MVR Round 2 P3

R7

"A long time ago, the very lands was ruled by 20 deities. Each deity had a Legion, a collection of adventurers and warriors who would serve their parent deity as their right hand men to protect the lands from monsters and evil. This land was known as Iaia.

Of all the 20 deities, there were different hierarchies of Legions, depending on the prominence, popularity, and power of the god. The big three Legions were the Legions that served the mightiest of the deities: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.

Within the land of Iaia, adventurers trained and sought power by battling monsters deep underground the lands, in a labyrinth like world called The Dungeon. Dungeoneers all around Iaia sought market sales of gear and weaponry, magical items and sorcery to battle these creatures. The Dungeon, seemingly unending, became the ultimate quest for all adventurers, the deeper the dungeon, the more powerful the beasts. Adventurers were classified by their power, known as levels. Only those of the highest levels were considered fit to enter the Expedition, a team of the mightiest adventurers to clear new floors in the dungeon.

For the longest time, Iaia lived in peace, until one day, a dark and evil entity entered Iaia. This being was known as The True Demon Lord of Iaia: The Black Dragon. This Demon Lord wrecked havoc all across the land, until the heroes of Iaia, the Legions of the Big Three battled the Dragon to stop his rampage. However, even with the combined might of the Big Three, the Dragon prevailed.

Despite this, the heroes of Iaia refused to give up, and soon, all the Legions came together, setting aside their differences, to battle the Demon Lord.

But even so, the Demon Lord was still too strong.

Heeding the calls of their heroes, the gods themselves came down to bring divine justice on the Demon Lord, and after a hard battle, the heroes and gods of Iaia were victorious.

But not all was a happy ending. For many adventurers lost their lives that day. Iaia had never been the same. With the Hades Legion completely wiped out, and the Zeus and Poseidon Legions on their last legs, the forces of Iaia suffered heavy losses. Many of the gods were sent back to their divine realms, having been slain by the Dragon, reducing the number of active gods and Legions to a mere seven.

Despite this, the remaining adventurers of Iaia did not give up. And soon, began to rebuild with what little of the Legions remained. From these ruins, came a new civilization, known as the city of Folia. Where the adventurers continue to explore the dungeons, now led by a new generation of incredible adventurers, fuelled by the past the Dragon had laid. Uxas, of the Erebus Legion, known as the Strongest Adventurer, and Calypso Rosewald, the greatest Swordsman in history. For when the Dragon returns, this new generation will meet this final battle grimly."

Granny Bethel closed the book she was reading. Flock put his hands in front of his mouth.

"That was incredible. Calypso Rosewald... she's no older than I am and she's already part of the Book of Legends..."

"Now Flock. While I'm certainly very happy that a youngster like you seeks to become a great adventurer, try not to push yourself to compare with the Queen of Knives. After all, she is one of the greatest Adventurers alive."

"I know." Flock said, as he stood up. "But one day, I want to be strong. Just like her."

Granny smiled and turned to me. "And what about you, dear boy. What do you want to do with your life?"

I picked my nose, finally managing to dislodge the piece of dust that had gotten inside and caused me to sneeze all day.

"I just want money." I said, nonchalantly.

Granny frowned, as Flock leaned in. "Is that... really it?"

"Yep. But I want to earn it for Granny. In return for looking after me for so long." I smiled at Granny who stroked my face with her old wrinkly hands.

I walked with Flock as we made our way to the Guildquarters to update our Adventurer cards. These cards were what gave us our assessment of our powers and skills.

"Man." I said, as I peered at the sky. "I hate the sun."

Flock laughed. "You should be more grateful of having sunlight, Shun! You're like a vampire."

"Basically have immortal blood in me already..." I muttered. Flock didn't hear me, as we continued walking.

"Say. Flock." I said.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you want to be stronger so badly?"

Flock looked at me. "To protect everyone. Just like Mom did for me."

I smiled, as we reached the entrance.

Standing at the booth, was a beautiful young woman. Probably around 18. She had long white hair, decorated by black armour. Along her waist was a long sword, and a shorter knife.

Whispers and talks around the entire building confirmed it.

The aura she emitted confirmed it.

Flock reducing into a snivelling panicking mess super confirmed it.

Calypso Rosewald. The Queen of Knives.

Calypso handed the lady her card, as it began to glow teal. The colour of the Poseidon Legion.

I briefly glanced at her statistics.

Level 8. Sword and Knife Based Warrior. Calypso was possibly the greatest female swordsman in all of Folia.

"Big... Three..." Flock muttered, as Calypso turned to us, making brief eye contact with me. Her expressionless face. It was like she had seen so many horrors, that there was simply nothing left inside her body. No more compassion.

Flock held out his hand momentarily, but reeled back, as Calypso walked away, leaving the building.

"Rumour had it that Calypso once beat a god in a sword fight. She beat a god of war."

Yeah. I guess if it wasn't already obvious, Flock is a complete utter fanboy of Rosewald. But I didn't blame him. She had countless fans. Male and female. She made it big as one of the best adventurers in all of Folia. Feats that would otherwise be impossible. Always the first to engage the enemy and come out on top.

Queen of Knives all right.

"Flock, don't you have something to do?" I asked.

Flock yelped as he quickly handed the lady his card, apologizing like a machine gun.

The card lit up purple. The symbol of Volc. Our resident god of the Legion.

Flock's stats lit up on the table.

Level 4. Sword and Knife Adventurer.

"I didn't level up at all..." Flock said, in defeat. The lady laughed and put her hand on Flock's wrist.

"It's okay, Flock! We all know you're doing your best. We've all seen your progress. You might well be one of the hardest working adventurers we've come across."

Flock bowed his head.

"Thank you!"

It was my turn, as I handed the lady my card with a grin.

The attendant's smile melted as she gave me an annoyed look of disdain.

"And then there's the other adventurer of Volc."

"Hey!" I protested, as my stats lit up on the screen.

Level 1. Adventurer.

The lady raised an eyebrow. "Are you even using any weapons when you fight? I know I am not the right person to say this, but if you are going to be an adventurer, can you at least try to not make Flock do all the killing?"

Flock put his hands up.

"No! Shun has helped me too! He's been-"

I shot Flock a glare.

Flock dejectedly put his hands down. "He does help. He helps by collecting and carrying all of our things. If it wasn't for him, we won't be able to sustain our Legion!"

The lady's expression softened. "Do your best, Flock. I believe in you. To become one of the strongest!"

We made our way back to the Legion headquarters. Which was basically a shack. Because we couldn't afford anything better.

"Flock." A girl's voice appeared behind us. We turned around, and Flock nearly tripped over my foot.

"R- R- Rosewald! Lady Rosewald! It's an honour!" Flock stammered, his face bright red, as Calypso walked up to the rookie adventurer, handing him a bracelet.

"You dropped this. I've been meaning to return this to you. I'm sorry, I've been trying to find the time to talk to you."

Flock's eyes widened as he took the bracelet.

"You-"

Calypso smiled. "You have a kind heart, Flock. I like that. I don't want it to go away, so please. Promise you will always stay true to yourself."

Flock took the bracelet, trembling, from his heroine complimenting him.

"Th- Thank you."

Calypso put her hands behind her back, as she turned around the other direction, but not before looking me in the eye.

I met her eyes momentarily, as the Queen of Knives walked back to her Legion. A massive mansion for the Poseidon Legion. Numerous eyes on her as she made her way through the crowds of people.

"Say. Do you think we could take her?" I said, quietly, as I distanced myself slightly from Flock.

Calypso-san is very formidable, Shun-sama. Your Wing Chun even with part of my power will not be enough to defeat her.

"Oh?" I muttered.

"So you mean to say a former Shaolin Disciple isn't enough against the Queen of Knives, Hiiro-san."

Unless you use my Hung Ga or my Kenjutsu, she will defeat you.

"Calypso Rosewald. I guess this place really does have legendary warriors. Unlike the ones we had faced back in China."

Why must you insist on refraining from using the Wicked Oni Form, Shun-sama? Why do you not use my full power? You have the skills of a Grandmaster at the tip of your finger.

"Isn't it obvious?" I said, as I looked at Flock, who was greeted by Miri and Auburn, who hugged him tightly, welcoming their precious little cinnamon roll home.

"I want to become stronger too, just like Flock. With my own technique."

Meeting Flock has changed you, Shun-sama.

"Yeah. I guess he does have that effect on people." I smiled.

Yet even so, you choose not to reveal to him what you can really do?

"No need to get attention on me. The last time we did that, we became known as the Yokai Martial Artist."

I suppose. For Uxas has been famed to be the Strongest Adventurer, standing at Level 9. And Calypso, standing at Level 8. Most of the higher level adventurers stand as a Level 6.

I clenched my fist.

"Yeah. And as a Wicked Oni, I would stand...

"As a Level 15."

R7

"Let's go. Hiiro!" I shouted, as I leapt forward.

The Minotaur fights like a man. The grappling of the Wing Chun style is fitting, Shun-sama.

The Minotaur roared as it brought down its massive axe, but I moved my hands, catching the strike and redirecting the force of the strike, bringing my foot back and closing the distance in one fluid motion.

"Tough luck." I said, as I leapt inwards, assuming my stance, and unloaded a massive number of punches at the face of the monster.

"ROOOOOORRR" The Minotaur growled as its head was bombarded by hundreds of strikes from my Demon Chain Punch.

The Chain Punch was one of the few moves that I really remembered from when I learned Wing Chun with Wen. I didn't learn much. While Wen became proficient with it. I'm a naturally lazy guy. So when I learned it, very few things stuck.

When Hiiro became bonded with me, I gained his Oni powers, including his strength and speed. That was what made my Chain Punch deal so much damage.

I landed on the ground as the Minotaur collapsed, its skull caved inward.

"Hell yeah!" I shouted at the sky. Wait. No. Not the sky.

I was in the 95th floor of the Dungeon.

I glanced at the numerous bodies that had already been dissipated.

Very good, Shun-sama. This Minotaur should be good for dinner.

"I wonder what dish I should make?" I said.

Absolutely not.

"Heh?"

Hiiro suddenly manifested in front of me.

"Shun-sama. As much as I am bound to my allegiance as your servant, I will absolutely not eat any of your cooking."

"Come on, Hiiro-san. I don't think it tastes that bad."

"It tastes terrible! Whatever you taste, I taste the same thing! Let me handle the cooking. Kurogane-san showed me a few recipes. I would believe that the Minotaur meat would be similar to the pork dishes she made."

"Meh. Whatever. Do what you want." I said, shrugging my shoulders.

Like hell was I going to be salty over the fact that Hiiro Hataka, the Oni who had been contracted to be my servant, chose Hinata's cooking over mine. Even after all those years away from them.

Hiiro got to work, as I walked around the place.

The 95th floor. Hiiro and I were in uncharted territory.

The Poseidon Legion, one of the two strongest Legions of Folia, got up to Floor 62. That was as far as they were able to go, and that was the deepest anybody had ever heard of in all of Folia. Apparently, the person who cleared the Floor 62 Floorkeeper, which was a massive three headed snake, was none other than Calypso Rosewald. Rumour had it that she defeated the monster all on her own, whereas numerous high ranking adventurers would have struggled, even in large teams.

That feat alone was enough for Calypso to progress to Level 8. She made it on all of the headlines.

I remembered the momentarily look of shock and disappointment on Flock's face when he heard the news.

"Hey, Flock. Don't beat yourself up too much." Volc had told him.

"Calypso is special."

Flock managed to hide his insecurities with a smile. "I know."

Flock wanted to be like Calypso, and since then, had been training his hardest to catch up to her, one day fighting by her side to take down the Black Dragon.

I assumed my stance, and began practicing my forms in the shadows of the 95th floor while Hiiro prepared dinner.

"Your centre of gravity is off, Shun-sama. Your feet should be further apart." Hiiro called out to me from a distance.

"Tch!" I muttered. How the hell did this guy even pick up my mistakes from that far away?

I guess that was to be expected. Hiiro was one of the best Masters of Hung Gar I knew. Approaching Grandmaster in terms of skill, even. Normally, I would have pissed my pants, and collapsed from the honour of meeting such an incredible martial arts master. But with Hiiro, that was offset by some of the more... less appealing sides of him.

Even so, I respected him. If it wasn't for Hiiro's styles, I wouldn't be where I was today. I wouldn't be able to close the massive skill gap between Wen and I.

I had the skills of a Grandmaster and a Oni in the palm of my hand.

I won't lose to Wen.

The following few days, Hiiro and I continued our rampage down the 96th floor. I utilized Hiiro's Hung Gar and cleared them all. Spin kicks. Flip kicks. Shadowless Kicks. Punches, strikes, as I pummelled the Level 96 monsters to a mush.

By the time everything was dead, my hand bandages were completely stained with red from monster blood. I was breathing heavily.

"How... far have we progressed? Hiiro-san? What level?"

We are still theoretically Level 11, Shun-sama.

"The hell?!"

We must fight stronger enemies.

"Those guys... seemed strong enough." I heaved, as I sat on the ground.

Shun-sama. Why must we keep our power a secret?

"Is that even a question? We're literally fighting monsters in the 96th floor. The Expedition is still on the 62nd floor. Everybody thinks Floor 62 is the lowest floor so far. I really don't need the freaking publicity on me, dude."

Is it not perhaps, for the sake of Flock-san?

I hesitated.

"Look. Flock is fighting to become stronger. He sees Calypso as his inspiration. I don't wanna shatter that image she has as one of the strongest Adventurers in his eyes. This kid's got a dream and is pure. He's kind. I don't wanna stain that."