"What are you looking at?"

When Albel stepped in after his bath, he saw Lucia crouched on the ground, peering at something.

"This thing—how did you... yikes! Why aren’t you wearing clothes?!"

Lucia held the Aberrant Core that had fallen from Albel’s pocket, turning to ask how he got it. But as she spun around, she froze—Albel stood before her, completely naked.

"I washed all my clothes. They’re drying outside."

Albel pointed toward the cave entrance. His soiled clothes had been a nightmare to clean; he’d spent ages scrubbing them in the stream, polluting half the water, and they still carried a faint odor. Only after drying could he wear them again.

"B-but you can’t just be naked! At least find something to cover yourself! Don’t you have any shame?"

Lucia covered her eyes, her face flushed crimson.

"What should I cover with? Your clothes? And shame? I don’t care about that."

Albel waved a hand dismissively. He truly had no sense of shame—especially not when a pretty girl was watching.

"I’d never give you my clothes!"

Lucia snapped back, cheeks burning. Using her clothes to cover *that* place? She’d rather burn them.

"Then stop complaining. I’m fine like this. We’ll spend the night here."

Albel rolled his eyes and swaggered over to Blaze Delight. He reignited the extinguished fire with the sword’s flame, then sat before the warmth.

"Hmm..."

A cold draft swept through the cave entrance. The vast cavern was empty, offering no shelter from the chill. Only the fire near Albel radiated heat.

*Well, I’ve already seen him... a little more won’t hurt.*

Lucia walked straight to the fire and sat beside Albel.

"Your mouth says no, but your body’s honest," Albel teased, grinning as he watched her warm her hands.

"Shut up. Hey—is this yours? Where’d you get it?"

Lucia glared at him but accidentally glanced downward. She quickly turned her head away and pulled the Aberrant Core from her pocket.

"Oh, that? Dropped by an aberrant I killed."

Albel glanced at the core. No wonder he’d felt something missing while washing his clothes.

"Aberrant?"

"The one deep in the forest."

Albel took the Aberrant Core from Lucia, pulling up its details for her. He also showed her the data on the forest’s aberrant.

"Twenty stars? Do twenty-star monsters even exist? D-did you defeat it?"

Lucia’s eyes widened in disbelief. *Is this guy even human?* If he could slay a twenty-star monster, wiping out a twelve-star ogre in one strike made sense.

She’d never even seen a twelve-star beast in her life. Only the data’s certainty stopped her from thinking Albel had faked it.

"Of course. How else would I have this?"

Albel nodded. The aberrant had actually been killed by the first Holy Maiden, Isharis—but Lucia didn’t know that. No harm in taking credit.

"W-who are you? Why are you so strong?"

Lucia finally blurted out the question burning inside her. She’d known him less than a day, yet his overwhelming power was everything she craved—and craved to understand.

*Does someone this strong really exist?*

"Wanna see my full stats?"

Albel’s eyes gleamed as he studied her curious face.

"Mhm!"

Lucia nodded vigorously.

"Easy. Same deal as before: tell me your measurements, kinks—everything. Then I’ll show you."

Albel shrugged. He’d made this offer clear long ago.

"Shameless! I won’t look!"

Lucia shot him a glare, then hugged her knees, puffing her cheeks in silence.

"Suit yourself."

Albel lay back on the rug, hands behind his head. *Not bad—whatever animal pelt this is, it’s comfy.*

"Hmm..."

Lucia stole a glance at him, then bit her lip in frustration. *What is he? Why so strong? What’s his level? Attack and defense stats? What about that crimson sword?*

*84, 62, 86...*

The numbers swirled in her mind like a teasing feather. Curiosity won. She mumbled softly, "84, 62, 86..."

"What was that?"

Albel sat up abruptly. He’d caught numbers but not clearly.

"I-I already said it! You didn’t hear! Keep your word—I get to see your stats!"

Lucia’s heart leapt. *Perfect—I didn’t reveal my measurements, and I’ll see his data. So clever!*

"Fine. Look."

Albel nodded thoughtfully, pulled up his stats, then closed the display before she could lean in.

"Hey! I didn’t see anything!"

Lucia protested. It flashed too fast.

"I showed it. You just missed it."

Albel rolled his eyes. *Trying to trick me? You’ve got ten thousand years to go.*

"You... 84, 62, 86..."

Lucia pointed at him, words failing. She’d pulled the same stunt—her confidence crumbled. "84, 62, 86..." she whispered weakly.

"Speak up. I didn’t catch that."

Albel leaned close, cupping his ear.

"84, 62, 86!"

Lucia gritted her teeth and shouted into his ear.

"Doesn’t match."

Albel eyed her figure. *Really that perfect?*

"I don’t care! I told you!"

"And your kinks?"

Albel pressed further.

"I don’t know! I-I’ve never done... that stuff!"

Lucia turned away, face scarlet. How would she know?

"Deal’s done. Look all you want—but don’t faint. I’ll catch you."

Albel smirked. *Her chest’s smaller than Alicia’s, but her proportions? Even better.*

"Dream on! Fifteen stars? L-liar!"

Lucia scoffed, thinking him arrogant—until she saw his level. Her eyes bulged.

"If you admit you’re blind, then yeah, I’m lying."

Albel rolled his eyes. Stats couldn’t be faked. *She’s deluding herself.*

"A-attack and defense... zero?"

Lucia stared at his stats, dumbfounded. She shoved him down and pounded his chest. "You liar! I gave you my measurements, and you show fake stats!"

No fifteen-star person had zero attack and defense!

"I’m not lying. Look again."

Albel pinned her hands with one arm and grabbed Blaze Delight. His attack stat jumped to 50,000—but defense stayed zero.

"Impossible."

Blaze Delight was Lucia’s weapon. She knew its 50,000 attack stat by heart. *Could his attack really be zero?*

"How could a model citizen like me lie?"

Albel pushed her hands away. His stats were what they were.

"Unbelievable... Zero attack and defense, yet fifteen stars? How broken is your ability?"

Lucia sat dazed atop Albel, forgetting his nakedness. *Zero stats at fifteen stars? Must be a special ability.* Remembering his earlier feats, she wondered: *Is he beyond this world?*

"Wanna see it?"

Albel raised an eyebrow. "My special ability."

"Yes!"

Lucia nodded instantly. Her worldview had shattered today—she needed to understand him completely.

"Simple. Just like you doubted my stats, I doubt your measurements. I’ll verify them."

Albel eyed her chest, licking his lips.

"H-how?"

Lucia’s hands flew to her chest. A chill of dread shot through her.

"I’ll measure them myself. Check if your numbers are real."

Albel made grabbing motions, grinning wickedly.

"You pervert! Don’t push your luck! Do I look easy to you?!"

Lucia swatted his hands away, face burning. "I shoved down a naked, defenseless boy with zero stats! If you don’t do something dirty, I’ll scream assault!"