Chapter 362: Auntie

On the slope of Black Cloak Mountain.

Grey leaned against the mountainside, gasping for breath, her coarse, grotesque spear planted upright in the ground—she lacked even the strength to hold it.

On her lap lay the half-deer woman Kira, unconscious, her face unnervingly pale.

Just ahead of them, a mind flayer corpse lay still on the ground, its head impaled by a green-bladed straight sword.

Purple-black blood pooled everywhere.

"This demon's psychic ability… is so stubborn."

Grey muttered, still gasping for air.

The two women had been struck by a psychic shockwave the moment they encountered it.

Kira collapsed instantly into unconsciousness; Grey had gritted her teeth and held on—but to claim she was unharmed would be a lie.

It was as if someone had been sawing wood right against your ear, the noise and impact slamming together, leaving her bleeding from her nose and ears.

Then came a heart-stopping battle—and naturally, she had prevailed.

The spiritual activity within the mountain had ceased for half an hour.

Grey was certain.

That man was dead.

Such intensity of psychic power—no spiritual warrior of his caliber could possibly withstand it.

Fw—

The magical fluctuation of flight magic reached her.

Grey turned her head to the sky and, stunned, saw the man rising slowly from the ridge's gap, carrying a mind flayer—then accelerating abruptly, vanishing into the horizon.

"How is that possible?"

Unbelievable. This was clearly a mind flayer nest—when such demons unleash psychic power en masse, even an eighth-rank could not escape.

He… he really can?

To verify her suspicion,

she immediately picked up Kira and rushed without pause to the ridge's gap—then froze, shaken to her core.

The sunlight, veiled in volcanic ash, was dim—but even within the damp, dark Black Cloak Mountain, a sliver of light remained.

In that sliver of light, she saw the hollow interior of the mountain, littered with one corpse after another of demons.

Grey opened her mouth, but suddenly found she could not speak.

Along the path, straight ahead:

Half-body, headless, chopped into bloody shreds by swordlight.

All without exception—dead.

Then came a downward pit.

Spiral sword scars etched the walls into a horrifying tapestry, each scar still humming with terrifying spiritual residue.

Ruthlessly reaping all life.

The 【Hero Giver】 in her arms slowly stirred awake, but the scene before her was so horrifying that Kira's face turned white again.

"This… this…"

The 【Hero】 gave no response.

The half-deer woman looked up and saw Grey staring silently at a distant demon corpse.

Half the demon's skull had been sheared away, leaving only a face frozen in helpless, ultimate terror.

"Lady Grey?"

A surge of spiritual energy suddenly erupted from the silver-armored, silver-spear-wielding heroine.

Kira blinked, then exclaimed in delight: "Seventh Rank! Lady Grey is ascending to Seventh Rank!"

Yet even in her joy, she was stunned.

The spiritual residue so potent that merely gazing upon it could grant her Hero's ascension to Seventh Rank—could that flower-stealing thief truly be that strong?

Half a day later.

Windwall Forest.

The elf Kalistra coldly blocked Luo De and the mind flayer Hart from entering the forest.

More precisely, she blocked the mind flayer Hart.

"I never interfered when you brought girls into the forest before—but this is different. This is a demon. Do you understand, human?"

She said coldly, "Have you seen her eyes? Is that the gaze of a sentient race?"

Luo De wanted to say something, but found no words.

Fine.

Hart really was a monster. Judging by the scale of their nest, she'd killed at least a hundred people.

Mind flayers know no gratitude—only fear of power, never moral restraint.

Luo De could control her only because of his exceptionally high mental resistance.

Thus, he would never treat her as he treated other girls.

"She is a slave and a prisoner of war. I've already established rules for her."

Luo De could only say that.

Kalistra's brow remained furrowed, about to speak, when a distant shout rang out.

"Master—"

Tally arrived, running breathlessly.

Today, for once, she had taken the form of a woman nearing forty—yet her figure remained tall, her bosom full, and her face bore a resemblance to Luo De's; any outsider passing by might mistake her for one of his elders.

Luo De caught her as she rushed into his arms, carried by a waft of perfume.

But instead of cuddling as she usually did, she planted her hands on her hips, patted his head, and beamed with delight and satisfaction.

"What trick is this?"

"Huh? Little nephew, haven't seen you in ages—how dare you speak to your aunt like that? Come here, let Auntie check if you've grown!"

With that, Tally eagerly reached for his pants.

Luo De shoved her away; she pouted, claiming she hadn't eaten.

"Cough! Cough!"

Seeing them truly playing around with no end in sight, Kalistra cleared her throat to remind them.

Only then did Tally notice the tall, octopus-headed woman standing behind Luo De.

She gaped in shock.

Damn, her chest is huge—and she's so thin! That's exactly the contrast Master likes!

"Will she be joining our party tonight?"

"No. I have no such intentions toward her."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Reaally?"

Though her face looked nearly forty, Tally wore an expression so cute and non-offensive.

Luo De couldn't help but kiss her:

"Alright, for now it's true. After that? Hard to say."

"Good! I want to watch my good nephew do the octopus!"

Kalistra stood silent beside them, her gaze at Luo De like he was dung.

But she knew she couldn't change what this man chose to do—so she snorted and stormed off.

But before leaving, she said:

"You mentioned two elves from Bicui Court appeared on Sunset Hill. If you meet them, remember not to reveal my whereabouts."

"Why? Aren't you from the same place?"

Kalistra paused mid-step, then replied after a moment:

"I never completed the Elder Council's mission, nor returned to report. A friend told me some elves from Bicui Court might come to question me."

"Troublesome? If you need help, call me anytime." Luo De said.

This time, Kalistra did not act aloof.

She glanced at Luo De, nodded seriously, then turned and left.

That attitude was oddly new.

Luo De found it interesting, but did not press further.

He handed the mind flayer Hart over to the zombie Selina for supervision, issuing strict orders—he had no fear she would rebel.

Then he boasted to Tally about yesterday's epic battle against twenty-three female fire spirits, making the succubus's eyes sparkle.

She immediately dragged him to a secluded spot and demanded afternoon tea.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

When Tally called out "Little nephew, faster!" it was indeed thrilling.

Old grape truly has her depth!

(End of Chapter)