Nagumo listened intently as Sylas explained his power, his thoughts racing as he wondered whether it was something he could learn himself.
He continued listening, only for that faint hope to shatter the moment Sylas finished his explanation. 'That's too bad,' Nagumo thought quietly.
"And that's everything," Sylas said at last.
Yue remained silent, her crimson eyes calmly observing him. She couldn't help but wonder if what Sylas had shared was truly everything—or if there was more he was deliberately keeping to himself. Still, they had only just met. Pressing him for such personal details would have been too much, so she chose not to ask.
Once everyone had voiced their questions, the group moved on to dinner—if it could even be called that. None of them knew what time it was outside the labyrinth anymore.
Sylas and Nagumo began eating without hesitation. With every bite of monster meat, their strength increased dramatically. The first time they consumed a new type of monster, the boost was immense.
Each bite afterward still strengthened them, though the effect gradually diminished. There was a limit to how much a single type of monster could enhance their stats.
On top of that, consuming new monsters granted them additional skills, further expanding their arsenal.
Yue, the vampire princess, simply watched as they ate their food. Unlike Sylas and Nagumo, she didn't need food to sustain herself. Nutrition came far more efficiently to her through blood.
She waited until both of them were halfway through their meals before standing up.
After a moment of consideration, she approached Sylas. The instant she drew near, he stopped eating and met her gaze.
"Don't even think about it," he said flatly.
He had no intention of being used as a blood source—much less entertaining thoughts he found uncomfortable. Legal age or not, he wasn't into little girls.
Yue hesitated. She had been about to ignore his refusal, but the dangerous glint in his eyes made her reconsider.
Instead, she turned to Nagumo.
Unlike Sylas, Nagumo didn't refuse her. He allowed her to drink his blood while continuing to eat as if nothing unusual was happening.
When she finished, Yue lightly licked her lips. "Your blood is delicious," she said in a slow seductive tone before sitting down beside him.
Seeing the situation unfold, Sylas rose from his seat without a word and headed outside to practice his Nen.
***
Eight Hours Later…
Sylas woke up in the same spot where he had been training. He made his way back to the campsite where Nagumo and Yue were still resting.
He knocked on the rock entrance and waited a few seconds before hopping over it. His eyes immediately caught the sight of Nagumo and Yue sleeping next to each other, allowing him to piece together what had panned out.
"Be ready to move out," Sylas said as he grabbed a piece of monster meat he had cooked the day before. It was cold, but still edible.
Nagumo jolted awake, hastily gathering his belongings as a faint blush spread across his cheeks. Yue barely stirred, still half-asleep as she remained beside him.
Once everyone was prepared, Sylas summoned Mud, and the three of them climbed onto its back.
This routine continued for about a month.
They traveled deeper into the dungeon, killing and consuming new monsters, gaining new skills along the way. Each night, when exhaustion set in, they would set up camp inside a stone enclosure, lighting a fire at its center to keep warm.
Whenever Nagumo and Yue wanted some time alone, they were considerate enough to inform Sylas beforehand that they were gonna go check that there were no monsters around.
He didn't mind. His current focus was entirely on strengthening his Nen.
The stronger his Nen became, the easier everything else would be.
Sylas had already decided that once he cleared this labyrinth, he would focus on creating a second ability—one that would sacrifice multiple abilities in exchange for strengthening those that formed the core of his combat style. It would take time, but he was patient.
Throughout the month, he hadn't encountered any monsters suitable for creating useful Nen beasts. After obtaining his second Nen beast, he'd become far more selective. He was convinced that his next one would come from the boss at the end of the labyrinth.
They were now traversing a floor filled with countless branching paths, everything around them bathed in white.
While Sylas remembered watching the first season of the anime, the finer details were hazy. Only the major events remained clear in his mind.
Several hours passed before they finally found what they were searching for.
Standing before them was a massive, beautifully crafted purple door.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Sylas asked, glancing at Nagumo.
"Boss fight, right?" Nagumo replied.
Sylas nodded. They dismounted from Mud and approached the door on foot.
"Be ready for anything," Sylas warned.
Knowing what lay ahead didn't make things any easier.
Although he used Nen combat techniques, Sylas could only draw out forty to sixty percent of their full potential. As a specialist, emission techniques like the aura ball were only about sixty percent effective. The same applied to enhancer techniques—his physical attacks could only reach around forty percent efficiency.
His Nen attacks were powerful, but not because the techniques themselves were overwhelming. It was his physical body that made them dangerous.
Nagumo and Yue noticed the seriousness in Sylas's expression and adjusted their mindsets accordingly. In all their time within the dungeon, they had never seen him look this serious.
"Understood," Nagumo and Yue said in unison as they stepped closer.
They pushed the door open.
Inside, a stairway descended straight down the center of the room.
"Let's go," Sylas said, leading the way.
At the bottom, they entered a vast chamber lined with towering purple crystals on both sides. Directly ahead stood another massive purple door, identical to the one they had just entered through.
The moment they stepped into the corridor, a giant magic circle flared to life, glowing with blinding intensity.
When the light faded, something massive loomed over them.
A six-headed serpent—each head a different color—stared down at the trio.
It was a monster of legend. A Hydra.
To Be Continued…