Awakening of the Crimson Serpent

Zaren and Maria walked towards the SS-rank dungeon, the tension in the air growing with each step. Maria, lost in thought, blushed slightly. "This is my first raid with Zaren..." she mused internally.

Zaren noticed her expression and tilted his head. "Are you okay? Your face is all red."

Maria stammered, "N-No! It's nothing! I was just thinking about how powerful the monsters might be in the dungeon."

Zaren thought for a moment. "I guess she's feeling nervous. She's used to raiding with a team, and the last raid left a deep scar on her heart."

Finally, they arrived at the dungeon's gate. Maria examined the massive structure and sighed. "We have to break this gate first. It's huge—it'll take some time."

She turned to Zaren, but he was no longer beside her. Instead, he was in the air, his fist glowing with a blue aura. With a single punch, the gate shattered into countless pieces.

Maria's eyes widened in shock. "What the...?!" She stepped closer to him. "Zaren, you're really a powerful guy."

Zaren smiled. "Let's move inside."

Inside the dungeon, Maria cut through orcs effortlessly with a single slash. But when she glanced at Zaren, she was left speechless—his single slash wiped out entire groups of monsters in an instant.

"He cleared them in the blink of an eye?!" she whispered, amazed.

With only the boss left, they stood before the final chamber. Sitting on a throne was an Orc Lord, its aura oozing death.

Maria hesitated. "Can only the two of us defeat him?"

Zaren smiled. "Please stand back until I finish him off."

"Wait! You said we'd clear this dungeon together!" Maria protested.

Before she could say more, Zaren vanished. Maria gasped, unable to track his presence.

Zaren reappeared behind the Orc Lord. But before he could strike, the boss reacted and landed a powerful punch, sending Zaren crashing into the wall, shattering it into pieces.

"Zaren!" Maria screamed.

Then she noticed something—a red aura snaking around his body, like a living entity.

Zaren's voice echoed through the chamber. "Red Eye."

His eyes turned blood-red, and everything around him froze. The air grew heavy with an ominous energy.

Maria trembled. "What... What is this power?!"

Zaren's aura transformed completely. His usual blue energy turned a deep crimson, and his sword morphed into a terrifying red, pulsating with a deadly presence. The snake-like energy coiled around him—his weapon, now known as Crimson Viper.

The Orc Lord, sensing its doom, turned to flee.

Zaren appeared before it with a chilling grin. "Running, Orki?"

Crimson Viper lashed out, cutting through the Orc Lord's body, reducing it to three thousand pieces in an instant. The brutality of the attack left Maria speechless.

Zaren's red aura pulsed as he absorbed his new power. "So... this is my next stage."

His system, Lumis, spoke: "Sir, you've unlocked new skills. Your first extra skill is Black Fire Cannon—an unstoppable energy blast that won't stop until you command it."

Zaren's eyes gleamed as he returned to normal. The red aura faded, his sword reverted to blue, and his eyes regained their usual color.

Maria cautiously approached. "Are you... still Zaren?"

Zaren smiled. "Yeah, it's still me."

Maria let out a breath of relief. Then, with a hesitant blush, she asked, "Zaren... do you have a girlfriend?"

Zaren was taken aback. "Uh... No, not yet."

Maria relaxed, but her cheeks flushed even more. "Oh! S-Sorry for asking! I was invading your privacy."

Zaren chuckled. "It's not a big deal."

Maria smiled. "Really?"

As they walked back through the forest, they suddenly heard cries. A young girl ran toward Zaren, her eyes filled with terror.

"Sir, please help me!" she sobbed, clinging to his leg.

Zaren turned to see a pack of werewolves closing in.

"Maria!" he called.

"Leave them to me!" Maria declared.

In an instant, she cut through the wolves, splitting them in half.

Zaren knelt before the girl. She looked around ten years old, her eyes filled with tears. "Please help my mom! She's over there!" she pleaded, pointing to a distant area.

Zaren lifted the girl onto his shoulder. "Show me where."

Maria and Zaren sprinted at full speed. But when they arrived, their hearts sank.

The girl's mother had been killed. Werewolves were feasting on her remains, her basket of food spilled on the ground. The carriage driver was dead, and the carriage lay overturned.

The girl gasped in horror.

Maria quickly turned her away, shielding her eyes. Meanwhile, Zaren's face darkened. In a blink, every werewolf's head was severed, their bodies dismembered by his sheer fury.

Maria held the little girl close, sadness in her eyes.

Zaren knelt beside the child. "Your mother had important work to do. She's gone to be with the gods."

Tears filled the girl's eyes. "Why did Mommy leave?"

Maria looked at the ground, sorrowful.

Zaren gently patted her head. "God gave her a mission that only she could complete. That's why she's with them now."

The girl sniffled, then smiled weakly. "Okay... I'll go with you. But... do you have food?"

Zaren grinned. "Of course."

Maria and Zaren walked back toward their kingdom, the little girl holding onto them tightly. Her name, now known to them, was Elara.

(Chapter 18 Fun)