Divinity

--- [Alex’s perspective]

I will get hit, and there is no way for me to avoid that.

If only my left arm hadn’t been pierced by those bones, I might have been able to stop the wall…

I don’t think I can do that with just a single arm.

If I don’t do anything, those bones will pierce through every part of my body.

It’ll be instant death…

I have no choice…

“I’m gonna be honest. I actually expected more from you after seeing how easily you could destroy my powered-up skeletons earlier. But now… It seems you’re going to get crushed by the wall. Oh well.” – Skeleton king

The skeleton king lets out a disappointed sigh, but then…!

CRASH!!

“What?!” – Skeleton king

I bust right through the wall, mere moments before I would have gotten crushed.

But I couldn’t do it without any sacrifice…

My right arm…

Since the wall was covered in spikes, there was no way for me to destroy it without getting hurt.

But…

I had no other options.

It was that or get crushed.

As I punched the wall, one of the spikes pierced right through my hand went up my arm.

Both arms are hurt now…

I could have used my leg instead, but then I would have no way to reach him.

I’m also not fast enough on one foot to dodge his bone projectiles, hell, I’m barely fast enough with both my legs!

So, sacrificing a leg was not an option.

Busting through the wall like that was clearly not expected.

Finally!

This is my chance to get close to him…!

--- [Shin’s perspective]

If I get hit by that sword, I’m screwed!

It leaps into the air and raises its sword above its head.

As it falls towards me it swings the sword down with full force.

I jump away to the side, but the sword doesn’t just hit the ground like I expected…

Right before it hits the ground, he just suddenly changes the momentum of the sword completely, and it goes flying right towards me again.

I jump up, but he does the same.

Shit!

Jumping up was a mistake.

If I’m on the ground I can still dodge it, but while up in the air, there is no way for me to dodge.

Just before it slices me in half, I’m able to push myself away from it by hitting the side of the blade.

But…

The golem is just as merciless as ever and changes the momentum yet again.

“GAH!!!” – Shin

Since I had my arm extended from pushing myself away, it was too close to the sword…

Four of my fingers are cleanly cut off…

Fighting this thing is pointless!

Whenever I hurt it, it just regenerates back again, and now I can’t even get close to it!

I don’t think there is anything I can do besides running away, and avoiding its attacks…

I’ll have to trust that Alex and Lett are able to take care of the boss…

Hopefully soon at that!

--- [Alex’s perspective]

I sprint toward the skeleton as fast as I possibly can.

I won’t get a chance like this twice!

As I get a little closer, he gets back to his senses.

He points his right at me; getting ready to shoot.

I’m so close his staff is almost touching my stomach…

He starts shooting, but before the bone had fully formed, I twist my body so that his staff is no longer pointing towards me.

The bones shoot out at the same incredible speed as before, but it’s all for nothing!

I’m in melee range now, his staff is useless.

“Oh no…” – Skeleton King

I punch him in the head as hard as I possibly can.

His head turns to dust and scatters all across the room.

The rest of his body turns back into a pile of bones.

Heh…

I did it…

The entrance opens back up.

“Alex! Are you okay?!” – Lett

“Y-” – Alex

Before I get to answer she cuts me off.

“I heard a lot of noise in there! What happened?” – Lett

She lets out a gasp.

“Look at your arms!” – Lett

“I’m fine… You look pretty hurt yourself, but right now we need to go back and make sure Shin is fine too.” – Alex

“Right! That golem was pretty intense… If I were in his place, I wouldn’t even stand a chance…” – Lett

She looks sad…

“Hey, cheer up! We’re both alive, lets focus on that, okay? Besides, we have to go help Shin out. There isn’t time to be sad.” – Alex

“Yeah…” – Lett

--- [Shin’s perspective]

This is bad…

I’m just barely able to dodge these attacks.

Ever since he created that troublesome sword, his entire fighting style has changed.

Not only are those movements absolutely insane, but it seems to have gotten much faster as well.

Not to mention how much more deadly it is due to having that weapon…

“Shin! Alex did it, he killed the boss! It shouldn’t regenerate anymore now!” – Lett

They’re back!

“Got it!” – Shin

Heh.

This changes everything!

It’s strong for sure, but the fact that it could instantly regenerate was always the biggest problem!

“It’s finally time for us to have a fair fight, boney!” – Shin

Time for me to start attacking again!

“Shin, I’ll help you!” – Alex

“No, back off! I want to do this myself!” – Shin

I can’t have Alex killing the boss, AND the golem…

I rush towards it, and it shoves the sword forward to try to stab me.

Just before it hits me, I dash to the side and continue running towards it.

As expected, the sword instantly change directions and comes flying towards me.

This time, it’s aimed at my head!

There is no point in dodging in advance when it can change directions and follow my movement like that.

Right before my head is sliced straight off, I duck and I launch myself forward.

Yet again, without any delay, the blade follows right after me.

Heh, finally…

I’m in a position where I can do that!

Just before it hits me, I grab the sides of the blade with both arms and legs.

The golem tries to slice me, but it just can’t; I’m clinging to the blade too hard!

It keeps swinging the sword around, but to no avail.

It finally understands that it needs to change strategy; slamming me into the ground and cutting me in half as a result becomes the new plan.

Before its able to go through with the plan, I use all my strength to crush the sword.

The sword isn’t regenerating!

I run towards it; it drops the sword handle and tries to hit me instead.

I jump on top of its arm, and run up to its shoulder.

This is it!

With all my might, I throw a punch right into the head.

The bones scatter all across the room, and the golem finally falls down…

It’s not regenerating…

It’s not getting up…!

Finally!

“Good job!” – Lett

“Well done!” – Alex

“Heh, it was no biggie.” – Shin

As if…

--- [Alex’s perspective] A few minutes passes, and the group is now outside the dungeon

Right after we leave the dungeon, the entrance suddenly vanishes.

There is no trace of it…

Just a normal mountainside…

“Huh? Why did it just disappear like that?” – Alex

Shin sighs.

“I know you grew up in a small village in the outer area and all… But have you really never encountered a dungeon before?” – Shin

“I haven’t…” – Alex

“Dungeons aren’t physical like everything else is. Dungeons are structures that manipulates the space they occupy, so they can be much bigger than it would look like on the outside. They can appear at any time, and in any place. They must be taken care of, or there is a risk that the monsters will find their way out. If there are people living nearby, then that can end very badly… That’s exactly why we need hunters to take care of them. Why do they exist? Why do they disappear after the boss is beaten? Nobody knows, but it doesn’t really matter anyways. Just beat the monsters inside, and we’re fine. Besides, they’re a great way to get stronger!” – Shin

I see…

I am a little curious as to why they exist though…

Could a dungeon just randomly appear in Minima whenever?

That’s terrifying…

But I guess that is just another reason to get stronger!

If there is ever a dungeon that appears near Minima, I need to be prepared for it.

“Guys…” – Lett

“What’s up?” – Shin

“I’m sorry, but I’m not going to stay with you anymore…” – Lett

“What? Why?!” – Alex

“You know why… All I do is hold you back…” – Lett

“That’s not true!” – Alex

“IT IS! I COULDN’T DO ANYTHING IN THERE!” – Lett

“Lett…” – Shin

“At the beginning when you guys were fighting a horde of skeletons, I was just standing there… You guys had to protect me! Later on, I could barely even defeat a single one! I got hurt while fighting just a single skeleton! You guys were effortlessly destroying so many of them, yet I could barely defeat a single one… I’m too weak…” – Lett

“Lett… You’re not…” – Alex

“Stop. You’re just being nice to me. I was supposed to help you fight the boss, but I couldn’t even do that…” – Lett

“The entrance was blocked off, there was nothing you could do!” – Alex

“Oh, you know that’s not true! If our positions were swapped… If I was the one fighting the boss, and you were the one locked out, you’d break through the damn wall!” – Lett

“I…” – Alex

“I COULDN’T EVEN FUCKING RUN HERE ON MY OWN! Shin had to carry me the whole way …” – Lett

Tears stream down her face; this has really gotten to her…

“…” – Shin

“As long as I am this weak, I’ll only hold you back! I want to stay with you… I really do…” – Lett

“Then stay! If you want to stay, then stay. We’re friends, right?” – Alex

“I can’t… I can’t. Like I said, I’m not leaving because I don’t want to be with you guys anymore… I do… I’m leaving BECAUSE I want to stay with you!” – Lett

“What…?” – Alex

“We might not have known each other for very long, but I still care about you guys a lot. The problem is that I’m too weak right now… so… I’ll just have to get stronger!” – Lett

She wipes her tears with her sleeve, and Shin starts smirking.

“I’ll leave and go train… When I come back, I’ll be stronger… Way stronger! Three months… The E-rank exam is in three months. I’ll be there, and I’ll be more than worthy to take it! You guys just wait, if you don’t work your asses off, I’ll catch up in no time!!” – Lett

“Alright, you bet. But don’t go and disappoint us now!” – Shin

“I won’t!” – Lett

She turns around and starts running back to Bellator on her own.

…

“Gah! My arms…” – Alex

“How long were you holding that in?” – Shin

“Shut up…” – Alex

Shin chuckles.

“Well, let’s head back. We’re all in desperate need of a healer visit.” – Shin