CHAPTER 2 - BATTLE IN THE CITY

"Hahahaha"

I laughed wholeheartedly as I stood at the side of the city exit before feelings of exhaustion began to wash over me.

I walked towards the gate and used the last bit of mana in my body for enhanced vision to see the faces of the soldiers that were preparing <Mana shield> from before.

Each and everyone of them had the look of shock plastered on their faces.

Well that's to be expected, they were prepared for the devastation and shock wave that would have been created by that huge fireball when something like that happened.

"A whole 2 minutes have passed and they still haven't recovered, oh God this is too hilarious I can't stop laughing" I said while stifling my laughter.

"What the hell is this?'' A female soldier shouted in anger as the tiny specs of red flames around her extinguished.

Looks like she tried to extinguish the flame and as you can see they are perfectly harmless and easily destroyed.

Ignoring the fact that these red flame particles were once a giant ball of destruction, it looks amazing and beautiful to see them float around the city.

It's a weird sight seeing all these specs of flames move around but not a single thing has caught fire and the temperature of the area hasn't changed a bit.

This brings me back to what I said before. I am able to basically change the nature or properties of the flames I produce with mana which would remain even after I lose my connection with them.

I first made a regular <fireball> and then made the temperature to be about the same as the surroundings.

This didn't drain much of my mana because the destructive power was practically zero.

I then made the durability of the flame a little strong so that it won't extinguish from just a slight breeze and last at least ten minutes.

Even though I had practised a lot some hours ago, controlling how long the flame would last was still a little difficult for me and the mana it took for this modification was more than before but still little when compared to a destructive <fireball> of this size.

Finally when I flung it into the air I pumped it with excess mana for one purpose… to increase its size.

So what those soldiers saw was a huge ball of flame with zero destructive power that could at most be used as a touch for ten minutes.

It was a pretty genius and funny prank if you ask me.

The hardest part of this prank was keeping my connection with the <Mega fireball> and using <Physical enhancement> while running.

I could barely connect to the fire ball, while I controlled the mana in my body to specific places for <physical enhancement>, I had to concentrate at all times and my whole mana reserve was almost emptied out after my final move of separating the huge fire ball into tiny specs of flames.

Well there isn't any point in me loitering around here, I need to get deeper into the city and get some clothes.

I have no money with me and I doubt it would even be possible for me to buy anything with Japanese yen.

"Huuu… This means my only choice is to steal some clothes" I said with a depressed tone.

I was having so much fun before and now I have to do something as depressing as stealing.

But I have no other choice, my current look is too suspicious and it might get me into another life or death situation.

I walked slowly into an alley and saw what looked like an apartment building and I quickly checked their mana flow.

By the way I need to come up with a name for my ability to see mana flow but it probably already has a name since other people can use it.

As I looked at the building I realised that the people here were a little weaker than the soldiers from the wall, most of them around Ryans level, some weaker and a minute few stronger, but their mana flow feels more calm and tame… could this be because of battle experience or personality.

But an undeniable fact is that every single demon can use magic and this aroused my curiosity as I brought up questions in my mind.

"Is their ability to use magic due to the fact that they were born in a world filled with mana or because they are demons or that they met both conditions?"

"And how the hell can they maintain peace if everyone can use the destructive power of magic ?"

I feel like I've been asking questions like some kind of philosopher, I can't answer all my questions by just thinking about it[2].

Maybe I should ask someone? No, my questions are too odd and I might arouse some kind of suspicion.

"Well looks like if I'm going to get some answers I have to kidnap someone and get it out of them. I said plainly.

I'm joking obviously, I get depressed when I think about stealing clothes and here I am talking about kidnapping someone.

I'm the last person you would ever see taking the villainous protagonist route in any video game.

Well my plans for today are to get some clothes, explore the city and then I can think about getting some answers… and maybe try to get a meal somewhere, I just hope that there is some charity for the homeless ongoing around here somewhere.

I calmed myself down and dashed towards the apartment building and found a pair of trousers and a hoodie hanging outside that fit me perfectly.

I climbed to the top of the building and observed the city.

Apart from a few design differences it looks similar to a modern city from earth and their vehicles look like cars.

Although I would have preferred a mediaeval sword and magic setting, I feel comfortable in a world that seems familiar.

I jump down from the building into the street so that I can start exploring the city.

Just so you know the building I jumped down from is about 25 feet high and after I landed heavily on the ground I felt extremely numb, I felt like I almost broke something so I almost instantly regretted it.

But a normal human would not have escaped that jump unscratched and I did.

This is so exciting, I feel like I'm becoming a superhuman!!

Yeah I'm not like those weak humans anymore, my goals are way beyond their understanding.

***************************************************

I've been walking around the city for about an hour now and I've seen a lot of things that piqued my interest.

First of all everyone here speaks English and I don't know why it took so long for me to realise it.

It's not like those translation spells in anime that translate the world's language for the MC's to understand and translate the MC's language to the world's language.

I tested it out and they understood what I'm saying, plus when they talked I read their lips and they were directly speaking english and yeah all the writings I've seen are written in english.

Secondly, everyone here looks like your average European or American and barely any Asian or African except for their distinctive random hair colour and eye colour.

What I first noticed while walking around the street was that everyone had strange natural hair colour, I could hardly find anyone with the common blonde or black hair and the colour their eyes mostly matched their hair.

Thirdly, I've heard the people here talking about war and it seems that the war that's been on hold for almost 50 years is about to continue.

When I heard about war I was afraid that the demon race is a warmonger race but from the looks on their faces, I can tell that they rather continue with their peaceful lives.

Everyone seems to be in a gloomy mood and the prank I played at the gate seems to have worsened it.

I walked around the city a little while longer and when I was about to go into the deeper part, I suddenly sensed danger.

I halted my footsteps and looked around me, I can tell four people are staring at me with evil intent.

When they noticed I stopped moving they all came out from their hiding spots and they've already surrounded me.

I sensed their mana flow and I noticed that these people are much stronger than the soldiers at the gate, the level of their mana flow even higher than mine and I can tell that my physical body is still weaker than most demons so my only strength is my ability to cast spells quickly.

I observed them and noticed three guys and one girl, one of the guys that's about 7 feet tall and moderately buff with higher concentration of mana flow than the other two is the one I assumed to be the leader.

I haven't even done anything and they are already glaring at me with the intent to kill.

Seriously, how did these guys recognize me? I've been so low-key ever since I came into the city.

There must be some way to differentiate between me and demons that I don't know about.

"Hey I have no idea why you are staring at me like that, may I know if I've done anything to offend you" I said honestly as I really have no idea why demons want me dead.

"Shut up!! I don't know what a saint is doing here, but there is no escape for you" the girl at my back talks first.

"You must know what your situation is, so just give up and surrender" the guy on my left says.

"Layne, Brett stop trying to converse with him, these saints are lip tight and it would take at least torture to get them to talk" the guy by my right says and he has the fiercest glare of them all.

"Liam it's okay even if he has a blessed weapon it wouldn't be that difficult to deal with him, the four of us combined are much stronger than him so he should be easy picking for us" the huge guy in front of me says with disdain.

"Saint?" I muttered as I frowned.

This doesn't align with what Ryan's lot called me, how the hell did I change from the greatest abomination to a saint and from the way they are talking, it sounds like another race.

I think they misunderstood.

"I am Oliver Hill from the Hills royal family, if you cooperate with us and tell us everything you know there wouldn't be any need for torture" the guy in front of me says with a huge grin on his face.

Honestly, I would rather get captured and spill all my secrets just so that I could get a decent meal, it's just that… I have nothing to spill.

Well it looks like there's no getting out of this one, they've completely assumed that I'm a saint.

Looks like the only thing I can do is fight and escape this city.

"But but I haven't even eaten yet. Ughhh this is pissing me off" I said as I'm one step away from becoming 'hangry'.

I used <physical enhancement> magic to boost my speed as I rushed towards Oliver.

"Hmph I guess we'll just do this the hard way, attack now!!" Oliver shouted as he started to prepare a fire spell on his hands.

I immediately casted six <fire ball> and shot it in the direction of the four of them, thereby interrupting their spell casting.

The fire ball sped towards them and they quickly retreated and the casted shield magic of different elements.

Oliver used <fire wall>, Layne used <earth wall>, Brett used <wind wall> and Liam <ice wall>.

I was trying to take advantage of my ability to cast spells quickly to slow them down, but it also helped me identify their different magic affinity.

While they were distracted I had already ran up behind Oliver and launched a punch at him.

My aim was that if I could stun one of them, especially their strongest, my chances of escaping would increase.

But don't misunderstand, I know I'm in their territory so even if I could defeat all four of them it would give time for reinforcement to show up and by then they might abandon the intention of capturing me.

When I attacked him my senses told me something was wrong so I halted my attack midway and jumped backwards.

He suddenly did a roundhouse kick towards the direction where I was standing.

It was so fast that I was lucky to even react in time, the worst part is he didn't even use <physical enhancement> magic.

"This is bad I miscalculated" I muttered as I pushed <physical enhancement> to the max while I turned around and ran.

My physique is at most a little bit stronger than Ryan's and I can actually feel myself getting stronger gradually but I definitely can't deal with them.

I just have to pray that I can at least escape.

My heart is beating vigorously, I have to concentrate If I want to get out of here alive and surrendering is not an option because they probably won't believe anything I say.

As I started running I noticed that they chose to cast spells instead of chasing me.

I drew my hands backwards as I struggled to casted multiple layers <Mana shield> as I continued running.

"Boom!!"

Sounds of explosion sounded from behind me as I kept on casting <mana shield> while continuing to run.

"Shit quickly chase after him" one of them said.

"Now" I said as I turned around and converted the leftover mana from my previous <mana shield> spells and turned them into numerous balls of fire that shot towards the four of them at tremendous speed giving no time for any of them to react.

"Damn it, he's an expert at <mana manipulation>"

"Boom"

"Boom"

Multiple sounds of explosion sounded as I turned around and continued running.

I increased the burning and explosive effect of those <fire balls> so they should have caused them some damage but that took a lot of mana.

I continued running towards the direction of the city exit for about two minutes before they caught up to me.

"Take this you piece of shit!"

Oliver appeared in front of me and casted four <flame spear> above his hands.

I couldn't interrupt him because he had already casted the spells before he got to me.

"<Mana shield>" I casted the spell as I knew I couldn't avoid confrontation.

A highly dense mana shield appeared in front of me, the flame spears clashed with it and the mana shield which lasted for about two seconds before it cracked.

I jumped sideways dodging the flame spears that had penetrated the mana shield.

I felt cold sweat on my back as I leaped forward dodging the <earth spikes> that came out from below me.

My instincts sent me multiple warning signals, while I was about to land on the ground and I saw a dozen <ice shards> coming towards me from the side, I used <mana shield> to slow down their momentum before dodging it.

Before I knew it my back was already facing Oliver.

I turned swiftly before using my hand to block the punch Oliver launched at me, I pumped my hands with excess mana and braced for impact.

What came next was the sound of my bone breaking followed by unbearable pain.

"Ahhhh" I shouted.

I was so angry that I forced my broken right hand to grab Oliver while I lifted my left hand as six <flame spears> modified with high penetrating power appeared around it and shot towards Oliver who tried to resist by casting a mana shield.

But it was already too late as the flame spears penetrated through his shield without any resistance and pierced different parts of his body.

I pumped the flame spears with excess mana and made them burn his insides.

"Ahhhh" Oliver screams.

Then I launched a <fire ball> at Oliver's face that exploded on contact, which I'm pretty sure knocked him out.

I then turned around and continued running.

[Author's Notes]

1. Word count - 2747 words.

2. No offence to any philosophers but… I don't think I can solve a problem by just thinking about it.

3. You guys should forgive the main character for being brutal towards Oliver, he's HANGRY.

4. Wow, Jeez, can you believe how it's taking me to introduce the main character. This is already the third chapter and his name hasn't even been mentioned yet.