The journey towards Gulchtown through the Southern Hills was a nightmare. Ethan, Beatrix, and Athena trudged over jagged rocks that cut into their boots. They waded through muddy streams that sucked at their legs. They pushed past thorny vines that tore at their clothes.

The air grew thicker with the stench of decay, perhaps from the remains of old battles. This area was especially sensitive when it came to interspecific battles.

Ethan's muscles ached from the constant climb. He realized he needed to level up his endurance.

"Keep moving," Athena urged. She led the way, her tall frame cutting through the underbrush like a blade. "Gulchtown's not very far. I can smell the smoke."

Beatrix nodded, her silver hair matted to her forehead, which made her look quite adorable. "Yeah, but this terrain is brutal. It feels like the hills are fighting us. If Orcs attack us right now, I am too exhausted to fight back."

Ethan wiped his brow, glancing at the witch. "Won't they be tired as well?"

Beatrix replied with a wry smile, "Orcs know these lands better than anyone. They have secret pathways and tunnels in the hills to overcome nature's brutalities. Anyway, we're almost there. Hang in there, Count Cromwell."

After what felt like hours of scrambling up steep inclines and sliding down loose gravel, they finally reached the town's outskirts. The forest thinned, revealing a jagged cliff that overlooked Gulchtown.

Below, the town sprawled like an ugly scar on the landscape. The housing was clusters of crude huts made from wood, bones, and hides. It was still a couple of hours until dawn, and it was dark. Flickering torches dotted the dirt paths.

Apart from a few night watchmen, there was no other soul. No Orcs were in sight.

Ethan crouched at the edge, peering down. He sighed in relief. "Does this mean the town hasn't been attacked? Is my mother safe?"

Athena joined him, her eyes scanning the perimeter with her divine vision. "There are Cromwell guards hidden behind the outer walls. I can see patrols every few minutes. Smoke rises from the central pits, which means weapons are being crafted and sharpened."

The Amazonian warrior placed a reassuring hand on Ethan's shoulder. "I am pretty sure Lady Velma has turned Gulchtown into a fortress. She is alive and intends to defend it with her life. Your mother is a brave ruler."

"Then let's join her."

While the Cromwell heir basked in relief, Beatrix checked the sky. The stars were just starting to poke through the twilight. "Still two hours to dawn. It would be too risky to go in now. Either the Cromwell guards will mistake us for the enemy, or the hidden Orc parties will use our arrival as a distraction to attack."

"Then what's the plan?" Athena asked. Her belly rumbled in hunger for something wholesome.

The witch dropped her bag. "We hunker down and observe the perimeter. Perhaps we can spot where the enemy recons are hidden."

Ethan nodded, his stomach twisting at the thought of Velma down there. She was at an inevitable risk of an Orc attack.

They backtracked a bit from the cliff's edge, finding a small clearing shielded by boulders and thick bushes. It was defensible, with a good view but hidden from below. Athena gathered dry branches for a tiny fire. It would produce just enough flames for warmth without giving away their presence through smoke.

"The camp's set," she said, striking a flint to spark the flames. "We have leftover rabbit meat. Eat up. We'll need the energy if the battle starts at dawn."

They sat in a triangle around the fire. The crackling wood was the only sound for a few moments. Ethan pulled out the last strips of rabbit from their pack, handing portions to the girls. The meat was tough, cold now, but he forced himself to chew it down, his mind still on the town below.

Beatrix tore into hers with gothic grace. "It tastes like boot leather now. But better than starving."

Athena grunted in agreement. "I've eaten worse on campaigns. Remember that time in the dark elf woods, Bea? We had to boil tree bark and eat it with bugs."

The witch shuddered. "Don't remind me of those days. Yuck."

Ethan smirked, glad for the light chatter to ease the tension. The two women had had real adventures, and they became strong through talent and experience. They weren't reincarnated impostors like him.

"Stop staring," Beatrix jibed, throwing a pebble at him. "You're really weird sometimes, Count. Tell us whatever perversion is troubling your mind."

Ethan shook his head. Curiosity still nagged at him from his encounter with Luka. "What do you know about ivory-skinned Orcs? Like, white female ones. Are they different from the greens?"

Beatrix paused, her makeshift fork halfway to her mouth. "Where did you hear about them?"

"I read about them in a book," he lied.

The witch resumed talking with her mouth full. "They are different indeed. In ancient times, when Orcs had pacts and accords with humans and elves, the ivory Orcs were clan leaders. They are smarter, faster, and probably stronger regardless of their smaller sizes as compared to greens."

"But there's no point talking about them," Athena chimed in.

"Why?" Ethan asked curiously, since he wanted to know more about Luka.

"Because the ivory-skinned Orcs are extinct."

The boy lowered his gaze. They were wrong. He had just met one who gave him a world-class blowjob. "I understand. If hypothetically, one of them still exists, won't that be a path to peace with the Orc species?"

Athena snorted. "Peace? With orcs? They're still brutes, Count. Even if an ivory bitch comes to the fore, the greens hate them. They'd gang up and kill her."

Beatrix's expression turned guarded. "Ethan… Orcs are not something to chase after, even the pretty white-skinned ones. They are extinct for a reason—hunted down by their own kind. Forget about this topic."

The way she shut him down made Ethan wonder what she was hiding. Athena shot her a look but stayed silent, focusing on her meat. The conversation died, leaving only the fire's crackle and distant sounds of nature.

With the meal done, Athena stretched. "Still an hour till dawn. Can we take a quick nap? How about someone keeping watch as the others sleep?"

Beatrix shook her head. "There will be no need for watch shifts. I'll draw an invisibility circle. It'll hide us from anyone not a witch or shaman. Orc eyes won't spot us. It will last exactly an hour."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "An invisibility spell, huh? Nice."

The witch stood, pulling a small chalk from her pouch. "It is a magic barrier that bends light around us. But it won't muffle our sounds, so no snoring."

She traced a wide circle in the dirt around their camp, muttering incantations under her breath. A faint shimmer rippled in the air, then faded.

"There. We're ghosts to the world."

Athena nodded approvingly and doused the fire. "Good. Let's go to bed."

They spread out thin blankets from their packs. The clearing was small, so they ended up snuggling close.

Ethan was in the middle, Beatrix on his left, Athena on his right. The girls started stripping off their outer gear. Athena unbuckled her chainmail, revealing a simple linen tunic underneath, tight across her massive chest. Beatrix slipped out of her gothic overdress, leaving in a thin shift that hugged the curves of her petite frame.

Ethan's pulse quickened. Was he dreaming? "Uh, are you two comfortable like that?"

Athena shrugged, her breasts shifting heavily. "It is impossible to sleep in armor. But don't stare too long, Count. You might end up buried in the soil otherwise."

Beatrix smirked, settling down. "He's a boy after all. Staring is in his blood. But eyes closed now."

They lay back. The ground was hard, but the residual heat of the fire had made it warm. Ethan stared at the stars, his body buzzing in anxiety. Is this what fantasy and transmigrated heroes experienced at night?

Beatrix's hip brushed his, while Athena's arm pushed against his shoulder. The scent of them was strong. Light sweat mixed with leather, and a tinge of herbal freshness from Beatrix.

Once their breaths evened out, Ethan mentally opened his system interface. The glow was invisible to others.

[User1: Ethan] [Level:2]

[PHYSICAL: Strength—5/10, Beauty—7/10, Agility—2/10, Libido—4/10, xlockedx, xlocked]

[MAGICAL: Soul—3/10, Grimoire—1/10, xlockedx]

[CHARACTER: Intelligence—4/10, Perversion—4/10, Faith—4/10, xlockedx, xlockedx]

[DESTINY: Luck—1/10, xlockedx, xlockedx]

[Allotted points: 34/900]

[Unallotted points: 2]

He had two points to spend. Perhaps focusing on overall growth would be a good idea. Ethan added a point to LUCK and another to GRIMOIRE.

The changes tingled through him, although he felt no different from earlier. Now that the system business was over, it was time to have some fun.

Beatrix shifted in her sleep, her back to him now. Ethan glanced over. She was out, her chest rising steadily. Her shift had ridden up slightly, exposing the curve of her hip.

'She's asleep,' Ethan reasoned with himself. 'Just a touch won't hurt. What's the harm?'

He reached out slowly, his hand hovering over her side. Then, gently, he cupped her breast through the fabric. It was thick linen, but he felt the softness beneath, the nipple perking slightly under his palm.

Beatrix groaned softly in her dream, arching a bit. "Mmm... yes..."

Ethan froze, his heart pounding. His hand was still on her breasts. Was she waking up? No, her eyes stayed closed.

The boy took a larger risk and squeezed lightly, feeling the mass. God, her boobs weren't big, but they were firm and gropable. His dick stirred, but he pushed down the urge. After so many unfortunate incidents with the Asmodeus Curse, he had taught himself not to get a hard-on easily.

Emboldened by his success in the pervert play, he turned to Athena. She lay on her back, her arms above her head. The young woman's tunic stretched taut over her enormous breasts.

Ethan gulped in sexual anxiety. They were mountains, each one bigger than his head. How did Athan fight with those mighty tits hanging off her?

The boy slid his hand over, cupping one. It overflowed his palm easily, soft and heavy like warm dough. He couldn't even grasp a section of her breast with one hand.

Athena shivered a bit and murmured. She shifted in her position, making her thigh press against his. Ethan switched between the girls in turn, cupping their breasts, caressing their thighs, or smelling their bodies.

Both stirred increasingly more. Beatrix mumbled something incoherent. Athena's hand twitched, as if feeling for her weapon. Ethan yanked back his hands and rolled onto his back, pretending to sleep. That was a close call.

Minutes passed, or maybe hours. Ethan didn't remember falling asleep. He was woken up by a rumbling sound. The ground was shaking. It began low, then became thunderous. Marching? Hooves?

The boy's eyes snapped open. Beatrix was already up, alert, searching the area with magic. "Oh, no," she mumbled groggily. "My invisibility spell has already expired. Someone spotted us!"

Athena woke up hearing Beatrix panicking. She jumped to her feet, grabbing her sword. "It's a sizable group. Heading our way. I can tell by the heft of the footsteps that they are Orcs!"

Athena's instincts were accurate. Within seconds, a massive group of Orcs appeared, grunting and clanking their metal weapons.

"Catch them!" the Orc leader commanded. Within a few moments, Ethan, Athena, and Beatrix's camp was surrounded. They'd been caught and were vastly outnumbered.

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