Cursed Heir System: Revenge Against the Gods

Alan watched as The tavern turned into chaos as mercenaries charged, blades drawn, and soldiers scrambled to defend.

Townsfolk dove behind tables, chairs flying like kindling. The fireplace crashed over, sparks igniting the wooden floor.

Yulder pulled Anna back, stepping in front of her, his sword igniting with red-orange flames. "Stay down lady Anna," he growled and charged into the leader.

The bald mercenary leader grinned. "Nice trick, knight." He raised his hand and caught Yulder's flaming strike with a sharp crack—his skin had turned to solid gray stone, and the flames slid off without leaving a mark.

"Whoa, whoa!" Moriko said, pointing with the skewer. "Did you see that? His hand just turned into stone! That's incredible!"

Alan's blue eyes locked on the fight. "Uncommon-tier Earth Blessing, they can turn body parts into hard rock. Tough, but slow."

Yulder's blade clashed over and over against the mercenary's stone-hard arms, sparks flying as he swung fast, pushing the brute back step by step. But the mercenary's grin only grew, enjoying the knight's anger.

"Is that all?" The mercenary hissed, then swung his greatsword in a heavy arc, the force sending Yulder sliding back, his boots ripping through the wood tavern floor.

Across the room, a sneaky mercenary tried to attack Anna from behind, his dagger shining with a green poison.

"Lady Anna, look out." Marlene shouted desperately as she struggled to stand.

But Anna spun around with blue mana already glowing in her palm and pushed her hand out.

BOOM!

A wave of mana energy slammed into him, sending him into a shelf of mugs that shattered like brittle bones.

Anna turns around and sees her guards falling one by one. One collapsed under a storm of strikes, his shield arm twisted. Another cries as a sword drives deep into his stomach, blood pooling on the tavern floor as he falls onto the floor.

"No…!" Anna cried, pushing through the chaos toward the wounded soldier.

She swung her hand, unleashing another burst of mana that slammed into the mercenary attacking him, sending the man flying. She dropped beside him as her mana glowing hands pressed to his wound.

"Hold on," she whispered while pouring her magic into torn flesh. "Please…"

Outside, thunder rumbled, the rain pounding harder, as if the storm itself grieved the bloodshed.

Alan leaned back, tapping his finger into the table, his eyes turning between Anna and the chaos. The mercenaries outnumbered the guards, their attack too accurate, as if they knew their foes' weaknesses.

Anna's power was strong, raw mana control, but her focus on saving her men left her vulnerable.

His eyes shifted to the blonde knight Yulder slashing through two enemies to protect Anna, only to be blindsided. The mercenary leader blocked with ease grey rock skin with every hit pushing Yulder back step by step.

Uncommon blessing from the Fire Goddess, Alan noted. Being a personal knight with uncommon is great feet… but he's getting outnumbered by them.

A sharp crack sliced through the tavern's chaos.

A thin mercenary snapped a glowing fire whip, its burning coils lashing around a soldier's neck with a blazing hiss. The man screamed but it quickly turned to a wet gurgle as his skin burnt.

He collapsed, clawing at the blackened wound, his eyes wide with pain.

"Whoa, whip guy's nasty," Moriko muttered as she leaned back, one leg crossed over the other.

Yulder charged at a mercenary closing in on Anna, his flaming sword cutting through the man's arm in a burst of fire and blood. The mercenary screamed, stepping back.

But before Yulder could catch his breath another blade slashed into the back of a blonde knight, tearing through his armor.

Gritting his teeth, Yulder spun around and grabbed the attacker's wrist, and threw him across the room. The mercenary crashed into Alan and Moriko's table, shattering it into splinters.

Both Alan and Moriko casually grabbed their plates just before the impact.

"Watch it," Moriko snapped, kicking the unconscious mercenary aside before settling at another table and taking a bite of her meat.

The bald mercenary leader brought his greatsword down in a brutal arc. Yulder raised his blade just in time, sparks bursting from the impact.

The force sent Yulder flying. He slammed into the wall right beside Alan with a bone-jarring crunch. Cracks split the plaster, and a cloud of dust burst around him as he fell to the floor.

Head lolling, his eyes half-lidded and barely conscious. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"Yulder!" Anna screamed desperately. Her crimson eyes were wide with fear as she unleashed a burst of mana, blasting a mercenary through a table.

She stood alone in the center of the tavern, silvery-blue hair unbound and wild, struggling to hold back the swarm closing in.

Yulder's vision blurred. He could barely make out Anna hurling another spell, her stance faltering as more mercenaries rushed her.

"Please… someone… stop them," he whispered, blood trailing down his chin.

He heard someone calling him. "Hey, blondie!"

Yulder turned his head with effort, pain and confusion in his gaze.

"You want me to risk my life for your lady?" He shrugged. "What's the reward?"

Yulder blinked, his mind struggling through the fog of pain. This skinny kid? He'll be dead in seconds. But desperation sparked hope, what if he could save her?

Coughing blood, he rasped, "on behalf of Duchess Sharra Nocella… anything, if you can save Lady Anna. Please." His voice cracked, more blood spilling as he sagged further against the wall.

Alan's grin widened. "Deal," he said, brushing crumbs off his hands.

"You're actually saving her?" Moriko asked in surprise.

"If it benefits us something good, why not?"

He stepped forward, raising his voice to a bold shout that silenced the tavern's chaos. "Hey, you ugly bastards!"

Mercenaries, cowering patrons, and wounded soldiers froze, their eyes turning to him. Even Anna glanced his way. Alan's grin sharpened, his blue eyes gleaming. "Leave the girl alone and come after me instead!"

The mercenaries paused, then burst into loud, mocking laughter.

"This twig thinks he's a hero!" one jeered, his voice full of scorn.

A burly mercenary charged, faster than Alan expected, his axe swinging down in a vicious arc. The blade bit into Alan's shoulder, severing his arm in a spray of blood.

Moriko shouted, "Alan!" as the whip mercenary cracked his fire whip, wrapping it around Alan's neck and yanking hard.

His head slammed into the floor with a sickening thud. Blood pooled around him as his vision faded to black.

---

[Skill: Return by Death activated.]

[Checkpoint retained.]

"You're actually saving her?" Moriko asked her with curious golden eyes.

Alan widened his eyes. The pain of the axe and whip was still burning in his nerves, and he gasped for air, he was alive, his heart thumping.

It was the same scene, the same tavern, the same chaos, and he was back.

Moriko's ears perked up in confusion as she gazed at him. Sensing something was amiss in his abrupt gasp, she asked, "What happened?"

His hand was shaking a little as he shook his head and looked at the table. "Round two," he whispered.