’He’s finally looking at me…’

A thrill of excitement surged through Lucas’ veins, his heart pounding in sync with the rhythmic swings of his sword.

SWIISSH!!!

His blade cut through the humanoid golems with deadly precision, never once faltering—never once dulling in the face of his enemies.

The golden aura surrounding his sword surged, wrapping around his body as if the two had become one—as if the blade was simply an extension of himself. Find exclusive stories on NovelBin.Côm

’Finally… your eyes are on me…’

A deep sense of acknowledgment bubbled up within him as he felt Riley’s intense gaze fixed on his back.

Ever since their last duel—ever since the incident in that white dungeon—Lucas never truly had the chance to showcase his growth to Riley.

But now?

Now, he had the perfect chance.

He could have easily annihilated these golems in a single, sweeping strike.

His Holy Sword, ever since his dream… no rather encounter with Evelyn, had become sharper, stronger, and lighter than ever before.

It didn’t just enhance his battle prowess—it refined his aura efficiency, making each swing more potent than the last.

The power brimming within him—the power he had restrained for so long—was finally pouring into his sword.

And for the first time in a long while…

He felt truly alive.

WOOOSH!!!

[Golden Shower]

Lucas’ golden aura flared like a miniature sun, coating his white sword in a blinding radiance.

SWIISSH!!

In the blink of an eye—three precise strikes cleaved through the golems in front of him, their forms splitting apart before they even realized they had been struck.

The sheer intensity of the heat radiating from his blade left their bodies glowing red-hot, cracks forming along their exteriors like brittle glass.

But Lucas wasn’t done.

Before the remaining golems could react—before they even had a chance to process their imminent demise—he dashed forward.

[Luminous Pierce]

A blinding streak of light—his sword pierced through the clustered enemies like a shooting star.

Dozens of golems disintegrated on impact, their once-sturdy bodies crumbling into molten fragments under the sheer, unrelenting heat of his aura-infused blade.

[Verdant Slash]

The golden glow of his sword intensified, absorbing the natural energy of divinity coursing through his body.

The familiar sensation of his aura surging beyond normal limits registered in his mind—but he didn’t care.

Right now, letting it all out—releasing everything he had—felt too good.

Especially because he knew—

Riley was watching.

SWIIISHHH!!!!

BOOM!!!

The instant his blade struck the ground, a violent explosion of golden light erupted outward, engulfing the battlefield.

The very earth beneath him fractured, spiderweb cracks spreading in all directions from the sheer force of the impact.

When the smoke finally cleared—

Every golem that had dared to stand in his way had been reduced to nothing.

Their bodies—sliced, pierced, and melted—lay scattered across the battlefield like remnants of a long-forgotten forge.

The battlefield was silent.

Hoo….

Lucas let out a slow, controlled breath, his chest rising and falling as the golden glow in his eyes gradually faded.

The heat of battle still clung to his skin, his muscles tensed with lingering adrenaline.

Yet, as his gaze swept across the battlefield, taking in the devastation he had caused, a strange feeling settled in his chest.

Disappointment.

He clenched his jaw slightly.

For all the overwhelming force he had just unleashed, he hadn’t even pushed himself to his limits.

There were still other techniques—more refined, more intricate forms of his swordsmanship—that he had yet to use. But he held back, letting the moment pass.

He turned, his gaze shifting toward the cliffside where Riley had been standing moments ago.

’Did you see that, Riley?’

But the thought barely formed before something felt off.

Riley was gone.

’Huh? Where did he—?’

Before he could finish the thought, an irritated voice cut through the air.

“Hey, Lucas! Do you even realize how dangerous that was?!”

Lucas barely had time to react before Kagami landed beside him, his expression a mix of frustration and concern.

The slight tremor beneath their feet reminded Lucas just how much force Kagami had put into his leap—yet even he looked rattled by the destruction surrounding them.

Kagami exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but at least try to hold back a little! This isn’t a contest, you know.”

“Ah, no, I just—”

Lucas faltered, words escaping him as he took a proper look at the aftermath of his attacks.

Only now did he fully process the sheer destructive power he had let loose.

The battlefield was in ruins.

The once-solid ground beneath him had melted and fractured, turning into something akin to molten lava, with deep, jagged cracks stretching outward from where he stood.

In the distance, towering rock formations—formed by the sheer concussive force of his strikes—rose like ominous monuments to his raw power.

Even the area Kagami had been standing in just moments ago wasn’t spared; the scorched earth and lingering embers were proof of how close he had come to being caught in the blast.

Lucas swallowed.

Had he gone too far?

He was so used to fighting alone, so used to pushing himself to his absolute limits without restraint, that he had momentarily forgotten the sheer scale of his abilities.

And worse yet—

Riley had seen everything.

For a brief moment, Lucas’s thoughts about Riley faltered. The lingering excitement, the rush of battle—it all vanished in an instant.

Then, it hit him.

Janica.

“J—Janica—!”

His voice rang out in panic as he spun around, his heart lurching in his chest. But the moment he turned, he froze.

Standing there, bathed in the flickering glow of molten rock and embers, was Riley.

His deep blue eyes bore into Lucas with a gaze colder than steel. In his arms, held securely yet carefully, was Janica—her body unscathed for the most part, but her right arm bore visible burns.

Lucas felt the breath leave his lungs.

A wave of relief washed over him—Janica was alive. She seemed conscious, albeit shaken.

But as that relief settled, it was quickly eclipsed by a crushing sense of guilt.

His recklessness…

His overwhelming excitement…

His need to show off in front of Riley…

Had hurt her.

Lucas wanted to speak—to apologize immediately—but the words caught in his throat.

Not only had his relationship with Janica been strained ever since yesterday’s events, but now, because of his own lack of control, he had inadvertently injured her.

All because he had been too caught up in himself.

He had never felt so ashamed in his life.

And then, just when the weight of his mistake had begun to settle—

Riley spoke.

His voice was calm—too calm.

“Lucas… you’re a failure for someone who aspires to be a knight.”

The words cut deeper than any blade ever could.

…

’I got saved again…’

Janica trailed just a few steps behind Riley, her gaze fixed on his back, an unsettling mixture of emptiness and frustration stirring inside her.

She clenched her fists.

It wasn’t the first time she had found herself in his shadow, nor was it the first time she had been saved by him.

And yet, every time it happened, that bitter weight in her chest only grew heavier.

Was she… always going to be this powerless?

“Riley, I can sense something in there…”

Rose’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

The golden-eyed girl was, as usual, interlocked with Riley’s arm, her gaze sharp as she peered into a dark section of the cavern.

“Just ignore it,” Riley replied dismissively. “It’s probably a mimic.”

The group moved carefully, making their way deeper into the dungeon.

The path ahead was dimly lit, illuminated only by the faint glow of a gemstone in Riley’s hand.

He had claimed that the stone held the power to guide them to the second floor, a statement that had been met with skepticism at first.

But as they ventured further, treasures began to appear—one after another, hidden caches of weapons, artifacts, and gold tucked away in places that only Riley seemed to know about.

Doubt turned to trust.

Yet, even as the others marveled at their luck, a silent question loomed in the back of their minds:

How does Riley know all of this?

Even if they asked, they knew he wouldn’t give them a straight answer. Whether that was a good thing or not was ultimately up to them to decide.

But one thing was certain—Riley wasn’t doing this for evil purposes.

The deeper they went, the more the air itself began to shift, the mana around them twisting and thickening as the dungeon subtly changed its structure.

Yet, despite all of that—despite the treasures, the dangers, the shifting environment—Janica’s thoughts remained fixated on one thing.

’Riley.’

A bubbling emotion deep inside her stirred, one she couldn’t quite define.

It was a dangerous feeling, one she didn’t want to name, didn’t want to acknowledge—as if doing so would make it real.

That was why, for now, simply looking at him from behind was enough. Enough to satisfy whatever this feeling was.

Janica didn’t know what drew her in, but as she silently followed Riley, she finally understood—why so many gravitated toward him.

There was something about him that pulled people in, something beyond just his strength or presence.

He was like an unshakable force, someone who stood firm no matter the situation, someone who—despite everything—always moved forward.

And yet—

As she kept staring, lost in thought, Janica suddenly noticed Rose turning back to glance at her.

Their eyes met.

A quiet, unspoken tension lingered for a single second—before Janica quickly averted her gaze, her face heating up instantly.

Like a child caught doing something inappropriate, her heart pounded in embarrassment, her cheeks flaring in a deep blush.

Had Rose noticed?

Janica didn’t even want to think about it.

Meanwhile, walking beside her, Lucas observed everything in silent frustration.

His gaze drifted toward Janica’s right arm, his expression tensing.

The burns from earlier had long since been healed—thanks to the abundance of potions they had brought—but the memory of her injury still weighed on him.

Even if the wound was gone, the fact remained: he had been the cause of it.

A sharp pang of self-reproach settled in his chest.

He had failed.

Not just as a friend. Not just as an ally.

But as a knight.

The very code he once wanted to uphold—the ideals he had tried to embody—had been spat back in his face.

To protect the weak, to never abuse one’s strength, to ensure that those under your care never suffer harm.

And yet, in a moment of reckless excitement, he had broken that vow.

Even worse—he had hurt the very person he wanted to protect.

Lucas clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over into an emotion he couldn’t fully contain.

He had wanted to prove himself.

But in the end, all he had proven was his own shortcomings.

Although Janica had already accepted his apology earlier, Lucas still couldn’t shake off the lingering guilt.

Simply saying sorry wasn’t enough—he wanted to do something more, something that would truly show how much he regretted what had happened.

As he thought of ways to make it up to her, his gaze lingered on her right hand, the same one he had unintentionally hurt.

Even though healing potions had already erased any visible wounds, the fact remained that he had been careless. It gnawed at him.

Then, as if acting on instinct, Lucas slowly reached out with his left hand and gently tried to hold hers.

If there was one thing he had learned about Janica over the years, it was that she enjoyed holding hands with him.

He never quite understood why, but it was one of those small gestures that always seemed to make her happy.

But—

Slap!

His hand was swatted away in a swift, almost reflexive motion.

Lucas blinked in surprise. “Janica?”

“Ah—Lucas… I’m sorry, I was just surprised, you see…” She stammered, her expression momentarily flustered before she tried to brush it off.

Lucas scratched the back of his head, offering an awkward chuckle. “I-Is that so? Haha… I guess I was being rude, wasn’t I?”

“No, it’s fine,” she reassured him, though her tone carried an odd hesitance. “I was just caught off guard, that’s all… But why were you suddenly trying to grab my hand?”

“Well… my apology earlier felt a bit unsatisfactory,” he admitted, glancing away briefly. “So, I thought I’d try to cheer you up…”

A soft, amused chuckle slipped past Janica’s lips. “Fufu—hahaha! So you thought holding my hand would be a better apology?”

Lucas frowned, feeling a little embarrassed. “Hey, it’s not that funny. Besides… you like holding hands, right?”

Janica didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she stared at him for a moment, her deep green eyes studying him with an expression he couldn’t quite place. Then, after a short pause, she nodded.

“Hm, yes, that’s true…” she said, her lips curling into a small, teasing smile. “But what’s with this? You’re the one initiating it now? Did hurting me make you realize just how important I am to you, hmm~?”

Lucas felt his face heat up at her playful words, and for once, he had no immediate retort.

He didn’t exactly know how to respond to Janica’s sudden teasing.

His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

He wasn’t used to this—her playful side—especially after what had just happened.

Yet, as he watched her chuckle at his reaction, he let out a small sigh of relief. At the very least, she seemed fine.

She wasn’t holding onto what had happened too much… or at least, she was making an effort not to.

Janica, on the other hand, couldn’t help but smile at Lucas’s awkwardness. Some things never changed.

Despite everything—the doubts that crept into her heart, the feelings she didn’t want to acknowledge—Lucas was still the same.

And in that moment, she decided that was enough.

“Yes… these doubts I’m having are just temporary…”

She reminded herself, as if repeating it in her mind would make it true.

Whatever troublesome feelings she was having about Riley, they weren’t real.

Thump-!

Thump-!

They couldn’t be.

Lucas had always been by her side.

He was her one and only.

Not wanting to let the moment slip away, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

“Janica?” Lucas blinked, surprised by the sudden contact.

“You wanted to hold hands, right?” Janica said with a bright smile, tilting her head slightly.

Lucas hesitated for a second before smiling back and nodding. He gave her hand a light squeeze, feeling a sense of comfort in the familiarity of it.

“But don’t think I’ve already forgiven you, though,” she added, smirking.

Lucas groaned. “Wait… I’m still not forgiven?”

“Of course, not~” Janica giggled, playfully swinging their joined hands. “Most knights would’ve been executed for hurting their lady, you know?”

“But you’re not really my—”

“Huh?”

“…Yes, milady.”

“Good~” She beamed, satisfied with his quick correction. Then, leaning in just close enough for her breath to tickle his ear, she whispered, “If you really want to make it up to me… go on a date with me after we clear this dungeon.”

Lucas blinked, taken aback. “A… date?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded, pulling back just enough to see his expression.

Lucas thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “Sure.”

Her request seemed simple enough.

A small price to pay for everything that had happened.

But as he looked at her, watching the way her lips curved into a knowing smile, he couldn’t help but wonder—

Would a simple hangout really be enough to satisfy her?

Meanwhile….

At the very back of the group, a certain young man was seething.

Kagami’s fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, veins bulging from his temple as rage simmered beneath his skin.

His bloodshot eyes burned with barely contained frustration as he glared at the surreal scene unfolding before him.

Riley, as always, was effortlessly charming, casually flirting with both Rose and Seo, their soft laughter and the way they hung onto his every word already setting Kagami’s nerves on edge.

It was annoying enough watching him pull that off like it was second nature.

But then—

Seeing Lucas and Janica having their own moment, their gazes tinged with emotions so obvious yet oblivious, made something inside him snap.

“Fuck this shit….” he muttered under his breath, his fingers twitching as the overwhelming urge to punch something clawed at him.

It wasn’t just that they were acting like they were in some kind of romance novel—it was that they did it right in front of him.

And worst of all?

None of them even noticed him.

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