"Alter, how much time do I have left for the daily quest?"
["9 hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds."]
"Still enough time to sleep a little..."
As those words left his lips, Noah felt a heaviness gather in his eyelids. A sudden exhaustion swept through his body like a warm, irresistible wave. It was as if every muscle had shut down at once. His eyes closed slowly, and he drifted into sleep almost instantly, sinking into the mattress as if pulled down by it.
Silence.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Noah? Are you in there?"
A few more soft knocks on the door, followed by a faint click. The handle turned, and the door slowly opened, revealing Sophia.
She stepped into the room on light, almost silent feet, stopping by the side of the bed. Her gaze settled on Noah, fast asleep — his face peaceful, hair slightly tousled. A smile slowly formed on her lips... but it wasn't an ordinary smile.
It was crooked, intense, with something unsettling gleaming behind it. Her once gentle eyes now shimmered with a mix of devotion and obsession. She bit her lower lip lightly, tilting her head in a subtle gesture, like one admiring a masterpiece that only she had the right to possess.
"So vulnerable..." — she whispered softly, almost to herself.
It was the look of someone who loved too much. Too much to be healthy.
The next morning...
The first rays of sunlight slipped through the cracks in the curtains, casting golden lines across the room. The warm light slowly crept up to Noah's face, making him flinch slightly as the gentle heat brushed his skin.
He let out a low groan, still caught somewhere between sleep and waking, and tried to turn over... but something stopped him.
Or rather, someone.
He felt a comforting weight on his chest — soft, warm, carrying a faint sweet fragrance. His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the soft morning glow. When they finally focused, he saw Sophia there, curled up against him, sleeping soundly.
Her hair spilled in golden waves across the bed, her breathing slow and steady. One of her legs was draped possessively over his, as if making sure he wouldn't go anywhere.
Noah blinked a few times, surprised, but couldn't help smiling at the serene expression on her face.
"You took advantage of me while I was sleeping, huh..." — he murmured, amused.
He ran his fingers gently through a lock of her hair, brushing it away from her face. She frowned slightly, as if it tickled. Noah watched for a moment, contemplating the contrast between the sweetness of the scene and the decidedly not innocent behavior he knew so well.
Leaning in slowly, he brought his face close to hers and placed a soft kiss on her sleeping lips.
"Morning, sleepyhead."
Sophia's long lashes fluttered before her eyes opened fully. For a moment, she just stared at him in silence — as if processing the fact that she was being woken like that.
Then, a slow, lazy smile curled her lips.
+5000
"Hmm... you woke me with a kiss?" — she whispered, her voice husky from sleep, but carrying something more... something warm.
She stretched like a satisfied cat, pressing her body even closer to his, as if seeking out the warmth that only Noah could offer. The thin nightgown she wore left little to the imagination, and the feel of her skin against his sent subtle chills down his spine.
"I should sleep with you every night..." — Sophia murmured, her fingers trailing lazily down Noah's bare chest as if memorizing every line of his skin. Her eyes studied him with an intensity that was almost hypnotic, like someone gazing at something that belonged solely to them.
Noah chuckled softly, his eyes half-lidded with desire and the comfort of that moment.
"My bed always has a place for you," he replied with a teasing smile, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her even closer.
+5000
Sophia's body fit perfectly against his, as if they'd been made for each other. The heat between them was tangible, their quickening heartbeats echoing in sync. Their lips met again, this time in slower, more intimate kisses — no rush now, just the need to prolong that moment.
She nuzzled against him, the tip of her nose brushing his neck, inhaling the scent of his skin with a satisfied sigh.
"You say that now... but if I accept, you'll never be able to get rid of me."
"Who said I'd want to?"
+5000
They laughed together, low and conspiratorial, before getting lost in a few more kisses — gentle, affectionate, laced with whispers and intense looks that spoke louder than any words.
Some time later, they finally got out of bed — with visible reluctance.
Sophia threw on one of Noah's oversized shirts, which draped over her like a second skin, and wandered barefoot through the room, hair tousled and a satisfied glint in her eyes. Noah, still sleepy but with a relaxed smile on his face, slung an arm around her shoulders as they headed down to the kitchen together.
The morning light bathed the space, making everything feel warmer. The scent of freshly brewed coffee soon filled the air, and Sophia, perched on the counter, swung her legs as she watched Noah prepare toast.
"You know you look even sexier making coffee, right?" — she teased, biting her lower lip.
"And you know saying stuff like that first thing in the morning is dangerous," he replied, throwing her a sidelong glance, loaded with teasing and charm.
Sophia laughed, that sweet sound still carrying traces of the pleasure from earlier. Noah chuckled along, and for a few seconds, time seemed to slow down.
Noah watched her as she took a sip from the cup, his shirt dancing around her thighs as she swung her legs. It was a simple image, but there was something hypnotizing about it. Something that made his chest tighten and relax at the same time.
Maybe this was what he wanted to protect so badly.
After breakfast, and a few more stolen kisses and teasing remarks, Sophia stood with a theatrical sigh.
"Sadly, duty calls..."
"Being the leader of the biggest guild in the city has its downsides, huh?"
"You just like the title," Noah said, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter with a half-smile.
"I like power."
"But what I like even more is having something no one else can have."
Before he could reply, Sophia stepped in, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and gave him one last kiss — intense and possessive, like a seal. Then, with a mischievous smile, she walked away, leaving behind her scent and a faint emptiness in the air.
A few minutes later...
Now, Noah was alone in the house. The silence felt heavier than before, filled only by the soft sounds of birds outside and the faint ticking of the wall clock.
He glanced at the clock, then at the translucent panel that materialized in front of him with a subtle purple glow.
[Daily Quest — Time remaining: 2 minutes and 31 seconds]
"Yeah... time to get back in the game..."
With a final sigh, he stood up. Beside him rested a sword that was neither impressive nor special. Just a dark blade with a handle made of even darker, time-worn leather. A simple weapon, devoid of decoration or flair.
He'd taken it from his aunt's armory before heading out. A rank D artifact, nothing grand, but enough for the kind of threat that dungeon held.
His clothes weren't much either. He wore a simple coat with slight fire resistance — another item taken from his aunt's armory. Worn and plain, the fabric bore marks of use, but still offered some protection against flames.
Noah extended his hand and murmured:
"Key."
At that moment, energy condensed in his palm, taking the shape of an ethereal key. It was made of pure energy, its outline glowing in golden and reddish hues, like molten metal, with a tiny flame hovering at its center, flickering softly as if breathing.
With a precise flick of his wrist, Noah turned the key, as if unlocking an invisible door. The space before him seemed to respond. Reality twisted, then condensed, forming a portal of pure energy.
The portal pulsed in vivid shades of red and orange, traces of flame-like energy slithering around its frame like fire serpents. Its core swirled slowly, like molten magma mixed with incandescent smoke, radiating a stifling heat and ominous glow.
But the most impressive thing was that, despite the intense flaming energy, nothing around it burned. Not the floor, the furniture, nor the walls of the house showed any sign of damage.
"This portal really is different from the normal ones..." — Noah muttered, staring at the structure before him.
Usually, dungeon portals had a bluish hue, regardless of the element or type of creature that dwelled within. Even those tied to elemental attributes or rare types still appeared blue on the outside. What changed was the mana's intensity — the density and magical pressure around the portal, betraying the danger level inside.
But this one broke that rule.
Setting those idle thoughts aside, Noah took a deep breath and stepped toward the portal. The flaming energy seemed to stir with his approach, as if recognizing him.
Without hesitation, he crossed the threshold.
The instant his body passed completely through the portal, the structure behind him began to unravel. The flames that formed it vanished as if they'd never existed, leaving behind only silence and emptiness in the spot it once stood, inside his home.
What greeted Noah on the other side was a completely different world.
No sky above — only an oppressive darkness, streaked with thin fissures of reddish light, like flaming veins. The ground was arid and uneven, made of cracked black stone, with hot vapors escaping in small jets. The air smelled of sulfur and burned metal, so thick it seemed to stick in the throat.
In the distance, columns of flame rose from the earth like living pillars, and twisted shadows crept between the rocks, their eyes glowing like embers.
It was a dead, corrupted, merciless place — the true domain of the dungeon.
However, his attention was abruptly pulled back when sudden messages appeared before his eyes.
[Adjustments have been made]
[Host must grow as quickly as possible]
[Dungeon Rank D »»»» Rank C+]
"What the hell is this?"