Chapter 2 - (II) Return

Cami, Ichiko, and Serenity worked together in perfect unison as they shredded through wave after wave of enemies, quickly clearing the dungeon like child's play. 

Samael chased after them, struggling to keep up as he worked as a Porter, someone who picked up the materials and crystals dropped by the monsters. 

He had been their personal Porter for the last ten years, ever since he awakened as a Hunter and was deemed trash by society due to being an F-Rank, working essentially as a slave to the three most powerful SSS-Rank Huntresses in the Hunter's Association. 

He quickly made his way through the dungeon, quickly and expertly picking up everything left behind after the monsters vanished into dark smoke upon their deaths, placing them in the giant backpack. 

He never saw one of the goblins on his way to the Boss' Room, barely reaching the entrance to watch the end of the fight. 

Cami rushed forward, raising her shield high as she rammed it against the Goblin King, throwing him off balance as she swung her flail, hitting it in its robust stomach, causing it to stumble backward. 

Ichiko dashed behind her, her uchigatana held behind her as she flipped through the air, landing on Cami's shield as she knelt down, launching off it. 

The Goblin King swung its humongous club through the air at the woman, missing and destroying her afterimage as she reappeared behind the Goblin King, twirling her katana around and quickly sheathing it as a dozen slashes appeared across the body of the beast, spurting blood everywhere around it. 

The Goblin King's eyes went white as it groaned loudly; however, it was too late, as Serenity had finished casting her spell, and four glyphs appeared in front of her, glowing brightly. 

She opened her eyes, throwing her hand forward as the energy quickly gathered in the center of the four spell circles. Instantly, four giant fireballs shot out of the glyphs toward the Goblin King. 

The four fireballs danced around one another as they approached the Goblin King, converging into a massive sphere of fire, colliding with the monster, creating a pillar of flames around it. 

The Goblin King's eyes blanked as its charred body collapsed to the ground and vanished in a giant puff of black smoke. Samael's eyes sparkled with amazement. 

No matter how often he watched their teamwork, he was awestruck at how well the trio worked together. After a moment of silence, he returned to reality and ran toward the items dropped by the Goblin King, quickly picking them up and stashing them in his backpack. 

"Is that everything?" Ichiko asked, turning to look at him. 

"Yes, ma'am!" He exclaimed with a smile, "I picked up everything!" 

"Good job, Sam!" Cami chirped with a smile, approaching and patting him on the shoulder. 

"Yes, that was rather quick of you today..." Ichiko added, approaching slowly, "You did well." 

"T-Thank you!" He stuttered, thrown off guard by the sudden compliments, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling. 

"Now, you can enjoy your rest..." Ichiko said, her words seething with hate as Samael collapsed to his knees, gripping his stomach, his eyes unable to watch as she jammed the hilt of her katana into his abdomen. 

"W-" He tried to stutter as Cami pulled his backpack off him before kicking him in the face, knocking his teeth out and covering his face with blood. 

He screamed in pain, grabbing his face, trying to stop the flowing blood, staring up at the paladin with shock. Behind him, Serenity approached with a dozen glyphs materializing on the back of her hand. 

As she knelt beside him, the glyphs all vanished, her glove turning a blinding white as an intense flame burst from her fingertips; her lips curled up as she sneered at him, "You should have behaved better, you disgusting pig!" 

His eyes widened in shock as he grabbed his manhood, shaking his head as he tried to plead with her, only gurgling his blood. Ichiko and Cami grabbed his arms, pinning them against the ground as he started to kick and scream. 

Serenity reached down, gripping his manhood forcefully as he unleashed a bloodcurdling scream, the stench of burning hair and skin rapidly filling the boss room. 

His clothes instantly caught fire as he flailed around wildly, screaming and spitting blood on all three women, causing them to shout in disgust as they released him and stepped back. 

"YOU WONT GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!" Samael shouted, his body entirely engulfed by the flames. 

"Who would even think to question it?" Cami scoffed, wiping the blood from her face, staring down at her stained gauntlet, and stepping forward, kicking him out of frustration. 

"Porters die in dungeons every day." Ichiko coldly replied, crossing her arms as she stared at him disgustingly. 

"Exactly!" Serenity added, laughing as she wiped the blood off her face with her thumb, smearing it on her lower lip before sucking it off her thumb. 

"GRAAAH!!!" Sam roared, glaring at the three women he idolized with a wave of unfathomable anger, "I'LL MAKE SURE YOU PAY!!!" 

"YOU WILL PAY!!" He started repeatedly screaming until his body turned to ashes, and silence once more filled the boss' room. Summoning a gust of wind, Serenity scattered his ashes, erasing him from the world before the three turned around, exiting the dungeon. 

Samael screamed loudly as he shot up, sitting in a bed covered in sweat. He panted heavily as he turned and looked around the room bewildered. He quickly started checking his body before reaching his hands into his pants and sighing in relief. 

'Is this my old bedroom..?' He thought to himself, getting out of bed as he opened the nearby window. A flood of brilliant light entered the room, as his jaw dropped in surprise. 

"Sam?!?" A feminine voice came from behind him as the door burst open, and an older woman entered, "Is everything okay?"

"Mom..?" He asked as he turned around, thinking his eyes had betrayed him, tears beginning to well up in the corner of his eyes. 

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" She asked, rushing forward and wrapping her arms around him, hugging him soothingly. 

"N-nothing..." Samael muttered, hugging her back tightly, unable to contain the overwhelming emotions, "It was just a nightmare..." 

"Oh, my kind baby boy!" She chirped, stroking his hair as she shushed him before breaking the hold and smiling at him softly, grabbing his face and wiping the tears from his cheek with her thumbs, "How about you get dressed and I'll get started on your favorite breakfast!" 

"O-okay, mom!" He replied, stepping back and nodding before his mother disappeared from his room as he turned around and stared out the window again. 

The morning was bright, and futuristic flying cars flew through the air as people made their daily commutes to work. He looked down, staring at the ground, barely able to see the ant-sized dots walking below. 

Tall, sleek skyscrapers littered the city's skyline when suddenly, a black window with intricately gold trim appeared before him:

╔══Welcome back to 31, 12, 3002! You have returned sixteen hours before the emergence of the apocalypse. You wanted revenge? You wanted power? I am curious to see what you will do with it!══╝