Chapter 21: Time Skip {3}

Chapter 21: Time Skip {3} Time passed... I exhaled deeply, panting as I finally stumbled upon a pair of buttons nestled within a moss-covered stone pedestal. They looked ancient, etched with strange runes that faintly glowed. One was green, the other red. The green button pulsed gently — the unmistakable sign of a return route. The red button, however, shimmered with a dangerous allure. Pressing it would transport us to the next floor. We had spent approximately three grueling days just to find this escape mechanism. The journey had been relentless — hordes of monsters, cunning traps, and a constant sense of dread following us like a shadow. Even though none of the monsters were a true match for us anymore, the strain was ever-present. Every night, While Clara rested, I secretly continued farming points through the Goddess Seducing System. Althea, ofcourse always Frown but ultimately surrendered. i made full use of my Divine Fingers giving her unimaginable Pleasures. though never admit it was good. Meanwhile Clara was sharp. I was certain she was fully aware of what we were doing, yet each morning, she maintained her usual cold, unreadable expression. She never brought it up. Not once. With the accumulation of points, I had finally raised my Intelligence to G+, and the Agility that were once at F--- had now crept up to at least F-. My growth was fast unnaturally fast. My body had adapted so well I now felt capable of lifting a Car with ease. Even my ability with crafting had improved, reaching Beginner level. I could now attempt F+ ranked weapons, maybe even touch upon E- rank if the materials were just right. Clara leaned against a massive tree, yawning. Her delicate hand rose to cover her mouth, and her golden eyes watched Althea in silence. A sigh escaped her lips as she muttered silently in her head: "Could someone that cold... really make those kinds of sounds?" She shook her head, confused and a little frustrated, then glanced down at her own body. She smile faintly I’ve grown stronger. Far stronger than before. But... without his help, I wouldn’t have lasted a single hour in that Tower. A soft flutter stirred in her chest. She gripped at her shirt, feeling something she couldn’t understand something unfamiliar. Her heart was fluttering. It was tiny, subtle... but undeniably there. We didn’t leave immediately. After finding the teleportation platform, we decided to stay and rest for a full week. Time passed like the wind. Luck hadn’t favored us during our remaining time on the floor. We encountered no more hidden treasures — only danger, battle, and traps. But I led us through flawlessly using my knowledge from my past life. My understanding of the Tower’s structure, creature behavior, and pathfinding allowed us to navigate with relative safety. Althea remained icy and aloof. She rarely spoke unless necessary, always keeping her eyes on me. Though sometimes, there was a frown on her face when she noticed Clara still camping nearby at night, clearly hearing the sounds from our secret sessions. Yet I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Each session helped me gain more power, more progress. Althea sometimes wondered to herself, "Did I really surrender to him so willingly? Have I become that complacent?" Still she couldn’t deny. something had changed. His touch, she admitted inwardly, had grown more refined. More addictive. Her cheeks reddened faintly at the thought before she composed herself, burying her emotions under layers of frost. Clara had broken through to F+ rank. She could now fight evenly with low-level E-ranked monsters. Althea’s strength, thanks to her necklace and partial recovery, hovered around the level of an E+ ranked. Our small party had grown powerful fast. Before departing, I pulled open my system screen. --- [Goddess Seducing System] Points: [0] Rank: F- Strength: F-- Agility: F- Vitality: F-- Intelligence: F-- Goddess Power Unseal Progress: 5% (Progress increases by charming, flirting with, or satisfying a Goddess in various ways.) Abilities: Weapon Maker [Mastery: Beginner] Clone Creation [Mastery: Beginner] Summonable Goddesses: 0 (More summonings unlocked by completing special quests.) --- Satisfied with our growth, I pressed the green button. A flash of light engulfed us. We were transported back outside the Abyss Tower. The air here felt nostalgic, if not unsettling. We stood on cracked earth under a gray sky. Thunder rumbled far above, and the desert stretched endlessly behind us. We were far from the comfort of civilization — only endless wilderness around us. Clara yawned and stretched, her slim frame bending gracefully as she arched her back. Her body, though not fully matured, was still striking. Althea noticed and smirked. Not to be outdone, she also stretched, her curvier form casting a long shadow. Her figure radiated divine perfection. Clara’s eye twitched slightly, visibly annoyed. She glanced at her own chest, then back at Althea, frowning. Inwardly, she murmured "is Ryan... interested in that kind of body? Bigger?" An innocent curiosity swirled in her thoughts. That unfamiliar flutter returned. Something was happening inside her. She didn’t fully understand it. For now, she said nothing. She kept her face cold and unreadable, handing me another teleportation device — the kind that would take us to the Aspiring city again. We had our way back. I nodded. I already knew it would work. From my memories in the clone still pretending to be Clara was drawing suspicion. But that was fine she Will return today now.