One Big Mission

Everyone caught in the red wave that was angry and ready for blood were silenced. Silenced by the overwhelming pressure weighing down upon them.

Their anger, their rage, their fervor for battle, quelled in an instant in front of a being that could destroy them in an instant if it so desires.

Fear sank its claws to the army's entire being, letting them know that they cannot win, they cannot survive.

"What is this pressure?! I...I cannot breathe." Olken's mind raced, his face soon began releasing cold sweat, and his hands began trembling.

"I have fought many monsters back when I was an adventurer, until I fought a Hellkin. That Hellkin killed so many adventurers ranging from Black Gold to Pure Platinum. I still remember like it was yesterday, the screams, the blood, pleas for mercy, its laugh, I remember it all." Olken said internally. The sight of a being with its eyes glowing crimson red ever looms closer, causing him to remember the trauma he suffered, trauma he tried to come to terms was torn fresh.

But this time, it's a pressure that not even Olken could move, it could even seal his fate that this being has completely seized his movements. Olken closed his eyes, awaiting for his demise. Hoping it would be quick.

{Now to first person.}

Hold on, why am I seeing red? I did this? When I use Intimidation before, they get scared. But now it's all red. Soon I got Menace, an advanced form of Intimidation. Even then, it shouldn't do this.

"System, am I using Menace or Warrior Spirit?" I inquired.

[Neither. You are using the newly acquired Unique Skill, Bloodlust.]

"Bloodlust? How and when did I get it?"

[Your desire for blood and destruction, the amount of enemies you killed contributed upon gaining this skill. Additionally, you acquired it upon killing an rank S ogre.]

"Bloodlust...it stacks upon Menace and Warrior Spirit, right?"

[Yes, Bloodlust, Menace, and Warrior Spirit synergize each other, effectively immobilizing opponents matching your rank and ranks V and U.]

"Damn...this could be helpful in the long run. Wait..."

I jump out of my thinking and starting to see people collapsing one by one from this Bloodlust skill and I see Olken barely holding on. I still haven't forgotten what they said, but I will say my piece.

"Haah..." I exhaled and the red atmosphere that once gripped them with fear quickly faded away. As if a large oppressive weight had disappeared. Everyone fell to their knees, gasping for air. Olken however still stands...barely.

"Hey." I said to Olken. Olken was startled and looked at me with fear in his eyes.

"Look, I don't like what you did to Hyoran and you'll apologize to her." I said sternly.

"You're not going to..." Olken said with his body still trembling.

"No. Like I said, I'm not a Hellkin. I don't even have horns. So where's the apology?" I said. Olken soon realized what I meant.

Olken then dropped his weapons, his helmet, went on his knees, and planted his head on the ground.

"Kain, Hyoran. We are extremely sorry we tried to kill you, we're sorry we've mistook you as a Hellkin. Please, we ask for your forgiveness!" Olken said looking down on the ground, not looking at me or Hyoran.

"Mr. Olken, why are you--" one villager began to speak in protest.

"YOU FOOL!" Olken roared, looking at him with rage. It startled the villager and others. "Kain risked his life to let Hyoran escape to us so that we should know! We ostracized them because of our irrational fear of Hellkins despite him saving us! We were alive because of him!"

The words from Olken were genuine. He let his fear take hold of reasoning and nearly created a being just as bad if not worse than a Hellkin.

"If you understand, then kneel!" Olken said. The villager knelt down with Olken and soon others until everyone knelt down. Hyoran is shocked. Shocked that I was able to calm down the masses, but I admit that it should've went smoother, I let anger get the better of me and used fear to stop them.

"But, I'm not so innocent either." I said. Olken looked up with shock. He knew I was right, but I was at fault too.

"What do you mean?" Olken said.

"I used fear to control. It works at first, but it's just short term. I'm sorry that I did that." I said, bowing down as well, matching his level.

"Kain..." Olken soon see my monsters bowing that they are not threatening as well. I stood back up and went straight to the point.

"The bandits here are the Red Claw Bandits. It was made by Zaneth Lyon and is at the Valutz Mountain Range." I said. Olken and the rest look up, surprised at how I got the information.

"How I got it? I did some interrogation with that ogre over there. Anyways, I know their base has far more people than the bandits they sent here." I said.

"The Red Claw...Zaneth Lyon? That infamous Lion Beastkin has put the city of Valtuz in a bind where its resources are involved. They tried to fight back, but the bandits were too numerous." Olken said.

"Then we'll get there and eliminate them at the source." I said.

"Lad, this is much more than just 300! It's suicide with just the seven of you! Even if you have your two wolves!" Olken yelled out of concern.

"I never said there will be seven and you won't have to travel as well." I said.

"You don't mean..." Olken said and realized I was planning to get more monsters. He is right, I need more than one and I already hit my limit as a human. Minor set back, but I can still bring more monsters, rank them up, AND evolve them.

"But first..." I look around myself covered in blood, stinky and sticky. It also have tears where I was injured. "I'mma gonna freshen up and prepare. Besides, I'm tired anyway."

"Then it's settled. Everyone, dispose the bodies and return to the village!" Olken commanded.

"Yes sir!" they collectively obliged and Hyoran and I began walking back, struggling to process everything. But that doesn't matter to her now.

All that matters is that her brother is safe.