Joe was surprised by how accommodating the other prisoners were being. On their way to the cells, the inmates shifted aside and opened a path for him to walk through. All of them kept their heads down as if they were unworthy of meeting his gaze. Silence filled the hallway, with only the sound of footsteps echoing through it. It was a stark contrast to how he had been treated when he first entered the Adventurer's Guild, where he had been looked down upon and mocked as a useless piece of trash. He felt the prisoners were going a little overboard, but he was not complaining as he reveled in the benefits of his new position. This was the kind of respect he had lacked even in his previous life, and he was pleased to see it provided by the most feared men in Suveny.

  He eventually reached his cell and stepped inside. Charles was sleeping like a baby, clearly exhausted from their encounter. Joe believed it was also likely a side effect of the Smiling Devil, as unnaturally boosting one’s attributes was bound to take a toll on the body. Big Dog and Shelly sat in their usual spot, with the fat bastard kissing Shelly on the cheek and neck despite her disinterested expression as she tilted her head to the side. When their eyes met, Joe could see the sadness in her gaze. She was like a trapped cat begging to be released from its cage, but the keys belonged to Big Dog and he had no intention of relinquishing them.

  He darted his eyes around the room and was surprised not to find Bob, as he had not seen him on the way back to the cell. Bob was a big boy, so Joe was not worried about him, but he hoped he would show up soon because he was the only person he could currently speak with. While he waited, he walked over and sat against the wall. He closed his eyes and activated [Spiritual Meditation]. He needed time to recover from his wounds, and while that was happening, he could not sit around doing nothing. It was time to reunite with his friend.

  His mind connected with his consciousness, and he felt himself link with his True Soul. He lost touch with his immediate surroundings as if entering a deep sleep.

  In the next moment, his eyes snapped open and he found himself in the familiar white void of his Soul Space. Ten meters ahead, the Goddess sat next to a giant orb of essence. All the cracks Joe remembered were gone, as if they had never existed.

  The Godess's eyes brightened and she immediately rushed toward him with open arms as she flew across the emptiness.

  “Joe!”

  Startled by her eagerness, Joe ducked beneath her attempted hug. The Goddess flew past him and tumbled through the void. She regained her balance ten meters away and looked at him with a displeased expression.

  “Hey! What gives? I thought you’d be happy to see your best friend after all this time.”

  “First, we aren’t best friends. We’re just friends with benefits.”

  The Goddess looked at him with a mischievous smile. “Mmh?”

  Joe’s face flushed when he realized how that could be misconstrued. He shook his head and waved his hands frantically. “That’s not what I meant. We’re friends who gain a lot from our relationship. You teach me your skills and I spend time with you to ease your loneliness. It’s nothing like what you’re thinking.” He spoke quickly as he tried to justify himself.

  The Goddess closed the distance in a blink and appeared directly in front of him as she met his gaze. “What am I thinking about?”

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  Joe staggered back. “You know… naughty stuff.”

  The Goddess erupted in laughter. “You always try to act like you’re better than me, but you’re just a big pervert.”

  “Shut up!” he said, his face warm with embarrassment.

  The Goddess leaned closer and whispered in his ear. “It’s fine. I don’t mind doing naughty stuff with you if that’s what you want.”

  Joe pushed her away and recoiled. “Seriously, what kind of God are you?”

  “The type who will do whatever she can to keep her Chosen happy.”

  “You can do that without resorting to that.”

  “You’re the one who brought it up. I’m just saying I don’t mind.”

  “It’s not what I want.”

  “Then what is it that you want, my Perverted Chosen?”

  “Don’t call me that.” Joe cleared his throat and composed himself. “I’m here because I want you to teach me one of your Divine Techniques like you promised you would after I became your Chosen.”

  She pouted. “And here I thought you came because you missed me. You’re just here to use me.”

  “It hasn’t even been a day since we last spoke. I also don’t have time to chat leisurely. I need to get ready for my battle with the Lord of the Woods.”

  “It may not seem like much time to you, but for me every minute feels like an eternity.” She looked genuinely sad.

  Joe understood why. The void was silent and still, with no sign of time passing. Being alone here while his True Soul slowly extracted her essence must have felt like torture. He had heard stories in his previous life of criminals locked in empty rooms until they lost their minds. This was not much different.

  “I’m sorry. I’ll come around more often. I promise.”

  Her eyes widened. “You don’t need to apologize.” She looked away, bashful.

  “Yes, I do. I sealed you here. The least I can do is make sure you aren’t suffering.”

  She fiddled with her thumbs. “If you spend four hours every day with me, I can forgive you. But one of those hours can’t include training. We’ll just talk.”

  Joe smiled. “Deal.”

  Her face brightened.

  A moment later she asked, “Why are you in such a rush to learn my techniques? It hasn’t been long in the outside world.”

  “I need to be the strongest version of myself before I face the Lord of the Woods,” Joe answered firmly.

  “Why are you so determined to fight that Grade 3? There’s no way you can get strong enough in such a short time to kill it alone.”

  “It’s something I need to do for my comrades who lost their lives to that monster.”

  “I think your comrades would want you to live.”

  “If that monster lives longer, it will grow too powerful to stop. Someone needs to kill it. If anyone is going to do it, I want it to be me. I don’t care if I die fighting it. At least I’ll know I tried to avenge my friends. Besides, I made a deal. I have to kill it this week or I’ll die.”

  “Are you really fine with that?” she asked softly.

  “Yes. And I have the best teacher in the world to raise my chances of survival.”

  “Who’s that?”

  “You.”

  She smiled shyly. “If you put it like that, perhaps I can ensure my Chosen doesn’t fall to a mere Grade 3.”

  Joe was unsettled by how she spoke about the Lord of the Woods as if it was a little puppy.

  “Alright, Joe. I’ll teach you. But it will be hard work.”

  “I’m ready.”

  “First, let me see how hard you can punch in your current state. Don’t use any souls to boost your essence. Just use the spirit energy flowing through your consciousness.”

  Joe nodded. He unleashed his essence and an aura of spirit energy enveloped his body. He dashed forward and threw a punch at her face.

  She caught it casually with her right hand. A wave of force rippled through the void.

  “That wasn’t bad,” she said. “You have a solid foundation and good form. But you’re lacking something.”

  “What?”

  “Control.”

  She stepped back five meters. Spirit energy coalesced around her fist. Then, she shot forward and punched him in the chest.

  Joe raised his forearms to block, but his bones shattered and his chest caved inward. He was blasted across the void, tumbling until he came to a stop a hundred meters away.

  He lay flat on his stomach before slowly lifting his head with a low groan. The Goddess stood ten meters away.

  “Would you believe me if I told you I used the same amount of strength and essence as you?”

  Joe’s eyes widened.

  “That’s the power of control.”

  He was stunned that she could produce that much force with the same amount of spirit energy. He needed to learn that. It would change how he fought.

  The Goddess gave him a devilish smile. “Get up, my Chosen. Your training begins now.”