Jun stepped forward.
First his right foot, then his left—each step slow, deliberate, resonating with an eerie calm. But the moment both feet were firmly planted, he burst into a sprint. He shot forward like a bullet loosed from a bow, darkness unfurling in waves behind him like a cloak of death itself.
The goblins barely had time to react.
Shadows stretched from Jun's body, distorting the air, devouring the light.
[Ding…]
[You've successfully killed a Goblin (D)]
[You've gained 100 EXP]
[Ding…]
[You've successfully killed a Goblin (D)]
[Ding…]
[You've successfully killed a Goblin (D)]
[Ding…]
[You've successfully killed a Goblin (D)]
[EXP accumulating…]
[Ding…]
[Level up…]
[Level up…]
A single man stood against a sea of monsters—yet he moved like a god of death. The goblins, usually fearless and aggressive, felt something alien today: fear.
Their instincts screamed at them to run.
Some turned and fled.
Some froze.
But Jun, expression cold and eyes sharp, only chuckled.
"Hmph… Trying to run? It's useless."
He raised his dagger, darkness swirling around the blade like a living thing.
"Black Sword Technique… First Form…"
The shadows on the ground expanded, creeping toward the goblins like black vines.
The goblins' bodies locked up, frozen in place. Eyes wide, jaws trembling—they were paralyzed, their limbs stiff with fear and the pressure pressing down on their minds like mountains.
"Darkness of the Heart."
With a slash of his dagger, a sharpened blade of condensed darkness surged forward. It moved like a wave of death, cutting clean through the entire field.
FWOOOOOSH!
Blood exploded in arcs. Trees snapped and fell. The shrieks of goblins echoed for just a second before falling silent, as silence and darkness blanketed the battlefield.
Corpses littered the ground, their twisted limbs soaking in pools of dark red.
[Ding…]
[Level up…]
[Level up…]
[Level up…]
[Level up…]
Jun wiped the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. "Tch… Leveled up again, huh?"
He called out, "Status Window."
[Ding…]
[Status Window
Name: Jun Lion
Level: 9
Title: None
Job: None
STR: 40
HP: 1500
MANA: 60
INT: 30
AGL: 45
Skills:
Poison Resistance (?)
Fear Resistance (?)]
"Huh… My stats are improving fast. And this is just the beginning."
Jun knelt down and began collecting magic stones from the fallen goblins. Each crystal pulsed weakly in his hand, the last traces of the creatures' power sealed within.
After finishing, he stood, pocketing the last stone. "That's the last of them. Now, where's the boss room?"
He looked around.
"System. Locate the boss room."
[…]
No response.
"Tch… Figured as much. You won't make it easy for me, huh?"
He closed his eyes briefly—and then, he felt it.
A surge. A dense, pulsing mass of mana from deep within the forest, to the northeast. The pressure was stronger, wilder—too strong for a normal goblin.
Jun's eyes opened, and a grin spread across his face.
"So… that's where you're hiding."
He turned and began walking. The trees whispered as he passed, bending under the weight of his aura.
---
Meanwhile, at the Lion Family Mansion…
In the grand hall, a maid bowed deeply to Shan Lion.
"My lord, Lady Ruhiko has requested your presence."
"(What now?) …Fine. Tell her I'm on my way."
He sighed, already dreading the encounter. After a few minutes, he entered Ruhiko's room.
"You called for me, dear?"
Ruhiko didn't turn to greet him. She simply said, "What do you think?"
(Seriously? Can't she speak to me normally for once? Let me guess—she's mad about Jun.)
"Well, honey, I brought you something. A gift, maybe?"
"I don't need anything, though."
(Why do I even try? A wife who cares more about her stepson than her own husband or son, and a son ready to destroy the world. What did I do in my past life to deserve this kind of karma?)
"Okay, okay… Then maybe we should go somewhere nice together? Just you and me."
"I'm not in the mood."
"Got it. No problem at all. I'll just go back to work, then. See you later, honey!"
(Oh no. Abort mission. Run, Shan. Run for your life—)
"Husband… Where do you think you're going?"
(God no. Not the voice. I'm going to die today…)
"You really don't know why I called you?"
"Uhm… about Jun?"
"Oh, so you do know. Then tell me—why did you allow him to enter a C-rank gate alone?"
"Well… I told him to go to an F-rank one… with help! But he refused, and I couldn't exactly stop him…"
Ruhiko's expression sharpened. "Funny how, when Roy wants to do something dangerous, you do everything to stop him. But when it's Jun, suddenly you can't?"
"He's your son too. Or have you forgotten that?"
(Here we go again… Please, someone… anyone… save me.)
---
Author's Note:
A husband… reduced to a mere servant in front of his wife.
To be continued…