"Normal mages have approximately 37 major mana channels," Luna explained, her academic voice barely masking genuine bewilderment.

"You have over 200… I don't even know how you're alive at this point, but… they're arranged in configurations that optimize elemental conversion efficiency beyond anything I've encountered in 8 centuries of magical research."

She gestured at specific points where pathways intersected.

"These nodes here? They act like natural spell amplifiers. Your body is literally built to enhance magical output without conscious effort."

Another gesture highlighted circulation patterns.

"And your mana regeneration rate is approximately five times faster than baseline human metrics, with 0% degradation during sustained casting."

Luna looked at him directly, ember eyes reflecting data that defied explanation.

"You're not just talented. Your entire physiological structure is optimized for magic in ways that shouldn't occur naturally."

She paused, choosing words carefully.

"It's as if someone designed you specifically for this."

Nero absorbed the information with surprising calm, his analytical mind already incorporating the revelation into existing frameworks.

It made sense, honestly.

The system.

His summoning ability.

The way everything about this merged reality felt simultaneously alien and familiar.

"Guess I'm just built differently," he offered with a grin that suggested he wasn't taking it as seriously as Luna thought he should.

Her eyes twitched once more.

"That is not a scientifically acceptable explanation."

"Works for me though." The annoying man in front of her casually shrugged as if saying: "it is what it is."

"..."

… Can this guy stop showing off?!

***

The 5th floor opened into a massive chamber that smelled like burnt meat and regret.

*ROOOOOOAR!*

The boss emerged from corrupted flames that made the air shimmer with distorted heat.

Drake-serpent hybrid.

20 meters of scales and hatred, body covered in fire that could melt reinforced steel like butter.

Energy signature approaching SR-tier, though something about its evolution looked forced.

Unnatural.

Like someone had shoved it through a growth process its body couldn't properly handle.

Nero studied it with the detached interest of someone solving a particularly interesting puzzle.

No panic.

No reaching for Dawnbreaker.

Just analytical assessment that made Luna's academic instincts flare with recognition.

He was thinking like a mage now.

"Mana Refraction Cascade combined with Elemental Polarization."

The spell name rolled off his tongue like he'd been casting it for years rather than constructing it on the fly from theoretical frameworks Luna had mentioned in passing.

His hands moved through complex geometric patterns that crystallized mana into three-dimensional arrays.

*Whoooosh...*

Structures formed in mid-air that looked like someone had weaponized a kaleidoscope.

Prisms. Mirrors. Refraction points arranged in mathematical configurations that turned space itself into an optical weapon.

The drake opened its mouth.

*ROOOOOAR!*

Corrupted flames erupted with SR-tier intensity, a column of fire that should reduce everything in its path to ash and regret.

The attack hit Nero's construct.

*CRACK! SPLIT!*

And immediately fractured into seventeen separate beams, each one redirected back at the creature from impossible angles while transmuting mid-flight into opposing elemental states.

Fire became ice. Heat became void. Corruption became purification.

Each beam exploited specific weaknesses in the drake's forced evolution, targeting structural flaws that only appeared under the kind of analytical scrutiny Nero's Omni-Mimesis ability provided.

*BOOM! CRACK! SIZZLE!*

The boss monster didn't even get to roar a second time.

Its own attack, amplified and refined through magical engineering that shouldn't exist outside theoretical textbooks, reduced it to dissipating energy and scattered loot.

Clean. Efficient. Absolutely terrifying in its precision.

*Ding!*

[Congratulations! You have cleared the A-rank dungeon: Crimson Depths!]

[Rewards: +3 Premium Waifu Tickets!]

Nero lowered his hands, finally showing slight signs of exertion but nothing approaching actual exhaustion.

"That worked better than expected."

His tickets are racking up too.

***

Luna stood in the cleared dungeon's treasure room, watching Nero casually collect monster cores while discussing his spell construction methodology with genuine enthusiasm.

Like he enjoyed this.

The theoretical aspects.

The mathematical precision.

The creative problem-solving that transformed combat into applied physics demonstrations.

"That Thermal Gradient technique wasn't in any of my lectures."

The admission came harder than Luna wanted, pride warring with academic fascination and losing badly.

She crossed her arms, silver hair catching the dungeon's fading light as she tried to maintain composure despite obvious excitement.

"You extrapolated from my explanation of atmospheric pressure dynamics and applied it to combat in ways that should have required months of experimentation."

Her fingers twitched with the urge to drag him back to her laboratory immediately for detailed analysis.

"Not that it was particularly impressive or anything."

She looked away, cheeks coloring slightly.

"Just... adequate progress for someone with your abnormal learning capabilities."

Aurelia's small nod suggested she could read exactly how impressed Luna actually was beneath the tsundere deflection.

The First Star Valkyrie approached, white wings folding with practiced grace as she placed a gentle hand on Nero's shoulder.

"You fought well, Lord Nero. Your growth continues to exceed even a genius' projections as expected."

Pride colored her formal tone, genuine satisfaction evident in the way her stoic expression softened.

Nero grinned, pocketing the last monster core before stretching arms that showed only minor fatigue despite clearing an entire A-rank dungeon using pure spellcasting.

"Thanks. Both of you."

He looked between Luna and Aurelia, appreciative, genuine and unguarded.

"Couldn't have done it without the training. Or the company."

Luna's blush deepened despite obvious attempts at maintaining scholarly detachment.

"S-shut up! Don't get sentimental! We're conducting research, not... not..."

She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence without admitting things her pride refused to acknowledge.

Nero's quiet chuckle suggested he found it really cute.

***

Legendor's adventurer district buzzed with typical evening energy.

Warriors comparing scars.

Mages arguing about spell optimization.

The usual chaos that happened when people who solved problems with violence gathered in confined spaces.

Nero stood before the hunting quest tavern's bulletin board with Luna and Aurelia flanking him, ready to take on official commissions now that they'd proven their combat capability.

His system inventory currently held:

- 51 Premium Waifu Tickets

- 33 Premium Relic Tickets

The tavern keeper, a gruff dwarf whose beard had seen more bar fights than most people saw breakfasts, looked up from his ledger as they approached the quest counter.

"Aye, I can tell ye lot are strong ones just by lookin'."

His one good eye assessed them with the kind of professional evaluation that came from decades of sizing up potential corpses.

"But I'll need to see yer guild registrations before I can hand out any official commissions."

The words hung in the air for 3 heartbeats.

Then 4.

Nero finally realized the major blunder that was stuck to his tongue since before all of this dungeon grinding happened…

'Ah. A guild registry…'

… He'd been clearing dungeons, collecting bounties, and generally operating as adventurers for days without actually registering with the guild system.

What a simple and yet major blunder, indeed.

It looks like someone was too excited to go to a dungeon that he forgot the basics of the basics of fantasy logic…

And in the end, Nero could only say,

"We... forgot."

Nero's admission came with a sheepish grin that suggested he found this hilarious rather than embarrassing.

"..."

"..."

Luna's eye twitched.

Aurelia's expression remained perfectly composed, though subtle tension in her wings suggested she was internally mortified.

The two were fantasy beings, but of course, they weren't and never in their lives experienced being an official adventurer.

"..."

The tavern keeper stared.

Then burst out laughing, his massive beard shaking like an earthquake had localized itself to his face.

"BWAHAHAHA! Forgot! That's rich!"

He slapped the counter hard enough to make cups jump.

"Ye've been operating on raw intimidation and that lass's gravity magic this whole time!"

He gestured at Luna looking completely unsurprised by this development.

"The most ridiculous thing I've heard all week! And considerin' yer power levels make bureaucratic registration look insultingly unnecessary!"

The dwarf wiped tears from his eyes, still chuckling.

"The registration office is 3 doors down. Tell 'em Grimbeard sent ye. They'll process it quickly once they sense what yer carryin'."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

Nero nodded, already heading for the door while Luna muttered something about "organizational incompetence" and Aurelia maintained dignified silence that absolutely wasn't embarrassment.

Somewhere in the tavern, an adventurer whispered to his companion:

"... Those 3 just cleared Crimson Depths without guild backing?"

"Apparently. And they forgot to register."

"..."

"Yeah."

"That's either the most impressive or most idiotic thing I've ever heard."

"Probably both."

***

Meanwhile,

"Yes, I've found them, sire… and as you commanded, I've told the surrounding guards to let them inside the dungeon as requested."

A man hiding in the shadows reported back.

"Good, keep track of them."

A dignified male voice… King Arthur replied as he closed his eyes.

'It looks like we're dealing with significant beings here.'

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