Vexion was, a blushing mess. Her face was red to the brim, and her eyes refused to meet her master's. Yet, above all else, she felt truly blissful. Unable to contain her happiness, she slowly stood, lowering herself onto her knees as she bowed forward, pressing her face against Dante's chest. She knew what her master meant. In simple terms, his words carried the weight of, "I view things my way, not through the idiotic lens of others. If I say you're gorgeous, that's final."
After a few minutes of blushing and enjoying Dante's head pats, she finally gathered herself and sat back across from him. However, this time, her body fidgeted with excitement. Dante only shook his head and chuckled at her reaction, she was a teenager, one who for the first time in her life experienced someone's desire for her…as a woman. She did find it funny how these words came from a child so youthful, funny and truly odd.
Vexion smiled, still flushed with warmth, before hesitantly asking, "Then, Master… you truly want me as your woman? Of course, I know I am, first and foremost, your subordinate. I would never presume myself above your orders. But, Master, will I also… be able to serve you… as a women?"
Dante nod. The current him was a child and he felt weird to imagine anything happening now. So he shrugged and nodded. "Your hot now, I can see you getting even more beautiful. Your also useful. Why say no?"
It felt like he was wooing a girl again. This time, however, it was different. It felt authentic. Not like those past times when something had always seemed off—when he had desperately sought to make at least one more person like him, ignoring all the red flags in the process. Those foolish pursuits had only led him into pathetic, disappointing situations.
Everything he experienced in his short yet long life led him here.
His thoughts were interrupted when Vexion spoke again. "Master, then, will you let me—" She hesitated, realizing she might be overstepping her bounds, and quickly tried to divert the conversation. "Will Master tell me your overall goal?"
Dante noticed her attempt to change the topic, so he simply chose to ignore it. Leaning back on the couch, he rested his head against his hand, lifting one leg over the armrest while the other dangled off the side. He mused with a smirk. "Like I said, you can ask, I owe you and I want to repay that debt".
Vexion, already a jumbling mess of embarrassment, smiled happily and stood to bow. Her voice was barely above a whisper, filled with shy gratitude. "Thank you, Master."
Dante looked at her curious while casually glancing at her moral alignment. Despite her adorable demeanor, the status screen still classified her as, in simple terms, an evil monstrosity hidden beneath human skin.
He knew she was born this way, but it still surprised him. Normally, in novels, a person's moral compass wasn't explicitly displayed in their status but understood through their actions.
Only in rare cases, when it was integral to the story, would such things be visible. He recalled a novel where the protagonist had started as a righteous man, only to descend into revenge and moral corruption over time. That was the kind of 'character development' he often saw.
Dante smirked as he thought, 'Now that I think about it… I haven't really done anything to test my principles. Hmm. Is it because I don't have any? Whatever, Ill find out eventually. I'll worry about that when I've slaughtered a kingdom or two.'
Breaking from his thoughts, he finally answered Vexion's question. "To stand among the Sovereigns—and then surpass them."
Vexion froze momentarily, her heart seizing in a brief chill. "Others, you say, my Lord? Do beings exist beyond even the Sovereign level? I… I am not too knowledgeable about the titles that mark one's advancement in skill."
Dante smiled, though in his mind, he admitted, picking at his ear "Neither do I. In fact, I don't need to know. Unless necessary or it comes as passing info, however…"
He maintained a knowing expression as he replied, "you don't need to worry about that right now. Even I don't know too much about it, but without a doubt, there are those above that level its just that we're still far from reaching that stage."
Dante continued. "That's a few centuries away though. For now, first thing is just to establish my own power or take over a guild, some organization anything in that field."
Vexion tilted her head slightly, confused. She couldn't understand why her master would be interested in establishing or taking over a guild. Guilds were typically led by immensely powerful individuals, not all equal but relatively close in strength. Moreover, Master had stated that his ultimate goal was a few hundred arcs away. To her, that meant a time span of hundreds of thousands of years. Yet, she smiled inwardly as she thought, 'Master doesn't seem to doubt or even concern himself too much with those at such lofty heights. He claims he's cautious, but in truth, Master is simply shameless. He most likely isn't afraid of them because he has ways to hide from their eyes.'
Wanting to confirm this trait of his, she asked, "Then, Master, regarding those you say are far too strong for us… you truly don't believe we will run into them?"
Dante snickered and lazily waved his free hand dismissively. "Everyone offends someone eventually. I don't want to fight them or offend them—but I will, the trick is just to make sure you don't create enemies capable of giving killing you in one blow." He leaned forward slightly, his voice carrying a knowing amusement. "Fights aren't always won through brute force, Vexion. Schemes and strategies etc, there are ways to win without having to fight. This is a secret I'll share with you: Sovereigns aren't gods. They only feel like gods if you're too weak. But to someone with a common skill, even a simple mage can feel like a mountain. It's all a matter of perspective."
His looked at her then at her breasts before continuing in a half-focused mind. "Sovereigns can be killed. Their titles exist just to show off, also just to highlight how hard it is to get there. But they are in no way untouchable, no one is. With enough power, they can be killed. I highly doubt they are gods capable of wiping out entire empires, let alone continents or the world itself."
Vexion absorbed his words carefully, her heart pounding in excitement.
This was the kind of Master she had pledged herself to. Unshaken. Ambitious. And utterly unafraid.
Dante knew this from what he liked to call, 'As my enemy, you're impossible to beat, but as my ally or unlocked character, you're just shit.'
It was a common trope in stories—an insurmountable enemy that, once defeated, became nothing special when recruited or unlocked as a playable character. Before reaching a certain level, enemies seemed like untouchable gods. But once he got there, they were just stepping stones to even stronger foes.
The same logic applied to games. Boss fights were brutal, requiring every ounce of effort to win. Yet once that boss was playable, their overwhelming power seemed to be a joke. This reinforced a simple truth: nothing or none was truly invincible—it was all about perspective.
Smirking, Dante looked at Vexion. "We will offend them," he said. "After all, I play the game by my own rules. If we agree not to cross paths, I'll keep to that promise —until I don't feel like it.
Or if the gains are too small. For example, say there's someone I can't kill because their father or family is too powerful. I'll respect that... until they piss me off. If they threaten you, my possessions, or anything I value, then. I'll kill them, send their head to their family, then disappear. Lay low and when I return I'll erase their entire bloodline. Even their damn dog will die. Unless, of course, it's too tedious to hunt down every last relative. But you get my point."
Vexion stifled a giggle behind her hand. 'Master really is shameless. We think alike,' she mused. 'In my experience, escaping enemies I couldn't kill was a pain. It was better to eliminate their family and make a break for it. If I got stronger, I'd return and finish the job. Master is right—no one in this world is truly unkillable. It's just a matter of patience and dedication.'
.....And so.....
A conversation of the highest calibre of shamelessness was being had
She tilted her head. "Then, Master, why a guild?"
Dante chuckled. "Do you know which guilds are the most profitable?"
Vexion thought for a moment. "Merchant guilds... or assassin guilds?"
Dante grinned. "Exactly. Merchant guilds are obvious. But assassin guilds tend to be overlooked or ignored a lot of the time, because no one wants to mess with them. The ones run by real powerhouses are considered untouchable. But assassins have... countless uses. Right now, its just the two of us so no need to worry about the small details until the time comes. But people can be annoying and an organization with no structure is just a pain in the ass. Hence, you'll be the first, and I'll make sure you always stay the strongest. If you smell a rat be strong enough to take care of it. Once you're done with your questions, I'll show you my sincerity."
Vexion nodded. She had many questions, but she also had time—she could ask later. Taking a deep breath, she clutched her robes and looked up at him, cheeks flushed. "Master, you said I could make any request. Since taking your first time was a gift from you... then my request is this: Please make me your first, most trusted, and dearest lover and subordinate. I swear I won't disappoint you. I'm also a virgin, so I will remain pure for you. But beyond loyalty and strength... I wish to be perfect for you in all aspects. If there's anything you dislike in a lover, tell me. I'll learn. I don't want you to grow bored or seek another woman while I stand by your side. I know others like Lexa have already caught your eye, but... please, don't let the passing of time dull my importance in your heart."
She bowed deeply, pressing her forehead to the floor before his feet.
Dante felt another system notification pop up, but his focus was on Vexion. He was pleased—happy, even. He had a way to verify her sincerity, but at this point, he didn't need to. He already had a solid grasp of her loyalty.
Smiling, he lifted her chin, patting her head as he chuckled. "If I were eighteen, I'd be fucking you wildly right now," he admitted. "But I do appreciate kindness and loyalty. I have ways to monitor this, and to prove to you that you've made the right choice, I'll show you something."
Dante mentally pulled up his skill panel, opening the newest addition:
Loyal Subordinate Bestowal (Legendary, 1 Slot)Abilities:
Power Bestowal Skill Enhancement & Modification Revocation of Power
Skill Owner: Dantalian
Current Subordinates: 1/3 Vexion (Limit increases with growth)
Loyalty Points: 12,000 (Used for Enhancing & Granting Skills)
Master Skill Points: 120 (Used for Managing & Upgrading the Skill)
Loyalty System
Loyalty Status: Vexion (Absolute Devotion – 120%) Loyalty Tiers:
Absolute Devotion (100%) – Will never betray. Gains extra bonuses. Grants 200 daily loyalty points. Loyal (80-99%) – Fully trusts Dantalian, fights at full strength. Grants 100 daily loyalty points. Committed (50-79%) – Supports Dantalian but may hesitate in extreme cases. Grants 50 daily loyalty points at 70%. Neutral (30-49%) – No strong allegiance; can be influenced. Doubtful (10-29%) – May betray if given a better offer. Disloyal (0-9%) – Actively resisting or planning to leave. Deducts 200 loyalty points daily.
Loyalty Point Mechanics:
Gains Points When: A subordinate swears absolute allegiance (+1,500) o A subordinate accomplishes a great feat (+1,000) A subordinate is rewarded, saved, or trained (+100) Loses Points When: Dantalian mistreats, ignores, or betrays them (Varies: -100 to -1,000) A subordinate is exposed to external influence and takes active attempts to betray Dante(-100 to -1,000) Dante's power weakens significantly (Minimum loss: -100)
Subordinate Eligibility & Limits Requirement: Must have a epic tier skill over level 1. Eligible Candidates: Must possess sufficient potential. Must have at least Neutral (30%) loyalty to receive any skills or skill improvement. Higher loyalty unlocks stronger skill potential. Subordinate Limit Growth:Base Limit: 5 subordinates Gains +1 per Mastery Rank increase. Legendary & Mythical skills may expand this limit.
Skill Tree (Bestowal System)
Common Tier Skills (100 Points):
Minor Strength Boost Basic Weapon Mastery Enhanced Stamina
Epic Tier Skills (1000 Points):
Combat Insight Rapid Healing Elemental Affinity (Fire, Water, Earth, Wind)
Legendary Tier Skills (5,000 Points, Requires Absolute Devotion):
Elemental Mastery Spatial Awareness Regenerative Combat Body
Custom & Unique Skills (10,000 Points, or 1000 Master Skill Points):
(Note: One time option to fuse skills of a different tier for no more than 10 000 points has been opened. Option to combine skills of different tiers is not always possible, if it is, it could cost more points. However an exception for subordinate "Vexion" has been made)
Can create tailored skills Can modify or fuse existing abilities
Status Overview Panel Subordinate List:Name: Vexion | Loyalty: 120%Skills Bestowed: Phantom Tyrant (Legendary), Dread Step (Epic) Status: First Subordinate, Lover Available Points: Loyalty (12,000) | Master Skill (120) Skill Recommendation: Skill will function more efficiently if Paired and Managed by Legendary Tier skill: Second Mind.
Dante grinned. "Now, let me show you what true loyalty looks like."