Chapter 3

My awakening turned out to be extremely interesting and exciting: it's not every day that a building where you stayed overnight is simply taken and blown up.

The roar just stunned me, and the fire devoured the room, after which I succumbed to the feeling of flight. And I don't know if it was the reflexes of the body, or if my brain still managed to wake up. The only thing I could do was grab Yamato, and, pulling myself up to the wall with a blink, push off from it and fly out into the almost destroyed window opening.

Landing in my underpants and with an amulet around my neck, I snatched the katana from its scabbard, and began to look around, trying to catch my breath from the adrenaline in my blood. And there was something to see.

The city was ablaze. Here and there, fires could be seen, as well as the sounds of battle: cries of help, the guffaws of the attackers and the cannonade of spells used. Turning around and looking at the hotel, I realized that my exceptional room had suffered. Either they were beaten with aim, or accidentally hooked. But there is no time to get dressed (and it is unlikely that I will find my things already) — we need to help the peaceful. That's not why I went through Hell... did I go through Hell?!

A brief flash of memories did not allow me to block the blow of something big, which fell right in the back. Dropping the weapon, I flew away from my former place at high speed, plowing a small furrow in the street road, again without feeling pain — so, rather humiliation from my own carelessness. Standing up and spitting out the stones that clogged my mouth, I stared angrily at the jerk who is responsible for the early wake-up call.

It was a man of unpleasant appearance, dressed only in a raincoat and underwear. There was a mark on his chest that looked like someone's three-toed paw. But the most remarkable thing was that he... sat on a giant chicken that looked at me with its red eyes and literally breathed fire.

"Tell me that I just got hit on the head, and I'm seeing glitches now. Please..."

— Ke-ke-ke, another wizard who wants to resist our dark guild — Chicken Foot! Die, smerd!

I didn't even have time to understand what nonsense he was talking about, as the chicken immediately burst into flames in my direction. Having grouped, I sharply bend my arms and bend down backwards, while passing the flame over me. Having gained a foothold, I push off the ground with my hands, stretching my legs forward and aiming them at the chicken's head. The force was like I shot myself out of a cannon — the bird's skull exploded like a watermelon, and my lower limbs were knee-deep in blood.

Realizing that I was not able to blink correctly now, I created a platform from demonic energy, from which I pushed off and flew into the man at the remaining speed, grabbing him and falling to the ground with him. All this happened in a miserable second, during which he only managed to blink. The platform immediately collapsed after the tricks — it was not designed for such loads.

He and I rolled on the ground, landing successfully after my jet attack. While the prisoner did not have time to throw anything out, I grabbed him by the throat with one hand, and with the other I created a demonic blade, the translucent blade of which I directed at his eye.

— Name, purpose, number and strength. Quickly and clearly, — I say with surprising calmness, trying to hide the trembling in my hands.

He, judging by the frightened look, was quite deeply imbued, and raising his hands in a protective gesture, began to tell.

The dark guild Chicken Foot was one of the guilds that were part of the criminal conglomerate Union Balam, subordinate to one of the three main ones — the Heart of the Grimoire. As my interrogator explained to me, the dark ones are those associations that are not under the control of the Magic Council and carry out orders for all kinds of wetness. One of the main fighting forces were magically advanced fighting chickens that could compete even with A-rank wizards. The number of their members was not particularly large — fifteen magicians and ten riders, one of whom was the leader, which was responsible for the experiments. The goal was not reported — they just said to rob and demolish the city, preferably with a minimum of deaths.

After a few minutes of convulsive explanations, I put my palm to his face, and, giving the right amount of energy, knocked him out. However, due to the fact that my non-combat skills have atrophied quite a lot, he will wake up only in two weeks. Well, it could have been worse.

Instantly moving to the Yamato, I picked it up, and, sheathing it, was about to run to the place of the largest concentration of opponents, when my gaze fell on my legs covered with blood, as I felt its stickiness and sickening smell... I simply threw up.

Through my clouded mind, it finally dawned on me: I just fought and took someone's life. Yes, I admit — it was an ordinary chicken, but I used to feel bad from one kind of blood, and not even taking the life of an animal. But then it dawned on me: I definitely killed the "last" one — I wouldn't call myself a good person based on fragments of memories. God, I feel so bad about all this. How much shit must I have done in the past…

"And it looks like there's a chance to atone for it a little..."

Standing on trembling legs, I again performed breathing exercises. Exhaling for the last time, he concentrated — now trying to do it consciously — demonic energy in his legs, and rushed to the place of battle. For it looks like all the dark ones have gathered there.

There is no time for reflection. I'll leave it all to the end of the fight. Well, or at least I'll try.

***

Having crossed half the city in almost five seconds, where most of the time was spent searching for a way, I aimed at the targets that appeared, and without stopping jumped and snatched the Yamato almost at the speed of light, creating a slash of demonic energy, thereby cutting five chickens. And only after that I began to examine the situation.

On the central square, all the members of the Chicken's Foot gathered, which pushed some of the residents into a circle and held them as hostages. Five riders were on my side, and five more on the other. The largest of them also stood out there, which seems to have been the leader. Moreover, they were all dressed the same as the one I questioned. Crazy exhibitionists, honestly.

However, my sudden attack disrupted the enemy's order of battle so much that all the residents fled to somewhere. The Dark Ones didn't even try to restrain them—I was a much greater threat here than some peasants.

—Damn, it's S-rank, boss! — shouted one of the riders, who was the first to recover after the fall and was already running to his own.

— Already understood, useless! Everyone — ATTACK!!! — The leader shouted, sending a cloud of iron daggers that appeared from the magic circle at me.

Seeing a bunch of spells from wizards flying at me at the same time and fire from the beaks of birds, I applied a skill that I had mastered perfectly in the past. Now I had to do it consciously, not relying on reflexes — just not in such a situation.

The world has slowed down.

Water, stone, steel and a lot of everything else that was supposed to hit me began to fly at a speed approximately equal to a snail. Mine remained at the same level. This is not an ordinary dash to the goal, which is used in basic tactics — I am not consciously capable of it. But the full acceleration of the body will allow me to adequately analyze my actions until I regain my former strength in order to rely on blinky again.

And, now I don't need to kill anyone — they are dark, but they don't deserve to die. Death is the deliverance from all suffering and torment. Only good people deserve to die, but obviously not these people. Let them atone for their sins, just like me.

First of all, I run up to the chickens and cut off their heads using slashes. While their heads were just beginning to separate from the body, I quickly ran around the criminals, tying them with ropes of demonic energy - there was simply no time to neutralize everyone's consciousness. However, I had to repeat this action a couple more times — sometimes the spell broke due to poor control. The last ones were the riders. I did the same with them as with the others.

Having completed all the actions, I found myself behind the opponents. Lifting the scabbard to chest level, I slowly put the Yamato into them, the click of which marked the cancellation of acceleration — a kind of trigger that allowed me to control myself better.

The birds just instantly fell down, watering the area with blood, and the attackers fell to the ground, unable to tear objects from my energy. The whole battle again took less than a second. Perhaps this speed scares me, even considering that it is mine. Looks like I'm a monster. We will fix it.

But the unexpected happened: a couple of seconds after the acceleration was canceled, I began to feel fatigue, because of which I had to lean on the katana. When I felt something warm and sticky on my face, I realized that my nose was also bleeding. Damn, why did this happen?

— Nuggets! How dare you kill her! — the chief shouted, looking at his mount with tears in his eyes.

At the same time, a warm rain fell from the sky, which began to extinguish fires. Hmm, strange — water from clouds shouldn't act like that.

— And what is it… Wai! — a girl's voice was heard from one of the roofs, which for some reason turned into a squeal.

Lifting my head up with difficulty, I finally noticed the speaker.

It was a young girl younger than my current age. Her height was about a head shorter. Her clothes were almost ordinary: a blue coat, black pants, blue boots and a cap of the same color, as well as a white cape. The only thing that stood out from the image of an aristocrat was a pink Victorian—era umbrella and a strange cloth doll sewn to the cape.

And when my gaze slid to the face, then... I froze. Wonderful dark blue hair, curled into an interesting hairstyle. A cute face with perfect features: a neat nose, plump red lips, and this is the look of blue eyes…

In general, we stared at each other for about five seconds. And only after this time I noticed a big blush and embarrassment on her face, which is why its color was approaching scarlet.

"Oh, right — I'm without clothes!"

— Ahem, thank you for your help, my lady, — trying to speak respectfully within the framework of this era, for some reason I saluted her with a katana.

— I... it's... nothing ... — shuffling her foot and lowering her face to the floor, she said confusedly.

However, our sweet small talk was interrupted by the sound of sticking something metallic into soft flesh. Turning to its source, I saw the leader of the Chicken's Foot, who was able to free one hand from the ropes. To her, he stuck a syringe with a dark blue liquid that appeared from somewhere into the neck of a dead chicken.

Making a jerk, I kick the chemical out of his hands with my foot, hitting the entry point with a second attack. But it didn't help — the bird's corpse began to twitch, becoming covered with swollen veins and starting to increase in size.

— Idiots! It's so easy for you to ... — without letting him finish, I beat him angrily with the handle, which makes him fly away to the land of dreams.

Grabbing the body, I blink back and throw it towards some bushes, looking at the regenerating chicken with disbelief in my eyes, which began to rapidly increase more than its previous size. The unknown woman was standing with her mouth wide open at that time.

— Get the residents out of here! I'm taking it on myself! — I shout to her, and after waiting for a nod, I attack the mutant with blades of demonic energy.

A dozen light blades pierce through her and cause some damage, but she immediately regenerates it. Heck!

Trying to speed up again. I understand that I can't — I spit blood right on the ground and grabbed my chest with my free hand. Damn, damn! And I can't apply the form — not that concentration!

Literally sensing a threat, I make a blink at her feet, moving away from the flame. The growth stopped — the bird now reached ten meters at the withers, towering over some buildings. I run straight at her legs, cutting them with two high-speed blows, which caused her to start to collapse., at the same time healing the damage. Multiple Yamato strikes won't help — as long as it falls apart, all the damage will have time to heal. If it is restored with the help of stem cells, then fire should help!

While she was recovering, I projected new blades — now with a different, fiery structure. Running them into the trunk, where the heart was located, I get no result. Looks like flame resistance.

Running up the wall, he jumped from one roof to another, dodging attacks. She didn't have much intelligence—she could only shoot fire. But he has already melted some stones at the houses, and it is not desirable for me to get under him. Well, let's try another thermal effect.

After waiting for a break in a series of attacks, I embody the blades again. Ice and electric. I don't remember using them before, but there is a theory. I throw them at critical points — eyes, legs, beak and heart. And it works!

Nuggets began to fall, although it was clear that the damage was leveled. But not as much as I could. I keep throwing blades for another minute, realizing that there are still a lot of demonic forces — but I still can't use them. I'm not used to it because of the transfer to a new, old body.

Realizing that the chicken is still trying to get up, I put the Yamato in the scabbard, and, concentrating the last remnants of the energy available without critical consequences, I jump up, dodging the last attack, and lunge towards the enemy. And lightning rushes from the blade of the katana to the body, which simply roasts the chicken, which was holding on to the last remnants of its strength.

After landing and after my ears have stopped ringing slightly from the thunder, I exhale and put the weapon back in its rightful place. Looks like the battle is over.

And in the silence of the city, clapping began to be heard.

Focusing my relaxed gaze, I see a lot of people who began to come out of hiding and approach the square, despite a bunch of bound bandits and pouring rain. Smiling at the realization of my own actions, I wave my hand at them.

— That... was... COOL!!! — a familiar voice deafens me.

I turn around and see the same sorceress who was standing on the next roof and seemed to be trying to beat the whole city at once. There was a sincere expression of joy on her face, and a look… Well, now she's the first one in this world who managed to embarrass me. It even became awkward somehow.

Well, I'm glad how it ended. If there are wounded and victims, then thanks to our efforts we managed to avoid more of them. And a pleasant warmth appeared on my heart after this. Yes, my mother was telling the truth — it's nice to help people. Especially when they are grateful in return.

— Um, what is the name of our savior? — the voice of some journalist sounded from below, judging by the appearance.

Everyone froze, turning their gaze in my direction. Almost not embarrassed by the fact that I am in my underpants in the middle of such a crowd, I intercept Yamato more comfortably, and, making a small bow in greeting, I say.

— My name is Virgil.