Chapter 21 - Sword and Sanity

"Die for me you worthless piece of scum!" The mad Erik charged at me with a black bladed sword in hand.

I blocked his attack with my weapon but the difference in our strength was massive. My sword arm was deflected in the process.

"Dammit!" I quickly jumped back as the Harpy came in to attack me.

I tried to slash at the Harpy but she used her leg to block my attack. I quickly disengaged to follow up with a kick. Erik suddenly appeared before me and caught my leg with a single hand.I tried to remove my leg from his grip but it was too tight. I was sure that he was not that strong before.

"You caaaan't escape me nooooow!" He creepily announced with a smile.

While still holding my leg, he used his sword to stab at my face. I barely avoided the attack by arching my back. I then used my captured leg to lift my whole body up then landed a kick at his face with my other foot.

"Grah!" He grunted.

I was expecting him to loosen his grip but that was not the case, it even grew tighter. He then raised me up from the surface then swung me around as if I was some kind of toy. I struggled but I was not able to escape. He slammed me on a nearby tree. My flank collided with the rigid trunk, inflicting a great amount of pain

"Argh!" The sound escaped from my mouth.

Yet he was not finished. He swung me around again before he threw me up high in the air.

"How does it feel to be the one to be toyed around now, huh?" He shouted with his mouth open wide.

As I was in mid air, the Harpy came in pursuit from below. I used both my hands to hold my sword and met the Harpy with an overhead strike. The Harpy was able to predict my movements and dodged easily. She then used her knee to pummel my stomach.

"*cough*" I gasped for air.

I was not sure if it was because of the thin atmosphere or because of their blows, but it was just hard to breathe. It felt like there was something clogged inside me that prevented air to come inside. The Harpy flew higher then kicked me from above. I crossed my arms to prevent a direct hit to my head. The power behind her kick hastened my fall. As I looked to the ground, Erik was waiting for me below. He raised his sword then directed it at me.

"Damn it all!" I shouted in my mind.

I placed my sword in front of me to attempt to meet the blade. Just when I was about to make contact, Erik shifted his sword to avoid mine. My left shoulder was pierced by his sword in the process.

"AAAAAAAAH!" I shouted out the last remaining air in my lungs.

It was nowhere near the pain that I had gained from our previous fight. My flesh was torn completely and blood gushed out. He then pulled his sword quickly which made it even worse.A hysterical laugh came from his lips as if he was having tons of fun. He then kicked my wounded shoulder which knocked me to the ground.

It was excruciating, it felt like hell. I rolled back and forth, again and again. Yet I was still able to feel the stinging. I could not stop tears from falling down as the crimson liquid stained my whole body. His laugh became louder and wilder. He absolutely lost his mind. There was no way I could hold on any longer. I used my remaining strength and sanity to get up and run away from him. Although every movement made the pain even more intense, I knew that I had to bear it if I wanted to survive.

"You're running already? I'm gonna enjoy hunting you down!"

I was expecting for him to chase me immediately but he did not. I bit my lip as I endured everything. My pace was slow but I was sure that I was able to put a distance between us. I kept it going for a chance to escape.

"Argh!" I groaned as I suddenly hit something.

I know I bumped into something but I was somehow unable to see anything blocking my path. I extended my hand to check and there really was an obstruction.

I was able to touch it yet I could not see it at all. I rammed at it with my whole body but it just bounced me back. I continuously pounded it with my right hand but there were no signs of it disappearing. I gave up and tried to go to another direction. Yet after going at it for a while, a similar phenomenon occurred.

I then heard Erik's laughter, getting louder with my every breath. Since running was fruitless, I decided to hide behind a tree with some shrubberies. I tried to recover while mitigating any noise that I might make. I covered my mouth with my hand to muffle the sound of my breathing. I was already short on air and blocking my mouth made it even harder for me. I still endured it though since it would be all over if he found me.

"Oh Meeeeest! Wheeeeere are youuuuuuuu?" Erik called out as if a kid playing hide and seek.

I did not respond. I stayed still. As time passed, the sound of his footsteps became clearer. He was getting nearer and nearer. I removed my hand from my mouth and placed it on my sword.

"Hiding just lengthens your suffering, you know that? There is no use buying time! Your familiars won't find you! You are good as dead!" Erik let out a creepy laugh again.

He was confident that back up would not arrive. That should mean that he had something to do with the unseen force that prevented me from running any further. He might just be bluffing but I did not think that was the case.

"You might conceal your presence but I can smell your blood! It smells like my grandma's cooking that has rotten decades ago! It reeks!" His laughter suddenly disappeared and was replaced by anger.

Being able to rest for a while allowed me to recollect my thoughts. Running was no use and so did buying time. There was only one choice left, to fight. It was clear that I had no chance fighting against both him and his familiar. But if I could just land a decisive blow at Erik then his familiar should also stop. I took a deep breath as I held my sword tightly. I braced my mind so I could endure my aching shoulder. I was getting dizzy because of the blood loss but I had already made up my mind.

"Is that all you can do with your last few moments, huh Mest? After you got in my way from becoming E ranked then made me feel like shit even though you are nothing but a weak little runt! Huh?" His angry voice filled the forest.

I did not move an inch. I patiently waited for him to get closer so I could take him by surprise.

"Just because you got lucky by defeating that spoiled noble bitch you already think you are some kind of hot shot! I'm stronger than you! I'm better than you! How can I be stuck in the measly F rank while you get promoted and held in high regards? WHY?" His voice became rougher and rougher, as if it was no longer him who owned the voice."WHY DID YOU HAVE TO EXIST AND GET IN MY WAY? WHY?"

Suddenly, I heard a whooping sound. The tree that I was hiding behind from was cut in half, just about a millimeter above my head. The other half of the tree was about to fall down on my direction so I had to move.

"THERE YOU ARE!" He tilted his head with a huge smile on his face.

I ran towards him for a chance of knocking him down when the Harpy blocked my path. I was about to slash at her but I knew that she was just going to block it. I stopped my sword arm half way then spitted at her face instead. My blood infused spit went in her eyes which obstructed her vision. I used that opportunity to get past her and went straight to Erik.

I slashed at him, aiming for his head. Since he was not expecting me to get past his familiar, there was a lapse in his reaction. He moved his body backwards to avoid my blade but I was still able to cut across his right eye. He screamed in pain but that did not stop me. I quickly followed it with a stab to his stomach, piercing through it. I was expecting him to fall down but he did not. My aim was off. I failed to hit a vital organ.

"THE PAIN! IT HURTS! IT FEELS GOOD! IT'S NICE! IT'S DEVASTATING!"

I was not able to identify whether he was angry or in ecstasy. The more I fought with him, the more he got crazier. I tried to pull my sword off him but he prevented me from doing so. He tightly held the blade with his left hand. Blood dripped down from his hand as a result but it did not stop him.

"HOW DID I NOT KNOW THAT PAIN CAN FEEL THIS AMAZING? THIS IS ABSURD!" He stuck his tongue out and licked the blood that streamed down from his eye.

I tried to pull my sword out again but it was stuck. He then began wielding his sword with my head as his target. I dodged it by moving my whole body without letting go of my sword. I knew that it was dangerous for me to stay close to him but I also knew that letting go of my weapon would decrease my chance of winning. After dodging his sword by ducking, I used my head to ram him against his chin from below.

His faced turned upwards as a result yet he was still standing on his feet. His head turned to face me in a creepy movement then he smiled again. He slashed at me a couple more times until he aimed at my hand that was holding the sword. With that, I had no choice but to let go.

"STRUGGLE MORE! ENTERTAIN ME MORE!"

The Harpy appeared behind me then kicked me from behind. The attack knocked me to the ground. It was followed by a stab by Erik which I was able to dodge by rolling away. I quickly stood up but the Harpy was waiting as I rose up. She kicked me again which I was barely able to dodge. The Harpy then flew higher then charged at me with both her talons. She got me completely pinned down, just like what she did to me the last time.

Her grip on both my shoulders were tight, I was not able to move. One of her fingers even stuck in my shoulder's wound. The pain was crazy that I could not hold myself from shouting. Erik followed it by stabbing my right thigh. The sensation was unbearable. I flailed wildly with hopes to break free but it was futile. His hysterical laughter filled my ears. My throat hurt like crazy yet crying out was all I could do to mitigate the pain.

"SCREAM MORE! I LOVE SEEING YOU WRITHE IN PAIN!"

He let go of his sword which was struck in my thigh then raised both of his arms widely. It was as if he was savouring every moment. His expression was carved into my mind, I wanted to kill him! He pulled out his sword from me and was about to stab me again when a sound of a glass breaking echoed. A glass like dome structure that was covering us became visible all of a sudden. A hole bore through the dome and flames came running through it.

The orange filled sky became even brighter due to the flames. The whole dome cracked which caused it to break. Piece by piece fell from it but instead of colliding to the ground, it dissolved into smaller particles.

"LAVINIAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" His face crumpled in anger.

The noble girl arrived and behind her were both of her familiars as well as Scurus and Ovis.

"M-master!" Ovis shouted from afar.

I was not able to see what expression she was making but judging from her voice, she must be worried.

"I WAS GOING TO HUNT YOU DOWN NEXT. YOU ACTUALLY HELPED ME SAVE TIME BY COMING HERE YOURSELF!"

"You still think you can win with all of us here? I was able to easily shut you down, what more with both of us here?" Lavinia said as she looked down on Erik.

"YOU BITCH! I AM NO LONGER THE MAN I USED TO BE BEFORE!"

Erik suddenly got surrounded by a thick dark mist. He raised his sword to the air then stabbed his familiar from behind.

"M-master?" The Harpy's face warped as she tried to look back.

Her blood dripped down on my face. Her grip loosened until she was no longer able to stand. Her lifeless body dropped down on me, the sensation made me tremble.

"I see you already fell that far. There is no longer use for any mercy." Lavinia uttered as she signalled her familiars to attack.

"MERCY? I NEVER NEEDED THAT! THE STRONG DOES NOT NEED ANYONE'S MERCY!"

His body began to change. His skin was slowly turning to black and a pair of wings started to grow on his back. His hands changed in shape and resembled the talons of his familiar. He groaned in pain while his body transformed. I saw that as an opportunity. I ignored any pain that I was feeling and stood up while he was immobilized. I pulled out my sword from his body with both my arms despite the large wound on my shoulder.

"MEEEEEEEEEEEEEST!"

I swiftly slashed at his neck without wasting another breath. His face was filled with shock and anger as his head got separated from his body. His mouth was wildly opened and a stream of saliva was flowing out from it. Blood spurted out from his neck and the dark aura around him began to dissipate.

Upon seeing his decapitated head lying flat on the ground, all the tension in my body suddenly left. My strength went away and my sight grew dim.

I just killed a man.

It was the first life of a Human that I took after a long while.

The first one out of the hundreds….

No, the first one of the thousands to come.

END OF VOLUME 1