Chapter 2 – Responsibility 2
Dean pushed the door open and stepped inside with a firm stride.
The change in his posture was so sudden that anyone who had seen him trembling outside would have found it hard to believe this was the same person. In just a few seconds, the hesitant youth seemed to have forced himself into a different state of mind.
Once inside, he quickly locked the door behind him and turned to face the room.
Darkness greeted him.
"Why is it completely dark in here?" he muttered under his breath.
He took a few careful steps forward. After five paces, a soft pearl-like light suddenly flickered in the distance. At first it was only a faint glow, but the moment it appeared, the light spread rapidly across the entire space, banishing the darkness as if someone had drawn back a heavy curtain.
Dean's eyes widened.
"Wow… it's beau—"
The words died in his throat.
In the center of the brightly lit room stood a long table with seven chairs. The seat at the head of the table was empty. The remaining six chairs were occupied by young women, each more striking than the last.
Three sat on the left side and three on the right. Their presence alone made the room feel refined and tense at the same time.
"I will be the first to go!"
"No, I should go first!"
Their voices overlapped in a heated argument. To Dean's ears, even their quarreling sounded strangely pleasant, like the soft clash of heavenly bells.
He stood frozen for a moment, staring at the scene in front of him.
"Dad… is this really a room I'm supposed to protect," he thought with a faint, disbelieving smile, "or a place for me to enjoy myself?"
Straightening his back, he forced the nervousness down and walked toward the table with as much composure as he could manage. He refused to show any sign of weakness in front of them.
When he reached the empty chair at the head of the table, he placed his hand on the backrest and prepared to speak.
"Hello, everyone. I am—"
"Young Master, there is no need to introduce yourself," a clear voice interrupted him. "We already know who you are."
Dean paused.
The speaker was a young woman of about sixteen seated closest to his right. She had long brown hair that fell like a waterfall to her waist, a cold yet elegant face, and a slender figure. Every movement she made carried a natural air of dignity, as if she was used to being obeyed.
"What… I'm famous without even knowing it?" Dean thought in slight confusion.
Before he could respond, another voice rose from the opposite side of the table.
"Who made you the leader of all of us, Ruby?".
The second speaker had black hair tied neatly into twin ponytails. Her voice was gentle and calm, like still water, yet it carried an undeniable authority of its own. She was just as beautiful as the first girl, but her presence felt softer and somehow more dangerous.
The two young women sat directly across from each other, each occupying the seats closest to the head of the table.
Ruby turned her cold gaze toward the other girl.
"Selena, what does that have to do with you?"
The atmosphere instantly grew sharp.
Dean quickly raised both hands in a calming gesture and sat down in the lead chair before the argument could escalate further.
"Ladies, please hold on. There's no need to rush into arguments. Let's take things slowly."
For a brief moment, the room fell quiet.
Then—
Boom!
A violent explosion shook the entire structure. The walls trembled, dust fell from the ceiling, and a sharp cracking sound followed. Before anyone could react, the heavy door of the room was blasted inward and crashed onto the floor with a deafening noise.
Dean shot up from his seat at once.
But before he could take even a single step toward the entrance, several soft hands grabbed onto him from behind and the sides.
"You must protect us!."
Three of the young women clung tightly to him, their voices filled with urgency and fear. Their bodies pressed close against his as if he were the only solid thing left in a collapsing world.
Dean's heart pounded, but he forced his voice to remain steady.
"Don't worry. I will protect all of you."
The three girls nodded quickly, still refusing to let go.
In that moment, a strange thought flashed through Dean's mind.
I always believed I was the most useless person in the world… yet right now, I am the only hope these ladies have.
The thought sent a wave of heat through his chest. He gently but firmly loosened their grip and stepped forward, walking toward the broken doorway.
About ten steps away from the shattered entrance, two figures stepped into the room, swords in hand.
One was short and stocky, carrying a long sword. The other was tall and lean, holding a slightly shorter blade. Both of them wore cruel smiles.
The short man swept his eyes across the room and let out a low, wicked laugh.
"Hello, ladies… and gentleman," he said with mock politeness. "Looks like we picked the best room, buddy."
His gaze locked onto Dean.
"Little lad, why don't you just come over and die quietly? Don't worry, I won't lay a hand on your beauties… after I'm done with you."
Dean's expression did not change. He continued walking forward until only a short distance remained between them.
"There's no need for your concern," he replied in a steady voice. "These ladies are under my protection. I need no help from anyone, especially not from the likes of you."
The short cultivator's smile widened with bloodlust.
"I guess I'll just have to kill this little brat quickly then."
Without another word, he rushed forward.
Dean did not retreat. He stepped forward to meet the attack head-on.
If Alex or the Town Chief had been present to witness this moment, they would have been shocked to their core. The weak and supposedly useless boy was now walking toward danger as if he were an unshakable mountain.
The two of them closed the distance in an instant.
"Since you have no weapon," the short cultivator sneered, sheathing his sword,
"we'll settle this with fists."
His punch shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
Dean shifted his body sideways, trying to dodge. He almost succeeded, but not completely. The punch still slammed into his chest with heavy force.
Bam!
The impact sent him stumbling several steps backward. Pain exploded across his ribs.
So fast… I thought I was already out of range.
Before he could fully regain his balance, a powerful kick came flying toward him. The cultivator's foot smashed into his shoulder, forcing him halfway down onto one knee.
"Hah…!"
A muffled grunt of pain escaped Dean's lips. The agony shot through his body like electricity, sharp enough to make his vision blur for a second. Yet he clenched his teeth and refused to collapse completely. He would not cry out. He could not afford to frighten the women behind him.
The short cultivator looked down at him and laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! And here I thought you were some hero trying to save the day. Turns out you're just a piece of trash after all!"
He finally lifted his foot.
Dean barely had time to breathe before a flash of cold light appeared.
Shing!
A sharp blade sliced across his body, cutting from his right shoulder all the way down toward his left chest. Blood sprayed into the air.
"Argh…!"
The pain was so intense that a broken, almost mad laugh mixed with his groan. His body trembled violently, yet he still refused to fall.
"Stop it!" Ruby's voice suddenly rang out, filled with rare urgency. "Don't hurt him anymore! We'll go with you!"
The short cultivator paused, his sword hovering only a few inches away from Dean's chest.
On the ground, Dean's mind was a storm of pain and bitter thoughts.
Am I really just trash?
Have I always been this useless?
Blood dripped steadily from his wound onto the floor. His breathing was ragged. Every part of his body screamed at him to give up.
Yet somewhere deep inside, a single stubborn voice refused to die.
No…
I must protect them.
No matter what.