Amon spent the whole day either watching the news or playing with Ciara and his wife.
Presently, he was seated in front of a piano, his hands moving rhythmically as he played a smooth, calm tone.
The song was extremely melodic, causing a joyful atmosphere to spread throughout the warm, cozy home.
"Who's a cute little girl… yes you are…"
Seated in the parlor, Kayla gently nudged the little infant, Ciara.
She was giggling, her eyes filled with joy as she enjoyed the warmth and love coming from her parents.
Amon's hands steadily tapped on the keys of the piano without missing a beat…
The harmonious atmosphere continued for some time, the giggles never ceasing, and Amon's warm smile never receding.
This was all he ever wanted.
A happy home with his wife and kids.
It was every man's dream. Marrying the woman they loved, having a few children, and living life to its fullest without any worries in one's heart.
Suddenly, Amon's hands trembled and the music came to a stop.
His expression changed drastically as his body instinctively stiffened.
Kayla looked at Amon in confusion, wondering why he had stopped playing.
"Kaylie," Amon stood up from the piano seat with a warm smile.
"I just recalled I have to handle something. I'll be back shortly."
"Seriously? Now of all times?" Kayla asked, her brows knitting into a frown.
Ciara had grown silent, however her gaze never left Amon's for even a second.
Staring with wide eyes, her expression was filled with curiosity.
"What are you looking at, little girl?" Amon smiled sweetly and pinched her cheeks.
Giving Kayla a loving look, he kissed her on the forehead and reassured her.
"I'll be back shortly, it's important I do this."
"Can you at least tell me what it is?"
"When I come back, alright?" Amon replied, brushing the topic aside completely.
"Alright, stay safe." Kayla urged and waved him off.
Amon stepped out of the house, and after making sure the door was closed, his expression changed once more.
'They are here again… for my daughter…' his eyes were eerily calm.
But it was exactly that calmness that sent shivers down one's spine.
Calmly, he walked towards a nearby shop. Inside, there were children's masks.
Spotting one that seemed… interesting, Amon quickly left a few dollars on the counter, picked it up, and left.
Due to the enhancement of his Danger Sense, Amon could already feel the ones targeting his daughter from more than a hundred meters away. As such, he wasn't feeling pressured yet, since they were still too far away.
Placing the mask over his face, he deliberated for a few moments before deciding to purchase a black coat as well.
He didn't want anyone to recognize him, hence the reason he completely masked his identity.
After he was done with the disguise, he walked calmly with his hands in his pockets.
The moon hung in the sky, limply, its soft glow illuminating the surroundings as though acknowledging the rising tension.
After ensuring he was far enough from his home, Amon glanced up.
The moon and stars blended together to create a beautiful night sky.
But suddenly, it was interrupted by two whooshing sounds, along with the appearance of two silhouettes in the distance.
Swoosh!
Amon's sword appeared in his grasp as he continued staring at them with a pair of emotionless eyes.
Whoosh…
The two continued flying, heading rapidly toward Amon.
Suddenly, a pitch-black arc streaked across the night sky, as though cutting through the haziness of the moon and stars.
"Watch out!" a voice rang out, filled with urgency.
Instantly, the two dodged the attack, distancing themselves from the point of impact.
Bang!
The sword attack continued for a few meters before crashing into a house not too far away.
Although the attack didn't injure them, that wasn't Amon's aim.
He glanced briefly in the direction of the house, his expression hidden beneath the mask.
The two finally recovered their composure and changed direction toward Amon.
Bang!
The sound of something heavy crashing echoed.
On the roof of a house, smoke and dust exploded outward before gradually receding, revealing two figures.
One was a burly, middle-aged man, and beside him stood a slender woman with a short sword in hand.
"Who are you?" the middle-aged man asked, on high alert as he stared at the masked figure.
The mask looked oddly cute, and for a moment, he didn't know whether to laugh or feel uneasy.
Was this person trying to play a joke on him or something?
The woman's face held a similar hint of confusion.
The masked man remained silent and simply raised his sword without hesitation.
Bang!
A burst of black light exploded, and the shadows in the surroundings seemed to come alive.
Trembling and vibrating slightly, the shadows rushed forward and coalesced at the tip of Amon's blade.
'Netherworld Shadow Veil Sword Art.'
Amon swung his sword forward, causing the gathered shadows to erupt outward.
They exploded like massive bombs, rushing toward the two at blinding speed.
"This… what sort of attack is this?" the woman exclaimed, slightly terrified, as she quickly raised her short sword to block.
Bang!
The attack collided with her blade, sending her flying as she crashed into a building, leaving the man standing alone.
The man's pupils shrank drastically as he stared at Amon.
"Are you the guard?" he asked, his thoughts racing as he tried to find a way to escape.
Amon tilted his head slightly, a feeling of weakness settling over him.
'I barely have enough mana for another attack…' Amon noted silently, aware that due to his low level, he didn't have enough mana to consecutively execute the fourth stage of the Netherworld sword technique.
'Still… for him, the third stage is enough.'
Amon had attacked the woman first because she was far stronger than the man. Eliminating her quickly had been the right decision.
Turning his attention to the man, Amon calmly raised his sword.
'What the hell is going on?' the man screamed internally.
The moment Amon raised his sword, the man's heart jolted violently. A thick killing intent enveloped him, so suffocating it almost made him feel like he couldn't move.
'Desolate Moon Sword Art.'
Slashing forward, an arc briefly appeared, mirroring the motion of Amon's blade.
The arc resembled the moon, desolate and lonely, as though it had long since abandoned its emotions.
Coldly, it drifted forward, and before the man could react, it brushed past him and faded into the distance.
However, the damage had already been done.
A gust of wind blew, and the man's head tilted to the side.
'Hah… hah… hah…' Amon let out exhausted breaths, panting repeatedly as he struggled to recover.
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
Just like before, when he had killed the neighbor and received four level-ups, bringing him to level 4, this time he had received three level-ups, bringing him to level 7.
And he was just a step away from level 8.
Due to leveling up multiple times, Amon's mana reserves were refilled, and his exhausted stamina began recovering rapidly.
'Everything's handled.' Amon let out a breath and was about to leave when a sharp whistling sound pierced through the air.
Bang!
Amon barely reacted when a hand pierced through his chest.
Swoosh!
Due to his Danger Sense flaring up in time, Amon reacted instantly, barely avoiding a fatal strike.
Still, as the slender figure withdrew her hand, a chunk of Amon's flesh was clasped within her grip.
Her gaze drifted to Amon's chest, where a massive wound could be seen, before shifting to his mask.
"Interesting… thankfully, I had a protective reli
c, or I would have died just now."
Amon gasped, a wave of pain coursing through his chest as he stared at the woman.
'She isn't dead yet?' Amon muttered internally, gripping his blade tightly.