Late into what Edge was calling his first week of traversing the Deep-Gill Grottos—though that timeframe was just a rough estimate under the circumstances—the hunters came across a series of caverns that were part of a sub-biome they hadn’t encountered before.

  Shortly after they crossed the threshold, the air grew hotter, and the humidity began climbing by the footfall. It told him there was a sizable source of water ahead, although it didn’t seem to be anywhere nearby.

  Thanks to Regulate Temperature, Edge found the climate to be perfectly comfortable, but the women were miserable. They had enough Durability that the heat couldn’t hurt them, but their bodies were covered in a sheen of sweat. He offered to use Elemental Blade as a portable cooler, but they were worried about the skill’s intense mana signature drawing the attention of hungry predators.

  “This reminds me of home.” Lilly took a swig from her canteen and then replaced her fox mask. “Back when I had a regular body, and a summer scorcher rolled through. Me and my sisters would sit on the back porch in our underwear, sipping on fruit tea while praying for a storm to carry the heat away.”

  “I used to take people on tours of the Singing Desert.” Sasha peeled the damp cloth of her shirt away from her skin and blew into the gap she had created. “But most of the time we were inside a climate-controlled transport and only left it for a few minutes at a time.”

  “The planet I grew up on was cold as fuck,” Mel chimed in. “This is the worst heat I’ve ever had to deal with. What about you, Edge? You came from Earth, right?”

  “Yeah. West coast of North America. Summers were hot, but not this hot, and it wasn’t nearly this humid.” They continued to chat as they crossed cavern after cavern, occasionally wading through shallow puddles that were warm as bathwater.

  Like the region they had passed through earlier, this sub-biome didn’t have any mushrooms at all. Instead, the walls and ceilings were covered with a thin layer of rust-red mildew that wasn’t dangerous as far as they could tell. As they pressed deeper into the caves, steam started wafting through the air, and before long, the mold came to an end, revealing bare stone beyond.

  After they navigated a narrow series of switchbacks, the color palette of their environment shifted dramatically. The surfaces transitioned from dark stone to transparent crystal—a frosty violet mineral that glowed with a soft inner light. By now, water was dripping incessantly from the ceiling, and a carpet of mist clung to the floor, swirling every time Edge’s foot came down.

  “This place sucks.” Mel gestured to the steam filling the air. “But it’s beautiful down here.”

  When they turned the next corner, the crew finally caught sight of the source of the stark change in climate. A series of hot springs bubbled up from below, filling hundreds of individual basins formed from purple gems. The walls opened into a spacious enclosure, letting the hunters get a good look around. Another tunnel continued in one direction, and the rest of the cavern was dominated by an endless procession of hot springs.

  There were only a few small insects in the area, and there wasn’t so much as a mushroom in sight. With only two exits to watch, it was a defensible location. Since this was the only source of fresh water they had found in some time, they decided to camp for the night after checking to make sure no predators were lurking nearby.

  While they were surveying the grotto, the women discovered the pools were all different temperatures, ranging from lukewarm to boiling hot. Lilly had a working water purifier, and after dipping it into several of the basins, she reported that it was clean and safe to drink.

  On that note, Sasha suggested using one of the small pools as an impromptu hotpot. Edge’s vault was filled with a range of provisions they’d stolen from the Claws. He started listing them, and whenever someone heard something they wanted, he pulled it out and tossed it into the mix.

  Soon, a delicious aroma filled the air. Lilly placed a pair of magitech alarms above the entrances, then everyone put their weapons down, washed their hands, and dug in. The hunters ate bowl after bowl of Deep-Gill stew while sitting around the bubbling basin, savoring the best meal that Edge had tasted since leaving Puppet Town.

  Everyone needed to unwind and decompress, so he broke out a few bottles of liquor and passed them around. It was the first chance he’d had to relax since entering the dungeon, and the women had been dealing with their own ordeals that were every bit as stressful as his own.

  They enjoyed each other’s company as the alcohol flowed, basking in the warmth of their friendship and the timeless delight of a full belly. Eventually, Lilly sniffed at her clothing and said, “A long soak in hot water is just what I need after our stint of jungle life. Would you mind standing guard while I bathe, Edge? I’ll swap places when I’m done, and you can take your turn.”

  “Sure,” he replied, “that sounds like a great idea.” Sasha and Melenia decided to join Lillian, leaving him alone for the first time in days. He walked over to where he had a good view of both entrances—far enough away that the women could enjoy some privacy.

  He arranged his bedroll and maintained his gear as the sound of splashing and giggling reached his ears—interspersed with whispering and more laughter. Although Edge heard his name mentioned several times, he tried not to think about the fact that three beautiful women were naked only a stone’s throw away. Okay, maybe he didn’t try too hard, although he did his best not to let the pleasant image distract him.

  Eventually, his friends returned from their bath—so relaxed they looked ready to melt. Their bodies were sparkling clean, and the hunters were happier than he’d seen them since stepping into Ella’s trap, which brought a smile to his face. We may have gotten teleported into the bowels of the planet, but at least it came with some perks.

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  Sasha told him which pools were ideal to soak in, then the women stretched out on the crystal floor while he took a bath. Edge followed her directions to a row of pools all the way in the back of the cave, looking forward to the soaking to come.

  First, he spent a few minutes washing his weapons in one of the basins. Once his equipment was clean, he went looking for a hotter pool while getting ready to take off his armor. At that point, an idea came to him. Instead of taking his gear off piece by piece, he imagined placing it inside his vault instead.

  To his delight, wearing an item counted as carrying it, and five seconds later, his garax-leather armor and the rest of his kit vanished with a hearty pop. That was when he realized the significance of what he’d done, and his adrenaline began to flow.

  I can use this to swap out my equipment within a matter of seconds. Once I go shopping, this will open up all kinds of strategies. I need to run some more tests with my vault over the next few days. It seems I’ve only scratched the surface of what my Spatial Storage Rune can do.

  Rather than standing in his birthday suit while pondering various ideas, Edge used his fingers to decide which pool he wanted, then slipped below the surface. All thoughts were driven from his mind when the hot water engulfed his skin, leaving him floating in pure, unadulterated bliss. All the stress from surviving in the Savage Garden while fighting his way up from the bottom of the food chain started melting away.

  Layer after layer of stress and grime dissolved until he felt far calmer than he ever expected to be while lost in the middle of a high-threat biome. He eventually found a spot in the glowing purple basin that perfectly matched the contours of his body. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and let everything go, cherishing the wondrous moment.

  He must have fallen asleep for a few minutes, because he came back to himself when he heard the soft sound of footsteps nearby. Edge looked up to see Mel’s smiling face. For a second, he scrambled to cover his dangly bits before remembering that the bubbles permeating the water made it cloudy enough that he didn’t have to worry about exposing himself unless he stood up.

  “Hey, Mel.” He yawned while stretching out his arms. “Did you want to take another turn? Just give me a second to get dressed, and I’ll get out of your way. I just learned something cool I can do with…”

  “Don’t be silly.” She cut him off, then flashed a grin that set his heart racing. “There’s more than enough room for both of us.”

  Something in her tone sent a thrill running down his spine, although it was probably just his imagination. Melenia was a beautiful woman, and though he had sensed a spark between them, it hadn’t gone further than an occasional kiss for luck when they thought they were going to die.

  All she was wearing was a towel she had wrapped around her torso. The cloth strained mightily to contain her athletic curves—one sneeze away from perishing heroically in the line of duty. Her muscular limbs were shining in the soft gem-light, covered with a latticework of scars both old and new. Her lustrous crimson hair reached the middle of her back, now that it was in a simple ponytail instead of a warrior’s knot.

  He blushed when she raised an eyebrow at his lingering gaze, then turned around while she stripped and slipped into the water. “Let me know when you’re under,” he said—glad that the water was cloudy enough he didn’t have to worry about embarrassing himself further.

  “I’m in. You didn’t have to turn away. Watching is fun and so is being watched… if it’s with the right person.” Edge knew Mel was just teasing him, so he did his best to play it cool while peering through the steam pooling along the surface of the water. “It might sound weird, but I’m glad we were stranded together. I’ve been hoping for a chance to get to know you better, although this isn’t what I had in mind.”

  He laughed. “Tell me about it. Who knew that the middle of a war—stuck deep underground and surrounded by hungry beasts—was a good place to make friends?” They bantered back and forth, goofing around while enjoying the revitalizing hot springs.

  Edge kept his eyes on Mel’s face through sheer effort of will, though the top of her breasts was enticing—not to mention the murky profile of her body below. Eventually, she said, “Could you turn around again for a second?” He thought she was ready to get out, which left him completely unprepared for what actually happened.

  The next thing he knew, Melenia’s arms were wrapped around his shoulders—breasts pressed against his back. His mind was struggling to catch up to this rather pleasant turn of events, only to shut down completely when she whispered into his ear.

  “I know you want me, Edge. And I think you know that I feel the same way. But just in case there was any doubt in your mind, why don’t I show you exactly what I’ve been thinking about for the past few weeks?”

  When he turned around, she kissed him—hungry lips crashing into his own. Although he yearned to give into the moment, he broke apart long enough to ask. “What if the others come looking for us?”

  “Who cares?” She let out a throaty chuckle while running her fingertips along his spine—knees braced against his hips. “But you don’t have to worry. The girls won’t interrupt us. I won the bet, so we have this place all to ourselves for as long as we like. And I intend to enjoy every last second of it.”

  Despite everything that was happening, his ears pricked up at those words. “Bet? What would have happened if…” His words were cut off as she kissed him again and brought their bodies together, dragging him below the water. Her hands were everywhere, and for the next wondrous hour, all Edge knew was the warmth of the water and the heat of Mel’s lust.

  He wasn’t surprised to learn that she liked it rough, and when their durable bodies had their fill of each other’s at last, they came apart and floated on the surface of the pool. Their fingers entwined as they stared into the billowing mist—awash in utter contentment. Edge had thought he’d been relaxed before, but thanks to Melania, he felt so loose that he might dissolve and float away.

  They eventually rose from the pool, smiling as they took a last lingering look at each other before heading back to join the others. Edge dried them both off with Repel Water, then pulled his armor out of his vault, going from naked to fully geared in five seconds flat.

  “Holy shit.” Mel whistled. “That is fucking amazing. Every time I turn around, you have some awesome new power. We’re lucky to have you on our side. Thanks for… well, everything, I guess. Now let’s go see if I have room for dessert, and maybe another round of drinks.”

  When they rejoined Lilly and Sasha, the women were sitting side by side, swapping stories and jokes. It was bindingly obvious they knew exactly what had happened, but the hunters didn’t say a word, although their smiles and knowing glances spoke volumes.

  Edge watched Sasha closely. While they had agreed to keep their relationship open, this was his first time taking advantage of the fact. However, she seemed happy for both of them, and the bond between them was as strong as always.

  It made him feel blessed to have made such good friends, and they spent another few hours chatting and drinking before passing out for the night. He knew the coming days would be filled with blood and death, but for one beautiful evening, they had taken a vacation from their ordeal, leaving him with a memory he would cherish till the end of his days.

  Edge woke up feeling amazing, and the others seemed equally refreshed. They repacked their kits, then picked out a path—ready to put their lives on the line to save their people from the Crimson Claws.