"Spare me," I pleaded, desperation lacing my voice, hoping to appeal to any ounce of mercy he might possess.
"I can't," he responded coldly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Of course, I knew that wouldn't work. This man, a thief who had stolen a valuable artifact, would never spare me. Reporting him to the authorities would only incite a relentless pursuit, something he undoubtedly wanted to avoid.
"However, I am in a good mood today, so I will give you a painless death," he taunted, his steps leisurely as he approached. Surprisingly, he made no move to draw the sword at his waist.
It was clear from his demeanor that he considered himself more than capable of disposing of me with his bare hands. A twisted smile played on his lips as if relishing the opportunity to exert his power.
"Thanks for taking care of those idiots for me," he sneered, his words revealing his intention to eliminate his subordinates after securing the artifact for himself.
However, thanks to me who killed all of them, his work just got even easier.
"Now, bye bye," he mocked, his hand nearing my face as he closed in with his sinister visage.
-Inhale.
But in that critical moment, I inhaled deeply, a surge of determination fueling my thoughts. With a swift and precise motion, I spat at him, though it wasn't saliva that left my mouth—
-Spit
'Sorry, but I am not going die like this, you fucking bitch'
it was a collection of razor-sharp glass shards cleverly concealed within.
'I got him.'
My heart raced with anticipation as the glass pieces found their mark, piercing his skin and striking his eyes. Momentarily blinded by the unexpected assault, he stumbled back, giving me a chance to exploit the situation and escape.
Hope surged within me as I believed that if I could just run a little faster, I might evade his clutches. However, before my body could react, a sword swiftly blocked my sight, its deadly blade slicing through the air with uncanny accuracy.
-Slash
The monster had already unsheathed his sword and slashed it at me. His eyes were still closed but his accuracy in the swing was just as good.
"Arhhhhhh! "
I cried out in agonizing pain as my remaining hand was severed, leaving me collapsing onto him in a state of excruciating torment.
"Arrrrh....."
It was damn painful!
"It seems you have chosen a hard way to go to heaven, I will make sure your death isn't even a bit honorable"
He seized me by the hair, his bloodshot eyes reflecting his wrath and a complete disregard for my suffering. Without both hands, I resembled nothing more than a tattered doll, at the mercy of this merciless monster.
-Bam
"Ah! "
He flung my broken body to the ground with a forceful thud, paying me no attention as he focused on extracting the glass shards embedded in his face. It was clear he saw me as a useless, defenseless target, waiting to be dispatched.
"God damn bastard"
I was already useless with one hand but now I was just a sitting duck, waiting for the butcher.
That's what he seemed to think.
-drag
But I was not finished yet.
"Ha... "
-drag
Even if I couldn't survive, I would make sure not to let that bastard's plan succeed.
"Khuha.. "
Summoning the last reserves of my strength, I mustered the will to carry out my final gambit. With sheer determination, I dragged my battered form toward the edge of the cliff, taking advantage of his momentary lapse in vigilance.
"Phuhahahah, What's going on, you seem like a snail, muahahaha"
As expected, he had finally noticed my movements, albeit too late.
I raised my head, a smirk playing on my lips as I revealed what hung in my mouth. His widened eyes betrayed his belated comprehension of the unfolding events.
"Kugh! hahaha"
It was my turn to smile now.
The monster's eyes widened seeing what was in my mouth and he belatedly realized the happenings.
In my mouth was the very artifact pouch he had stolen. In that fleeting moment of collapse, I had managed to snatch it using my teeth.
Pat
Pat
Pat
As he desperately patted himself, refusing to accept the truth, his futile search for the artifact was a sight to behold. Panic washed over him, and his face drained of color, the realization of my plan dawning upon him.
"No... It can't be... "
He realized my plan and his face went pale.
"That's right, you fucker," I jeered triumphantly.
Without a moment's hesitation, I leaped backward off the cliff's edge, plunging into the abyss below. The artifact remained secure within my mouth, beyond his reach. The movement I saw Roger's head, my survival had already become impossible. Everything I had done until now was to hinder his plans and make him suffer.
Seeing his expression now, I knew I was successful. A smile appeared on my face despite the obvious pain that I was experiencing.
His expression as he jumped to the cliff without hesitation to claim the artifact back was indeed priceless.
'It was all worth it, haha'
Even though I am sure I would die shortly, it made me happy that I was able to make that bastard suffer. His face, which was already in a mess due to the shattered glasses I spat at him, distorted with anger.
It just went to show how important the artifact was to him. Looking at his expression, it seemed like my efforts weren't in vain. The way he was looking at me like he just lost an entire country was priceless.
It made me want to annoy him more.
-Gulp
I swallowed the artifact in my mouth and smirked at his face, if I had my hands I would have shown him two middle fingers, pity that I didn't.
'I heard that polluting an inactivated artifact...might cause something to go wrong with the way it functions.'
'He won't be able to get the artifact from my stomach'
That was a relief.
But now that I was dying, I realized there were many things I had yet to do.
"I should've at least experienced sex once"
My life flashed before my eyes, each fleeting moment etching itself into my memory. I recalled the burning of the righteous house of Pendragon barony, the loss of my nobility, the amputation of my right hand, and the years of suffering as a disabled soldier. Regrets piled upon regrets, weighing heavy on my fading consciousness.
I couldn't save the family which burned in front of my eyes...
I couldn't raise the name of Pendragon in the Mauryan empire.
I haven't learned everything from my master.
F*ck! I haven't even experienced sex yet.
There were many regrets that passed through my eyes.
-Splash!
The impact of hitting the water snapped me back to the present, my body engulfed in pain. With each passing second, the life within me slipped away. Thoughts raced through my mind, and in my final moments, one lament resonated loudly:
'If only I was a bit stronger...'
That's the last thought I had.
The 35 years of being a virgin came to an end...
At least that's what I thought at that time!!
---**---