Galaxy's First Ruler

Chapter 148: An Idea

Aldrich spent quite some time thinking about the strange predicament the RECORD had forced on him.

When he had entered the Dungeon, he was at his maximum potential. It didn't take him long to figure out that the Dungeon's difficulty level was set considering the Penalty and not the further increase in it. Which meant, the more Aldrich would get penalized for tampering with Attributes, the more dangerous it would become.

"Do it properly!"

Aldrich saw Sha cutting corners from doing pushups and shouted. It didn't seem that Sha was experiencing any kind of discomfort from the pushups. But the way her breasts got flattened every time she pressed down towards earth made her cringe at the sight. It wasn't any mystery to figure out that Sha hated this punishment.

"Daddy… no… more."

Aldrich ignored Sha's muttering and kept thinking about hundreds of scenarios he could find himself in the next Dungeon. Aldrich knew that the most awesome thing about him was the Skill Shared Vision. Not only did it allow him to see his opponents' Stats, for him to have a strategic advantage, but it was also responsible for his revival. The most troubling situation he thought of was him dying and as all the Skills had been penalized too, he didn't know if he would even make it to the Darkness or not.

"Hmm, Will I have to create another Item like Oldest Change? Tsk!"

Aldrich didn't want to waste a single ExP when he relied on Metacreativity to increase his power qualitatively and quantitatively. He knew it's every use would bring him away from the next Rank, and he needed to Rank up for his coming plans to work smoothly.

"Daddyyy…. eeeee…"

"What?"

Aldrich saw Sha's angry face getting distorted by her disgusting and inelegant movements. She shouted at him through clenched teeth but seeing the calm and unfazed expression on Aldrich's face, her eyes soon became teary.

"So… Sorry."

Aldrich crouched down and narrowed his eyes as he looked at her.

"Why are you sorry Sha?"

Aldrich saw as Sha pouted, hearing his reprimanding tone. He felt quite amused and curious after seeing the Item replicating so many humane emotions just by eating a few people. He looked into Sha's eyes as a pleading and meek voice came out of her.

"For… calling… Daddy… pervert."

"Good! Stand up."

"Yeyyyy…"

As soon as Aldrich gave her permission, Sha jumped up in a standing position. Aldrich raised his eyebrows and Sha caught on to his expression soon enough. For in the next moment, her hands went to her shoulders, and she massaged them, trying hard to make sure that Aldrich would get to hear her painful grunts.

"Ugh… Haa… so… painful."

Aldrich shook his head and walked towards the portal to the next Plaza. He had many ideas related to the penalty, but not one of them was workable enough to test them out in the Dungeon. Sha kept running at him from behind and tugged at his sleeve.

"Now what?"

Aldrich noticed the playful smile on Sha's face as she let out a giggling voice in reply.

"Hehe… I… have… idea."

The word idea made Aldrich's mind throb suddenly. He looked at the blue innocent pearly eyes, but a weird feeling of uneasiness kept coming back to him. Aldrich didn't mind Sha behaving emotionally. As, at some level, he wanted her to have such emotions for a few of his plans to work out. But he felt worried about the sudden idea or ideas that were originating in her mind. Aldrich turns around to give her a good look before asking.

"What idea?"

As Aldrich asked, Sha neared him and stood on her toes to reach his head level. She put a hand over her mouth and her whispering words entered Aldrich's ears, along with her soft and warm breath. By the time she stopped, Aldrich's eyes had already narrowed into a thin line.

"You came up with this by yourself?"

Sha's head moved up and down like a child taking immense pride after getting the right answer to some question. Aldrich had already come up with something like that, but he had rejected that option based on the facts he had. So, he couldn't help but ask to clarify his doubt.

"Didn't you say that you can only maintain two Items at a time?"

Sha tapped her chin as if she had encountered a very challenging question. Soon her eyes shined, and she pointed at Aldrich.

"Daddy… two… me… more."

The broken words of Sha were quite clear to Aldrich. He thought about the 'idea' Sha had come up with and felt that it could truly work out. The theory behind Sha's ideas was simple. She had suggested making an Item that would let her maintain her humanoid form even if Aldrich was using a part of her as a mask or other Item. Aldrich had rejected this option based on the fact that Sha could only maintain two forms over his body.

But according to Sha, even if separated she could maintain two Items on him, not counting her body as the third Item.

"Hmm, this can work. It might turn out to be more useful than I originally thought."

Aldrich muttered as Sha kept nodding like her deeply hidden wish had come true. Aldrich thought of the various ways he would be able to use the Shadow Homunculus if it could work independently, and a smile came upon his face.

"Let's try it."

"Yesss…"

Muah!

Sha lunged at him and gave him a deep kiss on the cheek, forgetting the ordeal of pushups he had put her through just a few moments ago.

"Thank… Daddy."

"Yeah, yeah, get away from me… Sigh, Metacreativity!"

Aldrich pushed her away and, a little unwillingly, used the Skill he was saving for later.

[…

Skill Metacreativity is now active

Specify your creation: Item or Skill?

…]

"Item."