Jake held Grace gently arm, ignoring the sharp pain in his ribs as she clung to him desperately.

Her body trembled against his, warm tears soaking into his neck and chest.

"I’m sorry... I scared you," he whispered hoarsely, his voice rough from pain and blood loss.

He slowly stroked her golden hair, letting the familiar softness ground him.

"But I’m still here and I’m not leaving you."

Grace shook her head, refusing to let go.

She didn’t say anything for a long time.

She simply held him tighter, burying her face deeper into the crook of his neck as if trying to merge their bodies together.

Her warm tears continued to fall silently onto his skin, each one heavy with the terror she had just endured.

Jake could feel her trembling... not just from crying, but from the sheer relief of having him alive in her arms.

The silence between them was heavy, intimate, and full of unspoken emotions.

Only the faint sound of her breathing and occasional sniffles broke the quiet of the underground room.

Jake smiled wryly as he continued gently stroking her soft hair, savoring the warmth of her body pressed against his.

Minutes passed like this, just the two of them, holding each other in the dim glow of the crystal light.

And after a while,

Finally, Grace’s trembling slowly subsided.

But she still didn’t pull away.

She simply nuzzled closer, her lips brushing lightly against his neck as she whispered, barely audible.

"...Never again. Please... never scare me like that again, Jake."

Her voice was hoarse, raw, and filled with such pure, unwavering devotion that it made Jake’s chest tighten despite his broken ribs.

Her fingers clutched the back of his bloodied shirt tightly, as though afraid that if she loosened her grip even slightly, he might slip away again.

Jake smiled and kissed the top of her head gently.

"I’ll try not to, but..." he murmured, his eyes resolute, "...I will do it again without hesitation if anyone tries to harm my crew... and my woman."

"...!"

Grace’s breath hitched at his words.

She pulled back just enough to look at him, her golden eyes shimmering with fresh tears.

For a moment, she simply stared at his bloodied, exhausted face... at the resolute look in his eyes despite the clear pain he was in.

Then, something deep inside her seemed to melt.

"...Your woman," she repeated softly, almost reverently, as if tasting the words.

A shy, radiant smile broke through her tears. "You... you really mean that?"

Jake looked at her with tired but steady eyes and nodded once.

"I do."

Grace let out a soft, shaky sob of happiness.

She leaned in and kissed him deeply, not with desperation this time, but with pure, heartfelt devotion.

"Mhmm..."

Her soft lips moved against his slowly and tenderly, pouring all her love and relief into the kiss.

Her massive breasts pressed warmly against his chest as she clung to him, one hand gently cupping the side of his face.

When she finally pulled back, her forehead rested against his, their breaths mingling.

"Then I’ll be yours... completely," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"Not just your crew... not just your devoted servant. I’ll be your woman, Jake, in every way. I’ll fight for you, comfort you... and bear anything for you."

She nuzzled back into his neck, hugging him tightly once more.... careful of his wounds, yet unwilling to create any distance.

When she finally pulled back again, her cheeks were flushed and her golden eyes shone with unwavering devotion.

"And I’ll become stronger too," she said softly but firmly.

"So you don’t have to bear everything alone. I want to stand beside you... not just be protected by you."

Grace’s golden eyes glowed with a new, unwavering resolve as she stared into his.

The fear and helplessness from earlier had been burned away, replaced by a fierce determination.

"I won’t be a burden anymore," she declared, her voice soft but steady, each word filled with conviction.

"I refuse to only cry and wait for you to protect me. I want to become someone who can stand by your side. Someone worthy of being called your woman."

Jake was taken aback by the resolute look in her eyes.

He could feel the sincerity in every word.

And at that moment—

[Ding!]

[Grace Lightborn’s Bond Level has increased!]

[Bond: 3 Stars]

[Ding!]

[Upgrade Points +2000!]

[Ding!]

[Please select one skill:]

Sex Fiend (Passive)

Basic Combat Mastery (Passive – Lv.0)

Shaky Aim (Passive)

Delayed Trigger (Passive)

Wild Shot (Lv.0)

Faulty Maintenance (Passive)

Jake’s eyes widened slightly at the sudden barrage of system notifications.

But right now, he couldn’t bring himself to focus on the skill selection.

He ignored the floating blue windows and looked back at Grace, his hand gently cupping her tear-streaked cheek.

"...You’re already worthy, Grace," he said softly, his voice hoarse but sincere.

"You don’t have to prove anything to me. But if you want to grow stronger... then we’ll do it together."

Grace’s eyes shimmered with happiness and determination.

She nodded firmly, pressing her forehead against his once more.

"Yes... Together."

Then, slowly, a shy, rosy blush spread across her cheeks.

Her gaze dropped, becoming soft and puppy-like as she sneaked glances at him from under her long lashes.

She bit her lower lip, clearly realizing what "growing stronger together" truly meant under Jake’s [Bonds Captain] class.

Her body shifted subtly against his.

Even though she was trying to be careful of his injuries, her massive breasts pressed a little more firmly against his chest, and her thighs rubbed together nervously and... expectantly.

A faint, needy heat radiated from her as the Sex Fiend passive stirred in response to her thoughts.

"Jake..." she whispered shyly, her voice barely audible, cheeks burning.

Seeing the watery, longing look in her beautiful golden eyes and catching that intoxicating fragrance, Jake swallowed hard.

After the intense life-and-death battle, his carnal urges as a healthy young man were at an all-time high.

His cock throbbed hard, rapidly hardening and pressing insistently against her stomach through his torn clothes.

Grace blinked cutely as she felt the burning hardness poke against her.

A seductive little smile curved her lips as she glanced down, then back up at him with flushed cheeks.

"You’re... really hard again," she whispered, her voice sweet and teasing. "Even though you’re so badly hurt... your body still wants me this much?"

"Ahem..." Jake felt a flash of embarrassment, but the lust in his eyes was undeniable.

Grace gently pushed him to lie back down on the makeshift bed, her expression turning soft and caring even as her eyes burned with desire.

"Relax, Captain..." she murmured tenderly, brushing her golden hair behind her ear with one graceful motion.

"Your body is still injured... So let me take care of you... Let your woman help you feel good."

With those words, she crawled lower, her massive breasts dragging softly along his torso as she positioned herself between his legs.

Her golden eyes looked up at him with pure devotion and hunger as she gently pulled down his torn pants, freeing his throbbing, rock-hard cock.

Grace licked her lips slowly, her hot breath teasing his sensitive skin.

"I’ll be gentle... but I’ll make you feel really good," she whispered.

Then she lowered her head, soft lips parting as she took him into her warm, wet mouth with loving care.

Slurp...