"To be honest, I think I'd rather just kill the lot of you," I told them, speaking with far more confidence than I felt. My heart pounded in my chest, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. They had ambushed me, they were trying to rob me. This wasn't like with Asshole the Second. I had a choice there. I didn't have one here.
"That's a real shame. We could have a pretty profitable relationship, you know. You're apart of a new familia -- there's all kinds of things we could help you with-"
I reached back to Lili's book bag and threw it at the group of people. It sailed through the air, not fast enough that they couldn't dodge it, but the bag was so big that it covered my approach. I heard the sharp twangs of a bow, so the archers had shot at me but the bag served as a shield. They were expecting me to go left or right, to thin out the numbers with a surprise attack.
Instead, I dropped to my knees, sparks flying as my momentum carried. Like I thought, they had mostly stayed in formation based on their legs. That changed when I swiped at their legs with my sword. My sword wasn't long enough to get all of them in one swing, so I picked the easy targets. The elf and the guy in the center.
The elf was wearing light armor, so only his knees were armored. I cut through his boots and legs with ease, severing his legs as my sword continued the path towards the guy in the center. He was wearing armor, unfortunately, so I didn't manage to do the same to him. Instead, I knocked his legs out from underneath him.
The elf screamed bloody murder as the center guy went down, Lili's pack hitting him since he wasn't prepared for it. There was still the broadsword guy, but I ignored him for now. As I pushed myself up, I looked at the archers to see that they wore matching expressions of terror. They both went to fire off another arrow, but one of them fumbled, dropping it as I rushed towards them. The second did not.
An arrow raced towards me, I don't know if they were aiming for my chest, but that's where they hit. Thank the gods for heavy armor. The arrow bounced off my armor, letting me get in close. Readying my sword, I swung with all my strength, pivoting for a little extra power because I heard Broadsword Guy rushing my back.
My greatsword cut right through their leather armor. Flesh and bone gave way with some resistance, but it was easier than cutting the soldier ants in half. I cut through one brother, then the other, both halves falling to the floor as I turned on my heel just in time to block an attack from Broadsword Guy. A loud clang rang out, Broadsword Guy's face twisted int a ferocious snarl.
I guess they were friends. He pushed me back a half step, slashing at me with a ferocity that I was barely able to block in time. Each time our swords clashed, I felt the vibrations race through my arms, my grip so tight on my sword that my fingers could mold it. His sword was little more than a blur to me, forcing me to be on the defensive. In a way, it felt a lot like fighting my brother with lightsabers back when I was a kid. Only about a thousand times more dangerous.
Sword and shield guy pushed himself to his feet, and unless I wanted this to be a two on one fight, then I had to end this fast. He was faster than me. Stronger too, despite my larger size. What did I have on him? Dexterity. Grace and Ballerina.
Instead of blocking the blow that was poised to behead me, I stepped out of its way as I readied a counter-attack. Broadsword Guy was already moving to block the attack, so plan A was already a failure. Instead, I angled my sword away from me as I took a step forward, making his sword effectively useless. His eyes widened when he realized what I had planned, jerking his head out of the way but it was too late.
The edge of my sword opened up the side of his neck, red blood spurting out as I shoulder checked him hard enough that he fell. He let go of his sword, a hand going to his neck to stem the bleeding as another hand went to his pouch.
Ah. Then he would live.
The thought came from something ice cold and rational in my mind. Health potions were incredibly effective -- if he poured one powerful enough on his neck, then he would be back in the fight. He was using the same strategy that got me through every video game I have ever played: Spam health potions.
So, I cut his head off.
As his head flew free, I heard a snarl rip itself from Sword and Shield Guy's throat as he rushed towards me. "What the fuck is this?" He roared at me, swinging at me- my legs nearly buckled at the near overwhelming force he hit me with. He wasn't just stronger than me, he was stronger than Broadsword Guy as well. "You killed them!"
I did. I cut a guy's legs off. I cut two guys in half. I executed another. I… "I told you I would," I said, pushing my thoughts into the deepest, darkest pit in my mind I could find.
That was the wrong thing to say. Sword and Shield Guy snarled, shifting his grip to make a thrust at me. I blocked the blade, but not enough. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as he practically stabbed my shoulder, only to yank his blade to the side. It hurt a lot, just not enough to stop me. I'm sure at this point there was more adrenaline in my veins than blood.
"What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull?! You've been an adventurer for a fucking week, my fucking ass!" Sword and Shield Guy roared at me, swiping at me. I managed to block again, but I felt another cut on my arm, though it was shallower this time. I was losing this fight.
"You're in over your head, you stupid kid. I'm nearly a level 2 adventurer!" Sword and Shield Guy yelled, lunging at me. I blocked a swing aimed at my arm, no sooner that I blocked it, he was attacking again. His sword slipped downwards, dragging across the back of my knee and only Welf's foresight saved me from getting hamstrung.
As he withdrew, tsking to himself, I seized the chance to press the attack. My blade was completely out of position, so I reversed my grip and lashed out at his face with the pommel. Sword and Shield Guy dodged a second too late, the heavy pommel slammed into his forehead hard enough that skin broke.
Sword and Shield Guy stumbled back, recovering from the blow. Gripping my sword with both hands, I swung as hard as I could, intent on cutting him in half. Unfortunately, he wasn't stunned enough that he was out of the fight. He raised his shield, blocking the blow, and even as he skid a few inches over the rough ground, my sword came no closer to him.
He was so much stronger than me. His stats had to be somewhere around...B, or A even. He couldn't be a level 2 since I was able to fight back at all, but this was insane.
"You actually suck at this," Sword and Shield Guy sneered, sliding his blade forward to cut me again on the arm as he retreated out of my reach. "Is this your first time fighting something that isn't a monster?" He taunted, making me grit my teeth in response.
Now more confident with his superiority, he went on the attack. His sword darted to my face, I went to block it but it proved to be a feint, leaving me completely out of position to stop a cut at my hip. When I went on the attack to drive him away, he simply parried my sword before cutting my forearm again.
"It's a lot different fighting a man than a monster," he pointed out, sneering so hard that I hoped he pulled something as he drew another red long on my upper arm. Blood dripped from my wounds freely, trailing down my arms and dripping from me with every movement. I was lucky that I had the neck guard and leg armor, otherwise, he would have gone for an artery by now.
I wasn't winning this fight, I slowly started to understand. I had no sword skills beyond wildly swinging my sword. He was stronger, faster and more experienced. What did I have on him? My size?
With lack of a better plan, I darted towards him, swinging my blade with a wordless roar. Sword and Shield Guy smirked as he dipped below my blade, his own poised to stab upwards. I let go of my sword with one hand, lashing out at his blade and smacked it off course with my wrist. I felt the blade cut into the bone, but I would be fine. All I needed was a health potion and I would be fine.
Now that he was wide open, I threw myself at him, knocking the both of us over. But I was on top.
"Get off me-!" Sword and Shield Guy started to shout, thrashing underneath me with shocking strength. He tried to flip me over, and he would have managed it if I hadn't jabbed a thumb into his eye, crushing it. "AHHH!" He screamed in agony, his face twisting. He hit me with his sword, but it harmlessly bounced off my armor.
Since my sword was too long, I had to reverse my grip and raised it high before bringing it down on his forehead. Once. Then twice. Then a third time and a fourth time and a fifth. I kept slamming the pommel into his head until it cracked, splitting open.
I won.
"Fuck me," I cursed, rolling off him. The elf from earlier was still screaming his lungs out. Looking at him, I saw him clutching at his bleeding stumps, trying in vain to slow the bleeding. Crimson blood slipped between his fingers, dripping into a pool that rapidly expanded. My stomach clenched at the sight, dawning horror filled me.
I did that, didn't I? At the time, I wasn't really thinking about anything other than surviving. Of winning the fight. I was...very different now that the fight was over. I cut that guy's legs off. I was watching him bleed out. Broadsword Guy, I straight up executed him. Sword and Shield Guy, I broke his skull open-
No. No, none of that. I could think about all that crap later when time was of the essence. I pushed myself up, spotting Lili pretty much exactly where she had been earlier. Her crossbow was still in hand, but when she caught me looking at it, Lili dropped it like a hot potato.
"Lili didn't know," Lili swore, tears gathering up in her eyes. "Please believe Lili, Lili had no idea that Soma familia was trying to steal from Mr. Jericho!" She took a step passed the weapon, her bottom lip trembling as she held her hands up in surrender. I wanted to believe her. She seemed genuine.
But I couldn't. Lili was a brilliant liar and actor. No matter how much I wanted to believe her, I couldn't.
___________________
A/N— I'll try to post daily. Powerstones and comments would help, it would mean alot and give me the motivation to continue the story. In fact two chapters a day wouldn't be impossible either.
I'll post an extra chapter every 500ps power stones, no limit!
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed.
Ps. You can also read ahead at my Patreon to support the story and help me write more. Patrons get two chapters a day and 30 chapters ahead for just a couple bucks :)
Patreon.com/Ethereal0