Lucien’s gaze drifted over his pets.
Skittles had reached Level 45, Oreo Level 40 and Sparkles stood at 51.
They’d grown stronger over ti... yet their progress had begun to stall.
Skittles and Oreo were born from Monster Cards.
They can gain levels the sa way he did. Through killing.
Sparkles, however, was different.
It was once a wild monster and it seed capable of growing stronger simply by circulating mana.
Every creature had a different body structure and Lucien had no idea what kind of mana flows they practiced... and if they even thought about it consciously.
Sparkles certainly didn’t. It moved through the process entirely on instinct.
Still, once Sparkles had beco his pet, it had gained the ability to level up through combat as well.
And of course, even received loot drops.
That raised the question.
’Could Skittles and Oreo also strengthen themselves through mana circulation? Then again, they were slis. Do they even have mana vessels?’
Lucien let out a sigh.
Sparkles still hadn’t reached 100 loyalty.
Sowhere in its heart was a lifelong wish and if he could uncover and fulfill it, their bond would reach 100... and he’d finally be able to copy its skill.
The one he wanted most was its Skywalk.
...
Still, after his recent level-ups, Lucien could feel it.
His bond with his pets had grown stronger.
He could now issue commands telepathically, even from a distance... and they’d respond instantly.
They’d grown sharper too and now able to follow more complex orders than before.
He still couldn’t understand their words... if they even had any... but he could sense their moods with uncanny clarity.
Perhaps, in ti, he’d even hear their thoughts or voices.
Lucien’s gaze turned thoughtful.
They wouldn’t gain much more from hunting monsters on the 1st or 2nd floors.
His mind drifted to the mory of the 3rd floor and a faint glint sparked in his eyes.
He already had a plan to intercept the elusive Void and Temporal Slis.
With nothing pressing to stop him, the timing couldn’t be better.
And so...
Mini Lucien climbed onto Sparkles’ back.
"Avengers, assemble! Go!"
Skittles and Oreo hopped on with him.
Sparkles then bolted forward carrying them toward their destination.
The dungeon.
•••
Before long, they reached the dungeon entrance.
Lucien pulled out his MONSTERDEX and summoned two figures.
Korrak and Vyrran.
The drakes rumbled warmly.
Lucien pet them. He could feel that their deep groans carried unmistakable joy at seeing him again.
Peek and Aboo stayed in reserve as they weren’t built for frontline combat.
Lucien quickly organized his forces. Sparkles and he would hold the rear while the others ford the vanguard.
A faint thrill ran through him.
This was the first ti he’d commanded such a large group of his pets in battle. He’d fought alongside Skittles before, but this... this felt different.
Of course, being in his mini form ant he couldn’t simply charge ahead alone... so maybe this was for the best.
With the formation set, Lucien gave the order and they dashed toward the 3rd floor.
Along the way, they encountered so of his subjects. They were out hunting slis and collecting their mana cores in their spare ti.
The drakes drew imdiate stares but when the hunters spotted mini Lucien riding atop Sparkles they froze mid-step.
They recognized the unmistakable aura of Lucien
Everyone already knew the signal. Clara has told them before.
If mini Lucien was radiating that aura, it was truly him.
They straightened and saluted in unison.
"My Lord. Good day."
"Good work, all of you." Lucien replied. Then he tossed each of them an energy drink. "Take a break."
They shared a brief, lively exchange. His subjects were clearly excited by his unexpected appearance.
Soon, Lucien excused himself and they continued on toward their objective.
They pressed onward.
The path was clear. The Yin-Yang Boss had already fallen to his pets earlier, leaving no obstacles in their way.
Lucien asked the group to go down the stairs to the 3rd level.
And then... he saw them.
Far ahead, standing motionless like sentinels were two slis.
They were semi-transparent, yet carried an uncanny presence.
The first seed to cradle the night sky within itself. Stars swirled in a hypnotic spiral. An entire galaxy seed to be compressed into its gelatinous form. Deep and endless.
Void Sli.
The other shimred in gold. Its interior was a cascade of glittering dust that shifted and swirled like a living hourglass caught between monts.
Temporal Sli.
Lucien swallowed.
He was stronger now and more experienced... but even so, part of him couldn’t help thinking...
They almost looked cute.
Then...
Lucien felt the shift in the air.
His senses sharpened as the Temporal Sli stirred.
It gave a single bounce and the golden dust within it swirled upward, taking shape.
An hourglass ford in its translucent core. The glittering grains tumbled down in a rapid cascade.
He recognized it.
’It must be casting the of Slow magic or whatever it was.’
Once the last grain fell, the spell would be complete.
Not on his watch.
"PROCRASTINATE."
His voice rang out.
The hourglass shattered. The golden dust lost its rhythm and it scattered in chaotic swirls.
The spell... was broken.
A satisfied smile tugged at his lips. He’d been waiting for the chance to try this since he acquired PROCRASTINATE.
His miniature split body carried only a fraction of his divine energy which ant he can’t use much magic.
But skills? It’s a good thing they worked just fine.
Then...
With the casting disrupted, they moved forward, descending the final steps.
At last, Lucien set foot on the 3rd floor.
Well... technically, Sparkles’ hooves did. He was still riding on its back. His miniature body perched like a commander on his war mount.
Skittles and Oreo didn’t hesitate...
They bolted straight for the slis.
But the Void Sli reacted first.
It blinked.
In the next instant, it was already right in front of them.
Lucien’s heightened senses caught it.
Just before the blink, the galaxy swirling inside the sli shifted ever so slightly. That tiny distortion revealed the direction it would teleport to.
That was all he needed.
Right now, the consumable drops he’d been eating constantly were paying off. The Orange Essence from carrot drops had subtly sharpened his vision.
Lucien smiled faintly.
Skittles and Oreo darted aside just as the Void Sli lunged, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow.
But the creature’s body shifted again. The stars swirled within its translucent form... signaling another blink.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
Through telepathic link, he sent Sparkles the coordinates, predicting where the sli would reappear.
Sparkles let out a proud neigh.
Lightning began to coil around its horn.
It crackled as the lightning builds with a dangerous hum.
When the charge reached its peak, Lucien gave the signal.
A bolt of lightning ripped through the air...
...and struck the Void Sli the mont it materialized.
It never even had a chance to react.
One hit. Gone.
But then...
The Temporal Sli proved it could do more than just slow enemies. It could accelerate itself too.
In a blink, it streaked toward Skittles like a living cot.
But Skittles wasn’t the sa as before.
It was stronger now and higher in level.
It slid to the side with liquid grace and fired a Sli Shot.
The Temporal Sli dodged... and countered with its own blisteringly fast sli projectile.
That’s when Oreo stepped in.
Light magic buffs.
The radiant burst surged into Skittles, giving it a burst of speed.
Skittles bounced.
It blurred and dashed straight at the Temporal Sli.
They moved so fast that to ordinary eyes, it was nothing but streaks and flickers.
Oreo switched tactics.
Dark magic pulsed in jagged waves as it slowed the Temporal Sli’s movents.
That was all Skittles needed.
Its super sticky Sli Shot slamd into the target, pinning it to the ground like glue.
The Temporal Sli thrashed. Its magic corroded the sticky strands faster and faster.
But before it could break free, Oreo leapt high into the air...
...and ca crashing down with brutal force.
The Temporal Sli’s body collapsed in on itself, and it went still.
Lucien couldn’t help but smile.
Truth be told, everything had happened so fast. Even though it was just a battle between slis, it was genuinely fun to watch.
"This is what I’m talking about! Hahaha! Slis are this strong... not like those blobs of disappointnt back in the capital."
He nodded in satisfaction.
At this point, he was certain his pets could handle the slis on the third level even without him.
He had barely stepped in to help. With proper coordination, they could more than hold their own.
He signaled Sparkles to move ahead.
Loot was instantly drawn in. The range of Auto-Collect extended to five ters thanks to him hitting Level 50.
They pressed onward.
Korrak and Vyrran soon joined in and the group’s coordination beca near seamless.
Lucien only gave commands when necessary.
Sparkles maintained distance and rained magic from afar while the slis and drakes held the front line.
They went deeper.
The Void Slis seed to be getting smarter. This ti, they targeting Lucien directly.
One fired a razor-sharp sli shot straight at him but Sparkles moved in ti to intercept, dodging at the last second.
Lucien swallowed hard.
When the projectile hit the wall, it left a scratch.
’How sharp is that thing? It can actually scratch the impregnable dungeon wall!?’
He was surprised. It looked like it could cut through almost anything.
Still, he forced himself to focus.
His commands beca sharper and more precise as he studied their patterns and attacks.
Soon, their kill rate increased.
Along the way, Lucien picked up a few key details.
The Temporal Sli could only slow one target at a ti.
He almost laughed at himself for not realizing sooner.
Fighting in groups had been the right call from the start.
The Void Sli, on the other hand, beca much easier to predict once he noticed its blinking limit. No more than two ters at a ti.
But as they descended further, the numbers increased.
The real challenge wasn’t the strength of the slis. It was the sheer volu of them.
More Temporal Sli ans they could slow more of them.
Lucien made sure to cast PROCRASTINATE whenever possible.
Sparkles kept its distance.
It unleashed lightning attacks that were both fast and devastatingly effective.
It wasn’t easy.
The swarm pressed hard. Their strange tactics forced Lucien and his pets to adapt constantly.
But they weren’t the sa as before. They were stronger now.
And in the end... they beca more efficient in killing them.
Lucien’s eyes lit up as he saw the pile of drops waiting for him.
***
—Void Sli Drops—
Common:
• Void Residue - a viscous fluid that distorts space around it. Used in space magic enchantnts.
• Warped Jelly - temporary adhesive that holds object together. Can be used in illusion potions.
• Spatial Lubricant - lets object slide through tight gaps more easily
Uncommon:
• Void Thread - strands that can sew rifts. Can be used to weave cloaks of concealnt.
• Sli Sac - ingredient for crafting Spatial Bags.
• Spatial Rope Coil - can extend far beyond its physical length.
Rare:
• Spatial Tear Crystal - grants a one-ti blink teleport when crushed.
• Anchor Stone - stabilizes an area against spatial warping or teleportation, preventing surprise incursions.
• Waystone Fragnt - links to other fragnts, letting you know the direction and the approximate distance of the linked fragnt.
—Temporal Sli Drops—
Common:
• Chrono Residue - a slow dripping fluid that distorts ti around it. Used in ti magic enchantnts.
• Preservation Gel - keeps consumables fresh indefinitely.
• Haste Salve - boosts movent speed for a short duration.
Uncommon:
• Stasis Thread - strands that can lock rifts in its current state. Woven items made from the thread slowly regenerate to its original state when damaged.
• Cycle Stone - speeds up or slows down the ti of an object.
• Countdown Chalk - creates markings that vanish after a preset duration.
Rare:
• Reset Rune Tablet - returns the object to its original condition. One ti use.
• Chrono Lantern - accelerates thought and perception within its light’s radius.
• Synchronizer Drum - attacks from allies land simultaneously for increased combined impact.
***
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