William stood in the middle of the street, eyes wide open. The sheer number of different races around him made it feel like a fantasy circus. Some creatures he recognized, but others were a first for him. One of them, for example, was a black, flickering silhouette, almost human, yet not. It lingered behind its Lord like a living shadow. That was a C-Rank ShadowBorn.
Next to a burly Lord stood a beast as massive as the Brute William had fought, but with four thick arms and skin the color, deep red. That was a B-Rank ArmStrong. There were even stronger monsters wandering about, but for now, everyone just tried to get some peace. It was the first time these Lords could meet other humans, and they desperately needed it to calm their nerves before whatever hell came next.
William started strolling down the street. Some Lords had calm smiles on their faces, but there were some with fear itched on their faces. Sure, they'd survived the First test, but what about the second? The third? Hell, who knows if there is something else along the way?
The Lords themselves knew if they'd survive the next test or not. For those who were not certain, desperation was painted in bold strokes. They clung to those Lords with strong troops; at this point, they'd sell their souls for survival.
The stronger Lords knew this, and those bastards milked them for all they were worth. Girls clung to them like obsessive yanderes, and the boys? If told to polish their boots with their tongues, they'd probably do it with a smile. Power was a filthy thing; it could turn a beggar into a harem lord and a famous actor into, well, a desperate ladyboy.
William shrugged. "Well, that's none of my business. I should get moving, Dante's mom said she'd be at Otterly Foods, some kind of fast-food joint run by a small otter in a tuxedo," he muttered.
As he made his way to the restaurant, William noticed all the shops were either eateries or Tower Merchant shops, every last one run by adorable animals in tuxedos, bunnies like Liora, squirrels, cats, even a skunk.
The restaurants had every cuisine you could imagine: greasy American fast food, Italian pasta, Mexican tacos, Turkish kebabs, even hotpot and steamed buns served by a panda.
A few stalls had been set up by Lords, hawking items from their towers. The street buzzed with activity, but one stall in particular had a line so long it reminded William of an iPhone launch.
Curiosity got the better of him. William shuffled towards the stall to see what could make these Lords froth at the mouth. His eyes went wide. There were no artifacts, no overpowered items. Just a fat Lord stuffing snacks, and beside him, an otherworldly beauty that looked like she'd stepped out of a dream.
She was half-human: silver hair, pointed ears, a porcelain-doll face with sharp, mesmerizing eyes, and from the waist down, a serpent's body wrapped in shimmering silver scales.
Her top was so skimpy it practically begged onlookers to measure her cleavage's depth. Her waist that could break an hourglass. She was the kind of hot that could set a monk's heart, eyes, and, well, everything else on fire.
That was an A-rank SilverSlip Naga. William was stunned by her beauty, but what really blew his mind was the fat bastard Lord selling Naga's kisses to desperate customers, at a price higher than his own Bloom Flowers. Five T.P., a kiss, and the line kept growing. Horny capitalism.
William glanced at Lumina, perched on his shoulder, and taking in the madness with innocent curiosity. For half a second, he wondered if people would pay for fairy kisses, but he shook the thought off. He wasn't about to stoop that low for T.P. Besides, he had Gacha. No need to pimp out his troops.
[That's right, Will. You've got me, you don't need that scaled snake's kisses.]
Amused by Rollie's jealousy, William grinned wickedly. "I'm talking about Gacha draws. I can collect all the beautiful races I want, and get their kisses exclusively for myself."
[Pervert. Absolute degenerate.]
William ignored Rollie's jab and made his way to the restaurant. After passing a couple more shops, he spotted it. Inside, at the counter, stood the Otter, with dark brown fur, almost gray, looking sharp in a brown tuxedo.
He scanned the place, searching for Dante's mom. The interior was generic fast-food, tables, booths, and the smell of fried seafood lingering in the air. Out of nowhere, he heard a voice calling him from the far end. There she was, standing at a booth, waving him over.
"Will, over here!"
He waved back and headed over. The moment he reached her, Dante's mom, Julia, pulled him into a hug. A real hug. She was forty-five, a housewife, but thanks to her daily yoga, she looked like she was barely in her mid-thirties.
She wore jeans and a plain white 'Guess?' shirt. No other way to say it, she was a certified MILF. The hug caught William completely off guard, her head resting on his shoulder, arms wrapped tightly around him.
William could feel her breasts pressing against his chest, her soft belly squished against him. His hands hung limp at his sides. He was twenty-six, and, pathetically, this was the closest he'd ever been to a woman.
In the past, he always kept a respectful distance from Aunt Julia. But now, she was way too close, and something primal stirred inside him, something that really shouldn't wake up. Heat rushed through his body, and Little Willie began to rise to the occasion.
Suddenly, he heard a soft sob. He looked down, Aunt Julia was crying. That snapped him out of his lust fast. With a trembling voice, she said, "I... I was so scared when I couldn't find Dante in the chat. I don't know if he's... fine. But thank you for telling me everything, and for the flowers, especially the red one. If not for you, I might have... died."
William, worry etched across his face, replied, "No, Aunt, no need to thank me. And don't worry, he's tough. From what I know from all those novels, when Lords get fewer in a region, the regions start to merge. Maybe we'll see him soon."
As soon as he finished speaking, William cursed himself in his mind. 'Fuck, fuck, fuck... What the hell is wrong with me? Getting hard over my friend's crying mom? Shit, did I forget the Bro Code? Your sister, my sister. Your mom, my mom. Your wife, my—wait, no, not that last part!'
William let her hug him for a few more seconds until she calmed down. Then she stepped back, wiping the tears off her face. "Yes, you're right. As his mother, my heart tells me he's alive." William nodded. "He's smart, Aunt. He'll figure out a way to survive. Let's sit and talk."
They both sat across from each other in the booth. Lumina hovered by William's side, her wings flickering. Dante's mom noticed the fairy, her gloom lifting just a bit. "Is this your main troop you told me about? She's too adorable, can I touch her?" William gave a warm smile. "Yeah, this is Lumina, my first troop summon. If she allows, you can give her a pat."
Aunt Julia stretched out her arm towards Lumina. The fairy was usually shy with new people. When William summoned the centaur, she didn't even go near him for two days. He half-expected her to hide, but instead, Lumina leaned forward, rubbed her face on Aunt's hand, and let out a childlike giggle.
Seeing this, Aunt's whole mood brightened. A genuine smile broke through the gloom. "Awwww~ she really is just like a child."
Seeing Aunt Julia smile made William oddly happy. "Well, yeah, she kind of is." He glanced around for Aunt's troop but didn't spot it. "Aunt, where's your hound? Didn't you bring him?" She pulled her hand back from Lumina and sighed. "I did, but he's a HellHound. Just being near him makes the place feel like a sauna, so the Otter made me keep him outside. Didn't want the furniture to burn."
"He must be powerful," William said, nodding. She shook her head. "He is, but in front of higher-rank climbers, he's nothing. If I hadn't fed him that red Bloom, I'd be dead by now. And honestly, I'm terrified for the next test, it's only going to get tougher from here."
William cut her off. "Don't worry, Aunt. You'll clear it, and I'll send more Blooms before the test." Aunt thanked him and, now with her mind a bit clearer, finally got a good look at William. "You've changed, the height, the muscles... You look handsome."
Ever since William got his new physique, he'd shot up to six-foot-two with chiseled muscles and a hundred points in charm, hot as hell.
He gave a shy chuckle. "Ah, yeah, I have a physical enhancement talent. When I awakened, my physique changed. It's nothing, really. Forget me, you look more beautiful. Your skin's literally glowing." He lied smoothly; no way he'd tell his real talent.
Aunt laughed, "Fufu~ Don't say that, it's also because of my talent." William grinned. "Nah, Aunt, if I didn't know you better, I'd guess you were Dante's older sister." She waved him off, chuckling. "Oh, you flatter me. I'm just an old woman."
William resisted the urge to comment further on her looks. This story was already dancing on the edge of taboo; there's no need to push it further. They ordered some food and started talking about their plans for the next Ascension test. William gave her a few tips, and after about an hour, they parted ways with a simple goodbye.
He picked up some fruit for Lumina and Centaur, and some meat for Skulker. He figured the wolf probably wouldn't eat his own kind, which William already had some in his inventory. With his shopping done, he headed back to the Tower. Stretching, he muttered, "Ahhh, so much more peaceful here. That Safe Zone was like a carnival."
Centaur was feeling better now and had started practicing, while the wolf was just goofing around. William handed out their meals and made his way toward the Luminara Tree.
There, the Ember Bloom Imp had just woken up; as soon as she saw William, she dashed over, making him flinch. He half-expected her to turn her to go boom on contact.
But nothing exploded. Like Lumina, the Imp started circling him like an overexcited child. After a few pats, she and Lumina went off to play in the flowers. Watching them, William felt a gentle smile tug at his lips.
After a decent rest and a meal from his rewards, William sat beneath the tree, a greedy grin spreading across his face. "It's been a while, let's see how rich I've gotten."
He checked on the deals he'd posted a few hours ago, and every single item had sold half an hour ago. The first thing to go? The Strap-On. Some wanna be harem lord snatched it up in minutes by seeing it gives charm. William didn't complain; it got him 100 T.P. He'd only spent 15 T.P. in the Safe Zone, and now, after selling everything, his balance was a solid 870 T.P.
He could do a lot with this much, and he already knew what he wanted to do first. Watching the two fairies play in the flowers, he smiled. "Let's get them some siblings."
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[A/N]: Hi everyone, my story is in the process of getting contracted. If you've enjoyed the story so far, please consider supporting by sending some Power Stones and writing down some reviews. Your support means a lot and really helps me continue writing.