Note: sorry for the late upload. This story covers chapter 13-16 from web novel and chapter 14-17 from Manhwa.
I only planned on writing 10,000 words but Damn, my god I ended up writing 17,725 words.
I lost track on time and writing.
Anyway next chapter will uploaded in next month again.
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[Awaiting the Next Episode]
The screen remained dark, signaling that the next episode had yet to begin. The gathered Servants settled into their seats, some chatting amongst themselves, while others simply waited in quiet anticipation.
That is, until a familiar voice rang out through the theater.
"Hello, everyone! It's been a while."
A moment of silence followed before
"Been a while, my ass! It's only been two hours since you last talked to us!" Draco snapped, her tail twitching in irritation.
"Oh, my apologies," the voice chuckled. "Time moves differently for me."
"Ah, I see," Tiamat nodded sagely.
"Ahem!" Mandricardo interjected, arms crossed. "What is it this time, Mr. X? Did you forget something?"
"No, I just wanted to make some adjustments. Adding a few new guests… and removing a certain unnecessary one."
A tense silence filled the room. Then—
"Saber! Sorry to say this, but you're out."
Before Artoria (Saber) could even react, she vanished from the theater.
"Oi! Where did she go?!" Ritsuka immediately stood up, alarmed. Morgan and Draco, who had been comfortably seated on his lap, straightened in concern.
"Calm down, Ritsuka," Mr. X's voice reassured him. "I just sent your dear lover back to Chaldea. I found her reactions a bit... dull. Once everything is over, I'll bring her back. Consider it a temporary leave."
Ritsuka frowned, but after a deep breath, he nodded. "As long as she's safe… fine."
"Great! Now, let's welcome our new guests!"
A golden light flashed across the theater. Four new figures materialized in the empty seats—
Kukulkan with radiating divine energy, her golden eyes scanning the room curiously.
Tezcatlipoca arms crossed, his usual expression of displeasure settling in immediately.
Artoria Pendragon (Alter) exuding her signature cool and haughty demeanor.
Aoko Aozaki relaxed yet observant, a knowing smirk on her lips.
The moment they arrived, Kukulkan's eyes softened as she spotted Ritsuka. "You're safe…" she murmured, relieved.
All of them got Information into their brains on what happened until now. So they naturally understand .
Tezcatlipoca, meanwhile, immediately scowled. "Tch, just my luck. I have to sit near the bird-brained idiot."
Kukulkan's smile twitched. "Oh? And yet, you never stop speaking about me. Perhaps you just like my company, Jaguar-dude?"
"HAH?! Don't insult me, damn feathered fool!" Tezcatlipoca snapped.
Ritsuka sighed, rubbing his temples. "Guys, not here… Can we just watch the episode in peace?"
Kukulkan relented first, shrugging. "Alright, alright. If it makes you happy, querido~."
Tezcatlipoca muttered something under his breath but didn't continue the argument.
Meanwhile, another tension was brewing—
"Tch… So, you're here too." Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) glared at the newly arrived Artoria Alter.
Artoria Alter returned the glare, a smug smirk forming. "I see my greatest admirer is still as obsessed as ever."
Jeanne Alter's eye twitched. "Who the hell is obsessed with you?! We both know Ritsuka prefers me!"
"Oh? Funny, considering I don't see you sitting on his lap," Artoria Alter taunted.
Jeanne Alter's hands ignited in flames. "You little—!"
Aoko sighed, stepping between them. "Alright, enough. If you two want to fight, at least wait until the episode's over."
Both Servants clicked their tongues but backed down… for now.
Before the bickering could continue, Mr. X's voice returned.
"Ritsuka, I know your bonds with your Servants are strong, but let's add a little elegance here. From now on, only one Servant who loves you will sit with you per episode. I've prepared a special selection box—each time a new episode starts, Goredolf will draw a name, and that Servant will have the honor of sitting beside you."
Goredolf, who had been peacefully munching on popcorn, nearly choked. "Wait—ME?! Why am I suddenly involved in this nonsense?!"
"Because I find it funny."
Caster Gil snickered. "Hah! Even an omnipotent being enjoys messing with mongrels. I respect that."
Mr. X ignored him. "Now, Goredolf, if you please?"
With a heavy sigh, Goredolf reached into the mysterious box and pulled out a folded slip of paper. He opened it. "A-Artoria Pendragon (Alter)!"
A hush fell over the room.
Morgan's expression darkened instantly. Jeanne Alter's flames reignited.
Meanwhile, Artoria Alter's smug grin widened.
"Well, well… Fate favors me today." She stepped forward, deliberately taking her time as she approached Ritsuka.
"H-Hey, Salter, I think Mr. X just meant—"
"I can't hear you, Master~," Artoria Alter interrupted, promptly settling onto his lap without hesitation.
Ritsuka froze, his hands awkwardly hovering in the air. "W-Wait, isn't this a bit—"
"Oh no, I'm perfectly comfortable." Artoria Alter leaned back slightly, resting her head against his shoulder. She kissed his him lips to silence him and show who is real king to her rivals.
Behind them, Morgan and Jeanne Alter's combined fury could have burned down an entire kingdom.
"I can't believe this," Morgan muttered, gripping the armrest so tightly it nearly snapped.
Habetrot, sitting beside her, sighed. "Morgan… your bride power is decreasing."
Morgan inhaled sharply, forcing herself to calm down. "Fine. I will wait… for now."
Jeanne Alter, however, was less composed. She stood up abruptly—
"Damn it all—!"
Her frustration reached its peak, and with a powerful kick, she sent a Douman flying across the theater. The poor thing crashed into the wall with a pitiful thud. Anyway he deserves it.
Ritsuka winced. "J-Jeanne, was that really necessary?"
Jeanne Alter huffed, crossing her arms. "You wouldn't understand, master-chan. The injustice of this situation is beyond words."
Meanwhile, Ritsuka felt something… odd. A shiver ran down his spine.
He slowly turned his head—
Only to find Tenochtitlan and Meltryllis staring at him.
Their expressions were unreadable. But their eyes? Their eyes screamed one word: "Cheater."
Ritsuka gulped, immediately facing forward again. "Let's… just start the episode."
And with that, the screen finally flickered to life, the next episode beginning…
But the battle for Ritsuka's lap had only just begun.
[Ritsuka Come to metro station gate in Tokyo. He saw left and right to check anyone is watching him. After making sure no one is beside him, he came close to the gate.
"I've got all my gear."
'Is it now time to check this little guy out, then? He took the key out.
The information on the key floated up in green letters.
[Item: Dungeon Key]
Rarity: E (ED: also reflects the difficulty in acquiring the item)
Type: Key
A key that transfers you to an instant dungeon. Can be used at the 3rd exit of the Hapjeong subway station.
He found this key inside one of the random boxes he got as the Daily Quest rewards.
At first, he wondered why a key would come out from there, but once he saw the 'rarity' category, he immediately realised that this was no ordinary item.
This was one of the reasons prompting him to get discharged from the hospital as well.
'An entrance key to the instant dungeon, huh….'
Whether it was called 'instant' or not, a dungeon was a dungeon.
If it was about dungeons, then he had plenty of painful memories regarding those.
This one time, he participated in a raid ranked E and ended up getting wounded so badly that he had to stay in the hospital for over a week.
Back then, he was able to survive because of the comrades that went with him, but….
But, if he used this key to enter a dungeon, then it meant that he had to enter it all alone. He deliberated for a long time, before making up his mind.
'I'm sure there will be no problems as long as I just take a quick peek inside.'
If things looked bad, all he had to do was run away, after all.
He'd been running 10 kilometres every day for a while now, so he was pretty confident of running away, actually.
"All preparations are done. I'm confident in my ability to escape. If it gets dangerous like last time, I'll just run with all my might." ]
"Tokyo, huh..." Ritsuka muttered as he watched the screen. Seeing his home again, even in an alternate reality, brought a complex wave of emotions.
Morgan, seated behind him with her arms crossed, scoffed. "Hmph. This so-called system is absurd'? I don't trust this at all."
Charlotte Corday, sitting with her hands clasped together, looked genuinely concerned. "I just hope Master's counterpart doesn't get hurt… he seems reckless."
Illyasviel von Einzbern, resting her chin on her palm, frowned. "Charlotte, please don't say things like that! That's a total red flag!"
Tamamo-no-Mae, elegantly sipping tea, tilted her head. "Oh dear, dear! My cute shrine maiden instincts tell me this dungeon better be easy! Our Master's counterpart is strong, yes, but I still worry. What if there are traps like before?"
Tam Lin Barghest nodded in agreement, her knightly instincts kicking in. "At the very least, he is prepared. His physical training will serve him well, but entering an unknown battlefield alone is always risky."
Kukulkan leaned forward, a sparkle in her golden eyes. "Ohoho! I don't know how strong this dungeon will be, but I want to see this ' Master looking face' in action. Maybe he'll surprise us!"
Tezcatlipoca scoffed. "Tch. Bird Brain, don't get your hopes up. This one's first instinct is to run away. Pathetic. A warrior fights head-on, not thinking about escape from the start."
Tenochtitlan glanced at her brother disapprovingly. "Brother, survival is also a form of strength. There is no shame in assessing danger before engaging."
Tezcatlipoca grunted, folding his arms. "Soft. If he fights like that, he'll never earn my respect. Our Master at least has the spirit of a warrior."
Ritsuka sighed, rubbing his temple. "I get where both of you are coming from, but not everyone fights the same way. It's not just about strength—it's about knowing when to fight and when to retreat."
Artoria alter gave him a knowing glance. "Hoh?, You sound as if you've learned that the hard way."
He chuckled bitterly. "You could say that."
"I know" She said and tabbed his arms.
The screen continued playing, and everyone leaned in, eager to see what awaited Ritsuka's counterpart inside the dungeon.
---
[Suddenly a door appeared with light. He opened the door with the key. And it open itself. A dungeon appeared infornt of him. The key disappeared and he slowly went inside to down stairs.
Tti-ring.
[You can not exit the dungeon. Please defeat the boss first or find the return crystal.]
Suddenly he saw a system message. He turned back to see the gate door entrance is closed. by the time Ritsuka realised things had gone rather awry and hurriedly turned around to leave, it was already too late.
"Is it...The entrance is blocked?"
Annnd, it was his mistake for taking it too lightly.
Slam, slam!
"Is there…. a wall blocking me?"
He pounded on the invisible wall and shouted at the outside, but no one replied back. People continued to carry on with their own lives, that was all.
Sometimes, someone approached the Hapjeong station, but they simply vanished as soon as coming in contact with this invisible 'wall'. It was quite likely that the place he was in and the outside world were two separate dimensions.
Ritsuka tried his hardest to force his way out of this place, which prompted a new alert message to pop up.]
---
James Moriarty adjusted his glasses, his voice filled with intrigue. "Ah, how unfortunate. The boy merely wanted to take a harmless peek inside, yet fate has delivered him a cruel twist. Perhaps this system of his enjoys watching him struggle?"
Ashiya Douman grinned wickedly, his fingers twitching in excitement. "Mmm~, a most delightful sight indeed! The moment of realization, the futile struggle! How amusing, how delicious! Ahaha~!"
Koyanskaya of Light smirked, resting her cheek on her hand. "Oh my ♪ Look at him, our dear Master's poor little counterpart! Desperately punching the wall like a trapped animal~."
Mandricardo had his arms crossed tightly, already feeling the pressure just watching. "I don't like this… I've got a bad feeling about this."
Kadoc Zemlupus, frowning deeply, muttered under his breath. "This whole thing has already spiraled way beyond what he originally planned. If that were me, I'd be swearing non-stop right now."
Ishtar scoffed, arms crossed. "Hah! What, did he think he'd find a secret exit or something? No, of course not—he just had to step into the worst-case scenario."
Castoria, ever composed, let out a small sigh before stating firmly, "There is no other choice. He must move forward."
Aoko, watching the screen, sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Man… he had some pretty bad situations, but this? Getting sealed in like that? I can already tell this is gonna be painful."
Kukulkan, smiling, leaned forward. "Ohoho~! But wouldn't it be more fun if he fights his way through instead? Let's see what he can do!"
Tezcatlipoca grunted. "Only if he stops acting like a cornered rat. If he fights well, maybe I'll acknowledge him."
---
[Tti-ring.
[You can not exit the dungeon. Please defeat the boss first or find the return crystal.]
It was the same message as before.
"I see...This is a different dimension." Ritsuka spat out a long groan and looked behind him. What he could see now was the interior of the subway station that had transformed into a jungle.
"Instance dungeons differ from regular dungeons. I've never been in one,but I guess it should be similar to a Red Portal."
Ritsuka grab his head and says "What a headache.I thought if things went wrong,
at least I could run away. Now there's nowhere to go." He looked at the screen and saw the latter word.
[You can not exit the dungeon. Please defeat the boss first or find the return crystal.]
"Teleportation stone"?
"What's that? I can't get out unless I defeat the boss?" He saw the down stairs.
"I couldn't even defeat an E-rank magic beast. Now I have to conquer this dungeon alone?"
"It's too difficult for me."
"Do I really have to fight the boss without a team? But..." He took out his old dagger.
"I have no choice. " With that he went down stairs.
His back was blocked off, and he had no method of contacting outside, so the only option left was to go forward.]
---
Koyanskaya of Light sighed theatrically, placing a delicate hand over her lips. "Oh? He's finally decided? Hah, how boring. I thought I'd at least see a few tears! But then again, he's already died before, hasn't he? Expecting him to cry might've been too much. My bad, fufu~."
Suzuka Gozen crossed her arms, flipping her hair with a huff. "Ugh, don't tell me he's still using that old dagger. Like, seriously? Get a better weapon, dude."
Nero Claudius raised a fist proudly. "My Praetor's counterpart is about to challenge the boss! Roma shall watch over him!"
Oberon smirked, lazily resting his chin on his hand. "Oh, I'd wager his first encounter will be goblins. Small, weak creatures that make a man feel powerful before the real challenge begins. A classic setup, wouldn't you agree?"
Boabhan Sith scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "How utterly pathetic. He's done so much and still lacks confidence? How disappointing."
Castoria, watching quietly, clasped her hands together. "Even if he doesn't believe in himself yet… he still chooses to move forward. That's what matters."
---
[Ritsuka nervously swallowed his saliva and slowly descended the steps. He held his breath and surveyed his surroundings, but he couldn't sense anything particular.
However, it was truly forbidden to underestimate the dangers in a dungeon.
Among the low-ranked monsters, there were quite a few that knew how to mask and hide their presence very well. No, maybe because they were so low ranked that they had no choice but to hide and wait to ambush their prey.
Past the toilets, he entered deeper and encountered the underground shopping centre.
Shops were worn down and in complete disarray, looking more like a ruin than anything else. Seeing the human-less ruined shells of the shops dimly illuminated by the flickering overhead lamps, something felt rather ominously creepy and sinister.
Flicker, flicker….
A few of the lamps continued to flicker as if their life was nearing the end.
Ritsuka carefully stepped on the overgrown weeds jutting out from between the cracked floor tiles and continued on forward, but he picked up on a general aura of unease and scanned his surroundings.
'What should I do... I'm losing my confidence.'
Suddenly someone jumped in his path.
'goblin! And three ones at a time!']
Koyanskaya smiles and enjoying herself to see the Hero struggles. "Fufufu, look at him. Already feeling like he will die"
Cnoc na Riabh (angry smile) clicked her tongue. "Tch. Oberon, your prediction was right after all."
Oberon smirked, resting his cheek against his palm. "Hehehe, of course. Predictable little creatures. Goblins are always the first test, the stepping stone for every so-called hero."
James Moriarty adjusted his glasses, his sharp gaze analyzing the situation. "Actually, this is quite the interesting benchmark. We've seen Ritsuka lose to goblins before—twice, even. They serve as his basic level marker. Watching him fight them now will show us just how much stronger he's become. If he can handle them easily, then we'll know his progress has been significant."
Kukulkan blinked in realization. "Wow, I didn't even think of that! This feels like I'm watching the opening arc of a hero's journey!"
Boabhan Sith grinned, leaning forward with a delighted look in her eyes. "This place… it's like something out of a horror story. I like it."
Mandricardo frowned, rubbing his arms as if shaking off an unsettling chill. "Something's watching him… but it's not the goblins."
Assassin Emiya narrowed his eyes, arms crossed. "You're right. There's another presence lurking in the shadows. Whether it's waiting to strike or simply observing, we can't tell yet."
[Those goblins smiled at him like looking at their breakfast. They rushed at him to attack. Ritsuka remember his painful memories of goblin where they almost killed him in past.
'wait why they are slow?'
He dodged a attack from them.
He did again and again. Then he started to block. Suddenly a goblin attack him but his bag is cutoff. He fell down and goblins attacked him again. But this time Ritsuka jumped on one of the goblins. And stabbed the dagger in it and killed it.
"I killed it."
Seeing this other two goblins rushed towards him. But this time Ritsuka had some confidence and attack them. And he successfully killed both of them.
"I really became stronger..."
But suddenly his bad luck kissed him harder than reality by suddenly a wolf to attack him. Everything seemed so quiet and still, but he did sense a gaze of something.
And then, there was this smell, too.
A seriously rotten odour of an animal carcass with flies buzzing around was coming from somewhere. For Ritsuka, who had frequently entered dungeons, this was a rather familiar smell.
"Wolf.
Seeing a wolf rushing at him made him panic. He tried to defend himself but his dagger was destroyed by wolf on the spot.
The wolf had red title means it was stronger than him in all stats.
'I can feel it...'
The wolf staring at him unlike goblins. He is staring at his prey.
It was a huge wolf with a reddish coat of fur.
When he took a closer look, its name also appeared on top of its head, just like the centipedes from the penalty zone.
'Iron-Fanged Lycan.'
'It's much stronger than the goblins just now.' ]
Draco crossed her arms, sighing in exasperation. "Why does he keep letting enemies get the jump on him?!"
Kadoc leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Wait—did his speed just increase?"
Artoria Pendragon (Alter) smirked, amused. "Oh? He got stronger. See? He's dodging properly now. Fufufu."
Koyanskaya was thoroughly enjoying his struggles, laughter bubbling from her lips. "Hahaha! Look at him—fumbling around like an inexperienced amateur! His fighting instincts are so raw, so unpolished!~"
Goredolf nearly spilled his tea in excitement. "Yes! He got a kill! That's progress, right?!"
Artoria Pendragon (Lancer) gave a small nod of approval. "He's gaining confidence."
Mandricardo groaned, running a hand through his hair. "See? I told you something was watching him!"
Charlotte Corday shivered, eyes fixed on the screen. "It has a red title… that means it's much stronger than him."
The screen zoomed in on the Iron-Fanged Lycan, saliva dripping from its fangs as it advanced toward Ritsuka.
The real fight was about to begin.
[The wolf started to move towards him
Ritsuka saw his legs paralyzed due to fear.
'My legs... I can't move. What's going on...'
'Is it because of fear? I thought it hadn't left
a scar in my heart.' his legs are shaking. He remembered the traumatized smile of statue .
'Damn it.'
Ritsuka dodged and escape the wolf attack. But he got scratch on his cheek.
'There is no healer. If I get injured, it's all over.'
The wolf jumped on Ritsuka again. Ritsuka flipped his body back.
Ritsuka Flips are incredibly awakard. If anyone saw him they would think he worked in circus instead of hunter.
But he somehow got his body momentum control and did correct flip.
'my body feels light'
He was shocked. But he doesn't want to die now.
" I'm not going to die"
He shouted and punch the huge wolf which sent the wolf flying and crashed on wall.
'did my increased strength ability make that difference?'
He understood the wolf is still strong than him. Huge wolf jumped on him. Ritsuka started to punch like Mike Tyson. But he understood he isn't HIM.
His attacks didn't do any damages.
'What I'm supposed to do now?']
Meltryllis leaned back, laughing. "Hah! Look at him! What kind of dance is that? He should try ballet instead of fighting."
Caster Irisviel clapped her hands together in distress. "MOVE, RITSUKA, DAMN IT!"
Kukulkan tilted her head. "His flips are… incredibly awkward. "
Caster Gilgamesh snorted, arms crossed. "A fine performance! He may not be a proper mongrel, but at least he has a future in the circus."
Ishtar shot Gilgamesh a glare. "Hey! He's learning how to fight—stop laughing at him!"
Tenochtitlan leaned forward, eyes sparkling. "Wait… did he actually just send that wolf flying?"
Tim Lin Mélusine narrowed her eyes. "Yes… but look. The wolf is still standing. His punches don't have enough weight behind them."
Douman smirked, voice laced with amusement. "Mmm… I'd love to see him bleed a little more. Maybe something truly awful will happen—"
—Until Dantes delivered a swift kick to his ribs, sending him flying.
"Silence, clown."
The screen flickered—
Ritsuka's battle was far from over.
['If only I had a weapon with magic power Wait!'
He suddenly remembered a weapon was in his inventory.
"Inventory" he said
Ritsuka pulled the steel longsword out from his Inventory.
Tti-ring.
[Item: Kim Sang-Sik's steel longsword]
Attack +10
"Roar!"
Ritsuka had been getting ready for a sneak attack like this one, so almost immediately, he swung the sword in the direction of the sound.
It was a perfectly-executed instinctive counter!
Swish!
The sharp edge of the blade sliced open the creature's maw.
The monster spat out a pained cry as it flew away from Ritsuka and crashed on the ground, rolling around in a heap.
*SFX for a dog-type whimpering, repeated*
It was a huge wolf with a reddish coat of fur.
The wolf with its maw sliced away wiggled around and threw a seizure-like fit as if it was under a great deal of pain.
Lycan spat out the final roar and stopped breathing afterwards.
[You've killed an Iron-Fanged Lycan.]
"Good!"
[Level up]
"I think Kim paid 3 million for it? Anyway I will use it. " ]
Suzuka Gozen clapped her hands together. "FINALLY! Took ya long enough to use the damn sword, dude!"
Habetrot pumped her tiny fists. "Yes, yes! That's it! Just like that! Go, go, Master!"
Tam Lin Barghest crossed her arms, nodding approvingly. "Hmph. He's one-shotting a beast of that size in a single strike? That's… actually impressive."
Alter Ego Tiamat gazed at the screen with a gentle, almost maternal smile. "This child… at the very least, he understands how to use a sword. Even if his technique is unrefined."
Aoko snickered. "Yeah, yeah, he's not some knight in shining armor, but hey, results are what matter, right?"
Habetrot twirled in excitement. "And he leveled up too! Keep going, Master! I'll cheer for you all the way!"
The screen flickered again.
[However, the joy of victory was temporary!
Two more Lycans jumped out from their hiding place from behind the shop's darkness.
'D*mn it, it was in a pack?'
Ritsuka eyes grew wider.
They bared their big fangs and closed the distance in an instant.
Ritsuka's expression crumpled dismally.
He must've chopped down too hard from all the excitement, because the sword was lodged on the ground too deep and it stubbornly refused to come out.
'It's stuck.'
It was at this moment that one of the Lycans aimed for his face and leapt up.
"D*mn it!!"
Ritsuka ducked low. The Lycan flew over his head and landed face-first on the ground after failing to stop in time.
Stab!!
When its fangs stabbed into the stone floor, cracks instantly formed on the hard surface.
'I guess it's not called Iron-Fanged for nothing, huh.'
Of course, he didn't have the leeway to stay there and admire this scene. One more monster was still running towards his front at the moment, too.
Finally he pulled his sword from ground and attack one wolf. But with its strong iron jaw. It catch his sword and threw a hard kick at the Lycan closing in.
"Screw this!"
WHOOSH!!
Using this distraction he Slice the wolf head.
Accompanied by a bone-chilling sound of wind parting ways, his sword straight forward.
POW!!
It took just one cut and the head of the Lycan simply fell down.
The corpse of the now-headless Lycan slammed into the ceiling above and then, powerlessly fell down to the ground.
Thud!
"….??"
Ritsuka's eyes opened up very wide and he stared dumbfoundedly at his own strength.
What an unexpected destructive power that was.]
Tamamo-no-Mae clutched her sleeves anxiously. "Mikko! My poor Mikko, be careful! Why do all versions of my husband throw themselves into danger?!"
Jeanne Alter cursed, crossing her arms. "Tch. Of course, his sword gets stuck in the ground at the worst possible moment. Talk about shit luck."
Tenochtitlan clenched her fists. "Come on, come on…! Yes! He pulled it free!"
Altria Pendragon (Alter) narrowed her eyes. "Tch. That Lycan's jaws… they're absurdly strong."
Cnoc na Riabh nodded, watching intently. "But he still managed to kill it. A well-placed strike, even under pressure."
Kadoc leaned forward, rubbing his temples. "…Wait. Did his strength increase again, or am I imagining things?"
Tamamo's ears perked up. "Oh, he's definitely getting stronger. It's subtle, but it's happening."
[He remembered the double dungeon incident and horror.
"compare to the horror, you guys are not bad"
Ritsuka said and Ready to kill another. But it left him alone.
He then saw his level is 2. He guess it happened because he fought in real combat.
His level really did go up.
And when a level went up, a single point was added to all of his Stats.
As it turned out, it wasn't only the quest rewards that could impact the values of his Stats. It was also possible to improve his Stats through levelling up, too.
'To think, I can actually level up!'
He only carried a vague expectation, but it actually became reality. His heart began to beat faster and faster.
'On top of that, I get more additional points from levelling up.'
His injuries are healed as he level up. He had 5 points, he wondered how one point difference the strength.
"I'm speculating here but I think that higher my base abilities grow, the more points I will gain" ]
Oberon leaned back with a smirk. "He's using his own trauma to fuel his motivation. A tragic prince, pushing forward despite the horror… Ah, how utterly dramatic."
Goredolf crossed his arms. "Hmph! There was a much more gradual progression to that confidence! But now he's suddenly leveling up like some kind of hero from a game? Preposterous!"
Aoko tilted her head. "His strength is already at 20… at Level 2? I don't know much about modern games, but that doesn't sound normal."
James Moriarty chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "Allow me to explain, my dear viewers! Our dear Ritsuka's system follows a rather… unique principle. His class is structured with a cannon strength build, meaning his base power is closer to that of a Level 20 warrior."
He gestured dramatically at the screen.
"Now, what happens when a Level 2 fighter is wielding Level 20 strength in a beginner area? Simple—power leveling. He's effectively tripled his power stat, and now, he's using that advantage to farm experience. Quite a brilliant—if accidental—strategy."
Koyanskaya let out a scoff. "Tch! It's cheating! I mean, sure, Ritsuka-kun isn't doing it on purpose, but still—!"
Moriarty waved a finger. "Ah, but here's the twist! His true strength might be even greater. You see, back at the hospital, he tested how much a single point in Strength affected his body. At first, it seemed minor… but now, with this exponential increase, the gains are becoming undeniable!"
Baobhan Sith squinted at the screen. "Wait, but what about his speed? How is he suddenly so fast?"
Morgan le Fay narrowed her eyes in deep thought. "My husband counterpart has already deduced the answer."
The Fae Queen tapped her fingers together.
"Strength affects more than just raw power. It enhances his muscles. And stronger muscles… mean greater speed."
Moriarty grinned, nodding. "Precisely, my dear Fairy Queen. So now, we have a dilemma. If Strength already increases speed, then… what does Agility truly do?"
The watching Servants fell into thought.
"That's something Ritsuka will have to figure out." Moriarty concluded. "After all, he could spend points to test it—but why bother, when Strength is already doing what he thought Agility would?"
Jeanne Alter rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. At this point, he's just gonna keep stacking Strength until he punches the next monster into orbit."
Koyanskaya grinned, tail swishing. "Well, I for one can't wait to see how broken he becomes~."
["Maybe I'm over thinking too much "
He went to the check if the wolf had magic essense stones.
He spotted something glittering within the dead Lycan's mouth. So, he opened the creature's maws. One of the Lycan's fangs was emitting a beam of light. When Ritsuka reached out, a new message popped up before him.
[You found the 'Item: The Canine of a Lycan'. Take it?]
"Sure thing."
[Item: The Canine of a Lycan]
Rarity: None
Type: Miscellaneous
A large and sharp canine of a Lycan. Can be stored in the Inventory or can be sold at the Store.
Ritsuka got flustered a bit while staring at the canine tooth.
Then his system should him shop
"A shop?"
"Store."
He couldn't help but feel his anticipation build up, wondering if a shop with a signboard declaring 'Store' and manned by an NPC merchant, kinda like from video games, might really appear before him.
However, what appeared instead was a bunch of green letters floating in the air like hologram projections, just like when he accessed his mailbox.
And there were only two words there, too.
'Buy' and 'Sell'.
Ritsuka selected 'Buy'.
He didn't have a single cent in his pockets, but he was still curious about the stuff available within the Store.
Unfortunately for him, the Store turned out to be one cold customer.
[Your level is too low to access the 'Buy' function.]
He was already familiar with the cold-shoulder treatment from the places that required him to pay up, so this was fine.
"Sure, sure. I understand"
Ritsuka didn't think too much about it and shifted his gaze away to 'Sell'.
[Will you sell 'Item: The Canine of a Lycan'?]
"Yup."
With the clinging sounds of coins, his Inventory appeared next. Right at the bottom of the display, in the column saying 'Gold', he could see the number 20 appearing there. That space had been empty yesterday.
'20 Gold, eh,']
Tamamo-no-Mae let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. "Oh dear, Mikon! He looks so disappointed!"
She wagged her fan. "No magic essence stones, no good loot… A true merchant's heartbreak!"
Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) scoffed. "At least he got something. It's better than nothing."
She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "But with no idea how much that gold is actually worth, he's basically gambling that it'll add up to something useful later."
Edmond Dantès smirked. "He's betting on the unknown, hoping for a return in the future. A bold move—though a risky one."
His sharp eyes gleamed. "Still, it seems our dear Ritsuka has no choice but to play the long game."
Ritsuka Fujimaru, sitting with Saber Alter curled up in his lap, chuckled. "Yeah, I can relate. My counterpart's the type to hoard everything—even the most useless junk."
Saber Alter hummed, eyes closed. "Hoarding is fine, but it's only valuable if you actually use it."
Ritsuka smiled awkwardly. "Well… you never know when something will be useful, right?"
Ishtar folded her arms, sighing. "I get it. His counterpart even got sad realizing that he only got 20 gold from that Lycan. Like—seriously?"
She frowned, shaking her head. "I, too, would be disappointed if I got such low returns for a hunt."
Gilgamesh let out an amused scoff. "Tch. As expected of a greedy goddess."
He raised his goblet and took a slow sip of wine, golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "Whining over mere pocket change—how pathetic."
Ishtar bristled. "What was that, Goldie?!"
Gilgamesh waved a hand dismissively. "If you're so concerned about value, then why don't you take a lesson from my history books?" He smirked. "A true king does not chase after scraps. He ensures that everything is his from the beginning."
Ishtar gritted her teeth, but before she could fire back, Tamamo giggled.
"Oh my~! Our dear king does have a point. If other Ritsuka-kun wants real treasure, he'll have to step up his game!"
Jeanne Alter yawned. "Then let's see how he plays it. Either he finds out gold is worthless, or he builds his empire. Either way… it should be fun to watch."
[He couldn't really use that 'money' in real life, and he couldn't even use the Store properly yet, so he had no idea just how much this 20 Gold was actually worth.
'Oh well. A creature from the rank E dungeon wouldn't have given me any decent loot, to begin with.'
Even if there was a difference between the dungeons found beyond the Gates and this so-called instant dungeon, it would be the same difference at the end of the day.
"I can't leave until I kill the boss or find teleportation stone" he said and took his sword.
"If I stay too long I will run out of food. And I still don't know if I can beat the e rank boss alone. Wait maybe I should level up frist"
However, as soon as he turned around, the feelings of bitterness dissipated in an instant.
"Growl!!"
"Grrr…."
"Growl!!"
"Grrr!!!"
Well now, the Lycan he thought had ran way actually came back with a bunch of its friends!
"I shouldn't be afraid. I already know what dying is like!"
He scolding himself. He started to fight alone with the group of all Wolf's.
"I'm not gonna go down easy. And I don't expect you guys to either"
"I would feel guilty if I kill you all easy" .
He remembered his rank and problems.
"Let's fight..." He tighten his grib.
"Let's make it intense" he had a smile this time.
He started to cut all of them in his way.
"For as long as we live... As hard as we can!"
"If i can get stronger. I'll gladly follow these ridiculous rules"
He didn't stop hunting. ]
Cnoc na Riabh chuckled, arms crossed. "Well, his disappointment didn't last long. He turned around, saw twenty Lycans, and went straight back into battle."
Ishtar smirked, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "See that? My dear Master's counterpart lit up the moment he realized how much gold he was about to rake in."
Artoria Caster let out a soft laugh. "He certainly was ecstatic. To him, those Lycans weren't enemies—they were a farming opportunity."
Oberon raised a brow. "A stark contrast from his moment of doubt just seconds ago." He smirked. "But I must say, I can respect his appreciation for a fair fight."
Ritsuka stretched his arms, grinning. "Come on, you all know the best part of any thing is grinding for materials."
He laughed—then suddenly wrapped his arms around Saber Alter's slender waist.
She froze.
A soft pink hue dusted across her cheeks.
"M-Master…?"
Their bodies were close.
She could feel his warmth against her, his hands resting lightly on her hips.
Ritsuka smiled, resting his forehead against her shoulders. "You're always the first to say I push myself too hard. But seeing my counterpart fight like that makes me want to train harder, too."
Saber Alter lowered her gaze, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she rested her hands over his. "Then… just don't overdo it."
Ritsuka chuckled, brushing his nose against hers. "With you by my side, I won't."
Oberon sighed dramatically. "How utterly sickening. Must you do this now?"
Ishtar huffed. "Tch. You don't hear me complaining. I feel so angry now. "
Gilgamesh, swirling his wine, scoffed. "Hmph. Fools in love."
Cnoc na Riabh smirked. "Oh, let them have their moment. After all… "
She glanced at the screen, where Ritsuka's counterpart was fighting relentlessly.
"... I'm going to steal him."
---
[We see the previous dungeon in city is still didn't get clear by association.
Citizens are worried about it. And weather looks like it's gonna rain.]
---
Tam Lin Barghest frowned, arms crossed over her chest. "They still haven't cleared this Dungeon?"
Goredolf, ever the voice of panic, threw up his arms. "What the hell is the Hunter Association doing?! If they don't clear it soon, a Dungeon Break is all but guaranteed!"
Aoko leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. "You can see it, right? That Gate's on the verge of collapse. The mana's surging. If they don't send in someone competent soon…"
She trailed off, but the meaning was clear.
Ritsuka sat on the couch, absently watching the screen.
But Saber Alter?
She was not watching the screen.
No—she was too comfortable sitting in his lap.
Ritsuka felt her weight, warm and familiar, as she leaned back against him. His son became hard as rock. And
He should have expected it.
Because instead of simply watching in peace, she was teasing him.
Feeling his manly thing, Saber Alter smirked as she turned slightly, her gloved fingers tracing small circles along his forearm.
"Hm. My Master, you seem distracted."
Ritsuka swallowed. "I—I'm watching the dungeon situation—"
"Oh?"
She shifted—her golden eyes gleaming as she leaned closer, her lips brushing near his ear.
"You seem far more interested in me than that silly Gate, Master."
His grip on her waist tightened instinctively.
"You know that's not—!"
"But it seems he was honest Below. How about we go to somewhere."
Before he could say anything—
The temperature in the room plummeted.
Because across from them—
Morgan's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Castoria's delicate fingers curled slightly.
Jalter cracked her knuckles.
Tenochtitlan tilted her head, smiling a little too sweetly.
Melt crossed her arms, looking unimpressed.
Cnoc na Riabh raised a brow.
Aoko, normally nonchalant, gave Ritsuka an unimpressed stare. "Wow. Bold of you."
Ishtar, in contrast, looked offended. "Tch. Seriously?! Her?"
The sheer pressure of their collective gazes made even Ritsuka—the Last Master of Chaldea—sweat.
And then—
"Calm down, all of you."
The voice of reason belonged to Haberot.
She sighed, rubbing her temples.
"If you lose your composure now, your 'Bride Power' will decrease. And I do not have time to deal with your collective jealousy-fueled mana spikes."
Her words carried weight.
Because sure enough—
The moment their emotions flared, their energy signatures wavered.
Morgan huffed, sitting back, though her icy glare remained.
Jalter clicked her tongue. "Tch. Unfair."
Melt pouted. "Next time, I get the lap. And I will tease him to death."
Tenochtitlan smirked. "I could just drag him away, you know."
Ishtar crossed her legs. "Don't tempt me."
Saber Alter, completely unbothered, smirked down at Ritsuka.
"It's not my fault he finds me irresistible."
Ritsuka sighed, rubbing his temples.
The dungeon wasn't the only thing close to breaking.
His sanity was, too.
[We see Ritsuka covered in sweat.
"This sword not gonna last much longer"
His sword lost its sharpness.
Tti-ring.
[You have acquired the 'Title: Slaughterer of Wolves'.]
"A Title?"
[Title: Slaughterer of Wolves]
A Title given to a hunter skilled in hunting wolves. When facing animal-type monsters, all of your Stats will increase by 40%.
"I got 34 wolf canines, two rusted daggers, a set of traveller's clothes but finally I got teleportation stone in the end"
He saw the stone in his hand.
He found himself on a crossroads.
In front, the stairs leading down to the second floor.
And in his hand, a single return crystal grasped tightly.
'Do I continue on, or do I back out….?'
"Maybe I should leave?"
He said looking at the stone
"But I might never get the chance to get stronger this easily ever again "
"I don't know what'll happen to this dungeon when I use the teleportation stone. "
"Like a game it will vanish I suppose "
"Whatever happens, I seem to be wrapped up in something I don't understand. "
"It's like I'm dancing atop the Buddha's palm"
He remembered famous monkey King story.
He took a deep breath before taking decision
He put the stone in the inventory and started to move deeper.]
Ishtar leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand, her crimson eyes glinting mischievously.
"Hah! Master counterpart doesn't have an ounce of greed. If I were in his place, I'd be counting all the gold I could get!"
Kadoc Adjusting his collar, he nodded.
"So this covers the entirety of the first floor's dungeon run. By the end of it, Ritsuka reached Level Seven, and these were his final stats. The only loot he obtained is what we saw on screen."
His tone was clinical, but there was an undercurrent of intrigue.
Artoria Pendragon (Lancer) crossed her arms, nodding with an approving hum.
"Master counterpart does not suffer from the typical 'gamer hoarder' mentality. He sold everything except the teleportation stone."
A small smile graced her lips.
"With that, he earned a total of 160 gold."
James Moriarty, The Professor of Crime chuckled, ever the storyteller.
"Ah, but look at that sword. Absolutely battered!"
He gestured dramatically at the screen.
"And this, my dear audience, is where his philosophy of not using weapons begins."
Everyone turned to listen.
Moriarty smirked.
"You see, from his past we got to know, Ritsuka spent $350 on a fine dagger."
"Oh?" Morgan arched a brow.
"Yes, indeed. A magnificent weapon! It did make hunting easier… but alas, it shattered in a boss fight."
Jalter scoffed. "Hah! So he lost his investment."
Moriarty nodded sagely.
"His total gains that day? A mere three Essence Stones—worth only $240."
The room fell silent.
"…Wait." Cnoc na Riabh's eye twitched. "So he spent more than he earned?"
Moriarty grinned. "Precisely! A harsh lesson learned."
A smirk spread across Aoko's face.
"Heh. So he ditched weapons and started fighting with his fists?"
Moriarty snapped his fingers. "Exactly."
Aoko leaned back, arms crossed. "Now that I respect."
Kukul, The Mayan deity grinned.
"Fists are better."
Tension in the Room… Again
As the conversation carried on—
Ritsuka shifted slightly in his seat.
Because Artoria Alter was still very much in his lap.
She stretched her arms lazily, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement.
"…So, my Master counterpart prefers to fight with his own hands?"
She leaned back against his chest.
"How… rough."
Ritsuka choked on air.
Morgan's gaze turned glacial.
Melt cracked her knuckles.
Jalter narrowed her eyes. "…He belongs to all of us, you Ruthless king."
Tenochtitlan smiled darkly. "If you're getting too comfortable, I could change that."
Aoko sighed, rubbing her temple. "Not again…"
Ishtar clicked her tongue. "Tch. Getting cocky just because she's in his lap…"
Haberot pinched the bridge of her nose. "Control yourselves. Or you'll weaken your Bride Power again."
Morgan stood up.
"…Fine."
Her eyes, however, said war.
Ritsuka sweated.
The Dungeon Break wasn't even the most dangerous thing happening right now.
His harem's collective wrath?
That was the real battlefield.
---
[On other side Ophelia got call from hunter association. She found out a dungeon break happened near to her.
She was feared but she remembered Ritsuka spirit to move forward.
She found out their are few healers so they asked her help
"I understand " she agreed.
She really wanted to move in same path of Ritsuka. ]
--
Koyanskaya
"Oh my~♪ She's still thinking of moving forward."
She giggled, covering her mouth.
"I wonder if she'll manage to meet my expectations. Fufufu~"
A teasing glint in her eyes.
Kadoc
He crossed his arms, scowl deepening.
"She's reckless.—"
But then—
His eyes flickered to Moriarty.
The Professor of Crime was deep in thought.
Kadoc frowned.
"…James Moriarty. What are you thinking about?"
The gentleman adjusted his glasses.
James Moriarty
"Hoh. A rather fascinating puzzle, don't you think?"
Jalter huffed, arms crossed.
Jeanne Alter
"Spit it out, Mr. Napoleon of Crimes."
Moriarty chuckled.
Then, he began.
"Now, to clarify… this isn't something Ritsuka fully grasped. But there's no uncertainty in one thing—"
He pointed to the screen.
"—He's being manipulated."
The room fell silent.
Moriarty's voice carried weight.
"This dungeon… it's too perfect."
"It functions exactly like a game."
He leaned forward, a glimmer of intrigue in his eyes.
"Someone—or something—crafted it specifically for him."
Aoko narrowed her eyes.
"You're saying… this was all set up?"
Moriarty smiled.
"Precisely."
He tapped his temple.
"Unlike how Ritsuka merely speculated that some higher power brought him here, I'm certain of it."
His words resonated.
A cold realization sank in.
Meltlilith
"…So he was just a pawn in someone else's game."
Morgan
Her expression remained unreadable.
"Yet, he continued."
Haberot
She nodded slowly.
"Because it was the only path to power."
A heavy silence lingered.
But then—
Their eyes returned to the screen.
["The more I level up. The easier it becomes to hunt the Beasts. "
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
Unlike the dungeons of the Gates, there was a thing called 'respawn' within the instant dungeon. While he was sweeping away every single monster found on the second floor, all the monsters on the first respawned. While he went back upstairs to deal with them, monsters on the second floor respawned. So on and so forth.
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
Ritsuka hopped between the first and second floor and killed monsters until his level no longer rose up.
'Who knows when I'll ever run into another opportunity like this one?'
"The color of the text changed from red to white, they are weaker now. I'm strong now."
Along the way, he got so used to this place that he was able to predict from where and how the monsters would try to attack him.
"A monkey, falling from the ceiling…."
He lightly evaded the claws of the monkey-type monster falling from the ceiling and stabbed it in the chest with his sword. And then….
"Kkiiieeck!!"
"….One cat each from left and right."
…And then, he orderly sliced the necks of the black panther-like creatures jumping at him from his sides.
"Kyahk!"
"Kkahk!!"
[You've killed a 'Blade-Claw Briga'.]
[You've killed a 'Black-Shadow Razan'.]
[You've killed a 'Black-Shadow Razan'.]
And with these three, he had arrived at the end of the second floor.]
Suzuka Gozen
She smirked, flipping open her fan.
"Oh, I totally get what Master's counterpart is doin'."
She tapped her fan against her palm.
"Dude figured out the dungeon resets on a timer and just went ham on it. Back and forth, first floor, second floor—rakin' in EXP like a gacha whale in event farming."
James Moriarty
The Professor of Crime adjusted his glasses, a glint of amusement in his gaze.
"Quite right, my dear Suzuka. Ritsuka deduced the dungeon's respawn mechanics through sheer observation. Once he grasped the rhythm, he adapted flawlessly."
He gestured toward the screen, where Ritsuka slashed through yet another beast.
"The moment he realized he could cycle between floors indefinitely, he spent the next eight hours refining his movements. A relentless loop of efficiency."
Artoria Pendragon (Lancer)
Artoria folded her arms, watching the screen with mild fascination.
"A methodical approach. Not quite 'spawn camping,' but undeniably an efficient strategy."
She closed her eyes briefly.
"It does remove much of the trial and hardship one would expect from a dungeon… but one cannot deny the effectiveness of his instincts."
Nero Claudius
Nero beamed, nodding approvingly.
"Umu! And after this grand campaign of slaughter, our dear Ritsuka's counterpart had ascended to level fifteen! His Agility reached a most impressive twenty-four—a stat worthy of admiration!"
She raised a proud finger.
"A performance truly befitting for the counterpart of master of the might of a great Emperor!"
Aozaki Aoko
Aoko leaned forward, grinning.
"Now here's where it gets interesting."
She pointed at the screen, where Ritsuka was effortlessly dodging attacks, his movements fluid and precise.
"At first, he thought Agility just made him faster—a rookie mistake."
She snapped her fingers.
"But nah—what it really did was boost his perception. The world around him slowed down, making every enemy move in what felt like slow motion."
Morgan le Fay
Morgan, standing in the shadows, regarded the screen with quiet interest.
"…An illusionary form of time dilation in his eyes, then."
She observed the way Ritsuka now dodged attacks he once struggled with.
"By accelerating his vision, his reaction time increased exponentially. With each loop of the dungeon, his foes seemed slower, while he himself became faster."
James Moriarty
Moriarty tapped his cane lightly against the floor.
"Indeed. A fascinating synergy."
He gestured at the display, where Ritsuka effortlessly counterattacked a lunging beast.
"Not only did his Speed and Strength increase, but because his Agility enhanced perception, it also made him seem faster to his enemies."
He chuckled, clearly impressed.
"A double positive—one that benefits both his offense and defense simultaneously."
A pause.
The room fell into thoughtful silence.
Jeanne Alter
"…Tch."
Jalter clicked her tongue, arms crossed.
"So, in short, he's becoming a monster at an alarming rate."
She smirked, fire in her golden eyes.
"Heh. I like it."