"King," I heard a demon comment, sounding scared.

I didn't know what Amdusias was so scared about, but I went towards the orb anyway. I was prepared for floor ten, which I knew would be another boss-type monster.

[Floor nine complete. Authority level for floor nine recognized.]

[Achievement: first time ninth conquered by Earth explorer. Reward: perfect memory (can always remember everything seen, read, etc.)]

I got a good reward this time!

[Unknown interference detected. Crystal orb error]

"I am King Balam."

"King?" I asked

"Correct, I am a king. Even though I am one of the weaker kings, I am still one of the top demons, a very-high leveled hellfire demon."

"We pay our respects to the king," all demons besides Amdusias and Vepar said.

"Welcome, your majesty," Vepar replied.

"We hope you enjoy our new master," Amdusias said.

"We'll see. I'll give him the item and skill as it was commanded, but he will have to show me his talents before I fully accept him."

"He's a midnight vampire. Is that not enough?" Amdusias asked back.

"Merely a midnight vampire?" Balam questioned back.

"Interesting," Seere said, seemingly unafraid of speaking up, unlike most other demons. "It's been less than twenty years since his birth as a human."

"He was a human?!" Balam exclaimed. "Then I guess that's an acceptable achievement. Greetings, master."

"Thank you," I replied.

"Well then, here is your equipment. Please treat it well, new master. I'll be looking forward to seeing that your race change isn't just a mere coincidence."

Suddenly, another demon whispered something to him. Vepar, Amdusias, and the king began conversing together in a volume I couldn't hear, even with my powered-up senses. The only thing I heard was Balam exclaiming "Before the great calamity! He really is something, that kid!"

God's watch (broken/growth) (soul bound/unnamed) (Armor)

Durability: Infinite

Description: controls time. Requires substantial energy for continued use. Currently, can replay up to one month of time in a specific location at a sped-up rate, can slow down time to one thousandth of normal time and speed it up the same. Current energy levels (MP, DE) allow for a maximum of three seconds. Can tell the time in any region or world based on any different way the dungeon is aware of.

Attribute: leveled fix (becomes fixed as level increases)

Level increase benefits: time freeze (freezes time for other beings), advanced time freeze (freezes everything besides particles in the air such as light and caster), time stasis.

I got a very good watch! It could even tell me what time it was on Rosemonster. I tried thinking of the time back on earth, and it gave me a constantly-updating time to the millisecond. It could also pause so I could see the exact time I asked for it. Unfortunately, when I tried getting the time in the dungeon, only the error message "dungeon does not have cycle of time" was displayed.

When done with my testing, I named the watch Eternal.

It was different than what I expected, but, as always, I received a demonic skill.

Demon nerves

Description: automatically increases nerve conduction speed by five times, irrespective of and immune to electrical interference, weakens the emotions of fear and fright when required.

Balam also explained how the ring, even though it lit up, was more of a symbol to the demons than an actual requirement. With his help, I could remove the ring at any time. Even without the six-pointed star ring, the demons would not be affected, and I could still use it and talk to them. The ring, after making me their master, had no other function. With Balam's assistance, even that was unnecessary. I chose, however, to keep wearing the ring. I had gotten used to it.

With my new skills, the four of us rose to the miniboss's lair. Like before, we first went to find the training room for the boss.

The floor had the usual giant door. This time, water flowed in an arc around it, with a golden trident marking the threshold. The trick to unlocking the practice room was to pour water, or spiritual water in Bella and my case, into a specific nine stones. This made the sound of crashing waves as they revealed a spatial area connected to the room, which we entered.

[Welcome, weary traveler. You are currently in training session for boss two. As a prize for finding the hidden room, tide control will level up! Level five!]

The room on the inside looked to be a pond, with a few trees dotting the outskirts. From within the pond, the first wave of monsters came. These were small fish, but they attacked like torpedoes, trying to bite each of us. There were many of these, and, although fast, they were not fast enough. Torpedo fish dropped left and right, floating atop the pond as if they were meant to cover it up. After an exhausting hour against them, the sun shone brightly, and the water boiled, while we readied for the next round.

The second round had two types of monsters in a large swarm. There were numerous "acidic octopus" and "poisonous octopus," with a few torpedo fish surrounding them. Their tentacles secreted acid and poison, respectively.

Surprisingly, my poison eminence level increased! The poison was now more lethal when used. For these swarms, I simply used > to stop them from moving and > to have them attack each other. It was boring—much less than I expected it to be. I hoped the third round would be more interesting.

[Final spawn round is beginning]

The previous two rounds didn't give any rewards, so I hoped this one would be better.

Unfortunately, there were only two monsters. They both looked like squids, but their tentacles were razor sharp. Surprisingly, their length could increase, as well. On their heads, a giant eye stood closed.

"Baby Krakens," Vepar said. "I've dealt with them before. Luckily, their eye hasn't opened yet. Good luck."

I took the initiative and > their eyelid, but it didn't go through. I tried again with Blackmail imbued with fire element and heavenly energy, and, finally, the first one was down. The second wasn't too much more difficult. I defeated it similarly while avoiding the sharp attacks it sent out.

Finally, a small altar appeared. The water dried up to reveal it at the bottom. Atop it were twenty high-tier MP recovery potions, ten high-tier HE recovery potions, ten candies for Bella, ten high-tier DE recovery potions, and four high-tier HP recovery potions.

Once I collected the items, similar to last time, a rune appeared. This time, however, it was two connected elementary runes: purify water and water source. The latter creates water, and the former purifies it. There was also a third rune, which I didn't know. A bowl appeared and soon filled with a mysterious water.

"It's soul strengthening dew!" Kylee exclaimed.

"What's that?" I inquired.

"It is a rare liquid that strengthens the soul. I've heard just a few drops makes the size and strength double. It should also expand your spiritual world," Krystal explained.

"Thank you both for the explanation," I responded.

I then split the bowl into four equal parts, but Bella and my daughters didn't like that—they forced me to have more than them since I did more work.

After drinking it, I heard from my demons.

"This will help us restore our strength," Amdusias said.

"Interesting, it's too strong by itself, so it bound to the pure water molecules using a basic-elementary-elementary combination," Seere commented.

"I wish we were already at full power," Furcas lamented.

"We will be. At least we have our new master," Raum said.

"True," Furcas responded back.

I checked my spiritual world, and it had quadrupled in size! My soul was at least sixteen times larger and felt stronger.

[Training completed. Calculating rewards. Round one reward: water affinity +20%. Round two reward: angelic technique: rainbow feathers. Error: unknown interference. Recalculating reward. Reward: vampiric technique: blood flower. Round three reward: ingredient: freezing rain]

Rainbow feathers

Level: 1

Description: generate a strong light from wings, capable of being in any color of the rainbow, or all. Allows perception of infrared light

Blood flower

Level: 1

Requirements: blood

Description: condenses blood into a blood flower. Blood flower ingested causes being to become a slave. Blood flower can explode. Blood flower can transmit sensory information to caster.

[Freezing rain has combined with tide control. Can now control the movement of ice and other solid-like liquid substances and change physical form between water and ice.]

Satisfied with my rewards, I walked up to the door to read the message.

「Boss #2. Recommended level: 12. Warning: cannot leave once entered unless boss or you are defeated. Boss: 0/1 Subordinate: 0/100+」

"I'm never at the recommended level," I thought. At least, as an angel and vampire, I should have an advantage.

Again, a silver key appeared. The door opened, and I almost laughed at the challenge. I had to cross a body of water. I tried flying, but since that didn't work, I just > a few times to reach the other side. I thought it was going to be more difficult.

Again, there was a silver keyhole on the door, so I, like with the last boss, inserted and turned my key. Hearing a click, I pushed the door. Slowly, it creaked open. On the other side, instead of a serpent waiting for me, I found myself standing above an expansive ocean.

Samantha, Kylee, and Krystal were, previously, in my spiritual world. I quickly brought them back and summoned Samantha to get ready for the fight. When I summoned Samantha, she looked a little shinier than the last time I did. I could also feel that she was slightly stronger.

With my >, I looked at the sea, and I saw monster spawners. Suddenly, a giant squid-like monster arose from the depths.

It was a kraken!

Slowly, it opened its giant eye, as twenty razor-sharp, poisonous tentacles rose up. Immediately, the system rang out.

[Acquired petrification resistance level one.]

"Everyone, be careful of the eye. It can petrify!" I alerted them.

"We have petrification-related skills," Kylee said.

"To use them, we need at least petrification nullification level one," Krystal completed Kylee's statement.

Bella quickly went into my soul to avoid the eye. Samantha wasn't affected at all.

Suddenly, we felt the gravity increase at least ten times!

I activated demon feet and imbued some death energy into Tambourine. As such, I could counteract the effect.

"We have a skill," Krystal began.

"The halo we activated can change gravity," Kylee said.

Now unaffected by the attacks from the large eye, we could fight back. Before we could begin, though, torpedo fish, acidic octopi, and poisonous octopi began to surface.

"Kyle, Krystal, you deal with the octopus-type monsters. Samantha, deal with the torpedo fish," I commanded.

"What about you?" Krystal asked.

"Naturally, I'll fight the boss," I said.

I began flying towards the kraken, Persuasion in one hand and Blackmail in the other. I used > to stop its movements, so it had no way of escape. To prevent the tentacles from attacking me, I used twenty chains with >. They didn't last too long, so I changed to >. I released Persuasion and controlled it with my mind through telekinesis.

The flying sword battled against its eye, while I went behind it, trying to attack. Even with Blackmail imbued with different energies, it was still very difficult to pierce through the thick defensive layer provided by the kraken's skin. The darkness helped, especially since the light emitted by Persuasion distracted it.

Finally, I was able to embed my sword. Immediately after, I slashed at the monster's soul, using the basic soul technique. I was surprised I could find it so easily. At the same time, I had my other sword pierce straight through its wounded eye, finally finishing it off. It disappeared while I dispelled the darkness surrounding us. I then cast > to deal with some of the remaining monsters.

With the boss gone, Bella came back out.

"Congratulations, Husband," she said.

"Thanks," I said, embracing her.

"Good job, father," Krystal said.

"Yes, we could have dealt with it easier than you, but you still had the courage to face it alone," Kylee said.

[Boss defeated. Authority updated. Reward calculated]

The official announcement came, showing that we were done.

I gained two hundred experience points, double that from the first boss, but still little compared to the requirements for level increase. It was even less for those already at or above level twelve, the recommended level, almost as if the experience was not supposed to be worth much.

The bad bracelet I received last time was also updated. Now, it would not break after a few uses; however, it needed time to charge the electricity required for lightning. Without the source's acknowledgment, it would take a while to do so. It had enough energy for three attacks, though. At maximum, it could store enough energy for twenty uses; however, one day must pass between each use. Finally, the attacks were nowhere near Keith's level.

We went through the door that suddenly appeared floating above the water, again seeing a room where there was a small circle emitting a pale light.

Since there were four of us, four altars appeared. The dungeon must have acknowledged Bella's participation since she was present at the beginning and end. We each went to our respective alters to receive our individual rewards.

Bella got a skill which allowed her to double her speed stat while flying and decrease the wind around her.

Krystal and Kylee both got the same skill, Dark Angel's Mummy Servant, which used death energy to turn corpses into mummies that could explode and carry out very simple commands.

I wondered why they didn't get different rewards for each class. According to them, it was only the reward for their first class that appeared. I thought it odd, but I remembered there was only one altar after the first boss, as well. It must just be how the dungeon keeps things fair—only one reward per person. My mysterious class, like always, seemed to mess up the natural order of things around her.

As for me, I got the spell ice spear and skill mini skill vortex.

Ice spear

Level: 1

Rank: C-

Requirements: water affinity 50%

Mana use: 100MP/spear (max 10,000)

Description: Create and control spears of ice to rain upon the enemy

Mini skill vortex

Level: 1

Description: creates a small vortex in front of skill user, absorbing skills directed towards it. Small chance to learn skill absorbed.

Ice spear was a good non-fire-based attack spell that I would most likely use often in the future, but the other reward was not very useful—there were very few others who had skills around me, and I couldn't think of any who would use them against me.

Once we were done learning our respective skills, the alters disappeared, and we gathered around to go through the teleportation circle. Like last time, it didn't work. As expected, we arrived on a circlular platform. Bella wasn't surprised, but my daughters were confused as to why it didn't work. I explained the events last time, but, as soon as I finished, the surroundings changed

Mahogany-colored flames filled the outside of the circle, rising higher than we could see. They had an almost sweet smell, different than what would be expected for fire. I could, surprisingly, tell that there was a little bit of the flame of internal damnation.

[Error. Unknown interference. Unable to learn ancient sword technique: Mountain crusher]

[Error. Unknown interference. Unable to combine flames with ancient sword techniques]

Unfortunately, like the previous two, I could not learn ancient sword techniques. Hopefully, I'll at least be able to gain basic sword techniques soon, once I increase it just one more level.

Immediately after we returned, I noticed the familiar ??? class altar, with a computer-like interface.

I walked up to it and looked at all of the strange names. There was one that greatly drew my attention: "blood-sealed ???".

As a vampire, I had to choose the blood-related one, right? All of the other options sounded powerful and amazing, but I chose the mysterious one. Even the interface was unable to determine what it was. From thin air, a blood-red sphere descended.

Once it came about, I noticed my blood world reacting. It seemed this was something related to blood tyrants. The energy contained within the small, incomplete world was surging forth, threatening to tear me apart. I couldn't contain so much.

[internal destruction resistance gained]

[energy decomposition resistance gained]

[death energy resistance gained]

[broken bone and muscle resistance gained]

[internal destruction, energy decomposition, death energy, broken bone and muscle resistance level up! Level two!]

Luckily, my skill lord class saved my life. The energy finished transmitting after about fifteen minutes. I Was very weakened at that time.

"Husband!" Bella exclaimed, hugging me.

"I'll be okay," I said weakly while trying to stand.

"Lay down," Bella said. "I'll call my mother. Maybe she can help."

"No need for that," a voice rang out. "We'll take care of it."

It was Olga and Craig.

"We were worried about the void reappearing, so we watched you closely. I don't know how a reward from the dungeon could do this. Bosses, maybe, but rewards shouldn't be so life-threatening," Craig said.

"I'm not sure," I coughed out.

"Olga, please get the rejuvenation elixir and needle," Craig commanded.

"Yes," Olga curtly replied.

Olga then took out a red, translucent liquid. Craig put in a few beads, which dissolved and made the concoction bubble. It changed color.

"This is a rare elixir from my boss. Usually, normal explorers will never be able to even see it. This is given only to those who work in the dungeon and those whom the dungeon itself injured, irrespective of monsters. Because the dungeon's reward did this to you, I received permission to give this to you," Craig explained. "I also added some other medicinal ingredients that allow it to specifically work on your spiritual plasma and the vampiric blood in your pouch. I can't give it to you for free, so I will deduct $1000BTP and 4SP."

I didn’t tell him the blood would be fine—it was all supplied from the blood world, which regenerated all that was spent by now. My body was also being recovered, slowly, by my skills and angel feathers. After the liquid was heated to a temperature that caused steam to form, Craig injected it into my thyroid—an odd place.

Immediately, I fainted. When I awoke, Craig, Olga, Bella, Kylee, Krystal, and the fairy queen were surrounding me. All of my energies were restored, I felt completely better, and by maximum DE actually increased by three hundred!

I next noticed my blood world seemed to have a conscience and rudimentary emotions. I could interact with it, now, and I could see the undulating, chaotic seas swirling. An atmosphere seemed to slowly form, and I felt, in a few centuries, life may even come to be.

"Now that you're fine, we will leave. You were out for twelve hours, so we brought you to the queen's spiritual world. Olga, let's go," Craig said.

"Yes," Olga responded, and the two of them went to leave.

"One more thing. Fairy Queen, Fairy Isabella, and honored guests from the Angel Army Lieutenant Roberto, Master Sergent Krystal, and Master Sergent Kylee, serving directly under Commander Gabriel of the planet Archipelago, I have a request for you," Craig said, his demeanor suddenly becoming sterner.

"With my level seven authority, as an administrator of the Dungeon: Black Tower, I officially request your assistance in a matter of grave importance affecting many planets. Please take these pagers. When we are ready to convene a meeting, they will transport you there."

He gave us all small, green beads with a nondescript rope tied like a necklace, which we put on.

"You know about Krystal and Kylee?!" I said, enraged and willing to protect them at all costs. I didn't think I could win, but, hopefully, they could at least escape.

"You misunderstand. Gabriel's subordinate notified us of them coming here, and we were happy to do so. We also discussed this matter and received word that it was up to you whether or not to participate. No one else besides those with level seven or above authority and you in this room knows of this. In fact, information on them is locked by level nine authority, authorized by the Controller themselves."

Done with the important message, they both disappeared. I was surprised the dungeon knows about the matters on the other planet and even was cooperating with them. They seemed on close terms.

I wanted to ask the Fairy Queen about the strange reward that almost killed me, so I took the sphere out from where I had hidden it.

Soon, the outer sphere broke and entered my blood world, allowing it to become more powerful. A small, shining gem was in the center. It was colored red and had a mysterious aura surrounding it.

Once the gem appeared, which was no larger than a finger, the queen looked astonished. Her emotion soon switched to worry as she looked back and forth between me and the mysterious reward.

"Follow me," she said. "Take that, and never tell anyone else about it. Not even your parents or Craig."

"Don't worry," I responded. "We won't."

"Yeah," Krystal and Kylee responded at the same time.

"K," Bella said.

"Quickly, before the dungeon finds out about it," the queen urged while directing us below the castle.