Arknightcraft Modpack (Steve in Terra) (Minecraft x Arknight)

The sudden appearance of those spikes was completely unpredictable. If it had been anyone else, they would likely have been skewered by the sharp protrusions.

However, Steven, the person in question, simply glanced at the spikes that came dangerously close, his expression one of either disappointment or disdain, difficult to decipher.

The crystalline spikes, glowing with the same peculiar hue as the crystals on those monsters, reached Steven in an instant. But just as they were about to turn him into a pincushion, Steven calmly raised his right arm.

In the next second, there was a peculiar "thunk-thunk" sound, like someone knocking on a door. Those seemingly unstoppable spikes collided with an invisible, impenetrable barrier and were deflected in all directions.

As for Steven, their intended target, he slowly lowered the shield in his hand.

"Sorry, not today."

The words were spoken casually, accompanied by the [Not Today, Thank You] achievement notification sound. Steven shook his head in disappointment.

As for what he held in his hand, calling it a "shield" might have been generous. Its design and shape were much closer to a simple door plank.

But that was the reality of the situation. In the vanilla version of Minecraft, shields were rudimentary at best. Sure, Steven had plenty of shield mods that added fancier designs, but he couldn't access them here.

Besides, with the resources he had left, crafting even the most basic wooden shield was already an accomplishment.

Thankfully, even this primitive shield could be considered a game-breaking mechanic when it came to blocking projectiles.

At the very least, Steven doubted anyone in this world would go to the lengths of enchanting their spells or arrows with "Piercing," an enhancement unique to Minecraft.

The monsters, however, seemed even more enraged, their roars growing louder after their collective effort at using Originium Arts had been so effortlessly nullified.

Of course, these creatures weren't intelligent enough to understand the futility of their actions. Had they been, any being with even a shred of self-awareness would have fled far away after witnessing what had just happened.

"Enjoyed your fireworks? Well, then, I suppose it's my turn now."

The curiosity in Steven's eyes faded as he realized the so-called Originium Arts of this world were not as groundbreaking as he'd hoped. In the end, they were just another way of harnessing energy, no different from the magical systems or superpowers he'd encountered in various mods.

After stowing his shield, Steven no longer bothered dodging the stray spikes flying toward him. Moving with ghost-like speed, he closed the gap in mere moments.

With his curiosity sated, he made short work of the remaining monsters, reducing them to a pile of corpses in the blink of an eye.

After shaking the blood off his Netherite Sword, Steven stashed it back into his inventory and turned his gaze toward the silver-haired girl who had been cowering in the corner, staring at him with a mix of awe and reliance.

"Come on now, let's settle this. I promise I won't spank you."

Letting out a sigh reminiscent of a parent disappointed with their child's antics, Steven finally felt a glimmer of understanding for his own parents' frustrations.

Children being reckless always seemed to end up as their parents' problem to fix.

Hearing Steven's call, Gladiia scampered over to him immediately. But upon hearing the word "spank," her expression morphed into one of pitiable innocence.

Her tear-streaked face, a remnant of the fear she had felt earlier, paired with her childlike, pure gaze, nearly melted Steven's resolve on the spot.

It was a reminder that appearances matter. A pretty face could make any action seem endearing. While Gladiia's typical demeanor leaned toward a strong, confident type, her current expression was enough to weaken anyone's defenses.

Steven, for one, was completely defenseless against such cuteness.

"Don't think those eyes will save you. Once or twice, I can track you down, but what if there's a day I decide I can't be bothered? Running off without a word—is your plan to work me to death?"

Covering his face in exasperation, Steven's initial intention to reprimand the girl softened significantly. Sure, the idea of spanking a tall, mature-looking girl like her was amusing, but only if she weren't currently a memory-wiped child.

Otherwise, it felt more like bullying someone who couldn't defend themselves, which even Steven had his limits on.

"I'm sorry," Gladiia murmured, her lips pouting in genuine remorse.

Recognizing her own mistake for once, she didn't just call Steven "Dada" as usual but instead offered a sincere apology.

This proved that even among children, there are distinctions. Gladiia, despite her childlike mind, still managed to display moments of maturity.

Faced with her heartfelt apology, Steven found he had no reason to chastise her further. If the kid was willing to admit her mistakes, what was the point of punishment?

"Alright, as long as you know you messed up. But next time you pull a stunt like this, I won't go easy on you."

With a reluctant sigh, Steven abandoned his attempt to maintain his "parental" authority. He had been looking forward to playing the role of a stern elder, but Gladiia's demeanor had completely disarmed him.

Of course, not in the way some might imagine from the pages of a suggestive content. It was all perfectly decent, thank you very much.

Just as Steven was about to lead Gladiia away from the ruined, corpse-filled chapel, a sudden realization struck him.

Slapping his forehead, he turned back toward the headless corpse of the robed figure he had slain earlier.

Under Gladiia's confused gaze, he crouched next to the body, pulled out his Netherite Sword, and stabbed it into the corpse.

"Hey, how long are you planning to play dead? You almost had me there! To show my respect for your acting skills, I'll give you another chance to say your last words. Otherwise, don't blame me for resorting to cremation."

Deliberately avoiding the vital areas, Steven stabbed into the arm instead. He couldn't help but feel curious—how was this person still alive after being decapitated?

Besides, it didn't make sense that such a key figure, leader of those monsters, would drop absolutely nothing.

Not even a single World Acknowledgement Point?

The only explanation left was simple: this sneaky bastard was faking it.

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