"Really... you're really giving this to me?" Kasha asked again, her eyes fixed greedily on the bracelet I held out.
"I said I would."
"Thank you!"
Kasha snatched the bracelet and, before I could say anything, fastened it around her left wrist.
"Ah... ah..."
Her pupils glazed over as she stared into the air with a blissful expression.
It was easy to guess what she was seeing.
The moment she put on the bracelet, a cascade of notification windows must have popped up.
Currently, Kasha and I were naked, locked in an embrace, our bodies intimately connected.
Clench. Clench.
Kasha's vaginal walls contracted fiercely. This was partly due to her increased stats, but mostly because her emotions were running high.
She had grasped a stroke of luck that countless others coveted but could never obtain. It would be absurd if she weren't aroused.
"Ah... Aang, darling..."
Kasha wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply. Her legs tightened around my body, pulling me even closer.
"Mmm... mwah."
She sucked on my tongue, kissing me aggressively. Her technique mirrored my own.
I supported her lower back and buttocks with both hands.
"Oh... Jillbyck is twitching."
The bracelet's description stated that its attribute was fixed to Flame. True to form, Kasha's body began to grow hotter than before. This was exactly what I had anticipated, and I was pleased.
"Grrr~ This is what a fiery pussy feels like!"
I slowly leaned forward, Kasha's back pressing against the floor. Sensing my intent, she smiled and spread her legs wide.
"Aaaah!"
Creak... creak...
I reached the entrance at the pyramid's summit.
The entrance was sealed by two massive stone gates, firmly shut. Small pieces of paper covered in indecipherable symbols, geometric patterns, and crude drawings were plastered across the gates, creating an eerie atmosphere.
Anyone who attempts to forcibly open or destroy the Stone Gate will be cursed. The curse prevents them from leaving the Pyramid, causing their bodies to slowly wither and mummify.
There are two ways to break this curse: either dispel it, or kill the Sphinx and use the Golden Key to unlock the Stone Gate.
Dispelling the curse is nearly impossible with current human capabilities.
It's not an ordinary curse, but an ancient one. In the Original Work, it's said that even the world's top curse dispellers would need months of research to break it.
In the Original Work, Kang Myungjin used the Golden Key to open the Stone Gate, deeming it a waste of time to do otherwise.
And I plan to use the Golden Key here as well.
"Finding one of the world's top curse-breaking masters is already a challenge. Plus, I can't afford to waste months worrying about this place."
The Golden Key is valuable, but there's no need to hoard it. As the saying goes, "Save it and it'll turn to shit."
"What are you doing, honey? Aren't you coming in?" Kasha asked, standing naked beside me.
"I'll go in later. The Mud Hand Bandit Gang will probably catch up soon anyway."
I slumped down at the end of the stairs leading to the Stone Gate. Kasha followed suit, sitting beside me with her legs crossed. She spread her palm and conjured a crimson flame.
She was using the Flame (S) Trait she'd gained from wearing the bracelet I'd given her. Her Pressure Point Technique had been released I'd freed her.
"You've been playing with fire since earlier. Is it really that fascinating?"
"It's amazing to make flames rise at my will. If I had more mana, I could probably create even more powerful flames..."
"More importantly, if you're going to play my naughty little tease, you should act like one."
I reached down to touch Kasha's lower abdomen. It always gave me a thrill to feel the pink heart-shaped womb tattoo, our own lewd little symbol of intimacy.
"You want to do it again? We were just at it a while ago."
Kasha glanced at me with a look of exasperation.
"It wasn't enough. Look at my cock it's still rock-hard."
"You're such an animal. Can't even last an hour."
Kasha clicked her tongue and stood up. She extinguished the flame in her palm and straddled my thigh, facing me directly.
My cock pressed firmly against her red bush. She arched her back higher.
Squelch!
"Aaaah!"
After five consecutive rounds of lovemaking, Kasha lay exhausted in my arms, resting, when the Mud Hand Bandit Gang arrived.
Their numbers were far fewer than I had anticipated.
Seven.
Seven, including Ahmad, the bandit chief.
I expected them to track me down using their tracking ability... but were they really reduced to just seven? I already dealt with the Sphinx and Ammut. Did I overestimate these bandits?
Having known the strategy all along, I hadn't felt particularly threatened on my way here, except when facing the False God.
"Kasha!!!" Ahmad roared. Kasha, naked and exhausted in my arms, opened her eyes.
"Huh...? Oppa?"
Ahmad rubbed his eyes and waved at me.
"Ah, Oppa. You're here?"
"...Kasha?"
Ahmad looked bewildered. Kasha's demeanor was completely normal, not at all like that of a woman who had been kidnapped or forced. Moreover, even though my hand was touching her cheek and breast, she leaned into my touch without the slightest hesitation.
"Oppa, we've decided to start dating."
Dating? Hadn't Kasha agreed to be my lover?
I considered correcting her misunderstanding, but it seemed more amusing to let it slide. After all, this wasn't reality. Polygamy? Perfectly plausible here.
"D-dating?! Kasha! Have you been brainwashed or something?!"
"Brainwashed? Please. I made this choice myself. Turns out our darling was so smitten with me that he acted impulsively."
Kasha reached out and affectionately wrapped her arms around my neck, tilting her head back. I pressed my lips against hers, sharing a deep kiss.
"Haa... Oppa, our darling said we should eliminate the Mud Hand Bandit Gang. So let's disband the gang while we're at it. Honestly, trying to break free from the back alleys and become independent was probably overambitious. Mmm."
I gently stopped Kasha from subtly covering her pussy and breasts, and when she gave me a shy glance and didn't pull away, I cupped them with my own hands. Her face flushed crimson, likely from embarrassment in front of the others. Most of the bandits were staring openly at her body.
"Don't be embarrassed. Act confidently, no matter where or when."
"Do you think I'm some kind of pervert like you? Hngh...! D-don't start so suddenly!"
"Ah, Kasha, just as I thought. My daring lover. Hot and wet."
I glanced at Ahmad. He was staring at us, his mouth moving silently. I said to him, "Now that things have come to this, you should join me as well. As Kasha's brother, I'll treat you with basic respect."
"Oppa, you won't regret it. I guarantee it. Haaah...!"
At that moment, one of the bandits stepped forward. He was a man with a scraggly beard. Kasha's gaze was cold and distant, and the other bandits seemed to fear him.
The bandit gang's vice leader.
I knew it instinctively. He was the second-in-command, after Ahmad.
"So, what you're saying is... we should become your subordinates?"
"Exactly."
"Is this bastard joking? We chased you all the way here to kill your fucking brat, and over twenty of our comrades died in the process. Now you want us to become your subordinates? Do you really think that's possible?!"
The Vice Leader's roar echoed through the air. The bandits, who had been staring intently at Kasha's naked body as she had sex with me, straightened their postures. The atmosphere grew tense.
"Kasha! Snap out of it and come here now! Over twenty comrades sacrificed their lives to save you! You wouldn't betray us like this, would you?!"
"Ah... I'm sorry, Oppa and Vice Leader, but I'm with my darling now. And besides, I'm tired of being a bandit. I appreciate you coming to rescue me, and I feel bad for the ones who died trying. But fighting my darling would only lead to more deaths. Neither you nor the Vice Leader can defeat him."
The Vice Leader's face twisted in a grimace. He whipped his head around to Ahmad and shouted, "Chief! What should we do?!"
"Kasha must be brainwashed," Ahmad replied grimly. "Kill the Heavenly Demon and save Kasha!"
Ahmad glared at me with murderous intent, channeling sword qi into his scimitar.
"Damn it! Just give up already! Fighting will only get you killed!" Kasha screamed.
But none of the bandits listened to her. They seemed convinced she had been brainwashed by me.
"Kasha! Get out of the way!"
"Fuck! Oppa! You'll lose if you fight!"
"I could never lose to that bastard. Kasha... you've been thoroughly brainwashed."
"Damn it!"
As Kasha grew increasingly frustrated, I calmly retrieved the Golden Key.
I had anticipated that the Bandit Gang wouldn't be reasonable. Dozens of members of the Mud Hand Bandit Gang had already died, crossing the point of no return for negotiation.
I only gave them a chance because of Kasha.
Now that they've squandered that opportunity, it's time to make them pay the price.
Golden light flowed from the key in my hand, seeping into the Stone Gate.
Using the Golden Key.
Two uses of the Golden Key remain.
Clunk!
The Cursed Stone Gate creaked open.
The bandits charging to kill me froze in their tracks, sensing a cold, malevolent aura emanating from the Stone Gate behind me.
Even Kasha, who was currently entangled with me, paled visibly, clearly sensing the evil energy.
An evil aura enveloped our bodies.
And we found ourselves in another realm.
You have entered the Boundary of Life and Death.
The Cycle of Life and Death (Pseudo) despises intruders.
The sky was filled with crimson clouds, and the ground was hardened into solid rock.
A river flowed beside us a vast, black river devoid of any trace of life.
In the distance stood a pyramid that seemed to embody terror, malice, and death itself. The pyramid had no entrance, but atop it stood a man holding a staff.
The man had the head of a black jackal, his upper body bare and his lower body draped in white cloth.
This was the Pseudo-God, the Cycle of Life and Death.
His true name was Anubis.
The Cycle of Life and Death gazes upon you.
I pushed Kasha aside, rose from my seat, and stared at the notification window. It was unexpected.
Anubis, the Divine Throne itself, is watching me? The guy who barely paid attention to me in the Original Work?
This was different from the Original Work. It was concerning, but understandable.
I'm not Kang Myungjin. Even if I act exactly like him, the results could still be different.
I hoped things would go smoothly, but unfortunately, the situation began to unfold in the exact opposite direction of my wishes.
The Cycle of Life and Death uses its power.
The power of the Pseudo-God of the Cycle of Life and Death is amplified.
Anubis received power from his true form, the Divine Throne. As a result, his physical body visibly began to grow larger.
"It's not just his size that's the problem. The real threat is the invisible force. Anubis's Qi is growing stronger..."
Isn't this blatant cheating? What is the System even doing?
No, if it's the System, it must be handling things on its own. The Cycle of Life and Death is using its power despite the System's restrictions.
The Cycle of Life and Death is using its power.
The Lord of the Heavens frowns.
The King of the Demonic Heavens finds this amusing.
"M-mummies! So many?!" Kasha cried out in alarm. Following her gaze, I turned to see at least 30,000 mummies swarming toward us from the black river beside us.
As Anubis's power grows stronger, the number of mummies has increased dramatically.
And that wasn't all.
From the desolate earth on the opposite side, mummies began to slowly rise. Their target, of course, was us.
There was no time to calmly assess the situation. I retrieved a pre-prepared box from my inventory. Inside were clothes and bombs. After quickly getting ready, I started running.
"You guys stay here."
"Honey? Hey, hey! Why are you heading toward the river?! Are you crazy?!"
It was natural for them to think I was insane for running toward the river. After all, mummies were constantly surging from that direction.
Going to the river is the right move.
The only silver lining was that there were eight other living people besides me. This meant the mummies wouldn't focus solely on me.
I raised my fist, crackling with Fist Qi, toward the approaching mummies.
Demonic Heavenly Art: Dragon Fist.