Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties-Chapter 238: Midnight’s Bike

Level 10 had an unexpectedly low death toll — such a result came even with Mias’ odd situation.

’Perhaps it’s a testament to how organized we’ve become,’ as well as their overall increase in strength.

Only about twenty warriors died, most of whom were from Edith’s squad.

Vale quickly replaced the lost forces using the Aether he’d earned from the Level, leaving him with 150 remaining. 150 he should undoubtedly spend if he were to heed a warning Greed had given him earlier.

She said that upon ascension all currently stored Aether would be lost.

As for what he was going to do with that 150?

He wasn’t going to summon more Troops. Even if he summoned a Mage, he’d only be able to summon a single one, and there was no guarantee it would be helpful. But what could be helpful was a good Item.

While Vale waited for the day of rest and recuperation to pass, he scooped up his good luck charm, Dickless Jr., and headed into the Dungeon Core for some gambling!

’Dad would be so proud.’

***

Worlds away, a lone man sitting in his homely cave looked away from his journal and sneezed.

***

Not that making that man proud was a good thing.

With a very confused Dickless Jr., who was on Vale’s shoulder wearing his black-and-white striped shirt, Vale summoned the store page.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Recruitment:

Champion: [40 Satisfaction]

Worker: [1 Aether]

Warrior: [10 Aether]

Archer: [15 Aether]

Mage: [100 Aether]

Random: [25 Aether]

Items:

N-Mystery box: [5 Aether]

C-Mystery box: [10 Aether]

R-Mystery box: [20 Aether]

???: [1000 Aether]

♥︎♥︎♥︎

With exactly 150 Aether, it was time for a Rare Mystery Box spree, alongside a single Common one.

But speaking of that Common...

’Let’s start with that, shall we?’

[Would you like to—]

"Yes."

A few moments later, the box fell, and from it rose three cards, all green.

’Alright, little buddy, time to shine!’ 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Which one?"

"badu?"

The imp cocked its head to the side, flashed its nasty teeth, and exhaled in Vale’s face.

’Why do you have surprisingly good breath?!’

It seemed that the passive "clean" trait of the Dungeon of Lust applied to them as well.

Eventually, DJ got the memo and pointed toward one of the cards.

Vale apprehensively reached out and took it in his hand, causing it to shoot up into the void. As for what fell down in its place...

’A tessellated cube?’

[You have acquired a C-ranked Item, Rubix’s Cube]

Vale picked up the weird, colorful cube.

[You have equipped UR-ranked Essence Pryer]

Vale read the description, which stated that by twisting and turning, one could match a side to a color; however, there was a weird Enchantment listed under the Item. Vale focused on it.

[Reward] - [Upon completing the puzzle, obtain a reward.]

’How cryptic.’

Vale curiously pulled at one side and was surprised to see how easily it twisted.

’I see...’

Not wanting to waste his time on that, he shoved it in [Nexus of Beginnings] and bought the first of seven Rare Mystery Boxes.

"Alright, Dickless Jr., don’t do me wrong!"

"badu!"

The little imp screeched and pointed to one of the three light blue cards.

Vale listened to his guiding light and gripped the card. A moment later, something of a fair size fell from above — something Vale recognized.

’A... bike?’

[You have acquired an R-ranked Item, Midnight’s Mountain Bike]

It was quite a large one, with a black carbon fiber frame and a weird tube attached to the back wheel.

Once again, the description was oddly normal for what he’d seen so far, but like the cube, it had an Enchantment — two of them, at that.

Yet, unlike the description of the bike itself, these Enchantments...

[Unbreakable] - [I don’t feel like carrying a tire pump around.]

[Nitro] - [Vroom! Vroom!]

’Alright... what the hell.’

Knowing what he knew about Item descriptions, it seemed whoever Enchanted it was messing around.

’Thanks, Midnight.’

’You and your ridiculous name.’

But a mountain bike was a welcome addition, especially one that looked superior to anything he’d seen on Terra.

’Not bad. I can use it to get around the Scar.’

Mainly, he could use it on his journey to the waterfall. Not to mention...

"It fits!"

Vale had to take a few of the swords out, but he managed to put the bike inside [Nexus of Beginnings].

Satisfied, Vale bought the next Mystery Box. Just like before, DJ picked one of the three.

As for what fell...

’A piece of paper?’

[You have acquired an R-ranked Item, Furious Note]

Vale looked at the paper as it fell, and its description popped up.

[Furious Note] - [You piece of shit who stole my bike! When I find you, I’m going to say some very mean things! Then take it back! Not the mean things! I’m not taking those back. I’m taking the damn bike back!]

Enchantments: [Drift of Destiny] [Ha! Take that!]

[Drift of Destiny] - [Will end up in the hands of whoever took the bike.]

[Ha! Take that!] - [After the paper reaches the target, and the target reads it, it will explode.]

’What the hell?!’

"Sheesh..."

Vale looked down at his necklace.

’Well, it’s mine now.’

And there was no way this mysterious Midnight would find him, ever. The material the bike was made of seemed uncreatable with the technology on Terra; therefore, there was no way the natives of Pandora, who seemed less developed, could craft such an exquisite Item.

Vale watched as, before the paper even made it halfway to the ground, it exploded.

[R-ranked Furious Note has been destroyed!]

"What a beautiful waste of 20 Aether..."

Though with that Enchantment, it seemed there was nothing he could do about it.

Still...

"How mad was that Midnight guy to write a note with Enchantments that fast...?"

Well...

Vale thought back to the day he summoned Mias and remembered the theory the smoky specter had proposed.

’That time bullshit.’

What if there was more to it than Mias’ first hypothesis? What if, on those marches toward each world’s end, each world’s relative time moved at different paces?

"Sounds plausible... What do you think, Dickless Jr.?"

"badu!"

’So, I was right.’

Vale smiled, knowing that even after learning that potential fact, there wasn’t much he could do with it; however, the true importance of this discovery lay in the fact that these Items — while Vale already knew them to be drawn from different worlds — were not replicas or Items created for him by the voice.

They were the genuine articles.