CHAPTER 284: LET US DRINK TOO

"Right!" Sasha regained her sassy voice. "We finally found a solution to the annoying curse! Do you seriously want your allies to be afflicted by it when you can easily help us combat it?"

The women’s expression darkened even further. There was logic in what they were saying, but having other women drink Kaiden’s blood simply felt wrong. After experiencing how personal the experience was, it was almost as if they would be letting them take him for a rodeo.

"You make it sound as if we were proper allies, but have you forgotten that we’re just mercenaries...? We owe you people nothing," Aria hissed.

Vaelira’s expression turned victorious. "I see. So you’re willing to risk failure because you’re mercenaries and not guild members. So be it."

The air between the six women crackled with tension. Tenderness was gone. What remained were narrowed eyes, clenched fists, and the fierce twitching of ears and tails in Bastet’s case.

"I said," Aria hissed again, "we owe you nothing."

Vaelira, arms crossed, let her smirk widen. "So emotional. You’d think we were arguing over a boyfriend, not a dungeon survival strategy."

The possessive girl opened her mouth to interject, but...

*Drip.*

Everyone’s heads snapped to the left at the soft, wet sound.

There stood Diaz, entirely unconcerned by the growing tension around him. Kaiden’s bleeding arm was lifted above his head. A crimson trail of his blood streamed down, pouring neatly into his open mouth. It dripped over his lips, but none went to waste. He even swirled the last of it before swallowing and sighing with mild satisfaction.

Luna stared with horribly deadpan eyes. "These two are getting way too comfy with each other."

"There was literally zero trust between them mere hours ago!" Aria added.

Kaiden scratched the back of his head but didn’t say anything.

Diaz licked the remaining blood from his lips with no hint of shame. "Eh. It was kinda tasty. Not amazing or anything."

Kaiden nodded. "It doesn’t have to be gourmet. What matters is the result. How do you feel?"

Diaz paused, rolled his shoulders, then patted his stomach to make sure he was right. "Satiated."

"Good."

Kaiden then turned to his women, who still looked uncomfortable... but less so.

"You see? It can be handled professionally. There’s no need to make it intimate. You don’t have to worry."

The girls exchanged glances. None of them looked thrilled, but the blatant practicality of the method dulled their objections. One by one, they gave stiff, reluctant nods.

Everyone was fine with it, except Vaelira.

She looked annoyed.

Her glare burned into Diaz as if she could cut him in half with it. Her sitting in Kaiden’s lap and drinking his blood while moaning sexually would’ve been peak content that many of her fans would’ve surely appreciated. However, it was not meant to be.

Though the blond woman’s brain somehow managed to ignore the fact that whether this new solution was found or not, she wouldn’t have been sitting in his lap anyhow.

As for Diaz, he didn’t even look up, electing to nonchalantly inspect his enchanted daggers and make adjustments to their edge. He might as well have been deaf.

Sasha stepped up first, clearly more pragmatic than proud. Kaiden fed her the same way. Her expression went slack for a moment, then she gave a slow nod.

"Yup. Not bad."

Vaelira stepped forward next. She didn’t say a word. Her glare remained, pointed and sharp as ever. She drank, wiped her mouth, and stepped back without acknowledgment.

Finally, he turned toward Jack.

The tank was incredibly reluctant. "Alright... So, uh. Should I just open my mouth, or...?"

But before Kaiden could respond, Jack added, eyes darting toward four women in particular:

"Actually... maybe I should drink from one of the girls instead? One of the Valkyries or, y’know... the perverted catgirl? Maybe the effect’s stronger when it’s from a woman’s blood."

He chuckled lightly.

The chuckle died immediately.

Because Kaiden didn’t laugh.

He didn’t even blink.

Instead, a shadow passed over his eyes as his aura darkened palpably.

Everyone felt it.

"Did you say something? I think you did, but I must’ve misheard because my brain is telling me you said something you are simply not allowed to."

Jack’s breath hitched. "I... It was just a joke, bro. Why so serious? You can’t even take a slight jab without flipping out..."

Kaiden’s gaze lingered. It was as sharp as the edge of Diaz’s sharpened daggers. "I recommend you keep your tasteless jokes for your buddies. Our relationship is strictly professional. If this happens again, you won’t like what happens."

Jack gritted his teeth. The tanker didn’t like to admit it, but he was intimidated. Furthermore, the longer he fought alongside Kaiden, the more he understood that this wasn’t the kind of man he wanted to be on the wrong side of. Right now, they were pretty much equal in strength, or maybe he was even stronger, but somehow, he always had a trick up his sleeve. The blonde man had to reluctantly admit that Kaiden might become a big shot in the future.

Hell, he already had a large share of Runewoven to his name... And he was only just beginning.

Kaiden finally looked away, and the moment passed.

"Drink and shut your mouth."

The blood was offered. Jack drank.

And so, after Leon also got his fill, they moved forward.

No more lounging. No more flirting. No more time wasted.

The air grew colder. The walls sweat blood. The dungeon groaned as if aware its prey was no longer starving. The cursed hunger still clung to the environment like fog, but now it failed to seep into their bones.

Kaiden led the way alongside Jack and Diaz, the others falling into formation behind them. Their steps echoed through mirror-lined corridors, through halls where reflections twisted into monstrosities and time didn’t seem quite real.

A war was waiting.

And somewhere deep within this labyrinth, a countess wept and screamed, because the curse was no longer enough to repel the invaders who had come to slay her.

Because a man had turned his very blood into rebellion against her dominion.

And he was coming for her.

...

Author: I apologize if the story has been dragging a bit. I hope it hasn’t, but maybe it did. DPS has been giving me some trouble lately, and I struggle to write it. Its Chapters take longer to write than my other books. Furthermore, I’m also on a bit of a trip around Asia, so writing in general has been a bit more difficult than before. Anyhow, I apologize for yapping. The dungeon undertaking will end very shortly. Thank you for sticking with me through all this time. And if you haven’t already, check out my other book...

Hehe