William stood in the middle of the street, eyes wide. He had expected to find some typical starter village but this was nothing like that. It felt like he had stepped right back to Earth. Lumina had the same expression, seeing a new place for the first time.

A single wide street stretched before him, on the right, a row of shops and restaurants, and on the left, an open green space dotted with trees and benches. The only real difference? The sheer number of different races around him made it feel like Anime Expo.

Every lord was flanked by their troop. He recognized a lot of them, Goblin, Troll, Lizardmen, Gnoll, Griffin, Chupacabra, but still, plenty were completely new to him. One lord, for example, had an oversized mantis striding on two legs, razor-sharp arms folded, and a pair of long antennae waving above its head.

Another lord was mobbed by a massive crowd, all because of his unique troop, a hulking brute with sharp red skin, four arms, and four glowing green eyes. He was like a celebrity to them.

There were even stronger troops, but despite the presence of powerful races, nobody seemed intimidated. Everyone just wanted a little peace. It was the first time they’d been able to meet others, and they desperately needed to calm their nerves after the hell they went through.

William strolled down the street while eyeing the lords around him. Some wore calm and easy smiles, while others masked fear with fake smiles. Surviving the first trial was one thing, but what about the second? The third? Or what if there is something else along the way?

Deep down, every lord knew whether they’d make it or not. For the uncertain one, they clung to lords with stronger troops, trying to please them in any way possible.

The stronger lords knew this, and those bastards milked them for all they were worth. The girls clung to the stronger men, keeping their cock warm, while the boys? They lay on the ground beside powerful female lords, mouths open, ready to swallow their spit with a grin.

When power meets human, things get real filthy, true nature comes crawling out. Power could turn a beggar into a harem lord, and a famous actor into a ladyboy.

William shrugged. "Whatever, it’s not like I have anything to do with them. I should get going." He muttered, "Aunt Julia said she’s at Otterly Foods, some seafood joint run by an otter in a tuxedo."

On his way to the restaurant, William noticed all the shops were either an eatery or a tower merchant store, each one run by an animal in a tuxedo. Bunnies like Liola, squirrels, cats, and even a skunk.

The restaurants offered every cuisine imaginable from Earth, greasy American fast food, Italian pasta, Mexican tacos, Turkish kebabs, and even hotpot and steamed buns, served by a panda.

A few lords had set up stalls, hawking items from their towers. One stall, though, had a line so damn long it looked like an iPhone launch.

Curiosity got the better of him, so he made his way over, wondering what could get these lords frothing at the mouth. When he arrived, his eyes went wide. No artifacts, no overpowered trial cheat item, just a fat Lord stuffing his face with chips, and next to him, an otherworldly beauty who looked like she’d stepped right out of a wet dream.

She was half-human, no, half-goddess, with silver hair, pointed ears, and a porcelain-doll face framed by sharp, mesmerizing silver eyes. From the waist down, a serpent’s body coiled in shimmering silver scales.

Her top was so skimpy it practically demanded onlookers measure the depth of her cleavage. Her waist could snap an hourglass in half. She was the kind of hot that would set a monk’s heart, eyes, and balls on fire.

William was floored by her beauty, but what really broke his brain was the fat bastard Lord selling her kisses to horny idiots for more than his Blooms. Five TP, a kiss.

William glanced at Lumina, perched on his shoulder, seeing this scene with her innocent tiny mind. For a split second, he wondered if people would pay for fairy kisses, but quickly shook off the thought. He wasn’t about to stoop that low for TP. Besides, he had Gacha.

[That’s right, dear. Forget that snake. Here, have mine... Muuuuuuuahhh~]

Amused by Rollie’s reaction, he grinned. "I’m talking about Gacha draws, not you. I can collect all the beautiful races I want, and get their kisses exclusively for myself."

[Perv...]

William ignored Rollie’s jab and headed for the restaurant. After weaving past a couple more shops, he finally spotted it. Inside, at the counter, stood the Otter, dark grayish brown fur, looking sharp in a brown tuxedo.

He scanned the place for Aunt Julia. The interior was classic fast-food: tables, booths, and the thick smell of fried seafood hanging in the air. Out of nowhere, a voice called to him from the far end. There she was, waving at him from the booth.

"Will, over here!"

She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and wore blue denim jeans with a milky white silk blouse, both clinging to her curves like a second skin. There was only one word for her, MILF. She might have been 45, but she didn’t look a day over thirty, all thanks to her daily yoga routines.

He waved back and headed over. The second he reached her, she pulled him into a hug. This was the closest he’d ever been to a woman. The scent of her hair drifted over as her head rested on his shoulder, and he could feel the soft press of her breasts against his chest.

In the past, he’d always kept a respectful distance from Aunt. But now, she was close, way too close. Heat shot through his body, and Little Willie started to rise.

He didn’t know what to do, he just stood there with his hands limp at his sides. Then he heard a soft sob. Glancing down, he saw Aunt Julia crying. That killed his lust instantly. With a trembling voice, she said, "I... I was so scared when I couldn’t find Dante. I don’t know if... if he’s... fine. But thank you for helping me. If not for you, I might have... died." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

William answered right away. "No need to thank me, Aunt. We’re basically family. And don’t worry, Dante’s a tough nut. From what I’ve read in novels, when there are fewer lords in a region, the regions start to merge. Maybe we’ll see him soon."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he cursed himself. ’FUCK, FUCK, FUCK... What the hell is wrong with me? Getting hard over my buddy’s crying mom? Shit, did I forget the Bro Code? Your sister, my sister. Your mom, my mom. Your wife, my, wait, nope, not that last part!’

The hug lingered a few more seconds until she finally calmed down. She stepped back, wiping tears from her face. "Yes, you’re right. As his mother, my heart tells me he’s alive." William nodded. "He’s smart, Aunt. He’ll find a way to survive. Come on, let’s sit and talk."

They both sat across from each other. Lumina floated back to William’s side. Dante’s mom caught sight of the fairy, and her gloom eased just a little. "Is this your main troop you told me about? She’s adorable. Can I touch her?" William offered a genuine smile. "Yeah, this is Lumina, my first troop summon. If she’s okay with it, you can give her a pat."

Aunt reached out to Lumina. The fairy was usually shy around new people. When William first summoned Cent, she wouldn’t even go near him for two days. He expected her to hide now, but instead, Lumina leaned forward, nuzzled Aunt’s hand, and let out a childlike giggle.

Seeing this, Aunt’s whole mood brightened. A genuine smile broke through the gloom. "Awwww~ she is just like a child."

Seeing Aunt Julia smile made William smile too. "Well, yeah, she kind of is." He muttered softly.

Then he glanced around for Aunt’s troop but didn’t spot him. "Aunt, where’s your troop? Didn’t you bring him?"

She pulled her hand back from Lumina and sighed. "I did, but he’s like a giant in armor. He won’t sit next to me, not even if I ask. If he was here, he’d just stand there looming, making us both uncomfortable, so I told him to wait outside."

"Hah, I can picture that. You said he’s some kind of knight, right? Must be pretty strong," William said, nodding.

She shook her head. "He is, but when fighting higher-rank climbers, he struggles. If I hadn’t given him that red Bloom, I would have been dead. Honestly, I’m terrified for the next trial. What if..."

William cut her off. "Don’t worry, Aunt. You’ll clear it, I know you will. And I’ll send more Blooms before the trial." Aunt thanked him and, with her mind a bit clearer, finally took a real look at William. "Goodness... You’ve changed so much, the height, the muscles... You look handsome."

Ever since his new physique, William stood six-foot-two with chiseled muscles and a charm stat that could make any girl attracted to him.

He gave a shy chuckle. "Ah, yeah, I have a physical enhancement talent. When I awakened, my physique changed. It’s nothing, really. Forget me, you look even more beautiful. Your skin’s literally glowing." He lied smoothly, no way he was revealing his real talent.

Aunt laughed at his comment. "Fufu~ It’s nothing, really. My talent did all the work. As I told you, I have a light affinity and a purification skill, so when I awakened, all the impurities just got flushed out."

William couldn’t help himself. "Nah, Aunt, even before your talent, you looked younger. If I didn’t know you, I’d probably think you were Dante’s older sister." She waved him off, laughing. "Oh, you flatter me. I’m just an old woman."

William resisted pushing any further. This whole thing was already at the edge of taboo. They ordered food and spent the meal talking about their plans for the next trial. William offered her a few tips, and after about an hour, they parted ways with a simple goodbye.

After leaving, he swung by the shops to grab some essentials and food. No way was he feeding Howler the meat of his own fallen comrades, so he picked up some other meat. On the way, he recognized a few lords from his old building and office, but he’d always been a background character, hardly ever interacting with anyone except his two friends. So, no point in playing catch-up now.

After picking up his supplies, he summoned the portal and went back to the Tower. He landed near the Luminara tree. Lumina immediately darted off into the Blooms to play with the Imp. William stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Ahhh, it’s so much more peaceful here. That place felt like a damn carnival."

He glanced around for Cent, who was now practicing on the grasslands, while the mutt just goofed off. Settling by the Luminara tree, William opened the regional chat and checked his notifications, he’d been getting sales alerts nonstop while in the Neutral Zone. Grinning widely, he muttered, "Let’s see how rich I’ve gotten."

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[A/N]: Please give some powerstones or golden tickets, it really helps the story to reach more readers and keeps me motivated to write more.