The Wrath of Domination Part 1

Fields of stalactites hanging above were glaring down towards the ruins of a warzone.

Craters, slash marks, and scorched earth all littered the wide cavern where Kazemaru had perished. Lone Star's members maneuvered through the destruction as they headed for the end of Domination's Raid. A solemn cloud hanging over everyone secured their respectful silence.

Daichi beside Sanae wanted to say something to lighten the mood, but considering she was still fresh from whatever fight occurred earlier here, he decided against it.

Wow, can't believe I'm already missing the mansion scenery from before. Big caves really do weird me out. He peered towards the countless stalactites above. Wonder why it reset to a cavern theme though?

Lone Star's members exited through a narrow passage that'd been unsealed after the battle's conclusion. According to Makoto, there would be no further enemies ahead except Domination, so everyone just occupied themselves with idle chatter to pass time.

Daichi looked to his side. Sanae was holding her staff as it radiated a soft, blue glow to compensate for minimal light around them. She'd already seemed reset to her wholesome self.

"So—what kinds of stuff are you into in real life?" she asked him. There was a playful pitch to her voice.

"Into?" Can't exactly mention I'm a huge conspiracy theorist. "Uhhh, nothing exciting to be honest. Maybe music I suppose?"

"Oh, nice! Guess we're kinda similar there—kinda boring with not tons to talk about, haha."

"Nah, you're plenty interesting," Daichi chuckled. "I wouldn't mind getting to know you more, actually." Wait, did I just say that?

But something ahead seemed to have distracted her. Sanae's finger pointed forward. "Look! We're almost there!"

Towards the end of their long tunnel, a gaping exit way into another cavern came into view. Daichi could make out some sort of balcony on the other side whose guardrails were surrounded by pink energy veils.

He squinted as they all paced closer. "Pink? Shouldn't those veils be red?"

"There's different kinds," Sanae said. "Red veils mean nothing can pass through. Pink means some stuff can pass, but it varies.”

“Ah. Guess we should start getting ready then.”

Lone Star's members reached the passageway's end and stepped onto an ornate balcony overlooking their final battlefield. Stone guardrails seemingly emitted an all-encompassing veil that curved above like a huge, pink bubble.

"Ay, yo! Check it out!" Makoto peered over the guardrail and tilted his head for Daichi to look downwards. “There he is—Domination, strongest boss in Paradise.”

Fudge. Gonna have to face him eventually. Daichi gulped to himself as he gazed far below. All around was a massive, wide area encompassing another dome-like cavern. Blue crystals lined above in a ring formation—akin to stage lights—were shining down onto someone playing piano. The marble plateau in the cavern's center acted as an impromptu stage while faint, melancholic music could just barely be heard.

“He doesn’t seem too tough,” Daichi said.

Makoto huddled closer to him on the guardrail. “You say that now, but even The Masks—a super legendary guild—couldn’t beat him before they disbanded. And today we’re gonna throw our own hat in that ring!"

Well that’s not exactly reassuring.

The boss stopped playing for a moment to adjust his white gloves. His classical, Dracula-esque clothes almost sparkled under glimmering light as he resumed the concert. There was no indication he'd noticed, or at least acknowledged Lone Star's presence above. 

“As long as you think we can handle him . . .” Daichi replied, still unsure of their capability to defeat Domination. 

“Hey y'all, come about! It's strategy time!” Makoto rallied everyone around.

Lone Star’s members gathered together on the cave balcony. Each of them employed unsure faces themselves about their predicament, reflecting Daichi's sentiments. His eyes darted towards Sanae and then to Hiro, but both friends avoided his concerned expression. They each seemed conflicted, trying hard to act like nothing was amiss. 

“Alright, here's the thing kid." Makoto started slowly pacing around. “This boss is bigly more than we can handle, so we gotta approach with a plan. Now that Kazemaru is gone, you’re gonna have to fulfill his main role: wear down the boss.”

“Wear down?”

“Mhmm." He raised a finger to explain. "See, you’re still too weak to hurt Domination but you can still exhaust him. That’s the strat—you jump in there solo, do your darndest to lower his stamina, then we swoop in and finish him off! Easy!"

Is this some sort of joke? “Sorry, I’m not following. You want me to be bait?”

“No, no! I’ll have Sanae up here supporting you! She might’ve explained it already, but this pink veil blocks attacks on the boss from up here—doesn’t stop our heals though! You'll be fine! A-OK guaranteed!"

Nothing was adding up. All of Daichi's instincts of self-preservation were raising red flags. “Is it even possible to exhaust a boss? And if all I need to do is dodge attacks, wouldn’t someone like you who can fly be better?”

Makoto smiled—the kind of smile a dad made when ass beatings were near. “Just do what you’re told. Never talk back to me, kid."

He’d had enough. “No, I’m leaving.”

“Excuse me? Say again?"

Daichi avoided everyone’s faces as he walked around them. He heard the fire mage giggle, and then the shielder letting out an annoyed gruff. Sanae alongside Hiro remained silent throughout everything.

Only Makoto chased after him then blocked his path out.

“Don’t be a dingus, dingus! Think of all the EXP you could earn! You’ll only find your sister that much faster if you just listen!”

Wait, did Sanae tell him about my sister? He buried the thought and clenched his fists at his side. “Listen to what? You telling me to kill myself? This isn't what I signed up for!"

“You really don’t know, do ya'?” Makoto yelled. “Once you level up to a multiple of ten, you get huge stat boosts compared to other levels! You’re past 10 now and can manage bosses! If we beat him you might even reach level 30! Think of that raw power!”

“What does it matter if I’m dead? I’ll just level up on my own from here, but thanks for getting me started, if nothing else.”

Daichi started walking again when a hand reached out to his, softly grabbing it. Sanae wore a blank expression as her small hand squeezed his.

“I won’t let anything happen to you while you’re down there. If you don’t believe Makoto then believe me!" she pleaded.

He turned to face her. There was a wistful passion burning in her azure eyes, but it seemed to be compensating for a lack of confidence in her own words.

"We just need to exhaust the boss a bit without lowering the stamina of someone more vital," she continued. "We’ve beaten Raids before and we can beat this one too.”

“She's spitting facts,” Makoto said from behind. “This boss is tough but it’s nothing we can’t handle. You’ve seen what me and Hiro can do."

Their power was indeed a force to be reckoned with, but it did little to alleviate Daichi's larger concerns. "Seeing what you can do might be different from what you plan to do."

"Plan?" Makoto raised a brow. "My plan is to hit level 110 someday—the level cap for non-Faction Leaders. Can't cop those big daddy slots anymore so no point in tricking some kid into suicide. Whaddya' say then, champ?"

Sanae slowly backed away from Daichi, like she’d be fine with whatever choice he decided. Thoughts coursed through him as different options presented themselves:

I don’t want anything to do with Makoto anymore, but Sanae and Hiro are still here. What makes them stay so loyal? And does everyone really think we can beat this boss? Or do they know I’m gonna die and they’ll revive me after? Why don’t they just say that then?

He made up his mind and turned around to face everyone. “If I stay, I’m gonna fight how I wanna fight. Don’t complain about what I do down there to survive.”

“Yeah! Yeah!" Makoto nodded his head repeatedly. "And our darlin' will have your back the whole time! Heals only go through this pink veil while Domination's health is above 90%, but no biggie."

“We’ll jump in as soon as the boss is distracted,” Hiro interjected from the side. His normally tense eyes seemed soft, as if genuinely worried. “We don’t expect you to kill him, but even decimal damage would help.”

Ugh . . . Daichi made his way back to the stone guardrail and peered below. “Fine. I’ll do it. But I’m pretty sure I’ll break my legs from here. Are there some stairs—”

His body flashed quick bursts of yellow and then purple. The subsequent glows soon faded but he felt much more durable. "Huh?"

“I just cast some enhancers on you,” Sanae said, her staff beaming several colors. “They cost a lot of MP and don’t enhance much, but your defenses should be high now for your level. The purple glow nullifies fall damage for a while."

Daichi gave her a thumbs up as he climbed on top of the guardrail. “I trust you, Sanae. But if anything happens to me, please try to find my sister for me."

She nodded, no hesitation. "Count on me. Promise."

Alright. Let’s just get this over with.

Daichi materialized his tome and let himself slide off. His soles pointed downwards as he plunged fifty meters below into a vast cavern. Dirt scattered on impact and his legs flashed purple, absorbing the fall damage. Without delay, his fierce eyes scanned around then focused in on a somber vampire playing piano in the distance:

[Name: Domination

Level: N/A

Class: Raid Boss

Lore: ?]

So kinda like the Truth-for-Truth, huh? Daichi thought. I’m not about to die here so I’m gonna give it everything I got! Methods of potential attacks formulated themselves in his head. They likely wouldn’t amount to much, but his only advantage might be the critical thinking he’d honed over the years.

He took a few careful steps forward, testing how his foe would react. The boss’ eyes squinted sideways to investigate but his gloved fingers didn’t cease playing. Daichi crept closer as soon as Domination looked away, like a vicious game of red-light-green-light.

I gotta spot a weakness! Find something! There wasn't anything on the makeshift stage except a white, grand piano with its imposing pianist sitting down. Domination’s skin had a grayish tint and his right cheek was tattooed with a musical note. Long, black hair drooped down over his shoulders along a posh, gothic cape with red lining inside. It was a near-perfect reinterpretation of Hollywood's Dracula. 

The piano performance continued as Daichi advanced forward. But then a sudden realization caused his feet to freeze in place.

Wait . . . Is this Moonlight Sonata?

He recalled the memory of a girl who invited him to a piano concert during last year’s cultural festival. She played this exact song in front of hundreds and confessed to him afterwards. Daichi had gently rejected her but the guilt was still overwhelming.

It is Moonlight Sonata! The first movement! But how could an NPC know about it? Did Beethoven exist in this world? And what about the portraits of those other musicians? There's too much going on here . . . too much to analyze! 

Domination’s fingers hovered over the piano keys, pausing the melody, and he finally turned his head towards Daichi. Deep, crimson eyes collided against brilliant green counterparts, igniting metaphorical sparks between them.

“Young man, you wouldn’t perchance recognize this composition?” Domination said in a monotone voice. The deepness of his tone was unnerving, almost surreal. 

Daichi stepped back. “So what if I do?”

The boss gazed at gleaming crystals high above. “Only a thin lacquer separates our worlds—I pass my time by wondering about the extent of our connections. You noticed it too did you not? How this Raid feels out of place in this world?”

“Nothing’s ever felt exactly right for me."

A single piano key was tapped and held, producing an elongated sound. The noise echoed around like a living rhapsody. “Even though my role since birth was to defend this Dungeon, part of me yearns for a respite from this fate—to search for validation beyond my purpose.”

“Then why can’t you just leave?”

He shook his head. “Dominion’s Authority binds us to our respective Raids. But I’m confident a savior will free us someday, and we will unleash upon this world its comeuppance.” He readied his fingers as if to snap them in Daichi’s direction. “For now, here is yours.”

"Huh?"

A powerful click and a blast of air sent Daichi flying back. Vicious winds whipped his face as he clutched his tome and rolled several meters before coming to a halt.

Aack! The heck was that? He hurled me away by just snapping! How strong is this guy?

“The hubris you exert by daring to challenge me is extravagant." Domination came to sit on the stone stage’s edge. "But I can sense your guildmates above. Will they not be aiding you?”

Daichi stammered to his feet. He could see and feel Sanae’s healing glow on him as his health restored to full. He looked behind towards the balcony above to meet her eyes, but the pink veil was far too clouded on this side.

At least they didn’t hightail it and run. This boss is crazy! But if all I gotta do is stall . . .

“You say you want validation, but self-validation is no validation at all!” Daichi said. “I know that better than anyone! Don’t give excuses! It doesn’t matter if you’re trapped—find a way to get your answers!”

“I inquired about your knowledge when you arrived, did I not?” Domination said as he crossed his legs. “The multitude of faces I’ve encountered here—they all tell unique tales. I remember everyone, from those that have bested me or been bested. I learn from them just as they learn from me, whether through dialogue or combat, and slowly but surely my understanding of both worlds increases.”

“What do you know about my world? It’s nothing but a fascist utopia! It killed my mom, and it just kidnapped my sister! I don’t care whether it’s you or Dominion in my way! I’m gonna get answers no matter what!” Daichi's voice thundered around the cavern as his heart raced. He’d never unleashed his emotions so vividly. Years of holding himself back had finally culminated into catharsis incarnate.

Domination’s eyes honed in on him again, like a chess player who'd figured out the checkmate. “Your silver hair, your ferocious eyes, your distrust of both worlds . . . Perhaps it's coincidence, but I might’ve encountered your sister before.”

“W-What? When, where? What did you do to her?” Daichi shouted.

“Firstly, it’s no guarantee that’s your sister, and heaven forbid she is. That’d be quite the animal your family raised.”

“Animal? Kyouko’s nothing like that! It's not her!”

“For both our sakes I hope it is. But the similarities are uncanny." He gestured towards his left cheek. "You both also share the same, little birthmark under your eye do you not?”

Daichi’s heart skipped a beat. The little blemish was one his family was well-known for. “T-There’s thousands of Adventurers down here! Any of them could have a birthmark like mine!”

“Oh, apologies, but I never said it was an Adventurer I was referring to.” A wide smirk snaked across his face.

What? “TELL ME!” Daichi roared. “Tell me where my sister is! And tell me what she is!”

"Hmm? Have you forgotten your own words?" Domination's finger pointed straight towards the teen. "To ‘find a way to get your answers'? Then I’ll give you an opportunity: impress me in combat and I’ll tell you everything I know. Fail and you’ll perish—are the terms acceptable?”

Daichi got into position and readied his tome. An abhorrent confidence started swelling within him as he stared down the strongest being in Paradise. “Sure. Just remember: my name is Daichi Ayanami and one day I’m gonna be standing over you with answers in my hands, whether they came from you or not.”

“Bahahaha! Interesting! So be it, I’ll test your resolve." The vampire bared his teeth in a sinister grimace. "I’ve always been fond of teaching youth valuable lessons. In turn, teach me whose existence deserves to be validated more!”

Daichi wasted no time. “Goblin! Activate! Furbolt: Stage 1! Activate!”

Two balls of green light formed then leapt out of his tome. Furbolt and Goblin materialized ahead of him, visibly shaken by their powerful foe sitting ahead, but confidence returned on seeing their master's determination.

You guys can sort of read my mind, right? I can’t let Domination know what I’m planning so just do your best! We can win this!

The two creatures nodded at Daichi and assumed their battle stances. He telepathically conveyed the rest of his intentions then braced himself for what was to come.