Dungeon floor boss is a must. It was an absolute necessity.
If we followed the rules of an MMROPG and any other games, a dungeon without a floor boss is incompetent. An impotent factor that bring a game in an imbalance. That said, floor bosses reside at every tenth floor. Of course, as if following the fantasy setting, they were adjusted from weak to strong. That's just how cunning the dungeons were. It lures the adventurers in by baiting them with weaker monsters—then suddenly, as they pass the mid-layers, the insanely strong beasts would appear. Or so it should have been the case,
"Why, pray tell, is a boss from the 50th floor was here in the 5th?!"
Elisha bellowed as she put her hands in her front to cover us with her shield. She was absolutely right. What the hell was a mid-layer boss doing in a low floor like this? 5th floor wasn't even a floor with boss in it.
Well, even so, the answer was apparent.
"This is a Dungeon Descent! Take cover, don't rush in!"
Edelweiss yelled, breaking her cool demeanor as she enhanced Elisha's shield with her ice. As you may have observed from her character until now, you can say that Dell or Edelweiss was some cheerful individual. Well, you were right. But that's up until she uses her ability. Once she activated her Ability, she becomes a changed person—a person much colder than how Gisselle actually was.
"Enhance: Ice Queen's Embrace" As Edelweiss coldly uttered that, her marbled eyes turned bluer than the blue it was earlier. Her shoulder length hair turned Azure than that pale sky-blue hair she has. She took her clear glass from her pocket and wore it. Now, it was the Edelweiss that I was most familiar with. Void on emotions and abundant on aura. That's her other self; the true queen. The former president of the Student's council. Edelweiss Schon Alphonse—the Ability Holder from Germany.
Her Ability? She was Called the Queen of Ice; Edelweiss, the Ability Holder of the {Queen of North}
Edelweiss had been refraining from joining the battle since earlier. But now, it was a completely different story. Not when the wyvern had borne its fang to us.
The wyvern aimed its maw at us, its razor-sharp teeth on full display. Its breath? Awful!
It drove in, ready to claim a chunk of flesh from our party—only to be repelled by the absolute defense that Dell and Elisha erected. The wyvern stumbled back as it bounced off the shield. Still, it immediately managed to get back up its feet. It gnarled its teeth together creating a disturbing sound as it glared at us with its reptilian pupils.
"Uwaa~ the beast got angry." Minerva chuckled. She's not only openminded, she's got the nerves of steel.
And Gisselle? Nah, if Minerva was built with steel, her nerves was made of ice. She was watching the wyvern without any emotions at all. No fear. No laughter. No nothing. That made them two with Edelweiss joining the "no emotion faction."
Either way, Gisselle can't joint battle right now. Imagine her casting her AOE spell and catching us within her line of fire. We'd be frozen for life. That's scary as hell. More than this wilding Wyvern.
Observing that it can't do us any damage with its physical body, the wyvern jumped back with a single flap of its wings.
Then it gnashed its sharp teeth together. On the side of its wide mouth was a red sparkle. It's coming. An exclusive skill of its kind.
"Incoming!" I warned, "Flame breath!"
As soon as I said that the wyvern opened its large jaw—a torrent of flame rushed towards us. Its intensity was insane and the heat was enough for us to boil some water and enjoy some nabe hot-pot. What nonsense I was thinking?!
"Ice Queen's Wall." Edelweiss muttered impassively. Following her voice was a wall of ice erecting, countering the roaring flame. Then the wall of ice suddenly dissolved and turned into water. That was not from the heat of the flame, but solely by will of the queen. Edelweiss manipulated water with great mastery. She put her arms forward and made the water bloom into a beautiful flower of spiky ice. "Ice Queen's Stake." From under the belly of the wyvern was a number of thorns of her frost, impaling the roaring monster from below.
"Amazing! As one would expect from the former president!" Minerva chirped. Then as if she can no longer stay still, she grinned and bumped her first together.
"Watching sure was fun, but that's not the reason why I trained this body to the death!" As she said that, I can't help but to thank her as well. Thank you for training that body to the death… just look at how lewd it has become. Truly, for every jiggle of those jelly-like treasures, I thank you for the bottom of my heart.
"Fix that lecherous look on your face!" Elisha bellowed bringing a new shield as she complained.
"Aw, come on. That's rich coming from a girl who's torturing her buttons."
"What did you just say?!"
"N-nothing~"
"…"
"Ahahah! There's no boring moment with Stasis here. Ah, no. That would be too confusing since there were two of them. I've decided, from today onwards, I will be calling you Gleren!" Minerva voiced before rushing in to the front line. Getting on the first name basis with my goddess? I'm elated as heck!
"Gnarooooaaaauuurrrrrr" The wyvern's supposedly intimidating roar reverberated in the whole floor, prompting us to cover our ears. It's blood trickling down from the wounds Edelweiss have inflicted.
"{Body Enhancement; Iron Maiden!}" Minerva's body turned into something metallic. She was ready to join the fray. Minerva nimbly dodged the nails of the swatting beast as she closed in under its large body. The wyvern was about 7feet tall and its length had reached the 10feet mark. But that only made it more targetable.
"{Panzer!}" Minerva roared as she threw a punch from below, sending the monster reeling back. Then giving it no rest, she followed up with a series of kicks. It seemed to me that she was bullying the poor beast than battling it.
In the first placed, the wyvern was not that scary. Not when you compare it to an actual dragon. But the problem is, dragons were reasonable creature. They enter contract and they bare no fang as long as you don't incite their anger. But, what about the wyverns then? They were troublesome creature that knew nothing but destruction. No reasons at all. As soon as they see anything, their impulse to destroy was there to make them move. That's why it was a floor boss of the mid-level. But well, see? In the face of our group, the beast doesn't stand a chance. Not when we have both Edelweiss and Minerva with us. If you add the other girls, I can only pity that wyvern… as for me, I am no more than a spectator this time around.
"Haaaah!!!"
Minerva threw another punch, but to her surprise, her arm was caught in the mouth of the monster.
"Miss Azevedo!" Elisha called in panic. Only to witness something unbelievable. When the wyvern tried munching on Minerva's arm, its razor teeth begun to break.
Surprised and bewildered by what happened, the monster jumped back. It's confidence scaping it's nature.
"Ahaha. That was foolish of you, dear beast. If you want something of me, try harder than that." That's right. Minerva's ability doesn't just strengthen her body. Her ability {Iron Maiden} can turn anything she touched to metal at will. And there was no exception. That even includes her own body.
You could say, "Wow, that was some kind of underwhelming." Yep. Underwhelming. To other people, that is. Imagine an indestructible body coupled with martial arts. That was more than enough to turn the table around.
"Come on! Show me what you've got!" Minerva rushed again, only to stop on her track and flipped back to where we were watching.
As we thought we were winning, it happened. An even that just like the Dungeon Descent. A phenomenon where monsters suddenly went on their frenzy. A monsters last resistance.
The berserk state.
Well then. I guess it's finally time for me to join in, eh.
***
The first time I saw him was at the Entrance Ceremony.
"What a goofy person." I though to myself with a chuckle. It's fair to think that even it was the very first time I saw the boy, I was quite interested. Specially when he was the target of all animosity at our school ground.
I, Minerva Azevedo, was born and raised in Brazil. I lived with a family who owned their own martial dojo. A dojo for mastering the art of capoeira.
As a martial artist, I was told to never judge anyone by their outer look. My father always told me to be more observant. To be more attentive before giving my own opinion of things.
That's why, seeing the boy being targeted by such hatred just don't mesh with me. I wanted to intervene. I wanted to warn those who tried to berate him to be more objective. He may have the rank of F; but that does not define who he is. But what can I say? How can I convince them? I was anxious. I was worried.
But then, I realized. I was beating myself for nothing. He, Gleren Stasis was stronger than I thought he was. He would retort with every bias thrown his way. He would laugh it off. He wouldn't care. He was living a life that's true to my ideal. He was strong. I knew of it.
Then my eyes just keep on darting towards him. No matter how little he would do, my eyes would stick to him, like a magnet to metal.
He was perverted.
He was fun.
He was caring.
What was this feeling, I wonder? It all started with simple curiosity. But because of this curiosity, I had found the answer that I was searching for.
I knew it. He was strong.
When we were conducting our first practical lesson, that's when I was made sure of my speculation. He completed the tasked as easy as one could wish for. He was a master of his one league. Scarily so. His ability not measured right was something he cannot brag about. But the mastery he had shown to us was the proof of his strength.
Gleren was stronger than anyone else.
His physical strength was solid. His ability was profound. His looks… was just my type. I think I might have a crush on him. And today? That all devolved into something deeper.
"Minerva?! Are you okay?" He rushed to my side. Taking me to his peculiarly muscular yet slim arms, "That's why I told you not to do something crazy."
Funny how I would see the day that someone would fuss over me. I'm strong, you know? My ability is to turn my body to metal, you know? How would I not be okay?
It happened when I tried to throw another strike to the frenzied monster. It swiped me with its sharp claw while I was mid-air. I was unhurt, of course, but I was thrown away with its raw strength.
I'm okay really. I'm really fine. But what is this, I wonder? Why do I feel so weak when he held me in his arms? Ah~, would anyone tell me what on earth was happening with me? My heart was drumming like it's on a parade.
"I… may not be okay…" I said. The first lie that I'd ever told. I was hoping that this boy would keep holding me like this. But what happened next was something I did not expect.
"Lay down for a little while, Minerva." He said, a flame was lit in his eyes. Oh, he was so damn dreamy. He put me gently and turned his attention to the wyvern.
"How dare you do that to my goddess!" He roared. Then with just a matter of second, he disappeared, and what happened next was the reeling of the monster as if hit by something huge.
"You will pay for it!" He uttered coldly, "You will pay for hurting my goddess."
My heart skipped. I was never hurt but my breathing was heavy.
"Ah~, I'm done for." I muttered as I felt the heat crept to my face. I really am done for.
In one way or two.