Chapter 19: Mess with the wrong person


    Ezren stood up from the table, finishing his meal and preparing to head out. The innkeeper’s warm smile was a brief comfort as he moved toward the door.


    That’s when she appeared.


    As he reached the threshold, a figure crossed his path—a woman, gliding with unsettling grace through the room. She wore a long, dark cloak, the edges trailing slightly behind her as she moved. Her pale skin was almost ghostly, her face so thin it made her look anemic, as if life itself had been slowly drained from her.


    Her features were delicate, but her eyes were sharp—observant, intense, like she was watching everything around her carefully, constantly calculating. There was a quiet sadness in the way she carried herself, a vulnerability that contrasted with the underlying strength in her posture. She seemed distant, detached from everything around her, yet fully present in her own way.


    Her hair was short, cut in a bob that framed her face, dark and neat, like it had been hastily arranged but still looked natural. In one hand, she carried a Gladstone bag, the leather worn but still sturdy. It had the look of something practical, yet somehow out of place in a town like this.


    Ezren couldn''t help but notice her build—slight, standing at about 5’4—but her presence was unsettling, like she didn''t belong, yet she was exactly where she needed to be. It was the kind of presence that didn’t seek attention but commanded it.


    As she passed him, their eyes met briefly. She said nothing, her expression unreadable. There was no warmth in her gaze, no acknowledgment beyond the quiet intensity that seemed to emanate from her.


    Ezren stood frozen for a moment, the weight of her gaze lingering in the air. She was gone in an instant, slipping past him, her footsteps almost silent as she moved through the door.


    Ezren shook himself from his reverie. Focus, he reminded himself. Don''t get distracted.


    He stepped outside into the crisp morning air, but the image of her lingered in his thoughts longer than he cared to admit.


    Ezren left the inn and headed toward the west village, summoning his bird to scout ahead. The bird flew off into the sky, its keen eyes searching the area as Ezren walked steadily toward his destination.


    By the time he arrived, it was close to lunchtime. The village head greeted him warmly, offering him entry into his modest home. Once inside, the village head served him a simple but hearty meal, the smell of roasted meat filling the air.


    “Thank you for the meal,” Ezren said, taking a bite and settling into his seat.


    The village head nodded, then leaned forward, his expression turning serious. “You’re welcome, mercenary. Now, about that bear… It’s been attacking our livestock—mostly cows. I’ve lost three already. We think it''s been coming from the northwest, near the hills. There’s a cave up there, and it might be using it as a den. If you head that way, you might find it.”


    Ezren finished his food and nodded. “I’ll take care of it.” He stood, his resolve firm. "I’ll head that way now."


    “Be careful,” the village head warned, his eyes wary. "The bear''s been wild lately, and we don''t know if it’s acting alone."


    Ezren acknowledged the advice with a quiet nod and stepped back outside, calling his bird to scout the path ahead once more. The bird took flight again, soaring into the distance, and Ezren followed the bird''s movements through the air as he trekked toward the northwest.


    After a couple of hours of walking, Ezren arrived at the base of the hills, scanning the area. The cave wasn’t far now, but he knew better than to rush in unprepared. He paused and took out a vial of basilisk poison, carefully lacing it onto the sharp edge of his bone spike. His gaze hardened as he adjusted the bone spike, the dark mana swirling within it.


    It’s just one bear, he thought, feeling the weight of the moment. Let’s see if I can do this on my own for once.


    He looked to the sky, watching the bird circle above the cave entrance. "Piss it off," Ezren muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing.


    Moments later, the bird dove toward the cave, flitting in and out of the entrance. The bear emerged, growling loudly, its massive frame blocking the mouth of the cave. The bird darted around it, taunting and annoying the creature.


    Ezren gripped his bone spike tightly. "Let''s see if the poison works."


    He threw the bone spike with deadly accuracy, willing it to accelerate toward the bear. The spike shot through the air, its speed unmatchable as it pierced the bear’s neck and shoulder. The bear let out a mighty roar of pain, still distracted by the bird flitting around it.


    Ezren watched carefully, his focus unwavering as the bear swayed on its feet, the poison taking effect. Slowly, the animal''s movements grew sluggish, and its roar turned into a low growl.


    Good.


    He began walking toward the bear, his hand still gripping the hilt of another bone spike, ready for the final blow. He wasn’t going to let it suffer any longer. As he approached, he prepared to stab the bear in the eyes, to end its life quickly.


    But before he could strike, a sharp pain erupted in his back.


    Arrows.


    two arrows suddenly flew from the side, hitting him in the back of the shoulder and the side of his upper arm. The impact was sharp, but his chainmail absorbed much of the blow, though the pain still surged through him.


    He staggered back, his senses momentarily hazy from the shock, but he quickly ducked behind a nearby boulder, pressing a hand to his bleeding shoulder. Damn it. Someone was shooting at him.


    Ezren glanced around quickly, trying to pinpoint the source of the attack. Where the hell are they?


    The bear was still struggling, its movements sluggish from the poison, but it was still alive.


    Ezren stayed low behind the paralyze bear, trying to control his breathing. Another arrow whizzed past, striking the bear . The creature let out a painful roar.


    But it was then that they appeared.


    From the shadows of the trees, four swordsmen and two archers stepped out, their weapons drawn and ready. The leader, a man who stood at 5’8, with a broad frame, sneered at Ezren from across the open space. His voice was low but commanding.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    “Come out, mercenary.” His words were taunting, laced with an edge of menace. “Give us your money, and we’ll let you live.”


    The others around him chuckled, looking at Ezren with a mixture of amusement and contempt. The leader stepped forward, eyes glinting. “Just come out. we promise we let you live?”


    Ezren stayed hidden, his eyes narrowing. He could hear the others closing in, their footsteps heavy on the dirt.


    But then, without warning, Ezren let out a loud laugh. It was a sharp, almost crazy sound, catching the group off guard. They exchanged confused glances, wondering if he had finally lost his mind.


    Ezren reached behind him and yanked one of the arrows from his back, grimacing as he did. He could feel the pain, but it didn’t matter. he use Blackblood. Dark mana inside his body mending the arrow wounds in seconds.


    Still chuckling, he look up from behind the bear. The mercenaries stared at him, uncertain now. But Ezren’s smile only grew wider, his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    “What a cliche thing to say?” he said, his tone almost mocking. “How about next time make sure to kill your target so you wouldnt say things like that.”


    The leader’s eyes flashed with irritation, his hand tightening around his sword. "You''re crazy, huh? You won''t be laughing for long, trust me."


    Ezren didn’t respond. Instead, he waved his hand in the air, opening a portal. A shimmering rift appeared before him, swirling with dark energy. And from within, the Chimera emerged, its eyes glowing with hatred.


    Ezren grinned as the Chimera lunged from the portal, its massive form barreling toward the group of mercenaries. The creature was a blur of snarling teeth, sharp claws, and unnerving speed. It targeted one of the swordsmen first, lunging at him with terrifying force. The swordsman barely had time to react before the Chimera’s jaws ripped into his neck. His scream was cut short as the creature tore him apart, the blood splattering across the ground.


    The archers immediately drew their bows and fired at the Chimera, the arrows striking its body and neck. But it was like shooting at a wall—the undead Chimera didn’t flinch. It didn’t care. The arrows simply lodged into its flesh, doing nothing to stop its rampage.


    The remaining three swordsmen hesitated, but before they could react, the three snake-like tendrils on the Chimera’s back shot out. With a hiss, they spat poison at the men. Two of the swordsmen managed to raise their shields in time, blocking the toxic spray, but the third—caught off guard—was hit square in the face. He screamed as the paralyzing venom took effect, but it was the blinding poison that hit his eyes. His vision blurred and went dark, leaving him completely blind. He swung his sword wildly in panic, but the blade cut only air. His strikes were uncoordinated and ineffective.


    The Chimera didn’t pause. It targeted the blinded swordsman next. With a deep, guttural growl, the beast closed the distance in seconds. The swordsman couldn’t even defend himself as the Chimera tackled him, sinking its claws into his chest as its teeth tore into his throat. The man died with a strangled cry, his body crumpling beneath the weight of the beast.


    The two remaining mercenaries—the leader and a swordsman—tried to close in on the Chimera, hoping to strike at its exposed flank. The leader, now seething with anger, swung his sword at one of the snakes. With a grunt of effort, he cleaved its head off, sending it wriggling to the ground. But before he could focus on his next move, something sharp and fast shot through the air.


    A bone spike shot out of the darkness. The rat-faced archer dodged it, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectile. But the other archer wasn’t so lucky. The bone spike struck him right in the neck, and blood poured from the wound as he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.


    Now, only three mercenaries remained—the leader, a swordsman, and the rat-faced archer.


    The rat-faced archer, panicked and wide-eyed, looked around for an escape. With a quick glance at the leader, he turned and bolted, running for his life.


    The leader scowled at the Chimera, but his eyes flickered to Ezren. The creature was unstoppable, but maybe there was a chance to survive—if he could make it out. He turned and followed the archer, preparing to run himself.


    But Ezren wasn’t going to let them escape. He made the bird follow the fleeing mercenaries, keeping an eye on their every move. Then, he felt the familiar dark mana stir within him, and with a deep breath, he activated Blackblood. The power surged through his body like aura, strengthening him, as if the very essence of darkness was coursing through his veins.


    With newfound speed, he dashed toward the running mercenaries, his bone spike flying back into his hand, guided by his will. He could feel the surge of adrenaline as he pursued them, his muscles burning with strength.


    The Chimera relentlessly pursued the leader, a huge, snarling beast, its teeth bared and eyes glowing with ferocity. The leader ran, his heart pounding in his chest, but the creature was too fast, too relentless. It was only a matter of time before it would catch him.


    Meanwhile, Ezren had other business to attend to. He focused his gaze on the rat-faced archer, who was running desperately ahead, his thoughts a whirl of panic.


    <hr>


    The mercenary cursed under his breath, questioning how everything had gone so horribly wrong. He had attacked a dark mage, and now, it seemed, that mage was hunting him down.


    "If I can just reach the town," he thought, his breath ragged, "I’ll tell the guards about this dark mage. They’ll deal with him. He can’t be that powerful, right?"


    But as he glanced over his shoulder, his blood ran cold. Ezren was closing the distance, his speed and focus unnerving. The rat-faced archer stumbled, his mind racing. "How did he find me so quickly?"


    Before he could react, the sound of something cutting through the air reached his ears—a sharp, slicing noise—and then the sudden pain of a bone spike plunging deep into his back.


    The rat-faced archer let out a scream of agony as the bone spike struck. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, blood spilling from the wound.


    "Please, please! Let me live!" he begged, his voice trembling in fear. His hands reached out, but he could barely move. "I can give you money—lots of it! I’ll never tell anyone about you, I swear!"


    Ezren stood above him, his eyes cold. He watched the mercenary beg for his life, his face twisted in desperation. A slow smile spread across Ezren’s face.


    "Sure," Ezren said, his voice calm, almost detached. "I won’t kill you."


    The mercenary blinked, relief flooding his chest—until he felt his limbs stiffen. He couldn’t move. His mouth went dry, and he found he couldn’t speak. Panic began to swell in his chest as he realized what was happening.


    Then, in the distance, a portal began to open, its swirling blackness beckoning.


    "See?" Ezren spoke again, his tone almost soothing. "Don’t worry. I won’t kill you."


    The rat-faced archer’s eyes widened in terror as Ezren dragged him toward the portal, his legs heavy and unresponsive. His body refused to cooperate, and his mind screamed for escape, but it was too late.


    <hr>


    The leader ran with all his might, his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced over his shoulder to see the Chimera hot on his heels, its snarls growing louder with every step. No matter how fast he ran, the beast was gaining on him, its monstrous form gaining on him with terrifying speed.


    I can’t outrun it... The leader’s thoughts raced. He knew he was running out of options. With the Chimera so close, he realized the inevitable. There was no escape. He had no choice but to make his last stand.


    He turned sharply, planting his feet firmly on the ground, preparing for the beast’s final charge. The Chimera didn’t slow. It lunged at him, its massive body soaring through the air, jaws snapping, claws outstretched.


    But the leader was ready. With a roar of defiance, he raised his sword and, as the beast came crashing toward him, he thrust it deep into the Chimera''s heart, twisting the blade with all his strength. He grinned, feeling the pressure of the sword sink in.


    I’ve got you now, you monster...


    For a moment, he thought victory was his. He could feel the Chimera’s heavy body pressing down on him, but he believed he had struck a killing blow.


    “Hahaha!” he laughed, breathless. “I got you! You’re finished!”


    But then, something worse happened.


    The Chimera let out a low, guttural growl, one filled with pure rage. The leader’s grin faltered as he realized the beast wasn’t dead. Its massive, clawed paws dug into the earth as it slowly rose, the sword still lodged in its chest. The creature''s fangs bared, and it began to bite down on the leader with terrifying force.


    The leader gasped in shock as the beast clamped its jaws around his shoulder, pulling him toward its massive mouth. The pain was excruciating, and the leader struggled in vain. The sword, still embedded in the beast, was no longer enough to stop it. The Chimera continued to growl and bite, the life slowly being drained from the leader''s body.


    It wasn’t over... and now, it was too late.