The heavy iron gates of Oakhaven village loomed in the distance, a sight that once brought Arlan a sense of belonging, but now only fueled the cold embers of his rage. Two guards stood at the entrance, leaning lazily against their spears. Arlan recognized them immediately—Jax and Kael. They were the ones who had laughed the loudest when the Village Head's men dragged him toward the forest.
Arlan crouched in the tall grass, his breathing silent, his heart beating with a rhythm that felt more mechanical than human.
[Target Identified: Village Guard - Level 1]
[Hostility Level: High]
[Threat Level: Minimal]
"Do you think the wolves left anything of the brat?" Jax asked, spitting a glob of phlegm onto the dirt. "I heard a lot of howling coming from the Forbidden Forest about an hour ago."
"I hope not," Kael sneered, passing a flask of cheap ale. "The village is better off without a talentless 'trash' dragging us down. The Elder did the right thing by offering him as a sacrifice to appease the spirits."
Arlan's grip on the hilt of his Shadow Dagger tightened. The obsidian blade seemed to hum in response to his anger, its dark aura flickering like a dying candle in a storm. He remembered how his mother had begged these very men for help before she passed, and how they had ignored her cries.
[Activating Skill: Shadow Step!]
In the blink of an eye, Arlan vanished from the grass. To the guards, it looked as if the darkness itself had swallowed him. A split second later, the air behind Kael turned cold.
"I'm glad to know I was missed," a voice whispered, colder than a winter grave.
Kael froze, the flask slipping from his numb fingers. He felt the razor-sharp edge of a blade pressing against his carotid artery. Jax, seeing his partner held hostage by a figure draped in shadows, tried to raise his spear, but his hands shook uncontrollably.
"A-Arlan? No... you're a ghost! You died in the forest!" Jax stammered, his face turning a sickly shade of white.
"Death tried to take me," Arlan said, stepping into the dim torchlight. His eyes were no longer the dull brown they used to be; they were glowing with a terrifying, piercing golden light. "But it found me far too bitter to swallow."
With a swift movement, Arlan used the pommel of his dagger to strike Kael's temple, knocking him unconscious. Before Jax could scream, Arlan appeared in front of him, his hand gripping the guard's throat with the strength of a titan.
[Strength +10 Activated]
"Tell me," Arlan hissed, lifting the grown man off the ground. "Are they still celebrating in the mansion?"
Jax could only nod frantically, his eyes bulging. Arlan tossed him aside like a piece of refuse. He didn't kill them—not because he was merciful, but because he wanted them to live long enough to see the village they loved burn under his vengeance.
[Hidden Quest Triggered: The Night of Retribution]
[Objective: Infiltrate the Elder's Mansion without being detected by the inner guards.]
[Reward: 800 Exp, +5 Intelligence, Unlock: System Shop]
Arlan didn't walk through the main street. He used the rooftops, moving with the grace of a feline predator. Every leap felt effortless; every landing was silent. As he looked down at the familiar huts and shops, he felt a profound sense of detachment. This was no longer his home. This was his hunting ground.
He soon reached the perimeter of the Elder's mansion. It was a lavish stone building, a sharp contrast to the wooden shacks of the commoners. Bright lights shone from the windows, and the sound of music and laughter drifted through the night air.
Arlan climbed a nearby tree and perched himself on a branch overlooking the banquet hall. Inside, the leaders of Oakhaven were feasting. In the center of the room sat Elder Thorne, a man whose greed was as legendary as his cruelty. And next to him was Elena—the girl Arlan had once promised to protect.
She looked beautiful in her silk gown, her head resting on the shoulder of the Elder's son, Marcus. Marcus was the one who had orchestrated Arlan's "accident."
"A toast!" Thorne shouted, raising a golden goblet. "To a new era of prosperity for Oakhaven, now that the curse of the 'forsaken child' has been lifted from our lands!"
The crowd roared in approval. Elena laughed, a sound that used to be music to Arlan's ears but now sounded like the scraping of metal on stone.
Arlan's eyes narrowed. He opened his system interface, his fingers hovering over his status points.
[Level: 4]
[Stat Points Available: 10]
[Assigning all points to Agility and Strength...]
He felt his muscles ripple and tighten. His senses expanded until he could hear the heartbeat of every person in that room. He reached into his inventory and pulled out the Low-Grade Healing Potion he had received earlier, drinking it in one gulp to ensure he was at peak condition.
"Enjoy your wine," Arlan whispered, the Shadow Dagger beginning to vibrate with a dark, hungry energy. "Because tonight, the 'trash' is coming home to collect his debt."
He kicked off the branch, soaring through the air toward the mansion's balcony. The glass shattered as he crashed through, the sound of the explosion silencing the laughter inside.
The God-Slayer had arrived.