Challenge

Babel overlooks the city. It covers the dungeon. Every brick of this tower, every grain of concrete has a rich history supporting its structure. At night, the top of the tower almost fades into the night sky. Even if the lights of magic lamps adorn the tower like the milky way rising into heaven, the all-consuming darkness manages to dampen its glow. Surround it. Devour it.

This is Orario.

The City of Crushed Dreams and Shattered Bones.

In this darkness, in a room glowing carnal crimson, a pair of silver eyes that may as well reflect some lilac hues under certain lights glimmer with embers of weak hope.

Weak, because she has first-hand felt dreams of her fancied ones get crushed. It changes their very soul. It corrupts them. Nobody is born corrupted. Nobody is born to hurt others. But the soul is often weak despite its many colors. Even the brightest soul may turn the darkest the next day.

Her gloved hand extends her lithe index finger that presses upon her plump lower lip. Her eyes focus on the city through one of the top floors in Babel.

Yes, the city is carpeted in lights as if stars descend to grace the city every night.

But to her eyes, it is not the light of magic lamps that illuminates the city.

Yellow, pale green, deep red, ocean blue, and many different colors, not one similar to another, flood the streets of Orario. Some of these spots of light radiate joy. Some reveal a chain of complicated emotions. There are even a great number of souls steeped in malice. And within each soul is a flicker of warmth. An ember of flames, you might say.

Each of these embers burns a different song. Each of these embers radiates a different light. Some are dim, some glow the brightest.

"And there he is," her breath is cut short. Her silver irides sparkle with intimate interest. Her full lips stretch into a curious smile.

"From within, it burns defiantly. A flame that has never burnt before. A flame so individual that cares not for gods, men, or beasts alike. It sings for itself. It whispers a tale of might, a tale of pain, a tale of divine."

With each syllable, her breathing turns quicker. Her words are soon laced with dripping heat.

"A soul that reflects the world. It does not conform to this world. A kaleidoscopic spiral of light fills him and him alone. A color I have never seen before. A resolve that has never been vowed before. A song that has never been sung before."

Her thin fingers travel down from her pale neck to her flushed cleavage before dropping further to feel the pool of warmth brewing within her.

She whispers, "A glow that makes me ache for its very sight..."

Her brows then sink. Her smile fades ever so slightly and the curious joy in her voice now transitions to silent coldness, "A glow that is barred from my senses because of a magic item wrought upon this realm by that insufferable hoodlum."

A deep voice speaks reverently from behind her, "If you'd like, I can dismantle his security system."

"No, that would be petty of us now, wouldn't it? This is a soul of a defiant one," her gaze glimmers, "A flicker of unchained madness contained within. Now, we wouldn't want to bring HIS attention on us out of spite, would we? After all, one of the reasons we stepped down from Tenkai is indeed to have fun.

Truly... our word looks so small now."

---

"Brrr..." Jackal stops in his tracks and looks around.

"What is it, Jackal-sama?" Lili questions as he huffs and shakes his head, "Nothing, just felt a chill run down my spine. Must be that dipshit thinking stupid things behind my back!"

"Um... Jackal-sama... when Loki gave me that offer..." Lili begins as they walk out of Daedalus and make their way to their home. Blushing a bit, Lili smiles and tries her best to be honest, "I was... happy when you did not want to let go of me..."

"Yeah, sorry, I shouldn't have been selfish," Jackal sighs softly before grinning, "But can you blame me? You're cute as a button. And you try hard. Couldn't let Loki win you over even when she was... right."

"Lili is sorry," she deflates and lowers her head.

"Relax, I'm not stupid. I understand that the only reason you'd even worry about something like this is my lack of strength," Jackal chuckles, "That's what got me all fired up to dungeon dive harder!"

Lili stops and lowers her head further. Just earlier morning she'd been complaining about Jackal being gone and focusing on the dungeon...

'I'm... just so useless...' her eyes dampen ever so slightly.

"But..." Jackal turns back and looks at her, "Know this, I am going to pick a fight with your familia whether you are with me or not."

"Huh?" She looks up, "Why? If Lili isn't here... you'd have no reason to fight."

"I already made up my mind," Jackal shrugs, "What can you do?"

Lili huffs under her breath. Be it Loki or him... they are just so selfish. But... she likes a selfish Jackal a lot more than a selfish Loki!

Picking her pace, Lili links her arm with his and sticks close to him silently.

"If Jackal-sama adds— I wish there was an amazoness on the other side— Lili will punch you in the crotch!"

Jackal grows silent before he laughs.

He, Jackal, is not afraid of no nut taps!

"I wish there— ugh—"

It was no tap.

It was a fucking right hook.

The next day.

"Hmm," like usual, Lili decides to crawl into the spot next to her and slump over the warm indent of his body left on the mattress but what hits her back as she scooches into the position is a firm body. The soft snores finally register in her ears.

Slowly, she shuffles around and now faces the sleeping Jackal whose lips hung open slightly with a bit of drool escaping the corner of said lips.

'He... stayed?' Lili blinks in surprise.

She had gotten into bed after helping him pack the bento. With the Loki Familia going for an expedition, Jackal's workload had reduced just a bit. Jackal had wanted to do something before so she slept away.

'Did he stay because of me?' Instead of happiness, Lili feels guilt first thing in the morning. Curling beside him, she cannot help but think, 'Come on, Lili... there must be something you can do. When Jackal-sama asked if I tried to change my life for the better, I said I did but why do I feel like I'm not?'

Her chestnut eyes flicker in sadness... and venom.

'What can I do? I'm a weak Level 1 supporter with barely any strength. That place is crawling with danger... And... all of them are vicious. They always have been. Always crazy. Lusting for money, money, and money!' She clenches her fist.

'There IS something only I can do...' Her gaze travels into the narrow gap of the blanket as Jackal's soft snore continues to echo. Blushing, Lili admonishes herself, 'No! Not that! Stupid Lili! I... I CAN do something. I must do something. I hate feeling this restless and helpless. If I can reach that being... I can leave that place.'

The thought scares her for a moment. She fears losing whatever she got graced with after getting saved by Jackal. He never even gave her a choice... well, he did, but she is glad he did it in a way that sounds more selfish. The feeling of being wanted... is intoxicating. More so than Mama Mia's ale.

She crawls into Jackal, her head gently resting on his chest, 'A high... that Lili never wants to leave.'

Her touch stirs him as a heavy exhale escapes his lips. Opening his eyes barely, he mumbles, "Oh... you're up... what's the time?"

Lili gulps and climbs atop him from under the blanket to look at the clock on his side of the nightstand and then she replies while laying on his body now. She could feel something firm and long caught between his clothes and forcefully pressed down through her legs as she whispers, "It's 7 a.m, Jackal-sama..."

"Fuck, I missed the dungeon," she hears him huff in annoyance but before she could apologize, he hums, "But it's not bad to kick back every now and then. Can't face killer ants while being all tense. Lili, tomorrow's our break. Be ready for the dungeon, yeah?"

She grins, "Of course, Jackal-sama!" Her hug barely encases him as she blushes at the faint sensation of throbbing.

Sighing softly, Jackal mutters bluntly, "Girl, do me a favor and don't push your knee further into my morning wood. My nuts already fear you. Don't traumatize the wood, too."

"Aghh!" She rolls away with a beet-red face and wraps up the entirety of the blanket around her, "Lili did no such thing."

"Yeah, yeah," Jackal turns to face her sleepily, "I'll start getting ready in half an hour."

"Hmph, fine! Lili shall shower before you then! Do not peek!"

He slept peacefully, making her stomp her foot in frustration and leave the room while muttering 'idiot' under her breath.

'Ah,' Jackal spoons the blanket, 'Tsubaki-chan, not there~ Naughty girl... what else did you learn from Mia?' He hums under his breath with a foolish smile.

This day went the same. Despite the existence of magic, the discipline of routine prevails over the city. Sharing bento, some vulgar jokes here and there, making Miach laugh because that's important, sharing some love with the orphans because he may not be their dad but he surely is bento daddy, and finally, settling into the store to sell products.

Lili, surprisingly, stayed during the customer rush, the only notable change of the day. This certainly made things easier. She would retrieve the items and pack them in the paper bags while Jackal would accept money and return the change from under the counter. Naturally, Lili kept her hood up the entire time and did not speak a word in front of others.

'Though, I hope they don't think I keep a slave,' Jackal hums thoughtfully. Slave Trade isn't a touchy subject in Orario. It exists. Gods make use of it. Some Gods hate it. That's that. It's not as if Gods aren't opinionated about everything else, right?

'Wait.. can I employ slaves? Would certainly allow me to expand the goods to the upper floor and basement. I should also commission a magic item from a mystery adventurer to have some detection that can stop sly shop lifters,' Jackal nods at the thanking customer with an idle expression.

"Umm," a dark-haired Chienthrope pushes her fingers against each other and smiles in embarrassment while whispering, "Jackal-san... do you think you can loan me the Lizard Shield? I... I can pay interest in some other way..." She leans forward suggestively while Lili flinches.

Oh, she wanted to tear the bitch a new one... but she doesn't want her identity to slip out.

"Hah?" Jackal scoffs, "My dick's worth in millions, honey, bugger off. I ain't cheap!"

The woman clicks her tongue and tosses an annoyed glare in his direction before leaving.

"Truly... some customers have no shame!" Jackal grumbles, "One doesn't ask such things! They do it! Of course, I would reject to uphold my honor!"

He feels Lili's glare but what of it?

He simply likes staying true to himself. Fuck, he died for it. That's a privilege he does not want to give up.

Anyway, this day is destined to be uneventful. Kids eventually swung by during the late evening to claim their tax on the Gemlings and then they burst out into the streets while giggling loudly. Some of them even went as far as sharing their gemlings with Lili because Maria taught them to share things with other... children.

Well, that didn't pan out well.

And later, the duo bid farewell to Maria before purchasing some ammo for Lili's crossbow. The fact that she possessed one magic sword, well, knife, did surprise Jackal but it was better this way. She has enough means to protect herself for tomorrow.

---

The deeper one goes into the dungeon, the greater the number of monsters spawn. It's an effect noted after the fifth floor.

On earlier levels, it is manageable. Meaning, the monsters of the upper floors are something that adventurers can defeat despite the number because the monsters are programmed simply.

Silent Goblins will always aim for the back.

Regular goblins will try to surround you at the expense of tactics.

War Shadows will always sneak first to catch the adventurer by surprise.

Dungeon Lizards normally crawl on the ceilings to get a jump on adventurers.

Frog Shooters always spear their tongues out first and so on.

This changes in the middle level. Monsters start to become tactical. They can think enough to run away from greater threats and even form the most basic of plans... like using the numbers advantageously instead of just piling on.

But that isn't the point Jackal is trying to make.

Simply put, Monsters are dangerous. And at rare moments, they can be dangerous on the upper floor, too.

"Lili is going to die young at the hands of her savior!" Lili gasps and huffs but she clearly has enough energy to pass that snide remark in between her pants while the growling chitters of mandibles snapping together fill the halls of the dungeon!

The seventh floor.

"Hey, don't blame this on me!" Jackal huffs while he jogs to match Lili's pace, "How would I have known that a monster party would burst out of the walls? Regular adventurers are lucky enough just see one or two born out of the walls. It's a rare phenomenon, you know!"

An event that he has seen many times on the upper floors. Why?

Because he simply butchers THAT much.

So he has come across monsters birthing out of dungeon walls many times. However, he admits... this one is the largest stinking pile of shit dungeon left him.

The plan for this very short and simple expedition was simple.

Jackal started from the Silent Goblins. He wanted Lili to see them. Not face them, mind you. But observe them from a distance and understand the greater threats on the upper floor. Then, he warmed up by cleaving through other monsters, including the war shadows.

Yes, they can sneak up on others but when their racial trait is on respite, their bodies reassemble into flesh and blood, too.

It had been moderately easy until the sixth floor.

Lili continued to collect magic stones while Jackal continued to cleave.

They acted like a piece of a well-oiled machine.

That changed now...

Jackal throws a look behind him and sighs softly as dozens of dog-sized red-brown ants with crimson eyes chased after him and Lili. Their mandibles clack threateningly and as if auditioning for some horror flick, the giant ants crawl in a speedy yet creepy fashion.

Jackal can face four or five at once given their hard carapaces but that many? With an ax alone? It'll be hard and yes, that's a classic understatement. He suspected he wouldn't come out uninjured despite his laughable healing factor.

"Lili, it was nice knowing you! Just run away without me!" Jackal heaves a deep sigh as Lili glances at him oddly before scoffing, "Lili won't fall for that again. You already did the same thing with War Shadows..."

"I did," Jackal grins, "Again, the trick to a calm mentality is some genuine optimism. And strength, of course."

Still running, Lili can feel the horde of Killer Ants getting closer to them. The horde's chitter feels almost beside them. The sound of their spiky, spear-like limbs stabbing into dungeon walls in a flurry sends a chill down her spine.

She truly hopes Jackal has a plan... or some miracle caught in his palm or else they will die!

Stuffing his hand into his toad wallet, Jackal takes out a green flask with a goblin's head.

"Lili, don't try to breathe in too much," Jackal cautions as she nods seriously.

And just like that, Jackal starts his Operation Horny. The vials of pink liquids fly back in great numbers. Many crash and spill over the ants. Others drench the ground as the faint but undeniable aroma of heat starts to spread in the rocky folds of the dungeon.

'So much money... wasted,' Lili's tiny heart aches at the expense but given the fact that these items will save their lives—

*Krreeeeeeccchhhhhhh*

Jackal's expression shifts a bit as none of the ants are visibly affected. Their eyes are still red, not from lust but carnal rage, and it's directed toward him!

— You shall stay.—

A flicker of a faint whisper grazes him. Too soft to be heard by others but Jackal's ears are like a dog's after killing Silent Goblins. He can register the faintest of whispers and...

The sheer coldness in that particular whisper creeped the hell out of him!

It feels like that very gaze that sent him face-first into Syr's bosom! A source out of his reach. Out of a... mortal's reach.

"Lili," Jackal begins to slow down, "I think we truly might be in trouble."

"What—"

"Don't speak anymore. Make sure to preserve as much of your strength as you can manage," Jackal hisses under his breath as his hold on the handle of his ax tightens.

His other hand shuffles into the toad's wallet and fishes out a small brown-scaled plate with a ring around his fingers.

Looking at Lili, Jackal still manages a grin, "Take care of your back more than mine. The dungeon loves to send monsters from up and behind at the most critical moments. Assist me only when you have time and don't feel shy to use your magic sword" He lays out a series of words before stopping in his tracks and turning around.

As he said, nowhere in the dungeon is safe. In fact, cornering oneself to a wall might give Dungeon a chance to birth a new monster. Of course, if the wall is somewhat damaged, it wouldn't birth monsters...

That, however, is a general understanding. If his lust potion isn't working... he cannot conform to the general pieces of knowledge either!

Gritting her teeth, Lili forces her to stop as she extends her hand forward and slips the sleeves of her right hand back to reveal a small crossbow strapped on her forearm.

Meanwhile, facing the horde of ants intent on rending him to shreds, Jackal adopts an incomparably serious expression.

'Alright, just like the plan... use the shield as a bracer. Since my mind, somehow, is not moving, magic items are nothing to me but the item itself is sturdy.'.

Jackal steps forward and smacks the spear-like limb of the ant with enough force to make it cry out in pain.

'But it can be used as a blunt weapon and defense,' Jackal's gaze radiates ferocity and utter violence as four more ants quickly crawl forward and before they can attack, three more attack him from the side!

*Twang*

With the sharp sound of a string set loose, a tiny arrow slashes against the section of meat under the ant's head, causing it to flinch and shriek furiously.

Lili could only do this much.

But that is already enough.

As she reloads her crossbow, Jackal's ax swings with the full force of a dungeon monster stronger than a lone killer ant.

'I was hoping to try and attack the carapaces to see how strong I have gotten but this screwed with all my dreams!' The edge beheads one killer Ant as Jackal bounces forward instead of stepping back. With a roll, he avoids two more ants and then he quickly smashes his plated fist against another ant. The force behind his punch sends the ant crashing against the other small tide of ants but he knows that this wasn't a lasting injury.

'Lasting injury...' Jackal's eyes brighten as he looks at the limbs of killer ants.

'That's it!'

"Guh!" He grunts with one of the said limbs stabbing into his foot.

But this isn't the first time he's been caught by surprise while his lips stretch into a brutal grin roused from the pain and his ax swings again to separate the ant from its limbs!

In another motion, he downs his dual potion and continues ahead in the sea of chitters, already sporting three more unassuming stab wounds!

'Jackal-sama!' Lili's eyes widen and she unwraps the small dagger carried in a sheathe of a strip of cloth. The red blade glints magic but she hears a monstrous growl.

Not from the monsters.

But THE monster.

"Is that all you have!"

Jackal tears out of the surrounding by jumping toward the ceiling of the dungeon and then springing down with a devilish boost as he lets go of his original plan and wields two axes, one for each hand.

Lili gapes for a second but her ear catches something and she turns to look back at the winded hall with a serious expression.

From its depths, several pairs of red eyes can be seen dotting the darkness.

She clenches her magic blade close to her chest and grows quiet.

*Clang*

The jarring sound of an ax cutting against the tough and hard carapace of the monster continues to echo.

'I hope my magic blade lasts long enough—' Lili worries internally when an ax flies past her body and spirals into the darkness.

*Khcch*

A wet tear echoes followed by the sound of a monster's pained roar as Lili glimpses back in surprise to see Jackal wielding two long, red-brown pikes!

"Get them!" Jackal rushes out. Cuts litter his body. In a few seconds, his leather armor build is shredded into strips of material that can barely contain his flowing blood as a thin layer of steam surrounds him.

As Jackal rushes past her with what she considers an almost manic look, she still cannot help but stare at the number of limbless ants stumbling into each other.

Jackal did not go for removing all the limbs of the monster, no. He chose to aim at the forelimbs which severely affected the monsters.

'But they are alive, and Killer Ants can call more of their brethren if left alive for long,' Lili's eyes harden and it gets a more severe glint when she hears the laugh behind herself.

"Kakakakaka! I have axes AND your legs! Now it's fucking fair you coy sons of bitches!"

Lili snarls softly. All that talk about caution and he still becomes the greatest risk to himself!

She shall talk with him thusly! She should have actually known that something like this would happen... but Jackal has been so kind to her that she mistook it for his sensibility.

*Whooshhhh*

An arc of flames glitters the wide section of the hall of the dungeon as Lili watches her magic sword lay claim to a dozen of ants in that very second while the remaining croons painfully. Their eyes and exposed flesh burnt into mangled flesh while their carapaces boil their insides without any kindness.

She gets to work on quickly delivering the killing blows to the monsters lest they call more monsters to this party!

"Go on! Shout, you dumb fucks! The more you can send, the better! I'll lay claim to the title of a Butcher in the Dungeon, too!"

His rambunctious claims only make Lili scowl harder.

'Lili will squeeze his balls... ah, no, that came out wrong!" She blushes furiously and crouches to violently send another ant to death... unknowingly descending into the same quality of violence that her Brute in bloodied leather possesses.

***

Alternate Title: The Song of Defiance, The Soul of Reflection; Her Eyes Longs for Him; Unsung Song; The Violent Party... the More Violent Adventurers; The Answer is Always Violence; More Violence; Let the Violence Continue

***

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