BOOOOM!
The spatial gate fluctuated violently, spitting out two figures just seconds before it collapsed in on itself.
Kael hit the asphalt hard, rolling to absorb the impact, while keeping a tight grip on the woman in his arms. Behind them, the swirling blue vortex of the dungeon gate turned gray and vanished. The dungeon was closed.
"They made it out!"
"Is that... the Empress?"
"Who is that guy holding her?"
Kael gasped for air, his lungs burning. He looked up. They were in the "Safe Zone" outside the dungeon entrance. Dozens of support mages, reporters, and members of the "Steel Dragons" guild were staring at them with wide eyes.
The silence was deafening.
It was a scandalous sight. Seraphina, the untouchable Ice Goddess, the woman who had rejected proposals from princes and billionaires, was being cradled in the arms of a dirty, blood-soaked Cleaner wearing a torn uniform.
"You..."
A roar broke the silence.
Gareth, the Vice-Commander of the Steel Dragons, stepped forward. He was a tall man clad in golden armor, known for two things: his A-Rank fire magic and his obsessive crush on Seraphina.
His face was twisted in rage.
"Get your filthy hands off her, you trash!" Gareth screamed, his hands igniting with flames. "How dare a Cleaner touch the Empress!"
Kael's instinct was to flinch. For years, Gareth had been the one to kick him, underpay him, and spit on him.
But as Gareth stomped forward, raising a fist wreathed in fire, Kael didn't feel the usual paralyzing fear.
[Passive Skill Active: Mana Skin (Rank B)]
[Enemy Threat Assessment: Low.]
Low? Kael blinked. The System thinks an A-Rank mage is a low threat?
"I said let go!" Gareth swung his fist down.
Kael moved.
He didn't mean to fight back. He just wanted to block. But his new [Agility +30] made his body react faster than his mind.
Kael shifted his weight, sidestepping the blow effortlessly. Gareth, expecting no resistance, lost his balance and stumbled forward.
"Don't touch us," Kael said, his voice surprisingly steady. "She's exhausted."
The crowd gasped. A Cleaner had just dodged an A-Rank hunter?
Gareth's face turned purple with humiliation. "You lucky little rat... I'll kill you!"
He channeled a massive fireball. This wasn't a warning shot; he intended to incinerate Kael right there in front of the cameras.
Kael tightened his hold on Seraphina, preparing to run.
But suddenly, the temperature on the asphalt dropped to absolute zero.
"Gareth."
One word. Spoken softly, but it carried enough killing intent to freeze the fire right out of Gareth's hands.
Seraphina opened her eyes. They weren't the eyes of a damsel in distress. They were the eyes of a predator whose nap had been disturbed.
She didn't stand up. She remained comfortably in Kael's arms, looking down at Gareth like he was a bug.
"Did you just try to attack my savior?" she asked.
Gareth stammered, the flames in his hands sputtering out. "S-Savior? Seraphina, look at him! He's a Cleaner! He's defiling you just by breathing your air! I was just trying to—"
"You fled," Seraphina cut him off. Her voice echoed across the silent plaza. "When the Boss room collapsed, you and your guild ran like cowards. You left me to die."
The reporters began snapping photos furiously. This was the scoop of the century. The number one guild, exposing their cowardice?
"I... We thought you were right behind us!" Gareth lied, sweating profusely. "Come here, let me help you up. Let's get you to a healer. Don't let this filth touch you anymore."
He reached out to grab Seraphina's arm.
CRACK.
Before Gareth could touch her, a wall of ice spikes erupted from the ground between him and Kael.
"One step closer," Seraphina said, her voice dropping an octave, "and I will turn your blood into slush."
She looked up at Kael. For a second, the coldness in her eyes softened, just a fraction. She could feel his heart pounding against her chest. It was the only source of warmth she had felt in years. The "Recycling" process had left a lingering connection between them.
She needed that warmth. She was already starting to feel the familiar itch of the corruption returning.
She looked back at the crowd, her expression turning into a mask of arrogance.
"Listen well, all of you!" she announced.
"From this moment on, this man, Kael, is under my personal protection."
She reached up and grabbed Kael's collar, pulling him slightly closer, staking her claim.
"He is no longer a Cleaner. He is my personal... aide. Anyone who insults him, insults the Sword Empress. Anyone who attacks him, declares war on me."
She looked at Kael. "Take me to my car. Now."
"Y-Yes, ma'am," Kael stuttered, still processing the fact that he was now the most hated—and envied—man in the country.
He walked past a frozen Gareth, stepping over the ice spikes.
As he walked toward the sleek black limousine waiting at the curb, Kael could feel the glares of hundreds of men burning into his back. But he also felt the weight of the SSS-Rank woman in his arms.
He looked at the System screen floating in the air, invisible to everyone else.
[Quest Generated: "The Empress's Leash"]
[Objective: Establish a formal contract with Seraphina.]
[Reward: "System Shop" Unlock.]
Kael smirked.
Let them stare. Let them hate.
They were playing a game of ranks and politics. He was playing a game of Gods.
As the chauffeur opened the door and Kael placed Seraphina onto the leather seats, she grabbed his wrist before he could pull away.
"Get in," she commanded, patting the seat next to her. "We have business to discuss. And I need another dose."
"Dose?" Kael asked, sliding in and closing the door, shutting out the chaos outside.
"My pain is returning," Seraphina whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder as the car sped away. "Don't stop recycling."