After practicing for a while longer, Logan returned to the house. While walking through the corridor toward his room, every servant bowed to him with proper respect. The elders and family members he met along the way also greeted him.

After Lady Mirena and Darius were gone, nobody was afraid to behave properly with Logan and his mother anymore. And after his recent performance, people didn't just behave properly, they truly respected him.

When it was lunchtime, Logan ate with everyone, then returned to his room to rest. The whole day passed without any event. But after dinner, Logan didn't resume his training.

Instead, he went down to the underground area of Smith Villa, where two prison cells were located.

While going down the stairs, Logan flicked his hand, and a few small bursts of fire flew out, lighting the lamps hanging on the walls.

By the time he reached the bottom, the dark place was illuminated by the lamps.

Logan slowly walked toward one of the cells and stood before it.

Inside, a man lay sprawled on the ground, his hands tied behind his back and several wounds covering parts of his body.

It was none other than Raphael.

Hearing Logan's approaching footsteps, Raphael looked up.

"What? Are you here to kill me this time? Or do you still have some unanswered questions?" he asked in a careless tone.

"Well, I do need some answers. Whether you live or die… that depends on..." Logan paused before continuing. "I don't think I need to spell everything out, right?"

Saying that, he stepped closer to the cell.

"You said your planet sent you here to learn or steal cultivation techniques. Did they send anyone else? Can they send more? How many can they send?" Logan asked calmly.

Silence filled the air. Raphael didn't respond for a long moment, and Logan didn't press him either. He simply stood there, eyes fixed on him through the bars.

Finally, Raphael spoke. "What's in it for me?" he asked. "I'm a prisoner anyway. No matter what I tell you, I'll still be stuck in here… So go ahead and kill me if you want."

"You still think you're in a position to negotiate?" Logan's voice was calm but carried a cold edge. "If you answer my questions, maybe one day you'll be allowed a peaceful death. But if not..."

He didn't bother finishing the sentence.

Instead, Logan took out a key from his pocket, unlocked the cell door, and stepped inside. Slowly, he walked closer to Raphael. Then, with three fingers pressed together, he struck several precise points on Raphael's body in quick succession.

The instant the final strike landed, Raphael's entire body convulsed in agony. It felt as if countless ants had swarmed beneath his skin, gnawing at his flesh from the inside.

He clenched his jaw, trying to endure it, but the pain was unbearable. After only a few seconds of futile resistance, a desperate scream tore from his throat.

"Make it stop! Please… make it stop!" he cried out in agony.

"Make it stop, huh? Do you think you're ready to talk now?!" Logan asked coldly.

"Y-Yes… I'll answer your questions. But please, make it stop first," Raphael pleaded desperately.

Logan stared at him in silence for a few seconds, then moved his fingers again, striking a few more precise points on Raphael's body.

In an instant, the pain disappeared, so completely that it felt as though it had never existed at all. Raphael looked up at Logan in pure horror, his breathing ragged.

Logan didn't waste time. He repeated his question in a steady tone. "Were you the only one your planet sent to Earth, or were there others?"

"I was the only one," Raphael replied quickly, his words tumbling out.

A faint smirk curved Logan's lips. "That's more like it. Now… can they send more? And how many can they send at once?"

"I don't think they can send anyone else whenever they want," Raphael said, his voice trembling. "If they could, they would've sent others by now."

Logan's eyes narrowed. "What if someone already came, but didn't know you were from the same planet and so never approached you?"

"No," Raphael said firmly. "I can tell by scent if someone is from Earth or from our planet." He paused briefly before adding, "And so far, I haven't met anyone here who smells like they're from my world."

"What are you, a dog?" Logan asked, irritation slipping into his voice.

"No… I'm a wolf beast," Raphael answered honestly.

Logan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You really don't understand sarcasm, do you?"

Raphael didn't reply. The room fell silent once more, heavy with tension and the faint flicker of the lamps.

"What if someone did come, but the two of you just haven't crossed paths yet?" Logan asked again.

"That… that's possible," Raphael admitted after a pause. "But if that's the case, I have no way of knowing."

Logan didn't respond. He simply turned around, stepped out of the cell, locked the door behind him, and made his way back upstairs.

Once he returned to his room, he let himself fall onto the bed with a sigh.

"I thought stopping the dungeon raids would be enough," he reflected silently. "That I'd have some time to grow stronger before facing the dungeon boss. But it's not that simple. What if there's someone else out there… or others from different planets?"

Various thoughts swirled in his mind. The idea had suddenly struck him during dinner, a thought he couldn't shake off. That was why, right after eating, he went straight to the underground cell to confirm it with Raphael.

As Logan's thoughts continued to swirl in his mind, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, at that very same time, somewhere far away...

Inside the largest dungeon in Solmyr, an S-class dungeon, the dungeon boss who had once been seen with Nolan sat upon a massive throne carved from stone.

Before him stood two other monsters.

One of them, a towering minotaur with broad wings sprouting from his back, spoke first.

"I believe I've found a way to fully merge myself with humans," he said in a deep, rumbling voice. "It's not permanent, but during the time I inhabit their body, I can feel all of its traits and even use its full power. The only issue is, I still haven't found anyone with a proper body-strengthening technique."

The monster standing beside him then added, "I've managed to do something similar. But there's another problem. Humans have almost stopped entering dungeons recently. Without more of them to test on, we can't be certain how effective this merging technique really is or what its limitations might be."

The dungeon boss didn't respond immediately. He sat still, lost in thought for a while, before finally speaking.

"Have either of you tried breaking out of the dungeon? I mean, while you were merged with a human?"

"No," both monsters replied at once.

"Then try it," the boss said, his tone calm but commanding. "If you can make it outside, you'll have far more opportunities to merge with them freely."

"Understood," they both said with a nod.

The Next Morning

After breakfast, Logan headed to the forest once again to continue his sword practice. The early morning light filtered through the trees as he swung his blade repeatedly, each motion sharp and precise.

He practiced his moves and swings over and over, his focus unwavering. With every passing moment, his comprehension deepened or perhaps more accurately, his muscle memory was returning, piece by piece.

Logan kept practicing. The rhythmic whoosh of his blade echoed through the forest, mingling with the distant rustling of leaves and chirping of birds. Sweat trickled down his temple, but he didn't stop. Each swing was smoother than the last, his control becoming more refined, his movements more fluid.

After a while, he finally paused and sat down on a nearby rock, taking a deep breath. The gentle breeze brushed against his face, cooling his skin. He leaned back slightly, staring up at the canopy above. His body was tired, but his spirit wasn't.

From the sword resting beside him, a feminine voice echoed softly in his mind. "Are you done for today, Logan?" It was Audrey.

Logan shook his head with a faint smile. "Not yet. I've only been refining my form till now. It's time to test one of my offensive techniques."

Audrey fell silent, as if observing quietly.

After resting for a few more minutes, Logan stood up again. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let his energy circulate through his body. Then, slowly opening his eyes, he raised his sword and took position.

He bent his elbow, arcing the hand he was holding his sword with and then thrust it forward with explosive force.

Boom!

A massive pressure wave burst out from the tip of his sword, slicing through the air. It struck a tree ahead with terrifying power, piercing a clean hole straight through its trunk. But the attack didn't stop there, the force continued forward, tearing through several more trees in a line before finally fading away in the distance.

Logan lowered his sword, exhaling softly. "That's more like it," he murmured, watching the trail of destruction vanish into the forest's depth.

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