This can't be the end, right? I haven't even achieved anything yet, but there's still a chance... maybe the guards have called for help or the Void Organization has intervened. Maybe... just maybe.
But what about them? The people I swore to protect? Are they dead too? Luna... Seraphina... Erebus... why am I thinking of him now? Even though he did come to help me...
What happens after this? Is there anything at all? Death, even after all this knowledge and opportunity—is this regression really worth it? Do I really have to face my death again? I feel like I'm on the brink of unconsciousness... am I regressing again? Or what if there's only an abyss waiting to judge me for my failure?
Suddenly, I woke up. It was evening now, even though it had been afternoon the last time I was conscious. The scene around me was one of utter carnage. Blood was everywhere. The entire squad had been torn to pieces, one of them even crushed into the ground like a pancake. It had to be the work of someone rank A or higher to create such a horror. As I tried to stand up and take in more of the scene—
[System: Venom Resistance |Level 0 → Level 1| New skill acquired!]
Huh? Why did this—ugh! What happened to my hand? Why are there bite marks on it? It hurts like hell! I have to get up. I need to find my sisters. Why am I still alive?
If any of their bodies had been intact, maybe I could have done something...
I moved towards where I last saw Luna and Erebus. My heart was pounding in my chest, fear and anxiety clawing at me as I knelt down to check if they were alive.
"Thank the stars, they're still alive," I muttered. They were unconscious, but at least they were breathing. But where's Seraphina? I activated my Starforce Vision, scanning the surroundings. There she was, unconscious and leaning against a tree. Was it the Void Organization that saved us? Or someone else? And what kind of monster could have caused this disaster?
"Hey, Erebus! Luna! Wake up!" I shouted as I shook them. After several tense moments, Luna was the first to stir.
"Huh... what happened, Dajit? I saw you get hit, and then I blacked out. Are you okay? Where are they?" she asked, eyes darting around, concern etched on her face.
And the reason i woke up luna was because i knew she is a lot stronger than me if her power awaken and she has a natural talent of absorbing knowledge as she is aa pure genius.
"I'm fine," I reassured her, although even I was puzzled. Why did it feel like nothing had happened to me? I clearly remembered my ribs being crushed. Someone must have been here—someone powerful enough to heal me completely. And what about these snake bite marks on my hand?
"Don't worry, it was just a misunderstanding. We've sorted it out. Everyone is fine," I said, trying to calm her as she continued to look around, as if searching for something.
"Where is Seraphina? I can't see her," her voice trembling.
"She's over there. Can't you sense her?" pointing in Seraphina's direction.
"No, I can't. I don't know why," but there was a hint of fear creeping into her voice.
That was strange, but there wasn't time to dwell on it. The forest was getting darker, and we needed to get out of here. Our parents would be worried, and monsters could be lurking nearby. I knew Seraphina was alive, so I asked Luna to carry her. I picked up Erebus, and we made our way back to the horse carriage.
As we reached the spot where we had left the carriage, we found it still there. The coachman was lying unconscious beside it, and the two guards were nowhere to be seen.
"Luna, let's get them into the carriage first."
"Yes, Dajit," she helped me as we laid them in the carriage. As we did, the coachman began to stir.
"What... what happened? Where are the guards? Young master, why are your clothes torn? And why are your companions unconscious?" the coachman asked, looking bewildered.
"Don't worry about us. They're just unconscious because they got scared by an advanced goblin monster. I've dealt with it. It was a mistake—I mistook the goblin for a human attacker. But where are the guards?" I asked, feigning calm.
"I don't know, young lord. One moment I was fine, and then I just... blacked out. I don't know where the guards are."
It made sense. If there had been a powerful spellcaster nearby, the guards would have recognized the danger and fled, leaving the level 1 coachman behind, affected by the spell.
"Let's return home first. Everyone will be worried. We'll figure out the rest later," I urged him to start the carriage. As the carriage started moving, I took a deep breath, trying to piece everything together.
After I was attacked, there must have been a four-hour gap. Luna, Seraphina, and Erebus all went unconscious just after the fight. Seraphina might be the key to understanding what happened, and if the Void Organisation was involved, I would find out when I met them in a couple of days.
But what about the snake bite mark? I didn't feel any venom coursing through my veins, and the poison had already been neutralised, granting me venom resistance. That meant there were at least two entities involved—one who attacked and another who saved me.
"Dajit, why did you lie to the coachman? What really happened after I passed out?" Luna asked, her voice cutting through my thoughts. I had been expecting this question, just not this soon.
"We came to an agreement with those people. They mistook us for bandits that had been causing trouble near the beach, so they attacked. But I managed to negotiate with them. Don't worry, they won't come after us. But please, don't tell anyone else about this. If our parents find out, they'll never let us out again, and tomorrow is a big day for them. They'll be worried sick if they know we got into a fight."
"But... I felt a surge of mana at the end, like someone's energy exploded."
That must have been when the enemy died, their mana returning to nature. It was fortunate Luna didn't understand what that meant yet.
"He used a skill to teleport away. I don't know where he went, but we're safe now," offering her a reassuring smile.
The rest of our trip was silent. Luna seemed lost in thought, probably still processing what had happened. I, too, was trying to make sense of everything, but the pieces didn't quite fit together yet. For now, getting home safely was the priority.
When we finally reached home, my parents were anxiously waiting for us. They looked tense and worried.
"What happened, Dajit? Where are the guards, and what happened to those two?" my mother, Luna, asked with concern.
I explained everything in detail. Afterward, my mother tended to Seraphina and Erebus while we waited for the doctor. Fortunately, after some time, we learned that all of us were fine.
In this day and age, being attacked by monsters is not uncommon. That's why many commoners fear for their lives when travelling through forests. It's common practice to hire knights from noble-affiliated guilds, adventurers from independent guilds, or mercenaries with no affiliations.
My mother had hired two beastmen knights for our protection, but when faced with danger, they ran away. Going out of town towards the pond had been risky from my side, and them hiring not o competent in the end, both sides made mistakes, but no one was blamed.
Still, the shock weighed heavily on my parents. This was the second devastating incident since the annihilation of their village, and it had left them deeply unsettled. We had a quiet dinner, with no conversation. Each of us needed time to process what had happened, just like before.
That night, we went to bed, bringing an end to a stressful day. But for me, it was a clear warning—if I don't grow stronger soon, my life might spiral into the same regret and tragedy as my past one.
The next morning was hectic, with seraphina and erebus waking up and everyone preparing for the shop's inauguration event. Amidst the chaos, I decided it was the perfect moment to reveal to my parents that I had reached Level 2. It would help them believe that I had indeed defeated a Level 2 goblin and increase the moment of celebration.
Then, I went to Seraphina's room to recount the story and asked her about the moment I was attacked.
"Seraphina, what happened after you saw me being attacked?"
She furrowed her brow, thinking hard, but then her pain resurfaced.
"Aagh! It hurts... I don't remember, I fell asleep," her voice strained with pain. It was clear she couldn't recall the details leaving me hopeless again. The Void organisation is now my only hope for answers.
"It's alright, you don't need to remember. It went just as I will describe you now. Don't worry about it." Then I reiterated the incident to her just like I did to Luna but avoided the topic of me beheading the assassin and it looked like she didn't see it as well.
"But why did you ask me? And I'm sorry... If I hadn't fallen, none of this would've happened..." Tears welled up in her eyes, and she started to cry, the guilt too much for her seven-year-old heart to bear.
"Don't worry about it. Everything turned out fine in the end. Be happy—we have the party today due to the inauguration ceremony, and we're going to enjoy it," I reassured her. Though she was still sad, I knew that time would heal her wounds.
"Yes, Dajit," Afterward, I headed to Erebus' room. I knew I had to confront him as he had surely seen me decapitate the guy. But he is my shadow, i will make him accept the new truth.
After a brief conversation, we reached an understanding. With that settled, I finally got ready for the shop's inauguration as the stress for information leak was mostly over. Despite the lingering pain from the day before.
The event was a joyous occasion as principal Astoria had also come here which boosted our sales and she needed to pick up Erebus and I didn't try to contact her at that time as I needed to look after my sisters, and I knew from this event I had to prepare myself for the challenges ahead by putting my all in.