While Miya and Lucia continued their training with the Alchemists, Pef focused instead on exploring the next levels of the dungeon, one Floor higher every day.
Minotaurs, Liches, Vampires, Demons, Devils, Dragons (although young ones), Trolls...more and more varied and strong bosses emerged, each sporting dangerous abilities and skills.
And also granting extra attributes the first time they were killed, like all Elite bosses.
The loot wasn't spectacular, but still it brought a nice revenue income, and once in a while a decent spell manual or some artifact.
However, the dungeon was really dangerous, even for someone with a Gamer's Body and a system. Without having Lise at his side, Pef might have died a few times, caught in vampiric mind snares or in a dragon's fear aura.
Luckily, only a tenth of all bosses were able to fly, thus reducing their effective range and danger.
Another month passed this way, until Pef and Lise reached Floor 61, which was also the highest Floor the blonde queen had reached by herself. The Winged Python was rather strong, as could it use a sort of incendiary flamethrower.
But it did grant him his 220 level so it wasn't all bad.
"From here on... I don't know what might happen... I am a bit scared, Pef." Lise admitted in a timid voice.
"Don't worry, my love. I was just exploring. We'll wait for Miya to become a Saint as well. Then we go as a party. Four people are much stronger than a single one, even if she's a Legendary Queen." Pef said teasingly.
Lise blushed and looked away. "I'm not a queen yet..."
Pef smiled wryly. "You already are, in my heart."
His lips were squashed at once, as his queen was very grateful for his words.
They battled hand to hand and mouth-to-mouth for a while, until Raiju growled at them to get a room.
Then they returned to their room, and finished they battle in a time expansion dungeon.
Soon enough, Miya achieved her Novice Alchemist status, and began learning how to make potions and other magic ingredients, like mana crystals and healing tinctures.
Pef and his family all celebrated by getting a bit drunk and naked, and showing Miya she was really loved, until she fainted in bliss.
"Tomorrow is her ascension day." Lucia mused while patting Miya's sleeping head.
Pef nodded, then had a great idea. "I think we should exploit her ascension and ask Miya to scout ahead, free of risk. Send her to Floor 62."
Lise sighed. "That's kinda cruel...sending Miya to die like that."
"She doesn't have to die. Perhaps she can defeat the boss. Or retreat. Either way we gain important knowledge, and Miya gets to go where no man has gone before..." Pef replied with a smirk.
"You're a moron..." Lucia said with a grimace.
"Pef does have a point though. We do need to know how resurrection actually works. And Raiju is too cute to sacrifice him, especially as he's level 18 now. Soon he'll evolve again." Lise added with a glance at the lightning wolf elemental.
Raiju preened himself and pawed at the air. "Mistress is too kind" he said proudly, making everyone chuckle, even Lise who blushed a little.
Pef lounged on his pillow and gestured Lucia to climb on. "Let's farm some more, my beloved witch. Your body is getting nicer everyday..." he said with an approving voice.
Lucia's body has lost some of its plump form, and instead had become more like an athlete, with tones muscles under her soft skin.
Lucia smiled shyly, then climbed her husband. "T-that's because you farm me everyday. I keep getting Strength and Constitution points from all this. And I even got Agility a few times..."
Next day, Miya achieved her Saint class rank, due to having 300 Mind and 600 Magic attributes filled into her character page. It was a much simpler and effective way to know yourself and your capability, with the help of the gaming system.
Other people had done it by trial and error first, then by rote learning and following the steps laid out by their predecessors, but now, Pef and his harem could ascend by mere clever placement of status points.
It was obviously much easier and less risky than unexpectedly being hit by a Heaven's Tribulation, while doing something completely different, like researching occult magic or even meditating on top of some mountain.
The nine bolts of lightning had a reduced effect, due to their target wearing an array of Magic Resistance items, including a few non-destructible ones.
She looked a bit hot and naked like this, wearing only magic accessories right now.
"It's amazing...I'm a Saint class now, like the old Masters in my sect." Miya said while checking herself for damage, and dressing herself again, via her character menu.
Lightning bolts did obliterate any clothing or armor not immune to magical damage.
Pef grabbed her into a tight hug. "And it's only going to get better. About 60 more levels for you, and you'll be a Legendary housewife!" he said in a teasing tone, making Miya blush a little.
"... We'll have to visit home and introduce you to my family." his wife muttered in a shy tone.
Pef patted her back. "In a few months we will, my love. But first, you and I need to become powerful. Never again will we be at the whim of some cult or Abyss group, trying to exploit us while we are weak."
Miya nodded grimly. "I remember, Pef. We will have those Templars pay someday." she said with a bit of steel in her voice and a determined look in her black eyes.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Soon enough, Miya stepped forward into the next Floor portal, ready to die if needed.
*Your party member Miya Chen has died in a private dungeon.
*Resurrect her? Yes/Yes.
Pef sighed and clicked Yes.
As expected, exploring the dungeon was dangerous, especially with elite bosses immune to most types of harm.
A naked Miya appeared in front of him, first in ghost form, then regrowing her body at high speed.
"Damn it! I beat the underlings, some kind of sick elephants of purple skin. Then a huge mammoth appeared, and I couldn't damage it at all..." his wife complained in a sad voice.
"... How was dying, my dear? " Lucia asked with a worried voice.
Miya blinked confused, then looked down at her body. "I don't remember that. Just getting close to the ground as my mana ran out...then that Siberian Woolly Mammoth rushing at me."
Gaia sighed audibly from above them. "I blocked those memories. No need to remember being trampled to death."
"... Oh. I guess that's a little better. Thank you, my goddess." Lucia whispered in a thankful voice.
Lise glared at Pef for a moment then nodded to herself. "So now we know. No more rushing ahead, and dying foolishly."
Pef grimaced a bit sheepishly. "Sorry Miya. But it's better than going unprepared."
Miya smiled a bit sadly. "There will always be stronger enemies. At least this time nothing was lost." she replied more philosophically.
"All right. Back to Alchemy lessons both of you. I'll think of something." Pef decided after a moment.
Lucia and Miya entered the return portal, leaving only Lise and himself on the 61st Floor.
Lise glanced at him with her piercing blue eyes. "And by thinking, you mean to go in and bludgeon that overgrown pachyderm to death?" she asked in a wry tone, while raising an eyebrow.
Raiju ran next to Pef, and pawed at his leg. "Revenge is best served cold and drowned in blood, right?"
Pef sighed and patted his elemental on its wolfish head. "One day, yes. But I think it's time we finish that trade with Asgard. Then we'll have a proper weapon to fight such bosses, by ourselves."
"Ready to meet Odin then?" Gaia spoke with a calm voice, and formed a new portal in front of them, glowing like a rainbow at the edges.
"That's a Bifrost portal?" Lise realized with a start.
"Not for you, dear Lise. This is something my emissary has to do by himself. And don't worry. Asgard is only Odin's private dungeon." Gaia added in a secretive voice, just as Pef walked through.
*You have entered Asgard, the Ninth Level of Valhalla. Time flows at 100 to 1 differential, with positive bias.
*All stats are reduced by 95 percent due to a God's will suppression.
*HP, MP and STA recovery rates are reduced by 500 percent, due to entering a God domain.
*You have been detected and locked in a time-frozen containment spell.
*Time flow slowed to 1 billion to 1, with negative bias.
*You detect an ominous aura.
*Danger sense levels up.
*Danger sense levels up.
*Danger sense levels up.
*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.*Danger sense levels up.
*Your Danger Sense has reached level 20 and has evolved to Phantom Sense.
*Phantom Sense levels up.
*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.*Phantom Sense levels up.
*A powerful being is scanning you.
*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.
*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.*Mind Resistance levels up.
*Your Holy Aura levels up.
*Your Holy Aura levels up.
*Your Holy Aura levels up.
*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.*Your Holy Aura levels up.
*The Time Freeze spell was dispelled. You gain a faint understanding of time manipulation due to prolonged exposure.
A flurry of notifications blurred into Pef's vision. Then he perceived a strangely armored guy waving his palm in front of his eyes. His other hand held a large sword, much too big to be of use against normal people.
But then, most invaders daring to breach Asgard were not human sized.
*Heimdall, Guardian of Asgard.
*Demi-god, Level 476, ???, ???
Status: wary, ???, amused.
Pef grinned inward. Prety much as expected, he was detected and captured instantly as he transgressed into Asgard.
"Tell your boss I came to trade. An eye for an eye, as they say on Midgard." Pef muttered in a soft whisper.
"Oh? We like brave people here. Our dungeons are full of them..." Hemidall replied with a snarky tone, while lowering his huge sword, and storing it back into some subspace pocket.
Pef produced a Major Healing potion and held it in his hand. "I expect you know what this is, Guardian?" he asked with a calm voice.
Heimdall glared at him for a moment, while his eyes turned violet. "I see. Someone will come to pick you up, mortal." the demigod said in a cold tone, and seeming not too pleased.