Chapter 87 — The Bestowal
For a long moment, Peterson stood perfectly still.
The others thought he was simply catching his breath after the brutal battle, but his consciousness had already drifted somewhere else. The familiar golden interface unfolded before his eyes, filling his vision with translucent windows that only he could see.
He let out a quiet breath. "System… give me my full status."
The interface shimmer.
Peterson Joseph
Title: The Fearless Devil
Level: 26
EXP: 450 / 26,000
Resources
HP: 2200
Stamina: 1150
Magic: 1200
Combat Stats
Strength: 55
Defense: 42
Agility: 45
Intelligence: 34
Magic Power: 50
Personal Attributes
Dexterity: 5 / 10
Endurance: 5 / 10
Charisma: 5 / 10
Luck: 10 / 10
Classes
Midnight
Blazing Sun
Meters
Midnight: 50%
Blazing Sun: 0%
Summons
Clone
Skeleton Warrior
Skeleton Archer
Skeleton Mage
Ant Soldiers
Spider Soldiers
Hive Commander
Level: 1 / 10
Current Effect: Summon 10 E-Rank Ant Soldiers
Peterson stared quietly at the screen. His mind drifted back to the day Afre ripped the medallion away from him. Level zero. Powerless. Forced to start over. Now, standing deep beneath the earth, he had climbed back to this point.
A small smile tugged at his lips. "…I'm getting stronger."
The interface shifted, flashing a new notification.
[Bestower Available]
Current Available Party Slots: 4
Peterson blinked. "…Right." His smile widened as he thought of Wilkens and Jean-Daniel. They had fought through this entire dungeon relying almost entirely on beast equipment, their original Veve powers stripped away.
Maybe that could change today.
The screen vanished, and reality rushed back. Instantly, Peterson realized everyone was staring at him. Jean-Daniel, Wilkens, Naëlle, and even Kemi were all watching him with expectant smiles.
Jean-Daniel suddenly burst into laughter. "So… how do we play this boss?"
Peterson blinked in confusion. "…Play what?"
The smiles vanished. Four pairs of eyes locked onto him, and the silence turned thoroughly awkward. Peterson blinked again, the gears finally turning. "…Oh. The next boss." He scratched the back of his head nervously, letting out a sheepish laugh. "Hehehe…"
Wilkens folded his arms, giving him a dry look. "For a second there, I thought your brain stayed back in the last room."
"It almost did," Naëlle said, covering her mouth to hide a laugh. Even Kemi chuckled quietly.
Peterson rubbed his forehead to shake off the embarrassment. "Alright, alright. I've got something I need to do first." He turned toward the two boys. "Wilkens, Jean-Daniel. Come here for a second."
The two exchanged confused looks but walked over anyway.
Peterson looked back at the girls. "Can you two keep watch for a minute?"
"Sure," Naëlle nodded without hesitation. Kemi looked curious but didn't ask questions. They both turned toward the cave entrance and stood guard.
Peterson waited until Jean-Daniel and Wilkens were standing directly in front of him. Then he stopped, his eyes narrowing as he looked them up and down. "…Wait."
Jean-Daniel frowned. "What?"
"Did you guys get shorter?"
Wilkens looked completely baffled. "What are you talking about?"
Peterson tilted his head, genuinely perplexed. "I swear you two were taller."
Jean-Daniel stared at Peterson for a moment, then his eyes widened. "…Nah. You got taller."
The three stood there silently for several seconds. Wilkens slowly nodded. "…He's right. You actually grew."
Peterson scratched his head. "…Really? Well… that's new."
Jean-Daniel laughed loudly, clapping him on the shoulder. "Looks like leveling up stretched you!"
Peterson rolled his eyes. "Shut up."
The three laughed together, and for a brief moment, the fear and tension from the battle completely evaporated. Then, Peterson's expression grew serious again. He placed one hand on Jean-Daniel's shoulder and the other on Wilkens'.
He slowly closed his eyes and took a deep, dramatic breath. "I… BESTOW… YOU TWO… THE VEVE POWER!"
He spoke with so much unnecessary, theatrical solemnity that Naëlle whipped around to see what was happening. The girls just stared.
Silence hung in the air for a beat. Then, Kemi burst into laughter. Naëlle immediately followed, and soon Jean-Daniel and Wilkens were cracking up too.
Peterson slowly opened one eye, deflating. "…Why is everybody laughing?"
Jean-Daniel wiped tears from his eyes. "Man, you sounded like some ancient god delivering a prophecy!"
Peterson coughed awkwardly, his face burning a little. "…I was trying to make it look cool."
"It didn't," Wilkens said bluntly. "Not even a little."
Before Peterson could defend himself, two translucent blue windows materialized in front of Jean-Daniel and Wilkens. Neither of them noticed Peterson staring at them, because they could see the screens too.
[Welcome New Party Members]
* Jean-Daniel
* Wilkens
Peterson's own interface popped up with a prompt.
[Two Party Members Added]
Restore Previous Powers?
All skills will return at Level 1.
[YES] / [NO]
Peterson hadn't even asked the question out loud before both boys shouted in unison, "YES!"
Peterson laughed. "I wasn't even asking you guys yet!"
The system responded instantly. A soft chime echoed in their minds as a warm, vibrant energy wrapped around both boys, sinking deep beneath their skin. Jean-Daniel gasped, and Wilkens' shadow stretched unnaturally across the ground. Their eyes widened.
Their powers were back.
Jean-Daniel
Level: 1
HP: 500 / 500
Stamina: 200 / 200
Magic: 1000 / 1000
Defense: 300
Power: Elemental Adaptation Lv.1
Skills: None
Wilkens
Level: 1
HP: 300 / 300
Stamina: 5000 / 5000
Magic: 10000 / 10000
Defense: 30
Power: Shadow
Skill: Imagination
Both boys stared at their floating windows in awe. Wilkens glanced over at Jean-Daniel's screen. "…Looks like I'm the weakest here."
Jean-Daniel was staring intently at his own status, his brow furrowed. "…Hold on. My stamina is lower than yours." He looked genuinely offended. "…Are you calling me fat?"
Wilkens blinked, utterly derailed. "What?"
"My HP is higher, my defense is higher, but my stamina…" Jean-Daniel looked down at himself, horrified. "…So I'm the slow one now?"
Wilkens sighed, rubbing his temples. "That is absolutely not what stamina means."
"Sure sounds like it."
Naëlle and Kemi walked back over just in time to catch the end of the argument. Kemi looked between the two of them, amused. "…What are you two bickering about now?"
Jean-Daniel pointed an accusing finger at Wilkens. "He called me fat."
"I absolutely did not."
Peterson couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. Wilkens joined in, then Naëlle, and even Kemi couldn't help but laugh along. For the first time since they had stepped foot into the dungeon, the cave echoed with genuine laughter instead of terrifying screams.
Eventually, Peterson wiped a tear from his eye. "…Alright, I've made my decision."
The girls looked at him, and Naëlle folded her arms. "So?"
Peterson nodded, his tone turning businesslike. "It'll be me and the boys for the next stretch. You girls head back toward the entrance. Kemi, guide Naëlle. My summons already cleared a safe path, so nothing should bother you on the way up."
Kemi nodded instinctively, but then she froze. "…Wait. Outside?"
Wilkens suddenly raised a finger. "…Actually, don't go all the way outside. There's still a crazy monster waiting up there."
Kemi's expression slowly darkened as reality crashed back in. She had almost forgotten about the terrifying creature that had chased Peterson and Naëlle into the dungeon in the first place.
An oppressive silence settled over the group once more.
Peterson spun his Veve Staff with a practiced flick of his wrist before resting it over his shoulder. He flashed them a confident smile. "Alright… Voodoo Clan… scatter."
Darkness pooled beneath Wilkens' feet as he sank effortlessly into his own shadow. Jean-Daniel surged forward, mud gathering around his boots as he charged deeper into the tunnels. Peterson vanished next, leaving only a blur in his wake.
The three friends disappeared into the darkness below. Naëlle and Kemi remained at the crossroads, silently watching the abyss where they had gone, descending toward the final, unknown terror hidden deep within the dungeon.
The battle for the cave was not over yet.
End of Chapter 87