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***
Becheno Thorq
Nodding my head silently, I turned towards the gate. My little sister quickly equalled me, standing almost right next to me, our shoulders touching. Looking at her, I smiled. Her expression was casual and cold. Gone was the smile and in its place was a serious expression, she was ready for any sudden attack. Even I could sense her seriousness. Which was strange... I didn't feel anything like that myself.
An oppressive silence. Only Yuko's faint squeak echoed faintly around the room.
- By the way, sister, I see you have a small shield, and it used to have a dark mist on it, that's... a shield of darkness, isn't it? - I asked a question while leisurely walking towards the gate.
Sis looked up at me and nodded, showing me the shield itself, it was shrouded in darkness.
- Yes, little brother, I take it you can use the shield of darkness too? - She smiled with the corner of her lips.
- Yes, that's why I was wondering. Maybe you know something I don't? - I asked thoughtfully, stopping three steps away from the gate. The film of darkness still blocked my view.
Sis glanced cautiously at the gate, clutching her spear with both hands.
- Brother? I don't think there's anything you don't know! - She shook her head. - In a nutshell, it masks the shield itself, and also protects against some spells!
I thought about her answer and looked at my hand, and then quickly recreated the very same spell - shield of darkness - on my hand, my hand, strangely enough, was quickly enveloped in a dark mist. Then, I visualised the shield shrouding me from the gate. In just a few seconds, a 'shield' of darkness appeared in front of us, floor to my height and hiding us with its width behind us.
- B-brother! It's-it's just something! - My little sister hung happily on my arm, glowing with eyes full of admiration.
I didn't expect such an effect, and the spell, having lost its mana, quickly dissipated into thin air.
- Can't you do that?
Arine shook her head negatively.
- 'I'm sorry, little brother, I don't have the strength or skill for that...' she said a little sadly, looking down at the floor.
'Strength? Skill?' - I was surprised, looking at my mana scale: it was full. The spell was very simple... easy even!
- That's how... however, no need to get frustrated, sister! In time, you'll definitely be able to do it after me, I promise you! - I burst out laughing, ruffling Arine's hair, which made her pout her lips and turn away with the words:
- Brother is a fool!
- Ahem... sorry, I didn't mean to offend you,' I was embarrassed and faltered, but my little sister, as if expecting it, quickly turned around and hugged me.
- I'm going to be as strong as you are, little brother! - She clung to me, pressing her face into my chest, laughing with a charming, innocent laugh. But the full confidence in her words and the firm-full-decision look in her eyes told me that she was serious. - And then I will defend you, little brother!
- Ahem,' I choked on my air now. So strongly her words had thrown me off balance.
'Protect me? I mean... what makes her think that?' - my mind raced frantically.
- 'Sis, I'm certainly glad, but let's not say such embarrassing words, okay? I wouldn't feel comfortable with you risking yourself,' the more I spoke, the more Arine marvelled at my words. - Yes and to protect me... ahem, I'm glad - strongly, your words have sunk deep into my heart, but I'm a warrior just like you! So...
Suddenly, my little sister interrupted me half-heartedly.
- I'm sorry, brother, I... didn't think about what I was saying...' she lowered her head, feeling remorseful and pressed her breasts against me, or rather my hand was between her breasts... although they were hidden under the armour, the size four felt very good.
Haaaa... I took a deep breath, rolling my eyes.
- No, it's nothing. But since we're bonded together, we'll protect each other instead of fighting separately,' I lifted her head by the chin, and smiled, nodding approvingly. That made my little sister smile widely.
- Ummm, okay, little brother! I got it! We will protect each other! Together!
- That's much better! Now, let's get ready. And yes, put on your helmet, sister, if your senses are not lying, our first battle awaits us, which will be our test!
Arine nodded happily and her head was enveloped in a mist that dissipated in a few seconds, her head was now clad in the familiar closed helmet with red stripes on the sides.
Speaking of which, while we're on the subject....
'Evaluation!'
Half-Life Armour
Durability - 100%
Quality - good
Material - [?]
Protection:
Head - 30%
Chest/back - 30/30%
Legs - 25%
Magic resistance - 15%
Master - Arine
Enchantment: wearer-adaptable, lightness, [?], [?].
There are no words... I froze like that for a second, looking at this... miracle? Even my armour... seemed pale in comparison!
Blood Spear
Durability - 99%
Quality - good
Material - blood of two dullahans
Mana conductivity - 40%
Mana charge - [?]
Nascent Soul - 1%
Monster Souls - 0/100
Human Souls - 0/10
Magician's Soul 0/1
Hehe, at least it's not so colourful here... though, no - it's not that good. It better be beautiful. And here I was thinking, what if I checked the armour and then myself?
Storm Rush.
Durability - 100%.
Quality - good
Material - steel sand
Protection:
Head - 25%
Chest/back - 50/35%
Legs - 35%
Master - Arien
Magic Resistance - 25%
Enchantments: customisable to the wearer, lightness, soul trap.
Heh... defence against magic? Useful, I guess. But, alas, there's no way to know what this defence against magic is without a test.
Now... what's left is to test myself!
'Evaluation!'
Arien is a high dullahan
Danger level - medium-high
Destiny - dark hero
Strength - C
Dexterity - C+
Stamina - S+
Intelligence - A+.
Hmm... weird. Very strange. Let's say. Intelligence affects only... the amount of mana and some additional bonuses, then it turns out that Ram and Rem are mages? Although... that's right, I've been feeding them my mana and more....
I switched on the reinforcement for a few seconds, and then checked myself again with the assessment and looked at the status at the same time.
...
Strength - B+
Dexterity - A
Stamina - S+
Intelligence - A+
...
Strength - 30
Dexterity - 56.
Endurance - ∞
Intelligence - 210 (Accelerated Perception-4)
Spirit - 24.
...
'Wow... a huge boost like that, too huge I guess, but the stats stayed the same as before,' I pondered as I switched off the boost.
- Brother? Are you okay? - My little sister tugged on my arm excitedly, watching me through the visor of her helmet.
I jerked, as if waking up from an obsession, and shifted my gaze to my sister.
- Huh? Yeah... I'm fine. Just testing my strength,' I patted her approvingly on the shoulder, and then I remembered one detail again. - By the way sis, join my harem guard!
- Э? Brother? Ah... how? - Perplexed, she tilted her head while pressing her finger against her helmet.
''That gesture... it's cute,'' I glared at her, and afterwards uttered:
- 'Just give a positive answer!
- Okay! I'm in, bro!
* Zing! *
Arine has joined the group!
- Good for you! - I patted her on the head, which made her smile happily... at least I could feel that she was smiling. - By the way, I need to check something and for that I need your help! - And after waiting for an approving nod from Arine, I continued. - Use your body enhancement!
- Okay, brother! - She froze for a second, and then I felt a vague power emanating from her. I felt it faintly, as if... I knew it subconsciously. In the mage vision, it was the same as before.
'Evaluation!'
...
Strength - A+
Dexterity - A++
Stamina - S+
Intelligence - B+
...
Strength went up one point, but Dexterity... didn't. Hmm... Funny thing. Too bad there's no one else here besides me and my sister, and I'd check the others... although wait, there's Yuko who was sitting on her little sister's shoulder right now, carefree.
'Evaluation!'
Yuko is a dark creature
No danger.
Attitude towards you: Love
Attitude towards Arine: Curiosity.
Scout-1
Master: Ariane.
Mana charge - 100%
Strength - D
Dexterity - C
Stamina - S+
Intelligence - D+
'Huh? No other skills?' - she was just... a level one scout and that's it? Oh, and the skill... odd, but at its core... accurately characterises Yuko as a scout. Okay, I'll take that as a given. However...
I was thinking so hard that my sister tugged my arm again and said in an anxious voice:
- Bro, I can smell blood outside the gate.....
- М? I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. By the way, it's better to speak mentally during the battle. Now, get ready... And yes, how much reinforcement can you use?
Arine didn't hesitate to answer:
- 'Not long, little brother... about thirty minutes or more...'.
'That's okay, you'll definitely get stronger with time!' - I mentally informed my little sister.
I smiled and nodded, taking a synchronised step towards the gate with my sister. I didn't have my helmet on, and no - I didn't consider myself immortal, though I was, it was just that it would be better to check the dark film at the rusty gate without it.
'Okay, score!'
Dark Veil
A portal out of the labyrinth.
I inspected the film of darkness with my normal and mag-vision - I can't see anything. I can't feel anything. Just... a film of darkness that I didn't dare touch. Then I picked up a stone at my feet and threw it. It flew into the film and collided with the wall with a thud, and there was a faint ripple in the film of darkness. Either it's only letting in the living, or the portal is smart. Ordered Yuko, flew into the portal and back out again - again nothing, but the connection was gone and Yuko didn't even show up five minutes later. Got a slightly disgruntled look from sis... Recreated Yuko again and got a grateful happy emotional message from sis. Then I questioned Yuko - she didn't get to see anything and disappeared as soon as she emerged from the portal, but confirmed that it was 'safe'.
At the same time, I became convinced that it was a portal. Or more likely...
'Um... I mean... an exit or something?' - there was no end to the surprise! I'd fucking found a way out of the dungeon!
'Bro, did you find out something?'
'Yeah, sis, I think this is the way out.'
Aryne hesitated, and then squeezed my hand into a tenacious lock of fingers.
'Mmm... are we leaving this place, little brother?' - she asked almost cheerfully.
I circled the rusty gate with my gaze. Doubts were still muffling me. Could this be a passageway to yet another maze? Still, behind was the desert, ahead was a possible exit. I wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, and apparently I wasn't the only one who thought so. Sis was fully expecting it, hoping for it deep in her soul.
In fact... I've been through almost the entire second tier of this dungeon, which is much smaller than the first, and there's nothing to keep me here anymore. Except for possible experience and possible hidden rooms, but I can't find hidden rooms by myself, and the level... it will be a problem to climb it on lonely skeletons. Sure, you could go up and look for stumps, but it would take a long time to run to them and even longer to find them. And there might be enemies beyond the gate. If things suck, though, we can go back up and figure something else out.
'Hold my hand tight, I'll use my cover to hide us!' - Mentally informed his little sister.
'Okay, little brother!' - she responded by clinging to me and squeezing her spear tighter.
Darkness covered my view for a second, and after that I saw everything as usual again. Now I was wearing a helmet and a different mist of darkness enveloped us, and then we took a step...