"I can explain."The words slipped past his lips faster than his brain could process them.A man of around forty named Joshua stood rigid beside a king-size bed, clad in nothing more than a white towel wrapped haphazardly around his waist. He forced an awkward smile onto his face, acutely aware that his chances of surviving this situation were slimmer than winning the lottery and a luxury house combined.Standing at the threshold of the five-star hotel room, a woman stared without saying a single word. Her gaze was terrifyingly calm. That chilling composure sent a sharp shiver straight down the man's spine.He knew her better than anyone else. Once his wife stopped yelling, it meant she had bypassed mere emotional anger and entered a far more harrowing phase."You said..." Her voice finally cut through the silence. "...you were on a business trip."The man trembled violently."Y-Yes, I really am on a business trip, sweetheart...""What kind of business trip? Huh?""Uh.... well..." He

Ten pairs of red eyes stared straight at him. They didn't blink once, nor did they move an inch from their spots. Each of them gripped an iron sword that reflected the morning sunlight. Litchi stood frozen, surveying the ten goblins. A gentle breeze swept past, rustling the vast expanse of grass stretching between the trees. The scenery was lovely. If not for the ten goblins looking eager to make Litchi their breakfast menu. Litchi stared back at them. A few seconds later, he looked down at the object in his right hand. A simple wooden spoon—the very utensil that had somehow seen him through defeating a few goblins earlier. "........." Litchi let out a long sigh. "System! Show yourself!" The blue panel materialized. [Yes?] "You see them now, right?" [Yes.] "Look at them! Every single one of those guys has a sword!" [Yes.] "And I only brought a spoon." [Yes.] "Do you think this is fair?" The panel fell silent for a few seconds. Litchi started to harbor a sliver of hope

The forest fell back into a deep, heavy hush. The roar of the Dungeon Boss that had shaken the entire area moments ago had completely vanished, replaced by the soft whisper of the wind rustling through the canopy. Four Awakeners still stood frozen in place. Their chests heaved as they gasped for breath. Their bodies were covered in jagged wounds, their clothes torn to shreds, while the weapons they clutched in their grips were so heavy they nearly slipped from their numbed fingers. Yet, that wasn't what had them completely paralyzed. Their burning gazes were locked entirely on a single young man standing not far from the lifeless corpse of the Dungeon Boss. That young man was none other than Litchi. While the four Awakeners were still struggling to process the sheer absurdity of what had just transpired, Litchi was busy staring intently at two objects that had materialized right before his eyes. A massive, ornate treasure chest and a crimson crystal the size of a fist that pulsed w