[First challengers: 0:1:09]
***
Salome's pink eyes glowed with lust as she stole glances at her master, who was standing with confidence befitting his passion. His arms crossed in an astute defiance while facing toward the visages of unknown challengers.
***
Vale stared at the black wall…
'Shit! I'm so scared!'
'I'm gonna fucking die!'
Vale dug his fingernails into his obliques to calm himself.
Through the black haze, he could make out ten silhouettes. It appeared they all had either an axe or a sword.
Thankfully, none of them had a bow, or Vale would have probably started crying.
How the hell was he supposed to defend himself against an arrow while wearing practically no armor!
If what Salome told him was right, then his Rudimentary Shapeshifting and bracers ran on his Aether, which was severely lacking.
'I can't even use my armor!'
The timer continued to tick down, and the Apostle of Lust continued to study his adversaries, whose bodies were growing less and less obscured.
As he did, Vale couldn't help but notice…
'Seriously?'
The beings on the other side of the black wall had long ears and wore only a loincloth. He would have thought they were elves, but their green skin color made him think otherwise.
If he had to guess, they were…
'Goblins?'
At least that was what he'd guess from folklore.
But from the stories he'd read, goblins were always described as ugly and foul.
The problem was they were.
'Attractive? Attractive goblins.'
Salome looked at him with a devious smile.
"Ready?"
Vale stared at the translucent wall as it fell, finally allowing them to face their adversaries fully.
"Yeah…"
[Defend your Dungeon Core from the Goblins of Lust!]
'Why is everything lust-themed!'
Well, this was the tutorial of the Lust Dungeon.
Vale had an inkling that actual goblins held a different appearance than the conjurations before him, which were probably made by whatever entity brought him here.
'Right?'
They were all strikingly handsome or beautiful, even their facial features.
"Kreeeee!"
Half of the ten goblins were male, and the other half were female, and they wore only thin loincloth over their genitals, including the women.
They all stood about 150 centimeters or a little more, and the women were… well-endowed.
Meaning, their green tits were bouncing around unrestrained as they ran forward into the alcove with their weapons drawn, charging Salome and Vale.
Salome smiled, and the purple underglow of her wings intensified.
A multitude of quills began to separate and float in the surrounding air.
The ten purple, shimmering quills circling Salome suddenly stopped and turned, their sharp points now directed at the challengers.
She waved her hand.
The projectiles zipped forward, spearing the chests of the two closest goblins.
They crumpled pitifully to the dungeon's floor.
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[+1 Aether]
[+1 Aether]
'So I was right.'
About Aether.
Strangely, the bodies of the two male goblins sank into the stone. Yet, their loincloth remained behind, and so was one of their swords, but not the other's.
'Interesting…'
Vale would have time to ponder this mystery once the threat was expelled. For now, he needed to focus.
He may not be in direct combat, but there was always a chance one turned on him.
Salome smiled devilishly as she rushed and met the goblins head-on, using her sharp nails as claws.
Her nails bit into their green flesh as she effortlessly dodged each of the goblins' attacks.
She simultaneously recalled her quills and was preparing another barrage.
Vale couldn't move, still stationed guarding the corridor that led to the Core. But, he did have his whip.
He began cracking his razor whip when two unfortunate goblins stumbled within his striking range.
While Vale's attacks couldn't kill, he could seriously maim the two; both off balance from having to dodge Quillstorm.
Salome let out a fiendish shriek as she barreled into the two injured goblins and thrust her hands into their chests.
She squeezed their beating hearts.
The goblins screamed as they fell.
"Kreee…"
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[+1 Aether]
[+1 Aether]
Once again, the loincloth was left behind, but this time, both of their weapons disappeared along with their bodies.
With a ferocious smile, she turned and faced the remaining six, who were all battered and bruised except one, the green blood of the goblins she'd slain dripping from her hands.
The goblins cowered, but didn't flee as if they were being forced to attack the dungeon.
'Well, they probably are…'
Salome brought her hand to her mouth and began licking the green goblin blood off her fingers while preparing another volley of Quillstorm.
The terrified goblins tried to rush her before she could shoot once again, but they were too late. The deadly barrage slammed into the group, and instantly, four more of the goblins fell and disappeared, leaving only two behind.
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[+1 Aether]
[+1 Aether]
[+1 Aether]
[+1 Aether]
The two remaining goblins…
'Both are female.'
One was hanging on to life by a thread.
Vale forced himself to watch as Salome ruthlessly plunged her arm through the goblin's chest, killing it.
[Goblin of Lust has been slain]
[+1 Aether]
It was a gruesome sight, but one that he couldn't look away from. He felt he should have been disgusted — that would've been the typical reaction — but instead, he was simply fascinated witnessing something new.
He didn't necessarily like the fact that he wasn't disgusted at the sight of a humanoid being dying.
'Something seriously ill is going on with my mind.'
Lust… not 'lust,' but 'Lust'… whatever it was, was controlling him, devouring his conscience slowly and insidiously.
Salome's grin widened as she looked away from the petrified goblin and at Vale, her arm somehow cleaning itself in the short time he'd been distracted.
"Master, may I?"
Vale internally sighed, then replied.
"Yes…"
The remaining goblin, with long, dark green hair, was shaking as she faced Salome, her once-defiant green eyes now glowing with despair. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her sword nearly fell from her grip.
"Kree?"
She made a sound as if begging to be spared as Salome approached her.