*Swish*
In a ripple of spatial energy, Leon materialized on the first floor of the dungeon. The moment his feet touched the cold stone, the massive gates groaned open on their own, ancient mechanisms grinding to life as if welcoming their master home.
"Why the hell aren't these doors opening u—Ahhhhhhh..."
*Clank-Clank-Clank-Clank*
The heavy doors had barely parted when a skeletal figure came tumbling through, rolling down the short flight of stairs in a chaotic clatter of bones. Rees came to a halt mere inches from Leon's boots, sprawled in an undignified heap.
"Hello, Rees." Leon's lips curved into a faint, amused smile as he gazed down at the lich.
"Sir Leon... I greet you." Rees scrambled to his feet with surprising grace for a being made of bone, then bowed deeply, his empty sockets fixed respectfully on the ground.
"It's been a while... Where have you been?" Leon's expression shifted to neutral, though a hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes.
"Haha... You see, there was—"
*Step-step*
The sound of light footsteps echoed from beyond the gates. A woman stepped into the dungeon's dim light, her presence carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers and ancient forests.
Leon's eyes widened in genuine surprise. Standing before him was none other than Medina—the former Mother of Fairies herself—her ethereal beauty undimmed, beautiful hair cascading like moonlight.
"I greet the Dungeon Master." Medina offered a warm smile as she bowed gracefully to Leon.
"Well, well... If it isn't the Mother of Fairies." He returned the smile, his tone laced with playful recognition.
"Not anymore..." Medina's cheeks tinted with a soft blush as she straightened. "I have decided to give up that title. Now, I am just Mr. Rees' wife."
"Eh...? EHHH...?" Leon's composure cracked entirely. His gaze darted back and forth between the Rees and the ex-fairy mother, confusion etched across his features.
"It's true, Sir Leon. I have married Medina, and now we are a married couple." Rees rubbed the back of his smooth skull in a remarkably human gesture of embarrassment, as if scratching an itch that no longer existed.
Leon stared for a long moment, processing the absurdity of it all. "I have so many questions... But I'm only going to ask two. When did this happen? And where are the people from the village?"
Medina's smile brightened, her eyes sparkling with quiet joy as she explained. "When you left the forest, I had intended to give up my powers entirely to relinquish my title. But Sir Rees... he offered a better way. A way to step down without losing everything."
She glanced fondly at Rees who was now standing beside her. "A Fairy Mother cannot marry. The moment she does, the title is stripped away, but most of her powers remain. And so... we got married. We sealed our vows at the Pool of Life and Death, under the ancient waters that bind souls eternally."
"That's why it took us some time to return," Rees added, his bony fingers intertwining with Medina's delicate ones. "When we came back to the village, the people were happy. The fairies had begun teaching them magic, real magic. After long discussions, the villagers decided to stay. They're now building a new home deep in the heart of the forest, together with the fairies. A place where humans and fairies can live peacefully."
Leon listened in silence, his face betraying none of the storm raging inside.
'Fucking hell... All those fuckable women, gone just like that. An entire village of opportunities went up in smoke. Damn it, I should've at least brought back that one girl... the one with no gag reflex. What a waste.'
His expression twisted into one of profound regret, brows furrowed and lips pressed into a thin line.
"Something wrong, Mr. Leon?" Medina tilted her head, concern creasing her flawless features.
"Can you still read my mind?" Leon asked quickly, a touch of alarm in his voice.
"Oh no, no..." She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "That ability was taken with the title. My thoughts are my own now and everyone else's are safe from me."
"Good." Leon exhaled, relief washing over him. Then, a mischievous glint returned to his eyes. He raised both hands, making exaggerated, unmistakable gestures, the universal sign for having sex. "Say, now that both of you are married... How are you going to... you know..."
"Hmm...? What does that—" Medina began, genuine confusion clouding her expression.
"It's a spiritual wedding, Sir Leon," Rees cut in smoothly, his tone firm as he looked at Leon, "We don't require a physical relationship to prove our bond."
"Oh well... She's your wife. Do whatever you want with her." Leon shrugged with a wicked grin, placing his hand over Rees' shoulder. "But if she ever needs some physical satisfaction, you know where to find me. Just two floors down."
"Oh, do I still live on floor eighteen, Sir Leon ?" Rees asked.
"Yes... but for now, you're coming with me. Elis will show Medina to the eighteenth floor." Leon's voice returned to its usual commanding neutrality.
*Swish*
A soft distortion in the air, and Elis materialized behind him like a shadow given form. She bowed deeply, her movements precise and elegant.
"As you command, Master. But... for some reason, I can't teleport her to the floor. She is protected with some kind of magic."
"Ah... Try now." Medina gave Elis a knowing smile, her aura shifting subtly as some invisible restriction lifted.
*Swish*
In an instant, both of them vanished, leaving only the faint scent of Medina's floral magic lingering in the air.
Leon turned to Rees without missing a beat. "Take a look at this." He flicked his wrist, tossing a dark, pulsating core toward him. The core of the Gillian Hound, still thrumming with otherworldly energy.
*Catch*
Rees snatched it mid-air. He held it up, staring in silence for a long moment. Then, with a soft tap against his own skull, a thin red beam shot from his left eye socket, scanning the core like a machine analyzing data.
"Huh... This is not from this realm, is it?" Rees finally said, his voice low.
"Nope." Leon smirked as he started walking toward the dungeon's exit, the cool night air already beckoning.
"May I ask what realm this is from?" Rees followed close behind, the core still cradled carefully in his bony palm.
"I don't remember." Leon glanced upward as they emerged into the open. Dark clouds raced across the sky, driven by a restless wind that whispered through the trees. "All I know is that tonight, I'm consuming it. And we're going deep into the forest for that."
"Sir Leon... The mana in this thing is abnormal." Rees's tone carried genuine caution. "From what I can detect, it will flood your body and mind with violent bloodlust. Uncontrollable, perhaps."
"I know that as well." Leon's smile didn't waver.
"And... I suppose you're still going to consume it?"
"Yes. And I want you there to watch." Leon replied with a neutral expression. "If I lose control or if I try to do something stupid, you will have to contain me. Hold me in a magic barrier or something until I've absorbed every last drop of its power."
Rees shook his head, a dry rattle echoing from his jaw. "Always doing something crazy... You are truly one strange human. It's like you have no fear of death."
Leon chuckled softly, accepting the core back and slipping it into his inventory. "Sometimes it's better to die strong than to die weak. And believe me, I've died weak before. It's not good."
As they walked deeper into the shadowed woods, a warm, ethereal blue light suddenly bathed the world from above. Both of them stopped and looked skyward.
Two brilliant full moons hung in the clear night sky, their azure glow washing over the forest like a gentle benediction as the dark clouds vanished completely from the sky.
"Looks like we've survived the winters successfully..." Leon murmured with a smile.
-x-X-x-
Two blue moons hung high in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the forest as slow, chilling winds rustled through the trees.
Rees and Leon trudged deeper into the woods, their weapons at the ready, senses sharpened against the encroaching shadows.
Rees gripped a long wand in his left hand, its tip humming faintly with one offensive pre-cast spell and one defensive barrier primed for instant activation.
Leon held Nyxter fully sheathed, invisible mana threads coiled around each blade like taut spider silk, ready to unleash the sword in a heartbeat.
"This area of the forest... it's unnaturally silent," Rees murmured, channeling a scanning spell that pulsed outward, probing the surroundings for hidden threats.
"The crickets are still chirping, and those birds circling above suggest no predators are around," Leon replied in a hushed tone, his eyes locked on the winding path ahead, every muscle coiled for action.
"How deep are we going, Sir Leon?" Rees asked, his voice laced with hesitation.
"Deep enough so that no one can interrupt me," Leon answered flatly, pressing forward without breaking stride.
"Sir Leon... we've already delved farther than any adventurer has ever came," Rees pressed.
"I know. Now, stay quiet for a moment," Leon commanded.
'In case my bloodlust spirals out of control, I need a safeguard,' Leon thought, his expression unchanging as he used the skill.
"Skill Crafter..."
[Please pick a name for the skill...]
"Calm Mind."
[Skill 'Calm Mind' has been created.]
[Rank has been settled to 'D' by default.]
[State the use of skill.]
"As soon as the skill is used, it will stabilize the user's mind and calm it down from any overwhelming emotions."
[Processing....]
[Error: User can't craft this particular skill.]
Leon's eyes widened in bewilderment as the notification flashed before him.
"What the—" But before he could finish, an ominous shift gripped the air.
The crickets fell silent. The birds halted their flight, vanishing into the canopy. The forest plunged into an eerie, suffocating quiet.
"Mr. Leon..." Rees whispered, raising his wand and pivoting sharply.
"Get ready," Leon growled, his voice serious as he yanked Nyxter free in a fluid motion.
*Swish*
"But... I don't sense anything. My skill shows nothing—"
"Hello."
The voice slithered from the left, cold and mocking.
Leon and Rees whipped around in unison, locking eyes on a figure emerging from the underbrush—a man in tattered rags, long black hair cascading to his knees, jagged nails glinting on his left hand. Blood smeared his lips and chin, a gruesome crimson mask.
*Step*
He stepped fully into view, and Leon's blood ran cold. In his hidden right hand, he clutched two severed heads: one a hob-goblin's, the other a crimson-skinned variant with twin horns jutting from its forehead.
Without wasting another second, Leon used his skill.
[Name: Mikael Malkovich]
[Class: Chimera]
[Race: Vendigo]
[Level: 372]
[HP: 370002000/370002000]
[MP: 45000000/36486287]
[Description: Mikael Malkovich was part of an experiment done by the Lopez household's leader in order to fight demons, but after fighting the Demon general Gurua and eating her meat, Mikael unlocked hyper regeneration and gained immense powers in exchange for his sanity.
Mikael is neither a monster nor a human, he is something else. He still holds his grudge for the Lopez household and wants to slaughter them once again.]
'Fucking monster...' Leon's mind raced, adrenaline surging as he activated every combat skill in his arsenal.
...
Power flooded his veins in an instant. His aura erupted like a storm, encasing his body in pitch-black metallic armor that gleamed ominously under the moonlight. His eyes darkened to abyssal voids, every sense heightened to razor sharpness.
"Here I thought the Red Ogre would be my meal... but it seems I've got dessert too," Mikael sneered, dropping the heads with casual disdain.
*THUD-THUD*
*Swish*
In a blur, Mikael vanished, reappearing behind Leon like a phantom. "This armor won't save you..." His nail pierced Leon's shoulder, slicing through the Steelweb Armour as if it were parchment, drawing a hot spray of blood.
Pain lanced through Leon's arm, but he spun with explosive speed, Nyxter whipping through the air in a deadly arc—only to cleave empty space. Mikael was already gone.
'His speed... it's inhuman,' Leon thought, gritting his teeth as sweat beaded on his brow.
*Swish*
Mikael materialized inches from Leon's face, languidly licking the blood from his nail. *Lick* "Hmm... tastes off. You haven't been eating well. Oh well... time to hunt you.
Why don't you start running ?" Mikael's grin widened, predatory and feral, as his nails elongated into razor-sharp metallic claws, glinting with lethal promise.
Leon didn't flinch. He shifted his stance, Nyxter humming with restrained power, his breath steady despite the pounding of his heart.
"That's new... No one's ever stood their ground after realizing they're just a bug to me," Mikael chuckled, his voice dripping with amusement. Then, in a heartbeat, he blurred out of sight.
'Fuc—' Leon's thought cut off as instinct screamed. He whirled, predicting the strike—but Mikael wasn't behind him.
*Tang*
"Above you... Sir!" Rees bellowed, thrusting his wand forward. A shimmering barrier erupted around Leon, layers of hexagonal mana weaving into an impenetrable dome.
Leon glanced up just in time, Mikael hovered mid-air, claws descending like falling stars, slowly but inexorably piercing the shield with a grinding *crack* of fracturing energy.
"Fuck..." Leon cursed, diving right as the barrier shattered in a cascade of sparks.
*Thud*
Mikael slammed into the earth, craters forming under his feet. He inspected his claws with mild curiosity, then turned his gaze to Rees, a wicked smile curling his lips.
"Hah..." In a flash, he vanished again, reappearing behind Rees like death's shadow, claws slashing towards his necro-heart.
*Swish*
But Leon was faster as he had already predicted his move. He pivoted with blinding precision, Nyxter singing through the air in a horizontal sweep that connected with Mikael's wrist.
*Cut*
The hand severed clean, tumbling to the dirt in a spray of dark ichor.
*Thud*
Mikael didn't scream or retreat. He stared at the stump, confusion flickering across his features as regeneration crawled at a snail's pace, tendrils of flesh knitting far too slowly.
"What?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. The army that should've been repaired immediately is taking so much time just to stop the bleeding.
Leon seized the opening.
"LAST RISE: FULL MOON!"
His voice thundered as he channeled the skill, Nyxter whirling in a hypnotic circular motion. Moonlight seemed to amplify the blade's edge, casting illusory foreshadows that danced like phantoms, drawing Mikael's gaze into a trance.
The stance shattered. Nyxter exploded forward, a silver streak aimed at Mikael's neck with velocity that warped the air.
Mikael's instincts fired. His bare feet clamped the ground, toes and claws digging deep into soil like anchors. With a guttural snarl, he twisted his body at the last possible instant, the blade grazing his throat in a whisper of wind.
*SWISH*
*THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD*
Nyxter's blades detached in a chaotic storm, hurtling outward like shrapnel. Trees splintered and toppled in rapid succession, bark exploding as the projectiles carved through the forest in devastating arcs.
*Haaaah*
Leon exhaled a steamy breath, sweat slicking his armor as he reset his stance, pointing Nyxter's handle at Mikael.
"Nyxter..." he intoned, grip tightening. In a whirlwind rush, the blades reversed course, snapping back into place with metallic *clinks*.
Mikael's casual demeanor shattered, replaced by a deadly glare. Carelessness evaporated; he now faced a true threat.
"I'll hang your head in my lair..." he spoke, voice a low rumble of fury, claws flexing as tension crackled in the air between them.