The Workers had been able to gain Traits just through doing and repeating a certain action, but Vale held a feeling that they were an exception.

Getting a new Trait was bound to be challenging. Both Salome and Ximena had only a few, after all, and they were incredibly strong.

If it were so easy to get more Traits then they would have tons of them.

Well, there was also the chance they lost some Traits when transmigrating, but Salome hadn't said anything about that.

'Speaking of that… how did she know Toy was Traitless?'

'Does it have to do with Vitality Drain?'

'Just how versatile is that thing?'

There were three current Traits he had: Rudimentary Shapeshifter, Charm, Ember of Lust.

Charm was the most straightforward, and its effect was just made apparent. There was the issue of the number he could charm and how to increase it, but that seemed like it would happen naturally as he consumed more shards.

Rudimentary Shapeshifter was the only one that seemed somewhat applicable in battle, yet Vale was nowhere near proficient enough to utilize it properly. There was much he still didn't know about shapeshifting to begin with; even the name itself was still described as rudimentary. Of course, Salome was obviously somewhat proficient with it, and her ability was also described as rudimentary. So…

'Either Salome is more clueless than she lets on, or, once again, Aether reserves are a factor.'

As for the final Trait, Ember of Lust…

[Ember of Lust] - [Lust was thought to have vanished from the world, but a dim ember stirs deep within your soul. Nurture that passionate flame, then unleash Lust upon the world once again.]

Vale tried as hard as he could to nitpick the diction in the description given to him, but nothing came of his rumination — at least no more insight than when he initially read it.

The only thing that actually stood out was the capitalization of 'Lust' and 'unleashing' it…

Vale let out a sigh as he realized just how little he knew about his new 'self.' Even if he wanted to ask Wrath and Sloth about his body and power, he still had to wait two more weeks for the door in his Core to open. Then the next factor would be if Wrath even allowed him to speak.

He was also curious to meet Envy, who shared the Terracotta Scar with him.

Vale sighed as he pushed the nasty streamers aside and made his way through the maze. Once he got to the end, or from a different perspective, the beginning, Ximena, the glorified guardian, greeted him.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Master Vale?"

"Of course…"

Now was as good a time as any. He had a bodyguard who was a little too keen to do her job….

What Ximena was referring to was Vale leaving… going outside the dungeon.

Up until this point, he hadn't even looked outside. Even a peak seemed greedy when he was so weak. But now, while he was still weak, he was definitely strong enough to take a few steps outside. He wasn't intending to go far; he just wanted to go out enough to survey the area.

If what Salome described was accurate, then he'd be able to get a pretty good view of the canyon from the liminal ground alone.

Plus, Salome, Toy and Stacy should have already cleared the area. So he needn't worry about being attacked. Or at least his worry was lessened.

With Awilix in tow, or more like intermingled, and Ximena following a little behind, to not set the poor cat into a frenzy, Vale ascended the stone ramp and dragged himself toward the horrifying light of day.

After a few more fateful steps, the cave dweller finally bathed in sunlight.

It was terrible.

'The light… it burns!'

Literally, it burned away his power.

Because he was in a canyon, there was shade everywhere, but it didn't matter. What mattered, it seemed, was his location. Even one step out of the dungeon, he could feel his Aether slowly burning away, escaping from his body.

But despite the dreadful feeling encompassing him, the subliminal beauty of the landscape entranced and trounced his worries.

After a quick scan for any potential enemies, Vale took a few more steps out and found himself standing on a terrace of the red canyon with a significant drop to the depths below, the gigantic wall behind him seeming to rise to the heavens.

The lush forest below, and the river that ran through it, looked jungle-like. The vibrant green and raging waters set themselves apart from the terracotta rocks surrounding them, which stood in stark contrast to the stone in the dungeon.

As for how he could get down to the bottom if he wished…

While someone like Salome or imps could just glide with their wings, Vale would have to walk… Not that he had any intention to – not right now at least. But, if he so desired that end, there was a rocky path that snaked down into the bottom of the ravine where it flattened out.

As for the waterfall… he did spot it off to the left. It was magnificently horrifying. He'd been told it was big, but the grandeur of it dwarfed all of his expectations. The sight in front of him looked like anything and everything except real.

All of a sudden, a weird feeling gripped his heart. It wasn't painful, and it wasn't pleasurable. It was just a feeling, an instinctual sense…

'of a complimentary being?'

Ximena, with her sash flowing around her, stepped toward Vale and Awilix.

"Something wrong?"

Awilix instantly showed a defiant pose, but the kitten was scared to death of Ximena after witnessing her power once before, so she shivered relentlessly.

'Just how badly do you want to keep me to yourself?'

Vale turned around to face Ximena and put a hand on Awilix's shoulder to calm the cute kitty.

"A dungeon… I don't know how, but I can sense another dungeon nearby. It's over there."

Vale pointed a little off to his left.

He didn't know how he knew, but he knew he was correct. He could feel a person(?)… a kindred being, not too far away.

He could feel another Dungeon Master…

Though oddly, he could tell this being was no stronger than him. In fact, it felt weaker.

Ximena's face, as usual, remained impassive, but many thoughts were sparked in her mind.

"You should discuss what to do once Salome and the others return."

Just like that, Vale's little excursion came to an end. He headed back in after only a minute outside and returned to life as a full-time cave dweller.

Albeit, he now had a slight fear of sunlight after experiencing what it did to him.

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