Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer
Vol. 4 - Ch. 151 - Towards the 75th floor

With the blue veins popping up, distinctly so, in the Flame Demon's porcelain-like-white yet slender arms and temple---it was obvious they're straining themselves---they hurled Tenji, who was standing at the top of their interlocked fingers, up at their full power.

However oblivious to their strained state, Tenji kicked the path of Flame Demon like he was in a group to propel himself up. Flame Demons neither showed any pained expression nor raised an agonizing voice. As a matter of face, they were not creatures who ever felt pain.

With his body soaring high into the sky, Tenji tore through the air like a bullet, traversing the sky of the 74th floor filled with the damp air of marshy terrain and illuminated by intense sunlight in a flash.

He adjusted his body core to correct his landing point, to make himself positioned directly above Zenold. Once he was right above his desired spot---along with the sensation of falling entrail, his body began to free fall like a meteor. Tenji curled up his fist to focus all his strength into it.

Zenold's panicked "Roooaaaaaar!" howl echoed as he felt a crisis approaching.

Tenji showed no hesitation even as the monster struggled and let himself be pulled by gravity. And just when he was about twenty meters away from the target, something like a black bullet appeared in the sky, soaring toward him.

It was Fuyuki, dressed like what a person through their chunni phase, behind that bullet. Tenji needed no second guess to understand his plan.

(......Nice assist.)

It was one of Fuyuki's <Shadow Sniper> ability, a powerful black bullet which grants a potent effect to ally while a strong debuff to the opponent it strikes.

Tenji swiftly made his move and proactively let the bullet approach him before grabbing with one hand. Black mist started coiling around his right hand, gradually taking the shape of a sinister armored protection. It finally took the shape of a solid black armor to protect his fist.

An ability that raises an ally's strength while also lowering the defense of the enemy---it was precisely an ability of the hour.

The next moment, Tenji swung his fist, leveraging the falling momentum to his advantage, and struck squarely at Zenold's abdomen.

"Rooooooaaaaa!!"

Boom

A loud sonorous sound traveled far and wide, followed by Zenold's shriek that jolted even the ground.

Tenji look down to glance at the result, and shows a dent on the tough armor of Zenold, along with the network of cracks spreading from the very center of impact. Aligning with the cracks, Fuyuki's debuff had also started showing effect.

"---<Flame Demon Blade>."

Tenji summoned Flame Demon blade upon landing and affixed 'Slash Bond' 'Inferno Blast' and 'Blaze' skills to his weapon---preparing to unleash his strongest ever attack.

He gripped the Flame Demon Blade in reverse, aiming at the cavity in the area of Zenold's abdomen and made his move. <Flame Demon Blade> straight pierced through the area like a knife rolling on butter.

Black-red flame, reminiscent of the hell's scene, erupted all over the body of Zenold and burned it from inside. First, flames faintly leaked from the crack before eventually erupting from its both side, like an inferno. Almost as on cue, any sign of life vanished from him.

Soon, its whole body started hardening up from the edges of his body and crumbled away like ash. As Tenji waited for the huge body to completely turn into dust, he noticed a gem-sized item scattered around the remains.

He reached out his hand to it when the gem opened up, unwrapping like a paper, transforming into a single piece of paper------It was their ticket to the 75th floor.

The wish of Tenji, after around 130 days, and Fuyuki, after roughly two and a half year, was finally answered. Their goal was now within their arm's reach.

It took two world-class talents to reach there. The severity of the Mallorca dungeon---or to rephrase it, of zero-grade dungeon really knows no bounds.

A sense of achievement welled up from the depth.

“It's finally within my hand. The end of my two and half year journey…… it couldn't have been possible without you, Tenji. Not so soon at least”

“You too, your performance was excellent. It really would have taken time alone.”

Fuyuki and Tenji gathered at one spot and congratulated each other. Both of them were more than ever trying to reach here, albeit one for a longer duration than the other. They high five each other as to let the feeling of achievement sink through them.

Right then, Chisato appeared, hoping.

“Congrats~”

She was holding a mixed milk tea, that she had completely taken a liking to, in one hand while a brown paper bag with lots of muffins in another.

She raised her hand towards them while stuffing her cheeks, apparently asking for her share of high five.

Tenji and Fuyuki released their weapons and clapped on that tiny hand.

Seeing Chisato still stuffing her cheeks with muffins, which made her appear no different from squirrel, Fuyuki couldn't help but ask, “Do you like these muffins that much?”

“Mmm.”

“Why don't you become its owner then? Then you can open your own shop in Japan and eat them anytime. You should've plenty of spare money to achieve that, no?”

“.......Oh my god! Why in the world I didn't think of this possibility, I'm so stupid!”

At this moment, Chisato had made up her mind to be the owner of her favorite muffins shop.

The three then walked up to the teleportation gate while grasping the permit to the 75th floor. When they're there, Chisato took the lead and said, “------To the 75th floor.”

Seeing that Chisato had hijacked the moment to announce advancement, when it should have been them, a bitter smile crept upto their faces.

Tenji took his first step toward the final floor of the zero-grade dungeon, ‘Mallorca Island.’ Little did he know he was about to meet the truth lying there, asleep—the truth that a mere student like him shouldn't have known.

With the moment of birth at its zenith, there was no room for delay.