Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties-Chapter 208: Problematic

Awilix grumbled as she lowered her arm and shifted her weight from leg to leg.

"Well? Are we not gonna fight? I thought you wanted some rough foreplay."

Vale closed his eyes and shook his head.

Then, he reached into the [Nexus of Beginnings] and dragged out two gauntlets dropped from the Ashen Vilkas. Items with the same name as Awilix’s Trait — albeit, the claws provided by her Trait were much sharper.

[You have equipped C-rank Item: Iron Claw]

[You have equipped C-rank Item: Iron Claw]

It was time Vale learn to use... a less fragile weapon.

While he could harden his body and attempt to mimic stone, it was still his flesh at the end of the day.

Making a shield or sword of your flesh seemed pretty counterintuitive and nonsensical — incurring damage every engagement.

Vale’s focus on this spar, despite testing Sivian’s reaction even further, was to learn how to fight with a weapon in a way that his Trait supported it.

Vale slightly lowered his center of gravity and took a stance.

Because of the nature of their spar not being with the sole objective of victory, Awilix was disallowed [Eclipse], and Vale had to deactivate [Ember of Lust] and [Charm].

Speaking of [Charm]...

It finally had a use in battle after its recent evolution.

Much like Stacy’s taunt, it could mess with a person’s senses. Vale could do so by lulling them into a false sense of security. Or announcing a different attack than he intended — the goal being for Charm to enhance his words’ sincerity and make his opponent react accordingly.

It was quite an underhanded tactic Vale didn’t want to use... but once again, his justification looped around to the same thing he’d told himself the very first time he’d read the description.

’I’d be dumb not to use every ability at my disposal, no matter how nefarious they may be.’

Vale shook the thoughts away, then shapeshifted his skin, webbing it to the iron gauntlets.

He didn’t simply attach it to his skin; else, he’d merely be transmuting the problem to shock absorption. Instead, he made a loose connection of fibers much like the insides of a bird’s bone.

These hollow gaps between the connections not only improved shock absorption and aerodynamics but also made the gauntlet feel lighter. Almost like it was a part of him.

Naturally, this reasoning was much different than why birds’ bones were like that.

When that was done, Vale announced:

"Ready?"

Awilix’s response was dropping on all fours and charging headlong at Vale — a bit of saliva slipped out from her open mouth.

Vale’s lips curled up as he lowered his shoulders and slid his leg back.

Unlike a spar with any of the others, when Vale and Awilix clashed, it was simply a slugfest.

Both were nimble, Awilix holding a slight edge. Both were physically strong, Vale holding that advantage. Both lacked long-range abilities. Both preferred straight-up engagement.

Awilix leapt at Vale, dragging her claw back, then swinging it downward in a wide arc.

Vale caught her claw with his right gauntlet.

He was about to throw a counterattack, but had to pivot into a throw when Awilix’s foot came threatening to kick in his kneecap.

Awilix was flung over Vale’s shoulder, but spun and landed perfectly on her feet.

Vale nursed the small scratch that Awilix had given him as she flew.

"Impressive."

Awilix bore her fangs and leapt at Vale again, caring only for the ’promise’ of a reward.

’A promise I never promised!’

Vale grinned wildly as he balled up his gauntleted fist and jabbed.

Awilix weaved under the jab and closed in.

As Vale had anticipated.

Vale was already lifting up his leg with his knee curled, ready to send it into the cat’s abdomen.

Awilix’s eyes danced all around Vale’s body, studying every twitch it made in the fraction of a moment.

The cat smiled as she slid into a split, throwing her head back, dodging the knee.

Then she slid forward with her hands on the ground, shot up into a handstand, and began spinning, sending a series of alternating upside-down wheel kicks at Vale.

Vale held up his right gauntlet, reinforced his arm with his other hand, and placed it in the path of Awilix’s leg.

Awilix was already reacting and had shoved off the ground and pulled her leg so it didn’t slam into the iron too hard.

Then, she used Vale’s one strength to hook her foot on his arm, then swing herself away, scratching Vale’s chest a little.

That’s not to say Awilix dodged all damage.

Her foot seemed quite hurt.

Vale felt the small pool of blood leaking from his chest and smeared it on the claws of his gauntlet.

Then, he took a stance again.

Awilix charged, and this time, Vale threw a very obvious hook.

As Awilix lowered herself to dodge it, Vale opened his claw and threw drops of his blood into Awilix’s face.

A splash hit her in the eyes. A good portion landed on her cheek. And a little bit slid into her open mouth.

Awilix hissed, then rolled away and began wiping her eyes and face.

"What the fuck, Vale!"

Vale himself laughed and pointed.

"How’s it taste?"

Awilix growled, spat the blood out of her mouth, then lowered and took a stance again.

However...

"Ow! Fuck! Shit! Ow!"

The cat suddenly jumped up and began hobbling around as she gripped her calf. Her gaze shot back toward the onlooker with a devious expression.

"What the hell was that, you snake?!"

Sivian, who’d spewed a bit of corrosive venom onto Awilix, laughed and said:

"Oh my? Did something happen, Awilix?"

The Naga’s eyes narrowed, and she held a hand to her blue cheek.

"Ow! Shit! Yes! You splashed me with your vile spit! Why the hell does it hurt so much!"

Sivian chuckled lightly

"Oh? Did I? I’m so sorry."

Vale looked upon the sight with a defeated expression.

’So, I was right.’

That didn’t bode well for the future. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The snake. The snake was crazy when it came to Vale.

So much so that she’d even tried to punish Vale for allowing Awilix his blood. Yes, a slight stream of her venom had also sailed toward him.

Already prepared for such a thing, he dodged it.

’But still...’

This would be...

Problematic.