Infinite Skill Devourer
Chapter 79: Word From The North Queen I

Chapter 79: Word From The North Queen I

When Ryuen woke up at two, the room was dark except for the dim red light above.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes, only to notice a small weight pressing against his side.

Looking down, he saw Erina sitting on the edge of the couch, holding a blanket in her hands.

Her ears twitched nervously as he glanced up at her with wide eyes.

"I—I’m sorry," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I didn’t mean to... um... you looked cold, so I thought..." She trailed off, her cheeks carrying a faint pink hue.

Ryuen blinked, then glanced down to see that she’d draped an extra blanket over him at some point during the night.

He let out a quiet sigh and shook his head. "You didn’t have to do that."

Erina fidgeted with the edge of the blanket, her ears flattening slightly. "I just... wanted to help."

For a moment, Ryuen didn’t respond.

Then he reached out, giving her a light pat on the head.

That made her ears perk up slightly, and she looked at him with surprise on her face.

She still wasn’t comfortable with the fact that he was being gentle with her.

She was indirectly an enemy, and he was supposed to kill her or maybe make her a slave.

Yet, here she was in his bedroom, with him, sharing it, and nothing had happened.

It was like nothing ever happened, and that was very scary.

"Thanks," he said simply.

Erina’s lips curved into a small, shy smile, and she nodded. "You’re welcome."

That said, Ryuen sank back into the couch and let his gaze linger on the ceiling, assuming she must have gone back to bed.

He just exhaled and drifted back into sleep.

---

The next morning, Ryuen woke up to something soft brushing against his arm.

He blinked, looked down, but when he did, he froze in place.

Erina was curled up next to him, her fox tail resting on his arm, with some of the fur touching his neck.

Her small body, compared to his, was against him, cuddling him.

Her breathing was soft and steady—oddly peaceful.

For a moment, he just watched her. She looked peaceful, far from the flirty and bold girl he had first met.

He carefully slipped out of the couch. He had a quick bath, styled his hair as usual, and walked toward the couch where Erina lay.

He swept her into his arms carefully and walked over to the bed, where he placed her down and patted her head gently before leaving.

In the living room, Hwa was already waiting, her arms crossed, with a playful grin as usual.

"Morning," she said and winked. "You seem to be enjoying your cuddle toy."

Ryuen nodded nonchalantly. Since he wasn’t in the mood for her shenanigans, he just muttered,

"Morning. Let’s move."

---

At the far end of the city, where the Red Spire gates were located, beyond that site, another dungeon stood before them.

It was dark and pulsing with strange energy.

Low growls echoed from within, sending a chill through the air and to those who could sense it nearby.

Hwa stepped forward without hesitation. A bright flash of light appeared beside her.

Her dragon emerged, massive and glowing faintly with blue light.

Its silver-green scales shimmered under the dim morning light.

Ryuen climbed onto a nearby rooftop. From there, he had a clear view of everything, so he could easily supervise without getting in the way.

The ground trembled as the first beast appeared. It was a large wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes.

Hwa’s dragon charged forward, slamming its massive body into the beast.

Fire exploded from its mouth, a blaze that swallowed the creature whole.

The wolf-like beast let out a howl before collapsing into ashes.

Which was oddly fast for an attack—she didn’t even have to raise a finger to do anything at all.

However, more beasts poured from the dungeon, their growls growing louder.

Some were wolf-like, others resembled twisted boars or malformed bears.

Hwa stepped forward with confidence, her dragon towering beside her.

Its glowing green eyes watched every movement with focus.

The beasts hesitated, as if sensing the danger she carried.

Then, one lunged, breaking the stillness.

The dragon whipped its tail, sending the creature flying into the rocks not far from where they stood.

Another beast charged but was incinerated with one breath.

Then, the air changed. It was like something else was present.

Ryuen, from where he was, felt it too, but he didn’t make a move at all. He only summoned his dagger and remained observant.

Something was coming. Something stronger.

Hwa froze for a moment, her gaze locked on the dungeon’s entrance.

She exhaled slowly and flexed her fists. She took another step forward, this time her whole aura shifting almost immediately.

Her blue ponytail dropped onto her shoulder, strands of hair cascading down her back like waves of thick turquoise liquid.

Her eyes burned brighter—no longer human but something better. Not an elf either.

They seemed to pierce through the very air, commanding respect and fear in those around her, including her beast and the ones coming.

Vines began to spread from her bare feet, winding their way up her legs.

They coiled around her body in intricate patterns, almost like armor.

The vines glowed faintly, blending into her skin, leaving little to the imagination.

Yet, they seemed more a symbol of power than modesty.

Her ears elongated into pointed tips. They twitched slightly, attuned to the shifting energy around her.

She no longer looked like human Hwa. She looked like a being from ancient myths—a creature born from nature’s raw power.

Say, a dragon woman or something close to that.

The beasts froze in place. Even the dungeon itself seemed to go quiet, as if recognizing her authority.

The earth trembled slightly beneath her. The vines she wore gleamed faintly as well, giving off a silver glow.

Ryuen watched from above, his breath caught in his throat.

He had seen Hwa fight before, but this was different.

"What are you?" he murmured, more to himself than to her.

The silence stretched, broken only by the burning ground and the faint growl of the dragon beside her.

Then, his earpiece buzzed, shattering the suspense.

Ryuen pressed a finger to his ear, pulling himself back to reality.

"Ryuen, you and Hwa need to get back to HQ. Now," Daiki’s calm voice echoed from the other end, causing a frown to appear on Hwa’s face.

Ryuen frowned, his eyes flicking back to Hwa. "What’s going on?"

"The Northern Region Queen sent a message," Daiki said, paused, and continued.

"You need to report back immediately."