Arrogant Heroes Try to Execute Him, Unaware He Conquered SSS-Portal Alone

As the sun began to set, Vivy shouted to her friend Derek that they only had a few seconds before a portal opened. She reminded him that once he was inside the portal, he would only have a few minutes to save everyone. At the last minute, she reiterated that he should not be inside the portal when it closed. Dererick chugged down his beer in one go and told her that he knew what to do. He then came down the building and walked Toward her, pointing out that he knew the drill since it was not the first

time that he had saved her team. He activated his power and told her that the mission was quite easy since it had been routine for him. At that moment, the portal fully opened and Dererick got ready to enter it. He stepped into the portal and was transported into a blazing world. A person could be seen injured on the ground and the monsters roared, showing their dominance and Power. He found another person injured and tried to save him. While the monsters started to surround them, he struggled to save the person. Decades later, Dererick and his disheveled

self is still being haunted by the memories of what happened in that day. It was supposed to be a simple mission, but after years of mastering the system on his own, he now know better than to try and help people. He then flashbacks to the past when he gets to that portal. Since Vivy could not hold the portal any longer, the others hurried to get out of the portal while the rest fought the monsters. He was one of the strongest system users on the planet. And because of this, he thought that he could save everyone.

As he continued to fight the monsters, one of the adventurers told him that the portal was closing and that they needed to hurry. However, he remained determined to save everyone and managed to fight off enough monsters to Create an opening. As a final push, he grabbed the injured man and ran with him as the portal was closing. He encouraged him to go further and to keep moving until they were safe. However, before they could even reach the portal, another monster appeared and attacked the injured man. Dererick noticed that the portal was slowly closing and ran

toward the small gap which was only enough to fit him. While trying to escape, he regretted saving the others Since now it seemed like he would not survive himself. In that instant, the portal completely closed, leaving Dererick trapped inside. Dererick in the present goes down on his knees and asks what he did to deserve such an unfortunate fate. He questions whether he is just not strong enough or if someone betrayed him. He immediately dismisses the idea and believes that his mind is just playing tricks on him. He reiterates to himself that Vivy and the Others

are probably looking for him, so he must not lose hope. He reassures himself that they will open a portal for him soon and that he will escape the hell he is in. He counts the days that have passed, hoping that he will be rescued. He does not know if he has been trapped for months or decades to keep himself sane. He practices with his glaive until he masters it. He also meditates for days on end to keep his mind calm. He trains his body to its Peak, growing stronger than he ever thought possible. He repeats

the cycle every day without missing a routine, hoping that one day he will escape the portal and see the sun again. Suddenly, he hears the system, giving him a warning about the host moving out of the system range. The blaring sound of the system error echoes throughout the portal. Dererick shouts in frustration, not wanting to lose his connection with the system as well. It is all that is Left to him, and he feels like he is finally going insane without it. Tears stream from his eyes as he wallows in despair. Out of frustration, he strikes

the void with his closed fist, creating cracks on the invisible walls of the portal. He looks back at his own cracked image and finally begins letting go of the hope he held on to for the longest time. He is not giving up, yet he wishes that he could just die right there. He had lost himself before, and now it is Happening again. In that moment, he shuts his eyes and lets the darkness carry him to a cold, cruel place until he hears a loud crack in the portal and is shocked that it is not reforming

back to its original form. He smiles in triumph upon seeing this, reigniting his will to get out of the portal. He does not care where it leads or what is on the other side as long as he gets out of the bitter place he is in. Raising his weapon, he uses it to damage the portal Walls even more. He laughs maniacally as he watches the walls slowly crumble down. Accepting death on the other side is much better than staying inside the void for one more minute. Just then, he feels something while digging into the portal

walls. A loud boom follows and he is sent to the other side of the wall. He winces in pain after hitting his head from the impact. Still reeling, he looks at the source of the hole in his prison and is shocked to see a monster roaring At him. The monster bears its fangs and he knows that things are about to get messy. He chuckles knowing that he can make use of his training and test how strong he is without his system. The monster opens its mouth, forming a power ball inside it. It releases the ball,

but Dererick is fast enough to dodge the attack swiftly. However, on the second attack, he cannot dodge fast enough, so he crashes and tumbles along the portal walls. He lands on the ground, wincing In pain, and is now sure that he is not merely hallucinating the presence of the monster inside the portal. He groans and notices that he is bleeding from his injuries. Instead of being worried, he finds it exciting that he has bled after a long time. He gets fired up and states that he would rather choose death and fight the monster than stay

inside the portal any longer. Maybe this is sanity, but after being trapped for decades, he feels like he can face anything after Losing his will to live. He lunges at the monster using his weapon. Equipped with everything he learned during his training. He clashes with the monster, channeling all his power into his spear. The impact causes a massive blast, and he leaps away to save himself from the debris. After defeating the monster, he finally manages to get out of the portal and see the sun again after what feels like an eternity. Upon seeing the real

world, he shouts at the top of his lungs In happiness. A short while earlier, a confused boy makes his way through the forest. Suddenly, he hears rustling leaves and frantically tries to escape, blaming himself for wandering too far from the village. If only he had waited a few more days, he would not be in such danger. He trips on a rock and stumbles toward the edge of a cliff. A monster wolf chases after him and he shakes in fear. Knowing this could be the end, the cliff crumbles beneath him and he free Falls toward his

death. The monster wolf leaps after him, bearing its fangs. Determined to bite him, he shouts for help, hoping someone can hear him. Moments later, he falls into the water but manages to swim to shore. His attention is caught by a strange crack in the sky, followed by a blinding light and a splash in the sea. The boy shuddters at the sight of Derek, whom he believes to be a demon based on his disheveled appearance. Suddenly, his System warns him that an invading system has been detected, and Dererick feels threatened as he tries to flee from

the imminent danger. Dererick gets washed ashore. Meanwhile, a wolf monster spots him while he is unconscious. Dererick dreams of when he was trapped in the portal for so long, stripped bare and stretched thin until he was nothing but broken fragments drifting in the void. He wonders if his life before he got trapped, his system and his home were All gone now, or if it had all just been a dream. His consciousness is brought back to the present when he is being nibbled. He tries to sleep some more, but feels ticklish and laughs at the sensation,

causing the wolf to bite him with more force. This wakes him up, and he grabs the wolf by its neck and slaps it hard. Meanwhile, a boy watches him from behind the bushes and from his perspective sees him as a demon who can easily defeat a wolf monster. Dererick Is surprised to see the wolf and thinks of it as a puppy. He then looks around and sees nothing but dying trees, withering plants, and decaying bodies. Yet, to him, it all looks beautiful. The wolf growls again, interrupting his moment of appreciation, and he hushes it once

more and makes it sit beside him. He realizes it was not just a dream and that his system is back. But when he checks it, he notices that it is different from his old system and that His achievements and skills are gone. To test it, he tries to activate his energy slash, which should release a wave of energy from his blade. But despite swinging his weapon, the skill does not activate. He remembers the error message he heard earlier mentioning an invading system, and wonders if that means there were two systems from the start, or if

his old system somehow combined with a new one. While the wolf continues nibbling on his arm, he wonders how he Even got out of the portal. and where he is. As he thinks deeply, he hears rustling from the forest and is surprised to see a boy begging on his knees, asking to be spared because he is just trying to find his way home. Dererick is shocked that the boy is afraid of him and thinks he looks like a man-eating demon. Confused, he asks what about him looks like that, then smiles with glowing blue eyes while

the wolf continues biting his arm, oblivious to How dangerous he appears. The wolf barks at the boy and Dererick immediately scolds it for being a bad dog, causing the boy to think he is insane. Dererick apologizes to the boy and extends his hand, introducing himself as Derek. The boy hesitates, but introduces himself as Thomas. Dererick asks what level he is and if he is afraid of the wolf, and Thomas explains that he is not yet 13, so he is still level zero and cannot use the system until then, at which point They must kill a

creature to unlock it. Upon hearing this, Dererick looks at the wolf beside him and kills it without hesitation. Thomas is shocked and says that Dererick knew from the start that the wolf was not a pet and was only playing with it out of boredom while protecting him. Dererick checks his system and sees that it has unlocked, raising him to level one, and that he has obtained the Giant Slayer title for killing a creature over 50 levels Higher, earning two skill points and 282 experience, which excites him greatly. However, he hears the same error message again,

warning of a failure to eliminate a threat, followed shortly by a notice that the threat has been successfully suppressed. Dererick realizes his earlier hunch was correct and that he has two systems within him, making his freedom even more exciting. He hears Thomas's stomach growl and realizes the boy is starving. So, later they roast Some meat and Dererick gives him water, reminding him not to drink too fast. While eating, Dererick thinks about how to access his original system and decides to purchase meditation as a skill, only to feel a loud thump in his heart as his

old meditation-like skill is detected and merged with the new system, electrocuting his body briefly. After the merging stops, his body returns to normal, though his veins feel like they are on fire as the skill Upgrades to level 20. He confirms that his old skills still exist, but remain dormant until a similar one is acquired, allowing them to unlock and upgrade. and he smirks at the realization that he will become even stronger than before. Later, he asks Thomas to cut his hair with a razor while they travel. And although the boy is nervous, Dererick reassures him.

As they walk through the forest with Derek carrying Thomas on his back, he encourages the boy to talk About the world. And Thomas explains that everything is ruled by the great system, which his grandfather says is fair, though in reality, nobles exploit it to gain power and oppress others, leading to his parents' deaths. Angered, Thomas accidentally cuts Dererick's hair badly and panics, but Dererick calms him, checks his reflection, and lets him live. Later, Dererick wakes Thomas and finds themselves in front of a ruined house, which Thomas recognizes as Belonging to Jones, an old man nearly

level 30 who should not have been killed by anything in the forest. Dererick is skeptical since he easily killed a level 53 wolf, and Thomas urges him to hurry to the village to warn the chief, Raina. Meanwhile, deep in the forest, a glowing green orb attracts a wolf monster, only to transform into a horrifying skeletal creature that kills the wolf instantly and wanders the woods in search of its next victim. Mal asks her daughter, Brandy, if she can carry the fresh laundry in the basket. The young woman enthusiastically answers that she can since she has

unlocked the great system. However, she trembles the moment she carries the laundry basket and has a hard time bringing it home. Mal mentions that she should ask her father for some leather from the hunt since she likes it so much. The girl immediately gets excited knowing that she can practice her leather working skill. Mal smiles at Her and adds that he might even help her skin the animal as an additional lesson. However, her expression immediately shifts after this. She remembers the time her father takes her to the forest to unlock her great system. He points

out that she is 13 now and that this means she needs to decide how she is going to contribute to the village. He then shows her a level 10 monster called a fluffy fox. Even though she is initially against it, she has no choice But to kill the fluffy fox to activate her system. She feels like she makes a mistake and shares that she cannot stomach killing animals again. Mal tries to cheer her up, saying that she will get used to it. Although she wishes that her husband did not give her the cutest beast to

slay. Just then, she is shocked when her husband Travis arrives full of injuries. He frantically tells her to take Brandy to the eastern gate and escape. Worried, they rush to his side, Asking what is going on. He informs them that strong beasts are attacking and that they are something they have never fought before. He tells them to hurry and reminds his daughter to always listen to her mother. Mal hesitates to leave him behind, but he urges her to escape since they have no time. He bids them goodbye and tells them that he loves them so

much. The mother and daughter run into the forest. Brandy cries as they escape, worried about her Father. Mal assures her daughter that her father will come back to them safely since he is a strong warrior. Later at the eastern part of the forest, a man leads the survivors from their village. The plan is to travel to Raina village and seek shelter there for the meantime. He assures them that their hunters will be right behind them to keep them safe while they escape and guarantees their well-being. In that moment, he feels a dangerous presence behind him.

And when He turns, he sees a hideous monster lunging in his direction. Before he can react, the monster devours him along with others. The villagers freeze in fear at the sight. The monsters snarl at them, ready to pounce and feast on them at any minute. Mal looks at her daughter and urgently tells her to run. Right on Q, a monster jumps at them and Mal tries to protect Brandy from being attacked. Left with no choice, Brandy runs away while her mother does her best to hold It off as she escapes. Mal accepts her fate of

dying as long as her daughter can live. Brandy runs away with tears in her eyes and bumps into someone. The person asks if she needs help and it turns out to be Derek with Thomas. The boy reprimands him for asking since it is obvious that the girl needs help. Dererick answers that he does not want to meddle unless they ask him to. Thomas runs to Brandy and tries to comfort her and she desperately clings to him, Asking him to help them and not let her mother die. Hearing this, Dererick brings out his dagger and effortlessly

strikes the monster, killing it in an instant. He asks if they need the other three monsters for experience, but Mal tells him to finish them all. Thrilled, he lets them attack, then leaps and retaliates from above, slashing the beasts in one move. After annihilating them, he realizes that he is wrong after all since he does not have fun at all. He finds them weak. Meanwhile, Mal hugs her daughter tightly after almost being killed by the monsters. Brandy cries, worried for her father. Mal reassures her that Travis is going to be okay since he is a

very strong man. But she quietly notes that her husband is not as strong as the stranger who saves them. In fact, she has never met anyone that strong in all the villages and she is stunned by how easily he kills the beasts. She thanks him for saving them And asks who he is. Dererick replies that he is just a regular guy taking Thomas back to his village and pats the boy's head. He invites them to join them on the way to Thomas's village. However, the boy tries to convince him to help them a little more.

Dererick points out that he promises to take him home, not help all of her friends. He also adds that from the looks of it, the village is most likely already destroyed. One of the villagers asks if Grace Falls sends Him to find out what is wrong. Dererick replies no, but Thomas still tries to convince him to save the village and urges him to move. Dererick refuses to help and points out that they only agree to exchange information and get him home safely, adding that he does not sign up to risk his life for strangers. Dererick

tells him that the reason he is strong is because he relies on himself and does not put his faith in others to help him. Most importantly, he does not go out of His way to be heroic. When things become uncontrollable and something terrible happens to him, it is because he goes out of his way to help others. He learns the hard way and realizes that he should not meddle in other people's business. Thomas points out that since he is strong, he should help others. Dererick scoffs and mocks him for thinking so simply. The boy reiterates

that nothing can hurt him. So, it is fine for him to fight and not need anyone else. He Pounds on his chest repeatedly, trying to prove that he cannot be hurt. The boy starts to cry and calls him a prick for not wanting to use his power for good. Dererick agrees that he is not a good person and tells him that life is not a fairy tale, hoping that one day he realizes it too. In this way, he can get strong and when that happens, he can decide to be a hero himself. That is the

only way to survive in the cruel world they live in. Thomas glares at him and Seeing the determination in the boy's eyes, Dererick remembers what he used to be. Unexpectedly, it stirs something deeply ingrained in him that is hard to break free from. Suddenly, he grabs the boy and carries him on his back again. Thomas is confused by his actions and asks what he is doing. Dererick replies that they are going to save the village. Thomas looks shocked. They are inside the burning village and Dererick fights a humongous monster. The beast roars Echoing throughout the

scorching village. Earlier when they arrive, Thomas witnesses the grotesque truth of people dying from the monster attack. He knows Dererick wants him to see reality and learn from it. Dererick tells him that what he is seeing is the consequence of being weak. Then it dawns on the boy that this is not a rescue mission but a recovery mission. Suddenly, Dererick stops and prevents him from moving forward. They wait for a While and Dererick becomes alert after feeling a presence nearby. Suddenly, a man rises from beneath a boulder. Thomas immediately recognizes him as the village chief.

Dererick tries to stop him, but Thomas rushes to the chief's side. He then notices Bry's father, who is fatally injured after fighting off monsters. The man breathes his last, and Leon knows it is already too late for Travis. Dererick asks if they have a healer who can help him. The chief Replies that a healer with extraordinary power would never visit their humble village. Hearing this, Dererick considers using the last resurrection potion in his storage bracelet. However, he stops himself and reminds himself not to let Thomas' misplaced heroism influence him. Instead of using the potion, he

does the only thing he can and helps them say their final goodbyes. Later, Mal and Brandy cry over Travis's death. Brandy runs to her father and Begs him not to leave them. Travis reaches for her face, tells her to be strong for her mother, and says he loves her for the last time. Brandy cries loudly in grief. After some time, Dererick tells them they need to leave as soon as possible since the area is unsafe. He sees Thomas crying and tries to comfort him, saying that it is not easy, but that he will get used

to it. Leon reacts negatively and confronts Derk, asking who he is and saying that He should not speak to the child like that. He points out that Dererick is not from their village and questions why he stays with Thomas. The boy steps between them, saying that Dererick is not entirely wrong and that he understands what he means. His parents never come home one day and although it is hard, he tries to get used to it. He admits that he is jealous because he never gets to say goodbye to his family. The adults walk behind him

as he reflects on life. Meanwhile, Dererick checks his system notifications and discovers that he levels up from the monsters he kills earlier. The system allows him to choose a class. He wonders if he can choose the same class as before and finds that the options are more extraordinary than the old ones. He reads through them, including Shadowbrawler, Epic Hero, and Eternal Guardian. He hesitates until he sees the option to become the champion of the void, which makes him tremble. He Realizes that the void will become part of him, and he will never be trapped by

it again. Remembering the darkness he once endured, he accepts the class and selects it. His body glows, shocking Leon and Thomas. The chief warns Thomas to stay away as Dererick undergoes the transformation. Inside, Dererick gains new skills such as channel and void call. He immediately activates void call, releasing immense power that even the chief cannot believe. Mal and Brandy See the surge of power from afar. However, as the energy stabilizes, a void beast emerges from a crack in the void. Leyon and the others are all stupified by the appearance of the void monster. Dererick got

thrilled that he got his own summon. The monster got out of the crack and approached him. He wondered what he could call he monster. thinking about the name Asher. The monster was a bit smaller than the other monsters he fought, but he can work with It. Leon saw him smiling and wondered if he knew what a void monster is, only to realize that the peculiar man in front of them looked like could actually control the beast. Derek tried to command the beasts to sit. However, to everyone's surprise, it attacked him and slammed him to the

other side of the forest. Worried, Thomas tried to check on him, but the chief stopped him again from doing so. Frustrated with his pet, Dererick decided to end it for not Following his command. He told Leyon and Thomas to get out of there for their safety, and so he wouldn't hold back. He commanded his system to identify the monster, but the new system couldn't get any information about it. Remembering the first void monster he encountered, he told himself that the beast in front of him was probably hard to fight. If he wanted to win, there

should be no room for error. He rushed to the monster and fight with it head-on. To his shocked, It blocked his attack with nothing but its palm. Then in a split second, it sent him flying into the sky and tossed him again before he could even gain back his momentum. The attack sent him to barreling to the ground, which caused him serious injuries. Before he could even make a move, the void monster was moving again towards his direction. Because of this, he wondered if he tried to play dead, maybe he it would leave him alone.

However, moments later, he Realized this wasn't going to be the case since the monster continued to attack him, slamming him repeatedly to different directions. At this point, his health dropped to 20% and he activated his meditation skill to avoid further getting injured. However, this proved ineffective since his health became lower and lower. Thomas looked back at him with tears in his eyes as he continued to run with others. He silently prayed that Dererick live and Survive. The void monster prepared to attack again while Dererick was still trying to figure how he can fight back the

formidable monster. He looked for skills that could save him and found one that could actually be useful. After choosing the heavy weapons master skill, multiple similar skills were found and all of them merged. The monster slammed him again while his skills level rose to level 20. After the skill successfully upgraded, Dererick got a powerful boost And tried to deal damage to the monster. However, he realized that the void is nullifying his attack. And there is one thing he hasn't tried yet. He then used the skill he acquired earlier together with the void call. He activated

channel void and this caused an immense power which uncontrollably surged within him. With this he tried to strike again the beast and finally he was able to defeat it with a single attack. After slaying the beast he unlocked points and his Skill leveled up. Elsewhere a butler knocks on his master's door and reports that a void beast was detected. The woman finds this interesting and commands him to send a hunter to investigate. Leon and the others safely arrive at their hideout in the forest. The villagers ask if they can finally go home after the monster

attack and check on their family members. But Leyon has a hard time explaining and sheds tears. With a pained voice, he tells them that There is nothing to go back to and that he has failed as their chieftain. He is so embarrassed that he wishes he had died with them. However, Dererick tells him that he should not be too hard on himself. Thomas is shocked that the man is actually alive and runs to his side to hug him. Dererick mentions that he will not be easily defeated. Thomas gets flustered by his actions and lets go

of him. Dererick then approaches Mal and Brandy and apologizes for their loss. Before he leaves, he stores her husband's body in his storage bracelet and keeps it so he can be given a proper burial. Surprised by his kind gesture, Mal thanks him for what he did since it is a big deal for them. Dererick simply gives her a silent nod, acknowledging her gratitude. As nightfalls, Leon and the others gathered to talk about what happened earlier. Leon asks about the void monster from before and Dererick assures them that the creature is Already defeated. He admits that

he has a hard time at first, but once he realizes what he needs to do, he becomes unstoppable. However, Thomas doubts this as his grandmother once tells him stories about void monsters to keep him from wandering into the forest alone, and he believes it must still be nearby, recuperating. Remembering what happened, Mal agrees with Thomas, adding that she has never encountered anyone who wins a battle against such a creature. Dererick Tries to play it off so he can stay low-key and acts as if it is nothing. The next morning, Mal wakes everyone up and tells

them to keep moving so they can reach Raina Village before sundown. While preparing to leave, Dererick feels someone tug on him and sees Brandy. Flustered, she asks if he can give her some of the animals he is hiding in his bracelet. He agrees and pulls out a small monster from his storage, handing it to her. Curious, he asks why she Wants it. She recounts the time when her system finally awakens and the smile on her father's face when he teaches her leather working. A tear escapes her eye as she tells him that she wants to

make armor for the village so she can make her father proud and ensure that no one gets hurt again. Seeing how broken she is, Dererick cannot help but feel bad for her. So, he offers her more animals if she needs them. He pats the girl's head and realizes that maybe he cannot Do everything on his own after all. Later, the villagers finally reach Raina village. Mel speaks with the gatekeeper who refuses to let them in because they are unfamiliar and lack proper identification. Frustrated, she asks him to summon Raina, but he still refuses, saying he

does not want to leave his post. Meanwhile, Dererick asks Leyon if he is not going to say something since he is the chieftain. The old man replies that he is not worthy of being called Chieftain because he no longer has a village and that there is no one to blame but himself. Mal continues to beg the gatekeeper to let them in. Quoting the graceful decree. Angered, Dererick steps in and declares that he will simply break the wall so the villagers can enter. The gatekeeper dares him to do so. Confident that the wall is impenetrable and

even offers to teach them a lesson since they clearly lack education. Seeing Dererick about to lose His temper, Mal reminds him that killing a noble is not worth it and would only make things worse. Just then, the gate opens and reveals Rea, the village chief, along with Ace, the youngest son of Walt Gracefall. Rea immediately recognizes Mal and asks for her purpose in coming. She then asks if their village is safe as one of her hunters reports seeing smoke in that direction. After hearing what happened, Rea feels sympathy for them and invites them into Her

village. She tells Ace to reprimand his subordinates and declares that these people are now under her protection. Mal thanks her and the two embrace. Rea uses the moment to whisper to Maul that they should be careful as a different kind of beast is staying within the walls. Meanwhile, Ace remarks that Rea openly jeopardizes his authority and reminds her to know her place as he is there on official business that could have consequences if it fails. Annoyed, Rea Urges him to finish his business and leave. He retorts that she is not protected by the law and

claims that he could crush everyone in the village if he wishes. Rea doubts this knowing it would bring shame upon his house and that his father would not hesitate to reprimand him. Meanwhile, Dererick realizes that he can now end his contract with Thomas since he has returned him to his people. Still, he considers staying a bit longer to learn More about the world instead of merely wandering the woods. He convinces himself that this is the only reason he wants to stay. As he stands near the entrance, Raina notices him and asks if he is one

of Mal's friends, adding that anyone connected to Mal and Leon is welcome in the village. Dererick walks past her and heads inside. And she suddenly realizes that he possesses an extraordinary aura. Delilah, Thomas's grandma, fumes at the table, convinced Raina must have a damn good reason for making them wait this long, while Richard, his grandpa, calmly tells her to relax. Impatience builds as Delila taps a foot against the floor, breaking the tense silence. She snaps back angrily, refusing to relax and reminding Richard that Thomas is still missing. The door suddenly caks open, drawing everyone's attention

toward the entrance. Raina finally arrives, prompting Delilah to demand what could Possibly be so important that she made them wait. Delilah freezes in shock as tears spill down her face. Barely able to believe what she's seeing, Thomas bursts into the room at full speed, shouting for his grandparents as he runs straight toward them. Overwhelmed, Delilah struggles to speak as her grandson reaches out to her. She breaks down completely, wiping away tears as the relief finally hits her. The three embrace tightly on the floor as Richard Tells Thomas they missed him. Rea steps into the room

alongside Derek and Leyon, lightly making a joke if bringing Thomas in was important enough. Thomas clings to his grandparents while Dererick watches quietly, a faint smile crossing his face as the tension eases. Rea calls for everyone to take their seats as the room slowly settles down. The group gathers around the table while Rea announces that they have important matters to discuss. She addresses Dererick formally after hearing from Malerie that he was the reason everyone from Lyon's village is still alive. Rea expresses her gratitude, acknowledging the risk Dererick took to protect their people. Meanwhile, Thomas shares

a precious moment with his grandparents as they finally reunite. Dererick downplays it in response to Rea, brushing off the praise and insisting it was nothing more than doing what needed to be done. Rea counters firmly, stating that Safeguarding one's people is the duty of a chief. Her expression sharpens as she signals that there is still more to address. She makes it clear that she can't offer him any payment if that is what he has been expecting, admitting the village is already stretched thin while looking at a noble outside lounging casually and requesting another drink from

a villager. Back at the table, Dererick smiles at Raina, responding that Thomas has already paid Him by helping Derrick, so the matter is settled. He suddenly shifts the focus, warning that the real concern lies in the growing problem within the forest, prompting Raina to question if he knows what is going on. After a brief pause, Dererick speaks up and states that he has an idea. As he reflects internally, he compares the situation to his old system and recognizes a familiar pattern and calmly concludes that what they are facing is a dungeon break, and the Implication

settles heavily over the room as the image of a dungeon manifest. Derek explains that dungeons are the lifeblood of the system itself. They serve as sources of treasure, power, and constant danger, shaping the world through risk and reward. Each dungeon is a self-contained world created by the system to test, torment, and strengthen those brave enough to enter. To maintain balance, only adventurers below a certain level are allowed inside, Ensuring the challenge remains fair and lethal. But when the system falters and a dungeon is left unattended, it doesn't stay dormant, and instead, it fers, erupting outward

and unleashing pure chaos. When a dungeon breaks, monsters spill directly into the world, and its corrupted energy begins to infect the surrounding land. Rea argues that if a dungeon had formed, it should have been detected long ago, which makes its existence unlikely. Derek counters that Assumption, pointing out that nothing prevents new dungeons from forming. While rare, Richard chimes in that new dungeon spawns are not unheard of, especially if one emerged deep within an unexplored forest where few adventurers ever venture. Richard grows tense as the realization hits him, admitting that the theory would explain everything happening

so far. Rea presses Richard and he explains that while it seems far-fetched, it is the only conclusion That makes sense. Rea points to the map and asks Dererick where he was from, but he refuses to answer and suggests that they fix the problem right away now that they have an idea what it is. As Dererick steps out of the room, he also suggests that perhaps the nobleman outside can handle the situation instead, which only reinforces the idea that their presence here is no coincidence at all. Rea abruptly stops and tells him to wait, acknowledging Dererick's

strength and admits they have nothing to offer him. Rea places a hand to her chest and directly asks Dererick if he can help them. Dererick exhales slowly, letting out a tired sigh as he considers her request. Without turning back, Dererick opens the door and flatly refuses, answering with a single no. Thomas sits quietly on the bench, looking down with a conflicted and uneasy expression. Dererick calls Thomas over and tells him to walk with him, Prompting the boy to look up in surprise. As Dererick heads for the door, he thinks about finding Brandy and bringing her

more animal pelts. The door shuts behind them with a sharp sound, leaving the room in silence. Rea turns toward Richard as he admits that Dererick is right. Rea remarks that Dererick did not have to be upfront about it and insists they must decide what to do quickly. She calls out to Leyon and points out that he has spent The most time with Derek. Rea asks Lyon for his honest opinion now that Dererick has left. He falls silent, staring ahead as he considers the question. Leon admits he does not know, then begins describing Dererick as someone

who asks many basic questions and carries a sharp sarcastic edge. Rain presses Leyon further, asking what else stands out about Derek. Leon reveals that Dererick can even summon the void. His expression tense as he says it. Outside, Dererick Walks through the village streets with Thomas following close behind. Dererick scans the area and asks where Brandy could be, noting the village is not that large. From nearby, a sharp voice shouts, ordering someone to let go as the situation turns hostile. Brandy struggles and insists the pelt is hers, while a noble woman sneers that a peasant would

only ruin something so valuable. She yanks the item, calmly taking the pelt and smuggly remarks that It was not difficult at all. While lying on the ground, Brandy threatens her to give it back or face consequences, but she mocks her while invoking Wallace as an excuse to teach the village a lesson. Clutching the pelt with a satisfied smile, she turns away as Brandy looks unhelplessly. She suddenly snaps in irritation as she collides with Derek, starting to scold without realizing who stands before her. Her expression freezes as fear overtakes her, her body Trembling while a quiet

command to drop it hangs in the air. A heavy pressure fills the scene as the atmosphere darkens, making her realize she has gravely misjudged the situation. Derek looms over her with glowing eyes and cold fury, demanding the pelt in a voice that leaves no room for refusal. A radiant sword descends into the ground, declaring the situation completely unacceptable. A furious ace condemns the offense, demanding justice for the Insult committed against nobility. He issues a cold ultimatum, ordering Rea to move aside or face deadly consequences. She intervenes forcefully, commanding Ace to stand down and forbidding any

fighting within her village. Dererick watches the escalating tension as Rea silently notes that he has already caused trouble in a short time. Rea acknowledges that Leon was right to be cautious about him. Brandy clings to the pelt as she cries while Thomas tries to Shield her. Ace accepts the outcome coldly and steps forward, putting matters into his own hands. With a dismissive motion, Dererick grabs the noble woman's arm, then slams her into the ground. As Ace watches in disbelief, Dererick calmly states that he was planning to leave the village anyway. As the crowd watches in

stunned silence, Thomas clings to his grandma in shock, struggling to understand Dererick's sudden decision. Dererick reassures him That he will return, reminding him to listen to his grandparents and keep training. Before leaving, Dererick hands Thomas the electric shaver and tells him to practice using it while he's gone. As he walks away, he warns Thomas not to unlock his system yet, and the boy quietly agrees. Dererick pauses as Ace calls out to him, his expression turning cold and alert, but Dererick walks past him and declares that he will stop him right there. He threatens Ace in

a Condescending tone, warning him never to touch anyone from the village again. Dererick steps forward without hesitation and flatly promises to kill him if he ever returns. As the tension peaks, Ace silently questions who Dererick truly is. As Dererick walks away, Ace and his group stiffen, overwhelmed by the crushing pressure of his mere presence. Rea and the others exchange tense looks, sensing something deeply wrong as fear ripples through Them. Dererick continues forward, surrounded by crackling violet energy that radiates pure terror. Suddenly, Ace orders Juff to follow Dererick. His command answered with a sharp nod. Meanwhile,

Dererick recalls what he learned from Thomas about getting an achievement for killing something over a 100 levels higher than himself. Dererick realizes he will need to venture deep into the forest if he wants to find something powerful enough. He reflects That he should not do it now since he is still technically at a low level. As Jeff spies on him from the tree, the archer draws his bow, the string creaking softly as he takes aim. He smirks and mocks Dererick from above, confident that Dererick will never even know who attacked him. The arrow is released,

cutting through the air in a sudden blur. Dererick notes that he has already leveled up several times, but still needs to find a monster at least Level 112. His status screen appears, revealing his level, class, heavily boosted stats, and unused stat points, which he plans to distribute. Dererick's eyes sharpen as he senses an arrow approaching him at high speed, noting that Juff has finally made his move after tailing him for over an hour as he calmly dodges the strike. Dererick opens his status menu and starts allocating points across multiple stats at once. Multiple achievements trigger

in Succession, stunning Derrick as the system rewards him with free skills. Jeff panics when his shot misses. Struggling to comprehend how Dererick avoided it. Convinced Dererick never noticed him, he dismisses the miss and prepares another shot. The arrow tears through the air toward Dererick with lethal speed. He casually slams the arrow. His sharp eyes glare as he reveals that he's in the middle of selecting a new skill. Jeff freezes in Shock. Unable to understand how Dererick reacted in time. Without hesitation, he pivots and bolts in the opposite direction. He repeatedly leaps through the treetops, rapidly

escaping from his prey. Jeff panics, realizing he's being hunted by something far beyond him. Midchase, Dererick casually appears before him and debates whether to choose magic resistance or stoneskin. Jeff slams into a tree where Dererick is and shifts his course instantly. Dererick Lunges in close as Juff screams in terror, desperately trying to escape. He desperately grabs onto a branch and crouches on the tree limb, bracing himself as he prepares his next move. Juff roars and unleashes his attack upward, firing arrows in all directions. A rain of arrows crashes down through the canopy toward Derek below

as he calls his move lame. The arrows shatter branches violently, tearing through the trees with explosive force. Juff pants Heavily as he looks around, unsure if his last strike connected. The tree erupts with debris and smoke as the impact settles, leaving the result unclear. Dererick sits calmly on a branch above him, revealing he narrowly avoided the attack. Realizing his mistake, Juff panics after choosing magic resistance too early as he slams his neck. Afterwards, Juff drags himself forward. Back at the village, a furious voice shouts Juff's name and questions What happened to him. Jeff's battered figure

is caught and questioned by Ace, barely able to respond as he admits he didn't kill him. Bruised, Jeff confesses that he couldn't even scratch Derek. The realization sinks in, leaving Ace stunned and momentarily speechless. He asks everyone to regroup as the order is given to gather their things and return to Toth. One of the men questions the retreat asking if they are really fleeing. Ace shuts it down immediately Clarifying they are not fleeing but going to get reinforcements. Meanwhile, Dererick moves deeper into the forest following a quiet stream as he travels alone. While walking, he

repeatedly activates his system ability, calmly identifying his surroundings. The system labels nearby objects like trees and rocks, confirming the identify skill levels up through constant use. Dererick activates identify again, focusing on the strange creature in front of him. The system reveals it is a level 54 monster horned rabbit. Instead of attacking, Dererick crouches down and casually talks to it, wondering why it is wandering so deep in the forest. The rabbit stares back silently, its single horn and calm expression making it look oddly harmless. Dererick smiles and admits the creature is actually pretty cute, hesitating even

while thinking about its level. However, the rabbit suddenly lunges forward, slamming its Glowing horn straight into Derek before he can finish reacting. Dererick recoils in shock, barely registering what just attacked him. The rabbit flips midair, crushing into a tree with brute force. Dererick twists his body aside, narrowly avoiding another lethal slash. The rabbit lands low and steady, glaring at him with clear hostility. The rabbit glares fiercely, its anger boiling over as it locks onto Derek. He smirks and calmly accepts the challenge, inviting The creature to attack. The rabbit crouches low and snars, muscles tightening as

it prepares to spring. It rockets straight down in a vertical dive, wrapped in a piercing beam of blue energy. Dererick pivots and deflects the assault, batting the spinning creature away midair. He snatches the rabbit cleanly out of the air, gripping it upside down. Holding the squirming creature, Dererick casually remarks on how reckless it is. The rabbit bites Down in retaliation, finally landing a hit. A damage indicator appears, but Dererick shrugs it off, unfazed by the minor wound, he freezes mid-motion, sensing something is off as a warning flashes through his mind. Realizing the attack meant nothing

to him, but could be fatal to someone far weaker like Thomas. The rabbit glares back fiercely, its hostility and intent fully exposed. Dererick kneels and calmly sets the rabbit down, deciding to end the fight Without killing it. He walks away dismissively, mocking the rabbit as unworthy of being hunted. The creature watches him in silence, still clearly irritated and alert. Suddenly, Dererick considers his options, wondering which restorative skill to choose after seeing how useful magic resistance already was. He pauses in thought, weighing the decision carefully instead of rushing. The system displays the available restorative skills laid

out before him. Dererick notes that the system offers only three choices, making the decision unavoidable. He immediately dismisses cure toxin, seeing little value in curing poisons right now. He then considers Life Leech, noting that healing based on the damage he deals could be useful. Rejuvenation catches his attention as a clean, targeted healing option. Dererick hesitates, realizing life leech would likely heal him more overall, but something still Feels off. After deciding, he taps rejuvenation and locks in his choice as the system confirms it. The system confirms that Dererick has successfully learned rejuvenation. He reassures himself that

choosing rejuvenation makes sense, especially if he ever needs to heal someone else. Dererick exhales in frustration, questioning why he walked away for something as trivial as an achievement. Surrounded by the quiet forest, he reflects bitterly on finally Meeting people again after years alone, only to end up isolated once more. Standing alone in the woods, Dererick wonders why his instinct is always to run away instead of staying. Dererick grits his teeth and rejects the thought outright, forcing himself to stop overthinking. He convinces himself that staying would have only caused trouble, remembering how close they came to

dying because of the void beast. His expression hardens as his resolve Settles, believing that leaving was the safer choice for now. Without warning, Dererick is suddenly struck from behind, his body jolting forward from the impact. He spins around in shock, demanding to know what the hell just attacked him. Dererick turns to the horned rabbit in disbelief, asking why it is still following him and whether it holds some kind of grudge. The rabbit suddenly lunges forward, forcing Derrick to hastily swing his weapon in surprise. An undead wolf emerges from the trees behind the rabbit, revealing the

real threat stalking them. The rabbit narrows its eyes and attacks viciously, biting and howling with unexpected ferocity. Dererick blocks the assault just in time, but the impact cracks through his guard and leaves him reeling. Dererick watches the wounded rabbit hop around and mutters in disbelief that he thought bunnies were supposed to be herbivores. He studies the rabbit more closely and Concludes that this one is a psychopath and a knucklehead. The rabbit stares back proudly, its body tainted as if completely unfazed by the violence. With a sigh, Dererick reluctantly allows the rabbit to follow him, warning

it not to slow him down. The two continue onward through the forest together, the rabbit hopping along behind him as an unlikely companion. Derek prepares a campfire while the rabbit stays close, casually assisting as if combat and camping are Equally normal to it. Without hesitation, the rabbit brutally finishes off a wounded monster in a single savage strike. Dererick calmly pats the rabbit's head afterward, smiling as if rewarding a pet rather than acknowledging the violence. Later that night, Dererick sleeps beside the campfire while the rabbit curls up nearby. The forest finally falling quiet. Their routine continues

the next day as the rabbit helps him again with His hunt. Dererick stretches and yawns, shaking off the last of his sleep as the morning fog hangs low around the clearing. Rubbing the back of his neck, he calls out the murder bunny to hurry up so they can move on. Instead of following, the horned rabbit stops and sits in place, silently staring back at him. Dererick turns around in confusion, only then realizing the rabbit hasn't moved at all. From a distance, the two face each other in the clearing, an Awkward pause, settling in as Dererick

waits for the rabbit to respond. He understands that this is the point in the forest where the rabbit will no longer follow him. The rabbit suddenly sits down and plants itself firmly on the ground, refusing to move. Dererick waves goodbye and wishes it good luck while bluntly admitting that nothing in the forest stands a chance against it. As he walks away, he accepts that this separation was bound to happen Eventually. Dererick lowers his gaze and reminds himself to calm down. As he continues forward alone, Dererick pushes deeper into the forest, reminding him that he is

alone by choice and no longer trapped in the void. He walks toward a twisted clearing, accepting that his path forward is something he deliberately chose for himself. Suddenly, a swirling green core of energy forms ahead, radiating an unsettling presence. Spotting it Clearly, Dererick activates his skill and commands the system to identify the phenomenon. The system reveals it as the Undying Dungeon, a level 100 instance with extreme overflow conditions and unknown rewards. Derrick admits the dungeon might hold something worthy of an achievement, but he refuses to step inside. Lacking any real gauge of dungeon strength and

fearing another trap, he decides the risk isn't worth the reward. Thinking of Thomas and the Nobles, Dererick resolves that heading back is the smarter choice. He turns away from the dungeon, convinced that the entire journey was a waste of time. Suddenly, an acidic ghoul appears, erupting with a violent energy. Bruised but calm, Dererick casually greets the monster, learning that it is level 115 monster radiating corrosive green energy. Instead of fear, Dererick smirks and realizes this is exactly the opponent he needed. Dererick has been Holding on to his frustration for far too long, and he's glad

to finally have something to take it all out on. He charged his energy and faced the lunging monster. With one swing of his blade, the enemy's arm easily comes off, and he gloats about expecting more from something above level 100. As he says this, the ghoul's arm regenerates in an instant, and the unexpected move leaves the man in its clutches. swung around helplessly. He realizes that his skin Was melting from the acid, so he has no choice but to force himself free. The enemy is indeed stronger than he thought it was, but that's fine. Dererick

dons his system armor, ready to have as much fun as he possibly can. A huge and demonic hand swung at the human. And although he dodges, the attack still hits and damages his armor. When another follows and breaks through his chest plate, he thrusted his magical spear, which then shot an energy blast that Destroyed the target's chest. However, it does not affect the ghoul, who roared and came at him with overpowering strength. Its hand fails to break his weapon, but a spray of acid spit melts the warrior's armor and clothes right off. Still holding on

to his pride, Dererick asks if this is all a level 100 monster has to offer. He laughs mockingly at how ridiculous it is and begins crackling with electricity. All the pent-up energy is released, Devouring and vaporizing the entire ghoul right where it stood with a victory over the highle opponent. A surge of experience points entered his body. That said, the acid from the battle still remained, destroying the surroundings along with his already melting armor. He decides to keep it in his storage until he can get it repaired. Given how even his shirt is ruined, he

can't help but regret not buying more from Earth, as the thought Of wearing this world's tunics was less than appealing to him. The warrior settles in for now, and two weeks soon pass after he leaves Raina's village. There, Thomas was sweating from focusing so much, making the finishing touches, and cutting someone's hair with the clippers given by Derek. Flashing a mirror, his customer is shown a pretty clean and satisfying hairo and is told to bring any others who might need his help. Brandy size, still in disbelief That everyone is letting the boy do that to

their hair and threateningly warns him against even thinking of doing the same to her. Terrified, he promises to stop offering, but the young girl still sighed with trouble in her mind. She's done all she can with the pelt Derrick provided before he left. Having reused them to their limits. She needs him to come and bring her some more. He feels the same way as it's been 2 days since his birthday, meaning he can unlock his System. His grandfather caught a frog for him to do so, but it was only level seven, which is much lower

than whatever their friend will bring. The boy is sure he'll bring something better. He just has to wait. Meanwhile, in Lyon's village, a mysterious man stepped into the territory and checked the traces of an intense battle. It was so big that he could smell the void beast on his fingers, as well as the second energy belonging to the person who killed it. As for its source, it leads to the other village nearby, and he's heading straight to it. Dererick walked through the forest in a shirt, still complaining about his destroyed armor. The dungeon will surely

be a pain to clear. And as he's making his way out, he sees the horned bunny from before sitting and waiting for him all this time. It impatiently stomps its foot on the ground. And he can't help but think that it's grown attached to him. Proving him Wrong, it charged at his face like always. He catches it with his bare hands, sharing how he promised Thomas that he'll bring a highle monster back. If it doesn't start behaving, it'll be the prime candidate. His threat sends a shiver down the rabbit's spine. He allows it to stay

with him in the forest, but can't trust it enough not to hit people in the village. At this point, the creature's mentality is completely wrecked, and he has nothing To do but sigh in resignation as he puts it down on the ground. Told to follow, the two resume their short journey together. Since he's grown tired of calling it bunny or idiot, he decides to give it a new name, an idea the creature coily hides her enjoyment for. At night, Dererick spends some time thinking about cute ways to call her. But such pure and nice names

don't suit her ruthless nature at all. He works on the idea that she's insane and tries to kill Everything in sight, but struggles to think of anything suitable. Finally, he gets the perfect one. From there on out, the formerly idiot bunny will henceforth be referred to as Sylvie, his old friend. They hop on together as there are many things that need headbutting. A week later, they trotted towards the village and reached the bridge where they have to part ways. Unfortunately, he can't let her come inside with him. Certain she'll hurt everyone there. She Has to

stay in the forest for now and wait for him to come back soon. Waving a captured squirrel around, he faints sadness about their partying and says they can travel again some other time. However, Sylvie sees the squirrel as a target and launches herself at it as usual. Dodging and watching the struck tree fall, he tells the psychopath to stay in the forest, even considering the idea of having Thomas kill her instead of the squirrel. Dererick reaches the Village gates and waves to the guard. After identifying himself and saying he just got back, he adds that

there's no need to trouble himself with opening the gate and just leaps right up to the top of the wall. As the guard nearly slips over from surprise, the visitor pulls him back to safety and praises his fresh haircut. With this, Dererick jumps to the inner side of the village and immediately calls for Thomas, announcing that he's back. The boy appeared from The corner instantly as if waiting for him and is surprisingly followed by Brandy, who crashes into a civilian. The two children flock to him with endless stories, sharing what they've been doing while he

was away for a long time. They then move on to asking him the things they need, such as Pelt and the system unlock. Annoyance slowly builds as he's met by pesky children as soon as he returns, and it only gets worse when the two start getting rough for his Approval. He finally shuts them up by pinching their mouths closed. With a deep sigh, Dererick starts with Brandy and assures her that he brought many animal hides she can use. Moving on to Thomas, he asks the boy if he thought about what they talked about before, adding

that he brought something special for him. He's told to meet at the front gate tomorrow where they'll unlock his system. Just like that, the children's excitement is quelled, but he has one More question they need to answer if they want his gifts. They lead him to the best tavern in the village, and the mere smell of the inside brings joy to his senses. Hoping that the planet has great beer, he heads to the counter with a big smile on his face. accidentally bumping into another customer. He apologizes for not seeing him there, but the man

recognizes the distinct aura emanating from his body. The man tracking Derek from Lyon Village has Finally found him. Confused by the man's reaction, Dererick questions who he is, silently acknowledging that he seems stronger than the others. He says he's been what he's been tracking and confirms that he isn't a void beast at all. With that said, he wonders why the void is so pungent on his skin. Not wanting to cause any more trouble for the village, he feigns complete ignorance. Thinking he's lying, the mysterious person asks a lot of Questions, including ones too personal to

answer off the bat. However, Dererick takes the accusing finger and threateningly asks what he's going to do if he's lying. As he isn't willing to back down so easily, the stranger uses the identify skill to check his targets secrets. It fails flatly, leading to an awkward silence, but it ultimately ends with the secret master of the void getting a glass of beer. The barkeep greets him, having heard a lot about the Outsider already. While they talked, the man wondered how high his level must be for his identified to fail. Similarly, Derek wearily looked back at

the hooded man who left while Bart got a bottle of his best ale ready for the customer. He charges two copper for a beautiful pint. But since he doesn't have any coins at the moment, the hunter offers the valuable pelt of a level 52 badge for now. While this gleefully earns him a room on the house as well, a familiar Voice calls to the penniless man. Mel offers him a space in their home as payment for everything he's given to Brandy, even adding her homemade stew into the proposal. With this, he joins the mother with

a few pints in his hands. She asks what the hunter earlier wanted, but he just brushes it off. whatever he wanted. It's best not to be on the bad side of someone who works for the crown. Dererick hears the name for the first time since he arrived. It's One of the most powerful organizations in the kingdom. Although they aren't affiliated with the king despite their name, they're actually a restaurant that holds great influence, making membership coveted, even among nobles. Only the richest and most powerful are allowed to dine there. As for their most precious delicacy,

it is void beast. The idea of void beasts being eaten was unthinkable to Derek. Consuming them grants incredible bonuses, and gifting one to The crown almost guarantees membership. He insists that not all of them could be as strong as the legends, but most would still destroy villages with ease. What really makes them valuable is how rare each specimen is. Given how terrifying they are, most people don't even like the mention of them, which he must already know well. Understanding what she means, he quiets down and they reach the house in silence. The night comes and

the home is filled with warm Laughter. Dererick downed his bowl of delicious stew as it's the best thing he's eaten in years. Mal is delighted by the reaction, but doesn't forget to act humble. With the others gathered around the table, they agree that the meal is way better than usual. Meanwhile, Thomas was still focused on unlocking his system tomorrow morning, so long as it's okay with his grandparents. The two quickly give their approval, knowing how excited he's been for it. All that Should be left is to wait for tomorrow to come. But Dererick suddenly adds

one last condition and shares that it's been a really long time since he's had a proper bath. Immediately getting it, Thomas runs off to start heating the water for a warm bath, making the others chuckle over how adorably one-dimensional he is. Right as the peaceful day was about to end, Brandy poked on their guest, saying she had something special to give him. It was a Pendant meant to thank him for all he did. She felt lost after burying her dad, and working on all the hides helped take her mind off it. Holding it tenderly on

his palm, he thanks her with a warm smile while Thomas interrupts the moment and shouts about needing more wood for the bath fire. For the first time in a long while, Dererick wasn't alone anymore, and the noise in his surroundings reminded him that he finally escaped the void. Dererick Sprinted away from the village with Thomas clinging to his back, flailing around and desperate not to let go. Deciding that they've reached a spot as good as any, the adult suddenly breaks and checks on his passenger's condition. The boy is dazed at first, but the light in

his eyes returns as he's asked if he's ready to unlock his system. With his affirmation, he's handed a dagger and told to be careful. Dererick reaches for a sack on his side, which is Frantically moving around and tells the child to kill the squirrel trapped inside. Nodding with determination, Thomas takes the blade and drives it deep into the squirming creature. The power of the great system immediately surged through his body. asked how he feels. He says he got the achievement of killing a level 50 monster and asks how he did it. The knife lent to

him was made by the same smith who crafted Dererick's blade. Before they go any Further, there's something important he has to ask the boy who's made it clear that he intends to leave his village in hopes of getting stronger. Similarly, Dererick has been alone for an unimaginably long time and the loneliness was getting old. As such, he invites the young one to come and accompany him in his journey. Thomas shook with excitement, unable to believe the opportunity that had fallen onto his hands. Suddenly playing it cool, he says He doesn't see a reason to refuse

and is told that he'll learn a lot of things about Derek that can't be shared with others. The boy promises to guard them with his life, which might be a bit excessive. He'll keep him safe, but he'll have to train hard and not rely too much on others. Lastly, he has to do whatever he's told without asking any questions. The shady request is concerning, but he's assured that there will be a good reason for whatever he Says. Losing all the doubt in his heart, Thomas reaffirms his desire to join his travels. With the new partner,

they start their adventure. Dererick first wonders about the amount of skill points the boy has. Told that there are three, he tells the boy that he'll end up with just one, as he'll be spending the first two on the meditation and identify skills. The young one does as told, just like he promised. While they aren't flashy, they're some of the most Powerful skills one can have. Highle meditation allows for recovery even while moving and identify protects his secrets from others. Fortunately, he can spend his last point on something more exciting, like his class. Thomas excitedly

shares that he wants to hit people so fast that they don't even see him coming again. He does as advised and spends his last point on light weapons mastery. The last order of business is putting all his stats into vitality and Endurance. if he wants to keep up. Before the young one could follow his words, Dererick sprinted away, leaving him in the dust and saying he's losing their race back home. In the afternoon, the adults gather once again to talk about important matters. Tapping his fingers frantically, Dererick says a lot of people are going to

die. Rea doesn't understand and says she requested for level 50 silver adventurers from the guild. To their shock and horror, he Shares how he first went into the forest and found a level 100 dungeon deep inside. The answer is gold. They need a team of level 100 gold rankers, which Richard intends to request for right away. Asked if there's a map of the area, Thomas runs off to fetch it from a top drawer. Surrounding Raina's village are dungeons they know of and certain details they know about them. Dererick looks at the entrance of the forest

nearby and points to the rough spot Where the undead dungeon should be. He's granted permission to add to the markings on the map and draws a large circle and a few vague details in the forest. After confirming that he can make a copy of it, he then moves on to Rea with a question and asks why her level is so low despite the dungeons around them. Moving past the violation of using identify on her, she explains that her class is rare, meaning it takes longer to level up. Most creatures Nearby barely give any experience and

her duties as chief make it difficult to leave. What's more, the weapons in the village don't last long against highlevel monsters. Dererick tosses her a sword without any warning and says he'd like her to join his training session with Thomas tomorrow morning. If she does, then the sword is hers. She can't believe that he'd just give her such a weapon, certain it's worth a lot. With his affirmation, the chief nods and Promises to attend. They all agree to see each other in the morning, and Dererick heads to the tavern for the night. In the graceful

castle, Ace complained and whine to his father, saying he needs reinforcements. Walt scolds him for being a small man who'd go so far to bully a tiny village on the border. The lord heard that the village even requested a silver ranked team to deal with something he should have solved. Unwilling to stand for another Embarrassment from his son, he orders him to return and do what is asked. Ace tries to argue like the stubborn child he is, but is completely silenced by his furious father. He grit his teeth in anger and turn to walk away

in contempt, quietly vowing to deal with the problem himself. Rea joins the training as agreed, but isn't quite sure about the instructions. Dererick repeats it and tells her to hit his bare body with everything she has, telling her to trust Him. He silently tells himself that he'd rather ruin his old shorts than damage another scarce top. Since he's asking so intently, the chief covers her blade with powerful energy and swings with a bit of power held back to avoid hurting him. He stood to accept it fully, even letting out a subtle smile. Meanwhile, Thomas couldn't

believe his master's idea of training and reconsiders traveling with him. The Tempest Blade hits Dererick's body without any Defenses whatsoever. They're shocked by the result as it didn't even break through his monstrous skin. Thoroughly impressed, he praises Raina and tells her not to hold back next time. As she finally understands how strong he is, she raises her blade to strike once more, this time with all her power. 10 minutes later, she's heaving on the floor after having spent all her mana. While she meditates to recover, Thomas is called on to take his turn. The child

Hastily drops his weapons. For his training, he's told to pick a weapon he likes and try to kill him. Like before, the ridiculous instruction makes them doubt their ears, but he's reminded that they just saw Dererick take 30 windb blades and sustain no damage at all. This fortunately allows the child to relax a little bit. His master jumps back to give him some distance before he tries. Thomas charged in with a loud shout, but closed his eyes and missed His target completely. An awkward silence fills the air, and neither of them could believe that he

failed to hit an unmoving target. Told to be better, he apologizes and promises not to do it again, but this is quickly broken as another wide swing hits the air. As such, Dererick suggests trying a different weapon for now, earning the boy's defiant arguing. Reminded of his promise to obey no matter what, he's ordered to try again with a spear. This Is how they spent the next several days. Raina's attacks increased both the level of her tempest blade and his magic resistance skill. Thomas continued to struggle with daggers quite a bit, but his abilities with

the sword and shield were rather impressive. In the middle of training, Dererick caught a few monsters for him to kill and for Brandy to practice on. Come nightfall, they'd be back at home having a warm dinner with all the others. Richard asked that he'd Be a bit more patient toward his stubborn grandson as his father used daggers. The boy was there bragging about how good he's gotten. Still dreaming of becoming just like the father he looks up to. One day, Thomas finally reached level 10 and got the opportunity to choose his class. He's advised to

be smart and choose the best one, not just what he thinks is the coolest. The boy's excited, nodding somewhat calmed him down, so he looked Away while the young one tapped on his system. Dererick could only hope that he's given good options, especially as he's been working so hard. The clicks came continuously and without a hint of hesitation. The power of a new class surged around him, but he didn't even ask his master anything. Twirling a dagger in his hands, Thomas says there was no need, as he had the perfect option right from the get-go.

Dererick was mad, already getting an idea of what Happened. The boy took the rogue class, a fairly uncommon one, but the same as his dad had. He's asked if there were no better or rarer types, and if he just picked his father's without a thought. Thomas picks up the dagger he dropped, confirming his master's suspicions. While going on about how cool his dad was, Dererick cut him off, reminding him that his old man is dead and that he's no good with daggers. He's been brought back to reality about how he's just a Child, not even

worthy of coming along his travels. The boy fell to his knees and cried while begging him to take him. That said, how can he take someone he can't even trust, will do as he says, despite their promises? Desperately clinging to his only hope, Thomas does the unthinkable and swears on the great system to keep his secrets. The system chimes, saying he'll lose his class and skills if he even breaks the permanent oath. It's similar to the contract skill From his previous system, albeit certainly much harsher. Even Derek questions why he would go so far since

he's obviously so desperate. The boy is given a second and final chance for his own safety. The next step is to head home and pack his things as they'll be entering a dungeon in a few days. Meanwhile, the noble group was traveling on their carriages, sipping wine without a care in the world. They're bothered with the task of returning to the lowly Village, which was so pungent that the smell stuck to their hair for days, while complaints and whining continued to pour in. Jeff was silent as he knew better. Ace scolded them all for being

so noisy and annoying, adding that the entire ordeal will all be over soon. The two find the portal right by a hill. They should be able to run a level 25 dungeon twice before Dererick becomes too high level. This should give Thomas plenty of experience before they move on To bigger things. Despite already being told about completing a dungeon, the boy still doesn't understand what they're doing there. It was a level 25 portal, which neither of them should be able to enter. Finally, he was about to see one of the secrets he isn't allowed to

tell anyone. They place their hands over the humming ball of power, triggering a response that shows their stats as adventurers. Thomas screams in shock, seeing for the first time that Dererick Is only level 18. It's unbelievable, but it means they can run low-level dungeons without any real risk of dying. His master says it won't be so easy, as he'll just be there to watch him fight. After all, there's no better training than fighting someone that can kill him given the chance. The three enter the dungeon and find themselves in a human jungle filled with thick

greenery. As it's Thomas's first time, he naturally feels afraid and nervous, but he's been Given highlevel daggers, and the armor from Brandy should protect him from almost anything in there. He should have enough vitality to take a few hits and can be healed with Dererick's power if needed. There were several layers of protection, so he shouldn't have anything to worry about. Certain he's actually going to have fun, the veteran leads the way deeper. This is soon proven wrong as Thomas spends a good few hours being chased, trapped, strangled, And injured by gigantic insects. All while

he begs for Dererick's help. As his guardian helps free him from the monster's pincers, he holds his broken arm and questions if that was supposed to be part of the fun. His crazy side appears once more as he says, "It's all okay since he didn't die anyway." Taking a close look at the broken arm, he put his palm forward and used a rejuvenating skill to mend the broken bones. To the boy's surprise, he's able to swing it Around like nothing happened. With that settled, they have to get back out there and finish clearing the dungeon.

Thomas silently questions his decisions, and his master's positivity slowly makes him realize that there's something anomalous about him. A while later, his head pops up from a bush, and he watches a beetle monster. It was his chance to kill it, but his body couldn't stop shaking from worry. He finally mustered up the courage and dashed out with his dagger At the ready, but the target sensed his presence and quickly turned around. It flew up and dodged right before the human's blade hit its body. Meanwhile, Dererick couldn't help but groan in disbelief and disappointment while his

student is sent flying away by a powerful strike. With his body hitting the ground hard, he finds himself trapped, unable to do anything while the enemy looms over him for the last hit. Told to dodge, he rolls away, cutting One of the monster's legs to find an opening. This earns a few words of praise from Derek, who encourages him to keep going. However, he fails to defend against the Beatles next charge, which pins him hard into the nearby tree. While it looked like normal cloth, his sturdy armor was holding and keeping him safe. So, he

quietly thanked Brandy. With newfound hope, he took his dagger and cut the enemy's horn off. It screeched in anger and pain, but left Itself completely open to Thomas's killing blow, which was driven deep into its head. The child later huffed and panted in exhaustion, while the enemy in front of him lay lifeless. Derek can't say that it went well, but it was definitely an improvement from how he was before. Now, it's time to go over his spectacular performance, and he's asked what he did wrong first. Thomas says he put too much into his swing, which

caused him to fall off balance When he missed. He was wrong before he even got to the beetle for not using the stealth skill from his rogue class. Asked why he didn't use it, the boy flinches from the question. His mind is consumed by the question and he tries to give a proper reason, but not a single valid excuse comes. With no other choice, he flatly admits that forgot he even had it. He forgot about his one and only skill from the class he chose against his master's suggestion. Sweating in shame, even he knows that

it's a ridiculous reason. Dererick just sigh and curses in exasperation, realizing that his student is unbelievably dumb. The carriage wheels rattled over the uneven road until it halted in front of Arena villages gate. Seeing someone disembark, the guard demands that they identify themselves before entering. However, whoever is there just shoots him with a powerful blast of magic. Ace kick the door wide Open, not caring about any rules. This makes the villagers look back, worried that they're under attack. The nobles just continued strutting in, announcing that they've come in response to the request for help and

are there to save them all from the dungeon. Another person drew a sword, refusing the kind of aid they are offering. Rea stepped forward, coating her blade with wind as she prepared to defend her land. She strikes first and orders the unwelcome Guests to leave right away, but Ace merely grinned at her attempt to fight. At the level 25 insect dungeon, a level 18 spider ant was going against the young warrior. Thomas dodges its dangerous attack with more skill than before. They've been in the dungeon for a few days, and he's already at level 17.

Believing he should be able to handle a stupid bug, he charges in with his dagger and a loud scream. The blade is driven into the ant's neck, and his Face brims with excitement as he finally emerges victorious. However, the battle isn't over yet. He was too distracted to notice the other enemy closing in from behind. He curses in anger, unable to dislodge and pull his dagger out from the fallen enemy. A sharp and enormous stinger was about to pierce his chest when Dererick appeared just in time to cut it apart and save the boy. It's

a shame as the battle itself was going so well. If only he had a longer weapon or More leverage to pull his blade free. With this, he accepts that he isn't cut out for using daggers and shouldn't have chosen this class. Once again, the veteran in front of him was completely right. Seeing him glum, Thomas is told that he's a whole new fighter compared to when they began. In fact, he might just be ready, as he's already killed everything else. All that's left now is to take care of the final dungeon boss. The plan is

to sneak up on it with Stealth and end it fast by going for the head. Dererick opens the doors to the boss room, and they immediately feel a surge of energy all throughout. Before Thomas could even react, he swats a slash away with just one hand. In front of them was a formidable mantis monster, obviously much stronger than the boy. As such, the new plan is for Dererick to hold it down and give him a shot at the final blow. He dashed in with unbelievable speed and closed the gap in An instant. With a firm

grip around the creature's neck, he slammed it down and pinned it to the ground, nearly killing it on the spot. Now, all that's left is for Thomas to deal the killing strike and take the bounty. Doing as told, he rushed in with his knife and drove it deep into the boss's head. After a few moments twitching, all the power left the mantis body and turned into the portal back out. The system announces the defeat of the dungeon boss, Confirming that the boy has just cleared his first dungeon and can finally leave the hellish place. He's

congratulated, but reminded that it will only get harder from that point. Dererick planned on clearing another, but he progressed much slower than anticipated. To his confusion, the boy was oddly silent and had a weird look on his face, which turned out to be frustration for the blade stuck in the mantis head. Thomas is rewarded with the cure toxin skill, Which costs one skill point to obtain. By completing his first dungeon, he's granted two skill points to use. It was finally time to head back to his worried family. Understanding he was discouraged from using daggers, the

boy promises to change classes on level 25. Dererick even has a great spear for that moment as the previous owner doesn't need it anymore. Just then, he froze in shock. There was nobody guarding the village gate and there were lavish carriages Parked just outside. Realizing what was happening, he cursed and sprinted towards the village without another word. He arrives at the entrance with his spear on hand. While calling to Raina and Mal on the ground was Brandy, unconscious and injured, but her mother was in a worse condition and nearing death by the second. Thomas follows

soon after and frantically worries as soon as he sees the two on the ground. Fortunately, Derek came just in time to Heal the worst of their damages. Giving the tearful boy a reassuring pat, he tells him to stay put while he finds who's responsible and deal with the situation entirely. In the middle of the town, Rea was on the floor with a sharp blade by her neck. She was intent on keeping the outsers's location a secret, so Ace was going to do the unthinkable. by the noble house of Gracefall. He sentences her to death by

beheading for disobedience. His fellow raised his Blade to carry out the decree, but an ominous energy suddenly filled the air. Hearing a familiar voice, Rea and Ace smile as Dererick reminds them of the warning about the village being threatened against his will. The outsider was ready to kill them all. Ace orders the other nobles to kill their target right away. Despite the overwhelming energy emanating from him, one foolish fighter takes her chance and charges at him with a blade. But she's Easily taken out with a punch that doesn't even need him to look. She fell

to the ground, likely dead. Seeing this triggers the others, who now power up to seek revenge on the man who killed their friend. A blast of flames is shot at him, and it's as if the torrent consumes his body in its entirety. The fire exploded and crackled while the noble just cried for the sister she lost in an instant. Seeing the raging fire makes the others wonder if the attack worked, But a glowing set of eyes suddenly appeared from the blaze. Dererick emerged, not even Singed. Despite the powerful spell, Ace continues ordering his comrades to

attack without doing anything himself. An arrow flew at him from a blind spot again. He snatches it with one hand, not even turning his head to look. Jeff grows pale, already having gone through this and well aware of what was coming next. Unwilling to die for the man's stubbornness, he tries to turn Tail, but is stopped by his own arrow that pierced right through his head. Just like that, he dropped from the roof to the ground, lifeless. Richard called to Derek urgently, begging him to listen. He's told to stop hurting the nobles at all costs.

There's no going back from doing so, but they were already given a chance at peace. Now that's long gone, and his body is filled with unforgiving rage. A foolish man tries to attack him with a loud scream, But his blade is caught easily mid swing with a bare hand. Something like that would normally be impossible, but such rules don't apply to the ruler of the void, who effortlessly crushes the steel blade in his hand. After impaling the noble with the crooked weapon, Dererick moved on to deal with Ace, who was still whining about his useless

comrades. It's his turn to power up and show them what it really means to be born in a superior lineage. Demonic energy shot out from His body, but the veteran counters by calling to the void. This completely breaks through the noble's power, allowing Dererick to grip him by the neck and raise him to the sky. The arrogance from earlier disappeared, and he was now saying that he'll never show his face again. Having that exact goal in mind, he gripped harder, forcing drool, snot, and tears to trickle down from his face. Right as he was about

to reach his end, a voice called out, Telling him to drop Ace unless he wants the old man dead. Taken hostage, Richard says the death of nobles isn't worth it, especially given the severe punishment that comes with it. Still in tears, the woman commanding Flames tells him to listen to the old man and do as he's told. The entire village could be held complicit to the deaths that happened today. Telling him to drop Ace one last time, she brings her flaming hand closer to Richard, but quickly loses her life As a sword pierced through her

chest. It was Leyon who was telling them to try and punish them. He drops her body, ready to be a chieftain who protects his people. Now Dererick was free to do whatever he wanted. Ace is asked if he swears to keep the village safe from retaliation if he's spared. The noble urgently promises, still begging for his life. Satisfied with his answer, the merciless outsider snaps his neck. Despite all the warnings that doing so Would doom them all, he lets the dead noble fall to the ground, sarcastically, pretending that his hand merely slipped. Raina was on

the ground unconscious and the remaining villagers whispered as Dererick carried her back to her house. Meanwhile, Leon helped Richard get back up on his feet, but the old man felt so doomed. Everyone looked on in silence and stared while their chief was brought to her dwelling. They're then called to attention as they have a lot of cleaning Up to do after the attack. Soon enough, everyone was sweeping, clearing the debris, and putting out scattered fires together. The inside of the village chief's residence was quiet, except for the crackle of the flame that warmed Raina's body.

Keeping her company, Dererick sat nearby and checked on his system updates. His noble massacre resulted in multiple level ups, ruining his plan to do low-level dungeon runs with Thomas. He has to be the first Person to be mad about leveling up. His thoughts are interrupted as he hears the chief's voice. She was still in pain, but the first thing she asked about was the village's situation. Assured that it's safe, she calms down and thanks him. He feigns ignorance and insists that all the enemies just died out of nowhere, prompting her to snap him back to

reality and the fact that he killed nobles. If someone learns what happened there today, the entire village will be Endangered. This means they just have to make sure that no one finds out. Besides, he already has an idea of what they can do. She just has to keep the villagers quiet. A small group later entered the chief's quarters. The corpses of the nobles are out of sight, and the carriage drivers have sworn oaths to stay silent, thanking Leyon for handling it. Dererick decides to store the corpses on his own later. Richard knows he can't be

mad at him as he saved Raina, but sees no way out of the mess. If they had just listened to him and let him live, then it might be different. He's reassured that there's a plan in place, but it can't be done alone. The help of everyone in the room will be necessary. Actually, the help of everyone in the village is what he needs. There should be about a few days to a few weeks before someone comes to check on Ace's party. With that said, all they can hope for is that it takes As much

time as possible. First, they'll hold a meeting to make sure that everyone understands what's at stake. The story is that the nobles came in, got the map from Richard, and then left for the dungeon. They were barely even in the village. Unfortunately, this means the old man's map will have to be sacrificed. Next, Dererick is going to need oaths from everyone in the room. Leyon worries and wonders what this might be for, it would be the same oath Thomas took, barring any one of them from revealing his secrets without permission. While they know that he

is an honorable man, a few people in the bunch are unwilling to enter such a risky agreement. On the other hand, Rea asks if he can keep the village safe if she swears as he wants, hearing that he'll do it to the best of his ability, she agrees. Mal is similarly hesitant, feeling like it's unneeded, but is willing to do it anyway. Brandy is the Same, and the three earned Dererick's gratitude for trusting him. With that said, he understands the men's sentiments and hesitance, but they can still listen for now. The oaths are sworn and

finalized by the system itself, and it's finally time to hear the plan. He's actually glad that they asked. After graciously receiving the map from Richard, Ace stuck to his duty and led his team to the level 100 dungeon. Thanks to their valiant Efforts, the overflow of dungeons and monsters was stopped in its tracks. And with proper control, the disease will be halted from spreading as well. Unfortunately, his team was wiped out in the dungeon, and Ace suffered a fatal wound from the acid ghoul boss. While he was barely able to escape, he eventually succumbed to

death before being able to receive proper treatment. With the vill's safety in mind, he will be painted as a hero who gave the ultimate Sacrifice for his people. At least, that's what the investigations will say once his plan is carried out. The entire room exclaims in shock and disbelief of the elaborate story. Dererick tells them that they do not have to join if they do not want to. He is more than capable of doing things on his own, but this is a great opportunity for everyone to grow stronger and obtain rare rewards. Additionally, there are

things he wants to test and learn more about regarding The system in the new world he is in. He contemplates that the experiences someone has before level 10 play a big role in what classes they are offered. While looking at Brandy, he knows that she could be offered something incredible and special. Mal asks why they are going into lower level dungeons and clearing them while Dererick waits. He just winks at her and tells her to trust him, saying that she will understand soon enough. He then tells Them that they need to move fast, so he

carries Brandy on his back and they run toward the direction of the dungeon. Little did they know, a presence is observing them closely. Later, they arrive at the level 50 beast dungeon entrance. They then cross a wooden bridge. Thomas's legs wobble as he walks, tired from running all the way from the village. Dererick points out that since they all swore an oath not to reveal his secrets, he will reveal them Now. He taps into his system, and Raina is shocked to see that his level is lower than hers, even though he is clearly stronger than

her. He promises to reveal more someday, but for now, they have a dungeon to subjugate. With this, they enter the dungeon. They find a base where they can stay while strategizing for their exploration. Dererick plans on going outside to beat a bunch of monsters to within an inch of their lives and bring them back to the Base for Thomas and Mal to finish them off. They will repeat the strategy until both of them reach level 30. He suggests that Ma look at all her class upgrade options once she hits level 25. He then looks at

Thomas and the kid confirms that he knows what he is doing and will not choose the dagger class again. Knowing that Rea is more capable, Dererick invites her to come and fight monsters outside with him. But when she feels like she is in danger, she is Allowed to go back to the base and recuperate. Brandy then looks at him and excitedly asks for her role. However, to her disappointment, Dererick does not give her anything to do except practice on a whole lot of hides. This cheers the kid up. He then turns to Mal and asks

her if the long metal weapon she has is the best one she owns. She confirms this and explains that since her class is common and weapons were not easy to come by in the village, strong warriors were Prioritized and given better weapons while the rest receive the leftovers. With this, he lets her choose new ones from the weapons he has. They are surprised by the number of weapons he owns and curiously ask where he got them from. He dismissively explains that he just collected them over the years, but never really used them. He then hands

her another metal staff, almost the same as the one she used before, but more versatile. He adds that she can press a Button on the side to extend and retract blades from it. She is amazed by the weapon. Meanwhile, Thomas is having a hard time using a gun in the background. Mel asks if she can have the weapon, and Dererick confirms, saying that he has a lot of them. He also offers that she take some daggers while holding Thomas close. The kid asks for daggers as well, but Dererick refuses, saying that he can use a

spear instead. After giving them weapons, Dererick steps out of their Base with Raina to start fighting demons. They are immediately greeted by a group of gigantic monsters. Dererick smirks in excitement and immediately leaps in with Raina to deal damage to the monsters. Back at the base, the unconscious monsters are brought before Thomas and Mal for them to deal the final blow. The two continue to fight monsters outside and decide to call it a day as the sun begins to set. Meanwhile, Mal and Thomas finally reach level 25. Dererick then tells them to go through their

class upgrade options and think them through carefully. He shifts his attention to Thomas and reminds him not to waste his upgrade. While looking at his screen, the kid gasps as he is offered a rare class called soul spear. It focuses on piercing damage and allows him to thrust a projection like an extension of his spear. However, he remembers his father. Brandy tries to console him, saying that he will always Be with him, even if they do not have the same class. Meanwhile, Mal finds out that she does not have a rare class, but instead has

an uncommon growth type class called M's Fury. It focuses on strength and endurance and uses crushing blows with her staff. Dererick is satisfied. Everything is going better than he expected, and everyone is progressing nicely. Sometimes others just need a little help to become better. He then checks his own system And remembers that he is at level 25 as well after annihilating the nobles.