He stared at the lock, iron, thick, complicated. Impossible for hooves to break it. He just stood there, guilt and helplessness pinning him in place. He tried to bite the metal bar with his teeth, but couldn't even make it buzz.
Yuji glanced around. Tired eyes watched him from every cage, hope flickering and fading. What should I do? He looked at Bojo. That's 20 EXP and a bunch of rewards lying there. But I can't save him, not like this.
Yuji sighed, voice barely a whisper. "System, I tried my best. You can't seriously want me to sacrifice myself, right?"
The chaos above was deafening now. Something massive crashed, the floor trembling beneath his hooves. Yuji didn't waste time. If he didn't leave now, who knew what would happen? He was weak, pathetically weak. Everything he'd seen tonight proved it. If he got caught, who could say what they'd do to him? People might call him a coward, but all he was doing was trying to survive, to become strong.
With a heavy heart, Yuji turned away and crept back toward the passage. The ache in his chest wasn't just from losing out on EXP or rewards. It was something deeper, something he couldn't name.
He reached the exit and peered out, blinking against the sudden glare.
The estate was a war zone.
Above the shattered roof, the night sky blazed with magic. Spells streaked through the air in every color imaginable, crimson fireballs, arcs of blue lightning, swirling gusts of emerald wind. The attackers moved like shadows, darting between beams of light, their forms barely visible in the chaos.
The prince's guards answered with power of their own. Shields of shimmering force snapped into existence, deflecting blasts that would have levelled a barn. One guard spun in midair, hurling a lance of ice that shattered against a barrier with a sound like breaking glass. Another unleashed a torrent of flame, the heat so intense Yuji could feel it even from his hiding place.
Prince Vayron hovered above the estate. He barked orders, gesturing with a jewelled staff. Each motion sent ripples of energy through the air, bending the battle around him.
On the ground, the farm owner cowered behind a toppled statue, hands over his head. Servants fled in every direction, some screaming, others too stunned to move. The gardens were torn apart, hedges scorched, and fountains shattered by stray spells.
Even though the assassins pressed their advantage, weaving through the chaos and unleashing powerful magic, they couldn't break the prince's core. The defenders, backed into corners, battered by spectral wolves and razor leaves, held their ground, their overlapping shields glowing with the force of their chants. For a heartbeat, it looked like the tide might turn against the prince.
Above, Prince Vayron hovered, his staff blazing with white light. "You thought this was enough?" His voice carried over the battlefield. "You underestimated me."
Suddenly, four new figures burst onto the scene. One wielded a twin-bladed spear, spinning through enemy ranks; another, a robed mage, unleashed a hail of ice that froze assassins in place. The third, a nimble archer, loosed arrows that pinned cloaked attackers to the walls, while the fourth, a shield-bearer, slammed down a barrier that cut off the assassins' escape route.
The old man Ma, dressed in white robes, raised his staff and slammed it into the earth. Chains of light erupted, binding a cluster of assassins mid-leap. The muscle-bound swordsman charged, swinging his greatsword in wide arcs that cleaved through summoned wolves and sent two attackers sprawling. The veiled woman darted between shadows, her short dagger flashing, every movement precise, disabling, and final. Where she struck, enemy spellcasters fell silent.
Panic rippled through the attackers. Their formation broke, discipline crumbling as they realised they were outmatched even with the additional reinforcement they had received.
"Retreat!" someone shouted, voices cracking with fear.
But the prince's elite were relentless. The veiled woman and the swordsman pressed the advantage, herding the assassins toward the only open exit. The old man's chains snaked after fleeing figures, dragging them back. The new reinforcements blocked every path.
Prince Vayron's eyes flashed. "Don't let a single one escape. I want them alive." His guards surged forward, overwhelming the last pockets of resistance.
Cornered, the assassins dropped their weapons, some begging for mercy, others trying to vanish into smoke, only to be seized by the prince's elite. Within minutes, the estate was secure. The attackers, so confident a moment before, now knelt in defeat, surrounded by the prince's forces.
Above the battered estate, the night fell quiet again, broken only by the prince's cold, satisfied command: "Interrogate them. I want to know who sent them and who else is plotting against me."
And on the ground, the defenders exhaled, battered but victorious, as the prince's reinforcements fanned out, ensuring not a single assassin slipped away.
Yuji, who was slowly slipping away, suddenly heard a sharp ping in his mind.
─────────────────────────────
[System Notice: You have been marked by a strong person.]
─────────────────────────────
Yuji froze. What? Marked? By who?
Before he could even move another inch, A shadow fell over him. It was the Prince Vayron.
Eyes narrowed, lips curling in a faint, curious smile.
"Well, well. Look what we have here. You're an interesting one, aren't you?" Prince Vayron's voice was smooth, cold, and almost amused. Yuji looked at the prince, and only one word flashed through his mind: I am so screwed.
The prince crouched, meeting Yuji's eyes. "You're not afraid. That's good. Fearless goats are rare. Useful, too."
He straightened, gesturing for the guards to follow. "Bring him inside. I want a closer look. I want to see if there are improvements in this batch of goats."
Hearing this, Yuji felt cold under his feet. There's only one word on his mind right now. "I am so fucked up now."
At this moment, a notification appeared before Yuji.
─────────────────────────────System Mission: Royal Interest Escape─────────────────────────────
Alert: Prince Vayron has taken an interest in you after witnessing your fearlessness. You have been captured.
Mission Objective:
Discover why Prince Vayron is interested in you.
Gather information about his intentions and any hidden motives.
Find a way to escape from captivity.
Bonus Objective:
Help the other goat to escape.
Rewards: Unknown
Failure Condition:
unknown
─────Your actions will shape your fate. Proceed with caution—and curiosity.─────────────────────────────
Yuji read the full thing but showed no reaction or emotion. He doesn't want any more "liking" from the prince, he'd had more than enough of that kind of attention, thank you very much. If anything, the word felt like a bad joke, a little cosmic sarcasm aimed right at his own reckless choices. This is what I get for being so "fearless," huh? Great job, Yuji.
Soon, a guard looped a rope around his neck, not gentle about it, and started dragging him through the ruined halls. His hooves scraped over broken tiles, the world a blur of shattered statues and burning tapestries. The chaos and shouting from before faded away, swallowed by the cold hush of the estate's inner chambers. Every step away from the noise made the silence heavier like the walls themselves were holding their breath.
Yuji didn't bother fighting. What was the point? These guys were bigger and stronger. No way he was outrunning them—not now, not with a rope digging into his neck and his own "bravery" has landed him right in the middle of this mess. He kept his head down, jaw tight, cursing himself for ever thinking about coming here. I really shouldn't have come here. Next time, maybe I'll try being a little less "interesting."
As Yuji followed Prince Vayron back into the chamber where Bojo and the other goats were held, the air felt thick with exhaustion and fear. The metallic scent of blood still lingered, but now, a few of the goats had begun to stir. Their eyes, glazed and heavy, slowly tracked Yuji's movement as he entered, some lifting their heads with effort, others just blinking in his direction.
In this intense atmosphere, Prince Vayron raised his voice.
"Do you know what you are?" he asked, voice almost conversational. "You're a commodity. A resource. But some of you… Some are more valuable than others."