"Oiii, you flaming bastard! Let us kill some damn monsters too!" Valon shouted, half-joking and half-serious as he glared at Nyx. For the last four hours, their hunting trip had become a front-row seat to the Nyx Vaelthorn Fireworks Show.
Between the bazookas, fire arrows, and magical nukes, Nyx had obliterated every beast before anyone else got close.
"Nyx," Samantha called out, perched lazily on a tree branch with a thoughtful expression, "we get it. You're growing absurdly fast—hell, faster than what's even considered possible. But don't you think… maybe it's time you let us catch up? You're kind of hogging all the XP."
Her words landed like a slap—not angry, just honest. Nyx paused, the fire arrow he'd been preparing fizzling out in his palm.
"...That makes sense," he admitted, deactivating his spells. He wasn't blind to the fact that if things kept going this way, they'd start falling behind—and he wasn't ready to leave anyone behind.
'Sys—any way to help them?' he thought, already guessing the system might have an answer.
[Use that peanut-sized brain. Why do you think I give you skills in the form of balls? Decorative?]
Nyx blinked, then his eyes lit up with a manic gleam. Ideas started bubbling up—dangerous ones.
He turned toward his party with a grin so wide and unsettling that Valon immediately took a step back.
"Ugh, I get chills whenever you smile like that. What the hell are you planning now?" Valon muttered, eyes darting for an escape route.
"Guys... wanna see some magic?" Nyx asked, grin still plastered on.
He looked at Ruby. "Let's start with you. You specialize in water magic, right?"
Valon stepped in front of Ruby like a bodyguard. "Nope. Back off. I don't trust that face."
"Relax, do I look like a bad guy?"
"You are the bad guy," Valon deadpanned.
[I support this rat.]
"Let him do it, Valon," Samantha said, curiosity overtaking suspicion. She knew Nyx wouldn't hurt Ruby, even if his ideas were borderline war crimes.
Nyx grinned and opened the system menu. 'Sys, what's my SP count? After that forest barbecue, I should have a stash.'
[5900 SP.]
'Good. Buy me Water Cannon, Ice Spike, and Water Vortex.'
[Purchased. 2100 SP jas been deducted.]
'Why so expensive?!'
[You're gifting them. There's a generosity tax. Welcome to my economy.]
'Is this some fantasyland IRS bullshit?!'
[Still less corrupt than governments.]
Nyx sighed and handed three glowing red orbs to Ruby. "Crush these. Don't resist."
Ruby hesitated, then slowly crushed them. A red mist surged around her, sinking into her skin. Moments passed. Her eyes flew open, wide with shock.
"Feels crazy, right?" Nyx said, amused.
"Wanna test it? We've got the perfect canvas," he said, gesturing at the forest.
Ruby nodded, then raised her hand. "Ice Spike."
An enormous spear of ice formed—bus-sized and humming with freezing magic. It blasted forward like a cannonball, freezing the air and pulverizing a massive cave in the distance.
Everyone stared, stunned by the crater of what remained of the cave.
"Holy shit..." Valon whispered.
Even Ruby looked at her own hands like they were alien.
"Good enough, right?" Nyx said smugly.
"Samantha, you're up," he said, handing over another set of skill balls—Camouflage, Stealth, and Blink.
"I'm not a mage," Samantha frowned.
"Just trust me."
She crushed the orbs. When the mist cleared, she activated the skills.
And vanished.
"Wh-Where'd she go?!" Valon spun in circles. Nyx raised an eyebrow. He could still faintly perceive her.
[Host's system immunity reduces effects of external stealth skills by 90%. You can't be ambushed by your own tools.]
Samantha reappeared with a proud smile. "How was that?"
"Lethal. Use it wisely."
"Oii! What about me?" Valon asked, almost pouting.
"What about you? Go earn it, Mr. Warrior."
"C'mon, man. Please? I'll even call you 'Sir.'"
Samantha and Ruby burst into laughter.
"Fine, peasant. Take these." Nyx tossed two skill balls his way.
Valon caught them like they were diamonds, immediately crushing them. A red mist surrounded him and his eyes lit up. He looked at Nyx like a dog waiting for praise.
"Don't ruin the moment. Let's go hunting."
---
At the guild, Renald was reviewing reports when a knock interrupted him.
"Guildmaster. We have a situation at the north gate."
"Speak."
"We sent a team for monster clearing... but a section of the forest is just... gone. Like it never existed."
Renald's brow twitched.
"They reported it was the area Lady Samantha's group was hunting in."
Renald slowly set his pen down. He saw one face in his mind. One face only. The face of that smug little pyromaniac.
The guild building trembled. It's said that day, from the top floor, a single name echoed with pure, unfiltered rage:
"NYX VAELTHORN!"
---
"Ready for the new shit coming our way?" Valon asked as he hopped into the carriage, a wild grin on his face.
"After all that hunting and those upgrades, if we're still not ready," Nyx replied, stretching his arms behind his head, "then we deserve to drown in a puddle."
He glanced around the cabin, taking in the three seated across from him. A week ago, they were struggling to wipe monsters without a team effort. Now? They were dangerous in their own right. Honestly, they might not even recognize their own reflections anymore.
Just as the last bag was being loaded, Nyx caught sight of two figures approaching—familiar ones. His brow furrowed.
"You two have been acting shady all week, secretive as hell. And now you show up last minute?" Nyx asked, voice low but tinged with annoyance. "What's got you so spooked?"
He hadn't pressed them before—figured Karl and Rhea had their reasons—but some part of him expected they'd talk. That maybe they'd open up before he left.
"Y-Young Master..." Rhea's voice trembled slightly. She hesitated, her fingers clutching the hem of her sleeve. "When... when will you be returning?"
There it was—that fear in her eyes. Not just fear of the unknown, but of being left behind.
Nyx didn't answer right away. He simply walked up and patted her head, the gesture quiet but steady.
"Don't worry. I'm not coming back anytime soon," he said, then added with a small smirk, "Because you're going to join me."
"Eh?" Rhea blinked, confused. "Join—?"
But Nyx just turned to Karl, who met his gaze. No words were exchanged, but the message was loud and clear. Karl gave the faintest nod and looked away.
The carriage started moving. Rhea stood frozen as it pulled off, her heart thudding like it was trying to chase after him.
Then, just as the dust kicked up behind the carriage wheels, Nyx leaned out the window, his voice sharp and clear over the rumble of hooves.
"Take care until we meet again, Rhea!" he shouted, his eyes locking with hers one last time. "And remember—you're not, and never will be, a burden to me. So train hard, yeah? Next time we meet, I want to see just how much stronger you've become!"
Rhea's eyes widened, her throat tightening with emotion. She nodded, hard, clenching her fists with renewed resolve.
They had parted ways—for now. What the future held, and what storms it might bring, only time could reveal. Their words remained unspoken, but sometimes, a glance… a fleeting emotion… was enough to convey everything they couldn't say aloud.
A.N. Hello ghosts of readers, we're going to step into a new arc, be ready for the fun and cursing with your devices up.
Yeah, I didn't get a plot to continue. So, gotta continue the legacy with some twists I think. See you on next chapter. Until then–
Stay healthy, Stay pure, just to get corrupted here~
–Clashercertified