Marvel Multiverse System

Half a month had passed since then. After relentless days inside the dungeon, Yuri had finally managed to raise almost all of his parameters to SSS rank.

Daphne and Cassandra had also been promoted to level 3, while Haruhime, through much effort, was now officially a level 2 adventurer. It was undeniable: the Hestia Familia had undoubtedly become one of the top high-class familias in Orario.

As expected, however, the higher the level, the slower the progression. The experience gain dropped drastically, and Yuri knew that from this point on, it would only get harder to evolve at the same pace as before.

The night before, he had asked Hestia to update his parameters. Upon confirming that all of them had reached the 2000-point limit, Yuri set off alone, determined, towards the imposing Tower of Babel.

His current objective was to defeat the floor boss of the 37th floor — Udaeus.

A huge skeletal creature with a black body, a colossal and even more threatening version of the Spartoi. Unlike other monsters, Udaeus did not have a lower body; instead, its upper half was directly connected to the ground. It was a level 6 monster, appearing only once every three months, and as Yuri recalled, when facing a single adventurer, Udaeus would summon a gigantic black sword.

(If I defeat him… I'll be able to level up once more.) Yuri thought as he looked at the imposing Tower of Babel standing before him.

With an agile motion, he pulled the black hood over his head, partially hiding his face.

Just like during the war game against the Apollo Familia, his fame had skyrocketed in Orario; it was better to hide his appearance to avoid attracting too much attention.

He headed toward the dungeon entrance, where a line of adventurers had formed.

But inevitably, he was noticed by a certain group of women.

"Yuri-san!"

"Are you also going to explore the dungeon today?"

The feminine voices sounded near him before he even realized. Lefiya and Tiona had spotted him with unfailing precision and ran up to him. Without hesitation, Lefiya clung to his arm with a determined expression.

The young elf knew well how this game worked. Ais saw him every day, and from what it seemed, many other women were constantly around him. She couldn't afford to waste time.

Tiona, on the other hand, didn't hold back. Without any hesitation, she wrapped herself around Yuri's other arm with a mischievous grin. The sudden competitive air between the two attracted curious glances from several adventurers nearby.

"I'm heading to the 37th floor to challenge Udaeus," Yuri said, keeping his voice steady. "And you?"

"We're going on an expedition next week," Tiona replied excitedly, squeezing his arm tightly. "Today we just came to warm up a bit! And since we found you… let's go together! It'd be amazing to watch you fight Udaeus! We could even cheer you on!"

"Yes!" Lefiya agreed immediately, nodding vigorously.

Yuri hesitated for a moment, his gaze quickly shifting to Ais, who was watching them in silence but with a curious sparkle in her eyes. Near her, Tione and Riveria were also staring at him, as if waiting for his decision.

He let out a resigned sigh but couldn't help a subtle smile.

"Ah… fine. You can come with me, just don't interfere while I'm fighting."

"Yes!" both of them answered in unison, more than satisfied.

Without wasting any time, both of them linked their arms with his, pulling him eagerly toward the dungeon entrance, while the rest of the group followed closely behind.

---

The advance through the upper floors was quick and efficient. They all knew exactly what to do and which path to take. In just over three hours, they had reached their destination.

37th Floor of the Dungeon

As soon as Yuri crossed the entrance to the floor, a deep tremor reverberated through the ground. The vibrations became more intense with time.

Then, a dry, cracking sound shattered the silence. The ground split beneath his feet as fissures snaked across the floor until, with a thunderous crash, a giant black skeleton emerged from the hole created by the cracks.

Stones and sand slid across the surface of its bones, falling like an avalanche of debris. The entire floor trembled with its ascent.

With a deafening 'roar' that seemed to tear at their eardrums, the colossus finally rose completely, looming above them like an oppressive shadow.

The black skeletal monster stared at the group with its crimson eye sockets. The aura it emanated would be enough to terrify any low-level adventurer; it was even more overwhelming than that of the demi-spirit Yuri had previously faced.

The black bones composing its body had a dull tone. Its lower half was buried, anchoring it to the ground, while the colossal torso, which rose to almost ten meters tall, leaned forward like a beast ready to pounce.

It had two long horns, reminiscent of a demon's, protruding from its head. And deep within its empty eye sockets, small scarlet spheres burned with a menacing glow.

At the center of its skeletal chest, protected by thick ribs and a massive sternum, a magic stone of abnormal proportions hovered with an intense blue-purple light — the vital core of the monster.

While Yuri kept his eyes fixed on the creature, paying close attention to every detail, Udaeus raised one of its massive arms and materialized a gigantic black sword.

"Girls, please don't interfere while I'm fighting. Only step in if it's absolutely necessary…" he said while cracking his neck.

Without retreating, Yuri advanced slowly.

"This time, I'm going all out…" he muttered as his hair lengthened and began turning white. The hunter's mark climbed up, covering the side of his face like a tattoo of flames.

The girls just behind him were surprised by Yuri's sudden change in appearance.

"I know you're curious, but… let's save the explanations for later," Yuri said as he pulled out the sword crafted by Hephaestus from his storage.

"Showtime…" he muttered as he assumed the Iaido draw stance.

(End of chapter)

I intend to return with the normal updates, guys, but don't be surprised if I end up not posting anything for a day, a lot is happening lately. Also, I've noticed that my immunity is low; I am getting sick very easily.

"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."