Chapter 2: Field Family
On the main road, there was a carriage stopped beside a paved road, surrounded by different buildings.
—------
Arthur:
"Oh… what a beautiful city, seeing it now is not as I remember."
David said sadly while sitting inside the carriage, while I was standing at its door:
"Sir Arthur, it seems that we will part ways here."
I felt sorry for him, but each one has his path.
"Yes… thank you for saving my life, I will never forget that favor." I smiled.
"Catch."
"What?! Don't throw something suddenly!" I caught what he threw, and it was a money pouch that made a clear jingling sound when shaken, along with a hooded cloak.
I wondered why he gave me this cloak.
He said: "Cover yourself with it, your clothes do not suit a young master of a prestigious family."
Huh? … Ah yes, he's right.
"Thank you, David."
"Alright." I took the cloak and wore it, then covered my head.
"I think it is time to go, goodbye my friend." I bid him farewell, and it was time to visit my new family.
After that I took the road that I remembered from the previous owner of the body, but a small incident forced me to stop for minutes. My stomach was growling, demanding food. I entered a random restaurant, ate until I was full, then returned to continue the road toward the family's area.
After a while I arrived. I saw a small tunnel in a long wall surrounding a private area of the city, above it a wooden sign written on it: "The Field Family."
People were going in and out constantly, all of them followers of the family, and each one had a specific role. From the memory of the previous owner I knew some of them.
I could see buildings, shops, restaurants, and even shady areas. Shocking in truth… this body had slept with a woman before. While I, John, in my thirties, no girl ever loved me. Sad how money changes human souls.
I continued walking until I reached in front of the gate of the Field Family's mansion. Strange that no one was near the house, not even guards at the door.
Hmm… the door is open? What the hell is happening? My heart gave me a strange feeling.
I walked a little inside the tunnel, and suddenly my nose was struck by a strange smell. A rotten metallic smell… reminded me of something.
I frowned quickly and covered my nose with my sleeve.
"What the hell is this smell?"
And when I reached the end of the tunnel, the reflection of light first prevented me from seeing, but once my sight cleared I saw a scene I would remember all my life.
Terror and fear drew on my face, and nausea overwhelmed me. I covered my mouth trying to hold on, but I vomited a little of the restaurant's food.
I bent down, wiped the rest of the vomit from my mouth with my sleeve, then looked again with a pale trembling face.
The corpses were scattered everywhere, and pools of red and black blood covered the ground.
Near me, a corpse wearing black armor, hand cut off, and slashed from left shoulder to waist. Its eyes wide open with an expression of horror.
And another corpse with red armor, beheaded, around his neck a big pool of blood. Many other corpses scattered in different ways of death.
I got closer, and felt the nausea return. I held my mouth with both hands and closed my eyes so I wouldn't vomit again.
[If you continue vomiting you will acquire a silly skill… how pathetic you are, pull yourself together.]
"Shut up… you're not human to understand what I feel."
Was there a fight here? These black and red armors… I know whom they belong to. But how? And why? It's not time for long thinking, I have to make sure of my family.
I continued moving cautiously, avoiding colliding with corpses or staring at them too much. While walking I noticed some corpses in black armor completely burned, their faces charred to the bones, no relative could identify them.
"No… impossible… is the memory of the previous owner tricking me?"
I got confused, but continued walking toward the stairs of the palace gate. The gate was full of scratches and bloodstains, and open in two halves.
And when I approached the stairs, I heard a voice speaking behind me.
A few minutes before Arthur's arrival
—------
Yora:
I looked at my comrade in enlistment, with the provocative build and dark skin. Her large chest was slightly exposed, and her short skirt looked as if it tried to seduce any man passing by.
I sighed sadly in the midst of corpses scattered here and there. This is the commander's decision… and I will follow his orders until death. But when I looked at myself, I put my hand on my flat chest, and my misery increased.
"Hey Veronique, are we done?" I asked her coldly, "Let's finish this now."
"Yes yes, let's go… hehehe." Veronique, the one with the big red armor, laughed.
"Finally…" I muttered with joy.
But she looked at me with a serious face and said:
"Yora, we must do the work perfectly. I can't bear the commander's anger. He ordered us to make sure all enemies are dead."
Her firm face made me not know if I should laugh or cry… but fine, the work is done.
"Alright alright… let's just go."
I moved from behind the palace toward the entrance, but my eyes could not believe what they saw. From the shock I hit Veronique with my hand and pointed to what I was looking at.
Veronique smiled a dangerous smile and said:
"Yoo… welcome back young master…"
Yes, it was the young master Arthur Field. I thought he had fled… why did he return?
Arthur looked at us with his black eyes full of shock. How I hate those eyes from the depth of my heart.
He said with a puzzled and fearful expression:
"Hello… you are from Commander of Knights Carlos Ellis's forces, right? What happened here? Who attacked us?"
Don't look at me like that, damn you filthy harasser.
Veronique said while laughing madly:
"Yora… Yora… it's our lucky day! Finally we will take revenge for his many harassments in the past. No one will stop us… hahahahahaha!"
Fire ignited in her fist as she prepared to pounce.
And I remembered,
"Yes… last week he touched my ass, and even mocked my flat chest. He deserves a barbecue party."
My heart boiled and my blood raged, my sword suddenly heated up, glowing orange.
Veronique said:
"Yora… he's mine. Don't interfere. I will crush him with that filthy lustful gaze."
I got ready to strike. I looked at Arthur, and the shock on his face made me feel as if it was the happiest moment in my life.
—-----
Arthur:
Damn you old owner of this body! What did you do in your life to make me get beaten by this big-breasted one?! No… don't think about her chest now! I must find a solution to this situation quickly.
I shouted:
"Come on, don't joke! I'll tell my father if you do something to me, I swear!"
The threat… maybe it works as a good solution in this era?
But Veronique's face darkened with anger, and she rushed toward me with her flaming fist.
She was faster than I expected, and I had no time to dodge the strike coming to my stomach.
"[Blazing Fist] – Burning Hand" Veronique shouted as she struck.
"Ahhhhhhh!" I screamed in pain, my stomach burning as if a fire ignited inside me. Saliva dripped from my mouth.
She didn't stop… she kneed me on the left side of my face, sending me rolling in the garden's dirt.
"Ah… ah… cough cough…" I spat blood, my cheek swelled and turned blue.
"Do you think I'm done?" I heard her mocking voice in front of me.
"Come on… the party just started." She grabbed me by my neck and lifted me, then began hitting me with her fist, once on my stomach, once on my face.
The pain… it hurts so much… stop… I didn't do anything to you… I didn't harass you… why are you doing this? I'm really starting to get angry…
[Sigh… as if they care or know who you are. Stop thinking or you'll die here.]
[Assistant System]
[You have met the requirements to activate your ability]
[Your Body Learns]
[Skill]
[Damage Resistance (Level 1)]
Permanent Defense Increase +5
[Description: Through the heavy damage you endured and your body's effort to resist it, your ability has acknowledged you, granting this skill. This skill reduces pain, lessens the reaction to the type of damage received, and decreases the overall damage taken. Your body has become slightly more solid.]
[Level 1 —> Level 2 Condition: Be a punching bag only]
Thank you system for this reward… I didn't do anything to them, but don't blame me for my rudeness. I smiled a bloody smile and looked at Veronique and said:
"Keep going like that… keep going… I can see them clearly from here."
"Tch… trash even in this state." She threw me to the ground violently, and I fell on my back.
But there was no time to groan, immediately an axe strike descended from above, but I dodged it with a quick twist.
I stood with firm will, grabbed the nearest sword beside me, and retreated back while recalling from the memory of the previous body a certain sword art.
[Well done… this is the spirit required. Don't die without doing something.]
[Assistant System]
[Learned from Effort]
[You have met the requirements to activate your ability]
[Skill]
[Sword Art of the Field Family (Level 1)]
[Description: The use of the sword by the Field family is what helped them reach where they are now. They combined strength with speed. – Crushing vertical strike – Piercing horizontal strike]
[Level 1 —> Level 2 Condition: Swing the sword 100 times]
Phewww… I adjusted my stance, raised the sword vertically in front of me, while remembering the way to use the skill.
"Crushing vertical strike!" I shouted as I attacked.
But suddenly that flat-chested little Yora appeared beside me. Her long red hair fluttering.
She said with an evil smile:
"Hfff… the Sword Art of the Field Family is still too early for you to use, young master. Look well…"
She raised her red sword vertically and shouted:
"Ability [Hot Sword] – Thermal Sword + Sword Art of the Field Family – Crushing Vertical Strike"
Her sword pierced my chest from shoulder to shoulder, and my blood burst everywhere. I fell on the ground in pain.
"Oooh… too harsh, Yora…" Veronique said with a semi-pity look.
Yora answered coldly:
"I controlled my strength only so he doesn't die from the first strike. I want to enjoy torturing him a little."
Demoness… this is not human.
[As usual your state is miserable I really don't know what to do with you]
[Assistant System]
[You have met the requirements to activate your ability]
[Your Body Learns]
[Skill]
[Cell Evolution (Level 1)]
[Description: Due to the numerous wounds your body has sustained, your cells have struggled to regenerate themselves and close openings. This effort has been acknowledged by your ability, creating a skill that allows your cells to become more efficient and faster at performing their function, resulting in quicker wound healing. The only drawback is that it consumes a large amount of stamina each time damage is taken.]
[Level 1 —> Level 2 Condition: Bleed until death]
Suddenly I felt a strange vitality emanating from my heart, my wound began to heal and the pain lessened.
Hahahaha… keep laughing and chatting, I've bought enough time… it's time for revenge.
My hand crawled to my sword, I grabbed it and stood up again.
—------
Veronique:
"Hahaha… what shall we do with him next? Shall we cut his leg? Or his hands? Or maybe between his legs?" I smiled wickedly as I thought of torturing this pampered doll.
For a moment, I thought he would use the family's sword art… but it seems I expected too much.
"What do you think, Yora?"
Yora said:
"I think we should… huh?! Be careful Veronique!"
But I didn't understand what she meant until I felt something pierce my back, piercing my heart directly. Blood flowed from my mouth.
"Impossible… how… could he stand… after all that?"
<_____________________________>
[Properties:
– Strength: 3
– Agility: 5
– Defense (Vitality, Resistance): 4 + (5)
– Intelligence (mana): 10
]
[Skills:
– [I'm not thirsty (Level 1)]
– [Damage Resistance (Level 1)]
– [Sword Art of the Field Family (Level 1)]
– [Cell Evolution (Level 1)]
]