[Chapter 271. Spoils of War]

Searanox lifted Kylith as he rose from the chair. His movements were fluid yet purposeful, the cool metal of his gauntlets contrasting against the warmth of her bare skin. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, and her arms encircled his neck tightly, as if seeking both support and reassurance in his embrace. The scent of her arousal still hung in the air, mixing with the metallic tang of his armor.

"You have clothing, dear. You should wear it in the future. I don't want you wandering the streets of my city naked," he said, his voice low and commanding. His grip on her rear secured her firmly against his chest—a proprietary touch that left no doubt about her status.

She nuzzled against the rough fabric of his coat, her midnight-black hair tickling his jawline. "You're letting me out of this tower?" she whispered, her voice a husky mixture of relief and anticipation. Her amber eyes, flecked with gold, held a glimmer of hope she hadn't allowed herself to feel since her capture. The thought of breathing fresh air, even within the confines of this imposing city, was intoxicating.

"As long as you behave. I'm afraid there is not much for you to do outside right now, apart from taking walks."

He could feel the slight tremor in her body as she absorbed his words, the conditional nature of her freedom not lost on her. The very concept of permission grated at her pride, yet her survival instinct overrode any urge to defy.

"Walks are fine... Where are we going?" she asked as he carried her out of the room, curiosity overriding her previous fear.

Her eyes widened slightly as they navigated the corridor she had only seen in passing glimpses. The dim lighting of the tower cast elongated shadows across the granite floors, making their approach to the central chamber feel like a journey into the heart of something ancient and powerful.

He didn't answer, maintaining his steady pace as he approached the node stone at the tower's center. The structure hummed with latent energy, light pulsing rhythmically. Without hesitation, he initiated the teleportation sequence.

The world dissolved into a swirl of indigo light. Kylith felt a brief, disorienting sensation before materializing on the third floor. The new surroundings were immediately apparent in their luxury compared to the sterile, functional corridors below. Plush carpeting muffled their footsteps, and the walls were adorned with subtle geometric patterns that seemed to shift in the ambient violet lighting. The air itself felt cleaner, scented faintly like night-blooming flowers.

He walked up to an ornate door, its surface etched with intricate designs that seemed to move beneath her gaze, and opened it to reveal a spacious room that took her breath away. The chamber was larger than any she had occupied in the military compound, featuring actual windows looking out over the city's High District. A bed large enough for three occupied one corner, its midnight-blue covers calling invitingly, while a personal bathing area was visible through an arched doorway.

"This will be your new residence."

He sat her down gently on the edge of the bed. Her arms reluctantly released their grip on his form. Her fingers traced the soft material beneath her—a luxury she had almost forgotten existed.

"You don't treat me like I thought you would," she said. Her voice was soft, stripped of its usual seductive quality, revealing the vulnerability honed during her time in the Empire, where half-breeds like her were nothing but disposable tools.

"You are lucky. Not everyone from this world would be as kind as me," he said, dropping her confiscated belongings from his ring onto the polished floor with a series of soft thuds. "Prove your worth, and you will live better than you could dream of." His tone left no doubt that her continued comfort depended entirely on her utility to him.

With those words, he stepped out and closed the door behind him. The click of the mechanism echoed in the sudden silence. Searanox paused, turning his head slightly. Soft, muffled cries of overwhelming relief bled through the heavy wood—a complex mixture of emotions he didn't need to analyze too deeply.

`That makes another one. Let's hope you make a great asset.`

He adjusted his coat, his mind already turning to the next task on his endless list of preparations for the coming conflict.

Roughly half an hour after Searanox had summoned the second batch of Reaver Strike drones, bringing the total of drones in his city to seventeen, the distinctive chime of an incoming alert echoed in his mind. It was a ping from his recon drone, which was still maintaining its silent vigil near Zibnak's shop. The barrier that had closed off the interior of the interdimensional establishment had vanished like a bursting soap bubble, and the lights inside had just sprung to life, bathing the space in a pulsing golden glow.

"We have categorized all the items. We also separated the common and mundane, like rations and clothing, from the ones you would be interested in," Chloe said, her voice a mixture of exhaustion and pride as she approached him.

She handed over several meticulously written lists. Her fingers trembled slightly, a testament to the hours spent sorting through an ocean of plundered goods.

Searanox stood on the storage floor, the air thick with the scent of old leather and metal. He took the lists, his cool gaze sweeping over the neat, organized stacks of loot that filled the room. His mind immediately began calculating the value and potential applications of each item, his fingers tracing Clara's neat script as he prioritized resources that would fuel his growing city and prepare for the inevitable war.

─ Armor

• Common Imperial Armor [14x]

• Imperial Noble Armor [1x]

─ Weapon

• Imperial Langsword [6x]

• Imperial Dagger [22x]

• Greater Warbow [3x]

• Greater Arcane Staff [4x]

• Earthquake Axe [1x]

• Magical Silver Bulwark [1x]

• Vita Tome [1x]

• Imperial Healing Staff [2x]

• Imperial Broadsword [1x]

• Razor Edge [1x]

• Kasaka's Venom Fang [1x]

• Imperial Towershield [2x]

─ Accessory

• Minor Ring of Spatial storage [9x]

• Intermediate Ring of Spatial storage [5x]

• Intermediate Ring (MP) [25x]

• Angels Grace [1x]

• Intermediate Ring (HP) [34x]

• Intermediate Ring of Constitution [2x]

• Minor Ring of Willpower [12x]

• Minor Earring [22x]

• Earring of Communication [8x]

• Ring of Minor Elemental Resistance [6x]

• Minor Ring of Dexterity [9x]

• Intermediate Necklace [12x]

• Minor Ring of Intelligence [4x]

• Minor Ring of Constitution [3x]

• Intermediate Ring of Willpower [4x]

• Ring of Minor Poison Resistance [5x]

• Intermediate Ring of Dexterity [2x]

• Intermediate Ring of Intelligence [4x]

• Minor Ring of Strength [6x]

• Intermediate Earring [8x]

• Ring of Intermediate Poison Immunity [1x]

• Necklace of Minor Protection [1x]

• Eyes of Darkness [1x]

• Minor Ring of Agility [8x]

─ Items

• Dungeon Compass [1x]

• Luminas Lantern [9x]

• Azur sigil [1x]

• Endless Spring [6x]

• Intermediate Repair Kit [12x]

• Superior Repair Kit [2x]

• Magoru's Wondrous Box [1x]

• Whetstone of Burning Blaze [1x]

• Whetstone of Chilling Frost [1x]

• Whetstone of Crackling Thunder [1x]

• Chains of Submission [4x]

─ Consumables

• Simple Healing Potion [22x]

• Simple Mana Potion [7x]

• Simple Stamina Potion [15x]

• Minor Mana Potion [2x]

─ Coins

• Silver [663x]

• Gold [7x]

"This is quite a lot," Searanox noted, flipping through the papers. "I suspect the armors you listed are all full sets?"

"Yes, they consist of boots, pants, gloves or gauntlets, and a chest piece," Clara replied with an undertone of pride, her posture straightening despite her exhaustion. She had spent hours categorizing everything with Samantha and Rayan's assistance, ensuring each item was properly logged and valued according to the city's standards.

"Very well done. We will discuss your reward later. As for the two of you..." He gestured to Rayan and Samantha, who had been standing respectfully at attention. "Each of you may take a storage ring."

Before they could answer, he was already packing the most valuable items into his Superior Storage Ring. Within moments, the individual piles vanished, engulfed in shimmering energy with each sweep of his hand. Once the last important piece disappeared, he turned back to Samantha.

"You can do as you please with the rest. I have no need for the mundane items."

His gaze swept over the remaining pile: clothing far too large for any human to wear, bundles of food, and smaller knick-knacks. The oversized garments belonged to the demon-kin, their alien physiology evident in the strange proportions. The food consisted mostly of dried rations and preserved meats that had sustained the invaders.

"As you command, my Lord. And thank you again for giving us these rings," Samantha said, bowing slightly alongside Rayan. The rings represented more than just utility; they symbolized their elevated status within Androxis's hierarchy.

"I will take my leave now," Searanox said. He tilted Clara's chin up and kissed her deeply. The kiss lingered for a moment longer than necessary—a subtle reminder of their complex relationship: part authority, part intimacy, part calculated investment in loyalty. Her soft gasp was swallowed against his lips. Releasing her, he turned toward the door, his storage ring now brimming with valuable resources.

He vanished from the storage floor, the air shimmering briefly before he dissolved into nothingness. Moments later, he stepped inside Zibnak's shop.

"I hope you had a nice rest, Zibnak," Searanox said, his boots making no sound on the crystalline floor that reflected distorted images of the ceiling above. "And you too, Mim." He gave the small, mouse-like creature a shallow nod to acknowledge her presence.

"You returned so soon. What can I do for you today, Lord of Androxis?" Zibnak replied in his squeaky but raspy voice—a sound like grinding stones wrapped in silk. The shopkeeper's elongated fingers steepled beneath a chin that seemed too sharp for any humanoid face, his eyes tracking Searanox's movements with an unnerving stillness.

"I have a few items you might want to look at. Is there somewhere we could talk that is not right out in the open?" Searanox asked. His attention drifted momentarily to the blank spot between two large display cases, where reality seemed to thin, creating a subtle distortion in the air like heat haze rising from summer asphalt.

Zibnak looked toward Mim, his gesture fluid yet somehow jerky. "Of course there is. Mim, would you take care of the shop while the Lord and I have a conversation in the other room?"

There was a soft peep as she stepped away from her tasks. "Surely, my love." Her voice sounded like tiny, perfectly pitched bells, though Searanox noted that her eyes never quite met his.

Zibnak slid out from behind the desk, his movement unnaturally smooth, and walked toward a door leading to a side room. Its frame was carved with symbols that shifted whenever Searanox tried to focus on them directly.

`I had hoped he would take me through the other door. `

Searanox thought, his gaze flicking back toward the blank spot of nothingness that promised access to something beyond this strange shop.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Zibnak said, catching Searanox's wandering gaze. His voice suddenly lost its merchant's charm, taking on a harder edge. "We are the only ones who can use that particular doorway. But please, follow me."

The door behind the merchant swung open without being touched, revealing a room that seemed impossibly large for the space it occupied.

`He has sharp eyes... and very good perception. `

Searanox noted, filing the information away. The interdimensional merchant was far more than he appeared, and the casual display of perceptiveness was a subtle warning.

"A shame. I would have liked to see where you come from," Searanox said smoothly, following Zibnak inside. His voice was carefully neutral, masking the intense curiosity burning beneath his composed exterior.

The lavish side room featured a low table and two sofas facing each other. The interior looked like a noble house straight out of a fantasy movie, yet far more ancient and otherworldly. The furnishings were spartan but immaculate—the table carved from a single piece of crystalline material, the sofas arranged with geometric precision. The air carried a strange, unidentifiable scent that was both invigorating and subtly oppressive.

Zibnak gestured for him to take a seat, only sitting down once Searanox was settled. The merchant's movements followed some invisible choreography only he could perceive. His elongated fingers, possessing one too many joints, tapped rhythmically against his own knee.

"Now, what would you like to show me that requires being out of sight of your people?" The merchant's voice was laced with anticipation. The commercial gleam in his eyes had been replaced by something more calculating and predatory.

Searanox took the categorized inventory sheets from his storage ring and placed them on the table. "Most of these, I want to sell." His voice was steady, betraying none of the tension coiling in his gut.

Zibnak collected the papers with a graceful sweep of his fingers. The moment he read the words, a dark grin spread across his face—a grin that spoke of knowing exactly how the items had been acquired, his lips parting to reveal rows of sharp teeth.

"The Empire... Your kin took down troops of the Empire?" Zibnak's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, the raspy quality becoming more pronounced as excitement vibrated through his slight frame.

Searanox leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees in a deliberate posture of casual interest. "Let's just go with that, sure."

He watched as Zibnak's pupils dilated slightly. The merchant's body language shifted from professional curiosity to something akin to pure hunger. He looked over the rim of the paper, his gaze boring into Searanox, the smile never faltering.

After a moment, Zibnak nodded his head. "Fair enough. I won't ask for details. That's none of my business."