Kev moved swiftly through the den, slicing open cocoon after cocoon, killing the revenants stuffed inside and reaping every single possible benefit from their remains.
The moment his Corpse Collection Points hit 100, he upgraded Forced Ascension.
It was his strongest offensive skill. He had already witnessed its might. It could one-shot an intermediate-class unusual beast or an evolved revenant, as long as he ensured it hit. Upgrading it would only increase his chances of survival. There were no downsides.
[Skill Upgrade Successful!]
Forced Ascension (Lv. 1) → Forced Ascension (Lv. 2)
<()() New Effect Unlocked! ()()>
[You can now channel this skill through any part of your body. Usage consumes Stolen Shadows. The larger the targeted area, the greater the cost.]
Kev's pupil changed size in excitement like a cat.
"Wait a second… doesn't this mean I can turn my fists, feet, elbows or any other part of my body into devastating weapons of destruction at will and it will only cost some stolen shadows? Damn. The Level 2 of this skill is insanely overpowered. Those points were well spent."
Some time later, after amassing a great number of stolen shadows and over 56 corpse collection points, Kev slashed open his 57th cocoon.
Then, he froze.
Within the cocoon, instead of a monstrous revenant, there was a woman whose beauty could only be described as a masterpiece meticulously sculpted by seven beauty-obsessed perfectionist gods.
Her hair was a cascade of deep chestnut waves, falling loosely around her shoulders and framing a face that radiated a delicate, dreamlike charm like a halo.
Her long, dark lashes rested against soft cheeks, casting delicate shadows beneath her eyes that were closed shut.
Her sun-kissed skin was smooth and glowy like butter, sharply contrasting with the cold, fleshy webbing that clung around her.
With no visible flaws to criticize, her beauty was as flattering as that of a goddess, demanding reverence and worship, undeniably hypnotizing.
Even Kev couldn't break free his gaze from her bewitching allure as fast as he would've liked.
He felt that if there was only one siren left in the world, it would be her.
It was not hard to assume that the image of her perfect form had been imprinted deep in his mind at a glance.
"I can't see her eyes, but I have no doubt they'd be just as enchanting as the rest of her."
Beauty was meant to be admired, and Kev had never been too shy to appreciate women for their beauty, but he had always done so while remaining within the boundaries of respect and reason.
After all, he wasn't a simp, a pervert, or some sick grapist. He was a gentleman through and through, who took pride in knowing that he could maintain his self-control even in the face of overwhelming temptation.
Thus, he only appreciated her beauty from afar, not touching her inappropriately.
It should be noted that Abyssal Burrows were places without humane rules, and some people had the tendency to act like beasts when there was no fear of persecution, but Kev wasn't like them, and the proof of that was palpable.
He clicked his tongue twice in amazement.
"After looking at so many hideous faces, I finally get a chance to look at someone so beautiful. It feels as refreshing as drinking cold mango lassi on a hot summer evening. I wonder if she's alive."
His gaze wandered down, looking at the body beneath the swan-like neck to determine if she was just a corpse waiting to be turned into a monster by the curse of the Black Sun or a living, breathing human just like him.
More details about the vulnerable beauty came into focus.
She wore a white, form-fitting crop top and matching shorts that clung to her curves like a second skin, emphasizing them in the most captivating way and leaving her toned legs bare.
Her sexy outfit was paired with sleek black leather boots.
Staring at her, Kev noticed the subtle movement of her chest and thought, "She is alive."
He wasn't wrong.
The perfect swell of her twin peaks lifted and settled beneath her top in a steady, rhythmic pace. It was a clear sign she wasn't dead. Just fast asleep.
"Her clothes tell me she's from Earth. I've finally found another survivor," Kev felt relief flooding through him at the thought of finding a companion in misery.
He smiled, lifting his chin and raising his gaze back to her face.
A calm, almost blissful expression rested on her face, the kind that would only be worn by someone lost in the sweetest of dreams.
Where others might have hesitated, Kev didn't. He woke her without a second thought, freeing her from the cocoon, sitting her down, and gently shaking her shoulders to rouse her from her slumber. "Hey, wake up!"
Her eyelashes fluttered, and slowly, her eyes opened. They were like two ingots of gold, bright and warm like the sun, more beautiful than what he imagined.
For a brief moment, she looked at him in a daze, but then her gaze turned strange. Soft, and intense. Overflowing with love, longing, and unshakable devotion.
It was the kind of gaze a woman would give to the one person who meant everything to her. Her husband.
Kev blinked, baffled to see relief, yearning, and a desperate desire to never let go swirled in her eyes like a storm he couldn't comprehend.
He didn't know her.
So why would she look at him like that?!
Without warning, she threw herself into his arms, wrapping her hands tightly around his neck and planting kisses all over his face.
"Hubby, I missed you so much."
In a voice thick with emotion, she whispered in his ears seductively.
Kev froze, stunned silly by her unexpected and frankly, bizarre behavior.
Spectating it all through her magical mirror, Natasha blushed, clearly flustered at witnessing a woman behave so shamelessly in front of her.
"Did you miss me?" the captivating woman asked, sucking on his earlobe. But that wasn't all she was doing. She was eating his tofu in other ways too, boldly touching his body in places that strangers had no right to touch.
Kev felt something stirring down there because of her bold actions, and his expression darkened.
"Stop it," he growled in a threatening tone as he grabbed her naughty hands that were wandering all over his body and twisted them behind her back.
He thought that would make her behave.
To his dismay, instead of acting like a sane person, she revealed a seductively wicked smile,
"If my husband wants to take charge," she leaned in closer, pressing her breasts against his chest, and purred in his ears, "then I will gladly take on a more submissive role."
"What the hell are you going on about? I'm not your husband. Why are you calling me that? And why are you shamelessly throwing yourself at me?" Kev's eyes narrowed in a frown as he spoke frankly.
She rolled her eyes playfully, "If you aren't my husband, then who's been watering my fields nonstop for the past decade? I am throwing myself at my husband. What's so shameless about that, hmm?"
Kev's confusion deepened. What the hell is wrong with her? Is this a case of mistaken identity, or is she crazy?
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Natasha's voice came from relic she was using to spectate his life and communicate with him.
"Ask her about the surrounding."
Kev immediately followed her advice.
"Where are we?" he asked the captivating woman.
"Why are you asking that?" she looked him in the eye and asked.
"Just tell me. I want to know," Kev said demandingly.
"We are in our bedroom," she said, giving in to his demand like a submissive wife.
"A bedroom. Not a hellish den?"
Hearing her words, Kev realized something was clearly wrong with her perception of reality. In fact, it was so screwed she couldn't register his exchanges with Natasha or anything that was out of the ordinary according to her point of view.
"What do you make of it?"
This question was, of course, meant for Natasha and asked by Kev.
"Deal with her first," she replied. "Then I'll tell you. I don't want to eat any more dog food."
In response, Kev nodded.