The battlefield fell into a heavy silence. Dust swirled in the air as the defeated demon, Varuk—the 8th strongest of the Demon Lord's army—lay motionless, his body scorched and slashed. Renji stood over him, breathing heavily, his blade still pointed at the fallen foe.
"It's your loss."
His eyes were calm, but the weight of the battle still clung to his limbs like chains. He exhaled and turned around.
From the castle gates, Elira and Celis rushed forward.
"Renji!!" "You did it… You really beat him…"
Elira's eyes were wide, sparkling with admiration and disbelief, while Celis looked shaken but deeply relieved. Their dresses, once elegant, were now slightly torn from their earlier escape. Their breaths hitched as they looked at Renji—bruised, bleeding lightly, but standing tall.
"You… idiot! Why did you take him head-on?! You could've died!!"
She slapped his arm softly, then without thinking, wrapped her arms around him.
"…Thank you."
Renji froze for a second, but smiled, gently patting her head.
"I promised to protect you two, didn't I?"
Celis looked away, hiding the blush on her cheeks.
"Hmph… show-off."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them pulsed faintly. A glowing ring of light enveloped Renji. The familiar ding of the system echoed in his mind.
📜 [LEVEL UP!] 🗡️ Strength increased. 🔥 Magic increased. 🧠 Intelligence increased. 🆕 Skills obtained from defeated enemy [Varuk – Demon General]:
[Demon Combat Arts – Rank B]
[Dark Flame Fist – Rank B]
[Abyssal Roar – Rank C]
[Hell Step – Rank B]
[Demonic Barrier – Rank C]
[Crushing Blow – Rank B]
[Demon's Blood Rage – Passive – Rank A]
[Mana Leech – Passive – Rank C]
🆕 Skill obtained: [Fast Step Recovery – Passive] 🆕 Unique Skill Unlocked: [Item Box] Store any physical item in a personal dimensional space. Instant access. No weight limit detected.
"Item Box…? That's going to be useful."
Meanwhile, the king, now wounded but still conscious, had watched the entire battle unfold from behind collapsed pillars. As Renji walked toward him, the king struggled to his feet.
"You… boy. You protected my daughters… and defeated a general of the Demon Lord's army… I owe you my life."
He dropped to one knee before Renji.
"You are not just a hero. You are our savior."
Renji, clearly uncomfortable with such formalities, scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Please don't kneel, Your Majesty. I was just doing what I had to."
Behind him, Elira and Celis were both looking at Renji with mixed expressions—gratitude, awe, and something warmer growing deep within their hearts.
"Why does my heart beat so fast when I look at him…?" "What is this feeling…?"
As the sun began to rise behind the shattered walls of Veldenar, the flames of war simmered down—for now. But they all knew this was just the beginning.