I ran through the masses, killing the goblins which attacked those who were unable to properly fight for themselves while maiming those who fought against the ones who struggled against them. I’ve got no time to waste on people like the guy before. If you can’t even kill one who can’t fight back then you will just die.

As I was in my thought I swiped at the legs of a goblin before me. A young girl shrieked as the goblin she just toiled again lay on the floor, a stranger stepping onto it. But shortly after I motioned at it she swung her bag at the head of it. Never underestimate a bag full of cosmetics huh. It stopped twitching after the third strike, lying motionless on the ground.

“Thank you.”

“Call out your status. Then get to help others.”

She twisted her head, unsure what I meant before shrieking again, falling backwards onto her bottom. Seems like I spoke a little too early. Well, she should be fine after this. I faded back into the crowd, looking for the next fight.

As I looked around the system finally decided to start working again, sending me a message.

I really don’t like this system… I let out a long sigh.

Please, don’t do anything stupid…

My face twisted into a grimace as I read the message. Let’s try to take this calmly Agni, you’ve lived through decades with this shit, you know it’s an asshole.

“Curse you motherfucker! I swear I will kill you! You will burn until there aren’t even ashes left behind!” I screamed at the sky, startling everything around me. Even the goblins stopped in their hunt as they saw me. Come right here you little bastards, I need something to punch right now!

I stepped forward, walking further and further. But while they first confronted me, thinking I am just another small fly they soon retreated. That’s right, fear me. While I stepped even closer they turned around and started to run. They shouldn’t fear me that much right now?

As I was in stupor a loud step resounded behind me. To loud to belong to anything small.

Swoosh!

Damn! I threw myself to the side, shortly before a large club crashed into my earlier position. I looked behind me, seeing the attacker towering over anything else. A thick, muscular body, with arms and legs like steel beams, standing 16.5 foot tall, with an ugly grin and one eye.

“What the hell does a cyclops around here?” I broke into a run. This is not a fight I want to do right now! Humans and monsters ran away from the street, one group out of fear, the other knowing that a raging cyclops didn’t care about enemies or allies. A rampaging cyclops didn’t care what it hit, it just feels a natural urge to destroy.

I called out to the system, screaming at my status to let me choose a class. This was not something a normal human could fight. But all I got were other messages, telling me that it was still unavailable.

Footsteps echoed behind me, making a clear that I had the attention of it. Everything tumbled to the side as I ran past it, the cyclops smashing into it. All till a child tried to run away, only to fall on the ground. There is nothing I can do for you now. I’m sorry.

I stepped past it as a certain memory flashed through my mind.

‘Create this world and every born child will be our legacy.’

Damn, why did you have to tell me something like this! I turned around, facing the cyclops before I started to run again. I snatched the child and rolled to the side as the concrete beside us cracked under the foot of it. Even the air pressure alone threw us away, tumbling over the ground before my back hit a wall. But we didn’t have time to rest as the cyclops already stood before us, swinging his hand sideways.

I threw the child aside before I lifted my arms in front. I knew I wouldn’t get away unscathed, so I tried my best to block some damage at least.

Turns out, as expected, that a normal human body isn’t made for blocking a cyclops. He threw me aside, my body flying away like a puppet whose strings were cut. The world passed me, colors turning into a blurry scene before I crashed into something, hearing creaking iron and splintering glass.

Blood run down my vision, but I still forced my eyes open as I already heard the sounds of giant steps. The cyclops stood before me, snickering at my miserable state. I tried to lift myself, only to noticed that I couldn’t use my left arm that dangled lifeless. My right arm wasn’t in a better state as blood flew down, coming out of a deep cut. Even breathing hurt me, so I probably had a few broken ribs.

That’s not Hard-Mode you bastard. You just want to kill me off.

The cyclops stopped, before lifting its giant club again.

Fucking time! All stat-points into intelligence. All skill-points into fire-magic skill-tree.

I skipped the appearing messages. The cyclops just started to slam his club down as I lifted my remaining arm.

“[Flame Whip]!” A golden flame, completely unlike my demonic, black flame of the past shot outward, twisting around the free arm of the cyclops. While such a low-level spell would never be enough to hurt this creature it was enough to get me out of here. I grabbed at my end, my own flame sizzling at my flesh. As the club came down the cyclops twisted its body, tightening the whip and pulling me out. Propelled by the sudden movement I flew forward, past the cyclops.

I twisted my body as I released another Flame Whip, this one targeted at the neck of the cyclops, which made me spin around it, coiling around its head. I landed on its shoulder, nearly falling down as my legs were as messed up as the rest of my body, before I steadied myself.

When I released my Flame Whip the cyclops turned its head to me, looking at me like an annoying fly, while it lifted its hand trying to squash me. It grinned, knowing that low-level spells wouldn’t harm his thick skin. Sucks for you that I didn’t want to attack there anyway.

“Eat fire!” I smashed my arm into his mouth, a small spell-circle building in front of it. “[Fireball].” I poured the rest of my little mana into the circle, overloading it and released a flaming explosion. The shockwave blew me away once again as my vision darkened. I felt my consciousness slip away even before I smashed into the ground once more.

The sudden chaos made me lose sight of my child, my little Marc. I looked on in horror as this beast came crashing through the street. When the crowd of humans parted, fleeing from it, I saw him, lying on the floor. I broke into a run, dashing at him, but I would never have made it in time.

A stranger, a lone man, turned around and grabbed him, saved him and was attacked instead. I kneeled near Marc, looking over him. He had a few scratches but nothing worth caring about compared to his near death.

Meanwhile the beast strode to the man who crashed into a car. Did he die? As I wanted to turn around and flee I heard him screaming out. Then this mess turned even stranger as fire appeared out of nowhere. I led out a hollow laughter. As if monsters aren’t enough already.

At the end I saw him being blasted away, the beast collapsing. In that moment I realized it. This world turned upside down. And if I want Marc to survive I need to protect him. And the best way is this man right now.

I lifted Marc into my arms. The little one just cried on and on. “It’s okay now.” I soothed him, caressing his back, while I walked to the man. If not for his chest that heaved up and down I would have believed he is dead, bloodied all over his body, burn wounds on his arm and face. Then I noticed it. His flesh already started to regenerate, I guess it’s not stranger than being able to call upon flames.

Let’s get you off the street first.