"You ready?"
Samantha twirled the daggers in both hands, eyes locked on Nyx with a deadly glint. Ruby stood beside her, a glowing water orb floating silently around her like a protective spirit. Valon straightened his back, body tensed and coiled—ready to pounce.
"We'll handle the chicks. Go for the big guy," Samantha said, glancing at Ruby and Valon. They gave a silent nod, no words needed.
Nyx tightened his grip on his sword—a long blade gleaming with his distorted reflection. He gave a faint nod and leapt down from the tree, straight toward a blood wolf that was nothing like the rest. This one was taller, meaner, and screamed boss-fight energy.
Samantha dropped into a cluster of lesser wolves, slicing through them like a blur. Eyes, throats, joints—she went for the kill every time, springing from target to target with ruthless precision.
Valon was on full berserk mode. He cleaved down wolves like they were training dummies, smashing bodies and impaling guts like it was a damn ritual. His blade danced—wild, erratic, but unerringly accurate—always hitting where it hurt the most.
Ruby, calm and silent as ever, showcased her own flavor of hell. Any wolf that slipped past Samantha or Valon found itself choking and thrashing in a conjured puddle, dragged under by water or drowned in a sphere of death.
While Nyx stood before the leader—its eyes locked on his, hunger and intelligence gleaming. This bastard was the biggest and strongest—definitely the alpha.
"Flame Channeling."
A burst of red flame roared to life, coating Nyx's blade in flickering fire. He shot forward, eyes narrowed, aiming a slash at the wolf's face.
But the beast was too fast for him.
It dipped under the blow and lunged, fangs aimed straight for Nyx's gut. He twisted, barely escaping the bite, then drove his sword into the wolf's shoulder. The flames hissed as they seared flesh, but the beast didn't flinch. Instead, it slashed across Nyx's abdomen with its claw.
This time, Nyx didn't dodge. He tanked the hit gritting his teeth, brought his sword down again and cleaved into the same shoulder—hard enough to leave the limb dangling uselessly.
The pain in the abdomen hit him like a sledgehammer before regeneration kicked in, and the wound began sealing itself almost instantly.
Just like Nyx, the others were leveling up mid-fight.
Samantha was a whirlwind, dancing between wolves and burying her daggers in vitals before vanishing into the next strike.
Valon moved slower, but when he hit, it was carnage. Wolves started avoiding him—pointlessly. His sword moved in erratic patterns, like a drunken snake with perfect aim.
Ruby had gone full menace-mode. Her magic flooded the field—bubbles, puddles, currents of water. Wolves drowned without even knowing what hit them. It looked less like a battlefield and more like a cursed swamp.
While Nyx—locked in a vicious duel.
No one was gaining ground as they both were locked in a stalemate until Nyx smirked.
"Blink."
Just as the wolf raised a claw, Nyx vanished. In an instant, he reappeared behind it, slashing at its neck.
"Tch. Shallow," he muttered.
He blinked again—right in front of the beast as he drove his blade straight into its eye.
[You sure know how to fight, at least for a pip-squeak.]
"..."
[It isn't like I was having PTSD while planning this whole shit out.]
'Let me have my moment of heroism, will ya?' Nyx grunted internally, sidestepping and slashing at the same wound on the neck. This time, the blade cut deep. Blood gushed like a geyser.
The wolf staggered, locked eyes with him one last time, and collapsed in a pool of its own blood.
"What was that, 'I'll see you in the afterlife' shit?" Nyx growled, kicking the corpse one last time before turning toward the team.
Samantha stood in a clearing of bodies, her daggers dripping crimson. Valon's area was a goddamn bloodbath—the only wounds the wolves had left were between their legs.
While Ruby– her section looked more like a drowned museum exhibit—mud-caked, waterlogged corpses piled in eerie silence.
---
"That was one hell of a battle," Valon said, casually stuffing corpses into his pouch.
"I don't know about my side, but yeah. Definitely was for those poor bastards on yours," Nyx replied, eyeing the red massacre. "Say... do you have some kinda fetish with balls or what?"
"Best way to immobilize them without going through a hell of a fight," Valon shrugged.
'I'm quitting every battle this bastard stands in,' Nyx thought, putting a bit more distance between them.
He walked over to Samantha, finding her cleaning her daggers in a quiet corner.
"You're awfully silent today. Something on your mind?" he asked as he sat beside her.
"...Yeah," she said, still not looking at him. "I've been wondering, Nyx—what is it that made you so desperate to become a mercenary? And this whole grind… what's it all for?"
"...It wasn't anything special," Nyx said, staring down at his hands. "Just an orphan trying to protect the last thing he can call his own."
Probably trying to find himself in this mess of a world, Samantha thought, watching him closely.
She studied his face for a moment, as if searching for cracks in his words. Finally, a soft sigh escaped her lips.
"…Do you think you'll succeed?"
"I don't know if I will," Nyx replied, eyes firm. "But I'll give it my best. What've I got to lose? Either I die trying, or I carve that ambition into reality."
---
The group rested for a while before getting up and fixing their gear. They were bruised, scraped, and a bit worn down—but what they gained outweighed every cut and bruise— Experience.
They came out of that fight tattered but victorious—and none of them planned on stopping any time soon.
Before anyone noticed, time passed in a blink.
Seven days flew by like a blur of blades and blood.
---
"You got your share?" Valon asked, glancing at Ruby as they exited the guild building—each of them holding hefty bags full of gold coins.
"Oii, it looks way more suspicious when you carry it like that, dumbass."
Nyx scowled at Valon, who clutched his bag like a newborn child.
"I haven't seen this many coins in my entire life, you noble bastard. Let me have my damn moment," Valon shot back, face lit up like a kid in a candy shop.
The past week had been a non-stop grind—relentless monster hunts, zero chill. They plunged deeper into the forest, hunting tougher, meaner creatures. Sleep was optional. Pain was constant. But the payoff was worth it.
Their skills had shot up like rabbits on steroids, and their bodies felt like weapons forged in battle. But Nyx? Nyx had gained the most.
His grin practically stretched off his face.
He'd fully integrated his body with his stats—felt the flow of power in every limb. His movements were cleaner, faster, sharper. Skills that once took effort now felt instinctive. Precision, speed, adaptability—it all clicked.
"You sure look happy," Samantha noted, watching him grin like he'd just won the damn lottery.
"Now I can finally do something about those bastards. Why shouldn't I be?" Nyx replied, practically bouncing with energy.
"Makes sense. But... you sure you don't want our help?"
Samantha's voice softened slightly, her eyes flicking to his. "You could reconsider, you know."
"Yeah, I'm sure. But..."
He glanced between them, smile mellowing into something more genuine.
"...If I ever really need you—will you come?"
"Of course we will," Valon said without hesitation. "You think we're that ungrateful?"
The group kept walking, the sun casting long shadows behind them. Laughter and idle chatter echoed through the street.
For the first time in years, Nyx wasn't just walking alone.
He was walking with people—friends, maybe more.
Eventually, their paths diverged.
Nyx peeled off toward the manor.
---
"Ahhh... finally home," Nyx exhaled, stretching as he stepped through the gate.
"Can't wait to rest a bit."
But as he pushed open the door, he froze.
Rhea stood there—still, silent, eyes slightly red. She must've been waiting.
The moment she saw him, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.
"Welcome home... Nyx."
He blinked, a little surprised, but let himself melt into the hug. His arms came around her gently.
"Yeah... I'm back."
After a long second, he pulled away slightly, looking down at her.
"Did anything happen while I was gone?"
Rhea hesitated. Her grip tightened for just a moment before she let go.
"Nothing... just that the city lord's pressure to force us out increased," she said quietly. "Sir Karl wanted to talk to you about it."
Nyx's expression darkened for a beat, but he kept his voice calm.
"...I'll talk to Karl later."
Without another word, he walked toward his room—shoulders relaxed, but mind already shifting into battle mode.
---
"We have three weeks to make a decision, young master," Karl said grimly. "As much as I don't want to lose the manor lord Vaelthorn built, we don't have the strength to stand against the kingdom."
His voice was steady, but his body betrayed him.
It had only been a week since Nyx had last seen him, but Karl looked like he'd aged ten years. His hair was streaked with white, skin pale and drawn. The man who once stood tall at his father's side now looked like a relic of the past—worn down by pressure.
Nyx clenched his jaw, then gave a slow nod.
"I'll try to come up with a plan by tomorrow. You should rest for today, Karl."
Karl gave a tired nod and slowly walked away.
---
Later that night, Nyx lay on his bed, eyes open, mind racing. Strategy after strategy, route after route—all spinning through his head, none feeling right.
He was just starting to drift off when—
A jolt ran through him. His eyes snapped open, heart pounding.
Without hesitation, he expanded his Mana Sense outward—and what he felt made his blood freeze.
More than a dozen signatures. All hiding and surrounding the manor.
His instincts screamed, his gut confirmed what his brain already knew. These weren't scouts nor soilders.
They were killers.
One word rang through his mind like a death knell:
'Assassins.'
P.S. You guys ready for another shitty drama? If no then welcome, if yes then double welcome. Until then–
Stay healthy, Stay pure, just to get corrupted here~
–Clashercertified