Tremble, tremble, tremble. Kim A-rin's hands, clamped tight around my shoulders, shook like a café pager buzzing nonstop.
Same reaction as when she first ran into Hwaran.
"D-don't move, sis…. I'll… I'll protect you… so just…"
"…I'm not even doing anything."
Even for Kim A-rin, a Hidden Boss was apparently a little too terrifying to handle.
Honestly, looking at it myself, I had to admit it was pretty scary-looking.
This Hidden Boss actually looked the part, if that makes sense.
Massive armor, enormous wings jutting out from its back.
A violet aura wrapping around every inch of the plating.
Sharp horns rising above the helmet.
If I were just some run-of-the-mill Hunter, I might've had an accident on the spot — that's how overwhelmingly powerful it looked.
Well, given that even S-rank Hunter Kim A-rin was this terrified, it was probably genuinely that strong.
【Entity Name: For the safety of Lee Ji-woo, ❮(P)Let's Be Friends❯ is forcibly activated.】
[ Effect of 'Passive: Let's Be Friends' — Boss hostility adjusted to 0. ]
[ Effect of 'Passive: Let's Be Friends' — Boss favorability adjusted to 50. ]
"…So it activates automatically too."
But I was no run-of-the-mill Hunter.
Whatever anyone said, I was an S-rank Hunter (pending) who would soon leave America stunned and China (abridged).
My S-rank invincibility skill was still active, so there was no reason to be scared.
Favorability was already up to 50.
Arkiel was just standing there, watching me and Kim A-rin in silence.
There was no particular sense that she was about to attack us.
[ Entity Name: Saving biometric data of Ancient Dragon Arkiel…. ]
[ Save complete. ]
[ Current number of saved data entries: 3 ]
[ Would you like to view the newly saved data? ]
Above all else, to me, a Hidden Boss wasn't something to fear — it was a walking skill book.
And one guaranteed to carry an S-rank skill at that.
My brand-new Avatar Manifestation skill had walked right up to me on its own two feet. Why would I be scared?
Welcome, my shiny new Avatar Manifestation skill.
"Alright then, let's crack it open. Ta-da, ta-da~."
Instead of trembling like Kim A-rin, I used my Data Viewing skill to pull up Arkiel's information first.
I was curious what kind of skill would come out this time.
【Ancient Dragon Arkiel】
【Favorability: 50】
"Dum-dum-da-dum, dum-dum-da-dum. Da-ra-ri-ra-ri~…"
I was really hoping for a direct offensive skill this time.
She was clearly called an Ancient Dragon, so something like a breath attack skill would've been perfect.
【❮(P)Avatar Manifestation: ■ia■ Dev■■■❯: Cannot Be Learned】
"…A cherry blossom, huh."
I hadn't expected this.
There was an Avatar Manifestation skill available, but it was listed as flat-out unlearnable.
A pie in the sky. Literally.
No condition like "raise favorability by 50" — just a hard stamp of Cannot Be Learned.
W-wait, that's not right.
What kind of system blocks you from learning a skill entirely?
— Thud.
"My… my Avatar Manifestation skill…!"
"…Sis…."
I slumped to the ground with a face full of disappointment, and Kim A-rin's anxious voice reached me.
Her eyes were asking if this was really the time to be messing around.
Arkiel kept standing there without a word, yet Kim A-rin was watching her with extreme wariness.
As if Arkiel might kill both of us at any moment.
…This girl saw me make friends with Hwaran last time, so why does she have so little faith?
Well, nothing I can do about it.
Looks like I'll have to step up again.
"Um, Arkiel… ma'am?"
I looked up at Arkiel and spoke carefully.
Kim A-rin flinched in shock.
But, for some reason.
"…………!"
Arkiel flinched too.
I'd only been about to say I was just here to find the Dungeon Stone and leave right after.
I'd already tracked down its location by scent.
"………Fenrion……."
"Uh…. Do you know Fenrion?"
Since there was no Avatar Manifestation skill to obtain, I had no real business with Arkiel.
I would've liked to take a photo if possible, but that would spoil my side dishes.
A Hidden Boss photo was worth less to me than the store manager's side dishes.
Photos could be taken again later, but those precious side dishes couldn't be eaten again later.
My plan was to find the Dungeon Stone as fast as possible and get out of the Dungeon with Kim A-rin.
— Step.
"Why are you… here…. No, wait, what is this form you're in…. How did this… happen……"
She drew closer to me, as if she recognized me.
The heavy violet armor inched nearer.
Come to think of it, Hwaran had made a mistake too.
Maybe getting the wrong idea about things was just a Hidden Boss trait.
"…! …!! H-sis…!"
"Mm…. It's fine. Just stay still for now."
Kim A-rin nearly jumped out of her skin as Arkiel kept approaching, but I held her back.
No point in provoking her for nothing.
My invincibility skill was still running anyway.
Wasn't it better to hear what business she had with me first?
What did I think would happen if I ignored a Hidden Boss?
— Clank.
Arkiel reached my side and extended a hand toward me, and at the same moment, the armor covering her right arm unlatched and vanished.
What was left was just a bare, pale white hand.
It still didn't feel like an attack, so I just watched and waited.
— Grab.
— Stretchhh────.
"Nghhh."
"……You got… smaller…?"
She grabbed my cheek and started pulling it out.
Just like Hwaran had done.
Since this wasn't an attack, my S-rank invincibility skill didn't activate.
But, setting that aside.
Why did she keep calling me Fenrion?
"Um, so. I'm not Fenrion. I think you might be misunderstanding something……"
It seemed like Arkiel had gotten something seriously wrong, so I moved to correct the misunderstanding first.
I wasn't Fenrion — I was Ji-woo.
This appearance was a transformed form from my skill, and if she had some business with Fenrion, I could pass the message along later.
That was roughly what I was going to say.
— Ding.
【Time Remaining: 0 minutes 1 second】
【Time Remaining: 0 minutes 0 seconds】
【❮(A)Avatar Manifestation: Disaster Unhinged❯ deactivates.】
"Oh."
But the Avatar Manifestation's duration ran out faster than I could open my mouth.
The Assimilation rate began dropping rapidly.
【Current Assimilation Target: Fenrion (97%)】
【Current Assimilation Target: Fenrion (79%)】
【Current Assimilation Target: Fenrion (36%)】
【Entity Name: Assimilation with Fenrion is released.】
— Slump.
"Ugh…."
The moment the Avatar Manifestation skill dropped, all the strength drained from my body and exhaustion hit me like a wave.
That heavy, leaden feeling you get after pulling an all-nighter at work and watching the sun finally rise.
At this point, I just wanted to go home and sleep, Arkiel or no Arkiel.
But.
— Flash.
"…My side dishes…!"
Rest could wait — the side dishes needed to go in the fridge first.
Not before that. Absolutely not.
I forced myself to stay conscious, thinking of the side dishes sitting out.
I couldn't be the kind of ultra-garbage person who throws away every single dish the store manager sent without even tasting them.
I'd be thinking about it for the rest of my life.
"Um, Arkiel…"
I looked up at Arkiel, who was still staring down at me, and asked if I could please be on my way.
Finding the Dungeon Stone was more urgent than dealing with a Hidden Boss who wasn't even giving me an Avatar Manifestation skill.
But something felt off again.
"Ah… ah……"
Arkiel, who had been looking down at me now that the Assimilation with Fenrion had broken, began trembling.
Seeing Arkiel like that, Kim A-rin got even more frightened and pulled me into a tighter embrace.
Kim A-rin was trembling too.
…What were these two doing, with me stuck in the middle?
[ Entity Name: Ancient Dragon Arkiel confirms the return of Entity Name: null…… ]
— Crackle, crackle-crackle.
[ Entity Name: Ancient Dragon Arkiel confirms the return of Entity Name: Lee Ji-woo. ]
[ Entity Name: Ancient Dragon Arkiel's favorability increases. (50 → 998) ]
[ Entity Name: Ancient Dragon Arkiel begs forgiveness from her former master. ]
"I'm… sorry……. I should have… protected you… until the very end……"
"Uh…. Um, Arkiel?"
Thud. Arkiel suddenly dropped to her knees before me and murmured something I couldn't make sense of.
The helmet hid her face, but her shoulders were heaving — she was crying.
I hadn't even said anything.
I didn't make her cry. She just started on her own.
【 [ ! ] WARNING 】
【 [ ! ] WARNING 】
【 Hidden Boss, 'Ancient Dragon Arkiel,' reveals her true power 】
【 'Gaia's Devoted Servant' temporarily manifests within the Dungeon 】
— Crack.
— Crunch-crunch.
Arkiel's heavy armor and body began twisting in an uncanny way.
I blinked in surprise, and Kim A-rin grabbed me and bolted to the far end of the room.
Lightning flashed at the same moment.
The thunder from Kim A-rin and the roar from Arkiel mixed together from every direction, making it impossible to think straight.
But I saw it in the end.
Arkiel's true form.
"■■■■■■───────!"
"…Wow."
She was just enormous.
There was no other way to put it.
— Click.
"…Only got the feet in the frame."
She was so big the photo didn't even come out right.
I gave up on taking a picture and instead pointed toward the Dungeon Stone I'd spotted earlier.
It looked like Arkiel had started going berserk, so the plan was to grab the Dungeon Stone and run.
Something clearly happened to her, but my side dishes still mattered more.
"Over there, on top of that rock!"
"────!"
I pointed toward the Dungeon Stone in the distance, and Kim A-rin, who was carrying me on her back, charged straight for it.
From there, retrieving the Dungeon Stone and making it back to the Gate took less than ten seconds.
Kim A-rin moved so fast my eyes started spinning along with her.
…She was so fast I was on the verge of motion sickness.
"…Bleh…."
"H-hang in there, sis. We're almost out…!"
Ahead of us was the purple Dungeon Gate.
We'd retrieved the Dungeon Stone, so all we had to do was get outside and the Gate would close on its own.
Kim A-rin said urgently as she threw herself — and me — through the Gate.
But at that exact moment, something surfaced.
More message windows.
【Entity Name: Arkiel earnestly requests to become bound to Entity Name: Lee Ji-woo.】
【Do you accept?】
【Caution: Declining is irreversible.】
"Wh-wh……"
A question that already seemed to have the answer decided.
The fact that it even showed a caution message made it clear the system wanted me to accept.
A strong sense of foreboding washed over me, and before I knew it, I was nodding.
"I-I accept!"
【❮(P)Avatar Manifestation: Gaia's Devoted Servant❯ — Insufficient rank for full activation.】
【For the safety of Entity Name: Lee Ji-woo, ❮Ancient Dragon Arkiel❯'s rank is forcibly adjusted.】
【Current Rank: null → S】
A whole lot of things popped up all at once, but the moment we tumbled out of the Gate, they all vanished.
The Gate crumpled in on itself and then — poof — evaporated.
Only one thing remained.
A naked woman, bowing her head to the ground before me.
— Tremble, tremble, tremble…….
[ Entity Name: Ancient Dragon Arkiel begs forgiveness from her former master. ]
"This sinner who deserves to die…. Right now……"
"Eek."
Brown hair. Sharp horns jutting upward.
Wings that seemed somehow smaller than before.
And a frame that also seemed somehow smaller than before.
Arkiel, having shed all her armor, was doing a naked full-prostration apology or something.
I wanted to say this wasn't Arkiel, but the message windows flooding every corner of my vision insisted that yes, this woman was indeed Arkiel, and flatly denied my denial.
— Murmur, murmur.
— Murmur, murmur.
"Wh-what is that…?"
"Hey, hey, this is insane. Quick, take a picture."
When I heard the buzzing voices from somewhere in the distance, I knew instinctively.
Whatever had just happened, the first priority was covering up that naked body.
I didn't know much, but I knew this scene was prime material for the nine o'clock evening news.
I had no desire to end up on the news for something like this.
"K-Kim A-rin! Take off your jacket!"
"Huh, what?"
"H-hurry!"
I threw Kim A-rin's jacket over Arkiel, then immediately pulled her up and moved her.
I got Arkiel into some car, scrambled around doing this and that, and somehow ended up back home before I knew it.
But there was still one thing left to do.
— Peek.
"Are you… dressed?"
"…Yes."
I'd grabbed Kim A-rin's clothes and tossed them in, and only after hearing the rustling sounds of Arkiel putting them on did I open the door and step into the bedroom.
There was Arkiel, sitting awkwardly on my bed.
Kim A-rin was standing beside me, of course.
Somehow, following my own lead, I'd ended up bringing a naked Arkiel home — but she was still a Hidden Boss.
Kim A-rin was clearly still on high alert around her.
Anyway, right now the priority was asking Arkiel what on earth had just happened.
I turned to Arkiel, now wearing Kim A-rin's clothes, and carefully asked.
Why she'd been sobbing like that earlier.
"So, um, why were you crying back there? I genuinely didn't say anything…."
"Wait, sis. That's not the most important thing right now───"
— Flinch.
"Silence, human. How dare you interrupt while she is speak───"
"…What did you just say?"
"W-wait, both of you. Stop. Stop."
