The sound of splitting stone echoed through the abyss as Kaiden raised his hand. The cavern around him groaned and reshaped itself under his will; jagged walls smoothed, stray boulders crumbled to dust, and the raw, bleeding rock was forced into order.

This would be the path his girls would walk. Their way in and out of the dungeon. It needed to be safe with breathable air, no chance of the ceiling caving in or magma rivers cutting them off mid-step. Magma rivers were cool, yes. But they weren't exactly girlfriend-friendly.

Kaiden sighed inwardly as he worked, molding the abyssal stone into a proper passage. He wanted to give them more. The most perfect, comfortable life imaginable. If he could, he'd have given them a path lined with soft lights, flowing water, and blooming mana-lilies. Maybe even koi ponds.

But right now? That was a luxury he couldn't afford. His Dungeon Master Points were painfully limited, and every bit needed to go toward efficiency, not decoration.

So he carved the rock with ruthless practicality, every angle chosen for tactical advantage, every curve designed to funnel intruders into a kill zone. No wasted mana. No beauty for beauty's sake. His girls would have to endure a long, claustrophobic, and dark route for now, one that served strategy, not comfort.

It was strange, the way his emotions whiplashed. Just moments ago, he'd been cackling like an evil villain, imagining his enemies shrieking as Melty and her friends devoured them alive while their skin melted off their bones thanks to the magma rivers. He'd relished the thought of molten agony and terrified screams echoing through these depths. But now, shaping this grim tunnel, he just felt… guilty.

He was still a Dungeon Master, but beneath that, there was the man who loved his women. And that man couldn't help but wince, knowing they'd have to walk through this oppressive darkness every time they returned home.

This only went to highlight what Nyx had once said. He was the greatest ally to have, but also the worst enemy to face. He could easily go from utmost compassion and delicate care to committing horrible cruelties on his enemies.

When Kaiden became the Great Demon of Wrath, he was not controlled by some foreign entity to commit the extremely brutal execution of Varek. That was him, in the purest form possible, acting on his deepest desires. He wanted to hear Varek scream in utter agony, so he ensured that was exactly what happened.

But at the same time, there was Naira, the poor native teen who'd stoked his defensive instincts and compassion. For Naira, he was a savior, a benevolent man. For Varek, he was nightmare incarnate.

The interface pulsed again. He opened the trap submenu of the defenses menu and started laying down the simplest, cheapest thing the system allowed.

[Spike Trap] – 50 DMP each

He placed them in long, sweeping bands rather than as isolated pressure plates. These weren't the tiny, foot-sized traps hunters expected; each spike array stretched for meters, standing as a field of spikes designed to stop an entire squad in its tracks. The interface accepted the placements with the soft chime of completed purchases, and the expenditure tally ticked up with every line he sent into the rock.

He couldn't afford illusory floors or elaborate concealments; those were expensive toys. Still, the spikes melted into the dark ground with the dungeon's natural shadow. At a glance, the floor looked unremarkable: the abyssal stone simply wore the hue of the corridor. Only when pressure shifted would the serried metal erupt. By default, the traps were hidden; the dungeon itself masked them in shade and cold.

One might ask: how would Kaiden and his women walk this way? Didn't he just worry about how his girls would traverse this path?

The spikes didn't discriminate. They impaled anyone unfortunate enough to misstep.

The answer to that question was simple.

He did not have any plans to have his girls walk this path.

The interface flashed again, and what came out of it answered with a chorus, a high, squealing roar that rolled through the tunnels.

He wanted numbers and mobility: winged predators that could operate in tight spaces, strike in packs, and ferry people above ground hazards. He scrolled, and a new entry resolved into the panel.

[Abyssal Nightclaw]

Base Level Range: 1–99

Cost: 1 DMP (Lvl 1) → 200 DMP (Lvl 99)

Description: A lithe, winged hunter bred from cavern-born shadows. Scaled membranes, serrated talons, and a venomous spit that causes rapid paralysis in its prey. Exceptionally maneuverable in narrow tunnels; strikes best in coordinated packs.

Kaiden summoned a few level 99 ones, but then adjusted the sliders, not maxing everything out. He purchased dozens more to create a swarm of mid-to-high-level Nightclaws that could swarm. Quality mattered, but so did quantity.

Due to the narrowness of the pathways, humans could only have one or at most two people in front. However, these winged monsters could effectively maneuver and swarm in bigger packs.

They came to be, and Kaiden instantly noticed that despite their modest size, which was akin to a mid-sized dog breed's, coiled muscle adorned their forms. These were highly specialized murder machines.

Despite their nightmare-inducing looks, what happened next shocked even Kaiden. A half dozen immediately found him and stood on his shoulders, arms, and head with eager, happy chirps. One nosed his cheek.

Kaiden's rough laugh echoed off the stone. "Who knew my living nightmare creatures could be so cute?"

More nuzzling welcomed his words. But then his features hardened. "You know how to hold your poison and claws to yourselves, right?"

The Nightclaws thumped their wings and clicked their teeth; they answered with fervent, reverent chirps. Their bright, predatory eyes watched him like puppies thrilled to serve.

Kaiden, satisfied, extended both hands.

Two of the creatures hopped forward, unfolded themselves, and extended a leg each toward his open palm. He gripped onto them. They were strong, denser than they looked. The Nightclaws beat their wings and lifted, carrying him a few dozen meters with steady, practiced strokes. It was rough but reliable.

"This," he murmured, "is the transportation plan."

He imagined these monsters carrying his girls over the spike fields. They could ferry a person safely above the trap array and drop them where it was safe to land. He saw no need to waste precious DMP on padding the path. The monsters would do the heavy work.

He tested it, gliding over the first band of spikes. Below, the dormant blades waited like teeth. Above, the Nightclaws hummed and clicked as they bore him forward. The plan was crude but perfectly suited to his economy of points.

Kaiden looked at the pack circling him. Sensing his attention on them, some wings folded, heads tilted, and eyes burned like twin coals in the dark. The tunnel was silent for a heartbeat, and the air thick with the scent of ozone and venom.

"You know, I'll be trusting the lives of my girls to you. Again and again. They're my greatest treasures, my most beloved companions... my driving force."

His gaze sharpened, turning from tender to commanding. "So I'll ask only once, are you up for the task of protecting them?"

The words lingered for a moment, echoing against the abyssal stone.

Then the Nightclaws answered.

One screamed first, releasing a high, ear-splitting shriek that reverberated through the dungeon. Another followed, then a third, until the entire swarm erupted in a unified, primal roar.

It wasn't the sound of mere obedience from before.

It was a war cry.

The cavern shook. Dust rained from the ceiling. The newly placed traps quivered under the onslaught of their voices. Their wings unfurled in perfect unison, slamming against the air with enough force to send ripples of wind down the narrow corridor.

Dozens of throats howled as one, a sound that was neither beast nor bird but something far more alien, far more monstrous. Poison dripped from fanged maws, sizzling as it hit the stone. Their saliva gleamed as they spat due to the extreme volume of their screams.

The Nightclaws bared their teeth, rows of jagged, uneven fangs that looked forged for nothing but carnage. Their screeches turned into thunderous howls, vibrating through the air until Kaiden could feel it in his bones.

And amid that chaos, amid the gale of wings, the storm of shrieks, and the hiss of poison, Kaiden smiled.

It wasn't a broad grin at first. Just a small curl of his lips. But it grew. Slowly. Until it was feral and dangerous.

This was his.

His monsters. His creations. His protectors.

Creatures of horror made loyal.

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