“I know, I know, that was an unfair trick,” the Toyreveler said with a silky smooth voice that made Kleo want to shiver.

She would shiver if she had much of a body to shiver with.

The Toyreveler laughed. “But it’s within my means! It’s not my fault I can redirect the power of the dungeon core and force limit breaks on myself. Don’t blame me! If I weren’t allowed to cheat, then the System would’ve stopped me dead cold. But they didn’t. And all they’ll do is give me another slap on the wrist.”

Kleo almost wanted to screech in mocking laughter. She’d never met the dungeon master before, but there was no doubt in her mind that it was a proper bastard—a tricky one for sure.

From her spot on one of the towers Jay and Mike had left her stranded on, Kleo viewed the battle, and everything looked grim.

While Jay escaped the magical eruption of the Dungeon Master’s first body, Frank was either dead or close to it. He was laid out some distance away and missing an arm. Mike was in the air, gliding toward Frank with that new cloak from the puzzle bird, exposing himself to save one of their party members. To save the one that could take them out of here if he’d chosen good reason instead of falling into Jay’s silliness, into Jay’s madness, into Jay’s unreasonable goofball nature that made him so strangely endearing.

It would be easy to blame her first chosen master if Frank died. But consequently, the boys were fighting for her, risking life and limb literally. And all Kleo could do was stand above in a tower, wondering if it was wiser to let the boys be her rescuers or do the impossible and rescue herself somehow.

But the fear Kleo felt stuck her to the balcony. She feared her inevitable torment and demise once the Toyreveler was free to do what he’d like with her. She feared that she’d chosen wrong and was degrading herself for no good reason. She feared that her new human friends would die because of her.

The [Freak] landed on one side of the Toyreveler, unharmed but noticeably drained from constant Skill use. Leaping into the scene, the big galoot with the shining blue eyes and heroic energy raised his sword.

Jay and Dennis made for an unlikely combination, but they nonetheless had the Toyreveler pinned between them. But it didn’t raise much confidence in Kleo since the Toyreveler was stronger with his second form.

Kleo knew this because the core was feeding the info to her. But that was all it could do. Give some context. The Toyreveler had kept it barred from doing much else for a long time.

The Toyreveler cheered knowingly. “Boys, boys, can we not get along? All you need to understand is that my stuff is mine, mine, mine. Learn to keep your dirty, grubby, monkey hands off of my toys. Do that, and just maybe, I’ll rip you open and fill you with the good stuffing! Wouldn’t that be a joy for my new toys?”

His sweet voice could serenade a crowd. His form was splendid, too.

A twenty-foot-tall jester with a white face bearing a smile painted red, an oval-shaped body, and four long humanoid limbs. His jester’s outfit was checkered with garish green and yellow patterns from the tip of his curled-up shoes to the floppy cap on his head holding three bells that never ring. His appearance promised joy, fun, and wondrous adventure. His appearance made a mockery of all the hurt and devastation he’d caused.

Kleo felt the need to cry, but she’d degraded too much for that now.

“Frank,” Jay called over. “Get up, Spook. All four of us need to do our part.”

“Frankie boy, are you really going to keep this charade going?” the Toyreveler asked. “You’re the head honcho, right? You can leave this all behind and get back to your dimension peachy fine. There’s no more to do here. I’ve already lost.” The Toyreveler waved his arms. “Go home, go away, and find yourself a hunny while knowing you’ve saved the day!”

Frank sat up slowly like he’d just woken up from the dead, having been rescued by Mike’s application of a Good Health Crystal.

Frank paid his missing arm some attention. Too many emotions flickered through his face before he settled on a face stuck between annoyance and professionalism. He stood with his greatsword in his remaining hand. He looked at the chipped, blood-coated, slightly warped sword.

“Since I was nine, I’ve fought to win because I was afraid I’d lose everything,” Frank said. “For this moment, at least, I’ll fight to see you lose everything..”

“You’re ridiculous,” cried the dungeon master.

“I’m petty.” Frank leveled the greatsword on the Toyreveler like a darkened commander pointing the way to victory for his troops. “DUNGEON CRAWLERS!”

“KILL AND LOOT!” roared the others.

Mike cast [Mana Hype] on Jay, who was bolting straight at the Toyreveler’s side. The dungeon master bounded away from Jay and flew like a ragdoll at Frank and Mike.

With its deadly toy hammer still in hand, it brought the weapon around with all its weight and momentum.

Frank and Mike didn’t run away.

Instead, Mike cast Solid Stars with [Mana Manipulation] in front of Frank, creating a ramp with a sharp incline. The stalwart leader [Calvary Charged] up the ramp and flung himself at the surprised dungeon master.

Frank slipped past the hammer swing and slashed the boss’s face with a [Surging Strike] while they flew by each other.

“Darn you!” cried the boss, slamming his hammer down toward Mike since he’d remained on the ground.

Mike was touching the amulet hanging from his neck when he activated an incredible power he’d kept secret even from Kleo. An explosive magical blast knocked the hammer back and fouled the dungeon master’s landing.

The Toyreveler fell head over heels in a graceless tumble past Mike. The [Mage] merely turned around and started casting once more.

“[Manapusher], [Mana Manipulation], Star Shot, [Duplicate Spell].”

Holy smokes!

Kleo hadn’t realized Mike had reached Level 9. The fighting he’d done to help the big lug against the backup boss minions must’ve accelerated his XP gain, especially in a climactic showdown like this.

Kleo couldn’t believe her eyes as not one, but two crackling, air-popping, streamlined beams of condensed starry magic punched through the air. The powerful Skill-enhanced spell drilled into the dungeon master’s shoulders. The soft material used by the boss for its second form burst into flames. The attack pained it so much that it lost his silky voice and screeched like a maddened animal.

Its button eyes flashed with blue magical power. Around it, severed toy arms raised from the floor sparked with dangerous magic and flew at Mike.

“Solid Stars,” Mike cast, building a plain defensive position before getting bombarded by mini magical explosions. The [Mage] was sprawled on the floor when the dust settled. He barely survived due to his investment in Poise.

He was out of the fight, which scared Cleo deeply because why would Mike exhaust so much power and leave himself defenseless? And why hadn’t the other boys stepped in and–

Dennis plummeted from the air right above the Toyreveler. Moments from impact, a beautiful golden blaze erupted around the chivalrous galoot.

To look at that stellar aura made Kleo want to tremble in awe and fear from how mighty it felt even from a distance. The aura was enough of an impression to warn the Toyreveler, the boss stepping aside to keep its head.

But it was not a clean dodge as Dennis used [Meteor Drop] combined with his new aura to hack down along the dungeon master’s side. The explosive slam at the end staggered the boss, but it didn’t turn him away completely.

Its eyes glinted with magic again, raising another salvo of severed arms to bombard Dennis, whose attack left him exhausted and open to retribution.

Jay and Frank came flying from behind grafted toy towers. They ambushed the dungeon master before he could decimate Dennis, slamming boldly into its body with their combined might. It didn’t seem like they would do much until Jay’s purplish gravity magic flickered out and trapped the Toyreveler.

Kleo watched with horror and amazement as Jay carried himself, Frank, and the Toyreveler into a horizontal fall. One that would lead them straight to her tower.

The collision was immense!

It nearly shook her off, and she couldn’t help but shriek. Her instincts as a weakling monster told her she was way over her head. This fight was beyond her. She was witnessing Rank 1 dungeon crawlers fight beyond the power and strategies of normal Rank 1 crawlers, giving the Rank 2 boss a battle like no other.

And there was still more!

Jay had to drop away since he was at his limit in this fight.

He also needed to give Frank space.

The one-armed [Fighter] was hilt deep into the Toyreveler’s chest, staring the boss in the eyes as they hit the ground together. Somehow, out of sheer grit perhaps, Frank kept hold of the real estate he’d planted on the dungeon master’s body.

The cruelest, meanest, nastiest smile a human could ever make crossed Frank’s face as he spoke out the most dangerous Skill the party had at their disposal. Like a hateful man whispering sweet evil to their most despicable nemesis.

“[Weapon Conflagration].”

The heat was incredibly intense. Kleo was a good distance above them, but Frank’s Skill burned so hot it made her worry that the little body she had left would melt from the rushing hot air.

The dungeon master’s painful scream was the loudest and most animalistic she’d ever heard. Frank’s wrathful, borderline psychotic war cry in the face of the dungeon master’s horrid pain was equally loud and animalistic. It was like a duet screaming the song of a victim and their attacker as one abused the other until they reached a crescendo that had both spent.

Consequently, Frank didn’t have enough juice in him to turn the Rank 2 boss into complete ash. He did more damage than the entire party combined but couldn’t seal the deal as his passionate flames of hate died away.

The dungeon master swatted the [Fighter] away with a backhand.

It slowly stood to its feet and panned a look over the exhausted crawlers.

“Level 20,” the Toyreveler said. “I’ve pushed the boundaries set by the System so hard I’m more than double your level. I’ve met very few Rank 1 newbies who could compete with that. But they are a drop in the ocean compared to the vast majority who would’ve run away.”

“We’re not the majority,” Jay said with a big grin. “We’re [YoAnna’s Champions of Challenge and Change].”

“Leave now because if you don’t, my Rank 3 form will end you,” the Toyreveler warned.

“No fucking way!” Dennis shouted.

Frank’s grip on his greatsword shook.

Mike, now healed after using a Health Crystal, glanced from the Toyreveler to Jay. “What’s your take on this?”

“He doesn’t want to use it,” Jay said. “That’s his biggest trump card, and if it doesn’t work. Our win. If it does, it’ll bring a bigger hammer from the System Admins.”

The Toyreveler chuckled. “But what does it matter? I’ll still get to live. I’ll still get to play with my toys. And the Admins won’t do much more than making things a little harder around here, but I’ll tough it out.”

“You? Tough it out?”

A raw, scratchy, and angry voice of a girl bellowed out. It took Kleo a second to realize that was her voice and that she couldn’t stop herself from talking.

“You’re not the one suffering! You’re not the one deteriorating, losing meaning, and becoming nothing more than forgotten things existing in misery, brutality, and loneliness! The dungeon was more than this. The dungeon had sections where there was joy and happiness to go along with the strife and loot! You’ve ruined it all!”

The Toyreveler twisted around and looked up.

“Ah, yes, you.” It made a clicking sound. “You’re the base replacement the core wanted when I made Marvelous Mary into the more interesting Murderous Mary. I had no hand in your design, or I wouldn’t have allowed such a boring, standard thing like you to exist.”

“So, you were never my master in the first place,” Kleo said, feeling a weight lift off her chest. “The core was my designer, but the core is always meant to design and give us a base purpose. But it’s not the true, true master. And you aren’t either. I’m free to choose a master. I’m free to choose Master Jay.”

The realization was stunning and wonderful all at once for her. Her fears faded.

“That is a very warped mind to have,” the Toyreveler said before dismissing the little degraded dungeon monster.

“Your work, huh?” The Toyreveler pointed at Jay. “I’ll be honest and say I absolutely despise you. But you and I are alike in a sense, warping toys to play fun roles for our amusement. How about you ditch the rest of these losers and work under me so I can despise you less?”

Jay laughed and shook his head.

“Excuse me,” Mike intruded. “I believe Mary made mention of taking crawlers under servitude. Now you’ve done the same. If this is a dungeon feature, couldn’t the reverse be possible?”

“And let dungeon crawlers steal dungeon monsters and do whatever they want with them? Ha! Ridiculous. If that’s what you’re planning with, um, whatever her name is, then leave it alone. In fact, it won’t even be your concern any longer. I’m going Rank 3 now.”

“Toyreveler!” Kleo called again. “That’s enough. I will end this with your death, denouncing your reign forever!”

She reached under her cloak with her remaining arm. She grabbed one of the things Jay had given her.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ll deal with you later,” the Toyreveler replied as all the severed arms in the room levitated into the air.

“So, am I going to hear the magic name and see a miracle?” Frank asked dryly, turning to Jay.

Everyone’s attention turned to the [Freak]. He looked as cool as a cucumber.

“Nah,” Jay said. “This part ain’t my rodeo. It belongs to the hero of the story.”

“Wait, what?” the dungeon master asked, looking between the four boys.

The boss hesitated on its Rank 3 transformation. It was probably disturbed by how the entire party appeared nonchalant. Except for Dennis, who looked confused as usual. But he didn’t seem so stressed out since the other boys were acting ridiculously calm.

“But, just for the sake of being fair to you, dungeon master, I’ll clue you in since you’re probably wondering why we’re all chill now,” Jay said. “The four of us are honestly a distraction. Yeah, we’ve whittled you down pretty bad, but it’s not on us to deliver the decisive blow. You should look up if you don’t want to die.”

The Toyreveler relaxed. “Ah, I get it now. You’re just wasting time until you can reuse your crystals. Nice try, kid, but I’ve been around the block. I’m killing all four of you now.”

The Toyreveler began to force another cheating rank up, his body bulging as blue magic lights shone through his buttons.

Kleo interjected. She dropped onto the Toyreveler’s face and thrust a knife with a bloody aura between the dungeon master’s eyes.

“When you see Mary in toy hell,” Kleo said, “tell her the old number one fan murdered you. She’ll find it marvelous.”