The stone stairs leading up from the twentieth floor were steep and carved directly into the natural rock of the cavern.

Klaus led the way with his boots echoing in the enclosed space.

Behind him, the girls followed closely, still riding the adrenaline of the boss fight they had just witnessed.

Klaus kept his pace steady but his mind was focused elsewhere.

When he had placed his hand on the ruined corpse of the Were-Hound, he banished its soul into his inner domain, placing a massive stone statue right next to the petrified viper.

Now that the immediate danger of the boss room was behind them, it was time to reap the rewards.

’System,’ Klaus thought.

A familiar blue screen materialized in the air in front of him, hovering just at the edge of his vision so it wouldn’t blind him to the dark stairwell.

[Target Soul Harvested: Tier 2 Were-Hound]

[Analyzing innate biological and magical traits...]

[Please select ONE of the following Skills to extract. The remaining traits will be dispersed back into the Soul Monument.]

Klaus read the three options presented to him.

[Option 1: Feral Claws - Allows the user to extend sharp, durable mana constructs from their fingertips.]

[Option 2: Bloodlust - A passive aura that instills fear in weaker enemies while slightly boosting the user’s physical strength in prolonged combat.]

[Option 3: Beast’s Vitality - A passive bodily enhancement that significantly increases natural health regeneration and stamina recovery.]

He didn’t need long to decide... Feral Claws was useless since he fought with a sword, and Bloodlust seemed more suited to a berserker like Taula. Beast’s Vitality, however, was a permanent buff that would keep him fighting longer without relying constantly on Serra’s healing magic.

He mentally selected the third option.

[Skill Selected: Beast’s Vitality]

[Extracting...]

The blue screen shattered into glowing particles that rushed into his chest.

A sudden deep warmth spread through his muscles, soothing the minor aches in his joints.

His breathing leveled out, and he felt noticeably more energized but right as he was about to close the interface, a new flashing red tab popped up on the screen.

[Notice: Soul Skill Slots are currently limited.]

[Current Capacity: 2 / 4]

[Warning: Extracted Skills cannot be swapped, removed, or discarded until the host properly awakens the Soul King Class.]

Klaus stopped walking and he stared at the red text.

"Is something wrong, Master?" Mirela asked softly, bumping into his back before stepping away with an apologetic look.

"No, I’m fine," Klaus replied, waving a hand to dismiss her concern. "Just catching my breath."

He started walking up the stairs again calmly, but his thoughts weren’t calm.

He only had four skill slots... Just four... He had already filled two of them: Thermal Perception from the snake, and now Beast’s Vitality from the Were-Hound.

That left him with only two empty slots for the rest of his journey until he went to properly awaken this mysterious Soul King Class.

’I have to be extremely picky from now on,’ Klaus thought, dismissing the warning tab. ’If I fill my last two slots with trash skills, I will be stuck with them. I need to look for special high-tier abilities.’

They reached the top of the stairs, stepping out onto the twenty-first floor.

The environment changed drastically. Gone were the damp, dreary stone walls of the upper levels.

Floor twenty-one was a sprawling subterranean crystal cavern. Massive, jagged spikes of blue and purple quartz jutted out from the floor and ceiling.

The crystals emitted a soft, pulsing light that illuminated the wide tunnels casting colorful reflections against the walls.

"Wow," Serra murmured, her blue eyes wide as she took in the sight. "I read about these deeper biomes in the Galen library, but the illustrations don’t do them justice... The mana here is dense."

"It’s pretty," Zephyra agreed, walking up beside Klaus and looping her arm through his.

She smiled up at him. "But not as pretty as my Hubby’s sword swing back there."

Taula jogged forward, moving past them with her two-handed axe resting comfortably on her shoulder.

Her aura flared to life, casting a bright light against the crystal walls.

"Don’t get too comfortable," Taula grinned, looking back over her shoulder. "The monsters up here are tough but don’t worry, Klaus! I’ll handle the frontline. Just watch my form!"

Klaus chuckled. "Go ahead. We are supposed to be on vacation anyway. Don’t burn yourself out."

They ventured deeper into the crystal cavern. The floor was uneven, dotted with small pools of glowing blue water.

The silence of the cave was soon broken by the sound of clicking mandibles and the flapping of leathery wings.

From behind a cluster of purple quartz, three massive armored centipedes slithered out.

Each one was the size of a large dog, covered in thick, metallic plating.

Above them, a flock of crystal bats dropped from the ceiling. These bats were covered in sharp, jagged rock formations instead of fur making them look like flying stalactites.

"Let me at them!" Taula cheered.

She didn’t wait for a plan.

She launched herself forward, swinging her massive axe in a wide, horizontal arc.

Her blade slammed into the first armored centipede, crushing its metallic shell and sending it flying into a nearby wall.

She spun on her heel, using the momentum to bring the axe up in a rising slash that cleaved a swooping crystal bat right out of the air.

Taula fought with wild joy.

She was deliberately adding extra flair to her movements, twirling the heavy axe and ending her strikes in confident poses, constantly glancing back to make sure Klaus was watching her.

He was watching, and he had to admit, she was incredible.

Serra stood near Klaus, her staff radiating a soft holy light. She didn’t bother attacking the minor mobs but instead, she kept a careful eye on Taula’s footing.

"The book I read last night mentioned these bats," Serra said gently with her kind voice sounding over the sounds of combat. "Their wings are fragile, but the edges are razor-sharp... We should be careful not to let them get too close to our faces."

"I got it!" Mirela chimed in. She raised her beautiful new staff, channeling her moon mana.

A thin precise beam of silvery light shot forward, piercing a bat right through its center mass before it could dive at Taula’s blind spot.

"Nice shot, Mirela!" Taula praised, laughing as she stomped her boot down on the last surviving centipede.

Klaus walked forward, drawing his iron sword to finish off the stragglers.

He moved efficiently, striking a downed bat to ensure it didn’t get back up.

As the monsters died, he placed his hand near their forms to banish their souls.

[Ding!]

[Target Soul Harvested: Tier 2 Crystal Bat]

[Please select ONE Skill to extract: Echolocation, Sonic Screech, Stone Wings.]

Klaus scoffed internally.

’Trash... All of it.’

Echolocation was redundant since he had Thermal Perception, and Sonic Screech sounded like a great way to deafen his own party members.

Because of his slot limit, he couldn’t afford to waste space on mediocre abilities.

He noticed a small icon at the bottom of the screen.

’Convert to Raw Stats?’ Klaus selected.

The system processed the command and instead of a new skill, a small burst of energy entered his body.

[Soul Converted. Agility +1]

He walked over to the ruined shell of the armored centipede and banished it as well.

[Target Soul Harvested: Tier 2 Armored Centipede]

[Please select ONE Skill to extract: Insect Carapace, Mud Burrow, Acid Bite.]

’Convert to Raw Stats,’ Klaus commanded again.

[Soul Converted. Endurance +1]

"This is actually a great system," Klaus muttered aloud, sheathing his sword. "If the skills are garbage, I can just slowly farm my base stats."

"Did you say something, Hubby?" Zephyra asked, walking carefully around a puddle of glowing water so she wouldn’t ruin her new boots.

"Nothing," Klaus smiled. "Just thinking about how useful you all are."

Zephyra beamed, puffing her chest out proudly.

They cleared a few more rooms, navigating through the winding crystal tunnels. The loot was basic... some mana stones, monster cores, and some tough centipede shells that could be sold to an armorer.

Klaus tossed everything into his spatial ring, keeping his hands free.

They were about to turn back and call it a day when a sudden terrified scream echoed down the tunnel.

"Help!" a woman’s voice cried out, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

Taula’s playful demeanor vanished instantly. "Someone is in trouble."

"Sigh..." He muttered, they were supposed to be on vacation but all of them looked like they wanted to help. "Let’s go,"

They broke into a sprint, rushing down the cavern. The group rounded a sharp corner and entered a wider clearing.

The area was swarming with a massive flock of crystal bats, at least thirty of them, darting rapidly through the air.

Backed against the far crystal wall were two female adventurers. One was a tall woman with short brown hair, holding a cracked wooden shield.

The other was a smaller woman with a bow with her her quiver empty. They looked exhausted, covered in minor cuts from the razor-sharp wings of the bats.

"Get behind me!" Taula shouted with her voice booming across the cavern.

The blond warrior leaped into the fray.

She didn’t swing her axe at individual targets; instead, she channeled a massive surge of aura into the blade and slammed it directly into the cavern floor.

The impact sent a shockwave of energy outward, drawing the immediate attention of the entire swarm.

The bats screeched, abandoning the two women and diving straight toward Taula.

"Klaus, they are all yours!" Taula called out, holding her ground as the swarm descended.

Klaus stepped out from the tunnel. He didn’t bother drawing his sword... He raised both hands, extending his index and middle fingers like twin pistols.

He channeled his wind magic, keeping it fast and casual without needing the overwhelming power of his Soul Mana.

Small spheres of compressed air formed at his fingertips as he fired them in rapid succession.

Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!

The invisible projectiles shot through the air with deadly precision.

Klaus targeted the fragile wings of the crystal bats. The wind bullets hit their marks perfectly, shattering the rocky appendages and sending the bats crashing into the floor.

He fired again and again with his hands moving in an effortless rhythm. In less than twenty seconds, the entire swarm was grounded.

Taula quickly moved in, using the flat of her axe to crush the fallen monsters before they could recover.

Serra hurried past Klaus with her staff glowing softly. She approached the two cornered women as her expression was filled with genuine kindness and concern.

"Are you alright?" Serra asked gently.

She reached out, letting a warm, soothing light wash over the brown-haired woman’s arm, instantly closing a nasty scrape. "Please sit down... You both look exhausted, I can heal those cuts for you."

The tall woman lowered her cracked shield, letting out a shaky breath.

"Thank the gods. We thought we were dead. We strayed too far from the main path looking for quartz, and they ambushed us."

The smaller woman with the bow dropped to her knees, looking up at Taula and Klaus with wide grateful eyes.

"You guys are amazing! That axe swing was incredible, and you... you didn’t even use a weapon to shoot them down."

"It was nothing," Taula grinned, resting her axe on her shoulder. "We were just passing through."

Mirela peeked out from behind Klaus, holding her staff nervously. "We should probably get you back to the stairs. It’s dangerous down here."

"Yes, please," the tall woman agreed, helping her friend stand up. "My name is Lira. This is Elen. We owe you our lives."

Klaus nodded. "I’m Klaus. This is my party... Let’s head back to a safe place and then use our exit crystals... We were just finishing our run anyway."

They escorted Lira and Elen back through the tunnels and to stairs before using their Dungeon Escape Crystals.

The afternoon sun was warm against their skin as they stepped out into the bustling streets of Galen Town as the Adventurer’s Guild was their next stop.

The massive wooden building was crowded, filled with mercenaries drinking ale, sharing stories, and comparing bounties.

When Klaus and his party walked through the double doors, a few of the local adventurers immediately stopped talking, turning their heads to stare.

Of course these days they were popular... though some women especially seemed to be looking at him weirdly.

’I think it’s because of the scene at that Real Estate Building.’ Klaus thought as he ignored the stares and led his party straight to the main reception desk.

Unfortunately Astrid wasn’t around today... which was okay since she had been saying that she had to go to Oroe City to see Kahn in jail.

"Submitting loot..." Klaus told the receptionist, summoning the loot on the table.

They really didn’t need the money but it was good to make some more.

The receptionist looked at the spoils, pulling out the pristine crystal bat cores and the armored centipede shells on the wide table.

She tallied up the value on a piece of paper with her eyes widening slightly at the quality of the harvest.

"Excellent work," the receptionist said, handing Klaus a small pouch jingling with gold and silver coins as usual. "Your party’s ranking continues to rise steadily... You all really work hard!"

Klaus tucked the gold into his storage ring.

He turned to leave as he was ready to head back to the Forest-Edge Compound for dinner when a voice called out to him.

"Wait! Klaus!"

He turned around. Lira and Elen were rushing through the crowd toward them.

They had cleaned up since the dungeon, washing the dirt from their faces and leaving their damaged gear at the Pawner’s table.

Lira stopped in front of him, catching her breath.

"We wanted to thank you properly before you all left... We don’t have a lot of gold to offer as a reward for saving our lives as most of our earnings went into buying our gear."

He of course wanted to accept but Zephyra bumped to his side making him sigh.

"We don’t need your gold," Klaus told her smoothly. "We have plenty so don’t worry about it."

"No, we have to give you something," Elen insisted, reaching into the pocket of her tunic. "Lira and I aren’t full-time adventurers... We actually work in the commercial district... our boss just opened a new luxury establishment, and he gave us some promotional items to hand out to important clients."

Elen pulled out a stack of five thick beautifully crafted wooden tokens.

The wood was smooth, inscribed with elegant glowing runes that smelled like jasmine as she handed the tokens directly to Klaus.

"What are these?" Klaus asked, turning one of the tokens over in his palm.

"VIP passes," Lira smiled brightly. "To the newly opened Galen Hot Springs. It is the finest bathhouse in the entire town... They import heated mineral water straight from the volcanic mountains up north. These specific passes grant your entire party unlimited access to the exclusive Co-Ed private spring for the evening."

Taula’s ears metaphorically perked up and she stepped forward, staring at the wooden tokens in Klaus’s hand.

"A hot spring?" Taula asked, her green eyes lighting up with genuine excitement. "A private one?"

"Yes," Elen nodded. "It has food, drinks, and the water is incredibly relaxing. You all work so hard so you deserve a proper break."

"Thank you," Serra smiled warmly, bowing her head slightly. "That is a very thoughtful gift... I have always wanted to visit a true mineral spring. It does wonders for muscle fatigue."

Zephyra leaned into Klaus’s side, resting her chin on his shoulder. "A private bath with Hubby? I am definitely going."

Klaus looked at the tokens, and then at the eager faces of his party members.

They had their own bathhouse back at the compound, but he knew the girls wanted to experience the town.

Plus, they were supposed to be on vacation... Or rather he was, A relaxing evening in a hot spring sounded a lot better than staying cooped up in the house.

"Alright," Klaus agreed, pocketing the wooden tokens. "We’ll go tonight."

Taula let out a loud, triumphant cheer wrapping her arm around Mirela’s neck and pulling the younger girl into a playful headlock. "You hear that, Mirela? We are going to get squeaky clean!"

Mirela laughed, trying to gently pry Taula’s arm away. "Okay, Taula! I’m excited too!"

"We will see you there!" Lira waved as she and Elen headed back toward the town square.

...

Later that evening, as the sky turned a deep inky black, they walked through the affluent commercial district of Galen Town.

The Galen Hot Springs was easy to find. It was a beautiful, sprawling establishment enclosed by tall bamboo walls.

Glowing paper lanterns hung from the eaves of the wooden roof, casting a warm, inviting orange light onto the cobblestone street.

They walked through the sliding wooden doors and approached the front desk.

The interior smelled amazing with a mix of steam and sweet incense.

Klaus placed the five wooden VIP tokens onto the counter.

The attendant, an older man in a neat traditional robe, inspected the runes and smiled warmly.

"Ah, the VIP Co-Ed Private Spring. Right this way, please."

He led them down a quiet, lantern-lit hallway, far away from the noise of the public baths.

They stopped in front of a large set of sliding doors marked with the VIP emblem.

"The changing rooms are separated by gender, just on the other side of these doors," the attendant explained. "They both lead out to the same private spring... Towels and robes are provided inside so please enjoy your evening."

The attendant bowed and walked away.

Klaus stared at the sliding doors. He hadn’t really thought about the logistics of this.

The Co-Ed part meant exactly what it sounded like... He was about to get into a pool of water with four incredibly attractive women, wearing nothing but a thin towel.

"Maybe I should just wait in the lobby," Klaus suggested. "You girls can enjoy the water."

Taula didn’t even hesitate. She grabbed his wrist, her grip firm and determined and then she flashed him a massive grin.

"Not a chance, Klaus," Taula laughed, pulling him toward the doors. "You promised we were going together. Now get in there and get changed!"

Klaus let out a tired sigh, allowing himself to be dragged forward. There was no escaping this.

He walked into the male changing room. It was small but luxurious, lined with woven mats and wooden lockers.

He quickly stripped off his regular clothes, storing his iron sword and clothes in his spatial ring for safety.

He grabbed a clean white towel from the shelf, wrapped it securely around his waist, and pushed open the door leading to the spring.