Leo tilted his head back, eyes tracing the clean gash carved through the sky. The clouds had parted in a perfect line, revealing a sliver of blue stretching far into the distance.
He lowered his gaze and lifted his sword with a quiet breath, awe still thick in his voice. "That was incredible, Roxanne. You're so powerful."
I was merely manifesting your power, Leo. Her voice echoed gently in his mind, calm and composed. My strength alone could not achieve such a feat.
Leo looked at the Bloodmoon Blade in his hand, its soft glow fading like an afterimage. "But how did I suddenly know a move like that?"
The sword began to break apart. Softly, silently, as if dissolving on command. A flutter of crimson butterflies lifted from the hilt, their wings shimmering as they circled him.
They danced upward and inward, swarming into a single form. The air rippled faintly, and as the final butterfly landed into place, Roxanne stood before him, whole, radiant.
Where once she had hidden behind threadbare robes, now she stood in a Moonlight Dress that shimmered with subtle magic. The gown flowed with elegance, its sleeveless cut drawing soft contours along her shoulders, while the skirt draped gracefully to her ankles. The fabric clung just enough to remind the world she was not a relic to pity, but a legend reborn.
Roxanne stood tall, hands gently folded, the wind lifting strands of her silver hair. This time, she didn't look away.
Leo blinked. "Roxanne, you look amazing."
She met his gaze, smiling faintly. "I can conjure clothing, too. The robe was my shell. This is who I truly am."
He nodded slowly, still absorbing her transformation.
She stepped closer, her expression steady. "And about your question on the skill…"
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"Whenever an adventurer unlocks a skill, its motions, mana flow, and technique are etched directly into their body and mind. That's why it feels so natural. As if you've done it a hundred times already."
"That explains a lot," Leo murmured.
###
Leo turned and motioned to Ai, who had been quietly observing from the side. "Roxanne, this is Ai, my system companion."
Roxanne studied her, eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ai."
Ai gave a slight bow, her voice confident as always. "The pleasure is mine."
There was an elegant smugness in her tone, but it was softened by an almost approving glance at Roxanne.
Leo glanced down, expecting to introduce the white cats next, only to find empty space. "Where did they go?" he muttered, scanning the tree line.
Before anyone could answer, a translucent notification flickered into view:
[System Notification] 1 Infernal Black Os Core received.
Leo's gaze snapped toward the monster's remains. From the dissipating glow, the white cats emerged. Silent, almost spectral, carrying traces of light in their fur. They padded toward him with casual confidence.
"There you are," Leo said, crouching down. "Good job, you two."
The cats purred in unison, nuzzling into his hands as though the world hadn't nearly ended a few minutes ago.
As he stood, a new thought struck him. "Wait… I didn't get any experience from that monster."
Ai's voice came from beside him. "That's because of the level disparity. You only get experience if the monster is within ten levels of your current level."
Leo nodded slowly. "Makes sense." He turned toward the carcass of the Infernal Black Os. Its massive body still smoldering faintly.
But it didn't last long.
Glowing lines traced across the creature's frame like cracks in fragile porcelain. Its glossy black scales disintegrated into flecks of light. The eyes, those hateful red coals, dimmed until they blinked out completely.
In seconds, the monster was gone. Nothing remained but scorched earth and the silence that always followed battle.
Level 40: Infernal Black Os.
Leo stared at where the label had hovered. "So it was a Black Os," he said quietly, remembering the first time he'd seen one, when it had terrified the farm. "But this one was different."
Before he could reply, a group of adventurers emerged from the trees. Their armor was scuffed and their expressions grim, but their eyes were drawn to the place where the Infernal Black Os had vanished.
One woman stepped forward, a scroll in hand. "I'm Elara. Vanguard of our party." Her tone was formal, but there was a hint of disappointment behind it.
She had cropped red hair and a well-worn breastplate, her large shield slung casually across her back. "This is Klein, our priest, and Thorne, our swordsman."
Klein gave a polite nod, the gold-trimmed edges of his robes catching the last rays of sunlight. He looked like someone who listened more than he spoke.
Thorne just scowled.
Elara raised the scroll. "We were on a kill quest for that Infernal Black Os. The reward is substantial, and it'd be a shame to report that we arrived too late."
She handed the scroll to Leo.
Before he could say a word, Thorne stepped up. "That's not right. You stole it!"
Leo almost laughed.
He remembered all the late nights grinding in online games, only to have someone swipe a boss kill at the last second. "We just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time," Leo replied evenly, handing the scroll back. "No hard feelings."
Thorne opened his mouth to argue, but then he noticed Roxanne.
He froze.
Eyes wide, posture stiff, mouth slightly open. Thorne was clearly transfixed. Within moments, he was brushing imaginary dust off his armor, fixing his stance, and then striding confidently toward her.
He stopped just in front of her, bowed low, and kissed her hand. "My lady," he said, voice suddenly smooth and theatrical. "Forgive our incompetence. You are breathtaking."
Roxanne blinked. "Uh…"
Before she could say more, a whack rang out.
Elara had smacked Thorne squarely on the back of the head. He collapsed like a bag of bricks.
Klein let out a long sigh. "Not again." He walked over, grabbed Thorne by the ankles, and began dragging him off without ceremony.
"I swear," he muttered, "every time he sees a beautiful woman, his IQ drops by half."
Leo watched the scene unfold and smiled awkwardly.