Chapter 210: Sleep… next to him?
Odian had landed much farther away—still outside the city. Viann and the others were nearby with him.
The moment he touched the ground and realized Nina wasn’t with them, panic seized his chest.
He quickly searched the surroundings, scanning for any trace of her—but found nothing.
Without hesitation, he activated the locator.
Nina answered almost immediately.
"Nina, where are you? Are you safe?" His voice was tight with urgency.
"I was teleported directly into the dungeon," she replied calmly. "Don’t worry—I’m safe for now."
Guilt struck him like a blow.
"I’m sorry, Nina. This is my fault. I’m not skilled enough with the teleportation array—I lost you."
If only he had been stronger... more precise... This wouldn’t have happened.
"It’s alright," Nina reassured him gently. "It was just an accident. You did really well."
She added with a small smile, "And actually, you sent me straight to Momo. I found him right away."
Odian paused. "You found Momo?"
Relief flickered through him. Perhaps... this mistake had at least led to something good.
"Yes. He’s right here beside me, drinking milk."
Nina lightly patted the little cub. "Say hello to Odian."
Momo paused mid-drink and chirped obediently, "Papa Odian, Mom and I are both safe."
Hearing his bright, steady voice eased some of Odian’s guilt.
"Nina, protect yourself. I’ll come to the dungeon and get you out as soon as possible."
"Odian," Nina said quickly, her tone turning serious, "the dungeon is heavily guarded. You, Sal, Kith—everyone—scout the situation first. Don’t rush in blindly. I should be safe here for now."
She was worried they might act recklessly out of desperation.
They were powerful, yes—but this was Yosan’s territory.
They had to be careful.
"...Alright," Odian said after a pause. "I’ll find Sal and the others first. Stay safe."
Concern still lingered heavily in his eyes.
Not just for her safety—but whether she was warm, whether she had eaten, whether she could rest.
The more he thought about it, the more restless he became. No. He had to find the others—quickly—and get her out.
After a few more exchanged words, they ended the call.
Odian immediately set off with Viann and the others to locate Sal.
***
Meanwhile, Sal, Aviel, Lex, and Dian had landed in a small plaza within the city. The moment they took in their surroundings, all four frowned.
Where was Nina? Why wasn’t she here?
The plaza was crowded with females. Their sudden appearance caused an immediate stir.
The chatter that had filled the air came to an abrupt halt—then exploded into excited whispers.
"Where did these males come from? They’re so handsome!"
"I’ve never seen anyone this good-looking before!"
"That blue-haired one—he’s prettier than a female!"
"I like the black-haired one. He looks fierce."
"...But I think one of them is already bonded."
"That’s fine—there are still three left!"
Eyes gleaming, the females surged toward them in a wave.
Sal’s expression darkened instantly. Without a word, he released a burst of force, sending the approaching females stumbling back.
"Stay away. I’m already bonded."
Startled, the females quickly retreated—then shifted their attention elsewhere.
Fine. Not worth provoking one that’s already taken.
Sal didn’t waste another second—he pushed through the crowd and left.
But Aviel and the others weren’t so lucky. They were quickly surrounded, hemmed in on all sides.
Without bonding marks, they became even more attractive targets—drawing an even larger crowd of eager females closing in on them.
They moved swiftly, dodging every hand that tried to touch them.
As the crowd pressed closer, Aviel’s expression darkened. Irritation flickered in his eyes—then, without hesitation, he unleashed his domain.
A crushing pressure spread outward.
He needed to find Nina. Now.
The surrounding females immediately felt the weight of his aura. Their bodies stiffened, breaths catching as unease crept in. Fear followed swiftly—they no longer dared approach him.
Taking advantage of the opening, Aviel broke free of the crowd. Lex and Dian hurried after him.
The females hesitated, then chose not to pursue.
Before long, they regrouped with Sal, who had already established contact with Nina.
Through the locator, Nina quickly explained her situation. She instructed them to gather intelligence within the city first and wait for Odian before making any moves.
Sal and the others agreed and immediately began acting on the plan.
Yanai, meanwhile, had landed inside a room.
The moment his feet touched the ground, a soft, intoxicating sound reached his ears. The air was thick with a heady, provocative scent.
He didn’t even glance in that direction. Instead, he searched quickly for Nina.
On the other side of the room, Zena slowly opened her hazy eyes. The moment she saw him, she was briefly stunned.
What a striking male.
Far more handsome than any she currently had.
A sultry smile curved her lips as she sat up, completely bare. "Care to join me, handsome?"
Her power seeped out subtly, weaving into the air—an invisible lure meant to ensnare him.
A male like this... would be delightful to play with.
Yanai understood instantly what was happening. He neither looked at her nor reacted to her ability.
Finding no trace of Nina, he turned and left without a word.
Zena blinked in surprise.
A male without a bond... unaffected by her ability?
Interesting.
She watched his retreating figure, a spark of intrigue flickering in her eyes.
Once outside, Yanai immediately set out to find Odian and the others.
Only Nina’s bonded mates could maintain stable contact with her.
***
Elsewhere, Mino, Finch, and Taru had landed near the outskirts of the city. They quickly established communication with Nina as well.
Soon, everyone began moving according to plan.
***
After confirming that all her mates were safe and in contact, Nina finally felt some of the tension in her chest ease.
Nearby, Idir listened quietly to her conversations.
A trace of admiration stirred within him.
Even in such danger, she remained calm, composed—steady enough to reassure others.
This little female... truly was different.
Nina glanced around the dungeon, then at the chains binding Idir.
"Why are they keeping you chained like this?" she asked. "Can’t you just shrink your form and slip out?"
Beastmen could change size—so how could mere chains hold him?
"They’re not ordinary chains," Idir replied. "They carry a special kind of witch power. They suppress both my strength and my ability to transform."
Nina immediately called out inwardly, "Little Bun, can you unlock these chains?"
After all, he was Momo’s father. If possible, it would be best to rescue him too.
[Host, let me analyze it first. The energy on these chains is quite complex. I’ll let you know once I’ve finished.]
"Alright."
Nina settled down to think.
How were they going to get out of this dungeon?
Time passed slowly—so slowly it was almost impossible to feel.
Only when she checked the system clock did she realize night had fallen.
When it was time to rest, Idir shifted slightly. His tail gestured toward a spot beside him.
A faint flush crept into his expression, though his voice remained steady.
"Little female... sleep here tonight. It’ll be easier for me to protect you."
Nina blinked, her beautiful eyes widening slightly.
Sleep... next to him?