His eyes glowed with an eerie light as he roared, "RAAAH! I'm too powerful to control!"
Kazike watched in horror as Kazu's form changed. His rage became a monstrous force, his movements wild and unpredictable. "Is that really Kazu…?"
Kazu tore through the High Ogre with savage brutality, his strength overwhelming. He grabbed the creature's heart, crushing it in his hand. "Such weak opponents! WAHAHAHA!"
Kazike, seeing the destruction, felt a mix of fear and admiration. He knew he had to get out of the way. "I need to get out of here…"
The boulder near Kazike shifted, revealing his hiding place. Kazu noticed the movement and turned, sensing something. "What's that?!"
He used Blink to locate Kazike, catching sight of him behind the boulder. "Got you!"
Kazike tried to call out. "Kazu! Return to yourself! HAAAA!!"
Kazu appeared before Kazike, his grip tightening around Kazike's throat. "I'm going to eat you now! Smash to the ground!"
Kazike gasped for breath. "Do it! Do it… I would rather die at your hands than at the mercy of others…"
---
As the Bloodlust effect wore off, Kazu's grip weakened. He collapsed, panting heavily. "Ku—Kazike…"
Kazike, struggling to hold back tears, comforted Kazu. "Kazu… Is that really you? It's almost midnight outside the dungeon… We're still here. I'll watch over you until you wake… Sleep now… We'll finish the quest later… I miss my little brother."
---
**Two hours later**
Kazu stirred, his senses slowly returning. "Kazike… What happened?"
Kazike's face softened with relief. "You're awake, Kazu… How do you feel?"
Kazu glanced at Kazike's restored limbs. "Are you okay? How are your arms and legs?"
Kazike smiled, though it was tinged with exhaustion. "Thanks to you, they're fine now. I saw you fighting the ogre while my limbs healed. Thank you, Kazu. You saved me again."
Kazu nodded. "I lost consciousness after… (Bloodlust… I must have lost control and passed out.)"
---
NOTIFICATION
Assassin skill reached level 82, do you want to enhance now? (Yes…)
Kazu upgraded his skill from Bloodlust to Rage. "Control…?"
Kazike noticed Kazu's dazed expression. "Kazu, are you okay?"
Kazu shook himself from his trance. "Y-yes, kuya! I'm fine. (Strength skill? How can I obtain that…? Maybe I should start with push-ups and lifting weights. Perhaps I could try construction quests…)"
Kazike yawned. "Kazu, do you know what happened while you were fighting the High Ogre?"
Kazu admitted, "Honestly, no. I just suddenly lost consciousness."
Kazike nodded. "I see… Well, I'll rest a bit. Can you keep watch?"
"Yes, kuya Kazike. Rest now. I'll stay alert."
Kazu reviewed his status. "Rage skill… Increases magic power and creates an aura that terrifies opponents… allows movement at the speed of light for 2 minutes… Speed of light? How fast is that? But I need level 70 strength to use and control this skill… I need to strengthen myself. Maybe construction quests will help."
He glanced at the dungeon ahead. "We're only on Floor 25. I wonder what challenges await us on the way to Floor 35. The journey will be long…"
He noticed a sparkling stone nearby. "Huh? What's this…?"
Kazu picked up the stone, examining it. "Rune stone with a letter [C]…?"
Notification
[New unique skill acquired: Mining]
[New unique skill acquired: Smithing]
"Skills? Just for picking up a stone? What…?" Kazu marveled.
[STATUS]
Level: 68
Name: Kazu Gonomiya
Age: 12
Job Class: God
Passive Skills:
Divine Knowledge
Infinite Mana
Maximized Self-Healing
Active Skills:
Blink
Explosive Blink
Bloodlust (Upgraded to Rage: Locked)Magic Spells:
Fire PierceFire Spirit Flare
Unique Skills:
Exploration (Level 80)
Assassin(Level 82)
Cooking (Level 8)
Mining (Level 1)
Smithing (Level 1)
Kazu observed his status.