Arthur exhaled slowly and focused his thoughts.
"Use."
The familiar mechanical response echoed in his mind.
[You have used "Random Skill Card" x3]
Ding!
[You have obtained "Manifestation of Magic Power"]
Ding!
[You have obtained "Flame of Life"]
Ding!
[You have obtained "Mana Skin"]
[Due to the effects of "Multi-Source Dragon Heart (Incomplete)", "Mana Skin" has been transformed into "Dragon Scales"]
Arthur paused, absorbing the information.
Two of the three skills were immediately familiar to him.
Mana Skin was a foundational technique from the same world as Anti-Magic. High-ranking mages treated it as second nature, forming a thin layer of mana directly over the skin. It provided protection against temperature extremes, corrosive environments, and direct attacks, while also reducing the damage of spells and physical blows.
In its advanced forms, it became almost indistinguishable from true armor.
Now, however, it had been rewritten by his Dragon Heart.
Dragon Scales was not a technique that consumed mana continuously. Instead, it altered his body itself, reinforcing his skin at a fundamental level. The defensive value would scale with his growth, rather than remaining static.
That alone made it terrifying.
The second skill made him inhale sharply.
Flame of Life.
He knew this one well.
A flame saturated with vitality itself, capable of purifying poisons, erasing curses, healing psychological trauma, and even reversing aging. In the original story, its usage was severely limited, bound by daily restrictions and immense backlash.
The system had removed those limitations.
With this, he could preserve the lives of people who should have aged, broken, or fallen. Asia immediately came to mind. Because of his interference, she had not become a demon, and now her lifespan was once again that of a human.
That problem no longer existed.
As for Manifestation of Magic Power, it was simple but indispensable. It acted as a stabilizer and amplifier for magic usage, reducing loss, smoothing activation, and making spellcasting far more efficient.
It was not flashy, but it was exactly what he needed.
"It seems I'm finally done collecting rewards."
Arthur stretched slightly, feeling his body respond perfectly to the movement. There was no stiffness, no lingering fatigue. Healthy Body (+) was already at work, optimizing him on a level that bordered on absurd.
Part of that vitality also came from Lilith.
The thought alone made his chest tighten faintly.
Finally, he opened the system store in earnest.
His current balance hovered at around one hundred and fifty thousand system points.
He scrolled slowly at first, letting curiosity guide him. Mana potions, stamina restoratives, antidotes, talismans, emergency food bags, and medicines designed for obscure fantasy afflictions filled the list. Some items bordered on absurd, including treatments for magical plagues and conceptual diseases that should not exist.
Then he found the rest area improvement section.
This was where he stopped skimming and began calculating.
Ten thousand points for a luxury bed. He purchased it without hesitation.
A hundred points for a table and chairs set. A small thing, but comfort mattered.
One thousand points for a machine capable of generating any type of food, customized to nutritional and magical needs. He bought that as well.
Another ten thousand points went into upgrading the bathroom, expanding it into something closer to a high-end suite than a dungeon rest area.
It was a painful expense, but he did not regret it.
This place was no longer just a training room. It was becoming a sanctuary, a place where time meant nothing and growth had no ceiling.
Then he saw it.
The item he truly wanted.
Free Passage Authorization Card.
Five hundred thousand system points.
Arthur stared at the number for a long moment before closing the menu.
"So that's the goal."
If he obtained it, this place would stop being a dungeon and become something far more dangerous. A personal domain where he could retreat, train, experiment, and even bring others if the system allowed it.
He clenched his fist slowly.
"Looks like I won't be leaving the dungeon anytime soon."
After eating and showering, Arthur returned to the resting area and sat down in one of the chairs, letting his thoughts settle.
He barely had time to relax before a familiar warmth suddenly pressed down on him.
Lilith appeared on his lap without warning, her body fitting against his as naturally as if it had always belonged there. Her long, dark hair cascaded over his shoulders, strands brushing against his face. Her skin was warm and impossibly soft, her presence overwhelming even without any magic involved.
She was still naked, but this time Arthur remained in control. His heart still beat faster, yet his mind stayed clear thanks to Charm Immunity.
"You should take a bath, get dressed, and eat," he said, resting a hand on her waist. "I plan to go to the next floor soon."
Lilith pouted, her cheeks puffing up slightly as her tail swayed behind her in a slow, lazy motion.
"So soon…" she murmured.
Instead of answering, she leaned closer, her forehead resting against his. Her crimson eyes gazed into his, filled with warmth, affection, and something far deeper.
"I can't go with you," she said softly. "I'm restricted to watching from here."
Arthur frowned faintly, and she explained how she had tried to hatch while he was still fighting the poison, only to be restrained by the dungeon itself so that his trial would not lose its meaning.
"So that's how it is," Arthur said quietly. "Still… I'm glad you tried."
He lifted his hand and gently stroked her hair.
"I chose this place willingly," he continued. "I'm here to become stronger."
Lilith's expression brightened instantly. She smiled, clearly pleased, and without warning wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her lips brushed against his cheek at first, slow and deliberate.
Then she kissed him.
The kiss was unhurried and deep, her lips soft but confident as they pressed against his. A faint sound escaped between them, a quiet smooch as she lingered, savoring the moment. Arthur felt her smile against his lips before she kissed him again, longer this time, her breath warm and steady.
She pulled back just slightly, only to lean in again, planting a series of gentle kisses along his lips and jaw, each one accompanied by soft, affectionate sounds. Her tail curled loosely around his waist as if to keep him from slipping away.
When she finally drew back, she guided him backward until the edge of the bed touched his legs.
With a gentle push, she made him sit.
Then she climbed onto him, straddling his lap with complete confidence, her posture relaxed yet unmistakably dominant. She placed her hands on his shoulders, leaning close enough that he could feel her breath against his skin.
Her lips met his again, and this time the kiss was slower, deeper, filled with intent. She kissed him until his breathing grew heavier, the quiet sound of their lips parting filling the room. When she finally broke the kiss, she rested her forehead against his, her voice low and warm.
"You belong to me," she whispered softly. "And I'll be waiting for you."
Arthur exhaled slowly, his hands resting on her hips.
"I'll come back," he said.
Satisfied, Lilith smiled and kissed him once more, a final lingering kiss before sliding off him. She stepped back, her eyes never leaving his.
"Go," she said gently. "I'll be watching."
With a single command, Arthur vanished from the resting area and reappeared inside the dark corridor of the dungeon.
This time, he felt different.
Calmer. Sharper.
He trusted that Healthy Body (+) would protect him from the poison lingering in the environment. He switched his energy source back to Anti-Magic, sacrificing spell usage for overwhelming close-quarters dominance.
His Mana Sense expanded to its limit.
Three enemies appeared in his perception: a warrior, a mage, and an archer.
Arthur moved instantly.
Lightning erupted from his gauntlets as he used Shunpo to close the distance, forcing the mage to raise multiple barriers that shattered upon contact. The warrior intercepted the attack at the last second, deflecting the lightning with his blade.
The archer fired immediately, but Instinct guided Arthur's movement, allowing him to evade with minimal effort.
When a rock projectile and a sword strike converged on him simultaneously, Arthur unleashed a technique he had never tested before.
"Roar."
A powerful shockwave exploded outward, shattering the projectile and staggering the warrior. Arthur surged through the debris and crushed the mage's skull in a single blow.
He rolled to avoid another arrow and raised his hand, igniting the Flame of Life.
The undead archer was engulfed instantly, its bones bleached and crumbling as the vital energy burned it away.
The final warrior fell moments later.
Arthur continued forward, eliminating group after group with increasing efficiency, until at last he reached a massive metal door towering over four meters high.
Ding!
[Congratulations, host, you have reached your first boss room]
[Every three floors, you may withdraw with standard rewards or face an additional challenge for increased rewards]
[Warning: boss rooms cannot be exited once entered]
[Do you wish to face the boss?]
Arthur stood silently before the door, recalling Lilith's warmth, her confidence, her faith in him.
After a moment, he smiled.
"I will face the boss"