Chapter 28 – Pink, Foam, and Five Gold.

The morning of the double-hunt day began with the Arcane Greed Faction gathered at the entrance of the East Sector dungeon complex.

Diana, now wearing Asmodeus's Crystal and Magic Silver Chestplate, led the four-member squad. Rhea walked beside her in her silvery overcoat, while Kael held his new iron tower shield and Lyra wielded her silverwood staff.

"Our goal today is to clear two dungeons in a row." Diana declared in an imperious tone. "The first is the Gelatinous Caverns Dungeon (Level 15). The second is the Frost Thorn Catacombs (Level 16-17). Crystal clear?"

"Understood, Commander!" The three responded in unison.

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Dungeon #1 - The Gelatinous Caverns (Level 15)

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Diana paid the first dungeon license fee at the gate.

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[DUNGEON LICENSE PAYMENT #1]

- Gelatinous Caverns License: -1 Silver Coin.

[TEMPORARY POCKET BALANCE: 36 SILVER COINS (3,600 Bronze)]

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The first dungeon was a damp cavern complex inhabited by slimy creatures and gigantic slimes.

The squad's synergy was spectacular. Kael advanced with [Iron Taunt], absorbing the impact of the slime attacks with his heavy shield. Lyra covered the vanguard with [Protection Barrier]. Rhea used her Agility 31 to slice through the monsters' cores, and Diana dominated the field with her [Aura of Arcane Domain].

Everything was proceeding with flawless efficiency… until they faced the dungeon boss: the Giant Pink Gunk (Level 15 - Hall Boss).

Diana unleashed a perfectly charged Arcane Arrow straight into the center of the Pink Gunk's core.

BOOM!

The boss exploded in a pressure shockwave.

But instead of turning into simple dust like the other monsters, the Pink Gunk let out a final slimy spasm, splashing tons of sticky, pink goop smelling sweetly of strawberry across the entire cavern hall.

No one escaped.

Diana, who prided herself on maintaining an ever sleek, dark, imposing posture as Commander, ended up completely covered in glowing pink slime from head to toe. Her black hair stuck straight up covered in sticky bubbles, and her gleaming magic silver chestplate looked coated in sweet syrup.

Kael and Rhea were equally smeared in pink goop.

"A-Agh… disgusting…" Diana hissed, gritting her teeth in pure irritation, attempting to wipe her slime-covered eyes.

Lyra, desperately wanting to help her Commander, stepped forward and raised her silverwood staff.

"Leave it to me, Commander! I'll use a wind spell to clean the slime off!" Lyra said with enthusiasm and little precision. "[Cleansing Wind Gust]!"

WHOOSH!

Lyra's wind spell erupted with three times the force it was supposed to.

The blast of dry air didn't clean the pink slime off, instead, it instantly dried the syrup, turning Diana's hair into a giant cloud of spiky pink cotton candy, as well as blowing her leather jacket right off her body, leaving her in just her chestplate and clung shirt.

Diana now looked like a grumpy pink kitten with cotton candy hair.

Kael looked at Diana, his face turning redder than a roasted pepper, and immediately whipped around backward, staring at the cavern wall in sheer embarrassment.

Rhea covered her mouth with both hands, her entire body shaking as she attempted, and failed miserably, to hold back a hysterical laugh.

Lyra's eyes went wide in terror upon realizing what she had done. "O-Oh my God… Commander… forgive me! Forgive me!"

Diana glared at Lyra, her face burning with shame and rage.

"Lyra…" Diana said, her voice issuing in a murderous whisper. "…when we get back to the citadel, you are going to spend two hours practicing wind control in the field."

"Yes, ma'am!" Lyra bowed whimpering.

—HAHAHAHAHA!

The System's voice exploded in Diana's head, the interface floating with laughing text.

—THE COMMANDER OF GREED TURNED INTO STRAWBERRY COTTON CANDY! THIS IS THE BEST SCENE OF MY EXISTENCE!

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, SHIT SYSTEM!" Diana growled mentally.

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Dungeon #2 - Frost Thorn Catacombs (Level 16-17)

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Still coated in dried pink slime and smelling of strawberry, the squad paid the fee for the second dungeon in the neighboring sector.

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[DUNGEON LICENSE PAYMENT #2]

- Frost Thorns License: -1 Silver Coin and 50 Bronze Coins (150 Bronze).

[TEMPORARY POCKET BALANCE: 34 SILVER COINS AND 50 BRONZE COINS (3,450 Bronze)]

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Diana's rage from the previous embarrassing scene was unleashed with heavy interest onto the monsters of the second dungeon.

Diana fired Arcane Ice Lances and Arcane Arrows with such terrifying destructive power that the dungeon boss, the King of Frost Thorns (Level 17), was obliterated in under four minutes of combat.

The slaughter ensured a complete clear of two high-level dungeons in a single day.

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Mercenaries' Guild Public Baths - South Sector

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After exiting the dungeons covered in pink goop, monster blood, and ice, the squad headed straight for the guild's thermal baths and hot springs complex to clean up.

Kael headed to the male wing of the baths, while Diana, Rhea, and Lyra entered the female wing's large pool of magical thermal water.

The warm, relaxing water dissolved the pink slime from Diana's hair and washed away the muscle exhaustion from them all.

Diana was sitting at the edge of the stone pool, with warm water up to her shoulders. Rhea sat beside her, affectionately helping work herbal soap into Diana's long hair to scrub out the last remnants of goop.

Lyra, completely relaxed and naive, observed the affection and obvious closeness between Diana and Rhea.

Without thinking twice, Lyra dropped the question with the utmost sweetness in the world:

"Commander Diana… are you and Rhea girlfriends? You two match so well! It's so beautiful seeing your love in the middle of Hell!"

SPLASH!

Diana choked on pool water, coughing loudly, her face turning so absurdly red it looked ready to vent steam from her ears.

"W-WHAT?! WE ARE FACTION PARTNERS, YOU CRAZY PRIESTESS!" Diana barked, her voice cracking in pure embarrassment.

Rhea turned equally red with embarrassment all the way to the tips of her wolf ears, which flattened completely against her head. Rhea covered her face with her hands, letting out a shy, embarrassed giggle.

Lyra's eyes went wide, realizing the embarrassment she had caused, and brought her hands together in dread. "Oh my God! Forgive me, Commander! It's just that you look at Rhea as if she were the most valuable treasure in all of Hell!"

Diana dunked her entire head beneath the warm pool water to hide her thoroughly crimson face.

Rhea chuckled softly, watching the bubbles rising from the water where Diana was submerged, her chest swelling with affection.

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[FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT]

Previous Balance: 37 Silver Coins.

Cost of Dungeon Licenses #1 and #2: -2 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze.

Subtotal: 34 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze.

COMBINED EARNINGS FROM BOTH DUNGEONS:

- Dungeon #1 Loot (Gelatinous): +6 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze.

- Dungeon #2 Loot (Frost Thorns + Level 17 Boss): +9 Silver Coins.

GRAND TOTAL:

34 Silver + 6 Silver + 9 Silver = 49 Silver.

50 Bronze + 50 Bronze = 100 Bronze -> (1 Silver Coin).

[NEW ABSOLUTE NET WORTH: 50 SILVER COINS (5,000 Bronze! / 5 GOLD COINS!)]

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[SQUAD EVOLUTION MILESTONE]

- DIANA REACHED LEVEL 14!

- RHEA REACHED LEVEL 13!

- KAEL REACHED LEVEL 12!

- LYRA REACHED LEVEL 12!

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Fifty silver coins in the vault. The exact equivalent of Five Pure Gold Coins.

Diana at Level 14. Rhea at Level 13. Kael and Lyra at Level 12.

Back at the duplex apartment at the Ivory & Silk Residence late in the evening, the squad dined together at the large balcony table, laughing and chatting about the day's events.

Diana drank her fruit juice, her hair clean and sweet-smelling, looking at her united team.

The day's embarrassment had passed, but the bonds of the Arcane Greed Faction were stronger and more unbreakable than ever. The two rookies were getting along great with Diana and Rhea as well, so the future looked bright.

Final Notes:

Let's be honest, all of us ask ourselves the exact same question Lyra asked at the hot springs. Heheheheh.