Death Guns In Another World

After days of relentless dungeon hunting, Alex finally returned to the underwater city, his shadow army now a formidable force. He had spent hours conquering dungeons, hunting powerful monsters, and converting them into shadows. His control over the Shadow Summons ability had grown immensely, allowing him to maintain even more powerful creatures within his ever-expanding army.

But now, it was time for something far less chaotic.

Stepping into the luxurious VIP suite of the five-star underwater hotel, Alex let out a deep sigh. The moment he entered, warm mist filled the air, carrying the scent of exotic flowers and soothing minerals.

A deep, steaming marble bathtub was already prepared, surrounded by glowing blue stones that emitted a soft, calming light. The water inside shimmered with a faint golden hue, enriched with magic-infused salts meant to relax both the body and mind.

And within the tub, waiting for him with an amused smirk, was Lilith.

Her long, midnight-purple hair clung to her bare shoulders, droplets of water sliding down her flawless skin. Her piercing amethyst eyes studied him lazily, as if she had been expecting this exact moment.

"You took your time," she teased, stretching her arms before sinking deeper into the warm water.

Alex chuckled, removing his coat and stepping toward the bath. "You know me. Had to make sure my new army was big enough."

Lilith tilted her head, watching as he slid into the water, the warmth instantly easing the tension in his muscles. "And? Satisfied?"

A smirk crossed Alex's lips. "For now."

She rolled her eyes but said nothing as she moved closer, offering him a bottle filled with a fragrant crimson liquid. "Here, use this."

He raised an eyebrow. "Bath oil?"

"Something like that."

Pouring a bit into his hands, Alex lathered the silky mixture between his fingers before running them through Lilith's long hair.

The moment his fingers grazed her scalp, she let out a soft sigh, her expression melting into pure relaxation.

"Hah… you're surprisingly good at this," she murmured, closing her eyes.

Alex chuckled. "I've had practice."

He continued massaging her scalp, working his fingers through her thick strands, making sure to coat each section with the soothing oil. The scent of black lotus and midnight roses filled the air.

Lilith, normally so composed and cold, looked completely at ease—a rare sight.

Not one to let him have all the fun, she suddenly turned, grabbing another bottle.

"Your turn."

Before Alex could protest, Lilith's fingers were already running through his hair, her touch just as skilled and gentle.

For a few moments, there were no words—just the soft splashing of water, the scent of magic-infused oils, and the warmth of each other's presence.

By the time they were done, their skin was glowing from the treatment, and the fatigue of battle had completely melted away.

Lilith smirked, leaning against the edge of the tub. "I could get used to this."

Alex smirked back. "Who says we can't?"

They remained there for a while, simply enjoying the peace before the chaos of reality returned.

After their bath, they stepped into the suite's dining area, where an extravagant breakfast had already been prepared.

The table was filled with an assortment of delicacies—freshly baked pastries, exotic demon fruits, roasted meats, and golden nectar-like tea.

Lilith took a sip of her tea, eyes twinkling with satisfaction. "I have to admit, the humans know how to make good food."

Alex smirked, biting into a flaky, honey-drizzled pastry. "Told you. You just need to give their world a chance."

Lilith gave him a dry look. "I'm not going soft, if that's what you're implying."

"Sure, sure," Alex said, waving a hand lazily.

"Let's just pretend you weren't the one who suggested staying longer."

She clicked her tongue but didn't deny it.

The two continued enjoying their meal, talking about insignificant things for once—not war, not power struggles, but the strange things they'd seen in the city and their favorite parts of their trip so far.

After finishing their meal, Alex stretched, feeling truly refreshed for the first time in a while. "Alright, what's next on our tour?"

Lilith tapped her chin in thought before smirking. "There's a special underwater viewing chamber where you can watch rare deep-sea creatures. Sounds like something you'd like."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Sounds relaxing. Let's go."

With that, the two left the hotel, stepping back into the bustling underwater city, ready to continue their carefree adventure—at least for a little while longer.

•••

While Alex and Lilith enjoyed their time in the underwater city, the Floating Fortress remained as active as ever.

Within the vast training grounds, the sound of clashing weapons, bursts of mana, and fierce battle cries echoed through the air.

Gracier, Alex's little sister, stood in the center of one of the sparring arenas, her crimson hair flowing wildly behind her as she weaved between attacks, her flaming daggers cutting through the air with precision. Her opponent? Kuina.

"Not bad," Kuina said with a smirk, dodging Gracier's blade by a hair's breadth. "But you're still too predictable."

Gracier narrowed her golden eyes. "We'll see about that."

With a flick of her wrist, she disappeared, vanishing into a burst of flames.

Kuina's eyes widened slightly before she instinctively rolled to the side, barely avoiding a downward slash that could've split her armor.

The moment Kuina landed, however, Gracier was already behind her.

A dagger coated in flames pressed against her throat.

"Yield?" Gracier asked with a small smirk.

Kuina sighed, stepping back and raising her hands. "Fine, fine. You got me."

The surrounding girls—Saeko, Sakuya, and Luna—watched with interest from the sidelines.

"Gracier's improving fast," Sakuya commented, adjusting her glasses.

Saeko nodded, her wooden katana resting on her shoulder. "She's inherited Alex's adaptability in battle. Give her a bit more time, and even we might struggle against her."

Luna chuckled. "She's already giving Kuina a hard time."

Meanwhile, in another corner of the training grounds, Leon—Alex's best friend—was engaged in a sparring match of his own.

His opponent? His fiancée, the elegant yet deadly Ariel.

Unlike Gracier and Kuina's fast-paced fight, theirs was one of pure skill and endurance.

Leon wielded his greatsword, his movements powerful yet controlled. Ariel, on the other hand, fought with dual rapiers, each strike sharp and precise.

Their blades clashed repeatedly, sending sparks flying as they tested each other's limits.

"You're holding back," Ariel remarked, easily dodging one of Leon's heavier strikes.

Leon smirked. "Am I?"

With a sudden burst of speed, he closed the distance between them, swinging his sword in a wide arc.

Ariel barely had time to react, crossing her rapiers to block the attack—but the sheer force sent her skidding backward.

She let out a breath, her blue eyes shining with challenge. "Alright, maybe not."

Instead of retreating, she lunged forward, her rapiers becoming a blur of silver as she unleashed a barrage of attacks.

Leon met each strike head-on, his swordplay refined and unshakable. The two danced across the battlefield, neither willing to yield.

The others stopped their training momentarily to watch.

"Leon and Ariel sure make a strong pair," Sakuya mused.

"They push each other to grow stronger," Saeko added.

Gracier, still catching her breath from her fight with Kuina, nodded in agreement. "It's kinda inspiring, actually."

Luna smirked. "Makes you wonder who's the stronger one in the relationship."

Saeko chuckled. "I'd say Ariel—Leon fights like a warrior, but she fights like an assassin. If she ever gets serious, I don't think even Leon would see it coming."

Leon and Ariel continued their sparring for a while longer before finally calling it a draw.

By the end of the session, everyone was breathing heavily but satisfied.

"Alright, let's take a break," Kuina announced. Like the natural leader in absence of Maria and Artemia, Eris, Noire, Alice and Incursio were absent as well. It was good to be back she thought.

"We'll need our energy for tomorrow's training."

With that, the group dispersed, some heading for the showers, others toward the cafeteria for a well-earned meal.

As they walked, Gracier looked up at the sky, her eyes thoughtful.

Brother is out there getting stronger… I have to keep up. I can't let him fight alone.

With renewed determination, she clenched her fists.

Tomorrow, they would train even harder.