As I stepped out of the villa, the cold night air greeted me, wrapping around me like a silent promise of violence to come. I didn't bother looking back. Abigail? Not my concern anymore.
"As I said to her... cross the line, and I'll cross it worse."
This time, I wasn't just crossing it. I was erasing the damn line.
The moment I left, I had already made my decision—I wouldn't be back for at least three days. And I wasn't going to explain myself to anyone. Not her. Not anyone.
As I walked into the empty streets, the system's familiar blue screen appeared before me. .
[Sub-Quests List]
1. The Whispering Corpse – A morgue has reported strange noises coming from one of the bodies. Investigate the case before the corpse walks on its own.
(Reward: +7 Strength, Combat Adaptation Upgrade)
2. Eliminate Lesser Nightcreatures – Track and defeat at least 10 Nightcreatures roaming the city.
(Reward: +10 Strength, +10 Endurance, Hidden Skill Unlock)
3. The Underground Arena – A secret fight club in the slums is rumored to be a front for something much darker. Enter, fight, and uncover the truth.
(Reward: Special Martial Arts Technique, +5 Strength, +5 Charisma)
My lips curled into a smirk as I whispered, "Activate Quest No. 2."
The system responded immediately.
[Quest Activated: Eliminate Lesser Nightcreatures]
Objective: Track and kill at least 10 Nightcreatures roaming the city.
Current Progress: 0/10
Location: Various abandoned areas, underground sewers, and dark alleys.
A sudden chill ran through the air, and I could feel it. The shift.
They were already lurking in the shadows.
"Good. I was getting bored."
I moved through the streets, my footsteps silent. The Eyes of the Eagle had already activated on their own, making everything sharper, clearer. Even in the dim glow of the streetlights, I could see things others wouldn't notice—movements in the dark, unnatural shifts in the air.
Then I heard it.
A faint, inhuman growl.
I turned my head slightly, my gaze locking onto the entrance of an abandoned warehouse. The metal door was slightly ajar, and inside, something moved.
I took a step forward, my smirk widening. "Looks like I found my first target."
The air inside was heavy with rot and decay. Dust particles floated in the faint light filtering through broken windows.
Then, a shadow shifted.
A grotesque creature, hunched and crawling, its body twitching unnaturally. Its elongated fingers scraped against the floor as it turned its head towards me—its eyes glowing a sickly green.
A Lesser Nightcreature.
It let out a guttural snarl, its jagged teeth dripping with black saliva, before it lunged at me.
I didn't even flinch.
Instead, I sidestepped effortlessly, letting it crash into the spot where I had been standing.
"Pathetic."
It scrambled up, its distorted face twisting in frustration before it launched itself at me again.
I met it halfway.
With a single step forward, I drove my fist into its chest. The impact sent shockwaves through its body as it let out a choked screech, its ribcage collapsing inward.
I followed up with a swift roundhouse kick to its head, sending it crashing into the warehouse wall with a sickening crunch.
It twitched once... then stilled.
[Nightcreature Eliminated: 1/10]
I rolled my shoulders. "That was disappointing. Next."
The system marked several more locations, each housing lurking Nightcreatures.
I didn't waste time.
Moving through the city, I hunted them down one by one. Each fight was short, precise, and completely one-sided.
- Second creature? Spine snapped before it could even react.
- **Third?** Jaw ripped off, head crushed.
- **Fourth and fifth?** Took them down **at the same time* without breaking a sweat.
I made sure not to use any advanced techniques. No special martial arts. No flashy moves. Just raw power and fundamental skills to avoid suspicion.
[Nightcreatures Eliminated: 9/10]
I wiped some dust off my jacket, sighing. "Only one left? That was too easy."
But as I approached the **final marked location, I paused.
Something felt different.
The air was too still.
The last Nightcreature was hiding in a dark alley, but unlike the others... it wasn't attacking.
It was watching me.
A low, clicking sound came from its throat as its glowing eyes locked onto mine.
Then, it did something unexpected.
It spoke.
"You... are not the same."
I raised an eyebrow. "You can talk?"
The creature's twisted lips curled into something almost resembling a grin.
"He... is watching you."
A chill ran down my spine—not from fear, but curiosity.
"Who?" I asked, stepping forward.
The creature let out a distorted laugh, its voice garbled yet full of twisted amusement.
"You will see soon enough, Heavenly Demon."
My eyes narrowed.
It knew.
I didn't hesitate.
With one clean strike to the throat, I crushed its windpipe, silencing it instantly.
Its body twitched for a moment before collapsing into the dirt.
[Nightcreature Eliminated: 10/10]
[Quest Completed: Eliminate Lesser Nightcreatures]
[Rewards: +10 Strength, +10 Endurance, Hidden Skill Unlock]
I stood there for a moment, processing what just happened.
"He is watching you."
Who? Morgrath? Someone else?
The system flashed again.
[New Skill Unlocked: Night Predator]
- Enhances stealth, reaction time, and increases damage dealt to Nightcreatures.
- Allows the user to sense unnatural entities nearby.
I let out a small chuckle. "Now, this is getting interesting."
I turned away from the bloodstained alley, my thoughts racing.
Whoever was watching me...
I was going to make sure they regretted it.