Dungeon Diver: Stealing A Monster’s Power

[~1 hour ago. Just before the Goblin King arrived in the Hollow District Exile Zone.]

Ember watches the World Trading Palace from his top-floor office, just as he has for days, taking in the view of the nearby streets, awaiting a guest after receiving a transmission from Torvak that he finally picked up the package he requested.

Randel and Syl's surprised greeting to their employer can be heard as the door automatically opens, and Ember turns from his desk.

He finished reading all of the sales reports just over two days ago, the night after his victory against the Demon. Since then, he has been collecting intel and healing the mental damage he took after sending out an attack far too advanced for his current state.

A massive Blue Ogre walks through the door to greet Ember. The moment it slides closed and they're out of view of the surveillance systems, he opens up an Ether storage portal and takes out a black crate with wisps of Ether slowly seeping out of it.

"They still have that place locked down.

He walks over and sets the crate down next to Ember. Ember replies, "The Demons haven't retaliated yet. It seems even though you're late, the timing has worked out."

"Hey, it's the best I could do. It can take over a year to get long term storage contracts broken early. I had to use over half of that Average Grade Ether stone just in bribes to gain access in the time I did."

Ember chuckles at the thought, then taps the box with a glowing white finger and its top opens up to reveal eight corked flasks with a clear substance inside.

Torvak continues speaking, "-And news of what you did basically spread across the entire Citadel. Some don't believe it, but the fact that almost four thousand worlds were sold for half off definitely made an impact regardless. Queries from old partners came in for second-class worlds. We don't move much of those anymore, but I managed to sell six of them—all over market price."

Ember smirks while pulling three of the glass flasks from the black box.

"Profits in the center here are up over 50% the normal daily turnout. The bulk of the profit is mostly dungeon contracts, but the volume of lower-class worlds from fourth- and fifth-class Lords that would normally steer clear of this district has skyrocketed."

Ember seals the top of the black crate with its original cover, then throws one of the glasses to Torvak while opening one of the two remaining on the table and lifting it to his mouth.

As the Blue Ogre sees the priceless flask flying his way, his eyes widen, but Ember continues speaking.

"But come on, this small spike in profits isn't what this meeting is about. This low-quality restoration elixir has been aging in the Grand Citadel for almost twenty thousand years. I bet it's got quite the kick to it."

Ember drinks the whole bottle of clear elixir, and Torvak catches the one thrown to him.

A translucent wave of light ripples through Ember, seeping deep into the depths of his consciousness that hasn't been altered in dozens of reincarnations, activating and cleansing layers of low-quality Ether that have been lying stagnant since the last time he was in the Upper Realm.

Ember lets out a satisfying sigh as his entire body ripples with dense waves of energy, and all of the fatigue and built-up stress from his battle with Myron vanishes.

Torvak replies in a surprised tone, "Really...? Wouldn't it be a waste for me to drink one of these...?"

Ember laughs, stretching his arms and feeling the rejuvenated dormant power finally flowing through his body, spreading euphoria through his senses.

"It's a gift. Drink up. I'm sure after all these years, some of your Ether stores that aren't confined by that Avatar have grown stagnant. Plus, even the raw Ether in this zone can be refined much further. If all goes as planned, I'l never have to use one of those elixirs again; so don't worry about wasting it. It's better if you're in good shape to face a demon if needed, you can't afford to lose to another one now that I've angered them."

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Ember pauses.

"And neither can I... I'm lucky I only ran into a first-class."

His eyes track down to the last flask still on the desk, and he picks it up and tosses it into his Ether stores.

Torvak looks curious but has been in business long enough to know not to ask questions.

Ember turns to sit back down at his desk and overlook the city, then replies, "If you're curious, it's for a visitor that should be making his way up here soon. Don't worry about it."

Torvak pops off the cork in his flask and replies, "Understood. Thank you."

Then, he drinks the whole bottle of clear liquid, and his body ripples with the same translucent light seeping into his consciousness and even vibrating through the Ether stores in his Avatar.

He stares out the wide-open window, and the two watch the Volterra District go on as if it is any other day.

–

Ten blocks away, in the center of the Citadel, a purple-horned Demon finally wakes up from its unconscious state.

Leonard has been overseeing a few servants of varying races from 4th and 5th-class worlds that come and go from his room, giving him pure Ether injections and soaking him in unrefined Demonic Energy to speed up his natural healing process.

The Demon wakes up in a daze but slowly comes to realize he's been defeated by a human—and publicly humiliated at that.

It takes the destruction of eleven servant Avatars and a full hour of angry yelling before the Demon can come out of his room to follow Leonard to meet their Citadel Lord.

The Noble Demon paces back and forth, looking deep into the city, staring right at the Volterra District where all of this took place, cursing under his breath.

"We should have just forfeited those worlds and sent them off to the Exiles... It would have drained enough Ether and Mana to buy a decent quality second-grade world..."

Andras Vermillion turns to the back of the room to see Leonard standing at attention with Myron a few steps behind him.

"Speak."

He nods at the Citadel Lord's words and does so. "Myron is awake, and there seems to be no long-term damage to the Avatar or his mind. He can give you his side of the report if you wish."

Andras shakes his head and uncrosses his arms to make a waving motion. "There is no need for a report. I watched the footage and studied the dueling room's data. We still control and maintain those rooms... I do not fault you for your actions. It was within reason of what I ordered."

He looks back out the window, sighs, and turns back to the two 1st Class Demons.

"While sentiment in the streets for the Ogre Conglomeration is growing, this is not a complete loss. It's an opportunity to show those who think they can fight back that they are sorely mistaken."

The black-horned Demon still has that red-haired human's confident grin stuck in his mind, and the eerie feeling that he was always a step ahead can't be shaken away.

However, if a Noble Demon says he reviewed the fight data and has a plan to deal with this, there is no reason to question his wisdom and power.

"I have new orders for both of you. I want that human dead, and that Blue Ogre, Torvak. I want him publicly defeated, and drain all of his companies down to nothing over the next few weeks before Drako arrives."

He pauses for a few seconds, thinking to himself, then continues.

"I don't need to show my face to the public again, that is now above us Vermillions. We must send the message that a Noble Demon does not have to stoop down to bother with public affairs anymore. This is because our 1st Class Lords are strong enough to crush anyone who defies us. I've purchased Avatar upgrades for both of you; your mental defenses can now both defend against that ancient mental technique. It used to be available on old avatars before our family was even founded. An arrogant human must have gotten their hands on an illegal copy."

Leonard's eyes widen and relief washes over him, as this human's actions finally make sense. He was bluffing all along, and managed to manipulate his hot headed partner into challenging him in the one duel-type he had the advantage in.

Andras Vermillion Continues.

"I want you to challenge both of them to an all-out duel, no limitations. The Citadel-Wide public surveillance systems just showed the Ogre Conglomeration's head taking a fast travel Orb to the Volterra District. Accept these new Avatar upgrades and go down there to spread a final message before this gets out of hand. Do not bother thinking about the negative consequences or foreign gang retaliation; that will be handled. I want them dealt with publicly and brutally before the family head catches wind of this disgrace. It is better that we are perceived as unreasonable rather than weak."

–

Ember and Torvak continue watching the city outside.

The rejuvenation process in Torvak's Avatar takes far longer than the simple process inside his mind, but Ember patiently waits for it to be over.

Once the process ends, Ember speaks up again while peering at the nearest wall of the room that has status screens of surveillance systems all over it. A familiar image of two first class demons walking into their lobby and customers scattering is shown.

"Looks like they saw you come to meet me, and that Demon I knocked out recovered just fine."

Ember's eyes narrow, and the corners of his lips turn up. However, Torvak shivers.

"They're going to want revenge."

Ember gets up and starts walking toward the door.

"They sure will. Come on, it's time to put on another show. The Ogre Conglomeration's profits aren't going to stop going up, and maybe if we beat them badly enough I'll manage to get myself a meeting with the Citadel Lord."