Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 166: Essence of Weakness

Useless.

Inferior.

Weak.

Mere Aberrant.

liability.

’I am all of those...’

Toy stood resolute as she clutched the hilt of her dagger.

She was weak...

It may not have been something entirely in her control, but that wasn’t something she was going to deny.

Toy knew her shortcomings. She knew Ophelia had used her as Salome’s weakness. She knew her opponents would only get stronger.

She knew.

And yet...

Toy raised her dagger.

With a coy smirk, she threw out her master’s nickname for the violent fiend.

"Come, kitten."

Awilix growled and hissed, then extended her claws and dropped on all fours.

Toy took a deep breath in, then out...

What was in her control was how much she let those negative titles hold her back. How much weight she’d allow them to claim in her mind.

She may be useless and weak now, but would she remain so forever?

After all, it was up to her and her alone to erase those monikers.

Yet...

And yet...

’It’s hard...’

Awilix charged at Toy, who activated [Featherweight] and shot herself back to the far end of the room.

’It’s hard to even feign positivity.’

Self-trickery was the first step toward self-confidence...

Something the honest goblin wasn’t able to do.

Awilix continued her chase with an ear-to-ear grin as her short hair and tail flew back.

Toy waited for the gap to close just a little more, then she kicked off the wall and sent herself flying to the ceiling above Awilix. Toy spun and landed upside down, then shot down like a comet.

Awilix was still turning her head to follow Toy when she’d begun her descent, but now that Toy was in the air...

Awilix hissed and perfectly swung her arm and caught Toy’s wrist.

Then, she leaned back and positioned her elbow to let Toy’s momentum carry her into the bony structure.

Toy fell upon the cat’s elbow, which collided with her abdomen.

She felt the world stop.

Breathing grew laborious, and she vomited a mouthful of saliva and stomach acid after crumpling to her knees. The world began to spin, turning upside down, then rightside up.

Toy had suffered many lacerations before, but never a straight-up blunt force attack to this degree. Especially considering the speed at which she slammed into Awilix’s elbow — her small body couldn’t handle it.

Awilix sighed as she began waving Toy’s hand holding the dagger back and forth. The cat looked back at Salome and said:

"Seriously? That’s it?"

However, Salome’s eyes were firm, betraying no doubt in her follower.

Toy’s head began falling to the side, and her blurry vision didn’t allow her to see the exact face her master was making.

’Why...’

Toy coughed again as Awilix crouched and stared in her face.

’I know she’s my master...’

Awilix turned away and said something to Salome and Vale, but Toy didn’t hear it.

’But... It’s not for her I want to be stronger.’

Toy felt the pain gripping her stomach finally begin to ease, her breath coming back.

Toy wanted to fit in, yet her inherent class would never allow it.

Aberrant...

She’d always be below everyone around her.

She’d remain a liability.

Yet...

And yet Toy refused to let something as petty as that define her.

Not for Master Salome, not for Sir Vale, but for herself.

’Screw what this kitten wants to say.’

She can say Toy’s weak.

’But what is weakness?’

She can say Toy is useless.

’But what is uselessness?’

She can say Toy is a liability.

’But the only thing I am liable for is myself.’

’I want to live by my own merit and for my own reasons!’

Toy’s memories may have been wiped, and all she’d ever known was her life in this dungeon. But did that mean every aspect of her life was in servitude to this dungeon?

Perhaps it did... perhaps it didn’t. But it wasn’t another who should decide her path or define her worth...

’It’s me.’

Toy glared up at the cat as the green fire disappeared from her eyes, returning to the sleek emerald she’d never even seen herself.

Toy swung her left hand up and punched Awilix in the face weakly.

Awilix absorbed the blow, then looked down at Toy.

Toy wasn’t mad at Awilix. She knew what the cat meant. She knew the cat only wanted what was best for herself and her master.

Still...

’You piss me off!’

Toy staggered and planted her feet, her right wrist still being gripped by Awilix.

Toy dropped her dagger.

"Finally giving up?"

’Far... far from it.’

Toy felt something within her surge.

Toy shoved her left hand forward at a terrifying speed and snatched Awilix’s wrist and twisted it, forcing the cat to let go of her.

Yet... Toy didn’t let go.

Toy gripped Awilix’s left wrist tightly and pulled her in, then punched her in the face.

It didn’t seem the punch had hurt her all too much, but she looked more confused that a punch had come at all.

Toy threw another punch that bit into Awilix’s cheek.

At this punch a dribble of blood leaked from her nose.

Awilix smiled wickedly upon noticing Toy’s resolve..

Awilix tried to tear her arm away, only for Toy to grip it tighter. Awilix screeched:

"I see!"

Toy’s only prominent strength was her grace and agility, but she was throwing that all away to make a statement to this pussycat.

Toy threw another haymaker aimed at Awilix’s nose, but this time Awilix swiped the punch away and countered with a swipe of her own while simultaneously digging her nails into Toy’s wrist.

Awilix’s claw easily sliced into Toy’s chest, but that was exactly what the goblin wanted.

Take an elbow.

’Give a knee.’

Toy carried her parried strike forward and gripped Awilix’s shoulder and held her while pushing her down, then began repeatedly kneeing the cat in the stomach.

Again, again, and again.

More blood splattered the ground.

Each strike was heavy and purposeful.

Awilix tried to claw at Toy and end this merciless assault, but she couldn’t gather her bearings.

Eventually, blood began spewing from the cat’s mouth.

It looked like Toy had actually proved herself. She wasn’t useless; She may be weak.

Hell, she was weak!

But in no way did Toy fall behind in grit and determination!

Toy sent another knee into Awilix’s groin, then bashed her elbow into Awilix’s nose...

It wasn’t the strong who survived, but those who had the will to survive.

Awilix muttered something as her head flung back.

Everything went black.