Chapter 84 : The Knight of Wrath (Part 3)

*WARNING: This chapter may contain violance, gore and any other 18+ rated*

Iris came out from her carriage, to see what happened outside. She looked to the front and saw Rei standing right in front of the carriage, facing against a group of people who blocked their path.

Iris quickly ordered her subordinates to help him, "Silvi, Harson! Help him!"

"Yes, Ojou-sama!" Both of them answered at the same time and was about to jump out of the carriage but Lena blocked them with her staff.

"Stop, you mustn't get into his way." Lena spoke.

"But–!!"

"He's our leader...and remember, he fought you and end up in a draw, but now you must see...what our leader is capable of." Lena spoke, putting all her faith in Rei that he will handle this situation.

Of course Iris without doubt knew his strength, but one must always be cautious, because there might be unknown danger hiding somewhere and waiting for the perfect time to strike.

But all those thoughts were meaningless when she watched how he handled this problem.

******

Meanwhile back to Rei's side, he's facing this group of people all by himself and he's able to threaten them with his presence.

"W-what the fuck?! Heh!! Is that a bluff or something?! You think that would be enough to make me surrender?!!"

Baltz the leader of the group didn't back out despite his warning.

After hearing that, Rei started to approach him.

'D-dammit...What the hell just happen?! My plan was flawless! I already make sure nothing could botch it! But all that effort...wasted! By a mere C-class?!' Baltz panicked

'Calm down...if his team isn't here, then he is just alone with that elf! So there's nothing to worry!!'

Baltz smirked, gaining his confidence back, "You guys! Don't be scared! He's just a guy!! We just need to gather up and kill him!!"

Rei pulled out an ordinary sword from his [Inventory].

Of course they have to accept that order, they need to fight against him in order to live.

But...

*TAP*

Rei continued to approach them...

*TAP*

And his every steps...

*TAP*

Echoes in their ears...

*TAP*

His aura began to envelop his body, from light red and slowly turned darker, jet black like in color. After a while it started to spread wide...sending chills down their body.

Batlz's men froze when they made eye contact with him. Rei used his [Intimidate] skill that has gone to another level.

And since his level is higher than anyone around here, it became easier for him to paralyze them with this.

Rei walked calmly, passing through the line of tanks and his warriors, Baltz stared at them in confusion.

"W-what are you guys doing?!! K-kill him!!" Baltz grew even more desperate, he kept giving out orders but no one listened to him.

No–it's not like they didn't listen, Rei's skill affected them in such a way that made them unable to speak nor move.

"I guess the Strongest Warrior–Baltz can only order his men around." Rei spoke while slowly getting closer to him.

Baltz felt this overwhelming pressure just like his men right now, but Rei kept it low to make sure he didn't paralyze him completely.

"D-don't understimate me....you bastard!!–"

*SLASH*

Without any warning...

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Batlz's right arm that was holding the sword, was flying on the sky.

*DROP*

And dropped down to the ground like a dead fly...

*SPURT*

While blood spurting out of his missing right arm...

"H-huh–???"

Baltz screamed in pain the moment he realized that he has lost an arm, "A-aaghh!!!–it hurts!!"

It was a clean cut from a single sword.

Rei didn't move that much, he just swung his sword upwards so fast that the movement couldn't be seen by his enemies.

'Acckk!!! I-it hurts....fuck...FUCK!!' Batlz even screamed in his mind, the pain that running through his body was something he never felt before.

"Did I not tell you?"

At this moment, Baltz finally admitted to himself that...

...this man is more than capable to do something like that.

"If you resist...you would get the most painful of death." Rei spoke coldly, and he sounds different.

This is what he get...

He didn't listen to his first warning...and the second one was the last time he warned him.

Rei already put this into his mind, he could only give one chance on each person.

Because...after that incident, he would never try to believe on a human being who had done so many bad deeds in their lives.

When Baltz looked up at him, and in his eyes the helmet that Rei wore began to transform. The mouth part of the helmet began to curve wide like a smile....

A smile of a monster....no, a demon.

Baltz who hallucinated the appearance of Rei changed in front of him, screamed.

"A-aaghh!!! G-go away!!" Batlz began to frantically wave his other hand as if that could stop him from getting closer to him.

But...

*THUD*

His left hand touched his black shield instead when he tried to pushed him away.

[Notice!]

[Skill "Fiery Feast" have been activated]

*GROWL*

His black shield that Baltz just touched reacted the threat coming from this man and it's because he was considered Rei's enemy...

It suddenly formed a red flaming aura that turned into some sort monstrous looking mouth, then...

*CRUNCH*

It swallowed his left arm...

"A-acckk!!!–" Baltz cried in pain once more. His blood spilled over to the ground, creating a pool of blood.

"A-aaa...aa...a.." Baltz couldn't utter a single word after this...the horrifying scene he just saw and and had both of arms stolen by this man before him.

*CRUNCH* *CRUNCH*

Baltz watched his left arm being crunched down to pieces by that being from his black shield.

The sound of it ringing loudly on his ear and his surroundings, his men who heard those sound began to feel terrified even though they didn't even watch it.

*GULP*

The monster that was shaped from his aura swallowed his arm, absorbed it into his shield and the red aura from his shield started to envelope his body.

[Notice!]

[Skill "Fiery Feast" gained 1 stack]

A notice ringing through his head but he didn't pay it no mind. Right now, he only stared at this pitiful man who knelt before him.

Baltz's tears running down his face as he began to question him.

"W-why are you doing this to me...what did I do to deserve this!!" Baltz shouted at him.

"You ask why...but you never wonder...why are you doing those things to them?" Rei only stared at him even after answering to that.

"Why didn't you heed my warning? When I am being nice to gave you one and only chance." Rei bend down to stare very close to his eyes.

Baltz trembled when he met his gaze.

"I was being nice by giving you a chance...to redeem yourself, yet here you are trying to bring war to me."

"W-war...? b-but I-i didn't–!!"

"The moment you gathered those people and surrounding us, you're already declaring war on me." Rei words become colder and colder.

"This is also for all of you here!! Heed my words!!"

"If you want war, then I'll give you war...because...

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I am the war!!" Rei shouted at him and all of the people around them.

They were silent for a few seconds and of course after hearing that...

*DROP* *CLINK* *CLINK*

they couldn't help but to drop their weapons...

The overwhelming words and pressure came from one man, he didn't even want to see their faces and instead focusing his whole attention to this armless man beneath him.

"Well then since they have surrendered...the only one left is you, Baltz." Rei spoke, his eyes never leaving him.

Baltz continue to tremble as he could only bow his head.

He finally surrendered, "I-i-i surrender....Crimson...I surrender."

But...

Rei chuckled after hearing those words out of his trembling mouth, "No...I will not let you live."

"Do you know how many people you had led to this? Did you ever spare them when they beg and surrendered to you?" Rei looked down at him.

Baltz looked up to him, meeting his eyes again.

Rei's eyes began to lit up on the slit of his helmet.

"Now you know the answer" Rei smirked and suddenly a notice ringing through his mind.

[Notice!]

[Skill "Fiery Feast" are ready to use.]

"...since I am someone who kept his promise anyway."

Rei lifted his shield and moved it closer to him.

"N-no...p-please s-spare me." Baltz continue to beg but it was too late.

*THUD*

His black shield touched his face, and then...

"N-NO–!!"

*GROWL* *CRUNCH*

After screaming his last words...half of his body was swallowed by his shield.

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...leaving his lower body to drop down lifelessly.

******

After all of that, the rest of Baltz's men surrendered and knelt in front of him.

Iris watched Rei massacred the man with wide eyes.

Previously she had done something similar to those corrupt noble she caught. She has shown that she's capable to murder those people with mere words, but it was a lot different than him.

Why? Because the two of them have similar case but different method to do the deed.

Iris let others do their job to kill those scums.

While Rei killed the same scum with his own hands.

Iris realized that her hands was definitely covered with blood but not directly and when she looked at Rei, it almost look like he was standing in the middle of a pool of blood.

Iris saw Rei walking back towards her.

His black shield and armor was covered with the blood of his victim. It was a terrifying sight but Iris remained calm.

"I'm sorry for showing you such an unsightly sight." Rei apologized, he was very calm even after killing that person in such a brutal way.

Iris smiled, "It's okay...I know it is something that you must do."

Rei stared at her, then nodded his head, "Thank you...and you should rest, cause our destination is still very far away."

"I understand, I guess I'm leaving all of this to you." Iris nodded, turning around and started to return to her carriage.

Leaving Rei who bowed his head and began to clean up the mess. The aftermath was simple, his teammates came back while bringing the Bandits that was supposed to attack them from the bushes and trees.

Rei tied them all and demonstrated his power by showing the dead body of their leader.

Of course it was grotesque sight for the Bandits and Baltz's groups, but also his teammates who just saw how brutal he is to his enemy for the first time.

That sight was embedded to their mind.

[Never become Crimson's enemy].

And that was how...[The Wrath Knight, Crimson] was known.

******

After they handed those people to the authorities, they resumed their journey to Elves Kingdom.

But in the darkness very far away from Rei and Iris' current position, there was a single group of people who watched over them under a high cliff.

"I see...so that's the power of the rumored [The Wrath Knight]."

A woman spoke as her eyes turned into some sort of beast eyes, sharp like a cat, and watching their carriages moving from a far.

"He is much more interesting than I thought." The woman mumbled while licking her own lips, there's rose tattooed to her neck.

"He seems capable to deal with them alone without the support of his team." A sillhouette of a big man spoke as he appeared right beside her.

"But he looks so weak!" Then another man who looks to be shorter than them appeared on her other side.

"Geez, did you forget that our mistress warned us to be extra careful with these people." Another one came and this one is a girl with haughty voice and her hair was tied into twin tails.

"Right, we need to be careful because they are people capable to defeat a monster such as one of the [Six Underworld King] and our mistress [High Level Demon Chimera] all alone."

The woman who supposed to be their leader spoke, she was the one who watched them from afar using some sort of eyes ability.

"Heh, I bet they're just lucky." The shorter man spoke with mockery.

Behind them, a familiar figure spoke from a cliff above them, "But I wonder if that's all you can measure from them."

He's from one of the Six Underworld King who has the title of [The King of Destruction].

His name is Kajia.

"So this is the group that vixen sent?"

They began to feel wary of his presence since they just noticed him when he spoke.

"Who are you?!" The shorter man shouted at him as arms suddenly changed into some sort of monster's arm.

Then the woman raised her hand, "Stop! He's not someone you can fight!" the woman quickly noticed his figure when Kajia jumped down to meet them closely.

The woman quickly knelt down when he approached them, "It's been a while since we last met...[King of Destruction], Kajia-sama."

"....?!"

When they heard his name from their leader, they quickly knelt down before him.

'This is him?!' The woman with twin tails thought.

The man with short feature ground his teeth, 'I couldn't even notice him!'

'He is...too strong.' The big man thought as well

"Ouh~ You know me?~" Kajia spoke while looking at the woman with a smile.

"Yes sir...I was told by our Mistress, Minerva-sama about how you look like."

"So you recognized me after one look? That's quite an observation skill~" Kajia smirked at her.

The woman started to break out cold sweat while keeping her head low.

"Thank you for your compliment, sir."

"Mhm mhm~ next time...remind your subordinate okay?"

All of a sudden he let out a strong and heavy pressure on them by releasing his dark golden aura that forced them to kneel more.

"Or else, I might end up killing you all for being rude." When he let out his voice, it was very cold for a moment.

"U-ugh."

Until Kajia stopped, "Oops~ I almost made them notice our location~ I need to hold back." he spoke calmly with a smile after releasing that much pressure, meanwhile the rest of them were panting heavily as they almost fainted because of his power.

Kajia walked past them and saw the carriage from a far with his sharp keen eyes.

"Ohh~ they're better than I thought~" Kajia praised them in secret.

Meanwhile, the woman felt curious of this man who appeared out of nowhere just to observe those groups.

"M-may I ask you a question...Kajia-sama." She asked cautiously.

"Speak."

"What kind of business that needs your attention here, Kajia-sama?"

"Hmmm~ of course, I am observing my prey~"

"Y-your prey?" The woman asked.

"Yepp~ if I remember...he was called as [The Wrath Knight]?"

The woman nodded, "You are right sir."

"Wow~ for a mere C-class Adventurer to have his own title already, as expected of the person from the prophecy." Kajia spoke.

The woman knitted her brows in confusion, 'Prophecy?'

"But enough of that...what about you? Why did that vixen sends out one of the executives of the notorious group, [Blood Rose] to this place?" Kajia asked while turning around to her.

"I can't–"

"If you're about to say that you can't tell me because it's something that vixen ordered you to, don't be mistaken." His tone changed again.

"Ugh–!!" The woman suddenly feel the pressure again.

"All of you are still alive here because I am quite merciful to you, the only one who wasn't rude to me." Kajia spoke, his tone became much colder and with just a glance of his sharp eyes, he pressured them again.

The woman suddenly couldn't move or lift her head up, "M-my apologies sir...."

Kajia loosened up his pressure, "There's no second chance."

"Y-yes!" The woman replied quickly.

"Now tell me...what does that vixen want this time." Kajia asked one last time.

"It's about the Elf..." The woman spoke.

"The Elf?" Kajia asked.

"Yes...our mistress told us to capture elves for her experiment." The woman explained.

Kajia suddenly made a disgusted face, "Ughhh, that disgusting experiment again I see...so this time she tries to get an Elf?"

Suddenly Kajia laughed and letting out his pressure again, "Hah! can't believe she would be this reckless, attacking the Elves at this time!"

"Ugh–!!"

"Well I don't care about that, you can go now and do what that vixen told you to." As he said that, Kajia let go of his pressure on them.

As soon as the pressure was lifted, they felt tired and some of them fell down to the ground.

"But I shall warn you, do not touch that person...he is my prey~" Kajia grinned widely, showing his sharp teeth at them.

The woman and her group just bowed down in response to his words.

"...Yes sir."

Kajia then walked away from the cliff and passed through them again, waving his hand in a farewell gesture, "Keep up the good work~"

After that, he disappeared from their sight.

The group were sweating badly as they couldn't help but to feel fear towards that monster.

"I-is that [The King of Destruction]...I thought about his rumor being muscle head was true." The man with short stature spoke.

The girl with twin tail huffed, "When that guy approached us....I already knew he's not human.

"Compared to us who's created by mistress, he was born a monster."

The big man looked at their leader, "What are we going to do."

The woman bit her lips, "We're not going to change our plan, because our mistress want us to deal with any problem that could obstruct her plan."

"I don't know why the King of Destruction is curious about that man...but her order is top priority.

"Whether that man is from the prophecy or not, he isn't gonna stop us from what we must do."

"We shall depart now, and no more delay! Are we clear!" The woman shouted at them.

"Yes ma'am!" They shouted in unison and finally left from that spot.

'It will be a hard mission...but for our mistress' happiness, we will do anything.' The woman thought and finally left as well.

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This would be the new change that's going to happen in this story. The original story has started to change bit by bit and with this, it brought them new opportunities in the near future.

The irregularities that caused by these two, would it bring them a new danger in the future...

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or hope.

The gear of fate...has began to move once again.

To be continue...