Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

Astaroth held a deep grudge against him—and those close to the demon lord were painfully aware of what had happened in the past.

Valerie and Austin had expected a direct assault. After all, Austin was still too weak to face multiple high-ranking demons at once. But instead of charging straight at him, they changed tactics.

They targeted someone who could break him.

With Austin's parents heavily guarded, the demons didn't take unnecessary risks. Valerie was out of the question too—she would've sensed the threat and annihilated it before it even got close.

That left only one option. The only family that could make Austin drop everything. The ones he couldn't afford to lose.

Valerie's family.

"I should have warned him…" Austin muttered, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles went white.

The letter from Anastasia still burned in his mind. Delivered by a demoness, its message was clear.

[Come and get whom you desire to protect. Come alone, Hero… or this won't end well for your father-in-law~]

Austin had some knowledge about Astaroth's daughter. She was powerful, yes, but unseasoned—Valerie could defeat her in single combat.

But that wasn't the problem.

The problem… was the army she commanded.

She carried the blood of Astaroth—the Demon King's heir—and that meant she could dominate the minds of lesser demons with ease. She didn't have to fight. She just had to give the order.

'Even without her army, I'd barely stand a chance against her right now…' Austin clicked his tongue, frustrated.

He had been putting it off—leveling up, sharpening his skills. And now, when it mattered most, he was nowhere near ready.

"We should first visit the Duchy. Lady Anastasia must be quite worried." Cedric suggested to which Austin instantly nodded,

"Valerie and I would go there on foot. Sebastian-"

"I will be coming along, sir." The butler declared his decision, which was unusual since he always first listened to his Lord's words. However, right now, Sebastian has to be with him to ensure Austin's safety.

Austin didn't argue with the older one and nodded, "Okay then,"

Cedric soon added, "I will assign soldiers and send the Knight Commander to ensure Dukedom's safety."

Austin nodded, and on that note, everyone returned to their rooms to prepare.

Austin returned to his room to pack his bag. He took every potion he had, along with a few weapons and dumped it all inside his Inventory.

Until now he wasn't sure if he would be going to the other side or not. However, if he really had to, he would need all the help he could from the System.

[Ding!]

[Combat: 90/100]

{Next reward at 100}

[Romance: 75/100]

{Next reward at 80}

[Durability: 92/100]

{Next reward at 100}

[Trickery: 37/50]

{Next reward at 50}

[Overall Progression: 76/100]

[Next Reward at 100]

…

[Ding!]

[You have one reward pending!]

Austin sat down on the bed and told the system, "Show me the reward."

[Ding!]

[Soulwarden Veil: Provides absolute protection to your soul for a certain period. In this period, the host's soul energy would neither deplet nor any weapon would be able to damage the Host's soul.]

[Time limit: 10 minutes]

[Cooldown: 48 hours]

[Note: This skill would naturally upgrade as the host goes through progression.]

Austin frowned...this was an unexpected reward.

'So what are you saying right now...for ten minutes I would have an unbreakable soul and endless Soul Energy?'

[That's right, host.]

Austin still wasn't sure what this new skill could truly offer him.

Until now, he'd never lost a fight because of a lack of Soul Energy. His victories were always the result of his martial arts and battle instincts—pure combat experience honed through blood and grit.

But that wasn't the whole truth either.

He knew his limits. And because of that, he'd always held back when it came to relying on his weapons. Not because they weren't powerful, but because he couldn't afford to overextend.

More than once, battles that stretched into grueling minutes could've ended in seconds—if only he had been able to use his weapons at full power.

Maybe this skill… he thought, eyes narrowing, will finally show me how strong I really am.

After a moment of silence, he asked aloud, "How many points do I have now?"

[Total points: 4021]

Austin let out a quiet hum and leaned back in his seat, his arms crossed.

He had dropped a thousand points not long ago, bringing him back to the low two-thousands. Yet here he was again, already past four thousand.

All because of the monsters he'd hunted—mindlessly, relentlessly—in the third dungeon.

Not for a mission. Not for survival. Just to escape the whirlwind of emotions boiling inside him.

And now, that recklessness might be the only reason he had enough to make a difference.

Austin spent a while scrolling through the list of available weapons. But even with over three thousand points, nothing caught his eye—at least, nothing worth spending on. The ones he wanted were either locked behind a higher rank or simply not useful for his current state.

He sighed and closed the interface.

There was no point in wasting resources just because he could. He'd wait.

Turning on his heel, Austin stepped out of the room—

"Ah!" he gasped, startled.

Valerie was standing right outside.

Her eyes were unfocused, her expression blank, and her shoulders hung low, like someone carrying the weight of something too heavy to speak of.

"Val?" Austin's voice softened as he reached out, gently cupping her cheek.

She slowly raised her gaze to meet his.

"...He won't return alive..." she whispered, her voice trembling with a fragility he'd never seen in her before.

Austin's heart sank.

Valerie—who never wavered, never showed concern for herself—was unraveling. Not for her own safety. Not for Austin's.

But for the man who had always stood between her and danger.

Her father.

And now… he was gone where even she couldn't reach.

Her voice was cracked and fragile. The composure she always wore—the unshakable confidence that defined Valerie—had slipped, and what was left was the little girl who had once clung to a man's back as he carried her through her childhood.

She tried to swallow the grief down, but it was too thick. Her eyes were glazed over, not from crying, but from refusing to cry.

Until now, Austin might have doubted whether he would be going to the other side or not. However, upon looking at his beloved breaking apart like this,

"I am going to save him. And that...is a promise."

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Ah, this will be short but interesting. Drop a comment