Judas opened his eyes, pulled from the depths of sleep by a persistent tickle on his cheek. The damp air of the cave felt heavy, but the warmth beside him was grounding.

He blinked, his vision adjusting to the dim interior of the cave.

Summer was awake. She rested her chin on her palms, elbows dug into the mattress, staring down at him with an intensity that would have been unsettling to anyone else.

Her crimson pupils were dilated, fixated on his face as if memorizing the pore structure of his skin.

Seeing his eyelids flutter open, her lips curled into a possessive smile.

"Good morning, Husband."

Judas didn't speak immediately. He reached out, wrapping a heavy arm around her waist and pulling her down.

She went willingly, collapsing against his chest with a contented sigh. The steady thrum of her heartbeat against his ribcage did more to dispel his drowsiness than a bucket of cold water.

They lay there for a moment. Today was going to be a grinder. They had a singular goal: clear the Budding Zone. Based on the previous day's encounters, the area was infested with goblins.

For an ordinary Awakened, a goblin horde was a death sentence. For Judas, equipped with his current stat distribution and a blood support mage, it was an experience farm.

However, the next zone would not be so forgiving. Before they crossed the threshold into the second ring of the Rift, he needed more power. Specifically, he needed to upgrade Sword Slash.

The skill was currently at Level 5. If he could push it to Level 10, it would undergo its first evolution. A Rare skill had four evolution stages. The first stage allowed for elemental attunement.

Infusing his blade with fire, lightning, or frost would drastically increase his lethality against higher-tier monsters.

"What are you thinking?"

The question was followed by a wet, rough sensation. Summer extended her tongue, licking the corner of his mouth where a small, dried scratch from yesterday's play remained.

Judas smiled. The girl had a peculiar kink for licking. It wasn't repulsive; in fact, the sensation was exhilarating.

Since absorbing the Blood attribute, he found he understood her urges. Her blood called to his, and his blood sang to her. It was a mutual intoxication.

He shifted his hips, pressing his morning hardness against her thigh. A mischievous thought crossed his mind.

"I am wondering what your ass will feel like," he murmured, winking at her.

Summer recoiled slightly, her eyes widening in surprise. Then, the shock melted away, replaced by an excited glint. She shifted, presenting her backside to him beneath the blanket.

"Let's do it. Claim me there too."

Judas laughed. He reached out, flicking her forehead with a sharp thwack.

"Not now. We have to clear the Budding Zone today. Business first."

"Aw…" She rubbed her forehead, pouting. "You are a tease."

She didn't push further. Summer understood the stakes.

They rose from the bed, the cold air biting at their skin as they shed the warmth of the blankets. Dressing was a quick affair.

Judas strapped his leather armor tight, checking the buckles. He secured his sword at his hip, the weight familiar and comforting.

Before leaving, he took a moment to cover the cave entrance. He dragged the heavy boulder back into place and arranged the vines to obscure the disturbed earth.

The chances of them returning here were slim; progress meant moving deeper, finding new shelters closer to the core.

Still, leaving a safe house intact was a good habit. You never knew when a retreat would become necessary.

They stepped out into the forest.

"Let's hunt," Judas said.

They moved west, following the density of the mana tracks. Stealth proved to be an invaluable investment.

Judas moved like a phantom, his footsteps silenced by the skill. The goblins, with their heightened hearing, never detected him until it was too late.

The first group they encountered consisted of five scouts.

Judas signaled Summer to hold back. He activated Stealth, the world bending slightly around him as his presence faded from the sensory spectrum. He crept up behind the rearguard.

Sword Slash.

The steel whispered. One head flew. Then a second.

By the time the remaining three realized they were under attack, Judas had already deactivated Stealth and triggered Dash. He exploded forward in a blur of motion.

Summer didn't just watch. She raised her wand, the Fire Mana Stone embedded in its tip glowing hot.

"Boil," she whispered.

The goblin furthest from Judas suddenly shrieked, clutching its veins as its blood temperature skyrocketed. It fell to its knees, incapacitated.

Judas finished the other two with efficient, brutal strokes. He turned, decapitating the boiling goblin to end its misery.

"Clean," Judas remarked, wiping his blade.

They didn't stop. Group after group fell to their coordination. Summer's control over blood slowed the enemies, disrupted their formations, and created openings. Judas exploited those openings with lethal precision.

Around noon, they found a larger settlement. This one had two Shamans.

"Same tactic as yesterday?" Summer asked, her eyes glowing with anticipation.

"No. We rush them."

Judas wanted to test his limits. He activated Dash and charged straight into the center of the camp.

The goblins panicked. Spears flew, but Judas was faster. He weaved through the projectiles, his Agility attribute shining. He reached the first Shaman before the creature could finish a syllable of its chant.

Sword Slash.

The blade bit deep, cleaving the staff and the goblin in half.

[Sword Slash 5 -> 6]

[Dash 1 -> 2]

[Stealth 1 -> 2]

The second Shaman managed to fire a bolt of lightning.

He pivoted, throwing his sword like a spear. The weapon spun through the air, impaling the second Shaman through the chest.

Summer handled the grunts. She cast Blood Spikes, turning the spilled blood of the fallen into crystallized projectiles that skewered the remaining warriors.

They looted the bodies efficiently, taking only mana stones and rare materials. The notion of eating humanoid meat was disgusting, so they left the bodies.

By late afternoon, Judas felt the change. His muscles were burning, not from fatigue, but from the constant flow of energy.

His understanding of the sword was deepening. It wasn't just about swinging a metal bar anymore. It was about the angle, the intent, the flow of mana through the edge.

They encountered a patrol of ten heavy goblins. These were larger, carrying crude iron shields.

"Block them," Judas ordered.

Summer cast Stagnate. The lead goblins stumbled, their limbs growing heavy.

Judas engaged. He didn't use stealth. He met them head-on. His sword battered against an iron shield, denting it. He adjusted his grip, flowing like water around the defense, and struck the exposed neck.

Slash. Parry. Thrust. Slash.

Every kill brought him closer. Sword Slash improved leaps and bounds, intensifying his strength.

[Sword Slash 9]

"One more level," he grunted, kicking a corpse off his boot.

The forest began to change. The trees grew thicker, their bark darker, almost black. The undergrowth thinned out, replaced by mossy rocks and large, exposed roots. They were reaching the edge.

A final group of goblins stood between them and the boundary line. There were twenty of them, led by a Hobgoblin—a massive brute standing six feet tall.

"Big one is mine," Judas said.

He triggered Dash. The world blurred. The Hobgoblin roared, swinging a massive tree branch. Judas slid under the swing, his back scraping the dirt. He came up behind the monster.

He didn't just swing. He visualized the strength in his body, pushing it all into the edge of his weapon.

Sword Slash.

The attack was different this time. A faint white light coated the blade. It shore through the Hobgoblin's thick spine as if it were paper.

[Sword Slash Level 9 -> 10]

[Evolution Condition Met.]

[Choose an element to attune.]

[Fire, Lightning, or Ice.]

'Attune lightning.'

[You have attuned Sword Slash with Lightning.] [The skill gained additional property of stunning multiple enemies in a slash.] [Sword Slash -> Lightning Sword Slash.]

A flash of purple electricity surged through his body.

[Strength +1]

Judas felt a surge of triumph. He had done it.

He finished the rest of the pack with Summer's help. As the last goblin fell, silence returned to the forest.

Judas stood panting, sweat dripping from his chin.

"Congratulations for the evolution, Husband," Summer praised. "We are here." She pointed ahead.

The mana density here was suffocating, heavy enough to make the air shimmer. This was the boundary of the Budding Zone.

But the path forward was not empty.

Sitting on two large boulders, guarding the only pass through the rocks, were two mountains of flesh.

They stood over eight feet tall. Their skin was a pale, sickly grey, stretched tight over bulging muscles that looked like sacks of rocks.

They wore loincloths made of bear pelts and carried massive wooden clubs studded with iron spikes.

Ogres.

Judas licked his lips, turning to look at the equally thrilled Summer. She turned to lock eyes with him. Above her head, the affection points shimmered into existence.

Affection: 85

Last night's intimacy had pushed her three-fourth of the way to absolute devotion, and after today's adventure, it was nearing the peak.

At this rate, before he cleared the second zone, she would be absolutely devoted to him. Judas couldn't wait to finally release his already bored wives from the Couple Space.

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