Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

Yuna kept calling across the chasm, her voice echoing again and again into the dark. The only reply was the hollow return of her own words, bouncing back from unseen walls. She cupped her hands around her mouth and tried once more, her voice straining against the oppressive silence.

No answer came.

The quiet that followed felt heavier than the shaking earth had moments ago. Even the faint glow from the scattered crystals couldn't push back the shadowy weight that seemed to gather between them and the far side.

Jae stood beside her, watching the tense set of her shoulders, the way her fingers curled into fists every time her calls went unanswered.

He let her try a few more times, the sound fading into nothing each time. Then, finally, he stepped forward and placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. His touch was firm but not forceful, meant to ground her rather than restrain her.

"Yuna," he said, his tone even. "We need to keep moving." His eyes stayed on hers until she looked up. "Sun is strong. You know that. He's not the kind to go down from a fall or a few rocks. Both sides still have to focus on clearing the dungeon and meeting whatever goal this place wants from us. Only then can we leave, and when we do, we'll meet again."

Yuna turned her head slightly, her gaze sliding away from him toward the darkness of the chasm. The lines in her brow deepened, her lips pressing together in a thin line. Skepticism and worry lingered in her eyes, and her voice, when it came, was soft and unconvincing.

"Alright," she murmured.

The word didn't carry belief, but it carried acceptance, at least for now.

With Sun no longer present to lead, Jae naturally stepped into the role. The shift was subtle at first, his voice more decisive, his stance a little straighter, but it was enough for the others to feel.

"From here on, I'm in charge," he said, his tone cutting through the lingering tension. His gaze moved to the only other person with them he hadn't spoken to much. "I didn't catch your name before."

The young woman stepped forward with the kind of controlled poise that suggested she was used to being noticed. She brushed a loose lock of fiery red hair behind her ear, and in the dim light, her red eyes seemed to catch and hold the glow from the nearby crystals.

"Tirel," she said simply. "Fire mage."

Yuna's gaze lingered on her a moment longer than necessary. It was subtle, but her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. She had caught the way Tirel's attention flickered toward Jae when he spoke, the faint curl of her lips in a smile that seemed more reflex than politeness. It was enough for Yuna to mark the observation away in her mind, though she said nothing.

The four of them pressed on, Jae, Yuna, Elise, and now Tirel. The path ahead was uneven and jagged, the stone floor scattered with shards of crystal that glimmered faintly like stars underfoot. Their footsteps echoed off the walls, blending with the faint hiss of distant water trickling somewhere deep within the cave system.

After some distance, they came to a wider chamber, and the air grew heavier. Shapes moved at the far edge of the light, their silhouettes swelling into monstrous forms as they stepped forward.

Two hulking Sasquatches, each nearly brushing the low ceiling, advanced with deliberate, bone-shaking steps. The thick, matted fur on their bodies swayed with each movement. From above, two flame bats swooped, their wings leaving burning trails in the air. Behind them scuttled a massive spider, its bristling legs tapping against the stone, each step accompanied by the faint scrape of claw on rock.

Jae's mind worked quickly. "Yuna, take the spider. Tirel, the bats are yours. Elise, with me, we'll deal with the Sasquatches."

They moved without hesitation.

Yuna dashed forward, her weapon flashing in a tight arc toward the spider's legs. The creature hissed, its many eyes catching the light in cold, glassy reflections. It lunged low, forcing her to pivot sharply to the side. She kept her steps tight, never committing to a swing that left her open. The spider's speed kept her on the defensive, her breaths short and fast.

Overhead, Tirel's hands ignited with bursts of orange light. She hurled fireballs in quick, precise arcs, each one detonating with a sharp crack that forced the bats to wheel away from their diving paths. Sparks scattered across the walls, briefly lighting the chamber in warm flashes before fading.

At the center of the fight, Jae and Elise met the Sasquatches head-on. Jae's mana blade carved deep lines into their thick muscles, his strikes timed perfectly with Elise's. She darted in when she saw an opening, her hand glowing faintly as she targeted vulnerable points.

Her paralyzing strikes staggered the beasts, giving Jae the window to deliver devastating gravity punches that sent shudders through the ground.

The Sasquatches roared in pain, their massive arms swinging wildly, forcing the two to constantly shift positions. Each dodge was tight, each counter precise.

The battle threatened to tilt when Yuna found herself driven toward the chamber wall. The spider reared up, venom dripping from its fangs in slow, glistening strands.

She managed to deflect one strike, her blade ringing sharply against the leg, but she was a fraction too slow for the second.

Before the blow could land, a surge of heat passed beside her cheek. A fireball slammed into the spider's abdomen, the impact sending it skittering backward with a sharp, keening shriek.

Yuna glanced toward Tirel, their eyes meeting for just a moment. Her nod of acknowledgment was curt, almost guarded, before she spun back to deliver a final slash that cleaved through the monster's head.

The fight ended with a heavy, fading silence. The bodies of their enemies dissolved into mist, leaving behind crystals that glittered faintly against the dark stone. The air was thick with the scent of burnt fur and the bitter tang of ichor.

They gathered the loot without speaking much, their breathing slowly steadying.

xxxx

Far from the cave, in the wide, echoing hall of the academy, Byun stood beside Principal Kine. The space was quiet except for the faint rustle of heavy curtains swaying slightly in some unseen draft.

The two men faced the far end of the room, where the curtains hung from ceiling to floor, concealing what they had been searching for.

Kine stepped forward first. His movements were slow, deliberate, as though he was bracing himself for whatever he was about to see. With one firm sweep, he pulled the curtain aside.

Behind it yawned a shadow rift.

The black void shimmered faintly at its edges, like water disturbed by a stone, but its depths were utterly empty, no light, no shape, only darkness that seemed to swallow the very idea of depth.

Byun tilted his head. "So… what do you see?

Kine leaned closer, peering into the void. His eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing deeper with every passing second. Finally, he straightened.

"Nothing," he said flatly.

Byun's brow rose. "Nothing?"

"Nothing," Kine repeated, irritation edging his voice. He let the curtain fall back into place with a muffled thump. "The rift is such an inconvenience. And your father assigning it to me is even more of one."

Byun's lips curled into a small, knowing smirk. "My father never refuses the chance to delegate. Especially if he thinks the task isn't worth his time."

Kine gave a short, humorless laugh. "He's good at deciding what's worth his attention. Unfortunately, that usually means trouble for everyone else."