Ramiel worked hard for half a year. He alternated between training, hunting, training future soldiers, and investing time in researching Infirnyt crystals.
Ramiel was so engrossed that he didn't even have time to check the changes in his status window.
And now... when he did, he couldn't get out of his awe.
The gain in strength and dexterity was unbelievable at around 100 points.
Vitality at 70 points...
A mana statistic of 150? Pure madness...
Ramiel could even venture to say he was on par with hunters at the top of the low-intermediate rank.
However, he had no way of knowing how wrong he was. He was stronger than them.
All thanks to an absurd amount of mana for his statistics, which constantly nourishes and strengthens the cells inside his body.
And that's just the beginning. Thanks to the unique cultivation technique he developed, the process happens faster than in other people.
It is also worth mentioning the experience developed on the frontline, which no one can take away from him.
Let me leave out the above-average understanding of the elements and the advantage of an array of baffled skills, such as Leach or Cursed Damnation.
Now... we get a flesh-and-blood monster in human skin by attaching a better version of Shadow Walk and a new space-related ability that the hunter abused in his previous life.
All in all, Ramiel outclassed the inferior hunters, and this wasn't in dispute.
However, the unexpected progress in understanding the elements of gravity and space caught his attention.
Ramiel didn't remember crossing a boundary...
On the other hand, there was no way the status window could be wrong.
It could only mean one thing. The dungeon's core had decided to restore a scrap of blocked power for the first time.
If that was the case... Ramiel didn't mind.
There was probably no one in the world who didn't like free gifts. And ones that take months and sometimes years to earn.
Interesting... maybe with a little effort, I'll be able to kill the bastard...
The fleeting thought of the humiliation he suffered at the hands of the Night Deuce boiled the blood in Ramiel's veins.
His amethyst eyes, which normally raged with a blizzard, turned to an intense bloodlust. His hatred for the monster was so strong that it materialized in the form of a barely visible mist.
The hunter might not have blazed such hatred for the creature had it not decided to raise its hand against Asme and Caera.
With this act, the Night Deuce signed its own death certificate. Ramiel wouldn't let go until she sank the blade of her sword into the heart of the foul beast.
So what if it was once a creature that ruled the world...
The past belongs to the past, one must live in the present... which is as follows - the Night Deuce is nothing more than prey that Ramiel is hunting.
" Huh? "
The hairs on Asme's body stood up. Although the intention wasn't directed at her, she felt its negative effects.
Her confused eyes stared at the clouds of blood-colored mist swirling around Ramiel.
Asme felt as if her lover's face was shrouded in an impenetrable and dark shadow.
It could only have been her imagination, but for a brief moment, she saw the damaged weapon tremble with excitement.
Asme's small hands tightened on Ramiel's half-naked skin, trying to break through to his consciousness.
" Ramiel! "
Ramiel didn't hear... He couldn't hear.
His mind plunged into chaos, and his thoughts revolved around a way to quench his endlessly recurring thirst.
The unbearable scratching in his throat and dryness in his mouth suddenly hit with redoubled force.
He couldn't find a solution ... no matter how long he searched.
At least, that was the case until now. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a quite tasty morsel sitting in his lap.
Ramiel could see the agitated flow of blood in the veins hidden beneath Asme's soft and flawless skin. To say more, he could smell the peculiar metallic odor of the scarlet liquid.
Unexpectedly, a treacherous feminine twang appeared in the man's head, urging him to commit an unforgivable act.
' Just ... do it ... '.
' After this ... you will feel better ... '.
' Come on... '
' Nothing could go wrong... '
' You need... only one blow... to fulfill your desire... '
' Remember, only one... '
' The price is small... '
' And relief will come forever... '
Ramiel had lost his mind. He completely gave in to lust and wild instincts.
Before he knew it, his teeth were sinking into Asme's exposed collarbone.
The scarlet, life-giving liquid found its way into Ramiel's thirsty throat. It was as if some unknown being had given it free will.
The man drank like mad, unable to stop.
At an alarming rate, scarlet liquid filled his mouth, generating absurd amounts of dopamine.
Each sip brought more divine liquid, instantly quenching his urgent thirst.
Asme's blood acted like a firefighter, putting out a sudden and chaotic fire.
Over time, the dopamine turned into a source of unfathomable ecstasy.
Ramiel never felt better. Blood hummed in his ears, providing new strength.
The man's appetite grew by leaps and bounds. The more he drank, the more he craved. Just like certain blades, accompanying him almost from the beginning of his adventure in the dungeon.
Asme struggled, trying to break free from the man's iron grip, but it didn't have the desired effect.
Ramiel wasn't satisfied with the behavior of his victim. In a fit of anger, his hand clamped down on the woman's skin, which was pale from blood loss.
Asme squealed in fear. Ramiel's attack had been sudden and unexpected. It gave her no chance to defend herself.
" Ramiel ... it - it hurts ... ".
Asme's fading whisper tore through the stranger's vicious voice in time, restoring Ramiel's sobriety of mind.
The man tore himself away from the horned beauty's blood-bathed collarbone like a scalded man.
Asme lunged at Ramiel with a look of regret written in a drowning sea of red.
The first thing the man did was burn the wound to avoid more blood loss.
" Ugh... "
Ramiel paid no attention to Asme's painful moans, mixed with the sound of sizzling skin. All that mattered was to get the wound sealed up as quickly as possible. Any potential scars would be taken care of by Felix.
" Asme? "
Asme forced herself to smile artificially. Ramiel's treatment hurt like hell... if it had lasted a little longer, the woman would have gouged out his eyes.
" If this is how our evening together is to be... then I'd rather give it to Caera... ".
A barely audible sigh of relief escaped from the nervous Ramiel's lips. The situation couldn't be as hopeless as it looked if Asme was throwing jokes left and right. It was a little worse... but he couldn't know that. The horned beauty didn't want to give Ramiel another reason to worry. He already had plenty of them anyway.
" Sorry, Asme... it... ".
" Shhh... "
Trembling and pale as snow, the horned beauty's finger stopped on Ramiel's lips, which were dry as a desert.
The man fell silent, like a devoted knight who, years ago, swore allegiance to the lady of his heart.
The vows he made carried a mystical and unbreakable power. They were unyielding and binding for all time... Once written on the pages of the Book of Creation, they were never lost.
Ramiel felt similar to the knights shrouded in legend. One gesture from Asme was enough to entrap him in place. This was due to a simple fact. His soul became addicted to the unique aura that the horned beauty spread around him.
Many months of therapy not only succeeded in prolonging the hunter's life but also had the unexpected effect of deepening the relationship between Asme and Ramiel.
" You don't have to say anything... I know you would never do anything to hurt me. "
Asme's trembling yet sweet voice had a soothing effect, calming the agitated emotions boiling inside Ramiel's heart.
Sigh...
Suddenly, a pleasant and familiar warmth originating in the stomach spread over the unruly demoness' body. Asme felt Ramiel's strong arms embrace her tenderly. Although he could break tree trunks with his bare hands, he handled Asme like a newborn baby.
Ramiel brought his face as close as he could to the pale Asme. The distance between them was practically nonexistent. She could feel his anxious breath brushing against her sensitive skin... She could see her own reflection in the amethyst eyes resembling an abyss... or perceive in them complex and difficult to define feelings.
If Asme had wanted to, she might have been tempted to read some of them... but sometimes, you have to ask yourself if it's worth it. Maybe, by chance, she would see something... that would forever change the light in which she sees Ramiel?
No... Nothing, nor anyone, could change her devotion or loyalty to Ramiel. It was a flimsy excuse.
Asme was simply afraid... afraid that he might only pretend, and their moments together... memories... would turn out to be nothing more than good acting and a sweet lie.
Our little devil is still struggling with the effects of past oppression. Annabeth and the rest of her siblings inflicted on her a deep wound that the woman will have to deal with on her own...
What hurt the most was the double betrayal of her mother, whom she once trusted.
Ramiel didn't know about the doubts that, from time to time, racked Asme's mind. Unfortunately, he couldn't read minds... It was beyond his ability to do so...
For now, he had to make amends for the wrongs he had done.
Ramiel took another step along the winding path to the woman's heart. Slowly but surely, he shortened the distance separating him from Asme. He moved confidently forward until their foreheads met, leaning against each other. Contrary to what one might think, the couple didn't move any further. They simply continued like that, gazing at each other.
Asme needed nothing more to understand the feelings Ramiel was trying to convey to her.
It was their one and only way to apologize. A simple physical contact and one deep look were enough to forgive all the sins of the world.
For a brief moment, a silly and most beautiful smile appeared on the woman's face, which for a split second, was able to erase from Ramiel's heart the stigma of the betrayal that had plagued him.
With a quiet sigh of regret, Asme pierced the ethereal bubble in which the couple was enclosed.
Blood-red eyes, reminiscent of an unruly ocean of scarlet blood, wandered to the broken swords beside the throne.
To the woman's astonishment, a blade shrouded in a barely visible mist sprouted from a cracked, tattered hilt that should have contained nothing else.
Asme could give herself a slash on the hand that was related to the incident of a few minutes ago. Without knowing why, she had a bad feeling about it.
" Ramiel... can't you get rid of her? " The weak voice of the succubus threw Ramiel off balance.
The answer to the question didn't come easily to him. He usually gave an evasive answer, but how long could he drag this out?
" This... " Ramiel abruptly broke off. His heart contracted painfully at the sight of Asme's regret-filled and resigned gaze.
" Sigh... You know I can't do this... it will only get worse..."
It was hard for Ramiel. This isn't the first time he has lost control of himself, harming Caera or Asme in the meantime. All because of the two damaged swords that strenuously tried to make his life miserable.
After the first incident, during which he nearly killed an elfess, he wanted to get rid of the source of the problem once and for all. However, a more experienced and older version of him strongly objected.
To quote his words. - " Don't be a fucking retard who makes decisions on impulse. Look at the bigger picture. If the weapon is powerful enough to directly affect you, it might be worth spending a little effort to subdue it. I'm sure you won't regret it... One more thing, in case you were wondering, I forbid you from getting rid of your swords. I don't know how you will do it, but you are to master them. I'm not going to let the hen that lays the golden eggs literally escape from under your nose. Besides, hey, can you really blame her for what she's doing? Think about how you treated them all along. I told you before, but you fucked up big time. Our weapon has its own personality... So start treating it like a living and sentient being, not an object that you replace when it breaks down."
Ramiel found himself trapped. Even though he wanted to get along with the weapon, the weapon did not want to cooperate with him. It was quite the opposite, the twin blades putting him in a state of never-ending thirst.
During it, he acted like a wild beast. His vision became cloudy, and his mind was filled with an uncontrollable urge to murder. While running amok, Ramiel didn't distinguish between enemies and friends. In his eyes, everything was an animal.
The only thing that soothed his suffering was the fresh blood of those close to him. It was the only antidote that could effectively satisfy the hunter's uncontrollable hunger.
Otherwise, Ramiel would go mad, turning into the complete opposite of who he is.
Ramiel placed a gentle kiss on Asme's pale forehead.
" Get some sleep. Trust me on my word, you'll need it later..."
Asme's chest rose steadily, moving the material of the light airy dress meantime.
" How sweet... "
The woman went to Dreamland before Ramiel had a chance to finish...
He watched tenderly as the sleeping demoness nestled against his chest.
" Sweet dreams Asme. "