9 Chapter 9 - The Dog of The State

As soon as the darkness settled in more I slowly made my way into the city. To be sure I wasn't noticed I wore a hood around my face and neck. I had to focus on gathering food, water and maybe a form of transportation. I searched several vendors before I found a stall selling fresh fruits which is what I desperately need to survive until I get a reliable source of income.

"Oi, old man, give me some of that fruit." I whispered to him.

"Who the hell do you think you are, punk? You either buy it or you piss off. I don't give to beggars." He shouted at me. I guess there was no way to do this diplomatically, and I sure as hell didn't have the money to pay.

"I really didn't want to do this..."

I quickly grabbed his arm and dislocated it, forcing a bone through his skin, and then knocked him out with a few bashes from my shield. That should stop him from doing anything for a while. I managed to grab the fruit that was left unscathed from the brawl and decided to make my way further into the city.

I had to be more careful. The Third Army garrisoning the city was powerful and, with the Field Marshal residing here, I had to play it safe. If I were to get caught I would most likely face imprisonment or death, although the latter seemed more like an escape than a bad outcome.

As soon as I began to reach the end of the second level of the city I saw a great prize. A few half-breed slaves were walking together and one of them, a young girl, was carrying a relatively large coin patch, presumably for her master. If I could get that money I'd be fine for a good few weeks. I went up to the girl.

"Hey, the girl. How much money is in that bag?"

"...twenty gold coins...I think..." She whispered back to me. She was shaking and her fear was apparent, and rightly justified.

"Give it all to me, n-" My request quickly got interrupted by a man, who I presume to be their master, calling for them.

"There you all are you rotten bastards. Thank you for keeping them in place, sir. Girl, come here now. Disgusting half-breeds." The master spoke with venomous scorn.

He then proceeded to beat her viciously while she lay still on the concrete floor. Every slap, every punch and ever kick was filled with hatred. Even I couldn't stand still and let this happen. I threw my hood off and walked up to him.

"You bastard, she's just a young girl. Get off of her. Now."

"Girl? She's a half-breed, you idiot! She is worth less than the both of us. The weak and inferior must be subjugated." He spoke while laughing. He took pleasure in the suffering of the others. He thrives in it. He was no different than the royal family. No different from that bastard King and Queen. I promised to slaughter those who are evil and that is what I will do.

"Look me in the eyes. Tell me who I am." He looked up and stared at me.

"You...the Master of Defence? The Master of Defence is telling me how I should treat a girl? The rapist, the murderer? You're evil, and you are telling me, someone of high class, how to act? You pathetic pig!" He was laughing loudly at this point and because of that, he attracted a small crowd of people who heard the commotion.

"Wrong. I am the wall in which evil shatters. In which pieces of shit like you would shatter."

As soon as I said that I grabbed him by the throat. I proceeded to punch him until he was knocked out cold, and then used my gauntlet to rupture his internal organs and crack his skull open with several hard punches. After a minute of this, he died, laying in a pool of his own blood on the concrete floor. A fitting end for one such as himself. A bastard that leeched off the poor and weak for his own personal gain. A disgusting creature with no moral compass or sympathy.

I turned to the girl and her group of slaves who were on the floor frightened and shaking. Their eyes were wide open in horror at the sight of their master's brain being spilt all over the floor.

"You, the girl. Don't be scared. That bastard only ever caused you pain, I can tell. Give me fifteen gold coins. The rest is yours. You and your friends are free now." I spoke softly for her, trying to calm her down.

"R-r-r-really? We...we can go? We don't have to be slaves anymore? And we can keep some money?" She whispered with a shaky voice. I nodded my head.

"Yes, you can. I'm sorry you had to see that, young girl. Stay strong and stay safe." I gave her a pat on the shoulder and proceeded to take fifteen gold from the patch. As I was about to leave she began to speak.

"Master of Defence...r-r-right? You are a nice man. I...I hope we can meet again!" She smiled brightly at me.

That smile. That was what I was fighting for. That's what I wanted to protect. That beauty, that happiness, that innocence. I wouldn't let this disgusting kingdom corrupt this, destroy this.

I then began to sprint down several streets into what seemed to be an abandoned alleyway. Hopefully, this leads to somewhere, as I need to get away from that crowd as quickly as possible to be sure I don't get caught by the Third Army or that bastard Field-

"...what? Impossible..." I muttered in awe as I witnessed the person in front of me appear out of practically nowhere.

"Hello, Nayasuki. How has it been? I hope Melenia has treated you well." The Field Marshal spoke with a grin on his face.

"How...how did you know I was here?" I was dumbfounded. How did he find out? I tried my best to ensure I wasn't found or identified...

"Nayasuki...sometimes history repeats itself, you know? I knew you were here the entire time. Your endeavour was fruitless. And what I saw from you was truly disappointing. I see I overestimated you. You haven't embraced your rage...your hatred...your loss. So I'll make each of those emotions stronger, right here, right now." His grin disappeared and was replaced with a stone-cold stare as he unsheathed his golden sabre.

"You bastard...I'll finish you right here and now, you dog of the state!" I shouted at him and proceeded to hold up my shield, ready for any attack.

"Your loss and your hatred will become the catalyst for your power. Soon, we will become one. Your role is a great one, Nayasuki. Let's hope you don't die before you are able to fulfil it." He spoke as a grin began to appear on his face yet again.

As soon as the Field Marshal finished speaking he sprinted towards me insanely quickly, as if he disappeared. A second later my left arm fell off, and my blood started to pour on the floor.

"What? AGH!" I let out a deafening scream as I fell to the floor.

My arm was gone. My gauntlet disappeared. I was bleeding profusely. How...how did he move so quickly? How did he cut my arm off so swiftly?

"You...bastard! My arm! Give it back you son of a bitch!" I screamed, spitting out blood.

"Nayasuki, when are you going to learn? You cannot regain what has been lost. Until we meet again...'Hero'". The Field Marshal holstered his sabre and walked away, ignoring my agonising screams of pain.

I lay in a pool of my own blood. My arm was gone. My arm. I'd take it all back. My arm...my future. I will kill that Field Marshal. That bastard...I'll kill him! I want nothing else but to kill him! To bathe in his blood...that Field Marshall's blood...that piece of shit...

"WILLHELM!"

I shouted his name out in a voice full of hatred, full of a lust for pure revenge, full of bloodlust, before the darkness consumed me, and the world went black.