Chapter 356: Moving To The Dungeon’s Second Floor, Infiltrating The Reactor Site

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Riven took the weapon and examined its damaged edge for a moment. The curse inside it immediately tried to crawl into his hand, but his body suppressed it without effort. "Sure." He nodded before storing the axe inside his shadows. "Thank you. I might be able to repair it or use its materials later."

As they walked down the stone stairs, Riven could not stop thinking about what waited beyond the dungeon. Conquering the Gate was only part of their plan. Afterward, they would have to locate and destroy one of Claymore Labs’ Mana Reactors. He still felt hesitant about bringing the two girls into something so dangerous. They had grown stronger, but they were still innocent compared to the people running those experiments.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked, slowing his steps as the light from the first floor faded behind them. "You don’t need to fight or help me with this. I don’t want to drag you girls any deeper into these problems. You’re innocent... You can still live your own lives normally and stay away from Claymore, the Yakuza, and all of this. You don’t have to..."

Daniela and Label sighed before he could finish. They stopped on the stairs, grabbed him from both sides, and hugged him tightly. Riven froze as their arms wrapped around his waist and chest, trapping him between them.

"Gah?!"

Riven was completely overwhelmed. It was a powerful pincer attack, the deadly double-daughter hugging technique. He could not move, completely paralyzed by their cuteness, especially when both girls looked up at him with deep frowns and puffed-out cheeks. Their expressions made it clear that they had already heard enough of his excuses.

"We’re not backing down!" Daniela said, tightening her embrace before finally stepping away. "Back then, because I didn’t help, we got into even more trouble than we would have if I had been there! I’m stronger now, and I’m tired of waiting somewhere safe while you handle everything alone. If danger comes, I want to face it with you."

"I’m with you until the end, Riven..." Label said. Her arms remained around him for a few more seconds before she looked up, her expression more determined than before. "I’m already involved in this dark world anyway. The Yakuza took everything from me and my father, and Claymore Labs claimed his invention, the vaccine that can cure cancer. They profited from his work while we lost our home and our future. I won’t stop until I get it back, no matter what. So please, don’t treat me like someone who needs to be left behind."

"...Girls." Riven sighed before finally nodding. He knew neither of them would change their minds, no matter how much he argued. "Alright, but make sure you wear the costumes and masks I gave you. Don’t remove them for any reason once we leave the dungeon."

Aside from the costumes, he had given both girls bracelets and rings that concealed their identities and Status information. The accessories distorted their voices, changed the color of their hair and eyes, and prevented most appraisal abilities from revealing their names. Even if someone saw them during the operation, they would not be able to connect the disguised hunters to Daniela or Label.

Meanwhile, Riven covered his face with a mask formed from his biological armor and wrapped himself in a shadow cloak. He also assumed his six-tailed white spirit fox form, causing white fur to spread across parts of his body while six large tails emerged behind him. The transformation increased his spiritual and divine power, and it changed his appearance enough that nobody would easily recognize him.

Once they reached the second floor, the entire place changed, just as Riven had expected. The battlefield disappeared behind them, replaced by metal corridors, pipes, cables, and reinforced doors built around the dungeon’s original stone walls.

The stairs were heavily guarded by armed personnel, cameras, drones, and several large machines that blocked the passage. They were preventing ordinary Hunters from moving any farther.

In that moment, Riven activated Veil of Invisibility, extended it around the girls, and carried them as he leaped over the guards and machinery without making a sound.

"We managed to infiltrate successfully! Riven, your Skill is so useful...!" Label whispered after they landed beyond the final checkpoint. She looked at the faint distortion covering them and raised one hand as if she wanted to touch it. "I wish I could analyze what it’s made of, but it’s a Skill, not an item..."

"Hm, well, it’s made from Mana," Riven said, keeping his voice low as he continued moving through the corridor. "I believe it also uses the Spatial Element, based on what I’ve discovered. After training it for a long time, I can move the veil a little while it’s active and cover up to two smaller people, as long as I can hold them with my arms. If either of you moves too far away, the effect will break."

"Heheh, this is kind of fun~!" Daniela chuckled, enjoying the strange ride as Riven carried her. She shifted her position to look over his shoulder, causing her large backside to bounce against his muscular arm. "It feels like we’re sneaking into a secret fortress!"

"H-Hey, stop moving! If you fall, they’ll notice you instantly, Daniela!" Label whispered with an irritated sigh. She tried to remain still, but she was also bouncing against Riven’s other arm whenever he jumped over another obstacle. "And keep your voice down. The Skill makes us invisible, not silent!"

She didn’t know it actually did make them silent too, but Riven didn’t correct her, maybe it was for the best if both girls stopped talking.

"..."

He sighed and tightened his hold on both girls before they could slip. He avoided another security drone and landed behind a row of large Mana containers. He was already beginning to regret bringing them along, but at least their nervous jokes meant they were not freezing in fear.

"Please focus. We haven’t reached the reactor yet."

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