Armor came off first.
Luna unclipped her harness and passed her gear over with practiced ease to the girl, who accepted it with a small grunt, knees bending just slightly as the weight transferred into her arms. She caught herself immediately, lips pressing together as she steadied it and placed the gear on a trolley.
"I’ve got it," she said quickly, cheeks already pink.
Nyx handed hers over next. The girl very nearly fell over this time with a sharp little sound slipping out before she could stop it, arms dipping low for half a second as the mass of enchanted metal threatened to overwhelm her. She recovered again, stubbornly refusing to let go, shoulders trembling as she forced the armor against her chest.
"I’m-I’m fine!" the girl decreed to no one in particular, mortified but determined, adjusting her grip and managing a small, proud nod when she didn’t drop it.
Then Calypso began undoing her armor.
The difference was immediate.
The infernal plates were thicker, denser, reinforced with hellforged layers. Renoa took one look at the first piece Calypso lifted free and froze.
She reached out automatically anyway.
The moment the weight hit her arms, she let out a startled squeak, knees buckling hard enough that she had to gasp to keep her balance.
That was as far as it went.
Kaiden stepped in without a word, one hand sliding under the armor, the other steadying her by the shoulder. He took most of the weight effortlessly, lifting the piece like it was merely inconvenient rather than absurdly heavy.
"I’ve got this one," he said calmly.
The girl stared at him, wide-eyed, and already blushing profusely. "...Th-thank you."
He gave her a brief nod, placed it on the trolley, and began pushing it toward the industrial cleaning area himself. The girl yelped, "Wait, you should relax!" but her words fell on deaf ears. Instead, she was forced to run after him so he would not get lost or get in trouble. "Geez... Wait for me!"
The space was set slightly apart from the rest of the camp. Reinforced flooring, rune-etched machinery, thick hoes, and racks designed to handle dozens of enchanted sets at once. Multiple workers were present, there to conduct rapid gear cleaning and repairs.
As he pushed the trolley in, Kaiden glanced back at her. "Thank you for your help. What’s your name?"
She blinked, then flushed again. "R-Renoa," she murmured. "... And you’re welcome!"
Kaiden straightened. "Renoa," he repeated, committing it to memory. "Good work out there. Thanks for taking care of us."
Her blush deepened. She hesitated, then exhaled, shoulders squaring as she decided she would be honest. "I-I’m sorry... The truth is that I was assigned to you, just like Bastet guessed..."
"Is that so?" Kaiden mused, already aware, but curious all the same. "I have nothing to forgive you for. Though I can’t help but wonder, why you in particular?"
Renoa turned beet red.
"I-it’s because Talia might know that I..." she stammered, fingers twisting together. "I... I am a bit of f-fan..."
"Ah."
A large grin crossed Kaiden’s lips as understanding dawned on him, making the fidgeting girl’s heart nearly stop on the spot.
A fan usually meant one thing. Access. Familiarity. Support in ways that went well beyond the battlefield. But when it came to him and his female fans, it meant more...
Women had access to his adult content. If she called herself a fan, without venturing to explain further and while sporting tomato-red cheeks, it could only mean one thing.
She was a fangirl. A real one, who consumed ’all’ their content.
He didn’t comment on that part.
"Thank you for the support," he said simply, deciding not to torture the poor girl. She looked so not ready for this conversation.
"Y-yeah..." Renoa whispered, heart hammering. Then she straightened, determination cutting through the embarrassment. "Please p-protect the girls and slay the monsters, Kaiden... And I’ll always be a fan."
Kaiden gave her a light, playful salute. "Yes, ma’am."
Her blush exploded even further, reaching unhealthy levels.
She stood there frozen, every effort focused on not squealing like an idiot - and failing - as he turned and walked away, watching his back recede toward the rest of the camp.
"...Oh gods," she breathed. "I am done for. This is worse than my teen celeb crush... So much worse... I’m off the deep end this time."
"Renoa!"
She yelped violently, nearly jumping out of her skin as one of the other washers snapped her fingers right in front of her face.
"You know you should relay some info to us about the gears we are to work with, right?" the woman asked dryly.
Renoa shook her head hard, snapping out of the daze. "R-right! Sorry!"
As she hurried back to work, face still burning, one thought looped uncontrollably through her mind.
’M-maybe... Maybe by the end of the competition... I will gather the courage to ask for an autograph... Where I truly want his mark...’
She trembled, and her hands snapped to cover a private part of her body.
...
Warm water did wonders for battered nerves and aching muscles.
The shower block was functional to the core, with rows of reinforced stalls, mana-fed heaters humming, and wide drains carved straight into the stone. There were no scented oils, no privacy screens beyond thick partitions, no indulgence beyond the simple luxury of heat and pressure.
Steam rose in lazy curls as grime and blood washed away. Luna leaned her forehead against the cold wall for a moment with her eyes closed, letting the cold against her forehead and warmth against her skin bleed the tension out of her body. Nyx rolled her neck beneath the spray, joints popping faintly as relief set in, while Calypso simply stood there, arms raised, letting the water strike her sensual, red skin without ceremony.
It was exactly what they needed.
The girls emerged cleaner, looser, hair damp and pulled back, wrapped in simple camp garments. By the time they reached the mess area, the edge had finally left their expressions.
The table was a solid slab bolted into the ground, surrounded by mismatched benches that had seen better days.
Renoa returned, carrying stacked plates, moving carefully now, with her earlier fluster replaced by focused professionalism.
She set the dishes down one by one, steam curling upward in inviting waves. The meal was dense and unapologetic, thick cuts of monster meat seared hard, resting over grain and root vegetables simmered in a dark broth. It was the kind of food designed not just to fill the stomach, but to push strength back into tired limbs, the unnatural vitality of dungeon beasts lingering in every bite.
An energy bomb, pure and simple. For the awakened, this was premium field rations: the monster protein had been processed to retain its mana-dense cellular structure, while the grains and vegetables acted as stabilizers, slowing absorption and preventing energy shock. Their awakened bodies, with their increased Vitality, meant that they could take it in and reap immense benefits.
They metabolized the excess mana alongside calories, converting it into rapid stamina recovery, accelerated muscle repair, and a gentle replenishment of internal reserves.
For a non-awakened person, however, it would be lethal.
Without the benefits of an awakened body that was needed to regulate intake, the mana would flood the bloodstream unchecked, overwhelming cellular membranes and neural pathways alike. Organs would attempt to process energy they were never built to handle, leading to catastrophic metabolic failure. Arrhythmias, neural overload, systemic shutdown. Even a few mouthfuls could be enough to kill an ordinary human.
Food like this wasn’t just nourishment.
"E-eat up," Renoa said, voice steadier than before. "It’s meant for quick recovery."
They didn’t need to be told twice.
Forks dug in. The first bites landed.
"Mmm~!" Aria let out a happy hum, shoulders relaxing as heat spread through her chest.
Nyx hummed in agreement, already halfway into her plate. "That hits right."
"This is so tasty, what the hell?!" Luna was pleased.
Even Bastet gave a satisfied nod as her golden eyes narrowed, feeling the energy settle into her core. Calypso, who was almost unfazed due to her extremely high Vitality and demonic physique, paused mid-chew. Her gaze drifted across the table as if she’d remembered something annoying.
She swallowed. "So what’s with those Ashen Losers? Tell me more about them."
"Ah. Yeah... the retard and the three clowns," Luna shook her head dismissively. The curse words flew out of her delicate lips as nonchalantly as possible. "Just the headache I needed."