Ten days passed since Megadeth changed Kurena's Talent to Dragoon.
Kurena had spent those days fighting Iron Golems to raise her Level, which had been reset to 1.
[Name] Kurena
[Age] 16
[Talent] Dragoon
[Blessings] Arbiter God (Medium)
[Level] 89
[Strength] 5947 + 600 (True Dragon Claw) + 12000 (True Heroism)
[Mana] 2940 + 600 + 12000
[Attack] 6387 + 1200 + 12000
[Endurance] 5064 + 600 + 1200
[Agility] 5187 + 1200 + 12000
[Intelligence] 3017 + 600 + 6000
[Luck] 3853 + 600 + 12000
[Skills] Dragoon (3), True Dragon Riding (3), True Dragon Sword (3), True Dragon Claw (1), True Killing Slash (6), True Phoenix Blast (6), True Healing Sword (6), True Supreme Sword (6), True Heroism (2), Limit Break (4), Energy Dash (Limited) (3), Swordsmanship (7)
[Experience] 30'000'000'000 / 500'000'000'000
-Skill Levels
[Dragoon] 3
[True Dragon Riding] 3
[True Dragon Sword] 3
[True Killing Slash] 6
[True Phoenix Blast] 6
[True Healing Sword] 6
[True Supreme Sword] 6
[Limit Break] 4
[Energy Dash (Limited)] 3
-Skill Experience
[True Dragon Riding] 2000 / 10000
[True Dragon Sword] 8000 / 10000
[True Killing Slash] 800'000 / 10'000'000
[True Phoenix Blast] 1200'000 / 10'000'000
[True Healing Sword] 3000'000 / 10'000'000
[True Supreme Sword] 3500'000 / 10'000'000
[Limit Break] 3000'000 / 10'000'000
[Energy Dash (Limited)] 200'000 / 1000'000
Megadeth claimed the Gatekeeper was not particularly strong, but it was hard to trust him, so Kurena had gotten quite strong. Allen knew Megadeth was planning something.
Ideally he wanted to max out Kurena's Level first, but that would take half a year.
His goal was still to reach the Divine Realm and make his party stronger.
While they did that, the Demon King's Army could attack at any moment, so he believed 10 days was the ideal time for Kurena to train.
He also had to think of the Talent Points needed for the new Talent Change Dungeon.
Going through there required an adventurer to have maxed their Level, which took a long time.
The Demon King's Army was a constant threat too.
That was why Allen had not wanted Kurena to become a Dragoon at first.
Kurena had inherited her Sword Emperor Skills when she became a Dragoon.
Thanks to that, she had quite an assortment of Skills now, but Sword Emperor was gone from her Skill List, so she could no longer Level Up that Talent.
Only the Skills she had when the Talent Change happened remained.
Some Skills also relied on her Talent Level, so True Heroism was stuck at Level 2.
Her new Talent's Skills revolved around riding a dragon. They worked best while riding a dragon, and included middle range attacks so she did not have to jump off her dragon.
[Skills added from the Dragoon Talent]
-Dragoon (3): Her Talent Level
-True Dragon Riding (3): A 15% boost to Agility for the dragon and rider
-True Dragon Sword (3): Slashing attack with medium range
-True Dragon Claw (1): Raised stats, obtained at Talent Level 3
Allen's group returned to the Gate of Claw, and Megadeth was waiting for them there.
'Hey, it's been a while.'
'Ghagh?! Th-that can't be!! What a powerful attack!!'
That was Kurena's strongest attack, enough to fling away Elgia's large body.
Elgia did not stand up again.
Poof
Kurena and Haku watched carefully, but then the barrier stopping the rest vanished.
'I had a hunch that an Unbound Dragoon would be strong enough.'
They had won, which allowed the Helpers to enter that arena as well.
They all rushed up to Kurena's side.
"Did Elgia die?"
'Hm? Nah, Elgia will get back up in a bit.'
She was worried about Elgia, who had tried to be considerate of Haku.
"Does this mean we can move to the next level then?"
'Yes, that's correct. Head to the first gate you found now, that's the Gate of Fang.'
They would have to go to the ruins they had found when they first arrived to the village.
'Hrnghh, I guess I lost. That's a good Rider.'
Elgia slowly stood up, fully aware that Kurena and Haku had won.
(Hmm what's going to happen now? It doesn't seem like Elgia forgot the fight like Gordino does.)
It even seemed like Elgia remembered Kurena's attack.
Usually bosses from dungeons would forget every fight, but maybe Kurena's attack had not been lethal.
While Allen thought of that, Elgia turned to look at Luck's head with puzzled eyes.
'You're Fabre. Are you back to challenge-'
Elgia seemed to know Fabre from long ago.
'Elgia, shut up.'
'Huh?! Ah, I'm really sorry!!'
Megadeth silenced Elgia.
"Hm? Fabre challenged this trial before then?"
Allen wondered when that had happened. Everyone turned to look at Fabre.
'I guess the cat's out of the bag. Fabre is actually helping me out.'
Megadeth said in frustration.
"Helping? What is she doing?"
'That I can't say. Managing the gates is a lot of work, and she's under a pact, so I doubt she can say anything.'
Fabre was also involved with the trials, but they could not reveal in what way.
"Is that true Fabre?"
Luck picked her up from his head, holding her in front of him to ask.
'Yes, Luck. But I can't talk about it. You'll have to decide if you want to continue challenging the gates on your own. From here on...'
Fabre almost let something slip, so she shook her head and went silent.
'Even if you're the dark elf prince she can't tell you. She's under an oath to the God of Space and Time Desperado.'
Megadeth warned Fabre to not give Luck special treatment.
"An oath with the God of Space and Time?"
'Yes, Fabre is here under special conditions. She has to be quiet or the trials won't be fair.'
Fabre had to follow her oath with Desperado no matter what.
"Keeping the trials fair?"
'Yes, that's very important.'
Megadeth did not want to answer more questions relating to that matter.
(Hmm, so that's why Fabre has been so quiet this entire time.)
Allen had already noticed Fabre had been acting strange, and it seemed she had challenged the trial before. Megadeth had mentioned the last time a challenger came was 3000 years ago, and Fabre had existed for 8000 years, so she had likely been there.
'...I'm really sorry for that. Here's the proof you've passed the Gate of Claw. Take it.'
After apologizing for being careless with his words, Elgia gave them the symbol of their victory.
A magic circle began glowing on the ground and a dragon's claw the size of a fist appeared there. After that Elgia went to his usual duties.
"So this is the proof of claw!"
Kurena firmly grasped it.
'Anyway, moving along, Kurena and Haku will also get a new power. That's the agreement of the trial.'
"Oh?"
'Au?'
As Megadeth said that, Kurena and Haku's bodies began to glow.