NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54: To The Mine
When a flower blooms, it can take weeks, sometimes months—some take a year, others only a few days.
But when it finally does, it blossoms into something breathtaking, full of life, capable of attracting anyone who lays eyes on it. Its scent doesn't just linger in the air—it clings to the mind, leaving behind a calmness that soothes everything around it.
Yet, there are flowers that do more than bring peace.
Some can drive a person mad… or awaken something far deeper.
Kael gazed at such a flower. Though it had already bloomed, this particular one had just experienced something extraordinary—something that gave it a second radiance.
Her body lay still on the table, chest rising and falling in a soft, peaceful rhythm. A faint smile graced her lips, as if all the burdens of the world had vanished like a forgotten nightmare. In her slumber, the dream was reality, and reality the lie.
She wore nothing but her elegant, milky skin. Though stained with white and her own juices, the sight only added to her beauty. There was grace even in the aftermath.
Kael stood silently, eyes locked on Milan's naked form for a moment longer before he began gathering his clothes from the floor. Once dressed, he took one last look at her and the basement, then turned and headed toward the living room.
As his footsteps creaked on the wooden stairs, Kael couldn't help but reflect on what had just happened.
He'd been asleep for over a century, sealed away in ice, surrounded only by the darkness in his mind. His power—the strength that once crowned him the strongest human—was gone. Stripped away. Reduced to a normal man. Fleeting. Mortal.
But thankfully, not everything had been lost.
In bed, he was still the same.
He could still bring a woman to the heights of ecstasy—an experience they'd never forget.
And Milan… she had just tasted something that would haunt her waking days.
A memory that would burn in her flesh and whisper in her bones.
Their session lasted at least two hours—bodies locked in primal rhythm, flesh against flesh, sweat and fluids mixing to overpower the scent of flowers that once dominated the room. Milan's moans had become the background melody, fueling the White Prime's desire with every note.
They returned to their most primitive state, where nothing mattered except desire—the desire to connect, to fuse, to belong.
Though Milan grew too tired to speak, her body never stopped responding.
She let Kael do as he pleased, offering herself completely until the very end—until her body, overwhelmed by pleasure, finally gave in and passed out.
Kael chuckled softly, remembering how she passed out a few times only to be awakened by waves of intense pleasure.
She had released her juices so many times, they'd lost count.
Of course, Kael hadn't let her have all the fun—he spilled his essence inside her again and again, and she accepted it all without hesitation, as if terrified to miss a single drop.
Now, as Kael stepped out of the basement and into the quiet living room, he looked down at his pants and noticed the unmistakable bulge—his rod still full of life and vigor.
"Calm down, my friend," he muttered with a smirk. "Your journey with her is just beginning. We've got a long, exciting road ahead."
And as if understanding his words, his dragon slowly settled down.
Kael smiled as he made his way into the living room. His eyes fell on the sofa, where he saw the miner still deep in sleep.
Bach's snores reverberated throughout the room, with saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. He hadn't stirred at all, even though the sounds of Milan and Kael's bodies colliding could easily be heard from here—especially when Milan caught a glimpse of heaven. Kael wouldn't be surprised if her voice had echoed throughout the entire house.
Kael stood in front of the miner, then tapped the old man's cheek a few times to wake him.
Bach opened his eyes with a yawn. "W-what time is it?"
"It's past nine," Kael said, glancing at the clock on the table.
"Past nine? I was asleep that long?" Bach blinked in surprise before remembering their plans. "Ah, right. I forgot. I'm sorry—I must've kept you waiting. Let's head out. This is actually the best time to go. Not a lot of people around at this hour."
"Don't worry, I had a very good time waiting," Kael replied with a mysterious smile, causing the miner to glance at him curiously.
Shaking his head, Bach Ponce stood and slipped on his jacket. "By the way, where's my daughter?" he asked, looking around the living room.
"She's upstairs with your granddaughter. They're probably asleep already," Kael answered smoothly—a lie that Bach accepted without question.
If the miner were to head down to the basement, he'd find his daughter lying there completely naked, Kael's essence decorating her body like an abstract masterpiece. The thought made Kael wonder what kind of expression the old man would make upon seeing such a sight. For a moment, he felt tempted to push the miner downstairs just to show him the artwork he and Milan had created.
But then again, Kael also wanted to check out the mine where he'd been found. So, with a faint chuckle, he dismissed the idea.
"I see. Then let's go," Bach said as he headed toward the door.
Following behind him, Kael glanced at the direction of the basement, then up at the stairs leading to the second floor.
Milan's daughter was still asleep, which honestly surprised Kael. With how loud things had gotten earlier, he'd expected the baby to start crying at some point. But nothing. Not a single sound.
...
There were at least twenty mines scattered around Hury City—the city Kael currently found himself in.
He and the miner traveled south, toward the first few excavation sites.
Although it was already nighttime, the roads remained alive. Vehicles zoomed down the highway, and even more people walked along the sidewalks.
Looking out at the glowing life of Hury, Kael couldn't help but admire it. It was modern—no, futuristic.
Holographic screens floated above the buildings like glowing spirits, and the flying carriers in the sky didn't use fire or fuel like in his old world. They floated with gravity propulsion—something that would've left people from his home planet speechless.
However, to Kael, the scene outside felt all too common, and the technology struck him as mediocre at best. As one of the top engineers—second only to the greatest Exo-Engineers in the entire universe—his knowledge had already far surpassed the technological capabilities of this planet, Taros.
Still, even his understanding paled in comparison to the engineers who had created the Aegis Primes—the legendary Exoskeleton Suits used by the Exo-Primevals.
As Kael's thoughts wandered, the vehicle he rode in eventually arrived at the city gates.
One of the soldiers responsible for inspections asked Bach for his Identification Card. After confirming there was nothing suspicious, they were given the green light to exit the city.
One of the many struggles of the weak—dealing with checkpoints.
A long highway stretched from the south gate to another city, flanked on both sides by plains of grass and rocky fields. If one looked closely, they might spot abandoned buildings scattered across the landscape—structures visibly damaged not by natural disasters, but by war.
Kael was all too familiar with this kind of destruction. He'd seen it time and time again back when he was still the White Prime.
But… he was still the White Prime, wasn't he?
That lingering thought made him even more eager to reach that mine.
The vehicle rolled down the highway alongside a few others before Bach steered off to the left, following a path etched with the marks of giant machinery.
"We're here," the miner said, parking behind a massive boulder.
Kael and Bach stepped out and walked to the side of the boulder, gazing out at the mine in the distance.
"They're taking good care of this place," Kael said as he observed the site.
Giant mining machines were scattered across the area, along with several military vehicles parked beside enormous tents. The entire place was enclosed by towering metallic fences, clearly rigged with mechanisms to deter trespassers.
The lighting mainly came from towers placed at each corner of the site, though some flickered intermittently—a clear sign they hadn't been replaced in a long time.
Kael's eyes scanned the tents, each marked with a bold letter H on the front and sides.
Only a few people moved about, all wearing the same outfit Bach had on.
Hearing Kael's remark, Bach shook his head. "It's the opposite. This place has basically been abandoned. Those tents and military vehicles? They've been here for years. Nothing but junk now. Just a place we hang out in. The only new things are the mining machines we use."
"If they've already abandoned this place, why are you guys still mining here?" Kael asked.
"We've wondered the same thing," Bach replied. "There's not much to gather here anymore—just rocks and useless ice. Though… those ice chunks are great for making iced tea."
"Ice?" Kael's eyes gleamed at the word.