Vom tackling loneliness

Gone are the days of leisure, gone are the times of fun, and 'gone' are my friends.

It feels as if it were yesterday. After completing our last great adventure, we all went our separate ways. She[1] went back to the marché, he went on a quest to learn and I went back home. My parents were delighted to see me after the amount of time I had spent away, but now I am all alone. Fortunately, I was handed over an order from the SDF[2] Regarding an unusual anomaly in the Far East. I was neither particularly happy nor particularly sad regarding this. Karlwitz[3] was kind enough to hand me the investigation. I was seeking something to pass the time. The place I have to go is a fortnight away. I had many options at my disposal as to how I could traverse the distance but that is not the problem. The lack of those two is that which makes this journey unenjoyable to even think about. Perhaps I could go by land most of the way and sail the last bit. Either way, I am good but don't fancy a journey without them. I can hear myself arguing with her over which route to take. He most likely would've cared about the food and nothing else. Gosh darn!

My departure is for today and as much as I would like to reach there in a single moment with the ring, I won't! Might as well adventure while at it. The sea fare will 'wring' my pockets 'dry', get it? 'Cuz it's the sea! Though I have been given 1.5 times the sum to accommodate my expenses I'd rather keep it. I hear that there they have devices that can be used for entertainment and 'manga'. Up to now, I have only read one, about a man dying and waking up in another world but as a slime. It was the greatest piece of literature to fall in my grasp.

With the flick of his ring, he transformed. A humanoid appeared covered in blue. He had spikes in his shins and forearms which erupted as he prepared to sprint. He left behind dust in his wake. He ran through the forests to avoid tolls and crossed the country's borders.

The alliance of the three kingdoms has existed for two or so generations and had mostly been at peace but the lands were nothing but miserable, or so is heard. Dawn had turned into noon. He was nearing the outskirts of a city located on the road leading further east. A boy was being taken to be executed. The populace threw stones, rotten fruits and/or vegetables, and insults along with whatever they could salvage. The lad was barely an adult as surprising as it was.

As I entered the city I saw a boy being taken somewhere with people gathered around him. He looked into my eyes as if wanting me to save him so I obligingly followed, not understanding the full picture. I followed them to an intersection with a noose hanging. My eyes widened in horror at the scene. How cruel of them to kill a mere child, no matter the crime he had committed he shouldn't be killed. He may be crippled for life as punishment but 'death'? No! I asked someone among the crowd as to what offense he had committed and the answer blew my mind.

"He tried to kill the sons of the lord. However, I am sure that he might've just got into a quarrel with them and the sons most likely fabricated the story to their father. Poor child." Such abuse of power! He sighed in pity. I can not witness this! I can not allow it to happen. I am not strong enough to live after knowing I could've saved someone but I just stood there. If I won't help, no one will!

"Halt! Halt, halt, halt! Stop at once. Are you all out of your mind? Killing such a young child!" I shouted.

"Do not meddle with our affairs foreigner!" A man wearing a headgear from which beads hung answered.

"Is there no way to repeal his execution?" I desperately asked hoping for a reply, which I got.

"Well, why'd you ask? In our lands, all quarrels and disagreements are settled with duels. If you or he were strong enough, you could settle it the old way, 'sure' if that's what you want to hear."

That's it! Without hesitation, I said, "Yes please sign me up!" I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"In that case, I will summon an adventurer from the guild!" He declared. A group of older children came soon after.

"Klein! we can easily defeat this small fry, right" A young girl wearing an elaborate blouse could be heard clinging to one arm of the boy, making him visibly uncomfortable. "That's not fair! You are making him uncomfortable!" The other girl walking beside him shouted. She seems to have some degree of decency, "Today he is mine!" Oh never mind. Kids these days! When I was their age, I used to… Never mind I am not much better either, at least they are not wiping out orders of vampires. I sure used to have friends just like him and on that topic, that girl over there with a shining red hue to her eyes seems awfully like Endric.

We found ourselves in a nearby park among the lush green trees. I do have a weapon with me, a sword. Old Karlwitz didn't leave a stone unturned in making my life hell through combat training. I did eventually excel in bare-bones combat. Against this kid, there is no doubt I'll win. My opponent seems to be a spell caster which gives me another big hand in combat. He took the stance, sword firmly pointed at me and feet ready to lunge. Experience tells me he has skills, perhaps superior to myself, but either I will defeat him, or a form of mine will. "My name is Klein Von Silfort and I shall be your opponent." Seems well enough, "My name is Shifton." He was ready to give it his all, good! It gets me flared up as well.

He lunged at me, having enchanted his sword with three or so spells. The next thing I knew, he was behind me with his sword at my throat! "Alright! You got me." I knew I couldn't defeat such a seasoned veteran with a dinky little sword. So I flicked the ring! [4]

[5]His body began to swell and arms emerged from above his pelvis. A large giant, twice the size of a regular human stands before Klein. He wore a cone hat and carried four katanas. A 'Haori' decorated him along with his wooden sandals. Klein jumped to make some distance between them.

"Yo! So my opponent is you. I'd advise against it, you'd be lucky to last a minute."

"It's not like your words are enough for me to lose my will to fight. If you are so confident then, handle this!" He cast a bolt of lightning at Shifton, now Forearms. He took the hit head-on with no visible damage. "A tough one, it seems." He thought. He proceeded to do a triple-cast with Fireball, Fire Stream, and Enhance thus, resulting in a stream of lava pouring down from the symbols that had appeared while he was casting around him facing his opponent. Forearms clapped his hands, dispersing the lava which vanished, as it was a temporary diversion that Klein had used, he lunged at him with his sword and, while falling towards him Forearms vanished. He then appeared behind him upon his landing and as he turned to face him, pieces began to fall off his sword which had been cut through and through. Not admitting defeat Klein vanished and was momentarily nowhere to be seen. Forearms took out a nail from the collar of his yukata and threw it at his eleven o'clock. Klein was there and it stopped millimeters before hitting him. He had to admit defeat as there was nothing he could do now.