Damien stepped out of the Warp Gate with a sigh. ‘Finally finished up with Earth. Tch, humans are seriously rats sometimes. How did those little shits even manage to think of such hiding places?’
Damien scowled thinking about the odd places he ended up finding the traitors. It seemed news about his advent spread quickly after he started, and his time on Earth slowly transformed into a game of hide and seek.
But those traitors were truly desperate for life. They climbed inside the stomachs and…other holes of beasts to fool his senses, they dug until they were near the Earth’s Core, nearly burning themselves to death in the process, if there was one good thing Damien had to say about them, it was that they sure were creative.
But after 2 whole months of such annoyingness, he finally finished his activities on Earth and returned to Apeiron.
‘Hmm, so? What’s changed?’ Damien asked the World Core.
[Welcome back, master. We have missed your presence.]
Damien rolled his eyes in exasperation. “I’m already annoyed from all the rat chasing I had to do recently, so just get to the point.’
[Understood, master. The changes are as follows…]
The World Core gave Damien a rundown on the subjugation efforts until now, and the progress satisfied him greatly.
‘Hmm, so they should finish up in around a month or less. I have that much time to kill, huh.’
He did have a few more errands to run and a few more people to meet. Also, he hasn’t spent nearly enough time with his mother after so long apart. It was pointless for him to help in the subjugation anyway.
The armies needed experience. Apeiron’s forces had dulled considerably since the previous war, their swords no longer holding meaning. For them to build their bloodlust again, they needed battle.
‘Basically, I’m useless right now. Come to think of it, I haven’t spent a long period of time training in a while. Maybe I should consider it.’
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
As he was thinking, a silvery voice came from behind him. And he knew exactly who it was.
“Alea. How did you find me so quickly?”
Alea smiled slyly. “Didn’t I already tell you? Our bloodlines resonate. We must be destined by fate!”
“And why would fate care enough to specifically tell us about our destinies together?” Damien questioned with a smile.
“Why, isn’t that obvious? It’s because our union will cause auspicious tidings to cover the entire universe, giving us great luck in the coming war.”
Damien rolled his eyes. Alea’s ability to spout bullshit wasn’t to be underestimated.
“You’re not participating in the subjugation?” Damien asked to change the subject.
Alea shook her head. “Why should I? There are no 4th class masters for me to kill, so there’s no point in participating. Besides, did you forget that I’m a beast?” Alea reminded, her gaze pointing to the fluffy white fox tails materializing above her rear.
Damien fell into thought. It was true that beasts leveled up differently, but that was only until achieving their human forms. When that happened, they would also be granted access to the system and its leveling function.
‘But, a beast will always be a beast. She most likely prefers evolving her bloodline over leveling through the system. Well, since I devour everything I can devour, I can’t really fault her.’
With the topic of beasts on his mind, Damien suddenly remembered where he was.
‘That’s right…this is Apeiron…’
An old memory resurged in his mind. Moments of pain that forged the person he was today.
Apeiron…was the location of the First Dungeon.
‘Didn’t I just say I wanted to train?’
Damien looked up at Alea, pondering for a second. In the end, he went with his gut. “Say, are you busy for the next few months?”
Alea’s brow quirked curiously. “Hm? I shouldn’t have anything scheduled until the subjugation ends. I don’t know if you know this yet, but I resigned from my position as Empress!”
“You what?!” Damien exclaimed in shock.
“Hehe~!” Ales giggled. “It’s not like the position matters right now anyway. We’ll just be one of many in the army soon enough.”
Damien shrugged. “Not like it matters much to me what your position is.”
“Right, you’ll love me even if I’m a little peasant girl. That’s why I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“Or maybe you’re just desperate for affection after spending thousands of years in a loveless and sexless marriage?” Damien quipped back.
Alea grabbed his ear and pulled, dragging him into her grasp. Her lips brushed against his ear as she spoke and he could feel her pillowy breasts against his chest, but Damien couldn’t feel any arousal from the situation.
After all, Alea’s claws were infinitely close to his neck.
“Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to ask a woman about her age?” Alea said indifferently.
Damien looked away in exasperation. She caused a scene for that? Yet again, he realized he would never understand women.
“Kuhum, anyway, since you’re free, do you want to come with me?” Damien coughed awkwardly.
“Hm? Are you asking me out on a date right now?” Alea teased.
Damien smirked evilly. “Sure, if you want to consider it a date then you’re free to do so.”
“Great!” Alea smiled. “Then, let’s go already!”
“Right now?” Damien asked.
“I can’t wait any longer. If I get private time with you, doesn’t that mean I can inch closer to wife status?”
Damien’s evil grin widened. “Hmm, you can try…if you have enough time to do so.”
“W-wha—?”
Before Alea could question his words, Damien immediately used Warp. Since he was already in her grasp, there was no need for additional contact.
When the two appeared again, they were surrounded on all sides by rock. Around them, a plain stone room with light amounts of flora strewn about. Under their feet stood a teleportation array that had only ever been activated once.
“I’m back,” Damien muttered, running his hand across the wall.
This place used to be filled with bad memories for him. It was the root of a great deal of his trauma. But now…?
He didn’t feel anything.
“Damien? Where might we be right now?” Alea asked suspiciously.
“My, dear sweet Alea, this benevolent one heard through the grapevine that you were struggling to find 4th-class opponents to fight. So, I’ve brought you to a place where you can find them in droves!”
“H-hm? Ah, right I said that…yeah, that was definitely the reason why I wasn’t leveling…ha…haha…”
Damien raised his brow. “Alea, dear, don’t tell me you’ve become lazy? Oh my, this won’t do! Allow me to help you solve that problem!”
“There’s no need for that! I’ll level plenty during the war, so until then I should help with the subjugation!”
Damien’s eyes curved into crescents. He walked forward and gripped Alea’s shoulders tightly.
“What kind of nonsense are you speaking? You are the mighty Empress of the Beast Domain! How can you allow yourself to be weak? Just relax and leave the rest to me. You’ll become a total powerhouse in no time!”
“Hey! Wai—!”
Before Alea could complain, Damien used his connection with the World Core to scan the dungeon and send her 20 floors lower.
At that level, 4th class beings would begin to spawn.
Damien grinned. ‘I’ve helped another lost soul on the right path. My good karma is rising steadily. Amitabha.’
After leaving Alea to do whatever she wanted, Damien began thinking about his own situation.
‘I can’t level right now.’
It was the cold hard truth. If he continued leveling, he’d breach the barrier to 4th class with relative ease. But he had no desire to do that.
‘I want to consolidate my current power until I can’t get any stronger without leveling. Dimensional Magic, my new Time affinity, my forgotten lighting, the Void Flames…there are too many aspects that need improvement.’
The reason he came to the First Dungeon wasn’t to level. He came because this dungeon was a literal treasure trove.
Even the most common beast held Godbeast bloodline in their veins, even if it was a minuscule amount. This kind of treasure dungeon was the perfect place for him to find attribute sources to enhance his fire and lightning.
And the environment here would make it easier to practice his space and time elements, since the level of elemental essence in the air was far higher than on the surface.
Not to mention, he’d also get to see Alea suffering through her training while he improved, which would always be a fun sight.
As for the main reason he came, however…
‘I heard there was a Demigod living in this dungeon. I wonder if it’s true…?’