The other kidnappers have no idea that the newbie was murdered right behind them.


    Thus, I have committed my first murder, but I don''t have time to get sentimental. I immediately hide the dagger in my clothes and turn my head.


    “GAHHH!”


    The man with the scar swings his sword awkwardly, slicing a gruesome gash into one of the farmers.


    The situation was dire.


    There were already four corpses sprawled across the ground, and they all seemed to be allies that I had summoned. In comparison, there were still three kidnappers standing in varying degrees of condition.


    Something’s off.


    Quickly, I examined one of the farmers.


    The farmer rushed towards one of the kidnappers, and almost comically, impaled himself on an extended blade.


    [Reminder! You must give extremely specific commands to low rank companions! ?(^?^ )? ′-]


    I nearly bite back a curse at the sight of the system’s remark. If the information is to be believed, then the people I had summoned can''t make intelligent decisions after being given commands.


    I really feel like this sort of information should be given beforehand.


    Suddenly, the armored figure that I had summoned reappeared, a tattered cape flickering behind it.


    And as if celebrating the fact that it had reappeared, it raised its head and let out a long roar. The ceiling of the hallway shook, making the fluorescent lights overhead shatter, plunging everything into darkness.


    [Knight (C) has used Roar (D)! Fear has been applied to all enemies!]


    I raised a hand to my head, covering my ears from the deafening sound.


    Judging by the knight’s performance before, when it had decapitated one of the kidnappers in a single stroke, and its skill usage now, does that mean higher ranked companions have more autonomy? I’ll have to test this later.


    Anyways, it truly was a fearsome sight.


    The knight’s back was arched back, its metal gauntlets stained with blood curled into sharp claws. A long cape the color of night swirled behind it, like a shadow kneeling before its master. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    This was a monster.


    This was a demon.


    It looked so much different from humans and that atrocious outer appearance was enough to plant fear into the hearts of humans.


    “Hiiiik……!”


    The kidnappers shrunk back. One man’s arms were trembling so much that he dropped his sword.


    Since the overhead lights had been shattered, the hallway had returned back to being dark—raising the men''s fears to no limit. The emergency lights had been activated by now, emitting a ominous red glow, giving only slight glimpses of the knight stained in blood.


    I assume these kidnappers lived normal lives before this.


    These people have now realized what it means to put their lives on the line.


    “E-Euuuuh……”


    The three kidnappers gathered together. This was an instinct implanted into humans, to unite together with their comrades when facing a beast. However, in this situation that instinct had made them commit a grave mistake.


    “...”


    Slowly, the knight approached the men.


    If the kidnappers had spread out instead of grouping together, then they may have been able to ambush the knight. But these men lacked experience.


    Like a tank, the knight advanced towards the men. Its metal boots came down with a thud and shook the ground. The tremors violently jolted the darkness.


    The men could do nothing but hold up their wooden shields. Their entire body had become rigid. They should probably be complimented for not having run away on the spot.


    “T-This person is dead!”


    I intensely shook the already disordered men by another level. I was holding up the new guy’s chest and shouting.


    “He suddenly fell! It’s magic! The fairy is here! The fairy!”


    “What……”


    With the presence of the “fairy” added into the mix, the concentration of the kidnappers were shaken.


    However, faltering for even a second while a foe was right in front of you, that was more than enough time to bring about a tragic end.


    The men’s attention was dispersed. Aiming for that chance, the knight lunged forward. The target was the man with the scar. As the leader of the unit, when he had heard that the new guy had died, he had turned this way for a brief second. The knight’s sword shattered his skull just like that.


    There wasn’t even a shout.


    His skull was crushed and he was met with instant death.


    “………… uh, aah?”


    One step late, the survivors reacted.


    Honestly, to say that it was a proper reaction was miserable.


    One kidnapper, as if giving up on all hope, fell to his knees. The other kidnapper, on the other hand, decided to escape. Tossing away his sword, he got rid of anything that was weighing him down and ran.


    It’d be troubling if I missed one person here.


    “This way! Run this way!”


    “Uh, ah! Aah!”


    Giving me an obscure response, the man ran towards me. It was like the behavior unconsciously taken by people during a fire. When told to escape this way, they ran towards that direction recklessly.


    I pulled the man close and whispered.


    “Calm your breathing. If we stay by this wall, then you’ll be safe. You can believe me.”


    "O-Okay. I understand.”


    “Now, follow after me and breathe slowly. One. Two. Hoo.”


    “Hoo…… hooo.”


    “Good. That’s it. Inhale and exhale slowly.”


    The man settled his breathing. I grabbed his hand tightly. It was a well-known fact that people became relaxed when a professional grabbed their hand during a crisis.


    “One……”


    The adventurer breathed while following my command. I stealthily pulled out the dagger.


    “Two……”


    It was at the moment he was going to breathe out. With the blade, I slit his throat. Calm breathing could never come out of his mouth ever again. Blood filled his throat and his breathing couldn’t become words. The only sound to come out were gurgles and coughs.


    Shortly after, the man met death.


    At about the same time the man stopped breathing in my arms, the knight had executed the other remaining person.


    It was a gruesome conclusion.


    “……Hoo.”


    I sat back against the cave wall.


    Exhaustion weighed down on my entire body. The heat had yet to subside. I didn’t know that warmth could be so unpleasant. On the other hand, the cold coming off the wall was good. It was the perfect temperature for me right now.


    Half the temperature.


    Half.


    “……It’s not over yet.”


    I muttered to myself.


    If you don’t want your crime to be caught, end what you’ve started.