Mortal rest

Lord Emberon's brow furrowed, and a crease formed between his eyes as he absorbed the information before him.

The warning had caught him off guard, but he had anticipated such a turn of events.

However, that wasn't enough. Not enough reason for him to stay in his dungeon.

His eyes sparked with unwavering determination, refusing to settle inside, it's better for him to move and find a way.

"So, that's it..." Lord Emberon mused aloud, his tone of voice tinged with disappointment.

Stepping outside, his main goal was to have a leisurely life, check the main storyline, and go on vacation.

Yet, in order to do that, he needed to become stronger, along with his dungeon.

However, the question was: how?

How could he grow stronger without inviting intruders into his dungeon?

How could he achieve this without shedding the blood of humans?

He didn't want to make his dungeon public; he didn't want unwanted visitors like heroes or members of a hero party becoming involved in his dungeon. Lord Emberon desired a leisurely life.

His mind raced, seeking a solution amidst the labyrinth of his thoughts.

In response to his inner turmoil, a flicker of movement caught his attention.

In the corner of his vision, a system notification materialized, bearing the tantalizing promise of rewards, or the perks.

The screen with perks would come out, disappear for a minute, and then come out again and again and again.

Intrigued, Lord Emberon focused his gaze upon the text, his eyes devouring the words that held the key to his aspirations.

"C. Once outside, the host can collect and capture magical beasts, gradually expanding, strengthening, and evolving the dungeon along with the host himself," he read aloud, his voice resonating with a mix of excitement and hidden satisfaction.

A surge of anticipation coursed through him, quickening his pulse.

"I forgot this," Lord Emberon said. Though his stoic countenance remained unchanged, his heart danced with newfound exhilaration.

This was the answer he had been seeking, the missing piece to his grand grand design.

"That's what I'm looking for," he declared, his voice low and determined. "Grant me the 'C' in the perks system," he demanded, his words laced with unwavering resolve.

He didn't pay attention to this, now, he didn't have to do unnecessary bloodshed.

Ding!

[ The host Lord Emberon chose 'C'. ]

[ Loading… please wait… ]

After a few seconds.

[ Download completed. ]

Lord Emberon gazed at it, he had no idea what it did but he trusted the system.

Soon, the chill in the air prickled his skin, but he paid no attention to it. Instead, he focused on looking around him.

"Now, where do I go from here?" he pondered.

His eyes gleamed, his eyes turned, now focused on the top of a tree.

Stretching his feet, Lord Emberon stepped back and prepared to take a leap, his heart pounding in his chest as his eyes never left a particular branch.

He coiled his muscles like springs, ready to propel him into the sky.

He gathered his strength, his mind filled with visions of soaring above the treetops.

Swoosh!

But alas, his excitement got the better of him. As he leaped forward, his body twisted awkwardly in mid-air, failing to reach the desired height.

"Hhmm?"

He noticed something immediately, but the gravity seized hold of him, pulling him back to the earth with an unforgiving force.

Lord Emberon's eyes widened in horror as he plummeted downward, his fate sealed in a moment of miscalculation.

Bang!

The impact was merciless.

The ground received him with a bone-jarring thud, sending shockwaves of pain reverberating through his entire being.

Dirt billowed around him, engulfing his form in a cloud of earthy particles.

Haaaa!

Gasping for breath, he slowly lifted his head from the ground, his face smeared with grime.

"Haha," he gave a chuckle for the first time, his voice tinged with relaxation.

His attempt at a grand entrance at the top of the tree had backfired spectacularly.

It was a humbling reminder that he was no longer in his familiar body.

"It seems I need to be familiar with this new body first, before trying everything I want to do," he reminded himself, soft tone to the air.

Shivering in the cold, Lord Emberon's gaze wandered in search of a solution.

Closing his eyes for a moment, then abruptly opening it, he rose to his feet and made his way somewhere, his movements deliberate and methodical.

Not long, he reached a small river, and at the edge of it was a hidden cave.

Entering the cave, Lord Emberon discovered remnants of the previous occupant's life.

Among the scattered belongings, a pile of clothes caught his attention. He regarded them with a wry smile, realizing that they would provide some much-needed warmth and modesty.

"His clothes were still here," he murmured, the word slipping from his lips like a fleeting thought.

The memories of the deceased individual he had consumed resurfaced, offering glimpses into the life of the one whose body he now inhabited. But he did not dwell on them for long.

Instead, he simply nodded to himself, acknowledging that everything was as it should be.

Lord Emberon looked at his dirty small frame, he could see his chest full of dirt, some of these dirt were even dry.

Leaving the clothes untouched for the moment, Lord Emberon turned his attention to the small river that flowed nearby.

Its gentle current whispered secrets of far-off lands, beckoning him to come closer.

He approached the water's edge, the cool mist kissing his face.

Standing beside the small river, Emberon gazed at his newly acquired form.

He now resembled a teenager, with patches of dirt, some wet and others dry, and adorned with small bruises. But despite these imperfections, and a little pain from the bruises, Emberon appeared unfazed.

His calm eyes defied the chaos of his transformation.

"Is this water my new body?" he wondered, the way his words escaped his lips with a hint of disbelief and awe, as if testing the reality of his existence.

Lord Emberon couldn't help but marvel at the surreal nature of his circumstances.

Just yesterday, he had been the formidable final boss of a dungeon, a powerful and mighty being. And now, he stood here as a mere mortal, seeing the water, his memories were giving him recollection of the pool of blood that had surrounded him during his relentless struggle to become the strongest within the depths of the dungeon.

"I am now a human," Lord Emberon declared, his voice barely audible against the gentle rustle of the nearby river.

With cautious steps, he immersed himself in the cool embrace of the flowing water, feeling it caress his newfound human skin.

The sensation was a stark contrast to the familiar touch of stone and earth that had defined his previous existence.

As the water enveloped his body, Emberon revealed the simplicity of this new form.

He felt like he was no longer burdened by the weight of his former power, he found solace in the ordinary act of bathing in a river.

It was like a moment of respite, a chance to wash away not only the physical remnants of his past but also the lingering doubts and uncertainties that plagued his once indomitable spirit.