At last, we reached the deepest chamber of the dungeon.
"So this is... the boss room."
The words slipped from my mouth as a chill wind brushed past us, coming from nowhere, seeping into our bones.
The heavy door groaned as we shoved it open, and the stale air inside hit like a wall—thick with the metallic tang of blood. In the gloom, a massive Black Wolf waited.
Its eyes glared sharp as blades, and with a low, rumbling growl, it stepped forward, each heavy footfall like a drumbeat.
"This thing goes down, and the dungeon is cleared!" Elsa's voice rang out as she tightened her grip on her sword and moved to the front.
"No choice but to do it!" Lilis flashed her dagger with a grin tugging at her lips, but even in that grin I caught the flicker of tension.
"I'll provide cover." Cain's chant was already starting, her voice steady, eyes calm.
"I'll be right behind you all." Cecilia's smile softened the edges of the moment as her hands glowed faintly, holy magic gathering like warm sunlight.
We exchanged quick glances, silent nods, every role locked in. And then the fight began.
The Black Wolf's claws carved the air, faster than I expected from something its size. Any normal adventurer would've been dead in a single blow. The sound of claws tearing stone filled the chamber, and we dodged, deflected, looked for openings. Again and again, the beast lunged, and again and again we held the line. Elsa's shield crashed against its strikes, Cain's lightning froze its leaps, Lilis darted like a shadow, her blade biting deep, and Cecilia's light knit wounds before pain could slow us. Every one of us did our part, every move locking with the next.
"Now, Elsa!" I called, and she answered instantly, her blade flashing in a full, perfect swing. The steel edge found the wolf's neck. One slash, clean and merciless. The beast screamed, a harsh, dying cry that shook the walls. Its massive body trembled, then staggered, and at last it crashed down with a thud that rattled my teeth.
"...It's dead?" I muttered, not dropping my guard.
We stared, waiting for the twitch of another attack. But nothing moved. The silence stretched, and then Lilis's voice cracked through it, loud and bright.
"We did it—dungeon clear!" She threw her hands up, eyes glittering.
Cecilia let out a breath of relief, her smile warm. "Everyone, splendid work~desuwa."
The rush of victory surged through us as we gathered the spoils. The wolf's fangs and pelt would fetch high prices, and in the back of the chamber, a chest gleamed with stacks of gold. Coins shone in the light, pouring through our fingers in a way that made my heart pound.
"How much is this even worth?" I asked, blinking at the heap.
Lilis crouched down, eyes sparkling, running quick numbers. "Easily several million gold! If we can keep this up, S-rank isn't even a dream anymore!"
"Can it really be that simple?" I frowned, the weight of the coins in my hands feeling suddenly heavier.
Elsa folded her arms, thoughtful. "...Not usually. Sure, this is a C-rank dungeon, but most parties never make it this far. They retreat before even reaching the boss. To defeat it cleanly? That's rare."
"I see. The payout matches the risk," Cain said, her cool voice cutting through the excitement.
"Yes. Even a C-rank dungeon requires skill and teamwork to clear. That is why the reward is this high," Cecilia added, nodding gently.
"Then it's true—we're the strongest party!" Lilis puffed out her chest with pride.
I found myself nodding. With this group, I felt like we could go anywhere. As long as we moved forward together, there was no limit. That thought burned hot in my chest.
We sorted the loot, the sound of clinking gold filling the chamber, and then sat down to catch our breath. Lilis, naturally, pulled out the Matching Adventure app, her finger tapping through the menus to check the item values.
"Hmm? Hey, uh..." Her voice caught.
"What is it?" I leaned closer.
"Take a look at this." She tilted the screen toward us, her finger tapping the line of text.
On the display it read:
..."This app matches not only skill and combat compatibility, but also romantic compatibility"...
"...Eh?" The word hung in the air, and then silence fell like a stone.
"Wait, wait, hold up. Does that mean..." Lilis turned her eyes on me, wide, mischievous. Elsa's face stiffened, Cain's expression flickered, Cecilia's gentle smile wavered—all of them, caught off guard.
"So basically, this party isn't just a perfect combat match. It's... a perfect romance match too?" Lilis let out a little laugh that was way too dangerous. "No wonder it feels so comfy!"
"Th-that... that can't be..." Elsa muttered, her cheeks flushing red.
"Unbelievable. A party ranked at the highest tier for romance as well..." Cecilia shook her head with a wry smile.
"...So the system accounts for psychology, not just tactics." Cain's arms crossed tighter, her tone flat but her eyes sharp. "That would explain a lot."
We all glanced at each other, the rush of victory dissolving into a strange, awkward tension.
"Come to think of it, I didn't even read the app's description properly," I admitted, scratching my head. "I just dove in."
"Right? I jumped straight at the result too," Lilis said, grimacing playfully.
"I was only looking at the combat side... I never checked the finer details," Cecilia added, sounding almost apologetic.
"No one reads the fine print of apps," Elsa sighed. "Especially when the outcome looks perfect."
"...But if this influences us, it could matter. In ways beyond combat," Cain said quietly, eyes still fixed on the glowing screen.
"...So, what now?"
The thrill of battle victory was gone, replaced by a whole different kind of tension curling in the air between us.