Light, Dropper, and Sophie returned from their mission earning the best rewards they could from the Syndicate. After they deposited Emil's head, I gained access to the Baker class and I even unlocked a bakery.

Ali's was all that was needed early on but now that I've got a full scale town in swing outside my mountain, more places and choices to eat is definitely a must.

Humans seem to like Ali's food. Why do you need another food feature?

It's not that they don't like Ali's food, it's just that people like to have a bit of variety in their lives.

Or so I remember.

My hard working trio are now resting in the retreat whilst I choose where to place the bakery. I eventually place it just outside the residential area, close to the Retreat and the rest of the shops. I add a Shadow-Walker-turned-Baker to complete the feature and upgrade it so that it fits in with the rest of town.

As I watch my new baker, hard at work, I'm standing at the door to the store in my ghostly form enjoying the delectable scents coming from The Baker's Oven.

I love being able to smell again.

What's so appealing about it?

It's hard to explain. Certain smells are just wonderful. Fresh baked bread for example is one of those things that just can't be described. Hopefully, Me, one day you will experience it for yourself.

It is highly unlikely as I am not a soul, just a system. I will never possess a body to be able to experience, what you call, wonderful smells.

You never know, Me. With the way things are going, I wouldn't be... What's that?

As I'm talking to Me, I feel a malicious and sinister presence appear from nowhere on the outskirts of town.

Four people have entered you.

All at once?

The evil-intended will doesn't stay where it is for long as it begins to move into town fast.

Now is not the time for dirty jokes, Abi.

I know, I know.

I inform my family about the new presence and warn them to be careful as I teleport to the retreat. Currently, that's where Light, Dropper, and Sophie are relaxing after their long journey. They're not the only people enjoying a cold ale at Talia's but if they were followed home then they can deal with the problem.

"Did anyone follow you home?" I raise my eyebrows at Light who gulps on cue.

"No, Master," he bows his head to air in front of him, or at least that's how it will look to Sophie but I don't have time to worry about that right now.

"Are you sure?" wanting to make sure, I ask him again.

"Master? Who are you talking to?" not expecting the person that she is infatuated with to be crazy, Sophie also drops a question Light's way catching him off guard.

"Yes Master, I am sure. There was an... Altercation in Dune with a strange man but we saw no one on the way back. Sophie, I will explain everything later,"

"I just want to be yours, Light. I don't care who knows! Or if you're crazy. As long as you can protect me, I'll always be yours," going red in the face, Sophie's eyes never leave Light's.

WOW! That was a bold declaration.

You go girl!

I think I quite like Sophie, Me.

That's not important right now.

Oh yeah.

As I'm reminded of our situation, the doors to retreat are blown inwards sending wood and splinters flying everywhere.

"So many. So many," stepping through the destroyed entrance, Hiroshi the elf laughs all the way as he and his three slaves enter the Retreat. Behind him, two of my Vagabonds stand unmoving.

What's wrong with them, Me?

It seems as though they're under his control somehow.

Their eyes have rolled back and only the whites can be seen. Mia and Autumn are the last Vagabonds I have, everyone else has been upgraded to Shadow Walkers over the last few weeks. It pains and angers me to see this strange man controlling my weaker family members.

"I know you," Light stands up to face the cause of the destruction.

The man stares at Light. Anger and hatred flash across his eyes as his breathing becomes erratic.

"That's the guy from Dune, Light. Hey asshole, it was an accident. We didn't mean to knock you over and we said sorry," Sophie moves to Light's side.

"Sorry? Sorry?! You will be sorry, when you're with me tonight," Hiroshi's eyes widen and his grin intensifies as he laughs at Sophie.

I can't help but feel calm. Even as this delusional man says such vile words and even with the strong presence of evil I feel from him I don't feel worried at all. This sentiment isn't just mine, Talia is still serving the other unphased Patrons and Dropper hasn't even turned around to see who broke the door.

The hooded man disappears from where he's stood in the blink of an eye. His three companions make no move whatsoever, in fact two of them are giving off an entirely different feeling to the third. One of them is even in tears.

As I'm trying to understand the will of the aggressor's two nervous companions, he appears behind Dropper and presses his knife into her throat.

"Nobody move. Not unless you want this one to die here. Now, tell me where the entrance to the dungeon is and I might just spare a few of you." His words don't get the reaction he was expecting as Talia walks away to refill another empty mug and Light bursts out laughing. Even with a knife pressed into her throat, Dropper takes a large swig of ale before placing it on the counter. Sophie is the only person who appears worried at the situation.

Dropper grabs the man's wrists so tight that he can't move his arms or escape her grip.

"What the fuck," his eyes widen as Dropper slowly lifts his arms in the air as she turns her body to face him.

"Hi," she smiles, right before planting a headbutt square on his forehead, sending him flying to the other side of the room into an unoccupied table.

"What the fuck!? How is she so strong? You said this one would be the easiest yet! So you're fuckin' lying to me then?" His hood falls off as he staggers to his feet, revealing his pointed ears, whilst screaming at himself.

Oh shit. He's an elf. What's his problem though? Is he crazy?

I... Don't know. It's strange, I can almost sense something else in him.

"You silly bitch that fucking hurt. Now you're all going to die. Kya, boost me!"

"Yes, Master,"

The elf glows green as his wound is healed and then red as he has his attack boosted by the elf laughing madly behind him.

Are all elves this crazy? I've never actually met one before.

Elves don't control dungeons like humans do. Their aim is to destroy all dungeons as they follow some strange doctrine or prophecy of sorts.

So all crazy then.

Although I don't get a bad feeling from the elf that hasn't moved. I have been known to be wrong though.

Before he has a chance to use the attack boost, Hiroshi finds himself caught in mid-air from a sweep kick performed by Dropper. He is then punched through the air by Light, past his own companions, back out of the entrance that he destroyed on the way in. His airtime finally ends when he hits the house across the street and is embedded into the wall. An eruption of blood is choked up from his throat and he falls to the floor.

"What is it with these... Monsters?" coughing up more blood, Hiroshi looks up in time to see Dropper's foot crash into his face sending him tumbling up the street to an awaiting Light. Rolling his shoulders and stretching quickly, Light positions himself well before kicking the incoming elf back down the street to Dropper.

Wow, that's a crazy kind of cruel.

Indeed.

As I watch Light and Dropper kick our invader up and down the street, his entourage wears a mismatch of emotions. The elf that granted him the attack boost is furious as she shakes her fists in fury but she also appears to be too scared to join in. The human in the middle seems to be stuck in some type of internal crisis and is crying on the inside. The Elf on the left however looks ecstatic that her master is in such a state and seems to be enjoying the scene more than Light and Dropper.

"Master, I have returned!" Noir's familiar bellowing can be heard at the end of the street before he appears from the shadows in between Light and Dropper, kicking the elf high in the air pausing their game.

"Haha. Who is this fool that dares to damage my master's land!"

"Get over here, Noir!"

"Master! You are beautiful. Please let my weapon penetrate the foul scum that desecrates you," Noir bellows.

"Weapon? Penetrate? Don't you think you're cutting it close there?"

"It has been days since my weapon entered the fleshy insides of another being," he smiles.

The sound of the elf's bones breaking as he hits the floor, knocks me from the building rage I'm feeling towards Noir's poor choice of words.

I'm sure he does it on purpose.

The elf's screams of agony inform us that he didn't die upon impact which isn't the strangest thing that's happening.

"Can't kill... them. Don't want... to die. Help me. Take control. I don't care anymore. I just... Don't want to die!" A red miasma leaks out from his body as he cries to himself. His bones snap back into place and his muscle weave themselves back together as he screams out forcing everyone around back a few feet. Rising to his feet, he looks a lot stronger than he did before and I'm slightly relieved I've got Noir by my side.

"Now I will show you true power!" he screams as a small orb of darkness appears in Hiroshi's hand growing speedily into a large ball. It doesn't stop there and continues to grow in size as Light and Dropper quickly play rock, paper, scissors.

I assume Light has won as I watch him do the strangest victory dance I've ever seen while Dropper disappears into the shadows.

"Die, you fucking handsome bastard!" Hiroshi yells as he hurls the black ball of darkness towards Light and laughs maniacally as he does so. His laugh is interrupted as he realises the large shadow ball he created has not moved from above him.

"Oh, you thought you had control over the shadow ball. That's so cute," Dropper calls out from the roof of the building above the confused Hiroshi.

"That's a spell from the Vagabond evolution, you know? We mastered those weeks ago. Using dark magic against us was a poor choice. Let me show you a spell from the next class up." Light grins and forms a small jewel of darkness in the centre of his own palm. The black diamond is dense with magic and the power can be felt surging throughout the street.

"I feel as though you need the extra touch." Light smiles whilst closing his hand over the sphere and releasing the magic within.

Spears of darkness, formed from the shadows of the buildings cover the area behind, above, and around Hiroshi leaving only forward as an option. Unfortunately for him, the moment he attempts to take the path laid out before him, a spear bigger than all the others, penetrates through his abdomen and out of his back as it carries him backwards. Crashing into the trap of no escape, more spears enter his body as he smashes through and into the building at the end of the street.

Pinned to the building, the large hole in his chest releases a stream of blood as it disappears from existence, ending the life of the elf that started a fight with me for no apparent reason.

All that can be heard as we watch in silence is the screaming of the elven women outside the Retreat. Thankfully the noise is silenced not long after she starts by an ever vigilant Carrie.

With the last lingering presence of evil dispelled from my dungeon, the dust settles and Light is shining the familiar colour of progression.

How strong was that elf?

"How is that possible? We were closest to the next evolution! How have you achieved it already?" Noir is as baffled as I am. Light was almost 30 levels behind the most vocal of the Shadow Walkers. If that experience rocketed Light to max level, then what is it going to do to me?

Wait a minute. Light's max level!

A new monster has been unlocked:

Assassin: 80DP