[STR: 15]
[AGI: 13]
[VIT: 15]
[INT: 11]
[DEX: 10]
[Name: Celimity]
[Class: Assassin]
[Cursed Type?: Lv. 20]
[Little Fang Claw: Lv. 20]
[Wind Magic: Lv. 20]
[Shadow Manipulation Ability: Lv??]
[!! Warning!!]
A red light blared from the system, catching Vale off guard as the notification appeared: his opponent's status was now far beyond anything he had ever faced and exponentially more powerful than before.
His body trembled. Not from the chill of the night air brushing against his skin, but from the killing intent that crackled in the air, emanating from Celimity, now enveloping the forest.
The disparity in strength... was utterly absurd.
Celimity. That was the new name of the boss after evolving from a once feral beast into something far more terrifying. A fang-bearing assassin, cursed and shrouded in unpredictable wind magic.
Vale swallowed hard. His eyes fixated on the face of the boss, now fully evolved.
Celimity's eyes glowed a faint purple, sharp and piercing like a predator that knew no fatigue. The scars he had once inflicted had vanished, replaced by a crescent moon curse pattern that spiraled across her entire body.
"…This is no ordinary fight," Vale murmured softly.
The system granted him the Assassin class, but the foe before him was also an Assassin, her abilities far superior to his own.
The wind howled again, but this time it felt like a whisper of death.
[Time is up!]
[You will incur penalties for failing to complete the Quest!!]
With that final notification, Vale's body was yanked back to where he started, just as he was chasing that strange light. But now, the atmosphere had shifted.
A bustling crowd welcomed him. The city of Monity had come alive once more.
The sun began to cast its familiar glow, townsfolk bustling about in the streets, the lively sounds of morning activity ringing everywhere. A few people even accidentally brushed past him as they walked along the cobblestone roads.
Vale stood in silence. His head turned slightly, confused by the time discrepancy between his current location and the Tropical Forest he had just departed.
Time… moved differently.
Yet he shook his head slightly, unwilling to dwell on it. With heavy steps, he began to walk toward his apartment.
When he had left, he hadn't glanced at the clock, and now it showed 7:00 AM. The clock tower chimed its familiar sound.
Vale had just returned from the wild, foreign, and deadly Tropical Forest.
A sense of regret welled up inside him. He had underestimated that place. Ordinary monsters could be defeated with effort… but an evolved boss? That was utterly impossible for him.
The main door of the apartment swung open. He stepped inside, traversing the hallway and quietly making his way to his room. As his hand touched the doorknob, his mind began to spiral.
"Penalty…?" he whispered.
What did the system mean? What kind of punishment would he receive? That question continued to haunt his thoughts.
Vale closed his eyes for a moment, attempting to calm his mind. Yet that worry lingered. He let out a long breath.
"Not now," he thought, giving his cheek a light slap. "There are more important matters at hand."
He needed to find out…
Where exactly had he been transported? And who was orchestrating all of this?
After standing still in front of the door for quite some time, a click sounded. The door slowly creaked open, and the sight within his room made Vale's heart race.
Sitting quietly atop his bed was someone he knew very well: Viona, his sister.
But her appearance was now vastly different from the previous night.
She wore a neat white shirt paired with a black skirt adorned with soft purple patterns. A purple-black ribbon wrapped sweetly around her neck, with a small crystal pendant dangling at its end, reflecting the gentle light from the window.
A tiny headband adorned her hair, enhancing her graceful yet peculiar look.
Her appearance was striking, unlike the Viona Vale was used to. It was as if something… had changed. But there was a hidden purpose behind it all.
She sat quietly on the bed, her hands resting on her lap, her face calm yet unreadable. Her gaze met Vale's directly, as if she already knew he would return.
She offered a small smile—a warm smile, yet it left a riddle. Vale stood frozen. Without a word, he stepped inside slowly, narrowing his eyes... trying to decipher the meaning behind that smile.
But something strange occurred; Viona's demeanor had shifted drastically.
A softness radiated from her behavior and speech. Her voice, gentle and almost whispering, oddly soothed Vale's mind… too soothing.
Viona spoke softly, inquiring about where her brother had gone. She seemed genuinely worried, her expression sincere, her gaze deep. As if terrified of losing someone she cherished dearly.
Vale remained silent for a moment. But eventually, he couldn't hold everything back any longer.
The questions that had been swirling in his mind—one by one, they tumbled out. Especially regarding what had actually happened the night before.
Vale began to speak in a serious tone. Viona, who had been chattering non-stop, gradually halted her flow of words.
One sentence escaped Vale's lips—about the strange encounter… or more accurately, the altercation that had taken place that night.
Strangely, Viona simply shook her head slowly, smiling.
She claimed… she didn't remember waking up. Had no recollection of anything. As if the events had never occurred.
Vale narrowed his eyes.
The memories he held felt hazy. Some fragments of events were still clear, but many had vanished altogether. Like a hole in his mind that he couldn't fill.
"Alright then…" he murmured quietly.
[Name: Vale Zorca]
[Age: 20 years]
[Class: Assassin]
A floating system panel appeared before him, drifting into view as if confirming that this new reality was not a dream.
Meanwhile, Viona continued to gaze at Vale. Her expression pondered her brother's words… but it was evident that most of it she didn't understand, or perhaps there were hidden intentions.
Some memories remained murky, yet others were vividly clear, especially regarding a few close individuals, particularly Viona's demeanor.
Vale slowly rose and walked to the corner of the room. He pulled a chair and dragged it in front of the bed, facing Viona directly.
He sat down slowly, leaning forward, his fingers beginning to fidget, playing with themselves.
Yes.
There was one thing that relentlessly nagged at his mind.
Not just about Viona.
But about the last warning that emerged before he exited the forest:
What penalty would the system impose on him?
A soft voice broke Vale's thoughts, causing his eyes to slowly open and drift away from the shadow of the system's penalty.
It turned out Viona wanted to invite him out to buy a loaf of bread… a simple breakfast.
He hadn't eaten anything since waking up. For some reason, he wanted to share that bread with Vale—his younger brother who had just returned from a sudden departure.
Hearing the invitation, Vale could only nod slightly. However, one sentence that escaped Viona's lips made his eyebrows twitch.
"But you're paying for it, okay?"
Silence. Vale's expression changed.
His fists clenched tightly, feeling the urge to hit something, or rather: to smack the smug face sitting across from him.
He shot Viona a sardonic smile, his eyes half-lidded. But his logical mind quickly intervened. If I really hit her… then what happens after that? He smirked at the thought.
This feeling was reminiscent of his original world; beneath his annoyed demeanor, Vale also felt a sense of happiness to experience this atmosphere again.
Thinking about it made him a little sad.
Viona, noticing her brother's sudden gloom, put on a mischievous expression. Her previously gentle face shifted… into that of someone who had no money and was trying to exploit her sibling.
Of course, this reminded Vale of old memories.
With light movements, they both finally stood up and walked out towards a bread vendor tent just a few steps from their apartment.
However, something strange happened midway.
A system notification suddenly popped up in front of Vale, freezing his stride.
[Teleport will begin!]
Without much thought, he quickly opened the system shop and purchased something beneficial for his body.
[YES]
[YES]
In front of him, Viona continued to walk ahead, chatting lightly, but…
There was no response from behind.
She turned to see that Vale had vanished without a trace. Her brow furrowed instantly. One of her cheeks lifted, showing an expression of annoyance and heightened emotion.
A blue light enveloped Vale's vision.
In an instant, his body had shifted.
He fell hard, and as he lifted his head, Celimity stood before him, a figure he knew all too well, now much clearer in the morning light.
No fog, no darkness. Now Vale could see the true form of the enemy awaiting him, radiating a cold and lethal aura.
Her steps were icy. Her eyes sharp. A small smile carved across her face as if she had been anticipating this fight for a long time.
"You've finally come," Celimity murmured. Her voice was cold, filled with pressure.
Surprised to hear a language he could understand, Vale took a slow breath, then drew out one remaining knife he had purchased from the system shop.
This time… he would fight with awareness. Calmly. Without distractions.
And with one goal: to finish what had been left unfinished.
…