Whoosh!
Just as Ma Jun was still immersed in the joy of his rising strength, Daniela's figure suddenly began spinning nonstop around him.
So fast that her afterimages blurred together—he couldn't even see her clearly!
"Heeheehee~"
Her clear, delighted laughter echoed endlessly through the room.
"Master, I think I've gotten faster!"
"You're really amazing!"
"My strength hasn't improved in over ten years, but the moment you arrived, I actually broke through!"
"When my sisters come back, they'll definitely be jealous of me!"
"Just thinking about it makes me so happy~"
Daniela finally stopped, standing still, unable to hide the joy on her face.
She looked at Ma Jun with eyes full of gratitude and admiration.
The warm, surging sensation from earlier had faded…
And that made her feel oddly empty again.
Her gaze fixed on him, slowly sliding downward.
"Master… can I maybe…"
Ma Jun smiled.
"You brought back the dragonfish. You definitely deserve a reward."
"Really?!"
Daniela grew even happier and jumped excitedly.
"Then—can we switch to a more… exciting kind of reward?"
"Yes."
Ma Jun nodded calmly.
"As long as you can handle it."
He stood up.
Daniela had already knelt down of her own accord.
Her rosy lips parted slightly, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Thus, the first night of the nightmare dungeon came to an end amid Daniela's soft, rising and falling cries.
In the morning, Ma Jun had just opened his eyes when he saw Daniela glowing with vitality, lying beside him, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stared at him.
Her delicate face was faintly flushed, both hands propping up her cheeks.
When she saw him wake up, excitement mixed with shyness flashed across her expression.
Last night's memories were deeply engraved in her mind.
"Master, you're awake."
She realized that she could no longer live without her Master.
"Mm."
Ma Jun casually patted her waist.
"You did very well yesterday."
Daniela instantly felt encouraged.
"Then… can we continue today?"
"Ahem."
Ma Jun cleared his throat seriously.
"You must remember—moderation is beneficial to both physical and mental health. Indulgence, however, is absolutely forbidden."
He was being sincere.
Definitely not because he couldn't keep up.
With only 6 points in Constitution, there was still a clear gap between him and a body enhanced by the fungus.
"Oh…"
Daniela nodded obediently, though she clearly wasn't fully satisfied.
She bit her lip, then suddenly looked as if she had made an important decision.
Her gaze became firm as she lifted her head.
"Master, I want to give you a gift."
"It's my most precious thing."
Ma Jun paused slightly.
"Your most precious thing… didn't you already give it to me?"
Daniela's eyes became watery as she shook her head.
"Not that. I mean… this."
Suddenly, she plunged her hand into her own soft, pale lower abdomen.
No warning at all!
Ma Jun's pupils contracted.
What was she doing?!
"Mmm…"
Daniela let out a soft groan, tinged with pain.
Slowly, she pulled her hand back out.
There was no blood.
Only a lump of pure white matter, threaded with delicate, silk-like filaments.
Ma Jun recognized it instantly.
This was the Ennis Fungus.
The foundation of the village's existence.
The source of power of the Mother Goddess, Miranda.
The strongest supreme treasure.
Back then, during the global pandemic that swept the world, Miranda lost her daughter.
Heartbroken and half-mad, she wandered into this village and accidentally fell into an underground labyrinth.
There, she encountered the Fungus Lord.
It looked like a heart formed from flesh and blood.
The Fungus Lord granted her unparalleled power, nearly eternal life.
She discovered that the Fungus Lord contained a vast collection of memories.
Anyone connected to it would have their memories return to the Fungus Lord upon death.
Like uploading data to a server.
Overjoyed, Miranda believed she could resurrect her daughter.
She modified the Fungus Lord, creating the Ennis Fungus, and implanted it into other people—hoping to find a suitable vessel for her daughter's rebirth.
But every body was different.
Those capable of bearing the Ennis Fungus were extremely rare.
Some died instantly.
Some degenerated into low-intelligence beasts—like the werewolves outside the village.
Only those with special constitutions could barely inherit its power.
For example, Miranda's Four Great Nobles.
Daniela's body also contained part of the Ennis Fungus.
But hers was no longer of the same grade as that extracted directly from the Fungus Lord.
Even so—
It was still an extraordinarily precious treasure.
And compared to the original, Daniela's fungus was gentler.
Much easier to absorb.
She held it up like an offering, presenting it before Ma Jun.
"Master, this is part of the power source I cut from my own body."
"Try it… see if you can absorb it."
Ma Jun was extremely curious.
He cautiously reached out and touched the white mass.
[Ennis Fungus (Weakened Version)]
[Quality: Blue]
[A transcendent power originating from the Fungus Lord. Warning: Do not look directly upon a god.]
The instant Ma Jun made contact—
A mutation erupted!
The once calm, gentle fungus suddenly went berserk, writhing violently as if it had gone mad!