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The night was heavy, filled with a silence broken only by the distant echo of hurried footsteps and the muffled creak of armor. The air, once fresh, now carried a metallic, sweet scent—blood. Lots of blood.
My eyes opened suddenly. [Night Vision] allowed me to see as if it were day, but what I saw was far from comforting. Soldiers were running in all directions. Something was terribly wrong.
— Hey, Merlin, is something happening outside?
Merlin appeared by my side, her form materializing from her camouflage.
— [This is scary…]
I rushed downstairs, skipping steps. At the bottom, I saw Thom and Eliza holding each other, with Lilia beside them, eyes wide.
— What's going on? — I asked, looking at the two.
Thom crossed his arms and sighed, clearly worried.
— Something happened at the castle. Messengers are summoning reinforcements across the city. But we don't know the details.
— I think they're calling adventurers. If something's going on, they're the only ones who can help besides the soldiers. — Eliza said.
I thought everything would be fine since Sentil could help. So I had nothing to worry about…
Wait! He was going to the mountains today with some soldiers to investigate. If he hasn't come back yet…
— I'm leaving. — I said, opening the door.
Eliza widened her eyes.
— Are you sure? You don't even know what happened…
I shrugged, a confident smile on my lips.
— It's fine. If it's serious enough to call reinforcements, I can help. I'm an adventurer, remember?
Let's stretch this little innocent lie a bit longer, shall we?
She hesitated for a moment, then sighed.
— Just… be careful.
— Relax. I'm a pretty strong guy.
As I left, I asked Merlin to stay behind, to take care of them. I'd handle this on my own this time.
The wind cut across my face as I jumped over rooftops. My feet found the perfect balance between speed and precision. At this speed, I'd reach the castle in five minutes.
But the scene I found upon landing on the last house before the gates was worse than I expected.
A massacre.
Soldiers were fighting against… zombies? Humanoid creatures, fast but unskilled. They advanced in hordes, preventing anyone from entering the castle.
Some adventurers arrived to help. Fire magic lit up the night while shielded knights pushed forward, trying to clear a path.
Without hesitation, I jumped into the street. Everyone looked at me as I used my [Fire Manipulation], incinerating the zombies and throwing some far away.
— I'll clear the path! Stay back! — I shouted.
I opened my mouth, and a burst of fire surged out, burning everything in front. The shielded soldiers moved in right after, taking advantage of the space I'd created.
I waited. Let the experienced ones go first. I'm still a rookie—I can't jeopardize the operation.
Once a few adventurers passed, I followed behind. They were fast. Probably had exceptional physiques.
A mage in front of me slowed down to speak. She wore black armor that left her face visible. She had long orange hair and eyes of the same color, glowing like a bonfire.
— That was an impressive spell. Are you a mage? — she asked, curious.
— Ah, no. I'm melee.
She raised an eyebrow.
— Really?! It's rare to see someone using such a strong skill outside their specialization.
I had no idea what she was talking about…
— Thanks. I'm Victor.
— Pumpkin. — She held out her fist. I tapped mine to hers in a quick greeting.
Pumpkin… huh? What a cute name.
The sound of blades slicing through rotten flesh echoed across the battlefield. My sharp perception created a mental map around me. Without hesitation, I revealed my claws, slicing off zombie heads in precise motions. Then quickly retracted them before anyone could notice.
One of the zombies lunged at me. I was ready to counter when a massive shield came between us. A nearly two-meter-tall man in heavy armor blocked the attack.
— I'll cover your back — he said firmly.
— Thanks!
These guys were good. The big guy must've been a Tank. This was starting to feel like a game.
» Viola Pumpkin
Race: Human
Age: 26
Threat Class: (B-) «
Now the big guy:
» Don Hun
Race: Human
Age: 37
Threat Class: (B-) «
Same class, even with that age gap. Seems like leveling up your class is tough—or maybe Pumpkin was just a prodigy.
She destroyed the undead with simple attacks. With a wave of her hand, an orange flame burned through the air and exploded, taking out three or four zombies at once. Her destructive power was high, but her defense was low.
Focusing on one skill type seemed more efficient than trying to have a bit of everything. Is that what she meant by "specialization"?
— Watch out! — Pumpkin shouted.
Before I could react, I blocked an attack, and the zombie was incinerated by her magic. But something felt off…
From the cut on my arm, a black aura began to seep.
— What is this?
— [Holy Healing] — she murmured, placing her hands on the wound.
An absurd pain shot through my body. I had to fight not to grimace in agony. The black aura vanished.
— T-thanks…
— Zombies are cursed. A hit from them can infect you.
What a painful healing…
She ran off to help the others, and I snuck into the castle. The hall was huge, a long carpet down the center and a staircase rising in the back. Without hesitation, I dashed up to the second floor, looking for the enemy.
The sound of heavy footsteps alerted me. A huge man appeared, running straight at me. Behind him, an old man with a sword. Probably an ally.
— You! — I shouted, charging forward.
My hand grabbed the brute's face and slammed him into the floor. He crashed through the hole created and fell to the lower floor.
The old man stopped beside me, surprised.
— Are you an adventurer?
— Yeah. I'm a friend of the prince. Came to help in his absence.
He relaxed a bit.
— So you're a friend of my student… I appreciate the support.
From the shadows, a man cloaked in black emerged near a room protected by a magical barrier.
— Who's that? — I asked.
— The one responsible for the zombies. He teleported those monsters here and now he's trying to reach the princess.
So that room belonged to Sentil's sister… The old man must've raised the barrier to protect her.
— Handle him. The big guy's mine. — Without waiting for a response, I jumped through the hole.
The brute was already getting up. Before he could recover, I landed on him again, forcing him back to the floor.
I jumped back, waiting for his next move. He spat blood and smiled.
— You're strong… — he charged, trying to grab me.
I caught his fists, and we engaged in a brute strength contest. He was matching me. Who the hell was this guy?
» Unable to analyze. Block detected. «
So he used a block too…
— What now? Where's your strength no—
I didn't wait for him to finish. My forehead smashed into his face, the sound of cracking bones echoing. He stumbled back, hands to his broken nose.
I seized the opening. My fist sank into his cheek, sending his body flying through the castle wall.
But I wasn't letting him escape. Before he hit the ground, I grabbed his ankle and hurled him back with all my strength.
— My strength seems just fine right here.
I walked over to where he crashed, coughing blood. I didn't want to kill humans, so I held back… unlike with Dragan.
He wiped his mouth and laughed.
— Metamorphs… damned race. You just came into the world and already fight like this?
— What are you—
He tore a chunk of the wall and threw it at me, using the distraction to land a kick. My body flew upward, and before I could react, a punch crushed my stomach, sending me flying.
That hurt…
Landing with difficulty, I planted my hand on the ground and summoned an ice spear beneath his feet. He tried to dodge, but it struck his calf.
His pained grunt was my cue. I charged and threw a punch, but he barely dodged and countered with an uppercut to my ribs.
Annoying…
Using the momentum, I did a handstand and tried to kick him. He grabbed my ankles, but I bent midair, grabbed his face, and slammed a knee into it.
He stumbled back, dazed.
We stared at each other for a moment. My body was already adjusting to the damage—my \[Adaptation] was working. But the bastard still wouldn't fall.
He took a deep breath, and his body glowed yellow. A strengthening ability, apparently. His muscles swelled, veins bulged.
— Now I'm going all out. Getting annoyed, Victor?
My eyes narrowed.
— How do you know my name?
— We've been watching you since you arrived in the city.
"We"? So there were more of them. Maybe I could get some answers.
— What do you want with the princess?
— I just follow orders.
Liar.
I lunged, fists firing like a machine gun into his torso. When he tried to counter, I dodged and jumped, driving my heel into the back of his neck.
He turned to strike, but a huge shield appeared between us.
Don.
Behind him, soldiers came up the stairs and surrounded the lower floor.
— Told you you could count on me.
I smiled. This guy really was reliable!
An explosion hit the man's face, forcing him to step back. Pumpkin had arrived. Next to her, a man in white robes raised a hand, and a soft light passed through my body—probably healing. Well, thanks to my regeneration, I didn't really need it.
— This escalated fast… — he muttered, tired.
— Kill the intruder! — shouted one of the soldiers.
The enemy didn't even hesitate. With a single brutal move, he crushed a soldier's head between his hands. The helmet and armor were no match. The wet sound of skull and flesh being destroyed made some soldiers gag—but no one backed down.
Their spears and swords slashed him, but the blows were shallow. Pumpkin launched more explosions, tearing his body apart. Yet, even bleeding, with missing teeth and a mangled face, he kept going, ripping lives apart like they were nothing.
He ripped out one soldier's heart with his bare hands. Another tried to flee—only to have his throat crushed by a brutal strike.
Even so, he was starting to weaken.
Then, his body glowed again. Another enhancement skill. Veins popped, muscles swelled.
He charged at insane speed—straight for Pumpkin.
— Aghhhh! — Her scream tore through the air.
His hand crushed hers effortlessly, bones shattering like glass.
— Your magic's annoying me! — he said, squeezing tighter.
Before he could do more, Don slammed into him with the shield, forcing him back and freeing Pumpkin.
I told myself I didn't want human blood on my hands, but…
This man… He doesn't see lives. The lives of these soldiers, these people—they mean nothing to him.
My vision darkened for a moment as I charged at him. He tried to punch, but I spun to the side and kicked his leg. The dry snap of a fracture echoed in the hall. Bone pierced the skin, spilling blood on the stone floor.
The enemy dropped to his knees, but before he could react, my fist crashed into his face. A tooth flew from his mouth, followed by a spray of blood.
Fallen, he tried to move.
I didn't let him.
My foot crushed his arm hard enough to twist the bones at wrong angles.
He howled—but not for long.
I mounted him, pinned his other arm to the floor, and started punching. Blow after blow smashed his face deeper into his own blood. Bones cracked. Skin tore.
The entire hall fell silent for a moment.
When I finally stopped, his face was unrecognizable. So swollen he could barely keep his mouth shut. But he was still breathing.
I stood up. The fight was over, and I wouldn't kill him.
— You bastard! — Pumpkin's voice made me turn.
She approached, tears running down her face, lifting the hand she still had.
A torrent of fire erupted from her fingers, consuming his head without hesitation.
His muffled screams lasted only seconds before fading.
When the flames died down, nothing remained but a blackened smear where a face should have been.
The smell of burnt flesh filled the hall. Everyone was silent, and soon the soldiers marched to the second floor.
The enemy's block ability vanished.
» Name: Honda
Race: Human
Age: 48
Threat Class: (B) «
I stared at the headless corpse. Now that he was dead, I could absorb him. But I didn't. Maybe they could learn something from the body, so I left it where it was.
I went to Pumpkin, who was breathing hard.
— I'll be fine… — she murmured. — I just need some rest… Used everything on that final attack…
I knelt beside her, my hands still red with Honda's blood. The healer came and restored her damaged hand. Seeing that she was okay, I stood up.
Then I climbed the stairs, feeling a strange chill in my chest. As I stepped onto the next floor, I was met with a horrible sight.
Dozens of soldiers' bodies littered the castle halls, the stench of blood thick in the air. I approached one of them—an older man with an unkempt beard.
Those noble clothes… it could only be the king!
I knelt beside him quickly. Despite the nasty chest wound, he was still breathing. No time to waste.
I tore part of his clothing and tied it around the wound, pressing it tight to stop the bleeding. Not ideal, but enough to keep him alive until a healer arrived.
I took a deep breath and focused my perception, trying to locate the old man and the hooded figure. The castle was massive, but something at the top caught my attention. I could sense presences.
The watchtowers.
Without hesitation, I ran to the window and jumped. My claws dug into the stone wall, and I scaled quickly to the top—where an even worse scene awaited.
The old man was kneeling, breathing heavily. A dark aura seeped from him, spreading like smoke.
A curse!
At the top of the tower, the hooded figure held a sleeping girl in his arms. Long white hair draped over her shoulders.
— You bastard… — the old man muttered, his voice weak and full of hate.
I approached and grabbed his shoulder, trying to support him.
— What's he doing?
— A teleportation device… He's a dark mage… Cursed me… I couldn't stop him… — The old man coughed, his body swaying. — Please… save Lady Serena…
And then, he passed out in front of me.
A blue light glowed around the hooded figure. Magic circles appeared in the sky, strange symbols pulsing in a dance of energy.
He was about to vanish.
I didn't think—I ran and jumped at him.
My hand grabbed his arm. And then, in an instant, everything disappeared.
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