Chapter 8: Night in the City

The cold evening air hit Haru's face as he stepped out of the dungeon's darkened entrance and into the open world for the first time in weeks.

His breath was ragged, his body covered in the grime of countless battles. He felt lighter, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Yet, at the same time, his heart pounded.

This was the moment he had been working toward—the first true step in his new life.

No longer the weak, abandoned fool struggling to survive in the depths of that damned cave. No longer the man begging for scraps, humiliated and left for dead.

Haru had returned.

The towering stone walls of the city loomed ahead, its entrance guarded by steel-clad sentries holding halberds.

The streets beyond bustled with the glow of torchlights and the chatter of merchants closing their stalls for the night. The scent of roasted meat and spiced ale drifted through the air, mixing with the distant clang of blacksmith hammers.

But before stepping forward, he took a deep breath and turned his focus inward.

A shimmering light enveloped his two companions. In an instant, Shira, the silent Oni warrior, and Rhaelynn, the deadly Centaur archer, disappeared into his pocket dimension—a hidden space granted by his system where he could store his bonded warriors when they weren't needed.

The fewer people who knew about them, the better.

He clenched his fist and whispered under his breath, I can't let the world know about Lady Killer yet…

With a final glance at the now-sealed dungeon entrance, he stepped toward the city gates.

The streets of Valmere were nothing like the dark, suffocating tunnels of the dungeon.

It was… overwhelming. Too much light, too much sound, too many people. After weeks of surviving off dried rations and cold water, seeing taverns overflowing with warmth and laughter felt surreal.

No time to waste, Haru reminded himself. I need a place to sleep.

After asking around, he found an inn called The Silver Stag, a decent establishment that didn't reek of ale and unwashed bodies like some of the others. The innkeeper, a stocky woman with graying hair and a suspicious gaze, eyed his battle-worn appearance before taking his coins.

"Room's at the end of the hall, second floor," she grunted, tossing him a brass key.

Haru climbed the creaking wooden stairs, stepping into a simple but clean room.

A bed, a small couch in the corner, and a single wooden chest for storage. It wasn't much, but compared to the cold stone floors of the dungeon, it might as well have been a palace.

With a sigh, he locked the door behind him.

In two separate flashes of light, his companions reappeared.

Shira stood silently near the bed, her massive Buster sword strapped to her back, her deep crimson eyes unreadable as always.

She was an Oni of few words—none, actually—but her actions spoke louder than anything else.

Rhaelynn, on the other hand, stretched her toned arms, flicking her golden hair over her shoulder as she eyed the room.

"So this is where we're sleeping, huh?" She clicked her tongue. "I suppose it's better than a damp cave."

Haru rolled his shoulders. "Get comfortable. We'll be staying here for a while."

Before resting, Haru sat on the bed and opened his system menu.

[System Interface: Active]

[Level: ]

[Class: None] (Class selection pending…)

[Talent: Lady Killer (Rank ???)]

His level had skyrocketed from the battles in the dungeon. Yet, Lady Killer was still a complete mystery. The system had yet to give him any ranking, limitations, or true explanations on its power.

"Still so many damn unknowns…" Haru muttered, rubbing his temple.

He switched to his inventory and scanned through the items he had collected. His fingers stopped on the Hobgoblin Warlord's Chest, the reward from his hardest dungeon battle.

What's inside…?

He took a deep breath and clicked [Open].

A golden light burst forth as the system message rang.

[Congratulations! You have obtained:]

Hobgoblin Warblade (Rare) (Massive greatsword enchanted with sharpness.)

Goblin Lord's Crest (A mysterious artifact…)

200 Gold Coins

Haru's eyes widened. The weapon was useful, but the Goblin Lord's Crest caught his attention.

"What the hell is this…?" he murmured.

As he tapped it, new text appeared:

[An artifact once wielded by a ruler of goblins. Some say it can… awaken something slumbering.]

"Awaken… something?" Haru's grip tightened. This wasn't something he could carelessly use.

For now, he tucked it away, closing his inventory.

Exhaustion finally settled into Haru's bones. He had been fighting for so long, he almost forgot what a real bed felt like. Letting out a deep breath, he peeled off his worn tunic and collapsed onto the mattress.

Finally… I can rest.

He was asleep within minutes.

But peace didn't last long.

Haru stirred. Something was… warm.

Something soft pressed against him. A slow, rhythmic breathing tickled his skin. His mind was sluggish, half-dazed from exhaustion, but something was definitely wrong.

His eyes snapped open.

Shira was in his bed.She lay, her blue large, muscular form dwarfing his own slender frame. In her sleep, she had wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her ample chest.

Haru's heart raced as he found himself trapped in Shira's embrace.

He tried to wriggle free, but her sleep-addled mind interpreted his movements.

She tightened her hold, one thick thigh slipping between his legs as she rolled on top of him. Haru gasped as he felt the full weight of her body pressing down upon him, her soft curves fitting perfectly against his harder planes.

Before he could protest, Shira's lips found his in the dim light. She kissed him deeply, her tongue delving into his mouth with a hunger that stole his breath.

Haru's mind reeled as he felt himself growing hard beneath the confines of his sleepwear, his body responding instinctively to her touch.

Shira's hand slid down his chest, her fingers playing idly with the sash of his robe. She tugged at it impatiently, as if eager to remove the last barrier between their bodies.

At the same time, her teeth found his neck, nipping and suckling at the sensitive skin. Haru shuddered beneath her touch, his hands coming up to grip her shoulders.

"Shira," he gasped, trying to pull back. But she was relentless in her pursuit, her body grinding against his own. Haru could feel the heat building between them, the air growing thick with the scent of their arousal.

With a burst of strength, Haru managed to break free from Shira's grasp. He rolled out from beneath her, his chest heaving as he caught his breath.

"The hell—?!"

Shira, of course, didn't respond. She simply held him tighter.

His heart pounded as he tried to carefully untangle himself, but her grip was ironclad. Even in sleep, she was absurdly strong.

Just when he thought things couldn't get worse—

"I see you're enjoying yourself."

Haru's head snapped toward the corner of the room.

Rhaelynn was lounging on the couch, arms crossed, watching everything with a smirk.

"How long have you been awake?!" Haru hissed.

Rhaelynn chuckled, resting her chin on her palm. "Long enough. But don't let me interrupt. I never expected our fearsome Oni to be this clingy."

Haru groaned, his face burning. "I swear, I didn't—"

"She likes you, you know."

He blinked. "…What?"

Rhaelynn stretched her arms. "Shira doesn't talk, but she's got emotions like anyone else. She chooses to be close to you. Maybe it's because of Lady Killer. Or maybe…" she smirked, "it's just you."

Haru swallowed.

Shira, still asleep, nuzzled his neck slightly.

…I'm never getting out of this, am I?

Outside, the city bustled with life. But inside this room, Haru had another kind of battle to face.