As soon as the stairs for Floor 18 came into view and the Goliath proved absent, Mystic turned towards me and clawed at the ground.

"Want to hunt by yourself?" I asked the cat in a doubtful voice.

The green cat just nodded, then ran towards a pack of Ligerfangs to devour their crystals.

I sighed and sat down, while Lisa and Alicia walked on into Rivera, while Blue sat on the Alchemist's head.

Taming a Dungeon monster was proving to have downsides, or maybe only Mystic was a dick. Blue was so well-behaved instead...

After eating the crystals, Mystic was not satisfied and ran into the Cave Labyrinth to hunt Hellhounds, still invulnerable to their magic breaths just like he had been to anything I had.

I helped a little to cull larger hound packs, and collect hound skins and blood samples. Then as the caves got empty, the walls broke and a three-headed hound emerged to confront us.

*Cerberos - Level 45. Rare.

I shrugged and offered the monster a fistfull of crystals as a taming tribute.

One of the heads hesitated for a second, but the other two didn't and I died like a fool, blasted by fire and lightning spells at once.

As I revived, the third head blasted me with ice and I died again.

Mystic walked next to my reviving corpse and smacked my head. "I know, I know. Dodge the big bad Boss..." I muttered as dozens of new Hellhounds emerged from the Dungeon walls.

The cat managed to stare at me with pity again, then ran to smack and devour the new Hellhounds, leaving me to deal with the triple menace Boss.

It was time to put my big pants on. But stay naked too, as to not waste more precious clothes.

My Black Ghost ran forward while I summoned the Spirit Weapon and began Honing and Reinforcing it.

Surprisingly, the Boss wasn't completely immune to my Black Ghost, taking claw wounds to its body even though my weapon failed to cut through the Cerberus fur and skin.

I tugged at my anime collar and rushed forward. Desperation was the clue here. The Boss was only one Level higher than my Chi stats.

I had defeated monsters at worse odds.

Lightening myself for a leap, I stepped on the ghost and struck the Fire head, then fell to one side as another Lightning spell electrocuted me to death.

Maybe a single ghost wasn't enough to deal with three heads? Pushing through and calling on the infinite Black Matter inside me, another ghost formed, if frayed and barely there at all.

But the new ghost was enough to deflect the Ice head away before its spell could kill me again, and my legs coiled under me with extra strength.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The next leap brought me above the Fire head, and I struck down as hard as I could with my Spirit Weapon. Blood flew out, a clear sign I did some damage.

Not enough, but if anything could bleed it could also die. It was only a matter of attrition now.

Much later, I killed myself to recover from frostbite and regrow my eye and leg, then collected the loot and ran for home, exulting inside.

A new Skill, Amplification had been formed, as well as another Chi stat.

The next time the Cerberos appeared, it would be much easier. Mystic jumped on my shoulder and growled softly. The cat was annoyed with me, despite my heroic victory. I wasn't invulnerable like the cat, but my infinite lives equaled the scales somewhat. I just hurt more.

As my bloody body entered the Rivera, both girls turned towards me with curious and worried eyes.

"Cerberos is Level 45. Three heads and all use different magic breaths." I explained curtly and sat down beside the lake.

Blue flew over me to scatter healing pollen as if it could help. Not of use, but I appreciated the intent. Much better than my silly cat.

"Loot?" Lisa asked without a hint of worry, making Alicia frown for a second while Lisa explained something via telepathy.

I proudly lay down the loot, just as my cat and Blue came close to sniff for goodies.

*Cerberos fur

*Cerberos hide

*Cerberos tooth

*Cerberos blood

*Cerberos heart.

Lisa levitated her blood vial into her hand and read the description out loud.

*Cerberos blood. Greatly increases Magic.

"Probably 2 whole points." I mused in slight sarcasm.

Alicia went over the other loot.

"The heart...seems very valuable." she observed with a hint of greed and desire in her voice.

I think only the Level 27 Boss dropped an inner organ, the Amphisbaena's Dragon Liver. Our Alchemist had good insight.

Then again, it was exactly why we took the effort to bring Alicia to Rivera. Maybe she could craft something amazing from it.

"You can take it Alicia, but wait on Crafting it until you're very experienced. It might be very rare." I offered in a kind voice, only for Alicia to yelp and jump to hug me tight. "Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you..." she murmured in a lower tone, as she blushed fiercely.

My little brother was poking out between her large breasts, as it was natural and healthy when exposed to such surprise. I was also full naked, as my underwear got burned, frozen and electrified multiple times.

I smiled a little awkward, while Lisa laughed far too loud. "You have a couple of months to reward Pef properly. Now go rest in your tent Alicia."

With a sad pop, Alicia extracted my little brother from the heavenly prison and walked towards her tent, showing me her awesome ass, barely hidden by a flower-pattern underwear.

"We could call ourselves the Undersiders. Fits this place well." I noted while laying down to stare at the bioluminescent ceiling.

Lisa choked for a second, then climbed on my belly. "Please don't use that name anymore." she asked in a serious voice.

I sighed and opened my screen instead.

Pef - Level 32

Title: High Commissioner

Strength: 34

Speed: 34

Mind: 23

Magic: 30

Chi: 45

Endurance: 50

Free points: 27

Class: Cultivator

Job: Dungeoneer

Cultivation rank: Aura-medium.

Cultivation Skills:

Guiding: medium

Honing: medium

Reinforcement: medium

Lightening: early

Amplification: early

Stabilization: none

Healing: none

Tamed Beasts: Mystic Carbuncle

My wife noted the changes and gazed into nothing for a few minutes. Then she tapped my collar and took it for herself.

'I need to gain more Skills as well. And you need to hurt yourself a lot more. Then try to heal yourself with Chi.' she sent while her eyes became hard for a second.

What? More pain just to become stronger? Was I some stupid anime character?

'...'

"..."

"Fine." I muttered and took a deep breath.

Lisa jumped off and ran towards the 17th Floor, and somehow managed to stab me right in the liver with her spear.

I grinned in pain and began gathering Chi around the wound, while Mystic snorted and jumped on my chest to watch.

Before the wound closed completely an hour later, the cat extended his claws and split my wound and liver open once more. Only trying to help me train faster, of course.

Oh Prometheus! I can feel your pain right now.