Chapter Six: Into the Cursed Forest
Chapter Six: Into the Cursed Forest
Sky stood in front of the drawer, staring at the rack of clean silverware like it was a divine armory.
"System," he muttered, gripping the handle of a kitchen knife. "Rate this weapon."
[Weapon: Kitchen Knife – Tier: Utter Trash]
[Damage: 1–2 (if opponent is allergic to stainless steel)]
[Bonus Trait: Makes you look like an idiot in a real fight.]
"Noted," Sky said, tucking it into his belt like a rogue with no budget.
Outside, the sun was just beginning to rise. Serena was still tending the shop, and he hadn't told her anything. He didn't want her to stop him—or worse, follow him.
He stepped out quietly, his footsteps light but determined. A few streets away, past the edge of the village, loomed the treeline. Gnarled black trunks, sickly purple vines, and a mist that never moved. The villagers called it the Cursed Forest.
Locals said anyone who went in without power or protection ended up insane, missing, or mulch.
Sky, armed with a kitchen knife and confidence bordering on delusion, planned to go in and come out a legend.
He took a deep breath.
"Alright. Trial by fire. Let's do this."
And with that, he stepped into the shadows beneath the trees.
He moved slowly, scanning the undergrowth for any signs of life—or death. Minutes passed as he crept forward until he spotted a crude camp up ahead. Ten goblins surrounded a makeshift fire pit, laughing, eating, and being generally disgusting.
Sky ducked behind a tree and whispered, "Inspect."
[Target: Goblin]
[Level: 3]
[Strength: 12]
[Agility: 9]
[Speed: 8]
[Intelligence: 2]
[Danger Rating: Caution – May be dumb, but will still kill you.]
He waited. Patience was key.
Eventually, one goblin wandered from the group to relieve itself near a rock.
Sky crept up behind it, holding his breath.
Just as he raised the knife, the goblin spun around—eyes wide—and let out a sharp shriek.
"CRAAAK!"
"Crap," Sky muttered.
He froze like an idiot, hoping the goblin would... maybe forget?
Nope. It was charged with a crude wooden club, swinging wildly.
Sky raised his arm and braced for impact. The club slammed into his forearm with a jolt of pain, but in that moment, the goblin's chest was exposed.
He rammed the kitchen knife forward with everything he had.
The blade pierced its gut. The goblin choked, fell backward, and disintegrated into brown dust.
[You have slain a Goblin! +30 EXP]
[First Kill Bonus! +Skill: Heal (Rank F)]
[Loot: Rusted Sword (Rank F), Goblin Core (Rank F)]
"No time to celebrate," he muttered, reaching for the loot—
But the rest had heard. Seven goblins came charging, clubs raised, eyes burning with fury.
Sky leapt backward, dodging a swipe, blocking another with his arm. His body screamed in pain, but his mind was focused.
He ducked, spun, and slashed. Three goblins dropped from clean neck strikes, their bodies vanishing into dust.
[+90 EXP | Level Up!]
[Current Level: 2]
The next two attacked at once. Sky jumped between them and used his momentum to drive a backhand slash into one's throat while grabbing the other by the arm and flipping it over his shoulder onto a spike of jagged wood.
[+60 EXP]
Only two remained. They hesitated.
Sky grinned like a devil.
"Too late to run now."
One threw its club, but Sky sidestepped it and lunged. He drove the blade into its side, twisted, and kicked it away as it burst into dust.
The last turned and fled.
Sky sprinted after it.
The goblin didn't make it far before Sky tackled it to the ground and ended it quickly with a stab to the neck.
[+30 EXP | Level Up!]
[Current Level: 3]
He stood, covered in sweat, blood, and adrenaline.
The loot sparkled in the dirt. Swords, cores, and coins. His body ached, but his soul buzzed.
He had done it.
His first fight.
And he'd won.
With a kitchen knife.
Sky collapsed onto the grass, chest heaving like he'd just fought off a raid boss with nothing but a toothbrush.
"Okay... okay..." he groaned. "Note to self... blocking with your arms hurts."
His limbs ached, his breath was shaky, and his body was sore in places he didn't even know had muscles. But the goblins were dead. He was alive. And technically... that made him stronger.
"Status," he muttered.
A glowing blue panel slid into view.
[STATUS PANEL – HOST: SKY]
Race: Demon
Bloodline: Diabolos (Dormant Vein – Stage 1)
Level: 3
Title: First Blood, Spoon King (Temp)
Class: [Locked]
System Type: [Eros Ascension – NSFW Edition]
HP: 105 / 150 (+30)
MP: 60 / 100 (+20)
SP (Sex Points): 50
Strength: 31 (+12)
Agility: 29 (+11)
Endurance: 32 (+12)
Charm: 30 (+4)
Libido: 99 (Capped)
Intelligence: 15 (+2)
Luck: 6 (+1)
Skills:
[Heal (F+)] – Heals minor injuries. Evolves with frequent use.
[Combat Instincts I] – Improves reaction time in battle
[Warm Embrace] – Regenerates HP/MP while cuddling
[Demonic Presence (Passive)]
Passives:
[Hotter Than Hellfire] – Charm bonus vs females
[Eros Surge] – Strength/Agility boost after intimacy
Notes:
SP (Sex Points): Earned through SFW/NSFW intimacy. Used in the [Eros System Shop] for upgrades.
First spoon = +50 SP. The more you love, the stronger you become.
[Heal (F+)] will evolve through consistent use.
Main Objective: Qualify for academy entry and awaken the full Diabolos bloodline.
Sky smirked at the +12 next to his Strength.
"Alright… I'm finally leveling up like a real protagonist."
[Yeah, and now maybe you won't get bodied by garden gnomes.]
He chuckled and lay back again.
Sky sat cross-legged immediately, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. For once, he focused — letting the pain dull, the world fade, and his breathing sync with the symbol pulsing on his wrist.
Each inhale pulled in something heavier than air. Each exhale burned the fog out of his body.
[MP +5]
[MP +5]
[MP +5]
"I could get used to this…"
[Good. You'll need it. The forest only gets worse from here.]
Sky sat in that meditative state for over an hour, breathing slowly, the glow on his wrist pulsing in rhythm with his thoughts. His mana slowly refilled, the soreness in his body eased, and a strange calm settled over him.
The cursed forest, once loud with goblin screams, had fallen quiet, almost respectful.
Finally, the system chimed.
[MP Full. Breathing Efficiency: 92%. Not bad for a rookie.]
Sky opened his eyes. The light filtering through the trees had gone golden. The sun was setting.
"…Crap. I've been out here all day."
He stood, stretching with a wince, then grabbed the loot scattered from earlier — the rusty sword, the cores, a few scraps. He shoved them all into a pouch and started heading back.
The path out was familiar enough, though the shadows stretched longer now. The air was cooler, and even the birds had stopped chirping.
Still, something in Sky felt different.
He wasn't just "the weak demon kid" anymore.
He had levels.
He had a system.
He had a breathing technique.
And most importantly…
He had a sword that wasn't a damn kitchen knife.
As his house came into view at the edge of the forest, the warm light from Serena's shop spilled through the windows.
He grinned.
"Home sweet hell."