The guild hall looked like a slaughterhouse someone had tried to clean with a broom made of broken glass.
Blood pooled in the grooves between marble tiles. Shattered recording crystals lay everywhere, red lights still blinking like dying eyes. The golden anti-magic barrier hummed overhead, but it flickered weakly now, as if even it was exhausted by what it had just witnessed.
Medical teams poured in through every door, white robes flapping. Healers dropped to their knees beside bodies, hands glowing with weak spells. One woman tried to close the massive wound on a guard's stomach and immediately gagged when she saw the damage.
"Gods… what did this to him?" she whispered, voice shaking.
Another healer knelt beside Vohn Celestine. The Celestial Noble lay on his back, hands clutched between his legs, blood still pumping out in thick, slow pulses. His once-perfect face was twisted in agony. A young male healer tried to examine the damage and immediately turned his head away.
"His… his balls are gone. Completely crushed. The shaft is… shredded. I don't even know where to begin healing this."
Vohn let out a broken, wet sob. "That freak… that fucking monster… I'll kill him… I'll kill every last one of them…"
The guild master was propped against a pillar, every bone in his body feeling like gravel. He kept coughing blood and muttering the same thing over and over.
"He used… his dick… as a weapon… what kind of demon…"
Hunters who had been recording the entire fight stood frozen, crystals still floating in front of them. One man finally lowered his crystal, voice shaking.
"I'm sending this to the main branch right now. The whole city needs to see what just happened here."
Another hunter laughed, but it sounded more like a sob.
"Send it everywhere. The nobles, the military, the pleasure districts. Let them all see. One man walked in here and turned the entire guild into a butcher shop with his… gods, I can't even say it out loud."
Outside the guild, news was already spreading like wildfire. Messengers on fast horses galloped toward the main city. Special forces in black-and-gold uniforms arrived within minutes, faces grim. A high-ranking investigator stepped through the doors, took one look at the carnage, and stopped dead.
"Report," he said quietly.
A surviving guard, voice hoarse, answered.
"One man. He… he destroyed everything. Used some kind of new power. Turned his own body into a weapon. We have the crystals. The footage is… unbelievable."
The investigator's jaw tightened.
"Send every recording to central command. And lock this place down. No one leaves until we know exactly who this guy is."
Meanwhile, at the Alden mansion, the engagement party was in full, decadent swing.
Floating mana orbs drifted lazily above the garden, casting soft golden light over long tables covered in the finest food and drink. Musicians played soft, sensual melodies on stringed instruments. Guests laughed, drank, flirted openly. Luxerian pleasure girls in revealing silks moved among the crowd, their laughter bright and practiced.
Lord Garrick Alden was not in the garden.
He was in his private chamber, his robe thrown open, hairy chest glistening with oil. Three massage girls from the Luxerian delegation surrounded him on the huge bed. One straddled his thick thighs, strong fingers digging into the rolls of fat on his shoulders. Another knelt between his legs, mouth working slow and deep. The third kissed his neck, whispering filthy promises.
"Harder on the neck, mama," Garrick grunted in a high-pitched, childish voice, one meaty hand fisting the kneeling girl's hair. "Little Garrick has been such a good boy today…"
The girl on his lap rocked her hips, grinding against the growing bulge under his robe while playing along.
"Yes, my little lord… you've been so good. Mama will reward you."
The second girl pulled back with a wet pop, strings of spit connecting her lips to his cock. She wiped her mouth and smiled like it was the highest compliment.
"Little Garrick wants big sister to take care of him now?"
Garrick's eyes rolled back as she took him deep again. The sounds grew louder, filthier — wet slurps, heavy breathing, the slap of skin.
Outside the chamber door, the butler waited with fresh towels, pretending he heard nothing. He had served Lord Garrick for forty years. He had seen everything.
A messenger finally arrived, breathless, carrying a sealed letter.
The butler took it, broke the wax, and read it quickly. His face paled.
He knocked once on the chamber door, then entered without waiting for permission.
"My lord… I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your… playtime."
Garrick didn't even look up, hips still moving lazily in that childish rhythm.
"Make it quick, old man. Little Garrick is busy with his mamas."
The butler's voice stayed calm, but there was a slight tremor.
"News from the Luxeria Hunters Guild, my lord. Sir Vohn Celestine has been… severely injured. The same kind of attack that happened to young master Arun. One Man. The guild is in chaos. Special forces have been dispatched. The entire city is already talking about it."
Garrick finally stopped moving. He pushed the girls aside and sat up, robe falling open.
"One Man… the same bastard who nearly killed my son?"
The butler nodded.
"Yes, my lord. The footage is already spreading. They say he… used his own body as a weapon. In ways no one has ever seen before."
Garrick's face twisted with rage and something darker.
"Find him. Bring me his head. And double the guards around the mansion tonight. I want every entrance watched. No one gets in or out without my permission."
He looked at the three massage girls, eyes cold.
"Get dressed. The party is about to start. And someone find my daughters. Tell them to come down. I want them smiling for the guests."
The butler bowed and left quickly.
Back in the garden, the party continued as if nothing was wrong. Guests drank champagne, laughed, flirted. Luxerian pleasure girls moved among them like beautiful shadows.
Lady Selene and Lady Mira stood near the main table, helping Elara adjust her dress for the night. Elara looked pale, eyes downcast.
Selene smiled sweetly, fingers brushing Elara's collarbone.
"Don't be so nervous, little sister. The prince is going to love you. Just remember to smile and spread your legs when he asks."
Mira laughed softly, adjusting Elara's neckline to show more skin.
"And if you're good, maybe we'll let you watch us later. We learned everything from Father, after all."
Elara said nothing. She just stared at the ground.
The musicians picked up a livelier tune. The party was only getting started.
And somewhere far away!
A golden panel unfolded in front of Reon's eyes — private mode, invisible to Shizu.
[MISSION UPDATED]
Primary Objective: Reach the Vossara Clan
Cure the Viper Plague
Reward: 20,000 Anium Units + 2,500 XP
Reon's steps faltered for half a second.
"Vossara Clan… where the hell is that?"
The system's voice came back soft and teasing, the new girly tone still carrying that cheeky edge.
"That's what the new World Map is for, sweet boy. Open it. Zoom in. You can treat it like your own little VR playground now~"
Reon focused. A translucent globe appeared in the corner of his vision, spinning slowly. He mentally zoomed in, the map expanding like a living thing. Mountains, rivers, cities, tiny moving dots that represented caravans and people — everything rendered in crisp detail.
He pinpointed their current location — the factory district on the outskirts of Luxeria. Then he searched for "Vossara Clan."
A red marker appeared deep underground, far to the north, beneath a dense forest range. The map labeled it as a hidden subterranean network.
"Underground…" he muttered under his breath. "Of course it is."
Shizu glanced at him, silver-blue hair sticking to her sweaty forehead.
"Reon? What are you doing? You're just waving your hand in the air like a crazy person."
He didn't answer right away. The map was private — she couldn't see the glowing globe or the markers. To her, he looked like he was gesturing at nothing.
Shizu's steps slowed a little. She looked down at the road, then at Seryth's pale face.
Why am I even still here? she thought, the words heavy in her mind. I lost my job at the guild. Everyone always takes advantage of me. They see a girl with healing magic and think they can use me until I break. Reon… he's different, but how long until he does the same? I'm just a stray cat to him right now. Useful when he needs me, forgotten when he doesn't.
Reon noticed her silence. He slowed his pace, still carrying Seryth, and glanced sideways at her.
"Shizu… you okay?"
She forced a small, tired smile.
"Yeah. Just… thinking. You're doing that hand thing again. What is it? Some new system trick?"
He hesitated, then decided to be honest.
"The new map feature. It's like… a floating globe only I can see. I can zoom in, mark places. The system just gave me a mission. We need to go to Seryth's clan. The Vossara Clan. It's underground, far north. That's where the plague is coming from. That's why she's like this."
Shizu's eyes widened a fraction.
"So… you're planning to go there? With her? With… both of us?"
Reon nodded.
The family from the picnic was already far behind them now. The father had waved them off with a worried look, the mother pressing one last bundle of food into Shizu's hands. The little boy had shouted "Come back and be my knight princess!" one last time. The daughters had said quiet goodbyes, eyes full of curiosity and a touch of envy.
Reon had thanked them again, genuinely, before they set off.
Now it was just the three of them on the empty road.
The road stretched ahead of them, the factory district slowly giving way to open fields and distant forests. The sun was beginning its slow descent, painting the sky in warm oranges and pinks.
The system poked, voice silky and teasing.
"Master… you will go, right? Hey, Master, you will go, right? But how are we gonna get there? Are you gonna just walk the whole way? We don't remember, oh shit, do I…"
Reon let out a tired breath.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going. But you're right — we can't just run there on foot. It's too far, and underground? How the hell do we even reach the entrance without getting spotted?"
The system giggled, sounding like a cheeky older sister who knew exactly how to push his buttons.
"Oh, sweet boy… you really are cute when you're lost. Don't worry. I can guide you. But first… look at that devastated girl beside you. She saved your life, remember? If I hadn't shut down back then, you wouldn't crashed into that river. She pulled you out. And now you're ignoring her like she's some stray cat on the side of the road. Not good, Master. Not good at all."
Reon's steps slowed. He glanced sideways at Shizu.
She was walking quietly, eyes on the road, hair swaying with each step. She looked… tired. Lonely. Like she was carrying something heavy she didn't want to share.
He realized the system was right. He had been so focused on Seryth and the mission that he had barely said two words to Shizu since they left the family.
He shifted Seryth's weight a little and spoke gently.
"Shizu… you've been quiet. What's on your mind?"
Shizu looked up, surprised. For a second she didn't answer, then she let out a small, bitter laugh.
"What's on my mind? I don't know why I'm even here, Reon. I mean… I lost my job at the guild. Everyone I've ever known has either used me for my healing or thrown me away when they were done. No one ever stayed. Why would you? I feel like a stray cat you picked up because you felt sorry for me. Useful when you need me, forgotten when you don't."
Reon stopped walking. He turned to face her fully, Seryth still held carefully in his arms.
"You're not a stray cat," he said, voice low and steady. "You saved my life. If you hadn't dragged me out of that river, I'd be dead. You didn't have to help a stranger who fell from the sky covered in blood and screaming. You did it anyway. That's not bad luck, Shizu. That's the opposite."
He took a small step closer, eyes locked on hers.
"And I'm not like the others. I'm not going to use you and throw you away. You're not just useful. You're… someone I want with me. If you'll come."
Shizu stared at him. For a moment her tough tomboy mask cracked completely. Her blue eyes softened, and a small, genuine smile tugged at her lips.
"You're really bad at this romantic stuff, you know that?" she said, voice a little shaky but warm. "But… yeah. I'll come. Someone has to keep you from getting yourself killed with that ridiculous new skill of yours."
Reon let out a short, relieved laugh.
"Good. Then it's settled."
The system's voice chimed in, sounding almost proud.
"Aww, look at you two. So cute. But don't forget the mission, Master. The Vossara Clan is waiting. And Seryth needs that cure soon."
Reon glanced down at Seryth's peaceful face, then at Shizu.
"We'll rest for a minute, then head north. The map shows an underground entrance not too far from here. We'll figure out the rest on the way."
Shizu nodded, stepping a little closer so their shoulders brushed as they started walking again.
The road stretched ahead of them, the factory district slowly giving way to open fields and distant forests. The sun was beginning its slow descent, painting the sky in warm oranges and pinks.
For the first time in a long while, the three of them felt like they had a direction.
A real one.
The journey to save Seryth's clan — and perhaps to build something new together — had just begun.