A figure stepped out from behind the ruined wall, brushing dust from a dark cloak. She pulled the hood back, and a cascade of fiery red hair fell around her shoulders. She looked surprised, her eyes wide for a second, like she hadn't expected that rock to actually pinpoint her.

"Well, now," she said, her voice smooth, with a bit of an edge to it. "Didn't think anyone would find me that quick. You're good, kid." She unclasped her cloak, letting it fall. Underneath, she wore dark leather armor, the kind that looked like it was made for moving fast, not for taking heavy hits. A couple of daggers were strapped to her thighs.

"Name's Lola," she said, giving Nox a once-over. "Just a humble mercenary, earning a living."

Nox didn't really care who she was. 'Mercenary, whatever.'

Then Lola smiled, a sharp, knowing smile. "And a certain Gorok is paying very, very well for the safe return of a particular elf princess."

That got his attention. Serian, next to him, tensed up, her hand instantly going to her sword hilt. She looked pale, and he could see the dark circles under her eyes now.

'She's beat,' he thought. 'No way she can fight this Lola one-on-one, not looking like that. And me? This mercenary looks tough. Probably way out of my league right now.' Fighting her alone seemed like a quick way to get dead.

Lola's gaze flicked to Serian, then back to Nox. She gestured dismissively at him. "Look, kid, no offense, but this doesn't concern you. You can just walk away. My business is with her." She jerked her chin towards Serian.

He just looked at her, then at Serian, then back at Lola. 'A death wish, huh?' he thought. A low sound rumbled in his chest, a dry chuckle that scraped out of his throat.

"Kukuku."

Serian glanced at him, her eyes widening slightly at the sound. The expression on his face, it wasn't his usual bored look, or even the pissed-off one he'd had with those goons. This was something else, something cold and almost… eager. It sent a shiver down her spine.

'Is that really Human Nox?' she wondered.

His body was tired, yeah, and he knew he was probably outmatched. But for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, he felt an actual itch, a deep-seated urge for a real fight. Against someone who knew what they were doing.

'This feeling, it's way different from that boss monster, this will be the real-

Just then, a blue screen flashed in his vision.

[New Main Mission Issued!]

[Objective: Survive the Mercenary Lola for 10 minutes OR defeat her.]

[Reward (Survival): 10,000 EXP, +10 Stat Points, 1x Rare Skill Box.]

[Reward (Defeat): 25,000 EXP, +20 Stat Points, 1x Unique Skill Box, Title: Mercenary Hunter.]

[Failure: Death.]

'Ten minutes, huh? Or beat her? The rewards are definitely tempting.'

The god chat exploded back into life, almost making him wince.

[Lord of Carnage] Finally! Some real action! Was getting bored watching the kid play house. Let's see if he's got any actual fight in him against a pro!

[Baron Von Cynic] Oh, he's going to get slaughtered. That mercenary looks like she eats kids like him for breakfast. This will be amusing, if short.

[Lady Veritas] This is unconscionable! He's clearly outmatched! Someone should intervene! Where are the administrators of this… system?

[Trickster God Hermes IV] Intervene? Veritas, darling, where's the fun in that? This is primo entertainment! 😂 Kid's got guts, I'll give him that. Stupid guts, but guts nonetheless.

[Auraelia, Goddess of Resilient Sparks] NOX! NO! YOU CAN'T FIGHT HER! 😱 It's only been a day since you awakened! You're still hurt from the mana unsealing! And that boss fight! You need to rest, to heal! Please, just run! Your mission is the princess, not fighting every mercenary you meet! 😭💔 PLEASE!

A couple of new names popped up in the chat, their text a different color.

[Mars, God of Tactical Warfare] Hmm, the boy is assessing his opponent. Good. But his current physical state and experience level against a seasoned professional… odds are not favorable. Still, desperation can breed innovation.

[Aphrodite, Goddess of Beauty & Passion] Ooh, the redhead is rather striking, isn't she? Such fire in her eyes! And the boy… there's a certain rugged charm to his recklessness. This could be a very passionate encounter, one way or another. 😉

He tuned them out and looked at Lola, who was watching him with an amused glint in her eyes, probably expecting him to bolt. He looked at Serian, who was standing her ground but looked like she was about to collapse.

'Yeah,' he thought, a slow, predatory grin spreading across his face, the one that made Serian uneasy. 'This is definitely a death wish. But whose, I wonder?'

He didn't waste time on the gods yapping in his head or Lola's taunts. He had a mission pop-up telling him to survive or win, and that itch for a real fight was getting stronger. He reached for the Sunstone Blade. The sword slid from its simple sheath with a faint whisper of steel, feeling surprisingly good in his grip.

Then he did something that made both Serian and Lola pause. He crouched low, like a cat about to pounce, the blade held ready. He closed his eyes for just a second, focusing inward. He remembered that feeling of mana.

He'd pushed it into a rock, and it had hit like a cannonball. He'd pushed it into his muscles when he'd dealt with those goons, and it had given him a surprising burst of speed and power.

'Legs this time,' he thought, visualizing that same energy, dark and cool, flowing down, coiling in his thighs, his calves. 'Let's see if this works.' He could feel a faint thrum, a readiness in his limbs he hadn't felt before.

Serian gasped, her eyes wide. "Human Nox, what are you doing?" she hissed, stepping towards him. "You cannot mean to fight her! She is far beyond your current measure! Our mission, the sanctuary—"

He didn't even look at her. "Stay out of it, princess," he said, his voice flat, his gaze locked on Lola. Before Serian could say another word, before she could grab his arm or try to pull him back, he launched himself forward.

The mana in his legs ignited. It wasn't just a normal sprint; it was an explosion of movement, far faster than he should have been capable of. The ground blurred beneath him. He was a low, speeding shadow, the Sunstone Blade a silver streak in his hand.

Lola's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. She'd expected the kid to run, or maybe try some desperate, clumsy attack. She hadn't expected this kind of focused, explosive speed.

'Well, now, this is a surprise,' she thought, a genuine grin spreading across her face. 'The little whelp actually wants a piece of me.' She liked courage, even when it was suicidally stupid. She drew her twin daggers, the metal glinting, and shifted into a relaxed, ready stance, prepared to meet him head-on.

The god chat, predictably, went wild.

[Auraelia, Goddess of Resilient Sparks] NOX! ARE YOU INSANE?! 😱 HE'S ACTUALLY ATTACKING HER! HE'S GOING TO GET HIMSELF KILLED! SOMEONE DO SOMETHING! 😭💔

[Lord of Carnage] HA! Now we're talking! Kid's got balls of steel, I'll give him that! Let's see if he can back it up! This is gonna be good!

[Baron Von Cynic] Or it's going to be very short and very messy. My money's on messy. Any takers?

[Mars, God of Tactical Warfare] A direct, aggressive assault, leveraging a sudden burst of mana-enhanced speed. Unorthodox, perhaps, but it negates the opponent's anticipated ranged advantage, if she had one. High risk, high reward. Let's observe the execution.

[Aphrodite, Goddess of Beauty & Passion] Oh, the intensity! Such raw, untamed energy! Whether he wins or loses, this will be a passionate display! My heart flutters! ❤️‍🔥

Nox wasn't listening. All his focus was on Lola, on the shrinking distance between them. The world narrowed to just her, her daggers, and the pounding of his own heart, which felt strangely calm despite the adrenaline coursing through him.

He was outmatched, he knew it. But right now, that didn't seem to matter as much as the pure, uncomplicated feeling of the fight about to happen.