Side Story: Legia the Blood Fairy

Since childhood, Legia had always idolized her father. He was a high-ranking adventurer highly respected by various kingdoms.

Every day, when morning came, young Legia would wake her father up and see him off to work.

When her father returned from a mission, Legia would ask him to tell her about the adventures he had been on.

Listening to these stories fueled Legia's imagination, transporting her to a world of dreams and inspiring her to aspire to become a renowned adventurer like her father.

Unfortunately, Legia's parents were reluctant to let their beloved daughter follow the same path as her father.

As a veteran adventurer, her father knew that the life of an adventurer was very dangerous and not lucrative.

Most adventurers were individuals who had no job prospects elsewhere. They were not accepted by the military and had no other skills apart from wielding weapons.

The majority of adventurers lived in hardship, and only the truly strong could make a name for themselves and become wealthy like Legia's father.

However, the stronger someone became, the greater the risks they faced. No one could guarantee the life of an adventurer.

If they died, it was over. Unlike the military, adventurers did not receive government benefits. This meant that the families left behind had to face the difficulties that would follow.

Therefore, considering all these risks, as parents, they would never allow their only daughter to pursue the most dangerous profession in the world. Their answer was clear: no.

Moreover, her parents had already accumulated enough wealth. They could afford to send Legia to school and let her choose a safer profession, such as a civil servant or a merchant.

But young Legia did not want any of that. Her dream remained to become a skilled fighter like her father and the adventurer friends she often met.

Legia refused to be someone who just worked behind a desk. She wanted to wield a sword, defeat monsters, and help the weak.

"Is it because Legia is a girl?" the little girl asked her parents.

If it was because of her gender, then Legia felt that the world was unfair.

Were girls not allowed to dream of becoming warriors? Why? If such social rules existed, it only fueled her desire to become an adventurer even more.

She wanted to become an adventurer because this most dangerous profession was also the freest in the world. Legia wanted to be free and become a warrior who could make her parents proud.

So, secretly, young Legia practiced swordsmanship in the abandoned building in the corner of Rostgard.

When her father left, shortly after, Legia would bid her mother farewell, pretending to go out and play. But instead of playing, she would train herself. She practiced swordplay without a teacher to guide her.

While all the other children played and laughed, Legia wielded her sword and winced in pain from the wounds on her palms.

Legia's parents certainly noticed their daughter's activities. They secretly followed Legia, who claimed to be going out to play but was actually practicing alone in the empty building.

From morning till evening, without rest, with clothes soaked in sweat, Legia continued to wield her wooden sword.

With unwavering determination in her eyes, she believed that she would become a great warrior like her father.

Her father and mother, witnessing their daughter's dedication and seriousness, could only smile wryly.

"So stubborn. Honestly, who passed on this trait to Legia?" muttered her mother with a thin smile, glancing at her husband. "So, what are you going to do now?"

Her father fell silent for a moment, watching the determination in their daughter's eyes as she diligently swung her wooden sword.

The sword looked worn, possibly picked up from the guild's storage or found on the streets. But the sparkle in their child's eyes and the happy smile when she felt the perfect swing of the sword were unforgettable for her father.

"Perhaps what we consider ideal is torture for our child."

"..."

Her father smiled. "But I still won't allow Legia to become an adventurer. If she truly wants to become a fighter, there are other paths. Safer and more promising for her future."

"Is that so..."

Smack!

Her wife patted her husband's back. "Then train her to be strong. I won't forgive you if our daughter dies due to a lack of guidance from the person who claims to be the strongest adventurer in the current generation of Westya."

The husband turned to his wife, seeing her eyes start to turn red.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't like this," he said, gently stroking his wife's face and letting her cry in his embrace.

As she began to calm down, the wife gave a warm smile, feeling a burden had just lifted from her shoulders.

"Approach our little fairy and talk to her. I'll be waiting at home with a celebration meal. This is a significant choice for Legia and also for you. I want today to be a memory we can cherish in the future."

The wife then left the father and daughter to discuss their future, not only for Legia but also for her husband.

In order to train his daughter, the father decided to retire from being an adventurer and began working as guild staff.

From that moment on, Legia would be trained by her father every morning and evening, every day until she turned fourteen, the age at which she entered the Military Academy in Rostgard.

She graduated as one of the top students in her class and joined the military, starting from the lowest rank and now holding the rank of lieutenant.

Legia could be considered a prodigious talent. However, the arrival of Kirana a few years later diminished the recognition of Legia's talent. But those who knew her were well aware of how formidable Legia was.

Her sword techniques, honed since childhood, her ability to combine magic and swordplay, and her knowledge of various adventurer stories she had heard since childhood made Legia a highly anticipated figure in Westya.

And now, this promising talent was slaughtering hundreds, if not thousands, of Abyss troops outside the northern gates of Marina.

Legia's original task was to secure evacuation routes for the civilians. However, when she felt the potential she could unleash with Crimsonagin, Legia knew she could do more than just guard.

She might be able to turn the tide of battle. With that in mind, Legia entrusted the guard duty to her squad members while warning them not to approach her.

Legia planned to engage in a massacre.

As the number of blood troops continued to increase with every fallen demon, Legia knew she could do more than just protect. For every enemy she eliminated, she gained a new blood slave.

She beheaded demons one by one, gracefully moving across the battlefield as if she were a fairy dancing in a sea of blood.

After some time, it was clear that the area under Legia's control was expanding. It started with just about ten meters, then expanded to dozens of meters, and now almost half of the thousands of enemies in front of the gate had fallen at her hands.

Legia's presence on the battlefield instilled both awe and horror in those who witnessed it, whether they were friend or foe.

She was truly a one-woman army. Legia stood atop a pile of corpses, her wide grin and joyful laughter echoing as she butchered every living creature nearby.

No one dared to approach her. Even demons kept their distance, avoiding her position, though they ultimately met their end by the hands of her blood slaves or her blood spears that darted around the battlefield.

Legia's actions made the evacuation process smoother. The demon forces focused on her movements, ignoring the fleeing civilians on the ice path.

The soldiers from Blackwinter and Marina found it easier to engage in battle, helping Legia eliminate the demons surrounding the ice path.

The battle at the northern gate seemed to progress smoothly, at least until a palpable tension filled the atmosphere. It left the demons stunned and sent shivers down the spines of the humans.

Legia herself momentarily halted her movements, feeling the ominous aura from a distance.

Fortunately, the aura remained faint. Despite her fear, its influence was fleeting. Moreover, the Dragon within Crimsonagin wouldn't allow Legia to be afraid of anyone other than dragons and gods.

In fact, after regaining her composure, Legia saw an opportunity and continued her slaughter as the demons weakened.

This was what Kirana witnessed upon her arrival. Unconsciously, Legia activated her [Rage] skill, turning her into what seemed like a bloodthirsty berserker.

It didn't last long, as Legia, still under the influence of her inner fury, suddenly felt a massive shock. She looked southward, and her awareness returned.

Upon seeing the impending meteor of water about to strike the Earth, Legia panicked.

Her first thought was of the refugees who were already safe, not the evacuation route, because she knew her captain, Kirana, was at the northern gate.

So, before the meteor hit the Earth, Legia sprinted towards the refuge area. However, she was intercepted by Signa, who was flying in the air, instructing Legia to prioritize those on the ice path.

Legia quickly enveloped them with her blood, transforming her blood slaves into protective cocoons to shield the thousands of humans who hadn't had a chance to escape the battlefield.

After finishing this task, Legia looked ahead, where Kirana's ice wall was beginning to crumble. Sensing that her superior was in danger, Legia rushed to protect her.

Legia had always dreamed of becoming a great warrior who could save many lives. Now, that dream might have come true. With her own strength, she had saved the people of Marina from death. The same went for Kirana, her superior whom Legia considered a friend.

Even if she were to die protecting Kirana, she would be very happy.

Legia couldn't recall the events after she had helped Kirana. The first thing she saw upon waking was the familiar ceiling of a building.

The wooden beams in the ceiling emitted the distinctive scent of the Death Valley village.

The chirping of birds, the laughter of villagers, and the roars of monsters in the distance instantly filled her heart with peace. It was as if she had arrived in the safest place in all of Kastia.

"I'm still alive."

Legia raised her upper body, sitting on the bed, looking around. She realized she was in one of the recently established clinic rooms.

Screech!

The door to her room swung open, and Legia saw a beautiful woman with white hair and captivating emerald-like eyes enter, carrying a bunch of flowers in her arms.

"Legia!"

"Good morning, Captain. I'm back."