"Still, I'm surprised a bit of joking around is all it took for you to trust me. We could've gone that route earlier."
[All it took?]
[You risked death a couple of times.
[You got Krista taking your side.]
[You even got help from some other guys.]
"Some other guys?"
[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is disappointed.]
[Your Title "Devourer" criticizes you.]
[Your Title "Devourer" shouts that Titles are meant to be exclaimed with pride!]
In the distance, Levi and the rest of Mark's Underlings could be seen approaching.
"They're bringing... Beasts?"
[I need to eat, don't I?]
"How many pounds of meat is that? Seems a bit excessive."
[It really isn't.]
They waited for the Underlings.
"Oh. There is one thing I have to correct you on by the way."
[What is it?]
"I would rather get into it before that Levi guy arrives."
[Anything you tell me, you can tell him.]
"Well... Not quite."
[What is it?]
"You've been saying that I've risked my life but... I'm not sure how true that is."
[You think you could win?]
"Well, you're lucky I've got this Corruption on me." Elisa slapped her right bicep with her left hand. "Otherwise..."
They stayed silent for a bit.
[You did walk past us that time.]
"Mm." She nodded. "I did."
[Was it a Skill?]
Elisa smiled deviously.
"We're on the same side, but I'd like to keep some secrets to myself."
Mark nodded.
A silent minute passed.
[It was a good move.]
"Right? Can't let you underestimate me on our first meeting."
[Yeah.]
[It really put me on edge.]
"So the intimidation worked, hehe!"
[A bit too well]
[Definitely too well for someone seeking cooperation.]
"You did the same right after though."
[I did.]
"Why?"
[Because I won't let you push us around.]
"You won't, huh?"
"My Lord."
Levi put the various Beasts he had defeated inside the forest on the ground before kneeling.
'Good job, Levi. But I have to say, I'm surprised you left me with her alone when I was out cold.'
"I... Never would have... I... Alone... I...?" Levi stammered.
"Oh, relax. I was there the whole time." The Fire Spirit appeared a second later.
'That makes more sense.'
Without a care in the world, Mark sat on the ground and grabbed an unmoving Storm Eagle's body.
He started taking bites as if the Monster was simple poultry.
Elisia found it barbaric and disgusting, but she didn't say a thing.
For a bit.
After the Storm Eagle, it was a Tempest Saber-toothed Tiger.
"So um... Sorry to interrupt... Whatever this is but... What are we doing?"
[We're back to what I told you at first.]
[Since your issue of time has been dealt with.]
"For now."
[For now.]
"Couldn't you just... Take all of it away? You already reek of Corruption so it shouldn't really change much."
The Fire Spirit chuckled.
So did Mark.
But Levi did not find it funny.
"Aren't you being, perhaps, slightly presumptuous?" He asked sternly.
"Slightly presumptuous?"
"A lot, to tell the truth."
Elisa scratched her forehead.
"Is this how it's going to be with him?" She asked Mark.
He didn't answer.
"Well, that's just great. Okay, Levi. How is it presumptuous of me to ask for help when I'm about to help just as much?"
Levi took a step closer.
"Because for you to ask that, you must not have noticed how heavy a burden you were to my Lord earlier."
"A burden?!"
"That's exactly right. You could see that blessing and healing you wasn't an easy task for my Lord. Yet, you demand that he keeps-"
"I didn't demand anything. I was just joking around-"
"Were you? Because it seems to me you're trying to reap profits without doing anything in return. My Lord might be incredibly kind and benevolent, but I won't stand by as you take advantage of his Saint-like qualities. Plus, you being infected by that Corruption is in no way my Lord's-"
A hand gently jerked Levi's head forward, giving the impression that he was bowing.
'That's enough, Levi. No need to sweat the details. Also, Saint-like?'
To Levi, that was more than obvious. After all, he had given him life after he'd lost it.
"But... My Lord, she doesn't deserve it."
Elisa looked offended.
[Mm.]
[Now that he's said it, I'm not sure I can disagree.]
She rolled her eyes.
"Okay. Seems to me that we've gotten off topic-" Elisa started.
"We sure have. But why go back now? Seems to me that Levi has raised a legitimate issue." The Fire Spirit interrupted.
"I knew you weren't just a cockroach sticking to our Lord's feet because you had nowhere else to go! I knew there was some loyalty in you!"
'Is that really what you think of him, Levi? Also... Huh. Now that I think about it, the way he speaks to others is completely different to the way he speaks to me...' Mark thought to himself. He felt rather good about that though.
"Well, alright." Elisa started walking backwards. "I can see that nothing important is about to happen here, so I'll be going back to where you found me, alright? There's a bed in there, it's comfortable, it'll be perfect. I'll catch up on some sleep. It will probably be the best sleep I've had in sooo long now that my head doesn't hurt as much. Anyways, that aside, once you're ready to do something useful, you can come to me, and we'll... Redo our introductions, you know? Just... In a more peaceful manner. How's that? Oh. No one objects. Perfect, I'll get going then."
And she did just that.
"She's going to sleep...? Ungrateful minx-"
'Levi, stop that.'
"What about us, then? What do we do?" The Fire Spirit asked.
'Us, huh?' Mark wondered for a bit before answering. 'I have some things to learn, some things to perfect, and some things to try out. So that's what I'll be doing.'
"My Lord, your word is my command." Levi kneeled.
'Mm. You can make it to the 3rd Floor by yourself.'
"Certainly."
'Then bring me as many Monsters with Water-Type Magic Skills as you can.'
"Yes, my Lord."
Except for one Underling, the rest of them and the Fire Spirit followed Mark down the Dungeon's Floors.
Levi remained on the Third Floor, as he was ordered to.
And after a while, Mark arrived at a certain Floor.
The Floor that he remembered to be the one filled with the largest variety of Monsters.
The Fifth Floor.
The Floor on which he had found Krista.
But this and that had nothing in common.
'Let's do this... Against numerous Monsters weak enough for me not to worry.'
[Your Skill "Berserker[SSS]" is activating!]
Mark spent his time fighting, but the thing he truly was training, was his mental capacity.
The ability to repress the Skill.
The ability to focus on every single action for extended periods of time.
And the ability to endure the mental drawback that comes with using the Skill in short bursts.
The rest of the Underlings tried to assist him without getting in his way, which proved pretty difficult.
What waited for them wasn't a village of enemies this time, but a Guardian.
A single Boss Monster.
'The Final Guardian...'
Which is why coordination was so important to Mark.
'I'll be coming at you with everything I have.'
