2 Chapter 2: Unconventional Savior

A beautiful orange hue covered the sky as the sun peeked over the horizon. Sunlight gradually illuminated the surroundings, casting long shadows beneath the many structures of the 'Splint-wood Village'.

In a forest located not too far from there, a gloomy silence hung in the air. Not even the sound of crickets could be heard, highlighting how peculiar the situation was.

Just then, a shadow suddenly flitted across the forest floor as a blurred figure sped past, hopping from tree to tree. It was so fast that it completely eluded the naked eye.

That figure was, of course, Aziel.

Waking up first thing in the morning, he'd silently left the house and made his way back to the forest. Now that he had gained a rudimentary understanding of the current situation, it was only natural that he tested out the limits of his own strength.

'My core physical abilities, cognitive processing, base instincts, and five senses have been improved to freakish levels. There's still more to be discovered.'

Aziel systematically took note of every change and memorized them instantly. His inner voice was so monotonous that one would think him a robot instead of a human. Darting from one tree to the next, the surroundings had already become indistinct as he moved nimbly, flipping across branches with more finesse than an ape.

Even an Olympic acrobat would be put to shame when compared to his dexterous maneuvers.

Despite moving so fast, Aziel quickly discovered the astonishing fact that he wasn't being impeded or harmed by any air resistance, allowing him to move faster and exert more force than what should've been possible at his current level.

Moreover, he could feel that if he so chose to, he could ignore inertia, granting him the ability to turn on a dime without losing speed, or decelerate completely before instantly accelerating back at top speed.

'The ability to ignore inertia, acceleration effects, and fluidly move on trees, slopes, and perhaps other surfaces with complete ease. Must be a derivative of that original skill that allows me to move efficiently.'

One should know that 'Derivative Skills', as the name suggests, are skills that are derived from the Original Skill. They could either be a powered-up version of the original, or have an alternative function, but still works similarly to the original.

Thus, Aziel surmised that all of his current movement abilities must be derived from an original skill.

Moreover, during this whole trial run, none of his strides, leaps, or turns felt wasted, as if one movement seamlessly led to the next. The absolute minimum amount of effort was required for him to pull off each maneuver, preserving his strength and stamina to its utmost limit.

Finally, he ended off his test run by swinging away from a branch in a triple front flip, landing effortlessly on the soft grass below.

'Send me back to earth and I'd massacre an entire army division without so much as a scratch. Bastards can only sit there and watch me slaughter them.'

Ignoring how heinous it sounded, Aziel was certain that, with the addition of a few firearms, he'd be capable of achieving such a feat, if not even more. Regardless, he was far from finished testing his abilities.

'What's next….'

Walking over to a sturdy-looking tree, he casually stopped in front of it. For a few seconds, everything went silent, his breathing synchronized with the hushed breeze. Until finally, Aziel decisively spun on his heel in one fluid motion. Time seemed to ground to a halt as his foot stood a few inches from connecting.

*BAaaaAAng! CRRSSSHH!*

A reverse roundhouse kick landed almost instantly with a deafening crash. Splintered bark scattered in all directions as the tree was sent flying, leaving behind a fractured trunk.

'Well…Shit.'

At the same time, Aziel slowly lowered his leg, completely unscathed. He glanced over at the rising debris, slightly nonplussed. It was due to the fact that this result had also required little to no effort on his part.

It was as if his foot ripped straight through a sheet of cardboard.

This only emphasized just how much his strength had increased. Since arriving in this world, he had instinctively regulated the immense strength flowing throughout his body, so it came as a surprise that his power was far beyond what he'd initially estimated.

'A lot higher than that shitty hero's initial stats. Likely on par with Meld Loggins or somewhere near there.'

A preposterous thought.

That being said, it made him wonder just what kind of job he had to display such might. Back on earth, Aziel was already formidable in various forms of combat, so it was a natural conclusion that he'd wield his strength more effectively than some novice teens.

Even saying he was 'formidable' would be an understatement. If one were to ask an individual who'd witnessed his prowess, they'd without a doubt call him terrifying.

However, according to his knowledge, he must've received a massive boost in strength upon being bestowed with this world's energy, since humans from earth were apparently starved of its own world tree branches energy for a prolonged period of time. Comparable to altitude training.

Although his best guess would be that he received some sort of amplification due to being from a whole other earth entirely. No, it'd be more apt to say he was dropped from another universe by some random phenomena, hence why he'd ended up in the middle of nowhere and hadn't met anyone prior to arriving.

Nevertheless, whether someone had sent him here or not, he'd still have to be strong enough to accomplish anything worthwhile.

'A status plate would be fucking marvelous right about now…'

Aziel could only click his tongue petulantly. A status plate would allow him to quickly identify all of his hidden abilities and stats, making for an easier time gaining proficiency in each of them.

Speaking of which, he realized now that he'd have to find some way to procure one without having his information read. If someone were to see his ludicrous stats, it would, without a doubt, kick up a massive storm. Then, the false god would set its perverse eyes on him.

'Minor issues. I'll deal with it when I get there.'

With an inscrutable expression, Aziel started to make his way back toward the village. However, before he could begin walking, the sound of crunching leaves and twigs reached his ears, originating from quite a distance away.

Somewhat curious, he turned his head and stared toward the entity his senses picked up on.

Seconds passed as the sound got closer, a humanoid shaped figure seemed to be coming in his direction. Judging by its hurried and uneven steps, whoever it was appeared to be in a panic. His supernatural senses allowed him to pick up on their labored breathing and anguished mewl.

By now, he could somewhat guess the general situation, but still waited nonetheless. A few more seconds wouldn't hurt anything.

Suddenly, the nearby vegetation was disturbed as a man of average height and appearance came barreling out of a section of bushes, stumbling as he pressed a hand on his abdomen, covering a deep wound.

Falling to one knee, the man struggled to get back up, gazing ahead with unfocused eyes. His face was pale, drenched in sweat, wearing tattered clothes that looked to be rather shoddy even in pristine condition. From the looks of if, this sort of damage wasn't dealt by human hands.

A few dry coughs escaped his lips as his eyes unexpectedly landed on someone…who also happened to be looking straight at him. Aziel's striking appearance was reflected in the man's pupils. Not missing a beat, the injured man stumbled over toward him, desperation written on his face.

It was as if a drowning man had been thrown a life ring.

"P-please, h-help us…my village, p-please…!"

Dropping to both knees, the man whimpered, squeezing out a few words in a pained voice. Stretching out his bloodied hands, the man tried latching onto Aziel's pants.

However–

"The fuck….?"

Reality often differed from expectations.

Aziel raised his leg, leaving the man tumbling to the ground in front of him. Any normal person would've at least tried to help the guy upon seeing his critical condition, but at this moment, the injured man wasn't dealing with a normal person.

The injured man froze up with a dazed expression, before slowly lifting his head and gazing up toward Aziel. He looked as if he didn't comprehend what had just happened.

A few seconds later, the man quickly came back to his senses and continued

"V-village…please help…m-my village."

Stretching out his hand once more, he was once again met with empty air.

Aziel squinted his eyes, silently staring down at the injured man.

"You really can't make this shit up." Aziel voiced with an openly exaggerated sigh.

By now, the injured man was growing agitated. Tears welled up in his eyes as he grit his teeth.

"M-monsters…attacked our v-village, s-send help….please…."

"No…?"

A heartless reply. The injured man stared upward, slack jawed. Could a human being be this cruel? The most ridiculous part about it was that Aziel's expression looked as if it was the most obvious response.

"....W-why?"

"'W-why?' Because it's not my problem. Stop being so difficult. Either way, I'll be off now."

Curiosity now sated, Aziel turned on his heel and prepared to leave. Truthfully speaking, he had no reason to entertain the injured man's request, nor did he intend to. Heartless or not, if there was no valid basis, he wasn't interested in going out of his way to do something that had no appeal.

He didn't consider himself to be an especially cruel person, but realistic. Not everything was centered around logic, for he only wanted what he wanted. That was all.

"W-wait, I'll…I'll give you anything…a-anything you want…!"

At that, Aziel's ears perked up, although not by much. He stopped in his tracks, expressing his willingness to hear the man out.

"I doubt that, but let's hear it. What can you give me?"

Seeing this as his last chance to get through to Aziel, the injured man continued in a frantic, hoarse voice.

"Y-yes…! We have money, eh, u-uh, crops, a-and some precious herbs…."

Aziel's interest waned. He, of course, didn't expect much, but it was worth a try. Though, if he was being honest, the offer of money had tempted him ever so slightly. Afterall, he hadn't a single 'Luta' to his name.

Weighing the pros and cons of the situation for a split second, he ultimately came to a decision.

"What direction is your village in?"

"I-it's uh...uhm—"

"Point to it, asshole."

"R-right. It's there….a-an hour….long walk from here. Y-you'll help them, right?"

Aziel looked in the direction the injured man pointed to, before walking off without sparing him a second glance.

There were actually quite a few reasons as to why he troubled himself with such a wearisome task. He couldn't say with certainty that the monsters who'd attacked the other village wouldn't make their way toward his current dwelling, so it was better to eliminate any nuisance in its cradle.

Plus, if that other village was already destroyed by the time he arrived, he could just collect what was left of their assets. And if they refused to reward him after providing assistance, by then, mere monsters would become the least of their concerns.

"W-wait…!"

The injured man was already well past the point of being saved by normal means. Without 'summoned hero' level healing abilities, there was no hope for survival. His breaths came in short gasps and his face was as white as a sheet. Blood nearly covered his entire abdomen.

"How may I help you....?" Aziel stopped in place, not planning on looking back.

Hearing his words, the man continued.

"What's….y-your n-name?"

Despite his weighted eyelids, the injured man's gaze never faltered. Traveling all the way over here just to find help even while burdened with critical injuries, he'd eventually found Aziel, who was, in all parts callous.

Yet, In the end, the injured man had obtained his help. He had no way of knowing just how strong the young man in front of him was, but he could feel it in the depths of his soul—this stone-hearted person was truly powerful.

Aziel's characteristic heavy-lidded eyes roamed the swaying grass beneath him as he replied in his usual languid tone.

"…..I go by Aziel Nox."

With that, he set off, leaving behind the dying man who finally closed his eyes, a contented smile gracing his ashen face.

*****

In a small settlement located southwest of Splint-wood Village, ear splitting roars reverberated alongside terror-stricken wails.

Blood dyed the ground red and stained the skin of many unwilling huntsmen. Old and young hid inside dilapidated houses, petrified, silently praying for salvation that would never come.

Standing at a staggering 220 centimeters(7ft2), a large group of bipedal creatures that resembled mutated hyenas swept through the village, leaving only wreckage and debris in their wake. In such a hopeless situation, most able-bodied men had already resigned themselves to death.

Wielding spears, swords, and bows, they could barely manage to create big enough wounds to even slow the monsters down. One of the huntsmen named Jared, swung his spear with all the strength his feeble body could muster.

"F-fuck!"

Drops of blood splattered on his face as his spear had only just pierced through the Gnoll-like creature's thick fur. Meeting the Gnoll's fierce howl head on, Jared beat a hasty retreat, but not before taking a powerful backhand to his stomach, tossing him across the ground.

"Gah!"

Rolling over in the dirt, pain lanced throughout his body. He coughed heavily as saliva spewed from his mouth. Even without looking, he could feel the Gnoll's menacing presence slowly bearing down on him.

Out of the corners of his eyes, the sight of his friends and neighbors whom he'd been laughing with a few hours ago being butchered one after another made him feel as if his heart was being gouged out.

"You bastards….!"

Questions like 'why did this have to happen to us' and 'what did we do to deserve this' flitted through his mind, but it did nothing to stop the chaos from spreading.

Hatred oozed out in waves. His expression gradually morphed into one of pure rage as he clenched his fists and glared up at the Gnoll standing above him. It didn't matter even if he had to sell his soul to the devil, he wanted these monsters to die.

Hearing a low growl, Jared was forcefully torn away from his thoughts as he noticed the monster preparing to dispose of him. The Gnoll raised its thick arm into the air, its sharp claws glinting dangerously in the morning light.

Gritting his teeth with a defiant look in his eyes, Jared silently awaited his eminent death…..however—

*Tak…*

A stone the size of a child's thumb bounced off the back of the monster's head. Someone…had actually thrown a rock at it. Furious, it turned to look at the insolent cretin who dared to provoke it.

Following the Gnoll's gaze, Jared caught sight of the perpetrator who'd managed to prolong his life for a brief moment of time.

He was met with a tall, captivating young man with a height of around 193 centimeters, shoulder length black hair loosely tied up with a white hair clip, exotic pale golden eyes, and exquisite features that made him extremely difficult to ignore.

Judging by his attire, he seemed to be quite affluent, his clothes were made of expensive materials that would only be worn by members of the ruling class. What's more, his toned physique and broad shoulders indicated that he was not at all weak.

The young man made his way toward the field of death unhurriedly, seeming as if he lacked all interest in what was happening in front of him. His presence exuded a natural pressure, capturing the attention of everything present.

No one moved, not even the monsters who had been in the midst of purging the village.

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I? You know what, keep doing whatever the fuck you were doing before. Don't stop for my sake. Go, go, go."

The young man tilted his head, his soothing deep voice both at once casual and relaxed. Like a fresh spring breeze, one couldn't help but feel comfortable upon hearing it. Despite not speaking loudly, his words could be heard by everyone in the vicinity.

Though, the villagers were in too much of a shocked state to even comprehend much of what he was saying.

With measured steps, he walked all the up to the Gnoll standing above Jared, and stared up into its eyes, his hands calmly tucked away into the pockets of his slacks.

From there, an uncomfortable silence reigned as a staring contest ensued for a scant few seconds.

In the face of such a savage creature, he stood undaunted by its aura. Despite being a good deal smaller than the monster, he looked incomparably large in the eyes of every human nearby. It felt as if they were safe now that he was here.

The villagers watched on with bated breath, harboring an inexplicable assurance that this mysterious young man would save them from this hell. However, the Gnoll quickly became fed up with the situation, and parted its jaws to release an ear-splitting roar.

And yet—

*SPLGH!*

A blurred image of an arm ripped through the air in a horizontal swipe, immediately severing the Gnolls head from its shoulders. A spray of blood gushed out, dyeing the ground a deep crimson.

No one even had time to blink.

The sight was so absurd that it remained cemented in the minds of all who witnessed it.

"Huh….?" Jared muttered dumbly, his eyes dull.

The young man, who was no doubt the cause of this madness, didn't seem like he moved at all!

Those present watched as the severed head arced through the air, before landing with a meaty 'thunk' and rolled across the dirt, its ferocious expression still plastered on its face.

A silent tension pervaded the already suffocating atmosphere. Although it had occurred right in front of their eyes, many were still unable to believe it, especially the monsters, who blankly looked back and forth between each other.

"Haa….this piece of shit. Just stop breathing, it stinks."

A flat, unimpressed voice rang out. Although he stood at the center of this gruesome spectacle, just his unflappable tone was capable of easing all worries.

Seeing a display of strength no less than a fabled gold ranked adventurer, the villagers who previously had their hearts shrouded in despair, now had their eyes set ablaze with the light of hope. Jared, who currently lay beside the Gnoll's fallen corpse, slowly pushed himself off the ground as he gazed at the aloof young man's figure in complete awe.

In his eyes, there was reverence, there was hope, a mix of inexplicable emotions that could only be expressed through the tears welling up in his eyes. The powerlessness he felt before was washed away by a radical fervor that compelled him to pick up his spear once more.

Noticing this, the other surviving huntsmen felt something stirring in their hearts, and soon followed Jared's example. They were well aware of the fact that they stood no chance against the Gnolls, but they wanted—no, they had to at least protect their fellow villagers.

"Color me surprised, you lot aren't so unsightly after all…."

Naturally, the extraordinary young man's insensitive muttering hadn't escaped Jared's ears, but he only treated it as a passing breeze.

The remaining Gnolls who'd been watching this scene blankly, finally broke free from their daze, their bodies trembling in uncontrollable fury as they released a cacophony of frenzied roars.

Seeing the dangerous young man as a dire threat, the monsters completely disregarded the huntsmen's feeble resistance and barreled toward him with the full might of their bodies.

Slowly walking toward the incoming crowd of bloodthirsty monsters, the young man let his eyelids fall a little further, showing blatant disregard for these paltry creatures.

He stretched his neck, expressing his condolences.

"This isn't even my job. What am I, a bug exterminator? Fucking pests."