Chapter 126: A grim failure

(Titus's POV)

Our journey came to a halt in a village recently ravaged by a band of rogue Centaurs. In Greek mythology, Centaurs are depicted as beings with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse. Occasionally, their heads resemble those of horses too, but universally, they are known both as ferocious creatures prone to theft and as formidable hunters, adept at using their bows while in full stride with their equine halves.

These Centaurs had violently attacked the villagers and abducted numerous individuals. Atalanta and I arrived at the village and were immediately informed of these distressing events.

Atalanta, typically not one to risk her own safety for others, was deeply troubled upon learning that the Centaurs had taken children. Aware of the Centaurs' brutal reputation, she braced herself for the worst possible outcomes.

Pursuing the trail, we arrived at the Centaur settlement nestled in the mountainous terrain. The scene that unfolded before us imprinted a haunting memory in our consciousness.

"W-what is this…?" Atalanta's eyes flickered with agony and torment when she saw centaurs r*ping people, including… children before eating them. Yup, you heard this correctly.

In the face of this gruesome scene, about twelve Centaurs showed no mercy, assaulting minors indiscriminately. Some victims lost their lives, while others endured the brutality, pleading for mercy. Though anger surged within me, I maintained my composure, having developed a resistance to impulsive actions after witnessing cruelties across various eras.

Atalanta, however, confronted the horror with a sharp gaze, blood dripping from her lips. Enraged, she was about to charge at the perpetrators, but I intervened. "Calm down. You need to get a grip," I urged, holding Atalanta tightly.

Her anger erupted, accusing me of lacking empathy. Yet, I remained focused on the task at hand. "You can curse me later, but right now we need to act steadily. I will charge them head-on to divert their attention."

Turning to Atalanta and our newly summoned servant, Jack, I outlined the plan. "You and Jack will attack from the rear, securing the captured people. Jack will keep surveillance, while Atalanta, you will eliminate enemies from a distance."

"Ai, ai, mommy~!" Jack saluted cheerfully.

Atalanta, on the other hand, was not pleased with my strategy. Yet, as a seasoned huntress, she understood confronting the horde directly was not an option.

"Do not let any of them perish," Atalanta commanded, her gaze averted in disdain.

"You have my assurance," I replied with a smile.

With a dismissive snort, Atalanta turned and strode away, Jack trailing behind her.

After they departed, I stepped into the open, conjuring my Gungnir and Excalibur in each hand. The centaurs turned their attention toward me, although some continued their activities. I lifted my sword high and unleashed a battle cry.

"AAAAAAA!!!!"

My shout, echoing a dragon's roar, captured everyone's attention. Birds scattered from the thunderous noise, and animals fled in terror. Even the fierce centaurs could do nothing but focus on me. At that moment, my sword ascended into the air and emitted a brief glow.

The centaurs, unaware of what had transpired, began to charge at me. I did not countercharge. Instead, I employed Force Control to draw every human into my vicinity behind me, bestowed upon them a manipulation spell, and granted them self-healing magic runes.

"Now that the hostages are safe, it is time to dispose of the trash," I declared, and swung my weapons. I had anticipated enjoying the defeat of mythical beasts and advancing my skills, but the thought of tarnishing my weapons with their unclean blood was unappealing.

"Human!"

"Engage in battle!"

Four enormous centaurs charged at me, wielding an array of weapons from swords to blunt clubs. However, they stood no chance of reaching me because...

Swoosh!

I extended my Gungnir and, with a single sweep of my spear, decapitated the centaurs. Their heads tumbled to the ground as their bodies continued to move, a torrent of blood gushing from their necks.

Two additional centaurs approached me, but instead of attacking, they began to combat each other. Indeed, my illusion was effective. Nevertheless, I was not content with the outcome.

"I should refine that skill," I murmured. Possessing numerous abilities already, I found the illusion to be of minor significance. Yet, I resolved to improve my mastery of the illusory arts at a later time.

I decisively eliminated the brawling centaurs as well, but in the process, I caught an arrow, dodging and deflecting several others. Turning around, I noticed numerous centaurs stationed on each watchtower, with some positioned higher in the distant hills. Given the mountainous terrain, their elevated stance afforded them a strategic advantage for aiming.

"Archers, huh?" I smirked, raising my spear and hurling it towards the nearest adversary. The spear flew with the velocity of a bullet, striking the enemy squarely in the chest.

However, that spear was merely a duplicate of my original. I conjured numerous spears and persistently targeted each enemy. The sounds of centaurs' cries and the tearing of their flesh resonated across the mountains as I methodically aimed at each one of them.

After targeting each, I smirked and slammed the butt of my spear onto the ground.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Each centaur impaled by my spear began to explode, enveloped in purple bifrost energy, causing a downpour of blood over the entire settlement.

"HII! Human! Monster!"

"Hero! Show no mercy!!"

The centaurs finally recognized that death was their only fate and fled. I was tempted to pursue and eliminate them, but decided it would be a waste of time. My main concern was the safety of the hostages and the children.

I then turned my attention to the remaining centaurs, who were visibly trembling with fear.

"Let's cleanse the rest of this place," I declared, and proceeded to annihilate the remainder.

---

(3rd Person's POV)

Atalanta stealthily moved through the shadows, efficiently dispatching centaurs. However, her efforts were overshadowed by Titus, who was eliminating enemies with incredible efficiency. Witnessing Titus clear out adversaries like stomping on ants left Atalanta in awe.

"What is he...?" Atalanta's eyes flickered with uncertainty as she observed Titus effortlessly dealing with the savages. Titus wielded both a spear and a sword, an unusual combination, but the way he danced through the bloodbath was unparalleled. Each swing of his blades left a trail of bodies in his wake—a one-sided massacre.

Gulping, Atalanta couldn't help but feel terrorized by Titus's current demeanor. Once an innocent-looking person, the fight with Heracles and the mayhem he caused now made Atalanta certain that Titus might be the strongest individual in Greece.

However, Titus, in the end of the day, is a man and men are savages.

Atalanta resolved not to mock or interfere with Titus. She understood that challenging him could result in her being erased from this world.

"Missy, don't have to fear," a voice echoed, and Jack the Ripper emerged from the mist. Titus had previously informed Atalanta about Jack being the consciousness of all the children on a western island. Jack was a testament that cruelty persisted across eras.

"What do you mean?" Atalanta inquired, genuinely curious about Jack the Ripper's thoughts—the consciousness of deceased children. Their wishes aligned, as Atalanta sought to save unfortunate souls, much like Jack.

"I mean, Mommy won't hate you even if you kill him. After all, Jack also killed Mommy several times," Jack chuckled.

"You killed him?!" Atalanta exclaimed.

"Yup~!" Jack looked at the sky. "But Mommy came back again and again, embracing Jack. He fought the world, not with weapons like now, but with wisdom and words. He saved countless of us, loving us until our adulthood for 20 years without expecting anything in return."

Atalanta's eyes widened. Though Titus had shared this story, hearing it directly from the children he had saved made her realize that Titus was more than just a formidable warrior.

"So yeah, we love Mommy. Mommy is amazing and can do anything~!" Jack concluded her story with a radiant smile.

However, for Atalanta, saving just a few wouldn't fulfill her wish. She aspired to save all the children in the world.

---

(Titus's POV)

After exterminating every centaur within my line of sight or senses, I ventured further inside. It was then that a pungent scent of despair invaded my nostrils.

"Shit."

I already knew what awaited me and could anticipate the impending challenge.

It was at that moment I spotted Atalanta silently observing the gruesome aftermath. Bones, limbs, chunks of meat, and lifeless bodies lay scattered everywhere, including children among them. A burning sense of defeat surged within me, but I maintained my composure. My foremost concern was Atalanta.

"Titus..." Atalanta turned towards me, her eyes meeting mine. Dried tears of blood streaked her face, and her complexion was pale. She walked over, smiled, and uttered, "You said you would save all of them? Why did they die?"

"I am sorry..." I lowered my gaze, lacking any answer.

"I don't want your apologies. I want the children alive. You promised to save every child in the world, so why are they lifeless on the floor?" She questioned, frustration evident in her tone.

SLAP!

A resounding palm struck my face, and I looked at Atalanta, her eyes fierce like a wild animal.

"You said you would save them! We were supposed to save all the children! Why?! Why?!!" She cried, repeatedly hitting my chest and cursing me. I didn't move or attempt to stop her, mentally instructing Jack to stay away to prevent her from harm.

"Titus!! Tell me why all the children can't get the love they deserve!! We were supposed to save them, but why did they die?!" She yelled and cried.

Despite my own anger and sorrow, my maturity enabled me to remain composed, allowing Atalanta to unleash her anger and sadness upon me. I believed she would eventually calm down, but instead, she began to unravel.

"Titus! Hey... You can do anything, can't you?! Bring them back! We can still save them! They could still receive lo—"

Cutting her off mid-sentence, I quickly applied pressure to her neck, causing her to lose consciousness. Her eyes rolled back as she collapsed into my arms.

"This is going to be a long journey," I sighed, mentally preparing myself for another challenge and, potentially, another emotional upheaval.

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