The Dreamer's POV

[00 Months: 03 Days: 19 Hours]

As chaos engulfed the village, I became a blur of motion, swiftly darting from one shadow to another, my body moving with seamless fluidity.

The creatures of the Wild Lands, their grotesque forms illuminated by the flickering flames, sensed my presence only moments before their demise.

Drawing upon my enhanced speed and agility, I closed the distance between myself and the first demon beast.

'Since I can't use Energy Rock now, or any flashy attacks, let's use this...'

I summoned my Dagger from <Personal Space>, and then activated my <Elevate> Skill to grant me even a boost in power within the span of time I would need to eliminate the invading Demons.

'Elevate eats up my Energy Level, but it shouldn't be a problem now since I'm not using a lot of my Skills...'

My dagger glinted in the moonlight as I launched myself forward, striking with deadly precision. The creature let out a guttural cry, but its life force ebbed away as I swiftly dispatched it, leaving only a lifeless husk in its wake.

I raced through the streets, a specter of death, hunting down the invading demon beasts one by one.

With each encounter, I utilized my stealth to my advantage, blending seamlessly with the darkness, striking with lethal precision. The creatures had no chance against my onslaught, their howls of pain and fury echoing through the night.

As I sprinted across rooftops, a trio of demon beasts lunged at me from below.

'Did they hear the cries of the ones I killed and predict my position? That's pretty smart. But...'

With lightning reflexes, I flipped into the air, gracefully evading their snapping jaws. Landing behind them, I plunged my dagger into their vulnerable flesh, dispatching them with ruthless efficiency.

Time seemed to blur as I raced across the village, encountering more demon beasts at every turn.

Their ferocity was matched only by my resolve to protect the townspeople.

With each encounter, I employed my stealth, striking from the shadows and disappearing just as quickly, leaving the beasts bewildered and vulnerable.

The clash of steel against monstrous hide echoed through the night as I danced through the chaos. The creatures snarled and lunged, their clawed limbs slashing through the air, but my reflexes were honed to perfection.

Dodging and weaving, I exploited their weaknesses, delivering fatal blows with calculated precision.

The battle continued, a symphony of violence and desperation. Demon after demon fell beneath my relentless assault.

The townspeople were utterly oblivious of my acts, though they seemed to already suspect that there was someone safeguarding their lives.

Time became an abstract concept as I seamlessly transitioned from one encounter to the next.

The onslaught of the demon beasts seemed never-ending, their numbers replenishing as quickly as I dispatched them. But I refused to yield, pushing myself beyond the limits of boredom, fueled by a resolute sense of duty.

They weren't very difficult. Their numbers were just a nuisance, and since they had already spread to many parts of the town, it became even more annoying.

The moon hung high in the sky, its silver glow casting an ethereal light upon the scene.

The once-peaceful village now bore the marks of a fierce battle, a testament to the struggle waged against the invading horde.

The creatures grew more desperate, their attacks becoming more frenzied, but my resolve remained unyielding.

As I dispatched the final demon beast, its life force fading away, a wave of weariness washed over me.

'Finally...' I couldn't sense any other threat with both my map and <Immersion>.

It seemed I was done.

The battle had taken its toll on the town, but the damage could have been way worse.

As I surveyed the aftermath of the confrontation, a strange sense of accomplishment mingled with a twinge of disappointment.

In the midst of the chaos, I had fought with all my might, employing every ounce of skill and agility at my disposal.

Yet, amidst the triumph of victory, I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

A weary sigh escaped my lips as I glanced around the quietened village. "I didn't Level Up even once," I muttered to myself, the words tinged with a hint of disappointment. "Such a shame..."

But despite the absence of tangible rewards, I knew that I had fulfilled my purpose.

That had to count for something, right?

The townspeople were safe, their lives preserved by my intervention. In the face of overwhelming odds, I had stood as their protector, a shield against the horrors of the Wild Lands.

'I'll take that as a win. I'm not done collecting information, after all.'

And so, with a bittersweet smile, I began to fade back into the shadows, the remnants of the battle slowly settling around me.

I may not have gained a Level, or some form of System Reward, but the knowledge that I had made a difference was a reward in itself.

'It's still a shame, though...'

*******

[MEANWHILE...]

In the outskirts of the town, three men stood in a hushed conversation, their faces shadowed by the night.

One of them, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light, peered into the distance, using a Skill to enhance his vision. His gaze penetrated the veil of darkness, revealing the events that had transpired within the besieged town.

"It's over." He declared, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction. "All the demon beasts we sent have been extinguished."

The other two men exchanged stunned glances, their features twisted with disbelief. One of them shook his head, his voice filled with incredulity. "And here I thought it was overkill. Sending so many demon beasts just to sniff out our target in the city."

Curiosity tinged the voice of the other man as he turned to the one who had witnessed the events unfold. "Tell us how it happened, Nathan." He requested, his eyes searching for answers.

A sly smile crept across the face of Nathan, the one who had observed everything. "How else could it have happened?" he responded cryptically. "The guy took care of all the Demons almost single-handedly."

Those words were enough to make the other two gasp a little.

"It seems our target is stronger than we anticipated."

He went on to explain that their target had concealed himself, cloaking his presence from the townspeople, so no one could even notice his presence.

However, the men knew that wouldn't work on Nathan.

Nothing could escape the gaze of his absolute eyes.

Nathan's sight had the ability to perceive the truth, to see through even the most cunning of disguises and detect the smallest of trails.

As the two men absorbed the information, conflicting emotions played across their faces.

"So what should we do? Report back to the leader?"

"Maybe request for backup?"

Nathan instantly raised his hand while slowly shaking his head. An amused expression played on his face as he narrowed his gaze.

"No need for backup." He stated boldly.

"We are more than enough to take care of him."

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[A/N]

Looks like Mikey is getting into serious trouble now.

What do you think is going to happen now? I'm curious. Once again... I appreciate your support.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers!