47 Butcher of the Forest (Part 4)

I summoned a Tier IV Lightning Spell, Lightning Spear. As I was about to throw it, another warning came into my head.

[Incoming attack from the right.]

I looked in the direction and saw a pale red light come upwards. I tried to tilt my body backwards to dodge and deflect the red light.

*Slice!*

*Crack!*

That red light that was once close suddenly made one of my eyes go dark and red.

[Warning. Your left eye has been cut. Now regenerating.]

I looked at the figure who is holding its chest with my one eye.

"Check its stats."

[Checking...completed.]

<Name: Hobgoblin- Zeer>

<Gender: Male>

<Race: Goblin>

<Rank: A>

<Skills: Concealment, Wind Magic-II, Enhanced Endurance, Thick Skin, Regeneration>

<Unique Skills: None>

<Ultimate Skills: None>

"Ack! My organs..." said Zeer, struggling to breathe. Even though he has Regeneration, I won't let him get the chance!

*CRUNCH!*

[Rank A target slain. 250,000 EP acquired.]

Seeing that I want to end it quickly, it's time I rank up.

"Rank V."

*Bzzt!*

[Rank up failed. Human body has reached maximum limit.]

"Oh, guess I reached the limit."

[Evolution is needed to attain this rank.]

Oh, right. I can be a High Human. Regular humans can only reach S rank, but 1 in 250,000 can ever attain it by normal means. Those reaching A rank are talented already, hell, B ranks too. However, when it comes to High Humans, it's 1 in 1,000,000.

How humans were able to survive throughout events like the Infernal Reign where there's a massive influx of Hellkins coming to the Material Realm, Draconic Armageddon where Dragons ruled the world, The Quaking where Titans and Giants turning everything into pancakes. Let's not forget the War of Evoza where every race waged war. All of these events are world changing and could easily put humanity to extinction.

The method of how they survived? They have one of the highest reproductive rate out of the races. When they know their lives are about to end, they go to town with their wives and bare lots of children. Also, their refusal to give up and their strength in numbers.

Religious-wise, there is a deity that loves humans named Vitazra who will only intervene when Humanity is on the verge of extinction and blesses them to have high fertility rate and minimal death rate. Also, they will be given bountiful harvests and monsters will be warded off, even the most desolate civilizations will be given harvests for generations.

Let's not forget the dark side of humanity where they will kill anyone that is non-human, be it women or children, even if the other side isn't directed to the disasters. It's fucked up, but can you blame them? They were pushed to near extinction by many races MULTIPLE TIMES. Believe me, it would be weird if humanity wasn't resentful after all that.

Seeing that I was at the peak of humanity as a child and can't go further, I guess it doesn't hurt to evolve here.

"System, I wish to evolve!"

*Bzzt!*

[Cannot evolve. You are missing the following perquisites.]

<Prerequisites: Race must be Outworlder OR blessed by a Deity>

Outworlder? Deity? FUCK! Shit, that's right, how can I forget!? I can only be an Outworlder if I was reincarnated or summoned by Deities! Not just being hit by a truck though. I mean, y'all should look both ways before you cross, right?

No matter, I'll evolve my monsters first, I'll worry about myself later.

"Rank Noire up to S."

[Acknowledged. 500,000 EP has been deducted. Noire is now Rank S.]

"Evolve Gris to Silver Gale Wolf! Evolve Noire to Black Shadow Wolf!"

[Acknowledged. 50,000 EP has been deducted. Now evolving.]

"AWOOOOO!!"

The two wolves's eyes shined and howled until a tornado engulfed Gris and an encroaching darkness engulfed Noire. The bandits that are fighting it are blown away.

"This feeling...they're evolving!?" the goblin said in horror. As if fighting two high ranking wolves wasn't hard enough, but now that they're evolving, their demise is almost certain.

After the storm of the two wolves dissipated, they have reached an even higher form. Gris is now the size of a fully grown adult wolf, his silver hair became wilder than the last time and have white streaks.

Noire on the other hand is also bigger, but her fur is black with purple streaks. Her eyes now gotten a deeper purple color.

[Evolution complete. Gris has evolved to Silver Gale Wolf.]

[Due to evolution, Gris has risen to Rank V.]

[New skills acquired for Gris. Wind Magic-VIII, Bravery, Menace, Wind Absorption, Super Agility.]

[New Unique Skills acquired for Gris. Sky Strider, Wind Dominance-III, Earth Ward-II, Water Ward-II, Suffocation Resistance.]

[Evolution complete. Noire has now evolved to Black Shadow Wolf.]

[New skills acquired for Noire. Dark Magic-VIII, Terror, Bravery, Dark Absorption.]

[New Unique Skills acquired for Noire. Dark Dominance-III, Curse Resistance, Curse Magic-II.]

"Gris, Noire. Go wild." I said. With my command, their eyes flashed and soon became streaks of death. Bandits are ending up getting killed more quickly than ever.

[58 hostiles remain.]

I then used Tier IV Lightning Spell, Thunder Strike and swung my hand down to smite the frozen frontliners.

[45 hostiles remain.]

"Are there anymore bandits I missed behind me?"

[45 hostiles remain located in front of you.]

"As long as I can kill the Beast Tamer, his pets are useless." Arzus said.

[Incoming attack.]

Arzus ran towards me with footsteps rumbling the earth, he swings down his mace meant to crush me. I dashed back, but then he grabbed my entire body. I struggle to get free, but his grip won't budge. That's the strength of an ogre alright. Just because we're at the same rank, don't mean we're evenly matched.

"I'll make you scream, screaming until you die slowly as I crush you." Arzus said. I decided to pretend to fall into despair and beg for my life.

"N-no, p-please! Let me go! I'll do anything! Please! Let my home village go at least!" I yelled.

My monster cried out to me as Arzus held me hostage, but I have a better plan.

"All of you go run, but Gris I'll give you the signal, once I do, you will sever the ogre's arm." I said through telepathy. They agreed and ran away from their sight.

"I let them go. Now please...die for me." I said with a wicked smile. "Now, Gris!"

With my command, Gris sped around the thick trees as he is summoning a Tier VII Wind Spell, Wind Scythe.

"What?" Arzus said. At that moment, a silver flash went by. A gust of wind blows over for a few moments until Arzus's arm slowly separates, effectively letting me go.

Arzus's face soon contorted in pain scream in the process. He let go of his weapon to clutch his severed arm that is pouring out blood. His muscles, veins, arteries, and bone are all for me to see.

Arzus stumbled and staggered as the pain raged in his body until he saw Gris, but his tail was glowing. Additionally, a large hook that extended far beyond his tail that exceeds his body length. His eyes glowed at Arzus and made him momentarily freeze.

"Hey, buddy. You dropped something." I said. The others went into shock as their big boss was badly injured.

"B-Boss?" the goblin said, trying to hold on what little hope he has left. Only to be lost by Arzus's expression showing fear.

"Oh, even the mighty ogres have fear? Even though, we're both S ranks?" I said. He may have higher strength and endurance since he's an ogre, but me? I am more versatile thanks to my arsenal. Just being strong in the wild can only do so much, but being smart AND strong will help me survive many battles. Even battles that doesn't include fighting.

"Now then...come on out, guys. We're cleaning this up." I said and all my other monsters come out of hiding.

"Leave the ogre alive. But the rest? Fuck 'em up." I said and their fear has taken over.

"Boss! Arzus! HELP!" the goblin cried for help, but Arzus couldn't move. The goblin sheds tears that hopelessness had taken over.

"Arzus..." the goblin said, until Noire's jaws encompasses his head and tore it off.

More screams fill the air as they tried to run, but the moment either Gris or Noire set their sights on them is the moment their fate is sealed. The A ranks tried to fight, but the drained morale made it impossible until they were mercilessly killed.

Arzus's mind raced as to think his 300 men sent to raid a village only to be decimated by 2 wolves, a owl, a spider, a fox, a elemental, and a child who commands them.

[9 rank A targets slain. 1,800,000 EP acquired.]

[1 hostile remain.]

I walk casually back to the kneeling ogre and he gasped in fear. He stumbled back, looking at me as if he saw the devil himself.

He got up to run, but I'm not gonna let him escape, because I am not a naive smooth-brained MC beta cuck who lets off villains who tried to do Geneva Suggestion in front of their eyes.

I signaled Gris again to do another Wind Scythe and Gris became a blur and made Azus a triple amputee.

"AAAARGH!!" Arzus roar of pain shook the trees and scared the other weaker monsters along where he fell flat on his face, shaking the ground. He tried crawling with one arm that isn't severed until I used Earth Magic to flip him over.

Arzus whimpered some more as he tried to push himself away. He wanted to run, but his legs were severed, he wanted to crawl, but he is only left with one arm. To stop him, I summoned a large earthen stake and plunged it through the back of his hand.

*STAB!!*

"Agh!" Arzus cried out, but not as loud as before as he has lost plenty of blood. I used healing magic to stop the bleeding, but left him with stumps. Because I want to destroy who he work for at the source. I crouched down while on his breathing chest and looked at him dead in the eyes.

"Now tell me. Who is the REAL leader of your bandit group? And where is your base of operations?" I said to him. "Tell me the truth and I'll fix you up, deal?"

Arzus nodded as he had no choice but to accept.

"The Bandit King named Zaneth Lyon. A Lion Beastkin and made the Red Claw Bandits." Arzus said with his voice trembling.

A Lion Beastkin? Lion beastkins have one of the highest strength stat out of all beastkins and they automatically have both Intimidation and Tenacity to boot. The Red Claw Bandits are nightmares for newbie adventurers because they see them as easy pickings. They're not a elite army by any means, but can really slow down or even stop trades from happening because of the sheer number. Looks like I'm gonna need more monsters on my team. In the game, they were able to threaten kingdoms. But seeing that there are little to no bandit activity around here until now, they must be in a state that they're gathering their numbers.

"Where is their hideout? Where this Zaneth person is at?" I inquired.

"He is in the Valutz Mountain Range." Arzus replied.

Valutz. It's a location west outside of Nolten Forest where higher ranking monsters that are no lower than C. Since it's in the mountains, I can have Schwarze scout the areas, but since it's so wide, it'll take some time. That is why I should get more avian type monsters like Schwarze.

"System, is he telling the truth?"

[The ogre, Arzus is truthful.]

"You'll let me go, right? I promise not to raid this village again." Arzus said, smiling fearfully as he expects me to let him live, but I saw that twitch in his smile and his eyes wandering at my monsters, then the corpses of his comrades. However, I'm not so naive as he expects.

[This statement is deceptive.]

See? I saw it coming. Some people don't change so easily.

"You know...you's a lying bitch." I said.

"What?" Arzus said, confused.

"Forget sparing you, I'll just kill you myself." I said, raising my mace.

"Wait! You promised you'll heal my wounds and let me go!" Arzus said, panicking.

"I did IF you tell me the truth." I said, shrugging my shoulders. And then I glared at him "But you lied."

"No...I didn't." Arzus said.

[Lie detected.]

"Besides, you'd be a dead man anyways." I said, raising my mace with a grin in my face.

"No...please! Spare--!" Arzus said, but I cut him off with a simple answer.

"No." And then I slam my mace upon him.

*SMASH!*

With my first strike on his head, blood was spilled.

*SMASH!*

The next knocked his large tooth out.

*SMASH!*

The next knocked his other large tooth out along with smaller teeth.

*SMASH!*

More blood splashes out and his skull slightly caved in.

I kept smashing his skull repeatedly while he still screams with pain and horror. While I ignored his agony.

With every strike, I smiled, not out of genuine joy, but the joy of killing. The blood, the teeth, the pieces of skull, and the brain matter. It's so...invigorating.

"Hehe...hehehehahaha!" I began to laugh as I continued to smash his skull with a psychotic look on my face. Not good, what if someone sees me like this?

"Die, die, die, die, DIE!" I said to Arzus as I sound like a battle-crazed psychopath.

*SMASH!!*

I smashed his skull hard with my last strike, hoping it will be enough to kill him. I waited for the message, but nothing happened.

"Guh...ugh...ulk...ullf..." Arzus made sounds incomplete and incomprehensible for me to understand, but a clear sign that he is still alive.

"Wow, you're still alive? Hoo boy, that's an ogre for ya. How many strikes was that?"

[You have struck 50 times.]

"Damn, that's tough! Well, since your brain is exposed, it's time to end it for good." I said, putting my mace aside. I put both my hands on my sword and pointed it downward at the exposed brain.

"Become my EP." I said and plunged it straight down.

*Stab!*

Arzus screamed louder and his body spasms erratically. He voice becomes hoarse and his bodily functions went out of control to the point he began foaming at the mouth mixed with blood, pissing his pants and shitting himself in the process.

I twist my sword around and cut it in different directions until I use my last strikes.

I dragged my sword through his tonsils and his jaw and went the other direction through his brain.

*SLASH!*

With one final slash, I split his head in half in a upwards crescent motion. Drops of blood rain down upon me and my already bloodstained white shirt and brown pants torn by the attacks of the bandits.

[S rank target slain. 500,000 EP acquired.]

[156 D rank targets slain. 7,800,000 EP acquired.]

I look at the corpses around me, heads bashed in, limbs severed, head severed, throats torn out, bodies disemboweled where their innards are shown, limbs broken and twisted. Their heads that wasn't destroyed showed expressions of despair even in death littered around the forest.

This part of the forest that has lush green grass and colorful flowers, giving various fresh scents of the forest were all stained crimson red from the blood of my enemies and masked by the stench of death.

"Hehe...hehehe..." I chuckled. I can no longer control my laughter.

"Hehehe! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" I laughed psychotically of the extreme excitement, the blood, the violence, their deaths, it was amazing...it was euphoric.

"AWOOOO!"

"Kiii!!"

"Skreee!"

Gris, Noire, Schwarze, and Paura cries in victory of our big battle. No, it was a massacre.

"YEAAHAHAHA!! YEEEAAWW!! TOTAL MASSACRE!! YAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!" I roared and shook my body erratically, trembling in excitement, in catharsis. The Red Claw Bandit base of operations...I hope it's larger than 300 people...I can't wait to paint the mountains red!

[Unique skill acquired. Bloodlust.]

Despite me relishing the destruction, the massacre of the first group of bandits, a voice was heard.

"K-Kain?" a voice said.

At that moment, my monsters and I looked where it spoke with the desire to kill more enemies, but then it quickly faded. I see Hyoran standing with Olken with her eyes wide while in front of many villagers armed for battle.

Oh no, did they see me while I was killing the bandits? Also they saw my other monsters too that I kept a tight lip about. I was meant to hold them off, but this happened. I did this. I killed every single bandit and they watched.