Arno stepped forward and asked:
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she replied, nodding. "I am your devotee; you have my authorization to do so. Our pact will cause your strength to increase. At the very least, it's the only way I can transfer my energy to you."
Arno glanced behind her to make sure they were alone. Abe wore a gentle, blushing expression. She tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck, yet never once averted that fixed gaze from Arno.
'Should I touch her? If she insists and allows it, I won't say no, and there shouldn't be any problem.'
Arno swallowed, feeling desire pool in his stomach. A faint arousal stirred within his body. He walked up to Abe and touched her breasts without hesitation.
Abe closed her eyes without saying a word. Arno continued to squeeze them, unhurried. He leaned closer and kissed her neck. The scent Abe gave off was pleasant and soft—a blend of her natural aroma and perfume.
He stopped for a moment when he felt warmth spread throughout his body. It wasn't from arousal, but something else entirely. His body grew lighter, and his energy began to rise.
'Is this what Abe was referring to? Yeah… it's pretty easy to feel my strength increasing. She hasn't lied about anything so far.'
He pulled away from Abe. She opened her eyes slightly, looking at him from the corner of her eye. Arno inhaled deeply, sensing her submission and devotion.
'I don't belong to this world, and I don't even know why Abe holds such deep devotion for me… or rather, for the Arno before me. Still, her devotion is real. I don't feel like she deserves for me to take advantage of her. For now, I'll only use this if it's necessary and do my best to make sure she doesn't get hurt.'
Arno stepped away from Abe. She looked a bit confused and spoke:
"Do you not need more, Master? Normally, you don't stop until you're satisfied."
"I took enough for now. If I need more later, I'll rely on you, Abe."
"Yes. You will always have my help," she declared, a faint smile forming on her calm, composed expression.
Arno began walking toward the dungeon's crystal as he thought:
'For now, I'll keep acting and continue playing the role of Arno. At least until I can get some more answers about what happened. But to be able to ask questions, I need knowledge first. And if Abe hasn't lied about anything, then apparently I'm in danger of disappearing. That's the most alarming thing of all.'
Abe, who had put her black bandages back on, walked to Arno's side and said:
"Please remember this, Master. Inside the dungeon, it's far more dangerous for me to remove my bandages, so I depend entirely on your protection. I could end up cursed or possessed by the labyrinth."
When they both stepped inside, they took each other's hands and were transported elsewhere. It felt like a blink—an instant change of location.
"Huh?" Arno muttered. "That was so fast I didn't even have time to prepare myself."
He looked around, but there was no trace of the crystal. Abe knelt down to pick up a limestone pendant shaped like an obelisk.
"Master, your pendant."
Arno took it, and Abe stood back up.
'So this is what they use for transportation? It just looks like a simple necklace.'
He placed it around his neck and looked around again. The scenery was an immense cavern, one that even had waterfalls cascading in the distance, dropping nearly fifteen meters. Above them, a raging river flowed toward another drop whose end couldn't be seen.
The ceiling of the cavern was filled with thousands of white lights, as if they were stars. Gargoyles flew deeper into the darkness, while monsters of every kind inhabited and roamed the area—from humanoid figures wielding weapons to giants who relied solely on their bare hands.
Abe stepped a little too close to the edge. When Arno noticed she might fall, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back without even moving his feet.
His golden eyes took in the entire landscape—gloomy, yet beautiful all the same. He had never imagined he would witness something like this.
'A landscape you could only ever see in dreams. So this is the highest floor they've managed to explore… and Arno is ranked SSS.'
"Abe, tell me—am I the only one exploring this floor?"
"No, there are others as well. Including you, there are only four SSS-ranked explorers here, not counting their Guardians."
"I thought I'd be the only one who had them."
"We are Guardians. Our destiny is to find and serve the Master who will stop the devastation of the world. We consider ourselves sisters, even if we do not share the same blood."
"The devastation of the world…" he murmured.
NOTE: This novel will be updated daily WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS, but for now I'll be uploading chapters very frequently throughout the day. ^^