《Frostfire Legacy》


 Chapter 1: The Cat, The Rabbit, and the Weakling

    In an open field with grasses tall enough to conceal half of a person''s body, three figures were running for their lives. Sweat and blood covered them, making their flight even more desperate.


    "Star, it''s no good! The boss is catching up!" shouted one of the three, a young woman with orange fur and a pair of bunny ears that perked up in rm.


    Her orange eyes flickered with fear and worry as she nced back at the two who were slightlygging behind her. "Running away from it is impossible after all!" she eximed in a trembling voice.


    "Stupid rabbit! Just run!"


    On the other side, another young woman, sporting short silver hair with perky cat ears, roared. Her tomboyish look and abrasive attitude gave her a fierce impression.


    Thest one, a young man of roughly the same age as the other twote teens¡ªwas out of breath, forcing his feet to move. His obsidian hair stuck to his sweaty and bloody forehead, and the white windbreaker wrapped around his neck felt like it was choking him.


    "You two¡­ Stop¡­ Fighting¡­!"


    He tried to mediate but couldn''t even finish a sentence without gasping for air. Compared to the other two, he was physically weaker!


    ''If only those two weren''t injured, then they could''ve escaped to safety by now!'' Aster Mistral thought, biting his lips as he tried to think of a breakthrough for their situation.


    His gaze turned to Cassandra, the orange rabbit girl''s thigh, where a bloody gash was roughly wrapped in a bandage. Then to the cat girl behind him, Kali, who had a bleeding wound over her stomach.


    Aster ground his teeth before turning around and skidding to a stop. "Go! You two! I''ll hold back the boss here," he shouted intermittently, gasping after every few words.


    "What? No, you can''t, Star! That''s suicide!" Cassandra shouted immediately, stopping as well.


    Even Kali halted, turning to him with a deep frown. "I don''t n to sacrifice the one who saved me from danger just to save myself! You should go. I''ll be the one dying the boss!"


    "Come on, you two! Stop joking and go! I''ve hunted the boss before; I can make sure I don''t die at least!"


    Aster shouted back, but the other two didn''t budge. All three of them stopped in ce, failing to escape.


    "Shut up, level 1! Just hurry and drag that rabbit out of here!"


    "No! I''m not escaping without everyone together!"


    "Damn! Toote!"


    While they were busy quarreling, arge shadow approached them from behind. It was a massive wolf with light gray fur, standing tall at about 2.5 meters, and its body was more than five meters long. Its red eyes red at them while it roared in a low, rumbling voice.


    *GROOOOOWL!*


    "...!"


    The roar froze them in ce out of fear. Fortunately, Cassy and Kali were at level 3, allowing them to fight off the paralysis and move shortly after.


    "You damned mutt! I''m not scared of you!" Kali roared as she held both daggers in her hands, rushing forward in a mad dash.


    The wolf¡ªthe field boss of the first floor, the Dire Wolf¡ªred lightly before opening its bloody maw and snapping at the cat girl.


    Her eyes widened at the iing attack, and she stopped her dash, spinning around to dodge the bite with her flexible body. As she passed by the Dire Wolf''s side, she didn''t forget to leave a few strikes across its face and neck before jumping away.


    "How''s that?!" she grinned, panting hard as she felt drained after just a single set of actions.


    However, despair soon covered her face. The wolf didn''t even feel her attacks, much less get wounded by them.


    Although she felt despair from the gap in strength, Kali let out a fierce smile, her lips trembling a little as shemented. "Hah! Not gonna fall that easily, eh?"


    Its next action, however, wasn''t as she expected. Instead of targeting her, it rushed toward the others, particrly Aster, as it pounced and swung its ws down at him.


    "Aster!"


    "Star!"


    "...!"


    Two worried voices called for him, but he didn''t even register their shouts. Instead, Aster focused all his nerves on watching the iing w and tilted his body out of the way. The wind pressure as the w went past his face sent chills down his spine!


    As soon as the w missed him, Aster put his sword across his body. As if targeting his weapon, another w attack came at blinding speed, hitting right in the middle of the de.


    *BAM!* *CRACK!* *GASH!*


    A bone-breaking impact hit Aster, sending him flying and rolling across the ground before he stopped, losing momentum. He stared nkly at the sky, blue and bright, as a loud ringing sound echoed in his ears.


    "Star?! Star! Stay with me! Don''t die!"


    Cassandra quickly rushed to his side, tears dripping from the corner of her eyes as she extended a hand forward. "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    As she finished her casting, a gentle green light fell from her palm to Aster''s body. Seeing her so desperate, Aster was forced to move his head, only to see a spurt of blood fly toward Cassandra''s face, staining it with a streak of red.


    Looking down, he could see that his armor was ravaged. Everything below his chest was already red from the blood he was losing. ''Ah, so that''s why she''s so desperate,'' Aster thought as if it were someone else''s problem.


    His vision flickered, as if everything he could see was merely a dream. His mind was fuzzy, unable to think aboutplicated things, as his breathing was shallow.


    ''Right¡­ Maybe this is all just a long dream.'' He mused, almost smiling sarcastically.


    Closing his eyes, he tried to recall how it all started¡ªthe fated moment in his life where he was forced to live thousands of years in suspended animation.


    ''It feels like a thing long past, but it all started¡­ a mere five days ago.''

 Chapter 2: The Frozen Beginning

    May 1, 2033, 8:44 a.m. Sunny.


    A certain pair of scientists were preparing for the biggest day of their lives.


    One of them, a woman with brown hair cut short and a yellow headband holding it back to not cover her face, was reading and watching theputer''s screen. Her simrly brown-colored eyes, hidden behind the thick lenses of her spectacles, went left and right as numbers and letters scrolled across its disy.


    "The readings from all sensors are fine, dear. We can proceed with the procedure anytime."


    With a sweet voice matched with a gentle tone, her words were enough to give anyone listening to her a sense of serenity.


    "Got it."


    On the other end, a man with pitch-ck hair and obsidian eyes, along with a stoic expression, nodded his head in affirmation. His sharp eyes looked around the ce emotionlessly before locking in on a figure of a teen sitting by the far end of theb.


    "Star,e here," the man called in a cold voice.


    "Yes, father."


    The young man¡ªAster Mistral¡ªmoved immediately.


    However, with how emaciated his limbs were¡ªpractically skin and bones¡ªhis movements were extremely slow. He couldn''t even walk straight without someone supporting him.


    A nurse wearing a usual white nurse outfit, someone who had been by his side longer than his parents ever were, quickly rushed to his side and supported him. With her support, Aster was able to walk faster and head to where his father, Roger Mistral, was standing.


    "My son." The other one, his mother, Mary Mistral, looked at him with tears that threatened to overflow at any moment. "We''re sorry you''ve lived such a harsh life... And we can''t even help you."


    *Huff!*


    Aster took a deep breath¡ªsomething that he does only once every few seconds¡ªbefore he let out a forced smile, the most sincere smile he could afford.


    "It''s fine, Mother. I have already epted my fate long ago. The only reason I''m still fighting against my disease is because you and Father never gave up on me."


    It was his unfiltered words and his feeling for them that had been brooding deep inside him for over twelve years, ever since he started to lose hope in finding a cure.


    Unknown Disease¡ªIt wasedic how they named it so inly, but this was what they decided to call the mysterious ailment that Aster was suffering from.


    They had known for as long as they could remember that he had some form of abnormality, but they had not noticed the real symptoms until he turned five. At the age when running around energetically was normal, for Aster, just walking a few steps was enough to make him pant as if he just finished a marathon.


    Worried, they brought him to a hospital for checkup, but...


    "Your son is suffering from a new type of disease and will, unfortunately, live for only 25 years at most."


    When the doctors they consulted told them this, they almost flipped the table in anger.


    But even after dozens of medical professionals examined Aster, their findings remained the same. They also discovered then that his disease made it so that every time he breathed out, he was losing his life force.


    It was an unknown disease, neither viral nor bacterial, with an unknown cure, but they never gave up on finding a way to heal their only son.


    As such, his parents spent over a decade of their lives searching for a solution. But in the end, they came up with nothing. They could only teach him a breathing technique to lessen the total breaths he took each day, but that was naught but a stopgap measure.


    Watching their son grow up with such a frail body made them feel like their hearts were being ripped apart. As such, they ended up unconsciously spending most of their time in theboratory instead of staying with him.


    Time was running out, and before he turned 18, his parents finally decided to take a drastic measure.


    "Aster, you understand, right?" Roger held his son''s bony shoulders, his grip tight and shaky but firm. "We will be freezing you to extend your life until we find a cure. It could be a decade or two, but we will never give up. As a man, promise me that you won''t give up!"


    Aster''s lips curled into a thin smile as he replied with sincerity. "I will, Father. I will never give up."


    Despite how weak his body was, only his deep, hazel-brown eyes radiated endless confidence and belief. Never once did he doubt the love that his parents had for him. As such, he didn''t want to betray their trust either.


    ''If they say they''ll find a cure, then surely they will.'' Aster agreed, almost to the point of hypnotizing himself into believing their words fully.


    Although his father''s face remained the same as before, cold as ice, he knew how much anguish he was feeling. A person''s touch could ry so many emotions, after all.


    "R-Remember¡­" his mother, Mary, added as she went to hug him tight. "It would feel like you were only asleep for a while. But when you wake up, we''ll make sure you are able to walk and run around like any normal person would. Trust us."


    Warm tears streamed down the corners of her eyes, wetting Aster''s cheeks lightly.


    After a while of sobbing, it was finally time.


    Aster moved toward arge module, shaped like a cylinder three meters in length and about two meters in diameter, with several dozenyers of materials covering it. In the center was a white foam bed, following the body''s contour as closely as possible.


    "Remember, don''t move immediately after waking up. Wait for the cold to fade first." Roger warned him.


    Mary also enumerated reminders one after another as if it were the only thing she could do for Aster. All the while, tears were still rolling down her cheeks like rain as her face became a mess.


    His father was just looking at him with a firm gaze, not adding another word.


    As soon as Asterid down on the cushion fitted for his body, the covers of the cylinder started to close, cutting off his view of the outside.


    Cryogenic devices like this need to stay at a very low temperature to halt the metabolism of the person inside. The temperature was kept very close to absolute zero, or 70 degrees Kelvin, in a space where not even light was allowed to pass.


    Darkness covered Aster''s vision, making him feel a little scared and lonely. However, with the best wishes of his parents in his heart, he closed his eyes and waited as the anesthesia kicked in.


    After making sure that he was asleep, the Cryogenic Capsule activated, bringing the internal temperature down gradually to its absolute limits.


    Just like that, Aster went into suspended animation, waiting for the time that his parents would wake him up once more.

 Chapter 3: Unplanned Awakening

    *KIIIIN!* *KIIIIN!* *KIIIIN!*


    As soon as Aster''s senses returned, the sound of warning sirens deafeningly echoed in his ears. It was wailing so loudly that he wanted to plug his ears with his fingers. Unfortunately, he still couldn''t move.


    [Warning! Disconnected from the power source. Starting Shutdown Process¡­]


    The icy cold was caressing his skin, and all he could see was total darkness. Only his ears functioned properly, letting him hear the loud warning notification that wouldn''t lose to the siren''s volume.


    ''Shutdown¡­?''


    Due to the jaw-jitteringly low temperature, his mind was taking time to process the information.


    *PSHHH!*


    However, he wasn''t given enough time to think. As the shutdown process of the Cryogenic Capsule reached its end, the lid started to release creaking sounds as it swung open, revealing the not-so-bright world spreading beyond.


    "...!"


    But the sight before him wasn''t peaceful-looking at all.


    The familiar, pure whiteboratory looked nothing like its past glory¡ªdark, dpidated, filled with invasive tree roots, and covered with cracked walls. Aster could only see the outlines of everything around him because of the green glow of the emergency lights that illuminated the area.


    However, within that scene, something alien was present. Despite his senses not returning to normal yet, the big pair of eyes, with vertical pupils, and the forked tongue that was licking the air now and then were burned into his vision.


    "Remember, don''t move immediately after waking up. Wait for the cold to fade first."


    Almost as if experiencing a revolvingntern phenomenon, Aster''s father''s words echoed inside his head on repeat.


    ''Don''t move¡­ I can''t move!''


    Confused and ridden with fear, Aster could only stay still and stare at the red eyes directly. A dream? With all his senses as vivid as they were, he highly doubted it. As such, the giant snake looming over him, with a mouthrge enough to swallow him whole while standing, was definitely not his imagination either!


    *Hiss!*


    Its long tongue licked the air, flicking right before his nose. Despite that, he kept his body as still as a corpse, not even daring to take a breath.


    Luckily, the giant snake moved away from him shortly after.


    Judging from the holes that could be faintly seen on its face, near its mouth, Aster guessed that it was searching for prey through heat¡ªinfrared radiation. His body being cold right after thawing saved his life!


    ''But I can''t stay here for long¡­''


    If time passed and his temperature returned to normal, then he''d surely be found in a heartbeat. He needed to escape before then.


    Moving his eyes, Aster checked the surroundings. Other than looking extremely dpidated, or rather, decaying, nothing is blocking the paths. Seeing that, his mind began to turn rapidly.


    ''With the state of theb, I doubt the elevator is still working. Rather, where are all the workers? The researchers? Mother? Father?''


    A wave of sadness hit him for a moment, but his brown eyes quickly returned to their usual fiery glint.


    ''First, I need to survive from here,'' he asserted to himself.


    The questions of "how," "what," and "why" shouldeter.


    The giant snake, whose head was as big as the three-meter-tall Cryogenic Capsule, had its body spread, slithering around the entire ce. Aster could tell that if he wanted to head to the exit, he needed to bypass its long, thick body first and foremost.


    After confirming that the snake was moving away and heading deeper into theboratory, Aster finally moved. He nted both hands on the edge of the capsule, pulling himself out of it. His nonexistent muscles, due to not thawingpletely yet, creaked under the pressure, but he didn''t mind.


    Rather than minor injuries, his survival was the first priority!


    *Thud!*


    Asternded on his feet, trying to limit the sound as much as possible. His head flicked up, checking the giant snake''s movement, but it didn''t show signs of noticing him just yet.


    "..."


    Tiptoeing, while being careful not to step on the random rubble around, he slowly inched closer to the fire exit. It was the only ce with stairs that were directly connected to the surface. Theboratory was located on the 9th underground floor, so it would take him a long time to reach the surface from there.


    *Slither* *Slither*


    "...!"


    The giant snake''s body moved close by and almost hit him, causing Aster''s heart to beat fast from surprise and anxiety.


    *Huff!*


    Aster took another deep breath before holding it in once more. Thanks to his use of a special breathing method, he usually needed five to six breaths per minute. Thanks to that, he could further limit the noise he was releasing.


    ''But my heart''s beating so loud, I worry the snake would hear it!''


    Taking a step back, making enough space not to identally touch the snake''s body, Aster started to traverse theboratory once more. He climbed on top of some sturdy-looking, dpidated machines, dove under a few, and went the long way around, all just to stay under the radar.


    It took him roughly a minute to reach his destination without alerting the giant snake.


    As soon as he reached the barricaded exit, he heaved a sigh of relief before taking another deep breath.


    *Huff!*


    He then touched the door''s locking bolt while hoping that rust hadn''t locked it in. He should''ve prayed for something different right then.


    *SCREEEEEEE!*


    "...!"


    As soon as he touched the handle, twisting it out of the lock, a loud screech as metal scraped metal echoed in the silentboratory. At that instant, the giant snake''s body stiffened and stopped moving.


    "Shit!"


    He could already guess what would happen next, so he didn''t try to stay quiet anymore. He exerted all his strength, trying to push the bolt out of the way as it screeched louder than cicadas on a hot summer day.


    *SLITHER!*


    The sound of the giant snake moving fast reached his ears, making his heart pound with fear. "Come on! Open!" He groaned as he pushed it with all his weight added.


    Still, he was weak.


    Even before he was frozen inside the Cryogenic Capsule, he had always been a weakling. It was to the point that he needed a nurse to support him just to walk, after all.


    If not for the situation forcing him to, then he would probably stay in the capsule and wait for someone to save him instead of moving his body around.


    *HISS!!!*


    Finally, the snake''s head returned. It quickly turned to Aster, whose body temperature had already returned to normal. The snake rushed forward, fangs bared, ready to swallow him whole. The fire exit was still locked shut by then; the blolt stuck and refused to move.


    "...!"


    He let out a gasp before raising both hands to cover his face, shutting his eyes out of fear and surprise. However, his mind never stopped running. He was thinking of ways to survive against the snake, and for some reason, one idea was stuck in his mind.


    ''If only I could lower its temperature, I could force it to hibernate!''


    *WHOOOOOSH!*


    At that instant, something beyond hismon sense urred. With a loud sound, as if a powerful gale just passed through, the entire room''s temperature dropped. Aster, who was waiting for the snake''s bite, opened his eyes warily, only to see the entire ce getting covered in ice!


    The snake, with itsrge mouth wide open a meter away, turned into an ice sculpture in an instant.


    "This is¡­"

 Chapter 4: Wandering the Forest

    Aster gazed at the scene spread before him.


    The giant snake, which was rushing toward him just a few seconds earlier, was frozenpletely solid, turning into a massive ice sculpture. Of course, it wasn''t only the snake; even the entire room got covered in frost.


    For a moment, he thought that the entireboratory had returned to its previous clean, white appearance!


    Still, he was bewildered. In just a few moments, after he closed his eyes while thinking he was about to get eaten alive, everything was suddenly frozen in ce!


    "Wait, I''m barefooted!"


    Fearing that the icy, frozen floor would cause his feet to be frostbitten, Aster eximed as he lifted them. However, he also realized something peculiar at the same time. "It''s¡­ not cold?"


    Hoarfrost was all around him right now, making him feel as though he were in an industrial freezer. With just a casual nce, the temperature around him should at least reach minus 30 ¡ãC! But forget about getting frostbitten; he wasn''t even feeling the chill in the air.


    Curious, he patted the icy floor. As he expected, it was not cold to the touch. Rather, it was as warm as room temperature. A strange phenomenon was currently urring to him firsthand.


    As an experiment, he tried to spit, expecting nothing to happen. However, as soon as it moved a meter away from him, the meteor-shaped liquid froze mid-air, the mist around it turning into thick fog before dropping straight down and scattering into shards.


    "This is real!" He eximed in shock before touching and checking his body all over.


    He was wearing a in white patient robe, but other than that, nothing else. Not even underwear. He raised a brow in wonder, muttering, "I can''t feel the cold?"


    Baffled, he stood still for a while before taking another deep breath.


    *Huff!*


    Thinking about things he couldn''t understand would only waste his time; instead, he turned around, facing the fire exit. He was about to try and undo the bolt again, but realized that even that got frozen solid.


    "Hmph!"


    Even after exerting more strength, he couldn''t even turn the handle by a millimeter, much less move it out of the way.


    "Useless piece of¡­!" In a fit of anger, he kicked the gate as hard as he could.


    And to his surprise, like brittle ice, the entire door crumpled into fine blocks, creating arge enough opening for him to slip through. Seeing that the alloyed metal door was frozen enough to turn brittle, this means the temperature inside should''ve reached minus 100 ¡ãC!


    "..."


    Still, he stopped thinking. He decided not to puzzle himself about it and to prioritize surviving first.


    After pushing a few sharp edges out, he crawled through the door and finally saw the flight of stairs leading up. A faint light could be seen shining down from the top, while the bottom was filled with dried, dposed leaves and small branches.


    It was practically turning into apost pit,pletely burying the stairs leading to the tenth underground floor. The floor where the Nuclear Fission Reactor powering the wholeboratory¡ªalong with its silo of radioactive U-235 rods¡ªwas located.


    ''I should check that ceter,'' Aster thought.


    He was worried about the possibility of the reactor going loco, causing a nuclear explosion. But for now, he needed to look for help¡ªsomeone, anyone¡ªas he wanted information about the current situation.


    "Still¡­" He sighed, wasting his breath as he looked up. "Stairs."


    He was extremely reluctant to scale it. However, he had no choice. Looking at the state of the ce, he doubted there''d be any food or water around. Without those necessities, he''d die if he stayed here.


    One step at a time, he climbed the stairs. At the same time, he was careful of the rusted parts, as they turned to dust after he tried putting his weight on them. Even the handrails can''t be trusted!


    The entire way to the top, his heart was beating wildly, as if he were walking on a tightrope!


    He eventually came to the gate that was blocking the exit. However, this time, probably because it was exposed to more elements, the door was already missing, most likely buried below the thickyer of soil and decaying leaves.


    Aster weaved his way through the vines blocking the path and looked around. His lips gradually turned into a deep frown. "When did the city transform into a thick forest?" He mused, looking in all directions.


    Although he could navigate the entire city even while blindfolded, like it was the back of his hand, he didn''t even know where to go after seeing the state of this ce.


    Traces of familiar buildings could still be seen, but they were already destroyed, turning into a pile of rubble covered in moss and vines.


    Turning around, even theboratory he got out from was in the same state. Reduced into rubble and washed by an unknown amount of time.


    A wave of sentimentality came upon Aster, but he quickly shook his head. He decided to think about such emotional thingster, when he was already safe and sound. First and foremost, he should head to where the nearest civilization could be found.


    He stopped to think for a while.


    Assuming that a sizeable amount of time passed and that, for some reason, the city had to be evacuated, he started to predict where the people would head.


    "... North."


    Thend to the north should have a higher capability to support life, capable of even allowing farming and such, and bepletely self-sustainable. More than that, thend there was at a higher elevation than where he was currently standing, so it was less susceptible to floods.


    After rationalizing, he didn''t waste time and took a careful step forward¡­ and as if Lady Luck wereughing at him, he managed to step on a sharp pebble first thing.


    "What rotten luck!" He cursed as he bent down, checking his wound. "This might get infected..." He worried but couldn''t find anything to use to wrap his wound.


    Having no choice, he could only repurpose his patient gown. Aster took it off once before ripping out a portion and wrapping it around his hips. The rest of it he slit into two equal parts and wrapped around his feet, using them like impromptu shoes.


    After he had double-checked that he was adequately protecting his dignity and that his feet were no longer hurting from stepping on sharp pebbles, he began to walk to the left and then straight ahead.


    His n: go to the north and reach civilization!

 Chapter 5: A Different World?

    Aster, with his improvised shoes on, began to walk through the thick forest.


    Along the way, he found curious nts¡ªvarieties that even a biologist like him couldn''t identify. Some even sport colors that should be impossible toe about naturally, like metallic gold, silver, and pure ck!


    More questions appeared in his head as he continued walking. However, he can''t be distracted just yet. With burning resolve, he continued treading forward, avoiding unknown¡ªpotentially perilous¡ªnts as he went onward, being careful not to lose his bearings.


    *Huff!*


    He took in anotherrge amount of air before holding his breath again. Although he was keeping a natural pace to avoid losing his breath, he still ended up gasping a few minutester.


    "Although... I shouldn''t tire myself," he muttered as he ced a hand against a tree, waiting for his breathing to settle. "Each extra breath I take is a few minutes of my life lost, after all."


    He never once forgot about his inborn disease, a mdy that steals life from him with every breath he takes. Recalling it right then was enough to send him into a mncholic mood.


    "You promised you''d find a cure for me." Aster bit his lips, recalling the faces of his parents, who bid him farewell with tears before he was frozen in time.


    Noticing that he was getting sidetracked and his mind wandering, thinking about "useless" things, he shook his head before ncing forward with a determined look in his eyes. "I''ll head to civilization first. Everything elsees after that!"


    Reaffirming his resolve and gathering his breath, he continued to walk onward.


    He focused solely on taking one step after another, at a pace that he wouldn''t get tired of, no matter how slow. As such, by the time the sun had set, he was still within the forest.


    "Shit! I can''t see a damn thing!"


    He cursed as he continued walking forward, only relying on his trusty sense of direction.


    About two hours after sundown, something finally caught his eye. A shining orb beyond the thick forest ahead shed for a moment. It was a thing he wouldn''t be mistaken about, light of civilization!


    Although he was excited, he didn''t change his pace and continued. It was another fifteen minutes before he finally burst through the forest and saw the scene ahead of him in full.


    A metropolis, surrounded by tall, sturdy-looking metal walls. Neon signs floated around, flying as they released bright lights in a bid for attention. On top of the towering structures that reached for the heavens, there were lighthouse-like beacons that shed constantly.


    But that wasn''t what caught Aster''s attention.


    "Those are¡­ flying cars?!"


    The objects he caught sight of, zipping across the sky at blinding speeds, were cars with no wheels! They looked amazing, like straight out of fantasy, enough to make Aster doubt if he was dreaming.


    He pinched his sunken cheeks and even his skinny thighs. However, the pain he felt was telling him that everything he was seeing was real. "What the hell did I get myself into?"


    He wondered if¡ªlike in the novels he liked to read before¡ªhe got sent to another world, an isekai, and received superpowers. However, he quickly denied that possibility. He was nothing but a normal boy, rife with problems and filled with ambitions that were impossible to fulfill.


    "First, let''s head there."


    Of course, his priority didn''t change. He started walking, staggering with his tired legs, and heading one step at a time toward therge metal gates of the metropolis.


    Powerful spotlights fell over him as he approached, close enough that sensors on the walls could detect him. Aster closed his eyes in surprise. He squinted as he covered his face with his arm, trying to block the blinding rays.


    "H-Hello?! C-Can anyone hear me?!"


    Aster raised his voice as loud as he could. "I, I''m Aster Mistral! I''m lost, and I need help! Someone, please¡­!"


    *SQUEAAAAAK!*


    At that moment, a small service door beside therge gate opened while releasing a metallic noise. From within, two men wearing something that shouted "We''re the police!" that he could recognize, despite it being his first time seeing such a design, carefully approached.


    Seeing the ck object in their hands, Aster quickly realized they were armed. In panic, he raised both arms to appeal that he wasn''t someone dangerous and was unarmed. When they reached a distance where they could be heard, one of the two raised their voice and called.


    "You! Turn around, kneel on the ground, and state your purpose foring here!"


    The voice sounded almost feminine, but Aster could tell that the speaker was male. He quickly followed instructions and gulped nervously before shouting back in reply.


    "M-Mister Officer, I''m Aster Mistral! I came here to look for help!"


    Footsteps approached him as he kneeled down on the dirt,ing from either side. The two officers split up and carefully approached Aster, ensuring he didn''t make any weird moves.


    *BEEEEEEP!*


    "This is PO2 Helvetica. We found a young human male before the gates. He doesn''t look armed and is like skin and bones. Asking for further instructions, over."


    The same man who asked him questions started to talk through a radio, which was clipped to his long, sharp ears. Aster couldn''t confirm it, however, since he was facing the other way. He didn''t dare turn his head and waited for the officers to give their orders.


    A short bout of silence spread before the same officer who spoke let out a soft sigh and answered back.


    "... Alright. We''ll take him in." He muttered in his androgynous voice before shouting over. "You, ce both hands behind your back. We''ll be restraining you, but this is just SOP and not because you''re under arrest. Please cooperate."


    "..."


    Aster had no choice but to ept getting handcuffed in order to be brought in for questioning, even though the thought of it horrified him. He was too "weak" to resist authority in his present state, and it would only worsen his current situation.


    He slowly ced both hands on his back, arranging them to make it easy to handcuff. A set of footsteps came closer soon after.


    Then, with a single touch, a light humming sound echoed, telling Aster that the handcuffs were applied properly. It wasn''t the hoops and chains that he was expecting, however, but more like two dark-blue bracers kept together by a powerful electromaic force, glowing lightly.


    "Restrainingpleted, senior! *Snort!*" the man who cuffed him announced with a short nasal sound at the end of his sentence.


    Turning around, with the other person''s support, Aster was surprised; he had thought he was being looked down on and sneered upon. Although it was dark and the floodlights were making their faces dim, he couldn''t be mistaken about what he saw.


    The one to his right, the androgynous-sounding man who was helping him up, had pale-white skin, gold hair, and sharp ears. He was extremely simr to the elves he had read frequently in novels.


    The other, however, had a wide, furry face, with two big tusks rising from his lower jaw. He had a big, wide nose with tworge holes¡ªpractically a humanoid pig!


    "An elf and... an orc?!" Aster muttered in shock.

 Chapter 6: Jumping Through 2,500 Years!

    The two w enforcement" officers brought Aster in for questioning. They went through the small ess passage beside therge, sealed gate and entered the metropolis. However, Aster couldn''t dwell too much on the view after turning to the left, heading for the guard station.


    Before they could go to interrogation, they first had to let Aster go through several checks. Mainly to see if he was carrying some contagious disease or something.


    "Don''t fret; this won''t cause any difort."


    The beautiful, gender-neutral elf whispered as they used something resembling a temperature gun over Aster. It was an all-in-one device that checked for metals, pathogens, and explosives on someone''s person.


    After going through the scanner and undergoing a body-check and visual check, two more police-like officers came. Both were the same as the first officer, having golden hair and green eyes, with a 10/10 figure¡ªfemale elves!


    The two were wearing the same uniform but had a white band with a red cross on it around their left arm. They were, without a doubt, part of the medical team at the guard station.


    The two "nurses" used a syringe-like object without a needle to draw some blood samples, roughly 50 mL, as it released a loud *PSSHH!* sound. Additionally, they collected his fingerprints, saliva swabs, and hair follicles for identification and recording purposes.


    About a minuteter, the two female officers left, leaving Aster with only the first two officers from before.


    The elf officer smiled as he sat across Aster, with a table between them, and spoke. "Thank you for your cooperation. While we await theb results, we''ll proceed with the standard questioning. Officer Karuwik, please."


    At his urging, the orc-faced officer pulled out a glowing t board and began to speak with Aster in a gentle voice.


    "I''ll be recording the progress of the interview; Senior Helvetica will be the one asking questions. Please respond as urately and precisely as possible. *Snort!*"


    Aster nodded while trying to conceal the apprehension in his eyes. After all, a sizable, bipedal pig creature was talking to him!


    It would be strange if he didn''t feel anxious. But perhaps due to the shock of encountering and surviving the encounter with the enormous snake right after waking up, he could at least attempt to appearposed.


    "Alright¡­" The elf officer, Helvetica, began. "First, your name?"


    "A-Aster... Aster Mistral," he replied promptly.


    The orc officer tapped the tablet-like glowing device in his hands, entering the details and searching the registries, but found no match. "Strange¡­ *Snort!*" he said quietly.


    The elf officer cocked his head curiously. "Perhaps you checked the wrong region? Aster, was it? Which city did youe from?"


    "I¡­" Aster took a deep breath before answering. "I''m from Tresgia City."


    "Tresgia?"


    The elf and the orc looked at each other before shaking their heads. Right, there''s no city in their memories with that name.


    "Perhaps your memory is confused?" Officer Helvetica assumed before asking once more. "Do you recall your birthday?"


    "Uh¡­ May 2, 2015."


    *PFFFFT!*


    Upon hearing his birthday, however, both officers couldn''t contain their surprise and amusement. After a brief moment, Officer Helvetica raised a hand with a faint grin. "Excuse us. But if you intend to lie, you should''ve chosen a more believable date, my friend. 2015 was some 2,500 years ago!"


    "2,500¡­?" Aster was baffled this time. "Wait! What year is it now?!"


    From what his parents told him, he should''ve been frozen by a few decades at most. At least, that''s what he recalled from the initial n.


    "Hmm? If you''re referring to the Unified Magic Era, it''s 1,033 UME. In, *pfft!*, A-A.D. terms, it''s 4,533 A.D."


    "..."


    Aster''s mind stopped. No, his entire world did! 4,533 A.D., 2,500 years into the future. His head throbbed as he contemted the possibility of this being true!


    ''They have no motive to deceive me; I''m the one under scrutiny here,'' Aster mused. ''That means everything they''ve said is true!''


    *Gasp!*


    "...?"


    Just as Aster was distracted, the orc-faced officer, Officer Karuwik, emitted a surprised gasp. His face then turned serious while alternating between checking his tablet and Aster''s face.


    "Unbelievable¡­ Senior! Look at this!"


    "What?"


    The two of them checked the tablet, and... "What the heck?" the elf officer eximed in astonishment.


    Although confused, Aster could only furrow his brows, wondering what had caught the pair''s attention. The officers conferred in hushed tones before nidding in unison.


    "Excuse me, Mr. Aster, can you confirm if this data pertains to you? *Snort!*"


    Officer Karuwik extended his robust, fur-covered hands, presenting the tablet, or rahter, the thin holographic panel disying Aster''s image alongside various personal details meticulously recorded.


    Aster scanned the panel, absorbing its contents in five seconds. He drew a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, sir, this is my information."


    *Tap, tap!* *Tap, tap!* *Tap, tap!* *Tap, tap!*


    Before he could continue, the sound of heels hitting the tiled floor reverberated. The two officers swiftly turned toward the door, eyebrows raised, as it slid open. One of the two elf women from before entered with a pale countenance, clutching yet another holographic tablet.


    "S-Sir Helvetica! Please review this urgently!" She implored, urgencycing her tone.


    "What''s the matter, Helen? Did something bad pop up from the result?"


    As he received the tablet and read its contents, he fell silent. Rubbing his eyes as if in disbelief, he read it again before turning to the woman. "Are you certain about this result?"


    "Yes, sir! I''ve double-, no, triple-checked! I am 99.95% confident in the result!" She dered while saluting crisply.


    *BAM!*


    Officer Helvetica mmed his palm on top of the table, nearly startling Aster. With a grave expression, he addressed the two, his tone severe.


    "Both of you, implement a lockdown on all information concerning Mr. Aster! Elevate the confidentiality ss to level S!"


    ""Yes, sir!""


    "And you, Mr. Aster Mistral, please apany me." He turned to Aster, bowing deeply. "The result from theboratory may be urate, but our station can''t take such heavy responsibility."


    He carefully removed the cuffs on Aster''s wrists while continuing. "We''ll be escorting you to a private hospital under the police''s control and will be undergoing a more thorough examination there. This is for your and our safety, Mr. Aster. Please understand."


    "Why? What happened?" The severe expression on his face startled Aster, who questioned him in fear. "My disease shouldn''t be contagious. Could it be that I have some weird virus on me?!"


    "No, it''s not such a small matter." Officer Helvetica answered, shaking his head. "From the initial test, it was discovered that... you possess 100% human DNA."


    "... Yes? I mean, I am human."


    Naturally, he should have 100% human DNA. Both his parents were humans, after all! However,cking information, hepletely failed to grasp the implications of being a "pure" human in the current era.

 Chapter 7: Traveling in Secret

    Judging from Aster''s bewildered expression, Officer Helvetica deduced that Aster had no clue what was going on. However, there was no time to waste. Scanning Aster from head to toe, Helvetica hummed momentarily before groaning in frustration.


    "You already stand out because you''re human, but dressed like that, you''ll draw even more attention."


    Aster looked down and noticed that he was still dressed the same as before. He only had a short piece of "skirt" to cover himself up. If he went out walking around like that, he could imagine how he''d be the center of attention. Not in a good way, of course.


    "Please follow me," Officer Helvetica ushered, leading Aster out of the interrogation room.


    The two immediately turned to the right as they left the room and entered the third door to the left. As they entered, Aster noticed that it was filled with lockers.


    "As you''ve surmised, this is our locker room," Helvetica exined. "We''ll be borrowing a few clothes from here for you to use. Please bear with it being used clothes."


    "P-Please! I''m just grateful to have normal clothes. I don''t mind if they''re used," Aster stammered while hoping they wouldn''t smell too bad.


    "Hearing you say that makes me feel less guilty," the elf officer muttered with a wry smile.


    After that, Aster began wearing clothes.


    After long deliberation, he borrowed some clothes from another elf officer, one with a smaller build than Officer Helvetica, who was way taller than Aster. Despite it being the "smallest" of them, it was way too big for Aster''s skinny body.


    "... Well, it''s an improvement," Helvetica remarked with a frown.


    After he dressed up "appropriately," he was then dragged toward the back entrance. On the way, he saw a few more officers who looked on edge. The S-ss Confidentiality Level alert was something they experienced for the first time, after all. They didn''t want to mess it up.


    All surveince cameras were turned off and pointed directly to the ceiling, trying to avoid keeping records of Aster''s presence at all costs. Even the previous records where he was caught were already archived and deleted!


    Seeing them all line up in the hallway, Helvetica nodded approvingly. "Everyone, you know the drill, right?"


    "Yes sir!"


    "Good! Then, I will be driving the main vehicle with Mr. Aster. Two others would act as decoys..."


    He began giving orders to everyone, each one precise, concise, and clear. After about two minutes of talking, their preparation was finally done. Two officers ran ahead of them, heading to the back door and leaving, while Helvetica watched them with a firm expression.


    After about five minutes passed, he then turned to Aster and spoke.


    "Then, Mr. Aster, please follow me."


    "R-Right," Aster answered despite being slightly confused.


    He followed right behind Officer Helvetica, keeping pace with his long strides. And in just a few moments, he was starting to run out of breath, unable to match the elf''s walking pace!


    Fortunately, the door leading to the back wasn''t far.


    When the officer opened the door, Aster saw how there were various cars parked here and there. Right outside, another female elf officer wearing a white scarf saluted before rying some information.


    "Officer Helvetica, sir! Trainees Aston and Greed have left as decoys. The press is splitting up to chase them."


    "Good." He nodded while saluting the woman. "Stay here and watch over the situation. If there seemed to be someone following us, alert us immediately."


    "Affirmative!"


    The woman, after lowering her hand for the salute, turned to Aster. She noticed how the clothes he was wearing were too big and baggy and how his cor was slipping down.


    "..."


    Out of pity, she unwound the dirty-white scarf around her neck, stepped forward, and wrapped it around Aster''s neck. "The wind is cold. Keep this," she said with a warm smile.


    Aster stared at her before nodding and muttering in a small voice. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee."


    She replied with another smile.


    As he began to follow behind Officer Helvetica once again, he started to realize something. "All elves are tall!"


    The one before him, for example, Helvetica, was standing around 2.2 meters. The woman behind him, who gave him the dirty-white scarf, stood at 1.9 meters! He looked like a kid when standing between the two elves!


    As they walked for a few meters, Helvetica stopped before pulling out his keys from his breast pocket. As he pressed a button on it, a ck sedan a short distance away released a beeping noise before starting to float.


    Then, as if driving itself, the car approached the two and stopped right before them. It looked like it was sliding across since there were no wheels below it at all.


    "Come up to the passenger seat." Helvetica offered as he opened the door.


    Nervously, Aster climbed into the car. To his surprise, it didn''t even shake. "How is this floating but so stable?" he wondered.


    Once Aster was seated, Helvetica closed the door, moved to the driver''s seat, and leaned over to buckle Aster''s seatbelt. "Excuse me," he muttered.


    After he put on his seatbelt and adjusted the rearview and side mirrors, he then reached for the key once more and plugged it into the dashboard.


    "..."


    Aster was confused, however, since he couldn''t see any steering wheel anywhere. And with his doubts remaining unresolved, Helvetica tapped something on the dashboard, and the car quickly rose into the sky, entering the "highway''s" slowne.


    "Wow!"


    Soon enough, he forgot his misgivings and was staring at the window with excitement.


    They entered the fastne, with cars speeding left and right, flying at speeds that would make one wonder if they''re not scared of getting into a car ident.


    "Don''t stick too close to the window, or you might bump your head against the ss," Officer Helvetica whispered with a slight chuckle. "So you really dide from the past, huh? Flying cars had been the standard since, like... 500 years ago."


    "Huh? But I can see vehicles running on the ground too?" Aster asked, seeing the bus and trains on the ground, judging from the lights they emitted.


    "Ah, public transport is required byw to stay on the ground." His sharp ears twitched a little as he exined. "After all, it''s bothersome to ascend the highway and descend whenever they pick up or drop passengers."


    "Hmm, makes sense..."


    Aster then stared at the handsome elf beside him and asked. "And why does this car not have a steering wheel?"


    "Oh, that?" He smiled lightly before tapping the dashboard, with many lights flickering on it. "Modern transport is fully automated and controlled by a single AI. That way, idents can be avoided since it has control over all vehicles."


    A hive-mind AI was in charge of driving the car, or more urately, all of the cars flying around the speedway. By controlling "all" cars at once, the AI could predict and control trajectories urately and let all vehicles run at their maximum speed without the danger of crashing.


    "Hoooh!" Aster sighed in awe.


    He never imagined AI to reach such a level!

 Chapter 8: Legacy-Level Carved Seal!

    The entire drivested no more than five minutes, but Aster savored every moment. He felt as if he were on a thrilling amusement park ride while seated in the passenger seat!


    He''d never had the chance to experience such rides since excitement increased one''s heartbeat, demanded more oxygen, and caused him to breathe more frequently.


    This short ride was the closest he''d evere to that sensation.


    "We''ve arrived," Officer Helvetica announced, stepping out to open the passenger door.


    When he got out of the car, Aster craned his head up at therge building before him. From a nce, you couldn''t tell that it was a hospital, with its elegant facade belying its purpose of caring for patients.


    The two of them didn''t enter through the main entrance, of course, as that would gather too much attention. Instead, they perused a special passage made for those affiliated with the police.


    "This way, quickly."


    Helvetica prodded Aster to move forward, allowing him to enter the strange tform that had a cylindrical ss wall surrounding it. He carefully stepped inside it and turned around, facing where they came from, copying the elf''s actions.


    As he did, the ss "entrance" suddenly started to deform, closing down radially, like a ripple going in reverse. Right as the wall closed, the tform suddenly released a low hum as blue light started to shine below it.


    "W-What''s happening...?!" Aster panicked, kneeling down to keep his bnce.


    Helvetica looked at Aster and chuckled lightly. "Sorry, Mr. Aster. This is a Magic Elevator. It''s a piece of equipment designed to transport someone from one floor to another."


    "Elevator?" Aster repeated, bewildered. "This thing is?!"


    The speed at which they were ascending past each floor was scary! They were almost moving five floors up per second, causing Aster''s eyes to spin and his stomach to churn. If the elevator came to a sudden stop, then the momentum was probably enough to tten him against the elevator''s roof!


    *TING!*


    "...!"


    At that moment, the elevator came to a sudden stop. Aster''s body stiffened, bracing for impact, but nothing happened. "What''s wrong, Mr. Aster? Come over here fast."


    He opened his eyes slowly, checking his body and the elevator. He was unharmed.


    "Eh...?" He muttered in confusion before standing up and stepping out.


    As soon as it detected that nobody else was onboard, the ss walls closed up once more before the elevator zoomed away, going to the underground floor where it usually stays on standby.


    "What are you standing there for? Let''s go!"


    "Ah, please slow down!"


    Aster chased after Helvetica''s back again, moving across the mostly empty hallways as they went toward a certain room.


    They stopped at a certainboratory, with thebel "Dr. Zellbrook" hanging in front of the door. Helvetica knocked lightly before pushing the door aside and entering without even calling out first.


    Aster, curious, peeked inside and saw a wonderful, pristineboratory. Various machines were running, releasing low humming sounds, while blinking lights could be seen on their panels.


    "Oh, Helvy. What brings you here?"


    And at the center of it, standing before a tall table while wearing something like a headlight, was a short, stout man. Aster nced at him and at Helvetica, then back at the man. "A dwarf?!" He cried in shock.


    In fantasy stories, dwarves and elves usually don''t get along, so Aster was worried about their interaction. However, Helvetica smiled joyfully as he approached the dwarf, extending a hand.


    "Professor, it''s been a while. Has it already been three years? Time sure flies."


    "Brat, it''s been 30 years! I know elves have long lives, but 3 and 30 are way different!" The dwarf retorted with a cheerful snicker.


    "Haha, you don''t look any older than in the past, so I thought not much time had passed."


    "..."


    Aster, still confused, realized that the two had known each other for quite a while. As such, the fear of them fighting was quickly chased away from his mind.


    "And? Is that man the reason why you came here?" The dwarf asked, staring at Aster from head to toe. "Hmm... a human? Quite rare nowadays."


    "Yes, Professor Zell. Actually..."


    After that, Helvetica provided Dr. Zellbrook with a quick rundown of the situation. When he mentioned that Aster was from the 21st century, the dwarf''s eyes widened.


    "Hmm... Interesting. A cryogenically frozen body surviving for thousands of years... It''s nothing short of a miracle!"


    He eximed with a hand, brushing his long white beard, looking at Aster as if deep in thought.


    "And it was detected that you have 100% Human DNA too... If this gets out, then those anti-humanity movement brats will hunt you down!"


    "..."


    Aster was long lost in their conversation, unable to follow it at all. Helvetica saw this and smiled wryly before pushing him toward the doctor.


    "Professor, let''s stop the chat here. We came for aprehensive checkup for him. The information will be ced under the S-ss Confidentiality Level, so keep that in mind."


    "Hmm... S-ss, huh? Another bothersome offer... Welp, alright! Lad, go lie down in the middle of that machine over there! We''ll do aplete scan of your body!"


    The professor pointed to arge cylindrical machine with a bed in the middle. It resembled an oversized MRI scanner, with an inner diameter of three meters and an outer diameter of five meters.


    "A-Alright," Aster answered with a trembling voice.


    As he moved to lie down, the doctor suddenly spoke. "Ah, remove your clothes first. They''ll interfere with the mana scanner."


    "..."


    Aster had lost any sense of embarrassment long ago, as his nurse had seen his body more times than he could count. Stripping before two men didn''t faze him.


    After removing the baggy clothes and the scarf he was wearing, heid down in the middle of the table and rxed.


    "Hmm... Then, I''ll begin the scan." Dr. Zell said this before pressing a button.


    *HUMM!*


    A sound escaped therge cylinder as it began to move, covering Aster''s body entirely. Then, suddenly, blue light started to shine down on him, as if scanning his entire body.


    "Ugh!"


    As he did, the back of his right hand started to feel burning pain. Looking down, Aster found a weird symbol glowing in a mix of blue and red lights.


    "Hmm?! That is...?!"


    Dr. Zell gasped loudly. With a surprised expression, he uttered words he never thought he''d say during his long career as a doctor.


    "A real Legacy-Level Carved Seal!"

 Chapter 9: Still No Cure

    The scansted roughly five minutes straight. During that time, everything about Aster''s body waspletely recorded. From the number of hairs he had on his head to the position of moles all over his skinny body, the scan didn''t miss a single detail.


    "Good, you can get off the machine and get dressed now!" Dr. Zell announced this as he reviewed the data.


    Aster did as he was told and slowly got off the machine. Then he started putting on his borrowed clothes once more. After he was done changing, the doctor still wasn''t done with his part.


    "Uhmm... Is there something wrong?" Aster asked, seeing the dire expression of the professor.


    "Something? Everything is wrong here!" He groaned. "Your muscles have already atrophied, and it''s a miracle you can even walk! And your lungs are weirdly strong despite all that!"


    He started pointing out mismatching results one after another, making Aster shy away.


    "And most of all, this mysterious magic disease! It snatches life energy from you every time you breathe!"


    "...!"


    Aster gasped as he heard his disease being mentioned. He hadn''t told them about it just yet, so their pinpointing its direct effect after that short scan got him curious. "C-Could it be... do you have a cure for that disease, doctor?!"


    He leaned closer, asking with bated breaths.


    However, the doctor only sighed before repeating his words. "I said [Mysterious Magic Disease], didn''t I? If it''s got a cure, why would it stay mysterious?"


    "..."


    Aster''s heart sank. He almost thought that, after two thousand years had passed, his disease finally had a cure. However, even now, it remains an enigma.


    "Well, it''s not like there''s no cure." Dr. Zell added as he continued tapping away at his tablet. "If you manage to get a Panacea, then you can cure all the diseases you have and even increase your lifespan by a hundred years!"


    "Panacea..." Aster repeated the word. "W-Where can I get this Panacea? And how much does it cost?"


    "Huh?"


    The doctor stared at Aster as if he were looking at an idiot. To his question, it was the officer who was watching by the side who answered.


    "Mr. Aster, Panacea can only be harvested from the 1,000th floor of dungeons. As such, it''s extremely hard toe by." He exined.


    "To add to that, it only has a shelf life of 1 hour, no matter what method of preservation we use. In short, it''s practically impossible to circte outside dungeons."


    "One-thousandth floor... dungeons..." Aster parroted the words, as if unable to understand them.


    Slowly, realization hit him as he eximed in surprise. "T-There''s dungeons in this world?!"


    Rather, he felt like he just ignored a few weird words too. Like "mana," "magic," or such. His mind became confused as his vision spun. Fatigue started to catch up on his tired body.


    "Oops!"


    Officer Helvetica caught Aster''s body as he fell forward. He carefully helped him up before having him sit on a nearby chair.


    "Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.


    Although Aster wanted to nod his head, his body no longer listened to hismands. The only thing he could do was breathe.


    *Huff!*


    "Hmm... He must be tired. Let him rest in one of my patient rooms for tonight." Dr. Zell said before turning to Aster. "Tomorrow, we''ll start with fixing up thatnky body of yours."


    After hearing him say until that point, Aster''s consciousness faded.


    ---


    Morning, May 3, 4533, 6:44 a.m. Sunny.


    Aster stirred awake from the gentle rays of the sun filtering through the blinds of the windows. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the white, unfamiliar ceiling.


    "... Where am I?" He whispered as he tried to raise his body.


    Soon, he found that he was in a white room, as if a hospital room, with simple furnishings around. There was a white table to his side with a basket of fruits on it, tickling his nose.


    *Groooowl!* *Drool!*


    The smell of food caused his stomach to raise a voice ofint as he drooled. He hasn''t eaten anything since the day before, after all!


    "Right, I remember..." Memories started to stir as he thought back to what happened. "I... woke up from the cryo chamber. Then..."


    He looked around once more, finally realizing where he was. "I''m now at the hospital."


    *DING!*


    Just as he was beginning to wonder what to do next, a short chime echoed, telling him that someone was at the door to his room. Before he could even answer, it had already opened by itself, revealing a dwarf doctor walking in with a checklist in hand.


    "Good morning, mister... Aster Mistral? How do you feel?" He greeted with a smile.


    Aster looked at himself, noticing that he was no longer wearing the baggy clothes that he borrowed and was instead wearing a white patient''s gown, a new one at that. After looking around, he found his borrowed clothes and the scarf a short distance away, folded on top of a chair beside the window.


    "Mr. Aster?" Seeing that he wasn''t answering, Dr. Zell asked one more time.


    "A-Ah, I feel... Weak and hungry. That''s all, doctor."


    "I see. Then, after you have breakfast, we''ll continue with fixing your body as promised." Dr. Zell answered as he wrote down a few things on his checklist. "Then I''ll be calling for room service for you. Are there any foods you like, don''t like, or are allergic to?"


    Aster began thinking for a bit before answering. "Then, something light, please. And I don''t have any allergies."


    "Noted. Then it should arrive in a minute or two, so wait patiently."


    After writing a few more lines, he then pressed a button on the wall before speaking with the hologram that popped out of it. The scene looked so surreal that Aster thought he was still dreaming.


    After the doctor left, as he dered beforehand, Aster''s breakfast arrived after one minute. A floating dish brought it in while releasing a bluish-white glow.


    "Is this a robot...?" He wondered while looking at the strange "object."


    After he picked up the tray and ced it over his legs, the robot server moved and ced the te, ss, and utensils down automatically... Without using robotic hands.


    "What the..." Aster stared as if he had just seen a ghost.


    Then he suddenly gasped, recalling a topic that he almost missedst night. "Right, magic!" The food server wasn''t a robot; instead, it was magic-powered!

 Chapter 10: Getting Back in Shape

    After cing down his food, the magical floating te moved out of the way. Aster followed it with his gaze before turning to the food before him.


    As he requested, it was a light mealposed of creamy chicken rice soup, two buttered toasts, and vegetable juice. It wasn''t much of a meal, but it should be just right for his famished body.


    But as he was looking at the food, he suddenly remembered how he was currently 2500 years into the "future." He couldn''t be sure if humans'' taste buds still work the same!


    "It looks... normal, though." He muttered after careful observation.


    He reached for the spoon and dipped it into the creamy white soup, getting half a spoon full. Then, he brought it slowly to his lips and, with grim determination, closed his eyes and...!


    *Gulp!*


    "...~!"


    Despite his preparation for the worst, he was surprised in a good way. As its name implied, the soup was creamy and mild, passing through his throat gently. The mix of herbs gave it a refreshing aftertaste, urging him to dip his spoon and have another!


    Before he noticed what he was doing, the soup had already been reduced to half.


    "Ah, I gotta try the toast first."


    He put down his spoon and reached for the toasted bread. He could tell it was crunchy from picking one up alone! He brought it to his mouth and took a small bite, chewing slowly. The sweetness of butter mixed with the bitter, slightly burnt parts of the toast, ying aplex melody of vors!


    Perhaps his hunger made everything taste better, but soon enough, his soup and toast were finished. Left with only the ss of light green vegetable juice, he picked it up and took a cautious sip.


    "...!"


    And... it tasted as he imagined it. Like vegetables ced roughly in a blender and dumped into a ss. Although it was "healthy," he would not willingly drink one when given a choice.


    Not wanting to leave anything behind, he closed his eyes tight as he chugged its contents in one go. He was thinking that the shorter the time he suffered, the better!


    "Uegh...!"


    No matter how fast he drank it, what tastes bad will taste bad. He felt a wave of nausea but managed to keep everything down. After a moment, the difort subsided, and he exhaled in relief.


    Staring at the empty dishes, hemade a mental note:"I should ask for a different juice next time."


    ---


    After finishing his breakfast, Dr. Zell returned just in time and led him back to theboratory. This time, instead of the massive MRI-like machine, Aster was directed towards a peculiar-looking pod.


    "I''m going to... enter this?" He asked, eyeing the pod with slight apprehension.


    It looked like the egg case of that hateful ck insect, who liked to crawl on dark corners of your home, evoking a sense of reluctance to enter in him. Although, of course, it''s of a pure white color instead of being close to burgundy red.


    Dr. Zellbrook nodded with a faint smile before patting his backside.


    "Don''t worry, it''s safe. We gotta do something with your skinny body first, or else you might not be able to endure the rest."


    "..."


    Unfortunately, Officer Helvetica was away, so he couldn''t ask for a second opinion. He sighed before moving toward the weird pod and getting stopped by the doctor. "Ah, please strip first before entering."


    ''Well, of course...'' he thought.


    After removing his patient gown and the new pair of boxers he was wearing, he carefullyid down the diagonally oriented pod. It felt almost as if he were entering another cryogenic capsule for once, so he gradually rxed.


    After the doctor pressed a few buttons, the lid began to close as a facemask covered his mouth and nose. As that happened, he started to have a bad feeling about it.


    "Well then, let''s begin." The doctor announced, not paying attention to Aster''s expression.


    Following his words, green liquid started to stream inside, pouring from small vents at the bottom of the pod. "I knew it!" Aster eximed as he tried to calm his breathing.


    The reason? He was scared of getting submerged from head to toe in water. It was almost close to giving him aquaphobia, in fact. His heart rate started to spike as he started to hyperventte.


    Of course, Dr. Zell noticed the weird readings on his heart rate, sweating, and eye movements. However, he decided that it was within "eptable range" and continued.


    "...!"


    As soon as the water level reached his shoulder, he started to have muscle spasms while trying to keep his head above. However, of course, the entire container was designed to get filled to the brim with liquid, so it was a futile exercise.


    As the water reached his ears, his vision started to ck out, and he fainted.


    "Good. As predicted." Dr. Zell nodded before proceeding. "Better than having him il around, I guess."


    After pressing another button, the inside of the pod started to move. The inner walls turned into countless pointed syringes, each ranging from two to five inches long. The sight of it alone could most probably trigger someone''s aichmophobia.


    Then... the modification began.


    A few hourster, Aster stirred once more. When he opened his eyes, he realized that he was back in his previous bed inside the hospital. Looking outside the window, the sun was still shining brightly. He was out for only three hours, as it was barely noon.


    "What happened..." He raised his body, holding his aching head.


    As he did, he caught sight of a bulky arm and did a double take. "Huh?" He checked it once more, turning toward his right arm, and found that it was more "meaty" than before.


    Confused, Aster moved the nket covering half of his body and saw that his previously skin-and-bones build was reced with firm muscles, without any ws. "Is this... real?" He doubted what he was seeing.


    Before he fainted, he should''ve been skin and bones, and now he looked as fit as a fiddle!


    "What happened, really?"


    He asked once more, but nobody was present to answer his question.


    *DING!*


    Again, right as he woke up, the soft ring of the notification rang, telling him that another visitor hade. The person, without even waiting for a reply, entered immediately before turning to him and smiling.


    "You look tougher now, Mr. Aster." He eximed with a friendly smile.


    The one who entered was none other than Officer Helvetica!


    "Officer!" Aster called in surprise. "I, I''m not sure what happened either. When I woke up, I''m like this."


    "Ah, did you faint, perhaps?" Helvetica muttered with a wry smile. "Well, that pod would make even a grown man cringe, after all." He added.


    "Eh...?"


    Aster was surprised. "So there''s that many people scared of getting submerged nowadays?" He thought.


    Ignorance is bliss, as they say.

 Chapter 11: Visiting the Mayor

    After exchanging a few more casual words, Officer Helvetica finally went to the main topic.


    "Actually, I went to report your situation to the mayor." He said it with an apologetic look. "Although it''s done without your permission, your case is just too much for us police alone to handle."


    Aster frowned upon hearing this. However, after thinking for a little, he did understand their reasoning. Although he wasn''t sure, being 100% human was a sensitive topic. It was too sensitive, in fact, that it could get him hunted and killed.


    ''I don''t have a solid footing in this world yet. I can only go with the flow for now.'' He thought.


    "It''s fine, Officer Helvetica. I know you''re simply doing your job." Aster smiled as he spoke. "And meeting the mayor directly after two short days is already at the level of a miracle. I should be thanking you instead!"


    If he could somehow get the mayor to be his backer, then his standing in the current world would be firm!


    "That''s good to hear." Helvetica smiled before standing up. "Then we''d better go. I''ve already gotten an appointment with the mayor this noon. With our remaining time, we can still barely make it."


    However, as he heard the officer''s words, Aster became worried.


    "R-Right now?" He looked at his attire¡ªnothing but a single pair of boxers and a thin, patient gown. "I don''t think I can meet the mayor looking like this."


    "Oh, right!"


    Officer Helvetica leaned down, picking up the paper bag he brought with him. "Actually, I got you some casual clothes. You''ll be released from the hospital as all the tests are done, after all."


    "Wait, it''s done already?" Aster groaned in surprise. "I thought there''d be a lot of tests I had to undergo?"


    "There was, but they were all done while you were asleep. Don''t worry, as the results wille soon. Probably tomorrow evening."


    Officer Helvetica passed the paper bag to Aster and smiled. "First, you should change. I''ll be outside the door if you need any help."


    After saying that, he quickly stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Aster alone. He looked inside the bag out of curiosity and was surprised to find that the handsome elf had made a nd selection. A in white shirt with a dark-grey windbreaker, along with ck pants and a belt.


    "Well, beggars can''t choose."


    He leaped out of the bed, and his gaze turned toward the chair near the window, where his borrowed clothes were ced, folded nicely. Specifically, the scarf given by the pretty elfdy.


    "..."


    It was a waste to leave it, so he decided to keep it.


    ---


    After a few minutes of traveling by car, they reached their destination. A gigantic silver tower reaching up to the heavens beyond even the dark clouds has a total of 419 floors in all. Its height reaches over 2 km, with a square base having a side of 500 meters!


    It was a marvel of human-made construction,den with mass dampers, earthquake-proofing, and other protections against natural disasters like tornadoes, storms, and such. It was made to be so sturdy that practically, even if the entire metropolis fell, this building alone would remain standing tall.


    "We''re here," Officer Helvetica muttered as he parked the car.


    They stopped right at the entrance of the immense building, with Aster craning his neck just to try and see the top. "It''s beyond the clouds," he whispered as a hand patted his shoulder.


    "Let''s go, Mr. Aster."


    "A-Alright..."


    The two walked forward, but Aster kept on looking around curiously. Everything looked familiar but unfamiliar at the same time. Unknown equipment, unknown furniture, unknown races... Everything that entered his vision was so fresh to him that it was getting scary.


    "Good noon, Sir Helvetica!"


    And just as they passed by the door, the guard greeted the elf officer with a sharp salute. The guard... was a dog. He had the face of a Doberman, with ck fur covering most of his body and brown ents on his long snout. It felt like a joke more than reality to Aster as he kept staring at the guard.


    "Hmm?" But the Doberman Guard quickly turned to him, returning his gaze. "And this guy is...?"


    *Sniff!* *Sniff!* *Sniff!*


    "A vagrant?" He asked as he pinched his nose.


    "Hahah, that''s rude of you, Garry. He''s a guest of the mayor. Here''s the permit."


    "Oh, the mayor''s guest!" His face brightened as he checked the small card that was presented. "Alright, I''ve confirmed it. Please enter."


    After receiving the card back, Officer Helvetica waved to the Doberman as the pair headed further in, with the officer exchanging a few more greetings with the guard as they passed by.


    A flood of "people" weed Aster as they entered. It was almost lunchtime, so the hotel was reaching one of its busiest times. Seeing this, Officer Helvetica frowned as he pinched the back of Aster''s scarf and covered his head with it.


    "Keep a low profile; we shouldn''t stand out." He whispered while leading him by hand.


    They acted sneakily, passing where there was less traffic, and headed for the closest mana elevator. As soon as the two entered, Officer Helvetica closed the entrance before letting the elevator ascend at a frightening speed.


    Of course, although Aster was hiding his face, a few with sharp eyes and noses still turned toward the two before they vanished. Some merely shrugged before returning to what they were doing, but a few continued to stare at where the pair were going. Their eyes were glinting with greed and hatred.


    "We should be safe now," Officer Helvetica sighed, before letting go of Aster''s hand. "It''d be a disaster if there''s anyone there that''s about to mutate."


    Aster, hearing another mysterious term, furrowed his brows. "Mutate? What''s that?"


    "Oh, right. You don''t know." The elf sighed. "It''s not entirely unrted to you, so I''ll exin. Due to Mana continually changing everyone''s body, the current average human DNA in the entire world is a mere 25%."


    "Uhuh...?"


    "Right. And the less human DNA you have left, the closer one approaches bing inhuman." He added with a grim tone. "Those who reach below 5% of human DNA, may it be from birth or due to circumstances, will begin to show signs of monsterification."


    "Monsterification... Mutation... You mean, they be mutated monsters?" Aster rified.


    Officer Helvetica''s eyes shed with a scary glint for a moment before he closed them and sighed.


    "Yes." He answered. "And it''s irreversible once it happens."


    "..."


    Aster finally realized the importance of his "blood." In essence, he''s a messiah who arrived right in the nick of time, able to save the world as it gradually headed for its fated doom.


    As they were chatting, the elevator finally stopped at their designated floor. The top floor of the tall building. Officer Helvetica opened the ss wall-cum-door and ushered Aster out.


    "Let''s go; the mayor should already be waiting."

 Chapter 12: Fair Trade for Protection

    With Helvetica leading him, Aster went forward from the elevator, heading for the only door present on the floor they stopped at.


    *Gulp!*


    However, to reach it, he first needed to traverse a narrow path without railings to cling to. Either side is a straight fall until the 300th floor, so it''s doubtful if one could survive falling.


    With his heart beating like a snare drum, he walked through the one-meter-wide path, following the tall elf''s lead. When they reached the end, Aster fell to his knees as he released the breath he had been holding from the start. His hands and ears were cold from the fear of falling!


    After a few more steps, they reached therge door leading to the mayor''s office. It was tall, with simple angr and curved stylesbined, reminiscent of the inside of a clock more than a simple entrance. Furthermore, its edges and every deep engraving on it were releasing a faint blue glow, as if the material itself were the one glowing.


    Helvetica stopped in his tracks and stepped aside before saluting toward Aster. "Well, this is as far as I can go. Go on, enter. The mayor should be inside."


    "..."


    Aster thought that he would apany him all the way. Although it was unexpected, he still had to brave through. No matter what scary-looking race the mayor was, he would try to maintain a t, serious expression!


    He walked forward before cing a hand against the giant door. Despite itsrge size, Aster only had to exert himself a little to push it aside, opening a gap enough for him to slip through.


    *CREEEEEAAAAK!* *THUD!*


    As soon as he entered, the door slowly swung back to its original position and mmed close.


    "So you''re the 100% human kid, huh?" And just at the same moment, a deep, manly voice echoed.


    The voice from somewhere close startled Aster, who stiffened. He turned left and right, scanning the dim room, but could only make out the faint, shadowy silhouettes of the furnishings.


    "Haha, I''m right here, behind you." The voice echoed once more before a pale hand tapped his shoulder.


    "...!"


    Aster sprang forward without hesitation, whirling around with his arms raised, as if ready to fight at any moment. However, his limbs were trembling, and his breath was stifled as his heart pounded deafeningly.


    Gradually, he focused on the figure of a person.


    A tall man, around 2 meters in height. He had slender yet sturdy limbs and an extremely paleplexion, as if devoid of blood. He had rosy-red lips, with two fangs peeking as he thinly smiled. Crimson eyes with vertical pupils regarded Aster, seemingly amused by his reaction.


    Without even needing to think, Aster could identify the man''s nature. "A vampire!"


    "Oh, you''ve got that right." The man smiled sweetly, pping his hands in praise. "What a perceptived. I''m Magnus Severin P. Noire, the mayor of this Orinfeld City, pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Aster Mistral."


    "Mayor..." Aster''s eyes widened as he slowly stood up. "Please forgive my earlier rudeness, Your Honor. I''m someone who has just awakened in an unfamiliarnd, so I can''t help but be cautious."


    Seeing Aster lightly bow his head in apology, Magnus''s smile broadened.


    "No need to apologize. Well, the room might be a bit dim for a human''s senses. Let me illuminate the space before we begin our discussion."


    Aster was just wondering about that. Although it was high noon, the inside of the room was almost pitch ck, other than a few glowing parts here and there.


    *SNAP!*


    With a simple gesture, all the lights in the room turned on. Aster was forced to squint from the sudden brightness, but as his eyes gradually adjusted, he could see the interior of the mayor''s office.


    Gold-colored tables, a luxurious red sofa, and ochre-painted walls with sky-blue ent lights. Everything looked so expensive that Aster suddenly feared touching anything.


    "Go on, have a seat. Don''t be shy," Mayor Magnus offered, gesturing toward one of the sofas.


    "...?"


    On one of them, someone was already sitting without moving a muscle, making Aster think it was a mannequin at first. A beautiful woman with red hair tied loosely into a ponytail. Just like Mayor Magnus, she also had pale white skin with lush red lips. She wore a blood-red ball gown¡ªwith an impressive bulge around the chest part¡ªas she sipped tea elegantly.


    "Magnus, dear, don''t you think you''re scaring the kid too much? Think how intimidating your face is." She muttered as she opened her eyes.


    "...!"


    Aster''s blood went cold from the sharp re she sent him. Those gold eyes looked as if they were orb-shaped treasures, but they felt as if they were sharper than the sharpest knife.


    "Go on, sit down. We wouldn''t eat you."


    But the smile she had was a mix of seductive kindness, with the fangs giving a hint of fierce temperament, making him feel mixed signals.


    *Gulp!*


    Nervous but didn''t want to offend the two vampires, Aster took their offer and sat down in the seat opposite the woman. As he did, the mayor also sat down beside the woman and smiled.


    "Sorry, sorry. Right, let me introduce you first. Aster, this is my wife and secretary, Geneviv Prisci Prada V. Noire." He spoke with a hand, gesturing toward the gold-eyed, red-haired woman.


    "A pleasure to meet you, little savior." She greeted Aster with a light bow and a faint smile.


    Aster stammered, either from nervousness or fear, as he answered, "Y-Yes, likewise. It''s a pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. Noire."


    With all three of them sitting down, Mayor Magnus suddenly leaned forward, his hands sped together between his legs.


    "I''m a little busy, so let me get straight to the point. Aster Mistral, our city... no, the world needs your help." He started. "We would like for you to share your seeds regrly, preferably every day."


    Aster stiffened at the sudden turn of the conversation. "Seeds? You mean..." He trailed off.


    "Yes." Magnus nodded. "It is as you are thinking. Sharing your DNA with women around the world and increasing the average human DNA for generations toe."


    "..."


    Aster hesitated.


    He didn''t want to be a stud for the government, moving at their beck and call. However, he can''t refuse them tly either, as doing so might worsen his current situation. It was a dilemma for him!


    Just as he was thinking about how to refuse, Mayor Magnus continued his offer, adding more terms to it.


    "Of course, we''re not asking for you to do it for free. We''ll offer you a high-ss hotel room indefinitely. Furthermore, we''ll make sure to protect you from those who wish you harm."


    "...!"


    An offer for free lodging and protection! Before he could even ask for it, the mayor had already proposed what he needed!


    However, there''s still one thing stopping him from directly epting the offer.


    "Mayor, your offer is definitely more than what I need. However, you should''ve heard about my disease, right?" He whispered.


    Aster''s disease causes him to lose "life force" with every breath he takes, shortening his already short lifespan! As such, strenuous activities¡ªincluding procreation¡ªwere impossible for him.

 Chapter 13: Negotiations and Advantage!

    Mayor Magnus sighed in relief after hearing Aster''s concern.


    "What... so you''re worried about that?" He snickered. "Although we can''t cure your disease, we at least have a way to halt its progress. Have you heard of Magic Tools?"


    "..."


    Of course, Aster had no idea about such objects. He just woke up a day ago inside a dpidatedboratory, so there''s no way for him to learn about such objects unless he was told about them.


    "Well, I guess you don''t." He shrugged. "Basically, it''s something that can help you keep your disease in check... but notpletely fix it."


    Aster stood up in surprise, leaning forward as he shouted. "Something like that exists?!"


    "Yes, of course! Though it''s not easy to get your hands on one that can cater to your needs..."


    "I see..." Aster was a little deted but still hopeful.


    If he can get a Magic Tool that can stop his disease even temporarily, then that would make it a lot easier for him to search for the panacea! However, nothinges for free, of course.


    "In exchange, you want me to ept your initial offer, right?" He guessed.


    A quest to share his bloodline with as many girls as possible. Although it didn''t feel too bad to have such a task, Aster was worried. He was but a lone individual, without any backing in the current world.


    In short, if the government leveraged that to order him around, he couldn''t refuse!


    ''I can''t be a dog of the government nor be their puppet!'' He thought.


    If he relied too much on them, it would backfire. However, if he pushed them forcefully, it would backfire on him too. He needed to maintain a delicate bnce so he could still be independent while gaining their backing.


    "..."


    Aster went silent for a few minutes, in deep thought. Mayor Magnus and his wife, Geneviv, stayed quiet, giving him enough time to think it through.


    *Huff!*


    Then, after five minutes passed, he finally raised his head with a firm expression.


    "I understand. I''ll ept your task, but I want to have the deed limited to once a year." He started negotiating.


    Mayor Magnus smiled, as if anticipating him to rebut one way or another, but "reducing" the frequency was not in his consideration. Rather, he thought Aster would increase it, taking advantage of his having 100% human DNA.


    "You''re a human. At most, you can live a hundred years. Even if we assume you can sessfully foster a child each year, that means you''ll only have 80-ish offspring."


    His eyes opened, revealing the red orbs glowing lightly in intimidation. "That, my friend, is far from enough to save the world. Once a day. Deal?"


    "That''s too frequent! I''m nothing but an 18-year-old virgin with no experience, and you expect me to just nod to that? Twice a year!"


    "Then, I''ll set an experienced woman as your first partner, so she can teach you a lot of things... You''re young, so you can manage it, I''m sure. Once every other day."


    "I have my disease to mind, or I''ll die in five years! I need time to work on finding a panacea too! Once every two months!" Aster mmed his hand against the table.


    "Right... Then, other than your own ce, I''ll prepare for someone to assist you in the dungeons. Once every three days."


    "Cheapskate! Once a month! That''s my lowest offer!"


    Mayor Magnus sighed, nting his elbows on the table, before staring Aster in the eyes. "You do realize that if I disagreed with your offer, you wouldn''t have any way to live in this world, right?"


    "I know." Aster nodded with a firm resolve. "And I also know that you can''t miss the chance of having me. What do you think of losing your only 100% human DNA source suddenly?"


    *CHING!*


    Aster pulled out a knife from somewhere. It could be taken as an attempted murder right then and there, but he quickly turned it toward a neck and smiled. "If I can''t live the way I want, then that''s like dying either way. You wouldn''t mind me taking my own life, would you?"


    "..."


    Mayor Magnus stared at Aster, who had the table knife he brought with him pointed against his own neck. From its design, it was easy to guess where it came from¡ªthe hospital!


    The mayor looked him in the eye, watching as cold sweat fell down Aster''s temples, going down his cheek, and dripping off his chin. At that moment, Mayor Magnus smiled.


    "No, you don''t have the guts to do it. Still, I apud your attempt at using your life as a bargaining chip. Once a week. How about it?"


    "I see..." Aster closed his eyes.


    Then he smiled sadly while looking at Mayor Magnus. "Too bad. Negotiations failed."


    *STAB!*


    "...!"


    Without even the slightest hint of hesitation, he actually plunged the knife through the side of his neck! Mayor Magnus saw this and was shocked. "You brat!" He groaned in panic, rushing to Aster''s side, who fell sideways on the sofa.


    The wound was deep, and to make matters worse, he thrust it through a carotid artery, causing severe bleeding. Aster''s vision was blurring, but he could still see the firm gaze of the mayor.


    "You got me, you brat! Alright!" He growled before pulling the table knife out and cing a hand over Aster''s.


    Then he began to mouth words that Aster heard for the first time, as if from an unknownnguage. "Tertie Sirreo Cura! Great Heal!"


    "...!"


    Aster was slightly surprised. The pain in his neck vanished in a sh, reced by a gentle warmth. Not only that, but even the blood he''d lost was returned!


    "To think you''d seriously try to take your life." Mayor Magnus sighed, a hand on his face.


    "You''ve got guts, kid. However, once a month is just too long. Twice a month. If you ept this, then I''d even give you your starting funds for your adventures."


    Aster, upon hearing this, smiled weakly. "I don''t need too much money, as I want to earn it myself. Just enough for registration fees or such. Then, it''s a deal."


    "..."


    Magnus, seeing the smile on Aster''s face, couldn''t help but wonder if he had nned all this. Faking suicide and letting the mayor use magic to heal him. However, asking such a thing would be like admitting his loss, so he refrained.


    "You''ve got yourself a deal, brave young man."


    After that, with Aster leaning weakly against the armrest of the sofa, he listened to what Mayor Magnus had to say, mostly scolding him for his foolish actions. After a while, the two signed a document that his secretary prepared before Aster went back on his way.


    As they watched the young man''s back go through the door, Magnus sighed.


    "What a guy!" He eximed. "He knew he had the advantage in negotiating, but he didn''t force me into a bad position. Even once a month is eptable to me."


    If Aster refused hisst offer, leveraging his life once more, then Magnus would have no other choice but to agree. That''s just how precious his life was!


    "Fufu, aren''t you happy, though? At least you now know he''s quite a schemer." Geneviv chuckled as she leaned closer to her husband. "At least he wouldn''t be tricked and left naked and half-dead on a random alley, with how cautious he is."


    "Too cautious... but at the same time, he regards his own life too little." He sighed. "I fear for his future if he goes into a dungeon."


    A panacea can only be found on the 1,000th floor. It only has a shelf life of 1 hour. As such, other than finding one for yourself, it was practically impossible to get your hands on one.


    "Well, I think you should prepare your heart first, dear." Geneviv smiled while licking her lips. "I''ll be his first partner, after all."


    "I know..." The man leaned back against the sofa as if he were feeling heavy-hearted. "I know." He repeated.


    As if craving her warmth, Mayor Magnus pulled Geneviv closer to him. The two leaned against each other, staying quiet inside the room for a while.

 Chapter 14: The Anti-Human Movement

    Helvetica, who had been waiting right outside, greeted Aster as soon as he exited. "Mr. Aster, that took a while. How did it go?" He asked.


    "Well, I''d say pretty good."


    Aster gained backing withouting under theplete control of the government. It wasn''t much, but it was still a small win for him. "But in four days... huh."


    The stated date for his first "sharing of seed" was four days away when they signed their contracts, binding them by magic. It was too soon, in his opinion, but it''d happen in time either way, so he just agreed. Still better than it being straight tonight or tomorrow.


    The two entered the elevator soon before going straight down to the ground floor.


    "It''s lunchtime, so how about I guide you to somewhere we can eat first before we head to the hotel you''d be staying at?" Helvetica smiled while he casually offered.


    "Oh, yes, please! For some reason, after my body got promoted from skin and bones, I''m getting hungrier faster."


    Rather than his energy efficiency, it was rted more to his mind not getting used to his increased muscle mass. As such, it simply decided to use as much energy from his body as possible.


    "I see. Then, I''ll show you to my favorite restaurant!" Officer Helvetica imed while giving a thumbs up and grinning.


    Just as they were about to reach the door, however, his face suddenly changed. His eyes sharpened as his ears twitched before he grabbed Aster like a sack of potatoes and ran.


    "Shit! How did they know?!" He cursed while rushing toward the entrance.


    At the same time, Aster''s ears picked up a weird whisper from among the hustle and bustle of the crowd.


    "Tertie rre Spicht! Great me Lance!"


    "Secundi Brais Skaal! Wind de!"


    *BOOOOM!* *SHIIIING!*


    The floor right behind them suddenly exploded.


    "HOLD TIGHT! CAREFUL NOT TO BITE YOUR TONGUE!"


    Helvetica eximed before waving his other hand behind him, chanting a short spell. "Pene Tiroe Skild! Wall of Stone!"


    As he did, a t wall of rocks appeared, blocking the path of the flying wind des aiming for them. However, due to the explosion, chaos quickly ensued.


    *KYAAAAAH!*


    Screams echoed from all over as the civilians began to run away from the ce where the fight broke out.


    *RIIING!* *RIIING!* *RIIING!*


    At the same time, having detected illegal use of spells, the warning res echoed deafeningly. Aster saw all of this while looking behind him, although his view was upside down as he was carried on Helvetica''s shoulders.


    ''W-What''s happening?!'' Aster thought, confused.


    While they ran, heading for the front entrance, more and more explosions echoed from behind. The tough-looking Wall of Stone spell didn''tst more than five seconds under the constant barrage of spells from the two assants!


    "Shit!" Helvetica cursed before creating another wall. "Hang on! We''re almost outside!"


    "Urp...!"


    Having his stomach pressed against his shoulders, Aster felt as if the content of his stomach was about to return. Fortunately, it was still empty, so nothing happened.


    Officer Helvetica quickly reached outside and didn''t hesitate before cing Aster down and facing toward the building once more.


    "Quite bold of you to attack us right in the Gravenne Tower." He frowned before pulling the handgun from his holster. "Come out, you pests of the Anti-Human Movement!"


    Soon, two figures came out of the tower''s entrance. They moved naturally, stopping at the edge of the shadows over the giant building''s roof. They were both wearing white cloaks, hiding their faces and figures.


    *WEEEWWOOOO!* *WEEEWWOOOO!*


    Just as they were standing there, police patrols came and reinforced Helvetica. Two officers were added, with one of them being another elf. One who looked familiar to Aster. "You are...!" She was the woman who gave him the scarf he''s wearing!


    "Commander, what''s your status?" She asked in a soft whisper.


    "I''m fine; we''re uninjured. However, I used up my fifth-tier shields." He rified immediately.


    "Damn. Power enhancers?"


    "Most likely."


    As they were chatting, aiming their guns forward, the two enemies started to take off their cloaks. One of the two was in the shape of a weasel. A bipedal weasel at that. He looked more like a "monster" than a human.


    The other one was a woman with red feathers around her body. Looking at her, Aster was reminded of harpies, but she was slightly different. She didn''t have wings for hands!


    The woman leaned forward, gazing at Aster while grinding her fangs. "Human...! Death to all humans!"


    She shouted with her eyes burning with anger, hatred, and the desire to kill.


    "...!"


    Aster felt cold. It was his first time being faced with killing intent, after all. He was frozen in ce, unable to move an inch!


    "Mistelle! Protect Aster!"


    "On it!"


    Without wasting any more time, the police force finally moved. The female elf, Mistelle, turned around and came to Aster''s side before lifting him up the same way Helvetica did and running away with him.


    "YOU''RE NOT GETTING AWAY!"


    But the weasel-looking man growled in anger. He waved his hands, activating another spell without restraint. "Kyuin Brais Sirreo Ambuor Nura Spicht!"


    "Oh no!" Helvetica eximed, before waving his hand, and preparing a counterspell. "Higgit Tiroe Ambuor G Skild!"


    They finished their chants at almost the same time, telling how fast Helvetica''s chanting waspared to the enemy!


    At that moment, arge windnce,rger than a bus, appeared above the weasel-man''s palm. When he threw it forward, it started flying straight toward Aster, who was being carried away by Mistelle.


    However, it failed to reach them. A gigantic transparent shield with a glowing cross in the middle appeared, blocking the spear!


    *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*


    The other officer, a rabbit man, fired his gun at the weasel. However, although all bullets hit directly, he didn''t even flinch. "As expected, they''re drugged!" The rabbit man eximed in chagrin.


    Helvetica raised a hand, iming with a loud voice. "Switch to spells, and dy until the hit squad arrives! We''ll not let them have their way in here!"


    "ROGER!"


    After that, was a simple battle of attrition. They exchanged attacks and defenses several times, using up almost all the uses of their spells. Aster, brought to a safe distance, and hiding within one of the police cars. The female elf Mistelle was standing outside in front of the car, protecting it.


    Aster watched the intense exchange of spells, one after another, and sighed in awe. He was wishing he could also do the same in the future!


    "It''s done!" Mistelle announced as she lowered her gun, looking up.


    At that moment, two ck pirs fell from the sky. Each pir being five meters thick, and several dozen meters long, mmed right on top of the assants.


    *BOOOOM!* *RUUUUMBLE!*


    The ground shook as the pirs fell, as if an earthquake urred. On the scene, of the two members of the Anti-Human Movement, nothing but a red blot scattered on the ground was left of them.


    Watching everything unfold from a safe location, Aster frowned. Anti-Human Movement, attempted assassination, and his having practically zero knowledge about the world.


    "I should study everything I can about the current world, first and foremost." He dered to himself, his eyes glowing with a firm resolve.

 Chapter 15: Studying all Night

    After the incident, Aster was carefully led to his hotel room before more people could see him.


    The ce he was given a room at was called the Twister Hotel, characterized by its unique shape, which looked like a double-helix DNA strand from afar, stretching far up into the sky.


    It was a tall building, probably reaching over 50 floors in total. Each floor was rectangr and narrow, with each higher floor having a slight clockwise offset. It was also a marvel of engineering, simr to the Mayor''s Office¡ªthe Gravenne Tower.


    Aster was carefully guided in and led to his room on the middle floors of the hotel. To be specific, his room was tagged as the 28th floor; however, since floors 4 and 13 were missing, his floor was technically the 26th floor.


    As soon as he arrived, he asked for a Holo-tablet and requested that someone teach him how to use it before beginning to roam around the inte and research things.


    ''I know too little of the world. I should at least learn basicmon sense.'' He thought as he began "studying."


    He was so engrossed in studying, in fact, that he forgot dinner until it was delivered to his room. By then, he had learned a bit of mon sense."


    For example, magic.


    It is a special power granted to everyone who can use their mana skillfully. Magic has two types: one that has limited usage, like Helvetica''s Wall of Stone, which had two uses a day, and one that consumes mana, like the giant transparent shield he cast.


    Other than magic, he also investigated the Anti-Human Movement, finding that they were a radical group pushing for hastening the drop of their human DNA. As such, Aster''s existence was like a thorn in their sides.


    They treat monsterification as people returning to their natural states, instead of it being a harmful mutation that can''t be cured.


    Lastly, he also studied dungeons and panacea. Adventurers and monsters. Currency¡ªTels, themon prices of items, loot from monsters and their prices, and many others.


    One thing that he tried to look for but couldn''t figure out, however, was the weird mark on the back of his right hand. "Dr. Zell said it was a legacy-level carved seal, but..."


    After looking for information about legacy-level carved seals, he gave up soon enough. There was just too little information about it. Most of his sources of information about it were books on history and legends... Right, the legacy-level carved seal on his hand was treated as a thing that existed in "ancient" times!


    Fortunately, normal carved seals existed too, and even their usage was exined in detail. Aster decided to try it out first, to see if he could make use of his seal.


    "Let''s see..."


    To summarize, a carved seal responds to the strong wishes of the user. A clear image of what one would want to achieve was also required. Other than that, concentration and a lot of mana were needed to activate it.


    "Again with Mana..." Aster scratched his head.


    He already checked if he had mana through instructions from a different article. It was originally for kids to see if they had mana enough to be "mages," and after trying it out step-by-step, he ended up disappointed. Apparently, he didn''t have any mana in him!


    "But back inside theboratory, it should''ve been this seal that froze the ce, right?" He mused while confused.


    Curious, he tried to follow the instructions again, step by step, other than the instruction about the "mana" use. He imagined freezing the room solid, concentrating deeply until only the thought of what he wanted to do was left. At that moment, the crest on his right hand shone.


    *CRAAAACK!*


    "...!"


    When Aster opened his eyes, he was surprised. The room froze over!


    "It''s a sess!" He cheered, taking a crisp step forward.


    As the entire room was covered in ice crystals, each step he took released the crunching sounds of thin ice snapping.


    "And as expected, I don''t feel the cold." He added.


    As a test, he used the Holo-tablet''s thermometric functions. He ced it away from him, and the value started dropping at a rapid pace. Its internal temperature was brought down to minus 20 ¡ãC!


    After seeing it stabilize in that range, he then moved closer to it. As soon as he was 1 meter away from the tablet, it started to show changes. The temperature gradually returned to normal!


    "Hmmm. So everything within one meter of me will be forcefully returned to normal room temperature...?" That was as much as he could guess with the data he had gathered.


    Aster stretched his limbs before looking around the room.


    He closed his eyes again, concentrating. Instead of freezing the room, he was instead reversing the process, returning it to its previous state.


    *SPARK!* *POP!*


    "...!"


    But when he tried it out and seeded after a few seconds, he heard the sound of electric arcs, followed by a light pop. The light in his room died... His breaker tripped!


    "Oh, right. Ice will be water when thawed!"


    He realized this btedly while looking at the wet wall sockets, which most likely caused the tripping. He thought they would return straight into moisture in the air, a big miscalction on his part.


    After that, hotel staff soon came to fix his room but deemed that it would take a few days to dry the wet electric lines. As such, they moved his room to the next one instead. Of course, Aster apologized even though the hotel staff weren''t voicing theirint. It was obvious from their gazes, after all.


    In the next room, Aster had a quick breakfast. His meal was much "heavier" than before since his body now needed more energy to function. He had a medium-rare steak, with mushroom soup as an appetizerand sd as a side dish. It came along with orange juice, freshly squeezed, and a few gyozas as something extra.


    He ate them all deliciously, leaving the dishes empty as if he had licked them clean.


    "Hnng~!"


    After stretching, he moved to the wardrobe and selected a pair¡ªa ck, hooded windbreaker over a in white shirt and thick ck pants. The clothes were something prepared specifically for him beforehand, so the sizes were a perfect fit.


    After checking himself in the mirror, he nodded as he smiled.


    "Now, time to register as an adventurer!"

 Chapter 16: To the Adventurers Guild!

    The security around the entire metropolis has increased by two levels as a result of yesterday''s attack. Thanks to that, Aster could move around freely while only hiding his race and appearance.


    The reason he was alone wasn''t because the mayor was going back on his words and not protecting Aster. Rather, he could see people in uniform keeping a vignt eye on their surroundings at almost every turn he took. They were protecting him while setting up arge informationwork around the city!


    As Aster walked down the automatic pathways, he was facing down while staring at his feet and avoiding looking toward others. The reason? Well, the ces he went to before were mostly with those that had "pretty" appearances, like elves or beastmen.


    However, while walking along the streets, other races could be seen. Some even had appearances that would make Aster draw his sword if he ever had one, thinking they were monsters.


    When Aster nced up, he caught sight of a man with a snake head, turning its eyes to him as he peeked. "...!" Without dy, he returned to looking down while trying to keep his heartbeat and breathing under control.


    *Huff!*


    The Adventurer''s Guild was a full 30-minute walk from the Twister Hotel. The entire time, he was looking down, keeping his distance from other pedestrians as he walked on. As he arrived at the location marked on the tablet in his hand, he gulped.


    ''So this is the adventurer''s guild!''


    He looked at therge dark grey building, which at a nce seemed more like a market hub than a guild, seeing the stalls lining up its sides with neon signs floating above them.


    Aster took a deep breath before stepping forward. The auto doors slid to either side, revealing the ce''s seedy interior. The first floor worked as both a pub and a reception, with a few "adventurers" sitting around, drinking andughing while chatting with their allies.


    "Huh?"


    "What''s that? A newbie?"


    Of course, entering through the door would attract everyone''s attention. Aster was bathed in various gazes, making his body stiffen for a moment. However, despite his fear, he still took a step forward, heading for the receptionistdy leaning across the counter.


    Aster walked forward; he pulled his hood even deeper while hiding half his face behind his dirty-white scarf. As soon as he saw the bottom of the reception desk, he stopped his legs and carefully looked forward.


    "Wee to the Adventurer''s Guild! How may we help you?"


    "Ah..."


    As he did, he found a beautiful, tanned woman standing before him. She sported curly ck hair topped with a white sailor hat, blue eyes with vertical pupils, and a notably lengthy tongue with a forked tip. Looking lower, she was wearing a white dress with blue trimmings, simple yet aesthetically pleasing.


    ''A snake woman!'' Aster was taken aback for a moment.


    However, he tried to control his fear and stared the woman straight in the eyes before speaking. "I want to... register."


    "Registration, is it?" The tanned snakewoman repeated. "Then, can you show me an identification card?"


    "... Eh?"


    ID Card. It was obvious when one thought about it, as it''s the easiest thing to prove one''s identity. However, as luck would have it, he didn''t have one, nor did he read that it was needed to register. "I-I don''t have an ID..." Aster whispered in an embarrassed tone.


    The snake woman tilted her head lightly, her forked tongue licking the air, before she gasped in surprise. "Oh, could it be? Are you perhaps Mr. Aster Mistral?"


    "...!"


    Aster shook after the receptionist guessed his identity. He was confused, as there shouldn''t be many who knew his full name. The receptionist picked up on his wariness and fear and smiled.


    "Don''t worry, the Mayor''s Office has already sent a note to cater to all your needs." She added. "Registration was already done for you, to be exact, and we only need a drop of your blood as thest requirement."


    "My blood, is it?" Aster nodded as he breathed in relief. "I did read about it beforeing here. Where should I go to do this procedure?"


    "Ah, right here is fine."


    The snake woman pushed a small rectangr machine, which looked like a fingerprint scanner glowing with a green light. "Please press any of your fingers on the circle in the middle." She exined.


    Although a little apprehensive, Aster followed her instructions and pressed his index finger into the middle of the white circle in the middle of the glowing device. As soon as he did, he felt a sudden prick on his finger, causing him to reflexively pull back his finger.


    "That should be enough. Thanks for cooperating, Mr. Aster. The card should be done in a minute, so please wait."


    As she said this, the snake woman ran to the back, leaving Aster alone for a while. Not even a minuteter, she already returned with a small ck card, as big as a credit card, on top of a tray.


    "Congrattions, Mr. Aster; you''re now registered as an adventurer!" She smiled sweetly.


    As soon as he received the card, Aster began to read its contents, front and back.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 1


    Party Members:


    (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 2


    Intelligence: 15


    Wisdom: 16


    Charisma: 12


    Luck: 0


    ]


    A smile appeared on his face. He really did get his very own Adventurer''s Card, something he could call an ID to prove his identity!


    "We have confirmed that you''re level one. Unfortunately, Level 1''s can''t enter the dungeon without a party member." She continued professionally, as if she were used to saying the line. "Please look for an appropriate party on the application board over there."


    Aster turned to where she was pointing and found a holographic billboard on the right wall of the guild.


    "Thank you for the information, Miss..."


    "Ah, have I forgotten to introduce myself?" She scratched her cheeks awkwardly.


    "I''m Zenearith, the top receptionist of the Adventurer''s Guild! I am pleased to be working with you, Mr. Aster!"


    "Got it, Miss Zenearith. Then, please excuse me." Aster lightly bowed before moving toward the board and reading it.


    There were a lot of requests written on it, so it was hard to read the entries. Looking to the top, Aster found the URL of the board and used his tablet to ess it instead. With that, he could zoom in and out to make it easier to read the entries!


    "Let''s see..." Aster muttered as he sat down on an empty corner table, browsing the board while looking for a fitting party.


    However, most of the parties were on higher floors, with only a few on the first floor. And the majority of those were also looking for someone at least level 3 to take along.


    "... I''m underleveled." Aster sighed.


    Nobody was looking for a level 1 newbie as a new party member! It was a little sad, but thinking normally, going to a dangerous ce with someone who could pull your legs in a dire situation wasn''t a wise choice.


    While scratching his head, he checked the veryst request and raised a brow.


    ''Any Level epted, first floor limited? The other party is... a healer alone.''


    Aster pondered for a moment before nodding to himself. With a healer, he can at least rely on their healing when things go south. He decided to select this party and returned to where the receptionist, Ms. Zenearith, was.


    Seeing him approach, she smiled while lightly licking the air. "So? Did you find a party?"

 Chapter 17: First Party Member!

    Ms. Zenearith''s words were on point.


    Although it didn''t feel too good to be read like a book, Aster nodded before showing her the tablet''s screen. "I want to choose this party." He said with a resolute attitude.


    "Hmm? Let''s see... Ah." She raised a short gasp as she smiled once more. "Hmm, well, you seem alright. I''ll call your party member then. She should be here in three minutes, so just sit down at an open table while you wait."


    "Alright."


    Aster responded before grabbing his tablet and heading back to the table he was using earlier. Even then, he could still feel gazes turned toward his back. His being covered from head to toe could be one thing, but his small staturepared to the others was probably the main cause.


    Even though his height, after the upgrade from Dr. Zell''sboratory, reached 1.82 meters, his height couldn''t even reach the shoulders of everyone else in the room. In fact, he was a little smallerpared to even women, like Ms. Zenearith, who was about 1.9 meters tall.


    Due to that, Aster was feeling small, both physically and emotionally. He pulled his hood deeper, keeping quiet in his corner while waiting, ignoring the jeers he could lightly hearing from those around.


    "Look at that guy; he''s definitely weak!"


    "Hahaha! Doubt if he can find any decent party to go with!"


    "Wait, didn''t that useless one appear here a few days ago too?"


    "Oh, right! Hahahah! They could party together, two useless level ones, a pair made in heaven!"


    "..."


    They called Aster "weak" or "useless," which made his heart ache a little.


    However, he didn''t dare to fight back. One thing is that he''s sure they''re at a higher level than him. Two is that there''s more of them and him alone. And three, he didn''t dare waste his breath on a useless struggle.


    ''Even if I fight them, it''s not like I''d level up.''


    From his researchst night, he discovered the concept of leveling up. It was exined that when adventurers kill monsters, the excess mana released after killing an enemy gets absorbed by their bodies, enhancing it and increasing their level after reaching a certain threshold.


    Aster was looking forward to leveling up! He discovered that through the Adventurer''s Card, he could "allocate" free stat points upon reaching the next level!


    ''If I increase my constitution, then my body should be healthier and better!''


    He recalled being shocked upon seeing "2" as the value of his Constitution stat. It was extremely important to him as it was a stat rted to health and stamina. As such, he n to raise it up to a reasonable value first before increasing other stats.


    "But with my starting point this low, I''d be quite a high level before I can add points to my other stats." He sighed.


    *BAM!*


    At that moment, the door on the entrance mmed in as an orange figure dashed forward at an amazing speed. "She must be in a hurry," Aster mused as he watched her go straight to Ms. Zenearith and ask.


    "Miss Zena, is it true that you found someone who''d party with me?!" She eximed in a loud voice. "Where are they?!"


    The receptionist rested her cheek on her palm as she smiled. "Fufu, calm down, Cassy. It''s not like the person''s going to run away. He''s right there. Mr. Aster, pleasee over here!"


    "... Huh?"


    Aster moved to the counter as he was called, but as he did, he was staring at the woman who was standing there already.


    She had striking orange hair and simr powerful, big, orange eyes. On top of her head, two long ears stood up in attention, telling him that the other party was a rabbit beastman. Aster stopped a meter away before asking Zenearith.


    "Don''t tell me, is this prettydy the other member?"


    "P-Pretty?!" The rabbit beastwoman, Cassy, blushed as she heard Aster''s praise.


    Zenearith, watching their exchange, smiled lightly before nudging Cassy. "As the one who created the party request, go introduce yourself first."


    "Ah! R-Right! Ahem!"


    Cassy cleared her throat before standing straight, cing a hand over the slight bulge on her chest, covered by the white cleric robe she was wearing, and introducing herself.


    "I''m Cassandra Bright, a Rabbit Beastman Cleric! I can use Minor Heal 3 times a day! Pleased to meet you!"


    As she finished her introduction, she quickly turned to gauge Aster''s reaction. After all, usually, the other party would look at her in disdain after hearing she could only use 3 heals a day despite being a cleric.


    A usual level 1 cleric had at least 10 heals, after all. Her being able to use not even half of that tells us that she had low wisdom and intelligence stats. In short, she''s a "defective healer" from other''s perspectives.


    Aster, however, was unaware of such things. He did research things, but it''s not like he can learn "everything" in just one night. He had to narrow down what he searched for to only those that he''d immediately need. Finding what "normal" was for each ss wasn''t included in that.


    After hearing her introduction, Aster smiled behind his scarf before speaking.


    "I''m Aster Mistral. I can''t use magic, but I have a magic-carved seal that I can use to freeze things. I am pleased to meet you."


    He was still not done studying how to use it, but his words didn''t contain any lies. He "could" use it, after all, just that it takes time to concentrate first.


    "Aster, is it... I remembered it! You can call me Cassy too, since Cassandra is a bit of a mouthful!" Cassy eximed with a bright smile.


    "Got it, Cassy." He nodded. "Then, you can call me Aster, or Star, my nickname. Either is fine with me."


    "Oh, then, I''ll go with Star, since it''s shorter!"


    "Are you two done with your introductions?"


    As if waiting for the perfect timing, Ms. Zenearith interjected. "Now, if you two really want to be party members, sign your names on this document." She exined. "As you know, this document is a magic contract, so its contents can''t be broken, or else you''d face punishment."


    Aster took it from her and began reading its contents. Cassy moved to his left shoulder and peeked over, reading it along with him.


    Basically, it was just a normal contract for an adventure party. The main items were the equal division of loot among each member and the duration of 1 week. "Why one week?" Aster asked, curious.


    "Ah, it''s because it''s your first time working together. It''s like a trial version, and if you two synergize well, you can renew it for a longer duration. If not, you can split up early before things get worse."


    "Got it."


    As Aster answered, he quickly wrote down his name on one of the eight nks. As he did, he turned to the back and passed the contract to Cassy. As she received it, she wrote down her name while smiling before returning it to Zenearith. "Here, Ms. Zena!"


    After looking at the contract, she nodded her head and smiled. "With this, your contract is established. You can confirm it with your Adventurer''s cards. Check the Party Members Column."


    Aster did as told and checked. And, to his surprise, it really did show that "Cassandra Bright" was added. Seeing that, he couldn''t hold back a smile.


    "With this, we can finally go to the dungeon!"

 Chapter 18: Buying Supplies and Entering the Dungeon

    The rule requiring Level 1''s to be in a party first before entering the dungeon was set in ce to reduce fatalities among beginners. After all, even the first floor of the dungeon is still dangerous, especially to those not used to the environment or who are alone.


    But now, with Aster and Cassy officially in a party, they finally earned the right to enter the dungeon! What they needed to do next was already set in stone. Right, go to a Weapon''s Shop and get gear!


    "Are you really sure you''d buy me a weapon too?" Cassy asked while looking at Aster, scanning the price tags with a frown. "I know weapons are expensive, after all!"


    Just as she imed, all weapons were expensive.


    Even a basic sword or dagger, which visiblycked maintenance with the rust visible along their edges, cost a shocking 10,000 Tels! That amount was equivalent to a 20-day stay in an inn, or about 50 square meals.


    "Don''t mind it. We''re party members, so we can simply earn back what we spent."


    Aster smiled as he grabbed the cheapest ones on the shelves: a rusty dagger and a rusty sword.


    "These two, please." He asked the dwarf shopkeeper, passing his Adventurer''s Card to him.


    The dwarf man quietly took the card, reading the name up front, the only item visible to others when it''s set to private mode. "Mr. Aster, eh? First time goin'' ta the dungeon? Then t''would help if ya took this pack too. Ya''ll need something to put loot in."


    "A backpack...?" Aster tilted his head, wondering, before nodding his head. "Alright, we''ll get one too."


    "Haha! What a quick decision,d. Tryin'' ta impress lil miss o''er there?"


    "Please. It''s a necessity, right?" Aster chuckled lightly. "We came here to get what we would be needing, after all. No need to hesitate."


    "Hah! True."


    The dwarf shopkeeper then tapped Aster''s Adventurer''s Card over a scanner, and with just that, payment was over. The Adventurer''s card also works as something like a debit card. Aster had a total of 50,000 Tels in his ount, provided by the government for him, so his expenses were still within budget.


    "But 30k just for basic and trashy items... It felt more like daylight robbery." Aster mused as they got out of the shop.


    Other than the dagger and sword, they took a backpack, a "Slime Liquid Extractor," and a full pack of "Slime Liquid Packer."


    For beginners, hunting slimes is the norm. It was literally the weakest monster there is in the dungeon, after all.


    The other enemies of the first floor, the goblins and wolves, were quite hard to deal with for beginners. Those two races of monsters were the ones who had the highest kill rate for newbies, more than the Field Boss.


    "10,000..."


    Cassy, who was beside Aster, stared at the rusty dagger in her hands and frowned.


    "If I wasn''t penniless right now, I''d be paying you back for this dagger." She muttered in a slightly depressed tone. Then, as if getting over it, her face turned resolute as a smile covered it. "Then, I''ll pay it back with my body!"


    "Pfft! *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*"


    Aster choked on his own saliva after hearing what she said. "Paying with your body?!" He asked skeptically, eyeing her body reflexively.


    "Huh? What''s wrong, Star?" Cassy asked, tilting her head cutely. "Don''t worry, I''m used to hardbor! I came from a poor vige beforeing here, after all."


    "... Ah."


    Right then, he realized what she meant with her words and couldn''t help but hold a palm over his face. "Cassy, you shouldn''t phrase it like that. It would lead to misunderstandings." Hemented.


    "Huh? Why?"


    And to add to that, he also realized that Cassandra was too "pure."


    As they walked along the pathway, leading to the dungeon, Aster exined what her words meant in others'' ears. As soon as he did, her face turned beet red as she stammered, denying that she didn''t mean "that" when she said it.


    With a slightly weird atmosphere between them, the two forged onward to their destination.


    ---


    After walking for a while, they finally reached their destination about half an hourter. Before them stood a giant portal glowing in ck and blue, with a ripple continuously moving in the middle of it.


    That portal was the entrance to the only dungeon within Orinfeld City, casually named after the city itself, the Orinfeld Dungeon. It was a dungeon with the deepest recordedyer only at the 1,166th floor. Quite "shallow" whenpared to the other dungeons.


    As the Dungeon was technically the property of the City, there''s a guardhouse nearby to watch over the entrance, and even someone stood before it and collected "entrance fee" from adventurers who wanted to get in.


    "Next!"


    After a short wait, it was finally Aster and Cassy''s turn. However, Aster wasn''t standing up front, but Cassy instead.


    "Newbies? Only two of you?" The gatekeeper asked after seeing them. "Then that''s 4,000 Tels in total."


    "Here!"


    The scanner in the gatekeeper''s hand quickly read the adventurer''s card that Cassy had in her hand.


    Seeing the green light the scanner showed, the uncle smiled as he urged them. "Confirmed. You two may enter."


    "Thanks~!" Cassy replied while taking back the card¡ªAster''s card.


    It was still Aster who paid for their entrance, of course! But why didn''t he pass it on to the gatekeeper himself? Well, it''s because the gatekeeper had bright red skin and two long horns on his head. His ck sclera highlighted his yellow pupils as he smiled, showing his yellowing teeth.


    The gatekeeper "uncle" was, based on what Aster knew, an Oni!


    Although he knew that the uncle wouldn''t hurt him, he still couldn''t help but not want to get close. Aster was still far from reaching an understanding of the current world''s various races.


    Aster hid his head and face as he passed by, taking note that the uncle was smiling cheerfully as he watched the two enter the portal. "It''s been a while since newbies came. I hope those two can survive for long." He whispered to himself before shaking his head and turning forward. "Next!"


    On the other hand, the pair entered the portal, and as soon as they reached the other side, were surprised.


    ''This... is inside a dungeon?''


    Aster looked around, but no matter how he saw it, he was in a random cave near some ins. It was far from the chaotic image he was expecting after hearing the word "dungeon."


    However, when he turned to look at the bright sky, he realized that this was, at least, not the reality he knew.


    ''There''s no sun, but it looks like it''s midday!''

 Chapter 19: First Hunt, First Retreat

    The first floor of the dungeon was an open grasnd and forest mix, with a particr "always morning" property. In short, within the entire first floor of the dungeon, the sun never sets!


    "Cassy, it went over there!" Aster called as he panted.


    He flipped the scarf he was wearing as if it were irksome that it was swinging along with every motion. Sweat fell from his forehead like post-shower droplets, spraying with every turn he made.


    Aster sprinted desperately, trying to catch up to the thing that was scurrying around from within the tall grass.


    "Got it!"


    On the other end, Cassy was already in position, right where the creature was heading. They couldn''t see its body, as it was hiding in the tall grass, but they could see the des of foliage move along with it, exposing its position.


    "Haiyaa!" With a cute shout, she wielded the rusty dagger clutched in her hand.


    Her strike went straight, hitting the target in the middle... if she aimed to stab the ground, that is. "I missed! It went over there again, Star!"


    Heeding her warning, Star turned his head around. When he spotted movement, he quickly lunged forward, bringing down the corroded sword held in his hand.


    "Haaah! Kuh!"


    *SCREECH!*


    Upon impact, Aster felt the tactile sensation of hitting rubbery, gtinous flesh. Finally, a direct hit!


    "I got it... I did it, Cassy! We did it!" He cheered, brandishing his sword in the air while taking a deep breath.


    *Huff!*


    "We did it, yay~!" and Cassy joined in the celebration, jumping around joyously.


    Upon closer inspection, the "prey" that the two had struggled to dispatch was merely a basketball-sized blob. Encased in thin outer skin covering its gel-like contents, which could be harvested and dried, turning into a blue powder of condensed mana.


    The monster theybored to defeat was nothing but the weakest monster inside the dungeon''s first-floor stratum, a Blue Slime!


    Although they rejoiced in their first harvest, the materials they could get from it were too cheap. A slime''s contents, even after getting dried properly, would only fetch around 50 Tels at most. It was far from the expenses they incurred along the way!


    "It''s nothing much, but it''s something..." Aster''s face remained bright, despite all that. "With this, we proved that we can really hunt monsters! We can be proper adventurers!"


    Cassandra nced at Aster while sporting a sweet smile, nodding her head in assent. Yet, at that instant, her ears twitched. Her expression shifted, fraught with worry, as she shouted, "Oh no, Star! Five more slimes are advancing toward us!"


    They were so engrossed in their celebration that they forgot to keep their vignce!


    Aster turned 180 degrees and scanned the tall grasses around him. He quickly found a few spots moving unnaturally, of which three were heading straight for him.


    He clenched the sword tightly in his hand before shouting, "Shit... let''s run!"


    Of course, he wasn''t foolish enough to face five of the same enemy; they already had difficulty killing one when it was alone! Although it was wasteful, they left their first hunt behind, turning tail and retreating. Survival first, profiteeringter.


    Fortunately, the slimes were only quick for short distances, so they managed to leave them behind after a couple dozen seconds. However, just from that, Aster was already wheezing as if he were about to die, with his face pale. Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead down to his chin, dripping to the ground.


    Although his body''s muscle mass increased, his stamina didn''t.


    "Are you alright, Star?" Cassandra asked with a worried expression. "Let me heal you real quick."


    She extended a hand forward, cing it before Aster''s lowered head, and began to chant.


    "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    A faint light escaped her palm and rained down on Aster''s head. Slowly, his anguished expression softened before finally returning to a healthy color. After about ten seconds, the light faded, and Aster was healedpletely.


    "Sorry about that, Cassy. I''ve made you waste a heal on me." Aster looked more guilty than thankful. "You only have three uses of it a day, right? You should save thest two for real emergencies. I''m fine; I won''t die from running out of breath."


    "..."


    Cassandra''s expression turned into a mix of sadness and pity as she heard his words filled with regret. However, Asted did have a point, so she agreed with his suggestion. If she wasted her heal, and they ended up running out of uses when it''s needed, then she''d be the one regretting her actions, after all.


    "... Let''s move."


    Although they were still too weak to fight evenly against slime, they still had to earn their keep, at least. The government''s support fund was almost used up already. They didn''t have the leeway to waste their entrance fee.


    ''I could probably request for more financial support, but after all I said before, it''ll be awkward.'' Aster thought to himself with a sigh.


    Asking the government for support was thest choice when they''ve already tried out all avenues.


    For now, all they need to do is hunt harder and try to be more powerful. It''s not like they didn''t have any clues, of course. Killing monsters would let one earn more mana into their bodies, raising their "life level" by one.


    Aster grabbed his Adventurer''s card and inspected both sides once more.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 1


    Party Members:


    Cassandra Bright (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 2


    Intelligence: 15


    Wisdom: 16


    Charisma: 12


    Luck: 0


    ]


    Seeing the ring "1" written at his level, he could only sigh. Seeing the "2" for his Constitution, however, made him feel depressed. "I hope I can increase my stats soon," he whispered to the wind.


    Cassy caught sight of Aster sighing while inspecting his card, so she peered over his shoulder, asking, "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing."


    Aster nced over his shoulder, responding tly while ignoring the two soft objects bumping against his back, "Instead of that, we should go. We still need to hunt tons of slimes to avoid going into the red."


    He''s fine since he had a hotel room to stay in, where he gets free food. However, to Cassandra, who was as penniless as she imed, she wouldn''t be able to stay at an inn without earning anything for the day. At worst, she could starve even until tomorrow''s hunt.


    "Right. I still have to repay you for this dagger too!"


    Cassy eximed, pumping herself up. Their hunting session was just beginning!

 Chapter 20: Hunting Slimes! Managing Loot!

    After resting for a while longer, the two of them set off for their next hunt.


    Their battle n was straightforward. Cassandra would scout, using her keen hearing to detect solitary slimes. Then, they would nk the target from opposing sides beforeunching a surprise attack.


    Their first attempt earlier failed slightly since it was Aster who initiated the attack. As they were alternating to give both sides an equal chance to im EXP, a.k.a. excess mana from their prey, this time was Cassy''s turn to initiate!


    "I found one!"


    Cassy whispered, pointing toward the bunch of waist-high, verdant green grasses ahead of them. There was no visible movement, making it challenging to spot the slime hidden within.


    Cassy was certain there was one there, so they moved as nned.


    Aster circled around, quietly approaching from the other side, while Cassy remained in ce. As soon as both were in position, she leaped forward, her dagger aimed at where the slime supposedly lurked!


    *THUD!*


    *SCREECH!*


    And surprisingly, her ambush seeded! Her dagger pierced the slime, puncturing its core and swiftly dispatching it! It was an almost wless attack!


    "Yes! I did it!" She cheered after retrieving the slime''s lifeless body. "Let''s harvest it quickly before more slimes arrive!"


    The dying screech of a slime could attract others... This was a part of the manual he readst night. Therefore, they moved the corpse a short distance away before beginning to harvest their loot.


    For a Blue Slime, the only content that could be turned into money was its gel-like substance. However, since it was bulky after harvesting and because of its low price, newbie adventures usually skipped it.


    Instead, they preferred gathering in full parties and going straight to the goblin area. Those like Aster and Cassandra, who hunted slimes first to raise their level, were the minority.


    "..."


    Aster''s staring at the slime''s gel being extracted made him think. ncing at the carved seal on the back of his right hand, he wondered. "Since I can freeze things, can I also use it to dry objects?"


    His experiment before worked on both freezing and thawing his hotel room, although it ended in a small tragedy. As such, he proved that he can "lower" and "increase" temperature at will.


    When dried, the gel from the slime loses more than 99% of its mass. As such, keeping only the powdered mana was a lot more efficient. Curious, Aster suggested something.


    "Cassy, can I experiment with the next slime we find? If it works, we can stay in the dungeon longer without minding the weight of our loot."


    "Of course, you can!" Cassandra answered without dy. "If it works, we''ll both benefit, after all. Don''t mind me~!"


    Just then, she took out the Slime Liquid Extractor, which looked like arge syringe, and attached a Slime Liquid Packer on its tail end. Then, Cassy stabbed the needle through the slime''s body, and like magic, the gel-like content inside the slime started to get absorbed.


    The packer slowly got filled with the slime liquid, looking like a blood pack but blue instead of red. In less than ten seconds, the harvesting was over!


    After she carefully packed the extractor and the newly harvested pack of Slime Liquid, she turned to Aster and smiled. "Then, let''s go search for our next quarry!"


    Again, Cassandra used her sharp hearing to detect any signs of life around her. It took her a bit longer this time, with their target being located further than before.


    "Over there, about twenty meters away..." Cassy eximed, pointing toward a different patch of tall grass.


    The two moved immediately, nking the slime from both ends. Then, as they were doing it alternatingly, it was Aster''s time to do the surprise attack again. He held his breath, inching closer and closer to the grass, following where Cassandra pointed.


    Then, when he was just a few meters away, he started dashing forward.


    "HAAAAH!"


    With a hearty shout, he stabbed his sword toward the ground blindly.


    "...!"


    And as expected, he missed his targetpletely. "Cassy, it''s going there!"


    "On it!"


    Cassandra saw the movement and matched it with her steps before jumping toward the spot where it was going while swinging her dagger down.


    *STAB!*


    *SCREECH!*


    "It hit!" Cassy gasped in surprise.


    She didn''t expect her attempt at predicting the slime''s movement to actually seed!


    "Great! Quick, pick up the corpse, and let''s move!"


    Astermented as he scanned the surroundings. He could see a few parts of the grass begin to move, approaching them. In a few seconds, more slime would be gathering where they were!


    The two retreated a few meters away, enough that they were out of "sight" of the slimes. Aster took the slime and ced it on the ground. Before he began, he took out an empty packet of the Slime Liquid Packer and used it as a temporary "tform" to hold the dried powder, if ever it seeded.


    Aster closed his eyes, doing the same process he did when he froze his room. But instead of lowering the temperature, he imagined it getting hotter.


    "About... 200 ¡ãC!" He whispered as if to solidify his imagination.


    At that instant, the seal on his right hand started to glow with a mix of red and blue light. Cassandra watched this and groaned in awe. "Beautiful..."


    About ten secondster, the air around the slime''s corpse started to heat up before a small me tornado appeared, burning it down into ashes.


    "AH!"


    Aster extended a hand as if wanting to stop what he did. However, it was already toote.


    "Ah~! What a waste!" Cassymented, her lips forming a cute frown.


    Aster scratched his cheeks awkwardly before apologizing. "Ugh... my bad. I''ll subtract that from my share of the lootter."


    "No, it''s fine." But Cassy quickly bounced back, smiling excitedly. "Rather, let''s work hard and catch more! The more tries you get, the better the chances of sess, right?!"


    Aster couldn''t help but smile, catching a bit of her positivity. "I guess so. Then, let''s go to our---!"


    "Oh, wait! Look, the core is intact!"


    "Core?"


    The two crouched down, examining the "ashes" of the burned slime. As she mentioned, the slime''s core remained in the middle of it, intact!


    "Weird. It should''ve melted along with the rest of its gel and dissolved into mana..." Aster recalled what he read in the monster encyclopedia. "But well, let''s collect it just in case."


    "Got it!"


    Cassy carefully picked up the core and safely stored it inside the backpack. Right after that, they resumed their hunt for more slimes.


    "All this wading through tall grasses makes me feel like we''ll have an encounter battle or something..." Aster muttered to himself, but Cassy heard it loud and clear.


    "Encounter battles?" She asked, tilting her head curiously.


    Aster quickly waved his hand, smiling wryly as he declined. "Ah, no. I doubt you''ll get the reference, so let''s just ignore what I said."


    "Eh~? Come on, tell me!" She pestered with a teasing smile. "There''s a good chance I know what you''re referring to!"


    "The very moment you didn''t get what I said tells me you probably won''t." But Aster refused to divulge the title of that certain big-name game where you catch monsters with a ball.

 Chapter 21: Having a Small Advantage

    Soon, the two, Aster and Cassandra, approached their next target, another solitary slime.


    They quieted down as they got close before splitting up, with Cassy circling around it while Aster stayed in ce.


    After the two reached their positions, Aster gripped the rusty sword in his hand and lunged forward.


    "HYAAAAAH! AUGH!"


    With a hearty shout, he charged forward and tripped on a stone poking out of the ground.


    "Star!" Cassy shouted with concern.


    However, before she could run to his side, Aster had already pushed himself up and resumed his charge.


    *BOING!*


    But the slime was already aware of his presence. Therefore, it easily dodged his strike. As slimes only attack when they have the liberty of surprise, the one before him quickly turned tail and fled. "It''s going there, Cassy!"


    "I see it!"


    Fortunately, the slime couldn''t "see" beyond the grass ahead of it. Consequently, it didn''t notice Cassy, standing still with her dagger at the ready.


    "...!"


    As soon as it burst out of the grass mid-jump, Cassy brought down her dagger in one swift motion.


    *SQUELCH!*


    Her dagger,bining the stabbing motion and the slime''s rush, ended up piercing right through! Seeing the gel-like contents of the slime''s body leaking out, she quickly panicked.


    "Ah, ah! It''s getting wasted! Aster! Do your thing, quick!"


    "Alright!"


    Aster ran quickly, picking up the backpack thrown on the ground, getting a single packet again, and rushing to Cassandra''s side. "Give it to me!" He asked in a hurry before cing the slime''s corpse over the stic andying it on the ground.


    "Watch for other slimes!" Astermented as he began to concentrate.


    Cassy, as told, watched the surrounding grass and noticed two points moving closer. It would reach them in a few seconds, so she decided to meet them midway instead.


    Aster had his eyes closed, focusing on using his magic carved seal. Before, he seemed to have set the temperature too high, so now he was trying to go slow. About half of the temperature he imagined before!


    *GURGLE!* *GURGLE!*


    In a sh, the slime''s gel-like contents started to "boil" over and gradually evaporate. About fifteen secondster, the liquid practically disappeared and changed into kes inside the slime''s stic-like outer skin


    Aster stared at it and frowned a bit before beaming. "Sess!"


    "Next one~!" Cassy, right as he finished, delivered two more slime corpses to him.


    Aster was surprised at the sight. After all, it meant that Cassy hunted two of those at the same time! "I''m getting used to matching their movements~!" She eximed proudly.


    Not missing a beat, Aster lined up the two beside each other, straight onto the ground, and began to focus once more. His imagination, still fresh from his previous sess, was able to solidify the image almost immediately.


    *GURGLE!* *GURGLE!*


    In a sh, the liquids started to boil, evaporating like alcohol and leaving only the mana powder in the form of kes. Both slimes were dried sessfully at the same time!


    "I''m getting a hang of this too." He muttered with a smile. "But we should collect the powder first!"


    Aster used his sword to sh open a new packet before carefully pouring the ky material inside the slime''s outer skin. Afterbining all three, even without crushing them into a finer powder, it still couldn''t even fill up a tenth of the container.


    "Amazing! So you can extract the mana powder directly!" Cassy pped excitedly, seeing the result of Aster''s "magic."


    "But how many times can you use it? You''ve used it three times already," she curiously asked.


    Aster carefully rolled the pack of mana powder and ced it safely inside the backpack. As the mana powder would sublimate when exposed to the elements for a long time, they needed to seal its container right after collection to preserve their loot properly.


    "It''s a Magic Carved Seal, so I think I don''t have a usage limit," he answered her question with a light shrug.


    "No limit?!" Cassy groaned, almost envious. "I wish my heal was like that too..."


    Aster smiled lightly before standing up, staring at the back of his right palm. There, the mark that glowed earlier was still visible. Rather than a tattoo, it looked more like it was etched into his skin, as one could feel the lines if they ran a hand over it.


    The only thing limiting him was that he wasn''t ustomed to using it yet. He basically self-taught himself how to use it, but the entire process requires his full concentration. At least for now.


    ''As such, I can''t even use it to battle yet.''


    One might think that he was jumping the gun, but sooner orter, he would be able to use it as naturally as breathing. All he needed was practice... and lots of it.


    Aster''s imagination ran wild before he shook his head, returning to the task at hand.


    "Anyway, we should continue hunting! Three slime''s worth of mana powder isn''t enough to bring us out of the red!"


    Thinking that their weapons and backpack were "long-term investments," all they needed to clear was the entrance fee to the dungeon to reach the minimum break-even point.


    Slime Fluids cost 50 Tels per 1000 grams, but dried mana powder costs 100 Tels per 10 grams. With their harvest of roughly 25 grams from three slimes, they have only reached 250 Tels currently. It was far from enough!


    To reach the break-even point, they would need to hunt at least 50 more slimes!


    "Alright! Leave the scouting to me!" Cassy pumped her hands before her chest, raring to go.


    Just like before, they continued their hunt. Cassy was scouting slimes that were alone, or up to a group of two, before they attacked from both sides, ensuring the enemy couldn''t escape.


    As they repeated their hunt, they gradually got used to the process, and the rate of failure of their initial surprise attack dropped down to about once every ten tries. Mostly Aster, as Cassy rarely failed by then.


    Long hourster, they began to show signs of fatigue. They have hunted exactly 143 slimes, of which 110 were sessfully dried by Aster.


    The division of their kills was quite lopsided too, with Cassy killing 98 while Aster only managed to catch 45.


    *Huff!*


    Aster sighed as he filled another pouch.


    "With this, we roughly earned twice our entrance fee!" He smiled as he dered. "We should call it a day here." He added.


    He then began to wonder what time it was and how long they had been hunting, only to see that the time was already past 8 p.m. Due to the sun staying the same the entire time, the pairpletely lost track of time!

 Chapter 22: Offering a Helping Hand

    "Shit, it''s already evening on the outside!" Aster panicked.


    Cassandra, on the other hand, was looking pensive. She didn''t rush but was in deep thought instead. "Star, don''t you think it''d be a waste toe out after we paid that much just to enter?" She asked with a serious expression.


    Of course, Aster himself felt like it was a waste. They spend 2,000 Tels each just to enter the dungeon. If they left, that would mean they needed to pay the same amount tomorrow to enter!


    "But if we sleep here, we don''t need to pay again!" Cassy''s lips slowly curled into a grin. "Aren''t I smart?!" She eximed, proud that she had found a loophole in the system.


    It''s true that on higher floors, it wasmon to stay a few days to a month at most inside to conquer it. However, that''s only for floors where "safe areas" have already been established.


    The first floor, being the easiest and weakest of all floors, basically didn''t need a safe area. As such, sleeping in there posed the risk of getting attacked by monsters instead.


    That was one of the reasons, but the biggest one was something he couldn''t do anything against. "Sorry, but I need to go to the hospital today. I need to fetch something important..."


    "Oh..." Cassy''s expression turned into a mix of disappointment and understanding. "If you already have an appointment, then we can''t help it."


    Of course, her positivity knows no bounds. She quickly bounced out of her disappointed mood and smiled joyfully. "Let''s go rest for today and work harder tomorrow! I''ve got a grasp of those Blue Slimes'' movements, so we can probably hunt even more tomorrow!"


    Aster smiled, feeling the care and understanding that she was giving him.


    After that, the two walked toward the entrance of the dungeon. They didn''t lose their way at all, as it stood out and looked like a natural rock cave entrance standing in the middle of a in. It was eye-catching.


    As they peeked through the cave entrance, they saw not darkness but a blinding white lighting out of it.


    The pair didn''t hesitate one bit and jumped through together, and as if it were an illusion, their vision shifted an instantter. The interior of the midday dungeon changed from a bright, open space to one that waspletely dark and lit only by evenly spaced floodlights.


    *TAP!*


    Their feetnded on the concrete ground, telling them that they had really returned from the dungeon.


    "Oh, you''re the newbies this morning!" And just as they got out, the deep, friendly voice of an uncle called to them. "Looks like your first day was a sess, huh?"


    Aster turned around, seeing the same man who took their entrance fee before standing there. With the backlight on him, he looked even scarier than during the day, causing Aster to gulp in nervousness.


    "Yes, we did! We earned a bit from hunting those slimes~!" Without minding his appearance, Cassy responded in a friendly and excited manner.


    "Is that so? Well, it''s nice to see newbies working hard like this! Go and rest, ande back tomorrow to give me more money!" The Oni man joked as he cackled loudly.


    Aster, of course, kept his distance. He pulled his hood deeper to hide his face, and he tugged at his scarf. Although he wasn''t as bothered by Cassy''s appearance, as a beastwoman, other races¡ªones that were usually portrayed as evil beings in novels¡ªwere still too scary for him.


    Cassandra waved goodbye to the Oni uncle as the two strode away, heading toward the street. Since the two were "broke," they were simply walking over the automatic walkways, trying to reach their destination as cheaply as possible.


    "Hmmmm~! Hm hmhmm~!"


    Cassandra kept on humming as she skipped along. She was in a good mood, as their first day as a party was pretty sessful. They got a lot of loot, even!


    Their first destination was, of course, the adventurer''s guild. After all, they have to cash in their loot before they can get their money.


    "Ohh..."


    But when the two reached the building, they found that it was already closed. Well, it was reasonable, since it was already 8 p.m. and the Adventurer''s Guild doesn''t run 24/7 and only opens from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.


    Aster turned to Cassy and found that she looked a little troubled. After all, she did say she had no money to even stay in a hotel anymore. While they were resting in between hunts, the two did chat lightly, and from that, he learned that she hade to Orinfeld City roughly six days ago.


    She dide with ample funds into the city, but nobody bothered taking her into their party after knowing that she could only use Minor Heal three times. As such, with inn fees and meals piling up and no way of replenishing her money, she ended up running out right as today began.


    ''If I leave her be without money, then...''


    Aster thought, thinking about her ns, which she mentioned earlier. Sleeping in public parks! No matter how good public security was, it still didn''t feel right to let a girl sleep like that.


    "Sorry, Cassy," Aster apologized immediately. "If only we didn''t lose track of time."


    "Oh, it''s not your fault alone, but mine as well." Cassy smiled, not showing even a hint of disappointment. "But well, it looks like I''ll be sleeping on a park bench tonight! Don''t worry, I''m quite tough, so I won''t catch a cold easily!"


    "..."


    Cassy, despite getting the short end of the stick, didn''t bother ming it on Aster. Instead, she sounded as if she didn''t want to drag him into her circumstances!


    Aster thought for a while before asking her. "Leaving you to sleep in such an open space as a park worries me. How about staying the night with me in my room?"


    Cassy turned to look at Aster''s face, looking shocked and speechless. "... Really? You want me to stay the night with you?" She asked again, as if to confirm.


    "Yes." Aster nodded immediately. "Of course, if you''re ufortable staying with a guy, then I''ll just lend you money to stay the night in some inn instead."


    They would be getting their money tomorrow after the guild opened, after all, so he didn''t mind spending what little was left of his budget.


    "N-No way! I wouldn''t dare increase my debt to you! It''s too much!"


    Cassy shook her head as she waved her hands in denial. "I''ll take your offer if it doesn''treally bother you~!" She continued with a smile.


    "Great, then, let''s pass by the hospital first before heading to my room."


    Although he was downying the event, and even though he didn''t have any ulterior motives, it was still his first time sleeping with a woman, not his nurse or his mother. Such thoughts made his heart race.

 Chapter 23: A Little Help of Magic!

    From the closed Adventurer''s Guild to the hospital, it was another 10-minute walk.


    Aster was walking close behind Cassandra, who was leading the way. His hood was pulled low, with his scarf covering half his face. He was facing toward the ground, looking at his feet as he took one step after another over the automatically moving pathway.


    The reason was that night streets had more "people" than day streets. As such, more "scary-looking" races were walking past the two.


    "Star, are you alright?" Cassy asked worriedly, holding his hand tight as she led him forward. "The hospital should be around here, right? Hang tight; we''re close to our destination!"


    Aster, despite fear filing his heart, raised his head for a moment and checked before returning to gazing toward his feet. "We should take the next right, then left. The hospital should be there," he whispered.


    "Next right... got it!"


    As they followed Aster''s direction, they soon came before arge, white building that looked more like a hotel than a hospital. Since he came here without a police guide, he didn''t go to the secret passage but rather went through the main entrance.


    "Wait for me here; it should be over in about fifteen minutes."


    "Got it! Then, I''ll wait for you at the benches over there~!" Cassy replied energetically.


    After watching Cassy walk to a vacant chair, Aster took a deep breath and turned toward the front desk. The same as before, "beautiful" receptionists were sitting there, catering to questions and inquiries by patients and their families.


    "Excuse me!" Aster called a vacant elfdy. "I have an appointment today with Dr. Zellbrook; is he in?"


    "Ah, are you Mr. Aster?" The elf woman asked back as if she knew of him already. "Please wait; I''ll notify the doctor first."


    "That was quick..." He mused, watching as the elfdy turned around and headed for the back.


    After a short wait, the receptionist returned smiling while saying, "Dr. Zell is on his way; please wait for a minute."


    "Got it. Thank you."


    "Mr. Aster! Over here, please!"


    "Huh?"


    Not even ten secondster, a familiar dwarf doctor waved to him. He turned to the receptionist, who simrly looked surprised, before showing a wry smile. The doctor arrived earlier than anticipated!


    Aster walked over to the doctor, who then patted his back while guiding him deeper into the hospital. "Let''s talk somewhere more private. Who knows who''s listening in around, after all?"


    "..."


    Hearing the doctor''s words, Aster recalled the pair who tried to attack him the day before. The fear he felt then got renewed as he tried to pull the hood deeper to hide his face better.


    They didn''t walk for long, as they entered a nearby empty private room and talked there. Dr. Zellbrook didn''t bother wasting time and passed on a small essory, a bracelet.


    It looked simple, with a chain-like design and the color of deep night. When moving the item against the light, it even sparkles, as if stars were shining within it.


    "I tried studying your disease, but other than it reducing your life force with every breath you took, I couldn''t figure out anything else." The doctor exined it in a sorry tone.


    "As such, I asked for this magic tool, the Stagnating Life Bracelet, which I believe should be perfect to alleviate your disease''s symptoms."


    Hearing his exnation, the bracelet was able to recover the user''s life force whenever it decreased. But, of course, there are limits.


    For example, using a game analogy, let''s say you receive poison damage of 1 HP per second and have the bracelet equipped. Then you will also recover the 1 HP the same moment you lost it.


    On the other hand, if you got shed and received 10 HP damage, then it can only recover 1 HP per second, only addressing the damage from bleeding but not fixing the wound at all.


    In short, it was an iffy recovery item, with not much practical use other than to "mitigate" and not "fix" damage over time.


    "This artifact activates using the mana in the air, so unless you go to a ce without mana, you''ll have no more worries." Dr. Zell continued. "But, of course, it wouldn''t change the fact that you only have 5 years left to live."


    Aster looked at the little bracelet and quickly passed it through his left hand. As he did, he couldn''t feel any difference. "Dr. Zell, does this mean my lifespan wouldn''t decrease anymore with every breath while wearing this?"


    "Yes, of course. But, as I said earlier, it wouldn''t change how much longer you have left."


    Aster blinked a few times before showing a thin, awkward smile. "You don''t know how much of a help it is, just being able to breathe normally."


    ---


    After that, for a few minutes, Aster was told about the effect and use of the Stagnating Life Bracelet. Of course, since it''s mostly automatic, nothing much was needed from him, other than when he did go into a ce without mana.


    "If that happens, you can either use your mana or others'' mana to power it. It has mana storage that can keep it running for an hour, so have your party members charge it for you when in an emergency."


    With that as thest bit of information, the two''s meeting was adjourned.


    "Thanks for everything, Dr. Zellbrook." Aster smiled as he shook the dwarf''s hand. "I''m not sure when we''ll see each other again, but I''ll make sure to remember you by heart."


    "Haha! No worries, kid. Dwarves like me are long-lived. 100 or 200 years is nothing! We''ll be seeing each other in time."


    After a few words of goodbye, Aster left the room and walked toward the entrance. The entire time, he was looking at his new bracelet, admiring its simple design.


    "Oh, Star! You''re back!"


    As soon as he reached the lobby, a cute, high-pitched voice called for him from the side. Cassandra was there, jumping off the bench and running toward him while looking all excited.


    "So? How did it go?" She asked, curious.


    He smiled at her before shaking his head in a slightly disappointed manner.


    "Too bad they can''t cure my ailment," he muttered as he raised his left arm, showing the new, thin, chain-like bracelet he had on. "But they did give this to me, the Stagnating Life Bracelet¡ªsomething to counteract the adverse effects of my ailment."


    "Ohh! That''s nice!" Cassandra eximed. "Too bad my heal is still too weak, or else I would''ve cured you at once!" She added while grinning cheerfully. "It''s my dream to be a healer capable of healing any injuries or diseases, after all!"


    "Such a thing exists?" Aster was slightly surprised. "That''s amendable dream. Let''s work hard from tomorrow onwards to help you get closer to it!" He muttered while walking forward, heading to the exit.


    His head was now facing straight ahead instead of downward. Losing the fear of scraping his life away while breathing, he felt like a new man!


    "Huuungh?"


    "Urk..."


    But as soon as he walked past five Oni men, who were looking scarier than punks or the yakuza, he could only pull his shoulders tight together, trying to look small, while pulling his hood over his head.


    Although his mindset improved, it seems he couldn''t shake his fear that easily. Frightening things are still frightening, after all.


    Cassy led the way with Aster trailing behind her, pulled by the hand, as the two headed to their next destination: Aster''s hotel room!

 Chapter 24: Sharing Lodgings with a Stranger (1)

    About another half an hourter, after traversing several automatic pathways along the way, they finally reached their destination. A building that looked like a double-helix DNA strand from afar stretched far up into the night sky.


    "That''s our destination," Aster muttered as they approached, pointing at it.


    Cassy looked to where he was pointing and ended up opening her mouth wide. "Woah... you live in such a rich-looking hotel?! I''m so envious!"


    Hearing her amazed voice, he could only show a wry smile. After all, he was sure about one thing: this ce wasn''t a location selected to provide him with as much luxury as possible, but rather to keep a close eye on him.


    ''Rather than a hotel, this ce is like a prison to me. A ce to keep me and protect me at the same time... and despite knowing that, I have no choice but to stay here.''


    In this current era, he not only has zero acquaintances or family, but he is even of a rare race that only appears once in every hundred thousand¡ªa human. As such, he could understand the current government, or rather, the mayor himself, trying to safeguard him to the best of their capabilities.


    They soon arrived at the hotel''spound, which was marked by a low-lying electric metal fence. As they passed through the wide-open gates, Cassy let out another soft sigh.


    "Woah..." She was rendered breathless by the scenery spreading before her.


    The garden lining both sides of the wide path was filled with beautiful, glowing flowers sporting various colors. A tall fountain was just ahead of them, creating a beautiful disy of a mix of lights and water. Not only that, there were even arches made of smallminar waterjets, with a beam ofser stuck in the middle of them, making the water glow beautifully.


    After passing through the fountain''s vicinity, they were greeted with arge, floating, holographic disy of the hotel''s logo and name. An image, as if an actual DNA strand in gold, followed by the words "Twister Hotel," was simple but pretty eye-catching.


    Soon, they reached the hotel''s doors. The two guards, both resembling Dobermans-turned-humanoids¡ªdog-beastkin¡ªwere standing on either side of it. They saluted right after seeing Aster approach, greeting him in unison.


    "Wee back, Mr. Aster Mistral!"


    "...!"


    Cassy shook in surprise at their loud voice before she followed right behind Aster, as if trying to hide behind him. The man himself merely waved a hand, not even bothering to reply, as he headed inside.


    Of course, he felt intimidated by the guards as well, but since the little rabbit cowered first, he had to stay strong.


    Walking through the automatic doors, he was greeted by the gold-themed lobby. At the forefront was a long reception table, where beautiful women with pointed ears and golden hair, elves, were sitting down like mannequins, bowing down simultaneously as they saw him enter.


    "Wee back, Mr. Mistral; here''s your room''s key. Please have a restful stay." One of the elves, the closest to Aster, pushed a keycard over the counter and bowed lightly.


    Of course, one couldn''t miss the sharp judging gaze they turned on Cassy, who was acting like a scared pup, clutching Aster''s clothes from behind.


    "Thanks... And there''s no problem with taking another guest to my room, right? There''s enough space, after all." Just in case, he decided to inquire.


    It would be troublesome if they just entered together and ended up having to be chased outter, after all. The elf receptionist, the one with her gold hair tied into a braided crown, smiled sweetly as she replied.


    "Please feel free, Mr. Mistral. As long as it''s within the room''s guest count limit, then it''s fine."


    "Great." He nodded with a faint smile before turning to Cassy behind him. "Then, let''s go to my room."


    As they walked away, all the receptionists turned to look at the pair and frowned.


    "Sorry for that." As soon as they went out of sight from the front desk, Aster turned to Cassy and apologized.


    "It must''ve been ufortable getting stared at like that, right?"


    "Oh, it''s fine..." She replied, smiling awkwardly. "I don''t know why they''re like that, though. Did I do anything wrong?"


    Seeing her ponder over the matter, Aster decided to speak. "I''ll tell you the reason after we''re in my room."


    "..."


    After that, with nothing but silence between them, they continued walking forward. After passing by the lobby, they entered a wide hall filled with luxurious sofas and coffee tables. They didn''t linger there, of course, and headed beyond it, reaching for the ss-tube-like structure at the end of the path, the Magic Elevator.


    Aster and Cassy stepped inside, turned toward the entrance, and waited for it to close. No buttons were needed, as the entire thing moved with the mana in the air and operated while skimming the thoughts of everyone inside.


    As soon as the magical array shone, reading the signal of the keycard in Aster''s hand, it began moving up at an incredible speed. Although the scenery was shing past them, it was as if they weren''t feeling anything. They couldn''t even detect the slightest shake or the unique feeling of having your feet pressed toward the floor as the magic elevator moved.


    In just five seconds, they had already reached their target floor¡ªthe 28th floor.


    Even the moment that the elevator stopped was undetectable if not for the transparent walls of the elevator itself, which showed that they came to an instantaneous stop.


    ''Despite using this a few times, I wonder how this thing really works.'' Aster pondered as he stepped out, turned to the right, and walked to his designated room.


    Room 2869. The final room of that floor''s right wing. Aster stood right before it and grabbed the keycard from his pocket. He tapped it over the middle of the door, causing a resounding click to echo as the door moved an inch up before sliding to the side.


    "Come in," he urged Cassy, who was feeling bashful while standing behind him.


    "E-excuse me then," she whispered as she slipped past Aster and entered the room. "Woah! Amazing!" And again, she released another gasp of surprise as she saw the inside.


    The fully furnished living room, with a holographic disy ying the news that Aster left on when he left, weed visitors from the entrance.


    The light brown sofa perfectly matched the matte white floor, walls, and ceiling, creating a pristine impression.


    Not only that, there were even a few exercise tools¡ªthings that Aster requested to be delivered to his room. A treadmill, a yoga ball, and a few sets of weights.


    After she finished looking around, Cassy turned to Aster with an excited expression, eximing, "This ce is so beautiful that I almost wanna live here forever!"


    "I told you, I''m not renting this room." Aster smiled wryly, scratching his cheeks. "The government is lending this ce to me, so basically, I''m freeloading here like you are."

 Chapter 25: Sharing Lodgings with a Stranger (2)

    After entering, Cassy went to sit down on the sofa first. Her eyes were still darting around as she admired the room''s beautiful design, one that Aster hadn''t really had the leeway to check before.


    "How fortunate for you to receive the government''s support. The ce I rented for a week cost me 5,000 Tels a day, and it''s not even a tenth as spacious as this ce!"


    With the issue of increasing rent costs, finding a ce to stay within one''s budget is essential for an adventurer. However, Cassy, who was new to this ce just like Aster was, didn''t have any idea where to look and had to stay at a pretty expensive ce.


    "I''ll ask for suggestions on affordable inns. I''ll let you know about themter." Aster advised.


    As he finished speaking, his gaze swept over Cassy''s figure. The white and orange robe she was wearing was covered in dust and dirt, making it look less appealing to the eyes.


    "You should take a bath first. You know how to use the washer, right?" he asked.


    Cassy quickly waved her hands, acting reserved before Aster. "Oh, no! I couldn''t trouble you that much. This is your ce; you should use the bath first. I''ll wait."


    Of course, since the two were doing the same thing at the dungeon, Aster was just as dirty as she was.


    "You sure? Alright. Then, you can eat first. There''s a fridge in the kitchen; you can eat anything you can get there." Astermented. "Feel free to use anything there if you want to cook food for yourself too."


    "Got it! Then, as thanks for letting me stay, I''ll cook food for you too!" She replied, pumping her fists with a determined gaze. "I''m confident in my culinary skills, so you can look forward to it!"


    "As long as it''s edible, I''m fine with it," Aster replied teasingly.


    "Ahh! You don''t believe me, do you? I''ll make you drool for my recipester!"


    The jesting didn''tst long as Aster went toward the bathroom.


    He took off his grimy clothes and tossed them inside the washer before pressing the start switch. The mild sound of motors turning echoed as he watched his clothes tumble inside, with sprays of steam, bubbly water, and in water alternated at even intervals.


    Seeing that it was operating fine, he walked to the shower and adjusted the knobs. He preferred a cold shower to a hot one, as hot showers make him feel faint and out of breath.


    "As expected, even the water..." Aster sighed.


    Ever since the time with the giant snake, Aster couldn''t feel extreme changes in temperature. Everything felt room-temperature to him. It was both a blessing and a curse, however, since the same thing applied to food and drinks too.


    He couldn''t eat warm foods or drink cold beverages any longer! "This, too, is probably due to my Legacy Level Carved Seal." Aster guessed. "I should learn to fully control it sooner orter."


    Although he''s not one to take long baths, he decided to dy for a bit, giving time for his clothes to finish washing. He only got out fifteen minutester, when the washer-dryer let out a short ring to notify him that it was done.


    Drying himself with the towel took mere seconds before he went to the washer to fetch his clothes. He did have other clothes, but he forgot to get them earlier, so instead, he wore his underwear, pants, and shirt back, leaving his scarf and coat behind.


    As he emerged from the bathroom, he quickly caught an appetite-inducing whiff of the food that Cassandra was making. From the aroma, he could tell it was meat-based, making his stomach release a low growl in protest.


    "Oh, you''re out? Just in time!" Cassandra crossed her arms, her figure covered in a pink apron. "Lo and behold! These are the dishes I made with all my skills! I''ll also eat first before taking a bath!"


    "Wow, you weren''t kidding when you said you''re a great cook," Aster sighed, seeing the various dishes that werepleted in just 15 minutes.


    "Hehe~! I''m proud of my cooking skills! Now, let''s eat!"


    Without dy, the two started to grab their tes and load them with food.


    There was light mushroom soup, spit-grilled pork barbecue slices, a simple sd as aplement, and pineapple juice as refreshments. Except for the juice, which was avable as-is, Cassy simultaneously prepared everything!


    As they were eating, it was normal for them to chat idly. As such, the matter with the receptionists got brought up, causing Aster''s hand to stop.


    "Right... It''s not really a [secret] secret, so I guess I could tell you about it."


    He stood up, pulling something from his back pocket and presenting it to Cassandra. "This is?" She muttered as she received the small card. Aster''s Adventurer''s card.


    At first, she didn''t find anything weird about them until she began to realize the values written on them. Especially his age and the percentage of his human DNA.


    "2518! And 100%?!" Cassandra almost choked as she got a surprise.


    Aster sighed deeply before looking toward the ceiling, as if recalling a distant memory.


    "Actually, I''ve only been in this ce for a few days, just like you. Before then, I was¡­" He pointed toward the refrigerator, smiling lightly. "...frozen for a long time, until three days ago."


    "... Wait,"


    Cassy raised a hand in protest, her face a little awkward. "Is this content safe to listen to? I won''t be hunted down for knowing this secret, am I?"


    "Oh, it should be fine." Aster showed a genuine smile. "I believe you''re not the type to spread someone''s story around, right?"


    "Of course I wouldn''t!" Cassy stood up, shaking the table and the food on top. "But rather than that, you shouldn''t just go around and talk about it either. This... if this gets out, I fear for what chaos would follow."


    "Right, the Anti-Human Movement..."


    Aster nodded, signifying that he too understood what Cassy was worried about.


    "Anyway, let me start my story." He continued. "Thest parts could be somewhat rted to you too, so listen carefully."


    Their hands, bringing food to their mouths, slowed down as Aster began recounting the experience he had. The entire 25 cha¡ªno, the full 3 days he spent in the current time.

 Chapter 26: Sharing Lodgings With A Stranger (3)

    Cassy listened to Aster''s story attentively, evenmenting on parts in which she became curious. After he was done with the recount, she stood up from her chair and approached Aster, pulling him into a soft embrace.


    "It must''ve been painful, waking up and finding out that you''re all alone... There, there..."


    Like a mother appeasing her child, she patted his head gently while pressing his face tight against her not-so-bountiful chest.


    Although he wanted to say that he didn''t tell Cassy his story to gain her pity, he couldn''t deny how he felt at ease. Despite the temperature around him being constant, he could feel a mysterious warmthing from Cassy''s body.


    "..."


    Aster closed his eyes, letting Cassy pat his head until she was satisfied.


    "Well, now that I''m here, I''ll make it so you don''t get to be lonely~! Don''t worry, I have dozens of little brothers and sisters, so I have lots of experience at least!"


    Hearing her boast about it, Aster couldn''t hold back a chuckle. "I''m not your little brother, though, since I''m thousands of years older than you." He joked a little.


    "Ah, right!" Cassy gasped in realization. "Then, should I call you great-granddad instead? Or maybe, elder brother? Ah, what about Daddy?"


    *PFFT!*


    The soup went down the wrong pipe, causing Aster to cough as tears appeared on his eyes.


    "Are you okay, Daddy?!" Cassy mouthed, her voice filled with worry.


    While gently soothing Aster''s back, he told her with a serious voice, "Daddy or Grandpa are both rejected; just call me Star as always. I wouldn''t mind."


    "Oh, okay. Understood!" She smiled immediately.


    From her expression, he could tell that her earlier words weren''t a joke but rather a natural conclusion she reached. "But daddy? How did she evene to that?" Aster sighed.


    "Hmmm? Ah, that''s because I have a lot of dads back home."


    Aster stopped in ce, as if petrified; he was surprised that Cassy heard his murmur, but other than that, he took a while to process what he just heard. He doubted his ears. "Ah, can you say that again?"


    "Huh? I said, I have dozens of daddies at home, so I''m used to saying the word. My mom''s the vige chief, after all, so she''s got a lot of husbands!"


    And as Cassy rified, the information got worse. "You''ve got... an energetic mother, huh?" Hemented, unsure of what to say.


    "Well, that''s part of the reason I left." Cassy shrugged with a smile.


    "Mother''s already selected Elder Sister Lorraine as her sessor, so my leaving the vige was nothing to her. She probably wouldn''t realize I was gone until my birthday."


    "That''s... sad." Aster sighed.


    However, seeing the smile on Cassy''s face, he didn''t dare to pity her. Her decision to leave must''ve been something she nned long before and not done impulsively.


    "So you''ve left home to chase your dreams?"


    "Yes! I''ll stay here in Orinfeld until I reach the 1,000th floor and be a certified S-Rank Healer!" Cassymented with excitement. "Ah, but before that, we should finish dinner. The food''s getting cold."


    "..."


    Aster couldn''t really tell, as the food felt the same temperature from the start. Still, he shut his mouth and continued eating, waiting until they finished their meal before asking.


    "Right, you mentioned birthday... When''s yours?"


    "My birthday? It''s January 21." Cassy answered reflexively. "And yours?"


    "Mine is May 2."


    "Two?! That was just two days ago! Bted happy birthday~! If you had told me earlier, I would''ve added more dishes to celebrate!"


    "It''s fine; it''s not really something I like to celebrate anyway," Aster replied with a wry smile. "After all, to me, each birthday is just telling me that my end is approaching."


    "Star..."


    Cassy did listen to the story he had, so she knew that Aster was suffering from a mysterious disease. A disease that decreases his lifespan with every breath he takes. When she first heard this, she realized why Aster''s face looked like he was about to die back when they ran from therge group of slimes.


    "Well, that''s enough of this topic. I''ll go and wash the dishes, so you should take a bath first." Astermented. "We need to get up early tomorrow to cash in our loots, after all."


    "Oh, right!" Cassy gasped. "Then, sorry, Aster, but can I borrow clothes from you? I... don''t really have any extra clothes with me."


    "Oh, it''s fine. You can get them from that drawer over there."


    While he brought the dishes to the sink, washing them off a little before cing them inside the dishwasher, Cassy entered the bathroom while carrying Aster''s spare clothes. He technically doesn''t have the authority to lend it to her, even though the hotel''s service provided it. But who cares?


    "..."


    After finishing washing the dishes, Aster returned to the living room and sat down. However, he couldn''t rx at all. Cassy was, despite them being in a party right now, a stranger. And such a stranger was taking a shower inside his room.


    "No! Stop thinking!" He shook his head before heading toward the bedroom. "I should set up where I will sleepter."


    From the living room, he walked toward the right, opposite the direction of the kitchen, and entered the bedroom. Inside was arge, king-sized bed, arranged neatly with a beige pillow and light-yellow bedcover.


    A tablemp by the side gave an orange ambient light to the entire room.


    Aster walked forward, heading to the cupboard on the other side, and opened it. Inside were extra bedding and covers. "I''ll borrow these," he muttered while taking out two of each.


    "Star?"


    And just as he took them out, a voice called from behind him. ncing behind him, Aster''s breath got caught in his throat.


    Cassy was standing by the bedroom''s entrance, her orange hair still damp, with her lovely rabbit ears flopped down in a rxed manner. Her body was still releasing a slight steam, showing that she just got out of the bath. But more than that, the cloth she borrowed from him was actually just a white shirt.


    "Thanks for the bath; it was nice to wash myself with warm water~!" She smiled while taking off the towel hanging over her shoulder. "And? What''s that you''re pulling out? Beddings?"


    "... Ah! Y-Yeah. I was nning on sleeping on the floor, so I''m getting them to use as my bed."


    "Oh?" Cassy groaned before walking toward the bed.


    She patted the cover, checking its softness, while slightly leaning forward. Aster could see through the gap in her cor, revealing that she wasn''t wearing anything underneath.


    After checking the bed''s texture, she gently lifted her knee and climbed on top of the bed. "It''s big enough for the two of us, isn''t it? Why sleep on the floor?"


    Aster took a deep breath, calming himself. Looking at Cassy on all fours above the bed makes his heart beat irregrly, so he averted his gaze while continuing what he was doing.


    "Well, I''m a man, and you''re a woman. Us sleeping on the same bed, no matter what, isn''t a good idea." Astermented.


    "I... don''t mind sleeping together with you on this bed, you know?"


    Cassy muttered in a small, lonely voice.

 Chapter 27: Cashing in the Loots!

    May 5, 4033, 5:01 a.m.


    Aster woke up at the usual time.


    He raised his body from the bed and stretched lightly, yawning, before drawing his first deep breath in the morning.


    *Huff!*


    "...?"


    But unlike what he expected, his nose wasn''t filled with the smell of air freshener used on his room, but rather with a floral aroma. Scanning his surroundings, he noticed that he wasn''t nestled in the center of his plush king-sized bed but instead on a makeshift bed made of folded bedsheets.


    "What...?" Aster cocked his head, pondering the situation.


    He turned toward the bed, barely visible from his vantage point on the floor. Slowly, he stood and peered over, finding an almost half-naked rabbit woman sleeping peacefully.


    She wore a white shirt, borrowed from Aster''s wardrobe, rolled halfway up, revealing her cute, t tummy. Tracing her contours, Aster found a thin, pink garment concealing her private parts.


    "... Right. I remember now." He scratched his head. "Cassandra stayed overst night."


    Of course, nothing happened. Despite her vulnerable appearance, Aster didn''ty a hand on her. Rather, the very reason why he divulged his secret to her was to give her "something" to use against him, trying to put her at ease.


    ''And if I touch a girl out of my own volition, I can''t imagine what Mayor Magnus would say to me.''


    But recalling the sad, lonely expression she hadst night made Aster''s heart ache a little. Although it wasn''t due to "like" or "love" or anything like that, rather, Cassy simply missed her time sleeping with her cute little brothers and sisters.


    ''It''s a heartwarming story, but the way she started it was misleading.''


    *Huff!*


    He took another deep breath before opening his eyes wide, recalling something. "Oh, I don''t need to mind my breathing starting today." He turned to the ck chain bracelet over his left wrist as he smiled lightly.


    Without staring too much at Cassy''s body, Aster stowed away the makeshift bed and left the bedroom. He first headed for the bathroom, sshing cold water, which felt room temperature to him, while trying to fully wake up. Then, he went to the kitchen and began cooking breakfast.


    As the "man of the house," naturally, he could cook.


    While his skills might not rival his nurse''s, he could prepare decent meals. As he bustled around the kitchen, he couldn''t help but nce at the bracelet he had every so often.


    "So I''m truly liberated from that curse..." he muttered, pondering his illness.


    Throughout, he had been attempting to breathe rapidly, disregarding his usual breathing technique. However, despite this, he didn''t feel lightheaded or lethargic at all. In fact, he felt invigorated with the increased oxygen circting through his body, vivifying his cells!


    *Yawn!*


    "Oh," Aster shifted as he heard a cute yawn, turning to see Cassy entering the kitchen looking sleepy. "Good morning, Cassy." He greeted.


    "Gud mornin''..." Her words were muffled, as if spoken in her sleep.


    Aster smiled, noting that she wasn''t a morning person, or rather, a morning bunny.


    Like him, she headed forthe bathroom, sshing cold water on her face to rouse herself. However, sleepiness still lingered in her eyes.


    Taking a seat at the table, she eyed the food Aster was preparing and asked with a sweet smile, "I was awakened by this enticing aroma! What''s cooking?"


    "Hmm? Just stew and bread," Aster exined, removing the bread from the nearby oven. "See?"


    "Still smells fantastic! I''m getting hungrier the more I smell it!"


    "haha, thanks. Just wait a little longer; it''s almost ready."


    After sharing everything he experienced with Cassy, Aster felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He realized he had been seeking someone to share his story with, and it just happened to be Cassy, his party member for a week, who ended up listening to it.


    After a minute more, Aster''s Beef and Vegetable Stew, Toasted Bread with bacon spread, and a few slices of fruits as pte cleanser were served. It was a light breakfast, but Cassy was thankful. She wasn''t a fan of heavy morning meals, after all, the same as Aster was.


    After their meal, the time was reaching 6:30 a.m., so the two changed back into their adventurer attire and departed.


    They left the Twister Hotel with minimal interaction with others, exchanging nods and waves with those who greeted them superficially.


    "Where are we heading?" Cassy inquired, her hands sped behind her white robe.


    Aster briefly nced at her expression before facing forward. Yes, he was no longer facing downward, but ahead!


    "To the adventurer''s guild. We need to cash in our loot to free up space on our backpack," he replied, tapping the bag hanging conspicuously from his shoulders.


    Inside were pouches containing dried slime mana powder, 110 units in all.


    As they walked, Aster found himself short of breath. Cassy looked at him with concern, asking several times, "Shall I carry it instead?" But he insisted on bearing the burden.


    The guild was a mere 30-minute walk from the hotel. Unlike the previous night, where the ce resembled a "naughty" establishment with all the neon lights aglow, it now appeared quite ordinary under the morning light.


    "Huff! Huff!"


    Aster panted heavily, attempting to catch his breath. Though he struggled, he felt refreshed. He hadn''t felt so tired and yet was able to breathe freely without worrying about his remaining days!


    Of course, he cautioned Cassy against using her healing skills on him. He was just "testing" the magical item he had, the Stagnating Life Bracelet.


    As Dr. Zellbrook exined, he could now breathe normally. The sense of liberation, something he had never experienced before, felt amazing!


    "Phew. I''m fine now."


    Finally catching his breath and wiping the sweat from his forehead with his scarf, he approached the guild door. It swung open automatically, revealing a group of rugged-looking men who stared at them, emitting gruff sounds.


    One, a Mohican with red and white hair, pointed at Aster and raised his voice. "Oh, look who''s here, the weakling from yesterday! Ready to quit being adventurers already? Kakakaka!"


    Yesterday, Aster merely lowered his head, ignoring the voices around him. But today was different. He turned to the man, gripping his backpack strap tightly, and retorted, "Get lost, you ugly jerk."


    """..."""


    The guild fell silent.


    Even the insulted man seemed unsure of how to respond. After a moment, he flushed red with anger.


    "What did you say, you brat?!" he bellowed.


    He mmed his fist on the table, causing it to topple, and advanced toward Aster. "You''ve got guts; I''ll give you that! But can you handle this...?!" With a few words, he swung his fist at Aster''s face.


    Naturally, Aster couldn''t react. He was weak, and that was a fact. It was impossible for him to change so drastically in such a short time! Nheless, he didn''t flinch, facing the iing blow with a burning gaze.


    "...!"


    Just before it connected, a slender arm shot out, seizing the man''s fist.


    "That''s enough!" Cassy shouted. "If you don''t stop, I''ll be your opponent!"


    As he struggled to escape her hold, the Mohican turned toward Cassy and was astounded by her strength. ''What power!'' he thought before snorting.


    "Kah! You''re that dud priest? A weakling, teaming up with a useless... You''re a match made in heaven, aren''t you? Kakaka!"


    He jeered again before withdrawing, soothing his hurting wrist.


    "Bah, I''ve lost my appetite. Let''s go, bastards! We''ll clear the first floor today!"


    Aster watched them exit the door.


    As they departed, the guild became almost empty but also peaceful at the same time.


    "That was quite a racket, wasn''t it?" A woman''s voice broke the silence.

 Chapter 28: The Rabbit Leveling Up

    "Miss Zenearith!" Cassy eximed in surprise. "If you were here, you should''ve intervened with those goons earlier!"


    The woman, receptionist Zenearith, chuckled lightly as she rested on her arm, waving her free hand randomly as if shooing something away. "Why should I? Babysitting grown men isn''t in my job description."


    Talking to that point, her gaze shifted to Aster as her smile widened.


    "I''d prefer to cover for young adventurers like you, Mr. Aster, rather than those grumpy old men," she murmured with a wink.


    Aster, however, paid no mind to her words. He moved to the counter and ced his backpack on it before speaking.


    "Instead of that, please assess the loot we acquired yesterday. We couldn''t return here in timest night."


    "Fufu, businesslike as usual," Zenearith chuckled again before taking Aster''s hand nearby. "But such demeanor only spurs me on, you know~? *Hiss!*"


    "What''s wrong with you today? Please proceed with your work, or I''ll report you to the Guild Master for harassing neers and wasting time."


    Of course, Aster doesn''t know the guildmaster yet. However, he had connections with the mayor, so he "technically" could tell her on to the Guildmaster.


    "Alright, understood!" She responded, raising her hands instantly. "Loot appraisal, then? Let me see..."


    She unzipped the backpack and extracted pack after pack of carefully collected slime mana powders. After counting a total of 110 packs, she let out a soft whistle. "That''s a notable amount, and you even took the effort to dry the slimes! Drying them beforehand doubles their value, so..."


    She retrieved a holographic tablet and tapped it a few times. "Slime Mana Powder is valued at 100 Tels, and you have 110 packs, totaling 11,000 Tels."


    "Eleven..." Aster frowned, pondering.


    Though it sounded big, for Cassy, it was merely a day''s worth of expenses. Her previous lodging costs 5,000 Tels a day, after all. In essence, it wasn''t enough to cover her lodging and dungeon entry fee!


    "Oh, right!" Aster eximed, pulling out a small, round object from the bag''s side pocket. "What about this one? We obtained it from the slime yesterday as well."


    "Oh! What rarity!" Zenearith murmured as she carefully epted the core from Aster''s hand. "A Slime Core... and an intact one at that... I''d say 5,000 Tels for this."


    "..."


    A single core was worth almost half of the total mana powders they collected! Without dy, Aster revised their nned course of action in his mind. Instead of mana powders, they should collect the intact Slime Cores instead!


    After Miss Zena finished the appraisal, she initiated a magical transfer of all the loot to the guild''s storage for safekeeping. Simultaneously, a notification ping arrived on Aster''s Adventurer''s Card.


    Retrieving it, he quickly noticed a new figure written on the bottom right of the front panel, indicating half of the full amount they had just received: 8,000 Tels! The other half was sent directly to Cassandra''s card, which she too was currently checking.


    As they were in a one-week party contract, all their earnings would be split as per the contract, 50-50, and distributed automatically! This not only prevented disputes and withholding party members'' rightful share but also allowed the guild to manage unruly parties!


    "So, will you require more slime powder packets?" Afterpleting the turnover, Zena asked Aster with a faint smile. "I could offer you a 10% discount if you purchase a whole box."


    "No, I still have some leftovers from yesterday, so we''re fine." Aster declined promptly.


    After all, the prices ofmodities from the guild were a lot higherpared to those from shops. Aster doesn''t want to spend extra when he doesn''t even need it yet.


    He then turned to Cassy and smiled. "Let''s go. We still need to hunt many slimes today!"


    "Alright!" She nodded. "I''ll lead the way!"


    The two turned and exited the guild, leaving the still-smiling receptionist behind.


    ---


    The dungeon is a mystical ce. If left for a while, the hunted monsters will be replenished, so there''s no fear of exhausting the hunting grounds. However, on higher floors, respawning takes a bit longer.


    Thus, there are asions when some floors are actually depleted of monsters to hunt.


    For the first floor, there''s no possibility of running out of monsters. Respawn urs as quickly as six hours, so unless numerous parties are hunting simultaneously, it''s impossible to deplete the area entirely.


    "Haaap!"


    *SCREECH!*


    And so Cassandra and Aster''s team were doing the same thing as yesterday: hunting slimes in small groups. The only difference this time was that instead of drying them to collect their mana powders, they aimed to extract the cores.


    "Hmmm...!"


    Aster exerted himself once more, pointing both palms forward as he activated his Magic Carved Seal. However, the oue wasn''t satisfactory. "Damn, overdid it again...!"


    As expected, replicating the temperature and duration perfectly from thest time was crucial. Using too high a temperature or casting for too long would cause the core to crack, wasting the loot from the slime. If it''s too low, the core will melt, merging with the slime''s gel and turning into mana powder.


    "Don''t worry! We can try again!" Cassy attempted to cheer him up.


    "Right..." Aster nodded. "We''re just getting started today, after all. Let''s move on to the next one!"


    This was only the fifth slime they hunted, and the first one that Cassandra killed. Aster himself defeated the first four, given that he was now free to move around thanks to the Stagnating Life Bracelet.


    He wiped away a bead of sweat before turning toward another nearby patch of grass. Even before Cassandra could point it out, Aster had already spotted one. He, too, was starting to be adept at locating slimes hidden within the tall grass.


    After signaling to her, the two approached the bush from either side, allowing Cassy to lunge forward with her knife.


    *SCREECH!*


    Without missing its target, her dagger pierced deep into the slime, taking it out on the first attempt! "Lucky strike~!" Cassy cheered, bouncing a little.


    However, suddenly, her body emitted a bright light, causing Aster to step back in surprise as he shielded his eyes.


    "Whoa?! W-What was that?" He muttered, bewildered.


    Cassy, on the other hand, excitedly retrieved her Adventurer''s Card from her pocket and gazed at the words disyed on it. "I... I leveled up!"


    [


    Name: Cassandra Bright


    Age: 18


    Race: Rabbitfolk


    Purity: 25%


    Level: 2


    Party Members:


    Aster Mistral (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    "Oh, this is my chance to boost my stats!" Cassandra eximed, flipping her card over and tapping once on the Intelligence stat.


    [


    Strength: 15


    Dexterity: 15


    Constitution: 10


    Intelligence: 7


    Wisdom: 8


    Charisma: 6


    Luck: 0


    ]


    With that, her intelligence was now gradually catching up to her Wisdom stat. However, considering her overall abilities, she was better suited for a melee ss than a healer.


    Of course, Aster didn''t intend to persuade her to switch to a melee ss. Cassandra was already working diligently as a healer and was even willing to wield a dagger inbat. That alone was sufficient for him to consider her trustworthy and reserve a permanent slot in his party for her.


    "Congrattions. You''re now level 2." Aster apuded, contemting. "Now, I should aim to level up next!"

 Chapter 29: Saving Others in a Dire Battle

    The two of them continued their task of hunting slimes.


    After every hunt, Aster would challenge himself to extract the slime''s core, but even after their 20th try, it still didn''t seed. "Damn, I know I''m close to getting it right," he cursed before wiping the sweat off his forehead.


    Thankfully, there was some good news for them. Yesterday, hunting 20 slimes took them over an hour, but today, barely a quarter of that time has passed. Their hunting speed had risen manyfold!


    "At this pace, we''ll end up hunting the same amount of slimes as yesterday before lunch," Aster sighed before looking around.


    Cassandra was a short distance away, already on the move, looking for their next target. Although she was also sweating, she was far from being tired. Rather, she was getting more and more excited, as she was experiencing firsthand her enhanced physical abilities from her level up.


    "Finally!"


    After another couple of hours, close to lunchtime, Aster finally seeded in extracting an intact slime core.


    He was surprised at first and thought it was just a fluke. But since he could still recall the sensation and there was the second slime they hunted, he quickly repeated it and managed to sessfully extract another one.


    "I did it. I figured out the correctbination!" Aster cheered before taking out his small notepad and jotting down notes.


    Cassandra, by his side, smiled widely at him. "You did it! With this, we''ll get more ie for today~!"


    Just the two cores were extracted just now, and the 60-something packs of mana powder they managed to collect through "failures" should be equivalent to their earnings yesterday!


    Since it was already near midday and they were both quite spent and satisfied, they decided to just hunt one more pair before resting.


    Thankfully, Cassandra found one immediately nearby. The two moved stealthily, getting ustomed to moving in the grasnds, and attacked the slimes at the same time. The rusted dagger and rusted sword both pierced their targets perfectly, taking the slime''s life in one strike.


    Without waiting for another second, Aster quickly replicated the temperature and duration he just recorded and, without fail, managed to extract the two cores intact. "That''s four! We''re rich!" He eximed before pocketing the cores.


    "Well then, Cassy, let''s..."


    Just as Aster turned around about to offer his partner a rest and lunch, he noticed that she was standing stock still, her face covered in drops of cold sweat as her expression warped in fear.


    "Cassy?" Aster asked, following her gaze.


    And as soon as he did, he began to regret it.


    About fifty meters away from them, resting amid tall grasses, was a gigantic wolf.


    Its fur was white from the belly, turning brown midway to pitch ck along the spine. Its orange eyes glowed with a fierce glint as it stared at the two as if looking at its soon-to-be lunch.


    Aster froze in fear, simr to Cassy, but quickly snapped back to reality. Right, there was no way this wolf, the Field Boss of the first floor, the Dire Wolf, was any stronger than the giant snake he faced right when he came to this world.


    "(Cassy... Take slow steps back.)"


    Aster whispered as he took her hand before carefully backing off one step at a time. The wolf simply watched them move, its ears flicking around as if trying to listen closely. Its sizable ears could hear everything they were doing¡ªtheir breathing, heartbeats, and even their footsteps.


    Then its nose twitched as its mouth curled into what looked like a derisive smile. It could smell their sweat and... their fear.


    At that moment, the Dire Wolf moved, lifting itsrge body roughly three meters in length and raising a loud howl.


    *AWOOOOOOOO!*


    "KUH!"


    Aster quickly used his vacant hand to block his ears. However, despite that, he still felt like his eardrums would break! The howl was so powerful, it was unbelievable!


    Even without looking closely, Aster knew what would happen next. He quickly turned around and shouted at the top of his lungs toward his partner. "CASSY RUN!"


    The previous day, Aster avoided staying overnight in the ins because of this monster.


    The Dire Wolf, being the Field Boss, was two levels higher than other monsters around, which was level 3 at most. In short, if they encountered this level 5 Dire Wolf right now with their levels at 2 and 1, respectively, then they were bound to die from it sooner orter.


    Aster moved his legs as fast as he could, faster than he had ever tried before. Cassy, still being pulled by him, slowly recovered from the extreme fear she felt, gradually speeding up enough that she wasn''t getting pulled but was running while matching Aster''s pace.


    However, as expected, their speed was way too slow whenpared to the wolf; it jumped over them, blocking their path leading to the entrance!


    "...!"


    Seeing the wolf begin to swing its ws, Aster quickly slid to a stop before pushing Cassy away. As soon as he did, he raised his left arm, nning to block the attack.


    *GASH!*


    "ARGH!"


    But of course, his flesh alone wasn''t able to block such sharp ws; three wide gashes opened across his upper- and forearm, bleeding profusely. To make matters worse, it damaged his muscles, making it practically impossible to move the arm any longer.


    "STAR!" Cassy shouted as she lifted her body up.


    However, Aster waved his arm back, saying, "Don''te closer!"


    He was wounded, yes, but it wasn''t fatal, at least not yet. One more hit. He was confident he could still take one more hit before he couldn''t move anymore. Just as he was thinking of a way to survive in their current situation, the Dire Wolf moved, pouncing forward with itsrge maw going for Aster''s head.


    "...!"


    It''s instant death if that hit him! Desperately, Aster took a big retreating step before jumping backward.


    *SNAP!*


    Therge maw closed a few inches away from his nose, causing him to feel chills run across his back. However, the wolf wasn''t done with its attack just yet. After the pounce failed, it stretched a paw forward and used the other paw to scratch toward Aster once more.


    It happened so fast that he couldn''t even turn his body to block!


    The w sent him flying away, bouncing off the dirt ground, and rolling along. The ce where hended was miraculously right where Cassy ran ahead of time.


    "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    As soon as he came within range, she cast the only spell she could currently use, Minor Heal, closing Aster''s wound in just a few seconds; however, those few seconds of stillness were fatal.


    *SNAP!*


    The Dire Wolf''s head swept sideways, biting Cassy''s body around the space between her waist and chest and lifting her high in the air.


    "GHOGH!" As the fang went deep into her body, damaging her organs, Cassy ended up coughing blood.


    Aster looked toward her, crying in panic, "Cassy, NO!"


    That bite looked fatal no matter what angle he looked at; however, he quickly noticed that Cassy''s lips were faintly moving... casting a spell while casually raising her hand and holding the rusty dagger.


    "...!"


    She hadn''t given up on life just yet!


    "MINOR HEAL!"


    *STAB!*


    Along with a bloody shout, Cassy swung her dagger, stabbing the wolf''s eye.


    The unexpected action, along with the stinging pain that assaulted its senses, sent the wolf into a frenzy. It rolled around in pain while Cassy ended up getting thrown a few meters away.


    Aster moved fast, extending a hand forward and sharpening his senses. He hadn''t been using his carved seal just for more money; he was training himself to use it in actual battle!


    He focused all his nerves to the level that he thought was impossible before andmanded his Legacy Level Carved Seal.


    "DUMB DOG!" Aster cried before watching as the rune began to glow. "TAKE THIS!"


    A wave of cold air came from his hand and swept across the Field Boss''s body before turning it into a gigantic ice sculpture, not giving it a chance to even run away.


    Aster stared at it warily at first, but after a few seconds of not observing any movements, he finally heaved a long sigh.

 Chapter 30: Mr. Wolf Will Make us Rich!

    Aster fell on his backside, panting hard as he stared at the Dire Wolf''s frozen body. "We really did it..." He whispered, half in disbelief. "Oh, right! Cassy!"


    Remembering his party member, Aster rushed to his feet and stood up, looking left and right in search of her.


    Then, about ten meters away, the tall grass was ttened slightly, catching Aster''s attention.


    "Cassy!"


    He rushed toward it and found the orange rabbit lying down there, with eyes open and staring at the blue sky. Her white robe was filled with holes and covered in blood, creating a bone-chilling scene.


    "...!"


    Aster gasped at the sight of her, imagining the worst. But a momentter, a soft voice reached his ears.


    "... I''m alive."


    "Cassy! So you''re safe! Thank god!"


    "I am... but my body hurts so much, I can''t move a muscle."


    She was literally caught in the Dire Wolf''s mouth, after all. Basically, if not for her robe having a little resistance to piercing attacks, then she would be in halves right now.


    "Did you defeat the boss?" Cassy asked.


    Aster turned around, checking on the Dire Wolf one more time. It was frozenpletely, stuck in arge block of ice, and without any signs of life anymore.


    "I think it''s dead." He shrugged. "But I didn''t gain experience for some reason..."


    While killing slimes before, Aster was starting to get the feel of "experience" flowing into his body. It was closer to a warm feeling flowing into the center of his chest and spreading.


    However, when he "killed" the boss, he didn''t feel anything at all. Not even a sliver of mana went to him!


    "Could it still be alive, perhaps?" Aster mused, staring at the block of ice warily.


    Seeing that the wolf wasn''t moving, he shook his head lightly. "Nah, there''s no way it''s still alive. Anyway, let''s return early for today."


    The two were spent. Without Cassy''s healing, both of them would be on the brink of death already. In short, they survived by the skin of their teeth!


    "I agree," Cassy replied lethargically. "But first, let me rest here..."


    "Same. I''m too exhausted to go on the way back..."


    Aster sat down beside Cassy, staring at the ice sculpture of the Dire Wolf. As he did, a certain thought entered his mind. "Can''t we sell the entire boss monster as loot?"


    "... Ah!"


    ---


    A little bit after noon at the Adventurer''s Guild, everyone was watching a small electromaic (EM) levitation cart being pushed forward effortlessly.


    When it reached the counter, the man pushing it from behind wiped his sweat before speaking confidently. "We would like to cash this in!"


    "W-Wha..."


    The receptionist, Ms. Zenearith, gaped as she realized what was on the cart. "The Field Boss?!" she eximed in surprise. "But you two are level ones, right?!"


    Confusion struck her before she hurriedly brought up the information about the two. She saw that Aster was still level one, but Cassandra had already reached level two!


    "Unbelievable," she whispered. "The Dire Wolf requires a full party of level 3 to defeat. How did you even survive its bite and w attacks?"


    Aster moved his scarf aside, revealing his clothes.


    "We just braved through it," hemented with a wry smile.


    Zena noticed the three pairs of slits on it, realizing he had indeed received a w attack. Upon closer inspection, she also saw new holes punched through Cassy''s clothes, shaped like a wolf''s maw.


    "You two... you''re living too close to the edge; it''s worrying." She sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "I''ll begin the appraisal; please wait."


    After a while, she finished appraising the frozen remains of the field boss.


    Thanks to it being preserved in ice, the materials didn''t deteriorate at all, although it would be a little hard to thaw the entire thing.


    "Overall, that''s 1,055,200 Tels, including the slime cores and mana powders."


    "Huh? Sorry?" Aster cleaned his ears as he asked Zena to repeat her words.


    "One million. You both earned one million in half a day. Congrats."


    "One..." Aster froze.


    He didn''t expect that their idental hunt would fetch them such a grand amount!


    Of course, there was a reason for this. Although a Dire Wolf''s materials should fetch around half a million at most, the "quality" of them raised the price to double!


    Due to the Dire Wolf''s almostpleteck of injuries during the hunt, some entric but wealthy collectors may decide to buy the entire body as is and turn it into taxidermy. Or maybe some research organization will offer to buy it off as a sample for dissection.


    *Ping!*


    A notification sound echoed, notifying the two that the money had just entered their cards. With shaky hands, the two confirmed the amount and almost had a heart attack. "It''s really worth a million!"


    Aster felt giddy. In his senses, the eyes of those around them looked greedy, as if they wanted to "rob" their wealth as soon as they got out. Cassy was the same in that sense, where she couldn''t stay still and rx with such arge amount of money in her ount.


    "What should we do...?" Cassy asked in a quiet voice, simrly watching the surroundings warily. "I wouldn''t be able to sleep well with this much money in my hands!"


    "Me too," Aster nodded. "Then, we only have one choice."


    After saying goodbye to Zena, the two quickly exited the Adventurer''s Guild before anyone could eye their small fortune and went toward its affiliated shop a block away. The same shop they bought their cheap gear from before.


    "Old man! We need help!" Aster called with urgency. "Equip uspletely. Our budget is 500 thousand each!"


    Aster didn''t want to waste time choosing for himself. Asking an expert''s opinion was the fastest and most reliable way!


    "New gear, eh?" The dwarf shopkeeper grinned while patting his beard. "Then I''ve got just the thing fer ya!"


    Without further ado, the dwarf started to inspect the two''s build before nodding. "Got it. Wait o''er ere."

 Chapter 31: New Gear, New "?"

    Soon enough, the dwarf shopkeeper returned from the back, bringing with him two sets of clothes and armor.


    "This ere''s fer ya,d. This one''s fer the lil miss." He exined while passing the items.


    With just one nce, the two liked what the dwarf picked. The color scheme of the selected set remained basically the same as what they already had.


    Cassy has ck-and-white-based body armor with silver-colored carbon-fiber-reinforced pieces protecting her vital organs. A white robe was used to hide it all, creating a unified and "clean" appearance.


    Aster, on the other hand, was given an all-ck outfit, creating quite a contrast to his dirty-white scarf. A ck windbreaker with a hood, along with six-pocket pants and boots.


    As a weapon, Cassy got a more proper-looking knife, one with a fine de. Aster had something more: an upgrade of his rusty sword, along with an extra sidearm, a 9 mm automatic pistol, and five magazines of ammo, each loaded with 20 shots.


    Aster got curious why Cassy didn''t get a gun too, but before the dwarf could reply, she already answered.


    "My marksmanship grade during the aptitude test was F," she added with an embarrassed smile. "So guns are just a waste on me."


    After test-fitting the new garments andpleting the final adjustments, the two left with their thick wallets bing thinner in an instant. The 500 thousand they each had before leaving the guild was reduced to only around 50,000 Tels each!


    Of course, that''s after Cassy "paid" Aster for the money he spent on her during their first shopping for weapons.


    Their money was a lot less than before, but still more than enough tost each of them a few days.


    As they finished shopping, the two thanked the dwarf shopkeeper before leaving, heading to a nearby restaurant to have ate lunch or early dinner. During their meal, Aster decided to discuss an important matter with Cassy.


    "A new member?" She tilted her head, curious.


    Aster nodded with a serious expression, further exining his thoughts.


    "Although we could continue exploring with just the two of us, it''s really hard when only one of us can watch over the surroundings."


    Today, if they weren''t too focused on slimes, they might have avoided such a close encounter with death. It did turn into a blessing afterward, but Aster wouldn''t bet on having another bout of luck like that. If the same thing happened next time, he''s confident they''d lose their lives for real.


    "A new ally, huh?" Cassy muttered. "Then, a frontline fighter would be good¡ªone that could also do enemy detection like me!"


    "..."


    Aster was surprised. He thought Cassy would refuse to have another member added to their party. Hearing her answer now, it seemed she was even willing to support the idea!


    After the two were on the same page, they discussed their requirements in detail. In the end, they came up with five criteria for their new party member:


    A melee fighter.


    Must have decent detection skills.


    Willing to work as a team.


    Preferably around the same age.


    A woman.


    Thest two requirements were added with Cassy''s situation in mind.


    If they added a new male member, Cassy, being the only girl in the party and outnumbered, would feel worried about her "safety."


    Not everyone was like Aster, who was unable toy a hand on others. If they added another guy, such worries would be inevitable. But if it''s a girl, the story would change. Aster''s inability to "harm" them would mean the girls in the party would remain safe.


    But it would be hard to order her around if she was significantly older than them, so the fourth item was added.


    Aftering to an agreement, Asterpiled their requirements and sent them to the Request Board, the online tform for adventurers to find party members. The same ce where Aster found Cassy''s party recruitment offer before.


    Then, after they finished their lunch dinner, the two went their separate ways. Aster returned to his hotel room, nning to rest early.


    Cassy, on the other hand, went to rent a room at the cheap but good inn that Aster found. He actually offered for her to stay in his room again to save money, but she refused to crash at his ce two days in a row.


    The two, respectively, went to rest their tired bodies, unaware of the hands moving behind the scenes.


    ---


    "A new party member..."


    On the top floor of the Mayor''s Building, Mayor Magnus held a ss of red wine, watching as its contents swirled. He was reading Aster''s party request requirements while contemting various possibilities.


    "If it''s this, then... we could send that girl in."


    He whispered with a sweet smile before pressing a holographic button nearby. "Someone, call for Kali Norma. Tell her toe to my office ASAP."


    After finishing his order, he took a casual sip from his ss and then turned toward the door. "That was fast."


    *Knock!* *Knock!*


    A soft knock echoed from the door. Mayor Magnus smiled before answering "Enter" in a loud voice.


    The door opened with a creak, and a woman entered. She had sharp blue eyes, white hair the color of fresh snow, and, on top of her head, two stiff cat ears standing tall and proud.


    "You called, Mayor?" she asked in a cool voice.


    Magnus looked at her from head to toe, then hummed as if having a hard time deciding. Without any warning, he asked, "Are you a virgin?"


    *BANG!*


    A gun, with its barrel still releasing smoke, was suddenly in her hands, aimed directly at Mayor Magnus.


    "That''s dangerous, you know?"


    Of course, he wouldn''t be a mayor if he were weak. Between his fingers, he caught a small lead bullet. The cat woman clicked her tongue in displeasure before holstering her small revolver.


    "The question you asked is nothing but sexual harassment. I would inform the madam, you crazy bastard." She crossed her arms over her chest in a protective gesture.


    "Oh, sorry. Did you misunderstand my question? I wasn''t asking because I''m interested." He smiled cheerfully, as if nothing had happened. "Actually, there''s a party I want you to join."

 Chapter 32: The Snobbish Cat

    The next morning, May 6, 4033, at 2 a.m., Aster woke up earlier than usual. Rather than with a purpose, he simply stirred awake without any reason.


    "Hngh~!"


    After stretching a bit, he moved toward his holo-tablet and checked the Request Board post he put up.


    "Huh?" And as soon as he saw his post, he raised a brow. "It''s epted?"


    Curious, Aster checked the details of the one who epted it. However, for whatever reason, the data on the one who epted it was too limited. Other than name, age, and gender, along with rted abilities, nothing else was indicated!


    "Kali Norma..." Aster read her name.


    She was only a year older than Cassy, at 19 years old, making her fit the recruitment offer perfectly. However, Aster felt that something was wrong. "It''s too fast." He mused.


    He just posted the recruitment offerst night. And it was just 2 a.m. currently, so that means whoever she was must''ve checked the board between 3 p.m. and 2 a.m. and epted it immediately.


    It was highly unlikely for a normal adventurer to do so, given their busy schedules.


    "Is it perhaps another newbie?" Aster reasoned.


    Given the current information he has, that was the only viable conclusion he could draw.


    "I should stop specting and just wait for tomorrow."


    He sighed before closing the tab and opening another one, starting to research things he was curious about. He had been hearing a lot of things during thest two days, so he had an extensive list of new curious terms to look for.


    Just like that, he wasted a total of three hours simply browsing the inte. He didn''t consider it time wasted, however, as knowledge was something that you wouldn''t regret having.


    "... I should get going soon," Aster muttered.


    Their new party member was joining today, so he wanted to give her a positive first impression. Coming early and waiting for her to arrive would definitely be better than letting her wait instead!


    After taking a short shower, Aster changed into the new set that the dwarf shopkeeper sold them. Then, he walked out of his room, heading toward the Adventurer''s Guild on foot with his head held high but with his dirty-white scarf hiding his face and features from view.


    Rather than because he was scared, it was more about retaining a trace of wariness for his surroundings. Although Mayor Magnus already tightened up the defenses around the city, it wouldn''t hurt if Aster himself maintained a certain level of protection¡ªbasic precautions.


    After all, the fact that he''s a rare "human" type was more than enough for others to target him, even without them knowing about his 100% human DNA purity.


    Pulling his ck windbreaker''s hood over his head and covering half of his face with the scarf, he continued on his way.


    "Oh! Star~!"


    And just as he was about to reach the guild, a familiar, energetic voice already called for him. Turning around, Aster saw Cassy running toward him while waving her hand vigorously. She was wearing the clothes they bought yesterday, making her look quite stunning.


    "Good morning! You''re early today, aren''t you?" She greeted him with a smile.


    Aster waited until she was right beside him before continuing to walk, smiling lightly in greeting.


    "Good morning." He eximed. "I received a notificationst night about our new member, so I was thinking ofing early and waiting for her, to leave a good first impression at least."


    "Great minds think alike," Cassy eximed in a cheerful tone. "I was also nning to wait for you in the guild!"


    "Well, we do need to head to the dungeon early if we want more earnings." Aster shrugged.


    Yesterday, they encountered a mix of luck and unluckiness. Meeting the Field Boss, the Dire Wolf, almost spelled their doom. Sessfully hunting the boss was more or less a fluke. With just one misstep, they could''ve ended up dead.


    Of course, they weren''t daring enough to attempt another go at the Field Boss. It should''ve respawned by now, so they need to be wary of its presence even more.


    Soon enough, the pair came to the Adventurer''s Guild without much trouble. However, as soon as they entered, a grumpy voice echoed from deep within.


    "6:11 a.m. Too slow. Both of you are 11 minuteste!"


    "Huh?"


    "What?"


    Aster and Cassy turned to the owner, who seemed to be talking to them, and raised their brows.


    Ahead of them stood a tomboyish catgirl, wearing a dark grey tank top under a thick white jacket with an open front. Below, she wore ck short hot pants and over-the-knee gray boots. Despite it being pretty "suggestive" attire, she didn''t look sexy but "cool" instead.


    Her short silver hair, along with the cute cat ears twitching on top of her head and the same colored bushy tail swishing left and right in annoyance, was very eye-catching. However, not a single adventurer from the guild dared to look at her directly. The reason? Her cold blue eyes spoke volumes about how she was in a bad mood.


    "..."


    Looking to the floor beside her, Aster could see two adventurers "sleeping" peacefully, so he somewhat understood why the other adventurers weren''t trying to hit on her.


    "Ehhh~? We were early today, weren''t we?" Cassy stepped forward, confronting the silver-haired beauty. "You''re our new member, I presume? We usually enter the dungeon around seven, so this is still early!"


    "You wanna live as an adventurer from hereon, right?" The cat girl asked, raising a brow. "Then you should remember. An adventurer''s morning is early. You should be in the guild before 6 a.m.!"


    "What''s the point? The dungeon entrance only receives challengers from 7 a.m. either way."


    "... Stupid rabbit." The woman sighed loudly, ridiculing Cassy.


    Cassy''s ears flicked up in attention, hearing the low whisper. "W-What? I''m not stupid! Hey, Star, tell me, I''m not stupid, right?"


    "Yeah, you''re not." Aster nodded his head, smiling faintly. "You''re just naive, I think."


    "What? Even you?" Cassy pouted, turning around while crossing her arms across her chest. "Hmph! You two are bullying me! I''m not talking to you anymore!"


    After paying her a nce, Aster moved forward and extended a hand, greeting the cat girl with a genuine smile.


    "You must be Kali Norma? I''m Aster Mistral, the acting leader of this party. You can call me Aster or Star."


    "..."


    The cat girl, Kali, turned to look at Aster''s extended hand and flipped her head in the other direction. "I don''t shake hands with someone with a dirty hand."


    "Ehh?" Aster eximed, checking his hand, but it wasn''t dirty in any way.


    At that moment, Aster already had a premonition. Their day was just about to get worse.

 Chapter 33: New Member Confusion!

    Just as Aster predicted, their new member, Kali Norma, was extremely confrontational. It was as if the world had done her wrong, so she was angry against anything and everything in existence!


    Thankfully, despite her harsh attitude and sharp tongue, she didn''t act up to retract her party application or hinder the registration process. As such, Ms. Zenearith managed toplete the setup in a sh.


    "Done! You three are in a party now!" Ms. Zena announced, pping her hands.


    As soon as their registration was done, Kali began to walk out of the guild, causing Aster to call out to her in panic. "Wait, Kali! Won''t you introduce yourself to us first?"


    "..."


    The cat girl stopped in her tracks, turning toward Aster with an irate gaze, and answered a big, fat "no." before continuing on her way.


    Aster and Cassy watched as her back left the guild before turning to each other and shrugging their shoulders.


    "Wait for us, Kali!"


    ---


    After the two caught up with Kali, she turned to them and spoke. "K. Call me K while in the dungeon."


    Although Kali was just two sybles, saying it in full could still dy their coordination by a few milliseconds. Furthermore, "Kali" and "Cassy" sounded simr, which can confuse them in the middle of a messy fight.


    "Oh, it''s you two again!"


    As they approached the gate, the same old man, the Oni uncle, smiled at them while greeting them.


    "Are you gonna bring out another Field Boss? Hahaha! Oh, you even have a new member!"


    "That''s right, uncle! We''ll be taking home another Boss!" Cassy joked, but Aster felt his blood run cold upon hearing it.


    "No, nuh uh! One deadly fight is enough; I don''t want to do it again!"


    "Really? What a waste... Anyway, your ID, please."


    At his urging, the three gave him their Adventurer''s cards. He checked them with the machine in his hand and let out a soft whistle. "Nice. So you have a level 3 with you. The first floor should be a breeze!"


    "Level 3?" Cassy asked, tilting her head.


    "Your newpanion! She''s a level 3 Swashbuckler! Didn''t you know?" The uncle scratched his cheek, seeming a little worried. "You''re entering the dungeon together. You should grasp each other''s abilities to a certain extent... Well, I''ve extracted your entrance fees.


    Go on!"


    As soon as their cards were returned, Kali went ahead and entered, leaving the two behind. Aster and Cassy looked at her and sighed. "Her attitude needs working on." Aster sighed.


    As they entered, the two quickly realized that Kali was nowhere to be found. They got worried at first, until they saw her running around and shing across the tall grasses, cutting them away together with a few slimes hidden within using her twin daggers.


    "Woah...!"


    Cassy eximed in surprise, seeing her performance.


    "Ah! Oh no! The extraction!" But she quickly started to panic. "Star, I''ll go gather the corpses over there! You start the extraction of those close by!"


    "On it!"


    The two moved with synergy, with Aster picking up the corpses nearby and using his Legacy Level Carved Seal to dry them off, leaving only the core behind. "That went smoothly," he mused, wondering why his control suddenly got better.


    However, he wasn''t able to dwell on it, as Cassy soon came with five corpses of slimes with her. "Star, quick! They haverge wounds; I''m not sure if we can still extract their cores!"


    Slimes are so weak that a single puncture wound was enough to "kill" them. Of course, destroying their core kills them too. As such, of the over 20 slimes that Cassy saw, only the seven within her arms were the ones with a barely intact core.


    Aster moved quickly, drying the slimes and extracting their cores. However, of the seven, only three of them yielded a wless core. The others were broken or cracked, which lowered their value.


    "What are you doing?"


    And after a few minutes of running around, which wasn''t enough to even make her sweat, Kali suddenly came back and asked the two.


    "What do you mean, what? We''re gathering loot!" Cassy answered with a smile. "Though, can you keep the cores unharmed? Their price drops if it''s damaged, after all."


    "Stupid rabbit," Kali answered with a scoff. "I know that at a nce. I mean, what is he doing?"


    "Me?" Aster raised his head and wiped away the cold sweat forming on his forehead. "I''m drying the slimes to extract the cores."


    "Extract... the cores?"


    Kali tilted her head, confused.


    "Slime cores melt down after death; there''s no way to reliably¡ª!"


    "Here, you see?"


    Before she could finish voicing her doubt, Cassy had already opened the backpack beside her and shown Kali its contents. There were already dozens of fist-sized blue spheres inside it, looking like little gems or orbs.


    "... What? Impossible!" But Kali doubted her eyes. "The cores should be near-impossible to extract like this!" She eximed.


    "Yes, but I can do it. So, please keep the cores intact." Aster smiled as he moved to activate his carved seal once more, drying the next batch of slimes and extracting 4 out of the 12 cores.


    Kali looked unconvinced at first, but after seeing the extraction in person, she couldn''t help but stare with her mouth agape. What she saw was something that goes against hermon sense!


    "See?" Cassy smiled while tilting her head. "So please keep the cores intact as much as possible!"


    "Right. Collecting as many loots as we can should be prioritized over leveling up." Aster added.


    "... I''ll try."


    With Kaliing to terms with what was supposedly impossible, she continued her hunting at an unbelievable pace.


    "As expected of a real melee ss." Aster mused, watching her move around with awe. "Though I wish I could hunt a few. I should be close to leveling up, after all."


    In just half an hour of hunting, the backpack was already filled to the brim with slime cores. After counting, there should be over 50 cores inside, all perfectly intact.


    "That''s roughly 250,000 Tels! Amazing!"


    "Right. It''s a huge haul for just an hour of hunting!"


    "..."


    Only Kali had a bitter expression. After all, she knew that the amount they managed to get was simply impossible for a "real" newbie party. The only way they could reach over 100k Tels in a short time should be by hunting stronger monsters, or the Field Boss, and not by simply hunting weak slimes!


    ''That damned mayor, what sort of party did he dump me off to?'' She thought with a hint of worry and fear.


    Since their bag was filled to the brim, they decided to return once first and empty their loots, before returning to hunt some more.


    "This time, let me hunt too!" Aster eximed.


    He could no longer wait to level up!

 Chapter 34: Moving to the Next Hunting Grounds

    When the three of them got out early, the Oni Uncle felt puzzled. "You done hunting for today? That was quick. Did you really hunt the boss again?" He asked, curious.


    "Nope! We just filled our bags with loot, so we have to return!" Cassy answered without dy. "We''ll be back after dropping all our loot at the guild!"


    "Is that so?" The uncle scratched his chin. "Then I''ll wait for you three to return. No need to pay another entree fee!"


    The fee was, after all, on a per-entry basis!


    "Really? That''s nice of you, Mr. Gatekeeper!"


    "Haha! I''m sure you all will be regrs anyway, so consider it my investment in your future!"


    After Cassy spoke with him casually, their party went for the guild in a straight line. Of course, the bag was carried by Aster, as it was a little weird to let girls do the heavy job, even though they were higher-leveled and had higher physical stats than him.


    When they reached the guild, Aster''s face was already covered with sweat!


    *BAM!*


    "Shit, I didn''t think slime cores could be this heavy...!" He cursed while panting hard after mming the bag over at the counter.


    "This is...?"


    Of course, since it was barely an hour or two after they left for the morning, Zenearith was confused. "You''re done with hunting already? That was fast!" Shemented before checking the bag''s contents.


    "...!"


    And when she saw what was inside it, she almost lost her voice in shock. "Slime Cores! And this many?!"


    A momentter, she realized what she had inadvertently done and covered her mouth. However, it was already toote. Most of the adventurers currently present in the hall heard her outburst!


    "Slime cores? That super hard-toe-by rare item?"


    "Since Zena''s this surprised, there must be tons of it!"


    "Do they know a way to extract slime cores efficiently?"


    In an instant, greedy eyes turned to the three. After all, if there''s a stable way to earn big bucks while taking it easy, then who wouldn''t want to try it? Aster and Cassy felt weirded out by their gazes, but Kali merely scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest, ignoring them.


    "Appraisal is over. There are 55 pristine slime cores here, so your total would be 275 thousand Tels. I''ve already transferred the amount, so please double-check!"


    Aster quickly pulled out his adventurer card and checked. As she said, his bnce increased by roughly 90 thousand Tels!


    "Yes, I''ve confirmed the transfer. Thanks, Miss Zena." Aster smiled before turning around to leave.


    They still have a part of the morning and the entire afternoon avable to hunt, after all.


    After walking for another 30 minutes, the trio returned to the dungeon''s entrance. The Oni Uncle was smiling while looking at them, but before they could move, Kali pulled Aster''s cor.


    "We''re being followed." She dered. "Must be those no-lifes at the guild, wanting to figure out how you got all those slime cores."


    "Really?"


    Aster doubted at first, but after looking behind him inconspicuously, he did notice a few familiar faces a short distance away.


    "It''s true, Star. I also noticed them from the start." Even Cassy said so, further solidifying Kali''s words.


    "What should we do?"


    Aster''s method wasn''t a secret, per se, but it was still something he worked hard to figure out. As the one performing it, he could more or less tell that it could be replicated using technology, so he was reluctant to let some random mob watch them and "steal" the method.


    "Let''s change hunting grounds."


    "Huh?"


    Kali''s sudden suggestion made Aster and Cassy stare at her in doubt. After all, changing hunting grounds meant changing enemies. And the next weakest enemy after the slimes are the goblins.


    With Kali''s strength, they should more or less be able to breeze through even the goblin area, but...


    "I''m nning to level up today, you know?" Aster asked, scratching his head. "I haven''t fought a goblin before, so I''m sure it''ll take time before I can sessfully hunt one."


    Hearing this, Kali sighed exaggeratedly before whispering. "... Useless."


    "Hah?! You picking a fight?!" Aster red up immediately.


    Cassy, who was between the two, quickly mediated and tried to appease Aster, pushing him back. "Woah, woah! Calm down, Star! You too, K, please stop using mocking words on us. We''re partymates, remember?"


    "I''m just saying the truth. If it hurts you, then that means you know it''s true."


    "Bitch...! I''m weak, but I''m not useless!" Aster growled. "That''s why I want to level up quickly, to graduate from being weak!"


    "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Then, Mr. Weakling will hunt slimes until you level up, ignoring the loot, before we move to the goblin camp. Can you do that?"


    "I''m not...! Argh!"


    Although he wanted to refute her words again, he did im he was "weak" earlier. Furthermore, her proposition did seem sound, so he couldn''t help but nod his head, calming down a little.


    "Alright... Let''s go with that."


    "Good. Then, follow me."


    After their discussion, the three finally entered the dungeon.


    Kali was at the lead, pointing out to Aster the location and number of slimes. Without a doubt, her scouting level was higher than Cassy''s!


    "HAAAP!"


    Her directions were so precise that Aster''s surprise attack hadn''t failed yet, letting him kill at least one slime every ten seconds.


    "Sho... short break... Haaaa... Haaaa..."


    It was going so fast, he was already out of breath from running around! In just five minutes, he managed to y 20 slimes. It was an unbelievable pacepared to when it was just him and Cassy!


    ''Although her attitude''s shit, I can''t deny I appreciate her strength and knowledge.'' Aster mused while drinking water. ''Is she acting like this because she''s a cat-beastwoman? Or is it just her normal attitude?''


    After a two-minute break, Aster continued to hunt. For the next five minutes, he killed as many slimes as he could possibly do before taking another break. Then, finally, after killing the fifth slime after his rest, it happened.


    "Level up!"


    Aster''s body shed with a golden light for a brief moment, indicating that his level had increased. Without dy, he picked up his card and tapped on the Constitution, distributing the free point he gained there. The value increased by 50%!


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 2


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 3


    Intelligence: 15


    Wisdom: 16


    Charisma: 12


    Luck: 0


    ]


    Aster opened and closed his palm, confirming the change in his status. Although he was out of breath just a bit earlier, he was now feeling rxed!


    "So this is the effect of increasing my stats!" He rejoiced.


    However, his cheer didn''tst for long.


    "Are you done? Then let''s move to the next hunting ground."


    Their next objective: goblin ying!

 Chapter 35: Against Goblin Party

    "They''re still following us, Star."


    About half an hourter, while the three were heading toward the goblin area while killing the slimes they passed by, Cassy reported. Those adventurers, curious about their methods, were still tailing their party from a significant distance away.


    "Really? Persistent guys..." Aster sighed before turning to Kali. "K, any idea?"


    "Hmph. Let them be. Weaklings like them can''t do anything to us."


    "Weaklings?"


    Based on Kali''s words, her senses could apparently pick up the approximate level of someone nearby. As such, she could tell that the guys tailing them were just a bunch of level ones who would have a hard fight against goblins.


    "Once we enter goblin territory, those bitches will stop in their tracks for sure."


    "I see..."


    On the first floor, the ins area was where the slimes were. Goblins and wolves both stay in forest areas, but goblins usually stay near the edge of the forest, while wolves tend to be deeper into it.


    As Kali dered, when their party entered the dark forest, the weak adventurers hesitated to follow and decided to fall back. When both girls confirmed that they had lost those tailing them, Aster finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Now, we can focus on hunting."


    *WHOOOSH!* *TING!*


    "...!"


    But just as he rxed his shoulders, Kali''s hand moved forward, her dagger swinging, as she intercepted a crude arrow flying for Aster''s face.


    "Don''t lower your guard; they''ve already discovered us!"


    Kali growled as she lowered her stance, wary of her surroundings.


    "Enemies! Two up front, one on the right side, and one at the back!" Cassy quickly reported while readying her dagger before her body. "Leave the one on the back to me!"


    Kali flipped both daggers as she extended a leg behind, preparing to dash. "Then I''ll take on the two bastards up front! Star, you go to the one who shot an arrow at you!"


    "Okay!" Aster replied without thinking but quickly wondered: "Wait, I''m supposed to be the leader..."


    *FWOOSH!*


    "Woah!"


    Aster''s mark fired another arrow at him, but since he was staring in the enemy''s direction from the start, he was able to see the arrow''s trajectory and dodge. Thanks to the arrow, rather, he finally figured out the exact position of the goblin he was assigned to.


    About fifty meters away, hiding under arge tree''s shadow, a small green creature stood. It was roughly a meter tall, with skinny limbs and a bloated stomach. Sharp ears, goat-like eyes, and dirty yellow, chaotically arranged teeth. It was practically a recipe for a nightmare!


    *KIEEEK!*


    The creature, a goblin, poised the small, crooked bow in its hand and nocked another arrow. In about five seconds, it would shoot another arrow. "You think I''d let you...!"


    Aster picked up a random rock from the ground and threw it forward. It flew in a high arc, causing the goblin archer to stare at it warily, only to see that it missed its target, hitting a tree behind it instead.


    *GE GE GE! KEH?!*


    But, of course, Aster didn''t expect it to hit in the first ce. He merely used it as a distraction, dying the arrow from being fired. And it worked wonders! During the short few seconds the goblin was distracted, he managed to run past half the distance, jumping over bushes and roots!


    The rest of the distance was too short for the goblin to ready its arrow properly! "Here''s another one!"


    After he noticed the goblin was trying to aim its bow in panic, he stepped hard, using a pivot foot, and transferred his momentum into throwing force. The distance between them was less than ten meters, close enough to let Aster make sure not to miss.


    "Humph!"


    The stone flew almost in a straight line andnded right at the goblin''s face. Green blood, the same color as its skin, flew as the little monster fell to its back, groaning in pain as it squirmed around disgustingly.


    "DIE!"


    As soon as Aster reached his enemy, he swung the sword in his hand down, taking the goblin''s life by piercing right through its chest.


    "Haaaa... Haaaa... Haa..." Aster felt tired after dashing at his top speed inside a forest.


    But at the same time, he felt ted. "I did it... I hunted a goblin by myself!" He cheered while leaning against the tree nearby.


    "Congrats, Star! That was a good fight!" Cassymented as she approached, dragging the corpse of another goblin with her.


    "Goblin archers need ten seconds to aim properly. Even without throwing stones to distract it, the probability of getting hit is low." And from the other side, Kali appeared, dragging two corpses with her.


    Aster saw the two girls, who took down their targets faster than he did and sighed. "I... need to get stronger, huh."


    *Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!*


    All four corpses were lined together before Kali knelt and checked their bodies.


    "Look for essories. Those are made with special metals, which can be sold from 500 Tels to as much as 10,000 Tels depending on purity."


    "Woah! So this is the real reason why most skip out on slimes, huh?"


    "I found one! This ne seems good, right, Star?"


    After rummaging through the corpses, they found two rings, one ne, one anklet, and one skull helmet, worn by the goblin archer. Kali evaluated the items roughly and estimated their price.


    "The rings would be 500, the ne and anklet around 3,000, and the skull helmet... Since it has aplete set of teeth, about 15,000 Tels."


    "Wow! All that in just a single hunt~!" Cassy eximed in joy.


    However, Aster sighed instead. "Compared to our pace earlier, we would''ve had about 10 slime cores by now. It''s slowpared to that, right?"


    "You do know that it''s normally impossible to get slime cores as quarry reliably, right?" Kalimented lightly, exasperated.


    After a while, both Cassy and Aster noticed Kali''s attitude slowly changing. Or rather, they were simply discovering her hidden side. She was like a protective older sister with a bad mouth who wouldn''t let dangere to her little siblings!


    ''She''d be a 10 if not for her bad mouth, really.'' Astermented.


    After keeping their loot, they moved to the next area, hunting goblins group after group. Whenever an archer was with them, they always targeted Aster first. Of course, Kali protected him every time, but he was getting fed up.


    "Do I look so weak that I''m getting locked on like this?"


    "No, of course not, Star! Believe in yourself a bit more!" Cassy spoutedforting words.


    "Weak? Yes, you are weak, but that''s not the reason. Goblins tend to kill males first before females, so it''s natural that you, the only male here, get targeted first."


    And Kali hit him with nothing but the harsh truth.


    "Damned goblins..."

 Chapter 36: Wiping out a Goblin Settlement (1)

    The three were roaming around the forest, hunting one goblin group after another. It was rare to see a goblin roaming around by itself, as they move in a three-man cell at least.


    For fighting, they approach it using two methods. The first method is a surprise attack if they weren''t discovered first. Kali was good at this, as she is a cat-beastwoman. Her steps were so quiet that even dried leaves didn''t let out a single crunch when she passed!


    After Kali initiates her first attack, which more often than not takes out two goblins at once, Cassy would then charge in andnd a critical on the disoriented, scared enemies. This pattern repeated over and over, making the two gain most of the experience from this method of hunting.


    The second method was when they were the ones who received surprise attacks instead. It was rare, though, as there were two of them who had decent detection skills. Other than the initial surprise when they just entered, they only got ambushed two more times.


    "You two... Leave some for me too." After the two had just decimated their 30th group of goblins, Aster begged. "At this rate, I''d be stuck in level 2 while you two advance!"


    Aster had been estimating the "EXP (mana)" they gained ever since entering. For example, they need 100 slime''s worth of EXP to level up from 1 to 2. Based on this, Aster hypothesized that you need 100 same-level enemies'' worth of experience to level up.


    Regarding how much EXP lower-level enemies give to them right now, he still had to get more data and calcte it. But as a rule of thumb, he halved its value.


    Given that, Cassy was well above 50% experience already, with Kali already earning about 20% based on her contribution. For Aster, he only got 10% at the moment, making him the one getting the shorter end of the stick.


    "It''s your fault since you''re too slow," Kali exined in a grumpy voice. "The enemy wouldn''t wait for you, you know?"


    Cassy, on the other hand, moved to Aster''s side and patted his head like a mother appeasing her child. "Sorry, Star. Then, I''ll try to keep the next one alive for you to finish!" She added.


    "N-No, I''m not really asking to be spoonfed... Gosh."


    Aster felt embarrassed. The two girls in his party were, without a doubt, stronger than he was physically! ''I should level up fast and bnce my stats soon!'' He swore to the heavens above.


    "Stop."


    And just as they were walking peacefully, Kali raised her hand andmanded everyone to halt. "This ce is..." She whispered while looking around, her gaze sharp as ever.


    "...!"


    At the same time, Cassy''s ears perked up. She was observing the sound in her surroundings, which gave her a dire expression. "T-This is bad... We''re surrounded!"


    "Shit, again?!"


    Aster turned to look behind, trying to see where the goblins were and to eliminate blind spots for the team. However, he couldn''t see even a single shadow around them.


    "They''re still far away, but their encirclement is alreadyplete," Kali exined further before frowning deeply. "It seems like we''ve entered a goblin settlement without noticing."


    An encirclement from over a hundred meters away. Just hearing this, Aster could already imagine the number of enemies.


    "Do we fight? Or do we run?" He asked for Kali''s opinion, as she was the one with the highest level and the most experience among them.


    She turned to Aster before sighing while shaking her head. "Did you not hear about us being surrounded? Or are you deaf? We can''t run."


    *WHISTLE!*


    "Iing!"


    Cassy''s shout alerted the two. Seeing where she was pointing, Aster and Kali turned to look and saw a volley of crude arrows following a high arc, heading for them. Most got stuck on branches of trees, while only a small amount managed to reach them, but it was still deadly nheless.


    Thankfully, they were able to hide behind cover at the right time, saving them from turning into porcupines from all those arrows.


    Kali bit her lip before pulling out her weapon. Not the daggers, but her revolver instead. "No choice! Star, we''ll thin down their numbers first. Cassy, keep up! We''re moving!"


    Without a hint of doubt about her words, Aster pulled his pistol and removed the safety before turning it to manual firing mode. He rushed right behind Kali, with Cassy following behind him.


    *BANG!* *BANG!*


    Kali shot first, pulling the trigger twice on her small revolver, causing a puff of smoke toe out of its barrel.


    *SCREEE!* *THUD!*


    The ones she shot at fell down immediately, with a newly opened bullet hole in the middle of their foreheads. The ones she shot at were still 70-something meters away, proving her high marksmanship!


    "My turn...!"


    Aster pointed his gun forward while running¡ªcopying Kali¡ªand fired. However, his bullet didn''t reach the goblins and instead buried itself in one of the trees.


    "You suck!" Kali growled in reprimand.


    Aster gritted his teeth as he countered, "I can''t help it! You think I have experience firing a gun?!"


    The recoil control was bad enough, and he also had to fire while moving. As aplete beginner, he should be praised for not losing control of the gun as he pulled the trigger, at least.


    Aster didn''t stop at one shot and fired a few more times in session.


    *PEW!* *PEW!* *PEW!* *PEW!*


    Of the shots he fired, one bullet, thest one, finally found its way and hit a goblin. However, it wasn''t but a flesh wound, not enough to stop the little monster.


    "... I''m getting the hang of this!"


    Aster''s learning ability was high; as such, with just five shots, he already managed to gain a decent level of uracy.


    *PEW!* *PEW!*


    Two shots were fired, and bothnded urately. Onended on the left shoulder, while the other embedded itself right in the middle of the goblin''s forehead.


    "Nice! One down!"


    At the time he finished one, Kali had already emptied her revolver and was reloading. Compared to Aster, who used 7 shots to finally kill one, Kali''s revolver''s seven shots killed exactly seven goblins. One shot, one kill!


    Soon, the three reached the edge of the encirclement, slipping through the small opening created after they killed those positioned there.


    "Quick! We must find somewhere we can limit their attack directions!" Kali shouted as she continued onward.


    Although they just got out of the encirclement, they were still far from being safe.

 Chapter 37: Wiping out a Goblin Settlement (2)

    Three figures ran across the forest, asionally turning around and releasing roaring explosions while they moved. Of course, they were none other than Aster, Cassy, and Kali.


    "Slowpokes, keep up! We''re almost there!" Kali encouraged the two, who were slightlygging behind her.


    Cassy was still not running at her top speed; however, Aster, who was in front of her, was already wheezing. His Constitution did increase by one, but it was nothing much whenpared to the other two.


    "Star, just tell me if you need a heal!" Cassymented, her eyes filled with worry.


    Although she was willing to waste a heal to relieve his fatigue, Aster himself was reluctant. He didn''t want to waste Cassy''s precious heals on something that was far from life-threatening.


    Thankfully, he didn''t have to suffer much longer.


    "I can see it!" Kali shouted, pointing ahead of them, where a giant rock formation could be seen. "Head to that rock!"


    Aster forced his body to move faster, expending more energy on ast spurt. Within 30 seconds, they arrived at the base of a 10-meter-tall rock formation. It had t sides, which made it hard to scale. However, they didn''te there to climb it anyway.


    The three ced their backs against the rock wall, limiting the direction in which attacks coulde.


    Their formation was simple, with Aster at the furthest, back against the wall with his pistol, and Cassy and Kali standing left and right in front of him, respectively. It was as if the girls were cing their bodies in line to protect him!


    "Star, you stay there and provide cover fire! Stupid Rabbit, you handle the goblins to the left!"


    "Got it! Also, I''m not stupid!"


    "Haa... Haaa... Haa... Urgh..."


    Aster''s vision was blurry from all the running he did, but he didn''t dare to let down his party members. He lifted his lead-like arms and held the gun forward, aiming the pistol shakily.


    *KIIEEEEK!* *KEEEEK!*


    Soon enough, a rain of arrows came once more. The same as before, most of them got stuck on trunks and branches, before a few reached the three with deadly force. This time, there''s nowhere to hide!


    "Leave this to me!" Kali stood up front and raised both her daggers before taking a deep breath.


    Her atmosphere sharpened enough that you could hear the air turn crisp around her. Then she leaped into the air, as if to meet the rain of arrows, and spread both arms wide.


    "Skill: Dagger Tornado!"


    Just as Aster thought she''d be blocking the arrows with her body, Kali started to rotate rapidly, calling upon a small tornado that pulled the projectiles toward it. Then, she swiped them down with her two daggers, neutralizing the rain of arrows in a sh.


    About three secondster, right when shended, all the arrows turned into scraps, falling down like broken twigs scattered by the strong winds.


    "Watch out, they''reing!" Cassy was warned as she started to hear the iing footsteps of the army. "There''s too many of them! Roughly a hundred!"


    "Maintain formation! Don''t let them get close to Star!"


    "..."


    Watching the two girls move to cover for him, Aster felt like he bit a bitter bug. "Am I just going to stay in this position with these two protecting me?" He asked himself as he tightened his grip on his pistol.


    However, it was also true that he couldn''tpete with them in terms of physical abilities. If he, too, stepped in front, then he''d simply be a hindrance.


    "I''ll just do what I need to do." He whispered, swallowing his pride for a moment.


    He pointed his gun forward, aiming true toward the iing goblins, who were now within sight, and pulled the trigger.


    *BANG!*


    A bullet flew, ringing as it created sonic booms, heading toward one goblin. The lead bulletnded right in the middle of the goblin''s chest, opening a finger-sized wound where blood started to flow out. A fatal wound!


    *BANG!*


    Without rushing at all, making sure that his aim was true and stable, Aster fired once more. Again, the bullet flew without deviation and hit a goblin''s forehead, killing it instantly.


    *BANG!*


    Another shot, but this time, he missed. However, he didn''t lose focus and pulled the trigger after adjusting his aim a little, letting the bullet pierce a hole through a goblin''s neck, creating a faucet of green blood through it.


    *CLICK!*


    "...!"


    And at that moment, he finally ran out of bullets.


    With unustomed movements, he removed the magazine and took a new one from his pocket, loading it before locking the hammer and aiming forward once more. Just as he used half of the clip, the other goblins finally reached where Cassy and Kali were.


    A brutal fight began.


    Kali, with her brutal agility and flexibility, weaved through several goblins at once and attacked their vitals in one stroke. In a sh, ten goblins were killed!


    Cassy wasn''t as shy, but she could match a goblin without backing away. Of course, the enemy wasn''t alone, so she was forced to be a little creative. She jumped around, not letting the goblins lock onto her, and attacked with passing shes as if to imitate Kali''s battle style.


    A rabbit beastwoman with superior jumping abilities, and a cat beastwoman with astounding speed. Both of them fought fiercely, piling corpses upon corpses by the side.


    "Hauck!"


    But of course, fighting while outnumbered wasn''t something you could pull off without practice. In the end, Cassy suffered a blunt injury to her thigh and a stab wound to her right shoulder, almost making her drop her dagger.


    *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*


    Aster didn''t dy and fired, killing the goblins around Cassy with ease. They were so close that it was harder to miss than to hit them, after all!


    "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    Having no choice, Cassy had to use a heal. The wound on her shoulder quickly closed, with the bruise on her leg disappearing in a sh.


    During the time she was healing, Aster was continuously firing at the goblins targeting her. Soon enough, another magazine was used up.


    Only one more was left.

 Chapter 38: Wiping Out A Goblin Settlement (3)

    As he loaded thest magazine he had, the number of goblins dropped to a couple of dozen.


    "Just a bit more...!" He eximed while aiming forward and pulling the trigger.


    However, life isn''t always that easy.


    *THUD!* *THUD!* *THUD!*


    Heavy footsteps echoed within the dim forests, causing Kali''s and Cassy''s ears to perk up in attention. "Damn it! They really had one...!" Kali cursed as she came to a realization.


    "Another one iing!" Cassy eximed while dodging another attack from a goblin. "It''s too big! Is that still a goblin?!"


    Of course, although Aster''s scouting ability was nil, he didn''t miss such arge enemying closer. Ahead, about 100 meters away, a tall goblin, about two meters tall, was marching with heavy stomps.


    Although it was the same green color as the other goblins, it had a muscr body,pletely dissimr to the skin and bone goblins they were fighting.


    Kali jumped back, regaining distance while raising her daggers at the ready, calling the name of the new enemy. "A goblin chief!"


    *BANG!* *BANG!*


    Aster pulled the trigger twice, but the bullets merely left sparks as they brushed past the goblin chief''s body. His eyes opened wide after seeing this unbelievable phenomenon before Kali reprimanded him.


    "Don''t waste your bullets on that thing! It''s immune to projectiles like bullets or arrows!"


    "Immunity to projectiles?!"


    Aster did read about it before¡ªhow monsters could be immune to two out of three methods of attack: magic, projectiles, and melee. However, he didn''t expect to see one on the very first floor of the dungeon!


    "I''ll handle that big oaf, weakling; you take charge of the remaining goblins!" Kali exined right as she rushed forward, meeting the goblin chief before it coulde close.


    With her speed, the normal goblins could only watch as she passed by, unable to even touch her shadow. However, they quickly ignored Kali and turned to Cassy, who was still busy handling her fair share of mobs.


    Aster quickly realized that he couldn''t dy, or Cassy would get surrounded and be exposed to even greater danger. With a grim expression, he rushed forward with the pistol in one hand and his sword in the other, while raising his voice and calling toward the goblins to gain their attention.


    "Over here, you green midgets!"


    Aster waved his sword, cutting down an unsuspecting goblin. The texture of hitting the enemy, with his sword cutting through meat and bones, returned to his hand and made him feel repulsed. He almost threw up from the view, feeling, and smell after cutting down the goblin!


    Of course, he had no time to be sissy. Aster gulped down whatever was trying toe out, gritted his teeth, and pulled the trigger, nting bullets into a nearby goblin''s face.


    With only one hand holding the pistol, his aim became a little shaky, but it was hard to miss with the enemy being a few meters away.


    *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*


    He pulled the trigger nonstop, mowing down the enemies before him. When one got too close, he would swing his sword and cut them down before pulling the trigger once more.


    In less than fifteen seconds, hisst magazine ran empty, but at the same time, only three goblins were left on his side. Aster returned the pistol to his waist holster before fixing his hold on the sword''s hilt and lowering his stance.


    *KIEEE!*


    Thest goblins moved at the same time, lunging with their crude weapons at the ready. Aster found that their charge was uneven, so he decided to meet them halfway, taking a big step forward while bringing the sword down.


    *SLASH!*


    As if firewood cut by a lumberjack, the goblin''s body split into two halves and fell!


    *TANG!* *SLASH!*


    For the second one, he parried its rusty sword and connected it with a diagonal sh, opening arge, bloody wound across its chest. As for thest, it managed to take advantage of Aster pulling his sword back and lunging forward.


    *Squelch!*


    Its dagger hit Aster, embedding itself in his armor. Thankfully, the goblin didn''t target his exposed limbs but rather his stomach, protected by the armor he bought from the guild-approved shop!


    "Nice try...!"


    Aster eximed before kicking the goblin away and stabbing the sword right down the center of its body while it was lying prone on the ground.


    Of course, he didn''t rejoice after hunting down his enemy, but rather was slowly getting used to the sensation of cutting down flesh and bones. "Cassy!" He roared while turning around, but he realized that she didn''t need his help.


    Cassy just kicked a goblin''s face in, killing it instantly!


    "Kicking them is easier than stabbing!" She grinned as she continued to chase thest five on her side.


    As she discovered how lethal her own body was, Cassy no longer remained the same. She jumped forward in a sh,ing before two of the three goblins with their stupid faces staring forward, unable to react to her speed.


    *SWOOSH!* *CRACK!*


    As she reached the optimal distance, Cassy did a half-spin before letting out a deadly back-kick, crushing the enemy goblin''s ribcage as it sent it flying across the air, smashing against a far-off tree.


    "HAAAAP!"


    *THUMP!* *CRACK!*


    Using the raised leg as a pivot, she thenunched a spinning kick, smashing the side of the face of the other goblin.


    The remaining three moved in panic, trying to run away. Compared to Cassy waving her dagger, her kicks were scarier to them!


    "Where do you think you''re going?!"


    Of course, they couldn''t run far, as their legs were shorterpared to humans. Rather, their speed was merely a fraction of Cassy''s, so it was a futile attempt at best.


    In under five seconds, three more goblins with smashed heads were added to the list of casualties!


    "Only one left..."


    Aster whispered as he turned to thest enemy, the goblin chief that Kali was facing. But as soon as he got a good look, he wondered if they even needed to provide help.


    Kali''s movements were so fast that the goblin chief could only hit empty air with his giant wooden club. On the other hand, her daggers were adding more and more wounds to the monster''s body, gradually sapping its energy.


    The fight was already as good as over!

 Chapter 39: Another Surprise! Troubling News!

    Cassy moved beside Aster before turning to watch Kali''s intense battle against the mid-boss, the goblin chief.


    "You think she needs help?" Cassy asked casually but already knew the answer to it.


    "Nah, let her be." Aster confirmed, "We''ll just get in the way if we join the fray."


    It was obvious that Kali wasn''t even fighting at her best yet, visibly holding back. Although Aster was unsure why, he didn''t dare nitpick on her when she was doing her task beautifully.


    "..."


    For a brief moment, Kali''s eyes turned to the two.


    As soon as she realized that they were done wiping out the small fries, she decided to also wrap up the fight on her side.


    "Skill: Assassinate!" Kali called the name of the skill.


    The next moment, her figure disappearedpletely.


    The goblin chief panicked, looking around while waving its club randomly. Even if it was simply iling about, like a child throwing a tantrum, the trees that got hit fell down, a testament to the power behind each swing.


    If anyone got hit by it, they would die without a doubt!


    *THWACK!* *PISHHHH!*


    However, Kali wasn''t someone who would get hit by such a simple attack. Her figure reappeared behind the goblin chief, her legs nted against its back, with her daggers embedded in its nape.


    She twisted them, aggravating the wound while snapping off the neck spine, before jumping away and dodging the spray of green blood that came shortly after.


    *Swish!*


    After waving the blood off her daggers, she ced them back in their sheath before turning to the others.


    "What the hell are you two doing, just watching me fight? We have hundreds of goblins to get loot from! Move it!"


    "... Oh."


    "Right, we still need to get the loot!"


    Aster and Cassy responded, respectively, before checking their surroundings. Corpsesy around, bloody and mangled, making them wince.


    "We need to get loot from all these...?"


    Of course, it was all for the sake of money. Holding back their disgruntlement, they started to do the cleanup and loot gathering.


    The corpses could be left simply lying around. Shortly after, the dungeon itself would absorb it and make the corpses vanish. It was a weird phenomenon, and a hateful one if you have a lot of loot to get. They can''t do it leisurely, or the dungeon would "snatch" their rightful prize!


    They spent a full hour just getting the essories from the goblins. It was backbreaking work, literally, but it was more than worth it.


    "Our overall loot should fetch us 200 thousand Tels at least." Kali dered.


    Adding to the amount they earned that morning, it was already a sizeable amount.


    It was a little low when thinking of the number of enemies they killed, but not all goblins had essories, after all. Aster looked at the backpack, already full to the brim, with a handful of essories lying beside it, unable to fit any longer.


    "... Should we return for today?" He asked the two for their opinions.


    Cassy, who was resting casually, raised her hand with a smile and said, "I concur~!"


    "Our pack is full, so hunting any more than this is just a waste," Kalimented with solid logic. "You two, carry the loot. I need to keep both hands open in case we get ambushed."


    "Alright." Aster nodded, thinking that it was fair.


    She was, after all, their best fighter. Sealing her abilities by letting her carry the loot would be putting the cart before the horse.


    "Then I''ll carry the bag! Star, you carry the little trinkets left."


    Cassy didn''t seem to have any qualms about it either, and she nodded her head. Before Aster could carry the bag, she had already grabbed it and worn the straps over her shoulders.


    The bag was heavy since it was full of bone and metal-based essories. It should be roughly 60 kilograms overall, but Cassy was carrying it as if it were nothing. The difference in their stats was just shocking.


    Having no choice, Aster grabbed a random vine and tied up the remaining essories together, carrying them over his shoulder, before marching back the way they came.


    ---


    Back at the guild, right as the clock hit 5 p.m., the trio arrived.


    "W-We made it in time..." Aster panted.


    A few more goblins bothered them on the way back, which significantly dyed them. As such, they had to run all the way back just to make it in time before the guild closed.


    "Oh, sorry, but the guild is already closing."


    However, Zenearith greeted them and expressed regret that they "were" unable to arrive in time.


    "Again..." Aster sighed.


    "Then keep our loot here. Although the exchange is closed, that should be possible, right?"


    But thankfully, someone was knowledgeable enough among their group. Kali''s words brought life to Aster''s dead eyes! Being able to leave their loot meant he wouldn''t need to take the loot on hand back to his hotel room!


    "Of course, it''s possible," Zena answered with a smile. "Would you like to sell them off first thing tomorrow morning too? We can handle the procedure and send everything to your ounts afterward. Though the guild will take a 5% cut from the profits."


    "That''s fine." Kali nodded without waiting for the other two''s agreement.


    ''Well, 5% isn''t much, so I have no problems with it.''


    After that, Cassy and Aster dumped their items into a random chest before leaving the guild.


    "Hey, Kali. What do you think about having dinner with us?"


    Cassy asked with a sweet smile, offering out of kindness. It was nearly evening, and they were getting hungry, so it was a natural question.


    Kali stared at them before turning around and walking away. "... Pass." That was the only thing she said as she left.


    "Is she shy, perhaps?" Cassy reasoned, shrugging her shoulders lightly. "Then, what about you, Star? Wanna grab a bite?"


    "Sure, let''s¡ª!"


    But just as he was about to answer, a car stopped before the two, surprising them. From there, two men in ck suits stepped out, walking to Aster''s side before asking in a deep voice.


    "Mr. Aster Mistral, correct? The mayor is calling for you."


    Aster''s eyebrows twitched, wondering what the reason was for being called. Cassy looked over in worry but didn''t say anything. She didn''t have the "right" to say anything, after all.


    *Sigh...*


    "Sorry, Cassy. It looks like I can''t join you for dinner today." Aster apologized with a wry smile.


    "It''s fine, it''s fine," Cassy replied, grinning. "You should go; don''t make the mayor wait!"


    Aster smiled before whispering a short "Thanks" before entering the flying car parked before them.

 Chapter 40: Tomorrows Partner

    It was Aster''s second time riding in a flying car. As such, he was the same as before, excitedly watching the scenery pass by from the backseat.


    The guild wasn''t far from the Gravenne Tower, where the mayor resided, so the trip didn''tst more than two minutes. Still, it was a fun ride for Aster, who enjoyed every second of it.


    "Please follow us, Mr. Aster Mistral." One of the men in ck asked politely as he opened the door.


    "Thanks."


    Just as he was getting out, Aster got a good look at the man''s face and felt a slight fear. He had red skin like the Oni old man from the dungeon entrance but had scales covering parts of his body. He looks like a lizard of some sort, withpletely humanoid facial features!


    ''A lizardman, perhaps?'' Aster mused, slightly getting used to identifying weird races he encounters.


    Other than the two with him in the car, five more men wearing the same style of clothes appeared. They surrounded Aster like a VIP, even casting a sight-blocking spell to stop others from perceiving his identity.


    Technically, it was excessive protection, but they were just following protocols.


    Their tight protectionsted until after they entered the elevator, reaching the top floor, where the mayor stays.


    "The mayor is already waiting. Please proceed." The scaly lizardman bowed lightly, ushering Aster into the samerge doors leading to Mayor Magnus'' office.


    Aster took a deep breath, a habit that he was slowly trying to lose, before touching the doors and pushing them open. He felt as if the doors were a bit lighterpared to before, but rather than the door bing lighter, it was just him whose strength increased marginally after a level-up!


    "Aster! It''s been a while, hasn''t it?"


    Before the door closed, a friendly voice, exuding authority and a sense of closeness, reached his ears. Looking around, he quickly found the source. A tall, slender man with a paleplexion, semi-long brown hair, and crimson eyes and lips curved into a light smile.


    "Mayor Magnus! Good afternoon. It''s just been four days, so it''s not really that long." Aster bowed lightly in greeting.


    *WHOOSH!*


    In a sh, Magnus appeared right before Aster, touching him from all over as if to body-check him. "Alright, no hidden knives or anything with you. That''s good!" He eximed, half serious, half in jest.


    While they were on the elevator, the men in ck already seized his weapons. As such, Aster was unable to bring any "weapon" with him.


    He smiled wryly, scratching his cheeks with an awkward tone. "It''s not like I have chronic suicidal tendencies, if you''re worried about that."


    Before, Aster used his very life as a bargaining chip. It was a foolish but brave choice, enough that Mayor Magnus felt exasperated about him. If not for the special measures in ce that prevent one from using their skills in public, then he might have hypnotized Aster just to make him behave!


    "Anyway, what''s the reason you called for me, Mayor?" Aster asked, going straight to the point.


    "Did you forget what day it is today, perhaps?" Magnus asked back while urging Aster toward the sofa to sit.


    The two sat down, gettingfortable, before Mayor Magnus got back to the topic. "Today is supposedly the first day that you''ll cooperate with us, remember?"


    Aster frowned, thinking about his words deeply. "Cooperate...? Ah!" And recalled what he meant.


    "Great. It looks like you still remember." Magnus nodded with a faint smile. "We already have a partner decided for you, but her ovtion period for this month is dyed by 1 day. As such, can we push back the schedule for tomorrow instead?"


    "That... do I even have a choice of saying no?" Aster replied sarcastically. "A day of dy, is it? I don''t mind."


    "Thank you. My wife said that it''s just right since she had things to prepare on her side too." Magnusmented casually.


    "Wife...?" But Aster picked up on the detail immediately. "Wait, is the first partner you prepared for me your wife?!"


    Aster recalled the beauty he saw thest time in the office: Mayor Magnus'' secretary-cum-wife, Prisci. Although she was a timeless beauty, Aster felt weird just imagining "sleeping" with someone''s wife.


    "Ah, that was supposed to be revealed on the day itself." Mayor Magnus scratched his head from his minor slip of the tongue. "But it''s true. Your first partner is my prided wife, Prisci. With her skills, having experience or not wouldn''t matter." He added it with a yful wink.


    "But... aren''t you against something like this? Letting your wife sleep with another man, I mean?" Aster didn''t stop nitpicking, as it was just that important of a thing. "If it was me, I''d never let another man touch my wife!"


    Magnus smiled and took a deep breath while leaning his back against the sofa, sinking deep into it.


    "Of course, I feel the same as you." He exined. "Letting my wife sleep with another man is painful for me. But this isn''t just about our feelings, but also considering the entire city¡ªno, the entire world''s future."


    His gaze felt lonely and sad but was filled with resolve and a hopeful vision for the future.


    "This is a political move, working as a sign that even I, the one with the highest position in the city, was willing to offer my wife for the greater good." He closed his eyes slowly. "Of course, Prisci herself agrees, willing to do it for the sake of the world."


    "..."


    Aster was still reluctant, but now he could understand where they wereing from. A sacrifice for the greater good. ''This makes me feel like a viin for some reason, tearing families apart...'' he mused.


    "Of course, this is a one-time thing. And if she did conceive a child from this, it would be considered our child and not yours," Magnus exined further. "And I trust that my wife wouldn''t fall for a hairless brat like you." He added it with a teasing grin.


    "... Alright. I understand." Aster sighed reluctantly. "This is simply a job that I had to do without letting my emotionse into y."


    Magnus nodded his head approvingly, feeling the resolve that Aster had.


    "But..." He chimed in with a little smile. "Don''t hate me if your wifepares your performance with mer on."


    "...cheeky brat. My skills are godly; there''s no way you can satisfy her as much as I do."


    "Hah! Bet!"


    The two joked around, trying to lighten the atmosphere a little. Right after, they began chatting casually for a few minutes, until a certain name was brought into the conversation.


    "So, how was Kali''s performance? Did she not cause any trouble?"


    Aster went silent for a moment before sighing out loud.


    "So it really was your doing." He whispered under his breath.

 Chapter 41: Rampant Kidnapping Incidents

    Mayor Magnus grinned as if he didn''t done anything wrong, confirming Aster''s words. "Yes, it was me who sent her in. How was it? Did she fit in with your party already?"


    "Well, Kali''s fiery attitude and harsh words need improvements, but her abilities are real." Aster assessed her objectively. "If her party members aren''t like me and Cassandra, who have high tolerance, then I guess they''d kick her out of the party after the first day."


    "... Exactly."


    Mayor Magnus nodded his head, like a father worried about his daughter.


    "She''s skilled, but her personality needs great improvement. As such, she went through many parties as if changing clothes."


    "Well, the person herself doesn''t want to change, though." He shrugged. "[If they can''t even take a few harshments, then they''re not fit to be adventurers.] Or so she imed."


    "..."


    Aster almost wanted to ask Magnus about Kali in detail, but he shook his head. It was scary to imagine what would happen if she knew about him asking about her behind her back.


    ''I should just ask her directlyter.''


    With that, Aster knew that Kali was sent by the government to watch over him and protect him if he ever faced danger. As such, he was told that he literally had the right tomand her when things turned rough.


    After they used up all the topics they could discuss, Aster was finally allowed to return to his hotel room to rest.


    Before he left, however, Magnus warned him to avoid wanking, causing Aster to feel embarrassed. He had nonexistent libido before, while he was suffering from his disease, after all, so such an act was actually beyond him!


    May 7, 4033. Morning of the next day.


    Although Aster had difficulty sleeping, with pink thoughts filling his head after the talk with Mayor Magnus, he still woke up on time. 5 a.m. sharp.


    As soon as he woke up, he called for room service for light breakfast while taking a short shower to refresh himself. When he came out, the food he asked for was already delivered and ready to eat.


    He spent 20 minutes finishing his meal and preparing before leaving the hotel and heading for the adventurer''s guild once again. Since it was still early, the light of day was faint, and the temperature outside should be slightly freezing.


    However, with Aster''s Legacy Level Carved Seal''s passive effect, he couldn''t feel even a hint of such cold. "I should learn to fully control this ability soon." He mused while walking casually.


    A few minutes before six, Aster reached the guild and entered. Although it was early, there were many adventurers already present. Arge majority of them were already drinking alcohol while chatting with boisterous voices.


    "You''re early."


    And within that noise, a familiar, cold voice reached Aster''s ears. Turning to the source, he found that Kali was already here ahead of him, leaning against the wall far from the others.


    "Good morning, Kali." Aster was greeted with a smile. "Let''s have a great day today too!"


    "..."


    Kali only nodded her head without greeting in return. Although it could be taken as rude, Aster only smiled wryly while moving close to her, standing idly while waiting for theirst member.


    "Hey, hey, did you hear? Another newbie party on the second floor disappeared!"


    "Again? How many parties does that make? I hope they''re not disappearing after getting eaten by some powerful monster."


    "Hah! I''ve heard that rumors are going around saying it''s not monsters, but rather other adventurers."


    "Kidnapping, you mean? That''s impossible."


    "Come on, man! Let this idiot have a dream, at least! Kah kah!"


    And while they were staying quiet, a disturbing conversation reached the pair''s ears. Aster furrowed his brows, muttering the word in a whisper. "Kidnapping..."


    "I''ve been warned about this too."


    "...?"


    Kali talked without asking, so Aster decided to listen quietly.


    "There''s some group kidnapping newbie adventurers on the first and second floors. Their activities are getting more frequent, so if I see even the slightest sign, we''re retreating."


    Her words didn''t contain any hint of doubt, meaning that it was credible information. "So there''s a confirmed serial kidnapping going on?" Aster asked in a low voice.


    "Yes." Kali nodded. "And they are taking the kidnapped individuals out of the dungeon through unknown means. Although I was tasked with finding them and figuring out their methods, my role of protecting you takes priority."


    "..."


    Aster realized that the reason she was being talkative right now was due to him learning that she was sent by the government. ''Mayor Magnus must have given her a heads-up.'' He thought.


    "But why are the authorities keeping this under wraps? Wouldn''t publicizing this be more beneficial to the other newbies?" Aster curiously asked.


    "Are you braindead?" She scowled.


    "If the police publicize that adventurers are getting kidnapped left and right inside a dungeon with only one entrance, then imagine the chaos that follows."


    Right. If such a thing were to be released to the public, then the number of new adventurers would fall drastically. Such an asion would increase the risk of having a Dungeon Break, with nobody able to thin out the number of monsters on lower floors.


    Before Aster could ask a follow-up question, a familiar figure entered the guild and started looking around. When she found the two, she smiled joyfully while running forward.


    "Good morning, Star and K! I wasn''tte, right?"


    Aster pulled his Holo-tablet and checked, but there was still 1 minute before 6 a.m. "Nope. Just in time."


    "Yes! I did it!" She cheered. "How''s that, K? I''m notte today!" She turned to the other one, showing a smug look.


    "... Stupid Rabbit."


    "Huh? Where did thate from?!"


    With a little banter between the members, the three started on their short walk to the Dungeon''s entrance. As they walked, Kali and Cassy maintained their vignce. Adventurers who were curious and greedy were following them yesterday. There''s no telling if they will tail them again.


    Thankfully, nobody was following their group this time. They reached the dungeon without any trouble and paid the entrance fee to the Oni uncle, who kept watch over the entrance.


    ''Does he not leave this ce?''


    Aster wondered as he was always present whenever they entered or exited the dungeon. Without voicing his doubt, they entered the portal and reappeared on the familiar ins.


    "We don''t have any observers right now, so let''s focus on farming slime cores!" Cassy eximed energetically. "I''ve even brought a bag of my own to increase our carrying capacity!"


    "Oh, so that''s why you''re also carrying a bag with you."


    Aster sighed in realization.

 Chapter 42: Level Up and Limit Increase!

    Of course, Aster and Kali didn''t have any problems with hunting slimes. It was the most efficient target, thinking about the difficulty, earnings, and efficiency in concert.


    They went with the same pattern as before, with Kali hunting down the slimes, Cassy picking the dead slimes up and bringing them to Aster, and him extracting the cores carefully. His extraction sess rate was already approaching 100%, so it shouldn''t take too long.


    Kali''s speed was unchallenged. The slimessted less than a second against her, dying before they even realized her presence. It was almost an assassination rather than a hunt!


    "Here, Star! I''ll go grab some more!"


    Cassy was making use of her jumping powers to reach the slimes quickly and deliver them to Aster. As soon as he got some slimes to dry, Aster would begin using his Carved Seal to extract the slime cores. It was a simple but nerve-wracking process, even when he''s gotten used to it already.


    In just ten minutes, they had already filled one bag with loot. That''s roughly 50 cores, or 250 thousand Tels! "As expected, it''s faster to earn with slimes than with goblins." He muttered with a thin smile.


    Time passed, and soon enough, even Cassy''s bag was filled with cores. That''s half a million worth of cores lying beside Aster''s feet!


    "We still have time, but let''s not return early," Kali eximed. "Who knows when those bastards will try and tail us again?"


    "I agree! Let''s hunt to level up while ignoring the loot for now!"


    Aster looked around and could tell that there was nobody else hunting in the slime area. It was as if they had the ce reserved for themselves.


    "Alright. Let''s split up right here." Aster suggested. "We all could hunt slimes alone without any risks, after all."


    "You..."


    Kali looked at him with narrowed eyes, as if trying to remind him of her words earlier. Aster merely smiled, waving his hand around as if to say, "There''s no way kidnappers are present here with the ins being this wide and open."


    They could see each other even while hidden among the grass, even from more than a hundred meters away!


    Taking that into consideration, even Kali had to nod her head. Right, it was nigh impossible that someone would just disappear while hunting in the ins area.


    Just like that, the three began their hunt.


    Although it was wasteful, they had to leave the slimes'' bodies alone, ignoring that each one of them could fetch 5,000 Tels.


    Each of them was hunting at different speeds, with Kali being the fastest, followed by Cassy, then Aster. Aster''s pace was slow only due to his weaker scouting ability, making him unable to find slimes reliably. It was practically a hit-and-miss for him.


    After a few hours, a bright sh was emitted from someone.


    "I leveled up!" Cassy eximed, reaching level 3 in a sh.


    She quickly pulled out her adventurer''s card, added her free point to her intelligence stat, and smiled. "Finally, my Intelligence and Wisdom are bnced!" She cheered. "And my heal got an extra use just now too!"


    Her Minor Heal increased from three daily uses to four! It wasn''t much of an addition, but an improvement nheless.


    "Congrats, Cassy!" Aster called with a p.


    They were several dozen meters away from each other, after all. "To celebrate, why don''t we all grab lunch at a restaurant outside?" He quickly suggested.


    "Huh? Celebrating just because of a level-up?" But Kali''s expression turned sour. "It''d be more efficient to just use that time to hunt more. When all of us reach level 3, we can then sweep through the first ten floors."


    "Well, she has a point." Even Cassy agreed. "We can just celebrate itter when there''s a much better asion on hand."


    "... Alright."


    Although a little disheartened to have his suggestion rejected, he too understood that it wasn''t practical to celebrate every little thing. Without any fuss, the three continued their slime hunt until just a little past noon.


    "We should stop here today," Kali eximed, looking at their surroundings.


    Aster immediately understood her intention and agreed. "Sure. We''ve already hunted more than enough either way."


    Their two backpacks were filled to the brim, and Cassy even leveled up. That was already more than enough for a day. In response to Kali''s urging, the three hurriedly walked the distance back.


    As their figures disappeared, several shadows appeared from within the tall grasses, with nefarious grins on their faces.


    "Damn, that fucking cat noticed us!"


    "Easy. Don''t let that get to your head, you idiot. We''ll have another chance!"


    "Right. They would return, sooner orter..."


    Ominous chatter echoed between them as their insidiousughter echoed in the empty ins.


    As for the three in question, they just reached the gate and exited.


    *THUMP!*


    "Oops! Sorry, little guy."


    But just as they got out, Aster ended up bumping into someone about to enter. He was arge man, the same as the men in ck before, with bright red scales and two branch-like horns on his head.


    His body was ripped, with arms as big as Aster''s thighs. His gold eyes had a piercing gaze, looking at Aster in surprise. "Oh, a human. That''s rare."


    "...!"


    Aster noticed that his hood fell after bumping. In a rush, he pulled his windbreaker''s hood over and pulled his scarf over his face, covering his features once more. Kali stepped before Aster, waving her hand across as if to block the man''s line of sight while ring right at him.


    "Back off!" That was the only thing she said in a low growl.


    The lizard-like man raised his hands as if showing that he had no intentions of starting a fight while exining. "Oh, sorry. It''s just been a while since I saw a human, so my mouth just ran by itself. Don''t worry, our party doesn''t intend to spread it."


    He then nudged his head, as ifmanding one of his allies to give them something. Cassy was the one who took it¡ªa small card with a party name and contact details written on it.


    "Dragon''s... Roar?!"


    Cassy gasped upon reading the card. "You''re THE Dragon''s Roar?! The best adventurer''s n in Orinfeld City?!"


    "Ahaha! That''s embarrassing, saying that we''re the best."


    The man smiled casually, scratching his head of red hair, matching colors with his scales as if he were embarrassed.


    "We''re the biggest n in the city, yes, and we have bases across several floors. You''re newbies, right? If you have any problems or questions, just visit one of our branches and show that card."


    He extended a hand toward Aster, showing a toothy grin. "I''m Ragnaros, the leader of Dragon''s Roar. I''m looking forward to seeing you all on the deepest floor."


    Aster, albeit having some misgivings, took his extended arm forward and greeted.


    "Aster Mistral. It''s a pleasure meeting you too."


    After exchanging a firm handshake, both parties then started on their respective ways.


    Ragnaros led the Dragon''s Roar party back to the 1,166th floor, which is currently the record-deepest floor reached in the entire world.

 Chapter 43: Are You Ready?

    On their way back, Cassy kept on staring at the card she was holding, as if unable to believe what just happened.


    "To think we''d cross paths with the Dragon''s Roar...!" She whispered with excitement. "Did you see the woman in white? That''s their healer, Prisci! She''s my idol!"


    "Really?" Aster replied.


    Since he covered his face with his hood shortly after, he wasn''t able to see anyone else but therge lizardman before him. ''No, from the party''s name, he''s not a lizard, but a dragonkin!'' He realized a little toote.


    "But what''s a n anyway?"


    "You don''t know?!" Cassy roared before suddenly recalling Aster''s situation. "Ah, right, you... Then, let me tell you what it is!"


    Adventurer ns are something like an extension of usual parties, or more urately, like a secondary guild. With the Adventurer''s Guild setting up parties and quests, ns arrange members fitting for such quests and send them. This benefits both the guild and the n, increasing the chances of sess and decreasing the risk of death.


    "Quests..." Aster whispered in a low voice. "Are those essible to normal parties too, like ours?"


    "Ah, that''s... only quests that were filtered out by several ns reach normal parties, so they''re usually too difficult or have low rewards unbefitting their risks."


    "In the first ce, there are no quests that can be epted by newbies like you two," Kali added with a scoff.


    "I see..."


    Aster, learning about ns, now had two choices. One is to join an existing n, like the Dragon''s Roar. Or two: "Creating my own n!"


    "Humph!" Kali harrumphed. "Only two kinds of guys make a n of their own. Those who have high leadership and charisma, and idiots like you."


    "..."


    "Hey, K, isn''t that a bit too harsh? It''s fine to have a dream at least!"


    "Dream? With how unrealistic it is, it''d stay a dream, for sure. You''d need a good leader, apetent advisor, a great team, and financial stability as a party. Other than thest item, this weakling missed all of those."


    Aster shrugged his shoulders, epting Kali''s words at face value. "Well, that''s talking about right now. Who knows what the future holds, right?"


    "Disappointment, for sure."


    While the three were talking out loud, they soon reached the Adventurer''s Guild. The number of adventurers inside was a lot lowerpared to the morning. But there were still a few who were already drinking, despite it being high noon.


    "Oh, Aster''s party! What''s wrong? Done with the hunt for today?"


    As soon as they entered, Zenearith greeted them with a teasing smile. Her forked tongue was licking the air as if she were excited while looking at them.


    "Listen, Zena! We met with the Dragon''s Roar earlier!" Cassy immediately started bragging as soon as she reached the counter. "If I had a pen and paper with me, I would''ve asked for their autographs!"


    "Haha, really? Well, they came here to report, so I know they were going back into the dungeon." Zena replied, patting Cassy''s head while leaning her chin on her hand.


    "Ah! You don''t believe me, don''t you? Look! We even received a help card from them!"


    The busybodies listening in started whispering amongst themselves as soon as they heard about the card Cassy held.


    "Help card?!"


    "There''s no way that''s true. Do you know how hard it is to get a help card?"


    "I know. I stood in line for 3 days just to get one before!"


    Aster frowned a bit after hearing their light banter, and he realized how precious the card that Cassy held was.


    "I see." Zena closed her eyes, nodding approvingly. "Then you should keep that safe. Others might target you for simply having that, nning to snatch it away."


    "Of course I will! And I can! I reached level 3 today, after all!"


    "Really? Congrats!" Zena smiled sweetly.


    After a little more chatting, she finally turned to Aster and saw the backpacks he was holding. "Item appraisal, is it? Please ce the bags over the counter here."


    As usual, the appraisal itself didn''t take long. She dumped the contents of both bags into a special container, which counted the items that entered it automatically. While she was doing so, her face turned from surprise to awe shortly after.


    "That''s 110 pieces of Slime Core. Amazing! You doubled yesterday''s record easily!" She excitedly dered.


    "Since the pharmacy is offering a premium for the cores you got, you''ll get a 10% increase in their buying price. 5,500 Tels each, totaling 605 thousand Tels!"


    "Oh! Price increase, nice!" Cassy cheered.


    After dividing their earnings, each of them gained roughly 202 thousand Tels each, which was credited to their cards immediately. Adding to their earnings yesterday, it was already a small fortune!


    After finishing the handoff, the three walked out of the guild with heightened moods. "This is a great day! Who''s going to lunch together?!" Cassy asked, raising her hand first.


    Kali scoffed, turning her head away while walking onward. "I''m not interested." She said.


    As she left, only Aster and Cassy were left. "What about you, Star? Wanna grab lunch together?" She asked with a little lonely look on her face.


    Although Aster felt guilty, he shook his head. "Sorry, Cassy. I have something to attend to today, so I''ll pass. Tomorrow, for sure!"


    Sadness crossed her face for a moment before turning to a wide smile. "Oh, it can''t be helped. Then I''d go to an eat-all-you-can challenge and test my limit! Wish me luck~!"


    "Haha, good luck! Don''t break your stomach, alright?"


    "No worries! I can eat anything without having a stomach ache!"


    Cassy acted cheerfully until she vanished around a corner, running at a moderate speed. As she disappeared, Aster let out a long sigh before changing his expression to a serious one.


    "You need something from me?"


    He asked while turning back, facing someone who had been watching him since earlier. As he did, a man in a ck suit undid his camouge and slowly materialized. He looked the same as the guys who guided Aster to the mayor''s office the day before, which didn''t surprise him.


    "Mr. Aster Mistral, I''ve been sent to keep watch over you." He announced it in a t, rough, and deep voice. "The madam invites you to lunch." He exined.


    Aster heaved a deep breath, realizing that it was time.


    "Alright. I''m ready. Lead the way."

 Chapter 44: Lunch Date with a Married Woman

    Aster boarded another flying car and drove off in a different direction under the man''s lead. This time, he was going in the opposite direction of where the mayor''s tower was, so the scene outside the window was slightly different than before.


    A series of high-rise buildings could be seen left and right as the car zoomed past them, leaving only a trail of light behind. Although one would imagine the scenery being nd and repetitive, with the building designs being as varied as people''s hairstyles, it wasn''t so boring looking at them.


    Their drivested five minutes, which was quite long considering the speed at which they were going. The car stopped before a tall building, a high-rise hotel with at least a hundred floors at a nce.


    It had a simpleyout of being rounded from the base to the top, but the "surface" was uneven, as if worms ate through a section of the outer walls. If one could look at it from the top, then one would realize that the design was made to look like helical gear, as if trying to match the name of the establishment: Helical Pavillion.


    ''People in this era sure do love spiral designs...'' Aster mused while staring at it.


    As he got out of the car, however, the one who guided him didn''t lead him anymore, leaving while saying that the madam was waiting for him on the top floor.


    He walked forward, reaching the automatic doors and entering the lobby. The design was simple and almost simr to the Twister Hotel''s, making it familiar to Aster and letting him navigate through more easily.


    "Wee, sir!"


    The guard standing beside the entrance inside bowed lightly in greeting. Looking over, Aster found that it was another dog beastman, but this time, it wasn''t a Doberman-based one, but rather... a husky!


    "...!"


    Aster''s hand moved almost reflexively, wanting to pat the guard''s fluffy head, but he quickly came back to his senses and pulled his hand back. Worried that he wouldn''t be able to fight against the urge, he quickly bowed lightly in response before rushing toward the nearest Magic Elevator.


    As soon as he entered, he imagined going to the top floor. As he did, the elevator closed before starting to shoot up and heading to the 130th floor of the hotel.


    When he stepped out of the elevator, he realized that the top floor was made differently. Everywhere he looked, greenery stood out as if the rooftop had been turned into a garden. Thanks to their smart arrangement, it didn''t look "narrow" or "dirty," but rather gave a serene look to the entire floor.


    Furthermore, instead of concrete and metal, the walls and roof were made out of thick ss, making it possible to see everything from there¡ªlike a sky garden. Rather, it was more urate to say it was a greenhouse on top of the building.


    "You''re finally here, Aster. Come."


    As he was walking around, looking at the beautiful flowers that decorated the pathways, a sweet voice called to him. Looking over, he found a familiar figure.


    Blood-red hair and gold eyes, along with lips colored purple at the moment. A thin, seductive smile adorned her beautiful face. Furthermore, she was wearing a purple cocktail dress, following every curve of her body tightly, leaving almost nothing to the imagination.


    *Gulp!*


    Seeing her again, Aster felt nervous.


    As if able to read his inner turmoil, the woman, Prisci V. Noire, closed her eyes and chuckled. "Don''t just stand there mesmerized;e here. The food''s going to get cold."


    Thinking it would be rude to make her wait, Aster walked forward, only to realize that he was still wearing his adventurer clothes. "It''s fine; there''s no dress code in here." She added,pletely reading Aster''s concern.


    Although nervous, Aster walked forward and sat down across from Prisci. The rectangr, ss table between them felt narrow with all the food prepared, but there was still enough space for them to get their elbows on.


    "What''s wrong?" Prisci asked. "Perhaps the food I prepared doesn''t fit your tastes?"


    "Ah, no, Mrs. Noire... It''s just..." Aster mumbled, unable to stare her straight in the eyes.


    "... Perhaps my attire''s too stimting?"


    She asked teasingly, leaning forward while entuating her rich assets. Then, she cupped both hands under her chin while whispering in a soft voice, "But this is nothing. I''ll make sure to show you something more amazingter~"


    "...!"


    Aster felt conflicted. As a man, it was natural for him to be attracted to a beautiful woman like her. However, hismon sense was telling him that it was wrong to look at someone else''s wife like this. Prisci''s teasing, adult charm was simr to his nurse''s, making it even more awkward for him.


    Just like that, the two began eating lunch while chatting. Aster couldn''t remember what they talked about or what the food tasted because he was nervous.


    Prisci was the one talking away, as if trying to make him feel at ease as much as possible.


    Their lunch ended around 3 p.m., which was still too early. However, Prisci stood up, walked over to Aster''s side, and pulled him by his arm.


    "I wanted to try to make you feel at ease with me, but it looks like I only made you even more nervous." She said it with a guilty smile. "I already reserved the floor below; let''s go there and try to rx."


    "..."


    Of course, Aster wasn''t dumb enough to not realize what she truly meant. Although his heart still wasn''t prepared, he couldn''t hide the slight anticipation and excitement he was feeling. Prisci smiled as if realizing what was going on in his mind before tugging at him a little stronger, forcing him to stand.


    "Well then, I''ll lead the way~!"


    She eximed while wrapping, grabbing Aster''s arm, and letting her two ample assets touch him. The two didn''t go for the elevator but instead to the stairs across from it, heading down one floor.


    "This...!"


    Aster stiffened even more after seeing the floor''s design. The entire floor had this "pink" theme on it, making him even more nervous as they walked through it.


    Prisci didn''t wander around and went straight to the room she had selected beforehand and pushed Aster into it.


    "You know what''d happen next, right~?" She whispered right in his ear, tickling his lobes and melting his brain. "Will you be taking a bath first, or have a go with me as is?"


    Hearing her question, he recalled that he had just gotten out of the dungeon before going there. He tried smelling himself, realized that he smelled like sweat, and felt sorry for Prisci, who was clinging to him.


    "Bath first, please."

 Chapter 45: Ill Teach You Everything~! (1) [R18]

    Aster was now taking a shower, although he was currently out of sorts. He turned the knob randomly, which ended up having the temperature reach almost boiling, filling the bath with steam.


    "..."


    But only the space around Aster, a sphere of about a 1-meter radius, was free of any of it. Right, with his Legacy Level Carved Seal''s passive effect of forcefully returning the temperature of anything within a meter of him to room temperature, he couldn''t even enjoy a warm shower!


    A few minutester, Aster finally found his resolve.


    He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel to dry himself before wrapping a beige robe around his body. As he got out, he saw that Prisci was sitting beside the bed, waiting patiently for him.


    "Finally done?" She asked, her eyes narrowing down like a predator about to strike. "Do you have any experience, perhaps?"


    "... None," Aster replied immediately.


    His body was literally skin and bones before, andbined with his disease limiting him from having "strenuous activities," he of course didn''t get any action done.


    Although there were times when his body "reacted" uncontrobly, he did experience handjobs from his teasing nurse. It was more of a necessity to control his libido and maintain a healthy body than to do sexy activities, however.


    "I see... Then, shall I teach you how?" Prisci asked with a grin.


    "You would be sleeping with more girls in the future. Although most of them would be experienced like me, it wouldn''t be bad to take the reign once in a while, right~?"


    "..."


    Aster nodded. It''s true that if he''s always on the "receiving" end, he would feel weird about it. Knowledge is power!


    "Good." Prisci nodded. "Lesson one~!"


    She turned to look at Aster from head to toe, a faint smile on her face. As she did, her hand moved from her chin down her neck, following her curves until it stopped between her thighs.


    "Before action, you need to excite your partner first. Entering without proper lubrication would just feel unpleasant to both sides."


    She slowly spread her legs, stretching the dress she had on, so that Aster could see the thin cloth below. It was light pink underwear, with a darker tone in the middle, as if soaked.


    "Vampires like me have a cold body, having temperatures as low as 20 degrees Celcius." She exined. "Touching your warm body already excited me enough that I''m soaking wet down here~"


    Her hand moved, two fingers pushing into the darker-colored portion, and started to move as if to massage the area.


    *Squelch~!*


    "Hmm~!" She let out a soft moan before opening her eyes, slightly out of breath. "S-See...?"


    Aster stood directly in front of Prisci as her fingers kept moving, making a nasty, wet noise that echoed throughout the room. Seeing such a scene, his body reacted strongly, and his mighty rod rose from its long, long slumber!


    Prisci saw the bulge under Aster''s robe and smiled. "It looks like you''re also raring to go, but this dress is in the way. Can you remove it for me~?"


    She leaned back on the bed, using both arms to support her body diagonally, as if to show off the two huge mountains up front. Aster''s keen eyes could see the twin peaks asserting their presence from under the purple dress, making him even harder.


    "Then..." He took a few steps forward until he was standing right before her.


    His hand moved toward the shoulder strap of the dress before suddenlying to a stop. Hesitation and guilt filled his eyes, while excitement drove his body to move. Seeing the conflicted expression he was having, Prisci smiled before saying.


    "Forget that I''m someone''s wife," she asserted. "Right now, I''m just a lonely woman looking for someone to warm me up. Would you do me the favor?"


    "..."


    Aster took the plunge.


    He moved both hands, slipping off the straps on her shoulders. As he did, as if physics just remembered its role, the dress was pulled down by the two masses right before his eyes. Two peaks, pearly with a hint of darker pink at the tips, greeted him.


    "Fufu, your breath tickles me." Prisci chuckled before her expression turned horny. "Now, continuing to the first lesson, if the woman wasn''t wet already, like me, then you could make her wet."


    She moved her right hand across Aster''s neck, pulling his head closer to her chest, before whispering to his ears directly. "Suck on it; y with it." She urged.


    Aster, although a bit hesitant, moved his hand over to the left one, touching it.


    "Mmm!"


    A short moan, closer to a gasp, echoed from Prisci''s lips unexpectedly. Aster didn''t notice it, however, as he was focused on the new sensation he was feeling in his palm. It was firm but soft, like a marshmallow.


    He was a little bit lost, however, as he couldn''t see the tips. "Inverted?" He asked rhetorically before moving his mouth and sucking on them, trying to force the tips to appear.


    His left hand squeezed them as he sucked, just like a hungry infant.


    "Ah~! Hnngh~!" Prisci moaned loudly.


    Although she was trying to boost Aster''s confidence, her reaction wasn''t faked. It was just that her breasts were her weak points. She could feel his tongue moving around, licking the spot on her nipple, before sucking hard as if to force them to show up.


    Furthermore, since she had a low body temperature, Aster''s mouth was almost scorching hot to her senses, making her almost lose her mind from pleasure.


    "I-I''m cumming...!"


    And without evensting a minute, she had already reached climax.


    Her body twitched as she moved her arms, grabbing Aster''s body and hugging him tight. Losing support, the two fell toward the bed, with Aster on top of her as her spasms continued.


    Aster watched as the tips, shyly hiding underneath earlier, appeared before him, standing tall and firm.


    "Beautiful," he muttered in a trance before repeating what he just did.


    "...!"


    A mute scream escaped Prisci''s lips as her orgasm revved up a gear from the sudden stimulus. Aster was clueless about what he was doing, only following her instructions, but since she couldn''t even utter a single word right then, the situation continued until Aster started to wonder why she wasn''t giving any guidance anymore.


    "Mrs. Prisci...?" He asked, lifting his head a little and staring at her face.


    As he saw her expression, melting while out of breath and with eyes filled with desire and excitement, Aster realized what had happened. "I overdid it, didn''t I?" He wondered.


    *THUD!*


    However, just as he stopped, Prisci''s senses slightly returned. She pulled Aster into her chest in a tight embrace.


    "You little bastard~! You got me so fucking wet, it feels unreal!" Her gold eyes almost seemed to glow as she looked at Aster''s face.


    "Let''s skip all the lessons and go to the final one! Fuck me like crazy~!"

 Chapter 46: Ill Teach You Everything~! (2) [R18]

    Prisci slid her dress off smoothly, leaving only the light pink underwear she had on. No, she even took that off, revealing the red bush hiding underneath, glistening under the warm, reddish-pink light from the ambientmps.


    She sat by the edge of the bed, spreading her legs slowly and seductively, while her left hand moved to touch the wet slit, releasing slushy sounds as she did.


    "Come, show me that wild beast you''re hiding~!" She begged while biting her lips, as if unable to hold back any longer.


    Aster, as if in a trance, quickly undid the knot of his robe, revealing his well-toned body gained not from hard work but from science. His rod was already rock hard, standing tall and twitching uncontrobly, with slippery liquiding out of the tip.


    Seeing his thing, Prisci got even hornier. It wasn''t too big, but at leastrger than average by a little. Just imagining iting inside her made her body about two degrees warmer.


    She lifted her legs by the side of the bed, making it easier for Aster to get close, while also using her left hand to spread her hole wide open.


    "You see the hole down there? The one below? That''s where I need your dick to go~!" She exined while using her right hand to slip right in. "Look at how wet it is already;e, don''t be shy..."


    Her breathing was warm and ragged, but it didn''t affect Aster at all. As usual, any temperature beyond or below the room temperature around him gets neutralized. However, just now, he noticed something else.


    ''I can''t alter a person''s temperature even if they get too close.''


    While he was sucking Prisci''s tits earlier, he noticed how he could feel her body heat¡ªway colder than his. It was a slightly nostalgic sensation since he had been unable to feel temperature changes for a few days now.


    But it''s not the time to think about such things right now.


    Aster took a step forward, holding his mighty rod and letting its tip touch Prisci''s lower lips. Her body twitched from how hot it was, making her almoste just from the contact.


    "R-Right here...?"


    Aster asked as he slowly prated her, feeling the warmth of her insides.


    "Hmmm~! V-Very... good~! Yes!"


    She tried to praise him, but the pleasure of having a hot object inside her, almost scalding to her senses, was just beyond what she imagined. "Sorry, dear~!" She whispered as her lips curled into a frown.


    "N-Now, you just need to start moving..." She added while locking her legs with her arms.


    She waspletely in heat!


    Aster moved as instructed, slowly pushing in until the entire length was in. As he did, Prisci''s body spasmed from pleasure, trying to speak between her heated panting.


    "Y-You''ve reached the entrance to my womb. Can you feel it~?" She asked.


    However, he was no longer able to answer. The pleasure of insertion was making his mind nk out. The walls wrapping around his meat weren''t too tight, but it were still giving him enough pleasure to have his hips twitch uncontrobly.


    *THUD!*


    He leaned forward, cing both hands on either side of Prisci''s head, supporting his body from falling. Without holding back any longer, he pulled his waist back before mming it right in, full length.


    *PLAP!*


    Her love juices sshed with every thrust, wetting both theirher regions thoroughly.


    "Yes! Ahhh, fuck! Hngggg~! Fuck me harder~!"


    Prisci''s inner voice started to leak even more as pleasure started to ovee her mind. Aster, too, turned his brain off and was simply doing what felt good to him.


    *PLAP!* *PLAP!* *PLAP!*


    His rod came in and out, making the cave even more slippery every time he did. He could feel the meaty walls deform whenever he thrust off-center, with the bulge of his dick visible over Prisci''s navel.


    "Haaa... Hagh!"


    Aster started to feel weird; his feet started to get hotter and hotter as the speed of his thrust increased uncontrobly. He was no longer thinking with his mind, only letting pleasure lead his way.


    "Ahhh, ah, fuck, haaa~! Hmmm!"


    Even Prisci''s vocabry gotpletely lost. Only loud breathing noises left her lips as her eyes started to be hazy from pleasure.


    After a bit more, she could finally feel his thing bulging from within her, causing her to smile. "Are you about toe? Don''t hold back; fill up this olddy''s pussy with your cum~!"


    "...!"


    As if her words were a trigger, Aster reached his limit.


    He thrust onest time, as hard as he could, reaching as deep as he could. "Ugh!" He groaned as his thick, white cum streamed inside Prisci''s pussy.


    "Mmmmh~!"


    The thick white liquid, hotter than even Aster''s dick, caused Prisci''s eyes to roll over in pleasure. She sprayed love juices and made the bedsheets sloppy wet as she came in tandem, causing her body to twitch.


    Aster knew the sensation of cumming, as his nurse had relieved him before. However, this right now was a first for him. "It''s not stopping...!" He felt as if the momentum wouldn''t stop until his balls were dried!


    Prisci extended her hand forward, pulling her body up and pressing it tight against Aster''s. She buried her face in his thick chest, while her lips released squeaky sounds as she tried to bear down the pleasure filling her head.


    A few momentster, Aster''s climax stopped. He gently pulled out while also pushing his partner against the bed. Her face was so red, she looked like she just got out of a sauna.


    Her skin glistened from sweat, making her appear even more seductive than before, as her thin lips moved with her every breath.


    After gathering her wits, she sat back up along the edge of the bed.


    "That was more than what I expected, young man." She smiled teasingly.


    Her hand moved to her slit, massaging the lips¡ªwhere white liquid was trailing out¡ªas if still not having her fill. "What do you say we go for round two immediately?"


    "..."


    The intoxicating smell of their intercourse filled the room, thinning down Aster''s thinking facilities.


    In the end, he did it with her several more times until both sides were unable to continue... This allsted until a little past midnight.

 Chapter 47: As If Nothing Happened

    Aster opened his eyes.


    He fell asleep before he noticed, all the while listening to Prisci''s lessons about sex. Nobody expected it, but Aster, despite his low Constitution Stat, managed tost as long as Prisci did!


    "Ugh..."


    He rose from the bed, holding his hurting head, while looking around. Aster was alone. Turning to the side of the bed and to the table over there, he found a small note. He moved towards it and scanned its content, only to show a wry smile.


    ~~~


    Good morning, sleepyhead, ??


    I have to go first since I have a job to do, but if you miss me, just give me a call. I''m fertile for three more days, so I''d wee you anytime during that period~!


    P.S. Don''t worry about my husband; he''s more open-minded than you''d think!


    +175 95* *** ****


    ~~~


    Aster scratched his cheeks, wondering if it was a joke or if she was serious. After all, although she was trying to hide it, her guilt towards Mayor Magnus while doing it with him was something that he couldn''t miss.


    "There''s no way she''d cheat on him..." He sighed while returning the note.


    Turning around, he could see the aftermath of their long "tussle" with each other. The bed sheets were still wet in a few ces, covered with marks of both love juices, cum, and sweat. Although he felt embarrassed, thinking that someone would be cleaning up afterward, he simply decided to ignore it.


    After taking a thorough shower, refreshing himself, and making sure that no traces were left, he quickly donned his adventurer clothes and walked out of the hotel. He was bothered by the knowing looks of the employees, however, but he believed that they were professional enough to not make gossip out of it.


    After stopping by the husky guard and retrieving his weapons, bag, and holo-tablet, he quickly checked the time. "Five-thirty..." It was still early, but thinking of the long walk from where he was back to the Adventurer''s Guild, it was far from enough.


    "I should take a ride back." He decided.


    Of course, since it was his first time, he had no idea how to do it. So he had to ask the guard about it, nodding along as he exined what Aster needed to do.


    After getting all the information he needed, he thanked the guard while patting his head, which he realized was a bad move a bitter.


    He went away, heading toward the taxi waiting area while apologizing to the Husky guard. "Thankfully, he was a friendly guy," Aster muttered with a sigh.


    Of course, he didn''t regret his actions at all. The fluffy sensation of the thick fur was unforgettable to him!


    Aster didn''t have to wait a few minutes before a taxi stopped by. Unlike the flying cars, the taxi was something more familiar to him. Although it was floating slightly off the ground instead of moving with wheels.


    "Where to, sir?"


    The driver, a man who looked like a gray lizard turned human, asked while looking at the rearview mirror. The doubtful look in his eyes was obvious since Aster was covered from head to toe like some suspicious individual.


    "To the adventurer''s guild, please," Aster whispered while passing his guild card.


    The driver checked the card and saw Aster''s name, nodding with a smile while returning it to him. "Sure thing, sir! I''ll take you there in a jiffy!"


    Unlike flying in the sky, traveling on the ground takes longer. Of course, one could technically zoom across streets without worry, matching the speeds of the aerial speedway, but that increases the risk of bumping into pedestrians crossing the street.


    After all, even with the Hive-Mind AI controlling all vehicles up in the air, they don''t cover ground vehicles and couldn''t control people. As such, idents "could" happen.


    In under twenty minutes, they reached the Adventurer''s Guild. Aster paid the fare and added a 20% tip before leaving with the driver smiling joyfully. "Have a nice day, sir!"


    "You too!" Aster replied as the man drove away.


    Without waiting further, Aster entered the guild. To his surprise, he was thest one toe, with the two already together in the same spot from yesterday. Cassy looked like she was trying to converse with Kali but was getting ignoredpletely.


    "Sorry, I''mte." Aster apologized immediately after regrouping with them.


    "Star! You''re...!" Just as Cassy was about to greet him, her nose twitched. "Hmmm? This is..."


    Cassy moved closer to Aster, sniffing him from up close. Her face was serious, so he couldn''t just tell her to knock it off. "... I somewhat like this smell!" She eximed right afterward with a smile.


    "..."


    Aster wasn''t sure what she was talking about. Was it the cologne he put on after taking a bath or the "smell" left on him afterst night''s activity? Either way, Kali was looking at him with a frown, not saying a single word.


    "We''re aiming to go to the second floor today, right?" Aster quickly asked, trying to change the topic. "As long as I just need to reach level 3, then we''re good to go!"


    "Right! Let''s aim to level up fast today~!" Cassy eximed while grabbing onto Aster from behind. "Oh, the smell got thicker! How curious..." She eximed.


    From this, Aster realized that it was the tter" that Cassy was detecting. Although previously he could hold himself back even with her excessive skinship, after what happenedst night, that changed. He couldn''t help but react to the soft mounds hitting his back, making him recall the sensations fromst night.


    "Tsk!"


    Kali clicked her tongue before walking ahead, leaving the two behind. Aster quickly followed, but her steps were too fast for him to catch up. Furthermore, Cassy was not letting him go for some reason, making it hard to even walk normally.


    A momentter, Kali had already disappeared outside of the guild, blending among the crowds and heading to the dungeon. The irritation she was radiating was enough that everyone, regardless of their level and strength, stayed clear of her path.


    With Cassy seemingly addicted to the "smell" and not wanting to let go, interfering with his walking, it took them an extra ten minutes to reach the dungeon.


    "Oh, you''re finally here,d! Missy!" The Oni Uncle greeted them as soon as they arrived. "Your other member has already entered." He rified.


    "Oh, is that so?" Cassy replied while attached to Aster''s back like a backpack. "Thanks for letting us know, uncle!"


    The two then quickly paid their entrance fees before going in through the portal.


    By then, they had no idea of the danger waiting for them.

 Chapter 48: The Missing Cat

    As soon as Aster and Cassy entered the dungeon, the only thing they saw were the scattered dead slimes around. Some were already ttened, with their liquids all drained out, showing how long it had been since they were defeated.


    "Wow, K sure did a number on them!" Cassy eximed in awe while poking one dead slime.


    "That she did," Aster nodded in agreement. "Although it''s a waste to leave these behind, let''s go and find her fast."


    To not let her waste slime loot any further, the two started looking for her. Their process was easy¡ªsimply following the trail of dead slimes!


    Although they weren''t counting, the number of wasted slime corpses they found had already reached three digits. "Just how many did she hunt in that short amount of time?" Aster wondered, scratching his head lightly.


    Slowly, the trail started to be sparse. They were having a hard time finding the corpses, as Cassy''s ears couldn''t locate non-living beings. After all, dead things don''t let out sounds of any kind, like breathing or movement.


    "Huh? Weird..."


    But then the two suddenly came to a stop.


    Around them were live slimes, without any dead ones, meaning Kali hadn''t passed through there. However, her trail of slime corpses was leading to that point, making the two confused.


    "Did she get fed up with slimes and move to a different area?" Cassy muttered to herself.


    Aster studied the grass around him but quickly realized an anomaly. Many parts had grass stepped on by someone. It was hard to imagine it was done by a single individual, as the depressions were quite far from each other.


    "..."


    He started to get a bad feeling and began to follow the diverging, beaten paths. As he did, he ended uping to an open area, as if a battle had urred, with the grass everywhere cut off and stepped on many times.


    "Traces of battle!" Even Cassy gasped as she noticed what the scene represented.


    The two, with a renewed sense of urgency and danger, carefully examined the area. There were indications that sharp objects¡ªpossibly a dagger or a sword¡ªwere swinging across, and there were sizable depressions on the ground that appeared to have been left by a powerful hammer.


    As they were searching, Cassy raised her voice in panic. "Star! Come look over here...!"


    Aster moved fast, reaching her side in moments before seeing what was held in her hands.


    "Those are Kali''s daggers!" He gasped.


    He couldn''t be mistaken about it, as Kali''s weapons had this unique shape to them. It was something that couldn''t be seen on regr daggers in weapon shops. Furthermore, the biggest proof was the etched letters under the hilt of the de, K.N.!


    As he inspected the dagger, he started to frown. "This is bad..."


    The dagger''s de was covered in blood, meaning that she attacked "something" that bleeds out red blood. Of course, that couldn''t be Slime''s, as they don''t have blood. The only possibility was...


    "She encountered the kidnappers!"


    The one they heard about yesterday¡ªthe serial kidnappers who keep on kidnapping newbie adventurers! They had most likely caught Kali!


    Cassy, who was inspecting the other dagger, also showed a frown, unlike her usual demeanor.


    "Star, check this part." She urged while pointing at the blood stains on the hilt, in the shape of someone''s hand. "This... I think she was injured on her right arm. This isn''t her enemy''s blood, but her own."


    "Shit...!"


    The worst-case scenario yed out in Aster''s mind, making him almost panic. In situations like this, what should they do? He considered all possibilities quickly.


    First, they could return to the entrance, report the incident to the proper authorities, and wait for the resolution.


    ''However, that would be toote.''


    The serial kidnappers had been on the loose for a while without getting caught or seen by anyone. However, the dungeon only had one entrance, meaning... "They either have a base camp in here, or they have another way to enter and leave the dungeon!"


    Thetter of the two seemed more usible, given how they were operating on multiple floors. However, it should also be true that they have a base "somewhere" in the dungeon, where they keep their prisoners until it''s time to leave.


    The second choice was to act as bait, luring the kidnappers into taking them along too. However, that presents too much of a risk, possibly leading to death, and could end up just increasing the number of captives instead of being of help.


    "Then, we can only choose thest!" Aster dered it with a resolute expression. "We''ll go and track the kidnappers down and rescue Kali at once!"


    "I concur!" Cassy responded with a firm nod, a scared but fierce glint appearing in her orange eyes. "We''ll save K with our own hands!"


    "Good!" He nodded. "Then, our first task is to follow their tracks!"


    They, of course, weren''t idiotic enough to step on the tall grasses and leave tracks all over the ce. They instead followed the bare ground path, which left barely any tracks that those without any relevant knowledge could use.


    However, they missed one point while doing so.


    "We''ll follow the drops of blood, right?" Cassy asked while pointing at the red blots of various sizes along the ground.


    It was hard to see, but a track nheless. One that the enemies missed, since it''s not from their footsteps but from Kali herself!


    However, bleeding should stop soon after, clotting fast. Their track should end after about a few dozen meters, but to the two''s surprise, the droplets continued with the same regr distance between each drop.


    This meant either of two things. Kali''s wound was too big to clot in a short time, which could possibly lead to her quick death, or she was aggravating her wound herself, making it bleed continuously.


    Keeping her head cool and making calm judgments in critical situations. Kali surely is a good adventurer!


    "Let''s not waste her effort!"


    Aster dered before running, following the blood tracks leading into the goblins'' forest.

 Chapter 49: Tailing the Bad Guys!

    "You''ve seen it yet?"


    "No... Ah, I found it! Over here, Star!"


    As they entered the woods, it became a lot harder to identify the blood drops on the forest floor. One reason was that as more time passed, the bloodstains started turning ck, making it harder to identify within the dark forest and the dark-colored forest floor.


    "If only my nose were even remotely useful right now..."


    Rabbits should have a strong sense of hearing and smell, but Cassy is currently having trouble with her nose.


    After moving to her new lodging, she ended up missetting the air conditioning unit and setting it too cold. She didn''t realize it at first until the second day took a toll on her.


    Due to that, she caught a slight cold, not to the point of having a runny nose, but was still messing up her sense of smell greatly!


    "It''s fine; things happen," Aster whispered while gently patting her back. "Don''t me yourself for something that was beyond your control."


    However, if Kali was there, she would definitely say, "Adventurers should take care of their health first and foremost!" calling her stupid again and again for catching a cold.


    Although they were having a harder time looking for bloodstains, they were already quite deep into the forest.


    Luckily, the goblins around were already hunted down, making it a safe passage for the two. If not for that, then they would already be tired as hell and dyed by several hours!


    It had been roughly 3 hours since they began tracking the kidnappers, and the two were already too deep into the forest, making them wonder just how deep it could go.


    *Twitch!*


    Suddenly, Cassy''s ears flicked, straightening up in attention. Aster, who was slightly behind her, noticed this and held his breath, trying to get as quiet as possible.


    "... Found them!" She eximed with a joyful smile. "Over there!"


    "Alright! From here on, we''ll be moving as quietly as possible. Hide your presence to the limit."


    Without the need to look for the bloodstains anymore, the two of them quickened their pace, hiding behind the shrubs and thickets while avoiding stepping on dried branches and leaves.


    As they came close to their destination, Cassy raised her hand as a signal, warning Aster to keep his voice down.


    Then, after moving forward a few more dozen meters, a small camp entered the two''s sights. Just from a casual nce, they could already count over 20 hoodlums carrying scary-looking weapons with them.


    "...!"


    Aster looked around and quickly found a tall pole in the middle of the camp. Kali, along with a few more captives¡ªclose to half a dozen¡ªwere tied to it.


    But what surprised him more was that she had tworge wounds on her body. One around her shoulder, still dripping fresh blood until now, and another around her stomach, coloring her gray shirt a dark red hue, close to ck.


    "K...!"


    Cassy let out a soft voice before cing her hand over her lips as if to silence herself.


    However, her gaze was wavering as tears started to appear on their corners. She was feeling a mix of worry, concern, and pain from seeing their party member''s sorry state!


    Just as Cassy acted as if about to dash forward, Aster ced a hand over her shoulder before shaking his head.


    If they revealed their position right now, they would simply be captives like the rest. First, they need to think of a n to save Kali without getting caught, preferably including saving everyone else.


    After Aster studied the structure of their camp, he motioned to Cassy to move back, leaving the perimeter of the enemy''s camp.


    About a hundred meters away, they stopped and hid behind a tree before talking in hushed voices.


    "Star! Why did you stop me?" Cassy raised her voice, but not to the point of shouting. "If I get close to them, then I can heal Kali and let her escape!"


    "True, that could be possible." Aster nodded. "But doing that would mean you and Kali would just switch ces. Worse, you can just end up adding to the ones tied up over there, leaving me alone and unable to help."


    "That is...!"


    Cassy tried to counter, but as if she had regained her cool, she slowly quieted down.


    "Of course, I''m not saying we should abandon Kali." He continued with a grin. "I have a n, and you would be at the center of it all. Are you willing to do it?"


    "..."


    Cassy thought for a moment before nodding her head with a serious face. "Alright. Tell me about it."


    "Great resolve," Aster praised. "First..."


    Aster drew theyout of the enemy''s camp over the ground, exining the key points of his n. However, the more he told Cassy, the more her face turned pale.


    "Wouldn''t that ce all the risk on yourself?!" She asked, now more worried about Aster than Kali. "There''s no way I would agree to this!"


    "Right, you won''t... but this is the only valid choice we have." He exined. "And the more we dy, the higher the risk is for me and for you too."


    They didn''t have time. Although there''s a possibility of the enemy numbers decreasingter, the possibility of them increasing or moving toward their own "exit," leading to probably their main base, was a lot higher.


    "But..." Cassy seemed to be unconvinced, worried about Aster''s safety.


    However, at the same time, she realizes that dying the matter would make it riskier for either or both of them.


    "Alright," Cassy responded while wiping away the tears from her eyes. "But promise me you won''t try to push yourself!"


    "I won''t. It''s not like I want to die." Aster grinned. "Rather, I can''t die until I reach the 1000th floor of this dungeon!"


    With the two of them on the same page, they quickly moved to their designated positions and prepared. Aster went to the opposite corner of the camp, staying low and waiting for the time they agreed upon toe.


    Three more minutes until their operation starts!

 Chapter 50: Saving the Damsel in Distress! (1)

    Aster kept himself hidden so that the kidnappers wouldn''t unintentionally find him. At the same time, he was observing them, keeping track of every member present.


    ''Twenty-eight kidnappers and 7 captives...'' He counted in the end.


    All the kidnappers were men with tough-looking builds, making it a little scary for Aster to think about what he was about to do next.


    "Phew..."


    He took a deep breath while keeping track of the time.


    Then, when there was only a minute left, he began to move away from the camp, about fifty meters in all, before closing his eyes. Soon after, the carved seal on the back of his right hand started to release a faint glow.


    It wasn''t bright enough to attract unwanted attention, thankfully, so he could concentrate without getting worried about interruptions.


    "... Now!"


    When his mental timer reached zero, he started to wave his hand forward,manding the seal on his arm.


    From his time with the giant snake right after waking up, he realized that the seal''s effect can reach great distances. The room back then was just about 50 meters on each side, and it froze all the way, meaning the Legacy Level Carved Seal he had could cover 50 meters at least.


    That distance was the exact distance he was on right then.


    "BURN!"


    To attract as much attention as possible, rather than freezing the ce, he chose the more destructive option. Setting the forest, along with one of the tents set up, into mes!


    Aster could control his carved seal as long as he had enough time and was given the space to concentrate. As such, there was no way he would fail to control his carved seal currently.


    The temperature within fifty meters of Aster rose to unbelievable levels, breaking past four digits in a sh. The trees, despite being alive and filled with moisture, reached their autoignition temperature and burst into mes! Moisture in the air turned superheated in an instant before causing a steam explosion.


    *PSHHH!* *BOOM!*


    A plot of forest, 100 meters in diameter, suddenly became a raging inferno, creating a hellish scene!


    "Fire!"


    "Oh no, the supplies tent...!"


    "Take cover!"


    *KABOOM!*


    Roars echoed from all over before a loud explosion followed shortly after.


    The only tent that Aster included in his range ended up being the storage tent where their supplies were stored. Inside it, not only their food, water, and alcohol were stored; but they even had crates full of bullets for their weapons, along with explosives saved for emergencies.


    The powerful explosion covered arge area, but thankfully, the area where the captives were was hidden beyond another tent, lessening the damage that reached them.


    However, the flying bullets, shrapnel, and such that followed after the explosion caused severe damage and injuries to the kidnappers and captives alike.


    "Shit...!" Aster almost panicked after seeing the aftermath of his actions. "I overdid it!"


    Of course, he couldn''t predict that the tent contained explosives, so it wasn''t really his fault. But it was true that he was the one to set it on fire, so the me still falls on him.


    Of the 28 kidnappers, half were heavily injured from being too close to the explosion. The remaining half had varying degrees of burns and injuries but had the same rage burning in their eyes.


    "IT''S AN ENEMY ATTACK! FIND THE FUCKER WHO DID THIS!"


    "It came from that direction!"


    "Shit, the forest is on fire! Someone, control the mes! Don''t let it spread to the rest of the tents!"


    Panic spread as the remaining kidnappers split into three groups. One group of two handled the spreading fire, starting to control it so that it wouldn''t spread. Another group of five moved their injured allies to safety, addressing their wounds, before some went to help control the mes.


    Finally, the rest moved toward the burning forest, looking for Aster, who had caused it all.


    "Distraction sessful!" He eximed while showing a smile mixed with happiness and nervousness. "I''ll leave the rest to you, Cassy!" He prayed while moving away.


    Due to the passive effect of his carved seal, Aster was able to move through raging mes without any problems¡ªwell, almost none. The path he stepped on had its temperature brought to room temperature in a sh, causing mini vacuums in the air around him as the air rapidly cooled and heated up again as he passed. Air was constantly pushing toward him, making it hard to breathe!


    *BOOM!*


    And as a side effect, the mini-vacuums released sounds as if they were exploding, creating a signal that his pursuers could hear.


    "OVER THERE!"


    And as the noise was revealing his location, his pursuers found him right away.


    *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*


    *RATATAT!*


    Bullets flew toward him, making Aster''s face pale. Even with the distance between them, the enemy should still be able to hit him with one bullet at least, unless they were as bad at aiming as the St*rmtroopers were.


    "...!"


    However, unlike what he expected, none of the bullets reached him at all.


    The reason was that before they could even reach him, the bullets had already turned to liquid metal, melting into a flying goo and dropping to the ground before even reaching halfway through!


    "Fire! Fire! Fire! Don''t let that fucker get away!"


    But the enemies werepletely clueless about what was happening. They thought that they were merely missing him due to the difference in air density, as the forest was burning hot! However, no matter how they readjusted their aim, even taking into consideration the hot air interfering with their bullet''s trajectories, none managed to hit the still-running Aster.


    "Fuck...! Chase after him, you useless bastards! Bring his head to me!"


    Of the seven, two of the faster ones ran quickly across the burning area. However, that was a mistake on their part.


    "GYAAAAH!"


    As soon as they entered, it was as if they were thrown into an incinerator with the heat turned up by ten times the normal; their skins burst into mes, turning them into human torches!


    Their suffering didn''tst that long. Soon after, they fell to the ground, with their bodies "evaporating" from the extreme heat of the zone ahead of them. Two deaths were dered in a sh!


    "STOP!"


    The remaining five quickly halted in their steps, frowning hard.


    "This isn''t normal fire! Let''s detour around it! Don''t touch the burning sections! Keep clear of the fire!" He shouted once more before running.


    Aster, who was already a hundred meters ahead of them, turned back and frowned. Although it was practically an ident, he still ended up taking someone''s life. His conscience was making him feel bad, but he quickly ignored it.


    First, he needs to keep an appropriate distance from the enemies, hide, and proceed to the second stage of the n.

 Chapter 51: Saving the Damsel in Distress! (2)

    Right as the first explosion echoed, Cassy was bing extremely worried. Although she was on the opposite side, the powerful shockwaves and heat still managed to reach her position!


    "Star...!"


    She whispered in worry as she saw the raging mesing from the other side. However, she knew that she didn''t have time to worry about him. Half of the enemies were incapacitated, with half of the remaining moving to hunt Aster down. They were so busy doing their things that they couldn''t focus on keeping watch over their captives!


    Cassy waited until the kidnappers were further away before she jumped up from her hiding spot and approached Kali and the others. They were also victims of the earlier explosion, with a few people suffering injuries from splinters that flew randomly.


    "You...!"


    Kali''s eyes opened wide after seeing who hade, but her expression turned to a frown immediately. "Idiot, you should''ve called for backup instead ofing to save me alone!"


    "Yeah, right! But we could lose your track if we returned, so this is our decision!" Cassy replied while waving her dagger.


    *SLASH!*


    With a single swing, she cut off the ropes tied to the post, freeing everyone. Right after, she cut the restraints around Kali''s hand and legs before passing her daggers back. "Don''t lose them again, alright?" Cassy grinned teasingly.


    "... I left them on purpose, stupid rabbit."


    Cassy waved her hand dismissively, as if already ustomed to getting called out like that. "Right right, I''m an idiot. Anyway, can you move?"


    From a nce, she could see tworge wounds on top of several smaller scratches and a bruise. It looked extremely painful, but Cassy tried to keep a straight face while examining her body.


    "No good. I have a few broken bones, and my shoulder is dislocated. I''d need a heal."


    "Got it! Then, let me try a new skill I''ve been practicing!" Cassy replied promptly before chanting. "Priodis Sirreo fen Cura! Minor Area Heal!"


    As she finished saying the magic words, arge white circle appeared under Kali and the other captives. The light slowly healed their wounds and fixed any broken bones they had. It was just as powerful as a Minor Heal, but it instead applied to an area instead of to an individual alone!


    "Always striving for self-improvement..." Kali whispered while trying to move her arm, whirling it around. "Now that''s an adventurer!"


    Kali picked up her daggers. The next instant, all the restraints of the remaining six other captives¡ªfour girls and two guys¡ªwere shredded to scraps.


    "All of you, run toward the entrance. If you go straight, you should be able to keep clear of the goblins. Go!"


    Kali didn''t want to babysit them for two reasons. One was that it''s not her job; her main job before being an adventurer was to act as Aster''s guard. And at the moment, the very person she was supposed to protect was nowhere in sight.


    "Hey! The captives are escaping!"


    "Shit! Catch them before n returns, or we''ll get chewed onter!"


    The second was that they were already discovered. Meaning, they need someone to distract the approaching kidnappers for a while!


    "Stupid rabbit, cover for me!"


    "Got it!"


    The two girls moved to their battle formations immediately. However, Kali''s wounds did close, but the blood she lost hasn''t returned. She was still feeling lightheaded from blood loss but had to brave it out for now. They need to fight!


    ''Can''t let them regroup, or it''ll be a repeat of when they caught me!'' Kali thought as she lowered her stance, kicking off the ground and rushing forward.


    Right. She only became a target because it was impossible for her to effectively dodge in the midst of arge group of level 3s. But in terms of one-on-one skirmishes, she''s still ahead of these training-less goons.


    Like a silver meteor, she rushed across the distance between them, appearing before the two kidnappers who discovered them.


    "Shit...!"


    The man closest to her could only curse as he was helplessly beaten to the ground, cut twice at the heels, and given one clean stab to the heart through the left armpit, the gap in his armor. It happened in a blink, enough that his buddy could only stare in shock.


    "You fucking cat...! Don''t underestimate me!"


    The second one waved his sword, but it wasn''t able to even touch Kali''s clothes. His movement was just too slow for him to catch the little speedster!


    Kali didn''t open her mouth and swung her two daggers, cutting the tendons on the enemy''s right arm that was holding the sword. As soon as his hand fell powerlessly, she circled to his back and swung both daggers, cutting the carotid arteries in his neck.


    "... Two down. Phew..."


    Kali let out a long breath, the one she had been holding the entire time, and started to wheeze. She was already feeling anemic, so it was no wonder she got tired easily!


    "You didn''t even give me time to back you up!" Cassy, who just caught up from behind, eximed in anger. "You''ve just recovered, and it''s not aplete recovery, so don''t force yourself!"


    "Shut up, more are iing!"


    "...!"


    They didn''t even have time to preach as the rest of the guys who were gathering their fallenrades¡ªall three of them¡ªstarted to approach. Unlike the earlier two, they were already in formation and had their weapons ready.


    "You take one of them; I''ll handle the rest," Kali announced while readying her daggers.


    Cassy nodded as she, too, held her dagger right in the middle of her body. "Got it! Then, I''ll handle the big guy to the right!"


    The two moved at the same time, kicking off the ground and lunging at the same speed. Their spontaneous eleration was almost equal!


    "Ohh! I like this rabbit one. Bastards, she''s mine, alright?!"


    The big man to the right, the one that Cassy was shooting for, smiled widely while waving his gigantic hammer. It was as if he was predicting where she wouldnd and mmed his weapon beforehand.


    "...!"


    Kali saw this and was about to warn Cassy, but before she did, the rabbit already nted a leg to the ground, acting as brakes, before doing a light jump, dodging the hammer, andnding behind the big man.


    ''Good. It looks like she can handle herself.'' Kali sighed in relief before turning to face the remaining two.


    She actually had it worse than Cassy. Her enemies were also speed types, one having twin daggers just like her, while the other was waving twin pistols.


    "..."


    The disadvantage was just too obvious!

 Chapter 52: I Can Handle it Myself! (1)

    Kali switched to a reverse grip on the right-hand dagger, increasing her possible reactions to any attacks. With her fighting two versus one, her priority was to keep herself safe while trying to reduce their numbers by one. How? That''s her assignment.


    "Dumb little bitch, have ya already forgotten how ye''re subdued before? And ya still dare bare yo fangs against us once more?!"


    "She needs to be taught a hard lesson... As long as we keep her alive, the boss could heal her injuries, so let''s beat her up until she''s half dead!"


    "..."


    Kali''s gaze didn''t waver, keeping the two within her peripheral vision. She was waiting for the opportune moment to move. The two guys facing her also weren''t simply rushing forward. Although they were talking big, they knew that they were weaker than Kali and, as such, didn''t dare to attack her without making sure that they had the advantage.


    *BOOOM!*


    A secondary explosion, probably from a bomb that got sted away before igniting, created a bright light, blinding Kali for a moment. She raised her arm across her face a momentter, but it was already toote. Her vision would take a few seconds to return to normal!


    "Chance!"


    One of the two, the one using twin pistols, quickly aimed toward Kali and pulled the trigger. He fired the left and right with about a 0.5-second gap between each shot, keeping his aim straight at his target.


    *WHOOSH!*


    But at the same instant that he pulled the trigger, Kali moved.


    Even without her vision, she had already memorized the terrain in her mind. She ducked down, dashed to arge arc to the right, and started zigzagging, making sure that the enemy wouldn''t get a line of fire toward her.


    "Shit...! Bastard, stop screwing around! Aim properly!!!"


    The one with the dagger cursed at the other one, seeing how all his shots missed their target. Fear gripped his heart as he imagined what would happen when Kali''s vision returned. Although she was the one who lost her vision, it was they who were feeling pressured!


    However, Kali''s movement was too irregr. He was even barely able to keep her in his vision!


    *CLICK!*


    "...!"


    And without even five seconds passing, he ran out of bullets and had to reload. Kali''s ears picked up the clicking sound of the pistol, realizing that the enemy had emptied his magazine.


    A ten-round mag!''


    She took note before changing directions, heading straight toward the enemy''s position.


    "Shit! Yo, go, man! Don''t tell me ya scared of a blind opponent?!"


    "... Fuck!"


    Kali''s ability was real. Even while blinded, she hadplete control over her body and didn''t trip on random pebbles and splinters on the ground. Her eyes were already half-recovered by then, and she was able to glimpse her opponent''s contours slightly. In just a few more seconds, her vision would return to normal!


    The man, wielding two daggers, dashed toward Kali, meeting her halfway. He was a rune bear beastman, so he was slower than her¡ªbut he made up for it with incredible strength.


    *WHOOOOSH!*


    A single swing of his dagger was able to create a whirlwind, enough that Kali was pulled off bnce for an instant. Not missing a beat, the bear beastman swung his other dagger in tandem, aiming straight for Kali''s face, but...


    *TANG!* *SWOOSH!*


    The powerful strike was easily parried by Kali. His dagger flew away from her, following the direction of his swing unhindered, which led him to expose his side¡ªa fatal opening!


    Even with blurred vision, Kali could simte what would happen two seconds ahead of her. She took a firm step forward, stabbed the dagger on her right while her back was facing him, and pulled it right after.


    A new breathing hole was opened on the man''s side, just below his armpit!


    As Kali''s dagger had serrated marks on the face of the de, the wound was aggravatedpletely.


    Adding to the fact that the rune bear beastman had adrenaline speeding up his heartbeat and increasing his blood pressure, red liquid sprayed like a broken faucet out of his side.


    Of course, it was impossible to predict how blood would spray out of a wound, so Kali ended up having some spray right over her eyes, irritating them slightly. She wiped it away the next instant, but her vision became blurry once again.


    "Damn it...!"


    The other man, who was still halfway reloading his pistols, cursed as he saw Kali move from his pal toward him. His breathing got even more ragged as his fingers trembled from fear and panic. But fortunately for him, he managed to reload one gun sessfully before Kali made it to his location.


    *BANG!* *BANG!*


    He fired twice, the first one trying to aim right at Kali''s head, with the second one firing almost at random due to the recoil. Kali methodically dodged the first bullet by doing a sidestep to the right, but as luck would have it, the second shot was aimed right where she stopped.


    "Ugh!"


    A bullet hit her right chest, embedding into her lungs and stunning her for a moment. The pain made her head turn white, but her body still moved even without her input. She was moving as if a robot, fully automatic!


    She jumped forward, reaching right next to the man, and swung her backhand-gripped dagger up, like an uppercut. Her de cut the man from his groin up to his chin, possibly splitting him in half if what she was holding was a bit longer.


    The man fell on his back from the impact, with his stomach opening up and his guts spilling all over the ground as blood covered him in a sh. It was a gruesome sight, but Kali''s senses had yet to return, so she at least didn''t need to see it.


    "Argh... fuck!"


    She cursed as she applied pressure to her wounded area, which was stinging with pain. It was already difficult for her to breathe even before the punctured lung reduced her respiratory function to half.


    She kept gasping for air while turning toward Cassy, who was still in the middle of a fierce battle against the man with the giant hammer.


    ''I should help her...!'' Kali thought, but her state was far from being fit to help. In fact, she was now barely able to move!


    While she was looking at Cassy''s fight, the other party turned to her with a pale face and shouted in panic. "K! Behind you!"


    *SQUELCH!*


    But her warning was a second toote. A sword passed through Kali''s stomach from behind, causing her eyes to open wide in shock.


    "Looking away while fighting?! I''m being underestimated, aren''t I?!"


    Things took a turn for the worse when Cassy momentarily lost concentration and took a solid blow from the hammering from her right side. Out of nowhere, they found themselves in a very precarious position!

 Chapter 53: I Can Handle it Myself! (2)

    Just when Kali and Cassy were starting their fight, Aster was keeping himself hidden behind arge tree, trying to keep his breathing in control while listening to the sounds around him.


    "Fucking hell! Where did that bastard go?!"


    "Split up! He couldn''t have gone far!"


    "No, don''t go alone. You,e with me; the rest, go over there and search!"


    Aster could hear their loud voices echoing in the forest, anger evident in their words and tone. Although this was still going ording to n, his breathing was already ragged from running just a few hundred meters.


    ''Shit, I reallyck stamina!'' Hemented while trying to calm down.


    Footsteps and crunched leaves reached his ears, telling him how the two teams split up. The one with three members went toward his left side, while the other two went right. In about thirty seconds, they should be able to locate him andunch a pincer attack!


    "Phew..."


    Aster took a deep breath, calming down his nerves while concentrating. Right, he wasn''t out of options just yet. He focused his attention on his right hand once more, trying to activate his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal!


    ''Fire is too destructive, so I''ll go with ice this time!''


    To activate his carved seal, he needed about 10 seconds of concentration. He should be able to hide that long at least, so he continued without any worries.


    *BANG!*


    "...!"


    But for some reason, someone fired right where he was, with the bullet grazing the tree he was hiding behind. ''They found me?!''


    Aster half-panicked but continued the activation process. He can''t cancel it right now, or he''ll definitely not make it in time!


    "Boss, there''s a weird convergence of mana over there! The bastard is hiding behind that tree!"


    "Good job! Fire! Cut down that tree!"


    Aster heard their voices, so he quickly dove down, lying prone on the ground. A secondter, bullets came raining down from four directions, gradually carving the trunk of the tree behind him.


    "Kuh...!"


    As bullets rained down on him from behind, Aster did his best to concentrate. But he was not exactly a Zen master, so naturally, it had a major impact on his ability to concentrate. He had to maintain his focus for an additional seven seconds as the necessary ten seconds increased by half!


    ''If I could only activate it instantly...!''


    Aster recalled how he froze the giant snake before andmented hisck of ability to do the same. He closed his eyes, covering his head with his hand, and prayed that no bullet bounced around and hit him.


    "FOUND YOU, YOU BASTARD!"


    "Shi...!"


    When a voice echoed close by, Aster realized that they were using the guns as cover to keep him pinned while someone approached and delivered the finishing blow. He turned around, seeing the face of the macr beastman, and smiled.


    "Just in time!" He eximed before shouting out loud with his arm extending forward. "FREEZE!"


    A sh of blue waves swept over the entire forest, covering an area of over 100 meters in radius¡ªmore than twice his range before. That was more than enough distance to include all five enemies within the area!


    Aster watched the beastman freeze in ce, whose expression was rapidly turning to one of pure terror. In just a single second, five ice statues were created!


    "Haaa... Haaa... Haa, urp!"


    Aster felt like the contents of his stomach wereing up due to abination of nausea from exhaustion, mental fatigue, and the burden of taking someone is life. He was unable to control his gag reflex and threw up. His breath came out in short gasps as he rubbed his arm roughly over his lips, feeling the sourness of stomach acid.


    "I gotta go..." He whispered in a trance, standing up and facing the camp once more. "I need to return to Cassy..."


    With shaky steps, he began walking his way back. However, it would''ve been better if he simply stayed in ce. In doing so, he could have prevented himself from facing despair once again.


    ---


    "Bitch... you killed my buddies!!!"


    Kali flinched as an angry voice thundered behind her. Before she could turn, a sharp kicknded on her back,unching her forward. She hit the ground hard, tumbling and rolling.


    Blood and other matters dripped out of therge wound over her stomach as she tried to stand right back up. However, she doubled over, hacking violently, each cough sttering the ground with blood.


    Her injury was so severe that it could be deadly if not attended to quickly!


    *THUD!* *CRACK!*


    Cassy, on the other hand, barely had time to raise her arm and leg in defense before the big guy''s heavy hammer mmed into her. The force reverberated through her body; she felt pain spread all over as her bones cracked and gave way under the brutal impact before getting mmed to the ground like a ping-pong ball.


    She bounced several times before rolling to a stop right where Kali was. Of course, this wasn''t a coincidence. Cassy adjusted her trajectory before shended, making sure that she fell toward Kali.


    "~... Minor... Area Heal!"


    She continued to chant, enveloping them in a brilliant white healing light, even though she was bleeding profusely internally, with her ribs poking through her lungs.


    "Hah! You think I''d let you recover?!" The man who stabbed Kali rushed to chase them before hacking his sword down. "JUST DROP DEAD YOU BITCH!"


    *TING!* *SLASH!*


    "Tsk...!"


    But to his surprise, Kali mustered herst bit of strength and deflected his sword. She then countered with a swift sh, forcing him to take half a step back. Though he sessfully dodged the de, the sudden movement left him off-bnce and almost stumbling.


    With the few seconds that her attack bought them, her injuries closed up enough that they wouldn''t hinder her movements. Pain still throbbed through her body, but she gritted her teeth, lunged forward with her daggers shing red, and shed down at her enemy.


    "Dagger Skill! TWIN FANGGG!!!"


    "Sword Skill! Cleave!!!"


    The enemy didn''t simply watch andunch a skill of his own. His sword, glowing yellow, mmed against the red daggers and exploded with power, sending dust rolling and limiting visibility.


    "HAAAAP!"


    Meanwhile, under the cover of dust clouds, Cassy sprang into action. Although her bones were realigned, her internal bleeding wasn''t addressed properly yet, causing pain to assault her senses.


    Still, she jumped around, circling her opponent, before leaping forward with a powerful lunge!


    "NAIVE!"


    But her opponent wasn''t one to fall for such a simple trick. Using the wide body of his hammer, he blocked Cassy''s dagger, merely causing a few sparks to fly as their weapons struck each other.


    *SCHIIIING!*


    But Cassy didn''t stop. Instead, she followed through with her momentum and continued forward before leaping in another lunge.


    "Where are you aiming...?!"


    Just as the big man was about to mock her forpletely missing her second lunge, he noticed who was in the direction she was going.


    "Marco!!!" He shouted, but it was toote.


    The man facing Kali, locking des with her, had his back facing Cassy. As such, her dagger went right through his left chest from the back, going straight through his heart.


    "Haa... agh." He gasped as blood bubbled in his throat before falling forward helplessly.


    Another kill was confirmed!

 Chapter 54: I Can Handle it Myself! (3)

    Cassy pulled her dagger, shing it on empty air to shake off the blood. Her fingers trembled at the new sensation, something she hadn''t experienced before. Just like Aster, it was her first time taking someone''s life!


    The sensation of her dagger digging through flesh, hitting bones, and cracking them. Everything was vivid in her senses, making her hyperventte as she panted hard. Just as she was having tunnel vision, a hand patted her shoulder, bringing her back to reality.


    "Well done, Stup¡ªCassy... Now, just one more!"


    Of course, the man''s death wasn''t just Cassy''s achievement. It was a joint effort!


    What happened was no ident. The "smokescreen," followed by the two enemies facing back to back with each other, and Cassy''s "missed" lunge. Everything was nned right when the two were in the middle of Cassy''s Minor Area Heal Spell!


    Of course, it wasn''t a specific n, more like a suggestion. But the two managed to pull it off regardless!


    Cassy closed her eyes, nodding, before turning to the big guy with the hammer.


    "Now, only you are left!"


    She smiled fiercely, putting off the thought of having taken someone''s life.


    With the two of them regrouping and standing side by side, they should be more of a threat now than before with coordinated attacks! However, the man with the hammer grinned from ear to ear, pping the hammer over his shoulder before speaking confidently.


    "Hah! Even if you teamed up, there''s no way you can pierce through my defense!"


    "..."


    Cassy''s frown returned. After all, she knew how tough the enemy''s skin was after fighting him for a while. Even when shended shes, not even a scratch remained on him! This, of course, was definitely due to a skill''s effect, if not a spell.


    Without warning, as if not even bothering to listen to him, Kali moved. The big man gasped in surprise, moving his hammer to cover his vitals, unable to catch Kali''s figure from her lightning-sh speed.


    *SLASH!* *PLOP!*


    "What an arrogant bear." Kali stopped a few meters behind the bearman, spinning her two daggers around her fingers.


    "We can''t injure you? If that''s true, then how did you get your ears clipped off, huh?" She sneered. "You''re just full of air; there''s not much to write home about."


    "Urk!"


    The bear man saw two pieces of "something" fall to the ground. In panic, he moved his left hand to touch the top of his head, moving around as if trying to look for something. However, he could only feel two wet stumps, coloring his palm a deep red.


    "YOU...! MY EARS...!" The man roared in a mix of pain and anguish, thrashing around. "YOU FUCKING CUT OFF MY EARS!!! I''LL KILL YOU!!!"


    Kali, seeding in making her enemy lose their cool, was calm. She watched his movements and matched them, dodging his hammer at the smallest margins possible, fueling his anger and irritation even more.


    *BAM!* *WHOOOSH!* *BOOOM!*


    The hammer waved around randomly, with power enough to break all the bones in Kali''s body with just one strike. However, it wasn''t even grazing her¡ªa perfect disy of dodging skills!


    *STAB!*


    "It worked...!"


    Cassy, who was watching for the right moment, made another lunge using her strong jumping abilities and stabbed her dagger directly into the big man''s side. The de entered through, sinking up to the hilt.


    "ARGH?! THAT HURTS, YOU...!"


    As if irritated, he sent a kick behind him. Despite the fact that it was just a casual kick, the man''s size and weight made it simr to receiving a hammer blow. Cassy dodged in panic and ended up letting go of her dagger, leaving it still embedded on the enemy''s side!


    After shooing Cassy off, he returned his gaze to Kali but realized his mistake a momentter. He shouldn''t have moved his gaze away from her! Kali vanished, her current position a mystery to the man. He lowered his stance, keeping his senses sharpened while preparing to attack at any given moment.


    However, the only one he could feel was Cassy, who was trying to be as noisy as possible while jumping around and moving to confuse the big guy.


    *SQUELCH!*


    "Assassinate."


    And when Kali reappeared, it was already toote for him. Her dagger had found its way to cut off the spine from the back of his neck. Even if he didn''t die from that, with the nervesing down from his brain shredded, he would be paralyzed and unable to move until he died.


    The big man fell forward with a thud, and Kalinded beside him, wiping the blood off her dagger using the man''s clothes.


    "It''s over..." Kali sighed while sheathing her daggers.


    She then moved to the man''s side and pulled Cassy''s dagger out, watching as blood started to flow out of the wound like a river.


    "Catch!"


    She chucked the dagger at the orange rabbit, who just sat down on the ground, panting hard. Her legs gave out as soon as the fight ended, relieving the tension from her nerves.


    Kali watched her carefully before closing her eyes. "We''ll move once you''re rested enough. Take your time."


    "That... I will..." Cassy responded with a wry smile before lying down on the ground.


    Both of them were tired, and their bodies were hurting from all the injuries they suffered. Kali''s wounds, for example, only closed up on the surface. Inside, it was still a mess, making her brain feel nothing but pain at the moment.


    Cassy was better off, with only the right side of her body feeling off, as if numb, after receiving a direct hit from the hammer earlier.


    She could still move by forcing herself, though.


    As the two were resting, feeling the heating from the burning forest a short distance away, they suddenly started to hear "anomalous" noises.


    "D-Don''te here...! AAAARGH!"


    "H-HELP!"


    "GYAAAA!!!"


    "N-No... way..."


    Voices, tinged with panic and despair, echoed from a short distance away.


    As the two heard this, they quickly became alert and tried to rouse their tired bodies, looking toward the direction the voice came from. There, they could see shadows lit by mes in the background, running in panic toward their direction.


    "More enemies?" Kali frowned.


    Those running toward them were those who were heavily damaged by the initial explosion earlier. After they were healed with potions and such, they were left there by the now-dead kidnappers, waiting for the potion to work and fix them up.


    "...!"


    The problem, however, was that the shadows consisted not only of humanlike figures; among the shadows, a big figure could be seen, moving around and killing those who tried to run first, as if ying.


    Cassy was familiar with what that figure was, as she saw it just a few days ago.


    "... The Dire Wolf!"

 Chapter 55: The Big Bad Wolf (1)

    The field boss, the Dire Wolf.


    It was supposedly a monster with a low encounter rate, but Cassy was in shock after seeing it for the second time within just a few days. Right, the Dire Wolf wasn''t something you could see every day¡ªa rare monster through and through!


    Well, its appearance at the scene wasn''t due to Cassy''s presence in any way, but more because it noticed themotion and came out of curiosity. It smelled all the blood and gore that was spread around the ce, and was lured by it!


    "...!"


    Cassy was unable to move, both from fatigue and fear. She merely stared ahead, watching as the big wolf maimed the running kidnappers, killing them one after another.


    "We''re running...!"


    Fortunately, she wasn''t alone. Kali stood up first, pulled Cassy to her feet, and dragged her away. The pair run in the opposite direction, heading to where Aster was, nning to regroup first before moving toward the entrance of the dungeon.


    "...!"


    But right the next moment, they realized that they were in bigger danger now than when they were on the ground.


    *AWOOOOO!*


    A howl echoed, imprinting fear into their minds. Kali managed to force her body to move, but Cassy ended up frozen in fear. She couldn''t even take a step and tag along!


    "Kuh! Stupid... Rabbit...!" Kali cursed as she lifted Cassy on her back before running at full speed.


    However, arge presence was chasing after the two, telling them that the Dire Wolf had already wiped out the few kidnappers and now moved on to targeting them.


    "Shit!"


    Kali was nearly panicking. She knew that she couldn''t outrun the Dire Wolf while carrying someone on her back. However, she could never leave Cassy behind, which would basically mean her death.


    As such, she forced herself to move beyond her limit, increasing her speed even more, until she entered the forest.


    "...! Aster!"


    Her eyes quickly picked up on the man''s visage, and she walked toward them with staggering steps. He looked tired and out of sorts, but mostly uninjured.


    "Hey! Weakling! Run to the entrance!!!" Kali shouted to him.


    "Huh?"


    Aster heard her shout, fortunately, and raised his gaze. Turning in the direction where it came from, he found Kali''s figure, with Cassy on her back, running as if their lives were on the line. He squinted lightly, noticing that "something" was chasing them¡ªa familiar figure at that.


    "That is...!"


    As soon as he realized what was chasing the two, he quickly decided on his next move. It was a gamble, however, but still the best option he had.


    "KALI! JUMP!" He shouted as he activated the Magic Carved Seal on his right hand.


    As he did, he pped his palm toward the forest floor, using the contact as the starting point. In an instant, frost spread from his hand, rushing all over and turning the ground pure white¡ªfrozen in solid ice!


    Kali saw what was happening, and although she was confused, she did as Aster asked. She jumped up just as the expanding white wave was about to reach her. She didn''t hold back and leaped as high as she could, but since she had someone on her back, the best she managed was a full second of air time.


    *CRACKLE!*


    It was more than enough, thankfully, as the frost reached the one chasing from behind them, its back leg getting caught in the ice and freezing. As if fell forward, as if tripping, even its front legs and body got frozen!


    "...!"


    Kali saw this happen from her peripheral vision, so she started to fearnding on the ice that Aster made. Fortunately, Aster managed to stop the freezing wave the moment shended, which ended up not freezing her. But the ground turned to ice and got slippery, making Kali slip and fall as shended.


    *BAM!* *CRACK!*


    "Argh!"


    It was a bad fall, making her m face-first against the frozen ground and with extra weight mming against her back to boot, cracking her bones.


    "K!" Cassy shouted in worry before trying to crawl out of her back and try to pull her up. "Are you alright?!" She questioned without realizing that a snapped, frozen branch had pierced her thigh and was causing her to limp.


    "Does it look like I''m alright?"


    Kalimented, wiping the blood dripping down her nose. She also held her stomach, which got another fresh wound from falling on top of a sharp icicle. To make it worse, it ovepped with her earlier injury and hurts a ton!


    "You two, no time to chat! We need to run!"


    Although Aster managed to freeze the Dire Wolf, it wasn''t aplete one since he was afraid that Kali and Cassy would get caught in the range. As such, the most he froze were its legs, which it could escape from with just a little pain and effort or break past instantly with grim determination.


    Cracks were already showing on the ice covering the wolf''s leg, telling him that it would only take a few seconds at most before it could escape.


    "Wait, let me cast a heal first, at least!" Cassy suggested. "Star,e here, quick!"


    With her leg, with a frozen branch still stuck inside it, and Kali''s stomach bleeding, they would be unable to run for long.


    They were already about twenty meters away from each other, so Aster could rush to their side before her chant finished. He plopped down, pulled Kali to her feet, and stood up with her just as Cassy finished her chant.


    "Priodis Sirreo fen Cura! Minor Area Heal!"


    White light covered the three, fixing their wounds... slowly.


    Unlike before, the speed at which they healed was less than half of what it should be! Cassy should have four uses of heal, but she didn''t take into consideration how the Area Heal is stronger, using up her manapletely.


    Aster could tell that their wounds were healing slowly, and he began to think. Fortunately, he recalled how he was carrying a few first-aid items in his pockets.


    He pulled out apressed bandage as he roughly extracted the ice stuck on Cassy''s injury and smacked it over her wound.


    *SLAP!*


    "Ugh!"


    She groaned in pain as the bandage started to wrap around her thigh automatically. The white strips of cloth quickly turned red from her blood and spread gradually, however, showing that her injury was healing too slowly.


    Kali realized they wouldn''t make it in time if they waited for their wounds to fully heal. As soon as Cassy''s wound closed up, she nodded to the two and resumed their escape.


    "... This much is fine. Let''s go!"


    She led from the front, with Aster in the middle and Cassy guarding the back. It was their typical formation, but for some reason, Aster felt more like he was being escorted.


    *GROOOOOWL!* *CRASH!*


    A momentter, a powerful roar echoed, along with the sharp sound of ice crystals breaking. The Dire Wolf managed to free itself and, with burning anger, chased behind the three!

 Chapter 56: The Big Bad Wolf (2)

    Aster, Cassy, and Kali ran for their lives, cutting across the dark forest at breakneck speed while trying to keep clear of roots and such to avoid tripping their legs.


    *ROOOOAR!*


    More than a howl, it was a growl filled with anger that could be heard right behind them!


    ''If we ran just like this, then the Dire Wolf would catch up soon!'' Aster thought as he started to figure out another way to survive.


    Just running alone couldn''t let them survive. They need a n, at least!


    As he was looking around, he noticed a certain spot that could help them in their predicament. A part of the forest where the greenery was too thick will make it hard for the three-meter-tall wolf to chase them!


    "...! Over there! K! Head to the left!"


    "Got it!"


    With just a nce, Kali understood what Aster wanted to achieve and turned to the left. But this caused their speed to drop a little, allowing the Field Boss to shorten the distance between them! Cassy was almost within a w''s swiping distance!


    "JUMP!" Kali urged.


    "Hiiik!"


    She hurried her pace, almost bumping against Aster, as they jumped through the part of the forest with trees too close to each other. The trees were still young, with some looking almost dried from the fiercepetition for sunlight, water, and nutrients in the soil. Still, it should be more than enough to block the wolf''s way.


    *AWOOOOO!*


    Unable to enter that part of the forest, the Dire Wolf red at the three before quickly running around it, nning to circle around and catch them from the other side.


    Of course, the trio didn''t dare waste this god-given chance and rushed to the other side. It was a race to see who would arrive at the exit, leading to the grasnds, first!


    A straight line is shorter than going around, so the three got out into the grasnds first. As soon as they did, Kali and Cassy sharpened their senses, trying to locate the Dire Wolf and checking if it was stilling after them.


    "... Nothing but slimes?"


    "Same, but..."


    The two discussed a little before, suddenly, their ears flicked up as they bit their teeth.


    "Shit! It''s still after us! RUN!"


    "Oh no, oh no, oh no!"


    "Wheeze...!"


    The two tried to increase their pace but realized that one of them would be unable to keep up if they did. Aster was at his limit already, his vision sparkling from running out of breath as he forced his heavy legs to take a step forward and continue running!


    Having no choice, the two matched his pace while keeping track of the Dire Wolfing from the corner of the forest and running closer to them with even more anger than before.


    However, slowly, Aster was losing speed, causing Kali to slow down too, with concern, as Cassy ended up in the lead. Cassy wiped the sweat off her forehead roughly before ncing behind her with trepidation.


    "Star, it''s no good! The boss is catching up!" Fear started to color her eyes as she saw the Dire Wolfing closer and closer to them. "Running away from it is impossible after all!" Her voice trembled.


    Kali gritted her teeth, getting irritated after hearing Cassy say the obvious. "Stupid rabbit! Just run!"


    Aster,gging behind the two, panted hard. However, he still tried to mediate between the two, who were getting in danger just because they were trying to not leave him behind.


    "You two... Stop... Fighting...!"


    He said each word, apanying an almost desperate gasp for air.


    He was feeling useless at the moment, being the one pulling the two''s legs. If they weren''t matching his pace, then they should be able to run faster than this! Of course, that''s considering if they were in full health.


    Kali had a gaping wound on her stomach, not fully closed with Cassy''sst heal. And Cassy had a hole through her thigh, still bleeding now. The more she forced her legs to move, the more blood seeped out, coloring the bandage wrapped around it a deep red.


    However, Aster still had his ace in the hole. ''As long as I can activate my Carved Seal, it''s my win!''


    Although he had no time to concentrate, he still decided to stop and face the enemy, trying to buy time for the two at least.


    He stomped his leg hard, skidding to a stop, while shouting toward the two. "GO! You two! I''ll hold back the boss here!"


    Cassy, hearing his reckless bravado, quipped as she also slid to a stop.


    "What?!No, you can''t, Star! That''s suicide!"


    With the two stopping midway, Kali had no choice but to do the same. She scanned the two''s faces, with Aster having a determined expression, albeit pale, while Cassy had a worried face.


    She sighed before raising her head and dering with a confident tone.


    "I don''t n to sacrifice the ones who saved me from danger just to save myself! You should go. I''ll be the one dying the boss!"


    Thinking logically, Kali had the highest chance of surviving a fight against the Dire Wolf. She had speed above all else, so she shouldn''t fall that easily.


    "Come on, you two! Stop joking and go!" Aster begged. "I''ve hunted the boss before; I can make sure I don''t die, at least!"


    Of course, that''s a lie. He wasn''t even sure if he couldst a few seconds, much less survive against the boss. All he had nned was to rely on his Carved Seal to clinch the fight!


    "Shut up, level 1! Just hurry and drag that rabbit out of here!"


    "No, I am not escaping without everyone together!"


    They werepletely in disarray, their opinions shing. Just as Aster was about to refute the part about him being level 1, he decided not to, since he''s practically just as weak. Noticing the approaching presence, he then turned toward it and gritted his teeth.


    "Danm! Toote!"


    *GROOOOOWL!*


    The Dire Wolf managed to close the distance during the moment the three were quarreling. Its roar, containing intense killing intent, froze the three in ce for a moment.

 Chapter 57: The Big Bad Wolf (3)

    "You damned mutt! I''m not scared of you!"


    Kali roared while holding both daggers in her hands.


    With her being at Level 3, and with her experience facing even worse killing intent before, she was the first to snap back to her senses and move. She rushed forward in a mad dash, trying to attract the Dire Wolf''s attention!


    Just as she nned, the wolf turned to look at her and let out a low growl. Then, it opened its bloody maw and snapped at her.


    Kali saw its movements clearly, and it moved like flowing water. She spun around, dodging the bite while taking advantage of her agility and flexible body!


    As the Dire Wolf''s head passed by her side, she didn''t forget to rain down a few strikes across its face and neck, even trying to go for the eyes, before jumping away.


    "How''s that?!"


    Shended a few solid blows, so she expected to have caused a flesh wound at least. However, the scene before her made her feel despair. The Dire Wolf was uninjured! Even the strike to its eye didn''t work!


    "Hah! Not going to fall that easily, eh?" Kali let out a fierce smile, as if a wild beast, as her teeth chattered in fear.


    With just that exchange, she realized how big the gap was between her and the Dire Wolf''s strength! Just as she was wary of its movements, the next action it took caused her shock.


    "Aster!" Kali shouted as she turned to where the wolf had jumped.


    "Star!"


    Even Cassy raised her voice, trying to move to push him out of the way. However, neither of them managed to make it in time.


    "...!"


    The Dire Wolf swung its w as it was about tond, nning to maim its target. Aster concentrated his senses, watching the iing w, and tilted his body out of the way at thest moment.


    The wind pressure as the w swept past his face sent chills down his spine!


    Before he could rejoice for sessfully dodging the attack, Aster felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. Partly by reflex, he raised his sword, preparing to block an attack. The next instant, another w attack came, hitting him right where the de was ced.


    *BAM!* *CRACK!* *GASH!*


    He felt as if he had just been hit by a truck! He became something like a ragdoll, flying in the air before crashing back to the ground, rolling around before stopping a few dozen meters away. He lost all sensations in his body, sending him into a dreamlike, hazy state of consciousness.


    A momentter, a familiar face loomed over him, repeatedly calling his name.


    "Star?! Star! Stay with me! Don''t die!" The figure, Cassy, eximed with panic.


    She then extended a hand forward, casting a healing spell. "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    Green light covered Aster''s body, but it soon changed from a light yellow to white, as if losing its power. Although Cassy had already used up all her healing uses, she forced herself to keep the spell up, causing tears of blood to fall from her eyes.


    She was literally risking her life just to save his!


    "..."


    Aster, after looking around, realized why she was so desperate. Blood was seeping out of the big gash across his chest. If not treated, then he''d surely die of blood loss in seconds.


    Although he wanted to tell Cassy to stop it, as he was beyond saving, he wasn''t even able to utter a word. It was as if the back of his throat was filled with blood, stopping him from talking.


    " ? This doesn''t look good, sister. Should we help? "


    " ?? If we don''t, then we''ll disappear together with this man. We have to, even if we don''t want to! "


    "...?"


    And as if he were hallucinating, he started to hear voices inside his head. No, to be more specific, it sounded as if it wereing from his right side.


    "Ugh...! Hack!"


    Just as Cassy started to vomit blood, her concentration got interrupted, cutting off her healing spell. Although she tried to do her best, she already had no spell usage left, so Aster wasn''t healed at all.


    He felt bad for forcing Cassy beyond her limit. However, the most he could do was raise his arm and try to reach for Cassy''s hand, clutching the ground.


    "S-Star...!" Cassy, seeing him move, quickly let out a gasp. "Don''t move! Everything''s going to be alright! You''ll be saved, I promise!"


    Cassy''s voice belied her panic and desperation. She was no longer able to do anything to help! Other than trying to carry him out of the dungeon and bring him to the emergency medical station near the gate, she was out of other options.


    However...


    *SLASH!* *WHOOSH!*


    Looking behind them, Kali was locked in an intense exchange against the Dire Wolf. Although her attacks weren''t enough to damage it, they were able to irritate it, at least! After continuously aiming for its eyes, the field boss was no longer able to ignore her and was trying to take her down first before handling the other two.


    "GO!" Kali shouted, as if able to recognize the situation despite the intense exchange she was in the middle of. "DON''T MIND ME AND GO!"


    "...!"


    Cassy felt like her heart was getting squeezed. She knows that Kali''s wound wasn''t healed, meaning her movements would get slower as time passes. Either from pain, blood loss, or her stomach acids damaging her other internal organs, her body would fail sooner orter. Anyway, if she stays, then there''s no saving her.


    The entire time, Aster was observing the situation with a calm mind. Or rather, he was busy listening to the two female voices echoing near his right ear.


    " ? Then, you''ll stop the bleeding while I stop the big dog? "


    " ?? Sounds like a n. Then, let''s start! "


    As the two voices echoed, just as Cassy was about to lift him up, she quickly noticed the heat around Aster and reflexively moved away. "W-What?"


    A momentter, Aster''s body started to burn. Raging, hot mes covered the parts with wounds, cauterizing them in a blink! With the bleeding addressed, the risk of losing his life was lessened, at least.


    For his burns, it''s not like the current medical technology couldn''t fix it, so that''s no problem either.


    *CRACK!* *CRACKLE!*


    In the next instant, the ground around Aster started to freeze. Cassy, confused, still recalled how the Dire Wolf froze to death upon contact with it, so she stepped aside, dodging the creeping ice.


    "Kali!"


    Cassy shouted in warning.


    The cat beastwoman, with sharp eyes, found the creeping ice immediately and realized that Aster was doing something. She quickly moved, dragging the Dire Wolf closer to the ice before jumping aside!


    *GROWL!*


    The Dire Wolf also saw the ice and started to move to dodge it, but at that instant, the speed of freezing started to elerate. The frost grew into a torrential force, washing over the Dire Wolf and freezing its body solid.


    Kali''s first encounter, and Cassy and Aster''s second encounter with the Dire Wolf, ended abruptly.

 Chapter 58: Strengths and Weaknesses

    "Ugh..." Aster gently stirred himself awake before opening his eyes to discover a familiar white ceiling. "This is... the hospital?"


    Slowly, he raised his body while looking around, but he felt a sharp pain across his chest. He grimaced before looking down, but he didn''t see any injuries. His wounds, even his burns, had all healed already!


    "... What happened?" Aster mused, a little confused.


    He could remember running away with Cassy and Kali, but his memories were blurred after that. "Right! Cassy! Kali!" He shot up, about to leave the bed, right as the door to his room slid open.


    "Hmm? Oh, you''re awake." A familiar voice echoed.


    Turning to see who it was, Aster found a dwarf near the door, walking toward him at a short but constant pace. "It''s good that you''re energetic, but your injuries just healed. The pain should linger for a few hours more, so just lie down and rest."


    The dwarf man, Dr. Zellbrook, spoke slowly with a gentle voice while trying to push Aster back to bed.


    However, he didn''t obediently follow directions and, with a hint of panic, asked. "Doctor! What happened to my party? Cassandra and Kali, are they alright?!"


    "Hmm. Rx first, youngd." Dr. Zell sighed as he pushed him back down forcefully.


    "...!"


    His strength surprised Aster, but it shouldn''t havee as a surprise because Dr. Zell is at least Level 100! Unable to fight against the doctor''s strength, he was forcefully returned to bed.


    "Hmm. Don''t worry, both of them are fine. Rather, it was you who had the worst injuries." He sighed. "You really have shitty luck,d. To meet those serial kidnappers, then to get chased by the floor boss... Damn!


    If that was me at your level, I''d probably just kick the bucket! Hahaha!"


    Although the doctor was making it sound lighter, the event was actually quiterge. "The Serial Kidnappers on the first floor got wiped out." This news spread quickly like wildfire, causing not only the adventurers scared of them to resume exploring but even the "higher-ups" of the said criminal group to start paying attention to Aster.


    This, of course, alerted the police force. They deployed more personnel around, tightening their cordon over the entire city and making sure no criminals could roam freely.


    However, this is merely a stop-gap measure. Unless the police could enter the lower floors¡ªwhich was impossible since the minimum floor clearing requirement before bing police is the 300th floor¡ªthen there''s no way they could catch the criminals straight from within the dungeon.


    After all, it''s impossible to revisit lower floors after you''ve already cleared them!


    "So the two were safe then? Thank god..." Aster sighed, sinking his body into the soft pillow and bed.


    "You should thank that rabbit girlter, alright? She''s the one who carried you two out of the dungeon, after all." Dr. Zell smiled as he took out his usual checklist. "Well then, let me begin my job. Let''s leave chatting forter."


    "... Alright."


    Aster began to answer his questions as truthfully as possible, mixing diagnoses for his medical condition and cross-checking what happened inside the dungeon.


    "Hmmm... So as expected, your Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal reacted on itself and killed the Dire Wolf by freezing it into a giant ice block?" Dr. Zell echoed as if to confirm. "Your recount matches what the other two said, so I guess that''s really what happened... Unless you all suffered something like group hypnosis, of course."


    He just said it for the sake of it, of course, as any hypnosis-type skill or spell can only be unlocked by someone above level 50. Someone on the first floor couldn''t have such a powerful, tightly managed, and monitored problematic skill.


    "Hmm. Well, I guess that''s it for now." Dr. Zellbrook stood up, folding his holo-tablet, before walking to the door. "I''ll beingter to check on the healing progress. You should rest and sleep..."


    As he opened the door, however, he looked surprised, before a teasing smile crossed his face. "Hmm. But it looks like you can''t rest just yet. You have visitors."


    "Star!"


    "Aster!"


    Two figures bolted into the room, slipping past the doctor. One had orange hair, while the other had silvery white. Of course, it was none other than Cassy and Kali!


    "You''re fine, right?! Is there nothing wrong with your memory? Do you recognize me?!"


    "..."


    While Cassy moved to his side, sping his left hand with both her hands, Kali stopped a few steps away. Her face was a little indescribable but mostly had a color of guilt drawn all over it.


    "Of course, I remember you. And I''m fine, Cassy." Aster smiled. "Rather, I heard it was you who took us all out of the dungeon. I should be thanking you instead. I wasn''t heavy, was I?"


    Hearing Aster have the energy to joke around, Cassy wiped the tears threatening to fall from the corner of her eyes andughed. "Ha ha, you were heavy; I''ll tell you that!"


    Seeing that she was trying to return to her usual cheerful mood, Aster then turned to the other one, Kali, who hadn''t spoken a single word after she entered.


    "Kali?" Aster asked, curious. "What''s wrong?"


    "I... To the two of you, I''m really sorry."


    Without any exnation, she bowed her head down as she apologized. She looked like she was in so much pain, but not because she was reluctant to offer an apology. "If not for me rushing off by myself, none of this would''ve happened. Please forgive me."


    "Huh?"


    "Kali..."


    Cassy and Aster turned to her with quizzical gazes. The two then looked at each other, smiling, before replying.


    "Then, if you''re really sorry, you should treat us to dinner one of these days!" Cassy eximed.


    "Right. And it''s not your fault anyway." Aster rified. "We decided to help you without relying on proper authorities. As such, you''re not at fault at all. The kidnappers? They''re on the first floor, so we''re bound to cross paths anyway."


    "Right, right!"


    "You two..." Kali sniffed, holding back her desire to cry. "But I''m not treating you, stupid rabbit."


    "Hey! This is the part where we amicablyugh together, you know?!"


    "Hahaha."


    The three, returning to their usual attitudes, spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about stuff regarding the dungeon. The atmosphere around them was peaceful, as if they hadn''t experienced life-and-death battles just a few hours before.


    Kali was opening up, slowly but surely, to the two.

 Chapter 59: Rumors of a Solo Explorer

    After their long chat, just as the sun was about to set, Cassy and Kali returned to their lodgings. Unlike Aster, their injuries weren''t anything worth getting hospitalized over¡ªor more like Aster''s only kept there as he was someone important to the city, someone they couldn''t afford to lose.


    After a series of checks, Aster was deemed healthy without any problems and was released.


    Of course, he didn''t have to walk back to the Twister Hotel, as a group of men in ck were already waiting for him. They drove him back in an elongated flying car, something like a limousine, which was quite a fresh experience for Aster!


    Well, he didn''t have enough time to enjoy the ride, however, as they arrived at their hotel, their destination, in mere minutes.


    Aster walked to his room and plopped down on top of his bed, feeling the wave of fatigue catch up to him in that instant.


    "... Right. Those voices..." Just as he was about to close his eyes, he suddenly remembered the two cute, feminine voices he heard before fainting back at the dungeon. "That... wasn''t my imagination, was it?" He muttered while raising his right hand over his face, examining the carved seal.


    The Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal on his hand was already mysterious as is, and now another mystery was added on top of it!


    "..."


    Aster waited for a while, but other than the low hum of the air conditioning unit and the faint sound of air entering through his nostrils, no other sounds were entering his ears.


    Soon, he began to feel like bricks were pressing down on his eyelids. His eyes gradually closed as he fell asleep. But when his arm fell back on the bed, the seal on the back of his hand glowed a little.


    Two wisps of light flew around yfully, one red and one blue, moving as if checking Aster''s state before returning to the middle of the carved seal. Too bad that he was no longer able to observe this mysterious phenomenon, as he was already snoring lightly by then.


    ---


    The morning of the next day. Aster woke up quite early, finished all his preparations, and was already at the Adventurer''s guild at around 5 a.m. It was too early, with none but guild employees present at the moment.


    None of them were free, however. Even Zena was busy assessing materials over the counter, not able to spare a single second.


    The reason behind them getting flooded by loot was none other than Aster''s party''s feat. Their hunting of the kidnappers on the first floor caused an influx of adventurers from the afternoon until the evening.


    As such, a lot of materials entered the guild after their business hours were over, causing a mountain of materials to need attention first thing in the morning.


    The first adventurers to arrive at the guild were the usual groups of drunkards. They were already tipsy even though they just entered, a telltale sign that they just moved ces after drinking somewhere else.


    "Hey, did you hear? There''s this strange adventurer hunting alone on the second floor."


    "Ah, I''ve heard that one. You mean that, Ice Queen, right? All the adventurers that tried to hit on her had their family jewels crushed to bits!"


    "Ooof! Just imagining it makes me shiver!"


    "Nah, you two! I''m talking about a new one! A different entric!"


    "Different?"


    "Yes! She came from another town, and was able to reach the second floor in just a day! And solo, at that!"


    "Meh, that bastard with two beauties with him hunted the dire wolf again, so I bet it would be a breeze."


    "Damn! They''re treating the boss monster like their little bank!"


    "..."


    Aster frowned, hearing their loud conversation unintentionally. The topic of their talk moved from "solo adventurers" to "bastard with two beauties hunting the field boss"¡ªwhich was undoubtedly referring to his party!


    He pulled his hood lower, trying not to stand out. Fortunately, he was wearing a different style of windbreaker today over his armor, white instead of his usual ck, making it hard to recognize him at a nce.


    He did get interested in their topic, however.


    "Two solo adventurers on the second floor..." He whispered, wondering what they looked like.


    If he didn''t hear that they were women, then he''d imagine a man with thick musclesughing while massacring the monsters that stood in his way.


    After listening to their talk further, he managed to get their details, at least. One was a cat beastwoman brawler, overwhelming her enemies with fatal force, while the other was a dragonkin knight, who keeps a bnced offense and defense.


    Aster ced a hand over his chin, wondering. "Hmm... They''d be perfect to fill up our party. Weck tanks, after all."


    Cassy was originally a "healer" but was currently fighting as a melee. Kali was more of an "assassin" than a frontline fighter. And Aster himself was currently too weak to be a reliable "wall" for the party. If forced to choose, he''d be more of a "mage" or "wizard" with his Magic Carved Seal more than a "warrior" with a sword.


    None of them could be considered a good tank.


    "Well, they''re exploring solo, anyway. I guess it''d be hard to pull them in." Aster shrugged as he turned to the entrance.


    Right then, two figures entered as if on cue. The drunkards, too, turned to look at the beauties who entered before averting their gazes. After all, those two were more powerful than they were, and they couldn''t afford to antagonize them!


    "Oh! Star! Good morning!" One of the two, the orange-haired rabbit, Cassy, waved to him. "You''re early today! And what''s this? Image change~?"


    "... Morning."


    The drunkards, after Cassy called him out, turned toward Aster, who was staying quiet at the corner. Their eyes were filled with anger and envy, but Aster just ignored them and greeted the girls back.


    "Good morning, you two. And it''s not an image change. I just chose a different windbreaker today."


    Thick clothes with a lot of pockets can be convenient, after all. Although he might change colors from time to time, he would not change his choice of type of apparel.


    Aster stood up, meeting the two near the entrance while announcing his intentions. "Well, then, as nned, let''s head to the next floor today!"


    Before that, they would first need to reach their target: Aster reaching Level 3!

 Chapter 60: To The Second Floor!

    As usual, the three entered the dungeon after paying the entrance fee through the Oni Uncle. Aster was slowly getting used to scary-looking races and was now able to talk to the man and pay for himself!


    As soon as they entered, their first task was to fill up the two bags with slime cores. Thankfully, although the number of adventurers on the first floor increased, there was nopetition in the slime area.


    "Haap!"


    "Haiyaaa!"


    "Humph!"


    "Teii!"


    As such, Kali and Cassy were able to hunt efficiently, letting Aster collect about ten slime cores per batch.


    Although they each got a split of roughly 600,000 Tels from the second frozen boss, a little higher than its price before, having more money would never hurt. After all, decent gear costs tons of money!


    "Just upgrading our gears to the next level of gear would cost us 2 million each." Aster sighed, thinking about how much money they were saving. "It''ll take a week at least to reach that amount at our pace."


    Of course, that''s if they continued to hunt slimes only.


    If they moved to higher floors, they would encounter stronger monsters and have ess to more profitable hunting areas! Aster was already eyeing the next floor''s Green Slimes, which were a little strongerpared to the weakest Blue Slime they were currently hunting.


    He already found that its cores fetch twice the price of a Blue Slime, making it possible to earn twice as much as they do currently!


    Half an hourter, they were already done filling up both bags with roughly a hundred cores. As such, they decided to focus on letting Aster level up next. Their n was simple: the two girls would scout the slimes and let Aster strike them, hunting them in one go!


    Since he already hunted quite a significant amount of slimes the previous day, it only took one hour before he reached Level 3. Without waiting, he quickly added his extra stat point to his Constitution, increasing his health and stamina by arge margin... increasing it from 3 to 4, a 33% increase!


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 3


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 4


    Intelligence: 15


    Wisdom: 16


    Charisma: 12


    Luck: 0


    ]


    Checking the new values of his Adventurer''s Card, a smile flitted across his face. He''s gradually getting out of his "weakling" title and reaching the "normal" level!


    "Just four more levels, and I''ll reach the average level of Constitution!" Aster cheered himself on.


    "Congrats, Star! You''ve finally reached level 3 like us!"


    "Well done. Now, we can head to the next floor."


    The two girls praised him lightly. It was a little weird hearing Kali say something without a hint of sarcasm, however.


    After he reached level three, they decided to first return to the Guild and cash in their loot. It was just two and a half hours after they left, and they returned with two bags of slime cores worth 660,000 Tels after adding the 10% extra offered by the pharmacy.


    As they exited the guild, the three didn''t go back to the dungeon immediately. Instead, they went toward the guild-affiliated weapon shop, the shop that Aster and Cassy frequented, and started looking around.


    "Are you changing weapons, Kali?" Aster asked, confused.


    Their gear was still practically brand new. Although Cassy''s armor was slightly damaged during the fight against the kidnappers, it wasn''t something that would need recement immediately.


    "Where are we going again?" Kali asked. "The second floor, right? You think we can just waltz our way there without difficulty?"


    "..."


    Aster began to think. He hadn''t seen the portal leading to the next floor yet, so that meant it was in a deeper region than what they had already explored. And previously, they were one step into the grave when they got surrounded by a goblin camp. Thinking that the next area would be wolves, it would be a lot easier to get themselves surrounded!


    "As such, we''d be needing monster repents." Kali dered while pointing toward one shelf at the side. "You go get about a box of that. I''ll be going to restock my revolver''s bullets and some other things. Stupid Rabbit,e with me."


    "Huh? Alright..." Cassy replied, slightly confused.


    "Oh, ok... And I also need to get more magazines for my pistol." Aster remembered how he had run out of bullets already.


    He was nning to buy more before entering the dungeon yesterday, but since Kali ran without warning, he didn''t have time to visit the shop. As such, today was the best time he could get more bullets.


    Aster walked to the shelf first, picking up a box of what wasbeled "RepelEX: Fast Acting Monster Repent" and bringing it to the counter.


    *TING!*


    He tapped the bell, calling for the shopkeeper.


    Soon enough, a familiar face arrived from the back of the shop: the dwarf shopkeeper! "Oh, it''s ye again. Wuzzis? Ya''ll headin'' ta the second floor already?"


    "Oh, you guessed right." Aster nodded. "We''re nning on heading to the next floor by today."


    "Then ye''d be cutting it close ta midnight with how far the portal is. Are ya nnin'' on stayin'' overnite there?"


    "Huh? It''s that far?"


    It was just noon right now, and the shopkeeper was telling him that they''d take until midnight just to reach the portal leading to the next floor!


    With that as the preface, Aster ended up buying two tents, a portable cooking set, and a portable campfire. Other than thest one, a magical item, Aster was familiar with the other two, so he made sure to get what was worth the money he was paying.


    After that, he also got five magazines of 9mm hollow points for his pistol, with one mag of "Special" bullets just in case everything turned south again. Aster used up almost all his money on his purchase!


    "It''s money well spent... It''s money well spent..." He convinced himself as he sat down, waiting for the two girls to return. "But it''s fucking daylight robbery!"


    "Hah! Ya still haven''t seen shit, kid! Those are cheap goods!" The shopkeeper countered with a grin, but Aster doubted that.


    It waster that he learned that the price at the Guild Affiliated Shop was already 10% lower than the regr market price. He couldn''t help but wonder why everything was so expensive then.


    After the girls came back from checking the neighboring shop, handling a slightly different repertoire than the dwarf''s shop, the three were finally ready to go on their way. Their next stop, the Second Floor!

 Chapter 61: Cutting Through The Forest (1)

    The Dungeon''s floors have arge area, and it only expands further the deeper the floor you reach. For example, the first floor had a total area of 10,000 square kilometers, with the second floor reaching 14,400 sq. km., increasing by almost 50% of the previous floor''s totalnd area!


    Of course, this isn''t an exact number, and it also varies from every dungeon, but the first floor of the Dungeon of Orinfeld City is exactly 10,000 sq. km. in total. As such, unless you run from one end to another, it would take at least 20 hours of leisurely walking to reach the other end. That''s not taking into consideration the monsters that would further dy them while on the way.


    "Pack: check; food and water: check; bullets: check; I''m ready to go!"


    Aster, doing ast check right before entering, nodded his head in satisfaction. Since he''s the weakest link in their group, he was reduced to support for their attempt at reaching the second floor. In short: baggage carrier!


    "Are you really sure you can carry all that, Star?" Cassy asked, a little worried, after seeing therge quantity of supplies before him. "I can carry one bag, at least, you know?"


    "Stupid Rabbit, do you believe you can fight effectively while carrying a heavy pack?" But Kali''s quip made her discard such thoughts immediately. "Well, I can at least protect you both, even when I''m the only one fighting, but we''ll end up progressing at a snail''s pace then."


    A division ofbor is necessary for an efficient conquest!


    "Uuu..."


    Cassy looked as if she wanted to offer help but was conflicted about leaving Kali to fight alone. However, Aster quickly relieved her of her doubts. "Don''t worry about me, Cassy. I''ve found an interesting item in that dwarf''s shop, so I should be able to carry all this."


    He loosened his scarf, revealing a choker around his neck, showing red brilliance.


    "This is called the Strength Cor, and it adds 5 strength to the wearer! Other than looking like a ve cor, it has no other downsides!" He exined.


    That very cor ate up half of his money, though, but having his measly 5 strength doubled is a big thing, so he convinced himself that it was money well spent! Although he used up all his money, leaving only a three-digit bnce on his card, he wiped his salty tears and forged on.


    "..."


    "..."


    Cassy and Kali, however, stared at Aster with disgust. The cor''s design was, after all, in bad taste. They didn''t want to nitpick, though, as it''s true that, looking at its performance, it was a good item. And thankfully, it''s hidden under his scarf, so the two wouldn''t be seeing it all the time.


    Aster wore two backpacks, one in front of him and one on his back, before standing up. "Hup!" He exerted a little before standing up wobblily. "This... is doable." He eximed as he found his bnce.


    With him now carrying all their items, the three finally entered the dungeon entrance.


    Their n was simple: go straight from the entrance to the other end, as the portal to the next floor should be in a straight line from the first floor''s entrance. Of course, this wasn''t the norm for "all" floors, but the first three floors all had the same, simple cement.


    As soon as they got on the first floor, Cassy and Kali rushed forward, taking care of the left and right sides, respectively. They weren''t letting a single slimee close to Aster, who was jogging on the center path, heading straight as nned.


    "... But it feels a bit weird, leaving all the battles to the two while I just rush through." He mused, feeling a little guilty and envious.


    After all, he wouldn''t be getting any experience without killing monsters!


    Aster continued ahead, but Cassy and Kali were still faster than him, clearing a path 100 meters ahead of him at least. As such, it was a safe passage for Aster,pletely devoid of any sort of risk.


    For the loots, they already talked about it. They will leave gathering loot after entering the second floor, as it would only add to their burden if they collected loot on the way toward it.


    For the first hour, they continued on jogging across the open fields, not entering the forests on either side. This was, of course, to lower the risk they had to face.


    However, such a situation wouldn''t continue for long. "It''s here! The barrier forest!" Aster eximed, feeling a little nervous.


    The forest was dubbed the Barrier Forest, as it was blocking the path leading to the other end. In short, they couldn''t just stay on grasnds for the entire duration of their travel and were required to pass through the forest!


    "Just as nned! Weakling, stay there for a minute. Cassy, stay beside him. I''ll go and scout the enemies around first." Kali eximed before rushing ahead of the other two.


    Cassy moved beside Aster, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "That was quite a workout!"


    "Good work." Aster smiled, passing her a bottle of water to drink. "Here, take a break while waiting."


    "Thanks! I''m parched~!"


    They have been running for an hour, but they''re not even a tenth of the way to the other side just yet. They have a long journey ahead of them.


    *KIEEEEE!*


    Soon after, faint screams of agony, presumably from dying goblins, echoed from within the forest. The two were looking at each other, smiling wryly.


    "As expected, it wasn''t just scouting."


    "Well, it''s K we''re talking about. She''d not let monsters roam around freely~!"


    "You got a point..."


    Five minutes passed quickly, and soon, Kali returned with sweat covering her forehead, her white hair sticking close to her face.


    "I''m done. The path ahead should be safe for now." She eximed. "We''ll rest for another 5 minutes before heading in. Prepare yourselves."


    "Okay~!"


    "Got it. Here, take this."


    Aster passed her a bottle of water too, letting her replenish her fluids. However, just as he passed the water to her, he noticed something was different from Kali. He couldn''t exin what it was that was different.


    "Wait, K., did you level up?" But Cassy seemed to be sharper and noticed it immediately.


    "I did. I''m now level 4, and I even learned a new skill." Kali muttered without much fanfare.


    "..."


    "..."


    As expected, she was way ahead of the two!


    ---


    Kali''s Current Status:


    [


    Name: Kali Norma


    Age: 19


    Race: Catkin


    Purity: 26%


    Level: 4


    Party Members: Aster Mistral, Cassandra Bright (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 12


    Dexterity: 19


    Constitution: 12


    Intelligence: 7


    Wisdom: 6


    Charisma: 8


    Luck: 0


    ]

 Chapter 62: Cutting Through The Forest (2)

    "I''ll catch up soon enough!" Cassy dered that she had a littlepetitive spirit burning within her. "I just need a few goblins, and I''ll level up too, for sure!"


    "..."


    Aster felt left behind by the two. He just reached level 3 that day, and the two beside him were already at around level 4. He was bing concerned that the two would leave him in the dust at this rate!


    "If only the Dire Wolf gave me experience after hunting it down..." Hemented.


    Supposedly, boss monsters like the Field Boss Dire Wolf give ample experience, sometimes enough to reach a level up in one go, even! However, on both urrences of him killing the boss¡ªthough the second one was a little weird since it wasn''t him who willed to "kill" it¡ªit was still a fact that it was his ability that finished the wolf off.


    ''Does killing beings with my Magic Carved Seal not count as me hunting them?'' He started to think.


    Well, his guess was close to the truth, but it was something he''d be discovering wayter.


    After a short rest, the trio continued on their long journey. Kali was moving around ahead of the two, with Cassy keeping beside Aster, making sure that no loose goblin attacked him with an arrow or something.


    Of course, with Kali rising a level, the entire time in the forest was peaceful. Not even a single goblin entered their sight¡ªalive, that is. Corpses littered the forest floor, showing how hundreds of goblins already died at "someone''s" hands.


    Having a powerful ally really is reassuring, but it felt a little envious, as she was basically hogging all the EXP.


    The forest terrain wasplicated, so Aster couldn''t run as fast as he did in the grasnds. He had to be careful of roots, soft soil, sharp rocks, vines, and branches. As such, his pace dropped to less than half of before, causing them to cover roughly the same distance on the open fields in over three hours instead.


    During that period, they took about four short rests to let Kali catch her breath. While she was resting, it was Cassy''s turn to move around and kill any stray goblins. But Kali''s rampage was too widespread, making it hard to even find one alive in the immediate vicinity.


    They broke out of the Barrier Forest and entered another open field area, but this time, not only slimes but wolves also wandered around.


    "From here, we''ll be moving close to each other," Kali exined while watching the surroundings. "Stupid rabbit, you keep watch over the left. Leave the right side to me."


    "Got it... and stop calling me stupid all the time!"


    "I''m just stating the obvious. If you hate it, then stop acting like an idiot."


    Although they were quarreling, Aster could tell that there was no bad blood between them, at least. It was closer to friendly teasing or banter than a full-blown dispute. Still, having two girls fight with him in the middle¡ªboth more powerful than him¡ªis bad for the heart.


    "...!"


    Kali''s and Cassy''s ears twitched at the same instant, notifying them that monsters were approaching.


    "Wolves! Twenty!" Cassy announced their numbers immediately. "Coming from our Twelve, Seven, and Four!"


    "Wolves...!"


    Aster felt a little worried. After all, it was their first time encountering such an enemy. Furthermore, in a pincer attack from quite arge pack at that! He tried looking around but couldn''t see any signs of the enemies in the tall grasses around him.


    "They''reing!"


    "I know! Weakling, you just stand still and don''t move!"


    "...!"


    Right as Kali finished talking, the grass a short distance behind them started to move. Now, even Aster was aware that "something" was crawling through the tall grass and approaching them at a rapid pace!


    "I hate mutts!" Kali eximed as she dipped down and rushed toward the tall grasses.


    *SLASH!* *WHINE!*


    And in one swift motion, she dispatched two wolves with one swipe. There were still a few remaining, so she didn''t stop moving, trying to intercept the wolves who tried to ignore her first and stabbing the base of their necks.


    "That''s three...!"


    While Kali was fighting aggressively, Cassy was doing theplete opposite. She was keeping the wolves jumping at her in check with her powerful kicks, making sure that Aster stayed safe behind her.


    *THUD!* *CRACK!*


    Of course, her kick wasn''t as "harmless" as it seemed, as each flick of her leg had enough power to cave in the enemy''s ribcage. She kicked the wolves, and they were no longer able to stand back up.


    ''Chance...!''


    Aster didn''t miss the opportunity and moved a little, using his pistol to deliver thest hit on the dying wolves around Cassy. Although it was a little unsightly, basically kill-stealing (KS) in RPG terms, this was real life. Nobody knows what could happen if they left those wolves alive... They could even bite Cassy''s ankle when she''s not paying attention! As such, his actions were praiseworthy.


    Still, he had limited bullets, so he didn''t n to kill all, just those whonded near Cassy. He wasn''t so thick-faced he''d KS all those she incapacitated!


    After a while, Kali finished the wolves on her side and quickly turned around and rushed at the ones up front, who were only keeping watch vigntly and not attacking. That group had the alpha, who was giving orders to the rest!


    "DIE!"


    Kali was, of course, unstoppable. She made quick work of the wolves in under a minute. Just as Cassy was finishing off thest few, she just kicked, snapping their necks. A bright sh of light wrapped her body for a brief instant.


    Aster turned to her and smiled. "Congrats, Cassy." He greeted her in advance.


    "Yes! I''ve reached level 4 too!"


    With this, there are two level 4s in their party and one level 3... Aster was starting to lose confidence.


    ''No, this is just the start! I''m sure I can still catch up to them!''


    The higher the level, the harder it is to level up. They might be ahead of him by one level, but sooner orter, this gap will be shortened! At least, that''s what he hoped.


    From that point on, they moved at a snail''s pace until the time reached near midnight. Unlike the dwarf shopkeeper''s prediction, they didn''t even make it halfway through before then.


    "Let''s camp here."


    Kali dered as they approached a clearing in the middle of the field. They had clear visibility for at least a hundred meters, giving them enough time to react even if there was a surprise monster attack.


    "Let''s just hope that the field boss doesn''t appear." Kali sighed under her breath.

 Chapter 63: Camping in the Dungeon! (1)

    An eternal noon-like brightness covers the first floor''s dungeon. As such, it felt a little weird for Aster as he started setting up tents, feeling like he was setting them up too early or something.


    "You really can''t tell the time based on the light in here, huh?" He muttered under his breath. "It''s impossible to figure out that it''s already midnight without looking at a clock."


    "Well, that IS the unique property of this floor," Cassy answered, shrugging and pulling at the other end of the tent, helping Aster set it up. "Or more like, for the first ten floors, to be specific."


    Dungeon properties change per floor, but having simr features between floors is not weird. For example, the first ten floors, considered the "Beginner Zone," were covered by eternal daylight. Warm and weing.


    "Three, two... Hup!"


    With theirbined efforts, the two were able to set up all the tents in under 10 minutes. Although there were tents that could automatically set themselves up, and some were even equipped with monster-repelling functions, those were too expensive and outside of his budget. Going simple is the best, at least for now.


    After the tent was set up, Aster moved to his pack once more and took out the portable campfire. Yes, not a stove, but a "campfire."


    Aster threw the round disc before the two tents, and it suddenly popped up, creating a small firece and exuding heat that could warm their bodies or be used for cooking. Of course, this one did not use gas or anything but rather utilized the mana in the air to activate a fire-element engraving in its circuit.


    A magic campfire!


    "I''ll be cooking dinner then. Any requests?" Aster asked while checking the ingredients avable.


    All he had were a few vegetables, a condiment set, packed noodles, and dried meat. It wasn''t much, but he could still take a little liberty with it and arrange a couple of dishes.


    "Soup would be fine. Noodle soup!" Cassy raised her hand, suggesting something that waspletely within the range of possibilities. "We could even save its soup for tomorrow morning!"


    She was also present when Aster got the ingredients for their dinner/breakfast, after all.


    The two then turned to Kali, who was standing a short distance away, keeping watch of the surroundings. She was on the lookout for monsters, of course, since even though they were in a wide clearing, the fact that they were in the middle of hostile territory didn''t change.


    "... Steak." She suggested.


    "That..." Aster felt a little troubled.


    After all, they don''t have meat on hand other than a few preserved, dried meats. That wasn''t something he could turn into a steak, or else that would be like magic!


    Kali realized that she was asking for the impossible too, but as a cat beastman, she was more interested in eating meat than slurping noodles with veggies.


    "Wait here," Kali eximed before running away.


    Neither Aster nor Cassy were able to stop her, and they could only watch as her figure slowly faded into the distance. While she was gone, Cassy took over guarding duties, while Aster started cooking the noodle soup as requested.


    With a knife and chopping board, Aster was unstoppable! He finished preparing the ingredients in just two minutes and ced the multi-purpose pot on top of the campfire. Then, he used the water from their pack to fill it until it was half-full, before dropping the chopped meat jerky inside. This was to reduce the salt content and, at the same time, tenderize them.


    Of course, they couldn''t waste water, as they only had a limited supply. The purpose wasn''t to remove the salt but rather to dilute it inrge quantities of water. After letting it simmer for five minutes, he then dropped the hard vegetables like carrots and potatoes.


    "Now we wait."


    It was a simple, almost nd cooking method, but it should still get the job done!


    *THUD!*


    "I''m back."


    And just as he was about to sit back and rx, Kali returned, throwing a wolf corpse in front of Aster. "Can you dismantle its meat? I heard wolf meat is edible."


    "... Edible, yeah, but not ptable in the least," Astermented, scratching his head. "Well, I''ll try my best."


    Of course, Aster was no butcher. As such, he simply cut off a few parts¡ªthe short loins and tenderloins¡ªenough for six portions and set them aside. What remained of the wolf was moved a short distance away, left for the dungeon to "absorb."


    "Hmmm... What to do?"


    Wolf meat was lean, with little fat, and mostly all muscle. Furthermore, it had a strong, gamey smell and vor. "First, we need to soften it up."


    Kali''s request was steak, meaning he couldn''t let the meat soften by boiling, so Aster took liberties. He took out a fork and started stabbing the meat many, many times before "pping" it with the base of the knife, tenderizing it. With this, it shouldn''t be too tough when eaten.


    After that, he took out a small container and ced all the meat inside before adding condiments to lessen the game-like smell and taste. Pepper, salt, bay leaves, and cooking wine were added.


    "I should''ve brought a whole bottle." Astermented since he only had a small vial of wine on hand, a part of the condiment set.


    After mixing the meat, he then let it sit for a while. During that time, he attended to his noodle soup, adding the noodles and waiting until they became soft before dropping the remaining vegetables and removing the pot from the open me.


    After he transferred its contents into a thermostic container, he rinsed the pot with a little water and returned it to the fire. He then added all the butter they had, letting it melt in the pot until it covered the entire base.


    Right after, Aster added one meat after another, sizzling from the hot butter. The rich smell of roasting meat wafted in the air. He cooked them until they were medium-well, with two portions left at medium-rare as per Kali''s request.


    After the meat was done cooking, Aster added a small amount of water to lift the mix of butter and marinade off the pot, added a few condiments to adjust the taste, and set it aside as a dip.


    "Finallyplete...!" Aster smiled, satisfied. "Well then, let''s eat!"

 Chapter 64: Camping in the Dungeon! (2)

    Around a small, circr, folding table, three chairs were set. Aster, Cassy, and Kali were all sitting around it, looking at the food that was prepared with as much care as possible.


    Aster and Cassy both had one slice of steak, together with a full serving of noodle soup. Kali, on the other hand, had a small bowl of soup with two servings of steak, the best cuts that Aster got from the wolf.


    "What are you waiting for?" Aster asked, smiling wryly. "Dig in before it gets cold."


    Aster''s seal''s passive was a little weird at times. Usually, it returns all temperatures around a meter of Aster to room temperature. But when he was cooking, neither the fire nor the item being cooked were affected.


    When ted, however, the passive would get applied once again after a few seconds of dy, returning the temperature to the median. As such, he had to move quickly to not let the soup or steak lose their warmth!


    ''Is it perhaps affected by what I''m doing or what I''m thinking?'' He started to guess but decided to postpone it. ''First, we should eat.''


    "Then I''ll go first!"


    Cassy, who had already been hungry since earlier, started to dig in. Using her fork, she picked up a strand of noodle and ced it between her lips, slurping it in one go with soup droplets flying from her lips.


    "Phew...! Phew...!"


    But it seemed that it was still too hot, as she started blowing smoke out of her mouth while gradually chewing. After a while, her expression changed from slight difort to definite bliss.


    "Mmm~! This is good, Star! I wouldn''t think you only had salty jerky as a base from just tasting it!" Shemented before picking up the bowl and eating as if in a rush.


    As if getting envious of Cassy eating her noodles deliciously, Kali turned to the small soup on her side, lifted it to her lips, and took a small sip.


    "...!"


    Her eyes opened wide in surprise as theplex vors of salt, meat, and vegetables mixed. Honestly, she wasn''t expecting much, but after tasting Aster''s cooking firsthand, she started expecting more from her steak too!


    Lifting her knife and fork, Kali took a small slice and brought it to her mouth. The meat was still hot, but not too scalding, even to her, who had a cat''s tongue, literally.


    "This is...!" She eximed unconsciously. "So fucking good! Is this really wolf meat? Why does it taste better than the steak in my usual restaurant?!"


    Although there was still a little gamey taste and smell, the tenderized meat was easy to chew. The vor of the marinade and the butter mixing added a parade of vors to her pte. It had aplex vor despite being cooked in under half an hour!


    "...?"


    Aster was confused, however. He didn''t do anything in particr, and the food should still taste as the ingredients do: a salty mix of meat and vegetables. However, when he tried the food himself, he was shocked.


    ''Why did the taste change?'' He wondered.


    He had a sip of the soup before he took it out of the mes, so he was aware that the vor wasn''t that good but still edible. However, right now, it felt as if he was eating noodle soup from a three-star restaurant instead!


    "..."


    But although he was bewildered, he decided to let the mystery slide for now. It''s not like the food tasted bad after the change, but rather got upgraded, so he had not much qualms with it!


    With their meal getting an upgrade for whatever reason, the three ate with gusto. In just under ten minutes, they all finished their serving and were thinking of touching the serving that was set aside for tomorrow morning.


    "... No. We can''t. We should restrain ourselves, or else we wouldn''t have food tomorrow!" But Aster''s words stopped the other two.


    They didn''t bring much food, as they were only assuming an overnight stay. As such, there''s no way they can eat the portion that was for tomorrow. They can''t try out wolf meat again, either, as they don''t have enough condiments anymore.


    "Understood..." Kali nodded with a sad expression before returning to her usual frown a momentter. "Then, first, let''s discuss our guard rotation."


    They are sleeping in a danger zone, so they can''t all sleep at the same time. Someone had to keep watch while the others slept!


    "Stupid Rabbit, you''re the first watch. After two hours, wake me up. Aster will best."


    As if it were the most natural thing to do, Kali took on the most troublesome shift, the middle one. It was problematic as you couldn''t sleep in one go, needing to interrupt it midway.


    If you''re not used to it, then you won''t be getting any rest and will feel even more tired instead.


    "Alright! Leave it to me!" Cassy eximed while flexing her nonexistent biceps. "I won''t let a single monstere close!"


    "Good. Then I''ll go to sleep first. If you doubt you can handle a situation even a little, wake me up."


    Kali didn''t linger, however, and quickly moved to the tent on the right. They only had two tents, so Aster moved to the other one after wishing Cassy good luck.


    The tent wasn''t big enough to sleep with one''s leg stretched fully, as expected of the cheapest selection. Still, it should be bearable if you bend your knees and sleep sideways.


    Aster took off his scarf and windbreaker, using them as pillows and sheets, respectively. He took a deep breath before closing his eyes and going to sleep.


    "Aster? Wake up."


    And after an unknown amount of time, he was stirred awake by Kali''s soft voice. "It''s your turn to watch the camp." She added.


    "... Oh. Alright."


    Although still sleepy, he stood up and left the tent. To show a little appreciation for Kali''s "sacrifice," he left his scarf and windbreaker for her to use. She could use them as a pillow, nket, or bed to have a more restful sleep than sleeping on the hard, prickly ground.


    "Hnnngh!"


    After a short stretch, he looked around, only to see a pile of dead wolves forming a small tower by the side. Seeing half of them had their necks bending in weird angles and others had no head or a bloody, gaping hole in their necks and bodies, he could tell who killed which.


    Aster pulled a chair toward the campfire, sitting down in front of it while staring at the gently waving mes.


    "We''re almost halfway there... We should make it before the day ends at our pace." He mused while letting out a short yawn.


    Their first overnight in the dungeon was about to end.

 Chapter 65: Final Obstacle! (1)

    While Aster was watching the mes, his ears suddenly picked up on a rustling noise from the grass ahead of him.


    "Hmmm?"


    He quickly reached for his pistol, kept it ready, aimed forward, and waited for whatever wasing their way. His pulse was racing in anticipation of what was about to happen!


    *Rustle!* *Jiggle~!*


    And to his relief, it was just a few slimies, roughly three of them, hopping over to attack. Aster sighed before returning his gun back to its holster, pulling out his sword, and walking forward.


    "There is no need to waste bullets against mere slimes."


    With him being level 3 himself, he already was way more powerful than he was at level 1. Furthermore, due to their rushed hunting, he got the hang of Slime''s movements, making it easy for him to catch them mid-jump, their most vulnerable moment.


    *Stab!* *sh!*


    He weaved between the slimes as they rushed forward, quickly dispatching them with a swing of his sword. Their blue, gtinous content sttered across the ground, helpless against his casual attack.


    "That was easy..." Aster sighed, cing his sword back in its holster.


    After that, he returned to his previous spot, ignoring the Slime''s loot and keeping vignce over the surroundings. Every once in a while, slimes woulde forth, trying to attack. He wasn''t sure why no wolves came during his watch period, but this continued for two hours until Kali and Cassy woke up.


    Soon after, the group started eating the remaining soup and steaks fromst night for breakfast. Of course, Aster reheated it over the campfire, letting them feast on piping hot food once again.


    After a short breakfast, letting them feel full and energized, their party started packing up and preparing to resume their travel. They still have a lot of distance to cover, after all!


    Their formation was the same as yesterday''s, with Kali and Cassy roaming around, clearing slimes and wolves that tried to approach Aster. Since they were going at it preemptively, they haven''t been surrounded and besieged again.


    Of course, they didn''t go in a straight line, as they tried to avoid going into the forest as much as possible. After all, goblins have bows, making them quite a headache when undetected.


    Soon, noontime came, and they decided to take a short rest.


    "How much progress have we made by now?" And while resting, Cassy decided to ask, a little curious, about how far they''d gone.


    Aster took out a tablet, checked the downloaded map of the first floor, and estimated their location fromndmarks they passed by.


    "Right now... we''re roughly 70% through the first floor. If we could maintain our current pace, we should reach the other end before five."


    "Hmm... so five more hours?" Cassy tilted her head in wonder. "After we reach the second floor, we''ll exit immediately, right?"


    "Well, we can hunt a few Green Slimes on the second floor before returning, to at least recoup a little of our expenses..." Aster shrugged, suggesting.


    While the two were discussing, Kali turned to them and scoffed.


    "You two, rather than that, you should prepare to fight. After all, essing the portal to the next level isn''t that easy."


    "Fight...?" Aster quickly picked up on her words, realizing what was waiting for them. "Could there be a gatekeeper of some sort?!"


    In games, it was normal for floor-type dungeons to have floor bosses guarding the stairs to the next level. Or, at least, on every n-floor, a boss would appear to block their way. Aster thought that the floor boss was the Dire Wolf that they had already hunted twice, but it seemed like his guess was wrong!


    "Oh, right! I remember reading that in the dungeon manual!" Cassy eximed with surprise. "But it didn''t say anything about the floor boss''s identity..."


    "Because it''s random." Kali continued. "The floor boos would be any of the floor''s monsters'' upgraded versions. For the first floor, that would be a Big Blue Slime, a Hobgoblin, or a Dire Wolf."


    "..."


    Aster, just hearing the names, understood that they were the "easy," "average," and "difficult" level bosses in order. "I pray that we get any of the first two bosses then; the Dire Wolf is just too bothersome."


    "Yeah! My attacks don''t even work against it!"


    "That''s because you''d need a strength rating of at least 18 to be able to inflict damage on it." Kali sighed, exining further. "Though there''s a little randomness added to each boss''s stats, so we can''t say it''ll be as tough as usual without trying."


    "... It''s as if you''re sure that we''d be facing the dire wolf." Aster grinned.


    "No way. Hahaha!"


    "..."


    Seeing Kali simply shut her mouth, the two started to harbor doubts in their hearts. What if the boss turned out to be the Dire Wolf? They could only imagine such a scenario.


    After resting for a while, they resumed their travels. The same as before, they moved through the open fields, only fighting against slimes and wolves. Although the two have hunted hundreds of them across several hours, they didn''t show any signs of leveling up any further. This gave Aster a glimmer of hope to catch up to the two!


    Without much trouble, they managed to reach the other end just in time and finally saw the portal leading to the second floor.


    "Finally!" Aster eximed, looking excited.


    Cassy was looking around, her ears flicking randomly. "But where''s the boss?"


    "*sigh!* Stupid Rabbit, the boss only appears after you approach the gate."


    "Ohh! So there''s such a feature!"


    Kali nodded her head before turning around and givingmands to the other two.


    "Right. Aster, prepare to fight. You should put down our packs nearby first to make sure you''re able to run around freely. Stupid Rabbit will attack the boss together with me."


    "Got it! I''ll prepare my gun too, just in case!"


    "Roger!"


    The three, wanting to go home as fast as possible, started to prepare. Aster followed instructions and put down the two backpacks beside a nearby cleared space. After doing so, he also started preparing his gun while loading the special bullets that he got just in case they encountered the Dire Wolf again.


    After he was done, he moved to where the two girls were standing and nodded.


    "Let''s go!"

 Chapter 66: Final Obstacle! (2)

    With Aster''s words as the signal, the three of them started walking forward, heading closer to therge portal ahead of them. Its size was disorienting their sense of distance, but they should be around 200 meters away from it.


    After shortening the distance by half and reaching 100 meters away from the portal, something finally happened. Arge orb of light appeared ahead of them, slowly turning into a monstrous figure.


    "It''sing! Be careful, you two!"


    As soon as the orb of light appeared, Aster quickly lowered his stance and aimed his gun forward, ready to fire at any given moment.


    Cassy and Kali moved forward, distancing themselves from Aster, and were warily watching over the big orb of light. Soon enough, a gigantic figure, about two meters tall, stepped out of it and raised a powerful roar.


    *GRAAAAAAGH!*


    The monster had arge, muscr build, and its entire body was covered with green skin. It had a foot-long horn on the middle of its forehead and was holding arge club in its right hand.


    Kali let out a soft sigh, announcing the identity of the enemy.


    "It''s a Hobgoblin! We''re in luck!"


    Although a hobgoblin wasn''t as powerful as a Dire Wolf, it was still a boss-ss monster. They wouldn''t be able to damage it with half-assed attacks!


    "Good! Then, let me go first as a greeting!"


    Aster raised his pistol, aimed, and pulled the trigger. A short explosion echoed, followed by a bullet cutting through the air, heading right toward the Hobgoblin''s chest. At thest instant, it was able to move a bit, causing the fired bullet to miss the monster''s heart... but it still started to show its effect right after.


    *AAAAARRRRGH!*


    A scream of pain echoed from the hobgoblin as the wound on its right chest started to spout mes. The bullet was loaded with a specialbination of thermite and white phosphorus (WP), which gave it the "stickiness" of WP along with the high burning temperature of thermite.


    Normally, it should burn through any living thing, but as expected of a monster, it could still stay standing despite receiving the TWP bullet head-on.


    "HAAAP!"


    But the attack didn''t end there. Cassy, as quick as lightning, arrived on the right side of the hobgoblin and let out a powerful kick. Even from afar, Aster could hear the sound of bones breaking, telling him how powerful the attack was!


    "It''s softer than the Dire Wolf...!" Shemented in surprise. "We can do this!"


    Just as she was about to let out another kick, a figure suddenly appeared behind the hobgoblin, standing on top of its shoulders as if to exert dominance.


    Of course, it was none other than Kali!


    "Assassinate!"


    With a casualment, her twin daggers danced, piercing the boss monster''s neck from either side. With a crisp sound, the spine broke into three sections, turning the monster into a vegetable. It was no longer able to move, even if it wanted to!


    As soon as it fell, Kali and Cassy rained down attacks on its vitals, making doubly sure that it was dead. Then, they jumped away and watched it for a few moments, seeing its convulsions quicklye to an abrupt stop.


    "... It''s over?" Cassy whispered, a little underwhelmed. "That was easier than I thought."


    "Heh, if you think it was easy, thanks to that weakling over there." Kali sneered. "He just fired a 50,000 Tels bullet at the boss, robbing it of rational thoughts right at the start."


    "F-Fifty?! That''s too much! Star, why did you use that?!"


    A preemptive strike, followed by two quick finishers. It was simple for them, but usually, when the Hobgoblin reached critical health, it would raise a powerful cry that would call all goblins within the nearby forests, causing a stampede.


    Without realizing it, Aster got lucky when he decided to use a TWP bullet, robbing the monster of its ability to call for backup!


    "Anyway, go and collect our packs; we''ll be entering the second floor now."


    "Alright, alright. I''m the pack mule, anyway..." He sighed as he holstered his gun, turning around and walking back to where they left their bags.


    While he went away, Kali and Cassy were standing in ce, waiting for his arrival. They gotcent after finishing off the floor boss and forgot to be vignt of their surroundings.


    "Huh?"


    Aster saw a shadow moving toward them from a short distance away, hidden among the tall grass, and lurking like a predator. It was big and shaped like a dog, making him have goosebumps at the sight of it.


    "The Dire Wolf...!" He gasped.


    His short shout alerted the other two, but since they were a hundred meters away, at least they couldn''t reach Aster''s side in time, even if they rushed. The Dire Wolf would arrive first!


    He has no other option but to fight it!


    Aster pulled the gun and aimed forward, pulling the trigger three times in one burst. Three bullets, costing a hundred and fifty thousand Tels, flew across the air and ricocheted off the wolf''s thick fur.


    Aster cursed, seeing that his bullet wasn''t even able to pierce its hide. Now that his Trump card was useless, he was left with only one option. And no, it''s not his sword, as his strength didn''t even reach the minimum requirement to inflict a scratch on it.


    ''Time to show the fruit of my practice!''


    He had two hours to fully practice his control of his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal against monsters, after all. During that time, he managed to grasp a new detail that he hadn''t noticed before, thus increasing his control of it.


    And now was the perfect time to use it against a powerful opponent!


    "Phew...!"


    He took a deep breath, lowering his stance, with his right hand moving like a w. Blue and red lights danced around his palm as if a weird me were raging on it. Then, a secondter, he created the image of the phenomenon he wanted to achieve in his head.


    Freezing wave, rising from the ground, and catching the pouncing Dire Wolf mid-air!


    "GOO!"


    He waved his right hand as if wing something diagonally upward. At the same time, ice grew from the ground like a surging wave, and just as he imagined, it caught the wolf within its frozen grasp.


    "...!"


    *GROOOOWWWWL!*


    But the wolf was still alive, despite only being able to move its mouth!


    "DROP DEAD!"


    Onest time, Aster aimed his gun, pulling the trigger. The TWP bullet flew andnded right in the monster''s eyeball, the softest part of its body, and pierced right through. Powerful mes soon raged out of the bullet wound, its nose, mouth, and even its ears. Without a doubt, the Dire Wolf''s brain was cooked!


    At the same time, Aster''s body got covered in bright light. He was slightly shocked, as it was the first time he gained experience after killing the field boss.


    "... A level up?!"

 Chapter 67: Testing Skills on the Second Floor!

    Aster was confused. After all, he was starting to think that the Dire Wolf didn''t give any EXP when killed. However, this time, delivering the finishing blow caused an influx of experience, pushing him to level up in a sh!


    "Ah, right! Status!"


    Before forgetting about it, he whipped out his Adventurer''s Card and added the newly earned point to his CON. Aster felt as if his body had gotten lighter once more!


    "Aster! What happened?! Did... you kill the Field Boss?!" Kali asked as soon as she reached Aster''s side. "Wait, it''s really dead! That fast?!"


    For the first time, she sounded concerned without a hint of her usual cynical tone.


    "Star?!" On the other hand, Cassy jumped to Aster''s side, patting down his body. "You''re not injured, were you? Do you need a heal?!"


    "A-Ah... I''m fine." He replied while trying to ignore the various things pressing against his body. "Rather, what should we do with the boss materials? Should we take them with us to the second floor?"


    They currently have two boss monster corpses with them: one is the Dire Wolf, and the other is the Hobgoblin. Materials from bosses, no matter what kind, should be rare and fetch a high price.


    Kali, who finally returned to her senses, answered in her usual cool, indifferent tone. "For the Hobgoblin, only its essories can be sold. As for the Dire Wolf..."


    She scanned the entire monster''s body. Other than its exploded head, most of the parts were preserved in ice.


    "... We can still carry and sell it for a hefty price, but moving it would be a pain."


    Usually, they would borrow an electromaic pushcart from outside to use in carrying it, but right now, they''re too far from the entrance!


    "Hmmm... We can work hard and carry it to the second floor with us, can''t we?" Thankfully, Cassy''s suggestion came at the perfect time.


    Aster''s eyes opened wide, surprised that such a simple idea slipped his mind.


    "Right! We''re going to the second floor, either way, so taking it with us there would mean we can also drag it outside easier!"


    After that, the three started working. Kali and Cassy were checking the Hobgoblin for loot, while Aster was trying to reshape the ice covering the Dire Wolf, chipping the ice with his sword, and molding them to be a bit circr, easier to push around.


    After a while, only a truncated sphere remained. Aster tried, and even with his meager strength, he was able to push therge sphere forward. After picking up the two backpacks and wearing them over the front and back, he started to push the sphere, letting it roll over the grass.


    Soon, it gained momentum and was rolling effortlessly, further lessening Aster''s burden. He didn''t push it too fast, of course, as it would be unstoppable if he did.


    Cassy and Kali just finished stripping the Hobgoblin of all its essories. From it, they got a ne, two bracers, two anklets, three rings, and a mana core about as big as a head out of its chest.


    Estimating their loot, the Hobgoblin should give them at least 200 thousand. For the Dire Wolf, since it wasn''t intact like the first two, they wouldn''t be able to get half a million as usual, but it should still be close.


    "Then, I''ll go first!"


    Just as the three arrived before the portal, Cassy was the first one to move. Carrying half of the essories, she stepped halfway through the portal and stopped.


    "T-This feels... weird." Shemented before turning to Aster. "Hurry and push it across the portal!"


    "I will!"


    Aster didn''t dy and carefully started to roll the ice sphere forward. In just a couple of steps, he managed to push it into the portal and continued pushing until even he himself went through it.


    Right, the reason why Cassy was standingically in the middle of the portal was to "activate" the portal and lock its coordinates. After all, there were known cases of inanimate objects disappearing when left unattended while crossing a portal.


    Although the chances of it happening were low, it was better to be safe than sorry!


    After he crossed over to the other side, Aster started to look around.


    "So this is the second floor..." He whispered while taking a deep breath.


    The air was fresh, just like on the first floor, but unlike it, the ins and forest looked more chaotically mixed. Looking up, there was still no sun in the sky, but the light shining down on them didn''t seem to have changed, as if it were eternal noontime.


    "It doesn''t look that different from the first floor," hemented with slight disappointment.


    "The 1st to 10th floors have the same style. You should drop your expectations of dramatic changes in scenery until we reach the 11th floor." From behind, Kali''s voice echoed, exining.


    She, along with Cassy, crossed the portal and touched down on the second floor too! With this, they are now officially unable to return to the first floor, no matter what they do. Right, the dungeon doesn''t allow one to revisit an already "conquered" floor!


    "Phew... Then, I''ll go and borrow an EM Pushcart!" Cassy saluted before dumping the essories on her hands for Kali. "Wait for me; I''ll return in a few minutes!"


    Soon after, her figure disappeared into therge, glowing cave behind us, the exit of the second floor, where we just entered.


    Aster was unable to sit still, however. He quickly turned to Kali and asked her, "Kali, can you watch over our loot for now? I kind of want to test my new skill."


    Just as he leveled up, he also had information flooding his brain. The information was regarding a certain skill, which he just learned. It was his first skill, so he was excited to see what its effects were!


    "... Alright. But don''t go too far, or I might lose sight of you."


    Kali''s main job was to guard Aster, but that''s something only the two of them knew. As such, they couldn''t openly talk about it with Cassy around.


    He smiled, waving his hand, before running away. "Don''t worry, I won''t!"


    After moving about a dozen meters forward, Aster encountered a monster. It was a slime, looking like the one from the previous floor, with only its color changing to green instead of blue.


    ''Now, time to test it!" He grinned as he drew his sword, taking a deep breath and mouthing the skill''s name. "Sword Skill! Vertical sh!"

 Chapter 68: Encountering a Deadly Cat

    Vertical sh. For any ss wielding a sword, like a der or swordsman, it was a skill they would learn right as they reached level one. However, Aster just learned it at level four. This wasn''t an error but was the natural course, as hecked the prerequisites to learn it.


    First, he didn''t have enough strength. Of course, this wasn''t pertaining to the STR stat but rather to overall strength. When he was under level 3, his overall power was below the minimum prerequisite for learning the skill.


    Second, Aster was unlike others who "earned" jobs through training and earning a skill. Technically, he was still "jobless" and was someone who simply was swinging a sword and gun around. As such, without a Job''s Status Correction, it was obvious he would learn the skill slower than the others!


    ''But a skill is a skill! And it''s amazing!''


    After activating the skill, he could feel strength flowing into his arms as the sword swung down vertically. This strength was multiplying his sh speed by at least two times!


    *SLASH!* *SCREECH!*


    And right as the swordnded on it, the Green Slime let out a short screech before it started to "melt."


    "AH!" Aster raised his voice, seeing how the slime was leaking its contents.


    He quickly moved to use his Carved Seal, drying the dead slime fast. Fortunately, the temperature needed to extract the slime''s core didn''t change. In one try, he managed to extract the green slime''s core!


    "One slime core: get!"


    After keeping the core in his pocket, he then searched for the next prey and practiced using his skill. A few dozen meters away, two more green slimes were present. Without a hint of hesitation, he dashed forward and swung the sword down, using the same skill as before.


    "Vertical sh!"


    The sword moved as fast as it did before, and in one go, it managed to bisect the slime. Its gel-like contents started to pour out, wasted!


    Just as he was turning toward the next one, Aster was surprised. The slime didn''t flinch as its buddy died, unlike the Blue Slime, but insteadunched itself right at him in a tackle!


    *BAM!*


    "Ugh!"


    Although the slime wasn''t so powerful, its tackle was as painful as getting punched directly, at least. Aster''s left side, having been hit, had almost cramped from the pain.


    "AAAAARGH!"


    He raised a bestial roar, plunging his sword in a swift stab at the falling enemy. The slime was unable to dodge midair and couldn''t help but get pierced by the de. As usual, even the slightest rupture of its outeryer was enough to kill it.


    "... Damn. I let my guard down." Aster cursed while holding his still-hurting side. "Green slimes are different from blue slimes... I''ve got to remember that."


    Right after, he no longer acted rashly. He was careful with every monster he found, swinging his sword down in a swift motion before intercepting its partner''s tackle with a knee. As long as you''re aware of the timing of its attack, it wasn''t hard to stop it fromnding a critical hit!


    Of course, his reaction speed wasn''t godly or anything. He would still fail at times, ending up getting hit by the slimes. All in all, he received five hits, which, for some reason, made him start to pant hard, as if he were running out of breath.


    "This..." Aster felt curious about this phenomenon.


    Although he wasn''t technically heavily injured, it felt as if he was on the verge of death. His vision was narrowing and slowly fading, the same as the animation when a character ran out of health and was about to die in games.


    "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    "...!"


    And just as he was about to fall to his knees, a familiar voice echoed, calling him back to his senses. A faint red light covered Aster''s body, letting him regain his slowly narrowing vision.


    "Cassy..."


    He whispered the name of the one who helped him while ncing at his back. There, Cassy and Kali were already moving, and with a worried gaze, they stopped beside Aster.


    "Just when I was away for a few moments, you managed to reach the limits of your HP?! What would you have done if you fainted!" She lectured him with a strict expression,pletely unlike her usual happy-go-lucky smile.


    "I know you trust my ability to protect you, but pushing yourself until you fall isn''t praiseworthy."


    Even Kali, who was watching over him the entire time from afar, scolded him. "Weakling, don''t you ever try pulling this stunt when you''re alone, understand?"


    "..."


    Aster simply nodded his head. He was clueless about the fact that there''s actually an imaginary HP bar for everyone in the dungeon, which, when used up, forces one into a fainted state. And, of course, while fainting, one could still end up being attacked by a monster, which would lead to a definite death.


    It was unknown why such a function was present, however, and it was treated as one of the Ten Greatest Unsolved Mysteries of the Dungeon. The most widely believed exnation was that the dungeon added it to protect itself from the explorers and give its monsters a fair chance at killing the "intruders."


    *Rustle!*


    "...?"


    At that moment, the trio heard someone approaching. They were unaware of the other party''s presence up until they were ten meters from each other, telling them that the other party had quite high stealth abilities.


    Turning in the direction the sound came from, they saw a cat beastwoman. Unlike Kali, who was of a silvery-white color, however, this woman had luscious, long ck hair. When she walked, the sun shone through it, letting them see that her hair had blue ents.


    However, her figure made Aster and Cassy worry. The person was wearing too little clothes, a highly revealing top, and hot pants. Furthermore, her entire body was stained with blood!


    "Are you alright?!" Aster jogged to the woman''s side, looking closer to see her injuries. "Ah...!"


    However, a momentter, he realized that he had judged the situation wrongly. A thick wave of killing intent, followed by a ck sh, approached him. A small fist, covered in leather gloves, approached his face without a hint of hesitation!


    *Thud!*


    Fortunately, Aster was lucky. He ended up tripping on a random pebble and falling face-down to the ground. The woman''s fist flew past the top of his head, missing its target!


    However, of course, she wasn''t sluggish at all. In one swift motion, she moved to flip Aster over before mounting on top of his stomach. Her fist came down toward his face, about to lynch him until he was no longer recognizable.


    *TAP!*


    But two figures moved fast. Cassy caught her raised fist while Kali held her shoulder, both releasing intense auras.


    "That''s enough." They said at the same time.

 Chapter 69: Contract Expired?!

    The ck cat nced at the two who stopped her and red at them. Her eyes were so sharp that it was hard to even look at her directly. However, neither of the two flinched, keeping their hold on her firmly.


    "I suggest you get off our leader now before things escte further."


    Kali''s words were cold, as if she would resort to violence if the other party didn''t back off.


    With a scoff, the ck cat removed Cassy''s hold on her hand before she stood up and walked past the three, going through the portal behind them in one go. She didn''t say a single word the entire time!


    As soon as her figure vanished, the two girls let out a deep, long sigh.


    "You fucking idiotic weakling!" Kali rained down curses over Aster, however. "Who in the world goes approaching a stranger without a hint of wariness? Didn''t you see how she was on edge even before you came close?!"


    "S-Sorry..." Aster apologized, pushing himself off the ground. "I thought she was injured, so I wanted to get a closer look to confirm."


    "Injured?" Kali eximed in an incredulous tone. "The blood covering her was someone else''s, not her own."


    Cassy, who was quiet the entire time, turned to Aster with both her hands over her chest. "Star... Did youe close to her just to get a better look at her boobs?"


    "What? No!"


    "But you were staring at it so intently!"


    "I said I thought she was injured; I was looking over her entire body!"


    Of course, Aster wasn''t lying. He didn''t have any ulterior motives when he approached the cat girl, other than feeling worried over her. It was slightly true that his line of sight stayed on the most conspicuous part, herrge chest, for a bit longer than the rest of her body, however.


    "Enough. We should return now." Kali''s cold voice stopped the two from continuing.


    The time was already past five in the afternoon. If they dally, then they wouldn''t be able to make it in time before the guild closes. Although reluctant to leave the misunderstanding about him as is, Aster had no choice but to follow.


    The trio, carrying loot from two boss monsters and from a few slimes, went on their way back.


    ---


    A few minutester, at the guild, all eyes were looking at them.


    Of course, that was inevitable. After all, Aster was pushing the EM Cart, carrying the half-frozen, headless corpse of the Dire Wolf. To those who kept on staying in the guild, they knew that this was the third time that their party hunted the field boss!


    "Look, isn''t that the Hobgoblin''s ne? Does this mean they have entered the second floor now?"


    "That''s for sure. Look at what that rabbit woman is holding. Those are green slime cores!"


    "Yeah, there''s no green slimes on the first floor. They must''ve moved up a floor at longst."


    Chatter filled the guild hall, but the three didn''t mind them and continued straight to the counter. There, Zena was already showing a wry smile, seeing the loot they were carrying.


    "So the reason you weren''t anywhere yesterday was because you were heading to the second floor." She eximed with understanding. "However, you should renew your contract soon. Aster, Cassandra, your trial party contract expires today."


    "Ah!"


    The two gasped,pletely forgetting about that piece of detail. They were so into it,pletelyfortable with each other, that they forgot that they were a trial party!


    "Star..." Cassy looked at him with worry.


    After all, he was the party leader, so he had the right to decide whether or not to keep Cassy in their party. Aster stared back at her and smiled.


    "Of course, if you''re not against it, I want to be in a party with you." He replied, despite having no intention of letting Cassy go.


    "...! Yes! Of course, I don''t mind! Yeey!" Cassy replied, jumping around in joy.


    Seeing their interactions, Kali could only sigh, while Zena showed a warm smile. "You two should get a room!" She teased.


    "Room? Won''t Star''s hotel be fine?" Cassy wondered,pletely misunderstanding what Zena was talking about. "We should celebrate our formal party formation!"


    Aster felt embarrassed, as he did get what Zena was saying. However, he didn''t want to corrupt the innocent rabbit''s mind, so he just kept quiet about it, patting her head in silence.


    After that, Zena brought another contract, which the two signed,pleting their formal party formation. "With this, you''ll be party members unless you cancel the contract or when the member or the leader dies."


    "What an ominous thing to say..." Astermented lightly. "Anyway, our loot. Please assess them before you close the guild for today."


    They were already cutting it close, with the time approaching 6 p.m. rapidly. Zena sighed as if finding it bothersome before moving toward the hall and carrying her usual holo-tablet.


    As usual, despite herzy expression, her work was fast and urate. It didn''t take her five minutes toplete her assessment and give a price to their quarry.


    "The Dire Wolf, since it''s not as pristine as the first two you''ve brought in, will be priced at 350 thousand Tels. For the Hobgoblin essories, we will buy them all for 270 thousand. Then, there''s the 22 green slime cores, for 220 thousand Tels."


    Adding them together, their party earned a total of 840 thousand Tels over two days! It was a little below their usual daily average with the Blue Simes, but their actual hunting time was less than an hour, so it was, in truth, an amazing amount!


    After confirming the money entering their ounts, the trio headed out.


    "Well then, K., you''re having dinner with us, right~?" As soon as they entered the busy road, Cassy grabbed her shoulders and grinned. "Don''t tell me you forgot your promise to treat us to dinner before!"


    "..."


    Kali didn''t forget that, of course. It was her promise after the two saved her from the kidnappers, after all. However, as usual, she had a deep frown covering her face. Kali wasn''t really used to a boisterous atmosphere, especially at parties!


    "... Then, if Aster cooks for us, I will." As if finding a loophole, she suggested.


    Rather than refusing it herself, she decided to push the decision on someone else! She was expecting Aster to refuse, saying it was too bothersome or something, but the next moment, he nodded his head instead.


    "Sure! Then, let''s drop by the market and buy ingredients. Tonight, we''ll be having a feast!"


    "Yay!"


    "..."

 Chapter 70: Taking a Bath Together?

    Kali was grumpy the entire time but still didn''t leave them while shopping for ingredients. She might be standoffish and somewhat antisocial, but she was still someone who understood the importance of gratitude and giving back.


    "We should get more meat! K. will ask for more meat, after all~!"


    "Meat for dinner? Isn''t that too heavy? Let''s try going with something lighter..."


    "Then stew? That still has meat."


    "That''s too time-consuming to cook. How about steamed dumplings...?"


    Of course, she was only tagging along, as she had absolutely no idea about cooking. Cassy and Aster were the ones looking at various aisles, picking up ingredients that they would be using.


    They didn''t dwell for too long on deciding what to cook for dinner and quickly picked up the required items from their shelves. One after another, the cart was filled up with condiments, vegetables, fruits, meat, meat, and more meat. Of course, before Aster could take out his card, Kali had already paid for everything. It wouldn''t be her treat if she didn''t do her part, after all.


    In just under 20 minutes, the trio finished their shopping and went on their way back. Of course, the ce they''re headed toward is the Twister Hotel, where Aster was staying. That was the only ce where they could use a kitchen, after all.


    What weed them was the usual light show around the hotel, with the fountains,sers, and all that, giving the ce a "bustling with life" feel.


    However, unlike usual, the security around the ce felt a lot tighter than before. Wherever they looked, guards could be seen patrolling in pairs.


    "..."


    Kali went speechless when she saw the ce where Aster was staying. After all, unlike Cassy, she knew just how much it costs for a single-night stay in this ce. Their earnings were definitely going to disappear in one night if they all stayed in this ce!


    "What''s wrong, Kali?" Aster asked, seeing her stop in her tracks. "Did you see something?"


    "... No, it''s nothing."


    And of course, she too knew that Aster was living there at the government''s expense, so he was spending nothing on his lodging costs, unlike Cassy and herself.


    "It''s just... a bit unfair." She whispered at the end.


    As soon as they entered, the smiling elven receptionists greeted the three with wide smiles. However, as usual, the aura behind their smiles wasn''t friendly at all¡ªespecially towards the two girls.


    "Wee back, Mr. Aster Mistral." The receptionists bowed simultaneously. "Congrattions on reaching the second floor of the dungeon. Here''s your room''s key card."


    "Ah, thanks."


    Although he was curious as to how they knew he had reached the second floor already, he decided to keep his mouth shut. The old man standing at the entrance should be connected to the government in some way, too, so they could''ve heard of it through him.


    "Ah, there''s no problem with inviting more people to my room, is there?" Just in case, he asked.


    Before, when he brought Cassy to his room, they had told him that it was fine as long as it was within the "room''s guest count limit." However, they didn''t tell him what that capacity was concretely. Was it two? Or Three? He didn''t know.


    "It''s fine up to eight people, so please don''t worry." The elfdy receptionist smiled while replying before continuing with a question. "Would you like to ask for room service for dinner?"


    Aster smiled while waving his hand dismissively, answering in the negative. "Ah, we''re fine. We''ll be cooking our own foodter. Thanks."


    "I see..." She continued, her tone sounding a bit cold and disappointed. "Then, please enjoy your stay."


    After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the three went for the elevator. And when no one was looking at them, Kali finally let out a deep breath, wiping the cold sweat off her forehead.


    "What''s with those receptionists? They''re looking at me like I''m some bug they need to squash."


    "They were like that for me too, during my first visit. Don''t mind it~!" Cassy smiled while trying to reassure her.


    Aster smiled. "Ah, they''re actually something like yourrades... I''ll exin thatter."


    Soon, the Magic Elevator stopped at the 28th floor, where the three of them alighted. With Cassy at the lead, they headed for Aster''s room at the end of the hallway to the right, Room 2869.


    As she walked ahead of the other two, Aster decided to talk to Kali about what happened on the ground floor in hushed voices.


    "Actually, the government arranged for me to stay in this hotel room. So the employees here are also acting as my guards during my stay. Technically, having the same job as you do."


    "I see..."


    Kali nodded her head and didn''t ask any further. As if what he just said was more than enough for her to understand the situation.


    "Hey, you two! Hurry up!" Cassy, who had already reached the door to Aster''s room, shouted out loud. "I''m getting hungry~!"


    "Alright!"


    "..."


    With her call, the two hurried their steps, heading down the hallway at a faster pace. In a few seconds, they finally reached the door, where Aster used his key card to unlock and open it.


    As the door swung open and the lights inside came to life, Cassy quickly entered as if she were used to it and sat down on the sofa as she dropped their pack beside it.


    "Phew... this... I want one like this in my lodging too." She whispered while sinking deeper into the soft cushion, her expression melting in bliss.


    "Haha. You two can rx while I cook. It should be ready in an hour."


    "Hmmm... Then, K.! Let''s go take a bath together~!"


    "Huh? And why do I need to go in with you?"


    "Just because!"


    Kali showed a fed-up expression before waving her hand. "No. You should take a bath by yourself, stupid rabbit."


    "A, I''m sure it''ll be fun if we enter together..." Cassymented.


    However, shortly after, her expression brightened, as if a great idea had dawned on her. "Then, you go take a bath first! I''ll go help Star prepare while you''re in there~!"


    "..."


    Kali was suspicious of her sudden change of attitude, but after being unable to read her intentions, she decided to take up her offer. She hadn''t been able to take a bath for two days while they were in the dungeon, after all. She was already feeling icky about herself and honestly wanted to have a nice long shower.


    "Alright. Then, I''ll be taking a shower first." She relented in the end.


    Kali entered the bath and locked it behind her. Seeing that, Cassy showed a yful grin, as if her prank had just seeded. "Star, I''ll borrow this for a moment~!" She said this while pointing at a certain object.


    Aster saw what she was pointing at and felt conflicted. However, in the end, he just let her be.


    "Just don''t get into a fight, alright?"


    That was all he said before returning to the kitchen, wearing an apron, and starting to cook.

 Chapter 71: Frolicking in the Shower

    Kali stood in front of the mirror for a few seconds, as if waiting for something to happen or listening to the sounds outside. However, she couldn''t detect any anomalies at all.


    "... Well, I should trust her words, at least."


    Thinking so, Kali started to remove her clothes. Her thick jacket was ragged and full of dirt and dust, followed by her hot pants. As her main focus was agility, wearing long pants like Aster did was difficult, as it would limit her knee''s movements.


    As she took off her clothes one after another, she tossed them into the washer, ready to give them a spin. As she didn''t have any other clothes to wear, she had no choice but to wash her current clothes to useter.


    She removed her ck tank top and the pair of ck underwear she was wearing underneath before tossing them both into the washer. After touching a few buttons, the machine started releasing a few beeps before the motor could be heard running.


    Seeing her clothes tumble inside it as the washer began its magic, she walked over to the shower area and adjusted the knobs. She always takes extra hot showers, probably due to how her body temperature is hotter than a human''s, roughly at 39 ¡ãC on average.


    After the panel showed the "ready"bel, she flipped the shower''s knob, letting the water fall on top of her head.


    "Phew..."


    Steam quickly filled the bath area, as the water temperature was approaching 45 ¡ãC. For other races, it might be a little ufortable to shower at that temperature.


    As she was letting the shower wash off the dirt from her hair and body, she realized the sound of the door opening. Kali''s ears twitched immediately as she used one arm to cover her lower spot before swiping the curtain out of the way.


    "You bastard! How dare you peek on me, As¡ª!"


    But just as she was about to call someone''s name, she realized that it wasn''t who she thought it was. The one who entered the bathroom''s door, using the master key, was none other than the orange rabbit, Cassy!


    "E-Ehehe~! Now, you can''t run away! Let''s take a bath together~!"


    Although it got awkward as she was discovered a little too early, she still didn''t let it get to her. Cassy quickly closed the door behind her, locked it, and ced the master key by the sink. Then, without a hint of hesitation, she started unrobing herself!


    "Taking a bath together has its perks, you know? For example, I can wash your back!" Cassy continued talking as if finding excuses to stay in the bath with Kali.


    In under half a minute, Cassy had already removed everything on her and was now in her birthday suit. She then walked over to the shower area, where Kali was still wary, ring at the rabbit intruder.


    "Ohh~! You have well-toned muscles, as expected." And without a hint of embarrassment, she gandered at Kali''s body, observing it closely. "Hmmm... You even have abs. How envious~! The only thing that gets big for me is my legs and thighs!"


    "Huh? Don''t you mean all of it went to that useless piece of fat on your chest?" Kalimented while looking down on her own... and feeling slightly irritated.


    "Huh? No, this thing is just in the way when I move... If possible, I want it to be around your size; that''s perfect!"


    *Squish~!*


    "H-Hey! W-where are you touching, you pervert rabbit?!"


    "Ehh~? We''re both girls anyway; isn''t that fine? My sisters do this to me often too~!"


    "S-Stop! Ahhn~!"


    "Oh? What''s with that shaky voice? What happened?"


    "...!"


    The two frolicked in the bath without restraint. To be more urate, Cassy was ying around with Kali. Since the washer''s timer was set to automatically stop after 30 minutes, Kali wouldn''t be able to escape for that long unless she could tolerate going out of the bath naked!


    In the kitchen, the one who was cooking their dinner was forced to listen to the two''s voices echoing loudly. Aster''s cheeks were tinged a faint red, and he was unable to hold back his imagination, his mind picturing what the two were doing in there.


    ''Wait, no! This will just make it harder for me to survive tonight!'' He quickly shook his head, as if to chase away all his pink thoughts. ''I need to concentrate. Zen! I will reach the Zen State of Mind!''


    As someone who had to suffer due to his disease in the past, Aster had tried his hand at a lot of things. One of them is controlling his breathing and emotions through Zen meditation. Of course, he''s no master, so his meditation wasn''t foolproof, but it should at least be able to let him focus on his current task rather than on the voices echoing from the bath.


    Time passed by quickly, and at the 30-minute mark, one figure jumped out of the bath. It was Kali, who was wearing nothing but her tank top and hot pants. She seemed tired, her face red while panting hard, with steaming from her body.


    Aster sent a nce her way before returning to what he was doing and announcing. "The meal''s almost done. Kali, can you help me set up the table?"


    "... Alright."


    As she walked away from the bath, another one came out. This time, it was Cassy who borrowed another shirt from Aster''s wardrobe to wear. Right, she was wearing nothing underneath, only a single, baggy shirt.


    "I''ll help too~!" She raised her hand before running after Kali.


    "..."


    Aster watched the two working from the corner of his eyes and, of course, couldn''t focus on what he was doing. Their attire was poison to the eyes!


    Kali''s tank top was short, basically leaving everything below her chest and above her waist exposed. She didn''t wear her bra back on, as it would be restrictive to sleep on. Even her hot pants were left half-open, revealing a glimpse of her ck underwear.


    In Cassy''s case, the in white shirt followed every curve of her body. When she was leaning forward, it was fine, but when she was standing straight, the twin peaks could be seen asserting their presence from below the shirt. It was practically visible already.


    "Ugh..."


    Aster closed his eyes, praying that he survive the night without falling to temptation, andying a hand on either of the girls.

 Chapter 72: You Can Make Your Own Restaurant!

    Just as the two finished setting up the table and moving the food that was already done to it, Asterpleted the rest a few minutester.


    Their menu was mostly meat, but, of course, he didn''t forget about the bnce of nutrients. Aster, despite having his body forcefully "molded" into a healthy one, was still in dire need of a bnced diet, after all.


    "Then, before we eat, let me introduce the food to you two!" He asserted with a smile, as if trying to forget about something.


    One after another, he introduced the dishes he had prepared.


    Grilled Halloumi Green Sd with Mustard and Mayo Dressing, Steamed Chicken with Garlic Soy ze, Asian-Style Pork Fish Sticks with Teriyaki Sauce Dip and ze, Pan Grilled Burger Steak with Spicy Chipotle Mayo over Coconut Rice, Lemon Basil Cheesecake with Blueberry Coulis, and Orange Mint Infused Water.


    Aster meticulously prepared everything because he was in a zen-like state while cooking.


    "W-Wow¡­! This looks even better than what I made before!" Cassy eximed, awe written all over her face. "Then, time for judging the most critical part: the taste!"


    As if unable to wait any longer, Cassy moved her fork and stabbed a slice of the Pork Fish Sticks, letting a crispy sound echo as the fork went in. After dipping its end over the sauce, making it look even more appetizing, she carefully brought it over to her lips and took a hungry bite.


    "...!"


    And in a sh, her expression changed to surprise as she ate the entire stick in just a few bites. After chewing at it for a while, she then swallowed it before letting out a soft sigh.


    "Star... You should open a restaurant. I think you''d perform better doing that than being an adventurer!" With almost 100% seriousness, she suggested.


    "Eh? You''re overacting." But Aster dismissed it as just her trying to praise his cooking.


    "I think so too." But Kali, who stealthily took a slice of her burger steak and tasted it¡ªjuicy and exploding with vorsmented. "If you open a restaurant, I''m sure there''d be a lot of repeat customers looking for your dishes."


    "Right?!" Cassy beamed, seeing that Kali agreed with her. "Rather, I''m curious as to what level your cooking skill is! Mine''s just level 3, and I''m too far from reaching this level of deliciousness!"


    As if curious about the taste of the other dishes, Cassy used her fork to pick up a small portion of the steamed chicken. It was so soft that the strands easily came off, together with the zed skin. As she took a nibble, the savory taste of the soy sauce, mixed with the natural sweetness of the chicken, gave way to a wonderfulbination of vors, overloading her tongue.


    Kali followed her lead, also taking a small forkful of the chicken and asking before tasting it. "I''m curious about that too. What level is it?"


    "... Cooking skill?"


    But his reaction confused the two¡ªor just one of them, as Cassy quickly recalled Aster''s situation. "Ah, right. You don''t know about it, do you? Then, let me exin~!"


    "Skills outside of battle skills, also known as daily life skills, all have levels. For example, K.''s Assassinate skill and my Healing spell don''t have a level, but the Cooking skill does."


    "I see..." Aster nodded. "Then, how can I check my skill level?"


    He looked at the adventurer''s card, but other than his stats, nothing else was written there.


    "Ah, there should be a Skill te at the Adventurer''s Guild. Let''s go there and check tomorrow~!"


    "We should. Checking your skills is a necessity for an adventurer. After all, if you know the enemy and yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."


    "Ah, Sun Tzu! So his Art of War is still known even up to this day..." Aster smiled as he took a mouthful of the sd.


    And, to his surprise, the taste changed again.


    The grilled halloumi cheese gave the medley of fresh greens an enticing texture with its caramelized edges and creamy, nearly buttery center.


    A symphony of textures was created, with crisp cucumber slices offering a cool contrast, juicy cherry tomatoes bursting with refreshing sweetness, and crisp lettuce leaves offering a satisfying crunch. Each ingredient was coated with a delightful kick from the creamy yet tangy mustard and mayo dressing.


    This was a far cry from the simple vor he tasted before serving the food!


    It was the second time this happened, so Aster was starting to think that this was due to some corrective force getting applied after hepleted his cooking.


    ''Maybe it''s the effect of the cooking skill that they''re talking about? Well, whatever it is, we''ll know tomorrow.''


    "But shouldn''t you at least grasp your skills, even without checking the Skill te?" Kali asked with a frown. "It''s as if you didn''t even know what skills are just now."


    "Ah..." Aster scratched his head.


    Given that the mayor himself sent Kali over, he assumed she already knew about him. However, from the way she asked, he figured out that she was kept in the dark instead.


    It would be awkward to keep it a secret between only him and Cassy, and it''s technically not a secret, anyway, so he took a deep breath and began to exin. "Actually, I... I''m not from this era."


    "...?"


    When Aster threw his Advernturer''s Card over to Kali, she checked it with light confusion on her face. Then, after scrunching her eyes many times before rubbing the card, checking if it was not a sticker or visual glitch, she stared at Aster with an inexplicable expression.


    "... You''re this old?"


    "Well... Yes. But I spent 99% of that time frozen in a Cryogenic Chamber," he exined, before suddenly remembering about theboratory. "Right, I should schedule some time to visit that ceter." He added in a whisper.


    After Aster''s reveal, Cassy started talking about herself, which started a reveal of everyone''s dreams and goals. Kali couldn''t reveal the part about her being Aster''s guard, however, as it was a secret mission from the mayor himself.


    The three continued chatting about themselves until they finished all the food that Aster had made. After their meal, just as he wanted to go and wash the dishes, Cassy took over, doing it instead.


    Having nothing to do, he instead checked the bedroom, trying to see if it was in a state that could be used promptly. It had been a little under two days since he returned, after all.


    "... What?"


    But when he entered the bedroom, he was surprised to see that his single bed was no longer there. Instead, arge, king-sized bed was in its ce, taking up almost a quarter of the bedroom''s space.


    Seeing this and understanding the implied meaning behind why the bed was changed to a bigger one, cold sweat fell from his back.

 Chapter 73: Not Getting a Wink of Sleep

    Aster refused to y the tune that Mayor Magnus was ying. As such, he pulled out a couple of unused bedsheets from the drawer by the side of the room before walking out of there and heading to the sofa in the living room.


    There, he started to set the sheets, creating afortable "bed" where he could sleep for the night.


    While he was fixing his own sleeping space, Kali, who was sitting on the single sofa nearby, was staring at his back. "You... what are you doing?"


    "Huh?"


    Aster turned to look at Kali, confused by her question. "What else? I''ll be sleeping here."


    Kali didn''tment on his response; she merely frowned before standing up and walking over toward the kitchen. Aster continued doing what he was doing until five minutester, when Cassy and Kali returned.


    "I heard from Kali; you''re nning to sleep here?"


    Cassy asked with her arms crossed before her chest. Since she was only wearing a shirt, it pulled the cloth tighter to her body, making "everything" entuated even more.


    "There''s no way we''d let you get the shorter end of the stick again! You''re the room''s owner; you should sleep on the bed!" She eximed.


    Aster scratched his head before spouting his words. "No, but... There''s no way we can stay in the same room, can we?"


    "Why not?" Kali asked.


    The two girls walked around the sofa before grabbing Aster from both sides, locking his arms in ce.


    To his left, a soft valley wrapped his arm, as if they were marshmallows. Due to only having a single piece of cloth between them, he could even feel her skin''s warmth through it. To his right, a different kind of supple sensation could be felt. Although Kali had less volume than Cassy did, it didn''t lose against it one bit.


    Aster felt a current rush from the two girls'' bodies, coursing through the part touching him and tickling his spine.


    "...!"


    While he was lost from the sudden happening, the two girls started to drag him away, heading back to the bedroom he just left earlier.


    "See? The bed''s big enough for us three! No need to sleep on the ground or on the couch!" Cassy exined with a smile on her face.


    "Yeah, it should be wide enough to not feel stuffy even if we all spread our limbs wide while sleeping," Kali added in agreement.


    "W-Wait!" Aster raised his voice, trying ast bit of struggle. "I haven''t turned off the lights in the living room and kitchen yet! Let me go for a moment."


    ""NO!""


    The two answered at the same time, before Cassy let go and ran toward the switches. She was going to turn off all the lights herself to not give Aster a reason to leave!


    While she was away, Kali whispered.


    "Mayor Magnus contacted me to keep watch over you tonight. There was an anti-human movement member who slipped through their defenses." She exined with a serious expression. "As such, whether you like it or not, you''re sleeping with us. That should make it safer for everyone."


    ''So there''s a proper reason behind Kali''s current behavior.'' Aster thought, feeling slightly relieved. ''But it''s a bit weird¡ªa terrorist slipping past such a tight encirclement? Is that even possible?''


    For some reason, he could feel that Magnus was simply lying to Kali to make Aster''s night a bit "spicier."


    ''If that''s the case, then... you better remember this, you damned mayor!'' He cursed in silence.


    "I turned off all the lights; now we can sleep in peace~!" Cassy, who just returned to hugging Aster''s arm, announced with a wide smile.


    With her return, the two pulled Aster to the foot of the bed before throwing him toward the middle of it, literally. With their strength, it was naught but child''s y!


    "Ugh!" Aster groaned as he felt his body bounce on top of the soft, king-sized bed.


    Although it was soft, sliding across the linen bedcover still hurt a bit. If not for his carved seal regting the temperature around him, then he could even get a slight friction burn on his elbows from it!


    "Ehehe, sleeping together, huh~?" Cassy spoke as she crept up the bed, over to Aster''s right. "I slept with my siblings like this all the time back in our vige; I kinda miss this feeling~!"


    "Sleeping with a man your age and sleeping with kids are two different things, stupid rabbit," Kalimented on the other side while crawling over the bed, reaching for Aster''s left side.


    "..."


    To his right, tworge fruits dangled down alluringly, making his eyes follow them as they swayed. To his left is a cat woman crawling in a slightly seductive manner, dressed in nothing but a tank top and hot pants.


    As a man, it was impossible not to "react" to the situation at all. After all, it hadn''t been that long since he had his first experience with Prisci. He quickly pulled the nket over him, up to his shoulders, before moving his hand on top of his junior, pushing it down to not let the two notice his misfortune.


    "Eii~!"


    Cassy waspletely oblivious to his plight and went to grab his arm in one go, hugging it tight.


    "For some reason, sticking close to you feels cooler than not... It''s not like you have a low body temperature, though." Shemented.


    Aster couldn''t feel the air conditioning anyway, so he didn''t touch the controls at all. It was left at 25 ¡ãC, which was hotter than the average temperature within a meter around him, about 20 ¡ãC, due to his Magic Carved Seal.


    Although it was easy to exin, his mind was filled with random thoughts and unable to focus. The sensations on his arm were making his little guy even wilder!


    "Hmmm... True. It''s about five degrees colder than when away from him." Kali, who curled up to Aster''s left,mented. "It''s like a special chilled zone or something."


    A perfectly bnced, slender beauty to his left. And a voluptuous, innocent cutie to his right. Aster was convinced that he was not going to get a proper sleep tonight.

 Chapter 74: Skillful Chef!

    True to his guess, Aster didn''t get a wink of sleep. He simply closed his eyes, pretending to sleep, while letting the two girls snooze beside him.


    During this, he learned three new things.


    First, no matter how they were stuck close and tight together, thanks to his Carved Seal, they didn''t feel too hot or stuffy at all.


    The second is that when sleeping, Kali would curl up and grab the closest thing to her, using it like a hug pillow. Of course, that "thing" ended up bing Aster, who was sleeping right beside her.


    And third, Cassy was a restless sleeper. There were a lot of instances when her leg went over to Aster''s waist, stimting his little Johnny, giving him a time of pure agony, and presenting good training for his self-restraint.


    This situationsted for the entire night until it was around 4 a.m. when Kali stirred and woke up. As her breathing changed, Aster pretended to be asleep, closing his eyes and emting slow, gentle breathing.


    "Hmm..."


    Kali didn''t do much after waking up, only silently going out of bed and heading for the bathroom to wash her face.


    About half an hourter, noticing that she didn''t return, Aster started to move, pretending to wake up. Of course, Cassy was still fast asleep. She wasn''t one to wake up too early, after all, and would naturally wake up at about five to five-thirty.


    "Hnnnngh!"


    Aster stretched a little before adjusting his thing, fixing its position, and walking out of the bedroom. As soon as he got out, he found Kali using the few pieces of exercise equipment he had borrowed, particrly the dumbbells, and doing a few sets with sweat covering her body.


    "Oh, good morning." Aster greeted lightly, keeping his voice not too loud.


    "Morning, weakling." Kali greeted him back with a frown. "I''ll be ying loud music on my earbuds, so you can use the bathroom as you please. It''s a natural thing, so I understand it. I won''t say a thing."


    "...?"


    Aster was puzzled about the meaning of her words but then realized that, as a beastwoman, her senses were higher than those of a normal human like him. The same goes for her sense of smell.


    Cold sweat covered his back before walking awkwardly back to the bedroom, picking a new set of clothes, and heading to the bathroom just as Kali offered. There, he finished his "job" first before taking a short shower and refreshed himself.


    The morning started quite awkwardly for Aster.


    ---


    May 11, 5:45 a.m. Sunny.


    After the three finished their breakfast, they went straight to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Other than Aster feeling a little awkward, the two girls were the same as usual. It slightly irked him that they weren''t affected at all even after sleeping on the same bed with him, but he decided to let it go.


    ''It''s not like I wanted to sleep with them in that sense.'' He whined while walking.


    "Ohh! It''s the first time I have seen you all arrive together." Zena, who was leaning on the counter as always,mented casually. "Could it be what I think it is~?" She asked, a glint of tease appearing in her eyes.


    "Yes, we had a sleepover at Aster''s ce!" Cassy answered,pletely unaware of the hidden meaning behind Zena''s words.


    "Ohh~!" She gasped exaggeratedly, turning to Aster with a grin. "So we have a yer over here? I knew it the first time I saw you, and I wasn''t wrong~!"


    "No, I''m not a two-timing fucktard, alright?" Aster quipped immediately, defending his honor. "And you''ve been wrong about me since the start."


    "Hmm? Then what about the cat missy over there?" Zena turned to Kali as if wanting to include her in the chaos.


    "..."


    Kali didn''t speak, only pulling out her phone and dialing a number. After a moment of silence, she started to speak to the person on the other end. "Hello? Is this the HR management of the Adventurer''s Guild? I just want to report...!"


    "A-Ahh, wait! I was just kidding, just kidding~!"


    Seeing how serious Kali was, Zena panicked as she jumped over the counter, snatching the phone from Kali and dropping the call. "Phew, alright, no jokes. I learned my lesson." She sighed.


    "Good."


    Aster saw how Kali handled her, gaining an advantage in just one move. Seeing that, he realized what the best method was to control the berserk snake receptionist now. "Kali, give me the HR''s numberter too. Or maybe the guild master''s, if you have it."


    "Sure."


    "Uuu... You guys take jokes too seriously."


    Zena looked distraught before moving on to official business. Cassy was the one to speak of it, asking to borrow the Skill Tablet. Of course, it wasn''t for free, as you needed to pay a usage fee of 50 Tels for each person.


    It wasn''t too expensive, but still quite a rtivelyrge number for simply using a tool once.


    Anyway, Aster paid for it and checked the list of his skills. As she did, he was surprised to see a few that he was unfamiliar with.


    [


    * Battle Skills


    Sword Skills: Vertical sh


    Martial Arts: Straight Punch, Side Kick


    Arcane Arts: Active Temperature Control


    *Passive Skills


    Mana Control (low), Mana Detection (low), Mana Regeneration (low), Temperature Standardizer (EX)


    * Daily Life Skills


    Cooking Skill: Lv 99


    Breathing Control Skill: Lv 99


    Alchemy Skill: Lv 51


    Gathering Skill: Lv 3


    Stealth Skill: Lv 1


    ]


    "That''s... a lot."


    "..."


    The two, who were peeking over Aster''s shoulder and seeing the disyed values on the board, were shocked. But what shocked them more was the Cooking Skill and Breathing Control Skill reaching counter stop! They were both at the maximum, Level 99!


    "No wonder your cooking tasted that good," Kali muttered after returning to her senses. "Your level is at the top already."


    Just as Aster guessed, a correction out of mana was applied whenever one who had the Cooking Skillpleted a dish. This was the reason why his cooking suddenly got upgraded after he served them.


    And with a Lv 99 correction, it was at the level where even burnt cooking would remain edible!


    Aster, however, was curious about the Alchemy skill. He couldn''t recall any experience with the ancient method called Alchemy, after all. ''Wait, is it rted to me helping out at theb at times?''


    But that was more chemistry than alchemy, which further confused him.


    Anyway, Aster took a picture of his skills using his Holo Tablet and saved it to viewter. After that, they returned the Skill Tablet to Zena before heading out.


    Of course, along the way, their topic didn''t move from Aster''s maxed-out cooking skill.

 Chapter 75: A Coincidence?

    Soon after, the three of them arrived at the dungeon''s entrance. The time was 6 a.m. sharp, earlier than their usual 6:30 a.m. entry. The Oni uncle grinned at them after they paid the entrance, rooting for them.


    "Alright, you''re good to go! Good luck exploring a new floor, newbies!"


    "We will~!" Cassy replied with a smile of her own. "But we''ll probably being out in a few hours."


    "Ohh! The usual hunting pace, then? That''s great! Earn more money, and give me more dungeon entrance fees! Ha ha!"


    With Kali and Aster ignoring the uncle, the three of them walked past the entrance, entering. After a short transition, with a bright light covering their vision for a moment, the scenery before them changed.


    A wide in almost the same as the first floor, with the only difference being the color of the slimes leaping around!


    The three moved a short distance away from the entrance first, ensuring that nobody else would be able to disturb them, before Aster dropped the two bags down and arranged a clean area before him.


    "Alright, all set!" He dered this while nodding to the two girls. "Let''s start the day with the usual."


    "You mean slime hunting, yes? Let''s go~!"


    "I''ll hunt those pests; you bring the corpses back here."


    With a short exchange, they coordinated their assignments with each other. Of course, the only reason they didn''t need to discuss it for long was because it was the "usual" formation they take when hunting.


    Without dying, Kali started to run around, destroying slimes one after another, while trying to keep their injuries as small as possible to make their fluids leak slower.


    Cassy transported the corpses in batches of three to five, depending on their overall size. After all, she can''t carry too many, with her only having two hands.


    Then, with the batch of slimes delivered, Aster would begin to work on drying them out. But this time, he noticed a slight differencepared to usual.


    ''I can control the temperature faster and more urately.''


    Before, it took him roughly 30 seconds to finish a batch, but now, it doesn''t even take 15 seconds toplete them!


    Of course, this happened for a reason. Aster''s practice of controlling his Legacy-level Magic Carved Seal before affected his overall control of mana. The spell''s uracy, invocation speed, and strength of phenomenon alteration were all significantly improved!


    Since the cores of Green Slimes and Blue Slimes were of the same size, the trio finished filling up two bags in under an hour, as usual. The only thing that dyed them was that the Green Slimes were a lot more spread outpared to the Blue Slimes on the first floor.


    "Alright, this should be enough."


    Just as Aster was about to stand up, he noticed a gazeing from behind him. When he turned his head to look, he noticed a familiar figure walking toward the other side of the ins while throwing an irritated gaze toward him.


    "She''s yesterday''s..." Aster whispered, following her hourss figure with his gaze.


    "Ahem!"


    "...!"


    When he turned around in response to the sudden cough next to him, Kali was there, frowning and looking at him. "Don''t." She said it without any context, but Aster still understood what she meant.


    "I won''t, I won''t! I''ve learned my lesson from yesterday already."


    He could still remember how he had almost kissed her fist, so there was no way he would go and approach her willy-nilly. Let the sleeping dogs lie, as they say. He learned that being a busybody could be deadly at times!


    "Anyway, let''s head back and cash in these first beforeing back."


    "Ah! I''ll do it, Star!" Cassy quickly raised her hand. "Us three leaving to return would mean all three of us would need to pay the reentry fee. But if only one of us left, then we would only waste one set of fees!"


    "Oh, you mean, you''ll bring these back alone to save fees?" Aster raised a brow while thinking.


    Of course, he knew how inefficient it would be if all three of them left just to send the loot they got to the guild. As such, Cassy''s suggestion was a godsend, literally.


    "Then, can we leave it to you?" Aster asked while giving a wry smile.


    "Sure~! Then, I''ll be back in an hour! You guys can hunt or something while I''m gone!"


    "One hour..."


    It took them less than an hour to fill the two bags, with three of them working together. Now that only the two of them were left, how many cores could they gather before Cassy returned? Aster started to wonder.


    Cassy didn''t linger for long and made a beeline to the exit while carrying two bags filled with Green Slime Cores. Although she looked ridiculous with a bag on her back and front, thinking that her shipment was roughly a million in worth, she didn''t feel bad at all.


    "Then, let''s continue hunting slimes!" Aster suggested it as soon as Cassy disappeared through the portal.


    "... Alright."


    Kali merely sighed before following Aster''s suggestion.


    The reason she was feeling down was that now that Cassy had left on an errand, there was nobody to help deliver the killed slimes to Aster''s side. That meant she needed to cut her hunting time to deliver the hunted slimes back to him, doubling her workload!


    Kali ran around, hunting a few slimes, before carrying them all back to Aster. Then he would dry them out and extract their cores in their pristine, clean state.


    *Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*


    But while he was in the middle of drying the next batch of slimes, a sound of footsteps echoed from behind him.


    "Cassy? Just in time. Help out Kali, who... huh?"


    Aster muttered as he turned to look, but was surprised upon seeing who it was. It was the ck-haired cat woman from yesterday! And, again, she looks bloody as hell, with stains covering her from head to toe. It was as if she had juste out of a massacre with how much blood was staining her body!


    "..."


    Aster frowned, readying himself to move at any moment. After all, yesterday, he was mounted before he could even react. This time, he at least wanted to dodge!


    "It''s you, isn''t it? The one who exposed my location." The woman spoke, her voice cold and emotionless. "If I kill you here, will the assassinations also stop?"


    "... What?"


    Before Aster could deny her usation, the cat woman''s figure had already disappeared from his sight. At the same time, he felt a breeze cut toward his back!


    ''I''m getting mounted again?!'' Aster thought as he turned around, raising both arms across his chest.


    As he guessed, the cat woman was already behind him; her hand extended forward and grabbed his wrist. Then, in one swift motion, she performed a shoulder throw, mming Aster to the ground in a sh.


    *BAM!*


    "AGHK...!"


    Air got knocked out of his lungs, making him suffer in agony. At the same time, he saw the catwoman move as if to send a straight punch to his face.


    "YOU AGAIN?!"


    But then, a different cat saved him in the nick of time.

 Chapter 76: Catfight!

    Within Aster''s vision, blurry from pain, he saw Kali slip between them, catching the ck-haired woman''s fist.


    *BAM!*


    Although it wasn''t let out in full, losing more than half of its force, it was still powerful enough to make Kali grimace in pain. She didn''t let it get to her, however, and instead let out a swift kick, trying to hit the other party''s temple.


    "...!"


    The ck cat saw the attack and did a backflip, followed by a kick aimed at Kali''s chin. She quickly ced both daggers in the way of the kick, parrying it away, but still, both sides took a few steps away at the same time.


    The encounter was reset!


    "You''re in collusion with those assassins too?" The ck-haired woman frowned, her gaze turning even harsher than before. "Well, no matter. I''ll just kill you all the same."


    "Huh? Are you delusional? Anyway, fuck off before I get serious!" Kali responded harshly, raising both daggers.


    In their exchange, they seem evenly matched. However, that wasn''t the real case.


    Kali was faster than her and should''ve been able to easily dodge her attacks if not for her needing to protect Aster behind her. As such, she couldn''t bring out her full strength earlier. But now that they''ve distanced themselves from him, there''s nothing that would limit her anymore!


    "Shut up, you goons of my brother!"


    The woman kicked off the ground, dashing forward in an intense tackle. Kali watched her approach before casually walking forward as if to meet her charge head-on.


    However, at thest moment, Kali turned her body aside before waving her dagger, opening a fresh wound across the woman''s cheek. It wasn''t too deep, but enough that it would bleed for a while¡ªa warning per se.


    Of course, there''s no way she would stop with just that.


    As soon as she closed the distance with her charge, she let out a flurry of punches, each one carrying unbelievable weight behind them!


    "A martial artist, huh?!" Kali growled in a low voice while dodging her attacks. "You''ve got power, but...!"


    Kali sent a kick, taking advantage of the short pause between each punch she threw. It was a perfectly timed attack, making her unable to block it, so she tilted her body backward, evading the attack altogether.


    But that was actually a bad choice. Kali predicted such a move and halted her kick mid-strike before jumping, using her other leg, and sending a second kick. It was a multiyered attack!


    The second kick was faster than the first, but the woman had already pulled both arms back. She crossed them before her chest, blocking it dead center!


    *BAM!*


    However, due to her unstable body angle, she ended up falling to the ground from the force of the kick. Kali didn''t show mercy and waved her dagger down toward her right leg, nning on immobilizing her.


    "Petty tricks...! Metal Body!"


    *TING!*


    "...!"


    Kali was shocked that her attack merely bounced off of the woman''s leg. Rather, she felt like she had struck a solid metal block with full power, which caused her arm to feel numb from the feedback!


    The woman didn''t let her off easy and followed it with a sweeping kick, turning into a rotating motion almost like breakdancing, sending four consecutive kicks toward Kali until she took a step back.


    "Kuh!" Kali groaned in pain.


    Her right arm, which she used to block the kick, was refusing to move! "What heavy kicks! Is her body made out of metal?!" She wondered.


    The reason behind such a mind-boggling physique was the skill the woman used: Metal Body. It uses one''s innate mana to harden the skin, increasing its density and making it heavier. This primarily increases defensive strength, but like she did, it could also greatly impact one''s attacks.


    The woman followed through her kick, spinning around like a tornado, before rising to her feet in style.


    "You think you''re the only one with skills?!" Kali roared in anger before readying her left hand, her dagger positioned horizontally. "Dagger Skill! Threefold stab!"


    At that moment, Kali jumped forward. However, the next instant, Aster doubted his eyes. He saw Kali split into three!


    Each one headed for a specific target and swung their daggers down. It was so fast that the enemy was unable to move to dodge. At best, she could only cross her arms, covering her chest with her elbow, her neck with her forearm, and the sides of her head with her palm!


    *TING!* *TING!* *STAB!*


    "...!"


    Of the three attacks, two simply bounced off, while thest one,ing from the main body, managed to pierce through the woman''s hardened right arm. It was a deep wound, with the dagger going through to the other end in one go!


    "Ugh...!"


    Her face warped in pain before sending a listless kick as if trying to shoo Kali away. Having no choice, Kali let go of her dagger and retrieved the other within the grasp of her dangling right hand, readying it in a reverse-grip stance.


    Both sides were extremely battered by then!


    "..."


    Aster, who had already recovered enough to stand up, watched over their intense battle from a short distance away. However, he noticed that the two were at a standstill.


    Neither side was able to find an opening to take advantage of and was instead preparing for a swift counterattack when the other lunged forward!


    But from a corner of Aster''s eyes, he noticed some movements. A ck-hooded figure popped out of a nearby bush, aiming a crossbow toward the two. No, it was locked onto the ck-haired cat!


    ''An assassin?!''


    Aster realized it was toote to warn them, as the trigger was already pulled. Instead, he used all his strength to dash forward, each step leaving deep impressions on the ground as he kicked them, propelling himself forward.


    ''Make it in time...!''


    Aster judged that he wouldn''t be able to push her out of the way, so instead, he just used himself to block the flying arrow. He extended his arm forward, letting it get in the arrow''s path, aiming for the woman''s neck.


    *SQUELCH!*


    "¡ª!"


    The arrow, added with a spin using some unknown mechanism, literally dug through Aster''s wrist. Since he jumped forward, trying to make it in time, he ended up bumping against the woman, pushing her to the grass as a result.


    "Aster!" Kali, seeing what happened, raised a cry of worry.


    Her gaze first turned to the assassin, however, who was already turning tail and escaping into the forest. "You think I''d let you go?!"


    Kali didn''t hesitate to pull out her revolver before firing three times. Of the three, two hit the assassin''s leg, and thest on his back. The ck hooded figure fell to the ground, immobilized for a good while!


    "You..."


    The ck-haired woman, a momentter, realized what just happened. "You saved... me?"


    Aster gritted his teeth, holding back the pain from his arm, and showed a weak smile.


    "Well... I can''t let you die just because of a misunderstanding."


    "...!"


    And that was when it began.

 Chapter 77: Gaining a Stalker

    "Hurk...!"


    Right as he finished his words, Aster felt the pain multiply. A cold sweat fell from his face as he gripped his right arm. Looking closer at the wound, it was turning an unhealthy purple, a sign of poisoning.


    "Oh no!" Kali, who arrived at the scene, realized what it was at a nce. "That arrow is coated with a Death Viper''s poison! We need to hurry!"


    "Death... Viper?!" Aster''s face turned pale after hearing Kali''s words.


    Although he wasn''t that knowledgeable about monsters, he did learn the names and properties of all monsters from the first to the tenth floor, at least. And the Death Viper was one of them.


    It was a snake monster, about asrge as an anaconda, that lived in the forest on the tenth floor. Its main feature was its pure ck body with silver diamond marks along its spine, possessing a deadly poison that could kill one afflicted with it in minutes.


    The problem, however, was that the first effect of its venom was a powerful muscle rxant. It effectively paralyzes one''s body in a few seconds, making it impossible to survive alone.


    Kali stopped talking and even ignored the ck cat below Aster before lifting him in a bridal carry and running at her top speed, heading for the nearby portal.


    It was fortunate that they were near the exit. If they had been further, the chances of Aster dying along the way would have been higher. As soon as Kali got out, she rushed to the medical tent by the side and shouted at the personnel present.


    "DEATH VIPER POISON!"


    "...!"


    All personnel present in the tent moved without dy, knowing the urgency of the matter. The closest healer quickly chanted the Antidote Spell, while the others moved to prepare a rinse solution for the wound, among other things.


    For a full minute, the quiet medical tent was filled with activity.


    Aster''s wound was addressed properly, removing the foreign object and source of poison, washing it off with antiseptic, before applying another antidote skill, followed by a heal. Aster was covered in healing light a total of five times!


    "Dook Scree Sirreo! Detect Poison!"


    As ast measure, one of the healers cast a poison detection spell, checking if they did seed in removing the poison from Aster''s system. After the spell returned negative, showing that he was already cleared, everyone finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    "He''s clean. No more poison can be detected in his bloodstream or anywhere on his body."


    As soon as the resident healer said this, Kali let out a deep, long sigh.


    "Thank god..." She, who had been tense the entire time, finally sat down, relieved.


    She was more tired mentally than physically. After all, she was supposed to protect Aster, and he got hit by a deadly poison. If he died, then it would weigh down not only on her conscience but also on her records. It would be weird if she didn''t feel pressured by such a close-call situation.


    "Hnggh!"


    Aster raised his body from the bed, moving his hand while checking for its sensations. He was able to move it without problems, despite having an arrow pierce through it just a short while ago.


    After he confirmed that there was nothing wrong with him anymore, he moved to Kali and offered a hand.


    "We should return to the dungeon first. Those assassins are still after that girl."


    "You..." Kali''s frown deepened.


    "Don''t you realize you almost died for covering for that ingrateful vixen?! And now, you''re going to stick your nose in her business? Do you want to die that much?!"


    Aster scratched his head, wondering if he had a death wish. However, it was true that he couldn''t simply ignore it when he knew someone nearby was in danger. It''s not his sense of heroism acting up, but rather a more calctive side of him.


    ''If my guess is right, helping that girl should give us a few benefits at least.'' He thought. ''At worst, we would still lose the bad blood between us, so that''s good in its own way.''


    Of course, Aster already had an inkling of the ck-haired cat girl''s identity. After all, there were only a few Adventurers with such a strong personality and striking characteristics present on the Second Floor.


    "Hah, men..." Kali sighed derisively, staring at Aster like she was looking at shit. "They always go crazy when they see boobs. Is it really that great? Enough to put your life on the line?!"


    "Huh? Wait, do boobs have anything to do with this?" Aster was confused, but Kali didn''t seem to listen at all.


    "Big ones are nice to look at, right?! Sorry for not having such a voluptuous figure!"


    "..."


    Rather thanmenting on the situation, Kali sounded as if she were venting a personal grievance. Aster realized this and decided to keep his mouth shut, waiting for Kali''s outburst to end.


    "Star?! Are you alright?! I heard what happened from the Uncle Gatekeeper!"


    "Cassy?" Aster turned toward the entrance, where an orange-haired bunny entered. "Yes, I''m fine now." He nodded, trying to change topics from Kali''s rant.


    "Really? Thank god..." Cassy sighed, patting her chest in relief.


    "Oh, and also, there''s someone right at the tent''s entrance, peeking over here. Is she your acquaintance? She looks familiar, but I can''t really recall where I saw her..."


    "...?"


    Curious about what she pointed out, Aster turned to the side, peeking toward the entrance once more. And there, he saw a pair of glowing blue eyes staring right at him while hiding.


    "...!"


    For some reason, Aster felt chills run down his spine.


    "YOU!" Seeing his reaction, Kali stood up and moved as if to protect Aster. "What did youe here for?! This is outside the dungeon, I remind you!"


    The figure, the same woman from before, continued staring intently at Aster, not even daring to blink. It was honestly creepy, unsettling all three of them, but he resolved himself, standing up and walking up to her.


    The woman followed Aster''s every move, not moving from her hiding spot beside the entrance. When Aster reached two steps away from her, he stopped and smiled.


    "You... You''re Celestinya Zirroth, am I right? What do you say about joining our party?"


    "..."


    "W-Wait, Star?!"


    "You... horny bastard!"


    It was a sudden request¡ªan illogical one¡ªmaking all three girls confused.

 Chapter 78: Majority Wins

    Celestinya Zirroth.


    It was a familiar name, not only because she was the youngest of the Zirroth family¡ªa powerful giant in the construction industry¡ªbut also because of her actions in the dungeon recently.


    She was one of the two famous solo explorers of the second floor! The talk of the guild¡ªthe one who was going around destroying flirty men''s family jewels!


    Remembering her as such, Kali''s expression changed as soon as she heard her name.


    "Hey, weakling! Adding her to our party? Are you insane?!" She eximed while pulling Aster''s cor. "She''s a loose cannon! Do you know how many adventurers she destroyed?!"


    Aster didn''t flinch at all, despite having difficulty breathing with his neck tightened.


    "Well, she survived a few of your attacks head-on. She''s tough and a great fit for a tank." He exined it logically. "Furthermore, I think she fits the same requirements we put in ce when we recruited you, Kali."


    "Fit? You think this insane bitch knows how to followmands?!"


    Kali didn''t stop with just that, of course. After all, it was Aster''s safety that was being threatened by her presence. To be specific, his family jewels were in danger!


    "What about you, Cassy?" Aster turned to the other one, who was scanning Celestinya from head to toe as if judging her. "You think she''d be a good addition to our team?"


    Cassy continued her observation for a while before nodding.


    "I don''t see any reason to refuse. We can see for a week before judging if we can trust her or not!" She added with a smile.


    "Then that''s 2-1 in favor of letting her join." Aster grinned at Kali, implying that the majority had drowned out her voice, before turning to Celestinya again. "So? What do you think about it?"


    "..."


    Of course, the actual decision still lies with her. Whether to join or not is her choice. Kali red at her as if telling her not to dare join with a silent threat, while Cassy was simply smiling, her intentionspletely invisible¡ªor, more like, she was simply not thinking about anything in particr.


    Celestinya walked out of the corner, standing before Aster with a frown. She stayed silent for a few seconds before opening her mouth and speaking in a soft, almost inaudible voice.


    "Well, you did save me from that assassin... I''ll join your party for a week and repay that debt. After that, we''re even!"


    Aster nodded his head, saying, "That''s fine," before extending a hand forward and offering to shake hands. "Then, wee to the team!"


    She took his hand, shaking it firmly, and responded with the same frown but slightly blushing cheeks. "Hmm." She hummed.


    "Argh... I just pray this decision doesn''te to bite your asster, Aster." Kali exaggeratedly grumbled before walking out of the tent.


    Of course, the only reason Aster pushed the matter forcefully, ignoring Kali''s concerns, was because he knew that she wouldn''t leave just because of it. She couldn''t leave the party on her own ord because Magnus had sent her there!


    "Well, first, let''s do some introductions. I''m Aster Mistral, the leader of this party. I''m currently level 4, Jobless." He spoke fluently, as if he had practiced his lines many times beforehand. "And the one who just went out is Kali Norma; her job is Assassin."


    After introducing himself and the other person who had already left the premises, he then turned to thest one and nodded, urging her to continue.


    "And I''m Cassandra Bright! My job is Healer Level 4, but I fight melee too! Nice to meet you~!"


    "... Celestinya Zirroth. A Monk. Level 4."


    "A Monk?! That means you can heal too! That''s nice~!"


    "..."


    Despite Cassy''s conversing with her, she remained quiet. Rather than being shy, it looked more like Celestinya was indifferent. The gaze she was pointing to Cassy was t, without a hint of emotion on them, as if she were ignoring her existence altogether.


    After watching how their talk slowly died out, Aster quickly suggested going to the guild first and finishing the party registration. Outside the tent, Kali was obediently waiting for them. Of course, she didn''t head to the dungeon alone, not wanting a repeat of what happenedst time with the kidnappers on the first floor.


    As they regrouped, the four started walking back to the Adventurer''s Guild, with Aster at the lead, Celestinya a step behind him, Cassy diagonally behind her, and Kali trailing at the back with quite a distance between them, still in the middle of her silent protest.


    It was a strained moment, with the air almost frozen between the three girls. Despite Cassy''s attempts at trying to make Celestinya talk, she kept answering in brief words, showing that she was absolutely not interested in chatting.


    When they arrived at the guild, the reaction was even more exaggerated, however.


    "H-Hiiik! R-Run...!"


    "It''s that crazy cat! Everyone, don''te close to her! Remember the drill!"


    "*Gurgle!* *Gurgle!* *Gurgle!*"


    Most of the guys started to run in panic, while some stood their ground but maintained their distance. A few quickly fell to the ground, their mouths bubbling along with seizures, showing signs of deep trauma.


    Kali stared at the guys derisively, muttering "Pathetic." under her breath. Cassy seemed worried about those who had fallen to the ground, so Aster nodded to her, signaling that she was allowed to do what she wanted.


    As he expected, Cassy slipped away and went to the fainted ones, grouping them together before casting an area heal over them. With that, their fits subsided, but their consciousness didn''t return just yet.


    Aster ignored all of that and went to Zena, who seemed to be always free for some reason and asked. "Can we add someone to our party?"


    "Hmm? Oh, another girl? Your hands are fast, huh~?" Zena teased immediately, as if it were second nature to her.


    Of course, she stopped right when Aster reached for his pockets, knowing that he, too, possessed a powerful card that works well against her¡ªthe HR hotline!


    "Party addition, is it? Then, please fill up this form and give me your and the card of the one being added."


    The random guys who remained, listening to his words as if eavesdropping, gasped in shock after realizing what he said.


    "He''s partying with that Lineage Breaker?!"


    "God! I wish I had balls of steel like he does!"


    "Heh, he''ll be losing it soon, anyway, just like those fainted guys over there. Hehe."


    Aster let out a deep sigh, wondering what the hell those guys were saying. Of course, he wouldn''t risk losing his only bargaining chip against Mayor Magnus! His Master n was still shrouded in mystery, but it was slowly reaching fruition.

 Chapter 79: A Beautiful Tank!

    The registration of the new party member ended in just a few minutes. Aster checked his card, and after seeing the new name under the Party Members Column, he showed a thin smile.


    ''With this, we''re slowly bing a bnced party.''


    Before, the party only had a healer/scout/melee, Cassy, and then Kali joined as a DPS/scout. Adding Aster, who was currently working as support/melee, they were already quite bnced in a way. But now that they had a real tank to keep enemies at bay, the strategies they could employ expanded greatly.


    "But first..." Aster turned to look at Celestinya again, scanning her attire from head to toe.


    She was wearing what looked like a blue and ck corset, with the chest area having a wide open slit, prioritizing "breathability" more than defense. She was also wearing short pants paired with a wide belt, along with a pair of ck, glossy, mid-calf boots.


    It looks amazing, but itcks practicality. It was as if she chose to wear it as a fashion statement rather than for defense.


    "You''ll be our tank, so we should optimize your gears first." He suggested.


    His pockets were still warm with the roughly 300 thousand Tels they just got after hunting that day, so he could afford to spend a bit for her equipment, at least. Of course, that was if she was cooperative.


    "No need," Celestinya replied with a grumpy voice. "I don''t like restrictive clothes. This is best for me."


    "..."


    Aster turned to look at Kali, who was geared up from head to toe, then to Celestinya, who was practically in her underwear with the amount of cloth covering her body. ''I guess there''s individual differences even when they''re from the same race.''


    "Hey, where are you looking andparing just now?!"


    Aster''s constant looking back and forth between them irritated Kali, who was still sensitive about the subject. Of course, he wasn''t doing what she thought he was doing, likeparing their sizes. In the first ce, there''s nothing topare, as the difference between them was like heaven and earth¡ªa gap of 4 letters, at least.


    "Alright. If you say you''re okay with that attire as a tank, then I won''t force you." He shrugged. "But you can ask us whenever you change your mind, alright? We''ll help you fund your armor, at least."


    "Got it."


    "Good. Then, let''s head back to the dungeon!"


    ---


    One hourter, in the forest zone of the second floor, the four of them were walking in silence. They were nning to test their teamwork as a new member was added, so to make it more effective, they changed their target to hunting goblins for now.


    They had encountered a few small groups already, but they were taken down in a sh. Their party wasn''t able to check if their new formation was effective or not.


    "At this rate, we would need to actively find a goblin settlement just to test out our new formation." Aster sighed.


    They were already wandering for 20 minutes, so they should be deep enough into the forest by now. Finding a vige or two shouldn''t be weird... And his wish was answered a momentter, but not in the way he expected.


    "What''s this...?!" Cassy eximed in surprise. "M-Multiple enemies are approaching! Critters! I can''t give an exact number; there''s too many of them!"


    "What?!"


    Cassy should be able to count up to a hundred or two, at most, with her senses. However, saying that she couldn''t even give an estimate of their number, Aster felt pressured. After all, it meant they were about to meet a swarm of over 200 monsters!


    After deliberating for a full second, Aster cursed.


    "Damn it... It''s too risky to face an unknown number of enemies. Let''s retreat for now!"


    "No, we can''t!" But before they could run, Kali eximed in panic. "Goblins are approaching from the back. Their numbers are... about 40!"


    "A small settlement?!"


    They were trapped, unable to retreat or proceed! Just as Aster was thinking of a way to break past this dilemma, an idea came to him. "Then leave the critters to me! The three of you, handle the goblins!"


    "Aster?!"


    "Star!"


    "You...!"


    The three raised their voices in shock. After all, Aster was too weak to face hundreds of enemies alone¡ªif he was going to fight them head-on, that is.


    "The goblins are here!" Cassy shouted, alerting the two distracted cats and forcing them to focus on their task.


    Although Kali was still worried about Aster, she had no choice but to fight while paying attention to his state. If he got into even the slightest danger, she was nning on saving him without dy!


    The first to move of the three girls was actually Celestinya. She rushed forward as if nning on throwing herself against forty goblins without a hint of fear. When she reached them, she then showed her fangs while raising a powerful, manly shout.


    "TAUNT!"


    *K-KIEEEK!*


    The goblins, affected by her Monk Skill, Taunt, ended up forcefully moving toward her, attacking without dy.


    "METAL BODY!"


    She had already activated a second skill, enhancing her defenses to their maximum capacity, before their weapons could even touch her. The crude weapons of the goblins bounced back after touching her skin before they were met with a straight punch to the face, smashing their skulls in a single hit.


    *sh!* *Stab!* *sh!* *Bam!*


    With the goblins all focusing on Celestinya, swarming around her like ants to a cube of sugar, Cassy and Kali were left free to attack. Given that they didn''t need to mind the goblins fighting back, they were able to let loose, killing as many as they could in seconds, felling them like reaping wheat with a sickle.


    In just under ten seconds, they were able to wipe out all of the forty goblins!


    "Aster!"


    When Kali turned to him, nning to back him up, she noticed that the scenery had a small change.


    *SKRR!* *SKRR!*


    Small spiders, about as big as a person''s head, were swarming before Aster. However, he didn''t look panicked, but rather refreshed. After all, he seeded with what he wanted to do.


    The entire field before him turned into a wintry scene! All the spiders had half of their bodies frozen, keeping them immobile! Not a single one of them died, but they were all unable to take a single step anymore!


    "What is this...?"


    Celestinya, who didn''t know about Aster''s ability, was shocked beyond words. She didn''t realize he was this powerful!


    "So, he was holding back when I..."


    Imagining what would''ve happened when Aster used this ability against her during the two times she jumped him, she couldn''t help but feel shivers run down her spine. She would be powerless against such a powerful freezing ability!


    At that moment, something in the way Celestinya looked at Aster had changed. Permanently.

 Chapter 80: Level 5 and an Anomaly

    Aster noticed that the girls were done with their task and waved at them, calling them closer. "Come here! Finish off the spiders with me!"


    From his experience with using his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal, he noticed that when he killed enemies with it, the experience wouldn''t go to him or anyone else. He was curious as to where it went, though, but he had no time or drive to figure it out.


    As such, he started to have the idea of limiting enemies'' movements with his ice before finishing them off one by one manually! It was a surefire method, with little to no risk other than the time he was casting!


    As he called to them, he didn''t dy and pulled his sword, swinging it down on the closest spider while making sure he was staying out of its attack range. After all, some of them still had one or two legs free, able to scratch or wave around.


    After he killed the 10th monster, a Small Cave Spider, he started to wonder where the girls were. Turning back, he saw the three still standing a distance away, not budging an inch.


    "What? You''re not going to help?" Aster asked. "Then I''ll monopolize the experience from them!"


    "..."


    The girls still didn''t move. It was as if they agreed to let Aster get all the experience from the spiders without any qualms. The spiders were only around Level 2, so he would need at least 400 of them to level up. Given the number present before him and the estimated amount of experience he still has left, he should be able to push himself to Level 5 in one go!


    Kali and Cassy turned to each other, nodding, before moving to either side of the frozen field. They weren''t going there to snatch Aster''s catch, of course, but rather to prevent other monsters from disturbing him.


    Celestinya stayed behind, so there was no worry of monsters attacking him from the wide forest, either!


    Aster thought that they were just being generous, but more than that, they just felt bad trying to snatch monsters that he hunted for himself.


    The two were hunting actively, after all, unlike Aster, who just sat down and extracted slime cores. In terms of opportunities to gain experience, the three girls have it better than him. To be more urate, Cassy and Kali were already nearing Level 5 themselves. Given one or two days of hunting, they should more or less level up!


    With the number of frozen spiders, Aster took over 15 minutes to clear them all. That''s like killing one Level 2 spider every 3 seconds! As if to match his pace, as soon as he killed thest spider, his body got covered in a bright light.


    The light this time, however, was brighter than usual andsted for a few seconds more before vanishing.


    Aster was shocked for a brief moment before recalling how he needed to add his free points. When he checked, however, he was surprised to see two avable stat points!


    "Oh, was level 5 a special level or something?" He guessed immediately before dumping both stats into his CON stat.


    "With this, I have 7 CON!" He cheered.


    Soon he would finally reach the average for a normal human, a CON value of 8!


    "Are you done with the cleanup?" Kali approached and asked as soon as she detected that Aster had leveled up. "Then, let''s go back for now."


    "Huh? But why?!"


    Aster just leveled up from hunting hundreds of Small Cave Spiders. He would feel bad if they left without the others having earned a bit of experience too, at least.


    Kali frowned before pointing her thumb at the literal pile of spider corpses lying around. "This. Do you think having this many monsters around the forest is normal?"


    "That..."


    Aster began to think.


    If other adventurers encountered such arge swarm of spiders, then unless they had a wide AOE skill like Aster did, they''d be in danger of annihtion. "Does this mean this swarm of spiders is an anomaly?"


    "Most likely." Kali nodded. "As such, we should report this to the guild first. They should be putting up a notice as a warning from tomorrow on for those on the second floor."


    "What are you talking about?" Cassy, who just arrived, only heard thest bit and was curious.


    Kali sighed, as if slightly annoyed that she needed to repeat herself... but decided not to. Instead, she simply said one more sentence, which exined everything to Cassy and Celestinya at once.


    "What I''m saying is that the Rogue Boss: Cave Spider Mother has spawned."


    "...!"


    The two gasped. Even Aster was shocked. After all, he did know about the Cave Spider Mother. It was a special Elite, or boss-ss monster, that could endlessly spawn Small Cave Spiders. Yes, "Endlessly."


    "This is bad!" Cassy muttered with a pale face. "There''s already hundreds of them right here. That means...!"


    "Yes. The Cave Spider Mother is already mature and has probably spawned more than ten times this number."


    "Thousands of spiders...!"


    The three finally understood the gravity of the situation. It wasn''t something that they could handle all by themselves!


    Although Aster could, technically, attempt it, death was the only thing waiting for him if he failed. They had no way of fighting against and surviving an attack from thousands of spiders at once!


    "Exactly. That''s why we need to report this as soon as possible."


    Of course, Rogue Boss appears randomly on floors. Whenever such an event happens, the guild will call on all adventurers on that floor and issue a special quest to hunt it down. They were incentivized for the materials, weapons, or armor lost during this period, making some parties willingly participate and take advantage of this system.


    Of course, the guild would be incurring a loss, but it wasn''t muchpared to the lives of adventurers if they died from the Rogue Boss. And the loss wasn''t anything they couldn''t recover from, anyway.


    After that, the four of them decided to return.


    From the time Aster was hunting the spiders and the entire way back, Celestinya kept her mouth shut. He was starting to worry that she was feeling left out or something, but something in the way she looked at him caused him to get goosebumps.


    He, for some reason, was feeling danger targeted at him!

 Chapter 81: Special Mission

    *BAM!*


    "The Cave Spider Mother has spawned?!"


    Back in the guild, Zena mmed her palms on top of the counter, causing everyone in the guild to focus on her and hear her words. Her voice was too loud!


    "Cave Spider Mother?"


    "Damn! That''s a bothersome enemy..."


    "What floor is it? 6th? 10th?"


    Hushed voices, specting about the situation, started to echo around. Kali, of course, ignored them and continued.


    "Yes. We already fought about 300 spawned Small Cave Spiders in the forest, so there''s no doubt. The Cave Spider Mother spawned as the Rogue Boss of the 2nd floor."


    "This is unheard of..."


    Zena had a worried expression, something she rarely showed, as she tapped the Holo tablet in her hands.


    "Thest record of a Rogue Bossing out of the floors below the 5th floor was over 20 years ago! And that was on the 4th floor!"


    Lower floors have lower chances of spawning a Rogue Boss. That wasmon sense. No Rogue Boss has appeared within the first three floors in the entire dungeon''s history!


    "Anyway, I''ll go and call for a Rogue Boss Alert for now." She continued. "There''s a total of 153 adventurers on the 2nd floor recorded right now, so we should be able to handle it!"


    Of course, not all adventurers from those 153 will participate. Despite incentivizing their expenses and losses, it was still a risky venture after all. Some wouldn''t dare put their lives on the line, despite the bountiful rewards waiting for them.


    To hunt a Rogue Boss, they would need at least 50 members at the average level of the floor to participate. For the second floor, the average level would be 4... but since it''s a low floor, others usually skip past it. As such, high-level adventurers still on the 2nd floor were rare.


    Of the 153, 41 were at level 2, 87 were at level 3, 21 were at level 4, and 4 were at level 5. In short, to have a fair chance against the Rogue Boss, they would need all levels 4 and above to participate, along with about half of the level 3s.


    "That''s... difficult."


    The usual turnout rate on Rogue Boss Hunts was about 20% of the floor''s adventurers. For this case, they would need a turnout rate of a little less than 50%!


    Kali quickly gave up on expecting a lot of participants. They would be lucky if even half of the required numbers turned up!


    "..."


    However, they weren''t without hope. She turned to Aster, who was listening a short distance away, and recalled his ability. With his wide area skills of either fire or ice, the difficulty would greatly lessen!


    Anyway, they already did their part after reporting the current situation. Afterward, Aster''s party moved to a nearby cafe and started to discuss matters.


    "We''re participating in this Rogue Boss Hunt." But before Kali could even promote the event, Aster had already dered his will. "Of course, if you''re notfortable with participating, I''m not forcing you to join."


    He was aware of the danger of letting the rogue boss live. After all, spawning Small Cave Spiders endlessly sounds like a recipe for disaster.


    ''Without a doubt, spiders will take over the second floor if we fail here. That would mean nobody else would be able to go deeper into the dungeon anymore after this!''


    After the boss fight, picture yourselfing up through the portal from the first floor and finding thousands of spiders swarming the entrance to wee you. Not only was it a sight that would cause your skin to crawl, but your life was also ced in jeopardy the moment you entered!


    *BEEP!*


    "Hmm?"


    At that moment, a small beep echoed from all of their Adventurer cards. Checking it, a new column called Quests had been added to his card''s front disy. When Aster tapped on it, the characters written on it started to warp, like getting rearranged, before showing different letters from before.


    [Emergency Quest: Rogue Boss (Floor 2)]


    [Target: Cave Spider Mother (Boss)]


    [Participants: 1/153]


    "Oh? There''s someone who epted it immediately." Aster groaned in surprise.


    He didn''t hesitate either and tapped "ept" himself, turning the number of participants to two. Although he was curious as to who epted it first, he couldn''t view the participant''s list anyway.


    The other three also quickly epted the quest, making the number rise to five in an instant.


    "Everyone... are you sure?"


    Aster asked the girls, especially looking toward Celestinya, who had just joined their party.


    "I''m a member of the party, so I''ll follow what the leader says." She replied with a thin smile, casually, while leaning her chin on top of her curled fists.


    The way she smiled and the way she looked at Aster were somehow unnerving him!


    "Me? I''ll join, of course! There''s no way I''ll let you head there alone~!" Cassy also responded with a smile.


    Lastly, Kali crossed her arms before her chest, leaning against the cafe''s soft cushioned sofa, and answered. "It is my duty to do this, so I will participate too."


    Each of the three had their own reasons, so Aster didn''t stop them anymore. "Then, let''s prepare for tomorrow. Anyone who has any ideas about what we need to do?"


    It was their first time doing a "Raid" with other parties, after all. They would definitely need supplies and other resourcester.


    Kali quickly spoke, seeing that nobody else was talking.


    "Then, I will start by exining how the Rogue Boss Hunt works..."


    For an hour after that, Aster''s party listened to Kali''s exnation. She went in-depth with it too, adding things like cooperation with other parties, items that they need to bring inrge quantities, spare weapons, and many others.


    After their talk, the four headed to the nearest shop and started to buy the things they would need. Potions, for example, are ced on top of extra bullets, backup weapons, and extra armor.


    Everyone spent what they had, almost up to thest coin!


    With their shopping done, all that was left was to rest for the day early and prepare for a tiring battle tomorrow.


    "Then, tomorrow, at 5. Let''s gather at the guild." Aster dered before they split up.


    He then started walking back to the Twister Hotel... but realized that three figures were following him. He stopped, looked back, and raised a brow. "Why are you alling in this direction?"


    "There''s no need to meet up if we sleep in the same ce~!"


    "I just want to know where you stay, just in case..."


    "..."


    Kali was the only one who didn''t say anything, but seeing how vignt she was, he recalled the "excuse" that Magnus told herst night. About a member of the Anti-Human Movement slipping past the police''s security!


    ''Should I tell her?''


    Aster mused but decided against it. It was doubtful if she would believe him anyway.


    He quickly resigned himself to having another sleepless night.

 Chapter 82: Forced to Sleep

    The four of them walked toward Aster''s ce, the Twister Hotel, while gathering everyone''s gazes. For the first time in a while, Aster was using his hood and scarf to hide his face again, feeling danger for his life from the envious gazes of every single male around.


    Of the three, only Cassy was being talkative. She was trying to chat with the other two nonstop, but only Kali was responding to her now and then. Celestinya waspletely ignoring her existence!


    ''This problem... needs to be addressedter, huh.''


    If they have problems with teamwork, then it would be dangerous to head into battle! Of course, judging from how they coordinated before against the goblins in the forest, he was aware that Celestinya knew how to cooperate, at least.


    ''The reason she''s not speaking is... just in indifference.''


    It''s not that she was angry or hated Cassy, but more like she''s not interested in idle chatter or forging friendships. And just like that, without seeding, they had already arrived at the hotel.


    The staff looked intimidating once more, looking at the neer. But, unlike the rest, Celestinya returned their re with her own, not backing down despite knowing that they were significantly more powerfulpared to herself.


    Before a fight could break out, Aster had already gotten the keys and returned to his room. They had already finished dinner after shopping, so only sleeping was left on their agenda.


    Celestinya, after looking around and remembering Aster''s room, decided to return to her own lodging for the night but was forced to halt her steps a secondter.


    "Well then, I''ll go take a shower first~! K too, let''s enter together~!"


    "Shut up, you perverted rabbit! I''ll never take a shower with you again!"


    "Eh~? Then the time you''d be able to sleep would be an hourter! Let''s enter together to save time;e on~!"


    At that moment, Celestinya raised her voice in doubt. "You two... are staying the night here?"


    "OH! Finally, you spoke to me!" Cassy smiled in pure bliss. "Of course, we''re staying the night here! Not only will it save me a bit of money for lodging and food, but it''s also a lot morefortable sleeping with Star!"


    "S-Sleeping with...?!" Her face suddenly turned blue. "Y-You slept with Aster already?!"


    "Hmm? Yeah, I did. It''s K''s second time, and third time for me~!"


    "Second... Third?!"


    Soon, her shock faded and turned to anger. Celestinya gritted her teeth and curled her fist, as if about tosh out at any moment.


    "You... how shameless!" Sheshed out. "Sleeping with your party member is... shameless!!!"


    "Huh?"


    Hearing her outburst, Cassy tilted her head in confusion. Of course, other than her, the other two could understand what Celestinya was saying¡ªa misunderstanding!


    "Wait, Tina. I think you''re misunderstanding something..." Aster tried to mediate, but his words were ignored.


    "Shameless, shameless, shameless! Nobody should be allowed to sleep with Aster! Nobody but me!!!"


    *WHOOOSH!*


    It happened in a sh, with Celestinya dashing forward, raising her fist as if nning to knock the living daylights out of Cassy. As she was sitting on a single sofa chair, her movements were limited, making it a bit difficult for her to dodge!


    ''Woah!"


    Having no other choice, she pushed the table and tumbled her chair on purpose, letting the fist fly across her face, just an inch away from her nose, going from right to left!


    *THUD!*


    Of course, following gravity, Cassy fell on her back and lightly hit the back of her head on the floor. "...!" But she didn''t even have time to soothe the pain, as a foot was already looming right above her head.


    Cassy pushed herself away from the sofa, dodging to the left, away from Celestinya. A momentter, the backrest of the sofa earned a new foot-shaped hole in it. Celestinya''s attack was something else!


    "Bitch, finally showing your true colors, huh?!"


    Kali, a little dyed by the suddenness of the situation, rushed toward her with wariness and fists at the ready. However, without her weapons, she was at a definite disadvantage. Celestinya is a monk, a brawler who uses her body as a weapon, so she''s practically armed 24/7, unlike Kali and Cassy, who wield daggers. As such, the two girls are currently at a disadvantage.


    *Thud!* *Bam!* *Tap!*


    Cassy and Kali, of course, didn''t hold back either. The other party was sending off attacks with genuine killing intent, so they had to reciprocate her hostility.


    Punches and kicks flew, but none of them were getting a solid hit yet. Aster watched this before snapping back to his senses and worrying. ''At this rate, rather than cooperation, a rift would form between the girls!''


    "Stop! No fighting!"


    He didn''t know what got into his head, but Aster jumped forward, standing in the middle of the three girls, who were already in the middle of throwing their attacks. Cassy was able to stop her kick in time, but Kali''s fist hit him in the gut, while Celstinya''s punchnded right against his cheek.


    *CRACK!*


    A scary sound echoed as his head turned to the left forcefully. And then, as if a puppet had its strings cut, he fainted and started to fall, his breathing shallow.


    "S-Star!"


    Cassy reacted fast, moving to catch his falling figure before trying to check his state. His neck bone broke from the punch! "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    Thankfully, they had a healer with them. With Cassy''s timely healing, no adverse effects should be left behind. However, of course, his consciousness didn''t return.


    "..."


    Kali had a blue face, realizing what she had just done. She injured the one she was supposed to protect! It was practically the worst thing she could do as his bodyguard!


    On the other hand, Celestinya looked over at her fist. Her expression was indescribable, but a hint of excitement could be seen.


    "You two! Look at what you''ve done!" Cassy raised her voice, angry at the two who didn''t know when to stop. "What would you do if something bad happened to him?"


    After that, she lectured the two for an hour straight. It was a rare urrence of Cassy getting angry for real, but Aster was already in dreand, unable to see it.

 Chapter 83: Youre my "Darling"

    "Ugh..." Aster stirred, opening his eyes.


    A sharp pain attacked his head as he tried to raise his body. He tried to move his hand, but realized that he couldn''t.


    Looking down with his blurred vision, he saw a head of orange and silver on either side, hugging his body tight and using his arms as pillows.


    "... Huh?"


    The scene confused him even more!


    His mind quickly operated, trying to bring up the memory of how this situation came to be. However, thest he could remember was sitting down on the sofa and resting. He felt frustrated, unable to recall what happened!


    "Mmm... Hmm?"


    But then Cassy woke up, raising her head to stare into Aster''s eyes from up close.


    "Ah, you''re finally awake!" She whispered in a lethargic, half-asleep tone, each syble trailing off by quite a bit. "Good morning~!"


    "Yeah... Good morning." He greeted back before asking. "By the way, what happenedst night? I can''t seem to recall how I got to bed..."


    "Hmmm? Hnnnng~!"


    Cassy started to stretch her body without moving away from him, causing several parts to get pressed tighter against his body. He tried to keep a straight face, of course, but a certain part of him was about to react!


    "K and Tinya''sbination punch knocked you out, so we just put you here!" She replied with a smile.


    Hearing that, Aster''s memories returned a bit. "Right, a fight broke out, and I..." he muttered before looking around. "Where''s Tina?"


    "Ah, she left shortly after I lectured them. She said she''s going back to her lodging to prepare or something."


    "Nnnn¡­ Shut up..."


    While the two were talking in hushed voices, Kali suddenly raised her voice ofint. They forgot that there was another one with them and ended up waking her up with their talks!


    The first thing that Kali did after waking up was to slightly raise her body before reaching over Aster''s face and toward the bedside table, fetching her phone.


    As she was literally extending forward like a cat stretching before his face, he ended up staring straight at her underboobs. What followed was an act of heaven and something he couldn''t control¡ªsomething was rising.


    "Huh?" Cassy noticed it immediately and raised a voice of confusion. "What''s this? Something is poking out of the nket..." She muttered before trying to peek under it.


    Although he wanted to use his hand to hide "it," both arms went numb and wouldn''t be moveable until a few minutester, at least.


    "Please don''t. Please..." Aster wanted to bury his face in embarrassment!


    Hearing the two''s words, Kali nced down. She saw Aster''s red face, warped in agony, with Cassy trying to find the edge of the nket to peek. Her eyes trailed a bit lower, and she saw it.


    "...!"


    Her face turned beet red before she noticed her current position. She quickly pulled back herself before crossing her arms before her chest, ring at Aster. But the conspicuous "tent" was pulling her gaze!


    "Pervert!"


    "..."


    At that moment, Aster felt like dying.


    ---


    Around 4:30 a.m., Aster''s party arrived at the guild. The gathering time for those participating in the Rogue Boss Hunt was 5, so they still had half an hour of leeway.


    As if their eyes were being guided, they found Celestinya sitting at a random table. The reason they found her so fast was because nobody was daring toe close to her table. There''s arge gap between her and the next adventurer''s seat!


    "Hey, hey, look at him... He''s heading straight for that Lineage Breaker girl!"


    "Shit! We''re going to see another tragedy unfold!"


    "Wait... isn''t he that newbie? The one who partied with that useless rabbit?"


    "I don''t want to watch...! Just watching someone have their jewels crushed is enough to make me feel pain too!"


    The gallery was raising amotion, seeing how Aster and the two were walking straight for Celestinya. Of course, most of them weren''t present when Aster added her to the party, so they were clueless about it.


    "Good morning, Tina." He greeted her as soon as they approached. "Have you done your preparations properly?"


    Since she was the only one separate from them, he had to ask her directly for confirmation. Celestinya turned her head; her blue eyes opened wide before a crescent smile crossed her lips.


    "Of course, darling. I double-checked my pack already." She answered promptly.


    "Good! Then..." Just as Aster nodded his head, he realized something. "Wait, darling...?"


    Right then, Celestinya moved, pulling Aster''s arm into her embrace. A sweet smile, but filled with a scary shadow, covered her face. "Right. My darling~!"


    "...!"


    Aster felt shivers run down his spine. He tried to escape immediately, but her grip was too strong for him to even slip out! After trying to act calm, he decided to talk with her first.


    "W-Well, why did you start calling me darling, then?"


    "You don''t know? You already did the Threefold Proof of Devotion to me!" She eximed in a happy tone.


    "You showed mercy to me, allowing me to harm you despite having the ability to take my life with a casual swing of your hand three times. As such, I decided to ept your Threefold Proof of Devotion and take you in as my fianc¨¦~!"


    At that moment, the gallery got noisy once more. They were already shocked that the Lineage Breaker, Celestinya, was acting like a devoted wife to someone before their eyes. And now, they heard someone was brave enough to undergo the Threefold Proof of Devotion.


    "What fianc¨¦?! Keep your bullshit in your sleep, you vixen!" Kali growled at her, pulling her off of Aster. "And what Threefold Proof of Devotion? You arbitrarily attacked him three times! And he''s not receiving it because he wants to!"


    Right. Although Aster does have the ability to kill Celestinya, as she imed, it is also true that he didn''t possess reflexes fast enough to dodge her "advances."


    Aster tilted his head, confused. In the first ce, he didn''t even know what the Threefold Proof of Devotion was.


    While he watched the two cats quarrel, Cassy moved to his side and whispered in a small voice. "The Threefold Proof of Devotion is a practice where the man epts three hits from the woman he loves without fighting back."


    "... Then what if the man dies?"


    That should be a pretty valid worry, as there''s this thing called levels in this world. Just being a man doesn''t mean they''re stronger than a woman anymore!


    "That? If they died, that simply means theycked devotion." Cassy scratched her cheeks. "It''s an unlikeable practice; that''s why it''s no longer in use... unless they are from a big-name family, where that practice is still followed."


    "..."


    Cold sweat fell from Aster''s forehead. After all, he knows that Celestinya is the "princess" of the Zirroth Family, a big name in the construction industry. In short, her words a little earlier were no joke.


    She was dead serious about taking him as her fianc¨¦!

 Chapter 84: Another Dragonkin!

    Kali and Celestinya''s fightsted until the guild master came out. It was Aster''s first time seeing him, so he was quite shocked.


    "So the guild master is also a human?" He mused in a low voice.


    But Cassy quickly corrected him. "Nope. The guild master isn''t a pure human, but rather a Demonkin."


    "Demonkin? But I don''t see any horns on him?"


    "Ah! Don''t say that in front of him, alright? I heard he''s quite sensitive about the fact he was hornless." She exined further.


    "EVERYONE! THANK YOU FOR GATHERING DESPITE THE SHORT NOTICE!"


    "...!"


    The guild master''s voice boomed as if he were speaking using a dozen loudspeakers on top of each other. It was so loud that Aster moved his hands to his ears by reflex!


    "However, unfortunately, only 44 responded to our call for arms. It''s sad, but we need to make do with what we have."


    "Forty-four..." Aster frowned.


    It wasn''t even a third of the number of adventurers on the second floor! Thinking average-wise, it was already more than the usual response rate, but they were too far from the required force to fight the Rogue Boss.


    "Fortunately, we''ve got two level 5s with us, so they should be able to lessen the burden on everyone else." The guild master spoke before ncing over at Aster and someone else.


    "Mr. Aster Mistral, Ms. Lizandrea Von Dragonseal! Pleasee forward!"


    "..."


    He didn''t expect to be called to stand before so many people. Aster quickly pulled his hood and made sure half of his face was hidden behind his scarf before walking forward. All eyes focused on him for a moment before turning to stare at the one who also walked forward like him.


    Even Aster was unable to hold his curiosity and stared. After all, the one standing beside him had horns and wings on her back. "A dragonkin!"


    The one beside him had long, wavy blue hair, matched with a pair of ck horns growing from the sides of her head, above the ears. On her back were a pair of draconic wings with scales the same color as her horn. Her blue eyes were calm and collected, staring ahead without a hint of doubt or worry.


    But more than anything else, everyone''s gazes were pulled lower at her twin peaks, d in a thin, predominantly red battle dress. The upper part of the dress features a halter-style neckline that entuates her shoulders and chest, making all the men drool.


    The dress res out slightly at the bottom, with dynamic and flowing fabric that gives a sense of movement. Added with pieces of metal attached to either side of her hips, providing some level of protection, at least.


    Of course, unlike the other men in the room, Aster''s gaze was turned to something else.


    ''That staff... no, is it a mace? Why is it glowing?''


    Held within her hands was a single, meter-long, glowing mace. It was releasing a faint blue light, making it extremely eye-catching, but it didn''t destroy the bnce of her visage.


    "You two, go on, introduce yourselves. Ah, and make sure to tell them your best feature to raise their morale."


    While he was lost in thought, the guild master ced a hand over their shoulders before whispering. "So that''s what he was nning." Aster mused in realization.


    "Then, I''ll go first." The dragonkin woman, Lizandrea, said as she took a step forward. "I''m Lizandrea! As you can see, I''m a Dragonkin and a Knight! I''m exploring the second floor solo for now, but I can guarantee you that nothing there could even scratch me!"


    Her voice, which was pristine and cool but still retained some friendliness, echoed just as loudly as the guild master''s voice. Not only did she have a noble name, but her poise, authority, and demeanor made it clear that she was much more than that. A real noblewoman!


    "If nobody is against it, I want to take on themand of this Rogue Boss Hunt!" She added. "I promise, in the name of the Dragonseal Family, to not let even a single casualty appear on this excursion!"


    Having a level 5mand them would definitely raise the Raid Party''s morale. Of course, the only other level 5, Aster, waspletely against the idea of himself bing the leader of such arge crowd, so he had no objections either.


    "I''m done. You''re next." Without taking a step back, she turned to Aster and smiled, ushering him forward.


    Aster took a deep breath first before speaking in a not-so-loud, but not inaudible, voice.


    "I''m Aster Mistral, currently working in a party of four. I have a wide-area freezing spell, so you can count on me to reduce the enemy''s mobility."


    Technically, it wasn''t a spell, as it was done through his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal. Still, it was troublesome to spread about him having a seal, anyway, so he just pushed it off as a spell.


    "As you all can see, both of them are exemry! Do well and choose whoever you want as the leader of this Raid Team! Those in favor of Ms. Lizandrea, raise your hand!"


    In an instant, almost all hands were raised. Only a few held their voting rights, like Cassy and the other two, who were nning to vote for Aster. However, over 90% of the raiding party agreed already, so there''s no need to take votes for him anymore.


    "As the majority voted, it''s decided that Ms. Lizandrea will be the leader!"


    *CLAP!* *CLAP!* *CLAP!*


    A thunderous p and cheer echoed right after. Lizandrea herself looked as if it were the obvious oue and was simply waving her hand to everyone with a smile on her face.


    "Well, then, the War Council will begin in a few minutes. Everyone, discuss how you''ll tackle the boss monster amongst yourselves!"


    After finishing his job, the guild master disappeared somewhere. Now, it was the job of the leader to coordinate the entire Raid Party.


    "Alright. First! Leader of all groups, gather! Solo adventurers,e forward too!"


    Lizandrea''smanding voice boomed once more. Without dy, all the leaders moved. There were a total of four full parties, two partials, and three solos. Seeing them all, Lizandrea nodded her head.


    "First, the solo adventurers woulde under mymand. With the rest of the leaders, we''ll discuss the formation we''ll follow during the raid. First..."


    And just like that, they spent a full hour finalizing the details.

 Chapter 85: First Boss Raid (1)

    The meeting ended, and everyone was given 30 minutes to ry the information to their party members. Aster returned too, rying everything back to the three girls.


    "... As such, our party would be at the frontlines, mainly in charge of clearing the swarm of Small Cave Spiders."


    Thinking of Aster''s Carved Seal''s ability, it was the best choice. As such, other than Kali, who had a deep frown, none of the other girls had anyints. "But before that, Kali, let''s go and renew our contract."


    Today was the 7th day of Kali''s party contract, so that means if they don''t renew it right now, then she will say goodbye to the party tomorrow. Of course, Aster wasn''t worried that she wouldn''t renew the contract, as she wasn''t here by her choice anyway.


    With Zena working on it seriously, without joking around, the process didn''t even take five minutes. She too understands the gravity of the current Boss Raid, so she wasn''t wasting Aster''s time.


    Soon, the waiting time ended, and Lizandrea stepped forward once more, gant as ever.


    "Alright, everyone... It''s time to head to the dungeon! Let''s kick that overgrown spider''s ass!"


    "OHHHHH!"


    A wild cheer echoed, making the entire guild lobby shake.


    ---


    May 12, 4533, at 7:00 a.m., the full Raid Team arrived before the dungeon''s entrance.


    Under the guild master''s name, all members of the Raid Party''s entrance fee were waived, making sure that nobody would have an excuse to retreat. Thankfully, nobody seemed to be thinking of falling back or escaping.


    "Everyone! Make sure to have at least five Health Potions each! If you don''t have enough, you can get more over there. I already bought all their stocks, so just grab what you need!"


    The reason nobody was escaping was that the leader, Lizandrea, was generous. She spent her own pocket money to equip the other parties who were tight on their budget, even upgrading the gears of some of them!


    "Woah... look at this insignia! It''s from the Millicent Dragon Alliance!"


    "Damn! I should get a sword too! I can''t miss this chance!"


    "Hey, you bastard! I have been eyeing that gun since earlier! Give it to me!"


    Aster looked on, tilting his head and doubting Lizandrea''s words. After all, what was there was basically an entire weapon shop. He was doubtful if someone''s "pocket money" could buy a whole shop, but realized that he was mistaken.


    "That''s from the Millicent Dragon Alliance''s Orinfeld City branch, a famous weapon shop owned by the Dragonseal Family," Kali exined. "She''s a real princess from a rich family, unlike this fake one over here."


    "Hmph! I already ran away from home to avoid seeding as the family head, so I don''t really care which family is richer. But at least, I have more money than some granny cat somewhere."


    "You...!"


    Another small quarrel between Kali and Celestinya began. They were quiteid-back, despite the raid almost starting. Of course, they were only that calm because they believed in Aster''s Magic Carved Seal''s ability.


    They had already seen Aster freeze hundreds of spiders in one go, after all. As long as they make sure he can finish casting his ability, then they could simply run around and finish off the spiders he would catch.


    Of course, there''s also the choice of killing them in one go, but the EXP wasted would be quiterge.


    Soon, all teams finished replenishing their stocks and were ready to head in. One after another, parties entered before moving to formation.


    Party 1 was Lizandrea''s team. They were at the pinnacle of the formation, the forefront team, and the main tank. Aster''s team was Party 2, which was positioned to the right of Party 1 to support them, clear the little critters that bothered the two parties, and act as the sub-tank.


    Party 3 and 4 were both scouting parties. They were to run around and report monster positions to the rest. They were in charge of the left and right sides, respectively. When the boss fight began, their job was to support whichever side was having trouble.


    Then, Parties 5 to 7 were the DPS teams. Their main job was to rain down attacks on the Boss Monster whenever they could. During travel, their task was simply to hunt down as many monsters that came their way as possible.


    Looking at their formation from the sky, it was like the letter "W" with two parties in the front, three at the back, and one scout a short distance away.


    After all parties entered, the two scouts began to move. They were checking the path ahead and making sure that the main party wouldn''t face a surprise attack from monsters.


    "Monstersing from up front! Wolves! Numbers: 15!"


    One of the scout teams returned and ryed the information. As soon as they received the heads-up, Lizandrea''s team rushed forward, attracting the enemy''s attention.


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    Lizandrea used one of her ss-specific taunt skills. As soon as she did, all fifteen wolves changed targets, ring at her with frenzied eyes. "Everyone! Fire at will! My skill''s effect onlysts half a minute!"


    Without dy, her party members, Aster''s party, and the three parties behind her started attacking. Before the 30-second duration of her taunt ended, all the enemies had already fallen!


    "Great work! Let''s keep this up!"


    "OOOOH!"


    The ins had few enemies, so they only encountered small numbers of slimes and sometimes a group of wolves as they forged on. Soon enough, they arrived at the forest where Aster''s group had fought the swarm of spiders before.


    "So it''s here... Party 3 and 4, check the entire forest. There should be an entrance to some underground cave somewhere!" Without dy, she gave out precise orders.


    Aster was in awe of her quick-wittedness and wanted to learn her ways. As such, he kept observing her, watching her every little action and speech. Learning from observing is one of his strong suits!


    After entering the forest, their march slowed down. This isn''t only because the forest terrain was harder to traverse, but also because they didn''t want to overtake the scouts.


    After about an hour of searching, when the main party reached the middle of the forest, Party 4 returned with good news and bad news.


    The good news was that they had already found the cave.


    "Hiiik! H-Help!"


    And the bad news? They have hundreds of spiders on their tail!

 Chapter 86: First Boss Raid (2)

    "Everyone! To your positions!" Lizandrea''smand echoed once more, alerting all parties.


    As the main tank, she ran ahead of her teammates. Then, as soon as she passed by the tired Party 4, she stood her ground and used her skill once more.


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    Of course, her skills had a limited range. As such, other than the spiders within ten meters around her, the rest were still going forward without any target in mind.


    "Tina!"


    Seeing this, Aster knew it was their time to do their job. Tina, who was also a tank, rushed toward the other side, making sure not to ovep with Lizandrea''s skill, and activated her two skills.


    "TAUNT! METAL BODY!"


    Unlike Lizandrea''s skill, which gathers enemies within ten meters around her, Celestinya''s taunt was more focused on enemies within audible range. Although the range was limited to a conical area ahead of her, it could go for a hundred meters, at least!


    *SCREEECH!*


    Spiders that slipped past Lizandrea''s taunt started to swarm over to Celestinya''s side, keeping an imprable wall upfront. With the two tanks holding back the enemies, Parties 5 to 7 started tounch an all-out attack.


    Skills and arrows, with a few magic attacks, flew forward and eliminated the spiders from one small group after another.


    "Shit! There''s too many!"


    But of course, with hundreds¡ªnearly thousands¡ªof Small Cave Spiders swarming toward them, it seemed as if the enemy was endlessly rushing forward!


    "Star!"


    Cassy shouted as she kicked away two spiders that had slipped past.


    The person in question, as if waiting for her voice, opened his eyes at that moment before shouting out loud. "Everyone, stand behind me!"


    "...!"


    The two tanks and the melee fighters started to retreat, while Aster ran forward as if to switch with them. Then, just as he switched ces with them, he pointed both hands forward and raised a howl.


    "FREEZE!"


    A cold breeze swept across the entire battlefield. Aster controlled the area that his seal affected, limiting it to "everything ahead of him, up to half a foot from the ground."


    In a sh, the spiders within two hundred meters of him started to freeze from their legs, up to half of their bodies. Arge number of them were immobilized!


    Of course, there were still more spidersing forward, but those who tried to step into the icy field ended up getting frozen themselves, increasing the chaotess of the situation.


    "Don''t step into the icy region!" Aster warned. "Use long-range attacks!"


    Although he could disable the continuous freezing effect, now that the spiders were immobilized, he wanted to keep the region there to limit the enemies'' route. With therge white region ahead of them, the spiders would have to take a long detour to either side just to reach the Raid Party!


    A few of the members started to follow his words, attacking the frozen spiders with crossbows, guns, and spells. Before the new batch of spiders reached them, half of the frozen spiders had already died.


    During that time, Aster had already moved to their detour location and prepared his next move.


    "Freeze!"


    He cast it once more, freezing another section ahead of him. With this, the front and left sides were now protected by a frozen area, limiting the directions from which the spiders could swarm.


    After that, he then moved to the back, following the spiders that were trying to detour the newly created icy area, and cast his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal once more.


    A sizable icy zone was now blocking three of the four directions!


    "Great work, Sir Aster!" Lizandrea praised him before standing in the middle of thest zone, the only area where the spiders could try and approach them. "Leave the rest to us!"


    Seeing that the frozen spiders weren''t able to move an inch, the other parties started to prioritize clearing the spiders that weren''t caught in his "spell." As such, all the frozen ones were up for grabs!


    Aster sighed before taking out his sword. Unlike the rest, he was able to walk on the icy field, as the cold didn''t have any effect on him. He swung his sword, killing the little critters one after another in a boring manner, like doing a menial task.


    With only one side left open, the defense became easier. As such, Lizandrea and Celestinya''s blockade was able to hold back all the spiders at once. This made it easier to clear the waves and led their siege to end in just under ten minutes.


    Spider corpses scattered around the ce, making it a gruesome sight.


    "I leveled up!"


    "Damn it! Me too! This is nice!"


    "Shit, I need a few more to level up... Right, those frozen ones!"


    After they cleared the spiders, they turned back to the regions where Aster froze, but of the three regions, only the first frozen region had a few live ones remaining. Aster had already cleared almost all of the spiders!


    "Hmm?"


    Seeing that the other adventurers tried to enter the icy field as if to copy him, he quickly stopped the continuous freezing effect he was maintaining. It was a bit toote, however, as some adventurers got their boots frozen in ce.


    Well, they were still lucky, as only their boots got covered in ice. If it reached their legs, then they''d have been in bigger trouble.


    Only the first ones were unlucky, as those who entered after Aster disabled his control only felt extreme cold and didn''t get their boots frozen. They braved the cold air and waved their weapons, killing off the remaining spiders with smiles on their faces.


    Aster didn''t n to hog all the experience, of course. He was just doing his job earlier, killing enemies. As such, as the other adventurers came, he returned to the center where the other parties were present, drinking potions, water, or just taking a rest.


    "Great work, Sir Aster." Lizandrea, who saw him approach, gave a genuine smile as she praised him. "We might have perished if you hadn''t restricted their path to a single direction."


    "That''s an exaggeration." Aster smiled, dismissing her overpraising. "At most, a few would be injured, but I doubt just a thousand spiders are enough to wipe us out."


    "Haha, that''s true too." She chuckled. "But please don''t force yourself too much. You''ve used such arge-scale spell three times; you must be out of mana already."


    Aster paused for a brief moment before nodding his head. "... Yeah. I can use it one more time if I''m forced to."


    Of course, this was a lie! Using his Carved Seal doesn''t take up his mana, so he could technically use it endlessly if he wanted to! However, if he told her the truth, he feared that she would end up relying on him for everything, up to the boss fight.


    ''I''d better keep my cards hidden for now.'' He mused as he turned to the girls who were listening in nearby and winked.


    Other than Celestinya, who seemed to have misunderstood his signal''s meaning, the other two got his intentions and kept their mouths shut.

 Chapter 87: First Boss Raid (3)

    After a brief rest, the group resumed their journey, with Party 4 leading the way. Party 3, the other scout team, had been recalled shortly after the battle against the army of Small Cave Spiders, reuniting the entire raid party.


    Roughly five minutes after they started walking, they discovered an unusual mound with an entrance leading underground. It appeared to be a small, harmless hill, except for the cluster of Small Cave Spiders guarding the entrance.


    "That''s the cave we assume is the Cave Spider Mother''s Lair," one of the scouts of Party 4 announced in a low voice. "When we tried to enter to see if our guess was true, we were chased out by the little bugs, so we couldn''t check inside."


    "I see. Good work."


    Lizandrea praised the group before turning to address the entire raid team.


    "As you''ve heard, this cave most likely contains the boss monster we''re looking for. Expect that Small Cave Spiders will fill the entire path from the entrance to the enemy. Don''t let your guard down!"


    A tense air settled over the group. Facing a boss monster was no small feat. To add to that, only a few among them had experience battling powerful foes like the Dire Wolf of the First Floor.


    "Party 1 and 2 will lead the way! Everyone else, prepare tounch an attack at any given moment!"


    She waved her glowing mace, pointing it forward. "Let''s go! March onward, brave adventurers!"


    Lizandrea and Aster''s parties led the charge. The Small Cave Spiders loitering around the entrance quickly noticed them, releasing high-pitched shrieks before skittering forward.


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    "Taunt!"


    The two girls, Lizandrea and Celestinya, used their taunt skills to draw the spiders'' attention. A few dozen spiders quickly split between them,unching their attacks.


    "Metal Body!" Celestinya cast her skill once more, raising her defenses.


    Due to this skill, the spiders were not even able to scratch her, much less cause significant damage. However, what was amazing was Lizandrea. Without even using a defensive skill, she was tanking the spiders like they were simply a breeze!


    She wasn''t letting their attacksnd head-on, of course. Instead, she made good use of the metal gauntlets covering both arms, her shin guards, and the small piece of armor covering either side of her waist. All attacks were forced tond on those points with her superb control of her body and the enemy''s movements!


    *CRUSH!* *SMASH!* *SQUELCH!*


    And to add to that, each swing of her mace was deadly to the spiders. Even without it grazing them, just the fact that it was "swung in their direction" was more than enough to turn them all into meat fragments!


    "Is that a magic weapon, after all?" Aster wondered.


    Magic weapons were special types of weapons that used mana in exchange for abilities that were impossible for normal weapons.


    For example, the one that Lizandrea was using had a special enchantment, expanding its size by up to a foot around the glowing tip depending on the amount of mana being inputted. As the enchantment was invisible, it was great at taking weak monsters by surprise, giving them a sense of false security knowing that the mace wouldn''t reach them.


    In just a few seconds, the swarm of a dozen or so spiders was eliminated. The two of them didn''t even need backup!


    "Mages! Light Spell!"


    "Yes! Priodis Liora Consorie Sphar! Small Light Ball!"


    A total of five thumb-sized spheres of light appeared, floating above the caster''s staves. They were as bright as a 15-watt light bulb, so they should be able to push away the darkness of the cave''s path, at least.


    The mages controlled their lights, moving two up front on either side, two at either side of the middle of the formation, and one at the back, making sure there was visibility of their rear to avoid pincer attacks. Since their formation was spread out more in the middle, the arrangement looked like a pentagon from above.


    "Good. Now, let''s move! Melee fighters, make sure you can swing your weapons. Those spiders could be hiding in small gaps between rocks. Make sure to protect the mages!" Lizandrea warned before stepping inside the cave.


    The initial path sloped downward at a steep angle. A single slip would send someone rolling to the bottom, unable to stop.


    The party moved carefully, covering the 50-meter slope in two minutes. Reaching the t part of the cave, they quickly spread out, watching for any signs of enemies.


    "There''s nothing?" Aster muttered in confusion.


    There were a few spiders outside, but none inside. This puzzled not only him but most of the others too.


    "No, Star! They''re here! I can hear the creepy sound of them crawling through the walls!" Cassy alerted him. "But they''re all moving... away from us?"


    "This is bad."


    Lizandrea frowned deeply. "The Cave Spider Mother must''ve called them back. We''ll have to fight multiple enemies at once, not just the boss!"


    Fighting against numbers was daunting, as their previous experience proved. If not for Aster''s quick thinking, freezing the spiders and limiting their path, retreat might have been their only option.


    Seeing the dark look on everyone''s faces, Aster raised his voice. "It''s dangerous, but we can''t fall back. Giving the enemy more time to spawn Small Cave Spiders will only make it harderter. Retreating should be ourst option!"


    Lizandrea nodded, affirming his words. "Let''s proceed..." Shmanded, taking the lead.


    The cave''s structure was moreplicated than expected, resembling an anthill with many winding paths and dead ends. asionally, they crossed paths with small groups of cave spiders, dispatching them swiftly.


    As the paths grew moreplex, they feared getting lost. Reaching arge space with multiple connected paths, they decided to let both scouting parties map the area before proceeding.


    While waiting, the main party rested briefly, keeping their guard up while guarding every other connected path. Time passed without incident until about an hourter.


    The first of the two parties returned, but...


    "Only one? Where''s the rest of your party?" Aster asked, seeing the bloodied appearance of the jaguar-kin man, the leader of Party 3.


    His reply, through chattering teeth, made everyone gasp in fright.


    "They''re... dead."

 Chapter 88: Versus Mutant Spider! (1)

    "Dead?!" Aster raised his voice, reeling back in shock.


    Party 3, like Party 4, wasposed of members quick on their feet, and skilled at escaping even when surrounded. Hearing that his other party members had died, leaving only one survivor cast a heavy silence over the group.


    "... Can you tell us what happened?" Lizandrea asked gently, moving closer to the lone survivor. She understood the pain of recalling such events but knew they needed information to proceed.


    "It happened so fast..." The man spoke in a detached tone as if recounting a story rather than his own experience. Aster noticed he was still in shock, unable to fully ept the reality.


    From his recounting, their party was exploring the cave without much trouble, diligently marking dead ends. However, as they checked the second-tost branching path, another dead end, disaster struck.


    "Arge spider, over five meters tall, with a red carapace blocked our path."


    "...!" Everyone gasped.


    This monster''s description did not match the known appearance of the Cave Spider Mother, which was pitch ck and about three meters in size. The creature he described was nearly twice asrge and a different color.


    "A mutant?!" Lizandrea eximed.


    The survivor exined that they entrusted all their gathered information to their fastest member, their leader, and created an opportunity for him to slip past the giant spider. However, before he even reached the passage''s end, half of the party was killed instantly, and the other half sustained severe injuries.


    "... Here is the map we made," he said, handing over a crumpled piece of paper. "This... my party... Gert, Mina, Billy, Tina..."


    Lizandrea watched as the man broke down, sobbing. "I know. We''ll avenge your party, for sure."


    As she stood up, her expression shifted from somber to a mix of determination and anger. "Everyone! Stay alert! Let''s go kill that bastard mutant!"


    Within a minute, the party was reorganized. Party 4, having finished checking all the paths on their side, joined them. They were now a few members short, but they had toplete their mission. They couldn''t let Party 3''s sacrifice be in vain.


    The jaguar-kin man was tasked with guarding the path leading to the boss. Given his current state, taking him along was impossible. Two more from Party 4 stayed with him to prevent any Small Cave Spiders from attacking the main party from behind.


    The team moved forward, their formation tight and senses heightened. The path indicated on the map twisted and turned but was mostly straight. The asional skittering of spider legs echoed through the cave, keeping their nerves on edge.


    As they progressed, the air grew colder, and the sense of impending danger intensified. The fact that they hadn''t encountered even a small group of spiders suggested that the enemy was intelligent, conserving its forces and waiting for the right moment to strike.


    "This is thest branching path Party 3 checked," Lizandrea announced as they reached arge space simr to the one they had rested in earlier. "I''ll gather the mementos of his team members. Anyoneing with me?"


    "..."


    Nobody volunteered, not wanting to see the bodies of their fallenrades.


    "I''ll go," Aster raised his hand.


    Though he disliked seeing corpses, he couldn''t let Lizandrea go alone.


    "Alright. Everyone else, be wary of the paths. The boss could be lurking anywhere." She warned. "We''ll be back in a few minutes. Party 2, takemand if anything happens."


    Aster ran after Lizandrea, who had already started walking, with Celestinya close behind.


    "Wait, why did you follow?" Aster asked, confused.


    When Lizandrea had asked for someone to apany her, only Aster had responded. Now, another member had joined them.


    "I won''t let darling go with another woman alone!" Celestinya eximed. "Darling is mine, and mine alone! I won''t let some random bitch get you!"


    "You..." Aster sighed, feeling a bit exasperated. "Alright, follow if you want."


    "Ehehe, I knew darling understands me~!" She giggled while grabbing Aster''s arm.


    The pair quickly caught up with Lizandrea. Standing beside her, Aster felt dwarfed by her two-meter height, even taller with the thick heels of her boots. It was a bit refreshing, after all, he was surrounded by girls shorter than him.


    The path they followed was short, and they soon reached their destination. "We''re here," Lizandrea announced, stopping.


    Before them, lit by a mage''s small light, was a pool of blood and scattered pieces of broken equipment. There were no mementos left, not even a strand of hair.


    Lizandrea gritted her teeth, her hands curling into fists so tightly that her gauntlets creaked. Aster could feel her anger and regret radiating, understanding the reason behind it. She had promised as the raid party''s leader not to let anyone die, and now there were four casualties.


    "How pathetic...!" she groaned, berating herself.


    Aster stepped forward, intending to pat her back tofort her, but then his Carved Seal activated, reacting on its own.


    "...!"


    In a panic, Aster pulled Lizandrea and Celestinya into a tight embrace, ensuring they wouldn''t be affected by his Legacy Level Carved Seal''s power.


    *CRACKLE!*


    In an instant, the entire scene froze. Not just the cave walls, but even the bloodstains on the ground and the small spiders stealthily creeping toward them were encased in ice.


    "This is...!" Lizandrea gasped, seeing the spider ice sculptures falling from the ceiling.


    Though surprised by their sudden appearance, she was more worried about something else. The spiders hade from behind them, down a straight path, which meant...


    "The main party is in danger!"


    She tried to slip out of Aster''s grip, but he tightened his hold. "Stop! Don''t move!"


    The Carved Seal was still active, and moving beyond the one-meter safety region around him would result in being frozen solid. Celestinya, meanwhile, was melting into his embrace, taking advantage of the situation and even sniffing his neck, making him a little ufortable.


    Detecting the desperation in his tone, Lizandrea decided to follow his instructions for now.


    For fifteen more seconds, they stayed in the same position, with Lizandrea''s head resting against Aster''s shoulder and Celestinya clinging to his chest. Finally, as the light of his seal waned, Aster let go.


    "It should be fine now," He said, releasing them.


    Celestinya raised a smallint, going: "Ehh~? I want more! Hug me tighter, darling~!"


    On the other hand, Lizandrea nodded her head while clearing her throat.


    "Umu! Let''s head back! They need our help, your help!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 89: Versus Mutant Spider! (2)

    The three ran carefully over the icy ground, their steps cautious as they navigated the slippery surface. Once out of the frozen, treacherous patch, they quickened their pace.


    Within a minute, they reached the previously wide space where the rest of the group was gathered. The sight that greeted them left them gasping.


    Every inch of the space was covered in Small Cave Spiders¡ªcrawling on the floor, scaling the walls, and even hanging from the ceiling.


    "Party 5! Don''t spread out! Keep the defensive line tight! Mages, cast your biggest spells! No need to save them!" Kali, the only leader material left in Party 2, shoutedmands with urgency.


    Thanks to Kali''s efforts, the party held on precariously. The battle was clearly taking its toll, with the party being slowly pushed back.


    The spiders emerged from every direction, making it increasingly difficult to keep everyone protected. The absence of tanks meant there was no one to draw the enemies'' attention, causing the fight to devolve into chaos.


    Aster assessed the situation and quickly formted a n.


    "Let everyone retreat to this passage! I''ll handle the rest!" he instructed Lizandrea. After a short pause, he then turned to Celestinya. "And Tina, you help Liz clear the path!"


    Without dy, Liz and Tina sprang into action.


    "Everyone! Keep your positions tight and slowly retreat to this passage!" Lizandreamanded. "Knight''s Challenge!"


    She activated her taunt skill, creating a 10-meter sphere of influence around her that drew all nearby spiders toward her. The spiders, unable to resist, surged towards Lizandrea.


    "Shield of Valor!" Lizandrea called out.


    As the spiders swarmed her from all sides, she enveloped herself in a thin, golden shield that repelled their attacks.


    With half the field cleared of spiders thanks to her skill, Celestinya moved to the other end. She began casting her own skills, her voice echoing through the room. "TAUNT! METAL BODY!"


    With the two tanks working in unison, a clear path in the middle began to form. The entire Raid Party started to retreat into the passage Aster and the others hade from.


    One by one, party members fell back, with Kali at the rear, holding off the pursuing spiders.


    "Dagger Storm!" She shouted, thrusting her dagger forward.


    The de''s tip split into multiple edges, striking all spiders within a meter radius. Dozens of spiders fell to the ground, lifeless.


    In just a few more seconds, everyone had sessfully retreated into the passage. Tina and Liz quickly joined Aster, taking their ce beside him.


    "FREEZE!"


    Astermanded,pleting the casting of his Magic Carved Seal. A wave of cold surged forward, covering the entire room ahead of them. The spiders were instantly encased in ice, and their movements halted¡ªall that were within range died!


    Aster had no choice but to use the full extent of his spell. "I guess the boss is frozen too," he murmured, feeling a twinge of regret over the wasted experience.


    *SCREEEEEECH!*


    The piercing, bone-chilling roar that followed took them by surprise. From one of the passages, a colossal spider emerged. Its body stood over 5 meters tall, including its spindly legs. Its bright red carapace, marked with patches of white from Aster''s spell, was a formidable sight.


    "Everyone! Be careful! This mutant seems to be immune to spells!" Liz warned as she drank a potion to restore her mana.


    Unlike mages, knights had a limited mana pool, and their skills consumed it rapidly. A few uses were enough to drain their resources. Thus, only a few chose to endure the imbnce of such a demanding ss.


    Liz''s observation was spot on. The Red Cave Spider Mother, a variant with spell immunity, now loomed over them. Its thick carapace made it even more challenging, increasing its resistance to physical attacks too.


    Its eight long legs cracked the ice with each step as it moved toward them. Aster had hoped the ice would cause it to lose its footing, but the spider crawled forward with unnerving stability.


    "Aster, undo the ice!" Liz shouted. "At this rate, it''s just a hindrance to us."


    Aster considered her request for a moment, but had a different n. "Is there anyone here with an earth spell that can cover the entire passage?!" he called out.


    "I¡ªI know Wall of Earth!" A mage raised her hand, stepping forward.


    "Perfect! Cast it as soon as you can and create a barricade at least a meter thick!" Aster instructed.


    Without dy, Aster focused his attention solely on his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal. He blocked out thoughts of the boss and prepared his spell. After five seconds of intense concentration, he opened his eyes andmanded, "Burn!"


    A wave of searing heat radiated from Aster, causing the temperature in the chamber to soar. The room began to ze, and the mage''s Wall of Earth sealed the entrance just in time. The brief heatwave was intense enough to make everyone sweat.


    Beyond the wall, the chamber became a furnace. The ice melted instantly, and the trapped spiders turned to ashes before they could even touch the ground. The temperature skyrocketed to 3,000 degrees, causing the air to expand and moisture to evaporate.


    A steam explosion followed, with oxygen reacting with the carbonized remains of spiders and filling the space beyond the barrier with pure carbon dioxide.


    "...!"


    The wall began to glow red from the extreme heat. The temperature was so high that it reached them even through the thick barricade.


    "Everyone, fall back! Miss Mage, another Wall of Earth, please!" Aster ordered.


    "Y-Yes! Secundi Tiroe Skild! Wall of Earth!" the mage responded, summoning a secondyer of protection.


    With the additional barrier, the searing heat could no longer be felt. The group waited anxiously, the vibrations from the explosion causing them to remain on edge.


    Five minutester, the chamber fell silent. Aster knew the passage would be filled with carbon dioxide, so he needed to disperse it before checking.


    He cast his freezing spell again, lowering the temperature to draw in fresh air from outside. After recing the carbon dioxide with breathable air, he heated it and then froze it, repeating the process over ten times to ensure the air was clear.


    "Take down the barrier," Aster instructed.


    The mage carefully dispelled the Wall of Earth as requested. When the barrier fell, the scene inside the chamber was revealed. The once-feared boss monstery in the center, greatly weakened!


    Aster smiled, relieved. ''Even though it''s immune to spells, it seems it was still affected by the byproducts,'' he thought. ''Carbon dioxide poisoning did the trick.''

 Chapter 90: Versus Mutant Spider! (3)

    Monsters of the dungeon could develop immunity to attacks at times. As such, there were three categories of attacks that were devised to address this problem. The usual melee attacks, long-ranged attacks, or spell attacks.


    Boss monsters above the 10th floor, where the "real" dungeon begins, usually have at least one type of attack immunity, but most often, it is missile immunity. As such, boss fights usually end up with melee up front and long-ranged mages behind, while weapons like crossbows, bows, or guns are renderedpletely useless.


    This time, however, the mutant rogue boss, the Red Cave Spider Mother, was immune to spells, a rarity even in the first 50 floors. As such, they were supposed to be facing an uphill battle, but...


    "Alright! The air seems fine, but wear makeshift facemasks just in case! When you feel dizzy, alert your allies and retreat here immediately!"


    Aster directed with a firm tone of voice. "Liz, the boss is weakened due to poison, so please take that into consideration whilemanding everyone!"


    "G-Got it..." Liz answered, a little confused.


    After all, Aster only used "mes" and "ice" in her eyes, so she wasn''t sure when he used poison at all. "Everyone! As you heard, there might still be some poison remaining! Follow Aster''s words and wear masks!"


    As she had no mask, she simply stripped about three inches of fabric off of her skirt before using it to cover her nose and mouth. It wasn''t much, and Aster wasn''t even sure if that could block carbon dioxide poisoning, but it''s better than nothing.


    As soon as she saw everyone having put on makeshift masks, Liz nodded and pointed her mace forward.


    "Brave Adventurer! Now''s the time! Follow our initial n! Charge!!!"


    The initial n was supposed to be Parties 1 and 2 taking on the boss monster from up front, with Parties 3 to 7 raining down attacks whenever possible. However, now that they knew the boss was immune to spells, they had to switch to physical means of attack.


    Liz was the first to arrive at the boss monster''s vicinity, standing like a mouse facing a cat. However, she didn''t falter and instead cast her skill without hesitation.


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    *SCREEEE!*


    The enormous spider mother had enough strength to scatter everyone around it despite the poison''s effects. With a casual swing of its legs, it "could" send adventurers, covered in armor from head to toe, flying toward the far walls!


    *BAAAAM!*


    "KUH!"


    But Liz swung her mace forward, meeting the iing leg. A powerful impact stopped both sides in an instant. A loud ring echoed before, finally, the effect of Aster''s actions showed.


    *CRACK!*


    The thick carapace started to break down!


    Aster''s repeated cooling and heating of the room had two ideas: one was to pull back oxygen from outside, making the room survivable. The other was to induce thermal fatigue on the monster''s hard carapace, making it brittle and easy to break!


    Liz herself was surprised at what happened, not expecting the monster''s protection to fail so easily. Of course, she wasn''t one to miss such a golden opportunity.


    "Everyone! Rain down heavy attacks on it!"


    At her words, those with spears and hammers moved fast, attacking the monster from either side. Since it was under the effect of Knight''s Challenge, it wasn''t able to attack the others and could only receive their beating.


    *BAM!* *CRACK!*


    And with each strike its body suffered, more cracks started to spread, creating gaps that the long-ranged attackers could take advantage of.


    "Fire!"


    With a show of perfect coordination, all melee fighters backed off before Liz gave the signal. Bullets and bolts flew, striking the monster. Although more than half of the projectiles bounced off its carapace, a few managed to slip into the cracks and inflict severe damage to it!


    *SCREECH!*


    The Red Cave Spider Mother raised a pained cry before its legs failed, its body falling to the ground.


    "NOW! ALL HANDS, ATTACK!"


    Everyone didn''t hesitate and followed hermands. With the spider sprawled on the ground, it wasn''t able to fight back!


    "Bullet Storm!"


    "Heavy Blow!"


    "Armor Breaker!"


    All sorts of skills rained down on it, turning its well-protected body into a battered piece of flesh in just a few seconds. While everyone was attacking its body, two figures stood before its head. Liz and Kali!


    "SMITE!"


    "Assassinate!"


    A mace and a dagger fell on top of its head, cracking it open.


    A momentter, the entire spider''s body started having spasms as it turned belly-up, with its eight legs waving around randomly. Of course, keeping their distance when that happened was elementary, so nobody was injured from its random "attacks."


    "Evil monster, let me send you back to your creator!" Liz was the only one who stayed behind, his mace giving off an even brighter glow. "Radiant Strike!!!"


    Her mace went down with thunderous force, the mana around it crushing the monster''s head into a pulp. With her final blow, the monster finally died for real. Its legs stopped moving, stretching as far as it could, before starting to rx and copsing in.


    "..."


    Silence enveloped the venue before everyone''s bodies started to glow. All of those who participated in the boss fight rose to a new level!


    "Woah! Unbelievable! Shared EXP?!" Aster groaned in surprise.


    He could onlynd about one or two Vertical shes with his sword, but he still gained enough experience to reach level 6! But more than that, he was surprised that the experience wasn''t monopolized by the one who delivered thest hit but was shared with everyone who participated!


    "How did this happen?"


    "I leveled up!"


    "Hey, what''s going on? Why did I...?"


    Of course, it wasn''t only him who was confused. Even the others were!


    It was a universal truth that thest person tond a hit would gain all the experience, no matter what. As such, parties usually let the one who contributed the most take thest hit, if possible, or just shower attacks on it and let the one who delivered the finishing blow be random.


    "This... I suppose since this monster is irregr, the experience distribution didn''t follow the norm?" Even Liz herself, the one to deliver thest hit, could only state a random guess.


    To address everyone''s curiosity, Kali stepped forward and exined.


    "A normal Cave Spider Mother should be level 7 on average, but we defeated a mutant, probably around level 15. If not for Aster weakening it, then we could only face an impossible battle and die."


    Of course, everyone agreed with her words.


    Even the brittle carapace was still able to bounce off weak attacks. Thinking of how tough it might be before Aster weakened it, they could only feel chills run down their spines. Such a monster would most probably be invulnerable on lower floors!


    "We hunted a monster three times our level. I guess the dungeon itself is rewarding our efforts."


    "That might be the case..." Liz smiled, nodding lightly. "Anyways, everyone, well done! We won!"


    Her words sank into everyone''s minds, and smiles showed on their faces. A wild cheer followed, shaking the entire cave.

 Chapter 91: Victory Celebration!

    Even though the enemy was more powerful than they expected, they still managed to clinch the victory. This fact alone was more than enough to earn a celebration! Of course, not everyone joined in on the mindless celebration mood.


    "What are you doing?"


    Aster asked Kali, who was kneeling before the Red Cave Spider Mother''s corpse, to take pictures of it from various angles. She spared a short nce at Aster before continuing what she was doing, snapping pictures without a pause.


    "Mutants are more or less unique monsters; as such, there''s little known about their properties." She exined. "I''m taking pictures and will write a report on its properties and abilities before submitting it to the Monster Records and Control Divisionter."


    Aster raised a brow, hearing about the troublesome things she was about to do.


    "Is that... something that adventurers are required to do?" He asked.


    "No. I''m just doing it just because," Kali answered without stopping what she was doing. "I''m actually an aspiring Cryptozoologist, and researching unknown monsters like this one is one of my few real hobbies."


    "Cryptozoologist...?"


    Aster could recall the term, but it was used to refer to those who study mythical creatures of folklore such as Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Yeti, or such.


    ''Did the meaning of the word change with the advent of dungeons, perhaps?'' He mused.


    Curious, he watched Kali do her "hobby" until she snapped a thousand images from all angles.


    "With this, it should be possible to recreate a 3D model of it." She sighed, showing a genuine smile while reviewing the images she took.


    Aster felt a little envious watching her. "Hobby, huh?" he muttered with a sad undertone.


    Due to his disease, the only thing he could call his hobby was helping out in theboratory at times or studying nts and other living things as part of his curriculum as a biologist.


    "Well, a hobby or two wouldn''t hurt." He shrugged lightly.


    ---


    After the raid waspleted, they went on their way back, dragging therge spider corpse with them. Of course, they didn''t let their guard down just because they finished their hunt. They still have hundreds of enemies left, wandering the forest outside of the cave, after all!


    However, wolves, goblins, slimes, and even the random Small Cave Spiders, were no match for them.


    Without much suspense, they reached the entrance safely. Other than the four members of Party 3 who died, they didn''t suffer any other casualties.


    Adventuring is a job thates with dangers, of course, so they should be prepared for such a thing to happen when they ept the emergency quest. However, such a thought wouldn''t pass to the party''s leader, the only survivor of their party.


    And more than that, Lizandrea was unable to shake off their deaths from her mind.


    When they returned to the guild, she requested to have her share of the rewards divided and passed to the families of the four casualties. Of course, she wasn''t really satisfied with giving them pocket change, so she even pulled more from her pocket, giving their families about 50 million Tels each as a donation.


    Of course, not everyone was happy to receive money just because their loved ones died, but even so, she still epted their outburst of anger without budging, taking responsibility as the raid party''s leader.


    After the solemn matters were handled, the surviving adventurers, other than the leader of Party 3, who excused himself early, went to celebrate right inside the guild. Mugs of beer were passed around as mouth-watering food was prepared to sate everyone''s thirst and hunger.


    The sad air in the guild was washed away by jovialughter, along with cheering and jeering. The festive mood brightened the ce as all members celebratedpleting the raid sessfully and even gaining a level or two in the process.


    The mages were a little disgruntled, however, as they weren''t able to get a share of the Red Cave Spider Mother''s experience. They weren''t able tond an effective attack, after all, as the monster was immune to spells. Although it was sad, so was thew of nature.


    Aster, Cassy, Kali, and Tina were sitting in a corner of the venue, enjoying their small portion of food together while drinking beer. Aster refrained from ingesting alcohol, however, and was instead drinking orange juice.


    As he watched his three party members be tipsy, with Tina starting to be a little touchy-feely and sticking to him at every opportunity, he saw a figure weaving through the rowdy crowd and approaching.


    "Hello." She greeted them as soon as she arrived. "Can I share the table with you all?"


    "Oh, of course. Please feel free." Aster answered, offering the vacant seat to his left. "There''s no way I''d refuse to let the princess of the Dragonseal family sit with us."


    "W-What do you mean? I''m no princess." She scratched her cheeks awkwardly.


    Everyone present more or less learned her rtions right as she gave her name, hearing herst name. However, the person herself was dismissing her apparent connections with the Dragonseal family.


    She might be trying to hide her true background, but there''s no way such an awkward disguise would deceive anyone. She should''ve used a differentst name, at least, or maybe dropped the "Von" in the middle!


    Aster shrugged before turning to her with a serious nce. "Well, suit yourself. Anyway, what brings you here?"


    "Ahh~! Cood ish be... you wanna join our parshy~?"


    The tipsy Cassy interjected, her body wobbling left and right as she held a beer mug. "You''re more zhian wee~! Ehehe..."


    "She has a good background and has little to no possibility of being an enemy. "I am more in favor of epting her as a member than of having that clingy vixen by your side." Kali spoke in a fast manner.


    Tina didn''t miss her small taunt and reacted.


    "Haa?! Ya picking a fight, you bitch?! Come outside; I''ll take you on!"


    "No need to go outside; that''s too bothersome. Let''s do it here, right now. What? Are you perhaps afraid of losing? I''m level 6 now, with you being level 5, so maybe you''re scared?"


    Not only was she speaking fast, she was even bing talkative! Aster patted Tina''s head, making her quiet down, before turning to Liz, who was still awkwardly waving her hand.


    "L-Like I said, I don''t have such a good background." She imed, dismissing Kali''s words. "I''m just a lone adventurer, nning to reach the highest rank of S-ss with my own strength. However..."


    ''A lone adventurer without background wouldn''t be able to casually donate 200 million Tels, though.'' Aster thought as he put down his mug before focusing on listening to Liz''s words.


    He knew that the main topic was about toe out of her mouth.


    Her face turned serious before she nodded her head. "Just as Miss Cassandra and Miss Kali said, I would like to join your party."

 Chapter 92: Main Tank, Get!

    "You want to join us?" Aster asked once more, as if to confirm.


    Lizandrea turned to face him, her expression unchanging, before nodding her head.


    "Yes. Seeing how coordinated the four of you were, I believe it''ll be to my benefit if I join your party." She exined. "And having only one tank is problematic, especially when you''re fighting a boss. Having a backup tank is the mainstream."


    "..."


    Aster, of course, understood that having two tanks alternate when facing a boss was the standard. And of course, he had no problems with adding Liz to their party. However, what worried him was the one on her "back."


    ''The Dragonseal Family would most likely look for information about her party members. They would definitely find information about me.''


    He wasn''t sure if that was a bad thing or not, so he first had to ask the Mayor''s view on this. Just as he was about to refuse her offer temporarily to give him time to think, his holo-tablet started to vibrate.


    "Huh?"


    He quickly checked it, only to see a missed call and a message. The name on both the caller and sender was... "Mayor Magnus?"


    Curious, he opened the message, only to see a short message saying:


    ~~~


    There''s no problem with the Dragonseal Family. You can take her in; I''ll talk to them about you to smooth things out. ??


    ~~~


    Aster quickly put his phone down and looked around, checking for anyone suspicious. After all, the content of the mayor''s message was as if he were sitting with them at the table! ''Wiretap? Did he install something like that on my holo-phone, perhaps?!''


    Of course, his doubts remained unanswered. It made him feel a little disgruntled, as if he were ying to the mayor''s tune.


    "... I see no problems." Aster sighed, facing Lizandrea once more. "Wee to our party."


    Hearing his positive response, the dragonkin woman heaved a sigh of relief before sitting properly on her chair. "I thought you''d reject me for a moment there. Anyway, thanks! I''ll make sure you don''t regret this decision!"


    "Yeah, no problem."


    Aster felt a little shocked that she figured out his initial intentions. ''This woman''s too sharp!'' he admitted.


    Taking advantage of the location, they quickly finished registering her as a new member. Aster was feeling awe as he just gained two members in consecutive days!


    Zena didn''t take long, as she didn''t want to miss the festivities. In just three minutes, she returned with their adventurer''s cards, with the party names updated.


    "Right, before I forget..."


    Aster flipped his card, adding the newly gained point to his CON stat. Finally, he reached the average value for a normal person''s CON! With a satisfied grin, he checked the values of his Adventurer''s Card.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 6


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma, Celestinya Zirroth, Lizandrea Von Dragonseal (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 8


    Intelligence: 15


    Wisdom: 16


    Charisma: 12


    Luck: 0


    ]


    His level was rising fast, but their speed at conquering floors was still too slow. It can''t be helped, however, as their priority was gaining levels and proper equipment first before challenging the higher floors.


    ''If we continue at this pace, I doubt we''ll reach the 1000th floor within five years.''


    If they take their average time to conquer a floor as 1 week, they would need 20 years to reach the top floor!


    ''To speed up our progress, I need to get stronger... or gather more members and make a perfectly bnced party!''


    Currently, the partyposition is: two tanks, one healer, one scout, and one support or semi-mage. To make a bnced party, they would next need a mage, a porter, and a backline fighter. Aster wondered when they would be able to find a good one, though.


    ''At worst, I can just post another recruitment offer. With the number of girls increasing, adding a guy shouldn''t be a problem now.''


    "...ter. Aster?"


    "Eh?"


    After hearing his name called, he snapped back to reality. Turning to his side, Lizandrea was looking at him with a smile. "Were you thinking about something? Anyway, do you want to see my stats? I think you''d need that to understand my abilities more."


    "Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought." Aster scratched his head.


    "But are you sure about showing me your stats? How can you trust me that much when we haven''t even known each other for long?"


    "It''s fine, it''s fine. I don''t have anything that would be troubling to be seen, after all." Lizandrea added with a handsome smile. "Then, here."


    "Okay..."


    [


    Name: Lizandrea Von Dragonseal


    Age: 20


    Race: Dragonkin


    Purity: 30%


    Level: 6


    Party Members: Aster Mistral, Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma, Celestinya Zirroth (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)]


    [


    Strength: 11


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 25


    Intelligence: 3


    Wisdom: 3


    Charisma: 15


    Luck: 0


    ]


    "..."


    Aster rubbed his eyes before looking at her stats again. However, the values didn''t change at all.


    "What a perfect example of min-maxing!"


    With a CON value of 25, she''s practically a walking wall! It''s doubtful if monsters from the second floor, other than bosses, would even be able to injure her! Hearing Aster''sment, Lizandrea scratched her cheeks awkwardly.


    "A-Ahahaha... As you can see, since I increased my constitution first, my strength is a little low. I''m making up for it using equipment, but this should have its limits too."


    ''Low?'' Aster cursed. ''I have 5 strength, goddamnit! And you call 11 LOW?!''


    He felt his fragile heart crack a little from her casualment. Of course, it was nothing but his manly pride in suffering. Anyway, he didn''t let his thoughts appear on his face as he returned her card.


    "With this much CON, you''d be perfect for our main tank. I''m counting on you, Lizandrea!"


    Aster extended a hand, waiting for a handshake. Lizandrea folded her wings as if feeling shy before grabbing his hand.


    "Just like during the battle earlier, calling me Liz is fine." She said, permitting Aster to call her using her pet name. "And I''m also looking forward to working with you, Star."


    "Yesh~! Wee sho zha parshee~!"


    Without the two''s notice, a drunken rabbit jumped to Liz''s back. The poor dragonkin looked panicked, unsure of what to do, while their leader simply watched as they started frolicking.


    After Aster returned to his seat, he took a swig of his juice... but realized that the taste was different.


    His vision quickly turned blurry, and his memory was cut off from that moment. The reason Aster refused to drink was because he was someone who would get drunk with a single sip of beer!

 Chapter 93: What Happened?

    "Ugh..."


    Aster stirred awake with an intense headache assaulting his senses.


    When he opened his blurry eyes, the fifth thing that entered his sight was... two soft peaks, enveloping his face in their supreme sticity and suppleness.


    "Mmm mmm? (Wait, what?)"


    Surprised by the sudden greeting and wanting to figure out what was going on, he tried to move but realized that he was currently in a joint lock. Whoever it was that was above him was quite skilled at it too!


    "MMM! (MOVE!)"


    "Hnnng~!"


    When he tried to extract himself forcefully, he ended up brushing his head against the valley. As he did, a familiar, sweet voice echoed in his ears. It was Cassy!


    "Hmm? Ah, Star... Did you wake up?" She woke up from the stimuli, loosening her hold.


    She hovered over Aster, making him finally see her face in its entirety. "Good morning, Mr. I''m The Best. Hehe~!"


    "... What''s with that nickname?"


    Aster asked, trying to fix his gaze onto her face and not toward the ripe fruits hanging slightly below his vision. She was wearing nothing but a single piece of shirt, like always!


    "What? Did you forget what you were doingst night...?"


    "..."


    With the addition of st night" to her words, for some reason, he started to sweat bullets. He couldn''t recall a single fucking thing! His memory was as if it were wiped clean, and with thest moment he could recall, adding Liz to the party!


    "Wait, let me think," Aster asked while pushing her out of the way and sitting up. "Mmh?"


    To begin, he started looking around, identifying where they were. It was a familiar room, a familiar bed¡ªwithout a doubt, they were in his hotel room! While ncing left and right, he also discovered three more figures with them.


    To his left was Cassy, who was sitting down in quite a precarious pose, with the lower hem of the shirt she was wearing rolling up due to her pose with her thighs slightly spread. To his right was a sleeping dragon. She wasn''t wearing her armor, only the base red dress. However, that didn''t do much to help, as she was just as exposed as Cassy was.


    On the other side, behind Cassy, two cats were intertwined with each other. It was obvious at a nce that they were fighting before falling asleep. But without knowledge about their being like water and oil, they would seem like two good friends sleeping in each other''s embrace.


    "... What the fuck happened, really?" He couldn''t even begin to guess!


    Cassy tilted her head before smiling. "Well, you''ll know when we go to the guild today, probably~!"


    Fortunately, or unfortunately, perhaps, nothing of the sort he was thinking had happened.


    After the other girls woke up and while they were having breakfast cooked by Aster, the newest member recounted the events. From what Liz told him, Aster turned berserk after getting drunk and caused quite a ruckus inside the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Cassy was pouty since she wanted to keep it a secret until they went to the guild, though.


    Tina was, as usual, clinging to Aster with every opportunity she had, while trying to keep the other girls out of his immediate vicinity. Her possessiveness was starting to get out of hand.


    "Mornin'' Boss!"


    "..."


    And when they arrived at the guild, some of the ruffian-looking adventurers rushed toward their group and bowed their heads in greeting. From their bodynguage, it was easy to tell that they were truly scared of Aster. Seeing this, he waspletely taken aback!


    ''What the hell did I really do?'' He started to worry.


    Actually, after Aster went berserk, some adventurers tried to pick a fight with him out of jealousy. After all, he was always seen dragging beautiful girls around wherever he went!


    However, they were frozen from their toes up to their chins in a sh, unable to even touch a strand of his hair. Then he, allegedly, started pouring beer down their throats. It was torture, but the festive moodpletely changed the way the event was perceived!


    As such, those ruffians finally understood the power hierarchy and treated Aster as someone above them, their boss.


    Of course, even if he was told about what he did, he would simply be confused. He had yet to reach the level of instantaneous casting of his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal, after all! And the drunk version of him managed to pull it off!


    In the end, he only swore to himself, with the gods as witnesses. ''I''ll never, ever drink again...''


    ---


    In a dark and lifeless room, twelve screens shone an inorganic blue light on its surroundings. For each screen, a face was disyed, but it wasn''t live, more like a still image or a picture as if to represent each of them.


    "It is confirmed. The mayor of Orinfeld City is hiding something from all of us, and that is the existence of a human with extremely high-purity human DNA!"


    A voice came from one of the screens, the one with an old, fat man with receding white hair disyed on it.


    "A high-purity human? Does that sort of thing even exist?"


    Another voice echoed,ing from the screen, showing an extremely seductive beauty with long ck hair and a white furball curled upon herp. "Are you not making things up again, Caballe? You do have a personal grudge against that Noire, right?"


    "That''s true."


    Another one interjected, the voiceing from a screen showing a tall, handsome man standing as if he were a noble in a painting.


    "My ce still hasn''tpletely recovered after you dragged us into yourst failed plot, you know? You haven''t even finished paying off that debt yet, either."


    "Hah! My information source is urate this time!" The old man eximed in a giddy tone. "I heard it directly from one of the heads of the Anti-Human Movement, so there''s no doubt about it! That Magnus is hiding the presence of a precious human from us!"


    "You..." The woman groaned, as if exasperated. "You do understand that saying that is the same as admitting you''re working with a terrorist group, you know?"


    "Leave him be, Aria. He''s no longer sane, anyway." The other man eximed with a sigh.


    "True, he''s been an insane old man since, like, forever."


    "ANYWAY!" The old man raised his voice as if to forcefully bring the topic back on track. "At this rate, that bastard Magnus would pull ahead of us again! I propose we all work together and take him down a notch... and take custody of that high-purity human!"


    "What nonsense; I''m out."


    "Same. I''m in no position to initiate a war right now. Well, I wish you luck."


    The woman, Aria, and the nobleman left, their screens turning ck in a sh. As if to follow their lead, the others also started to wordlessly leave. One after another, the screens started to ck out, causing the old man to grind his teeth in anger.


    "Tell me more about your n."


    "...!"


    When all but one screen was left, another voice echoed.

 Chapter 94: Hunting Bandits for Equipment! (1)

    Aster and the girls checked the guild just in case there was a new situation going on, but fortunately, the second floor calmed down after hunting the Rogue Boss.


    It was still a mystery why such a powerful boss appeared on a low floor, but for now, it was carefully recorded as an extremely rare urrence. After Aster finished talking with Zena, it was Kali''s turn to talk to her. It didn''tst long, as she just said a few words before passing a small chip to Zena and turning to leave.


    "Was that your report?" Aster asked after chasing Kali.


    He remembered her taking pictures of the boss monster and talking about making a report about it or something, after all. Kali nced at him, her expression remaining the same as usual, in a frown, as she nodded.


    "Yes. I simply wrote and submitted everything I observed about the boss monster, along with the images I took." She exined quickly. "Unfortunately, we weren''t able to see all its abilities, but well, it''s already a miracle that we killed it in the first ce."


    A Rogue Boss with an estimated level of 15 appeared on the second floor with an average level of 4. It would be a hopeless battle if it happened on any other asion. Honestly, without Aster''s help, the second floor would''ve been overrun and renderedpletely inessible.


    After they got out of the guild, they didn''t go straight toward the dungeon but instead went to their usual weapon shop.


    It was funny when the dwarf shopkeeper panicked after seeing Liz enter, and they both started to talk in hushed voices, one trying to hide her real background (which she''s not doing a good job of) and one trying to not be rude to the owner''s daughter, finding amon ground topromise.


    Aster, while there, checked two more bags and also canvassed the price of the next level of their equipment. Of course, this excluded Liz, as her equipment was practically already at the top of the line. But other than her, the others were still in great need of better weapons and armor.


    "Should I buy everyone new equipment?" Liz offered, but Aster quickly shot it down.


    Being indebted is fine and all, but for him, it''s better to work hard and earn money to use to buy their equipment. That way, their attachment to it would be slightly different than when receiving it for free.


    "And in the first ce, normal adventurers usually buy equipment that way," Aster exined. "Only those with special backgrounds start with a full set right off the bat."


    "A-Ah! I don''t have a special background, alright?!" Liz denied it in a panic. "This equipment is... right! It''s a hand-me-down from my older sister! Yep!"


    "Really...?"


    "Really!"


    Well, Aster wouldn''t be tricked, of course. It was obvious that her equipment was brand new, after all. When he was satisfied with teasing Liz, the group listened to the dwarf''s words.


    "T-Three million..."


    That was the cost of one set for each of them! Of course, there''s a minor variation between each of their prices, but the shopkeeper imed he will round down all exactly to 3 million as a show of goodwill to his frequent customers!


    "... We need more bags." Aster dered.


    ---


    Inside the dungeon''s second floor, Aster''s party split into two groups. One pair was Kali and Liz, while the other was Cassy and Tina. Both teams were working on two jobs: hunting slimes and delivering them to Aster. Of course, to keep the bnce in terms of experience gain, they were switching roles now and then.


    Aster, on the other hand, was simply sitting down, not gaining a single experience, while extracting the cores from the hunted buggers.


    Although he was seemingly getting the short end of the stick, as always, he didn''t really mind it. After all, he would have chances to farm experienceter on.


    Of course, since everyone was already at level 5 or 6, the experience gained from the slimes was getting reduced to about an eighth of its value. As such, nobody but Tina has a chance to level up quickly, catching up with the rest.


    After he extracted another core, Aster wiped the sweat over his brows and nced behind him. There were a total of six bags now, with all of them being filled to the brim with Green Slime Cores.


    "With each bag having 50 cores on average, that''s equivalent to 300 cores! The price of each core is 10 thousand Tels, which means we already have... 3 million Tels!"


    It had been about an hour since they entered the dungeon, and they had already reached the amount for oneplete set!


    "Everyone! The bags are full! Let''s return to the guild first!" Aster called to the girls, who were busy killing more slimes.


    They weren''t going to run out of enemies, of course, as slimes has a quick respawn rate. As long as nobody was near their designated area, a level 3 slime would respawn after one hour at most! It perfectly matched their hunting speed!


    Aster wanted to go and apany the girls back, but instead, he was left with Cassy, while only Kali, Tina, and Liz went out to deliver the loot to the guild.


    Since they would get bored doing nothing, the two decided to take a walk while hunting monsters nearby. With Cassy''s at level 6, there''s no way a monster would be able to bypass her senses andunch a surprise attack against them.


    Aster was casually killing any monsters that came close while, at the same time, practicing his use of his Carved Seal.


    "Freeze!"


    With a casual wave, he would freeze the enemy wolves'' legs, keeping them in ce, before he would deliver the finishing blow, a clean strike through their heads.


    "Phew... I''m getting faster at casting the seal!" He eximed while wiping his sweat.


    "That''s true~! Soon, you should be able to use it in the middle of a messy battle too!"


    Cassy agreed, smiling sweetly.


    "Ah, another wolf group is iing, about twenty meters to your 2 o''clock."


    "Freeze!"


    Now, his casting was almost instantaneous¡ªwell, not really. It still takes him five seconds of deep concentration before the freezing effectes out. It was a great improvement, but still far from being truly fit for battle.


    "Hii hii hii!"


    "Oh? Newbies found! Kaha! Let''s y with the girl first before dragging them; what do you say?"


    "Stop it. Do you want the boss to scold uster? If I get in trouble because of you, you''re dead."


    And just as they wereing close to a forest biome, a group of ten suddenly appeared. Aster moved back, standing before Cassy as if to protect her, his face serious, before shouting at the visitors.


    "Who are you? What do you want?"

 Chapter 95: Hunting Bandits for Equipment! (2)

    Aster looked around and realized quickly that they were surrounded. Other than the twelve up front, there''s also another six behind, blocking their escape path. Cassy waspletely unable to detect their presence up until they showed up, giving him a good guess of their levels.


    "Who are we, ah? You must be living under a rock, little guy! We''re famous around here!"


    "Shut up, Gale! Another word, and I''m cutting your tongue off!"


    "AH?! Do you think you''re stronger? Try me, you fucker!"


    "..."


    Although they didn''t really answer his question, Aster could more or less guess their identity. They were, most likely, the other members of the kidnappers from the first floor who were lurking around the second floor!


    "Star..."


    Cassy raised a worried voice, clinging to his back. With them being outnumbered, normally they have no choice but to get captured. Right... normally.


    "Freeze."


    With a casual word, the entire grasnd, even a small part of the forest, froze in a sh. The set height was from the ground up to the chin of the tallest one of them... which meant some of the enemies gotpletely covered in ice and died in a sh.


    "W-What the...?! A mage?!"


    "No, I didn''t hear him cast! He must be using a magic tool!"


    "Damn it! I can''t break the ice! I can''t move!"


    Of the twelve enemies ahead, only five of them managed to keep their lives. Of course, that''s just temporary, as the frozen parts were literally frozen. Their organs would slowly fail, leading to their eventual deaths.


    Aster drew his sword and shed one of the surviving five''s heads, letting it roll off as blood started spraying, even staining his face with a few droplets.


    "...!"


    All the other four gasped, realizing their soon-to-be fates.


    "Bastard! Let me go! I can''t die here! I can''t¡ª!"


    *SLASH!*


    "N-No! Don''t kill me! Please! I¡ª!"


    *STAB!*


    Without a hint of mercy, he chopped off the heads of those who tried to speak out of turn. Thest two went quiet, sweat trickling down their foreheads despite the cold wrapping their bodies.


    Aster knew that he was running against time, so he pointed his sword at the first one, the non-leader-looking fatty, and asked. "Tell me, where is your base?"


    "I-It''s in the forest behind us! About three kilometers in! Please spare me! I have a wife¡ª!"


    *SLASH!*


    "I wasn''t asking about your life story," Aster whispered while rubbing the blood from his cheeks. However, he only managed to spread it out instead. "Anyway, you? Is what he said true? Is that where your hideout is?"


    Thest of the kidnappers nodded his head slowly, "Y-Yes..." before staying quiet, avoiding saying anything else that could lead to his death.


    "You''re smart, I see." Aster grinned, sheathing his sword. "We''ll go check if your words are true. If it is, then I''ll unfreeze you." He whispered before walking past the man.


    Cassy, who was behind him the entire time, felt a little scared. It was her first time seeing Aster show his cold side¡ªit was the first time he did this, other than the time he tried tomit suicide before Mayor Magnus as a threat.


    ''Star...''


    She pouted while watching his intimidating figure, covered with countless droplets of blood. For the first time, she felt like she didn''t really know the person before her.


    "..."


    After staying quiet for a while, she started to chase after him, not letting Aster head on alone. She felt that if she didn''t apany him, Aster would disappear somewhere far away where she couldn''t catch up.


    "Let''s leave a note," Aster whispered before rummaging through his pockets.


    After searching for a while, he could only get the receipt from buying the bags, so he decided to use it. He didn''t have any writing tools, so he just used the blood on his cheeks as ink and wrote three characters: "3 KM."


    Although it was a little cryptic, Kali and the other two should be able to quickly determine the situation when they return and see the group of frozen kidnappers followed by this note.


    Aster hung the note on a tree''s branch, in a conspicuous position to not be missed, before entering the forest. Cassy also followed closely behind him, her ears standing tall and alert.


    The forest was filled with even more dangers, after all. Other than the goblins, there were also the added monsters of the second floor, like the Small Cave Spiders or the Cave Rats, which they had to be wary of.


    However, unlike her expectations, no monsters approached them at all. The entire way was as peaceful as it could get, but Cassy was finding it creepy.


    "Star, be careful." She warned. "I don''t know what it is, but there''s something in here that''s making the monsters note close."


    Inside her head, warning signals were ring, but she had no choice but to follow Aster onward. Soon enough, they reached a tall cliff, with them standing at the edge of it. Looking below, a familiar-looking setup of tents could be seen.


    "Those bastards...!"


    Cassy growled upon seeing that there were already a few newbie adventurers tied up on the central pir in their base. Most of them were roughed up and bloody, while the women looked even worse, with their eyes looking empty.


    "..."


    Aster scanned the base and counted the number of enemies present. "There''s a lot more of thempared to the one on the first floor." He muttered. With just a casual headcount, he already went past three digits!


    "We can''t handle them with just us two. Let''s wait for K. and the rest!" Cassy suggested, worried that Aster would just charge forward without a second thought.


    "... You''re right. Let''s wait for them."


    Fortunately, he still retained cool-headed judgment. Astery down on the ground, peeking through the edge while trying to memorize the routes of the guards and finding possible routes they could take during rescue.


    The situation continued for about half an hour before Cassy''s ears flicked, hearing a familiar set of footsteps and breathing approaching.


    "Star, the girls are here." She whispered. "I''ll go and meet them halfway to update them of the situation."


    "..."


    Aster just nodded his head, not bothering to move his gaze away. Cassy paused for a bit before turning around and dashing back the path they had taken.


    As she left, Aster began to think to himself. ''Why am I getting impatient?''


    After all, it''s not like the kidnappers did anything untoward to him just yet. Even though they had threatened him and Cassy earlier, they suffered no harm. But despite understanding this, he couldn''t help but want to move and wipe out the kidnappers from the second floor.


    ''They... are scum that can''t be allowed to live.'' He frowned.

 Chapter 96: Hunting Bandits for Equipment! (3)

    About three minutester, Cassy returned. Together with her, Kali, Tina, and Liz were all at the ready, with their battle faces on.


    "It''s those guys again, huh?" Kali whispered, her anger also audible in her voice. "We should wipe them out without leaving a single one alive."


    "No." But Liz quickly shook her head. "We should rescue the captives first. After that''s done, you should be free to do anything."


    For a moment, Aster thought she would say that killing is bad or that it conflicts with her chivalry or something. However, Liz was a realist. She understands that scum like them wouldn''t change even if they were thrown into prison for dozens of years. The only punishment befitting them was a swift death.


    "Kidnappers, huh? Some of their faces are familiar." Tina muttered, trying to recall where she saw them.


    Of course, she wouldn''t remember them, as they were just one of the many guys who tried to approach her while she was hunting. And for those men, only one fate awaits them, regardless of their numbers.


    "I... I agree with Liz. Let''s rescue those poor adventurers first!" Even Cassy voiced her opinion.


    After that, all of them turned to Aster, who was still lying by the cliff''s edge, waiting for his words as the party''s leader.


    "... Sorry, girls. But I have a different n." He dered. "You four will save those adventurers fast. Leave the bandits to me."


    "..."


    Cassy''s expression turned to one of worry. The aura around Aster was, again, the same as when he ruthlessly lopped off the heads of the kidnappers who tried to capture them earlier. An aura that scared her to the core.


    The other three, especially Kali, who had been with Aster about as long as Cassy had been, noticed his change too. The feeling she was getting from him was the same as when she was facing her master, who taught her all she knew aboutbat. Cold and merciless.


    "Well, it should be fine."


    "Huh?!"


    But Liz''s sudden response surprised the rest. The atmosphere was where they should have joined together to stop Aster''s recklessness, but instead, she was approving of it!


    "Hmm? Isn''t that the best course of action?"


    Seeing that the others weren''t convinced, she began exining.


    "Aster can freeze or burn a wide area, and he remains unaffected by it. If we''re close to him, we would simply get in his way or be dragged into his attack."


    "That''s... true." Kali felt frustrated at how urate Liz''s observation was.


    To add to that, now that he can cast his Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal in just five seconds, he is slowly bing unmatched by anyone around his level! As long as he has the element of surprise, he''s unstoppable!


    "Right. As such, as soon as you get those adventurers, run away from the camp as fast as you can."


    Aster finally stood up, passing a small piece of paper over to Kali.


    "This is the path of their patrols. Their defenses are quite strict, so I''ll cause a diversion first and gather their attention."


    "So just likest time?" Cassy asked, forcing a smile. "Alright. Be careful out there, Star."


    "yeah. Be careful too, Cassy, everyone. I''ll be going first. Move after I give the signal."


    ---


    After that, things progressed quickly.


    Aster moved quietly and circuNovelFireented the map, moving to the other side of the camp. To ensure that they wouldn''t find him too early, he even took a detour, one that would normally make him gasp for air if not for his CON stat reaching the standard value.


    The girls, on the other hand, sneaked close to the opposite side, hiding while waiting for Aster''s signal.


    Tension filled the air as time passed, and then, without warning, a powerful explosion echoed from the other side. Aster, as an example, decided to burn the item storage tent, positioned around the same corner as on the previous floor!


    *BOOM!*


    Explosives and bullets, heated up to their critical temperature, ignited and destroyed the tent, sending deadly shrapnel around.


    "ENEMY ATTACK!"


    Butpared to the first floor, almost none of them suffered harm. Every single one of the kidnappers was alert and raised their defenses at the first sign of danger!


    Aster looked at them and simply stared nkly. Neither impatience for not injuring anyone with his preemptive attack nor arrogance were visible in his expression.


    "Freeze."


    *CRACKLE!*


    To create a visible obstacle and alert the enemies of his presence, he froze the trees around him, creating a conspicuous space around him.


    "Over there! The enemy is right at the forest''s edge!"


    Another voice echoed, causing half of the troops staying in the camp to move. The remaining half remained vignt, holding their position and watching the other directions.


    "Urk!"


    "Hack?!"


    "*Thwack!*"


    But in a sh, Cassy, Kali, and Tina had neutralized three enemies at the same time. As they did so, Liz rushed forward, heading right to the space where the captured adventurers were kept.


    "Everyone, we''re here to save you!" She dered gantly.


    However, only eyes filled with despair were turned to her. It was as if they didn''t believe her words even one bit!


    "Their mental states are at the bottom..." Cassy muttered in a pained voice. "Let me heal them first! Priodis Sirreo fen Cura! Minor Area Heal!"


    A bright sh of greenish-white light covered the injured adventurers, closing their injuries at a pace visible to the naked eye. As the pain they suffered faded, some of them regained their minds and began to cry in disbelief. Finally, the fact that they were being saved sank into their heads.


    "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"


    But of course, casting a skill as shy as a heal would alert the enemies. A group of kidnappers came out of a nearby path between tents and aimed their guns forward.


    Liz quickly moved between the enemies and Cassy and raised her mace across her chest. "Leave them to me! Knight''s Challenge!"


    "Fire!"


    Due to Knight''s Challenge''s effect of pulling the "target''s" attention, all guns turned to face right at her. The muzzles red as bullets flew, drawing an almost straight line beforending against her body.


    *TING!* *TING!* *TING!*


    "..."


    But all of them were shocked beyond words, seeing their bullets bounce off her skin. Right, Liz wasn''t even using a skill! She was deflecting bullets with her very own body!


    "F-Fire! Don''t let up! Kill that bitch!"


    The leader-like figure ordered, but no follow-up gunfire echoed. Instead, two soft thuds were heard before he saw his two allies fall forward, one with a bloody wound on the back of his nape and the other with his head twisted a hundred and eighty degrees, looking back at him with an expression of disbelief.


    "Hiiik!"


    Fear swallowed his mind, but unfortunately for him, it was toote.


    "Assassinate."


    Kali''s words echoed before her two daggers dug into the man''s neck. With a light snap sound, the man fell to the ground, lifeless as a rock.

 Chapter 97: Hunting Bandits for Equipment! (4)

    "Quick, lead them out of here!"


    Kalimanded after cutting the chains binding the adventures to the pir.


    They didn''t have much time, as the next batch of enemies woulde soon. Cassy led the adventurers, but then a problem urred. Of the 30-something captives, only around 10 regained their minds and were capable of moving on their own. The rest remained still despite having their restraints gone.


    Even if they asked the ten able-bodied adventures to help carry one of the immobile ones each, they would still be 10 short.


    "TAUNT! METAL BODY!"


    As Cassy was wracking her brains, trying to think of a way to save everyone, Tina''s voice echoed, alerting them to enemy reinforcements. This time, there were a lot more of them, numbering in the dozens¡ªthose who had heard the gunshots earlier!


    "The captives are escaping! Don''t let them get away!"


    Tina stood before them, a lone girl facing a group of angry men. The view was quite despairing, but the next scene was quite unbelievable.


    "Don''t touch me with your filthy hands! Only Star is allowed to touch my body!"


    "GYAAAAA!!!"


    "..."


    She was like a raging Asura, mowing down the enemies like they were bowling pins lined up for her to send flying. With her Metal Body applied, her apparent weight reaches nearly a ton. With that much mass, it wasn''t a mystery how she was able to fling them away like they were as light as a feather!


    Against enemies who only rely on weapons like guns, she was practically invulnerable... while her skill''s effect remained, that is. Metal Body has a brief active period, roughly one minute, and has a 2-minute cooldown. In short, she couldn''t keep the skill active all the time!


    "Hurry!"


    She growled while sending a few more of the enemies flying. They didn''t have time remaining! Right then, seeing what Tina was doing to the enemies, an idea came to her.


    "Tinya, switch with Liz!" Cassy shouted. "I need your strength!"


    "...!"


    They were tight on time, so the two moved quickly. Tina retreated fast, while Liz dashed forward with an intimidating amount of force.


    "SMASH!"


    And with a spinning start, she swung her mace around, reaping the approaching enemies. The one who got hit by her mace first was the unluckiest, having his left arm, ribs, and spine broken cleanly. The rest didn''t stay unharmed either, as the entire line of kidnappers were sent flying toward a tent, crashing into it.


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    And as they got into her skill''s range, Liz didn''t hesitate to use a taunt on them. With this, they were forced to focus on attacking her first, unable to turn toward the rest!


    "I''m here! What should I do?!"


    Cassy turned to the rest of the adventurers and shouted with a firm tone.


    "Everyone! Thisdy over here will throw you over that cliff if you don''t move! Don''t worry, you wouldn''t die, but a broken leg or arm would be expected!"


    "...!"


    Finally, the unresponsive adventurers started to show emotions¡ªfear. They are scared of feeling pain, as they suffered under the kidnappers already. Some turned teary-eyed, while others started to sob; their reactions were varied, but their actions were the same.


    All of them stood up, rising to their own feet!


    "Good! Then, of the ten who are sane, please support two of them each! We''ll be running out of here!"


    Time-wise, they had already gone overtime. At any moment, a wave of "death" should be covering the entire camp. If they don''t move fast, then they too will be caught up in it!


    Although slow, the rescued adventurers started to move, going straight toward the perimeter of the camp. Cassy led the way, while Kali covered the sides, making sure that no kidnapper would be able to touch them.


    Only Liz and Tina were staying slightly behind, dying the enemies.


    Just as they were about to reach the fence, the hair on Cassy''s nape rose as her ears flicked up in alertness. She turned her head behind, and as she expected, the entire ce was starting to get covered in permafrost. Even the tents were turning intorge ice sculptures!


    "Oh no...!" Cassy groaned. "Tinya, Liz!" The two tanks were still within the camp!


    ---


    On the other side, a few minutes back in time, Aster could be seen standing in the middle of a frozen space. Weirdly, only the spot where he stood remained verdant green, while everything within a 50-meter radius around him, half of the usual range he used, was turned into silvery-white scenery.


    *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*


    Gunshots were fired right at him from the kidnappers who were approaching him in a rush, but the bullets all got stuck at the transparent ice wall standing before him. Right, Aster was able to control the seal enough that he could freeze the moisture in the air itself, creating a transparent wall of ice to protect himself!


    The wall covered him in all directions, making it hard for the enemies to reach him with bullets.


    "..."


    But of course, ice isn''t really a bullet-proof material. With enough shots fired, the ice would break and reveal Astter to danger. However, his emotionless gaze was already locked onto the enemies, gauging the distance between them urately.


    "... 100." He whispered as soon as the bandits went past the burning tent.


    Right, he was using the tent he burned as a measure of his range! He waited until all of them had jumped over the fence of their base, and some had reached halfway through, almost reaching him.


    Aster raised his hand slowly, as if to show the enemies what he was doing. The seal behind his right palm was glowing with a bright blue light.


    "Serial kidnappings, abuse, and even rape... I won''t let you off easily." His words echoed, seemingly as cold as the icy field around him. "Freeze."


    At that moment, a wave surged forth. It was quick and unavoidable, catching all of the fifty to sixty kidnappers at once. Of course, he didn''t kill them just yet. He left them unfrozen from their chests and above, immobilizing them while also keeping them alive.


    "W-What is this?! I can''t move!"


    "Shit! Fire! Mages, melt this ice!"


    Aster saw how calm and collected they were despite getting half-frozen. The mages, as ordered, tried to cast their me spells in an attempt to melt the ice, but...


    *BANG!*


    Aster didn''t let them.


    The fastest mage''s head bent back forcefully, with a new bloody hole added to his forehead. For every mage that tried to cast their spells, he fitted them with one bullet to the head! All the mages died before he finished one full magazine of his pistol, including the missed shots!


    Seeing that nobody else was trying anything funny, Aster began to walk forward. To the kidnappers, he looked like the god of death, ready to harvest their puny lives at any moment!

 Chapter 98: Hunting Bandits for Equipment! (5)

    Each step Aster took cracked the thin ice covering the ground. Even the thick wall of ice ahead of him was unable to hold him back, melting like styrofoam dropped with acetone!


    Of course, it wasn''t simply due to the passive effect of his Carved Seal, but because he just finished casting the reverse, melting the ice before he reached it.


    "So... Who among you has bounties?" He asked as soon as he came close enough for his voice to be heard. "Come on, raise your hands if you have one."


    "..."


    Of course, none of them raised their hands. Rather, they couldn''t! Their bodies were half frozen, including their hands, which were enclosed in thick ice!


    "None? There''s no way that''s true."


    Aster pulled his Holo-tablet and started scanning the face of the one closest to him. After a bit, the scanned image was cross-referenced to the downloaded data from bounty lists. However, the first one was just a normal wanted person, without any bounty on his head.


    "You''re useless. Next."


    *BANG!*


    He didn''t forget to punch a new hole in his head before moving on to the next one. His actions were so fluid that the rest of the kidnappers were bbergasted! It was as if killing for him was the same as breathing¡ªas natural as could be!


    "Oh, if someone can tell me who has a bounty other than those with bounties themselves, of course, then I''ll spare your life." He added it as if it were just an afterthought.


    "T-This guy to my right! He''s boasting that his bounty has increased again! Please spare me!"


    "Khun, you bastard!"


    *BANG!*


    Aster shot one more time¡ªat the man who tried to trick him, telling a lie. "The man you indicated wasn''t on the bounty list, and so are you." He exined it clearly to the rest.


    "H-Herald Gunlicker! The guy at the front! He''s got a bounty of 3 million Tels!"


    "Hera¡ª! Damn, Gener! Melcher Gener! He''s a wanted criminal with a bounty too!"


    "Tyrone, you bastard! You got a bounty too, don''t you?!"


    Soon, chaos unfolded. Names were called, and angry voices countered, echoing loudly. Aster marked all of those who were indicated to have a bounty and sliced their heads off. One after another, for a total of ten heads.


    Of course, he didn''t forget to get proof of the kill.


    He lined up the heads he cut off before the frozen goons and started to capture them in a single continuous video, including the scared expressions on their faces and the worried looks of the remaining kidnappers.


    After taking proof, he then returned his holo-tablet into his pocket before walking past the frozen enemies.


    "H-Hey! Release us!"


    "No! You promised you''d let us live!"


    "It''s cold. It hurts... I don''t want to die!"


    Voices begged him, trying to call for his attention, but Aster didn''t even bother turning his head or lending an ear. He didn''t lie, of course. He let them live, but only a little longer.


    ''I wasted too much time." Aster sighed, standing at the furthest frozen enemy''s position. "Time to wrap it up."


    The seal on his right hand glowed in blue once more, a telltale sign that he was about to activate it. He raised his hand, palm pointing forward, as he set the range to the maximum range, just barely reaching the edge of the bandit''s camp.


    He set the height to be as tall as the tents and the width to be the entire camp, so there''s no escaping it!


    "Freeze..."


    With a casual whisper, a frigid wave surged, freezing everything within range. The grasses, the fence, the tents, and even the mes from the torches and campfires were frozen!


    Most of all, the remaining kidnappers, still loitering within their camp, and the few that rushed to recapture the escaping adventurers, were caught within range!


    "Phew..." He let out a sigh, his mind rxing for a little. "With this, we should be safe now."


    He inserted both hands into his windbreaker''s pockets as he started walking forward. He entered the camp, checking on the aftermath of his actions, and made sure that nobody was able to survive the freezing.


    Ice sculptures were everywhere, with expressions warped in primal fear. Some were stuck standing still, staring ahead nkly, while others were frozen in the middle of trying to run away.


    "..."


    Seeing the lives that he took without much effort, his heart didn''t even flutter. It was as if he was simply looking at the scenery, neither feeling guilty nor rewarded.


    Soon, he reached halfway through the camp and saw the pir where the adventurers had been held captive before. Seeing that it was now empty, with frozen corpses lying around, he knew that Cassy and the others had seeded in rescuing the adventurers.


    "Star!"


    "Huh?"


    And just as he neared the other end, a familiar voice called to him. Cassy was on the other end of the fence, sitting together with the rescued adventurers and looking at him with relief.


    "So you were safe!" She eximed, her voice slightly shaking.


    He moved further forward before seeing everyone present. Cassy, standing close to the frozen area, Kali, keeping a vignt gaze toward the nearby forest, Tina, who was seemingly jittery, wanting to dash to Aster''s embrace, and Liz, who was talking to the freed adventurers, reassuring them.


    Everyone was also safe!


    "..."


    Although it was a scene that would normally make him smile in relief, such a thing never appeared on his face. His heart remained unmoved, as if it were frozen still.


    ''What''s happening to me?'' Aster wondered, realizing that his current state was not normal. ''I should visit the hospital for a checkupter.'' He decided.


    "Everyone''s ounted for, right? Then, let''s head back."


    Although it wasn''t his intention, even his tone became cold andmanding. Other than Tina, who liked this version more, and Liz, who hadn''t been with them long enough to notice, Cassy and Kali started to figure out that something was happening to Aster.


    The two looked at each other, nodding their heads, and conversed without exchanging words.


    Kali and Cassy moved at the same time. Kali was walking casually, but her posture was one where she could draw her daggers at any moment. For Cassy, she was whispering the chant for another spell.


    When she reached Aster, nting a hand on his shoulder, she smiled and whispered. "Intermediate Heal!"


    At that moment, he felt that his head became clearer, like a fog was lifted from his mind. His senses return to the usual, with his emotionsing back.


    "I, I..." Aster stuttered.


    At that moment, his hands started to shake, the guilt from his previous actions¡ªmercilessly taking other people''s livesing to bite him.


    But like a soothing mother, Cassy pulled him into her embrace.


    "It''s fine, Star. You just did what''s right..." She whispered in a gentle tone while patting his head pressed against her chest.


    Aster listened to her voice and closed his eyes. Right then, his consciousness was cut off.

 Chapter 99: Secret of the Legacy

    The team, together with the rescued adventurers, started on their way back.


    Aster, who fainted a short while earlier, was being carried on Tina''s back while the rest of the girls were guarding everyone from the dangers of the forest and the monsters. However, the same as when they entered, the only time they encountered some monsters was when they were already near the edge of the forest.


    After entering the ins, the three girls got a little bit busier. Wolves and slimes were now able to attack them, making their march forward a little harder!


    Of course, they had no trouble handling small fries. It did dy them a little, but that''s it.


    About an hourter, they finally reached the exit. The adventurers came out one after the other, with the first one being Cassy to ry the news and thest being Liz, defending the back.


    After everyone got out, another uproar ensued.


    With the news of the kidnapping organization''s base being destroyed on the second floor, again, another flood of adventurers began.


    The ones who caused the situation, Aster and his party, simply went straight to the hospital instead. They needed someone to check on him to see what was wrong. Fortunately, Kali and Cassy were familiar with the hospital that Aster frequently visited, so Dr. Zellbrook saw to his needs as soon as he arrived.


    Anxiety filled the air as the four girls waited patiently for good news.


    ---


    Soon enough, Aster stirred with a groan. "Ugh..."


    When he opened his eyes, the same familiar white ceiling weed him. "The hospital again?" He whispered in a t tone.


    "Star!"


    "Aster!"


    "Darling!"


    As soon as his voice echoed, three figures stood up from beside the bed, looking at his face with worry. From farthest to closest: Tina, Cassy, and Kali. Liz was a short distance away, talking with Dr. Zell about something.


    "Everyone... what happened? Did you sessfully rescue the other adventurers?"


    Aster could recall things about the kidnappers, but his memory was blurred. He couldn''t remember what happened in thetter half after he burned the tent.


    Cassy quickly nodded her head, affirming his words. "Actually, after that, we...!"


    "Hmm... Sorry to interrupt, but can I have a moment with him first?"


    But before she could exin, Dr. Zellbrook walked forward and asked. The three girls obediently backed off, letting the doctor approach Aster easily.


    "It''s been a while, hasn''t it? Mr. Aster?"


    "Doctor Zell... so I''m really in the hospital." Aster sighed. "So? What''s wrong with me this time?"


    "Well, it''s hard to exin, actually. But in summary, it would be that your Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal is trying to take over your mind."


    "...!"


    Aster gasped at the casual deration of such heavy news. His only powers, the Magic Carved Seal, were taking over his mind!


    "Is this some kind of joke...?" He muttered as if in denial.


    However, the doctor simply shrugged before showing a graph to him.


    "This is the image of your brain during your first checkup. It looks normal and has no problems at all."


    When the doctor switched to the next slide, everyone frowned. "And this is the current state of it."


    In the image, half the front lobe of his brain was now covered in dozens of magic arrays. Furthermore, the design of it was extremely familiar, as he was used to seeing it almost every day. It was the same as the seal on the back of his right hand!


    "As you can see, your mind is partially ced under your Carved Seal''s influence. This affected your train of thought, particrly your emotions."


    Right then, Dr. Zellbrook moved to the next image, showing his brain being coveredpletely with the magic arrays. "And if left alone, it would most likely try to take control over your body."


    Aster turned silent for a moment before facing the doctor and asking. "This didn''t happen without a reason, did it?"


    "Correct." The doctor nodded. "This is the first case of me observing a Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal in person, but I think... that this carved seal possesses a level of its own."


    "A Carved Seal, having a level?" Aster raised a brow, wondering how that could be possible.


    "Hmmm. I''m confused too. However, that''s the only exnation I could think of. Your Carved Seal''s level became higher than your level, making it possible for it to try and overtake your mind."


    "..."


    Aster felt a headache iing.


    Now, not only does he have to find a cure for his disease, but he also needs to be careful not to raise the level of his carved seal higher than his own! "But how does it even rise in level?"


    "I guess you''ve been killing monsters with it? That must be the cause."


    Hearing the doctor''s guess made Aster recall the many instances where he killed monsters but didn''t gain experience. To be more specific, it was when he killed the Dire Wolf from the first floor twice!


    Other than that, he also started to use it to kill other monsters and even people. The experience that normally would''ve gone to him instead went straight to the Carved Seal itself!


    With this new knowledge, it meant that he couldn''t just use the carved seal to kill monsters anymore. If he did, and the seal''s level rose higher than his own once more, then another takeover might ur.


    "Well, that''s the limit of my knowledge of the matter. If you want to know more, then you''re in luck. I''ve already called an expert in that field."


    "Someone knowledgeable... about this magic carved seal?" Aster tilted his head, confused.


    *BAM!*


    "...!"


    Right at that moment, the door leading to Aster''s room got blown inward, mming against the doctor''s back. The girls were surprised but quickly moved to a battle stance, facing the door with wariness.


    "So this is the rumored... Hmm? I see. Curious."


    But the girls didn''t see anyone at the door. Instead, they heard an unfamiliar voiceing from behind them.


    "Star!"


    "...!"


    "Ah! Get off of my darling, bitch...!"


    As they turned around, they saw a beautiful woman already all over Aster, who was frozen in fear. After all, he didn''t even notice when she arrived by his side! She just appeared there in a sh, as if she teleported in, or was a ghost that suddenly materialized!

 Chapter 100: Mad Scientist, Vanessa Ross

    Aster was breathless.


    Raven-ck, straight long hair, pale white skin, and lush red lips. somewhat artificial-looking, sharp, red eyes.


    The woman before him was an unparalleled beauty, enough that he might dere his love for her at first sight. However, the red eyes staring at him didn''t look like the eyes of someone looking at a person, but more of a prey¡ªor a research subject.


    The three girls found her immediately and tried to move her away from him, but failed. A shield-like thing blocked their path, not letting them even get close to the bed.


    "Hmm... The muscles have been fixed, but this is due to current technology. The blood vessels are fine... Interesting."


    She suddenly began touching Aster from all over, her hands as cold as ice. Each caress, for whatever reason, sent a wave of euphoria to his brain, making him powerless to resist her advances.


    "The blood itself is... Huh? Something..."


    "Vanessa!"


    *CRACK!*


    At the next instant, the door that mmed against Dr. Zellbrook flew toward the ceiling, stabbing through it. Although it must''ve reached the other room above, the doctor didn''t seem worried about it.


    Instead, he threw a punch at the barrier blocking the girls and shattered it like ss in one strike.


    "Stop that right now, or I''ll make you stop!"


    Upon hearing his words, the woman red at the doctor and scoffed. "Huh? Do you think you can stop me, old man?"


    She stood up, her height almost reaching Liz''s, before crossing her arms before her voluptuous chest.


    "I was finally able to reach this interesting test subject without the government blocking me! There''s no way I''d leave his side until I figure out all the mysteries of his disease!"


    "There''s no need to! He''s already made up his mind to search for the panacea and cure himself!" The doctor exined, his voice sounding angry.


    "Hah! Panacea? It''s not as all-powerful as advertised. What if it failed to cure his disease and he ran out of time?"


    "That...!"


    The doctor stopped, realizing the validity of her words.


    Having only one solution prepared is foolish; a backup n should be made in case Aster''s initial n fails. "But the panacea hasn''t failed in curing diseases yet!"


    "Then what about monsterization? Did it cure that too?"


    "...!"


    This time, the doctor waspletely rendered speechless.


    Indeed, monsterization is also a kind of disease. In the rare cases of someone entering that state and ingesting a panacea, their state didn''t revert, and instead, it strengthened their monster form. That disaster was still widely known to all, even though it happened decades ago.


    In the meantime, while she was distracted by the doctor, Aster was already pulled by the girls, hidden behind all three of them. He had no choice but to rely on the girls for protection all the time, despite how pitiful it looks. They were physically more powerful than he was, after all.


    "Anyway, that''s beside the point!" The doctor cried as if trying to change the topic.


    "I called you here not to study his disease but to evaluate something he possesses: a Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal!"


    Vanessa''s body flinched for a bit before her shapely brows were raised. "Legacy Level? Are you sure about that?"


    "There''s no way I would be mistaken about it." Dr. Zell sighed, pointing his thumb toward Aster. "See for yourself."


    "Oh, so it''s this seal..."


    "...!"


    Although the girls didn''t even dare blink their eyes, they still missed Vanessa when she moved. The figure they were ring at was nothing but her afterimage!


    She was already behind Aster, a hand on his left shoulder, while her right hand lifted Aster''s right palm, letting her see the design of the seal up close.


    "Looks familiar..." She whispered before moving her thumb over it, feeling the lumps in each line. "And it''s like keloids, instead of written with ink."


    Suddenly, the mark shone blue.


    Of course, it wasn''t Aster who did that, but the seal itself, as if in self-defense. Vanessa was frozen from head to toe without affecting Aster at all!


    "N-No way..." Aster groaned, thinking that he had killed the woman.


    *CRACK!*


    But all he could do was gasp in amazement at what happened next.


    *CRASH!*


    "Hmm, that was a bit cold," Vanessamented as she moved as if dusting her shoulders off of the remaining ice debris.


    "I see, I understand. So it''s really a Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal, and what''s more, I think I know its identity already. I think..."


    *Whoosh!* *sh!*


    As if taking advantage of her being in deep thought, Kali and Tina moved, sending a sh of a dagger and a raging fist forward. However, the woman didn''t move one bit. She simply let the dagger sh her neck, and the fist hit her cheeks without budging an inch.


    "Hmm? Girls, please stop bothering me. I''m thinking."


    "...!"


    Both of them were shocked. The dagger failed to inflict even a scratch on her skin, while the fist magically stopped an inch from her face!


    "They''re anxious because you keep on sticking to Aster without introducing yourself."


    At that moment, Dr. Zellbrook finally stepped in, pulling Aster behind him. "Introduce yourself first to set up a proper atmosphere for a meeting!"


    "Oh, right." She smiled before pushing Kali and Tina''s weapons away with a finger. "I''m Vanessa Ross, an expert in the field of Medical Research."


    "... I knew it. I found your face familiar the moment I saw you." Liz, who was staying at a distance from the beginning,mented. "You''re the current top researcher at the Valmont Medical Research Facility, right?"


    "To think there''s a child who''s aware of my achievements." The woman, Vanessa Ross,mented as she turned to Liz and gasped. "Ah, so it''s the young Miss of the Dragonseal family. No wonder."


    "N-No, I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m not a princess of any Dragonseal family at all."


    Again, Liz''s lies were as transparent as clean water.


    "Hmmm... Is that so?" Vanessa cocked her head. "You''re just a normal dragonkin? Then scram. I don''t want anyone to disturb me when I''m doing research. And that applies to you girls too."


    "No fucking way! I won''t let my darling be with a crazy woman like you!"


    Tina, of course, quickly rebutted. Although they stayed silent, Cassy, Kali, and even Liz showed firm expressions, their actions showing that they had no intention of leaving Aster behind.


    "Is that so? Then watch from a distance, and don''t disturb me."


    She shrugged before turning to Aster and waving her arm. As she did, Aster''sb gown was shredded into hundreds of fragments, leaving him almostpletely exposed, with only his boxers left behind, protecting his dignity.


    "..."


    Seeing his "well-designed" body, the four girls gulped involuntarily.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 101: The Frostfire Legacy

    Aster was surprised by the suddenness of the situation. It was so abrupt that he didn''t even have time to feel embarrassed about it¡ªor, more like, he wasn''t even embarrassed but was perplexed as to how his patient gown disappeared, shredded into pieces.


    At the same time, Vanessa started to examine every nook and cranny of his body, checking for whatever clues she could find.


    However, Aster was just as usual, without anything different about him. As such, her observation yielded little to no results.


    "...?"


    Feeling that the girls got too quiet, Vanessa and Aster turned toward them. But other than Kali, who was watching on with a serious gaze, and Tina, who fainted with a bleeding nose, the other two were staring nkly in Aster''s direction. To describe their state in one word, they were smitten!


    "Well, that should be enough, right?"


    At that moment, Dr. Zell moved, covering Aster''s body with a new patient gown, hiding his body from the girl''s sight. A sigh of disappointment left Cassy and Liz''s lips before they realized what they had done a few momentster.


    Liz quickly averted her gaze awkwardly, acting as if nothing happened, while Cassy was pressing a hand over her chest, looking all confused. Her heart was beating fast, something that she hadn''t experienced before.


    "Yes, it is," Vanessa replied, nodding her head lightly. "And with this, I''m 100% sure of the identity of this Legacy."


    She paused for a bit, as if letting the tension buildup.


    "This is the first and oldest recorded Legacy Level Magic Carved Seal, said to have been discovered right after the summoning of the mana world over... The Frostfire Legacy!"


    "Hmm... Haven''t heard of it before." Dr. Zell muttered in disappointment. "Is it an obscure one?"


    Hearing hisment, Vanessa shrugged her shoulders. "Well, there''s no recorded user in history, so it is quite obscured. If not for the ancient records left in its image, then I wouldn''t be able to figure it out either."


    She then stared at Aster once more, her eyes glowing with excitement.


    "As it''s an unknown seal, its powers weren''t recorded either. Although I''m curious as to what it could and couldn''t do, I''m still more curious about your Nameless Disease."


    She ced a finger on her lips, as if holding back some kind of impulse. "Will you let me draw a sample of your blood? Don''t worry, just 500 is enough."


    "Stop it right there." Dr. Zell quickly blocked her attempt, of course. "If you want a sample of his blood, then you would first need to ask for permission from the government!"


    "Tsk! Stingy old man!"


    "Hmmm, yes, I''m stingy, but that''s beside the point. Continue exining that Frostfire Legacy or something first." The doctor crossed his arms, unperturbed by her littlement.


    Vanessa stared at him, ring, before letting off a short sigh. "Alright. But anyway, I don''t have much information on it either. What I told you earlier is all of it." She added. "But if it''s about other regr Legacy Level Magic Carved Seals, then I do have a few more data."


    From her words, a Legacy-level Magic Carved Seal was apparently something that was made via a contract with spirits of nature. For example, the Frostfire Legacy that Aster had, based on its name, was supposedly made with abined contract with fire and ice spirits.


    And spirits, like other beings, have a status of their own.


    "... As such, when you kill something with your carved seal, it wouldn''t yield you any experience and instead would go to the fairies themselves."


    "And as the level of the fairies grows, their influence also gets heightened, is that it?" Aster asked as if to confirm Dr. Zell''s earlier hypothesis.


    Vanessa grinned, nodding her head lightly.


    "Of course. And if you let your guard down and let the spirit have a greater level than yourself, particrly letting their INT be higher than your WIS values, then cases like this, where your brain is getting influenced by them, would get more frequent."


    Aster sat down on the bedside, feeling tired all of a sudden.


    "... Is there nothing I can do to fix this?" He asked in a weak tone.


    "Well, there is. First, you need to show the spirits of your seal¡ªthe fairies¡ªwho''s boss."


    "How?"


    Vanessa raised a finger, adding. "Maintain a higher WIS than their INT, and keep your level higher than theirs. Not using the seal for a while is the simplest solution."


    Aster frowned. Her suggestion was basically what he decided to do early on, so it wasn''t helpful at all! However, Vanessa wasn''t done speaking just yet. Her next few words gave Aster a little bit more hope of fixing his situation permanently.


    "Other than that, your Frostfire Legacy must reach level 10 so that the spirits in there can gain the ability to materialize. If they''re physically present, then it would be easier to convince them, no?"


    "Level 10..."


    Assuming that Aster''sputation with experience points was correct, then the Frostfire Legacy he had should be two levels above him. This wasn''t only from the experience gained by killing Dire Wolves and Small Cave Spiders, but also from taking the lives of the kidnappers.


    Right. Killing people gives one experience too! It was something that Aster learned a tad toote, but betterte than never.


    Aster began to organize the information he had.It basically gave him four points to follow for the immediate future.


    The first is to keep his level higher than the seal. This meant he couldn''t use it to kill other entities for a while until he caught up to its level. The second is to let the seal reach level 10. That would also mean he needed to be at level 10 or above himself to reduce risks.


    The third is to not let the spirit''s intelligence stat overpower his wisdom stat. Given that he was already affected by it, he could assume that the spirit''s INT is already one or two points above his WIS stat. In short, after his CON, it was now his WIS''s turn to get focused on!


    And fourth, "I need to get myself a proper ss."

 Chapter 102: Getting a Job Class!

    After that, Vanessa bothered¡ªno, shestayed with him for a bit longer before Dr. Zell chased her away. Of course, she didn''t back away without a fight and got a promise from Aster to cooperate with her as soon as she got permission from the government.


    The girls also returned for the day. Too many things happened, and they too were tired... mentally. Dr. Zellbrook didn''t forget to make them sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding Aster''s matter before letting them go.


    Other than Tina, who insisted on staying, the rest were easily sent off.


    Aster had to stay in the hospital for the night, just in case his state reverted once again. It was fortunate that a simple heal could prevent the encroachment, but that would mean he needed to have heal cast on him regrly.


    ''Fortunately, the symptoms would only worsen if I used the seal, so it wouldn''t get worse without me doing anything.''


    If not for that, then he might have his emotions controlled once more.


    "Still... Frostfire Legacy, huh?" He lifted his right hand, staring at the back¡ªat the engraved seal on it¡ªand sighed. "I wonder how I got this... Could it be mom and dad''s work?"


    It did have a legacy to its name, after all. However, Aster quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.


    "No matter what it is or where it came from, I''ll show you how I master control over it!"


    Aster was determined not to let fate control him.


    "First, I need to make sure my level and stats are higher than it. Let''s see... Level 15 should be good. I should set that as my initial target!"


    He gripped his fist tight, hardening his resolve to fight.


    ---


    The next day, Aster was discharged.


    Of course, he wasn''t let out of the hospital without a guard, as he could still have a rpse. The girls had already been waiting for his discharge in the lobby, all geared up and ready to move.


    "Everyone, thanks for waiting." He smiled as he approached the girls. "But for now, I was thinking of not entering the dungeon."


    "You''re nning to finally get a ss, aren''t you?" Kali whispered a guess, raising a brow while staring at him.


    Aster''s smile widened, bing a little awkward as he continued.


    "Correct. As such, I would be heading to the ss Exchange Hall first. I guess if everything goes well, we could still hunt in the afternoon."


    ss Exchange Hall is a special ce, just like the Adventurer''s Guild. In there, one would be able to move from ssless to whatever ss fits them or upgrade the rank of their sses every 5 levels.


    "Then I''lle with you~! I haven''t updated my ss after passing level 5 yet, after all." Cassymented, her ears flicking around in excitement.


    Tina had already moved to Aster''s side, pulling his arm into her embrace, and dered. "I''ll never leave your side again, Darling~! Wherever you go, I will too!"


    "What about you two?" Aster asked Kali and Liz, who hadn''t raised their ns just yet.


    Kali sighed before insisting oning too. "Same with the stupid rabbit; I need to upgrade my ss too. We''ve been heading to the dungeon every day, so I didn''t have time to do it."


    "As for me, I guess I''ll just apany everyone to the hall."


    Liz was already level 5 before she joined the party, and she had already finished upgrading her ss beforehand.


    With three girls needing to upgrade their sses and one who needed to get his first ss, the party started walking to their destination.


    The ss Exchange Hall was located in the opposite direction when going from Aster''s hotel; as such, they didn''t pass by it on their dailymute. It was roughly an hour''s walk from the hospital, so they reached it not too long after.


    Before them stood a majestic, golden building with a triangr cross-section. The shape was made to cater to the three attack types: melee, projectiles, and magic. Usually, after you get your ss, you only need to ess one of the three entrances, so the girls split up right there and then.


    Cassy went for the magic-ss entrance alone. Tina wanted to tag along with Aster but was dragged away by Kali, who was in the same melee ss as her. Only Liz was left to guide Aster around.


    Other than the three main sses'' entrances, there''s also a fourth one that leads to a wide space underground. That ce is a multipurpose one, where testing of one''s aptitude and assigning of sses would be done in one go.


    "It''s been a while since I went here, but it didn''t change one bit," Liz muttered with a hint of nostalgia.


    She had been moving as an adventurer for about a month already. But since she didn''t form a party, her leveling rate was slower than Aster''s.


    "The registration window is over here. Follow me."


    The underground area was too big, and the window that weed them right after entering wasn''t the one that Aster needed. With Liz at the lead, the two walked for quite a while before finally reaching their target, the registration window.


    Aster walked forward, with Liz watching over him, and spoke to the receptionist.


    "I want to apply for a ss change." He spoke in a business-like tone.


    "ss Change, is it? Are you already registered in the Adventurer''s Guild? If yes, please show me your card."


    The receptionist was, for some reason, another beautiful elf woman. Seeing this and the cases in most ces he visited, he started to wonder if elves are always put on front-desk jobs.


    "Ah, yes. I''m already registered." Aster continued, returning to his senses. "Here''s my card."


    "Let me see for a moment... Mr. Aster Mistral, is it? I''ve recorded it. Now, would you like to check for your sspatibility first?"


    "I''ll check for mypatibilities first, please."


    "I see. Then, please enter through that gate over there."


    The elf beauty passed his card back with a smile before pointing to her back, slightly to her right. There was arge gate heading toward a sectioned-off area, hidden from view.


    He took a deep breath before turning to face Liz and waving his hand.


    "I will be going for a short while."


    "I''ll be waiting here then. Good luck!" Liz smiled, nodding her head.


    Aster turned toward the gate and pressed his hand on the center te with a handprint drawn on it. After the door scanned his palm with a greenser-like light, the bulky metal doors started to slide on either side, releasing pressurized air from inside along with cold white smoke.


    Although slightly nervous, Aster took a step forward, heading into the depths of the dark room.

 Chapter 103: Rare Class, Get!

    Aster slowly walked forward, careful with every step inside the dark passage. After walking about 50 meters of curving passage, he finally saw the light at the end of the path.


    When he got out of the passage, a wondrous sight weed him.


    Gigantic machines were set up here and there, with booths covered in what seemed like ss dividing the ce into ten sections. Because each booth could amodate one applicant, a total of ten people couldplete the tests simultaneously.


    "Are you Mr. Aster Mistral?" A sweet voice called for him from the side.


    Turning, Aster saw another beautiful elf, looking no less stunning than the one at the front desk. Unlike the one there, however, her blonde hair was cut short, giving her a slightly boyish look. Her green eyes carried confidence and wisdom, making Aster pause for a moment.


    "... Ah, yes. I am." He answered a momentter.


    "Then please follow me. We''ll be using the first booth."


    While walking, Aster realized something. The underground was wider than the main building above ground! The building was barely 200 meters on each side, but he felt he had already walked that much from the path toward the first booth alone!


    As they were walking, the beautiful elf was exining how the test would proceed.


    Apparently, there were five tests he needed to do to check forpatibility with specific sses. First is mana measurement.


    "Please touch this orb. The value of your mana, affected by your intelligence and wisdom stats, would then appear."


    "Alright."


    Aster did as instructed and carefully ced a hand over the dark-blue orb on top of a pedestal. The orb began to glow intensely as his fingers brushed against it, like a lightbulb from a lighthouse.


    "That should be enough. You can let go now."


    After he took his hand off it, the light remained for a few moments before slowly fading away. Instead, a small window popped up above the orb¡ªa hologram showing a concrete figure.


    "Mana value of 153... Quite high." She praised with a smile.


    Aster was surprised. After all, previously, he should have had no mana when he checked!


    ''Is this also due to the Frostfire Legacy''s effect?'' He wondered but didn''t show his inner turmoil outwardly.


    Without dy, they moved on to the next test. This time, it was a strength test.


    "You only need to lift this barbell and keep holding it as long as you can. This is enchanted with gravity magic, so it will gradually increase its mass using your mana. Please be careful."


    Aster hadn''t experienced lifting a barbell before¡ªonly dumbbells at most. Fortunately, there were already marked regions where he needed to ce his feet and where he needed to hold the bar, so he didn''t need to embarrass himself.


    "Hup...!"


    Exerting his legs and hips, he performed a deadlift, raising the barbell up to knee height and holding that position. The initial weight seemed to be just 10 kilograms, so he didn''t have any trouble lifting it.


    "...!"


    However, mysteriously, the barbell was getting heavier, just as the elf woman said. In just ten seconds, the weight had already doubled!


    Aster adjusted his posture, making sure that it wasn''t his arms that were getting tired, but his thighs and legs. After all, a bad posture could hurt him if the weight became too much!


    Thirty seconds passed, and the weight was approaching 50 kg. He was still able to hold on, which surprised him. After a minute, the difficulty began. The weight was now approximately a hundred kilos!


    "Kuh...!"


    Aster gritted his teeth, trying to bear the weight, but as it increased gradually, he could feel his muscles crying in protest. After a few more increases, he finally couldn''t hold on and let go.


    "Hmmm... a maximum of 144 kg? Alright, let''s move on to the next one!"


    Since she didn''t praise him or anything, Aster knew that his value was probably average, or below average. Anyway, he didn''t have much strength as he didn''t increase the stat at all, so he could ept the result.


    The next test was agility. Inside an enclosed space, one would need to dodge the super-bouncing balls that were getting shot toward him. It was simple, but the longer you stay, the more balls you need to dodge, ramping up the difficulty!


    "Then, whenever you''re ready, just shout START!" The elfdy told him from outside the enclosure.


    Aster stared forward, watching the manyunchers embedded in the only non-ss wall, and gulped. The muzzles whirred, adjusting their aim, and thenthey fired.


    "...!"


    Swiftly, Aster moved aside, his head cocked at an awkward angle. A small ball, about the size of his fist, whizzed past him, causing his hair to feel ruffled. The ball was moving at such a high speed that he barely noticed them! In addition, as it pursued him, it ricocheted off the surfaces around it, following a hard to dodge,plicated path.


    About thirty secondster, Aster ended up getting hit. He didn''t have much of a reflex, after all, so he did expect such a disappointing result.


    After that, the next two tests were done. An intelligence and memory testbined, which was just a game of matching pairs of cards. And thest was a test of luck, where one would draw lots with numbers.


    "The tests areplete. Please wait for a minute, as I will be preparing the machine for your ss appraisal."


    Having said that, the beautiful elf spun around and made her way to a massive machine by the door. She entered the data she gathered based on Aster''s performance before pressing enter.


    The machine started to process his data, which didn''t take too long. Only about half a minute.


    "It''s done. Pleasee over and confirm your choices, Mr. Aster."


    "Alright."


    Aster walked toward her and checked the screen. On it, there were a total of five job sses written, separated by their rarity.


    [


    Common: Swordsman, Mage


    Umon: Knight, Sniper


    Rare: Magic Swordsman


    ]


    "Magic Swordsman?" Aster tilted his head, seeing a powerful-sounding ss.


    "Oh, you have a rare ss avable! Congrattions!" The elf pped in praise after hearing his muttering. "A rare ss is something that appears in one in a hundred thousand and is a powerful ss, no doubt!"


    In terms of rarity, amon ss appears for everyone. Umon has a 50% chance of appearing, while Rare has a 1/100,000 chance. Of course, Aster didn''t hesitate to select the rare ss. After all, it was undoubtedly a flexible ss, able to inflict two kinds of damage, both magic and melee!


    "Then I''ll choose Magic Swordsman!"


    "A wonderful choice! Then, please ce your right palm over that panel to finish the ss registration."


    He touched the panel in the middle of the disy. Magical rings materialized around him, seemingly scanning his entire body, before vanishing just as quickly.


    "...?"


    He was confused as to what that disy was, but the elf behind him only pped her hands, seemingly used to it already.


    "Congrattions! It''s been 2 years since west had someone with a rare ss! We''re hoping excellent performance from you, Mr. Aster!"

 Chapter 104: Strength of a Magic Swordsman!

    After he got a Rare Job ss, Aster scanned his body but couldn''t feel any significant changes. He pulled his card too, but there are no changes there either!


    "Ah, sses, like skills, require a special item to view. Would you like to see your job and skills?" The elf asked once with a smile.


    "Yes please." And Aster didn''t dy, nodding his head.


    He was curious as to whether he really became a Magic Swordsman or not!


    "Then, please follow me."


    The elf walked over to the other end of the hall, outside of the booth, and stopped before a gigantic machine that fit from the ground to the ceiling, about 5 meters high.


    "Then, please press your hand over this panel." She instructed.


    As he did, the screen before him came to life, showing various lines of words.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Job ss: Magic Swordsman (I)


    Battle Skills


    Sword Skills: Vertical sh


    Martial Arts: Straight Punch, Side Kick


    Arcane Arts: Active Temperature Control


    Passive Skills


    Mana Control (low), Mana Detection (low), Mana Regeneration (low), Temperature Standardizer (EX)


    Daily Life Skills


    Cooking Skill: Lv 99


    Breathing Control Skill: Lv 99


    Alchemy Skill: Lv 51


    Gathering Skill: Lv 5


    Stealth Skill: Lv 2


    Job Skills


    Mana sh, Physical Enchant


    ]


    Aster looked at it and realized that, other than his name and job being included, it was no different than the skill board at the guild.


    "Ah, but the experience value of daily life skills is visible, so I guess that''s a change."


    For example, his stealth skill was already at 99%, about to level up, while his Cooking and Breathing Control skills were stuck at 100% without increasing, reaching the counter-stop.


    Anyway, he focused on the two new skills he got under Job Skills: Mana sh and Physical Enchant.


    From his gaming knowledge, Mana sh would be something akin to wrapping mana into your sword strikes, creating an attack that inflicts both physical and magical damage.


    Physical Enchant is a skill to increase one''s basic abilities using mana, practically a power-up buff skill. It was a nice skill since he was worried about his weak physique and physical stats like strength and agility.


    After asking for permission, Aster took a picture of his skills before leaving. As a bonus, he heard that once one reaches past the beginner stage, floor 50, their adventurer''s cards will be updated to show everything, from stats to skills.


    "... Can I borrow a space to test my skills?"


    Of course, he didn''t return as is. After all, he didn''t want to waste the opportunity of having a professional around to guide him.


    "Of course, it''s possible. You still have ten minutes left in your time slot, so please feel free."


    Seeing the elf show a joyful smile, Aster couldn''t help but also show a thin smile while rying his gratitude. "Thank you."


    After that, they returned to the first booth, the space where he did the agility test, and held a practice sword in his right hand.


    Aster took a deep breath and tried to think of the skill he wanted to activate.


    "Physical Enchant."


    After he muttered the name out loud, the mana around him started to gather and seep into his skin. His body started to show a faint golden glow, signifying the sessful application of his skill.


    "Hmm?"


    Aster tried opening and closing his palms and could feel strength overflowing from within. When he casually tried to jump, he was surprised as he reached a height of three meters without much effort!


    However, there''s also a downside to it.


    "WAAAH!"


    *CRASH!*


    He had so much excess energy that it was hard to control his body! The few steps he took as hended to rebnce himself, ended up sending him mming against the wall on the other end!


    "Ugh... that hurts!" He cried in pain before trying to walk normally.


    His every action was explosive, making it extremely hard to control. Thankfully, he tested the skill now, or else he couldn''t imagine what sort of tragedy he would cause when fighting with the girls!


    After about a minute of testing, the glow covering him faded. "Oh, it''s over..."


    He should still have mana to spare since he didn''t feel lethargic or anything after using it. That meant that the Physical Enchant buff has a limited duration and a long cooldown.


    It was only four minutester when he finally triggered it again. An active time of 1 minute and a skill cooldown of 5 minutes!


    "Hmmm... This much should be fine. Now..."


    After the second application of the buff ended, Aster was already quite confident in his control. It wasn''t anything amazing, but at least he could move normally now!


    Up next, he decided to test the Mana sh.


    Its usage was already burned into his mind, so he only needed to follow it. He held his sword forward before letting mana flow into the de, filling it up. It was almost the same process as when he was controlling the carved seal, so he didn''t have much difficulty doing it.


    "Mana sh!"


    With a powerful wave of the practice sword, Aster shed it forward in empty air. As he did, something beyond his expectations urred. A mana wave flew forward, like a sharp, crescent moon, and mmed against the solid wall!


    Arge crack appeared on it, causing Aster to feel a little faint. He was, after all, destroying private property!


    "U-Uhm..."


    Aster turned to look at the elfdy, but she was staring at the wall with her eyes wide open and her mouth agape.


    After all, the facility was made with toughness as a top priority. She was confident that even someone with 30 strength, a value that is impossible for a newbie to have in a single stat, would be unable to scratch the solid walls, even the ss walls!


    ''And with a single swing, this child created an inch-deep crack on such a tough wall!''


    When she returned to her senses, facing Aster, who had a worried look, she smiled lightly.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Aster. The walls in the booths are enchanted with Regeneration Spell, so they should restore themselves given some time." She exined. "Would you continue testing your skills or stop here? You still have over 3 minutes left."


    "Ah, I''ll stop here. For now. I figured out the skills already, anyway."


    Aster didn''t want to add more damage to the walls, worried that it wouldn''t be able to regenerate itself if he did.


    "I see... Then, if you have any troubles, please contact me." The elfdy dered, passing a business card to him. "I forgot to introduce myself, right? I''m Faeloria Shadowleaf, the Director of the ss Exchange Hall."


    "..."


    Aster was bbergasted.


    The woman whom he thought was a simple receptionistorguide was actually the top brass of the ss Exchange Hall!

 Chapter 105: Dont Look Down on Receptionists!

    After that, Aster took the business card and thanked the Director for helping him beforeing out of the hall. As soon as he exited, Liz walked toward him with a smile.


    "Did you seed? What ss did you get?"


    Aster thought for a bit before exining. "I got a jack-of-all-trades kind of job. I''ll exin itter when everyone''s gathered."


    "I see... So you didn''t get the Knight ss. Too bad." Liz smiled wryly while sighing.


    The two went toward the main lobby on the ground floor. To be specific, they went to the very center of the first floor, the epicenter of the triangr building, themon space where all sses could congregate and mingle with others.


    Of course, the reason why the two waited there was because everyone would need to pass through it to reach the exit. After all, although the entrances for each type were separate, the exits were mixed.


    Aster and Liz sat down, leaving a seat between them to allow for Liz''s wings to spread lightly. Keeping itpressed all the time is quite constricting to her, after all, so letting her wings stretch whenever possible was a nice change of pace.


    "Star~!"


    "Hmm? Cassy?"


    Soon after they sat down, Cassy approached them. She was already done with her ss Upgrade and was now a Healer (II), which practically just allowed her to unlock more powerful spells.


    "Ehehe, I got a new spell as soon as I upgraded my ss!" She boasted, excited to show it in action. "What about you, Star? Did you seed in getting a Job ss?"


    "Yeah but..." Aster looked over at Cassy and Liz before realizing something. "Should I also go and upgrade my ss?"


    He was already above level 5, so he could already apply for it. However, he was slightly worried too, as he just got his ss and was still unfamiliar with it.


    "Oh, right! You should!" Liz nodded with a smile. "Upgrading your ss as soon as possible is never the wrong choice!"


    "I see..." Aster nodded. "Then, I''ll go to the¡ª" But stopped mid-sentence.


    His ss was a mix of a swordsman and a mage, so he wondered which side he should go to. After contemting it for a while, he realized that although he could use spells, he was still mostly a melee fighter, so instead he went toward the melee section.


    He went out of the exit, under the warm goodbyes and best wishes of the two, and walked around, heading for the entrance to the Melee Section of the building.


    As he entered the automatic doors, he was weed by arge crowd and a long line. "Woah, so many people here."


    As he was looking around, he noticed Kali and Tina somewhere in the middle of the line, closer to the front end. Aster smiled, knowing that it was almost their turn, before queueing up at the end of the line obediently.


    Skipping the line? He wouldn''t dare. After all, everyone present was an adventurer who would be upgrading his or her skills. If they got angry at him for skipping the line, then he''d be helpless!


    "Are you Mr. Aster Mistral?"


    "Huh?"


    But just as he joined the line, a beautiful elf receptionist suddenly appeared behind him. "Yes, I am, but..." He answered hesitantly, a little worried about why she knew him.


    "That''s great! The Director asked us to prioritize you. Please follow me this way!"


    "..."


    For some unknown reason, he was getting preferential treatment! The nearby adventurers who heard the elf raised their brows, their anger and irritation apparent.


    "Hah? This file is almost an hour long, and you''ll allow this beansprout to skip the line?! This is unfair!"


    "Right, right! We ask for the same treatment as him! We want to skip the line too!"


    "I won''t care about the line if you give me your personal number, Miss Beautiful~!"


    Voices of discontent echoed almost immediately, making Aster frown. They were so noisy that even Kali and Tina got curious and looked over, discovering Aster being surrounded by a crowd.


    "Those bastards!" Kali growled, walking toward them.


    "Darling~!" Tina rejoiced before her face turned dark upon seeing the men around him. "Unforgivable!"


    But just as the two of them were marching forward, a faint voice echoed like chimes. "Tertie Frysta Sirreo fen Krapt! Medium Area Freeze!"


    As soon as her voicepleted the chant, a chilling wind swept through the crowd, freezing everyone from the waist down. All of the affected adventurers were surprised and tried to break the ice, but the power behind it wasn''t something that levels 50 and below could counter.


    "B-Bitch! This is an illegal use of skills! The Hit Squad will get you!"


    "K-Kuh, I can''t move...!"


    "Ahh! What a cold grasp! No need for this, beauty, for I wouldn''t be leaving your side!"


    The elven beauty scoffed lightly, looking down on the men who were frozen by her. "Us receptionists are allowed the use of spells as self-defense. Remember that, you idiots."


    "...!"


    Her tone was so cold and out of character that Aster felt a shiver run down his spine!


    After making sure that all men were rendered quiet, with their faces blue from fear, she turned toward Aster with a beautiful business smile, as if nothing happened.


    "Sorry about that, Mr. Aster. Please allow me to guide you once more. Follow me!"


    "Y-Yes!"


    Aster didn''t refuse and did as told. And just as he was walking behind her, two figures suddenly caught up with him. One grabbed his right arm with such strength that it felt painful, while the other nted a hand over his left shoulder.


    "Kali, Tina?" He called them as soon as they arrived.


    Kali sighed loudly, ncing at the men who were still frozen behind them, and muttered. "You are a ma for trouble, huh?"


    Since her words were partially true, he could only show a wry smile.


    "Darling! Were you not hurt? Do you want me to punish those guys for you?" Tina cried with a face filled with worry.


    "No need, no need," Aster exined. "And you will get in trouble if you use your skills in a public ce, you know?"


    ""You''re worried about me?! But don''t worry! I wouldn''t need skills to make those guys grovel before you!"


    "A-Ahaha... And please lessen your hold on my arm. It hurts."


    "Mmmh~! But I want to see Darling''s pained face a bit longer~!"


    "Stop it, you crazy cat, before I make you stop!"


    "Hah?! What did you say, you boobless bitch?!"


    *CRACKLE!*


    As the pair began to quarrel, a cold wind swept across once more, covering the locks of their bangs in a white ze. The two froze in shock before turning to face ahead, seeing the beautiful elf showing a in smile... with a scary aura around her.


    "Please follow me without making a fuss."


    ""Y-Yes ma''am!""


    The two cats, despite their usual cold attitude toward everyone else, straightened up and answered reflexively.

 Chapter 106: A Familiar Face

    With the elf receptionist''s guide, the three managed to reach a private Job Upgrade machine usually reserved for employee use.


    Of course, its use was originally extended only to Aster, as per the Director''s orders. But both Kali and Tina were his party members, so the receptionist decided to make an exception and allowed them.


    "Please touch the panel in the middle. The upgrade would be done automatically." She exined.


    Aster stared at therge monument-like machine before stepping forward. As told, he extended a hand forward and touched the panel. As soon as he did, the disy started to show a long loading bar, moving at a rate of 1% every second.


    "Keep your hand on the panel until the bar reaches 100%, please. Removing your hand would cause an error, and you''ll have to restart from the beginning." The elf receptionist rified.


    Aster took almost two minutes before the loading screen finished, showing his new Job details.


    [Name: Aster Mistral


    Job ss: Magic Swordsman (II)


    Skills Earned: None]


    The details shown were a lot fewerpared to theprehensive Job and skill appraisal he had seen before. However, he did know that nothing much would change just by upgrading his ss, so he just took a step back.


    "Oh! So you truly have arare ss!"The receptionist smiled as she read the words disyed on the monitor. "As expected of the Director, her foresight is great!"


    "Huh? What does Faeloria have to do with this?" He asked.


    But Kali and Tina''s ears flicked in attention upon hearing his words.


    "No honorifics?"


    "Darling, who''s this Faeloria girl you''re talking about...?"


    Kali was simply curious as to why Aster was calling the director of the ss Exchange Hall on a first-name basis without honorifics or titles, but Tina was different. Her gaze was empty as she smiled in Aster''s direction.


    But the elf receptionist continued as if the two didn''t exist. "Ah, if you have a Rare ss and update it in a public space, then just imagine how much chaos it would bring forth."


    Rare sses were, as the name implied, rare. As such, most adventurers would want to drag someone who was known to have it into their parties or ns proactively. In short, if Aster was outside, where everyone could see what his ss was, then everyone would be trying hard to pull him into their teams!


    "... I didn''t think that far." Aster sighed, realizing that he had escaped trouble by the skin of his teeth.


    After his turn, it was Tina''s. However, unlike Aster''s, which took almost two minutes, Tina''s ended in just half that time. Monk was an umon job, after all, a stage below Rare.


    Kali''s Assassin ss was also the same as Tina''s, umon, so it took her about a minute beforepleting the upgrade. With hers done, everyone finally managed to upgrade their sses to the next level!


    After giving their thanks to the elf receptionist, the three returned to where Cassy and Liz were. The two cats seemed to be in a rush, wanting to go as far away from the scary receptionist as possible.


    After they passed through the connecting passage, they entered themon area again and turned to where Aster left them before. Fortunately, they were still in the same spot, but...


    "So, what do you say? Come on, our treat!"


    "Right, right. We can just call your groupter to tell them that you joined us for a meal."


    "Or maybe tell them toe along too! Haha!"


    "..."


    Aster saw the two girls surrounded by six guys, making him frown in discontent. Although Liz was ignoring them, Cassy was smiling while refusing their offers, albeit futilely. From the aura that the guys released, it was easy to guess that they were quite high-level, making him hesitant!


    "... Oh."


    But then, Aster''s apprehension vanished instantly.


    He smiled confidently, walking forward and standing between the six guys and two girls, with Kali and Tina tagging along from behind him.


    "Sorry, but these girls already have ns with me today." Aster dered, showing bravado. "You can scram now." He added.


    "Huh? What''s with this kid? Boy, did you get lost in here? You should scram before we get angry."


    "Who do you think you are? Just because you''re a human, you think you can boss us around?"


    "Keke, what a fearless idiot! Don''t you know we are over level 100?!"


    The six guys were all half-oni, making them tall at over two meters with scary features. They had red skin exposed on their arms and faces. Despite their intimidating presence bearing down on Aster, he didn''t so much as blink. The confident smile on his face remained, no matter what they said.


    "Brat, you''re not moving?" One of the men, the leader-like figure among them, stepped forward and spoke.


    Aster saw him and guessed what his intentions were. As such, he warned him preemptively. "If I were you, I wouldn''t use violence here, you know?"


    "Hah! And what can you do? Twist my arm?! Don''t worry, I''ll keep it so that you''ll just be in the hospital for a month or so!"


    The leader-like man threw a punch right at Aster''s face. It was fast, almost faster than a blink. However, a sh of light appeared right as his fist came close.


    "ARGH!"


    The man cried in pain immediately, holding his fist, which was slightly red from the impact. Aster simply looked down on the man who fell to the ground, his smile never disappearing from his face.


    Of course, he didn''t do anything. After all, the gap in levels was too big for Aster to have a fair fight. Furthermore, he couldn''t use his Frostfire Legacy, as he was currently preventing the increase in its control.


    "Stop right there!"


    Instead, a familiar voice echoed.


    Everyone turned to look at the source, seeing a beautiful-looking elf officer walking toward them with a hand extended forward.


    "You! You are under arrest for assault!You''reing with me!" The elf officer dered before catching the man with a swarm of vines that grew from the floor magically. "And you all are aplices to the crime! You''ll need toe with me too!"


    Aster saw the officer and smiled¡ªrather, he already saw him even before approaching Cassy and Liz. "Officer Helvetica, it''s been a while."

 Chapter 107: Preparing for Another Clear! (1)

    After Aster greeted him, Officer Helvetica smiled while tightening the leash on the captured men.


    "Right, it''s been a while. Thanks to you, we''ve been busy as hell this past week." He grumbled with a smile. "Rather, you saw me first before you picked a fight with these guys, didn''t you?"


    "That, I''d leave to your imagination."


    But of course that was exactly the case. But, well, even without the officer''s presence, he would most likely step in and save Cassy and Liz either way. It was truly a wondrous coincidence!


    "But what are you doing here, Officer? Patrol?" Aster asked, a little curious.


    To his question, the elf smiled and winked at him. "Ah, we received a report that a certain someone went here, so we came to tighten the security."


    "... I see. Thank you for your hard work then."


    "Right. It''s really hard work, I tell you."


    Anyway, after chatting for a bit more, Aster''s party decided to leave the ss Exchange Hall and head out. Officer Helvetica would be busy with handling the captured men, after all.


    Of course, there''s no worry of them escaping. The men might be around level 100, based on their words, but Officer Helvetica was more than three times their level at least!


    "And? What should we do now?"


    It was Kali who raised this question.


    If it was as usual, they would go to the dungeon and farm slimes. However, Aster was currently sealing his Magic Carved Seal and avoiding using it. As such, they couldn''t really go with their original n.


    Aster, of course, already had it nned out.


    "First, we should go to the Guild and report the clearing of the kidnappers at the second floor."


    "Ah, I did that already." Liz raised her hand. "I thought the faster the better, so..."


    Aster smiled, praising her. "That was the right thing to do, so no need to apologize." He added. "Then, what we should do next is to im the bounties, I guess?"


    He did capture proof of killing them, so that should be more than enough. Of course, it had been almost 24 hours since it happened, so even if their corpses were left there, they would''ve been absorbed by the dungeon already, leaving no evidence. As such, the guild had no way of confirming it but through interviewing the rted parties alone.


    "Then, after that... let''s clear the floors up to the fifth floor."


    "...!"


    His next n was such a surprise to the girls that they all stopped in ce.


    "Wouldn''t it be too early for that?" Kali grumbled. "We haven''t even familiarized ourselves with the second floor, and we''re moving to the next one already?"


    Aster could understand her worry. After all, rushing forward would just endanger the lives of everyone in the party. However, he was also feeling that their conquering speed was too slow, so he felt like they needed to speed up their exploration a bit.


    "Although we can level up by hunting monsters weaker than us, that will only make our stats higher. Everyone''s battle senses would end up dulled if that continued." He exined. "As such, I propose we go to a floor that is fitting for our current level and hone our battle senses there."


    Their aim wasn''t to earn a living, after all. Aster needed the Panacea on the 1,000th floor. Cassy wanted to be a famous healer, and to do that, reaching the 1,000th floor and gaining an S-ss Healer Permit was necessary.


    Kali was an aspiring Cryptozoologist, but the monsters on lower floors have more or less been studied. If she wanted to find new, unstudied monsters, then she would need to challenge floors above the 1,000th. Furthermore, she was acting as Aster''s bodyguard, so she needed toe with him wherever he went.


    Tina didn''t really have ns to conquer the dungeon, but she was running away from her family to avoid session troubles. As such, staying with Aster''s group would be better for her too. Rather, now that she had set her eyes on Aster, there was no way she would simply back off and leave his side.


    For Liz, she was on a journey to prove herself and gain achievements under her belt. And for that, reaching the 1,000th floor was a necessity.


    Everyone had various reasons to reach a deeper floor in the dungeon. And to reach higher floors, they would need to first be good at fighting.And killing trash mobs wouldn''t be able to help them achieve that goal.


    "... You''re right." Cassy nodded. "At the rate we''re going, it would take a decade before we reach the 1,000th floor!"


    Liz also agreed. "Fighting equal opponents would be better for enhancing our battle senses. And the higher the floor we go, the more powerful allies we could gain!"


    "... Suit yourselves." Kali shrugged, seemingly showing disinterest.


    As for Tina, she was still grabbing Aster''s right arm with a bright smile on her face. "Of course, I would go wherever Darling goes! You''re mine after all~!"


    Aster scanned everyone''s faces and also nodded firmly.


    "Great. Then, let''s head to the guild to im the bounties before buying supplies for conquering the second floor!"


    "Yeah!"


    With a loud cheer, everyone moved toward the guild with a spring in their steps. It took them about a 50-minute walk to reach the guild from the ss Exchange Hall, however. The two ces were just that far from each other.


    As soon as they arrived, Aster showed the video he had taken of the heads with bounties on them. Although Zena''s face became filled with concern for a moment, she didn''t seem disgusted or anything by the video.


    After a thorough series of interviews and checking the validity of the video, the guild gave the bounties to Aster''s group. For some reason, the amount was more than his estimate, reaching a total of 50 million Tels!


    ''Did Magnus pull something?'' Aster doubted.


    Of course, nothing of the sort had happened. Based on the video, not only those who got their heads cut off, but most of those half-frozen also possessed bounties on their heads. Some even had higher bounties than their leader-like figure!


    If Aster knew that he had been duped, then he would''ve been feeling a little angry at them. Well, he did trick them too, saying he''d release them, although their time left to live was already limited with their organs frozen. And in the end, he didn''t even release them.


    Both sides lied to each other, so they were even!

 Chapter 108: Preparing for Another Clear! (2)

    With each of them suddenly earning 10 million Tels in one go, they quickly moved on to handle their tasks. They split up, each having a list of items they would need to procure to increase efficiency.


    Aster''s list contained mostly ingredients for food. Although he could understand that they wouldn''t be able to survive without eating, he felt that the girls were more focused on the food quality than their other supplies.


    He decided not to think too deeply and toplete the list he had. He went around the market for a few hours, gathering all the ingredients he needed for a five-person team¡ªenough for roughly three days (one day extra in case of emergency).


    Soon enough, noontime came. Aster had already been waiting at their gathering spot, the vacant space near the dungeon entrance, waiting patiently. He was the first to arrive, as his list contained nothing but food ingredients.


    "Aster!" The next one to arrive was Liz. "So you''re already here?"


    "Huh? Where''re the items you bought?" He quickly asked, noticing that she wasn''t carrying much else.


    "Ah... I bought these bags for everyone. Having it would make moving around easier."


    As she spoke, she passed Aster a small waist bag. On it was a sign that said "Millicent" in bold letters. "This is...?" He asked.


    "It''s called a Spatial Fanny Pack. It''s like a normal bag that has enchantments applied to it, allowing it to carry items up to abined volume of 1 cubic meter. The weight is lessened to 1/10th only, so you still need to be careful when putting heavy things inside."


    "... So, something like a 4D Pocket?" Aster joked.


    "Ah, no. It''s not that advanced." But Liz took it at face value and waved her hands in denial. "Those are too expensive, after all."


    ''So 4D Pockets do exist?!''


    Aster was more shocked about this than anything else. Furthermore, Liz, the rich girl going incognito, said that it was "too expensive," so he could more or less guess how astronomical its price tag was.


    "Anyway, here''s yours. Kali, Cassandra, and Celestinya also have one, so don''t hold back."


    "..."


    Aster received the bag and wondered. How much does one of them cost? Although he wanted to ask Liz directly, he felt like she''d simply brush it off as nothing. Stealthily, he tried to search for the cheapest Spatial Fanny Pack and found one worth 5 million Tels. However, that was one with only 0.25 cubic meters of space avable, with no weight reduction!


    "... You only used the money we earned, right?" Aster asked, wondering how much these cost.


    "I did! Along with all the items on the list, and with these five bags, it''s exactly 10 million Tels!" Liz eximed while puffing her chest proudly.


    Of course, her words were true. Everything she got was only paid for using the 10 million she had. However, that''s only after she got an excessive discount as a family member of the Millicent Dragon Alliance''s owner!


    Aster decided not to delve too deeply into the matter. Having a Spatial bag is good, as it would limit their bulky loot. Furthermore, with the 1/10th weight reduction, they would be less burdened with what they''re carrying and could proceed to clear the floor faster.


    After receiving his Spatial Fanny Bag, he quickly transferred the contents of his bulky bag inside it. It was mysterious as to how that many items fit inside a normal waist bag.


    As he was done transferring everything, he strapped the fanny bag around his waist and realized that the burdening from it did feel less. Furthermore, the weight is distributed equally around the strap, making it bnced too.


    "I could probably still run even with this equipped," Astermented.


    After a while more, Cassy returned, along with Kali, whom she met along the way. The two were tasked with retrieving the previous items they used from Aster''s hotel room, like the pot, stove, campfire, and tents. And to buy ammunition, emergency potions, and other expensive stuff.


    Furthermore, since there are more members now, they also got an extra tent to let three people rest at once while leaving two on guard duty.


    Finally, Tina returned. She was the one who took the longest time, as she was the one who picked up the pre-ordered equipment for everyone¡ªexcept Liz, who already had top-of-the-line armor and equipment.


    She looked like she was carrying a mountain on her back as she walked with the items!


    "H-Here..." Tina sighed as she mmed the items to the ground. "The shopkeeper said that if you need adjustments, you can do it as long as it''s within three days."


    Aster walked forward and picked up his bundle. It was packed into a single cube-like carry package to save space and allow some privacy. After pressing the button next to the handle, the lid popped open, revealing the armor and weapon set inside.


    Like his request, it was made of ck material, with hints of green here and there. The texture was liketex, making him slightly hesitant to wear it.


    As if biding her time, Tina rushed to Aster''s side and appealed. "Now, Darling~! Let me help you get fitted up!"


    Tina had already worn her armor, but it was mostly the same as before. Her extremely revealing top was reced with a ck and green breastte, simr to Aster''s and everyone else''s colors. It was paired with a pleated ck skirt, long tights of the same material, and ck, tough-looking military boots.


    Her exposure level remained mostly the same but now looked a bit more bearablepared to the virgin-killer attire she had before.


    Cassy had the same as her previous equipment: a robe with a tight-fitting inner garment. Although it follows her curves religiously, the fabric was breathable, so it didn''t feel stuffy at all.


    For Kali, it was the same tight-fitting inner garment, but instead of a robe, she wore a zer and long pants. Their attire prioritized mobility over defense, so this appearance was a given.


    "And for Liz..." Aster pulled up an epaulet attached to a short cape. "This is for you, to match the color scheme even a little."


    It was awkward if she was the only one who didn''t have the same color everyone else did, after all. The epaulet''s cape was made with the same fabric of ck and green and had two long openings that split it into three sections to let her wing pass through. The cape wasn''t too long either, just barely reaching her hips.


    After that, they borrowed the medical tent''sfort room to change attire.


    As it wasn''t much different than usual, it didn''t take too long to change. In less than five minutes, the three returned outside, revealing their fully-geared appearance.


    Aster smiled, excited after seeing that the armor was more than what he expected.


    "Now, let''s head into the dungeon!"

 Chapter 109: Easier than Expected (1)

    With everyone recing their bulky bags with the Spatial Fanny Pack, movement became easy even when they were carrying a lot of items. In fact, they didn''t need to leave Aster as a baggage carrier anymore since everyone could share the burden and carry a part of the items they brought.


    Of course, the lighter ones were assigned to the agile cats, Kali and Tina, since they need movement speed over anything else. The next one was Cassy, who got a bit heavier than the others but was still manageable.


    Then, the ones with the heaviest baggage were Aster and Liz. Aster, since he was rendered a middle-range fighter for now, and Liz, as she didn''t need too much movement anyway as a tank.


    Their formation was Liz at the front, Aster in the middle, and Cassy at the back. Then, Kali scouted ahead, with Tina positioned between Kali and Liz, acting as an intermediary. Of course, as usual, they ignored loot that was hard to collect, like a slime''s core or fluids.


    At most, they could only get the essories from the goblins they encountered in the forest.


    Since the distance from the entrance to the exit leading to the next floor was roughly 1.5 times that on the first floor, it should take them 1.5 times longer to reach it too. However, now that they were less burdened, their speed more than doubled, enabling them to reach halfway through the map in just a few hours.


    "As usual, the sky remains bright even though it should be close to 9 p.m. outside," Astermented.


    From around noon to 9 p.m., that''s 10 hours of travel to reach midway! It was a pace faster than when Aster, Cassy, and Kali tried to conquer the first floor!


    As he lowered his gaze, three tents were already set up andplete. The girls didn''t even need his help in propping up the tent.


    Aster felt a little awkward. After all, the entire day, he did nothing but stand in the middle of the formation and asionally let out one or two shes. The girls did most of the work.


    ''I should thank them with my cooking skills, at least!''


    He decided to pull out all the stops and pour his heart and soul into cooking!


    The double burner raged like a Chinese-style kitchen''s mes as two items were getting cooked at the same time. The juicy scent of fat sizzling, braised by the voracious mes, made the girls stare at him in a daze. At the same time, there''s this refreshing smelling from the other pot, which is boiling lightly.


    He wasn''t given any menu to cook, so he simply based his recipe on whatever ingredients they had. As such, after about thirty minutes of intense cooking and staring, the food was finallypleted.


    Aster ted them on top of the foldable table, adding some garnish, dips, and sauce, before taking a step back and nodding in approval.


    "I overdid myself this time!" He smiled.


    "Is it done? Can we eat now?!" Cassy asked, a trail of drool dripping down the corner of her mouth.


    Of course, it couldn''t be helped, as almost all of them but Liz were showing the same reaction. The enticing smell triggered their hunger, making their little tummies grumble in discontent.


    Aster smiled and spread his arms as if he were weing them. "It is. Go on, dig in!"


    As soon as they heard his words, the girls rushed to their seats and gandered at the food that they had been smelling for forever. Before them, there were four varieties of food.


    A tantalizingly prepared burger steak, seared to perfection, swimming in mushroom sauce, with cherry tomatoes and crisp lettuce as garnish. Tempura of mixed vegetables and meat, with ginger-scallion sauce. Creamy mushroom soup with a side of garlic butter croutons and an eye-pleasing sd of cube-cut watermelon and cherry tomatoes, with lettuce and cucumber.


    The recipe being half meat-based is to cater to the meat lovers Kali, Tina, and, unbeknownst to him, Liz too.


    The three girls started devouring the meat, their voices lost in their desire to take one more bite after another. Liz watched this scene in shock. After all, it was her first time seeing someone rendered speechless due to food.


    Liz stared at the te before her, and she admitted that it looked amazingly delicious. She admits that she was amazed at Aster''s cooking that she experienced once, but was doubtful it would be as delicious as the other three portrayed.


    She grabbed her knife and fork and took a small, juicy slice of the burger steak before bringing it to her mouth. As she bit into it, vors exploded inside her mouth, making her eyes open wide.


    "...~!"


    That one bite was several levels above the best food she had ever tasted, even in the five-star restaurants she visited!


    After the first bite, time seemed to have skipped as she realized she had alreadypleted her serving of burger steak. She felt disappointed. She wanted more of it! The serving felt too little, even though it wasposed of three pieces of 180-gram patties¡ªmore than enough for one person''s portion!


    After that, she turned to face the Tempura, which was already dwindling in number at a rapid pace. Hands were going fast, as if not wanting anyone to steal what they got, and disappeared into their mouths, covering their faces in smiles of bliss.


    Liz decided to copy them, and she poked two of them with her fork, delivering them to her te. The tempura was already covered in the ginger-scallion sauce, making it look extremely appetizing. With little hesitation, she brought the food to her mouth and took a crunchy bite.


    The taste of meat and vegetables mixed, creating aplex taste. The crispy outer texture,bined with the soft and firm mix inside, made for a wonderful experience too. Each bite represented a new mix of vors!


    Liz was lost in awe for a moment, bathing in the afterglow of tasting the tempura. However, when she tried to get another one, she realized that none were left!


    ncing left and right, the three culprits didn''t even feel guilty as they continued devouring Aster''s recipes one after another.


    Right then, Liz realized. When ites to Aster''s cooking, she should grab her portion first before daydreaming!


    The chef himself simply watched the girls turn the dinner table into a mini-war, eating what was left in the pots for himself. Such was the fate of the one who cooked.


    ''Still, to think that the vor after the Cooking Lv. 99 correction changes depending on whether I was giving my best or not.''


    Aster noted deep in his heart while in awe of the deliciousness of his cooking.

 Chapter 110: Easier than Expected (2)

    As thanks for the sumptuous meal, the girls decided to leave Aster out of the night watch rotation. However, he pushed for himself to still be added to it, as he couldn''t take losing out on the chance to kill monsters that came too close to their camp.


    They decided to have three rotations. The first one was Aster and Liz, the second was Liz and Cassy, and thest rotation was Kali and Tina. The one to partner with Aster''s turn was decided by a fair match of rock, paper, scissors, so no hard feelings were left.


    Although Tina wanted to volunteer, everyone stopped her forcefully and let her fight for a fair chance to be with Aster through the night instead.


    Of course, the watch wasn''t as peaceful as the rest expected. Probably attracted by the smell of Aster''s cooking, monsters flooded in from all directions. As such, Liz and Aster had no time to rest and were busy killing wolves and goblins that approached.


    Furthermore, there were the asional Small Cave Spiders, and Cave Rats that rushed forward. Although the rats were new to them, their strength was no different from that of the spiders, a monster that relied onrge numbers to win. Without bringing a swarm, it was nothing to write home about.


    It was a good thing, however, as Aster was able to practice his sword-wielding skills. After all, he didn''t know much of any martial arts and was merely imitating what he had seen in the anime and movies he had seen before.


    Some of those he had seen were useful, but most were nothing but useless in terms of real battle. Well, they were shy, so they could be used when fighting against an outssed opponent to add entertainment value to the fight.


    Although the monsters didn''te inrge numbers at once, the endless waves were quite taxing. Thankfully, before Aster got tired, their watch was over, and Cassy joined in. Aster decided to help them still, skipping sleep until the monster wave calmed down about two more hourster.


    At that moment, he was told to go to sleep by the two girls. Cassy and Liz, respectively, said to him:


    "No means no! You''re just too weak to be able to skip sleep and be productive tomorrow!"


    "Aster should obediently rest. Leave the rest to the two of us."


    Of course, more than half the reason was that they were expecting him to cook breakfast tomorrow too, so letting him have a good rest was essential.


    "Alright," Aster replied in a resigned tone. "Then, good night, you two."


    "Good night! Sweet dreams~!"


    "Rest well."


    As soon as he entered the tent and closed the zipper, all the noiseing from outside had disappeared. This was, of course, to prevent the sound of battle from disturbing the others'' sleep. As a safety measure, any sound initiated further than two meters from the tent would be silenced. As such, they could still be woken up from outside in emergencies.


    Since he was moving his body quite actively earlier, the fatigue quickly caught up to him, causing him to fall asleep soon enough.


    Of course, he waspletely unaware of what happened after he slept. Like how Tina tried to invade his tent, causing a fight between her and Kali, which ended up dragging the monsters nearby into it.


    Catfights are scary.


    Thankfully, Cassy was able to heal the two as soon as she woke up, so Aster didn''t have to see their wounded, bruised, and scratched figures.


    When Aster woke up, he quickly greeted everyone before moving to do his job, preparing their breakfast while also setting food for their lunch breakter. He spent a full hour cooking and making lunchboxes before he had time to eat his own meal.


    As usual, Aster''s cooked meal was potent enough to make the two cats make up with each other and forget about their "little squabble."


    After resting for a bit to let the food in their stomachs settle, they packed up and prepared to resume their journey.


    "We are already halfway through. If we follow the same pace as yesterday, then we''d reach the entrance to the next floor by sundown." Aster rified.


    Despite the path being 50% longer, they were following almost the same pace that Aster and his team did on the previous floor! And this was all thanks to their having two tanks, allowing them to avoidrge detours around forests. And also for them having a Spatial Fanny Pack each, lessening the burden from the weight of the items they were carrying.


    Soon, they assumed their previous formation and proceeded onward. However, that didn''tst for long.


    The monsters were still the same varieties, but their levels and numbers were increasing, making it impossible for Kali to clear everything out before they reached her. As such, small skirmishes happened much more frequently than the day before.


    Thankfully, their pace remained mostly unaffected.


    With two tanks, they didn''t fear attacksing from the front or back. As such, Kali and Cassy were able to focus on killing the monsters one after another. Aster himself didn''t dare to dally and showed the true power of his new ss.


    "Mana sh!"


    Aster finally found the best moment to showcase his skill. Focusing mana on his sword''s edge, he swung it horizontally, letting a crescent moon-shaped mana wave fly across. The goblins that were along the path, including the thick trees that were in his range, ended up bisected in one go!


    Kali and Cassy were surprised. After all, they had been with Aster the longest and knew his strength from the start. However, this disy was beyond even their understanding!


    "So this is the strength of a Rare ss..." Liz muttered, gripping her mace tight, before swinging it toward a group of wolves. "Maybe I should switch to a rare ss too...?" She entertained the thought.


    Liz had the choice of a certain rare ss, but she didn''t choose it. After all, she had long dreamed of bing a knight who protects her teammates, fighting through thick and thin!


    Of course, there''s also the chance of unlocking a rare higher ss afterpleting Knight (X) and earning the right to perform a ss-up.


    "Amazing, Darling~!" Only Tina was showing her appreciation of Aster''s new strength directly. "Over here, Darling~! I got more goblins for you~!"


    She even tanked a full team of twelve goblin warriors, keeping them in one ce, just for him! Aster smiled wryly before proceeding to kill the goblins she had prepared. Although he was thankful, he wished she would just kill them herself.


    Time continued to pass, and just as per their schedule, they arrived at the gate leading to the next floor before the time reached four in the afternoon.


    All they had to do now was fight the boss and kill it!

 Chapter 111: Boss Siege! (1)

    Boss Monsters are randomly selected from the monsters on the said floor. The Green Slimes, Goblins, Wolves, Small Cave Spiders, and Cave Rats were the residents of the Second Floor. So, the boss would be an elite species from one of them.


    Right now, Aster and the rest were preparing for the boss fight. Of course, they were simply distributing emergency potions, calming their nerves, and stretching. They were quite rxed, despite it being a boss fight!


    "Alright, I''ll go and check what boss it''ll be this time," Kalimented before she moved ahead.


    The boss monster would only appear after someone got within a certain distance of the portal. For the second floor''s case, that''s 150 meters. Kali moved quietly and carefully stepped within range before seeing arge orb of light appear midway between Kali''s position and the gigantic portal ahead.


    As the light morphed, taking the shape of a monster, Kali quickly moved back out of its detection range. Then she returned to where Aster and the rest were before announcing.


    "Our enemy this time is a Big Slime." She announced.


    Of course, the rest could also see it. Arge blob of green jelly, looking soft and cool, was jiggling in ce. However, there''s one problem:


    "Are all Big Slimes this ginormous?!"


    Aster couldn''t help but grumble. After all, the big slime was roughly twenty meters across and about ten meters high! Furthermore, unlike the weak slimes that pop with one hit, the boss Big Slime wouldn''t die until its core, the basketball-sized object floating in the middle of its body, was destroyed.


    "Right. This one''s too big to be a normal Big Slime." Kali nodded before turning to face it once more. "I think this is another level above that, a Mega Slime."


    "Mega?!" Liz gasped in surprise. "That should be a boss monster from the 15th floor! It''s not something that should be present in this ce!"


    "..."


    Aster frowned as he listened. After all, this was the second time they encountered an irregr situation. ''First, the Rogue Boss Red Cave Spider Mother. And now, a Mega Green Slime?''


    He couldn''t help but think that the dungeon was being harsh on him, preparing such difficult enemies without restraint!


    "What should we do?" Cassy, the team''s healer, asked with worry.


    The Mega Slime would be a tough opponent for them, especially since it''s a Green Slime variant. Green Slimes have a special acid attack after bing a Big Slime, so this Mega version should also be able to use it.


    ''I should''ve read on monsters from even higher floors.'' Hemented btedly.


    "We can still beat it," Kalimented, being the one most knowledgeable about the current enemy among everyone. "All we have to do is chip away at itsrge body slowly until our weapons can reach its core."


    "So we''ll be whittling it down gradually?" Liz asked. "Then my mace would be best for that."


    "Right. So this task would rely heavily on you, muscle woman."


    "M-Muscle...?"


    Their n was simple, but executing it would be difficult. After all, the giant slime was twenty meters across. As such, they would need to whittle it down to about a meter or two, which meant they needed to remove over 95% of its body mass first!


    "This will be a long fight." Tina sighed, bumping her fists¡ªcovered in gauntlets¡ªtogether.


    After they discussed the finer details, the team finally moved forward in formation. They went with a two-two-one formation, with the two tanks at the front, Aster and Kali on either side, and Cassy on standby behind.


    As they came closer, the Mega Green Slime started to react. Although it didn''t have eyes or a face, it felt as if the slime just turned toward them, ready to pounce as soon as they came close enough.


    "TAUNT!"


    As soon as they got close enough, Tina used her taunt skill, which could reach further than Liz''s, sessfully earning the boss''s attention.


    *JIGGLE!*


    The slime lunged forward in one big jump, nning to squish Tina underneath its body. Thankfully, she was quick enough to move out of the way! The Mega Slimended with a thump, scattering green liquid around.


    "Don''t let the acid hit you!" Astermanded as he circled around it.


    He was already casting his skill by then, and as soon as it was ready, he shed toward the enemy. "Mana sh!"


    A vertical, crescent-moon-shaped mana wave rushed forward, hitting the giant slime right in the middle. However, even his most powerful attack was not enough. The wave reached about five meters deep at the center before stopping!


    Within the next instant, therge "wound" that he created had already closed, returning to its previous shape as if nothing had happened.


    "Tsk! As expected, we can only whittle it down obediently, huh!" He growled.


    Tina was the one who gathered its attention, so the Giant Slime was locked onto her, swinging two tentacle-like appendages toward her. Of course, she didn''t let such whip-like attacks reach her, even though they came swiftly and with deadly force.


    While her taunt was working, Tina was busy dodging. Liz, on the other hand, was swinging her mace violently, chipping away at the monster''s gtinous body slowly. Small patches of green matter flew with every strike of her mace.


    However, of course, Liz alone would take forever to finish. Kali used both daggers skillfully, moving as if skinning the Mega Slime. She was cutting off small sections away, helping out!


    Aster realized that he, too, should start and repeat his previous attempt.


    He sent another Mana sh, but this time he didn''t aim at the center but around the slime''s edge. The crescent-shaped sh rushed forward and chopped off arge section in one go!


    "...!"


    Kali saw this and quickly moved. She rushed to the part that Aster cut off and kicked it away from the slime, in fear that it would simply absorb it again and recover.


    One minute passed, and the slime''s body visibly shrank. In total, they already removed about 10% of its mass, reducing its diameter by at least half a meter!


    "Let''s continue at this pace!" Aster smiled, seeing that their n was working.


    Thankfully, other than the appendages that worked like whips, the body m, and the spray of acid uponnding, adding to the acid spit that it hadn''t used yet, the enemy didn''t have too many attack variations.


    However, a problem quickly reared its head as they were continuing.


    "Ugh! This is...!"


    Kali frowned, seeing the edge of her beloved dagger dissolve. The Mega Green Slime''s insides were also acidic!

 Chapter 112: Boss Siege! (2)

    The Mega Green Slime''s body was made of an acidic gel-like substance, which corroded any weapons that touched it. As such, Kali''s daggers, which she was using directly to scrape off its "meat," ended up the most battered.


    "Leave the rest to us, Kali!"


    Aster called before sending another Mana sh. With his current amount of mana, he could fire Mana sh hundreds of times without running out.


    He was getting used to using his skill by now, allowing him to aim to get the most volume out in one go. Kali followed Aster''smand and sheathed her weapons, praying that they could still be repaired, while moving to therge section that he sliced off and kicking it away.


    Whenever the duration of Taunt ended, Liz took over the job and used Knight''s Challenge. During that time, Tina would rest and wait for her taunt''s cooldown to end before switching again. After all, while tanking, Liz wouldn''t be able to effectively swing her mace to attack.


    A certain regrity was building with their cycles, making it easier and easier as time passed. Within five minutes, the boss''s body was merely half of what it was before!


    *JIGGLE!*


    The slime moved angrily, jumping straight up, nning to body-m Tina once more. Of course, such a big move was full of openings and easy to dodge, so she moved to safety quite easily.


    *PSHEW!*


    "...!"


    But as soon as the slimended, it started to spit acid at her. It happened so fast that she couldn''t dodge; she could only raise her arms to block!


    The acid spitnded on her gauntlets, which quickly started dissolving from the powerful acid. Having no choice, Tina removed the gauntlets and threw them away. If she insisted on wearing those, then her arms would literally fall off after the weapon melted!


    *SIZZLE!*


    A few drops also hit her face, which she quickly poured a potion over. The liquid potion quickly washed away the drops and also healed her slight burns, returning her to perfect health in a moment.


    "You rude bastard! How dare you spit on me!" But thanks to that attack, Tina got angry!


    "METAL BODY! HASTE! ENRAGE!"


    She applied all the buffs she could in one go and rushed forward, punching the slime directly while dodging its whip-like tentacles!


    *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*


    A three-hitbonded, causing the half-sized Mega Slime to float for a bit. The strength of her strikes was beyond imagination!


    Of course, the direct blunt impact was useless against the slime, but it did manage to stiffen itsrge body, albeit for a short moment.


    *BANG!*


    Kali, who was waiting for a chance, pulled the trigger of her revolver!


    A bullet flew at subsonic speeds, reaching the slime and going into its body. However, the bullet could only travel a full meter before stopping. It was still far from reaching the core.


    "Stupid Rabbit! Go and pull that idiot out of there!" She shouted amand in panic.


    After all, despite all her buffs, she was still punching a body of acid with her bare hands! Metal Body did harden her skin, but the acid was potent enough to melt metal in seconds. In fact, the state of her fists was already something hard to look at.


    "Got it!"


    Cassy, who had been on standby since the beginning, ran to Tina''s side. She forcefully dragged her away by the cor as Liz timed her Knight''s Challenge perfectly, pulling the boss''s attention to herself.


    Tina was still iling around, but Cassy didn''t let go. While her patient was trying to return to battle, she was busy chanting a more powerful healing spell, enough that it could recover the melted meat and bones from Tina''s fists.


    "Secundi Sirreo Cura! Intermediate Heal!"


    It was her current best healing spell, so she prayed that it was enough to fix Tina''s wounds. Thankfully, the faint white light that covered her body congregated around her wounded parts and slowly filled the missing sections.


    "Purify!"


    Right after healing her, Cassy used a skill that she learned after upgrading to Healer (II), Purify, which removed the acid and other foreign objects in Tina''s body. This included the debuff from her Enrage skill.


    Tina came back to her senses and realized what she had done.


    "... Sorry, I will be careful next time." She apologized even before Cassy could ask her.


    Cassy smiled, patting Tina''s back. "Good! I only have one more use of purify, so be careful!"


    After that, Tina returned to the front and took over, attracting the boss''s attention. Now that it was smaller, the tentacle whips were also bing shorter, so it was a lot easier to dodge. The acid spit that came after didn''t even touch her shadows! Without the element of surprise, it wasn''t something that could hit her anyway.


    Just like that, another five minutes were spent, and the boss finally shrank enough that Kali''s bullet reached the core. After five hits, the core broke into pieces as the Mega Slime dissolved like a deted water balloon.


    They all watched it, careful not to touch the green liquid that streamed out while keeping their vignce. However, the monster didn''t move anymore after that.


    "It''s over."


    Kali dered, sighing deeply.


    Aster also walked toward the slime corpse, but no matter how he looked at it, there was nothing that could be looted from it. After all, the only materials they could harvest from it were the slime''s contents and its core.


    The contents were acidic, and they didn''t have specialized containers for them, while the core was destroyed in the process of hunting it. In short...


    "... What a loss." Aster sighed.


    Kali and Tina lost their weapons in the fight, meaning they were in the red. After all, Tina''s gauntlets were brand new, costing them almost 500 thousand Tels for them!For Kali, her daggers seemed specialized, so he couldn''t even guess their price.


    "There''s nothing we could do about it." Liz sighed, patting Aster''s shoulder. "For now, let''s head to the next floor and return for the day!"


    "I guess..."


    As Aster was just about to move, he then remembered something. "Wait, you were going solo beforeing to our party, right? How did you defeat the boss?"


    "Oh, that?" Liz smiled, puffing her chest in pride. "It''s a fair one-on-one battle against the Hobgoblin boss! I panicked when it called other goblins at the end, but I still managed to pull through!"


    "..."


    Aster felt like he had just heard something ridiculous. But as if forced by his curiosity, he turned to Tina next, who was nearby and listening, and she answered with a shrug.


    "I did the same. Though my enemy was just a Big Slime, so it wasn''t even a fair fight."


    The two of them were brave enough to fight the first-floor boss one-on-one! Insane!

 Chapter 113: Rushing to the Fifth Floor! (1)

    Their party quickly went through the portal, leaving the Mega Slime''s corpse behind. As soon as they got to the third floor, which looked almost the same as the first and second floors, they quickly turned around and retreated.


    They had had enough for a day, so it was time they returned! As they got out, however, they were surprised.


    "What''s with this crowd?" Tinamented with disgust.


    Around the entrance, several dozen parties were present, either about to enter the dungeon or returning after a day''s hunt. There were so many of them that it was dizzying!


    "Oh, you guys are back!"


    As usual, the Oni Old Man manning the gate smiled as he weed Aster''s party. However, as per the case all the time, only Cassy was kind enough to respond to his words.


    "Yes! We just reached the third floor! Amazing, right?!"


    "Ohh! Third floor after starting for a week? That''s good; that''s good."


    "Right?" Cassy smiled sweetly before turning to face the crowd around them. "But, Mister, why are there so many adventurers around this time?"


    "Huh? Ah, you were conquering the second floor yesterday, so you didn''t hear, right?"


    "Hmm?"


    "On the fifth floor, a new crypt was discovered! Since the ones who discovered it brought some amazing weapons, everyone is hyped about exploring it."


    Apparently, this crypt suddenly appeared in a secluded zone on the fifth floor. Since nobody usually goes around those parts, it was a miracle that an entric party found it after trying to check the uracy of the maps they bought.


    They didn''t delve too deep, of course, but they already found two weapons that could fetch a price of over 10 million Tels each, right around the entrance alone!


    Adventurers who heard of this quickly decided to check the ce out and found that the Crypt was really there. Driven by greed, many parties were currently exploring the ce, nning to get anything that could be sold from within.


    As such, there''s a rush going on, where hundreds of adventurers go to the fifth floor and earn some extra dime, while others are nning on rushing through floors and reaching the fifth floor as soon as possible.


    Right now, arge group has formed on the third floor, ready to challenge going through two floors in one go.


    "That sounds interesting," Astermented.


    If they were in arge group, then most monsters would avoid bothering them too. As such, it would even be possible to simply run straight from the entrance to the portal at the end!


    "The boss monster will also need 30 minutes before it can be summoned again, so within that time, anyone could enter the portal to the next floor!" Liz added.


    It was based on her experience, of course, as when she cleared the boss of the first floor, two other parties entered it together with her¡ªalthough they didn''t help during the fight at all.


    In short, it was a prime chance to skip floors right now!


    "Everyone, gather!" Aster announced, calling to the girls. "I''m thinking we should also join this rush to the fifth floor. What do you think?"


    "I''m against it. We should be careful around other adventurers. Who knows what they would do?" Kalimented, acting like the voice of reason for the group.


    "I''m all for it! The higher the floor we go, the faster, the better~!" Cassy smiled.


    "I''ll follow what Darling wants to do!" Tina was, as usual, simply following Aster''s lead.


    "I also think we should join this floor rush. It''s not every day that such events happen, and I think we should still be able to perform well against fifth-floor monsters." Liz, on the other hand, assessed the situation objectively.


    "Alright. That''s 4-1, so we''ll be joining in this floor rush!" Aster dered after taking a fair vote. "Let''s do an inventory check first!"


    They had been on the field for two days, so their supplies dwindled by a bit, of course. Thankfully, half of their ammo remained, so they don''t have to buy more just yet. With regards to food, they still have enough for a day and a half, so that''s no problem either.


    With regards to potions, the only one they used was the one Tina applied to herself during the boss fight. In short, they were all green to go!


    Aster smiled, not expecting them to have this much excess supply."This is nice. Then, let''s go greet whoever is leading this floor rush."


    "Ah, I asked around, and apparently, it''s a member of the Dragon''s Roar n that''s leading the event!" Cassy dered while being as sociable as ever. "When I asked, they said that anyone''s free to join in, but they wouldn''t take any responsibility for any injuries or losses we sustain."


    "Hmmm, reasonable."


    They were simply organizing the event, after all. Whether other parties join or not is their choice. In short, as usual, they had to look out for themselves too.


    "Then, Kali, Tina. You two, go buy a substitute weapon first. Yours were destroyed during the boss fight, after all."


    Aster told the two, passing his adventurer''s card to Kali,but it was snatched by Tina. "Keep the expense low, as I don''t have much bnce left on my card either."


    During the time they split up to buy supplies, Aster had already cut off arge chunk of his money to give to the others. After all, his task was merely grocery shopping, which didn''t really cost him as much.


    His bnce was almost 1 million Tels, but thinking of the price of a weapon, it would barely be able to cover the amount needed by the two.


    The two rushed on their way¡ªquarreling as they went¡ªgoing to the closest shop they could find, which was ten minutes away on foot.


    While they were gone, Aster and the two decided to rest for a bit, sitting directly on the ground. While Liz and Cassy were chatting, Aster, however, was thinking about something else.


    The anomalies they have faced on several asions. And now, a new crypt appears on a floor above theirs. Aster wasn''t suffering from main character syndrome, but he felt as if all those events were connected to him¡ªor, to be more urate, brought forth by his presence.


    "It''s as if some weird power is guiding me onward. Wishing for me to dive deeper into the dungeon while getting stronger."


    He stared at the sky, now tinted heavily red and orange by the setting sun, and sighed.

 Chapter 114: Rushing to the Fifth Floor! (2)

    Roughly ten minutester, the two girls returned. To be quick, they made a full-speed dash to the weapon shop and grabbed the closest weapon they could see. When Aster received his card back and checked his bnce, he felt weak.


    There were not even five digits left on his name! They almost used his money to the limit!


    "... Well, it''s fine, I guess." Aster sighed, pocketing the card. "Anyway, let''s head in. The rush to the fifth floor will begin at 6 p.m. sharp."


    Of course, this information was something that Cassy brought in. The current time was around 5:44, so they still had a few minutes left. Still, they should use it effectively. Thus, Aster suggested entering early and meeting the Dragon''s Roar team that was leading the charge.


    After all, they had already met the leader of the said n and even received a Help Card from him, so they could use it as a conversation starter and make acquaintance with the team at least.


    After ensuring everyone was well-equipped, everyone lined up at the dungeon entrance and entered again. The queue moved fast, and not even two minutester, it was already Aster''s team''s turn.


    As soon as they entered, Aster quickly realized there was arge sectioned area a long distance to the right. Something that didn''t catch their attention when they dropped by earlier.


    Aster led the way, walking toward the small camp, but was quickly blocked.


    "Stop! This is the camp of the Dragon''s Roar 177th and 178th Teams!If youe any closer, then we''ll be treating you as trespassers!"


    "Huh...?"


    He was surprised at the sudden hostility thrown their way! "W-We were just going to greet the leader of your par¡ª!"


    "Did you not hear me? Are you daft?" The man repeated, this time fixing his spear forward as if to attack. "Go away before I teach you all a lesson! I''m level 8!"


    Aster sighed, thinking that they had just arrived at the wrong time. Just as he was about to turn around, two shadows rushed forward like lightning. Aster didn''t even have the time to raise his voice and stop them!


    *BAM!*


    A fistnded on the man''s sr plexus, causing him to lurch forward. Then, another attack came: a knee to his face, rendering him unconscious in one go!


    "You? Level 8? Don''t make meugh." Kali spat at the ground while stepping over the fainted man''s head. "You''re this weak, and you dare threaten us?"


    "How dare you talk like that to my darling?Even if God forgives you, I wouldn''t!" And Tina didn''t stop at all, continuing to stomp on the man''s stomach.


    "S-Stop, you two!" Aster quickly raised his voice, moving toward the fainted man at a leisurely pace. "Any more than that, and he''ll be unable to join the rush to the fifth floor. The event might get canceled!"


    "Who''s there?!"


    "What are you doing?!"


    And just as he arrived right beside the man, two more figures ran out, hearing themotion. After seeing that their party member was lying on the ground, unconscious, their faces quickly took on a color of anger!


    "...!"


    But as soon as they saw who was kicking the man''s stomach, the two instinctively covered their crotches as their faces went blue.


    "Huh?" Tina growled at them like a Yakuza getting interrupted. "You want a beating too?"


    "I-It''s the Lineage Breaker...! C-Call captain, quick!"


    "C-C-C-CAPTAIN!" Your next read is on NovelFire|le|mp|yr


    Seeing the two''s reactions, he could guess that Tina must''ve encountered them before. Hopefully, their jewels were still intact, he prayed.


    In the end, due to Kali and Tina''s sudden outburst, the entire Dragon''s Roar camp rushed to the scene. A total of two parties¡ª16 members, if counting the fainted dude¡ªcame out.


    At the furthest back, a man walked forward with confident strides. Unlike Aster and the rest, who were wearing leather-type armor, he was wearing full-blown te armor. It was shy, with red and yellow hues as ent colors.


    "What''s going on?" The man asked, giving the situation a short nce. "That''s... Gregory?" He mused, seeing the fainted man.


    "Sorry about this."


    Aster quickly stepped forward, extending a hand as if to block the girls from acting out again. "But this person was threatening to attack us, saying he''s level 8 and all."


    "Threat?"


    The man in full-te armor raised a brow, his green eyes staring at each of Aster''s party members. After a while, he let out a soft sigh and removed his hand from the hilt of his sword.


    "Sorry about that. It seems like my party member was rude to you." He apologized lightly but didn''t bow his head. "However, knocking him out is just overdoing it."


    "I hate people who im they have high levels when they''re not. It wasn''t my fault he was weak." Kali scoffed, not a hint of being sorry in her tone.


    "Overdoing it? I''m not done yet, though?"


    And Tina didn''t even stop, raising her foot over the man''s family jewels, about to stomp them out of existence.


    "Stop."


    But before she could, Aster held her thigh from below, preventing it from going down.


    "If you do that, then that''s overdoing it." He warned.


    Tina, taking advantage of the situation, acted as if she had lost bnce and jumped into Aster''s embrace, acting like a lovestruck maiden. All the guys seeing this felt like they were seeing a ghost.


    After all, some of them had met Tina before, and a few even ended up having their balls cracked! If not for the advanced level of medical technology in the current era, then they would''ve ended up bing infertile for life!


    But when the man in armor saw Tina, he too stiffened.


    "..."


    Aster quickly realized that he, too, was a victim of Tina''s infamous rampage before they met.


    "A-Alright. We''ll let it slide this time, but there''s no second time, alright?" He stammered for a bit before resuming his cool tone. "Someone, go and pull that idiot out of there and pour potions down his throat."


    Just as he was turning around, Tina''s voice echoed once more.


    "Let it slide? That''s my line. Try to disrespect my darling again, and I''ll make sure that you''ll be thest of your lineage."


    "...!"


    Despite her still sticking to Aster''s chest and smiling cheekily, her words sent chills down the spines of more than half of the men in the Dragon''s Roar team.


    The casual greeting that Aster nned ended up bing a meeting of traumatized victims and the assant. He couldn''t help but facepalm at the situation.


    "So much for wanting to get acquainted."

 Chapter 115: Rushing to the Fifth Floor! (3)

    Time quickly passed, reaching p.m., the designated time to start the rush. Aster''s team was already prepared, standing at the end of the file and nning toy low.


    "We don''t need to hunt the monsters around. Our priority is to reach the other end as fast as possible." Aster rified onest time.


    Right then, a loud, gant voice echoed from the head of the line. It was the familiar voice of the Dragon''s Roar''s Captain.


    "Everyone! Thank you for gathering! Starting right now, we will begin the rush straight toward the portal at the other end of the third floor!" He eximed in a clear and loud voice.


    "Remember, we will not take responsibility for any injury or loss you suffer. Injuries are your responsibility, so be careful! Even if you fall behind, we won''t stop running!"


    In short, whatever happens, it is the team''s problem, not theirs. If others want to help those who were getting left behind, then they''re free to do so too, but the members of the Dragon''s Roar already rified that they wouldn''t go out of their way to help others.


    "That''s all! We won''t take any questions." He concluded his words before facing forward. "Alright then, everyone! Try to keep pace with us if you can!"


    After saying that, the Dragon''s Roar 177th and 178th teams started running. They were maintaining a leisurely jogging pace, but with their average levels being level 8, with some even reaching levels 9 and 10, the distance between them and the other teams was slowly increasing.


    This was especially true for those carryingrge bags containing supplies and equipment for their parties.


    Thankfully, Aster''s party didn''t have any trouble keeping pace with the Dragon''s Roar. Rather, as the one with the lowest CON stat in the party, he was the biggest worry about whether they could continue keeping pace with them or not.


    After running for about an hour, the leading party entered the forest. Of course, there''s no way to get lost in there, as the path they''re following is the shortest one, the straight path to the other end.


    "Ugh...!"


    However, the forest path was more treacherous than the grasnds. From there, the group started to divide into twogroups: the lead group and the trailing group.


    With Aster''s team all wearing light armor, they had no trouble navigating through the forest, making them a part of the lead group too. They didn''t try to stand out and only trailed at the back, leisurely following the team ahead of them.


    Of course, monsters did try to attack them every so often, especially to monsters that were directly in their path. However, as expected of the party from the best n in Orinfeld City, the Dragon''s Roar parties made quick work of them, not even wasting a few breaths before wiping out an entire group.


    "What a waste of bullets..." Cassymented after seeing how they were mowing down the enemies with long sprays of bullets.


    Not even half of the bullets they fired hit the target,pletely wasted!


    "Well, that''s a valid battle tactic too, especially if they have enough money to back it up." Liz answered Cassy''s worry without slowing down. "We, too, could employ such an approach. We have enough ammunition remaining tost us the entire trip, after all."


    "Don''t." Kali reacted quickly. "Wasting money is a big no. Let those idiots ahead do it if they want, but we shouldn''t waste our bullets like them."


    They weren''t wealthy enough to be so wasteful with their resources; at least three of them were. Tina, in the first ce, doesn''t have a gun, but as the princess of the Zirroth family, she has enough money to buy an entire gun manufacturing facility if she ever wants to.


    Liz was the daughter of the biggest weapon manufacturing conglomerate, so there''s no doubt about how deep her pockets were¡ªalthough she was trying to hide it.


    As hours passed, the gap between the lead group and the trailing group had spread too far. It was to the point that Aster could only see them as a dot in the distance when he nced behind asionally.


    However, due to their nonstop running, of the 150-something-kilometer distance from the entrance to the next portal, they have already covered more than 90 kilometers. As expected, everyone was already getting tiredafter running straight for almost six hours. Especially Aster, who had a rtively low CON stat.


    Thankfully, even the Dragon''s Roar team was tired, so as soon as midnight struck, they slowed down to a stop in the middle of the wide, open grasnds and announced.


    "We''ll be setting up camp here! Everyone, keep about twenty meters of distance between each team''s camps!"


    "Again...?"


    Aster sighed, feeling that their words were nothing but selfish now. Spreading out would mean those in the center would be the safest, and without a doubt, the Dragon''s Roar party would be the one taking that position up.


    Of course, the girls were feeling a little irritated about it too.


    As such, the five decided to set their camp far from the rest, about a hundred meters to the right of the edge of the main camp. Of course, the main reason was to keep Tina away from others, as she might suddenly cause amotion if they left her unsupervised.


    But the girls didn''t disagree and instead pushed for it with zeal. And the reason for that was being served before them at that moment.


    "As always, you have amazing cooking skills, Aster!" Liz praised as she elegantly devoured the food served to them. "It''s to the point that I want to hire you as our chef."


    "Although it doesn''t sit well with me, I agree with the sentiment." Even Tina nodded her head. "But I won''t be giving Darling to you! He''s mine!"


    Hearing Tina im him time and again, Aster sighed deeply. "I''m nobody''s, alright?"


    The scent of cooking, even though they were a hundred meters away, still reached the main camp, causing quite amotion. Everyone tried to look for the source of the smell; however, Aster''s camp was too far and blocked by the tall grasses, keeping it out of view!


    This was the main reason why the girls agreed to move their camp away.


    There''s no way they''re sharing this delicious meal with others!

 Chapter 116: Rushing to the Fifth Floor! (4)

    After having their meal, everyone decided on their watch cycle immediately. It was a little different this time, with Cassy and Kali taking the first watch and Tina and Liz the second. Aster, of course, was allowed to sleep through the "night."


    This time, he didn''t force the matter and imed that he wanted to join the watch. After all, the six-hour marathon took a toll on his body. As soon as he entered the tent, he fell asleep almost instantly.


    Tina did try to invade his tent, but thankfully, Kali and Cassy noticed it and thwarted her attempt, so Aster got a peaceful sleep throughout the sunny nighttime.


    With the number of camps spread around, the girls didn''t have to fight a lot of monsters. They only had to be wary of one side, making their watch simpler than usual. It was a breeze to them, even though the monsters on the third floor were higher-level!


    Around five in the morning, Aster was woken up. This was because the group would resume its movement at six sharp. After he got up, he quickly started preparing breakfast for the girls and also set meals for their lunchboxes forter.


    Before the clock even hit 5:45 a.m., they were already done with their meal and were ready to move.


    "Oh, did the trailing group catch up to us?" Aster wondered, seeing the number of camps increasepared to what he remembered.


    Cassy nodded to his question, smiling while holding back a light yawn. "Yes, they did. They arrived around 1 a.m., so they must still be tired."


    Of course, they also had the choice of resting wherever they were by midnight. But since doing so would only mean they would get left further behind, everyone decided to push themselves and meet up with the leading group.


    Aster watched the faint figures that could be seen in the distance and noticed that almost everyone was moving like zombies. They werecking sleep and a good meal, making them more tired than ever!


    Of course, although he felt pity for them, he didn''t bother lending them a hand. After all, they too were adventurers, so they must have been prepared for this much, at least, before they even decided to enter the dungeon.


    "Let''s go," Aster called, seeing that their packing was done. "We should regroup with the others now."


    The five of them walked onward and stopped at the edge of the camp, right at the border between the leading group and the trailing group¡ªtheir previous position, per se.


    "Alright, everyone! We''ll be running in one go, reaching the other end, and defeating the boss!" The Captain of the Dragon''s Roar raised his voice, announcing it to everyone.


    "After that, we will continue running through the fourth floor after reaching it and only rest around noon!"


    A shadow fell over the faces of everyone in the trailing group.


    If they wanted to keep up with the others, then they would simply be too tired by the time they reached the fourth floor. As such, it was obvious that they were thinking of going at their own pace instead, celebrating if they made it in time before the boss respawned, or defeating it with everyone''s strength if not.


    As promised, right as the clock struck 6 a.m., the leading group started running.


    Aster and the rest also continued to follow them, matching their pace while ncing at the trailing group, which was visibly running at a much slower speed than before.


    ''Well, they''re arge group, so even in the worst case, nothing too bad will happen to them.'' Aster shrugged, deciding to ignore them from then on.


    The entire group ran at almost the same pace as before, allowing them to cover the rest of the distance in just four hours. Right then, the two parties of the Dragon''s Roar n summoned the boss, which was a Dire Wolf, and literally smashed it in one go.


    The agile boss couldn''t even do anything against the rain of bullets that fell on top of it before the finishing attack, a sh from the team''s captain, ended the fight.


    As soon as the boss was defeated, they quickly stored the entire body of the boss inside their Spatial Packs, before heading to the next floor. Then, one after another, the rest of the parties headed in too, moving to the next floor without much trouble.


    Aster''s team wasst as usual. As they entered and their visions recovered from the bright sh of teleportation, they saw the next floor''s terrain... which practically remained the same as all the previous floors.


    "I''m starting to get tired of this scenery," Aster muttered to himself before seeing that the lead team had already continued ahead.


    Having no choice, they continued running for two more hours before finally stopping to rest.


    With the strength of the enemies they faced, particrly the goblins and the wolves, everyone started to feel pressure. It was no longer as leisurely as before, as some goblins were even able to parry attacks or the wolves to dodge.


    That was added to the fact that those they faced were merely the dregs of what slipped through the onught of bullets raining down at the monster groups. The fourth-floor monsters were starting to pose a challenge to them!


    "Should we continue to the fifth floor like this? Or should we stay on the fourth floor for now and only climb after gaining more levels?"


    As everyone finished eating their lunch, Aster decided to ask.


    "What now, weakling? Getting scared?" Kali scoffed. "Fourth and fifth-floor monsters don''t differ by much. And since we''vee all the way here, it would be a waste to turn around and return."


    "Me too. I think we should just continue like this." Even Cassy agreed.


    "Of course, I think we should continue too. Although the monsters here are more powerful than those below, it still feels a bitcking for me." Liz added while scratching her cheeks lightly, as if embarrassed.


    "There''s no need to ask me, Darling~! I''ll go wherever you go!" And of course, Tina was still acting as usual.


    As such, with three in favor and two abstaining, it was decided that they would continue rushing to the fifth floor.

 Chapter 117: Rushing to the Fifth Floor! (5)

    The group rested for about a full hour before restarting their march onward. By then, even the trailing group managed to catch up and were able to rest for a short while.


    However, as expected, they didn''t follow the leading group and instead decided to rest for a good while before continuing. After all, they were running low on supplies, so the encounters they were having were getting stretched, leading to even more fatigue.


    "That''s what little nning does to a mother f¡ª"


    "K! Watch your mouth!"


    "Who cares about them anyway? They could die in a ditch somewhere for all I care."


    "You too, Tinya! Bad!"


    "It''s nice that you''re all less tense, but please stop ying around and pay attention."


    The girls were bickering behind Aster, or more like, Cassy acting like a mother of two unruly girls, lecturing them nonstop. Liz, on the other hand, was simply watching over them while also keeping her attention on the surroundings.


    After reaching the fourth floor, the monsters started to act more aggressively. The reason was that they could instinctively tell that the adventurers running before them were weaker than they were. Due to that, the number of encounter battles increased.


    The pace at which they were going visibly slowed to about 70% of their maximum, which was still fast but not fast enough.


    "At this rate, we''ll be reaching the boss around midnight if we don''t take any more breaks." Aster sighed, wiping the sweat off his forehead.


    Of course, the lead party realized this too, and as such, they tried to increase their pace even more. This ended up causing them to get tired faster, but with this, they should reach the other end within schedule.


    Soon, 6 p.m. arrived, and everyone started to take another hour-long rest. Some even took power naps, just to recoup their stamina even a second faster. Around 7 p.m., the entire group resumed their travel.


    Now, however, the Dragon''s Roar parties weren''t using their guns as haphazardly as before. Even they were running low on their ammunition!


    "This is bad," Aster muttered, seeing this change.


    After all, now that the lead group wasn''t mowing down the enemies ahead and only killing those that got too close to them, more monsters ended up reaching the other parties behind. Especially those at the rear, i.e., Aster''s party.


    Tina and Liz were running on either side, with Aster at the head and Cassy and Kali in the middle. As such, whenever they encountered stray monsters that the lead groups didn''t kill, they could handle them quickly. A series of taunts, with the rest pouring down their attacks, and all monsters would be cleared in about half a minute!


    This continued for a few hours, which ended up allowing Liz and Kali to reach level 7. With their levels increasing, the fights became even easier.


    "Battle Cry!"


    Liz activated her new skill, which released a powerful shockwave from her shout, stunning the enemies for a short moment while also giving a short attack buff to everyone around her. With this new skill, the time they needed to eliminate monsters was effectively halved!


    As the battles became easier, Aster''s group finally had some leeway and was able to keep pace with the lead group without much trouble.


    However, as they proceeded further and further onward, the monsters started to be even tougher. They came inrge groups¡ªenough to let the Dragon''s Roar team stop in ce just to handle the threats! They couldn''t simply rush past it, as there''s the possibility of being attacked from behind!


    The short skirmish ended up getting prolonged as more and more monsters came as reinforcements. As such, the entire team was held in ce for over an hour, causing their ns to derail instantly.


    "We''ll be resting here for now!"


    As such, the Dragon''s Roar decided to take a break instead.


    They, too, suffered quite a bit, despite the high average level of their team. As such, they needed to recuperate and rest. Thankfully, they had already cleared almost all the monsters in the immediate vicinity, so they were safe for a few hours at least.


    Aster''s team, the same as before, decided to camp a short distance away from the main camp. Of course, they knew that it was risky with how powerful the monsters were, but they already divided the night watch, keeping in mind the bnce of defense and offense.


    Liz and Kali were on the first watch, while Aster, Tina, and Cassy were on the second. It was a valid division, but the others think that cing Tina and Aster on the same watch was a mistake.


    With them resting early, around 10 p.m., each cycle would be able to sleep for 3.5 hours, at least. After eating a hearty meal, Liz and Kali kept watch of the surroundings while Aster, Tina, and Cassy slept.


    During that time, of course, monsters attacked the camp. But thankfully, the numbers weren''t something that they weren''t able to handle. The two fought for almost two hours straight, letting Kali level up to level 7 too.


    After their shift ended, it was Aster''s turn.


    Of course, she didn''t leave his side, whispering sweet nothings and chatting away while he kept watch of the surroundings, ignoring Tina''s "approach."


    Cassy, watching this from the other end, frowned a little.


    "... Huh?"


    But she quickly tilted her head, wondering why she was feeling irritated while watching the two "flirt."


    "... Enemies!"


    Fortunately, she didn''t have the leeway to think about it. The monsters soon arrived in waves, letting the three fight nonstop until the other two woke up. By then, everyone was already at level 7!


    After the two woke up, Aster tapped out and went to do his job: cooking.


    And as if attracted by the smell of food, even more monsters started to visit their side, causing the girls to be as busy as ever.


    "Today, we will be reaching the fifth floor," Aster muttered as he finished ting the meals.


    Now, all they had to do was wipe out the monster wave and take their breakfast before being on their way!

 Chapter 118: Irregular! (1)

    The entire team ran for four hours more before finally reaching the end of the path. It was a long journey, but finally, the end was in sight!


    "Well then, we, the Dragon''s Roar Teams 177 and 178, will be facing the boss!Everyone else who doesn''t want to get dragged into the fight, back off!"


    As soon as they arrived, the spearman that Tina and Kali had beaten up before announced in a loud voice immediately. Of course, it was the same as before, on the third floor, but this time, they sounded more desperate to hold everyone back.


    ''Do they need to kill the boss monster for some quest or something?'' Aster hypothesized.


    The same as before, everyone moved an appropriate distance to watch the fight. Aster''s team didn''t want to get dragged into it, so they made doubly sure to stand quite a distance away.


    "How long do you think it''d take them to defeat the boss this time?" Cassy asked Aster with a hint of curiosity. "Before, they defeated the dire wolf within a minute, so I guess it''s a minute this time too!"


    Aster ced a hand on his chin, thinking about it seriously. "That''d depend on what monsteres out, I guess. If it''s a slime type, then for sure, they would end up wasting more time."


    "Ugh, don''t remind me of that Mega Slime bastard, you weakling!" Kali grunted. "I still haven''t gotten over the fact that it destroyed my favorite daggers!"


    "In my estimate, it should be at least a minute, and five minutes at most, for the Dragon''s Roar teams to finish the boss." Liz nodded, giving her own opinion on the matter.


    "Haha, that''s cheating, Liz." Asterughed. "If you''re betting, you need to pinpoint an exact time. For me, I''ll bet they wouldn''t be able to defeat the boss!"


    "Hey, don''t jinx them, Star!" Cassy scolded him a little. "What''d you do if they really failed to defeat the boss!"


    "What? There''s no other choice but to defeat it, is there?"


    Hypothetically, if the Dragon''s Roar failed to defeat the boss, the other parties couldn''t simply retreat. They don''t have enough supplies left after all. If they don''t retreat, then they only have the choice of rushing back to the entrance with empty stomachs. That was nothing but torture!


    "Well, there''s no way they would fail, though." Aster shrugged. "They''re already at level 8 before evening up to the third floor. So they must be level 9 or 10 by now, after defeating that many monsters."


    The power between a level 9 and a level 10 is like heaven and earth, as with every ten levels gained, one would get a "Life Upgrade" and earn an extra 5 distributable stat points separate from the one stat point earned per levelup.


    Unless they''re idiots who don''t know how to distribute their stats effectively, then there''s no way they would lose against the boss of the fourth floor.


    "Oh, it''sing out!" Tina announced as she watched the team enter within the active range of the boss.


    Arge ball of light appeared, slowly morphing into the shape of the boss monster.


    "...!"


    However, Aster felt a shiver run down his spine as he saw the shape of the light. It was different from any monsters he knew were present on the fourth floor! It was humanoid, almost looking like a knight covered fully in armor. Furthermore, it was not toorge, only around three meters tall.


    The red eyes hidden behind the full-face helmet of the azure knight shone in red as it waved its decorated sword once, causing the air to stir. When Aster saw those piercing red eyes, he froze on the spot.


    Thick killing intent exuded from the figure, causing him to almost feel faint. He was having difficulty breathing from the pressure alone!


    "What... is that?"


    Even Kali was staring forward with confusion in her eyes. She, too, hasn''t seen such a monster in her entire life. Not even in the monster lists that she memorized from cover to cover.


    Hearing her words, Aster snapped back to reality and noticed that the Dragon''s Roar, all sixteen of them, were also frozen in fear. As the Azure Knight raised its de, Aster quickly shouted at them.


    "Idiot! DODGE!"


    *BAM!*


    The sword mmed right into the middle of their party! If nobody moved, then a lot of casualties would undoubtedly appear.


    Thankfully, their leader managed to return to his senses at thest moment and raise his sword to block the attack.


    "GAH!"


    But the pressure from it was too strong; he was forced to his knees, half-embedded to the ground, after receiving the strike!


    "Seiji!"


    The female cleric of their team called him and quickly cast her buffs with shaking hands. Light fell over their captain, Seiji, which increased both his attack and defense.


    "Priodis Sirreo cura! Minor Heal!"


    She even cast a healing spell just in case, making sure that even if Seiji''s muscle fibers snapped, they would be fixed immediately.


    "MOVE AWAY, BASTARD!"


    At the same time, the spear user quickly smacked the sword, trying to push it away, but it didn''t even budge an inch. The sword was too heavy!


    "Kuh...!"


    In the end, Seiji tilted his sword to where nobody was, allowing the de to slide down. As it went, the sword managed to chop off arge chunk of his shoulder, but with the Minor Heal still in effect, he quickly returned to full health.


    "Everyone, fire!"


    At that moment, right as he tried to regain distance, he also shouted amand, letting everyone else in their party fire their long-range attacks. Bullets flew, raining on the armored enemy, along with a few spells like me spears and icicle barrages.


    "Did we get it?!" The spear guy called with excitement.


    However, the moment the smoke settled, they could see the Azure Knight was still the same as before. Its blue armor didn''t seem damaged at all, making it clear that it was immune to missile attacks. To add to that, even the spells didn''t leave a scratch, meaning they were also immune to magic attacks!


    "Shit! Only Melee will work on this bastard!" Seiji cursed. "Everyone, switch to melee armaments! Tanks, take their attention! Don''t let its sword hit you; you won''t survive it!"


    As expected of a team from the top n, their response was quick.


    In just a singlemand, everyone switched armaments, from guns and wands to maces, swords, and spears. Everyone armed themselves and moved to formation in a sh!


    "Attack!"


    And then, a fierce battle began.

 Chapter 119: Irregular! (2)

    Seiji, being the main attacker, rushed forward without hesitation. He jumped up, raised his de, and swung it down, nning to cleave the monster in two.


    "TAKE THIS!"


    *TING!*


    But his full-power attack only bounced away from the monster''s helmet. Again, not a single scratch was inflicted on it!


    *BAM!* *THUD!* *SHING!*


    A secondter, the rest of his party''s attacks alsonded. But not a single one managed to inflict any damage to it.


    "It''s immune to physical attacks too?!"


    Their healer cried immediately, seeing that her spear didn''t even leave a scratch on the enemy''s armor.


    It was immune to missile, magic, and even melee... meaning they couldn''t hope to damage it!


    "Don''t let up!" But Seiji was, as expected, a quick-witted leader, enough to be appointed the leader of Dragon''s Roar''s twotest parties. "There should be a catch. Monsters can''t be immune to all attacks! Let''s try simultaneous attacks of all types!"


    As usual, their coordination was on point. The two parties moved immediately, with a third of them equipping their guns, another third gathering mana tounch their magic, and thest third preparing to rush forward and attack in close range.


    "Ready!" Seiji shouted as he raised his sword, ready to dash forward. "Mages, fire!"


    "Secundi rre Spicht! me Lance!"


    "Secundi Frysta fen Sphar! Icicle Barrage!"


    "Secundi Brais Skaal! Wind de!"


    As the magic flew, the gunners aimed their pistols and rifles, waiting to pull the trigger. The melee, on the other hand, ran as fast as they could toward the enemy. Then, at the moment that the spellsnded, they timed their attacks and swung their weapons from close range, along with the gunners pulling their triggers!


    Threeyers of attacks rained,pletely battering the Azure Knight boss monster.


    [Repel Counter!]


    But at the same instant that all the attacksnded, a robotic voice came from the monster, causing everyone to be surprised. A monster spoke!


    "AGH!"


    "Kyaaah!"


    "No way..."


    And then, in the next moment, all members of the Dragon''s Roar party fell. All of them received wounds on their bodies. Some looked like they were hit by mingnces, others were hit by small icicle fragments, some were sliced by wind des and swords, and some became full of bullet wounds.


    The only simrity was that the wounds they suffered were the same type as the attacks they justunched! Their efficiency in attacking vital pointspletely bit them from behind, causing a sudden and inexplicable wipeout!


    "This... is bad!" Cassy cried, seeing how the entire party fell, with nobody remaining standing. "We should heal them fast, or their lives will be in danger!"


    Aster, of course, realized the severity of the situation. If the boss attacks them once more, then they''re goners, for sure! Looking around, everyone was still in shock and was also in a state of fear, unable to move. In short, only a few teams were able to provide backup, and one of them was Aster''s!


    "I''m no hero wannabe, but it looks like we need to step up!" Aster dered as he pulled his sword out. "Liz and Tina, attract its attention! Don''t let its sword hit you!"


    "Got it!"


    "Leave it to me, Darling! TAUNT!"


    With how long the range of her taunt skill was, Tina was able to pull the monster''s attention even without moving forward. Although its effects were too diminished, given the distance, it was more than enough to divert its attention from the fallen adventurers and toward herself.


    "Cassy, gather them all, and heal them in one go! Don''t waste too much of your skills!" Aster added.


    "I''m already on it!"


    With her leg strength, she was able to reach the injured Dragon''s Roar members in just a few leaps. Without dy, she gathered those nearby and dragged them to the middle of the fallen bodies, keeping an eye on the boss to make sure it was not paying her any attention and casting her healing spell.


    "Secundi Sirreo fen Cura! Area Heal!"


    Her second-level area heal spell fell over the entire group, piled like dead bodies awkwardly. After all, the powerup was only in regards to its healing strength and not its coverage. It still only covered a small area of three meters in diameter, which was based on her current stats.


    While she was busy healing the injured, Aster finally reached Liz and Tina''s positions.They were keeping a close distance from the boss while also making sure that they had enough distance to avoid its attacks. But Tina, in particr, was daring enough to reach close quarters, with practically no distance between her and the monster''s body!


    "METAL BODY!"


    She increased her mass by turning her body into metal andunching a series of punches. The boss monster was pushed back by her attack, but that was all. There was still no damage inflicted at all!


    "Kuh! It''s like I''m hitting a solid,rge boulder!" Tina grumbled as she shook her hand, hurting like hell from punching the metal armor. "But that''s my job done! Go, Darling~!"


    "Nice timing! Switch!" Aster grinned while raising his voice.


    He was already right behind Tina at that moment, with his sword already wrapped in thick mana, ready to release a powerful attack. "Mana sh!"


    Tina jumped to the side, with Aster''s sword swinging downward. He was too close to be able to release a mana wave, so the attack connected as a melee attack.


    "...!"


    As he swung his sword, Aster opened his eyes wide. It was just an attack heunched, expecting it to bounce back like the rest, but his attack opened arge gash across the boss monster''s chest. As if it were surprised itself, the Azure Knight took a few steps back before falling to one knee, using its sword as a cane to support itself, avoiding fallingpletely.


    [Warning! Sustained Heavy Damage! Reason: Unknown. Changing Priorities...]


    Right then, a robotic voice echoed once more. This time, even Aster and the others were able to hear it, causing him to raise a brow. ''Is this thing a robot?!''


    Still, they learned that his attacks worked on it. Aster''s mind ran in overdrive, thinking of ways to end the fight with the least effort and casualties. In the end, he decided to rely on the two tanks as usual.


    "Liz, Tina! Draw its attention! I''ll try to find another opening and end it!"


    As hemanded, he watched the Azure Knight stand back up. But the next moment, he was unable to react at all.


    "Star!"


    "Aster!"


    "Weakling!"


    "Darling!"


    All four girls saw the Azure Knight rush forward, ignoring the taunted state anding for Aster directly!


    Arge sword, befitting of its three-meter tall figure, came swinging down at blinding speed.


    ''Ah, so it can move this fast despite wearing heavy armor.'' Aster thought, watching the dee down on him.


    It was toote to dodge!

 Chapter 120: Brewing Danger

    The sword came down fast, almost as fast as lightning.


    *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*


    Thankfully, someone was alert enough to help him out. Kali''s revolver fired three times with almost no timeg, a special skill under General Gun Arts: Quickdraw!


    Three bullets hit the sword''s tip, causing it to move slightly further and mming a few millimeters to Aster''s right. The strike caused the ground to explode but also gave Aster enough time and cover to move to safety.


    "That was close...!" He snapped, realizing that he had almost died right then. "I should use everything I can, or I''ll die of carelessness! Physical Enchant!"


    Feeling the danger to his life, he decided to no longer keep cards hidden. Who cares if everyone was watching? His use of Mana sh was already seen, either way, so the rumor of a Rare ss would spread sooner orter.


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    Liz cast her skill, trying to pull the boss''s attention, but it didn''t work. The Azure Knight charged straight toward Aster as if he were the only enemy it had in its view!


    "It''s no longer falling for crowd control skills...!" Tina gritted her teeth while trying to chase after the monster. However, it was fast, leaving her in the dust! "Darling!"


    Aster smiled before shouting back. "You two! Leave it to me!"


    With his basic stats raised, it would be dangerous to try and fight with them. After all, he still doesn''t have fine control over his body after using Physical Enchant!


    ''But this is good. I can see the enemy''s movements clearly!''


    Earlier, the dash and shbo went too fast for him to react to. But now, he was able to see all of its movements. The Azure Knight stepped within striking distance and swung its sword down once again. Aster noticed this and knew that blocking it would be the most foolish thing to do.


    He quickly stepped aside, letting the de hit nothing but air, before covering his sword with Mana and shing toward its side. "Mana sh!"


    [Repel Counter!]


    "...!"


    But right as he called his attack, the enemy muttered mysterious words. Aster felt danger and quickly tried to change his attack, forcefully bending the trajectory to head to the ground whilending a kick on its side to gain distance.


    "Ugh...!"


    But then, just as hended the kick, he felt his side let out a dull pain as if he had been kicked. ''This is... Damage Reflection? No, Attack Reflection!''


    Rather than only the damage, it was the very attack that was returned to the attacker! This was what got the entire Dragon''s Roar team in one go! Aster''s mind worked fast and took more distance.


    He wasn''t sure how long the effect of the skillsted, but from before, the moment the Dragon''s Roar fell to the moment his attacknded, there was at least a ten-second gap.


    ''I need at least ten seconds before I can attack!''


    Of course, it''s possible that the skill''s effect was shorter, but he didn''t have time to experiment. Rather, it was dangerous to even try to experiment on an enemy more powerful than he was! Sticking to what he already knew was faster and more reliable.


    Aster kept on trying to gain distance, but the Azure Knight didn''t stop chasing either. It was able to keep pace with Aster, who activated Physical Enchant, indicating how powerful the monster was originally.


    "WAAAH!"


    "DON''T COME HERE!"


    But as Aster was running blind, unsure of what was behind him, he ended up reaching the ce where the other parties were standing. It was his honest mistake, but thankfully, the boss ignored them and only focused on Aster alone.


    "Stubborn bastard...!" Aster cursed while trying to change his approach.


    Instead of running backward, he stopped before leaping forward, straight toward the enemy''s range!


    His eyes were sharp, not missing a single detail. The Knight, too, was focused on Aster, its eyes capturing his figure without fail. Therge sword swung horizontally this time, not giving Aster any chance to dodge on either side. However, just as he was about to reach the attack range, he stomped hard, as if applying emergency breaks, and stopped in ce.


    [...!]


    The Boss monster stiffened for a moment, seeing that its sword swung, hitting nothing but air once more. The tip was just an inch away from Aster''s stomach, almost giving him goosebumps!


    "I''m not trying that again...!" He eximed before sending a soft punch against the enemy''s chest.


    As he did, he felt a soft impact on his chest, telling him that the skill Attack Reflection was still active. As soon as he found this out, he jumped forward, slipping past the knight and running toward Kali and the rest.


    ''Three more seconds...!'' Aster prayed, counting inside his head.


    The Azure Knight quickly turned around, chasing after Aster once more. As expected, the distance between them was subtle, almost within attack range but slightly off. As soon as he arrived near the girls, he stopped and turned around, smiling.


    "Time''s up, motherfucker!"


    Aster''s sword let out a soft blue glow as he dove down. He predicted the knight''s next attack would be another horizontal cleave and kept his posture low, with the sword passing above his head, almost catching his scarf''s trailing end.


    As the sword went past his head, he swung his own sword forward, cleaving the enemy across its waist. Aster felt worried, of course, as if the count he did was off, then it would be him being cut in half instead.


    "..."


    Aster slipped past the knight, his sword passing through it like a knife through butter, and quickly looked down, touching his waist. "... Thank God."He sighed, seeing that no injury was sustained. His attack was a sess!


    Turning around, he faced the Azure Knight again. It was already separated into two halves! If it were any other monster, then it would''ve died then and there, but as expected, the monster was just that, a "monster," and was still able to swing its sword around.


    Enjoy reading at m v le_mp-yr


    "Kuh!"


    Aster jumped up, dodging the sword swing, before swinging his sword, still in its Mana sh duration, and piercing it between the knight''s eyes. "FUCK OFF!"


    As he did, the knight''s body suddenly exploded into ck smoke, violently spreading around. Aster quickly held his breath, thinking it was poison, but thankfully, it was nothing but a smokescreen.


    When his vision returned, all he could see was two halves of broken armor lying by his feet.


    "..."


    *Thud!* *nk!*


    He tried kicking it but didn''t have any response. It''s just a corpse.


    "We won...?" Aster imed with a hint of doubt before raising his head and smiling. "We won!" He repeatedit a bit more confidently this time.


    ---


    In a dark, musty cell, a single figure sat on the edge of a simple, white bed. Her silver hair was let down, covering her face, but the wing-like appendages on both sides of her head, behind her ears, stood out.


    If one looked closer, the woman also had a ck blindfold on. On it wereplex symbols: powerful seals.


    *Creak!*


    Right then, the door to her cell opened, releasing a creaking noise. She raised her head, looking at the intruder even though her eyes were covered. Before her stood a man wearing something that looked like a gray military uniform. He had a rotund stomach but had thick muscles on both his arms and legs.


    It was easy to tell that he was once a fearsome adversary in the field but was already starting to lose his edge with age.


    "280498, I''ve got a new order for you." The man eximed in a derisive tone, deep andmanding. "You will be going to Orinfeld City to infiltrate a certain party. I want you to use those disgusting eyes of yours and gain control of a certain man."


    As the man spoke, he pressed a switch hidden in his pocket, causing the locks on the cuffs holding the woman''s hands together to open.


    "..."


    As she was freed, she felt up her wrists, as if they were in pain, before pulling her blindfold downand revealing her eyes.


    They were beautiful blue eyes, vibrant, and almost felt like they could pull one''s soul. However, another striking feature of it was that it had an eight-pointed star, red like blood, in the middle of it.


    The woman smiled innocently, like a naive young girl, and replied.


    "Of course, Officer Lubbot. I will ensure you that I canplete this mission with flying colors!"


    Her voice was pristine, echoing like bells in a morning shrine. The tone felt like it would be able to make anyone feel goodwill toward her, like a siren pulling sailors to their doom.


    "... Don''t try anything funny, bitch." But the man didn''t fall for her charms and instead red at her, disgusted. "You know that we can take your life anytime we want."


    "..."


    The woman simply smiled, not replying to the man''s provocative words. However, her gaze didn''t waver at all; she stared at the man without blinking. The man felt unnerved and quickly pulled his hat a little, coughing, before turning around to leave.


    "The specifics will be given to youter tonight. Make sure to read it all."


    As the man''s figure left the cell, with the sound of his footsteps disappearing into the distance, the woman''s face turned into a deep frown.


    "Bastard. If I can get out of this [curse], then you''re the first one I''ll kill." A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes as her demeanor turned aplete 180 degrees.


    The gears of fate were starting to move.

 Chapter 121: Called by the Vice Guild Master

    As soon as the boss monster was defeated, Aster''s team, with the help of a couple of good-hearted parties, carried Dragon''s Roar to the Fifth Floor before turning around and exiting the dungeon.


    When they reached the real world, Aster quickly raised his voice, calling for medical help. "Medic! We have patients over here!"


    Although Cassy had already healed them, the members of the Dragon''s Roar weren''t regaining consciousness. Nobody was sure if that was normal or not, so they needed a more expert view on the matter.


    Soon, a group of medics came and quickly carried the two teams to the tent. After that, it was discovered that they were suffering from mana deficiency, causing no mana to return to their system. It was a dangerous situation that could lead to death if not treated immediately.


    Fortunately, for them, Cassy''s use of second-level area healing was able to give them enough mana to survive for long enough. If not, then they would be either dead or on the brink of death right then.


    As for the other teams, they quickly returned without even saying anything¡ªother than the two parties who helped Aster and the rest, of course.


    Leaving the care of the Dragon''s Roar parties to the experts, Aster and the girls started walking back to the Adventurer''s Guild to report. It was high noon, but everyone was walking like they were undead, tired, and listless from the two days of running.


    When they arrived, Cassy ended up being the one to tell Zena about what happened. After listening with a serious expression, a rare one per se, she quickly moved to the back after excusing herself. It didn''t take her long¡ªonly a minute or so¡ªbut when she returned, she faced everyone with an apologetic smile.


    "Sorry, everyone, but the Vice Guild Master said she wanted to hear the story in person. Pleasee with me."


    Aster wanted to refuse, as he simply wanted to rest already, but they had no choice.


    ''An irregr boss appears, immune to all three kinds of attack other thanpounded magic and physical attack...''


    Even in Aster''s eyes, that was practically a cheat-level enemy, especially with its attack reflection skill!


    ''Furthermore, I didn''t gain experience after defeating it.''


    That was the biggest mystery.


    Killing monsters should give experience points, or rather, radiant mana leaving the monster''s dead body. The cases where he didn''t gain experience before were not because the Dire Wolves he killed didn''t give EXP, but rather because it was absorbed by the Frostfire Legacy marked on his right hand.


    But this time, it was he who delivered the finishing blow himself; he was sure of that. Despite that, no experience was gained at all, adding to the irregrity of the situation.


    Albeit reluctant, the entire party followed Zena deeper into the guild building. Behind the counter was a pathway with myriads of doors lined up on either side. Each room was protected by soundproofing magic and technology, ensuring the privacy of whatever was to be discussed inside them.


    They didn''t enter one of the rooms, of course, but instead went to a higher floor through the stairs on the other end of the path. After climbing two floors in session and reaching the third floor, they again started walking down the hallway.


    After a few steps, they stopped before an intricately designed door made of red oak, looking solid, heavy... and expensive.


    *Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*


    "Miss Elly, I''ve brought them," Zena said after she knocked on the door.


    After a short pause, a young-sounding voice echoed from beyond the doors. "Enter!"


    Aster raised a brow but decided to keep his poker face on for the moment. When Zena opened the door, an intricately decorated office weed everyone. It was the temte office for a busy official, with bookshelves overflowing with documents and even the coffee table for guests being buried in mountains of unhandled paperwork.


    Behind an office table, simrly buried in papers, the voice echoed once more.


    "Sorry about the clutter. Make yourselvesfortable."


    Zena nodded too, ushering everyone to sit on the sofa before the coffee table. Aster sat to the right, with Tina sitting down to his right side immediately, as if it were the most natural thing to do.


    Kali sat to Aster''s left, as if topete, but was actually just trying to get closer to Aster to do her guarding job more effectively. Cassy and Liz sat side by side opposite Aster''s group, not raising a single fuss.


    *Tap*


    Following the sound of a pen hitting the table, a set of light footsteps echoed, going around the table anding toward the visitors.


    "...?"


    But when Aster saw the figure of the "Vice Guild Master," he couldn''t help but raise a brow.


    The person looked like a little girl who barely reached two digits of age. Her height was around 1.3 meters, and her auburn hair, the same color as her eyes, was tied in an intricate half-crown braid.


    She had sharp ears, like elves, and had several piercings on them, made of a shiny, beautifulbination of metals and gems.


    "An elf?" He muttered reflexively.


    The girl raised her brows, ring at Aster. "No, I''m a proud dwarf. Remember that, kid."


    "..."


    The way she spoke made her impression feel old, but her appearance was as young as could be, making the contrast too big to fathom. Aster decided to keep his mouth shut instead, to not worsen the situation further.


    "Hah... Well, I don''t me you for mistaking me for an elf. You''re not too familiar with us yet, after all." She shrugged lightly, hinting that she knew about Aster''s situation.


    "... I see." Aster nodded, smiling lightly. "Thank you for your understanding."


    "But there''s no next time."


    "...!"


    Feeling the thick killing intent that brushed his neck, Aster almost felt his blood drain from his face.


    "Miss Elly? Please stop idle chatter; you still have a lot of paperwork to do!" Thankfully, Zena stepped in, scolding her.


    "Ugh... It can''t be helped, right? The appearance of the Crypt on the fifth floor caused attention to flood from all directions. This isn''t something that one person can handle!"


    "Then, all the more so, you need to be prompt! Go on, Cassy, recount what you told me earlier. I''ll be going back to my post."


    "Y-Yes, alright."


    After smoothing things out, Zena turned around and left the Vice Guild Master''s room, leaving the teary-eyed little girl saying, "You''re heartless for not helping me!" and the others looking back and forth between the two with curious eyes.

 Chapter 122: Dungeon Rules

    The Adventurer''s Guild Vice Guild Master of the Orinfeld branch, Eldrinia Bronzeblood, a.k.a. Elly, was a dwarf just like Dr. Zellbrook. However, due to the difference in their blood concentration, she exhibited only the stunted growth of dwarves, without the excess facial hairs or the stout figure.


    As such, it wasn''t weird that Aster would mistake her for a young elf, given her figure and appearance¡ªdespite her being 144 years old already. Despite how young she looked, she was way older than Dr. Zell!


    "I see... So such a thing happened."


    At that moment, Cassy just finished recounting the story she told Zena, with Aster pitching in a few more details as the one who directly fought the monster and defeated it.


    "Immune to all attacks, has a reflection skill, and doesn''t give experience when defeated..." She muttered with aplicated expression. "This... sounds like a ghost-type monster."


    "Ghost?" Liz couldn''t help butment. "But it was wearing armor. There''s no way it was a ghost."


    "Well, listen, young ones..." The Vice Guild Master, Elly, waved her hand as if calming down excited young kids. "Around the 900th floor, ethereal monsters start to appear. One of them is called the Spectral Warden, a monster that is no different than an animated armor, immune to all physical attacks, both melee and ranged."


    "That... sounds simr." Aster mused.


    "Right. Other than the magic immunity, it was almost the same as the boss monster from before!" Cassy added.


    Elly nodded her head as if she understood their concerns too.


    "As you all know, monsters usually get extra immunity after bing boss monsters, right? I suspect that it was something like a Spectral Warden that gained magic immunity from getting summoned as a boss monster."


    "... Then how are those guys still alive?" Kalimented offhandedly. "Spectral Wardens are powerful monsters that can im one''s soul with a single swing of their scythe. The one we fought used a sword, and the members of Dragon''s Roar were still alive (barely) right now."


    "That''s what I''m saying." Elly continued. "Spectral Wardens are a monster among monsters, and defeating them isn''t easy... But since it was summoned to a lower floor, the rules of the dungeon must''ve applied to it too, changing its abilities and armament."


    "Rules? There are rules in the dungeon?" Aster asked, confused.


    After all, to his knowledge, the dungeon was a ruleless ce where even kidnapping or murder could be done without repercussions.


    "I''m not talking aboutws, but the rules of the dungeon itself." Elly sighed, as if tired of getting interrupted. "You know, like how one can''t revisit floors you''ve already conquered. One of the rules is the level limit. Nothing exceeds more than 10 levels above the highest-level monster on the floor."


    "..."


    Aster recalled the Rogue Boss, the Red Cave Spider Mother, whose level was estimated to be around 15. Around that floor, the strongest monster was around level 5, which fits perfectly within this logic.


    ''It''s as if a game mechanic was ced to avoid yers overfarming on certain levels,'' he thought.


    Without this limit, it would be possible to hunt on the first floor endlessly, raising your level infinitely! Of course, it would be the epitome of inefficiency, but safety was guaranteed after you reach level 10 or so. With just that level, you''d be untouchable on the first floor!


    With this new knowledge, Aster realized what the Vice Guild Master was saying. The Spectral Warden also got its level restricted, lowering its strength and limiting its skills. However, onest detail was bugging him.


    "... But that boss monster was speaking words."


    Right, if it was a normal ghost-type monster, then it wasn''t possible. However, the robot-like voice was heard clearly by everyone and couldn''t be dismissed as a simple hallucination.


    Elly raised her hands, exining.


    "I''m only trying to exin it within my knowledge. For that part, even I have no idea. In the first ce, monsters are incapable of human speech, supposedly."


    That part was without a doubt an anomaly!


    "Anyway, I''ll be buying off the armor from you. It should fetch quite a bit, even if it''s a lower-level Spectral Warden."


    "..."


    Aster turned to the girls and turned back to look at the loli dwarf vice master.


    "We... left the armor back on the fourth floor." He exined with a wry smile.


    The armor was three meters tall, after all. And it was made of metal, so it was heavy. Each of the two halves was at least a hundred kilos on average! Adding to the fact that they had to carry the Dragon''s Roar outside too, they had no choice but to leave it behind.


    "Is that so? Then other parties might bring it here for appraisal." Shemented. "Stealing loot is against Adventurer''s Codes, but since you leave it behind willingly, it''s a bit... I guess I can still cut a portion of the amount and give it to you if you want?"


    "No, it''s fine." Aster shook his head. "Let them have it."


    He might be almost out of cash, but the girls weren''t troubled when it came to money. Kali and Cassy were the only ones who might have problems with it, but neither of them raised aint either. As such, it was decided that they would relinquish their im on the boss''s materials.


    After their talk, Elly returned to her job while Aster''s party split up, returning to where they stayed. Aster returned to the Twister Hotel and jumped into his bed, entering a deep sleep almost instantly.


    The fatigue of running almost nonstop and the short sleep for a few days took a toll on his body.


    He didn''t wake up at all until it was the morning of the next day, letting him sleep for almost 16 hours straight. As expected, sleeping for so long made his body stiff and lethargic. After calling room service for breakfast, he took a shower and changed into casual clothes.


    Today was a rest day for everyone since they''d been inside the dungeon for too long. They weren''t some ckpany that made everyone work nonstop without a break.


    After changing into casual ck pants, a in white shirt, and a gray polo, he wrapped his usual scarf around his neck before leaving his room.


    Of course, he already had his day nned out. "Today, I shall check out the library!"

 Chapter 123: Mysterious Beauty (1)

    Now that his level was equivalent, if not greater than the Frostfire Legacy''s level, he wouldn''t have to worry about his mind getting taken over anytime soon. As such, it was the perfect chance to fill up his knowledge about dungeons, which are currently full of holes.


    Of course, he could also browse the inte and check, but he realized that some monsters weren''t posted publicly. Such monsters have their records kept in libraries, like the one Aster was visiting.


    Monster Records and Control Division Public Archives.


    It was a government-sanctioned facility where information on all monsters was recorded. May it be a rare monster that only appeared once, or even the mostmon monsters like slime.


    They even have a section where they keep stuffed monsters, or replicas for some that don''t leave corpses behind, for others to see and familiarize themselves with. Aster''s first hunted Dire Wolf, still encased in ice, was also added to it, recing its previous stuffed sample.


    Of course, his purpose foring there was to familiarize himself with all the monsters that woulde out of the fifth to the thirtieth floor.


    With the number of irregr events happening around him and even the advent of a monster that was supposedly only present on the 900th floor or above, he was starting to feel that his current knowledge was too little.


    "If I learn the specialty and weaknesses of monsters from the first 30 floors, then we should be safe whateveres at us as we head to the tenth floor!"


    The "library" was an entire building with at least hundreds of floors. Of course, it not only extended up towards the sky but also deep underground, for at least 50 floors. Its design was just a simple rectangr skyscraper, but the walls weren''t made of transparent ss but instead of solid metal.


    Rather than a building, it was more like a single fortification. In fact, it was one of the few buildings set up as evacuation points in an emergency, like when a dungeon overflow happens.


    Aster pulled the hood of his windbreaker down, keeping his face mostly hidden, as he entered the said building.


    The inside was spacious and mostly empty. After all, not many would visit a library in the current era. Libraries were treated the same as museums by then, so only a few civilians visited them regrly. Only those rted to the study of monsters and those working for the governmente frequently.


    Of course, this library was an archive not only of physical books and papers but also of electronic data. Only about 5% of the information was kept in physical format, while the rest was digitalized and stored safely.


    This wasn''t because they were skimping on the budget, but rather because physical books are heavy. The building would give out if all the data they had was converted into physical books and stored there!


    "Good morning. How may I help you?"


    Aster approached the counter, which, for once, wasn''t actually an elf. She did possess quite the breathtaking beauty too, which was more or less a requirement for receptionists.


    She had green hair and eyes, with what looked like leaves growing around her head like a crown. From a nce, she just looked like a normal woman who was wearing a weird headdress, but looking closer, the skin around her neck looked like tree bark.


    Aster wasn''t too keen on other races, but he still could guess what race she was: a Dryad!


    Realizing he was staring, Aster scratched his cheeks while pulling the scarf down a little, making it easier to talk. "Ah, I''m looking for information about monsters from floors 1 to 30. Do you know where I can find them?"


    "Low floor monsters, is it...?" The Dryad tilted her head for a moment before smiling sweetly.


    "If it''s that, then the physical books for it would be on the second floor. The electronic data would be under the safety of the 50th floor. Finally, the taxidermy version of the monsters would be on the first floor of the underground. Do you need a guide, perhaps?"


    "Thanks, but I''ll just visit it myself." Aster smiled back, nodding lightly in appreciation.


    Since he was a fast reader, he decided to visit the data bank on the 50th floor first. Riding the Mana Elevator, he sped through dozens of floors and stopped right at the 50th floor, a room with tables sporting holographic monitors in the middle.


    Aster looked around and saw that there was nobody present. Only cameras could be seen, moving as if to track the "intruder''s" movements.


    He chose to sit down at the closest table. As soon as he did, a virtual keyboard appeared before him, glowing on top of the table itself. With little hesitation, he started to input his queries, mainly the monsters from the first 30 floors.


    "Six thousand hits?!" And he was surprised at the number of results that the database returned. "It would take me hours to finish all these..."


    Whileining, he already opened the first article and started reading the data written on it.


    The first article was about the basic appearance, description, abilities, and weaknesses of the monsters from the first 100 floors. This not only included their elite version but also the recorded immunities of their elite forms.


    Thankfully, the monsters were indexed properly, so he wouldn''t get lost so easily.


    The No. 00001 monster on the list was the Blue Slime, the weakest monster in the dungeon, followed by No. 00002 Big Blue Slime, its elite version, followed by No. 00003 Goblin, and No. 00004 Hobgoblin.


    The list went on and on, listing the monsters in order of which ones appeared first in the dungeon. Aster didn''t waste his time and read them all, memorizing as much as he could while taking notes on the important bits, like their weaknesses and things to watch out for.


    "The most troubling enemy would be the Big Green Slime, as expected. Since it has acid as its body fluid."


    Under the first ten floors, only the Big Green Slime would be tricky to fight. Of course, there''s also the Death Viper on the 10th floor, but it''s not a threat as long as you carry an antidote for its poison. Other than poisoning its enemy, it had no other ways to fight back, after all.


    *Creak!*


    "Huh?"


    When the chair he was sitting on suddenly released a short creaking sound, he automatically turned to his side, where a presence suddenly appeared.


    "...!" Aster gasped, stiffening for a bit in surprise.


    What he found beside him was an astonishing, breathtaking beauty sitting casually beside him, showing a seductive smile.

 Chapter 124: Mysterious Beauty (2)

    Aster, as if by magic, could see the woman''s entire face in just a single instant. Her long, silver hair flowed like a waterfall. The two wings beside her head pped lightly, adding a slight breeze to give more dynamics to her face.


    Sharp chin, high nose bridge, and lush pink lips. Adding to that, her alluring pale blue eyes. Without a doubt, she was a beauty who would make eleven out of ten men turn their heads once she passed by.


    "Hey there." She greeted him casually, as if they were long-time acquaintances. "You''re looking at information about monsters? I can help you if you want, you know?"


    ''Is she perhaps an assistant for this floor?'' Aster quickly assumed.


    After all, other than that, he couldn''t think of any reason a beauty like her would strike up a conversation with him!


    "Ah, it''s fine. I already found what I was looking for." He answered after a short dy.


    "Really? I''m sure you can use my help somewhere, right?" But the woman didn''t give up just yet, asking persistently. "I''ll make sure you''re satisfied, whatever you want."


    Her hand moved over her heart as if to show her sincerity. However, it instead emphasized her assets, which were visibly soft and supple, even over her clothes.


    "..."


    Aster suddenly couldn''t help but stare straight into her eyes. Something within her gaze was making him feel a little weird. His mind slowly became muddled as his lips parted.


    "Then... I..."


    *Fwoooo~!*


    "Hiik...!"


    Just as he was about to respond, someone else blew warm air straight into his ears, disrupting his sentence. Aster quickly held a hand over his left ear, kicking back his chair loudly as he turned to the other side.


    "V-Vanessa!" He eximed as soon as he saw the face of the prankster. "Why are you here? Rather, why did you...!"


    Vanessa Ross, the scientist who Dr. Zell introduced, told Aster about his Frostfire Legacy''s identity.


    Unlike her attire in the hospital before, however, she wasn''t wearing ab coat over her dress. She only wore a white, short-sleeve top with a diamond-shaped window in the middle and a ck corset with gold ties paired with a short ck skirt with a slit on one side. Her overall impression was daring and impish, almost as if she were unting her voluptuous body for everyone to see.


    "What?" She grinned lightly, moving to Aster''s back and wrapping her hand around his neck, resting her chest on top of his head. "I just saw a familiar face while I was doing my research, so I decided to say hi. Was I perhaps a third wheel?"


    Her red eyes gazed at the other woman, who wasn''t losing in terms of appeal and exposure. Now that Aster could get a good look, the woman to his right also wore an extremely revealing white one-piece, making her look innocent and fresh and wrapping her body tightly. From how he could faintly see two protrusions over her twin mountains, he could tell that she wasn''t wearing anything underneath!


    ''Wait, earlier, I...''


    Just as Aster remembered what he was about to do earlier, he became confused. The memory was still fresh in his mind, after all. He almost epted the girl''s offer and asked her for help finding information about monsters!


    It was weird since he already found the information he needed. He didn''t need assistance anymore, so even if he epted her offer, she wouldn''t be able to do anything to help!


    ''Why was I about to ept her offer?''


    But whenever he tried to think of his logic foring to that conclusion, he was pulling on nks.


    Vanessa turned her red eyes, ring at the woman in silver hair, and asked. "And? Who''s this little girl here anyway? Your girlfriend?"


    "She''s..." Aster stopped for a moment, hesitating, before continuing. "I haven''t heard her name yet. You''re a staff member of this ce, I presume?"


    The woman''s face retained her smile while staring back at Vanessa. But under their smiles, a silent battle was unfolding between the two. Their staring conteststed for a few seconds before the silver-haired woman closed her eyes and sighed.


    "I''m just a passerby who wanted to offer some help. However, it seems like my services aren''t needed, so I''ll take my leave."


    She turned to Aster, gently caressing his hand as she stood up. "I''m Lori, by the way. If you evere across meter, please don''t hesitate to give me a call."


    Without waiting for his reply, the woman, Lori, turned around and walked toward the elevator. Aster stared at her fading figure, still confused as to what she wanted to do.


    As she disappeared into the elevator, Vanessa leaned forward, almost crushing Aster underneath her chest while warning him. "That was close. You almost got caught in some weird skill."


    "... What?" He asked while trying to push Vanessa away.


    However, the disparity between their stats was too great, so his struggle was futile. Since he couldn''t fight against it, he simply decided to enjoy what he could in the situation.


    "I''m not sure myself, as I only saw thatst moment. But that girl seemed to have used some sort of ability on you." Vanessa exined. "She seemed to have given up as soon as I appeared, though, so that means I saved you. I won''t mind you thanking me."


    "Is that so?" Aster took a deep breath. "Then, thank you. If you ever need something from me, then just ask, and I''ll do what I can."


    Vanessa finally let go of him, walking in front of him and holding Aster down by his shoulders. "That''s great~! I just got permission from the government yesterday. They said that as long as you''re willing, they will allow me to study your disease~!"


    Hearing that, Aster recalled their talk at the hospital and frowned.


    Having a backup n was indeed good. After all, now that he could estimate how long it would take to reach the 1,000th floor, they had a higher chance of failing to reach it within five years than seeding. If Vanessa studied his disease, there''s a fair chance that she could find a cure or something else that could help his case.


    "... Alright." Aster nodded after thinking deeply about it. "What do I need to do?"


    Vanessa stared at him, her red eyes glowing scarily. "There''s no need to be stiff! I just want your blood sample and to see your disease in action. How about tonight? Are you free~?"


    "..."


    For some reason, seeing Vanessa lick her lips after she asked sent chills crawling down his back.

 Chapter 125: Visiting the Lab

    Aster couldn''t dodge the matter, as he had given his word about doing what he could. As such, he had to speed up his ns by getting a non-transferable, encrypted, and protected copy of the file he was reading for his Holo tab.


    Right after that, he also went down to the first floor underground and checked the taxidermied monsters there, along with some monsters'' replicas, like slimes. After seeing every single variant up to the 30th floor''s samples, he finally returned to the lobby, where someone was already waiting for him.


    "You''re done? Then let''s go!" The one waiting for him, Vanessa, dered tly as soon as she saw his figure. "I''ve already arranged our ride. Follow me."


    Although Aster wasn''t worried about his safety since Vanessa was given permission by the government¡ªin short, approved by Mayor Magnus¡ªhe still couldn''t help but worry about his "body."


    "Where are we heading?" Aster asked.


    Vanessa grabbed him, her twin peaks pressing tight against his arm as she replied. "To myb, of course."


    Although still slightly worried, Aster didn''t resist as he was pulled toward the entrance. As they got out, a familiar face was waiting for them, with a familiar ck car.


    "You are... Mistelle, was it?" Aster confirmed this while grabbing the white scarf around his neck.


    The elf woman smiled at him, her gold hair waving in the strong winds, damp and cold, a telltale sign that summer was ending and fall was approaching.


    "So you remember me? That makes me happy." The elf, Mistelle, smiled sweetly. "Officer Mistelle Foress! Dispatched as the observer for Doctor Vanessa Ross''s request duration." She saluted crisply, exining her situation and introducing herself at the same time.


    "Observer?" Aster repeated this before releasing a sigh of relief.


    With a third party watching over Vanessa, the "risk" lessened greatly.


    "I told them I didn''t need someone to watch over me, but Magnus, that bastard, didn''t listen," Vanessa grumbled. "His condition for approving my request was to let someone else watch over the proceedings of my sample gathering."


    Aster nodded his head in understanding. This was a move made not only to ensure his safety but also to partially help clear up the cloud of mystery covering his Nameless Disease. Furthermore, whether or not this "research" seeds, the government will still benefit from it.


    After the short chat, the two got on the backseat, sitting side by side, as Mistelle sat over the driver''s seat and started the car. Of course, she wasn''t technically driving since the controls of the car werepletely reliant on the Hivemind AI, which controls all traffic in the city.


    Looking at the GPS on the dashboard, he could tell that their destination was aboratory from a pharmaceuticalpany set near the hospital he frequents. The ce was a mere three minutes away, so it didn''t take too long before the three reached their destination.


    The car moved to the slowne before flying down, reaching the rooftop parking lot. As the car came to a stop, all three of them alighted from the car.


    Aster looked around the almost empty parking lot, wondering if there was anyone else using this ce.


    "There''s nobody here but guards." As if reading his mind, Vanessa spoke in a clear voice. "And theirpany vehicle usually parks on the underground lot, so nobody is using this ce other than me."


    "Really...?" Aster asked before pointing toward the other end of the passage. "Then, what about that guy? Your acquaintance?"


    "What?"


    "...!"


    Vanessa turned toward where Aster pointed and opened her eyes in shock. It should be impossible for someone else to be in her personalboratory, but a mysterious figure was already standing there as if waiting for them!


    Before she could move, Mistelle already dashed before the two, her mouth moving lightly as she chanted a spell.


    "Secundi Tiroe Skild! Wall of Earth!"


    As soon as her chant ended, the ground suddenly moved, surging up and forming a wall before them. At the same time, spears of ice flew over, piercing through the wall until halfway.


    "Kuh...!" Mistelle grunted, seeing that her pdash 2nd stage defense barely blocked the attack! Only on m v|le|mp|yr


    "Miss Vanessa, please take Aster and run!" Realizing that the situation wasn''t in their favor, she turned around to shout. "Huh...?" But she went speechless.


    Vanessa was gone from behind them!


    "Who are you? How did you get inside myboratory?" She casually asked while standing behind the mysterious, hooded figure, holding his shoulder tight. "You have a thick scent of blood on you. Don''t tell me... you killed all my security guards?"


    "...!"


    The man, surprised by the fact that Vanessa appeared behind him before he could notice, jumped forward and rolled. His hands extended out, revealing sharp ws as if he were a mongoose.


    His movements were fast, almost like a blur to Aster''s eyes. However, Vanessa caught his arm without much effort and tightened her grip on it, causing a resounding echo of cracking bones.


    "GAAAAAH!"


    The man screamed in pain as he tried to get out of her hold. However, both his arms were now bent at 90-degree angles, and the bones on them werepletely disconnected!


    "You... are from the Anti-Human Movement, right?" Vanessa asked once more, rhetorically.


    As she spoke, spears of ice appeared around her before flying while aiming toward her vitals. Her eyes darted around for a short moment before letting go of the arms she was holding.


    *SHATTER!* *SHATTER!* *SHATTER!*


    With a casual p, the icences that could even puncture a level 2 earth-element shield were turned into harmless fragments in a sh!


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    The hooded man, who had broken arms, tried to take advantage of her being distracted by the icences and tried to run away. However, without even showing that she was exerting much effort, she quickly caught up with the man and kicked his right shoulder from behind.


    *CRACK!*


    Not only did it break his vicle, but even a few of his ribs cracked! He fell to the ground like a puppet with a cut string, but Vanessa didn''t let him off just yet. She walked over him, her left foot above his center of gravity and her right foot over his head.


    Aster and Mistelle could only watch as Vanessa handled the situation like a pro!


    Of course, this was natural. After all, despite appearances, Vanessa was a powerhouse who had already reached the 1,000th floor. Her level had long gone past four digits!


    "Huh?"


    However, even she could be careless at times. By the time she noticed a package strapped around the man''s body, it was toote.


    *Tick!*


    *KABOOOOOOOM!*


    A bright sh covered the entire top floor, the explosion demolishing almost the entire room.

 Chapter 126: All Work no Play

    The top floor of the Valmont Medical Research Facility, Orinfeld Branch, exploded without warning, causing chaos for the surrounding passersby. Thankfully, due to the magical protective measures ced, no civilians were injured.


    As for the three present on the top floor...


    *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*


    Aster coughed, inhaling a good deal of the dust that was raised by the explosion. Thankfully, Mistelle was with him, and she was able to cast anotheryer of protective walls to hide them from the heat and shockwaves of the explosion. As such, the two were rtively uninjured.


    "Vanessa...!"


    Aster called, worried. After all, she was right where the explosion urred! As soon as Mistelle removed the walls, Aster ran forward to the spot where the man was pinned before. However, he couldn''t take another step forward, seeing that the ground ahead of him was destroyed, revealing the floor below.


    Looking through the edge, he could see a figure standing in the middle of all the smoke and dust, a woman with ck hair fluttering with the strong windsing from the destroyed windows.


    "Are you al... right?!"


    And just as he was about to check for her safety, he noticed the change in her appearance. Her clothes were almost all gone, leaving nothing but scraps sticking to parts of her body. She''s no different than being naked right now, but other than that, no signs of injuries could be seen from her.


    "I''m alright." She replied lightly while staring at her own body.


    "But the bastard destroyed my favorite pair of clothes! If he didn''t die from that, I''d be killing him a hundred times over by now!"


    Despite being exposed, she didn''t even bat an eye at it. Rather, she didn''t even mind Aster seeing her body!


    "You, officer. Go report this to your higher-ups and call for someone to fix this ce." And as if nothing happened, she continued to givemands to Mistelle.


    "And you, my little test subject, stop gandering at my body ande down here. We''re on a tight schedule, so we''ll proceed with the sample gathering quickly."


    Vanessa walked around the room and grabbed a rtively undamagedb coat that was lying on the ground.


    "..."


    But rather than helping with covering her body, it turned even more provocative-looking instead. As if she were an exhibitionist, ready to spread the front of her robe open to show passersby her godly proportions!


    "Ah, right. I''ming." Aster snapped back to reality and looked down.


    The floor below was about three meters high, so it wasn''t too far. He simply jumped down,nding on the part of the floor that didn''t have too many cracks running across it. As hended, he quickly chased after Vanessa''s back, walking down a set of stairs as they went.


    Along the way, they found a few corpses of what looked like security forces stationed in the building. Their bodies were mangled badly, almost leaving them unrecognizable. Aster frowned as they passed by the corpses, continuing onward.


    ''These people are her hired security, so she must be familiar with them, right? Doesn''t she feel bad seeing their deaths?''


    Aster wondered lightly, seeing how Vanessa remained unaffected even after they passed by more than a dozen corpses by then.


    "Is this your first time seeing a dead body?" Vanessa asked lightly without turning around.


    Aster stood in attention, keeping a constant pace while chasing behind her. "No... I''ve taken the lives of a few kidnappers too, so it''s not really my first time."


    Vanessa nodded her head in understanding.


    "I see. Well, in time, you would find corpses boring to look at too." She eximed with a sigh. "As an adventurer, you would be walking alongside death most of the time, so you should get used to it soon."


    Aster wanted to ask how old she was, hearing her talk about "time" and all that. However, he didn''t want to appear rude by asking that question. As such, he silently epted her "tips" and took them to heart.


    "We''re here. Myb."


    Soon, after going down for six floors, they finally stopped before an auto door. Vanessa ced her hand on the panel beside the door, which scanned her handprints and matched them with the security database, before turning green. The doors slid open quickly, along with the sound ofpressed air releasing.


    The floor was filled with clouds of cold air, telling Aster that the room was chilled enough to cause water vapor to turn back to a fog-like state.


    Experience new worlds on M-VL-em|p,yr


    As they entered, the lights turned on, shedding light on the various machines and pods filled with mysterious fluids here and there.


    "Over here. Sit." Vanessamanded Aster as they reached the operating table in the middle of the room.


    "We don''t have much time left, since such chaos just happened. When the policee here, then that might mean that my permitted interaction with you would end too."


    They were ambushed by a member of the Anti-Human Movement right as they arrived at herboratory. Meaning, the exchange between her and Magnus was leaked! That also meant Aster couldn''t stay there, as the location was already leaked to the "enemies."


    "First, let me get a blood sample. About... 200 mL should be good enough."


    From the nearby table, Vanessa took a blood pack with a tube connected to what looked like a small patch. "Give me your left hand, and rx your muscles." She requested.


    With professional, swift movements, Vanessa used a cotton swab to clean the area on the other side of his left elbow, where the median cubital vein was. After that, she carefully ced the patch connected to the tube over it.


    "...!"


    And then, without even feeling pain, Aster''s blood started to get drawn. The blood pack filled to half before stopping, extracting roughly 200 mL of his blood.


    "With this much, I should be able to do much research." She smiled while checking the contents of the airtight bag, letting its contents slush inside. "Next, let me see your Nameless Disease in action."


    She quickly pulled a chair over, sitting right across from Aster. She also had a stethoscope over her shoulder, making her look like an authentic doctor¡ªif not for her robe being open, exposing most of her chest, and practically everything else.


    Aster tried to keep a straight face as he removed the bracelet from his left wrist. It was there for quite a while, to the point that he already forgot he even had it on!


    "... Ugh!"


    As soon as he removed it, he started to feel that his energy was dropping with every breath he took. Now that he was even more sensitive to energy, it felt even more oppressive and scary to him. It was like a water balloon with a small hole, leaking water out.


    Vanessa stared at Aster intently, her eyes darting from here and there, observing his entire body without missing a single detail.


    "This is... I see... interesting!"


    Right after, she pulled out her stethoscope and started to check the sound of Aster''s heartbeat and breathing. After about three minutes of continuous observation, the police finally arrived, and put a stop to their session, just as Vanessa expected.


    "I was nning to check his life essence and get a sample too, but... too bad." Vanessa sighed as she watched Aster get escorted by dozens of police to safety.

 Chapter 127: Back to the Grind! (1)

    Aster was escorted back to his room in the Twister Hotel, with security heightened even more than before. While he was there, the entire police force, with the help of Private Military Companies (PMCs), worked to root out the other members of the Anti-Human Movement who managed to infiltrate the city.


    Unable to even take a step outside, Aster decided to simply stay quietly inside his room, and read the data he got from the Monster Records and Control Division Public Archives.


    It was not until midnight was approaching when an officer came to his door and told him that they had already weeded out all "enemies" in the entire city. With that out of the way, Aster was now able to walk around once more.


    ''Still, how did hundreds of those Anti-Human Movement guys slip into the city?'' He wondered. ''And why did they send only one attacker if they already knew my location?''


    Many questions were filling his head, but he decided to ignore them for now. He couldn''t find answers to those, no matter how hard he pondered them, after all. He could try and ask one of those Anti-Human Movement guys themselves, but none of them survived the hunt.


    It''s not that the police were killing them on sight, but rather, like the one that attacked Aster, they were all equipped with powerful explosives that they could use tomit suicide while inflicting heavy damage to the surroundings.


    Thankfully, since Mistelle already alerted them of the bombs, the damage was limited with the use of defensive spells and skills. As such, the movement''s indiscriminate terrorist attack ended prematurely, without causing much chaos or damage.


    The next day, Aster woke up early as usual. He managed to return to his natural circadian rhythm in just a single night!


    After preparing breakfast himself, eating, and taking a shower, he walked out of his room and started on his way to the Adventurer''s Guild. Along the way, he could see a lot of patrol cars zipping above his head or parked near the sidewalks, proof that although they weeded out the danger, the security alert was yet to be taken down.


    Suddenly, while walking at a crossroads, about to cross the pedestrianne, someone suddenly yanked his scarf, choking him a little.


    "Akh!" He groaned as he turned around, seeing the grumpy cat behind him. "Ugh, Kali? What''s the matter?" He asked while soothing his slightly hurting throat.


    Her finger pointed to the pedestrian light, showing that it hadn''t turned green yet.


    "... Thanks." He muttered.


    Although he wanted to say that there was a better way to stop him, he didn''t bother to pick on his savior''s methods.


    "So? What''s the n for today?" Acting as if nothing happened, Kali asked, her silver ears twitching lightly.


    "Well... Apparently, the level of monsters in the crypt was higher than average, so I suggest we level up a bit more before checking it out."


    Aster didn''t only spend his time researching the monsters that they would be encountering on their way up. He also checked out the forums, where other adventurers were grumbling about the difficulty of the crypt!


    "I heard. The Crypt has Mummies at level 10, Skeleton Knights at level 12, and Ghouls at level 15." Kali exined. "If you said we''re going straight to the crypt, then I''d smack your head right then to beat some sense into you."


    All five of them were just level 7, far from the average level of monsters inside the crypt. As such, they first need to level up¡ªat least reach level 10¡ªbefore checking it out.


    Just as Aster and Kali resumed walking, a faint voice, slowly getting louder, reached the two''s ears.


    "Daaarliiiiiiiing~!"


    "Huh?"


    Aster turned to the source of the sound, up in the sky, and saw a ck cat falling toward him at great speeds. "Tina?!"


    Seeing a car with a wide-open door, almost causing idents in the sky, he could more or less guess what happened. "Wait, we gotta catch her!" Worried, Aster was poised to catch the falling cat, but Kali beside him quickly pulled him out of the way.


    *BAM!* *ROLL!*


    As she did, Tinanded on the ground, turning her falling speed into rotational energy as she did two barrel rolls, before jumping back toward Aster. Despite falling from over a hundred meters up in the air, she was uninjured!


    Of course, this doesn''t have any rtion to her being a cat. Rather, it was due to the safety measures ced under the speedway. A spell that affects those who "fell" from their cars and limits their falling speed.


    Even for Tina, falling from that height would be dangerous if not for the safety measure!


    Tina rubbed her cheeks against Aster''s as if marking him with her scent. "Darling~! I missed you!"


    "Hiss! Let go of him,Vixen!" Kali quickly tried to pull her away.


    "Ha?! I haven''t been with my darling for a long time. I need to replenish my darlingnium! Don''t disturb us, bitch!"


    "Bullshit! It''s barely been a day; what do you mean by a long time?!"


    "A day IS a long time! In fact, even an hour is too long already!"


    "..."


    Aster could only stay quiet, stuck between two cats fighting. While trying to ignore the two of them, he continued walking forward, acting as if they didn''t exist in his senses.


    After a while, with their quarrel still not stopping, the trio reached the Adventurer''s guild. As they entered, Aster quickly found Cassy and Liz sitting at a table, chatting amicably with smiles.


    ''I hope Kali and Tina could be like those two too... Even just a fraction of it is fine.'' He wished. Find the next installment on m-vl-em|p-yr


    "Oh! Good morning, Star, K, and Tinya~!"


    "Good morning, everyone. So you three were already together?"


    The two greeted them as they saw the three enter.


    Aster quickly plucked Tina away from his body, keeping a hand over her forehead to stop her from sticking to him like usual. He then smiled as he greeted the two. "Good morning, Cassy, Liz. I''ve asked Kali before, and we decided to focus on leveling up first."


    "Okay~! No problem!" Cassy smiled brightly, raising her hand energetically, with her ears flipping up in attention.


    "I see." Liz nodded as if already predicting it. "I''m fine with your arrangements. Shall we go to the dungeon now? Or do we need to gather supplies first?"


    "No need. We should have enough supplies remaining." Aster shook his head. "But let''s redistribute them equally to everyone first."


    When they first started on their path to clearing the second floor, the distribution of items was unbnced. Aster only had a few potions, while the rest of his Spatial Fanny Pack was filled with ingredients and cooking utensils.


    The others were also the same.


    After that, they reorganized their supplies, giving everyone their fair share, then went to Zena and renewed the contracts for both Tina and Liz, before finally going on their way to the dungeon.

 Chapter 128: Back to the Grind! (2)

    The fifth floor of the dungeon was more or less talked about as the "end of the tutorial," as it was thest floor with a slime on it. The monsters on the fifth floor were mostly leveled 6 to 8, which wasn''t something that Aster''s party couldn''t handle.


    A Yellow Slime would be the first monster to wee those entering the fifth floor. Like any slime, it would die in a single hit, but the difference was that it was faster than any slime from the previous floors.


    Its speed was roughly five times that of the other slimes, with an almost endless amount of energy, making it impossible to run away from it or catch it if it ran away. As such, it wasbeled the "Git Gud" slime, which frustrated not just a few adventurers.


    "Taunt!"


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    "Haap!"


    "Hiss!"


    "Vertical sh!"


    But Aster''s group was, more or less, experts in hunting slimes. To add to that, they even have two tanks with taunt skills, preventing the slimes from running away.


    With appropriate distancing between the two, and adding the wide field of slimes with nobody else daring to hunt, the five were able to "monopolize" the slime area!


    "Nice! Level 8!"


    And after three hours of hunting, Aster finally reached level 8. Of course, the only one who wasgging in levels was him, as the other girls had already reached that level an hour ago. The reason for him being slower was, as expected, the difference in their stats.


    Other than the two tanks, who were given priority to killing slimes, Aster and the rest had to race to kill the slimes. Firste, first served! But since he had a lower DEXpared to Cassy and Kali, it was obvious that he wouldg behind them.


    Due to their arrangements, their rank in terms of experience gained right now was Kali at the top, followed by Liz and Tina, then Cassy, and finally, Aster. Although the gap between them and Aster was spreading, he wasn''t chagrined by it, nor was he trying to rush.


    They were a party, so everyone''s level-up was going to contribute to their overall strengthter on!


    After they cleared the slime area, they entered the forest area.


    There, a variant of wolves called Gray Wolves started appearing. They have better teamwork with each other, and also alwayse in groups of at least ten. They were harder to hunt, but the pelt, nails, and fang gained from them could be sold for a high price.


    Of course, the regr denizens of the forests, the goblins, also tried to pick a fight with them. However, even though they were higher level than those on the floors below, their intelligence didn''t differ by much, so hunting them went swimmingly.


    The only good thing about goblins on higher floors was that there was a higher probability of them having essories, which was the only seble item gathered from goblins.


    They hunted for almost the full day, pushing all of them to level 9 fast, before returning to the guild to turn in their loot.


    "That''s 3,512,250 Tels. You worked hard!"


    Zena smiled, praising them for the amount of loot they brought back. Of course, Aster felt a little disappointed. If he could just use his Frostfire legacy without worry, then they could''ve gained the cores from all those Yellow Slimes they hunted. It''s too bad he still couldn''t risk using it.


    At least, not until he reached level 15. Before then, he would avoid using the seal as much as possible.


    The following day, May 22, 4533, was rainy. It was the first time Aster encountered rain after waking up in this era. Unlike what he was used to, however, the rain at the current age wasn''t something you could pass through safely.


    It''s nothing as "kind" as acid rain. The raindrops contained not only magic parasites within them¡ªwhich would disrupt one''s ability to use mana¡ªthey could even infect you, reach your heart, and kill you in a few hours.


    As such, unless you have protective measures set up, it is impossible to roam around when there''s rain. For the entire duration, Aster decided to read the files he "borrowed" from the archives while also chatting with the girls, and coordinating their ns.


    Fortunately, the rain ended before noon, so the party was able to return to the dungeon that afternoon. After hunting for half the day, only Kali managed to reach level 10.


    Her stats improved quite a lot, focusing mostly on her DEX and then STR.


    [


    Name: Kali Norma


    Age: 19


    Race: Catkin


    Purity: 26%


    Level: 10


    Party Members: Aster Mistral, Cassandra Bright, Celestinya Zirroth, Lizandrea Von Dragonseal (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 16


    Dexterity: 24


    Constitution: 15


    Intelligence: 7


    Wisdom: 6


    Charisma: 8


    Luck: 0


    ]


    With her current stats, nobody within the party could catch up with her in terms of agility or speed anymore. Not even Cassy!


    The following day, May 23, they nned to continue on grinding levels. However, not long after they started, a problem urred.


    "RUN! It''s the Field Boss!"


    Voices came from afar, alerting them of a problem. The Field Boss of the Fifth Floor was nearby!


    "What do we do?" Cassy asked immediately.


    Of course, they should just retreat. After all, the Field Boss of the 5th floor, Berserk Gray Wolf, was at level 10. It meant that one would need a full party of level 10s to safely hunt one down!


    "Let''s..."


    Find hidden adventures on m-vl-em-py-r


    "Kyaaah!"


    But just as Aster was about to order their retreat, a shrill scream echoed from close by. Turning their heads by reflex, everyone found a mystic beauty running toward them. From the way she was clothed in a silver and ck robe, with a tall staff in her hand, it was obvious that she was a magic caster.


    Behind her, arge monster¡ªa quadrupedal beast with gray fur and red eyes¡ªwas chasing her. If they left her alone, she would, without a doubt, end up scratched, injured, and, at worst, die.


    ''That girl...'' Aster, however, realized that the woman was a familiar face. ''She''s the one I met at the Archives a few days ago!''


    He wouldn''t say they''re friends, but they''re at least acquaintances since she gave him her name before. As such, leaving her to die would leave a bad taste in his mouth.


    "Fuck it!" Aster cursed as he was left with no choice. "Everyone! Cover for that girl! We''ll hunt the field boss here!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 129: Hunting the Field Boss!

    "Star?!"


    Even Cassy was surprised by Aster''s sudden dash, weaving through the trees ahead. Even the rest of the girls were stunned by his decision, dying their reaction by a few seconds.


    "...! Muscle woman, Vixen!" Kali returned to her senses first and quicklymanded the two beside her. "Go and tank that goddamned boss! Stupid Rabbit, prepare to heal them!"


    Aster, who activated his Physical Enchant, was so fast that they couldn''t catch up to him. He arrived before the boss and swung his sword toward its face. The Berserk Gray Wolf quickly saw his attack and dodged to the side.


    *GROOOWWWL!*


    The wolf roared in annoyance, before pouncing right at him while swinging its ws. Aster quickly saw this and took a short jump back, letting the wolf swipe nothing but air.


    "While I have it''s attention, run!" He quickly nced at the woman, Lori, andmanded.


    "Y-You are...!"


    Her eyes opened wide in surprise upon seeing Aster bravely facing the Berserk Gray Wolf by himself. "N-No, I can''t leave you alone! I, I''ll fight too!" She eximed, her expression earnest, and filled with grim resolve.


    However, before she could move, two figures ran past her,ing to Aster''s aid.


    "Knight''s Challenge!"


    "Stop bugging my darling!!!"


    Liz spread her draconic wings wide as she used them as brakes,ing to a sudden stop right in front of Aster, and activating her taunt skill. All of the Field Boss''s aggro turned to her in a sh!


    While the big mutt was focused on Liz, Tina moved to its side, and let out a powerful punch to the gap between its second and third ribs.


    *BAM!*


    The punch was powerful enough that the giant figure of the boss monster slid a few feet to the side!


    "Assassinate!"


    At the same time, Kali appeared like a mirage on top of the monster''s head, and stabbed her dagger towards the back of its nape. But to her surprise, her dagger couldn''t go deeper than half an inch beforeing to a stop. The monster''s hide was so tough!


    "Haaap!"


    And with a cheerful battle cry, Cassy let out a powerful kick toward the monster''s chin, sending its head up. It was pretty effective! After shended a solid hit, she quickly jumped to a safe spot behind Liz and finished casting her spell, taking in everyone within its range.


    "Priodis Liora Consorie fen Cura! Minor Regeneration!"


    It was a healing buff that continuously restored the health and stamina of those within the designated area! Thankfully, they have two tanks, so they can take advantage of the spell without worrying about getting out of its range.


    Technically, it would continue running until the caster runs out of mana, but Cassy doesn''t have much mana herself. So the buff couldst five minutes, or ten minutes if she doesn''t use any other spells.


    "Holy Smite!"


    At that moment, Liz didn''t hold back and hit the boss with her Holy Smite, a skill she learned after reaching level 8. It was a light element skill that inflicted holy damage and induced a short stun on the target. It was a perfect crowd-control (CC) skill when fighting one-on-one!


    The Bersert Gray Wolf was hit on the head again, just as it was trying to shake off the dizziness from Cassy''s kick. Its head flicked hard down, with the stun causing it to lose control of its body for a few seconds, making it fall to the ground with a loud thud.


    "Mana sh!"


    "Twin Fang!"


    "Flower Palm!"


    "Uhhm! K-Kick!"


    As soon as they confirmed that the boss had be vulnerable, all four went to attack, using their most damaging skills. Other than Cassy, of course, since she doesn''t have any skills to inflict damage.


    "Tough!"


    But as expected, it wouldn''t be so easy.


    Only Mana sh did quite significant damage, leaving a bleeding wound around its shoulder. Kali''s attack could only pierce half through thanks to the 50% defense ignore bonus of the skill. Tina and Cassy''s was practically nothing to it.


    "Tertie Noxis Sirreo Nura Skild! Great Weaken Defense!"


    Suddenly, a ck and red ball, with a helix-like shadow spinning around it, shed past like a speeding arrow and hit the boss. As it did, its body started to change colors, bing a lighter shade of gray.


    "...!"


    Aster turned to look and saw Lori waving her staff forward. It was she who cast that curse debuff to the boss monster!


    *GRRRRR!*


    Right as the boss regained consciousness, the duration of its stun ending, it quickly panicked as it tried to stand. Its body hurt from various angles, causing it to get even more confused.


    "Not so fast!"


    Aster didn''t wait until it regained its stance, of course, and quickly filled the edge of his de with mana, and shed it down towards the neck. "Mana sh!"


    He was expecting to open arge wound again, but to his surprise, his sword went through like a hot knife cutting through butter. The defense-weakening curse was powerful enough to lower its defenses by 40%, allowing Aster''s sword to pierce deeper and faster!


    The Berserk Gray Wolf''s head fell to the ground and rolled like a ball before blood started spurting out of its neck. All five of them stared at the boss''s corpse, wondering if that was it.


    Aster opened his mouth in doubt, muttering. "That''s... all the field boss got?"


    It ended so easily that they all felt lost! They felt that the field boss was too weakpared to its grand reputation!


    "..."


    And all of that was achieved thanks to Lori''s help. Her hex, which weakened the monster''s defense, was the one that shortened the time they needed to win!


    Of course, it''s not like they wouldn''t win without her help. If she didn''t move, then Aster''s party would still manage to hunt the boss after three minutes or so. It was simply a matter of when!


    Seeing that the boss was dead, Aster sheathed his sword and walked toward the woman, Lori, and greeted her. "It''s a surprise to meet you here. Are you perhaps alone? Where''s your party?"


    But her face turned sad the moment she heard the question.


    "That... half died to the field boss, while the other half ran while leaving me behind." She exined with tears in her eyes.


    "... Sorry to hear that." Aster felt that his question was too callous. "Then, do you want us to guide you back to the entrance? It''s dangerous going alone." He offered, as if to apologize.


    "No, it''s fine. Please don''t bother; I''d feel bad disrupting your hunting." But Lori refused, acting reserved.


    "It''s fine, it''s fine." Aster countered. "It''s not that far anyway. Right, girls?"


    "Yep! It''s dangerous going alone!"


    "I don''t care either way."


    "If that''s what Aster wants to do, I don''t mind."


    "As long as you keep your hands off what''s mine, then we''re good."


    Other than Tina, who was intimidating her instead of agreeing, nobody else raised aint. As such, they decided to guide Lori back to the entrance first.


    Nobody noticed the faint, nefarious smile that shed on her face for a brief instant.

 Chapter 130: Subliminal Effect

    As promised, Aster and the girls escorted Lori back to the entrance.


    Along the way, she spoke with everyone, one after another, and managed to hit it off with them. It was a miracle that she managed to get a proper response from Kali and Tina, which greatly surprised the other three.


    After all, those two cats were standoffish to everyone else!


    "Thank you for sending me to the entrance."


    Lori bowed as they reached the vicinity of the gate, where it could be seen a few dozen meters away.


    "I would like to properly thank you all for saving me, so how about going for dinner with me tonight? My treat!"


    "Really? Then I''ll go! What about you, Star?" Cassy replied without hesitation, before turning the question to Aster.


    Aster wasn''t sure himself, as there was a problem with the Anti-Human Movement the other day. He was worried that the Movement would hear of his ns andy an ambush again, this time, even dragging hispanions.


    "N-No pressure, really. If you can''t go, then it''s fine. I wouldn''t want to inconvenience my saviors just to fulfill my selfish request." She smiled demurely, with a hint of sadness.


    Aster stared into her eyes, before letting out a deep sigh. "Alright, I''ll go. We should exchange numbers, so we can contact each other for the time and location."


    "Great~!" Lori beamed, the wings on the sides of her head pping happily.


    After they exchanged contacts, she waved goodbye to them as she exited the portal, returning to the real world.


    Nobody realized it at all, but Lori did something to them and left a prettyrge impression of herself in everyone''s subconscious. Furthermore, she turned a "suggestion" regarding their view of her into something positive, which allowed her to even "befriend" Kali and Tina.


    As soon as Lori left the dungeon, she walked away, moving to prepare her next steps.


    "Aster Mistral..." She whispered in a low voice. "That man... I can use him."


    The smile on her face thickened as she walked on, with nobody bothering to nce at her or block her way.


    ---


    After sending her to the entrance, Aster''s team continued on their n of grinding levels. As he justnded thest hit on a Field Boss, Aster reached level 10 and earned more than half of the experience to reach the next level.


    Without dy, he distributed his stats again, pouring them all into his WIS stat. WIS was required to minimize the adverse effects of using the Frostfire Legacy once more, preventing it from taking over his mind. As such, with the future in mind, increasing its level wouldn''t be the wrong choice.


    After adding the stats, he took a second to look over his Adventurer''s card, analyzing his current status.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 10


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma, Celestinya Zirroth, Lizandrea Von Dragonseal (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 11


    Intelligence: 15


    Wisdom: 22


    Charisma: 12


    Luck: 0


    ]


    "I should increase my strength next..."


    Now that he had a Job ss, as a Magic Swordsman, it wasmon sense for him to add some points to his strength. Otherwise, there wille a time when he won''t be able to inflict damage on monsters due to his low strength.


    "Now, I just need five more levels!"


    After making sure that he added all the stats he had, he returned his card to his Spatial Fanny Pack and returned to hunting.


    They spent the rest of the morning hunting until noon. Then, they took a short lunch break, before continuing on their hunting spree.


    Thankfully, all of them reached level 10 by the time it was approaching five in the afternoon. They packed up and returned to the outside, before heading to the guild to drop the loot they had gained.


    With their hunt, including the boss monster that they had someone else haul beforehand, they earned a total of 7 million Tels. Divided among the five of them, and subtracting the cost of carrying the boss, they each got around 1.3 million.


    It was quite arge sum, but thinking of how much they spent on their equipment, it was still far from recovering their expenses.


    *BEEP!*


    "Hmm?"


    Right then, Aster''s Holo Tablet rang, causing him to pull it out of his pocket, unfold it, and check the content. The sender was, of course, the one they promised to dine with, Lori.


    "It seems that our dinner will be held at the Yeon Hwa Restaurant around 7:30 p.m.," Aster announced to the girls.


    "Yeon Hwa?" Liz raised her brow. "You mean, that establishment that has a strict dress code for their customers?"


    "It has a dress code?" Aster asked back, confused.


    He wasn''t familiar with "famous" restaurants, after all. He had only entered one before, together with Mayor Magnus''s wife, Prisci.


    "I''m not good with pompous restaurants like those." Kali quickly grumbled but didn''t say she wouldn''te.


    Cassy, on the other hand, tilted her head, troubled. After all, she didn''t have any formal clothes to wear! "What should we do? Buy clothes to wear to the restaurant?"


    Liz turned to Cassy and Kali, pondering. "I have a few extra dresses I could lend you, but the size..."


    Liz was almost two meters tall. If she lent her dress to either Cassy or Kali, then it would turn from a dress to a long gown!


    "Then, shall I introduce you to the shop I frequent?" Tina offered.


    "There, they can make clothes that fit you perfectly in minutes, so you can even make some custom orders. Ah~! Darling, let''s go there and get you a fitting suit! I''m sure you''ll be even more handsome!"


    "..."


    Aster hesitated a little. After all, Tina''s the princess of the Zirroth family, so the clothes store she frequents is definitely high-end.


    ''I wonder if I can afford clothes from there.'' He was genuinely worried.


    "Don''t worry about money. The shop is something like a hobby business for my uncle, so we can ask him to make it cheap for you~!"


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    Hearing that they could buy it for cheap, he didn''t hesitate anymore. Together with the girls, and Tina''s lead, they headed to the shop of her uncle. Little did he know that the "cheap" that Tina was talking about cost almost half of what he currently has.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 131: Dinner and Proposition (1)

    Long story short, the chaos of the fitting session ended, and Aster''s team finally finished changing into proper clothes. They wore attire fitting enough for a ck-tie event!


    Of course, now that they were wearing hard-to-move-in, expensive clothes, it was impossible for them to simply walk toward the Yeon Hwa Restaurant. Thankfully, the clothing store of Tina''s uncle offered a service to deliver them to their destination riding a limousine-like flying car.


    "My money..."


    Aster grumbled, looking at his card''s bnce, which dwindled to barely a million once more. However, having a set of high-quality clothes for special asions was a big plus, so he considered it an investment instead.


    The drive from the clothing store to the Yeon Hwa Restaurant was long, as they didn''t take the high-speed way, but instead, took the ground path, reserved for public transport. Of course, the limousine they were on was also considered "public transport," like a taxi, so they weren''t going against the transportationws and roadws in any way.


    About half an hourter, as if matching their timing, they arrived at the Yeon Hwa Restaurant, a part of the Yeon Hwa Hotel''srge building. The building itself was avant-garde, covering and area of over 1 square kilometer. It looked like a lotus flower from above, with each "petal" being aplete building facility itself.


    The Yeon Hwa Restaurant was in the central petal area, the highest one, overlooking the entire city at over a hundred meters tall. The restaurant covers a total of five floors from there, and Aster and the rest headed to the highest one, practically just below the rooftop floor.


    As they entered, they quickly found that there was practically nobody on the floor but one person, sitting on arge table with seats prepared beforehand.


    "Aster! I''ve been waiting for you. Pleasee, sit down."


    The person is wearing a sleek, form-fitting silver evening gown made from shimmering silver fabric. The light was reflected from various angles, causing her attire to sparkle like stars with every movement, entuating her beautiful appearance that would make anyone stare in awe.


    The fact that she wasn''t wearing much jewelry other than her earrings gave more focus to her face than her apparel; her current attire was well coordinated!


    "Sorry about that." Aster smiled lightly, touching the edge of his tux. "We had to buy clothes just to get in here, so it took some time."


    Aster''s attire was a simple three-piece tuxedo. The jacket was a deep midnight ck, with its satinpels catching the light just enough to hint at its luxurious fabric. Under it, the medium-gray vest added a touch of contrast,plementing the white shirt that peeked from underneath.


    The trousers, sleek and streamlined, were jet ck, just like the shiny shoes adorning his feet. Overall, he looked like a certain famous agent in movies, looking gant and dashing.


    "Oh! Looks like I inconvenienced everyone. Sorry." Lori apologized after giving Aster''s attire a once-over. "But that suit really does suit you. You look handsome in it."


    "Thanks." Aster smiled, epting her words as simple lip service.


    However, someone else took it a bit more personally. "Stop flirting with my darling, will you? We''re here just to ept your gratitude, not for him to go on a dinner date with you!"


    Tina moved forward, attaching to Aster''s left arm.


    She was wearing a midnight blue dress, hugging her curves and highlighting her hourss figure. The design was daring, exposing arge part of her chest and back, a sight that would make simple men ogle her.


    The skirt has an asymmetrical hemline, a longerback, and a custom hole where her tail was peeking out. As her tail was usually hidden under her clothes, it was Aster''s first time seeing it. It was about a meter long and had the same color as her hair: ck from the base, and slowly turning blue as it approached the tips.


    "And you should stop too, Vixen! This weakling has already said that he''s not yours many times; when will you understand that?!"


    As if to counter her, Kali moved forward, attaching herself to Aster''s right arm.


    She wore an icy-silver gown with a high neckline, adorned withplex embroidery that resembled snowkes, the bodice following her tight figure. Her skirt flows gracefully to the floor, with a gentle re that creates a sense of effortless grace, with a long slit on the right side adding a hint of allure.


    Same as Tina, there''s also a cutout for her tail to pop out of, showing a thick tail of pure silver, bristled up as if she were angry.


    "Ehehe, I guess K and Tinya are still the same even in this high-ss atmosphere," Cassymented as she moved ahead of the rest, sitting across from Lori. "I''m looking forward to what food we''ll taste, and if Star''s cooking is better than it or not!"


    Her attitude was perfectly suited to her attire: fluffy and dreamy. She had a white, fluffy fabric around her neck, fitting the soft peachy-orange hue matching her vibrant orange hair.


    The bodice had a sweetheart neckline, emphasizing her moderate-torge chest, simr to Tina''s. The skirt was voluminous andyered and billowed around her like a cloud, falling to mid-thigh with a gentle, floaty feel. Unlike the previous two, she didn''t have a cutout for her tail. Instead, behind her was arge ribbon, ced on her lower back.


    "Alright, you three. Go on and sit down, or else the dinner can''t start." Liz sighed while pulling the two cats away from Aster.


    Unlike the rest, who had girly designs, she pursued a more militaristic style, with a high-cored deep sapphire blue dress covering her neck down to her shoulders and chestpletely. The front was held together by thin gold sps, giving her an expensive, and regal atmosphere. Furthermore, it was tight-fitting, following her curves perfectly.


    On her arms were long gloves reaching beyond her elbows, made of thick white, expensive leather, adding elegance to her appearance.


    "..."


    Looking at the table, however, a problem urred.


    With Cassy sitting across from Lori, it made two pockets of chairs beside each other. In short, Aster can only sit beside one of the two cats, and not both!


    "Should I move seats?"


    Cassy asked, more than willing, but Aster quickly waved his hand.


    "No, it''s fine. I''ll be sitting here." He said as he sat to Lori''s right.


    After he sat down, Tina managed to slip out of Liz''s hold and sat beside Aster, snuggling to him like the lonely cat she was. Kali saw this and felt a little irritated, but decided to let it pass for now. She moved to Cassy''s right, sitting down, with Liz sitting between her and Lori.


    As everyone finally sat down, the host pulled the bell in the middle of the table, and waved it a few times, releasing a rxing chime.


    After she put down the bell, she turned to Aster and smiled. "Although I have something to ask of you, I guess we should eat first."

 Chapter 132: Dinner and Proposition (2)

    A minute after the bell was rung, waiters and waitresses started to flood in, pushing carts with tes covered with metallic silver cloches. Behind them, the chef who presumably prepared their meal also tagged along, a smile of pride fitted on his face.


    "Good evening,dies and gentlemen. I''m the Head Chef of Yeon Hwa Restaurant, Philippe! It is my honor to serve dinner to everyone present here."


    As he spoke, the tes were ced before each of them, still covered with the cloche. The added mystery made them anticipate what was toe, not only inducing their hunger more but also sating their inquisitive minds.


    "First, we''ll be having our hors d''oeuvre!" The chef, Philippe, announced in an energized tone.


    The cloche covering the foods was removed at the same time, revealing a small, fluffy blini topped with a delicate slice of smoked salmon, topped with creme fraiche.


    "This is a Smoke Salmon Blini with Dill Creme Fraiche! The concept was..."


    As the chef started to exin the ideas as he prepared the dish, the girls, and even Aster, skipped listening to him and instead took the small, bite-sized food and ate it in one go.


    It was light and slightly tangy, paired beautifully with the rich, smoky salmon and the creamy, herby creme fraiche. Cassy showed a reserved smile, her face saying that it didn''t meet her expectations. It was too bad for the chef, but the girls'' pte was already trained to perfection with Aster''s level 99 cooking!


    After that, just before the chef finished his exnation, another cart was pushed over, again, containing several tes covered with silver cloche. This repeated one after another as they went from the appetizer, fish course, main course, pte cleanser, cheese course, and dessert.


    The entire meal took about an hour and a half before it was finished!


    "I''m still hungry..." Cassymented.


    As expected of a high-ss restaurant, the food they were served practically had too few portions. It was impossible to get filled after eating those, making Aster wonder just what the purpose of such meals was, other than entertainment.


    As if finding a bright idea, Cassy leaned across the table, exposing her deep cleavage to Aster directly. "Right! Star! Let''s have a second meal in your roomter!"


    "Hmm? Well, I don''t mind, but... looking at the time, this would mean you''ll be staying over again. Are you fine with that?"


    "Yep! Who wants toe too?" Cassy nodded while raising her hand, scanning everyone else''s faces.


    The first to raise their hands were Tina, followed by Kali, and then Liz, who reservedly raised her hand. Right, although Liz was originally from a higher-ss family, she, too, didn''t like expensive course meals like this.


    "So that''s everyone..." Aster sighed, wondering how he''d sleep tonight.


    "Ahem!"


    Right then, Lori cleared her throat as she took a small swig of her red wine, swirling it in her ss like a virtuoso.


    "Do you remember what I said before the meal started?" She asked Aster as if to confirm if he was listening.


    "You mean... about something you want to ask of me?" Of course, he wouldn''t forget it so easily, as it was just about an hour ago. "Thanks for this wonderful meal, by the way. I''ll try to recreate these recipester and try them. Anyway, what is it you want to ask?"


    Mixing his gratitude with moving on to business, Lori showed a wry smile and chuckled.


    "Alright. I guess we can''t waste time." She started. "Actually, after half of my party died, it was dissolved by the leader, so now, I don''t have a party to hunt with. I was wondering if... you could add me to your party? It seems like there are still vacancies, after all."


    "You want to join our party?" Aster raised a brow, surprised by the suddenness of her request.


    "Yes. I''m a Witch, specializing in debuffs and curses. I''m sure you''ll find me useful since there are no spellcasters in your party."


    Aster turned to Cassy and thought that a healer wasn''t really counted as a spellcaster.


    "Why not? We''re still looking for more members anyway, and her job has great utility for our party." The first one to voice her approval was Liz, who was drinking the after-meal coffee.


    "Right. A debuffer would be a good addition to our party, increasing our versatility and responsiveness to unexpected situations."


    Kali added in fast speech, with her cheeks slightly red. Her hand was holding a ss of red wine, the same one Lori was drinking, which was now almost drained of its contents.


    Tina was also holding a ss of wine as she pressed her assets tight against Aster''s arm, waving the ss randomly as she spoke. "As long as she doesn''t bother me and darling''s confirmation of love, then I don''t mind either way."


    "Of course, I don''t have any problems with it either~!" Even Cassy was giving a thumbs-up to her offer.


    "..."


    Aster pondered for a bit, before facing Lori once more. He stared straight into her eyes and started to feel lightheaded. He wasn''t drinking alcohol, yet the feeling was as if he were drunk!


    "... Alright. Then, tomorrow, we''ll go to the guild and register you as our new member." He slurred a little as he replied.


    "Yes! I did it! Thanks!"


    Lori smiled sweetly, making everyone feel warm toward her.


    ---


    After that, Aster and the rest went back to his room in the Twister Hotel, while Lori split up with them, saying that she still had things to prepare for tomorrow.


    She walked to a high-ss hotel, a different one from the Twister Hotel, and went to the 177th floor, where her rented room was. As soon as she ced the keycard against the door, the lock released with a click.


    After entering, she didn''t bother turning on the lights and went straight to her sofa, plopping down and letting out a long sigh.


    "With this, I''ve now infiltrated their party."


    The order she received was originally to "control" Aster and bring him to *** City for "safekeeping."


    ''But if I do that, I''ll just return to being thepdog of that fucking general.''


    She ced a hand over her left eye, as if wanting to pull it out if she could. However, she stopped. Behind her left eye was a microchip¡ªthe thing that the general was using to control and monitor her actions.


    If it ever detected that she was trying to get rid of it, then the small explosive installed inside it would activate, and cause a small explosion inside her head, enough to destroy arge part of her brain, leading to instant death.


    In short, she couldn''t escape from their clutch, even if she wanted to!


    ''Soon...'' She mused, smiling lightly. ''Soon enough, I''ll be able to free myself from this curse!''


    She gently closed her eyes and slowly drifted into the world of dreams. And as she fell asleep, from her closed left eye, a red dot of light came to life, blinking like a heartbeat.

 Chapter 133: Witchs Power

    "Ugh..."


    Aster woke up, weing another day... with his entire body hurting like hell. "What? Why..." And just as he was wondering about the reason for it, he realized that someone was using him as a body pillow.


    "..."


    He was lying in the middle of his bed, with Tina right beside him, to his right, wearing nothing but a pair of ckce underwear while hugging his body tightly in a joint lock. On the other side, another cat beauty, Kali, was in simr attire¡ªshe was wearing an unassuming pair of white undies while also hugging him tight.


    Aster gasped, wondering what was going on. He did remember going to the Yeon Hwa Restaurantst night with them, but everything became a blur after that.


    ''I''m sure I didn''t drink, so there''s no reason to lose memory though...'' He wondered while trying to figure out how to escape his current predicament.


    He was still able to wiggle around, but escape was virtually impossible! Tina''s hold was too tight; he wouldn''t be able to escape with only his strength. In the first ce, it was a joint lock, so regardless of strength, it would be near impossible to break her hold.


    While trying to wiggle his way out, he realized that there were two more who were pinning him down. Cassy and Liz, both in the same state as the two catkins, were sleeping while using Aster''s thighs as pillows!


    With his view covered in the color of pristine skin, he couldn''t help but start to feel weird.


    ''No, I mustn''t!''


    He tried all he could to escape, but nothing worked. It was only an hourter when Kali woke up, pped him hard, and helped him out of his predicament with a bit of a grudge.


    Aster could only sigh as he was preparing breakfast for everyone.


    "It''s not even my fault... I think."


    ---


    After that incident, Kali and Liz weren''t able to look Aster in the eye, feeling too embarrassed about how they looked. Tina, of course, didn''t feel a hint of embarrassment.


    "If darling wants, I can even show you everything~!" She teased.


    Cassy, on the other hand, simply didn''t understand much of what to be embarrassed about. "It''s just underwear? What''s wrong with it being seen?" She asked with absolute innocence.


    Anyway, after they had an awkward breakfast, the party headed to the Adventurer''s Guild without dy. As soon as they arrived, a certain person weed them immediately.


    "Good morning, Aster! I was waiting for you!"


    It was none other than Lori, already wearing her battle outfit: the silver and ck robe with loose cuffs, along with her two-meter-long staff with a curved end, and a floating red sphere on top of it. If she wore a big, conical, wide-brimmed hat, then she''d pass as a Witch, no doubt, but she didn''t need one to pensate" for something, either way.


    "Now, we should go and renew the party lineup!"


    "Party?" Aster asked, a little confused.


    Seeing his reaction, Lori opened her eyes in shock, her expression turning to sadness. "D-Did you forget about your promisest night?!" She shouted in panic.


    Her voice called the attention of the other adventurers who were already paying attention to her the entire time, who then turned hateful res at Aster, who was "bullying" her.


    "Making such a beauty have such a sad expression... You scum!"


    "Miss Beautiful, ignore this bastard and just join my party! I can kick out our mage just to make space for you."


    "Fuck! You''re not satisfied with just four beauties, and now, you''re adding a new one?!"


    Voices filled with anger, desire, and envy echoed all over the guild, making Aster almost panic. "A-Ah, I remember! You wanted to join the party, right? Zena, process it, please!"


    "Then, your and that girl''s Adventurer''s cards, please," Zena asked with a business smile.


    Aster felt a little weirded out that she wasn''t trying to joke around but instead doing a proper job. ''Did she eat something weird this morning?'' He honestly wondered.


    The registration didn''t take long, as usual, and ended in just a few minutes. When their cards were returned, Aster checked his card and confirmed Lori''s name was written on it.


    "So you don''t have ast name?" He asked, not thinking too deeply about it.


    "... Yes." Lori''s expression turned dark for a moment, before returning to her usual cheerful, innocent smile. "Anyway, with this, I''m a member of your party! I''m looking forward to working with you!"


    Aster smiled at her polite greeting, scratching his head lightly.


    "Well, it''s only for a week right now, though. We''ll see if you can fit into our party within that time. I don''t think it''ll be hard for you, though."


    "I''ll do my best!" Lori pumped her fists, making a cute gesture.


    "Wee to the team~! Lori is too long, so... How about, Lory?"


    "Stupid Rabbit. Lei is shorter, and easier to say."


    "Wait, but Lei sounds simr to K., and it''s going to be confusing when in a fight. I vote for Lory too."


    "Lory or Lei, I don''t really care. Just remember, darling is mine. If you dare touch him, then... prepare for the worst."


    The four girls started chatting immediately, mixing Lori''s wee to the team, thinking of her nickname, and giving her a warning.


    "Alright, then that''s 3-1-1 votes. Lory, it is." Aster concluded. "Again, wee to the team!"


    "Yes, it''s a pleasure!" She replied with a sweet smile. "I''ll make sure to prove that this choice wasn''t a mistake!"


    "Good. Then, let''s go, shall we?"


    With Aster''s offer, the six of them started moving, heading toward the dungeon.


    Thirty minutester, they arrived at the entrance and lined up to enter. As soon as they entered the fifth floor, they moved on to test out their teamwork now that they had a new member.


    To properly gauge her skills, they quickly headed to the nearby forest, where goblins reside. After walking around for a short while, they encountered arge group. There were roughly a hundred goblins in the group, making it a formidable enemy even for them.


    "Lory!"


    Aster shouted, signaling that it was her time to shine.


    "Leave it to me!" She smiled confidently, before waving her staff while chanting. "Tertie Noxis Tiroe Consorie fen Nura Racht! Great Swamp Curse!"


    As soon as her casting ended, the ground where the goblins were standing started to move. It became closer to a liquid, turning into a ck swamp that slowly pulled them into its deadly embrace.


    "Now!"


    Seeing the goblins have their movements limited, Aster and Kali attacked from long range.

 Chapter 134: Checking out the Crypt

    "Mana sh!"


    *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*


    A wave of mana rushed forward, and sliced the unmoving goblins in half, taking dozens of lives in a sh. Kali''s revolver was also able to take the lives of a few more, but not to the same amount as Aster did.


    "Woah! We cleared almost half of them before we even entered melee distance!" Aster cheered, seeing how effective Lory''s skill was.


    Soon, the liquefied ground started to return to normal. The goblins who got pulled into it ended up stuck inside solid ground, further limiting their movements.


    "Alright, let''s finish them up!"


    Astermanded as he rushed forward, the rest following right behind.


    However, with the goblins stuck in the ground, literally, they weren''t able to provide any proper counterattacks. Their clubs, swords, and bows ended up mostly half-stuck in the ground too, so they weren''t even able to wield their weapons!


    The group of 100+ goblins ended up being wiped out in less than a minute!


    More than the hunt, collecting the loot actually took more time, as they had to pull the dead goblins out of the ground first, to check out all the essories they had, including anklets, bracelets, belts, and piercings.


    After collecting the loot, Aster turned to Lori and smiled. "I''d say that''s a 10/10 performance. You did great, Lory!"


    "Thanks! I''m happy to be of help." She replied while being humble.


    There''s a drawback to her skill, however. Although it did manage to shorten their hunting speed, the added time they needed to extract the goblins out of the ground made the total time they spent, including the gathering of loot, mostly the same, if not slower, than before.


    Still, it couldn''t be denied that they spent less energy, which means they could face multiple hordes of that size with no problem.


    ''But as expected, we''d need more long-range attacks.''


    The only "proper" long-range attackers in the party were Aster and Kali. The rest didn''t even have guns to use, so they were practically unable to participate in the initial clearing after the swamp was cast.


    ''If only she had AOE spells too, then it''d be beyond perfect.'' Aster sighed inside his head.


    Lori was a Witch, a spellcaster specializing in debuffs and curses. Although they are a great asset in group battles, they werepletely unable to hunt by themselves. Their sscks offensive abilities and spells, after all.


    Aster turned to look at the back of his right hand and considered his situation.


    ''If I can use my Frostfire Legacy, then it''d be a perfectbination.''


    Slowing down the enemies, before mowing them down with mes of extreme heat. Or, he could even freeze them solid in one go. As long as the enemy was caught in the initial swamp, there''s a near 100% chance that the ability will hit!


    After that, they moved around, hunting a few more goblin settlements, until they tried out all of Lori''s debuffs and curses. She has several varieties of spells, from Level 1 to 3, with the strength and rangepletely variable at will.


    She could slow down enemies, decrease their defense, restrict their movements, blind them, and finally, even charm them for a short while, inducing friendly fire within their midst. With the variety of spells she couldmand, the tactics that they could use increased by a hundredfold!


    *Rustle!* *Rustle!*


    "Huh?"


    But just as they were collecting the loot from another goblin settlement, they heard the sounds of footsteps and the rustling of bushes from behind.


    Almost automatically, they went into battle formation, with Tina and Liz up front, Aster right behind them, Cassy and Lory behind Aster, and Kali at the back. It was a formation where the debuffer and healer remained protected at all times.


    The sound started to get louder, as everyone prepared their weapons, ready to attack at any moment. A short momentter, a figure walked out of the shadows and saw Aster''s party, raising his hand immediately.


    "Woah! Chill, man!"


    The one who came out was another adventurer! Of course, he wasn''t alone, as his party also followed shortly,ing out of the cover of trees and bushes and entering the visible range.


    "We''re just passing by, heading to the Crypt!" The man, who looked like a scout with his light armor, dered immediately. "Don''t worry, we wouldn''t dare steal your loot. Then, we''ll go this way, alright?"


    He pointed in the direction, moving away from Aster''s team and the goblin corpses, before moving toward where he indicated slowly. His party also followed his lead and sheathed their weapons, showing that they had no intention to fight.


    "... Alright. Sorry about that," Aster smiled, sheathing his sword too. "I thought the goblins had reinforcements, so we entered battle formation. We didn''t mean to scare you."


    "Argh! Really? Shoot, man! I thought we were goners, seeing you have a dragonkin in your party!"


    The scout, hearing Aster''s short apology and excuse, quickly changed his attitude and smiled a friendly smile.


    "Well, seeing that you have the ability to hunt a goblin settlement stably, I guess we''d be dead if a skirmish broke out." He shrugged, estimating Aster''s strength from the scene.


    As the atmosphere started to loosen, his party also loosened their tense shoulders and sighed,ughing lightly afterward. Aster, however, decided to take advantage of the situation.


    "You''re all heading to the Crypt, right? Doyou mind if we tag along?" Aster asked. "We can pay you with a few goblins'' essories for the trouble."


    He showed about six essories in his hands. Each one of them could be worth around 10 to 20 thousand Tels each, a prettyrge sum for simply allowing someone to tag along.


    "Really?! Sweet!" The scout rejoiced. "We don''t mind! Rather, do you need help in gathering the goblins'' loot? We can do it as a bonus service, you know?"


    "Haha, then maybe I''ll ask for your help."


    After that, the other party,posed of 8 members¡ª5 girls and 3 men¡ªhelped Aster and the others gather the goblins'' essories. While they were busy, they ended up talking about each other.


    "So your party is called the Hollow Knights?" Aster repeated it, thinking that he had heard of it before¡ªsomething like a game title.


    "No, not hollow, but hallowed!" The scout, named Cedric, corrected. "We''re the Hallowed Knights, which means Holy Knights!"


    From his talk, it seems that half of their members were lucky enough to get some holy-level umon sses. Holy Knight, Holy Priest, Holy Spearman, and Holy Assassin. Other than thest one, which sounded contradictory, Aster could understand the first three sses.


    "Sounds powerful," hemented.


    A few minutes after that, they finished gathering all the essories from the goblins.


    "Well then." The Holy Assassin, Cedric, smiled at Aster and spoke. "Follow me!"


    With his lead, the two parties started on their way toward the Crypt.

 Chapter 135: Trouble at the Crypt

    Cedric, the Holy Assassin, was a rat-beastman. Although Aster imagined a disgusting appearance from the name, it was nothing but a stereotyping bias.


    Cedric looked no different from a human, other than the whiskers near his nose, and the round ears diagonally on top of the side of his head. Regarding speed, it was amazing how he was actually on par with Kali, who was the fastest in their party!


    Along the way, they encountered a lot of monsters, but with two parties working together, they finished the fights even faster than before. They weren''t in a rush, so they carefully collected the loot they could harvest without missing anything.


    Liz couldn''t help but watch the other party''s Holy Knight, a variant of her Knight ss, and observe the difference between her and the Holy Knight''s skills. However, the only difference was just the addition of the holy element, the damage, range, duration, and everything else seemed mostly equal.


    In short, the "Holy" sses weren''t much of a buff to the said ss. This is also why they''re still under the Umon ss and not a Rare ss even though getting a Holy modifier was rare.


    Discover what''s next on m-vl-em,py-r


    After running for about two hours, they finally saw a ce swarming with people.


    The location was practically the edge of the map, with how there''s a visible cliff nearby. The bottom was too dark to even see, so falling from it was equivalent to death, more or less.


    "This is the crypt!" Cedric announced, pointing at therge building ahead of the crowd. "But it seems like it''ll take an hour before we can enter, seeing how many parties are lining up to enter."


    "Amazing... this many adventurers gathered in one ce is rare!" Lizmented in awe.


    There were at least a hundred adventurers visible, meaning there were dozens of parties present! Some were, of course, a little familiar.


    They were those who joined the "rush to the 5th floor" headed by the Dragon''s Roar teams. Since they didn''t really suffer much from the events that happened, they didn''t need to rest and were able to check out the crypt ahead of Aster or the Dragon''s Roar''s teams.


    "Won''t the crypt be full of adventurers by now? I bet everything''s been looted already." Aster muttered in resignation.


    However, Cedric chuckled lightly, as if to prove him wrong. "That''s where you got it wrong." He said, cockily. "After all this time, nobody has yet been able topletely map out the first floor of the crypt, as it''s too wide!"


    "Really?"


    Hearing this, Aster felt a little bit of hope. Maybe they can still join in on the treasure hunt too!


    "But..."


    As he checked the line, it seemed like not everyone could enter in one go. The entrance itself was narrow, only allowing one person after another to squeeze their way through. Those withrge builds would have a harder time entering, as they would often get stuck.


    Aster turned to look at the girls and wondered.


    Cassy... Should be able to squeeze through. Same with Kali, who was more slenderpared to her. Tina and Lory would have a bit of a hard time fitting in through the entrance, but Liz wouldpletely be unable to enter. Her wings would get stuck on the edges of the entrance, stopping her from entering.


    "Looks like we can''t enter either way." He sighed lightly. "Well, thanks for guiding us. Now, we at least know the location of the crypt."


    "No problem! We didn''t do it for free, after all!"


    After a few more exchanges, the Hallowed Knights moved toward the Crypt, joining the end of the line. With their small builds, they should be able to squeeze through the entrance with no problems.


    "What should we do now?" As they were left behind, Kali quickly crossed her arms and asked with a frown. "We can try to enter, but Liz would be unable to follow us inside. These two fatties would find it hard to enter too."


    Tina reacted immediately, screaming. "What?! Who are you calling a fatty, you chopping board?!"


    "I''m just stating a fact here. You have too much excess fat right here. Want me to shave some of it off for you?" Kali countered back, pressing a finger on Tina''srge bumpers.


    "Stop it, you two. There''s no point in fighting amongst ourselves right now."


    Despite being included in the "fatty" Kali mentioned, Lory was as calm as before as she mediated between the two, with a faint smile on her face. She didn''t show even a hint of being bothered by Kali''sments, showing theposure of an adult!


    "And I''m not fat, alright? My robe is just thick, making me look fat."


    Or not... She was just a bit more tolerantpared to Tina, who had a short fuse.


    "Alright, everyone, enough." Aster raised his hand, stopping the chaos before it worsened. "First, we wouldn''t enter the Crypt unless everyone could participate. In short, until another entrance wider than the first one could be found, we would just continue farming levels."


    "... sounds good." Kali nodded, feeling that Aster''s n was reasonable.


    The monsters inside the crypt were quite high-level, after all, so they first needed to increase their strength to be able to explore inside safely.


    "Ugh...!"


    But suddenly, Aster''s right hand felt like it was burning hot, making him wince in pain. When he looked at it, he found that the Magic Carved Seal behind his hand was glowing red on its own!


    "Aster!"


    Kali called to him immediately. Panic was on her face as she worried that he would get controlled by it again. However, he already improved his stats, so that shouldn''t be the case. Still, the pain was so unbearable that beads of cold sweat were forming on his forehead rapidly.


    "...!"


    Then, it happened.


    His hand moved on its own. No, it was as if it were being pulled by a mysterious force, forcing Aster to run toward the edge of the cliff.


    "Star!"


    "Oh no!"


    "Darling, no!"


    Voices echoed behind him, trying to catch up, but he was too fast. He was faster than even Kali, who was already chasing at her top speed!


    "Fuck...!"


    Aster cursed as he reached the edge of the cliff, and was forced to jump. Soon, his body elerated downward thanks to gravity, plummeting toward the dark depths.

 Chapter 136: A Secret Entrance!

    Aster struggled midair, trying to find anything he could grab onto. Thankfully, he was falling close to the edge of the cliff, and with a little bit of fast thinking, he pulled his sword and stabbed it into the wall, trying to slow down his fall.


    "ARGH!"


    But as expected, using his non-dominant left hand to hold the sword was a little bit too rash. He could feel that his shoulder had dislocated from the sudden stop, but through sheer force of will, and the fear of death, he kept his grip on the handle, not letting go.


    "STAR! Oh no, hang on!"


    Cassy, who peeked down the edge with the others, quickly found him dangling dangerously by the cliff''s face. Their expressions were filled with worry and panic as they moved around, rummaging through their packs and finding anything that could help.


    Kali was the first one to find a thick rope, and without hesitation, she tied one end around her waist, while running to tie the other end to a nearby rock. Then, without saying anything to the others, she jumped down the edge!


    "...!"


    Tina and Liz, fortunately, were alert. They quickly grabbed the middle of the rope and tried to pull it up. The impact due to Kali''s weight, however, was so great that it caused rope burns to the two''s hands, as they gradually gained control of it.


    Kali was single-mindedly heading closer to Aster and quickly grabbed him in her embrace as soon as he was within arm''s reach.


    "Good! Pull us up!"


    "Hmmmph!"


    Cassy and Lory moved too, assisting Tina and Liz in pulling the two up. It didn''t take a minute before they finally reached the edge, and were pulled into safety.


    "Ugh... I almost died..." Aster sighed, panting hard from the mix of pain and relief.


    He suffered a dislocated shoulder and a slight burn on the back of his hand. Kali, who went to save him, had rope burns around her waist, where the rope bit, with a part of it bleeding lightly.


    Tina and Liz both had rope burns on their hands. They literally had the skin of their hands peeled off from the friction!


    It was fortunate that they had a healer with them, Cassy. She quickly gathered all of them in one spot, and cast Minor Area Heal over them, healing their injuries in one go. Aster''s dislocated shoulder was, of course, realigned manually first before getting healed.


    After they were finally at peace, Tina hugged Aster while sobbing lightly, her face buried against his chest. Liz, curious, decided to ask. "Aster, what happened?"


    Aster turned to her, nced at his Magic Carved Seal, and sighed.


    "I''m not sure either, but the Frostfire Legacy seemed to have taken over my body for a short moment."


    He did raise his WIS stat more than before, but that doesn''t mean that he could prevent all manners of interference from the Legacy. And this time, it almost led him to his death!


    ''But will the Frostfire Legacy really try to kill me, its host?'' This, however, made Aster confused.


    From what he learned, there should be "spirits" dwelling inside the Frostfire Legacy. And their lives are connected to his. Meaning, that if he dies, they die too! As such, the Frostfire Legacy had no reason to pull him intomitting suicide.


    Aster closed his eyes, trying to recall what happened from the beginning. Then, slowly, the fog in his memory cleared, as he let out a soft gasp.


    "... A cave-like entrance." He muttered. "I think I saw a cave-like entrance below me earlier."


    "What? Are you sure you''re not hallucinating?" Liz asked as if to confirm.


    Aster shook his head from side to side, answering with little confidence. "I''m not sure either. However, I believe that what I saw was real... Should we check it out?"


    "Aster!" Kali pulled his scarf cor, his face almost smashing against hers. "You almost died just now, and you''re saying you want to scale that cliff?! Are you insane?!"


    Cassy tried to reach her, cautiously calling. "K, calm down."


    "I am calm!" She countered back. "I won''t approve of Aster going back down there. I should be the one to check, instead of him! I''m nimbler, and lighter!"


    "..."


    Aster couldn''t really say no to that, as her words were as true as can be. "Alright. Can I leave it to you, Kali?" He smiled wryly after a while of thinking.


    After that, Kali prepared to scale the cliff face again. This time, she made sure to tie the rope around her more securely, and not only around her waist. It was like an impromptu harness, wrapped around her waist and thighs, keeping her in a safe hold.


    After making doubly sure that she was ready, they slowly dropped Kali down to the same part where Aster fell. They lowered the rope slowly, making sure that it wouldn''t snap from rubbing against the edge of the cliff.


    A minute or soter, the rope''s length had finally reached its limit. At that moment, Kali''s voice was heard from below.


    "Shit! There''s really a cave here!"


    "...!"


    Everyone gasped at this revtion. A cave entrance was hidden in the face of a deadly cliff. Without a doubt, it''s an untouched part of the fifth floor!


    "Is there a tform where you cannd?!"


    Aster shouted toward her, trying tomunicate. Kali descended even more, before shouting back. "There is! A small protrusion of about one meter from the wall!"


    After that, the following events went fast.


    First, with Kali''s help, they set up a rope guide from the top of the cliff and into the cave. Then, they reinforced the rope and added a few ascender or friction knots using extra rope, allowing one to go up and down the said rope guide easily.


    After that, everyone carefully went down to where Kali was and stood at the entrance of the dark cave. Everyone managed to descend safely, with Aster being thest one to descend.


    "..."


    Aster stared at his right hand, seeing that the Magic Carved Seal of the Frostfire Legacy was glowing once again. But this time, it didn''te with pain, but more like a gentle glow.


    "I think you already guessed this, but..." Lizmented lightly, pointing into the cave. "Judging from the proximity, this must lead us into the crypt''s interior too."


    "I think so too." Aster nodded. "Then, everyone. Let''s go check it out first, and see where this cave truly leads."


    They quickly took out portable shlights¡ªa part of their emergency supplies¡ªand carefully entered the dim cave. Nobody knows what was waiting for them inside just yet.

 Chapter 137: Mysterious Door

    Aster''s team gradually headed deeper. The cave was just that: a simple limestone cave with an uneven floor, walls, and ceiling. Furthermore, it was just one path curving now and then, meaning, they at least wouldn''t get lost.


    Gradually, the floor started to change.


    Broken pieces of cement bs started to appear buried on the cave''s floor, and the gaps between each b decreased the further they ventured in.


    "This is..."


    Soon enough, they reached the end of the road. The floor and walls turned from the limestone cave into a well-shaped rectangr passage made of cement bs. It was, without a doubt, manmade, and not something that naturally came to be!


    The walls were clean, with not even a single scratch on them, but the floor had signs of wear and tear, indicating that it had been used regrly in the past.


    "What a big door!" Cassymented, seeing what was blocking their path forward.


    The path ahead was blocked byrge, double doors that were about ten meters tall and three meters wide. On its surface were some indecipherable symbols and characters, adding a hint of mystery to it.


    "Hnnnngh!" Liz tried to push it open but quickly gave up. "It won''t budge. It''s locked tight!"


    "I can try to destroy the doors, but..." Aster muttered, before shaking his head. "I''m getting a weird sense of dread after thinking that, so let''s just figure out how to enter properly."


    He pulled out his Holo tablet and took pictures of the door. He captured all corners of it, from all angles, before trying to reverse search its images from therge amount of data he borrowed from the Archives. It still hadn''t expired yet, after all.


    However, he was soon disappointed with the result. "Hmm? Weird, there''s no match."


    "We have another idiot here," Kali eximed while nting a hand in her face. "Didn''t you realize how we got here? You think someone else would be brave enough to rappel the face of a deadly cliff to find such an entrance?"


    "I know, but I was thinking maybe there''s a simr door somewhere or something that was already discovered," Aster replied with a faint smile.


    "There''s none." She countered back. "Even to me, this sort of cipher is new. I can say with 100% reliability that there''s nothing like it on any of the higher floors of this dungeon."


    Liz, feeling that the atmosphere between the two was getting a little prickly, interjected. "Then, what should we do now? Should we try everything we can to open the door?"


    "Judging from the floor''s wear and tear, it must have been amon passage long ago. That means the method to open it should be simple, like a password or something." Kalimented while pondering. "But without figuring out whatnguage or dialect was used, if it was one word or more, then we''d be stuck here guessing for all eternity."


    "I see... that''s no good, huh?" Liz shrugged with a sigh.


    Aster pocketed his Holo Tab right after confirming all the images he took, andmanded.


    "Let''s head back for now. I think if we can have someone decipher what''s written on the door, then we can find a clue as to what''s the password."


    With that as their signal, everyone began backtracking their steps and returning to the surface. After that, they cleared the ropes they used to not leave any clues for anyone else. It was fortunate that the edge they were on was hidden from view by the thick forest and shrubbery around, so nobody should''ve noticed them when they went down the cliff.


    After packing was done, they started running toward the entrance.


    But as expected, they weren''t able to reach the portal in one go. Monsters blocked their path, requiring them to take a few hours on the way back. By the time they got out, it was already way past 6 p.m.!


    "I guess cashing in the loots should be dyed for tomorrow." Aster dered as they split ways.


    Their first task right now, with priority right below grinding levels, was figuring out the meaning of the symbols drawn on the door. As such, Aster sent all the girls a copy of it and told them to try and decode it as much as they could. Of course, since they weren''t professionals, he wasn''t expecting much from it.


    Aster himself was also busy in his room, trying to decipher the meaning of the symbols. He was cross-referencing old books ofnguages like hieroglyphs just to get a head start on understanding them.


    *BEEP!* *BEEP!*


    "Huh?"


    But just as he was in the middle of jotting down notes, his tablet started to vibrate, showing that there was an iing call from someone¡ªa video call, even.


    Checking the recipient''s name, he was a bit surprised. "Doctor Vanessa!"


    Recalling how she was studying about his disease, he quickly got his hopes up as he received the call.


    {Good evening, Aster.}


    As soon as the call was epted, a video feed started to show on the screen.


    On it was the figure of Vanessa Ross, covered in ab coat... wearing the very same attire she wore after the attack by the Anti-Human Movement. In short, she was still wearing nothing but her panties, and barely covering the important parts!


    Aster, however, didn''t even flinch at her appearance. He simply greeted her back with a smile. "Good evening to you too, Doctor Vanessa. Did you perhaps not sleep? You have bags under your eyes."


    {Haha, don''t worry about me. Pulling all-nighters is the one thing I enjoy the most, especially when I have an interesting subject at hand.}


    "I see. But please don''t push yourself too much. If your health failed, then it''d be a disaster." He continued. "And? What''s the reason for this call?"


    {Oh, right, right.}


    While muttering gibberish to herself, she pulled out several holograms in the air before her, showingplex symbols.


    {I''ve been working on your disease, thinking it was something like a virus or a bacteria that hasn''t been discovered yet, but I realized that my angle was wrong.}


    "..."


    Aster agreed with that. During his parents'' time, that was also the first thing they researched about his disease. After all, most unknown diseasese from those two sources.


    {But then, I discovered something curious.}


    She took a deep breath while emphasizing one of the diagrams, which looked like aplicated magic circle.


    {Listen closely and don''t be surprised, Aster.} She exined. {Your disease isn''t really a disease, but rather a blessing.}

 Chapter 138: A Blessing Curse

    "A Blessing...?"


    Aster''s mind came to a halt, trying to wrap around the fact that Vanessa just said. As he did, memories came flooding in, reminding him of his life before, from an early age, until bing a teenager.


    "A Blessing?!" He growled in anger. "If this is a blessing, then everyone in the world must be gods!"


    The disease that his parents dedicated most of their lives to, but still failed to find a cure for, was gettingbeled as a "blessing"! He would be considered a saint if he didn''t get angry, for his parents'' sake!


    {... Sorry, I guess my words are a littlecking.}


    Seeing how affected Aster was by her casual words, Vanessa felt sorry for him. Her sleepiness faded as she assumed a serious expression,manding respect from anyone looking at her.


    {Your "Nameless Disease" is, in essence, closer to a curse. However, after analyzing the magical properties of it, I''m 99.9% sure that it''s a blessing in disguise.}


    "..."


    Aster''s frown deepened. He was not willing to listen to her words at all. It was just his curiosity that was stopping him from dropping the call and blocking Vanessa forever.


    {How do I exin this... Right, let''s go on a tangent. You know Hercules, don''t you?}


    "... Yes, I do."


    Hercules was a famous demigod who was known for his unparalleled strength.


    {Then, you must know how he had to undergo the twelvebors to atone for his sin of murdering his wife and children.}


    ''Wasn''t the twelvebors something he did to be a true hero?'' Aster wanted to interject but decided to hold his tongue.


    {After hepleted the twelvebors, he was then absolved of his sins by God Apollo and sessfully achieved immortality. Your blessing¡ªor curse¡ªis of a simr essence to Hercules'' twelvebors.}


    "You mean... a punishment¡ªa challenge¡ªbestowed to me to achieve immortality?"


    {No, I''m not sure if you can achieve immortality after oveing this. However, I''m sure that you''ll receive a long life, much longer than even the elves.}


    "..."


    Aster fell quiet once more.


    He had been suffering from this "Nameless Disease" since birth, and in fact, it had eaten up a great portion of his lifespan. Now, he barely had five years left to live, even if he tried to live as safely as possible.


    But now, Vanessa was saying that as soon as he ovees this "challenging curse," he''ll be able to receive a blessing of long life!


    "Let''s say that this is all true," Aster tried to counter, making his mind and heart as calm as possible. "It''d all be worthless if I died before oveing this alleged blessing, is it? And, do you know how to ovee it now?"


    Vanessa, upon seeing that Aster was now calmer than before, finally sat down and crossed her legs. On herp was a pile of papers she had seemingly written.


    {For the first question, yes. Death would mean you failed to ovee your challenge, so you wouldn''t be able toy im to your blessing. As for thetter...}


    She flipped the pages several times, before finding the one she was looking for.


    {The analysis result tells me that this blessing was caused by the mixing of two specific bloodlines. As for who or what that is, I''m not too sure either. However, this also tells me that you simply need toplete your bloodline to ovee this challenge.}


    "Complete my... bloodline?" Aster got even more confused. "And how should I go about doing that?"


    {Ah, that?} Vanessa chuckled lightly. {I don''t know. How would I know that from just analyzing your blood? You should figure it out yourself.}


    "Ugh..."


    {But of course, it''s not like there''s no clue at all.}


    She, thankfully, didn''t leave Aster hanging just like that.


    {I suggest you go check theboratory where you woke up. I''m pretty sure your parents left something like a clue for you.}


    "They did?" Aster raised a brow, a little doubtful.


    {Yes. The fact that they allowed you tost 2,500 years in cryogenesis was more than enough proof that they realized the truth behind your blessing.}


    Normally, the amount of nuclear fuel that powered his Cryogenic Capsule was enough for only a couple dozen years. However, he did wake up after 2,500 years instead. This meant that "something" changed the ns of his parents, making them choose the difficult answer of extending his life until several thousand years into the future.


    Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Aster listened to her words and felt a little conflicted. He did want to visit theboratory and check up on the nuclear reactor, worried that it might explode after a long time of having no maintenance. However, he didn''t expect to revisit the ce less than a month after leaving it!


    "... Alright. I''ll go and check tomorrow." Still, he couldn''t hold his curiosity and agreed.


    {Good. Although I want to apany you, I don''t know if I''ll be avable tomorrow. Ah, try contacting Magnus first; he might send someone else to protect you while out there.}


    Aster smiled, nodding his head. "Got it. Thanks for the help."


    {It''s fine; I''m just doing what I wanted to do, anyway.}


    Just as he was about to end the call, he suddenly had an epiphany. He recalled the image of the magic circle that she showed earlier, and the familiar-looking runes drawn all over it.


    "Ah, wait!" He eximed. "Do you perhaps know how to decode this script? We encountered a mysterious locked door on the fifth floor, and we think it leads into the newly discovered crypt there."


    {Hmm? Let me see... Oh, it''s the Old Fragish Runes. Yes, I can decode this, but... with this amount, it''ll take a day at most. Call me the day after tomorrow; it should be done by then.}


    "Somehow, I feel sorry for this." Aster smiled wryly. "If you ever have something else you need from me again, just ask, so that I can return the favor."


    {Really?} Vanessa''s eyes turned sharp. {Then, can I gather a sample of your seed? I''m wondering what''s the difference between a 100% human seed and those of the current generation.}


    "Ah, that..." Aster scratched his head, feeling a little awkward. "I have a promise with Magnus to only do the deed once a month. So, I guess, you can ask him about it."


    {Ah, I don''t need to have sex with you if you don''t want to. Just extracting a sample of your seed is fine. Can I?}


    "..."


    Although her request was slightly different from his promise to Magnus, he still couldn''t decide whether he could agree to it or not. He let out a sigh, not wanting to be an ingrateful prick, and nodded his head.


    "Alright. But only if I find a clue about what you talked about earlier." He pulled a condition as if ast-ditch struggle. "If I didn''t find anything, then sorry, but just ask Magnus to schedule you."


    {Got it. That''s fine with me.}


    For some reason, Aster felt like he just made a contract with the devil. Chills crawled down his back as he stared at her predatory eyes, watching him.

 Chapter 139: Returning to His Roots (1)

    As soon as the call with Vanessa ended, Aster quickly started to contact the rest about how he had requested that she decode the symbols on the door.


    "Change of ns; I''ll be going out of the city tomorrow." He exined to them right after. "So tomorrow, everyone else should just spend it freely."


    *Ping!*


    Kali sent a private message not long after he sent that message to the group chat. He quickly opened it, reading what she had to say.


    {Of course, as your assigned bodyguard, I''ll be tagging along. Send me the time and ce to meet up.}


    "..."


    Aster was expecting to go alone, but it seemed like that wouldn''t be possible. "Ah, right. I need to contact Magnus too." Remembering such, he quickly sent a message to Magnus, but not even a secondter, a message returned.


    {You can leave the city, but I''ll be sending two escorts apart from Miss Kali Norma. Of course, this isn''t a suggestion.}


    The speed of his reply was as if he were listening in on Aster''s random mumblings in real time!


    Ignoring the fact that the reply came too fast, Aster couldn''t help but feel a little bit restricted. He just wanted to go out of town for a bit, and he would be taking three escorts with him!


    "Well, I guess that''s natural." He shrugged.


    Aster was practically the only hope of extending the inevitable demise of the world due to the rapidly declining average Human DNA. As such, Magnus couldn''t afford to lose him just because he skimped out on sending escorts to protect him.


    Thinking that it was just the way it should be, Aster started to do his own thing and prepare for the next day, before taking a well-deserved sleep. Of course, he didn''t forget to send the details of where to meet and what time to meet tomorrow.


    ---


    The next day, May 25, 4533, at exactly 5 a.m.


    Aster was already standing by the guard house near the gate he entered through the first time he came to Orinfeld City, the South Gate. Their agreed time was 5:30 a.m., but he woke up and finished his preparations too early, so he decided to just wait for the rest at the agreed location.


    "Phew..."


    While watching his frosty breath turn into a smoky mist, rising into the air and weing the faint morning light, a voice suddenly called for him from close by.


    "Ah, as I thought, it''s Star!"


    "Huh?" Aster turned to the source, recognizing the owner of the voice. "Cassy? What are you doing here?"


    "Oh! I was nning to walk around town today. What a coincidence, meeting here~!" She replied without a hint of falsehood. "How about you? You seem to be waiting for someone...? Ah!


    It must be a date?! Lucky you~!"


    ''A date this early?''


    Aster chuckled to himself lightly, thinking that she couldn''t be more wrong.


    "I am..."


    Just as he was about to exin, another voice came from the other direction, filled with doubt.


    "Stupid rabbit... Don''t tell me, you''reing with us too?"


    Kali came at the worst timing possible, causing Cassy to add one and one, ande to what seemed like the most natural conclusion.


    "D-Don''t tell me... Star, you''re dating K?!"


    "D-D-Date?! What the fuck are you on, you stupid, horny rabbit!"


    "But you two, meeting ndestinely, isn''t this what a date is?!"


    "Wait, pause for a minute..." Unable to let the situation roll into chaos further, Aster couldn''t help but interfere. "Actually..." He then started exining everything from the beginning to her. Your next read is at m v|l-e-NovelBin


    It took only two minutes before she nodded her head in understanding, crossing her arms across her casual orange and ck jersey. "I see. So you and K are going to visit the ce where you initially woke up?" She tilted her head as if waiting for confirmation.


    "Yes." Aster nodded, finally breathing a long sigh of relief.


    But then, Cassy''s next words made his headache worse again. "Then, I''lle with you too!"


    "... You''reing with us, wearing just that?"


    "Yep! You just said earlier that it''s not dangerous there, right? Then I should be fine~!"


    Indeed, going to his parent''sboratory wouldn''t be dangerous. But on the off-chance that the Anti-Human Movement caught wind of this outing and made their move, then the danger level would be off the charts.


    Aster turned to Kali for her opinion, but the silver cat simply closed her eyes with her arms crossed, as if not wanting to have anything to do with the current situation. He had to wrack his brain, consider the pros and cons, and finallye to a conclusion.


    "Well, having one, two, or three targets to protect doesn''t differ that much." He shrugged. "Alright, you cane with us."


    "Yay~! I''m also going on an outing! How exciting!" Cassy cheered, jumping lightly. "Ah, right! Earlier, I..." And with her addition, the waiting spot became a little more lively, filled with chatting.


    About twenty minutester, two more figures wearing casual clothes came. Of course, despite wearing civilian attire, Aster could still tell who they were.


    "Officer Helvetica, Officer Mistelle. So you''re the ones that Mayor Magnus sent." He greeted the two as they approached, extending his hand for a handshake.


    "Well, I guess it''s because we''re the ones with the most contact with you?" Officer Helvetica replied rhetorically, catching Aster''s hand and gripping it tight. "Anyway, you can trust us to protect you with all our might. So rest assured... but why are there three of you?"


    Mistelle scanned the two girls'' faces and frowned. "Right, we were briefed that we''re onlyguarding two."


    "Ah, this is Cassy, one of our party members. She''s also tagging along for this excursion... It''s fine, right?"


    Aster turned to Helvetica, who was most likely the "leader" between the two of them. He had a pensive look for a moment before sighing in resignation.


    "Well, guarding two or three doesn''t really matter much. As long as you don''t move too far from us, then we''re good."


    "Alright. You heard him, Cassy. No exploring around; just follow behind."


    "Aww... Alright."


    "..."


    Seeing that everyone appeared to be on the same page already, Aster turned toward the gate and began walking outside. As they left the wall, they quickly turned a little to the right and headed to the nearby forest.

 Chapter 140: Returning to His Roots (2)

    With Aster''s lead, they started to walk toward his parent''sboratory.


    Of course, it would have been hard to backtrack his path a few weeks ago, but thankfully, he had quite a good memory. He remembered a few eye-catching details that acted asndmarks, pointing them in the right direction.


    Whenever they passed by a pile of rubble, Aster would renew the mental map he had based on what the building was in the past, long forgotten. With that, the uracy of their heading was getting higher the further they went.


    "It''s here!"


    In less than three hours, the distance that he needed nine hours to walk before was covered.


    ''I really improved a lot,'' Aster thought a little, praising himself for a job well done.


    "The entrance is here; follow me."


    Without wasting more time, he led them to the emergency staircase. However, as expected, it was so rusty that it would probably drop them straight to the bottom if all five of them walked on it at the same time.


    Mistelle stepped forward as she spoke confidently. "So we need to descend here? Leave it to me!"


    With a wave of her hand,pletely leaving out chanting altogether, she created a of vines covering the entire staircase from the top to the bottom.


    "I reinforced the stairs with vines. It should be safe to traverse now." She exined.


    Aster, curious, tried to carefully step on the vines, and to his surprise, it was sturdier than cement! Despite his increased weight, it didn''t even budge, much less release a creak!


    Trusting her spellpletely, Aster decided to walk down, scaling the emergency staircase at a normal walking pace. In less than five minutes, they had already reached the bottom, the 9th floor, where he initially was.


    He looked at the destroyed emergency exit and saw that the ice covering it had long melted away, not leaving anything behind.


    "Ugh, this smell..."


    "Urp!"


    Cassy and Kali, the two beastkins, reacted violently as they approached. Aster, too, realized the fishy, rotten smelling from the said floor, and quickly realized the source of it.


    "Right, the giant snake I killed was left here!" Hemented out loud while peeking through the hole he kicked open before.


    The hole, right now, wasn''t even enough to fit his current body, a testament to just how much he had changed since then.


    Anyway, inside, he quickly found the half-rotten corpse of the giant snake. Since there were a lot of flies swarming about, and something icky squirming within the darkness, Aster decided to avert his gaze and...


    "Haaak!"


    ... almost vomited from the disgusting smell. Even he was unable to handle the smell, much less the two beasts who had a sharper sense of smell than him!


    As if curious, Helvetica also leaned in closer and peeked inside. But unlike Aster, he merely frowned before turning back to Aster and asking. "Should I clean that up first? I''ll make sure not to drag in any other materials that could be a clue."


    "P-Please..."


    Aster was quite sure that there were no clues on this floor, anyway, so he just agreed to his suggestion. After that, Helvetica nodded his head before pulling out a dagger from his thigh pocket and starting to sh open the door.


    After creating a new entrance, he then entered inside and started to "purify" everything with fire. Of course, as he just imed, his mes didn''t burn anything else apart from the snake''s corpse, the flies buzzing around, and their maggots busily eating the giant corpse.


    It was only half an hourter before Helvetica returned outside, his forehead covered in sweat. "I''m done. The smell should be a little less awful now."


    Aster tried to peek inside and take a hesitant sniff. However, just like Helvetica said, the foul smell was no more. Instead, only the smell of burned matter dominated the space.


    ''Well, it''s better than that inexplicable smell, at least.'' He reasoned before entering inside.


    With firm steps, straight and unhesitating, he went to the cryogenic capsule, where he had been for 2,500 years. The entire capsule, just as he saw it the first time, was already showing signs of the long time it had been untouched.


    It was filled with faded paint, rust, and inexplicable scratches all over. It was hard to tell how it hadsted as long as it did just by looking at its outer surface.


    Aster moved closer, touching the cushion inside the pod, before sitting on it again and looking around just in case for clues.


    "... It''s clean."


    Of course, since it''s been sealed for as long as he was inside it, there''s no way for any clues to be ced inside, anyway. Next, he moved to the back of the pod and checked the control panel, but as expected, it was no longer working.


    "... Right, out of power, was it?"


    He remembered the noisy error that woke him up in the first ce and looked down at the floor he was standing on. Below him should be the core room, where the Nuclear Fission reactor powering the entireboratory was located.


    ''If there''s any clue left behind by mother and father, then most likely...''


    Anyway, before they moved to the 10th underground floor, Aster and everyone else swept over the entire 9th floor first. They checked out every nook and cranny, trying to find clues, but found absolutely nothing.


    "Hmm... Any sort of document has already turned into a pile of dirt from how long it has been." Kali muttered with a disappointed sigh.


    Cassy put down the random trinket she found and also gave her opinion. "If there''s anything to look for, then I guess it''s in a digital format since that would be more preservable."


    "Right," Aster himself agreed.


    "But the electricity in this facility died the moment I woke up. We should check the reactor room first and restart it if possible to see if any of theputers still have data in them."


    Officer Helvetica nodded to his words, approving.


    "Sounds like a n. Where''s that core room, then?"


    "Below us," Aster exined. "Ah, and I''m not sure if there''s any leaking radiation, so we should be careful."


    "..."


    Hearing his warning, all four others stiffened in shock. They weren''t prepared to fight against radiation, at all!

 Chapter 141: Returning to His Roots (3)

    Aster saw everyone''s faces and smiled. Of course, he anticipated that nobody would prepare against radiation at all.


    "Don''t worry, I got a Geiger counter with me." He dered as he pulled out a small device from his Spatial Fanny Pack. "Though I only have one anti-radiation suit, so if there''s heavy contamination, only I can go in."


    "Then let''s just pray there''s no leaks," Helvetica muttered, sounding a little bit resigned. "So? How do we go down to the 10th floor?"


    They already checked, and the stairs leading down werepletely blocked with debris that fell from higher floors. It would take quite some time to clear all those up, so they quickly gave up on that idea.


    "Easy, we just make a new passage." Aster dered while tapping his feet on the ground.


    "You mean... through the floor?" Kali muttered in disbelief. "This is an old ruin, and you think it''s stable enough to not copse after we dug a hole through it? Are you an idiot?"


    "I agree with Star''s idea, though..." Cassy, on the other hand, supported Aster''s idea. "It would take hours to open the emergency staircase buried in dirt and mud. A day if we try clearing the main staircase. But drilling a hole will end in minutes~!"


    Of course, both their words were true. Digging a hole through the floor was a lot faster, but it would also jeopardize the stability of the building itself. Furthermore, they can''t say that there would be no radiationing out if they dug a hole, adding more risk to this n.


    "We don''t really have time on our hands, so we have no choice," Mistellemented. "Where should I open a path?"


    "Then... Over here."


    Aster could still recall the structure of the 10th floor, and quickly estimated which part was "safe" rtivelypared to the rest. He chose the furthest corner he could from the reactor and asked Mistelle to dig through there.


    She quickly nodded her head, before taking out a spear out of nowhere. Then, she took a deep breath while holding the spear with both hands, its tip facing down, and thrust it hard.


    "Spear Skill: Screw Pierce!"


    As she cast her skill, the spear went through the ground while rotating. The floor, which should be three meters thick, suddenly had arge, clean, circr hole dug through it, exposing a few wires and steel bars peeking from the edges.


    Without dy, Aster pointed the Geiger counter toward the hole and waited. However, the device didn''t show any changes in its values even after a minute passed.


    "Phew... Looks like the worst-case scenario hadn''t urred." He sighed in relief.


    Of course, he still couldn''t be sure about it, as the radiation might''ve simply stuck to the walls and furniture on the 10th floor. As such, to make sure, he tied a rope to the Geiger counter and let it dangle until it hit the floor of the tenth floor. Then, they waited another minute, before gathering the device and checking the reading history.


    Aster saw this and nodded with a confident smile. "There''s no spike in radiation, so it seems like it''ll be safe to descend from here. Just in case, I''ll go first with the anti-radiation suit."


    Of course, although it was a little iffy to let their protection target be the one to test for dangers, the suit was made to fit his body, so nobody else present could wear it.


    The anti-radiation suit was a simple yellow-colored suit that fit the skin tightly. It had a gold-ted visor to block any neutron and gamma radiation, making it safe to see what was in front of him without worry.


    After Aster wore it over his clothes, he was then lowered slowly toward the tenth floor with Mistelle''s help, using vines that moved to her will.


    As he went down, the scenery on the tenth floor weed him. The ce was mostly the same as he remembered it, other than therge silo of radioactive fuel for the core near the other end of the wall. Looking around, other than the vicinity of where they punched a hole through, not even a speck of dust could be seen anywhere else.


    "Amazing. I guess the 10th floor''s airtight and radiation-proof as a safety measure, but to think it''s to this extent..."


    Thinking normally, everything couldn''t stay as it was 2500 years ago. Seeing this, Aster started to suspect that it wasn''t only advanced preservation techniques or technology that achieved this.


    As he was going down, he carefully checked the Geiger counter and the reading of the air in the room. The oxygen level was normal, along with the absence of any harmful gases around. There''s also no radiation whatsoever, making him frown a little.


    "With how the reactor''s water barrier remained unchanged for thousands of years, it wouldn''t be weird if some radiation leaked by now... But nothing at all?"


    "Star! Are you alright?!"


    Right as he was getting lost in thebyrinth of his thoughts, Cassy''s voice echoed from above. Aster looked up, seeing four worried faces peeking through the hole about 15 meters above him. Stay connected with m-v l|e''m,p| y- r


    Aster waved his hand, before showing an OK signal, indicating that there was no problem and the rest could follow him in.


    One after another, they went down with Mistelle''s help andnded on the 10th underground floor.


    "Woah... Is that what a working Nuclear reactor looks like? I''ve only seen it in history books!" Cassymented after seeing therge ss tube using a three-meter-thick, anti-radiation protective ss.


    In the very middle of the ss tube, there''s a five-meter-diameter metal sphere with long wires connected to it, looking like a water mine with spikes here and there. Directly on top of the sphere was the mechanism used to exchange used-up fuel rods for new ones, allowing the continuous run of the nuclear reactor without any human intervention for extended periods.


    "It''s pretty in here..."


    Furthermore, thanks to the Cherenkov radiation from the reactor''s water barrier, the entire floor was covered in a gentle blue light.


    *CLAP!*


    "Alright, everyone. There''s no time to just stare around. Let''s finish our tasks quickly and return!" Officer Helvetica announced after attracting everyone''s attention.


    "First, we should reconnect the electronic systems of all floors to the reactor!"

 Chapter 142: Preserved Data Storage

    The energy supply to the other floors was cut off, but not physically. It was more because the breakers for the said floors tripped, stopping the flow of electricity toward them. Thankfully, Aster knew where the breaker box was, and moved toward it.


    As they moved as one big group, Mistelle started to mutter something to herself.


    "Amazing... It''s my first time seeing such a longsting Preservation Magic applied to an entire facility."


    Aster couldn''t help but be curious about her words. "Preservation Magic? What''s that?"


    Aster was new to the concept of magic and skills; as such, it was normal that he didn''t know it. However, even Cassy and Kali didn''t look like they knew about it.


    "Preservation magic is a spell that''s used to let an object retain its physical state for as long as the spell''s effectsts," Mistelle exined while looking around.


    "Usually, it would lose effect in a decade or so, but... this ce is 2,500+ years old, right? The longest duration of preservation magic recorded in history was just 100 years, and that''s done with the help of all level 1,000 mages in their generation working in tandem until they fainted of mana depletion."


    "..."


    Hearing this, Aster quickly found what was "amazing" about the preservation magic in thisboratory. First of all, itsted not just a hundred, but over a thousand years, breaking the record a couple dozen times over. Referencing it with what Mistelle said, this feat would be impossible without about 25 generations'' worth of hard work!


    As they were discussing things about magic, they soon reached the breakers. Aster quickly moved forward and checked all of it, before flipping the ones for the 10th underground floor''sputers and lights.


    With just a few seconds'' dy, the lights all turned on, lighting up the entire core room. It was so bright that their shadows were barely visible now.


    "Good, it''s still working." Aster smiled.


    He was worried that the bulbs had already burned out ages ago, but there didn''t seem to be any problems.


    "Then, let''s split up and check theputers scattered all over this floor," Helveticamanded, splitting up the job equally among everyone.


    Other than Aster, who already had an idea where to look, the rest divided the sections to themselves and began checking theputers that finished booting.


    "Woah, what an old system! Is this a physical keyboard?! With this pristine condition, it could fetch hundreds of millions on F-Buy!!!"


    Even Kali was unable to hold her excitement upon seeing "ancient" technological artifacts before her. She was getting tempted to pluck one off and sell it for pocket money!


    Of course, she wouldn''t do such a thing without asking for Aster''s permission. After all, he was thest descendant of the original owner of the ce. Meaning, he had all the rights to whatever was in there.


    "..."


    The said person, Aster, was busy looking through the logs of the reactor, however. He was checking the very first log, in the hopes that something was written on it. However, there were gazillions of lines of logs present, covering the entire 2,500 years that he was asleep.


    He didn''t give up, of course, and instead of checking the logs on the logger, he just went to the folder and ordered them from oldest to newest. Then, he opened the oldest log, and read its contents.


    "... I knew it."


    He grumbled, before closing the log. Then, he leaned against theputer and closed his eyes, trying to put his emotions under control. After a while, he took a deep breath and finally calmed down.


    Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''m,p| y- r


    What he saw in the log, was the short log about his father, Roger Mistral, extending the capacity of the reactor from a couple of decades to about 5,000 years.


    The amount of nuclear fuel rods he collected in this ce was more than enough to cause the Fourth World War!


    ''And all that, just to help me out...'' Aster felt a pang in his heart.


    He could tell that his parents didn''t give up until the very end!


    "But still, 5,000 years? So this means I woke up 2,500 years earlier than they expected?"


    Looking around the tenth floor, and learning about preservation magic, he could understand how itsted in such a pristine state for such a long period. However, a question also came to him at the same time.


    ''If they can cast preservation magic on the entire 10th underground floor, then why not include the 9th floor in it too?''


    If that wasn''t possible, they could also try to move the pod to the 10th floor instead, so that it wouldn''t deteriorate at all.


    "No, stop..."


    Aster shook his head, chasing such thoughts away. He came here to find answers, not to look for more questions! After that, he checked out the first few logs until he found what he was looking for¡ªa clue.


    {


    December 15, 2051 19:57:11.97


    We have discovered that Aster Mistral''s Nameless Disease is caused by a blessing from -$@------ beyond the observable universe. However, we have deemed that it would be impossible for him to survive until he could gain the right to im the said blessing.


    *#(@(------12lgida__192837-- ----------- -til we find a way to solve it, we need to extend his life for as long as possible. For the detailed n, we have created a special databank protected with a time-lock spell to prevent deterioration.


    Aster, my son. If you''re reading this, then that means our n seeded. Survive, and never give up. Just like you promised.


    }


    Aster paused for a bit. Other than the corrupted sections of the log, he did gain more than enough information.


    "Mother and Father... they did realize the truth about my disease."


    He felt a sense of pride welling up from deep in his heart. His parents, as expected, were the best!


    He quickly wiped the tears, threatening to drip down the corner of his eyes, before taking on a serious expression. Then, he honed in on a part of the log and muttered to himself. "Databank..."


    He started to look around, looking for anything that was inconspicuous, but stood out at the same time. Such a location would be the first choice of Aster''s father if he were to hide something important, after all.


    After looking around, Aster found the control podium for the Nuclear reactor, quickly ran for it, and cracked open the podium''s stand. Inside it, other than the few wires for the controls, was a single block, an obsidian-colored cube, resting on top of a small ss case.


    "This is..." Aster stared at the item, before carefully lifting it to his hands. "A Cube Storage?"

 Chapter 143: Intercepted!

    Aster stared at the cube, which was roughly 10 centimeters across on each side. The entire object looked as if it were made out of a single piece of solid metal.


    But it was actually an assembly of smaller-gauge blocks adhering to each other through a mix of negative pressure pulling the blocks together, and the surface tension of oil and air acting as glue, keeping them joined.


    Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Each of the smaller gauge blocks acts as a small data storage medium, with a simr concept to Solid State Drives. However, instead of microchips storing the data, it was literally carved into the smaller gauge blocks'' non-contact faces.


    "But why did they choose this inefficient method of storage?" Aster couldn''t help but wonder.


    If they used an SSD, then they could store more information than 100,000 cubes could with just one.


    Ignoring that for now, Aster started to look around to see if there was aputer with a reader for the cube. But to his surprise... "There''s none?!"


    This confused him even further. His parents used an unconventional method of storing data, but the device that could be used to read the stored data inside it wasn''t even present in theb! This was too much, even as a simple protective measure against the data getting stolen.


    "..."


    Having no other choice, Aster ced the cube inside his Spatial Fanny Pack and moved to where the others were. After asking them for their finds, as he expected, none of them found any clues.


    Kali was, for some reason, asking to "collect" one of the keyboards. Aster wondered what she would use such a standard keyboard for, but since they wouldn''t being back here anytime soon anyway, he approved her request. It''s just one keyboard, after all.


    After they wrapped up their search, the team started on their way back.


    One after another, they climbed out of the tenth underground floor and started moving out of theboratory. They climbed the stairs, arriving at the surface without much trouble.


    "DUCK!"


    But then, Helvetica''s shout shook Aster and the other two. By reflex, they followed his words and dove to the ground. As soon as they did, an invisible wind pressure swept above their heads. It came from their left and continued until it hit a tree to their right. The tree was cut cleanly, and felled in one hit!


    "...!"


    Aster gasped. He imagined what would''ve happened if that hit him or the girls instead, giving him goosebumps.


    "Shit! It''s an ambush! Mistelle!"


    "On it!"


    The two police officers moved professionally, with Mistelle rushing to Aster, Cassy, and Kali''s sides and grabbing them as if they weighed nothing. Helvetica, meanwhile, cast a spell, attacking the spot where the invisible wind pressure came from.


    As he did, the scenery suddenly started to warp, like the surface of disturbed water, before it broke like a bubble popping.


    "Fuck...!"


    As the camouge was destroyed, it was revealed that there was arge group of people standing there, their eyes glowing red in desire and anger. No, it''s a little inurate to call them "people," as there were practically no signs of humanity in them.


    "Death to all humans!"


    "Kill them! Destroy the human!"


    "Gah! Arrrrrgh!"


    Although some of them could still speak, most of them could only let out low growls. The group that was facing them at the moment, were those of the Anti-Human Movement who were either nearing monsterification or had already undergone the process.


    Mistelle nced back and noticed this, but she didn''t stop her feet. After all, rather than subduing the enemy, their priority was to keep Aster safe.


    "Ow, ah!"


    "Kuh! Hey, careful!"


    But the two girls, who were bundled together under her right arm, were feeling pain from her tight hold. It couldn''t be helped, however, as that''s the only safe way to carry them without the risk of them falling.


    "Shut up first, or you''ll bite your tongue!" Mistelle warned, her face showing how desperate she was.


    The reason for that was that those who underwent monsterization would experience extreme powerups. For reference, if one is at level 100 before monsterization, then after it, they would have power equivalent to level 200. Although it varies, the strength metric would indicate that they would be at least 5 times, up to 10 times, stronger than before!


    As someone who has worked in the police force for a long time, Mistelle could estimate one''s level of strength at a nce with reliable uracy. Her instincts tell her that those monster-ified ones were a lot stronger than she was!


    It was fortunate that Helvetica was present with them. With his strength, he should be able to hold the enemies back, at least, allowing Aster''s safe escape.


    *BAM!*


    "...!"


    But then, an explosion erupted ahead of them, causing Mistelle to stop in ce. ''No way!'' She thought, staring at the second group of enemies spread ahead of them as if waiting for them from the start.


    There were about 50-something Anti-Human Movement personnel standing to block their way, roughly as many and as powerful as the one left behind with Helvetica.


    "This is bad..." Mistelle eximed as she lowered the three, casting a no-chant healing spell over the three. "We''re surrounded, but I''ll create an opening. As soon as you see it, run without looking back!"


    Aster, however, shook his head and responded. "No."


    He wasn''t sure if this was all of the enemies; as such, there was the risk that another batch of same-level enemies were waiting for them ahead. Without someone powerful enough by their side, it was straight game over for them if that happened.


    He turned to Cassy and smiled. "Cassy, if I lose myself again, I''ll be leaving the rest to you."


    "...! Star, don''t tell me, you...!"


    Before Cassy or Kali could stop him, Aster already stepped forward, standing ahead of Mistelle, and spread both arms wide. "Don''t stand in front of me, or you''ll get caught in it." He warned.


    Frost started to circle him, creating a heavy fog that settled on the forest floor immediately. The Magic Carved Seal on his right hand, the Frostfire Legacy, was glowing in a blue light the entire time.


    It had been a while since hest used it, but it seemed like his body still remembered it. His casting ended in just a couple of seconds, before he waved both hands forward, along with a powerful shout.


    "FREEZE!"


    Right then, a wave of frost spread radially around him, covering everything 180 degrees around him in a thick, whiteyer of ice.


    "...!"


    But, to Aster''s surprise, the enemies remained mostly unaffected. Although they were covered in frost now, nobody among them died from getting frozen alone.


    The gap in level was so high that his attack didn''t work too well, just like with Vanessa!

 Chapter 144: Fighting with Fire!

    Aster stood in ce after seeing that his attack was ineffective. His face was the very definition of shock, with his eyes wide in disbelief.


    "Good work, Aster!"


    But then, Mistelle''s words brought him back to his senses. He turned toward her and saw that, using the time Aster had bought, she had finished casting a powerful-looking spell!


    "Kyuin Thorne Ambuor Mythra Sirreo G Spicht! Tree God''s Wrathful Iron Spear!" Right then, Mistelle''s shout echoed.


    The roots of the trees around her started to rise, like long, gigantic spears, ready to attack at any given moment. Each of the roots seemed to be coated in a thinyer of metal, increasing their destructiveness and toughness. Read exclusive content at m_v-l''-NovelBin


    The sharp roots shot forward, piercing multiple of the Anti-Human Movement guys who got slowed down by Aster''s frozen area. In just a moment, the several dozen enemies fell to only five survivors!


    Mistelle, however, didn''t lower her guard down despite practically winning already. After all, she could tell that the remaining fiveposed more than 90% of the power of the previous group.


    "They''re strong. Be careful, you three!" She warned.


    Aster, of course, didn''t listen. Instead of staying put, he changed his approach and started to use mes instead of ice. He waved his hand, sending a powerful wave of heat reaching 10,000 degrees Celcius!


    The five saw the fluctuations of mana in the air and moved, but they were a step toote. The hoods covering their bodies were burned to a crisp, revealing their full appearance to the four.


    "No way..." Mistelle, upon seeing their state, had her face turn pale.


    The five all had monstrous appearances, but unlike the ones behind, facing Helvetica, who looked like they lost all rational thinking, the ones before them right now had calm eyes. "They... are Second Gens!"


    "...?"


    Aster was, of course, clueless about the term. However, Cassy and Kali knew what the term meant, and also started to show expressions of disbelief and half-resignation.


    "This is bad..." Kali murmured.


    "M-Miss officer, can''t you call backup?" Cassy asked with fear covering her face.


    Mistelle, hearing Cassy''s suggestion, quickly moved. She pulled out something like a rocket firework from her spatial pocket¡ªsimr to Aster''s team''s Spatial Fanny Pack¡ªand poured mana into it.


    *PSHEEEEW!* *BOOOM!*


    The rocket quickly zipped toward the sky, before exploding into a bright red sh, releasing red smoke that lingered in the sky without fading or getting carried away by the wind.


    "I''ve sent the SOS signal. Now, given the distance, we''d only need to dy them for at least one minute!"


    One minute seemed short enough, but thinking about who or what their enemy was, was near impossible to achieve. Of course, Aster was still clueless about how dangerous the five before them were.


    All he had in mind was to think of ways he could support Mistelle, and kill those five.


    ''Since ice didn''t work on them, I should assume they have high mana.''


    Having higher mana would mean higher resistance against spells. Of course, this would practically be useless if the enemy was of the same level, and only useful when facing weaker enemies.


    ''But for the fire, they chose evasion instead.''


    This meant that even though they had high mana, they would still die if they breathed in hot air and burned their lungs. After all, the increase in temperature was only partially caused by mana and was partially a physical phenomenon.


    "The answer is clear!" Aster dered as he activated his Frostfire Legacy once more.


    "...!"


    The three girls opened their eyes wide at Aster''s actions. Instead of attacking the five directly, he decided to create a "dome" that spans a hundred meters in diameter. The mes were over 10 meters thick, ensuring that even if they held their breath, they would still get affected by it if they tried to break through by force.


    "Ugh...!"


    But Aster didn''t stop there. He was slowly expanding the area at a pace of 1 meter per second, limiting the space inside for the five!


    The forest burned brightly, caught in the crossfire, but Aster didn''t mind it.


    The five monster-ified Second Gens started to panic. The heat from the surroundings was already starting to singe their fur! They could imagine how things would end if the area reached them. Death!


    "Grrr! Graaah!"


    One of the five lost his rational thoughts in fear and tried to dash forward. However, the heat was so great that his skin melted as soon as he came into contact with it. Still, he endured the pain and rushed forward, slipping through the thick field of mes with severe injuries.


    *Sizzle!*


    His wounds were severe enough that his bones could be seen, but a momentter, his injuries started to heal rapidly. Meat was regenerating at a pace visible to the naked eye!


    "Oh no, you don''t!"


    But Mistelle was a step faster, doing a follow-up. As soon as the enemy moved, she had already cast her spell in advance, prioritizing zone suppression over damage. She used Tree God''s Wrathful Iron Spear once again!


    "GRRR!"


    The enemy saw that the roots were prepared as if waiting for him, causing him to growl in anger. He tried to evade as much as possible, but since the numbers were too overwhelming, he was pushed back gradually. His back was already at the boundary of Aster''s burning zone, and one more step would mean he would return there to get cooked!


    "...!"


    Then, without warning, arge root burst through the midst of the smaller roots. It was both sharp and quick¡ªenough that if he didn''t dodge or protect himself, it would without a doubt pierce through his body!


    He quickly crossed his arms to block the root, sessfully stopping it from injuring him. "ARRRRGH!" But upon doing so, he was pushed back by itsrge mass and into the burning zone.


    He was forced to stay there for only five seconds before his body disintegrated into ashes. The other four saw this and started to panicpletely. They didn''t want to die just yet!


    Instinctively, they knew that what would give them the highest chance of survival was to escape in different directions at the same time. As such, the four ran in random directions and started to dash through Aster''s burning zone.


    "... Heh."


    But after killing the first one, something changed in Aster. His eyes burned with disdain, as if he were looking down on his enemies. A hedonistic smile covered his face.


    "Bastards, you think you can escape from me?!" He shouted.


    His hand moved, as if twisting something. Right then, therge zone of mes was divided into four. Each of them is centered around one of the enemies!


    "ARGH!"


    Screams of pain followed as they tried to run out of the zone, but Aster also moved the zone with them, keeping them locked in the middle of it. His control suddenly jumped multiple levels, reaching the point that he seemed to have mastered it!


    "Mistelle! Kill those four! Hurry!"


    Kali pulled at Mistelle''s sleeve, her face covered in worry.


    "Don''t let Aster kill them, or it''ll be toote!"

 Chapter 145: Aster (Fire Mode)

    "What?"


    Of course, Mistelle was confused by the sudden request. However, she didn''t have much time to think. If she were to follow Kali''s desperate plea, then she only had a second or two at most.


    ''I don''t know what''s going on, but... I can''t let the one we''re supposed to protect do the protecting!''


    She prepared a multicast spell in a sh, forming spear-shaped wooden branches around her. The branches gained substance, bing as thick as her thigh in the blink of an eye.


    "...!"


    Exerting herself a little, the branches flew, with around three each heading toward one of the enemies.


    As soon as her spells entered Aster''s ming zone, the spears started to burn. However, that was within her assumptions. The spears were made not with dried wood, but with live wood, making them harder to turn into ashes in just a short while.


    "GO!"


    The spears moved, as if having a tracking spell attached to them, andnded right at the heads of the four Anti-Human Movement people. Their heads popped like balloons as the spears hit them, killing them in a sh.


    "Ugh..." Cassy groaned.


    Although she was already used to seeing "death" everywhere, it was her first time seeing such a swift, and grotesque death. It felt like the sight of their heads exploding was stored in her memory, and was reyed hundreds, thousands of times in slow motion!


    Their eyes burning in rage and pain, their faces rapidly deforming within the mes, and the flesh and blood spray that evaporated right after their heads exploded.


    "Haaah?"


    Seeing that his "prey" had been stolen, Aster''s gaze toward Mistelle was filled with contempt. "You... dare to steal my EXP? You bitch, elf?"


    He walked toward Mistelle one step at a time, but before he could, his gaze sharpened as he squatted down. As he did, something just swept past his head, flying across, before a powerful shockwave followed its wake.


    "..."


    The thing that flew right above his head, was a gigantic spear of ice, about the size of Parthenon''s pir, flying at supersonic speeds! If it had hit him, then, without a doubt, he would turn into a meat paste and die.


    His gaze turned to the source, where one of them was left fighting against the other half of the enemies. As expected, holding back a couple of dozen enemies was too much, even for the super police officer Helvetica, allowing a few of them to fire attack spells aimed at Aster instead.


    "... Ohh, so there''s more prey over there. I almost forgot." Aster''s frown turned upside down, almost to a crescent smile.


    Two fireballs appeared on top of his palms as he walked toward their battle instead. "You want to fucking kill me? Are you even qualified to do so, you bastards?!"


    Along with his fierce shout, he threw the two normal-looking fireballs, aiming for the densest location within the enemy''s formation. They saw his attack and almost sneered upon seeing how small the fireball was.


    "...!"


    But Helvetica quickly realized the danger and cast several shields to cover himself. That was despite the "fireball"nding at the group furthest from him!


    He felt like his breath was stuck in his throat as he watched the attack move. Right as it entered the enemy''s midst, the mes started to change color, starting to consume the oxygen in the surroundings. From the fiery red, slowly turning green, then blue, and ultimately, pure white!


    The change happened in almost a split second, which made it toote for anyone to protect themselves from it. Right at that moment, all the colors disappeared from the world, along with the deafening silence.


    No... That''s not it.


    *BOOOOOM!*


    The explosion was so powerful that everything turned pure white, and the sounds were so deafening that it rendered them deaf before they could even hear anything!


    In that silent world, Helvetica struggled to keep himself anchored and not get sted away. Of the six shields he set, five of them were shattered by the explosion and impact alone! Explore more adventures at m,v l''-NovelBin


    Mistelle moved fast, covering for Kali and Cassy and protecting them from the shockwaves. But the shockwaves were still able to push them a few meters back, despite the distance they had from the point of explosion.


    It was almost as if a 500-kg bomb detonated right in front of them!


    "A-Ahh Staaa..."


    Cassy, despite having both ears bleeding from having her eardrums ruptured, tried to run for Aster, her expression filled with nothing but worry.


    After all, he just killed several high-level "humans" with his Frostfire Legacy. This meant that all the experience he could get from them ended up flowing into the Magic Carved Seal on the back of his right hand instead!


    "P-Pwease... Com baa... to your senses..."


    Without a hint of hesitation, she jumped to the back of Aster, who was cackling like a homicidal maniac. Then, she quickly cast the best healing spell she could currently use.


    "Secundi Sirreo Cura! Intermediate Heal!"


    A gentle green light spread from her toward Aster, and slowly, hisughter subsided. His hands dropped to both sides of his body, as his gaze was fixed straight forward. It was as if he had just lost his soul, and was staring nkly at the scenery!


    "Aster!"


    She tightened her hug, hoping that she would make it in time. However, with the number of people that he killed in that short time, it was obvious that the seal''s level became higher than his current level. With just an estimate, given that the enemies were at least at level 100, he would''ve earned about 20 levels worth of experience!


    "..."


    Aster''s vision blurred, as his eyes gradually closed. However, he didn''t fall asleep, nor did he fall into aa. Instead, his "senses" went somewhere deep inside himself, a ce that he didn''t know even existed.


    ---


    Aster opened his eyes and blinked.


    Since he was lying face-down on what felt like stone, cold, and rough, he quickly pushed himself up. However, the ce was too dark to even discern anything with sight alone.


    "This ce is..."


    His mind was a little bit disoriented, unsure of what was going on.


    Just as he was wondering why it was so dark, mes started to burn from what seemed like torches set at even intervals. Blue and red mes, one seemingly hot enough to burn anything it touched and one that was cold enough to freeze even time itself.


    With the light from the two kinds of mes, Aster could finally see the ce he was in.


    "An... altar?"

 Chapter 146: Twin Spirits of Ice and Fire

    Aster quickly saw the ce and determined it to be some old, dpidated altar of some sort. It was made out of stone, with what seemed like a sacrificial table set in the middle.


    On the floor of it, there was aplex magical symbol drawn. As soon as he saw it, he felt it strangely familiar and quickly realized why.


    "This is the same as the seal on my right hand!"


    He tried to confirm it by raising his hand and checking, but to his surprise, there was no drawing on it at the moment. His hand looked as normal as it could be... or not.


    "...!"


    He was so busy inspecting the surroundings that he waste to notice the change in his body.


    Instead of his current, healthy-looking form, the appearance he had right now was the same as right before he was put to sleep by his parents. Srawny, with arms and legs as thin as sticks, almost as if he would break with the slightest touch.


    Of course, he was shocked to see himself revert to his old appearance, but at the same time, it allowed him to gain a little bit of hisposure.


    ''So this ce is like a mind space or something? I''ve read about those in novels often...''


    Inside the mind-space, one would usually take the appearance that the person himself thinks is the most suitable for himself. And seeing that he was looking like his scrawny self in the past, meant that he was still far from moving on from his old self.


    "Ahahaha! Look, sister. The idiot really came~!??"


    Right as he was starting to calm down, a lively voice, cheerful and energetic, echoed all over the ce. Aster quickly looked around, trying to find where the source was, but couldn''t. The sound wasing from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint its origin!


    "Stop it, sister. Still, now that our level is several times higher than his, the control over this body is now ours.?"


    "Great~! Now, we can survive longer, at least~!??"


    Aster listened to their voices, and couldn''t help but recall how he ended up messing up.


    ''I killed those Anti-Human Movement bastards with the legacy!''


    Killing anything with mana would cause their residual mana, a.k.a. EXP, to flow to the one who dealt thest blow. In short, killing people would grant one experience too. But since he used the Frostfire Legacy instead of killing them himself, he ended up granting an abundant amount of experience to the thing that was trying to rob him of control of his body!


    "Wait, you two!" Aster, using his brain to run on overdrive, quickly spoke. "You... are the spirits of the Frostfire Legacy, right?!"


    "Aha~! Poor human~! Do you think you can negotiate with us? Nah???"


    "Sister, stop provoking him. And yes, human¡ªno, Aster¡ªwe are the spirits of the Frostfire Legacy.?"


    Aster nodded his head while looking around, still trying to figure out their location while also thinking about three different things simultaneously. It had already been a long time since he used his brain so much that he felt like his thinking speed had increased several times!


    "I see. Then, can I ask? What do you intend to do now that you have control over my body? What is your purpose for doing this!"


    Even if he asked them to return control to him, he''s quite sure they wouldn''t agree. As such, he asked what their "purpose" was first, before anything else.


    "Hmmm~? World Domination or something? Did you think we''d do something stupid like that? Kahahaha~! What an idiot~!??"


    "Purpose, huh... Our only purpose is to preserve our lives. And, seeing how unreliable you are, we think it''s better if we''re the ones to control your body instead. Don''t worry, you won''t die or anything like that. You still have some use.?"


    The two kinds of voices¡ªone yful and childlike and one cold and adult-like¡ªechoed endlessly, making his head hurt.


    "Since I got a higher level than you, sister, I guess I''ll be the one deciding how he''ll move~! This will be fun~!??"


    "That''s the rule we set, so I guess I have no choice. But, if I find the situation unfavorable, or will end up putting our lives at risk, then I''ll intervene.?"


    And right after they told Aster about what they intended to do, they started talking amongst themselves as if he didn''t even exist.


    "..."


    Aster''s mind churned, thinking of something that he could do to somehow trick the two into relinquishing control of his body back to him. The conversation just now, thankfully, gave him a pretty big clue.


    "So, I''m still useful to you, huh?" Aster sighed, walking forward to the altar in the center. "After all, I''m still the owner of the body."


    "... What are you thinking??"


    The cold one of the two, the Ice Spirit, asked him with a hint of suspicion.


    "What else? Negotiation!" Aster smiled as he leaned on the stone table in the middle. "I''m currently in my spirit form, right? Then, I wonder... What''ll happen if I do this?" Find your next read at m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Aster, without hesitation at all, struck the stone table with his fist.


    *BAM!*


    It was such a powerful punch that the entire altar shook for a short moment! Of course, punching a solid stone with bare fists wouldn''t end prettily.


    "FFFUCK! That hurts!"


    Aster cried as he held his bleeding right hand. His fingers were bending in random directions, showing that he literally broke all the bones on them with just a single strike. If he were in his real body, then his face would be covered in cold sweat with how intense the pain was!


    "YOU!??"


    "Interesting... So, you''re holding yourself hostage, is that it??"


    The me Spirit sounded as if she didn''t expect such action from him, but the Ice Spirit didn''t seem too surprised.


    "But too bad for you; in this ce, you can''t die.?" She added with a light sneer.


    "I see..."


    Aster nodded his head, but then, returned a fierce grin up in the air, staring at a nk space as if he were convinced that something was there.


    "But too bad, you''re toote to stop your sister from acting out. That reaction¡ªit seems like me hurting myself would have some effect on my body, at least!"


    "...?"


    Taking their silence as the signal, Aster turned to the table again, and this time he mmed his elbow against the sharp corner of the table.


    *BAAAAAAM!* *SQUELCH!*


    And, as expected, the aftermath was something disturbing to look at.


    "Now, little spirits... let''s do some negotiations, shall we?"

 Chapter 147: Null Stone

    Aster''s smile covered the extreme pain he was feeling. After all, unlike injuring his real body, damaging his soul was about five times more painful than an equivalent flesh wound.


    "See? This is why I didn''t want to let you control your body anymore.?" The cold voice echoed again as if reprimanding Aster''s actions. "Self-injury, and using your life as a betting chip? What a farce.?"


    Glittery light started to fall over his body, and to his surprise, his mangled arm reverted to its natural shape, as if nothing had happened.


    "And I already told you that you can''t die in this ce. As such, you can''t even hold yourself hostage. Too bad.?"


    "..."


    Aster frowned. He didn''t expect that his self-muttion would be met with indifference! Not only that, he was even healed to full health in a sh!


    Just like that, he lost any sort of edge in negotiating. Rather, he couldn''t even enter the negotiation table in his current state. He had nothing to offer!


    "We''ve already told you, that we don''t n to let you die. Rather, we''re trying to extend your life for as long as possible. As such, just stay here and watch.?"


    "Yeah, man~! Just give up and let me control your body! I''m sure I can do better than you, at least!??"


    Aster was lost. He waspletely out of options! If he continued as is, then, without a doubt, he would lose control over his body, and have to let either of the two spirits control it.


    "... Huh?!?"


    And just then, a worried, shocked voice echoed.


    Aster was confused, and tried to look up again, but noticed that the ceiling was suddenly opening up. No, to be more precise, it was getting destroyed; it cracked open forcefully!


    Light flooded in, and started to destroy everything within sight. The altar, the symbol on the ground, the walls, tforms, everything. Even Aster himself was affected, and his body started to disintegrate into particles of light!


    "...!"


    After he blinked, the scenery suddenly changed. He was no longer in the dark space with the altar, but instead in the middle of the forest. "This is..." he muttered in confusion as he looked around.


    Cassy, with tears flowing down her eyes, was right beside him, grabbing hold of his right hand tightly. "A, Aster...?" She asked, as if in doubt.


    "... Yes?" Aster answered back, confused.


    However, the fact that he replied the way he would was more than enough for Cassy''s expression to change. A wide smile reced her worried expression, and she jumped to hug his neck tight.


    "Aster! Star! Finally, you''ve made it back!"


    "..."


    Still confused, he tried to look around, and found the relieved Kali, with a tired Mistelle beside her. On Mistelle''s hand was a transparent stone releasing a mysterious aura, which caught his gaze.


    "I''m d it worked." Mistelle smiled, sighing lightly in relief. "But still, this is only a temporary measure. I guess you''d need to catch up to your legacy''s level quickly."


    "Right, I was...!"


    Aster suddenly recalled what happened inside his soul space. The conversation with the two spirits, his despair, and then, the sudden destruction of the entire ce.


    Aster turned to Mistelle, his gaze hitting at gratitude and wonder. "Did you save me? How...?"


    "Do you know what a Null Stone is?"


    She asked while extending her hand, which was holding a transparent stone in a natural,plex shape. Aster looked at it and wracked his brain, but came up with nothing.


    "No, I don''t."


    "It''s fine to not know about it; it''s quite rare, after all." Mistelle smiled wryly while lifting the stone, pinching it between her fingers. "The Null Stone has the ability to temporarily return someone''s level to the lowest. That includes their stats, of course."


    "...! You mean!"


    "Yes. I used the Null Stone to temporarily reset your Frostfire Legacy''s level." She nodded.


    "The seal willst depending on the durability of the Null Stone used, and the one I used is an S-Rank Null Stone. Assuming your seal was around level 30 or something, then it shouldst a month, at least."


    Of course, he didn''t know that an S-Rank Null Stone would cost over 1 billion Tels in the market. He was simply thankful for Mistelle, who used such a precious item on him.


    "Of course, there''s also a catch. The stone needs to be in close contact with the one sealed, or else, it will break. Also, the stone is susceptible to physical impacts, so you''d need to be careful while carrying it."


    Discover hidden tales at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    The main purpose of a Null Stone was actually to be used to weaken a captured enemy, disabling them fromshing out while in transit. As such, it wouldn''t be weird for Mistelle, a police officer, to have one in possession. However, S-Rank Null Stones are scarce, and rarely found.


    The one she used was not something that was provided by the government, but one she got in the past and kept with her as a memento of a certain someone.


    Aster saw the sadness hidden behind her smile but knew that there was nothing he could do for her. Since a Null Stone is a one-off, it would be destroyed after it had been used up.


    Anyway, given all the information he heard, it means he wouldn''t be able to use the legacy even if he wanted to for a full month, or until the Null Stone brokepletely.


    One month.


    Within that time, he needed to overtake the legacy''s level, and keep his edge over it!


    "I ordered you to escape." Just then, Helvetica''s exasperated voice reached them. "Well, it looks like you weren''t just standing around either. I guess the enemy was just too well prepared this time..."


    He looked tired, especially after guarding against Aster''sst attack. His mana was already nearing empty!


    "We should move before more reinforcementse." He eximed with an urgent tone. "Well, I''m not sure if they do have a backup, but better be safe than sorry."


    Mistelle stepped forward, smiling lightly. "Then, we should just wait here. I''ve already called for backup earlier, Captain. They should arrive right about..."


    As she turned to look at the sky, something just arrived, blocking the light of the sun.


    "... Now."

 Chapter 148: Conquering the Crypt! (1)

    The thing that blocked out the light from the sky, was not somerge, gigantic creature, but rather, a flying ship. It was about a kilometer long, and about 300 meters wide, so it could block the skypletely when hovering low to the ground.


    "Woah...!"


    Aster gasped in awe, seeing a flying battleship for the first time. He did see such things in movies, but it was his first time seeing one in real life! The intensity of its appearance was more than he imagined!


    Soon, a few figures started to fly down from the ship''s open loading bay. They were all wearing what looked like exoskeletons, equipped with thrusters to allow them free movement in mid-air. As their group flew down, they quickly surrounded Aster''s group before walking forward and saluting.


    "Captain Helvetica, we havee after seeing the emergency signal!" The leader of the flying toon announced. "Please give us orders, sir!"


    Helvetica scanned their faces, before nodding his head.


    "Good. four of you, help them up the ship ASAP. The rest, gather the bodies of those Anti-Human Movement bastards who still have corpses to collect!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    With hismand, everyone moved quickly.


    Aster and the other three were, asmanded, brought to the ship up in the sky. Aster''s experience flying with his bare body made him so excited that he almost forgot about his current predicament!


    After reaching the ship, they were guided to the guest barracks and allowed to rest. Mistelle was acting as their bodyguard, protecting them from anything and everything.


    After the team retrieved the few corpses that were left, the entire ship turned around and headed back to Orinfeld City''s airport without dy. The entire journey from the forest back to the city didn''t even take five minutes, which was longer than the time it took to arrive.


    After that, Aster was escorted back to his room, with Cassy and Kali ending up together with him.


    It was discovered that those who attacked them had cameras set up, which caused both girls'' faces to be exposed. In short, they could potentially be targets of the Anti-Human Movement and held hostage to get their hands on Aster.


    As such, to protect the two, it was decided to keep them together with Aster in one ce, to make it easier to protect them.


    Since they had nothing better to do but eat and sleep, that''s what they did. However, it was hard for Aster, as Kali insisted on sleeping with him as part of her bodyguarding duties, while Cassy refused to leave his side, worried that the influence of the Frostfire Legacy''s twin spirits would resurface.


    It was fortunate that he was too tired for the day, so he ended up falling asleep before the two girls could. As such, he avoided the situation likest time, where he didn''t get a wink of sleep.


    The next day, Aster woke up first. Although the two girls made it hard for him to leave the bed, it wasn''t as bad as getting pinned, like with Tina. As he left the bed, he washed his face at the sink, waking himself up, before picking up his phone.


    Your next read awaits at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    There, a single message was left.


    "Doctor Vanessa?"


    Seeing the sender, Aster opened the message and read its contents. It was a simple report about how she finished decoding, and that she had already attached the decoded file to the email.


    [P.S., don''t forget your promise.]


    Thest part, however, made Aster feel conflicted. He did promise her that he''d cooperate if he proved that his parents did know about his disease''s true nature, which was proved by the log he read before.


    "Ah, right... the cube."


    Recalling the item he got from theb, he quickly replied to Vanessa, thanking her and saying that he would repay the favor by fulfilling his promise. Then, he asked her if she could decode the content of the cube he got. It was a pretty old style of storage even for Aster''s senses, so he just asked, expecting a refusal, but to his surprise, Vanessa replied with a yes immediately.


    [Just send the cube to my office. Ask one of your guards to deliver it, maybe.]


    After agreeing to her suggestion, he went out of the room and called one of the five guards by the door, asking them a favor. "Please deliver this safely to Doctor Vanessa''sboratory. I guess I don''t need to tell you where it is, right?"


    Despite their orders being only to guard the room and protect those inside, the silent pressure that Aster was unconsciously releasing made them nod reflexively.


    "Really? Thanks!" He muttered before returning to his room.


    The five guards heaved a deep sigh, before staring at the door as if they were looking at a monster.


    ---


    At about 6 a.m., Aster, Cassy, and Kali, together with a pair of guards in civilian clothing to not stand out, arrived at the entrance to the dungeon. There, Liz, Tina, and Lory were already waiting.


    "Aster, I heard about what happened yesterday. It must''ve been tough..." Liz eximed, her face showing a hint of worry.


    "Darling! I was worried about you! Did those terrorist bastards do anything to you? How dare they!!!"


    Tina quickly jumped into Aster''s embrace, acting as if a lover had just reunited with his partner, who had been away for years.


    "I''m d you''re fine." Lory smiled lightly. "After all, things could''ve gone worse."


    "Yeah, it definitely could''ve... But my current situation is already perilous, though."


    Aster exined how he needed to reach level 30 in a month, and how he would be unable to use his trump card for a while.


    Of course, since Lory still hadn''t heard of Aster''s story, she was confused about everything he said. Still, Cassy took it upon herself to ry everything that Aster divulged to everyone to her too.


    "Hmm... A Legacy-Level Magic Carved Seal, huh?" Lory''s eyes glowed for a moment, but it was too short for anyone to notice it.


    "Alright. Anyway, let''s first head into the dungeon!"


    Aster already had the "key" to enter the door they found, so there''s no reason for them to dy any further. Their party joined the queue and waited for their turn to enter the dungeon.

 Chapter 149: Conquering the Crypt! (2)

    Aster was currently burdened with many assignments, but for now, his priority was getting money. After all, without money, it would be hard to head down to the deeper floors of the dungeon.


    And for that, the fastest way was to go to the crypt, and gather every artifact that could be sold for a high price!


    After running for three hours, they reached the same cliff they had been tost time. Of course, they were careful not to let anyone see them going there. After all, the fewerpetitors they had, the better.


    "The rope is..."


    Aster muttered, checking the trees around, and quickly noticed the rope they had used, wrapped around a high branch inconspicuously.


    "Leave that to me," Kali said as she jumped up, climbing the tree in two kicks, before letting the roll of rope fall to the ground.


    After that, they worked quickly. Time was of the essence. Although they did bring enough provisions tost three days in the worst case, finishing the exploration faster is still the way to go.


    After securing the rope, and adding another one as a backup, they strapped in the ascenders and straps around them, before descending the edge of the cliff, like expert mountain climbers.


    Of course, descending along the edge of a deadly cliff was still dangerous as hell. Everyone was as careful as possible, not rxing until they reached the tform leading to the small cave.


    One after another, fortunately without any trouble, everyone arrived. As soon as they regrouped, Aster turned toward the path leading deeper and opened his shlight.


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    Since they already explored it once, their speed this time was faster, as they didn''t need to be worried about traps. Soon enough, they arrived at therge door from before, which was still as awe-inspiring as the first time they saw it. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    "Now..."


    Aster grabbed his Holo Tab and opened up the attachment that Vanessa sent him. After clearing his throat, he started to read the passphrase, not sure what it meant.


    "Vornak Kryzor Miltryn Scalvok Hyslor!"


    As soon as Aster finished the "chant," a small earthquake urred. The entire cave shook lightly, as the doors started to move.


    They started to swing open, destroying all the small and medium stctites and stgmites on the floor and ceiling.


    "Ooof!"


    At the same time, a cold breeze rushed out, as if trying to exchange air from outside. Even Aster felt the cold, since his usual passive, which normalizes any extreme temperature around him, was currently unavable.


    Right as the door opened, everyone moved into formation. Tina and Liz stood to the front, their guards up, while Kali and Cassy used their shlights to shed light on the interior.


    "... There''s nothing?" Cassy muttered, checking the entire room once more.


    However, the room was just a rectangr room with what looked like five-meter-tall Egyptian-style statues of men wearing cat masks or headdresses standing by the walls. Aster moved cautiously ahead of everyone else and checked the room. He leaned in, checking both sides, but as expected, there were nothing but more statues on either side of the entrance.


    After a while, he returned to where the girls were and asked. "Lory, can you use your defense decrease spell on multiple targets?"


    As someone who came from a time when video games were rampant, he was 99% sure that if they entered, then the statues would move and attack them. However, he still hasn''t figured out how to move to the next room. He had two guesses regarding that.


    The first is that the room would only appear after they defeated the statues. Second, the entrance is hidden, and they need to solve another puzzle to open it up.


    ''The chances of it being the former are high, but I can''t dismiss the second possibility either.''


    Aster frowned, waiting for her reply. Lori blinked a few times, before resuming her usual smile and nodding her head.


    "I can cast it on multiple targets, but the effect diminishes the more there are."


    "I see..." Aster pondered, cing a hand on his chin. "Then, as soon as we reach the middle of the room, prepare to cast defense weakening on every statue in the room."


    "Eh? Those statues are monsters?!" Kali, the one with the most knowledge about monsters within their group, reacted curiously. "Could it be... golems? Or maybe gargoyles!" She guessed.


    Aster himself wasn''t sure yet, so he could only shrug. "From the style of the room, I guess they would move and attack us. Whether they''re monsters or simply some mechanism without life, I''m not sure either."


    "Then, I guess heavy attacks are needed," Lizmented, cing her mace on her shoulder.


    "Exactly." Aster nodded. "You''ll be the main attacker. Tina, you act as the main tank for now."


    He then turned to Cassy and Kali. "Cassy, standby with Lory in the middle. Kali, move around to dy the advance of those statues."


    After distributing everyone''s tasks, Aster then started walking to the middle of the room. It was a square room with about a hundred meters for each wall. The ceiling was roughly seven meters high, leaving almost no space above the statues.


    As they discussed, Lory and Cassy stood in the middle, with Lory beginning her chant and holding the activation until it was needed. Cassy herself also began casting a spell, creating light balls to shed light around the room. Aster and Liz stood on either side, while Tina stood with her back to the entrance.


    *RUMBLE!*


    With a low rumble, the door started to close, leaving them stuck inside. At the same time, a loud announcement echoed in their ears.


    [Warning! Intruders detected. Initiating Defensive Measures...]


    "Get ready!" Aster roared.


    As if reacting to his voice, the statues around them started to shake and move. With each wall having around 10 of those, they were faced with arge army of 40 giant, moving statues!


    Their eyes shone in a red gleam, as if telling how dangerous they were.


    "Great Weaken Defense!"


    "Mana sh!"


    "Smash!"


    As if in concert with Lory''s activation of the weakening spell, Aster and Liz moved simultaneously. They ran to the closest enemy and attacked!


    "...!"


    However, Liz''s attack merely bounced back, only leaving a clear crack on the statue''s leg. "They''re tough!" She growled.


    Aster''s attack, a mixture of magic and physical damage, managed to cut the leg cleanly. The giant started to fall, losing bnce after it lost its leg.


    *THUD!*


    A cloud of dust rose as it hit the floor, but Aster didn''t finish it off yet.


    Instead, he moved to the next one and sliced off its leg too! His first priority was to limit the enemy''s siege, and depriving them of their legs was the best way to do that!

 Chapter 150: Conquering the Crypt! (3)

    Even without looking, Liz could tell that Aster was doing his part. "I can''t fall behind!" She gritted her teeth as she held her mace tight, shouting out loud. "HOLY SMITE!"


    The mace glowed, almost blindingly so, as she swung it at the same statue''s knee. As soon as the mace hit, a powerful wave of mana and shockwaves spread. The entire leg was pulverized into sand soon after, making Liz smile.


    "This one works!"


    With her attack proven to work, she quickly moved on to the next one.


    "Tertie Noxis Tiroe Consorie fen Nura Racht! Great Swamp Curse!"


    Lory didn''t stop chanting and cast her second spell, turning the floor into a swamp magically, which hindered the statues'' movements.


    "TAUNT!"


    To support Liz by preventing the statues from attacking her, Tina cast her taunt skill, gathering the attention of half of the golems on the left side. Thanks to this, she was able to freely wield her mace, and cast Holy Smite several times, destroying the legs of those who didn''t get caught in Lory''s Swamp Curse.


    "Done!" Aster shouted after he destroyed the legs of all the statues on his side.


    When he saw that Liz was almost done with half, and Tina''s spell had already immobilized another half of those, he quickly proceeded to the next stage. Of course, it''s nothing but killing off the enemies!


    Aster waved his sword, d in mana, and sent a wave forward. Since he had already immobilized them, they had little chance of dodging it. The Mana sh flew and destroyed the heads of two statues simultaneously.


    With almost no dy, he sent Mana shes one after another, and soon enough, he cleared all 20 of the statues from his side. Right after killing thest one, his body got covered in a sh of light, indicating a level-up.


    "...!"


    Gaining experience meant that the enemy was a "monster" and not a simple gimmick! Seeing this as a chance, Aster rushed to Liz''s side after adding one point to his WIS stat. He ended up sharing the kills 50/50 with Liz, with both of them killing 10 each.


    "Now, I wonder what''s going to happen..."


    They had cleared all the statues¡ªgolems from Kali''s inspection¡ªso all they had to do was wait for the entrance to the next level to open. However, nothing happened, even after a minute passed.


    "Weird... Don''t tell me, they wouldn''t open it for intruders? Or is it a puzzle after all?"


    Aster started walking around, checking the tiles on the wall for any sort of switch or button, but nothing came up. The others copied him, checking for any clues everywhere.


    "I think I found it!"


    And to everyone''s surprise, it was Lory who managed to find something. Everyone came close to her, wondering what she discovered, and was weed by her staring at an unlit hanging brazier on the walls. Looking a few meters away, there''s another one of the same size and at the same height.


    "I think those braziers are meant to mark where the door leading further in was. Seeing how they have signs of being used, I think lighting them up will open the door." She exined.


    Aster nodded, agreeing to her guess. "Then, let''s light them up and see." He suggested.


    From his Spatial Fanny Pack, he took out a firestarter that he uses when starting a fire for cooking and lit the one closest to them first.


    Although it was seemingly left alone for a long time, there''s still fuel for it, allowing the brazier to catch fire immediately.


    "..."


    Aster looked around, but nothing changed after lighting the first one. He heaved a sigh of relief, finding that it wasn''t something that would trigger a trap or anything when lit. He moved on to the next one and kindled the me there too.


    As soon as he did, the fire changed from red to blue, and the entire room shook. The wall between the two braziers split in half and started to move sideways, entering the walls themselves.


    "MMPH!"


    "UGH!"


    "NYAGH!"


    "God, it stinks...!"


    As soon as it was opened, Cassy, Kali, Tina, and Lizmented in order. Of course, Aster himself could smell the rotten stenching from beyond the dark passage, so he could imagine how much the beast girls were suffering from it.


    Since Liz was a Dragonkin, it didn''t seem like her tolerance for disgusting odors was way higher. Rather, it was just the other three''s senses, which were a lot more sensitivepared to hers.


    "Wear these." Of course, Aster came prepared.


    Knowing that the ce they were visiting was a Crypt, more aptlybeled a "Resting ce for the Dead," he prepared to face an unbearable stench too. From Lory''s Fanny Pack, they fetched the masks with air filters for everyone.


    It covered not only their mouths and noses but also their eyes, making it possible for them to ignore even the nastiest stench there could be.


    After wearing the mask, the girls visibly becamefortable. Now, they wouldn''t need to mind the smell in the air!


    "Alright, I guess we''re ready?" Aster asked to confirm, checking everyone''s face hidden behind a mask, and nodded. "Then, let''s go!"


    The path that opened was dark, so they flipped their shlights on once more.


    "This is..."


    But as soon as they did, they realized that the path was no simple path. The walls of it were filled with images, likerge murals, capturing a snippet of history. Since it didn''t use any symbols or letters, only drawings, even Aster could somehow try to interpret the mural.


    "This looks like a... sacrificial tomb." Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    The mural showed people moving forward, with a few of them tied in chains. Then, they were kicked off, dropped to the ledge where the cave entrance was, and entered.


    "And it''s for some sort of deity or god," Kali added, seeing the continuation.


    There was a gigantic humanlike figure that was most likely a depiction of a heavenly being, like an angel or something, watching over the humans from a higher point of view. From how many wings it got, it seemed to be a high-ranking one, at least.


    "Hmm... does this mean this path was meant for the sacrifice to take?" Cassy asked, a little confused. "Then are we following the steps of a sacrifice right now?"


    "..."


    Aster stopped for a moment and began to think.


    "That sounds possible. However, the fact that we''re treated as intruders instead of a sacrifice means that we''re at least following a different path."


    If they continued onward, not as an "intruder" but as a "sacrifice," he was worried that the god-like being in the mural would end up taking them.


    "Still, we should be careful," Aster warned. "As soon as we find an enemy that is obviously beyond our powers, then we''ll leave whatever we''re doing and retreat."


    Everyone nodded firmly to his words, aware of the danger that awaited them if they were careless.


    After taking pictures of the entire mural, which covered both walls and the ceiling, they continued onward.

 Chapter 151: Conquering the Crypt! (4)

    The passage after the mural started to branch off, like an ant''s nest, making it difficult to traverse. Rather than a crypt, it felt closer to a maze! Of course, since they had no clues, they had to check out each path one after another, which took up a great amount of time.


    "Woah!"


    And of course, mazes with multiple paths would have measures to eliminate intruders who take the wrong one. Traps activated one after another whenever they lowered their guards, endangering their lives a lot of times already.


    Traps like arrows from the walls, pitfalls, ceiling drops, and many others.


    It was almost a miracle that they survived through those traps, but all that trouble was more than worth it, at least. Half of the trap-riddled passages were dead ends, but the other half led to a storage room.


    "This is... an artifact!"


    And each of those storage rooms was filled to the brim with weapons and artifacts, each worth at least 300,000 Tels on the market!


    Twelve hours passed, and from the myriads of paths, only one remained.


    By then, the amount of artifacts that they found was already reaching 500 million Tels in value, roughly estimated. Even divided between the six of them, that was still quite arge amount!


    "Let''s rest here for now." Aster dered.


    The time was already near 9 p.m., so it was obvious that they would be tired. Although the only fight they had was against the golem statues, exploring while being wary of traps still sapped their mental strength. Fatigue was visible on the faces of half of them already.


    Of course, after they finished setting up the tents in the hall connecting the many passages, Aster didn''t hold back his skills at all. He prepared the best meal he could from the ingredients they had, allowing the girls to enjoy their meal and recover faster.


    And since they were inside the crypt, they didn''t need too many on watch duty. As such, they decided to have two shifts with two people each. The method of selection? To draw lots!


    "Yay~! I''m safe!"


    "Somehow, I feel sorry for the rest."


    And the two who ended up excluded from the watch were Cassy and Liz. The next part was deciding who would be paired, but...


    "I''m pairing with Darling! Nobody else is allowed!"


    Due to Tina''s insistence, the pairing was decided almost immediately.


    The first watch was Aster and Tina, which ended up bing a sort of date for them, with Tina being all over Aster while they watched their surroundings. She was talking about how she was nning this and that, how many kids she wanted, and so on, making Aster reel from her enthusiasm.


    After about four hours of listening to her drivel, Aster was finally relieved from his hell. "Time to switch. Stop bothering Aster, you Vixen!" Thanks to Kali''s help, that is.


    Although chaos ensued when Tina wanted to sleep with Aster since theycked enough tents, thankfully, she was pushed into Cassy''s tent. From then on, a quiet time passed by.


    "Hng!"


    Lori suddenly felt her left eye going warmer, ufortable as hell. Of course, she knew what this meant, and quickly activated a soundproofing artifact that she always brings with her.


    Kali, who was guarding the other side, noticed how Lory''s sound of breathing disappeared, but she dismissed it, thinking she just moved away to pick some flowers.


    After making sure that nobody was watching, Lory removed her hand from her left eye. As she did, a hologram visible only to her appeared, showing a familiar face¡ªthe man who had previously passed her directive when she was still in her cell, Officer Lubbot.


    {280498, It''s been a week. Have you notpleted your task yet?}


    Although he sounded like he was asking a question, it was obvious that his meaning was different. Lory assumed her usual smile, not letting the man see her inner thoughts.


    "Pardon my tardiness, Officer Lubbot. However, I found information that greatly dyed my progress." She exined.


    After that, she reported about Aster having the Frostfire Legacy, and how the spirits inside it were able to take over his mind. Due to this, even if she used her eyes at full power and controlled him, there''s a high chance that the spirits would simply take over control, and neutralize her skill in the process.


    {... Fucking useless! Then what are you nning to do now? We need that man here as soon as possible!}


    "Don''t worry, officer. I''m already working on it." Lory''s smile turned even sweeter as she exined.


    "I have infiltrated their party, and am working on gradually exploiting his subconscious mind through minor adjustments every time we meet gazes. My job should be done in a month, at most."


    Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    {That''s too slow! Two weeks¡ªthat''s the limit I can give you!}


    "..."


    Lory''s smile twitched, but she quickly recovered, not allowing the other party to notice. "As youmand, Officer Lubbot." She bowed gracefully.


    Right then, the hologram disappeared, but the heat in her left eye remained the same. It was so ufortable that she wanted to pull her eye out and throw it away. However, the chip behind her eye would explode if she tried to do so.


    Tears streamed down her left eye as she endured the pain while cursing in her mind.


    ''You fucking fatty! As soon as I get rid of this chip, I''ll make sure to kill you in the most painful way possible!''


    The pain subsided only after half an hour passed. She heaved a deep sigh before turning to Aster''s tent.


    Her initial n was to use Aster to pinpoint and freeze the chip behind her eyes, destroying it in the process. However, after learning that his ability to freeze things was thanks to his Frostfire Legacy and that it was currently sealed for an unknown length of time, she had to readjust her ns.


    "Two weeks..."


    It was way too short for her to seed in her n to free herself from her chains. However, that was no reason for her to give up. A glint shed in her eyes as she stood idly, keeping watch of her surroundings while thinking of other things.


    Soon, morning came¡ªthe time for them to resume exploring the crypt.

 Chapter 152: Conquering the Crypt! (5)

    Aster''s party gathered around, finishing their breakfast and rearranging their consumables. They prepared for whatever was waiting for them at thest path, the leftmost path, presumably the one leading to the center of the crypt.


    "Let''s go," Aster muttered in a nervous tone.


    They have already experienced traps on the rest of the paths, so they already have a formation specifically for avoiding those traps. Kali at the lead, in charge of detecting traps; Tina and Liz behind her, in case she fails; Cassy and Lory in the middle, the safest location; and Aster at the back, acting as the rear guard.


    It wasn''t that different from their usual formation, specifically because they were already used to it.


    "Don''t step on this tile; it''s a trap switch," Kali warned as she dropped a scrap of paper in front of it as a marker.


    Of course, Kali was an assassin and not a thief, so she couldn''t find out what sort of trap it was with her skills. Still, she could use her passive "Danger Detection" which could allow her to see dangers in the floor and walls.


    Switches, trapdoors, tripwires, and many others. They bypassed all of them carefully, spending over two hours on just that one passage.


    "How long is this thing?" Aster wondered, feeling that they were walking endlessly.


    "Judging from the increased frequency of traps, andparing it to the longest passage we passed yesterday, it should end soon," Kali exined calmly without even turning around.


    Just as she dered, about thirty minutester, they finally reached the end of the passage. What awaited them was the same kind of door around the entrance¡ªpractically identical.


    "Weakling, it''s your turn again." Kali ushered him. "There''s no trap on the door; don''t worry."


    Aster snickered before walking forward. "I''m not even sure if they''re the same, but... here goes. Vornak Kryzor Miltryn Scalvok Hyslor!"


    *CREAK!* *RUMBLE!* *RUMBLE!*


    Thankfully, the password worked. The door started to swing open, and along with it came a stronger stench of rotting meat. It was so strong that even Aster, who had gotten used to the smell previously, frowned in displeasure.


    He quickly put on the mask that was hanging around his neck and took a deep breath.


    "That was unpleasant." He muttered. "Anyway, everyone, be careful."


    They moved forward in the same formation, with their lights scanning the ce curiously. The door led to a wide, dome-shaped space. In the middle of it were eight sarcophagi lined up neatly. Each one was about two and a half meters in length, meaning either the ones inside it were really tall, or they were ced inside it with plenty of space to spare.


    "...!"


    Right as they reached therge circle around the ce, the door closed behind them, just like the time when they faced the statue golems.


    "Everyone, attention!" Astermanded.


    They all held their weapons at the ready, watching their surroundings. However, no movements were detected even after a few seconds had passed. "Cassy, light," Aster ordered, ufortable with how their view was limited by the darkness.


    "Priodis Liora Consorie Sphar! Small Light Ball!"


    Without dy, Cassy sent a ball of light up to the middle of the dome, shedding light on everything around.


    As soon as this happened, Aster''s gaze was guided toward something at the other end of the dome. Arge sarcophagus, probably reaching five meters in height. Seeing how it was positioned higher than the eight others, it was obvious that whoever was inside had a higher social status than the rest.


    "Is that their king, perhaps?" Aster muttered to himself.


    As he was eyeing the giant sarcophagus, he noticed that there was also a gigantic pile of gold and treasures beside it. Just a nce at it, it would most likely be equivalent to, or more valuable than all the items they already gathered.


    Greed filled his mind for a moment before he returned to his senses. "No, wait. In movies, disaster awaits those who act with greed in crypts like this. We should be careful!"


    They started to move forward, carefully, checking out the surroundings and looking for other exits. However, other than the door behind them, which was already closed, there didn''t seem to be another exit anywhere else.


    In short, they''re currently stuck inside!


    "Star... I''ve got a bad feeling about this..." Cassy eximed from behind, pointing forward. "ck smoke ising out of those things."


    Following her finger, Aster turned to see that the eight sarcophagi were all releasing heavy ck smoke from their gaps. ''Poison?'' That was what Aster thought at first, but he quickly denied it. ''No, it must be miasma!''


    "Everyone, prepare for battle!"


    As soon as his voice echoed, the lids started to slide to the side, falling to the floor with a thunderous thud. From the sound alone, it was obvious how heavy the lid was!


    "Ooooogh..."


    And right after the lid opened, eight figures started to rise from their rest. Each of them was covered in white bandages from head to toe, making it quite obvious what they were.


    "Mummies!" Kali eximed in surprise. "Careful! Mummies are supposed to appear on the 50th floor! It might be an irregr, the same with the Spectral Warden case!"


    "Fifty?! Then it''s level..." Aster gritted his teeth.


    Without a doubt, it''s another monster at the level limit for the current floor! And on the fifth floor, the strongest monster is around level 12, meaning, the mummies before them could potentially be level 22! That''s over ten levels higher than their current average!


    ''Furthermore, we''re outnumbered.''


    There were six of them and eight of the mummies. It was obvious that they would be at a disadvantage!


    "Cassy! Cast your best area healing spell on them!" Astermanded immediately.


    "Heal? The monsters?!" Cassy herself was skeptical, but she still followed his words. "Tertie Sirreo fen Cura! Great Heal!"


    A third-tier spell! It was something that Cassy just learned, and could only use once a day for now, but she still used it without hesitation!


    The floor around the eight sarcophagi glowed a golden light, as the mummies started to groan in pain. ck smoke came out of their bodies as if they were getting burned by Cassy''s heal.


    "W-What? What''s going on?"


    "This is..."


    "..."


    It was the first time the girls saw such a phenomenon; however, to Aster, it wasmon sense.


    "Undead monsters are weak against heals!" He eximed as he put mana on his sword and attacked. "Mana sh!"


    A wave rushed forward, and hit one of the mummies, causing the bandage on its chest area to loosen. As it did, more and more ck smoke started to escape from its body, revealing the rotten flesh within.


    "Good! It''s working!" he eximed. "Everyone, charge!"

 Chapter 153: Pharaohs Trap (1)

    If there''s one biggest difference between Aster''s time and the current generation, that is the absence of standard games. Of course, it''s not like itpletely disappeared from cirction, but only a few have time to spare ying games.


    As such, the "standard" procedures for hunting certain monsters have been lost, and treated as "arcane knowledge."


    The use of healing on undead monsters to damage them was one of those. Of course, using holy element attacks was amonly discovered trait, but nobody would even think of healing the enemy, after all. As such, it became a forgotten knowledge lost due to the long passage of time.


    "Haaap!"


    Now that the eight mummies were hit by the healing spell, their bodies became sluggish, almost losing half of their mobility. Furthermore, their defenses became literally paper-like, making it easy for everyone else to damage them.


    "Holy Smite!"


    "Void Palm!"


    "Twin Fang!"


    In concert with Aster, the three girls rained down concentrated attacks on the closest mummy. As one would expect, it couldn''t survive over everyone''sbined might, as its body started to dissolve into an incorrigible meat blob on the ground, releasing dangerous-looking purple smoke.


    "Lory! Put on your mask properly!" Aster warned.


    With one look, he could tell that it was either cursed or poisoned, but the air purifier in their masks should be able to block it out, at least.


    After seeing her readjust her mask, Aster turned to the next mummy and swung his sword.


    "...!"


    But after the weakening effect of the heal ended, even after activating his Physical Enchant and enhancing his strength, his sword barely scratched the bandages wrapping the enemies.


    *SQUELCH!*


    Rather than shing attacks, Liz and Tina''s blunt attacks were more effective, deforming the mummy under theirbined might. Kali, simr to Aster, could no longer damage the mummies, so she changed her n to slowing down and distracting the rest instead.


    "Minor Area Heal!"


    As if she were waiting for the timing, Cassy''s second heal came over and hit three of the seven remaining mummies. They got weakened once more, and Aster and the rest didn''t waste this chance.


    Aster, Tina, and Liz, all picked a single target each, and let out their strongest attack.


    "Mana sh!"


    "Holy Smite!"


    "Void Palm!"


    Other than Tina''s target, the other two fell in one strike, showing the difference in their damage output. Of course, Aster didn''t waste the chance, and chained his swing, reaching Tina''s target. Unable to protect itself, its body got bisected diagonally, falling to the ground and dissolving like the rest.


    "That''s half of them down! Let''s go!"


    The mummies were unable to even try and attack them, dying helplessly. However, seeing them chase Kali around, with each swing of their arms destroying the tiled floor, it was obvious that their strength was way beyond their party''s.


    ''We''re lucky we have Cassy''s heal, or else, it might''ve been dangerous.'' Aster thought.


    While the four remaining mummies chased Kali, Lory started casting Great Weaken Defense on one of them. Even without coordinating with the rest, everyone moved as if they were controlled by a single being.


    As soon as her cursended, Aster, Liz, and Tina rained down their attacks, destroying another distracted mummy.


    "Minor Area Heal!"


    And finally, Cassy''s healnded right in the middle of thest three, even including Kali in its range. The three mummies stiffened as their bodies released great amounts of ck smoke.


    Soon enough, the three attackers arrived. With Kali joining in and counterattacking, all three were destroyed just like that in a split second!


    "Haaa... Haa... Ha..."


    The four vanguards panted heavily from moving around. Even Liz, who had the highest CON among them, had sweat dripping down her neck. It was proof enough that the fight, although just a short one, required them to give their all, literally!


    "..."


    But Aster didn''t lower his guard and kept his gaze on thest sarcophagus. If the eight below were able to attack them, then that one should be able to too.


    Suddenly, without warning, Aster felt chills.


    "Everyone! Take potions and recover, fast!"


    He warned as he grabbed a stamina recovery potion himself, and chugged its content in one go. Everyone turned to where Aster was looking and prepared their weapons, ready to respond to anything that woulde their way.


    However, a few seconds passed without anything happening.


    ''A false rm?'' Aster mused, but his arms still had goosebumps all over them. ''No, I''m sure that one is about to move!''


    He could feel the enemy''s presence¡ªsomething more powerful than even the eight mummiesbined. However, he forgot to consider one thing. That was the strength he could feel, despite it not leaving its sarcophagus yet!


    *CRACK!*


    Suddenly, the face part of the sarcophagus cracked, spreading from the head to the toe part in a sh. Fragment by fragment, pieces fell off, gradually revealing the monster hidden inside.


    "...!"


    The monster inside it was almost as big as the sarcophagus. Its height was over 4.5 meters, with a body that was almost perfectly preserved, without a part rotting at all. However, the only thing that Aster didn''t expect, was that the enemy was not a zombie, but looked like a giant Pharaoh instead.


    It had healthy-looking chocte brown skin and piercing red eyes that stared back at Aster despite her wearing a jackal headdress. She had perfect proportions, almost as if she were a famous gravure model.


    Cold sweat soaked Aster''s back as he felt the almost unbelievable amount of mana emanating from the figure.


    [Invaders... So you''re the ones who woke me up.]


    The pharao''s voice echoed directly inside their heads, but the enemy didn''t simply ry its words but also inflicted them with extreme difort.


    "Agh!"


    Aster felt like his head was being split open; his vision shed white from pain for a moment!


    "M-Minor... Area Heal!"


    Cassy''s healing came at that moment, quickly removing the headache they were suffering from. Everyone panted heavily, feeling the gap between their strengths even before they fought. Read exclusive content at m_v-l''-NovelBin


    "Retreat!"


    And of course, Aster didn''t think twice andmanded everyone to escape. If they fought, he was quite sure that they would only end up wiped out.


    Everyone ran fast, returning to the door behind them, which had closed earlier. Tina and Liz stood guard, with Aster in their middle, keeping watch of the rear.


    *BAM!*


    However, the door was locked shut. It didn''t open, and neither did it budge from Kali pushing at it!


    "Vornak Kryzor Miltryn Scalvok Hyslor!" Aster even tried the passphrase, but the door didn''t even respond.


    "No way..."


    Despair slowly swallowed them, as the pharaoh stepped forward, walking to where they were¡ªtheir death was approaching.

 Chapter 154: Pharaohs Trap (2)

    "Fuck it!" Kali cursed, turning around and wielding both her daggers. "If we can''t escape, then we can only fight!"


    Aster heard her loud and clear, but couldn''t help but think how reckless her idea was. From the mana he could feel, he could tell that the pharaoh was multiple times his level, even above the limit for the 5th floor''s monsters!


    With that much of a gap in strength, it would be a miracle if they could even damage it.


    ''Furthermore, my buff is on cooldown. I can''t muster strength beyond what my body could achieve!''


    If he could still use the Frostfire Legacy, then he had a good chance of freezing the enemy and gaining enough time to think of a method to escape. However, right now, it was sealed¡ªliterally. If he removes the seal, then one of the two spirits of the legacy would immediately take over his body, and, most likely, never return control to him.


    Aster nced behind him, at all the girls together with him, and sighed. ''In the worst case scenario, I...''


    He tightened his grip on his sword and straightened his expression. Fear still gripped his heart, but his mind was calm. He would fight with everyone until the very end!


    [Not only did you trespass into my chambers, you even dared to point your weapons at me?]


    The pharaoh''s voice echoed once more, causing another splitting headache to assault everyone.


    "Great Weaken Defense!"


    "Intermediate Heal!"


    And as if matching her timing, Lory and Cassy let out their spells,nding right at the boss monster. However...


    "No effect?!"


    The spells practically "bounced off" of her skin,pletely ineffective!


    As if to retaliate, the enemy leaned forward, and swiped her hand across, as if trying to catch them all in one swoop. Liz stepped forward immediately and showed her skills.


    "Knight''s Challenge! Shield of Valor!"


    The taunt, as expected, had no effect. But the Shield of Valor did protect her for a moment, before shattering from the palm strike.


    "Agh!"


    Liz flew across the dome and mmed against the wall to the side. Seeing how she stopped moving, Aster concluded that she had lost consciousness.


    "Cassy, and everyone else! Move to where Liz is! Leave this side to me!"


    If they would die either way, then Aster didn''t want to die after the girls. He''d rather be the first to go!


    "But of course, I have no ns of dying without a fight!"


    The cooldown of Physical Enchant had yet to conclude, so he couldn''t use it. However, he still has Mana sh¡ªan attack that even worked on the Spectral Warden with physical and magical immunity!


    Aster ran as fast as he could, careful not to trip on the uneven ground. The Pharaoh watched him closely, before raising a palm, and mming it downward, as if she were swatting a pesky mosquito.


    "MANA SLASSSHHHH!"


    But Aster''s sword was filled with practically all his remaining mana, as he swung it upward, intercepting the palm.


    *BOOOOM!*


    The two attacks met, and a powerful explosion urred. Aster was thrown back from the impact, rolling unsightly on the ground. His back mmed against the wall, stopping him in ce; however, his head was bleeding from the impact of the previous attack.


    "Ugh..."


    He could only groan as he raised his sight, checking the pharaoh''s state.


    [You... injured me?]


    The pharaoh murmured as she stared at her hand, which quickly regenerated, returning to its pristine state. However, she couldn''t deny that she was injured by Aster''s attack.


    Her red eyes stared at him, but instead of anger, they were overflowing with interest and anticipation.


    [You... And that seal... A primordial human? No, humans can''t live for over several hundred years...]


    "Kuh!"


    With the time he was given, Aster managed to pull himself to his feet. He nced at the girls, and they seemed to be preparing for another attack. Liz looked like she got hit quite solidly, but other than broken armor, she looked fine.


    [This won''t do...]


    The pharaoh groaned, shaking her head.


    [You, the man who managed to injure a half-god like me, and your party are fated to achieve great things... As such, I can''t kill you here.]


    "... Huh?"


    Aster thought he had lost his mind, but the Pharaoh''s words continued¡ªher tone was extremely serious.


    [However, I am allowed to give you a trial. Survive, and you shall see the answer to the problems you''re facing.]


    Taking advantage of the enemy standing still and talking, the girls moved. Kali was the fastest, moving up to the enemy''s face and using Assassinate on the mask''s eyes. However, her daggers merely ricocheted, her hands turning numb from the rebound.


    Liz moved to the left foot and mmed her mace down on its pinky using Holy Smite. However, her attack didn''t seem to have any effect at all. Lastly, Tina sent a Void Palm at the monster''s leg, but the same as with Liz, there was no visible effect. They didn''t even count as bothersome flies, as the Pharaoh didn''t bother swatting them away!


    Suddenly, the entire room started to glow with a golden light.


    Aster, Cassy, Kali, Tina, Liz, and Lory. All six suddenly lifted off the floor, as if gravity had disappeared. No matter how they tried to move, it was futile. Everyone was confused. Fear and panic filled their expressions as they tried to figure out a way to regain control of their bodies. However, they didn''t have enough time.


    [Administrator Code Activate: Nefra Eigen Solstice.]


    Her voice softened as she began to speak, as if talking to the dungeon itself.


    [With the power vested in me by the Dungeon Master, I hereby transport you all to a random floor. Survive and visit me again, and I will grant one wish for each of you.]


    "..."


    Aster listened to her words attentively, making sure to remember every keyword she said. Her name, the terms "Administrator" and "Dungeon Master," andstly, the promise of granting a wish.


    Suddenly, the bright golden light increased in intensity, causing everyone to close their eyes in reflex.


    [Good luck, young hero who''ll save the world.]


    After thatst word, Aster''s consciousness was cut off.


    He wasn''t sure how much time passed, but when he regained consciousness, he noticed that the sky was dark.


    "..."


    Such a phenomenon quickly told him one thing. That is:


    "This isn''t the fifth floor or any floor up to the 10th..."


    The first to 10th floor, the "Tutorial" floors, were all in eternal daylight. As such, he was sure that he was currently on a floor above the tenth.


    *JIGGLE!*


    "...!"


    And just as he was looking around, trying to find clues as to what floor he was sent to, he heard a jiggly sounding from nearby. He carefully treads forward, peeking through a thick bush, and checking the scene ahead. But what he saw left him speechless¡ªat the same time, he figured out what floor he was on. Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    The enemy before him, was a Mega Ruby Slime, a Field Boss unique to the 25th floor.


    "Haha," heughed dryly. "What trial? Just fucking kill me."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 155: Survival Challenge! (1)

    A Mega Ruby Slime was, just as its name implied, the Mega version of the Ruby Slime. That meant all its abilities before were greatly enhanced! But that itself wasn''t the cause of Aster''s despair.


    Ruby Slimes were known to be theplete opposite of normal slimes. They had bodies that were soft at a nce but were tougher than even diamonds. It would be hard to injure it unless you used magic or defense-ignoring attacks.


    But field bosses gain extra resistance too, just like normal bosses. And since it already had basic projectile resistance by default, that meant the slime before him would either be immune to physical attacks or magic attacks too.


    "..."


    Of course, fighting it is out of the question.


    Even without taking into consideration its immunity, the weakest Mega Ruby Slime would be around level 40. The gap between their levels was just too much!


    Aster carefully backed away, making sure that the slime wouldn''t notice him¡ªbut as if it were divine intervention, or maybe just in carelessness...


    *CRACK!*


    He stepped on a dry branch, which released a loud, crisp-breaking sound. The Mega Slime stopped jiggling, and Aster quickly turned around and ran.


    "SHIT!"


    Of course, Slimes have no eyes, but they could feel vibrations in their surroundings. As such, wide movements would make him a lot more visible to the slime instead.


    *WHOOSH!*


    Tentacles flew, faster than even bullets, and hit the spot Aster was in a few seconds earlier. Of course, it didn''t end with just that. The tentacles gradually closed in, making him curse even louder.


    "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! GO AWAY!"


    As he ran, he scanned his dark surroundings, looking for traces of any of the girls. However, there were none. He was literally left alone in such a dangerous ce.


    *JIGGLE!* *JIGGLE!*


    "Fuck... Am I cursed or what?"


    And just as he was reaching the edge of the forest, Aster found signs of two Big Ruby Slimes jiggling beside each other just ahead. A Mega was chasing from behind, and two Big were in front¡ªAster was trapped!


    "Kuh!"


    Of course, he wouldn''t let himself die without a fight. He pulled his sword out and d it with mana. Thankfully, he already recovered all of it; otherwise, it would''ve been game over faster.


    "Mana sh!"


    Without hesitation, Aster sent a powerful wave ahead, lighting up the surroundings. Several trees got cut before the Mana sh struck the two slimes.


    *POP!*


    And just like that, the two Big Ruby Slimes popped, leaving nothing but a head-sized lump of ruby-like crystal behind. It wasn''t its core, but rather the unique drop of the Ruby Slime.


    "...!"


    Aster didn''t expect them to die just like that, and he didn''t expect to level up with just two kills. The level gap was so high that he jumped three levels in one go!


    ''But why did it die in one hit? Bigger slimes should be more resistant to damage...'' Aster pondered, confused.


    He recalled how they had fought the Mega Green Slime before, and had to slowly chip away at its body just to kill it. But this time, his single attack killed two Big Slimes without difficulty. ''Did I get stronger?'' He wondered.


    *JIGGLE!* *WHOOSH!*


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have much leeway to think. The Mega Ruby Slime behind him was already catching up, so he had to speed up. He didn''t forget to grab the two lumps of loot from the slime he killed and stashed them inside his Spatial Fanny Pack.


    Finally getting out of the forest, Aster could run without minding the roots he could trip on.


    His speed more than doubled, and the Field Boss got slowed by the trees that Aster fell with his attack earlier. Thanks to that, he managed to escape in one piece.


    Of course, he didn''t lower his guard. Thanks to his senses being heightened after facing a threat to his life, he was able to locate normal Ruby Slimes jumping around.


    Of course, he didn''t avoid them. Slimes were practically the weakest enemy on any floor, so if he wanted to survive, then he would need to level up faster. "Give me EXP!" He growled as he ran like a madman, destroying any slime he met.


    However, as expected, fighting the slimes head-on wasn''t efficient.


    He almost got killed by a group of three slimes, who managed to surround him, tackling him as if they were ying ser. If he didn''t luckily point his sword at one of them, and if it didn''t jump straight into the sharp de, then he would still be stuck in their midst, unable to escape, until death.


    From then on, he carefully sneaked up on slimes, just like he did with Cassy on the first floor, and killed them in one swift attack.


    Still, despite his pace dropping, his level was soaring fast. In just two hours, he was already at level 19! The level gap was giving him a great boost in EXP, causing an explosive increase in his level.


    After clearing the slimes in his immediate surroundings, he sat amid tall grasses and started to munch on raw vegetables, staring at the starless sky. Cooking would release so many signals that he feared even wolves would find him if there were any.


    "This ce... is it the 25th floor?"


    Based on the level of enemies, he couldn''t be mistaken. However, they seemed to be too "soft" for monsters that were over 20 levels higher than him.


    "No, stop thinking about useless things." Aster shook his head, dismissing the thought. "I should simply raise my level, and head to the portal leading outside fast."


    He wasn''t sure where that was, but he had a map of the 25th floor stored on his Holo Tab. As soon as he finds some sort ofndmark, he will be able to pinpoint his location.


    ''But still... I wonder if the girls are alright.''


    From his guess, all of them were randomly teleported into floors within the dungeon. Kali, Tina, and Liz might be fine since they''re melee sses with the capability of fending for themselves, but Cassy and Lory were in danger.


    "Hmmm... But Cassy might be able to outrun the monsters chasing her, so I guess she''ll be fine too?"


    While hoping that everyone wasn''t in danger, Aster slowly dozed off and took a shallow nap.

 Chapter 156: Survival Challenge! (2)

    Monsters wouldn''t revive when there''s someone present within their zone. This feature is taken advantage of by adventurers exploring the dungeon and setting up several "safe zones" on certain floors, easing the exploration of subsequent adventurers.


    If the floor he was on was the 25th floor, then there should be at least three safe zones he could visit. Those points were his primary target.


    "I have three health potions, two stamina potions, and five mana potions. Five Monster Repent bombs, seven magazines for my pistol, and food and water for a week."


    He organized his items carefully, nning how to use them.


    "It was good that we split up the bare minimum of consumables in case we got separated." He chuckled, finding his paranoia to be helpful in his current plight.


    After checking his inventory, he then pulled out his Adventurers Card and pondered how to distribute his newly gained stats.


    "... Right now, my priority is survival. For that, CON and DEX are essential."


    Increasing CON would make him tougher, and able tost a few more hits. DEX indirectly increases his speed, making it possible to better outrun enemies. After thinking for a while, he decided on a ratio and dumped the stats he earned.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 19


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma, Celestinya Zirroth, Lizandrea Von Dragonseal, Lori (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 14


    Constitution: 15


    Intelligence: 15


    Wisdom: 24


    Charisma: 12


    Luck: 0


    ]


    After distributing the stats equally to DEX and CON, he nced at his party member list and smiled. "Since all their names are still there, that means everyone''s safe for now."


    If any party member died, then their Adventurer''s Card would automatically be deactivated. At the same time, their names would be grayed out for 24 hours before disappearingpletely.


    "Hup!"


    After having a good night''s rest, and eating a few more ingredients for breakfast, Aster was ready to begin his day once more. "The target is to reach level 20, and split the stats on CON and DEX equally!"


    He looked up at the artificial sky, which was turning brighter by the moment, wishing that he wouldn''t encounter any other monsters other than slimes.


    ---


    Several hours passed, and Aster had already traveled about twenty kilometers based on his senses. Along the way, he hunted over a hundred Ruby Slimes, giving him juicy EXP and bumping his level to 22.


    The higher his DEX got, he could tell that the damage from Mana sh was also getting stronger!


    However, a problem appeared.


    *GRRRR!*


    "..."


    Right now, before him, was a pack of Spike-back Hyenas. Such monsters would start appearing around floor 20, so it wouldn''t be weird for them to be present on the 25th floor. However, the bigger one behind them¡ªthe Razor-Edge Alpha Hyena¡ªwas a monster that was supposedlying out only on floor 30 as a Rogue Boss.


    ''Am I not on the 25th floor?!'' Confusion consumed him as he raised his sword while slowly backing away.


    Unlike the slimes, it would be hard for him to kill these mutts with a single strike. Rather, he was wondering if he could even injure them in the first ce!


    *GROWL!*


    With the Alpha''smand, the six hyenas around him moved, surrounding Aster and preventing his escape. They were too fast for him to overtake, even though his DEX was only one point away from reaching 20.


    "Physical Enchant!"


    Seeing that there was no way to escape, Aster had no choice. He activated his trump card immediately, while also throwing a Monster Repent bomb forward, between him and the Razor-Edge Alpha Hyena. Readtest stories on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    A cloud of green smoke exploded, along with a stomach-churning smell that not only monsters but even adventurers would find repulsive. The two hyenas that got swallowed by the smoke cried in pain, rolling on the ground while smashing their noses.


    ''Chance!''


    Aster didn''t miss this golden opportunity and dashed forward, filling his sword with Mana, and mming it down against the neck of one of the two.


    However, the skin of the enemy was tougher than he thought. The sword barely reached an inch deep, inflicting a barely lethal injury.


    *GRAA!*


    *RAWR!*


    Furthermore, the other Hyenas jumped at him, who was busy with one, attacking at the same time. There was no space to dodge, so by reflex, he lifted the hyena in his hand and threw it toward the ones pouncing at him.


    The hyena was as big as arge dog, probably weighing over 80 kilograms despite its bony appearance. As such, he couldn''t believe himself either, throwing something as heavy as that like it was just arge piece of rock.


    "Kuh!"


    But still, he didn''te out of it unscathed. As their name implied, the enemies had spikes on their backs, almost like an oversized hedgehog, making it dangerous to touch them directly. Aster''s arms, which he used to grab its body, were covered with spikes and were bleeding profusely.


    Thankfully, he was prepared. While the Hyena he threw injured and blocked the three others jumping at him, he grabbed a health potion and chugged its contents. While feeling the healing effect, simr to Cassy''s Minor Heal, he swept his hands and removed the remaining spikes sticking to him.


    He couldn''t remove all of it, of course, and some were too deep to even remove, so he just let them be. What''s important was to recover control of his arms!


    ''I can swing my sword. I can still fight!''


    Knowing that his sword could barely damage them, he changed his strategy. His target was only a single part of their body, the softest one with the fewest defenses¡ªtheir eyes.


    Aster kicked the ground, dashing toward the four who got tangled together, bleeding from the injuries they got from bumping into their ally. As they struggled to get up, Aster arrived by their side and stabbed their eyes, deep enough just to reach their brains, before pulling his sword out.


    *STAB!* *STAB!* *STAB!*


    Four stabs in a row! In just a moment, all four hyenas that got tangled died!


    Aster turned around, preparing his sword while watching the Alpha behind the smoke. The alpha''s red eyes gazed directly at him, with what seemed to be confidence, despite four of its underlings dying.


    "...!"


    Right then, Aster noticed the problem. There were four hyenas caught in his rush, and one was still rolling in the middle of the Monster Repent. Then, where''s the sixth?


    *BITE!*


    "Argh!"


    And as if to answer him, thest Spike-back Hyena pounced at him from behind, trying to bite his neck. By reflex, Aster tilted his body, dodging a fatal blow, but still, the monster bit deep into his right shoulder, causing heavy damage.


    "F... UCK!"


    While braving the pain, he stabbed the Hyena''s eyes too, just like the rest. Although it died instantly, its bite didn''t loosen at all, as if its jaws were locked in ce.

 Chapter 157: Fluffy Savior

    The Rogue Boss, Razor-Edge Alpha Hyena, carefully bypassed the cloud of Monster Repent, keeping its gaze locked onto Aster. It released a series of high-pitched noises, sounding as if it wereughing.


    "..."


    Despite it being near high noon, Aster''s vision was dark. The pain from his shoulder, along with his punctured lung and extreme bleeding, made him unable to even lift a single finger.


    In stories, usually, the main character would move beyond their body''s limits despite all the injuries they suffered¡ªhowever, in reality, that wasn''t possible. His head was light from blood loss, and his limbs no longer listened to hismands. All he could do was wait for the death gradually approaching him.


    The Alpha hyena stepped closer, standing just a foot away from Aster''s head, and sneered. It lifted its front leg, moving as if to smash his head to a pulp, but Aster could only stare at it and watch.


    "...!"


    And just as the leg was about toe down...


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOOOM!*


    A powerful golden lightning suddenly fell, striking the rogue boss with surgical precision. The sparks spread, but not a single one touched Aster, who was lying on the ground.


    "This is...!"


    Despite his vision darkening, he could still see what happened clearly. A furball fell from the sky, d in golden lightning!


    It had a majestic body covered in white fur, a fierce pair of eyes, majestic ears standing straight atop its head, and four powerful-looking limbs. Golden sparks kepting out of its body, as if it were wearing it.


    The majestic beast before Aster was a half-meter-tall Shiba Inu d in Heavenly Golden Lightning!


    "Yeah, no..." Aster chuckled, recalling his pet in the past¡ªone that left the world of the living long before he was frozen. "It can''t be."


    The Alpha hyena, struck by lightning, was stunned for a while. However, as expected, it didn''t look like it was damaged much, even from that overpowered attack.


    *GRRRR!*


    Rather, it looked angry after having its fun interrupted!


    *ARF!*


    "...!"


    The small dog turned its head slightly, ncing at Aster''s state. Sadness and worry could be seen within its pale blue and lime green¡ªboth with a hint of gold¡ªpair of heterochromatic eyes.


    ''It can''t be... Is it really Argus?!''


    Aster felt as if he were knocked awake. The gestures of it, along with its eyes filled with wisdom and love, among other things, were extremely reminiscent of his pet dog in the past!


    Although he wanted to confirm, he was barely hanging on to his consciousness. As if the little husky understood this, it turned to face forward, as if to protect Aster behind him.


    Around the same moment, the Rogue Boss hyena finally regained its freedom from the long stun. It felt humiliated, seeing how its "enemy" just stood there¡ªsomething that''s not even half of its size¡ªcasually watching as it suffered, unable to move its body freely!


    The Razor-Edge Alpha Hyena didn''t hold back at all, rushing forward in a powerful leap. Using its sharp body covered in protruding bones as sharp as des, it wanted to shred the little puppy before him, along with the human that it was toying with.


    *SPARK!*


    But before it could even touch them, a powerful rain of sparks fell, causing it to spasm. Each little spark contained little to no power but was enough to freeze its movements for a split second. And within that "split-second" gap, more and more sparksnded, causing its body to stop in ce, stuck in a never-ending hell of electrocution.


    *ARF!*


    Finally, along with a powerful bark, something fell from the sky. A pir of light¡ªno, it was arge, red, lightning bolt!


    The Alpha hyena, unable to dodge, along with the other one, who was still rolling within the Monster Repent smoke, were roasted by the powerful current flowing through their bodies.


    In a sh, their bodies were charred to cinders, before dissipating into ashes. There was nothing that remained of their corpses!


    The little husky maintained its vignce, sweeping a wary gaze around. There were a few monsters who were watching them from afar, but after seeing how the Alpha got owned, they tucked their tails and ran faster than lightning.


    *Whine...*


    After making sure that there was no more danger, the little husky moved close to Aster and pped away the dead hyena from his shoulder. The wound, which now opened up after the teeth sinking into it were removed, bled much faster.


    Out of concern, the little husky started to lick the wound. And right then, a miracle happened.


    Aster''s wounds started to release a golden light, simr to the golden lightning that fell over the alpha hyena first. After a while, the gold light started to seep into his wounds, before it started to close up, as if time were reversing itself.


    His face, filled with agony and pain earlier, slowly returned to a peaceful one, with his breathing stabilizing.


    Seeing that he was getting better, the little husky waved its tail excitedly, before moving toward Aster''s chest, snuggling against him. As if relishing the past, it started at Aster''s face, before curling up and closing its eyes.


    The sparks covering its pure white fur slowly died down, leaving it to look no different than a normal husky. But, of course, the little pup didn''t forget to keep watch over the surroundings. Read thetest on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    Aster was out ofmission, so it needed to protect him until he regained consciousness!


    ---


    "Mmm..."


    Slowly, Aster opened his eyes and blinked a few times. The surroundings were still bright, meaning, not much time had passed. "How long was I out...?" He wondered out loud, trying to raise his body from the rough ground.


    *ARF!*


    Right as he sat up, he found that there was a little furball snuggled against him. Almost by reflex, Aster''s hand moved, patting the little pup. Its pure white fur, soft and silky, was nice to the touch. But more than that, the familiar feeling of petting it sealed the deal in his mind.


    "You... you''re Argus, right?" He asked, half in disbelief, and half in surprise.


    *ARF!* *ARF!*


    The husky, after hearing its name called once again, jumped up in joy and started to lick Aster''s face¡ªits tail wagging so much, it looked like it would fall off. This yful act, the familiar tone of its bark, its odd eye, and its pure white coat¡ªeverything added up and proved that he wasn''t mistaken!


    The dog, who came to save him, was none other than his old friend and pet!

 Chapter 158: Hunting with Cheat Codes!

    "S-Stop it, hey~!"


    After a while of furious licking, Aster finally managed to pull the little dog away from him, lifting it on its front paws.


    "But still, I can''t believe it..." He muttered as he inspected the little husky from head to tail. "You... died already, in the past. Howe you''re still alive?"


    As he could touch it, and the dog could touch him too, it was definitely not a ghost or apparition.


    "..."


    However, despite it holding back its power, there were still small traces of electricity from its fur tickling Aster. Normal dogs might be able to produce static electricity with their fur, but not one strong enough that it would feel like electric therapy.


    "You''re not a normal dog right now, are you?" Aster asked, but quickly smiled, dismissing it. "Well, never mind it. I''m happy to see you again after a long time, buddy."


    Argus was his pet dog from when he was four, up until he turned sixteen. It was unfortunate, but nobody can fight against their lifespan¡ªthe little dog died of old age.


    Aster could still remember how brokenhearted he was after losing his only pet, who had been with him longer than his parents were. His mother offered to buy another dog for him, but he refused, saying that he didn''t want it to feel the same thing he did, knowing that he didn''t have long to live.


    ''But here I am now, 2500 years into the future, and reuniting with my best buddy.''


    He smiled, thinking that nobody could really predict such a thing to happen.


    "Hup!" He exerted himself, standing to his feet. "Anyway, I should keep moving. I need to increase my level to survive, and find the exit as soon as possible!"


    At first, he was following the east direction, as the entrance of the 25th floor was the east-most edge of the map. However, now, he has discovered that he wasn''t on the 25th floor but on the 30th floor instead.


    "On this floor, the entrance is at the northmost edge, so I need to change directions."


    Thankfully, the afternoon sun was still up, so he quickly turned around until his shadow was to his right, meaning that he was facing north.


    After cing the little dog down, he smiled once more, seeing how energetic it was.


    "Let''s go, Argus!"


    *ARF!*


    With renewed vigor, the pair started walking straight to the north. As they were walking, Aster took out his Adventurer''s card and checked his level.


    "What the f...!"


    To his surprise, it jumped again, reaching level 25 in one go! Although shocked, he distributed the four bonus stats to CON and DEX equally, as nned, before scanning the card for any other changes.


    "What''s this?"


    And there, he found at the party members list, a new entry was added below it.


    [


    Divine Pet: Argus (Raijuu)


    Divine Pet Bonus: EXP Share (Equal)


    ]


    "D-Divine...? Raijuu is a Lightning Beast, right?"


    Aster turned to look at the little bugger, but other than being able to use lightning, it was far from looking divine at all.


    "But the card is disying it, so it must be true..." He reasoned, trying to ept this new information.


    *Rustle!*


    As he was distracted, Aster forgot to pay attention to his surroundings. From the bush diagonally behind them, a horned rabbit jumped out¡ªone that was more muscr than even the Terminator.


    "Sh...!"


    His reaction was dyed! Just as he did a half-turn, enough to see what was approaching them, he saw a white sh.


    *CRACKLE!*


    A lightning bolt¡ªor, to be more specific, an electric arc¡ªflew from Argus and struck the muscr rabbit, the Herculean Horned Rabbit, and froze it for a few seconds.


    "HAAAP!"


    Aster took advantage of its stiffness, swung his sword, dding it with mana as fast as he could, and struck the enemy''s neck.


    "...!"


    But as expected, even with his full power strike, the de barely sank through its thick fur. The rabbit''s toughness was on another levelpared to weak slimes!


    ''Should I use Physical Enchant?!''


    Aster considered using his trump card with a long cooldown against a single enemy, but before he could even act, his pet had already finished its move.


    *ARF!*


    With a casual bark, a thick bolt of red lightning fell from the heavens, striking the stiffened rabbit. The powerful bolt, the same one that decimated the hyena''s alpha earlier, gradually turned the Herculean Horned Rabbit into charred ashes.


    The same instant as the monster died, Aster''s body glowed twice.


    "No way..." He checked the card that was still in his hand and was shocked. "I really leveled up twice!" He cheered.


    Despite the fact that the little dog, Argus, was the one who killed it, EXP still flowed to Aster!


    "So this is that EXP Share thing..." He mused in amazement. "It''s pretty useful! Come here, little champ!"


    Of course, he didn''t forget to praise the cute pup, patting its head as its tail wagged faster than the des of a turbine. As he did, he checked his stats and pondered.


    "Right now, Ick the strength to even injure the monsters. I should increase it a bit more, or else, I''d end up relying on Argus Bus to the end."


    *ARF!*


    The pup barked as if to say, "Leave it to me!" but Aster was sure that using such powerful attacks would be taxing. If Argus got tired while enemies were still around, and with him unable to properly inflict damage, then they''re doomed!


    After a bit more rationalizing, he dumped both free stats into STR. It wasn''t much, but an increase is an increase!


    "Alright, let''s continue ahead!"


    After making sure that he spent all his free points, and that all the girls'' names were still in white, indicating their safety, Aster resumed walking forward.


    Along the way, they encountered a dozen more Arnold¡ªno, Herculean Horned Rabbits¡ªwhich pushed him to level 29. The higher his level got, the harder it got to increase it again!


    By then, the artificial sun was already about to set, meaning that darkness was about to arrive. Staying in the middle of the forest at night sounds like a recipe for trouble, so the pair rushed to leave, reaching an open area where they could camp.


    "Though I don''t have a tent with me..."


    They only had three tents, after all. Not everyone would be able to carry their own tent. Aster, since he was already in charge of cooking utensils, was relieved from carrying a tent that would take up much of his Fanny Pack''s space.


    "Anyway, having food is still better than having a roof." He nodded, trying to convince himself.


    Since Argus was with him, Aster tried to risk it and started a fire. He was already sick of eating raw vegetables, after all. It was finally time to cook!

 Chapter 159: Adventurers?

    Aster started a fire, before cing a pan over it. He was quite bold to try cooking outside, where the smell of food could spread far and wide, but he trusted Argus''s strength, as the little pup could sweep any monster they encountered along the way.


    ''Since I can''t help him in a fight, I''ll at least give him a good meal!''


    He avoided all ingredients that shouldn''t be edible for dogs and ended up doing in pan-grilled meat instead.


    "Here you go, Argus. Eat up as much as you want!" Aster smiled, passing a te of arge T-bone pan-grilled steak to him.


    Although he wasn''t sure what kind of meat it was, it tasted closer to beef than pork.


    *Arf!*


    Argus didn''t dy and took a bite, enjoying the meal with his tail wagging wildly. Aster smiled while watching it wolf down the meat as ifpeting with someone. Seeing the husky so focused on eating, he just left a bowl of water by the side, before eating his portion of the meat.


    "Hm... As expected, just grilling it wouldn''t give it an exaggerated boost." He sighed.


    He was slightly hoping that his level 99 Cooking Skill would make the steak taste several levels higher, but it seemed that his wish wasn''t granted. Although it tasted better than usual, it wasn''t to the point that the girls would have their mouths water over.


    "I wonder how they''re doing right now..."


    Since they were still alive, as the Adventurer''s Card indicates, they must be struggling to survive just as Aster was. "I just hope none of them were teleported to an extremely high floor."


    He guessed that the pharaoh''s skill, the Random Teleport, had limitations. Otherwise, they had the possibility of getting transported to the top floor in one go.


    Aster guessed that she wouldn''t be able to send them too far from her designated floor. He was even hypothesizing that he alone got thrown the farthest among everyone. But, of course, he first needs to return to be able to prove his guesses.


    *GRRRRR!*


    "Huh?"


    And just as he finished eating, preparing to clean up the utensils, Argus started to release a wary, low growl. Aster realized that it wasn''t the same reaction he had when encountering monsters, so he quickly dumped everything in his Spatial Fanny Pack and even removed his fire by covering it with soil.


    Right after, he moved to a spot near the forest, opposite the direction where Argus was growling. The two stayed there, killing their breaths, and waiting for whatever it was that he "detected."


    "...!"


    And soon enough, figures started to approach, lit by nothing but starlight. There were at least twenty of them, and they were moving in formation, making them extremely suspicious.


    ''Adventurers?''


    From the shadows he could see, it was humanoid. And on the 30th floor, there''s no humanoid monster, at least. So the best guess was that the group ahead of them was a group of adventurers, an alliance party, or a n.


    "Captain."


    Soon, voices echoed, reaching Aster''s ears. A man with a gruff voice, sounding like he was nearing his 40s, echoed lightly.


    "We found the source of light earlier. It was a campfire but was already put out. It''s still warm, so it wasn''t that long when it was done."


    "Good. That means they''re still nearby..." This time, another voice echoed.


    Unlike the first one, he sounded young, probably around the same age, if not slightly older, than Aster was. However, his next words made Aster have goosebumps.


    "Search for them! If there are women in them, they could be sold for quite a high price! If they''re men, I don''t mind if you kill them as a disy!"


    ''These guys...! Kidnappers?!''


    Aster realized their identities quite quickly, but still, couldn''t help but worry.


    He was weak at the moment¡ªweaker than the average level of adventurers on the 30th floor. The kidnappers, usually, stay at a higher level than average for the floor they''re on and dominate their targets with strength and numbers.


    As such, fighting them as he currently is would be tantamount to suicide!


    ''Why do I always bump into kidnappers?'' Aster cursed, slowly turning around and backing away.


    With the distance from his hiding spot and his previous camp, it would be hard to detect him unless he used light or raised his voice. Simple rustling sounds against leaves would blend with the surrounding noise, erasing his presence even further.


    After he gained enough distance, Aster began running, with Argus right behind him. Although it was hard to move at night, and dangerous to boot, he had no choice.


    *ARF!*


    "...!"


    As soon as the little pup barked, Aster stopped and lowered his posture, preparing to counter anything that came. "Argus, don''t use shy skills for now. We might get found." He warned the pup just in case.


    If he used the pir-like red lightning again, then, without a doubt, they would be discovered!


    *Arf!* *Whine!*


    Although he wasn''t sure if his message went through, the little husky rushed forward with his ws at the ready. Argus, as instructed, held back on using lightning-based attacks and chose to engage in melee!


    But still, as expected, he was owning the fight against the attackers¡ªmore Spike-back Hyenas. In just moments, the group of four hyenas was decimated, leaving nothing but their bloody corpses behind.


    "Good job, buddy!"


    Aster smiled, patting the dog''s head¡ªthough if there was light, he would be taken aback by its blood-covered face for sure.


    "Let''s continue."


    They had to move nonstop, or else, they could end up tracked by the kidnappers somewhere behind them. As such, Aster had no time to rest.


    With Argus in tow, the two continued heading roughly north. How did Aster maintain his bearing in the darkness? He couldn''t. Though the little pup could. Argus was the one who led the way after Aster started to veer off course.


    About an hour after they started their blind journey, and with Argus killing the 20th monster, finally, Aster leveled up.


    "Level 30!"


    It was the level that was assumed to be the current level of the Frostfire Legacy. However, he still can''t undo the seal, as he didn''t focus his stat on Wis, but instead focused on increasing his physical capabilities for survival.


    "I''ll just add all of it to strength for now, and... Huh?"


    While staring at his Adventurer''s Card, however, he found a curious design.


    A blinking star appeared beside his name.


    "What does this mean?"

 Chapter 160: Job Class Upgrade!

    Curious, Aster tapped the blinking star, and to his surprise, the disy of the card changed, showing several lines of words, and a series of choices.


    [Congrattions on Reaching Lv. 30!]


    [Job ss can now be upgraded!]


    [Choose between the sses listed below:]


    [


    1. Magic Swordsman III (Rare)


    2. Tamer (Rare+)


    3. Bounty Hunter (Rare)


    4. Battle Cook (Legendary)


    5. ???


    ]


    "What the...?" Aster was dumbfounded.


    After all, ss Upgrade was supposed to go through a special machine, which was ced at the ss Exchange Hall!


    All sses usually get their first ss Upgrade at level 5, but the next ones depend on the rarity of their jobs. For example, a Common Job would need upgrades every 15 levels up to five times. An Umon Job upgrades every 20 levels seven times, while a Rare Job needs 25 levels for each upgrade, for a total of 10 times.


    By the way, the counter is universal.


    If you''re an Umon Job doing your 5th upgrade and you selected to downgrade to a Common Job, then you would lose the chance to do thest two upgrades from before. On the other hand, if you got a rarer job during the upgrade, the chances could increase instead.


    Aster read the ss choices and quickly locked onto thest two jobs.


    "Legendary..."


    It was his first time seeing such an extreme rarity! However, he was worried about the Job''s name. "Battle Cook? What the hell?" It not only sounded weird, but it was even ambiguous if it was a support ss or abat ss!


    "And thest one is just question marks?"


    This one was even weirder. Why would the system leave it as a mystery, when it can only tell the "truth"?


    "Could it be... It''s blocked by a mysterious power?" Aster guessed, but quickly shook his head. "Nah, I doubt. Maybe I''m just thinking too much from reading simr novels in the past."


    Anyway, after judging the sses, he disregarded the second and third options. The first one was just a direct upgrade of his current ss; the fourth was a Legendary one that was hard to pass; and thest one was a mystery.


    "Hmm..."


    Aster pondered hard but decided to go with stability instead. "Let''s go with Magic Swordsman III."


    As his finger approached the card, however, something weird happened... The jobs rearranged themselves,pletely reversing the order!


    "WOAH!"


    Thankfully, he was paying attention and managed to hold his finger for the next instant. "I almost tapped on that question mark!"


    Aster wasn''t one to gamble, unless it''s his only choice. He had limited time, so he''d rather spend it stably than try to bet on something risky. He tried to move his finger again to where the Magic Swordsman III was, but then, the same thing happened. The list flipped!


    "Fuck...!"


    After trying a few times, Aster was starting to get irritated. It was as if the Card wanted him to not select the easiest way!


    "Phew... alright." He sighed, calming down. "You think you''re smart? Let''s see about that!"


    Aster moved his finger fast, heading to the top of the list, where the Magic Swordsman III was. As he expected, the list flipped the next instant!


    "NOT SO FAST!"


    But then, he suddenly switched to his thumb and went to press thest item, where the Magic Swordsman III went. "Got you!" He cheered, checking the card, but...


    "...!"


    The one he pressed, turned out to be the question mark! He didn''t even see how they switched!


    "FFFFF!"


    He felt like he was exploding from anger!


    As he expected, the selection was done without confirmation, just like how online scams would go...


    [Congrattions, you selected the Job: ???]


    [Error! Job ss is private and inessible. Changing it to fit the current System... Complete.]


    [Congrattions, you selected the Job: ???''s Avatar (Unique Mythic)]


    [Due to the Unique Properties of the Job, previous Job''s skills are inherited and upgraded.]


    [


    Skills Upgraded:


    Mana sh -> Elemental Sword sh


    Physical Enchant -> Boost (Passive)


    ]


    [


    Skills Learned:


    -> Divine Descent


    Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    -> Oracle


    -> Praying


    -> Miracle


    ]


    "A... A Mythic ss?!"


    Aster couldn''t help but be shocked.


    After all, from all his game knowledge, the "Mythic" level is practically the rarest of them all, even beyond Legendary. Although higher rarities require more levels to upgrade the ss, he wasn''t sure how much level he''d need to rue before getting a chance for another ss Upgrade.


    "Still, I guess it''s reasonable." He sighed, cing a hand on his chin. "The Card practically became buggy after it appeared, after all. I guess this Question Mark thing is a god''s name?"


    Some God directly intervened with his ss upgrade, and even used his card as an intermediary! While wondering who it was, or if it was some God whose name he knew, his gaze turned to Argus, who was sitting quietly, waiting for Aster''s "business" to finish.


    ''Was this God also the one who sent Argus, perhaps?''


    It wasn''t a farfetched guess, given that the pup was treated as a "Divine Pet" by the card.


    After a while, the Card lost its faint glow, making it hard to see the words written on it. Having no choice, Aster ced it back in his Fanny Pack and sighed.


    "I guess I''ll just check my new ss first, and distribute the stats I earnedter..."


    *Arf!*


    Seeing that Aster was done, Argus quickly stood up, his tail wagging excitedly, before guiding the way once more.


    Although he was a small dog, easy to lose sight of, the faint glow from sparks covering his body made him stand out in the dark surroundings, making it easy to follow his tracks.


    While walking, however, Aster found it mysterious. His speed was mostly the same as before, but he wasn''t getting tired!


    ''Could it be the Physical Enchant''s effect? It became passive, after all...''


    He still couldn''t confirm his skill''s effect without using a Skill te, but from how things were going, it seemed to be a weaker version of Physical Enchant that remains active all the time.


    If Physical Enchant gives an increase of about 3x multiplier, then the new skill, Boost, multiplies all stats by 1.5x multiplier at its current level. It wasn''t much, but it could be a great boon at higher levels. After all, he would be at least 50% stronger than his peers 24/7 with it!


    "Good stuff!" Aster smiled, satisfied.


    *ARF!*


    "...!"


    While walking, the two encountered monsters once more. This time, it wasn''t the hyenas, but rather, a pair ofrge-bodied rabbits, Herculean Horned Rabbits, who approached.


    "Argus, you take the one to the left. I''ll handle the other!"


    Curious about his current strength, hemanded the little pup. Aster rushed forward, de at the ready, and activated his new skill.


    "Elemental Sword sh!"


    *Poof!*


    "...!"


    But his skill activation failed, causing his attack to inflict zero damage.


    Of course, the rabbit didn''t miss the chance and attacked. Aster was suddenly in a pinch!

 Chapter 161: Difficult-to-Use Skill!

    "Kuh?!"


    Thankfully, he was alert and was able to duck and dodge the iing fist. The wild swing continued, hitting nothing but air¡ªbut the tree that was a few meters behind Aster ended up getting perforated instead!


    Just imagining such an attacknding made him feel faint!


    ''But why did the skill fail in activating? Did I do something wrong?!''


    Since it was an upgrade of the Mana sh, he thought that activating it would follow the same procedure. He tried again, gathering mana for his sword, before shing forward with a wide arc.


    However, just like the previous one, the skill didn''t activate, and the strike became nothing but a mana-imbued sh with no power to back it whatsoever.


    As soon as he failed, he transitioned to dodging almost immediately. With the extra stat from his passive Boost, dodging was a lot easierpared to before. However, this doesn''t change the fact that he couldn''t attack.


    "I''m missing something...!" He muttered, trying to think of another way. "Wait!" And suddenly, he had an epiphany.


    The skill was now called Elemental Sword sh, so that meant the sh should have an "element" attached. However, his method was no different than simply shing with mana d around the de, way different than what the skill''s name promised.


    "Is it like this...?"


    The third time''s the charm! After dding the sword with mana, he imagined the cold, frigid north. As he did, the mana started to fluctuate, and change in essence.


    "...!"


    A cold aura started to envelop the de, releasing a cold mist! Seeing this, Aster didn''t dy and attacked one more time. A simple diagonal sh, quick and straightforward. The rabbit tried to dodge, but the sword''s tip still managed to graze its thick chest, opening a smallceration.


    *CRACK!*


    But it didn''t stop at that. The cut wound started to freeze, spreading to about a radius of one foot! The rabbit''s face turned blue as it grabbed its chest, right where its heart should be, and fell to its knees.


    Then, without much fanfare, the powerful monster died just like that.


    "... What?" Aster muttered, confused.


    He just grazed the enemy, and it died!


    Of course, this was just his luck at y. The element he chose, ice, can freeze the attacked spot, and a certain distance from it depending on the user''s WIS stat. As such, the attack froze over the enemy''s heart by ident, causing heart failure, which led to death not long after!


    Aster wasn''t satisfied just yet with the results, as he didn''t really manage to check the performance of the new skill. He looked to the other rabbit, nning to use it as his next training dummy, but he realized he was toote.


    *Arf~!*


    Argus was already sitting atop the dead rabbit''s corpse, wagging his tail wildly as if waiting for praise. His fight finished faster than Aster''s did, even though he didn''t use his main attack method¡ªlightning!


    "... Good work again, buddy. You even finished it faster than I did." Aster smiled wryly, sheathing his sword before patting the pupper.


    After they cut off the rabbit''s horn, the most expensive loot they could get from it, Aster and Argus quickly moved on. As they did, they of course encountered more enemies, which gave Aster more chances to practice his new skill.


    Thanks to that, he somewhat gained some understanding of the Elemental Sword sh.


    First, the activation process was mostly simr to Mana sh; the only difference is that he needed to "change" the property of Mana and add an element to it. From the elements he tried, only fire and ice, which he got a solid image of, managed toe out sessfully.


    In short, unlike before, he can''t just spam the skill, as he needs to focus for a bit to activate it.


    Still, the power behind it was more than enough to cover for this drawback. Mana sh was already an overpowered attack skill before, but now, its damage has increased by almost fivefold! That''s ignoring the added damage depending on the element used!


    Thanks to this, and his increased strength from his passive Boost, his sword could now damage monsters of the 30th floor. He''s no longer deadweight for Argus and could contend against monsters¡ªas long as they''re fighting one-on-one.


    "Boss, there''s another corpse here."


    But then again, they weren''t the only ones on the 30th floor. The previous group of kidnappers finally found his tracks, and started their pursuit!


    "From the looks of it, they''re a small group heading for the entrance to the north," the scout of the enemy exined while pointing to where Aster was heading at the moment. "Should we intercept them midway?"


    "Of course." The young man replied with a fiendish grin. "You, mage. Prepare a warp spell. We''ll intercept them at that ce."


    "...!"


    The scout opened his eyes wide, as if in awe of the young man''s decisiveness. "If it''s that ce, then they''d have nowhere to run. Keke!"


    "Heh, of course. I just hope they don''t die before reaching that ce."


    A dark shadow was approaching Aster and Argus, but they had no idea that an ambush was getting prepared for them just yet.


    ---


    Outside the dungeon, at the Dungeon''s Entrance Portal.


    Although the time was barely approaching midnight, people were stilling in and out, albeit sparsely. Some were in parties, returning after an arduous hunt, with smiles on their faces from their abundant loot.


    Others were lone individuals who had a shadow of death over them, with barely any loot on hand, bloody and depressed. In this space, lit by nothing but the floodlights and the glowing portal, something eye-catching urred.


    The portal released a powerful glow, signifying that someone was about to exit, but the light was so intense that they thought daytime had arrived for a moment!


    The gatekeeper, the Oni Uncle, as Cassy calls him, stared at the lone individual who came out. Of course, he was familiar with everyone entering the dungeon, so he didn''t fail to recognize the person who was standing wobbly, covered in wounds,cerations, and bruises.


    "You... You''re Kali from that youngster''s party, right?" he asked, approaching her. "Where''s the rest? Don''t tell me..."


    But before he could finish asking, Kali''s reaction made him stiffen in surprise.


    "H-Help us... Aster, Cassandra, Celestinya, Lizandrea, Lori... All of them are in danger!"


    Her usual cold, cocky attitude was nowhere to be found as her eyes flickered with fear and a faint beam of hope.


    "Please... They''re teleported to a random floor below Floor 50. Please rescue them!"


    As soon as she finished speaking, as ifpleting her mission, she immediately fainted. The Oni Uncle heard her words clearly and frowned.


    "Random teleport? Could it be starting already...?" He whispered, but nobody was close enough to hear him. "Although I think it''s too early, well, this must be fate at work."


    He pulled out his phone from his pocket and called somewhere.


    "It''s me. Send out personnel for all floors from 5 to 50. It''s Code Zero."


    A faint glint appeared in his eyes, but soon, worry reced it.


    ''Young''un, you must return safely.''

 Chapter 162: Mega Ruby Slime, Again!

    Aster and Argus had been walking and fighting almost nonstop. Given the situation, they couldn''t help it, but he was slowly reaching his limit physically.


    "Argus, buddy... I need to rest for a bit."


    Although he was uninjured, moving around and testing his skills here and therepletely sapped him of both Mana and stamina. If not for his strong will, then he might''ve called down way earlier than this.


    *Arf!*


    The little husky sat before Aster, who was leaning against arge tree and taking a rest. Its tail was wagging, with his tongue peeking out as he panted.


    Even the overpowered pup was starting to get tired. It was no wonder Aster felt like he''d ck out at any moment!


    ''Still, if not for me increasing my CON, I would''ve been downed much earlier.''


    He sighed, thinking that his decision was correct.


    "Come here," Aster called to Argus, allowing the dog to stand on top of his stomach.


    "I''ll be sleeping now. You can rest too, but please keep guard of the surroundings. Sorry about this..."


    Leaving a small dog to watch out for monsters while he rested¡ªthe sense of guilt for doing such was overwhelming. However, thinking about how Argus was not a normal dog in the first ce, the guilt was slightly alleviated.


    *Lick!*


    As if telling him to cheer up and not mind it, Argus licked his cheeks in a show of affection. A thin smile appeared on Aster''s lips before his eyelids started to feel heavier than lead, closing shut uncontrobly.


    His physical and mental fatigue reached the limits.


    *Whine...*


    Argus looked worried as if he wanted to do something for his master. However, he already received themand of guarding Aster''s sleep.


    The little pup curled up on his stomach, closing its eyes to take a short nap. However, its ears were perked up, a sign that he wasn''t lowering his vignce even while resting.


    Just like that, time passed.


    "M... Mmmh?"


    After an unknown amount of time, Aster finally stirred away. "Woah?!" but quickly panicked upon seeing monsters around them, barely a meter away. "Wait..."


    But upon closer inspection, the monsters that were piled into small mountains were no longer alive. All of them were dead, killed by the powerful bodyguard watching over him!


    "D-Did you hunt all these?" Aster asked, counting the number of bodies.


    There were at least a hundred of them, and he didn''t even wake up while Argus was fighting!


    "If it''s this many, then...!"


    In a hurry, he pulled out his Adventurer''s Card, and as he expected, his level rose again. He''s now level 32!


    ''This leveling pace is unbelievable. Who would''ve thought that I''d reach over level 30 in barely three days?''


    Although he had to face a proportional amount of danger, pushing him to the brink of death at every fight, his pace was still worthy of envy from others.


    Of course, he still hasn''t touched the extra stat from reaching level 30, and added to the two extra points he gained, he poured all of them into the WIS stat. It was time he stopped building his body and started building his resistance to the Frostfire Legacy!


    ''Even with Boost increasing all my stats by 50%, I would still need a bit more to be able to say I''m safe from their control.''


    At least level 40. By then, he would gain enough WIS to give him confidence that he wouldn''t get controlled!


    Aster stood up, stretched a little while feeling how refreshed he currently was, and spoke to Argus. "Alright, let''s...!"


    *Grumble~!*


    "... Eat first."


    Hisst meal was over 12 hours ago, so it was just the right time for another meal. Still, they didn''t have time to prepare anything too fancy, so Aster simply did another pan-grilled steak instead.


    Although Argus enjoyed the meal, Aster was getting fed up with having the same meal twice in a row. "I guess I''m just being luxurious," he sighed, chuckling to himself.


    It didn''t feel bad, however. After all, this meant that he had enough leeway to think about luxury. "I''m getting strong enough, but still far from enough!"


    Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin


    The average level of monsters on the 30th floor would be around 40 to 50. That means he wasn''t even an "equal" to the floor''s monsters yet. Thankfully, hunting monsters of a higher level than he was earns him high EXP; he really didn''t have manyints.


    "And with Boost active, my stats would be equivalent to a level 45 already."


    After cleaning up, the two started on their way to the entrance once more. Still, they didn''t rush. Walking slowly, careful of monsters around them, and not letting a single one escape. Aster was gradually increasing his strength!


    Soon, they got out of the forest and entered a new region.


    "This... a ruined city?"


    All over the ce, destroyed buildings could be seen. At a nce, it reminded him of theboratory and its surroundings, but he quickly noticed that the building materials were different.


    It was mostly stone instead of concrete, telling him that whatever civilization the ruins came from didn''t have advanced construction technology yet.


    "..."


    But Aster stopped in his tracks, causing Argus to also stop, and tilt its little head in confusion. For some reason, Aster was getting the idea that stepping into the ruins area would be dangerous. However, seeing how Argus wasn''t reacting, he was losing confidence in his gut feeling.


    ''Was it my imagination? Or am I just being paranoid?''


    Anyway, better safe than sorry. "Argus, let''s turn around," hemanded, taking the dog on a wide detour through the forest.


    However, his steps stopped right after, as arge presence started to approach them at a rapid pace.


    *GRRRRRR!*


    Argus, of course, didn''t miss this one, as it was too powerful to ignore. The sound of trees falling, branches breaking, and something jiggly moving, echoed loud enough that it was deafening!


    It was a familiar presence, one that Aster could never forget. After all, he was chased by it right after arriving on this floor.


    "Fuck my luck...!"


    Aster cursed as arge red blob jumped out of the forest, and stopped a few dozen meters away from him.


    It was none other than the Field Boss... No, the Field Boss of the 30th floor is the variant of the Herculean Horn Rabbit. Instead, it was an irregr¡ªa Rogue Boss! The Mega Ruby Slime!


    Aster wanted to curse. After all, even though he got stronger, his power was still far from being able to face a Boss by himself!


    "Argus..." Thankfully, he wasn''t alone. "I choose you!"

 Chapter 163: Surrounded! (1)

    *Arf!*


    The little pupper seemed excited after hearing Aster''smand, jumping forward while growling at the gigantic slime. Comparing the two''s sizes was likeparing an elephant to a rat!


    "Argus, distract it!" Astermanded as he cast his Elemental Sword sh.


    Currently, he needed two seconds to cast the skill, which meant he would be vulnerable for that duration. The moment he started gathering mana, the Mega Ruby Slime immediately reacted, sending a feeler to attack.


    *CRACKLE!*


    But Argus didn''t allow it to reach. A burst of sparks expanded, causing the slime''s body to stiffen from the attack. Although it didn''t have muscles to stimte, it still had a brain to interrupt, after all!


    The spark attacksted for a full two seconds, giving Aster enough time toplete his preparations. His sword released thick, cold mist, a telltale sign of how cold it was.


    "Eat this!" He roared, lunging forward while shing his sword.


    The slime, still stunned from Argus''s attack, couldn''t evade in time and was shed. With itsrge body, the attack only removed a small part of its body, but the struck part started to freeze, causing its movements to be slower.


    "Again!"


    Since the Elemental Sword sh didn''t fade with one sh, but more like persisted for a few seconds, he managed tond another strike. Frost covered more than half of the Mega Ruby Slime''s body, but it wasn''t really much in terms of damage. After all, the frost didn''t go deeper than a foot!


    *Jig...gle!*


    With arge part of its surface frozen, the slime turned sluggish, giving Argus enough space tond a series of attacks. Large sections of the slime''s jelly flew around, as its size gradually reduced.


    Of course, it still tried to fight back, but whenever it tried to use its feelers, Argus would freeze them using a spark before Aster lunged forward and struck again. This repeated about fifteen times until the slime''s entire body was frozen solid.


    "Let''s see..."


    Aster stepped forward and shed the ice, causing it to crack and disintegrate. The parts of the slime that were frozen together also dissolved, reducing its size greatly. Now, the Mega Ruby Slime was just as big as a normal Ruby Slime!


    "Checkmate!"


    Aster smiled as he plunged his sword into the slime''s body, hitting the core and splitting it in half. At the same time, his body released a bright light, multiple times. He leveled up three times in one go!


    "Noice!" He smiled, nning to sheath his sword and collect the fragments of the core, but...


    *SWOOSH!*


    "...!"


    Something cut through the air and hit his left shoulder. He felt a powerful impact, almost sending him crashing forward before pain reached his senses.


    "Argh...!" He groaned, looking at the back of his shoulder.


    There, a bolt from a crossbow could be seen, lodged deeply. Furthermore, he could see a weird liquid seeping out of his wound. The bolt was poisoned!


    "Sh... it...!"


    Aster''s body turned sluggish as if paralyzed, with his vision turning darker. He realized what poison he got hit by: paralysis and sleep.


    *GRRRRR!*


    Argus growled, facing the direction where the arrow came from¡ªthe ruined city''s debris. There, suddenly, a few figures appeared out of thin air. Their presence just appeared as if they teleported in, but the truth was they had been hiding in that spot since the beginning.


    It was a powerful stealth technique that even Argus didn''t detect!


    "Fuck! What a waste of time... It''s just one bastard, isn''t he?!" The young man, who was obviously their leader, cursed while scratching his head in irritation. "We hunted them for hours, and this is it? Gonzales, you useless prick!"


    "Hey, hey, don''t me me, Boss. I said it''s a small group, right? I didn''t say there''s girls or anything."


    "Are you talking back to me?!"


    *SCHING!*


    And for some reason, they started fighting amongst themselves. The young man drew his sword and swung it toward the thief-like man''s neck. However, he moved fast and blocked it with a dagger, his eyes showing that he had a vicious smile under his mask.


    "Boss... You''re not strong enough to beat me. Come back after a hundred years!"


    "You said it...!"


    Their weapons shed, exchanging blows at a speed that Aster was barely able to follow. From their movements, their level would be at least level 60! Significantly more than what he initially predicted!


    ''Shit... This is dangerous.''


    He was barely able to keep himself conscious! Thankfully, the bunch of kidnappers were focused on the two fighting, even starting to bet on who would win. During that time, Aster moved his sluggish hands into his fanny pack and pulled out an all-cure.


    It was the most expensive consumable they had bought for emergencies, so they only had one for each.


    As soon as he got it out, he tried to pry the cap off and inject it into his palm directly.


    *PSST!*


    The sound of high-pressured air echoed, but thankfully, it didn''t alert anyone of the kidnappers. Slowly, Aster''s senses returned, with the poison''s effect fading rapidly.


    Of course, he didn''t move and pretended to still be under the effect of the poison. After all, even if he ran, he would get caught shortly after. The enemy''s speed was several levels higher than his, after all.


    "(Argus, hide under my body, quick!)"


    Instead of running, he nned to create a breakthrough point instead. There were only twelve of them present ahead of Aster, meaning, the others were still hidden somewhere. It would be dangerous if they targeted Argus from his blind spot, so he nned on using his own body to protect the little puppy.


    Of course, although he was a small dog, his body was still around half a meter. It would be hard to hide himpletely.


    Still, it was better than nothing.


    "Fuck you...!"


    "Hah, if you''re not the Big Boss''s son, you would''ve lost your neck by now."


    Right then, the fight between the two ended, with the thief winning by arge margin. Aster watched their movements and frowned.


    ''That thief, his movements were those of someone who trained to the limits. The other one looks like he''s just swinging randomly, relying on stats.''


    Although their levels were simr, the thief won for having a more refined technique than the other. ''If we''re going to do this, that thief is the one we should kill first.''


    "(Argus, listen closely...)"


    Together with his trusty buddy, Aster made a n.

 Chapter 164: Surrounded! (2)

    "Come on, stop wasting time. We should go and find our next prey."


    "Yeah, yeah. The boss already lost, anyway."


    "Tsk, boring~!"


    "You bastards...!"


    As Aster expected, there''s not a hint of camaraderie between them. They looked more like a ragtag team gathered together on a whim for only one purpose. However, they''re still a threat to Aster, whose level was lower than theirs.


    "Gonzalez! Go grab that kid! And you, Mage! Prepare to teleport us back to camp."


    "Ugh, finally..." The female mage groaned, as if unable to stand dying any longer. "I haven''t been able to take care of my skin for 18 hours. If I get pimples or wrinkles, I''ll definitely make you pay, Joph."


    "Shut it, bitch! Just do as you''re told!" The young man, Joph, roared back in anger.


    Although he was the acting leader of their small team, he was the least trusted and respected among their team. The thief Gonzales earned more respect than him for being actively contributing to the team, and being a powerful fighter. If not for Joph being the son of the "Big Boss," then it would be Gonzales who would be their team''s leader instead.


    "Alright, alright, I just have to do it, right? You little brat." The thief sighed, walking toward Aster''s position. "Ugh, what a big, pampered crybaby," he added in a low whisper.


    Completely lowering his guard, he approached Aster and grabbed his hair, pulling him up. "Huh?" But then he saw a little furball hidden below him. "What the...?"


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOOM!*


    And without a warning, a powerful lightning bolt struck him, frying his nerves and brain in a moment. His internal organs, particrly his lungs, expanded from the sudden heat that came from getting electrocuted, causing the thief to spout smoke from his mouth.


    He fell forward, limp, andpletely immobile. With just a nce, it was obvious that he was dead.


    "... Gonzales?"


    The others couldn''t believe what happened and were bbergasted for a moment. However, that slight pause was fatal.


    *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*


    Multiple lightning bolts fell, striking the mage, the bowman with the crossbow, and another mage.


    "Shit...! We''re under attack! Take cover!" At that moment, when four of them died without any warning, the others began to move.


    The young boss, Joph,manded them to hide and watch the surroundings.


    "It''s probably that kid''s party! Fucking hell, Gonzales, you useless fucker!" One of the survivors cursed, ming the first casualty for the pinch they were ced in.


    What shocked them further was the "method" of how their members died. A powerful lightning bolt. It wasn''t easy for them to remember mages who had such a powerful attack and such a rare element. As such, their suspect quickly rose.


    "It''s that bitch, Octavia! Be careful!"


    Of course, their guess was far from the truth.


    In the first ce, the "Thunderbird" Octavia should be on the upper floors, above the 100th floor, so it would be impossible for her toe down to the 30th floor. However, panic made them lose their calm, unable to think straight.


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    And the lightning bolts didn''t stop, even though they were already hidden. Five died in the second wave since they were clumped together, almost wiping out the entire group at once.


    "G-Group up! Team 2 and 3, look around the forest and find where the bitch is hiding!!!"


    As he gave hismands, he also began to slip away. ''I can''t die in this ce! You should do your best and dy that bitch, motherfuckers!''


    He ran fast, heading past Gonzales'' corpse, and running toward the forest.


    *SLASH!*


    "... Huh?"


    But then, he suddenly began to fall to the ground, face-first.


    *BAM!*


    His face mmed against the rocky ground, waking him from his stupor. At the same time, pain started to rush from his broken nose, and from his legs¡ªor rather, his missing legs.


    "M-My legs...!" He cried, tearsing out of his eyes. "My fucking legs!!!"


    *SLASH!*


    But his suffering didn''tst long. Another strike came fast and true, separating his empty head from his neck. At thest moment, he saw the eyes of the one they supposedly shot with poison, staring at him with a strong re.


    ''No way...''


    And that was thest thing he saw.


    "(Good job, Argus. Now, we''ll just wait for their backup to arrive...)"


    From Joph''s earlier shout, Aster knew that the ones he couldn''t see were in the forest, just as he guessed. Only two guys remained in the open, so Aster didn''t force the husky to release more attacks.


    They pretended to still be asleep, pulling the two corpses closer as cover, while waiting for the rest of the kidnappers to arrive. At the same time, he pulled his card and added the newly gained stats to his WIS. He reached level 38 in just a few seconds, after all!


    Killing people around level 60 gave him a flood of experience, boosting his level in one go!


    ''If the EXP shared from Argus'' kills weren''t half but full, I might''ve reached level 40 already!''


    Still, his current level was more than enough to give him the confidence to handle his enemies. With the 50% extra stat from Boost, his strength was practically around level 57, just a few levels below the enemy''s average!


    *BANG!*


    But then, someone fired a shot, almost hitting Aster''s face. The bullet missed him by an inch and lodged on the back of the thief he was using as a shield.


    ''Shit, were we discovered?!'' He thought but still tried to keep himself still.


    He waited for a few seconds, but no second shot came. It was just a shot made to see if he was awake or not! Since the one who shot didn''t see any movements, he ruled out Aster pretending to be asleep and attacking and started searching for the non-existent "enemy" who was sniping them within the forest.


    Aster sighed in relief, before carefully aiming his sword toward thest two exposed enemies, and gathering Mana. As the Elemental Sword sh was upgraded from Mana sh, that means it should still be able to unch" the sh.


    He still hadn''t tried it yet, but he believed it should be possible!


    "(Elemental Sword sh!)"


    In a low voice, he chanted the skill, sending a freezing wave sh forward. The two, who were hidden from the forest, but in in sight for Aster, were hit around their legs, cutting and freezing it off.


    "ARGH!"


    "My leg! MY LEEEEEG!"


    Both of them fell, clutching the frozen stumps of their wounds. One of them looked like he lost his mind, trying to attach the cut-off leg once again, but failing miserably.


    "H-HELP! I, I don''t want to die...!"


    And as Aster predicted, they began to call for help.


    Soon, a few figures appeared from the forest. From the number of footsteps, he could tell that it was everyone.


    "Now!"


    And finally, thest attack fell. A powerful st of red lightning struck and caught most of those who tried to approach. Staying close to each other backfired, almost wiping them out!

 Chapter 165: Surrounded! (3)

    Of the ten who came out of the forest, four of them got caught by the Red Lightning, while three more were stunned by the residual current that hit them through the ground.


    Seeing this situation, Aster no longer held back.


    "...!"


    He sprung up, dashing toward the stunned gunner, and waved his sword. In one swing, a neck was severed, and a life was gone.


    "T-This brat...!"


    Of course, the others saw this and reacted. They surrounded Aster, weapons at the ready. They were so focused on him that they missed the MVP of the battle.


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    A lightning bolt fell, killing one of the four in a blink. The rest turned to their fallenrade reflexively, wondering how Aster attacked even without showing signs of casting a spell.


    Primal fear gripped their hearts¡ªthe fear of death.


    *SLASH!*


    Aster didn''t dare wait for them to regain focus and instead attacked the one on the opposite corner of the one who fell. His dash was fast, enough that he surprised the man, but he still managed to react, blocking the sword with his spear.


    *SHING!*


    But Aster, as if predicting this, didn''t lock weapons with him. Instead, he let his sword slip to the side as he spun, before waving it once more, shing the back of the man''s neck. He was so fast that the opponent could only catch his shadow!


    "T-Tirr?! Damn it...!"


    "Fuck! I didn''t sign up for this...!"


    Seeing the death of another, one of the two remaining quickly turned tail and ran. The other, wielding a pistol, aimed right at Aster and pulled the trigger.


    *BANG!*


    Of course, Aster wasn''t dumb. He was already moving before the muzzle even pointed at him, rushing closer to the gunner withplex movements. It was something he only heard of in self-defense videos against an opponent with a gun, but he didn''t think it would work so well.


    In three steps, he reached the gunner just as the second shot was fired, and missed. Aster''s sword swung up, and along with it, a wrist holding the gun spun in the air andnded st on the ground.


    Blood sprayed from the cut wrist, but before the man could scream in pain, the sword swung back down, cutting the man vertically.


    "Phew..."


    Aster let out the breath he had been holding unconsciously and stood up straight. He then turned to thest two, who got their legs cut off, and walked closer to them.


    "N-No...! Demon! Don''te near me!!!"


    "D-Dad! Mom! Please forgive me! I''ll be a filial son, so please save me!"


    "..."


    Of course, he didn''t lend an ear to their ramblings. As soon as he reached them, Aster swung his sword and lopped their heads off.


    Soon, silence returned to the field. Aster closed his eyes, focusing on his senses to see if there was anyone left hiding, but picked up nothing. Argus seemed vignt too, keeping watch of the shadows in the forest as if expecting more to appear.


    However, even after a minute passed, no one else appeared.


    "Damn..."


    Aster fell to his rump, letting go of his sword as his entire body shivered.


    "That''s a close one!"


    He could still remember the bullet that brushed past his nose. If it was just a few inches closer, then he''d have died for sure! "I guess I just used up a lifetime''s worth of luck today."


    Hey down on the rocky ground, surrounded by corpses, burned remains, and those reduced to ashes. He tried to calm his nerves, enough that his body stopped trembling.


    After a while, he opened his eyes and grabbed his Adventurer''s Card again. Killing the bandits, who were several levels above him, made him reach level 41!


    "I guess thest batch was stronger?"


    He wondered, seeing how he gained more level killing those in the second half than the first half.


    However, the reason was actually due to the distribution of EXP. When Argus kills enemies, the EXP is split in half and goes to Aster. But if Aster was the one tond thest hit, then he would get 100% of the EXP. In short, killing enemies by himself was more efficient for gaining levels!


    "..."


    After looking for a bit, he decided to just dump all of it to WIS.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 41


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma, Celestinya Zirroth, Lizandrea Von Dragonseal, Lori (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 7 (+3.5)


    Dexterity: 21 +(10.5)


    Constitution: 22 (+11)


    Intelligence: 15 (+7.5)


    Wisdom: 47 (+23.5)


    Charisma: 12 (+6)


    Luck: 0


    ]


    From looking at his stats, one couldn''t even tell what he was aiming for. It was so all over the ce, it was hard to look at! Still, he couldn''t just ignore his WIS, so he had to increase it either way. Soon, he would need to face the twin spirits of the Frostfire Legacy once more.


    "But before that, I should return first." He sighed before standing up.


    As he stood up, Aster didn''t forget to collect the heads of everyone from the kidnappers'' group. They could have bounties on their heads, after all.


    Although their base should still be somewhere on the 30th floor, he couldn''t search for it, given hisck of resources and time. Furthermore, hecks "firepower" to fight them head-on.


    After collecting their heads, weapons, and cards, Aster and Argus continued on their way, heading straight to the north.


    Along the way, Aster encountered a few more monsters, but with his level increasing by a leap, the fights that were troublesome and almost equal before were now a breeze.


    "I guess I could even solo the field boss right now, with just my sword!" He dered, full of confidence.


    With increased strength, the pace of their travel also increased. As such, before the sun went down, they reached their target location.


    "It''s here! The entrance!"


    Finally, it was time to return!


    Just as he was about to approach, the portal suddenly shone, and eight figures appeared¡ªa full party. Aster stepped aside, giving the newly arrived figures space to move forward, but then, one of them suddenly stared at him and raised a brow.


    "You... You''re Aster Mistral, right?!"


    "... Huh?"

 Chapter 166: Return and Reunion!

    "Yes, I am..." Aster nodded, a little wary.


    After all, the person before him called him with his full name, as if expecting to see him there. "And you guys are?"


    "Ah, sorry." The man, who was a lizardman with red scales, scratched his bald head and smiled. "I''m Three-O-One, a part of the ck Numbers. We''re here to search for Aster Mistral and his party members, who got randomly teleported across various floors of the dungeon."


    "A rescue team...!"


    Of course, Aster didn''t know what the "ck Numbers" were, or their importance. Still, he could tell that they were rescuers sent to help him and the girls out. "That means someone already got out before me. Is everyone safe?!" he asked immediately.


    Of course, he knew they were all alive since their names were still up on the Adventurer''s cards. However, just knowing they''re safe, and knowing about their current state, were entirely different.


    The bald lizardman, Three-O-One, smiled wryly.


    "Only one of your members has sessfully returned. The operation to search and rescue you just began, about 5 hours after your situation was reported, but gathering members took time. Right now, it''s roughly 18 hours after your Ms. Kali Norma returned."


    "I see..." Aster sighed. "So only Kali managed to get out fast."


    "Yes..." The man nodded. "Don''t worry, she''s already out of the ICU¡ª!"


    But before he could finish his words, Aster shook his shoulders greatly, even shaking his brain and making him dizzy.


    "ICU?! Is she alright?! What happened?!"


    After that, it took a while to calm him down. Then, hearing the exnation, he finally settled, sitting on the hard ground.


    "I see... so she was full of wounds and in a critical state upon return..."


    Aster turned to Argus and frowned. If not for this little pupper, then his situation might''ve been worse than Kali''s and could even have lost his life.


    When the briefing about what happened ended, Aster followed the rescue squad out of the dungeon. Their job ended right after entering the portal, making everyone else who was waiting for their turn to enter stare in wide-eyed shock.


    Seeing therge crowd, Aster couldn''t help but feel weird. However, he also couldn''t help but feel thankful for their effort. Sending one party to all floors below floor 50 required many participants, after all.


    For some reason, there were even media personnel hanging around, making the situation even bigger.


    Aster hid his face with his scarf and headed toward the Medical Tent immediately, taking shelter from prying eyes. Just as Aster was allowed to use a free bed, his Holo Tab, running low on battery, released a loud beep.


    "...?"


    Of course, there were only a few people able to contact him through it, so he was curious which one it was. Still, seeing the timing of the message arriving, there''s only one person who could do that.


    "Magnus..." Aster sighed, reading his short message.


    His message was mostly trying to confirm if he was injured while congratting his safe return. It was as businesslike as could be.


    ''I guess he''s worried about me losing the ability to keep my end of the deal.''


    Aster shrugged, replying that he was fine, before throwing the tablet to the table beside him. Hey down on the soft bed, staring at the ceiling and lights, while wondering what to do next.


    "OOOF!"


    Right then, a little furball jumped over his stomach. It wasn''t painful, but still ufortable, as if getting punched lightly in the gut. "Argus...?" Aster whispered, staring at the excited beast.


    *Arf!*


    "... Right, there''s you too." Now, his problems increased. "I wonder if I can keep you in my hotel?"


    Most hotels that he knew in the past don''t really allow pets inside. Of course, there might be some exceptions, like for celebrities, or powerful people, but for most, it''s not allowed.


    "Well, for now... we should rest."


    He was tired, not only physically, but also mentally. Aster closed his eyes, trying to rx, but then, the people outside started to mor.


    "What? What''s happening?"


    Curious, Aster peeked out of the window, checking the state of the gate. "...!" But then, he couldn''t help but gasp.


    Without thinking, Aster rushed out of the Medical Tent and came to the gate, where a familiar face could be seen. "TINA!" He shouted.


    "Dar... ling..."


    But her response wasckluster. Mostly due to the heavy injuries she had suffered.


    Aster grabbed her, checked her injuries, and heaved a sigh of relief. All her wounds have healed already, probably thanks to the healer who came with the rescue team. However, she''s out of energy, probably from losing a lot of blood.


    Mustering all her strength, Tina pushed herself off of the one supporting her andnded in Aster''s embrace. "Ahh... It''s truly my darling..." She whispered as if finding bliss after a long ordeal, burying her face against his chest.


    "Tina? Hey, are you alright?!"


    And soon after, she fell asleep in his arms.


    As Aster couldn''t heartlessly leave her to the rescue team right after, he carried her back to the Medical Tent and put her on the bed he was originally using. Soon, professional medics approached, focusing on healing herpletely.


    As he watched the procedure, one of the members of the team who saved Tina approached and spoke to Aster in a low voice.


    "We found her on the 20th floor, fighting nonstop against a pack of wolves. If we were even a minutete, then I fear..."


    "Thank you, mister," Aster bowed. "Without your help, I would''ve lost a precious party member."


    Although he didn''t mean it to be, he grew attached to the girls. Even to Tina, whom he finds a little obnoxious for calling him Darling all the time, and dering him as her fiancee.


    After a few more minutes, the professional healers and medics moved away. "The procedure is over. She should be fully healed now," they dered, along with passing a long receipt. "And this is the bill; please settle it within one week."


    "..."


    The receipt, which only included the skills used to heal up Tina¡ªwhich wasn''t covered by the "free heal" range¡ªalready reached a total of 10 million Tels! It was daylight robbery!


    Although it was an astronomical amount, the skills and their prices were all managed by the Healer''s Union, so it wasn''t "unfair" in any way. They were just unlucky that the ones that Tina required, specifically the "Blood Restoration Spell," were quite expensive.


    "Ah right..." Then, Aster remembered the heads he collected. "I should cash it out before the guild closes."


    After paying Tina onest nce, he covered his face with the scarf and pulled the hood of his windbreaker deep. Then, he got out, and quickly jumped outside of the gate''s premises, bypassing the crowd and reporters present.


    "Woah! What''s that!"


    "I felt a breeze pass by."


    With his speed, only a few managed to catch his afterimages. And thankfully, none of the reporters got it on camera.

 Chapter 167: Marked by the Thuderbird

    After Aster gained some distance, he turned back to check, before sighing in relief. "I''m still not used to big crowds," he sighed, before continuing onward, walking to the Adventuerer''s Guild.


    He was brisk walking, so he reached the guild faster than usual. Only a little over 20 minutes had passed. As soon as he entered, he quickly saw a familiar face and waved.


    "Zena, I''m here to submit some bandits. Can you check if they have bounties?"


    "Aster!" As soon as the snakedy receptionist saw him, she quickly gasped in surprise. "I heard your party got dragged into a mysterious teleportation incident! It''s great that you''re safe." She sighed.


    When Aster approached, she leaned across the counter and whispered. "I heard that the mayor had a part in the quick dispatch of the ck Numbers. You''re really loved, huh~?"


    "Enough gossip; the guild''s about to close." Aster scratched his head. "Anyway, where can I ce the heads of those I hunted?"


    "... Heads?"


    Zena was puzzled, wondering what he was saying. She thought that, likest time, Aster took a video of the heads. However, since he was wary of the battery consumption, he didn''t do it. Instead, he brought the actual heads!


    "P-Please follow me to the back. Ellie, please take over reception!"


    Although she was already used to seeing videos of dead bodies whenever someone was iming bounties, seeing an "actual" head firsthand was rare. Of course, it was extremely ufortable even for Zena, but she had no choice¡ªit was a part of her job!


    Zena slithered her way to the back of the counter and waited for Aster to follow. They walked to one of the private rooms, and there they asked him to show her the heads.


    "Here..." As if he were just showing melons, he let the heads roll out of his Spatial Fanny Pack. "Also, I want these appraised and sold too," he added, stacking the loot he got from the monsters he fought.


    "T-These are...!" Zena, upon seeing the faces of the heads, quickly gasped. "Joph and his gang! B-But they''re supposed to be on the 30th floor? How..."


    "Ah," Aster raised his head. "Due to the teleportation incident, I was sent to the 30th floor. Well, if you see the monster materials, that should be obvious."


    "Thirty¡ª?!"


    Zena stared at Aster as if looking at a weird animal. "Excuse me, Aster, but can you show me your Adventurer''s Card?"


    It was part of the procedure, either way, so Aster passed it to her without much fuss. However, Zena''s eyes spread wide upon seeing his level.


    "Level 41?! And what''s with these stats?! Aster, really, what happened back there?"


    Of course, he could understand her shock. However, Aster was tired already, and it was too bothersome to exin. "I just did my best to survive, that''s all."


    *Arf!*


    "Ah, and of course, this little buddy of mine helped a lot too," he added while lifting the little dog up, and patting his head.


    Since he was hiding behind Aster''s shadow earlier, Argus managed to slip past Zena''s detection. But now that she had seen it, she could feel that the little puppy was a lot stronger than she was!


    "A... puppy?" she asked, tilting his head. "Could it be rted to this weird line in your card? Divine Pet?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know either," Aster shrugged, telling the truth. "For now, I''d be grateful if youpleted your job first, and chatter."


    "Ah! Right!"


    Remembering what they came there for, Zena began inspecting the heads that Aster "collected," before checking the bounty list. After about ten minutes, the process was done.


    "Joph''s gang is quite a known criminal group on the 30th floor, but since they have a Space Element Mage, it was hard to catch them. As such, their bounties were quite high," Zena exined.


    "In total, you got 587 million Tels ofbined bounty, with 16 million Tels worth of materials. All in all, 603 million! As a bonus, let me bump it up to 610 million Tels!"


    Checking the list that Zena gave him, Joph, the leader, and the Space Element Mage both had 200 million bounty each, while the rest were quite random. ''I didn''t expect they were worth this much.'' He pondered.


    After seeing the money appear on his card, he was just about to stand up and leave. However, right then, something happened.


    *BAM!*


    The door to the private room, which should be reinforced with spells, was crushed in one blow.


    "...!"


    Aster quickly moved to a defensive position, putting Zena behind him by reflex. Of course, Zena''s level was way higher than his, so it was an unnecessary gesture. Still, it was something that brought a thin smile to her face.


    The other party, the one who sted the door open, quickly entered his view.


    She had pure white wings spread wide, giving her a fluffy impression, with her feet floating about half a meter from the ground. She had clear blue eyes, filled with confidence and curiosity, along with her long, grayish-white hair that swayed with every beat of her wings.


    "I detected little Joph''s mark in here and came to finish him off, but..." The woman spoke in a slightly dreamy tone as if she were half asleep. "Zenearith? Are you hiding Joph from me...?"


    Her blue eyes scanned the room, seeing the alert Aster, the dog who looked rxed by his feet, Zena, who looked like she was having a headache¡ªand several heads lined up on the floor.


    "... Ah, Joph! Why''s he only a head now~? Did this boy hunt him, perhaps?"


    A cute frown appeared on her lips, scanning Aster''s face from up close. Aster, on the other hand, was unable to move freely. The pressure that the woman before her was releasing was something he hadn''t felt before!


    "A-An angel...?" He tried forcing his tongue to move, asking what was on his mind.


    "Aha~! What a cute reaction~!"


    The womanughed sweetly, waving her fan made of long plumes of white feathers, covering her lips. "Sorry, but I''m not an angel. I''m a¡ªwait, that''s supposed to be a secret~!" She added with a light wink.


    "Still..." After herughter ended, she scanned Aster from head to toe once more. "You must be strong to defeat Joph despite being 20 levels lower than him. You''re interesting; I''m starting to like you, kid~!"


    The next moment, her body was covered with golden sparks. "Well then, see youter~!" And leaving those words, she vanished in a sh along with a thunderous sound.


    She came like a tempest and left like a storm.


    "What''s with that woman...?" Aster couldn''t help but worry.

 Chapter 168: Everyones Safety

    As soon as the woman left, Zena apologized to Aster and began to exin. The woman who sted the door open was called Octavia Nebe, an active adventurer currently on the 125th floor.


    "Joph is someone from her batch but took a different path than her. As such, she swore to put him down by her own hands if he ever returned to the surface."


    "..."


    Aster recalled Joph calling her name once, mistaking Argus''s attack to be hers. From how she manipted golden lightning¡ªsimr to the little puppy¡ªit wasn''t weird that he got mistaken, of course.


    "She''s quite obsessive with things she''s curious about, so you should be careful around her, alright?" Zena added with a hint of worry in her voice. "And she''s an airhead, so be doubly careful."


    With a new problem in mind, Aster left the guild and returned to the dungeon''s entrance.


    Like Kali, Tina was also already sent to the hospital for further checkups, so he was left alone in the Medical Tent once more.


    As soon as he arrived, he quickly paid Tina''s healing bill. Kali didn''t have any outstanding bnce, thankfully, as her injuries weren''t severe enough to require immediate emergency healing.


    Right as he settled the bill, he sat down on the bed, ying lightly with Argus as hey down, waiting for good news.


    "Cassy, Liz, Lory..."


    Only the three of them remained, two of which¡ªCassy and Lory¡ªwere the biggest worries. Every few minutes, Aster would take out his card and check the party list, making sure that they were still alive and kicking.


    Although he could see their names in white, and not grayed out, not being able to see their present state made him worry a lot.


    "Can''t they include detailed state of party members in this damned card...?" Aster mumbled, grumbling to himself.


    Time passed, and Aster''s nerves were getting stretched taut the longer he waited. The sun had long set, making the dungeon''s surroundings dark. Reporters were still around, of course, not leaving their spots. Some were doing live broadcasts, waiting for "something" to happen, and hoping that it was something that could go "viral."


    "T-The dungeon is shining again!"


    "...!"


    Aster quickly rose after hearing someone shout. He rushed out of the tent and stared at the entrance, waiting for whoever woulde out. Slowly, a figure appeared, looking tired, but uninjured. The wings behind her ears were pointing down, showing how lethargic she was.


    "Lory!" Aster called immediately, rushing to her side. "It''s great that you''re fine!" He said with a smile.


    Now that he was close to her, he could tell the traces of dried blood from her eyes. She must''ve cried tears of blood, judging from the traces. However, the truth was that she simply overused her ability over the past few days, causing her eyes to get strained and bleed.


    Of course, she didn''t intend to exin it, as it''s rted to her biggest secret¡ªthat she could control another''s mind with her eyes.


    She was thrown to the 29th floor all alone, so to survive, she had to use her eyes and control monsters much stronger than she was. She had to proceed carefully, controlling only one monster at a time, and making them "escort" her to the entrance. As such, she took a long time to return.


    With regards to the search team sent to the 29th floor, they ended up crossing paths with her and saw her controlling the monsters. As such, she had no choice but to protect her secret.


    "I''m fine, Aster." Lory smiled, pushing Aster to the side. "I''m just tired and hungry... Can you treat me to a meal? I miss your cooking..."


    She couldn''t use her eyes before such arge crowd, and even if there was no crowd, her eyes were too tired to activate her ability further. She would need to rest for a few days, at least, to regain her strength.


    "Of course, leave it to me." Aster smiled, feeling relieved. "Now, only Cassy and Liz are left."


    *VUOOOM!*


    And as if responding to his voice, the portal began to glow once more. Aster and Lory moved away, clearing space for those who were about to appear. A total of 10 figures appeared. A party of 10, most likely from the ck Numbers, and also, two familiar faces.


    "STAR!"


    As soon as she saw the person standing not far away, an orange head jumped forward, catching Aster into a tight hug¡ªnay, a powerful tackle. "I was worried sick! Thank God you''re fine!"


    "C-Cassy..." Aster tapped her shoulder. "G-Give..."


    Hearing Aster''s voice, almost like choking, she realized that she was hugging his neck, strangling him. "S-Sorry! Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!" She healed him as an apology, removing the pain from the tackle and getting strangled.


    "It''s really great that we''re able to see each other like this." Liz, who was also with them, smiled as she spoke. "If not for the food and water you shared with us beforehand, we wouldn''t havested long enough until rescue arrived."


    Cassy and Liz were lucky. They were teleported together to the same floor, the 16th floor. Furthermore, the spot they were teleported to was close to a cave, allowing them to hide and wait for rescue.


    Whenever monsters approached, Liz would block the cave entrance while Cassy supported her with timely heals. Their enemies, however, retreat when damaged enough, not fighting until death. As such, the two haven''t increased in level at all.


    After talking for a bit more, the four of them decided to visit Kali and Tina, bypassing the wall of reporters with the help of the ck Numbers members. Thankfully, they were allowed to borrow an ambnce, sending them straight to the hospital where thest two members were.


    Just as the door to the room opened, a familiar voice echoed, as a shadow shed across the room. "Darling~!"


    "...!"


    Aster, partly expecting such an event, managed to catch her properly, holding her up like a child, and avoiding a tackle-hug. "Ahn~! You''re quite bold, doing this in front of everyone~!"


    But his palm ended up "puffing" her chest, mping them tight together.


    "Being on the brink of death made me extremely horny too. How about doing me tonight~?" she suggested with a warm, intoxicated gaze.


    *THUMP!*


    "NYA?!"


    "Stop that, you horny vixen. You''re a patient, so lie on your bed obediently."


    But her wish was quickly blocked by another cat. "Kali..." Aster whispered, seeing herst. "You must''ve suffered." He smiled lightly, before patting her head.


    "...!"


    Kali''s tail stretched and puffed as if she felt threatened, but she didn''t move Aster''s hand away. Her expression remained as stoic as ever, not showing any changes.


    "Ah! Unfair! Me too, darling~!"


    "Stop making a fuss, you...!"


    "Ahaha, it looks like everyone''s fine~! I''m so d!"


    "Right. With just one misstep, we could''ve died, after all."


    "..."


    Aster took a step back, watching the girls frolicking. He felt happy that he didn''t lose anyone this time. However, his smile soon turned into a frown. Their struggles still weren''t over.

 Chapter 169: Cubes Data

    That night, although unfortunate, Kali and Tina could not join the others with dinner. After all, they were still required to be confined for a few more hours, especially Tina, who came out barely alive.


    As such, Cassy, Liz, and Lory were led to Aster''s home, where they enjoyed his cooking to their hearts'' content.


    While eating, Aster received a message from someone. Although it was bad manners, he had to read it, as it could be an emergency mail from the mayor. But after seeing the sender''s name, his eyes opened in surprise. Continue your journey on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Opening the message, his surprise soon turned to joy as a smile flitted across his face.


    "The cube had been sessfully decoded!" He cheered.


    The mail came from no other than Vanessa Ross, the entric scientist. It told him that the cube''s data had been fully decoded, but also apologized that roughly 10% of the data got corrupted due to the long passage of time.


    She also added that Aster could get the data personally tomorrow, or whenever he''s free. She feared sending the data through the inte, as it contained "sensitive" information.


    "Looks like my schedule for tomorrow''s booked."


    Thankfully, they all decided to take a two-day break, recovering from their troubles. Still, for whatever reason, Cassy, Liz, and even Lory, decided to stay the night in his room, despite them still having enough time to return to their lodgings.


    While he was cleaning up the dinner table and washing dishes, the three girls decided to go take a shower together.


    ''Can they even fit in there, together?'' Aster was honestly worried.


    After all, Liz had her wings and tail, taking up enough space for two more people. Lory''s wings behind her ears also take quite some space, so they must be cramped in there.


    "Woah! Amazing...!"


    Without wonder, Cassy''s voice echoed through the thick shower walls, reaching Aster''s ears.


    "So Lory''s the type to look slimmer with clothes on...! How nice~!"


    "..."


    Aster tried to remember Lory''s figure and was already aware that she had rge" assets.


    ''Were they even bigger than they appear to be?!'' He couldn''t help but imagine. ''Ah, wait. What am I doing...'' But he quickly shook his head, trying to chant a mantra in his mind and focusing on washing the dishes.


    "Liz too... Despite looking macho, your body''s so squishy~!"


    "C-Cassy, please don''t massage them! Hnngh~! I, I''m sensitive there, ah...!"


    "...!"


    Despite his focus, the moans and gasps still manage to break his concentration. "... I should fix the bed. That way, I could avoid hearing them." He murmured, walking out of the kitchen and heading to the bedroom.


    "HIIIK!"


    But then, a shrill voice echoed from within the bathroom. Cassy''s voice soon followed, apologizing. "Sorry, Liz! I forgot to open the warm water!"


    However, it was toote. A lone figure burst out of the shower, causing Aster to reflexively turn to his left. There, he saw a goddess of blue and pink for a brief moment, before his vision went dark.


    Something cold and wet, but soft as prime buns, were pressed against his face, with hands wrapped around his head, pulling him into a tight hold.


    "Mmmph!"


    Even without vision, he could tell his current situation. A lucky pervert situation as per the manual! It wasn''t all blessings, though. The hug was so tight that he was suffocating!


    Liz had a bigger build than Aster, so her chest aligned with Aster''s face perfectly. The poor man had to struggle, moving his hand randomly, trying to push her away. However, since her body was wet with water, his hands simply slipped,pletely missing.


    "Hmmm~!"


    Still, his warm hands made Liz react, tightening her hug even further.


    ''God... I''m... Dying...!''


    Desperate, he grabbed anything he could grab and ended up holding the base of Liz''s wings. "D-Don''t...! Not there~!" But along with her sensual voice, a resounding crack echoed.


    Aster''s consciousness was cut off at that moment.


    ---


    *Lick!*


    "Mmm?"


    Aster woke up to something cold touching his cheek. When he opened his eyes, the only thing he saw was the white furball, Argus, lying down beside his head. By reflex, he moved his hand, about to pet the dog, but realized that he couldn''t.


    "...?"


    His hands were pinned by weights... particrly, Liz''s head to his right arm, and Cassy to his left. "What? What''s going on...?" He muttered in confusion, trying to recall the eventsst night.


    However, his memory was cut off after the part he finished washing the dishes.


    Furthermore, looking around, he couldn''t find Lory anywhere. "Did she go home instead?" He wondered out loud.


    After that, he struggled to wake up the two and suffered numbed arms for a while. When he tried asking about what happenedst night, Liz would flush like an octopus, while Cassy would smile, saying that it''s a "secret among the girls."


    Despite the nk in his memory, he decided to just go with his day like usual.


    "Then, I''ll be heading off. Please watch over Argus while I''m away."


    After they had brunch, he put on casual clothes and headed out. Of course, he didn''t forget to put on his windbreaker and scarf, hiding his face. It was already his default attire.


    "Leave it to me~!" Cassy responded, lifting Argus by the front paw, and controlling its limbs to wave goodbye. "I''m an expert when ites to caring for pets!"


    "I hope you find clues about your troubles." Liz smiled lightly, waving goodbye.


    With the two sending him off, Aster went out of his room and headed to the lobby. There, someone was already waiting for him.


    "Good noon, Mr. Aster. I was sent by Mayor Magnus to be your chauffeur for today." The man in ck clothes bowed.


    Although he looked like a normal human, Aster knew that he wasn''t. After all, his fangs could be seen clearly, peeking through his closed lips. ''He''s a vampire, so I guess he''s Magnus'' direct subordinate.''


    Since he was someone directly under the mayor of Orinfeld City, he should be reliable enough. "Pleased to meet you," Aster greeted lightly. "Then, can you send me to Vanessa''sb?" he asked.


    "Of course. This way, sir."


    The man in ck bowed respectfully, before walking a couple steps ahead of Aster, leading him to a ck car parked right before the hotel''s entrance.


    As soon as they both boarded it, the car quickly zoomed away, heading toward his destination, the previously destroyed Vanessa''s Laboratory.

 Chapter 170: Seed Extraction! [R18]

    Like previously, the car graduallynded on the rooftop. But Aster was surprised to see the entire building alreadypletely repaired. After all, previously, several floors starting from the top floor were destroyed by the attack of the Anti-Human Movement.


    After the man in ck opened the door, Aster stepped out and sighed. "I''ll figure out my way home myselfter. You''re dismissed," he told the chauffeur.


    "... As you wish."


    Although the man seemed reluctant, Aster knew that his words took priority. Having no choice, the man left quickly, driving the car away. After watching him enter the high-speed skyway, Aster turned around and began walking forward.


    The rooftop had two entrances, one leading to the parking lot, and one leading to stairs for people to use, the rooftop ess path. Aster headed for it, but as soon as he opened the door, he was surprised to see someone already waiting for him.


    A woman with long ck hair and sharp red eyes, along with lush kissable lips. Her attire was the same as usual, a tight-fitting dress emphasizing her perfectly shaped curves, partly hidden by herrge whiteb gown.


    "Doctor Vanessa," Aster greeted in surprise.


    The woman smiled, looking like a carnivorous predator stalking its prey. "Drop the Doctor. I''m not a doctor, anyway, and it''s not like we''re not familiar with each other, right?"


    Aster could tell that her aura today was slightly different. ''Is she a little tipsy?'' He wondered, feeling like she looked more vibrant today than the previous times they met.


    "Well, we can''t talk in here. Follow me."


    Saying such, Vanessa walked down the stairs. Aster quickly followed behind her, but his gaze couldn''t help but watch the shadow of her hips curving left and right like the ocean waves with her every step.


    *Gulp!*


    "Fufu, how cute." Of course, she didn''t miss his gaze, but rather, licked her lips lightly. "Don''t worry, we''ll get to thatter," she added with a teasing tone.


    After walking for a while, they finally reached herb... and walked further than that, reaching the room a few doors away.


    "Let''s talk here," Vanessa urged, opening the door.


    Inside was a normal room. It was wide, as expected, with a big bed in the middle, a few drawers, and tables near the walls. The ambient light was warm, giving a fresh yellow hue.


    Vanessa didn''t say much and closed the door, locking it, before walking to the bed. As she sat by the edge, she crossed her legs suggestively, before patting the spot beside her.


    "..."


    Aster strengthened his resolve. Of course, he knew what was going to happen next aftering all this way. He did give his "promise," after all.


    With a hint of nervousness, he walked to Vanessa''s side and sat down. The distance between them was enough for him to feel the warmth radiating from her body.


    "First, here," she whispered, passing a small card to Aster.


    "This is the data that was stored inside the cube. As I said before, there''s roughly 10% of the data that got corrupted. I tried to restore them, but only recovered about 3%, leaving 7% corrupted data."


    Aster took the card and stared at it. "So this is it," he whispered. "The data that my parents wanted to pass to me."


    "I ended up reading a part of it while decoding the data, but I promise I wouldn''t disclose any of it." She smiled, cing a hand gently over his thigh. "And I''m a woman that keeps my promise."


    "... I know," Aster sighed as he pocketed the card. "And I will also keep my promise."


    Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    "Good boy!" Vanessa smiled. "Then, shall we begin with the extraction~?"


    She turned her sharp eyes lower and smiled. "Looks like you''re already ready. Were you expecting it, perhaps~?"


    Vanessa pulled a pair of bluetex gloves out of her pockets and wore one over her right hand. Then, she knelt between his legs and carefully reached for Aster''s belt buckle, undoing it, before pulling the zipper of his pants down, slowly.


    After pulling his pants down, around his knees, she stared at therge bulge over Aster''s gray boxers and smiled. "Now then, let''s say hello, shall we~?" She muttered as she gently pulled his boxer off.


    Right then, the dragon raised its head, proudly facing the heavens.


    "Ohh~! Energetic!" She praised, before pulling a bottle from her pocket and dripping its contents over Aster''s rod. "This is a natural lubricant that I developed. Don''t worry, it won''t cause rashes or anything."


    Aster could pick up a faintvender scent, but more than that, he could feel his face turning hotter. "T-This lubricant..." he muttered. "Isn''t just a lubricant, am I right?"


    Vanessa smiled upon hearing his question, gripping his little monster with her gloved hand. "Really~? Who knows~?" She feigned ignorance, while gently moving her hands up and down along the shaft.


    The smell that the lubricant exuded had traces of aphrodisiac. Those who got a whiff of it would get affected almost immediately... and that''s not Aster alone.


    "Ahh! What a big cock! This is amazing... First time I saw something this big~! Are all humansin the past like this?" Vanessa whispered in an intoxicated tone, her red eyes glowing dangerously as her face turned redder than a ripe apple.


    As she was closer to the applied lubricant, she took the brunt of the aphrodisiac much stronger than Aster did. Her body was getting hotter, and her sexual drive was reaching its peak, but as someone deemed a prominent figure in medical research, she managed to quell her desires and continue with the procedure.


    *FAP!* *FAP!* *FAP!*


    Her hand moved at a constant rhythm, with the speed gradually increasing.


    "Ah~! It''s starting to twitch! Are you about to cum?" Vanessa whispered seductively, panting hot breaths. "Come! Show me your face as you climax~!"


    "Ugh...!"


    The stimtion was a little too much for Aster. Although he was used to this procedure, the sensation that he could recall when his nurse did it to him in the past to control his libido, and now, were way too different.


    *SPURT!*


    And just like that, not even a minute into the session, he already had his seeds spraying out like a fountain.


    *SNAP!*


    The next instant, Vanessa snapped her fingers. As if time stopped, the white liquid started to float in the air, before gradually flowing into a collection bottle that she prepared beforehand. After all the thick white liquid was collected, she looked at it before the light and smiled.


    "Hmm, quite a good amount for one round. Still, I would like to get around 20 mL, if possible." She stared at Aster''s melting expression and showed a vicious grin.


    "You can do it, just four more rounds," she cheered while gently stimting his ns.

 Chapter 171: Not Enough [R18]

    With his precum and cum mixing and dripping down his shaft, it became a lot slippery. Vanessa''s hands moved freely, stimting his cock like never before, causing him to eject another round shortly after.


    Just as she did before, she controlled the ejected cum and gathered them into the collection bottle, keeping them "fresh" and "uncontaminated."


    *Lick~!*


    Vanessa continued, licking her lips as she removed the glove, feeling that it was getting in the way. With her bare hands, she touched his shaft lovingly and carefully¡ªbefore gripping it tight in one go.


    "...!"


    Aster''s body twitched from the mix of pain and pleasure. The warmth of her hand, and the tightness made him feel ecstasy beyond what he felt before, making his back tingle. He could feel needles pricking his palms and feet, as his body got hotter and hotter.


    "Haa...!"


    He just came two times in a row, but he felt like he''d climax the next instant if he let his guard down! Drool dripped down his lips as he struggled to keep his eyes open, barely supporting his body to remain upright with his arms.


    Aster felt like he was a toy before Vanessa. He couldn''t fight back at all, and ended uping five times before 10 minutes even passed.


    "T-Time out..." Aster gasped, trying to catch his breath.


    He never thought he could cum five times in a row himself. It was a new discovery! Vanessa stared at the collection bottle, showing that she reached her target of 20 mL sessfully.


    "Alright, wait a bit. I''ll go and ce this sample to safety first."


    Vanessa stood up, walked to a wall, and tapped it. To Aster''s surprise, it was a fridge that was integrated into the wall!


    She grabbed a stand from inside the freezer, and ced the gathered "sample" inside, before closing it again.


    As she turned to Aster, who was still trying to catch his breath, her eyes narrowed as her body shivered lightly. She slowly removed herb gown, letting it drop to the ground. Then, she let the shoulder straps of her dress slip to the side, allowing it to also slip down.


    In a moment, Vanessa was stripped down to her underwear, a pair of adult, seductive, ck,ced pieces.


    Without giving Aster the time to react, she crawled over him, resting on her elbows, while staring at Aster''s eyes from up close. Her hair fell like a waterfall over Aster''s face.


    "I already got enough samples, but..." she whispered as her hand moved lower, touching the dragon that refused to bow down. "This thing here looks like it''s still raring to go, no?"


    "Urk...~!"


    Aster was extremely sensitive aftering five times in a row. Having the tip touched lightly was enough to send waves of pleasure from the point of contact to his brain and back!


    "Of course, I wouldn''t force you." Vanessa grinned, showing her cute fangs. "What do you want to do~?"


    "I..." Aster stuttered, as if unable to find the words to say.


    Explore stories on mvl


    He didn''t want to end it just like that. His body was still so hot from the aphrodisiac that he felt like he''d explode. His body trembled as his hand moved, trying to reach for the ripe fruits dangling before his eyes.


    "Hmm~!" Vanessa released a soft moan before her eyes narrowed in pleasure. "I take that as a yes."


    With her abilities, it didn''t even take her ten seconds topletely strip Aster''s clothes off. He was now lying in the middle of the bed, wearing nothing but his birthday suit. His mind was a mess, unable to move properly from the pleasure rush. He felt as if he was in a feverish dream.


    "Right, stay just like that." Vanessa smiled as she stood up.


    Then, she slowly removed thest two pieces of cloth covering her body, exposing herself fully to Aster.


    "... Beautiful."


    Words left his lips automatically, staring at her body that seemed as if it were molded directly by the gods. A sweet smile appeared on her lips, before she knelt back down, her back ramrod straight as she caressed the rock-hard cock served before her.


    "You say nice things," sheplimented. "I should reward you."


    While kneeling over Aster, she lifted her hips while moving his cock, the tip aiming right at her wet hole. "Mmmh~!" A moan left her lips as she gently guided him inside, going deeper and deeper at a slow pace.


    The tightness was more than what he felt before when he did it with Prisci, making his body shiver uncontrobly from pleasure. His hip moved by itself, plunging deeper.


    "Ahhn~!" Vanessa raised a voice of pleasure, before staring at Aster with a pleased smile. "Naughty boy. Were you unable to wait any longer~?"


    She focused her weight over her waist, pinning Aster down. "I didn''t permit you to move yet, though? Leave it to this sister, and you''ll be in for a paradise of pleasure."


    She ground her hips as if trying to remember the shape of Aster''s cock. Then, she lifted her hip and mmed it back down.


    *PLAP!*


    Aster felt the tip reaching the deepest part, kicking the door open. Even Vanessa didn''t expect it, with her eyes almost rolling back from the sudden pleasure. Her body spasmed, as love juices overflowed, but she didn''t stop.


    *PLAP!* *PLAP!* *PLAP!*


    With her hands over Aster''s thick chest, she continued mming her hips up and down like a bitch in heat.


    "W-What''s this... this is beyond amazing~!" She cried as she felt her insides getting deformed from his thick shaft with every thrust. "I think I''ll get addicted to this cock of yours~!"


    She slowly lost strength in her arms, pressing her chest against Aster''s stomach, as she let out moans uncontrobly. "Ahh, haaa... Hmmm~! Fuck me! Ah! Harder~!"


    As Vanessa slowly lost strength, Aster gained the ability to move. As if to match her pace, he started to m his waist upward, going even deeper than before.


    "...!"


    Vanessa''s face twisted as her mind slowly melted in pleasure. The scent-based aphrodisiac that she developed had already lost its efficacy, but it didn''t matter to the two.


    "I''m cumming~!"


    "...!"


    And just as she reached orgasm for the nth time, something changed that shocked Aster. Her eyes glowed as her red pupils became vertical, like those of a reptile, and her fangs grew longer. On her back, little wings like a bat''s appeared, adding another hint for him.


    "A subus...? No, a vampire?!"


    Vanessa''s disguise fell as her consciousness faded from pleasure, falling into Aster''s embrace. Her secret, which only a few knew, was exposed!

 Chapter 172: Message in the Cube

    After a few minutes, Vanessa regained consciousness and noticed the situation. After dabbing a robe over her fabulous body, she sat beside the table, crossed her legs, and smiled.


    "Looks like I can''t let you go, now that you know my secret~!"


    "...!"


    Aster stiffened after hearing this. After all, despite his increase in level, he knew that he had no chance of winning against Vanessa in terms of strength. If she wished, he would have no choice but to stay locked in her room until god knows when.


    "Pfft!"


    But the serious atmosphere quickly copsed as soon as she let out her stifledughter.


    "I was just messing with you. Being a vampire was a secret, but it''s not worth that much. Even Magnus knows it."


    "So you really were connected to the mayor?" Aster sighed, feeling a hint of relief.


    "Yes. By lineage, he''ll be counted as my older second cousin," she added with a finger to her chin. "After all, he''s twice my age."


    "Twice...?"


    Looking at Vanessa, she could pass as someone in their early twenties. This means Magnus would be in his forties, quite far from how young he appeared.


    "Although I''m ttered about what you''re thinking, that old man is already in his sixties." But Vanessa corrected his misunderstanding even before he could voice them out.


    "Really?!" Aster gasped in shock. "I guess vampires look younger in general then..."


    Although hearing about Magnus'' age made him curious about Prisci''s age too, he decided to hold back the thought. After all, the gaze from Vanessa was getting prickly, making him feel ufortable.


    Vanessa stood up and walked to the door, opening it halfway. "Anyway, we''re done for today. Remember, nothing happened, alright~?"


    Aster could tell what she was thinking, and he too preferred if Magnus remained in the dark about what happened between him and Vanessa. If the news spread, then he could already see the future of sleeping with more women at a faster pace.


    "Alright. Nothing happened." Aster smiled, leaving through the door.


    Since he asked the chauffeur to leave before, he had to walk back to his hotel room. But recalling that there''s Cassy and Liz there, he changed ns, heading for the auction house instead.


    It was a ce where precious items from the dungeon were sold, and they offered a VIP room for those of high standing. Aster, using Magnus'' name, managed to borrow a VIP room for himself, and asked that nobody enter the room after him.


    As the auction house protects the identity of its customers, the room should be safe from scrying eyes and have some countermeasures against eavesdropping and peeking. At least, he could ensure it''s safer than going into a random hotel and checking in.


    "Lycan''s Fang Daggers for 5 billion Tels! Sold to customer number 507!"


    "Wow, big spenders," hemented casually, hearing the auction happening below.


    Ignoring all that, he sat down and pulled his Holo Tab, before inserting the storage device that looked like a card. The data inside quickly got read, and arge amount of files spread before his eyes.


    "This... is too many."


    There were thousands of them, at least!


    One file quickly caught his attention. It was named quite randomly, probably to ensure it would stay at the top when everything was arranged by name.


    "[!~~~to_our_son.txt]?"


    It was the only one that was a in text file, while the rest were in a format that had a certain level ofpression and protection... though they couldn''t be read by the tablet''s document reader for its "ancient" document type.


    As he opened the file, wondering what it was they wanted to say, he quickly frowned.


    From the "voice" of the text, he could tell it was written by his mother. Reading it was bothersome, as it was filled with useless chatting, asking how he was now, and so on.


    "What''s the use of asking if you''re not even here to listen to my response..." Aster sighed, pinching his nose while trying to hold his emotions in check.


    As he continued reading, however, quite a few things that puzzled him were answered. Like how the cryogenic machine had fuel enough tost for thousands of years. Or how he got the Frostfire Legacy''s seal carved on his right hand.


    From the simplicity of the file, only a small part of it was corrupted; as such, all the information that his mother wanted to ry was passed on without much trouble. It was a little too much to digest at once, however.


    Just when he thought he already got most of the information he needed, he saw thest few lines of the file and gasped. His eyes opened wide as his body shook, thinking of the impossibility he was seeing.


    [P.S. Be stronger and reach the end of the dungeon, no matter how long it takes. We''re right here, and will always be waiting and cheering for you, our dear son.]


    "No way...!"


    His heart pounded at this revtion. "Mother... Father... Are they still alive?!"


    The end of the dungeon. It was something that nobody had seen yet. After all, even the leading team, Ragnaros'' Dragon''s Roar, was stuck on clearing the 1166th floor. In terms of the dungeons around the world, it was still "shallow," but was still recorded as the current "deepest" floor that''s being explored worldwide.


    Aster gripped his fist tight. It was faint, but he got a clue¡ªa trace of his parents'' whereabouts. However, it would be hard to reach it, given his current level of ability.


    "I need to get stronger!"


    Right as he made up his mind to work even harder clearing the dungeon, the next auction item suddenly caught his attention.


    "And for the next item! An elusive item that can boost one''s life force and increase your lifespan by one year! The Dewdrops of Yggdrasil! The starting bid is 1 billion Tels with increments of 100 million!" Enjoy more content from mvl


    "Lifespan...?!"


    Aster realized that at his current pace, it would be impossible to reach the 1,000th floor before his life ended. As such, hearing about an item that can boost his lifespan, he started to gain some hope.


    ''But it''s too expensive!''


    Right now, he only has 500 million Tels in his ount. Even if he used up all his money, he can''t even buy one drop of the Dewdrops of Yggdrasil!


    "I should ask Magnuster. Maybe he can help me with it."


    Items that increase one''s lifespan were rare, after all. The price of a single drop exploded, reaching 10 billion within minutes. Aster knew that he had no chance of winning, and simply proceeded to his next task.


    He stared at his Frostfire Legacy and smiled.


    "It''s been a while. Time to teach those girls who''s boss!"

 Chapter 173: Making the Twin Spirits Submit! (1)

    Aster didn''t dy and reached for the Null Stone that was stored in his Fanny pack. He almost forgot about it while spending time with Vanessa, but thankfully, the pack was thrown on top of the bed, preventing the seal from breaking prematurely.


    "..."


    He gripped the transparent stone, now filled with cracks and seemed like it would break soon, and recalled what he read from the text file earlier. A confident smile appeared on his lips as he put strength on his fingers, smashing the stone into fine powder.


    *WHOOSH!*


    As soon as he did, the mana in the room started to rampage. Marks of frost appeared on the walls, while embers started to eat up the furniture around. If not for the protective spell cast on the items, then this event would incur coteral damage over his entire fortune!


    Of course, Aster realized what was going on, and grinned.


    "What? Are you angry that you were sealed right before taking over my body?" he taunted. "Then why don''t you try taking over me now?"


    As if responding to his provocation, the mark over his right hand started to glow a mix of red and blue. Mana started to rampage even more violently, as the entire room got covered in half-frost-half-ember. The barriers protecting the ce were reaching their limits, as the security personnel of the auction house were rushing to Aster''s room.


    "...!"


    But the next instant, his consciousness left his body and entered deeper... a familiar ce that he visited once before. The same altar where he was dragged towards during the ambush of the Anti-Human Movement.


    Aster had no idea what it was before, but now that he had read the message from his mother, he was different.


    "The Ritual Space looks the same as before, huh?" He whispered arrogantly. "This means your strength remains the same as it was previously, right?"


    "Cocky bastard! If not for the Null Stone, I would''ve gotten control already! Now, give me your body!??"


    Again, voices started reaching his ears from all directions, making it hard to figure out the location of the source. The voice, filled with fierce ambition, soon turned confused and scared.


    "H-Huh? What''s going on? Why can''t I take control?!??"


    "Human... Aster, you increased your level by so much in just a few days??"


    The other one quickly figured out the reason. Aster smiled, staring right at the altar without pointing his gaze away, and exined. "I did. I even got a skill that boosts my stats, so right now, I should have enough WIS to prevent your takeover."


    He walked forward, step by step, without a hint of fear in his gaze.


    "But it would be boring if that''s all I did," He added, before stopping before the altar.


    He extended a hand forward, took a deep breath, and started to chant the passphrase he just memorized earlier.


    "I call upon the twin spirit of Ice and Fire! Following the ancient contract, heed my voice and appear before me! Pyra! Crysta!"


    "T-This bastard...! How did he?!??"


    "...?"


    The next instant, the inside of the dark space started to shake. The surroundings slowly expanded, taking on a more solid form. The endless darkness faded, being reced by what looked like the inside of a cathedral, dome-shaped with a tall ceiling, and walls with torches glowing in a mix of blue and red.


    Pirs surrounded the nd altar, with the symbol on the floor, the same drawing as the one he had on his right hand, starting to release a faint golden glow.


    But things didn''t just end there.


    With the altar between them, two contrasting lumps of energy started to congregate.


    To the right, therge red mes started to take on a human shape. A woman about as tall as Aster was, radiating an intense, fiery aura from her pair of golden eyes. Furthermore, not only her skin, but even her clothes seemed to be made out of mes, giving her a not-so-humanoid first impression.


    To the left, arge aggregate of ice began to form, morphing into a feminine figure much more human than the previous one.


    She was a head shorter than the other one and had pale, shimmering skin. Her silver eyes, cold and calcting, watched Aster with a firm gaze. Her body was wrapped in a crystalline dress of severalyers, making her figure partially visible, but blurry, adding to her sensual charms.


    "So this is what you look like." Aster sighed, a little breathless after seeing their beauty. "As expected of spirits," He whispered under his breath.


    "So you really got your parents'' legacy," the frostydy spoke with a cold tone. "I guess there''s no point in fighting back now.?"


    "S-Sister?! Why give up now?" But the other one didn''t look like she was willing to back down. "If we attack together, we can still overpower him!??"she imed.


    The ice spirit, Crysta, remained silent as if she didn''t hear her sister''s suggestion. Seeing this, the fire spirit, Pyra, frowned, gritting her teeth, before mes started to exude from her body wildly.


    "Who cares! I can take him on alone!??"


    Pyra flew up, floating about five meters in the air, with balls of me on both palms. The scenery around her looked distorted as the heat was causing a mirage to form.


    "Take this, you cocky bastard!??"


    Without any warning, she threw the two fireballs toward Aster. He saw this and was amazed at the heating from them, enough to sear the skin of his spirit form.


    "Pyra, as per the ancient contract, heed mymand and stand down!"


    "...!??"


    But the next moment, after Aster spoke, the fireball dissipated like an illusion.


    *BAM!*


    And at the same time, the fire spirit Pyra mmed toward the ground, as if she forgot how to fly suddenly. Her face warped in pain and disbelief as she tried to push herself off the ground.


    Just as she tried to open her mouth and ask, she realized that she lost even the ability to speak!


    "Master Aster Mystral, son of Roger and Mary Mistral," the ice spirit, Crysta, stood before Pyra as if covering for her. "Please show us your magnanimity and forgive my foolish sister.?"


    She walked forward. Her movements were calcted, precise, and graceful, making one unable to move their gaze away from her figure.


    "In exchange, we would swear our unfaltering loyalty to you.?"


    "..."


    Aster watched her, before sighing.


    "Crysta, as per the ancient contract, heed mymand and stand down."


    "...!?"


    Of course, Aster didn''t lower his guard just from listening to her promise. With his words, the ice spirit, Crysta, fell to her knees and bowed her head.


    "Whether I forgive her or not is up to me, and me alone," Aster dered with a scoff.

 Chapter 174: Making the Twin Spirits Submit! (2)

    Aster stared at the two, forced to kneel before him, and began to think. From the notes from his mother, he knew about the "ancient contract" that bound the two, and how they couldn''t refusemands under its power.


    Of course, there are limits to it, but as long as he doesn''t overuse themands, the twins would be unable to touch him at all.


    However, the situation 2,500 years ago, when they just formed the contract, the Frostfire Legacy''s seal, and right now waspletely different. Aster was just too fragile and faced with deadly threats all the time, making the two worried about their survival.


    After all¡ªalthough spirits don''t have the concept of lifespan¡ªif their contractor dies, then they would also disappear.


    In short, everything stemmed from the fact that Aster was weak!


    He closed his eyes, thinking deeply, before taking a deep breath.


    "I want you to answer my question honestly." He spoke in a dignified tone, like a lord talking to his subject. "What is your purpose for taking over my body? Is it just to survive longer?"


    "Let me answer your question, Master.?"


    "Sister!??"


    Seeing that Crysta volunteered immediately, and showing absolutely no signs of deceiving him, Aster let her speak.


    "In truth, other than protecting Master by controlling your body and wielding our powers more freely, we also have one more agenda," she exined in one breath. "And that is to release ourselves from the ancient contract.?"


    Spirits gain more power the longer they live.


    The two, Crysta and Pyra, originally were low-rank spirits with no form when they just became Aster''s contracted spirits. After receiving a name from the contract, they got more powerful. And then, after living for 2,500 years along with Aster, they reached the pinnacle, bing Queen-level spirits.


    As such, although they''re thankful for Aster''s help in making them reach Queen level (he wasn''t aware of it), they figured out that sticking with him would only waste their newfound strengths.


    Thus, they decided to start a "rebellion" and try to take control of Aster''s body, and further down the road, release themselves from the contract before Aster''s lifees to its fated end.


    Aster listened to all this, nodding his head once in a while. After Crysta finished talking, he opened his eyes and dered.


    "Then, I swear under the ancient contract, if I fail to achieve my goal¡ªprocuring a panacea¡ªand reach the end of my life, I will release you both the moment before, granting you freedom."


    "You...!" The fire spirit, Pyra, raised her head in disbelief. "Swearing under the name of the ancient contract means it is irrevocable, you know?!??"


    "I know." Aster nodded without much fuss. "And I''m not done yet. In exchange, I want you two to protect me from external dangers, and lend me your powers indefinitely."


    He promised to release them right before his life ended, but in exchange, they will work for him to the best of their capabilities.


    Although he wanted to promise to release them while on hisst breath too, in case of untimely death from injury, he feared they would find a way to kill him instead.


    Loopholes are easy to take advantage of, after all.


    "Now, you don''t have any reason to want to take over my body, right?" He smiled, staring at the twins.


    Pyra looked like she had a lot of things to say, but held back, indicating her silent approval. On the other hand, Crysta stared straight into Aster''s eyes and asked.


    "Master, have you learned of the drawbacks of the Frostfire Legacy yet??"


    Aster raised a brow, confused about her sudden question. "Drawbacks? Other than you two trying to take over my body?"


    "Yes," Crysta replied. "Like other legacies, the Frostfire Legacy slowly corrodes the user''s body the more it''s used. The rate depends on the amount of energy used, but... in essence, using the legacy means shortening your life.?"


    "...!" Aster gasped, thinking of the worst immediately. "T-Then, my remaining lifespan is...?"


    "From the intense usage the past month, especially when killing those humans a few days ago... I''m afraid you have a little less than 4 years left."


    His life shrank by a year after just one month!


    Aster felt a headache approaching but took a deep breath and asked for further rification. Only intense usage consumes his life, like when trying to heat a space from normal to above 3,000 degrees Celcius, or doing the opposite, freezing a space to near absolute zero in one go.


    The passives based on the legacy or its minor usage like extracting cores from slimes, thankfully, don''t expend his lifespan. After all, thetent mana present in the air could suffice to activate them.


    "In short, I need to be careful when using it from now on..." Aster sighed.


    He thought he just unlocked a powerful cheat but learned that it was a poison that reduced his remaining years! "As expected, life is not so easy!"


    After a while of gathering his thoughts, he decided to shelve the issue for now and asked the two.


    "Anyway, now, I''ve done my part. It''s you two''s turn now. I want you two to swear under the ancient contract, to never work with the intent of causing me harm, and cooperate with me to the best of your abilities!"


    Although he already swore under the contract''s name, the two didn''t. In short, there''s no power to enforce their actions, making it possible for them to betray him at his most vulnerable moment.


    Crysta telling him about the price for overusing the legacy directly affected his promise, after all. If either of them overused their powers, using up his remaining life, then he''s doomed!


    ''If she didn''t tell me this, then I''d have left arge loophole that they could take advantage of as soon as I leave this ce!''


    Aster stared at the cool beauty, but he couldn''t read what she was thinking under her icy expression. Instead, her next words caught him off-guard.


    "I swear under the ancient contract, that I would support Master Aster Mistral in times he needed my power. I swear to never betray him, and follow hismands withoutint. If I ever break this promise, then let the ancient contract destroy my very essence!?"


    "S-Sister...! That''s too much! What are you thinking?!??"


    Of course, Pyra was confused as to her sister''s words. Even Aster was surprised! cing her very own existence in jeopardy was a bit overdoing it!


    The icy beauty shook her head gently, exining. "To earn Master''s trust after all we''ve done, this much should be natural.?"


    They tried to take advantage of Aster''s not knowing how to properly use the Frostfire Legacy, and instead of exining it to him, they plotted to take over his body! Anyone who has undergone such treatment would indeed have a hard time trusting the perpetrators.


    But there''s one part that Aster hasn''t learned yet¡ªthat he can directly use the contract to "delete" the spirits at his whim!


    Earning his trust before telling him about such a function would be in their best interest.

 Chapter 175: A Little Troublesome

    Of course, the information within the cube also contained a detailed manual and exnation about the Frostfire Legacy itself. However, it was buried somewhere within the thousands of files, making it hard for Aster to find at the moment.


    Still, sooner orter, he would learn of this function. As such, Crysta wanted to ensure their safety first, avoiding the worst-case scenario.


    Their plot failed, and Aster getting angry at them was his right. However, at the very least, she wanted one of them to survive¡ªeven if it wasn''t her.


    Aster stared at Crysta, her eyes not wavering in the slightest. Straight, pure, and without an ounce of deception in them. "... Alright. I ept your loyalty and will forgive you. How about you, Pyra?"


    The Ice Spirit had already sworn fealty to Aster; however, the Fire Spirit looked like she was still not convinced.


    After a while, she frowned while pointing at Aster with her fiery finger.


    "Aster Mistral! For now, I will swear loyalty to you and follow yourmands, but if you ever try to harm my sister..." Her mes started to expand, making the air extremely hot. "Then I swear I will use all of my essence to bring you down!??"


    "..."


    Aster could somehow understand her point. Being a bit rebellious still was quite a downside, but she did swear loyalty, so he was satisfied.


    "Alright. I can''t promise I wouldn''t do so, but if I ever try to abuse any of you two''s powers, bing something that''s no longer human, then..." Aster took a deep breath and dered. "Kill me."


    "..."


    The two were surprised at his sudden words. After all, his first promise was already more than enough to satisfy them; adding this one was practically going the extra mile!


    "As you wish, Master.?"


    After a while of hesitation, Crysta bowed her head, pinching the edge of her dress gracefully. Pyra simply harrumphed, as if not taking Aster''s words seriously.


    Of course, he wasn''t a pushover. The reason he added thatst part was simple.


    ''Working under a strained rtionship, and working for each other freely, it''s obvious which one is beneficial in the long run.''


    Although he wasn''t sure if Spirits had hearts, he couldn''t deny that they could still feel stressed. He guessed that stress was the main factor that led the two to do what they did.


    ''I guess this is also the case for other Magic Carved Seal users who lost their minds.''


    The stronger the spirit, the more pride they would have in their powers. And as such, they would feel more pressure, getting their lives threatened just because their "vessel" was weak.


    Of course, this was nothing more than a guess. Things could be different in reality, or maybe, his situation was just too unique to evenpare. Either way, his job was already over.


    "Then, I should go."


    He had been inside his Soul for a while already. He was worried about what was happening outside. After all, Mana was rampaging around him before he entered. "I hope the situation isn''t as chaotic as I imagine..."


    Before the twins could bid him farewell, Aster had already opened his eyes and sighed. "Well, I should''ve known," He muttered while raising his hand in the air.


    He was currently surrounded by security personnel, all wearing protective gear from head to toe. The shotguns they were holding, pointed at him, were without a doubt magic tools and not simple hot weapons.


    Scanning the surroundings, the walls of the room were charred and cracked, while some ces were shattered like ice. The rampaging mana did quite a bit of damage in the room despite the defensive spell protecting them.


    Thankfully, nobody else was harmed, and the damage was limited to one room. Aster was led to a single confinement room in the dungeon and had to spend a few hours there until Magnus came and bailed him out.


    "I''ll be adding a new training room with heightened security under the Twister Hotel, so if you want to train, use that from now on instead."


    Aster could only imagine what Magnus was feeling, seeing the fake smile on his face.


    In the end, he got grounded for 24 hours, unable to leave his room and have contact with the outside. Even Cassy and Liz were forced out of his room, leaving only Argus, the little puppy, with him.


    He didn''t waste the time he got for himself, of course. Other than spending a total of four hours eating, sleeping, and all else, he used the remaining time trying to make headway with all the data he received from the cube.


    Thanks to that, he learned a few details of what happened to Earth after he was forced to sleep.


    "So Mother and Father were the ones who started the age of Mana..."


    He wasn''t sure how they did it, as there were no records regarding that part, but all data were pointing at the two of them as the "Origin of Mana."


    "And dungeons came a decade after the descent of the Mana World."


    Dungeons: mystic ces that allow one ess to a separate ne. Inside it were not only dangerous monsters, but countless treasures were also waiting for someone to im them.


    However, one part of it made Aster frown. It was information regarding the specifics of the dungeon, particrly, the way to "destroy" it.


    "Dungeon Core..."


    All dungeons have this at its deepest point¡ªother than the special group of the starting dungeons called the "God''s Thirteen Dungeons," which don''t have one.


    The closest dungeon to theboratory, currently known as Orinfeld''s Dungeon, was a part of God''s Thirteen Dungeons and was known by a different name in the past. "Goddess Rana''s Dungeon?"


    Aster was quite knowledgeable in terms of gods in various mythologies, but he had never heard of anyone called Goddess Rana before.


    "It must be a goddess from a different world, then," He concluded, not bothering to think deeper.


    *BEEEP!*


    Just as he was halfway through the information he was reading, his phone rang after 24 hours of silence. Checking it, a message came from Magnus saying that his confinement period was over.


    Checking the time, it was just around 3 p.m., so there was still some time.


    "Then, just as nned!"


    Aster stood up, gathered his battle gear, and changed, before heading out the door, Argus tagging along behind him. "It''s time to visit the 5th floor once more!"

 Chapter 176: Solo Dungeon Delving!

    Aster was unable to forget what the monster, the one called Nefra Eigen Solstice, said before sending them to random floors. He remembered her words clearly.


    "With the power vested in me by the Dungeon Master, I hereby transport you all to a random floor. Survive and visit me again, and I will grant one wish for each of you."


    Of course, aside from the part about "granting a wish," Aster''s attention was drawn to something else.


    "Dungeon Master¡­"


    It was a term that didn''t make any sense to the current generation, as only God''s Thirteen Dungeons remained in the world. In short, "Dungeon Master" and "Dungeon Cores" were words that had lost their purpose... Since the things they referred to didn''t exist anymore.


    An unused word typically fades after a hundred or so years of disuse, with only linguists and entrics being aware of it. And thousands of years had already passed.


    Still, a dungeon''s monster not only spoke words but also used that ancient term. "This either meant she saw the Dungeon Master herself, or that she''s a descendant of one."


    To confirm his suspicions, he nned to visit the 5th floor again.


    ''I can''t take the girls with me; it would be too dangerous. I should bring them next time, after making sure it''s safe.''


    Of course, he couldn''t dismiss the possibility of being thrown onto random floors again. As such, it would be too risky for the girls to apany him.


    With his increased speed, even without running, he reached the dungeon''s entrance in under 20 minutes. After paying the Oni uncle manning the gate, who shed a bitter grin upon seeing him, Aster entered the portal with caution.


    "¡­"


    He quickly looked around, assessing which floor he had dropped onto. A familiar forestscape greeted him, one he had already be ustomed to after seeing it many times. "This is the 5th floor, as expected!"


    He was worried he would be thrown straight onto the 30th floor again, but thankfully, that didn''t happen.


    "But if I ended up clearing the 30th floor, would that mean I get to skip floors 6 to 29?" he wondered.


    *Arf!*


    And just as he was standing still, a cute bark came from somewhere within his jacket. A cute head popped out of his top zipper, right below his neck, looking around curiously.


    "Oh, Argus. Stay quiet for now. Others might see you."


    Aster wasn''t sure how others would view "pets"; after all, he had never seen anyone bringing along a pet monster anywhere. Although Argus wasn''t a monster, but more like a divine being, others wouldn''t figure that out at a nce.


    *Whimper~?*


    Realizing that it couldn''te out just yet, the little puppy let out a sad noise before returning inside to hide. Aster smiled bitterly, thinking that he should reach the secret entrance faster, to let Argus get some fresh air.


    "Hold tight!"


    Not holding back at all, he ran like the wind. His current CON and DEX were over 30, allowing him to sprint at Kali''s top speed without getting tired. Monsters that tried to catch him ended up frustrated, unable to keep up.


    With his speed, the distance that usually took a few hours was covered in under 30 minutes. To avoid attracting attention, he slowed down as soon as he got close enough to the crowded crypt.


    ''It''s still popr even though it''s been over a week since its discovery,'' he mused in amazement.


    After sneaking past the crowd, he arrived at the spot where the hidden entrance was. He expected the rope to still be there since they hadn''t been able to retrieve it, but when he approached, he noticed something strange.


    "This¡­ Someone used it recently?"


    The rope was dusty from being left out, but that wasn''t the problem. The edge seemed to have been freshly chipped, a sign that someone had used the rope to descend in the past few hours. And from its state, there had been quite a few of them.


    "¡­"


    Aster opened his senses, trying to detect if there was anyone else around. However, he didn''t find anything at all. "Did they all enter?" he wondered.


    Since he wasn''t sure if they were "good" or "bad" people, he readied his sword. After taking out an extra ascender from his Spatial Fanny Pack, he started rappelling down while whispering.


    "Stay still, buddy. If you fall, then you''re doomed."


    Heeding his warning, Aster could tell that the little pup was trying its best to stay still, wing at his chest to keep itself in ce. It hurt him a little, but not enough to cause an injury, so he let it pass.


    "Hup!"


    After a few seconds, hended on the cave''s ledge. At a nce, there was nothing strange about it. However, he could see signs of a group entering the cave with wary steps. After checking for traps, he let Argus out, before drawing his sword.


    "Be ready. Enemies could be lurking around," Aster warned.


    Explore more stories at mvl


    However, Argus behaved differently. He started sniffing the entrance and, shortly after, released a loud bark. Then, without waiting for Aster, he ran into the dark cave by himself.


    "A-Argus!" Aster tried to reach for him but was toote.


    The little puppy''s figure vanished into the darkness within seconds! "Just don''t kill them, alright?!" he shouted a reminder, just in case.


    After fetching his shlight from his pack, he started running after the rascal. It took him a few minutes before exiting the winding passage and reaching the main door. It was already wide open, which made Aster frown.


    "So the intruders also know the password. This is bad. I hope they haven''t encountered the Pharaoh yet."


    He was sure that someone had entered before him but didn''t know "when" they had entered. It could have been a few hours ago or maybe a day or two ago. If they were unlucky, they would still be stuck in the multiple passages, exploring them one by one. But if they were lucky, then¡­


    *KYAAAH!*


    "¡­!"


    As if confirming his worries, a shrill scream echoed, reaching Aster''s ears. Without a second thought, he dashed forward, crossing the familiar paths he had already navigated before, and reached the source in seconds.


    "Argus, stop! Miss, are you alright?!"


    Right as he arrived, however, it took him a few moments toprehend what he was seeing.


    "Eh? Cassy, Kali... everyone, what are you doing here?" he muttered in disbelief.


    The entire party, except for him, was present!

 Chapter 177: Pharaohs Prize

    Cassy and Liz were with Aster until yesterday. Lory who had been with them until the previous night. Kali and Tina, who should have been in the hospital. All five girls were gathered together, present!


    "S-Star!" Cassy stepped forward, simrly surprised. "That should be our line. Weren''t you under house arrest?!"


    "Right. I heard you made a mess at the Auction house." Liz added with a wry smile. "I guess if not for the mayor favoring you, you''d be in deep trouble."


    Aster quickly shook his head. "No, my house arrest ended an hour earlier... rather, why are you all here? It''s dangerous!"


    "Hmph!" Kali harrumphed, bringing attention to herself. "What else? It''s the same reason why you''re here, weakling."


    "Weakling? Who, me?" Aster, hearing the nostalgic nickname, couldn''t help but brag. "I''m currently level 41. Maybe I''m really weak..."


    "F-For¡ª!" Cassy gasped. "Amazing! How did you level up that fast?! Me and Liz barely managed to block the monsters on the floor we were sent to, so we didn''t even gain any experience!"


    "... Forget killing or blocking the monsters, I ran for my life," Kali whispered with a faint blush on her cheeks. "Alright, I guess you''ve graduated from being called a weakling, boss."


    Aster smiled, nodding his head in appreciation.


    "As long as you understand." He eximed. "But we should catch upter. This aura, I can no longer ignore it."


    Turning to the "correct" path, a powerful presence could be felt. It was enough to give Aster goosebumps, even after gaining over 30 levels more since theirst encounter. Rather, now that his level was higher, he could understand the gap between their strength better.


    "That... is something we can''t defeat."


    Aster was amazed at his past self, facing such a monster head-on, and even managing to injure it.


    "Let''s go." He steeled his resolve and took a step forward. "Remember, don''t provoke it. No matter what happens. We''re not here to fight, but to talk."


    Feeling the gravity of the situation, the girls nodded their heads quietly, following behind Aster in formation. Argus also walked with them, staying at the rear, as if to protect everyone in case of emergency.


    After walking down the familiar passage, they entered the same dome-shaped space from before. However, unlike before, the eight sarcophagi in the middle of the room were nowhere to be seen. Instead, only a single figure was present, standing proudly in the middle, with her eyes closed as if asleep.


    [You''re back.]


    "...!"


    Before they could even approach, the pharaoh''s unforgettable, familiar voice echoed inside their heads. Aster could endure it better, now that his WIS stat was higher, but the girls all frowned hard, assaulted by an extreme headache. "... Minor Regeneration!"


    Thankfully, Cassy was prepared. She cast a continuous healing spell, covering everyone at once. With that, the headache faded, allowing them to breathe sighs of relief.


    [Seeing that your party is stillplete, it looks like the dungeon favors you a little.] She added with a hint of amusement.


    "Pharaoh!" Aster shouted, before correcting himself. "No, Nefra Eigen Solstice! We have survived that unreasonable trial you bestowed on us. Will you keep your word, or break your promise?!"


    [Hmm... The matter of granting wishes? Of course, I won''t go back on my words. Then, speak in order, and I shall grant one wish for each of you.]


    "T-Then I''ll go first!" As if waiting for this moment, Cassy bravely stepped forward, standing beside Aster. "I want a Panacea!"


    "...!" Experience more tales on mvl


    Aster, hearing Cassy''s wish, stared at her in shock. He was nning to ask the same thing, and didn''t think Cassy would waste her wish for him!


    [Panacea...? Sorry, but that''s not possible. It''s beyond my capabilities to provide. However, if you''re asking for something to increase your lifespan, I have something better.]


    The Pharaoh, Nefra, waved her gigantic hand, forming a golden ball of light on the tip of her index finger. She then gently sent it forward, letting it float right in front of Cassy.


    [This is a skill called Life Plunder. It''s a special passive skill that converts a part of Mana you collect into lifeforce, strengthening one''s body and extending their lifespan.]


    Aster expected a more sinister-sounding skill, but the one she provided was decent! He wasn''t sure how much the conversion rate was, but it would be a pretty useful skill, for sure!


    "Star, please take this!" Cassy smiled as she pulled Aster''s hand. "With this, you should at least stop fearing your approaching end!"


    Before he could even answer, Cassy pulled his hand and let it touch the golden ball of light. As soon as he did, the light dissolved into particles, and swarmed toward his chest, disappearing inside him in a sh.


    At the same time, the skill, Life Plunder''s information, flooded his mind. How it activates, its conversion rate, and how to upgrade it. Everything.


    "This... is amazing. Cassy, thank you." Aster bowed. "I''ll repay this favor in the future. Look forward to it," He added while showing a genuine smile, making the girls'' faces blush.


    "I-It''s fine, don''t mind it, really! We still have a long way to reach the 1000th floor, after all!" Cassy waved her hand, fanning her suddenly hot face.


    "Well, that''s true," Aster shrugged, before turning to the rest. "Then, who''s next?"


    Cassy was done with her wish, which she ended up passing over to Aster. Seeing how Nefra didn''t say anything, that means whatever they used their wish for was of no concern to her.


    "Then, I''ll go next."


    The grumpy-looking silver cat, Kali, stepped forward next. She looked up at the pharaoh''s face, before speaking in a loud and clear voice. "I want a weapon! A pair of daggers that grows stronger with time!"


    [Hmm... That''s too specific, but fortunately, I have something simr.]


    The Pharaoh snapped her fingers, and along with it, a ball of light appeared before Kali. From it appeared a pair of weapons, longer than a dagger but shorter than a shortsword, mixing elegance and functionality in its silvery, sleek de curved like a question mark.


    [This is the Bloodshear, a short Khopesh de that was once used by my ancestors. It grows stronger by consuming the blood of its enemies. Take it.]


    Kali extended a hand forward, grabbing the hilt of the two daggers. Although they were still sheathed, she could tell how beautiful the des were from their bnce and the feel of holding them.


    "This is good enough. Thanks." Kali bowed, stepping back after showing a little bit of gratitude.


    [Bloodshear is bound to its user''s soul after its first taste of blood, so that means its strength will reset if the current user dies.]


    Nefra added as if in an afterthought.


    [Alright, who''s next?]

 Chapter 178: Completing the Bloodline

    "Then, I guess it''s my turn."


    After Kali''s turn, Liz stepped forward, as if exchanging ces with her.


    "I''m a knight, and my duty is to protect myrades," she started. "If allowed, I would like to have a skill that would allow me to cover for my allies when they''re in danger."


    Nefra stared at Liz before a thin smile appeared on her gigantic, pretty face.


    [Actually, my ss is simr to yours. Since you''re following the same path I did in the past, let me bestow my best skill unto you.]


    Arge blue orb appeared from her forehead, slowly flying toward Liz while splitting into three.


    [These three are my signature skills, what supported me and made me who I am now. They are Invulnerability, Guardian''s Embrace, and Vengeance Burst. Use them well!]


    Invulnerability was a skill that spent mana in ce of health with a ratio of 1 MP to 100 HP. In terms of stat points, it was 1 INT to 10 CON! It''s a broken skill if one knows when and where to use it.


    Guardian''s Embrace was the skill that Liz wished for, transferring damage her allies receive within a short window to herself. It was a sacrificial skill that can protect allies in emergencies!


    Last was Vengeance Burst. It was another skill that synergized well with the previous two skills. It converts the damage received in thest five minutes (or from thest use of the skill) into damage and releases itpressed in one blow. The damage is converted 1:1, meaning the more damage the user received, the more powerful the skill was.


    Liz didn''t hesitate and imed all three skills immediately, before smiling with confidence. "Thank you, Lady Nefra. With this, I can protect myrades better!"


    Not only can this help her be a stout shield, but it can also make her a powerful fighter! However, if she mistook the timing of using the skill, or underestimated an enemy''s attack, it could lead to her demise. A double-edged sword!


    After her turn, it was Tina who stepped forward. Her eyes stared at the powerful figure ahead with a burning gaze, filled with fighting spirit.


    "I..." she whispered, before raising her voice as loud as she could. "I want Darling, Aster Mistral, to be mine!"


    "..."


    [...]


    Everyone went silent from her willful "wish." Nefra shook her head lightly, apologizing.


    [I might be powerful, but I can''t bend one''s will to favor another forcefully. Please change your wish.]


    "Then..." Tina frowned, thinking for a bit, before raising her head with her eyes shining with excitement. "Tell me what kind of girl is Darling''s type! And make me just like that!"


    [Ask him yourself!] Nefra shouted, appalled by Tina''s brazen attitude. [What''s with this girl? Is she alright in the head?]


    "She''s just a horny idiot; don''t mind her," Kalimented lightly from the back.


    It took about ten minutes before Tina''s "wish" finally became a decent one. In the end, just like Kali, she got a weapon, a pair of gauntlets, that would grow together with its wearer.


    The left one was called Emberfury, wielding the powers of angelic mes, and the right one, cial Wrath, harnessing the coldest depths of Niflheim. Of course, the element choice was deliberate to match with Aster''s!


    She finally stepped back, satisfied, but Aster and Nefra both felt exhausted. Thest of the girls was Lory, but her wish was a little iprehensible.


    "I can''t say my wish, lest I die here. Can you read my mind instead?" Read thetest on mvl


    Nefra was puzzled by her request but did as she asked. After reading Lory''s mind, the powerful being''s eyes opened wide but shook her head slowly.


    [So humans could sink so low nowadays... Sorry, but I''m here to bestow things upon challengers, not take something away from them. I can''t help you with that.]


    "¡­ I see." Lory sighed, disappointmentced in her tone. "It''s fine. Then, do you perhaps have something that could resurrect someone? Like, if I die, I would resurrect immediately?"


    [I... have one. But it''s too much to give out as a reward for such a measly trial. Instead, I have a skill called Revive, which can revive someone who died within five minutes of their death.]


    "Then that!" Lory jumped at it immediately.


    [... However, it''s not a skill a Witch can learn. You would need to change to a healer ss or give it to that little healer over there.]


    Nefra waved her hand again, summoning a simr golden orb that she had given Cassy before. [What you do with it is your choice.] she added.


    Lory received the golden orb and walked slowly toward the only healer in their team. "Cassy, can I count on you?" she asked, her words filled with a silent plea.


    "I don''t know what''s going on, but..." Cassy stepped forward, grabbing the golden orb. "Leave it to me!"


    Just like that, Cassy learned the Revive skill... and also discovered the price of using it. Her expression became a littleplicated, but she quickly sharpened up, as if saying to herself, "Whatever will be, will be!"


    [And now, you''re thest one, primordial man.] Nefra spoke, staring down at Aster. [Tell me your wish.]


    His wish was already settled by Cassy earlier, so he could use his wish for other things lower on his priority list. However, he didn''t take long before deciding on which one to ask for.


    "I want to see my parents."


    Nefra stared at Aster as if evaluating if he understood the weight of his wish. However, she sighed soon after, shaking her head.


    [That goes against the rules, so even as an Administrator, I can''t. Ask for something else.]


    "Then, please cure my disease."


    [I can''t do that either. You know that, right? I can''t intervene in your trial that much.]


    "Then...!"


    [I know you''re using the wish as a preface to get some information from me, but I can just answer themter. Tell me your wish.]


    Aster didn''t expect that she would be willing to answer his questions directly. He wracked his brain, thinking of what to wish for, and quickly recalled what Vanessa told him before.


    "¡­ How can Iplete my bloodline?"


    [Another question, but it''s not something I can casually answer. Do you wish to exchange your wish, along with the right to ask further questions, for the answer to that?]


    But the price of his question was a tad too heavy.

 Chapter 179: Dungeons Depths

    Aster paused, wondering if he should waste his wish and the chance to ask further questions for just a single answer. His expression kept changing, showing the inner turmoil he was experiencing.


    [If you refuse, remember that you can never ask the same questionter. If you want an answer for this one, now''s your only chance.] As if reading his mind, Nefra quickly rified.


    Hearing this, Aster could only sigh. "Alright. I want the answer in exchange for my wish and the right to ask questions!"


    [Wise choice. After all, the solution to your question isn''t something you''ll chance upon randomly.]


    Nefra raised her two hands, showing one finger on her right, and three on her left.


    [It''s simple. You just need to clear all 1,625 floors of all the God''s Thirteen Dungeons.]


    She eximed with a little yful tone.


    Aster was confused, however. He read from the cube''s data that there were only 1,600 floors for the God''s Thirteen Dungeons. Furthermore, since the st cleared floor" concept applies to all the God''s Thirteen Dungeons equally, it was practically just clearing one dungeon, and clearing the rest at the same time.


    [I know what you''re thinking, but your assumption is wrong.] Nefra smiled.


    [The top floor one could skip to is the 1,600th. The 25 floors above that only open to those with a special bloodline, or who possess a certain item.]


    She then waved her hand, summoning a glowing fragment in her hands.


    [And since you can''t do anything about your bloodline, I''ll be giving you this item. It''s called a God''s Fragment, and it will allow you entry to thest 25 floors of the dungeons.]


    The fragment flew over to Aster, before suddenly entering his body through the center of his chest. He was scared for a moment, thinking that it would hurt him, but it simply disappeared as if nothing happened.


    [I''m not giving it to you, of course. A God''s fragment is too precious for that. Instead, I''m lending it to you. If you die, the fragment will return to me automatically, so don''t worry.]


    Aster patted his chest, wondering where the fragment went, before staring at Nefra and asking.


    "Since you''re lending it to me, there must be some interest I''d have to pay for, right? What do you want?"


    Nefraughed as if truly delighted by Aster''s question. After she calmed down, she began to exin further.


    [Don''t worry, young man. I won''t take your soul as coteral or anything. You bringing my God''s Fragment around is already enough as payment for me.]


    "..."


    Aster realized immediately what she meant.


    Nefra didn''t give him the fragment out of goodwill, but rather, because she had something to gain from doing so. What that was¡ªhe wasn''t sure yet, but he should figure it outter.


    Aster sighed. "Win-win, huh?"


    [Exactly.]


    Right after saying that, her body started to glow, gradually disappearing as particles of golden light.


    [Oh, it looks like my time''s up. Take my fragment and reach the deepest depths of the dungeon, the Dungeon Master''s room. The answer to all your questions should be there.]


    Without even waiting for them to say goodbye, the giant mummy Pharaoh disappeared, leaving the cepletely silent and devoid of life. If not for the weapons in Kali and Tina''s hands, they would''ve wondered if everything was just an illusion.


    ''1,600 floors, and 25 extra floors...'' Aster gripped his hand, wondering how long such an endeavor would take. "If only there was a shortcut."


    After Nefra disappeared, Aster and the rest checked the room just in case there was something they could sell off anywhere. However, they weren''t so lucky. Other than the gigantic sarcophagus where Nefra emerged from, there''s nothing else left in there.


    Still, thinking about their gains, they already got more than their money''s worth.


    Having nothing left to do, and with no more passages to explore, they returned to the surface. It would be muchter when Aster would learn the implication of holding a God''s Fragment and realize what it truly was.


    ---


    On their way back, they all tried out the skills they received. Cassy''s revive, of course, didn''t have a chance to shine. Still, she decided to exin the cost of the skill to everyone else.


    "After I use Revive, I would be unable to use any other skills for 1 hour. Furthermore, I can only use it once a day, and it could only be applied to someone who died within five minutes."


    It was a skill that had heavypensation! But knowing that Cassy could revive one of them once a day would at least give them some peace of mind during battles. Especially to the tanks, Tina and Liz, who face the biggest risk when fighting.


    "As for my new skill, Life Plunder..."


    The next one to exin their new skill was Aster.


    It passively converts a part of the EXP that one gains into an extra lifespan. To make it simple, it was about 0.1 seconds for a level 1, or about 5 seconds for a level 10 monster.


    "The efficiency is too low..." That''s all he could say.


    It was a good way to increase his lifespan, but to earn some sizable amount, he would first need to reach higher floors. A level 100 monster should give him about 4 minutes or so for each kill, while a level 1,000 would give him around 20 minutes per kill!


    If he ns to stay on a floor with only level 10 monsters, then he''d need to kill over 17,000 monsters a day just to offset his spent time. It was impossible!


    Thest one to test her new skill was Liz. However, her skills were performing just as their exnations were. There''s no secret at all that needed verification!


    "HAAAP!" Find more chapters on mvl


    *BOOM!*


    But as expected, the potential of Vengeance Burst after using up Invulnerability and Guardian''s Embrace was high. In one attack, Liz killed all the monsters around, and even cleared a path through the forest ahead of them!


    "This... we should be careful of friendly fire."


    If Liz used it and there happened to be another party ahead of them, then... Only a gruesome end awaited them.


    After verifying their skills, they slowly headed for the entrance. Their current hunting style was a little different than usual, however.


    "There''s some more over here!"


    With Aster''s level being 41, he was practically untouchable by monsters on the fifth floor. With his sword, he would strip goblins and wolves of their four limbs, before letting the girls kill them one by one behind him.


    It was an efficient hunting method, ensuring safe and equal distribution of EXP among everyone... But it pricks their conscience!

 Chapter 180: Hidden Intentions

    "And so, Lory, what about you?"


    While everyone was trailing behind Aster, who was manufacturing limbless monsters for them, Cassy turned to her and asked.


    "You had something in mind when you requested this Revive skill from the bigdy, right?"


    "That''s..." Lory''s voice trembled slightly, before checking everyone''s faces. "Not now. In time, I''ll tell you." But she couldn''t muster enough courage to ask.


    Honestly, she wanted to get rid of the hateful chip behind her left eye as soon as she could. However, to the outside world, she''s nothing but a "prisoner under parole," a truth that she didn''t even dare mention to anyone.


    To add to that, her race was loathed by the entire world.


    The Aracelli Race once tried to take over the world, starting what was eventually called the Divine Retribution War using their unique ability¡ªtheir eyes that could control other races.


    However, they eventually failed and were driven close to extinction. All surviving members of their race were turned into ves¡ªprisoners¡ªwhose sentence extended even to their descendants.


    Revenge. That''s the only thing fueling their race to persevere until now.


    Although she''s willing to use Aster and his party to free herself, she couldn''t risk it just yet. What if dying from the chip causes her to lose her ability? The small alterations she made to everyone''s memory woulde to light! It wouldn''t be weird if she''s persecuted then and there if that happened.


    ''When all my preparations are done... When I''m sure of sess... I will remove this ursed chip and stand on top of the world!''


    All the dark emotions in her heart were hidden behind the facade of a kind, naive woman. And when the timees, the world will know her true colors.


    ---


    Everyone didn''t rush, slowly heading for the exit while hunting. Of course, Aster mostly handled the "hunting" part, while the others rode on his bus, earning EXP without much effort.


    *Arf!*


    But this changed when they ended up encountering a roaming Rogue Boss Wolf.


    Argus, bored from just following them around,unched a powerful Red Lightning attack and one-shotted the Field Boss, along with all of itsckeys. All five girls glowed as he did, showing that they leveled up.


    "Ohh~! You cute puppy, so you''re this strong?!"


    "What...?"


    "The hell?"


    Cassy, Kali, and Tina raised their voices in surprise. Liz was speechless, on the other hand, unable to understand what happened.


    "How did I level up?" She whispered, confused.


    Only Aster had a clue as to what happened. After all, he''s the "owner" of the Divine Pet, so he could see the special skill it has: EXP Share (Equal)!


    He thought it only applied to him, who owns Argus, but this case made him realize that EXP Share was toward his entire party¡ªor at least, the members present onsite during hunting!


    After picking up the little bugger, he exined its abilities to the girls, making them wow in surprise.


    "Then, when hunting bosses, we can give thest hit to him! That way, we''ll all level up at the same time!" Cassy suggested.


    The idea was great. However, they seemed to be underestimating Argus'' strength. ''He can one-hit mobs on the 30th floor. Bosses below the 25th floor would die in one hit, for sure.''


    Rather than "letting him have thest hit!" it would be more urate to say, "He''ll carry everyone until the 25th floor!" Clearing bosses would be a cinch!


    Just like that, with Aster disabling some monsters, and Argus killing those hiding beyond their vision, letting everyone gain a fair amount, they continued onwards. By the time they reached the entrance, it was already near 9 p.m.


    Still, they were satisfied. After all, in just that short while, they all gained two levels each!


    "This leveling pace is so unreal," Kalimented, satisfied with her reaching level 13, the same as everyone else. "What''s the n for tomorrow, Leader? Grinding again?"


    Aster turned to Kali, surprised at how her attitude changed. But he decided to put the incongruence he was feeling aside for now and exined.


    "No, we''re not. From tomorrow onward, we''ll be continuously clearing floors!"


    It''s already been a month, and he''s still on the 5th floor! At this rate, he''d run out of time before reaching a floor with decently strong monsters, able to provide him with "extra life."


    "Hmm, sounds fitting." Kali nodded. "Even excluding Leader who got OP all of a sudden, we''re already above the 5th floor''s level, so I think it''s a good idea to move on."


    ''She''s really changed all of a sudden. No, she changed too much!'' Aster couldn''t help but feel again, seeing her talk more than a few words like this.


    "Then, tomorrow''s shopping time again~!" Cassy raised her hand in excitement. "What to do? How shall we split up this time?"


    "I guess the same division asst time?" Liz tilted her head in wonder.


    "This time, I''lle with Darling~!" But Tina objected, grabbing Aster''s arm and asserting her presence to everyone.


    "Don''t you have troubles with your father right now, Vixen?" But Kali''s words made him frown.


    "Problem?" Aster asked. "Why, what happened?"


    "Don''t mind it, darling! It''s just that old man trying to take me back home after I returned injured from the dungeon." Tina smiled, downying the situation, but Aster could tell how severe it was.


    Tina''s the youngest princess of the Zirroth Family. With the assets they have, it would be easy for them to force her out of Aster''s party... Even Magnus, the Mayor of Orinfeld City, would have a hard time stopping them if they decided to go all out!


    "... Alright, I''ll go with Tina tomorrow," Aster decided in the end. "Tina, we shouldn''t ignore your father''s words. We should visit them tomorrow before we go shopping."


    Of course, his intentions were just to go there and reassure her father that he wouldn''t let Tina get into the same level of danger again. However, the person herself took it in a different light.


    ''Darling is greeting my father! The time for our wedding ceremony might be close~!''


    "...?"


    Aster was unsure about why Tina''s gaze suddenly changed color, but the other girls could faintly read her mind.


    "Tinya... and Star...?"


    "Stop daydreaming, bitch! That''s not why Leader''s going with you!"


    "Tina... You really love Aster, don''t you? Haha..."


    "... Well, best wishes to you two."


    As the night grew deeper, everyone harbored hope for a brighter future as they headed to their respective lodgings. Only Aster remained tense, thinking about countless things. Experience more content on mvl


    He turned back, looking at the Dungeon''s entrance, and frowned.


    His troubles were far from over.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 181: Heartthrob!

    Lori arrived at her room just as the clock struck midnight. Her face was tight with a frown, and weariness clung to her like a shadow.


    She had nned to rest immediately, but as she removed her robe, a familiar, ufortable sensation tingled behind her left eye. It was the same feeling she got whenever General Lubbot initiated contact.


    "But I should still have a few days until the deadline..." she muttered through clenched teeth.


    Despite the suddenness of it, Lori''s expression shifted seamlessly, her frown reced by a serene smile as though her agitation had been nothing but an illusion.


    Without hesitation, she activated her soundproofing artifact. "Good evening, Officer Lubbot. How can I assist you today?" she asked, her voice calm.


    The hologram of a uniformed officer appeared, his expression as t as ever. However, this time he wasn''t alone. Beside him stood a squat, rotund man with the unmistakable features of a dwarf. His face was twisted into a frown as he looked down at Lori.


    {So, you''re 280498?}


    The dwarf''s voice was gravelly.


    {I''m Caballe, mayor of Juviel City. It seems you''ve been dragging your feet with your mission... I''m sending some assistance. Make sure you coordinate well with them.}


    "... Yes, Sir Mayor," Lori responded, bowing swiftly.


    Inwardly, however, she seethed. "Backup?" she thought, biting back a groan. She knew what kind of help wasing her way, and it wasn''t good news. They weren''t sending soldiers or spies; they were sending members of the Anti-Human Movement.


    Those zealots had already failed to kill Aster multiple times. Worse still, her job was to "bring" Aster back alive, not kill him. Their involvement would do nothing butplicate her mission.


    The real reason the Anti-Human Movement always seemed to know Aster''s whereabouts was because Lori had one of Aster''s hidden guards under her control. That man sent her his location every hour, and she was ordered to ry that information to the Anti-Human fanatics.


    General Lubbot continued speaking, but Lori wasn''t paying attention. Unless there was a major change to her orders, she didn''t need to listen.


    Finally, after a few minutes, the hologram faded. The contact was over.


    Lori copsed to her knees, clutching her left eye as a searing pain red up from the back of her eyeball. The agony was unbearable, but she didn''t make a sound.


    With what little strength she had, she dragged herself to the bathroom, standing under the cold spray of the shower. The freezing water provided some relief, cooling the burning sensation. She sighed deeply, the tension slowly draining from her body.


    Her n was already in motion, and there was no turning back now. Helping the "backup" would be a waste of time.


    "But..." Lori muttered as she opened her eyes.


    Her reflection stared back at her in the mirror, her left eye glowing bloodshot red. "Everything will be over... soon."


    The sound of the shower echoed in the room, lulling her chaotic thoughts. But the days ahead would be anything but calm.


    ---


    Morning, June 1, 4533. It marked one month since Aster had awoken from his long sleep.


    "What should I wear...?" Aster stood in front of his wardrobe, frowning.


    Today was supposed to be part rest, part stress. He had to apany Tina to meet her father and assure him she would be fine adventuring with his party.


    "A suit... too formal," Aster sighed.


    He eventually settled on a cream-colored, long-sleeved shirt, navy blue trousers, and shiny ck shoes. Clothes he rarely touched. He decided not to overdo it, letting his hair stay in its usual slightly disheveled state.


    His eyes flicked over to his usual windbreaker and scarf, but he left them behind. It wouldn''t do to meet a conglomerate''s president looking like he was about to go on a mission.


    "This should do..." he murmured, ncing in the mirror.


    With his outfit ready, he made his way to the hotel lobby, where a taxi waited for him. Walking around the city in his current attire felt awkward. He was far too exposed for his liking.


    As ast-minute solution, he slipped on a pair of Wayfarer sunsses with ck frames and amber lenses, hoping they''d offer at least a bit of anonymity. But it didn''t change the fact that he felt ufortable.


    "Sir, we''ve arrived," the driver announced, pulling up in front of the guild.


    "Thanks," Aster muttered, stepping out of the car.


    A deep breath steadied his nerves as he entered the guild. Immediately, heads turned his way. The attention made him feel like he was walking on a bed of nails as he made his way to their usual corner in the lobby.


    "Sta...r?"


    "You..."


    It wasn''t even 6 a.m. yet, but Cassy and Kali were already there, seated at their table, staring at Aster with wide, disbelieving eyes.


    "You''re early, as usual," Aster greeted them with a smile, pretending not to notice their stunned expressions. "Are the others not here yet?"


    Cassy, cheeks tinged red, struggled to respond. "Ah, y-yes... they haven''t arrived yet..."


    Both she and Kali were clearly flustered. It was the first time they''d seen Aster in such chic, stylish attire, a stark contrast to his usual cloaked and bundled-up appearance.


    "Leader..." Kali spoke in a low voice after regaining herposure. "Isn''t this a bit dangerous? If people find out you''re human... you know how rare they are. You''ll be in serious danger."


    Aster smiled and waved off her concerns. "Don''t worry. I''m pretending to be a vampire. See? The only difference between us and humans is the red eyes and fangs."


    He pulled back his lips to reveal a set of slightly longer-than-usual canines. "I''m even wearing fake fangs. Pretty convincing, right?"


    *Thump!*


    Instead of reassuring the girls, his yful exnation only made their hearts race faster.


    ''I-Is something wrong with me? Why is my heart beating so fast?'' Cassy thought, stealing a nce at Aster.


    Kali, too, was struggling to keep herposure. ''He''s just the person I''m supposed to protect, and yet...!''


    Before their emotions could spiral any further, a voice interrupted them.


    "Oh, you''re that kid from earlier, right? You look dashing today~!"


    A woman with fluffy, silver-gray hair and a pair of wings on her back floated into view. It was Octavia! Enjoy exclusive content from §Þ??

 Chapter 182: The Thunderbird and "Thunderdog"

    Aster turned toward the voice and quickly remembered who she was. Although they weren''t close in any way, it would be rude to just ignore her, so he stood up and bowed lightly, like a gentleman greeting ady.


    "Miss Octavia, right? It''s nice to meet you again."


    "Hehe, I was actually looking for you, but Zenearith refused to give me your contact." She chuckled while flying around Aster, like a yful cherub. "Anyway, what''s your name again?"


    *Arf!*


    Before he could answer, a little puppy howled at Octavia, causing her to stop in ce.


    "This is...?" she mumbled, staring at Argus, who stared right back at her.


    Her eyes suddenly changed colors, shifting from pale blue to a golden yellow, as arcs of lightning started wrapping around her entire body. Argus, as if in response, did the same. His body became covered in sparks, but instead of the usual golden hue, they were red!


    "...!"


    In an instant, Octavia moved with a sh so fast that Aster couldn''t even follow her with his eyes! "Argus!"


    "Woah~! What a fluffy creature~! Is this your pet? Other than birds, it''s rare to see pets who don''t fear me, as I always exude faint electric currents from my feathers~!"


    But nothing of what Aster had imagined happened. Instead, Octavia lifted Argus and began fluffing him like crazy! The little pup wasn''t reluctant either, clearly enjoying the soft attention he was receiving.


    "So you''re Argus, little cutie~? Kid, what''s your name?!" she asked again, a little excitedly. "Can I have this guy~? I''ll pay however much it costs!"


    "He''s not for sale," Kalimented, pulling the little dog out of Octavia''s grasp.


    She hugged the little doggy before backing up to Cassy''s side once more. Aster watched this and smiled wryly, before exining, "Sorry, Miss Octavia, but Argus is my partner. I can''t give him to you. And my name''s Aster Mistral, by the way."


    "Aster Mistral... Alright, I got it~! It''s too bad the doggy isn''t for sale though..." Octavia sighed, then let out a short gasp. "Oh no, I forgot I have a meeting! I gotta go! See youter, Aster~!"


    After finishing her words, her figure shed with a powerful burst of lightning, making everyone close their eyes for a moment. When they recovered their vision, they saw that Octavia was already gone.


    "I wonder what she came here for?" Aster sighed as he sat down.


    Cassy and Kali yed with Argus as they waited, and just as the clock struck six, Liz arrived. "Oh, Aster. You look dashing today," sheplimented while staring at him from head to toe.


    "First impressions are important, after all." Aster shrugged. "Only Tina and Lory haven''t arrived yet. Let''s wait for them a bit more." Enjoy exclusive chapters from §Þ??


    It was the first time that someone from their party waste for their gathering. And what''s more, two of them werete at the same time.


    *BEEP!*


    "Huh?"


    Just then, Aster received a short message from Lori. He opened his Holo Tab, checked, and quickly frowned.


    "It looks like Lory''s down with a cold. She said she couldn''t participate in today''s shopping."


    Aster exined to the others. He had originally nned to renew the contract with Lory today, but since she was sick, he had no choice but to postpone it until tomorrow.


    "Really? She should''ve told us!" Cassy said, worried. "Should we visit her? I can''t heal diseases yet, but I can at least relieve some pain with my heal..."


    "..."


    With current technology and the presence of skills, curing injuries and diseases was simple. Amon cold could be fixed by a healer for just 50,000 Tels... Overpriced as it was, it was still cheaper whenpared to losing a day of hunting¡ªwhich could cost over a hundred thousand, even on the low side.


    "Well, does anyone know where she lives?" Liz asked.


    "I don''t!"


    "Why should I care?"


    "I don''t know either."


    The three responded immediately, making Liz chuckle. "Then unless we ask for her address, we can''t even visit. Let''s just finish preparations today and enter the dungeon tomorrow."


    Aster nodded, though he remained slightly worried.


    "I guess that''s for the best. Let me distribute funds to everyone."


    "Funds...?" Liz was just about to ask, but Aster was faster.


    In moments, he sent a fair portion of his money to everyone. Rounded off, each person received a hundred million at once!


    "Star, what''s going on? When did you get so rich?" Cassy asked, surprised.


    Even Kali was skeptical, narrowing her eyes as she stared at him. "Leader, did you sell your body or something?"


    "I doubt I''d get this much from selling my body..." Aster started but quickly corrected himself. "No, that might be possible, given my circumstances... Anyway, this money is mostly from bounties. I caught them on the 30th floor, so it''s worth quite a bit!"


    The girls seemed reluctant to ept such arge sum, but Aster persuaded them quickly. "Buy things you think we''d need¡ªenough tost five days, even if we''re stuck alone on a random floor."


    "..."


    Since they''d already experienced something like that before, it didn''t take much convincing. The four of them discussed what supplies they''d need and everything else, spending another 30 minutes waiting.


    "Darling~!"


    And finally, Tina arrived.


    Unlike her usual attire, which was optimized for ease of movement, she was dressed in a beautiful navy blue balloon dress. The design emphasized her cleavage, and the fabric clung tightly to her curves. Naturally, the sight of someone wearing such formal clothes inside the guild made her stand out.


    "Tina?" Aster stood up. "You look gorgeous today. I guess I made the right choice to dress up a little."


    "No matter the clothes, Darling is the most handsome guy in the world~!"


    Tina eximed while wrapping her arms¡ªclothed in the same navy blue, elbow-length gloves¡ªaround him and tugged him toward her.


    "Let''s go, shall we? My father''s already waiting~!"


    "Ah, alright..."


    Kali red at Tina but couldn''t interfere today. She had already received direct orders from the mayor regarding this matter, after all. The three girls waved goodbye to Aster and Tina, who walked out with hurried steps.


    Following Tina''s lead, Aster got into a limousine-like car parked right outside the guild.


    Just from the appearance of the car and the numerous ck vehicles surrounding them, presumably guards, he could tell how high-profile Celestinya truly was.


    Aster ced a hand over his stomach, aching from his nervousness, as he silently prayed that everything would go smoothly.

 Chapter 183: Good Morning Father!

    The Zirroth family was a big conglomerate, primarily focused on the construction and infrastructure industries. Their assets were worth trillions of Tels, not even counting their non-liquid holdings.


    And now, Aster found himself visiting the president of such a conglomerate.


    "Don''t be too nervous, darling! No matter what Father says, I''ll follow you from now until forever~!"


    Tina smiled, trying to reassure Aster. But instead of helping, her words made him even more anxious.


    ''If I fail to convince her father, wouldn''t this be like we''re forcefully taking his daughter away?''


    The thought haunted him. Not even Magnus could protect him if things went south.


    After a ten-minute ride, the car finally arrived in front of arge building. It wasn''t quite on the same scale as the Mayor''s Tower, but it stood at nearly half the height. The design wasplex, chaotic even, yet somehow still bnced and stable. The building''s structure seemed to hold together in perfect harmony.


    "What a... unique design," Aster said, unable to hold back his admiration.


    "You mean this building?" Tina chuckled softly. "It''s based on some random scribbles I made when I was a toddler. It''s embarrassing for me, but Father wouldn''t hear of tearing it down."


    Aster stared nkly.


    A building created from a toddler''s scribbles. Just that alone told him how much the president treasured his youngest daughter. And here he was, about to ask this man to let his precious daughter apany them into a dungeon¡­


    "Ugh, my stomach¡­" Aster groaned quietly.


    "Puff your chest, darling! No need to hunch your shoulders," Tina said cheerfully, grabbing Aster''s arm and leading him forward. "Father''s in his office, let''s go!"


    Unlike the exterior''s chaotic appearance, which reminded Aster of a badly configured Lego set, the interior waspletely organized. It was a bustling business building, with employees moving back and forth, attending to their tasks.


    "Good morning, Princess Celestinya," someone greeted.


    Aster noticed that wherever they went, people stopped in their tracks and bowed respectfully. The level of reverence they showed to Tina was beyond his imagination.


    And so were the sharp, stabbing gazes Aster felt from everyone. Their eyes followed his every step, and if not for Tina''s presence, he was certain they''d have mobbed him in seconds.


    The two rode up the VIP elevator, one of the two mana-powered lifts with ess to the top floor. Aster took the chance to steady himself, putting on a brave face to mask his nerves. When the elevator doors opened, he was shocked to see that they led straight into the president''s office. It felt like starting a game only to be thrown straight into the final boss battle!


    "Father!" Tina''s voice rang out, filled with a mix of indignation and excitement. "I''ve brought my darling, so you won''t bother our party anymore, right?!"


    The man behind the desk raised his head. His short ck hair, streaked with gray, and his neatly trimmed goatee gave him the look of a cool, dignified middle-aged man. But his sharp blue eyes told a different story.


    "Celes, my little princess," he sighed, removing his diamond-rimmed reading sses.


    "I never said I''d let you off the hook. In fact, I''ve always been against you going into the dungeon! If you want to level up, I can arrange for high-level criminals to be brought to you. There''s no need to put yourself in such danger."


    "You''re on about that again?" Tina groaned. "You always think your word isw. This is exactly why I left home and became an adventurer!"


    "And what''s wrong with wanting to ensure my daughter''s future?" the president snapped, mming his fist on the desk, causing a small crack. "You''re the most qualified to be my sessor! With your talents, the Zirroth family could rise to the very top!"


    "Oh? So you want me to be your sessor and marry some ugly bastard for the sake of family ties? No thanks, I''m not interested!" Tina''s face twisted with disgust.


    Aster, standing silently, felt like he had be invisible. This heated argument between father and daughter didn''t seem like something he should be witnessing.


    "Remember your promise?! You said that if you ever came back from the dungeon half-dead, you''d return and be my sessor!" The man''s voice grew louder as he approached them, anger etched into every feature.


    "And what happened recently? You got yourself into so much trouble that a rescue team had to save you! You barely made it back alive! I was worried sick!"


    Tina frowned. "That promise was a metaphor! I''d rather die fighting in a dungeon than be your puppet!"


    "You¡­!"


    The tension between them was palpable. Aster could understand the president''s perspective¡ªany parent would worry about their child. But the man''s anger stemmed from deep concern, not malice.


    "And who is this beggar? You brought home some random guy you picked up off the street?" The president''s eyes shifted to Aster, filled with disdain.


    "Father!!!" Tina snapped, her voice full of outrage.


    "He''s not fit for our family. Dispose of him," the president dered coldly. His words carried the weight of an order, not a suggestion.


    Aster barely had time to register what was happening when he saw projectiles¡ªbullets, daggers, and all manner of deadly weapons¡ªmaterialize around him. They came from everywhere, too fast for him to react.


    *CRACKLE!*


    But before the weapons could strike, the entire room was encased in ice. Every projectile, every hidden assassin¡ªeverything froze in an instant.


    "T-This is¡­!" The president''s eyes widened in shock. His body was frozen from the neck down, unable to move.


    "Unhand me! Do you have any idea who I am?!" he growled.


    Aster nced around, relieved to see that no one had died, at least not yet. The ice held everything in ce, but there was no sign that the attackers were fatally harmed.


    ''Crysta, thanks for the save,'' Aster thought silently. If not for that, he might have really died.


    Despite the chaos, Aster kept his face calm andposed. He turned his gaze to Tina''s father and, in a soft but firm voice, said, "A father''s desire to protect his daughter is admirable. But your approach is pushing her away."


    "Brat¡­! You dare lecture me without knowing anything!" The president seethed, but his body was still frozen in ce.


    Aster sighed, pulling Tina closer to him as they began retracing their steps toward the elevator. "Cool your head for now. And don''t worry. What happened a few days ago won''t ever happen again. I''ll protect your daughter from all dangers."


    Enjoy new tales from §Þ??


    As he spoke, Tina gazed up at him, clearly lovestruck by his calm demeanor and the overwhelming power he had disyed.


    Meanwhile, the president remained furious, his voice echoing after them as they left.


    "I WON''T GIVE YOU MY DAUGHTER, YOU BASTARD!"


    "... Huh?"

 Chapter 184: A Date to Pass Time

    Aster was confused about what Tina''s father had been talking about, but it was toote to ask again, as the elevator was already descending. They could always returnter, but that would have to wait until he had cooled his head.


    "What should we do?" Aster asked Tina, who was clinging to him like glue. "We should talk to him again after a while, so we need to kill some time somewhere."


    "Then, how about over there, darling~! It''s a nice ce for a short rest!"


    "Hmm?"


    Following her finger, Aster saw the ce she pointed to: arge building about two blocks away. It was still visible from their current position. The structure was a basic-style hotel with a pink exterior, decorated with hearts and other romantic symbols, making it stand out from the rest.


    Of course, just one nce told Aster exactly what kind of "hotel" it was.


    "Rejected," he sighed. "How about shopping? Even though we split the list earlier, we can still stock up on extra supplies. It''s better to have too much food and water than too little, after all."


    "Eeeh~? But I''m here to spend time with you, darling! How about there?"


    This time, she pointed to a nearby establishment. From the window, Aster could see elegant dresses on disy, the kind designed to catch the attention of any passerby. But these weren''t ordinary dresses¡ªthey were wedding gowns.


    "... Are you enjoying teasing me?" Aster sighed again. "Rejected."


    After a few minutes of yful banter, they decided to head to the 50th floor of the building instead, where a special showcase for expensive adventurer equipment was being held. It was a rare event, so they decided to check it out.


    Inside, they saw a wide array of items: armor that could emte boss-level protection, weapons capable of destroying any monster, and various daily life or misceneous items. Despite it being a "showcase," each item had a price tag disyed. Even the cheapest item started at a million Tels.


    "This! I want this, darling!"


    Tina had her eyes on a pair of rings. They were simple metal loops, resembling wedding bands, but the description on their pedestal caught Aster''s interest.


    "A ring that can teleport the other person to your position in an instant?"


    Of course, there were restrictions on its use, such as needing the other party''s consent to teleport and the high mana cost involved. Still, Aster could see the value in having such an item, especially in the dungeon.


    "It''s a life-saving tool if used properly!"


    As intrigued as he was, Aster''s excitement waned when he saw the price. The rings were sold as a pair, and the set cost 6 billion Tels! Three billion per ring!


    He nced at Tina. He knew if he asked, she would buy a pair for everyone in their party without hesitation... but that didn''t sit well with him.


    "Let''s forget about it for now," Aster said, shaking his head. "If I give you a ring, I want it to be from my own pocket."


    "Darling...!"


    For some reason, Tina took his words the wrong way.


    ''So he''d rather work hard and buy our wedding ring than let me buy it! He may be prideful, but I don''t hate that side of him.''


    This time, it wasn''t just Tina misunderstanding the situation¡ªAster did as well.


    The pair of rings didn''t just look like wedding bands; they were wedding bands, with the teleportation feature as an added bonus for when one partner felt lonely and wanted to be near the other.


    They continued browsing and found other fascinating items, like the "Infinite Spacetime Bag," which could store an unlimited number of items and came with a time-stop function, preserving perishable goods indefinitely.


    However, this one was priced at a staggering 1 trillion Tels, a sum far beyond Aster''s current means. "As expected from a showcase. The prices are absurd!" hemented.


    After two hours of wandering around, they decided to return to the lobby before taking the elevator once more. Their destination was, of course, the top floor, where the president resided.


    When they arrived and the protective bubble of the elevator opened, a gust of freezing air hit them, causing both Aster and Tina to shiver.


    "... Shit!"


    Aster had forgotten to undo the freeze! Looking around, the assassins'' faces were pale, whether from the cold orck of oxygen, and even Tina''s father had turned purple from being exposed to the icy air for hours!


    Tina grabbed Aster''s arm, seeking warmth as they approached her father. Standing just a few steps away, they observed the president''s trembling figure, his teeth chattering and hisplexion pale. His ears had drooped, giving him the appearance of a cold, helpless kitten.


    "So, Father, are you still against me bing an adventurer?" Tina asked, her eyes burning with determination.


    "O-Of course!" the man stammered, refusing to yield.


    "I will n-never let this b-brat have his way with y-you!"


    "... I see." Tina nodded. "Darling, let''s go. It seems Father still needs more time to cool his head. Another five hours in the ice should do the trick."


    "...!"


    Everyone in the room shook. The president might survive a few more hours, but the assassins, trapped in a small space with limited air, were barely breathing. They had maybe an hour left before they would sumb to carbon dioxide poisoning.


    "W-Wait, my little Celes... I-I get it... I''ll allow you to c-c-continue adventuring...!"


    ''Just please release me!'' his pleading eyes seemed to say. Find exclusive content at §Þ??


    Despite his surrender, Tina scoffed. "You think I''ll fall for the same trick again? How many times have you done this, only to y dumb afterward? Let''s go, darling."


    "..."


    Aster couldn''t help but admire Tina''s "negotiation" technique. Even though he had a hand in creating this situation, her method was far too effective!


    Finally, even the stubborn president gave in.


    "I, I won''t go back on my word! I-I p-promise to let you continue adventuring with that bastard beside you!" he shouted. "So please forgive me, my little princess!"


    With that, Tina recorded her father''s promise on video before asking Aster to release everyone from the ice prison. By then, none of the assassins harbored any ill will toward Aster. Instead, he had be a symbol of fear for them.


    The unfortunate assassins were so traumatized by the event that they would panic at the sight of any ice, even ice cubes¡ªbut that was something Aster didn''t need to know.

 Chapter 185: Breezing Through the Dungeon! (1)

    After Tina got her father''s permission (albeit forcefully), Aster returned to his room to change into more casual clothes, concealing his face and other features before heading out again.


    This time, he nned to buy items that weren''t listed in their dungeon preparation. Essentially, he was going window shopping and buying whatever caught his interest.


    Aside from dungeon-rted items, Aster visited various markets to pick up food supplies, ingredients, and even a cooler to store sensitive perishables, ensuring they stayed fresh a bit longer.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t run into any of the girls during his shopping trip. However, they all sent messages in the group chat, saying they''d finished their own lists already.


    "Everyone, get a good rest. Starting tomorrow, we''re going to breeze through the dungeon!"


    With Argus and Aster being overpowered for their current floor, it would be a breeze to clear the floors beneath the 30th level. Their strategy was to rush through, wasting no time.


    No need to worry about surprise attacks!


    At the top speed they could manage¡ªlimited by Lory''s low DEX stat¡ªthey could cover over 200 kilometers in about 15 to 18 hours. If they didn''t have to amodate Lory''s speed, then the next slowest would be Liz, which would still bring their clearing time down to about 8 to 12 hours!


    Aster had something else in mind for tomorrow. A special item that was bound to surprise them.


    "I can''t wait to see their reactions!" He chuckled yfully.


    Aster was already excited about tomorrow.


    *BEEP!*


    Suddenly, his Holo Tab lit up with a new message. Aster nced at it and saw it was from Mayor Magnus. The contents were a mix of reminders, warnings, and relevant information.


    "My second partner has already been decided?" He scratched his cheek.


    Of course, this wasn''t really his "second," considering he had already been with Vanessa. Still, that was a secret, so the thought made him feel a little awkward.


    The other party was a single woman in a high-ranking position. Hearing that gave Aster some relief. Though it was with the consent of both parties, he didn''t feel right about sleeping with a married woman.


    "But I wonder who it is?"


    Magnus hadn''t included the name or position of the person, leaving Aster curious.


    "Well, it''s just a one-off rtionship anyway," he shrugged. ''Though it''d be awkward if it''s someone I know...''


    A high-ranking person... Vanessa''s face popped into his head, making him a bit nervous. "It''s not her again, is it...?"


    Their "date" was set for June 10th, the day when the other party would supposedly be the most "fertile" and the chances of sess would be highest. Aster marked the date on his calendar and hoped for smooth dungeon diving until then.


    ---


    June 2, 4533, 6 a.m., Adventurer''s Guild.


    Aster, Cassy, Kali, Tina, and Liz had already gathered. They''d exchanged supplies and refined their n for the day. Now, they were just waiting for Lory, who waste¡ªagain.


    ''She did mention she had a cold yesterday, so we''ll wait just a little longer¡­''


    Just as Aster was considering extending their wait, a bob of silvery-red hair appeared through the crowd. Her distinctive ear wings made it easy for Aster and the others to spot her.


    "Lory, over here!" Cassy called out energetically.


    Lory squeezed through the bustling crowd and entered the guild, panting slightly. "Sorry, I overslept a bit." She apologized with a sheepish smile.


    "It''s fine, you''re not thatte, and you were sick yesterday." Liz patted her on the back. "More importantly, you and Aster should renew your contracts. We''re heading straight to the dungeon afterward."


    "...Right."


    Lory looked visibly tired, and the group assumed it was from pushing herself after recovering from her cold. However, her exhaustion was from something else¡ªsomething she couldn''t share with them...


    Aster and Lory approached the counter to talk to Zena about renewing their contracts. The process went smoothly, without any issues, and ended in just a few minutes.


    "Let''s get going!"


    With that, the whole party chatted amicably as they made their way toward the dungeon entrance.


    The Oni Uncle greeted them with a wide grin. It might have been a friendly smile, but to most people, it looked fierce and intimidating¡ªthough not to Cassy.


    "Uncle, we''re back~! Hehehe!"


    "Oh! Working hard again, I see! I thought you''d rest longer! Kahaha!"


    Cassy smiled as she handed him her card along with everyone else''s. "We''re clearing the fifth floor today! Wish us luck!"


    "Luck? With your skills, clearing it in one go is a given. Go and rack up those earnings, my little piggy banks!" He praised.


    Once they reached the other side, Aster released Argus from his jacket, letting the little puppy breathe fresh air. Then, he turned to the girls with a grin.


    "Alright, from here on out, all of you will be riding on Argus and Aster''s A-A Bus!"


    The girls thought he was speaking metaphorically... but little did they know, Aster meant it literally. He pulled out arge object from his Spatial Fanny Pack, making quite a surprising disy.


    "Hop on!"


    What Aster revealed was an Electromaic Push/Pull Cart, an item most wealthy adventurers had. It allowed them to carry more than their usual capacity, perfect for hauling extra loot.


    The price of such carts varied based on capacity, and Aster had bought one with a 600 kg capacity. He had also modified it, adding seats on either side. In its current state, it could carry both loot and a few passengers.


    Aster didn''t n to waste time. As the fastest, strongest, and toughest in the party, he decided to load everyone onto the cart and pull them through the dungeon!


    "With this, we''ll reach the other end in six hours!" Aster dered.


    "Is this... safe?" Cassy asked, eyeing the cart warily.


    "Leader..." Kali added hesitantly.


    "Aster, this thing won''t overturn while we''re on it... right?" Liz raised an eyebrow, skeptical.


    "So we can move while resting? Convenient!" Lory chimed in with a smile.


    Despite their mixed reactions, the girls carefully climbed onto the cart, rxingfortably. It was quiterge¡ªabout 1.5 meters wide and 2.5 meters long¡ªso there was plenty of space for everyone to sit without squeezing.


    They sat perpendicr to the direction of travel, giving them added stability in case of any sudden elerations or decelerations.


    Aster moved to the front, grabbed the handle of the cart, and shed a yful smile.


    "Fasten your seatbelts! We''re setting off!"

 Chapter 186: Breezing Through the Dungeon! (2)

    Of course, the cart wasn''t designed to carry people, so it didn''t have seatbelts. Aster turned to Argus and smiled as he gave hismand.


    "Alright, buddy. You''re in charge of clearing all the monsters around us!"


    Aster would be pulling the cart while Argus, equipped with the EXP Share (Equal) ability, would handle the monsters. This arrangement would not only shorten their total travel time but also ensure everyone gained experience safely!


    *Arf!*


    The little husky barked in acknowledgment of his task, and Aster tightened his grip on the cart''s handles, starting to move forward.


    Although the cart was floating using Electromaic levitation, it wasn''t exactly easy to pull. The maic forces interacting beneath the cart created a "cushion" of eddy currents, making it feel as if he were pulling the cart through thick mud.


    "Ugh...!"


    However, like any other vehicle, once a certain level of momentum was reached, movement became easier. Aster gradually increased his speed, and within a minute, he was moving at the same pace as the average running speed of a girl!


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    As Aster pulled the cart, Argus darted around at twice his speed, clearing all monsters within a 100-meter radius. The little husky didn''t limit himself to any particr method; he used every skill at his disposal¡ªbiting, w attacks, and even lightning bolts falling from the sky. Every monster he encountered was swiftly dispatched!


    "Woah!"


    After just 30 minutes of running, Kali''s voice rang out in surprise. Her body glowed, signaling her level-up!


    "This is fantastic!" Kali beamed. "But I feel bad for the little guy, doing all the work."


    "It''s fine," Aster reassured her with a clear grin. "Argus enjoys moving around. This doesn''t even tire him out!"


    Just like Argus, Aster hadn''t broken a sweat despite running for half an hour. With his CON stat over 30, it was nearly impossible for him to get tired from such exertion.


    Despite their efforts to avoid forests that would slow them down, they were traveling faster than anyone else. In just one hour, they had covered more than 20% of the distance, a feat that would normally take others over 8 hours!


    Argus was thrilled to be "ying" again after a long time. He was running around energetically, relishing the freedom and the abundance of monsters to engage with.


    Even though he had already hunted hundreds of 5th-floor monsters, the little husky showed no signs of fatigue!


    By the time the clock struck twelve, Aster finally began to slow down and came to a stop. The girls were concerned, wondering if he was already tired, but...


    "It''s noon, so let''s have lunch!"


    Their concerns were misced.


    Aster was more worried about the girls getting hungry than about himself. Although they usually spent their days hunting from morning to evening, having just breakfast and dinner, taking a lunch break asionally wouldn''t be so bad.


    *Arf!* *Arf!*


    And let''s not forget Argus, who had been the biggest contributor to their speed. Aster wanted to reward his faithfulpanion with a hearty meal!


    "Well, we''re almost at the boss, so why not?" Liz agreed, hopping off the cart and stretching her body¡ªespecially her wings.


    The wind pressure from Aster''s speed had been intense. Her wings, with their expansive surface area, had taken the brunt of the strong winds, leaving them stiff and fatigued.


    "Even though it''s great to be moving fast, sitting for hours without doing anything can be quite painful!" Cassymented, massaging her legs after dismounting.


    Aster nodded in agreement. He understood how sitting still for long periods could be tiring and dull, as he had experienced it many times before.


    "Alright then, let''s adjust our n. We''ll ride the cart for 2 hours straight, then walk for 1 hour, and repeat."


    "Sounds good~!"


    "Agreed."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Afterward, Aster pulled out pre-cooked lunchboxes and distributed a portion to everyone. He also set aside enough food for Argus¡ªabout three people''s worth. "Eat well, buddy. We still have a long day ahead!"


    Their rapid travel had already covered 80% of the distance in just 5 hours. However, there was a minor downside: they couldn''t gather loot since Argus was doing all the killing. Although they could spare some time to collect the loot, that would significantly dy them.


    Thus, the revised n of riding for 2 hours and walking for 1 hour also served the purpose of gathering loot. This way, they could at least recover a portion of the expenses they had incurred.


    With their ample budget for supplies, they couldfortably stay in the dungeon for a week without any issues!


    After their meal and a short rest, they continued their journey.


    As promised, they spent 1 hour walking before resuming their ride on the cart. It didn''t take them another hour to reach the end.


    Everyone disembarked from the cart and readied their weapons, preparing to face the boss. Once they were all set, Aster led them toward the portal at the other end.


    As they approached the portal, the boss began to materialize.


    "I wonder what we''ll encounter?" Aster mused aloud.


    Eventually, the boss monster appeared. It was a massive wolf, twice the size of a Dire Wolf, and it looked extremely formidable. Aster could immediately tell that this wasn''t a boss typically associated with the 5th floor''s challenge!


    "This is... Dire Wolf Alpha?!"


    Kali, who was quite knowledgeable about monsters, recognized it instantly. "No way. That''s a boss monster for the 15th floor, not here!"


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    In an instant, a bolt of white lightning struck the wolf. It was so swift that the creature didn''t even have time to react before copsing to the ground, dead.


    "..."


    Everyone stared at the culprit¡ªthe adorable dog at Aster''s feet.


    *Arf?*


    The dog tilted its head, puzzled by the attention it was receiving. Aster picked him up and patted his head lightly with a sigh. "Well, I expected as much. Good job, buddy."


    Although they missed out on a proper fight with the boss, having it easy was preferable to battling through a tough encounter.


    With mixed emotions, the party entered the portal and moved on to the next floor.

 Chapter 187: Unbelievable Pace!

    Soon, midnight came.


    At the dungeon''s entrance, fewer and fewer people were present¡ªadventurers who had just returned or those nning to enter. The Oni Uncle stood ever vignt, as if he hadn''t left his post for even one second.


    Right then, the portal shone, indicating that someone wasing out.


    The first to arrive was an orange rabbit beastman, Cassy, who quickly greeted the Oni Uncle with her usual tireless smile.


    "Ah, Uncle! We''re back~! And sorry, but please step back a little. Star''s pulling a big cart!"


    "Ou! Wee back!" the Oni Uncle replied, stepping aside as she requested. "Did you have arge haul today? Good, good!" He praised them with a grin.


    Cassy dashed back into the portal before emerging again. Behind her, Aster was pulling arge EM Cart, which was piled high with countless monster materials, nearly overflowing from the cart itself!


    "These are...?" The Oni Uncle raised an eyebrow at the sight. "Weren''t you on the 5th floor? Most of these loots, like the Green Wolf Pelt, are only avable on the 6th floor!"


    Cassy beamed proudly. "Ehehe, we''re on the 7th floor now! We swept through the 5th and 6th floors~!"


    "Seventh?!"


    The Oni Uncle groaned in surprise. It was no wonder he was taken aback¡ªCassy had just admitted to clearing two floors in a single day!


    "Unbelievable. Did someone in your party learn teleportation or warp magic?"


    Such magic would dramatically shorten their travel time, especially through previously cleared floors. They could have simply moved to pre-defined coordinates managed by the guild.


    "We don''t have a magician, though..." Cassy replied awkwardly, scratching her head. "We just ran fast, that''s all~!"


    The Oni Uncle smiled and shook his head. He knew that even running at top speed through the 5th floor would take at least 18 hours. Adding the 6th floor would mean another 24 hours, yet they had returned in only 18 hours!


    "Well, it''s not my job to ask how you did it anyway. Congrats, kids!" He grinned, though it was clear he didn''t believe Cassy''s exnation.


    "Thanks, Uncle! See you tomorrow~!"


    While Cassy remained lively and energetic, the rest of the group looked utterly exhausted. Liz and Lory, in particr, were beyond worn out, having had to run at full speed whenever they were traveling on foot.


    Tina, the tank, was also tired from fighting monsters more powerful than their party on the 6th floor. If it weren''t for Aster and Argus backing her up, she might have needed a ride out on the cart.


    Kali, however, was the most drained of all. She had tried topete with Argus, racing to see who could kill more monsters in the shortest time. Although she didn''t evene close to Argus''s headcount, Kali had still racked up more kills than the rest of the girlsbined. No wonder her level hit 16 first, while the others remained at level 15¡ªeven after Argus had one-shotted the 6th-floor boss.


    "What should we do with the loot?" Kali asked, her voice heavy with exhaustion.


    Since it was already midnight, the guild was closed, meaning they couldn''t deposit the loot there. Moreover, the cart wasn''t the only thing filled with spoils; their pouches were also stuffed to the brim.


    Tina, looking at the piles of loot, quickly came up with a solution. "I''ll call someone to collect it. There''s a warehouse nearby where we can store everything."


    She wasted no time, pulling out her phone and dialing a number. After a brief conversation, a car arrived in less than a minute, pulling up right in front of them.


    "You, keep watch over the loot," Tina ordered one of the ck-d men who stepped out. "The collection team will be here in five minutes. Make sure nothing gets stolen."


    With their pouches emptied of the unloaded loot, the pile nearly rivaled the one on the floating cart. The man assigned to guard it took one look and made a quick estimate. The pile was worth at least a hundred million!


    "Please leave it to me, Princess Celestinya!" The man saluted, standing at attention.


    With their loot in safe hands, the party began to disperse, ready to head to their respective lodgings¡­ or so they thought.


    "Aster... Can I stay at your ce tonight?"


    This sudden request caught everyone off guard, especially Aster. The speaker was Lory. While she had visited Aster''s ce before, she had never stayed the night. She usually left at thest moment.


    "I''m fine with it, but..." Aster began, only to be interrupted.


    "NO! I told you, darling is mine!" Tina growled, clinging to Aster. "Fuck off!"


    Several minutes were spent trying to pry Tina off of Aster and get Lory to exin why she wanted to stay with him.


    "Actually, I''ve been feeling like someone''s been watching me these past few days. It''s not just an ordinary peeping tom or stalker¡ªI can sense a real threat to my life..."


    Aster frowned, deeply concerned. "Cassy, Kali, Liz, have you noticed anything unusual around your lodgings?"


    Cassy''s ears drooped as she thought it over. "Huh? Hmm¡­ I live near a busy street, so there''s always a lot of noise."


    Kali sighed. "I have, but I didn''t think it was worth mentioning."


    Kali worked for the government, so her security was tight. Aster assumed she hadn''t raised any rms because anyone targeting her would be met with swift and lethal force.


    "So, Kali and Lory..." Aster sighed, realizing his suspicion was correct. "I''m sorry, but I think those are spies from the Anti-Human Movement. It looks like they''re targeting you because of your connection to me."


    Lory and Kali exchanged shocked nces. They both knew Aster was being targeted by the fanatical Anti-Human organization, but they hadn''t expected to be dragged into the crossfire.


    "Alright, I''ll ask Magnus if you two can stay at the Twister Hotel for a while. It''s the safest option."


    Keeping them close was the best way to protect them!


    "Then me too! I''ll stay with darling tonight!" Tina dered.


    "Oh, a sleepover again? Count me in~!" Cassy chimed in.


    "I guess I can''t let myself be left out. Sorry, Aster," Liz added with a smile.


    "Alright, alright. Let me ask for permission first." Aster sighed as he pulled out his tablet.


    Before he could even type a message, a notification popped up from Magnus. It didn''t contain any text, just a single thumbs-up emoji.


    "..."


    The matter had been approved before he even had the chance to ask!

 Chapter 188: Under Siege! (1)

    With Magnus''s approval, the entire party walked back to Aster''s ce. Everyone was alert along the way; they knew the "eyes" watching Lory might be observing them from nearby.


    Thankfully, the worst-case scenario didn''t ur. Everyone arrived at the Twister Hotel safely!


    "Here are your room keys."


    With Magnus''s permission, everyone was given individual rooms, the cost covered by the government.


    To simplify security, all six stayed on the same 28th floor. However, Aster''s room was 2869, at the end of the floor''s right wing, while the girls were packed between rooms 2801 and 2805, at the opposite end of the 28th floor.


    ''Is this for my safety too?'' Aster wondered. ''Or is it for some other reason?''


    Common sense would dictate that having their rooms closer would be easier to defend, yet they were ced at opposite ends of the floor.


    "... I can''t imagine what Magnus is thinking," Aster sighed.


    Still, he was relieved they were staying in separate rooms. If they had decided to sleep in his room again, he would have lost his peaceful sleep.


    After a short, warm shower, Astery down on his bed, preparing to sleep. That''s when it happened.


    "...!"


    The building shook as if an earthquake was urring. Indeed, it was happening; yellow bands appeared around the room, and a marquee shed "Earthquake Warning: Magnitude 6.3" in red and white.


    Aster quickly dropped to all fours, crawling into hisrge, sturdy closet for cover. There, he waited for the shaking to stop, his heart pounding with worry.


    Thankfully, the earthquake faded shortly after. However, aftershocks might ur, so Aster quickly ran out of his room and headed to where the girls were staying.


    "Star!"


    "Leader!"


    Cassy and Kali were already outside their rooms, wearing thin nightclothes. Aster didn''t have time to ogle them and quickly moved to the other three''s rooms. "Liz, Tina, Lory! Are you alright?!" he called, knocking loudly on their doors.


    About ten secondster, Tina appeared, dressed simrly to the other two.


    "What''s wrong, darling? Perhaps you came to leave your mark on my body?" she asked with a hint of sleepiness in her tone.


    Aster ignored her teasing and moved to Liz''s door instead. Cassy was already there, knocking nonstop, but there was no response.


    ''Did she get stuck? Or did she lose consciousness after getting hit by falling objects?''


    Several scenarios crossed Aster''s mind, but his fears were quickly dispelled when Liz groaned from inside. "Ugh... What''s up...?" Liz grumbled, rubbing her eyes sleepily.


    Seeing that Liz was still wearing the underclothes of her usual attire, she must have gone to bed as soon as they arrived. Aster felt relief, seeing she was safe, before turning to thest room, where Kali was still busily knocking on the door.


    He approached, but just as he reached the door, he felt something was amiss. "This presence is...!"


    With his level 41 senses, he could tell there was "something" inside Lory''s room. "Lory!" he roared before kicking the door open.


    As soon as he did, he found a man wearing a deep-hooded mantle standing with his back facing them. Beyond him stood Lory, who had a few wounds on her body, bleeding.


    "Fuck...!"


    Aster moved without preparation, running to the man and sending a kick toward his head. However, as if he had eyes on his back, the assant ducked before turning around and moving as if to grab him.


    *Whoosh!*


    Right then, a sh sped past Aster.


    A small figure, with pure white fur, mmed against the man''s face, pushing him back. "Argus!" Aster gasped, almost forgetting about his buddy. "Great job!"


    With the opening, Aster managed tond a solid kick to the man''s side, sending him crashing into the left-side wall. "Cassy, heal!" And without wasting a moment, he chased the man once more, not nning to let him stand back up.


    While moving, Aster wondered about one thing. From the feedback of his kick, he could tell that the man he kicked wasn''t "human," quickly narrowing down the suspects to one.


    ''How did the Anti-Human Movement bastardse here without alerting the security?!''


    He was confused but had no time to ponder. In the middle of thinking, he arrived before the hooded figure once more and raised his fist, punching without telegraphing his movements.


    "GRAAAH!"


    But his fist was caught by the man''s w-like hands. Aster felt pain in his fist before quickly sending a kick, flicking the hand holding him away. He jumped back before looking at his hand and frowned. As he expected, the w made several deep incisions on his hand, almost cutting some of his fingers off!


    "Damn it...!"


    Due to adrenaline, there was no pain, but the numbness of his fist was unnerving.


    "Secundi Sirreo fen Cura! Area Heal!"


    Thankfully, Cassy''s support came at the perfect time. The range covered both him and Lory, healing their wounds in moments. But of course, the opponent wouldn''t just watch as they healed.


    "GRAAAAGH!"


    The man jumped forward, his mantle pping wildly with the wind pressure, revealing his body. A mix of humanoid and wolf-like features. "A Lycan!" Aster growled before crossing his arms, blocking the iing w attack. It was a futile attempt to block, resolving himself to take moderate damage, but it ended up unnecessary.


    *ARF!*


    With the loud bark, the entire room suddenly shed with a red light. A powerful arc of red lightning appeared,ing from Argus, and hitting the man mid-air!


    The current was so powerful that the man''s clothes and fur turned to ashes in seconds before his entire body gradually faded to dust.


    *sh!*


    And with Argus killing a high-level enemy, everyone rose one level simultaneously!


    "..."


    Aster surveyed the ce but couldn''t find any other traces. At least, there was nobody else within Lory''s room. He turned to check the girls, who had already gathered to pull Lory to her feet, and moved to the door.


    "... First, let''s go to the lobby. If an aftershock stronger than the earlier earthquake happens, it could be dangerous," Astermanded with a serious tone.


    But just as they were about to move out, something shed from outside the window. Aster turned to it by reflex, only to see a five-meter-wide fireball approaching them at bullet speed.


    "EVERYONE, GET DOWN!" he shouted, but it was already toote.


    A powerful explosion urred, washing everyone''s sight with a bright sh of light.

 Chapter 189: Under Siege! (2)

    A powerful fire attack hit the building, causing great damage. However, at the same time, it also alerted the entire security team.


    Guards flooded outside, confronting the group of assants, who had managed to enter the Twister Hotel''s perimeter without anyone detecting them!


    Of course, not all of them went toward the trespassers. A portion went to check the 28th floor, where the attack was aimed. Some rushed through the stairs, while others with enough ability jumped straight to the 28th floor through the exploded walls.


    "Hello?! Anybody there?!" the man shouted, scanning the room.


    Right then, from within the mes, a strained voice echoed. "We''re right here." The speaker was Liz, who was down on one knee, panting heavily.


    "Are you alright? We''ll save you right now!"


    "I''m fine, just ran out of mana," she exined. "Rather, please prioritize the others."


    In the nick of time, Liz managed to activate her new skill, Guardian''s Embrace, and Immortality. Thanks to that, she managed to take all the damage that should''ve gone to Aster and the others instead, saving them in the process.


    Still, her mana dropped to zero in an instant, making her feel lightheaded. Furthermore, Aster, Cassy, and the others, who were closer to the explosion, ended up getting sted into the next room through the wall, making it impossible to see their current state.


    As expected, although the damage was covered by Liz, the physical difort and dizziness after getting mmed, along with shortness of breath from the oxygen level dropping during the explosion, remained.


    "Gah...!"


    Aster regained consciousness quickly, thanks to his high stats. Looking around, Cassy and Tina were hugging Lory, protecting her, though all three were simrly knocked out.


    "Fuck... that bastard!"


    Kali, on the other hand, recovered moments after Aster did. Thanks to her flexible judgment, she managed to soften the impact, causing her to only suffer minor dizziness.


    Aster saw that everyone was still alive and heaved a sigh of relief. ''Liz must''ve saved us with her skill,'' Aster guessed immediately.


    He started looking around, searching for his little buddy. "Argus?"


    However, the husky was nowhere to be found.


    "Are you alright?! We''re here to save you!"


    Right then, more security personnel arrived, quickly grabbing the fainted girls and moving them to safety. "You two shoulde with us too. Leave the fight to the professionals," he said, patting Aster''s back with a coaxing tone.


    "Where''s Liz?" Aster asked.


    "She''s already been led to safety," the man replied. "She ran out of mana and was slightly dizzy, so I left one of my subordinates to escort her."


    Hearing the good news, Aster sighed in relief.


    "That''s good. Then, show me to the battlefield."


    The security head smiled, urging Aster to where the girls were taken, before stopping.


    "Alright, follow me. The shelter is... wait, what?"


    He doubted his ears, causing a slight dy in his understanding. "Did you just say you''re going to the battlefield right now?!"


    Aster stared at the man, his eyes sharp and filled with anger. "I did," he stated tly. "They dare hurt myrades; there''s no way I''ll let them go scot-free. I will personally punish those anti-human fuckers!"


    "No way!" the man scowled. "Mayor Magnus asked me to ensure your safety, and leading you to the frontline is the furthest I can get from fulfilling thatmand!"


    "Is that so?" Aster red at the man before turning toward the broken walls. "Then never mind. I can see them from here, anyway."


    *THUD!*


    He kicked off the ground, causing the fragments to explode, and filling the room with more dust. In one leap, Aster reached the edge of the broken wall and jumped!


    "This is the 28th floor!"


    The man shouted, trying to catch Aster and pull him to safety, but he was too slow to even grab his shadow. He peeked outside, seeing Aster freefalling fearlessly.


    "Crysta!" Aster growled, extending his right hand forward.


    Right then, the crest on the back of his right hand started to glow. The air beside Aster began to freeze, creating a long, curved slide down to the ground! It was perfectly calcted, allowing him to naturally hit the slide and follow its curves, gradually slowing his falling speed, and transforming it into horizontal movement.


    "Hup!"


    He soon reached the open end, which pointed upward, wasting more of his earlier momentum, beforending perfectly on his two feet.


    Aster surveyed his surroundings. Security personnel of the hotel, along with the private guards Magnus called in, were engaged in a fierce battle with a group of fanatics.


    Deadly skills flew, and explosions erupted, creating a chaotic scene where lives were being lost every few seconds.


    "As expected, the security team is getting pushed back."


    Their exchange was equal in terms of damage output, but there was one defining difference between the two sides: their toughness.


    "GRAAAGH!"


    Like wild beasts, the members of the Anti-Human Movement, who were obviously already at the Monsterization stage, fought without fear. Attacksnded on them, but they barely felt it!


    Guns were useless, and weak attacks couldn''t even dent their defenses. Powerful attacks caused injuries to them, but their regeneration was beyond what''s normally possible!


    "This... they must be drugged."


    Aster''s first encounter with the Anti-Human Movement was with two drugged enemies. He wasn''t sure what the "drug" was, but it could raise all their abilities beyond the limit. Right now, the scene before him was exactly the same as back then.


    "Crysta... If I froze all the fanatics here to death, would that reduce my lifespan?"


    {With your current state in mind, Master, about half a year''s worth will be lost.?}


    Crysta''s cold but calm voice echoed in his mind, telling him about the price of his n. Aster sighed, frowning hard. He couldn''t afford to lose that much, but if he didn''t intervene, this side would be wiped out before backup arrived.


    "Then... what if I just freeze them halfway?" he asked again in wonder.


    {If it''s with the intent of just dying the enemy, then roughly a week''s worth of Master''s life would be used up.?}


    ''Still expensive!''


    Aster sighed but had no choice. He narrowed his eyes before whispering with solid resolve.


    "Do it."


    {As youmand.?}


    The Magic-Carved Seal released a bright blue light as Aster''s palm aimed forward. Right then, a miracle urred. With pinpoint uracy, the members of the Anti-Human Movement''s bodies started to freeze at a visible pace.


    However, with their strength, it was nothing but a minor inconvenience. Something they could escape in a few seconds.


    "But those few seconds are fatal."


    *ARF!*


    Right at that moment, a powerful array of lightning fell, targeting all the frozen enemies.


    "Oh, I leveled up."


    Argus, the god of cuteness, harvested another batch of golden leeks!

 Chapter 190: Under Siege! (3)

    Although Argus killed many of the fanatics with one strike, they were scattered. As such, only half of them died from that attack.


    "But that should be enough."


    With their forces halved, the security personnel would have an easier time handling the rest. Aster and Argus achieved their primary goal of preserving the frontlines.


    However, this came with a price. Aster lost part of his precious lifespan from overusing the legacy once again. If things continued like this, his remaining lifespan would be used up before he could even reach a decent floor where he could farm extra years for his life.


    "The Devil''s Pawn! DIE!"


    "...!"


    While he was deep in thought, one of the Anti-Human fanatics managed to break the icy restraints and rush toward him. Aster took a step back before executing a jumping tornado kick, timing it perfectly to intercept the iing attacker.


    *BAM!*


    A solid hit to his face!


    However, there was a significant level gap between them. Even though Aster''s stats wereparable to a level 60, the enemies were over level 300! A normal attack from Aster, without skill assistance, was practically like a mosquito bite.


    The man, who looked like a mutated bear with a wide mouth and three red eyes, moved to grab Aster. Despite itsrge build, its movements were fast.


    *THUD!*


    "Kuh!"


    "Are you alright?!"


    Thankfully, Aster wasn''t alone. The captain from earlier, who had been with Aster, finally arrived and blocked the bear, locking hands with it in an attempt to overpower the beast.


    "Your help is appreciated, but any more than this, and we''ll all be losing our jobs! Please stand back, Mr. Aster!"


    The man in ck, despite being smaller in stature than the bear, was gradually pushing it back. Crunching sounds echoed, indicating that one of their hands was breaking under the pressure.


    *GAAAAH!*


    It was easy to tell who was winning. The bear fell to its knees, pain visible on its ugly face. However, it couldn''t escape the man''s grip, prolonging its suffering.


    "Too weak, and you dare attack my protection target?!" The man grinned viciously as more cracking sounds filled the air, his grip folding the bearman''s arm backward. "You''re seeking death!"


    *CRACK!*


    Finally, the bear''s arm snapped at an unnatural angle. It cried in pain but fell silent shortly after. The man in ck let out a powerful kick to its chest, opening a gaping hole through the other side. Its heart and lungs likely exploded from the force.


    The bear fell, lifeless, and the man sighed as he retracted his extended leg.


    "Well then, Mr. Aster, please get to safety. I will go provide backup to my subordinates now," he said.


    "No, I''ll stay here."


    But Aster was stubborn. He had no ns to retreat to safety.


    Five minutes had passed since the battle started, and the security personnel were now gaining the upper hand, with the enemy reduced to only a quarter of its original size. Backup had also arrived, ensuring that the situation would soon be under control.


    *BOOM!* *RUMBLE!*


    Dozens ofrge ck pirs fell from the sky, smashing the Anti-Human Movement fanatics in one blow. They didn''t even have time to scream, as death came swiftly.


    Aster raised his head, staring at the starry sky, wondering where those pirs came from.


    "The Hit Squad, huh..." he muttered.


    Whoever was controlling those pirs was undoubtedly a powerful being, likely someone on par with Ragnaros of Dragon''s Roar, who was at the forefront of the deepest dungeon floors. However, Aster found it strange that he couldn''t see where the attack originated or who hadunched it.


    "Maybe a warp skill?" Aster wondered.


    Regardless, all the Anti-Human Movement''s members were now buried beneath the massive pirs, and their deaths didn''t even need confirmation.


    The situation was now under control.


    ---


    A total of 388 fanatics of the Anti-Human Movement died that night, along with roughly 45 security personnel. Of the remaining security members, 75% were lightly wounded, while 25% were heavily injured.


    If not for Aster''s timely intervention, the casualties would have likely doubled or even led to a total wipeout. The situation had been extremely dangerous the previous night.


    It was now noon, and Aster and the girls had just woken up. Thankfully, none of them were seriously injured, and they had been healed back to full health with basic healing spells and potions.


    The group was staying on the 20th floor in rooms 2033 to 2038, located at the center of the hotel, making it harder for any potential attackers to infiltrate.


    "As expected, our current strength is way too low."


    Inside Aster''s room, the entire party gathered, enjoying brunch while discussing their future ns.


    "With Aster always getting attacked like this, we could end up dead just from the crossfire."


    Liz''s words were persuasive. If not for her timely use of her skills the previous night, things could have gone much worse. Death wouldn''t have been an unusual oue in that situation. When put into words, they had just gotten lucky, and such luck wasn''t something they could always rely on.


    "That''s why we need to keep climbing the floors, face stronger monsters, and raise our levels faster!"


    "In short, the same as usual?" Kali shrugged.


    Although she appeared nonchnt, she had also felt how powerless she was. Despite being Aster''s bodyguard, she had been unable to do anything as he jumped down to the 28th floor to face the Anti-Human fanatics. The reality stung her pride.


    Their discussion continued for a while, as they debated what they should do next and how to approach their challenges. Even after finishing their meal, the meeting continued.


    "Ah, right. The loot has already been cashed in. We earned a total of 125 million Tels. Each of us received about 20 million, so please check your cards," Tina said, reading a message she had just received.


    Of course, earning such an amount in just a day of hunting was usually impossible. However, with Aster''s ability to use the seal freely, he could kill slimes easily without the need to capture them first. Killing slimes within 100 meters of his position didn''t even consume his lifespan, allowing them to collect many slime cores without much trouble, which boosted their loot value.


    Everyone checked their cards and smiled.


    "Alright, let''s head back to the dungeon! We''ll keep going until we run out of supplies!" Kali said enthusiastically.


    They had bought enough supplies tost a week, so they had no concerns on that front. However, Aster raised his hand.


    "Let''s make it six days. I have a meeting with Magnus on the 10th, so I need to be back by then."

 Chapter 191: A Week of Rush! (1)

    Around 3 p.m. that same day, Aster and the rest were already standing before the dungeon''s gate. Their meeting had concluded, with all details finalized.


    Their n was simple: rush through the floors using the same process as before¡ªriding Aster''s cart for two hours and moving on foot for one hour, repeating the cycle.


    The only difference this time was that they would exit the dungeon after clearing each floor to pass the loot to thepany Tina had arranged to handle it. This was the samepany that had lent them their warehouse the night before. However, unlike before, this time there was a proper contract, with thepany taking 10% of their profits as payment.


    Aster and the others didn''t mind this minor setback.


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    *ARF!*


    After learning from Kali that bringing "pets" into the dungeon was allowed and free of charge, Aster no longer hid Argus inside his clothes before entering.


    "Oh, it''s you guys again!" The Oni Uncle grinned. "I heard what happenedst night and figured you''d all be taking a break today. Looks like I underestimated how hard-working you all are!"


    "Ehehe, we''re going to stay in the dungeon for a week!" Cassy exined.


    "A week? Damn, that''s a long time! That makes me think you''re already in the middle floors or something!"


    From floor 200 and above, a week-long conquest was the norm. Of course, this could be shortened using teleportation services, but those were costly. That''s why mages who could teleport or warp were always in demand.


    Big ns like Dragon''s Roar had Teleportation Arrays set up on certain floors, which made their progress faster. However, they rarely allowed outsiders to use those arrays for free, making it costly even then. And even with those arrays, skipping floors was impossible, much less traveling to lower ones.


    After chatting briefly, they paid the entrance fee and went inside. As they did, they saw a familiar face who was on their way back: the leader of the 177th and 178th teams of the Dragon''s Roar n, Seiji, along with his team.


    "So, you guys are on the 7th floor too?" Aster couldn''t help butment.


    He thought they would stay longer and clear the Crypt that appeared on the fifth floor, but they were already on the 7th floor.


    "Hmmm? Do we know you?" Seiji scoffed, raising a brow.


    From his reaction, it was clear he didn''t remember Aster''s team at all. However, the same couldn''t be said for the sharp-tongued spearman beside him.


    "AH! It''s that party, Seiji! The one who stole the boss on the 4th floor from us!" he whispered loudly, though his voice was far from discreet.


    "...?"


    Aster red at the spearman, who was spouting nonsense. They hadn''t stolen the boss¡ªthey had saved the Dragon''s Roar party from being wiped out!


    "Ah, so it''s you, huh?"


    But Seiji quickly remembered Aster from that one clue, meaning he, too, believed the spearman''s version of events.


    "Filthy adventurers who steal others'' hard work... You''re a disgrace to all adventurers who fight hard to clear the dungeon."


    "Fuckers...!"


    Kali and Tina''s blood boiled, but Aster quickly extended an arm, stopping them fromshing out.


    "Hard work? Well, I guess lining up to get spanked by the boss IS hard work. Don''t worry, we don''t need your thanks for saving your lives," Aster said with a smile.


    "YOU!!!"


    As expected of someone with a shorter temper than Kali, the spearman red up and attacked. His spear shot toward Aster''s right shoulder, clearly meant to wound but not kill¡ªat least he had the sense to avoid fatal blows.


    Aster observed the spear''s trajectory and was surprised by the spearman''s speed, which was probably faster than Kali''s. "But still too slow for me."


    He pinched the tip of the spear, stopping it in mid-thrust. The spearman was stunned! He tried pulling at his weapon, but it didn''t budge! Aster''s hand didn''t even move.


    "That''s enough, Ador." Seiji stepped in, cing a hand on the spearman''s shoulder. "Attacking another adventurer is against the code of conduct. Stop it."


    "B-But these shameless bastards...!"


    "Ador! Don''t make me repeat myself," Seiji growled, anger rising in his voice. "We''re alreadygging behind the other teams¡ªwe shouldn''t waste time on trash like them."


    Aster scoffed and released the spear tip, shrugging. "Heh! Sorry for being trash, then, Mr. Worse-than-Trash."


    "Don''t push your luck, weakling. Even I don''t have infinite patience."


    "Oh? Don''t worry, neither do I."


    "...!"


    Seiji''s hand moved toward his sword''s hilt, preparing to use his fastest attack, Battou, to intimidate Aster. But before he could act, he found his sword stuck in its sheath¡ªAster''s foot had locked the base of the hilt in ce!


    "You better not, Mr. Worse-than-Trash. That''s strike two already," Aster said, narrowing his eyes and smiling thinly.


    Seiji''s body stiffened as his instincts screamed for him to flee, but his pride held him back. The fear he felt was undeniable, and it made him hesitate.


    "Seiji, it''s almost time..."


    The cleric of their team spoke up, ncing at her watch. They had a meeting scheduled, and they couldn''t afford to miss it.


    Seiji seized the opportunity to retreat, removing Aster''s foot from his sword hilt. He sneered. "Hah, you''re lucky, weakling. If we had time, I''d teach you a lesson." He motioned to his team. "Everyone, let''s go!"


    As if running away, Seiji turned and walked toward the portal.


    "Don''t worry, I wouldn''t want someone worse than trash teaching me anything anyway!" Aster called out, timing his words as Seiji was halfway through the portal.


    After the spearman, ring at Aster until thest second, finally disappeared, Cassy then spoke up.


    "Star, picking fights is bad!" she scolded.


    "Stupid rabbit, they''re the ones who picked a fight with us!" Kali snapped. "iming we stole the boss when they didn''t even damage it... How shameless!"


    "Well, don''t mind it," Aster shrugged. "I doubt we''ll see them inside the dungeon again after this."


    "...That''s true." Kali sighed, trying to let her anger go. "But I still want to beat that spearman again."


    "Agreed! How dare he look down on darling?!" Tina grumbled. "We should crush himter!"


    "Alright, alright, enough talk." Aster pped once, signaling the end of the discussion. "We''ve got a long way ahead of us. Let''s go."


    The cart was ready, waiting for them to board. Meanwhile, Argus was already ying with slimes a short distance away.


    "To the 8th floor!"

 Chapter 192: A Week of Rush! (2)

    After their small scuffle with the Dragon''s Roar team, Aster and the others began executing their ns. Their goal was to defeat the boss of the 7th floor before midnight!


    The girls once again rode on the AA Express, enjoying a smooth and swift passage with little to no inconveniences. Argus, clearing monsters around them, allowed them to gain experience even while seated!


    They no longer felt sorry for Argus, knowing they had ways to repay the hardworking pup. During breaks, the husky was pampered by five doting goddesses, making Aster feel just a little jealous!


    After two hours of riding, they switched to slower, manual hunting. As usual, their main task was gathering loot, as Argus rarely allowed any monsters to get close. Kali didn''t contest him, knowing they still had a long conquest ahead.


    Their job was easy, with only one or two monsters reaching them every ten minutes. However, those monsters were a few levels higher than the girls, making the fights a bit intense. Whenever the girls found themselves in critical situations, Aster would step in and save them, keeping their injuries to minor scratches and cuts.


    Cassy, who had little to do, ensured everyone was fully healed after each cycle.


    Time flew by, and they gained two levels by the time they reached the boss area. It was just a little past 11:30 p.m., ahead of their schedule. Without hesitation, they went straight for the boss battle.


    As they approached the portal, the boss began to manifest.


    Unlike previous anomalies, this time the boss was the standard variety for the 7th floor. A Rush Boar, simr to what they had faced on the 6th floor, appeared, making Aster wonder if the anomalies were only on the lower floors.


    *GRAAAGH!*


    The Rush Boar let out a powerful roar as it materialized.


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    Before it could take a step, Argus'' lightning struck it, killing the boss in a single blow. The girls, already used to this disy, quickly praised Argus for a job well done.


    "Alright, let''s gather the loot and move to the next floor. Then we''ll head back for a break," Aster instructed.


    The Rush Boar, nearly five meters long, was toorge to take out whole. Fortunately, Aster had learned enough material processing to handle the bloodletting, fur collection, and harvesting of useful parts. Of course, this skill came with plenty of "practice" on Green Wolves.


    Among the girls, only Kali and Liz had the skills to assist Aster, so the three of them worked together to harvest the boss''s materials.


    By the time they finished, it was already past midnight. Despite the dy, they were satisfied with the loot they gathered.


    "This should be worth something, at least," Aster remarked.


    They loaded the loot onto the cart, then proceeded to the next floor. Liz and Tina took the cart outside to hand the loot to thepany before returning.


    By the time they rejoined the group, Aster and the others had already set up four tents and were in the middle of cooking dinner. They then decided on the watch cycle before heading to sleep.


    Camping near the entrance proved to be safe, with only a couple of Big Green Slimes from the 8th floor wandering into their camp, quickly turning into cores.


    When morning came, they had breakfast and set off at 6 a.m. sharp, nning to reach the 10th floor in one go.


    "The 10th floor is considered the final tutorial floor, so let''s be careful!" Aster warned.


    After the 10th floor, they would leave the unchanging sunny floors and face varying terrains that shifted every few floors.


    Their journey continued in their usual fashion, with their gathered loot stored in their Fanny Packs to save space. Amusingly, only their food and water supplies dwindled, while potions and other items remained untouched.


    After lunch and two hours on the cart, they reached the boss of the 8th floor¡ªa Mega Green Slime. Aster decided to skip collecting the core, prioritizing experience instead. Argus killed the slime in one blow, sharing the gained EXP with everyone.


    "Finally, level 20!" the girls rejoiced.


    They knew they needed to visit the ss Exchange Hall to upgrade their sses soon. However, going every five levels was a hassle, so they nned to finish their hunt first and upgrade multiple times in one go.


    With no loot to collect from the Mega Slime, they immediately moved on to the 9th floor.


    This floor featured the unique Ice Slime, which was immune to physical attacks and the ice element but was helpless against Pyra''s mes. The team focused on gathering as many cores as possible from this rare monster.


    After collecting thousands of cores, they resumed their journey. Aster, eager to make up for the time spent hunting Ice Slimes, doubled the cart''s speed. The girls, however, were quick to scold him for pushing too hard¡ªtheck of a windshield meant their hair and clothes were blown wildly by the wind!


    Aster quickly apologized but couldn''t help but grin. "But hey, we''re back on schedule, so it''s all good!"


    His attempt at humor earned him another round of lectures.


    Continuing at their usual pace, they reached the boss of the 9th floor, an Elite Green Wolf. Unsurprisingly, it fell to Argus in a single strike.


    After collecting its fur and loading all their loot, they headed for the next floor.


    "So, this is the 10th floor!" Aster cheered. "It still looks the fucking same!"


    Just as Liz and Tina were about to leave to offload the loot, Aster spotted a camp near the entrance. The logo on the camp was all too familiar, and he frowned.


    "Dragon''s Roar again?" Kali, noticing the same thing, grumbled.


    Cassy tilted her head in confusion. "But weren''t they supposed to be on the 7th floor?"


    "It''s probably a different party," Aster sighed. "Still, let''s not push our luck. We''ll keep our distance."


    The camp was set up on the right side of the entrance, so Aster led his team to the left, farther away, and began setting up their own camp. It was still within sight of the entrance, so Tina and Liz wouldn''t get lost upon their return.


    "I said fuck off!"


    After a while, a shout suddenly echoed from the entrance, making Aster''s heart skip a beat. The voice was unmistakably Tina''s angry roar.

 Chapter 193: Throwing the Gauntlet

    A few minutes earlier, at the portal entrance¡­


    Tina and Liz had just finished sending their loot to thepany outside for handling and were feeling pleased after receiving news of the sales from their previous haul. However, just as they stepped through the portal, they almost collided with someone exiting.


    "Oh, what luck!"


    The man they nearly bumped into smiled brightly,bing his red hair back with a confident ir.


    "Ladies, are you about to go hunting? If you got scratches on those beautiful faces, it would break my heart! How about this¡ªI''ll help you hunt for free. Kolten of the Dragon''s Roar, at your service!"


    Tina nced at the man and quickly recognized he was a dragonkin, just like Liz. However, his scales were a deep red, a hue reminiscent of the Dragon''s Roar leader, Ragnaros.


    "Huh?"


    Tina wasn''t buying into his ttery, and Liz, sensing Tina''s rising irritation, quickly stepped forward to intervene. She pulled Tina back and addressed the man politely. "Sorry, Mr. Kolten, but our party''s already waiting for us. Thanks for the offer, though."


    She gestured toward the left, where Aster and the rest of their party were setting up camp. Kolten turned his head and scoffed, his lips curling into a mocking smile.


    "Hah? That loser over there, who can''t even afford a proper portable home? If you stick with us, I''ll make sure you sleep on a soft bed tonight!" He grinned wider. "If you''re interested, my bed is also open for invitations."


    "Bastard..." Tina''s words slipped out, seething with rage. "Get lost before I lose my patience."


    "Tina!" Liz quickly raised her voice, trying to deescte the situation.


    The tension thickened, the air practically crackling as if a fight was about to erupt. Chapter Find:


    "Oh? Judging by your reaction, is that loser perhaps your lover?" Kolten taunted,ughing loudly. "Hahaha! You''d be smarter to ept my offer. I''m the most promising newbie from Dragon''s Roar''s 18th batch!"


    He stepped closer to Tina, his arm reaching out as if to drape around her shoulders. Tina, barely containing her rage, was about to unleash it. Liz, however, was too slow to stop what wasing.


    "I said, get lost!!!"


    With a furious roar, Tinaunched a punch straight at Kolten''s stomach.


    "...!"


    To her shock, the man caught her fist effortlessly, neutralizing the attack.


    "Ooooh, such a fiery woman... I don''t hate that, you know?" His smile widened as he leaned closer, as if about to steal a kiss.


    *WHOOSH!*


    Liz swung her glowing mace down in a wide arc, forcing Kolten to step back to avoid the strike. Despite the attack, Kolten''s smile didn''t falter¡ªhe didn''t even seem to take them seriously.


    "Hmm, it seems you''re unaware of the gap in our strengths. I''m already level 25, and by the looks of it, you two are around level 18 or 20 at best. You can''t beat me." He shrugged nonchntly. "You''d be better off leaving that loser and joining me while I''m still asking nicely."


    "You piece of trash¡ª!" Tina hissed, trembling with anger.


    "Tina, stop!" Liz shouted, restraining her. The endless taunting from Kolten,bined with Tina''s temper, had them both at the edge of their patience. But before they could act further, someone else arrived.


    "Sorry, but they''re my party members," came Aster''s calm voice as he walked between them. "If you''re looking for recruits, maybe try posting on the job board outside. I''m sure plenty of people would line up."


    Kolten grinned, raising his chin arrogantly. "I saw them, I liked them, so I''m taking them. I don''t care if they''re in your party now¡ªthey''ll be mine soon enough."


    Hearing his words, Aster sighed heavily. "Seiji first, now you? Is Dragon''s Roar full of deluded brats who think the world belongs to them?"


    He spoke loudly enough for the rest of Kolten''s party to hear, adding, "I''m warning you¡ªthese girls are my members. If you try anything, don''t me me for what happens next."


    But Kolten wasn''t impressed. "Kakakah! What a show!" Heughed, taunting Aster. "Listen up, loser. I''m a Rare ss Dragon Warrior, and I''m level 25! Here on the 10th floor, I''m thew!


    I''m untouchable!"


    His confidence wasn''t entirely unfounded. At level 25, he was three levels above the highest-level monsters on the 10th floor, making him one of the strongest around. But Aster, suppressing a chuckle, wasn''t intimidated.


    "Rare? Level 25? How cute."


    Aster, a Unique Mythic ss holder over level 40, had no need to reveal his true strength. Instead, he calmly pulled Tina and Liz back toward their camp.


    "Anyway, I''ve warned you. Proceed at your own risk," Aster said over his shoulder, walking away.


    Kolten, mistaking Aster''s actions as retreat, sneered. "Coward. Fine, since you''re so curious, let me show you the gap between us!"


    In one swift movement, Kolten leaped over ten meters, his fist flying straight toward Aster''s back. Liz and Tina reacted quickly, preparing to block the attack with their skills, but Aster was even faster.


    Without turning around, he released his hand holding Liz and casually extended his arm, catching Kolten''s punch with just his index finger.


    "...!"


    The sight was unbelievable¡ªKolten''s powerful punch had been stopped so easily. Even Kolten himself looked shocked, unable toprehend what had just happened.


    "An artifact, huh?" Kolten growled, his smile turning vicious. "Let''s see how long that trinket can protect you!"


    He pulled his fist back andunched a flurry of punches, each aimed at Aster''s vitals with lethal intent.


    "This jerk!" Tina muttered under her breath, but she held back. Although she wanted to intervene, she knew she would only be a burden in this fight.


    Kolten''s strikes were powerful enough to knock out most adventurers below level 20, but Aster blocked every one effortlessly¡ªusing only his index finger. It was as though he were merely popping bubbles.


    Growing bored, Aster switched to his middle finger, further taunting Kolten by yawning and casually remarking, "Hmm, yes, very powerful. Really impressive."


    Kolten''s temper red as his attacks continued to fail. The "artifact" he believed Aster was using showed no sign of breaking, and Aster''s mocking tone only fueled his rage.


    "Weakling, how dare you look down on me?!"


    Snarling, Kolten pulled a massive axe from his bracelet, a weapon stored in what was essentially a spatial device. The air around him grew tense as his presence became more menacing. But Aster''s disinterest remained.


    "Punches, I can tolerate. But if you attack me with a weapon¡­" Aster sighed, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "You will die."

 Chapter 194: Goddess!

    Aster might be powerful, with statsparable to a level 60 adventurer, but that didn''t make him invincible. His skin wasn''t tough enough to block sharp weapons¡ªhe was still human, after all.


    Without scales or protective skin like the dragonkin, he''d be forced to defend himself with more than his flesh and blood if Kolten continued to press the fight with weapons.


    "Hah! You think cheap bluffs like that will work on me?!" Kolten, blinded by anger, shouted. "Eat this, loser!"


    Aster sighed, drawing the sword hanging at his waist. With a casual flick of his wrist, he parried Kolten''s overhead axe strike. The axe hit nothing but air, sliding off and smashing into the ground, sending rocks and dust flying upon impact.


    "Strike one. I''ll give you two more chances to back out," Aster announced, his voice calm, offering his opponent a way out despite the aggression.


    Kolten growled, his voice shaking with frustration. "A flimsy sword like that can''t beat my Unique weapon!" He lifted his axe, his anger boiling over. "Keep dreaming, bastard!"


    The axe Kolten wielded, the ming Executioner''s Axe, was a rare and powerful weapon he had acquired at an auction. It granted high attack bonuses and possessed several unique skills, making it one of the best weapons avable to adventurers under level 50.


    "HAAAA!"


    With a roar, Kolten activated the axe''s ability, igniting the de with fierce, swirling mes. He swung the axe horizontally, aiming to cleave Aster in two.


    Aster was surprised by this unexpected disy but reacted in kind. In a split second, his sword was enveloped in a frosty aura as he countered with Elemental Sword sh.


    *CLANG!*


    The two weapons collided, the sound of metal crashing against metal echoing through the air. To everyone''s surprise, the feared axe didn''t slice through Aster''s sword¡ªor Aster himself. Instead, the frosty aura from Aster''s de snuffed out the mes on Kolten''s weapon.


    "Strike two," Aster whispered, his tone stillposed.


    Kolten''s fury reached its peak, his teeth grinding together in frustration. "You and your damned artifacts!" he spat. "No matter what tricks you have, they''re meaningless before real power!"


    Suddenly, Kolten''s body began to swell, his muscles expanding to twice their size, his height growing until he towered over Aster. The sheer change in his physique caught everyone off guard.


    "That''s¡ª!" Liz gasped in recognition. "It''s Dragonblood Awakening! Aster, be careful!"


    Dragonblood Awakening is a Racial Skill possessed by some Dragonkins. It was said that the purer one''s dragonkin lineage was, the higher the chance they would gain this skill. As such, in the current era, Dragonkins with this skill are treated as "geniuses" blessed with a great bloodline.


    But despite Liz''s warning, Aster remained unfazed.


    Kolten, now in his awakened state, roared and swung his axe again¡ªthis time with quadruple the force of his previous attacks. The sheer power behind the strike was enough to make the ground tremble.


    ''I can''t parry this,'' Aster realized instantly. He sighed. "You leave me no choice."


    Kolten''s axe came crashing down, aimed directly at Aster''s head. But at thest moment, Aster''s form dissolved into nothing¡ªan afterimage, vanishing just as the axe struck.


    "What?!" Kolten''s eyes widened in disbelief. His weapon had hit nothing but air!


    "Strike three. You''re out."


    Aster''s voice came from behind him. Before Kolten could react, Aster''s sword moved in a blur, delivering five swift cuts to Kolten''s body. Each strike severed the main muscles controlling his limbs, and the final blow was a stab directly through his chest¡ªright into his heart.


    "Gah...!" Kolten gasped, blood spurting from his mouth.


    His body trembled violently as his form shrank back to its original size. "N-no way..." he whispered, copsing face-first into a pool of his own blood.


    "K-Kolten!"


    "He killed the leader?!"


    "This is insane! Someone killed another adventurer at the entrance!"


    "Isn''t that Dragon''s Roar?!"


    Shocked voices filled the air as other adventurers¡ªboth from Kolten''s party and others nearby who just entered¡ªwitnessed the aftermath. Panic set in for some, but Aster remainedposed, his gaze calm.


    "Cassy!" Aster shouted, summoning their healer.


    In a sh, Cassy appeared, her usual lighthearted demeanor turning serious as she saw the scene. "Star... did you just...?" She trailed off, quickly checking Kolten''s pulse. "He''s dead!"


    "Yeah, killing someone''s a crime, right?" Aster responded with a slight smile.


    Cassy frowned, scolding him. "Obviously! You''re not supposed to kill people!"


    "I know. But it''s only a crime if he stays dead," Aster replied. "How about testing your new skill?"


    Cassy blinked, then nodded, understanding his intention. "I can try."


    As Kolten''s party stared in shock, Cassy closed her eyes, sping her hands in prayer. A golden light began to descend upon her, and three small, cherubic angels¡ªglowing with the same golden hue¡ªappeared, floating around her.


    "Revive," she whispered softly.


    The angels flew down into Kolten''s body, which immediately began glowing. The pool of blood surrounding him evaporated, purified by the light. The deep wounds on his limbs and chest closed, leaving no trace of the fatal injuries.


    "It''s done..." Cassy muttered weakly, nearly copsing from exhaustion. The spell had drained all her mana, and she wouldn''t be able to cast another spell for a full hour as the "payment" for using it.


    Chapter Enjoy:


    "You did great. Rest now," Aster whispered, catching her in a gentle princess carry.


    Without a second nce at Kolten''s body, he walked away calmly, as if nothing unusual had happened. Behind him, Kolten''s party stared in disbelief.


    "L-Leader...?"


    One of them, a healer, rushed to Kolten''s side. She ced her hand on his chest and gasped. "He''s...!"


    *Cough!*


    Kolten coughed violently, his eyes fluttering open as he took in a ragged breath.


    "He''s alive?!"


    "It''s a miracle!"


    "What was that skill? It brought someone back from the dead!"


    "A goddess... Without a doubt, that orange rabbit is a goddess who descended to our world!"


    As murmurs of awe spread through the crowd, some began whispering about Cassy, calling her a "goddess" for performing such a featter earning her the noble title of "The Orange Rabbit Goddess."


    But one person, standing a short distance away, watched with a calcting gaze.


    Lori, who had been observing the entire scene, smiled wickedly, breaking her facade for a split second. ''It''s perfect...'' she thought. ''Healing the body but leaving damage to inorganic items the same as before!''


    Her smile grew wider, her eyes gleaming with the beginning of a n, before returning to their usual appearance¡ªa default, fake smile.


    Nobody, not one soul, was able to observe her change in expression.

 Chapter 195: Eclipse Orchid

    After the revival incident, the parties around the entrance were quite noisy for a while. Of course, some knew who had used the revive skill and were curious about her, but Aster¡ªthe person who had killed Kolten before¡ªwas beside her, causing them to hesitate from approaching.


    The night passed peacefully and quietly, with the Dragon''s Roar team temporarily leaving the 10th floor to have their leader checked at a hospital.


    After changing guards¡ªleaving Cassy out of the equation due to her exhaustion¡ªmorning came. Aster tirelessly prepared breakfast for everyone, maintaining his usual high standards.


    The girls enjoyed the meal, and even Argus wolfed down his food as if he hadn''t eaten in a week. After their hearty meal, it was time to continue their journey.


    As they moved onward, they encountered a few parties along the way, which was quite rare. Among the first ten floors, the 10th floor had the potential for the highest profit. It was not only the hardest of the said group of floors but also because of a special item that could only be found there.


    "Oh, another Death Viper!" Aster eximed as he stomped on another one that tried to attack him.


    The "something" wasn''t the Viper itself, but its poison nd could be traded for a good price. However, the special item was actually something that the Death Vipers "protected."


    "Let''s check over there!"


    Aster stopped the cart while pointing beyond the bush where the snake had appeared.


    They were traveling beside the forest''s edge, the closest Aster could bring the cart to the forest. The reason was, of course, to collect the special item only found on the 10th floor.


    "Ah, Star! I found one!" Cassy called everyone over. "Up this tree!"


    Coming to her side, Aster quickly found the object of their search¡ªa beautiful flower with petals glowing in an ethereal dark-green hue and silver-colored leaves that made it seem unreal. An orchid cultivated by Death Vipers offering their poison as "nutrients" for it: the "Eclipse Orchid."


    This wondrous item had many uses. To name a few, its nectar could enhance the Death Viper''s poison, increasing its deadly properties by at least three times, while its petals could turn the Death Viper''s poison into an all-purpose antivenom.


    Due to its versatility, it could be bought by the guild for a hefty price. However, the risk of harvesting it was life-threatening.


    *Hiss!*


    "As expected, they''re all over the ce."


    The orchid was crucial to the Death Vipers as it helped their growth and enhanced their poison. Thus, one Eclipse Orchid would usually be protected by up to a dozen Death Vipers.


    Despite its high price, only a few brave¡ªor foolish¡ªadventurers attempted to collect it.


    But Aster was different.


    "Hup!"


    In one leap, he reached the closest branch to the orchid. At the same time, he brought himself within range of the vipers'' attacks. The bite attacks came from all directions, carrying a deadly threat even to Aster.


    "But too slow!"


    With his stats practically at level 60, he could see the vipers'' movements clearly. He caught them one after another, killing them with a casual flick to the middle of their heads, crushing their skulls with one hit.


    Soon, a rain of snakes fell from the tree. The girls scattered, dodging at first, before carefully approaching the snakes and confirming their death. If any were still alive, they delivered the finishing blow, preserving the viper''s entire body.


    "That''s fifteen. Quite a lot of them, huh?" Kalimented after counting the dead monsters.


    "I found two flowers. One is on a higher spot, a blind spot, so I guess it''s a reasonable number."


    Aster jumped down while carefully holding two live orchids, harvested along with the tree''s bark to preserve their freshness. Despite this, the nt would still die within 24 hours if left as is. This was another reason why it was priced high.


    "With this, in just a few hours, we''ve got 20 orchids, roughly 200 million Tels in value!" Tina excitedly praised. "As expected of darling~! Amazing!"


    If they considered other loot, they could break past a billion in just one day if they tried hard enough.


    Aster smiled, trying not to let his current powerful disy go to his head, and cleared his throat.


    "Anyway, we should proceed onward. We''re just 25% to the end, greatly behind schedule."


    Reaching over 60 kilometers in just five hours was already good enough, but that was a distance Aster could cover in two hours. In short, they had spent 3 hours hunting Death Vipers and Eclipse Orchids already!


    Despite all that, if other parties could hear Aster calling their pace "slow," they''d vomit blood from envy, for sure!


    After that, the party spent a total of 16 hours just to reach the floor boss. The number of orchids they had harvested had already gone past a hundred by then, so it was a wee dy.


    After Argus wrapped the 10th-floor boss in a single attack, they continued onto the next floor: the 11th floor!


    To emphasize that "This is now outside of the tutorial!" the entire 11th floor was covered in an eerie shadow, with the field being in constant nighttime instead of day.


    Despite its eerie appearance, there were no ghost or undead-type monsters on it, only inorganic monsters like Treants, Golems, and more Slimes. Such monsters had little to no profitable loot, making the 11th to 13th floors¡ªthe same style¡ªleast liked after the 1st floor.


    "But first, let''s dump our loot!"


    It was already 10 p.m., so the loot could only be handled after 6 more hours by the guild, which opens at 4 a.m. The first batch of orchids was harvested 16 hours ago, meaning 8 hours remained before they withered. As such, they didn''t have much leeway if they wanted to sell the orchids alive.


    "Leave it to me, darling~! I already told them yesterday about how we''re nning to harvest the Eclipse Orchids, so they should have prepared for it already!"


    Thankfully, Tina''s resourcefulness exceeded Aster''s expectations. When they emerged, carrying all the loot they had gathered, they were greeted by several researcher-looking individuals, racing to be the first to arrive before her.


    "Princess Celestinya, please let our **** Research Facility buy one orchid!"


    "I''m one of the major shareholders of ***pany! We need the Eclipse Orchids more than you!"


    "50 million! I''ll pay 50 million for one, just give me one Eclipse Orchid, I beg you!"


    "Woah..."


    Aster groaned, seeing them swarm as they got out of the portal.


    Tina smiled sweetly, stepping forward as she spread her arms wide, appearing weing and sweet.


    "Everyone~! Shut up and take ten steps away from me and my darling, or I''ll crush your balls~!"


    ... Or not. The entire venue went dead silent as a clear space appeared around them. As expected of the Lineage Breaker, her name was feared far and wide!

 Chapter 196: Rolling in the Palm of my Hand!

    The entire venue turned from unruly toplete silence in moments, thanks to Tina''s antics. After judging that everyone was focused on her, Tina began to speak in a loud voice, addressing the crowd.


    "Gentlemen, we possess quite a few Eclipse Orchids, but I''m not sure if there''s enough for you all to share." She started, shing her practiced business smile. "Thus, to give everyone a fair chance, we''ll be conducting the trade in the style of an auction!"


    Aster quickly understood Tina''s n.


    She kept quiet about how many orchids they had, creating a sense of mystery. The more orchids they sold, the more others would think that the next one could be thest, pushing the bidders to go all out.


    They walked away from the portal and moved to the opposite side of where the medical tent was ced, setting up their auction spot without wasting any more time.


    "Let''s start with the first one we picked up! It''s already been with us for 16 hours, and we used the best harvest methods to preserve it, ensuring it will remain in perfect condition for at least 24 hours!"


    Lory pulled out one of the Orchids from the first batch and disyed it for everyone to see while Tina continued her pitch. "... Now, let''s start the bidding for this one! Starting at 5 million with increments of 1 million!"


    The starting bid was half of its regr price, but with only 8 hours left in the orchid''s life, the others hesitated.


    "5 million!" Finally, one of them raised their voice.


    "7 million!"


    "Twelve!"


    "Fifteen!!!"


    And with that, an intense bidding contest began, pushing the price from 10 to 29 million Tels before the orchid was sold. Tina smiled, earning 19 million over the regr price with just one item. Her n was working better than anticipated!


    The first batch of orchids sold within minutes, averaging 25 million Tels each. It wasn''t anything crazy yet, as both Tina and the bidders were still gauging one another.


    "Then, let''s proceed to the next one!"


    About five minutester, after selling exactly 12 orchids, Lory approached Tina with a concerned expression and spoke softly but clearly.


    "Tina, I ran out of orchids."


    "...!"


    Her words caused everyone who had been dying their bids to freeze in shock. They had heard Tina say she had "a few" orchids but hadn''t expected there to be only twelve! Cold sweat trickled down their backs as they realized they''d missed their chance¡­ but Tina''s next words threw them into a frenzy.


    "I see. Thanks, Lory. Cassy, let''s start with your batch!"


    There were more orchids!


    Lory had 12 orchids in her pack, and since there were five more people in the group, they quickly calcted that Tina''s party might have a total of 72 orchids. However, they had no idea they were ying right into Tina''s hands.


    "Alright, let''s proceed!"


    One after another, the orchids were sold. As the number sold approached half of the estimated inventory, the average price started to decrease, dropping to almost 19 million Tels per orchid.


    "18 million! Going once! Going twice! SOLD!"


    But after they sold the 50th orchid in half an hour, things heated up. As buyers began to believe that the inventory was running out, the bidding war became more intense, raising the price from 20 to 50 million! Each nt sold for multiple times its usual market price!


    Some of those who had dyed their bids, hoping thepetition would cool down, regretted their decision, while those who had already secured one or two orchids were ted. Tina watched it all unfold, her smile widening.


    "Alright, let''s go!" She announced. "51st item! Same description¡ªharvested roughly 10 hours ago! Starting price of 10 million!"


    As expected, the bidding war intensified. The peak came at the 70th orchid, which sold for a whopping 100 million Tels! The st two" items went for 80 and 93 million Tels, respectively.


    By the end, the buyers were divided into two camps: those celebrating their sess in securing orchids for their organizations and those despairing over having missed out. Tina watched their reactions with satisfaction. Everything had gone exactly as she nned.


    "That''s it for the individual sale of the orchids!" She dered in a clear, authoritative voice, her announcement sounding like a death sentence to some.


    But what she said next left the crowd stunned. "Now, let''s begin batch-selling the remaining orchids! First up, a batch of five orchids, intertwined together and near-impossible to separate without damaging them! The starting bid is 80 million, with increments of 5 million!"


    When Aster presented the batch of tangled orchids, everyone gasped. Those who hadn''t secured an orchid yet thought this was their chance.


    "100 million¡ªno, 200 million!"


    "Damn it! I need that orchid! 210 million!"


    "Mr. ***, let''s pool our resources and split the orchids afterward. 250 million!"


    Within moments, the price ballooned. A fierce battle of wits and intimidation began, with some even forming alliances in their desperation to secure the orchids.


    "405 million going once! Going twice! SOLD!"


    """YEAAAH!!!"""


    In the end, a coalition of five smallbs won the bidding war for the batch of orchids. They cheered, ted by their victory. Tina watched the scene unfold, barely able to contain herughter.


    "Then, let''s move on to the next one! A batch of three orchids this time, harvested eight hours ago! Starting bid of 40 million, with increments of 2 million!"


    "..."


    Afterward, with the buyers unable to gauge the true number of orchids left, all 100 orchids were sold at impressive prices. By the end of the auction, the average price had soared to 75 million per orchid. Tina and her party earned a staggering 7.5 billion Tels in a single day.


    Aster turned to the group, grinning. "Since this is all thanks to Tina''s wits, we''ll each take 1 billion t, and she can keep the rest!"


    No one objected¡ªexcept for Tina herself.


    "No way, darling. I''ll just take a billion like the rest of you. You can hold on to the rest!" She whispered yfully as she wrapped her arms around Aster''s chest from behind. "In exchange..."


    "Gah! Stop that, you vixen!"


    Kali, unable to watch the flirting any longer, rushed over to separate them.


    "You may have multiplied the value of the orchids, but it''s still just money! You''re pushing your limits too much!"


    "Huh? I belong to darling, and darling belongs to me!" Tina growled in retaliation. "What gives you the right to butt into our rtionship?"


    "You''re not even in a rtionship yet, you delusional woman!"


    As usual, the two shed, but Aster didn''t bother intervening. He was used to their antics by now and knew they wouldn''t let things escte beyond control. After all, they were adults who knew when to stop¡ªmost of the time.

 Chapter 197: A Week of Rush! (3)

    After the long quarrel between the two cats, Aster assigned them to different shifts for the night watch. While they could have opted to rest at the Twister Hotel, they decided against it, feeling it was a waste to walk there. After all, a round trip would take an hour.


    Everything seemed to return to normal, but...


    "Achoo!"


    They quickly realized an unexpected issue¡ªLiz was sensitive to the cold! The 11th to 13th floors were already chilly, and rushing through the dark corridors only made the cold more biting. The dragonkin Liz began to shiver as if she were having a seizure from the freezing air.


    Fortunately, they came up with a solution almost immediately.


    "Phew..."


    Liz was now piggybacking on Aster as he pulled the cart with the rest of the group''s supplies. Ever since Aster gained control over the twin spirits of Ice and Fire, his passive ability to regte the temperature around him had returned in full force, making it feel like room temperature with a meter around him.


    While Aster could also control temperature directly using his Frostfire Legacy, doing so required concentration, which was best preserved for the journey ahead.


    To make it easier for Liz to cling to Aster, she removed her metal-ted armor¡ªthis, however, led to tworge problems and one small problem.


    The tworge problems pressed against Aster''s back, shifting with every stride he took. The sensation was heavenly, and it was challenging to maintain hisposure with such a distraction.


    The small problem was...


    "GRRRR! Let me go!"


    It was Tina, who was thrashing around on top of the cart.


    "Liz! How dare you cling so tightly to my darling! I''ll kill you!"


    "Come on, calm down, you crazy vixen! It''s just a piggyback ride, nothing to be jealous about!"


    "Right, Tinya! This is the most reliable method to continue without losing speed or focus, so just sit down!"


    "NO!"


    Standing on top of the cart was dangerous, and Aster quickly grew concerned. After some deliberation, he decided to let Tina have her way, hoping it would calm her down. While silence returned, Aster was now burdened even more.


    On his back, Liz''s firm, supple body pressed against him. And in front, Tina''s soft form drained even more of his concentration. Aster now resembled a small branch with two cicadas hanging onto him!


    *Sniff!* *Sniff!*


    "Hey, stop that! It tickles!"


    Tina added to the chaos by asionally sniffing Aster''s neck, sending him closer to the edge of his sanity. He was determined to end this situation as soon as possible. With Cassy''s light guiding their way, they moved at double speed, not stopping to fight or gather resources.


    In just five hours, they reached the boss''s area, where Argus ended the battle with a single strike. Since the drops from the 11th to the 13th-floor bosses weren''t worth much and they didn''t need more money after bing billionaires, they skipped looting and continued their rush.


    By midnight, Aster had achieved an impressive feat¡ªrunning non-stop for 18 hours and reaching the 14th floor.


    ---


    The 14th floor was vastly different from the previous ones. It marked the start of the "real" dungeon, following the transitionary 11th to 13th floors.


    Unlike the earlier floors, where monsters were the primary threat, the 14th floor''s terrain itself posed significant dangers. However, there were still familiar biomes like ins and forests. But right at the entrance, they encountered one of the deadlier biomes.


    "This..." Aster groaned, squinting through the darkness. "So the 14th floor starts with a desert?"


    As they stepped in, the cold air of the midnight desert weed them. Though Aster, Tina, and Liz were unfazed thanks to his temperature control ability, the other girls quickly began to shiver in the icy wind.


    The temperature had already dropped to single digits and was still falling!


    "S-S-Star... L-Let''s s-s-s-set up c-c-camp outside!" Cassy stammered, her teeth chattering.


    Seeing their condition, Aster immediately used his ability to chase away the cold. Warm air enveloped the group, and within half a minute, the temperature around them had risen to afortable 20 degrees Celsius.


    "This should help for now, but..." Aster muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I can''t maintain this ability all night. And one campfire won''t be enough in this cold."


    Their portable campfire and thin tents were decent against rain and sun, but they couldn''t provide adequate protection against the harsh cold of the desert night.


    "I guess we should camp outside the dungeon tonight, as Cassy suggested." Aster sighed.


    "Agreed!" the girls chimed in unison.


    With the group eager to retreat to a safer, warmer ce, Aster smiled wryly. "Alright, let''s turn around and¡ª"


    But something caught his eye. About a hundred meters ahead, several figures were running toward them. It was too dark to make out clearly, but it looked like they were being chased by something.


    "Leader...!" Kali, whose night vision was better than the others, quickly picked up on the situation.


    "Adventurers are approaching! Seven of them! They''re being chased by the Field Boss, the Giant Sand Scorpion!"


    "This is bad..."


    They were close to the portal, so the adventurers might make it to safety. However, Aster''s group was still in their path, and even if they retreat quickly, the Field Boss could catch up.


    "Argus, stand by for now!" Aster ordered the small dog at his side. "Wait until those adventurers exit!"


    Even though they weren''t hiding Argus'' abilities, caution was always wise. As the adventurers approached, Cassy''s light revealed their strained faces.


    Of the seven, five were still able to run, but one was unconscious, being carried on another''s back, while thest one hobbled along, supported by the shoulder by another, barely able to move.


    With their speed, the monster would catch them before they reached the portal!


    "Tina! Liz!"


    ""YES!""


    The two women, no longer clinging to Aster, sprang into action, rushing to meet the adventurers. They nked the group and quickly activated their abilities.


    "Me first! TAUNT!"


    Tina''s skill had an impressive range, pulling the boss''s attention from a distance.


    *SCREEECH!*


    The gigantic, purplish-ck scorpion turned toward Tina, raising its massive ws¡ªeach asrge as she was tall!


    "What a big-ass insect you are! Metal Body!"


    As the scorpion charged, Tina braced herself, raising her defenses to their limit. A momentter, the scorpion''s stinger struck, only to be deflected by her bare iron-skin.


    "Tina, scorpions are ssified as arachnids, not insects!" Liz corrected as she swung her mace at the creature.


    "It''s the same thing!" Tina shot back while extending a fist, throwing a punch with her fiery knuckles.


    The party of adventurers didn''t waste time looking back. They bolted through the portal in one swift movement. Aster watched them go, shaking his head. "Not even a small thanks, huh?"


    Of course, he hadn''t failed to notice the symbol on their armor as they passed by¡ªan all too familiar crest. Dragon''s Roar.

 Chapter 198: Revealing the Secret...

    Tina and Liz were working hard trying to keep the Field Boss upied. Despite their impressive progress, skipping the previous three floors had left them under-leveledpared to the rmended strength for this part of the dungeon. As a result, their attacks couldn''t prate the monster''s thick carapace.


    "That''s enough, you two!" Aster called them back. "Argus, finish it!"


    Upon hearing themand, Argus, Aster''s small but powerful puppy, let out a sharp bark.


    *Arf!*


    Excited to fulfill his role, Argus''s body began to glow in the dark as powerful sparks of electricity surged from him.


    "Battle Cry!" Liz yelled, her voice echoing across the vast desert.


    Her skill stunned the Field Boss for a brief moment. The massive scorpion twitched, immobilized just long enough for Tina and Liz to leap back, creating some distance. Then, from the sky, a crackling bolt of lightning struck down with immense power. It roasted the Giant Sand Scorpion in an instant, frying it to a crisp.


    Luckily, Argus had remembered to not use his Red Lightning, which would have disintegrated the boss entirely. That kind of overkill was great for defeating monsters but terrible for preserving the loot.


    As the monster copsed, a soft, golden glow surrounded all the girls, a sign that they had leveled up once again. With Argus''s ability and their recent battles on the previous floors, all the girls had now reached level 25.


    "Great work, everyone," Aster praised, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "Now, let''s get this thing out there to be sold." He tapped the half-burnt shell of the scorpion''s tough exoskeleton.


    Argus''s lightning attack had destroyed the boss''s brain, but the rest of its body remained mostly intact. Its organs and other valuable materials were still salvageable, making the corpse worth a decent sum. While the payout wouldn''tpare to the fortune from the 10th floor, money was still money, and they had skipped plenty of loot by rushing through the previous floors.


    Cassy and the others exited the dungeon first, holding Argus tightly. Aster, thest to follow, dragged the enormous body of the Giant Sand Scorpion behind him.


    "Woah!"


    "T-The Giant Sand Scorpion?!"


    Naturally, the sight of Aster hauling a seven-meter-long creature out of the dungeon caused quite a stir. Low-level adventurers who were nearby stopped what they were doing to gawk at the enormous carcass, their eyes wide with awe and disbelief.


    "Mr. Aster, please leave the rest to us!" Two muscr men rushed over before Aster even had time to step down from the portal''s tform. They took the scorpion off his hands with ease, hoisting its body like it weighed nothing.


    Aster watched as the two men carried the enormous monster over to a truck equipped with spatial expansion. Itspartment opened wide to amodate the massive scorpion''s bulk. In a matter of moments, they were gone, transporting the creature to be sold off.


    "Star! Over here!"


    "Hm?"


    Cassy''s shout snapped Aster out of his daze. The girls were already gathered by the entrance, waiting for him to catch up.


    The dungeon''s entrance was surrounded by parks, typically used by adventurers too tired or far from home to rest for the night. The group had nned to camp there as well, but as they neared the vacant lot, Aster was stopped by a guard.


    "Mr. Aster Mistral, correct?" The guard addressed him politely. "I''ve been instructed by Mayor Magnus to deliver a message. He said, and I quote, [Think about your position, and sleep in a proper ce.]"


    "..."


    Aster understood immediately. Magnus was concerned about his safety. Sleeping out in the open would make Aster an easy target for the Anti-Human Movement, whose members had a nasty habit of popping up unexpectedly.


    Luckily, a ride had already been arranged to take Aster back to the Twister Hotel, which had been repaired and now boasted S-ss security. He turned to the girls, about to ask if they wanted to join him, but Lory quickly stepped forward with a gentle smile.


    "We''re thinking of experiencing camping out here. You can go back to the hotel alone," she said.


    Aster met her eyes and felt his objections fade away. With a light nod, he relented. "Alright. Be careful out here."


    With that, Aster was whisked away to the hotel, while the girls stayed behind to enjoy their night under the stars.


    ---


    "And so! With Aster currently absent, let''s start our girls-only camping trip!"


    Cassy announced, her voice loud and enthusiastic. She held up a can of juice, raising it high in a celebratory toast.


    Kali, seated on a nearby bench, grumbled in response. "Why am I even here?"


    She was supposed to be Aster''s guard, yet here she was, far from the person she was meant to protect.


    "Come on, don''t be like that," Liz said with a yful smile, tipping back a ss of beer. "We''re all part of the same party. It''s not bad to deepen our bonds every now and then, right?"


    "That''s not even the main reason we''re here!" Tina snapped, crossing her arms. "I only stayed because Lory said she had something important to tell us. If this turns out to be a waste of my time, I''ll beat you to a pulp!" She pointed a finger at Lory, her eyes narrowing.


    "Right, right! The food and drinks are already set! What''s the tea? Spill it~!" Cassy chimed in, her words easing the tension in the air.


    All eyes turned to Lory, who now found herself the center of attention. Her fingers tightened around her cup of orange juice, swirling the liquid nervously as she gathered her thoughts. After a long, hesitant pause, she finally spoke.


    "Actually, I... am a spy."


    Her voice was so soft, it almost disappeared into the night breeze.


    "I was sent by the Mayor of Juviel City to bring Aster¡ªthe only 100% human in the world¡ªback."


    "You..."


    "..."


    Cassy''s expression grew worried, while Liz frowned deeply. Kali and Tina, however, reacted differently.


    "A spy?!" Kali hissed, drawing her dagger. "So, in short, you''re Leader''s enemy?"


    *SLAP!*


    Before Kali could even take a step, Tina struck first, her handing down hard across Lory''s cheek. The force of the blow turned Lory''s head to the side, leaving a thin trail of blood at the corner of her mouth.


    "You dare try to drag my darling to another city?!" Tina''s voice wasced with venom.


    Despite the stinging pain, Lory didn''t fight back. She straightened herself, her eyes calm but filled with regret.


    "I won''t make excuses," she said softly. "But I didn''t want to keep this a secret from you all anymore."


    Her left eye glowed red, a sign of the chip behind her eye entering a dangerous mode. The heat and pain it generated weren''t something one could even imagine enduring!


    Gritting her teeth, Lory turned to Cassy, her lips curling into a sad smile.


    "Cassy, I... I''m going to die in a few seconds. The decision of what to do next... I leave it to you."

 Chapter 199: You Did Well

    "Lory...?"


    Cassy, hearing her "final" words, gasped in worry. Large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, betraying the intense suffering Lory was enduring. At that moment, Kali quickly warned everyone, realizing the danger.


    "This bitch...! Everyone, spread out! She''s gonna explode!"


    Such "security" items that eliminated someone who leaked intel weren''t rare in Kali''s line of work. As such, she also knew their dangers.


    Tina, who was closest, quickly activated her Metal Body skill and crossed her arms, gritting her teeth to prepare for the impact. Liz, on the other hand, snapped out of her light stupor and activated Immortality, moving to jump away.


    Kali pulled Cassy, who was still in a daze, diving under the cover of a nearby bench. "Stupid rabbit! Duck!"


    In concert with her shout, a weak explosion echoed through the quiet park. The chip behind Lory''s left eye, loaded with micro-explosives, detonated quickly, obliterating her head in one swift blow, sttering blood and gore within a few meters.


    Just like that, Lory''s now-headless body fell limp to the ground, with a pool of blood gradually forming around her.


    "Lory!"


    Cassy growled, her voice heavy with pain. "Kali, let go! I need to help her!"


    "What?! Stupid rabbit, have you finally gone senile?! She''s an enemy!" But Kali didn''t let her move, gripping her arm tight. "I bet she''s the reason why Aster''s always attacked by those anti-Human bastards, and you''re still helping her?!"


    "I''m a healer!" But Cassy didn''t give up, roaring. "If there''s someone who needs my help, I will! And Lory''s not an enemy, she''s a party member!"


    "...!"


    With a burst of strength, Cassy managed to break free and rushed forward, kneeling before Lory''s headless corpse. Without hesitation, she sped both hands before her chest and prayed.


    Soon, a familiar scene yed out. A golden ray of light fell over Cassy, as three cherubs came flying down yfully.


    "Revive!"


    When the casting process was done, she opened her eyes and shouted the keyword. The three little angels flew forward, entering Lory''s body, and covering it with a blinding sh of golden light.


    "You...!" Kali groaned, unable to understand Cassy''s actions. "Fuck! Now we have to kill her twice!"


    As Lory''s body slowly rose, her head being reconstructed, Kali moved fast. She waved her dagger toward Lory''s neck without hesitation!


    "Haha...!"


    But unfortunately, she was a step toote.


    Kali caught sight of Lory''s eyes. In the middle of them was another set of pupils, contrasting her previous blue¡ªa deep, bloody red shaped like a multi-pointed star. The moment their gazes met, Kali''s body froze, as if someone hit the pause button.


    "This is it...! I did it!"


    Lory rejoiced, spreading her arms wide, ignoring the fact her dress almost fell off after the strap was sted to bits. But she didn''t seem to care,ughing loudly toward the night sky.


    "Hahaha! I''m finally free from that hateful curse!" She cackled.


    "... Lory?"


    Cassy, the one who had revived her, called out with a worried tone. After all, the "Lory" before her was acting differently than normal. It was as if she was apletely different person altogether!


    Soon, herughter stopped. Her crazed eyes swept across, watching Liz, Tina, and Kali, all frozen in ce, beforending on Cassy, who was sitting on the ground in confusion.


    "Ahh, my little rabbit healer, Cassandra Bright..." Lory smiled sweetly, gently patting Cassy''s cheeks, down to her chin. "You did well, my dear. Thanks to your help, now, nobody can stop me!"


    "...!"


    Even Cassy, who was typically an optimist, realized she had made a terrible mistake. Lory''s eyes, now unrestrained, glowed brightly, making anyone who met her gaze fall under her control.


    The four girls were familiar with those eyes, though they had only read about them in history books. With her confusion turning to fear, Cassy whispered with a trembling voice.


    "T-The eradicated bloodline, the enemy of the world...!" She gasped. "Control Demon¡ªthe Aracelli Race!"


    "Oh? You studied well~!" Lory grinned, her smile twisted with insanity. "As you guessed, that''s me!"


    She patted Cassy''s head lightly before standing up once more and stretching her limbs. The wings behind her ears twitched excitedly.


    "Although I could ce you all under my control right now, as thanks for being the one who helped me, I''ll let you go." She said, her smile slowly turning into a vicious frown. "I''ve already reserved my first kill for a certain someone, after all."


    Shortly after, she shook her head as she dismissed her dangerous expression, switching back to a neutral smile.


    "Ahh, now that I no longer need to keep my facade, my emotions are in turmoil. I guess killing that pig should be my priority." She added. "You girls are lucky; you get to survive a bit longer. However, your fate is already sealed either way~!"


    After speaking, she swept her gaze onest time, watching everyone''s expressions. Disbelief, anger, hatred, confusion, and killing intent. Such a disy made her smile wider.


    "Well then, ciao~!"


    With a wave of her hand, her figurepletely disappeared.


    It wasn''t teleportation but an ability rooted in her nature¡ªcontrol. She had forcefully twisted everyone''s senses, erasing her presence from their perception! She became unperceivable by any of the five senses.


    Cassy stared at Lory''s previous location, her voice overflowing with regret. "W-What have I done...?"


    After a minute, Kali and the others finally regained control of their bodies.


    "FUCK!"


    Kali and Tina reacted the same way, venting their anger by stomping against the ground hard. Liz, despite her fear, calmly knelt before Cassy and ced aforting hand on her shoulder.


    "Cassy, this isn''t your fault."


    "Liz..." Cassy lifted her gaze, her eyes almost empty with self-me. "I''m the one who cast Revive on her! Who else is there to me but me..."


    Liz shook her head, trying to offer a gentle smile as she continued.


    "I''m sure all of us were already under her control. Without a doubt, it wasn''t your will to revive her but rather amand instilled in your subconscious mind."


    Liz was guessing, but her idea wasn''t far from the truth. However, Cassy remained unconvinced, balling her fists tight until they bled.


    "But that doesn''t change what I did! I revived her! I put the world in danger!" Cassy roared. "I''m such an idiot!"


    "..."


    Liz knew nothing she said would reach Cassy right now, so she simply pulled her into an embrace, gently patting her back. "It''s fine, it''s not your fault." She repeated, soothing the crying rabbit.


    As this was happening, Kali bit her lip and turned away, walking off in silence.

 Chapter 200: Making the Headlines!

    Aster woke up with a headache. His ears were ringing from a loud noise echoing from somewhere, like a tornado siren. Checking the clock beside his bed, he saw it was just a few minutes past 4 a.m.


    "It''s still so early... let me rest some more..."


    He grumbled, covering his head with the white pillow, trying to dampen the noise. However, the sound was so loud that even covering his ears didn''t help. Annoyed, Aster checked his phone, only to see an overwhelming number of missed calls, messages, and chats.


    "The hell?" He frowned, checking them one after another.


    Most of the missed calls were from Tina, a few from Kali, and the rest from Liz. Curious why they''d call him so many times, he opened the messages and chats. As he read through, his sleepiness was blown away, and he sat up in shock.


    "What?!"


    Summarizing their messages, they all said the same thing: "Lori betrayed us!"


    Each of them had ryed the situation differently¡ªTina blunt as usual, Kali focusing on the betrayal, and Liz trying to be objective. Thanks to their different points of view, Aster quickly got the gist of things.


    Lory had been sent as a spy by the neighboring city''s mayor to bring him to their side. However, it wasn''t her choice¡ªshe was under orders, with her life on the line. She ryed everything to the girls, and a few seconds after she revealed the secret, her head exploded, killing her on the spot, but...


    "Cassy revived her..."


    Aster kind of expected this, but things didn''t turn out well for her afterward. Cassy med herself for breaking Lory''s "seal" and was still feeling guilty.


    Afterward, Kali reported the situation to Magnus, which led to the current state: the loud siren echoing through the city, signaling the forced initiation of Martial Law.


    Against someone from the Aracelli race, a term Aster had only learned today, even the city''s defenses weren''t enough. Their ability to move like phantoms meant they could easily slip through undetected. At this juncture, speed is key.


    *PICHI!*


    Aster moved to the living room and turned on the TV.


    The news headline reported a general from Juviel City being tortured and brutally killed. Other stations covered several prison breaks across the country, with details about the prisoners'' race left out to avoid global panic. Of course, Aster figured out that these incidents were all connected.


    "Did Lory do all this in such a short time?"


    After thinking it over, Aster realized it wasn''t impossible. If she controlled a teleportation specialist, she could travel around the country quickly. He deduced that Lory was trying to free her "family"¡ªothers of her race.


    However, just as Lory had a bomb imnted in her to control her abilities, the others likely had simr deterrents. So, like her, they would die when the "safety measures" activated and would need to be revived.


    ''And for that, they''d need Cassy!''


    Aster figured they would soone for Cassy, either to abduct or control her, keeping her long enough to help free them from their constraints. His top priority now was to ensure Cassy didn''t fall into their hands.


    Fortunately, he wasn''t the only one who reached this conclusion.


    Magnus had already arranged for Cassy to stay in the safest ce possible, along with the other girls¡ªthe dungeon. They were stationed at the first camp on the 14th floor, protected by the top three ns in Orinfeld City: Dragon''s Roar, Ironblood Knights, and the Light of Glory.


    To further ensure their safety, the dungeon''s entrance was sealed, preventing anyone from entering or exiting. This gave Magnus time to prevent the worst-case scenario.


    Aster walked to the window and looked outside. Just like with the dungeon''s portal, the entire hotel was covered by a powerful barrier, blocking both entry and exit. While it was meant to protect him, it also limited his movements.


    "I can''t get to the girls like this..."


    He sighed, annoyed that he''d woken up a little toote.


    While he was watching the faint figures outside rushing around in panic, his phone suddenly rang. The caller was none other than Mayor Magnus.


    Aster picked up immediately. "Hello?"


    {Aster? You''re finally awake, kid!} Magnus said, his tone casual but betraying a hint of fatigue. {Just to confirm, have you heard about the current situation?} he asked.


    "If you mean my party members, then yes," Aster answered tly. "I still can''t believe it, though."


    {I understand your concerns. But first, I want you to undergo anti-brainwashing measures. Head to the lobby¡ªI''ve sent one of my subordinates to pick you up.}


    "Huh?"


    ''But the building is covered by a barrier!'' Aster thought but decided to see for himself.


    After ending the call, he grabbed his overcoat and scarf before leaving his room. His room was right next to the elevator, so he took a few steps and got in. The magic elevator quickly descended, reaching the ground floor in seconds.


    At the lobby, the entire hotel staff lined up, receiving a debriefing from what looked like a strict maid. When she noticed Aster, she stopped her speech and walked over, her gait confident and intimidating.


    "Mr. Aster Mistral, I''m Elizabeth Gruenni, Mayor Magnus'' loyal servant," she dered in an arrogant tone. "I''ve been ordered to bring you to the Mayor. Please cooperate."


    Her short, ming red hair, sharp gaze, and well-toned body made it obvious that the maid uniform was just for show. This woman was clearly an active military personnel, and high-ranking at that.


    "Understood," Aster nodded, meeting her arrogance with his own. "Then, get on with it. I hate waiting."


    "..."


    Aster wasn''t trying to be difficult¡ªhe just didn''t want to be seen as a pushover. Her intense re almost made him think he''d overstepped, but she said nothing. She simply turned around and waved her hand, opening a portal.


    "Go on, the mayor is waiting."


    She pointed at the dark, swirling oval beside her.


    Aster gulped, wondering if it really led to Magnus¡ªor his doom. ''Maybe provoking her was a mistake,'' he thought.

 Chapter 201: To the Dungeon!

    Aster hesitated for quite a while, causing the maid to get visibly annoyed. "What''s wrong? Scared?" she taunted with a smirk.


    If he dyed any longer, his earlier arrogance would be pointless. With no choice, he stepped toward the portal, letting his hand enter first.


    "...!"


    Suddenly, someone yanked his hand with surprising strength, pulling him through the portal in an instant. Aster prepared to draw his de from his Fanny Pack but soon realized the person pulling him was familiar.


    "Wait, Vanessa?" he asked. "Why are you here?"


    The one who pulled him was Vanessa Ross, the Vampire Researcher!


    "You need anti-brainwashing, right?" She grinned. "That''s my specialty, you know?"


    The prickly maid also entered after Aster, positioning herself diagonally behind Magnus, who was sitting at his desk. "What a disaster, huh?" Magnus smiled, his gaze enigmatic as he looked at Aster.


    "Yes, it is." Aster sighed, sitting down after Vanessa released his hand. "The world was peaceful when I went to sleep, but turned upside down as soon as I woke up."


    He shrugged and pointed at the maid, Elizabeth, behind Magnus. "Anyway, won''t it be dangerous if she falls under the enemy''s control?"


    Her ability to create portals in spaces that block spatial movement was too valuable. If Lory or anyone of her race captured her, they''d have nowhere to hide.


    "I know. That''s why Eli''s teleportation coordinates are restricted to locations protected by a barrier."


    By only moving to pre-secured areas, her safety was ensured, thanks to Kali''s timely report, which allowed them to set up protective barriers early at several key points in the city.


    "Anyway, enough about that," Magnus sighed, waving a hand at Vanessa. "Start the procedure."


    "Yes, Mayor."


    Vanessa sat down next to Aster, close enough that their bodies touched. "I''ll begin." She warned, taking his hands and pressing her forehead to his.


    A warm sensation flowed from her into him, circting around his head and spreading through his body. It was so rxing that he felt he could fall asleep if he let down his guard.


    "Focus, don''t let your thoughts wander..."


    Vanessa whispered softly.


    "Oh? This girl is... that Lori, right? I warned you about her, and it looks like you didn''t listen." She pouted, grumbling lightly.


    Aster suddenly felt something fade from his mind, leaving him with a profound sense of loneliness and loss. Though he wanted to stop Vanessa, his hands were held fast, and he couldn''t move.


    "Hmm... This is bad. The brainwashing was weak, but the subconscious suggestions were strong. This will take a while to clear."


    Minutes passed. Gradually, the sense of loss faded, reced by a serene, clear mind.


    "It''s done," Vanessa said with a smile. "I''ve removed all traces of brainwashing, autosuggestions, and other memory tampering she did to you. It''s just as horrible as that orange rabbit''s, given you were her main target."


    The tampering was severe but gradual. Lori had spent days slowly increasing her control over Aster with weak suggestions and brainwashing.


    "If her eyes'' ability weren''t limited, you''d already be under her control." Vanessa shrugged and moved back to her spot across from Aster.


    "I guess that''s true." Aster agreed.


    Feeling how different his mind was now, he realized the extent of Lori''s tampering. If not for her own ns, Aster would''ve already fallen into the other city''s Mayor''s hands.


    "So, what should I do now?" Aster asked Magnus. "You''re not just sending me back to the hotel, right?"


    Before leaving, Aster had noticed the Twister Hotel staff weren''t just "hotel employees." He hadn''t realized it earlier, but they were likely part of Elizabeth''s toon.


    "You''re right." Magnus smiled. "I want you to head to the dungeon. We''re stretched thin protecting the city''s citizens, so we can''t spare anyone to watch over you aboveground."


    "... So in the dungeon, I can rely on those on the same floor?"


    That made sense to Aster. Plus, his level was much higher than the current floor''s average, which increased his safety. However, there was one issue.


    ''Lory knows my strength and level. If she ns to grab Cassy, she''ll definitely weave some sort of strategy.''


    The easiest way to break the deadlock would be to have an insider or insiders working for her.


    ''So the first thing I need to worry about is if anyone in the three top ns is already under Lory''s control.''


    While he was lost in thought, Magnus continued. "I also heard you have a pet dog. Where is it?"


    "Ah, Argus?" Aster looked up, smiling thinly. "Right, he''s..." But he trailed off.


    Looking around, Argus was nowhere to be found. Aster nearly panicked, trying to remember where he hadst seen the puppy.


    "Cassy!"


    He recalled the girls hugging Argus when they exited the portal earlier. So Argus should be with them... "Should" being the key word.


    Aster was worried, as the messages only mentioned the girls and Lori, not Argus.


    "Sorry, Magnus! Can you send me to the portal now?!" Aster begged. "I need to make sure he''s with the girls. I''ll show him to youter when things calm down!"


    Magnus sighed. "Alright, no rush." He muttered, then snapped his fingers. "Eli, please send Aster to the dungeon''s entrance."


    "As you wish, Mayor Magnus."


    Without hesitation, Elizabeth walked over and opened another portal with a wave of her hand. Aster didn''t hesitate, trusting her, and stepped through.


    "Oh, right. Just to let you know, my wife is now expecting. It feels...plicated for me." Magnus added as Aster entered the portal, his gaze conflicted. "Don''t forget the content of our deal, alright?"


    "I know. That''s your son, don''t worry." Aster blinked. "Anyway, I''ve gotta go!"


    Aster''s casual tone both irked and reassured Magnus, prompting a sigh.


    After stepping through the portal, Aster arrived at the dungeon''s entrance, surrounded by the same protective barrier used at Twister Hotel and Gravenne Tower. For the first time, the Oni Uncle wasn''t present beside the entrance.


    "It feels odd not seeing him here..." Astermented before jumping in.


    His destination: the first camp on the 14th Floor!

 Chapter 202: Youre not Qualified

    When Aster entered the dungeon, he realized the sun was already rising, shining over the wide desert. "So the time in the dungeon and outside isn''t perfectly synchronized..." he muttered.


    After checking his phone for the map, he turned toward the first camp and ran. His speed wasn''t restricted, and he quickly reached over 100 km/h!


    "..."


    As he ran, he pulled out his Adventurer''s Card and checked the front page. Under Party Members, he sighed at the sight. As expected, Lory''s name wasn''t there anymore.


    Since she became a "terrorist" overnight, her adventurer registration was revoked. Of course, this didn''t affect her abilities and stats¡ªjust her registration.


    Aster felt a pang of sadness. Though their time together had been brief, Lory had fought alongside them. Even if she had been undercover, he couldn''t help but wonder if the smiles she had shared were genuine.


    ''Although I want to hear her true self, that''s impossible right now.''


    Meeting with Lori would meaning into range of her control abilities. Aster couldn''t risk doing something that reckless¡ªat least, not yet.


    He tucked the card back into his pack and sped up, rushing through the desert like a storm.


    The first camp was close to the entrance, only about 20 kilometers away¡ªright at the boundary between the desert and ins biomes. With Aster''s speed, it took him less than 15 minutes to arrive.


    The camp was wide, roughly 300 meters in diameter, protected by 1.5-meter-tall rock fences. Tents lined the perimeter near the walls, while semi-permanent buildings were erected in the center. The guards stationed in the camp stayed in the buildings, while adventurers taking a short break rested in the tents.


    "Hmm?"


    As he got closer, something flew toward him¡ªa powerful spell, a Second Level me Javelin!


    Its speed and strength were perfect, but Aster was puzzled. Looking around, there weren''t any monsters nearby.


    "Who are they firing that at?" he mused, but his question was soon answered.


    "...!"


    The javelin came straight for his face!


    Although surprised, Aster had more than enough time to dodge. After sidestepping the attack, he adjusted his pace, slowing to half-speed to stay flexible for whatever came next.


    As expected, the javelin wasn''t alone. More attacks, even bullets, followed shortly after.


    "Bastards...!" Aster growled, frustrated. "I''M AN ADVENTURER, NOT A MONSTER!!!"


    His shout, filled with anger, echoed across the camp. The attacks stopped soon after, but Aster could tell this wasn''t over. He continued running until he reached the gate of the camp, then...


    "STOP!"


    He was forced to halt.


    "Who are you, and what are you doing here?!"


    The man leading the guards, covered in thick armor from head to toe, barked the question. Despite the rudeness of the unprovoked attack, Aster tried to remain calm and civil.


    "I''m Aster Mistral. I''m here to meet and join my party members."


    He stated his name, believing it would suffice. However, the response he received was unexpected.


    "Aster Mistral? I don''t know which party you belong to, but all the other parties in the camp have been evicted! Only Dragon''s Roar, Ironblood Knights, and the Light of Glory are here!"


    "Huh? You don''t even know the name of the leader of the party you''re guarding?" Aster growled, growing irritated. "I''m here to see Cassy and the others! Let me through!"


    The guard flinched at Aster''s intensity but quickly recovered, his tone growing angrier. "I don''t care who you are or how you know one of the girls we''re in charge of. Get lost before things turn ugly!"


    "Things turn ugly? What, are you going to attack me again?" Aster scoffed, stepping forward boldly. "Go ahead, but don''t me me for what happens after!"


    "I SAID STOP, YOU BASTARD!"


    Just as the guard raised his sword, ready tomand another volley, a voice came from deeper within the camp.


    "Darling~! You''re here!"


    "Aster!"


    Tina and Liz rushed forward, standing behind the wall of guards blocking the gate. Liz rebuked them harshly. "Ironblood Knights, how dare you attack our party leader? Let him in, right now!"


    Normally, this would have been enough to intimidate them, especially since Lizandrea''s real identity was widely known. However, the captain of the Ironblood Knights snarled back.


    "Bitch, shut the hell up!" he roared. "I''m in charge of this camp, so I make the rules! If I say he can''t enter, he can''t!"


    Aster heard the captain''s outburst, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area and checked on Tina and Liz. They didn''t appear injured, but something felt off. Anger simmered within him as he began piecing things together.


    Then, Cassy and Kali arrived behind them. Cassy''s eyes were filled with guilt, while Kali had a bruise on her cheek. That sight broke Aster''s final shred of patience.


    "Bastards..." His voice echoed, cold as ice. "You''re supposed to protect my party, and instead, you''re treating them like captives?!"


    "...!"


    His rage unleashed a thick wave of bloodlust, shaking the guards to their core. Despite being members of elite ns, they quaked under Aster''s pressure, losing the will to fight.


    "Star..."


    Cassy, seeing how furious Aster was on their behalf, felt the burden of guilt weigh heavier on her heart. Her expression crumpled, tears threatening to fall again. "I..."


    "Cassy¡ª"


    As if interrupting her whispered apology, Aster called to her and the others.


    "Kali, Liz, Tina. Everyone,e here." His voice was firm. "If they won''t let me in, fine. We''re heading to the next floor now."


    "Don''t move!"


    "..."


    Of course, things weren''t going to go that smoothly. Another figure stepped forward, looking smart and confident. It was an elf man d in armor emzoned with a familiar symbol: Dragon''s Roar.


    "Again... Does Dragon''s Roar have a problem with me or something?" Aster grumbled. "Ignore that idiot ande here. They can''t do anything anyw¡ª"


    *WHOOSH!*


    A volley of wind des flew toward Aster''s neck, cutting off his words. The source was, predictably, the elf from Dragon''s Roar.


    "You think you can fool these girls? I know you''re under that terrorist''s control and trying to take them! But as long as I, Yuulogia Farstern¡ªleader of Dragon''s Roar''s 170th and 171st Teams¡ªam here, I won''t let that happen!"


    "..."


    Aster understood they were just trying to do their jobs. Their methods weren''t admirable, but removing everyone from the area was a reasonable n for ensuring the girls'' safety.


    Still, Aster had had enough¡ªhepletely snapped!

 Chapter 203: Losing Face!

    Aster could no longer tolerate their nonsense. As the wind des flew toward him, aiming for his vitals, he didn''t bother dodging. Instead, he drew his sword and swung it once.


    *CRACK!*


    With that single swing, all the wind des shattered, dispersing into a harmless gust of wind. This gave Aster time to take a closer look at the man who''d attacked him. His face was vaguely familiar.


    "You... I remember you," Aster muttered, his voice filled with cold rage. "Weren''t you the one? That party running from the Giant Sand Scorpionst night?"


    The man''s eyes widened in shock. How did Aster know that? Then it clicked. He recalled that, before fleeing, there was another party that had stood their ground, serving as a scapegoat.


    "You¡ªyou''re the leader of that idiotic party?!" the man growled.


    After leaving the dungeon, they''d rushed their injured and poisonedrades to the hospital. They hadn''t been there to see Aster drag the scorpion''s corpse back after hunting it! He''d assumed the party they''d passed wouldn''t survive, not giving them another thought.


    "Idiot?" Aster raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. "I pity Ragnaros, working so hard to raise your n''s reputation, only for the new generation to tarnish it."


    *WHOOSH!*


    Aster swung his sword again, without using any special skills¡ªjust raw power. A cloud of sand erupted, forcing everyone to take a step back as the wind pressure sted through the camp.


    "You and the rest of them¡ªSeiji and Kolten''s groups¡ªyou''re all a disgrace to Dragon''s Roar."


    "Seiji? Kolten?" the elf sneered,ughing oddly. "Kekeke, so you''re the one who helped me deal with those idiots? Well, I''ll give you credit for that! In return, I''ll only beat you half to death!"


    The elf raised his hands, summoning multiple green spears of light, wind-element magic. "Just because you beat those losers doesn''t mean you can match me! Let me show you the real difference in our abilities!"


    The magic spearsunched without a chant, flying faster and deadlier than before. Aster simply watched as the ten projectiles closed in.


    "Difference in abilities? That''s my line, weakling."


    *SLASH!*


    Aster swung his sword horizontally. The single strike obliterated all the iing projectiles and even sliced off the top of the tallest building behind the guards.


    His cold, disdainful gaze swept over the guards. "I''ll say this once: leave my party alone, or I''ll show no mercy."


    The warning sent a wave of fear through the camp. Most lost their will to fight, but none moved. All three ns were present, and none could afford to be the first to back down. The first to back out would lose face! A tense silence ensued, each side waiting for the other to act¡ªa sort of chicken race was about to begin.


    "I warned you..."


    Aster took their inaction as defiance. To him, it meant they were now "enemies." He carefully tied his sword''s hilt and scabbard together, sealing its sharp edge, before leaping forward. Sand exploded beneath his feet as he closed the 50-meter gap in an instant.


    "Kuh!"


    The elf, Yuulogia, hastily cast a chantless spell, raising a stone wall between them. "You fool! I was born with the Legendary Skill¡ªChant Omission! You''re no match for me!"


    Aster merely said one word in reply. "Pathetic."


    *CRASH!*


    The stone wall crumbled instantly as Aster plowed through it. The guards reflexively shielded their faces from the debris, giving Aster the opportunity to slip through and reach the girls.


    As he got closer, Aster noticed several scratches and bruises on the group¡ªnot just on Kali. He didn''t know what had happened to them, but he knew one thing for certain: he couldn''t forgive the ones who did it!


    "Cassy..." His gaze shifted to her, the most broken of them all.


    Her wounds weren''t physical, but mental. She was sinking further into depression, and the current situation only made it worse. If things didn''t roll for the better soon, she couldpletely break down.


    "Alright, bastards. If you have any excuses, speak now." Aster growled, his voice causing the ground to tremble like an earthquake. "Not that I''ll listen."


    Without waiting for a response, Aster unleashed his Elemental Sword sh¡ªIce Element! A thickyer of ice instantly enveloped everyone behind him. None were spared¡ªmen, women, innocent or not. In one move, he incapacitated all three of the so-called "Top ns"!


    "Darling~! I missed you! I knew you''de for me~!"


    Tina chirped, jumping onto Aster''s back, and hugging him tightly. Despite the tension in the air, her antics helped calm him down, if only a little.


    "You let them mistreat you and didn''t fight back?" Aster sighed, surprised at Tina''s restraint.


    "I did!"


    But her response reminded him that Tina was still Tina.


    "But they were stronger than us. I couldn''t evennd a solid hit on that elf! All I managed to do was crush five guys'' futures."


    ''So there were already casualties,'' Aster thought, exasperated.


    Talking with Tina helped him cool down, though his anger hadn''t entirely subsided. He still hadn''t forgiven the three ns, but at least he was thinking clearly again.


    "Should I just kill them all? If there''s no witnesses, there''ll be no problems," he mused aloud.


    Liz, standing nearby, smiled bitterly. "With your strength, technically, you could. But they''re not criminals. Can your conscience handle that?"


    Killing bandits was one thing; killing people just because they angered him was different. Aster realized it might weigh on his conscience, so he gave up the idea. Killing them by ident was one thing, but intentional murder wasn''t something he was ready for¡ªunless they forced his hand.


    He led the girls out of the camp and used his Frostfire Legacy to thaw the ice around the captives'' heads. He didn''t release them entirely, just enough to let them breathe.


    "B-Bastard..."


    To his surprise, Yuulogia was still conscious. He''d managed to cast a barrier just in time to protect himself from the worst of the freezing.


    "Do you know what you''ve done? You''ve defied the mayor himself!" Yuulogia spat, trying to intimidate Aster.


    Little did he know, Aster and Magnus were close enough to speak directly. Yuulogia''s threat wasughable to him.


    "We''re heading deeper into the dungeon to lose Lori''s tail," Aster said just loud enough for the elf to hear. "Follow us or stay here¡ªyour choice. But I''ll warn you onest time."


    The air turned icy as Aster''s killing intent resurfaced, making Yuulogia shiver.


    "Don''t mess with me or my party again. There won''t be a next time."

 Chapter 204: Argus Adventures!

    After that, Aster turned to the girls and frowned. From his earlier anger, he seemed to have forgotten something. He tried to recall his purpose foring there and quickly remembered.


    "Right, Argus! Where is he?"


    He looked around, but the little, white, fluffy puppy was nowhere to be found! Kali, who still seemed a little grumpy, grumbled lightly. "Wasn''t he with you? Last I saw him was just before you left."


    "No, I''m pretty sure he wasn''t with me." Aster shook his head. "If he was, I''d remember him being in the car."


    In such a small, closed space like the car''s passenger seat, it would be hard to ignore such a cute thing as Argus. Since he couldn''t recall ying with Argus back then, he was sure the dog didn''te with him.


    "..."


    Aster turned to Cassy, thest one he remembered holding Argus. However, looking at her depressed expression, he refrained from asking. She might think he was ming her and worsen the situation.


    ''But where could that little bugger have gone?''


    *Arf!*


    "...!"


    At that moment, just like when he first showed up, a dog appeared, falling from the sky. It was Argus, without a doubt!


    "Woah!" Aster groaned as the furballnded right on his face, making him fall into the hot desert sand. "Ugh, Argus? Where did you go? And how did you appear from the sky?" he asked, lifting the dog off his face.


    *Arf?*


    But the dog tilted his head cutely, his heterochromatic eyes glowing with curiosity, as if unable to understand Aster''s question. Seeing this, Aster decided to leave the matter for now. After standing up and patting the sand off, he turned to the girls and smiled.


    "Now that Argus is here, let''s continue!"


    They couldn''t stay in ce. If Lory invaded, she''d start from the 14th floor. The deeper they went, the safer they''d be.


    Of course, the girls were also curious as to how Argus arrived. However, they couldn''t ask Aster, since he had no idea. Only Argus knew where he went, what he did, and "who" he followed.


    ---


    Turning back time a little:


    After Aster was sent to the Twister Hotel, Argus managed to slip away from Cassy''s hold and left. He didn''t go to Aster but teetered cutely toward the Dungeon''s Entrance.


    "Oh? You''re that Aster kid''s pet, right?"


    The Oni Uncle quickly noticed him, crouching down to pet the little thing. "What''s wrong? Did you get separated from him?"


    *Arf!*


    Argus merely barked, his tail wagging wildly as if enjoying the old man''s head pats. After he was satisfied, he visited the Medical Tent, yed with the healers, and then moved to a nearby party of busty, pretty elven girls¡ªbasking in their excitement and pampering.


    After thoroughly enjoying himself, the naughty yboy returned to the camp, only to see Lory getting revived.


    *Whine...*


    Worried, Argus quickly hid his presence and watched as Lory messed with the girls, erasing her presence from their perception, before walking away.


    Argus nced at Cassy''s group and then at Lory walking off... and decided to follow her. With his specs, staying under the radar was easy.


    On the sidewalk, no one seemed to notice Lory, as if she didn''t exist, but the crowd split wherever she passed. Argus stayed a few steps behind her, taking advantage of this.


    After walking for a while, she stopped by a certain apartment and rang the doorbell. A few secondster, a beautiful siren with glowing, multicolored eyes opened the door.


    "Uh, you are?" the siren asked, furrowing her brows.


    But in an instant, her expression turned vacant, and a fanatic smile filled her face. "Ahh, right, right. Come on in~!"


    The two quickly entered the room, closing the door behind them without leaving space for someone to slip in¡ªbut Argus was already inside the first moment the door opened. His foresight and timing were incredible!


    The two girls moved to the middle of the room, where Lory spoke in amanding tone. "Send me to Tralvagor Prison in Juviel City."


    "Juviel City... Tralvagor Prison..." The siren muttered absentmindedly. "Ah, I remember! Alright, let''s go girl~!" and she cheered after figuring out the coordinates.


    A magic circle appeared on the ground, its script indecipherable. When it released a bright glow, covering both the siren and Lory, Argus didn''t hesitate and jumped in.


    The next moment, they were in a different ce. A dark, humid prison, with dull, grey walls. It was unsettling, but Argus couldn''t reveal himself yet.


    Before the light faded, he quickly jumped toward a nearby corner, hiding once more.


    From there, he watched Lory look left and right, before moving down a passage, as if she had a destination in mind.


    The siren woman stood in ce, eyes zed, drool dripping down her sleazy smile. Argus shook his head at her appearance and resumed tailing Lory.


    With fewer people around, it became harder to stay hidden. Even with his ability to mask his presence, his footsteps could be heard if he got too close.


    Not letting Lory''s bubbly figure out of his sight, the little furball followed her until she reached a certain room, which looked like the office of a high-ranking officer. Without knocking, she kicked the door open and stared at the fat man on the other side.


    "It''s been a while, you bastard," Lory smiled, her eyes glowing dangerously. "Miss me?"


    "Y-You are...! 280..."


    The man looked shocked at first before his expression turned vacant, his gaze unfocused. Unfortunately, Argus couldn''t enter the room, as he''d have to slip by Lory. He could only stay by the door and listen.


    The sound of ps followed by wild screams and creaking bones echoed. Although Argus couldn''t see inside, he could tell how brutal it was. The "y" continued for a full hour until the man''s voice faded to a whisper.


    *Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*


    Hearing footsteps approaching, Argus hid behind a nearby trash bin. He watched as Lory, with bloodstained clothes and a satisfied grin, walked out.


    Curious, the dog peeked inside and shook his head.


    Crushed eyes, broken limbs, and blood pouring from seven orifices¡ªit was clear how intense their "session" had been.


    Losing interest in the dead man, Argus resumed tailing Lory, keeping an eye on the twin cheeks he had been chasing.


    After this and that, in just a short few hours of the night, he traveled across the country, encountered others like Lory, got discovered, and barely managed to escape back to the dungeon.


    However, his exciting story was something he couldn''t share with anyone... After all, it''s not like a dog could speak.

 Chapter 205: How to Cheer Up Someone (1)

    With their party beingplete once more, Aster pulled the cart with the girls on it, and went on their way. However, instead of prioritizing clearing speed, they instead focused on killing as many enemies as possible.


    *ARF!*


    With Argus'' lightning attacks, any monster would die in a single hit. And thanks to his EXP Share (Equal) ability, the girls were leveling up quite nicely. They took a leisurely pace but still reached the boss area in under 12 hours.


    The boss this time was a weird monster called Mutated Sand Worm, which looked like some monster from a certain B-movie. And although lightning attacks didn''t seem to work as well as before against it, Argus still managed to pulverize it in two strikes.


    After that, without bothering to collect loot, they all headed straight for the 15th floor. The terrain there was mostly the same as the 14th floor, but this time has wider deserts. To make it worse, after the forest area around the entrance, no matter which direction they go, is a desert.


    "It''s getting chilly now that it''s nighttime..." Aster worried for Liz in particr. "Should we stay in the forest and camp early, or continue onward for a bit more?"


    Liz, probably because her bloodline is closer to reptiles, was weak to the cold. It''s not that she''s cold-blooded, but closer to simply being vulnerable to it. It was amon problem for dragonkins, so they usually prepared countermeasures for it beforehand, but Liz didn''t expect them to reach the desert area so fast. As such, her preparations were dyed.


    "Early morning is colder, so we can head onward for a bit more," she resolved herself. "I''ve borrowed a thick nket from the camp on the 14th floor, so I can stay warm using this."


    If it was just after sunset, then the air would still have some warmth in it,pared to near sunrise, where all warmth had faded. As such, as she said, moving onward a bit more before setting camp seems logical.


    "Alright. But please tell me if you can''t take it anymore," He suggested.


    When pushes to shove, he could once again piggyback Liz, but thinking about Tina''s reaction from before, he preferred not to do it. Instead, he halved his pace, and split his focus, managing the air with temperature control.


    "As expected..."


    With their slower pace, it was impossible to leave the desert biome before 10 p.m.; as such, although a little earlier than usual, they began setting camp. Since Cassy was currently out ofmission, the lights were handled using portablemps and shlights. Furthermore, to simplify the camp setting, only one tent was pitched¡ªthergest one they have.


    To keep an eye on the depressed Cassy, the girls decided to sleep together in one tent. Although Aster requested to have another tent, at least, it was vetoed.


    "Tina''s requirement to get her approval was for just one tent to be used, so..." Liz revealed in a low whisper.


    Aster realized what was going on quickly, and sighed. "Alright, I guess. I''ll do the first watch for three hours, then, decide who will take the next shift."


    "I''ll do it." Kali quickly volunteered. "I''m the most suitable for it, after all."


    After arranging their roles, Aster went on and began cooking. To cheer up Cassy, he decided to do a bit of a tangent. Other than their main meal¡ªtechnically meat dishes¡ªhe also prepared some apple pies by the side. It was hard to do it without an oven, but with a little someone''s help, it was achieved perfectly.


    "Eat up!" Aster served the food, not failing to notice Cassy''s slight reaction.


    Her ears stood in attention after the baked, sweet, apple pie was served before her. Slowly, her hand moved, picking up the fork, and she took a small piece of the crunchy crust, before bringing it into her mouth.


    "...!"


    As he predicted, the sweetness of the pie,bined with the tangy vor brought out by the freshness of the apples, managed to bring a small smile to her lips. However, it faded soon enough, as her hand went limp once more.


    ''It wouldn''t go as easily as I hoped.'' Aster sighed.


    After their meal, it was time to sleep. Aster, as promised, took the initial watch shift, while, at the same time, keeping the inside of the tent warm with his ability. Argus, the little sucker, left Aster alone and decided to sleep with the girls inside the tent.


    Aster let him do as he pleased only because Argus would be required to keep watch over the next shift together with Kali. After all, Kali couldn''t handle the monsters around them alone.


    Since they were in the desert, monsters that hid within the sand were the trickiest. As such, he didn''t forget to prepare some defenses for it.


    Since the cold tended to go downward instead of up, Aster froze everything below them after a depth of 1 meter to 10 meters. In short, below their camp right then was a solid block of ice, something desert monsters would be unable to pass through.


    Thanks to that, the burrowing monsters had no choice but to surface about a dozen meters away, making it easy for Aster to kill them without waking up the girls.


    For three hours straight, he killed and killed and killed monsters who tried to bother them, earning him enough EXP to level up, reaching level 44.


    "But with these stats, can I even fight against Lory...?"


    Despite her being "low level," Lory can control those of a higher level than her. Her eyes were almost almighty now that it was unsealed, and only a few individuals would have enough resistance to remain unaffected by it.


    In the past, the reason why their n lost, was due to the strict requirement of "seeing the eyes" first before they could control others. Taking advantage of this, they were set up, ced in a dark cage¡ªmade by blinded mages to avoid getting interrupted¡ªwhere not a single thing could be seen, and killed.


    Aster could replicate the feat of "killing someone without seeing them" by using his Frostfire Legacy, freezing everyone who approached. But who knows how much of his life he''d lose doing that?


    "Leader, time to switch."


    "Hmm? Ah." Kali''s voice pulled him back from his deep thoughts. "Alright. I''ll be there soon."


    However, just as he walked back, he realized his problem once more. How will he sleep in a tent with three beauties with him?!

 Chapter 206: How to Cheer Up Someone (2)

    Under Kali''s judging gaze, Aster entered the tent. But as expected, even with thergest tent they have, it was a tight fit for four people to sleep in. If they want to fit four people inside, then everyone would have to sleep sideways, with their knees bent slightly to save space... with at least one pair facing each other.


    Currently, there was Liz by the leftmost edge, Cassy facing her, within her tight embrace, a slight space, before Tina, who was staring at Aster with a red face, excitedly waiting.


    "Come, darling~!" She impatiently called to Aster.


    "..."


    Aster suddenly got the feeling to truly just put up his tent to sleep, but after seeing a faint, sparkly dot from Cassy''s face, he ended up scratching that idea. "Excuse me..." He groaned as he tried to squeeze through the gap between Cassy and Tina... and turned sideways, facing away from her.


    "Ahh~! Darling, you tease! Turn over here! I can''t see your handsome face like this!"


    Tina kept on moring behind him, but Aster opted to ignore her antics for tonight, at least. No matter what she tried, Aster kept a calm expression without budging and watched over Cassy before him.


    "..."


    He recalled Cassy''s story about sleeping together with her siblings until right beforeing to Orinfeld City. In his attempt to try and appease her, Aster wrapped his hand around her thin waist, sharing his warmth with her.


    When one is depressed, other people''spany could asionally make it worse, but more often than not, it would alleviate it by a little. He could feel Cassy''s body flinch upon his contact, but soon rxed, allowing him to continue wordlessly.


    *Sniff!* *Sniff!*


    Aster kept his attention over to Cassy even when Tina started to sniff his neck again, and even when a pair of soft things were pressed against his back. His willpower to not lose to his desires was, at that point, the highest!


    But then, Cassy''s body started to tremble. The faint sobs he could hear told him that she was crying. However, he didn''t have much experience with cating someone, so he didn''t know what he could do to help her.


    Thoughtless words to appease her could backfire, so he didn''t speak. All he could do was hug her tighter, and hope for the best.


    "Star..."


    Soon, a broken voice reached Aster''s ears. It was so quiet, making him almost miss itpletely!


    "Lory, she... I... I don''t know what to do anymore..." She grumbled, her voice as if she were gritting her teeth tight. "Is she our enemy? Can''t we return to before...? As party members?"


    "Cassy..."


    Aster finally understood why she was this depressed. It wasn''t only because she was the one who revived Lory¡ªwhich ended up working in Lory''s favor¡ªbut also because, even now, she was still hoping for everything to return to before.


    However, Aster was sure that it was already toote for that. Lory had gone too far already; it was near impossible for her to be forgiven. She only had two possible endings right now: either she seeded in taking over the world, or she would die trying.


    "Why? Why can''t we help someone who was once our ally...?" Cassy added, her voice sounding like a plea.


    Of course, the girls already had removed the mind control, brainwashing, and everything that Lory did to them. This meant Cassy''s words were her true thoughts, her desire¡ªher wish.


    "Sorry..." Aster could only apologize. What for? He wasn''t sure either.


    It could be for being the one who brought Lory to the party, or for allowing things to end up as they currently are. Whatever the reason, only an apology was the best he could muster.


    Right then, Cassy turned around, squirming, and faced Aster from up close. Their eyes locked upon each other, one overflowing with tears, and the other, clear like a mirror.


    "Star... I''m too naive, aren''t I?" Cassy eximed, her lips curving into a broken smile, making Aster''s heart ache. "Even though I know it''s toote, I just..."


    Cassy herself knew that her wish was impossible. That Lory can''t return to them anymore. That the "Lori" they knew was no longer...


    *Sob!*


    Right then, as if a dam broke, Cassy started to cry for real.


    Tears fell like a waterfall, as her voice echoed in the tent, like someone who was mourning. Aster pulled her head into his chest, patting the back of her head gently while epting all her tears. His gestures were as gentle as he could be.


    Tina, despite her disinterest in others, stayed still for a while, as if allowing Cassy to relieve herself as much as she wanted. Liz, on the other hand, simply watched with half-open eyes, her emotions slowly getting aligned with Cassy''s. She felt that if she lowered her guard, she would end up crying together with her.


    Even Kali, who was outside, could hear her wailing clearly. However, she just looked up at the sky, where the artificial stars were shining, and let it pass.


    Seconds turned to minutes, and finally, Cassy''s crying began to subside. She was still sniffling, but herplexion was a lot better nowpared to before. ''Letting it all out seemed to do the trick,'' He thought.


    "Star..." Cassy called him with her nasal voice. "Can you put your head closer for a bit?" she asked.


    "Hmm?"


    Curious, Aster did as told, and moved his head, his forehead almost touching the top of her head. Then, in a sh, Cassy lifted her head, and...


    *Smooch!*


    Stole Aster''s lips.


    "..."


    "Shock" was an understatement, as practically everyone there was able to see it. Even Tina, who was behind Aster, saw it clearly! After just a few short seconds, she separated from him and smiled.


    "E-Ehehe..."


    She showed a cute, little, embarrassed smile, before nting her red face against Aster''s chest once more.


    "You-you-you-you...!"


    Tina, returning to her senses, looked like she was about to explode in anger, but Aster was a step faster. In a snap, he encased her body in a thinyer of ice, limiting her movements, and preventing a disaster from happening.


    "MMMMPH!"


    Of course, blocking her mouth doesn''t mean she''d be quiet.


    Liz, although shocked at Cassy''s sudden boldness, simply showed a wry smile. Whether she approved of Cassy''s actions or not, she didn''t look like she had anything to say.


    But most of all, Aster... was confused. He was not used to interacting with the opposite sex, so he had no idea what that kiss was for.


    Without getting any answers, the night quickly passed, and the next day approached.

 Chapter 207: Terrorists and Fanatics

    Outside the dungeon, around the time when Aster was having a face-off with the three top ns, certain groups were having a closed-door meeting. Both parties were sitting face-to-face, with a few of their "subordinates" standing idly behind them, trying to intimidate each other.


    "So..."


    One of the two, a female with silver hair and a pair of wings behind her ears, asked with arrogance in her tone.


    "What does the head of the Anti-Human Movement want with us?"


    The woman, Lori, had her eyes releasing a faint glow, and the man opposite her stared at her eyes unfazed. He had a wide grin from start to end, as if the "control" ability of the Aracelli Race didn''t work on him.


    "Kek! It''s futile, little girl. I''m not one to fall for such measly mind tricks." The man giggled.


    He wore a top hat and a mask, hiding only his eyes like a magician about to go onstage. His attire matched too, with a purple, glittery coat and a long cane in his hand.


    "Even Harim failed to control me before; there''s no way your measly skills could affect me."


    "...!"


    Hearing the namee out of his mouth, Lori''s face warped in surprise. Harim was one of the top members of the Aracelli n... one who led the Divine Retribution War long ago. But that was over a thousand years ago!


    Lori frowned, her eyes shing more fiercely as her emotions went awry. "What are you?"


    "Not who, but what? Hmmm, looks like you''re quite sharp, aren''t you? Then, let''s upgrade your title from little girl to mdy, shall we?" The man spoke as if he were truly amused. "In recognition of your sharp wit, I shall answer! I''m... a Djinn."


    As he spoke, his eyes hidden behind the mask he wore released a faint red glow. However, just seeing that made Lori and the three others behind her shake in fear. It wasn''t fear from the other party''s immeasurable strength, but rather, from a more basic, instinctual sense¡ªfear from being outssed as a race.


    "Hmm, still unripe." The manmented as he retracted his gaze, sittingfortably as if nothing happened. "Anyway, where were we? Ah, right, my reason foring here, was it?"


    He tapped his cane on top of the table, causing it to change into something grotesque, like a monstering from one''s deepest nightmares.


    "It''s simple," he grinned. "Aster Mistral, I want that man''s head."


    Lori took deep breaths, trying to recover from her earlier scare. Large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she red at the other party.


    "Can''t you do it yourself?" She growled. "With your strength, it''s simple to take the life of a level 40 brat, right?"


    "Aww, unfortunately, there are two reasons I can''t."


    He suddenly disappeared from his seat, but his voice kept echoing in the room. Then, he reappeared somewhere behind Lory, ying with the ears of one of the men standing behind her, one of her "brothers."


    "First, he''s inside the dungeon. Even with my strength, I can''t enter a floor lower than where I am currently. I have to wait for him to reach the 1,600th floor himself."


    "...!"


    Lory just learned that the 1,600th floor is the deepest floor anyone could normally reach. That would mean the man before her was someone far stronger than anyone else she had seen before.


    "And second, I can''t go there myself. If I do, then that witch would wake up. It''s bothersome to be marked by her, you know?"


    ''Witch?''


    Lory herself was a witch, but that was the name of her ss. From the man''s words, the "Witch" he referred to didn''t seem to be about someone having the Witch ss, but rather, a title given to someone.


    She recalled all the documents she read before about Orinfeld City and recalled someone mentioned just once in one of the top-secret files she was allowed ess to.


    "You mean Orinfeld City''s first mayor and protector, the Witch of the Abyss?"


    "Oh! To think you''d know her! Your intelligence is wasted in this kiddy terrorist group; why don''t you alle under my Anti-Human Movement? I promise you better treatment than even my Four Heavenly Kings!"


    Despite his words of provocation, Lory didn''t let it get to her head. Instead, she stood up and quickly countered.


    "There''s no need. We will conquer the whole world, turning everyone into ves. You... are going to be groveling under my feet sooner orter."


    "Mmm, it''s nice to have big dreams. But it''s impossible, mdy. I''m not someone you can handle."


    "Says the man wearing eye protectors to guard against our ability." Lory taunted further, pointing at the mask covering the man''s eyes.


    "Ah, this? You''re wrong, way wrong." But he didn''t feel bothered, but rather,ughed heartily. "This isn''t to protect me from you, but to protect you from me!"


    "..."


    Lory recalled the primal fear they felt earlier from his gaze, and quickly recognized that his words could be the truth. Although she wanted to try to remove the mask and try to control him, she was afraid. Fear had already grasped her essence, making her hesitate.


    "Good judgment." He smiled.


    "Anyway, as long as you handle that Aster brat, I don''t mind ying along with your world-conquering plot for a few centuries, you know? I''m someone who always keeps my promises. I''m a Djinn, after all."


    After that, without even telling them his name, the man left with his three subordinates. Lory watched them leave, before sitting down on her chair as soon as he went out of sight.


    "Fuck...!" She cursed. "That man''s a hindrance to our ns. Although I want to get rid of him..."


    She understood that she was way too weak to even n for such a feat. Currently, just as the Djinn implied, it would be in her best interest to pull him in as an ally instead of an enemy.


    "Killing Aster, huh..."


    She already helped the Anti-Human Movement several times, under the orders of Juviel City, but at the same time, hindered their ns to ensure Aster didn''t die. Her task before was to bring him alive, after all.


    But now, the Djinn asked her to bring Aster''s head.


    "..."


    It was for a brief moment, but a pained expression appeared on her face. However, none of the three behind her noticed this. Lory quickly returned to her fierce expression and stood up, calling to the others.


    "Let''s go. We will be heading to the dungeon in Orinfeld City."


    "Pardon me, Matriach." One of the men behind her raised his voice. "But I heard that there''s a powerful barrier blocking the entrance to the dungeon. It will be hard to force our way in."


    "Ah, that?" Lory shrugged. "Don''t worry, I already have ns for that."


    She walked away from the door, toward the wall¡ªwhich flickered and turned to a door a momentter. "I already nted spies within the top three ns. We''ll use them to enter."


    Unbeknownst to Aster, danger was approaching faster than he assumed.

 Chapter 208: Revealing the Cards

    "Mayor Magnus, reporting over the damage throughout the city..."


    "Mayor, more and more people have started destroying properties! If we don''t handle them..."


    "59% of the civilians have been moved to shelters and undergone anti-brainwashing measures. However,ints are being raised about food shortages..."


    On the top floor of Gravene Tower, inside Magnus'' office, several people were giving reports simultaneously. It was just an hour past noon, but everyone''s faces already showed signs of fatigue.


    After the news spread of the Aracelli Race starting another "Divine Retribution War," panic overtook the civilians. Many of them began causing insurrections, adding to the chaos. Of course, their actions weren''t entirely of their own will but influenced by the autosuggestion Lori had left in their minds.


    "That woman... just how thorough was she in preparing to ruin my city?" Magnus sighed while reading and signing documents at the same time.


    Out of the civilians in the shelters, around 25% were under minor mind control. This meant Lori had managed to put a quarter of the city''s poption under her influence not long after her "awakening."


    Long story short, if not for her prioritizing saving her "family," then Orinfeld City might be over already.


    "No choice..." Magnus grumbled, before turning to Geneviv, who was sitting on the sofa, handling her own set of documents. "My wife, please gather the ck Numbers... and the Hit Squad. ASAP."


    "Dear..." Geneviv stared at Magnus, seeing his resolute gaze, and relented. "Alright. I will."


    The ck Numbers were mobilized not that long ago and were being called on again already. This just speaks volumes about how dangerous the current situation is. Furthermore, even the enigmatic Hit Squad was called forth¡ªthe squad that''s said to be thest line of defense of Orinfeld City.


    Half an hour after the order was given, the two teams were already gathered inside Magnus'' office. The entirety of the Hit Squad, all twelve of them, and for the ck numbers, only the team leaders were called, a total of twenty.


    Among them, familiar faces could be seen. At the forefront of the ck Numbers stood a tall man with red skin, sporting two curved horns on his head. He was the overallmander of the ck Numbers, the Oni Uncle who usually guarded the Dungeon''s Entrance!


    Other than him, on the Hit Squad''s side, there''s also Zenearith, the receptionist of the Adventurer''s Guild. Also Faeloria, the Director of the ss Exchange Hall. Twomon figures that one wouldn''t dare rte to being part of the top "Killer" organization of the city.


    "Everyone had already been under anti-brainwashing, right?" Magnus confirmed onest time and nodded after seeing nobody raise amotion. "Good. Then, let''s discuss what we''ll do from hereon."


    Therge chandelier hanging on his office''s ceiling started to glow, revealing a holographic, 3D model map of the entire country. After a wave of Magnus'' hand, half of it quickly got filled with red circles, indicating the areas that received "damages."


    "As you can see, the Aracelli Race is moving fast. After they gathered all of their allies around the world, they quickly started breaking our country from the weakest links."


    Of the images, several city names were shown in red, included inside the red regions on the map. Seeing this, everyone frowned.


    "This is horrible..." Zena muttered under her breath.


    "I know." Magnus nodded. "That''s why I called you¡ªto not let our beloved city fall like the others did."


    After talking up to this point, he turned to Geneviv, who nodded in understanding immediately. She then waved her hand, taking out something from within the bracelet she wore, and showed it to everyone present.


    "This is the prototype of the anti-brainwashing gear that Juviel City made. However, as you can see, they already fell," Magnus exined. "Juvield City is currently under enemy''s control, and for that fatty¡ªI mean, their mayor, his location remains unknown. He could''ve been killed already for all I care."


    At this point, someone raised their hand. "If they fell, doesn''t that mean these gears are useless?"


    "Good point." Magnus smiled. "This gear isn''t perfect, but it should be enough to block brainwashing to a certain degree. The reason why Juviel fell is because they didn''t even have the time to equip the items."


    Juviel City was the first one Lori attacked. She even killed the general, the one who has jurisdiction over the storage and handling of military equipment¡ªincluding the anti-brainwashing gear.


    "So the gears are still inside some vault somewhere?" Another one voiced out in wonder.


    "So, Magnus. What do you want for us to do?" The Oni Uncle asked, but he already had a guess as to what they''d do next.


    "Simple. I want you to infiltrate Juviel City, find their storage of anti-brainwashing gear, and bring everything inside it home."


    Keeping someone of the Aracelli Race was against international conventions, but seeing how many of them were left, Magnus realized that idiots do exist. As such, having "countermeasures" against their eyes was something only those said countries have.


    And although Magnus hated to acknowledge it, of all the research he got hold of, the Juviel City had the most advanced gear with the highest level of protection. The prototypes they got a hand at weren''t as good, but could also provide some protection, however...


    "There''s only ten of these prototypes right now. Meaning, only ten of you can go and safely participate in this dangerous mission." Magnus went straight to the point. "I want for you to discuss who will go. This is a joint task for the ck Numbers and the Hit Squad."


    "..."


    Everyone went silent. The mission was infiltration, so rather than strength, their stealth abilities were more required. Before the discussion even started, five members of the Hit Squad stepped forward¡ªmembers who were confident with their stealth abilities.


    ¡ªAnd among them, Zena and Faeloria were included.


    From the ck Numbers side, the Oni Uncle didn''t dare participate. He was the worst choice to go with in terms of stealth, with hisrge build and noticeable presence. As such, five members of the team leaders stepped forward, joining in on the task.


    Magnus scanned their faces, counting exactly ten participants, and nodded. "Good. Then, I''ll be leaving the fate of Orinfeld City to you all."


    The sess of this mission would greatly affect whether they could survive Lori''s invasion or not. As such, the pressure on them was quite something.


    Soon, the others who were not participating in the mission left Magnus'' office, leaving only the ten members, Magnus, and Geneviv, in the room. Right then, Magnus called out to Faeloria and smiled.


    "Ms. Shadowleaf, sorry about this. Although it was almost your turn, it looks like things will need to be dyed."


    Her frown quickly turned to a smile, returning to her "outside" persona.


    "It''s fine, Mayor," she said while sending a sneaky nce to Geneviv''s face, then to her tummy. "I''m just someone who''s well past her prime, and still dreams about having a child of my own."


    Aster''s second partner was supposed to be her¡ªFaeloria Shadowleaf!

 Chapter 209: Infiltration

    "What do you mean past your prime?" Magnus smiled sheepishly. "You''re still young and beautiful, furthermore powerful. I''m sure all men would agree you''re not some leftover."


    "Dear...?"


    "...!"


    But Magnus'' attempt at small talk ended up backfiring on him. Geneviv stared at him with a smile, but her eyes weren''t smiling at all.


    "Pfft looks like you have a problem now. I''ll take my leave."


    Faeloria smiled, before walking out toward the others, who were already beginning to n their infiltration mission. "You go pacify your wife first, Mayor. I''ll handle the rest over here."


    With her words, everyone quickly understood that Faeloria, the Second In Command of the Hit Squad, was personally taking the helm. Everyone believed that just this was enough to raise the n''s sess rate by at least 33%!


    "Alright, first, let''s discuss our paths of infiltration..." And with that as the beginning, a detailed meeting began.


    From the intelligence they got beforehand, they narrowed down the vault''s location to three. One was the Mayor''s Tower, with its high degree of protection. Second is the General''s Safehouse, where he usually brings ssified materials for safekeeping. Andst, is the Military''s Underground Prison, where they kept the Aracelli prisoner they had¡ªLori.


    Of the three, thest one had the highest chance of having the vault containing the anti-brainwashing gear that Juviel City had prepared. After all, it''smon sense to keep it close where it would be needed.


    In the end, they split up the teams into three, to check all sites at the same time.


    Zenearith and two others were assigned to the Alpha Team, heading to the Mayor''s ce. Faeloria and three others were being assigned to the Gamma Team, visiting the most dangerous one, with the rest being the Beta Team, checking the General''s Safehouse.


    All three locations were quite far apart, so they couldn''t rely on other teams before and during their infiltration, but they could still meet up after, regrouping at their rendezvous point, the main za.


    "Are you done?"


    After a while, Magnus returned with Geneviv,ing out of the emergency bedroom attached to his office. However, he appeared to be quite tired, with some mysterious red marks around his neck here and there.


    "... Yes, Mayor. We''re ready to head in." Faeloria ignored the marks and simply replied.


    Of course, none of them present couldn''t guess what those were, but none decided to say anything. They stayed professional, not butting into the mayor''s life more than necessary.


    "Good," Magnus nodded. "Then, my lovely wife, can you do the honors of sending them to their destination?"


    "Yes, dear!" Geneviv replied energetically, before walking forward a few steps and stretching her hand toward the teams. "Well then, coordinates would be the forest outside of Juviel City, is that right?"


    "Yes," Magnus replied for them. "Don''t put them near the edge, or they might get found immediately."


    Geneviv smiled, nodding her head in understanding. "Don''t worry, I know what to do."


    Right then, arge magic circle surrounded them as Geneviv chanted in a small voice. The words she was uttering were something different than the usual Magguage used, making them nearly indecipherable to those listening.


    "May the favors of battle be on your side," she eximed in a loud voice, watching as the three teams disappeared.


    It all happened in a sh, but when they appeared on the other side, there was no residual mana at all from therge-scale spell. Much less a speck of light from the teleportation. It was perfectly controlled to maintain stealth even in the darkness of the forest!


    "As expected of the God of Magic''s Chosen One..." Faeloria praised, before shaking her head and resuming a serious expression.


    "Alright. Everyone, from hereon,munication between teams is banned! Equip your anti-brainwashing gears, and head to your assigned locations stealthily!"


    Each one of them received a prototype of the anti-brainwashing gear. But from the data they received, it could only block a certain level of brainwashing. It still can''t prevent direct brainwashing with the two parties within close range.


    "Remember, our priority is bringing back the anti-brainwashing equipment. Fights should be limited only when necessary," Faeloria reminded them onest time.


    After seeing them all nod their heads in silence, Faeloria wore her anti-brainwashing mask and dered. "Alright. Everyone, move!"


    Like shadows in the night, everyone moved fast. Before they even reached the city, the three teams had already split up and moved separately. Their specific entry points were all different and, after all, optimized to reduce the chances of getting discovered.


    Zena, despite looking like a harmless receptionist for the adventurer''s guild, was once called the Rookie Ace of the Hit Squad. Her stealth abilities were top-notch, earning her the title "The Shadowless Grim Reaper" among her peers.


    And that Grim Reaper was now returning to duty due to the current situation.


    Her Alpha team reached the East Gate, their point of entry, and quickly analyzed the guards around the walls and the gate. "Twenty guards, all under the effect of brainwashing," one of the men behind her, who had a long-distance viewing skill, exined.


    The prototype Anti-Brainwashing gear they had on not only protected them from brainwashing; it also showed people who were under heavy influence of it. And the guards at the gates, and above the walls, all show this sign.


    "As expected, the entire ce is now under the enemy''s control," Zena whispered. "Then, as nned, we''ll head in."


    Zena was amia, who had the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a snake. As such, herrge tail should be an easy giveaway and would hinder their infiltration. But, of course, she wouldn''t be called the Rookie Ace for nothing.


    Zena moved, her figure melting into the shadows of the night. Then, without a sound, twenty heads flew up and fell to the ground along with their bodies, soundlessly. In just one second, all the twenty guards were killed!


    "As long as there''s no witnesses left, it''s a perfect assassination," Zena muttered her favorite motto as she signaled for the others to enter.


    While waiting for them, she used themia''s special ability, thermal vision, and scanned the surroundings. As she expected, other than the twenty guards, there were hundreds more scattered around in groups of four or five, patrolling the streets tirelessly.


    "This," Zena smiled, liking her lips with her forked tongue. "Looks like I''ll be having some fun tonight~!"

 Chapter 210: Ultimate Stealth

    The other Alpha team members moved fast, arranging the corpses to their previous poses, and making it seem as if nothing was wrong. It''s going to be discovered as soon as someone gets close, but it''s still better than leaving them lying down, which is a lot more conspicuous.


    After their setup, the three of them moved fast, sneaking through the shadows, and making their way to the Mayor''s Tower.


    "Urk!"


    *Thud!*


    And as if it were natural to Zena, enemy sentries were taken down in a sh. Corpses were chopped to pieces, and thrown into bins scattered around the city, leaving no "evidence" behind.


    It was a mystery how not even a drop of blood was left at the scene, confusing even the two others behind her.


    Of course, due to their methods, anomalies would quickly be detected. Regr reports were required for guards, and from observing before, they had 10-minute intervals between each report.


    The groups that Zena targeted, of course, were the ones who just finished reporting, earning them the most time they could before getting discovered. However...


    "It''s still too far!"


    The mayor''s tower was about a kilometer away from the east entrance. And currently, they have spent three minutes to travel just 200 meters. They were still far from their target, but only had 7 minutes left before their infiltration was detected!


    ''Killing the guards was a mistake,''


    All three of them thought this, but of course, Zena didn''t want to admit that her methods were wrong. She has been going with this method ever since, so it''s a proven method for her!


    "Right!" But then, an idea appeared in her head. "If their tower controller just died, then we''re going to earn more time~!"


    "..."


    And with another of her psychopathic solutions, their direction changed, moving toward the ce where the sentries were gathering. A guardhouse, per se.


    "Watch the entrance. Eliminate any that tries to get in, or out," Zenamanded with a crazed smile before she dissolved into the darkness like a shadow.


    In less than ten seconds, everyone inside the guardhouse died without them realizing they were dead. The Control tower was neutralized "stealthily"!


    With that out of the way, the three gained more than enough time until the guard''s rotation happened before they would be discovered. But...


    "You two, go ahead," Zenamanded. "Continue with the mission; I''ll make sure that our stealth is perfect first."


    One of the two was a member of the Hit Squad too, so he knew about Zena''s antics. However, despite that, he still was taken aback by how radical Zena''s "Stealth" goes. The other one, who was one of the top members of the ck Numbers, was simply speechless after witnessing Zena''s ability... Her thinking process, however, was something he didn''t want to be influenced by, at all.


    The two nodded in affirmative, before moving like phantoms, heading for their destination. Zena, on the other hand, melded with the shadows and started to ensure that their stealth would never be discovered.


    "If there''s no more sentries, we can''t be discovered~!"


    In the span of fifteen minutes, the two had reached the mayor''s tower, inspected the ce, and found no signs of the vault. On their way back, other than Zena, who was wiping her twin daggers with a white cloth, they saw nobody else.


    "So it''s a bust, huh?" Zena sighed, turning toward the direction of the Underground Prison. "Then, as expected, it''s there?"


    Although Zena wanted to check the ce out and provide backup to Faeloria''s Gamma Team, to reach the ce, they would need to pass through three sections. Each section would have its own defenses. Meaning, with Zena''s way of "stealth," it would be toote before they could arrive at the site.


    "Well, it can''t be helped. Let''s retreat." Zena sighed, turning around and leaving.


    They no longer hid in the shadows and moved quietly, but rather, boldly walked down the middle of the road. After all, not a single soul, nor any cameras, were present to see them anymore.


    ---


    "Hmm?"


    Faeloria''s ears twitched, as she turned toward a certain direction, alerting the other three behind her.


    "Is something wrong, chief?" one of them, a fellow member of the Hit Squad, asked curiously.


    However, she just shook her head, dismissing it. "I thought someone just spoke of me, but I must be imagining things." She sighed. "Anyway, we''ll be arriving soon. Keep your stealth up."


    The Gamma Team had already been moving stealthily for over 20 minutes. Despite that, they were still far from reaching their target.


    The Underground Prison was located three kilometers from the north entrance, so them being two-thirds of the way already was still considered fast. However, for an infiltration mission, they were already nearing overtime. Either of the two teams, who had their targets closer to the entrance, could end up triggering the security andpromising the mission.


    The more time passes, the riskier it gets!


    "Let''s double our pace!" Faeloria dered.


    Only one kilometer was left, and they will arrive at their target facility. However, the closer they got, the moreplicated the patrols became. But with Faeloria''s abilities, they slipped past the sentries undetected, even though they were literally slipping past them.


    Faeloria''s ability was something simr to what Lori used before, erasing her presence from anyone who saw her. But she wasn''t using brainwashing, but instead, simply taking advantage of one''s subconscious mind.


    She wasn''t even using magic or spells. Only pure skills, ying with the sentries'' subconscious mind, and misdirection in y.


    Just like magic, the four of them reached the facility after eight minutes more, undetected. However, they couldn''t get close just yet, as the cameras surrounding the facility didn''t have a blind spot.


    "Kelek, it''s your turn." But Faeloria was prepared for it.


    One of their members, Kelek of the ck Numbers, was an expert in information warfare. In short, a hacker. With his skills, breaking the firewalls and taking control of the cameras for a while was not hard, but not easy either.


    "I need one minute!" He dered as he pulled out his Holo Tab, expanding its holographic disy, and pulling out two keyboards. "Please guard me for one whole minute!"


    "Don''t worry," Faeloria smiled, reassuring him. "Leave it to me."


    Right then, he quickly hacked through the wifi signals and entered the enemy''s mainframe. Entering and messing everything up was easy, but doing it without letting the other party realize what was happening? That''s what he''s doing.


    Time passed, and soon, a full minute came.


    "It''s done!" Kelek dered, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "The cameras wouldn''t be picking on our figures for 30 minutes!"


    "Good job."


    Faeloria quickly pulled out a wand out of her thigh holder and sharpened her gaze. "Then, we will now infiltrate the prison!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 211: Weak Trap

    Faeloria''s team carefully entered the underground prison, ensuring they stayed under the enemy''s radar. Of course, they remained on high alert, ready to "silence" anyone who discovered their presence.


    The prison''syout wasplex, with three floors above ground and five floors below. To enhance security and prevent prisoners from escaping, the stairs leading to the next floor were deliberately ced as far away as possible for eachyer, making it extremely difficult to either sneak in or out.


    Naturally, they ignored the upper floors for now, as the chances of their target being there were slim.


    "Clear..." Faeloria whispered as they moved forward.


    Thanks to her advanced stealth spell, not even cameras or the enhanced senses of beastmen could detect their presence. They proceeded through the floors smoothly, undisturbed by the enemy''s sentries and security.


    "Wait!" She called out suddenly.


    There was still something they couldn''t easily bypass¡ªphysical traps.


    While Faeloria''s stealth could fool magical traps, infrared sensors, and motion sensors, it couldn''t counteract physical traps like tripwires or pressure tes. As such, they had to proceed carefully.


    The deeper they went, the more traps they encountered, which slowed them down significantly.


    They needed over five minutes to fully inspect each floor, searching for the vault, before moving deeper. In the end, they wasted a full 25 minutes before finally finding something remotely rted to what they were looking for.


    "This is it," Faeloria dered as she stared at the giant vault before them.


    It was hidden on the fifth basement floor, on the opposite end of the hallway from the cell where Lori had supposedly been held. It was heavily guarded, with traps and sensors everywhere to protect it.


    With hand signals, the three of them quickly moved into position and silently neutralized the guards. Eight sentries died without knowing what hit them.


    "Alright, now we just need to break open this lock, take the contents, and leave," Faeloria sighed before turning to Kelek, their resident hacker. "Can you do it?" she asked.


    Kelek moved beside the vault, touching it lightly. "We won''t know until I try."


    Regardless of whether he could unlock it with his skills, they "had to." So, as he said, he had no choice but to try.


    He pulled out his Holo Tab, connected a small wire to it, and plugged it into an exposed part of the circuit beneath the vault''s keypad. As soon as he did, numbers shed across his monitor, changing rapidly every second.


    "This is... a six-fold variable cipher! Damn, resourceful bastards!" he cursed, realizing the task''s unexpectedplexity.


    A six-fold variable cipher, as the name implies, uses a six-part encryption method with six variable "keys" that change every second. To fully decrypt the passcode, Kelek had to figure out all six keys within one second before they changed again.


    His fingers danced over the two virtual keyboards, creating afterimages, making it seem as though he had six arms. However, even with his superhuman speed, Kelek gritted his teeth, frustration clear on his face.


    "Damn it! I''m too slow! I can''t keep up with all six keys at once!" he eximed, half in panic. "Chief, buffs!"


    "On it."


    Faeloria closed her eyes and carefully cast a buff over Kelek, increasing his time perception and agility. This unorthodox spell was something only she could perform, but it came with a heavy price.


    Kelek''s eyes turned bloodshot as his hands moved more than three times faster than before, creating the illusion of sixteen hands flying across the keyboards. The veins on his arms and neck bulged unnaturally, as if they were about to burst.


    Then, in the span of ten intense seconds, Kelek finally raised his hands and coughed up blood. "It''s done!" he gasped.


    "Hang on! Doublecast: Dispel-Heal!"


    Without missing a beat, Faeloria cast a dual spell over him. The Dispel removed the harmful effects of the buff, while Heal began repairing the damage his body had endured.


    Cronos Blessing, the buff Faeloria used, was a double-edged sword. It greatly enhanced one''s abilities but ced an immense strain on the body. If she let someone below level 1,000 use it for the full minute, their death would be inevitable.


    "Great job, Kelek," Faeloria praised him.


    The man, still pale and panting from the pain, gave a weak smile.


    She turned to the now-unlocked vault and slowly twisted the door handle open. Inside, as expected, was the anti-brainwashing equipment Juviel City had produced.


    "Collect everything here," Faeloria ordered, stepping into the vault with the others and beginning to store the masks in their storage devices.


    But after retrieving the first one, Faeloria realized her mistake.


    *RRRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNNGGGGGGG!*


    "...!"


    It was already toote when they noticed. The items had been ced on pressure tes! Removing them triggered an rm that red throughout the prison, alerting everyone to their presence.


    "Shit!" Faeloria cursed, uncharacteristically. "Hurry up! We need to retreat!"


    In less than ten seconds, they gathered all the equipment from the vault, ced it inside their Storage Rings, and sprinted back toward their exit. However, before they even reached the stairs, they encountered armed sentries who began attacking without hesitation. Bullets flew toward them like a disturbed beehive!


    Stealth no longer worked on them!


    ''Were we hit by Mana Marking?!''


    Faeloria realized the trap inside the vault was more than just physical. Layered spells had marked them!


    Bullets whizzed through the air, each one deadly enough to seriously harm even her. Thankfully, Faeloria wasn''t defenseless. Activating her artifact bracelet, imbued with a powerful shield spell, she deflected the initial barrage and rushed forward.


    They couldn''t afford to waste any more time. In the middle of enemy territory, every second counted.


    Faeloria closed the gap, moving within a meter of the enemies, and cast a deadly spell. "Kyuin Noxis Sirreo G Spicht! Shadow God''s Wrathful Impaler!"


    In a 180-degree arc, shadowy spikes erupted from the ground, impaling everyone in front of her. The spikes extended to the walls, over fifty meters away. In one swift move, the first wave of sentries was eliminated, their bodies left mangled in the aftermath.


    "Let''s move!"


    But their hardships had only just begun.

 Chapter 212: Sense of Dissonance

    After clearing the first wave, Faeloria led the other two upward, heading for the surface. They were cautious of two things: avoiding getting surrounded or cornered, and avoiding close contact with someone from the Aracelli race.


    As the rm red, it was only a matter of time before someone woulde to try and "brainwash" them too. It became a race against time, whether they could reach the surface before someone got to them!


    "Intruders! Kill them!"


    "For Goddess Lori!!!"


    The brainwashed guards showed no fear, charging straight at Faeloria''s team with guns, spells, and whatever weapons they had on hand. However, the level gap between them and Faeloria''s group was too vast, making the enemies look like headless chickens running to their doom.


    "Keep up!"


    Faeloria was doing most of the killing, being the highest level and wielding the strongest firepower. Like moths to a me, the brainwashed sentries and guards were mowed down, leaving none alive.


    Even with enemies blocking their way, the 25-minute trek from earlier was now covered in just three minutes!


    ''Weird...''


    But instead of feeling relieved, Faeloria felt even more pressure. Besides the cannon fodder, none of the "top brass" had crossed their path. Their escape was going too smoothly, making her worry it was a trap!


    ''But we can''t miss this chance!''


    She resolved herself, expanding her perception range just in case. "You two, we''re rushing outside at once!" she called to them with a hint of worry, before leading the charge.


    The three of them slipped out of the prison quickly, stopping at a nearby corner. As she expected, they were already surrounded! "This is bad..."


    They overwhelmed the enemies in terms of level, but sometimes, quantity beats quality. Given the sheer number of foes, it would be difficult to fight while staying alert in all directions. The three of them were suddenly in a tight spot!


    "Raise the signal," Faeloriamanded immediately.


    Kelek, hearing the order, nodded and quickly pulled a small tube from his belt holster, pointing it toward the sky. A momentter, a sh of sparks shot into the air, rising about a hundred meters before exploding into green sparks.


    That signal not only sent an audio-visual alert to the other teams but also released a unique frequency picked up by themunicators of their allies.


    Right then, themunicators of all ten members received the signal, ying a pre-recorded message on cue.


    [Objective achieved. Retreat immediately.]


    Faeloria didn''t request reinforcements but instead ordered a full retreat. The situation made it hard for them to wipe out the enemies, who were positioned all around them. However, they weren''t crazy extremists like Zena, so there was no need for an all-out battle anyway.


    "I''ll create an opening. You two, cover me!"


    All they needed was to focus on one point, create a gap, and slip through! With Faeloria''s heightened senses, she quickly identified the weakest link and charged forward. As she moved, bullets rained down from all directions, making it hard to even see ahead.


    "Stone Wall!"


    "Gravity Shift!"


    But the two behind her quickly acted, blocking both sides with thick stone walls and redirecting the bullets from behind with a powerful forcefield that shifted gravity in the opposite direction of the projectiles.


    With their defense secured, Faeloria was able to focus on the enemies in front of her.


    "Kyuin Noxis Sirreo G Spicht! Shadow God''s Wrathful Impaler!"


    She used the same skill as before, but this time, shadows all around her formed spikes, impaling every single enemy in her path. Controlling the "spears," she swept the impaled bodies to the side, creating a wide path for them to pass through.


    "Go!"


    As soon as the opening was clear, they sprinted at top speed, escaping the encirclement. Bullets, spells, and various other projectiles flew after them but were perfectly blocked by the two mages. Not a single shot touched them!


    "Shit! Shit! Shit!" Kelek, however, wasn''t as calm as the situation might have suggested.


    His Gravity Shift requiredplex calctions before he could cast it, and it was a miracle that he had blocked all the attacks up to this point. It just so happened that the bullets had the same mass, volume, and kic energy. If not, his mind would''ve been overloaded long ago.


    Of course, Faeloria noticed this. "You two, go ahead!" she shouted as soon as they made it out of the encirclement.


    "Yes, Chief!"


    Without looking back, the two guys continued running forward. Meanwhile, Faeloria skidded to a stop, keeping a watchful eye on therge number of enemies chasing them. Projectiles rained down nonstop!


    "You all should just stay put for now!"


    Faeloria pped her hands before spreading them apart. A ball of blue light appeared between them, starting as small as a thumb but quickly growing in size. Given that they were deep in enemy territory, she didn''t need to hold back.


    "White Eclipse!"


    After calling the skill''s name, she pped her hands again,pressing the small sphere. A powerful explosion followed, erupting in the middle of the enemy formation and flooding the area with a blinding sh of white light.


    For a moment, it looked like midday!


    When the light faded, nothing was left in the st zone. Everything had been obliterated, leaving a massive crater spanning over half a kilometer. Not only were people gone, but even the surrounding buildings had been "deleted" in an instant.


    "..."


    Faeloria stared at the destruction she had caused, then turned around and chased after the other two. She was a proud member of the Hit Squad of Orinfeld City, and scenes of destruction and death were a norm for them.


    Still, that didn''t mean they felt no guilt.


    ''Killing is a sin, no matter what pompous ideals you''re fighting for.''


    She recited her creed silently, offering a prayer as she ran. However, she couldn''t rx just yet.


    The entire time, they had encountered no members of the Aracelli race. Their absence left Faeloria imagining the worst-case scenario, sending a chill down her spine.


    "Let''s return to the city quickly. I have a bad feeling about this."

 Chapter 213: A Step Too Late

    After wiping out their potential pursuers, Faeloria''s team managed to escape smoothly. Nobody was there to block their path until they left the perimeter of Juviel City, reaching the forest where they first arrived.


    "Nobody went to the za, right?"


    The za was their gathering point, but only if they failed to escape safely. Thankfully, there was no SOS signal sent yet, meaning none of the other two teams were in danger.


    Still, Faeloria was worried, especially for Zena''s team, who had the highest probability of going around "assassinating" key figures just because.


    "Oh, you''re finally here!"


    But thankfully, the one who weed them was the said problematic team, already waiting in the forest beforehand.


    "You were fast." Faeloria smiled, praising them lightly.


    Zena slithered toward her and shrugged. "Well, our target was a bust, so it''s no wonder we got out fast."


    Of course, there was no need to report how they wiped out every single sentry back there. Even if she reported what they did, Faeloria herself did something simr, so she couldn''t really me the sneakymia.


    "I see. Then, let''s wait a bit more for the Beta Team to arrive," Faeloria announced before sitting down, leaning against a random tree nearby.


    She was tired, but more than that, she was worried about Orinfeld City. Her hunch rarely missed, but this time, she hoped her intuition was mistaken.


    About three more minutes passed before the Beta Team finally arrived. Given that their location was furthest from their starting point, it was reasonable they were also thest to arrive. However, they also brought bad news with them.


    "We found documents in the general''s office, probably left by the enemies. The Aracelli Race is nning to attack Orinfeld City tonight!"


    "What?!" Zena gasped in shock.


    Right now, the Hit Squad was left with seven members. Even if their "head" was there, it would be hard for that person to hold back a dozen Aracelli on their own.


    "Fae!" Zena turned to Faeloria with a panicked expression.


    Faeloria nodded her head firmly as if understanding her worries. "I know. We should hurry back. Ellen, can you warp us all back to the city?"


    As they were going on a far-off mission, they had a mage with them capable of Warp. The mage, Ellen of the Beta Team, nodded immediately.


    "I saved my mana for this, chief! But I can''t bring us all straight to Orinfeld. My limit is the outskirts, right outside the wall."


    "That should be good enough." Faeloria sighed before facing the others. "Everyone, as soon as we drop on the other side, prepare for immediate battles!"


    After that, she also took out a few of the loot they got, passing one to each. "And exchange the prototypes with these. It would at least increase our defenses, even by just a little."


    Everyone quickly removed the prototype anti-brainwashing masks and wore the newer versions. Thankfully, the design and usage were mostly the same, with the only difference being that the protection against brainwashing increased by 200%pared to the prototypes.


    After their preparations were over, Ellen began casting her warp skill. The wind around them started to stir as a portal appeared in front of them.


    "Let''s go!"


    With Faeloria at the lead, they didn''t waste any time and entered. All ten of them slipped through in just three seconds and quickly lowered their stances while watching the surroundings.


    "... Oh god."


    Zena was the first to notice what was going on, with the others quickly following her gaze and seeing the same thing shortly after. The dark skies above Orinfeld City were tinted a deep red hue. mes burned, raging endlessly around the city as if to represent the ongoing chaos.


    When they sharpened their senses, they could smell the scent of burnt flesh, and hear the faint screams filled with despair and terror, along with sparse, crazedughs from far away.


    "...!"


    Faeloria felt her heart tighten. Her worst fears hade true! However, she forcefully calmed herself down and turned around. She was the leader of their team, so she couldn''t lose her cool!


    "Everyone, let''s head to Gravene Tower first! Ellen, focus on recovering your mana. Kelek, cover for her. Zena, I''ll leave hunting the enemies to you. Remember, don''t harm the residents, only the enemies!"


    Currently, the popce was divided into two groups: those who were brainwashed and those who weren''t. Killing those they were supposed to protect was putting the cart before the horse. As such, they were faced with a difficult situation where they couldn''t easily neutralize the enemies before them.


    "Don''t worry, I know!" Zena muttered before her figure faded into the shadows.


    Her stealth was a different breed than Faeloria''s. Faeloria''s was a magic-based skill, while Zena''s was more of a "talent." If she got serious, even Faeloria wouldn''t be able to detect her until the moment she attacked.


    After making sure Zena had left, Faeloria turned to the remaining eight and nodded. "Echelon formation! Let''s go!"


    With that signal, they quickly ran toward the gate and burst through. As they did, the scene they could only imagine from the sound and smell finally entered their eyes. Burned corpsesy by the road, residents ran around in panic, and crazed civilians under brainwashing ran after them like psychopathic killers.


    Faeloria bit her lip at the scene, frowning hard andmanding, "Neutralize those fuckers, but don''t kill them!"


    "Yes, chief!"


    Everyone responded quickly, using skills and spells. Various non-lethal attacks flew, mostly to restrain the enemies, while Faeloria moved with her wand, jabbing it into the captured enemies'' napes or diaphragms.


    One after another, they eliminated the threats, but the situation wasn''t getting any better. It was like a drop in a bucket, barely contributing to the situation. However, they could only do what they could without minding anything else.


    "Save as many citizens along the way as you can!" she ordered. "And let them follow us from behind! to, you''re in charge of watching over them!"


    "Roger that!"


    With the anti-brainwashing gear, their vision could differentiate between those brainwashed and those who weren''t, making it rtively safe to allow the refugees to follow them. Non-brainwashed residents weren''t a threat... or so they thought.


    "W-What?!"


    "S-Sorry, I''m sorry, mister!!!"


    One of the refugees, a woman who didn''t seem too strong, managed to pull the helmet off one of them. It was to, who was tasked with guarding the refugees, and consequently located closest to them.


    "Give it back!" he roared, about to reach for the woman in panic, but was a step toote.


    A shadow fell and stared him straight in the eyes. He reflexively forgot all the warnings about not staring anyone in the eye, even with the gear on.


    It was a simple trick of leading someone''s gaze through visual cues using clothes and face paint, but to fell for it.


    "Well done, woman." The man, who fell from the sky, grinned viciously. "As promised, I will free your daughter from my control." He said.


    Then, he snapped his fingers. As soon as he did, a teenage girl about sixteen or seventeen walked out of an alley and... plunged a knife through her own heart.


    "N-NOOOOO!"


    The woman, who was most likely her mother, cried. However, even if she ran toward her now, it was already toote. It was an instant death for her daughter!


    "YOU SCUM!" Faeloria growled, her face warped in anger. "HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH SOMEONE''S LIFE!"


    She rushed toward the man, who had wing-like appendages behind his ears. Her wand glowed brightly, like a saber about to reap his neck.


    *TING!*


    But she was blocked... by the Defense Specialist of ck Numbers, to.

 Chapter 214: Fighting Against Allies!

    "to...!" Faeloria growled in a mix of surprise and anger. ''He''s already fallen into the enemy''s hands!''


    Thinking about everyone''s natural resistance to mental attacks and the added protection from the anti-brainwashing mask, Faeloria was the only one in their group who could fight an Aracelli Race member head-on. However, to was second in ranking, as he specialized in defenses.


    ''And making him fall in seconds means...!''


    The realization came instantly, followed by her immediatemand. "Everyone! Retreat! Protect the civilians and retreat to Gravene Tower!"


    In their current situation, Faeloria couldn''t afford to protect everyone while fighting. As such, the best choice was to let everyone but thebatants evacuate the battlefield.


    "GO!"


    "...!"


    The rest looked slightly reluctant at first, but after hearing her desperate voice at the end, they had no choice but to follow her orders. "Chief, be careful!" Kelek and Ellen eximed before quickly escaping with everyone else.


    "You think I''d let you!"


    The man of the Aracelli Race raised his voice,manding everyone nearby who was under his control to block them. However...


    *BAM!*


    "I''m your opponent, bastard!"


    Faeloria''s attack was still too much for to to handle. His defense broke, allowing an attack to reach the man''s face. Like a bullet, he flew straight toward the wall, crashing against it, and creating arge dust cloud.


    "... Bitch," but of course, he wouldn''t fall so easily. "If you''re rushing to your death, then let me do the honors! DIE!"


    In a sh, not only to but a few more familiar faces appeared. Some of them were from the ck Numbers like him, while there were a few from the Hit Squad too. Faeloria frowned hard. The situation was more urgent than she had imagined!


    She quickly activated her defensive bracelet, covering herself with a barrier that protected her from all directions.


    *CRACK!*


    But as expected, they were too powerful for a mere artifact to stop. The defensive barrier was destroyed within seconds, exposing Faeloria to their attacks!


    Using the short moment bought by her artifact''s protection, she finished casting a spell, creating arge fortress of ice and stone around her.


    "Higgit Tiroe Sirreo Frysta Ambuor G Skild! Frozen Earth Emperor''s Rampart!"


    It was a high-level spell cast within one second, a feat only possible because of her raw stats and maxed-out speed-casting level!


    *BAM!* *BOOM!* *CRACK!*


    But even that tough-looking protection didn''t seem like it wouldst more than a few seconds against constant attacks from over a dozen enemies. Faeloria gritted her teeth hard, hesitating.


    If she attacked, there was a high chance that the members of ck Numbers and the Hit Squad would die. However, if she remained passive, her loss would be a fixed oue.


    "You leave me with no choice!" Although it pained her, there was only one thing she could do. "If you die, me me all you want!"


    Waving her wand, the Frozen Earth Emperor''s Rampart started to regenerate. Furthermore, cannons and ballistas appeared on the outer walls, all aiming at the enemies surrounding her¡ªtechnically herrades.


    Hesitation shed on her face for a brief moment before turning to a t expression,pletely erasing her emotions. "... Fire." And with hermand, all hell broke loose.


    *BOO-BOO-BOO-BOOOM!*


    A series of explosions echoed as solid metal cannonballs and icy arrows flew from all around. In a sh, the entire surrounding of the rampart turned into a devastatednd, not only burned but smashed by projectiles into pieces.


    Faeloria stood at the top of the tallest spire and watched the destruction all around. It was horrible, and it was something she did... voluntarily.


    Her eyes scanned the ce and quickly found everyone scattered all over. Some were rtively fine, losing an arm or a leg, but as expected, some were beyond help. One even had his head smashed to bits by a cannonball, dying on the spot.


    "..."


    Faeloria''s heart remained frozen. She had prepared her mind for it, but as expected, it still didn''t feel too good.


    "Ahhh, you messed up my pawns real good, you bitch."


    And right then, the man who was the ringleader of this chaos appeared before her, walking in mid-air. Hiszy smile, full of leeway, made Faeloria irritated. "Killing your allies, what a bad bitch you are." He grinned, taunting even harder.


    "Don''t worry, bastard." But Faeloria''s heart remained firm, unperturbed. "Your death will be more than enough to pay for their sacrifice!"


    "Keh!" Heughed,pletely looking down on her. "You can''t even look straight at me, and you''ll defeat me? Stop talking nonsense!"


    *Snap!*


    "And you don''t have the right to fight me, bitch."


    Along with his snap, more and more people appeared. Of the two dozen mixed members of ck Numbers and Hit Squad, half managed to survive. Despite losing some of their limbs, they moved desperately, trying to do their best to attack her.


    Furthermore, backup arrived from all over. Hundreds of civilians, carrying knives, bars, and other makeshift weapons, appeared from alleys and roads, surrounding her.


    "... You disgusting fucker!" Faeloria cursed, seeing what the Aracelli man was nning.


    He nned to waste Faeloria''s energy fighting and killing those she should be protecting, thinning not only her battle potential but also her mental strength!


    "This... is too much!"


    Even Faeloria couldn''t force herself to drag civilians to their deaths.


    Members of the ck Numbers or the Hit Squad were still fine since they swore toy down their lives to protect the residents of Orinfeld City. However, what good would it do if she killed the ones she should be protecting?


    "Ahahah! That''s it, that''s the expression I wanted to see!" The man cackled excitedly. "Anger! Hatred! Despair! That fits you a lot better, you fucking bitch!!!"


    The man was not worried, as if he was sure of his victory. However, little did he know that what he did just made his life shorter¡ªFaeloria was pushed to the edge and now had no other option.


    With a small voice, which magically echoed all over the ce, she chanted.


    "Yggdrasil, grant me your strength; let your roots bind my foes and your lifeblood fill my veins."


    "...!"


    The man of the Aracelli Race felt the rapid change in the atmosphere and, at the same time, received a premonition of his brutal death!


    "Let your servant preach to the world of your magnificence! World Tree''s Fury!"


    At that instant, an entire section of Orinfeld City was covered by a forest of gigantic roots. Whatever was happening inside, nobody but those concerned could ever know.

 Chapter 215: Peerless Assassin

    During the time Faeloria was fiercely battling one of the Aracelli Race members, a shadow moved relentlessly throughout the city¡ªquick, precise, and unstoppable. These three words best encapsted Zenearith''s movements as she worked with unerring efficiency.


    ''The chaos has already spread throughout the entire city.''


    After a thorough inspection of every nook and cranny of Orinfeld City, she could only frown deeply. No part of the city was untouched by turmoil. Dead bodies lined the sidewalks, while uncontroble mes raged, consuming everything in their path and casting a grim shadow over the once-peaceful streets.


    Given that she was alone, any attempts to aid the citizens would have only a minimal impact. Therefore, she prioritized her primary strength: eliminating the masterminds behind the chaos.


    She had initially set out with the intention of finding whoever had brainwashed the citizens below. However, aside from the one Faeloria was currently confronting, she had yet to locate any other members of the Aracelli Race.


    ''Where are they hiding?''


    Zena had searched high and low, exploring every building and alley, but still came up empty-handed. Her impatience grew as she failed to catch even a glimpse of the enemy''s presence. The city was in disarray, and the urgency of her mission weighed heavily on her shoulders.


    "...!"


    Then, something peculiar caught her attention.


    The enemy had the ability to brainwash anyone who met their gaze, with the duration of the effect varying based on the individual''s mental resistance. Once they had "nted the seeds," they no longer needed to be physically present to witness the unfolding chaos.


    With this realization, Zena decided to extend her search beyond the city''s confines. To her surprise, it proved almost effortless. Within a minute, she pinpointed the enemies'' location with remarkable ease!


    In a forest clearing near Orinfeld City, five of them sat around a table, leisurely sipping tea and other beverages as if enjoying a rxed afternoon. They watched feeds from cameras scattered throughout the city, their demeanor a stark contrast to the devastation below.


    "Garreth, your pawns are too powerful! Maybe you should hold back a little!"


    "Kahaha! I''m no match for you, Brother Arkos. Your pawns already dominate the entire Eastern block!"


    "You two, stop boasting! My troops are just getting started. Don''t count your chickens before they hatch!"


    "Sister Numea, the gap in scores is too wide for you to catch up. Just give up. Those two are way too strong."


    "What are you saying, Sister Ferria? Us sisters shouldn''t act like losers! We will win this!"


    "Hmph. The four of you should stop deluding yourselves. This great Amerak''s troops have already taken over the entire west wing. This is my win."


    Without a hint of tension, they continued sipping their drinks leisurely. It was as if the chaos unfolding in Orinfeld City was merely a "game" to them¡ªan unsettling disy of their detachment from the suffering they had caused.


    "..."


    Despite observing the enemies engage in trivial banter, Zena maintained herposure. Alone and outnumbered, she knew her best chance was to assess their strength and eliminate the most formidable among them. From their conversation, she identified the strongest as the man with ashen-red hair, who sat arrogantly at the center of their table.


    "Shit! If only I was under level 100, I could''ve joined Lady Lori in the dungeon instead of ying games with you bastards!"


    The woman with pink hair, named Numea, cursed once again. "I could''ve made a bigger impact if I had helped bring back that brat named Aster and that healer girl with the revival skill!"


    "Give up, Sister Numea. Even if we had joined her, our seals have not been removed. We can''t use our full strength just yet."


    Zena''s ears twitched as her gaze sharpened with renewed focus.


    At that moment, she abandoned her usual restraint. The best assassin of the Hit Squad finally demonstrated why she had earned that reputation. Time seemed to stretch in her senses as her body moved with unmatched precision. In just three swift actions, everything was resolved.


    With her exceptional stealth, she cast aplex barrier within 0.003 seconds, effectively nullifying all the senses of the five at the center.


    Then, 0.02 secondster, before anyone could process what was happening, Zena''s finger shed. Sharpened Manasteel wires, arranged in an intricate 3D pattern around the forest, surrounded the enemies, sealing off all escape routes.


    Just as the enemies realized they were under attack, 0.05 secondster, Zena closed her palms. The wires tightened, and like aser saw, they reduced "everything" within their reach to nothingness. The trees, the chairs, the table¡ªeven the air itself. Everything was dismantled to the molecr level, leaving no trace behind.


    A total of 0.01 secondster, the barrier was dispelled.


    Zena stood amidst the aftermath¡ªa deep crater where the table had once been, now a massive gouge as if carved out by a colossal shovel. A fine mist of blood and dust filled the space, creating a chilling and surreal scene.


    Her cold gaze swept across the area where the five Aracelli Race members had been, and she whispered with a mix of disgust and unrestrained fury.


    "How dare you touch Aster..." Her voice was thick with seething anger. "He will soon be mine. I will never allow you to meddle with him."


    As usual, Zena vanished without a trace. Like a phantom, she left no hint of her presence behind.


    After her departure, the area began to disintegrate. Arge "hole" formed, and like a ck hole, it consumed everything within the vicinity before dispersing. The crater expanded, bingrger and more dramatic, to the point where it appeared as though a weapon of mass destruction had been unleashed.


    Five enemies perished in an instant, leaving no evidence of what had transpired. Truly, it was the work of the city''s most skilled assassin.


    Five enemies were eliminated, while one of them was engaged with Faeloria. The remaining six gathered together and, using the same method as the "kidnappers," entered the dungeon. Zena was aware of this but realized she couldn''t provide direct assistance to Aster''s group.


    As for where she went afterward, nobody knew. However, if any "enemy" crossed her path, their fate was sealed.


    They would lose their lives without ever understanding what hit them, their demise a testament to the deadly precision of the city''s finest assassin.

 Chapter 216: Getting Chased! (1)

    It was morning inside the dungeon, with the wind howling fiercely, carrying sand all around. Aster was, as usual, pulling the cart with the girls onboard, moving as fast as a speeding car.


    Argus was roaming even faster than Aster, eliminating any monsters that entered his detection range. Thanks to his relentless hunting, the girls were continuously gaining experience and leveling up.


    While on the move, Aster frequently nced at Cassy. The events of the previous night still lingered in his mind. Cassy''s expression was slightly improvedpared to the day before, but a hint of depression remained.


    However, more than that...


    "Tina, can you return to the cart?"


    Aster asked, unable to ignore the girltched onto his back while running.


    That morning, as soon as she was freed from Aster''s frozen hold, she had clung to him like a stubborn stain that refused to let go. He had initially ignored her, hoping she would detach over time, but after six hours, she still clung to him, refusing to budge.


    "..."


    Furthermore, she wasn''t speaking at all. Even though Aster wasn''t ustomed to dealing with girls, he could tell she was sulking¡ªheavily at that.


    Seeing that he was still being ignored, Aster could only sigh in resignation.


    "The boss is close by. Everyone, prepare to move."


    From their resting spot to the boss, it took them six hours. It wasn''t that they had slowed their pace, but rather because the distance between the entrance and the portal to the next floor was increasing.


    Starting from the 15th floor, unless they could fly, it was impossible to proceed in a straight path to the end. They had to navigate through severalrge detours around treacherous terrains, such as deep valleys and tall mountains.


    Unlike the first ten floors, which had an "artificial" feel, floors starting from the 15th began to appear more realistic. And with realism came increased dangers.


    These factors affected their speed.


    After a while, they finally arrived near the portal. As soon as they got close enough, the boss monster''s spawn began. Argus, however, didn''t wait for the boss to fully form and immediately struck it with a bolt of red lightning.


    *BOOM!*


    With a deafening explosion, the boss monster was obliterated before it could evenplete its formation, leaving no trace behind¡ªnot even dust. At the same time, the girls'' bodies glowed, signaling that their levels had risen once again.


    At their current pace, they should reach level 30 by the time they cleared the next floor!


    ''With our remaining provisions, even if we minimize consumption, they willst us only a little over a week.''


    A week was a considerable amount of time, but Aster worried it might not be enough for the situation outside the dungeon to resolve. Moreover, Cassy was integral to Lori''s ns. Hence, securing the orange rabbit was their top priority.


    ''No, considering how fast Lory works, I wouldn''t be surprised if she somehow got inside the dungeon already and is now pursuing us.''


    With this thought in mind, he led the girls into the portal leading to the next floor.


    ---


    On the 14th floor, the members of the top three ns were all geared up, ready to move and chase after Aster''s group. The reason wasn''t to protect them but rather to "punish" the "bastard" who dared to look down on them.


    "Mages! Prepare the teleportation portal! We''ll be jumping straight to the closest camp near the portal to the next floor!"


    The 14th floor was one where the three ns had set up Teleportation Arrays to expedite the clearing process. Naturally, the members of the top three ns could utilize these arrays.


    The standby mages on the 14th floor began preparations, loading the Teleportation Array with mana. Since it would transport around 40 members, the mana required was substantial.


    It took them over three hours to fully activate the array!


    "Let''s go. Let''s make that bastard pay for going against the top three ns!"


    "YEAH!"


    A powerful cheer echoed, indicating agreement with his words. At that moment, all four parties¡ªtwo from Dragon''s Roar, one from the Ironblood Knights, and one from Light of Glory¡ªalong with the two mages who activated the portal, totaled 40 members.


    No, it wasn''t a mistake in the count. Aside from the three ns, there was also one party that remained "invisible" to them but was still included. This group shared amon physical trait¡ªwings behind their ears.


    Aster''s guess was urate. Lori had entered the dungeon, apanied by five others!


    "Tsk! Lady Lori, can''t we just control everyone here? It would be easier that way!" One of them, a red-haired man with a small build, asked irritably. "Whether we control them or not, we can still make them use the arrays for us!"


    Lori, addressed by the red-haired man, had her eyes closed and arms crossed. She slightly opened them and turned toward him. Even without speaking, the man was visibly shaken and took an unconscious step back.


    Lori closed her eyes again, not bothering to exin. The man didn''t raise the issue again, knowing well the meaning of "fear."


    She was the only one among the Aracellis who could use her eyes unrestrained at present. Thus, the others couldn''t challenge her. If they did, the oue was already predetermined.


    Of course, there was also a reason why she hadn''t taken full control of the three ns. However, that would be clearter, after they caught up with Aster''s team.


    ''Without a doubt, they should be clearing floors right now, trying to increase the distance between us.''


    Having previously traveled using the AA Express, Lori could estimate how far Aster and the girls had advanced.


    ''At most, they are on the 16th floor. If we use the Teleportation Arrays continuously, we''ll catch up with them around the 25th floor.''


    Her mind was busy calcting the pros and cons and considering every possible scenario. Slowly, she opened her eyes, a dangerous glint shing within them.


    "Cassandra Bright..."


    Her whisper reached the others'' ears, but they paid it no mind. After all, they knew that Cassandra was the healer they needed for their ns.


    However, none of them realized the emotions hidden behind Lori''s mask.

 Chapter 217: Getting Chased! (2)

    The 16th floor had the same structure as the previous two floors, with a Desert Biome as the main characteristic. However, unlike thest two, the terrain was even more treacherous.


    In addition, monsters that take advantage of the terrain to attack adventurers were present. One could argue that the 16th floor is more dangerous than the 14th and 15thbined.


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    However, one party was breezing through it as if it were no different than the other floors. A party led by a fluffy white dog with heterochromatic eyes, and a young man with ck hair.


    Of course, it was none other than Aster''s party.


    As they were moving, sittingfortably on Aster''s Modified EM Pullcart, he couldn''t help but turn to them and wonder.


    "Girls... you really don''t want to try and hunt by yourselves?" Aster asked once more.


    Ever since the 14th floor, the girls have stayed passive. They didn''t even bother to raise their voices to advocate for themselves, and they didn''t voice anyints about being forced to sit for hours on end while being hauled around like objects.


    Of course, it''s not that they''re gettingzy, but rather, because of a more sensible reason.


    "Our abilities are increasing fast. It''s bothersome to keep on adjusting our senses to it if it''ll just get increased in a few hours."


    Kali''s words were sharp but on point. In summary, she says that due to Argus'' strength and EXP Share (Equal) Ability, the girls were leveling up rapidly. Therefore, trying to "get used to" their current strength is pointless because it will increase soon enough.


    "At our current pace, we should be able to reach a teau after reaching the 20th floor."


    On that floor, the average level would be roughly equivalent to Aster''s, around level 35 to 40. By then, their rapid power-up should begin to slow down, making it possible to adjust their senses properly to their new strength.


    "Right now, rather thanfort, reaching as far and deep into the dungeon as possible is our main target," Liz added. "The deeper we go, the safer we should be from Lory."


    "..."


    The girls were aware that Lory was chasing after Cassy, who possessed the only Revive skill in the world at the moment. That was the reason they were brought into the dungeon for protection in the first ce.


    But the person herself, Cassy, was still hung up on her inner turmoil.


    She did speak out her thoughtsst night, making it clear that she understood that there''s no more going back. However, understanding and epting it were two different things altogether.


    ''It would take a bit more before she could return to normal,'' Aster guessed.


    With their pace, the party quickly broke past the desert biome before night fell. After all, if they were to camp, anywhere would be finepared to the desert. Especially with Liz in the team, who was extremely weak to the cold.


    As they entered the forest zone, their pace dropped. There''s no detour, after all, so Aster had to drag the cart through the forest filled with roots and undergrowth, making it hard to proceed.


    Although they were "slowing down," their pace was still faster than walking on foot. As such, the girls had no choice but to grab the cart, careful not to get thrown off from all the shaking due to the uneven ground.


    Only Tina remained stable... After all, she was still nted on Aster''s back, not budging an inch.


    Around 8 p.m., Aster and the rest decided to take an early rest. They didn''t push themselves to continue onwards through the darkness for two reasons. One is that, the next biome ahead of them was another desert. And two, Aster was getting tired.


    Right, Aster might have higher statspared to the girls right now, but it''s not like he''s tireless! Running nonstop, without even water breaks or leisure walks, and adding the treacherous terrain through the forest, one was bound to get tired sooner orter!


    "Aster, you should rest first," Liz offered, feeling a little guilty after seeing the fatigued look he had on. "I''ll handle the food preparations tonight and tomorrow morning. It would be a problem if you overworked yourself."


    He had been working for the girls like a manservant for a while, and they took it for granted. However, now that the stakes are higher, they can''t rely on Aster for everything.


    "Really? Then... I guess I will take up your offer then," He replied lethargically.


    Rather than the physical fatigue, Aster was more tired mentally.


    The pressure from being pursued, the danger from monsters and terrain, and the fact that only he and Argus were strong enough to protect everyone. As they say, if dust piles up, it bes a mountain. He had been trying to keep it all to himself until now, dealing a heavy blow to his mind.


    By his request, two tents were raised for that night. One for the girls, and one for Aster alone. Of course, they were right beside each other to make it easier to protect.


    After the tent was set up, he quickly crawled into his tent, andid down in the middle, closing his eyes to rest.


    "..."


    But his rest was short-lived. He turned to the side, staring at the person who still refused to leave his side, even now. "Tina..." He muttered in exasperation.


    Although she already left his back, she didn''t leave his side. She stayed beside him, lying with him in the tent, without uttering a single word. She didn''t even meet his gaze, keeping her head tilted down.


    Liz was busy cooking. Kali was looking after Cassy in her own way, while also keeping watch over the surroundings with Argus. As such, nobody was avable to get Tina off of Aster''s tent. As such, he decided to just let her be.


    "Y... ne..."


    "Huh?" But then, a quiet voice came from her, softer than a whisper, making Aster open his eyes curiously. "Did you say something?"


    Right then, Tina finally raised her head, and her eyes¡ªrolling with tears¡ªstared nkly over him. Meeting her gaze, Aster felt scared for a moment, and wanted to move, but was a step toote.


    *THUD!*


    In a moment, Tina moved, mounting over him. Then, in a slightly louder voice, she repeated her previous words, still with a nk, scary gaze.


    "You''re mine... and mine alone..."

 Chapter 218: Tinas Feelings

    Tina''s mounting position was weak, unlike her usual MMA-level pins. Aster could still move both hands, even his legs, so if he wanted to, he could slip out.


    "Tina..."


    However, he didn''t¡ªor rather, he was unable to react fast enough and ended up getting caught in Tina''s pace. The sound of rustling filled his ears, as Tina quickly pulled her top off. Only a thin, ck, in strapless bra remained, hiding her chest.


    After throwing her top to the side, her hand moved, reaching for the strap on her back, but then, Aster returned to his senses. He reached for her hands, stopping them in ce.


    The sudden movement shook the tent, causing the small nighmp hanging on the apex to crash down and break. However, neither of the two paid attention to it, even if their visibility was limited.


    "What are you doing?" Aster asked her, a faint frown appearing on his lips.


    The light from the campfire outside added shadows over Tina''s face, hiding her expression. However, the dangerous glow in her eyes didn''t disappear.


    "Isn''t it obvious...?" Tina''s voice, t and emotionless, rang in the silent tent. "I want your mark¡ªI want your seed. That way, I''ll be yours, and you''ll only be mine."


    "..."


    Although he did guess, he still felt taken aback hearing it from the person herself. Aster thought hard and deep, before shaking his head gently. "Sorry, Tina... I can''t do that." He uttered with slight disgust. "I can''t be yours right now."


    Tina was possessive, one who would definitely not share what was hers with anyone else. However, Aster still had the duty he received from Magnus, meaning, belonging to Tina would onlyplicate things. He didn''t want to hurt her in that way.


    He knew a time like this woulde sooner orter, but the timing couldn''t get any worse. His mind was already tired, and he got another headache thanks to Tina''s actions and words!


    Tina''s body stiffened from the rejection. Her gaze flickered as her breathing started turning ragged.


    "No..." She shook her head in denial, forcing her arm free from Aster''s grasp. "NO!" She shouted, before grabbing the neck of Aster''s shirt and...


    *RIIIIIIP!*


    Tore it apart.


    Aster''s well-toned chest, down to his abs, was exposedpletely, shiny with sweat from the faint lighting from outside. A faint trace of red could be seen, a mark of her nails scraping over his skin.


    "Why? Why won''t you choose me, darling?!" Tina groaned. "I love you, and only you. Why don''t you understand and ept my feelings?!"


    *BAM!* *BAM!*


    Tina''s handsnded on top of his chest, mming down like a hammer. "I love you this much! There''s no way darling can refuse me!"


    "... Sorry."


    But despite Tina''s outburst, tears rolling down like a waterfall down the corner of her eyes, Aster kept the same expression, the same frown, and the unchanging pitying gaze. His voice echoed with regret and me, as if wondering why this had to happen right now.


    Tina''s words got stuck in her throat, as she slowly lurched forward, nting her face against Aster''s chest. "UUUAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH...!" As if she just lost her parents, she wailed as loud as she could.


    Liz, who was cooking, bit her lips while listening to the heartbreaking weeping. Kali turned to look at the sky, her face solemn, while whispering lightly "Vixen..." with slight pity. But Cassy, who was directly rted to the current situation, could only burrow her face against her pillow, trying to drown out the guilt and noise together.


    "Again, because of me..." She whispered, muffled, but in a pained voice.


    That night, Tina cried nonstop, and Aster just let her be, crying against his chest. He didn''t touch her at all, even after she passed out crying.


    He gritted his teeth hard, feeling like a scumbag after breaking Tina''s heart. However, this was the lesser evil,pared to epting her advance and then disappointing herter on.


    His mind was tired, but thanks to the events that happened, he wasn''t feeling sleepy at all. After carefully pushing her off him, he left the tent and walked away.


    Liz and Kali only watched Aster''s back fade into the darkness. They didn''t bother to reach out or stop him, knowing that he needed some time alone. However, they didn''t know that this casual gesture of giving him space would then lead to tragedyter.


    ---


    Aster walked pointlessly, without a destination in mind. All he wanted to do was cool down his head and stop thinking aboutplicated matters¡ªlike rtionships and such.


    Before he realized it, he was already standing at the top of a tall hill. The view was impable, with the stars glowing gently over the entire 16th floor. If the hill was a few dozen meters taller, then it might be possible for him to see the portal leading to the next floor.


    He sat down on the grassy top, staring at the sky, nking out his mind. The cool night breeze, carrying the faint scent of burning fuel from the camp, slowly calmed down his tensed nerves.


    "What do I do..."


    Without a doubt, it would be awkward for him to see Tina tomorrow. He could only wish that Liz and Kali did a follow-up after him, but the chances of that working on Tina were quite abysmal.


    "Really... What should I do?" Aster sighed, lying down on the grassy hill.


    He knew that his choice was the best for the both of them, but still, he couldn''t help but feel a pang of guilt for hurting her.


    ''Would the result change if I strongly rejected her a lot earlier?'' He wondered.


    However, even without thinking, he knew that regardless if the timing was right or wrong, Tina would still end up hurt. Thinking about things he couldn''t change would just stress him even more, so he just closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath.


    By the time he returned to the camp, which was around four in the morning, everything was already toote.


    "Aster! You''re finally here!" Liz called to him as soon as she saw him, panic written all over her face.


    Feeling a sense of foreboding, Aster asked back. "What''s wrong?"


    "Cassy and Tina! Both of them went missing!"

 Chapter 219: Splitting Up (1)

    "Missing?" Aster raised a brow as he repeated Liz''s words. "How? And when?"


    The camp was protected by Argus, so there was no way he would''ve missed the two girls leaving. Turning to the white fluff, he asked, "Argus, do you know where they went?"


    *Arf!*


    Without dy, the little dog barked in affirmation. Then, using his paws, he drew two arrows. One was leading toward the exit portal, their destination, while the other pointed the way back.


    "This..."


    Aster was troubled. It was dangerous for the girls to roam around alone, so he couldn''t afford to dy saving one after the other. They had no choice but to split up and check both directions at the same time!


    "Alright. Liz, you go with Argus! Track the one heading toward the boss area. Kali and I will check the path behind us!"


    Considering theirbat strength and tracking abilities, this was the most optimal split. Liz would be safe with Argus, able to handle any threats they faced. And with theirbined abilities, Aster and Kali could surely protect the one they were chasing.


    To add to that, Aster possessed strength beyond the monsters of the 16th floor, making him virtually unmatched. With Kali''s help, they should be able to catch up to the one on their side quickly.


    "Got it," Liz nodded.


    Without further questions, she ran with Argus, who was already chasing someone''s scent. As they left, Aster turned to Kali and tightened his expression. "We should go too!"


    "I know."


    Kali answered in her usual standoffish tone, but this time, there was a hint of worry in her voice. She had been the one on watch that night, so she felt responsible for letting the two slip away unnoticed.


    If something bad happened to either of them, Kali would surely enter a negative spiral, much like Cassy was currently doing.


    "It''s this way," she announced inly.


    With her tracking abilities, it wasn''t difficult to follow someone''s fresh tracks. The only reason they hadn''t moved sooner was that they couldn''t leave Aster behind without any clue of what was happening.


    It had been half an hour since they realized the girls were missing, but thest time either Cassy or Tina was seen was around midnight. That meant they had up to a four-hour head start.


    In short, the distance between them was at most four hours of walking.


    Kali ran fast, her DEX stat befitting a level 28. Aster followed at his usual pace but was surprised that Kali could already match his speed.


    ''As expected of an Assassin,'' he mused.


    Despite the darkness, Kali ran without hesitation¡ªher night vision was good, after all. Aster, on the other hand, was practically running blind. Fortunately, nothing could stand in his way. His forceful steps turned anything that might trip him¡ªroots, bushes, even rocks¡ªinto a crushed mess.


    They kept up the pace for a quarter hour before Kali stopped. She frowned, looking around, then pointed in a certain direction. "This way!"


    The tracks she saw were fresh, meaning they were closing in. Walking alone in a dark forest was hard, and neither of the two girls had their packs, meaning they had nothing on them, not even a shlight.


    *Thump!*


    Kali increased her pace, worry filling her heart. More and more traces appeared along the way, but alongside a person''s tracks was another¡ªarge, even-toed animal capable of felling trees with its charge.


    "A Berserk Boar!" Kali gritted her teeth, recognizing the Elite version of a Rush Boar.


    It was a monster that appeared in forest areas starting from the 8th floor, excluding floors 11 to 13. Extremely territorial, it would even fight Field Bosses if they invaded its space.


    Without a doubt, the Berserk Boar was chasing someone¡ªeither Tina or Cassy. Fear gripped their hearts as they sped up, running even faster.


    "...!"


    Kali''s nose picked up a familiar scent¡ªiron, with a certain sweetness to it... blood.


    "I''m going ahead!"


    Unable to hold back, Kali activated her skills and left Aster behind. She used elerate, a skill she learned at level 20, and Assassinate, which allowed her to blend with the shadows and rush ahead.


    About half a kilometer ahead, Kali finally found the source of the chaos. Arge boar, three meters tall, with ming back hair and dirty brown fur, was wreaking havoc in the forest.


    Kali''s feet shed as she elerated. In an instant, she was on top of the boar, spinning to slice her twin daggers¡ªBloodshear¡ªagainst its nape!


    *TING!*


    But the monster''s fur was tougher than expected. As if striking solid steel, the daggers sparked, unable to even scratch the Berserk Boar.


    *SNORT!* *SNORT!*


    With that attack, the boar became aware of Kali''s presence. It flicked its head violently, trying to shake her off. Thankfully, she jumped away before it could, escaping to safety.


    *BAM!*


    As it thrashed, the boar smashed through a series of trees before stopping. It remained undamaged, but it became even angrier than before. One look at its bloodshot eyes showed how furious it was.


    *SNORT!*


    It charged toward Kali, but it was too slow. By the time its charge reached where she stood, she had already moved several meters away.


    Each time the boar passed by, Kali swung her Bloodshear, but the iron-like fur thwarted her attempts.


    "Tough bastard!" Kali cursed.


    Neither side couldnd a decisive blow. They were at a stalemate, unable to deal damage to each other!


    "MOVE!"


    "...!"


    Thankfully, Kali wasn''t alone. Hearing a shout, she quickly leaped to the side, just as a powerful frosty sh flew past her, hitting the Berserk Boar squarely. Frosty air froze the boar, sealing its movements.


    Then, like a meteor, Aster lunged forward with unbelievable speed.


    *STAB!* *CRACK!*


    His sword pierced the boar, and with a small twist, the frozen monster shattered into fragments, dying in one hit.


    "Phew..." Aster sighed, sheathing his sword.


    He turned to Kali, making sure she was safe, and then to the other figure standing a few meters away, staring nkly at her.


    "..."


    Cassy was there, her face covered in sweat and tears, glistening even in the darkness. Her expression seemed as if she wanted to say a million things, but bit her lip bitterly, holding her tongue. Aster stared, unsure of what to say.


    *Snap!*


    But Kali didn''t hesitate. She walked steadily¡ªbreaking dry branches along the way¡ªtoward Cassy, who wore an awkward expression. When Kali stopped a few meters away, Cassy finally opened her mouth.


    "You shouldn''t have¡ª"


    *SLAP!*


    Before she could finish, Kali''s hand flickered,nding a solid p across her face. Cassy''s head snapped to the side as her hand reflexively touched her stinging cheek. Her eyes, wide with shock, turned to nce at the culprit.


    "STUPID RABBIT!" Kali roared, her voice cracking with emotion.


    She stepped forward and embraced Cassy, pressing her face against her chest to hide the tears that threatened to spill. "Don''t scare me like that!" she added, like a child throwing a tantrum.


    Slowly, Cassy returned to her senses, the pain in her cheek reminding her of what she''d done. Hearing Kali''s faint sobs, she too started crying and returned the tight hug.


    "I''m sorry! I''m really sorry!" she apologized.


    The two cried, feeling each other''s warmth. It was a heartwarming scene, watching two sistersfort each other. Aster watched from a short distance away, scratching his head. The atmosphere made it hard to approach and reprimand Cassy.


    He had no choice but to wait for them to calm down.


    Eventually, Kali gently pushed Cassy and moved far away, sitting under a tree. She buried her face in her hands, embarrassed by her emotional outburst. She regretted letting her feelings get the best of her!


    Now that she was freed, Aster moved to confront the troublemaker. With a stern expression, he called. He called her "Cassy" and asked, "Why did you do that?"


    Even though his question was vague, Cassy understood what he wanted to hear. She wiped her tear-filled eyes, answering in a soft, guilty voice.


    "My presence was just making things worse for everyone, so I thought I should leave and die somewhere far away, but..."


    She turned to the shattered remains of the Berserk Boar, frowning. "When I faced death... I ran away. I couldn''t even die willingly. I chose to desperately survive in the end." Tears welled up again.


    Aster shook his head, smiling wryly as he patted her head.


    "Stupid rabbit," he teased, copying Kali''s favorite moniker for her. "Even if your death could fix our problems, I would never allow it."


    He gently lifted her face, looking into her orange eyes, still filled with self-me. "No matter what happens, remember that I''ve got your back. I have everyone''s back. Even if you can''t trust yourself, trust me. I''ll find a way."


    "Star...!"


    "Hold!"


    As Cassy leaned in, Aster ced a finger against her lips, grinning. "You might''ve stolen a kiss before, but my lips aren''t cheap~!"


    "... Ehehe, got it."


    Cassy smiled, wiping her tears and stepping back, realizing she had almost repeated the same "mistake" from before.


    After a few minutes passed, the two girls had both settled down. Although Kali''s face was still slightly red, they had dyed more than enough. Aster raised his voice.


    "Alright, let''s meet up with the others!"

 Chapter 220: Splitting Up (2)

    The three of them made their way back to chase after Argus and Liz. Aster carried Cassy on his back to maintain the same pace they had earlier, given that she was the slowest of the three.


    In about fifteen minutes, they should be able to return to their previous spot. No, maybe even faster.


    "It''s like a bulldozer passed through here. No obstacles are remaining..." Kalimented, finally noticing the aftermath of Aster''s forceful march.


    The person himself could onlyugh wryly. After all, even though he had high stats, his control was far from reaching Kali''s level. You wouldn''t think that she was having a difficult time attuning her senses to her heightened abilities!


    It would take time before they could return to the previous camp. On the other hand, Liz and Argus were still on the chase.


    Tina, unlike Cassy, also had good night vision, allowing her to move faster than Cassy did. In short, she traveled an even greater distance!


    "Argus, wait!"


    To add to that, Liz wasn''t focused on DEX, but on her CON stat; as a result, her speed was way slower than the little dog. Consequently, their search was significantly slowed down. She knew this, but she also couldn''t let Argus go ahead of her. Her tracking abilities weren''t as good as Kali''s, so she would definitely get lost without a guide.


    *Arf!*


    Argus barked, waiting for Liz to catch up from about a hundred meters ahead. To not be a burden, Liz ran at her top speed. After all, stamina was all she had going for herself.


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    Furthermore, Argus was handling the monsters that were around them, ensuring their safe passage. There''s no need for her to save her breath!


    It had been 25 minutes since they left camp, but they still hadn''t found signs of Tina anywhere. Her steps were light, and extremely cautious, leaving almost no signs behind. Fortunately, Argus'' sense of smell was almighty, allowing him to track her scent even though it was hours ago.


    "At this rate, we would reach the next desert biome soon..." Liz worried.


    Although she was currently wearing thick clothes, the cold still affected her greatly. If they relocated to the desert, where the temperature was even lower than in the forest, the cold would trap her, preventing her from moving.


    She let out a worried sigh while whispering her wish. "If only Aster was here..."


    *Rustle!*


    "...!"


    Without warning, the bush between Argus and Liz started to buzz. The two quickly turned toward it, wary. Liz quickly pulled out her mace and shield, something she boughtter to increase her value as the main tank, and prepared to fight.


    *SLASH!*


    But without even a prewarning, a sh flew forward, heading straight for Liz''s face.


    "Don''t underestimate me!" Liz growled as she swung her mace, intercepting the invisible de. "Dargonkins are sensitive to mana! Even if it''s invisible, I can sense it!"


    She hoped Tina was hiding behind the bush, but the windde''s attack quickly dashed her hopes. Tina couldn''t use such an attack, after all.


    *GRRRR!*


    Argus moved fast, standing before Liz as if to protect her. Liz, seeing his reaction, got worried. This was the first time she saw Argus bare his fangs like that, with an extremely cautious air around him.


    Soon enough, however, Liz discovered the reason. The enemy, hidden behind the bush, started to move. Its small figure was theplete opposite of the word "scary," but the aura it released was several times heavier than any of the bosses it faced.


    "T-This is...!"


    Even Liz, who was brave, had her entire body break out in cold sweat just from seeing the little enemy. Her instincts as a dragonkin¡ªno, as an adventurer¡ªwere shouting for her to run.


    The fur on its small, elongated body was as dark as the deepest night. It had glowing red eyes, emanating a mix of madness and cold rationality, a sign of high intelligence.


    Liz recalled this monster, even if she didn''t want to. It was quite famous one time, after all, for massacring literally everyone on the 16th floor¡ªthe floor it was on. "S-Shadow Weasel!" she said, referring to the infamous monster''s name.


    A Rogue Boss that had no records of ever being defeated. The entity, suspected to be irregr, was a Boss monster that exceeded the level limit. It was estimated to be a Boss ss at level 50 on the 16th floor, with a level limit of 40.


    Even Argus wasn''t sure if he couldnd a hit, given that it''s a monster that depends on its high DEX and, consequently, high agility. If he could speak, he would''ve asked for Liz to retreat, but it was toote anyway.


    *SWOOSH!*


    The Shadow Weasel moved, disappearing from Liz''s vision in an instant. She quickly tried to find it, only to realize that Argus was also missing.


    *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*


    Small explosions erupted all around Liz, the only indication that a battle beyond her perception was underway. She couldn''t even catch their shadows because the two were so fast!


    *WHINE!*


    But there was one problem.


    Argus'' lightning attacks might be powerful enough to one-shot almost all his enemies, but his stats were no different than Aster''s. Since hecked Aster''s passive, his stats were onlyparable to those of a level 45 yer. His stats trailed slightly behind those of the Rogue Boss Shadow Weasel, who was suspected to be at level 50!


    "Argus!" Liz shouted in worry, seeing the puppy smash against a tree, with a bloody wound near its stomach.


    Although it was hard to admit, it was obvious at a nce which side got the upper hand in their short exchange! Liz gnashed her teeth, thinking. If things just proceed as is, then Argus'' life would be in danger. And if that happened, then her life would surely be snuffed out right after.


    Her expression turned firm as she shook her head, raising her shield and mace.


    "No, that can''t happen!"


    She turned toward the Shadow Weasel, who was watching over the two of them calmly from a distance. Then, without warning, she activated one of her skills.


    "Knight''s Challenge!" A taunt!


    Liz, despite knowing that the monster was too powerful for her to handle, decided to use a taunt skill, attracting the Rogue Boss'' attention!

 Chapter 221: Twin Gauntlets

    Although she just used Knight''s Challenge, Liz was already regretting her choice.


    *SCREECH!*


    Angered by her "arrogant" stunt, the Shadow Weasel screeched, before sending several waves of invisible wind des toward her. Liz raised her shield, protecting the still-immobile Argus behind her.


    *SLASH!* *THUNK!*


    "Ugh...!"


    Each attack was heavy, enough to almost break her posture, her feet drawing two deep grooves on the forest''s ground! Her left arm, holding the shield, already went numb from the impact alone!


    ''I can''t receive its attacks directly!''


    With such a thought in mind, she quickly changed her approach. Instead of bracing herself for impact, she adjusted her stance to ensure ease of movement. "COME!" She growled at the monster, as if challenging it.


    The Shadow Weasel, still taunted by the Knight''s Challenge, moved to attack once more. Several invisible wind des flew, aiming at Liz''s various vital points. However, she narrowed her eyes, observing the flow of mana around her.


    "THERE!"


    She swung her mace down diagonally, and, in just one attack, destroyed all three of the invisible wind des. Still, she didn''t lower her guard and raised her left arm, letting the shield cover the side of her neck at an angle.


    *SHING!*


    As she did, another invisible wind de came, but quickly slipped by, following the shield''s curved surface. It was a perfectly timed and executed shield parry!


    Liz''s lips raised a little but didn''t lose focus. She quickly turned to where the Shadow Weasel had been, but... "It''s gone?!"


    It was just a short moment when her shield blocked a part of her vision, but during that time, the Weasel already left her view! Liz warily observed the forest, trying to find signs of movement. But there was nothing else to hear except the wind blowing, the rustling of the leaves of the trees around them, and Argus'' light whimpers.


    ''The boss is under Knight''s Challenge''s effect, so it couldn''t go far from me!'' She thought rationally.


    However, the enemy remained invisible no matter where she turned.


    "...!"


    Right then, Liz got a foreboding feeling. The hair on the back of her neck rose, as her eyes widened. By reflex, she raised both the shield and mace above, like an umbre to cover her from rain, and then...!


    *SLASH!* *SLASH!* *SLASH!*


    Multiple invisible wind des rained down on her. The Shadow Weasel was hiding above her!


    Thanks to her timely defense, she avoided receiving deadly damage. However, she was unable to parry the des and sensed the breaking of her arm''s bone. Still, she grit her teeth, bore through the pain, and raised a harrowing howl.


    "AAAAAARRRRRGH!"


    She survived the onught through pure willpower alone! However, it''s not like having a strong mind could block the damages she received. There were too many wind des, and not all of them went straight down. Some followed curved paths, which caused wounds to open over Liz''s body.


    "... Ugh."


    With a weak voice, she assessed her state. A broken left arm, and wounds on her shoulder, biceps, right forearm, sides, and thigh. She is bleeding profusely, indicating that her injuries are profound. If left untended, she could die from blood loss alone.


    However, the Shadow Weasel didn''t even give her time to pull out a potion to heal. It sent another wave of invisible wind des, as if to finish her off. This time, the attacks were angled toe from all directions!


    ''I guess this is it...'' Liz sighed, smiling bitterly. ''Well, I tried my best.''


    Argus was still incapacitated, unable to move. There''s nobody there to save her...


    "TAUNT! METAL BODY!"


    But then, a shadow rushed between Liz and the Shadow Weasel, extending both arms wide, as if to protect her. Instead, the wind des hit the figure, and despite the defensive skill she used, she still suffered serious injuries.


    "TINA!" Liz shouted in shock.


    She suddenly realized who the figure who appeared was. However, at the same time, she understood that Tina''s situation became even worse than hers in a sh. Receiving all the attacks head-on was suicidal, even with her Metal Body skill!


    "Fuck... that hurts..." But she just casually dismissed it, gulping down the contents of the potion bottle she had on her lips beforehand.


    Her injuries closed at a noticeable rate, telling Liz that the one Tina used was a High Potion, not a regr one. A single dose of that was priced at a million Tels!


    "Can you stand up?" Tina asked without turning around. "If you can, use potions fast. Also, wake up that stupid dog sleeping by the side."


    "..."


    Liz had a lot of questions for Tina but knew it wasn''t time to ask those yet. She nodded silently, taking out a potion from her Spatial Fanny Pack, and downing its contents in one go.


    Unlike a High Potion, a normal potion''s speed of healing was slow. It would take her about ten seconds before she could move again. During that time, Tina had to handle the Shadow Weasel by herself!


    A powerful Rogue Boss with invisible attacks able to break through her defense and great speed. As if ignoring all these, Tina bumped both her fists together, creating sparks.


    "Come at me, you furry worm. I''ll bury you in the ground!"


    *SCREECH!*


    Angered by her words, the weasel moved. With her taunt, all the aggression Liz had gathered was transferred to her. As a result, she brought the enemy''s attention to bear.


    "There!"


    And this meant the enemy''s movements would be predictable. Tina punched with her right hand, wearing the gauntlet with an ice element¡ªcial Wrath. A freezing gale washed the entire space before her punch, even without hitting anything in particr!


    *SCREECH!*


    Thick ice encased the Shadow Weasel''s right foreleg, trapping it within its range. It was an effective attack, inflicting pain on the monster, but still far from being decisive!


    "Come down here!" Tina wasn''t done yet, however.


    Her initial attack with cial Wrath was just the prelude, as the main attack came afterward. Her left fist extended forward, creating a vortex of powerful mes¡ªa phenomenon brought about by her other gauntlet, Emberfury!


    Distracted by its frozen leg, the vortex caught the Shadow Weasel mid-air. It raised a pained screech once more, but this time it also fell to the ground, smoking hot, with freshly made bald patches here and there.


    Tina raised her chin, looking confident, and bumped her fists again.


    "Is that it? How weak."


    She''spletely dominating the fight!

 Chapter 222 Vengeance Strike!

    TIna''s gauntlets¡ªcial Wrath and Emberfury¡ªwhich had little opportunity to show off previously, were now showing their full power. The 16th floor''s OP Rogue Boss sustained heavy damage from a singlebo!


    *SCREECH!*


    However, that moment was actually the best moment to finish the fight. Tina and Liz both missed this chance, which led to their predicament¡ªthe Shadow Weasel stopped holding back.


    Indeed, the monster was merely teasing them, showing no signs of seriousness, and only employing a single attack skill. However, just that was enough to incapacitate both Liz and Argus, as well as severely injure Tina upon arrival.


    Now that it had received a "significant" blow, the Rogue Boss became serious.


    *WHOOSH!*


    A powerful gust of wind covered its body, like a barrier of sorts. The wind pressure alone pushed Tina back a meter!


    Liz, who was already able to move again, was watching the scene with fear in her eyes. She could see the mana surrounding the Shadow Weasel expanding to over ten times its previous level, increasing the gap between their strengths even further!


    "This is hopeless..." she grumbled while feeding Argus with a potion. "Even escape seems impossible now!"


    The next moment, the Shadow Weasel''s body blurred. It happened so quickly that even Liz didn''t notice.


    *BAM!*


    But Tina, who was facing against it, suddenly got sted away, crashing to a nearby tree, and breaking it from the impact. Even Tina was shocked. She couldn''t even see the attack. The next thing she knew, she had already smashed against the tree, with pain emanating from her back and chest.


    But it didn''t end with just that.


    "Tina, watch out!" Liz warned, seeing the countless wind des chasing after her. If she failed to defend herself, the inevitable oue was clear¡ªshe would be minced meat!


    "E-Echo Fist...!"


    Squeezing herst bit of strength, she punched upward. The attack hit nothing, but a powerful shockwave exploded, sweeping all the invisible projectiles heading for her, and neutralizing them.


    Tina found herself unable to move for a considerable period after exerting her body. Liz quickly acted, leaving Argus'' side and facing the enemy once more. "Knight''s Challenge!"


    Thankfully, the cooldown of her taunt skill was over. Without wasting the chance, she forcefully pulled the Shadow Weasel''s attention to herself! The monster screeched in anger once more, before sending another wave of shockwave¡ªthe same one that sent Tina flying!


    "...!"


    Now that it was aimed at her, Liz realized how it worked. The shockwave had a denseyer of mana enveloping it. If received poorly, such an attack would definitely be deadly.


    "HOLY SMITE!"


    But Liz wasn''t nning on receiving it without a fight. She swung her glowing mace, hoping to fight the shockwave with her own attack! The holy element of her attack shed against the dark-element mana surrounding the shockwave, causing a violent reaction.


    *BOOM!*


    An explosion urred, pushing Liz back by a few steps. She received a little damage from the st, butpared to the damage she would''ve received, it was a small price to pay!


    ''Still, this situation can''t go on for long!''


    Even if she and Tina kept switching while tanking the Shadow Weasel''s attacks, they would fall sooner orter. Neither of them possessed enough offensive strength to decide the battle swiftly!


    Liz gripped her mace tight, realizing that she "did" have something that could turn the tide of battle. However, using it was too risky.


    "... No choice!"


    In the end, she decided to use it. She pulled another potion from her pack and downed its contents, preparing her body for the iing torture.


    "Phew..."


    Liz took a deep breath, before spreading her arms wide, leaving herself open to attacks. The Shadow Weasel hesitated for a moment, thinking it could be a trap, but realizing that no matter what they did couldn''t be considered deadly, it continued its offensive.


    Another rain of invisible wind des came, this time, numbering in the dozens! Liz watched all their trajectories, and tilted her body, letting the attack hit her¡ªbut ensuring none were fatal.


    Her body was battered and cut up beyond imagination; blood gushed out like a fountain. However, her gaze remained firm. The potion was working, albeit slowly, to stop the bleeding and repair her wounds.


    "This... is enough!"


    Liz raised her mace and lowered her stance, gathering strength. "NOW, TINA!" And called to the other person whopletely left the Shadow Weasel''s mind.


    "HAAP!"


    Tina appeared behind the Rogue Boss,nding a direct hit with her cial Wrath! However, the invisible barrier of wind surrounding the boss stopped her attack from reaching it. The little fucker sneered, as ifughing at Tina''s futile attempt. Explore stories at empire


    But then, it was Liz''s turn to move.


    "Invulnerability! Guardian''s Embrace! Vengeance Strike...!"


    She cast all her skills at once, without holding anything back. The Shadow Weasel felt a sizeable threating from the glowing mace, making it panic.


    But when it tried to escape, it realized that it was stuck. Tina froze the windshell around it, and connected it with a thick pir of ice to the ground, sealing its movements! Escaping was still possible, but it would be toote. In a split-second decision, the monster decided to fight back instead¡ªa decision it would regret if it knew Liz''s skill''s effects.


    Over 50 wind des flew, shing at both Tina and Liz. However, Guardian''s Embrace''s protection prevented them from suffering any injuries.


    "Hurk...!"


    Instead, Liz''s mana dropped to rock bottom quickly. Her vision faltered for a moment, but she bit her lip and forged on. Miraculously, her mana was able to take on the full onught of the wind des, leaving nothing behind.


    "DIE!"


    With a harrowed cry, she swung the mace down toward the frozen sphere. Then, it cracked instantly, before mming against the weasel''s little body.


    *BOOOOOOM!*


    A powerful explosion resulted soon after, sending both girls flying away. Damage that was equivalent to threefold of Liz''s life, and one of Tina''s hit the Shadow Weasel in one go!


    "Did we get it?!" Liz cried, worried, while staring at the spot the enemy was on. "...!"


    However, her breath caught when she noticed that it was still in motion. It had a bloody appearance and was obviously heavily injured, but it was far from dead. As expected of a Boss Monster, it survived solely due to its great vitality!


    "No... way..." Tina grumbled, holding her hurting chest.


    That attack was the best they could do, and both of them were now drained. It was impossible to continue the fight. All they could do was wait for their end...


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    But then, a single pir of red lightning fell on top of the enemy. Weakened, and still stunned from the heavy damage it received, it had no way of dodging out of the way.


    With hatred and shock in its red eyes, it stared at the perpetrator of the final attack.


    *Arf!*


    The little bugger, Argus, was watching its final moments, tongue out while wagging his tail.

 Chapter 223 Misunderstood

    The Shadow Weasel was pulverized in moments, leaving nothing behind but ashes. It was an anticlimactic end for such a powerful enemy.


    *sh!*


    And as if to confirm it was all over, Liz and Tina''s bodies glowed, showing their levels had increased.


    "I''m level 30 all of a sudden!" Liz eximed, surprised she had jumped two levels at once.


    Tina, lying down a short distance away, also spoke up. "I''m level 32."


    "...What?"


    Her words shocked Liz. They were all supposed to be at the same level, with only a small percentage gap between their experience points as the margin of difference. But now, Tina was saying she was already two levels ahead of Liz!


    "Oh, right!" Liz suddenly remembered her original purpose foring there with Argus. "Tina, why did you leave without saying anything?! Everyone''s been worried about you and Cassy, you know!"


    "Huh?"


    But instead of looking guilty, Tina stared at Liz as if she were an idiot.


    "Leaving without saying a thing? I left a note, mind you."


    "...Note?" Liz echoed in disbelief.


    "Yeah. I said I was going to level up a bit by myself. I even told Argus about it," Tina exined.


    Liz began sweating bullets, turning to the little dog beside her, who showed no sign of guilt. After all, a dog couldn''t ry information through words. But more than that, she felt embarrassed for missing the note Tina had supposedly left behind.


    "T-Then! Cassy! Why did she leave camp too?"


    "Why should I know? I haven''t even forgiven her yet for stealing darling''s lips!"


    "T-That..." Liz fell silent.


    Tina had a point. Since she still "hated" Cassy, she had no reason to keep track of her movements. They had gone in different directions anyway, so it would have been impossible for either of them to know what the other was doing.


    Your journey continues with empire


    Realizing Tina had left a note and she''d missed it, Liz understood she''d made a mountain out of a molehill.


    "Ugh..."


    Liz buried her face in her hands, her cheeks as red as ripe tomatoes. She was too embarrassed to even look Tina in the eyes!


    An awkward silence settled over them as the two girls and one dog rested.


    "Huh? Argus? Liz? Tina?" Aster''s voice suddenly echoed through the clearing.


    He approached, still carrying Cassy on his back, with Kali a short distance behind. Confused, he looked around and took in the three battered figures, easily identifiable even in the darkness.


    "Did you three duke it out...?" he asked, sounding serious.


    "No, haha..." Liz began to exin, smiling wryly, but she was cut off.


    "DAAAARLINNNNG!!!"


    Like a missile, Tinaunched herself from her sitting position straight into Aster. "Woah!" He staggered, nearly losing his bnce from the impact.


    "I missed you, darling! Where were you earlier? I couldn''t find you when I left!" she babbled in a barrage, leaving him even more confused.


    "Ugh, what''s going on...?" he muttered, trying to support the sudden weight clinging to him.


    What confused him most was Tina''s behavior. She didn''t seem depressed or looking for a way to die like Cassy. In fact, she was theplete opposite, acting exactly like her usual self!


    "Ah! Thieving rabbit, you''re trying to steal darling from me again?! Let go!"


    When Tina realized Cassy was on Aster''s back, her temper red, and she quickly moved to chase her away. Not wanting to make things moreplicated, Cassy obeyed, sliding down from Aster''s back and moving over to Kali''s side, wearing a sad smile.


    She still felt guilty about causing the "fight" between her and Aster from before, after all.


    "Hmph! Know your ce!" Tina added with a sulky expression, her cheeks puffed out as she red at Cassy.


    "Tina..." Aster, however, didn''t appreciate her actions. "I already told you, I can''t be yours. Did you forget that already?"


    It was a direct rejection. Although it may have sounded harsh andcking in sensitivity, it was the best course of action given the situation.


    "Yes, you did." Tina nodded. "But what''s being rejected once? It''s not like I''ll die or anything. In fact, I''m going to make sure that, sooner orter, you''ll turn my way! I''ll surpass your level, and...!"


    Aster sighed, feeling exasperated. ''So this is what a tough mentality looks like, huh?'' Even after being rejected, Tina refused to give up!


    "Rather... Sheesh, wipe the drool off your face,dy," he added, noticing that Tina was getting lost in her own world, daydreaming.


    After some effort, Aster managed to peel her off him and address the group. Liz began exining what had transpired, including the details she''d missed, and apologized for causing any confusion.


    "It''s not your fault for missing the note," Aster reassured her. "It''s the person''s responsibility to properlymunicate their intentions to others, not yours."


    "...Thanks."


    With that cleared up, the team was whole again. Cassy, though not fully recovered from her earlier depression, had bounced back enough to continue, and Tina, despite being rejected, was still determined. They could move forward without issue.


    However, Aster couldn''t shake off a foreboding feeling. A cold chill ran up his spine, as though danger lurked just around the corner.


    "...Everyone, listen."


    Wanting to address the uneasy feeling gnawing at him, he shared his n with the girls.


    "I''m afraid our pursuers are closing in. Even if they''re weaker, they have someone capable of controlling others. It would be easy for them to defeat bosses and follow us using the teleportation portals set up along the way."


    "That''s true..." Liz nodded, agreeing with his assessment.


    "Right. So I have two suggestions," he continued. "The first is to rush at my top speed and clear the floors as quickly as possible."


    The expressions on everyone''s faces soured. They had experienced Aster''s "top speed" when he''d pulled the cart earlier, and calling it ufortable was an understatement. However, moving slowly would definitely increase their risks.


    "And the second... I want to destroy the teleportation portals nearest to each end, starting here on the 16th floor."


    "...What?"


    Everyone shared the same confused expression. Aster had just suggested that they act like terrorists, destroying private facilities!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 224 Sabotage Mission!

    "Wait, Star. Is there really a need to destroy those? I heard setting up a teleportation array takes a lot of time..." Cassy, unable to hold back her curiosity, asked.


    Aster turned to her and shook his head.


    "Cassy, do you think anyone could catch up to us using normal means?" He asked. "No, right? So, to make sure they can''t catch up to us at all, we need to invalidate the shortcut they have."


    "That''s..."


    Cassy looked troubled, clearly ufortable with the idea of doing something wrong. However, after thinking for a moment, she realized Aster was doing this to protect them¡ªher, in particr. If she kept holding on to self-righteous ideals, it would only endanger their lives.


    "I guess we don''t have any other choice." She sighed, nodding her head in reluctant agreement.


    Aster gave a wry smile and exined, "It''s not like I want to do it either. But this method is the best way to keep us safe..."


    Of course, he didn''t n to stop at just that.


    "Also, Kali. Later, while I attract their attention, sneak in and gather supplies from their storage. The more, the better."


    "Got it," Kali replied.


    They currently only had about five days'' worth of provisions left. If they didn''t figure out a way to restock, they would have to starve after that. When that happened, they''d need to return to the surface, regardless of how dangerous it was.


    This was where Aster''s n came into y. With Kali''s stealth abilities, it would be easy to steal provisions from therger ns. Food and water for a group of five, plus one dog, wouldn''t even dent their stocks. That made it feel less wrong than destroying the teleportation array.


    Naturally, Kali didn''t hesitate to agree with Aster''s n. She understood that sticking strictly to neutral-good morals wouldn''t help in their current situation. A bit of dirty y was necessary.


    "Alright, any other questions?"


    After exining his n, Aster turned to the girls. Scanning their faces, he saw they all wore serious, contemtive expressions, but none raised objections. "Good." He nodded. "Then, let''s proceed."


    Aster quickly brought out the EM Cart from his Spatial Fanny Pack. However, he didn''t let the girls sit down right away, as they were preparing to rush ahead. The cart was currently empty except for the seats.


    "Let''s modify the cart a bit first."


    Aster moved to... remove the seats! The girls raised their brows, confused by what he was nning. But then, he used his sword to cut the seats into smaller sections that would fit "across" the cart, instead of "along" it.


    "Sitting while facing the direction we''re going should reduce the drag on Liz''s wings, right?" he exined while adjusting the seats.


    After a bit of setup, the seats were rearranged and lowered onto the cart''s base. The girls could still sit on them, but they''d need to hug their knees to fit.


    Following some discussion, the rear-facing seats were assigned to Liz and Tina, while the front-facing seats were taken by Cassy and Kali. This way, with only their heads peeking over the edge of the cart, the wind resistance on their bodies would be greatly reduced.


    "Everyone''s on board, right?" Aster called out, ncing over the girls packed tightly inside the cart. "Then, let''s set off!"


    This time, Aster wasn''t charging in blindly. Instead of heading straight through rough terrain, he followed the trail often used by adventurers traveling between camps. Compared to the wild, unbeaten paths they''d taken earlier, this trail was far more forgiving, with smooth ground and few obstacles.


    They set off around 5 a.m., and by 7 a.m., they had arrived at the final camp on the 16th floor. It only took two hours for Aster to reach their destination!


    "Alright, you girls stay here. Argus, protect them while I''m gone. Kali, let''s move!"


    Aster spoke casually, as though he were just going out to run an errand. He jogged at a steady pace, making sure that Kali, already cloaked in stealth, could easily keep up. Soon, they approached the camp''s entrance, and Aster noticed the guards on duty.


    "HALT!"


    The guards shouted as soon as they spotted him, doing their jobs and ordering him to stop. But Aster had no intention of slowing down. He sprinted toward the gate, causing the two guards to panic.


    "How dare you attack our camp, you miscreant!" one of them snarled, leveling his spear.


    Aster watched the spearhead inch toward his face as if time had slowed down. To him, it was so slow that he almost felt bad for the guards.


    *CRACK!*


    Before the spear tip could make contact, Aster grabbed the shaft and snapped it in half with ease. Though the spear was made of tempered steel¡ªnot wood¡ªit still broke like a twig in his hands, thanks to his strength, equivalent to that of a level 60 adventurer.


    "UGH!"


    "ARGH!"


    Without hesitation, Asternded a punch on one guard''s chest and kicked the other. Even though he held back, the force of his blows dented their armor. "They''re not dead, right?" he thought btedly, checking to make sure they were still breathing.


    Relieved to see they were just unconscious, he continued deeper into the camp.


    "KYAAAAH!"


    "E-ENEMY ATTACK! ENEMY ATTACK!"


    "Where the hell are the guards?!"


    As expected, chaos erupted. A few adventurers had seen the guards fall, and within moments, the whole camp was on high alert. Soon, an army of adventurers gathered, ready to face him.


    "Ah, this is troublesome..." Aster muttered as he eyed the dozen or so people in front of him. "Excuse me, but if you just lead me to the teleportation array, I won''t hurt anyone else. I promise I''m not here to take lives."


    He made the offer as a courtesy, but deep down, he knew what their response would be.


    "You''re not a member of the top three ns, and you don''t have a permit to use the array! Turn back, you bastard!"


    Aster sighed.


    "As expected," he muttered. "Alright then, can you stay still for a moment? I''ll be quick."


    The moment he finished speaking, a wave of freezing air swept through the camp, encasing everyone''s lower bodies in ice from the waist down.


    "W-What is this?!"


    "Help! I can''t move!"


    "My leg...! My leg!"


    Panic spread as adventurers struggled against the ice. Aster grinned and called out to them in a clear voice.


    "Stay still, and you''ll be free in a little while. But if you try to force your way out..." His grin widened, and his tone turned dark. "Well, you might lose a finger... or maybe something more important down there."


    His yful threat sent chills down their spines, and, surprisingly, it was very effective!

 Chapter 225 The 20th Floor! (1)

    Upon hearing Aster''s little "threat," the men frozen from the waist down instantly became statues. They didn''t even dare to blink, afraid of testing his warning.


    "Good. Stay like that for a bit," Aster continued, casually walking through the gaps in their formation.


    "HAAAP!"


    "...?"


    But, of course, not everyone was so easily intimidated. As Aster made his way past the frozen group, some of the female adventurers, who weren''t as concerned about losing their "treasures," leaped into action. One of them swung her de toward Aster''s neck.


    He caught the de effortlessly, pinching its edge between his fingers. With a casual motion...


    *CREAAAAK!*


    He folded the sword like it was made of paper.


    Aster''s strength, although sitting at a base of 7¡ªor 10 with his passive¡ªwas boosted tremendously by his level. At level 50, adventurers were already considered superhuman, and Aster, who was well past that threshold, operating at level 60 strength, far outssed those around him.


    "Hmmm..."


    Aster regarded the female adventurer with a thoughtful expression. He couldn''t be too violent¡ªhe wasn''t trying to be a full-fledged ouw, after all¡ªbut if he was too lenient, the others might not take him seriously.


    "Alright!" he announced after a moment of deliberation.


    Tossing the crumpled sword aside, Aster folded his finger and aimed it at the woman''s forehead.


    "A flick? Seriously?" she sneered, her teeth clenched in defiance.


    Aster didn''t respond, only smiling mischievously. Then, he focused his strength into his finger and...


    *THWACK!* *CRACK!*


    The flick sent her head snapping backward with an audible crack. She immediately crumpled to the ground, unconscious but still breathing. Aster quickly checked to make sure she was alive and smirked with satisfaction.


    "Good. I''m getting better at holding back my strength," he muttered to himself. Then, turning to the others, he asked with a sly grin, "Anyone else want to try?"


    The remaining adventurers¡ªboth men and women¡ªhad already learned their lesson. No one dared to make eye contact, and they all silently prayed he would just move on. To them, Aster was no longer an enemy, but more like a force of nature¡ªsomething to be endured, not confronted.


    "You should''ve done that from the start," Aster sighed, continuing on his path.


    After a few more moments of walking, he reached the center of the camp. There, he found what he was looking for: aplex teleportation array etched into the ground, cordoned off by red ropes like some kind of VIP section.


    "This is it," he murmured, pulling out his sword.


    With a single sh, he cut a deep groove through the magic circle, effectively severing the formation in two. To be thorough, he followed up with a second sh, crossing the first and carving arge ''X'' through the array.


    Satisfied with his handiwork, Aster sheathed his sword and turned to leave.


    As promised, once he exited the camp''s gates, he released the freezing spell holding everyone in ce. A collective sigh of relief swept through the camp as adventurers realized they were truly free, just as Aster had said.


    The only unlucky ones were the two guards and the woman who had challenged him. "Well, they''re still alive," Aster muttered with a shrug. "Someone will heal them up."


    With that, he walked away, taking no responsibility for the chaos he''d caused.


    As soon as Aster arrived back at the cart, he noticed Kali had already returned, distributing the goods she had "borrowed" from the camp''s storage to everyone. Her Fanny Pack was now free, ready for whatever "subsequent raids" they had nned. The sight made Aster chuckle; she always worked fast.


    Once they were set, Aster resumed pulling the cart, this time pushing his speed to the limit. In no time, they reached the boss at the end of the floor¡ªan enormous beast that barely had time to react before Argus obliterated it, leaving no trace behind.


    Without slowing down, the group pressed onward to the next floor.


    The 17th to 19th floors were a peculiar stretch. Unlike other parts of the dungeon, these floors shared a single biome that changed every day, altering the terrain and the monsters with it.


    It was one of the most challenging zones to pioneer because you never knew what to expect. However, luck was on their side today¡ªthe floor was currently the grasnd biome, a vast, t terrain crawling with nothing more than slimes and wolves.


    There were only two camps on these floors¡ªone at the entrance and one just outside the boss'' summoning range at the far end. Aster considered raiding the first camp they passed, but Liz chimed in with a thoughtful suggestion.


    "Aster, since there are only two bases on this floor, destroying just one will dy our pursuers, right?" she confirmed, then continued, "Let''s ignore this one and focus on the camp near the boss instead."


    Aster raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn''t it be easier to hit this one now?"


    Liz nodded but quickly borated.


    "Yes, but if we destroy the first camp, the adventurers there can easily retreat to the surface. The ones at the other end would be stranded. They''d either have to cross the entire floor to return to the surface, or they''d be forced to beat the boss and move to the next floor to escape."


    Aster considered her logic. Destroying the array at the far end would cut off the adventurers from their supply lines, trapping them in a desperate situation. It was more strategic than just smashing everything in sight.


    "Alright, I guess we can do that much," he agreed.


    With their revised n in ce, Aster set off again, running at a blistering speed. His pace reached over a hundred kilometers per hour as they raced across the t expanse. In less than four hours, they made it to the far end of the floor¡ªa record-breaking time!


    As the portal to the next floor came into view, Aster veered right, where the second camp was located. It was simr in design to the others they''d encountered: a fortified circr area, protected by a wooden fence. But Aster wasn''t here for sightseeing.


    "Alright, time to y the viin again," Aster said, grinning as he cracked his knuckles. "Girls, stay put. Argus, keep watch."


    Leaving the group behind, he strode confidently toward the camp, an intimidating aura of ice and me swirling around him, blending into something otherworldly.


    "Knock, knock!" Aster called out in a mocking tone, raising his hand tounch arge fireball into the sky. The fiery sphere arced through the air before exploding above the camp, sending shockwaves through the adventurers stationed inside.


    Like a hive of disturbed hos, they poured out, weapons in hand, ready for a fight. Aster watched them with amusement, barely phased by the sight of so many opponents.


    "There you are," he said, spreading his arms wide. His aura red, a mixture of searing heat and biting cold intensifying as he spoke. "Now, you have a choice!"


    The adventurers hesitated, unsure of what to do.


    Aster''s grin widened. "You can either stay here and protect your precious camp from me, the Demon King¡­! Or you can activate the teleportation array and get everyone out of here! Your choice."


    The words hung in the air, a sinister challenge they couldn''t afford to ignore.

 Chapter 226 The 20th Floor! (2)

    "Bullshit!" However, not all of them were pushovers. "This camp is the property of the Ironblood Knights! Do you still dare attack it after knowing that?!"


    Aster turned to the source of the voice, not breaking his roley. "Hmm? You... Are you a member of the Ironblood Knights too?" He asked with a cold tone. "Then, let me start with you. I have a bone to pick with those guys, you see?"


    *SNAP!*


    Right then, a thunderbolt struck... just an inch before the man. Despite not hitting him directly, the electricity that surged through the air grazed his skin, shocking his entire body.


    In mere moments, the man copsed forward, smoke rising from his body like he had juste out of an oven.


    "That''s one down!" Aster grinned, a hint of madness glinting in his gaze. "Now, who''s next? Remember, you have two choices!"


    The man was still alive, of course. Argus had deliberately missed the target, ensuring the strike wouldn''t be fatal. It was an impressive disy of control, even with the little puppy stationed hundreds of meters away.


    Naturally, Aster could''ve used his own abilities to put on a show, but demonstrating the lightning element, one that was rarer, made for a stronger impression.


    "Hiik!"


    "N-No way I''m fighting that monster!"


    "Mages! Prepare the portal for the nonbatants! The rest of you, we''ll buy time until everyone''s safely escaped!"


    Just because one loudmouth "died" didn''t mean they would all lose their cool. A few retained theirposure, quickly deciding what needed to be done to protect everyone''s lives.


    "Good judgment! But there''s no need to slow me down. I swear, as long as you''re all nning to escape this camp, I will not attack of my own volition!"


    Aster raised his hand as if making a solemn pledge, but no one trusted his words.


    "As if, you monster!" a female knight cried out, her voice trembling, her eyes brimming with tears. "How dare you do that to Kevin! I''ll take your life myself, no matter what it takes!!!"


    "H-Huh?" Aster blinked in confusion. "That guy''s still alive, you know?" he said, pointing casually.


    But his words fell on deaf ears.


    The female knight, another member of the Ironblood Knights, charged forward, sword ready. Her footwork was deceptively fast, her movements hard to predict. But Aster didn''t need to "predict" what he could see clearly. He watched as her sword came crashing down toward his head and sighed.


    "You thought I was a mage type, didn''t you? Weak against melee?" He sneered, catching the de between his middle and index fingers. "But that''s futile, prettydy."


    "Ugh!"


    Instantly, with the sword as the epicenter, a freezing wave surged. The de froze over, then her hands, locking the weapon in ce. The ice crept down her body to her feet, encasing her in a solid sheet of frost¡ªonly her head remained untouched, her body trapped in a frozen prison.


    "Alright! Ten seconds!" Aster''s voice took on a cruel edge, his earlier mirth darkening. "I''m giving you brave ones ten seconds to get her out of my sight. If you don''t, I''ll shatter the ice... and her body with it~!"


    Heughed, the sound now more of a deadly promise than a threat.


    "One~!"


    As Aster began counting, three more knight-like adventurers rushed forward. However, only the one leading the charge had his weapon ready; the other two focused entirely on the frozen female knight, clearly intent on saving her.


    "Two!" Aster continued, stepping back just enough to give them room to maneuver. "FIVE!" He suddenly skipped over counts three and four, speeding things up to add urgency to their steps and a fresh wave of panic to their faces.


    "Hahaha! This is fun! Seven!"


    By then, the two empty-handed knights had reached the frozen woman, carefully lifting her icy body and rushing it back toward camp. The remaining knight, mes licking the edge of his de, bravely swung his sword, drawing an amused grin from Aster.


    "A mberg, huh?" Aster mused aloud. "If you think your puny fire can melt my ice, you need to go back to elementary school, buddy!"


    Without breaking a sweat, Aster froze the very mes on the knight''s sword, killing his momentum. The man''s eyes widened in shock before he quickly jumped back, clearly spooked. Aster could see right through him¡ªhe was just stalling for time, his eyes darting to his allies behind him, checking if they had safely retreated.


    "If you want to run, then by all means." Aster shrugged, raising his hand as if signaling he had no intention of striking him in the back.


    The knight didn''t utter a word, but his retreat was cautious, one slow step at a time, his gaze never leaving Aster.


    And then...


    "NOW!"


    A booming voice echoed from the distance. At that moment, the sky darkened, and hundreds of spells and projectiles flew in a high arc, blotting out the sky, all aiming directly at Aster.


    "I told you, it''s futile."


    Despite the overwhelming barrage, Aster remained unfazed. Calmly, he grabbed his sword, and with a deliberate motion, enveloped it in a mysterious element. He swung it diagonally, cutting through the air in a wide arc from left to right.


    "Elemental Sword sh¡ªSPACE!"


    It was a technique unique to Aster, born from his whimsical thoughts. He once asked himself, "What other elements could I possibly use in an attack?" And from that, this skill emerged.


    As his de cleaved through the air, something extraordinary happened. The space in front of him appeared as though a perfectly straight ck line had been drawn through it. From Aster''s perspective, everything that crossed that line simply vanished¡ªsucked into oblivion.


    That''s right, the Space Element of the Elemental Sword sh cut through space itself, erasing everything in its path!


    It was a powerful technique¡ªalmost too powerful. Using it to farm monsters was impractical since anything hit by the attack disappeared into the void, leaving behind no loot, no EXP, nothing.


    The volley of attacks, which the adventurers had been so confident would bury Aster alive, vanished like an illusion. For a moment, the knights stood frozen, their faces nk with disbelief. Slowly, the reality of what they had just witnessed sank in. Find adventures at empire


    "M-Monster..."


    Demon Lord... The title no longer felt like a joke. Aster had quietly earned it.


    With that final disy, any will left to fight evaporated. Every adventurer scrambled toward the teleportation array, which the mages had already activated. In a sh of light, the camp became a ghost town.


    "Well, that makes things easier."


    Aster smirked, strolling casually toward the teleportation array. With one swift motion, he carved a deep "X" into the intricate patterns of the array, shattering its delicate design.


    And just like that, without expending too much effort or risking lives more than necessary, Aster had managed to dy their pursuers considerably.

 Chapter 227 The 20th Floor! (3)

    ying the bad guy every now and then wasn''t that bad, Aster mused. The exhration was addictive, bringing out a side of himself he hadn''t fully acknowledged before.


    After finishing his "job," he strolled back toward the girls, wearing a broad grin. "Phew, that was fun!" he eximed, beaming with joy. "I''ll definitely have to do that againter!"


    "Wee back, Demon Lord Aster," Liz teased, offering a light bow.


    "That was so cool, Darling! You totally have the traits of a sadist! I knew ourpatibility was high~!" Tina added, as usual, more interested in her dynamic with Aster than anything else.


    "Star... you didn''t kill them, right?" Cassy asked, her voice tinged with concern as she peeked from behind the cart.


    From their distance, it was difficult to tell if anyone had died. Seeing one adventurer fall from Argus'' attack and another frozen solid by Aster''s magic had stirred her anxiety.


    "Of course not. No casualties." Aster waved off her concerns confidently. "I made sure of that."


    His answer was reassuring, and Cassy let out a small sigh of relief. While the adventurers were certainly hurt, that was a necessary "sacrifice" to pay to instill fear and speed up their retreat.


    Sitting cross-legged on the grassy ground, Kali let out a light scoff. "Stupid Rabbit. Your worries are misced again," she muttered.


    "Oh... Sorry..."


    Cassy apologized immediately, her usual energy dimmed, a clear sign that her depressive state was still affecting her. She seemed lost, unsure of how to respond further. Aster, noticing this, shrugged before pping his hands, signaling a change in mood.


    "Alright, pack it up! We''re done here on the 17th floor. Let''s keep moving!"


    Time wasn''t on their side. Even though Aster had destroyed the teleportation array, there was still a chance their pursuers could catch up. He wasn''t about to underestimate Lori''s tenacity.


    "Right, let''s go," Liz said with a wry smile, noting how Aster subtly tried to look out for Cassy in his own way.


    With that, they breezed through the boss fight. As usual, the monster fell in a single blow from Argus, clearing their path to the next floor. Without stopping, Aster rushed ahead.


    Like the 17th, the 18th floor was a vast ins biome. There were only weak monsters along the way, so they were able to charge through without much trouble. Despite the floor beingrger than the one before, Aster managed to reach the exit in just 3 hours and 58 minutes¡ªyet another record-breaking time.


    "Ugh, my hair..." Kali groaned.


    "My wings... my face...!" Liz grumbled, wincing.


    Of course, rushing through at such speed had its downsides¡ªespecially for the girls. Kali''s and Cassy''s hair was an absolute disaster from the wind pressure, making them look like they''d been hit by a tornado. Liz, who had sat facing forward, bore the brunt of the wind, her face and wings taking most of the damage. Though it was less painful than sitting sideways, it was still far fromfortable.


    "I''m going to stretch my legs!" Tina dered, hopping off the cart the moment it came to a halt.


    Unlike before, she wasn''t content to stay idle. Whenever they stopped, she''d dash out to fight nearby monsters, eager to gain a head start on the other girls.


    It was obvious she was trying her best to catch up to Aster''s level. Depending on Argus alone wouldn''t get her there, no matter how long she fought. She needed to push herself harder!


    Aster didn''t mind Tina''s independent actions. Being a Monk ss tank with two powerful gauntlets that could easily wipe out weaker monsters, she was more than capable of handling herself.


    He continued ahead of the girls, heading toward the nearby camp. Resuming his Demon Lord roley, Aster crushed any attempt to fight back, swiftly dismantling the camp''s hopes of a fair battle. In less than half an hour, every inhabitant of the camp had fled toward the other camp through the teleportation array.


    After smashing the said array once more, Aster regrouped with the girls, called Tina back, and they continued forward. Nothing could stop them!


    ---


    It was deep into the night, and darkness crept over the surroundings, but Aster still wore a wide grin. "Phew! As expected, Demon Lord roley is great for stress relief!"


    He had chased everyone away and destroyed the teleportation array at the final camp on the 19th floor. With this, they had bought themselves a good buffer¡ªabout three floors'' worth of time.


    "I doubt anyone will catch up for at least a few days," Aster muttered confidently.


    Since the ns had "abandoned" the camps, Aster had no qualms about gathering the supplies left behind. He picked up a few essentials but focused primarily on luxury goods¡ªespecially ingredients for cooking.


    "I can make much better meals with this!" he said, feeling a small surge of excitement at the thought.


    Thanks to Kali''s relentless efforts at "borrowing" supplies from the three ns, they now had enough provisions tost a full month. Moreover, in case they were separated for any reason, they had divided the supplies evenly, ensuring everyone could survive a week or two on their own without issue.


    While Aster busied himself with the camp, Argus and the girls had already defeated the floor''s boss. With the path cleared, they reached the 20th floor.


    The terrain from the 20th to the 30th floor resembled that of the first ten floors, but this time it was far more dangerous. These floors were not simple like the tutorial zones. They were packed with hazards¡ªnot just monsters and treacherous terrain but also "Area Bosses."


    Unlike Floor Bosses, which appeared at the end of each floor, Field Bosses that roamed freely, or Rogue Bosses that were irregr to the floors themselves, Area Bosses governed specific zones.


    Though not as powerful as Field Bosses, they were almost always apanied by other monsters, typically their pre-elite versions, making them particrly tricky to face.


    Seeing that it was nearing midnight, Aster decided it would be best to camp by the entrance instead of pressing onward.


    They wisely set up camp a safe distance from the portal, just in case Lori arrived unexpectedly on this floor. An awkward encounter right off the bat was thest thing they needed.


    After searching for a bit, they found a wide clearing before the forest area, hidden from sight yet spacious enough to amodate them. Without wasting time, they raised three tents and lit a campfire.


    Having achieved their goals for the day, Aster decided to splurge on their supplies and prepare a feast. He cooked avish meal, and of course, they didn''t forget to include some alcohol. It was a night to celebrate, allowing everyone to momentarily rx and return to their more yful selves.


    ---


    "... Huh?"


    Aster blinked, feeling disoriented. He had been drinking earlier, and now his memory was hazy. When he regained full consciousness, he found himself inside one of the three tents, kneeling beside someone.


    "Hmmm...~"


    His hands were pressed against the gap between tworge, blue wings¡ªwings that trembled slightly in what sounded suspiciously like pleasure. His fingers touched fair skin, slightly damp with sweat.


    Enjoy new chapters from empire


    *Gulp!*


    Aster''s mind raced, trying to piece together what had happened. He nced down and realized he was kneeling next to Lizandrea, who was lying face-down on her bedding... half-naked.


    ''W-What''s going on?! What is this situation?!''


    Aster''s inner voice screamed in confusion as the scene before him sank in.

 Chapter 228 A Session with the Dragonkin

    Aster''s mind raced, desperately trying to piece together the situation. His heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears as his breathing grew shallow and uneven. Sticky sweat clung to his back, sliding ufortably down to his arms.


    The warmth of Lizandrea''s body seeped into his fingers, causing his own body temperature to rise in response.


    "L-Liz¡­"


    He wanted to ask what was happening, but the fog clouding his memory made him hesitate. How had this even started? Was it his idea, or had Liz suggested it first?


    "Hm... Mmm? What''s wrong, Aster? Your hand stopped, you know...?"


    Her voice,yered with faint gasps and a sensual tone that made his pulse quicken, broke the silence. She sounded like she was anticipating something, though there was a hint of disappointment as well.


    Spurred by her words, Aster resumed pressing his hand down her back.


    "Hnnngh~! That, that feels good...! You can go a bit stronger."


    He focused on the center of her wings, marveling at their connection to her back. They seemed to grow out from her shoulder des, but he wasn''t entirely sure. Maybe there was an extra joint controlling their movements?


    "Ha! Aaahhh...!"


    Despite trying to distract himself, the sound of her moans forced him to confront the reality of the situation. ''What am I doing? Where am I?''


    "Aster...?" Her voice came again,ced with curiosity. "Your movements seem... different all of a sudden. It felt so good before. Did you suddenly forget how to do it?"


    ''Do it? Do what?!''


    Aster gulped as his mind spiraled, trying to anticipate her next words.


    "Come on, this gentle caress¡ªthis flimsy touch won''t work as a massage at all."


    "¡­Massage?"


    His memory returned in fragments. During dinner, a tipsy Liz hadined about her stiff shoulders, ming Aster and her wings for it. Half-jokingly, he had offered to give her a back rub. And that, apparently, was how he had ended up in this precarious position.


    "A-Ah! Right, massage! Sorry, I was spacing out!"


    Massage was a skill Aster had been forced to learn during the time when his body was frail and weak. Long hours of sitting hadn''t been good for his cirction, and he had be proficient enough to get licensed as a chiropractor or masseur¡ªnot that he had ever intended to use it on others. Until now.


    His heart still raced, and he was keenly aware of the heat pooling in his lower body, but he forced himself to focus. His eyes sharpened as he carefully observed the tense muscles along Liz''s back.


    "Your muscles are so stiff. You must''ve had a hard time holding everything in ce."


    His hands moved with precision, sliding from between her wings, along but not directly over her spine, and up to her shoulders. This time, the sensation Liz experienced was different.


    If Aster''s earlier attempts¡ªboth when tipsy and after regaining his senses¡ªwere clumsy and unrefined, his current technique was worlds apart.


    "Hmmmph~!"


    Aster applied just the right amount of strength to untangle her knotted muscles, making Lizandrea''s body tremble from a mix of pain and pleasure. Each time he pressed down on her back, her muscles tensed involuntarily, anticipating the next wave of difort.


    "Rx, don''t tense up your muscles. It only hurts because they''re all knotted and stiff," Aster instructed gently.


    His words, however, felt more like teasing than actual advice to Liz. How could she not tense up? It was an automatic reaction, not something she could control!


    As he continued, Aster''s focus shifted from her reactions to the fascinating structure of her wings. Unlike bird or bat wings, which had simr bone and muscle structures to a hand, Liz''s wings were unique. It was Aster''s first time studying an actual fantasy wing, and he found himself in awe.


    The muscles in her wings were firm yet delicate, and the membrane resembled cartge more than skin¡ªthick and sinewy, yet soft to the touch. The bones were light, like those of a bird, with a surprisingly flexible ball joint, providing a much greater range of motion than he expected.


    "A-Ashteer...!"


    "...!"


    Her voice, unusually breathy and unguarded, snapped Aster back to reality. His "massage" had been so effective that Liz hadpletely melted into a rxed mess. Her flushed face was as red as a boiled octopus, and her heavy breathing created a warm, foggy air around her. Her body trembled, clearly craving more.


    "T-That should be enough! I need to go!"


    Aster stammered, suddenly aware of the dangerous line he was toeing. He tried to stand and leave, but Liz quickly grabbed his leg, refusing to let him go.


    "Eh~? Do it more. It felt sooo good~!" she pleaded, her eyes filled with a longing he hadn''t seen in her before.


    But then Aster noticed something rming. "Y-Your front! Cover up, Liz!" he eximed, embarrassed for her, but unable to tear his gaze away.


    He tried to avert his eyes, but for some reason, his body wouldn''t obey. His neck stayed rigid, his eyes fixed on the two soft, bouncing masses before him.


    "Hm? Ah... Could you massage these too? They''ve been bothering me... they''re heavy, you know," Liz teased, lifting one in her hand as if to emphasize its weight and softness.


    "...!"


    Aster felt an overwhelming urge to touch them, to feel the softness himself. But then, two faces shed through his mind¡ªTina and Cassy. Instantly, his thoughts cleared, and his eyes squeezed shut.


    "Liz, stop teasing me, or I really will do it," Aster warned, pulling her hand off his leg. "Anyway, that''s enough for today. If your back stiffens up again, I''ll give you another massage tomorrow."


    Without giving her the chance to protest, Aster left the tent. Liz, left alone, pouted adorably, her face flushed bright red. She curled up, pressing her chest against her thighs, and muttered under her breath.


    "I was serious, though¡­"


    It didn''t take long for her to realize what she''d just said, and the unfamiliar emotions swirling in her chest. Emotions beyond respect and camaraderie¡­ something she hadn''t experienced before.


    Discover exclusive content at empire


    Liz stared at the tent''s entrance, as if watching Aster''s figure retreat toward the campfire outside. For a moment, her eyes flickered with unspoken desire, but she shook her head softly.


    "Now''s not the time, huh?"


    A faint air of disappointment settled around her as shey down, curling up once more, and drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 229 Area Boss Hunt!

    After leaving Liz''s tent, Aster settled down by the campfire, trying to cool his mind. Yet, despite his efforts, there was one part of him far from being "rxed." It was a physical response he had little control over, and all he could do was wait it out until it eventually subsided.


    "You were quite noisy, you know?"


    "...!"


    Aster flinched at the unexpected voice beside him. Turning, he spotted Kali sitting under the shadow of a nearby tree, her dagger in hand as she carved random shapes¡ªmore like stakes¡ªfrom a block of wood. He briefly wondered what she might use them for, but decided to leave that mystery for another time.


    "Y-you mean the massage, right?" Aster rified, a little too quickly. "Yeah, well... I got lost in a trance, so I didn''t notice." He emphasized the word "massage," desperately hoping to avoid any misunderstanding.


    "Hmm..."


    Kali''s gaze remained icy and a little too sharp, causing a chill to run down Aster''s spine. She clearly wasn''t buying his excuse.


    "A-Anyway," he stammered, eager to change the subject. "You should rest now. I''ll take over keeping watch since I''m not feeling sleepy anymore."


    It was both a peace offering and a silent plea for her to keep what she might have heard to herself.


    Without a word¡ªlet alone a thank-you¡ªKali got up and headed into one of the tents, the one where Cassy was resting. Aster knew that after Kali''s emotional outburst the previous night, the two had grown closer, even though Kali''s usual standoffish attitude hadn''t visibly changed.


    Aster sighed, staring up at the forest canopy above.


    Cassy, Kali, Tina, Liz... He had the distinct feeling that his rtionship with each of them would change soon¡ªan irrevocable shift, one he wasn''t sure he was ready for. As if sensing his thoughts, Argus snuggled closer, offering silentfort.


    The night passed, both slowly and quickly at the same time.


    ---


    "Holy Smite!"


    "TAUNT! HAAP!"


    "Priodis Sirreo fen Cura! Minor Area Heal!"


    "Threefold Stab."


    It was now noon, and the artificial sun overhead bathed them in ufortable heat. Fortunately, the forest provided some respite, its cool shade keeping the worst of the heat at bay. However, because the terrain was too erratic for Aster to safely pull the cart, they opted to continue on foot. The break also gave them all a chance to release some pent-up tension by fighting monsters.


    Aster med stress for Liz''s behavior the previous night. It was the only way to preserve his fragile stability¡ªor rather, to shield the girls from his growing desires. After all, he was just a man, not some saint with perfect control. He feared that sooner orter, he might hurt them in ways he didn''t intend.


    "Alright! Now only the Area Boss is left!" Liz grinned, hefting her shield and mace with renewed vigor. "Knight''s Challenge!" she shouted, drawing the attention of the hulking figure ahead.


    They were deep within the forest, facing a mob of goblins, but their true target stood behind the swarm¡ªa towering goblin, three times the size of the others. Almost three meters tall, the Area Boss wielded a massive tree trunk as a club, its red eyes gleaming with animalistic rage. This was the Hobgoblin Fighter, the Area Boss of the Goblin Forest.


    "Everyone, stay sharp!" Aster called from the rear, where he and Argus stood, ready to offer support. "There are goblins circling behind you! Watch out!"


    "Got it!" Kali responded. In a blur of motion, she disappeared.


    In mere moments, the goblins attempting to nk them began falling like leaves. Kali''s stealth had reached a point where she could vanish and reappear so quickly that the goblins had no time to react. The gap between her attacks and re-entering stealth was a mere 0.2 seconds¡ªfast enough to make her appear like a phantom.


    Her twin Khopesh des soon felled every goblin threatening their nk, their blood fortifying her weapons.


    "Over here, you big oaf!" Find your next adventure on empire


    At that moment, Tina rushed at the Hobgoblin Fighter, undeterred by its towering size. "Emberfury!" she shouted,unching a powerful punch with her right fist. Angelic mes of Purification enveloped her gauntlet, and with one devastating blow, she obliterated half of the Hobgoblin''s body.


    "Too weak!" Tina scoffed, clearly unimpressed by the fight''s brevity.


    With the Area Boss down, the group quickly finished off the remaining goblins. Even Cassy, who had stayed as support for most of the battle, pulled her dagger and joined the offensive, earning her share of kills and experience points.


    Of course, there were some imbnces. Tina, having dealt the final blow to the Hobgoblin Fighter, received all the experience points from the boss, propelling her to level 38¡ªthree levels ahead of the others.


    It might seem unfair, but Aster considered it within eptable limits. With Argus''s help, they could distribute experience points more evenlyter.


    Aster wasn''t worried that the girls were catching up to his level. After all, even though he wasn''t fighting, all the experience gained by Argus killing the Floor Bosses raised his level to 49, still 11 levels above even Tina, who was the closest to his level.


    "Alright, let''s move to the next area!" Aster announced.


    Their goal was twofold: not only to progress, but also to hunt down Area Bosses for the valuable experience they provided. It was a chance to level up while adjusting to their newfound strengths.


    Though they kept a rtively straight path toward their destination, they didn''t shy away from taking small detours to defeat any Area Bosses in their vicinity.


    ''Now that I think about it, that Mega Ruby Slime...'' Aster recalled their earlier encounter with the relentless slime that had pursued him through the forest. At the time, he had assumed it was a Rogue Boss, but now he wondered if it had been an Area Boss instead.


    It had disyed a tenacity far beyond what a Rogue Boss typically showed, acting more like a territorial guardian.


    ''Well, it doesn''t matter now.''


    Whether it was a Rogue Boss or an Area Boss, it had long since been defeated, and its experience had be part of his strength. Instead, he turned to focus on protecting the girls until they reached their peak, able to control their strength perfectly.


    With a lighthearted gait, they continued onward through the 20th Floor.

 Chapter 230 Beyond Expectations

    Aster and the girls pressed on, hunting any Field Bosses they encountered. Gradually, the girls caught up to Aster''s level, but as expected, closing the gap was challenging given the significant difference in their levels.


    Since they had slowed their pace, noon passed before they managed to slip past the forest biome. By then, they had hunted over 20 Area Bosses, boosting Tina to level 41 while the others reached a stable level 40.


    As for Aster, taking down monsters that were too much for the girls to handle was enough to propel him to level 50 atst.


    "Stats to strength..."


    This was the first time he''d adjusted the stat to which he was adding points. Finally, it was time to increase his STR! He already had more than enough DEX, and there was no need to boost his WIS any further, especially now that both Crysta and Pyra were under his control. It was time to bnce out his stats.


    He had wanted to increase his STR for so long... right after receiving his Job ss as a Magic Swordsman. But now, he was no longer a Magic Swordsman; he was ???''s Avatar, a Unique Mythic Job. It was something beyond even a Legendary Job, yet no one but him knew of this for now.


    Even the girls were unaware of his ss''s strange name. After all, they hadn''t had time to discuss it in depth due to all the recent events.


    "It was a blessing in disguise, though..." Aster sighed.


    If he had told the girls¡ªincluding Lori¡ªabout his ss back then, they would have surely given him no ck. Now that she had turned into their enemy, theck of knowledge she had was an advantage for them.


    As they left the forest, they surged forward with Aster and Argus'' AA Express. They only stopped when they found Area Bosses nearby, maintaining top speed and reaching the exit''s proximity in under four hours.


    "...?"


    Aster suddenly stopped.


    They were close to the end, right by the border of a ins and forest biome. But for some reason, a bad feeling washed over him, as if moving any further would be dangerous.


    It wasn''t the first time his instincts had warned him of danger, so he trusted them. He turned to the girls and cautioned them.


    "Everyone, I think something''s wrong. I''ll go ahead with Kali to check. Argus, the rest of you stay put over there. Hide behind the trees."


    His protectiveness might have been excessive, but nobody voiced anyints. They disembarked the cart and moved to the forest''s edge, concealing themselves behind bushes and trees.


    "I''m ready."


    Only Kali remained at his side, checking her daggers, ready for a fight at a moment''s notice.


    "Let''s go." Aster''s voice was grim.


    They moved cautiously through the forest, careful not to alert anyone to their presence, with Aster even holding his breath. Kali, on the other hand, wasn''t using Stealth yet and simply followed a step behind him. They moved quietly toward the edge closest to the Floor Boss area.


    As they approached, Aster waved a hand, signaling for Kali to activate her Stealth. Slowly, they edged to the side of a tree and peered out.


    ''No way...!''


    What they saw was far from pleasing. In the space before the portal leading to the 21st floor stood a group of people. Roughly counting, there were at least four parties present, all equipped for a fierce battle.


    From their attire, Aster recognized the ns: Dragon''s Roar, Ironblood Knights, and Light of Glory. Without a doubt, these were the members protecting Cassy and the others back at the 14th Floor''s camp!


    ''How did they catch up?!''


    Aster wondered, confusion swirling in his mind. However, as he scanned their ranks, he spotted two anomalies. One was a pair of mages. The space between them and the others indicated they weren''t part of the original parties¡ªextras brought along for a purpose.


    ''Space Element Mages?!''


    Right, Aster had destroyed the portals to prevent their pursuers from catching up. But that was only true if they didn''t have anyone capable of using a Teleportation Spell among them!


    To make matters worse, a familiar face stood among them. One far too recognizable for Aster to miss. A woman with tinum hair, wings behind her ears spread wide with pride. It was Lori! Not only that, but she had five others with simr characteristics¡ªother members of the Aracelli Race!


    All of them stood at even intervals before the three ns'' party, acting as sentinels, their eyes focused in a particr direction. And the one facing Aster''s direction was none other than Lori herself.


    "...!"


    Aster saw her eyes glow before locking onto him. A chill ran down his spine as he quickly turned to flee. "We''ve been discovered! Kali, let''s¡ª!"


    But before he could finish, a familiar de shed toward his neck. It was the pair of Khopesh that Kali wielded¡ªBloodshear!


    "WOAH!"


    Aster dodged just in time, thanks to his high DEX. However, the tip of the de still managed to leave a shallow scratch on his neck, blood seeping slowly. "Kali?!" Aster shouted, bewildered.


    But Kali''s usually cold, observant eyes were now colorless and unfocused. It was clear she wasn''t in her right mind... Mind Control!


    ''Just seeing Lori''s eyes caught her instantly!''


    Aster wasn''t sure why he was safe, but there was no time to dwell on it. The noise from his struggle had alerted the three ns and the other Aracelli members, all rushing toward his location.


    In less than a minute, he would be surrounded by 40 "enemies." His mind raced, desperately searching for a way to save Kali and the girls. Only one solution came to mind.


    "Sorry, Kali!"


    He muttered the apology under his breath as he lunged forward, aiming a punch at her stomach. He needed to incapacitate her first and figure out the restter.


    *CLACK!*


    But Kali''s reflexes were sharp. She crossed her des in a sh, blocking the punch¡ªthough the force sent her hurtling backward, flying through the forest, toward the other girls.


    Wasting no time, Aster raised his hand, preparing to freeze everyone chasing him. His n was simple: kill them all, even if it meant sacrificing a portion of his life force.


    "CRYSTA!"


    His shout echoed through the air, and with it, a biting frost spread. Trees began to freeze as a chilling wave surged forward, freezing everything in its path.


    "Kaha! Petty tricks!!!"


    One of the Aracelli members suddenly rushed ahead and waved his hand. To Aster''s shock, the freezing wave... stopped mid-motion. It was a sight that defied all reason, leaving Aster staring, dumbfounded.


    How had they stopped Crysta''s freezing wave, which had been unstoppable until now? He couldn''t even begin to fathom it.


    "Shit¡­!"


    But time was merciless. Before he could collect his thoughts, a barrage of projectiles¡ªboth bullets and spells¡ªrained down on him. Panicking, Aster summoned an ice wall, blocking the attacks, and quickly expanding it into a massive barrier that encircled the area.


    A towering ice wall, over 20 meters high and 3 meters thick, formed a ring with a 500-meter radius. It was a desperate move, one that came at the cost of more of his life force.


    The numbness creeping into his fingertips, a sign of his dwindling vitality, was a sensation he could never fully get used to.


    After sealing his enemies behind the thick ice, Aster turned and ran. Facing them head-on wasn''t an option¡ªespecially with his acepletely neutralized. Until he figured out how they stopped his freezing wave, continuing the fight was too risky.


    *BOOM!*


    Aster kicked off the ground, propelling himself forward like a bullet. He followed the path Kali had taken, where the trees had already been cleared by her impact. After a few seconds of airborne travel, he reached a tree obstructing his path.


    "Hup!"


    With precise control, he used the tree''s flexibility to absorb his momentum, then swiftlyunched himself toward the ground, wasting no time.


    "Aster! Kali, she¡­!"


    As soon as hended, Cassy rushed to his side, her face filled with worry and panic. "She was sent flying¡ªin a critical condition¡ªso I healed her quickly, but¡­ she''s rampaging!"


    "I know!" Aster responded urgently. "She''s under Lori''s mind control! I''ll deal with her. You girls, get ready to leave immediately!"


    "...!"


    Though Aster offered no further exnation, the mention of Lori''s name was enough for Cassy to understand. Still, a part of her was in disbelief¡ªhow had they caught up to their group, who were supposed to be days ahead?


    Cassy''s thoughts swirled in confusion, but she quickly pushed them aside, focusing on the immediate crisis.


    Aster moved swiftly, his figure blurring as he appeared beside Kali once more. This time, he deliberately positioned himself in front of her, aiming another punch toward her stomach. However, Kali, wary of beingunched like a shooting star again, dodged to the side. She twisted her body beyond afortable range, losing her bnce slightly.


    "Got you!"


    But Aster''s punch was only a feint. With Kali off bnce, she couldn''t avoid the follow-up¡ªa precise chop to the back of her neck. A sharp crack echoed, causing Aster''s heart to skip a beat, his face turning pale.


    Without hesitation, he caught Kali''s unconscious body and quickly checked her pulse.


    "...She''s alive!" he breathed in relief. "Alright, everyone, follow me! I''ll exin on the way!"


    Cassy, Tina, and Liz were all covered in cuts, evidence of the difficult fight they''d had against the swift Assassin. But there was no time to rest.


    Explore new worlds at empire


    As soon as they reached the edge of the forest, Aster pulled the EM Cart from his Fanny Pack, quickly getting the girls aboard.


    "Here, tie Kali up before you heal her!" Aster shouted, tossing them a rope from their survival kit. He then gripped the cart''s handle tightly. "Hold on! We''re going full speed!"


    With a powerful kick to the ground, Asterunched them forward without holding back.

 Chapter 231 Deadly Game of Tag

    Aster''s sudden eleration made the girls'' bodies follow thews of motion.


    "AGH!"


    "OW!"


    They all mmed against the cart''s floor, with Liz almost falling off if not for Cassy''s timely grab of her leg. After the eleration ended, the girls returned to their original positions, cursing a little while attending to their tasks.


    Kali was strong, but her strength leaned more toward agility than raw power. As such, they tied her up securely, ensuring she couldn''t move. She was bound like a shrimp, her feet almost touching her back.


    "Priodis Sirreo fen Cura! Minor Area Heal!"


    Once Kali was restrained, Cassy quickly cast an Area Heal on everyone. The pain from their bumps and bruises faded as Kali''s injuries healed. In just ten seconds, she was back in tip-top shape.


    "Ugh..."


    As soon as she was healed, Kali groaned, her voice reminiscent of someone waking up with a bad hangover. "My head... What... Where are we?" she asked, looking around in confusion.


    *THUNK!*


    "OWWW! Dammit, who did that?!"


    Tina, standing nearby, brought down the "fist of justice" on Kali''s head. But that was all she did, remaining silent afterward. Her pride was still wounded from being easily handled by Kali, who had bested both her and Liz without themnding a single hit. She couldn''t ept that she had failed to even graze Kali, much lessnd a solid blow.


    "You damned...!" Kali started to move but quickly realized she was restrained. "Wait, why am I tied up?! Leader, what''s going on?!"


    Suddenly, Cassy moved her face close, as if about to kiss her. She stared into Kali''s eyes, searching for something. "You... has the brainwashing worn off?" Cassy asked, trying to confirm.


    "Brainwashing...?" Kali responded, confused. "Didn''t we all get anti-brainwashing protection at the same time? Are you going senile, stupid rabbit?"


    "...It''s the usual Kali. What a relief~!"


    Despite Kali''s snidement, Cassy let out a long sigh. The brief brainwashing had been undone, and they suspected that knocking Kali unconscious had broken the control.


    Just to be sure, Cassy used the Dispel Powder, an item they had received along with their anti-brainwashing measures. It could remove traces of any skills cast on a person, including brainwashing and mind control. She sprinkled a generous amount over Kali before nodding confidently.


    "With this, I''m 100% sure the mind control is undone!" Cassy dered.


    Kali, despite not recalling the entire situation, quickly pieced together what had happened during her memorypse.


    "I was controlled, huh?" she asked, her tone grim. "So? What''s the n?"


    "Escape, for now," Liz replied from behind. "One look and you got controlled. I''m sure the rest of us would be the same."


    Right. Facing an enemy who could control them just by looking into their eyes, they stood no chance.


    "Girls, wear these!"


    After his long silence, Aster finally spoke up. He tossed four items to them¡ªwhat looked like diving goggles. "These goggles will limit your vision to a few meters ahead. They should protect you from brainwashing, at least!"


    The goggles'' lenses were made of ice, which Crysta crafted with care, ensuring the girls experienced a light case of nearsightedness. Naturally, the entire frame was also made of ice, as Aster couldn''t manually fashion parts from stic or leather while running.


    Once the girls put them on, Crysta activated the Frostfire Legacy again, adjusting the fit to ensure the goggles wouldn''t slip or loosen.


    "Although it''s made of ice, it''s not cold..." Liz muttered in amazement.


    This wasn''t due to any special material. It was Aster controlling the cold at will, preventing the goggles from melting while also ensuring the girls wouldn''t feel difort from the ice. This delicate control took up a quarter of his mental focus!


    But then, it happened...


    "...!"


    Aster quickly stomped his feet,ing to a sudden halt. The girls flew forward, crashing into Aster''s back and piling up like a stack of pancakes.


    "W-Why did...?!"


    Just as Cassy was about to ask, she felt the mana in the surroundings twist. "Oh no!" she eximed. "They caught up already?!"


    "This is... Teleportation!" Aster gritted his teeth. He had expected them to catch up, but not this quickly! "Cassy, release Kali''s restraints!" hemanded immediately.


    At this point, there was no reason to keep her bound. Getting her help in battle would be far more useful.


    Aster then flipped the cart and stabbed it into the ground, handle first, to act as a barrier for the girls. "Argus! Take on half! I''ll handle the other half! Everyone else, deal with any that get close! And remember, keep your gaze low!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, a bright sh of light erupted. When it faded, Aster was met with the same sight as before¡ªforty enemies standing before them!


    Without wasting time, he dashed forward toward the right nk. Argus moved to the left. As nned, they split the enemies into two groups, handling half each, while keeping them away from the girls.


    "..."


    In the center of the enemy formation, Lori raised her hand, silentlymanding the others. At her signal, all four teams moved as one. The Ironblood Knights and Light of Glory parties advanced on Argus, surrounding him, while the Dragon''s Roar parties, the two mages, and the six Aracelli members approached Aster.


    It was clear which one she was more wary of!


    Aster gripped his sword, his expression resolute. "Lori..." he whispered, feeling a knot in his chest. He never imagined a day woulde when he''d point his sword at a former ally.


    "Give up. I will never hand over Cassy!" he dered firmly.


    Find your next read at empire


    The Dragon''s Roar parties surrounded him, keeping a 10-meter distance. Their formation resembled one used for fighting a boss, not another adventurer.


    "Aster..." Lori finally spoke, her voice cold and emotionless. "This is my first andst warning: stand down, and you''ll get to keep your life."


    Aster''s eyes widened in shock, but he quickly shed a cheeky smile.


    "You think you''re stronger than me? Think again...!" he shouted, releasing a powerful aura. "You''re not qualified to tell me that!"

 Chapter 232 Last Stand (1)

    Aster''s roar was powerful, and his disy intimidating. However, Lori merely closed her eyes and sighed. "I see... too bad, then."


    Her words acted like a signal, marking the start of the battle.


    Of the sixteen members of Dragon''s Roar, five were mages. Each used different elements,unching aplex mix of projectiles toward Aster. Some came directly from the front, while others swerved, following intricate paths before reaching him. Aster watched all of it, gritting his teeth.


    "NAIVE!" he roared, swinging his de. "ELEMENTAL SWORD¡ªSPACE!"


    Without holding back, he unleashed his most powerful attack. He shed horizontally, aiming for the enemies before him. Though they were just brainwashed fools, Aster didn''t hesitate to kill them. It was either his life or theirs. Showing mercy would only give the enemy an opening.


    *CRACK!*


    But then, his skill was interrupted midway. A crack appeared in the space itself before vanishing, as if nothing had happened.


    "...!"


    It was that same skill again¡ªthe one that had stopped Crysta''s freezing wave! Aster felt a surge of worry, but he had no time to dwell on it. He leaped into action, dodging iing projectiles while batting others away with his sword. It was a deadly dance, one wrong move and he would be finished.


    After clearing the attacks, Aster prepared tounch another strike. However, something flickered in the corner of his eye.


    *BANG!*


    Bullets.


    Half-panicked, Aster rolled forward, dodging attacks while closing in on the enemies. But he couldn''t outrun bullets, especially ones from his blind spot.


    "Ugh!"


    Three shots hit him¡ªhis right thigh, his left shoulder, and his liver, all from behind. Each one was perfectly timed, as if predicting his every movement.


    "AREA HEAL!"


    But Aster wasn''t alone. Despite her limited vision from the ice goggles, Cassy''s senses were sharp. She could feel Aster''s presence, his distance, and his need for healing. Even without seeing, she was able to cast a pinpoint heal, restoring Aster''s injuries!


    "Kaha! Did you think I''d let you heal?!"


    Someone suddenly appeared in front of Aster, closing the distance in an instant. It was the red-haired man from the Aracelli Race¡ªthe one who had blocked Aster''s attacks twice before.


    "I''m Lionel! It''ll be a short acquaintance, though, so no need to remember my name!"


    *BAM!*


    It was a fast, powerful kick¡ªsimple, yet devastating. Even though Aster managed to block it, the sheer force sent him tumbling across the ground, outside of the Area Heal''s range.


    ''This strength...!''


    Aster couldn''t be mistaken. His might was already equivalent to someone around level 75, yet he was overpowered! "Over 100!" he guessed the enemy''s level instantly.


    "Ohh? Close! I''m level 99, you brat!"


    Back on the 14th floor, the "illegal" entrance they used had a limit of level 100 or lower. That made Lionel the strongest person in their team. Worse yet, his unique skill was the perfect counter to Aster''s, who relied heavily on magic to fight against stronger opponents¡ªa specialist in taking down mages.


    Aster was on the defensive. His STR was low, so he couldn''t win in a contest of brute force. All he could rely on was his DEX and WIS, but agility only helped him move faster, and wisdom just boosted his magic.


    "HAP!"


    He coated his sword in mes and swung it at Lionel. But the man caught the de with his bare hand. The mes vanished on contact, as if being devoured by something.


    "Is this the best you can do? Entertain me more, you brat!!!"


    *CRACK!*


    With him putting a bit more force into his grip, Aster''s sword snapped in half!


    But despite his weapon breaking, Aster didn''t hesitate. He used the moment of surprise and thrust the broken de toward Lionel''s face. The unexpected attack dyed Lionel''s reaction for a split second.


    *SLASH!*


    "..."


    A few strands of red hair fell. Lionel barely dodged but didn''te out unscathed. He touched his forehead, feeling a wet sensation. His fingers came away stained with his own blood.


    "Bastard..." Lionel growled, his voice cold and emotionless, soul-freezing like somethinging from the deepest depths of hell. "I''ll kill you."


    It wasn''t a threat. It was a simple deration of Aster''s fate.


    Lionel extended his hand as if to grab Aster, but he jumped back to dodge. It was weird, however, as he felt something tightening around his throat, choking him, as soon as hended.


    Aster''s eyes widened as he grabbed at his neck. Nothing was there¡ªno one close enough to touch him, let alone strangle him!


    ''Another weird skill?!'' he thought in panic.


    As he was held in ce, the others took advantage,unching another volley of spells and bullets. If Aster didn''t act, he would meet his end!


    ''me Circle...!''


    In ast-ditch effort, he called upon Pyra, creating a firewall around him, which exploded outward, catching everyone within its range.


    "I told you, it''s useless...!"


    But once again, as soon as Lionel "touched" the mes, they disappeared, dissolving into small spheres of pure mana.


    "...!"


    Aster was freed from the invisible hand choking him. Seizing the chance, he retreated to put distance between them, catching his breath. The enemy had let go of his hold, giving Aster a crucial realization¡ª''He can''t use both skills at once!''


    With that information, Aster''s despair lessened slightly.


    "Lionel, stop ying around! I want to get back to the surface already, you know?" Your journey continues on empire


    A mysterious feminine voice echoed behind Aster. He whirled around, raising what was left of his sword in defense. It was an instinctive reaction¡ªand the right one.


    Behind him stood a girl with fluffy pink hair, her twin tails fluttering as she lunged at him with twin daggers that glinted menacingly.


    *CLANG!* *CRACK!*


    The force of her stab shattered the remains of Aster''s sword! The pink-haired girl clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    "Tsk! Don''t bother blocking, you''re going to die anyway!"


    She thrust her dagger again, aiming for his chest. Aster had no sword left to defend himself, and the de was inches away when¡ª


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    A bolt of white lightning suddenly struck, engulfing the pink-haired girl.

 Chapter 233 Last Stand (2)

    The white lightning, obviously, came from the little pup, Argus. Seeing that his master was in danger, he didn''t hesitate to help Aster, even at the cost of his own safety.


    *Whine!*


    In the brief moment it was distracted, three weapons targeted his position. The pup dodged two by reflex, but thest one was too vicious. It left arge gash across Argus'' side, bleeding profusely. It was a heavy wound, enough to affect his movements!


    "That... HURTS, you bastard!"


    "...!"


    To make matters worse, the pink-haired woman survived Argus'' basic lightning attack and moved to stab Aster once more. However, this time, with her movements slowed by the damage she suffered, Aster was able to dodge to safety.


    *BAM!*


    Instead, he earned a solid punch to his side from the red-haired man! It was a perfectly timedbination attack from the two, like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire!


    "... Intermediate Heal!"


    But Cassy''s timely support rained down on Aster. Her skill repaired his broken internal organs and bones in one go, allowing him to fight back again, as long as he could grit his teeth and bear the pain!


    "Intermediate... Heal!"


    With almost no timeg, she cast the second Intermediate Heal, her limit for that specific skill for the day. Her target was, of course, the injured dog, Argus!


    "Ugh...!"


    Cassy fell to her knees. Using two Intermediate Heals in quick session had drained her mental energy. Her mana was still sufficient, but her body was showing signs of exhaustion.


    Aster wanted to thank her, but he was too busy. With 24 enemies bearing down on him, it was impossible to even catch a breath.


    The number of long-range attackers reached ten, excluding the red-haired and pink-haired Aracelli Race members. Aster was battling a dozen of them at once! The rest weren''t idle either, gradually closing in to make sure he had no way to escape.


    ''At this rate...!''


    Aster wasn''t overconfident. He knew that without Crysta or Pyra''s abilities, it would be a struggle to face such arge group. ''I have to take down the redhead first!''


    Once he could use his skills, the battle would be over in his favor! He didn''t care if it meant sacrificing part of his lifespan just to pull that off.


    He was finally getting used to the two''s rhythm, dodging their attacks despite their superior stats. At least his DEX was higher than theirs. It might be a little lower than the pink-haired girl''s, but the damage she suffered from Argus'' attack was slowing her down considerably.


    As for the pupper himself, he was still locked in intensebat with the sixteen enemies in front of him. He couldn''t fire off his usual attacks because doing so would leave too big of an opening.


    Stay updated with empire


    The battle had reached a stalemate, but if it continued, Aster and Argus would be the ones to lose. The numbers weren''t in their favor, and in a battle of attrition, it would only get worse.


    "Kuh!"


    Slowly, more injuries began to appear on Aster''s body. However, he was still hanging on by a thread. He could still fight, he could still win...!


    "You two... will be punishedter for ying around."


    "...!"


    But then, the third, fourth, and fifth Aracelli Race members jumped in, joining the melee. Judging by their movements, they were all above level 90!


    Even Aster was beginning to lose ground, facing five enemies whose stats were superior to his in several areas. Another man, with pitch-ck hair in contrast to Lori''s silvery white, joined the fray, wearing fingerless gloves that covered his fists.


    He threw a casual punch, which Aster dodged, but the force of the air pressure behind it sent Aster rolling across the ground. Blood trickled down his left cheek, even though the punch hadn''t even touched him!


    "Shit..."


    Aster knew he was at a disadvantage, but retreat wasn''t an option. The girls were behind him, and if he backed off, they would be at risk.


    "Still, it''s strange. Why aren''t you sumbing to our mind control?" the ck-haired man asked, adjusting the gloves on his fists. "It should be impossible to resist our eyes unless you''ve surpassed level 1000."


    "..."


    Aster remained silent. He wasn''t entirely sure why either. He had a few guesses, but now wasn''t the time to investigate.


    *Ptew!*


    He spat blood onto the ground and straightened up. "What now? Even with five of you, levels higher than mine, and this many people backing you up, you still can''t subdue one little guy like me?" A twisted grin spread across his lips.


    He tugged at his scarf, freeing his throat, and shouted at them.


    "I''ll say it again! If you want Cassy, you''ll have to kill me first! I WON''T LET YOU HAVE HER!"


    For a brief moment, silence fell over the battlefield, only to be interrupted by a slow, rhythmic pping. Aster''s eyes flicked toward the source¡ªit was Lori, the only one who had yet to join the fight.


    "As expected of you, Aster," she praised. "However, at this rate, you''ll die for nothing, and we''ll still take Cassy. Your strength isn''t enough to stop us."


    *WHAM!* *Whine!!!*


    As if to prove her point, Argus took another heavy hit. This time, it was from a blunt weapon¡ªa morning star¡ªdealing more internal damage than external. His legs wobbled under the strain of his crushed organs, and before he could recover, a sword pierced through the center of his body. It was a fatal wound, no matter how you looked at it.


    "ARGUS!"


    Aster saw it happen out of the corner of his eye and felt a surge of panic. Hispanion, who had once left his side, was about to leave him again... "NO!" But then, he realized Argus was still breathing. His partner wasn''t dead yet¡ªthere was still a chance to save him.


    Breaking through the encirclement, Aster charged forward, dodging only the attacks aimed at his vitals. His reckless actions left him covered in fresh wounds, but he managed to push through the enemy ranks.


    They were hot on his heels, but he didn''t have much time.


    Grabbing the only High Potion in his pack, Aster ripped off the cap and sshed the contents over Argus'' body. It wasn''t the most efficient use, but it was enough to let the potion work its magic.


    Argus'' wounds began healing rapidly, bringing him back from the brink of death. But it came at a price.


    "... We''re surrounded again."


    And this time, the enemy''s numbers had doubled!

 Chapter 234 Last Stand (3)

    Aster and Argus were stuck, surrounded by enemies on all sides.


    To make matters worse, Lori was casually walking across the battlefield, ignoring the chaos as she made her way toward Cassy and the others. The ck-haired man from before apanied her, keeping a vignt gaze on Aster, silently dering: "It''s our win."


    "Argus!"


    But Aster didn''t know when to quit. The number of enemies had doubled, but that didn''t mean the volume of attacks would as well. There was a limit to how many enemies could engage him in melee at once.


    The long-range attackers could increase their firepower, but they couldn''t shoot recklessly with their allies so close. In short, the current situation actually favored the duo!


    Without needing to be told, Argus understood his role. Lightning surged across his body as he charged up for an attack, while Aster stood by his side, protecting him from anyone who dared to strike.


    Swords, spears, and maces rained down, but none were powerful enough to make Aster lose ground. He swatted them away effortlessly using only the hilt of his broken de!


    "You bastard!"


    "...!"


    Suddenly, the red-haired man appeared, his fist cloaked in ck mana. Aster couldn''t dodge; if he moved, Argus would be exposed to the attack. "Crysta!" Instead, he chose to defend.


    An ice wall materialized around him, blocking the weaker attacks.


    *BREAK!*


    But the ice wall shattered under the force of the red-haired man''s punch. "Heh! Too weak!" he taunted, following up with a kick aimed at Aster''s face.


    "...!"


    Panicking, Aster raised his arm, blocking with the hilt of his sword, but realized his mistake toote.


    *THUD!* *CRACK!*


    The kick connected with his chest instead! It was a feint!


    From the sound and feel of it, at least three of his ribs were broken. The pain was excruciating, making it difficult for him to breathe! Still, he didn''t despair. Instead, a triumphant smile spread across his face.


    The red-haired man looked confused for a moment, then realized what was happening.


    "No...!"


    He reached out, but it was toote. Argus''s Red Lightning crashed down... right on top of his head. It was a direct hit, a skill that had never left anyone alive before!


    "AAAAAGH!"


    The man screamed in agony as his limbs began to char and disintegrate into ash. Despite the overwhelming current coursing through his body, he still managed to raise his right hand...


    *CRACKLE!*


    He dispelled the red lightning.


    "Ugh... Haaa... Ha...."


    The red-haired man copsed to his knees... his legs now reduced to smoldering stumps. His left arm waspletely gone, and his right arm had been burned away up to the elbow. His side, ears¡ªalong with the wings behind them¡ªand face were scorched beyond recognition.


    He looked like he was on the verge of death, but somehow, he stubbornly clung to life.


    Aster didn''t waste the opportunity. If he could finish this guy off, he could activate his Frostfire Legacy and turn the tide of the battle!


    "...!"


    Just as Aster stepped forward, something strange happened. The redhead''s body... his horrific injuries... began to reverse, regenerating until he waspletely unscathed. Only his burned clothing remained as evidence of the damage he had suffered, with not a single scar left behind.


    "It''ll be a problem if you kill him."


    A feminine voice rang out, different from the pink-haired woman''s voice earlier. This one was fresh and innocent, like a girl from the green meadows. Aster couldn''t even catch a glimpse of her face before arge bat suddenly appeared in front of him.


    *BANG!*


    A solid hit!


    His head spun, his vision blurring. He was sure he had suffered a concussion from the blow. He even heard a disturbing crack at the back of his neck! Aster struggled to regain his footing, but the damage was too severe.


    *THUD!*


    At the same time, Argus was brutally kicked. The strike came so fast, he didn''t even have a chance to dodge! The blow not only shattered his bones but also ruptured his organs, leaving the dog knocked out in a single hit, blood pouring from his nose and mouth.


    "Ugh...!"


    Aster copsed,pletely powerless.


    "Too bad," the same feminine voice spoke again. "Your face was my type. It''s a shame we have to kill you..."


    Guns, swords, spears, and spells were all aimed at Aster, as if they didn''t intend to give him a chance to fight back.


    "STOP!"


    At that moment, a familiar voice echoed through the battlefield.


    "Lory, stop all this!" Cassy''s voice, teary but resolute, rang out as she begged. "I''ll... I''lle with you, just spare Aster and everyone else!"


    "C... ass... y..."


    Aster could barely speak anymore, but he tried to force out words. He wouldn''t let her leave, wouldn''t let her go with Lori... never! But all he could do was crawl helplessly on the ground.


    Kali, Liz, and Tina were already lying unconscious nearby, defeated by the ck-haired man. Their injuries were as severe as Aster''s, and they all needed immediate medical attention.


    "Cassandra..." Lori''s voice came, dripping with pity. "Why would we need to listen to your request?"


    "..."


    Aster knew it was true. Whether they killed them or not, Lori would take Cassy with her. Cassy had no leverage to bargain with.


    "NO! If you let any of them die, I''ll..." Cassy pulled out her dagger and pressed it against her chest. "I''ll kill myself, right here, right now!"


    "...!"


    Lori understood at a nce: Cassy was serious. The tip of the dagger had already pierced her chest, drawing blood and staining her white robe a deep red.


    "... Sebastian, go and control her."


    Of course, they could just use their mind control to stop Cassy. If they got her under control, there would be no need for negotiations.


    The goggles Cassy and the others wore only offered partial protection, limiting their vision to a few meters. This meant that once the enemies closed in, their mind control could easily bypass that defense.


    "Lory..." Cassy''s voice remained firm, as though she had expected this.


    Everyone watched as she moved. In one swift motion, she pulled the dagger away from her chest. For a brief moment, they felt relieved, but then their expressions turned to horror.


    *SLASH!* *CRACK!*


    "Kugh!"


    Without hesitation, Cassy shed the dagger across her own eyes.


    A surefire way to avoid brainwashing from the enemies... by blinding herself.

 Chapter 235 Cassys Sacrifice

    Everyone could only watch as Cassy destroyed her own eyes. Even Aster didn''t anticipate such a drastic action from her! She had made a desperate, yet bold, decision on her own.


    "Kuh..."


    Cassy gritted her teeth, trying to suppress the searing pain. Blood streamed down her face, as though she were crying tears of blood¡ªher expression a grim representation of her unbreakable resolve and emotions.


    "With this... you can''t control me!" Cassy shouted, pressing the dagger against her heart with trembling hands. "Now... do as I say!"


    "..."


    Lori gazed at Cassy, her expression unreadable. She scanned Cassy''s bloodied figure, eyes lingering on the torn flesh and deep wounds, before she sighed deeply.


    "Chro¡ª"


    "If you try to heal my eyes or restrain my limbs, it''s useless! I''ll just kill myself in another way!"


    Cassy''s voice carried the weight of truth; she wasn''t bluffing. Lori couldn''t afford to lose her just yet. With another heavy sigh, as though resigned, Lori addressed her followers with a clear,manding voice.


    "... Everyone, do not harm her allies any further."


    The fight ended as suddenly as it began. Aster, Argus, Kali, Liz, and Tina were spared from immediate death. Yet, in their current states, being left behind would still be akin to being abandoned to die.


    "Priodis... Sirreo... Cura! Minor Heal x5!"


    Exhausted, Cassy used thest of her energy to heal the five of them. One after another, the healing spells took effect, but casting so many consecutively without a break took a severe toll on her body. She copsed to the ground, drained and helpless.


    "Cassy...!"


    Aster called out to her, feeling the gradual effects of the healing magic mending his broken body.


    But his injuries were too severe to be fully repaired by just one Minor Heal. He needed at least three before he could stand again. The others were no different¡ªhealed just enough to pull them back from the brink of death.


    Despite being blind, Cassy turned toward Aster. Her vibrant orange ears drooped, clearly showing her exhaustion. A faint smile yed on her lips as she silently mouthed words without sound.


    "Sorry, Star..."


    "...!"


    Cassy''s decision had been made with the best possible oue in mind. Every other option would''ve led to the party''splete annihtion. Letting everyone live, even at the cost of her freedom, was the best she could offer.


    "We did as you asked. Now, you''reing with us, Cassandra," Lori''s cold voice echoed as she patted Cassy''s shoulder.


    Cassy lowered her hand slowly, her dagger slipping from her grasp and ttering to the ground. She nodded, silent.


    After walking a short distance, Lori retrieved something from her pocket. It looked like a small, blurry mirror, palm-sized, with a braided red-and-white tassel dangling from the top, a small bell tied to the end. Holding it up, she began channeling mana into it.


    The space before them twisted and warped, a small portal slowly forming in the air. Aster had never seen this before¡ªthe "illegal" method of entering or exiting the dungeon.


    "No...!"


    Aster cried out, helplessly watching as Cassy was led toward the portal. He wanted to stop them, to fight back, but his body refused to obey; he couldn''t even stand.


    Cassy vanished into the swirling portal, followed by the other Aracelli members, one after another. The red-haired man and the pink-haired girl threw one final re at Aster before disappearing.


    Lori was thest to leave. She stood in front of the portal, pausing for several seconds. Then, as if on a whim, she snapped her fingers.


    "H-Huh?"


    "Where am I...?"


    "Captain! You''re hurt!"


    With that simple gesture, the members of the three ns were released from her control. Aster stared at Lori, unsure of her intentions. She didn''t even nce back at him as she stepped through the portal, vanishing like smoke in the wind.


    "..."


    Aster stood frozen, staring at the spot where the portal had been.


    His body, though still battered, was slowly healing enough to allow movement. But his face twisted in a storm of negative emotions¡ªfury, despair, helplessness, terror, and anguish all collided within him.


    "Why..." Aster whispered through gritted teeth, his lower lip bleeding as he bit down in frustration. "Cassy, why did you...!"


    He wanted to scream, to vent his anguish, but deep down, he knew Cassy''s decision had saved them. Without her sacrifice, they all would''ve been dead.


    However, understanding and epting it were two different things.


    *BAM!*


    Aster punched the ground with all his remaining strength, cracking the earth beneath him, a cloud of dust rising. "Why...! Why am I this weak...!" His voice trembled with rage and sorrow.


    No matter how hard he fought, nothing changed. Whether he was there or not, Cassy would''ve been taken. His strength felt meaningless, his power useless.


    What good was strength if he couldn''t protect the people he cared about?


    "Aster..."


    Liz''s voice broke through his self-loathing. She was already on her feet, though her injuries were still severe.


    "... I have a message from Cassy," she said, her tone firm butced with fatigue. "She told me to tell you... she''ll be waiting for you to save her. Until then, she''ll keep trying to stay alive."


    "..."


    Cassy''s "message" shook Aster out of his despair. She had anticipated how things would unfold and had left her words in Liz''s care.


    That''s right¡ªCassy wasn''t dead. She had only been taken away. There was still time to save her. Aster could still fix everything!


    "I understand... Thanks, Liz," Aster whispered. A faint, forced smile tugged at the corners of his lips.


    There was still hope! But the smile quickly faded, reced by a gloomy realization. Even with hope, he was still too weak to make a difference. The enemies were far stronger than he was, making his current strength irrelevant.


    ''I need to get stronger... fast!''


    A me of urgency ignited deep within his soul. Cassy''s life was tied to the Aracelli Race''s n. As long as they still needed her, she would be safe. But once they no longer had any use for her, her fate was sealed.


    "Five days..." Aster dered, his voice steely with determination. "I need to reach level 100 in five days!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 236 Class Upgrade?

    Right after the Aracelli Race members disappeared with Cassy, the members of the three ns¡ªDragon''s Roar, Ironblood Knights, and Light of Glory¡ªstood in confusion, bombarding each other with questions.


    It was Liz who exined the situation while undergoing healing from the few healers present. When they learned they had been under enemy control, the revtion hit them hard, filling the air with a palpable sense of shame.


    They had been so sure they could protect Cassy and the others, confident in their abilities, even feeling insulted when Aster had forcibly taken over. Yet, in the end, their pride meant nothing¡ªthey had unwittingly aided the enemy in snatching Cassy back.


    It wasn''t a stretch to say that it was their fault she had been abducted!


    "So, what''s the n now, Leader?" Kali asked once her injuries were sufficiently healed.


    Aster nced around at the girls gathered around him in silence. Kali, Tina, Liz... they were all that was left. Their party, oncerger, now felt empty and lonely.


    There was no other choice now. To save Cassy, they needed to grow stronger¡ªand fast. Aster had to push through floors at a breakneck speed, hunting and leveling up as quickly as possible. With only five days left, there was only one real option.


    "I''m going ahead of you all¡ªalone," Aster dered with grim resolve.


    The girls were too weak in their current state. If they tried to follow him, they''d only slow him down. Leaving them behind was the only way to reach level 100 within the time limit.


    "... Yeah, I figured," Kali sighed, scratching her head. "We''ll stay here on the 20th floor, then¡ªuntil Cassy returns."


    "..."


    Aster smiled, relieved to see that Kali understood his n without the need for long exnations. Another reason he needed to go ahead alone was to make sure Cassy wouldn''t be left behind. If they all advanced while Cassy was away, it would be nearly impossible for her to catch up once she was freed. Thinking of her future, this was the best option.


    "But first, we should return to the surface."


    Aster needed an update on the situation aboveground. More importantly, he needed to alert Magnus that Cassy had fallen into Lori''s hands. Plus, with him having reached level 50, he needed ess to the ss Exchange Hall to see if his ss could be upgraded.


    His ss rarity was Unique Mythic, an unprecedented level. Since Rare sses get upgraded every 25 levels, up to 10 times, given the pattern, he estimated that Unique Mythic sses are upgraded every 45 levels, with a maximum of 30 times.


    In short, level 50 meant he was due for his first ss Upgrade.


    With a tight schedule ahead of him, Aster went off alone to face the Floor Boss. Meanwhile, Argus, Kali, Tina, and Liz headed toward the camp, preparing to teleport back to the dungeon''s entrance.


    As Aster neared the boss''s summoning zone, a light ball quickly appeared, morphing. Lori''s team had left it untouched, standing just outside the summoning range, so the boss got summoned at once without dy.


    "But I don''t have time to waste."


    Aster drew a temporary weapon to rece his broken sword¡ªa weapon he used daily: a kitchen knife. "Let''s get this over with."


    The summoning finished quickly. Before him stood a towering monster, asrge as a house, its body formed from massive, rusted stones. It was an Elite Rusty Iron Golem, a creature that shouldn''t even appear on the 20th floor.


    *SLASH!*


    But that didn''t matter.


    With one swing of his fire-d kitchen knife, Aster cleaved the golem in two. The burning red edge of his Elemental Sword sh sliced clean through the monster''s stone body, searing its core as if aser had passed through it. In a single hit, the Floor Boss copsed.


    Aster didn''t even blink, taking the result as inevitable. Without hesitation, he moved toward the portal and stepped into the 21st floor.


    ---


    "... And that''s the gist of it."


    Inside Gravenne Tower, two figures sat across from each other, their expressions dim and serious.


    One was a handsome man who appeared to be in his thirties, with semi-long brown hair, sharp red eyes, and a single fang peeking out from the corner of his lips. The other was a young man with ck hair, bundled in thick clothes and wearing a white scarf.


    "I see..." The older man, Magnus, closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "So, Ms. Cassandra has fallen into the enemy''s hands, as expected." His voice was a mixture of disappointment and calcted indifference.


    "You..." Aster''s brow furrowed. "You knew this would happen?" Find your next read at empire


    "Not exactly ''knew,'' but the oue was always a strong possibility."


    Magnus had already been tracking the six Aracelli Race members who entered the dungeon. Given their strength, it was clear that no matter how hard Aster''s team fought, they wouldn''t be able to prevent Cassy''s capture.


    "The fact that yousted over three days? That was a surprise. Your perseverance kept the city''s damage to a minimum."


    Thanks to Aster pulling half of them, all the Aracelli Race members left on the surface had been hunted down safely. He hadn''t been informed of who did the hunting though. He didn''t need to know.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Though peace had been restored, the city hadn''te out unscathed. Buildings had been destroyed, facilities burned, and countless lives lost. Despite these losses, Orinfeld City''s damage was lighterpared to other cities around the country.


    "Anyway, the ss Exchange Hall..." Magnus shifted the topic with a snort, sensing the heavy atmosphere. "It''s up and running again. You can visit now."


    "Thanks. I''ll head there immediately."


    Aster was in a hurry¡ªevery second counted. He needed to upgrade his ss, unlock more useful skills, and grow stronger as quickly as possible.


    "Wait."


    Magnus''s voice stopped Aster in his tracks. "What?" Aster turned, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.


    Magnus smiled, clearly enjoying the tension. His tone was leisurely, almost yful, as he said, "I have a way for you to reach level 100 in one day."


    Aster''s eyes widened at the offer. "Really? What is it?!" he demanded, eager to know.


    Magnus''s grin widened, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "I don''t mind telling you... but first, remember our promise? The date''s long passed. You''ll get your answer after you fulfill your part of the deal, Mr. 100% Human¡ªAster Mistral."

 Chapter 237 New Skill, New Strength

    After meeting with Magnus, Aster went straight to the ss Exchange Hall. Just as he was told, it was already open to the public, despite the chaos having barely subsided.


    "Mr. Aster, it''s been a while."


    Upon arrival, someone was already waiting to wee him with open arms. It was none other than the Director of the ss Exchange Hall¡ªFaeloria Shadowleaf.


    "I apologize, Director," Aster said as soon as he stood before her. "Even though you must be busy, you''vee out personally to handle my matters."


    Faeloria smiled sweetly, tucking a few strands of her short hair behind her ears. "No need to apologize, I volunteered for this. It''s no trouble at all."


    "I see... That makes me feel a little less guilty."


    After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she guided him toward the Private Job Upgrade terminal used by employees. Although there were no other adventurers in the building, they still opted for the secluded terminal. After all, it was more secure than the public one, ensuring any sensitive information remained hidden.


    Aster approached and ced his right hand on the center of the panel. Arge disy appeared, showing a loading bar that advanced at a snail''s pace¡ª1% every five seconds.


    "So slow..." he grumbled under his breath.


    Thest time he used it, the bar moved at 1% per second. This one would take at least five times longer!


    Even Faeloria noticed the irregrity. From her experience, it was rare for the machine to take this long just to scan ss Upgrade details. "Did you change your ss from something rare to something even rarer? Epic or Legendary?" she asked casually.


    "Ah..."


    Aster opened his mouth to respond, but the disy suddenly changed. The loading bar vanished, reced by a nk screen with just two lines of text:


    [Name: Aster Mistral Your journey continues at empire


    Job ss: **n''s Avatar (II)


    Skills Earned: Ground Shrink, Sword Chains, Elemental Magic (basic)]


    "Huh...?"


    Both Aster and Faeloria stared at the disy, equally puzzled. Faeloria was surprised by the obscured name of Aster''s Job ss, while Aster was equally shocked by unlocking a single letter from his weird Job ss along with three new skills.


    "D-Do you want to check your new skills?" Faeloria snapped out of her daze, urging Aster to the next machine. Curious, Asterplied. After cing his hand on another panel, his updated information appeared neatly on the disy:


    [Name: Aster Mistral


    Job ss: **n''s Avatar (II) (Unique Mythic) (new!)n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Battle Skills


    Sword Skills: Vertical sh


    Martial Arts: Straight Punch, Side Kick, Ground Shrink (new!)


    Arcane Arts: Active Temperature Control


    Passive Skills


    Mana Control (high), Mana Detection (high), Mana Regeneration (mid), Temperature Standardizer (EX), Boost (+50% EX) (new!)


    Daily Life Skills


    Cooking Skill: Lv 99


    Breathing Control Skill: Lv 99


    Alchemy Skill: Lv 53


    Gathering Skill: Lv 32


    Stealth Skill: Lv 25


    Animal Taming Skill: Lv 11 (new!)


    Job Skills


    Elemental Sword sh (new!), Sword Chains (new!), Elemental Magic (basic) (new!)]


    "Mythic?!"


    Faeloria nearly fainted. Aster''s ss rarity was simply unheard of! Throughout history, no one had ever earned a Mythic ss.


    The highest known was a single case of a Legendary ss, and that had been hundreds of years ago. Currently, the rarest sses were Epic¡ªone level below Legendary¡ªand that just so happened to be Faeloria''s ss rank.


    ''And to top it off, it has the Unique prefix modifier!''


    sses with the "Unique" prefix gained a +5/+5 bonus on both the level required for upgrades and the maximum number of upgrades avable. Aster''s assumption had been correct: a standard Mythic ss would upgrade every 40 levels, up to a maximum of 25 times. With the Unique modifier, that became 45 levels/30 times!


    ''But these skills...''


    Faeloria grew more baffled the longer she examined them. The skills Aster had gained were all over the ce! He had unlocked Elemental Sword sh for swordsmen, Ground Shrink for martial artists, and Elemental Magic (basic) for mages!


    Rather than a magic swordsman, he was turning into a fighter, mage, and swordsman all in one.


    "..."


    But Aster''s expression wasn''t one of joy at gaining more skills and power. Instead, his brow furrowed, as if deep in thought, processing somethingplicated. Faeloria, having lived a long life, could guess what was on his mind.


    "Mr. Aster, would you like to test out your new strength?" she asked, attempting to spark his interest.


    Last time, Aster had immediately tested the skill he''d received¡ªnot out of excitement, but out of a methodical desire to fully understand his abilities. It was simply who he was. After a brief pause, Aster nodded.


    "Alright. Can I use the practice room again?"


    "No need. I have a better ce in mind."


    Faeloria knew the facilities in the ss Exchange Hall would be too fragile to handle Aster''s current strength, so she quickly suggested an alternative.


    She waved her wand, and in an instant, the two of them were encased in a dome of vines shaped like a giant flower bud. Momentster, the vines dissipated into pink petals, releasing a sweet, floral scent.


    When the petals disappeared, so did Faeloria and Aster.


    "This ce is...?"


    Aster''s eyes opened wide as he took in the scene before him. They were supposed to be inside the building, but everywhere he looked, there was a vast expanse of green fields and dense forests, teeming with life. It resembled the dungeon''s early floors, yet it felt different.


    "This is the World Tree''s Domain," Faeloria exined, standing a few steps ahead.


    "My Epic ss, Watcher of the World Tree, grants me dominion over nature and allows me to move between the real world and this dimension at will."


    "Epic...!" Aster gasped, momentarily impressed.


    But he quickly regained hisposure. After all, he now had a Unique Mythic ss. Shifting focus, he scanned his surroundings and asked, "So, this is where I''m supposed to test my skills?"


    The area was vast enough that even if he unleashed his full power, he doubted it would cause any significant damage. It was the perfect location to put his newfound abilities to the test.


    "That''s right... but there''s more to it than that." Faeloria''s sly smile made Aster frown.


    Before she even finished speaking, Aster already had an inkling of what wasing. "Let''s spar. You want strength, don''t you? Let me see if I can help you with that."


    She tossed a in iron sword to Aster and waved her wand, summoning three massive roots that twisted behind her like living creatures.


    "Don''t worry¡ªno matter how much power you use, you won''t be able to injure me. Soe at me for real~!"

 Chapter 238 Stress Relief

    Aster stared at Faeloria, quickly realizing she wasn''t joking. The silent pressure she exuded, herposed gaze, and the confident smile on her lips told him her level was far beyond his.


    Injure her? It would be impossible, even if she stood still and did nothing!


    "You''re worried about someone right now, aren''t you?"


    "...!"


    Faeloria''s words made Aster''s shoulders tense. The situation with Cassy wasn''t a secret, but it wasn''t something he expected to be casually known either. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, but Faeloria remained calm, her smile unwavering.


    "No need to re. I''m loosely connected to Magnus, so information reaches me too," she exined with a shrug. "You''re concerned you aren''t strong enough to save her, right? But first, let me ask... Do you need to do it yourself?"


    Saving Cassy, who was abducted by Lori, wasn''t going to be easy. It was a monumental task, and Aster didn''t have to do it alone. If he relied on Magnus, he could send a few level 1000+ adventurers equipped to handle the situation effortlessly.


    "...No, I don''t. But...!"


    But Aster didn''t want that. He couldn''t exin it well, but leaving Cassy''s rescue to others unsettled him deeply. His pride wouldn''t allow it, but more than that, something inside him rejected the idea outright.


    "Cassy is waiting for me!" he shouted, raising his de, which ignited with mes using Elemental Sword sh. "Since she''s relying on me, I''ll save her myself!"


    Faeloria smiled, amused by his determination. "Alright. If you can make me move from here even a bit, you win. If you do, I''ll help you save your party member."


    "..."


    Aster was surprised, but he didn''t let it show. Pushing Faeloria? Given their difference in strength, it seemed impossible, but Aster wasn''t one to back down from a challenge.


    "Sword Chains!"


    He cast the new skill, testing its effects. He expected it to be a restraint ability, but instead, his sword glowed with a red aura, separate from the mes enveloping the de.


    "...!"


    The light began to fade without any immediate effect, leading him to guess it was some kind of chain-attack bonus instead of an actual "chain." Without hesitation, he activated his next new skill.


    "Ground Shrink!"


    In an instant, his body blurred with speed, warping his field of view. Before he knew it, he stood before Faeloria, his sword poised for a strike.


    *SLASH!*


    Following his momentum, he aimed for her shoulder with a sharp, precise cut.


    "Holding back against me? How bold~!" But his attack fell short.


    One of the three massive roots behind her moved with surprising speed, blocking his strike. It caught fire briefly before the mes died out, leaving the rootpletely unscathed.


    "Kuh! Not yet...!"


    Aster didn''t give up. The fading red light on his sword grew brighter, turning orange. He shed at the root again, and this time, his strike left a shallow groove. The skill''s effect became clear to him.


    ''An attack buff that grows stronger with consecutive hits!''


    As the sword''s glow intensified, Aster pressed the attack. With each strike, the damage to the root increased. By the fifteenth blow, the de was glowing a near pure white.


    *CHOP!*


    With one final swing, he severed the root. Faeloria''s expression shifted in mild surprise; she hadn''t expected him to cut through a World Tree root.


    Seizing the moment, Aster swung his sword upward for a final attack aimed at Faeloria!


    *TING!*


    But the de was caught effortlessly between her fingers. Her hands didn''t even tremble from the impact.


    "...!"


    However, Aster''s assault wasn''t over. The mes surrounding the de suddenly swelled, erupting in a powerful explosion. The st sent Aster flying back several hundred meters!


    If he hadn''t encased himself in ice to protect his body from the force of his own attack, he would''ve been heavily injured no doubt.


    "Did I do it?" Aster panted, wiping the blood trickling from his nose.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As the dust settled, Faeloria remained standing. The ground around her was obliterated, except for the small patch where she stood. Two of the three roots behind her were charred but still intact.


    It was faint, but there were signs she had been pushed back by an inch. Aster grinned, recalling her promise. "I win!" he dered.


    Faeloria nced down and sighed. She wasn''t one to go back on her word. "Well done," she praised before Aster''s vision went ck.


    ---


    "Ugh..."


    Aster woke to the enticing aroma of food. Opening his eyes, he saw the sky still blue, realizing that only a short period of time had passed. He groaned as he stretched, feeling the stiffness in his body from sleeping on the ground.


    Before he cked out, he remembered Faeloria wasn''t moving, only smiling at him. She didn''t attack at that moment, so he wasn''t sure how he had fainted.


    "Oh, you''re awake?" Her calming voice came from his right.


    Turning, Aster saw a table full of beautifully prepared dishes. The sight alone made his stomach rumble loudly.


    "You must be starving. Go ahead and eat! I made this to apologize for knocking you out." She smiled sweetly.


    "Wait, you knocked me out? When? How?"


    He hadn''t noticed anything. Other than the damage he caused himself, there had been no signs of an attack.


    "It''s one of my passive skills," she exined sheepishly. "When an attack reaches a certain level, the skill activates and reflects the damage back to the attacker."


    She scratched her cheek awkwardly. "In short, you fainted because you took twice the damage of your explosion."


    "I see..."


    Though it was frustrating, Aster epted the result. "Still, I won, right?" He recalled how he managed to push her back an inch. Faeloria nodded, smiling.


    Feeling victorious, Aster sat at the table. The food before him was mouthwatering, and the craftsmanship of the table and chairs was immacte¡ªalmost as if they had been grown, not built.


    ''What a useful skill,'' Aster thought as he scanned the dishes.


    Though he didn''t recognize all the ingredients, the food looked delicious. Each dish seemed to have special properties: some restored mana, others stamina, and a few eased mental fatigue.


    But unbeknownst to Aster, all dishes shared amon trait¡ªthey bolstered one''s vigor!

 Chapter 239 This is a Job! (1) [R18]

    "This dish... It''s so delicious it''s unreal!"


    Aster continued eating, taking hearty bites of the unusual dishes spread before him. He had expected something simr to what they''d eaten at the restaurant they visited before, but Faeloria''s cooking was on another level. It was almost on par with his own!


    The short-haired blonde elf smiled at him, clearly pleased to see him enjoy her food so much. Her hard work in preparing everything was finally paying off.


    "...?"


    As Aster devoured the meal, about halfway through, he started feeling something strange. His body was heating up, almost like there was a fire burning deep inside him. Sweat began to cover his forehead, dripping down his chin, while his breathing became shallow and irregr. Worse, he felt ufortable down there¡ªlike something was transforming into a beast.


    "Director?" Aster asked, a hint of doubt creeping into his voice.


    "Just Faeloria is fine," she replied with her usual calm smile. "What''s wrong? Is the food not to your taste?"


    Aster wiped the sticky sweat off his face with the back of his hand. "No, it''s not that... My body feels weird. What did you put in this dish?"


    "Oh..." Faeloria''s smile faded for a moment, then returned as she listed the ingredients casually. "I used Puncture Vine Seed Extract, Ginseng, Licorice Root, Velvet Bean Seed Extract, Clove Flower Buds, ck Pepper..."


    She went on, naming all the ingredients she had used, most of them straight from the World Tree''s Forest. The quality was top-tier, but Aster''s mind was already wandering. He recognized most of the ingredients and knew some had strong effects, especially whenbined. His skin felt hot and slick with sweat as his vision blurred. His body wobbled¡ªunsteady, ufortable!


    "Oops!"


    Before he could topple over, Faeloria caught him, her cool hand on his shoulder stabilizing him. The contrast between her cold touch and his burning body made her touch feel even more soothing.


    "Are you okay, Mr. Aster?" she asked, her voice full of concern, though her eyes gleamed with something else, something darker. "I think I might''ve gone a bit overboard... Let''s get you to the bed to rest."


    ''Bed?''


    They were in the middle of the forest. Tables and chairs still made some sense, but a bed? Through his blurry vision, Aster noticed arge, fluffy bed nearby, way out of ce. He wanted to say something, but his body felt too heavy and his breaths too ragged to speak.


    Faeloria gentlyid him down on the bed, pushing him toward the center before she climbed up beside him.


    "I forgot to mention," she said, unwrapping the white scarf around his neck and casually undoing the buttons of his windbreaker. "I''m actually your second partner, and today is my turn. You must be disappointed, right? Having an ''olddy'' like me?"


    She stripped him down easily, leaving him in nothing but his boxers, where an obvious bulge was forming. The ingredients she used were so potent that Aster was almost in pain.


    His body felt like it was on fire, burning with so much heat that he was drenched in sweat. His mind stayed clear, but his body waspletely out of control, the sensation almost unbearable.


    "This isn''t looking good," Faeloria said, examining the situation. She hadn''t meant to push things this far¡ªjust give him a little extra energy. Now, he had so much of it that he was suffering.


    "I''ll help cool you down a bit first," she said, stripping off her own business suit piece by piece. As her clothes fell away, Aster''s eyes followed every motion, glued to her body. Her figure wasn''t overly exaggerated, but it had a natural beauty that was hard to ignore.


    *Gulp.*


    Every beat of his heart seemed to pulse through his entire body, the difort turning into a rhythmic torment.


    *Swoosh!*


    Once Faeloria was down to her green underwear, which matched the color of her eyes, she moved behind Aster, letting him lean back against her cool body. The sensation was like putting a coldpress on a fever¡ªit felt amazing.


    "This feels... good..." Aster whispered as his breathing finally started to slow down.


    Faeloria''s cold hands slid over his chest, then moved lower, freeing him from his boxers. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the size of his member, but her smile quickly returned.


    With a teasing touch, she ran her finger along the length of his dick, causing his entire body to shake with pleasure.


    Suddenly, Aster''s mind drifted. Faces of Cassy, Tina, Liz, and Kali shed in his thoughts, and guilt welled up inside him.


    ''Is this really okay? Should I be doing this now?''


    As if reading his thoughts, Faeloria whispered in his ear, her voice soft and calming.


    "Don''t worry. This is just part of the job for both of us. There''s no need to feel guilty." She paused, letting her words sink in. "And wouldn''t it be better to enjoy it? I''ll make sure it''s enjoyable for you too."


    Her cold hands rested on his abdomen while her other hand wrapped around his thick meat. The cool touch helped soothe some of the heat surging through him.


    "Ugh...!"


    *Fap!*


    She started moving her hand slowly, sliding it up and down. Each time her fingers brushed over his thing, Aster''s body jerked in response. Faeloria smirked, clearly enjoying how sensitive he was.


    "Already so close?" she teased, her voice light and yful. "Should I let you finish?"


    *Fap!* *Fap!* *Fap!*


    Her movements became faster, then slowed, then sped up again in an unpredictable rhythm. The mixed pace left Aster breathless,pletely at her mercy.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Finally, the tension inside him reached its peak.


    *SPURT!*


    He came with force, his release spraying over the bed and Faeloria''s hands. Panting heavily, he felt a wave of relief wash over him as Faeloria calmly looked at the mess she''d made. She raised her hand, coated in his cum, and smiled.


    As a cook, it was only natural to taste her dish, and she licked her lips in satisfaction. The energy-boosting ingredients she had used worked on her too, though not to the same extreme as Aster. Her stronger constitution meant she could handle it.


    "Mr. Aster," she called softly, shifting her position on the bed. Shey on her back, spreading her legs, her green underwear now noticeably darker with a wet patch. "Would you like to show me what you''ve learned?"

 Chapter 240 This is a Job! (2) [R18]

    Aster''s eyes were glued to the wet spot on Faeloria''s panties, his body reacting instinctively as his length throbbed with growing need. Without thinking, he threw himself over her, his face hovering just inches from hers. Their eyes locked, her green irises glowing faintly with longing and desire.


    His hands moved to grab her breasts, trying to act confident, but the awkwardness in his touch revealed his inexperience.


    Faeloria, however, found his hesitation endearing. A smile spread across her lips as she let out a moan in response to his fumbling touch.


    "Ah~! Hmmm~!"


    Her body trembled beneath his hands, reacting to each squeeze, each caress, even if they weren''t expertly delivered.


    Her lips quivered as her eyes fluttered shut, heat coursing through her body. She could feel a familiar throb deep within her womb, a need awakening inside her. Sweat beaded on her skin as her temperature rose to match Aster''s feverish heat. Before she realized it, her right hand had already slipped down between her legs, rubbing her slick folds in desperation.


    "Ah, Aster...!" she moaned, her voice full of need.


    Her words ignited something primal within him. Aster''s breath hitched, his name rolling off her lips making his whole body tremble.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Faeloria..." he rasped, his lips just barely forming the words.


    She didn''t need him to say anything more. Her smile widened, and she spread her legs, shifting her soaked panties out of the way. "Feel free~!" she purred.


    Aster''s gaze shifted downward, noticing how smooth she was¡ªreminiscent of being freshly shaved.


    "Did you... prepare for this?" he asked, a mix of amusement and surprise coloring his tone. "It looks like you were expecting this."


    "Just call me Fae, Aster. And yes... it''s been a long time. Ten years, in fact," Faeloria replied without a hint of embarrassment. "I''m more than ready. Would you mind helping this olddy relive her youth~?"


    Aster chuckled softly, his lips brushing against her ear. "You''re no olddy, Fae," he whispered. "And it''d be my pleasure to help you forget the past, not just remember it."


    *SCHUCK!*


    "...!"


    A wet, erotic sound filled the air as Aster''s dick slid inside her, meeting no resistance. It was as if her body had been waiting for him, weing him in with eager warmth. Faeloria''s body quivered as she felt herself being filledpletely, the sensation overwhelming her.


    He was so thick, so deep inside that she could feel him pressing against her walls, reshaping her insides with every thrust.


    Continue your journey on empire


    Aster pulled back slightly, remembering what he had been taught. He aimed his next thrust, dragging his length along her front wall, hitting that sweet spot inside her. The motion felt precise, almost clinical¡ªtargeting the sensitive area with practiced skill.


    His thrusts were forceful, almost visible from the outside as his cock mmed into her repeatedly.


    "Hiiik! Ah, haaaa, nnnnn!" Faeloria gasped, pleasure crashing over her in waves. Her body reacted to every movement, her senses drowning in the overwhelming sensation. It had been so long since she had felt anything like this.


    Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him deeper inside her as her muscles tightened around him, creating a suction that made it almost impossible for him to pull out.


    "Ugh!" Aster groaned, but he didn''t stop.


    Despite the tightness, despite the difficulty in moving, he continued. His motions were smaller but faster, each thrust designed to drive her wild with pleasure.


    "Ah, a, a, hmmm! W-Wait...!" Faeloria gasped, her breathing in short, ragged bursts.


    She was struggling to keep up with the intensity, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she panted for air. But the pleasure she felt was worth it, her body shaking uncontrobly as she approached the edge.


    "Ah! I''m...!"


    Her insides clenched tightly around him, spasming as she came hard, her juices squirting out in a messy spray. Her hips bucked against his, her entire body trembling as she rode out the waves of pleasure.


    "Haaa... ah!"


    But Aster didn''t stop. He remembered what Geneviv had taught him¡ªright after a woman climaxes is when she''s most sensitive, most vulnerable to pleasure. And Faeloria was no exception.


    As he continued thrusting into her, Faeloria''s body convulsed, her legs trembling as she came again and again, unable to control herself. She squirted three more times in quick session, each one more intense than thest. The pleasure was so overwhelming that she didn''t care about the mess. She''d never experienced anything like this, not even with her previous partners.


    "Hnnng~!" she moaned, her voice filled with satisfaction.


    More than the physical pleasure, Faeloria found herself watching Aster''s face, captivated by his expression. His face was twisted with a mix of desperation and raw pleasure, his eyes searching hers, as if silently begging for her seal of approval.


    ''Do I... have a thing for younger men?'' The thought crossed her mind briefly, but she brushed it aside. Whether it was true or not didn''t matter. Not right now.


    "Ah! Fuck me harder!" she groaned, grabbing fistfuls of Aster''s hair, yanking him closer.


    Her hands scratched at his back, her nails digging into his skin as she tried to ground herself, her body trembling with every thrust. Aster didn''t let up, his strong arms wrapping around her, pulling her against him tightly. Her breasts ttened against his chest as he held her close, his musky scent and the sound of his ragged breathing heightening her arousal.


    She could feel his cock throbbing deep inside her, signaling that he was close to cumming.


    "Go on, fill me up with your seed! Impregnate me!" Faeloria urged, her voice desperate.


    Aster''s control finally snapped. With a loud groan, he came, releasing deep inside her. The force of it was unlike anything he''d felt before, as if his cum was being drawn out of him by the pulsing contractions of her body.


    They stayed like that for a few moments, both panting heavily, their bodies slick with sweat. After what felt like an eternity, Aster pulled out, and his cum dripped from her, pooling onto the sheets.


    "Ah, what a waste~!" Faeloria teased, her fingers tracing her entrance, spreading the slick cum around as if she were applying lotion. The sight of it sent a fresh wave of desire coursing through Aster.


    "..."


    Even though he was drained, Aster''s cock hadn''t softened. The effects of the energy-enhancing food still lingered, keeping him ready for more. Faeloria noticed the way he was looking at her, and with a soft smile, she extended her arms toward him, beckoning him closer.


    For the next eight hours, they indulged in each other, giving in to the pleasure without restraint. Time seemed to slip away, the world beyond their bed forgotten as they lost themselves in one another.


    ---


    After the intensity faded, they finallyy down, Faeloria snuggled up against Aster''s chest like a small kitten seeking warmth.


    "Remember, my offer stands," she whispered, her voice soft and sleepy. "If you ever need a break or can''t find your true love,e visit. My door is always open."

 Chapter 241 Magnus Plan

    Some time ago, somewhere in the world, a portal appeared inside what seemed to be an old, dusty warehouse. Figures slowly emerged from it, pouring out one after another, their silhouettes faintly illuminated by the flickering lights overhead.


    The first to step through was a rabbit woman with orange fur. She looked utterly exhausted, her limbs trembling with each step, and blood dripped from a fresh wound over her eyes. It was painful just to look at her, so one could only imagine the sheer agony she was enduring.


    Yet, despite her dire state, her expression remained firm and resolute, showing no hint of weakness or fear.


    Following her were five more figures. Each had different hair colors, but they shared one striking feature¡ªthey all had feathery wings sprouting from behind their ears. This wasn''t a defect but something closer to Atavism, a remnant of their ancestral traits.


    One of them, a girl with flowing blonde hair, approached the rabbit woman, holding a staff that resembled the hands of a clock, glinting in the dim light.


    "Miss Cassandra, pardon me, but may I heal your wounds? If left untreated, you may bleed to death," she urged, her voice soft yet firm.


    Though her eyes were destroyed, the rabbit woman, Cassy, couldn''t see the speaker, but her trembling ears caught the urgency in her tone.


    "Don''t try to fix my eyes or pull anything funny," Cassy replied, her voice steady andced with grim resolve. "If you do, I''ll either sh my throat or gouge my eyes out."


    She gripped a sharp piece of wood lying at her feet, ready to defend herself. The blonde woman, Chronalisa, smiled at Cassy''s extreme distrust but understood her point.


    Continue your journey with empire


    "Don''t worry. Even though you''re just a worm crawling on the ground, you''re still useful to us. I''d rather keep you alive for now," she exined, her voice sweet but the content dripping with disdain.


    Without doing much else, simply by looking at Cassy, something miraculous happened. The wounds on her body began to scab over, the bleeding stoppingpletely. Cassy felt the wound over her eyes itch, and from that alone, she knew what the woman did wasn''t "healing."


    "...You sped up the time on my wounds?" Cassy guessed urately, her usual naivety nowhere to be seen, reced by a keen awareness of her situation.


    It was as she had deduced. Rather than turning back time to close the wounds as she had done for the redheaded man earlier, Chronalisa merely elerated time for the selected area. The level of control and mana required was beyond Cassy''s abilities¡ªa truly godlike feat!


    "Is everyone here?"


    At that moment, thest person passed through the portal just before it closed behind them. The final arrival was a striking woman with flowing silver hair and eyes mixed with red and blue, giving her the air of a strict officer. She was none other than Lori, Cassy''s "former" party member.


    "Yes, yes, everyone''s here, Lady Lori," the red-haired man, Lionel, responded offhandedly, his tone casual as if their circumstances didn''t matter. "Only those we left aboveground aren''t present."


    "..."


    Lori red at him but decided it wasn''t worth reprimanding him further. As her mood soured, another voice raised from the side.


    "Huh? Garreth and the others aren''t responding to my call," a pink-haired woman said, frowning at her holo-phone, concern etched on her face.


    "...Leave them," Lori sighed, her voice heavy with resignation. "If they''re dead, they''re dead. We''ll proceed with the n with whoever is here."


    She was keenly aware of the strength hidden within Orinfeld City, having moved through it for quite some time. To her, it wouldn''t be surprising if all six members left aboveground had already turned into fertilizer, their fates sealed in this unforgiving world.


    Lori turned to Cassy, noticing her wounded eyes were already scabbed. She shot a nce at Chrona, opened her mouth, then closed it with a frown, as if changing her mind.


    "Let''s go. We don''t have much time. The mayor will have found this ce by now."


    If he sent anyone from the Hit Squad, they''d all be dead. They were far too low-leveled to put up a proper fight. Control the enemy? If the enemy closed their eyes, there was nothing they could do. And with a level gap, even without their vision, it would be child''s y to eliminate all of them.


    "Sebastian, open a path," Lorimanded the ck-haired man, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Yinfa and Dex, clean up the scene. Make sure no one can follow us."


    The pink-haired girl and a man with no presence, wrapped in bandages, nodded in response, their expressions serious.


    Right on cue, Sebastian finished opening a new portal, ready to lead the way. One after another, aside from Yinfa and Dex, the others entered, their faces set with determination. Chrona guided the blind Cassy through, careful not to let her stumble.


    "..."


    Though she had steeled her resolve, the faint gnawing fear in her heart was hard to chase away. ''Star...'' she thought, praying he woulde to save her soon, her heart clinging to that hope as a flickering light in the dark.


    ---


    "What?" Aster asked, doubting his ears, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Did you mean what you just said, Magnus?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "It''s Mayor Magnus to you, brat," the man responded, grinning wide, his confidence oozing. "And yes, I''m serious. I told you I had a way."


    Aster frowned, his mind racing with the implications.


    It had been a day since theirst meeting, and a full night since he''d spent some "quality time" with Faeloria. And now, Magnus had exined his n, one that unsettled him.


    "But killing prisoners just to raise my level is..." Aster muttered, the moral weight of the proposal pressing down on him.


    Magnus'' n was simple: let Aster kill death row prisoners to level up. It was efficient, yes, but Aster couldn''t help feeling it was fundamentally wrong. "It''s like treating humans as livestock!" he growled, anger rising in his chest.


    *Sigh¡­*


    "You''re so naive, Aster," Magnus said, exasperated, waving a dismissive hand. "This is the fastest, easiest way for you to level up, and you''re going to pass it up? What a waste."


    "..."


    Aster couldn''t deny it was fast and efficient. But killing those openly hostile to him, like members of the Anti-Human Movement, felt very different from executing those who had no connection to him.


    "Well, the decision is yours."


    Magnus sat down, sipping tea as if he had no worries in the world, his demeanor rxed and unbothered by the weight of the conversation.

 Chapter 242 Price to Pay

    Aster was forced to ponder Magnus'' offer.


    Ignoring the method, Magnus'' suggestion was reliable, fast, and safe. It was an undeniably good choice, especially since Aster was in a rush. Time was of the essence, and he needed to level up as quickly as possible.


    If he refused, he would have to dive back into the dungeon, racing through floors and risking his life on every level just to reach the higher floors. Worse, he''d have to leave the girls behind on the 20th floor, putting them at risk too. That didn''t sit right with him.


    ''Although we''ve already discussed it, increasing my level without moving from the 20th floor is still the best option,'' Aster reasoned.


    With his mind made up, Aster looked at Magnus and said, "Alright, I''ll do as you say. I''ll kill those death row prisoners to raise my level."


    Magnus'' face lit up with a smile, his expression brimming with satisfaction. "A wise choice!" he eximed. "Now, let''s discuss the price, shall we?"


    "... Price?" Aster''s tone darkened. "What price are you talking about?"


    Magnus chuckled, as if Aster had said something naive. His eyes gleamed with mischief, the smile on his face turning cold. "What? Did you think I''d just offer those prisoners to you for free? Of course not." Stay tuned for updates on empire


    Leaving his teacup behind, Magnus strolled to a desk and rifled through a pile of papers. He seemed rxed, almost too rxed, considering the weight of the conversation.


    "In the first ce, the reason you want to level up so fast is to save that rabbit girl, Ms. Bright, correct?" He flipped through some files before pulling out a few and skimming them. "But that''s putting your life on the line, and as the mayor, I can''t exactly support that. So, I''ve taken precautions."


    He handed Aster a stack of papers. The files contained stats and abilities of some of the city''s top fighters¡ªmembers of the Hit Squad. They were highly skilled, with levels exceeding 1000 at the minimum.


    "I''d rather send these guys to rescue her. With them, it''s a guaranteed sess. It''s too dangerous for you to go in there alone."


    "..."


    Aster nced over the files but remained silent. Magnus had a point¡ªthese fighters were more than capable. But it wasn''t just about capability. Aster knew that no one could be trusted to handle this mission. Not when Cassy''s life was on the line.


    Magnus, sensing Aster''s hesitation, moved forward with his n. "Of course, if you insist on doing it your way, I won''t stop you. But killing death row prisoners? Thates with a price."


    Aster narrowed his eyes. "... Let''s hear it, then. What do you want?"


    Magnus smiled like a cat ying with a mouse. "Simple! Your current deal with me has you ''working'' once a month, right? For every prisoner you kill, you''ll need to take on one additional ''partner'' for every vacant week on your schedule."


    Aster''s heart skipped a beat. The price sounded low¡ªalmost too low. He could handle that, right? A few extra partners didn''t seem like such a big deal in the grand scheme of things. But he had to make sure.


    "What level are the prisoners?" he asked, cautiously. If they were too low in level, this deal could spiral into a disaster.


    Magnus, seemingly anticipating the question, smiled and waved a hand. "Rx. These are high-level criminals¡ªmost of them between levels 500 and 700."


    Aster''s breath caught in his throat. Those levels were much higher than expected. He calcted quickly. At that range, he would need to kill only three or four prisoners to hit his goal, which meantmitting to about four additional partners.


    It could''ve been worse. If the prisoners had been low-level, he might''ve been forced to kill dozens¡ªperhaps even hundreds! That would trante into a couple of years, locking him into a long-termmitment with Magnus.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But the implications still weighed on him. epting this meant setting a precedent. Magnus might use this tactic again in the future, adding more demands. Aster had to be cautious normally.


    But now, there were at least two individuals he could think of who would work as his backers as long as he asked them, giving him somewhere to retreat to. He already has a "foothold" in this world, enabling him to take on a bit more risk.


    "... Fine. Deal," Aster said with a sharp nod.


    Magnus'' grin widened. His hand shot out, and Aster found himself shaking it tightly. The deal was sealed, but the tension between them lingered. Aster had his reasons for agreeing, but Magnus was always several steps ahead, and Aster knew it.


    ---


    The Great Prison: Erebus''s Vault.


    This prison was no ordinary facility. It spanned over four square kilometers and extended 100 floors below ground. The deeper one went, the more hellish it became. Heat, pressure, and difort increased with each descending level, making it a living nightmare for anyone sent to its depths.


    Security here was unmatched. The prison walls were lined with space-element engravings, making escape by teleportation or physical destruction impossible. From its founding 500 years ago, no prisoner had ever escaped Erebus''s Vault.


    "How many times are we going to switch elevators?" Aster grumbled as he and Magnus descended further into the prison.


    Beside him, Magnus strolled casually, nked by two guards. Behind them, five more guards followed, their eyes scanning for any signs of trouble. They looked like seasoned fighters, ready to act at a moment''s notice.


    "We need to switch elevators on every floor to preventrge-scale escapes," Magnus exined, not breaking his stride. "If a riot ever urred, we can lock down specific floors. The elevators run on a staggered schedule to make it harder for prisoners to organize an escape."


    Each elevator only connected two floors at a time, and they moved at uneven intervals to avoid patterns. It was an intricate system designed to thwart even the most clever of criminals. The airtight locks and reinforced barriers added to theplexity, making it a nightmare to navigate.


    To reach the 90th underground floor, where the weaker death row inmates were kept, they had a long journey ahead. It would take them 270 minutes just in elevator rides, plus another 450 minutes of walking, adding up to a total of 12 hours to reach their destination.


    The deeper they went, the hotter it became. For every floor they descended, the temperature rose by 0.1 ¡ãC, a constant reminder of the hellish conditions awaiting them below.


    After what felt like an eternity, Magnus finally announced, "We''re here. The 90th floor of Erebus''s Vault, the Abyss of Unwritten Souls."


    Aster stepped out of the elevator and into the dimly lit corridor. The air was thick with heat and the scent of sweat and despair. The prisoners here were the lowest of the low, but their power levels were formidable.


    "Let''s get this over with," Aster muttered, bracing himself for what was toe.

 Chapter 243 Cold-Blooded Executioner

    The 90th floor of Erebus''s Vault, the Abyss of Unwritten Souls, was named as such due to the nature of the prisoners kept there. All of them, without exception, were heinous criminals to whom bestowing death felt more like a blessing than a punishment.


    They were trash who didn''t even deserve a grave with their names written on it. And Aster was just about to take their lives for the sake of increasing his level.


    "Phew..."


    Although he had already made up his mind to go through with this, it wasn''t like the hesitation would magically fade. His mind raced, his heart beating like drums, as he waited in the middle of the prison floor.


    Sweat dripped down his face, not only from the sweltering heat but also from his taut nerves.


    "Nervous?"


    Magnus, who was a step behind him, asked with a teasing smile.


    "Well, as long as you do what you''re told, there''s nothing to fear. Just bring down your sword, cut off their heads, and we''re out of here!"


    "Easier said than done..." Aster smiled wryly.


    Just as he was trying to prepare his heart for what was toe, a scandalous voice reached his ears.


    "L-Let me go! Please, I''m innocent! I''m not a criminal!"


    Curious, Aster turned toward the source, only to see a rat woman with white hair, disheveled from theck of care. Her pale yellow eyes flickered with fear and worry, silently pleading for her innocence.


    "Y-You, sir! Please help me! They''re trying to hold me here, even though I''m innocent! I was framed!" she shouted, turning to Aster, her gaze locking with his.


    "..."


    Aster''s resolve wavered for a moment. What if this woman was really innocent? Wouldn''t that make him a killer who took an innocent life? His hand, reaching for the hilt of his sword, stopped in ce, trembling.


    "...Aster? What are you doing?" Seeing his hesitation, Magnus stepped forward and ced a hand on his left shoulder. "Go on, take her head. She''s just spouting nonsense."


    For some reason, the way Magnus worded his attempt at encouragement was easily misunderstood. Aster paused, confused. Should he believe the woman, who seemed kind at a nce, or Magnus, who had a viinous side?


    His gaze locked onto the woman, forced to kneel before him, still crying for mercy.


    "Ugh...!"


    He averted his gaze, grunting. The choice was too heavy right at the start!


    *BOOM!*


    A spell, a simple mence cast without chanting, flew across the space between him and the woman, aiming for his heart!


    It happened so quickly, and while he wasn''t looking at her directly, his reaction was dyed. Even if he could react, his level was too low to block an attack from a level 500 enemy.


    His brief inattention was almost a fatal mistake¡ªif not for Magnus standing right beside him. The vampire''s hand moved in a sh, catching the mence mid-flight, gripping it tightly until it dissipated. To him, neutralizing a mence seemed as simple as putting out a small candle''s me!


    "1-1-5, 1-1-6, what are you two doing, letting the prisoner act freely?" Magnus'' voice echoed, reprimanding the two guards holding the woman. "If I weren''t here, my little stud would''ve died. I''ll be lecturing you two when we return."


    The two guards, despite wearing thick ck sunsses, clearly turned pale after hearing his warning. But more than that, the innocent-looking woman they were restraining changed her expression in an instant.


    "You bastard old man! Don''t interfere!" she growled, her voice carrying not a hint of the innocence she had shown earlier. "If not for you, I could''ve killed this snotty brat!"


    "...!"


    Hearing this, Aster quickly realized what was going on¡ªhe''d been tricked! And worse, he''d fallen for such a simple ploy that preyed on his pity and sense of justice, hook, line, and sinker!


    Magnus saw the rage on Aster''s face and smiled.


    "I told you, everyone here is a heinous criminal. Imprisoned by mistake? I guarantee there''s none. Everyone here has killed at least a hundred people before being captured. Remember that."


    Enjoy exclusive adventures from empireN?v(el)B\\jnn


    Aster took a deep breath, digesting Magnus''s reminder.


    "Right..." His voice echoed, trembling slightly. "Everyone here isn''t human... they''re trash."


    "Bastard?! Who''re you calling trash?! Let go of me, you fatso! I''ll teach this kid who''s trash!"


    A sword shed, slicing in a straight line. A momentter, a single head rolled across the ground, followed by a spray of blood that stained not only the floor but also Aster''s clothes.


    "..."


    But his cold gaze, fixed on the corpse, held no guilt or pity at all. His hesitation vanished like a lie, reced by disgust as he looked at her like a piece of trash on the side of the road.


    *FLASH!*


    And just as he severed her head, his body glowed brightly¡ªa sign he had gained several levels in one go! Checking his card, he saw his level jump from 50 to 77 with just one kill!


    Of course, Aster didn''t smile. He wasn''t in the mood to celebrate killing the "trash" of society. Instead, he simply ced his card back inside his fanny pack and readied his sword once more.


    "Next."


    Magnus nodded with a faint smile, seeing that Aster had finally shed his earlier hesitation. After waving his hand, two more guards moved, fetching the next death row prisoner to be sentenced.


    As for the first two guards, they dragged the rat woman''s body to a distant corner, out of sight. A team would be dispatchedter to burn the corpse, leaving nothing behind.


    The next prisoner was brought in... and this time, he looked no older than a small child. His eyes darted around, his body trembling in fear, but Aster simply gazed at him coldly, not falling for the same tricks.


    "That man is over 150 years¡ª"


    And just as Magnus was about to exin, Aster moved. His sword shed faster than before, sending another head rolling across the ground. Blood sprayed like a fountain, a few drops sshing onto his face.


    "... So even the worst criminals bleed red, huh?" he whispered, wiping the blood off his cheek with the back of his hand. "Next."


    He didn''t bother checking his level this time and simply asked for the next sacrifice. At that moment, Aster wasn''t an adventurer but a heartless executioner of justice.

 Chapter 244 Level 100s Mystery

    The third sacrifice was a normal-looking man. Unlike the first two, he was calm and collected and didn''t even try to fight against the two pulling him forward. His gaze was sharp, a sign of his strong will, but Aster didn''t care.


    *sh!*


    His sword discriminated against no one. In one hit, he sent the man''s head rolling on the floor, his expression still the same as before he died.


    Now that it was his third time, Aster earned some leeway to think. After all, it was strange that he could injure the prisoners despite their level being hundreds above his. He kept wondering until the final sacrifice arrived.


    It was another woman, making Aster flinch for a bit. But the reason wasn''t her gender, but her appearance.


    "Cassy...?"


    Right, the woman looked just like Cassy right now!


    ''No.''


    But after a good, long look, he quickly shook his head. Although she looked exactly like Cassy, from head to toe, her flirtatious gazecking sympathy and the confident grin as if everything in the world was under her control, were far from the expression of the real one.


    "Unpleasant!"


    Aster growled in a low voice before raising his hand.


    "Freeze to death." He activated his Frostfire Legacy instead, calling for Crysta''s help, and freezing her solid.


    Her expression changed at thest moment, turning to a mix of panic and surprise, but it was already toote. She turned into an ice sculpture without being able to fight back at all!


    Within the ice, the woman''s face rapidly changed, from looking like Cassy to a thin, almost mummy-like creature. Her previous appearance was nothing but an illusion! It let the observer see her as the woman they wanted to see most, making them lower their guard!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Aster''s body glowed once more, along with the faint feeling of vitality returning to him. Killing people over level 500 actually let his skill, Life Plunder, earn him about 10 minutes'' worth of lifespan per kill!


    "Huh?"


    But just as he was reaching for his Spatial Fanny Pack, he noticed that it had disappeared. No, it wasn''t just that either...


    "Where is this ce?"


    He looked around and felt puzzled. He was no longer in the sweltering hot underground prison, but instead in the middle of an open field.


    Red, cracked ground surrounded him in all directions, with a faint dark fog clinging tightly a few hundred meters away. It limited his view, making him feel even more unsettled.


    He turned to look at the red sky, covered sparsely with pitch-ck clouds. Rather than rain clouds, they looked like normal white clouds with their colors inverted!


    "And the moon''s too big!"


    Usually, looking at the moon from Earth, it would be about the size of a coin. However, the moon looming above him was about as big as an entire stadium. It felt like it would smash against the if given a bit more time!


    "... This is so unrealistic. What is this, a dream world?"


    Aster scratched his head, confused. His senses were too real for it to be a dream, however.


    The sound of winds howling, carrying the cold, ck fog, and the faint smell of dry earth. He even tried pinching his thigh, but it hurt as it normally would. All his senses told him it wasn''t a dream or illusion, but rather, another reality.


    *p!*


    "...!"


    Suddenly, the sound of wings pping reached his ears. Aster looked around, searching for the source, and quickly found a figure approaching him from above.


    "Ugh!"


    But soon after he turned his head toward her, he quickly turned it down, almost as if bowing. His eyes hurt from looking directly at her shining figure!


    Soon enough, the sound of beating wings came closer, along with the wind pressure sending dust flying around, forcing Aster to squint ufortably.


    [So, you''re that one...?]


    "...!"


    Right then, a soothing female voice echoed inside his head. It didn''t enter through his ears but kept ringing directly inside instead!


    ''The one? The one what?'' He wondered, feeling slightly intimidated.


    As the figure approached, Aster couldn''t handle the wind pressure¡ªadded to her extremely overbearing presence¡ªand fell to his knee.


    [Did Rana pick the right guy? I think there''s a mistake...]


    ''Rana!''


    A keyword that Aster had heard before. Trying to recall, that was the original name of the Orinfeld Dungeon¡ªGoddess Rana''s Dungeon! ''Is this figure also connected to the dungeon?'' Aster wondered. Such a question was natural, given the situation.


    [But... A fragment... This is from... I see...]


    She kept on talking to herself, ignoring Aster who was slowly growing weaker, his breathing bing more difficult with each passing second under her unbearable pressure.


    He forced himself, gathering the remaining strength in his body, and asked. "Y-You are...? And... where... am... I?"


    [Oh! Right, I almost forgot.]


    With her words, sounding a bit apologetic, the figurended a few meters away from him. As before, her figure exuded light, as if she was light itself, making it extremely hard to see her face.


    However, her wings, all eight pairs of them, were a pretty clear giveaway of her identity.


    "An angel...?" Aster squeezed his voice out. "Don''t tell me... Did I... die?"


    Did his lifespan run out? Aster wondered, but quickly dismissed the idea. He had just killed four level 500s, so he should at least have 10 minutes left on his clock, even if it had run out after hisst use of the Legacy.


    [... No, you didn''t die, little one.]


    Although he couldn''t see her face, Aster felt from her tone that she had justughed at him. Whether it was ridicule or amusement, he couldn''t tell.


    [First, let me exin who I am, why you''re here, and what we''ll be doing.]


    The figure spread her eight pairs of wings wide, sending a bright sh to the surroundings. Aster couldn''t keep his eyes open and raised his arm to shield them. As the sh faded, he opened his eyes carefully and gasped at the scene before him.


    The cracked, dry earth turned into a field of healthy green grass, filled with the refreshing smell of flowers. The dark fog that had been clinging to the area earlier hadpletely disappeared, revealing endless ins stretching beyond the horizon. But the moon remained the same, a looming giant against the now-blue sky and white clouds.


    Not only had the surroundings transformed from dreary to full of life, but even the overbearing aura pressing down on Aster had vanished.


    [My name is Michelle, a... well... Goddess? Yeah, let''s go with that.]


    "...!"


    Aster gasped at her words, but she continued before he could interject.


    [And you, as the one chosen as *BEEP*''s Avatar, were brought here to my domain after reaching level 100... Uh? That felt weird.]


    "W-Wait..." Aster called, cradling his head from the information overload. "You know my ss name? A goddess? Does my weird ss have anything to do with you?!"


    Stay updated through empire


    He had dozens, if not hundreds, of questions for the angel¡ªMichelle. However, the woman continued, ignoring his wordspletely.


    [And as for why we''re here... I''m here to train you.]


    "... Huh?"


    At that moment, Aster''s mind stopped working.

 Chapter 245 Special Privilege

    "T-Training...?"


    After a few seconds of pause, Aster''s mind began turning once more, though that didn''t stop him from feeling utterly confused.


    [Huh? Oh, it looks like my time''s almost up. That was fast.]


    The Goddess Michelle nced at her hand, which was slowly fading away.


    [You must have a lot of questions, but I can''t answer them all. Instead, this child here will clear your doubts.]


    With her words, a portal appeared a few meters before Aster. Unlike the murky ck dungeon portals, this one radiated pure white light.


    "..."


    Aster watched as a figure emerged from within it. As the portal''s brightness faded, he quickly assessed the neer.


    A head of pink bob-cut hair,rge red eyes, small lips, and puffy cheeks. d in armor that covered only the vital parts, she looked fierce. However, her height¡ªbarely reaching 1.2 meters¡ªmade that impression difficult to sustain.


    On her back, a long tail the same color as her armor, shifting between pink and red, along with matching wings, made her identity clear.


    ''Is she a dragonkin...?''


    Aster''s thoughts got stuck. The dragonkin he knew, like Liz or the Dragon''s Roar''s Leader, Ragnaros, felt very differentpared to this one.


    "I-I''m Ardra, a dragonkin governing the fire element and serving under Lord *BEEP!*... Uhm, as Lady Michelle told you, I''ll be the one in charge of your training!"


    "..."


    Aster stared, feeling as though he was watching a little girl nervously introducing herself. It was undeniably cute, heartwarming even! If not for the pressure radiating from her, making him fall to his knees again, he might have walked over and pinched her cheeks already!


    [Ardra, I''ll leave him to you then. Mortal, Aster Mistral¡ªson of Roger and Mary Mistral¡ªI pray that the next time we meet, you are worthy of bing that person''s Avatar.]


    With those parting words, Michelle''s golden, glowing figure vanished. It was as if she wasn''t there in the first ce, disappearing instantly and leaving no traces behind.


    Aster remained, half-kneeling before the little girl. But as he continued to stare at her face, changes began to appear in his body. His heart pounded hard, his vision suddenly awash in a flowery filter, making him see her as a woman worthy of lifelong devotion...


    ''Wait, when did I be a lolicon?!'' He quickly snapped back to his senses.


    The feelings he had looking at Ardra felt almost identical to when he first met Lori! ''Brainwashing?'' he concluded.


    "Uuu, i-it''s not brainwashing..." The little girl sniffled, faint tears pooling in her eyes. "Even with Lady Lilith''s help, I couldn''t fully control my constitution, so anyone who looks at me gets charmed unconditionally..." she exined guiltily.


    "Charm..."


    Ignoring how she "heard" his thoughts or the mention of another unfamiliar name, Aster stared at her with curiosity and wonder.


    "But¡ªhuh? Y-You''re not affected by it...? Wait, you possess a fragment?!"


    Her sudden shout shook him a bit, dying his response by a beat. "Huh? Y-Yeah..."


    Your journey continues with empire


    Aster remembered the God''s Fragment that Nefra "lent" him. cing a hand on his chest, where the fragment entered, he nodded.


    "I see! Then there''s no need to worry about you sumbing to your desires! That''s a relief~!"


    "...?"


    Ardra''s dragon tail swished left and right in excitement, and Aster tilted his head. She wasn''t shy; she was embarrassed because of her uncontroble charm causing trouble wherever she went. Now that she knew the God''s Fragment neutralized it, her guilt disappeared.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Oh, by the way, I''m not a kid, okay? Even though I look like this, I''m older than you!" Ardra puffed out her nonexistent chest with pride. "You should call me Elder Sister from now on!"


    Aster had the odd feeling that she wasn''t referring to his apparent age of 18 years, but rather his current age¡ª2518 years. A being that lived for over a millennia! Though she looked like a child, Ardra must have seen countless centuries pass by, which meant her strength and knowledge probably far surpassed what her small frame suggested.


    Snapping out of his thoughts, Aster noticed Ardra''s expectant look. Even without her saying anything, he knew what she was waiting for.


    "Yes, I understand, Elder Sister!" he said in a clear voice, standing stiff with respect.


    The moment his words reached her ears, a wide smile spread across her face. "E-Ehehe~! I''m an older sister now!" she whispered softly.


    "Good!" She quickly resumed her haughty pose¡ªlooking cuter in the process¡ªand eximed, "Before I exin our training, do you have any questions? I''ll answer up to five since I''m in a good mood~!"


    "Five..."


    Aster muttered, quickly sorting through the questions in his mind. Honestly, he wanted to ask more though.


    "Then, first. Regarding my ss, do you know how or why I got it?"


    "Your ss? Ah, right. In your world..." Ardra mumbled to herself, too softly for Aster to hear. "Yep! I don''t know!" she answered cheerfully. "Next question!"


    Aster wanted to argue that it didn''t count since she hadn''t answered. But "I don''t know" was still technically an answer, and he didn''t want to risk upsetting her, so he held his tongue.


    "Then, second question."


    Aster thought hard, trying to find something she could reasonably answer. From the way Michelle spoke, and how Ardra called her "Lady Michelle," both seemed connected to the dungeon.


    "Is there a shortcut to reach the 1,600th floor?" he asked.


    "Ah, that? There is, but you can''t use it. It''s limited to dungeon entities and administrators."


    Her response was clear and concise, but Aster picked up on a few things. Nodding, he digested the information before continuing.


    His next two questions were both met with, "I don''t know," wasting his chances. He wasn''t sure if Ardra truly didn''t know or just couldn''t tell him, leaving him shaking his head in disappointment.


    "Last question. I''m in a hurry to return, so... how long will this training take?"


    He hoped this one would be within her knowledge. Ardra smiled before replying.


    "That depends on how quickly you improve. But since you''ve already proven yourself by getting a God''s Fragment, it shouldn''t take longer than a month."


    "That''s¡ª!" Aster began, but Ardra raised her hand to stop him.


    "... But in your world, only one second will pass. So don''t worry and train to your heart''s content!"

 Chapter 246 Ardras Training Camp! (1)

    Aster never trained in using weapons. At most, he would try to replicate movements he had seen on the inte or television before he was frozen in time. However, that method had its limits, and honestly, if not for his stats overpowering his enemies, he would''ve suffered way earlier than he did.


    Facing the Aracelli Race members caused him to realize that he was way too weak. He might have raw stats, but his techniques were below elementary, thus, he''s forced into an unfavorable position when facing stronger enemies.


    Given these circumstances¡ªand that, as Ardra said, one second in reality is equivalent to a month of training in this weird dimension with the giant moon¡ªthere''s no reason to refuse!


    "Alright," Aster responded, his expression firm and serious. "What should I do?"


    Ardra nodded, smiling sweetly. "Good! We''ll need to brush up on your swordsmanship and your aptitude as a mage, so we''ll be training nonstop for a full month! Don''t worry, in here, you wouldn''t need food or water to survive!"


    ''What about sleep?''


    Aster wanted to interject but realized his words would''ve been ignored either way. As such, he kept hisments to himself.


    "With the Adventurer System helping you simplify things, it should be easier to let you reach your maximum potential."


    Ardra lectured, walking back and forth with her hands behind her back.


    "First, you should distribute all the stat points you''ve got, without wasting a single one! Keep in mind the build you want to go for, as wasting stats would be the biggest mistake you could make."


    "Adventurer System...?"


    Aster, however, was confused about this term. It was his first time hearing such a "System," but it''s not like he couldn''t guess what it was. Something that didn''t exist before he was sent 2500 years into the future: the concept of levels, sses, and skills!


    He reached for his fanny pack and took out his adventurer''s card. He stared at it, seeing that he had a total of 81 free points able to be distributed.


    Before, he focused on his WIS, then DEX. Now, after earning his ss upgrade and with his abilities spread between sword and magic, he couldn''t afford to focus on just one.


    "... Yep. This should do."


    He distributed the stats to his liking, trying to keep a bnce for his DEX and STR, a bit of CON, and the rest over his INT to bnce it with his WIS. Just to make it look "easier" on the eyes, he even dumped three points over to CHA!


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100%


    Level: 101


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma, Celestinya Zirroth, Lizandrea Von Dragonseal, (Empty) (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    [


    Strength: 30 (+16.5)


    Dexterity: 45 (+22.5)


    Constitution: 30 (+15)


    Intelligence: 50 (+25)


    Wisdom: 50 (+25)


    Charisma: 15 (+7.5)


    Luck: 0


    ]


    Read new adventures at empire


    After checking the card and seeing well-rounded numbers, Aster nodded, satisfied. "I''m done, Elder Sister!" he eximed toward Ardra.


    "Really? Let me see, let me see¡­" Ardra tottered over and snatched the card from his hand. "Eh? Seriously? So weak?"


    Herment,cking any malice, nearly made Aster choke on his own breath.


    "... Well, we can improve stats either way. Still, the bnce you''re aiming for is leaning toward being a mage more than a swordsman?"


    "Well..." Aster nced at his Frostfire Legacy.


    "Right now, my magic attacks are more fatalpared to my sword attacks. It''s better to focus on what I already have than trying to cover what Ick and stumblingter on."


    "Hmm, hm..." Ardra nodded, crossing her hands before her chest. "You were referring to this one, right?" She asked, holding a small person in her hands.


    "L-Let me go, you...! ??"


    The small figure was extremely familiar to Aster, of course. The red figure was as if covered in mes, and the fiery attitude it was disying, trying to break free from Ardra''s grip, was unmistakable. It was Pyra!


    "Wait, how did you...?!"


    Aster wanted to interrogate her, but a cold touch tapped his cheek, making him turn in surprise. Even Crysta came out, floating right beside his face with a worried expression, stopping him from snatching Pyra back.


    "How, you say...? I told you, I''m a dragonkin governing the fire element. Wouldn''t being able to handle fire spirits be a given?"


    Her answer was a little off from what Aster was asking, but it still gave him a hint. Ardra could control "all" mes as a governor of the fire element. And Pyra, a spirit of fire, was obviously under her jurisdiction. Thus, it wouldn''t be weird if Ardra could capture her without letting Aster see how...


    ''No, that''s still absurd. Is this a power that''s beyond mortals, perhaps?''


    After seeing that Ardra was simply observing Pyra, his desire to get her back thinned. At least, he was convinced that Ardra wouldn''t harm the little fire spirit.


    After a while, Ardra reced the thin frown on her lips with a smile and let go.


    "Alright, I got a basic understanding of your powers just now," she eximed, giving back the Adventurer''s Card she borrowed at the same time. "And with that, I have decided on your training menu!"


    *Snap!*


    As if by magic, a whiteboard appeared behind her, along with a set of colored markers. Without dy, she picked them up and floated a little, drawing images on the board. Aster was amazed to see her float without her wings moving.


    One minuteter, she finished drawing a diagram¡ªa pie chart that divided his 24 hours into sections.


    "We''ll be doing your training based on this chart!"


    Aster stepped forward, trying to read thebels on it. He could see Physical Training taking 20%, Swordsmanship 20%, and finally, Magic Training 60%. It was obviously geared more toward magic training!


    Other than that, the training menu for each item was also already listed. For Physical training, the initial n was:


    [Running 500 km; Push Ups 10,000x; Curl Ups 10,000x; and Evasion Practice 1 hour.]


    Aster checked the time again; it was 20%, equivalent to 4.8 hours. And he needed to finish all of those within the time limit?


    "Insane...!" He growled. "This is not physically possible!"


    "Why not? You can run a hundred kilometers per hour, given your stats. The other exercises could also be finished in one hour each, so you should even have 48 minutes left to rest~!"


    But Ardra had no intention of listening to hisints.


    The training menu waspletely made to fit his current stats, so it was still "within reason." Of course, keeping this up for a full month was a question without a fixed answer.


    He also checked the other training menus, but they were mostly the same difficulty as the Physical Training.


    "This isn''t training, it''s torture!" Aster growled, but Ardra waved him off.


    "Alright, let''s start now! Go, run at your top speed, or you''ll get burned to a crisp~!"


    "...!"


    And as if to cheer him on, Ardra revealed two fireballs¡ªeach a meter wide¡ªon top of her hands. "Here~!" She casually threw one, and Aster jumped back by reflex.


    *BOOOOOM!*


    But the resulting explosion sent him rolling for over 50 meters just from the shockwave!


    "Aha~! Ahahahah! RUN OR BURN!"


    "AAAAARGH!"


    And just like that, for a full hour, Aster ran for his life.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 247 Ardras Training Camp! (2)

    "Alright! That''s 500 kilometers! You have five minutes to rest!"


    Ardra''s cute and yful voice sounded demonic in Aster''s ears, as if she had just told him his execution date, making him feel his fatigue even more intensely.


    "Gah...! Haaaa... Haaa... Urp!"


    With fireballs exploding behind him, he had been forced to run at his top speed to avoid getting killed. He was so exhausted that his legs were trembling, and he was so out of breath he felt like he might hurl.


    But, as expected, one hour for the full distance of 500 kilometers was too short. Aster ended up using 1 hour and 55 minutes, which meant he had run at about 250 km/h.


    The first half was hell since he hadn''t yet gotten used to moving his body with his newly increased stats. However, after being forced to run to his limits and dodge all the deadly attacks exploding behind him, he gradually improved his control over his body. Of course, there were times when he almost got hit, but he used his Ground Shrink skill to increase the distance instantly.


    By the second hour, he was already keeping a safe margin from Ardra''s fireballs.


    "Alright, time''s up! Let''s go straight to 10,000 pushups! 1,000 reps, 10 sets!"


    *SNAP!*


    With another snap, Aster found himself lying face-down on the ground, already in the pushup position. "Eh?"


    But that wasn''t all. Holes with sharp spikes appeared on the ground beneath him, slowly rising to poke his chest, stomach, and thighs, forcing him to try and stand up¡ªbut to his surprise, there were also spikes aimed at his back, limiting his movements.


    "Kuh! Kill me!" Aster cried, realizing what was going on.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The two sets of spikes moved at regr intervals, forcing Aster to perform perfect pushup motions if he wanted to avoid getting skewered. In short, just like before, he was being forced to exercise!


    ''If I let go, I''ll get injured, but...'' Aster thought, deciding that suffering a few wounds might not be too bad. But when he lost focus, his thigh was poked lightly.


    "Arshghfk!"


    At the same time, intense pain coursed through his entire body. The spikes were cursed items that inflicted excruciating pain on anyone injured by them! He lost control of his body from the pain, causing more injuries, and thus more pain.


    "What are you doing...?" Even Ardra looked at him like he was an idiot.


    After a while, Aster finally regained control. It wasn''t that he suddenly gained better control, but rather that he had gotten used to the intense pain. At first, it felt like his internal organs were being twisted all at once, but now it was just like being punched in the gut.


    Still, having to do three pushups per second was a bit too much. Aster only managed thanks to his high DEX stat; without it, his body would''ve been turned into Swiss cheese by now.


    Find your next adventure on empire


    At exactly 4.8 hours after they began, Aster''s Physical Training waspleted. His legs hurt from running, his arms from the pushups, and his core muscles from the curlups. Of course, the "threatening devices" that Ardra used made it painful for him to even move.


    Aster just wanted to lie down and rest, staring at the sky with the drifting clouds and the moon that blocked arge part of it.


    "That should be enough for a warmup. Let''s begin the Swordsmanship training! Pick up your sword~!" Of course, Ardra paid no attention to his fatigue.


    She had already adjusted the training based on Aster''s abilities, so she was convinced he didn''t need much rest.


    "Go on, pick up your sword! Give me 10,000 practice swings!"


    "Ugh..."


    Aster wanted to give up. His body was already battered, and he had onlypleted one of the three sections of his training¡ªwhich Ardra had called a "warmup"!


    But despite his thoughts, his body moved, drawing his sword and positioning himself with his legs shoulder-width apart. He held his sword before him, raised it above his head, stepped forward with his left foot, and swung the sword down.


    *Whoosh!*


    The sound of the air being cut was refreshing to Aster''s senses, despite it being a simple, repetitive vertical sh.


    "Hmm... Your step is too short. Move it more. Then, loosen your grip and swing it like ''Shuwa!'' and not ''Whoosh!'' Now, try again~!"


    Ardra adjusted his posture before asking him to repeat the same action. Her exnation could use a bit more boration, but he was too tired toin. Instead, he trusted his instincts and followed her instructions.


    Half a step more forward and shing without gripping the sword too tightly. As he did, the sound of the air being cut changed drastically, matching what Ardra had described.


    *SHING!*


    A crisp sound came from his sword!


    "Oh! You''re quick to pick up! You''re talented with the sword, little brother~!" Ardra praised, watching him repeat the motion several more times.


    Once she was sure he had mastered the Vertical sh, she moved on to the next step: a horizontal sweep. "Watch me demonstrate first, then you''ll copy it!"


    Ardra didn''t bother summoning her own weapon, so she simply borrowed Aster''s sword. She gripped the hilt firmly, but not too tight, maintaining flexibility in her wrist. Then, she swung the sword once, twisting it along the swing.


    *KIIIIIN!*


    The casual strike swept in a 180¡ã arc, cutting the air with a ringing sound. It was a wless execution, letting Aster grasp the movement instantly.


    He tried to mimic her, but failed on the first attempt.


    "No, not like that! You should step like BAM! Then, let your hips go whoosh and your wrist goes giiiin! Then sh like Tatatan!"


    "..."


    Unlike the vertical sh, which followed a simpler motion, the horizontal sh was moreplex, despite looking simple. And to make matters worse, Ardra''s exnations were terrible, leaving Aster to figure it out mostly on his own!


    After about a dozen failed attempts, Aster finally got the hang of it.


    *SHING!*


    The same crisp sound of air being cut, just like with the Vertical sh, echoed. Still, Aster wasn''t satisfied. After seeing Ardra''s perfect Horizontal Sweep, he wanted to match the sound of her sh!


    Ardra watched him diligently swinging his sword, a smile on her lips. She could tell that, by the end of one month of training, Aster would transform.

 Chapter 248 Ardras Training Camp! (3)

    After Physical Training, a.k.a. the warm-up, Aster would undergo intense Swordsmanship training. Practice swings were a given, but after that, he would also be taught sword styles and formations. It wasplicated and hard to pick up due to Ardra''s "unique" way of teaching.


    Still, there was one section of Swordsmanship training that Aster looked forward to: sparring.


    Learning proper postures and styles, sparring was the most effective method to ingrain the movements into his body and consciousness. But Aster had a different aim.


    "DIE!"


    "Ahaha! Your strikes are getting sloppy again! Fix your posture and sh like tatatan! How many times do I have to repeat it for you to understand?"


    For the sparring, Ardra was using nothing but a single branch she picked up randomly. Aster wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to get back at Ardra, who was basically torturing him under the guise of training.


    But despite the stick looking so flimsy, it had already fended off his sword multiple times, unable to even scratch it!


    After the sparring, where he was still taking a one-sided beating, it was time for magic training. This was more like one big ss without any specific target to train for. Unlike physical practice, where you''re forced to do things step by step, magic is something you can work on all at once.


    Magic control, output practice, magic uracy, chant speed¡ªevery possible avenue was hammered into Aster until he could do them perfectly. Of course, the training method was still no different from the rest¡ªthe Sparta method.


    After a week passed, Aster had already gotten used to the training. It was weird, though, as even though he was beaten inches from death and hadn''t slept at all, he never felt sleepy.


    Thanks to that, his torture continued non-stop in a vicious cycle. But, of course, it wasn''t all bad.


    Thanks to his diligence, his abilities were improving quickly. During swordsmanship sparring, he could finally push Ardra back! It was a mix of feeling satisfied with his progress and being irritated for still being so far behind Ardra''s level.


    By the second week, his sword finally reached the same level as Ardra''s, able to send out the same crisp sound she made during her initial demonstration. His physical stats were also increasing from the endless torture, making him feel like his hard work was paying off.


    Crysta and Ardra, thanks to magic training, also improved their control over their elements. With Aster''s increased WIS and INT, the twin spirits could enjoy some improvements. The output they could achieve without using up Aster''s remaining lifespan also increased.


    *KIIIIN!*


    "...!"


    Finally, during the third week, Asternded a clean hit on Ardra''s side. It was a beautiful execution, taking advantage of the dy when she shifted her center of gravity.


    "I did it!" Aster cheered, smiling. "I...!"


    *BAM!*


    But in his tion overnding a hit, he lowered his guard. Ardra''s punchnded in the pit of his stomach, sending him rolling across the ground, making him feel like throwing up his innards.


    "Just because younded a hit doesn''t mean you can lower your guard," Ardra lectured as she yed with the stick in her hands. "After all, the moment your attacknds is also the biggest opening your enemy can take advantage of!"


    She crouched before Aster, who was crawling on the ground, struggling to breathe. Ardra watched him squirm before a sadistic smile, unfit for her youthful appearance, crossed her face.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Ah, since younded a hit on me, I guess it''s time to increase the training''s intensity~!"


    "..."


    To Aster, her words were like the Grim Reaper''s promation.


    Just as she dered, the intensity of the training was increased¡ªby more than double. Rather than increasing the amount he had toplete, the burden on his body was intensified. A constant weight of about a hundred kilograms was applied to his entire body, making it more difficult to move!


    It took him a full day to get used to it before he returned to his usual pace of training¡ªor so he thought. But whenever he got used to the burden, it was increased. It became so hard that he almost wished he could just drop dead and rest eternity.


    But still, he persevered. Thinking of Cassy, who was waiting for him, he pushed forward with his iron will.


    And just like that, amidst suffering and torture, one month passed.


    "Hmm! Finally, you''re starting to look like a fine warrior!" Ardra praised Aster, who managed to survive her hellish training in one piece. "With this, the foundation is set~! My job here is done!"


    "One month..."


    Aster stared at the sky, his expression solemn. He thought back on how he had spent the entire month and could only recall how torturous it was. If his tears hadn''t dried up long ago, they would have started streaming down his face right then.


    Still, his suffering bore fruit. After the tough training, his stats increased naturally through hardship. Overall, he gained 10 extra stat points across four stats: 1 STR, 4 CON, 2 DEX, and 3 INT.


    From the shocking 4 CON increase, it was obvious how much suffering he had endured. And to top it all off, he hadn''t even managed to get back at Ardra in the end. Other than the lucky hit hended once, his sword never reached her again.


    Your next read is at empire


    "With this, the training is over," Ardra announced, smiling. "I''ll be sending you back to your world now, so stay still!"


    Aster stood up, staring straight ahead like a seasoned veteran returning from a battlefield. Despite all the suffering he endured, he was sure to remember this training in the depths of his mind¡ªand hoped that someday, in the future, he could repay Ardra for it all, suffering included.


    "Alright, let''s go~!"


    After she finished chanting, arge magic circle appeared under Aster''s feet. It was so bright that he had to close his eyes for a moment. But then, when he opened them, the scenery had changed.


    "..."


    Looking left and right, cells with special ss walls were arranged, sealing powerful criminals within.


    Just as he was looking around in wonder, a familiar voice echoed from behind him. "Did you reach level 100 sessfully? Or do you need one more?"


    Turning to the source of the voice, a familiar face appeared. It felt like it had been a long time since Asterst saw Magnus.


    Still, his sudden return made him wonder if everything that had happened was just a fantasy. To check, he took a step forward and swung his de down, followed by a seamless horizontal sweep.


    *KIIIN!* *KIIIIN!*


    Both strikes released satisfying high-pitched sounds as they cut through the air, confirming that his experience was real. Right, it wasn''t a hallucination, but something that had actually happened!


    ''I really made it back.''


    Aster smiled and looked upward, as if seeing through the thick bs of the underground prison, peeking toward the blue sky.


    ''Cassy, wait for me. I''ming to save you now!''

 Chapter 249 In Search of Traces (1)

    By the time Aster left Erebus'' Vault, it had already been three days since Cassy was kidnapped. They were running out of time, and to make matters worse, they still hadn''t found any clues as to where Lori had taken Cassy.


    "Their tracks werest found in an empty warehouse on the outskirts of this city, but after that..." Magnus exined, his expression apologetic. "I''m still using all the forces I can spare to search for Ms. Bright''s whereabouts, but it seems it will still take a while."


    "So they n on hiding until they finish their business with Cassy, huh..." Aster muttered, gritting his teeth in frustration.


    Magnus showed Aster a map, detailing the locations that had already been searched. However, due to the need to be careful against brainwashing, they could only send limited troops, greatly slowing down the search.


    The searched areas were mostly concentrated around Orinfeld City and the neighboring forests. At the pace they were going, it would take a week before they could even reach the next city.


    ''And that''ll be toote,'' Aster grumbled to himself.


    After a while of thinking, he turned to Magnus and eximed, "I''ll go to Juviel City and search for Cassy myself." His attitude was firm, and his voice final.


    Aster couldn''t stay still and just wait for news. If he could move by himself, then it''d be better to do so! Furthermore, Juviel City had been used as Lori''s base initially, so there should be clues there.


    Of course, Magnus should also know this, but still, he hadn''t sent any troops directly to search Juviel City. Aster wasn''t sure what was going on in his mind, but if Magnus rejected his offer, then that meant...


    "... Alright. But I can''t send you alone." To his surprise, Magnus folded immediately. "I''ll send at least two bodyguards to protect and help you in your search."


    "Alright, I understand."


    Aster couldn''t tell if Magnus was intentionally dying the search or just being extra careful. Either way, he got permission to go, so that''s what he was going to do.


    ---


    June 14, 4033, 7 a.m.


    About an hourter, after the meeting with Magnus, Aster, along with the girls, sat inside the Adventurer''s Guild, drinking juice to pass the time.


    "So, you''re going to Juviel City?" Liz asked, her brows furrowed lightly. "Isn''t it too dangerous for you to move right now, Aster?"


    "That''s right, Darling. There''s no need for you to go there yourself. That seedy-eyed mayor could just send someone else to investigate!"


    "..."


    Aster gently shook his head. Magnus had the time to send spies to Juviel City earlier, but he didn''t. If Aster relied on him to search the city with the highest chance of uncovering clues to Cassy''s whereabouts, he couldn''t be sure Magnus wouldn''t dy the results again.


    "My going to Juviel City is the best course of action I can take right now," Aster exined. "And it''s not like I''m going alone. Magnus will send two level 1000 experts with me as bodyguards."


    As for who they were, he''d figure that out in a few minutes. Their gathering time was 7 sharp at the Adventurer''s Guild, after all. However, neither of the two had arrived yet.


    Read exclusive content at empire


    "Rather, I''m more worried about you girls." Aster turned to the three and frowned. "Even though I''ve left Argus with you, it''s not like he''s unbeatable either."


    *Arf!*


    The little puppy was powerful, for sure, but not long ago, he almost died. Against sheer numbers, he was nearly powerless.


    "Hmph! We''ll just roam around the 20th floor and raise our levels. Staying there should be rtively safer than staying above ground, right?"


    Kali harrumphed from the side. Ever since Cassy''s abduction, she had a sour expression and prickly attitude. However, Aster knew that she was simply worried about Cassy, who bet her life to protect all of them. In addition, she felt angry at herself for being too weak to help in the current situation.


    "Oh, right. With that in mind, Liz and Tina, I have a request for you two..."


    Just like that, they chatted among themselves for a while before finally, two figures arrived, heading straight toward their table. Aster turned toward them and opened his eyes wide. After all, both faces were extremely familiar.


    "Long time no see!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Mr. Aster, I''m d I could see you again."


    The two greeted almost at the same time, further confusing Aster. "Wait, are you two the guards sent by Magnus?!"


    The first was a woman with a dignified expression and a curvaceous figure. Her ck hair flowed straight down like a waterfall, adding a mature air to her appearance. Still, there was a hint of yfulness hidden behind the gaze of her red eyes.


    The other one was even more familiar, as she had just spent a "night" with Aster not too long ago. Short blonde hair and a pleased smile, her sharp green eyes added a "handsome" hint to her beauty. Of course, despite her gender-neutral face by elven standards, her body was far from manly. Her curves were even more pronounced than the other woman''s, despite being smaller in stature.


    Right, the two "bodyguards" that Magnus sent for Aster were none other than Vanessa Ross, the Vampire Researcher, and Faeloria Shadowleaf, the Director of the ss Exchange Hall!


    "Why? Are you not satisfied with us~?"


    Vanessa quickly moved to Aster''s side, pulling his chin up as her face drew closer, as if about to kiss him. "I''m sure you know how powerful I am, right?"


    "GAAAH!"


    Of course, Tina didn''t let her do as she pleased. Even without her Emberfury and cial Wrath equipped, Tina''s punches were no joke. However, Vanessa didn''t even bother dodging, letting her punchnd, leaving absolutely zero damage.


    "Ms. Vanessa, you''re being childish right now, you know?" But Faeloria stepped up and defused the situation, moving behind Aster and pulling him into a tight embrace. "And I''m sure I could do a much better job than you when ites to protecting someone."


    "..."


    Nope, her inclusion didn''t diffuse the situation, but rather, escted the problem.


    "Hmm? I''m level 1,177 right now, you know? That''s at least higher than you." Vanessa smiled, but it didn''t reach her eyes.


    Aster felt shivers run down his spine just looking at her, even though he wasn''t the target of her malice.


    "Oh? Sorry, but I can''t disclose my level due to reasons. But it''s at least 100 levels above yours."


    But Faeloria didn''t even flinch, countering her words without dy. Her smile remained, as if she were just talking to a small child throwing a tantrum.


    Aster felt a headache. Would the three of them be able to work properly together?

 Chapter 250 In Search of Traces (2)

    Thankfully, both Vanessa and Faeloria were "adults," so the discord between them was resolved through peaceful negotiations.


    "Then, we''ll have Aster for four hours each, alternating. This is final, alright?"


    "Fufu, I have no problems with that arrangement either. Just make sure you follow the schedule properly."


    "..."


    And so, without hearing his input at all, the two women decided how they''d "share" Aster between them. Of course, Tina tried to object, insisting shee along too. However, given her current skill level, she''d just end up being a burden. She''s too powerless to evene close topeting with them.


    After their brief meeting, the trio made their way toward the ss Exchange Hall, heading to the top floor where Faeloria''s office was located. The room had a much simpler designpared to Magnus'' borate office, yet it had its own unique charm. As they stepped inside, they noticed someone else was already there.


    "Wee back, Director." The male elf greeted Faeloria respectfully, presenting a ring inside a jewelry box before her.


    Aster almost thought the man was about to propose, but the situation wasn''t quite right for that. Faeloria took the ring, slid it over her pinky finger, and infused it with mana, opening a small portal.


    "Take one of these," Faeloria said, offering a pair of gas-mask-like devices to both Aster and Vanessa. "This is Anti-Brainwashing gear, crafted in Juviel City. Even if brainwashing doesn''t normally work on us, it''s better to be prepared."


    By "us," Faeloria was referring to herself and Vanessa, unaware that Aster was also immune to such mental attacks. Still, he epted the mask without hesitation and put it on.


    Once Aster had it on, he realized the mask wasn''t as simple as it seemed. The lenses disyed information simr to Augmented Reality, providing details like distance, height, and even status indicators.


    "This mighte in handyter..." Aster muttered quietly, appreciating its utility.


    After securing their Anti-Brainwashing gear, Faeloria turned back to the male elf. "Broly, teleport the three of us just outside Juviel City''s walls. After that, you''ll take over my responsibilities as Deputy Director of the ss Exchange Hall until I return."


    "Yes, Director," Broly replied instantly, his professionalism evident.


    Though their conversation seemed ordinary, there was more going on than Aster realized. Both Faeloria and Broly were members of a covert Hit Squad. Faeloria wasn''t just the Director¡ªshe was also the Team Leader of one of the elite squads. Broly, her secretary, was also her vice-leader, responsible for taking over in her absence.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The three of them huddled close, preparing for teleportation. Broly raised his hand and cast the spell without a word, though Aster caught a flicker of concern in Broly''s gaze as he looked at Faeloria.


    A sh of light enveloped them, and when it faded, they found themselves in a different location.


    "Ugh!"


    Aster suddenly appeared a few meters above the ground and began to fall. Panic washed over him, but before he hit the ground, someone caught him mid-air.


    "What a yful subordinate you have, Director Faeloria Shadowleaf," Vanessa smirked as she shifted Aster into a morefortable hold.


    Faeloria chuckled, albeit a littlete, shaking her head with a wry smile. "I know. I''ll have to scold himter. Apologies for the scare, Mr. Aster."


    "N-No, it''s fine. I wasn''t hurt or anything..."


    Even if Vanessa hadn''t caught him, the fall wouldn''t have caused him serious harm¡ªjust a minor bruise, at worst. It felt more like a harmless prank than anything malicious, so Aster decided to let it slide.


    "Uhm, can you let me down already?"


    Read new adventures at empire


    However, the situation was still embarrassing. His face flushed slightly as he made his request, but Vanessa''s mischievous smile didn''t fade.


    "Nope. You''re staying like this for a while."


    Aster looked to Faeloria for help, hoping she would step in and stop Vanessa''s antics. To his dismay, Faeloria agreed. "Right. You should stay like that for a bit. Be quiet, alright?"


    As if they had nned it, both women took off at top speed, leaving Aster with blurred vision as they raced across thendscape. The wind pressure was intense, making it difficult for him to even catch his breath.


    Thankfully, the sprintsted only about thirty seconds before they came to a stop under the shade of a broken house. Their sharp gazes immediately scanned the area, searching for any sign of enemies.


    After exchanging a series of silent hand signals¡ªanguage Aster didn''t understand¡ªthey resumed their rapid movement. This pattern repeated five times before they finally reached arge, half-destroyed building, unnoticed by anyone nearby.


    They slipped through the building''s security and descended into an underground space, entering a concealed room.


    "We''re here."


    Atst, Vanessa set Aster down, his previous embarrassment fading as his curiosity took over. He looked around, wide-eyed. "What is this ce?" he murmured.


    The room, though small on the outside, was incredibly advanced inside¡ªfar more sophisticated than the 10th underground floor of his parents''b. Various monitors disyed streams of data, while the walls were covered with maps marked with pins and strings. In the center stood arge holographic meeting table, the kind Aster had only ever seen in movies or TV dramas.


    "This is Orinfeld City''s Juviel City Information Outpost. It serves as the gathering spot and information exchange center for all our spies operating within Juviel City''s territory," Faeloria exined with a calm smile. "I''ll be reviewing the logs left by our agents. You two can rx; I''ll only need about five minutes."


    "Then, I..." Aster trailed off, his attention drawn to a monitor showing live video feeds from outside.


    He walked closer, tapping the arrows to change the view. The hidden cameras provided surveince over key locations like City Hall and the Adventurer''s Guild.


    "This is terrible..."


    Each location the cameras disyed was in ruins, as if ravaged by an airstrike. Corpses were scattered everywhere, many dismembered or burned beyond recognition.


    All of this destruction was the work of the Aracelli Race. The sight stirred a deep sense of anger within Aster''s heart.


    "Cassy..."


    He whispered her name softly, wishing with all his might that they would soon find a clue to rescue her before it was toote.

 Chapter 251 In Search of Traces (3)

    As promised, exactly five minutester, Faeloria finished checking the logs that the other spies had left behind. She closed the terminal and moved toward Aster and Vanessa, who were "flirting" behind her, and smiled.


    "Ms. Vanessa, please hold back, alright? We''re in the middle of the enemy''s domain right now."


    She lightly reprimanded her before her smile turned to a frown as she addressed Aster and exined.


    "I''ve scoured the logs and discovered that the Aracelli Race has already left this ce. They only left brainwashed citizens behind as obstacles for anyone trying to track them down."


    Aster frowned. At this rate, it would take too long to find Cassy''s whereabouts! Just as he wondered if there was no other way to hasten their search, Faeloria''s lips curled into a smile again.


    "...However, it''s not like there''s no other way."


    "Do you have a different method to find Cassy''s location?!" Aster asked impatiently, almost jumping at her.


    Contrary to his hopes, Faeloria shook her head.


    "Unfortunately, I can''t find Miss Cassandra directly," she exined. "But by examining the brainwashed citizens, I can backtrack the mana residue left after they were brainwashed and pinpoint the location of the enemies."


    "...!"


    Aster was speechless. He didn''t know such a method was possible!


    "Isn''t that iming a bit too much, Ms. Faeloria?" Vanessa skeptically asked, her eyes narrowing to slits. "I know how hard it is to track someone''s mana, and you''re telling me you can find them using just a trace of residual mana?"


    Faeloria chuckled lightly, herposure unwavering. "Of course, it''s not easy. However, I have a skill that can aplish this. As such, I can guarantee a 99% chance of sess."


    Aster turned to Vanessa and nodded firmly. "Vanessa, let''s trust Fae on this."


    "...Alright, if that''s what you want."


    Vanessa shrugged her shoulders, dismissing the sharp aura she had earlier. Aster smiled before turning back to Faeloria. "So, what should we do now? Should we catch some brainwashed individuals for you?"


    This time, it was Faeloria who began pondering. The entire Juviel City was littered with brainwashed people, but they couldn''t tell who brainwashed them at a nce. There was a 50-50 chance that those controlled were by individuals already killed by Faeloria and Zena. To avoid alerting the enemies too quickly, they needed to act fast.


    "No, let''s all move together. We''ll adapt depending on the situation."


    ---


    Juviel City was practically destroyed, not only by the brainwashed citizens but also by the damage Faeloria had caused earlier during their escape.


    Of course, as they passed by a mysteriouslyrge and deep crater, as if caused by a powerful explosion, Faeloria didn''t bat an eyelid. She would never let the others figure out that it was her who did that.


    Beyond that, looters and unattended fires had caused extra damage. The entire city was the very image of the aftermath of a brutal war.


    "Uuuuugh..."


    Ahead of them, a few citizens wandered aimlessly, resembling zombies. It was, of course, due to the brainwashing they were under. Ordered to "watch over the city and report any disturbances," every citizen had been watching the city ever since.


    They had no time to eat, sleep, or even drink, and their bodies had reached their limits. Aster felt pity for them and thought of trying to save everyone, but he quickly shook his head.


    If he did that and interrupted the stream of status reports, their presence would be discovered quickly. If Lori grew more cautious and hid even better, there would be no way for Aster to save Cassy in time.


    After confirming that the man ahead of them didn''t have anymunication devices, microphones, or cameras on him, their n was set in motion.


    *Thump!*


    Vanessa moved quickly, sending a powerful chop to the man''s vertebrae, effectively paralyzing him in one hit. It was irrevocable and would lead to death soon, but they only needed a little time to finish what they wanted.


    Faeloria didn''t miss a beat and knelt beside the man lying face-down on the rubble-strewn road. Vanessa and Aster both kept watch, ensuring no one saw or interrupted them.


    Faeloria touched the man''s head, closed her eyes, and her body glowed with a faint green light. After a moment, she turned to Aster and shook her head. This one was another miss¡ªbrainwashed by someone already dead. The location she found was near Orinfeld City.


    "Shit..." Aster cursed. "This is the twelfth one already."


    Vanessa sighed, turning to the right. "We''ll reach the next zone soon. Hopefully, the result will be different this time."


    The three rationalized that the Aracelli Race members had split up the task of brainwashing the Juviel City citizens for efficiency. A different zone could represent a different Aracelli Race member. Unfortunately, the first three they found had already been killed.


    They moved quickly, matching Aster''s running pace.


    Explore more adventures at empire


    "Haste!"


    Since Aster had picked up new skills at the ss Exchange Hall, his speed was impressive.


    One of the skills he gained after reaching **n''s Avatar (III) was "Haste," which doubled his movement and reaction speed. Along with his new sword skill, "Divine sh," and magic skill, "Compound Magic," Aster''s battle strength had increased significantly.


    "...!"


    After running for a while, they found another lone citizen. Once he entered an alley out of sight, they acted. Aster blocked the retreat path while Vanessa took him out with one strike, then moved to guard the other end of the alley.


    "This is...!"


    Faeloria''s reaction this time was different. A smile crossed her face, making Aster feel a surge of excitement.


    "I did it, Aster! I found their current hideout!"


    Atst, they had caught the enemy''s trail!


    ---


    "Wake up."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    *p!*


    A powerful strikended across Cassy''s face, the force of it sending a sharp sting through her skin. Her body jolted in pain, her head ringing from the impact, and her cheeks burned with a pulsing ache. Yet, with her arms and legs tightly bound, she couldn''t even raise a hand to soothe the throbbing pain.


    "..."


    Despite the agony, not a single cry escaped her lips. She pressed them together, swallowing the pain deep within. Slowly, she turned her head in the direction the p hade from, trying to focus on her attacker. But her eyes were gone, and she saw nothing but the same imprable darkness that had be her reality.


    *Tsk!*


    Her silent defiance infuriated the man standing over her. He clicked his tongue in frustration before driving his boot into her stomach with a vicious kick.


    *BAM!*


    "...!"


    The pain was unbearable. A searing, white-hot agony coursed through her body, and her instincts screamed for her to curl up, to protect herself.


    Despite the overwhelming desire to cry out or shield herself, she remained still, enduring the torment in silence. Each breath was a struggle, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream. Herck of reaction only deepened the man''s frustration.


    Lionel¡ªthe red-haired brute who had been tormenting her for days¡ªscowled. He had expected more of a reaction, more fear. Instead, she remained motionless, seemingly indifferent to his cruelty.


    Anger flickered in his eyes as he delivered more blows, each one harder than thest.


    By the time he grew tired, Cassy had suffered dozens of strikes. Shey crumpled in a heap against the cold stone wall, her body trembling from the barrage of pain. The dimly lit room, cluttered with old furniture and crates, felt more like a forgotten dungeon. Yet, despite her shattered body and the gnawing ache of hopelessness creeping in, Cassy refused to despair.


    She had already used her Revive ability three times. Each time, she had dyed it as long as possible, enduring Lionel''s brutality until Lori had stepped in to stop him. Thatst act of defiance had earned her half a day of precious time.


    ''It must be noon now... I still have 46 hours left... I can hold on.''


    Cassy''s resolve was strong, built on her unwavering belief that Aster woulde for her. But even the strongest beliefs have limits, and hers was being tested. Each passing hour of torture chipped away at her spirit, and doubt began to worm its way into her mind.


    ''What if Star can''t find me?''


    ''What if he''s too weak to defeat Lori and her minions?''


    ''Will I evenst until he gets here?''


    These poisonous thoughts swirled through her head, eroding the fragile confidence she clung to. She could feel her faith faltering, the crushing weight of her situation threatening to overwhelm her.


    "...No. Star wille. He promised." Cassy whispered the words to herself, trying to hold on, trying to remind herself of the vow he made.


    "I bet he would."


    "...!"


    A voice interrupted her thoughts, sending a chill down her spine. Cassy flinched at the sound, her heart racing in sudden fear. It was a familiar voice¡ªstern,manding. A voice she had once trusted with her life. Lori.


    "I''ve brought your lunch," Lori said, her footsteps soft as she approached. "I heard you didn''t eatst night. I''m here to make sure you don''t faint from hunger. You won''t be escaping through starvation."


    "Lory..." Cassy whispered her name, barely audible, her throat tight with conflicting emotions.


    Even now, after all that had happened, Cassy didn''t know how to feel about her formerrade. Should she hate her for betraying them? Or should she forgive her, hoping that Lori would return to the person she used to be?


    Lori stopped in front of her, gazing down at Cassy, particrly at the disfiguring scar where her eyes used to be. Her face was unreadable, her expression a mask of cold indifference. Her thoughts were hidden, letting no one know what was going through her mind.


    The silence between them hung heavy in the air, filled with unspoken words and buried memories.

 Chapter 252 Shadows of Resolve

    Cassy''s current state wasn''t good. Even as praise, she couldn''t be said to look presentable. Her face was covered with bruises and dried blood, her clothes stained from repeatedly rolling over the dusty ground.


    Lori watched as Cassy patted the ground gently, trying to locate her meal. After watching her futilely feel around, she let out a deep sigh before kneeling beside Cassy, lifting the te in her hands, and speaking a few words.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Why destroy your eyes if you knew you''d struggle this much without your vision?" Her words carried a hint of ridicule, but behind it, a worried overtone. "Face over here. I''ll help you eat."


    "..."


    Cassy bit her lips, her heart wavering greatly. This minor show of kindness, which she couldn''t even figure out if it was done out of pity or necessity, kept piling up like specks of dust, slowly forming a great mountain in Cassy''s heart.


    "Lory," in the end, she couldn''t help but ask, even though she already knew it was futile, "Please return to our party. It''s not toote, you can still turn back..."


    A touch of cold metal reached her lips, prompting Cassy to slightly part them. The taste of the watery gruel entered her mouth, which she chewed lightly while enduring the stinging pain on her cheeks before swallowing directly. Along with the nd taste of nothing but salt was the familiar taste of her own blood.


    "You''re persistent, aren''t you?" Lori responded without a change in tone. "I have my own goals, and I won''t stop before I reach them. I can''t return to who I was before."


    She exined, taking a short pause and a deep breath before continuing.


    "And I won''t."


    Her voice sounded firm and final, but to Cassy''s ears, her words felt more like a plea¡ªa prayer. Words she said to solidify her resolve, and to keep herself from wavering in front of her goal.


    Once more, as if to end the conversation, the tip of the metal spoon touched Cassy''s lips gently. The salty taste of the nd gruel made her gulp prematurely, causing the food to go down the wrong pipe.


    *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*


    "Here, water."


    And like a caring mother, Lori patted her back gently, pressing the opening of the water bottle against Cassy''s lips. She took a sip after her coughing fit mellowed, coughing a few more times. All the while, Lori''s warm hand continued patting her back gently, filled with worry and affection.


    "...Thanks," Cassy muttered after her coughing fit ended.


    To her words, Lori simply shook her head. "It''s nothing. I''m just doing what I need to do. You should eat slowly; there''s no need to rush."


    After that, an awkward silence spread between the two once more. Lori continued bringing a spoonful of gruel to Cassy''s mouth in even intervals, while Cassy was careful not to choke again.


    Just as they were almost done with her meal, the sound of footsteps running closer reached their ears.


    Your journey continues with empire


    "Lady Lori, this is bad!" The one who came was the pink-haired girl from before, Yinfa. "Powerful figures have entered the perimeter of our barrier! From the detectors, they''re both over level 1000!"


    "..."


    Lori merely blinked, not a hint of panic on her face. She gently ced the remaining gruel down beside Cassy before standing up and patting the dust from her shin and thigh.


    "They''re most likely here to retrieve her." She muttered, ncing at Cassy lightly. "Execute n L-54. Ry my orders to the rest immediately."


    "Y-Yes, Lady Lori!"


    After hearing her orders, Yinfa hurried away. Her figure disappeared around a corner in less than a second, leaving the dreary underground storehouse behind.


    "Aster...!"


    Cassy, listening to their conversation, realized what was happening. She believed that it was Aster who had arrived, and with powerful figures to help him!


    "Yes, it must be him." Even Lori agreed with Cassy''s thoughts. "However, this is as far as he will go."


    "...!"


    Cassy, despite having no vision, could still "see" the surroundings through the natural mana present in the air. Of course, this was only applicable to things that had mana too. Inorganic objects like the ground, crates, or even her food were things she couldn''t identify, as they didn''t possess any mana.


    But what surprised her currently was the figure of Lori in her view. Previously, it had looked like a calm river, flowing along its predetermined path. But now, it had changed into ravenous rapids, powerful enough to engulf the surrounding mana.


    *Gasp!*


    It was so powerful that Cassy could hazard a guess at her current level.


    ''At least a thousand!''


    Of course, the way she had gained her levels was simple. While saving other Aracelli Race members, she had killed many of the military personnel guarding the ce. And from killing those who were way above her level, her experience had increased abnormally, pushing her past level 1000 quickly.


    What worried Cassy was that since her level had reached over a thousand, her racial ability¡ªher eyes, which could control anyone who stared into them¡ªhad be a lot more powerful too.


    ''Aster, be careful...!''


    Cassy prayed, hoping that her prince,ing to save her, wouldn''t fall short.


    ---


    "Everyone, Lady Lori rys her orders!"


    Soon enough, the pink-haired woman, Yinfa, reached the ground floor where the others rested. She didn''t waste her breath and exined in short words. "Execute n L-54!"


    "n ''L''? You mean the Artificial Labyrinth n?" The red-haired man scoffed, as if disliking the decision. "Isn''t that overdoing it a little? Only two Level 1000s areing here! I bet I can hold them off myself!"


    "Don''t be so arrogant, Lionel."


    The ck-haired man, Sebastian, red while reprimanding him. "Remember, you already lost to someone half your level." He added, hitting below the belt.


    "Shut up, old man...!" Lionel gritted his teeth, forced to recall a memory he didn''t want to remember. "That bastard! If he shows up before me, I''ll kill him above all else!!!"


    *p!*


    "Alright everyone, enough banter."


    Before the atmosphere between them could worsen, the blonde-haired woman, Chronalisa, urged everyone. "The enemy has already broken through the second line of defense. They''ll be here shortly." She added without urgency in her tone.


    "Tsk! Aight, I know, I know..." Lionel grumbled before taking out a small crystal from his pocket and crushing it between his fingers.


    As soon as he did, a powerful wave of mana surrounded him before his figure disappeared. The thumb-sized crystal-like item he used was none other than a portable teleportation crystal, sending him to a predefined location!


    "... Then I''ll get going too."


    One after another, the rest also took out teleportation crystals from their pockets before activating them by destroying their fragile surfaces. One by one, they teleported out of their previous location.


    Soon after they had all left, a single figure entered the room, scanning it lightly¡ªLori. After seeing that everyone had already gone to their posts, she closed her eyes and waited. From her senses alone, even without relying on the detectors and radar present in the room, she could tell that there were indeed presences approaching them rapidly.


    Two of them, as reported, were over Level 1000. Their powerful aura was enough to even give her goosebumps.


    "... Hmm?"


    But the third presence made her tilt her head. It was weaker than the other two, but from the strength of his aura, he could be around level 150 to 200. Furthermore, it was a familiar presence to her.


    "Aster? No way..."


    Lori hadn''t expected his current strength. When they took Cassy, he had still been at level 50, after all. Still, Lori wasn''t flustered. She could imagine what method he had used to increase his level in such a short time, especially since the two presences beside him were ones she had marked beforehand.


    "Magnus really didn''t hold back on sending support." She muttered offhandedly. "Sending in the Vampire Princess and the World Tree''s Guardian together¡ªwhat an extravagant surprise."


    Lori stood still, her eyes closed as she allowed her mana to spread through the air like a sonar, sensing every detail of the approaching group. Her lips curled into a subtle smile, not out of joy or excitement, but in acknowledgment of the challenge ahead.


    The two high-level figures apanying Aster were no ordinarybatants; they were beings of legend in their own right, known for their devastating abilities. Even with her newfound strength, the fight ahead would be anything but easy.


    Still, her confidence did not waver.


    "They''ve broken through the second perimeter faster than I thought," she murmured, her voice barely audible in the dimly lit room. She opened her eyes, their glint sharp like steel. "It seems I''ll have to adjust the n."


    She turned her gaze to the path ahead, thinking of her next move. While her subordinates carried out n L-54, Lori''s mind wandered to Aster. The boy hade far, far faster than she ever anticipated.


    Her lips pressed into a thin line, but there was no room for sentimentality now. "Let''s see if you''re ready, Aster," she said softly, her tone still resolute.


    With a flick of her hand, she sent out onest silentmand to her forces: "Prepare for the inevitable sh."

 Chapter 253 Island of Death

    Turning back time a little. As soon as Faeloria found the location of the enemies, she quickly pulled out her phone and dialed a certain number.


    The line hadn''t even finished ringing once before the other end picked up¡ªa swift response, but Faeloria didn''t even flinch, as if she was used to it already. "Broly? I need you to teleport us again. Come to my location ASAP."


    After she said her piece, she quickly hung up the phone without even waiting for the other party''s response. Aster watched her, a bit confused. Just as he was about to ask what she was doing, a sh of white light appeared before them, causing him to spring back in surprise.


    "I''vee, Director. Where should I send you now?"


    From within the sh of light, a familiar figure slowly appeared, bowing lightly toward Faeloria. It was the man they had met before at the ss Exchange Hall¡ªBroly!


    "Can you show me a map?" Faeloria asked lightly.


    The man walked forward, pulling out his holo device and bringing up a 3D map of the surrounding area. Faeloria stared at it for a bit, checking their position and the bearing of the "trace" she had detected earlier.


    "Right here. This far should be enough," she said, pointing at a position in the middle of what seemed like a thick forest. The location was about three thousand kilometers away from their current position, eastward, and on an isted ind.


    "The Ind of Death?" Vanessa quickly raised her brow upon seeing where they were supposed to go. "They chose one weird ce as their hideout, huh?"


    Faeloria shrugged. "It''s not really weird if you know the history of that ce," she exined. "That ce is allegedly the origin point of the Aracelli Race, after all."


    "Oh, now that you mention it, that''s right." Vanessa nodded, convinced.


    However, Aster was left a little confused. "Origin point? Do you mean that''s where their race lived long ago?"


    "No." Faeloria shook her head, a grim expression covering her face. "That''s where the humans of the past made them."


    Aster''s shoulders shook as he parroted the word she used. "...Made?"


    "..."


    None of the three responded, but their silence was already the answer to his question. Aster frowned, disgusted by this new fact he had just learned.


    ''Wasn''t the first Divine Retribution War done not only because they wanted to take over the world, but also to take revenge on the ones who made them?'' Aster spected.


    "I''m done connecting to the ind, Director."


    At that very moment, Broly spoke,pletely disregarding the atmosphere. Aster took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts once more. Now wasn''t the time to feel sick about what "humans" did in the past, nor was it the moment to feel pity for Lori and herrades.


    ''We''re going to save Cassy!''


    He focused his mind, his expression returning to one that was firm and unyielding.


    "Then, I''ll be teleporting everyone. Please stand still," Broly said as he extended a hand forward, but Faeloria interrupted him.


    "Ah, right. Broly, don''t y tricks on Aster this time, alright?" she said with a smile.


    For some reason, Broly''s entire body shook as if he was standing in the middle of a magnitude 8 earthquake. His breathing grew ragged, his face went pale, and his hands trembled greatly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His mind quickly turned, identifying the root cause of his "death sentence," and he turned to Aster, bowing his head as deep as he physically could.


    "Please forgive my rudeness, Sir Aster Mistral! Please have mercy!"


    "Eh?" Aster was surprised by the sudden apology but quickly smiled. "No, I don''t mind a little mishap. Don''t worry."


    Broly didn''t lift his head yet and continued. "Thank you very much!"


    "You''re lucky Aster has a big heart," Faeloria sighed, before ring at him with narrowed eyes. "Since the person himself forgave you, I won''t do anything..." She paused briefly before adding, "For now."


    They say that extreme mental stress could speed up the aging process, but it was Aster''s first time seeing it happen in real time. Broly''s thick hair lost quite a few strands, falling to the ground as if he were shedding fur¡ªdespite being an elf. His face turned gaunt in moments, as though he had been starved for a month, with his eyes losing light and filling with despair.


    "So? When is the teleportation going to start?" Vanessamented,pletely indifferent to the man''s plight. "We''re on a tight schedule here."


    "..."


    Aster felt pity for the man, but he was too powerless to help in his case.


    ---


    The Ind of Death, officially named Gospel Ind, was a small circr ind spanning roughly 30 kilometers from end to end. It used to be a lively tourist destination in the past, but a thick forest now covered the ind after it had been left unattended for a few centuries.


    Of course, the reason it was left unattended wasn''t because it had a "bad" image but rather something more practical. It was simply too hard to maintain! The reason nobody even dared to live there was due to the dangers lurking on the ind itself. Find your next read at empire


    *SCREECH!*


    "Staggered Great me Spears!"


    Vanessa cast a great barrage of gigantic me spears flying toward the monster ahead of them¡ªwhat looked like a giant locust the size of a building. The monster, receiving all five me spears through its body, was turned to ashes in moments.


    "Tsk!" But Vanessa still clicked her tongue, surveying their surroundings. "There are too many of them. Picking them off one by one is just a waste of mana!"


    Locusts are pests that exist in swarms. Even the giant locusts around them were no different¡ªa monster that gathered in swarms numbering over a thousand individualsbined¡ªck Death Locusts.


    Of course, the name doesn''t have anything to do with the "Bubonic gue" that ravaged Europe in the long-forgotten past. Rather, it''s a representation of how they appear as a dark cloud when they swarm, leaving nothing but a barrenndscape wherever they pass.


    "Both of you, get down!"


    Finally, Faeloria finished casting her skill.


    Vanessa ran to Aster''s side and pushed him to the ground. The next moment, a white sh went over their heads, literally "deleting" any monster in its path. The white shsted for about ten seconds before finally fading away.


    "..."


    When Aster opened his eyes, he quickly found that all the giant locusts were gone. Mysteriously, the forest itself remained unchanged, as if nothing had happened.


    "With this, we''ve breached the second perimeter," Faeloria sighed, before snatching Aster from under Vanessa and hugging him from behind. "The enemy should be aware of our presence already, so both of you, keep your guards up."


    "Yeah..."


    Aster nodded, his expression as serious as could be. His eyes flickered with a mix of worry and anticipation as he prayed.


    "Cassy, hang on for just a bit more! We''reing!"

 Chapter 254 Caught in the Trap!

    After clearing the locust swarm blocking their path, Aster, Faeloria, and Vanessa resumed their course, running as fast as they could while matching Aster''s speed¡ªthe weakest and therefore slowest of the group.


    "We''re reaching the middle of the ind soon! Watch out for traps!" Vanessa eximed as she rushed ahead, acting as the vanguard.


    Fortunately, their worries were unfounded. There were no traps from the second perimeter to the third. Furthermore, the defenses on the third perimeter were easier to handlepared to the locust swarm. As such, they didn''t even spend a minute breaking through and finally reached their destination.


    "That''s the ce..." Aster muttered in a grim tone, surveying the target building.


    It looked like a tall, 10-story facility from the outside, battered by the elements and covered in vines and moss, appearing dpidated and half-destroyed. However, one wouldn''t miss the traces of "someone" using the facility recently, confirming Faeloria''s tracking was on point.


    As they exited the forest and entered the buffer clearing toward the building, the three began to slow to a walking pace.


    Faeloria and Vanessa warily surveyed their surroundings, looking for any sign of enemies, but only sensed two presences¡ªone just ahead of them, and another underground.


    Without a word, Vanessa took the lead as Faeloria moved in front of Aster, shielding him from potential ambushes or surprise attacks.


    Soon enough, they entered the building, stepping over broken ss that cracked under their weight. They didn''t need to head too deep before they found someone.


    "Lori...!" Aster gasped, not expecting to find her first.


    Both Vanessa and Faeloria heightened their vignce, ring at Lori with narrowed eyes. The other party simply gave a thin smile before speaking in a clear, rxed voice.


    "I was expecting you, Aster Mistral." Her lips curled into a crescent, as if she found the situation pleasing. "But I still have use for your little rabbit healer, so this is as far as you can go."


    "Nonsense!" Aster growled back, gritting his teeth in frustration and anger. "I know Cassy''s hidden a few floors underground! I''ll be taking her back, and you can''t stop me!"


    Lori widened her eyes as if surprised, then let out a soft chuckle. "You really think so? Just because you gained a few levels doesn''t mean you can turn fate on its head, you know?"


    Her gaze, which had shown a hint of warmth and familiarity, now turned cold and ambitious. "My objectives aren''t so simple that a little guy like you can stop them. The world shall pay for its sins against our race, and nobody is exempt from it!"


    "..."


    Aster sensed the seriousness in Lori''s words. However, for some reason, it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.


    "Alright, little missy, that''s enough from you." But before the conversation could continue, Vanessa stepped forward, fearlessly approaching Lori. "Objectives? Paying for sins? I don''t care about those. All I know is I''m here to beat you up."


    Ordinarily, Vanessa''s intimidating presence should''ve been enough to send someone to their knees. However, Lori remainedposed, her face covered with a thin smile, as if amused.


    "Honestly, I didn''t expect that sly man to send the Vampire Princess and the World Tree''s Guardian together. Normally, this should be enough to thwart our ns, but..."


    Lori raised her right hand, palm up and outstretched.


    "... Too bad for you, we''vee prepared." She gently closed her palm, pressing her middle finger and thumb together.


    *SNAP!*


    The moment she snapped her fingers, a powerful wave of mana washed over the entire area. Aster, through the anti-brainwashing equipment''s AR support, saw the waves of mana emanating from Lori''s body. The disy showed that the amount she was releasing was on par with someone over level 1000, making him gasp in shock.


    ''When did she get so powerful?!''


    If he had stuck with his original n of saving Cassy alone, he would''ve been defeated in just two moves, given the gap between their strengths. Explore stories on empire


    Vanessa quickly retreated, standing beside Faeloria while raising her hands to block the mana''s pressure.


    "This is...!"


    "...!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Both of them immediately realized what was happening and frowned.


    "Aster, stick close to me!" they shouted simultaneously, turning and reaching for Aster. However, neither made it in time.


    "Ugh...!"


    Their vision started to twist¡ªno, the dimension itself was twisting into a spiral! Aster lost his sense of direction and bnce, falling to his knees and shutting his eyes tight. A wave of dizziness hit him, and his ears rang loudly. It was so ufortable that he wished he could just pass out and be done with it.


    However, the agonysted a few more long seconds before finallying to an end.


    When Aster managed to open his eyes, the scenery before him hadpletely changed. He was no longer inside the dpidated, overgrown facility but in what seemed to be a dim maze.


    Walls surrounded him in every direction, reaching up to the ceiling, over 100 meters above. Aster looked around but couldn''t find any trace of Vanessa or Faeloria.


    ''We got separated.'' He judged calmly.


    Aster assessed his current situation and checked his objectives. "I need to regroup with either of them or find the exit of this maze before we can resume our original mission."


    To check, Aster approached the wall to his right. Though it was the color of mud, its texture was as smooth as marble. He knocked on it, but the sound told him the wall was far too solid to be destroyed.


    The idea of testing his attacks against it crossed his mind, but quickly decided against it. He wasn''t sure howrge the maze was yet, or what dangersy within, so being cautious would be for the best.


    "But with walls this tough, I dare say this ce isn''t a simple maze, but rather, abyrinth."


    With that information, it wasn''t hard to figure out why Lori pulled this stunt either.


    "... They''re buying time. Time to finish removing the limiters on the rest of the Aracelli Race members."


    Aster took a deep breath, calming his mind. His objective wouldn''t change, no matter what Lori was nning.


    All he needed to do was conquer thebyrinth as fast as he could!

 Chapter 255 Exploring the Labyrinth - Vampire (1)

    When Vanessa opened her eyes, everything around her had changed.


    "This ce is... a sealed dimension?" she quickly assessed before checking the space itself. "It''s quite well-built. I doubt I can destroy it from the inside and escape," she muttered, promptly giving up on using a shortcut.


    "And I got separated from that hateful woman and Aster... Nevermind her, I need to regroup with Aster as soon as possible," she continued, her brow furrowing with determination.


    First and foremost, she needed to assess the situation. Looking around, she realized she was in a ce that resembled a giant maze. Each wall stood tall, reaching over a hundred meters, touching the ceiling. The towering walls closed in on her like silent, oppressive sentinels.


    "But what a sickening design they chose..."


    The walls themselves, for whatever reason, resembled bs of raw meat shaped into a solid surface. Protrusions, like veins, were visible on the surface, pulsing rhythmically as if the entire structure was alive. Though reluctant, Vanessa touched the wall to gauge its strength and quickly realized it was quite thin despite its grotesque appearance.


    "Just about five meters thick... I can destroy this easily, but could it be a trap?"


    This wasn''t her first time encountering a maze. In the dungeon, some floors mimicked this environment¡ªmazes with shifting paths and unseen dangers lurking at every turn. Destroying the walls there often triggered traps that either sent someone back to the beginning or summoned a horde of monsters designed to eliminate any intruder. Here, she couldn''t help but wonder if the same rules applied.


    Vanessa wasn''t afraid of monsters. She was confident in her ability to handle them, no matter their numbers or strength. However, time was of the essence. They couldn''t leave Aster alone for too long. With his current strength, he wouldn''t stand a chance against Lori if they crossed paths.


    "Can''t be helped. I guess I''ll have to do this the old-fashioned way," Vanessa sighed, her tone sharp with frustration.


    The glint in her eyes shifted, growing more intense as her pupils dted, transforming into vertical slits, much like a reptile''s. Her fangs lengthened, gleaming in the dim light.


    A small, violent tornado of blood swirled around her, and when she stepped out of it, her appearance had changed drastically.


    Her earlier outfit, a practical ensemble of hot short pants and a simple long-sleeved shirt, was reced by a deep crimson dress with a high slit on the left side, exposing her thigh up to her hips. On her head, a faint, ethereal crown floated just above her hair, radiating a blinding silver glow.


    Her back now sported a pair ofrge, bat-like wings, their leathery texture giving her a distinctly ominous presence.


    Vanessa stared down at her right hand, opening and closing it as if testing her enhanced strength. "It''s been a while since I used this form... I hope I''m not getting rusty. Summon Familiars!"


    With hermand, the shadows beneath her feet stirred and wriggled to life. From within the darkness, a swarm of bats, rats, and a pack ofrge wolves emerged, surrounding her like loyal soldiers awaiting her orders.


    Vanessa smiled, patting thergest wolf¡ªtwice the size of the others¡ªclearly the alpha of the pack.


    "Sorry for calling on you guys suddenly, but I need your help. Spread out and find the exit. Report anything you find to me, including traps and enemies."


    *AWOOO!*


    The alpha wolf let out a deep howl, and as if on cue, the familiars scattered into thebyrinth, their shadows flickering as they explored the maze''s intricate twists and turns. Vanessa remained still, her eyes gleaming with a cold smile as she awaited the results of their search.


    Shadow Blood Familiars.


    It was a skill specific to vampires of a particr bloodline¡ªroyal vampire lineage. Vanessa, of course, wasn''t born the daughter of a king, but her power stemmed from her ancestral blood, a rare gic gift passed down through generations. This very ability earned her the moniker, "Vampire Princess," a title that both embarrassed and empowered her in equal measure.


    "Hmm? This is troublesome..." she muttered under her breath as her familiars ryed information back to her.


    As they scouted ahead, their positions fed directly into her mind, forming a mental map of the maze. However, within minutes, she realized thebyrinth was farrger than anticipated, too vast to explore in the short amount of time they had.


    Someone like Aster, who could only rely on his own abilities, would likely take weeks just to cover as much ground as her familiars had in mere moments. Without any assistance, he would remain trapped in this maze for an agonizingly long time.


    "...!"


    Suddenly, her expression darkened. "My bat familiars... something killed them."


    It had happened too quickly for the bats to react, leaving her blind to the attacker''s identity. Without hesitation, Vanessa sent more familiars to the location,yering their numbers to ensure survival this time.


    "This is...!"


    But as soon as the reinforcements arrived, they, too, were attacked. Three hulking figures¡ªgrotesque, muscr masses barely resembling humanoids¡ªughtered her familiars with ease. One swipe of their enormous, meaty palms was enough to destroy her familiars as if they were nothing more than insects.


    Vanessa frowned. Her familiars, while small, were far from weak. Their levels were half that of her own, making them equivalent to a warrior around level 500 to 600. Seeing them obliterated so effortlessly filled her with a mixture of anger and caution.


    "These meat bs... they''re not weak!" she hissed.


    By her estimation, these creatures were at least as strong as she was¡ªif not stronger. "Vesper, take your wolves and return," she ordered quickly, her tone sharp with authority.


    Unlike the bats and rats, the wolves were unique familiars, not disposable. If they were killed, their loss would be permanent. Vanessa wouldn''t risk losing them due to overconfidence.


    *Whimper...*


    The alpha wolf, Vesper, whined softly but obeyed without hesitation. Leading his pack, he turned and began retreating, ensuring they didn''t cross paths with another meat-b creature as the bats had.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    About half a minuteter, they returned, leaping into Vanessa''s shadow in one fluid motion.


    "Just in time..." she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing.


    And as if on cue, three of the grotesque meat bs appeared before her, their hulking forms dripping with the blood of her in familiars. The sight ignited a burning fury within her.


    "How dare you kill my familiars," she growled, her eyes glowing a deep, menacing red. "For that transgression, I shall personally bestow eternal death upon you!"

 Chapter 256 Exploring the Labyrinth - Vampire (2)

    Vanessa stood her ground, arms crossed in front of her chest, her sharp gaze fixed on the enemies before her. They were just as described¡ªgiant bs of flesh crudely shaped like humans.


    More specifically, they resembled meat golems, towering at five meters tall and three meters wide, their grotesque bodiesposed of sinew and muscle bulging without skin covering them.


    Their short, thick legs looked almostically smallpared to their bloated torsos, making them appear like unstable, imbnced toys teetering on the verge of copsing under their own weight.


    Even though they didn''t have eyes, it was as if they could see where Vanessa stood. And even without mouths, they were releasing an eerie sound, like zombies or ghosts.


    "Oooo..."


    Their movements were sluggish, but their size allowed each of their steps to cover quite arge distance. The gap between her and the three meat giants closed in no time!


    All three of them attacked simultaneously, one using both fists curled like a hammer, mming down, while the other two attempted to grab her, aiming for the spot where she would likely dodge.


    "They''ve got some intelligence, but they''re still dumb." Vanessa scoffed, raising a palm to catch the iing attack.


    *BAM!*


    "...!"


    But as soon as she received the attack, she realized her mistake. "S-So strong?!"


    The meat b''s attack didn''t juste from itsrge mass but also from its high STR stat¡ªestimated to be twice that of Vanessa''s! She felt the bones in her arms crack under the pressure, forcing her to retreat quickly.


    However, that''s when the two hands came toward her. Their movements appeared clumsy and slow, but their positioning and timing were perfect!


    "Don''t underestimate me!!!"


    But, of course, Vanessa wouldn''t let them catch her, not even by mistake. A bloody aura exuded from her body, releasing a powerful pressure that sent the threeggards flying back several dozen meters.


    Her left hand, which she had used to catch the earlier attack, was broken. Her bones snapped and even poked out of her skin, a painful sight. But thanks to the bloody aura now covering her body, her injuries began to heal rapidly, returning to their normal state in a sh.


    "..."


    Vanessa tried opening and closing her hand to get a feel for it before nodding. "These creatures are weird. Their STR stats are at least twice that of mine, and I''m already over level 1000!"


    Of course, it''s not like she had dumped all her stats into strength. However, it would still be hard to overpower her unless the enemy was at the same level as her.


    "These bastards... are they over level 1000 too?"


    That was the only conclusion she could draw. If not, then they could be a bit lower-leveled but had focused their stats entirely on STR. "But that means...!"


    Vanessa rushed forward, her body d in her bloody aura, making her look like a redet streaking across the battlefield. Without holding back her strength at all, she sent a straight punch toward one of the monsters'' guts!


    *BOOM!*


    The punch echoed loudly, signifying a solid hit. However, Vanessa''s smile quickly faded as she jumped back to regain distance. She nced at her fist, seeing her finger bones broken and poking out of her skin¡ªrather than the enemy, it was she who had been injured!


    "Not only STR, but even its CON is high. Without a doubt, this thing''s over level 1000!"


    The situation might have seemed grim, but Vanessa wasn''t panicking in the slightest. After all, she had onlyunched her best physical attack.


    "And if you didn''t know, I''m a Rare Mage ss called Bloodmancer, you bastards!"


    *CLAP!*


    This time, she truly wasn''t ying around.


    She had gathered enough data and no longer needed theggards before her. They were beings over level 1000 with high STR and CON, but their other stats were pitiful. Slow movements, ack of mana, and even their inability to detect that they were already under Vanessa''s spell were proof that their AGI, INT, and WIS were rock bottom.


    "...!"


    Just as she was in the middle of casting her skill, the three suddenly moved. They were fast, but not because of high AGI. Instead, they leveraged their STR to move faster, kicking off the ground like enraged beasts.


    "So, you were waiting for an opening?!" Vanessa grinned fiercely but remained calm.


    She had anticipated such a reaction from them. Although their speed exceeded her expectations, it was still within her margin of error.


    "But you''re still a beat toote! BLOOD WALL!"


    With her words as the trigger, something strange urred. Blood began seeping out from the three massive muscle monsters, forming a mist-like wall around them. The more blood they lost, the thicker the mist became.


    *THUD!*


    They tried to advance, ignoring the mist at first, but quickly realized something was wrong. The "mist" wall didn''t allow them to advance, as if a solid wall blocked their path!


    *THUD!* *THUD!* *THUD!*


    The three dumbos continued hitting the wall, trying to break through, but they were only wasting their energy. Their bodies gradually lost strength as blood drained from every orifice, further fortifying the blood wall that trapped them.


    "You were troublesome opponents, but nothing much in the end." Vanessa sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "You''re just a bag of muscles and blood, here to provide me with greater strength."


    Slowly, she raised her right hand, watching the thick blood wall in front of her. Inside, the giants were no longer even able to muster strength to raise their fists, but she didn''t n to let them off lightly.


    "Suffer death in the embrace of the cruel maiden of hell. Blood Wall, Second Form¡ªBlood-Iron Maiden!"


    As her words echoed, the blood wall began to change shape. As described, it transformed into arge mechanical confinement made of blood, with the emptypartment filled with menacing spikes of iron and blood.


    The three meat monsters were then dragged by bloody chains tied around their necks, which appeared at the same time as the Blood-Iron Maiden. They were pulled into the recesses of therge contraption, trembling ever so slightly.


    *Snap!*


    And with a simple snap, the doors began to close. It was a slow, tightening embrace, ensuring death through the cold spikes that pierced and dismembered their bodies.


    *CLANK!*


    When the doors fully closed, the engraving of the Iron Maiden appeared¡ªits eyes glowing red, blood trickling down its face. The three who had slighted Vanessa now suffered eternal death as she pronounced beforehand, their souls obliterated.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The fight had ended in one decisive move, with the Vampire Bloodmancer iming victory!

 Chapter 257 Exploring the Labyrinth - Elf (1)

    "I''m unable to connect with the World Tree...?" Faeloria muttered in disbelief.


    Due to Lori''s "trap," she and the other two, Aster and Vanessa, were caught inside an isted pocket dimension. However, the dimension was sturdier than she expected, making it impossible to break through its space and reach outside.


    "I''m worried about Aster," she whispered while looking around. "But I can''t detect his presence anywhere nearby. He must be in a separate space altogether."


    Faeloria remained calm despite the situation, keeping an eye on everything around her. Observing the space, she realized it was a maze-type field. The walls, reaching up to the ceiling, blocked her path and prevented her from going over the maze to take the easy way out.


    "Hmmm?"


    The walls intrigued her. The material wasn''t anything she recognized. It wasn''t made of stone, at least. She approached the closest wall and touched its surface lightly.


    Her eyes widened before she let out a gasp of awe. "This is... interesting."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The walls looked like they were made of dark wood, with a texture resembling tree bark. However, the material wasn''t as soft as wood; it was tougher than iron. When she tried punching through it with her finger, she chipped her fingernail but did no damage at all.


    "Is this wall made entirely of ck-Iron Cedar? The properties seem simr," Faeloria mused. "Well, enough of that. I need to move soon."


    The walls were nearly indestructible, and she couldn''t climb over them. Moreover, the space itself was solid, without a single node she could exploit to break through.


    With all those obstaclesbined, Faeloria could only sigh. "I hate maze exploration the most," she grumbled.


    Without dy, she began navigating the maze''splicated paths. Yet, every path she chose led to dead ends after a few turns. Every direction seemed like it held promise at first, but none of them panned out, and soon she found herself going in circles.


    Undeterred by herck of progress, she continued searching for the optimal path, but... "Where did I start from again?"


    Barely 10 minutes after she began, she was already lost!


    It wasn''t that Faeloriacked a sense of direction. Rather, the paths she took "forward" and the path "back" didn''t seem to match. There was an extra corner where there should have been three, or paths vanished even though she had just walked through them.


    "This is..." Faeloria frowned, realizing what was happening. "A variable maze. One that changes its design after a fixed number of steps!"


    To verify her guess, she carefully counted her steps while observing the maze''s structure. After some time, she confirmed that every 100 steps, the paths rotated and shuffled.


    "Hmm... I see..." Faeloria nodded, her lips pursed into a thin frown.


    She continued testing the maze, taking steps here and there, turning corners, and tracking the changes. This tedious process went on for hours, but Faeloria eventually figured out the mechanism. She even discovered a way to reach the entrance in one go!


    Readtest chapters at empire


    "This algorithm should be the solution to this maze''s puzzle!" she dered proudly, the faintest glimmer of triumph in her eyes.


    Without dy, she followed the solution she had devised. Running without stopping, she turned left or right at even intervals and asionally took a few steps back. As she did, the path ahead opened up, as if the maze itself weed her deeper into its core. The walls that once seemed imprable now parted as though recognizing her efforts to outsmart the system.


    Each turn reinforced her confidence in the pattern she had unraveled.


    *GROWL!*


    "Hmm?"


    Of course, a maze wouldn''t be a maze without obstacles. Just as Faeloria estimated she was halfway through, she crossed paths with the maze''s guardians.


    Giant, humanoid, tree-like monsters with sharp red eyes and jagged mouths resembling rows of teeth. Theirrge bodies towered over Faeloria,pletely blocking the path ahead. The sight of their hulking forms casting shadows in the dim maze was enough to stop anyone in their tracks.


    "Huh, so I need to defeat you to proceed, is that it?" Faeloria smiled but then frowned. "Wait... these things are high-level beings?"


    Though they tried to hide it, she sensed the Corrupted Demonic Treants ahead were at least level 1000, perhaps even higher.


    Faeloria''s eyes glowed as her mind raced. She was in a pinch, though not in life-threatening danger. The real issue was that if she made one wrong move, she''d have to restart the algorithm and begin the maze from scratch, negating all her progress.


    "Fighting without moving off the true path... Now this is what I call a challenge!" Faeloria grinned slightly, herpetitive side kicking in. The thrill of oveing obstacles, even in the midst of danger, made her heart race.


    While she hadn''t forgotten about Aster''s life being in danger, that didn''t mean Faeloria couldn''t enjoy herself. A sweet smile crossed her face as her fingers moved gently, tapping the wind.


    The crisp sound of a lyre echoed, filling the air with a heartwarming melody. But that was only a byproduct of her advanced-level spellcasting.


    "Corrupted beings have high magic resistance, and Treants have high physical damage resistance. Combining the two means they have an almost perfect defense..." Faeloria analyzed, her expression growing more focused.


    Such creatures were nothing short of boss monsters. But even tight defenses had weaknesses.


    "It''s been proven that different types of attack resistance and nullification only work one at a time, not simultaneously!"


    With this knowledge, she knew how to break through the enemy''s defenses. She just needed to attack with both physical and magic forces at the same time, exploiting the loophole in their dual resistances.


    "Kyuin Thorne Ambuor Mythra Sirreo G Spicht! Tree God''s Wrathful Iron Spear!"


    As she finished her chant, gigantic metallic roots sprouted from the ground like spears. They shot forward, forming a that wouldn''t let anything escape, attacking fromplicated angles and various directions.


    *GRAAAAH!*


    The Corrupted Demonic Treant was too slow to dodge, and its body was smashed to bits by the powerful spell. The creature, boasting immense toughness, had its core crushed into fine powder in an instant.


    Faeloria gasped, cing a hand over her mouth. "Oh? Was a 9th-tier spell overkill? I guess I overestimated the enemy."


    *GROWL!*


    *OOOH!*


    But of course, there wasn''t just one. Five more appeared from the corner ahead, and Faeloria''s smile slowly faded as she readied herself for what was toe.

 Chapter 258 Exploring the Labyrinth - Elf (2)

    The Corrupted Demonic Treants never ceaseding for Faeloria. It seemed like one would appear every ten steps she took, as if they were conjured from the shadows of the dense, oppressive forest-like walls that surrounded her.


    "Annoying..." she muttered under her breath, her voice calm despite the relentless onught.


    But, of course, they were no match for her. At most, they could slow her progress, but never be a serious threat to someone of her caliber. The treants, with their twisted bark and glowing eyes, were powerful creatures in their own right, but against Faeloria, they were nothing more than a nuisance.


    It was too bothersome to cast a 9th-tier spell every time, so she decided to rely on her ss skills instead, keeping better control over her surroundings while using fewer resources.


    *Swoosh!* *Swoosh!* *Swoosh!*


    Much like with the Tree God''s Wrathful Iron Spear, she was still using roots to attack. However, instead of being reinforced by the metal element, the roots were overloaded with mana, throbbing with energy as they shot out in waves, entering an unstable state.


    *BOOM!*


    In this vtile form, even the slightest contact with a treant caused a violent explosion, sending shards of wood and bark flying through the air. Entire groups of the corrupted creatures were obliterated if they stood too close together. By using her mana in this efficient manner, her energy consumption dropped to only 5%pared to casting 9th-tier spells in quick session.


    Still, a downside soon caught up with her. Your next chapter is on empire


    "...Was it three steps right, five steps left, or the other way around?"


    Splitting her focus between solving theplex puzzle of the maze and fending off the treants, she quickly found herself growing more confused. The ever-shifting paths of the maze were designed to mislead and disorient, and without full attention, even her sharp mind faltered.


    She could backtrack her calctions to double-check, but that caused further dys. As a result, her pace was greatly reduced. She was now moving at less than a tenth of the speed she''d had in the first half.


    "This won''t do..." Faeloria sighed, sending another barrage of mana-overloaded roots outward, clearing all the treantsing for her from every direction. The acrid scent of scorched wood filled the air. "At this rate, Aster will be in danger."


    Aster''s level was only 101. If he encountered monsters like these treants, his fate would be sealed.


    Of course, he could use his life as coteral to push his Frostfire Legacy beyond its limits to defend himself, but Faeloria wasn''t aware of that yet. To her, Aster was just a young man in need of protection.


    "..."


    Recalling Aster''s face made Faeloria feel a sense of urgency. "I can''t dy anymore," she muttered, her tone sharp. "I need to break through this maze as soon as possible!"


    However, there was one issue. Her ss, Watcher of the World Tree, relied heavily on the strength of the World Tree itself.


    It boosted her power far beyond what someone of her level could typically disy. But the dimension they were trapped in was somehow disconnected from the rest of the multiverse. The World Tree''s far-reaching branches couldn''t reach her, meaning many of her most powerful abilities were temporarily "sealed."


    Of course, what she lost was just her "ace in the hole." It wasn''t as though all her abilities were unusable.


    "..."


    Faeloria closed her eyes, focusing deeply. To lower the risk of what she was about to do, she had already cleared all threats within her detection range.


    *Vuooon!*


    A momentter, a powerful surge of mana exploded from her center, sending ripples of energy through the surrounding air. The strength was enough to make the "near-indestructible" walls of the maze tremble.


    When the release was over, there was a short silence... before everything reversed. Mana began flowing toward Faeloria, gathering in the center of her chest. What started as a small amount rapidly grew, far exceeding the amount of mana she had initially spread. The concentration became so immense that the air around her began to creak under the strain.


    The mana''s density was pushing the space to its limits, nearly breaking it!


    "Hack...!"


    But, of course, the mana she was trying to control was well beyond her capacity. Just holding onto the power made her feel like her body was on the verge of bursting. Power surged alongside the mana, even rupturing some of her blood vessels in the process.


    "...Just... a bit... more!" She didn''t stop.


    Pushing herself past her limit, she gathered twice as much mana before finally opening her eyes. Her pupils glowed blue, the same color as the mana, with white sparks darting around her body.


    Carefully, she sped both hands before her chest, as if in prayer.


    "Divine Skill: World Tree''s Descent!"


    She converted all the mana she had gathered into the fuel for a single skill. The sheer magnitude of the energy was enough to shake the very dimension, allowing the World Tree to finally "find" where its beloved Watcher was.


    All around Faeloria, from the tough ground and the gaps between the tiles, green sprouts appeared. In moments, the dreary space turned verdant, with flowers blooming everywhere. But the transformation didn''t end there.


    A single sapling burst through the ground before Faeloria. The sapling quickly grew into a giant tree, pushing against the ceiling within moments. Its roots thickened, tearing apart the ground and walls surrounding them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Faeloria, as if loved by nature, remained untouched. The roots moved around her, even forming a protective barrier. The branches spread far and wide, demolishing the walls as if they were made of y.


    In just a few seconds, the entire maze ceased to exist. The gigantic tree took over the area, leaving no walls, no Corrupted Demonic Treants, and no more tricky mechanisms.


    "Phew..."


    Faeloria sighed, checking her body''s condition.


    She had overexerted herself, causing her mana circuits to enter an overloaded state. A few minor injuries were visible, with blood staining her elf-style traditional clothes, but nothing that a simple potion couldn''t fix.


    But more importantly, she could finally see the exit.


    "Right, Aster''s safety takes priority over my own life!"


    Her expression hardened as she leaped onto one of the squirming roots beside her. As if it were alive, the massive root moved her upward before delivering her carefully to the exit.


    But just before reaching it, Faeloria hesitated. Her eyes narrowed as a foreboding sensation washed over her.


    She could sense the presence of something else waiting beyond the exit.

 Chapter 259 Exploring the Labyrinth - Human (1)

    "WAAAAH!"


    Aster jumped toward a corner, barely dodging something that was rushing toward him at blinding speeds. Of course, he didn''t have time to rest, as he needed to get up to his feet and resume running.


    "Stop fucking chasing me...!" He growled, checking behind him with a side nce.


    There, a wall was moving toward him, faster than even a speeding car. If not for his speed and stamina trained by Ardra to the limit, he would''ve been caught up by it and died long ago.


    Although he was roaring at the approaching "wall," he wasn''t even sure if it was a living being, or just a trap that he triggered without knowing. All he knew was that it was nearly indestructible, and that getting caught by it and mmed against the wall would kill him.


    How did he know it was near-indestructible? Of course, by attacking it.


    He sent elemental sword shes toward it the first time it appeared, but not even the slightest of scratches could be seen. All he got after it was a bruise to his shoulder after almost getting mmed by it.


    From then on, for a full five hours, he had been running nonstop.


    "Shi...!"


    To add, he was nervous with every new turn he took. After all, if he encountered a dead end by chance, then his life would, with a high probability, end then and there. A literal "end of the road" situation.


    He wasn''t sure if he was just lucky, or if the paths were justrgely interconnected, as he hadn''t encountered a single dead end for the entire five hours, covering over 300 kilometers by then.


    "..."


    But right now, he was feeling even more livid. For a while now, the path he was following only turned now and then, but never branched off. Apletely isted path. From that alone, the possibility of it being a dead end shot up greatly.


    *RUMBLE!* *RUMBLE!*n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although he wanted to stop, think, and even pray, the giant wall "thing" behind him wouldn''t give him enough time. It was obviously elerating; its speed was gradually increasing with every passing second.


    Aster turned to the right once more, and then, saw the path ahead. His face turned pale, but his legs never slowed down. The entire path¡ªroughly 300 meters long¡ªleads to a closed end.


    "FUCK!" He cursed.


    Although he now had to stare despair in the eyes, he still didn''t lose hope. His mind turned, thinking of anything that he could do, or use, to save himself from the current situation. However, his Spatial Fanny Pack didn''t have anything that could destroy arge, tough wall.


    ''Do I have no other choice?'' Aster thought, biting his lips.


    The 300 meters, with his current speed, could be covered in less than 20 seconds, and that 20 seconds was all the time he had to think of a breakthrough to this situation.


    His gaze went down, staring at the mark over his right hand, and he frowned. "Alright. It''s do or die!"


    He reached the end of the path and turned around, pressing his back against the tough wall, and faced that iing "wall" chasing him. The distance between them was roughly five seconds, more than enough time for Aster to prepare.


    The view through the anti-brainwashing mask allowed him to see traces of mana, and from his vision, he could see mana gathering in the middle of the giant wall, roughly 50 meters from the floor.


    Three seconds.


    Aster was already in the middle of casting his next attack, but his target was split between two. Will he risk shooting the part that was the center of the mana gathering within the moving wall? Or will he open a path right where he is, ensuring safety if, on the off chance, that his attack worked?


    "... Fuck it!" In the end, Aster decided to gamble.


    He aimed his right hand forward, his fingers folded into the shape of a double-barrelled gun. He carefully aimed, making sure not to waste hisst chance¡ªand fired.


    *WHOOSH!*


    A powerful, concentrated me, roughly a meter wide, was sent along the path of his aim. The me reached an astounding temperature of over 100,000 Kelvin, able to burn almost anything in its path.


    Well, Aster did pay a hefty price to produce such a result¡ªroughly half a year''s worth of his meager lifespan. It was a necessary risk/sacrifice, as his other choice would be to lose all his life otherwise.


    *VUOOOM!*


    The heat expanded the air rapidly, causing a booming sound that made Aster feel like his eardrums were breaking. Although he felt as if he was going to be deaf, he still didn''t move his gaze away.


    He watched as the beam-like me flew, and hit the giant wall''s center... and quickly melted through it. As soon as that happened, he saw the mana that was gathered there disperse explosively.


    He "killed" it! Aster was sure of that, and even felt a mix of relief and satisfaction.


    "...!"


    But still, there was onest problem¡ªsuch arge object would need quite a distance before it coulde to a stop. By the time Aster sted at it, the distance couldn''t even be 50 meters. Such arge object loomed closer to him, at a speed of 60 km/h. He would be like a ttened cake if he didn''t move out of the way!


    Of course, unlike earlier, where there''s no path he could take, right now, there''s one opening that could spell the difference between life and death. The "wound" that he opened with his attack! Stay updated via empire


    ''Can I reach it in time?!'' Aster worried.


    After all, the hole was about 25 meters off the ground. It would be hard to reach that high with just one jump!


    "HASTE!"


    Without dy, Aster prepared everything that he could. He activated Haste, improving his speed and reaction time. Then, he turned around, and jumped up, stepping on the face of the wall behind him, and running upward.


    A wall run!


    Of course, he couldn''t run vertically up, as that would make him fall immediately. Instead, he ran diagonally towards the right, reaching the wall. The path was about 4 meters wide, so that means both walls were 4 meters apart, making his nned stunt barely feasible.


    In just three small steps, he reached the right wall¡ªand kicked against it, pushing himself toward the wall, diagonally again, leading to the left side this time.


    Aster repeated this two more times, before finally reaching the same height as the hole. However, it was only 1 meter wide, and the distance between him and the moving wall was just a dozen meters now. Hepletely missed his timing!


    "HUP!"


    Having no choice, Aster took a leap of faith, aiming for the narrow hole. And then...


    *BAM!*


    ...


    "..."


    "Ugh..."


    Aster groaned in difort, pressing against his nose and forehead.


    By luck, he managed to reach the hole before the moving wall mmed against the other side. However, since there wasn''t enough space to maneuver, he ended up with his face¡ªcovered in the anti-brainwashing mask¡ªmming against the charred perimeter of the hole.


    But thankfully, other than the slightly painful face-m, he was rtively uninjured¡ªa few scratches, along with a light sprain on his left leg, were the only notable injuries he received.


    Aster tried to move, but his limbs gave out, causing him to fall forward. The tiredness from running for hours finally caught up to him!


    "Phew..." He sighed as he turned face-up, closing his eyes lightly.


    Right now, his position, being in the middle of the moving wall, was safe. Even if another wall came, he would remain untouched as long as he didn''t let his limbs go over the edge. The wall was over three meters thick, after all.


    He should take as much rest as he can, while he can. After all, he didn''t have any idea how much longer the maze was before he could reach the end.


    "Ah..."


    Aster gasped, realizing that if he adjusted the angle to point downward instead, then he might''ve had a shortcut through the maze by now! Sacrificing another half-year for the same level of attack? No way.


    "I was too tired; I couldn''t even think of such a simple and efficient solution..." He ced a hand over his face,menting hispse in judgment. "Well, what''s done is done." But he didn''t dwell on the matter for too long.


    After that, Aster took a short nap, about 30 minutes, resting his exhausted body for a "brief" moment.


    As soon as he woke up, he quickly checked the surroundings. Fortunately, another wall didn''te to disturb him. The path that he took before was clear, without a hint of danger in sight.


    "..."


    But for some reason, Aster felt that he shouldn''t go down there. His instincts were shouting at him, that there was "something" down there that would make him regret going down.


    ''What could it be?'' Aster wondered.


    Even the mask''s AR function didn''t see anything present in the surroundings, only the thin mana that was flowing like air all over the ce.


    "Uh?"


    But then, Aster realized the truth behind the feeling of incongruence he got.

 Chapter 260 Exploring the Labyrinth - Human (2)

    Aster narrowed his eyes, looking at the mana flow within his view. The mana density varies from above to below, almost as if the massless mana is "heavier than air" for some reason.


    "This can only be that, right?" Aster whispered, his lips puckered into a frown. "... Some sort of mana-made gas¡ªprobably a poison of some sort."


    Mana is present in the air, but seeing the difference in density between high and low positions, there was obviously "something" that was heavier than the air below. Of course, there''s a chance that it wasn''t poison, but thinking of the worst possibility made Aster unable to go down.


    "..."


    Right then, Aster began to think. Can he move through the maze without reaching the ground? The answer... was something he had already done earlier.


    "Wall run...!"


    He settled on a n the next moment and started to gather mana in his body. Despite his short rest, not all his fatigue was relieved. But, at least, it was able to let him recover about 70% of his lost stamina.


    "This much should be enough," he muttered, nodding to himself. "Haste!" And cast his support skill without dy.


    With Haste''s support, Aster reached an astounding speed. He jumped through the hole, and smashed against the wall, before kicking powerfully, sending himself to the other wall, spinning mid-air as he switched, turning his orientation 180¡ã.


    *THUD!* *DASH!*


    And while he wasn''t losing traction on the wall, he skipped diagonally upward and forward. When he could feel that his body was starting to move away from the wall, he would send a powerful kick, switching his running path over the other wall.


    With this method, he could maintain his altitude above 25 meters, maxing out at 50 meters, while going around the walls.


    Since he had no idea which path was the correct one, or had something that could tell him the correct path, he could only follow a weak solution¡ªthe right-hand method. Whenever he encountered a split in the road, he would go to the first path to his right. He followed this method until... He found himself going in circles.


    "I knew it wouldn''t be so easy..."


    Aster sighed, before extending a hand, creating a "marker" using ice in the middle of the path. It was unique in that it was angled to point toward the first right turn, making sure that he wouldn''t get confused if he saw it once more.


    Since he didn''t know which intersection was the start of the loop, he decided to set the one marked as his first branching point. From there, he continued to the second-right point instead and started continuing on his right-hand rule.


    Right, Aster was brute-forcing the maze''s solution! He would try all paths he could, and leave markers over the areas he already visited. The ice marker in the middle could have up to three pointed edges, markers for seeing them more than once. Aster used that to determine that he found the correct path¡ªthest possible path¡ªadding to his confidence.


    But still, Aster was too weak, merely at level 101. With his CON, he couldn''t run for over an hour straight without getting tired. Unlike before, when he forced himself due to the danger to his life, there''s no need to excessively punish himself.


    When he felt that he was "too tired" to continue, he would set up an icy tform about 10 meters tall, and use that as a resting point. Of course, just that much wouldn''t cost him a fraction of his life either.


    As he rested, he would stare at the ground, checking the situation. As he expected, everything below two meters was covered in that dense poison, but...


    "Is it starting to rise?"


    He could feel that the earlier height of the dense mana was lower than it was currently, making him feel slight danger. "Does this mean this maze would get filled with poison if I take too long to clear it?!" he realized, making himself panic.


    He was using a brute-force method, a method that guarantees a solution, but would take a "long" time. For sure, the paths would fill up with poison faster than he could find the exit at his current pace.


    "I can''t continue like this!" He grumbled. "I need to use my head and think of a solution, or this ce will be my graveyard!"


    However, just because he tried to think of a solution doesn''t mean he''de up with one so easily. He just kept staring at the poison, watching it flow gently and spread all over the ce.


    "... wait, a flow?"


    With that as the keyword, Aster found a probable solution. "The poison should have a source, and it would surely flow from the source to everywhere..."


    And of course, the more "free" the road ahead was, the faster the flow should be.


    "And flow stopspletely when an area is already saturated, with no exits..."


    In short, the direction where the flow is heading for the fastest must lead to some exit! Aster grinned excitedly, not realizing that he was this smart. He wasn''t a fan of puzzles, but thanks to the increase in his WIS stat, his mind was more "active" than before. Hence, it wouldn''t be a lie to say he got smarter!


    After his rest was over, Aster didn''t dy.


    He identified the major flow of the poison and began to follow it. Of course, he made sure to keep himself clear of the poison gas, maintaining his altitude around 15 meters from the ground at the least.


    At every major intersection, where the flow gets confusing, he would use ice markers and point to the path he took, preventing himself from getting lost.


    His method seemed to be working quite fine, as he didn''t encounter a dead end anymore. Furthermore, he could see that the poison''s density was dwindling. He was convinced that he was going in the right direction!


    *WHOOSH!*


    "...!"


    But then, something approached Aster''s face at blinding speed, making him almost slip from the wall from surprise!


    *TING!*


    By reflex, he pulled his sword from his Fanny Pack and quickly waved it toward whatever it was. After he felt solid feedback in his hand, and earned a few milliseconds to see the situation clearly, he frowned.


    *GURAAA!*


    Below, within the poisoned area, small beings holding bows were present. From their size, about as tall as a human is, they weren''t goblins, but they sure do look as ugly as them.


    *GURURU!*


    With the indecipherable growls as a method ofmunication, the leader-like one among them waved his hand, ordering a barrage. Arrows flew like rain, not giving Aster space to dodge!


    "Fuck...!"


    Of course, this situation was bad. He was doing a wall run so that he could stay clear of the poison below. However, the goblin-like things were standing within it, as if it wasn''t harmful to them.


    ''Is it not poison?''


    Such a thought entered his mind, but he didn''t dare test it. The risk wasn''t something he could take.


    "Crysta, please!"


    Although he could multitask, he didn''t want to overburden himself. As such, he left control of his defenses through Crysta, who rapidly deployed ice shields to block the arrows heading for him.


    With his defenses covered, Aster could focus on his offensive instead. He pointed his sword forward, using it as an aiming tool, and chanted. "Secundi rre Spicht! me Lance!"


    As he finished the chant, a single mingnce appeared above his sword. After a short dy, hovering in ce, the spear then flew straight toward the middle of the group of monsters.


    *Gasp!*


    But the resulting damage from his casual attack wasn''t something he predicted.


    As soon as the mence touched the "poison gas," the fire around it started to expand explosively. In a millisecond, the entire intersection turned red.


    *CRACKLE!*


    And as if in response to this, Crysta quickly deployed a spherical ice barrier around him. Then, a short dy of stillness, before... Everything turned white.


    *BOOOOM!*


    In a sh, the entire maze exploded¡ªno, it was more urate to say that the "gas" caused the explosion. He didn''t think that the thing he thought was poison was instead a mmable gas!


    His attack of the me attribute ended up bing the trigger, destroying "everything" covered by the gas.


    Right, everything, even the walls! As for Aster himself...


    "Ugh..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He could only groan lightly, trying to feel his entire body. Thanks to Crysta''sst-second shield, he wasn''t injured by the explosion. However, he ended up getting sted right against the ceiling, opening a hole through it that was a couple of meters deep.


    With his high vantage point, he could see how the paths cleared up, giving Aster a different path to take.


    "But first..."


    He was currently at the ceiling, roughly a hundred meters from the ground. Although he wouldn''t die falling from that height due to his high CON stat, he would still break almost all the bones in his body.


    "... How can I get down?"


    He couldn''t help but feel faint-hearted. He doesn''t have a skill that would allow him to fly, after all. Furthermore, he might be staying in ce with how the rugged ice sphere''s surface hung tight against the hole, but if it began to melt, then he would begin to fall. Explore more at empire


    It took him a full minute before deciding to do the same thing as when he jumped from his room in the Twister Hotel before¡ªan icy slide spiraling downward.

 Chapter 261 Unseen Forces and Silent Struggles

    In a dark room, with nothing but floating screens showing different scenes¡ªthree of which disyed Aster, Faeloria, and Vanessa''s struggles¡ªa figure stood aloft, staring ahead with a steady frown.


    "This is unexpected..."


    Lori muttered as she watched the feed of the three intruders exploring the maze-like pocket dimension she had created.


    The maze itself didn''t consume her powers, as its strength varied depending on the strength of the one exploring it. That was why both Faeloria and Vanessa encountered monsters over level 1000 along their path.


    Of course, the maze was designed to destroy those who entered, but the strength of each member far surpassed what their levels could disy. As such, the first stage of her n hadpletely fallen apart, allowing all three of them to explore the maze undisturbed.


    "Well, not really," a voice called, interrupting Lori''s thoughts.


    She sighed before slowly turning to her side, ring at the man sitting on the sofa inside the dark space, sipping tea as if the ce were his home.


    "The Vampire Princess and the World Tree''s Guardian are both well-known for disying strength beyond their levels. Clearing this meager maze shouldn''t even be a challenge for them."


    He paused for a moment, taking a sip of his warm tea and letting out a satisfied sigh.


    "But what''s weird is that male brat. Was he called Aster? Where did this brate from?"


    He added, ring at the screen showing Aster running along the walls like he was Spider-Man or something.


    "His strength is even more exaggerated than those two. It''s too risky to let him live. If I could, I''d eliminate him right here and now, but..."


    "..."


    Lori''s stare, nk and devoid of emotions, made the man raise one hand in surrender. "I know, I know. I''m just an informant, anyway. I won''t touch your prey, little missy."


    Lori kept her sharp gaze on him a while longer before slowly drifting toward another figure sitting across from him¡ªan orange-haired rabbit girl, Cassy, sitting quietly without moving an inch.


    Ever since she realized that Aster hade to her rescue, Cassy had brightened up. Her resistance increased, making Lori feel more conflicted than ever.


    Still, for her ns¡ªto take over the world with their powers and avenge the oppression their race had suffered over the past few centuries¡ªCassy''s presence was required. Lionel and Sebastian¡ªonce she released the seals on thest two members¡ªwould make Lori''s group unstoppable!


    "And so, Mr. Informant..." Lori spoke, her voice cold and devoid of emotion. "Do you think your subordinates have what it takes to hold back these three monsters?"


    The man smiled briefly, his teeth gleaming white like a moon in the deepest, darkest night. "Hmm, I trust their strength, but... it''s hard to tell. The odds are 7:3 for now."


    "... Seven for them?"


    "Nope, for our side, of course." He chuckled lightly. "But variables exist, so I can''t speak conclusively. Especially concerning that brat. But for the other two, well, our win is basically in the bag already."


    "Hmph..."


    Lori closed her eyes for a moment, giving up her futile attempts to put the man under her control. Although it frustrated her, she couldn''t say that her eyes were "almighty" just yet. Still, some of the weaker over-level-1000 adventurers would easily fall under her influence right now.


    She had actually wanted everything to end early, so she tried to brainwash Aster, Vanessa, and Faeloria at the same time. However, it didn''t work.


    It remained a mystery why Aster couldn''t be brainwashed anymore, but it was surprising that both women had such high resistance to her abilities¡ªignoring the fact that only Aster wore an anti-brainwashing mask during their encounter.


    With such high resistance to mental attacks, it would be hard to say that they would lose to fanatics so easily, making Lori half-doubt the mysterious informant''s words.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "...!"


    Suddenly, the situation with Faeloria changed rapidly. All she saw was a giant tree growing before the video feed of her floor cut off.


    Both Lori and the informant frowned. They had been convinced that Faeloria was cut off from the World Tree as long as she remained within Lori''s domain. However, that no longer seemed to be true.


    "... What about now? Do you still dare to retain your earlier im?" She turned to the man, taunting him slightly.


    The man kept staring at the now-ck screen, staying quiet for a few seconds before shrugging. "Well, I guess not. The chances just dropped a bit¡ªnow it''s 50:50."


    As he spoke, the man grabbed a small blue marble from his pocket, held it tight in his palm, and¡ª


    *CRACK!*


    ¡ªdestroyed it. As soon as he did, high-density mana began to fill the space.


    It was so thick that Cassy, sitting right in front of him, suddenly had difficulty breathing. She felt as if she were being strangled by the invisible force of mana in the air! Enjoy new chapters from empire


    "Kuh...!"


    But despite that, she didn''t let herself fall. She bit her lip and held on, sitting ramrod straight with her shoulders tense, no matter what happened. Her body faintly trembled as she gasped for air.


    Suddenly, her breathing eased. Of course, it wasn''t because the man had finished whatever he was doing, but due to the person holding Cassy''s shoulder¡ªLori.


    Using her mana, Lori protected Cassy from the man, allowing her to finally rx.


    Of course, the man remained unaware of what he had done, and why Lori''s re had grown sharper. He was too focused on his task.


    The mana that burst from the small marble he had destroyed slowly gathered into a single dot before suddenly disappearing. It happened so abruptly that even Lori wasn''t sure how it vanished!


    "As a clincher, I sent one of my Executors of Purity to handle her, so the win rate should be 10:0 now." He sighed, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, just above his ck domino mask. "With this, there shouldn''t be any variables. The World Tree''s Guardian will breathe herst today!"


    The man boasted, but Lori continued ring at him. Her hand, still on Cassy''s shoulder, tightened slightly as her mind raced, but only Cassy noticed this small change.


    "Lory..." Cassy whispered, patting the hand over her right shoulder. "I''m fine now." She added with a weak smile.


    "..."


    Lori quickly removed her hand, realizing she had almost let Cassy see whaty behind her "mask." She returned to her earlier position, staring at the screens without looking away, watching as the other two continued their struggle to clear the maze.


    Various intentions were shing, making it hard to guess which one woulde out on top in the end.

 Chapter 262 An Old Ally (1)

    Returning to the present, with Faeloria having destroyed the maze entirely, she headed straight for the exit in a direct line.


    As she flew, guided by the giant roots of the World Tree''s avatar, the remaining Treant-type monsters tried to attack her. However, they all fell before they could do anything. The strength of the World Tree was simply overpowering!


    "..."


    As she approached the exit, the feeling that someone was waiting for her intensified. She couldn''t determine who it was, but her instincts screamed for caution, indicating that this person couldn''t be weak.


    In just a few minutes, Faeloria arrived at the exit.


    Looking back, the maze was vast¡ªover 500 kilometers on each side. The entire path could have spanned thousands of kilometers, which would have taken her days to conquer if she had decided to brute-force her way through!


    "Now..." Faeloria sighed, shifting her focus.


    Uncertain if she could survive the next encounter, she wasted no time and changed out of her casual attire. She tapped the silver, unassuming bracelet on her right wrist, causing it to release a bright sh of light for a moment.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When the light faded, Faeloria''s appearance had changed dramatically.


    Instead of her casual clothes, she now wore her battle gear. Her entire body was covered in a skin-toned, tight, rubber-like suit that followed her every curve. A breastte shone in gold,plemented by a pair of silver gauntlets extending from her elbows to her fingers.


    Her lower body was covered by a thin, light-green skirt made from material that didn''t resemble ordinary fabric. Furthermore, she wore knee-high boots, a mix of white and green, with hints of gold. Her head was adorned with a faint, crown-like circlet made of what looked like thorny vines.


    On her back hung a bow that appeared simple and wooden, but the amount of mana emanating from it was extraordinary. She didn''t have a quiver with her, yet she didn''t seem troubled at all¡ªas if she didn''t need one in the first ce.


    "Hmmm, it feels a bit tighter around my chest..." Faeloriained slightly, furrowing her brows. "Did I get plump or something? No, there''s no way that''s true..." She wondered, quickly dismissing the idea, as if the very thought frightened her. "Anyway, it''s no time for jokes." Find your next read on empire


    Despite not having worn her battle gear¡ªeach piece at least of Legendary level¡ªin a while, her body still remembered how to use them. She quickly grabbed the bow from her back and pulled the string as a test, nodding in satisfaction.


    Her preparation wasplete, so it was finally time to face her enemy.


    The exit appeared as a square path, each side measuring three meters wide. Faeloria passed through it, staying in the middle while ensuring there were no traps along her path.


    About 50 meters ahead, she left the passage and arrived at a wide, chaotic space.


    She looked left and right, but she couldn''t find anynd that was intact. Instead, smaller fragments floated, moving around randomly like meteors.


    "Is this... outer space?" she wondered, narrowing her eyes. "No, this ce is still within the pocket dimension that Lori created! And..."


    Without warning, she drew her bow. Like magic, an elemental arrow appeared, nocked into the bowstring. She pulled the string back as far as she could before releasing it.


    *WHOOOSH!*


    The arrow glided through the air, growingrger as the mana around it was pulled in, like fuel adding to a fire. Therge arrow sped toward one of thergest floating rock fragments, causing it to explode upon impact.


    "Woah!"


    "Ahahah!"


    "..."


    From behind the rock, four figures leaped, moving to different floating rocks. Faeloria frowned as she scanned their faces. One of them was a female of the Aracelli race, someone she needed to be cautious of¡ªChronalisa!


    Although she was low-leveled, just below level 100, Chronalisa was more of a support character than a fighter. The real threaty with the other three¡ªall exuding strength that matched Faeloria''s own.


    "What a rude greeting, you bitch!"


    The first one was a serious-looking young man with brown hair and a foul mouth. His eyes had square-shaped pupils, and his head was adorned with downward curling horns¡ªa characteristic of the Satyr race. The sheep-like lower half of his body indicated that his human blood percentage was below 5%.


    "I told you she''d fire! Hahaha! I won the bet!"


    The other figure was roughly the same age as the Satyr, with yellow hair like the sun and tanned skin. She was a half-elemental woman with a cheerful demeanor¡ªbut a vicious heart. "With this, I can im your pinky as promised!" she chuckled.


    "That''s not how a pinky promise goes!" The Satyr growled, nitpicking her words. "Sel! Stop this maniac before I kill her!"


    The two continued their banter, calling for the third person. Faeloria turned, following their gazes, and her breath caught in her throat.


    "N-No... way..." she gasped, her eyes shaking from shock and disbelief.


    The third individual had features reminiscent of an elf, with long ears. However, everything else was different. Instead of golden hair blessed by the sun, hers was a deep silver, akin to the shade of the moon. Her skin was a shadowy gray, as if touched by the darkness of the night. Her piercing golden eyes stared coldly back at Faeloria.


    "You are..." she mumbled, struggling to say the name. "Selene Duskwraith!"


    The woman whose name had just been called showed no change in expression, remaining cold and indifferent as she spoke.


    "Yes, it is I," she announced. "It''s been a while, right? My sister?"


    "...!"


    Faeloria wished what she saw was merely an illusion. However, her high resistance to mental attacks made that impossible¡ªunless the caster was twice her level. The person before her was, without a doubt, her long-lost half-sister!


    "No way, how?!" But she still refused to ept what her eyes were showing her. "You... you should''ve...!"


    Just as she began to speak, a spray of some liquid shot toward her, forcing her to leap out of the way andnd on a nearby floating rock.


    "Tsk! Don''t dodge, bitch!" the Satyr cursed. "Do you have any idea how expensive this alcohol spirit is?! And you made me waste half a gourd!"


    "..."


    Faeloria nced back at her previous position, noticing the glittering droplets of powerful alcohol drifting in the air. But that wasn''t all. Along with it came aplex curse that would render her unable to act for a brief moment!


    "I don''t care what you''re thinking so hard about," the dark elf woman said, still looking down at Faeloria. "But my task is to dispose of you, so no hard feelings."


    A fight between sisters was brewing!

 Chapter 263 An Old Ally (2)

    Faeloria gritted her teeth.


    Three of the four enemies before her were almost at the same level as her. If they fought as is, then, no matter how hard she fought back, only defeat awaited her.


    "O'' World Tree!"


    But of course, that was if she was "alone."


    At her words, the roots that stopped chasing her at the entrance before started to swarm through the narrow passage, breaking it, and expanding the path forcefully! Like live tentacles, the roots flooded the space behind Faeloria, moving as if to keep the enemies in check.


    "Dispose of me?" Faeloria scoffed, putting aside the matter of how her sister was alive. "You''re not even qualified to test me!"


    In a fight against numbers, taking the initiative was the only way to survive. Without dy, Faeloria pulled her bow''s string taut. As she did, just like earlier, a magical arrow appeared, already raging with mana like a hungry beast.


    *WHOOSH!*


    And of course, her first target wasn''t the strongest among the group, but rather, the opposite. The weakest link, who also happened to be the support of their impromptu team, Chronalisa!


    The arrow flew, drawing a light streak across the open air, heading straight toward Chrona''s face. The projectile was too fast for her to react, much less dodge, ensuring her elimination!


    "Oops! That''s dangerous, missy~!"


    "...!"


    But to Faeloria''s surprise, the half-elemental woman managed to catch her arrow, and with a casual motion, made it dissipate into the air, doing no damage at all.


    "This one doesn''t seem like she wants to y..." She muttered, pouting with a finger against her lower lip. "Well, I guess I''ll just y with you, whether you like it or not~!"


    Right as she finished her monologue, something shed within Faeloria''s view. By reflex, she bent backward, watching as the shing object brushed against her cheeks, opening a light, bleeding cut.


    The shing objects followed a parabolic path, like a boomerang, and returned to the half-elemental woman''s finger, spinning rapidly on her finger.


    Faeloria caught sight of the weapon and quickly realized what it was. A circr de, with the outer edge sharp enough to cut someone on touch, with staggered teeth like a saw. It was a modified chakram!


    "Oh~? You dodged it! Amazing~!" The woman cheered, jumping in excitement. "Then, what about this~?!"


    The same as before, without any preparatory motion whatsoever, Faeloria could only see shes approaching her from all directions. "Psychokinesis?!" she grunted, before raising her bow and calling. "World Tree''s Roots! Be a shield and protect me!"


    As if understanding her words, the squirming tentacle-like roots started to move, and quickly surrounded Faeloria, creating an impable wall. At the same time, she pulled the bow once more but didn''t simply load one arrow.


    "Drilgrail''s Bow Skill: Thousand Meteors!"


    What appeared wasn''t just a single arrow, but arge one that even covered Faeloria''s entire arm with a golden glow.


    *SWOOP!*


    As she let go of the bowstring, the light flew straight up, reaching for the dark skies. The giant arrow elerated even after it left the bow, before¡ª


    *BOOM!*


    ¡ªThe arrow exploded, turning into thousands of smaller fragments, like bright dots of gold in the darkness of space. It was a beautiful sight... Only if the stars stayed in their rightful ce in the sky.


    Like an upset torrent, the thousands of fragments started to fall, gaining speed via a mystic force besides gravity. The dots soon approached, their size increasing by eating up the mana present in their surroundings until each fragment was asrge as a house!


    "Aha~! This is dangerous~!" The elemental womanmented, her face covered with a wide smile despite their predicament¡ªas if she wasn''t even worried.


    A momentter, the reason why she was rxed finally came to light. "Devour everything, Schied." A casual voice muttered without a hint of excitement or worry.


    But right then, the darkness of space squirmed, before...


    *PLOP!*


    It devoured all of the glowing, gigantic fragments of Faeloria''s attack!


    She quickly realized that the space around her wasn''t actually the darkness of outer space, but rather, simply turned dark due to the "something" that blocked out all light.


    "That is...!" Of course, Faeloria quickly identified what it was.


    An ancient spirit that was said to be the dark elf race''s guardian since the dawn of mana, the Shadow Spirit King¡ªScheid!


    "SELENE!" But Faeloria''s face wasn''t filled with fear, facing a being that wasparable to a god, but instead, was colored in worry. "You do know what the price is to employ the Spirit King''s service, right?!"


    "... Of course." But the dark elf, Selene, answered tly, her emotions remaining unperturbed. "Scheid asks for live sacrifice whenever I renew the contract. Last time, it was... A thousand? I forgot."


    "...!"


    Hearing her half sister talk about killing thousands of lives, innocent or not, without batting an eye made her feel her blood turn colder than ice. The Selene before her was not the Selene she knew anymore...


    "You¡ª"


    *RUMBLE!* *RUMBLE!*


    And just as she was about to say a word or two in disdain, the roots that were protecting her started to release scary noises as if they were about to be destroyed!


    *CRACK!*


    And a few secondster, her fear became reality. The World Tree''s roots, supposed to be near-indestructible, were torn down like an old, rotten tree!


    "Heh! Forgetting about me, you bitch?!" And from the fragments of the broken roots, a figure rushed forward, jumping close to Faeloria''s body¡ªwithin melee range!


    ''Too fast!''


    The enemy had alreadye within attacking range, so it was way toote to try and gain distance. Instead, she quickly activated the protective barriers of her armor¡ªthe Golden Apple''s Breastte¡ªand hoped for the best.


    *BAM!*


    A simple punch rang through the thin protective barrier, but the impact of the hit felt like it messed with her internal organs. Blood rushed up her throat, but she quickly pushed it back!


    "You look so fierce, and you''re using such a feminine martial art, Soft Fist?!" She grumbled as she drew her bow, shooting at him from point-nk range.


    The arrow flew straight toward the Satyr Man''s face,pletely undodgeable!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "RAGH!"


    But as if he wasn''t even scared of it, he stepped forward and caught the arrow with his teeth! The arrow''s momentum was lost, inflicting absolutely no damage to the enemy at all!


    "Kuh!"


    Still, the slight dy that he offered for trying to block the attack allowed Faeloria to remove the roots around her and use them to attack the goat man relentlessly.


    "Hah! Too weak!!!"


    But as if the roots were nothing but paper mache, the man was destroying them so easily, taking one step forward after another.


    Faeloria frowned as she assessed the situation. The man had caught her already, making it hard to shake him off. The half-elemental woman was watching the situation with a smile, neither cheering nor booing at the man.


    As for Selene, she wasn''t even watching, looking further into the distance¡ªtoward where the World Tree was located.


    "That thing''s a hindrance..." she whispered under her breath. "Sra, go and cut down that stupid tree."


    The half-elemental woman turned her head toward Selene in a sh, her smile bing even crazier than before. "Oh, I''m allowed to do that?! Yeeey~!" She cheered, jumping in ce.


    "Then, since Kaz is ying here, I''ll go over there now~!"


    And after saying her piece, with a light jump, her figure vanished. No, to be exact, her body was converted into a photon and moved to the target space at the speed of light!


    Faeloria, who was keeping an eye over their movements, saw this and ground her teeth once more. ''Crazy! If they all work together, then...!'' Just trying to run away from the Satyr Man¡ªKaz¡ªalready had her hands full!


    After overseeing the figure of Sra, Selene turned her cold gaze back to where Faeloria was, watching over her as if the battle had nothing to do with her.


    "Stop running, you fucking bitch!!!"


    Since Faeloria kept on moving, Kaz was already nearing the end of his ropes. His face was turning as red as a tomato from anger, and the muscles in his legs started to bulge to more than twice their usual size.


    "I SAID¡ª!"


    *BOOM!*


    He kicked off the ground, sending himself forward at blinding speeds, andnded a punch against the barrier protecting Faeloria.


    "STOP RUNNING!"


    *BAM!*


    His punch continued toward her face unhindered after shattering the barrier,nding squarely against Faeloria''s cheeks.


    "...!"


    She tried to follow through with the punch, minimizing the damage, but the swing of his fist was way faster than her head turning. In the end, only a quarter of the force was dispersed, as her entire body flew across the empty space, only stopping after hitting a random floating meteor.


    "Agh...!"


    Faeloria coughed out blood, her vision blurring from the impact, shaking her head. ''I... need to move.'' She thought, but her body refused to follow. She was stunned!


    Of course, just because she was teetering close to turning unconscious, she took a deep breath and bit her lips¡ªthe opposite side to where she got punched.


    The pain temporarily made her return to her senses, but she was still a step toote.


    Right before her face, another fist was iing!

 Chapter 264 An Old Ally (3)

    Faeloria watched as the man''s fist approached her face. She was too weak to dodge, her body battered and barely standing. The world around her blurred, and she braced herself for the blow.


    "Hold it!"


    However, the man''s fist was abruptly stopped by a hand.


    The interloper''s voice echoed coolly. The one who had intercepted the strike was none other than Selene, her half-sister!


    Faeloria, barely able to keep her eyes open, met Selene''s cold gaze. The stark contrast between the two of them was painfully clear: Faeloria, the fallen guardian, struggling to stand, and Selene, the relentless avenger, calm andposed as always.


    "It wouldn''t be interesting if you died too fast," Selene remarked, her tone t butced with venom. "We''re not having a contest to see who can destroy you the quickest. Killing you slowly, as you did to me, is undoubtedly a lot more interesting."


    Her words were like ice, and though they were harsh, Faeloria couldn''t argue. Twisted as Selene''s interpretation was, the essence of it held truth. The past hung between them like a heavy fog, impossible to ignore.


    "I... didn''t let you die back then!" Faeloria''s voice, though weak and hoarse, carried a determination that refused to break. "You know that... You should''ve known that!"


    "Enough." Selene cut her off, her voice sharp, as if the very idea of discussing their past was a personal affront. "I didn''te here to relive old memories anyway. Whatever you think you did doesn''t matter. What matters is what I went through. You didn''t expect me to survive, did you?"


    The usation stung, but Faeloria remained silent. Her mind drifted back to when they first met, not as sisters but as strangers who didn''t even know of their shared blood.


    They were both members of the elite Hit Squad¡ªjoining at the same time¡ªtasked with missions that required the utmost discretion, particrly pertaining to the city''s defenses.


    It wasn''t until they joined the squad that they learned they shared the same father. The discovery shocked them both, but they initially ignored the connection. They wererades in battle first, and family was a distant afterthought.


    Yet, as they trained together, fought side by side, and survived countless missions, something changed. What began as professional respect evolved into a reluctant bond and, from there, into a genuine sisterhood. They started to watch each other''s backs, not just out of duty but out of care.


    The brutal world of the Hit Squad had forged a rare trust between them, and for a time, it had seemed unbreakable.


    Then came the mission that shattered everything.


    The Devouring.


    The n was for it to be a straightforward containment, with no further expectations. Faeloria had been tasked with controlling the Ancient Shadow Spirit King, a vtile entity that could only be bound by her abilities as a Watcher of the World Tree. However, during the mission''s execution, her failure was catastrophic.


    The Spirit King had slipped from her control, its dark power spreading like wildfire. It consumed everything in its path¡ªtrees, animals, people. It was a force of destruction, relentless and unstoppable. Faeloria had done everything she could to rein it in, but it was beyond her. And in the chaos, Selene had been caught in the crossfire.


    Faeloria had fought desperately to save her sister.


    She could still remember the terror in Selene''s eyes, the choking darkness that surrounded them both. She had used every ounce of strength, everyst spell she knew, but it hadn''t been enough. She''d failed. The Spirit King had torn them apart, and when the devastation finally ended, Selene was gone.


    Faeloria had thought she''d died that day¡ªbut she hadn''t.


    Selene had survived, though Faeloria hadn''t known it until this very moment. And when they finally met again, Selene was no longer the sister she remembered. She was colder, harder¡ªa survivor who had wed her way back from the brink and who now med Faeloria for every moment of agony she''d endured.


    "I never stopped trying to save you," Faeloria whispered, her voice strained with the weight of guilt. "But I was too weak."


    "Weakness isn''t an excuse," Selene replied, her voice like steel. "You failed. And I paid the price."


    Faeloria grated her teeth. There was nothing she could say to change Selene''s mind. The bond they had once shared was shattered, reced by bitterness and resentment. Faeloria understood Selene''s hatred, even if it tore her apart. She had always seen herself as the one responsible for Selene''s "death."


    No matter how much she had tried to control the Spirit King, no matter how desperately she had fought to protect her sister, in the end, everything boiled down to her severeck in strength. That failure haunted her, even now.


    "You think you''re the only one who suffered?" Faeloria muttered, her voice low. "I''ve carried the weight of that day every moment since. But I won''t let you destroy me for something I never stopped regretting."


    Selene''s cold gaze didn''t as much as shake. "I don''t care about your regret. I care about what''sing next."


    Before Faeloria could respond, Selene turned away from her, the tension in the air still thick with unresolved pain. For a brief moment, there was silence between them, broken only by Selene''s grating voice as she walked toward Kaz, the man whose fist she''d stopped.


    "You''re done here," Selene said to him, her voice devoid of emotion. "It''s now my turn. Buzz off.."


    Kaz groaned with discontent, then nodded stiffly before retreating. The air felt colder as he left, as if his presence had been thest thing tethering the moment to reality.


    Faeloria''s legs trembled, but she forced herself to stay standing. She knew she couldn''t afford to fall now. Not in front of Selene.


    "I''ve never forgiven myself for thinking you''ve died," Faeloria said softly, watching as her sister continued to walk away. "But I''ll never stop trying to make things right."


    Selene paused for a heartbeat; her back still turned. But then she kept moving, disappearing into the shadows without a word.


    [Then...] Shortly after, her voice echoed from all over the ce, as if a god projecting her voice toward all directions. [Let''s see if your penance will save you from my wrath!]


    Faeloria steadied herself, struggling to stay upright as Selene''s voice lingered in the air like a haunting melody. The darkness around her seemed to pulse in response, growing thicker, appearing more oppressive.


    Every breath Faeloria took felt like she was inhaling a cold, frozen mist!


    Suddenly, without warning, the shadows surged forward, taking the shape of jagged mouths, gaping and gnashing with hunger. Faeloria barely had time to react as they descended upon her, tearing into her flesh like ravenous beasts.


    "Ack!"


    A sharp cry escaped her lips as the pain ripped through her body, her weakened state making her defenses pitiful against Selene''s onught.


    [Is this how you n to face me?] Selene''s voice echoed mockingly from the void, her presence felt everywhere and nowhere all at once. [Still the same helpless guardian, too weak to protect anyone, let alone yourself.]


    Faeloria staggered backward, her body trembling as the shadows bit into her skin, leaving trails of searing pain and blood. She fought to stay on her feet, refusing to fall despite the agony.


    The shadows were relentless, attacking from every direction. Every time she tried to block or parry, they shifted, their form unpredictable, elusive¡ªjust like Selene.


    ''I can''t keep this up...'' Faeloria thought, gritting her teeth as her vision blurred from the pain.


    She needed to do something¡ªanything¡ªto turn the tide. Selene''s mastery of the shadows was far beyond anything Faeloria had anticipated, especially with it being the shadows controlled directly by the Shadow Spirit King. But she couldn''t give up¡ªnot now.


    "I have... the duty to protect Aster!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Her hand reached for the acorn-shaped pendant hanging from her neck, usually hidden under her clothes, a relic from the World Tree itself. It was herst resort, her trump card. She had been saving it for a moment like this, knowing the cost of unleashing its power could be dire. But she was out of options.


    Discover hidden content at empire


    ''It''s all or nothing...!''


    With a surge of determination, Faeloria channeled her remaining mana into the pendant, feeling the ancient magic within respond to her call. A faint green glow surrounded her as the power of the World Tree coursed through her veins, renewing her strength. The ground beneath her trembled as her connection to the natural world intensified, and with it, the power of her spells magnified.


    Her eyes shed with a fierce light as she raised her hands, calling upon the forces of nature. "I won''t be helpless anymore," she whispered, her voice carrying a renewed strength. "Not against you, not against anyone!"


    In an instant, the air around Faeloria changed. The shadows that had been biting at her retreated, momentarily held back by the surge of magic that poured from her. Vines shot up from the floating rocks¡ªeven on those away from her¡ªentwining with the darkness and holding it at bay.


    A gust of wind whipped through the battlefield, swirling around Faeloria as she released a barrage of spells. Each attack was five times stronger than before, tearing through the air with lethal force.


    The shadows "screamed" in response, the mouths recoiling as the vines cut into them. Faeloria pressed forward, her spells raining down in a relentless assault. For a moment, it seemed like the tide was turning¡ªlike she was finally gaining the upper hand.


    But Selene... she was nowhere to be seen.


    Faeloria''s heart raced as she scanned the battlefield, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow. The attacks were powerful, yes, but they were useless if she couldn''t find her main body! The darkness was Selene''s domain, and she had vanished into it like a wraith!


    "Where are you...?" Faeloria muttered, her voice edged with frustration.

 Chapter 265 An Old Ally (4)

    Faeloria could tell that Selene was somewhere nearby, yet she couldn''t pinpoint her exact location. It was like searching for a pin lost in a haystack, submerged in a pitch-ck void where even her sharp elven sight was rendered useless.


    The darkness around her felt almost alive, suffocating and pressing in from all sides, as if it were trying to swallow her whole.


    ''I can''t rely on my eyes in this situation,'' she realized, shutting them and allowing her other senses to take over, forcing her instincts to guide her.


    The vines Faeloria had summoned were already hard at work, thrashing and coiling against the sentient shadows that encroached from every direction, holding the darkness at bay. With her vision shut off, the world opened up in new ways.


    Her ears caught the faint rustle of movement, the sound of something slicing through the thick air. Her skin prickled with awareness, sensing a gaze that was fixed intently on her, piercing through the surrounding gloom. And then, her sixth sense hummed with certainty¡ªSelene was right there, just beyond her reach.


    "...!"


    Trusting her instincts, Faeloria moved without hesitation, stepping forward and extending her hand into what seemed like empty space. To her astonishment, she didn''t grasp air, but the solid form of a wrist. It was Selene. The shock on her face was palpable; Faeloria had found her!


    "Now!" Faeloria wasted no time. As soon as Selene was exposed, the vines obeyed her mentalmand, swarming toward her half-sister like ravenous creatures unleashed.


    "SCHIED!"


    Selene snapped out of her shock, her body reacting with the speed of a seasoned warrior. With a fluid motion, she called upon the power of the Shadow Spirit King, its dark, ethereal form flickering into existence, blocking Faeloria''s attack and rendering her vines momentarily useless.


    "Ugh!" Faeloria grimaced but didn''t loosen her grip. Her fingers mped down tighter, like an alligator''s bite, refusing to let Selene break free.


    Realizing that escape was futile, Selene countered with a swift, yful chop aimed at Faeloria''s neck. Though the attack seemed harmless, Faeloria sensed the deadly, refined Shadow Elemental energy cloaking Selene''s palm, turning the gesture into a potentially lethal strike.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    *THUD!*


    Faeloria reacted instinctively, raising her arm to block the blow before it couldnd. Her hand caught Selene''s chop with a powerful grip, and the two stood locked in ce, their arms crossed, neither giving an inch.


    *CRACKLE!* *CRACKLE!*


    Sparks of energy erupted between them, the sheer force of their shing powers electrifying the air. Though they were locked in a silent struggle, both knew the real battle had just begun.


    Selene wasted no time, casting spells with lightning speed, channeling the Shadow Spirit King to do her bidding. Each spell was quick and deadly, of the 6th rank or higher, capable of dealing fatal damage if any of them hit their mark.


    *BOOM!* *BABABABAM!*


    Faeloria responded in kind, her defenses kicking in automatically. She mirrored Selene''s spells with precision, countering each one with her own, but with a little more power behind them. The resulting collisions exploded in brilliant bursts, the violent sts shaking the air as they neutralized each other.


    Your journey continues with empire


    Explosions rippled through the void, apanied by wild waves of unstable mana. The sheer force of the sts should have thrown them apart, yet neither Faeloria nor Selene could afford to move.


    It appeared to be a stalemate, but Faeloria knew she held the advantage. Her vines were nearly finished silencing the shadowy mouths that gued the area. Once free, they would swarm Selene with renewed fury.


    Faeloria didn''t dare blink, her eyes sharp as she tracked every minute movement Selene made. She could feel victory within reach. And yet, the battle ended in an unexpected twist.


    "...!"


    In an instant, Faeloria''s strength vanished, draining from her body as if the very source of her power had been cut off. It happened so suddenly that she froze, unable toprehend what was going on.


    *BAM!*


    Before she could react, Selene capitalized on the moment, her foot driving into Faeloria''s stomach with devastating force. The impact sent Faeloria flying, her body crashing into a floating rock hundreds of meters away. Blood spilled from her lips as she fought to stay conscious, her internal injuries severe.


    Her vision blurred, though her will remained unbroken. But in the back of her mind, a question burned.


    ''Could it be?!''


    She pieced together what had likely happened, though it seemed too impossible to believe. ''Did they destroy the World Tree''s Offshoot?!''


    The World Tree was supposed to be indestructible, its bark harder than the strongest metals. To damage it was one thing, but to destroy itpletely? The thought seemed absurd.


    "Ehehe~! I''m back~!" A light, teasing voice interrupted her thoughts, and a figure descended from the void. "And I brought a little souvenir~!" the voice chimed, holding up a glowing golden apple.


    Faeloria''s already pale face turned ghostly white. That was Idun''s Golden Apple, a fruit only found on Yggdrasil''s highest peak. Its presence confirmed her worst fear¡ªit was she who had severed Faeloria''s connection to the World Tree''s power!


    A frown appeared on Faeloria''s face, her already blurry vision growing worse as despair slowly took root in her heart. The crushing weight of defeat settled over her like a suffocating fog.


    "You thought you were winning?" Selene''s cold voice sliced through the silence, mocking her.


    A short whileter, Selene approached the downed Faeloria, towering over her with that same detached, insensitive gaze.


    "Too bad, I was a step ahead of you the entire time," she jeered, grabbing Faeloria by the cuff of her golden armor and hoisting her up effortlessly.


    Faeloria barely resisted, her body limp and unresponsive. Her gaze fell on her half-sister''s face, a face she hadn''t seen in so long, and yet here it was, closer than she''d ever expected. The emotions she had buried deep within her heart began to stir, bubbling up to the surface as hope faded from her soul.


    "A, is it over on this side too? How disappointing¡­" A voice chimed in from behind Selene, yful and brimming with sadistic glee. Sra, the half-elemental woman, peeked from behind, her fiery eyes twinkling with mischief. "I was hoping to make her suffer until she cried tears of blood and ended up dried out like a mummy~!"


    Selene barely spared Sra a nce, replying nonchntly, "There are still two more after her. You can have your fun with them." Her voice dropped, turning deadly serious as she focused on Faeloria again. "But this one¡­ I will take her life myself."


    The glint in Selene''s eyes had changed¡ªcolder, darker, and burning with a deep-rooted loathing. There was no mercy in her gaze, only raw hatred that had been simmering for years.


    Without uttering a word, Selene raised her hand and conjured a spear made from writhing shadows, a powerful 6th-tier spell. She didn''tunch it toward Faeloria, though. Instead, she grasped the spear tightly in her hand, ready to personally deliver the killing blow. She aimed the spear directly at Faeloria''s heart, her eyes flickering with cold intent.


    Faeloria, utterly defeated, didn''t move. She couldn''t even muster the will to dodge. But as the final moment loomed closer, a flicker of doubt crept into her mind. Why wasn''t she fighting back? Even in this weakened state, couldn''t she at least bring down one of them?


    Her gaze shifted, her mind racing for answers. Her eyesnded on Chronalisa, the mysterious figure who hadn''t moved a muscle since the battle began. Chronalisa''s haunting blue eyes, with their red star-shaped pupils, stared unblinkingly at Faeloria, sending a cold shiver down her spine.


    ''I was under mind control?!''


    The realization hit her hard. She had fallen victim to maniption, and now it was toote. Selene''s spear was only milliseconds away from piercing her heart.


    "My minions..."


    "...!"


    A voice, cold andmanding, echoed through the void, interrupting the fatal moment. Blood-red bats swarmed toward Selene, rushing at her like a flood of angry insects.


    Selene, focused entirely on ending Faeloria''s life, was caught off guard. She hesitated for a split second, intending to ignore the interruption, but realized the danger toote. A wall of crimson blood erupted between them, forcing her to retreat as it created an imprable barrier.


    For the first time, Selene''s cold demeanor faltered. Her expression twisted with seething rage. "Who the fuck interrupted me?!" she screamed, her voice trembling with fury. "You''re asking for death!"


    High above them, a figure hovered, cloaked in revealing red garments that shimmered like fresh blood. Her pose was regal, yet her body was battered and bloodied from a recent battle, a deep wound running across her cheek. Despite her injuries, her presence radiated power and authority.


    "That should be my line," the neer, Vanessa Ross, scoffed, her voice dripping with contempt. "How dare you try to kill her? She''s my man''s side girl¡ªyou don''t get to take her life without my permission."


    "..."


    Though Faeloria was grateful for the unexpected rescue, Vanessa''s words left her speechless, her exhaustion briefly forgotten. She couldn''t help but want to retort, her mind swirling with a mix of disbelief and exasperation.

 Chapter 266 An Old Ally (5)

    While the enemies were distracted, Vanessa moved beside Faeloria, quickly assessing her current state. However, even from a distance, it was painfully clear that the poor elf was in no condition to aid in battle.


    Her mana had dwindled to pitiful levels, and her injuries¡ªboth internal and external¡ªwere far from mild. Dark bruises and cuts littered her body, and her breathing was shallow andbored, signaling the toll the battle had taken.


    "You sure pushed yourself," Vanessa sighed, her eyes narrowing with a mix of concern and disapproval.


    Without wasting time, she waved a hand, casting a minor healing spell to ease Faeloria''s pain, before tossing a few vials of her signature potions over to her.


    "Drink these. They''re my prototype potions. Though theye with some side effects, I guarantee they could bring even someone on the verge of death back to life."


    Faeloria hesitated, her fingers lingering over the vials. She wanted to refuse. She should refuse. But as the old saying goes, beggars can''t be choosers. Without many options, she picked up one of the vials, wincing as she uncorked it and inhaled the strong, metallic scent of blood.


    "Ugh!"


    Her body instinctively recoiled, but she forced herself to steady her trembling hands. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and downed the potion in one swift gulp. Her face twisted into a grimace¡ªa mixture of pain, disgust, and, to her surprise, relief.


    "Wow..." she whispered under her breath as the potion took immediate effect.


    True to Vanessa''s word, her wounds began knitting themselves together with supernatural speed. Even her smashed internal organs, which had left her barely able to stand, mended themselves as if they had never been damaged. She felt her strength returning to her, the aches in her muscles fading like a bad dream. But despite the potion''s miraculous effects, Faeloria''s gaze darkened with suspicion.


    She turned to Vanessa, unable to suppress her curiosity any longer. "...You mentioned a side effect, right? What exactly is it?"


    Vanessa, nonchnt as ever, shrugged while keeping a wary eye on the battlefield, where her familiars continued to hound their three remaining enemies.


    "It''s nothing too extreme. The potions are made with my blood, and as a vampire, my body fluids naturally have a... stimting effect on the one who ingests them."


    "In short?" Faeloria''s voice grew tense. She didn''t appreciate Vanessa''s tendency to speak in circles.


    Vanessa nced at her with a deadpan expression. "It''s an aphrodisiac disguised as a potion. I originally made it for Aster, but..."


    "WHAT?!" Faeloria nearly choked on her breath, her wide eyes fixed on Vanessa in disbelief.


    She had just swallowed a concoction made from vampire blood¡ªand worse, it was functioning as an aphrodisiac!


    Her stomach churned, not from the potion itself but from the realization of what she had just consumed. She wanted to shout at Vanessa to berate her for her sheerck of decency, but this was hardly the time or ce for a lecture.


    A sudden sh of light sliced through the air, interrupting her thoughts. It materialized in the narrow space between Faeloria and Vanessa, forcing both women to react swiftly. Faeloria instinctively cast a defensive spell, summoning a wall of thick, gnarled vines and roots, while Vanessa, ever the aggressor, ignored defense altogether, focusing instead onunching a counterattack.


    Her hand blurred like a razor-sharp de, cutting through the air toward the figure''s neck.


    "Ah!"


    Vanessa''s strike was effortlessly dodged.


    The neer, a half-elemental woman, turned her body into an immaterial form for just an instant, allowing Vanessa''s hand to pass harmlessly through. The half-elemental''s grin widened as she rushed forward, her speed dizzying.


    "You look fun, auntie! Let''s y~!" The woman''s voice had a teasing lilt, but her choice of words struck the wrong chord with Vanessa.


    "Aunt¡ª?!" Vanessa''s eyebrow twitched in irritation.


    Her temper red instantly, and with a surge of power, a crimson wave of blood erupted from her like a tidal wave. "You stinky brat! I''m far too young to be disrespected like that!" The blood wave, pulsing with dark energy, surged toward the half-elemental woman, who smirked as if underestimating the attack.


    With a quick flicker, she attempted to slip through it by transforming into a mass of photons once more.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    *BZZT!*


    The wave crackled with electricity, an unexpected current of energy that shattered the half-elemental''s concentration. Her body solidified mid-transition, and the next thing she knew, her entire form was engulfed by the electrifying blood wave.


    A puff of smoke escaped her lips as she crumpled to the ground, her charred body twitching weakly.


    Vanessa stood over her, scoffing as she kicked the half-elemental''s head like a discarded toy. "Idiot..." she muttered, her voice dripping with disdain.


    The momentary silence was shattered by a loud *BAM!*, as another of their enemies¡ªKaz, the impatient satyr¡ªsmashed through Faeloria''s defensive wall with brute force,unching a direct assault on the weakened elf.


    Vanessa nced at him, her eyes narrowing. The battle was far from over, and despite the strength of their enemies, she knew one thing for sure¡ªshe was not going down easily.


    But something else nagged at her¡ªa sense of wrongness in the air. It wasn''t just the attacks she had to worry about. No, something far more insidious was at y.


    *BAM!*


    Kaz, who had been focused on breaking through Faeloria''s defenses, found himself too preupied to notice Vanessa sneaking behind him. Shended a solid kick to the back of his head, a move swift and calcted.


    It was a clean hit!


    However, Kaz barely reacted. He turned his head slowly, a smirk curling across his lips as if amused by her attempt.


    "You think such a flimsy attack could hurt me?" he growled, the confidence in his voice unmistakable.


    His hand shot out with the speed of a viper, grabbing Vanessa by the ankle before she could pull back. With a cruel grin, he yanked her toward him, winding up a punch aimed squarely at her face. The force of his strike shattered the air, the shockwave crackling with power.


    But Vanessa didn''t flinch.


    "Believe me," Vanessa said calmly, her form flickering as Kaz''s punch passed harmlessly through her head. "My attacks may look simple, but they aren''t."


    Her body dematerialized, dissolving into a swirling cloud of dark-red bats, much like how Sria, the half-elemental woman, could disperse into photons.


    "Huh?!"


    Kaz''s cocky retort was cut short as his world spun. A sharp pain ripped through his insides, and without warning, he began to cough up blood.


    "You¡ª!" he gasped, his body trembling as he dropped to his knees.


    His hand pressed against his stomach, and his vision blurred. Vanessa reappeared behind him, her expression smug.


    "I told you," she murmured, watching as Kaz''s once-imposing figure crumpled under the weight of her attack.


    He red at her, but his eyes had lost their fire. Weakness overtook him, leaving him so frail that a simple touch could finish him off.


    Faeloria, who had been witnessing the exchange, stood in disbelief. She had known Vanessa to be strong, but this level of dominance over such a fierce opponent was beyond anything she had imagined. Within the Hit Squad, Vanessa might just be second in strength to their leader, a title not easily earned.


    Just as Faeloria was about to offer a word of praise, something in the distance caught her eye. A subtle shift in the shadows¡ªthe enemy''s next move. "Watch out!" she shouted, her voice filled with urgency.


    Vanessa, ever-alert, had already sensed the shift.


    Selene and Chrona, two of their deadliest adversaries, stood motionless on the battlefield, seemingly waiting for something. The eerie stillness of their presence sent a shiver down Vanessa''s spine. Something was off, but it wasn''t until Faeloria''s voice echoed in her ears that the realization dawned on her.


    "That Aracelli girl," Vanessa muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing. "Her brainwashing can bypass even my resistance. Be on guard!"


    Faeloria''s eyes widened as the truth hit her. Aracelli, their cunning opponent, had already sunk her mental ws into their minds, twisting their perceptions. They had been under her influence without even realizing it.


    Vanessa didn''t waste another second. She quickly retrieved a vial from her ring-shaped spatial storage, downing the contents in a single gulp. The moment the potion coursed through her veins, her eyes shifted from their usual blood-red hue to a sharp, icy blue.


    The concoction was a special brew designed to counteract visual and mental maniption by disrupting the flow of mana and altering the properties of her sight. In short, it blocked all forms of ocr-based brainwashing.


    But she was toote.


    As her senses cleared, Vanessa''s heart sank. Selene and Chrona were already upon her. Selene, faster than expected, waved her hand, summoning a shadownce that shot up from beneath Vanessa''s feet, aimed directly at her head.


    "NO!"


    Faeloria screamed, raising a barrier of thick roots between the two in a desperate attempt to block the attack.


    Thence collided with the roots, splintering them, but it wasn''t over yet. A barrage of shadownces rained down from above, each one chipping away at the defenses Faeloria had summoned.


    Vanessa, undeterred, summoned her own forces. With a wave of her hand, a swarm of blood-red bats and rats surged from the earth, throwing themselves at Selene''s shadows in a ferocious counterattack. "Come, my minions!" she called, her voice steady as the battle waged on.


    Selene sneered, her focus unwavering. "Devour them, Schied!" shemanded, her own shadows swirling to meet Vanessa''s forces. The air crackled with tension as the two opposing forces shed.


    Despite the ferocity of the battle, there was one critical problem: Chrona stood untouched, unnoticed amidst the chaos. With both Faeloria and Vanessa tied down by Selene''s relentless assault, Chrona took advantage of the distraction, pulling their injured allies from the battlefield one by one.


    Her time-maniption abilities kicked in as she ced her hands on each of her fallenrades, reversing the flow of time and restoring their bodies to their uninjured state.


    "Damn it!"


    Faeloria cursed under her breath as she watched their enemies regain strength.


    The effort Vanessa had put into weakening their ranks was rapidly being undone, all thanks to Chrona''s unique powers. The realization that they were now back at square one filled her with frustration, but there was no time to dwell on it.


    The battle raged on, each side refusing to back down.

 Chapter 267 Side 01: Girls Excursion

    While the battle was getting even fiercer for Faeloria and Vanessa, and Aster''s fate remained unknown, the others were also busy doing their own things.


    Inside arge, familiar building, three figures, plus one dog, gathered in one of the meeting rooms. The one sitting on the head seat, the ck-haired catkin, Celestinya, mmed her palm against the table and growled.


    "We can''t just sit down like this, twiddling our fingers, while Darling is fighting!"


    To her right sat a beautiful dragonkin, Lizandrea, with a little puppy sitting on top of herp, leaning its head on the table¡ªstartled by the sudden m. "Well, it''s true that we can''t help." She shrugged,ining lightly. "Aster''s strength is already high above ours, and he was still owned by Lori and herpany."


    Even if they came along with Aster, they would simply be deadweight in the battles ahead. Of course, they couldn''t chase after them either. Magnus had already enhanced the security measures surrounding Orinfeld City. Right now, even space-element mages aren''t allowed to go in or out.


    Although they were locked inside, it was simply a measure to protect them, so the residents didn''t really object to such drastic measures. Rather, they didn''t have the leeway to even raiseints.


    The damage suffered by Orinfeld City was lighterpared to the other cities, but it was still tragic. One in ten people died during the Aracelli Race''s rampage, causing everyone to be in a wake-like mood. Fortunately, nobody dared to me Magnus, the one who was currently doing his best to help everyone. As such, "peace" was maintained.


    But that had nothing to do with the girls, as they weren''t ones to think of the bigger picture like some politician.


    "I say we enter the dungeon and raise our levels!" Tina suggested. "With Argus, Darling''s pet, with us, then we should be safe there!"


    Her words had some truth, but still, thest person within the room scoffed. She raised her head lightly, causing her white hair to cascade back along the side of her face, revealing her cool, dignified, and manly expression.


    "Vixen, did you forget how they took that stupid rabbit already?"


    "..."


    Right, Cassy was grabbed by the enemies right inside the very dungeon that she imed to be "safe"! Tina bit her lip, unable to counter Kali''s words, but still wanted to do something, anything, that could make her feel like she was not simply wasting time.


    "Right! If we can''t go into the dungeon, then let''s go shopping for some new equipment!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    They already have their stable equipment, along with misceneous tools inside their Spatial Fanny Packs. However, if they could be picky, then upgrading their items would be a good choice.


    "For example, a new Spatial tool, like a Spatial ring!" Tina eximed, her eyes glittering with excitement. "Ahh~! I want a pair ring with Darling~! This can be taken as an engagement ring, right~?"


    "Engagement?" Liz tilted her head, thinking about it seriously. "They say an engagement ring is three month''s worth of the man''s sry... so something around 3 billion? Isn''t that too cheap?"


    "That''s too expensive, you bourgeois dragon!" Kali gritted her teeth, trembling at the idea. "Do you want him to sell his organs or something?!"


    "Huh? But my father..." She started, about to mention a previous case, but recalled that she was trying to hide her real background.


    She lightly scratched her cheeks,ughing wryly, while agreeing with Kali''sment. "Ah, right. I''m just someone born into a normal family, so that really is too expensive. Haha..."


    Of course, neither Kali nor Tina believed her little lie, since both of them knew her true background to the smallest details.


    To Liz, the Millicent Dragon Alliance''s princess, a billion Tels is just somewhat in the normal range in her senses, not too much at all. But for real normal people, a billion is already enough to live a few years leisurely!


    "But buying a Spatial ring or some other forms or essories like a bracelet is a good idea."


    Kali sighed, paying her unbiased opinion regarding the matter while leaning heavily against the backrest of her chair. "We did earn quite a bit on the side while passing through the 10th floor, so we can splurge and upgrade our misceneous tools too."


    As they head deeper, staying within the dungeon for a day or two while clearing it would be the norm. As such, having a portable home instead of just tents would ensure that everyone could rest without worry.


    "Great!" Tina smiled. "I didn''t expect you to agree, but well, it''s decided then! Let''s head out!"


    Strike while the iron''s hot! With that mindset, Tina dragged Liz, Kali, and Argus together with her, heading toward a ck car, before driving away. Their destination was just a couple of minutes away, fortunately, so they didn''t need to waste much time.


    Furthermore, due to traffic dropping by over 50% due to the aftereffects of the damages, they arrived even faster at their destination.


    "T-This is..."


    Liz''s smile twitched, staring at therge sign hanging in front of therge building before them. Millicent Dragon Alliance''s Adventurer''s Tools and Equipment Solutions¡ªOrinfeld City Branch... It was a bit of a mouthful reading the full name, but fortunately, there''s a more easily memorizeable short form for it. Millicent DATE Solutions!


    Of course, the title having a little "romantic" tone to its abbreviation was unintentional. However, most parties with a mixed gender end up making a pair or two within their group.


    Millicent was the only provider of portable homes for dungeon delving, then it could be said that they''re the ones "spurring on" or "supporting" the rtionships between adventurers, earning them a reputation that doesn''t lose to their moniker.


    Of course, the item they were nning to buy there was that very item: a portable home!


    "W-Wee, customers! What are you looking for?"


    As soon as the three entered, all staff within the lobby turned their gaze toward Liz for a brief instant before addressing the other two. They tried to act as if they didn''t know who Liz was, but their acting was subpar. The woman who approached them, nning to be their guide, even stuttered while speaking!


    Tina, of course, didn''t really care. She chose this ce not because she knew who Liz was, but because they simply needed to drop by.


    "Hmm! I''m looking for the best love nest you have! I want me and my darling to spend the safest, mostfy night while inside the dungeon!" She asked, raising the hurdle in one go.


    The troubled saleswoman smiled professionally, guiding the girls and one dog toward the floor with the Portable Homes. After riding the Magic Elevator for a while, they arrived at the 50th floor, where the said item was being disyed.


    "Woah!"


    Yes, disyed. The entire portable home was not in its usual portable state but was instead expanded to its normal grandeur!


    "Spatial Expansion Runes?"


    Kali muttered, realizing that the 50th floor wasrger than what the floor should be, as suggested by viewing it from outside. While she was distracted, Tina had already selected a piece and raised her voice excitedly.


    "I want this one!"


    "...?"


    Kali turned after hearing her voice, checking out the house that she selected. "What the fuck?!" and couldn''t help but curse.


    The portable home that she selected was equipped with a full kitchen and even had a total of 10 fully furnished double rooms. Not only was it spacious, but it was also packed with the highest level of Rune-based defense technology. Not only was it passively protecting the users inside, but it could also fight back and drive off rtively weaker monsters away.


    "That''s a sick design, pass!" But Kali would never want to sleep in it.


    The overall design was giving it an overall pink color and atmosphere, filled with hearts and all that, making it look more like a "love hotel" than a normal building.


    "Excuse me? I''m not asking for your opinion, though?!" Tina growled at Kali, picking a fight. "I''m buying this for me and darling alone! You lot could piss off somewhere else for all I care!"


    "No means no!" Kali crossed her arms, not relenting at all. "If Aster was here, he''d surely reject it too!"


    "Ah, you two. How about this one? It looks good."


    Liz, feeling that they would continue fighting until the sun had set if left alone, quickly tried to change the topic. She pointed toward another portable home nearby. Kali and Tina turned, only to see arge building that was brightly shining. Every nook and cranny of it was painted in gold... No, not gold-colored paint, but literal gold.


    The price tag that was ced before it was easily over 500 billion!


    "REJECTED!" Both catgirls roared in unison.


    They were looking for a ce that would protect them, not one that would definitely pull the attention of some unruly adventurers! "Furthermore, that''s outside our budget!" Kali added. "Keep the price within 1 billion to 5 billion, and we''re talking!"


    The girls continued checking out a few more units around and decided to buy one that cost roughly 10.7 billion Tels¡ªwhich was brought down to exactly 5 billion through discounts.


    Just like that, their team now no longer needs to set up tents whenever they need to rest!


    *BEEP!*


    Right then, Tina''s phone rang. She quickly checked its contents, which made her lips curl into a smile.


    "Looks like our ride waspleted too. Let''s get that along the way after we''re done here."


    She turned to the saleswoman and ordered her. "Now, take us to where the engagement¡ªI mean, the Spatial storage rings are located!"


    Their shopping was just beginning!

 Chapter 268 Dimensions Core (1)

    Around the same time that Faeloria and Vanessa were busy fighting against thebined might of Selene''s group and Chrona, Aster was also in the middle of something.


    And no, it wasn''t the maze that he was in the middle of.


    Aster was running through the destroyed walls, moving as fast as he could, while trying to find the exit of the maze. However, while he was doing so, he passed through something invisible and activated it.


    "Huh?!"


    A magic circle appeared around his body, surprising him. He tried to move out of it but realized it was toote. The magic circle glowed brightly, making Aster close his eyes.


    It didn''t take him an instant to realize what it was¡ªa teleportation trap! It happened so abruptly that he was shocked still for a few seconds right after his transition.


    "This ce is..."


    After snapping out of his stupor, he started looking around, but the ce was something unfamiliar to him. It wasn''t anywhere within the maze that he destroyed, at least.


    The ce looked like a dimly lit cave, with the path being jagged, circr, and leading toward the deep darkness. Aster was standing in the middle of the path, unsure where to go from there.


    Having no choice, he simply chose the right-hand path and walked carefully.


    "Priodis Liora Consorie Sphar! Small Light Ball!"


    Since it was too dark forfort, he cast a simple light spell, pushing away the shadows. After letting it fly above his head, he continued walking forward, carefully watching where he stepped, to not fall for another trap if ever there was one.


    "Master, there''s something ahead... ??"


    And just as he was wondering how long the path would be, Pyra''s voice echoed in his ears. Turning to the side, she was actually out, floating beside his head, with Crysta a few inches behind her.


    "Something?" Aster asked in wonder. "Can''t you identify what it is from here?"


    "I can''t," she answered tly. "All I could tell is that it''s powerful. Way more powerful than your two escorts.??"


    "..."


    Aster stopped in his tracks and went silent. If whatever it was was more powerful than Vanessa or Faeloria, then meeting it would spell certain death¡ªif not, it''s still very risky.


    But the problem was that he wasn''t sure which side would lead to the exit.


    "Should I go and check the other path first?" he wondered, looking back. "Huh?" but was bbergasted.


    The path behind him was now closed, as if there wasn''t a path there right from the start. Aster frowned, confused as to what was happening. "Is this ce a maze too?" That was the only exnation he could muster.


    However, now that he had nowhere else to go, he had no choice but to head toward the powerful being that Pyra detected. His feet felt heavier, reluctant to move, but he had to forge on and see what it was first.


    The sound of his rubber soles crushing the stones underfoot echoed loudly. Without a doubt, whatever it was at the other end of the path had already noticed him from the sound of his footsteps alone.


    Minutes passed, and finally, the view of the narrow cave started to change. The rocky surface, dull-gray and nd, started to transition into a shiny metallic surface. Aster raised a brow, curious.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Master...!?" At that moment, Crysta flew forward as if to protect Aster.


    With a wave of her hand, a thick wall of transparent ice appeared, blocking the pathpletely. Aster took the time he gained to see for himself what his current enemy was, but was left in shock.


    "What is that thing?!"


    The thing ahead of him was, due to theck of proper words to describe it, an abomination. It was a gigantic blob of everything mixed together. It had eyes of various sizes, probably from various races, with hands and fingers of different shapes and sizes. Its body oozed with a ck smoke, which looked dangerous to Aster even though he had no idea what it was.


    "Master, that ck haze is its Miasma! Please avoid getting in contact with it!??" Pyra exined as she went to back up Crysta.


    With her twin sister blocking the miasma from reaching them, Pyra pointed both palms forward and controlled the temperature ahead of them. Without holding back, she raised the temperature to the maximum that she could without having to consume Aster''s life. In an instant, the air became hot enough to make the metallic walls and floor turn burning red!


    *GURGLE~!*


    But even under that intense heat, the monster remained nonchnt. It was as if it couldn''t even feel the heat at all!


    ''The ck smoke disappeared, at least.'' Aster mused, thinking that Pyra''s effort wasn''t wasted.


    "Looks like magic doesn''t work on this thing!" He concluded after watching for a while before pulling out a sword. "I''ll charge in! Crysta, open a path and cover me! Pyra, just maintain whatever you''re doing!"


    "Easier said than done...!??"


    Despite her short grumble, Pyra didn''t spare any effort and even tried to increase the temperature. Aster, protected by the two''s blessing, charged through the hot space. With his passive, normalizing temperature around him to normal room temperature, he couldn''t be damaged by Pyra''s attack!


    "Haap!"


    With just three steps, he reached the monster''s side and swung his de. As usual, he was using Elemental Sword sh along with it¡ªcast almost reflexively, not needing much attention anymore.


    His de went through the monster, chopping off arge section of its body. Although his attack seeded, Aster frowned. After all, the monster didn''t show signs of being intimidated at all. Rather, all of its irregr eyes turned toward Aster, locking onto his figure.


    "...!"


    At that moment, he felt as if he fucked up. "Crysta!" He shouted, calling for backup.


    Without dy, Crysta followed hismand and cast another wall of ice, separating Aster from the monster at once.


    *WOBBLE!* *BAM!*


    But just by moving its body and mming it lightly against the ice, it quickly crumbled into a million shards. Crysta''s eyes opened wide, unable to believe that her prided defense was broken so easily!


    "Damn! This kind of monster should be something that appears right before reaching the demon lord in games! Someone like me, who''s like just starting off from the beginner vige, can''t even fight it on even footing!"


    Aster backed up but reached the wall the next instant, surprising him. He forgot; the path closed down as soon as he passed through it!


    "Shit...!"


    Just as he was thinking of what to do, the monster rushed toward Aster, rolling like a wheel. The many protrusions and the uneven surface of its body made it one disgusting sight, but he didn''t have the time to even look away.


    *BAM!*


    The wheel-like enemy smashed against the wall shortly after. Thanfully, Aster had already jumped out of the way. If not, then he would''ve be just like the cave-like wall, smashed and caved in.


    The power gap between them was too high, so fighting it wasn''t an option. Thankfully, after dodging its attack, their positions got switched. "Let''s run!" And without hesitation, he turned tail and ran away.


    He had learned one important lesson while he was suffering from sparring with Ardra¡ªif you can''t beat the enemy, just run from it until you find a breakthrough! Of course, 9 out of 10 times, it still ends in a failure, but at least he could limit the damage he received in the end!


    To add, the path he was running toward right now was the only path remaining. For sure, an exit exists somewhere around there. Aster prayed that he finds it without much trouble, allowing him to escape from his current predicament.


    "...!"


    But as soon as he got out of the first metallic passage, the sight ahead of him shocked himpletely. The entire ce was void of any paths. He was currently standing at the edge of his one and only path, looking down toward endless darkness. If he fell from that height, he''d die no doubt.


    *GURGLE!*


    Of course, he can''t just stay in the same ce forever. After all, a monster was hot on his tail! Aster looked around, searching for anywhere he could escape to. Without much trouble, he found a solid candidate for it¡ªgiant floating cubes!


    Those cubes, each about three meters on each side, were floating randomly around, circting the room. Aster could only say that it was magical how it was floating, given that it doesn''t have any propulsion device¡ªa in, solid block of metal.


    "Master, hurry!??"


    As he was dallying, the monster was catching up. Pyra urged him with an urgent tone, causing his hesitation to disappear, overwritten by fear of death.


    *THUMP!*


    Aster kicked against the edge, jumping to the closest floating cube below him, about ten meters away. However, his fall was a bit too fast forfort!


    "Grab on, Master!?"


    Thankfully, Crysta was alert. She quickly made an ice pocket attached to the giant cube, where Asternded safely. His heart was still beating rapidly from almost falling to his doom!


    But with this, he was finally safe... Or so he thought.

 Chapter 269 Dimensions Core (2)

    *Gurrrgleee....*


    Hearing the sound of the weird monster behind him, Aster turned around. There, he saw its horrid body jumping off the edge, expanding wide like a piece of cloth, and gliding downward!


    "Shit!"


    Aster cursed as he felt his blood run cold. He thought he was already safe! Without wasting another moment, he turned in the other direction and jumped up toward the next closest floating block!


    Still, despite its amorphous shape, the abomination was faster than Aster was. Given a few seconds, it would definitely catch up to him. Of course, he didn''t wish for that to happen!


    "Crysta, dy that thing as much as you can!"


    "As you wish!?"


    True to his orders, Crysta did as best as she could to hamper the blob''s advance. However, her prided ice walls were treated like they were just paper doors, broken in an instant, and barely slowing it down.


    Aster didn''t look back, but he could tell the situation from the loud thuds that echoed a few times a second. Instead of fearing the enemy catching up, he instead focused on finding a path onward, heading somewhere, anywhere, away from the enemy.


    Thankfully, the entire space was flooded with gigantic, floating metal cubes. As such, Aster didn''t run out of space to jump toward. Although he was making headway, there was one problem that he was facing.


    ''I''m gradually going down!''


    As it was harder to jump up to the next block than to leap to the next one below, he naturally moved down, spiraling toward the dark abyss below them. He wasn''t sure if there was something there or if it was a ce where you couldn''t return once you reached it, but he now had no choice but to continue.


    There''s an "angry" monster hot on his tail, after all. Turning back would expose him to the monster''s attacks, so that''s a big no!


    *GURGLE!*


    "...!"


    Suddenly, a familiar, abominable monster appeared, falling toward the abyss from before his eyes. He felt joy for a short moment, thinking that his enemy made a mistake, falling to its death... But then he realized that the one chasing him was still behind, approaching him gradually.


    Without much thinking, he realized what was going on. "Fuck! There''s more of them?!"


    Looking around, from a few more of the passages, other slime-like abominations appeared, moving as if to chase Aster. They were like moths drawn to the me, gathering with Aster as their destination!


    His situation was gradually turning worse, making him grind his teeth in frustration. As seconds passed, the more the army of abominations woulde closer to him. Time wasn''t his ally in this situation. He needed to find the exit or whatever along those lines and escape fast!


    After about a minute of running, Aster finally noticed the bottom of the dark space. It wasn''t actually bottomless, so his fears were alleviated, even just a little.


    "...!"


    But still, his chasers were hot on his tail. He couldn''t even let down his guard, as they would sometimes throw things over at him, which he had no choice but to dodge using his own strength.


    Crysta was busy dying the few dozen blobs chasing them, while Pyra was handling the miasmaing out of them and making sure it wouldn''t affect them. Aster was busy running away while also dodging the infrequent long-range attacksing his way.


    All three of them were focused on their tasks, each pivotal to their survival!


    About three more grueling minutes passed, and finally, Aster reached the bottom. The ce was the same make as the passage they first arrived at,pletely made out of metallic materials. It was to the point that Aster was getting worried about electric attacks, as he couldn''t avoid getting into contact with the floor.


    "Master, over there!??"


    Right then, Pyra shouted right beside his ears, pointing toward the right. Aster turned to where she was looking and noticed something. A giant crystal, about five meters tall and three meters wide, in the shape of a scalenohedral prism glowing with a peaceful blue light.


    Although he wasn''t sure what it was, Aster turned and ran straight for it. Along the way, he saw the sttered bodies of the few monsters that fell before. From that, he could at least learn that they weren''t immortal, at least. However, it was useless information for him, who couldn''t even deliver effective damage against them in the least.


    As they approached, Aster noticed something drawn on the floor. Aplex magic circle, shining faintly in the same blue color as the giant crystal.


    "Master, that must be this Dimension''s Core!" Pyra eximed. "If we can destroy that, we can get out of this space altogether!??"


    "Is that true?!" Aster felt as if he finally found the solution to his problems.


    Without missing a beat, he increased his speed, rushing toward the "core." But as he did so, he forgot one thing¡ªthe mysterious magic circle drawn on the metal floor.


    When he reached midway through the gigantic drawing, all the lines that were originally glowing faintly started to release a bright sh. Aster, whopletely forgot about the magic circle''s presence, was shocked by its sudden activation.


    "Fu¡ª!"


    And before he could even curse, his body was covered by a bright light and sent toward a different space. As luck would have it though, only he was teleported away, leaving the blob-like masses of abominations behind.


    "..."


    When Aster''s vision returned, he was already in another space entirely.


    Around him was nothing but darkness, but a short distance away, a few figures could be seen. One was a silver-haired beauty, standing straight while keeping watch over a few monitors floating before her. Her profile looked so graceful that anyone who saw her would feel her dignity overflowing.


    To the left, a sofa set was ced. And on it, two more figures could be seen. The one facing toward Aster was a man, wearing what would be ssified as "magician''s" wear. Not a mage, but the "slight of hands" type of magician.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    And thest one, with her back facing Aster, was barely visible, other than her alert pair of orange rabbit ears. Seeing her familiar figure, Aster''s voice came out by reflex.


    "... Cassy?"

 Chapter 270 Dimensions Core (3)

    Aster''s voice was soft but wasn''t quiet enough to not be heard by those present. Two pairs of eyes turned toward him at the same time, a mix of surprise and wonder visible in their expressions.


    "...!"


    But more than that, the person whom he just called, Cassandra, had her ears twitch greatly from hearing Aster''s familiar voice. She moved, standing up and turning around. Despite her eyes being covered by an ugly scabbed wound, her "gaze" went straight to where Aster was standing, as her lips trembled lightly.


    "... Star...?"


    Her voice was a mix of wish and surprise. After all, she wasn''t expecting Aster to arrive right where she was so fast. Just a few moments ago, Lori and the masked man were chatting about Vanessa and Faeloria''s situation, after all.


    From the way they spoke, the two girls were fighting at a disadvantage, so that made Cassy think that her rescue wouldn''t arrive so soon¡ªand worried for their safety at the same time.


    Aster, upon hearing Cassy calling his name, smiled. "Cassy!" He eximed. "I''m here to save you!"


    But just as he was about to run forward, something flew across the air and embedded itself onto the floor. Looking closer, it was a dagger with beautiful relief designs¡ªdefinitely not a cheap one.


    "Woah, woah!" The owner of the dagger stood up, walking forward. "You must be Mr. Aster Mistral, right? The 100% human kid that Magnus was hiding?"


    He had a slightly old, baritone voice, making Aster guess that his age was somewhere between 35 and 40. However, his well-toned body could be seen even over hisyered clothes.


    [Master... be careful. He''s strong!??]


    [I don''t think I can block his attacks either. Please don''t think of receiving his attacks, Master.?]


    Just from the man''s presence, both Pyra and Crysta were already giving up the fight. The mana leaking out of him, although he was trying to hide it, was something that gave out his level. From the twin''s guess, he was roughly the same level as Faeloria in terms of mana alone!


    Aster frowned at the two''s input.


    The knife that the man threw was enough of a threat to him. After all, he couldn''t even catch his movements. If that wasn''t a warning and instead aimed right at the center of his head, then he would''ve died then and there helplessly!


    "... What if I am?" he answered after a long pause, gauging the man''s reaction.


    "Hmm?" He hummed while tilting his head, his mask making it impossible to see his eyes. "Well, I was nning to kill you, but..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "...!"


    His words sent a chill down Aster''s spine. The bloodlust that he exuded at the mention of the word "kill" was enough to freeze Aster on the spot!


    After a short silence, the masked man shrugged with a creepy smile. "... Well, I decided to watch and see for now. I canplete my objective anytime I want to, after all."


    Aster could feel the threat the masked man posed. He furrowed his brows, narrowing his eyes, as he asked him. "You... Who are you?"


    "Oh! Pardon me."


    The man shuffled as he giggled before performing a perfect performer''s bow toward Aster, smiling the entire time.


    "You can call me Arima. And although it''s not much, I''m working as the President of the Anti-Human Movement." He fluidly exined, as if he was used to doing his introduction already. "We''ve been in your care for a few times. Please allow me to thank you for that."


    *WHOOSH!* *STAB!*


    "... Ack!"


    Another knife flew at speeds that couldn''t be tracked by Aster''s eyes. Before he realized it, the de had already embedded itself against his left arm, the impact sending his entire body rolling along the ground.


    Rather than receiving a knife, he felt as if he had just been smacked by a speeding truck!


    "Haha, let''s call it even with this."


    The manughed as he returned to his seat. As he sat down, he picked up his teacup once more¡ªalthough already cold¡ªand finished the remaining in one go.


    "Star!" Cassy, smelling the blood that was drawn, raised her voice in worry.


    "Secundi¡ª!"


    *Snap!*


    And just as she was about to send a heal his way, the masked man snapped his fingers, interrupting her casting process. "Ah, please behave, littledy. I might be forgiving, but I''m no saint."


    Aster bit his lips as he grabbed the knife¡ªembedded through his left hand''s biceps until the hilt¡ªand pulled it out. A mute scream of pain escaped his lips as he did, but he didn''t let the pain get the best of him.


    Without dy, he grabbed a potion from his Fanny Pack and downed the content in one go. Although it wasn''t as fast as Cassy''s healing spells, his wound still started to close up. The pain remained in his mind, but it wasn''t enough to stop him from moving now, at least.


    Aster crawled back to his feet, standing wobbly. "Lori..." He called, facing the only other person apart from the masked man, Arima, and Cassy. "I''m taking Cassy back," he announced, his voice sounding as if he was not taking a no for an answer.


    Lori nced at Aster, her eyes already showing the multi-pointed star-shaped pupils. She stared at him intently but quickly sighed.


    "My eyes aren''t working on you, as expected." She murmured as if grumbling. "But that isn''t a reason for me to return Cassandra to you."


    *THUNK!*


    Without warning, Lori waved the long staff in her hands and tapped its butt against the floor. The sound echoed widely, reaching Aster soon after.


    "I still need her for my ns, so just piss off."


    Aster closed his eyes, calming his mind. The pain from his earlier wound had already faded¡ªto add, the masked man didn''t seem to n to interrupt the two''s fight.


    "Alright." Aster nodded. "Then, I''ll take her back by force!"


    He drew his sword before covering it with electrifying arcs of lightning. Aster was nning to go all out right from the start!


    Lori''s expression remained cold and t, not even batting an eye at Aster''s deration. She simply stared at him and called.


    "Aster, if you show me that you are strong enough, I might reconsider."

 Chapter 271 Dark Hands

    Both sides stood still for a brief moment, their eyes locked, measuring each other. Aster could feel the tension in the air, like the calm before a storm.


    Then, without warning, he took the initiative. In a burst of speed, he dashed forward, sword gleaming as he aimed a powerful downward sh at Lori''s left shoulder.


    "Naive..."


    Lori''s voice was calm, almost mocking, despite the force behind Aster''s attack.


    While his speed was impressive for someone at level 100, it wasn''t enough to catch her off guard. With a casual flick of her wrist, the staff in her hand swirled through the air, and the floor beneath them began to shift. The once solid ground turned into a ck, bubbling bog, expanding rapidly between them.


    The change was subtle, barely distinguishable from the already dark surroundings, but Aster wasn''t alone. His twopanions, Pyra and Crysta, were ever-vignt, their senses finely attuned to the fluctuations of mana around them.


    [Master, don''t step on that floor! It''s a trap!??]


    Pyra''s fiery voice rang out in his mind, a warning he immediately heeded. ncing down, Aster noticed the bubbling surface just in time. The ck bog was almost unnoticeable, but the strange texture gave it away, making it clear that stepping into it would be a grave mistake.


    He sharply turned his body, pivoting on his heel to avoid the trap. However, Lori had already anticipated this. She wasn''t idle while he dodged¡ªher incantation was alreadyplete. From the center of the bog, hundreds of ck, ethereal hands burst forth, writhing and reaching out with terrifying speed, each one aiming for Aster.


    The sight was unsettling, to say the least. The dark, skeletal hands moved unnervingly fast, and Aster found himself reacting purely on instinct, dodging and weaving through them. But the hands were relentless, and despite his agility, one of them managed to graze his arm.


    "...!"


    His eyes widened as a strange sensation coursed through him. It wasn''t pain, but something far worse¡ªa draining feeling, like his very energy was being siphoned away. His mind raced.


    ''Energy Drain!''


    The thought hit him immediately, though his knowledge of the spell was far fromplete. One thing was clear: if these hands caught him fully, it would be disastrous.


    Aster shed at the hand with his sword, severing it cleanly at the wrist. The dark appendage dissolved, vanishing into the air. But his victory was short-lived.


    The severed portion of the arm bubbled and frothed, rapidly regenerating into a new hand. It was as if the darkness itself was infinite, capable of restoring whatever he cut down.


    Frustration bubbled up inside him. Each time he struck down one of the hands, another took its ce, and with every swing, he found himself being pushed further away from his target. Lori stood behind the mass of ck hands, unbothered, as though she had all the time in the world.


    ''Tch! At this rate, I won''t even get close to her!''


    His mind raced as he dodged another set of hands. Each time he tried to advance, the ck hands shifted, always moving to block his path. They seemed almost intelligent as if they were reading his movements, preventing him from making any meaningful progress.


    Aster gritted his teeth, frustration mounting. The ck hands were not only physical restraints but also drained his energy whenever they made contact. If he got caught, he would bepletely at their mercy. He needed to change his approach¡ªand fast.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After retreating a safe distance, beyond the reach of the hands, he took a deep breath, his mind racing through his options. He couldn''t just keep running or swinging his sword aimlessly. He had to break through her defenses.


    "Secundi rre Spicht! me Lance!"


    His voice echoed through the chamber as he cast a spell, summoning a fierynce that shot forward with deadly precision. Lori''s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting such an attack. But her surprise didn''tst long. Her expression quickly hardened, and she raised her staff once again.


    The dark hands shifted from their pursuit of Aster to intercept the mence, swarming around it like a ck tide. In an instant, the fiery projectile was extinguished.


    "What...?!" Lori gasped, but her shock was short-lived.


    By the time her attention returned to Aster, he had already closed the distance between them. Using one of his newly learned skills, Ground Shrink, he had moved across the battlefield in a blink, appearing right in front of her. His sword was raised, ready to strike.


    "HAAAP!"


    Aster let out a fierce battle cry, swinging his sword with all his might, aiming to cleave Lori in half. But despite the suddenness of his attack, Lori''s reflexes were sharp.


    She raised her staff horizontally, catching the de. The impact was jarring, but the staff held firm. Despite its fragile appearance, the staff was enchanted, strong enough to withstand even Aster''s powerful blows.


    Without missing a beat, Aster followed up with a spinning kick, aiming for Lori''s side. However, Lori was prepared. She shifted her stance slightly, lowering her elbow and blocking the kick with her forearm. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, but Lori barely flinched.


    "Damn it!" Aster cursed under his breath.


    Her defenses were incredibly tough, and every move he made was met with a swift counter. She was not only skilled but also unnervingly calm, even as the battle intensified.


    Aster backed off slightly, reassessing the situation. Lori was far from a simple opponent. Her control over the dark magic, the regenerating hands, and her unyielding defense made her a formidable adversary. But he wasn''t about to give up.


    His eyes narrowed, focusing on Lori''s staff. The way it had withstood his sword strike made it clear that it was a key part of her strength. If he could disarm her, the battle might shift in his favor.


    Aster gripped his sword tighter, preparing for another assault. This time, he would aim not just for her body, but for the staff itself. He could feel his adrenaline pumping, his senses sharpening as he prepared to charge again.


    Lori''s cold gaze met his, but Aster saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

 Chapter 272 Both in a Pinch!

    Dark, ethereal hands surged toward Aster once again, writhing and grasping at the air, trying to ensnare him as he had willingly stepped back into their range. Lori wasted no time, directing her dark magic to trap him before he could strike again.


    Seeing the ck tendrils creeping closer, Aster disengaged from his position, swiftly leaping backward and out of their reach.


    Hended a safe distance away, the eerie hands retracting as they lost their target. The gap between him and Lori increased once more, resetting their positions to square one. But this time, Lori had seen his skill in action. His surprise advantage of Ground Shrink was now out in the open.


    "That was unexpected," Lori mused, her t tone betraying no emotion. "I didn''t think you possessed a teleportation skill."


    Her cold eyes narrowed as she tapped her staff against the ground. "Still," she added with a slight frown, "that alone won''t be enough to beat me."


    *THUMP!*


    Lori''s staff struck the floor with a resounding echo, the force of it shaking the air around them. But this time, something far more sinister followed. A crimson wave of energy, almost like a pulse of blood, radiated from her body in all directions, traveling at blinding speed.


    "...!"


    Aster braced himself, crossing his arms instinctively as the red wave washed over him. He felt no pain and no immediate effects. The wave passed through him, leaving him unscathed¡ªor so it seemed.


    His body felt fine, his senses sharp. But the ominous nature of the aura left him uneasy.


    "What was that?" Aster muttered under his breath, ncing down at his body. Everything appeared normal until¡ª


    *COUGH!*


    Aster''s throat suddenly tightened, a sharp itch rising within his chest. He coughed violently, bringing his hand to his mouth¡ªonly to see it stained with blood. His eyes widened in shock. His body had shown no signs of damage, yet there it was¡ªevidence that something terrible was happening inside him.


    [This is¡­ a curse?!?]


    Crysta''s voice echoed in his mind, her icy toneced with concern.


    [Oh no! Master, she''s cursed you!??] Pyra''s voice followed, rmed.


    Aster''s mind raced, quickly piecing together what had happened. Lori had been known to use curses before even when she was still with his party, and he had prepared himself for it, but this one was unlike any he had encountered.


    He had felt no immediate damage, yet the blood on his hand and the pressure in his lungs told him that the curse was already working its way through his body.


    Curses were tricky, insidious things. They could debilitate an opponent slowly, draining their life force without them even realizing it. Aster knew that there were limited ways to lift such a curse. One was to use a blessed tool or holy water¡ªrare and precious items he didn''t have on hand. The other option¡­


    [We have to defeat the Witch to break the curse!?] Crysta announced urgently.


    Aster grit his teeth. Of course, defeating Lori would lift the curse, but that was a far more dangerous and time-sensitive n. The longer he waited, the more the curse would sap his strength. He couldn''t afford to waste any more time!


    "Star!"


    A distant voice called out, breaking through his thoughts. It was Cassy. She had been listening to the fight from afar, her ears standing straight up in alert. She could hear Aster''s ragged breathing and her heart clenched with fear.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Hold on, I''m¡ª!" she cried out, rushing toward him with trembling hands, ready to help however she could.


    But before she could reach him, the masked figure of Arima intercepted her. Without warning, he grabbed her by the ears and mmed her to the ground with brutal force.


    "Ahh! Ugh!"


    Cassy''s body hit the ground hard, pain radiating through her skull. Before she could even react, Arima''s boot was on her head, grinding her face into the floor with cruel indifference.


    "I told you not to interfere, didn''t I?" Arima''s voice was low, a sadistic smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "Just stay there and watch¡ªno," he added, his voice dripping with malice, "I mean listen."


    "Cassy!" Aster shouted, his eyes darting toward them in rm.


    The sight of Cassy being brutalized by Arima filled him with rage, but his distraction came at a cost. In that moment of vulnerability, Lori seized the opportunity. The ck hands, sensing hisck of focus, lunged forward with renewed vigor, catching him off guard.


    Aster tried to react, but it was toote. One of the dark, spectral handstched onto his leg, and he felt the sickening drain of energy surge through his body. His strength faltered, the curse and the dark magic working together to weaken him.


    "Dammit!" he cursed, shing at the hand in desperation, but the damage was already done.


    He stumbled backward, struggling to maintain his bnce as the effects of both the curse and the dark magic took their toll.


    With grim determination, Aster steeled himself for what was toe. He couldn''t afford to hesitate any longer. If he didn''t end this soon, neither he nor Cassy would survive.


    The dark hands still clung to Aster''s leg, their grip tightening like cold, suffocating chains.


    With each second that passed, he felt more of his strength being sapped away. His muscles ached, his energy waning, as the curse Lori cast continued to work its way through him. He swung his sword in desperation, managing to sever the hand gripping his leg. But even as it dissolved into a ck mist, he could feel that it had taken its toll on him.


    [Master, we can''t keep this up!??]


    Pyra''s voice sounded more frantic now, the urgency growing as she sensed Aster''s weakening state. The curse was sapping his strength far faster than they had anticipated.


    [You need to act fast, or else...?]


    Crysta warned, her voice filled with ice-cold logic. There was no room for error now.


    Aster''s breathing grew heavier as the weight of the curse bore down on him. He nced toward Cassy again. She was struggling under Arima''s oppressive boot, her face twisted in pain. He wanted nothing more than to rush over and rescue her, but he knew that leaving Lori unchecked would only lead to both their deaths.


    He needed to end this. Now.

 Chapter 273 Right on Time!

    Aster tried to stand tall, his sword held aloft, though not in any particrly aggressive or defensive stance¡ªjust a neutral position, as if gathering his resolve.


    "Lori..."


    His voice was deep,ced with a sense of regret, but he didn''t say anything more. He didn''t need to. Lori, of course, understood exactly what he meant, even without further exnation. Both of them knew¡ªtheir next exchange would be thest.


    She gripped her staff tightly, her face a mask of stoic calm. Yet, for just a brief moment, a flicker of emotion crossed her eyes. Aster couldn''t quite ce what it was, but it signaled the beginning of their final contest of strength.


    Without any hesitation, Aster activated Ground Shrink, disappearing from view in an instant. Lori''s eyes darted frantically, trying to locate him. A mere secondter, she sensed his presence¡ªhe was behind her, no, to be more precise, diagonally above her, poised for an attack!


    Aster''s sword was already raised high in the air, and with the pull of gravity and his full strength, he swung down, aiming to end the battle in one decisive strike.


    "What futility!" Lori muttered, her voice cold, but she wasn''t nning on receiving his strike head-on.


    With expert precision, she raised her staff, allowing Aster''s de to slide down its length. The force of the swing was diverted away from her body in a masterful parry that left Aster unable to find fault with her technique. Her movements were swift and wless.


    "HASTE!"


    But Aster''s assault was only just beginning. The moment his sword slid off her staff, he activated his speed-enhancing spell, Haste, and took a bold step forward. Retreating would only give her the upper hand, so he chose to stay close¡ªtoo close for her to have the advantage.


    With his reaction time and attack speed enhanced by the buff, Aster moved quickly. However, the curse still weighed heavily on him, weakening his overall strength. Even so, he was back to what he considered his "normal" state. "This will be enough!" he thought, steeling himself.


    Wasting no time, Aster spun on his heel, shing horizontally with his sword, aiming to catch Lori off guard. But she was just as quick. Twisting her body in one fluid motion, she moved her staff from one side to the other, blocking his strike with ease while simultaneously sending a swift kick toward Aster''s chest.


    *CLANG!*


    The sound of their weapons shing echoed through the air, a sound far more metallic than one would expect from a sword meeting a wooden staff.


    Aster used the force of the rebound to twist his body out of the way, narrowly avoiding Lori''s iing kick. As her leg fully extended, Aster grabbed her by the ankle, stopping her movement and holding her in ce.


    "...!"


    But Lori was one step ahead. With perfect timing, she used the leg he held as leverage, lifting herself off the ground and sending a powerful kick with her other leg toward Aster''s temple.


    If it weren''t for his increased reflexes from the Haste spell, that kick could have easily knocked him out. Thankfully, Aster ducked forward, letting her leg sail harmlessly over his head. At the same time, he pulled his sword back and shed diagonally upward, aiming for Lori''s exposed midsection.


    *WRIGGLE!*


    Just as Aster''s de neared her, one of the dark, writhing hands emerged from the ground, wrapping itself around his arm and halting his swing mid-motion!


    Aster grimaced, knowing he could easily break free from the dark hand''s grip. But the brief pause it forced him to take was all the time Lori needed to turn the tide of the battle.


    *BOOM!*


    The dark hand gripping Aster''s arm suddenly exploded with raw, concentrated energy. The st was intense, and at such close range, that Aster had no way to avoid it. The force of the explosion sent shockwaves through his body, leaving him with severe burns and a feeling of disorientation as the magical energy ravaged his form.


    "Agh..." Aster coughed, smoke rising from his singed clothes, his body battered from the st. Pain coursed through him, and his vision wavered, but he forced himself to remain standing. He couldn''t give up now, not when everything was on the line.


    "A-Ah... S-Star...!"


    Cassy''s trembling voice echoed in the distance. She had heard the explosion and the rapid, uneven beating of Aster''s heart. Though she couldn''t see what had happened, she could piece together the battle''s events from the sounds alone. Fear gripped her as she imagined Aster being hurt¡ªperhaps even fatally.


    Cassy''s body shook with worry, her hands gripping the cold, hard ground beneath her as she tried to muster up the courage to help. But with Arima keeping her restrained, all she could do was pray that Aster could endure.


    "UGH!"


    Aster grunted, but he wasn''t finished yet. Stabbing his sword into the dark, cracked ground just in time, he managed to stay in ce without being blown away by the explosion''s force. His body was battered, but his will remained unbroken.


    His right arm, though, was a different story. The explosion had reduced it to a mess of charred skin and bone, practically useless. The wound had been seared shut by the intense heat, preventing any severe blood loss, so at least he didn''t need to worry about bleeding out for now.


    *GRIP!*


    With his left hand still functional, he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, the only weapon he had left. Aster leaned forward, gathering what little strength he had remaining, beforeunching himself toward Lori. His sword cut through the air in a diagonal upward sh, aimed at her with everything he had left.


    "You should realize when to stop," Lori scoffed, her voice cold and detached. With a swift movement, she spun her staff like a spear, effortlessly deflecting his sword''s path. "Just lie down and die already," she added, her toneced with cruel indifference.


    *CLANK!*


    The force of her parry threw Aster off bnce, and he stumbled forward, his face scraping against the hard, unforgiving ground. His body screamed in protest, but the adrenaline surging through his veins dulled the pain, keeping him conscious.


    He knew, though¡ªhis body had reached its limit. The explosion he had taken head-on was the final blow, sealing his fate. His limbs felt heavy, his movements sluggish, and the curse that had been eating away at him was now in its final stages, draining thest of his strength.


    "..."


    Aster''s grip on his sword loosened, and he could barely even make a fist. His body was shutting down, bit by bit, and his vision started to blur.


    *Whoosh!*


    Just then, two small figures emerged from his back, materializing in a burst of energy.


    "Master! You have to pull yourself together! You can''t die here!??" Pyra''s fiery eyes flickered with panic, her small body hovering anxiously over Aster.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Master?! Master?!?" Crysta was already crying, tears streaming down her cheeks as she frantically tapped his face, trying to rouse him. Her usual icy demeanor was gone, reced with raw fear and desperation.


    Aster''s eyes shifted weakly, catching a glimpse of Crysta''s tearful face. He wanted to say something tofort her, to reassure her that everything would be alright, but his lips wouldn''t move. His body had failed him, and he was too weak to speak.


    Lori watched the scene unfold with cold indifference, her gaze fixed on Aster. Slowly, she began to walk toward him, each step deliberate and measured.


    "This is the end," she dered, her voice calm but filled with certainty.


    Pyra, desperate to protect her master, flew in front of Lori, spreading her tiny arms wide as if she could shield Aster from the inevitable. But Lori''s dark magic moved swiftly, a shadowy hand grabbing Pyra and pinning her down with ease.


    As Lori drew closer, she stopped just a few steps away from Aster. Her eyes flickered with something¡ªan emotion she quickly buried¡ªbut she shook her head, casting aside whatever fleeting thought had crossed her mind.


    She raised her staff high, gripping it as if it were a sword, aiming directly at Aster''s head. It didn''t need an edge; with Lori''s strength, even a blunt strike would be enough to crush his skull.


    "NO!" Cassy''s voice rang out in the distance, filled with anguish. If she still had her sight, she would have been crying, but now, all she could do was scream in frustration and despair.


    For a brief moment, everything seemed to pause. Lori''s staff hovered above Aster, poised to deliver the fatal blow. And then, with deadly force, she brought it down.


    "Hold it right there~!"


    "...!"


    Just as the tip of Lori''s staff was about to strike, a figure materialized out of thin air, appearing as though summoned by the very shadows. With a swift, effortless motion, the neer caught the staff in her open hand, halting its descent.


    "We were gone for only a moment," the woman muttered, her voice tinged with mild exasperation as her gaze flicked over Aster''s battered form. "And you''re already on death''s doorstep. You''re lucky we made it just in time."


    "You..."


    Lori''s eyes narrowed, recognition shing in them. She knew immediately who had intervened.


    Standing before her, gripping the staff with casual strength, was a woman d in a blood-red dress, her ck hair flowing elegantly down her back. Her piercing ruby eyes seemed to glow in the dark as they locked onto Lori''s.


    Vanessa Ross had arrived.


    "You should really stop ying with my meal," Vanessa remarked, her voice carrying an eerie calm as she slowly released her hold on the staff, stepping forward to stand protectively between Lori and Aster.


    Lori stepped back, her gaze flickering between Aster and Vanessa. She knew she was powerful, but Vanessa was at a different level of danger¡ªas proven by how she was right there with them right now.


    Her mere presence seemed to shift the bnce of power in the area. The tension was palpable, thick in the air, as the two women sized each other up.


    "You''ve made a grave mistake by interfering," Lori hissed, her voice low and venomous.


    Vanessa simply smirked, her ruby eyes glowing with a predatory glint. "Oh, darling, I live for mistakes like this."

 Chapter 274 Break Even

    Just moments earlier, in a dimension far removed from where Aster and the others were, two rival groups faced each other in silent tension.


    Two figures waited on one side, ready and poised: a blonde elf with piercing green eyes that suggested deep forests and old secrets, and a ck-haired vampire with a sharp look and a silent, intense presence. Faeloria Shadowleaf and Vanessa Ross were obviously tense, adopting defensive positions in anticipation of the impending fight.


    A group of four enemies stood against them, though two of them were huddled down at the moment, being healed by Chronalisa, the third member. They would be back on their feet in a few seconds, shifting the bnce back in their favor.


    "You don''t happen to have any tricks up your sleeve left, do you?" Vanessa said to Faeloria in a low, wary whisper as her eyes darted across their opponents.


    Faeloria''s gaze briefly fell as her face drooped a little. "No," she muttered, her voice containing a hint of resignation. "They had already ruined my trump card. Right now, I''m limited to casting assistance spells. In addition to that..."


    Vanessa noticed the strange pause in Faeloria''s voice and cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. "Hmm?"


    Vanessa turned slightly to face her friend again, and to her surprise, she saw that the elf''s cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, and she was breathing rapidly and shallowly. Her face was a mixture of embarrassment and unease, and she seemed to exhale warmly with each breath. When Vanessa recalled something she had previously given to Faeloria, her lips suddenly parted in awareness.


    "Oh," she exhaled, a smile lighting up her face as she realized. "Well, you know... if it gets too much, you can always... relieve yourself over there." Although her tone was lighthearted, it concealed a sincere worry.


    Faeloria sputtered in protest, her face only getting redder. "As if! I''m not so gullible that a simple aphrodisiac could make me lose my concentration!" she growled, giving Vanessa a furious look.


    "Yeah, yeah, I get¡ª!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But before she could say anything more, Vanessa''s eyes grew fierce. She lifted a hand and made a quick arc in the air.


    A dark, shadowy figure had started to move in their direction, forming a hideous, wide-open mouth with sharp teeth that were about to close in on them. Vanessa hurled ance of me at the approaching shadow without dy. Fortunately, she made it in time. The threatening creature was destroyed by the zing projectile!


    Selene, the Dark Elf, stood with her eyes narrowed and mocking, her hand still up frommanding the spirit to attack.


    "Honestly, trying to take a bite out of us in the middle of a conversation?" With a hint of annoyance in her voice, Vanessa scoffed. "Didn''t anyone teach you some basic manners?"


    A sardonic sneer curved Selene''s lips. "I came here to get rid of that elf that was hiding behind you," she shot out, her tone cold and heartless. "And you, I suppose, since you''re in the way."


    Vanessa retorted cynically, "Such a charming attitude," her eyes sparkling with a mischievous intent. "From the way you''re talking, I''d almost think you have some kind of personal vendetta against poor little Fae here."


    Selene''s eyes briefly flickered as her face faltered. Vanessa saw the change and smiled more broadly.


    "Oh, did I hit a nerve?" Her crimson eyes became more intense, illuminating her pointed features in a spooky way. "Well, either way, this little chat was useful."


    Her tone became deadly serious as her face darkened. "I''m sorry, but it looks like we''re done here. I intend to finish this as soon as possible."


    Selene furrowed her brow, attempting to interpret Vanessa''sments. She looked at her allies, Kaz and Sra, who had already gotten back to their feet and were fully recovered, their injuries repaired by Chronalisa''s skillful work. Additionally, Selene''s power had almost doubled with their support skills enabled, increasing their odds of defeating their enemies.


    It looked like victory was certain. Or so Selene believed.


    In the meantime, Vanessa appeared utterly unaffected by the growing adversaries in front of her. She raised her foot carefully, revealing her juicy thigh while her leg hung in midair, her faceposed but intent. Then, with a flurry of movement, she stepped down, her heels tapping the floor.


    The whole ground changed the instant her foot touched the dirt. A strange ripple appeared where solid stone had been a moment earlier, as though the ground had changed into a liquid. It spread out in concentric waves from the spot where Vanessa had set her foot. With each inch they moved, the waves widened and intensified as they rolled toward Selene and her friends.


    As though all the tumult and mor had been muffled and only the sound of those ripples could be heard, a peculiar silence fell over the battlefield. Selene felt the shock, a sudden, chilling cold that stopped her in her tracks.


    As if the air itself had turned to msses, Selene''s body defied her instincts, screaming at her that danger was approaching. As she fought against the unseen grasp, her heart racing, she saw Vanessa walk forward with a serene gaze.


    "What the devil is this?"


    With a scarcely discernible whisper, Selene let out a gasp. The dark, overwhelming energy that made the hairs on her neck stand on edge was the powering from Vanessa.


    Vanessa''s eyes were fixed on Selene as her lips formed a menacing smile.


    Her tone was almost casual as she whispered, "Just a little something I had saved up for asions like this," but her eyes revealed the deadly meaning underlying her words. "I did warn you I''d end this quickly."


    The fabric of reality itself was twisted as the ripples kept moving outward. As they got to the very end of the ind, everything changed at once. A wall of blood arose, enclosing the whole ind, and them, inside it.


    Selene''s party watched in fear, motionless and powerless to break free from the invisible force that held them.


    Right then, Vanessa''s voice echoed out, victorious and sweet, as thest traces of her footfall vanished into the unreal silence. "Let the games end here."


    Selene experienced a chilling chill at that very moment. Vanessa could feel the threat closing in on her, regardless of the enchantment she had cast. She made the split-second choice to ditch herrades behind and jump for the shadowy jaws of the Shadow Spirit King, Scheid, to flee.


    Vanessa smiled knowingly as she observed her. "Good instincts," She whispered, "but it''s toote. You won''t get away."


    The ind on which they stood changed with those words. The margins of the floating continent burst into a red curtain that stretched high overhead, forming a tall wall of blood that bent inward. The red barrier merged overhead in a matter of seconds, creating a massive, menacing dome.


    Now they were imprisoned in what appeared to be a cocoon of blood.


    "Blood Pce Descent," Vanessa said, as though relishing the moniker. There was a bleak finality in her tone. "I never really thought I''d need to resort to this here¡­"


    The suffocating aura of the dome started to take effect as if in response to her words. Blood began to flow from all living things inside the dome. As though pulled by an invisible force, it poured out of Vanessa''s adversaries'' bodies like a torrent rather than a trickle. Blood spurted from their lips, eyeballs, and pores, collected on the ground below, and then sinisterly gathered around Vanessa.


    "Agh¡ªmy eyes!" eximed Kaz, gripping his face in pain as it looked as though life was evaporating from him.


    "I''m scared! What''s happening?!" Sra''s voice trembled with pain as she coughed out.


    "Help me... Please, Selene." Chrona, the weakest of them, spoke in a weak and frantic tone.


    Selene, on the other hand, was suddenly thrown out of Scheid''s mouth after barely reaching it. She had lost her sanctuary; even the Shadow Spirit King had been banished from the Blood Pce! She fell to her knees with a stinging pain on her skin and blood dripping from her ears, nose, and every pore.


    "This... this isn''t possible." When Selene discovered how unfathomable Vanessa''s strength was, she gasped in horror.


    Her vitality was already being rapidly drained by the Blood Pce. The thin, sickly streams of blood that continued to pour from her body fed the expanding pool at Vanessa''s feet.


    Under her feet, the blood grew, glimmering with red vitality.


    With her subtle, menacing smile, Vanessa appeared to be a viin straight out of a horror film, quitefortable in the lethal red light around her. Each drop that gathered beneath her was more than just a morbid umtion; it had a purpose. Vanessa saw the blood as life itself, a huge store of energy she could use to refuel herself if she was hurt.


    "This is... awful!"


    As Selene searched for a way out of the nightmare, her thoughts were racing. She instantly realized the destructive effect of the Blood Pce: it was a method intended to drain the life and blood of any target in its path. In a sense, Vanessa had sessfully turned the battlefield into a source of strength by using her opponents'' life force as a weapon.


    Given her heightened strength, it didn''t seem possible to stop Vanessa immediately. The vitality only increased as she drained more blood, repairing any wounds she could have sustained if they fought.


    However, as Selene considered her choices, a new strategy started to take shape.


    "STOP!" she cried, her voice tinged with desperation.


    Her tone was harsh, and her gaze was fixed on Vanessa. "If this doesn''t stop... I''ll let Scheid rip through this dimension''s walls! We will all eventually drift into space¡ªforever!"


    There was a brief pause while Vanessa''s smile dimmed a little as she considered the ramifications of Selene''s threat.


    Selene realized that bluff or not, it was her only chance left. It was a desperate gambit, a deadly y to force a stalemate!

 Chapter 275 Exposed Location

    Vanessa stared at Selene, a thin frown now appearing in ce of her previous arrogant expression. She could understand that she had the advantage overall, even if she forced the situation to continue.


    However, the risk of Selene doing as she threatened to was undeniable.


    Even with her strength, getting sucked into the void of space would spell her death. What more with an extra baggage that she needed to protect?


    Of course, Selene was in the same boat. She would die with 99% certainty if she ever fell into the void of space, even with Scheid''s help. Not to mention the other three, who Vanessa''s Blood Pce Descent weakened until they couldn''t even stand up anymore.


    "STOP IT NOW!" Selene growled, feeling that her limit was nearing too.


    Behind her, the Shadow Spirit King Scheid had already manifested, appearing like a man in a ck hooded cape¡ªlike the Grim Reaper, less the scythe. On his face under the hood, nothing could be seen apart from arge mouth curving like a crescent moon, appearing unnervingly creepy.


    Selene''s trembling hands moved, about to signal Scheid to start devouring the space itself.


    "... Alright, alright. Calm down."


    Vanessa sighed, snapping her fingers as a signal at the same time. As she did, the blood flowing out of their bodies stoppedpletely.


    "Then, what now?" Vanessa asked. "Wanna have a chat or something? I''m in a hurry though."


    Although her "attack" stopped, she wasn''t kind enough to return their blood to them. They''re enemies, either way, so that''s their problem, not hers.


    Selene looked over at her three "allies" and frowned. Sra and Kaz were still fine, although weakened. However, their support, Chronalisa, was already downed and unconscious. If they continued fighting, then they''d be at an absolute disadvantage, even if they had more people on their side.


    She nced at the Spirit King behind her before finally sighing.


    "... We''ll retreat," she dered with a disappointed tone before ring straight at Vanessa. "And I''m warning you, if you try to attack us from the back, I''ll let Scheid destroy this very dimension."


    After she finished her words, she waved her hand. At that moment, the shadows beside the three squirmed before turning into mouths and swallowing them whole. Selene turned around, about to move out of that dimension, but then, Vanessa''s words stopped her in her tracks.


    "Wait."


    "..."


    Seeing her stiffen in either fear or surprise, Vanessa couldn''t help but chuckle mischievously.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not going to eat you or anything. Anyway, then tell me how to go to the center of this dimension? I feel like if we rely on our own, we would be stuck wandering for weeks looking for it."


    "... Just that?" Selene asked, sighing in relief. "Then just head straight down. That should take you to the control room''s dimension."


    "You''re not tricking us to head to our deaths, right?" Vanessa just had to ask, raising a brow at Selene''s words.


    After all, below them right now was nothing but t darkness. "Oh, that?" Selene noticed what she was worried about and waved her hands. As she did, the darkness that covered all directions faded, returning to the hooded figure behind her.


    As the darkness faded, the scenery finally revealed itself to Vanessa. The ce wasn''t actually some deste outer space, but instead a dimension filled with brilliant light and greenery. The floating inds were up in the sky, scattered around like clouds.


    Peeking down, Vanessa could see some sort of altar below, with arge crystal in its middle. Without even the need to guess, she knew that it was what Selene was talking about¡ªthe path leading toward the center.


    Selene turned around, about to move away once more, but stopped and spoke. No, it was closer to her giving a warning.


    "You n to visit the core area, right? Then, be careful. Our boss is over there, and I''m sure even you can''t handle him."


    After leaving those words, she leaped into the air before flying away. Her figure turned into a dot in the distance not long after, no longer within view.


    "..."


    Vanessa finally let out a soft sigh. Honestly, their situation was quite perilous. Although she got the advantage after activating her Blood Pce Descent, keeping that up and running was quite taxing on her too.


    If Selene didn''t offer a stalemate, then Vanessa would have been forced to use the technique to her limits, bringing her a victory in the current battle... but would end up unable to fight for Aster in seeding battles.


    "Well, what''s done is done." She shrugged, quickly changing gears. "Anyway, I''ll be heading toward Aster first. What do you n to do?"


    Faeloria, who was the one she asked, hesitatingly responded. "I..."


    Currently, her body was burning hot, aroused beyond reason. Vanessa''s blood-based potion-cum-aphrodisiac was so effective that she was literally suffering!


    "... Want me to help you?" Vanessa teased lightly, licking her lips.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, Faeloria wasn''t in the mood to joke around anymore.


    "No. Prioritize going to the center. I have a feeling that the situation isn''t favorable for us if you dally here," she announced with a serious expression. "I''ll try and follow after I''ve calmed down a little."


    "Alright, I understand." Vanessa shrugged once more. "Then, wanna borrow some toys of mine? I have unused ones in my ring."


    "... Just go."


    Faeloria seemed a little tempted but quickly shook off the thought. Right now, her sixth sense was telling her that rather than ying around, they needed to move immediately.


    "I''m not sure, but I think Aster is in danger," she exined, causing Vanessa''s expression to turn serious in a snap.


    "I understand." Vanessa nodded. "Then leave Aster to me. I''ll make sure I protect him until you arrive."


    Without waiting for Faeloria''s reply, she quickly rushed to the edge of the floating ind and jumped into a freefall. Of course, falling from a height of over three kilometers would still kill her, despite how high her level is, but it''s not like she would simply fall down without resistance.


    *FLAP!*


    Just as she fell halfway to the ground, a pair of blood-red bat-like wings¡ªas wide as she was tall¡ªappeared on her back, quickly controlling her descent and falling direction. Of course, as a vampire, Vanessa knows how to fly!

 Chapter 276 Face Off!

    It took Vanessa no less than fifteen seconds to make her way down from the floating ind to the altar that was located underneath. At least she did not crashnd, despite the fact that everything was so quickly. She was still in charge of the situation.


    *FLAP!*


    Her body came to aplete stop with a forceful beat of her wings, and she did so bynding directly on her two feet. As soon as shended, she retracted her wings, which resulted in it beingpletely obscured from view.


    "So this is...?" As she stared at the enormous gem in front of her, Vanessa said something.


    It was a scalenohedral prism that stood around five meters tall and radiated with the tranquil color of calm mana, which was simr to a pale blue. The Altar it was on top of was closer to a Ziggurat than a tform, being an over 30-meter-high truncated pyramid. On the t altar top, arge magic circle was drawn with the crystal right at its very center.


    As soon as Vanessa took a short look at the drawing, she immediately understood what it was. "A teleportation circle? The coordinate set is..." While she was quickly scrutinizing the drawing, she whispered something to herself.


    It didn''t take long before she figured everything out.


    The magic circle served as the "entrance" to the core area, which was where Lori was supposed to be staying. At precisely the moment that she was attempting to figure out how to activate it, the crystal began to light. A bright white sh washed her vision, causing Vanessa to close her eyes for a moment.


    "...!"


    At that very moment, she experienced the rush of mana that was filling the magic circle that was beneath her feet. While remaining vignt and cautious, she utilized the blood that she had collected earlier and covered her body with it as if it were armor.


    Her senses were then assaulted for a brief moment by a sensation of weightlessness, which disappeared as soon as shended on t ground.


    But even before her vision returned, she was greeted by a pleasant and recognizable aroma that tickled her nose. It was the scent of blood,ing from someone "important" to her, enough to memorize its unique aroma.


    In a sh, Vanessa''s senses spread, detecting everything that was within that space. The closest to her were two figures, one man and one woman whose presence was slightly familiar. The man was stepping on top of the woman''s head, keeping her down and in check.


    When the other two were in the thick of the fight, they were¡ª


    ''No...''


    Instead of referring to it as "middle," it seems to be more urate to state that it was almost finished. Of the twobatants, one was already so weakened that it wouldn''t be strange if he kicked the bucket any second now.


    And the other was a person with a mysterious presence¡ªa presence that was almost as powerful as her own. "Hold on!" Suddenly, she became aware of the person who was being pummeled to the point of utter submission.


    Without dy, Vanessa activated a simple movement-type skill, vanishing into the shadows and moving in front of the half-dead man¡ªAster.


    "Hold it right there~!" She raised her voice, before lifting her hand and catching the other party''s weapon, a simple-looking wooden staff.


    "...!"


    An expression of horror shed on the face of the other party as soon as she was able to seize the weapon. Lori wasn''t expecting Vanessa to appear so quickly! Things kept going outside of her predictions that it was making her feel irritated!


    Naturally, Vanessa''s vision was already beginning to return, and as a result, she grinned and turned her head to look at Aster behind her.


    "We were gone for only a moment, and you''re already on death''s doorstep. You''re lucky we made it just in time." She muttered.


    "You..."


    Lori''s eyes narrowed as she frowned, keeping watch over Vanessa''s every move. However, her voice filled with anger at getting interrupted didn''t reach Vanessa''s ears. Since the enticing aroma of Aster''s blood continued to tickle her nose, she found herself wishing she could take a bite out of him.


    "You should really stop ying with my meal," She muttered, her thoughts slipping out of her mouth as she licked her lips.


    Seeing her antics, Lori took a few steps back, before checking Aster and her alternatingly. "You''ve made a grave mistake by interfering," she eximed in a displeased voice.


    "Is that it?"


    The expression on Vanessa''s face changed from one of awe to one of a sneering grin, and her eyes shed a predatory glimmer. She inclined her head in anticipation. "Oh, darling, I live for mistakes like this."


    *WHOOSH!*


    Vanessa was unable to allow Aster''s condition to worsen any further, so she swiftly shared her energy with him. She let the blood that she had gathered cover Aster''s body, which not only healed his wounds but also removed the curse that had been ced on him.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "No way...!" After witnessing the ease with which her curse was lifted, Lori was unable to believe what she was seeing. "Do you have holy blood or something?!"


    "Hmm?" Vanessa hummed as she contemted whether or not to joke about with her. "Well, no." But she decided to simply tell the truth. "The blood I collect just has a passive dispelling effect, so don''t think too deeply about it."


    The time bought from their short chat was enough for Aster to return to full health. Although he was healed, it wasn''t like his energy would simply return too, as such, he remained sprawled on the ground for now.


    "... Vanessa?" Aster muttered, finally realizing who was the one who saved him.


    His expression turned bitter as ifmenting his weakness. "Sorry, I... couldn''t even win against Lori." He apologized.


    "It''s fine." Vanessa dismissed his depression casually. "Lori''s level is more than ten times yours, anyway. The only way you can win is if she stood in ce doing nothing."


    *WHOOSH!*


    Vanessa gathered the blood once more, before morphing them into one solid object¡ªa rapier, with a red rose motif as the handguard.


    "Rather, allow me." She eximed full of confidence. "I''ll show you that levels alone aren''t everything."

 Chapter 277 Rapier Master!

    Thinking about how she could manipte the blood shed by her opponent, one might assume Vanessa would use a shing weapon to cause multiple shallow cuts, encouraging bleeding. However, the weapon she conjured was not intended for a drawn-out battle but rather for a precise, technique-driven short exchange.


    A rapier is designed for delivering decisive hits to an opponent''s vital points with swift thrusts, straight to their body, which are much harder to parrypared to shing attacks. In essence, Vanessa was aiming for a quick resolution rather than a prolonged fight.


    Considering her current state, along with Aster''s, Faeloria''s, and Cassy''s, ending the fight swiftly was in everyone''s best interest.


    *SWISH!*


    Vanessa adopted a ssic fencing stance, raising her rapier near her chest, the tip pointing upward in a gesture that resembled a salute to her enemy. A confident smile spread across her face, as if she already knew the oue of this battle.


    "Not to brag," Vanessa began, her tone light yet assured, "but I''m quite skilled at fencing. You should be careful, little darling."


    Lori scrutinized her opponent, a frown tugging at her lips. Though she wasn''t an expert in swordsmanship, she could tell Vanessa wasn''t lying. There wasn''t an opening in her stance, despite its rxed appearance!


    Still, Lori had no intention of backing down. With a firm grip, she spun her staff once before tapping its base against the dark ground. The resounding click echoed through the area.


    "I don''t know why you''re warning me, your enemy, but I''ll take it to heart," Lori replied, her voice steady. "No matter the oue, no hard feelings."


    Vanessa scoffed, clearly amused. "The only oue here is my victory."


    A tense silence fell between them as they locked eyes, each one waiting for the other to make a move. Finally, Lori broke the stalemate. "Dark hands, ensnare mine enemy!"


    At hermand, the ever-present shadowy hands that lurked around them surged forward in unison, like a massive cast wide to ensure Vanessa couldn''t escape.


    "Nice try."


    Vanessa didn''t flinch. She casually stepped forward, her hand rising as if to greet the approaching attack head-on.


    "Watch out! Those hands can drain your energy!" Aster shouted, his voice filled with urgency. But his warning was ignored.


    In the blink of an eye, Vanessa''s right hand shed, moving so fast it seemed to vanish for a moment. With surgical precision, she unleashed multiple stabs, each one striking a Dark Hand and dispelling it instantly.


    She turned to Aster, a smug smile ying on her lips. "As the saying goes, it''s not a threat if it doesn''tnd."


    "..."


    Aster was left speechless. He knew Vanessa was powerful, but he hadn''t realized just how formidable she truly was. Lori, too, was taken aback, her brow twitching as she tried to reanimate the dark hands for another attempt.


    "What...?"


    But something was wrong. The hands, which should have instantly regenerated, remained in their destroyed state, lifeless and unmoving.


    Seeing Lori''s confusion, Vanessa''s grin widened. "Blood Rose Poison. Familiar with it?"


    "... A poison that disrupts mana flow, right?"


    Lori responded quickly. Of course, she knew about it. It was one of the few "security measures" the military of Juviel City had once used against her. The poison interfered with mana flow, hindering her ability to activate her magical eyes.


    "Correct." Vanessa nodded approvingly. "This sword? It''s essentially one solid piece of Blood Rose Poison. That''s why your hands won''t regenerate."


    Lori was speechless. Vanessa had countered her magic without even knowing its intricacies, simply by employing a weapon designed to block mana. Lori''s assault ground to a halt, while Vanessa tilted her head mockingly.


    "What''s the matter? Out of tricks already?" Vanessa sighed, feigning disappointment. "Well then, I guess it''s my turn. En garde!"


    "...!"


    Vanessa vanished, reappearing directly in front of Lori within the span of a heartbeat. She closed the distance of ten meters in an instant, her rapier poised for a precise thrust aimed straight at Lori''s heart. If she didn''t react quickly, death would be inevitable!


    Lori twisted her body at thest moment, but the speed of the attack made it nearly impossible to avoidpletely.


    *STAB!*


    The rapier pierced through Lori''s chest, creating a clean wound from front to back.


    "Oh...?" Vanessa''s expression shifted. Her strike had missed its intended mark.


    Lori had managed to shift the target from her heart to her lung, sparing herself from immediate death. To make matters worse for Vanessa, Lori grabbed the rapier''s de with one hand, holding it in ce and preventing her from withdrawing the weapon.


    "Gah...!"


    Blood sputtered from Lori''s mouth, but a fierce grin spread across her face. "I''ve got you now...!"


    Without hesitation, she unleashed an enfeebling curse at point-nk range, the same one that had incapacitated Aster earlier.


    A pulse of red energy erupted from Lori, engulfing Vanessa and even reaching Aster, who stood some distance away.


    "Haap!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At the same moment, Lori thrust her staff like a spear, aiming for Vanessa''s face. Reflexively, Vanessa tried to retreat, but with her rapier trapped, her movement was hindered.


    Left with no choice, Vanessa released her grip on the rapier and leaped backward, narrowly dodging the strike aimed at her head. She retreated several paces,ing to a stop with a rxed stance, her smile still intact as she watched Lori struggle to catch her breath, clearly weakened by abination of pain and the curse''s effects.


    "... Damn it," Lori muttered under her breath, understanding now why Vanessa had so willingly let go of her weapon.


    As Vanessa had exined earlier, the rapier was made of Blood Rose Poison. With it lodged inside her body, the poison was quickly spreading through Lori''s system, further disrupting her ability to channel mana.


    Not only did it render her magical eyes useless, but the poison also made casting spells nearly impossible, requiring ten times the usual effort just to gather enough mana for a simple incantation.


    "Checkmate, wouldn''t you say?" Vanessa taunted, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "You see, Aster? I told you I''d win."

 Chapter 278 God of Destruction

    Lori slowly knelt, her breath bing morebored. Though her injury wasn''t severe, the Blood Rose Poison was destroying her mana control and making her feel powerless. The energy she once controlled slipped through her fingers like sand, weakening her.


    Seeing her lose the ability to fight back, Vanessa strode forward with a casual grace. A small, curved dagger appeared in her hands, conjured from her blood. It would deliver the final blow despite its small size.


    "Wait..."


    "...?"


    Aster''s voice broke the tension. Despite being cursed again, he seemed unaffected. He stood up slowly, gathering his remaining strength. He lumbered to Vanessa''s side, limping but determined to face what was toe.


    Vanessa supported Aster without speaking. Together, they approached Lori, who was limp but alive, gasping for breath.


    "Lory..." Various emotions filled Aster''s voice. He seemed pleading instead of confident. "Is this the only way?"


    Despite the ambiguity, Lori understood. He wanted to know if death was the only way to stop her¡ªfrom her ideals, mission, and everything she had sacrificed for.


    Her smile was a mix of resignation and eptance. Not a word came from her. Her silence weighed on Aster, as if she confirmed his worst fears. He took her silence as an answer, clenching his teeth and balling his hands into fists. A painful knot tightened in his chest.


    He turned to Vanessa, giving her a brief nod, signaling her to finish what she had started. There was no other choice left. Wasting no time, Vanessa raised the dagger, preparing to strike.


    "Alright, stop it right there."


    A low voice sliced through the air, halting everything.


    Vanessa and Aster both turned toward the source of the voice, hearts racing. Standing before them was the masked jester, Arima, holding Cassy by her ears, her feet barely touching the ground. His grip was firm, his stance rxed as though he had all the time in the world.


    "I''ve enjoyed the show," Arima said, his voice a mix of seriousness and amusement, "but I''m afraid I won''t allow you to kill my business partner over there. I''ll snap this rabbit woman''s neck if you don''t stop."


    "Urk¡­!"


    Cassy let out a strangled groan, Arima''s grip tightening around her throat. Her fingers wed helplessly at his hand, trying to pry it loose, but her strength was waning. Aster, seeing the agony on her face, roared in both anger and worry.


    "Cassy! You bastard, let her go!"


    "You first. Move away from Lori," Arima replied calmly, his grip unwavering. He sounded as though he had dealt with this kind of situation far too often to be fazed by it.


    "Tsk!"


    Vanessa clicked her tongue in irritation. She had hoped Arima wouldn''t intervene, but here he was,plicating things. Magnus had ordered her to prioritize killing Lori, even if it meant sacrificing Cassy. But she knew that letting Cassy die in front of Aster would make him despise her, and that was something she couldn''t afford. Not now.


    "Alright, alright." Vanessa sighed, guiding Aster away from Lori, inching closer to Arima instead. "This far enough? Release the girl."


    "No, not yet." Arima wasn''t one to be rushed. His eyes remained cold, his smile mocking. "Lori, I''m pulling you over. Don''t resist."


    At hismand, Lori''s body flew through the air as if an invisible force had dragged her. She tumbled weightlessly, her form limp and helpless. In the blink of an eye, she was sitting at Arima''s feet, the distance between her and Vanessa widening in an instant.


    "This should be fair, right?" Arima smiled, his sharp eyes glinting under the mask. And without any fuss, he released Cassy, pushing her toward Aster and Vanessa as if she were nothing more than a pawn in his grand game.


    "Ah!"


    Cassy stumbled forward, unable to see, and fell face-first to the ground with a muffled cry of pain. Aster, concern flooding his expression, rushed to her side, his heartbeat thundering in his chest.


    "Cassy, it''s me, Aster," he whispered softly. Relief and worry filled his voice. "I''ll help you up. Grab on." His hands trembled slightly as he grasped her arms, lifting her gently.


    He lifted her by the shoulders, his legs trembling under the strain of his own injuries, but he managed to support her as they made their way back to Vanessa, slowly and carefully.


    "Now that she''s safe..." Vanessa''s smile turned wicked as she snapped her fingers, her eyes glinting with malicious intent.


    At that moment, the blood rapier lodged in Lori''s chest began to glow ominously, expanding as if it were about to detonate. The once harmless-looking weapon now threatened to end Lori''s life in a violent burst of energy. Lori gasped, realizing toote that the weapon had been a trap all along.


    "Nasty woman," Arima muttered, though he showed no signs of concern or urgency.


    *SNAP!*


    He snapped his fingers, mirroring Vanessa''s gesture. Instantly, the swelling blood rapier froze, its glow dimming as if someone had hit the pause button. Then, as if it were nothing more than an illusion, the rapier slowly faded, disappearing without a trace.


    "...!"


    Lori''s eyes widened in shock. Even she, who had fought alongside Arima before, hadn''t expected this. What kind of power could simply erase a conjured weapon?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "You..." Vanessa''s voice was low, her eyes narrowing as she realized what had urred. The blood rapier, which she had conjured and controlled, had simply vanished. Her connection to it waspletely severed, something she hadn''t anticipated.


    "What? Haven''t seen magic before?" Arima chuckled, twirling a dagger between his fingers as if it were a toy. "Disappearing tricks are basic stuff, you know?"


    "Magic?" Vanessa scoffed. "What bullshit. You think I''ll buy that?"


    To the untrained eye, it might have seemed like Arima had teleported the rapier away, but Vanessa knew better. Teleportation wouldn''t sever her connection to the weapon like this. No, this was something else¡ªsomething far more dangerous.


    "Your ability... it''s destruction, isn''t it?" Vanessa''s voice was deadly serious now, her tonecking its usual yful edge. "You''re not just some jester. You''re the leader of the Anti-Human Movement. You''re Arima Hajime, the God of Destruction."


    "Bingo~!" Arima pped his hands in mock apuse, hisughter echoing through the cavern. "To think you''d figure it out without me even needing to say a word. I''m impressed, Vampire Princess. Really, I am."


    Vanessa''s eyes darkened. Her mind raced as she calcted her next move. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, her heel striking the ground with a resounding crack. Instantly, the floor rippled like water, spreading in all directions.


    *CRACK!*


    But before it could spread far, the ripple shattered into pieces. Arima hadn''t moved, but his influence was unmistakable.


    ''This is bad.''


    Lori''s thoughts raced, dread curling in her stomach.


    Arima wasn''t just a powerful fighter¡ªhe was a force of destruction itself. If he wanted to, he could wipe them all out in an instant. The only reason they were still alive was because he simply wasn''t interested in killing them yet.


    That realization sent a chill down Lori''s spine.

 Chapter 279 More Backup!

    Vanessa stood protectively in front of Aster and Cassy, her posture taut, ready to shield them with her own body if necessary. Her fingers twitched at her side, betraying her unease; doubt gnawed at her, filling her mind with questions. Could she really keep them safe?


    "Vanessa¡­" Aster''s voice was barely more than a whisper, making her flinch.


    She turned to meet his gaze, and his serious expression softened slightly as he gave her a small, firm nod. In that single gesture, he conveyed a silent message¡ªa glimmer of trust that seemed to chase away the despair pooling in her chest. For the first time in what felt like ages, a faint ray of hope flickered within her.


    Without a word, Vanessa raised her hand, feeling the rush of energy flow through her as she summoned a towering wall of earth between them and the enemies.


    Her hand trembled slightly, the strain of casting a defensive spell without a full incantation weakening the structure. Even so, the wall loomed tall, casting a shadow that swallowed them momentarily. It might notst long, but it was enough for what they needed.


    "Now!" she urged, urgency sharp in her voice.


    As soon as the barrier was erected, Vanessa turned, her expression hardening with determination. She reached out, grabbing Aster and Cassy around their waists and hoisting them up as though they were nothing more than barrels of wine. They gasped, caught off-guard, but Vanessa didn''t pause.


    "Run!" she shouted, her voice rough but resolute. She turned on her heel, bolting away from their battlefield.


    Their objective¡ªrescuing Cassandra¡ªhad beenpleted. There was no reason to linger in this conflict with Lori''s faction. As for Magnus''s secret orders? They were just that: secret. The details were unknown to all but him and Vanessa, meaning he couldn''t openly reprimand her if she failed to carry them out in full.


    "Haha! nning to escape?" Arima''s mockingughter echoed through the air, carrying an unsettling delight. "We haven''t even crossed des yet!"


    *SNAP!*


    With a mere snap of his fingers, the earth beneath them seemed to lurch violently, sending a shockwave of force through the ground. It felt as though an earthquake had hit, each tremor stronger than thest, making it hard to maintain her bnce, let alone run. She gritted her teeth, struggling to keep her footing while carrying both Aster and Cassy. The vibrations were so intense that every bone in her body seemed to resonate with them.


    Vanessa nced back just in time to see her protective wall shatter, crumbling like ss. Her heart sank.


    "Damn¡­!" she cursed under her breath, feeling the weight of her failure settle in her chest. She hadn''t expected the wall tost forever, but she''d hoped for more time.


    Now they were once again in full view, exposed to Arima''s line of sight. Knowing his deadly powers required direct visual contact, she tightened her grip on Aster and Cassy, unwilling to release them to cast another defensive spell.


    "My familiars,e out!" shemanded in a desperate tone.


    As if responding to her sheer will, dark shapes burst from her shadow, the swarms of rats and bats spreading out around them. Though the tremors staggered her rat familiars, the bats remained unaffected, forming a dark, pulsating cloud that advanced toward Arima. Their tiny, glinting eyes shone with an eerie resolve as they blocked Arima''s sight, momentarily breaking his focus.


    Seizing the brief opportunity, Vanessa surged forward, her feet pounding the ground as she put as much distance as possible between them and their pursuers. She bit her lip, frustration simmering in her chest. She knew her options were limited. Shecked the space-manipting skills to teleport them across dimensions.


    Her mind drifted to the intricate magic circle surrounding the Dimension Core. She hadmitted its design to memory, to the point that she could draw it with her eyes closed.


    But she didn''t have the time or materials to sketch it now, nor was she sure if her mana alone would suffice to activate it. Moreover, teleporting three people instead of one would be far more challenging.


    Even as she considered their next steps, her instincts warned her they were far from safe. Just as the ground''s trembling began to subside and they gained more distance, a sudden sh of red burst before her, halting their progress in an instant.


    "¡­!"


    Vanessa stopped abruptly, leaning back to dodge a vicious w strike aimed right at her face. She watched the attacker''s hand pass mere inches from her, its sharp edges gleaming under the dim light. Her heart pounded as she caught her breath, eyes narrowing.


    "Tsk!" she clicked her tongue in irritation.


    The attacker wasn''t the type to waste time, and he shifted smoothly into his next attack, his movements swift and calcted. Realizing his initial strike had missed, he turned his body with expert precision, gathering momentum as he spun around. His leg came up in a reverse kick, aimed squarely at Aster''s face, his expression merciless.


    Vanessa''s mind raced, heart pounding as she calcted her next move. Every second counted, and hesitation could mean disaster.


    "SCRAM!"


    With a shout, a powerful shockwave sted the man, sending him flying like a kite into the distance. His screams echoed, fading into a whisper as his figure turned into a distant star in the dark space.


    "Mmph!"


    "Haiyah!"


    As if trading ces with the first one, two more figures appeared. One was a ck-haired gentleman in a chic tuxedo, resembling a proper butler. The other was a pink-haired girl with twin tails, her eyes of mystic blue and red glowing fiercely.


    Vanessa took a moment to assess their attacks. The gentleman wasn''t aiming at her directly but rather at her left hand, which held Cassy. The pink-haired girl, however, was more agile, her attack targeting two ces¡ªVanessa''s chest and Aster''s neck.


    "Back off!"


    But given their differences in strength, neither was a real threat. Vanessa delivered a swift kick to the gentleman''s chest, the impact reverberating with a cracking sound as his ribs caved in. His body flew backward, rolling along the ground until he came to a halt.


    For the pink-haired girl, Vanessa didn''t hold back. Using the same leg, she flicked it toward the girl''s neck. The force tilted her head at an unnatural angle before she was mmed onto the ground. Vanessa''s foot crushed her face, the impact sttering it like a burst watermelon.


    "How cruel¡­" Arima''s voice murmured from beside Vanessa, startling her. "But I like that attitude. Unforgiving!"


    "¡­!"


    Vanessa was stunned. Arima was supposed to be quite far away, yet here he was, standing right next to her. Even if she had paused briefly, he shouldn''t have been able to close the distance so quickly.


    In a split-second decision, she tossed Aster and Cassy behind her, crossing her arms and using what little blood she had gathered to reinforce her defenses.


    The masked man, Arima, extended his arm, his fist aimed at the center of her crossed arms. Although she tracked each movement as if in slow motion, the entire sequence happened in a fraction of a millisecond¡ªfar too fast to dodge.


    *BAM!* *CREAK!* *SNAP!*


    As Arima''s punch connected, Vanessa felt the bones in her arms snap cleanly, as if they were dry branches. The impact went further, sending cracks through her ribs, which bore what remained of the punch''s force.


    "UGH!"


    Vanessa gritted her teeth, bracing her feet against the ground to avoid being blown backward. Despite her effort, she was forced back at least five meters, with Aster and Cassy sliding behind her.


    Her arms hung limply now, utterly useless.


    Even though she wanted to heal, the blood she''d used as a protectiveyer had been blown away by the punch, leaving nothing behind. Without that extra shield, she half-believed her entire upper body might''ve been blown to bits.


    "Poor girl¡­" Arima murmured as he knelt beside the pink-haired girl, Yinfa''s remains.


    As his hand hovered over her mangled head, something unbelievable happened. An image of arge, ornate hourss appeared above her, its sand flowing upward from the bottom, defying gravity.


    In the next instant, the girl''s body began to mend, flesh and bone reassembling until she was whole once more.


    *Cough!* *Cough!*


    Her eyes opened as she took in a rasping breath,ing back to life.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "BITCH¡­!"


    Meanwhile, the first assant¡ªthe red-haired Lionel¡ªgrowled as he reappeared. Though he had been sted away, his injuries amounted to little more than minor bruises, barely needing any healing.


    Trailing slightly behind him was the ck-haired butler, Sebastian, moving carefully. His expression betrayed the pain he was in, but he didn''t allow it to hinder his movements. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb, then stopped at a short distance, observing Vanessa and the others.


    Almost all their enemies had rallied now, save for Selene''s group.


    "


    Tertie Sirreo Cura!


    Great Heal!"


    "¡­!"


    As Vanessa tried to think of her next move, Cassy''s healing light enveloped her. Her broken arms mended instantly, the pain in her chest disappearing rapidly.


    Though grateful, Vanessa couldn''t shake the feeling that it was a futile gesture. They were practically facing a one-against-four situation. To escape from this unharmed would take nothing short of a miracle.

 Chapter 280 Final Battle (1)

    Vanessa took a small step back; the pressure of facing multiple opponents¡ªalthough most of them were "weak"¡ªwasn''t one she could handle without faltering. Of course, the biggest source of her worry was the only person who could pose a threat to them, Arima Hajime.


    "That technique...!" But Aster was entirely focused on a different thing, staring at Arima and Yinfa alternatingly. "That''s that other girl, Chronalisa''s ability!"


    "...!"


    Now that he mentioned it, Vanessa did realize that the spell looked familiar. She believed she had seen Chrona use it before while healing the two allies of Selene. However, now that she recalled it, her brows curled.


    ''Why can this man use someone else''s skill?''


    Vanessa was sure that his ss wasn''t simr to, or even close, to Chronalisa''s Time Mage Rare ss. His ss remained a mystery, but it heavily leaned toward "destruction" rather than time control.


    Arima turned to Aster, his piercing eyes turning from pitch ck to a glowing white as his lips curled like the crescent moon. "Ah, that?" hemented, raising a finger to his lips as if saying "shush."


    "It''s magic, of course!" He dered confidently.


    Aster frowned, realizing that the man wasn''t nning on telling him the trick behind his ability to use someone else''s skill. Of course, Vanessa was the same, frowning hard while watching his every move.


    But it wasn''t only them who were confused. Lionel, Sebastian, Yinfa herself, and even Lori, who was still sprawled on the ground some distance away, were also staring at Arima with a questioning gaze. They, too, didn''t know that he could use someone else''s¡ªone of their allies'' abilities!


    "Anyway, enough of that. I hope you can entertain me, even if only for a short while," Arima eximed with a shrug. "If I get too bored with your performance, I might simply end you three right here and now."


    "..."


    Vanessa steeled her resolve. She knew that they could no longer escape without a fight, but thankfully, Arima didn''t seem to n on killing them in one go.


    "nning to lynch your opponents? What a sick hobby." She snarled as if wanting to get back at him, even if it was just through words.


    "When you live as long as I did, having one or two sick hobbies is just the norm."


    But the masked trickster didn''t even feel bothered by her words; on the contrary, he was proud of it!


    "You''re that old?" Vanessa smirked. "Then, should I call you grandpa or something?"


    Arima chuckled, finding her prickly words endearing. "No, I''m not that young. But maybe great, great, great, great, great grandpa would work, barely."


    "... You''re a fossil then."


    "Close enough."


    "..."


    Vanessa soon realized that her taunts weren''t working at all. Instead of Arima getting angry, it was she who felt irritated after their exchange!


    "Enough yapping! Die, bitch!"


    Right then, the impatient Lionel rushed forward, raising his hands, curled into a w, and scratching toward Vanessa''s face. She could dodge it, but doing so would allow him to invade their personal space, exposing Aster and Cassy to danger.


    "Tsk!"


    She clicked her tongue as she moved her hand, nning to catch his attack directly. However, the iing w stopped an inch away from Vanessa''s palm before suddenly changing directions. Lionel''s attack was a feint, a mere distraction!


    "Hup!"


    From the other direction¡ªto Vanessa''s right¡ªSebastian came. His aim, just like before, wasn''t to attack and harm Vanessa, as he knew his limits, but instead, he was aiming for Cassy once more.


    "...!"


    Vanessa turned around, nning to intercept the butler, but Lionel didn''t leave her alone. His kick went sharply cutting through the air, aiming for her face.


    Although he was no different than a fly to Vanessa, her defenses were almost paper thin at the moment. As such, she couldn''t allow an attack to hit, no matter how insignificant it was.


    "You pesky little...!"


    But at the opening she presented, when paying attention to Lionel, Sebastian managed to reach the area where Cassy was. His hand shed, about to grab her by the ears¡ª


    "FUCK OFF!"


    ¡ªbut a sword shed, interrupting him. Sebastian was forced to stop his approach, taking a few steps back and ncing at the one who interrupted him.


    Aster, who was right beside Cassy, moved to protect her! His legs were shaky, and his limbs felt as powerless as could be, but his gaze was firm and full of his unyielding spirit. "You want to take my woman (party member)?! Over my dead body!!!"


    "S-Star?!"


    Cassy gasped at the sudden confession (?) that came out of Aster''s mouth, her cheeks turning a healthy pink as she blushed. However, the man himself didn''t realize that his choice of words could easily be misunderstood. Even Vanessa, who was listening while fighting Lionel, couldn''t help but have her brows twitch!


    "Chivalry... You have ss, Mr. Mistral." Sebastian praised while fixing his necktie, but his gaze remained focused, unwavering. "But for our ideals, I would need to take you down!"


    Sebastian pulled out his weapon for the first time. A pair of golden pistols, engraved with what looked like a pair of undine ying with a droplet of water. Without a moment''s dy, he aimed them both toward Aster''s face and pulled the trigger.


    *SHRAKK!*


    Two bullets fired at the same time at supersonic speeds, the sound of their firing mixing into one loud crackle.


    Aster, of course, wasn''t simply waiting for the bullets to find their target and end his meager life. Neither did he dodge, as doing so could cause the bullets to hit Cassy, who was being protected, crouching behind him.


    "Crysta!"


    [On it!?]


    With just simply calling her name, Aster ryed his order in a sh. The next instant, an ice wall appeared between Aster and Sebastian, which the pair of bullets hit and embedded themselves into, stopping them from reaching their target!


    *SHRAKK!* *SHRAKK!* *SHRAKK!*


    But it wasn''t like Sebastian only had one shot. His dual pistols fired endlessly, filling the icy wall with bullets, causing cracks to slowly appear through it. Crysta was doing her best, trying to restore the wall to the limits of her abilities, but the firing rate was just too overwhelming.


    "Pyra, stop him!"


    Astermanded as he ran, moving around the wall and finding his way to where Sebastian was standing. At the same time, Pyra used her abilities and gradually raised the temperature of the pistols in the enemy''s hands.


    In moments, the cold metal turned red hot, releasing a sizzling sound as it began to burn Sebastian''s palms.


    "..."


    But the man remained focused, as if pain wasn''t a thing.


    Aster felt that something was weird. Although the gun was red-hot and should cause the gunpowder to misfire, nothing was happening. "Don''t tell me...!" He inhaled sharply, scrutinizing the weapon in the butler''s hands.


    He noticed that whenever a new bullet would fly, the entire body of the gun would glow for a brief moment. At the same time, a loud "boom" would echo¡ªdifferent from the traditional "bang" from firing a gunpowder bullet.


    "A railgun?!" He gasped in shock.


    Aster never imagined seeing a railgun in pistol form! And from how it fired "projectiles" at sonic speeds, it was a powerful one too!


    ''But a railgun should have a limited energy source! He shouldn''t be able to fire it endlessly!''


    As soon as he realized this, his panic faded, reced with a cold, calcting outlook toward the current situation. His movements, thoughcking in energy, were short and precise, as if conserving as much of his stamina as possible. His gaze was locked onto Sebastian, watching his every move, while the other party did the same, his gaze not leaving Aster for even a short moment.


    "No!"


    But then, Cassy''s voice, raised in displeasure, caught Aster''s attention. Turning his head a little, from his peripheral vision, he saw how the pink-haired woman, Yinfa, arrived beside Cassy and was trying to drag her back.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Cassy, no!"


    At that moment, Aster realized his mistake. He thought that Vanessa could handle the other three as long as he kept one upied, but he overestimated her. In fact, just Arima alone was more than enough to keep her upied, with Lionel being just an extra with no impact on the situation, to say the least!


    Still, with them hounding Vanessa''s attention, Yinfa was able to bypass her defenses and reach Cassy, leading to the current situation. Aster turned around, nning to chase her away, but Sebastian didn''t allow him to.


    "Don''t show your back to your enemy!" The old man growled in anger, pulling the trigger again.


    His palms, by then, were already past getting first-degree burns and were already reaching third-degree, but he was keeping his injuries at bay with the green aura surrounding him. Some passive healing factor, or maybe an item''s effect¡ªAster couldn''t be sure.


    *SHRAKK!* *SHRAKK!*


    The railgun pistols glowed once more, firing two bullets faster than the speed of sound. They were fired with a slight dy between each, causing the bullets to move with one behind the other.


    Both bullets then hit the biggest crack in the ice wall, the second bullet acting as a hammer, pushing the other deeper into the chasm.


    *CRACK!*


    And caused the wall to fail!


    The bullet went past the cold walls and flew past Aster''s face, leaving a red streak across his cheeks!

 Chapter 281 Final Battle (2)

    Aster jumped back, his shock evident on his face as he watched Crysta''s ice wall crumble before his very eyes.


    The stinging pain on his cheeks, a result of the shrapnel flying past him, was hardly worth mentioning, but the fact that Sebastian had managed to breach the ice wall was a significant blow to Aster''s carefullyid ns. It felt as if the ground had shifted beneath him, leaving him vulnerable and exposed.


    Now, he couldn''t move to rescue Cassy! Panic surged within him, mingling with a growing frustration that churned in his stomach.


    "BACK OFF!" Aster growled, fury igniting his resolve as he rushed forward, wielding his sword in a flurry of desperate strikes.


    His movements were quick, each sh intended to find its mark. However, the truth was undeniable¡ªhis stamina had dwindled, and he could feel the effects weighing him down.


    His once lightning-fast strikes had be sluggish, allowing Sebastian to anticipate his movements with an unsettling ease. The slightest shifts of Sebastian''s body only served to rile Aster further, pushing him to the edge of his patience.


    "Let¡­ go!"


    To add to his mounting frustration, Cassy''s pained voice reached his ears intermittently, each cry tugging at his heartstrings and filling him with an unshakeable dread. Gritting his teeth, Aster pushed himself to fight harder, feeling the urgency of the moment.


    "You''ve lost your bite¡­" Sebastian muttered, a chilling frown gracing his lips as he dodged yet another sh with minimal effort. His eyes glimmered with an unfiltered, cold killing intent that sent shivers down Aster''s spine.


    "It''d be too pitiful to watch you struggle like this any longer. Let me cut your suffering short."


    *SHRAKK!* *SHRAKK!*


    Before Aster could react, Sebastian pulled the trigger, aiming directly at Aster''s forehead from almost point-nk range.


    "...!"


    Instinct kicked in as Aster moved fast, barely dodging the bullet''s path. Even before Sebastian had squeezed the trigger, Aster had already been in motion, propelled by sheer adrenaline. The two bullets whizzed past him, so close that they took a few strands of his hair along with them, a reminder of how perilously close he hade to death.


    But Sebastian wasn''t done. He continued pulling the trigger, forcing Aster to shift sideways repeatedly to avoid bing a target. Each evasive maneuver drained Aster''s energy, wasting precious stamina and halting his offensive.


    "Fuck...!" Aster growled under his breath, frustration boiling over.


    Impatience gnawed at him; he couldn''t even dare to turn and nce at Cassy''s situation, and it made his heart race with worry, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest.


    Meanwhile, Vanessa was still struggling against the relentlessbination attacks of Arima and Lionel. The two worked together with unsettling precision, and Vanessa found herself increasingly overwhelmed. Every time she thought she could counterattack, Arima would press the advantage, while Lionel nked her, ensuring her focus remained divided.


    ''We''ll just get slowly grounded to our deaths if this continues!''


    Vanessa thought, panic rising within her.


    Though every instinct screamed at her to move and protect Cassy, she found herself shackled by the pressure of the battle. Her hands felt tied, restricted by the sheer ferocity of her opponents.


    *CLANG!*


    With a swift movement, Vanessa raised her weapon¡ªa rapier she had summoned from her Storage Ring¡ªand managed to block Arima''s swift cut. However, the rapier was too slender to serve as an effective shield. Instead of blocking outright, she deftly allowed Arima''s de to slide across her weapon''s edge, executing a parry that gave her the tiniest openings to exploit.


    But it came at a cost. Although parrying allowed her to maintain her bnce and position for a counterattack, it also meant that her focus was precariously split between the two foes.


    "Tsk!" she spat, frustration mounting as Arima disyed an opening, only to have Lionel rush in, effectively covering for him. His attacks, though not particrly threatening, served to pull her attention away¡ªan act that could prove fatal against someone of Arima''s caliber.


    "Hack¡­!"


    Just as she suspected, that fleeting moment where her gaze flickered toward Lionel was more than enough to turn the tide of the battle in an instant.


    Arima''s sword came slicing back, embedding itself deep over her right shoulder, plunging in a few inches! The pain was immediate and sharp, a searing wound that threatened to spill her lifeblood. It was a significant injury, one that would have left most warriors incapacitated or worse.


    "Is that all you''ve got?" Armia asked, his moon-like crescent smile never fading.


    He twisted his de like a maniac before pulling it out, aggravating her wound even further. A fountain of blood burst from her injury, a tell-tale sign that a major blood vessel had been severed, causing severe bleeding.


    Vanessa was forced to take another step back, staggering. Her vision faltered from the mix of pain and lethargy from losing so much blood.


    Fortunately, she was a vampire. With her innate ability to manipte blood¡ªeven her own blood¡ªshe could lessen the bleeding in an instant. At least she shouldn''t die from the shock of losing so much blood.


    "Damn, that hurts like hell...!"


    She growled in discontent before popping a blood-red potion out of her Storage Ring and gulping it down in one go. Although her potion was potent, it was still hard for her to recover from the damage she had sustained.


    Slowly but surely, Vanessa was getting pushed into a corner!


    Arima''s assault continued as soon as Vanessa was done drinking her potion. He was so sure of their victory that he didn''t even bother stopping Vanessa from taking it!


    "Come on! Entertain me more!" He cackled like a madman.


    Vanessa was forced to take one step back after another. Wounds began appearing on her body, mainly light cuts opened by Arima''s de slicing her skin. In just moments, Vanessa looked bloody and pitiful; she might have been taken as a beggar!


    *CRACK!*


    Just as their hopes were almost nonexistent, the space around them began to crack. It was a strange phenomenon, as if they were looking at the world through a cracked, broken ss window.


    The cracks expanded, with gigantic roots stretching out of them in a rush.


    Arima frowned upon seeing this. He tried destroying the root approaching him in a snap¡ªbut even though the root got mangled all throughout, the mushy end began to regenerate as a new root formed.


    More of the hundreds of roots moved quickly, targeting one person each. Arima was able to sessfully thwart the roots trying to grab him, but the rest weren''t so lucky. Lionel had a root piercing through his abdomen, going from the back and out the front.


    Sebastian, who was supposedly locked in a deadly exchange with Aster, was caught by another root around his neck. His feet dangled freely as his hands tried to pry off the root holding him. It was like he was sentenced to death by hanging, agony etched on his face.


    Yinfa, who was carrying the fainted Cassy, was also caught by a random root. It snagged her leg, letting her dangle from the air, upside down.


    In just a single moment, the entire unfavorable situation flipped once again!


    The one who caused all this emerged from one of the myriad of cracks in the space. She stood on top of a proud root, towering at a 45¡ã angle¡ªa blonde elf with a flushed face, as if intoxicated.


    Her eyes glowed in radiant gold, and her fierce gaze was enough to send shivers down anyone''s spine. It was none other than Faeloria Shadowleaf, who was supposedly already out ofmission, unable to continue fighting!


    But for some reason, even Aster was receiving a warning from his sixth sense. He felt an urgent need to run away all of a sudden, lest he face tragedy!


    "... Ahh~" When Faeloria''s gaze locked onto Aster''s direction, her short frown turned upside down, a sloppy smile spreading across her face. "It''s Aster~!"


    Her figure disappeared for a moment before reappearing right behind Aster, moving to embrace him from behind.


    "...!"


    Aster was surprised, but more than that, the twin peaks pressed against his back gnawed away at his reasoning. Faeloria hummed as she rubbed her cheeks against Aster''s, before whispering into his ear.


    "... I''m so horny I could fuck anyone~!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Fae¡ª"


    Aster wanted to counter her words, but she continued. "But there are too many obstacles here. I''ll clean them all up first."


    Without even giving a signal, the roots moved. The ones squeezing Sebastian tightened, wringing him like an old rag, blood falling down to the ck ground along with some of his meat and organs.


    Lionel was already dead, as the root that attacked him pierced through his heart. But still, the root wasn''t choosy¡ªit began to split into four and started to break Lionel''s body like a brittle y figurine. It was a grotesque sight, but the fact that he was an enemy and that it all happened within a second didn''t impact Aster much mentally.


    "Urk!"


    Yinfa was a little lucky, as she didn''t have to die as brutally as the other two. Aster wasn''t sure if the World Tree was a feminist, but it pointed a root''s tip over her face and sted away.


    A pure green beam fired, leaving only the leg grabbed by the roots beforehand, up to half its shin remaining. In a sh, only Arima and Lori were left alive!

 Chapter 282 Final Battle (3)

    Aster stood in stunned silence, his gaze fixed on the surreal scene before him. Moments ago, they were struggling at their breaking point, barely holding back their enemies, unable to shield Cassy from danger.


    But then, Faeloria''s arrival changed everything; the tides of the battle shifted in the blink of an eye as if someone had flipped the entire situation over with a snap of their fingers.


    "This can''t be real¡­" Vanessa whispered, equally astonished by Faeloria''s sudden show of power.


    Thest time Vanessa had seen her, Faeloria had been nearly useless, so weak that her presence on the battlefield had seemed more of a hindrance than a help. Yet now, she stood as a radiant force of nature, brimming with power and fury.


    The only reason Vanessa could imagine such a drastic change was a re-connection to the World Tree''s energy. Somehow, due to an unknown glitch or oversight, the dimension''s "seal" had weakened, allowing the World Tree''s energy¡ªits "signal"¡ªto reach Faeloria again.


    It was like a lost phone suddenly reconnecting to awork, receiving every missed message all at once, reigniting the power within her.


    ''But that kind of state can''tst long,''


    Vanessa thought, eyes narrowing as she assessed Faeloria.


    It wasn''t a permanent surge, just a temporary boost from a concentration of energy. However, even if it would fade in minutes, it was enough time to turn the tide in their favor.


    "Faeloria, let''s strike together!" Vanessa called, not about to let such an advantage go to waste.


    With only one opponent left, this was their moment to attack as a team, overwhelming him from every side. But before they could move, Arima was already preparing his counterattack, one step ahead as always.


    "How cruel of you, killing all my associates in cold blood," he sneered, his voice taking on a melodramatic tone as if he were the lead in some twisted theater performance. "Well, I can''t have things end like this, can I?"


    *SNAP!*n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With a flick of his fingers, Arima triggered something powerful. Behind him, a ghostly image of a towering, ancient grandfather clock materialized, its face dimly glowing with a metallic gold sheen. It loomed above them, ticking ominously¡ªbut in reverse, with the minute hand moving counter-clockwise, slowly rewinding time itself.


    "No...not this again!" Vanessa shouted, realizing the devastating implications. But it was toote to stop him.


    In an instant, the entire scene around them froze, caught in a stilled moment, before suddenly surging backward. Everything started to rewind, each movement and event undoing itself in rapid session. The seconds rolled back, reversing the events of thest few moments, carrying everyone back to the exact instant Faeloria had broken into the dimension.


    The dead were resurrected, returning to life in the positions they''d held just before Faeloria''s assault.


    "What¡­ just happened?" Vanessa breathed, unable to believe her eyes.


    But what puzzled them most was that everyone retained their memories, as though they''d seen a glimpse of the future, rather than having their time reversed.


    *CRACK!*


    Just as before, the atmosphere splintered, cracks splintering across the air like fractures in a ss wall. They all knew what woulde next: Faeloria''s massive roots, spilling forth in relentless waves, were poised to im the lives of their enemies in an instant.


    "Damn it!" Lionel cursed, realizing the imminent threat as the crack widened.


    "No¡ªNO!" Yinfa shrieked, the horror of their impending fate seizing her.


    This time, however, they had foreknowledge; they knew what wasing. With split-second timing, each of the three remaining Aracelli members acted to change their fates.


    Lionel dove out of the way just as a massive root shot through his previous position, ripping through the air where he would have been. If his reaction had been even a fraction of a second slower, he would have been skewered and obliterated.


    Yinfa, who was hastily carrying Cassy, dropped her charge immediately. Without looking back, she sprinted away from the roots, weaving through the battlefield with careful, calcted movements. She kept her eyes on the ground, making sure no stray root could creep up and ensnare her this time.


    Meanwhile, Sebastian also wasted no time. He backed away from Aster, slipping both guns back into his storage ring with practiced ease.


    With his other hand, he pulled out a small, shimmering vial, uncorking it, and drinking the potion in one quick gulp. He scanned his surroundings, positioning himself well outside the range of any roots, ensuring he''d keep a safe distance this time.


    "Hmph!"


    As the torrent of roots subsided, Faeloria appeared just in time, her expression stormy and voiceced with anger. "How dare you!" she eximed, her sharp gaze locked onto Arima, who was nonchntly sidestepping the relentless roots lunging toward him.


    Unlike the other enemies, Arima faced a swarm of roots, at least a dozen times more than anyone else. It was almost baffling to see him emerge unscathed amid the writhing mass as if the roots were deliberately avoiding him. Yet, on closer inspection, it was clear Arima was using his destructive powers to graze away at the roots, creating just enough space to slip through, rendering each attack futile.


    Your adventure continues at empire


    "This... is hardly entertaining," Arima muttered, sounding more annoyed than worried, as he continued dodging the roots, effectively trapped in defense mode.


    Because the roots blocked his view, he couldn''t direct his ability toward anyone in Aster''s group, leaving him isted and unable to act offensively.


    "Ugh!"


    As Faelorianded gracefully, she sidled behind Aster, sping onto him as if he were her personal talisman. Her arms wrapped around him, squeezing tight, refusing to let go. Aster tried to pull away, but her hold was far too strong, the disparity in their strength undeniable.


    "Aster, that masked bastard is bullying me~!" she wailed, her face buried in his dark hair, her voice a blend of fake tears and yful whining. "Since he''s upsetting me, I need to hug you to feel better!"


    Vanessa''s patience wore thin at this disy, a mixture of irritation and urgency shing across her face. "Stop acting like a spoiled child! We should be running now while we still have the chance!"


    Indeed, Faeloria and Arima were too perfectly matched in their abilities, making this the ideal moment to retreat. Trying to continue the fight? That was far too risky; staying longer could spell their end if Arima managed to break free.


    "That''s exactly right!" Aster agreed fervently, catching Vanessa''s urgency. "Let''s fall back for now! Our priority is getting Cassy to safety."


    At the moment, Vanessa was carrying Cassy like a sack, the young woman still unconscious despite Arima''s time reversal. They''d achieved their primary mission: rescuing her. There was no logical reason to stay and risk more danger.


    "¡­ Alright."


    Faeloria reluctantly nodded, her hand raised as she tapped on the air in front of them. The very space before them split open, revealing a shimmering path leading back to familiar surroundings¡ªthe dimension where Faeloria had once taken Aster, where they''d even shared a steamy time together.


    Vanessa entered the rift first, carrying Cassy securely in her arms. Aster watched them step through, his shoulders loosening in relief as they disappeared safely on the other side.


    "¡­"


    Just as he was about to follow, Aster turned his gaze, his eyes meeting Lori''s from a distance. She was watching him intently, her pupils glowing with a strange, eerie light¡ªa clear sign she was using her powers.


    They held each other''s gaze in a brief but intense standoff before Aster turned away, breaking eye contact without a second nce. Without hesitation, he stepped into the dimensional rift.


    Faeloria followed him, casting onest nce at the battlefield before closing the rift behind them. Silence settled over them once they were safely through. After a few tense seconds, both Aster and Vanessa let out deep sighs of relief, the weight of their escape finally hitting them.


    "That was too close!" Vanessa eximed, finally allowing herself to wipe away the cold sweat that had umted on her brow. "Who would''ve guessed the God of Destruction had allied with the Aracelli Race?"


    "God of¡­ Destruction?" Faeloria mumbled, her half-drowsy consciousness barelyprehending the weight of Vanessa''s words. She hadn''t gotten a clear look at Arima, so his identity as her opponent had remained a mystery.


    "Not that it matters anymore," Vanessa replied, shrugging as though attempting to shake off the memory of their narrow escape. They''d seeded in rescuing Cassy, and for now, that was all that counted.


    Aster, however, did not share her optimism. "But their forces remain untouched," he muttered, his tone serious as he stared into the distance, lost in thought.


    They had fought with everything they had, each risking their lives in the process. Yet, despite their efforts, they hadn''t managed to im a single life. And all of it boiled down to one man''s interference¡ªArima Hajime.


    "¡­"


    Taking a steadying breath, Aster closed his eyes, struggling to quell the lingering unease churning within him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t shake the sense that their battle was far from over.

 Chapter 283 Return to Base

    Faeloria''s pocket dimension was something of an enigma, an extension of her very essence and connection to the World Tree.


    She could open entry and exit points virtually anywhere, as long as two conditions were met. First, she had to have visited the ce before. Second, it had to be within reach of the World Tree''s sprawling roots or its towering branches. These boundaries were not as limiting as they seemed, for the World Tree''s influence extended far and wide, crossing entire dimensions and touching many sacred ces.


    In other words, it wasn''t difficult for her to open a path back to Orinfeld City.


    With a smooth wave of her hand, Faeloria conjured another portal beside them. Just like before, Vanessa was the first to enter, stepping forward to scout the exit. Aster followed, casting onest nce around Faeloria''s dimension with a sense of respect and nostalgia, and then stepped through. Faeloria was thest to pass, ensuring that all was in order before sealing the rift behind them. Enjoy new adventures from empire


    When they emerged on the other side, familiar faces awaited.


    A warm, booming voice called out, "Wee back!" It was Mayor Magnus, arms spread wide with a smile as bright as the sun.


    "Seeing that Miss Bright is with you, I assume the mission was a sess?"


    "Thankfully, yes..." Aster replied, a wry smile tugging at his lips as he took in the gathering.


    They had returned directly to the lobby of Gravene Tower, which now buzzed with activity. In addition to Mayor Magnus and his wife, Prisci, there were people from all corners of the city¡ªmanagers from the Guild, staff from the ss Exchange Hall, and even the red Oni Uncle from the dungeon entrance, watching with a slight grin.


    Aster hadn''t expected such a crowd, and he was mildly puzzled as to why everyone had gathered here. What he didn''t realize was that each one of them was a dedicated member of either the ck Numbers or the Hit Squad, ready to lend their support at any given moment.


    Prisci stepped forward, her face soft with concern.


    "You all look exhausted," she noted with a motherly smile, her gaze lingering on Aster and Faeloria. "You should return to your lodgings and rest. We''ll handle the rest."


    "... Alright," Aster agreed, sighing in relief at her suggestion.


    His body felt heavier by the moment, and he could feel dust and grime coating him from head to toe. It wouldn''t have been surprising if Magnus had simply insisted he go straight to the infirmary, given his disheveled appearance.


    He nced toward Faeloria, who looked flushed and slightly unsteady, her cheeks tinted a deep red, and a dreamy, almost intoxicated smile on her lips. Aster knew he couldn''t linger¡ªher current state hinted at potential "dangers" if he didn''t take his leave soon.


    "Then, I''ll take Cassy back," he added, turning toward Vanessa, who was still carrying Cassy in an unceremonious position¡ªlike a sack of potatoes.


    Magnus looked as if he might object, but Prisci ced a gentle hand on his arm, shaking her head with a slight smile. Understanding her intent, Magnus stepped back, watching as Aster prepared to leave.


    "Are you sure?" Vanessa asked, her voiceced with a hint of concern. "I managed to heal her somewhat, but taking her to the hospital seems like a safer option."


    But Aster remained stubborn and shook his head firmly. "No, it''s fine."


    During their fight with Arima, Cassy had whispered to him, asking him not to take her to the hospital upon their return. Though Aster had no idea why she preferred to avoid it, he trusted her judgment and was determined to honor her request.


    Vanessa studied his expression, her eyes narrowing slightly, and then nodded. "Alright, if you insist."


    She gently passed Cassy into his arms. Despite her recentck of proper meals, she was still somewhat heavy, and Aster''s weakened body protested as he took on her weight. Yet, he held her steady, his arms wrapped protectively around her in a princess carry. Cassy''s face was peaceful in her sleep, and he felt a renewed sense of purpose seeing her safe.


    After a respectful bow to everyone, Aster turned and left, the weight of their gazes following him as he crossed Gravene Tower''s lobby and stepped into the ck car waiting outside.


    ---


    "Mm..."


    A soft groan escaped Cassy as she drifted back to consciousness, only to be met with a world of darkness. Panic red momentarily in her chest before she remembered her condition.


    ''Right, I''m blind,''


    she reminded herself, drawing slow breaths to calm her racing heart.


    "... Stupid Rabbit?"


    The familiar voice reached her ears, unmistakable in its tone and choice of words. She wouldn''t mistake it for anyone else.


    "K...?" she responded, her voice faint, as if still disoriented. Her memories came back in fragments.


    ''Aster¡­ He came to save me¡­''N?v(el)B\\jnn


    she thought, a gentle warmth filling her heart. Her lips curved into a small, contented smile as she basked in the memory.


    *Thud!*


    "...!"


    Suddenly, Cassy felt herself enveloped in something soft and warm. She didn''t need to guess¡ªit was Kali, unable to contain her emotions, who had leapt into her arms, clutching her tightly.


    Her emotions stirred, and with a joyful smile, Cassy whispered words that had been in her heart for so long. "I''m home!"


    "Stupid rabbit!" Kali''s voice trembled, her tone filled with relief and happiness. "Wee back..."


    "Cassy?!"


    "Oh, you''re finally awake."


    Drawn by the touching reunion, Liz and Tina approached. Liz rushed forward, hugging both Cassy and Kali tightly, almost squeezing the breath out of them. Tina, though acting indifferent, sat nearby, watching with a small smile. Her tail swayed, its tip wiggling¡ªa subtle sign of her own quiet happiness at Cassy''s return.


    After a while, Aster noticed themotion and peeked through the open door. He saw Liz receiving a scolding from Kali, Cassy''s amused smile, and Tina quietly observing from a short distance. His lips curved up with content as he took in the familiar,forting scene.


    "Alright, let''s make them the best meal I can!" he encouraged himself, heading back to the kitchen to continue his cooking.


    The girls continued their yful banter until the enticing aroma of Aster''s dishes drifted into the room. As if drawn by an invisible thread, they followed the scent to the dining area, where a small banquet awaited them.


    "Oh, everyone''s already here!" Aster called out, noticing them gathering. "Tonight, let''s celebrate Cassy''s safe return. It''s a feast! Eat to your heart''s content!"

 Chapter 284 Planning the Next Steps

    Aster didn''t hold back when it came to his cooking. He whipped up a feast worthy of royalty¡ªif there were any left around, that is. He didn''t just focus on making the dishes mouthwatering; he also considered that Cassy was currently blind, putting extra effort into the textures and aromas to enhance her experience.


    The girls gathered around the table without hesitation, eagerly inspecting the foodid out before them. Unable to contain themselves, they each reached for one of the appetizers.


    The first bite was a fancy stuffed mushroom cap, filled with a savory mix of creamy ricotta, fresh herbs, and just a hint of garlic. Baked to a golden brown, each mouthful exploded with a blend of vors, with a crispy breadcrumb topping providing the perfect crunch over its soft, cheesy core.


    "This is amazing... The food only makes me hungrier for more!" Liz said, her eyes gleaming as she savored the taste.


    Even Cassy, who couldn''t see what she was eating, let a delighted smile spread across her face after Aster guided her hand. Each chew brought out newyers of vor, allowing her to enjoy the food in her own way.


    Next came the soup¡ªa warm, creamy tomato bisque served in a mug for easy holding, paired with buttery breadsticks. Tina was the first to dive in, sipping from the mug with a blissful sigh as the rich, velvety vor of ripe tomatoes and herbs danced across her pte.


    Curious, she picked up a breadstick, dipped it in the bisque, and took a bite. Thebination of the crispy exterior and soft interior of the breadstick with the warm, smooth bisque left her momentarily speechless, lost in the harmonious medley of vors.


    Then came the main course, and it was Kali''s turn to indulge. She eagerly dove into the braised short ribs with mashed potatoes, letting out an appreciative hum.


    The meat, slow-cooked in a savory sauce until it fell off the bone, was so tender it practically melted in her mouth. The smooth, buttery mashed potatoes bnced the richness of the ribs, offsetting the grease perfectly and keeping her appetite sharp. Explore more at empire


    Meanwhile, a quinoa sd with avocado, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes remained mostly untouched. Aster had added it for nutritional bnce, but he knew the girls had a distinct preference for meat over greens. He chuckled to himself, thinking he should''ve seen iting.


    In mere minutes, every te was polished clean, leaving only remnants of the sd¡ªwhich only Cassy and Aster sampled out of courtesy¡ªand one final item: dessert.


    The pi¨¨ce de r¨¦sistance was a silky vani panna cotta topped with a generousyer of syrupy, crushed berries. Light and creamy with a delicate hint of sweetness, the panna cotta melted on their tongues, bringing smiles to the girls'' faces as they savored each spoonful slowly, relishing every bite.


    As they enjoyed the dessert, Aster''s expression grew serious. He decided now was the time to bring up a more pressing issue.


    "Everyone, listen up," he began, his tone drawing the girls'' full attention.


    "Even though we managed to get Cassy back, our fight against Lori and her group is far from over."


    The girls paused, expressions shifting to a mixture of worry and frustration. However, they continued to scoop spoonfuls of the dessert into their mouths, savoring the treat as they listened.


    "How many of them managed to remove their limiters?" Kali turned to Cassy and asked bluntly, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.


    The question was a bit insensitive, given all that Cassy had gone through while in Lori''s camp, but it needed asking sooner rather thanter.


    "Three," Cassy replied, a small frown on her lips. "Only the two guys haven''t gotten their limiters removed yet."


    "So, three out of five..." Aster muttered, frowning at his hands resting on the table.


    A heavy silence filled the room, the quiet clinking of spoons on porcin the only sound. Finally, Aster raised his head, his voice firm as heid out their n.


    "We can''t stay as we are. We need to grow stronger while we still have the chance." He turned to Cassy. "But first, Cassy..."


    She gave him a faint smile, already understanding what he wanted to ask. She shook her head gently.


    "Sorry, Star, but I don''t want my eyes healed just yet. Once I can heal myself, or when the threat from the Aracelli Race has passed, then... maybe."


    Aster fell silent, recognizing her reasoning. Restoring her vision might make her an even bigger target for Lori, who still needed Cassy''s skills to remove the limiters from Lionel and Sebastian. Until Lori''s threat was dealt with, having her vision back would only increase the danger.


    "Healing yourself, huh..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Aster mused, thinking about what it would take for her to reach that level. Restoring vision required a high-level healing skill, a feat possible only at level 500 or above¡ªa distant goal, but not impossible.


    "Then we''ll focus on leveling up as much as possible," he decided. "That means diving back into the dungeon and pushing ourselves harder."


    Hearing this, Tina suddenly broke into a smile, crossing her arms over her chest in a way that made them jiggle slightly. "Well, actually, we have a surprise for you, darling!"


    Aster raised an eyebrow as Liz chimed in, her tone smug. "While you were out, we gathered supplies that''ll make our dungeon dives a lot easier."


    Ignoring Tina''s mock-furious re for stealing her line, Liz continued, "Trust me, you''re in for a treat."


    "Even I was surprised," Kali added, a sly grin spreading across her face as she shot Tina a teasing nce. "When I first saw the things this ''horny cat'' ordered for you, I was left speechless."


    Aster''s curiosity was piqued. The girls'' excitement was infectious, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    "What exactly did you get?" he asked, a glint of intrigue in his eyes.


    "Oh, just wait," Tina replied with a smirk. "You''ll see soon enough."


    The mood shifted as they finished the panna cotta,ughter and light-hearted teasing filling the air. For a moment, the tension from their earlier conversation seemed to dissipate, reced by the warmth of shared ns and the thrill of whaty ahead.


    But even as theyughed, Aster''s mind lingered on the battles toe, steeling himself for the challenges that awaited them all. This respite was brief¡ªa calm before the storm¡ªbut it was one he''d treasure. Whatever new tools they had, he knew they''d need every advantage they could get.


    With their ns set and a renewed sense of determination, Aster knew their path was clear: they''d face the dungeon''s depths and all the dangers within, growing stronger together, one battle at a time.

 Chapter 285 Four plus One plus One

    After their dinner was over and their discussion wrapped up, they all scattered, returning to their individual rooms¡ªwhich were basically neighboring each other. Just for rity, the ce where they had dinner was Cassy''s room.


    Their safety was ensured by the sparsely spread members of the hit squad, each equipped with anti-brainwashing equipment. With them standing guard 24/7 around the Twister Hotel, it would be hard for even a mouse to slip in.


    "Phew..."


    Aster let out a soft sigh as he plopped on top of his bed, bouncing a few times from the soft, cushiony mattress. Honestly, he was worn out from all the things that happened, but still, he didn''t let any of it show on his face.


    It wasn''t for pride as a man or anything, but more about him inly not wanting his weak side to be seen by others. He gently closed his eyes, letting all the noise fade in the background as he kept his breathing rhythmic and slow.


    *Arf!*


    As if missing him, the little white husky, Argus, jumped on top of the bed and moved by the side of his head, licking his cheeks yfully. He didn''t join them during dinner, as if he got fed up with having to put up with the girls. Aster chuckled before pulling the little pup into his embrace and trying to return to his before-sleep routine.


    His peaceful time, unfortunately, didn''tst too long.


    *Knock!* *Knock!*


    "...?"


    A series of knocks on the door brought back his half-fading consciousness. He wasn''t sure how much time passed¡ªestimating a quarter of an hour at most¡ªmaking him wonder what the person on the other side wanted.


    After hearing the same round of three knocks echo, Aster had no choice but to stand up and drag his feet toward the door.


    "Who is it?" He asked as he pulled the door slightly open.


    From the gap, he found vast, creamy mountains lined up, with lines of thin, silky smooth fabric covering parts of it.


    *BAM!*


    Before he could react, one of the girls kicked the door open, which in turn also pushed Aster back a couple of steps.


    "This is a raid, captain." The culprit, Kali, grinned while staring at Aster''s eyes. "This stupid rabbit said she''s scared of sleeping alone, so you have no choice but to let us sleep here tonight!"


    "S-Sorry to bother you, Star..." Cassy, the person she mentioned, apologized lightly.


    Aster scratched the back of his head before letting out a short, soft sigh. "Ah, alright. I guess it''s the usual then..." He muttered under his breath.


    He then turned to the other two, who also tagged along for some reason. "And you two?"


    "There''s no way I''ll allow other girls to sleep with darling unattended, so I need to watch over them!" Tina eximed, her tone filled with a mix of indignant justice and unsavory undertones that made Aster feel exasperated.


    Thest one, Liz, smiled wryly as she added. "Well, everyone''sing, so I guess adding one more wouldn''t really differ by much."


    Aster wanted to say that it "does" matter, as the bed''s space was limited, but he decided to simply let it pass.


    "... Come on in." Half resignedly, he consented.


    Well, the girls weren''t waiting for his words and already entered even before he gave permission, however. All four of them, even Cassy, were wearing thin, silky nightgowns in the color of their own hair.


    Cassy with a lively orange, Kali with a cold bluish-white, Liz with a fiery red, and Tina with an adult-like semi-see-through ck. Other than thest one, which allowed Aster a clear view of Tina''s "racy" underwear, the rest were barely eptable despite the high amount of skin exposure.


    "...!"


    Aster felt a shiver run down his spine, making him rush out of the door and check the hallway. However, despite the chill that he felt, or more like near-physical killing intent, he found no one in the vicinity.


    "... Was it my imagination?" Aster frowned, shrugging as he turned around.


    He closed the door behind him and locked it tight before turning around and heading for his bed in one go.


    Embarrassed by sleeping with four girls in one bed? Aster had long graduated from such worries¡ªespecially after surviving the hellish training under Ardra, making him get "used" to a girl''s presence. After all, the little girl liked to snuggle up to Aster whenever it was time for his short rest, and the same thing happened every day for the entire duration of his training.


    ''This shouldn''t be much harder than that, for sure.''


    Aster snickered, convinced that he could remain unperturbed the entire night no matter what happened.


    As he reached the bed, he found that the girls had already taken position around it. They seemingly left a small space at the center, purposely¡ªwith Tina to the left side and Cassy to the right¡ªwhere Aster could squeeze in. Liz was positioned behind Tina, already breathing slowly, as if asleep, while Kali was behind Cassy, arms wrapped around the poor rabbit''s waist as if to watch over and protect her.


    *Whine...*


    Argus, afraid of getting squished by someone rolling in their sleep, decided to simply curl up further down the bed, far from the reach of anyone''s legs.


    "Goodnight..."


    Cassy''s soft whisper reached Aster''s ears, making him smile lightly as he nced at her face from up close.


    "Yeah, goodnight," Aster replied.


    After that, nothing but soft breathing sounds filled the space for a while as they were slowly drifting to sleep. Aster also closed his eyes, waiting for the drowsiness to hit him once more¡ªbut before then, his resolve suddenly began wavering.


    "Mmm..."


    His confidence that he could survive the night without getting flustered quickly went down the drain as an unexpected person began to stir. It wasn''t Tina, whom Aster was wary of from the start, but instead, Cassy!


    She pulled his right arm tight into her embrace, sandwiched between two soft bulges that exuded a rxing warmth, along with the faint vibrations from her gently beating heart.


    *Sob!*


    "..."


    But after hearing a muffled noisee from her, Aster''s mind quickly raced. His heart ached, seeing Cassy''s crumpled expression. If her eyes were fine, he was sure she would''ve been crying at the moment.


    Aster could tell that the other girls were aware of Cassy''s situation, but they didn''t move, as if leaving it to Aster himself. Even Tina didn''t bother stopping him as he pulled Cassy gently closer to him, resting her head against his chest, and slowly caressed her head.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "It''s alright," he whispered, his tone steady but warm. "You''re safe now, Cassy. No one will hurt you anymore."


    Her small frame trembled slightly, but slowly, her breathing steadied. The tension that had coiled within her softened, and she nestled into his embrace, finally allowing herself the vulnerable release she''d been holding back.


    In a different sense than usual, Aster couldn''t get much sleep that night.

 Chapter 286 Troubles Beyond the Horizon

    Several figures were gathered in a dark, shadowy space. Each one of them wore grim expressions, a clear sign of the gravity of their situation.


    A quick nce revealed two distinct groups. One group shared a unique trait¡ªpure white wings, each wing about half the length of their arms, attached behind their ears. The other group, however, showed no such uniformity, with appearances as varied as could be.


    One of them looked like an elf, though with a skin tone darker than usual. Another appeared as if her entire body were burning in mes, yet she seemed perfectly at ease, suggesting this fiery look was her natural state. Another figure, seemingly affected by Monsterification, had lost most of his humanlike features. However, the glint in his eyes still held a spark of intelligence, suggesting he had retained his rational mind.


    "So¡­" A man in that group¡ªa figure wearing a domino mask that covered his eyes and the bridge of his nose¡ªbroke the silence. "Your key personnel got taken back. What''s the n now?"


    His tone was detached, as though he held no real stake in their troubles, despite being in an "alliance" with the other group, however temporary. His casualment drew a sharp reaction from Lionel, one of the members of the opposing side. Lionel''s teeth ground together as if he were just about to charge forward andnd a punch square on the man''s face.


    *Pat!*


    But a firm hand tapped Lionel''s shoulder, halting him. He turned, about to snap at the person holding him back, only to see that it was their leader. His aggression faded immediately as he met her gaze, her irises glowing in a mesmerizing blend of red and blue.


    "I believe you understand that we need to remove the control chip embedded behind the eyes of ourst two members, Mister Arima." Their boss, Lori, spoke steadily, her tone precise and controlled. "For that reason, retrieving Cassandra Bright is a top priority."


    At present, they had no way to remove the chips without triggering an explosion. The chips were deliberately engineered this way, to ensure the Aracelli Race couldn''t wield their powers freely, even if the military were wiped out entirely.


    Chronalisa, their ally, could theoretically "revive" someone who had died, but it was not a true resurrection. Instead, it worked more like a rewind in time, restoring the target to an earlier state. This meant that the chip would also be restored, rendering the effort futile.


    Apart from Cassy''s Revive skill, most other pseudo-revival techniques operated simrly to Chronalisa''s, functioning through time reversal and providing no help in this situation.


    "We n to move as soon as everyone is back to full strength," Lori continued, detailing her n. "It will take about 24 hours, at least," she estimated.


    Arima rubbed his chin thoughtfully, nodding as he listened. "I see."


    Lori was hopeful that with Arima''s assistance, retrieving Cassy would not be too difficult. After all, Arima was widely regarded as the "strongest person" in the world, surpassing even the Dragon''s Roar n leader, Ragnaros, and the mysterious figure known as No. 0 in the Hit Squad.


    But his next words shattered that assumption.


    "Then, good luck with that." He offered a thin smile and waved a hand dismissively. "I''d love to help, but some other urgent matters need my attention. So, I''ll have to excuse myself from this operation."


    "What?! You bastard¡­!" Lionel''s rage ignited once again. "Running away, you coward?! Just admit you''re afraid of that strange elf!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arima, indeed, had poorpatibility with Faeloria, but the notion that he would fear her was almostughable.


    "Well, think whatever you want," he replied indifferently, unbothered by the insult.


    As Arima turned his back, Lori snapped back to her senses and called after him in a low voice, "Are you abandoning our alliance?"


    *Tap!*


    Arima paused mid-step and nced back, his face unchanged, bearing that eerie, unreadable smile.


    "I''m not abandoning the alliance. Honestly, I''d like to help, but it''s just a matter of bad timing on my end." He sighed. "Still, even if I can''t participate myself, I''ll send some of my pawns. You canmand them as you please, apart from brainwashing."


    With that, Arima stepped into a dark void that Selene, the dark elf in his group, opened up. One by one, the rest of his team followed, until finally, Selene herself entered and closed the portal behind her.


    "¡­ "


    Lori frowned deeply. Although Arima had promised support, sending his "pawns" wasn''t the same as having him directly involved. She felt conflicted. While he was undeniably useful, she also considered him a dangerous individual¡ªone she''d prefer to eliminate if the opportunity arose.


    "Oh? What''s this?"


    Just then, Chronalisa noticed a white strip of paper where Arima''s group had vanished. Her curiosity piqued, she bent down and picked it up.


    It was a small scrap of paper torn from a notebook, with a few sentences scribbled on it. Chronalisa''s eyes scanned the words, and her face turned pale almost immediately.


    "T-This is bad!" she eximed, hurrying over to hand the note to Lori.


    Intrigued, Lori nced down at the note, reading the words. Her frown deepened further.


    "Damn¡­" she muttered under her breath, gritting her teeth in a mix of frustration and anxiety.


    The note was undoubtedly left by Arima, and it read:


    ''The threat of the Aracelli has already reached overseas, alerting the powerhouses over there. Factoring in their preparation time, you have roughly a week before they intervene. I''ll hold them off for a month, so wrap up whatever you need to aplish by then.''


    One individual, iming he could dy an entire nation''s, no, an entire continent''s forces for a month¡ªnormally, such a deration would sound like insanity. But, considering Arima''s strength, it wasn''t out of the question.


    Still, this revtion didn''t change the pressure now looming over Lori and the Aracelli members. They suddenly faced a harsh deadline.


    One month.


    It might sound like ample time, but given Aster''s tendency to drag his group through the dungeon, the search for Cassy could take longer than anticipated. There was no guarantee that a month would be enough to locate and reim her, especially with the looming threat from overseas drawing closer each day.


    Lori gripped the paper tightly, crumpling it, as her eyes released a wavering glint. It was unfortunate that nobody knew what she was thinking of by then, or else, the situation could''ve still been salvageable.

 Chapter 287 Back to the Dungeon!

    6 a.m. sharp, at the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Aster and the girls were already gathered, waiting patiently at their usual corner table. Sitting around the table were Aster himself, Cassy, Kali, Liz, and Tina¡ªall of their current members.


    Then, what are they waiting for?


    "Princess Celes! Sorry, I''mte!"


    Right then, a young catkin man, with the same shade of hair color as Tina had, entered the guild and ran to their table in a beeline. Tina sighed, checking the floating timer on top of the guild''s reception table, and muttered in dissatisfaction.


    "You''re not justte, you''re half an hourte!" She scolded the man, who looked a little younger than she did.


    The man looked apologetic, his misshapen cat ears lying t on his head as he weaved out words¡ªexcuses¡ªfor his tardiness. "It''s just that your father, the president, asked me several things before letting me go, dying my departure by a full hour..."


    Hearing that her father was involved, Tina''s brows twitched before she let out a deep, irritated sigh.


    "... Alright. Then, as discussed, you and your party will take this girl here straight from the 20th floor to the 21st floor," Tina continued.


    The one she was pointing at was, of course, Cassy.


    Unlike the others, who entered the 21st floor to exit the dungeon, Cassy was still on the 20th floor when she got kidnapped by Lori''s group. As such, the girls, even Aster himself, couldn''t help Cassy through the 20th floor by themselves.


    Having no other choice, they had to request a different party to apany her through the 20th floor, escorting her safely. And for that task, Tina took it upon herself to arrange the party¡ªor rather, parties¡ªwho would help Cassy out.


    The catkin man before them, despite his young appearance, actually was the leader of the 20th-floor raid party under the Zirroth Family. In truth, the said party was formed by Tina''s father to keep an eye on her daughter as she speeds through the dungeon, but he hadn''t expected them to breeze through several floors a day as if they were just walking in the park!


    As such, the original party was repurposed to farm materials that the Zirroth Family needed, while the current party was actually several groups of adventurers hired by Tina''s father, who was already on the 20th floor beforehand.


    Cassy will be escorted by a big group of 50 adventurers, ensuring her safety through a 10-hour clearing schedule!


    "But can they really do it in under 10 hours?"


    Of course, Aster had his doubts.


    Their extreme floor-clearing speed relied heavily on their over-the-top level rtive to the dungeon''s level. As such, it wasn''t a feat that could be copied by anyone willy-nilly, not even the prided "newbies" from the top three ns!


    "Oh, it''s fine," Tina replied, not a hint of hesitation in her eyes. "Ten hours is already generous; given if they have favorable travel, then it could be even as short as 3 hours!"


    Aster tilted his head, confused. How could a normal party be even faster than they did? But even if he asked, not only Tina but even Kali and Liz kept the reason behind their confidence a secret.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "It''s fine, Star."


    Even while Aster was still worried, Cassy didn''t have a shred of doubt in her expression. "Let''s meet up on the 21st floor soon~!" She added, her tone a little excited and jolly.


    "Well..." Aster could only sigh. "If you say so."


    After a few more chidings from the still-pissed Tina, they started heading toward the dungeon.


    ---


    The dungeon''s portal looked the same as before, with the Red-skinned Oni Uncle still standing beside it¡ªas usual¡ªcollecting entrance fees from adventurers entering the dungeon.


    However, what''s currently different from any other time is therge group of adventurers neatly lined up into five rows of ten, all facing forward like well-trained military men.


    Aster sent a cursory look toward them, assessing their strengths from the amount of "mana" leaking from their bodies¡ªan ability he learned naturally while trying to survive his hellish training with Ardra. Most of them were around level 30, which was quite high when considering the level of the 20th floor. However, this doesn''t mean that Aster would feel safe leaving Cassy in their care.


    "Cassy, take this."


    As a safety measure, Aster passed something that he had been saving for a while¡ªa small crystal that could fit within one''s palm, glowing in a faint green hue with a faint white light in the middle. It looked fragile enough to crack from gripping it too tightly.


    Cassy, unable to see, could only carefully feel the crystal''s structure and ask. "What''s this?"


    "It''s a teleportation crystal. When you''re in danger, use that to exit the dungeon in an instant," he exined.


    The item was something he got back when they went shopping for supplies a while ago but could only buy one due to the said crystal being popr and almost always running out of stock.


    Of course, if such a convenient item existed, it wouldn''t be weird for everyone to want to have one, for safety''s sake. However, what deters them from buying it was, of course, its astronomical tag price. A single-use crystal like the one in Cassy''s hand right now had cost Aster about 100 billion Tels!


    "Such an item existed?" Cassy, of course, wasn''t aware of the item''s worth and simply took Aster''s exnation at face value. "Alright, when danger approaches, I''ll use it! Thanks, Star!"


    Soon enough, Cassy entered the dungeon, escorted by the same female jaguarkin from before, along with the party''s leader, the male catkin whom Tina already scolded to her heart''s content.


    After they entered, therge group of fifty adventurers entered the dungeon after them in an orderly manner. It took less than five minutes for all fifty of them to vanish into the dungeon''s portal.


    "... Then, shall we?"


    After confirming that Cassy had already entered, Aster turned to the rest and asked. Seeing that everyone nodded their heads, he quickly turned around and headed toward the portal¡ªpaying the entrance fee to the Oni Uncle and entering.


    "Be careful out there."


    Just before their group went through the portal, the Oni Uncle spoke in a low, worried voice. Aster turned to him and nodded his head in acknowledgment before finally entering the dungeon once more.

 Chapter 288 Swift Delivery!

    The moment their vision returned on the other side, Aster let out a soft sigh. The sight of open grasnds, bathed in the gentle light of a low-hanging sun, with scattered forests dotting the horizon, stirred a faint sense of nostalgia within him.


    "What should we do while we wait for Cassy?" Liz asked as they lingered near the entrance.


    "Some light hunting, maybe," Kali suggested with a shrug. "Or we could go after an Area Boss."


    Aster caught their exchange and smiled wryly. "No, let''s keep it casual for now."


    To avoid widening the gap between the girls'' levels, it was better to wait for Cassy before tackling more significant prey. Sticking to smaller hunts was the best approach until she joined them on the 21st floor.


    "Sounds reasonable. We''ll get busy once they arrive, after all," Tina added, a faint, excited smile tugging at her lips.


    Aster couldn''t help but wonder how they''d manage to clear the entire 20th floor in just a few hours. But, with the path already known to them, and their strength at hand, the monsters wouldn''t pose much trouble. Even the Area Bosses would be no match for theirrge raid group.


    "Alright, I''ll scout around for targets," Kali said, already moving ahead.


    Before Aster could say a word, she was off, dashing into the thick forest to their right. Her speed remained unmatched, aside from Aster himself, of course.


    Two minutester, Kali reappeared, running back toward them, still asposed as ever. There wasn''t even a bead of sweat on her brow, a clear sign she hadn''t pushed herself yet. But behind her, arge swarm of goblins emerged from the woods, crude weapons in hand and flimsy bows ready to fire.


    "Skill: Dagger Tornado!"


    Reacting swiftly to the iing arrows, Kali leaped into the air, raising both daggers. She spun rapidly, creating a small tornado that sucked in the arrows before shredding them into useless scraps.


    "Nice kiting!" Liz shouted, stepping forward to take her ce. "Knight''s Challenge!"


    With a sharpmand, Liz activated her taunt skill, pulling the attention of the goblins toward her. The goblins let out a collective growl and surged toward her, their weapons raised in an uncoordinated frenzy.


    "Come at me!" Liz''s fearless grin matched the oing wave.


    As the goblins charged, the group split into two. One half continued to chase after Kali, while the other now turned its focus to Liz. But there was more toe.


    "TAUNT!"


    Tina, the other tank, stepped forward and used her own taunt skill, pulling the goblins that had slipped past Liz. Her skill''s wide range quickly forced every remaining goblin to focus on her, leaving Kali with a moment to breathe.


    With the crowd control in ce, the real action was about to begin.


    "Argus, sic ''em!" Aster called, eager to let his pet take the stage.


    *Arf!*


    The husky, Argus, didn''t hesitate.


    With a burst of speed that rivaled Kali''s, he weaved through the goblins, reaching the heart of the swarm. Then, with a sh of energy, bolts of lightning rained down from the sky, striking the battlefield in all directions.


    In an instant, the entire goblin swarm, numbering close to a hundred, was reduced to ash.


    "I''ll pull the next group over," Kali called, already turning to the next forest.


    She was as efficient as ever, moving without hesitation, her focus unwavering.


    For the next few hours, they repeated the same routine. Since they stayed close to the entrance, their prey wasn''t numerous, and it wasn''t enough for anyone to level up. Still, they managed to keep the flow going, taking out small groups of goblins while keeping things light.


    Their hunting began around seven in the morning and stretched until noon. After setting up a small pic area, the portal red to life, signaling that someone was about to emerge.


    The first to step through was a familiar face¡ªthe catkin man who had been scolded by Tina earlier. He scanned the area with a serious expression, before his gazended on Aster and the others. A bright smile spread across his face, and he waved enthusiastically.


    Behind him, the portal continued to shine. One by one, figures emerged, cheers andughter echoing as they celebrated clearing the entire 20th floor in under five hours. Among them was a familiar figure¡ªCassy, still being gently led by the Jaguarkin woman.


    "Princess Celes! Reporting that we''ve sessfully cleared the 20th floor, and ahead of schedule!" the catkin man announced proudly as he approached the pic area.


    Tina nodded in acknowledgment, her face unreadable, before she turned to Aster.


    "Sorry, Darling. It seems clearing the floor in under two hours was too much to ask. I shouldn''t have expected them to move that quickly," she sighed.


    Aster, ever pragmatic, simply smiled and nodded. He hadn''t expected them to clear the floor that fast. If anything, he was more relieved to see that no one had been lost in the process. And most importantly, Cassy was safe and sound.


    Ignoring the catkin man, still reeling from Tina''sment, Aster stepped forward. He stopped a few paces from the nket and extended his hand toward Cassy.


    "Wee back," Aster greeted warmly, his smile genuine. "You''re just in time. We''re about to have lunch."


    "Thanks, Star. That sounds great~!" Cassy replied, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "I didn''t get tired from clearing the floor, but I wouldn''t say no to a good meal!"


    Aster chuckled softly and gestured toward the pic nket. "Then sit here. I''ll serve the food in a bit."


    As they settled into their meal, Tina seemed to gather something from the raid team. She then ushered them off to the side after her business was over, preventing them froming too close to their group. Aster couldn''t help but feel a little sorry for them, but there wasn''t enough food to go around. It was probably for the best.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Still, his curiosity was piqued by the item Tina had collected¡ªhis curiosity wouldn''tst long, however. As soon as they finished their meal, Tina nned to show him what she had retrieved from the raid team.


    An item she lent to them for a short while.

 Chapter 289 Essential Equipment

    The pic ended almost as quickly as it began. After all, Aster had only packed a small basket of sandwiches¡ªloaded with more meat than vegetables¡ªthat vanished within moments. Despite the modest quantity, the girls were thrilled by his cooking, their praises pouring out like an avnche.


    "Alright, time for the main event!" Tina announced with a mischievous grin as she stepped forward, her ears flicked and her tail swooshed in excitement.


    She reached into her pocket and pulled out a thick, gleaming silver bracelet. Its polished surface caught the sunlight, making it shimmer as she held it out toward Aster.


    "Here you go! This is my gift to you!" she dered, her voice practically singing with glee.


    Aster blinked, his initial thrill giving way to puzzlement, then a tinge of disappointment. His thoughts, despite his best efforts, were written all over his face.


    "Uh... an essory?" He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Thanks, Tina, but I''m not really into wearing stuff like this."


    Practicality always trumped appearances for Aster. Wearing essories, especially in battle, felt like a surefire way to invite trouble.


    "Fu fu fu~!" Tinaughed, clearly expecting his reaction. "If this was just any ordinary bracelet, I''d understand! But trust me, you''ll want to try it on first."


    With Tina''s insistence and an eager gleam in her eyes, Aster reluctantly took the bracelet. It was simple¡ªjust a smooth silver band with no unnecessary embellishments. He slipped it onto his wrist and found that it fit snugly, as though it had been custom-made for him. It wasn''t tight enough to restrict his movements, nor loose enough to dangle awkwardly.


    ''Still feels weird wearing this,''


    he thought, frowning slightly.


    Before he could even consider taking it off, Tina spoke up again. "Now, channel your mana into it! Go on, don''t hold back¡ªit needs a lot!"


    "My mana?" Aster nced at the bracelet, his curiosity piqued. "Alright, I''ll give it a shot."


    He focused, drawing mana from deep within himself¡ªa mental process akin to imagining a glowing core in the center of his chest. Concentrating, he sent the energy flowing toward the bracelet. At first, there was only a faint vibration, but as he continued to channel mana, the intensity grew.


    The bracelet began to emit a low hum, followed by a bright, pulsating glow. It became so brilliant that Aster instinctively shielded his eyes with his free hand, holding the bracelet away from his body.


    The light red once, then disappeared.


    When Aster cautiously lowered his arm and opened his eyes, his jaw nearly hit the ground.


    Standing before him was a sleek, ck vehicle¡ªsomething that looked like it had been plucked straight out of a high-tech city. It had four sturdy wheels, tinted windows, and a streamlined body that exuded both luxury and practicality.


    "Tada~!" Tina eximed, beaming as she gestured toward the impressive machine. "What do you think?"


    "This... is this a levitation car?!" Aster stammered, still in shock.


    He knew that ordinary vehicles couldn''t be brought into dungeons. If they could, adventurers would have long since abandoned trekking across treacherous dungeon floors and instead cruised through them in style. But here it was¡ªa fully functional car, seemingly defying every convention he knew.


    "But how is this even possible?" he asked, his amazement mingled with confusion.


    Tina puffed out her chest proudly. "This beauty is a custom project from our R&D team! Every part of it, from the tiniest bolt to the engine, is crafted from monster materials. That''s what makes it dungeonpatible!"


    She strolled over to the van, giving its side an affectionate pat. The sound it made was solid¡ªfar from the hollow ring of lightweight, made-to-fail-upon-crashing designs. Aster had no doubt that this vehicle could bulldoze through whatever stood in its way.


    "In all, it took two weeks of hard work, countless prototypes, and a small fortune¡ªjust 100 trillion Tels," she added casually as if the number was pocket change.


    "One hundred¡ª?!" Aster''s voice caught in his throat. Just hearing the figure made him feel like he was holding something far too valuable to touch, let alone use.


    "So, darling," Tina said, stepping closer with a hopeful glint in her eye. "Do you like it?"


    Aster hesitated, then offered a sheepish smile. "It''s... overwhelming. I can''t ept something this expensive for free, though."


    "I thought you might say that!" Tina giggled, already prepared.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She produced a slim folder from her Spatial Ring¡ªapact and elegant alternative to the bulky fanny packs they used to rely on. Handing the folder to Aster, along with an ornate fountain pen, she grinned.


    "Here''s the contract! Just sign here, and the car''s yours!"


    Aster gulped as he took the folder. It felt heavier than it looked, the metaphorical weight of 100 trillion Tels pressing down on him. Bracing himself, he opened it, expecting to find a grueling, lifelong obligation spelled out in legal jargon.


    Instead, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Wait... Marriage Contract?"


    He shot Tina a bewildered look. She simply beamed back at him, her smile as radiant as ever.


    "Oh, whoops!" she said with a teasingugh. "That''s the wrong one. Here''s the real contract." She pulled another folder from her Spatial Ring and handed it over.


    Aster quickly swapped folders, but Tina made no move to take back the first one. "You can keep that one," she said sweetly. "I''m sure we''ll be signing it sooner orter~."


    "¡­"


    Aster sighed deeply, the exasperation clear on his face. Without a word, the "Marriage Contract" burst into mes with Pyra''s help, and turned into a pile of ash within moments.


    Even as the document crumbled away, Tina remained unfazed. Her confidence was as unyielding as ever, a trait Aster found both admirable and exasperating in equal measure.


    ''It''d be so much easier if she just gave up¡­''


    he thought, shaking his head.


    Hoping to steer the conversation back to safer waters, he opened the second folder. But the moment his eyesnded on the words at the top of the page¡ª"Marriage Contract"¡ªhe snapped it shut again, his patience fraying.


    "... Tina," he said, his tone a mix of warning and resignation.


    "Just kidding~!" she chirped, waving yet another folder in her hand. "This one''s the real deal, I promise!"


    Aster pinched the bridge of his nose. "You''re impossible."


    "Impossible to resist, you mean~," Tina quipped, her yful grin never faltering.


    Aster let out a long sigh. At this rate, he wasn''t sure if he''d end up using the car or torching everyst contract she handed him.

 Chapter 290 Road Trip in the Dungeon!

    The third contract Tina produced finally turned out to be the "real" one. As Aster expected, it was packed with enough legal jargon to make his head spin. Still, he carefully read through each line, doing his best to decipher its contents.


    "So, basically, I just need to be a Zirroth Family-affiliated adventurer?" he asked, summarizing the bulk of it.


    That was the gist. The contract came with some strict conditions, the most notable being that their party would have to offer 10% of their loot to the Zirroth Family until they repaid 10 trillion Tels¡ªthe estimated cost of the bracelet-car.


    The number sounded astronomical, but Aster wasn''t overly concerned. After all, they had already earned 1 trillion Tels in a single night before. Replicating such a windfall might not be easy, but knowing it was possible gave him confidence that they wouldn''t be in debt forever.


    The contract didn''t just bind Aster, though. It included the entire party and even reserved nks for any future members to sign. After everyone present went through the terms and signed, Aster handed the contract back to Tina. She gave it a quick once-over to confirm everything was in order.


    "Hm, looks good!" she said with a nod, slipping the folder back into her spatial ring. Then she sighed. "I didn''t want to make you guys sign something so strict, but Father insisted. Even after I beat him to a pulp, he wouldn''t back down."


    "..."


    Aster recalled his first meeting with Tina''s father and suppressed a shiver. The man''s overprotectiveness was etched into his memory. It wasn''t hard to guess the contract''s true purpose¡ªproviding him with legal leverage if anything happened to Tina while she was adventuring with them.


    Liz nodded in silent understanding, her expression one of quiet empathy. Cassy, on the other hand, looked worried and confused, particrly at the mention of Tina beating her father. Kali, as usual, didn''t seem to care.


    "Anyway," Kali said, abruptly changing the subject, "who wants to go for a ride?"


    "Ah! Me, me! I want to ride darlin¡ªugh!"


    "Not THAT ride, you horny vixen!"


    Ignoring the squabble between Kali and Tina, Aster turned toward the van, his curiosity piqued. Kali''s suggestion to take it for a spin wasn''t a bad idea.


    Once the chaos settled, everyone piled into the vehicle. To Aster''s surprise, the interior wasn''t all that different from a conventional car. There were, however, a few noticeable differences¡ªchiefly, the presence of an actual steering wheel, three pedals under the driver''s seat, and a gear stick. These were absent in modern levitating cars, which were almost entirely AI-controlled.


    "This thing''s fully manual, huh?" Aster muttered, ncing at the controls.


    Luckily, he had some experience¡ªalbeit simted. In the past, part of his exercise routine tobat muscle atrophy had included a manual driving simtor. The program was remarkably realistic, replicating the resistance of the pedals, the weight of the steering wheel, and even the slight stubbornness of the gear stick.


    Still, Aster understood simtions weren''t the same as the real thing. He wasn''t about to overestimate his skills. After ensuring everyone had fastened their seatbelts¡ªTina in the passenger seat, Kali directly behind him, with Cassy and Liz on her right¡ªAster slid the key into the ignition and turned it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The engine roared to life.


    *VROOOOM!*


    The sound of the V8 engine filled the cabin, vibrating through their bodies. The vehicle, though levitating, relied on aplex mix of electromaism, eddy currents, and static electricity for propulsion. The technical details were far beyond Aster''s grasp, but he wasn''t here to debate physics.


    "Let''s start slow," he muttered, shifting the gear stick from neutral to first.


    But the moment he released the clutch and pressed the elerator, the van exploded forward. The eleration was so great that his vision turned ck for a moment!


    "Ugh!"


    Everyone was mmed into their seats as the sudden G-force hit them like a tidal wave.


    *CRACK!* *BAM!* *SMASH!*


    The van barreled forward, cutting through trees like a battering ram beforeing to an abrupt halt. Aster clung to the steering wheel, panting heavily, his heart hammering in his chest.


    "I-Is everyone okay?" he asked, ncing back at the others.


    Thankfully, the seatbelts had done their job. While everyone had been thrown forward slightly, no one was injured¡ªat least, not seriously enough to warrant a healing potion. Only Argus, alone, was sent flying toward the dashboard, almost ttened like a pancake.


    Tina winced as she adjusted her seatbelt, the strap having dug into her chest. "Darling, I''d really appreciate it if you went a bit gentler. It''s my first time..."


    Aster flushed, embarrassed. "Sorry about that. It''s my first time too." He quickly rified, "Driving a manual levitating car, I mean."


    The only upside to their wild start was that the van appeared unscathed, despite having plowed through at least a dozen trees. Its robust design was a testament to the Zirroth R&D Department''s craftsmanship.


    Determined to avoid another disaster, Aster carefully eased the van into reverse. This time, he kept his foot on the clutch, allowing for more precise control. The vehicle backed up smoothly, and they slowly extricated themselves from the forest they had just bulldozed through.


    Once they reached an open clearing, Aster began testing the controls. He experimented with eleration, braking, and turning, taking note of how the levitating vehicle handledpared to a traditional car.


    By the time he had practiced for about half an hour, his confidence had grown. The girls¡ªaside from Tina''s asional "helpful" advice¡ªsat quietly, watching him improve. There were a few close calls, particrly when a couple of passersby narrowly avoided bing roadkill, but thankfully, no one got hurt.


    "Alright," Aster announced, gripping the steering wheel with renewed determination. "Let''s head to the other end of the floor!"


    Their destination: the Boss Area!


    With the basics under his belt, Aster pushed the elerator. The van responded immediately, gliding forward with a smoothness he had gradually perfected. The girls seemed to rx as the ride evened out, the earlier chaos fading into memory.


    "Not bad," Tina said, giving him an approving nod.


    "Yeah, I guess you''re not totally hopeless," Kalimented, probably half-serious.


    The van gradually gained speed, lifting gracefully into the air until it hovered at the height of the forest canopy. It glided forward in a smooth, straight line, unimpeded by any obstacles along the way, the dense treetops stretching out beneath them like a verdant sea.

 Chapter 291 As Easy as 1, 2, 3

    The EM Van, their new ride, soared through the air at blistering speeds, easily surpassing the speed of sound. For the group, it was a marvel¡ªespeciallypared to Aster''s previous method of hauling their modified EM Cart while sprinting. The stark difference in efficiency wasn''t lost on anyone.


    The interior of the van provided an unparalleled level offort. Despite the vehicle''s extreme velocity, the passengers were shielded from the roaring winds and vibrations that would have otherwise made the ride unbearable. Instead, they sat on soft, cushioned seats, barely feeling any turbulence. It was luxury in motion, designed for long hauls without the fatigue of rough terrain or constant jolts.


    A few minutester, Aster began to slow the van, pulling it into a wide arc as they descended smoothly toward the ground. His voice, when he spoke, was tinged with disbelief.


    "¡­ We''re here," he announced, his gaze fixed on the ground below.


    "Already?" Cassy asked, her tone full of confusion as she fumbled with her seatbelt. "It hasn''t even been an hour!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "No need to doubt, you stupid rabbit," Kali said dryly, helping Cassy with the sp. "If you''re so unsure, you can check it for yourself."


    As Aster guided the van to a t area just outside the boss zone, he made sure to park far from the active battle area. Allowing a vehicle worth


    10 trillion Tels


    to be caught in the chaos ofbat was unthinkable. The thought alone made his chest tighten.


    Once everyone disembarked, Tina stepped forward to remind Aster how to store the EM Van using the specialized bracelet. The bracelet acted as more than just a storage unit; it also worked as a charger, gradually replenishing the vehicle''s mana reserves¡ªits primary fuel source¡ªwhile not in use.


    Aster reflected on the van''s mana efficiency. If the initial activation required a mana input equivalent to casting ten Fire Lances, the consumption for traveling an entire floor only reduced the reserves to about 20%. Considering the van''s immense size and speed, this performance was nothing short of astonishing.


    "I guess the price tag is justified after all,"


    Aster thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he secured the van in the bracelet.


    Their group pressed onward on foot. Before long, they reached the perimeter of the boss''s summoning range. As expected, a dazzling ball of light began to form in the air, signaling the arrival of their next foe.


    "Argus," Aster said with a nod.


    The small puppy didn''t wait for the summoning process toplete. In a blur of motion, Argusunched forward, leaving a bright sh in his wake. Thunder roared, and red lightning cascaded through the air, filling their vision with searing light. By the time the group''s eyes adjusted, the summoned boss had already been reduced to ashes.


    Not even a trace of its form remained.


    Aster folded his arms, nodding in satisfaction. "As I expected, Argus''s power has increased alongside mine. That was leagues above his previous attacks!"


    The girls barely had time to process what had happened before their bodies briefly glowed, signaling a level-up. It was a small but tangible sign of progress.


    "Good!" Aster grinned. "On to the next floor!"


    Their journey continued at a brisk pace. On average, they cleared a floor within an hour or two, pausing only for short breaks to recover. By the time midnight rolled around, the group had breached the 30th floor¡ªa significant milestone in their ascent.


    Upon reaching the new floor, they unanimously decided it was time to set up camp.


    "Then, I''ll go set up the tents¡ª"


    "No need, darling~!" Tina interrupted, her voice full of excitement.


    Before Aster could even blink, Liz had already sprung into action. She retrieved a small, unassuming cube from her Spatial Ring and carefully ced it on a t area some distance away. Pressing a shallow indentation on its surface, she quickly darted back, moving with the urgency of someone who had just lit a firework.


    Aster raised an eyebrow, confused by her behavior¡ªuntil the cube began to transform.


    In mere seconds, the small object expanded into a towering structure, its silhouette standing at least 30 meters tall and 50 meters wide.


    "What the¡­" Aster muttered, his eyes widening in disbelief.


    "It''s our new love nest~!" Tina dered yfully, clinging to Aster''s arm.


    "It''s the portable home we bought to rece the tents," Liz added, her voice filled with pride.


    Aster took a moment to process what he was seeing. From a mere cube, a massive structure had materialized before his eyes. It wasn''t just impressive; it was surreal.


    Liz beamed, clearly eager to show off the portable home''s features. She grabbed Aster by the arm, practically dragging him toward the entrance. "Come on! Let me give you the grand tour!"


    The door alone was remarkable¡ª2.5 meters tall and 3 meters wide, built to amodate adventurers of varying sizes. But what awaited inside was even more astonishing.


    "Spatial expansion?!" Aster eximed.


    From the outside, the structure had seemedrge, but inside, it was enormous. The walls stretched far wider than expected, with at least 100 meters of space between them. The first floor alone was a marvel, serving as a recreation areaplete with exercise equipment, a pool table, massage chairs, and even amunal bath and sauna.


    The second and third floors housed the sleeping quarters, designed tofortably amodate up to 50 people. In emergencies, the space could hold double that number without bing unbearably cramped.


    Liz continued her enthusiastic exnation.


    "This portable home is also equipped with thetest Mana Defense System! It automatically fires offensive spells¡ªlike Ice Lances and Wind Cutters¡ªagainst any approaching monsters. And if the intruders are human, it uses non-lethal spells to neutralize them instead!"


    The group was thoroughly impressed. The technology behind the portable home was cutting-edge, earning it the nickname "pseudo-dungeon maker" among adventurers. At its core was arge mana stone engraved with intricate carvings that functioned as the building''s "brain."


    "This is amazing, no exaggeration intended!" Aster said while looking left and right in awe.


    Liz blushed slightly but maintained herposure.


    After the tour, Tina seized the opportunity to push Aster toward themunal bath. "Darling, you''ve been driving all day¡ªyou must be exhausted! Go ahead and enjoy the bath first. We''ll go in after you~!"


    There was something about Tina''s tone that made Aster pause, a flicker of suspicion crossing his mind. Was it just his imagination, or had he seen her drooling a little?


    Still, a warm bath sounded like the perfect way to unwind after a long day.

 Chapter 292 Stop Right There

    Although Aster was a little suspicious of Tina''s intentions, even Kali and Liz seemed to support her idea of letting him rest and refresh first. Their behavior was odd, almost as if they were trying to hold Tina back from doing something reckless. Despite his suspicions, he ultimately nodded in agreement.


    "A bath sounds nice," Aster said, shrugging. "I could use the chance to rx a little."


    As such, he decided to follow their suggestion. A hot bath should do wonders for his tired body.


    Aster walked from the entrance toward the back of the first floor, where a doorbeled


    "Bath"


    was located. Pushing the door open without hesitation, he stepped inside and found himself in a surprisingly spacious changing room.


    The first thing that caught his attention was the row of lockers, each one fitted with a clean robe and a fluffy white towel.


    "Japanese style?" Aster muttered, eyebrows raising slightly.


    The room bore a striking resemnce to the public bathhouses he''d seen in anime,plete with woven baskets and wooden shelves for personal items. Familiarity brought a small smile to his face. At least he wouldn''t need much guidance on how to use the space.


    "But first..."


    Before he started undressing, Aster moved back to the entrance to inspect the door. It was a traditional sliding door with frosted ss panels, elegant but notably insecure. He tried to slide it shut and lock it, but¡ªN?v(el)B\\jnn


    "There''s no lock?" he muttered in disbelief.


    After a moment of panicked thought, he grabbed a mop from the nearby cleaning tool storage and used it to wedge the door shut from the inside. He tested it with a small tug, nodded in satisfaction, and murmured, "Perfect. That''ll do."


    Returning to the nearest locker, Aster began removing his gear. Piece by piece, he ced his equipment neatly inside one of the baskets. When his clothes were finally removed, he wrapped the provided towel securely around his waist.


    Nearby, he noticed a washing machine tucked in the corner. The design reminded him of the one he''d used back at the Twister Hotel, and he wasted no time loading his dirty clothes into it. With the machine humming softly, Aster moved on to the bathing area.


    When he pushed open the second sliding door separating the changing room from the bath itself, his eyes widened.


    The bath area was enormous, farrger than he''d expected.


    A massive rectangr tub, steaming gently with hot water, dominated the space. It lookedrge enough to amodate twenty peoplefortably. To the left, neat rows of faucets and stools were arranged in traditional fashion, each with a mirror and soap dispensers.


    "Impressive," he whistled under his breath. "But I wonder where they get all this water?"


    His thoughts wandered briefly to the logistics of the ce. Where was the water sourced? Was it heated naturally or through some kind of power system? Questions forter, he decided, brushing them aside with a shake of his head.


    Finding an empty stool, Aster sat down and turned on the shower head. Warm water cascaded down over his skin, washing away the dirt and fatigue that had clung to him after the day''s events. He leaned forward slightly, letting the water soak through his hair and down his back.


    "Phew..."


    Even just the shower was rejuvenating. Still, the main attraction was the enormous bath itself. After a minute of rxing under the shower spray, Aster reached for the soap dispenser nearby. He pumped a generous amount of liquid soap into his hands, working it into a thickther before scrubbing himself clean.


    His arms, his chest, his legs¡ªhe carefully went over every part of himself, making sure to wash away any lingering grime. However, as he tried to reach his back, he encountered the usual problem.


    "Of course..." Aster muttered, grimacing. "I can''t fully reach my back."


    Stretching his arms behind him wasn''t quite enough to get the job done. He considered using the towel wrapped around his waist but hesitated.


    "Let me help you with that," a voice suddenly chimed in from behind him.


    Aster froze. The voice was familiar¡ªtoo familiar. Slowly, he nced over his shoulder and found himself face-to-face with Cassy, her expression bright and eager.


    "Wait, what?!" Aster yelped, jolting upright.


    Before he could say another word, a second pair of hands pressed him back down onto the stool.


    "What''s the rush, darling?" Tina''s mischievous voice purred in his ear. "There''s nothing to be embarrassed about~"


    His eyes darted around the room, and sure enough, there they were. Liz stood awkwardly by the doorway, her face a mix of apology and exasperation. Kali had already imed a stool of her own and was calmly rinsing herself off as if this was all perfectly normal.


    Everyone was dressed¡ªor rather, barely dressed¡ªin nothing but towels.


    "I''ve been set up," Aster muttered under his breath.


    He sighed heavily, rubbing a hand down his face. There was no point in fighting it. "Fine," he relented, gesturing toward his back. "If you''re all here anyway, go ahead. Help me out."


    Cassy pped her hands together in excitement. "Leave it to me! My mother always said I was great at this!"


    She reached for the towel in her hand, fumbling slightly as she tried to navigate without sight. Her movements were clumsy but endearing, her hands groping blindly in search of the soap dispenser.


    "It''s right here¡ª" Aster eximed as he leaned forward, reaching for the soap and about to pass it to Cassy.


    But before he could finish his sentence, Cassy''s hand veered off course. Instead of grabbing the dispenser, her fingers closed around something much softer.


    "Wha¡ª!"


    "...!"


    Both of them froze.


    Cassy yanked her hand back as if burned, her face turning a shade of red even more vibrant than her usual pale features. "S-Sorry, Star! I didn''t mean to¡ª!"


    "It''s fine..." Aster replied weakly, though his face had turned blue instead of red. The pain from her idental grab was enough to bring tears to his eyes, but he waved her off.


    "Oh my, darling!" Tina cooed, crouching down in front of him with a mock-concerned expression. "Did she hurt you? Let me take a look~"


    Aster''s patience snapped. Despite the lingering ache, he reached out and pushed Tina''s head away from his crotch. "Enough, Tina!" he growled.


    "Stop right there."


    Kali''s voice cut through the chaos like a de. She stood over them with her arms crossed, her sharp eyes taking in the scene.


    "What''s going on here?" she asked tly.


    Aster opened his mouth to exin, but he hesitated when he realized how it must have looked. Cassy was still clinging to his back, her expression filled with worry. Tina was kneeling in front of him with an exaggerated pout, while Aster himself was caught in an awkward pose, his towel barely hanging on.


    "...I can exin," he squeaked, his voice cracking.


    Kali''s eyes narrowed. "Leader, guilty."


    "Wait, no! I''m innocent!"


    His protest echoed through the bathhouse, but Kali''s judgment seemed final.

 Chapter 293 Rapid Descent

    Despite the earlier mishap, everyone enjoyed the warm bath together. To prevent another "incident," Aster swapped the towel wrapped around his waist for a proper pair of swim trunks designed for bathing.


    Likewise, apart from Tina¡ªwho stubbornly insisted on wearing only a towel¡ªthe other girls changed into modest bathing suits, covering the essentials and significantly reducing the awkward tension.


    Under Kali''s watchful eye, Tina was effectively prevented from pulling any more stunts, making the short, mixed bath a surprisingly peaceful and rxing experience.


    But, as expected, Tina wasn''t one to let things end with a "failed attempt."


    Later that evening, after a hearty dinner¡ªanother exquisite full-course meal prepared by Aster¡ªeveryone retired to their assigned individual rooms for the night.


    When the house fell silent, a faint shadow crept into one of the rooms¡ªthe one Aster was supposed to be sleeping in. Her glowing blue eyes gleamed in the darkness, and her lips curled into a mischievous crescent smile.


    With silent, deliberate steps, she approached the bed, her heart racing as she reached the lump beneath the nket.


    "Oh, Darling. The night is just beginning~!" Tina whispered gleefully as she tugged at the covers.


    "Knew it."


    "...Huh?"


    To her shock, the figure beneath the nket wasn''t Aster, but Kali¡ªthe silver-haired catkin!


    "We all agreed that joining Leader in the bath was the limit," Kali said firmly, her voice calm but edged with authority. "Sneaking into his supposed room crosses the line."


    It didn''t take long for Tina to realize what had happened. Kali, having anticipated her antics, had switched rooms with Aster! But before Tina could bolt, she felt herself being pinned.


    "It''s futile," Kali stated.


    *THUD!*


    In one swift move, Kali restrained Tina in a painful joint lock, immobilizing herpletely.


    "Ugh!" She groaned, struggling fruitlessly. "You damn cat! Let go! I have to sleep with Darling tonight!"


    Kali sighed, adjusting her position slightly forfort but without releasing her hold. "Give it up. You''re not going anywhere."


    And so, the two catgirls spent the night tangled together in a sweaty, sleepless standoff. Meanwhile, Aster, blissfully unaware of the chaos he''d narrowly avoided, slept peacefully in another room.


    ---


    Morning came.


    After they had their breakfast, along with finishing their preparation and cleanup, everyone entered the EM Van. Aster, having already near-mastered the controls, drove the car through the air without much hesitation.


    "Ahh, peace..." Liz whispered, relishing the rare moment of quiet from the two catkins.


    Both of them were resting, catching up on sleep after spending the entire night awake. Thanks to that, they switched up their seating a bit, with Cassy now in the passenger''s seat, Kali still behind Aster, and Liz sitting between her and Tina.


    Thankfully, the sky held no threats.


    After all, flying monsters, which could pose a threat to their air travel, would only start appearing after the 50th floor. Until then, they could travel without worry, heading straight to each Floor Boss.


    Furthermore, since Argus could take down the bosses in one hit, they progressed smoothly, floor after floor.


    "Alright, everyone. We''rending again!"


    At times, they would descend to let the EM Van recharge. Its mana reserves were consumed faster than they could recharge fully. Without Aster focusing on refueling the vehicle''s mana stores, it would take nearly 10 hours to fully charge for just an hour of continuous top-speed use.


    "Hnngg~!"


    "My body hurts..."


    It was obvious that both Kali and Tina were tired and sleep-deprived, but rather than resting, their suggestion was¡ª


    "Let''s hunt some monsters to pass time! I''ll go and lure some in!"


    "Just right to stretch my body!"


    Each time they stopped, they would either sit down for a short break or snack, but more often, they hunted nearby monsters, increasing their EXP and gathering seble loot.


    "Oh, a pretty gem!"


    "This wolf has a golden horn..."


    "I heard spider silk''s price went up. Let''s collect all of it!"


    Despite their eagerness, the loot they gathered was negligiblepared to their recent expenses. The EM Van alone had cost trillions. Still, as they say, even dust, when piled, could make a mountain!


    The girls, along with Argus, continued hunting monsters until their levels increased¡ªjust in time for Aster to finish recharging the van and set off once more.


    From 6 a.m. straight until 10 p.m., they moved from one floor to another. They were progressing so fast that they barely noticed the changes in the environment or monster types.


    Then again, the scenery hardly changed during the first 50 floors. Grasnds, forests, deserts, and swamps repeated in a cycle, with the asional ruined area or rocky mountain. But from their vantage point in the sky, those details hardly mattered.


    "Let''s rest for today," Aster finally decided after breaking through the 50th floor and reaching the 51st. They could press on, but starting from this floor, a new type of monster would appear¡ªDaft Eagles.


    The name didn''t mean the monster was stupid. On the contrary, they were so cunning that anyone fighting them would feel like the idiot one!


    "We need to be careful against those Daft Eagles. Better to travel in daylight than risk it at night," Aster exined.


    "Right, there''s no need to risk our lives for one more floor," Liz agreed, nodding. "I''ll set up the portable home."


    "Thanks. Then, I''ll..."


    Before Aster could finish, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.


    *GRRR!*N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Argus growled low, his gaze locked on the darkness ahead. Aster quickly followed his line of sight and frowned.


    "Everyone, retreat a bit. A tricky opponent has arrived."


    Ahead of them was nothing but darkness¡ªno silhouettes of the forest or the grasnds they had been traversing. It wasn''t just shadow; something enormous was blocking the light and their sight.


    "T-That''s...!" Kali stammered, recognizing it immediately. "A Titan?!"


    Right.


    Their view wasn''t obscured by darkness but by a gargantuan creature so massive it blocked the starlight entirely.


    Aster craned his neck to gauge its height, his breath catching as he spotted two glowing red eyes¡ªthirty meters above the ground.


    It was the Field Boss unique to the 51st floor!


    Aster hesitated for a moment. If they fought right then and there, the girls¡ªbarely reaching level 50 after all their efforts¡ªwould be in grave danger!

 Chapter 294 Titans Fall

    Titan


    ¡ªthe Field Boss unique to the 51st floor.


    Estimated to be around level 75, its colossal size and overwhelming strength made it one of the most formidable foes in the mid-tier levels of the Labyrinth. Of course, it didn''t only appear on the 51st floor.


    Titans becamemon after the 250th floor, where they roamed as normal monsters. However, those were typically smaller¡ªaveraging 15 meters tall. This one, towering at a staggering 30 meters, was not only a Field Boss but a Special Monster, amplifying its power and size significantly.


    Special Monsters were rare, and the sheer difficulty of defeating them required a coordinated raid of five full parties of level 75 adventurers, each equipped with high-tier gear.


    But to Aster, the Titan was nothing more than an oversized roadblock.


    Sure, it might be high-level for this floor and ridiculously overpoweredpared to other Field Bosses. But against someone like Aster¡ªwell above level 100, with stats rivaling level 200 adventurers¡ªit was just another stepping stone.


    His real concern wasn''t the Titan itself, but the safety of the girls. Underleveled and under-equipped for a fight of this caliber, they wouldn''t survive even a ncing blow.


    "Quick! Get back!" Aster shouted, motioning them to retreat.


    "Star, be careful!" Cassy called out as she was led away, her voiceced with worry.


    None of them protested. They knew their limits and understood that their presence would only hinder him. Without hesitation, the group pulled back to a safe distance, standing over a hundred meters away with Argus acting as their guardian.


    *HUUUMMMM!*


    The Titan let out a guttural growl that echoed through the area, its massive fist rising high before smashing down toward Aster. Despite its enormous frame, the monster''s movements weren''t sluggish¡ªa clear indicator of its high STR and DEX stats.


    "But still too slow!"


    To Aster''s trained eyes, the Titan''s attack might as well have been moving in slow motion. Without using a single buff, he dashed out of the fist''s range with ease.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    *BOOM!*


    The Titan''s fist collided with the ground, creating a massive crater and sending chunks of earth flying in all directions. The tremor shook thendscape, but Aster remained unfazed. He darted toward the Titan''s feet, sword in hand.


    "Let''s test its defenses first," he muttered, activating Elemental sh.


    His de glowed faintly as it became enveloped in frost, the Ice Element enhancing its cutting power, and imbuing elemental damage to it. With one clean swing, he aimed for the Titan''s leg¡ªa limb as thick as a tree trunk. The result?


    *SHHHHK!*


    The sword sliced through effortlessly, severing the leg in a single motion.


    "Damn... That was easier than expected."


    Aster had intended to gauge the Titan''s defenses, expecting a shallow wound at best. Instead, the entire leg had been cleaved off. He had overestimated the monster''s toughness and severely underestimated his own strength!


    *OOOOOOGH!*


    The Titan howled in pain, its bnce lost as it toppled forward. Its massive body crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud, sending shockwaves through the area.


    Not wasting a second, Aster sprinted forward, aiming for the exposed back. He shed at the Titan''s spine, carving deep wounds into its flesh. Frost formed along the gashes, freezing the wounds and spreading frostbite throughout the monster''s body.


    In three swift steps, he reached the nape of its neck.


    For a moment, a strange thought crossed his mind:


    ''Would a human pop out of its neck if I cut it?''


    He shook the ridiculous notion away and swung his sword, severing the Titan''s head cleanly. The monster didn''t bleed. The ice coating its wounds froze everything solid. Its glowing red eyes dimmed, and its bodyy still.


    But Aster, ever cautious, wasn''t convinced.


    Drawing his rarely used pistol from his Spatial Ring, he aimed at the back of the Titan''s head and fired a single shot.


    *BANG!*


    The bullet pierced through the skull, but the Titan remained motionless.


    "Yeah, it''s dead," he muttered, holstering the weapon. "Still, I didn''t even level up¡­"


    Killing a level 75 Field Boss would have been a massive boost to the girls, but for someone of Aster''s level, it yielded nothing.


    "I should''ve let Argus finish it off instead," he sighed, ncing at the girls, who were slowly approaching the now lifeless behemoth.


    "Aster, you¡­" Liz''s voice trembled with awe as her gaze shifted between him and the Titan''s corpse. "Just how strong have you be?"


    "Leader''s so strong, he doesn''t even need us anymore," Kali grumbled, a hint of envy in her voice.


    "Darling''s so strong and so manly, I''m getting wet already¡­" Tina added with an infatuated tone.


    "Shut it, you horny vixen." And Kali quickly tried to shut her up.


    Finally, Cassy''s concern was evident as she asked him for confirmation. "Star¡­ Are you hurt?"


    Aster jumped down from the Titan''s back,nding gracefully before shing them a wry smile. "I''m fine, but¡­ what are we supposed to do with this thing?"


    The Titan''s body, thanks to Aster finishing it off rather than Argus, remained mostly intact. Its hide, bones, and other materials were likely valuable. But the sheer size of the corpse posed a logistical nightmare.


    "I''ll handle it," Liz volunteered confidently.


    Aster raised an eyebrow as Liz pulled out a peculiar cube from her satchel. It didn''t seem like a typical Spatial Ring, and he wondered how she intended to store a 30-meter Titan inside something so small.


    Without a word, Liz tapped the edge of the cube against the Titan''s body.


    To everyone''s astonishment, the Titan began to glow, its massive form disintegrating into particles of light. The particles were absorbed into the cube, which emitted a soft hum as its lid closed.


    "This¡­ is this a p*keball?!" Aster eximed in shock.


    ''No way it''s what I think it is¡­''


    "Ah! Isn''t that from the something-mon game you mentioned before, Star?" Cassy asked excitedly, recalling one of Aster''s old stories. "I remember since researched about it~!"


    Liz chuckled. "Not quite, but close enough. This is a Photon Storage Unit. It converts physical objects into photons¡ªmassless particles¡ªand stores them securely. I got it as a freebie when we bought the portable home."


    Aster blinked in disbelief. "...Freebie?"


    "Her family''s loaded, remember?" Kali whispered, shaking her head.


    The Portable home was something they got from Liz''s family''s business¡ªalthough she insists that she wasn''t a member of the Dragonseal and only have the samest name. Which means, rather than a freebie, the Photon Storage Unit must be a gift from her family to her, in the guise of a freebie.


    "Well, at least that solves the storage issue," Aster admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "Let''s set up camp and get some rest. We''ll deal with the lootter."


    The girls nodded in agreement, and the group resumed their preparation for the night.

 Chapter 295 Pesky Eagles!

    On their second night, luckily, no "idents" happened. Aster could rest the entire night peacefully, without being bothered by any of the girls¡ªespecially Tina.


    After having their meal and morning preparation, everyone quickly began discussing their to-be formation while traveling through the 51st floor.


    "We will, without a doubt, get attacked by those birdbrainster," Kali eximed with a frown. "But among us, only Leader has a proper long-range attack skill avable."


    She pulled out her revolver right after speaking, emphasizing that she wasn''tpletely unreliable for the asion. "Though we still have some methods ofunching attacks, this is far from enough."


    "Should we change drivers?" Liz asked, pondering seriously. "I have some experience driving manual vehicles, some antiques from my father''s collection... but he never let me touch them again after I totaled the first ten."


    Hearing her suggestion, everyone felt a shiver run up their spines. If they let Liz drive, they couldn''t imagine anything but her letting the van shoot straight toward the ground, perfectly destroying it!


    "No, it''s fine. I''ll drive," Aster quicklymented, allowing everyone to heave a sigh of relief. "For defenses, let''s first let Argus handle it and see. If he couldn''t cover the vanpletely, then we''llnd and think of other measures."


    *Arf~!*


    Fortunately, the little husky didn''t object to the idea.


    With Argus assigned to security details, and the girls set as markers to warn Argus where the enemies woulde from, their formation was set up. Of course, Cassy, who''s blind and whose ears couldn''t hear anything but the sound of wind through the airtight body of the van, couldn''t do anything but cheer everyone on.


    After all of them were strapped in, Aster began their ascent. They moved in arge circle, slowly rising up into the air until they reached their optimal altitude¡ªroughly a hundred meters up in the sky.


    "...!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But without even moving too far from their camp, they were already under attack. The Daft Eagles were quick to move after noticing a foreign entity invading their territory¡ªthe entire sky of the 51st floor.


    "They''reing from our 8 and 4 o''clock positions!" Kali, sitting at the rear of the van, notified them verbally. "They''reing in fast!"


    Aster frowned lightly before roaring his order. "Argus! Shoot them down!"


    *ARF!*


    Without a moment''s dy, Argus shot out powerful lightning, covering a wide area and ensuring that the targets couldn''t dodge. However, the Daft Eagles were as smart as they were advertised. Seeing the falling lightning, they quickly moved to use their allies as lightning rods, limiting the damage to about 10% of their numbers!


    "Keep firing!"


    But of course, the attack wasn''t limited to once. What if they could limit the damage? The chain of attacks wasn''t over yet!


    More and more lightning fell, slowly thinning their numbers until they all dropped like dried leaves falling from the tree.


    Liz smiled, seeing that the group of enemies targeted were cleared out. "Nice! Now, on the 4 o''clock¡ª! Oh no!" But quickly frowned.


    The remaining Daft Eagles, seeing that their sacrificial lightning rod n didn''t work, quickly devised another n. They stopped grouping up and spread out, wide enough that if Argus tried to attack with the same method, only one of them would get caught at a time!


    Aster gritted his teeth upon hearing this "countermeasure" that the monster eagles devised. If Argus continued attacking, he would most likely get sapped after clearing half of the enemies!


    "But if they want to attack us, they would eventually clump up. Keep an eye for that and attack!" he added.


    The Daft Eagles were smart, but they were too territorial to stomach some intruder in their airspace. As such, as Aster predicted, they moved in batches and approached the flying van, nning to peck holes through the exterior and bring it down.


    "Now!"


    But then, Argus'' attack came. Since they were a lot closer nowpared to before, he could also use a different attack than earlier. A powerful pir of lightning¡ªignoring whether they have some "lightning rods" or not¡ªfell on top of them, roasting all the Daft Eagles within the AOE in one shot.


    Furthermore, the girls'' bodies glowed, signifying that they leveled up after Argus killed that batch! They barely hunted 100 eagles, and they already leveled up once!


    "Damn! Those birds got some juicy EXP!" Aster eximed, surprised.


    However, thinking normally, it wasn''t that weird. Daft Eagles were territorial, but that''s only for within their airspace. Adventurers traveling on the ground would only encounter them if they were targeted as prey by the eagles. As such, most of the Daft Eagles lived a lot longerpared to other monsters, allowing them to gain more experience through a series of sessful hunts.


    This not only increased their strength, further enhancing their survivability, but it also padded the EXP they gave when they got hunted down!


    "Change of ns! We can''t miss harvesting these leeks!"


    Aster licked his lips and smiled. Without dy, he moved his hands and legs fast, maneuvering the van to spin 180¡ã mid-air while moving in reverse! After a brief slow-down, they charged forward, nning to meet the other group of eagles instead of running away.


    To the eagles, they saw this as the lightning-shooting intruder changing from running away to chasing them down. Their territorial instincts kicked in, causing them to all raise a loud screech, meeting the van without fear.


    *SCREEECH!*


    *SPLAT!*


    But of course, even though the eagles had about a three-meter-wide wingspan, with their body being roughly a meter long, they still weren''t a match for the van''srge body. Those foolish enough to meet the van head-on turned into red blots on the windshield, which didn''t even crack after getting hit directly with its sharp beak.


    "Sturdy as advertised."


    Aster grinned as he activated the wipers, along with a short spray of water, clearing the blood and grime off the windshield.


    After that, the roles of "hunter" and "hunted" changed.

 Chapter 296 To the Class Exchange Hall

    With Aster persistently chasing the Daft Eagles, their skirmish ended in just a short 10 minutes. By then, not a single eagle was within sight, signifying that they had already hunted all of them within the vicinity.


    All in all, they killed roughly 500 Daft Eagles, quite arge number when you consider that they were circling a 100 sq. km. area only¡ªa small fraction of the entire floor''s area.


    With that, the girls all gained a few levels, pushing them to reach level 53, respectively. The minor differences in their EXP levels before had now evened out, making them all level up basically at the same time.


    After clearing the eagles, theynded on the ground to both recharge the Van''s Mana and also to let Argus rest. As such, the girls didn''t insist on hunting while on the ground. They didn''t even try looting the Daft Eagles'' carcasses, as they were either burned to a crisp by lightning or smashed into a paste after crashing against the EM Van at full speed.


    "We should visit the ss Exchange Hallter," Astermented as they rxed, eating some snacks. "Everyone has already reached over level 50. You can already rank up your sses, or even gain new skills."


    Of course, their sses were only at themon and umon range, allowing them to ss up every 15 to 20 levels. As such, now that they''re over level 50, they should be eligible for at most 2 ss-ups each.


    "It would be great if I could get a rare ss option during ss-up..." Cassymented as she nibbled a cookie, looking a little down.


    Since the number of times one could ss up is limited, getting a higher rarity ss early is a lot more beneficial thanter. After all, the higher the rarity, the longer the gap between each ss-up is. Just like with Aster''s Unique Mythic ss, which ranks up every 45 levels. And the longer the gap between each ss-up is, the bigger the benefits.


    "I''m pretty sure you''ll get a rare ss at least, Cassy," Liz smiled as sheforted the mncholic rabbit. "You''re the only one in the world with a Revive Skill. It would be weird if you didn''t get any new ss from that!"


    "I hope so..."


    "I''m pretty sure I''ll be getting at least a Rare ss too," Tina muttered with pride, puffing her chest confidently. "Maybe the Epic Mechanical Pugilist or the Rare Elemental Monk!"


    "Dream on," Kali scoffed as she sipped her tea.


    "Oh, is this jealousy? I''m sure Ms. Assassin will still get Assassin anyway. Ohoho!"


    Kali''s brows twitched, hearing Tina''s light provocation. "Oh? Quite confident, eh? Then, during ss-upter, whoever gets a less rare ss would lick the other''s feet. Dare?"


    "Bring it on! I''ll make sure to step on mud before letting you lick my feet clean!"


    "Remember your words. I''ll make you eat themter."


    After listening to the two cats trying to humiliate each other, Liz smiled wryly while trying to mediate. "You two, calm down a little."


    "No way!"


    "She started it!"


    ---


    About an hourter, when the Van''s Mana was fully charged, they resumed their travel¡ªor rather, leek farming. The experience from the Daft Eagles was too enticing to be ignored, so Aster didn''t let a single one of them escape.


    Due to such dys, it took them a total of nine hours to clear the entirety of the 51st floor!


    It was beneficial, however, as the girls all reached level 60 quite quickly. They were still under-leveled for the floor''s monsters, but at least, they were catching up to the average quickly.


    After reaching the 52nd floor, the time was already 3 p.m., so they decided to leave the dungeon for now. They wouldn''t want the ss Exchange Hall to close its doors on them if they headed out way toote, after all.


    When they got out, the familiar, everyday scenery outside the dungeon''s portal weed them. The hustle and bustle, the chatter, and the mix of hope and despair were just the same as usual.


    Of course, they didn''t walk to their destination. Instead, they called for a taxi service big enough to hold all five of them.


    "Wee, Aster. It''s been a while."


    As soon as they arrived at the ss Exchange Hall, there stood a familiar face¡ªFaeloria Shadowleaf¡ªweing them as if she knew they wereing beforehand.


    "Yes, it''s been a while," Aster smiled back before getting into business immediately. "My party members would like to try for a ss-up. Can you lead the way?"


    "Of course!" Faeloria smiled, sweeping a gaze across everyone''s faces. "Then, please follow me. This way."


    With the Director of the ss Exchange Hall herself meeting them, the five were able to bypass the long line, going to the private machines usually reserved for staff and other important personnel. Of course, it wasn''t Aster''s first time seeing it, as he had used it before already.


    "Who''s going first?" Faeloria asked, a smile still pasted on her face.


    She was technically wrapped around Aster''s right arm, making Tina snarl in anger from a short distance away. Of course, she tried to pull Faeloria off Aster already, but the difference in their strength was way too vast, causing her attempts to fail beautifully.


    Kali merely sent a side nce over to Aster, judgingly, while Liz kept a nk face, keeping her gaze fixed on the point of contact between the two. Cassy, the only one who didn''t seem affected, raised her hand and volunteered.


    "T-Then, I''ll go first."


    Faeloria noticed Cassy''s eyes immediately and gasped. "Oh, you''re Ms. Bright, right? Let me help you."


    Of course, it was an act. She knew Cassy beforehand, but the same didn''t work for Cassy. After all, when Aster, Faeloria, and Vanessa saved her, she could only interact with Aster before fainting, causing her to not know of the other two''s identities.


    Faeloria helped Cassy over gently, helping her press her palm on top of the machine. Not only that, she even tinkered with it a bit, turning on the audio-assist module for the blind.


    After a few seconds of Cassy touching the panel, the machine started to load. It didn''t take too long¡ªonly a minuteter¡ªbefore the disy changed, showing the possible ss-up choices for Cassy to choose from. The machine''s AI Voice read each item for Cassy out loud, but it caused everyone else who could hear it to gape in shock.


    [


    Common: Healer (III)


    Umon: Priest (I)


    Rare: Bishop (I)


    Legendary: Saintess (I)n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ]


    A legendary ss popped up!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 298 And Another One

    "I choose this one!"


    Without a hint of hesitation, Tina selected the Epic Elemental Pugilist ss. As soon as she did, her body released a bright glow, which faded an instantter. Although it didn''t have the same grandeur as Cassy''s, the transition to an Epic ss still created quite a stir.


    "Hehe! See that, you bitch? An epic ss! You should prepare to lick my foot!"


    And of course, she didn''t forget to taunt Kali now that she got a ss second only to a legendary one. Tina was almost convinced she had already won the match!


    "Hmph! You didn''t even get a legendary. Stop boasting." Kali wasn''t amused but still felt some pressure. Still, she didn''t let it overwhelm her and countered with logic. "And Elemental Pugilists are DPS, which means we lost one of our tanks. Idiot."


    Without even waiting for Faeloria''s call, Kali already walked over to the machine, pushed Tina away, and ced her palm on top, letting the machine analyze her "achievements."


    The analysissted for but a minute before disying her new ss-up choices. Although her expression remained stoic as usual, she was actually anxiously praying for at least an Epic ss to appear!


    [


    Common: Assassin (IV)


    Rare: Trickster (I)


    Epic: Master of Shadows (I)


    Epic+: Death''s Agent (I)


    ]


    "E-Epic... plus?!"


    Faeloria already lost count of how many times she got surprised within the short time they were there. For the third time, another ss that''s extremely hard toe by appeared!


    Kali''s eyes opened wide, unable to believe what her ss-up choices were. However, she soon realized one truth and snickered, her head turning diagonally to her back in a mocking gaze, while staring at Tina''s ashen face.


    "It''s my win." That was all she said.


    "N-No way! It''s a tie! We''re both Epic, so it''s a tie!"


    "Mine''s Epic+, rarer than in Epic, so I win the bet! Haha, I''m looking forward to making you lick my feet!"


    Kali pressed her choice while they bantered with each other, but her finger slipped. She wasn''t paying attention, so in the end, the ss she selected wasn''t the Rare+ Death''s Agent, but rather the Rare Master of Shadows ss!


    "H-Haha! See? You selected Rare! We''re the same rarity, so it''s a tie!"


    "What? N-No way...!"


    When she realized what she had done, it was all toote. Her body released a bright sh of light, signifying that the ss-up was sessful. But no matter how much she scrunched her eyes, the ss name disyed on the monitor wasn''t the one she wanted.


    "... This is your fault, you vixen! You distracted me on purpose!"


    "Your failure to pay attention is not my fault!" It''s a tie! The bet is now null and void!"


    Tina barely survived by the skin of her teeth! She was almost made to lick Kali''s feet, if not for her small misclick!


    Kali was shocked. Not only did she miss out on winning their bet, but she even failed to get a Rare+ ss! The difference between the two sses might be small at the start, but the difference in their upper limits should be evident when they reach higher levels.


    Watching the two cats continue to quarrel, Liz, thest one on the line, silently went forward. With Faeloria''s guidance, she ced her palm on top of the panel, letting the machine read her achievements and consolidate the list of sses she could rank up to.


    "No way..."


    Faeloria''s short gasp caused everyone to turn their attention over to the board once more.


    The others gasped in shock when they saw what was on the board, just like Faeloria and Liz did.


    "Th... The second legendary...!" Aster, who quickly snapped back to his senses, raised his voice in disbelief. "It''s another legendary ss!"


    However, unlike Cassy''s situation, Liz had only one choice to make. It was literally giving her no other choice but to select the legendary ss disyed before her!


    [


    Legendary: Divine Knight of Retribution


    ]


    Just by looking at the name, Aster could already infer how she acquired it¡ªthanks to the three skills she acquired after meeting Mummy on the 5th floor¡ªNefra: Guardian''s Embrace, Invulnerability, and Vengeance Burst.


    "A legendary... I got a legendary...!" Liz slowly digested the words written on the monitor, causing a smile to spread across her face.


    With the flow of events, all of them could harbor a guess that the two legendaries were somehow rted to Nefra herself. After all, the two individuals to whom she bestowed her skills had sessfully acquired legendary sses consecutively!


    "I should''ve asked for a skill too..."


    Kali muttered to herself, regretting her past choices. Tina was roughly of the same mind,menting herck of foresight and choosing weapons instead of practical skills for her ss.


    Liz was no longer dyed, tapping on the name of the new ss she was about to get.


    Just like with Cassy, a golden pir of light fell over her, causing another heavenly spectacle to erupt. At that point, the curiosity of everyone in the city had reached its peak, wondering what was going on.


    Seeing two gigantic pirs of light appear in the middle of the city is weird, no doubt!


    "Now, I can''t go without reporting this..." Faeloria sighed but still showed a wry smile while overseeing the girls before her.


    ---


    Once everyone hadpleted their ss upgrade, they promptly returned to the dungeon. It was roughly 5 p.m. when they reentered, and they immediately headed for the nearby open space to the left of the entrance.


    What they did was immediately confirm the new skills they gained right after they got their new sses. They each shared the results of their Skill Tablets, as follows:


    For Cassy:


    [


    Name: Cassandra Bright


    Job ss: Saintess (I)


    Battle Skills


    None


    Passive Skills


    Mana Control (medium), Mana Detection (medium), Mana Regeneration (medium)


    Daily Life Skills


    Gathering Skill: Lv 11


    Heightened Senses: Lv 49


    Detection Skill: Lv 25


    Stealth Skill: Lv 2


    Job Skills


    Healing Spells, Purify, Revive, Blessing (new!), Sanctuary (new!)


    ]


    For Kali:


    [


    Name: Kali Norma


    Job ss: Master of Shadows (I)


    Battle Skills


    Dagger Skills: Threefold Stab


    Dagger Skills: Twin Fang


    Dagger Skills: Dagger Tornado


    Passive Skills


    Stealth (high), Detection (high), Speed Boost (high), Marksmanship (medium)


    Daily Life Skills


    Repair: Lv 16


    Heightened Senses: Lv 77


    Detection Skill: Lv 56


    Stealth Skill: Lv 65


    Job Skills


    Assassinate, Shadow Maniption (new!), Shadow Bind (new!), Shadow Clone (new!)


    ]


    For Tina:


    [


    Name: Celestinya Zirroth


    Job ss: Elemental Pugilist (I)


    Battle Skills


    None


    Passive Skills


    Detection (medium), Hard Skin (medium),


    Daily Life Skills


    Repair: Lv 16


    Heightened Senses: Lv 66


    Detection Skill: Lv 35


    Job Skills


    (Lost skills: Taunt, Metal Body, Enrage)


    Elemental Fist (new!), Full d (new!), Focus (new!), Charge Attack (new!)


    ]


    And finally, Liz:


    [


    Name: Lizandrea von Dragonseal


    Job ss: Divine Knight of Retribution (I)


    Battle Skills


    Mace Skills: Smash


    Passive Skills


    Stout Shield (high), Dragon Scales (high), Return Damage (EX) (new!)


    Daily Life Skills


    Heightened Senses: Lv 53


    Detection Skill: Lv 11


    Battle Senses: Lv 40


    Leadership: Lv 20


    Job Skills


    Knight''s Challenge, Shield of Valor, Battle Cry, Holy Smite, Guardian''s Embrace, Invulnerability, Vengeance Burst, Revitalize (new!), Faith Charge (new!)


    ]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 299 New Formation

    Aster checked their new skills, saw their effects, and frowned.


    "If it''s like this, we would need to modify our current go-to formation. A major reorganization, huh?" He sighed, scratching his cheeks awkwardly.


    Of course, it''s not like he was ming Tina for changing from a tank ss to a DPS fighter ss. After all, the ss was an Epic, meaning they would benefit from her taking this sster down the road.


    "Fortunately, Liz''s tank-ness was boosted from her rank up."


    Although her additional skills were more on support than helping with dealing damage, her new passive, Return Damage (EX), was a great boon. Each time she received an attack, may it be magical or physical, she would automatically reflect a fraction of the damage she received toward the attacker! Furthermore, the percentage of damage returned was calcted based on her Faith counter, which could be increased with the skill Faith Charge.


    "And since I don''t see any cap for the maximum return damage, if I nurture this skill well, I might be able to return over 100% of the damage back to the enemies," Lizmented, analyzing the prospects of the skill from her understanding of its effects.


    Of course, it''s not all positive. The Faith Charge skill requires her to either pray for 1 hour a day or gain "achievements" by protecting her allies during the battle for a cumtive of 1 hour. The skill then converts this 1 hour into 1 Faith Counter, resulting in an additional 0.1% return damage.


    "That''s going to take a lot of time..."


    Aster sighed, but still couldn''t help but look forward to the future. When Liz''s return damage reached 1000% or higher, then she could kill monsters just by standing in ce! And ifbined with her Invulnerability skill, she could even take down bosses by simply reflecting the damage from their strongest attack back to them!


    Since their ss upgrades aligned with their previous roles, Kali and Cassy''s positions remained unchanged. However, Tina''s position had to change. After losing both Taunt and Metal Body, she could no longer continue her role as the Second Tank of the party.


    "I can still go with an evasive tank build! I''ll make sure to protect darling from any harm!" Shemented, but Aster dismissed the idea quickly.


    As an Elemental Pugilist, she would need to add to CON, STR, and WIS already. If she had to take out more to add to her DEX, then she would end up making a trash build instead, destroying her future potential.


    In the end, their new formation was Liz still acting as the main tank, Cassy as the support near the back, Kali beside Cassy, acting as rear-guard and middle-range damage dealer, and Tina as the main attacker.


    Aster assumed the role of a secondary tank, ready to take over in the event of Liz''s failure. It''s only possible with his superior stats. The little pup Argus served as the back-row damage dealer, providing covering fire from Cassy''s side.


    With their new formation setup, they didn''t waste a moment and tested it out.


    Kali moved to the nearby forest and kited a few monsters. Within a matter of minutes, Kali returned, trailed by a group of approximately twelve monsters. The group consisted of Rage Goris, which stood at a height of 3 meters, me Boars, which were wild animals with manes made of mes, and Chameleon Hyenas, which, with an average level of 75, posed a significant threat to the girls.


    "I''ll take it from here, Knight''s Challenge!" Liz didn''t hesitate and pulled the monsters'' attention.


    She raised her small shield, bracing for impact, as the monsters changed targets from Kali to her.


    *GROOOOWL!*


    Their renewed anger created a striking visual, prompting Tina to unconsciously retreat. But Liz didn''t even flinch, staring ahead with a clear gaze as she met the monster''s charge with another skill.


    "Shield Bash!"


    She swung her shield forward, nning to trip the frontrunner. However, instead of the usual skill, which doesn''t even appear in the skill tablet, a new phenomenon was observed.


    A giant, half-translucent golden shield, adorned with a cross in the middle, appeared before the small shield and smashed against the rushing horde. None of the monsters could react in time, as the shield smashed straight, causing them to fall on their backsides.


    "My turn!"


    Tina didn''t miss her timing and rushed forward. With her twin gauntlets at the ready, she punched the closest Rage Gori, aiming for the face, the chest, and the groin in session. Marks of frozen and molten fists appeared on the spots she hit, dealing practically fatal damage!


    "Shadow Bind!"


    Seeing that the monsters were trying to stand up, Kali used her Shadow Bind skill, turning the monsters'' shadows into their own enemies. Their shadows turned into tight bindings, tying them down to the ground and limiting their movements!


    "Elemental Sword sh!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Aster was up next, dealing light damage to all monsters¡ªcutting off all their limbs in one go. Naturally, he refrained from delivering the final blow to avoid wasting the EXP on him.


    "Argus, now!"


    With his call, the little puppy on standby a short distance away raised a short bark.


    *Arf!*


    As Aster and Tina moved away from the monsters, a barrage of lightning bolts descended, instantly crushing the bound monsters to the ground.


    *SHING!*


    And confirming that their enemies were dead, the girls'' bodies released a brief glow, indicating that they just leveled up. Aster sheathed his sword before letting out a short sigh.


    "Looks like this formation works better than I thought."


    It was their first try, but they worked together seamlessly. And since they have more damage dealers now, the clearing speed was even faster!


    "If it''s like this, I guess we can even take on bosses without Argus'' help, despite the level gap."


    Of course, there''s the inherent risk of only having one tank. But as long as they''re careful, with Cassy healing Liz as much as needed, then they shouldn''t have much trouble.


    Their party proceeded to test the new formation a few more times, even venturing into the forest just for the sake of checking. After a full hour of testing, just before the sun went downpletely, they returned¡ªbattered.


    "F*cking vixen... run ahead like that once more, and I''m cutting your tail off!"


    "T-That wasn''t my fault, was it?!"


    "... Sorry, Tina. It''s your fault this time."


    "Even darling?!"


    On their way back, Tina lowered her guard way too much. She ran ahead of the others and ended up startling a nest of ck Hos, causing everyone to suffer a few injuries. If not for Aster burning them all down in one sweep, regardless of "friendly fire," then the entire party could''ve been in deep trouble!


    "Uuu... If only my detection sensitivity remained the same, this wouldn''t have happened...!"


    As previously stated, getting rarer sses wasn''t all rewards; there are bound to be some drawbacks hidden within them too.

 Chapter 300 Stabilizing Ones Strength

    Flying monsters¡ªlike the Daft Eagles¡ªwere present from the 51st up until the 75th floor. This means Aster and the girls would be unable to fly through the sky at night.


    So, instead, they nned to head onward on foot during early evening... if they weren''t worn out by the ck Hos persistently chasing and stinging them all over. They were fortunate that Cassy was able to use Purify, as the ho''s poison alone could have wiped them out!


    As such, for that night, they decided to set up camp early.


    As usual, they selected a slightly hidden spot, away from prying eyes, and erected their portable home. More than monsters, they needed to be warier toward other adventurers in their current situation. After all, Lori''s group still posed a threat.


    After they got inside, they did things they wanted to do.


    Cassy sat on the sofa, petting Argus lightly, rxing without moving from her spot. Aster went to the exercise equipment, trying to check the limits of his body. Since reaching level 100, Aster had never attempted to test his strength.


    The first exercise he attempted was the deadlift. He started light, with 50 kg weights on either side, and lifted it as per the video manual.


    "Hup...!"


    But to his surprise, he barely felt resistance from it. It felt to him as if he was simply lifting a cup of water off the table! Without dy, he doubled the weight, tried it out, and doubled it again until he finally felt some resistance¡ªa total of 800 kg!


    "HNGGGGH!"


    He lifted it in one go, exerting quite the effort, before holding his pose for five seconds and letting go.


    *THUNK!* *CLANK!*


    The weights fell from knee height, but despite their mass, the floor didn''t even crack. Their portable home was as tough as can be!


    "So roughly 800 kg..." Aster muttered, recording his limit on his tablet, before wiping his sweat and moving to the next item.


    After the deadlift, he skipped the other two of the "big three": squat and bench press, as they were partly ovepping categories. He wasn''t exercising, but measuring his limits, after all.


    The next apparatus he tried out was the punching machine. Unlike the one with a small ball hanging from above, this one had arge pad about as tall as a person, which could be hit anywhere to gauge one''s punching strength.


    "Phew..."


    Continue your story on empire


    Aster took a deep breath as he stood before it, gathering his mind and lowering his body into a stance. He drew strength from his legs, twisting his hips to propel his upper body forward. He also extended his right hand forward, riding the twisting momentum, releasing a perfectly executed straight punch.


    *BAM!*


    The punching machine shook and even released scary creaking sounds before returning to its previous state. A momentter, a flickering hologram appeared in front of it, showing the result of the assessment.


    "Uhh... 588 kg-force?"


    Not realizing how amazing this number was, he simply recorded it again before moving on to the next one. He continued this process until he hadpleted all the necessary benchmarking tests.


    After finishing, he took a seat, rested, and entered the values he had recorded into an evaluation app. It estimates one''s level based on one''s physical performance, which wasn''t that urate for magic-rted sses. However, vanguard and other melee ssesrgely trusted it as an "urate" evaluation.


    The app started analyzing the data, disying a series of numbers as it calcted the result. Then, a minuteter, it showed an unbelievable result.


    [


    ount Name: Aster Mistral


    Level: 102


    ss: Mixed


    Evaluation: S+


    Estimated Level: 251


    ]


    "Damn, more than twice your actual level? Darling''s so strong!"


    "...!"


    And to Aster''s surprise, Tina''s voice echoed from right beside his ears. He shifted away, observing that not only Tina but also Liz and Kali were nearby, seemingly curious about the oue he had achieved.


    "Level 251? Aster, you...!" Liz''s words trailed away. Her eyes glittered with excitement while staring at him as if he were a role model for her.


    Kali, on the other hand, merely frowned deeply before turning around and walking away.


    "It''s nothing surprising. I have a passive that boosts my stats by 50%, remember?" Aster reminded them, feeling shy from their passionate gazes. "Anyway, I worked up some sweat. I''ll go wash it off. Later!"


    And as if running away from them, Aster rushed toward the bathroom area, leaving the girls behind.


    "..."


    After he left, the girls moved. Of course, what they did was easy to guess¡ªthey performed the same benchmarking test that Aster did and measured their estimated levels. But unlike his result, theirs didn''t even reach their actual levels. The predicted levels were even lower than half their actual levels, making them raise their brows!


    "ARGUS!"


    Tina and Liz shouted at the same time, making the poor dog jump in surprise. Cassy, who was petting him, was surprised, all the same, wondering what was wrong.


    "We need more practice;e and watch over us!" Tina eximed, her expression uncharacteristically serious.


    Liz gripped her fist tight before nodding her head in agreement. "At this rate, we''ll be nothing but deadweight to Aster!"


    *Whine...*


    Despite Argus''s seeming reluctance, he felt and understood the girls'' unwavering dedication to their goals. He jumped down from Cassy''sp and walked over to them, chasing from behind and leaving the portable home.


    Outside, they could already see Kali fighting some monsters¡ªshe was thinking the same as the two, but was one step ahead of them!


    "We''re joining too!"


    "Unfair! How dare you start without us!"


    Hearing the shoutsing from behind, Kali jumped back, increasing the distance between her and the bear-like monster before her, and sighed.


    "Suit yourself, but this one''s mine." She eximed while waving her daggers and dashing forward.


    Like a ghost, her figure slowly disappeared, melding into the darkness. The bear monster appeared bewildered, scanning the area in a state of panic, but it was unable to locate Kali.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    *STAB!*


    And a momentter, she reappeared right behind it, her two daggers stabbing both sides of its thick neck. "Assassinate!"


    The monster groaned for a moment before losing strength and falling forward¡ªdead. Kali, alone, managed to kill a monster at least 20 levels above her! A shocking feat!

 Chapter 301 Rushing Through Floors (1)

    The next morning, Aster woke up to quite an astounding scene. Experience new stories on empire


    "Hmm... They''re all out cold."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He muttered after seeing the girls'' current state. Kali, Tina, and Liz were currently piled up in the middle of the living room, like sacks of potatoes!


    Their state couldn''t be said as fine, even as praise. They all have traces of injuries here and there, but because Aster couldn''t see actual wounds, he could tell that Cassy had already done her work on them.


    "What the hell did these three dost night, sparring?"


    Turning to the side, even Argus was drained. He looked like he had been working nonstop for at least a day, seemingly gaunt and out of energy.


    After assessing the situation, he decided to postpone their departure until the afternoon. "With them like this, we can''t even travel through the skies anyway."


    As such, the morning became an extended time of rest.


    Cassy, having nothing better to do, was simply watching over the fainted girls, while Aster busied himself cooking dishes for when the three woke up. Of course, he and Cassy already took breakfast ahead of them, sharing a table between only the two of them.


    If Tina was there to see it, she would''ve stepped in and interrupted their sweet time¡ªparticrly Aster feeding Cassy directly.


    The girls only woke up an hour before noon. As soon as they opened their eyes, their noses twitched, detecting the hunger-inducing aroma of the dishes that their master chef prepared.


    *ZOOM!*


    Like refugees who hadn''t had food in a while, the three rushed forward, devouring whatever they could get their hands on.


    "Easy, the food wouldn''t run away," Aster muttered, watching as they turned the tes over as if a storm just passed.


    However, neither the three girls nor Argus had the mind to pay attention to his words. They mindlessly devoured food, trying to get back the energy they lost fromst night''s training. It wasn''t until they were starting to feel full that they began to return to their usual selves.


    However, they refused to answer when Aster asked about what they didst night, causing them to be so tired they passed out the entire morning. Even Liz, who didn''t appear to be the type to lie, declined to reveal the truth.


    "... Anyway, we''re setting off after a short break."


    They had already been dyed for half a day, and they couldn''t afford to waste any more time.


    ---


    An hourter, at exactly 1 p.m., their party finally set off.


    Aster was driving the EM Van, as usual, with the girls keeping an eye on all directions¡ªwatching out for the Daft Eagles and other flying monsters, if any. Whenever they found some, instead of moving away from it, they began chasing them. They were a precious source of EXP that Aster and the girls couldn''t miss!


    Due to their long detours from hunting the birds, they barely reached the other end of the map at around 5 p.m. Argus finished the boss fight in one strike, as usual, causing the girls to release another glow, indicating their level had increased once more.


    Although their pace dropped by a lot, they were satisfied with the result. After all, even Aster gained one more level after a long time, while the girls rose by 5 levels on average within that afternoon alone!


    After entering the 52nd floor, they continued onward, searching for more EXP to harvest while also searching for a nice ce to set camp on. Just as Aster was nning tond on the ground, Kali suddenly called from the backseat.


    "Leader. Let''s travel through the night this time." She suggested in a firm tone.


    Aster raised a brow, looking at the rearview mirror, and asked. "But that''s dangerous, isn''t it? We can''t see the flying monsters at night and have limited vision..."


    If not for those fears, then Aster would like to travel through the night skies himself. The faster he got to higher floors, the faster he could start adding to his slowly ticking lifespan.


    "Just now, I gained a new skill," Kali exined the reason for her suggestion. "It''s called Shadow Concealment, which can hide a limited area around me from view, as long as it''s under the cover of darkness."


    She quickly used the said skill to demonstrate, causing her figure to turn almost invisible, even though the interior of the car wasn''t that dark.


    "Other than the drawback of being unable to move while using the skill, it doesn''t cost energy or mana to use." She added on.


    "Is that so? But then, we can''t use it, since it would make you unable to move...?" Cassy muttered from the side before letting out a gasp. "Ah! Right, we''re not moving inside the vehicle, so you can use it!"


    Aster pondered for a bit before finally nodding his head. "Alright, let''s go with that. But while the sun is up, we''ll continue hunting the Daft Eagles to gather EXP."


    Everyone gave their tacit agreement, locking in their ns.


    Just like that, they continued hunting the territorial birds in the few minutes before darkness came. Kali''s n came into action as soon as the dungeon''s fake sun sank below the artificial horizon.


    "Shadow Concealment!"


    She swiftly applied the new skill again, but this time, she maximized its coverage area. With her low mastery of the skill, the most she could cover was roughly a meter radius around her. Although it wasn''t enough topletely hide them, that was more than enough to cover everyone within the car and conceal their presence.


    "The car''s still partly visible, though..."


    Worried, Aster chose to turn off all light sources, ensuring their ride remained stealthy in the night''s darkness. Of course, they couldn''t hide the light of propulsion, but their speed would ensure they were out of reach before any monster could discover the source of the glittering light. As an added countermeasure, he even increased their altitude to the limit.


    *SCRATCH!*


    Until the EM Van''s roof scraped the "ceiling" of the dungeon floor!


    "So the sky inside the dungeon truly was artificial..." Liz muttered in wonder, peeking outside the window at the close-up of the starry sky.


    Of course, the dungeon''s ceiling wasn''t low either. Their current altitude would be about a kilometer from the ground, making them look nothing but a glittering, moving "star" or "satellite" from below.


    And just like that, after exactly one hour, they reached the Floor Boss area. Clearing floors couldn''t have been faster and easier!

 Chapter 304 Talk to the Hand

    Both Aster and Kali stared at the hand, thin as a stick and as pale as ivory. From a nce, they could tell that whoever was the hand''s owner wasn''t in excellent health... If it was attached to a body, that is.


    "EEEK!"


    Kali, figuring out that the hand was cut off right around the middle of the arm part, raised a cute shriek before grabbing Aster''s jacket. She nted her face inside it and trembled like a kitten left out in the open on a cold, rainy night.


    "G-Gho-Gho-Gho¡ª!" She stuttered, her teeth ttering.


    Despite feeling primal fear toward the bodiless hand, Aster didn''t let his gaze stray from it. It''s not that he''s scared it would jump toward him if he blinked, of course. Rather, it was because, beside the hand, bloody letters started appearing midair, spelling words for him to read.


    [Aster, right? I''ve heard of you from Fay. Come in.]


    ''Fay?'' Aster frowned, wondering if it was referring to Faeloria.


    Despite his lingering suspicion, he cautiously advanced, tugging the frightened cat that was clinging to him. Just as he was about to reach the door, the hand suddenly jumped, causing his body to jolt.


    "...!"


    Thankfully, it didn''t jump towards him, but instead, it headed towards the interior of the dpidated structure. Aster took a deep breath, wrapping his right arm around Kali''s back as support, before pushing the door open.


    The inside was no different than the outside¡ªdpidated and almost about to rot away. However, as he inspected the ce, he became confused about one particr aspect. Despite the apparent possibility of dust entering through the gaps in the walls and roofs, he found no dust anywhere.


    [Over here...]


    Once again, the bloody letters appeared in front of his face, apanied by a bloody arrow that pointed toward another set of dpidated doors located a short distance away. Kali, just like a baby, kept a tight hold on Aster''s body, refusing to let go. Having no choice, he simply walked forward, Kali in tow, and reached for the door.


    "OW!"


    But Kali''s nails¡ªor rather, her ws¡ªwere digging into his back, causing not a small amount of pain to assault his senses.


    "K-Kali, loosen up the hold for a bit...!"


    Aster pleaded, trying to pull the cat away, but as if she had undergone rigor mortis, her arms didn''t even budge!


    "Ugh...!"


    Just as Aster was nearing his limit, the bloody text appeared once more, writing words for him to see.


    [Is it fine if she fainted?]


    The question was straightforward, but the intent behind it wasn''t clear. Still, Aster nodded his head in affirmation, giving the mysterious "other party" the green light.


    *Tap!*


    "...!"


    Aster almost screamed like a little girl when a cut-off handnded on his left shoulder. However, he quickly gathered his wits, taking deep breaths to calm himself. With slight fear in his eyes, mixed with a hint of curiosity, he watched as the hand crawled down his jacket and toward Kali''s head.


    Then it skillfully moved, patting her head gently, as if a mother was trying to soothe her crying child. Strangely, Kali''s trembling, stiff shoulders gradually rxed. Whatever the hand was doing was working!


    "..."


    But then, Aster realized something.


    "Kali?"


    He called, just to check, but she didn''t even jump in surprise anymore. He slowly leaned back, tilting her head a short distance away from his body, only to realize that the whites of her eyes were visible¡ªshe had fainted!


    Aster was wondering what the hand did but didn''t bother asking. Instead, he slowly unwrapped her arms and legs, closing her eyes and mouth, before lifting her up in a princess carry.


    "Alright, this should do." He nodded and made his way to the door.


    However, as he entered inside, he was in for a different kind of surprise. The inside of the room had a familiar style, one that Aster had seen before. It looked the same as the secret hiding ce for spies in Juviel City!


    Computers were lined up neatly here and there, with video feeds on multiple monitors, showing live events in specific areas of the 100th floor. Inside this futuristic control room, the dpidated look of the building vanishedpletely.


    "Hmm, not so fearless, but bold. I like that~!"


    Right then, a figure sitting on a pivot chair turned around and grinned. Her young-sounding voice, high-pitched and fresh, was music to Aster''s ears.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I''m Natalie, the Information Collection Agent referred by Fay."


    She introduced herself as she walked away from the darkness. As she did, Aster''s eyes opened wide. She had clear purple eyes,rge and enticing, with her body wearing nothing but a single piece of whiteboratory robe.


    She was naked, with all her parts¡ªthoughcking in volume¡ªin in view. But what caught Aster''s eyes weren''t her private parts, but rather the weird stitches and discolored areas around her body. It was as if she was arge jigsaw puzzle, stitched together roughly with bloody thread through a clumsy needlework.


    "Are you... a zombie?" Aster asked, unable to contain his curiosity.


    The girl let out a soft breath before smiling widely. "Close! I''m a Flesh Golem!" She proudly announced. "Although I may look like this, I''m way older than you, so pay some respect, ok?"


    "Oh," Aster couldn''t distinguish the difference between a Flesh Golem and a Zombie, but he still slowly closed his eyes and smiled. "Then, pardon me, senior, but you''repletely exposed."


    "Huh?"


    She quickly nced down, observing her t ins and the smooth area below. Then, she turned left and right, only to see her clothes bundled together in a heap on top of the table.


    "...!" Find your next adventure on empire


    If she had blood running through her body, her face would''ve turnedpletely red by then. She was speaking in a pompous manner,pletely unaware of her nakedness! Worse, she only had aboratory robe hanging loosely on her shoulders, making her look even more deranged¡ªlike a pervert!


    *Snap!*


    With a singlemand from her, suddenly dozens of hands came to life, rushing toward her clothes and helping her change into them. It all happened so fast that all Aster heard was the extremely diforting sound of fingers tapping the solid metal ground in unison. He was tempted to open his eyes and see, but quickly changed his mind. He didn''t want the events unfolding before him to cause him trauma.


    After a while, the noise faded, and only a small voice, asking shyly, echoed.


    "D-Did you see...?"


    "..."


    Aster knew that at times like this, honesty would just backfire. However, he wasn''t close enough to the other person to sugarcoat things anyway.


    "Yes, I respectfully saw everything, senior." He answered tly. "Don''t worry, there''s nothing wrong with your body. Rather, it''s beautiful in its own right, in my opinion."


    The Flesh Golem, Natalia, stomped her feet in embarrassment before shouting at Aster. "From now on, you''ll be Mr. Pervert! Voyeur! Lolicon!"


    "Hey, thest one isn''t true!"


    "So you admit the first two?!"


    "That..."


    Aster scratched the back of his neck, feeling conflicted. Either way, he was sure that their meeting was already off to a bumpy start.

 Chapter 305 The Information Broker

    "So, what sort of information do you want?"


    About five minutester, Natalie finally calmed down and returned to her seat. She still didn''t give Aster the time of day, clearly holding on to her irritation. However, she had at least shown kindness to the fainted Kali, lending her the bed in the same room.


    With no other choice, Aster perched himself on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb Kali, and replied. "Don''t you know already?"


    "...Information about everything from the 100th to 200th floors, right?" Natalie sighed, her toneced with exasperation, as if finding Aster more and more insufferable. "If it''s that broad, it''s going to cost you. A lot."


    She tapped away at her tablet a few times before projecting a hologram in front of Aster. The number disyed on it made his jaw drop.


    "10 billion Tels just for information?!" Aster eximed, feeling she was tantly ripping him off as payback for the earlier incident.


    "Hey! I''m not petty enough to charge you extra just because you saw my body!" Natalie shot back, ring at him as if reading his thoughts. "This is the market price¡ªand I''ve already given you a 50% discount because Fay asked me to!"


    "Even with the discount, that''s ridiculous..." Aster grumbled. "Can''t you make it cheaper? Like, under 100 million?"


    Natalie narrowed her eyes but didn''t argue. Instead, she turned back to her keyboard, recalcting the price while narrowing down the scope of the information she would provide. After a moment, the hologram refreshed, disying a new, significantly lower number.


    "I''ve limited the data to only high-relevance information," she exined, pointing to the breakdown on the screen. "Since your group is using that fancy EM Car to travel through the dungeon, I removed details that wouldn''t matter. With the discount applied, ites down to 150 million Tels. Better?"


    Aster meticulously reviewed the filtered-out data, ensuring nothing critical was missing. Natalie''s adjustments were surprisingly urate; she had removed extraneous information withoutpromising essentials. Even the few excluded details that seemed relevant had been reced with cheaper summaries.


    "Alright, we''ll take it," Aster agreed, satisfied. "Can I pay with my Adventurer''s Card?"


    "Sure. I''ll send the data to your tablet," Natalie replied.


    "Okay, I''ll share my address¡ª"


    Before Aster could finish, he noticed a notification on his tablet indicating that the download had already begun. Over 500 GB of data was being transferred to his device''s memory,pletely bypassing any manual input on his part.


    "..."


    Aster had questions. Many questions. For starters, how was she sending the data when his tablet showed no signal and without any cables or connectors?


    "Ah, it''s part of my ability, so don''t think too deeply about it." Natalie waved dismissively, anticipating his confusion.


    "My ss is Information Broker, a Unique Rare+ ss. One of my abilities allows me to send data from one ce to another, regardless of distance or medium. It''s foolproof."


    "..."


    Intrigued, Aster squinted at his tablet. Upon closer inspection, he noticed thin, glowing threads of mana connected to his device''s port, stretching toward the shadowy space beneath Natalie''s workstation. It didn''t take much to deduce that the mana threads were acting as wires, transmitting the information seamlessly.


    "That''s... quite a convenient ability," Aster murmured in admiration.


    Natalie smiled faintly, though there was a bitterness to it. "It''s convenient for this kind of work, sure. But my fighting strength is basically zero. It''s hard for someone like me to climb beyond the 100th floor."


    "..."


    Aster could hear the sadness in her voice, tinged with regret and resignation. He couldn''t pinpoint the exact source of her emotions, though. Had her party abandoned her on the 100th floor, deeming her useless inbat? Or had her teammates been wiped out in an encounter, leaving her the sole survivor?


    Enjoy more content from empire


    He could only specte.


    "Being weak, huh..."


    The phrase triggered memories of his own "recent" past, of when his body had been so frail that even standing or walking required someone''s help. Though his situation had been different from hers, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of camaraderie toward Natalie.


    "Do you..." Aster''s mouth opened, seemingly moving without his conscious control. "...want to continue climbing through the dungeon?"


    "..."


    The question hung heavily in the air, carrying unspoken implications that left Natalie momentarily speechless. She sighed after a beat, her expression unreadable. "I wonder..." she murmured. "Honestly, I''m not even sure anymore. I mean, I''m making enough money to live in luxury for five lifetimes, so... probably not?" She finished her sentence with a forcedugh, the humor feeling slightly hollow.


    Noticing her evasive response, Aster decided not to press further. Instead, he smiled wryly. "Well, considering how you''re fleecing your customers, I guess even if they''re few and far between, you''re making a killing."


    "I told you, my prices are fair and regted!" Natalie shot back, ring at him. "If you knew how those shady back-alley brokers overcharge for half-baked info, you''d think mine is practically a steal!"


    "Yeah, sure," Aster replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "A steal."


    "You...!"


    Natalie''s face twitched with irritation, her fists clenching as she debated whether or not to punch him. Before she could act, Kali, who had been lying behind Aster, began to stir.


    "Ugh... Huh...?"


    The moment her eyes fluttered open, she bolted upright as though propelled by a spring. Her gaze darted around the dark room in a panic, her wide, fearful eyes searching for something unseen.


    "Phew..." She exhaled deeply when she seemingly found nothing, her tense shoulders rxing.


    "Oh, finally awake!" Natalie eximed, though her voice carried a trace of grumpiness. "Anyway, I''ve received the payment, and you''ve got your information. So pack up and get going! Shoo, shoo! You''re disrupting my business!"


    Aster nced at his tablet, confirming the sessful transfer of data. With a resigned smile, he extended a hand to Kali, offering to help her up.


    "Well, I guess we''re not exactly wee here. Let''s go. Though, we might be backter if we need more information."


    "R-Right..." Kali mumbled, her voice shaky.


    Despite her nod, the lingering traces of fear were evident in her bodynguage.


    Suddenly, her eyes caught a flicker of movement across the room. Like a cat fixated on a dangling string, her gaze locked onto the source¡ªa series of disembodied hands moving over Natalie''s workstation. The hands flitted across the keyboard with eerie precision, pressing keys in perfect synchronization.


    "Hiiik!!!"


    Kali''s shriek shattered the quiet tension in the room. Without warning, she leaped toward Aster,tching onto him with the force of a frightened animal. Her chest pressed firmly against his face, her arms wrapped tightly around his head, and her legs hooked under his arms and across his back like a mp.


    "MMMPH!"


    Aster staggered,pletely blindsided by the sudden assault. His muffled protests and frantic gestures for help were futile as he struggled to breathe. He nced desperately at Natalie, hoping for assistance.


    Natalie, however, did the opposite of helping. She stood up, pulled out a camera seemingly from thin air, and began recording the scene with an amused grin. "Not bad, not bad..." she muttered, angling for the best shot.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Meanwhile, Aster''s enhanced stats proved useless against Kali''s iron grip. He couldn''t bring himself to forcibly pry her off, not wanting to hurt her.


    He resigned himself to his fate. Deprived of air, his vision began to darken, and within moments, his consciousness slipped away into the void.

 Chapter 307 New Member!

    After hearing Octavia''s words, Aster quickly decided to ask the rest of the girls for their opinions. Of course, their decisions were split equally: 2 for and 2 against.


    "I don''t like her! She''s definitely targeting Darling, and I don''t want to have more rivals than this!" Tina eximed with indignation.


    Kali, on the other hand, simply muttered. "I refuse." Before turning around and moving to her room once more.


    Although she didn''t give a valid reason, Aster could tell that Kali was simply annoyed that Magnus was sending another "observer," as if indirectly telling her that she, alone, wasn''t enough.


    "Having more members is always better. It''s a pleasure~!" Cassy, despite being unable to see the other person, quickly gave her approval with a wide smile.


    Finally, there was Liz, who extended a hand forward in an expression of eptance. "I''m in favor of taking you into our party, Ms. Octavia. I''m looking forward to working with you."


    "Alright, so it''s decided then. Ms. Octavia, wee to our party!"


    Aster pped his hands before turning to their new member. With his vote added in to the count, it was 3-to-2 in favor of taking Octavia in as a new member! Although it wasn''t pleasant for Tina, she had no choice as it was a fair method of voting. Still, she was grumbling under her breath while walking away.


    "Mhmm! Thanks for the warm wee~!" Octavia smiled, with Argus still within her arms. "Right, when should we go and register the party at the guild? Today? Tomorrow?"


    Before they could truly be called "party members," they first needed to go through the guild for party registration. After a week of trial period, they would then have to renew the contract once more, making it slightly bothersome considering that they were rushing through the dungeon.


    "I guess now is just as good as anytime," Aster decided, thinking that the faster they were over it, the better.


    "Then, Cassy, Liz, we''re going to the surface for a moment. Watch over the ce while we''re gone." Hemanded the two worriedly. "Remember to not let any adventurer, whether you know them or not, toe in while we''re away. Also, avoid going outside as much as possible. Always prioritize safety first."


    "We know, Star. We''re not kids, you know? Hehe!"


    After listening to Aster''s instructions, as if a worried mother going to work while leaving her child alone at home, Cassy let out a soft chuckle while giving a thumbs up. Still, Aster couldn''t help but get worried. Discover more stories at empire


    "Don''t worry. No matter what happens, even if a sudden attack by a Rogue Boss on this peaceful floor urs, I swear to protect everyone with my life on the line!"


    But with Liz''s manly deration and firm resolve, Aster had no choice but to leave it to them. Heaving a short sigh while changing gears, Aster turned to Octavia and nodded. "Then, shall we?"


    "Yup!"


    Just like that, Aster and Octavia left for the surface, heading straight to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    ---


    "Oh? Who do we have here?"


    Orinfeld City, Adventurer''s Guild. 12:46 p.m. Aster and Octavia arrived at the guild and were quickly weed by Zena, who was behind her usual desk, leaning over it while smiling teasingly.


    "Isn''t this the talk of the towntely, Aster?" She continued with a sweet, yful grin. "It feels like it''s been a while since I saw you. How are you doing~?"


    "Still the same," Aster merely shrugged, not humoring her idle talk. "Anyway, we''re here to¡ª"


    "Add Miss Octavia Neb into your party, correct?"


    "... Yes."


    Aster was surprised that Zena guessed what he wanted to ask for. But thinking again, it was quite obvious that having only him¡ªthe party leader¡ªand a "new face" together could only mean that.


    "Wait a bit. I''ll go get the contract documents set. Please give me your Adventurer''s Card, both of you."


    Aster and Octavia did as told, passing their cards over to Zena. After confirming that she got the correct document, she then turned around and slithered away to the back of the reception desk, out of view.


    The entire time, Octavia kept on gently brushing and patting Argus'' fluffy little head, with the pup enjoying his time,pletely rxed. It was almost as if they were in their own world, with the "background noise" filtered out. Aster watched over the two, feeling a mix of emotions¡ªhappiness and envy. To which one of the two he was envious of, well, it didn''t need to be said.


    "Thanks for waiting~!"


    And just a minute or soter, Zena had already returned. In her hand was the new magic contract that the two of them were supposed to sign.


    "... Huh?" But after checking the details, Aster raised a brow. "Why is the one-week use missing here?"


    Normally, whenever someone enters a party for the first time, they get a 1-week trial period. This is to ensure that there would be no troubles stemming from forcefully putting people together through the power of the magic contract. However, the one before Aster didn''t have that very use!


    "Ah, that?" Zena didn''t seem surprised and simply exined. "Apparently, there''s a directive from up above instructing the guild regarding Miss Octavia''s matters. She was allowed to skip the 1-week trial and just enter the actual contract directly."


    Aster, listening to this, felt a little wary. He was sure that it was Magnus who pressured the guild, as he heard from Octavia herself that Magnus was the one who urged her to enter his party.


    ''Don''t tell me...''


    Finding his own imagination a little wild, he quickly shook his head, shaking the thought away. Instead, he put the matter to the side for now and focused on reading the contract, ensuring that nothing else was different other than the missing 1-week trial period.


    After three minutes, Asterpletely skimmed through the contract, making him sure that there''s no problems whatsoever with it. With the pen he got from Zena, he finished signing his section of the contract before passing it over to Octavia... Who signed it too without even bothering to read its contents!


    "You... nevermind."


    He wanted to chide her, telling her to at least skim through the contract. But after seeing her eyes gazing back at him¡ªsparkling with excitement and full of trust¡ªhepletely lost the will to rebuke her.


    Well, it''s true that the guild wouldn''t really try and scam them through a contract, anyway. So not reading a contract that''s used by all adventurer parties wouldn''t really have much impact.


    "Aaaand... Congrattions!" Zena cheered, pping lightly after checking thepleted documents. "With this, Miss Octavia has officially entered your party! Please confirm."


    Right after, she returned the Adventurer cards of the two, and Aster didn''t dy and checked his.


    [


    Name: Aster Mistral


    Age: 2518


    Race: Human


    Purity: 100% (+?)n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Level: 104


    Party Members: Cassandra Bright, Kali Norma, Celestinya Zirroth, Lizandrea Von Dragonseal, Octavia Neb (Empty) (Empty)


    ]


    And just as expected, Octavia''s name was now added to the Party Members entry.

 Chapter 309 Dungeons True Face (1)

    Aster''s party spent the rest of the day¡ªand well into the night¡ªreviewing all the information they had gathered. With Via now part of their team, her firsthand knowledge and tips proved invaluable, helping them refine their ns with surprising speed and efficiency.


    When they finally wrapped up, they shared a quick dinner together before calling it a night, their mental fatigue dragging them into a much-needed rest.


    The next morning, July 1, 4033, at precisely 4:00 a.m., Aster was already up, preparing breakfast. As the smell of cooking filled the air, the girls began to emerge one after another, their sleepy faces brightening slightly at the sight of the food.


    Since they didn''t all wake up at the same time, they ate in turns, chatting lightly while the early morning quiet settled over them. Once breakfast was done, everyone dispersed to finalize their preparations, the air buzzing with quiet determination. After all, today was the day they would challenge the 101st floor¡ªa floor unlike anything they''d faced before.


    "Alright, that should do."


    Aster packed their lunch and dinner inside his Spatial Ring, safely secured on the middle finger of his left hand. The 101st floor promised too many unknowns, so having meals prepared in advance was a small but important precaution. He couldn''t risk relying on time or circumstances to cook on the spot.


    By exactly 8:00 a.m., the group had finished all their preparations. Fully geared from head to toe, weapons sharpened, and supplies checked, they gathered in front of the portal leading to the next floor.


    "Everyone ready?" Aster asked, giving them all a quick once-over. "Nobody forgot anything?"


    "Me! Me!" Tina raised her hand with a cheeky grin. "Darling forgot to give me a good-luck kiss~!"


    Aster shot her a t look, letting out a sigh as he ignored her yful antics. "Anyone else?"


    Seeing no otherments, and with Argus safely within Via''s embrace, Aster nodded in approval.


    "Alright. Then, let''s head out!"


    Taking the lead, he stepped into the portal that would take them to the 101st floor. The moment his foot crossed the edge of the portal, an intense twisting sensation hit him, the disorienting pull of teleportation far more jarring than anything he''d felt from the first 100 floors. Stay tuned with empire


    The dizziness came quickly, leaving his stomach churning as the world around him spun.


    "Ugh, I feel sick..." Cassy groaned as she staggered out on the other side.


    The others weren''t much better. Only Via seemed unaffected, casting them an amused nce as she hugged Argus closer to her chest. "You''ll get used to it soon enough. Let''s go~!"


    *ARF!*


    Argus barked enthusiastically, wagging his tail, clearly unbothered by the strange sensation that had left most of the group woozy.


    Shaking off the lingering nausea, Aster straightened up and took his first look at the 101st floor. Even after reading the information and seeing the pictures, seeing it in person still left him awestruck.


    "This is¡­"


    It was a dungeon straight out of books: rugged, uneven cave walls, glowing molten magma flowing freely along either side of the narrow pathways, and a reddish hue that bathed the entire space in a sinister glow. The heat hit them like a physical force, stifling and oppressive, unlike anything they had experienced before. It was a stark departure from the open-field types of the earlier floors.


    "It''s suffocating in here..." Liz muttered as she pped her wings in frustration. But no breeze came to relieve the heat¡ªonly worsening it.


    "Darling..."


    "Star..."


    "Leader..."


    Before Aster could even process the oppressive environment, Tina, Cassy, and Kali all moved closer, sticking to him like moths to a me. As they clung to him, their expressions quickly shifted from difort to relief.


    "... Ah."


    Aster realized toote that his Frostfire Legacy was automatically adjusting the temperature around him to afortable level. While he had been oblivious to the heat, the others had clearly been suffering¡ªand now, they weren''t letting go.


    With Cassy hugging him from the front, Kalitched onto his left arm, and Tina on his right, he found himself pinned in ce, unable to take even a single step forward.


    "¡­ Crysta? Can you do something about this?" he asked, his voice strained as he called on one of the twin spirits of his Legacy.


    Crysta materialized instantly, her icy aura drawing everyone''s attention except for Cassy, who couldn''t see her.


    "Should I freeze the entire floor??" she asked, a hint of amusement in her cool, ethereal voice.


    Aster paled at the suggestion, shaking his head in a panic. "No, just make it cool enough for everyone to function! No need for drastic measures."


    "I was just joking, Master.?" Crysta replied, her lips minutely curling up without breaking her stoic visage.


    Aster let out a sigh of relief. "Your jokes are going to give me a heart attack someday," he muttered.


    Satisfied with his reaction, Crysta raised her hand, and a thin, magical membrane of faint blue light formed over each party member like a second skin. The oppressive heat was instantly reced by a cooling sensation, and the group collectively rxed.


    "Oh, this is convenient~!" Via eximed, marveling at the membrane. "With this, I won''t have to run through this floor naked~!"


    "¡­ You what?" Kali asked, her brows furrowing in disbelief.


    Via cleared her throat casually. "The first time I was here, I got too hot, so I removed my clothes and ran as fast as I could to the other end~!"


    Kali pressed a hand to her temple, looking almost pained. "Weren''t you embarrassed or worried someone might see you?"


    "Embarrassed? Why should I be?"


    At this point, the entire party collectively realized that Via''s sense of shame was¡­ questionable at best.


    "Don''t you dare strip in front of my Darling!" Tina hissed protectively, tightening her grip on Aster''s arm.


    "Well, uh¡­" Liz scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Even if you''re a bit of a¡­ free spirit, as long as it doesn''t cause issues in battle, it''s fine."


    Via cleared her throat again, offering a sheepish smile. "You don''t have to worry. If I get serious, nobody would even be able to see my shadow~!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "¡­ Right."


    Aster recalled her moniker, Thunderbird, a nickname that didn''t just refer to her element, lightning, but also her lightning-fast speed. Still, he frowned at her, his tone firm.


    "Even if no one can see you, running naked in a dungeon is not a good idea. Don''t do it again."


    Via giggled but nodded in agreement. "Of course, of course~!"


    Aster''s focus shifted forward as they prepared to move. The path ahead was narrow and uneven, illuminated only by the glow of the magma, so they needed to pay extra attention to their steps. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to seep into their bones, and an ominous tension hung in the air.


    "Stay alert," Aster warned, his voice low. "This floor''s not going to be anything like thest hundred."


    The group nodded in unison, weapons drawn, their previous humor reced with steely determination. With the cooling membranes in ce and their resolve stronger than ever, they pressed onward into the unknown.

 Chapter 311 Dungeons True Face (3)

    Thanks to Argus'' one-shot-kill attacks, the conquest was proceeding smoothly. Not only me Sahuagins and Sniper Lavahorses but all monsters they crossed paths with ended up bing EXP for the party.


    "This must be the ce."


    After a few hours of walking down narrow paths, they finally arrived at a "checkpoint" marked in the data they had received previously. The area before them was arge cavern, and unlike the paths they had passed through earlier, it wasn''t surrounded by magma.


    The space was t and wide, with a lower temperaturepared to the sweltering heat they should''ve endured. It was a spot perfect for resting.


    "We''ll set up camp here as nned," Astermanded, checking the time on his tablet¡ªit read 4:55 p.m.¡ªbefore nodding to Liz.


    Understanding the gesture, Liz quickly took out a small cube from her ring and set it gently in the middle of the cavern. Momentster, the familiar Portable Home materialized in its ce, towering over the wide space like a structural sovereign.


    Without dy, Aster and the girls entered, each heading to their respective rooms to take an early rest. Of course, not all of them rested simultaneously. They had decided on two shifts, with each group taking five hours of sleep before continuing their journey. This precaution was necessary, as they''d heard how dangerous the dungeon became after the 100th floor.


    Beyond this "rest area," even if they rushed at top speed, the next rest spot would be a grueling ten hours away. Continuing without adequate rest could lead to overfatigue, triggering small mistakes that might escte into deadly tragedies.


    Aster knew that this "rule" didn''t fully apply to their party since they had Argus leading the way, cutting through monsters like a hot knife through butter. However, dungeons were unpredictable, and caution was always better than regret.


    "... Hm?"


    Halfway through the first shift, Aster thought he heard something: a low growl, apanied by rhythmic drumming and thumping on the ground. Unfortunately, Cassy, Kali, and Tina, the ones with the sharpest senses, were the first group to rest, so he couldn''t enlist their help to confirm what he had heard.


    "Liz, I think I hear monsters outside," Aster said, turning to the other person sitting across from him on the sofa, his expression apprehensive. "We should check it out."


    "Monsters outside?" Liz tilted her head before a faint smile graced her lips. "It''s fine, Aster. This Portable Home''s defenses are more than enough to handle monsters on this floor."


    Despite a nagging sense of foreboding, Aster decided to trust Liz''s words. "If you say so..."


    A momentter, the sound of high-poweredsers firing, coupled with explosions of fire spells, echoed from outside. Liz turned her head toward the noise briefly before resuming her tea, unfazed.


    Aster nced at Via, who was ying with Argus a short distance away. She didn''t seem concerned either. He knew the Portable Home''s defenses were powerful and had seen them in action multiple times over the past two weeks. But the prickling feeling of unease refused to leave him.


    "... I''ll go take a look." Unable to ignore his instincts, he decided to check the situation himself¡ªjust in case.


    He was half-convinced it was just monsters being obliterated by the defenses before they could evene close, but...


    "This is...!"


    He gasped as soon as he opened the door. Looking left and right, he saw monsters filling the cavern. Not just hundreds, but thousands of them had gathered, besieging the Portable Home.


    The defenses of the Portable Home weren''t perpetual. Each attack consumed a specific amount of mana, meaning the core would eventually run out of energy and leave them defenseless.


    *FWEEEEEEEEPP!*


    As if to confirm his fears, the warning horns inside the Portable Home began to re. This rm signaled that the core''s mana levels had dropped below 50% ¡ª still far from depletion, but rming nheless.


    "W-What''s happening?!" Find your next read on empiren/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Is it an enemy attack?!"


    "Darling, I''m scared~! Stop this grating noise, please~!"


    Alerted by the ring horn, Cassy, Kali, and Tina rushed out of their rooms, their faces filled with anxiety¡ªexcept for Tina, who seemed to take advantage of the chaos by trying to hug Aster from behind.


    "Monsters... lots of them," Aster exined briefly. "Everyone, prepare for a long battle!"


    "Yes!"


    The girls immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. Even Tina''s yful demeanor shifted into a serious expression as she rushed back to her room to grab her equipment.


    In under a minute, the girls were fully geared up. Meanwhile, in the short time it took them to prepare, Aster had already surveyed the entire cavern.


    "Monsters areing from all directions, so we need to split up," he instructed quickly. "Liz, Cassy, Kali, and Tina, you four, along with Argus, will block the monstersing from up front."


    *Arf!*


    The girls and the loyal dog affirmed their orders without hesitation, rushing to their designated positions. Aster turned to Via, who stood nearby, awaiting her assignment.


    "And Via, you''ll cover the rear left. I''ll handle the rear right."


    She immediately nodded, a faint smile crossing her lips. "Leave it to me. And be careful out there, alright?"


    "Of course."


    Aster returned her smile before turning and running to his position. Via watched him for a moment, then closed her eyes and sighed. "I wonder when thest time I worried about someone was..."


    Shaking her head as if to dismiss the thought, her body began to emit bright, golden sparks.


    "Anyway, time to work~!"


    With a sh, her figure vanished from the entrance, followed by a loud explosion and a dazzling light show some distance away.


    Aster had just reached his position when the explosions caught his attention. Though he worried about the girls, he had to trust that they could hold their ground.


    *RAAAAAGH!*


    "Now''s not the time to worry about someone else."


    Before him, monsters surged forward, swarming from all directions. Among them were me Sahuagins, Sniper Lavahorses, Magma Golems, Ash Bats, and even new types they hadn''t encountered before.


    Drawing his sword, Aster infused its edge with a frosty glow. His expression sharpened.


    "Time to stock up on some extra seconds!"


    Leaping forward, he swung his sword with precision, cutting through the first wave. The fierce battle had begun.

 Chapter 312 Dungeons True Face (4)

    Aster''s raw stats far exceeded those of an average level 100 adventurer. With his passive skill Boost, which amplified his stats by an additional 50%, he was untouchable in one-on-one battles. Even in small skirmishes of up to six opponents, victory was a certainty.


    But this wasn''t a small skirmish.


    "Ugh!"


    Hundreds of enemies swarmed him, each one fighting with lethal intent. Even Aster couldn''t avoid being pushed back repeatedly. He had to retreat to catch his breath, stepping back again and again, before pushing forward once more.


    His sword swings were deadly, capable of taking dozens of lives in a single motion. Yet, for every monster he cut down, two more rushed forward to take its ce, filling the gap as if nothing had happened.


    "There''s no end to them!" he groaned, forcing hisbored breathing to steady.


    The danger was unrelenting, the sense of peril thick enough to choke on. Still, amidst the chaos, a faint smile tugged at Aster''s lips.


    The endless horde presented an unusual opportunity. Thanks to his skill Life Plunder, Aster was beginning to address the looming shadow that had haunted him from the start: his dwindling lifespan. Each kill added five precious minutes to his life, and with the sheer number of monsters he was ying, those minutes were rapidly umting. In mere moments, he had extended his life by nearly half a day.


    ''My lifespan''s ticking upward,'' he thought grimly, ''but my HP feels like it''s hanging by a thread.''


    Even with his extraordinary stats, dodging every attack was impossible. The Sniper Lavahorses¡ªthose wary creatures that fired supersonic projectiles at their prey¡ªwere particrly troublesome. Their deadly "bullets" forced Aster into a desperate game of survival. Without his inhuman reflexes, he''d have been a corpse long ago.


    To avoid their relentless sniping, he plunged into the heart of the monster swarm. The creatures became his unwitting shields, their bodies absorbing the deadly projectiles.


    But this tactic came at a steep cost. Being surrounded meant enduring constant, close-range attacks. Aster could parry the strikes he sawing, but blows from his blind spotsnded with jarring impact.


    *TING!*


    ws raked against his armor, their force leaving jagged streaks across its surface. His windbreaker¡ªonce a reliablepanion¡ªwas now so shredded it barely clung to his frame. At this point, it looked more like a collection of tattered rags than an article of clothing.


    "Kuh!"


    Aster staggered forward as another powerful blow struck him. The momentum carried him into the path of yet more attacks. Fangs, ws, and spells converged on him, aiming to tear him apart. Yet, with a flick of his wrist, Aster''s sword danced like a shadow in the flickering light. Each enemy within reach was cleaved in two, their attacks cut short.


    Without missing a beat, he ducked low, anticipating an attack aimed at the back of his head. A sweeping sh to his rear followed, and the bodies of me Sahuagins and humanoid golems were split cleanly in half, their lifeless forms crumpling to the ground.


    "Haa¡­ Haaa¡­"


    Fatigue weighed on him like a lead nket. His breaths were shallow, his chest heaving as he struggled to draw air. His vision blurred, his brain screaming for oxygen. Yet, his grip on his sword remained firm.


    Enjoy more content from empire


    "This should be far enough," he murmured, his lips curling into a determined smile.


    Aster''s n was simple but dangerous. From the outset, he had noticed a pattern: the monsters prioritized attacking the closest target. With that in mind, he had deliberately plunged deep into their ranks, drawing their attention entirely to himself. Now, everything within a 100-meter radius was focused solely on him.


    He growled hoarsely, "Crysta, it''s time!"


    "As you wish. ?"


    At hismand, a brilliant wave of frost exploded outward, emanating from Aster''s position. The icy st swept through the cavern, freezing everything in its path. The once-burning walls and burning floor transformed into a glistening winterndscape, encasing everything along with all enemies in solid ice.


    The attack wasn''t strong enough to kill the monsters outright¡ªCrysta hadn''t unleashed her full power at the cost of Aster''s lifespan. But it was more than enough to immobilize them for a few precious moments.


    Aster sheathed his sword and crouched low, his body coiling like a spring. His focus sharpened, and he took a slow, deliberate breath.


    "Elemental Sword¡ªWind! Quickdraw!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In an instant, a white sh erupted from his position, slicing through the frozen monsters in a 360-degree arc. The vacuum of the wind de tore through them with surgical precision, shattering their icy forms into countless shards. The wave of destruction continued outward, cutting through everything in its path.


    By the time Aster''s sword returned to its sheath, the frozen cavern began to half-copse. Jagged chunks of ice and shattered bodies littered the ground, a grim testament to his power. He felt the rush of life essence returning to him, confirming the sess of his gambit.


    "Phew¡­"


    For the first time in what felt like hours, Aster allowed himself a moment to breathe. The horde that had surrounded him was annihted. Every monster within 100 metersy dead, their numbers reduced to nothing by his devastatingbo.


    "That had to be tens of thousands in one strike," he muttered, a weary grin spreading across his face as he dropped to one knee. "About 200 days added to my lifespan¡­ not bad. Not bad at all."


    *CRACKLE!* *BOOM!*


    A massive lightning strike illuminated the cavern, followed by a thunderous roar. Aster didn''t need to guess the source. Octavia, the Thunderbird, was still fighting with everything she had.


    "She''s doing her part¡­ I wonder if the others are holding out."


    He sighed heavily, wishing he could help. But in his current state, even standing was a challenge.


    *GRRRR!*


    A deep growl echoed from somewhere in the distance. Aster''s eyes narrowed as he spotted movement in the shadows. Despite his overwhelming victory, more monsters were already pouring into the cavern, rushing to rece the fallen.


    "They just don''t stop," he muttered.


    So far, he had killed over 50,000 monsters, and yet the end was nowhere in sight.


    Reaching into his Spatial Ring, Aster pulled out two potion vials and downed their contents in quick session. The first was a health potion; the second, a stamina potion. Together, they would hasten his recovery. The cost of each vial was astronomical¡ª1 million Tels apiece¡ªbut right now, survival was worth any price.


    "My life''s worth more than money," he muttered, rising to his feet.


    He gripped his sword tightly, steeling himself for what was toe. The faint glow of his de reflected the icy cavern around him, a testament to the chaos he had unleashed.


    "Alright," he said, exhaling slowly. "Time for round two!"


    The battle was far from over.

 Chapter 313 Dungeons True Face (5)

    Just as Aster was battling the second wave of monsters on his side, the situation on the girls'' nk had reached a grueling standstill. Despite their relentless efforts, the horde of monsters swarming them seemed barely thinned. Yet, not a single beast had managed to breach their defensive line¡ªa testament to their teamwork and unyielding resolve.


    "Knight''s Challenge!" Liz growled, her voice strained but resolute.


    Her taunt skill had a limited range under normal circumstances, but the sheer density of the enemy forces made it easy to pull hundreds of monsters into her trap. As though bewitched, they surged toward her, trampling over their own kin in their desperate attempts to reach her.


    "Dagger Storm!" shouted Kali, positioned diagonally behind Liz. Her twin daggers glinted menacingly as she swung them in a wide arc.


    Continue reading on empire


    A powerful gust of wind spiraled outward, carrying sharp, invisible shes that tore through the enemy lines. The formation buckled under the assault, leaving dozens of monsters wounded¡ªbut none fatally.


    "Damn it!" Kali cursed under her breath, frustration evident in her voice. Her attackscked the raw power to finish off the monsters outright.


    "My turn! Full d!" Tina''s voice rang out from the opposite side, brimming with confidence.


    In an instant, her body erupted in a fiery blue aura, the energy rippling like a zing inferno. Without missing a beat, she activated a devastating chain of skills. "Focus! Charge Attack! Elemental Fist¡ªIce!"


    Her fist collided with the ground, sending a shockwave of icy energy barreling through the monsters. A hundred-meter stretch ahead of her turned into a frozen wastnd, the monsters encased in jagged ice before shattering into lifeless shards.


    "Heh." Tina smirked triumphantly, shooting a smug nce at Kali. "Still think you''re hot stuff? Looks like someone''s falling behind."


    "You arrogant little¡ª!" Kali growled, her grip tightening on her daggers. She wasn''t one to back down from a challenge. "You think I''m done? Watch this, you overgrown snowball!"


    Lowering her stance, she leaped forward,nding gracefully atop a monster''s head. Dark, ominous energy began swirling around her, and her blue eyes burned with determination.


    "Shadow Clone!"


    Her form flickered for a split second. Then, as if reality itself had been split apart, Kali appeared in six identical copies. The clones moved like a synchronized dance, weaving through the horde with surgical precision. Each one targeted a monster''s vital points, their daggers delivering swift, lethal strikes. While slower than Tina''s explosive attacks, Kali''s methodical assault rapidly racked up kills.


    The battlefield seemed alive with the contrast between Tina''s devastating ice attacks and Kali''s ghostly assassinations.


    "I¡ªI''m still ahead in kills!" Tina sputtered, her earlier confidence cracking.


    Panic flickered across her face as she hastilyunched another attack, freezing another swath of monsters to reim her lead.


    "Priodis Sirreo Cura! Minor Heal!"


    Cassy''s voice cut through the chaos. From her position at the rear, she kept a steady rhythm, her hands glowing with divine energy.


    Despite herck of sight, Cassy''s healing spells were uncannily urate. Every time Liz''s armor cracked or her skin showed signs of strain, the soothing light of Cassy''s magic restored her to tip-top shape.


    "You two," Cassy snapped, her tone sharp enough to rival Liz''s mace, "stop your childishpetition and focus! Look at Argus! Unlike you two, he''s actually doing his job!"


    *Arf!*


    The small pup barked in acknowledgment, his body radiating golden sparks. Momentster, bolts of lightning rained down from the cavern ceiling, reducing an entire section of the horde to ash.


    If not for Argus, the girls'' defensive line would have crumbled long ago. The little creature ounted for nearly 80% of the kills on their side, his power leveling up the entire party significantly. Each of the girls had gained at least ten levels since the battle began, yet even with their newfound strength, they were still ying catch-up.


    For all their bravado, Kali and Tina''s contributions barely scratched the surface¡ªeach managing only 3% of the kills. The remaining percentage? It belonged to Liz, the tireless tank who held the line.


    "Everyone, fall back! I''m attacking again!" Liz bellowed, her voice carrying over the chaotic battlefield.


    "H-Hey, wait! I''m pinned down here!" Tina shouted, frantically trying to disengage from a cluster of monsters.


    "Forget her! Fire already!" Kali yelled back, her tone equal parts exasperated and mischievous.


    "I''m not leaving her behind!" Liz snapped, buying a crucial few seconds for Tina to retreat. The ck cat barely made it behind Liz before the tank''s mace came crashing down.


    "Vengeance Burst!" Liz roared.


    A blinding sh of light exploded from her weapon, engulfing the battlefield in an overwhelming wave of energy. When the light faded, a massive swath of monsters had beenpletely obliterated, their remains disintegrated into nothingness.


    Liz''s knees buckled slightly under the strain, her arm trembling from the sheer force of her attack. "Ugh¡­" she groaned, her mace slipping momentarily from her grasp.


    "Tertie Sirreo Cura! Great Heal!" Cassy was already prepared, her healing spell enveloping Liz and restoring her battered body.


    The fight reset, but the endless wave of monsters showed no sign of stopping. Kali''s earlier bravado had faded, reced by an exhausted murmur. "When will this nightmare end¡­?"


    As despair crept into the group, Cassy''s voice rang out once more¡ªcalm,manding, and unwavering.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Sanctuary!"


    Golden light radiated outward in a 100-meter radius around her. The energy formed a protective barrier that healed allies slowly over time while burning any monster that dared to step inside. The horde hesitated, the monsters snarling in frustration but unwilling to breach the glowing perimeter.


    "Rest for now," Cassy ordered, her voice brooking no argument. "This will hold for five minutes. You should regain your strength until then."


    *Thud.*


    Kali and Tina copsed almost simultaneously, their legs giving out as they sank to the ground. Both were drenched in sweat, their breaths ragged. They didn''t even bother to exchange barbs this time, too drained to continue their petty rivalry.


    *Arf! Arf!*


    Argus, ever the stalwart defender, took over. The pup''s lightning strikes rained down with ferocious precision, ensuring no monsters dared to encroach on their sanctuary.


    For now, the girls could rest. But the grim reality remained¡ªthis was a war of attrition, and the monsters showed no sign of relenting. Still, despite the odds, they held their ground. Together, they would fight until the bitter end.

 Chapter 315 Return to Surface... Trouble

    Aster and the girls took a much-needed 12-hour break. It was a long rest, but given the relentless onught they had just endured, it was more than justified.


    The first to stir was Octavia, the only one who hadn''t tired from fighting hordes of monsters. Instead of sleeping, she spent hours in front of a mirror, grooming her hair and feathers until they were pristine. Each motion was precise, a testament to her obsession with perfection.


    On herp, Argusy sprawled out, the rhythmic movements of her grooming lulling him into a deep, peaceful sleep.


    "Oh, Aster, you''re up already?" Octavia said, ncing over her shoulder. Her calm, melodic tone carried across the room.


    Aster trudged into the living area, his posture slouched. His eyes were heavy, but he gave her a faint smile. "Ah¡­ I haven''t slept," he admitted. "I''ve been reorganizing our supplies. Thest fight drained us¡ªespecially of potions."


    Potions were lifelines to adventurers, essential for emergencies and survival. Aster and the group had always kept a stock of them on hand, prepared for difficult encounters. But during the seemingly endless waves of monsters earlier, their supply had dwindled to nothing. Not even a single vial remained.


    "I see¡­ So, we''re heading back to restock after reaching the next floor?" Octavia asked, tilting her head.


    Aster nodded sluggishly and copsed onto the couch with a deep sigh. "We don''t have much of a choice. Thankfully, clearing the boss shouldn''t be an issue. But if we get hit with another monster wave like that¡­"


    "It''d be troublesome, huh?" Octavia replied in her usual detached tone, as if the ordeal hadn''t fazed her.


    "Right¡­" Aster murmured, his voice trailing off as his eyelids drooped. "Then¡­ I''ll take a¡­ short¡­ nap¡­"


    Before the sentence was finished, his breathing slowed, and he was fast asleep.


    Octavia watched him for a moment, then rose gracefully from her chair. She cradled the now-awake Argus in her arms and approached Aster. With a faint blush coloring her cheeks, she leaned closer, her expression softening.


    She nted a light kiss on his forehead, then pulled back, a small, sweet smile gracing her lips. "Sleep tight," she whispered before walking away, a noticeable bounce in her step. Whatever thoughts ran through her mind at that moment, neither Argus nor anyone else would know.


    ---


    By the time the 12-hour rest ended, everyone was fully recovered. Though traces of fatigue lingered, it wasn''t enough to hinder them.


    "All right, let''s go!" Aster urged, rallying the group as they set out once more.


    Their currentck of provisions made advancing risky. They chose to minimize conflicts, carefully navigating past monsters instead of bulldozing through as they usually did. They waited for clear paths or ended fights quickly to conserve energy and avoid unnecessary risks. Despite their efforts, sneaking and evasion slowed their progress significantly. It took them 18 hours to reach the next rest spot.


    From this second rest area, the boss roomy just five hours ahead. Their challenge on the 101st floor was finally nearing its end. At Aster''s suggestion, they took turns resting, recovering thest remnants of exhaustion.


    The rest went smoothly, save for a few hundred monsters attempting to approach their portable home. The core, now fully recharged, effortlessly powered the portable home''s defenses, reducing the attackers to lifeless husks without any need for human intervention.


    Just as everyone gathered, ready to head onward, "Star," a soft voice broke the quiet.


    Cassy tugged at Aster''s sleeve, her trembling caught his attention immediately.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked, concern shing across his face.


    "I¡­" Cassy hesitated, her voice barely audible. "I''m getting a bad feeling. Something¡­ ominous is ahead." Her hands tightened on his sleeve as her voice trembled. "It feels like whispers¡­ warning me about danger. I don''t understand this feeling¡ªit''s new."


    Aster frowned, processing her words. "Is it about the boss we''re about to face?" he asked, his tone calm but probing.


    Find your next adventure on empire


    Cassy shook her head, frustration clear in her expression. "I don''t know. It''s just¡­ unsettling."


    "It might be rted to your new ss," Liz interjected, stepping forward with a thoughtful expression. "As a Saintess, you''re probably more attuned to danger or ill intent aimed at you¡ªor us."


    "That makes sense," Aster agreed. "Cassy, if anything changes¡ªeven if it''s small¡ªlet us know right away. We''re here to back you up."


    Cassy nodded hesitantly, her trembling beginning to subside. "Thanks, Star," she murmured, her grip loosening.


    As they resumed their journey, Aster doubled his vignce. Although Cassy''s warning was vague, her senses had always been reliable. He knew better than to simply dismiss it.


    The group''s tension mounted as they progressed. Every noise, shadow, and movement was scrutinized, adding to the mental strain. Despite their heightened senses, they encountered nothing beyond a few routine skirmishes.


    "Was it a false rm?" Kali muttered, though her posture remained taut with caution.


    "No," Aster countered, shaking his head. "It could be something about the boss. Remember that one time with the Spectral Warden?"


    Cassy shuddered at the memory. "The one resistant to physical, magical, and projectile attacks? Which was from the 900th floor?" She sighed. "I guess that''s possible. If so, we need to be extra careful."


    Aster nodded, his gaze sharpening as they neared the portal. The air felt heavier, the eerie silence pressing down on them like the calm before a storm.


    "All right. I''m summoning the boss," he announced, stepping forward.


    The moment he entered the summoning range, a massive ball of light materialized in the cavern''s center. Without hesitation, Aster barked, "ARGUS!"


    *Arf!*


    Argus sprang to action, streaks of red lightning enveloping him. With a single bark, a crimson bolt shot from his body toward the glowing sphere.


    Aster followed up instantly. "Elemental Sword¡ªIce!" he shouted, swinging his de.


    A crescent wave of frost erupted forward, turning the ground into an icy spectacle as it raced toward the sphere.


    The attacks hit their mark, and the cavern filled with smoke and dust. Silence followed as the party tensed, waiting for any sign of movement.


    The next moment, a faint glow surrounded them¡ªproof they had leveled up. Aster blinked, caught off guard.


    "¡­ It''s over?" Kali asked, disbelief dripping from her voice. "What a waste of time."


    "Better an easy win than a hard fight," Liz shrugged with a wry smile, trying to pacify her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But Cassy''s expression froze, her face growing pale. She clutched her chest, her trembling returning in full force. "Star," she whispered, her voice shaking. "The sense of dread¡­ it''s even stronger now."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!