Chapter 748 – Beyond Reach
Lux exhaled slowly.
"Now if you’re done," he said lazily, "get lost. I need to enjoy myself."
Corvus clicked his beak once in mock offense.
"Rude."
The raven dissolved into shadow, feathers unraveling into ink-like mist before vanishing completely.
Zehar slid off the counter with a soft wet sound, reforming into a thin stream that slipped toward the drain like he had always belonged to gravity.
"Don’t die," Zehar muttered.
Lux smirked.
The bathroom fell quiet.
Steam drifted lazily.
Lux leaned his head back again and closed his eyes.
"System," he said quietly. "Status."
A faint glow shimred across the air in front of him.
[Na: Lux Vaelthorn]
[Class: Infernal Sovereign]
[Level: 310]
[HP: 2,050,000]
[DP: 730,000]
[Charisma: 999 (MAX)]
[Magic Affinity: 1,309]
[Strength: 950]
[Agility: 1,050]
15% Resistance to Light-Based Status Effects
10% Spell Damage vs Celestial Targets
12% Physical Attack
10% Magical Attack
20% Physical Defense
20% Magical Defense
Constellation Guidance – When traveling under the night sky, allies cannot get lost; critical hit chance increases at night.
Lux stared at it through the rising steam.
Level 310.
Two million HP.
Charisma maxed.
It looked impressive.
It was impressive.
And yet.
"I still need more..."
His voice echoed softly against marble.
’How far do I need to climb?’
He watched the numbers as if they were stocks he wasn’t satisfied with.
The King stood above that.
Ancient Lords stood above that.
Celestial archons could still pressure him.
It wasn’t enough.
He leaned forward slightly in the bath, forearms resting on his knees, steam sliding off his shoulders.
I need a boost.
Not gradual growth.
Acceleration.
His mind began mapping options automatically.
Artifact stacking. Risky.
Contract expansions. Slow.
Soul-bound multipliers. Political backlash.
Potion.
He stilled.
Potion that increases growth rate.
Temporary EXP amplification.
He frowned.
Where would sothing like that exist.
Not common market.
Not Greed Vault standard inventory.
Sothing hybrid.
Sothing unstable.
His thoughts slowed.
That unstable vial in the vault.
Mixed celestial and infernal.
He exhaled slowly.
Maybe. But he couldn’t consu it yet.
He pushed himself up out of the bath.
Water cascaded down his body, sliding across defined muscle, steam rising thicker for a mont as cool air hit wet skin.
He stepped onto the marble floor, grabbing a dark towel and wrapping it around his hips loosely.
The mirror caught him fully now.
Hair damp. Skin faintly flushed from heat. No more scorch marks visible on fabric because the fabric was gone.
But the faint line across his shoulder where divine pressure had grazed him still shimred slightly when the light hit it.
He leaned closer to the mirror.
And still calculating.
He ran a hand through his damp hair.
"Potion EXP..."
"You muttered too loud, Lux."
He didn’t flinch.
He saw her reflection before he turned.
Mira.
Her long hair fell over one shoulder. She had changed into sothing softer than corporate battle attire but not work formal either. Casual. Mortal elegant.
She stepped into the bathroom quietly, barefoot against marble.
Then she wrapped her arms around him from behind.
Warm.
Real.
Her cheek pressed lightly against his back.
"You haven’t gone to work," he said.
"I have ti."
Her voice was calm.
"So I decided to check you out."
He snorted softly.
"Check out."
"Yes."
Her hands rested flat against his abdon, fingers splayed lightly, feeling the tension he pretended wasn’t there.
He didn’t move for a second.
Then he let himself lean back into her just slightly.
Not weakness.
Just contact.
"You’re thinking too hard," she murmured.
"That’s normal."
She didn’t raise her voice.
Didn’t dramatize it.
Just said it.
And that hit harder than yelling.
Her arms tightened a fraction.
"I saw your sleeve," she added quietly.
Of course she did.
"You tried to brush it off. But, you’re bad at hiding it."
He exhaled through his nose.
"I guess."
She pressed her forehead between his shoulder blades.
"You go silent when you calculate sothing dangerous."
He stared at himself in the mirror.
She was right.
His eyes right now were not playful.
They were distant.
Processing.
"I need more power," he said quietly.
Mira didn’t respond imdiately.
"How much more," she finally asked.
He swallowed.
"I don’t know."
That was the part he hated admitting.
He didn’t know.
There was no clear ceiling.
No defined endpoint.
Just higher.
Safer.
Beyond reach.
He reached back and rested his hand lightly over hers.
"They killed the Lord of Debt."
Her fingers stilled slightly.
"I heard."
"If ancient Lords can fall, then the board is unstable."
"And you want to stand above it."
"Yes."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"And what happens when you reach the top."
He looked at her reflection.
"When there is no one above you."
He paused.
"Then I can relax."
Mira studied his face through the mirror.
"You don’t relax."
He gave a faint smirk.
"I can learn."
She moved around him slowly until she stood in front of him.
Her hands slid up his chest lightly, feeling the steady beat beneath.
"You don’t need to be untouchable," she said softly.
He didn’t answer.
Because in his head, he did.
He absolutely did.
For them.
For breakfast tables.
For mornings like this.
He leaned down slightly, resting his forehead against hers.
"Potion," he murmured.
She blinked.
"What?"
"EXP boost. Do you know about sothing like that?"
Her lips curved faintly.
"You’re really thinking about leveling up in the bathtub."
"Yes."
She laughed softly. "You’re insane." She slid her hands up his shoulders and squeezed gently. "You don’t have to solve everything before noon."
"I prefer to."
"I know."
She brushed a kiss against his collarbone, light and warm.
He closed his eyes briefly.
He opened them again.
The mirror reflected them together.
Infernal Sovereign.
Eastern dragon heiress.
Steam curling around both.
Her hands moved lower.
Slow.
Testing.
She pressed a kiss against his jaw first. Then his throat. Then lower, over the faint line where divine pressure had grazed him earlier.
Her lips lingered there.
Her fingers slid down his abdon, tracing muscle lightly. The towel around his hips loosened under her touch.
"I know a place," she said quietly.
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