Level: [4]

Enemies:

[Nascent Mutant: 12]

[Nascent Monster: 10]

[Nascent Wretch: 1]

[Emergent Aberrant: 1]

[Would you like to challenge the Level? (Y/N)]

Vale stared at the translucent screen in front of him for a moment.

'So…'

It was the most potent force he'd ever seen to this point… not that he had a grasp of their exact strength; however, rank seemed to matter more than class as the Emergent Aberrant was listed below the Nascent Wretch on the list of enemies…

Speaking of that, Wretch was the middle tier and a class he'd yet to face.

***

Class: [Aberrant, Mutant, Monster, Wretch, Anathema, Demon, Vice]

Rank: [Nascent, Emergent, Bloomed, Elevated, Boundless, Numinous, Empyreal]

***

Vale couldn't help but be nervous as the impending invasion force had two beings that outclassed Awilix and were right under Ximena, on paper at least. Then, he'd be fighting them while purposefully sidelining Ximena and half of his Legion. No matter how much he wanted to trust Ximena to hold the choke alone, the core was practically his heart… being lax in its defense was pure idiocy.

Despite his grievances, Vale's choices had already been made.

"Yes…"

[Level 4 will begin in 10 minutes, good luck!]

This battle was a risk he needed to take.

The most considerable risk, however unlikely, was that the chameleons would see the summoned enemies and try to join the attack. It would be unlikely that the savage summoned beasts with ravaged wills would take kindly to the chameleons, but still, if they did team up, it would be a slight problem.

Not to mention that Vale's conjecture was... just that — a conjecture.

The chameleons, either due to outside factors unknown to Vale or their original intent, could launch an invasion at any moment.

Vale had no way of confirming whether he actually sniffed out their plan or if they were going to invade after all. They hadn't yet, but he wasn't going to rule out any possibility. He had contingency plans in place, no matter how the event played out.

As for the result of the remodeling…

It quickly became apparent that the new positioning was unsustainable.

Ximena, an absolutely fucking terrifying force of nature, was doing her job diligently, sitting still in the long corridor, effectively sealing the path to the core.

But that caused its own problems…

Aether was formless. To Vale's knowledge, at least; however, it wasn't as if it were a force unsubject to the laws of matter. It seemed to behave more like a gas.

Ximena, who'd been sitting in the narrow corridor, had unsummoned some of her crystals so her power would be potent enough to ward off trespassers… but because of the way the place was shaped, her Aether spread and flowed down the winding hallway.

It was so potent that if any worker or warrior even stepped into the corridor, they'd start to freeze to death. The only way to move any of them in and out of the core was for Ximena to summon all the crystals she could and vacate the passage.

If this were a problem when her reserves were just 5 Aether… what the hell would happen if she had all 500? Or even worse… became Emergent.

'Would anyone survive?'

Ximena was a fierce double-edged blade. One Vale had to manage carefully.

As for the forces on the labyrinth side…

He'd brought Crow, Larry, Dickless, and three other workers. As well as Stacy's squad, Awilix, and Salome…

The workers continued making stalagmites and spikes, storing them in the false ceiling so they could help with defense. The other archers all surrendered their arrows to Two, giving her fifteen. Two was made a few elevated platforms were made hanging off the wall in the maze, from which she could shoot down. The rest of the warriors and archers armed with swords were to hold the line at the streamers.

This left just Awilix, Salome, Two, and Vale to fend off the impending horde…

It's not as if Vale was taking this lightly.

It's that he saw this as the best solution.

While his warriors weren't necessarily weak, they weren't much stronger than the Chameleon Warriors and definitely not the beasts being summoned in Level 4. Until their numbers beefed up a little and skill improved, they were still dead weight. Not dead weight that Vale regretted, of course. He knew their use would be shown later. But right now, it was a problem.

As for how the three of them, Two, and the workers, were going to take down the 24 foes, plus eventually the hundred or so more outside alone?

Well… Vale hadn't entirely solved that one yet.

He was pretty confident he'd be able to beat either force in the dungeon, but he still had no means of drawing the chameleons in. In fact, Vale might go as far as to say he'd rather his enemies team up than keep this blockade going for an extended period.

Plus, he now had the additional challenge of capturing some of his foes alive so his forces could eat and sustain themselves.

'This isn't going to be pretty.'

As for why he didn't go for the third Champion when he was only eleven Satisfaction away, he didn't want to get caught with his pants down… literally.

He may consider such a solution toward strength later, depending on how stubborn the chameleons were in their blockade.

As for another hope Vale could grasp…

Eclipse.

Salome said she had a theory on the cat's ability, and that unlocking it would be the key to victory.

Vale dragged himself from the throne, said his goodbyes to the forces he was leaving behind, and stepped into the frigid tunnel. He wound the path and braved the cold, which got more intense and fierce as he approached Ximena.

When he finally reached her, and his body was starting to freeze once again, he launched himself at her and indulged in her cold, yet sweet lips. Once Lust built the tolerance needed to survive Ximena's glacial fury, Vale released the crystal owl, leaving her behind with cheeks painted crimson and her mouth wide open. A streak of drool spilling out.

"Habuduh…"

Vale could hear Ximena's mumbling as he exited the hall into the old core room, where everyone but Salome, who'd swapped positions with Ximena to watch the front entrance, gathered.

"Does everyone know their role?"

Two responded first, followed by the workers.

"Of course…"

"Baaduuuh!"

Vale's gaze fell onto the cat, which had finally managed to escape Salome's side.

"And Awilix… do you promise to behave?"

Awilix stared listlessly at Vale, blinking her golden eyes a little before eventually replying with a not-so-confident answer.

"...yes…"

Yet, Vale didn't have the luxury to keep this punishment of the cat going. And who was he to allow her punishment when he'd fallen for the same sin?

"Larry."

Vale pointed his fingers at Awilix's crotch, and a second later the imp screamed and bounded toward the cat.

"Badduhh!"

With a single, expert swipe of its claw, Larry rended to stone and freed Awilix's lower half, letting it breathe.

Awilix began stretching and yelled:

"Finally!"

Then, she began to run around the walls of the dome-shaped room as if gravity didn't exist. As she ran, Vale couldn't help but notice her increased speed and agility from when they fought…

'Well, her and Salome had been fighting the chameleons outside…'

Vale decided to check her status page.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Name: [Awilix]

Title: [---]

Aspect: [Moon Dancer]

Class: [Monster]

Core Rank: [Nascent] - (65/300)

Loyalty: [18/100]

Traits: [Iron Claw] [Eclipse]

♥︎♥︎♥︎

'Still only 18 Loyalty, huh…'

Well, they did cage her…

Still…

'65 Aether! What the hell!'

Vale had been here from the start, yet Awilix now had double his Aether reserves!

'I really have to get out some…'

'But the outside world is scary!'

Vale internally sighed as he began to walk off.

"Follow me, Awilix, Two. The rest of you, assume your positions and stay there until ordered otherwise."

The warriors screamed:

"Right!"

As they left the room, the pussy, who was now free of that terrible bondage, ran up to Vale's side and began rubbing her head on his shoulder while purring. Her mind had already devolved elsewhere the moment she was freed…

Vale knew of one way to focus the cat on the right subject…

"After all the threats are dealt with, Awilix, you can have all you want."

The cat looked up at him with excited eyes before stepping away and hopping up and down.

"Yay!"

"But until then… behave."

"Fiiineee…"

The group brushed aside the streamers, exited the room, and then made their way down the maze. And right at the first bend from the main entrance, Vale stopped and took out his new item: Dawn's Eye and gave it to Awilix.

He actually had another Dawn's Eye from the group Ximena fought, but he kept that one for himself, leaving it stored in the Nexus of Beginnings.

Awilix took the orb in her claw and began playing with it.

"What's this?"

"Salome said to give it to you."

The poor cat looked traumatized just hearing the succubus' name.

"H-huh?"

'And it also seems she has no idea what Salome meant either…'

A roar cascaded through the halls and reached their ears.

Level 4 had begun.

Two jumped on the nearest loft and Vale to another as he dragged his whip from the Nexus of Beginnings. Awilix stayed below on the ground, and Salome would soon be there to join her.

'Let's see the power of an Emergent.'

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