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Upgrowth.

Nava’rel saw the massive painted tiger locked in a fierce struggle with its prey—a black aurochs weighing at least two tons.

Like a true strategist, she waited in the shadows for the predator to tire, then leaped from the treetops onto him.

The feline was not easy to defeat. Despite being exhausted from wrestling the two-horned beast, it fought fiercely against the bird-woman, attempting to slash her slender body with its claws and seize one of her limbs with its fangs. But it was in vain.

The harpy was far too fast, predicting and dodging the tiger's every move with an elegance that resembled a dance. Whenever the predator let its guard down from fatigue, she used her talons to wound its sensitive areas, such as its neck and stomach.

The battle lasted at least half an hour, with the dying aurochs watching the scene with its torn neck, as if it wished to know who its final executioner would be before shadows closed its eyes forever.

The war of attrition eventually worked. The tiger, in a final burst of strength, tried to finish Nava with everything it had left, unleashing its full energy on the girl, who was barely clinging to her remaining mana. But her cunning outmatched the beast's instincts. She leapt onto a nearby elm tree, and the feline attempted to climb after her.

It was futile. It was too heavy and had spent all its energy in the attempt. Nearby monkeys began pelting it with stones from other trees, demoralizing it further until it fell back to the ground, utterly defeated. Nava’rel seized the moment and, with a precise strike of her talons, landed on the tiger’s nape, ending its life.

A notification appeared on her interface:

You have defeated Krinin, Scourge of the Thicket. You have reached level 10. You have gained 200 experience points. 100 extra experience points awarded to your dungeon.

Catching her breath, the girl watched as the tiger’s enormous body began evaporating into small wisps of bluish vapor.

"That was close," she thought, approaching the aurochs cautiously. Blood gushed from its neck in torrents. She began lapping at it, her mana bar slowly refilling.

Leye watched the spectacle with satisfaction from the dungeon's core, now a true stone fortress with battlements and towers that rose high above the landscape.

The rocky form he had fallen into from the sky was buried deep within the fortress crypt, entwined with roots that allowed him to control countless trees, granting him vision over the increasingly vast territory under his influence.

Despite being confined, he felt free. While he longed for arms and legs to roam the forest as the creatures now linked to him could, seeing through Nava’rel’s eyes made him feel more mobile than ever.

Unlike the human heroes who had bonded with the core, or the simians and birds under his influence, the connection with the harpy was profound.

They were one, and at that moment, he could feel the bird-woman’s satisfaction as she filled her belly with the blood and flesh of the buffalo the tiger had killed for her.

"That's it, my child, eat. Grow."

His own mana and health points increased as the woman devoured the beast. Leye turned his attention back to the citadel around him.

Although none of the heroes had returned, he hadn’t been idle. As soon as his new creature reached level three, he used her to construct mana wells and a pair of marble temples dedicated to the serpent goddess Tlaloc.

But the most resource-intensive building was close by. It was a colossal coliseum with green walls, towering several meters above the ground. It had become an option on his interface when the dungeon reached level 30.

"Beautiful," he thought, observing it from a nearby ceiba tree. It looked like a massive galleon anchored in the jungle, with tiny roots beginning to creep along its base. "I can’t wait to use it, though I’m not sure what for yet."

The interior field of the structure had grown into a maze of thickets, pathways, and streams—completely unplanned by Leye or his harpy. It had simply appeared the day after its construction. Examining the intricate paths on his panel’s minimap made the core realize its purpose.

"It’s a battlefield," he concluded after studying it for a while. "But I don’t understand its purpose."

After finishing her feast, Nava’rel rested lazily in a clearing, sharpening her talons playfully next to the animal’s skeleton. The simians carried the remaining meat to one of the storerooms Nilu had built.

She was stunning. With each passing day, her body became more feminine. Under her arms, the plumage of an eagle had sprouted, though her figure was that of a human with perfect curves, broad hips, and powerful thighs that could take down any enemy with a single kick. Her large posterior and ample chest were balanced by her slender but deadly arms, with sharp talons on her hands and elbows.

"She’s a killer through and through, with initial stealth and lethality abilities. I wonder what her ultimate skill will be once she reaches level 50..."

Suddenly, an overwhelming presence pulled Leye’s focus away from admiring the creature. Something was approaching his territory. The sheer amount of energy it exuded was as suffocating as an avalanche.

"Yowo."

He trembled within his rocky body. It was true that the outsider had sent a considerable amount of experience points, facilitating the accelerated growth of his dungeon, the creation of Nava’rel, and the construction of the buildings—including the colossal coliseum that now loomed over the citadel like a giant. But for some reason, he couldn’t trust her. Not after witnessing how she had betrayed her companion, driving a sword into his back at the slightest opportunity.

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

Moments later, the woman arrived at the very castle where Leye lay. At this point, it was an impregnable fortress, but with Yowo nearby, it felt more like a prison.

The massive stone sentinel archers guarding the perimeter of the main castle bowed as soon as she appeared, riding a white tiger and clad in a flowing green robe that did little to hide her perfect curves.

She paid them no mind, walking confidently toward the stone fortress and entering through its gates with deliberate grace.

"Home sweet home," she said, strolling through the corridors that descended toward the dungeon’s main chamber. The building’s traps deactivated automatically, as they did whenever an allied hero passed through them.

When she reached Leye, Yowo inclined her head slightly in greeting, the sunlight streaming through a hole in the ceiling illuminating her black hair.

"It is an honor to stand before you again, my lord of serpents. I trust the experience points I sent were useful. Look at you—laying the foundation of an imperial city in the blink of an eye. I bet the next time I visit, you’ll have several villages under your domain. Now, we just need to start adding people."

"That’s true. Though I must admit I feel comfortable with the bonobos and macaws. Humans can be... unpredictable."

The woman burst into laughter.

"Oh, come now, we’re not that bad. I’m sure you don’t think the same of that other group of useless fools who barely contribute any points."

"Those ‘useless fools’ are the ones who built everything you see around you. None of this is the work of the goblins or sprites."

"See? We turn out to be more useful than bonobos. Speaking of the creatures in this jungle, I noticed you have a new pet—quite a beauty, by the way. I think I’ll go meet her now."

Without waiting for a response and with the same deliberate grace she had entered, the woman ascended the stairs, her sword swaying in its sheath. Leye could only pray she had no reason to harm Nava as he watched the warrior’s sensual form disappear from the crypt.

He followed her steps until she reached Nava’rel, who remained in the same spot where she had battled the tiger and feasted afterward. The harpy was still sharpening her talons, but the moment she saw Yowo, she rose and bowed elegantly before the warrior.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. I have read much about your powers in the main menu."

"The pleasure is mine," Yowo replied, looking Nava up and down. She approached the creature, gently cupping her face and tilting it from side to side as if inspecting a horse before purchase. "You’re even more beautiful than I observed on the panel, and your abilities are more striking than your curves. The question is, are you impressive enough to let live? I wouldn’t want you becoming a problem later."

"My lady provided the points necessary for my birth. I would be more than pleased to serve you… or to offer you my mana if that’s what you desire."

Leye watched the interaction between the two women with unease. All the forest’s creatures were also riveted by the scene, including the white tiger Yowo had brought.

"That’s true," Yowo mused, "but there are countless tales of children who scorn what their parents did for them and turn to betrayal at the first chance." She began to circle the harpy, her gaze lingering on her body with undisguised lust. "Tell me more about your powers. Can you fly?"

"Only at low altitudes, my lady. I can leap to the treetops and descend gracefully, but my wings are not strong enough to cover great distances. I haven’t even left the jungle yet."

"I suspected as much. Few creatures can fly across the server—eagles, macaws, and dragons... and the dragons are on the brink of extinction due to relentless hunting. But I bet you have other… talents. Follow me."

Leye watched in alarm as the mage-warrior led Nava to the temple of the goddess, the very place where she had been born. Inside the marble doors, Yowo guided the harpy to the altar and began examining her body. Without a word, she cupped Nava’s face and kissed her.

The harpy responded with the passion of a teenager, feeling the human’s hands roam her youthful body, lingering on her most intimate areas.

Leye could feel the excitement radiating from both women. Nava soon reciprocated, running her hands over the human’s backside and perfect legs beneath her silk robe.

It didn’t take long for her to undress Yowo, and the two women consummated their encounter atop the altar like long-separated lovers.

"I didn’t see this coming," Leye thought, watching the scene in astonishment. His mana points skyrocketed in his bar. "But I have to admit, I like it."

Throughout their encounter, the forest’s animals seemed to enter a state of frenzy, seeking partners to mimic the two women. Fertility hung palpably in the air.

*****

After walking for almost an hour through the frailejones and the cold páramo where the portal had brought them, the three heroes arrived at the ruins of what seemed to be an abandoned stone city.

“I’m sure this place is full of rewards,” Nilu said, eyeing a multi-story building with a half-destroyed wooden door as the only possible entry point. “But we’d better stick together. There could still be monsters inside—or enemy warriors like in the páramo.”

They broke through the door using the leader’s sword and Naya’s arrows, and with a spell from Vidul, they illuminated the interior.

There was no trace of monsters. They only found narrow stone corridors reclaimed by the cold vegetation, remnants of murals depicting battles from forgotten times, fragments of pottery, and broken utensils.

“Don’t let your guard down,” Nilu said in a low voice, walking ahead with his sword in hand. “These dungeons are usually filled with traps.”

Despite his caution, they encountered no tricks, and the only sounds were their own footsteps descending the narrow, steep stairs.

At the end of the path, they reached the dungeon’s main chamber, a spacious vault. There was nothing there except the eerie sounds of dampness, some human bones scorched by time’s relentlessness, and rusted armor scattered across the floor. At the far end of the chamber stood a simple stone table, atop which rested a greenish orb that began to glow in their presence.

“Don’t touch it,” Vidul said, alarmed. “It might be cursed. If my lord permits, I’ll handle it with my immunity spell.”

“Go ahead,” Nilu replied, his eyes fixed on the object.

Vidul grasped it as though it might explode at any moment. Once he held it, a notification appeared on his interface.

Necromancer’s Orb.

This item allows you to resurrect the body of a fallen being before it decomposes. The sooner the reanimation is attempted, the higher the chances of success. The revived corpse will match the level of its summoner but retain its intrinsic abilities.

Vidul couldn’t believe his eyes and shared the information with Nilu and Naya, who were equally stunned.

“I never thought an item like this could exist,” the leader said, though he didn’t dare touch it. “I think this is reward enough, along with the experience from the monsters. We’d better hurry before we get trapped in this abandoned city.”

They exited the ruined building and ran back to the páramo where the portal entrance awaited, weaving through the countless frailejones as the fog grew thicker.

Before reaching the portal, which was shrinking with each passing second, they arrived at the spot where they had defeated the dungeon’s monsters just hours earlier.

“It’s time to test our new toy, Vidul,” Nilu said, eyeing the shadows marked on the ground where the fallen warriors lay. “Think you can revive a few of them?”

“I’m almost out of mana from the fights, but I think I can try with one.”

“In that case, make it the boss.”

They approached the widest shadow, still emanating wisps of blue mana, and Vidul began reciting words in the ancient tongue of arcanists, holding the orb aloft over the place where the portal’s main boss had fallen.

On the third attempt, the rider rose from the ground, dazed. A notification appeared on the mage’s interface.

You have reanimated Illaqu Urku, Guardian of the Mountain Sun.

The warrior dismounted from his steed—also revived—and knelt before Vidul, laying his lance at his side.

“Thank you for bringing me back, my lord. I am at your service.”

“Well,” Naya said with a breath of amazement, a puff of mist escaping her mouth. “Things are starting to get interesting.”

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