Rebirth of a Dungeon Master

"Is this right, Yuki-nya?" Nekra asked spinning around, her fingers adjusting a black bow that concealed her distinctive, cat like ears. She peered into a mirror to her left, ensuring her appearance was as inconspicuous as possible.

 

Yuki, her partner was staring at her… Nekra shook her head at that description and blushed. 

 

Yuki, glanced at Nekra's transformation and grinned. With a newsboy cap perched low on her head, she obscured her own telltale ears. "It looks cute," Yuki complimented smiling widely.

 

Nekra's momentary distraction was over as her eyes sparkled with excitement. "It's going to be fun."

 

Yuki chuckled, knowing exactly what had brought this newfound enthusiasm. "You're just happy because we've gone through 25 years' worth of anime, and apparently the goddess won't send you more because you've become a NEET."

 

Nekra pouted in response, her previous exuberance momentarily deflated. "I'm still annoyed I haven't grown any taller! Why am I so short?" she cried out, her frustration evident in her voice.

 

Yuki chuckled and offered a rather obvious explanation. "Vampires don't usually age."

 

Nekra let out an exaggerated sigh. "Oh no! I'm going to be this short forever!" She began to fake cry, as she often did when she had this conversation with Yuki.

 

Yuki, ever the supportive girlfriend, decided to steer the conversation away from Nekra’s woes. "Anyway, what's the plan again?"

 

Nekra perked up, ready to share her latest idea. "I've got one, It's just a trip outside, nya. We are going to go and see the guild, explore the town. Stuff like that nya."

 

"Okay? And the core will be safe?" Yuki inquired, already assured that it was because Nekra was cute when excited.

 

Nekra nodded confidently. "Yes, there's an automatic gun turret on top of the ancient tree, guarded by several master-ranked monsters. Not to mention, they'd have to get through the metal dragon as well," she explained, outlining the impressive defenses she had designed and built with a proud smile.

 

Yuki looked at the cat girls smile and nodded in agreement. "Ah, yeah, I guess."

 

With their plan in place, Nekra wasted no time. "Let's go then, nya."

 

Suddenly, as if by magic, they found themselves standing at the entrance of the formidable dungeon. The transition was so seamless that it left the duo momentarily dazed.

 

Nekra, always one to take the initiative, decided to approach an adventurer who happened to be nearby. "Hello?" she greeted, her tone polite yet filled with determination.

 

The adventurer turned towards Nekra and cast a puzzled look upon her. "Hi? Why are you here, little girl?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

 

Nekra wasted no time in stating her purpose. "I'm trying to find the guild; I want to register!"

 

The adventurer, initially skeptical, couldn't resist Nekra's resolve. "I'm sorry, but you seem too young," he replied, attempting to maintain his skepticism.

 

Nekra employed her secret weapon, her puppy-dog eyes, to win him over. "I can't, nyo! It's my dream to become an adventurer."

 

The adventurer, under the influence of Nekra's charming gaze, hesitated and eventually relented. "Ah, uh, fine, I can take you there."

 

Nekra's enthusiasm was palpable. "Great!" She grabbed Yuki's hand, excitedly leading the way as they followed the adventurer towards the guild office in the small town that had grown around the dungeon's entrance.

 

Upon reaching the guild office, Nekra marched confidently to the reception desk, where an elf was stationed.

 

"Hi! I would like to register, nya," Nekra declared, her determination shining through.

 

The elf raised an eyebrow, seeming taken aback by the unusual addition of "nya" to Nekra's speech. "Nya?" the elf questioned, her gaze fixed on Nekra's eyes.

 

Nekra, ever adaptable, accepted the minor confusion with a smile. "Sure," the receptionist said, patting Nekra's head affectionately.

 

Yuki, curious about the guild and its operations, didn't waste time. "How do the ranks work?" she inquired, hoping to gain a better understanding of the guild's structure.

 

The receptionist explained patiently, "Ah, well, it's determined by the number of quests completed."

 

Nekra considered this for a moment but then realized, "Huh? I thought they had a summoner examiner for standardization." She suspected this feature might not have been introduced yet.

 

The receptionist smiled and responded warmly, "Great, thanks." Nekra took her guild card, feeling a surge of excitement as she finally held the tangible symbol of her dream.

 

As Yuki received her own guild card, she noticed the rank printed on it. "B rank?" she questioned, a hint of surprise in her voice.

 

The elf at the desk, unimpressed, raised an eyebrow and remarked, "Really? You didn't come to me and expect me not to know what you are?"

 

Nekra deftly employed her charm to diffuse any potential tension. "Nya? You must be old then?" she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

 

The elf, briefly offended, couldn't help but smile at Nekra's antics. "Where to next?" Yuki inquired, ready to continue their adventure.

 

"Follow me," Nekra instructed, her confident stride leading Yuki towards the thick forest that enveloped the dungeon.

 

Yuki, surprised by Nekra's newfound sense of direction, asked, "Into the forest?"

 

"Nya! I've got this," Nekra assured her friend, exuding a newfound confidence.

 

Yuki looked both impressed and intrigued. "You know where you're going?"

 

Nekra smiled enigmatically. "Knowledge is subtly giving me directions, nya." She was excited to uncover what lay ahead in their journey.