Towards the end of the next week, Pef gained enough Mind attributes for the goal and reached 100.

Of the various traits, he selected Enlightenment, which was surely one of the requisites for the Ascension quest.

*You have gained the trait Enlightenment. The mysteries of the Heavens are easier to comprehend.

Cost 1000 MP. Accept? Yes/Wait a minute.

Pef glared at the sky, then unequipped every item and buffed himself with the Charged Armor.

Then he clicked Yes and grit his teeth.

A storm cloud formed above him and a huge golden thunderbolt descended like the fist of a god.

-8999

*You have fail to Adapt to the Heavenly Tribulation.

*Regeneration reaches level 15.

*Gamer's Body reaches level 12.

*Your Snowflake necklace is not destroyable.

*You have resisted 10 percent of damage via Magic Resistance.

*You have survived a Heavenly Tribulation and Ascended to Phantom-class.

*Your MP pool doubles.

*Due to having a Gamer's Body, dying in a private dungeon now reverts you to level 89, the current level of your Ascension.

*Maxed out spells can now evolve to the next tier.

*Charged Armor has evolved to Shock Armor level 1. Blocks 30 damage and adds 300 damage to melee attacks.

*Nine Lighting Steps has evolved to Nine Phantom Steps level 1. Adds 60 +Agi and +10 percent dodge.

*Arc Lightning Staff has evolved to Arclance level 1. Range doubles and adds 10xMagic to melee attacks.

*Volt has evolved to Arc Bolt level 1. 30 million volts and 30 percent penetration. Adds Daze and Confuse to target.

*Bronze skin has evolved to Iron Skin level 1. Blocks 30 damage.

"Yay! I have Ascended!" Pef exclaimed happily, then hugged Raiju and spun him around.

"That's great Master. But please put on some clothes..." the pet said with a toothy grin.

Pef looked down at his naked body, and blinked in shame. Then he stepped back and re-equipped his cotton clothes and the armor, then added the accessories.

"Sorry mate. You're cute and everything, but no bestiality..." Pef muttered with a groan.

"Master has Mistress, I understand. She eats Master every night." the pet nodded wisely.

"That's...correct, but let's keep it to ourselves..." he said with a grin.

"Indeed. It would be our secret." Gaia added from nowhere.

"Goddess, you saw me? I tanked that tribulation no problem." Pef said proudly.

"Good. The next one will be ten times stronger." she replied with a smirk.

Pef frowned, a bit in distress. 90 thousand damage would kill him twice over.

"Are there more immortals in the next Floors?" he asked to make sure.

"Yes...at level 37 and 77. Not something that would concern you for the next months, I hope." Gaia said with a sigh.

"Hmmm. Should I try for 200 Mind? Is there anything to gain?" he asked randomly. There would be benefits anyway, as he already had much improved memory and thinking speed.

"I would advise that. Magic is rather simple to increase for you. Just level up and you gain Magic points." she answered after a minute.

"All right then. Let me reach 100 thousand HP, and then I will climb the dungeon. Plus, that Alchemy book needs 200 Mind anyway." he decided after a bit of calculations.

*For making a wise decision, you gain +1 Mind.

"Let's go Raiju! Once more into the breach."

"As you say Mistress. Let's punish those puny rabbits." the wolf replied smartly.

Pef grit his teeth as he began the Floor 7 again.

After he reached level 90, he left and returned to the dormitory.

Lise was reading a book in bed, wearing only a thin shirt.

"My lovely Mistress, your loyal husband has returned, a bit richer and wiser." he proclaimed elegantly.

She glanced at him with a smile, then focused more intently.

"Pef! You are Phantom-class now? So soon?" she asked a bit bewildered, coming over to pat his body for a disguise.

"Yeah. A lighting bolt hit me, from the sky. And voila! Doubled my mana pool."

"Uhhh. You lost all your items then? The armor had plenty magic resistance but items get vaporized..." she whispered with pity.

"I am wearing the armor right now..." Pef pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Lise took a step back. "So you had warning and took it off. Clever man. But how did you survive then?"

Pef shrugged at that. "I am really hard to kill, remember. Regeneration? Plus my resistance necklace is immune."

And he did have a plan to raise his HP anyway. But normal people had no HP.

"Be careful Pef. Next time it happens, and it will. Wear the armor, even if it breaks. A billion euros is not worth your life."

"Yes, my dear queen. I will make sure to survive. So what you're reading?"

She gave him the book to see.

*You may learn Aur Vedic Meditation. Needs 200 Magic and 100 Mind.

"Is it any good?" he asked with a smile. More books would be possible to learn now, as a Phantom-class.

"Twice as good as normal Meditation. Can you eat it?"

"I could. But perhaps only a copy. No need to waste an original manuscript. They seem expensive."

"Eh, about 50 millions...expensive, right? I'll have one xeroxed for you."

Pef removed his items, wearing only his Constitution rings.

"Do I get a kiss or what?" he asked teasingly.

The future queen growled and gulped him whole.

With a flash on heavenly inspiration, Pef cast the Farmer's Strength.

Immediately, notable changes in muscle size emerged, including a particular muscle.

"Ohhhh. This is so much better." Lise mumbled around his muscle.

With renewed strength, he began plowing her fields and large tracts of land.

*For figuring out the proper use of Farmer's Strength, you gain +1 Cha and +1 Karma. Took you long enough.

They farmed for a long time, as Pef's body was really full of stamina and energy, and recovered fast.

In the morning, he glanced at his soon to be wife in wonder.

*Relationship with Lise has reached 30(Honored).

*You have slept in your bed. HP, MP and STA recovered. +40 percent Exp for 24 hours.

*You have satisfied Lise. Somehow. For this miracle you gain +1 Con.

"You're so beautiful, my queen." he whispered gently, while gliding his fingers over her soft skin.

"We have lessons soon. Do not wake the beast." she muttered groggily.

"As you say mistress. I shall go and warm up the shower, by myself."

A minute later, the shower became steamy, and they were late for the Alchemy lessons, again.

"Young Pef, your progress is admirable. Phantom-class so soon is unheard-of. However, don't keep me waiting again."

Kimmel said with a flat voice, not seeming impressed by his new class.

Then again, most alchemists here already had this class, as they specialized in telekinesis and moving reagents with their minds.

Pef wasn't anything special, so far.

He nodded and bowed in silence.

"And you Lise...be professional, please."

"Yes Master. Hormones, that's it." Lise replied with a blush.

Kimmel sighed. "A thousand red petals and pistils each, Pef. Three thousands for you, Lise."

It took four hours for the task to be completed, but this time Pef had not dropped a single one.

"You're ready to become Alchemist Adept, young Pef. Ready to try?" Kimmel asked politely.

"Now I get to stir things in cauldrons?" Pef asked with glinting eyes. Crafting skill awaited.

"If you pass the tests, yes. But I do not see why not. You have polished your Mind, and your Magic has grown as well. Likely same strength as your Miss Lucia. And she passed those tests easily." Kimmel said with a grimace.

Pef frowned at that. "I thought you were friends with Lucia, Master. That's why she sent me here."

"We escaped from Hell together. But it doesn't make us friends. Not-enemies that rarely trade things." the alchemist explained in a stern tone.

"I bet there's a long story there." Lise added with a smile.

"Stupid people who deal with devils. For power or knowledge. Hell is full of them." Kimmel said as a curse, then teleported away.

"Uh. Let's avoid Hell, okay?" Pef muttered with a grimace of his own.

Lise patted his shoulder as a reply. "Sometimes, there is no choice. To Hell and back, as they say."

Pef licked his lips, looking at her heaving chest. "What now? More farming or lunch?"

"Why not both?" she said in a hungry growl. Pef gulped, then smiled. Lise was a beast...and he loved her.