Kitakyushu Dungeon—-
〈Enforcing Penalty.〉
Omariro and Isamu saw the UI appear, both of them pausing. Isamu tapped Omariro. "Uh, sir, what's that mean? Penalty? We didn't screw up, did we?"
Omariro remained quiet for a long while. "Children have failed."
"Wait, so like the others? Crap! What's that mean? Are we cooked? Man, I didn't survive for months in this hellhole just to die like this! Sir, what do we do—-?"
〈Penalty: *Slaughterbox.*〉
The ground beneath the two trembled, and it all cracked as Omariro hastily grabbed the boy and jumped off before the platforms could shatter.
"Ahhh—-!"
They fell into the void of darkness beneath them, and everything went dark.
〈Entry Detected—-Floor Level: 666.〉
Omariro and Isamu landed on a cold, factory-like floor. The tiles themselves were gray, and large walls surrounded them, with the roof above shrouded by darkness.
"Where are we?" Isamu questioned. "I've never been off Floor 1. Don't tell me this is some death-game crap, sir!"
Omariro straightened up, looking around. "Boy must stay vigilant. Dungeon aims to destroy."
All around them, portals opened, dropping Kaitansha one by one. Hayate and Marin, Yuka, Mizuki, Gakuto, Kōichi, Kaoru, and finally, Atsushi, with Nonoka behind him. All of their divisions fell behind them. Zaria, Shino, Baruto, Bakuō, Han, Rika, and an unconscious Rei were last.
"The hell?" Kōichi wondered. "How did we start off on the 666th floor?"
"The dungeon declared a penalty," Hayate noted. "It would seem some of us were thrown inside before others."
Rika shook Rei. "Come on! Wake up, Rei! Please!"
Zaria noticed her and quickly rushed over. "Rika? What happened? What's wrong with Rei?"
Rika looked at her, tears in her eyes. "She's hurt! We were attacked! Sōshin's gone! I don't know what happened to him! This guy, he's dangerous! I…I don't know what to do!"
Rika grabbed Zaria's arms, frantically shaking, as the latter tried to calm her down. "Keep cool, okay? What's the deal? Who did you see?"
"I—-"
The tiles below all of their feet began to glow with an ominous red color, and everyone stopped dead in their tracks.
Rui whistled from on Baruto's back, laughing. "Uh-oh. Someone's triggered a penalty! I almost feel sorry for you all. Almost."
Shino turned toward him, grabbing him. "Knock it off, dipshit! What is this? Where are we?"
"Oh. Floor 666. We Mujinsha call it the Slaughterbox. Don't worry. If you're strong enough, you can survive. If not…I pity you."
"Why the heck is it called the 'Slaughterbox?'"
"Look up."
Shino did, followed by everyone else. Large gift boxes were hanging over the floor, each of them glowing and echoing with laughter.
〈Rule: Defeat *all* enemies.〉
〈Time Remaining: 15:00〉
The gift boxes all burst open at the same time, revealing metal android-like entities, each of whom towered over the Kaitansha. In but a few seconds, hundreds of them had filled up the floor.
〈Wave 1: *Mechanical Warlords.* Level: 200,000.〉
〈Domain Effect: Autonomous Adaptation. After seeing an attack in action, all *Warlords* become immune to it for *40s.*〉
"Humans," the Warlords announced. "Must kill humans."
Hayate's eyes widened. "Everyone, stay together and fight as one!"
In the blink of an eye, a line of warlords burst forth, decapitating various Kaitansha with metal blades protruding from their arms. Rika covered her mouth, about to scream, when another warlord appeared before her, Rei, and Zaria.
"Humans detected," the Warlord noted. "Must kill."
It brought its blade down, but Zaria quickly moved to block with her spear, which the warlord slashed in half with ease, kicking Zaria to the floor.
"Zaria!" Rika gasped.
The Warlord placed a foot on her neck, pinning her to the ground. Zaria tried to kick it, but it easily broke her leg with one strike.
"Grrr, damn you, robot!"
Rika quickly clasped her hands together and formed two sigils, merging them the second she did so.
〈Sigil Created: Reaper.〉
Rika crushed it in her hand, and dozens of Warlords stumbled as Zaria, Rei, Han, Nonoka, and Omariro's bodies began to glow. The Warlord pinning Zaria faltered, allowing her to kick it aside.
"Rika…" Zaria stated. "You…you saved me!"
"Just…please don't die!" Rika begged. "I already lost my brother, I can't lose you all too!"
Atsushi and Nonoka were surrounded by a large crowd of Warlords, as Atsushi pushed Nonoka behind him. "Stay behind me, daughter!"
"Dad! Stop tryna be a hero! I'm not five!"
"That's an order!"
His fists turned to stone and he began punching the Warlords, but after only a few hits, they began resisting his attacks. Atsushi tried to strike one with a right hook, but it caught his arm in hand and slammed him into the ground. Nonoka's eyes widened.
"Get away from him!" she ordered. "Jugen-Sōunsha: Ningensei Tōki!"
Armor formed around Nonoka's body.
〈Humanity *Discarded.* Buff Timer: 1:30〉
"No, child!"
Nonoka moved to step in front of her father, but a Warlord backhanded her into a wall with a painful crack.
"Daughter!"
Meanwhile, in another corner, Yuka, Gakuto, and Kaoru were backed into a corner by gun-wielding Warlords, whose arms had shifted into machine gun-like weapons. They all raised their arms at once, forcing Yuka to form an ice eagle to block the bullets.
Unsurprisingly, the bullets shred through the ice eagle, forcing Kaoru to move to defend them. "Jugen-Kaiseisha: Muryokuka Chōsei!"
The Warlords all began firing indiscriminately, unable to see, and some bullets even struck and disabled their own, causing them to fall to the ground, lifeless.
"The healers," Yuka realized. "They've got the advantage here!"
Kaoru pointed to herself. "Me?"
Gakuto tossed Kaoru on his back. "Hell yeah, little lady! Lock in, we're gonna need it!"
"Wait, I'm not ready—-!"
Gakuto zoomed around, dashing between Warlords as Kaoru used her powers to disable them, but after a while, the Warlords started resisting, and one tripped Gakuto with a swipe of its leg.
Both Kaoru and Gakuto slammed into the wall.
Various Kaitansha tried to escape, but Warlords were on top of them, massacring them with callous ease. Hayate watched, horrified, as a Warlord moved to confront him.
"Director of Kaitansha," the Warlord noted. "Priority Level: High."
It lunged at Hayate with blistering speed, but the Director quickly moved to meet it. "Jugen-Mahōshi: Hatenaki Kyomu!"
The Warlord was pulled into a Void Domain, and by the time Hayate threw it out, it was broken into several pieces, its eyes dimming.
"Director!" Marin shouted. "The time is running out, and we've lost far more warriors than they have!"
With a slice of her fans, she disarmed a Warlord, but another one shoulder-checked her.
Marin threw up her fans at the Warlord's face, stunning it, as Hayate reduced it to rubble with another Void attack. More came to counter them, and like clockwork, their abilities began to fail as well.
A Warlord walked up to Shino and her brothers, swinging its blade. Baruto met the attack, only to have his blade cleaved in two and a deep cut delivered to his shoulder.
Bakuō shifted into a boar and tried to charge the Warlord, but it kicked him aside, before turning its attention to Shino.
"You…bastard!" she hissed. "No one hurts my brothers!"
She flicked her fingers at the Warlord, erasing its weapon, but it simply grabbed her by the neck. As much as Shino punched and kicked, she found herself unable to move it.
"Let…go…!"
Omariro watched the entire chaos unfold, with Nonoka and Rei unconscious, Warlords surrounding the Kaidanchō, Hayate and Marin pressured, and Zaria being dragged by her hair by another Warlord, and memories began stirring in his mind.
Fire. Destruction. Death. Screaming wives and children.
Isamu hid behind Omariro. "Mr. Nyugawa, it's hectic as hell! What do we do?"
Omariro put a hand on his blade, dark energy stirring from him.
"Jugen-Daraku: Danjon Hakaisha."
His eyes glowed purple as purple flames burst off his body, and a large greatsword formed from his blade. The Warlords all stopped the attack, focusing on Omariro.
"Destroyer," the Warlords all declared. "Priority Level: Maximum."
〈*Lethal* Skill: Active.〉
With a powerful slash, Omariro cleaved the first batch of Warlords in two, stunning various members of the raid. The Warlords all gathered and ran at Omariro.
"Master!" Rika called out. "Look out!"
They all began jumping atop Omariro, trapping him in a large pile as Isamu stumbled back. Rui watched as Omariro's greatsword stabbed through one Warlord, before the rest went flying in a burst of dark energy.
"Ah," Rui remarked. "It seems his power isn't yet lost after all. But taking such a risk in a place like this? He must be foolish."
The Warlords all gathered, sizing up Omariro, who dropped to one knee, breathing hard.
"Uh, sir?" Isamu worried. "You good?"
A Warlord rushed him, and Omariro kept it at bay with a slash, which it resisted. It tried to stab Omariro with its blade, but he clapped his hands.
"Jugen-Metsusha: Obliterate!"
The Warlord disappeared, but more stepped forth to take its place.
"That power Omariro is using," Hayate thought. "What IS it? It's not like the Heralds at all…"
Marin called out to him. "Omariro, be careful!"
A Warlord tried to punch him, but Omariro ripped off its arm before throwing the arm back into its face. As he did so, he used his blade to support himself.
Zaria pushed herself to one foot. "Wait, Master! I'm coming!"
She tried to jump on the back of a Warlord, but it quickly grabbed her and restrained her with one arm, placing a blade to her neck.
"Surrender, Destroyer," the Warlord insisted. "Or this human dies."
Omariro stopped, staring at Zaria. "Release girl."
"No, Master!" Zaria pleaded. "Don't listen to them!"
Various other Warlords pointed their guns at Zaria, eyes locked onto Omariro.
"What will it be?"
"Stop!" Rika begged. "Put her down!"
"Metal bastards!" Shino blurted out. "If you hurt her, you're dead!"
Marin attempted to throw a fan at the Warlord holding her, but Hayate stopped her. "No! It's too dangerous!"
Omariro sized up the Warlord, narrowing his eyes before sheathing his blade. "Put girl down."
"Surrender. Surrender."
〈Time Remaining: 1:20〉
〈Enemies Remaining: *56*〉
"Hmm."
The memory of a conversation began to play in Omariro's mind, one buried deep within.
"So, God-King. What happens if you use too much of your powers?"
"Memories. Will forget."
"But how much? And…can you get them back?"
"…"
"Hello? Your silence isn't cute, you know. Fine. Be like that. But you'd better not go overusing your power, Master."
"Concern not needed. Memories are intact."
Omariro blinked a few times, returning to the present, as Zaria kicked in an attempt to escape the Warlord's grasp.
"Girl," Omariro declared. "Do not chase me after this."
"Master, what are you saying—-?"
"Jugen-Daraku: Bannō Kutsū no Noroi."
Omariro's body glowed with dark energy, and he lifted his arm. With a crackle of dark energy, the Warlords all froze in place. Armor formed around Omariro's body, and with a wave of his arm, purple flames ripped the Warlords clean apart, allowing Zaria to fall to the ground.
〈Enemies Remaining: *0*〉
〈Time Remaining: 0:00〉
〈Challenge Completed.〉
"Are…we saved?" Kaoru wondered.
Rui sighed. "Well, that was anti-climactic, wasn't it?"
Hayate took in the bodies of various Kaitansha on the floor, as Marin glared at him. "I told you, Director. This is what happens when you try to play as a god."
"I…accept the responsibility for this."
"Now," Marin scoffed. "Our best bet is to find the nearest exit. If it weren't for Omariro, we'd all be dead."
〈Separating Parties…〉
Everyone disappeared from the room except Omariro, Zaria, Han, Rika, Rei, Nonoka, Shino, Baruto, and Bakuō.
"Ugh…" Nonoka grumbled, waking up. "That hurt."
Zaria stood up, approaching Omariro. "Thank you, Master. I don't know what would've happened if you didn't save me."
A gate opened in the center of the room.
"What do we do now, Master?"
To her shock, Omariro looked at her, unfamiliarity in his eye. "Girl speaks to me as if familiar. Girl is strange."
Zaria's face dropped. "W—what?"
Omariro walked past her, not even sparing a glance. "Find a way out, child. Dungeon is no place for one such as you."
The kids all watched, stunned, as Omariro walked through the gate, disappearing.
"Master…?" Zaria whispered.
——