Clyde didn’t have time for this shit.
“Natalia, Fuyoko, listen to me” he whispered.
“Annnh! Harder! Harder! ” the second floor guardian yelled, ecstasy dancing with her lolling tongue.
“It’s kind of hard… to,” Natalia said, then giggled at her own terrible pun.
Clyde ignored it, just wanting to move on.
“Natalia, teleport Fuyoko at her side. Fuyoko, turn them to stone, then shatter that shit.”
“Clyde, that’s an admirable plan, but…how do I word this,” Fuyuko said. “Oh, like a game I play. Let’s call her a boss creature. A being with enough magic to resist my abilities. If I were capable of turning everyone to stone with the greatest of ease, we wouldn’t have fought Barbanos, got caught into a tentacle trap, or chased by fat-sack having zombie girls.”
“Look,” Harumi said, her voice low. “The staircase has no barrier.”
“Yeah, but we’re going to piss off the guardian of the third floor,” Clyde said. “I’d rather not have that horny bozo over there joining him.”
“I think I can send her to the nether dimension,” Undine said, “but it’s a one-time use ability. The cooldown will take more than a few years.”
The convenient ability out of nowhere trope.
“And you just miraculously bring that ability up now?” Clyde said, voice suspicious.
“I’ve only just relearned it,” Undine said. “It was because of you that I lost it in the first place, not that I’m complaining.” She winked.
“Alright Natalia take her away,” Clyde said.
Natalia sighed.
“I feel like a puppet.”
“Hey, I can always put Alice back as my right hand,” Clyde said.
Natalia harrumphed like a tsundere.
“Husbando onii no baka!”
She grabbed Undine’s arm and initiated the teleport.
“How do you put up with that?” Fuyoko said.
“You get used to it,” Clyde said, eyes dead. He shook himself and watched the make it or break it moment, nervous.
When the second floor guardian let out what seemed like an impressive climatic moan, Natalia and Undine reappeared at her side. Clyde let out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding.
Time seemed to slow… The widening of the woman’s eyes gave him the hint that he needed. Her guard was down!
The scene ended in a flash. A literal flash, Undine sending both the woman and her lover away.
“Let’s go before they suddenly come back with a bullshit demand for a climatic showdown,” Clyde said and up they went, dashing to the third and final floor.
“We’ve got at least two hours or so,” Undine said. “If she somehow survives, which I doubt.”
The third floor began with a wide dojo-like room, with a glowing circle in the center. It reminded him of a pie chart, split into four sections: red, black, blue, and pink. A familiar hovering multicolored orb appeared in front of them.
“Oh boy,” Yuki said tiredly.
Clyde gave it a quick read.
Each color represents an element. Red for fire, black for dark, blue for water, and pink for radiance. Magicians capable of casting these will do so while standing on their section of the circle; however, they must each be horny. Simple requirement. No exceptions.
Clyde facepalmed.
“We’re fuc.…” he paused, remembering an item that could remedy this situation. For once, it had a use outside of causing him problems. First, he’d have to set this up carefully. “Matsume, you’ve got fire attacks right. Come on down.”
“I’m not taking the tail again,” she said.
“You don’t have to take the tail,” Clyde said.
“It’s not that bad,” Tear said, grinning devilishly.
“Nyya, you should treasure your tail more,” Neko said.
Tear shrugged.
“There’s nothing wrong with getting fun uses out of it. Especially when you get to witness some interesting expressions.”
“Oh fuck you, succubus,” Matsume said then folded her arms as she stepped to the young man’s side.
“Alice for radiance, Tear for dark, and I’ll fill in for water. Everyone stand on your color.”
Clyde proceeded to his circle part, the others following up. He stopped in front of the ring. “There’s one more thing to fulfil the requirement.”
“The horny part,” Alice said. “I won’t be able to get in the mood here. Maybe if you jump me…but I don’t want the others to see. Especially that idiot blond Seth.”
“I love you too, Alice,” Seth said sarcastically.
“You’re a real lady killer,” Toru quipped.
“The best of the best,” Seth said, laughing.
Ming sighed, but like Harumi, she was too kind to smash Seth with insults. Even if the perverted young man earned his position.
Clyde warped the hyper sex potion from his inventory. He materialized four shot glasses, giving them a drop each before returning the rest of the sex tonic back to his dimensional holding area.
“Have your elements ready and fight the urges,” Clyde said. “Keep your guards up because the final guardian is behind that fucking door.”
“What is this?” Matsume asked, sniffing the cup. “It smells like—”
“Bottoms up,” Clyde interrupted. Everyone swallowed their share at the same time. The young man could tell the effect was immediate, despite the tiny drop he gave them. Such potent stuff! His rocking boner agreed with that thought.
He was thankful that everyone still retained enough sanity to fire their elements. A chime sounded throughout the room. A few seconds later, the door ahead open.
“Clyde, fuck me,” Matsume said, anime-diving into the young man. Tear whacked her on the head.
“I have a tail locked and loaded,” the succubus said, a faint blush on her face. “Besides, if anyone’s going to fuck him, it’s me. Now, Harumi, cure us before I lose control.”
The young man did not miss the juices leaking from the women. Oh, did he want to just throw in the towel and bang them all. One jump…
Harumi’s magic washed over Clyde before he could finish that thought, taking away the poison of the potion.
“What the hell just happened?” Toru said.
“We shall never bring this up again,” Clyde said.
“I could use that potion—ow!”
Kitome elbowed Seth in the gut, interrupting him.
“We’ll make sure to watch you carefully.”
“Pfft, as if I’d waste it on you lot,” Seth said. “I’m going to the elf Nation!”
Clyde laughed.
“Goddammit Seth.”
The party proceeded into the final mini-boss room, fully healed by Harumi, and ready to take on the first rider of He Who Paints the Night.
Episode 58 (Part 9)
Clyde and the team proceeded with caution into the floor guardian’s room. The first thing that caught their eyes was the site of a man dressed in a simple gray robe, sipping coffee and watching TV. He laughed at the comedian’s joke, slapping his sides.
Clyde took notice of the final large door on the other side of the room. Of course a barrier protected it.
“Welcome guests,” the man on the couch said, “intruders that made it this far, braving my master’s security measures. You should consider joining us.” He stood. “We have two positions for floor managers of one and two.”
When the rest of Team Stone shuffled into the room, magical bars covered the door behind them.
“You’re kind of…plain and boring,” Seth said. “I thought the first rider was supposed to be a real badass.”
The man shrugged.
“My name is Kevin and I only recently took this job part time. Really, I’d rather be at home watching anime and the next Galactic Wars. Well, as soon as my now ex-girlfriend picks up the rest of her stupid Ridout gear. She broke up with me, accusing me of being an otaku. Only a day later, I caught her with mi
ster bodybuilder handsome.” He sighed.
“What’s your ex’s name?” Natalia said.
“Netoritta,” he said.
Yusuke shot the man a blank stare. Clyde’s comedic angry trembling finally made him explode.
“We’re not here to talk about your life’s problems,” he snapped. “And that’s not even why I’m angry. Why…just why would you date someone with that name?”
The women of Team Stone, except Natalia, nearly anime-fell backward.
“It’s not that often that a woman like that asks someone like me out,” Kevin said. He stood up and stretched. “I have another side you know.” He examined the party until his eyes stopped on Noona. They went starry. The dark-skinned man’s face still shown its blush, courtesy to anime logic.
Kevin teleported in front of her, dropping to his knees, hearts seeming to glow in his eyes.
“I love you! Please go out with me! Marry me!”
Noona’s foot seemed to smash into his face on its own.
“Oh I’m sorry,” she said. “Not sure what came over me.”
“Your…ex wouldn’t be the second floor guardian by any chance, right?” Airi said.
Kevin grew eerily silent. Natalia laughed, Nina joining her seconds later.
“That sucks man,” Clyde said, delivering the paper fan of justice to the lolis. Kevin seemed to appreciate the sympathy.
“She was really getting plowed,” Seth said.
Tears fell from the first floor guardian’s eyes.
“We’ve dated for five years,” he said. “I planned to propose to her.”
“Proposing to a girl that takes after a name that stings even the most hardcore otakus is a bit risky,” Yusuke said.
“An understatement,” Toru agreed.
Kitome shook her head.
“Look, you guys caught me in an off—”
“That guy that did her roughly from behind had a huge grin plastered upon his face,” Natalia said, interrupting Kevin. “I think I saw white stuff—”
Alice covered the loli’s mouth. Kevin walked over to a window. The hurt in his eyes made Clyde wonder if he was about to jump.
“You know what, fuck this,” Kevin snapped. “I can’t stand this place any longer. That fucking bitch!” Tears continued to roll from his face. Abruptly, the final barrier vanished. “I’m going home. At least my Loli Saga waifus won’t betray me.” He…disappeared.
“Anyone else feel like they got cucked?” Seth said.
“Maybe,” Yusuke said.
“I should probably end that series,” Ming said, shuddering.
“No!” Natalia whined, anime-diving into her. “Never!”
Clyde and Harumi softly facepalmed.
“Let’s just take the gift horse while it’s there,” Clyde said.
Behind the door, led to a long hall decorated with blue-flamed candles that snuffed out as the party passed them.
“Natalia stop blowing out the damned candles,” Ruri snapped.
“But it’s fun—ow! Harumi, Alice is bullying me,” Natalia said.
The final door made the party take a pause, staring up as it towered them.
“That’s like the size of a house,” Nina said.
“I can feel his presence behind it, onii-chan,” Naoko said.
“Everyone guards up, weapons at the ready,” Clyde said.
[Are you sure you want to enter beyond this point? Difficulty: unknown . Yes or no?]
Clyde selected yes. Why the fuck would he come all this way only to turn around?
The entire team worked together to push open the mega-sized doors. It creaked loudly. Any enemy inside would have to be deaf to miss it.
They walked through the dimly lit, short hall until reaching a large room that reminded Clyde of a king’s throne—the short carpeted steps going up to the chair itself—and the would-be condescending bastard staring down at his audience. Well, not all of them were like that, but most stories wanted a generic reason to birth a hero. A large statue of a horned owl stared at them lifelessly, resting on a pedestal right in front of the steps.
The area seemed empty, but that crawling sensation of black Ki shut away any doubt that the dark god lurked somewhere.
“Nyyya, we know you’re here, bastard,” Neko said. “Show yourself. You have violated Celestial law, interfering in something you know had existed for a long time. As an observer, I will take witness to your destruction. Gods that interfere, especially with what you’ve done, are sentenced to death.”
A familiar dark laugh filled the room.
“Celestial this, Celestial that. Such a worthless place that when finally destroyed will be to everyone’s mutual satisfaction. You’re simply a pawn, a puppet who oversteps in my presence, cat. I’ll make sure to reserve a special place in damnation for you. All of you who dare intrude my shrine .” Achilles chuckled. “Izanami, it is nice of you to show. Hmmph. How did any of you get past my security? There is no way you mustered the power to defeat even one of my riders, much less all of them in a single day .”
“You’re really out of touch with your subordinates,” Clyde said offhandedly. “Now, show yourself.”
[Clyde invoked Wiseman’s Calm.]
“It’s time for this old score to be settled,” he continued. “Really, we’re all just tired of you.”
“You… ”
The area flashed crimson, as it shook. The statue shattered, leaving smoke in its place. The blue-flamed candles snuffed out, relighting a second later, red. Smoke from the owl formed into a humanoid shape that stood at least seven feet tall. Maybe eight. It solidified, changing into a shirtless muscular man with large bull-like horns on his head and long white hair, glowing red eyes.
His attire consisted of white pants, strange tattoos, and menacing, impenetrable aura made entirely of black Ki.
[Achilles, He Who Paints the Night has descended…]
[You have been challenged by Achilles.]
[Life and Death, defeat Achilles!]
[stone-viper games ]
[Your party has entered a * GOD BOSS fight!]
[Your party has also entered an ** ETERNAL DEATH SENTENCE **.]
Clyde leapt at the shot of making the first move, hand aimed, casting.
[Clyde activated Destructive mystic lightning.]
[Achilles is unaffected.]
The dark god chuckled.
“Boy, I see your mother has taught you no manners.”
Just then, Clyde felt intense heat as his sight was coated with white light. He hit the wall, the blackness overcoming him seconds later.
[You had been inflicted with Soul Seal …]
[Chance of receiving a game over… ]
**
Something within Alice seemed to snap as she watched her life mate get bashed across the room with a single blast of…black Ki. Her Clyde laid there unmoving. She wanted to run to him, but Achilles moved toward the group at an unhurried pace. Despite that speed, Alice knew the dark god was capable of instantaneous movement.
She almost fell into doubt about coming here in the first place, but forced it away. This wouldn’t help Clyde nor the others.
“Everyone snap out of it,” Alice yelled. “Let’s end this.”
[Alice activated—]
Her eyes widened as Achilles was just there….holding her hand, dispelling any of her charging magic.
“You’d make a fine addition to the concubine pile. Still, intruding MY shrine and without any heads to impress me.” The dark god shook his head. “Di—”
[Seth activated Gold tier skill: Warhammer Smash.]
What smashed the dark god’s hand wasn’t a bat, but…an actual war hammer. At least one made of magic.
[Achilles’ HP has dropped…]
Achilles flinched as he let go of Alice’s hand to glance dispassionately at Seth’s snarl.
[Toru invoked Zen Mode phase 2.]
[Melody invoked Dark Goddess state.]
[Tear’s wrath has reached 100%]
“I won’t let you talk to her like that,” Seth said as he swung the hammer again.
Alice knew he was in trouble—knew she had to help him quickly!
[Alice activated Almighty tier skill: Holy Radiant Cannon.]
The blast smashed into the dark god, simply gaining his attention, but doing nothing else. All of that power…amounting to nothing. Were they so insignificant?
“You must be wondering why you feel so powerless,” Achilles said, then backhanded Alice into Tear.
[Melody activated Special tier skill: Wrath of the Rose Fairy.]
The beam of incredibly powerful magic, capable of vaporizing enemies, did nothing to the dark god.
“What’s the matter?” Achilles said. “Not feeling so confident without your leader coordinating this struggle?” He chuckled darkly, casually backhanding a charging Naoko without turning around.
[Achilles switched to Attack formation …]
< Achilles accessed Black Ki >
Yuki shielded Chika and Ming with a barrier, but the attack pushed her back. However, she wasn’t down and out for the count. The demoness quickly recovered and struck back.
[Yuki activated Special tier skill: Time and Eternity Wave.]
The violent blast of lightning and gold magic didn’t budge the enemy much.
[Achilles’ HP has dropped.]
Achilles sighed.
“Like your pathetic leader, you’re nothing more than talk. Toothless dogs barking.”
Alice grasped Hellbreaker, preparing to charge again.
“Suck on this!” Natalia said.
[Natalia activated GODDESS TIER SKILL: Her Last Wish. This is an unblockable skill.]
The Anime Trope System: Stone vs. Viper, #11 a LitRPG [Alice Edition] (ATS) Page 20