Matthew's new gun proved way more reliable than his last. Powered by his demonic mana, Boost Gunpowder was enough to damage the Shedu. Still not enough to be deadly, but powerful enough to hurt the monster.

The Shedu was now frantically chasing Matthew casting air blades against him that he dodged with ease since he was boosted both with his demonic mana and the Agility Up spell Paula cast on him. Once the monster realized that it wasn't going to hit him with the air blade spell, it charged forward closing the distance and trying to bite Matthew.

Seeing how their attacks were ineffective against the monster, Vanessa and Michael decided to save ammo waiting for an opportunity to act once Matthew could sap away the Shedu's Vital Shield. Paula, now that she wasn't being chased by the monster anymore, took her time to cast a Vitality Up spell on Matthew adding to the Strength and Agility Up spells already cast on him.

Matthew stabbed the Shedu's shoulder as he dodged a stomp from the beast. It screamed while the blood poured from the shallow wound, but soon it breathed fire making Matthew take a long side step and shoot the monster three more times emptying his clip on it.

The Shedu didn't give him time to reload forcing Matthew to drop his gun on the ground and pull his other sword. The monster took the opportunity to hit Matthew's chin with its hoof while he was distracted drawing the sword and making him bite his own tongue.

Vanessa watched Matthew trading blows with the Shedu impressed on how much he changed so fast. Training at Laufgraan was clearly improving his fighting skills at an impressive speed. He was no longer only taking the damage and masking it with Anesthesia. He was actually more focused in dodging and defending than attacking. Of course that sometimes he was bit and other times he got hit. But clearly not as much as before.

The monster and Matthew were evenly matched. Matthew had a deep bite on his forearm now and a bleeding nose. But those wounds were quickly being healed from afar by Paula. On the other side, the Shedu was covered in cuts from his sword and bleeding profusely getting weaker and weaker.

It was at a pause between Matthew and Shedu, when both stopped for a second to take some air, that Vanessa threw a knife on the monster's hind leg cutting a tendon and making it fall on its side.

Michael realized that the creature's Vital Shield was now weakened enough after Vanessa hit it and masterfully aimed his bow at the Shedu's heart. He imbued all the mana he could on the arrow to the limit of what its carbon shaft and steel head could take without breaking and masterfully shot it straight though the Shedu's ribs piercing its heart with uncanny accuracy.

The monster gave out a pitiful groan as it trembled on the floor before dying which made Matthew laugh. With childish skips and chuckling, he slowly approached the Shedu's body shifting his grip on his sword to stab it.

Vanessa quickly noticed Matthew's wicked smile and his intention of doing something sinister to the Shedu's body which prompted her to order in a stern voice:

"Matthew! Purification. Now."

Matthew looked at her with anger in his eyes. How dared her order him? Who was she to order him like that? She was just his friend. His friend who took him to the hospital when he wanted to hide his wounds from his family even though she barely knew him. The friend who fought beside him in various life and death situations. The friend who was helping him not go to jail asking nothing in return…

He took a deep breath and purified himself to the point of hurting. The pain a reminder he would never get rid of the demonic mana inside of him.

Vanessa approached him after seeing the gold glow of the Purification skill vanish the traces of demonic mana from him.

"You should stop relying on that." Vanessa said giving him his gun back that she picked from the floor before.

"I should." Matthew said sheathing his swords and holstering his gun. "It's getting harder to keep control." He agreed.

"Was it worth it?" Vanessa asked looking at her status window. "I didn't level up like before."

"Me neither." Matthew said looking at his. "But I did feel a surge in mana."

Then they heard Michael celebrating behind them. He was poking Paula saying how he leveled up and asking her which class he should pick.

"At least one of us got enough to level up." Matthew said straightening his back.

"Then it was worth it. Since you're the only one who got hurt." Vanessa smiled mischievously.

"Fuck you." Matthew laughed.

"Look at it like this: this time you don't need to go to the hospital. That's a huge improvement." She said tapping him on the back with a small laugh. "I'm proud of you kid."

"Thanks. I'm learning."

While Michael was thinking about which class to pick, a very expensive car stopped by the dungeon complex entrance and from inside the car, from the back passenger side, emerged Claudio Antares, the director of research of the Tower of Ryvylin, the guild that managed that dungeon.

Claudio walked in and looked at Vanessa and Matthew standing around the Shedu's body. He smiled at them and walked with fast steps towards the two.

"Are the two of you making a Shedu delivery service?" He asked sarcastically.

"This one wasn't found by us." Vanessa said staring him down with contempt. "It was those guys. We were just outside when it came out." She said pointing at the party that attracted the Shedu outside.

"I see. But you killed it again. I guess I'll have to open our bank account for you again." Claudio chuckled.

"Same price." Vanessa was succinct.

"I already have one of these. No. I can live without another. Half." He negotiated.

"Fine. I'll send you the contract." Vanessa sighed and started to type on her phone a contract.

While she was doing it, Claudio moved his glasses on his face looking at Matthew.

"You're getting really interesting, kid." He said clearly reading Matthew's stats.

Matthew took a step back feeling his privacy violated.

"You don't need to be shy." Claudio said smiling. "I'm sure you have a lot to benefit by cooperating with our research." He added pulling a card and giving it to Matthew. "If you're curious or in need of making some cash, call me."

Matthew hesitated, but took his card much to the silent disapproval from Vanessa. That man was a creep in her eyes and was only going to lead Matthew into trouble. But she kept that from Matthew for now. She wouldn't say it out loud with Claudio right there.

"Say, kid." Claudio continued. "Do you think these real Shedu appearing in the Labyrinth is caused by something? Why do you think they appeared twice in the two times you entered the Labyrinth?"

Matthew kept silence, but if he was the catalyst for the Shedu to appear, most likely it would be either because of his Gacha Leveling unique skill or because of his demon soul.

"I can't think of anything." Matthew finally said.

Claudio only scratched his chin noticing that Matthew thought of something and wasn't telling. Then he opened a smile getting even more curious about him.

"I see." He said picking up his phone that ringed in his pocket after Vanessa sent him the contract.

Claudio read everything quickly, then gestured to the dungeon staff to collect the body.

"Thank you for doing business with us." He said professionally and turning around to talk with the other adventurer party that was sitting by the coffee shop.

"Don't trust that man, kid." Vanessa said after Claudio got away enough to not hear her.

"I know." Matthew said. "He gives me shivers."

"Glad you know." Vanessa said looking back to Paula and Michael who were now approaching them.

"I'm officially an Archer now." Michael said when he came close about picking the Archer class.

"That's great man." Matthew congratulated him. "Which skill did you pick?"

"Charge." Michael said. A skill that infused mana into objects and made them blow up, very useful for increasing the firepower of arrows.

"How much did they pay us for the ugly face?" Paula asked looking at the staff having trouble to move the Shedu's body.

"This much." Vanessa showed the value with her fingers. "Divided by the four of us."

"Then I guess tomorrow we won't be coming to the dungeon after all?" Matthew asked looking at the others.

"We could." Vanessa said looking at her phone agenda. "I'm not doing anything tomorrow."

"I'm in." Michael said excited. "I want to test my new skill."

"Then I guess I have no choice." Paula said feigning being displeased by the idea.

"Great." Matthew said. "Hope that tomorrow we can do a normal raid."

"With your luck, kid? We might just find the dungeon boss and have to fight for our lives again." Vanessa laughed.

Matthew laughed too, not as hard as the others. Part of him got worried with the prospect of being the catalyst to all the bad stuff around him.

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