I ran straight toward the gate without thinking twice. The swirling vortex of light was a blur as I entered, landing on soft ground with a thud.
I blinked. The transition from chaos to peace was jarring. A forest.
Tall, lush trees surrounded me, their leaves filtering the sunlight into scattered patterns on the ground. The air was fresh, the kind of smell you only get when you're far from cities and pollution. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance.
Then, out of nowhere, a low growl echoed through the forest. My instincts went on high alert.
"You got guts, human," the voice rumbled, deep and menacing.
I turned, and there it was—a giant goblin emerging from the shadows of the trees. Its skin was green, rough like old bark, and its oversized fists were wrapped in metal knuckles, gleaming under the filtered sunlight.
Great. Another one of these ugly bastards.
I raised my hand and activated my Analyze skill without hesitation.
Goblin Warrior – C-Rank
A brutish fighter with enhanced physical strength. The metal knuckles increase its punch power, making it dangerous in close combat. Despite its size and strength, it lacks speed.
Caution is advised.
I grinned.
C-Rank. Hilarious. I didn't need to be a genius to know what that meant.
"That's what I get for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, huh?" I muttered to myself.
The goblin roared, charging forward with a swing of its fist. It was big, but slow. I sidestepped the first swing, ducking as its fist slammed into a tree, splintering the trunk.
I shook my head. "Really? This is all you've got?"
The Goblin Warrior charged at me with a roar, fists raised, the metal knuckles glinting in the fading light. It thought it had me.
I wasn't worried.
Without even looking at the creature, I raised my hand. Fingers splayed, I began weaving through the air.
Weapon Summoning.
A pulse rippled through the space around me, and the shadows themselves seemed to bend and writhe as a dark blade began to materialize, slowly rising from the void like a living creature born of darkness itself.
It emerged, inch by inch, the air around it crackling with unholy heat. The blade itself was jagged, almost like it had been forged from the bones of hell itself, veins of crimson fire coursing along its length.
I gripped the hilt, feeling the power surge through me.
I twirled it in my hand, the motion so fast it was almost a blur. The sword sliced through the air, cutting the space around me as if it were nothing more than paper.
I didn't take my eyes off the goblin, but my voice was calm, cool, almost too casual.
"Azrakar," I said, the name of the sword slipping from my lips like a command. "A sword forged from demon horns, burns with unholy heat."
I smirked, the sword humming in my hands, a deadly presence with every word.
"Nice sword, right? I crafted it from a powerful demon horn."
Without waiting for the goblin to react, I lunged forward.
The Goblin Warrior lunged forward, fists raised high, eyes wild with rage. Kazuki didn't flinch, his posture steady as ever. The moment the goblin was within range, Kazuki's sword flashed like lightning.
Slash!
His blade cut through the goblin's leg, and the goblin's eyes widened in shock as it stumbled back. Kazuki stood there, watching the creature flail, blood oozing from the deep gash.
"Where are you looking?" Kazuki said coldly, his voice dripping with disdain.
Before the goblin could react, Kazuki closed the distance between them in an instant. Slash! Slash! Slash! His blade moved like a blur, each strike landing with pinpoint precision, each cut sending a ripple of dark energy through the air. The goblin grunted, barely able to defend itself as Kazuki's sword sliced through its body with speed and accuracy. The final strike sent the goblin flying backward, crashing into a nearby tree with a sickening thud. The force of the blow made the tree groan under the impact, splinters flying in all directions.
Kazuki stood tall, his expression still blank as the goblin struggled to rise.
"Well, let's end this," he muttered, almost bored. "This is getting too boring."
With a smooth motion, Kazuki raised his sword high. A dark aura began to swirl around it, the air thickening with the pressure of the power gathering. The ground beneath him shuddered, and a faint heat wave rippled through the air.
"Drakmir," Kazuki whispered.
The moment the name left his lips, the blade came alive. Flames erupted from the sword, shooting up like a roaring wildfire. The fire wasn't normal; it pulsed with dark energy, flickering like an unholy flame that could consume everything in its path. The heat in the air intensified, bending light around Kazuki as he swung the blade down.
WHOOSH!
The ground trembled as a massive crescent of fire shot forward, tearing through the air with a deafening roar. The trees around him ignited as if the air itself had caught fire. Ashes and smoke filled the air, swirling violently in the wake of the attack. The goblin barely had time to react as the flames engulfed it. The inferno didn't just burn; it consumed everything it touched—flesh, bone, and soul. The goblin screamed, but it was swallowed by the flames before it could even finish.
Kazuki stood tall as the last remnants of the goblin vanished in the blaze. The fire burned with an unholy intensity, but Kazuki remained unfazed, the flames around him flickering and dying down as he lowered his sword.
He didn't even glance at the charred remains of the goblin. He simply turned and began walking away, the fire still crackling in the distance, the air thick with the scent of burning ash.
"I hope you're warm now..." Kazuki murmured, his voice almost mocking. "Too bad it's your last warmth."
[System Notification]
139 monsters have been caught in the blast of Drakmir.
Kazuki walked forward, hands in his pockets, casually stepping over scorched monster corpses still smoldering from Drakmir's aftermath. His expression was deadpan, almost bored.
On the way, a few straggler monsters snarled and lunged at him—small fry, barely C-rank. He didn't even stop walking.
A flick of his wrist. A dark slash. One dropped.
A twist of his heel. A spin and kick. Another flew into a tree, motionless.
"Man, these guys are weak," he muttered, twirling his sword lazily before resting it on his shoulder. "I hope the boss shows up soon. Kinda hard to find a place to nap with a glowing gate floating in the middle of town."
He ducked under a leaping harpy and kicked it midair, sending it spiraling into the forest.
Kazuki sighed. "Can't even steal a proper bed 'til I clear this thing…"
He looked up at the swirling blue gate still pulsing ominously in the distance, a reminder that the dungeon hadn't been cleared. Until the boss was dead, it would keep spawning monsters—and keep warping the nearby area, making it unlivable.
All he wanted now was to clear the damn gate, watch it collapse into nothing, and maybe… just maybe, squat in a quiet house nearby. Maybe steal some warm food too.
"C'mon, big guy," Kazuki muttered, cracking his neck. "Show yourself already so I can end this. I'm trying to retire for the day."
As if answering his call, a low rumble echoed through the trees—something big was coming.
Kazuki grinned.
"Finally."