Gordon lunged at the gremlin, blade flickering unsteadily as he did.

He wasn't able to use mana perfectly yet, but Levi could see that his control had improved significantly as they continued to clear dungeons at record speeds.

It was amazing how much a couple of mind-control minions could tip the balance in a fight. Even if Lash and Iris could only take one monster each out of commission at a time, their abilities were no less effective against dungeon monsters than against Levi himself.

The only thing preventing them from being absolutely unstoppable was their current inability to stun plus creatures without Dismay being active on the target. The same protections that kept a plus creature from being tamed immediately also protected them from mental effects like the soul-seekers' stunning nightmare attack.

Lash and Iris made the final minutes of a taming fight much, much easier when they could do the whole damage-dismay-damage-dismay cycle with the monster unable to fight back. Still had to hit them with a dismay or two first to let the soul-seekers mental attacks in, but Levi looked forward to no longer having to finish off perfectly good monsters instead of taming them just because they were strong enough to kill half the party in their death throes before finally submitting.

Mental powers aside, their ability to physically grab and restrain enemies with their shadowy tendrils really helped them prove their 'Control' designation.

All of which to say, Gordon had plenty of opportunities to practice his up-close fighting without being in any actual danger. The current gremlin, a level 4, was loosely restrained around the waist by one tendril from Iris lurking behind it. This left it free to claw, gore, and otherwise attack, but if it came close to actually killing Gordon, it could be pulled away instantly.

As much as he wanted to avoid pain, Gordon had grudgingly admitted that this was helpful, and that fully immobilized opponents would, as Levi said, only teach him bad habits.

This was as close to a live fight as they could get while remaining completely secure.

Gordon jumped back from the gremlin's retaliatory attack, then lunged for it with his knife. Levi caught the telltale shift in movement speed as Gordon burned stamina briefly to move faster and thrust with more strength than he could have before, plunging his vibrating blade into the gremlin's skull.

This gremlin wasn't a plus, and this wasn't the first hit it had taken. Its movement abruptly ceased as its health dropped to zero and it flopped lifelessly to the ground.

"Nicely done."

"Thanks. I think I'm getting used to this." Gordon held up the knife, its flickering aura settling, then flickering again.

"Getting close, for sure."

Iris withdrew her tendril from the dead gremlin with a disgusted flick and floated hastily backwards. She was always excited to hold things - one of the biggest challenges of this project was getting her to hold them out loosely at the end of her tendrils instead of wrapping them close and hugging them tight - but the moment they died she wanted nothing to do with them.

Lash, on the other hand, was much less interested in grabbing. He was happiest flailing himself into a horde of enemies, slashing into them in all directions. He didn't care so much for finishing things, though, and unless Levi kept an eye on him he was apt to go rushing several rooms ahead of the rest of the group, leaving injured but still alive and angry monsters strewn throughout the dungeon in his wake.

Out of habit, Levi checked to be sure Lash was, in fact, still where he'd directed him to wait. The soul-seeker hovered near the ceiling in the corner, twirling in slow circles first one way, then the other. His long thin tendrils fanned out below him. Clearly Lash was bored out of his mind, but not yet disobedient. He perked up when he noticed Levi's attention and drifted down, his pupil growing wide with eagerness.

Their dungeon loop training was working out incredibly well. Levi had never really been around the first time when dungeons were still low level, so he'd been relying on secondhand information. He hadn't realized how quickly they could level when being run every day. Not to mention its effect on their treasure acquisition.

Aside from increasing amounts of normal items, the Nature dungeon in this loop had turned out to be one of those containing secret treasure; the first time he'd received a rare tracing, then nothing for a time, but eventually his title had triggered. The second time it had contained an even more uncommon amulet.

Advanced Enhancement Tracing (Rare)

Effect: Uncommon Enhancement

The tracing could be applied to any item or added to an array, and would add an additional effect. By designating 'Enhancement' as well as 'Uncommon', the tracing was guaranteed to provide a power within those parameters instead of the psuedo-random effect you'd get just plugging a token into an item. He wasn't sure yet if he'd use it to upgrade something directly, or add it to his power array. For now, he stored it with the rest of the similar upgrade items.

The amulet was even more interesting.

Natureguard (Amulet, Very Rare)

Abilities: (Innate) Nature's Embrace

Charge: 1000/1000

In appearance, it matched Two's Natureblade for color and texture, both the thorny-leaf shaped amulet itself and the heavy chain from which it hung had the almost jade-like texture and faint inner illumination in vibrant green.

Nature's Embrace wasn't something he immediately recognized, but after a few days of casually wrangling with the system whenever he had a spare minute he finally wrung a proper description out of it.

Nature's Embrace (Protection, Rare)

Safeguards the wielder against natural and unnatural poisons and toxic effects.

Cost increases with the strength of the effect.

Levi continued wearing it for now, but resolved to give it to either Irene or Peter when next he saw them. Probably Peter.

Then there was the experience increase with the rapid shift from facing dramatically underleveled opponents to ones closer to their own thresholds.

In the weeks they spent repeating the loop at increasingly rapid pace, Levi himself had leveled to 17, Gordon had reached his crafting threshold at level 15, and nearly all the minions had gained at least three levels.

Shadevine was progressing the slowest, having still not quite reached level 10, but threshold levels were always a slowdown point. Lash and Iris were both up to level 8, and the gremlins and centipedes were leveling at an astonishing rate. There did seem to be some distinct difference between the leveling speed of regular and plus creatures, though Levi had yet to work out how much of a difference.

Levi continued his strategy of splitting Skarm’s many points between Strength for health and Spirit for stamina, while Two got it almost all dumped into Spirit. Levi had also given him a couple more points of Psyche, so he could better charge and recover from using his Natureblade. His stealth attacks were growing increasingly powerful.

Most of the rest of the minions he either boosted whatever would be most useful for their current role, or whatever they had bonuses for.

Minions Name Level Type Str Psy Spirit Health Mana Stamina Skarm 14 Horned Gremlin 30 0 30 250/250

(+33/min) 0/0

(+3/min) 400/400

(+33/min) Gremlin Two 14 Horned Gremlin 19 8 33 195/195

(+22/min) 24/24

(+7/min) 430/430

(+36/min) Cen 13 Stone Centipede 8 3 3 260/260

(+11/min) 75/75

(+6/min) 155/155

(+6/min) Centoo 13 Stone Centipede 8 0 5 260/260

(+11/min) 60/60

(+3/min) 165/165

(+8/min) Becca 9 Rift Cat + 4 5 0 440/440

(+18/min) 250/250

(+12/min) 70/70

(+2/min) Shadevine 9 Shadevine + 4 5 0 85/85

(+18/min) 210/210

(+20/min) 40/40

(+10/min) Ward 7 Horned Gremlin + 20 0 15 350/350

(+44/min) 0/0

(+2/min) 400/400

(+34/min) Crackle 7 Rust Scarab + 0 6 1 50/50

(+2/min) 160/160

(+16/min) 55/55

(+3/min) Maggie 9 Magma Serpent + 1 5 3 155/155

(+6/min) 250/250

(+14/min) 110/110

(+5/min) Drok 8 Cave Ogre + 7 0 1 500/500

(+27/min) 20/20

(+2/min) 120/120

(+6/min) Tink 7 Mirror Sprite + 0 7 0 50/50

(+2/min) 435/435

(+18/min) 50/50

(+2/min) Firelord 8 Kobold Magus + 2 6 0 50/50

(+4/min) 280/280

(+8/min) 70/70

(+2/min) Iris 8 Soul-Seeker + 3 5 0 315/315

(+5/min) 630/630

(+21/min) 40/40

(+2/min) Lash 8 Soul-Seeker + 1 6 1 305/305

(+3/min) 750/750

(+24/min) 45/45

(+3/min) Skarm: Level 14

Horned Gremlin

Strength: 30

Health: 250/250

(+33/min)

Psyche: 0

Mana: 0/0

(+3/min)

Spirit: 30

Stamina: 400/400

(+33/min) Gremlin Two: Level 14

Horned Gremlin

Strength: 19

Health: 195/195

(+22/min)

Psyche: 8

Mana: 24/24

(+7/min)

Spirit: 33

Stamina: 430/430

(+36/min) Cen: Level 13

Stone Centipede

Strength: 8

Health: 260/260

(+11/min)

Psyche: 3

Mana: 75/75

(+6/min)

Spirit: 3

Stamina: 155/155

(+6/min) Centoo: Level 13

Stone Centipede

Strength: 8

Health: 260/260

(+11/min)

Psyche: 0

Mana: 60/60

(+3/min)

Spirit: 5

Stamina: 165/165

(+8/min) Becca: Level 9

Rift Cat +

Strength: 4

Health: 440/440

(+18/min)

Psyche: 5

Mana: 250/250

(+12/min)

Spirit: 0

Stamina: 70/70

(+2/min) Shadevine: Level 9

Shadevine +

Strength: 4

Health: 85/85

(+18/min)

Psyche: 5

Mana: 210/210

(+20/min)

Spirit: 0

Stamina: 40/40

(+10/min) Ward: Level 7

Horned Gremlin +

Strength: 20

Health: 350/350

(+44/min)

Psyche: 0

Mana: 0/0

(+2/min)

Spirit: 15

Stamina: 400/400

(+34/min) Crackle: Level 7

Rust Scarab +

Strength: 0

Health: 50/50

(+2/min)

Psyche: 6

Mana: 160/160

(+16/min)

Spirit: 1

Stamina: 55/55

(+3/min) Maggie: Level 9

Magma Serpent +

Strength: 1

Health: 155/155

(+6/min)

Psyche: 5

Mana: 250/250

(+14/min)

Spirit: 3

Stamina: 110/110

(+5/min) Drok: Level 8

Cave Ogre +

Strength: 7

Health: 500/500

(+27/min)

Psyche: 0

Mana: 20/20

(+2/min)

Spirit: 1

Stamina: 120/120

(+6/min) Tink: Level 7

Mirror Sprite +

Strength: 0

Health: 50/50

(+2/min)

Psyche: 7

Mana: 435/435

(+18/min)

Spirit: 0

Stamina: 50/50

(+2/min) Firelord: Level 8

Kobold Magus +

Strength: 2

Health: 50/50

(+4/min)

Psyche: 6

Mana: 280/280

(+8/min)

Spirit: 0

Stamina: 70/70

(+2/min) Iris: Level 8

Soul-Seeker +

Strength: 3

Health: 315/315

(+5/min)

Psyche: 5

Mana: 630/630

(+21/min)

Spirit: 0

Stamina: 40/40

(+2/min) Lash: Level 8

Soul-Seeker +

Strength: 1

Health: 305/305

(+3/min)

Psyche: 6

Mana: 750/750

(+24/min)

Spirit: 1

Stamina: 45/45

(+3/min)

"Looks like we're ready to move on to the next room," Levi told Gordon, grinning faintly at Lash's clear excitement at the prospect.

He glanced over to where Pierce lay stretched out, Maggie lying atop him. Seeing the massive magma snake on top of the giant stone centipede had become a familiar scene. Levi wasn't sure when their minor rivalry had evolved to... whatever this was, but they seemed to get along remarkably well these days.

The centipede got to his feet, but Maggie only looped a few of her coils around his spine plating to get a better hold, hissing lazily.

Gordon laughed, following Levi's gaze. "Do you think they're dating, or is she just sunning herself on the biggest rock she can find?"

"I couldn't begin to guess."

"Can dungeon creatures reproduce? I've never seen anything to suggest they can."

"They certainly don't seem to have the equipment for it." Levi had been mentally slotting them into genders based on how he saw them, but there was no physical sign of any monsters being either male or female in any traditional sense.

If Laurence were here, he'd probably have gone off on a lecture about how dungeon monsters were made, and what would actually happen if they tried to mate, but thankfully he wasn't around. He should be returning from his trip soon, though.

"Do you think we should rejoin the others?" Levi asked. As much as he could advance himself here, he was starting to get antsy about outleveling Irene and Peter by too much. And the sooner they could start crafting and get everyone properly equipped, the better.

"If it means I don't have to fight with this tiny blade any more, then absolutely."

"Then let's do one last run to grab the best bosses, then we'll head back."

Since they'd discovered the dungeons were leveling faster than Levi could level his minions, he hadn't picked up any more monsters after adding Lash and Iris. It had been more efficient to let the dungeons keep leveling and only resume recruiting once they were ready to leave.

He'd only barely spoken the words before the rest of the minions began jumping to their feet or hurrying back in from their patrols, filling the room quite quickly. As little interest as most of them had in watching Gordon practice - again - they were all eager to challenge the next dungeon in the loop.

Skarm grinned at Levi, baring all his pointy little teeth, and Levi nodded back.

After their current Destruction dungeon, the next dungeon in the loop was the Lightning dungeon once again. Unlike the first time they'd cleared it, when it had been a lowly level 1 containing only sparking caterpillars, now it had grown into a sprawling level 9 with two floors and a full variety of creatures.

Several of whom Levi was growing quite eager to add to their roster.

Storm Caterpillars were slow and weak enough to not be worth the effort of taming, but he could see himself grabbing a Sparkhound or two. Sure, they were no Kalvex, but they were fast and would make excellent scouts.

But he shouldn’t be counting his minions before they were tamed. Who knew what the dungeon might have to offer? He looked forward to finding out.