Zororo barely made it home before his sisters woke up. His body felt like it had been through a week-long war which, technically, it had. Every muscle ached with deep fatigue that normal rest couldn't cure. The Shadow Realm training had pushed him beyond human limits.
He showered quickly, letting hot water wash away the sweat and grime. When he looked in the mirror, his reflection showed subtle changes. His golden eyes glowed more intensely, his features had sharpened slightly, and there was something dangerous in his expression that hadn't been there before.
Seven days of combat had left their mark on more than just his stats.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[RESIDUAL FATIGUE DETECTED]
[RECOMMENDATION: LIGHT ACTIVITY TODAY]
[WARNING: DUNGEON EXPEDITION SCHEDULED FOR THIS AFTERNOON]
Right. The Shadow Grotto expedition with Team Seven. Zororo had completely forgotten about it during his intense training. He checked his phone and found several messages from Yukari confirming the afternoon schedule.
"Meet at school gates at 2 PM. The school bus will transport all teams to the dungeon site. Bring your equipment and combat gear. Don't be late."
Zororo glanced at the time seven thirty in the morning. He had enough time to rest, eat, and prepare.
When he went downstairs, Akari was making breakfast while humming one of her idol songs. She turned and her cheerful expression immediately shifted to concern.
"Zororo! You look exhausted. Did you sleep at all last night?"
"Training ran long," Zororo said, which was technically accurate. "I'm fine, just need food and coffee."
Himeko entered from her morning workout, still in athletic gear and glistening with sweat. Her sharp eyes assessed Zororo immediately. "You look different. Stronger somehow. What kind of training were you doing?"
"Combat simulations and skill practice," Zororo replied, sitting at the table. "I want to be prepared for the dungeon expedition today."
"Today?" Akari placed a plate of food in front of him. "That's right, your first real dungeon as a team. Are you sure you're ready? You can reschedule if you're too tired."
"I'll be fine. Yukari's counting on me."
Himeko smirked slightly. "Ah yes, the girlfriend. Speaking of which, how are things with the Ice Princess? You two seemed pretty comfortable in that rooftop photo."
Zororo felt his cheeks warm slightly, remembering Yukari's staged kiss on his cheek yesterday. "Things are good. She's... not what people think. Once you get past the cold exterior, she's actually"
"Adorable?" Akari teased. "Vulnerable? Sweet?"
"Human," Zororo finished firmly. "Just human, like everyone else."
Both sisters exchanged meaningful glances and smiled. They clearly approved of his relationship, fake though it was.
After breakfast, Zororo spent the morning organizing his equipment. He selected practical combat clothing flexible dark pants, reinforced boots, a fitted black shirt, and a lightweight jacket with hidden pockets for storing items from his Shadow Storage.
His actual weapons existed in shadow form, but he carried a basic steel dagger as cover. Most students brought conventional weapons into dungeons before their system abilities were fully developed.
At one-thirty, Zororo left for Seika Academy. The school grounds were bustling with second-year students preparing for the dungeon expeditions. Multiple buses waited in the parking area, each designated for different dungeon sites.
He found Yukari waiting near Bus Three, looking as perfectly composed as always despite wearing practical combat gear. Her silver hair was tied back in a high ponytail, and she wore form-fitting tactical clothing that didn't sacrifice elegance for functionality.
"You're early," Yukari observed as Zororo approached. "Good. Punctuality is important."
"You look ready," Zororo said, noting the expensive-looking daggers sheathed at her waist and the subtle glow of system energy around her hands.
"I've been preparing all week." Her ice-blue eyes studied him carefully. "You look different. Tired but... stronger somehow. Did something happen?"
Zororo had forgotten how perceptive she was. "Intensive training last night. I wanted to make sure I didn't slow the team down."
"Intensive enough to change your presence?" Yukari's gaze was penetrating. "I can sense power levels, Zororo. Yours has increased noticeably since yesterday. That's not normal growth speed."
He'd have to be more careful. His accelerated development was drawing attention.
"My system has been adapting," Zororo said carefully. "Ever since my illness, it's been evolving faster than standard progression rates. I don't fully understand it myself."
Yukari accepted this explanation, though her expression suggested she had more questions. "Well, whatever you did, it's good timing. The Shadow Grotto might be C-Rank, but that doesn't mean it's safe."
Mei and Hiro arrived together, both looking nervous but determined. Mei carried a staff that amplified healing abilities, while Hiro wore heavy armor plates over his combat gear and carried a large shield.
"Everyone ready?" Yukari asked, her tone shifting to team leader mode. "Remember the strategy we practiced. Hiro takes point and manages enemy positioning. Zororo and I handle offense. Mei stays back and provides support. Communication is crucial call out threats immediately."
They all nodded and boarded the bus with other teams. The ride to the dungeon site took forty minutes through increasingly rural areas. Zororo used the time to meditate and recover his mental energy, ignoring the excited chatter of other students.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[APPROACHING DUNGEON RIFT]
[SHADOW GROTTO - C-RANK DUNGEON]
[RECOMMENDED LEVEL: 8-12]
[YOUR LEVEL: 18]
[ASSESSMENT: MINIMAL THREAT]
The bus stopped at a military checkpoint where professional hunters maintained security around the dungeon entrance. The rift itself was a swirling vortex of dark energy hovering three meters above the ground, distorting space around it like a wound in reality.
Instructor Hayato waited with other teachers, checking equipment and giving final instructions. "Listen up! You'll enter in your assigned teams. Your objective is to clear the first three levels and collect monster cores. You have four hours if you're not out by then, we're sending rescue teams. Any questions?"
A few students asked about specific monsters or loot distribution. Zororo noticed that most teams looked confident, probably because they'd trained together extensively. Team Seven had only practiced for two days, but Yukari's leadership and planning had been thorough.
"Team Seven, you're in group two," Hayato announced. "Enter in five minutes. Good luck."
As they waited, Zororo felt his villain system pulse with anticipation. Dungeons were prime environments for villain activities dark, dangerous, and outside normal social rules. Whatever happened inside wouldn't be witnessed or judged by conventional standards.
"Stay close to me," Yukari murmured to Zororo as their turn approached. "I know you're stronger than you appear, but don't take unnecessary risks. If things get dangerous, we retreat immediately."
"Understood."
"Team Seven, you're clear to enter!"
They approached the rift together. Up close, Zororo could feel the dimensional instability reality thinning, laws of physics bending. Then they stepped through, and the world inverted.
The transition was disorienting. One moment they stood in afternoon sunlight; the next, they were in absolute darkness. Gradually, their eyes adjusted to reveal the Shadow Grotto's interior.
They stood in a massive cavern with obsidian walls that absorbed light. Bioluminescent fungi provided dim purple illumination, creating an eerie atmosphere. The air was cold and damp, carrying the scent of decay and something else dark energy that made Zororo's system resonate.
[DUNGEON ENTERED: SHADOW GROTTO]
[LEVEL 1 - THE DARK TUNNELS]
[MONSTERS DETECTED: SHADOW WOLVES x12, DARK SLIMES x8]
[BONUS OBJECTIVE AVAILABLE: DISCOVER THE HIDDEN PATH]
[REWARD: 200 VP, RARE ITEM]
"Formation," Yukari commanded quietly. "Hiro front, Mei center, Zororo and I on flanks. Move carefully."
They advanced into the tunnel, their footsteps echoing off stone walls. Hiro's shield glowed with protective energy, and Mei's staff pulsed with soft healing light. Yukari's hands generated frost that drifted around her like snow.
Zororo activated Shadow Sense, and his perception exploded outward. He could feel every shadow in a fifty-meter radius and through those shadows, he detected the monsters waiting in ambush ahead.
"Twelve wolves hiding in the ceiling shadows, thirty meters forward," Zororo reported quietly. "Eight slimes blocking the path beyond that."
Everyone turned to stare at him.
"How can you possibly know that?" Hiro asked, bewildered.
"My system has enhanced perception in shadow-rich environments," Zororo explained, which was true enough. "This dungeon is perfect for my abilities."
Yukari's eyes narrowed thoughtfully but she nodded. "Good. That gives us a major advantage. Can you mark their exact positions?"
Zororo pointed to specific locations on the ceiling and walls. "The alpha wolf is there, largest shadow signature. The pack will follow its lead."
"Then we target the alpha first," Yukari decided. "Zororo, can you reach it?"
"Easily."
"On my signal." Yukari raised her hand, ice crystals forming around her fingers. "Three... two... one... now!"
Zororo activated Shadow Step, teleporting directly to the alpha wolf's position on the ceiling. His Shadow Blade manifested mid-strike, driving through the creature's skull before it could react. The wolf dissolved into dark mist, leaving behind a shadow core.
The rest of the pack attacked in chaos, losing their coordination without the alpha. Yukari unleashed a wave of ice that froze three wolves mid-leap. Hiro intercepted two more with his shield, bashing them aside. Mei began chanting, her healing magic creating a protective barrier around the team.
Zororo moved through the shadows like a ghost, appearing behind wolves and striking their weak points with surgical precision. His week of intensive training showed clearly every movement was efficient, every strike lethal.
Within ninety seconds, all twelve wolves were dead.
"Holy..." Hiro breathed, staring at the scattered shadow cores. "That was incredible. You two are way stronger than I expected."
Mei nodded enthusiastically, her shyness momentarily forgotten. "That coordination was perfect! Zororo, your mobility is amazing!"
Yukari allowed herself a small smile. "Good work, team. Collect the cores and prepare for the slimes. They'll be easier than the wolves."
As they gathered loot, Zororo's system highlighted something the others couldn't see a faint shimmer in the wall that indicated the hidden path mentioned in his bonus objective.
"There's something here," Zororo said, approaching the wall. He pressed his hand against it, channeling shadow energy, and the wall rippled like water before dissolving to reveal a secret passage.
"A hidden path!" Yukari's eyes lit up with excitement. "These usually lead to treasure rooms or rare monsters. Should we explore it?"
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[HIDDEN PATH DISCOVERED]
[WARNING: DIFFICULTY INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY]
[RECOMMENDED LEVEL FOR HIDDEN AREA: 15+]
[PROCEED?]
Zororo considered carefully. The hidden area would be dangerous for Mei and Hiro, who were both below level fifteen. But it also offered rewards he needed for his upcoming duel.
"It might be too dangerous for our first dungeon," Hiro said nervously. "We should stick to the main path."
"I agree," Mei added quietly. "Hidden areas have unpredictable threats."
Yukari looked at Zororo, reading his expression. "You want to explore it."
"The rewards could be significant," Zororo said. "But it's your decision as team leader."
Yukari studied the dark passage, weighing risks against benefits. Finally, she nodded. "We explore, but carefully. At the first sign we're overwhelmed, we retreat immediately. Agreed?"
Everyone agreed, though Hiro and Mei looked uncertain.
They entered the hidden passage, and the atmosphere immediately changed. The shadows grew deeper, more oppressive. The temperature dropped noticeably. And from somewhere ahead, they heard something that made everyone freeze.
A roar. Deep, resonant, and definitely not from a C-Rank monster.
[WARNING: BOSS MONSTER DETECTED]
[SHADOW KNIGHT - LEVEL 20]
[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]
[RECOMMENDATION: EXTREME CAUTION]
Zororo smiled despite the danger. This was exactly what he needed a real challenge to test his new abilities.
The duel with Kazuki was six days away. And Team Seven had just found the perfect training opportunity.
[END OF CHAPTER 11]