The emergency siren blared, a stark contrast to the DPO's usually sterile environment. A Rank-S Dungeon Break was far more serious than a mere monster sighting. These were events that could wipe out entire towns.
"Everyone! To the Southern Gate!" the Overseer commanded, his voice now serious. He looked at Seo-jun and Seo-ah. "This is your trial by fire. If you perform well, your status here will be secure." Then he glanced at Heixin. "And you, 'clumsy boy.' Stay close to your new parents."
The DPO agents, a mix of seasoned warriors and mana-users, moved with practiced efficiency. Seo-jun, Seo-ah, Seo-jin, Seo-yun, and Heixin were assigned to a small squad led by a gruff Knight Captain named Valerius.
Into the Chaos
As they approached the Southern Gate, the air grew thick with a putrid smell. Beyond the gate, a massive, shadowy portal pulsed, spitting out grotesque creatures. These were Void Spawn—hulking beasts with razor claws and eyes that glowed with malevolence.
"Form up! Protect the civilians!" Valerius bellowed, drawing his gleaming broadsword.
Seo-jun and Seo-ah, despite their fear, understood their roles. They were given basic mana-infused daggers and told to focus on support, distracting weaker monsters. Seo-jin and Seo-yun were instructed to stay behind Heixin, who was given a heavy, but dull, iron shield.
"Heixin, your job is to guard the children," Valerius ordered, underestimating the quiet boy.
The First Wave
The battle was a terrifying symphony of roars, clashing steel, and the crackle of magic. A huge Void Spawn, easily two stories tall, smashed through the DPO's frontline, heading straight for Valerius's squad.
"Protect the kids!" Seo-ah screamed, pushing Seo-yun behind Heixin.
The monster raised a massive, clawed hand, ready to crush them all. Seo-jun instinctively lunged forward, trying to block with his small dagger, knowing it was futile.
But then, something happened.
Just as the claw descended, an invisible force slammed into the Void Spawn. It wasn't magic, it wasn't a sword. It was as if the very air itself had solidified and punched the beast. The Void Spawn stumbled, its attack thrown off course, crashing harmlessly into the ground a foot away.
"What was that?!" Valerius yelled, momentarily confused.
No one saw anything. Only Heixin, standing calmly, with the heavy shield still untouched in his hand. He had, with an imperceptible shift in his stance, channeled a fraction of his raw physical energy—an Unseen Ripple—to deflect the attack.
The Secret Protector
More Void Spawns charged. One launched itself at Seo-jin, who froze in terror.
THWACK!
Again, an invisible force. The monster was suddenly launched backward with incredible speed, hitting another creature and sending them both sprawling. It looked like a DPO mage had cast a powerful knock-back spell, but no mage was in position.
Heixin's eyes, however, briefly glowed a faint gold. He was moving, not with speed, but with an absolute mastery of his own suppressed power. Every time a monster got too close to his family, an "accident" happened.
A monster's leg would mysteriously snap, sending it tumbling. Another's head would hit an invisible wall and recoil, dazed. To the DPO, it looked like sheer luck, or perhaps even divine intervention. To Heixin, it was just keeping his loved ones safe.
He didn't draw a sword. He didn't cast a spell. He just was. He was the impenetrable shield, the unseen force, the silent protector.
Valerius, fighting fiercely nearby, kept glancing back. He saw Heixin standing there, seemingly doing nothing, yet every time a monster threatened the children, it met an unexpected obstacle. "This kid... he's too lucky," Valerius muttered, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes.
The battle raged on, but under the unseen protection of Heixin, the family survived the first terrifying wave. He knew this was just the beginning. The Demon Lord's remnants were far more cunning than these mindless beasts.