The guards spilled into the chamber, their boots crunching against the debris left in the wake of what seemed like a monstrous battle. Their eyes darted around, struggling to comprehend the smoldering wreckage—the furniture was reduced to charred splinters, the walls and floors scarred with deep craters and fissures, the ceiling blackened with scorch marks. The lower-ranking men hesitated, murmuring in confusion.
"By the gods, what happened here?!"
"What kind of demon caused this?!"
The higher-ups who were clearly more briefed on the situation and the true purpose of the estate quickly regained their composure. The moment they spotted the door where the children were being held, they barked orders like a well-trained strike team.
"Move! Secure the room! Neutralize the threats inside!"
As the guards stormed toward the door and got into position, one of them caught sight of his own shadow shifting unnaturally. He squinted, rubbed his eyes, and shook his head, blaming the one too many puffs of the pipe he had earlier.
But before he could dismiss it as a trick of the mind, his shadow twisted violently and a small leather pouch popped into existence from within its depths—only to explode in a cloud of fine dust.
"What the—?"
"Agh, what's this powder?!"
"It—it smells like sleep incense—"
The men stumbled, swayed, and, one by one, collapsed on their face in a heap, snoring before they even hit the floor.
As the dust settled, Daisuke, Tiphanna, and the children—cloaked in dark hoods—slipped silently out of the room.
In a blur, Daisuke effortlessly incapacitated several guards stationed at the main entrance, his movements too quick for the terrified children to fully comprehend.
"Keep moving," Tiphanna urged, her voice gentle yet firm. "Don't look back! Just keep running!"
Their small feet pounded against the cold stone floor as they charged down the long, dark corridor. Ahead, flickering lanterns heralded the arrival of more guards.
"There they are! Stop them!"
Before the men could react, Tiphanna clenched her fists and a gust of wind howled through the passage. The guards were yanked from their feet and flung against the ceiling, their bodies bouncing off the stone like ragdolls before crumpling to the ground in a dazed heap.
"Run! Now!" she commanded.
Daisuke, barely breaking stride, glanced down at his shadow with a sinister frown. "…You know what to do."
Midnight's olive-green eyes shimmered once before vanishing into the darkness.
As the group burst into the courtyard, they found themselves surrounded. Dozens of armored men encircled them, weapons drawn, their expressions grim.
"Nowhere left to run, scum."
"Says who?" Daisuke smirked. "Everyone, close your eyes!"
DING!
[Activating the skill «Mana Flare».]
[Mana Flare]
[Rank: Normal
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
Unleashes a concentrated burst of raw mana, creating an intense flash of light that momentarily overwhelms enemy vision.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ Temporarily blinds enemies
▪︎ 50% chance to induce the «Blindness» Status.
Mana Cost: 10
Skill Duration: 5 Seconds
Skill Cooldown: 10 Minutes]
A sphere of swirling blue energy materialized in his palm before he hurled it into the sky. The orb erupted into a brilliant white flash, illuminating the entire courtyard like a second sun.
"GUAAAH! MY EYES!"
"I-IT'S THE GREAT RAPTURE!"
"THE MESSIAH HAS RETURNED! REPENT!"
Blinded, the guards flailed helplessly, some rolled around on the ground. Daisuke took full advantage, weaving between them and delivering swift, ruthless blows—his fists and boots connecting with their bodies in a symphony of painful grunts and startled yelps.
By the fountain, a trio of familiar figures lounged in blissful ignorance. The midget, ogre, and lantern-man were enjoying a stolen cask of wine when they noticed Daisuke barreling toward them. The midget, mid-gulp, spewed his drink in a violent spray.
"Shit! Shit! IT'S HIM!"
"What? But I thought he quit?! Bow, bow!" Ogre-man shrieked, prostrating himself.
Daisuke didn't slow. "Outta the way, retard!"
His boot connected with the midget's face with bone-rattling force, sending him flying off his stool and into the fountain, several of his teeth clinking against the cobblestone like discarded dice.
The remaining guards scrambled to form a blockade at the gate, but Daisuke and Tiphanna tore through them like a storm. Daisuke's daggers flashed, slicing through weapons and armor, while Tiphanna wielded wind magic like a whip, sending soldiers sprawling.
Then, just as they cleared the gate—
BOOOOOOOOOOMM!
The manor behind them erupted into a fiery explosion, the shockwave rattling the very earth beneath their feet. Flames roared into the night, casting frantic shadows as surviving guards screamed in panic.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"THE MANOR! IT'S GONE!"
"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"
"L-LORD ROSSCOW! IS LORD ROSSCOW ALRIGHT?!
While chaos consumed the stronghold, Daisuke and Tiphanna wasted no time. They led the children into the woods where a wagon and horses had been hidden.
"Get in! Hurry!" Daisuke ordered, hoisting the nearest child onto the vehicle as Tiphanna secured herself in the driver seat.
The moment everyone was inside, she snapped the reins. The horses reared and then took off at a full gallop, carrying them into the safety of the night.
As the burning manor faded into the distance, Tiphanna exhaled deeply and her grip tightened on the reins. "W-We did! We actually did it! That… was insane."
Daisuke smirked, leaning back against the wagon's side as he popped an Etherberry into his mouth. "Just another day, huh?"
"What? Maybe for you."
Daisuke laughed.
The rescued children, still shaken but finally safe, clung to their cloaks as they huddled together. For the first time in what felt like forever, hope flickered in their weary eyes.
DING!
[The quest «Dejected Blacksmith» has been completed!]
[Affinity with Tiphanna has increased by +90%.]
[45,000 Experience Points have been acquired.]
[The active skill «Time Dilation» has been acquired.]
[190 gold has been acquired.]
[Level Up!]
***
The dense underbrush rustled as Brek signaled for the others to stay low. His wolf ears twitched, picking up the faint, rhythmic thumping of a Horned Rabbit in the distance.
He crouched, his wooden spear gripped tightly in his calloused hands. Garrett followed suit, mimicking his stance, while Ribbit huffed as he tried to squat but wobbled unsteadily.
"You hear that?" Brek whispered. "It's close."
"How close?" Garrett murmured, the grip on his own spear tightening.
"Close enough for you to mess it up," Brek muttered with a smirk.
Ribbit, already sweating, wiped his brow. "Uh, are we sure this is a good idea? I mean, that last rabbit almost skewered me."
"Because you tried to hug it, you idiot!" Brek whisper-shouted.
Garrett snickered, but the moment was cut short by the distinct crunch of a twig underfoot. The three boys froze. The thumping stopped. Then—
WHOOSH!
A white blur shot out from the bushes. The Horned Rabbit, larger than they had expected, bounded toward them with its sharp horn glinting.
"IT'S CHARGING!" Ribbit screeched, throwing his spear wildly before turning on his heels to flee. His spear missed by a mile, lodging itself into a nearby tree.
"You useless lump!" Brek cursed, planting his feet. "Garrett, with me!"
The duo braced their spears as the rabbit lunged. Garrett thrust his forward, but the creature twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the attack before slamming into him. Wearing a crude armor made of sticks, he tumbled backward with a grunt.
Brek growled and spun his spear, aiming for the creature's side, but it kicked off the ground and flipped over him.
"Dammit! We need to herd it into the trap!" Brek barked, already pivoting to give chase.
"That's your job! I just got bodyslammed!" Garrett groaned, rubbing his ribs.
"Ribbit, get your fat—"
A loud PFFFFFT echoed through the trees.
A moment of stunned silence followed.
"Did… did you seriously fart just now?" Brek asked incredulously, eyes wide with betrayal.
"I can't help it when I'm nervous!" Ribbit wailed, gripping his stomach. "AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS!"
The Horned Rabbit, equally horrified, froze mid-step. Brek, ever the opportunist, launched himself at it, spear raised. The rabbit snapped out of its trance just in time to hop backward, but Garrett, now back in action, lunged low and swiped his spear at its legs.
The rabbit stumbled.
Brek took the opening, bringing his spear down with all his strength—but the creature twisted again, and the strike only grazed its back.
"Dammit!" Brek growled.
The rabbit bolted toward the clearing—right toward the trap they had set up earlier. Ribbit, still trying to recover from his own bodily betrayal, realized it too late.
"Wait, wait, I'm standing on it—"
WHOOSH!
The rope snapped, the ground beneath him caved, and with an undignified yelp, the portly teen plummeted into the pit trap they had dug. The rabbit skidded to a stop, teetering at the edge before hopping to safety.
Brek and Garrett watched Ribbit flail at the bottom of the hole, his belly jiggling unsightly.
"…Did you just fall into our own trap?" Garrett asked, blinking.
"You guys didn't tell me where you put it!" Ribbit whined, flopping onto his back.
"I did tell you!" Brek yelled. "I literally said, 'Don't step on the trap!' You absolute—UGH!"
A chittering sound made them snap their heads up. The Horned Rabbit was looking at them. Not running, not hiding—just sitting there. Mocking them.
"…It's laughing at us," Garrett whispered.
"Oh, it is SO dead," Brek snarled, gripping his spear. If I had the Stormcleaver, I could've sliced that fluffy bastard into ribbons from a distance. "Garrett, circle around. We're not leaving empty-handed. Ribbit—stay there. You're useless."
"Wow, thanks," Ribbit grumbled, reclining his head onto the ground, still sprawled on his back.
With renewed determination, Brek and Garrett moved in for the final round, ready to prove themselves worthy of Daisuke's expectations. This time, they would not fail.