"It's fine. I'm no longer lost in thought. My mind is made up," Nolan said, his voice calm but resolute. "You can tell her—or anyone—we're heading to the Dwarf Kingdom tomorrow. Lyra has been there before… I'm not sure exactly when, but she might be able to open a portal for us, which would make things much easier. If not, we'll take the Wyvern. I don't know how far it is, so I'll decide what to bring later."

"Understood, Master. Leave it to me," Linda replied with a nod, her eyes steady.

Nolan's gaze lingered on her for a brief moment, silent acknowledgment passing between them.

"Alright… time to check the dungeon outside Sindra," he muttered to himself. Without a word to anyone else, he slipped out of the mansion. He soared into the sky, cutting through the clouds at breathtaking speed, racing across the horizon until the vast forest spread beneath him. He descended, landing silently among the shadows of the towering trees.

Every creature he spotted—the goblins, the minor beasts—submitted instantly under his will. No resistance, no struggle. But then, his eyes caught something extraordinary: five massive King Golems, standing side by side, their stone bodies etched with ancient runes. They noticed him immediately and shifted into combat stance, the ground trembling beneath their weight.

Nolan's hand rose, and a crystal of brilliant light materialized in his palm, pulsing with raw energy. The Golems hesitated for only a moment before the crystal's glow washed over them. Slowly, deliberately, their movements softened. The crystal embedded itself on their shoulders, sealing their obedience. One by one, they bowed toward him.

A small, confident smile formed on Nolan's face. "When I raise my kingdom, they'll be its guardians," he murmured, a quiet thrill running through him.

He pressed onward, deeper into the forest, scanning for more monsters to tame. Then—a faint sound: rapid footsteps over the hill. Nolan leapt onto a branch, perching high above, and his sharp gaze caught sight of a small girl. She was a demi-human, much like Celia, her hair catching the sunlight in fiery strands.

But peril was close. Two men, their faces twisted in cruel grins, were running after her, intent on capturing her for profit.

"Please… someone help!" the little girl cried, panic straining her voice.

"No one can save you," one of the men sneered, his voice echoing like a death knell through the forest. "You're alone. No one is coming."

They laughed, cold and sharp, but Nolan's eyes darkened, a storm gathering in his expression.

"What should I do? If I just stand here… she might get hurt. Well… I'll just save her," Nolan muttered to himself, determination sharpening his features.

With that, he leapt from the tree, landing silently in front of the two men and the little girl. Dust swirled around his feet as he came to a halt, his presence instantly commanding the space.

The girl flinched but Nolan crouched slightly, speaking gently. "Hey! Don't cry. Open your eyes… you're going to be fine."

Her trembling hands slowly fell from her face, and her wide, tear-filled eyes met his. She didn't speak, only looked at him, fragile and unsure.

Nolan's gaze snapped toward the two men, his expression hardening. "Hey! What are you doing here? Step away from her."

One of the men sneered, puffing out his chest. "This is our catch. We saw her first."

"Can't you see she's just a child? You made her cry… so I'm going to make you cry too," Nolan said coldly.

"Huh? Make us cry? You're one, we're two, and you're barely half our size! What could you possibly do to us? In fact, get down on your knees and beg for mercy!" the first man barked, his confidence dripping in mockery.

The second man doubled over, laughing harshly. "Ha ha ha! You imbecile!"

In an instant, Nolan moved. His right hand shot out, gripping one man's jaw, while his left held the other's. With a swift motion, he lifted them both off the ground, their feet dangling uselessly in the air. The sheer force pressed them into stunned silence.

"What… what is this strength?" one stammered. They attempted to strike back, throwing wild punches—but their bodies refused to obey. Every muscle locked, every skill frozen.

"I… I can't move! What's happening?" the other cried, panic rising in his voice. "Who… who is this guy?"

Nolan tightened his grip, raising them higher. Then, without warning, he twisted their heads downward and slammed them into the earth with a sickening thud. The ground trembled slightly under the impact. Both men crumpled, unconscious before they even hit the soil.

Nolan turned back to the little girl, his eyes softening. "Hey… can you wipe your tears now?"

She hesitated for a moment, then lifted her tiny hand to her face, slowly brushing away the remaining tears. She bowed her head shyly, then straightened, looking up at him with a mix of relief and awe.

"Th-thank you, sir… I really… really appreciate it," she whispered, her voice trembling but filled with sincerity.

Nolan's gaze softened as he crouched to her level. "What's a little girl like you doing all the way out here? Shouldn't you be with your parents?"

The girl shook her head slightly, her eyes glinting with a quiet resolve. "I… I don't have anyone else…"

"Well… there were others," the girl whispered.

"What do you mean you don't have anyone? Speak," Nolan said, his voice firm but not unkind.

"My parents… the carriage we were in was stopped by bandits," the little girl said, her voice trembling. "My parents made a way for me to survive. My dad… he sacrificed his life because he wanted me to escape. He held them off so they couldn't reach me. But the bandit leader sent two men to chase me… to kill me."

Nolan's jaw tightened. "What? …Okay. Then what about your mom? Do you think she's dead?"

"I… I don't know," the girl replied. "But when the carriage stopped, they planned to kill everyone. That's what my mom said. She said it might be someone we know… someone who set us up. She said she already knew who did it."

Nolan sighed heavily. "Alright… sorry. Can I carry you?"

And the girl nodded without hesitation. Nolan lifted her gently, but she didn't know that he wasn't running blindly—his eyes closed as he activated his third skill, scanning through the forest.

A sudden surge of power pulsed from him—vrrrmmm… vroom… vroom—as his vision locked onto the destroyed carriage far ahead.

He sprinted. The air split behind him. Leaves tore from branches. The ground cracked under each step.

He arrived.

There were seven bandits, and the girl's mother… and every demon and guard who had been with them… all lying lifeless on the ground.

Nolan slowly set the girl down.

The girl's voice broke, "M… Mom… Mom…"

Nolan quickly turned her head away with a gentle but firm hand. "Don't look. Please… don't look. Just stay here. Close your eyes," he said, his voice shaking.

Then he whispered, darker, "I'm going to make them pay…"

He closed his eyes—tears slipping down—but when he opened them again, his expression was cold, merciless.

He walked toward the bandit master, a huge man holding a sword, a long scar stretching across his face. Seven more bandits stood behind him, all armed, all smiling cruelly.

Nolan stopped in front of them.

"Are you the one who killed those humans?" Nolan asked quietly.

The bandit leader scoffed. "What are you doing here? Who are you? And what if I was the one who did that?"

The moment those words left his mouth—

Nolan lowered his head. "Since you're the one… that means you're the one who killed them. So…"

His eyes sharpened with pure fury.

"…die."

BOOM!

In the blink of an eye, Nolan punched him in the face. The man's skull crushed inward, his entire upper body exploding into a mist of blood. His corpse flew backward and slammed into a tree.

He died instantly.

The seven remaining bandits froze.

"Wh-what just happened!?" one of them screamed.

"He killed the boss with a single punch!" another shouted.

Nolan didn't look at them yet—he stared at the bodies on the ground.

Can I resurrect them?

He clenched his fists.

I can… but the rules…

"When I was given this power, I was told the laws I must follow," Nolan said quietly. "If I resurrect someone, it must be for my benefit, not someone else's. I am a Chrono God… I cannot break my own rules."

He took a deep breath.

"I could reverse time… bring them back to the moment before they died. I could… but…"

He looked up at the seven remaining bandits, his eyes burning.

"But first… these people deserve to die."

The air around him distorted. His killing intent thickened like pressure crushing the forest.

"I don't need to get angry to kill filth like you…" he whispered. "…even though I am already pissed."

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