The dawn broke with Ethan fumbling out of bed, his mind set on the impending demon horde mission. In his haste, he accidentally activated his Eye of Perception, causing him to see through his closet door and straight into Lydia's quarters next door. He yelped and spun around, tripping over his own feet and face-planting into his breakfast tray.
"Master Ethan! Are you alright?" Lydia's concerned voice called from the hallway.
"Fine! Just... practicing my battle rolls!" Ethan called back, his face covered in porridge.
At the mission briefing, Lord Marcus stood tall, his presence commanding. "We face a grave threat," he began solemnly. "A demon horde gathers in the northern—"
His words were cut short as Ethan, still struggling with his newfound abilities, accidentally activated his enhanced hearing. Suddenly, he could hear everything – including Lord Marcus's stomach gurgling loudly.
"Father, are you alright?" Ethan blurted out. "That sounded painful!"
The gathered warriors looked confused. Lord Marcus's face reddened. "I... I'm fine. As I was saying—"
But the damage was done. Snickers rippled through the crowd, and Ethan wanted to sink into the ground.
As they marched towards the northern forest, Ethan tried to redeem himself by using his Eye of Perception to scout ahead. "I see something!" he exclaimed, pointing dramatically. "Over there, behind those trees!"
The warriors tensed, weapons at the ready. Cedric signaled for a stealthy approach. They crept forward, only to find... a group of startled picnickers from a neighboring village.
"Oh, um... hello," Ethan said awkwardly. "Lovely day for a... demon hunt picnic?"
Elise face-palmed hard enough to leave a mark.
Finally, they encountered the real demon horde. The battle was fierce, with Ethan, Elise, and Cedric fighting side by side. Ethan's Eye of Perception was proving invaluable, until...
"Ethan! What do you see?" Cedric shouted over the chaos.
Ethan, focusing hard, replied, "I see... I see... Cedric, is that a butterfly tattoo on your—"
"Focus on the demons!" Cedric roared, his face turning an impressive shade of crimson.
The battle raged on, with Ethan and his companions pushing towards the demon leader. The monstrous creature towered over them, its armor gleaming wickedly.
"Aim for its weak spots!" Ethan called out, his Eye of Perception highlighting vulnerabilities.
He lunged forward, daggers flashing, aiming for what he thought was a gap in the armor. Instead, his blade caught on a loose piece of demonic carapace, yanking it off to reveal... frilly pink underarmor.
The demon leader froze, looking mortified (if demons could look mortified). "It was a gift from my demon mother!" it roared defensively.
The battlefield fell silent for a moment before erupting into laughter. Even some of the lesser demons were chuckling.
Seizing the moment of distraction, Ethan and his team launched a coordinated attack. With a final, decisive thrust – and trying very hard not to look at the pink frills – Ethan struck the killing blow.
As the demon leader fell and its minions retreated, Ethan stood victorious, covered in demon ichor and trying to catch his breath. Cedric approached, a mix of pride and exasperation on his face.
"Well done, Ethan," he said. "Though perhaps we should work on your... commentary during battle."
Back at the estate, Lord Marcus congratulated the warriors on their victory. As Ethan stepped forward to receive his praise, he tripped over his own feet, stumbled forward, and accidentally yanked down his father's pants in front of the entire clan.
There was a moment of stunned silence before Lord Marcus, standing in his heart-patterned boxers, cleared his throat. "Well... I suppose this makes us even for the stomach comment earlier."
That evening, as Ethan collapsed into bed, thoroughly exhausted and embarrassed, he activated the system.
[Congratulations on defeating the demon horde! New skill unlocked: Embarrassment Resistance. You now have a 10% chance to avoid humiliating yourself in crucial moments. Would you like to activate this skill?]
"Yes, please!" Ethan groaned into his pillow. "Activate it forever!"
As he drifted off to sleep, Ethan couldn't help but wonder what new adventures – and potential embarrassments – awaited him. He was the reborn heir of the Ravenwood Clan, savior of picnickers, revealer of demon underwear, and accidental pants-puller. And somehow, he'd have to save the world.
At least it wouldn't be boring.