The 2nd floor of the dungeon was poorly lit. We had to use qi fire as a torch to see anything at all. The fire could be seen for quite some distance and painted a target upon us. Fortunately, despite calling this monster a kobold I hadn’t given them dark sight. We travelled for some time using formation tactics, with Laetitia in the back rank providing the qi fire. Soon we encountered more kobolds. This time a group of elites with a general.

The elite kobolds were much tougher than regular kobolds, making this fight almost as hard as the boss fight on the previous floor. Fortunately, the corridor was only 3 people wide and we were the only ones with back rank weapons. My spear became death as it struck out against the otherwise engaged kobold elites. Soon just the general remained. We had more skills and better gear than the last time we fought a general, but we were exhausted. Tifa lunged forward at an inopportune time and the general’s sword struck a heavy blow, piercing through armor and her right breast. The sword pulled out, covered in blood, with more blood pouring from the wound. She began to cough up blood while Laetitia and I cast our healing spell, hoping it would somehow be enough. While we were casting the spell, we weren’t fighting and in the ensuing 2-on-1 Aldon’s neck was sliced. It was a minor wound in terms of size, but a major one in terms of lethality. I was forced to heal Aldon instead, and Tifa got worse. My mana had exhausted, and I could only fight and hope for the best.

We finally slew the foul beast and as luck would have it he dropped a health potion. I opened the potion and tried to have her drink it. When my hands brushed against her lips they were cold to the touch. Her eyes were closed and she seemed barely conscious. She managed to drink despite the coughing. Her wounds slowly healed and her lips began to warm. Linus had been overcome with grief and clutched Tifa in his grasp as soon as she was fine. Once she was breathing fine he kissed her, and she kissed him back, melting into his arms. I shared a look with Laetitia, and in an instant, I had known she wanted to be kissed like that when she recovered. It was written plain as day on her face, first happiness, then lust, then jealousy.

We made and each of us except Tifa took a turn as guard. Hearing strange noises in a dungeon underground while watching for trouble created a twisting in my belly. I was deeply uncertain in what I’d done. I had thought that with the most advanced members of a very advanced race we wouldn’t have trouble in a dungeon of low difficulty with low-levelled monsters. But the dungeon was more difficult than I had imagined. I realized with a sense of dread that I built the dungeon without asking my assistant how hard a low difficulty was.

Each of Tifa, Laetitia, and Aldon had taken wounds that would have been fatal without the spell drops. And there was still a third floor. Things were getting harder. I was tempted to use my points to upgrade myself, but what would that mean for the world at large. Would I be stuck waiting for years again in order to create something new. I kept it as a last resort.

Soon my shift was over and an uneasy sleep took me. I was tired, more tired than I’d ever been since becoming a god. We pressed onwards, fighting another group of elites, also with a general. This time we were better, and soon the general was slain. He dropped a +2 martial prowess spear, which I immediately equipped. I gave Laetitia my spear even though she had almost no experience with it. It would at least let her do something from the back rank.

We paid careful attention to sounds in corridors, we had no doubt we’d be in massive trouble if we got ambushed like we did on the first floor. We evaded all ambushes, fighting one more party, this time getting a bless spell. I took this one for myself after some discussion. I wanted a buff spell as I was planning on raiding many different dungeons, with many different teams. We had been a little unlucky so far, what we had most hoped for was a martial combat technique, but none had dropped on either floor.

We spent our experience, and my magical prowess reached five. Laetitia had hers up to six, earning more XP from her brush with death. Aldon finally had enough to by a single point of Martial progress, which was what Tifa and Linus opted for as well. We found the central room and made camp, resting until we felt completely ready. We ate a meal till were properly sated but not overly full. The power rice and rabbit meat was invigorating, I could feel the qi flow out from my stomach along meridians and then into my dantian, replenishing what I had lost when exerting myself in combat. The food did nothing for mana, so we recovered it through rest and meditation. At long last, we were ready. There was a nervous tension in the air, we’d all been hurt, some of us badly. This was harder than what we had planned and I knew they were dispirited. I was never good at this sort of thing but knew I needed to say something.

“This was harder than I expected and more than we signed up for. We’ve each made great gains, but we’ve nearly paid great costs. This fight ahead will push us to our limits, but we can do this. We’re stronger than we’ve ever been. We just need to fight smart. Be patient and careful. If we do this right, we’ll be standing victorious.”

It wasn’t a great speech but it was just enough. The mood shifted to one of quiet confidence. Laetitia gave me a pat on the back after the speech, and I smiled at her touch. I started to think for a little about the things I wanted to do to her when we got out of this place. Of course, I had to banish away such thoughts as distraction would be fatal in a fight.

We got into formation, and with fire bolt I went to pull. The sight inside the room made my heart stop. Many elites, 2 generals, 1 chieftain. I managed to pull the first group of the elites with 1 general and we fought them successfully. Just another band of enemies. We got the luck that had been missing and got a new martial technique, Dragon Kick. Aldon had both the highest martial and good cultivation so we gave it to him in the interests of survival. We rested for a bit, in view of the kobolds but without them having charged at us. Finally, when we were ready I went to pull again. This time I got a large group of elites and another general. I was really happy that the chieftain had not come. We dispatched them similar to the previous group, fighting with precision, purpose and harmony. We fought as a team now, we knew each other’s style. The general dropped another martial technique, a spear technique called the Foundation spear technique. This one was mine. We rested once more, taking the time to heal any minor wounds.

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The chieftain was left alone so there was no pulling and instead we moved to surround him. Defending against his attacks was hard, but attacking from behind was easy. His armor was worn down and left several of his vital spots vulnerable particularly the gap at the neck between his helmet and his vest. That’s where the first move of my foundation spear technique, Dragon piercing the apple, hit. The spear continued directly through his neck, nearly coming out the other side. I pulled back and blood gushed quickly from the wound. The chieftain was dead in seconds. We looted a key and found a treasure chest, but there was even more good news. There was a portal leading home, and the stairs down further were labelled with the words ‘bonus level’. We found the chest and unlocked it. Inside were 5 cultivation manuals, and 6 martial techniques. Each of the party took a martial technique, mine was “Foundation Footwork”. We left the cultivation manuals and the remaining martial techniques as gifts for other villages, after all they’d need a 5th member to raid again once I was gone.

We took the portal out, and it was still late afternoon. The villagers celebrated our success, and several of them were happy as they received gifts. A woman named Samatia received the martial technique, and would be the one taking my place next week. I discussed tactics extensively with Aldon and Laetitia, making sure they understood the importance of formations. I also made sure they understood they’d need spear wielders for the back rank. Lastly, I told them it was okay to wait longer than a week if they needed to train more to be confident. I also told them to avoid the bonus level until they were much stronger.

Our discussions lasted until the evening meal, after which there was dancing and storytelling. Laetitia told a particularly ribald tale while making eyes at me the whole time. I laughed at all the funny antics, but felt the sexual tension. Finally, it was nighttime, and I headed back to Laetitia’s hut.

“I wouldn’t be here without you.” she said with complex emotions that I couldn’t quite understand.

“We all saved each other. You were great in there too.” I tried to affirm our bond, while reassuring her, figuring that was what she needed.

“No, you don’t understand. I owe you my life.” She said it like a woman who was reluctant to owe anyone anything.

“I don’t really like concepts like owe. I saved your life, and you saved many others. We fought as battle companions and we’re closer now. It’s not about owing each other.” I didn’t want to go back to taking advantage of her because of some debt, I wanted her to appreciate me for me.

“You’re a strange god, Damian, I don’t know what to think about you, and less to think about half the things you say.”

“I’m glad I keep you on your toes. But I’m serious here, don’t worry about owing me anything. I want your feelings for me to be based on something more than debt.” I think that got her to snap back to her old self.

“Who said I had feelings for you?” she said playfully.

“Mostly the eyes you gave me when you told that ribald story. Or how you wished I had kissed you like Linus kissed Tifa underground. The thing is I have feelings for you too. I love you, Laetitia.”

She said nothing instead opting to kiss me passionately, catching me slightly by surprise. The kiss sent a warm tingle down my spine and throughout my body. I started to kiss back, but just as quickly her lips pulled away.

“I love you too. Now take me.” She dropped her furs to the ground, revealing her lush perfect breasts and beautiful cunt. It was far more invitation than I needed.

I picked her up and guided her wet hole onto my erect cock. It went in with some delightful resistance and a glorious plopping sound. She wrapped her legs around me, unused to being held in the air. I pushed her further down, forcing my member into her warm wet hole.

I looked her in her glowing pink eyes and saw the characteristic warm crinkles of happiness. “Is this what you wanted? My hard cock in your hole?”

“Mmmm, yes,” she said while stifling a moan.

I teasingly bounced up and down on my cock, knowing it would go nowhere in this position. To her credit she tried to fuck, but finding purchase in the air was hopeless.

“How badly do you want it?” I said with a smile.

“Quit teasing me,” she pouted. “I want it really badly,” she confessed.

I put her down, putting her knees on the soil. Her face was level to my cock, and it was soon in her mouth. A delightful slurping noise accompanied a pleasant sucking sensation as she did what came naturally. My cock stiffened all the more. I teased her cunt with my foot, amused by how wet she was. Eventually I stopped the blowjob. After all, I wasn’t about to not have her cum the first time she told me she loved me.

I pushed her onto her back in the dirt, and climbed on top of her. Knowing what she’d enjoyed so far, I took her forcefully, sinking back into my favorite hole. The familiar warm wetness was delightfully tight. I fucked her roughly. In. Out. In. Out. I could feel both of us building to orgasm.

She started to moan and whimper. The vibrant sounds stimulated me further and I could feel the precum leaking from my head. I grabbed her nipple in one hand and twisted it roughly, getting a further whimper.

“You like that don’t you.”

“Yessssss” she said sensually.

“I love your tight little hole. I love the way you grip my cock. I’m so close. Cum with me.”

“Yessss. Yesss. Yesss.” she grew louder as she built to orgasm. I buried myself to the hilt as my seed spurted inside her, each spasm matching her own. She came as I did, her cunt twitching on my cock. She gushed like a fountain and my crotch became soaked with her juices.

I held myself inside her for a while exhausted but content as I lay collapsed on top of her. Finally, I pulled out and rolled over. I looked her in her bright pink eyes.

“You’re so beautiful. Like a dream, yet real. That was everything I could ask for.”

She just lit up. “It was everything I wanted too handsome.”

We collapsed into the high priestess’s bed, a lavish arrangement of rabbit fur and cuddled till morning.