Portal Grinding Vol. 1 Part 2

Ignis growled her agreement with John’s statement and charged down the steep sandy slope. John used the small islands of cooling glass she left behind as stepping stones so as not to slip and tumble down the dune. The red Lizardmen slunk alongside him, a passion for burning in their eyes. John cast observe on the komodo dragon looking creatures.

Level 2 Krajl

Unintelligent beasts of burden, bred by the nomadic Lizardmen tribes. Used mainly for transportation of goods and as battle mounts. Not easily frightened. Resistant to bludgeoning and slicing, but susceptible to piercing.

John reached the floor of the crater as Ignis reached the first of the sand-scaled Lizardmen. She pounced onto a Krajl, kicking the mounted Lizardman into the air and clamping her flaming jaws repeatedly behind its head. Her teeth pierced the Krajl’s scales and seared the flesh inside. It died without a sound, unlike its presumed master who had screeched throughout its flight. John reached his first enemies as Ignis opened her maw and spewed forth a raging inferno, incinerating two more Lizardmen and their Krajls. The Lizardmen in front of John were watching with wide fearful eyes as Ignis wrought majestic devastation upon their comrades.

Big mistake.

John bounded up the side of the Krajl, for it was easily fourteen feet tall, and stabbed the mounted Lizardman in the back. It gurgled and shrieked as the point of the spear came out of his chest, spraying blood.

Surprise Crit! 80 dmg

John pulled the spear back and swung it around, shoving the dying Lizardman off of the Krajl. The Krajl didn’t react. John slapped its flank with the haft of the spear, expecting it to rear up like a horse and go galloping forward. Instead, he got a lazy flicking of its tongue. One of the Lizardmen who John had rescued chattered and hissed at John from beside the Krajl, gesturing wildly. John looked around, aware that he might be in an unknown danger. He sensed more than he saw an arrow fly towards him, and parkour allowed him to dodge it ever so slightly. The Lizardman below stopped its chittering, then climbed up next to John. Ignis had pounced on another Krajl, and was ripping its rider to shreds. There were only five left, and it looked like Ignis would take care of them before John would figure out how to make the stupid creature move. Then he lurched forward, the Krajl moving with surprising agility as the red Lizardman held its palm against the Krajl’s head. John shrugged.

As long as we’re moving, who cares who’s driving?

They charged towards the remaining five mounted Lizardmen, who had gotten over their shock and were attacking Ignis. She was a lot smaller than they were, and they underestimated her because of it. The first Lizardman bellowed a war cry as he swung his broadsword at her from atop his Krajl. She nimbly leapt onto the blade and ran up his arm, her sharp flaming canine teeth finding their way to his neck. From there she completed a twisting backflip and pounced on a different Lizardman. Then John lost sight of her as his Krajl collided with the one carrying an archer Lizardman. He let the forward momentum carry his spear into the ribs of the archer, earning an ear-splitting cry from his enemy. He withdrew the spear and kicked his opponent, toppling it and losing balance himself.

40 dmg

10 dmg

He tumbled and recovered his footing on the ground. The other red Lizardman had picked up a broadsword and was hacking away at a sandy Lizardman.

I can’t let him get hurt.

John rushed towards the skirmish, spear hefted and ready for action. The red Lizardman decapitated his opponent with a flourish just as John reached him. John nodded and looked to where the rest of the battle had been raging. Ignis sat among the burning remains of half of the oasis, not an enemy in sight. The thin Lizardman who had been fending off the mounted ones was bowing deeply to her as John approached. As he drew nearer, he noticed why the Lizardman was so thin compared to the others.

She was female, and very clearly so. She was also a great deal more humanoid. She had a human head, with scaly horns curling backwards from her temples and long pointed ears. Long black hair fell to the middle of her back, and red scales glittered from the back of her neck down to right above her ass. From there they receded to her sides until coming back to cover her thighs and covering her completely down to the tops of her feet. A long scaly tail sprouted from right above her ass and whipped from side to side slowly. Her arms were covered in scales as well, and as she stood to regard him John noticed that her scales covered merely her sternum, leaving her ample bosom, flat stomach, and bare pussy revealed.

“Mighty warrior and companion of the mighty flame, I humbly offer you my thanks for freeing my fellow tribesmen and saving me from our enemies.”

John was stunned by her deep voice, expecting her to speak the same language of the Lizardmen.

“You speak my language? Where did you learn it?”

She smiled, showcasing sharpened teeth.

“It is a gift from Shihai, the goddess of the sands. We keepers of her warmth have the ability to communicate with all outsiders, to thank and to threaten should the need for either arise. My abnormal form is a gift as well, it is said to be pleasing to the eyes of outsiders.”

She eyed him and his growing erection.

“I see that the legends of old were not mistaken. Will you accept my offering of thanks, mighty warrior?”

John gulped, his mind racing.

I don’t have time to have sex, I need to gather resources and get back to the gate. But if I refuse her offer, how will I be received the next time I open this dungeon? What if I can’t find the resource spots on my own? Will she help me find them if I refuse her? Will she help if I accept? What if I accept and she won’t help because she already paid off her debt?

“I see a struggle in your eyes, outsider. What troubles you?”

“I need to return to my homeland soon, but I also need supplies. I feel foolish to refuse your thanks, but I also feel like asking for more after accepting your thanks would be an insult to your thanks.”

She laughed, a slightly hissing sound.

“Is that all? You needn’t worry about offending me. What supplies do you need?”

John thought back to his quest.

I need to collect from five resource spots, so that means five different things. I wonder if I need to collect them myself? There’s water from the pond, wood from the trees, and maybe fruits too. That’s three. Maybe rocks and ore, from the mines?

“I need water, wood, food, stone, and ore, if you can supply it.”

She seemed pensive for a few minutes, then she chittered and hissed at the two Lizardmen. They rose from their kneeling positions in front of Ignis and sprinted off in different directions. One went to the unburnt side of the oasis, the other to the edge of the crater pockmarked with mines.

“It will be done, but it will take time. Perhaps you could busy yourself by accepting my thanks?”

Her voice had taken a seductive tone, and her eyes shone with a predatory desire.

“I would be honored.”

John grinned as he unequipped his clothes. The Lizardwoman raised an eyebrow as she saw his clothes disappear off of his body.

“A magic caster? And you prefer to use a weapon? What an interesting outsider custom. You must tell me more about it the next time you visit our lands.”

She sauntered over to John, her wide hips swaying seductively. She raked her claws gently down John’s chest as she leaned in close to his ear, pressing her bountiful breasts against him.

“I am called Slytha by my tribe, if you wish to call out to me in rapture as I pleasure you.”

She whispered this to him, then flicked her thin forked tongue against his ear, sending shivers down his spine. She giggled, then pushed him down onto surprisingly soft grass. Wasting no more time on foreplay, she mounted him. Her folds enveloped his member, quivering and twitching as she hummed in contentment. Her tail flicked to and fro restlessly as she began to bounce on him. John closed his eyes and groaned, her depths were superheated to the point of near pain. Near pain, but a certain increased level of pleasure. His eyes snapped open with a 35-point Libido fueled passion. Slytha looked down at him and smiled, the same passion burning in her eyes. John pushed himself onto his elbows and reached for a fat nipple with his mouth.

“Oh! Aaah!”

She stopped bouncing on him as her eyes widened in shock. John’s tongue flickered rapidly over her apparently very sensitive nipple as he held her hips and started to thrust upwards. Her scales were smooth to the touch, not affording him a good grip. Slytha shrieked on top of him as her pussy clenched, brought to orgasm by John’s nipple teasing. She shuddered and started panting, John let go and looked into her eyes with a smile. She smiled back, a savage, hungry smile, as she pushed him back so he was laying down again. John was confused, but realized her intention as she bounced her ass on his dick even faster than before, thrusting her chest into his face at the same time. Faced with the option of either suffocating in her cleavage or suffocating while teasing a nipple, John went with the latter. He brought his hands up from her hips and grabbed handfuls of her ass instead. Her moans increased in volume, echoing out into the desert as she reached a second climax. John couldn’t hold back any longer, well past his limit, and came inside of her. Her moans were interrupted by a startled gasp as she felt him fill her up, a sensation that would never fail to please her. Her eyelids fluttered. She sighed in contentment as she sat up and slowed her movements.

“That was impressive, outsider. I have never been pleasured by such techniques.”

She sounded out of breath. The thought made John smile.

“Your thanks are very much appreciated.”

That brought a smile to her face as well. Then she got off of him and stood. The Lizardman who had been in the oasis came back with an earthen vase full of water, a small branch of fig-looking fruits, and a few planks of wood. John reequipped his clothes as he stood. Opening his inventory, he took the items and put them in.

Main objective complete, return to gate or remain to complete optional objective. Four hours remaining.

John read the info box and nodded, relieved that being given the items fulfilled the requirements. Just then the other Lizardman trotted over with two handfuls of stone. One looked shinier than the other, so it must have been the ore. John added those to his inventory as well.

Optional objective complete. Return to gate. Four hours remaining.

“Thank you Slytha, this works perfectly. I will be returning to my homeland now. I wish you safe travels back to your tribe.”

She bowed her head to him and bowed completely to Ignis.

“We wish you safe travels to your homeland, and await your return.”

The other Lizardmen chittered their agreement, or so John thought it sounded like. Then John turned and motioned Ignis to follow.

“Is there a faster way back to the gate, or do we need to follow our tracks back?”

Ignis raised her snout to the air, searching for the gate’s scent or something like that. She lowered her head to John and nodded.

“Let’s go. I know we have enough time to take it easy, but if we get there early we might get rewarded so I want to test the limits of my endurance and agility. Lead the way, I’ll tell you if you have to slow down.”

Ignis tilted her head to the side, as if amused by his assumption that she might not have to slow down for him to keep up with her. Then she set off at a trot. John easily kept pace with her at a jog.

These physical stat scores are pretty neat. I feel so fit.

With that thought on his mind, he sped up. Ignis looked at him, amusement in her eyes. She sped up as well, keeping head and shoulders ahead of John.

A race? I don’t know where we’re going… But I guess as long as we’re going in the right general direction we shouldn’t be in too much trouble.

He put on another burst of speed. Ignis yipped at him playfully as she easily kept her lead on him and ran even faster. John felt invigorated by this. The desert night was freezing, but the warmth of the physical exertion and Ignis’s presence kept it at bay. The sky was a glittering canvas above, and the darkness that surrounded them wasn’t oppressive in the least. After about half an hour of running, John had an idea. He held out his right palm and cast fireball.

“Ignis, catch!”

He tossed the fireball high and far forward. It arced through the sky, a blazing comet. Ignis sped up, and leapt into the air. She caught the fireball in her jaws and it exploded in a halo of red, orange, blue, and purple. She landed with a spray of sand and droplets of glass. John caught up with her and she kept running. He tossed another, this one higher. She twisted through the air and kicked the fireball with a paw. It launched even higher. John laughed in surprise.

The Developer’s fire physics engine is so wonky it’s great.

He threw another fireball on a collision course with the one Ignis had batted away. Ignis landed with another shower of sand and glass, then hopped straight up. She was right under where the projectiles would meet. Her leap was just short of reaching them, and she landed under a shower of embers. They continued playing like this for another hour or so, then Ignis corrected their course and they reached the gate. John slowed his run and jogged over the threshold.

Dungeon Quest Complete!

Rewards:

+2000 Bonus Exp.

+$1000

Optional Objective Rewards:

+800 Bonus Exp.

+New Passive Skill

New Skill: Fire Resistance(Passive) Level 1

Fire Resistance(Passive) Level 1: Take 20% less damage from fire attacks, and 50% less damage from allies’ flames.

John grinned and petted Ignis, scratching behind her ear. She purred, her eyes narrowing in contentment.

“We did well, Ignis. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Her purring doubled in volume as he said that.

We have two hours to spare, but I guess that isn’t good enough for recognition. I wonder what time it is in the real world…

The gate closed behind him, then Ignis disappeared from under his hand. He frowned, then checked his hp bar. 35/140

“Shit. I need better fire resistance.”

The gate opened and John stepped out into his room. He checked his clock.

It’s only been 45 minutes.

He crunched the numbers in his head.

That would make it so that every 8 hours in the dungeon amount to just one hour out here.

He smiled.