Gathering Wives with a System Chapter 502 Strategic Retreat, Serisa

Celia offered a tremulous smile.

"I— I was merely jesting," she replied, her tone attempting allure to deflect Isaac's ire.

Yet, Isaac maintained a smile of 'calmness', beckoning her with a single finger.

The reason he could activate her skill against her direct command was simple. Following its upgrade to a Transcendent-rank skill, it was no longer entirely hers. Her version was SSS+ rank, but his had ascended beyond that threshold.

Naturally, distinguishing between two skills solely by rank difference could be considered a loophole. Ordinarily, Celia's commands would be interpreted according to her intent, with the passive skill [Fatal Attraction] enforcing that meaning.

However, Isaac's mental defenses were exceptionally robust. He could partially resist her influence, and that minute gap was sufficient for him to exploit the loophole. Had his willpower been weaker, he would have remained oblivious, following her commands obediently like a docile pet.

"Y-You are not angered, are you, Master?" she inquired tentatively.

The corner of Isaac's lips twitched. Mere moments ago, she had proudly claimed the title of his master, and now she had switched allegiances without the slightest hesitation.

Celia was indeed the epitome of strategic retreat.

She didn't even attempt to resist. The instant she sensed peril, she capitulated immediately.

"Will you do something like this again?" Isaac questioned, settling onto the edge of the bed.

"No," she responded, her head shaking rapidly as she stood before him, hands clasped behind her back.

Isaac rolled his eyes internally. He understood this chaotic imp like the back of his own hand. If another opportunity presented itself, she would undoubtedly try again.

Still, his tone softened somewhat.

"I don't object to such things fundamentally, alright? But allow me some time to adapt. Recording something like that feels rather sudden for me."

"That is precisely why your unwilling expressions make it thrilling, and why I wish to proceed," she murmured beneath her breath.

"What was that?" Isaac narrowed his gaze.

"I said, 'Understood, Master!'" she declared instantly.

Isaac finally let out a laugh.

Celia silently expelled a breath of relief. He wasn't truly furious; he had merely been teasing her a little in return.

Suddenly, both their expressions shifted. Their eyes snapped towards the livestream screen hovering nearby.

"These scoundrels," Isaac muttered coldly.

…

Ruins of Old, First Area, Great Dungeon.

A few minutes prior.

"I shall commence the taming attempt," Emily announced, standing before the fallen Mini Boss.

Monsters from all directions were already converging on their position. The surrounding streets fractured under heavy impacts, while distorted shrieks reverberated through the desolate urban landscape.

Lume, the Abyssal Trickster, weaved through the chaotic fray like a phantom, slicing down any monsters that drew too near. Beside him, Stoneward, the Abyssal Mammoth, stood as an immovable bulwark. Its colossal form obstructed entire avenues, its trunk effortlessly tossing aside charging monstrosities.

The remainder of the team seized a brief respite.

Emily retrieved the Soulbound Spirit Core, an item of Legendary-grade she kept secured within a Spatial Ring.

Just as she prepared to initiate the taming ritual, a violent gale erupted around them.

The force nearly dislodged everyone from their footing. Dust, fragments of stone, and debris swirled upwards as the wind escalated rapidly. Directly above the Mini Boss's corpse, a miniature vortex began to materialize.

The deceased creature lay precisely within the storm's eye.

"Could this be a Mana Wind!?" Averon exclaimed. He instantly surged towards Stoneward, gripping its coarse fur to anchor himself against the buffeting winds.

Mana Winds represented one of the environmental hazards within the First Area. They manifested without warning, capable of rending weaker Awakened individuals to shreds. Even formidable Awakened individuals risked being flung thousands of meters away if caught unawares.

Emily attempted to ascend and steady herself, but the wind's pressure proved overwhelming. Her body pitched precariously in the air.

Alice reacted with swiftness.

Draconic wings unfurled from her back, propelling her forward with astonishing velocity. In the following instant, she firmly grasped Emily's wrist.

She then activated the Gravity Well skill inherent to her Legendary-grade hammer.

The hammer's effective weight magnified instantaneously.

Alice and Emily were pulled downwards like falling stars, impacting the ground with a deafening thud. Cracks spiderwebbed across the stone beneath them, yet the hammer remained immovably planted against the raging tempest.

Alice encircled the handle with one arm, holding Emily with the other.

It felt as though the wind sought to tear them asunder.

Then, Alice observed something peculiar.

The forming tornado was drifting away.

Her gaze sharpened. The fallen Mini Boss was nowhere to be seen; it had been engulfed by the storm's eye and was being carried off.

Emily kept her eyes shut against the fierce wind, her vision obscured. Averon, too, was too distant to make out details.

However, Alice understood instantly.

"It's not Mana Wind! It's an Awakener! They're attempting to seize the corpse!" she declared.

The tempest immediately intensified, its ferocity doubling.

Numerous compressed wind blades materialized around the tornado, launching themselves at the group from all angles.

Emily swiftly employed the Phantom Ward skill, conjuring spectral barriers that intercepted the assault. Nonetheless, sharp shrieks echoed with each collision of wind blade against shield.

A dangerous glint flickered in Alice's eyes.

Golden flames erupted, engulfing her as she activated the Solar Dominion skill. The surrounding winds only fed the inferno, causing it to spread with greater speed.

In mere moments, the battlefield transformed into a sea of golden fire.

Under Alice's precise command, not a single flame touched her companions. The monsters charging towards them were less fortunate, succumbing to the flames with agonized screams.

As for the tornado—

"AAAAAAAH!"

A piercing scream emanated from within it.

Despite the cry, the tornado persisted, accelerating as if determined to abscond with the corpse.

"Crim! Fifth Eye!" Emily commanded.

The Crimson Sky Wyrm soaring above let out a mighty roar. One of its colossal eyes trembled, emitting a peculiar crimson luminescence.

[Skill Suppression].

The tornado instantly faltered. The raging winds rapidly contracted, dissipating completely.

Floating in the air was a human-sized wisp of grey mist.

"A Mistborn..." Alice whispered.

Mistborn were the indigenous inhabitants of Lord Bella's domain. All Mistborn Alice had encountered entering the Great Dungeon wore specialized Steam Suits, sealing their forms to offer protection.

This particular one wore no such attire.

Without the Steam Suit, Mistborn could leverage their innate stealth-enhancing abilities, rendering them exceedingly difficult to detect. This was likely how it had successfully ambushed them.

Alice couldn't identify the specific Mistborn without the Steam Suit. Truthfully, it mattered little to her.

Her sole focus was reclaiming the corpse before its spirit dissipated. Excessive delay would forfeit Emily's chance to tame it.

Alice lifted her hand. Golden flames coalesced behind her, forming a colossal spear. She hurled it forth, accompanied by the radiating flames of the Solar Dominion skill.

The grey mist abruptly billowed outwards, unleashing a concentrated blast of wind.

Distinct from before, this wind flowed unidirectionally, pushing Alice's flames back rather than augmenting them.

"It's Serisa! The leader of the Mistborn squads! This is our moment! She's not wearing the Steam Suit! Attack!" Averon bellowed from a distance. His eyes blazed fiercely as he charged forward.

An unusual intensity marked his expression, as if he had finally discovered an opportunity to settle an old score.