"Tch! It’s just a few points difference. Don’t celebrate too early." Lilith pouted, a little bit down to have been caught and surpassed so soon. She hadn’t celebrated enough yet.

"Don’t pout, babe. I mean to win, like always." He teased her, wrapping his arms around her. Even when she was pouting, she didn’t refuse his embrace. He rained a small kiss on her before a portal opened behind them and they disappeared into it.

The dungeon core—the spirit—was panicking. The monsters on this floor had failed as well, meaning the enemy was more powerful than anticipated. Even if this dungeon’s danger level was extremely high, it only had a few floors—five at most. The dungeon core decided to change its strategy. With its power, it was like a system controlling everything inside this dungeon. By using its authority and dungeon source, it could modify anything inside.

Having no other choice, it now decided to combine the third and fourth floors to create a paradise where the couple could rest a bit. Maybe this could make them let down their guard on the final floor. And above everything, it could use this opportunity to strengthen the final guardian—cloning it if possible. Everything was for achieving its goal.

The couple had no idea of the dungeon core’s scheming. And even if they knew it, they wouldn’t care. No matter what this little dungeon core would do, they would smash through everything with brute force anyway.

When the couple arrived on the third floor, they couldn’t help but whistle.

This floor was like a paradise.

Gone was the scorching desert with its artificial sun and endless dunes. Gone were the floating islands of dead trees and crimson skies. In their place stretched a land of breathtaking beauty—a realm that seemed plucked from a dream.

Cascades tumbled down moss-covered cliffs, their waters shimmering with a soft, ethereal glow. The spray caught the light—some gentle, golden radiance that came from no visible source—and scattered tiny rainbows across the air. Crystal-clear lakes dotted the landscape, their surfaces so still they reflected the sky like perfect mirrors. Exotic animals—deer with silver antlers, rabbits with fur the color of lavender, birds with plumage that shifted through every hue—drank from the water’s edge, unafraid. Flowers bloomed in profusion, carpeting the meadows in waves of crimson, gold, and sapphire. Their scent hung sweet and heavy, a perfume that soothed the mind and invited rest.

The air was warm but not hot, fresh but not dry. A gentle breeze carried the sound of distant waterfalls and the soft chirping of unknown creatures. Above, a sky of soft pastel blue stretched endlessly, dotted with fluffy clouds that moved at a lazy pace.

It was beautiful. Too beautiful. Almost artificial.

Gabriel and Lilith exchanged a glance.

"A paradise," Lilith said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"Too perfect," Gabriel agreed. "The dungeon is trying to lull us probably."

He quickly saw through the dungeon’s core plot.

They both smiled.

"How cute," Lilith murmured. "It thinks we’ll let down our guard."

Gabriel stretched his arms, his golden wings folding against his back. "Shall we rest a bit? The competition can wait."

Lilith nodded, her crimson eyes scanning the horizon. Somewhere beyond those beautiful lakes and cascades, the path to the next floor waited. And somewhere deeper, the dungeon core schemed.

But for now—just for a moment—they would play along.

They descended toward the largest lake, where a grassy bank offered a soft place to sit.

The dungeon core watched, its ancient consciousness trembling with hope.

Rest, it whispered to itself. Lower your guard. Please.

The couple sat down by the water, their shoulders touching.

They had no intention of lowering anything.

But the view was nice.

Having decided to have a little fun in this place, the couple snapped their fingers.

In an instant, their adventuring gear vanished. Gabriel now wore a loose yellow floral shirt—unbuttoned, of course—and a pair of light linen shorts. His upper body was laid bare, revealing his chiseled abs and godly physique. Every muscle was perfectly defined, sculpted by centuries of combat and blessed by his angelic heritage. He stretched lazily, the afternoon light catching the golden undertones of his skin.

Lilith, meanwhile, had changed into something far more alluring. A purple lace bikini hugged her curves, delicate and teasing, the deep violet contrasting beautifully with her pale gray skin. A matching pareó wrapped around her hips, its sheer fabric fluttering in the gentle breeze. Her silver hair cascaded down her back, and her small horns caught the light like polished obsidian.

From her dimensional space—a simple flick of her wrist—she produced a large picnic basket, a portable grill, a cozy blanket, and a small ice chest. Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"You just carry this around?" he asked.

"Always," she replied with a wink.

"A demoness must be prepared for any occasion."

Gabriel closed his eyes and reached out with his telepathy.

Nearby, in a thicket of flowering bushes, a family of large rabbits—their fur silver-white, their ears long and twitching—nibbled on clover. Gabriel gently touched their minds, not with force but with a soft, soothing presence. Come, he whispered. Come to me.

Three of the largest rabbits hopped out from the bushes, their eyes calm, their movements unhurried. They sat at Gabriel’s feet and looked up at him with trusting gazes.

He thanked them silently. Then, with a swift, merciful motion, he ended their lives. No pain. No fear. Just a gentle passage from one state to another.

He skinned them with practiced ease, his golden knife—conjured from light—gliding through fur and flesh like water. Within minutes, the rabbits were cleaned, seasoned with herbs Lilith had produced from her basket, and placed on the portable grill. The scent of roasting meat soon filled the air, mixing with the sweet perfume of flowers.

While Gabriel tended to the barbecue, Lilith decided to cool off.

She untied her pareó and let it fall to the grass. Then she walked toward the pristine lake, her bare feet sinking slightly into the soft bank. The water was clear as glass, revealing smooth stones and white sand beneath. A nearby cascade tumbled over a rocky ledge, sending a fine mist into the air.

She waded in slowly, the cool water rising past her ankles, her knees, her thighs. When it reached her waist, she dove forward and began to swim with long, elegant strokes. Her purple bikini clung to her body, and the water coiled around her like liquid silk.

Gabriel watched from the shore.

He turned the skewers absently, his eyes never leaving her. The way the sunlight sparkled on the droplets that clung to her skin. The way her silver hair fanned out behind her as she floated on her back. The way she laughed—a soft, carefree sound—when a small, curious fish nibbled at her toe.

She was beautiful. She was his. And he would never tire of watching her.

She caught him staring and waved, a mischievous smile on her lips.

"Eyes on the meat, hubby," she called. "Or it’ll burn."

He chuckled and returned his attention to the grill—but only for a moment.

When everything was ready, Gabriel laid out the feast on a large woven blanket.

Grilled rabbit skewers glistened with herb butter. A fresh salad of wild greens and edible flowers, drizzled with a light vinaigrette. Warm bread rolls that Lilith had somehow kept hot in her dimensional space. A bowl of mixed berries—blue, red, gold—that sparkled like jewels. And, of course, a bottle of aged red wine, its label written in a script neither of them recognized but both appreciated.

They sat side by side on the blanket, their shoulders touching, their legs stretched out toward the water.

Gabriel picked up a skewer and held it to Lilith’s lips. She took a bite, her eyes closing in satisfaction.

"Good?" he asked.

"Divine," she murmured.

She returned the favor, plucking a ripe berry from the bowl and pressing it gently to his mouth. He bit down, and the sweetness burst across his tongue.

They fed each other. They sipped wine from the same crystal glass. They watched the cascade tumble and the exotic animals wander past without fear. The artificial sun—or whatever light source illuminated this floor—began to soften, casting long golden rays across the lake.

Gabriel leaned back on his elbows, his chest rising and falling with contented breaths. Lilith rested her head on his shoulder, her hand finding his.

"This is nice," she said quietly.

"It is," he agreed.

For a moment—just a moment—they forgot about the competition. About the dungeon. About the scheming core and the monsters and the envoys waiting for them in the world above.

There was only this. The warmth of the sun. The sound of the water. The taste of wine on each other’s lips.

The dungeon core watched from its hidden depths, trembling with desperate hope as it whispered again.

Rest, it whispered. Lower your guard. Please.

The couple did not care about the dungeon’s core little scheme anyway.