Ion's Dungeon
Now sunken deep underwater, the area was filled with dangerous aquatic beasts—schools of them swarming through the submerged, cavernous passages.
As their vision slowly cleared, the group found themselves immediately surrounded. Hilda acted fast, grabbing Ion and Reshia as she dove downward through the water. She swam with strength and precision until she found an air pocket tucked within a cave wall. Reaching the narrow ledge, she tossed Ion and Reshia up onto the small patch of land.
Gasping for breath, Hilda panted, "Reshia! Are you alright!?"
Reshia coughed up a bit of water, eyes wide. "Hilda...? Where are we? Where's Master?"
"I don't know," Hilda replied while hoisting herself onto the ledge. "Oi! Knight! Wake up!"
Ion coughed violently, his eyes still half-lidded. "Kira... Kana... Where are you guys...?" His voice trembled with heartbreak as he reached out toward the empty air.
Hilda stared at him, a bit stunned by the depth of his longing. But before she could speak again, the cave shook violently.
BOOM!
A massive impact rocked the cavern—something had slammed into the outer wall. Reshia squealed in fear as cracks formed and water began to leak in. Hilda didn't hesitate. She grabbed Ion by the arm, and Reshia hopped on her back without question. With a growl, Hilda jumped back into the water.
She focused her mana into her legs, channeling heat into her feet. Steam burst from beneath her as the water around her boiled in streaks, launching her forward in a powerful surge.
---
Dungeon Maker Room
"Damn you, Serdeck! You made it worse!" Cynthia, the Evil Goddess of Love, shouted as she watched Ion's section of the dungeon. "Ara~ But Ion's with Ares' girls now... just not his own. Interesting~"
"I simply enhanced the ocean chamber with a few monsters and closed the skylight. It was too bright," said Byjack, the Evil God of Diligence, calmly.
"Fantastic," Cynthia snickered. "Now he gets to live out his old wish—to be like Ares." She turned slyly. "Hey Dengka, do your little thing to Ion too, will you?"
"Suit yourself. I was going to anyway," Dengka muttered, still fixated on Ares' screen.
"Huh? The boar girl's the one swimming and not Ion?" Cynthia leaned in closer to the monitor. Byjack noticed and blushed awkwardly.
"W-Why are you always this... exposed?" Byjack asked, looking away.
"My power grows stronger the less I wear. Didn't you know?" Cynthia grinned seductively. "Unless... you'd prefer me in see-through lingerie?"
"Oi!! Look at me!" Amarath shouted, twirling in her thorn-strapped straitjacket. "Isn't this sexy?"
Cynthia and Byjack both turned toward her with blank expressions, deeply questioning whether Amarath truly understood what patience meant.
---
Back to Ion, Hilda, and Reshia
As Hilda surged through the darkening waters, the light from above faded entirely. Now only the eerie glow of bioluminescent creatures lit their way. Ion finally regained consciousness, instinctively holding his breath. His eyes widened when he saw Hilda swimming with him and Reshia on her back.
With determination, he raised his sword and shouted mentally: "Archlight Thrust!"
A straight beam of radiant energy surged from his blade, carving through the darkness. Its light revealed a distant silhouette—an underwater structure—ancient, hermit-like, hidden in the abyss.
"There!" Ion pointed as best he could. Hilda angled her body and dove toward it.
Suddenly, a massive beast charged from the rear. Reshia acted on instinct, summoning the Shield of Genbu from her back to block the incoming attack. It struck the shield hard but bounced off, leaving them shaken but safe.
Soon, they found an entrance and swam through, pulling themselves out onto another stretch of dry surface inside.
"Hah... What happened here?" Ion gasped, coughing up water. "Where are my twin wives?"
"Hilda, are you okay!?" Reshia ignored Ion's question and checked on Hilda.
"I'm fine," Hilda wheezed, still breathless. "Knight, where the hell have you been!?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ion asked, confused.
"You've been acting weird! Rambling about your wives... like we weren't even here," Hilda snapped.
"I said—what happened here?" Ion repeated, more firmly this time.
"We got separated from Master and the others!" Reshia cried, overwhelmed. "And now we're stuck in this place!"
Suddenly, the walls around them glowed faintly, spiraling inward like the grooves of a seashell. It was as if they'd entered a massive hermit's spiral lair. A sound echoed from its depths—wet, low, and full of menace.
Reshia whimpered and ran behind Hilda.
Ion stood at the entrance to the inner tunnel, staring ahead blankly. Then—
A whisper. Soft, cruel, and tempting.
> "Do you desire his partners...? Or perhaps... to become him?"
Ion's eyes twitched.
"I have Reshia and Hilda with me," he said quietly.
> "Are you envious? Jealous of Ares... and his harem?"
"I… I do envy him..." Ion whispered.
But I'm not like that, he told himself. I'm a knight. I protect.
Yet the whispers didn't stop. They coiled around his heart, feeding the fear, the loneliness… the jealousy.
"And now… I have these two… right here."
Hilda and Reshia exchanged concerned looks. Ion's presence felt different—unnerving.
Outside, the sea continued to swirl with unnatural currents and massive beasts. Inside, the twisted whispers grew louder in Ion's head. A spectral image slithered past the entrance.
The Shield of Genbu on Reshia's back shimmered. A low hum echoed from it—warning them of incoming danger.
Ion took a step closer toward them—unnaturally.
---
Meanwhile – Yuki's Dungeon
Dense jungle roots tangled together, forming a labyrinth filled with forest spirits, towering mushrooms, and ancient Ents with glowing eyes. Their footsteps echoed with booming tremors.
Yuki stood in front of one such Ent, her daggers raised. "Tch. This place again?"
Desmond fired his Diamond Magic from enchanted guns, creating explosions of crystalline light. Kana, trembling, called out her twin's name.
"Kira where are you..." Kana whispered.
Yuki turned and placed a hand on Kana's shoulder, her Cryo Magic forming a snowflake pattern in her palm. "Ice Magic... It's close to your sister's Ice Spirit Magic, right? We'll find her."
Kana's eyes glistened, but she nodded slowly.
---
Back in the Dungeon Maker Room
"Hahaha! Now that's what I call psychological torture!" Amarath cackled, thrashing inside her thorn straitjacket.
"That's not even real torment," Gaive said with a smirk. "Let me show you what torture really is."
Dengka stood silently before Ares' screen, unmoving.
"Dengka? Why are you always watching Ares' part?" Byjack finally asked.
"I'm waiting," Dengka replied, his voice low. "Waiting for the perfect time to strike."
"What? What do you mean?" Cynthia asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Did none of you notice... the spell he cast earlier?" Dengka muttered.
"Huh!? What!?" Cynthia suddenly looked back at the screen.
Dengka narrowed his eyes. "Is he really just... a Tamer? Or something... far more dangerous?"