———–
After a beam of holy light, three dialogue boxes suddenly appeared in front of Renji.
[Optimization One: Strength +30%]
[Optimization Two: Convert 20% of damage dealt in each attack into Holy Damage, which cannot be dodged or mitigated]
[Optimization Three: +1 Equipment Slot]
Renji quickly understood that each optimization option was random, and he had to choose one. Without hesitation, he chose Optimization Three.
With his original abilities, he could only equip one ‘Calamity’ level Miasma Touch equipment, or two ‘Disaster’ level ones. Now, after optimizing himself, Renji immediately went back to fetch Nova. Upon returning, in addition to the Holy Armor on his chest, he also had a pair of burning crimson wings on his back.
These wings were much smaller than before, now only one or two meters long, compared to Nova’s wings which were over a dozen meters long and could cast large shadows when illuminated by the sun.
After equipping the Crimson Wings, Renji found that he seemed to be able to equip another item, so he decisively called Ashe and used Miasma Touch on her. The cat-girl transformed into a green greatsword. The attribute enhancements were negligible since he already had the Holy Armor and Crimson Wings, but its effect, fitting the shaman profession and natural forces, allowed him to recover a certain amount of health and mana with each attack, which was very helpful to Renji.
Eileen, standing nearby, looked enviously and sourly at Renji, who was holding the green greatsword, wearing the Holy Armor, and had crimson wings on his back. She was not envious of Renji, but of the equipment he bore.
Among Renji’s five contractors, Eileen was the only one without an “attachment,” the only one not “on board.”
Despite feeling sour, Eileen understood that it wasn’t about Renji neglecting her, but because she carried the responsibility of being a “detector.”
On the other side, Renji, fully armed with three Miasma Touch equipments, still felt somewhat unstable, but this was already his limit.
Afterward, he no longer hesitated and put back on the 86’s Dream Terminal. This terminal, being a ‘prop’ class product of Miasma Touch, did not burden Renji as much as the equipment class items did, allowing simultaneous usage.
Reconnecting with the dark-skinned elf through the dream was simple. Renji just needed to inform 86 to switch back from “Surveillance Mode” to “Power-Saving Mode,” effectively turning off the firewall.
As the terminal activated and Renji submerged into the dream, he was immediately enveloped in a deep dive sensation.
Renji had thought he would first encounter the fake maid named ‘Empty Armor’ in the dream, but to his surprise, when he opened his eyes again, he was already in the familiar Miasma Space, shrouded in darkness and flowing with a brownish-red aura.
Also familiar was the only other person in this space besides him.
However, unlike before, when the dark-skinned elf was obviously well-prepared and arrogantly floating above the Miasma Space, sitting on the cross with her legs crossed and looking down at her prey with a playful gaze, this time was different.
When Renji found the dark-skinned elf in the Miasma Space this time, she was sprawled out on the cross like an octopus, snoring loudly, as if she was using the cross as a bed and sleeping soundly.
The sleeping position of the elven woman’s part was quite inelegant. One hand hung down from the side of the cross, the other pressed under her head, and the bare coffee-colored legs were half-bent, with one occasionally lifting up to scratch the tentacles on her back as if itching.
The reason for the scratching was due to her inelegant sleeping position, which seemed to be inherited by the tentacles. Several tentacles were twisted together, forming a knot resembling a twisted doughnut, making one marvel at how even octopuses differentiate between being well-behaved and having restless sleep. 𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝘮
All of these were quickly noticed by Renji with just a glance.
The next moment, facing the dark-skinned elf who seemed unaware of his presence and still resting in sleep, Renji didn’t hesitate. He rapidly flapped his Crimson Wings on his back, gripped the green greatsword, and charged straight at her, aiming a slash at her vital area.
*Boom!*
After a muffled sound, Renji’s figure was forced to distance himself from the dark-skinned elf. A strong rebound force came from his blade, and when he was about ten meters away from Lilith, her tentacles had already reacted. The thickest one whipped out and collided with his blade.
Regretfully shaking his head for not achieving a successful sneak attack, Renji realized why the dark-skinned elf was sleeping face down. Those tentacles behind her were the best alarm system.
Even though his sneak attack was hasty, the Lilith’s unconscious defensive response was enough to block him and even push him back, indicating that the dark-skinned elf’s strength was even more exaggerated than he had anticipated.
Now, Renji braced himself for a tough battle ahead.
While Renji was internally sighing, the dark-skinned elf also woke up.
The danger signal from the tentacles woke Lilith from her sleep on the cross. She quickly climbed up, and upon seeing Renji opposite her, she was first pleasantly surprised. However, after seeing the green greatsword in Renji’s hand and the slash marks on her tentacles, Lilith instantly realized what had happened and became furiously angry.
‘Dishonorable!’
‘How dare he attack while I was asleep!?’
Lilith couldn’t believe that Emperor Ashen would stoop to such dishonorable tactics. She was even more infuriated that he hadn’t informed her beforehand. If she had known, she wouldn’t have woken up and would have restrained her tentacles from defending herself! What a missed opportunity – the idea of being sneak-attacked by Ashen while being careless and asleep, then being left in fury and frustration, unable to move while her far less powerful enemy could shamelessly humiliate her! ‘All these good things were gone, completely gone!’
It was hard to describe how furious Lilith felt at that moment. If one had to compare, it was like seeing the message (This resource has been deleted) on a screen. 𝘪𝘳.𝘤𝑜
Lilith, who jumped up from the cross, said to Renji through gritted teeth: “Ashen… you’ve disappointed me so much!”
Renji just shrugged his shoulders.
He naturally thought the dark-skinned elf was referring to the sneak attack, and Renji felt no burden about it. Seeing the enemy asleep in front of him, not launching an attack would be foolish.
“But… heh, Ashen, I was right, wasn’t I? You would definitely come back obediently and willingly to see me again~”
Lilith quickly changed her tone. The proud dark-skinned elf crossed her arms and lifted her head arrogantly. She smirked at Renji, as if everything was under her control, like a runaway child who would eventually have to return to their mother.
Renji: “I have a small question.”
“A question? Ashen, don’t you understand the current situation? It’s you who came running to me! You should know, if you miss the first opportunity, the price will be much higher the second time around.”
Lilith’s voice, full of triumph, hadn’t finished when Renji interrupted her with a shake of his head.
The young man then pointed to the cross where Lilith had been lying and asked, “No, what I mean is, from that day to now, you haven’t… been staying here waiting for me, have you?”
Updated from 𝘪.𝘤𝑜𝘮