Myles sat on the floor, his breath coming in quick and heavy gasps. Sweat clung to his bare skin. His face was stretched into a lazy, satisfied grin.
He let his head fall back against the desk behind him and letting out a long breath. His stamina was high, but even he had his limits after going on with full power on Lilian.
Nadine who still looked flushed had already begun dressing. She tugged her short pants back into place and buttoned up her jacket with slightly trembling fingers.
Her eyes flicked toward Myles every few moments as if unsure whether to feel embarrassed or content with what had just happened.
Lilian, however, made no move to pick up her clothes. Instead, the shadows in the room stirred unnaturally, twisting and slithering toward her.
Darkness wrapped around her body, slithering over her skin. Within seconds, the swirling shadows solidified into her usual black gown, hugging her body perfectly as if it had never been removed.
Myles watching the eerie display, let out a breathless chuckle. "That’s practical."
Lilian smirked and stretched with slow and deliberate movement that exuding confidence. She just smiled at his words.
She stepped closer to Myles, her crimson eyes gleaming in the faint light of the classroom. Then, she crouched down beside him, tracing a single finger along his jawline.
"You performed well, Myles. Maybe even better than last time. I guess you really have become stronger, huh..."
Myles just smiled.
Nadine who now fully dressed crossed her arms and huffed. She don’t know who this woman was but Myles seems to know her well. And Nadine herself don’t really want to question her.
Lilian now looking back to Myles, her teasing expression fading slightly. "We should talk now. I wasn’t lying earlier that I do have something important to discuss."
Myles let out a slow breath, still coming down from the high of their recent activities. He rolled his shoulders before finally getting to his feet.
"Alright," he said, stretching his arms. "What is it?"
"It’s about what I need you to do to help me," she said. "You’ve had your fun, but it’s time we start preparing for some serious matter."
Myles frowned slightly, his relaxed state starting to fade. "What do you mean?"
Lilian’s crimson eyes glowed faintly. "I need you to hunt a creature for me."
Myles gulped. She wanted him to hunt a creature for her? Something that an otherworldly beauty like Lilian wanted to hunt couldn’t be anything normal.
He straightened up, shaking off the lingering haze of pleasure, and narrowed his eyes at her. "What exactly do you want me to hunt? And why?"
Lilian’s smirk remained, but there was a flicker of something in her expression.
"The why isn’t important right now," she said smoothly. "All you need to know is that this creature is keeping something I want. And I want you to retrieve it for me."
Myles clicked his tongue. "That’s vague as hell."
Lilian chuckled. "Yes it is, for you. I’ll tell you about the creature so you won’t die."
She leaned against the desk behind her, crossing her arms, and began describing it.
"It’s called a Vilegnaw. A mutant beast that lurks in the depths of the abandoned industrial sector that fortunately, not far from here. Most people don’t even know it exists and those who see it usually don’t live to talk about it."
Myles’ frown deepened. "Go on."
"The Vilegnaw is a B-rank creature at the peak of its evolution, which means it’s strong, and that creature was not created from the mutations of beings in this world. Its coming from another world here.
"But that creature is not unbeatable. What makes it dangerous is how it mutates after every kill.
"Its body adapts based on whatever it consumes. If it devours something fast, it gets faster. If it eats something with thick armor, its hide hardens. It never stops evolving."
Myles exhaled sharply. "Great."
"So you need to kill it before it gets too strong to handle."
"Why don’t you just kill it yourself?" Myles asked.
Lilian shook her head. "I can’t interfere too much with this world. There’s a limit to the power I can use here at this stage. If I step beyond that boundary, there will be... consequences."
Myles narrowed his eyes. "But what about the power you gave me? Doesn’t that count as interference?"
Lilian smirked. "Oh, that much is fine. The skill I granted you is bound to your body. It grows with you, develops alongside your own strength. Unlike me, you’re part of this world now. You can act freely without disrupting the balance."
Myles fell silent for a few moments, considering her words. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of being someone’s errand boy from the start of their meeting.
But then again, something told him that helping Lilian would be important later.
She had given him power and if she was relying on him, that meant this Vilegnaw was no ordinary beast.
"Alright," he said finally.
Lilian’s smile widened slightly with a hint of satisfaction in her gaze. "Good."
"How about I bring some others along? I’ve leveled up few times and can be considered strong, but if this thing keeps mutating, I’d rather not take it on alone."
Lilian shrugged. "Fine by me. As long as you take what I need and bring it to me, I don’t care who helps you."
Myles nodded. He had a feeling this hunt was going to be a lot more trouble than he was expecting so he needs help.
After leaving the classroom, Myles adjusted ran a hand through his messy hair, the lingering scent of Lilian still clinging to him. Nadine walking beside him.
His mind, however, was already shifting to the task ahead.
He needed backup.
Navigating the halls, he searched for Ryan, eventually spotting him near the vending machines.
Ryan leaned casually against the wall, sipping a canned drink to calm himself, but straightened when he saw Myles approaching.
"Something wrong?," Ryan asked sternly.
"Yeah. Listen, I’ve got something important to talk about."
Ryan raised an eyebrow but nodded and take them to where his troops waiting.
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