The distance between them closed in a heartbeat. The Shaman, realizing the threat, abandoned its chanting.

It waved the bone staff frantically, sacrificing power for speed. A second fireball formed, smaller and unstable, sputtering with chaotic energy.

Judas saw the spark ignite. He didn't try to dodge left or right. Instead, he dropped to his knees, sliding across the dirt.

The ball of flame roared over his head, close enough to singe his hair, burying itself harmlessly in a mud hut behind him.

His slide ended right at the monster's feet.

Before the creature could look down, Judas kicked upward. His boot connected solidly with the Shaman's knee.

A sickening crunch echoed through the camp. The goblin howled, its leg bending at an unnatural angle. It collapsed, the staff tumbling from its grip.

Judas rose with the momentum of a coiled spring. He gripped his sword with both hands, channeling his strength into the steel.

Sword Slash.

The blade hummed, cutting through the air with a distinct whistle. It shore through the creature's neck, severing the head instantly.

The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the crackling of the burning crates.

[Sword Slash 4 -> 5]

[Strength +1]

Judas exhaled a shaky breath. He felt the surge of power flood his muscles, the new attribute point settling into his frame. His grip on the sword felt lighter, his stance more solid.

The remaining goblins, seeing their leader decapitated, broke. They dropped their weapons and fled into the forest, shrieking in terror.

Judas didn't chase them. He turned around, his eyes seeking Summer.

She was still by the crates, staring at him. Her gaze was intense, tracing the line of his jaw and the blood soaking his shirt. She walked over slowly, stepping over goblin corpses without looking down.

"You are reckless," she said, though her voice lacked its usual bite.

"Only for my wives," Judas corrected. He winced slightly as the adrenaline faded, the cut on his shoulder beginning to throb.

Summer reached out, her hand hovering over the wound. "I can stop the bleeding with—"

Judas placed his own hand over the injury. A soft, green light enveloped his palm.

Reconstruction.

The flesh knitted together before her eyes. The skin sealed, leaving not even a scar, just a smear of dried blood.

Summer's eyes widened.

'He is a Healer too?' she thought, masking her shock.

'A dual class?' Zephriya's voice was equally surprised. 'Swordsman and Healer? That is a rare combination. Usually, the mana pathways conflict. This man… he is full of anomalies.'

Judas crouched by the Shaman's headless body, rummaging through its robes. He found a small, glowing red stone—the core of the staff. He tossed it to Summer.

She caught it reflexively.

"A Fire Mana Stone," he said, wiping his blade on the goblin's rags. "With it in your wand, you can infuse fire into your skills."

Summer looked at the warm stone in her palm, then back at him. A genuine smile touched her lips.

"Thank you, Husband."

Affection: 45 -> 46

They did not linger among the corpses. The metallic scent of goblin blood was already saturating the humid air, acting as a dinner bell for every predator within the radius. Judas wiped his blade one last time, sheathed it, and signaled for them to move.

They pushed west, putting distance between themselves and the massacre. The trek was grueling. While Judas's stamina was bolstered by his high Strength and Agility attributes, Summer began to flag.

Her Blood skills were potent, but they drained her blood reserves far faster than physical exertion drained him. Her breathing grew heavy, and her footsteps became less precise as the hour wore on.

Twilight began to bleed through the canopy, turning the vibrant green of the forest into oppressive shades of grey and black.

Moving at night in the Willow Mountains was usually a death sentence. The nocturnal hunters of this region were exponentially more lethal than the scavengers of the day. Since a Rift had opened nearby, the danger was amplified.

Rifts were not chaotic tears; they were structured invasions. When one stabilized, it generated three distinct zones of influence. They were currently in the "Budding" zone—the outer perimeter. Here, the corrupted mana was thinnest, and the monsters were mostly grunts like the goblins.

Beyond this lay the second ring. In that zone, every creature would be an Initiate, hardened by the denser mana. If they weren't in their perfect state, crossing that line would be suicide.

Judas paused near a large oak, allowing Summer to lean against the bark and catch her breath. He considered retreating. They could return to the home, fortify the defenses, and wait.

He rejected the thought immediately.

Rifts were like a cancer. Once fully constructed, the zones would begin to expand. If the tear wasn't closed quickly, it would consume the surrounding land.

A "Faint" Rift, which this likely was, could evolve into a "Minor" Rift. If left unchecked for months, it could escalate to Greater, Dire, Cataclysm, or even Abyssal tiers.

The boss of a Faint Rift would essentially be an Apprentice-level monster. To kill it, Judas needed more than basic sword swings. He needed versatility.

'I need new skills,' he thought, focusing on his internal interface.

[Affection Points: 25,000]

The numbers were comforting.

He browsed the shop. An Ordinary skill cost 1,000 points. Common was 2,000. Uncommon jumped to 4,000, and Rare sat at a hefty 8,000. Anything above Rare was grayed out, locked behind the wall of the Adept rank. He couldn't comprehend higher-tier mysteries yet.

He filtered the list. His main offense was the Path of the Sword. Sword Slash was devastating at close range, and his Agility allowed him to close gaps, but he lacked true mobility and the element of surprise.

If he could strike unseen, he could end fights before they began, preserving Summer's mana and his own skin.

'System, purchase Dash and Stealth.'

[Obtained skill: Dash (Rare)]

[You have learned Dash 1 (Rare-Initiate)]

[Obtained skill: Stealth (Rare)]

[You have learned Stealth 1 (Rare-Initiate)]

[Points Remaining: 9,000]

A sudden influx of memories spiked behind his eyes as the knowledge downloaded directly into his muscle memory.

Dash wasn't just running fast; it was a mana-infused burst of kinetic energy that could triple his movement speed for short durations.

Stealth was even more complex. It didn't make him invisible to the eye, but it erased his presence. It bent light slightly and muffled sound, but more importantly, it tricked the observer's mind into ignoring him.

Unless an opponent possessed an Intelligence attribute significantly higher than his, he would be nothing more than a shadow until his blade was already in their throat.

"Can you move?" Judas asked, checking the darkening sky.

"I am fine," Summer lied, pushing herself off the tree.

They walked for another mile before finding a suitable shelter. It was a natural hollow beneath a massive slab of granite, obscured by the thick, tangled roots of an ancient tree.

Judas cleared the debris from the hollow. He dragged a heavy boulder over the opening, leaving only a small crack for air circulation.

The world outside vanished, replaced by pitch blackness.

Summer retrieved the fire-stone from her pocket, casting a dim, orange light over their cramped quarters.

Next, he pulled out a camping bed he had won from an ordinary lucky draw. It barely fit, taking up most of the floor space. Finally, he produced the thick woolen blankets he had stashed earlier.

Summer watched him with tired eyes, but her internal passenger was far more alive.

'How is he doing that?' Zephriya's voice rang out in the vampire's mind, full of suspicion. 'He has no spatial pouch on his belt. He has no rings. To summon items out of thin air requires high-level Space Runes inscribed directly onto the soul. Who is this man?'

Summer ignored the spirit's paranoia. She was too exhausted to care about runes.

Judas sat on the edge of the bed, closing his eyes for a moment. He directed his attention inward, checking the Couple Space.

Inside the dimensional void, the scene was peaceful. Nina, Ezra, and Luna were sitting around the sewing machine he had deposited there earlier.

They looked bored but safe. He sent a quick wave of reassurance through their bond, letting them know he was stopping for the night. They sensed his safety and settled down.

The temperature in the cave dropped rapidly. The rock walls leeched the heat from the air, turning their breath into white mist.

Lighting a fire was impossible; the smoke would suffocate them or alert beasts to their location.

Body heat was their only option.

Judas lay down on the narrow mattress and lifted the heavy duvet. "Get in."

Summer didn't need to be told twice. She stripped off her boots and dove under the covers, pressing her body against his side.

She shivered once, then sighed as his high body temperature began to seep into her cold skin.

"You are all set for camping," she murmured, burying her face in his chest. She inhaled deeply, filling her senses with his scent.

Her fatigue seemed to melt away, replaced by a different kind of hunger.

Her hand moved under the fabric. Pale fingers slid beneath the waistband of his trousers, finding the heat she was looking for. She curled her hand around him, her touch firm and possessive.

Judas looked down. In the dim orange light of the fire-stone, Summer's eyes were watery and dilated. Her lips were parted, dry and inviting.

"I need more than just warmth," she whispered.

Judas leaned down, capturing her mouth. Her lips tasted of blood. As the kiss deepened, the cold of the cave was forgotten, replaced by the rising heat beneath the blanket.

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