The monster snarled, shaking off the debris from its fur.
Its crimson looked full of rage, its breath was so heavy and steaming in the cold air of the dungeon.
Hercus clenched his fists, still feeling the power of Hercu's Might coursing through his veins.
But he knew that surge wouldn't last forever.
He needed more power.
And according to Sani and Eris, his system—the Humiliation System—thrived on the embarrassment of others.
Hercus turned toward the two fairies, settling on Sani.
She flinched under his intense stare.
"M-Master… w-why are you looking at me like that?"
Eris, slightly more composed, took a step forward.
"Master, are you thinking about using the system?"
Hercus smirked. "That depends… If I do something that humiliates one of you, will I get a power boost?"
Sani's face turned bright red, and she instinctively clutched her skimpy blue dress.
Unlike Eris, who wore a flowing yet slightly transparent purple garment, Sani's outfit was barely more than a thin piece of silk tied at her shoulders.
A single cut could unravel it.
Eris cleared her throat, her wings fluttered nervously.
"I-I suppose so, Master… The system is built to grow stronger when others are degraded or embarrassed in your presence."
Hercus's smirk widened. "Good to know."
Sani's eyes widened in alarm. "W-Wait! You're not going to—?!"
Before she could react, Hercus reached out and grasped the strap of her dress.
"EEP!" Sani yelped, her wings flared out in panic as she instinctively tried to step back.
But Hercus was faster.
With a quick tug, the thin silk slipped from her shoulder, exposing the smooth, flawless skin of her collarbone and the upper curve of her breasts.
A system notification immediately flashed before Paul's eyes:
[+200 Evil Points]
[Sani has been humiliated!]
Sani's entire body froze like an iceberg.
Her lips parted in shock, her cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson.
"M-MASTER!!" she shrieked, desperately grabbing at her dress, but the thin fabric barely covered anything now.
Her soft, ample curves trembled slightly as she struggled to hold the garment up.
Hercus chuckled. "Looks like it worked."
Eris, her own cheeks slightly pink, tried to maintain composure. "M-Master, that was a bit… excessive…"
But Hercus wasn't done. He reached out again and snatched the remaining strap.
"NOOO!!" Sani screamed as the dress fell away completely, leaving her standing in nothing but her tiny, lacy undergarments.
Her wings flapped wildly as she crossed her arms over her exposed chest, desperately trying to shield herself from view.
[+500 Evil Points]
[Sani has experienced extreme humiliation!]
Hercus could feel the power surging within him.
His muscles tensed, his senses seemed to be more aware—this was it.
This was how the system worked.
Eris, still floating nearby, stared at Sani's nearly naked form with wide eyes.
"M-Master… you're gaining more power…"
Sani, meanwhile, was practically trembling with shame.
"Th-This is so embarrassing! I-I can't believe you did that!" Her wings twitched, and her eyes were shimmering with humiliation.
Hercus stepped closer to her, his smirk didn't fade.
"Relax, Sani. You said it yourself—the system makes me stronger this way."
Sani refused to meet him. "B-But you didn't have to strip me! Y-You could've just—just—!!" She was too flustered to finish her sentence.
Hercus, feeling the energy coming from his body, turned his attention back to the Infernal Behemoth.
The creature was watching them with a confused growl, seemingly trying to process what was happening.
Hercus rolled his shoulders. "Alright, round two."
The behemoth let out an enraged roar and charged again.
This time, Hercus met its attack head-on. He could feel the power boost from Sani's humiliation flowing through him—his strength had doubled.
As the monster's massive claw came swinging down, Hercus caught it mid-air, stopping it completely.
The force of the impact sent cracks through the ground beneath him, but he didn't budge.
A notification appeared in his vision:
[Hercu's Might: Strength Increased by 100%]
Paul smirked. 'Perfect.'
With a grunt, he twisted the beast's arm, sending it crashing to the ground.
Before it could recover, Hercus clenched his fist and punched it straight in the jaw.
BOOM!
The force of the hit sent the behemoth flying backward, slamming into the dungeon wall with a thunderous crash.
Sani, still flustered, watched in awe. "H-He's even stronger than before…"
Eris nodded, her wings fluttered with excitement.
"Master is becoming more powerful with each humiliation… It's working."
Hercus cracked his knuckles. The behemoth was struggling to stand now, its breathing heavy.
"Let's finish this," Paul said.
He dashed forward at inhuman speed, his fist glowed with energy.
The behemoth tried to swipe at him, but he ducked under its arm and leaped onto its chest.
With one final punch, he drove his fist straight into the beast's skull.
The monster let out a final gurgling roar before collapsing, slamming into the ground, lifeless.
A system notification flashed:
[Dungeon Guardian Defeated!]
[+5,000 Evil Points]
Hercus exhaled, feeling the adrenaline settle.
He turned back to Sani and Eris, staring at Sani's still-exposed form.
She was clutching the remains of her dress, her face burned with shame. "M-Master… c-could you at least let me c-cover myself now?!"
Hercus chuckled. "I don't know… Maybe we should see how much stronger I can get first?"
Sani gasped, her blush deepened. "Y-You wouldn't dare!"
Eris, watching them, smirked slightly. "Actually, Master, if you want an even greater boost, there is a way…"
Hercus raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Sani turned to Eris in horror. "D-Don't give him ideas!!"
Hercus grinned.
This world was turning out to be far more interesting than he ever imagined.