Chapter 33: Stained Hands (Part 4)

*WARNING: This chapter may contain violance, gore and any other 18+ rated*

In the dark room, a dark skinned man with dark chocolate dreadlocks was resting on a chair as if it was his throne.

"Zzzzz..."

He was sleeping on where he was sitting. Even from this position, his body was a lot bigger than the men around him who were resting as well.

*SNIFF*

But, he suddenly woke up from his slumber as soon as he smelled something...something that piqued his interest for some reason and made him open his eyes.

"This smell...blood?" The man spoke as he sniffed the air once more.

"Hmmm...that's strange, if it's from those kids...their smell wouldn't wake me up like this...unless...this one...is a new blood!"

The man grinned creepily. He turned to see his men who were sleeping soundly in the room.

"Oi! Get your lazy asses up!!" The man yelled as his men jolted awake and scrambled up to stand at his order.

"Wh...what is it boss?!" One of his men spoke.

"I smell an intruder..." The man spoke while covering his face with one hand.

"An intruder? At our base??"

All of them exchanged confused glances. How did the intruder came into this place and knew about its location? The place was barred with a barrier that could intercept people's vision, that's why they could still operate up until now.

"Do I need to say it again?"

When the man spoke, the whole room was surrounded by a dark aura...a murderous and intense aura that could kill a person at any moment and it was coming out from the large man in a typical pirate outfit.

"N-no boss! We will search the intruder!! H-hey come on!"

His henchmen ran out from the room in haste, trying to escape their boss' wrath. The man who's still in his seat sighed but then the creepy grin came back.

"Hmmm~ Man~ Oh Man~ never thought I would find something interesting to happen tonight.

But...I wonder just who it is that dare coming to this place. If it's those pesky knights, they wouldn't know this place unless it's someone else...

Heheh~ kukuku...Hahahaha!!! Make sure you you entertain me, mr. Intruder~ since this is where a great me, [Banzana, The Bandit King] lives!! KuHAHAHAHA!!"

Banzana laughed loudly in his room, excited at this new development happening in his lair.

******

*CLINK*

*SLASH*

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*THUD*

"Huh?"

Ray widened his eyes as he saw Rei unsheathed his sword then swung it in straight horizontal line without hesitation.

*SPURT*

Blood sprayed up from the man and his head fell down to the ground.

Rei didn't hesitate this time. First time in his life, he finally murdered someone without remembering the words that he always tried to keep.

"Shut up..."

Rei spoke coldly as he turned his head around to see the headless plump man while he held the blonde haired little girl in his arms.

'Kiri..tsuka?'

Ray couldn't believe his eyes, the innocent kid who were enjoying his time training and trying to protect everyone he cared, now stained his hands just to save one injured little girl.

But...

Rei suddenly put the little girl down for a moment before he quickly went to a corner of the room to open his helmet and vomitted everything he ate before.

"Bleeghh.."

'Kiritsuka!'

"Haaa...haaaa...haaa...it's fine."

Rei panted heavily and wiped off his mouth with a tear on his eyes as he soon put his helmet back.

"Houston...I decided...I won't hesitate any longer...these guys aren't human at all."

'...'

Suddenly, Rei chuckled deliriously, shaking his head as his shoulders shook along with his chuckle. After a while, he took a breath, let it out and then smiled pleasantly behind his helmet,

"I've just murdered someone for my own satisfaction...for the first time in my life." He blinked, still smiling, "Not too long ago...I was really scared, and afraid. But now...

"...I wonder why I feel like this?"

'I...don't know what to say to that, Kiritsuka.' Ray answered rather uncertainly.

Rei sighed quietly, "I really am weird...I'm sorry...I lost my cool just now."

'No...it's fine...but remember...you did what you you must do and what you think is right in that situation.'

"I know...and thanks, Houston."

Rei nodded before he went back to the little girl and held her in his arms again while looking at her, "I bet...she was crying the whole time while asking for help."

He glanced at the scars around her arms and legs that looked severe. "Can a potion heal these scars away?"

'Why do you ask.'

"I heard from mom, that...a woman mustn't have a scar on her body or else she can't get a man."

'Well...that's true...' Ray trailed off, somehow reminded of someone. He was silent for a while.

"Houston?" Rei called him out, snapping Ray out of his daydream.

'Huh?! Oh...well...how about you try it first since the wound is still fresh. It probably won't leave any scar.'

"Okay." Rei nodded and sheathed his sword back. He took out a single green potion from his [Inventory] then pulled off the lid.

"Hey...can you please open your mouth." Rei spoke softly. The little girl opened her eyes a bit to see who saved her.

Her eyes was violet-blue, it was somehow looks beautiful like a gem.

Even though it's blurry, she decided to open her mouth a bit for him. When Rei poured the potion into her mouth, she slowly drank it.

*GULP*

*GULP*

After that a surge of warmness coursed through her entire body as a green light surrounded her. The scars and fresh wound scattered all over her arms and legs slowly recovered as if nothing ever happened to her.

Rei who saw it couldn't help but be amazed again at his own skill for crafting this kind of potion.

Well he did give this potion to that old man who got injured on his shoulder before and he got healed in no time.

Since he always used this potion to heal his exhaustion, he never know the effectiveness of this potion towards injuries.

Rei sighed in relief seeing the little girl finally recovered and now resting peacefully in his arms.

"I guess it is quite effective."

'Indeed.'

Rei stood up while carrying the little girl out of the room.

The kids who were sitting inside the line of cells around him, stood up in shock because the man who wore an armor and helmet, came out from that room alive and they saw just who it was that he held in his arms.

"Alicia!"

One of the kids called her name.

"It's Alicia!"

"No way..."

"She's safe?"

"I'm so glad...Alicia..."

The kids were in disbelief seeing the little girl was resting safe and soundly.

'Alicia...I see...so that's her name.'

'What do you mean by that Houston?' Rei asked while staring at the little girl.

'I never thought I would be seeing her again...'

'Huh?? You know her?'

'Of course I know her...she is the flower of the academy. She's the smartest and most beautiful, second only to Iris and also a [Saintess] in the future...[Alicia Eckhart].'

'F-future [Saintess]?! Her?! But how come she's in this place?! Ehh??! and seriously, the Academy?! Huh?! I don't...i don't get it...'

'I know you have a lot of question...but...'

*TAP* *TAP* *TAP*

'It seems we have company.'

Ray spoke as the thundering footsteps quickly approaching from the other side of that steel door.

Rei put Alicia down on the ground while unlocking the cage for the children as they came out, looking a bit confused about what's going on now.

"You kids stay here okay? And protect Alicia for me."

Rei spoke while standing right in front of the steel door.

"A-are you gonna save us all!?" a young boy stood up in front of them.

"Of course."

"I-it's impossible! With you alone...you can just save Alicia and leave us out!"

Rei turned his head around to look at the boy who was in the verge of crying.

Rei smiled behind his helmet, "Don't worry...this Mr. Knight is going to save you all, no matter what."

The children could tell he was smiling despite not seeing it and those words somehow...

Felt "Warm" and "kind"

Their tears began streaming out as they saw their last hope for freedom.

"Promise us you will come back for us!"

"Yeah...I promise."

*CREAK*

Rei opened the door...he spoke, "So wait for me."

*TUNK* *CLICK*

He closed the steel door behind him and locked it before he faced approximately 50 bandits who were standing in front of him.

"...."

Rei stared at them calmly as he put the keys into his [Inventory].

"Huh? Only one person? Is that the intruder?"

One of them spitted to the ground and approached him. This one was bigger than the others.

"Puh! He looked like a twig, I could snap him in half with ease!

The big man grinned while putting his sword over his shoulder.

The others burst out laughing at him and seemed to be agreeing with the Big Man but out of them all, only one man who stayed cautious.

"Oi! Don't be too hasty!"

'This is weird...why this man looks so calm...' the man thought as he observed him.

Rei looked up at the man before him then smiled behind that helmet, before he laughed,

"Heh, Hahaha!"

The big man raised his eyebrows, "Well...would you look at that. This guy went crazy all of a sudden."

"I never thought...there's so many [trash] coming to me."

"What????"

As soon as Rei spoke, the whole cave was plunged into silence. All of them looked very irritated now.

"Tsk...what a big mouth you have there! I won't give you painless death! I'll start by cutting one of your arms!" The big man lifted his sword angrily.

"Ahhh...I see, it was never my intention to give you guys a painless death anyway."

"Huh? What are you–"

In a blink of an eye, without letting him finish his words...Rei pulled out his black sword from his [Inventory] and...

*SLASH*

Swiftly swung the sword down then upwards, cutting the big man's unguarded arm that was raising his sword.

*SPURT* *THUD*

As his big arm fell off to the ground and blood started spraying on the wall...he screamed.

"AGHHHH!!! What the fuck!!"

He cried and knelt down on the ground while trying to stop the blood from coming out from his cut off arm.

But that's not all...

*TSSSS*

Suddenly, he could see the wound on his shoulder getting worse and somehow looked burnt, causing the blood to stop leaking.

By using the [Corrosion] that came from his black sword, it caused that phenomenon before his eyes.

But the pain...

"ACKKK!! MAKE IT STOP!! IT HURTS!! AAAGGHH!!"

He couldn't stop screaming and that surprised everyone else who were watching.

"...."

They couldn't even utter a single word after seeing what happened before them....

They could only watch as their comrade was screaming and writhed in pain.

"AGHHH!!! N-NOO!!!!"

The shrill tone of his scream was filled with agony, causing them to freeze in place from shock and fear that took over their body.

Meanwhile Rei just silently watched the big man while still raising his sword above him.

"Hmmmm...do you want me to make it stop?"

Rei asked while staring down at the man who was still crying from pain.

"Yes?! Yes!! Help me!" The big man begged.

"Sure, I'll help you end the pain."

*CLINK*

Rei adjusted the blade of his sword as he's ready to swing it again.

"N-no...NOO!! Don't kill me!!–"

Without hesitation, he swing his black sword down and...

*SLASH*

It went from his head to his neck as blood sprayed more around him.

*SPURT*

The others who saw it, had their jaws wide opened in shock seeing the big man fell down to the floor, killed in a matter of second.

"W-what...what are you guys doing?! Kill him!!"

One of them shouted as they began to prepare their weapon.

'Kiritsuka.'

"I know...[Shadow Movement]."

When Rei used his skill, for a moment, between the slit on his helmet, his eyes glinted before he dived into the ground, disappearing from their sight.

"What?! Where the fuck did he go?!"

They looked around using their torch to light up the whole place but couldn't see where did he just went to.

Meanwhile Rei stayed hidden for a moment.

'Hmmm, there's a whole lot of them...and it seems likes there's no [Mage] among them.'

'Houston, give me directions.' Rei asked immediately.

'Be patience about this...' Ray sighed, 'Well, it's almost the same like before. search their support first but this time...also aim for the [Weakest] one.'

'Weakest one?'

'Yeah, you need to diminish their group one by one, starting from the weakest.'

'I see, but how can you know the difference?'

'Remember [Appraisal].'

Rei blinked for a moment before he start using [Appraisal] to them one by one.

"Ohhh..."

He suddenly could see all of their names and all of them have different colors.

'Orange, Orange, green and white...I see, there's so many with higher level than mine.'

'Yepp, now then let's start with white first.'

'But can I have a question?' Rei asked.

'What is it?' Ray replied.

'Why do you need to take out the weakest first?'

Ray smirked, 'Heh well...see it for yourself.'

Rei nodded his head before he started his first move...

As they all looked around and stayed on high alert, he began picking them off from the weakest.

"Where the fuck did he go!! Come on you pieces of shi–ack?!"

*SLASH*

Without finishing his words, his throat suddenly got sliced as his blood sprayed down and he fell down.

The whole group who saw this was startled.

'The reason why...you aim for the weakest of their group...is to cause panic.'

"Huh?–ack!"

Another man who stood beside him was stabbed through his chest by a black sword from behind. His blood sprayed out around them as Rei disappeared into the darkness again...

'And when they do...they will lose their reasoning and focus on their own survival.' Ray explained.

This continued for a while...

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*SLASH*

"Ack!!"

Rei cut off their arms and legs...

"A-GHHH!! IT HURTS!!"

The corrosive power from the sword started taking its effect, corroding their body bit by bit...

*STAB*

"Aghh!!"

Rei stabbed their heart without giving any chance for them to breathe...

"N-no–?!"

As he used his [Intimidate] to paralyze them one by one...making them know the fear of being hunted by a mysterious being.

He didn't stop nor care about their scream...

*SLASH*

"Ackkk!!!"

*SLASH*

"P-please sav–?! Ackk!!"

*STAB*

"Ughhh!!?"

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He continued to lurk in the darkness and killed them all until the last one watched everything unfolded with fear-stricken face.

*THUD*

One of them dropped down in front of the man who was the last one standing among his comrades' dead body, legs shaking and his face was white as sheet...

He couldn't understand what just happened before him. The torches that were lighting the whole place was gradually reduced into just one that was on the ground right beside him...

"W-what the fuck....j-j-just happen...E-everyone i-i-is–"

"Dead."

As he was about to finish his words...Rei suddenly appeared right in front of him...with his whole body drenched in those bandits' blood.

He stood there with his red and yellow eyes shining in the dark and holding his black sword that emitted this dark aura.

"Now then...you are the only one left." Rei spoke with cold tone and using his [Intimidate] to paralyze his whole body.

"W-why are you doing this...w-we didn't do anything to you!!!"

The man shouted in anger while still very much terrified in front of such being like him.

But Rei just laughed it all off like a madman.

"Haah...how funny, you asked that kind of question despite not knowing what you guys do?"

Rei walked towards him and leaned his face closer to his.

"Are you serious?..."

Suddenly the pressure from [Intimidate] getting even stronger and just from his tone he sounded so angry. With his eyes shining in the dark due to the skill, and the aura he emitted was so strong as if it was about to swallow this man whole.

The man couldn't even reply to his question because he was paralyzed from his skill.

Then Rei stood back, raising his sword.

"Let me tell you before I transport you to that world...the reason for your annihilation...

...was because you met me."

The man widened his eyes and making this face that read '...is that's the only reason...for us to die.'

"So DIE."

*SLASH*

Rei swung his sword, cutting his head off without hesitation as his blood sprayed on his helmet and clothes.

*THUD*

The headless body of the last bandit fell down lifelessly to the ground.

Rei took a deep breath before letting it out as he stared at the ceiling, feeling remorseful but also relieved at the same time.

[Notice!]

[You leveled up!]

He closed his eyes for a moment after hearing the notice then he turned around to walk towards the steel door quietly.

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*TAP*

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Not long ago...they were discussing about how their journey would begin.

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*TAP*

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The quest they would take, the adventures to find new things that were waiting ahead of them.

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*TAP*

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But it was turned into a disaster...when a young man had his [first murder] and saw the [dark truth] behind the fantasy world that he used to yearn before.

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*CLICK* *CREAK*

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Would these journey of them change how he looked at the world?

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Nobody knows...

******

*TAP*

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*TAP*

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*TAP*

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A man was walking to the direction where Rei was located. His heavy footsteps rang out throughout the cave.

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*TAP*

Then...the man's mouth stretched into a wide creepy grin, showing his set of teeth, "Gihiii...~"

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A new storm is approaching...and soon will block his way once again.

To be continue...