As soon as Tyler spoke, everyone turned to Dante in surprise. How had he leapt from 2 stars to the peak of 4 stars in just seven months?
— It was a series of accidents that brought me to this level, — Dante said calmly. — First, there was a strange blue root that allowed me to survive. Then came the beast cores, and finally the 100-year dew spiritual milk.
As Dante explained, everyone's eyes widened in astonishment.
The old Hai approached Dante and placed a hand on his shoulder, his aura flowing through Dante's entire body. Suddenly, Hai stopped, staring in shock. Around Dante's Dantian, a thorny worm-shaped spiritual root penetrated it completely. Yet it did not leak energy; they seemed like extensions of one another, fusing together, leaving Hai completely bewildered.
He began examining Dante's entire body and noticed something slightly unusual: his left arm seemed to contain strange but identical cells.
— Didn't you lose your arm, just like I did? — Crowler asked, utterly confused, startling everyone.
Dante remained silent for a moment before replying:
— I can regenerate… even limbs, as long as I have enough mana.
His words left everyone utterly stunned. Regenerating limbs was something that even level 2 beings could not accomplish.
— We must return to the village immediately, — ancestral Hai said, urging everyone to leave quickly.
Following his command, they retreated, returning to the village within two hours, carefully avoiding numerous dangerous points along the way.
Upon arrival, Dante was permitted to rest first, while the peculiar observations about him could be addressed later. Despite their excitement, the humans present could perceive how dire Dante's condition was: he was mentally exhausted, completely pale, and malnourished.
He returned to his small house with Viviane. The home was clean, neat, and well-kept, which brought a small smile to Dante's face. He lifted Viviane into his arms and lay down with her.
After a while, Viviane spoke:
— I thought you were dead…
Her voice was choked, tinged with fear—the fear of losing him.
Dante looked into her eyes and kissed her calmly, his voice low:
— I'm sorry… I didn't expect it to get out of control.
Viviane did not respond. She simply gazed into Dante's eyes, knowing it hadn't been intentional. Worse, she knew Dante would not stop. There might once have been a chance for him to calm down, but now it was impossible. He would venture out, he would not stay put, and he would inevitably become involved in more battles against the evil gods.
Breaking the silence, her voice came again:
— Dante… when you go out like this, I want to go with you. Always.
Dante's eyes widened in surprise at her words. Then he smiled, running a hand along her cheek:
— Viviane… Viviane, you are incredible, — he said calmly. — I love you.
He kissed her again softly, adding:
— But you know I could never agree to that.
Viviane did not show surprise, only a faint disappointment. She rested her head on Dante's chest, lost in thought.
— But… I thought about going out…
— What do you mean? — Viviane asked, her eyes shining slightly, expecting he might choose a safer path.
— Some time ago, when I spoke of going out, ancestral Hai gave me an idea. When I become stronger, I can join the Exterminators team. There will still be danger, but much safer than ordinary missions, especially in these turbulent times.
Viviane's eyes widened. This truly surprised her: he was choosing a safer path instead of following his desire to hunt beasts.
She lifted her hand and playfully squeezed Dante's ear with crossed fingers.
— Ai, ai, ai… — Dante muttered, caught off guard.
— Only you would do this, right? — Viviane said, then kissed him softly and asked sweetly:
— Are you hungry? You're so thin it hurts my heart.
Dante nodded, thinking of Viviane's food, a smile spreading across his face.
Viviane stood from his lap:
— Since you're hungry, I'll make something special for you.
She walked to the small kitchen, with Dante following, laughing and teasing her, stealing kisses and embracing her along the way.