And Just Like That I Obtained a System

Chapter 2 Against the Boss

The moment the creature roared, the dungeon seemed to answer. Stone trembled beneath Kages boots. Dust sifted from the ceiling. The enormous lizardman lowered its greatsword, its black scales catching the faint green light of the cavern. Runes along the blade pulsed once, bathing the chamber in a dim crimson glow.

Kages smile faded. He tightened his grip on the dagger. Alright.

Blade shifted beside him, crimson energy crawling over his battered body. Blood continued to run from the cut along his forehead, disappearing beneath the collar of his armor. Dont get careless, he said. Kage glanced at him. Youre saying that to me? Im saying it because youre the one most likely to ignore me.

Kage considered arguing. Then the boss moved. He barely saw it. One moment the creature stood across the chamber. The next, its greatsword was already coming down. Move.

Blade shoved Kage aside. The blade struck the floor. BOOM. Stone erupted beneath them. Kage rolled across the ground, his shoulder slamming into the wall. Pain shot through his arm. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself up.

Across the chamber, Blade was already attacking. His sword flashed against the bosss greatsword. Once. Twice. Three times. Every collision sent sparks across the cavern. Blades crimson aura flared with each strike, his movements becoming faster and more aggressive as the skill pushed his body beyond its normal limits.

The boss didnt retreat. It simply swung again. Blade blocked. His boots slid backward. The monster pushed harder. Blade.

Roy charged from the side. His shield slammed into the creatures ribs. Shield Impact. A burst of blue energy exploded from the shield. The boss staggered. Only half a step. But it was enough.

Blade immediately took advantage of the opening. His sword cut across the creatures shoulder. The blade bit into the black scales. Not deeply. But enough to draw blood. Blades eyes narrowed. It can bleed.

Kage climbed back to his feet. Thats good, right? Blade didnt look at him. It means it can die.

The boss roared. Its free hand swung toward Roy. Roy barely raised his shield in time. CLANG. The impact knocked him backward. His boots dug trenches into the stone. Damn.

Kage saw the creature turn toward Roy. His body moved before his thoughts caught up. He sprinted. Kage.

The bosss tail swept across the chamber. Kage jumped. The massive tail passed beneath him. He twisted in midair and landed badly, one knee striking the floor. Pain shot through his leg. He ignored it.

The boss was already turning. Kage ran straight toward it. He knew he couldnt overpower it. So he didnt try. He watched its shoulders. Its hips. The angle of its feet. The way its eyes followed Blade. It was watching the strongest threat. That meant. Kage slipped behind it.

He drove his dagger toward the wound Blade had opened. The blade pierced deeper. The boss suddenly froze. Kages eyes widened. Got you.

The creatures head snapped backward. Its yellow eyes locked onto him. Kages stomach dropped. That was a mistake.

The bosss elbow slammed into him. Kage flew. He hit the ground hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. For a few seconds, he couldnt breathe. Everything sounded distant. His fingers twitched against the stone. Move. His lungs burned. Come on.

He rolled onto his side. The boss was approaching. Kage forced himself onto one knee. His vision blurred. The creature raised its sword. Kages grip tightened around his dagger. He wasnt fast enough. He knew it.

Then, GET AWAY FROM HIM. Alices voice rang through the chamber. Fire exploded between Kage and the boss. The creature recoiled from the sudden heat.

Kage stared. Alice stood several meters away, both hands raised. Flames curled around her arms. Her face was pale. But she didnt look away. Kage. He blinked. Yeah? Get up. Kage smiled faintly. Working on it.

He forced himself upright. Alice turned back toward the boss. Blade.

Blade understood immediately. He charged. His sword flashed. The boss blocked. Alice began chanting behind him. Mana gathered around her. The temperature inside the cavern rose. Kage could feel the heat against his face.

He looked toward her. Something was different. The mana around Alice wasnt behaving the way it had earlier. It was denser. Brighter. Almost alive. Alices fingers trembled as she continued the spell. Lava Leak.

The flames around her hands intensified. The boss suddenly shoved Blade backward. Blade stumbled. The creature raised its greatsword. Alices eyes widened. Captain.

The blade came down. Blade crossed his sword above his head. CRASH. The impact drove him to one knee. His arms shook violently. The stone beneath his boots cracked. Hold on.

Roy charged. His shield slammed into the boss from the side. Guardians Shield. The monster turned. Roy grunted as he pushed against it. Now.

Blade looked toward Alice. Alice thrust both hands forward. Fire Bullets. A storm of flames exploded across the chamber. The boss raised one arm. Fire slammed into its scales. The creature roared.

Kage watched the flames disappear against its body. It was hurt. But not enough. Its still standing.

Kim appeared beside Kage, breathing hard. Yeah. He pulled a vial from his belt. And Im running out of these. Kage looked at him. How many? Kim held up three. Kage stared. Thats it? Thats it. Then dont waste them. Kim gave him a tired smile. I was thinking the same thing. He pulled the stopper from the first vial.

The boss broke through Roys defense. Roy was thrown backward. Alice stumbled. Blade charged again. Kim threw. The vial shattered against the bosss chest. A red mist spread across its scales. The creature slowed. Kims eyes widened. It worked.

Kage watched its movements. Again. Kim threw the second. The mist spread. The bosss movements became heavier. Not by much. But enough.

Blade saw it too. He lowered his stance. Roy. Roy pushed himself up. Yeah? On my mark. Roy lifted his shield. Got it.

Kage looked between them. He understood. They were trying to create an opening. But an opening wasnt enough. They needed something capable of actually hurting the monster.

His eyes moved toward Alice. She was still gathering mana. The flames around her hands had changed. They werent flickering anymore. They were spiraling. Slowly. Deliberately.

Kage stared. Alice. She didnt respond. Alice. Her eyes remained closed. The mana around her grew brighter. Kage felt something strange crawl across his skin. The air had become unbearably hot.

Alice opened her eyes. They were shining. Im ready.

Blades voice cut through the chamber. Now. Roy slammed his shield into the ground. Shield Impact. A blue shockwave exploded outward. The boss staggered.

Blade moved immediately. Crimson energy erupted from his body. Crimson Berserker. He struck. The boss blocked. Blade struck again. And again. Each blow forced the creature backward.

Roy joined him, driving his shield into its legs. Kim threw his final vial. The red mist exploded across the bosss face. For the first time, the monster stumbled.

Kage saw the opening. Alice. She raised both hands. The flames around her erupted. Lava Leak. A massive sphere of fire formed between her palms. The chamber illuminated orange. Burning Lotus.

The spell shot forward. The boss raised its greatsword. The fire collided with the blade. For a moment, neither side moved. Then the sword began to glow. The boss pushed. The flames split around it.

Alices eyes widened. No. The creature stepped forward. The fire continued burning against its body, but it was forcing its way through. Blade gritted his teeth. Its resisting.

Kage stared at the monster. Then at Alice. Then at the sword. He noticed something. The runes. Every time the boss pushed against the spell, the runes on its sword brightened. Kages eyes narrowed. Wait.

Nobody heard him. He stepped closer. The runes pulsed again. The flames weakened. Kages eyes widened. Thats it.

He turned toward Blade. Captain. Blade glanced back. The sword. What about it? The runes are absorbing the magic. Blades eyes narrowed. Kage pointed. Every time Alices spell hits it, that sword gets brighter.

Alices expression changed. So thats why.

The boss swung. Blade barely avoided the attack. Kage shouted. Dont hit the sword. Blades eyes hardened. Then what do we hit?

Kage looked at the monster. Its left shoulder was still wounded. The scales around the injury had been weakened by Blades earlier attack. Kage pointed. There.

Blade followed his gaze. A grin slowly appeared across his face. Good eye.

The boss charged. Blade stepped forward. Roy moved with him. Kage ran around the opposite side. Alice remained behind them, gathering what little mana she had left.

The boss swung. Blade blocked. Roy struck its leg. Kage slipped beneath its arm. The creature turned toward him. Kage ducked. The greatsword passed over his head. He felt the wind of it against his hair. Too close.

He drove his dagger into the damaged scales. The blade sank deeper. The boss roared. Its body twisted. Kage held on. Come on.

The creature slammed its elbow backward. Kage released the dagger just before the blow connected. He rolled beneath the monster. Blade appeared in front of it. Now.

Roy slammed his shield into the bosss knee. The creature dropped slightly. Blade raised his sword. Crimson energy exploded around him. Blood Price. His eyes burned red. He swung. The blade struck the wounded shoulder. CRACK. The scales broke. Black blood sprayed across the stone.

The boss roared. Kage grabbed his dagger. Its working.

The creature staggered. Alice stepped forward. Her breathing was uneven. Her hands shook. But she didnt stop. The flames around her began to spiral again.

Kage looked at her. Can you do it? Alice nodded. I dont know. She took another breath. But Im going to. Kage smiled. Thats good enough.

The boss lifted its greatsword. Blade tightened his grip. Roy planted his shield. Kim reached for his belt. Empty. Nothing left.

The four of them stood together. For the first time, Kage realized something. They were exhausted. Bleeding. Terrified. And completely outmatched. Yet nobody was moving backward.

Alice raised her hands. Lets finish this. The flames began to bloom.

And somewhere deep beneath the dungeon floor, something answered. A low vibration rolled through the stone. Kage felt it beneath his feet. His smile vanished. What. Was that.

Blade looked down. The boss froze. For the first time since they had encountered it, the creature looked afraid.

Then a deep howl echoed from somewhere far below. The sound passed through the dungeon like a pulse. The flames around Alice flickered. The boss slowly turned its head toward the darkness behind it.

Kage stared. It heard something. Nobody answered.

Another howl followed. Closer this time. The dungeon shook. And the greatsword in the bosss hand began to tremble. Not from weakness. From fear.

Kages fingers tightened around his dagger. Whatever was beneath them, even the boss was afraid of it.

The battle wasnt over. It had only become something else.