As we made our way back through the tunnel, Daryle carried Misty on his back, her arms wrapped around his neck. She seemed exhausted, likely from the emotional toll of the encounter with all the monsters. I walked beside them, deep in thought about the next steps.

I had made it to level 56 on my first day of training from 20, and I felt stronger, but I was hoping that I would have gotten to 100. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that just making it to level 200 wasn't going to be enough. The two minotaur I had fought had made that clear as day for me. 

I had only been 12 levels below them, and it was like we were in another class. Sure, I added skill points to help me win the fight, but if the opponent was over 100 levels stronger than me, that wouldn't work. I needed more power, and when I got home, I was locking myself in my studio.

Once we emerged from the cave, I signaled for Daryle to join me off to the side. Misty sat down on a nearby rock, looking worn out but still attentive. I took a deep breath before addressing Daryle.

"Hey, Daryle, I was thinking. We both know Misty has a strong dislike for demons, and I was planning on talking to her about it during our lunch break. But considering how things have been progressing, I'm not sure if it's the right time or if I am the right person for the job. Do you think you could spend some time with her and help her understand that not all demons are bad?"

Daryle considered my words for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I can try. I'll talk to her and share my experiences. Maybe she'll see things differently after spending some time with us. And hey, I can ask Rosily if she's okay with Misty staying at our place for a bit. Might give her a different perspective."

While I wasn't sure how good of an idea that was, I appreciated Daryle's willingness to help. "Thanks, Daryle. I think it could make a difference. Just take it slow, and if she agrees to stay at your place, make sure she's comfortable."

With that settled, we rejoined Misty. Daryle and she talked for a short moment, but Misty seemed more than happy to stay with Daryle. Part of me was slightly worried, but I was also hopeful, so I just pretended like I didn't see what was clearly going on. I had the making of a plan forming, but it required me to tip my toe over the line a few times first.

This was a test of sorts for Daryle and Rosily. I knew that I was going to meet many more women in the future, but my roster was filled up. 5 would have been perfect, but now I was at seven. Any more women and I would have to start booking hang-out time into the next week. Seven was only feasible because that's how many days a week had.

Regardless, I wasn't taking any more women into my harem, but I knew it would be hard to get rid of some of them. That was where Daryle came in. The guy was clearly jealous of my house full of women, so I would just slowly build him his own, as long as Rosily was fine with it. 

It was a bit of a bastardly plan, but come on. I was sure that there were worse things you could do to your friend besides marry off them to attractive women. Daryle also owed me, so I would be playing that card as well.  

When the island came into view, I smiled brightly, picking up speed to descend to the island. I slowed down at the last second, letting go of my magic to slam into the ground. I hit the grass hard enough to crater the ground slightly, landing with one knee and fist on the ground with my head bowed. I had always wanted to do the superhero landing!

When I looked up, Mary was standing over me, her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face.

"This is the front lawn and you made a mess of it," Mary growled, then asked, "What took you guys so long?"

"Ran into a couple of tough Minotaurs. No big deal," I replied nonchalantly.

"Oh? how far did you get?" She asked as Daryle landed with Misty beside me. Mary's eye went to Misty, and the hero turned her head into Daryle's chest. This made Mary frown, and then she looked at Daryle, then back at me with a mischievous grin and I nodded.

"Exactly," I said and looked at Daryle. "Be here in the morning."

Daryle nodded, and then he and Misty lifted in the air.

"Did you do that?" Mary asked as I stood up and she fixed the ground I had messed up.

"No, it just happened on its own, so I rolled with it," I chuckled, but Mary gave me a look.

"What if they do something? Are you worried about her losing her powers?" Mary asked, coming up close to me, before looking around to see if anyone else was around. As soon as she confirmed we were alone, she pulled me into a quick kiss that I enjoyed, before she pushed me back.

"Worried? Shit, I hope they bump uglies tonight! I don't have time to be training another hero, even with Daryle taking care of her. I need to get to your level, and that means pushing myself to the limit. Plus, Misty needs to figure some things out on her own. Daryle is a good guy, and if they decide to go that route, I'm sure he'll guide her well," I replied with a smirk.

Mary rolled her eyes. "You're such a piece of work. But fine, I trust your judgment."

"Good! Now, I am going to lock myself in my studio for the rest of the night. I need to get ready for tomorrow. I haven't been using my system to its fullest yet, and that has to change if I want to grow," I said, and Mary looped her arm into mine.

"Good. I am going with you. I won't bother you, but I like... watching you work," Mary said, getting slightly flustered at the end, so I pulled her towards the house without a word.