"Liam, what are you..." Elizabeth’s question died as the first Elite Naga lunged.

Liam moved with unexpected speed for his size. He used [Bull Rush]. His shoulder connected with the serpent’s chest, sending it sprawling into the wall. He didn’t pause, spinning with the momentum of his charge, his blade arcing through the air. The Naga’s head separated from its body with a clean cut.

Liam didn’t just hit the first Naga; he deleted it. But as he pulled his blade, the remaining four didn’t retreat. They fanned out with a chilling, synchronized hiss.

Great. They’re smart. They aren’t charging the guy with the big sword; they’re looking for the gap, and the gap is currently staring at a bucket.

"Elizabeth! Snap out of it!" Liam barked, his voice echoing off the damp walls. He felt a sharp sting on his shoulder. One of the Elites had lunged with a bone-tipped spear, finding a joint in his armour.

[Damage Taken: 142 HP]

[Feedback Loop Active: +7,100 HP Restored to Elizabeth]

He felt her health bar top off instantly, but his own was still jagged. He was a sponge for damage, but sponges eventually get saturated.

His brain was spinning if he went down, who’s going to make sure she doesn’t accidentally try to parry a Naga with her face?

"Liam! Your shoulder!" Elizabeth finally found her feet, her rapier snapping up into a guard position.

"Worry about your own limbs," Liam growled. He felt a weird heat rising in his gut, not just the Hearth, but something more primal. Ever since that "exploration" in the chamber, his internal compass was permanently pointed toward her. It was annoying. It was distracting. And it made him want to set the entire dungeon on fire just to keep her warm.

Two more Elites slithered toward him, their movements synchronised. Liam dropped low, his tail sweeping across the ground to disrupt their footing.

One stumbled, and Elizabeth seized the opportunity, her sword flashing as she delivered a precise strike to its exposed neck.

"You’re just helping," Liam observed as the Naga collapsed.

"I’m doing more than helping!" Elizabeth protested, but she couldn’t deny the efficiency of Liam’s method.

Another Naga circled behind them. Liam sensed it before seeing it, his ears twitching at the sound of scales on stone. He spun again, his blade catching the creature mid-strike.

The Naga’s venomous fangs snapped inches from his face before he drove his knee into its abdomen and finished it with an upward slash, then biting into the rest of it, ripping the pieces away, "hmm, crunchier than expected."

The remaining Elites hesitated, their yellow eyes narrowing with what seemed like calculation.

Oh, you want to play tactical? I invented tactical. I’m the guy who figured out how to slow-cook a boss in its own juice well water, but damn, now I want some serpent sashimi, Liam thought

He charged again, using his weight and momentum to plough through their formation. His blade became a blur, cutting through scales and flesh with methodical precision.

As the last two Elites fell, Liam moved between them, placing a hand on each of their chests.

"Absorb," he whispered again.

The bodies dissolved into his gauntlet, and the warmth intensified. A pleasant fullness spread through him, reminiscent of Christmas dinner with family, a memory from before the game, before the Lock-in. The sensation was comforting, grounding.

Elizabeth approached cautiously, her sword still drawn. "What exactly is happening with that gauntlet?"

Liam examined his hand, watching the faint glow fade from the metal. "I’m not sure, but it feels good."

"Feels good?" Elizabeth sheathed her sword, stepping closer. "Like... how?"

Liam struggled to find the words. "Like... a nice home roast on Christmas."

Elizabeth blinked, her cat ears twitching in confusion. "You’re comparing absorbing monsters to... Christmas dinner?"

Liam nodded seriously. "Yes. It’s the same feeling, it feels full."

Elizabeth sighed, running a hand through her pink hair. "We should keep moving, either there’s a boss ahead, a bunch of our friends or... something else"

Liam’s stomach rumbled. "Maybe we’ll find something to eat."

"You just absorbed three Elite Nagas and ate one! raw!"

"What would you even cook down here? There’s nothing but moss and bones."

"Bone broth’s a thing."

"From Naga bones?!"

"Calcium is calcium."

She made that sound again, half groan, half laugh, she refused to commit to. But she fell in beside him, closer than the tunnel required. Her shoulder nearly touched his arm. His tail swayed once, brushing against her hip as they walked.

She didn’t move away. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

He noticed. Didn’t mention it. Just adjusted his pace so she wouldn’t have to stretch her stride to keep up. A small thing. The kind of thing she probably wouldn’t register consciously.

"Different kind of hunger," Liam explained, already walking toward the deeper tunnels

Elizabeth followed, muttering something about "impossible to understand" under her breath. But as they moved deeper into the catacombs, she found herself staying closer to his massive form, comforted by his steady presence despite his bizarre behaviour.

"Elizabeth! Six o’clock!"

She moved before he even finished the sentence. She blurred, her rapier a needle of light that found the eye-slit of the fourth Naga trying to sneak up behind them.

[Critical Hit: 2,400 Damage]

[Feedback Loop: +120,000 HP Restored to Liam]

He started walking, his massive frame leading the way into the dark. He didn’t look back, but he didn’t need to. He could hear her footsteps right behind him.

"Liam?"

"Yeah?"

"You’re still on fire."

"I mean, I’m glad you finally noticed how good I am."

"No, like literally your pants are smouldering."

[TOOL TIP: THE UNCHARTED TASTING]

Recipe Discovered: The First Explorer’s Ambition.

Classification: Unique

Flavour Profile: Spun-Sugar Dreams & Primordial Cotton Candy.

The Origin: Born from the literal "First Exploration" of a partner’s deepest trust, this recipe can only be crafted by Liam and only consumed by the one he shares that bond with.

Liam’s Inner Voice: "It tastes like pink clouds and the feeling of finally being home, but if you tell Rogue I made something that smells like a carnival, I’m putting salt in your coffee for a month."