Cassius emotionlessly watched as the Dark Ape’s eyeballs and pink brain matter splattered against the collapsed hospital wall. His face briefly twisted in disgust before he took off his jacket and approached the heartbroken blonde girl. He covered her exposed body, then gently lifted her into a princess carry. As the Serrated Devil Blade wrapped itself around his right arm, Cassius felt an unfamiliar sting of pain in his heart upon seeing Aya’s utter dismay.
A part of him couldn’t help but blame himself for the incident. Yet, a bigger part of him thanked his earlier self for deciding to double-check the hospital room before assisting with the monster disposal. If he hadn’t made those choices, Aya would have…
Cassius’s face froze over again, but before his mood could worsen further, a feminine voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Are you one of the patients here? Are you not aware of the evacuation notice?! You need to leave right away—”
That was when the valiant Corra noticed the blood covering the unknown man from head to toe. Her gaze then shifted to the partially nude girl cradled in his arms. Unconsciously, her blade hand tightened, and her expression hardened.
“What were you doing up here…? And who is that girl?”
When the bloodied man turned to face her, Corra felt an uncontrollable sense of fear crawl up and down her spine, eliciting intense shivers. Stuttering, she raised her silver sword shakily and commanded, “St-Stop right there and state your identification! U-Under these emergency circumstances, I have the right to detain you!”
Cassius’s slow, unassuming footsteps passed right by the jittery Lead Hunter as he coldly turned his face toward her before continuing on his way.
“Even with this pitiful amount of monsters and so many of you, this was the best you could do…? Pathetic.”
“Y-You…”
Corra couldn’t even refute his words—they were the truth.
When she turned around to confront him out of desperation, he was already long gone, taking with him all the unanswered questions swirling in her mind. Then, her ears perked up at the distinct flashing of a sword and sparks flying all over the hospital grounds.
Rushing outside, Corra froze in disbelief. All the monsters had been chopped into countless pieces, their Magic Shards scattered everywhere. The other Hunters shared her bewilderment as they stared at a shadowy silhouette sauntering past the hospital gates before vanishing like an illusory ghost.
“...Leader… Do you know who that monstrous man was?”
“...No… I couldn’t get a proper look at his face because of all the blood,” Corra replied, still reeling from the shock.
“Neither could we…”
Silence.
A heavy hush hung in the air, reeking of iron. None of the gathered Hunters had ever experienced anything like this before.
Breaking the silence, an E-Rank Hunter stepped forward. “I think that man just left the Gate after clearing it. Originally, I thought my fatigued eyes were playing tricks on me. But look for yourself, Leader…”
“!!!”
Corra’s eyes widened as she followed the Hunter’s pointing finger.
“How could this be?! The Gate is closing! To do this all by himself… We need to report this to Headquarters and find a way to obtain any information about that man!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The gathered Hunters trailed behind their leader, picking up all the Magic Shards along the way. If the mysterious bloodied man hadn’t taken them, surely he wouldn’t mind them making a profit in his stead?
A few miles away.
Cassius felt a sneeze tickle the back of his throat, getting the odd sense that someone was talking about him. He had already returned home but had to sneak in through his room’s window to avoid alerting his father and stepmother to Aya’s condition. Seeing her as she was would surely worry them.
‘Still, she’s probably been gone for a while. They’re likely starting to feel some trepidation anyway…’
Realizing this, Cassius ran a hot shower, preparing to clean himself up before waking Aya so she could do the same. Being covered in blood would only worsen things. However, just as he put this plan into motion, a knock came at the door.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“Cassius, dear?” Sasha’s soft voice carried a hint of worry despite her efforts to conceal it.
“Yes?” he replied.
“I was just wondering… do you have any idea where Aya is? And you must have been discharged from the hospital early because of the Sudden Gate… Are you doing alright?”
Cassius faintly smiled, a stark contrast to his demeanor from just minutes ago. It felt strange to have someone care about him, but he couldn’t deny that he liked it.
"I haven’t seen Aya lately," he said with a smirk, "but I’m sure she’s doing just fine. I mean, with a mom like hers—strong-willed, stunning, and clearly unforgettable—it must run in the family, right?"
A faint blush spread across Sasha’s cheeks. “I-I hope you’re right… And you’re doing fine…?” she repeated.
Cassius’s smile grew fonder. “Yes, I am. Thank you for your concern.”
“Mhmm…” Sasha nodded nervously, her worry still apparent as she scurried away. However, before she could leave the hallway, she heard her stepson softly call out, “Goodnight.”
She paused, then replied, “Goodnight, Cassius.”
A slight sense of satisfaction replaced some of her worry. It felt like she was finally getting closer to her usually reserved stepson. His past experiences—perhaps involving false accusations—seemed to explain why he kept his distance, especially from women.
Still, it was nice to see him speak more freely with her, even if his tone was a bit… flirtatious.
After sensing his stepmother descend the stairs and return to his father’s side, Cassius’s eyes fell on the distraught, half-nude girl sprawled out on his bed. A sensual memory of her fingering herself briefly flashed through his mind, but he quickly shook his head and walked toward the shower before undressing himself.
“This is not the time to think about nonsense,” he muttered before undraping his expertly chiseled body.
Glancing at the bathroom mirror, Cassius quickly realized he had become absolutely shredded after successfully conquering his first Gate. The sight got him thinking about the Extra Clear Reward mail he hadn’t opened yet.
While washing off the grime, dirt, and blood from his body, Cassius scrolled through his recent mail.
*Ding!*
[You have fully conquered the E-Rank Sudden Gate ‘Savage Jungle.’]
[You received 20 AP!]
[You obtained a Bronze- Skill Box!]
“Hmm…” Cassius raised a brow in intrigue. “This is my first time obtaining a Bronze-ranked Skill Box, whereas the others were all Copper-ranked with plus, minus, or neutral ratings. I should probably open them now, but first…”
He decided to check his system interface to gauge his progress.
BLING!
________________________________
[Name: Idle Evolution System]
[Host: Cassius] - [Lvl 17]
[Title: Advent Devil (D)]
______________________________
[HP: 1300/1300] [MP: 1100]
[FATIGUE: 0]. [AP: 44]
______________________________
[STRENGTH: 39] (Can throw a thousand+ pounds)
[AGILITY: 76] (Faster than a jetplane)
[ENDURANCE: 37] (Can satisfy three women with ease)
[INTELLIGENCE: 36] (Could rival the Genius of a mid-ranked National Academy)
[PERCEPTION: 39] (Verging upon a Sixth Sense)
[CHARISMA: 22] (Exceptionally handsome)
{[Skills:]}
[Muscularity (P)(F-)], [Slash (A)(F)], [Sprint (A)(F)]
_______________________________
Satisfied, Cassius opened the Inventory Space tab at the bottom of his interface. A mostly empty grid appeared, with only four slots containing items:
[Copper- Skill Box(s): 12]
[Copper Skill Box(s): 7]
[Copper+ Skill Box(s): 3]
[Bronze- Skill Box(s): 1]
Seeing that he had exactly 23 Skill Boxes, Cassius figured there was no point in letting them gather dust. Starting with the lowest-ranked ones, he clicked on them, watching as more than a dozen Copper Boxes materialized and popped open, throwing cards into his body.
*Ding!*
[Acquired - Copper Blade (A)(F-)] – Basic swordsmanship skill.
[Acquired - Iron Fist (A)(F)] – Introductory hand-to-hand combat technique.
[Acquired - Steady Aim (P)(F+)] – Increases proficiency with ranged weapons by 15%.
[Acquired - First Aid (A)(F+)] – Fundamental healing skill.
[Acquired - Earth Sense (P)(F+)] – Basic environmental awareness skill.
[Acquired - Fire Spark (A)(F+)] – Entry-level fire magic.
[Acquired - Stone Shield (A)(F-)] – Basic defensive technique/shield handling.
[Acquired - Bronze Brew (P)(F-)] – Introductory potion-making comprehension.
[Acquired - Tinker Tools (P)(F)] – Basic crafting and repair skills.
[Acquired - Swift Step (A)(F+)] – Foundation-level movement skill.
[Acquired - Mind Focus (P)(F)] – Increases concentration and mental dexterity by 10%.
[Acquired - Water Flow (P)(F+)] – Beginner water manipulation skill.
After reviewing the newly acquired Skills, Cassius felt a strange spark ignite within him, creating something from nothing. Previously unfamiliar knowledge flooded his mind, organizing itself into internal grimoires he could access at will.
Moreover, he began sensing something new in the atmosphere.
“Are these… Magicules?” Cassius murmured. He observed the brown, blue, and red blots of energy floating around his showering body.
Reaching out, he touched one. His fingers reacted positively to the colorful blot, forming a pleasant connection. The sensation felt natural, as though he and the Magicules were inherently linked.
Adjusting to the Magicules’ presence, Cassius returned to opening the remaining Skill Boxes. One by one, he clicked on them, obtaining nearly a dozen more Skills. Among them, two stood out the most, introducing the lightning and wind elements, which manifested as additional floating Magicules.
With three new elements alongside the original three, Cassius now had access to a total of six elemental energies. While unsure of their battle effectiveness, he felt the thrill of unlocking new potential.
These discoveries unearthed hidden aspects of himself, begging to be refined and mastered.
Finally, it was time to open the Bronze- Skill Box. Cassius hoped to gain something of D-Rank or higher, but who knew exactly what lady luck had in store for him…
“The Copper Skill Boxes gave Skills ranging from F-Rank to E-Rank,” he murmured. “The Bronze Box should yield something much greater.”
As he clicked on the box, a bright bronze light erupted. The question mark-covered cube popped open, spilling its contents.