CHAPTER 88: S-RANKED DUNGEON...

He took a deep breath. Then opened his eyes

The sadness in his voice disappeared. His tone returned to what it always was—stern and unbothered.

"I’m done answering questions." He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.

"So from now on... shut up. Walk quietly back to your dorms. You’ll be called when you’re needed."

The recruits gasped. One of them opened his mouth, about to ask another question—

But the glare Alaric gave him froze the words in his throat.

He shut his mouth immediately. Without hesitation. Without delay.

The rest of the walk back was made in complete silence.

In the capital of the Great Lumen Empire, Luxenhold...

***

A/N:

The Capital of The Great Lumen Empire is LUXENHOLD as Depicted in the map, I’ve been calling it VALEBASTION in the previous Chapters ... That’s a mistake, Valebastion is the capital of Lancelot’s Great Dame Empire...

***

Deus lay on the plush bed, silken sheets tangled around his muscular frame, his silver hair shimmering like liquid moonlight, his smooth skin glowing with divine youth.

His glowing eyes, sharp and warm, rested on Ivana as she slept beside him—her breathing slow, her body curled slightly, a vision of serene beauty, her exhaustion from their wild night etched in her relaxed form.

A glowing bubble, faint and iridescent, enveloped them both—a divine barrier pulsing with subtle light, shielding their intimacy from the world. Its warmth cocooned her slumber like a mother’s womb. Ivana’s white hair spilled across the pillow, strands soft and radiant, her jade-white skin flawless, her perky breasts rising gently with each breath, barely covered by the towel draped loosely over her curves.

Her big but perfect ass pressed faintly against his thigh, her thick thighs nestled together, her pussy hidden but still faintly scented with their mingled essence. Her dark eyes closed, cheeks flushed soft, lips parted—she was a quiet vulnerability that stirred his cock, his divine lust simmering even now.

Deus traced his hand along her white hair, fingers gentle, shifting strands to the side, revealing her delicate neck. Her pulse was faint under the skin, her warmth seeping into his touch. The gesture was slow, sensual. Reverent.

While a minute had passed outside, inside the bubble, ten hours had passed. Ivana had been sleeping the entire time. Though he could easily remove her exhaustion, Deus knew better—Ivana wasn’t just physically drained, she was mentally stressed. What she truly needed... was rest.

And Deus had the perfect beast soul to give her that peace.

---

[Chrono Bubble]

The Chrono is a rare and enigmatic beast soul that manifests as a shimmering, translucent sphere resembling a floating bubble. Within its glimmering surface, time flows differently—accelerated, but contained. Those inside experience minutes as hours, allowing rapid training, recovery, or planning within moments of real time.

[Chrono Chamber] – Generates a floating bubble in which time passes several times faster than outside.

[Static Isolation] – While active, the bubble is immune to external attacks or influences, but anything inside cannot affect the outside world.

[Essence Strain] – Prolonged use strains the user’s soul, especially if used repeatedly or at extreme acceleration.

---

Suddenly, Ivana stirred.

Her eyes opened.

Her gaze landed on Deus, who looked at her with a soft smile, the divine glow in his eyes undiminished.

"Are you sure you should be sleeping right now?" Deus asked, his voice smooth and relaxed as he recalled the Chrono Bubble to his soul subspace.

Ivana blinked slowly, momentarily disoriented, her expression questioning.

Sighing, Deus spoke. "An S-Ranked Dungeon portal just appeared outside your Empire."

Ivana’s eyes shot wide open.

In one fluid motion, she rose to her feet. The towel fell away as she summoned the beast soul armor Deus had gifted her. In an instant, she was draped in silver armor, crystal-blue plating gleaming with frostbite beauty—her aura shifting from soft lover to the cold-hearted goddess she truly was.

"I’ll go check it out," she said calmly, but inside, her heart was pounding.

S-Ranked Dungeons... that was on a completely different level.

Even the entire might of the Great Lumen Empire might not be enough. These dungeons had ended civilizations in the past. They needed help from the other Empires, but the situation across the world was far from stable.

The Great Dame Empire was closest in proximity—a vast, mountainous Empire located east of the frost-cloaked borders of Lumen. Once considered the most militaristic of all the Empires, it was forged through conquest and led by steel-hearted sovereigns. Their architecture was a mix of towering marble keeps and obsidian fortresses, cities built within cliffs and plateaus, their Souler Army renowned for their ferocity, discipline, and beast soul mastery rooted in elemental chaos.

But now?

The Great Dame was on the edge of collapse. Rumors had spread of betrayal within the royal family.

The previous Emperor, Lancelot, known across the world as the "Warden of the Eastern Flame," had been banished after surviving an assassination orchestrated by his own brother—Odin, who now sat upon the throne. The Empire had split down the middle. Tensions boiled beneath the surface. Whispers of rebellion echoed in the mountain holds.

Ivana’s brows furrowed in concern. How will Odin respond to this dungeon emergence in my lands? The Lumen Empire was a buffer between the Dungeon and the Great Dame—if Lumen fell, Great Dame would be next. But if Great Dame collapsed first from its own civil war...

And then, the Desert Heart Caliphate.

A sun-scorched Empire bordering Lumen to the south, ruled by monarchs chosen through divine combat. They were notoriously proud and slow to ally unless significant gains were assured. Ivana doubted they would act without direct threat or incentive.

The reaction of the other Empires could decide the fate of the entire world...

But all these calculations assumed that Deus wouldn’t be involved.

Ivana glanced back at him.

So calm. So casual.

Yet somehow, his presence filled her with warmth.

’With the Souler Army’s strength enhanced by Deus, we should be able to hold for a moment...’ she thought.