The sound of shattering glass was like a thunderclap in the silent, opulent hall of Elder Thorne's mansion. Shards of crystal rained down like diamonds, reflecting the flickering candlelight before embedding themselves into the expensive silk rugs. The music stopped instantly. The laughter died in the throats of the noble guests.
In the center of the broken balcony stood a figure draped in shadows. Arlan's silhouette was framed by the moonlight, his tattered clothes fluttering in the night breeze. His face was partially hidden, but his eyes—glowing with an unnatural, predatory golden light—pierced through the dimness of the room.
"Who goes there?!" Elder Thorne roared, slamming his golden goblet onto the table. "Guards! Seize this intruder!"
Marcus, the Elder's son, stood up slowly, his hand moving to the hilt of the ornamental sword at his waist. He squinted at the intruder, his eyes widening as recognition slowly dawned on him. "No... it can't be. Arlan?"
The name rippled through the crowd like a poisonous gas. Elena, sitting beside Marcus, turned deathly pale. Her wine glass slipped from her fingers, shattering on the floor, mirroring the balcony glass.
"Arlan?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "But you... you were sacrificed. No one survives the Forbidden Forest."
Arlan stepped forward into the light, each footfall sounding like the beat of a funeral drum. He ignored the guests and looked directly at Marcus and Elena. "I survived for one reason," Arlan said, his voice cold and raspy. "To see the look on your faces when I returned from the hell you sent me to."
[System Alert: Target Marcus (Level 5 - Warrior) Identified!]
[Target Elder Thorne (Level 8 - Mage) Identified!]
[Hostility: Absolute. Tactical Recommendation: Eliminate.]
Ten elite mansion guards rushed into the hall, their steel armor clanking. They surrounded Arlan, their spears pointed at his chest. These weren't the lazy gate guards; these were trained killers.
"Kill him!" Thorne screamed, his face purple with rage. "I don't care if he's a ghost or a man! Bring me his head!"
The first two guards lunged. Arlan didn't even draw his dagger yet. He moved with a speed that defied human logic.
[Activating Skill: Shadow Step!]
In a puff of dark mist, Arlan vanished from between the spears. He reappeared behind the guards, his fists moving in a blur. CRACK. Two swift blows to the back of their helmets sent the guards crashing into the banquet table, scattering roasted meats and fine wine everywhere.
[Experience Gained: 50 Exp]
[Experience Gained: 50 Exp]
"Is this the best Oakhaven has to offer?" Arlan mocked, finally reaching for the hilt of the Shadow Dagger. As the blade left its sheath, a wave of cold energy washed over the room. The torches flickered and dimmed, as if the blade itself was consuming the light.
Marcus, unable to bear the humiliation any longer, drew his sword and pushed past the guards. "You were always trash, Arlan! Leveling up a bit doesn't change that! I'll send you back to the dirt myself!"
Marcus charged, his sword glowing with a faint blue aura—a Rank F skill, 'Heavy Strike.' He swung downward with enough force to split a boulder.
Arlan didn't retreat. He raised the Shadow Dagger, meeting the massive sword head-on. CLANG! The sound was deafening. To everyone's horror, Arlan didn't budge an inch. The 'trash' was holding back the strongest young warrior of the village with a single hand.
"Your strength is as hollow as your heart, Marcus," Arlan hissed.
[Skill Activated: Soul Crush!]
Arlan's hand turned a deep, bruised purple as the aura of the system flared. He slammed his palm into Marcus's chest. The impact sounded like a hammer hitting a drum. Marcus gasped, his eyes bulging as the air was forced out of his lungs. He was sent flying backward, crashing into the stone fireplace.
"Marcus!" Elena screamed, running toward him. She looked at Arlan with a mixture of fear and loathing. "How could you? We did what was best for the village!"
Arlan laughed, a dry, humorless sound. "Best for the village? Or best for your greed? You sold my life for a title and a bag of gold coins."
Elder Thorne stood up, his hands glowing with a dangerous red fire. "Enough! I will burn you to ashes myself, boy!"
[Warning: High-Level Magic detected!]
[Quest Update: Defeat Elder Thorne]
[Reward: 1500 Exp, Level Up, Unlock: System Shop (Gold Grade)]
Arlan felt the heat rising in the room. Thorne was a Level 8 Mage, the strongest person Arlan had ever faced. But Arlan wasn't afraid. He felt the System pulsing in his mind, ready for the slaughter.
"System," Arlan whispered, "Release all constraints. I want them to see what a 'God-Slayer' looks like."
[Constraints Released. Berserk Mode: Activated (Duration: 5 Minutes)]
Arlan's golden eyes bled into a deep, vengeful red. The Shadow Dagger grew longer, shrouded in a flame of black mana. The real battle was about to begin. The feast was over; the massacre had started.
The air in the banquet hall crackled with raw, unbridled mana as Elder Thorne began to chant. His eyes turned a sickly, glowing red, matching the inferno dancing in his palms. "You think a small dagger and some parlor tricks make you a God-Slayer?" Thorne roared. "I have spent forty years mastering the flame! I am the law of Oakhaven!"
Suddenly, Thorne unleashed a massive wave of fire—the Rank D Skill: 'Inferno Pillar'. A literal wall of flame erupted from the floor, rushing toward Arlan with a roar that drowned out the screams of the terrified noble guests.
[Warning: Massive Heat Damage Imminent!]
[Analyzing Enemy Pattern... Error: Mana levels too high!]
Arlan didn't flinch. Instead of dodging, he tightened his grip on the Shadow Dagger. The blade vibrated, sensing the incoming energy.
"System, if I am to be a Slayer, then let me start by slaying this flame," Arlan muttered.
[Skill Synced: Shadow Step + Soul Crush!]
Just as the fire was about to incinerate him, Arlan disappeared. He didn't just move; he slipped into the very shadows cast by the fire itself. In a heartbeat, he appeared directly behind Thorne. The Elder's eyes widened, but it was too late. Arlan's hand, still glowing with the purple aura of Soul Crush, slammed into Thorne's back.
BOOM!
The impact didn't just hurt; it shattered Thorne's mana shield. The Elder was thrown across the room, crashing through the long banquet table. Silver platters and roasted poultry flew into the air as the most powerful man in the village landed in a heap of broken wood and spilled gravy.
[Critical Hit!]
[Enemy Mana Shield: Destroyed!]
[Experience Gained: 800 Exp]
Elena watched from the corner, her face a mask of pure horror. The boy she had looked down upon, the "trash" she had betrayed, was now standing over the strongest mage she knew.
Arlan turned his gaze toward Marcus, who was slowly crawling away from the fireplace. "You're next, Marcus," Arlan said, his voice dropping to a terrifyingly low tone. "You wanted to see me broken in the forest. Now, I want to see how much your pride is worth when you're begging for your life."
[Final Boss Phase Triggered: Elder Thorne is entering a Berserk State!]
Thorne stood up among the ruins of the table, his robes tattered. "I will not... be defeated... by a brat like you!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dark, pulsing crystal—a Forbidden Mana Stone. As he crushed it, the room began to shake. The shadows in the corners of the hall started to crawl toward him, feeding his dying flames.
Arlan smirked, the red glow in his eyes intensifying. "Finally, a real fight."
[New Mission Objective: Kill or Capture the Corrupted Elder!]
[Estimated Reward: 2,000 Exp and a Mystery Treasure Chest!]