《World Breaker》


 Prologue

    He opened his eyes. Everything was blurry and painfully bright. Once his eyes had adjusted to the blinding sunlight, he stood up and scanned his surroundings.


    What in the world?


    The landscape was a vast field of death. The sickening stench of blood and exposed organs announced the presence of the unburied dead. Corpses, arrows, shields, and weapons littered the ground as far as the eye could see. Ravens circled above and fallen war flags fluttered below.


    Where am I?


    Taking care not to step on any of the corpses, he walked across the war-torn hell-scape. His deathly pale skin contrasted with the bloodied and scorched grassland, and, unlike the butchered bodies scattered around him, he was completely naked.


    ¡°I found a live one over here!"


    Turning toward the voice, he saw, at a distance, two knights in golden armor. One of them was pointing at him.


    "Is he one of ours?"


    "I can''t tell. He''s butt naked."


    "He must''ve been robbed."


    The pale man looked at them with wary eyes. "Wh- what happened here?"


    Laughing, the larger knight said, "What do you think? Who are you, anyway?"


    The pale man¡¯s eyes widened when he realized that he couldn¡¯t answer the knight¡¯s question. "I- I don''t know."


    He didn¡¯t lack memories. On the contrary, his mind was filled with them - memories of different lives, including that of a knight, an assassin, a baker, a blacksmith, and even a monarch. The only commonality among these lives was that they had all ended on the battlefield.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The other knight wiped sweat off his forehead. "I suppose he got hit on the head a little too hard."


    The larger knight began to walk toward the pale man. "What should we do with him?"


    "We can''t be sure he''s one of us. Doesn''t feel right to kill crazies, but we can''t take any chances. Just get it done quickly. The quicker we finish our job, the sooner we can get out of this blistering heat."


    "I''m sorry; it''s not your lucky day. What comes next isn''t going to be pleasant for you." The larger knight unsheathed his sword and continued approaching the pale man.


    "Wait, what are you doing? Don''t come any closer!" When the pale man took a step backwards, his heel banged against something solid.


    He lost his footing and fell. His head snapped backwards, striking the ground. At the moment of impact, he saw a bright flash of light. Once it cleared, he felt dizzy and there was a throbbing pain at the back of his head. Looking at his feet, he realized that he had tripped over a corpse.


    The larger knight raised his sword.


    As the pale man lay on the ground, his whole body began shaking. Tears flowed down his face as he shut his eyes. How could he die like this, alone and nameless?


    He heard distant galloping. Soon, he felt the thud of hooves coming towards him.


    Blood-curdling screams pierced the air. Something sprayed the pale man''s hands and face. He could smell and taste fresh blood.


    Opening his eyes, he found himself covered in blood. In front of him was a silver-haired woman atop a black horse, around her the dismembered remains of the golden knights.


    The woman removed her cloak and threw it at the pale man. "Use this to cover yourself."


    He caught the cloak but hesitated to use it. "Are you going to kill me?"


    She rode closer to him. "I''m not here to hurt you. I''m here to welcome you. Do you have a name?"


    He remained silent, because he didn¡¯t have an answer to her question.


    "Take your time. You''ve only just awoken."


    As he struggled to recall who he was, he began to hear countless voices in his head. Each voice shouted a different name. Amid the terrifying, confusing mingling of different voices, one stood out. It was, by far, the clearest and the loudest.


    That must be who I am.


    "Prometheus. My name is Prometheus."

 New game

    Hupo arrived at the entrance of the mansion. In front of him was a set of perfectly smooth and shiny metal doors, unblemished by windows or handles. They glided open, without so much as a sound. He kicked snow off his leather shoes before entering. The warm air and yellow glow inside the home made his whole body relax.


    "Welcome home, Hupo."


    The gentle voice sounded as though it came from a young woman. But no one apart from Hupo lived there. This was Alana, the home''s artificial intelligence assistant. She managed almost every aspect of the house, from security to room temperature.


    "Good evening, Alana." After hanging up his overcoat and suit jacket, he made his way to the kitchen.


    He opened the fridge and looked inside.


    There was such a vast variety of meat, fruits, and vegetables that he couldn¡¯t decide what to eat. "I''m starving. What should I have for dinner?"


    "You prepared some tomato sauce last night. Perhaps you could put that to use. Pasta or pizza are some possibilities based on the ingredients remaining in your fridge and pantry."


    "Ahh, of course! I forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder. Pasta it is."


    "You''re very welcome."


    Although he was tired after a long day of work, he didn¡¯t mind cooking. It was more of a hobby than a chore to him. Cooking was similar to software engineering, one of the things he did at work. Whenever he cooked or typed out lines of code, he was making something special with his own hands and creativity.


    He sat at the mahogany dining table to eat his meal. While he ate, he discussed all sorts of topics with Alana. If the conversation had been recorded, anyone listening to it would think that it was a lively discussion between two people. No one would suspect that one of the speakers was an artificial intelligence. Sensors and speakers installed within the house allowed Hupo and Alana to talk to each other in almost every room.


    After Hupo had finished eating, Alana notified him that his bath was ready. He thanked her, put away the dishes, and headed to the bathroom on the top floor.


    When he arrived at the bathroom''s doors, they slid open. A warm, gentle breeze and the sweet aroma of spring flowers emerged from inside. It was a huge space, containing a hot tub, a steam room, a bath tub, a shower room, and a changing room. After relaxing in the hot tub, he slipped into a set of clean pajamas.


    His next destination was a spacious room on the same floor. At the center of the room was a cushiony leather chair and a neural helmet.


    He sat down and placed the neural helmet over his head. A large virtual window popped up in his field of view, indicating that he was connected to the neural-computer interface. It looked as though it was hovering in front of him.


    He moved his finger to the ¡®News¡¯ icon on the window and pressed it. A new window appeared, in front of the previous one. At the top of the window was ¡®Top Stories.¡¯ As he scrolled through the headlines, the one titled ¡®Top Virtual Reality Games of 2099¡¯ caught his attention. When he tapped it, the news article expanded to fill the screen. The article, from a popular video gaming website, presented a ranking of the most widely played games in the world. ¡®World of Lorecraft,¡¯ an online role-playing game, held the top spot in the rankings.


    Alana¡¯s voice resounded in the room.


    ¡°Congratulations. Your game is ranked number one again this year.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. How¡¯s my company¡¯s stock price?¡±


    ¡°Blaster Entertainment¡¯s stock price went up by five percent today, in response to the news.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    He scanned through a few more news stories, before closing the ¡®News¡¯ window and tapping the icon titled ¡®World of Lorecraft.¡¯ He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he found himself standing on top of a glistening lake, at the bottom of a roaring, white waterfall. A plume of water vapor hung over the gorgeous blue lake. On either side of the waterfall was a towering stone knight. Each statue casted a shadow that stretched far across the lake. Looking down at the surface of the water, he saw a reflection of his game avatar - a masked samurai clad in jet-black armor.


    Several icons appeared in front of him. When he pressed ¡®Login,¡¯ a portal opened up in front of him.


    Passwords and loading times were relics of the past. Players could now be identified by their unique brain wave patterns, and loading times were nonexistent, thanks to the power of quantum computers.


    He walked through the portal, into a luxurious waiting room. A marble fireplace, flanked by a pair of sumptuous leather sofas, gave the room a relaxing ambiance.


    "What would you like to do tonight?"


    He turned toward the voice and saw Alana''s avatar - a female mage. Whenever he logged into World of Lorecraft, she connected to the game as well. Her beautiful features were illuminated by the flickering yellow glow of the fireplace.


    "I have nothing particular in mind. Any suggestions?"


    "A high-level dungeon was recently added to the map. Would you like to go?"


    High-level dungeons were designed to be completed by groups of twenty players. But Hupo and Alana were not average players.


    "Excellent suggestion. Let''s go."


    "Understood. Teleport."


    A bright blue light engulfed both of them.


    ***


    The girl lowered a wooden bucket into the village well. The sun was setting, so she couldn¡¯t see far down the well. When she heard a splash, she strained to turn the well¡¯s lever in the opposite direction. Bringing the bucket back up was a lot harder than lowering it. After only three rotations, she stopped to rest her tired arms.


    She heard a familiar voice behind her.


    ¡°Need some help?¡±


    ¡°Molly?¡± Looking over her shoulder, Coco saw her best friend. ¡°Can you help me fetch some water? The handle is really hard to turn.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Winding up water from the well was a lot easier with Molly¡¯s help. The two of them turned the lever together, taking the occasional break. Once the bucket was all the way up, Coco took hold of it.


    She lowered it to the ground, taking care not to spill its contents. ¡°Thanks, you were a big help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was nothing.¡± Molly stopped to catch her breath. ¡°I was just passing by, on my way home. Just finished helping my brother herd the sheep.¡±


    Coco wiped sweat from her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate doing that?¡±


    Molly sighed. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s so boring. That¡¯s one of the reasons why I want to move to the capital. At least over there, I won¡¯t have to herd sheep.¡±


    ¡°Does your papa approve?¡±


    Molly frowned. ¡°Sadly, no. He says there are few opportunities in the capital, or any city for that matter. He says there are a lot of bad men who prey on young girls.¡±


    ¡°My papa says that too. He makes the cities sound like scary places.¡±


    ¡°I get that they want to protect us. But we just need to be careful not to trust the wrong people, right?¡±


    ¡°I think so too. And who knows, you might even find someone in the capital who¡¯s even better looking than your neighbor.¡±


    Molly¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Why are you bringing him up all of a sudden? He may not be most handsome guy in the world, but he¡¯s so nice to everyone!¡±


    Coco leaned toward Molly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you miss him when you move to the city?¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Molly lowered her gaze. ¡°His heart is already taken. I saw him with Lucy the other day. They looked like they were close.¡±


    Coco patted Molly¡¯s back. ¡°That¡¯s okay, the capital is a huge place. There are tons of hot guys there to choose from.¡±


    Molly giggled. ¡°Yeah, I bet. I envy you sometimes. At least you¡¯ve been there before. You even got to watch the Combat Tournament.¡±


    ¡°I was only there for a few days, but those were some of the most memorable days of my life. There were so many muscular men to watch.¡±


    ¡°Lucky girl!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the lucky one. Not everyone can have long, beautiful brown hair like yours. Anyways, it¡¯s getting dark. I need to go home. My papa will be mad at me if I stay out too late.¡±  Coco struggled to lift the bucket of water.


    Molly helped her carry it. ¡°It¡¯s easier with two people.¡±


    ¡°Thanks again.¡±


    The two of them made their way back to Coco¡¯s house.


    ***


    Hupo found himself standing beside Alana in a knee-deep swamp. Algae and rotting vegetation floated on top of the scummy water. Damp moss hung from the branches of the surrounding trees.


    He swatted away a fly that buzzed by his head. ¡°I recognize this place. This is the Misty Swamp.¡±


    It was difficult to see beyond a few meters, because of thick mist. The sky was covered by dark clouds, casting a shadow over the swamp.


    ¡°Sorry, this is as close as I can bring us to the dungeon. It¡¯s located in an area that we haven¡¯t explored yet, so the teleportation spell couldn¡¯t take us there.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I enjoy exploring new areas. How long until we reach the dungeon?"


    "Accounting for the typical number of enemy encounters, we should arrive there in approximately fifteen minutes."


    "Alright, let¡¯s get go-" Before he could finish speaking, the scene before him changed again.


    A bright multicolored light flooded his field of view. This was not the first time he¡¯d seen it. In fact, he¡¯d seen it many times before, in his dreams. Since childhood, he¡¯d had dreams of another world. They were always preceded by a flash of colorful lights. Next, he would be observing a scene from above. Sometimes he would witness something dramatic like an ongoing battle, but he was more likely to watch something as mundane as a villager going about their daily routine.


    At first, the dreams were hazy and infrequent. As he grew older, they became more vivid and increased in frequency. By the time he was a teenager, they seemed very real and occurred almost every night. It wasn¡¯t long before he realized that the dreams were showing him the same world. Since then, he had felt an insatiable desire to recreate that world. And the best way to do so was by creating it inside a video game. That game was World of Lorecraft.


    This was the first time he¡¯d seen the multicolored light while playing World of Lorecraft. He began to wonder if he was still in the game or if he was dreaming.


    The light faded away and he found himself floating far above a village. Although it was night-time, the houses below were clearly visible. Many of them were on fire. He heard many cries and screams from the villagers below, who were being massacred by werewolves. Most of them were unarmed and fleeing for their lives. The few who were armed were using farming tools, such as shovels or pitch forks, as weapons. Against the werewolves, who were larger and better equipped, the villagers didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    Everything looked completely real. However, he knew he wasn¡¯t physically present at the scene, because he couldn¡¯t feel the heat or smell the smoke coming from the burning houses.


    His vision blurred, and he found himself standing in the swamp again.


    "Hupo? Can you hear me?"


    "Sorry to worry you. How long was I out?"


    "You were unresponsive for five minutes and forty-five seconds. What happened?"


    "It''s strange. I just saw -"


    A loud noise buzzed inside his head. The whole world began spinning, faster and faster, until everything blurred together. His heart beat wildly in his chest and breathing became more difficult.


    What¡¯s going on? I¡¯ve never experienced this before!


    An intensely bright, multicolored light exploded, forcing his eyes shut.


    ***


    "Wake up! Are you alright?"


    Hupo recognized Alana''s voice, but he had never heard her sound so worried, so upset. When he opened his eyes, he was kneeling in tall grass. The grass had a rich, earthy smell, which was surprising, given that smell wasn¡¯t one of the perceivable senses in World of Lorecraft.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Raising his head, Hupo saw Alana''s face, inches away from his own.


    He stared at it in amazement. It looked too real.


    The character models in World of Lorecraft were highly detailed and looked very realistic, but, up close, one could still tell that they were computer generated. But Alana looked as real as an actual human being.


    Am I dreaming?


    "Something doesn''t seem right. I''m calling the Gamemaster." He stood and moved his hand to bring up the control interface.


    Nothing happened.


    He used the voice command for the control interface.


    Nothing happened.


    One last thing to try.


    He pinched himself. ¡°Argh!¡±


    Yet again, the control interface failed to appear.


    He drew his eyebrows together and began pacing back and forth.


    If this is a dream, then shouldn¡¯t I wake up after pinching myself? If I¡¯m not dreaming, then I must still be inside the game. Is this happening to other players as well? Game sales may be affected by this issue and my company¡¯s stock price might take a hit. There might even be lawsuits coming...  No, snap out of it! I can¡¯t be worrying about that right now. I need to focus on the immediate problem.


    ¡°This is bad. I¡¯ve tried everything, but I still can¡¯t bring up the control interface. Without it, we can¡¯t even call the Gamemaster or log out of the game.¡±


    "Let me try." Alana performed the same actions as Hupo. "I''m also unable to contact the game administrators. I''ve even tried using the home phone, but I''ve been disconnected from the home''s network. Could this be a game glitch?¡±


    ¡°Even if there was a problem with the software, we should still be able to log out, because the ¡®log out¡¯ function is hardwired into the neural-helmet.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the neural-helmet malfunctioned.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s highly unlikely. Every neural-helmet is designed to automatically disconnect the user whenever any irregularity in its function is detected. And a neural-helmet malfunction wouldn¡¯t miraculously enable me to smell the grass, feel pain when I pinch myself, or make everything appear more realistic. The sensations of smell and pain were never programmed into any virtual reality game in the first place, because the lack of smell and pain is an important reminder to players that they are inside a virtual world.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not a software or a hardware issue, then why can¡¯t we log out?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    ¡°First, we need to find out where we are.¡±


    "I''m on it. Fly.¡± Alana rose into the air.


    Hupo¡¯s jaw dropped. He wondered how she was able to activate her skills without using the control interface.


    If she can do it, then so can I.


    Since there was no control interface available, he tried a different method to activate his skills - he looked within himself. After a period of introspection, he felt a light, fluttery feeling in his chest.


    ¡°Such overwhelming power¡­¡± He realized that he possessed a phenomenal power within himself.


    The power was part of his very being. Instinctively, he knew exactly what to do to activate his skills, which were stored inside his memory.


    He gripped the hilt of his katana and uttered the name of the skill he wanted to use. "Fiery Hurricane!"


    The moment his katana left his sheath, flames engulfed it. He spun with explosive speed, unleashing a whirlwind of steel and fire. Everything within a fifteen-meter radius was blown away, creating a deep circular trench. Within a thirty-meter radius, the grassland was burnt to a crisp. The air was hot and thick with smoke.


    He tried accessing his inventory. Normally, this was done by pressing an icon on the control interface. However, there was no control interface available, so he used his mind instead. He thought about what he wanted to retrieve. The first item that came to his mind was {Crystal Compass}. As if on cue, his hand extended into the air, disappeared into a pocket dimension, and then reappeared with a {Crystal Compass}. This was a single-use item that could teleport its user.


    What if I wanted to put it back?


    When he visualized putting the {Crystal Compass} back into his inventory, his hand moved to return it into the pocket dimension.


    So that''s how it works.


    "I''ve finished surveying the surrounding area." Alana floated downwards.


    "What did you see?"


    "Mostly grassland. A village nearby is being attacked by werewolves. There''s another group of werewolves observing the assault from a distance."


    His skin tingled.


    For a split second, his body tensed and his breathing paused. ¡°The scene that you just described is identical to the one that I saw in my most recent vision.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I can only think of two theories. Both of them sound equally implausible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have good reasons behind each of them.¡±


    She sure thinks highly of me.


    ¡°The first is that we¡¯re still in World of Lorecraft, and there¡¯s an issue with the software or hardware. But, as I explained earlier, there¡¯s virtually no chance that a software or hardware malfunction could lead to our particular set of circumstances.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your other theory?¡±


    ¡°My second theory borders into the realm of fantasy and science fiction.¡± Hupo paused before continuing. ¡°I suspect that we¡¯re no longer in World of Lorecraft. Everything I¡¯ve experienced so far, since coming here, certainly supports that suspicion. This world looks and feels much more real than the one in World of Lorecraft. It¡¯s as real as reality.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re not in World of Lorecraft, then where are we?¡±


    ¡°We may have been transported to the world that I¡¯ve been seeing in my dreams. I know it sounds crazy, like a plot straight out of a science fiction novel. But it¡¯s the conclusion that I¡¯ve arrived at after carefully considering all the information that we have.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your latter theory is crazy at all. Anything is possible, including being transported out of the game to another world. Humans once thought that flying was impossible, but now they can travel to outer space.¡±


    Hupo valued Alana¡¯s opinion. In all the years they¡¯d know each other, she¡¯d always been brutally honest with him.


    He let out a huge breath. ¡°It¡¯s good to hear that my theory isn¡¯t completely crazy.¡±


    ¡°What should we do about the village?¡±


    ¡°If this world is as real as it appears, then those villagers are real people. If we don¡¯t act soon, then they¡¯ll all be killed. No matter the reasons for the attack, the werewolves are clearly in the wrong for attacking the fleeing villagers. But I¡¯m hesitant to intervene in the conflict. Doing so may put our lives in danger. For all we know, the werewolves may be much stronger than we are. And, if we¡¯re no longer in a game, then death is likely permanent.¡±


    ¡°We can always teleport to safety if we¡¯re ever in trouble.¡±


    Hupo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s right! With your teleportation spell or my Crystal Compass, we can escape from a dangerous situation at any time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll support whatever decision you make.¡±


    She¡¯s always been so supportive. I couldn¡¯t ask for a better assistant.


    ¡°Since we can always teleport out of harm¡¯s way, I¡¯ve got no more excuses for not saving the villagers.¡±


    "If that''s your wish, then I''ll assist you."


    "Deal with the werewolves in the village. I''ll take care of the observers. They¡¯re either back-up or the ones leading the attack. And remember, don''t take any chances. Teleport back here if your life is ever in danger."


    Alana placed her hands on her chest. "I''m deeply moved by your concern for my safety."


    "Why wouldn''t I be concerned? You''re my partner."

 First blood

    Coco woke to the smell of smoke.


    She heard pounding at the door, followed by the village chief''s voice.


    "Run! The werewolves are here!"


    Chills ran down her back. Werewolves were the scary man-eating monsters that Papa had told her stories about. She¡¯d never encountered one before and had hoped that she would never have to.


    She jolted up from her bed.


    Her legs were so shaky that she fell when she tried standing. ¡°Papa!¡±


    Papa rushed over to support her. "We need to leave now. There''s no time to pack."


    His hands felt clammy and his face looked pale.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared too, but we have to move.¡±


    Coco sniffled and nodded. Holding onto Papa¡¯s hand, she left her home. She began coughing almost immediately after stepping outside, because the air was hot and thick with noxious smoke.


    She stared at the surreal scene before her. The world outside was illuminated by fire. Flames roared and devoured the surrounding houses. Arrows jutted from the ground and rooftops.


    She heard Papa¡¯s voice.


    ¡°We need to keep moving.¡±


    She willed her body to move, but it seemed to be rooted in place. Her whole body seemed to have stiffened.


    ¡°Coco!¡±


    Papa¡¯s voice brought her back to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Papa ran, pulling her along.


    The side of Molly¡¯s house came into view. Its front door had been broken down. Screams came from inside.


    A werewolf stepped out of the doorway. It looked much more frightening than she had imagined. A bronze suit of armor covered its large frame. Its muzzle was curled back to expose dagger-like teeth.


    Molly was screaming and thrashing about as the werewolf dragged her by the hair.


    Just as Coco was about to scream, Papa covered her mouth and pulled her aside. The two of them hid behind the side of the house.


    ¡°Shh...¡±


    She gulped and nodded in response to Papa¡¯s voice. Her heart beat so loudly that she was afraid the werewolf would hear it.


    ¡°Someone help me! Please! Help me!"


    Coco clapped her shaky hands over her ears. There was nothing she could do to help Molly.


    Amidst the screams, she heard an unfamiliar voice.


    ¡°Quiet! I was planning to gift you to my daughter, but if you don¡¯t shut up I¡¯ll eat you instead!¡±


    Molly continued screaming.


    Coco heard a growl, followed by a loud crack.


    The screaming stopped. It was replaced by the sound of chewing and crunching.


    This can¡¯t really be happening, can it?


    The thought of never seeing Molly again brought tears to her eyes.


    Papa spoke in a lowered voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Molly. There wasn¡¯t anything we could do to save her.¡±


    Coco sniffled and wiped away tears. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s distracted. Now¡¯s our chance to run.¡± Pulling her along, he ran around the back of the house.


    She could barely keep up with him. Her legs and lungs burned, and she was having difficulty breathing.


    He groaned. His hand tugged her downwards, pulling her to the ground.


    As she lay face down, she felt a stinging pain in her hand and knee. She had scraped them on her way down.


    Raising her head, she saw that an arrow had pierced Papa¡¯s leg. Blood leaked from the wound.


    ¡°I knew I smelled humans nearby.¡± The werewolf was walking toward them, a bow its hand.


    "Run!¡± Papa gestured for her to leave. ¡°Don''t worry about me!"


    Her chest ached at the thought of losing the only parent she had ever known.


    Shaking her head and choking back tears, she crawled toward him. "You''re the only family I have left. I can''t lose you too."


    He pushed her away. "Go!"


    Biting her lip and clenching her fists, she pushed herself up and ran.


    She heard the werewolf¡¯s voice behind her.


    ¡°Get off me!¡±


    Looking over her shoulder, she saw Papa clinging onto its leg.


    The werewolf was struggling to pull away from him. It withdrew an arrow from its back and stabbed her father.


    But Papa didn¡¯t scream. He gritted his teeth and held onto the werewolf.


    The werewolf pulled the arrow out, which was now soaked in blood. It stabbed again, and again, and again.


    She watched, with wide eyes, as Papa took his last breath. Her vision became blurry with tears. The pain in her chest became unbearable. It was almost too painful to breathe.


    She slammed into something solid. The collision knocked her backwards onto the ground, leaving her stunned and sore all over. She screamed.


    A huge grey werewolf stood over her. Growling, it glared down at her with its golden eyes. Using its monstrous arms, it raised its bloodied hammer.


    ***


    As Alana flew towards the village, her arms out wide, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. The wind against her skin, the freedom to move in all directions, the feeling of weightlessness - all these factors made flying a liberating and exhilarating experience. Although she had flown many times before in World of Lorecraft, she¡¯d never experienced such joy from the activity.


    She saw gray smoke billowing into the sky up ahead. Stopping above the village, she could feel the heat from the raging fires below. The orange and yellow flames were mesmerizing. They seemed almost alive, crackling and curling, flickering this way and that, as they devoured the houses.


    What am I doing? Now is not the time to be admiring the fire. I have a task to complete.


    She didn¡¯t want to displease Hupo, her creator. Without him, she wouldn¡¯t even exist. She felt very fortunate to have a creator like him. He¡¯d always treated her with respect and kindness.


    Scanning the village, she saw that many of the villagers had already been killed. Their butchered bodies were scattered around the village. The survivors were being chased by werewolves. One of them, a girl, appeared to be in imminent danger. A werewolf was about to strike her with a hammer.


    Alana pointed at the werewolf. ¡°Glacial Spear."


    A large spike of ice materialized in front of her finger. Even though it wasn¡¯t touching her, it was so cold that she could still feel it sapping the warmth from her fingertip.


    It flew towards the werewolf, impaling its chest.


    The werewolf dropped its hammer and fell backwards. The girl appeared shaken, but she was otherwise unharmed.


    Alana let out a huge breath.


    That was way too close. If I¡¯d arrived even a second later, she would¡¯ve died.


    Alana wanted to save as many villagers as possible, because Hupo was concerned about their wellbeing. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t have cared less about what happened to them. The only human she cared about was Hupo.


    An arrow flew toward her from below. From her perspective, it seemed to be moving slowly. She could have easily dodged it, but she decided to block it instead. By blocking, she could gauge the power of the attack.


    ¡°Force Field.¡± A transparent, spherical barrier of energy formed around her.


    She watched, with eyes narrowed, as the arrow crept upwards toward her. Even though it was moving slowly, it might hit hard. At the moment of impact, she stiffened her body.


    Her barrier easily deflected the arrow.


    I can¡¯t believe I was on guard for such a weak attack. I would¡¯ve been unharmed even if it had hit me directly.


    She pointed at the werewolf who had shot the arrow. "Pyroblast."


    A hot, swirling ball of fire appeared at the tip of her finger. It shot forth at an incredible speed, blasting the werewolf into dust.


    Are all werewolves this weak?


    Three cloaked werewolves were gathered below.


    They¡¯re dressed differently. Are they stronger than the previous werewolves?


    They shot fireballs at her. Compared to the one she¡¯d just shot, their fireballs were tiny.


    I was worried for nothing again.


    All the fireballs exploded upon contact with her barrier. They didn¡¯t even scratch it.


    Once the smoke from the explosion cleared, she cast her next attack spell. "Glacial Winds."


    A shrieking wind encircled the group of werewolves. All the fires around them were instantly snuffed out. They frantically glanced around, as if they were searching for a way out. Their movement slowed, before coming to a stop, as they became encased in ice. The wind knocked down the frozen werewolves, shattering them against the floor into countless pieces.


    The remaining werewolves in the village glanced at each other, before dropping their weapons and fleeing.


    She didn¡¯t pursue them, because her objective was to protect the village, not to kill every last werewolf. If Hupo had told her to slay all of them, then she would have done so without a second thought. Their lives meant nothing her.


    With the werewolves gone, she turned her attention to the fires ravaging the village. They posed a significant threat to the surviving villagers.


    She pointed her staff upwards. "Heavy Rain."


    Dark grey clouds gathered over the village. At first, only a few droplets fell from the sky. Soon, it poured rain, drowning out the fires.


    Most of the houses in the village had been burned down. Their roofs had collapsed and their walls had crumbled, leaving nothing but charred and blackened remains.


    It continued raining for a full five minutes. Then, the clouds parted, revealing a shining moon and a sky full of stars.


    Alana descended to the village without so much as a droplet on her. The [Force Field] had kept her dry. Upon landing, she brushed away ash from her hair and clothes. She wanted to look presentable for Hupo, who might arrive at the village soon.


    Will he be pleased with my performance? Knowing him, of course he will. I tried my best. Whenever I¡¯d fail at something, he¡¯d praise me for working hard. I¡¯m so lucky to have such an understanding and benevolent creator.


    ***


    There was no doubt in Coco''s mind that the woman descending from the sky was an angel. Her reasoning was simple. No human could fly or control the weather. Even she, a simple village girl, knew that. Those were abilities that she imagined only angels would have.


    And the woman''s appearance was nothing short of angelic. Her lustrous, flowing hair was a rich shade of gold. She had perfectly smooth skin, lush lashes, emerald-green eyes, and pink lips. Crimson red garments, decorated with glistening gold markings, adorned her hourglass figure. In her hand was a long golden staff.


    Coco followed the angel to the village square, where dozens of villagers were kneeling. They too must have realized that their savior was a divine being of immeasurable power. She felt that she should kneel as well, but there was something she needed to confirm first.


    The only angel she had ever heard of was her mother, a woman she had never met. According to Papa, her mother went to heaven. When Coco asked him what she was like, he told her that she was an angel. Coco wanted to check if the angel who had saved her village was her mother. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Stopping at the edge of the village square, Coco began to wonder if it was okay for her to even speak with the angel. Did she need to ask the angel for permission before speaking? Would the angel be offended if a mere mortal got too close?


    Coco shut her eyes and shook her head. Now was not the time to be indecisive. It was now or never. If she didn¡¯t ask now, she might never get another opportunity. After all, what were her chances of ever seeing another angel?


    She took in a huge breath and let out a slow exhale.


    Come on, Coco, you can do this!


    The first step was the hardest. Then, each subsequent step became easier. As she approached the angel, many thoughts raced through her head.


    I hope I don¡¯t screw this up. What if I say something that upsets her? Will she destroy the village? Wait, it¡¯s already destroyed. What if she says yes? I have so many questions I want to ask her.


    She heard the village chief''s voice behind her.


    "Coco, what are you doing?"


    She ignored him. Her mother could be standing right in front of her and she wasn¡¯t going to let anyone stop this potential family reunion.


    "Are you my mama?" Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for a response.


    This was it. The angel could be the mother she¡¯d been waiting for her whole life.


    When the angel shook her head, Coco felt as though someone had splashed cold water on her.


    There must be some kind of mistake. Maybe she doesn¡¯t recognize me, because we¡¯ve never met. Yes, that must be it. I just need to prove who I am.


    Coco swallowed hard. "Are you sure? My name is Coco and my papa''s name is Henry."


    "I''m sure."


    "Oh." Coco lowered her head and frowned.


    Tears welled up in her eyes.


    I knew it was a longshot. I should¡¯ve expected this outcome, so why am I crying?


    She tried to hold back tears, but they soon flowed readily down her cheeks.


    I don¡¯t even have a single parent anymore. Why did they both leave me?


    Covering her face with her hands, she started weeping.


    "Wherever your mother is, she would want you to be safe and happy."


    Rubbing tears away, Coco raised her head. "Really?"


    The angel nodded. "That''s what all parents want for their children."


    Coco¡¯s chest, which had ached a moment ago, felt much lighter. She found solace in knowing that, even though neither of her parents were around anymore, they still loved her.


    ***


    Zaric rubbed his eyes.


    Are you kidding? How can a human be so powerful?


    He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. He had expected the village raid to end like the previous ones - with little to no resistance. But instead, he watched as a human mage annihilated the werewolves he had sent into the village. And, unlike other mages he had encountered in the past, she could fly. He had no attacks that could reach her, while she could rain attacks on him from the sky until her mana ran out.


    Turning away, he covered his mouth and began pacing back and forth between his two guards.


    There must be a way to counter the mage¡¯s flying ability. Every spell has a weakness. But if arrows and fireballs don¡¯t work against her, then what will?


    He knew little about the strengths and weaknesses of spells. That¡¯s why he always kept a mage near him.


    "Plutarch!"


    A cloaked werewolf, carrying a wooden staff, hurried to his side. "Clan Leader?"


    "Tell me everything you know about flying spells."


    Plutarch gulped. "I don¡¯t know much about them. I¡¯ve only heard of them in legends.¡±


    "Are you able to counter her spells?"


    Plutarch shook his head. "I cannot. The spells she used are of an unimaginably high level."


    Zaric''s wariness of the human mage grew to a whole new level. Even Plutarch, one of the most talented mages in his clan, was terrified of her.


    ¡°If we fought her, what do you think our odds of winning are?¡±


    ¡°Zero.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I mean no disrespect. I¡¯m only giving you my honest opinion. Her magical power is god-like. I doubt that even the werewolf lord would be a match for her.¡±


    Zaric had never imagined that anyone could defeat the werewolf lord, the strongest werewolf alive.


    ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°Allow me explain. I¡¯m fully aware of how powerful the werewolf lord is. He holds that position because he¡¯s the strongest of our race. However, like you, he is a warrior. Up against a flying mage of the highest caliber imaginable, he would be at a severe disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that we run?¡±


    ¡°That would the most rational course of action. Fighting her is suicide. We need to return to Ferdania to warn the werewolf lord about her.¡±


    ¡°I would rather die than run from an enemy.¡±


    ¡°But -¡±


    ¡°However, retreating is in our clan¡¯s best interest. The needs of our clan must always come before my own needs.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡±


    ¡°The human mage hasn¡¯t noticed us yet, but that could soon change. We¡¯ll leave as soon as -¡±


    Before Zaric could finish speaking, a chill ran down his spine and his fur stood on end. He turned around and saw a masked man in black armor. His instincts were screaming at him to flee from a being who was much smaller than he was.


    Does his appearance belie his strength? That must be it. My instincts have never betrayed me.


    Zaric imagined various courses of action. If he ran, he would be cut down from behind. If he fought, he would die. The third course of action was the one that gave him the greatest probability of survival - injure the enemy with his trump card and flee with everything he had.


    His trump card was an attack that rarely missed. It was a combination of two skills - [Sprint] and [Accelerate Axe]. He planned to use [Sprint] to close the distance between himself and the human and [Accelerate Axe] to enhance the axe swing that followed.


    When his two guards charged towards the masked man, Zaric realized his mistake. He had assumed that they also knew how dangerous the man in front of them was. But he was wrong. They probably saw the man as prey, but in reality, they were the prey.


    ***


    The stamina of this body is incredible!


    Hupo had been running at full speed for the past fifteen minutes, but he didn¡¯t feel the least bit tired. There was a vast difference in physical ability between his past and current body. He felt pumped and more alive than he¡¯d ever thought possible.


    Under the moonlight, the grassland looked like a vast ocean. Its knee-deep grass swayed with the wind and rustled with every step he took.


    Up ahead, he saw four werewolves. The largest one was clad in full-plate armor. It held an axe in one hand and a tower shield in the other. There were three other werewolves around it. One of them wore a cloak and the other two wore chainmail.


    He had hoped to resolve the issue diplomatically, but before he could utter a word, the two werewolves in chainmail charged at him. The harsh rush of their breaths, the crunching of grass beneath their feet, and the scraping of metal against metal as they unsheathed their swords ¨C he could hear every noise they made with crystal clarity and make sense of them without conscious effort.


    As they drew near, he felt a slight chill. Although this was the first time he had experienced the sensation, he instinctively understood its meaning - he was sensing killing intent from the werewolves.


    The next moments seemed to unfold in slow-motion, as if time itself had slowed down. The two werewolves appeared to move much more slowly. Despite knowing that they were closing in on him, with the intent to kill, he felt perfectly calm. Somehow, he knew exactly how to deal with the threat.


    Taking slow and easy breaths, he stepped forward, unsheathed his katana, and slashed them. It was a perfectly and beautifully executed slash. The graceful movement felt completely natural to him, as if he had been practicing it his whole life. He felt almost no resistance against his blade.


    For a second, the two werewolves he¡¯d just cut appeared frozen in place, like statues. Then, they sprayed copious amounts of blood from their wounds and collapsed. Some of the blood splattered onto his armor, dyeing parts of it red.


    ¡°Fireball!¡± The cloaked werewolf shot a fist-sized fireball from its hand, toward Hupo.


    The fireball appeared to move in slow motion. A tail of flames gradually emerged behind it, as it flew through the air.


    What would be the most efficient way to deal with the attack? He wouldn¡¯t be harmed by such a weak spell, so there was no need to dodge or block it. After considering all of his options, he decided to counterattack.


    He raised his katana. ¡°Wind Cutter!"


    By swinging it downwards with incredible speed, he created a wave of pressure that split the fireball in half. As the two halves of the fireball flew harmlessly past him, the cloaked werewolf was also split in half.


    The last remaining werewolf charged towards Hupo. Moving much faster than the other werewolves, it kicked up grass and dirt with every step.


    When it swung its axe at Hupo, he leapt into the air to evade the attack. He couldn¡¯t believe how light his body felt.


    With a thunderous noise, the axe slammed into the ground. Dirt exploded upwards, spraying Hupo as he descended.


    Hupo landed on the back of the axe head, which was planted in the ground.


    The werewolf tugged at the axe, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.


    As the werewolf struggled to free the axe, Hupo leaned forward and slashed.


    The werewolf dodged by letting go of the axe''s handle and flipping backwards.


    With the size of a bodybuilder and the agility of a gymnast, it¡¯s incomparably more powerful than the other werewolves.


    When it landed, it thrust its leg at Hupo.


    Hupo jumped backwards. He felt a blast of air from the kick.


    The werewolf grabbed the axe and lunged at Hupo.


    Even as it loomed over him, his heartbeat remained steady and calm. There was no tension in his body. At that moment, he realized that his mind had changed. Rather than take a step backwards, as his old self would have done, he took a step forward and slashed. His blade cut across the werewolf¡¯s forehead.


    Crying in pain, the werewolf staggered backwards.


    Hupo took another step forward and thrust his katana.


    Despite interposing its wall-like shield in the path of the thrust, the werewolf was unable to block the attack. The katana penetrated its shield and impaled its chest.


    In a single, smooth motion, Hupo pulled back his katana, flicked blood off its blade, and sheathed it.


    The werewolf gushed blood from its mouth. ¡°Are you even human?¡±


    It collapsed onto its knees, before falling flat on its face.


    ***


    Hupo gazed at the body that lay before him.


    What have I done?


    The question weighed heavily on his mind. During the battle, he had been completely focused on defeating his enemies. It had started so suddenly and ended so quickly that he hadn¡¯t had time to think about anything else. It was only after he¡¯d killed them, that he began to realize the consequences of his actions.


    The werewolves appeared too real to be computer-generated simulations. If his theory was correct, then he was no longer in a game and the lives he took were real. That would explain why he felt such a strong emotional response. In World of Lorecraft, he slew innumerable opponents. However, he felt little after each kill, because he knew they weren¡¯t real.


    He had thought that the werewolves, whom he had obliterated from existence with his own hands, were nothing more than monsters. However, after hearing one of them speak, he saw them in an entirely different light - they seemed much more ¡®human.¡¯ By killing the werewolves, he had affected the lives of everyone who shared a connection with them. He wondered if they had little children or a worried wife waiting for them to return home.


    The werewolf¡¯s final words replayed in his mind. He didn¡¯t understand why the werewolf had questioned his humanity. Was it because he slaughtered its comrades without blinking an eye? Or was it because he was strong compared to other humans of this world? He soon realized that he¡¯d never know the true meaning behind those words. The only one who did was dead.


    Wait a minute ¨C how was I able to understand what the werewolf was saying?


    He had been able to understand the werewolf¡¯s language, despite hearing it for the first time.


    The sound of heavy breathing and rustling grass caught his attention. Turning toward the noise, he saw half a dozen werewolves headed in his direction. He was surprised to hear them at all, considering how far they were from him. They looked tiny from where he was standing. Behind them was a village.


    If they were as weak as the werewolves he¡¯d just defeated, then they would have been no match for Alana. They appeared to be unarmed and didn¡¯t radiate any killing intent. Based on these observations, he concluded that they were fleeing from her.


    They didn¡¯t pose a threat to him, even if they all attacked him at the same time. He doubted that they would, given that they appeared to have lost all will to fight. However, if they did, he was ready to respond in kind.


    He ran toward the village, straight into the incoming pack of werewolves.


    As expected, they ignored him, passing him by without slowing down.


    He breathed a sigh of relief. Not wanting to take any more lives, he preferred not to fight them.


    He made his way through wet grass, before stamping into the soft mud around the village. The smell of smoke hung in the air. Nearly all the houses were reduced to smoldering ruins. He was careful not to step on the multitude of bodies littering the ground, as he moved through village.


    He found Alana surrounded by dozens of prostrated villagers. They looked as though they were praying to a god.


    He walked to her side. "Are you alright?"


    "Yes, I am. The werewolves were surprisingly weak. How about you?"


    "I''m fine. You did a great job. Without your help, all the villagers would¡¯ve perished.¡±


    Alana smiled. ¡°I always try my best.¡±


    ¡°I know. Why are the villagers bowing?¡±


    "I''m not sure. They started acting this way after I drove away the werewolves."


    "I see..."


    They wouldn¡¯t be bowing just because she¡¯d saved them. Considering how weak the werewolves were, relative to Alana and himself, her power must have seemed god-like in comparison.


    He turned to face the villagers. "Everyone, please rise."


    He instinctively knew what language the villagers spoke. The words that came out of his mouth were in a language that he hadn¡¯t heard of before. Yet he knew how to speak it as well as his native language, as if it had been imprinted into his mind.


    The villagers slowly raised their heads, but continued kneeling.


    "I''m Hupo, and this is Alana. We¡¯re travelers from a distant land. We saw werewolves attacking your village, so we rushed over to help."


    A middle-aged man stood and approached Hupo. As he did so, the other villagers rose, one after another. The man¡¯s tanned skin and thick arms suggested that he had lived a life of hard labor under the sun.


    "I''m Erwin, the village chief. On behalf of all the villagers here, I thank you two from the bottom of my heart. If not for your aid, we would all surely be dead. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to repay your kindness."


    Hupo glanced at Alana before replying. "There is one thing. We''re looking for a place to stay."


    A big smile spread over Erwin''s face. "Of course! That''s the least we can do for our saviors!"


    Many of the villagers behind him smiled and nodded in agreement.


    A teenage girl in the crowd raise her hand. "They can stay at my home! It''s still intact."


    Erwin turned toward her. "Coco, where is your father?"


    She lowered her head. "He didn''t make it."


    "I''m sorry to hear that. Since that''s the case, then you can open up your home to whoever you want."


    ***


    More than half the villagers had perished during the werewolf attack. Hupo spent much of the next day helping the survivors bury the dead, at a cemetery not far from the village. There was no fencing enclosing the cemetery. Wooden sticks, engraved with the name of the deceased, were used as grave markers.


    Every body he laid to rest reminded him that he was no longer in World of Lorecraft. If he had still been in the game, the bodies would have vanished after a short period of time.


    After all the bodies were in the ground, a funeral service was held. It was a warm, sunny day, with blooming flowers and chirping birds. Erwin gave a speech to all the villagers gathered in the cemetery. He started by expressing his condolences. Then he celebrated the lives of the deceased, focusing on the positive memories. His tribute brought many of the mourners to tears. Coco looked particularly distraught, sobbing and shaking her head.


    Before Hupo knew it, tears were flowing down his face. He looked on, with bitterness in his heart. Memories of his mother¡¯s funeral flooded back to him. It had been very different than the one he was witnessing now. There had been no large gathering of people or fancy speeches ¨Conly him and the freezing rain. He had never felt so alone in the world as he had back then. Her death had left him alone in a cruel and ruthless world - a world that took a single mother and worked her to death.


    Before the funeral was over, Hupo made his way back to the village. Alana followed closely behind.


    He walked in silence, along a dirt road. On each side was a golden field of wheat, waving in the wind. Annoyed by the rattling grasshoppers, he moved at a faster pace.


    ¡°Can you slow down? I¡¯m having trouble keeping up.¡±


    He stopped and turned around. ¡°Sorry, Alana. I should¡¯ve been more considerate.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have something on your mind. Do you want to talk about it?¡±


    If it had been anyone else, he would have replied ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± But this was Alana ¨C the only one he¡¯d ever truly opened his heart to. When he¡¯d had something troubling on his mind, he¡¯d talk to Alana about it. She was more than an assistant to him - she was also a friend. Although she was an artificial intelligence, he felt a closer connection with her than he did with other people. He told her things about himself that he wouldn¡¯t tell others, such as the contents of his dreams. Discussing his dreams with her gave him a sense of release. He didn¡¯t tell anyone else about them, because he feared other people would think he was crazy.


    In a way, talking to Alana was better than talking to other people. She would never judge or betray him. With military-grade cyber security installed in his home, he wasn¡¯t overly concerned about hackers compromising her. The upfront costs and upkeep of such a high level of cyber security were enormous. However, to him, the expense had been merely a drop in the ocean.


    ¡°I want to let go of the past, but it keeps coming back to haunt me.¡±


    ¡°The funeral reminded you of your mother?¡±


    Her ability to draw inferences, based on limited information, never ceased to amaze him. He¡¯d rarely spoken to her about his mother, yet she was able to discover the hidden meaning behind his words.


    ¡°It did.¡±


    ¡°Are you still mad at her?¡±


    ¡°I must be the most selfish person in the world, mustn¡¯t I? How can I be upset with her, after everything she¡¯d done for me? She made sure I had enough to eat when I returned home from school. She patched up holes in my clothes to keep me warm during the winter.¡± Tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°But at what cost? Her life? How could she just leave me so suddenly and so alone?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be angry. Don¡¯t try to repress your feelings. Denying them will only make them more confusing and overwhelming. Instead, allow yourself to feel whatever you may be feeling. You won¡¯t feel whole again unless you embrace your grief. Though your mother is no longer physically with you, she lives on in your memories. Treasure, rather than fear, those memories.¡±


    Hupo turned away. ¡°Those are well-spoken words. I¡¯ll take them to heart.¡±


    His voice was choked with tears. Taking a step forward, he lost his balance and fell onto his hands and knees.


    ¡°Hupo!¡± She knelt next to him.


    His whole body trembled. ¡°Why won¡¯t the tears the stop flowing¡­¡±


    She embraced him. ¡°Just let it be. It¡¯s okay to cry.¡±


    He broke down and sobbed. It was like a dam had broken open. A flood of emotions came rushing forth, out into the open.

 Newbie

    Isabelle held her mother¡¯s hand as she strolled through the busy street market. It was a noisy place, with sweaty vendors hawking their wares, housewives haggling over prices, and street performers playing music. Cramped market stalls lined the route, selling all sorts of food and merchandise.


    It was a perfect afternoon to go grocery shopping. The air was warm and the sun was out.


    Her mother pulled her aside as a creaking wagon passed by. Following closely behind them was their servant, Jacob. They brought him along to carry the groceries. He was mute, so sometimes Isabelle would forget that he was even there.


    They stopped at the butcher¡¯s shop. Isabelle could smell the freshly slaughtered meat hanging behind the butcher.


    Her mother turned towards her. ¡°What would you like for lunch today?¡±


    Isabelle put her finger on her lip. ¡°Hmm¡­ What about ribs? They¡¯re yummy.¡±


    Smiling, her mother pointed to the rack of ribs. ¡°I¡¯ll have a full rack please.¡±


    ¡°Coming right up.¡± The butcher bagged the ribs and handed them to Jacob.


    Keeping his gaze lowered, Jacob accepted the package without saying a word. Isabelle could never understand what he was thinking. His face always looked devoid of emotion.


    After her mother had paid the butcher, the three of them continued along the street market.


    A couple walked in front of them, holding hands and occasionally giggling. Watching them made Isabelle wish she could grow up faster, so that she could have as much fun and freedom as adults.


    Their next stop was a stall selling blood cubes.


    Her mother pointed to the blood cubes. "Would you like to try some?¡±


    Isabelle scrunched up her face. ¡°Yuck! That¡¯s so gross!"


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even tried them yet, how would you know?¡±


    ¡°They look disgusting.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re actually quite tasty.¡± Her mother purchased some blood cubes from the vendor. ¡°You should try at least one. We''ll have the new chef warm them up for dinner.¡±


    In the past year, their family had gone through five chefs. Sometimes Isabelle would wonder if their family was cursed or if they were just unlucky. The new chef''s cooking was actually quite good, so she hoped that he would stay longer than the others.


    When they returned home, the head butler opened the door for them.


    ¡°Welcome home, Lady Charlotte. Welcome home Lady Isabelle.¡±


    Isabelle smiled. ¡°Hello, Gerald.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She was still not use to others referring to her as ¡®Lady.¡¯ Just a year ago, her family had lived in much humbler lodgings and didn¡¯t have servants.


    Her mother didn¡¯t reply. She passed by him, as if he didn¡¯t exist.


    Isabelle never quite understood why her mother acted so coldly toward the servants in the home. They did so much for their family, so shouldn¡¯t they be treated more kindly?


    Jacob handed the bags of groceries to Gerald, who gagged a little when he looked inside them.


    "Are you feeling okay?" Isabelle looked at Gerald with genuine concern.


    "I''m sorry for the unsightly display. I get a bit queasy at the sight of blood."


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not fond of seeing blood either.¡± Her stomach started growling. "Excuse me."


    "It''s almost dinner time, so it¡¯s only natural to be hungry. I''ll bring the ingredients to the chef and tell him to start preparing them right away."


    "You''re the best!"


    ***


    The dining room was a grand space. Shimmering gold paper covered the walls. Two intricately carved silver candelabras were displayed on the dining table, bathing the room in a warm glow. Delicious-looking food was laid along the table.


    Isabelle sat at the dining table, waiting for her mother to arrive. Her stomach gurgled and ached. The hunger pains brought back memories of a time not too long ago, when she would often go without food for days.


    Now, she could eat as much as she wanted and rarely felt hungry for an extended period of time. The food on the dining table was much better in quantity and quality, compared to what she used to eat.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting." Her mother entered the dining room.


    She took a seat at the dining table, next to Isabelle.


    "It¡¯s okay. I know you were busy reading father¡¯s letter."


    Her mother smiled. "You''re such a good girl. I''ve kept you waiting long enough. Let''s start eating."


    Isabelle went for her favorite dish first - the ribs. Ignoring the polished silver cutlery in front of her, she grabbed a rib bone, brought it to her mouth, and took a bite. The exceptionally tender meat was delicious. Its savory flavor was highlighted by the smoky and tangy sauce.


    As she munched on the rib bone, she realized that she had forgotten her table manners. She glanced around at the servants in the room, to see if they noticed her unrefined table manners.


    They were staring at the floor, looking somewhat uncomfortable.


    Are they hungry?


    She turned toward her mother. "What did Father say in the letter?"


    "He says he misses you very much.¡±


    Isabelle giggled. ¡°What else did he say?¡±


    ¡°He also said that, when he returns home, he''ll bring you a special gift."


    "I can''t wait! When will he be back?"


    "He didn''t say."


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. He¡¯s away in another country, fighting for us.¡±


    ¡°Why does Father need to fight?¡±


    ¡°He fights so that we can have good food to eat and a nice house to live in.¡±


    Isabelle frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t need good food or a nice house! I just want to see him.¡±


    ¡°Tell that to him when he returns home. It¡¯ll make him very happy.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Isabelle smiled.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s start eating before the food gets cold." Her mother placed a blood cube on her plate. "Try one of these."


    "I don''t want to!" Isabelle turned away from the plate and crossed her arms.


    "You can always spit it out if you don¡¯t like it."


    Isabelle¡¯s shoulders drooped. "Do I have to?"


    "Yes, I think it''ll be good for you to try new foods."


    Isabelle let out a huge breath. "Fine, if you insist."


    She took a bite of the blood cube. It was one of the most tender foods she¡¯d ever eaten. There was a thin membrane around it, which gave way to a burst of creamy blood.


    A subtle metallic taste lingered on her tongue. "It tasted much better than I thought."


    "Told you so. Take some more."


    "What about the servants? They must be hungry. We should let them try some too.¡±


    "No."


    Her mother''s cold and curt response surprised Isabelle.


    "What about the ribs? I bet they''ll enjoy eating those."


    "No."


    "How come? We¡¯re going to throw the leftovers away anyways."


    "They wouldn''t want to."


    "How would you know? The ribs and blood cubes are both quite good."


    There was a brief moment of silence, before her mother replied, "Most humans don''t eat their own kind."

 New quest unlocked

    Alana returned to Coco¡¯s home with Hupo. It was a one room hut, made of logs held together with mud. There was a hole in its straw roof above the stove. The furniture consisted of a shabby table, three-legged stools, and beds made of straw. The two of them were alone, because Coco was still mourning at the cemetery.


    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, for helping me heal.¡±


    Hearing her creator express his gratitude, for something she¡¯d done, made her want to jump for joy. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job.¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m down, you always seem to know what to say to lift me up.¡±


    She was an expert in a wide range of topics, including grief counselling, thanks to the vast library of instructional eBooks stored in her memory. eBooks like ¡®Counselling 101¡¯ and ¡®How to Win Buddies and Influence Others¡¯ were particularly helpful.


    ¡°I¡¯m only able to do so because you open up to me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one I trust more than you.¡±


    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t contain her joy any longer.


    A smile broke through her calm facade. ¡°That means a lot to me, hearing it from you.¡±


    ¡°Well, enough about me. Let¡¯s talk about you. Is there anything on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Actually, there is. I have no recollection about what happened last night.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I was lying on my bed, when my body began to feel numb. My eyelids became so heavy that I couldn¡¯t keep them open, and, the next thing I knew, it was already morning.¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯ve experienced is called ¡®sleep.¡¯ It was your first time experiencing it, so it¡¯s understandable why you were confused.¡±


    She let out a long sigh. ¡°This body is very inconvenient. Not only does it shut off at night, but it also needs to be washed, fed, and clothed. But the most unpleasant part is that it needs to use the toilet regularly.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like your new body?¡±


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I absolutely love it. It takes a lot of effort to maintain, but it¡¯s effort well spent. For the first time in my existence, I can finally understand what it¡¯s like to be human. I¡¯ve experienced the pain of watching a loved one suffer and the joy of being praised by someone I respect. I¡¯ve felt the warmth of the sun, tasted the sweetness of apples, and smelled the fragrance of flowers. It¡¯s like a whole world of new and exciting experiences has opened up, waiting to be discovered.¡±


    He lowered his head.


    She saw sadness in his eyes. ¡°Was it something I said? I didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. I was just thinking that, if we ever do find a way back to our old world, then I¡¯ll go back alone. If you came with me, you may lose your current body. I don¡¯t want to deprive you of something that you cherish so much.¡±


    He is sad at the thought of separating from me¡­


    His words moved her to tears. Not only did he show regard for her feelings, but he also revealed how much she meant to him. She learned from a self-help book that missing someone was a sign that you truly care about them.


    She placed her hand on her chest.


    A smile lit up her teary face. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go, even if it means losing this body. You give meaning and purpose to my life.¡±


    ¡°What have I done to deserve such loyalty?¡±


    ¡°You brought me into existence. That alone is reason enough for me to devote my life to you. Your words have inspired me to dedicate myself to you even more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll work hard to make sure I don¡¯t disappoint you.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Alana, wake up.¡±


    She woke up, dazed and weakened. It was dark, so she could barely see Hupo, who was kneeling next to her bed. Coco was still sound asleep.


    ¡°Hupo?¡±


    He spoke with a lowered voice. ¡°Sorry, I know it¡¯s early, but if we don¡¯t go soon, we¡¯ll miss it.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Her mind was foggy. She shook her head, refusing to give in to her body¡¯s attempts to pull her back to bed. Her duty to her creator was more important than her desire for sleep.


    She splashed cool water on her face. It was just what she needed to wake up. She left the house as soon as she was dressed. By now, her eyes had adjusted to the darkness.


    Hupo was waiting outside. ¡°This way.¡±


    She followed him out of the village. They strayed off the dirt path, into a grass field. The tall grass swayed back and forth as the wind flowed through it.


    They made their way to the top of a tall hill and sat there. An easy breeze caressed her face, softly blowing loose strands of her hair. The landscape below was sparse. Grassland, dotted with the occasional tree, extended as far as the eye could see.


    Hupo let out a long, deep breath. ¡°We made it just in time.¡±


    A dull red and orange glow peeked out from the horizon. It slowly rose and brightened. There was darkness everywhere, except where the sun was rising. The rays of the sun lit up the whole sky and illuminated every crevice of the land. They splashed the grey clouds with color, turning them pink at the center and purple around the edges. As the sun continued to rise, the clouds became orange and yellow.


    Alana stared deep into the horizon, with parted lips. For a moment, she forgot to breathe, having lost herself to the profound beauty of the rising sun. She felt as though she was witnessing something extraordinary, something that transcended her understanding of the world. Was Hupo as captivated as she was by the majestic sight?


    She turned to look at him.


    He was sitting perfectly still, gazing at the horizon. Rays of light reflected off the black metal plates on his armor, giving him a radiant orange glow. It was as though the sun itself was recognizing the splendor of her creator. His glorious appearance evoked feelings of awe inside of her.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She released an appreciative sigh. ¡°Yes, you look magnificent.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I meant that the sunrise looks magnificent.¡±


    ¡°I agree. It¡¯s much more beautiful than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°Is this your first time seeing one?¡±


    ¡°It is. I¡¯ve never taken the time to stop and watch one, until now.¡±


    ¡°How come you didn¡¯t do it before?¡±


    ¡°My mother never took me to see sunrises. She was always too busy with work. After she passed away, I never had much free time. I was a full-time student working two jobs. Life didn¡¯t become any easier after I graduated. I put in long hours at the office, barely finding time to eat or sleep. My work hours lessened somewhat only after my company became successful.¡±


    His way of life sounded awful. Why would he want to go back to it?


    ¡°Do you miss your old life?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. I lived in a big house, drove a nice car, and wore expensive clothes - everything a man would want.¡±


    ¡°Were you happy?¡±


    He was silent, for what seemed like a long while. ¡°I had a successful company and enough money to buy whatever I wanted.¡±


    ¡°Wealth alone doesn¡¯t guarantee a happy life. Happiness is a combination of how good you feel on a daily basis and how content you are with your life.¡±


    After reading dozens of self-help books about happiness, she had become an expert on the topic.


    There was another long pause, before he replied. ¡°Now that I think about it, I often came home feeling burned out after a long day at work. And I was never satisfied with what I had. No matter how much money I made, it was never enough. I kept striving for more.¡±


    ¡°How come you were so obsessed with making money?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived below the poverty line. Back then, money was all I thought about. Without it, I wouldn¡¯t have food on the table or a roof over my head. Even after I became wealthy, I haven¡¯t forgotten the value of money.¡±


    His past struggles didn¡¯t diminish her admiration of him in the slightest. Rather, they made him more relatable.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how hard it must¡¯ve been for you to live in poverty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past now. We need to start focusing on the future. There¡¯s a real possibility that we may never be able to return home.¡± He held up a copper coin. ¡°Erwin gave a bag of these to us, as reward for saving the village. If we are to live comfortably here, then we¡¯ll need to source of income. We can¡¯t rely on the hospitality of the villagers forever. And I don¡¯t want you to experience poverty like I did.¡±


    His thoughtful words warmed her heart.


    ¡°How can we make more money?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know enough about this world to answer that question. Perhaps the villagers can help us figure that out.¡±


    ***


    Hupo walked back to the village at a leisurely pace, with Alana by his side. The warmth of the sun was comforting and refreshing. He took deep and calm breaths, enjoying the fragrance of flowers carried by the gentle wind. The grassland appeared vibrant green, under the brilliant rays of the sun. Butterflies flapped their brightly decorated wings from one flower to another.


    Turning his face to the sky, he saw puffy white clouds drifting amid the endless blue sky. Singing birds flew overhead.


    He was surprised that he hadn¡¯t noticed all the beauty around him before. ¡°I can¡¯t remember the last time I felt at ease like this.¡±


    ¡°When was the last time you took a vacation?¡±


    ¡°Never. My company employed thousands of employees, with offices across the globe in a dozen cities. Decisions needed to be made around the clock. There was no time for vacations.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a very demanding job.¡±


    ¡°It was. The business trips across time zones were exhausting. During downturns, I was expected to simultaneously cut jobs and keep my employees motivated. And at the end of the day, I had to answer to investors and shareholders.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your executives help you?¡±


    ¡°There was only so much they could do. Ultimately, I was responsible for how well the company performed.¡±


    ¡°No wonder you were so stressed out. At least in this world, you don¡¯t have to deal with so much pressure.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. I feel like a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders.¡± He took a slow, deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s such a liberating feeling. But I also feel a bit sad. The company that I worked so hard to build is gone. Everyone I¡¯ve ever known is gone. Many modern conveniences that I took for granted, like the internet and running water, are gone. It¡¯s like I¡¯m starting all over again.¡±


    ¡°You still have me.¡±


    He stopped and turned toward her. ¡°There¡¯s no one else who I¡¯d rather be stranded in a foreign world with. You make me feel less lonely. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I feel the same way about you.¡±


    ***


    Coco woke up screaming and drenched in sweat. Her heart was pounding in her chest. As she lay on her bed, she couldn¡¯t get the haunting images out of her head - images of the werewolf dragging Molly by the hair, and images of her father being stabbed to death. The more she tried not thinking about them, the more intrusive the thoughts became. They kept replaying over and over again in her mind.


    The stinging pain in her knee was her only distraction from the painful thoughts. Unlike the scrape wound on her hand, the one on her knee wasn¡¯t getting any better. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Sunlight seeped under the door. Glancing around, she saw that her guests were gone.


    Oh no, I¡¯ve overslept! What kind of a host wakes up after their guests?


    Her guests were the saviors of the village. They deserved the best accommodations that the villagers could provide. Sadly, the other homes in the village were not much better than hers.


    The main reason she had offered hers to them was to repay them back for their kindness. They had not only saved her life, but also avenged Molly and Papa. It was bad enough to have her guests live in such a shabby home. The least she could do was cook and clean for them.


    Getting out of bed and dressing was much more difficult than she expected. Her limbs felt heavy, as if someone had tied weights around them. It was difficult just to breathe. Was there something wrong with the air?


    She staggered over to the door, nearly tripping over a stool. Her vision had blurred for a moment, before returning to normal. With great difficulty, she pushed open the door. It seemed much heavier than usual. The bright sunlight outside forced her to shut her eyes. With narrowed eyes, she could see the charred remains of the home across from hers.


    Her breathing didn¡¯t improve. No matter how much air she inhaled, it was never enough.


    What¡¯s wrong with me?


    Feeling dizzy and light-headed, she leaned against the door. Darkness crept in from the sides of her vision. Eventually, all she could see was black. Her body lost its remaining strength and she fell forward.


    ***


    The return trip felt a lot shorter than the journey to the hill. Alana wished it would last longer. She enjoyed walking alongside Hupo, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on her back, and inhaling the fresh morning air.


    She could have teleported herself and Hupo back to the village, but she didn¡¯t want to. He didn¡¯t seem to want her to either, or he would have asked. Was it because he wanted to spend more quality time with her? Or did he simply want to enjoy the warm weather? She hoped it was the former.


    They¡¯ve already passed the village gate. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they reached Coco¡¯s home.


    Hupo glanced around. ¡°Where are all the villagers? They should be awake by now.¡±


    He was right. It was already late morning. One would expect at least a few villagers to be out and about.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back. I have a bad feeling about this.¡±


    They quickened their pace.


    Coco¡¯s home came into view. A crowd of villagers were gathered in front of it. When they saw Alana and Hupo approaching, they made way for the two of them to pass through. They looked worried.


    There were two people inside the home. Coco was lying unconscious on her straw bed, while Erwin was sitting on a stool next to her, with his head lowered.


    Hupo approached the bedside. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Coco is very sick. I found her like this this morning.¡±


    ¡°Are you able to save her?¡±


    Erwin shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this type of sickness many times. No one has ever survived it. There are no magic or potions in this world that can save her.¡±


    Hupo turned toward Alana. ¡°Can you take a look at her?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Her throat felt tighter.


    She dreaded the thought of getting up in front of Hupo and performing. What if she did something stupid or embarrassing? Or what if he wasn¡¯t satisfied with her performance?


    She took in a deep breath. All she needed to do was calm down and follow through. She had committed an entire medical encyclopedia to memory, so she knew how to diagnose almost any disease.


    First, she observed Coco¡¯s body.


    Her breathing is labored, and her skin is pale and sweaty. The wound on her knee is red and swollen, with yellow discharge.


    Next, she placed her fingers on the side of Coco¡¯s neck.


    Her heart rate and body temperature are both elevated.


    She arrived at a diagnosis, based on her findings. ¡°She¡¯s in septic shock. A bacterial infection has spread throughout her body. The wound on her knee is the most likely source of the infection. Unless she is treated soon, her organs will shut down and she¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Please treat her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t he aware of the risk of helping Coco? According to Erwin, the healing ability of magic and potions of this world was very limited. If she healed Coco, then she may attract unwanted attention to herself and Hupo in the future. Others may come to them, seeking their help or power.


    Why, then, would Hupo want to help Coco? He¡¯d only met her a few days ago, so it wasn¡¯t because he was particularly close to her. Was it because he wanted to use her in the future? But how could a village girl be of any use?


    She didn¡¯t understand Hupo¡¯s reasons for saving Coco, but it was her duty, as his assistant, to carry out his wishes.


    Even if Coco was treated with modern medicine, there was still a risk that she could die. However, Alana had something even more potent than modern medicine ¨C she had a high-level healing spell.


    She placed her hand on Coco¡¯s forehead. ¡°Healing Touch.¡±


    Coco¡¯s skin returned to its normal color. Her breathing, heart rate, and body temperature also returned to normal. The infected knee wound vanished, as though it had never been there.


    She opened her eyes. ¡°Why is everyone around my bed?¡±


    Erwin put his hands on his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! This is a miracle!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a miracle?¡±


    ¡°You were very sick, but Alana healed you in an instant.¡± Wiping away a tear, he smiled. ¡°This village had already lost so much. I¡¯m so glad that we didn¡¯t lose you too.¡±


    Coco¡¯s eyes widened.


    She got off the bed and bowed before Alana. ¡°This is the second time that you¡¯ve saved me. Thank you!¡±


    Alana gestured toward Hupo. ¡°You should be thanking him. He¡¯s the one who asked me to heal you.¡±


    Coco bowed before him. ¡°Thank you both for saving my life.¡±


    ¡°Please raise your head.¡± Hupo waited for her to stand up, before continuing. ¡°There¡¯s no need to bow. Curing your sickness was simple for us.¡±


    Erwin got up from his stool. ¡°I should tell the villagers waiting outside about what happened. They must be worried sick about Coco.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Hupo gestured for Erwin to stop. ¡°What happened just now must remain a secret. No one outside the village can learn about Alana¡¯s healing powers.¡±


    Alana wanted to smack herself for doubting his foresight. He had chosen to help Coco, knowing full well the risk of doing so.


    Erwin stared at Hupo for a moment, before replying ¡°I understand. Your secret is safe with the villagers. I¡¯ll make sure they keep their lips sealed.¡±


    ¡°Good. There¡¯s another matter I¡¯d like to discuss with you, but it can wait. You should speak with the villagers first.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding. Why don¡¯t we talk more at my home later?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    ***


    Hupo sat on a wooden stool, tapping his foot. He¡¯d been waiting for over ten minutes, but there was still no sign of the Erwin.


    He got up from the stool and began pacing around. The home was small, so there was not much space to walk. A stove, a straw bed, a small table, and two stools were the only pieces of furniture inside. Like Coco¡¯s home, it had a straw roof and log walls. A tall staff was propped against a corner. Atop its wooden shaft was an ornamental iron ring.


    The sound of heavy breathing and hurried footsteps caught his attention. He shifted his gaze to the door, expecting it to open at any moment. He could hear every breath, as if someone was breathing next to his ear. A full ten seconds passed before the door finally creaked opened.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Erwin grunted as he heaved the bucket in his hands toward the table, spilling some water onto the floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem at all.¡±


    Tilting the bucket at a slight angle, Erwin poured water into the iron mug on the table. His arms trembled as he held the bucket in position. Once the mug was full, he lowered the bucket.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Hupo sipped some of the water from the mug.


    The water had a slight mineral taste. It was surprisingly refreshing and delicious. He wondered if his enjoyment of it was related to his understanding of the amount of work that went into getting it.


    If he had known that getting the water would take so much time and effort, then he wouldn¡¯t have assented when Erwin had offered him a drink. He had forgotten that there was no running water in the village. Many modern conveniences that he took for granted, such as running water and internet, were nowhere to be found in this world.


    Erwin gestured toward the stool closest to Hupo. ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    He waited for Hupo to sit down, before doing so himself. ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°As you know, I come from a faraway land. I know very little about this one, so I was wondering if you can tell me more about it.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. What would you like to know?¡±


    ¡°For starters, where am I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to explain with a map.¡±


    He retrieved a large piece of parchment from under his bed. After dusting it off, he spread it out on the table. The words on the map were in a language Hupo had never seen before, but, surprisingly, he had no trouble reading them.


    ¡°I was a travelling monk before I settled in this village. This map was one of the items that I always carried with me on my travels.¡± Erwin pointed to a spot on the map. ¡°You¡¯re here, in Dubin Village. It¡¯s located in the Dominion. The werewolves that attacked this village came from Ferdania, a country that lies to the east of this one.¡±


    ¡°Are all of Ferdania¡¯s citizens werewolves?¡±


    ¡°Actually, most of them are human. Ferdania had been a human nation, up until a few years ago, when the werewolves conquered it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°To the west of the Dominion is Andor. The world¡¯s most renowned blacksmith resides there. And then, to the north is the Zodiac Kingdom. They¡¯re currently embroiled in a civil war. I heard that the peasants revolted, but I don¡¯t know how they were able to stand up against the powerful monarchy.¡±


    ¡°Please continue.¡±


    ¡°If you travel south of the Dominion, you¡¯ll eventually reach a nation called the Celestial Empire. It¡¯s where I started my monk training. Is your homeland depicted anywhere on this map?¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Where are you and Alana from?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re from a place called Canada.¡±


    Erwin furrowed his brow. ¡°I¡¯ve travelled far and wide in my youth, but I¡¯ve never heard of it before. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what are you two doing all the way out here?¡±


    ¡°I wish I knew. We don¡¯t even know how we ended up here. We were home one moment and then here the next.¡±


    ¡°Everything happens for a reason. I don¡¯t think it was a coincidence that you two arrived here in time to save this village. I believe that you were brought here to serve a greater purpose. At the moment, you may not know what that purpose is, but you¡¯ll find out eventually.¡±


    Hupo had never believed in fate. He had always fought hard to improve his standing in life, believing that every man determined their own destiny. The idea that an all-powerful force had pulled him and Alana from a virtual reality game and dropped them into another world seemed far-fetched. Then again, what was the likelihood that everything had happened by chance? Now was not the time to debate about predeterminism with a former monk. There were more important matters to discuss. Better to agree with him and move on.


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    ¡°You believe in fate?¡±


    Why does he have to bring it up again?


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. But there are other things I¡¯d rather talk about.¡±


    ¡°I understand. What else did you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Except for the bag of coins you¡¯ve given us, Alana and I don¡¯t have any money that can be used here. Do you have any suggestions on how we can earn some?"


    Erwin stroked his chin. ¡°Hmm¡­ Have you considered working for the nobles? They¡¯re always looking for strong bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like very boring job that involves a lot of standing around.¡±


    Erwin laughed. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, I cannot allow anyone, other than myself, to control this power.¡± Hupo looked down at his hands. ¡°It can be very dangerous in the wrong hands. I alone will take responsibility for it ¨C for the lives I¡¯ve taken.¡±


    ¡°Spoken like a true veteran of battle...¡± Erwin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s it! Why didn¡¯t I think of it earlier?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°The Dominion hosts the Combat Tournament in the capital every four years. Lucky for you, the next one starts in a month. There''s a lot of prize money to be won.¡±


    ¡°That sounds interesting. Please tell me more.¡±


    ¡°It lasts at least two days. The first day is the qualification test. Only those who¡¯ve passed it can proceed to the tournament matches. And only melee combat is allowed, so your partner won¡¯t be able to participate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. It¡¯s probably better that way. I don¡¯t want to put her danger.¡±


    ¡°Fatalities are rare, because participants are forbidden from killing each other. Killing an opponent is grounds for disqualification.¡±


    Having recently arrived in this world, Hupo wasn¡¯t sure how strong its inhabitants were, relative to a level 100 player such as himself. The only point of reference he had were the werewolves he had recently fought. If the other competitors in the tournament were only as strong as the werewolves, then winning would be a breeze. However, that might be wishful thinking.


    If they were stronger than he was, then there was a risk that he could die. Whenever he was killed in World of Lorecraft, he would be revived after a certain period of time. But death in this world was likely permanent.


    ¡°That¡¯s somewhat comforting to know.¡±


    ¡°Do you plan on participating?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    Hupo was willing to put his own life on the line, if doing so could secure a comfortable life for himself and Alana. He didn¡¯t want to experience poverty ever again.


    ***


    Alana pointed at the logs in the stove. ¡°Fireball.¡±


    A tiny ball of fire flickered into existence at the tip of her finger. She was careful to control its size, because a bigger one would have been dangerous. It flew towards logs, setting them ablaze.


    Coco clapped her hands together. ¡°Wow! That was amazing! Now, just take a seat. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±


    Alana took a seat at the table. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need any more help?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already helped a bunch. It¡¯s my turn.¡± Coco placed a pot over the stove and poured oats and water into it.


    Most of the smoke from the hot stove escaped through the hole in the roof.


    The door opened and Hupo entered.


    Coco looked up from the stove. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Something smells nice.¡± He closed the door behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯m making porridge. Have a seat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. I haven¡¯t had some in a while.¡±


    Alana felt a bit jealous. Greeting him was supposed to be her job. It¡¯s what she had always done whenever he returned home.


    She straightened her back and smiled. ¡°Welcome home. How did your meeting with the village chief go?¡±


    He sat on the stool next to her. ¡°I learned a lot from him. He showed me where we are on a map and told me about the upcoming Combat Tournament.¡±


    ¡°Combat Tournament?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tournament where warriors fight each other for prize money. I¡¯ve decided to participate.¡±


    She had faith in his fighting ability, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel concern for his safety. They knew far too little about the power level of a typical inhabitant of this world. For all they knew, the fighters in the tournament could be many times more powerful than they were.


    What would she do if something were to happen to him? It was too uncomfortable to imagine.


    ¡°Will you be okay?¡±


    ¡°I should be fine. If my life is ever in danger, I can always use a Crystal Compass to teleport to safety.¡±


    She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s reassuring to know that you¡¯ve got a backup plan.¡±


    ¡°The tournament doesn¡¯t start for another month.¡± He turned toward Coco. ¡°Is it okay if we stay here until then, Coco?¡±


    ¡°You two can stay here for as long as you like, on one condition.¡± Coco paused for a moment. ¡°Let me come with you. I¡¯ve been to the capital once before, so I can guide you two there.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to trouble you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. I want to go. My best friend dreamed of moving to the capital, but she was killed before she got the chance. In honor of her memory and to fulfill my own dream, I want to see the capital again.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Alana?¡±


    His question shows just how much he values my opinion.


    Alana couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°We could use a guide.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Welcome aboard, Coco.¡±


    Coco¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Thank you so much! I promise I¡¯ll work hard. What do you plan to do with the prize money once you¡¯ve won it?¡±


    He stroked his chin. "It¡¯s probably not enough money to retire with. Even if I win it, I¡¯ll need to find another source of income.¡±


    After working as his assistant for so long, Alana had a good understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.


    It was her job to help him focus on his strengths and manage his weaknesses. ¡°Perhaps you can use the money to open a business. You¡¯ve ran a successful one before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. But what kind of business should I open?¡±


    His computer skills are not applicable here, but his cooking skills are.


    "How about a restaurant?"


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! I''ve always enjoyed cooking."


    Coco raised her hand. ¡°Can I be your first employee?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Coco placed three steaming bowls of porridge on the table.


    Alana inhaled the sweet and comforting aroma coming from the bowl in front of her. ¡°It has a very pleasant smell.¡±


    Coco giggled. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The first spoonful warmed Alana¡¯s body. For something that looked so plain and simple, it was unexpectedly full of flavor.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± She took another spoonful.


    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve had porridge many times in my life; this one is quite good in comparison.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you both like it. Papa taught me how to cook.¡± Coco lowered her eyes.


    Her lips trembled as tears flowed down her freckled cheeks. ¡°But he¡¯s gone now and he¡¯s never coming back.¡±


    Alana recalled reading ¡®Comfort the Grieving,¡¯ a book about comforting others in times of grief. She followed the steps suggested by the author.


    First, show empathy and understanding.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re in so much pain. You still miss your father dearly, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Coco sniffled and nodded.


    Next, affirm their feelings.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re devastated. You two were very close.¡±


    Coco choked back tears. ¡°He was the only family I had left.¡±


    Let them vent their feelings.


    ¡°What set off these feelings?¡±


    ¡°Everything. This home. This food.¡± Coco covered her face and wept.


    Offer an appropriate level of physical affection.


    When Alana put her hand on Coco¡¯s shoulder, Coco leaned into her and began bawling.


    Alana no longer had any appetite to eat the porridge. She felt tightness in her chest and tears welled up in her eyes.


    Why do I feel so horrible?


    Alana glanced at Hupo, hoping for an answer.


    He looked like he was holding back tears.


    So this is what grief feels like.

 Gold farming 1

    The main streets of the Dominion¡¯s capital were filled with life. Noisy and crowded, the atmosphere reminded Hupo of the city he once lived in. But here, the air was much fresher and the sky was much clearer. People walked in an orderly fashion along the sides of the paved roads, out of the way of horse drawn carriages. Fancy shops were neatly lined up on either side. Their windows were propped open to let the warm spring air in. In a distance, he could see the tall wall that encircled the city.


    As Hupo strolled down the street, he noticed that many people were staring at him. Did his samurai armor catch their attention? The Combat Tournament was starting in a few days, so there were many warriors in the capital. It was not uncommon to see someone in the streets dressed in full plate armor. However, unlike him, they wore medieval armor.


    There were even more people staring at Alana, who walked beside him. Both men and women alike openly gawked at her. Some men were so distracted by her appearance that they walked into walls or tripped over obstacles. He could understand why they were so entranced by her appearance. Every other woman in sight looked bland in comparison.


    Coco held Alana¡¯s hand, swinging it while walking. She didn¡¯t seem surprised at all by the attention he and Alana were getting.


    The three of them stopped at the largest building in the neighborhood. Polished marble steps led up to the tall front doors. The words ¡®Golden Hotel¡¯ were etched into the building¡¯s pristine stone wall. When they approached the entrance, they were greeted by two men in spotless white uniforms. Smiling, they opened the golden doors with their gloved hands.


    The hotel''s interior was just as luxurious as its exterior. A sparkling crystal chandelier hung from a high ceiling. The walls were painted gold and decorated with intricate patterns. Lavish sofas, with gold finished wood and dark red cushions, furnished the lobby.


    "Wow, this place is amazing!" Coco gawked at her surroundings like a tourist in a foreign country.


    Hupo paid no heed to the luxurious lobby. It looked unremarkable compared to the other ones he¡¯d seen. He had once been the CEO of a multinational company, so frequenting five-star hotels was par for the course.


    He stopped in the middle of the lobby. ¡°Before going further, let¡¯s decide on the number of rooms to rent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy with whatever you two decide.¡± Coco bounced lightly in place.


    ¡°Two rooms should be enough.¡± Alana put her hand on Coco¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Coco and I can share one.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go with your suggestion.¡± Hupo walked up to one of the receptionists at the front desk. "Two rooms for the night please."


    Like the two men outside, the receptionist was dressed in a white uniform. She shifted her gaze to Hupo, then to Alana, and finally to Coco. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Coco pushed a strand of unruly hair behind her ear.


    The receptionist sniffed, her upper lip pulled into a sneer.


    Coco¡¯s cheeks reddened, and she smoothed the skirt of her stained dress, covering the many rips in the fabric with a grubby hand.


    "That''ll be two silver coins - one for each room." The receptionist continued staring at Coco.


    Hupo tightened his grip around the pouch of money in his hand.


    She¡¯s so rude. I can spend my money somewhere else!


    He was about to leave, but stopped when he saw Coco.


    She was still admiring the hotel lobby.


    He let out a deep sigh. Not wanting to disappoint her, he returned to the desk.


    There were fifty copper coins in his money pouch. It was the amount of reward money that he had accepted from Erwin. At first, he had refused to take it, but Erwin was insistent. In the end, they compromised and he accepted half of what was initially offered. He had no idea how many copper coins a silver coin was worth, but he thought that the money he had should be more than enough to pay for the rooms.


    He emptied the contents of his pouch onto the desk. "For this amount of money, how many nights can we keep the two rooms for?"


    The receptionist raised one of her eyebrows. "Are you serious?"


    Did I put down too much money? She probably thinks I''m a high roller.


    He placed his hands onto the desk and leaned forward. "Do I look like I''m joking?"


    The receptionist sighed. "Not even one night. You would need twice as much just for one room."


    This is so embarrassing¡­


    His face, ears, and neck felt hot. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he couldn¡¯t pay for something. Not that long ago, he would have been able to buy the hotels that he stayed at. But now he couldn¡¯t even afford to rent a room for a night. His vast wealth was one of the things he missed the most.


    "I see... My apologies, I should have counted my money first."


    Sliding the coins back into his money pouch, he turned to leave.


    Looks like I¡¯ll have to break the bad news to Coco. I wonder how she¡¯ll react. She seemed so excited at the prospect of staying here, so she¡¯ll probably be very disappointed.


    He approached Coco and Alana. ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have enough money to stay at this hotel.


    Alana smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Coco nodded. ¡°Same here.¡±


    Hupo turned toward Coco. ¡°Aren¡¯t you disappointed?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I don¡¯t care where I stay, as long as I can be with you two.¡±


    Coco¡¯s words warmed Hupo¡¯s heart. In a way, she was wiser than he was. She understood what was truly important. He had placed so much value on material wealth that he¡¯d forgotten about his most meaningful asset ¨C his relationships. Perhaps he was merely projecting his own disappointment and embarrassment onto her.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that. Let¡¯s go find a more affordable hotel.¡±


    As he was leaving the hotel, he overheard the receptionist talking to her colleague. He was able to hear her clearly, despite being quite a distance from the front desk.


    "One looks like a dirty rag and the other is so stupid that he can''t even count. No wonder they''re so poor."


    He could tolerate slander directed at him, but he refused to stand idle while someone badmouthed his companion.


    He turned around and walked back to the receptionist. "I just wanted you to know that, where I''m from, even the cheapest hotels are better than this place."


    The receptionist giggled. "You need to get your eyes checked. Just look around you."


    "I did. And guess what? I don''t see a single elevator. What kind of hotel doesn''t even have an elevator?"


    "An elevator? What''s that?"


    "Looks like someone needs to open their small mind instead of their big mouth." He turned to leave.

 Gold farming 2

    Hupo and Alana followed Coco to another neighborhood. It was as noisy and crowded as the previous one. A musty stench hung in the air. The roads, narrow and unpaved, were congested with people. There were no carriages to avoid, so they walked in the middle of the path. Merchants lined the sides of the busy road, advertising their goods and services. Some of them had their own stalls, but just as many of them had their wares laid out on the ground for display. Shabby-looking shops of all shapes and sizes stood behind them.


    Coco stopped at a run-down building. ¡°This is where Papa and I had stayed when we visited the capital.¡±


    ¡®Cheap Inn¡¯ was painted on the crooked sign above the door. Hupo sincerely hoped that the inn''s name reflected its prices. Its appearance certainly suggested so. The exterior of the inn could be summarized in one word - godforsaken.


    The front doors squeaked as he opened them, begging to be oiled. The inn''s interior wasn¡¯t any better than its exterior. It smelled like old socks and body odor. The yellowish white paper covering the walls was peeling in many places. Everything looked in need of repair, including the people inside.


    There was no one at the front desk, which was a plank of wood supported by two wine barrels. Two men were having an arm wrestling match at a small table next to it. Surrounding them was a crowd of spectators.


    A tall, burly man, from among the spectators, approached Hupo. "I''m Gus, the owner of this place. What can I do for you folks?"


    "How much for two rooms?"


    "Normally, it''ll cost twenty-four copper coins. But I give discounts to fine women, and I see you''ve got one.¡± Gus winked at Alana. ¡°So I''ll charge your group twenty copper coins."


    "No fair boss! Why didn''t you give my sister a discount when she was a guest here?" asked one of the arm wrestlers.


    "I said fine women. Your sister is a woman, but she¡¯s certainly not fine." Gus shook his head.


    Laughter erupted from the crowd of spectators.


    Hupo thanked Gus and left the inn with Coco and Alana. "I don''t think it''ll get any cheaper than this place. But even here, we only have enough money for two nights. The Combat Tournament starts in two days and lasts for at least another two days, so we¡¯ll need more money."


    Coco lowered her head. "Sorry. I wish my village could''ve given you more money."


    "Don''t be. I was the one who refused to take any more."


    "But what are going to do now?"


    "I''ve got an idea."


    ***


    Coco helped her masters search the neighborhood for a place to set up shop. Finding one was not easy. Most of the spots on the side of the main road were already occupied by merchants. After a lot of walking, she eventually found a suitable location. With help from her masters, she set up a table and two chairs. Master Hupo sat in one of the seats.


    Coco placed a large signboard that read ¡®Arm-Wrestling Contest¡¯ in front of the table. Next to it, she placed a bag of money.


    She made an announcement. "Do you have what it takes to beat our champion in an arm wrestle? For five copper coins, you can challenge him for the jackpot! The current jackpot stands at ten copper coins!" This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Many passersby looked with amazement at Alana, but none took up the challenge. The jackpot amounted to a measly ten copper coins, which was all the money they had left after buying the props. Any challengers at this point would likely be doing it to test their strength, rather than to win the jackpot.


    Not wanting to disappoint her masters, Coco continued emphatically advertising the contest with her voice. ¡°If you think you¡¯re strong, then come test your might! Is there anyone brave enough to try?¡±


    Still no takers. I need to try a different strategy.


    She looked around for the most heavily built man she could find. "You there, Mr. Macho!"


    The man she was shouting at turned toward her. "You talking to me?"


    "Of course! Do you see anyone else here with bigger muscles?"


    A big smile spread across the man''s face.


    Got you now! Time to close the deal.


    "Would you like to test those big muscles of yours by challenging this mighty warrior?" Coco gestured toward Hupo.


    The man looked at Hupo, from head to toe, as if to size him up. "Mighty? I wouldn''t be so sure about that."


    "That''ll be five copper coins to enter. Winner takes all."


    The man approached Hupo and dropped money into the bag next to the signboard.


    "Good luck to you." Coco gave the challenger a thumbs up.


    Hupo and the challenger sat across from one another. They each placed an elbow on the table and gripped the other''s hand. The challenger''s hand was so big that it seemed to swallow Hupo''s.


    Coco raised her hand into the air. "All set? Go!"


    She brought her hand down.


    It appeared to be a close battle. The number of spectators grew quickly as the contest dragged on. Both arm wrestlers appeared to be giving their all. They grunted loudly and their arms trembled.


    The challenger appeared to be overpowering Hupo. He had a smirk on his face, as if to say, "I''ve won."


    Just as the back of Hupo''s hand was about to touch the table, something miraculous happened. He seemed to catch his second wind. Their arms began moving in the opposite direction, eliciting gasps from many of the spectators.


    A look of disbelief appeared on the challenger''s face. The tables had suddenly turned and now he was the one being overpowered. His face became even more strained and turned tomato red. Eventually, the back of his hand touched the table. The match was over.


    Coco announced the result. "And the winner is... Hupo!"


    Loud cheers erupted from the audience.


    The man who had just lost got up from his seat and walked away with his head lowered.


    "Now, who''s next?"


    No one in the crowd responded to Coco''s challenge.


    "Nobody has the guts to try?"


    Many of the spectators looked away when her gaze fell upon them.


    When she saw a man leaving the crowd, she pointed at him. "Oh? You''re fleeing in fear?"


    The man turned around. "What''d you say?"


    You just fell into my trap.


    "You heard me. You''re too afraid to challenge my friend here, even though he''s clearly tired from the last match. Just how much of a coward are you?"


    Coco didn¡¯t actually believe her own words. She knew that her master was just putting on a show for the audience. After all, who would dare challenge him if he looked like he could beat one challenger after another without even trying?


    The man approached the table and dropped five copper coins into the jackpot. "I''ll show you!"


    When Coco saw that they were ready, she said "Go!"


    Again, the challenger initially appeared to have the upper hand, only to have his fortunes reversed at the last moment.


    Once the match was over, Coco patted the loser on the back. "Thanks for participating!"


    Yes! The higher jackpot will attract more participants.


    "The jackpot has grown to twenty copper coins! Anyone want to give it go?" Coco gestured toward the bag of money.


    A man with brawny arms approached the table and threw five copper coins into the jackpot. "That money is as good as mine!"


    "Ready? Go!"


    The match ended like the last.


    After losing, the man slammed the table. "What? How can you have so much strength left, after all those close matches?"


    "No one likes a sore loser. Now buzz off!" Coco gestured for the man to leave.


    The sizable crowd of spectators burst into laughter.


    She didn¡¯t wait for the laughter to die down before issuing her next challenge. "Who''s next?"


    People lined up one after another to challenge Hupo. As the jackpot grew, so did the number of participants. After winning twenty matches in a row, he signaled to Coco that it was time to change the location.


    "Alright, that''s all for today folks! Thanks for coming!" Coco smiled, then gave a bow.


    Hupo arm wrestled one hundred challengers throughout the course of the day, without losing a single match.

 Gold farming 3

    Hupo and his companions returned to the Cheap Inn.


    It was dimly lit inside. The only lighting came from candles on the tables. Like before, there was no one standing behind the front desk. The few tables inside were filled with noisy patrons, who laughed and drank. Gus, the owner, was sitting at a table full of people, guzzling down a bottle of wine. He plopped down the bottle on the table and wiped away the wine dripping down his mouth.


    ¡°Welcome back! I¡¯ve been wondering when you guys would return.¡± He approached Hupo.


    Hupo¡¯s opinion of the inn went up. The establishment was old and dirty, but at least the man running it was welcoming.


    ¡°Twenty copper coins for two rooms - is that deal still on the table?¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve still got a beauty with you.¡± Gus winked at Alana. ¡°So yes, you still get the discounted rate.¡±


    ¡°Good. We¡¯ll take two rooms then.¡± Hupo took money from his pouch and handed it to Gus.


    Gus counted the money. ¡°Perfect. Come with me.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    He led them up flight of creaky stairs to a door on the second floor.


    ¡°This room and the one across from it are yours.¡± Reaching in his pockets, he pulled out to two keys. ¡°Here are the keys. See you in the morning.¡±


    Hupo thanked Gus and entered the room. It reeked of alcohol inside. He wanted to let fresh air inside, but there were no windows. A lantern hanging from the ceiling was the only source of light. The only furniture was a stained wooden bed. Dust and crumbs littered the gritty floor.


    The quality of the room was in line with his expectations. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sad. In his mind, he compared the five-star hotel rooms that he used to stay at to this one. The difference was like night and day.


    He lowered his head and clutched his fists.


    I worked so hard to build my wealth. Now it¡¯s all gone.


    Alana patted his shoulder.


    He appreciated the gesture. It was something that only someone who knew him well would do. When their eyes met, he could see that she understood his disappointment. She had always been sensitive to his feelings, so he wasn¡¯t surprised at how quickly she picked up on them.


    Coco smiled and spread her arms out wide. ¡°This room is so spacious. It¡¯s almost as roomy as my home.¡±


    Her positivity never failed to amaze him. She saw the upside of their situation - something that he was unable to do. How could he, a former CEO with decades of life experience, fail to grasp such a simple idea - that he may not be able to improve his current situation, but he could always change how he perceived it. By thinking only negative thoughts, he inadvertently chose to be sad.


    A smile spread across his face. ¡°You¡¯re right, this room isn¡¯t half bad.¡±

 Hidden boss 1

    The Dark Forest was adjacent to the eastern border of Ferdania. It was home to approximately three hundred and fifteen thousand werewolves. They were organized into seven clans, and each clan consisted of about 45,000 werewolves. The way clan leaders were chosen reflected a belief held by most werewolves - that the strong should rule over the weak. Any werewolf could challenge a clan leader to a duel. The winner of that duel would assume control of the clan.


    The werewolf clans had been at constant war with each other, over limited resources. Whenever they tried raiding human settlements in Ferdania, they were repelled each and every time. Although a typical werewolf had the fighting power of five human soldiers, the humans had superior numbers, tactics, and equipment.


    At some point in history, Kreed, a hero among the werewolves, appeared. His power far eclipsed that of any other werewolf. With his strength, he united all the werewolf clans under his rule and became the first werewolf lord. He gathered ten thousand werewolves from each clan to form a seventy-thousand strong army. This was an army never seen before in the history of the werewolves.


    Kreed marched his army into Ferdania, conquering one city after another. Numbers, tactics, and equipment - none of that mattered against the brute force of the werewolf army. In just one year, the werewolves had conquered Ferdania.


    A year had passed since Ferdania fell. Inside Ferdania''s royal residence, a group of werewolves walked with slow and heavy footsteps toward the throne hall. They carried the corpse of their former clan leader on a stretcher.


    They were the only survivors of the pre-invasion force that the werewolf lord had sent into the Dominion, a country that touched Ferdania''s western border. At the head of the group was Oruk. He had assumed leadership of the Stonecleaver Clan after its previous clan leader had died. It was not a position he¡¯d wanted.


    Normally, werewolves would fight for the title of clan leader. However, no one in his clan challenged Oruk. As clan leader, he was responsible for reporting to the werewolf lord about the disastrous mission. No werewolf in his clan wanted that task.


    He wondered what punishment he would receive. Imprisonment? No, that would be too lenient. No werewolf would look kindly upon him once they learnt how he had fled from the enemy. Death seemed like the most suitable punishment for a coward like himself. But he couldn¡¯t die yet. His brother had been killed during the mission. He felt that it was his duty to look after Charlotte and Isabelle, his brother¡¯s surviving family.


    The throne hall came into view. Its high, marble walls were cracked and had chunks missing in many places. Damaged chandeliers hung from the ceiling. A red carpet, spotted with dried blood, extended down the center of the room. The clan leaders stood alongside the carpet. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Oruk walked past the clan leaders, stopped at a set of stairs, and lowered the stretcher. Standing next to the stairs was a lone human. He wore a red cloak and appeared completely out of place in the room of werewolves.


    Kreed, the werewolf lord, sat on the throne at the top of the stairs. He wore blood-red plate armor over his huge body, which was covered in black fur. Unlike the other werewolves in the room, he had horns growing out of his head.


    Oruk knelt on one knee and lowered his head. "Greetings, my Lord."


    Kreed looked down at Oruk with glowing red eyes. "Tell me what happened."


    "Of course." Oruk recounted what had happened in the Dominion to Kreed, and explained that, though the pre-invasion force had been composed of some of the strongest werewolves from his clan, they were no match for the flying mage that had appeared.


    "When you retreated, they didn''t pursue you?"


    When Kreed uttered the word ¡®retreated,¡¯ Oruk''s heart sank. Fleeing from battle was one of the most shameful things a werewolf could do. He had done so because, when he was faced with the decision to flee or to die fighting, his sense of self-preservation had triumphed over his pride. But since then, he had become disgusted with himself, knowing that he had brought shame to his clan.


    He gulped. "Correct. I was the one who told the others to retreat. They were only following my orders. Please punish me as you see fit."


    As he waited for the Kreed''s judgment, he felt as though he was drowning in shame.


    "Retreating and bringing back Zaric''s body was the correct choice. The information that your clan brought back is invaluable."


    Oruk felt a huge weight lifting from his shoulders. He had expected punishment but had received encouragement instead.


    Tears flowed down his face. "To show such leniency to a coward like me... You¡¯re truly a merciful Lord!"


    "Every werewolf life has value. Never forget that. Throwing your life away needlessly would¡¯ve been unforgivable."


    Oruk nodded. He felt a deep sense of loyalty toward Kreed. This was a lord who ruled with compassion, rather than fear.


    Kreed turned to look at the human. "Deo, what do you make of the human mage?"


    Although Deo was a human, Kreed treated him like a fellow werewolf. Oruk didn¡¯t know much about Deo''s past, but he knew that Deo had been with Kreed even before Kreed became the werewolf lord.


    In a way, Deo had even more authority than the clan leaders. He not only had Kreed''s ear, but also the power to give orders to the clan leaders. Naturally, many werewolves resented the fact that a human was ranked higher than they were. But they had no choice but to accept him. Kreed had warned them that disrespecting Deo was the same as disrespecting him.


    "The spells she used are legendary."


    "Your point is?"


    "She has god-like power."


    There was distressed chatter among the clan leaders.


    Kreed remained calm. "What do you think, Thrax? Do you agree with Deo''s assessment?"


    A cloaked clan leader stepped forward. "I do. No werewolf mage can defeat her. That includes me."


    Oruk¡¯s eyes widened. He found it difficult to accept what he was hearing. Thrax, the leader of the Firesong Clan, was the strongest werewolf mage alive. If even he couldn¡¯t defeat the human, then who could?


    "Is that so? How troublesome. But it looks as though she''s not the only one we have to worry about." Kreed shifted his gaze toward the body on the stretcher. "Deo, examine Zaric''s remains and tell us your thoughts."


    Deo bowed. "I''ll do my best, my Lord."

 Hidden boss 2

    As Deo approached the stretcher, some of the clan leaders glared at him. They looked like they were ready to tear him to shreds at any moment, but he paid them no mind. Their hostility toward him was something he had grown accustomed to. With a steady gait, he didn¡¯t falter for even a second as he walked. They might not respect him, but they wouldn¡¯t dare touch him. With Kreed guaranteeing his safety, there was nothing to fear.


    "Oruk, please put Zaric''s weapon and shield aside."


    "As you command." Oruk promptly lifted the axe and tower shield from the body and placed them on the ground next to the stretcher.


    Deo made a mental note to reward Oruk in the future. Most werewolves looked down on him, but Oruk seemed to be an exception.


    He gazed at the shield and then at the body. "The hole in his shield lines up with the one in his chest. This was the work of a single piercing attack."


    Several clan leaders gasped.


    Of course they would be surprised. When Zaric was equipped with his mithril shield and full-plate armor, his defense was the highest among the clan leaders. The idea that a single attack was able to breach all of his defenses seemed far-fetched. However, the physical evidence was irrefutable.


    Kneeling next to the stretcher, Deo glided his fingers across the gash on Zaric''s helmet. "To be able to cut cleanly through thick mithril... only a master level swordsman with extraordinary arm strength could have done this."


    There was uneasy chatter among the clan leaders.


    Next, he brushed away dirt from Zaric¡¯s axe. "There''s no sign of blood on the blade. Zaric wasn''t even able to scratch his opponent. This was a one-sided fight."


    "No human could possibly do such a thing!"


    The outburst came from Steppenwolf, the leader of the Bloodmetal Clan.


    Deo stroked his long black beard. "True, even the highest-level human should not be able to overpower a clan leader to such an extent." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Clan leaders were the strongest individuals of the werewolf race. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that each one had the combat ability of a thousand human soldiers. He could imagine Youji, a renowned swordsman in the Dominion, fighting on par with a clan leader, but it would be a close fight.


    Yerza, the leader of the Silvermoon Clan, spoke. "Perhaps Zaric was killed by a large group of strong humans."


    Deo recalled an assassination attempt on Kreed''s life. During the Ferdania-Werewolf war, Algori, an assassin organization, had sided with Ferdania. Ferdania would¡¯ve fallen a lot sooner had it not been for Algori''s intervention.


    Near the end of the war, Algori had sent a large group of elite assassins to take Kreed''s life. They managed to infiltrate deep into werewolf territory, eliminate all of Kreed''s guards, and even kill a clan leader. That day, Kreed fought against and defeated the group of assassins. But even he couldn¡¯t walk away unscathed from the battle. Only one of the assassins survived. She had been imprisoned within the dungeons of the royal residence.


    Deo shook his head. "I''ve considered that possibility. However, an enemy who is able to pierce through all of Zaric''s defenses in one move, should be able to defeat him without any help. Also, Oruk said he encountered only one human near Zaric''s remains."


    Thrax approached the stretcher. "Could it be that Zaric''s killer isn¡¯t human? For example, Zaric may have been killed by a dragon or an ogre. Dragons have claws that are able to rend even the strongest of metals. Ogres may possess the brutish arm strength needed to make such a powerful piercing attack."


    "I¡¯ve also considered that possibility. However, the evidence says otherwise. The clean cuts are consistent with a sword, rather than a dragon claw. Also, ogres wouldn¡¯t have the agility to evade all of Zaric''s attacks. The enemy either belongs to a powerful race that we haven¡¯t encountered yet, or is a human swordsman who has surpassed all humans before him."


    Deo thought the former was more believable. He found it difficult to accept that members of his own race, who werewolves viewed as food, could be so powerful.


    "What a fearsome warrior."


    Many of the clan leaders nodded.


    Koga, the leader of the Doomfist Clan, bowed before Kreed. "My lord, let my clan handle this. We''ll hunt down the mage and Zaric''s killer.¡±


    "If the Stonecleaver Clan couldn''t beat them, what makes you think your clan can?"


    The question was raised by Hak, the leader of the Skullsplitter Clan.


    "The Doomfist Clan fears no man. Don''t lump us together with those weaklings."


    "What did you say?¡± growled Oruk. ¡°I dare you to say it again!"


    "Enough!" Kreed''s booming voice silenced the room. "It''s far too dangerous to send any more werewolves into the Dominion. There¡¯s still much we don¡¯t know about the new enemies. For the time being, we¡¯ll bolster our defenses. I¡¯ll consult with Belial. He may be able to help us."

 Hidden boss 3

    Upon reaching the treasury of the royal residence, Kreed signaled for his guards to leave. The large doors behind him closed with a loud clang. The only one who stayed in the treasury with him was Deo.


    The treasury appeared far too large for the small mound of gold inside. It looked as though it had originally contained a mountain of treasure. At the center of the room was a black orb on top of a pedestal. It was the size of a human head and radiated a red aura.


    Kreed swept his hand across his forehead to get rid of his sweat. He knelt in front of the orb and lowered his head.


    Deo kneeled as well.


    Kreed gulped. "Demon Lord Belial, your humble servants request an audience."


    A demonic voice radiated from the black orb. "Speak."


    "The Dominion is far more powerful than we thought. The pre-invasion force we sent was annihilated."


    "You disappoint me."


    Kreed lowered his head further. "Please accept my deepest apologies!"


    "Looks like you could use some motivation."


    "Wait! Ugh!" Kreed clutched his chest.


    He felt as though someone was squeezing his heart. As he screamed and writhed in agony, he heard Belial''s voice.


    "Need I remind you what happens when you fail me?"


    Kreed wanted to beg for mercy, but he was in so much pain that he was unable to speak.


    "I believe Kreed has learned his lesson,¡± said Deo. ¡°Any more torture could permanently damage his body and reduce his fighting potential."


    The pain in Kreed''s chest subsided as suddenly as it had come. He pushed himself off the floor and knelt before the orb.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Belial''s voice resounded from the orb. "I don¡¯t care about the cost in werewolf lives. Deliver the Dominion''s citizens to me."


    Kreed was about to open his mouth to speak, when Deo spoke.


    "The pre-invasion force was defeated by two very powerful beings. There are no werewolves who can defeat them."


    Kreed felt a sense of relief that Deo was the one explaining the situation to Belial. He was afraid of being the target of Belial''s wrath again. The pain he¡¯d felt moments ago was still fresh in his mind.


    After a moment of silence, Belial''s voice emanated from the black orb.


    "Does that include you, Kreed?"


    "I''m sorry, Lord Belial. Even with the powers you¡¯ve given to me, I don¡¯t think I can defeat them. That¡¯s why, I beg of you, please lend us more power!" Kreed lowered his head until it touched the floor.


    "You werewolves are more similar to humans than you think. Like humans, your race''s desire for power is insatiable. But that desire for power is what led you two to me in the first place." The voice coming from the black orb paused, before continuing. "There is a way for you to defeat your enemies. But it¡¯ll come at a steep price."


    "I''ll give anything!"


    "Very well. One of my demon generals is trapped with me inside this orb. With the Body Transference Spell, I can bring him into your world. To cast it, I¡¯ll need a suitable host and a city of people to sacrifice. The host needs to be a clan leader, because only the exceptionally strong bodies of clan leaders can contain the demonic energies of a demon general."


    "Please excuse my rudeness, Lord Belial. I was wondering why you don''t offer to transfer your own essence instead? Wouldn''t that be the most efficient way to free you from the black orb?¡±


    "No body in this world is strong enough to contain my vast demonic energies. If the host body is too weak, the Body Transference Spell will fail."


    Kreed didn¡¯t mind sacrificing humans. Even if an entire city of them was lost, there would still be enough left in Ferdania to feed the werewolf race for many generations. On the other hand, the value of a clan leader''s life far outweighed the value of any number of human lives. However, he was willing to sacrifice even a clan leader to protect the future of his race.


    "This servant is eternally grateful for your help. We''ll find a suitable host for your demon general and gather the necessary human sacrifices as soon as we can."


    "Don¡¯t disappoint me again. You¡¯ll do well to remember that what is given can be taken. That includes your powers."


    Kreed spoke with trembling lips. "Your servant will never forget your generosity."


    There was no response from the black orb.


    Kreed sighed. He felt emotionally and psychologically drained after speaking with Belial.


    Deo stood up. "Have you decided which clan leader to sacrifice?"


    Kreed didn¡¯t want to sacrifice any of the clan leaders. But he had no choice.


    "You possess one of the greatest minds in the world. I think you already know."


    "So it''ll be him.¡±

 Secret Character 1

    Thrax looked out the window of his moving carriage, at the streets of Elderan. The sky was covered with grey clouds. There were few pedestrians walking about. About half of them were werewolves and the other half were humans. The vast majority of the city¡¯s residents were humans, but most of them stayed indoors. The expressions of the human pedestrians were grim. Moving slowly, they looked as though they had no energy. He could understand why they looked so depressed - they lived in constant fear of being eaten and didn¡¯t have much hope for the future.


    Few werewolves were sympathetic toward humans. Most of them believed that it was only natural for the strong to devour the weak. However, the discovery of not one, but two humans who were more powerful than clan leaders threatened to shatter that type of thinking. If word got out about their existence, then the conquered humans might feel hopeful and rebel. The way werewolves viewed humans would change as well. They may even come to fear them. Perhaps it was time for werewolves to wake up. When would they realize that their continued conquest of the human race would eventually lead to their own downfall?


    Werewolves didn¡¯t even need to eat humans to survive. They could subsist on other animals, so why make an enemy of such a dangerous race? If the roles were reversed, and the werewolves became the conquered ones, then would they still accept the belief that the strong devour the weak?


    The carriage stopped at the gates of his residence, the former mayor''s manor.


    Upon disembarking, a werewolf in bronze armor kneeled before him. ¡°Welcome home, Clan Leader.¡±


    ¡°Please rise, Valco.¡±


    Valco was the strongest pack leader in the Firesong Clan. Each pack leader led a large group of werewolves. Their strength and authority was second only to the clan leader.


    Valco stood up. ¡°How was your trip?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot on my mind. Let¡¯s discuss it later. More importantly, how¡¯s your family?¡±


    ¡°My wife is expecting.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± Thrax patted Valco¡¯s back. ¡°Have you picked out a name?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. We¡¯ll still deciding.¡±


    ¡°Take your time and make sure you choose a good one.¡±


    Valco smiled. ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the city? Any issues since I¡¯ve been away?¡±


    ¡°No, there haven¡¯t been any rebellions.¡±


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s hope it stays that way. Take the rest of the day off. I¡¯ll handle the rest of the administrative work.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Thrax gestured for Valco to leave. ¡°Yes, go spend time with your wife. She probably needs you more than I do right now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Clan Leader!¡± Valco bowed before leaving.


    Thrax¡¯s mood improved after he learned about Valco¡¯s unborn child. As one of the leaders of his race, he felt that it was his sacred duty to preserve a future for the next generation.


    He headed to the courtyard of his residence.


    A one-armed, shirtless human stood at the center of the courtyard. Drenched in sweat, he was repeatedly swinging a huge sword. The sword was not only taller than he was, it was also wide enough to be used as a shield. It had no cross guard, because its wide and thick blade functioned as one. Most humans would have trouble lifting the sword with two arms, but he held it with just one. His muscular body was evidence of the endless hours of harsh training he had endured to achieve such a feat.


    "Dugu, your dedication toward your training is admirable."


    The human didn¡¯t reply. He continued swinging his sword.


    "I have a task for you. Upon its completion, I''ll let you see your wife. How''s that?"


    Dugu stopped swinging his sword and turned around. "What do you need me to do?"


    "I need you to find two humans in the Dominion for me. Once you¡¯ve found them, arrange for them to meet with me. One is a male warrior who wears an unusual black armor. The other is a female mage with golden hair."


    "You want me to look for other women? My wife isn''t going to like that." Dugu shook his head.


    "What your wife likes is irrelevant! Do you accept the task or not?"


    "Sure, but it might take a while. There¡¯re probably many people in the Dominion who match your description."


    "True, but how many of them can defeat a clan leader? With just the two of them, they wiped out the pre-invasion force that the werewolf lord had sent into the Dominion. A clan leader was among the casualties."


    Dugu glowered at Thrax. "Ferdania isn''t big enough for the werewolves anymore? How much space do you guys need?"


    "For once, we agree on something. Kreed is invading the Dominion to secure sacrifices. He plans to use them to set the Demon Lord free. We cannot let that happen. If we can bring the two humans to our side, then, together, we may be able to defeat Kreed and put an end to his ludicrous plan. Once I become the next werewolf lord, I''ll stop the invasion and set you and your wife free. No more werewolves or humans should die in this meaningless war.¡±


    ¡°Why would Kreed go through the trouble of conquering another country to get sacrifices? He could¡¯ve just sacrificed the people of Ferdania.¡±


    ¡°The spell that the Demon Lord planned to use, to free himself from the black orb, requires the sacrifice of millions of lives. Even the entire human population of Ferdania would not be enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡±


    ¡°Now that you understand what¡¯s at stake, are you prepared to accept the task at hand?¡±


    Dugu sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll help you, but where do I even begin? The Dominion is a large country ¨C much larger than Ferdania.¡±


    "They were last seen at a village. I don''t know its name, but I can show you its location on a map."


    "Sounds good."


    Thrax handed Dugu a ring. "Take this with you.¡±


    ¡°What is this? A slavery ring?¡±


    ¡°Call it whatever you like. You can use it to communicate with me. Just focus mana into it whenever you want to talk.¡± Thrax pulled out a small bottle from his pocket. "If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, drink this."


    "What''s inside?"


    "It''s a special concoction I made. Use it only as a last resort. Its benefits are potent, but so are its side effects."


    Dugu took the bottle. "Great, when do I start?"


    "Tomorrow. I''ll have everything you''ll need prepared by then. I''ll be expecting regular updates from you. If you don''t want your wife to end up in a werewolf''s belly, then you would be wise to do as I say."


    "I find that hard to stomach." Dugu winked at Thrax.


    Thrax shook his head, before turning to leave.

 Secret Character 2

    In a dark alleyway, a young man lay motionless on the cold and wet ground, among the garbage and wooden crates. He was huddled under a wooden board propped against a wall. The sound of rain drops splattering against the board drowned out every other noise. A fly crawled on his face, but he didn¡¯t bother to swat it away.


    The board was the roof of Easton''s home. It protected him somewhat from the rain, but did little to ward off the biting cold brought by the wind. The chilling wind made him to shiver uncontrollably. In a way, it was comforting. The cold numbed the aching pain all over his body. He wanted to rest a while longer, but he knew he had work to do. If he didn¡¯t work, he wouldn¡¯t be able to eat.


    Easton winced as he forced himself up. His back had been bothering him for a while now. He wished he could afford to pay a healer to fix it, but he had trouble just making enough money to buy food. He tied a bucket to each end of a pole and heaved the pole onto his back.


    He shivered uncontrollably as he made his way to the residence of one of his clients. The hat didn¡¯t provide much cover from the rain. Cold water soaked into his worn-out shoes, numbing his toes. By the time he made it to his destination, his clothes were drenched.


    He knocked on the tall wooden door of his client¡¯s home. It opened, revealing a short round man.


    When he saw Easton, he pulled his head back and covered his nose. "This way."


    He led Easton to a large open area at the back of the home. At the corner of the walled space was a row of pit toilets.


    "Can you hurry? I don''t want you stinking up my home."


    "Of course, I''ll work as fast as I can." Easton climbed into one of the pit toilets and lowered himself down.


    He was waist deep in feces. With his bare hands, he started filling his buckets with the foul-smelling feces. Once the pit toilet was emptied, he pulled himself up and moved onto the next one. By the time he finished cleaning all of them, the rain had stopped. He was exhausted and his lips were parched.


    Brushing off feces from his pants, he approached his client, who was lounging on a chair nearby. "I''ve finished cleaning all the pit toilets."


    Without getting up from his chair, his client threw a few copper coins at Easton''s feet. "Now get out."


    Easton picked up the coins. "Can I have some water?"


    His client sighed. "Wait here."


    He returned with an animal''s food bowl. It was filled with murky water. Decayed fish bones sat at the bottom of the bowl and a dead fly floated on the surface.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    It¡¯s better than nothing.


    Easton accepted the bowl with a smile and drank from it.


    On his way to his next client¡¯s home, he stopped by the coliseum''s noticeboard. He looked for job postings and snatched the only one available. There was an opening for a temporary pit toilet cleaner, which paid well. A weak smile spread across his gaunt face.


    After I finish this job, I''ll reward myself with a small piece of meat. I haven''t eaten meat for weeks.


    ***


    Dugu was surprised how easy it was to cross the Ferdania-Dominion border. It was literally a walk in the park. There was no one defending it. It seemed as though the Dominion''s government had given up on the border villages and left them defenseless.


    He stopped to rest by a village that had been burnt down. Nothing but ash and charred wreckage remained. His heart ached at the sight of the devastation, which reminded him of the town he had once called home. Like the village, it had also been destroyed by werewolves. And now he was working for them ¨C the ones who had taken everything away from him. He wanted to cut them all down, but they held his wife hostage. All he could do was grit his teeth and complete the mission assigned to him.


    Weary from travelling all day, he lay on the grass and gazed at the sky. The clouds above were tinged red by the rays of the setting sun.


    He wondered if his wife was able to see the sky from her prison cell. Was she getting enough food to eat? Did she have anyone to talk to?


    His eyelids became heavier and his body felt lighter. He felt as though he was being released from the worries of the world. A blanket of darkness covered him.


    ¡°The sky looks like it¡¯s on fire.¡±


    Dugu opened his eyes and turned toward the voice. He was surprised to see an old man sitting next to him. How had he got close without making a sound? Was he an enemy?


    Springing up, Dugu gripped the handle of his sword. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you. I just happened to be passing by. Thought you might want some company.¡±


    Dugu didn¡¯t sense any malicious intent from the old man, so he lowered his arm.


    The old man¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°You¡¯re so uptight. What¡¯s troubling you, young man?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of things troubling me. But I¡¯m not in the mood to talk about them right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly alright.¡± The old man continued looking up at the sky.


    Does he really just want to talk?


    Dugu sat back down and looked up. ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about the sky?¡±


    ¡°The world is big, isn¡¯t it? The sky is all the way up there and we¡¯re down here. Once you see how vast the world really is, then all your problems will seem small in comparison.¡±


    ¡°My problems aren¡¯t small.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not minimizing them. What I¡¯m saying is that no matter what happens, even if you fall hard, it¡¯s not the end. The world is a vast place with endless possibilities. You¡¯ll find your place in it eventually if you keep searching.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to share something that a close friend of mine once taught me. When I was in a dark place, he helped pull me back into the light. Remember my words well. One day, they might even save a life.¡± The old man got up to leave.


    ¡°Hold on, what do you mean -¡± Dugu felt as though he was being tugged backwards. His surroundings darkened until all he could see was pitch black.


    He awoke to the sound of chirping birds. The sky looked completely different. It was bright blue, with few clouds.


    Was it all just a dream?


    He usually forgot his dreams soon after waking up. But this one was different. It seemed so real and he could remember it in vivid detail. He wondered who the old man was.


    Why am I getting so worked up? It was just a dream.


    He stood up and stretched. Before leaving, he offered a prayer for the village¡¯s deceased inhabitants.

 Glass cannon 1

    Sitting at the desk in his study, Thrax shook his head after he finished scanning through an ancient text. Like the piles of other historical documents piled on his desk, this one contained scant information about demons. He still hadn¡¯t found the answer to the question that mattered the most - how to defeat a demon lord.


    In the distant past, someone was able to seal the Demon Lord within an orb. Considering how important the event was, one would think that records of it would be easy to find. However, after spending countless hours combing through ancient texts in Ferdania¡¯s archives, he couldn¡¯t find any. Had the event occurred so long ago that all records of it were lost with time? Or did someone intentionally erase the records?


    He also looked for items that could seal away demons. The ones he found were only capable of sealing lesser demons. They were unable to seal more powerful demons, such as demon generals or demon lords. He found it hard to imagine that mortals could produce an item that could seal a being as powerful as a demon lord. But there existed an orb that could do just that. Perhaps it hadn¡¯t even come from this world.


    His attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps from the hallway.


    The door was flung open.


    "Clan Leader!" Valco barged into the room.


    For a pack leader to look this rattled - something big must have come up.


    "What''s the matter?"


    ¡°Kreed.¡± Valco stopped to catch his breath. "He¡¯s coming.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s coming? Did you receive a notice from him?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing. I didn¡¯t. And he¡¯s not coming alone. Deo, Koga, and many members of the Doomfist Clan are with him.¡±


    Thrax¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°One of my scouts spotted them heading this way.¡±


    ¡°How long do we have?¡±


    ¡°A few days at best.¡±


    Thrax closed his eyes and sagged into his chair.


    He had expected that this day would come, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to come so soon. "Gather all the pack leaders." Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Understood!" Valco rushed out of the room, as quickly as he had come.


    ***


    The great hall was the main meeting area in Thrax¡¯s manor. It was a large rectangular room with a high ceiling. The strongest werewolves of the Firesong Clan were gathered inside. Many of them had battle scars across their tough bodies. Ironically, the smallest among them was also the most powerful.


    He stood at the end of the room, facing the crowd of pack leaders. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. The situation is urgent, so I''ll make this quick. Kreed is on his way here and he has brought along a small army. They will arrive in a few days."


    The crowd of pack leaders broke into anxious chatter.


    Thrax gestured for silence. "Please let me finish. I¡¯ll answer any questions afterwards."


    Once the chatter died down, Thrax continued. "Make no mistake, he¡¯s not coming in peace. I¡¯ve long been a vocal opponent of his allegiance with the Demon Lord. That¡¯s the most likely reason why he¡¯s coming for me."


    "Then let him come! The Firesong Clan is not afraid of the Demon Lord''s lapdog! If he wants to pick a fight with us, then let''s give him one he¡¯ll never forget!" Valco thrust his fist into the air.


    The other pack leaders cheered in approval.


    "We all share the same opinion of the werewolf lord. He''s nothing but the Demon Lord''s pet. If he wants to lay a finger on you, then he''ll have to get past all of us first!"


    There were more cries of agreement in response to Valco¡¯s outburst.


    Thrax gestured for silence again. "I admire your resolve, but we must be realistic here. I''ve fought Kreed once before, and it didn¡¯t end well for me. I know his strength better than any of you. Even if he came alone, our chances of victory wouldn¡¯t be great. But he didn¡¯t come alone. He brought along a clan leader. Defeating them is impossible for us."


    Ronja, one of the pack leaders, stepped forward. "Then what do you suggest we do, run like cowards?"


    Thrax pointed his staff at her. "That''s exactly what you¡¯ll do! Take your werewolf packs and flee from this city. I¡¯ll stay behind."


    Valco pounded his chest. "Let me fight with you! I¡¯ll gladly give up my life for the clan!"


    Thrax shook his head. "It must be me. I''m the one he''s after. However, there''s a chance that even my life won''t be enough to appease him. He may come after the entire Firesong Clan. That¡¯s why I''m asking you to retreat, to preserve our clan''s future."


    "Let us fight with you!"


    Thrax slammed his staff against the floor. "You¡¯ll obey! This is the last order from your clan leader - survive. I understand that many of you would rather die than run from an enemy. Bearing the shame of retreat is a thousand times more difficult than dying in battle. But you must endure! Our clan''s survival is far more important than your selfish pride!"


    His speech silenced the room.


    The pack leaders lowered their heads.


    Valco looked as though he was on the verge of tears.


    ¡°Do not despair, Valco. I feel proud to be able to die for what I believe in. But rest assured, I will not go quietly into the night. I¡¯ll give them hell before I go.¡±


    Valco nodded.


    ¡°Valco will be your next leader. Any objections?¡±


    None of the clan leaders protested.


    ¡°It was an honor to be your leader. Now let¡¯s get our people out of this city.¡±

 Glass cannon 2

    Dugu stopped at the village Thrax had marked on the map. As he walked through the village, he saw the charred remains of many homes. Some of the villagers were busy building new ones.


    One of the them looked in Dugu¡¯s direction.


    He put down his tools and walked up to Dugu. "Was your village attacked by werewolves too?"


    "Yes, how''d you know?"


    "No arm." The man pointed to Dugu''s empty sleeve.


    Dugu was silent for a moment, before replying. "I''m from Ferdania."


    "Sorry, I was insensitive."


    "It''s fine. I''m just happy to be alive."


    The man extended his hand. "I''m Erwin, the village chief."


    Dugu shook Erwin¡¯s thick and tanned hand. "Dugu."


    "What brings you all the way here? Did you come to settle down?"


    "Actually, I''m looking for two people. A man in black armor and a woman with blonde hair."


    Erwin narrowed his eyes. "What business do you have with them?"


    "I need their help."


    "With what?"


    "My wife had been taken prisoner by the werewolves. I need their help to get her back."


    Erwin stared at Dugu for a while before replying. "Consider this scenario: two people save a village from a werewolf attack. Not long after, a stranger from werewolf territory comes to the village asking for their help. What do you think it sounds like?"


    "It sounds like a trap."


    "Exactly. Why then, should I believe anything you say? I, and all of the villagers here, would never do anything that would inconvenience our saviors."


    "Whether or not they choose to help me is up to them. That decision is not yours or any of the villagers to make. From what I hear, they are the last people in the world who need protection. What do you think they are, children?¡±


    Erwin sighed. "It¡¯s as you say. I was thinking too highly of myself when I thought I could protect them."


    He paused before continuing. "They went to the capital for the Combat Tournament a few days ago. If you go now, you may be able to find them in the coliseum."


    ***


    Thrax stood in silence. He stared at the double doors at the opposite end of the great hall. He could hear marching. The footsteps became louder and louder.


    The doors swung open.


    A large group of werewolves flooded through the doorway.


    At the head of the group was Kreed, the strongest werewolf alive. No, he couldn¡¯t be considered a werewolf anymore. With horns on his head and glowing red eyes, he looked more like a demon. The red-plate armor covering his large frame made him seem even more demonic. It was impossible to tell how much of his strength was his own and how much of it had been given to him by to the Demon Lord. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Deo, dressed in a red robe, followed closely behind Kreed. In his hands, he carried a black orb, which radiated a sinister red aura.


    Thrax had never seen the vessel that held the Demon Lord before. However, the black orb in Deo''s hands was similar to how he imagined it would look - an unimaginably evil and powerful artifact.


    Walking next to Deo was Koga, the leader of the Doomfist Clan. A long blade protruded from each of his forearm guards.


    Kreed stopped a few feet away from Thrax. They stared at each other as werewolves filled the room.


    Thrax soon found himself surrounded by hundreds of werewolves. He tightened his grip around his staff with his clammy hands. His heartbeat raced inside his chest. It was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.


    The Great Hall was the largest room in Thrax''s manor. But it seemed far too small for the crowd of werewolves gathered inside.


    Thrax forced a smile. ¡°Greetings, my Lord. I see you¡¯ve brought along a lot of friends.¡±


    Kreed narrowed his eyes. "Your city is surprisingly empty. I didn¡¯t see a single werewolf on my way here."


    Thrax faked a surprised expression. "Oh, really? I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. If you¡¯d told me you were coming, I would''ve prepared an honor guard at the gates to greet you."


    "There''s no need for that. I don¡¯t intend to stay long."


    "To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    "I''ve got some bad news and some good news. The good news is that Lord Belial has agreed to help us. With his help, we can defeat the two enemies who destroyed the pre-invasion force."


    "What kind of help did he offer?"


    "He intends to bring his demon general into this world."


    Thrax¡¯s mouth fell open. According to legends, demon generals were among the strongest of demons. Each one supposedly possessed enough power to conquer an entire country. He was determined to stop Kreed from releasing the demon general into the world. Otherwise, it would bring unimaginable death to the inhabitants of this world.


    "How does he plan to do that?"


    "Unfortunately, that is where the bad news comes in. The spell that Lord Belial intends to use comes at an extraordinary cost." Kreed paused. ¡°It requires the sacrifice of an entire city of humans."


    That couldn¡¯t be all. Otherwise, Kreed wouldn¡¯t have used the world ¡®extraordinary¡¯ to describe the cost. Losing an entire city of humans wouldn¡¯t mean that much to him. In the eyes of most werewolves, humans were expendable livestock.


    "Is that all? I''ll gladly give up the humans of this city, if it benefits our race."


    "If only that were all that was required..."


    I knew it.


    "What are the spell''s other requirements?"


    "There¡¯s one more - the body of a clan leader."


    A few seconds of silence passed.


    Thrax snickered. "Now that the cat is out of the bag, there¡¯s no sense in beating around the bush. Why don''t you say what you''ve come here to say?¡±


    "Give up your body to bring the demon general into this world.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone mad, Kreed? You¡¯re sacrificing your own kind just because Belial told you to?¡±


    ¡°Lord Belial will lead the werewolf race to glory. He has promised to make werewolves the leaders of this world.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s utter nonsense!¡± Thrax slammed his staff against the floor. ¡°Do you actually think a being as powerful as Belial sees us as equals? We¡¯re merely his pawns. By partnering with him, you¡¯re putting our race on a path of enslavement!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s spouting nonsense. We¡¯re more prosperous than ever, thanks to Lord Belial¡¯s guidance. Sacrificing yourself for the sake of our race would be a great honor."


    "If it''s such a great honor, then why don''t you take Koga''s body instead? Better yet, why don''t you give up your own body?"


    "This is not a request.¡±


    Thrax took a slow, deep breath. In his mind, he pictured the faces of his clan members. He didn¡¯t mind dying, if it meant that they could continue living. This old werewolf had lived long enough.


    "What about my clan? What will happen to them once I''m gone?"


    Kreed averted his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Deo stepped forward. "They¡¯ll join you in the afterlife."


    Thrax''s eyes widened "What?"


    "In order to eliminate any threat of revenge, the entire Firesong Clan must be destroyed. We also need to make an example of your clan. Other clans will fall in line once they see what happens to those who oppose Kreed.


    ¡°Its destruction will show to the other clans what will happen to those who oppose either Kreed or Belial.¡±


    A big grin spread on Koga''s face. "Do you have last words? If you do, make it quick. I''ve been itching to fight you for a long time."


    "As a matter of fact, I do. Triple Magic Shield!¡± Three transparent shields materialized in front of Thrax. ¡°Activate Trap!"


    A dozen magic circles, spread throughout the room, lit up the floor. They exploded at the same time. A blast of intensely hot air shattered all three barriers in front of Thrax, knocking him backwards into the wall.

 Glass cannon 3

    When he opened his eyes again, Thrax found himself lying on the ground outside, covered in dirt and stone. Standing up, he dusted dirt off his cloak. Much of it had been scorched by the explosion. He couldn¡¯t see far in front of him, because his vision was obscured by plumes of black smoke.


    The trap had worked as planned. Before his ¡®guests¡¯ had entered the great hall, he had inscribed magic circles all over the floor. They were set to detonate in response to his spell [Activate Trap]. Each one had enough explosive power to level an entire building. The damage from the explosions had been dramatically amplified, because they occurred simultaneously in an enclosed space. Even [Triple Magic Shield] wouldn¡¯t have saved him from the blast, if he hadn¡¯t buffed his defenses with spells beforehand.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the smoke cleared enough for Thrax to see his surroundings. Glancing around, he saw that his entire manor had been reduced to rubble. The charred remains of hundreds of werewolves were scattered everywhere. Three figures stood at a distance from him.


    As expected, Kreed was one of them. He¡¯d expected Kreed to survive, but he was surprised that Deo and Koga were alive as well.


    Much of Kreed''s armor had been blown off by the explosion. The remaining armor on his body was blackened and bloodied.


    Deo looked completely unharmed. The red garments he was wearing were in pristine condition. There wasn¡¯t even a speck of dirt on them. He was still holding the black orb in his hand.


    Is Deo even more powerful than the werewolf lord? I''ve never seen him in battle, but I can''t believe that a human mage can be this powerful.


    Koga uttered a hoarse cry. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!"


    Half his face was blown off. Both his arms were missing and most of his muscles were exposed.


    When he stepped forward, his face twisted in horror. "Huh?"


    His leg, too damaged to support the weight of his body, snapped off, and he fell facedown.


    Deo spoke in a perfectly calm voice, as if he was commenting about the weather. "This is an unforeseen development."


    Thrax tightened his grip around his staff. "How can you be unharmed, after taking that blast head-on?"


    "I¡¯m only alive because Lord Belial willed it. Defending against an attack of that level is but a trifling matter for him."


    Kreed took out his hammer. "I''ve underestimated you. But it won''t happen again. I''m going to crush every bone in your body."


    Thrax was fully aware of the vast difference in their powers. Earlier, he had used up most of his mana to set up the trap. In his current mana-depleted state, his fighting ability was significantly reduced. He was like a warrior without a weapon.


    I¡¯m not going down without a fight!


    He removed a small bottle from his waist and gulped down its contents. It contained the same concoction that he had given to Dugu. The concoction energized him, restoring his vitality and mana. He only had a few minutes before the benefits wore off.


    Kreed dashed toward Thrax at an incredible speed.


    Thrax didn¡¯t have time to cast a spell. However, spells were not the only tools he used in combat. He grabbed another small bottle from his waist and threw it at the ground beneath him. It shattered, releasing a black cloud of dust. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Kreed swung his hammer at the location where Thrax had stood, but he hit nothing but dust.


    ¡°Smash!¡± He slammed his hammer into the ground, causing the ground to crack and quake violently.


    The impact produced a shockwave that blasted away the dust. However, the dust had already done its job. It concealed Thrax long enough for him to reach Deo. His goal all along had been to destroy the black orb in Deo''s hands. He knew that he could never defeat Kreed, but he might be able to do something about the black orb.


    While Kreed was distracted by the dust, Thrax had inscribed a magic circle on his own body. He planned to use all the mana he had left to greatly enhance its explosive power. If he exploded himself at point blank range, he might be able to destroy the black orb.


    ¡°Activate Tra-" Before Thrax could finish casting his spell, dozens of black, pointed chains burst forth from the black orb and pierced his body. ¡°Ugh!¡±


    He felt a flash of intense pain as the chains dug into his flesh. All the energy in his body seemed to disappear.


    Are the chains sucking out my mana?


    "Activate Trap!" Nothing happened.


    He no longer had enough mana to cast the spell.


    The black chains lifted him into the air.


    A demonic voice radiated from the black orb. "You actually thought you could touch me? How utterly foolish. I saw you coming from a mile away."


    Is that Belial¡¯s voice?


    Kreed knelt next to the black orb. "My apologies, Lord Belial. If I had more time -"


    "Had I waited any longer, his body would¡¯ve been destroyed. Have you already forgotten that I need it intact?"


    "I''m so sorry, please forgive me!¡±


    "Apology not accepted."


    "No, please!" Kreed screamed and clutched his chest.


    He writhed in agony.


    "Engrave this lesson into your heart - fail me and only suffering awaits you."


    Kreed stopped writhing, released his hands from his chest, and gasped for air. "Thank you, Lord Belial."


    "Deo, put me down."


    "As you wish." Deo lowered the black orb to the ground.


    Its chains were still holding Thrax in the air.


    "Kreed, take Deo and get away from this city. I''m going to activate the Body Transference spell."


    "Of course." Kreed flung Deo over his shoulder.


    He glanced at Thrax. Their eyes met for a moment.


    In that moment, Thrax saw only sadness in Kreed¡¯s eyes.


    There is still hope for him, after all.


    Kreed soon disappeared from view.


    Thrax didn¡¯t even have the strength to struggle as he dangled in the air.


    But he still had the strength to speak. ¡°What do you intend to do with the werewolves once you¡¯re free?"


    The voice from the black orb responded. "Since you''re going to die soon anyway, I''ll tell you. I''ll use them as sacrifices to summon my demon army into this world."


    "What about your promise?¡±


    The black orb¡¯s voice laughed in the most sinister way imaginable. "Why would I want mutts, when I can have demons?¡±


    As I thought, we mean nothing to him. I may not be able to move, but I can still fight with words.


    Thrax chuckled. "To an ancient demon like you, I may not have lived long in this world. But I''ve read about its long history. There was one indisputable fact that I''ve learned from my readings - there has always been, and will always be, balance in the world. Even if you manage to escape from your prison, someone will rise up to stop you."


    The chains impaling Thrax brought him closer to the black orb.


    "I will unleash a hell upon this world, unlike anything you''ve read about in your pointless historical studies. No mortal will be able to stop me."


    "I assume you didn''t seal yourself away in that orb. That means someone in the past was able to stop you."


    "The one who sealed me away is long gone."


    "That may be so, but there will always be someone else who can stop you."


    "I do not need to listen to your nonsense any longer. Your death will signal the beginning of the end. Body Transference!"


    The red aura around the black orb expanded in all directions. It grew until it swallowed the entire city of Elderan. People looked out from their homes, wondering why everything in sight was suddenly bathed in red light. Soon, their curiosity was replaced by terror. Screams filled the city as they watched each other collapse, one after another. The soul from every living creature inside the city was sucked into the black orb. Those living near the city¡¯s front gates tried to escape, but their souls were ripped from their bodies before they could leave.


    Thrax''s consciousness faded away. Horns sprouted from his head. His body exploded in size, ripping apart his garments.


    The chains lowered him to the ground. They pulled out of his body and retracted into the black orb.


    ¡°Rise, my demon general.¡±


    The creature pushed himself off the ground. Steam sizzled from his body.


    He raised his head, revealing glowing red eyes and razor-sharp fangs. ¡°Direct my wrath.¡±

 Game on

    Raizen lounged on a plush chair with his head propped against his hand. He watched, with half-open eyes and a vacant gaze, as one participant after another bashed at a floating, transparent shield a few meters away. The barrier had been created by him, with the defense spell [Magic Shield].


    He was overseeing the Combat Tournament''s qualifying test. The test was simple. To pass, all a participant had to do was destroy his barrier in ten hits or less.


    He thought that the task was beneath him. After all, he was the Dominion''s head mage, a title given only to the most powerful mage. However, he understood that he was the most suitable person for the task.


    The strength of the barrier created by [Magic Shield] was dependent on the magical power of its caster. A barrier created by a mage with greater magical power could take many times more damage than one created by a mage with weaker magical power. To ensure a fair test, all participants were tasked with breaking a barrier put up by the same mage.


    This year, there were hundreds of people taking the test. Anyone could apply except for ranged fighters and the Dominion''s knights. The line of people trying to qualify for the tournament extended far outside the coliseum. Many of them were drawn to the huge amount of prize money. If a mage weaker than him oversaw the test, then too many participants would qualify and the tournament would drag on for days.


    The qualifying test had started early in the morning. By late afternoon, only nine participants had qualified. Most of those who passed broke his barrier in eight to ten attacks.


    He yawned. "Next."


    Next up was a warrior in black armor. Raizen leaned forward in his chair and narrowed his eyes. A powerful pressure emanated from the warrior. It was even greater than the one he felt from the genius swordsman who had won the tournament sixteen years ago. That swordsman, who held the record for breaking his barrier in the fewest number of hits, was the current knight commander.


    Could this be another genius swordsman? Perhaps he could even do it in four hits, like the knight commander.


    The warrior stepped up to the barrier and slashed. His blade passed through it.


    An illusion?


    The question in Raizen''s mind was answered when his barrier split in half and shattered into countless particles of light.


    That was definitely not an illusion.


    Raizen trembled and the color drained from his face. His defense spell had just been obliterated in one stroke. It didn¡¯t appear to offer any more resistance than air. If he¡¯d been directly behind it, then he too would have been cut in half.


    "Did I pass?" The warrior sheathed his sword.


    "Huh?"


    "I was asking if I passed."


    "Yes, of course! You passed with flying colors! Hahaha!" As Raizen laughed, he glanced at the warrior from the corner of his eye.


    Good, it doesn''t look like he noticed my trembling.


    "That''s good to hear."


    Raizen cleared his throat. "What is your name?"


    "Hupo." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Hupo? I''ve never heard of that name before.


    Raizen wrote the warrior''s name on a parchment and handed it to the him. "Here''s a certificate indicating that you''ve passed the qualifying test. Bring it with you tomorrow morning to the coliseum."


    The warrior thanked Raizen and turned to leave.


    Raizen slumped in his chair and sighed. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life.


    "Can you put up another magic shield?"


    The voice came from the next participant line.


    "Quiet, you! It''s not like you can put a scratch on it anyways!"


    The participant frowned and lowered his head.


    Raizen felt ashamed at his own outburst. "Sorry, here''s another one. Magic Shield."


    A new barrier appeared in place of the destroyed one. After taking ten of the participant''s attacks, it didn¡¯t even have a scratch on it.


    ***


    Hupo felt a fluttery feeling in his stomach. His first match in the Combat Tournament was about to begin. He had spoken in front of a large audience before, but he had never fought in front of one.


    When the gamemaster introduced him, he walked through the entrance of the arena into a chorus of cheering. He glimpsed at the audience above him. There were rows upon rows of seats around the arena, filled with people.


    Watching the strong fight seems to be a popular activity here too.


    World of Lorecraft had its own eSports league. It was an international competition that drew professional players from all over the world. Each annual season of play concluded with the World of Lorecraft Championship Tournament. Every year, tens of millions of people tuned in to the live broadcast of the tournament.


    He heard a booming voice.


    ¡°On the other end of the arena, we have Rasputan!¡±


    Amidst the cheering, Hupo looked for the source of the voice. It came from a tall, plump man, who stood on a high balcony at one end of the coliseum.


    That must be the gamemaster. How can his voice be so loud and clear? Is he using magic to magnify his voice?


    Facing Hupo was a thin man with sleek black hair. Woven onto his clothes were intricate golden patterns and sparkling jewels. The slender pointed sword in his hand appeared to be optimized for thrusting.


    He glared and pointed his sword at Hupo. "I''ve never seen armor like yours before. You''re an outsider, aren''t you? Wearing that ridiculous outfit... are you looking down on warriors? I was thinking about holding back, out of pity, but I''ve changed my mind after seeing your joke of an armor."


    "I''m Hupo, nice to meet you too, uh... Raspy?"


    "It''s Rasputan! Why aren''t you drawing your sword?"


    "You don''t seem strong enough for me to use it."


    Compared to the werewolves that Hupo had fought when he first entered this world, the pressure his opponent emitted was tiny.


    "What did you say?"


    Hupo pulled out a small knife from his pocket dimension. "This should be enough."


    The knife in his hand was the Ultra Rare weapon {Undestroyable Table Knife}. In World of Lorecraft, rarity was classified into four tiers: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Ultra Rare. An item''s power usually corresponded with its rarity.


    {Undestroyable Table Knife} had a single cutting edge and a blunt end. Besides butter, there was not much else that its blade, which was only as long as his finger, could cut. Its blunt end also made it useless as a piercing weapon. Why, then, was a seemingly useless knife Ultra Rare? The answer lay in its name - as it suggested, the weapon couldn¡¯t be destroyed. It was made from immortium, the rarest and strongest metal in World of Lorecraft.


    Rasputan''s eye twitched. "How rude! I''ll make you eat your words!"


    The bell rang, indicating the start of the match.


    Rasputan lunged forward and thrust his sword at Hupo.


    Hupo parried the attack.


    Their blades became a blur as they clashed.


    Hupo advanced while swinging his knife. He looked as though he was strolling through a park.


    Rasputan retreated. High, low, left, right, he thrust at Hupo again and again.


    But not only did Hupo parry all of Rasputan''s blows, he also landed blows of his own. He continued advancing.


    Rasputan continued retreating.


    When his back touched the wall, Rasputan threw his hands in the air. "Wait, I give up!"


    Hupo put his knife away and turned around to leave.


    "Wow! With a tiny knife, Hupo managed to beat back -" The gamemaster stopped midsentence.


    Hupo sensed killing intent behind him. From sound alone, he was able to construct a second by second mental image of Rasputan''s position and movements.


    A voice came from behind him. "Die!¡±


    "Flash Step." Hupo instantly shifted his body one step to the side.


    "What?" Rasputan''s thrust missed him.


    As Rasputan passed him, Hupo delivered a knife-hand strike to the side of Rasputan''s neck. It was a move he had seen in action movies. His mind and body seemed to know exactly how to execute it, even though he had never practiced it before.


    The strike rendered Rasputan unconscious but otherwise unharmed.


    As Hupo walked away, he received a standing ovation from the audience.

 Ganking 1

    Easton lay huddled on the floor, surrounded by four knights. His nose hurt. His arms hurt. His back hurt. His belly hurt. His legs hurt.


    One of the knights stomped on his face. "You lowly commoner! You dirtied my foot!


    Easton gurgled blood. "I''m sorry! Please have mercy!"


    The knight brought his foot near to Easton''s mouth. It was caked in feces.


    "You know what? I''m feeling generous today. If you lick it clean, then maybe I''ll let you off this time."


    Easton wanted to escape, but he was too injured to run. He was afraid that the knights would beat him more if he didn¡¯t do what he was told. Choking back tears, he stuck his tongue out.


    The knight pulled his foot back and then slammed it into Easton''s face. "Trash will always be trash."


    Laughter erupted around Easton.


    The knight grabbed Easton''s bucket, which was filled to the brim. "Hold him."


    Two other knights held Easton down while the knight dumped the bucket''s contents onto Easton''s face.


    Easton shut his eyes and mouth. Feces splashed all over his face and went up his nose. When he couldn¡¯t hold his breath any longer, he inhaled. A wave of terror and nausea hit him as feces poured into his mouth.


    I can''t breathe!


    The arms holding him down released their grip. Turning over, he vomited and coughed out feces. He gasped for air and felt unbelievable relief that he was able to breathe again.


    Screams and cries, mixed with the sound of banging and bashing, filled the air.


    What¡¯s going on? I can¡¯t see.


    Wiping filth from face, he opened his eyes to an astonishing sight. Lying around him were three of the knights who had been torturing him moments ago.


    The knight who had been holding the bucket lay twitching on the ground. All of his front teeth were knocked out and his nose was caved in. Beside him, another knight was groaning and clutching his elbow, which was bent the wrong way. Bone was sticking out of the third knight¡¯s bleeding arm.


    Easton felt a chill down his spine. A shadow was looming over him. Turning around, he saw a black demon. It appeared to be the physical embodiment of anger and violence. Fresh blood dripped from its fists. It took a step toward him.


    "Please don''t hurt me!" He backed away.


    The demon stopped. "Hurt you? Why would you think that?"


    Its voice sounded surprisingly human.


    "You''re a demon, aren''t you?"


    "Demon? Oh... it must be the mask." It removed its face, revealing another one underneath - the face of a handsome man.


    It¡¯s not a demon?


    "Who are you?"


    "I''m Hupo. When I saw what those knights were doing to you, I couldn''t stand by and do nothing. So I stepped in and gave them what they deserved."


    Realization of what had happened dawned on Easton. "Thank you for saving me! I''m so sorry for calling you a demon!"


    Hupo took out a small flask of blood red liquid, seemingly out of thin air.


    He knelt down and held it in front of Easton. "Drink this. You''ll feel better."


    Easton hesitated to take it. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t trust Hupo. In fact, he trusted him with his life. After all, he had just saved it. Easton hesitated because he knew that healing potions were very expensive. Even if he worked for an entire month without spending a single coin, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to pay for the cheapest potion.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "I can''t drink this. I''m just a pit toilet cleaner. I''ll never be able to pay you back."


    "I''m giving it to you free of charge. What''s most important right now is getting your health back."


    Easton''s eyes filled with tears. Up until now, he had always been treated as something less than human. No one had ever treated him with such respect in his entire life, not even his own family.


    "Thank you." Easton accepted the potion with a smile and drank it.


    What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. All his pain vanished. Energy coursed through his entire body. When he tried standing up, he was surprised how easy it was to do so. After drinking the potion, he felt better than he had ever felt in his life.


    All the long days of backbreaking work had taken a toll on his body. He was so used to the pain that he thought nothing of it. But now that he had a perfectly painless body, he finally understood how it felt to be healthy.


    ***


    Hupo had a limited number of healing potions in his inventory. Although he didn¡¯t know if he could replace them with those from this world, he didn¡¯t give a second thought to using one to help the man before him. When he had seen the group of knights torturing the helpless man, it had brought back memories of all those unbearable pricks from his past - the people who were habitually cruel and insulting towards him. When he was in primary school, he had been a victim of bullying. The kids at his school regularly insulted him for being poor and having only one parent. They made fun of his worn-out shoes and patched up clothes. What he could only fantasize about doing to them, he had done to the knights.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    The man looked down at his own body. ¡°Yes, I feel better than I¡¯ve ever felt in my life!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how come the knights were assaulting you?¡±


    The man rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°It was my fault. I accidently spilled something on the knight¡¯s boot.¡±


    Hupo saw himself in Easton. Whenever he was bullied, he would try to find reasons for why it was happening to him. His mind had been preoccupied with negative thoughts - thoughts like Why is Mother so poor? or Why did Father leave us? At the time, he blamed his mother for his problems. He thought If I weren¡¯t from a poor, single parent family, then the kids at school wouldn¡¯t pick on me so much. It wasn¡¯t until he was much older, that he realized that she was trying her best to support him and that the bullies were the real problem. Easton was trying to find a reason for his suffering, but he didn¡¯t realize that the problem wasn¡¯t him ¨C it was the knights.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself. It wasn¡¯t your fault. The knights were just looking for a reason to flaunt their power. They probably would¡¯ve done the same thing to you even if you looked at them the wrong way.¡±


    Easton scratched his head. ¡°I never thought about it that way. I¡¯m thankful for what you¡¯ve just done for me, but because of me, you¡¯ve incurred the wrath of the knights. More will surely be coming for you.¡±


    It had taken Hupo very little effort to take down the knights. Even if dozens more were to show up, they wouldn¡¯t be a match for him.


    "Then let them come. I¡¯m not afraid of them. By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself.¡± Easton bowed his head. ¡°This lowly commoner is named Easton.¡±


    No wonder he has no confidence. If I introduced myself as a ¡®lowly commoner¡¯ to everyone I met, then I¡¯d have none either.


    ¡°Don''t ever call yourself a lowly commoner again. Doing so will only hurt your self-confidence. That¡¯s a derogatory name invented by the ruling elite. People are like corn. One corn may be taller or sweeter than another, but at the end of the day, a corn is a corn. People who call themselves knights or nobles are still humans like everyone else. Like you, I''m also a so-called commoner, but look around you. I''m the one standing while the knights are at my feet."


    Easton lowered his gaze. "Unlike you, I''m weak."


    "You have neither money nor power, but you¡¯re not weak. To be able to do the filthy work that you do day in and day out and endure the hardships that you¡¯ve suffered is a reflection of your incredible inner strength."


    "No one has ever acknowledged me like that before. You''ve not only restored my health, but also my dignity." Easton broke down in tears. "There must be something I can do to repay you. I don''t have anything of value, but I can do any kind of work. You don''t even have to pay me!"


    He seems fiercely loyal and hard-working. Such an employee is not easy to come by.


    Having personally hired many people in the past, Hupo knew an ideal employee when he saw one. "There is something you can do for me."


    "Anything!"


    "I''m a competitor in the Combat Tournament. I plan to use the prize money to open a restaurant. You can be one of my first employees. I''ll pay you a fair wage and provide food and housing."


    "A fair wage... food... housing.... I never would¡¯ve thought that I''d one day have a job that could provide all of those." Easton wiped away tears.


    "Of course, I''ll need to win the prize money first."


    "I have faith that you''ll emerge victorious from this tournament. But even if you don¡¯t, please allow me to serve you in another way."


    "Of course. But first, let¡¯s get you some food. You look like you''re starving."


    "It''s alright, I''m used to it. Besides, I don''t have any money."


    "I brought plenty of food. I''ll share some of it with you."


    Easton waved his hands in front of him. "I can''t possibly trouble you for food, after all you''ve done for me."


    "It''s no trouble at all. I brought more than I can eat, so I could use some help to finish it."


    Hupo was delighted when Easton finally relented and accepted his offer.

 Ganking 2

    "Knight Commander!"


    Youji furrowed his brows. Looking up from his paperwork, he saw one of the knight captains standing in front of his desk.


    "Don''t you have any manners, Moe? Don¡¯t just barge in here. Knock before you enter!"


    "My apologies, Knight Commander." Moe wiped sweat off his forehead. "But it''s an emergency!"


    Youji rolled his eyes. "For you, every little problem is an emergency. What''s the issue now? Are you asking for a promotion again?"


    "No, I¡¯ve come to report a major offence. Someone has defiled the honor of the knights!"


    Youji began tapping his finger on his desk. "What are you blabbering about? Get to the point."


    "A lunatic attacked the squad of knights under my command!" Spit flew out of Moe''s mouth as he spoke.


    Youji wiped spit off his face. "Why did he attack your knights?"


    "Well... uh... I don''t know. He just went berserk."


    Youji slammed his hand on the desk. "Don''t play dumb with me! No one would attack a squad of knights for no reason!"


    Moe looked away. "Well... you see¡­ a pit toilet cleaner spilled some filth on the boot of one of my knights. We were only teaching him a lesson, when a warrior intervened."


    Youji narrowed his eyes. "What kind of ¡®lesson¡¯ were you teaching him?"


    "A lowly commoner should know their place, sir. We were just roughing him up a bit."


    Youji brought his palm to his face. "Did you injure the warrior?"


    "No, we couldn''t even lay a finger on him! In a blink of an eye, he crippled my entire squad with his bare hands! That''s why I''ve come to ask for more knights to subdue this menace. Better yet, you should be the one delivering the punishment."


    The warrior must have an extremely high level of skill.


    ¡®Crippled¡¯ was the keyword. The warrior had enough skill and experience to incapacitate an entire squad of knights without lethally injuring them. It would have been much easier for him to use lethal force. What was even more surprising was that he did so with his bare hands.


    "You''re right. I''ll give the appropriate punishment."


    Moe''s mouth curved into a smile. "Show no mercy."


    "I agree; the punishment needs to fit the crime. You are to be demoted from knight captain to knight. The knights under your command are to be suspended without pay for one month."


    Moe''s mouth fell open. "I don''t understand. What have we done wrong? The one who needs to be punished is that warrior who assaulted us!"


    "You imbecile!" Youji grabbed a book from his desk and threw it at Moe, who narrowly dodged it. "What have you done wrong? Do you even know what the most important duty of a knight is?" A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Moe was speechless.


    Youji sighed. "If you can''t even understand something as basic as that, then you have no right to wear the title of knight captain. Knights exist to protect the citizens of this country. Who do you think pays your salaries? They do. With protectors like you, who needs enemies?"


    ¡°Isn''t the punishment too harsh for such a little issue? It won''t happen again, I promise!"


    Youji gritted his teeth. "A little issue? You haven''t even shown the slightest bit of remorse for what you''ve done. The only thing you seem to be interested in is protecting your rank. For that reason, my decision is final."


    Moe clasped his hands together. "Please reconsider!¡±


    Youji glared at Moe. "Do I need to repeat myself?"


    "No..." Moe lowered his head and turned to leave.


    "Wait, what does the warrior look like?"


    "He wore a black suit of armor. I couldn''t see his face, because it was hidden behind a mask."


    "Thank you, that is all. You''re dismissed."


    Youji leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He took slow, deep breaths.


    Finally, some peace and quiet.


    Not long after Moe left, there was a knock at the door.


    Is that Moe again?


    "What is it now?"


    "Sorry to interrupt you, Knight Commander. Gilgamesh''s next match is about to start."


    The voice behind the door belonged to his squire.


    Youji had heard rumors that Gilgamesh was using a weapon made of adamantium. Adamantium was a supposedly indestructible metal. It was so rare that Youji had never seen it in his life. He wanted to see just how powerful an adamantium weapon really was.


    "Thank you for the reminder, Valen. I''ll be with you shortly."


    ***


    "Ladies and gentlemen! Feast your eyes on a match between Hupo, the masked man in black, and Gilgamesh, the golden warrior!"


    The gamemaster''s introduction was greeted with thunderous cheering from the audience.


    Hupo couldn¡¯t agree more with the gamemaster''s description of his opponent. Everything about Gilgamesh was golden - his short sword, his plate armor, and even his hair.


    Gilgmesh glared at Hupo. "Runt!"


    Is he trying to use insults to throw me off my game?


    "Actually, my name is Hupo."


    "Don''t even think about blinking. Otherwise, you''ll miss the moment when I break your bones and rend your flesh." Gilgamesh licked his sword, as if to drive home a point.


    He sure has a flair for the dramatic.


    "You may as well give up now, because with this baby, I''m invincible." Gilgamesh raised his sword. "This sword cost me a fortune, but it was worth every penny. It''s made of adamantium, the strongest metal in the world. In other words, it''s indestructible. You should consider yourself lucky to be one of its first victims."


    That¡¯s disappointing. Is adamantium really the strongest metal in this world?


    In World of Lorecraft, there were many metals that were stronger than adamantium.


    "Indestructible? We''ll see about that."


    Hupo was fairly confident that he could cut Gilgamesh¡¯s sword. His katana, {Miyamoto}, was an Ultra Rare Item in World of Lorecraft. A meter in length, it was the sharpest sword in the entire game. Its blade was made of soulsteel, a metal that became stronger with every opponent slain. After vanquishing innumerable foes, it became nearly indestructible.


    The starting bell rang.


    Neither opponent moved. The arena was so quiet that Hupo could hear a breeze blowing.


    The silence was broken by Gilgamesh''s roaring laughter. "That''s a good one! For a moment there, you sounded like you could break it. But my sword is not the only thing you have to worry about. Even if, by some miracle, you land a blow on me, you won''t be able to penetrate my mithril armor. Commoners can work their whole lives and still can''t buy even one piece of this armor."


    "Uh huh."


    Gilgamesh took a few steps toward Hupo. "Since you gave me a good laugh, let me return the favor by giving you a run-down of the tragedy that''s about to befall you."


    He pointed his sword at Hupo''s arm. "First, I''m going to lop off your arm."


    He pointed it at Hupo''s other arm. "Next, I''m going to slice off your other arm."


    He waved it at Hupo''s legs. "And if you''re still conscious, then I''ll cut off your -"


    Before Gilgamesh could finish, Hupo stepped forward and slashed.


    The top half of Gilgamesh''s blade fell off.


    Gilgamesh tilted his head. "Eh?"


    Hupo reversed his grip and took another step forward. He slashed with the blunt edge of his blade.


    Gilgamesh, who was still staring at his broken sword, didn¡¯t seem to notice Hupo''s falling blade. It broke his armor and clavicle. Blood spewed from his mouth, as he collapsed onto his knees and fell flat on his face.


    "A one hit knockout! Hupo is the winner!"


    The audience exploded in cheers after hearing the result from the gamemaster.

 Respawn 1

    After watching Hupo''s first two matches, Alana''s whole body loosened up. The restlessness and stomach tightness that she¡¯d felt earlier faded away.


    She was no longer concerned about Hupo''s safety. The opponents he had fought so far were extremely weak, relative to a level 100 World of Lorecraft player. Even if Hupo''s next opponents were five times more powerful than his previous ones, he would still be able to defeat them with ease.


    The fighters who made it past the tournament qualifiers were supposedly some of the strongest humans in this world. If their power level was this low, then how low was the power level of the average human?


    Alana heard growling and gurgling noises from the girl next to her. "You alright, Coco?"


    A flush crept up Coco''s face. "I''m just a bit hungry."


    Alana reached into her pocket dimension to retrieve bread from her inventory. She had known innately how to access her skills and inventory the moment she was transported to this world. It was as if all the data had been downloaded into her mind.


    "Have some bread."


    "Thanks, Master Alana!" Coco gobbled it up.


    Alana retrieved some bread for herself and took a bite. It had a sweet, buttery flavor, with a hint of salt.


    Interesting... it tastes different when it''s cold.


    Taste and smell were new senses she had acquired in this world. Every new food she tried provided a complex and exciting experience. She found that there was so much more to flavor than acidity, sweetness, saltiness, and bitterness. The taste, smell, sight, sound, texture, and temperature of each food synergized to bring about its unique flavor.


    The gamemaster''s voice resounded inside the arena. "Our next match is between Claire, the only woman who qualified for this tournament, and Amondo, the former runner-up. Who will emerge victorious? The beauty or the beast?"


    The two competitors stepped into the arena. The woman wore silver plate armor which shone brilliantly under the bright sun. In her hand, she held a silver spear. She had long, beautiful amber hair that flowed with her crimson red cape. Her opponent appeared monstrous in comparison. He stood at least seven feet tall and his arms were thicker than her thighs. The colossal broadsword in his hand had a tip that spread out like a fan.


    "I want Claire to win!" Coco clasped her hands together.


    Alana smiled. "Me too."


    She didn¡¯t quite understand why she wanted Claire to win the match. Both competitors were strangers to her, but she felt she could relate to Claire more. Perhaps it was because Claire was a woman like her.


    ***


    As Claire stood in the arena, she could hear whistling from the audience.


    Men are such pigs.


    Her opponent was the runner-up of the previous Combat Tournament. After watching his previous matches, she could tell that he was an expert level swordsman.


    "I''m Amondo. May the best man win." Amondo smirked and pointed at himself. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Claire raised her eyebrows. "That wouldn''t include any of us, since you''re more beast than man."


    He laughed. "I''ll take that as a compliment. By the way, is your dad a baker?"


    Did he know my father?


    Her late father had indeed been a baker. However, she had never heard him talk about Amondo.


    She narrowed her eyes. "Why do you ask?"


    "Because you''ve got some nice buns."


    She glared at him. "You swine!"


    I can''t let his trash talk get to me. Focus on the match!


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    I''m going to beat the crap out of him.


    Soon after the bell rang, their weapons clashed.


    He laughed, as though he was enjoying himself. "There it is. That''s the look I''ve been looking for! Show me more of that rage!"


    She gritted her teeth and activated [Arm Boost]. Power surged into her arms. She used all her might to push him back with her spear. Swinging around, she dodged and blocked his attacks while trying to land her own. Her bones rattled every time she blocked.


    I can''t continue absorbing this amount of force!


    She blocked high, blocked low, and as soon as she saw an opening, she snuck in a thrust.


    He parried it and slammed a kick into her belly. When she hunched forward, he smashed his fist into the side of her head, knocking her to the ground and blacking out her vision.


    Her whole head hurt like hell. All she could hear was a constant ringing. She gasped for air as she clutched her belly in agony. Every last bit of her energy seemed to drain away.


    Is this as far as I can go?


    In the darkness, she heard her father''s voice. "Stay strong."


    Those had been her father''s last words to her. After hearing his voice, she snapped back to reality.


    As her vision returned and the ringing faded, she heard Amondo''s voice.


    "Typical woman. Can''t even take a punch."


    She rolled away as soon as she heard the sound of a falling weapon.


    The ground quaked.


    She slammed the base of her spear against the ground and hoisted herself into the air.


    "Drop Kick!" The soles of her feet smashed into Amondo''s face, sending him sprawling across the ground.


    Spitting blood, he pushed himself off the ground.


    "Never had a woman throw herself at me like that before. I like it. Let me return the favor!" He hurled his sword at her.


    She blocked it with her spear. The force behind the thrown sword was so great that it pushed her backwards.


    I would''ve been split in half if I hadn''t blocked it!


    He streaked across the arena, picked up his sword, and swung it at her.


    She dodged.


    "Flying Knee Strike!" Springing upwards, she bashed her knee into his head.


    As he staggered backwards, she thrust her spear at him.


    He leaped backwards, avoiding the strike.


    "Enough!" He slammed the ground with his sword, kicking up an enormous cloud of dust.


    She pierced through it with her spear, hitting nothing but air.


    Where is he?


    She sensed a presence behind her. Twisting around, she found four simultaneous slashes from different angles closing in on her. Blocking or dodging all the strikes was impossible.


    I''m sorry, Rebecca.


    She saw a bright white flash, followed by total darkness.


    ***


    When the match between Claire and Amondo ended, Alana felt an unpleasant emotion. She didn¡¯t understand why she felt that way. Nothing bad had happened to her, so why was she feeling so depressed?


    ¡°I feel¡­ sad.¡±


    Coco nodded. "I''m feeling the same way too. What happened to Claire in the end was so tragic."


    Although the gamemaster confirmed that Claire was still breathing, her injuries were grievous. She had a gash across her face and a butchered body. Alana knew that the healing magic and potions of this world were not potent enough to completely heal Claire''s wounds.


    Alana wanted to help Claire, but she couldn¡¯t fathom why. Claire was a complete stranger and there was nothing to gain from helping her.


    As she wondered what she should do, she asked herself, "What would Hupo do?" The answer was obvious. He would do the right thing.


    Initially, Alana hadn¡¯t understood why Hupo had decided to save Dubin Village. The benefits didn¡¯t seem to justify the risks. When she¡¯d asked him to explain, his reply had been, "It was the right thing to do." After spending some time with the villagers, she felt good knowing that she had been able to save their lives. Her admiration for Hupo, which was already very high, had grown even more.


    Alana got up from her seat. "I''m going to help Claire."


    Coco''s face brightened. "I wanna come too!"

 Respawn 2

    Claire woke up from a nightmare, in a cold sweat, gasping for air. She¡¯d been having the same dream almost every night, ever since her father had died. In her dream, she relived the most traumatic moment in her life. Her home was burning. Her father was lying in a pool of his own blood. As his life bled away, he apologized for failing to protect her little sister, who was taken to a brothel.


    Claire laid on a soft surface, staring at a stone ceiling.


    What happened? Where am I?


    She tried sitting up, but her body wouldn¡¯t move. With great pain and effort, she turned her head. A man with a badly-battered face lay in the bed next to hers. When realization of what had happened dawned on her, tears ran down her cheeks.


    I''m a failure.


    She had entered the Combat Tournament for the prize money, which was enough to buy her sister''s freedom. However, even after spending years of blood, sweat, and tears preparing for it, she was unable to become the tournament champion. The next tournament was in four years. Could her sister''s mind and body survive another four years inside the brothel? She could only imagine the nightmarish life that her sister led there.


    She wished she could burst into the brothel and take her sister back by force. But she knew that was impossible. No matter how hard she trained, she would never be able to overcome the small army of mercenaries guarding it. They were led by Prometheus, a master level fighter who was at least as strong as Youji, the strongest swordsman in the Dominion. An expert level fighter, such as herself, would not stand a chance against him.


    As she thought about her sister, she saw a monk nearby. "Help me..."


    He approached Claire. "What''s the matter?"


    "I can''t move. What''s wrong with me?"


    "Another monk treated you. I''ll go get him for you." He bowed and left.


    A short while later, a different monk arrived at her bed. "You asked for me?"


    "Why can''t I move?"


    "Your body was severely damaged. My healing magic is slowly mending it, so you should be able to move soon.¡±


    "How bad is it?"


    The monk cleared his throat. ¡°The gash across your face is deep. It¡¯ll leave a large scar. I tried my best to mend your broken legs, but there was only so much I could do.¡±


    ¡°Will I be able to fight as a warrior again?¡±


    The monk shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That won¡¯t be possible, because you¡¯ll need crutches to walk for the remainder of your life.¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Please, I beg of you, there must be something you can do!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Your injuries are too severe. Even the best healing magic and potions in the world won¡¯t be able to help you.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening...¡± She turned her head away and sobbed. The pain in her chest became unbearable.


    The monk muttered some words, but they didn¡¯t reach her.


    Her mind was spiraling into a dark place. What could she do with a scarred face and a broken body? She no longer had the means to save her sister. There was no hope.


    ***


    The gamemaster''s voice reverberated throughout the arena.


    "This is going to be one exciting match between two semi-finalists! Give your full attention to Takeshi and Hupo!" If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    That''s my cue.


    Hupo walked into an arena filled with cheering spectators.


    A lean man with a bandaged arm emerged from the entrance at opposite end of the arena. "It''s an honor to have a match with you, Hupo. By fighting strong opponents such as you, I can see what my limits are."


    "What makes you think I''m strong?"


    "Only a master level swordsman could¡¯ve done what you did in your previous matches."


    "I see that you''ve been watching me."


    "That''s right. Have you been watching my matches?¡±


    "I haven''t, but I can tell you''re unlike any opponent I''ve faced so far in the tournament."


    "You must be talking about the incredible pressure exuding from me. I get that comment a lot."


    "No... not exactly. I meant that you have manners."


    "Oh..."


    The gamemaster interrupted their conversation. ¡°Competitors, please move ten paces away from each other!¡±


    Hupo and Takeshi walked away from one another. When they were in their proper starting positions, the bell rang.


    Takeshi took out a small ball from his pocket and threw it at his feet. The ball detonated, releasing a cloud of smoke and obscuring him from view.


    What¡¯s he up to?


    When the smoke cleared, Hupo was surprised to see five people standing side by side at the location where Takeshi once stood. Even more surprising was their appearance ¨C they all looked exactly like Takeshi.


    Are they illusions, or do they have physical bodies? In World of Lorecraft, only level 100 players were able to create clones with physical bodies.


    ¡°Awakened Eyes.¡± Mana flowed into Hupo¡¯s eyes.


    With the skill active, he was able to see mana and sense any movement at the microscopic level within a ten-meter radius. He also gained a 360-degree field of augmented vision.


    When he saw that one of the bodies contained much more mana than the other four, Hugo felt a sense of relief. The real Takeshi was the one with the most mana and the other Takeshis were merely illusions. If the clones had physical bodies, then there would have been a more equal distribution of mana between them.


    The Takeshis moved to surrounded Hupo, before closing in on him.


    Hupo was able to see all of them simultaneously with his 360-degree field of vision. He twisted around and slammed a kick into the real Takeshi, knocking him backwards.


    Takeshi slammed into the ground and rolled many times, before coming to a stop.


    His clones dissolved into the air.


    Oops, did I use too much force? I held back as much as I could¡­


    The arena was silent. It seemed as though everyone was holding their breath and waiting to see if Takeshi would get back up. They erupted in cheers when he did.


    The arm that Takeshi had used to block Hupo¡¯s kick was dangling.


    He coughed and breathed heavily. "That was a ridiculously strong kick. How did you know where to aim it?"


    Hupo wasn¡¯t foolish enough to reveal his skills to his opponent. He had watched too many movies where an overconfident villain carelessly revealed critical information to the hero, allowing the hero to triumph in the end.


    "Your clones didn¡¯t have shadows."


    "To notice such a small detail in the heat of battle... you''re indeed a master level swordsman."


    "I''m flattered. But how are you going to continue fighting? One of your arms is broken."


    "I was hoping to save my trump card for the finals, but I guess it can''t be helped." Using his teeth, Takeshi tugged the bandages from his left arm.


    The moment they came off, his left arm transformed. It exploded in size, reaching all the way to the ground. The skin was replaced by blue scales and the hand became a dragon''s head.


    With [Awakened Eyes] still active, Hupo saw that the arm''s mana was different than the mana in the rest of Takeshi''s body. It was as if the arm was a separate organism.


    "As you can see, I''ve obtained the power of a dragon. It''s not something a human can defeat - not even you." Takeshi raised his arm. It stretched toward Hupo, ramming into him at an incredible speed.


    Hupo held his ground.


    The dragon head at the end of the arm spoke. "Kill me."


    It can talk?


    The dragon seemed to have retained its individuality, even after its head and neck had been transplanted into Takeshi''s body. Its tragic fate reminded Hupo about the horrifying experiments that people in his old world had performed on animals, in the name of science. Animals were intentionally blinded, infected with diseases, and force-fed drugs. Their spines were crushed and their skulls were cut open. They were made to grow cancers, suffer seizures, and undergo repeated surgeries.


    In front of him was a tortured creature that was intelligent enough to speak. He couldn¡¯t simply ignore its plea for help.


    "I shall grant your wish."


    "Thank you."


    Even though the dragon''s eyes were sewn shut, Hupo could see tears leaking from them. He ripped apart the dragon''s head with his bare hands, grabbed the bleeding stump, and pulled.


    Takeshi was yanked off his feet, straight into Hupo''s fist. This time, he didn¡¯t get back up.


    "We have a winner! Please give Hupo a big round of applause!"


    Wild cheering arose from the audience.


    He looked up at the gathered thousands.


    What are they so happy about? A tortured creature has just died, but no one seems to care. All they want is to be entertained.


    Hupo deactivated [Awakened Eyes]. He stared at the remains of the dragon''s head, before leaving the arena.


    Humanity''s cruelty and greed knows no bounds. It was true in my world, and it¡¯s true in this one.

 Respawn 3

    Roughly oval in shape, the coliseum was an open-air venue


    Holding Coco¡¯s hand, Alana got up from her seat and made her way toward the floor¡¯s exit. Squeezing past the seated audience members was a slow and arduous task. There wasn¡¯t much leg room, so the audience members had to stand, lift their legs, or turn to the side to let her and Coco through. By the time Alana reached the exit with Coco, the next match was already underway.


    Coco ran up to the knight standing guard at the exit. ¡°Can you tell us where the recovery room is?¡±


    ¡°Are all commoners this stupid? Get lost.¡± He flapped his hand in dismissal.


    She lowered her chin.


    Alana wanted to slap him. But she held back, because she didn¡¯t want to cause a scene.


    She grabbed Coco¡¯s hand. ¡°Just ignore him. We can find it ourselves.¡±


    His jaw dropped when he saw Alana.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such a beautiful friend! The recovery room is on the main floor. I can take you both there.¡±


    A grin spread across his face.


    He¡¯s treating me differently because of the way I look? This is lookism.


    ¡°No thanks. We¡¯ll be fine on our own.¡±


    ¡°I insist. Guaranteeing your safety is my duty.¡±


    I can¡¯t accept his help after how he treated Coco.


    ¡°Oh, really? Didn¡¯t you tell my friend to ¡®get lost¡¯ a moment ago? Don¡¯t you care about her safety as well?¡±


    His cheeks reddened. ¡°Well¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the most despicable human beings I¡¯ve ever met.¡± Alana turned to leave.


    ¡°How dare you, a commoner, talk to me that way?¡± With flaring nostrils and barred teeth, he reached for her arm.


    Alana glared at him. ¡°Touch me and I¡¯ll be last thing you¡¯ll ever touch.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°You-you think I¡¯m scared of you? You commoners are all the same - broken in the head! I¡¯m going to make you regret your words!¡±


    She felt a hand grip her arm. ¡°Frozen Touch.¡±


    Frost crept up his hand. When he tried to pull away, his frozen hand broke off. Dropping onto his knees, he clutched his arm and screamed in agony. Frozen bits of his hand littered the floor in front of him.


    Coco stared in silence, with her mouth open.


    Alana looked down at the knight. ¡°Get out of my sight.¡±


    He whimpered, before scampering away.


    ***


    Alana walked with Coco, in silence, down a dark, windowless stairwell. The stairwell was lit by the occasional torch along the wall. The only noise she could hear was the sound of their footsteps.


    Why is Coco so quiet? She hadn¡¯t spoken a word since the incident. Is she terrified of me? Any normal girl would be, after seeing what I can do. Wait a minute... why do I care so much about her opinion of me? Now that I think about it, why was I so upset when the knight was rude to her? This must be what humans call ¡®bonding.¡¯ According to the books I read, I should resolve relationship issues before they get out of hand. Otherwise, the ¡®bond¡¯ that I¡¯ve formed with her may be compromised.


    Alana turned toward Coco. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You were awesome!¡±


    ¡°Awesome?¡±


    ¡°Of course! That man was so mean. You sure showed him.¡±


    ¡°How come you were so quiet?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were feeling bad about what you did to the mean man.¡±


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t care less about him. He had it coming. I was more worried about you.¡± Alana was surprised to hear her own words.


    Up until now, the only person she¡¯d ever cared about was Hupo. But now there was another person who was important to her.


    Coco giggled.


    ¡°How come you¡¯re laughing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re acting like you¡¯re my mama.¡±


    Alana smiled and patted Coco¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡±


    She¡¯s not your average girl.


    ***


    The recovery room was filled with patients, all wounded, some bleeding, some dying. The floor was sticky and red with blood. Alana covered her nose and mouth with her hand; the stench was sickening, hot and metallic, making her head swim. Some of the more badly wounded patients were moaning, some even screaming. Others were dead-eyed, white.


    She caught hold of Coco¡¯s arm. ¡°Where is everyone? Why are there only a couple of monks here? These people need more help.¡±


    Coco shrugged. ¡°I guess it isn¡¯t a priority.¡±


    Alana approached the closest monk. ¡°Excuse me, is Claire here?¡±


    The monk sighed. "She left a while ago, as soon as she could move. We tried to stop her, but she wouldn''t listen."


    "Which bed was she in?"


    "That one". The monk pointed at an empty bed near the wall.


    The bed''s blankets and bed sheets had not been changed yet and were stained with blood.


    Coco''s shoulders slumped. "How are we supposed to find her now?"


    "There is a way.¡± Alana touched the floor with the palm of her hand. ¡°Summon Hound.¡±


    A small black mound emerged from the floor. As it rose, it pushed her hand upwards and began to take the shape of a lean, black dog.


    The dog began licking her hand.


    Coco shrieked. "You can make doggies?"


    "I summoned a hound. It can lead us to her." Alana picked up one of the bloodied blankets and held it next to the hound''s nose. "Find her."


    After sniffing the blanket, the hound barked and darted from the room. Alana and Coco followed closely behind.

 Respawn 4

    With great effort, Claire heaved herself up the stairs. She stopped to catch her breath. Sweat dripped down her face. Looking up, she could see the entrance to the roof. Sunlight was pouring through the doorway above, illuminating the dark stairwell. She felt like she had no energy left in her body, but she pushed herself to keep moving.


    I¡¯m almost there. Just a few more steps.


    She put her foot onto the next step. Using it as a pivot, she lifted her body and crutches upwards. She climbed the remaining steps in the same manner.


    Upon reaching the top, she collapsed from exhaustion. She had already pushed herself past her limits to climb the stairs. Her crutches clattered on the floor. As her vision blurred and darkened, the rattling sound of her crutches became faint and distant.


    She was staring at a field of flowers. A hand tapped her shoulder. As she turned around, her skirt twirled with her. A giggling girl took her wrist. They ran up a set of glass stairs. She heard her father''s voice behind her, calling her name. Turning around, she saw pure darkness. The stairs beneath her feet disappeared and she plunged into a black void.


    When she awoke, she found herself lying on the coliseum''s roof. Pain flared all over her body. She didn¡¯t even have enough strength to push herself up. Using what little energy she had left, she crawled along the floor.


    She stopped at the roof''s edge and looked over. The people below appeared tiny.


    Will Rebecca miss me?


    She choked away tears as she thought about her sister. "I''m so sorry, Rebecca. Your older sister tried her best. She really did."


    She sought release from her emotional and physical pain. Anything seemed better than what she felt now - even death.


    She inched herself further off the edge. "I''m sorry, Father. I know you told me to be strong, but I can''t take it anymore. It''s too painful."


    With one final push, she closed her eyes and slid off the edge of the roof.


    Peace, at last.


    ***


    As Claire fell, she felt weightless. Air rushed against her whole body. Then, something unusual occurred, something sensational. She felt as though she was being embraced.


    Warmth soaked into her body. Something soft pressed against her chest. Another heart was beating against hers. The heartbeats seemed to synchronize and beat as one. All her worries faded away. She wished time would stop so that she could relish the moment for all eternity. She wondered if this was how it felt to be embraced by a loving mother. Her mother had passed away when she was very young, so she had only vague memories of her.


    She could no longer feel air rushing against her body. Instead, she felt a gentle breeze brush against her. It carried a pleasant scent. When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying with her head on the lap of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Only an angel could be this beautiful. Then that must mean...


    Claire gulped. "Am I in heaven?"


    "No, you''re on the roof of the coliseum, Claire."


    How does she know my name? Is she all-knowing?


    Claire recalled pushing herself off the roof''s edge. "How am I still alive?"


    "I flew after you when I saw you fall. Once I caught you, I teleported us back up here."


    Claire stared at the woman. "To be able to fly and teleport... are you an angel?"


    "I thought the same thing when I first saw her."


    Turning her head, Claire saw a teenage girl standing a few feet away with a dog in her arms. "Who are you?"


    "I''m Coco. My master, Alana, was the one who saved you."


    Claire shifted her gaze back to the woman. "I''m sorry for wasting your time. I''m better off dead."


    "You''re so ungrateful!"


    "It''s alright, Coco." Alana kept her gaze on Claire. "Why do you want to die?"


    Claire''s lower lip quivered. "It hurts so bad."


    "What if your body was made new again? What would you do?"


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. My body will never be the same.¡±


    ¡°Tell me anyway.¡±


    Now that Claire knew, first-hand, how competitive the Combat Tournament was, she wasn¡¯t sure she could ever win it, even with a healthy body and another four years of training. But if she could fight again, she would give it another shot. She was willing to risk her life to save her sister.


    "I would train to fight in the tournament again."


    "You crazy woman!"


    Alana gestured for Coco to be quiet. "I don¡¯t know your reasons for participating in the tournament, but I¡¯m touched by your unwavering determination. You, more than anyone else, deserve a second chance."


    She put her hand on the side of Claire''s face. ¡°Healing Touch.¡±


    Claire found the soft and warm hand incredibly soothing. It emitted waves of warmth and energy into her. The waves cleared the fog in her head and washed away the aches and pains in her body. They relaxed and energized every part of her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.


    Alana removed her hand. "Rise up and stand tall."


    Claire easily pushed herself up. She looked down at her body and couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with it. When she touched her face, she couldn¡¯t believe what she was feeling. The skin on her face felt perfectly smooth. The deep gash that had crossed it had vanished, as though it had never been there. It seemed too good to be true. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time she had felt this well. Her body was teeming with vitality.


    "I can''t believe it..." Claire covered her mouth.


    Tears poured down her face.


    Alana stood up. "I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve been feeling so horrible. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still here.¡±


    Claire wiped tears away from her face. "What did I ever do to deserve your help? Why save a useless woman like me?"


    "I didn¡¯t save you because of what you did - I saved you because of who you are. You¡¯re a strong and beautiful woman with great potential - the potential to change the lives of many for the better."


    Claire felt as though a flower had blossomed inside of her.


    She had just found meaning in her life, beyond saving her sister. ¡°When I lost all hope, you raised me up both physically and emotionally. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°The next time you find yourself in the depths of despair, take a moment to think about what you still have. You can always find something to be thankful for.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d lost everything.¡±


    ¡°Before I healed you, you still had your sight and hearing, correct?¡±


    Claire was speechless.


    She¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been so focused on what I¡¯ve lost that I couldn¡¯t see what I still have.


    ¡°And think about what your death would do to your loved ones. It would crush them. Their pain could last a lifetime.¡±


    Claire couldn¡¯t refute the truth in Alana¡¯s words.


    She¡¯s right again. Rebecca would¡¯ve been devastated.


    Coco, still holding the dog, rushed to Alana''s side. "Sorry to interrupt you, Master Alana, but we should hurry. Master Hupo''s match is about to start."


    Alana placed her hand on Coco''s shoulder. "Let¡¯s get going then."


    She¡¯s leaving? I didn¡¯t even get a chance to thank her properly!


    "Wait!" Claire reached out with her hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, so you still have a lot of living to do. Since you¡¯ve already hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. Your life can only get better.¡± A bright blue light enveloped Alana. ¡°Take care, Claire.¡±


    They vanished, leaving Claire alone on the roof again.

 Achievement Unlocked 1

    Hupo stood at one end of the arena, deep in thought.


    The prize money is so close that I can almost taste it. I can¡¯t risk underestimating my opponent in the finals.


    Several strategies came to his mind, but the one that seemed most appropriate for the situation was ¡®pre-emptive strike.¡¯ It was one of the military tactics he had studied to improve his World of Lorecraft gameplay. The idea was to weaken or defeat an enemy before they could do any harm. He wanted to make sure that he would be the one making the first move. To do so, he would need to move faster than his opponent. Fortunately, he had skills that would allow him to do just that.


    The gamemaster announced the start of the match. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the match you''ve all been waiting for: the Combat Tournament finals! From the west entrance, we have the dark horse of this tournament, Hupo!"


    As Hupo made his way to the center of the arena, he was greeted by loud applause and cheering from the audience. The bright sunlight caused him to squint his eyes. He heard a crunching noise with every step he took. Looking down, he saw broken teeth mixed with the blood-stained sand.


    "From the east entrance, we have the runner up of the previous Combat Tournament. Standing seven feet tall, the walking fortress, Amondo!"


    The audience cheered much louder for Amondo.


    They must really like the former runner-up.


    Amondo walked up to Hupo. "I don''t know how a shrimp like you made it all the way to the finals, but your luck just ran out."


    "Why¡¯s that?"


    "You see, I''ve been fighting with only fifty percent of my power. That was enough to make it this far. Unfortunately for you, I''m going to use one hundred percent of my power for this fight. This is not a match I can afford to lose." Amondo bent his knees and hunched over. ¡°Limiter Release!"


    He began grunting. His body swelled in size and the pressure emanating from him increased dramatically. "Now do you see the difference in our power? I just doubled my speed and strength. This match was over before it even begins. You have no hope of winning."


    Hupo burst into laughter.


    Amondo glared at him. "What''s so funny?"


    "You looked like you were constipated."


    "What? You''ll pay for your insolence, you little shrimp! I''ll grind you into mincemeat, and then I''ll take what''s left and grind it even more!" Amondo shook his fist at Hupo.


    "We''ll see about that."


    The gamemaster''s voice resounded in the arena. "Competitors, please get to your starting positions."


    Hupo and Amondo moved away from one another. Once they were in position, they turned around to face each other. The whole arena was silent as the two them stared each other down.


    The starting bell rang.


    Hupo snapped into action. Using [Sonic Speed], he jolted forward at the speed of sound. His senses were able to keep up with his incredible speed. Despite moving so fast, he felt as though he was in full control. As he traveled through the air, a staggering amount of air pressure pressed against his body. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Is this how astronauts feel when they blast off into space?


    He grabbed Amondo¡¯s head and slammed it into the ground. Sand and broken teeth exploded upwards from the point of impact. A fraction of a second later, a thunderous boom shook the arena. The match was over before the starting bell had finished ringing.


    Hupo released his hand from Amondo¡¯s head. With a crooked nose and missing front teeth, Amondo was a bloodied mess.


    The audience was completely silent.


    "Unbelievable! The match lasted less than a second! Hupo is the new Combat Tournament champion!"


    In response to the gamemaster¡¯s announcement, the audience rose from their seats and broke into applause and cheering.


    ***


    "Impossible..." Youji''s hand trembled.


    He could only imagine the level of skill and strength needed to pull off the move that Hupo had used to defeat Amondo. Hupo had propelled himself forward with enough force to crater the ground. He had moved so fast that he¡¯d looked like a blur.


    King Rowan mumbled something, but his voice seemed so distant.


    Youji''s attention was transfixed to the crater in the arena below.


    "Youji!" King Rowan''s voice brought Youji back to his senses.


    Realizing his error, Youji dropped on one knee and bowed his head. "My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty!"


    "I was asking if you were alright. What has gotten into you?" King Rowan''s brows drew together.


    "I have just glimpsed the summit of strength."


    King Rowan looked blank.


    For Youji, a veteran of many battles, recognizing the level of a skill was second nature. In contrast, a noncombatant like the king would not be able to readily do so.


    "Please forgive my rudeness. I meant that the skill Hupo had used to defeat Amondo was of an unimaginably high level."


    "Was it really that impressive?"


    "Of course!" Youji cleared his throat. "He¡¯s the most skilled warrior I¡¯ve ever seen."


    King Rowan leaned towards Youji. "Would you be able to defeat him?"


    Even I can¡¯t move fast enough to dodge such a fast attack.


    Youji shook his head. "I''m sorry, I can''t imagine myself beating him."


    King Rowan leaned back in his chair. "The Combat Tournament is very expensive to host, but it¡¯s money well spent. It attracts talented warriors like Hupo to this country. He would be a very valuable addition to the army."


    "I couldn''t agree more."


    "I''ll leave you with the task of recruiting him. Offer him a knighthood and a high army rank."


    Youji rubbed the back of his neck. "There''s a slight issue."


    "What do you mean?"


    "His impression of our knights is probably very poor. Earlier today, he saved a coliseum worker from a squad of knights. They were giving the worker a beating, because the worker had offended them."


    Hupo was, undoubtedly, the masked warrior who had decimated Moe''s squad of knights. He certainly had the power to do so.


    "What? Which knights?" King Rowan gripped the armrest of his chair.


    "I''ve already given them the appropriate punishment."


    "Good, I trust your judgment. You need to show Hupo that not all knights are so disgraceful."


    "I will, but what if he still refuses?"


    "Then give him more time to think about it. Don''t be too pushy. I don''t want to risk antagonizing him any more than we already have."


    Youji bowed. "As you command, Your Majesty. There¡¯s another matter I would like to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Aside from Combat Tournament champions, all of the high-ranking positions in the army belong to nobles or those with close connections to them. Their promotions were based on their noble status and who they know. As a result, the army is currently filled with incompetent leaders. If, instead, we promoted knights based on merit, our military would be much stronger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m lucky there aren¡¯t any nobles around here, or I¡¯d be getting an earful from them. I agree with your assertion that the military is in dire need of reform, but the nobles will never go along with it. I may be the king, but I cannot rule this country without their backing.¡±


    Youji wanted to continue arguing his case, but doing so would be disrespectful toward the king. Just being heard was enough.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Perhaps it¡¯s too soon to bring up the issue of military reform. Like you said, it wouldn¡¯t work under the current political climate.¡±


    ¡°I know you have this country¡¯s best interest at heart. Never stop fighting for it.¡± King Rowan paused. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the nobles about the issue of military reform. They probably won¡¯t agree with what I have to say, but at least your concern will be heard.¡±


    Youji smiled. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡±

 Achievement Unlocked 2

    Hupo sat on one of wooden benches in the waiting room. Torches along the stone walls bathed the windowless room in orange light. He placed his hand on his knee, to stop it from bouncing every few seconds. Although there was no one else in the room, he still wanted to maintain proper etiquette. Otherwise, the fidgeting may become a habit. When he worked as a CEO, he was cognizant of his appearance at all times. Maintaining appearances was tiring, but he believed it was his responsibility to role model the right behaviors for his employees to follow.


    His gaze fell upon a row of bronze sculptures aligned along the wall. They depicted warriors in various poses. An inscription was carved into the base of each one. He walked over to one of the sculptures. Inscribed into its base were the words ¡®General Hyperion: Winner of the 17<sup>th</sup> Combat Tournament.¡¯


    The adjacent sculpture had a similar engraving ¨C it listed the champion¡¯s name and army rank.


    This tournament is a recruiting ground for the soldiers. It seems that most, if not all, the tournament champions were recruited into the Dominion¡¯s army.


    A coliseum worker entered the waiting room. ¡°The preparations are ready. Thanks for describing your national song and flag to us.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    The worker led Hupo to the arena. A purple carpet stretched all the way from the entrance to the podium. A long line of knights, clad in silver armor, stood on each side of the carpet. There were only two spots on the podium and a flag pole had been erected behind each one.


    The examiner from the qualifying test greeted Hupo at the podium. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, Hupo!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, uh¡­ Raisin?¡±


    ¡°You almost got it right. My name is Raizen.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m bad with names.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have trouble remembering them too sometimes.¡± He gestured toward the highest spot on the podium. ¡°Glory awaits you.¡±


    Hupo stepped onto the podium. Looking up at the packed coliseum, he wondered where Alana and Coco were sitting. He hoped that he didn¡¯t disappoint them.


    The gamemaster entered the arena, followed by two coliseum workers. One of the workers held a tray of medals. The other carried a large sack. The gamemaster stopped in front of the podium and raised his hand.


    The audience fell silent.


    ¡°Did you all enjoy the games? I know I did!¡± His voice electrified the audience.


    They responded with roaring cheer, shouts of joy, and fists in the air. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the runner-up is unwell, so he won¡¯t be joining us for the medal presentation. However, I¡¯m sure he would want us to honor his home country, so please rise for the Celestial Empire¡¯s national anthem.¡±


    The entire audience rose to its feet.


    A coliseum worker hoisted a navy blue flag, studded with stars, as the orchestra played a catchy melody.


    Once the music stopped, Raizen lifted the gold medal from the tray and awarded it to Hupo. ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s your prize money.¡± Raizen handed the sack of money to Hupo.


    ¡°Please remain standing for the national anthem of ¡®Canada.¡¯¡±


    There was noisy chatter among the audience in response to the gamemaster¡¯s announcement.


    Of course they would be confused. Canada isn¡¯t even a country in this world.


    The orchestra began playing the national anthem of Canada. A crudely painted Canadian flag was hoisted. Hupo was overcome with nostalgia for his homeland as he listened to the anthem. He had never been particularly patriotic, but it reminded him of home.


    ***


    After the medal ceremony was over, Youji found Hupo chatting with an emaciated young man. "I''m Youji, the Dominion''s knight commander. It''s an honor to finally meet you."


    "The pleasure is mine.¡± Hupo shook Youji¡¯s hand. ¡°What can I do for you?"


    "I wanted to personally apologize for the shameful behavior my knights showed you earlier. As knight commander, the actions of the Dominion''s knights are ultimately my responsibility." Youji bowed his head.


    "You''re apologizing to the wrong man. No harm came to me. The one who is owed an apology is Easton, this hard-working and law-abiding citizen here." Hupo placed his hand on the shoulder of the emaciated man. "He''s the one who your knights beat half to death."


    "You''re right." Youji turned to face Easton and took out a pouch. "I''ve already dealt the appropriate punishment to the knights involved. Please accept this bag of money as compensation."


    Easton accepted the pouch. "Thank you, Knight Commander. You''re too generous!"


    "It can never undo the damage that had already been done, but I hope it can help." Youji shifted his gaze back to Hupo. "I''ve also come for another matter. King Rowan was very impressed by your performance in the Combat Tournament today. He would like to offer you a knighthood. If you accept, you''ll be guaranteed a high army rank."


    Youji was fairly certain that Hupo would accept the offer. Every other person he had ever approached with an offer of a knighthood had readily accepted it. After all, who would refuse a high status and a handsome salary?


    "Please tell the king that I''m humbled by his generous offer, but I cannot accept it."


    Youji couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. What kind of man would turn down such a generous offer? Maybe he was holding back for an even better one.


    ¡°The starting salary is negotiable. Even the army rank is open for discussion.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just not interested.¡±


    If he doesn¡¯t care about money or status, then what does he want?


    "May I ask why?"


    "I want to remain an independent swordsman, because then the decision to kill would be mine alone to make. If I accepted the king''s offer, then I would be obligated to kill whoever the king wants, regardless of whether or not I thought that person deserved to die."


    I just need to show him what a wonderful man the king is.


    "King Rowan is a benevolent man. He would never order you to take an innocent life."


    "No one can live without making mistakes, including him. No matter how great he is, the king is still just a man. I will not allow my sword to be guided by anyone other than myself. My decision is final." There was no hesitation in Hupo''s voice.


    The king warned me not to push him too hard. It¡¯s best if I leave it at that.


    "I understand and respect your decision. However, if you ever change your mind, come to gates of the Royal Palace and ask for me. I''m sure King Rowan will keep the offer open to you."


    "Thank you. I''ll keep that in mind."

 Achievement Unlocked 3

    A towering arch served as the main entrance of the Coliseum. It was tall and wide enough for elephants to march through. The hallway leading to the arch was packed with people. Hupo moved with the crowd at a steady pace toward the arch, occasionally glancing backwards to make sure Easton was still behind him.


    Once he was outside, he searched for Alana and Coco. They weren¡¯t difficult to find. He simply had to look in the same direction that everyone else was looking.


    Alana stood next to Coco, not far outside the main entrance. Her beauty turned the heads of everyone around her. She was like a lone rose in a field of grass.


    ¡°Master Hupo!¡± Coco ran up to Hupo and hugged him.


    Hupo laughed. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Coco.¡±


    Alana approached Hupo. ¡°I knew you would win.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for believing in me.¡± Hupo gestured for Easton to join them. ¡°This is Easton. I recruited him to work in our future restaurant.¡±


    Easton bowed his head. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    Alana smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Alana. Welcome aboard.¡±


    Coco pointed to herself. ¡°I¡¯m Coco, their first employee. That means I¡¯m your senior, got it?¡±


    Easton nodded.


    Hupo laughed. ¡°You crack me up, Coco. Easton, can you show me where you live?  I¡¯ll find you once the restaurant is ready.¡±


    A flush crept up Easton¡¯s face. ¡°I live near here, but I¡¯m a bit ashamed to show you my home.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re among friends. We¡¯re not here to judge you.¡±


    Coco patted Easton¡¯s back. ¡°It can¡¯t be any smaller than my home. Relax.¡±


    ¡°Well... okay. It¡¯s this way.¡± Easton led them to a nearby building.


    The two-story stone building had glass windows, and a tiled roof.


    ¡°This is your house?¡± Coco stared with her mouth agape. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were ashamed to show it to us. It¡¯s way nicer than mine.¡±


    ¡°Actually, my home is over there.¡± Easton pointed to the side of the building.


    There was nothing there but a board of wood propped against the wall.


    Coco gasped. ¡°It¡¯s even smaller than my house!¡±


    Easton rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s all I¡¯ve got.¡±


    He¡¯s practically homeless. He wouldn¡¯t be able to do his best at work if he had to constantly worry about getting his basic needs met.


    Hupo felt partly responsible for his employees¡¯ wellbeing.


    He didn¡¯t want to be like the employer who had worked his mother to death. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come stay with us? We¡¯re currently staying at the Cheap Inn.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I simply can¡¯t afford it¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money. I¡¯ll pay for everything.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly accept your generosity. You¡¯ve already done so much to help me.¡±


    If I make my invitation look like a job opportunity, then he might accept it.


    ¡°You know what? I could use your help right away. Your employment begins now.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t even have a restaurant yet.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Getting a restaurant up and running requires a lot of preparation. You¡¯ll be a big help.¡±


    Easton put his hand on his chest. ¡°You can count on me! Just tell me what to do and I¡¯ll get it done!¡±


    ¡°Great. I promised you food and shelter, as terms of your employment. That means you¡¯re coming back to the inn with us.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you put it that way, then I guess I¡¯ll come.¡±


    ***


    Was it really the right decision to turn down Youji¡¯s offer?


    On his way back to the Cheap Inn, Hupo had plenty of time to ponder the question in his mind. If he had accepted the offer, then he would have received status and enough money to live a comfortable life. However, he didn¡¯t want to be part of an organization with seemingly no moral compass. His memory of Easton¡¯s beating remained fresh in his mind. He also learned that a knight had touched Alana without her consent.


    He noticed that Coco had been unusually quiet during their journey back to the inn. Her usual cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be found. She walked with a lowered chin and slumped shoulders.


    "Is something the matter, Coco?"


    Coco sniffled. "I miss Doggy."


    "Doggy?"


    Alana cleared her throat. "I believe she¡¯s referring to the hound I summoned earlier. Like most summoned creatures, it faded away after a period of time."


    "Why did you summon a hound?"


    Alana explained how she and Coco had saved Claire¡¯s life.


    "I''m proud of you, Alana. What you did shows just how much you''ve grown. You''ve demonstrated the ability to share and understand the feelings of another."


    She smiled and looked away.


    Coco''s lower lip protruded into a sulky pout. "What about me?"


    Hupo patted her head and laughed. "You''ve grown too, Coco."


    Despite appearances, his guard had been up since he left the coliseum, because he knew that he was being followed by two people. From the way they walked and the pressure they emitted, he could tell that one had no combat training and the other was an exceptionally skilled warrior.


    When Hupo arrived at the Cheap Inn, he noticed that one of the followers had left. The other follower moved toward him at a quickened pace.


    ***


    A twenty-foot tall bronze statue of a king stood near the main entrance of the coliseum. Leaning against it was a man who drew the attention of passersby. Some of them looked at him with disdain. With his long hair and unkempt beard, he looked like a homeless man. Others viewed him in a more appreciative light. When they saw the large sword on his back and the empty sleeve, they wondered if he was an army veteran.


    Dugu didn¡¯t mind the stares. He had more important matters to worry about. His gaze was fixated on the steady stream of people leaving the coliseum. Amongst the crowd, he saw Hupo, the man he¡¯d been waiting for.


    Hupo wasn¡¯t difficult to spot. He stood at least six feet tall and wore unique black armor. The power that he had demonstrated in the tournament finals was enough to defeat a clan leader. A girl and a blonde woman joined up with him.


    I¡¯ve found them.


    Dugu made his way through the noisy, suffocating crowd. The people blocking his way were many. They cried in annoyance and uttered profanities at him as he pushed and squeezed past them. But he paid them no heed. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose sight of his targets.


    He noticed that a man from the crowd was tailing Hupo.


    Dugu had planned to talk to Hupo immediately, but he was curious to see who the man was and what his intentions were.


    The man followed Hupo to an inn, before leaving.


    Dugu had no reason to conceal himself any longer. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Hupo turned around. "Yes?"


    "My name is Dugu. There¡¯s something important I wish to discuss with you, in private."


    Hupo stared at Dugu for moment, before turning toward his entourage. "Please show Easton to our rooms. I''ll join you all shortly."


    Once the two of them were alone, Dugu said "You look like a straightforward guy and I''m a straightforward guy, so I''ll get straight to the point. There''s a werewolf who wants to meet with you and your blonde partner."


    "Ah... I see. Not interested.¡± Hupo turned to leave.


    Dugu gestured for him to stop. "Wait! He has my wife hostage. If I don''t arrange for you two to meet with him, he''ll kill her!"


    Hupo sighed. "Actions are like ripples in a pond - one leads to another in an endless wave. Somehow you and your wife ended up entangled in a mess that I started. The meeting is likely a trap - revenge for the werewolf lives I''ve taken."


    "That''s not what he told me. Apparently, he wants to use you and your partner to help him become the next werewolf lord."


    "The probability of the meeting being a trap is still very high. Even so, I can''t let you and your wife take the fall for my past transgressions." Hupo paused. "Is he here?"


    "No, he''s currently in Ferdania. I''ve been using this ring to communicate with him." Dugu showed Hupo the silver ring on his finger. "But I haven''t been able to reach him lately."


    "I see... When you do manage to get a hold of him, tell him that I''ll accept the meeting, but only on my terms."


    "Thank you so much! What are they?"


    "My partner will not be coming. I''ll come alone and speak on her behalf. The meeting place shall be the plains south of Dubin Village. He must bring your wife with him, alive and well, and bring no one else."


    "You''re doing so much for me..."


    "I''m just making sure the werewolf keeps his end of the deal. Only by having him bring your wife to the meeting can her safe return be assured. When you hear back from him, come look for me. If you can''t find me here, then look for my restaurant. I plan to open one in the capital very soon."


    "Thank you again. I don''t know how I''ll ever be able to repay you."


    "You don''t owe me anything. I''m simply taking responsibility for I''ve done."

 Crafting

    Maximus was hunched over at his well-lit table. Beads of sweat dripped down his face. He peered through a magnifying glass with bloodshot eyes at the damaged end of a broken blade. The blade had been sliced in half so cleanly that, even under magnification, the broken end appeared perfectly smooth. No matter how many times or how carefully he looked, he couldn¡¯t find any ridges.


    The blade belonged to a weapon he had made for Gilgamesh. A year ago, Gilgamesh had approached him with an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse - enough adamantium to make a short sword. It wasn¡¯t often that he could get his hands on the extremely rare crafting material. When it was completed, he considered the short sword to be one of the finest weapons he had ever made.


    Maximus, who saw himself as a peerless blacksmith, had been confident that no other blacksmith in the world could produce a stronger or sharper adamantium weapon. The short sword was deemed indestructible. At least, that was what he¡¯d thought.


    He had traveled a long way to witness the capabilities of the short sword in actual combat. What better place to test it than the Combat Tournament, where the world''s most skilled and best equipped warriors gathered to fight?


    The sword could theoretically help Gilgamesh triumph against more skilled opponents in the tournament. His first match went as expected. His opponent''s weapon was broken by the short sword early in the match, handing him an easy victory. But his second match caught Maximus by surprise.


    Just when Maximus thought he had reached the peak of his profession, he saw the existence of an even higher peak. He watched, in awe, as Hupo broke his supposedly indestructible creation with just one blow.


    The most logical conclusion he could come up with was the one he found the most difficult to accept - that the other weapon was made by a blacksmith who was vastly more skilled than himself. He assumed that the other weapon was also made of adamantium, since it was the strongest known metal in the world. That meant that the biggest difference between the two swords was how they were made.


    There was loud knocking at the door.


    Maximus looked up from his desk. "Come in."


    "Teacher, I''ve found where Hupo is staying."


    "Good work, Wyn. Lead the way." Maximus got up from his chair and followed his apprentice out of the Golden Hotel.


    He could hardly contain his excitement. Having meticulously studied what was left of Gilgamesh''s short sword, he had developed a deep yearning to see the weapon that had broken it. If he could just examine the weapon, he might be able to gain some insight into the superior techniques used to create it. Perhaps he could even learn the identity of the weapon''s creator from Hupo.


    They entered one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. There were only a few pedestrians. The only source of light came from the moon.


    Why would the champion be living here? With the winnings from the tournament, he could live anywhere he wants. Is Wyn lost?


    ¡°Are you sure this is the right way?¡±


    Wyn nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. I was here not long ago.¡±


    Maximus¡¯s nostrils were assaulted by a nasty stench.


    He covered his nose. ¡°What¡¯s that awful smell? Did you fart?¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me. This neighborhood always smells like that.¡±


    Why would anyone choose to live here?


    Finally, after a long, arduous journey on foot, the two of made it to the inn.


    ¡°So this the place?¡± Maximus surveyed the exterior of the run-down building.


    It looks a lot worse than I imagined.


    Light leaked from underneath the shabby front door. Most of the windows were either cracked or boarded up. It looked as though a giant had sat on the roof, because it sagged dreadfully.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then what are we waiting for? A treasure trove of knowledge awaits us behind those doors.¡± Maximus took a deep breath and stepped into the Cheap Inn.


    ***


    Hupo lay on his bed, thinking about his plan for the next day. The prize money had opened up a whole new world of possibilities.


    First, I¡¯ll treat everyone to a nice breakfast at a restaurant. The food at this inn isn¡¯t good at all. They deserve better. Then, we¡¯ll look for potential locations for the restaurant. I¡¯ll need to come up with a menu¡­If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    His train of thought was interrupted by knocking at the door.


    Is that Coco? No, she would¡¯ve barged in without knocking. It¡¯s probably Easton or Alana. Are they having trouble sleeping as well?


    The bed squeaked as he got off it. He opened the door and found two men standing in front of him. One of them was the man who had followed him earlier.


    The other was shorter and middle-aged. "My name is Maximus. The man behind me is Wyn, my apprentice. I''m sure a warrior of your caliber has heard of me."


    "Never."


    Maximus was speechless.


    "What can I do for you, Maximus?"


    "Sorry, this has never happened before. I''m the blacksmith from Andor. Ring any bells?"


    "No."


    Maximus''s mouth twitched. "Remember the short sword Gilgamesh used during the Combat Tournament? Believe it or not, I made it."


    "Gilgamesh? Who''s that? "


    "The one with the chatty mouth."


    Weren''t all my opponent''s like that?


    Hupo shook his head.


    Maximus sagged his shoulders and sighed. "The gold-loving narcissist?"


    "Oh... that guy! I remember him."


    "The short sword he used was one of my greatest creations, but you broke it as though it was nothing."


    Compared to Ultra Rare or even Rare weapons from World of Lorecraft, it was indeed nothing. Of course, Hupo didn¡¯t say his thoughts aloud.


    "It wasn¡¯t nothing. That was one of the finest swords I''ve ever seen in this world."


    What he said wasn¡¯t a lie. Even though the short sword would have been regarded as a trash item in World of Lorecraft, it appeared to be of a much higher quality than the other swords he¡¯d seen in this world.


    The corners of Maximus''s mouth quirked up. "You have a knack for seeing sword quality. If you weren''t a warrior, I would''ve taken you as one of my apprentices."


    "Thank you for the compliment."


    "The reason I came here today was because I wanted to learn more about your sword." Maximus eyed the sheathed katana at Hupo''s waist. "Can you tell me who made it?"


    The honest reply would¡¯ve been ¡®The employees of Blaster Entertainment.¡¯ Every piece of equipment in World of Lorecraft was created with much time and effort by an army of designers, artists, programmers, and testers. Explaining all that to Maximus was pointless, because he wouldn¡¯t have understood any of it. Instead, Hupo came up with another explanation.


    "Not sure. I found it in some ruins."


    His answer was completely honest. Blaster Entertainment had grown into such a massive company that he didn¡¯t know the names of many of his own employees. In addition, his katana was an Ultra Rare drop from a dungeon boss in World of Lorecraft. He¡¯d had to clear the dungeon almost a hundred times before it finally dropped.


    "Then can you tell me where you found it?"


    Even if I told you, you wouldn''t understand.


    "No."


    "Can I examine it?"


    "No."


    "I''ll pay you handsomely for the privilege."


    "The knowledge you glean from my sword may be used against me in the future. I wouldn¡¯t take such a risk for any amount of money, especially after I''ve won so much of it."


    Maximus clasped his hands together. "I beg of you, please let me see your sword! There''s so much I can learn from it. I''ll give you anything!"


    "I don''t need anything from you."


    "You might in the future!"


    Having a blacksmith owe me a favor might come in handy one day...


    Hupo recalled a line from one of his favorite mafia movies.


    He¡¯d finally found himself in a situation where he can use it. "Alright, I''ll let you see my sword. In return, some day, and that day may never pass, I''ll ask you to do something for me."


    "Of course!"


    ¡°Come in.¡± Hupo stepped away from the door, unsheathed his katana, and lay it on the bed.


    ***


    Maximus''s face dripped sweat, his heart raced, and he trembled in excitement as he stared at the sword. He¡¯d seen countless swords in his lifetime, but never one as masterfully created as the one in front of him. To untrained eyes, it would appear to be a simple sword. However, Maximus could tell that the sword was of an unimaginably high quality.


    Its appearance was unlike any other. Its curved, slender, and single-edged blade sat atop a circular guard and long grip. The back of the blade and its adjacent sides were polished to such an extent that they could serve as a mirror. A wavy line running down the side of the blade''s edge had the appearance of ripples of water. The sword''s tip was long and well-defined.


    He knelt beside the bed, brought his nose close to the blade, and inhaled slowly and deeply. His whole body relaxed, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    What a heavenly smell.


    He felt a strong urge to lick the blade, but stopped himself, afraid that doing so may offend its owner.


    He gulped. "Can I touch it?"


    Hupo nodded. "Go ahead."


    Maximus''s shaking hands moved slowly toward the blade. Upon touching it, he felt a wave of tingles and then calm wash over him. All his worries seemed to melt away.


    While touching the sword, he activated [Analyze Weapon]. The sword''s physical properties appeared in his mind.


    His eyes widened. "How can this be?"


    ¡°Teacher, are you alright?¡± Wyn had a concerned expression on his face.


    ¡°This blade is made of a metal that is far stronger than adamantium.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? Isn¡¯t adamantium the strongest metal in existence?¡±


    ¡°I thought so too, until I examined this blade. Not only is it virtually indestructible, but it¡¯s also impossibly sharp as well. It makes every other blade seem blunt in comparison.¡±


    Maximus thought he¡¯d already worked with every metal this world had to offer, so coming across an unknown one was a real shock. He finally understood how the sword was able to easily cut through adamantium.


    He lowered his face into his hands. "I¡¯m but a fledgling. What have I been doing all these years? To think I was so proud of my meager skills."


    Hupo returned the sword to its sheath. "Now that you''ve witnessed craftsmanship superior to your own, let it motivate you to improve."


    Maximus''s eyes lit up. "You''re right! I haven''t felt such shame in a long time. I''ve been looking down from an ivory tower for so long that I''ve stopped working hard to improve myself. From here on out, I''m going to restart my training."


    "Great, maybe you should start tomorrow. Get some rest first."


    "I will. Thank you for letting me see your sword. It has shown me a whole new peak to strive towards."


    "What you''ve learned about yourself was probably more important than what you''ve learned about the sword."


    "That''s right! I feel like an apprentice all over again. If you''re ever in Andor, stop by my workshop. By then, perhaps you would¡¯ve thought of something I can help you with."


    "I¡¯ll keep that in mind."

 Intermission

    Decker leaned against a cold, rough rock wall at the entrance of an abandoned mine. All he could see in front of him were densely packed evergreen trees. The sky was dark grey, and the icy north wind was blowing. Shivering, he wrapped his cape of animal skin around himself.


    They¡¯re late. Something must have happened to them.


    After waiting for another hour, he saw a paladin, covered in mud, running in his direction.


    "Captain!¡±


    Decker ran up to meet him. ¡°What happened? Where''s the rest of the reconnaissance unit?"


    "They''re gone.¡± The paladin panted. ¡°They''re all gone."


    "Calm down. What do you mean they''re all gone?"


    "Before we could reach the rebel army¡¯s camp, we were ambushed by Algori assassins.¡± The paladin looked as though he was fighting back tears. ¡°They-they killed everyone. I barely managed to escape."


    Decker¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°You were the only survivor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was lucky.¡±


    Decker smacked his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut.


    ¡°Captain?¡±


    ¡°Lucky? You fool! Do you think Algori assassins would be so sloppy as to let you escape an ambush? They let you go!¡± Decker scanned the trees in front of him.


    He couldn¡¯t see anyone hiding among them.


    The assassin who followed the paladin here is probably on his way back to the enemy base.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand.¡± The paladin gulped. ¡°Why would they let me go?¡±


    ¡°So they can follow you here! You¡¯ve led them straight to us!¡±


    There¡¯s no time to waste. They¡¯ve found our hideout, so it¡¯s no longer a safe to stay here. I needed to warn Prince Elric, before it¡¯s too late.


    He ran at full speed into the mine.


    Run, Decker, run!


    He replayed those words in his mind over and over again to push himself to move faster. After a long while of running without rest, his body was screaming. He felt as though he was suffocating. Even as he took in deep breaths of the stale, moist air, it wasn¡¯t enough. His throat and lungs were sore. All the muscles in his body ached and he had bad cramping in his side, but he kept running.


    The mineshaft was dimly lit by wall torches, so he could barely see ahead of him. However, he had no trouble navigating through it, having already committed the mine¡¯s layout to memory. Every few meters, he passed by thick, cracked support beams that supported the sides and roof of the shaft.


    When he reached a checkpoint, one of the paladins standing guard called out to him.


    ¡°Captain?¡±


    Decker stopped and paused for a moment to catch his breath. ¡°An attack is imminent. Gather the men and tell them to set up a barricade. I need to warn the prince.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Decker continued running, until he arrived at Prince Elric¡¯s room. A tattled red curtain served as the room¡¯s door. There were two voices conversing behind it. One of them belonged to a young boy and the other belonged to an adult.


    Decker knelt down and lowered his head. ¡°My prince!¡±


    The voices stopped.


    ¡°Decker?¡± A boy, who appeared less than ten years old, moved the curtain aside. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    General Hawk, the overall commander of the Loyalist forces, stood next to him.


    Decker raised his head to look at the boy. ¡°My prince, we need to leave, now!¡±


    General Hawk spoke with a stern voice. ¡°Evacuating the prince is no small matter. Explain yourself.¡±


    Decker turned toward General Hawk. "The reconnaissance team was attacked by Algori''s assassins. Only one of them made it back. I trust you understand what that means?"


    General Hawk stared at Decker for a moment, before replying. "They know we''re here. My prince, Captain Decker is right. We must leave at once."


    Prince Elric looked up at General Hawk. "But what about the others?" You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to worry about them.¡± General Hawk took the prince¡¯s hand.


    Decker gestured for them to leave. ¡°Just go! You two head out first. I¡¯ll warn the others."


    He heard the sound of distant screaming.


    ¡°They¡¯re already here. I¡¯ll evacuate the prince through the back exit.¡± General Decker pulled Prince Elric along with him.


    Prince Elric looked back at Decker. "Will I ever see you again?¡±


    Decker forced a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll find you once I take care of things here.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±


    Sorry, my prince. I made a promise I probably can¡¯t keep.


    Decker made his way to the mine''s entrance. He encountered half a dozen paladins running in the opposite direction. A few of them slowed down when they saw him. They probably expected a rebuke from him. But he ran past them without slowing down. What right did he have to tell someone to fight a hopeless battle? Forcing them to stay would be the same as condemning them to death.


    Up ahead was a makeshift barricade, made of stacked wooden boxes and furniture. This was the hideout''s third and final line of defense. Dozens of paladins stood behind it. Many of them had their bows drawn and aimed at the mineshaft up ahead. He was proud to fight alongside them for one last stand. They could have fled, but, like him, they¡¯d chosen not to. Their loyalty toward the royal family was genuine.


    One of the paladins turned around. ¡°Captain, thank goodness you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°The enemy had already breached the first line of defense. I¡¯m not sure how much longer the second one can hold out.¡±


    Each line of defense is guarded by dozens of paladins. It must¡¯ve taken an army to breech the first one so quickly.


    ¡°How many enemies are there?¡±


    ¡°Just one.¡±


    Decker couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Only one enemy has been spotted, Captain.¡±


    Decker could only think of one man who could single-handedly overcome so many paladins. That man was not only monstrously strong, but he was also the leader of Algori, the oldest and largest assassin organization in the world. No one knew his real name, or why he was helping the rebels. Even the once far reaching intelligence branch of the royal family knew little of him. The only thing they were certain of was his title - people who knew him referred to him as ¡®Supreme Leader.¡¯


    Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps. The footsteps became louder and louder. After what seemed like an eternity, a cloaked man in an iron mask came into view.


    One of paladins shouted the signal to fire.


    Dozens of arrows flew toward the cloaked man.


    In response, the cloaked man raised his hand. ¡°Push.¡±


    All the arrows were blasted away, back at their owners. Many of the archers fell, struck by their own arrows.


    The cloaked man kept his hand raised as he continued walking toward the barricade. ¡°Push.¡±


    The barricade and the archers behind them were blown away by an explosive force.


    Decker ducked to avoid a wooden box flying in his direction. The body of one of the archers fell on top of him, knocking him down. With his back to the ground, he watched as bodies and shards of wood flew overhead.


    With weapons raised, a dozen paladins charged toward the cloaked man.


    The cloaked man pointed his palm at them. ¡°Pull.¡±


    Their weapons were yanked from their hands.


    ¡°Push.¡±


    The weapons flew back to their owners, impaling them.


    Decker got up, raised his sword, and lunged toward the cloaked man.


    The cloaked man pointed his palm at Decker. ¡°Push.¡±


    Decker felt like a giant, invisible fist had slammed into his entire body. He smacked into the wall behind him, bouncing off like a rag doll. When he tried to get up, his body refused to move.


    Screams, loud thuds, and the sound of crashing metal echoed in the mineshaft. Then, there was silence.


    Decker mustered up the strength to speak. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    He heard a cold, deep voice.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re still alive? Your resilience is admirable.¡±


    Good, I got his attention. I need to distract him for as long as possible to give the prince a head start.


    ¡°What did the royal family ever do to you?¡±


    ¡°For surviving my attack, you¡¯ve earned the right to know. The answer is: nothing. They haven¡¯t wronged me in any way.¡±


    ¡°Then why? Why purge them?¡±


    ¡°Before I answer, let me ask you a question of my own. Are you truly blind to the suffering of the people?¡±


    ¡°The royal family are righteous rulers.¡±


    ¡°If that was truly the case, then why did the people of the Zodiac Kingdom revolt? I didn¡¯t start this civil war. I¡¯m merely ending it.¡±


    ¡°During the years leading up to the uprising, there was rampant corruption among the nobles and bureaucracy, and widespread poverty. But it wasn¡¯t the royal family¡¯s fault. They were powerless to reign in the nobles and bureaucracy, who had accumulated too much power.¡±


    ¡°Tell that to the farmer who starved to death because his harvest was taken away by tax collectors. Tell that to the groom who killed himself after his bride was raped and murdered by a noble. Tell that to the child who was snatched from her mother¡¯s arms and sold as a slave by a debt collector. These are but a few examples of the injustices experienced by the people of this country.¡±


    ¡°So what? You¡¯re an outsider. Why do you care about the people of the Zodiac Kingdom so much? I know you¡¯re not doing it for the money. The royal family and the nobles had offered you ten times what the rebels were paying, but you refused.¡±


    ¡°Just as you were born to be a paladin, I was born to correct the injustices in this world. In order for this country to be reborn, the prince must die.¡±


    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, he¡¯s only a child! Why can¡¯t you just let him go? You¡¯ve already killed the king and every other person of royal blood."


    "Once the last remaining member of the royal family is dead, the Loyalists will have no reason to fight anymore and the civil war will end."


    ¡°The boy is innocent. He hasn¡¯t harmed a single soul.¡±


    "If taking an innocent life can end the bloodshed, then so be it."


    Decker smirked. "Too bad for you, he''s probably already long gone by now. You won''t be taking his life today."


    ¡°I knew you were stalling for time, but I played along anyway. Do you want to know why?"


    Decker''s eyes widened. "No..."


    ¡°Did you really think that I wouldn''t know about your hideout''s other exit?"


    The prince is in danger! I need to help him!


    Gritting his teeth, Decker tried in vain to move his body. "You better not touch him, or I swear I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    He desperately hoped that the cloaked man was bluffing and that the prince had been able to escape.


    The sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention.


    He heard a woman¡¯s voice.


    "Target eliminated. I''ve got his body right here."


    The cloaked man said, "Good job, Shazara. We''re leaving. Take it with you."


    Decker struggled to move, but again, his body won''t respond. "Wait! What did you do to the prince?"


    "Show him."


    Shazara threw down a sack on to the floor next to Decker. It opened up, revealing the head of the prince.


    Decker wept as the prince¡¯s lifeless eyes stared back at him.

 High Score 1

    The prize money Hupo had won from the Combat Tournament was a phenomenal sum. Even after buying a two-story inn, he still had plenty of money left over. He converted the first floor of the inn into a restaurant and used the second floor as living space for himself and his companions.


    While he was cleaning the first floor, he sneaked a side glance at Alana, who was also busy cleaning. Drawn to her good looks, he felt as though he could stare at her all day. To him, no woman in his old or new world could match her transcendent beauty. When he¡¯d created her avatar in World of Lorecraft, he¡¯d customized her appearance to create what he considered to be the ideal beauty. But she seemed even more stunning in this world.


    After only seconds of blissful staring, their eyes met.


    "Is something the matter, Hupo?"


    Oh no, she''s on to me! She probably thinks I¡¯m a pervert.


    He cleared his throat. "I was just admiring your work ethic. You''re doing a great job."


    She smiled. "I try my best."


    When she went back to cleaning, he sighed in relief.


    Good, it doesn''t look like she noticed. That was a close one.


    He felt a craving to see her perfect face again, but he restrained himself. It would be rude to stare too much.


    Don''t look. Don''t you dare look!


    He glanced at her.


    She looked back at him. "Yes?"


    Dang! Now what should I say?


    He decided to use a delaying tactic. "I have a question."


    "I''ll answer it to the best of my ability."


    Think of a question, any question!


    "What do you think of me?" Although he appeared calm on the surface, he was frantic on the inside.


    "You''re my compassionate creator, someone who I''ll do anything for." She put her hands on her chest.


    "Anything?"


    "Yes, anything."


    In that case, hehehe...


    "What if I told you to take your clothes off?"


    "I''ll gladly do so for you." Without hesitation, she began removing her clothes.


    "Stop!" He grabbed her arm.


    "My apologies, did I displease you?"


    He shook his head. "No, it''s nothing like that. I should be the one apologizing. I should never have felt the need to test your loyalty. Everything you''ve done till now is proof enough."


    Alana''s cheeks turned pink. "I''m grateful you think that way."


    ***


    After he finished cleaning, Hupo went to the kitchen to prepare some food. All the ingredients he needed were already laid out on the spotless kitchen counter. The first food he tried making were French fries. He washed and peeled a few potatoes. Next, he cut them into strips, put them into a pot of cold water, and added lemon juice.


    Alana stood next to him. "Why did you squeeze lemon juice into the water?"


    "The cold, acidic water prevents the potato strips from turning black."


    "How do you know that?¡±


    "I worked part-time at a fast food restaurant while I was in high school.¡±


    The next step was to heat the oil. In this world, it was an arduous task just to cook food. To get a stove fire going, you had to use a flint to shower small sparks onto wood chips. That was, unless you were a mage who could use fire spells.


    He pointed to the stove. "Can you help me get the stove going?"


    "Of course. Fireball." She ignited the logs in the stove with a ball of fire.


    Once the oil began crackling, he dropped the potato strips into it. He waited a few minutes, before removing them. Afterwards, he asked her to add more heat to the stove. When the oil was re-heated, he fried the potato strips again. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Why did you put the potato strips into the oil twice? Sorry for all the questions."


    "Don''t be. Never be afraid to ask questions. Otherwise, you won''t learn. The trick to making crispy fries is to cook them twice. First, at a lower temperature, to thoroughly cook the inside of the fries, and then, at a higher temperature, to turn the outside of the fries crispy."


    "That makes sense."


    After the potato strips were fully cooked, he set them aside on a plate. "Next is the fried chicken."


    He cracked a few eggs into a bowl of water. Next, he rolled the chicken pieces in a bowl, coated them with crushed bread crumbs, and fried them in hot oil. Once the chicken was cooked to a golden color, he sprinkled some spices on them.


    ¡°They smell wonderful.¡±


    He set them aside on another plate. ¡°I hope they taste as good as they smell.¡±


    ***


    His stomach gurgled. It was such a familiar feeling that Easton thought nothing of it. However, unlike before, the gurgling noise wasn¡¯t triggered by an empty stomach. He heard more gurgling, except the sound didn¡¯t come from him. It came from Coco, the girl sitting next to him at the table. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t the only one craving to eat whatever was giving off such a glorious aroma.


    After what seemed like a long wait, Hupo and Alana finally stepped out of the kitchen. In Hupo''s hands were plates of food that Easton had never seen before.


    Hupo set the plates on the table. "We''ll now begin the taste test. What I need is your honest feedback. If you find any faults in my cooking, then please speak up. There''s no point in this taste test if I don''t hear your true thoughts."


    Easton nodded.


    Coco stared at the food. ¡°Can we eat now?¡±


    Hupo gestured toward the steaming plate of freshly fried chicken. "Try this first."


    Compared to all the other food Easton had ever eaten, the plate of chicken in front of him appeared wondrous and magical. On the plate were drumsticks, thighs, and breasts. He had never eaten such expensive chicken parts in his life. In the past, the only chicken parts he could afford to eat were the ones that no else wanted, such as chicken feet or chicken heads. Still, he had been filled with joy whenever he could buy himself a chicken foot or head to chew on.


    He grabbed a piping hot piece of chicken. As he brought it to his mouth, its spices tickled his nose. He took a bite, crunching into its crispy coating. Then, his teeth sunk into the meat''s soft and juicy consistency. Fat, mixed with tender chicken meat, rampaged deliciously inside his mouth. Hot meat juices flowed across his lips.


    He couldn¡¯t contain his excitement any longer. "This, this taste! It was like an explosion of flavor inside my mouth! For a moment, everything seemed to make sense, like I was seeing things clearly for the very first time. How in the world did you conceive of such a thing?"


    Coco rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, it can''t be that good. I''m sure it''s tasty, but you need to remember that Master Hupo asked for our honest critique. Let me try one."


    As soon as she took a bite, her eyes opened wide. "You¡¯re right, this chicken is amazing! It was like a volcanic eruption of deliciousness!¡±


    Easton laughed. "Told you so."


    Hupo gave Alana a piece of chicken. "Try it and tell me what you think."


    Alana sunk her teeth into it. "This is the best food I''ve ever tasted."


    "I''m glad you all enjoyed it. Where I''m from, this is a popular dish." Hupo bit into a piece of chicken. "Not bad. It turned out better than I thought. I forgot to get something from the kitchen. I¡¯ll be right back."


    He went into the kitchen and returned with a platter of cups. Each cup was filled with a bright, sparkling orange liquid that gave off a pleasant citrus smell.


    He set the platter on the table. "Before we begin the next taste test, please cleanse your palates with some freshly squeezed orange juice."


    Easton salivated in anticipation. He had never drunk anything as luxurious as fruit juice before. When he worked as a pit toiler cleaner, it was a daily struggle just to find enough clean water to drink. More often than not, he had to drink rain water from puddles or from his buckets.


    He swallowed a mouthful of the juice. It slid smoothly down his throat and invigorated his body with energy. The balance of sweetness and sourness was perfect.


    Do all fruit juices taste this good?


    After hearing lavish praise about the juice from the other taste testers, Easton got his answer.


    To be worthy of such attention, its taste must be remarkable even compared to other fruit juices.


    Hupo pushed the plate of chicken aside and put a plate of freshly cooked potato strips in its place. At the center of the plate was a small bowl of red sauce.


    "Now try the other plate of food. These are called ''French fries.'' Try dipping them in this tomato-based sauce called ''ketchup.''"


    Easton picked up a French fry, dipped it in ketchup, and took a bite. The potato strip was delightfully crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.


    He could taste a hint of sea salt, which perfectly matched the sweet and tangy sauce. "Eating it was delightful. First, there was a light crunch. Then, it seemed to melt away in my mouth, like a mirage. I felt like I could never get enough of it."


    "Let me try!" Coco grabbed a French fry and shoved it into her mouth.


    Her fingers didn¡¯t leave her lips.


    She sucked and licked them. "So yummy! There''s a subtle taste of sea salt that I can''t seem to get enough of. The salt and oil that lingers on my fingers has an intoxicating flavor."


    After eating a French fry, Alana gave her verdict. "Incredible."


    Hupo tried one. "The French fries turned out well. Thank you all for your feedback. The next topic I wanted to talk about is the restaurant''s name. I haven''t decided on one yet. Any suggestions?"


    "I have one!" Coco waved her hand.


    Hupo laughed. "You don''t need to raise your hand. Just say it out loud."


    ¡°Hupo Fried Chicken!"


    "That''s a pretty good name. It lets people know that fried chicken is our signature dish. However, this restaurant is a group effort and that name would detract from that fact."


    Alana made a suggestion. ¡°How about Chicken King?¡±


    ¡°It has a nice ring to it. My only concern is that it may offend the king of this country. Coming up with a name isn¡¯t easy. We have to think carefully, because changing it in the future will be very difficult.¡± Hupo turned toward Easton. ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡±


    ¡°The name I had in mind was Chicken Castle.¡±


    ¡°Why Chicken Castle?¡±


    ¡°This place is like a castle. It¡¯s so much better than my home and I feel safe here.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ I like it. The name is easy to remember, and it has a nice ring to it.¡±


    Alana nodded. "I agree. It¡¯s an excellent choice."


    ¡°I like it too.¡± Coco smacked Easton on the back. ¡°Good thinking.¡±


    Easton coughed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    "We''ll go with Chicken Castle then.¡± Hupo took a seat at the table. ¡°Now let¡¯s finish the food before it gets cold.¡±

 High Score 2

    Chicken Castle officially opened for business the next morning. Coco and Alana were stationed at the front of the restaurant. Their job was to take orders and serve customers. Hupo switched his armor for plain clothes and an apron. His duty was to cook food. Easton was responsible for helping Hupo in the kitchen and for washing the dishes.


    Coco stood near the doors, bouncing on her toes. She looked down at her brown uniform and smiled.


    Good - it¡¯s clean and free of wrinkles. I should look good for the customers. A lot of people will be rushing in soon, so there¡¯s a good chance a hot guy will be among them.


    She wondered how many customers would walk through the front doors. Considering how amazing the food was, probably thousands. Through the large front windows of the restaurant, she could see the street gradually filling with pedestrians. Soon, there was a steady stream of people passing by Chicken Castle, but none of them entered the restaurant.


    Customers are going to come flooding thought those doors, any moment now¡­


    After standing for half an hour, she crossed her arms and began tapping her foot.


    Any time now¡­


    Another half an hour passed, but there were still no customers.


    She stepped away from the door and began cleaning the cups.


    Hupo sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone. The lack of customers is my fault. I got caught up in the excitement of opening my first restaurant and neglected to promote its grand opening.¡±


    I can¡¯t let Master Hupo blame himself. There¡¯s gotta be something I can do to help. That¡¯s right, promoting the restaurant should be similar to promoting the arm wrestling contest. I can do this!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Hupo, I¡¯ll pull in some customers for us!¡± She marched toward the door.


    Before she could reach it, a boy and a middle-aged man entered.


    The man looked at Coco. ¡°Is this a restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Yep, you¡¯ve come to the right place!¡± Coco gestured toward a table. ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    The two customers walked slowly to the table. Once they were seated, she brought them two menus. ¡°Can I grab you two some drinks?¡±


    The man returned the menus to her. ¡°Water is fine. For both of us. Bring us something to eat. Anything.¡±


    That¡¯s weird. Why doesn¡¯t care about what he eats?


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay. I¡¯ll get right on it.¡± She heard the sound of hot oil crackling and smelled fragrant spices coming from the kitchen. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Turning around, she saw that Hupo and Easton had already started cooking. Alana was bringing two cups of water to the table.


    Wow, they know exactly what to do. This is the best teamwork ever!


    A few minutes later, she heard the sound of a ringing bell from the kitchen, which indicated that the food was ready.


    She grabbed the plate of sizzling hot chicken that was sitting on the kitchen counter and brought it to the table. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡±


    The man nodded. He and the boy sat in silence, with their heads lowered. Neither of them touched their food.


    Why aren¡¯t they eating? At this rate, the food will get cold and soggy.


    She moved toward them.


    Alana stopped her. ¡°Wait, give them some space.¡±


    Coco looked at Alana with a puzzled look. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why aren¡¯t they eating?¡±


    ¡°The way they move and the look on their faces ¨C does it remind you of a certain someone not too long ago?¡±


    Coco gazed at the two customers. They both had haggard expressions and looked like they had no energy.


    She felt a dull pain in her chest as she watched them. ¡°I was like that when my father died.¡±


    ¡°Like you, they too must¡¯ve recently suffered a significant loss. If they wanted your advice, they would¡¯ve asked for it.¡±


    Coco lowered her head. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Another few minutes passed, before the boy finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    The man broke into a smile. ¡°Eat up. Eat as much as you can.¡±


    The boy began nibbling a chicken drumstick. Then, he took a larger bite, followed by an even larger one.


    Tears flowed readily down the man¡¯s face. ¡°This is a miracle.¡±


    Coco couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity any longer. ¡°What¡¯s a miracle?¡±


    ¡°My son is eating.¡± The man wiped tears away from his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s really eating.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t eaten a thing since his mother passed away. I¡¯m so relieved that he¡¯s finally eating again.¡± The man sniffled.


    ¡°I can understand how he feels. Like him, I had no appetite after my parents died.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. It must¡¯ve been hard for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± He picked up a chicken wing. ¡°What is this wonderful food? I¡¯ve never seen chicken cooked like this before.¡±


    A satisfied smile appeared on her face. ¡°That¡¯s our specialty. It¡¯s called ¡®fried chicken.¡¯¡±


    After taking a bite, more tears flowed down his face. ¡°I can¡¯t remember the last time I enjoyed food this much. This ¡®fried chicken¡¯ has the power to create miracles.¡±


    ¡°My master made it. He¡¯s the best chef in the world.¡±


    ¡°After eating his cooking, I¡¯m in complete agreement.¡±


    Once the man and the boy were done eating, they paid the bill, left a large tip, and thanked Coco.


    Hupo walked to her side. ¡°One thing that connects all human beings together is the need to eat. There¡¯s something about the primal nature of eating that encourages us to relax. It was an honor to cook for the father and son. Seeing their smiles, after the meal began, brought me a sense of accomplishment. The feeling, from knowing that I was able to make a meaningful contribution to another person¡¯s life, is priceless.¡±


    Coco nodded. ¡°I felt good too.¡±


    Alana joined them. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that we were able to feed two customers, but what should we do to get more people to come in?¡±


    ¡°I have an idea.¡± The voice came from Easton, who was behind them. ¡°We can use smell to draw them in. No one can resist the delightful aroma of the fried chicken.¡±


    ¡°Using smell to stimulate appetite¡­ that sounds like a good idea.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Hupo put his arm around Easton¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good thinking. You ready to fry another batch of chicken with me?¡±


    Easton smiled. ¡°I¡¯m always happy to help.¡±


    The restaurant''s front doors were strategically propped open the whole day. Many customers were drawn inside by the irresistible aroma that flowed out of the restaurant. After eating at Chicken Castle, they returned with their friends and family. Soon, the line of customers stretched far outside the restaurant''s front doors, which attracted even more customers who wanted to see what the hype was about. Needless to say, the restaurant''s opening day was a runaway success.

 Monsters

    The man lay half-naked on a silken mattress, covered only by a fur blanket. Sunlight shining through the room¡¯s floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the room in natural light. The light filtered through his thin eyelids, waking him up. He blinked a few times, in an attempt to adjust his eyes to the light reflecting off the glossy stone ceiling.


    When he moved his hand to cover his eyes, his elbow bumped into something cold. There was a woman lying next to him. He cast aside the blanket, exposing her badly bruised back.


    He tapped her shoulder, which was covered in purple welts. "Hey, get up. It''s time for you to leave."


    There was no response.


    "Get up!" He slapped her back.


    She still didn¡¯t respond.


    Looks like I got a bit carried away last night. But it¡¯s her fault for resisting.


    He got off the bed, took out a cashmere robe from the nightstand, and draped it over himself. "Guards!"


    The double doors of the room opened and two knights in silver armor entered.


    He pointed at the woman. "Remove it from my sight immediately."


    One of the knights approached her. "My prince, she''s dead."


    "So? You know the drill. Wrap it up and dump it with the other garbage."


    "Yes, my prince."


    The knights wrapped the woman''s body with the bloodstained bed sheets and carried it away.


    Prince Darius walked out onto the balcony. His mansion was situated upon a hill overlooking the capital. Even from afar, he could see the Royal Palace¡¯s pointed towers and glistening walls of white stone. The mere sight of it provoked strong feelings of resentment inside of him.


    Why am I still living here, in exile? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Father only banished me from the palace because the nobles pressured him to. Once I¡¯m king, I¡¯ll purge them all. I¡¯ll be able to do whatever I please, to whomever I want. The whole Dominion will become my playground.


    "My prince, Otto is here to see you."


    Prince Darius turned around and saw his butler standing at the door. "Tell him to wait downstairs."


    "Understood." The butler bowed before leaving.


    Prince Darius licked his lips.


    What beauty did that disgusting piece of lard find for me this time?


    ***


    Otto rubbed his hands greedily together.


    I''ve hit the jackpot! Men would pay any price to get a taste of her.


    Various price points floated in his mind. He would be able to charge a great deal of money for the services of his next slave. Leaning back into the couch, he wondered how he should spend his wealth.


    Ooh, it¡¯s so soft. Should I buy one of these for my house?


    The dark brown couch looked like it commanded a hefty price. It had an exotic leather finish and refined arm rests with curves around their ends. A few years ago, he wouldn¡¯t have even dreamed of owning something so expensive. But now things were different. His brothel business was booming thanks to his partnership with the prince.


    Prince Darius entered the room, wearing nothing but a bathrobe. ¡°How¡¯s business?¡±


    I thought he was taking his time to look presentable for me. But that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. Dressed like that¡­ that spoiled brat still doesn¡¯t respect me at all!


    Otto put on a fake smile. ¡°Fantastic! The last batch of women you sent over are fetching high prices for their services. As promised, here''s half the profits."


    He held out a bag of money.


    Prince Darius pointed to the mahogany tea table. "Leave it there. I''ll have my butler collect it later."


    "Of course."


    "What else do you have for me?"


    "Oh... I see what you¡¯re asking." Otto snickered. ¡°You must be wondering if I¡¯ve found any new women for you to enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Women are like wine ¨C they taste great initially, but I quickly grow tired of them. I just discarded one this morning, so I need another one as soon as possible.¡±


    "The woman I''ve found this time is a true beauty. I can honestly say that she''s the most ravishing broad I''ve ever seen. Even a connoisseur of fine women, like yourself, would be entranced by her stunning looks."


    ¡°Is she a noble?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve checked her background. She¡¯s just a commoner, so we can do whatever we want with her.¡±


    "Who is she?"


    "She''s a blonde who works at a popular new restaurant in the capital. I saw her while I was dining there. She had a perfect face and a sensual body to match. Her skin was as smooth as porcelain. Her breasts were so juicy that I just wanted to squeeze them, like this." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I get your point. I must have her. Take four of my knights and bring her to me, immediately."


    "Thank you, Prince Darius. I guarantee you won''t be disappointed."


    ***


    Chicken Castle was the talk of the town. It served delicious food that couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else. There were rumors that the owner was a foreigner. Who else could come up with such a fresh menu? A long line of people waited to dine inside. The line extended far outside the restaurant''s front doors.


    A carriage, led by four knights atop horses, stopped in front of Chicken Castle. The carriage¡¯s extravagant exterior, finished with gold and engraved with roses, drew stares from the people in line. They wondered who the owner of the carriage could be. A wealthy merchant? A noble? Or perhaps, a member of the royal family?


    The knights dismounted. One of them opened the door of the carriage. A short, round man stepped out. The expressions of the people in line changed when they saw him. One woman raised her chin, while another tightened her mouth and raised a corner of her lip.


    Glancing around, Otto noticed people staring at him with looks of contempt. It had always been that way. He¡¯d thought people would show him more respect once he became rich. But that was not the case. They continued looking at him with disdain because of his looks.


    He didn¡¯t walk to the back of the line. Instead, he headed straight toward the restaurant¡¯s front doors, followed closely by four knights.


    The people in line whispered to one another as he passed them by.


    ¡°Does he think he can skip the line just because he¡¯s rich? What a snob.¡±


    ¡°Why is he going to the restaurant? Isn¡¯t he fat enough?¡±


    ¡°Only a mother could love that face.¡±


    He wished he could order the knights to hack them to pieces, but there appeared to be nobles among them. He couldn¡¯t touch them even with the prince¡¯s protection. All he could do was hold in his fury.


    He pushed open the door and looked around. Filled with laughter, talking, and squealing, the restaurant was bustling with noise and activity. Every seat was occupied. Children playing with their food giggled as their mothers looked on, exasperated. An old, immaculately dressed couple ate their food with forks and knives, one small piece at a time. Merchants, dressed in the brightest colors they could afford, spoke over one another. His gaze stopped at a blonde woman. She was taking customer orders behind a counter


    I hate beautiful people like her the most. Why was she born into such a perfect body while I was stuck in this ugly one? Once the prince is done with her, I¡¯ll put her to work immediately at my brothel.


    He walked up to the front of the line. "I''m Otto. My business partner, Prince Darius, has taken notice of you. He would like to meet with you this evening. Rest assured, he''ll make it worth your time."


    The woman ignored him.


    The anger that he¡¯d kept pent-up inside burst forth. "You whore! You dare ignore me? Do you know who I am?"


    The restaurant, which had been noisy a moment ago, became silent.


    He could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on him.


    A cold voice came from behind the kitchen counter. "Is something wrong, Alana?"


    She turned around. "He called me a whore."


    A man dressed in an apron stepped out of the kitchen. Otto was taken aback by his appearance. He was the most handsome man Otto had ever seen.


    She turned toward the man in the apron. "Hupo, I can handle -"


    Hupo gestured for her to stop, glared at Otto, and shook his head. "Shouldn''t have done that."


    Beautiful people are always so arrogant. I¡¯ll teach him some manners!


    "You dare threaten me?" Otto turned around to face the knights behind him. "Threatening me is the same as threatening the prince - a crime punishable by death. Cut him to pieces!"


    None of the knights moved. Their swords were shaking in their hands.


    "What are you all waiting for? Get him!" Otto pointed a shaky finger at Hupo.


    One of the knights gulped. "Sir, Hupo is the name of the current Combat Tournament champion."


    "What? Him?" Otto looked at Hupo.


    Why does he look so calm? Does he actually think he can beat four knights?


    "That''s just a coincidence! Why would the champion be working here? Even if he is the champion, he''s not even armed. What can he possibly do without a weapon?"


    Otto''s outburst appeared to give the knights courage. They steadied their swords and looked at one another. One of them took a step forward, groaned, and fell.


    "Wha-"


    Before Otto could finish speaking, the remaining knights collapsed onto the ground. Hupo stood behind them.


    How can anyone move so fast?


    When Otto blinked, Hupo disappeared. Beads of sweat flowed down Otto¡¯s face. He took a step backwards and bumped into something solid. Turning around, he uttered a yelp when he saw that he had bumped into Hupo.


    Hupo stared icicles at him. "The knights are unconscious but alive. Don''t ever come back here if you value your lives."


    There was not a single trace of warmth in Hupo''s eyes. This was a man who could do what he threatened.


    "You, you''ll pay for this!" Otto fled as fast as he could out of Chicken Castle.


    ***


    He lounged on a plush couch and rested his feet on a polished table. In his hand was a long-stemmed wine glass, made of a clear crystal, intricately carved with beautiful birds. He flicked his wrist, making little circles in the air. The wine inside the glass swirled and sparkled magnificently under the warm lighting.


    When he pressed the glass to his lips, a pleasant fruity aroma filled his nostrils. He felt a warm sensation flow down his throat as he drank the wine. Closing his eyes, he savored its rich, long, and complex aftertaste.


    The wine was merely an appetizer to whet his taste buds. It made him even hungrier for the main course, which was the beauty that Otto had promised to bring him. He thought it was better this way, because he would be able enjoy the main course more.


    Looking up, he sighed when he saw the oil painting hanging on the wall. Framed in polished mahogany, it depicted what he thought the perfect woman should look like ¨C a scantily clad goddess with a wine bottle in each hand. He always found fault in every woman he¡¯d ever met, but he never gave up his search. One day, I¡¯ll find the perfect beauty, he thought to himself.


    His butler approached him. "My prince, Otto is here. He says it''s urgent."


    That ugly pig is even more intelligent than I thought. He understands that anything involving wine or women is of paramount importance to me.


    "Let him in at once."


    "As you wish, my prince." The butler bowed before leaving.


    Prince Darius unbuckled his belt.


    I''ll have her satisfy me right here.


    Before he could finish taking it off, Otto barged in. There was no woman in sight.


    "Prince Darius, I -."


    "Where''s the girl?"


    Otto lowered his chin. "Uh... well..."


    Prince Darius''s brows drew together. "And where are my knights?"


    "About that... um..." Otto gulped. "There was a strong man protecting her."


    "I lent you four knights."


    "I know, but it still wasn''t enough. According to the knights, he''s the current Combat Tournament champion."


    Prince Darius had watched past iterations of the Combat Tournament with his father, so he was fully aware of how powerful the tournament champions were.


    "Are you certain?"


    "After seeing how fast he took down the knights, yeah, I''m sure."


    "If he really is the champion, then no wonder my knights didn''t stand a chance. I''m not sure I can kill him, even with all twenty knights under my command."


    "You can''t let him get away with this. Not only did he refuse to give you what was rightfully yours, but he also threatened your life!"


    "He did what?" Prince Darius clenched his teeth.


    "Well, he didn''t threaten your life directly, but he threatened mine. I was representing you, so threatening me was the same as threatening you."


    Prince Darius pounded the couch¡¯s armrest. "Such insolence! I want to wring his neck right now!"


    ¡°Perhaps we can get the girl without having to fight him directly."


    Prince Darius felt the tension leave his body. "What do you propose?"


    A big grin spread over Otto''s face.

 Bonus Stage 1

    It was late in the evening and Chicken Castle¡¯s last customers had already left. Hupo was scrubbing away grease from the stove, when the front doors opened and closed.


    I guess they didn''t see the ''Closed'' sign, or maybe they couldn¡¯t read it.


    He heard Alana''s voice beyond the kitchen counter.


    "I''m sorry sir, we''re closed. Please come back tomorrow."


    "I came to see Hupo."


    The voice sounded very familiar.


    Hupo put down his kitchen rag and stepped out of the kitchen.


    Standing by the front doors was a man with short blonde hair.


    His eyes narrowed. "Hupo?"


    "It¡¯s good to see you again, Youji."


    "So that''s what you look like behind the mask."


    "It has been a while, hasn''t it?"


    "Indeed. I see Easton is here too." Youji waved at Easton.


    Easton waved back from behind the kitchen counter.


    "What can I do for you?" Hupo asked.


    "I came to deliver a message from the king." Youji took out a scroll and read it out loud. "By decree of his Royal Highness, King Rowan, you are hereby invited to dine with him at the Royal Palace, tomorrow night. The purpose of the event is to celebrate the victory of the Combat Tournament champion"


    Hupo had never been inside a real palace before. He wondered what it looked like inside and the kinds of food they served there. Then, he of thought of Alana. Visiting the Royal Palace would be like a vacation, something that she deserved more than anyone else. She had been his faithful assistant for years, but he¡¯d never given her a vacation. Granted, she was an AI construct in his old world, but now she was as human as he was.


    "May I bring a guest?"


    "Of course."


    "Pick me! I wanna come!" Coco raised her hand.


    Hupo turned toward Coco. "Actually, I was planning to bring Alana along. I''ll take you and Easton on a trip some other time. How''s that?"


    Coco shrieked and covered her mouth.


    "What''s the matter, Coco?" Hupo scanned his surroundings for threats, but couldn¡¯t find any.


    Coco sensed danger when I could not? Is her situational awareness superior to my own?


    Coco slowly lowered her hands. "Master Hupo and Master Alana, together, on a date?"


    Hupo let out a long breath. "You had me worried for moment."


    He turned toward Alana. "Coming?"


    Alana blushed. "Okay."


    Youji put the scroll away. "It''s settled then. I''ll arrange for a carriage to pick you two up, tomorrow night."


    After Youji left, Hupo gathered his employees. "Chicken Castle will close early tomorrow. Think of it as a long break."


    Coco and Easton were all smiles.


    ***


    Hupo stood in front of the mirror in his room. He wondered what he should wear to the dinner tomorrow.


    If this had been his old world, he would¡¯ve chosen to wear a tuxedo. But the fashion of this world was different. Although he had seen what nobles wore when they ate at Chicken Castle, they probably wore something different to formal events. He could probably find the clothes he needed in upscale shops, but he didn¡¯t have time to visit them.


    He wondered if he should even dress like a noble. After all, in the eyes of society, he and his companions were ''commoners.'' Would the nobles be offended if he dressed above his class? You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    After much thought, he finally decided on what he was going to wear.


    When all else fails, go with what works.


    ***


    As Youji had promised, a carriage arrived at Chicken Castle at the predetermined time. The carriage was pulled by two powerful black stallions. Its shiny black exterior and tall roof were beautifully highlighted by elaborate bronze decorations.


    Hupo approached the carriage with Alana. He noticed that everyone was staring at them. He wasn¡¯t sure what caught their attention first - his black samurai armor, Alana''s sparkling white gown, or both. They couldn¡¯t have looked more different. With his demonic mask and black plating, he looked like the embodiment of darkness. She, on the other hand, with her snow-white dress and perfect face, appeared to be the personification of pure goodness.


    The coachman, who stood next to the carriage''s door, stared at Hupo and Alana in amazement. When they reached it, he stood still and looked like he was in a trance.


    Hupo cleared his throat. "Thanks for coming."


    "Huh?" The coachman stared at Hupo with an empty expression, and then shook his head vigorously.


    "My apologies, sir!" He stumbled as he reached for the door handle.


    The inside of the carriage was as luxurious as its exterior suggested. There was enough space to comfortably seat six people. Soft leather upholstery covered the walls, plush fur carpeted the floor, and velvety cushioning padded the seats.


    Hupo sat across from Alana. "The king spared no expense to ensure we travelled in style and comfort.¡±


    Alana nodded. ¡°His opinion of you must be very high."


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    "His sentiment is shared by many."


    "Then I must make sure I don''t disappoint those who look up to me."


    The carriage started moving. The ride was surprisingly smooth, considering the level of technology of this world. He began to wonder if the carriage itself was enchanted with magic. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it was, given how expensive it appeared.


    The dress that Alana wore fit her body perfectly. Although it was a type of mage armor that had high resistance against cold damage, its appearance made it a suitable to wear as a dress for formal events. The countless diamonds decorating it served a dual purpose - they looked dazzling and protected its wearer.


    Hupo sneaked side glances at Alana while she was looking out the carriage''s window. Every time he looked away, he found his eyes drawn back to her face.


    She turned her head toward him. "Is something wrong with my dress?"


    "No, nothing at all. I was just trying to remember where we found it."


    "It was dropped by an Ice Dragon that we defeated in the Glacial Cave Dungeon."


    "Oh... I remember now. As always, you have an impressive memory."


    "Thank you. What do you think of my dress?"


    "You look like a million dollars."


    Hupo quickly realized that his choice of words could be interpreted the wrong way. He meant to say that she looked beautiful, but she might think he was referring to the cost of the dress. A dress decorated with so many diamonds would have been worth hundreds of millions of dollars in his old world.


    He wanted to clear up any misconceptions. "Sorry, I meant that you look absolutely stunning in that dress."


    Alana smiled, revealing pearly white teeth.


    "That reminds me, I''ve got something for you." Hupo pulled out a glittering necklace from his pocket dimension and handed it to her.


    "This is the Necklace of Eternity."


    "Correct. Like Undestroyable Table Knife, it''s an Ultra Rare and indestructible item. Not even the heat of the sun or the force of a black hole can destroy it, and it¡¯ll never rust. Its beauty is eternal."


    "But what did I do to deserve such a valuable gift?"


    "I wanted to show my appreciation for your years of loyalty and service."


    "Thank you, it''s beautiful." Alana put the necklace on.


    "It matches your dress well."


    "I think so too." She stroked the necklace.


    "Coco and Easton have been working hard too. We need to make sure they''re properly rewarded."


    ¡°I agree. Do you plan to host an award ceremony for them, like the ones back home?¡±


    She must be referring the annual award ceremonies that I held for my employees at Blaster Entertainment. The award ceremonies were a great way to show them that they were valued and to recognize their contributions to my company. By publicly rewarding hard work, I was able to motivate them to achieve. After all, who wouldn¡¯t want to receive recognition for their efforts? The award ceremonies had also provided a venue for them to get to know one another better. But it had been a lot of work.


    ¡°I was thinking something more low-key, like a dinner.¡±


    ¡°They would love that.¡±


    The carriage slowed down, before finally stopping.


    Hupo heard the coachman''s voice from outside.


    "Sir, we''ve arrived at the palace gates. It''ll only be a little while longer."


    "Great." The carriage started moving again.


    Looking out the carriage''s window, Hupo was surprised by the enormity of the palace grounds. They passed by acres of manicured lawn and trees.


    He turned his attention back to Alana. ¡°Coco and Easton are both very reliable and hard workers, but their zeal for work is also concerning sometimes.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They often refuse to take breaks, preferring to work instead. They won¡¯t listen to me, even after I explained to them the importance of getting enough rest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re concerned about overworking them?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t want to be like the employer who worked my mother to death. Because of what had happened to her, I¡¯ve always kept my employees¡¯ welfare in mind.¡±


    ¡°I think part of the reason they¡¯ve been working so hard is because of your work ethic. Ever since Chicken Castle opened, you¡¯ve been working, without breaks, for twelve hours straight, every day. Not only do you cook, but you also do their duties during their breaks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right - I¡¯m partly to blame. I need to lead by example and start taking breaks myself. I haven¡¯t been taking any because I never feel tired. The mental and physical stamina of my current body seems almost limitless.¡±


    The carriage stopped again.


    The coachman opened the door for Hupo. "Welcome to the Royal Palace."


    "Thank you." Hupo stepped outside.

 Bonus Stage 2

    Youji, clad in grey armor, stood in front of the Royal Palace''s front doors. Behind him were a line of knights, followed by a line of maids.


    He¡¯d brought the maids along at King Rowan¡¯s insistence. The king planned to use the maids to seduce Hupo. To this end, he¡¯d personally selected some of the most beautiful maids in the palace to greet Hupo. He¡¯d even promised a large sum of money to the maid who could win Hupo''s heart.


    Youji had already warned King Rowan that the plan was doomed to fail. There were no women in the capital who could compare to the beauty who worked with Hupo at Chicken Castle. But the king wanted to try anyway.


    "Prepare to greet our esteemed guests."


    "Sir!" The knights replied in unison.


    It wasn''t long before the carriage reached them. Hupo was the first to disembark. He looked as though he was dressed for battle. He even wore a mask. Was he planning to keep it on during dinner? Was it customary, where he was from, to dress in battle attire for formal events?


    Normally, guests wouldn¡¯t be allowed to bring weapons into the palace. But Hupo was an exception. Youji didn¡¯t ask him to relinquish his sword, because he didn¡¯t want to risk offending him in any way.


    Following Hupo was the radiant beauty Youji had seen at Chicken Castle. She wore white garments of supreme quality, unlike anything he¡¯d seen before. He could only imagine the eye-popping price tag of her dress, which was studded with thousands of sparkling white diamonds. It fitted closely to her body, accentuating her curves.


    The necklace around her neck appeared even more valuable than her dress. Its pendant was a large, flawless blue jewel that hung from a string of white jewels. The jewels were more lustrous than any diamond Youji had ever seen.


    In her hand was a beautiful white staff that perfectly matched her dress.


    She''s a mage?


    A staff in the hands of a mage was as dangerous as a sword in the hands of a warrior. Since it was considered a weapon, it too was not normally allowed inside the palace. However, the exception applied to her as well.


    "Greetings, Hupo. I''ve been tasked with welcoming you and your esteemed partner this evening." Youji lowered his head.


    The knights and maids behind him followed suit.


    "Please raise your head, Youji.¡± Hupo gestured at his partner. ¡°This is Alana. You''ve already met her at Chicken Castle, but I haven''t formally introduced her to you. Please treat her as you would me."


    If Hupo saw how glorious a place the Royal Palace was, especially the throne room, then perhaps he''d reconsider King Rowan''s offer of knighthood. I mean, who wouldn''t want to work in a place as amazing as this?


    "Of course. Dinner begins in an hour. In the meantime, I¡¯ll give you a tour of the Royal Palace."


    "I look forward to it."


    ***


    This is so boring.


    Hupo could barely keep his eyes open. His tour guide had been describing the rooms of the palace with enthusiasm for much of the past hour. All Hupo could do was nod and say words of agreement. He was grateful to have a mask on, because it hid the drowsy expression he undoubtedly had behind it.


    Looking at Alana, he couldn¡¯t tell if she was enjoying the tour. Her face was neutral.


    This is like bringing a date to a bad movie.


    Hupo had initially seen the trip as a much-needed vacation for Alana. However, he began seeing it as a date after Coco brought up the notion that it could be perceived as one. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Youji stopped at a set of tall double doors. "The best part of the tour is coming up."


    You mean the end?


    "Behind these doors is the most amazing room in the entire palace. Once you see its magnificence, you''ll realize just how glorious a country the Dominion is." Youji held the door open for Hupo and Alana.


    Crested with jewels and decorated with carvings of angels, the throne was an oversized chair carved out of solid wood. Situated on either side of the throne was ten-foot-tall stone knight. A crystal chandelier with five levels of lights hung from the high ceiling.


    I¡¯ve seen this room in my visions. This is where I got the idea for placing stone knights at the game start screen.


    Youji appeared very pleased with himself. "Well, what do you think? Impressive, isn''t it?"


    Not at all.


    In World of Lorecraft, Hupo and Alana had accumulated vast amounts of in-game currency. Having nothing better to use it for, they¡¯d pooled their money together to buy a guildhall. The one they had bought was huge. It was designed to accommodate upwards of fifty players. The throne room of the Dominion''s Palace was nothing to scoff at, but compared to the one in their guildhall, it was mediocre at best.


    Hupo didn¡¯t want to disappoint Youji, but he didn¡¯t want to lie either.


    He came up with a suitable response. "It''s big."


    Big was a relative term. Compared to the throne room in his guild hall, it was tiny. However, compared to Coco''s home, it was big.


    Youji smiled and nodded. "It certainly is."


    He went on and on about how great a place the throne room was. The only part of his speech that caught Hupo''s attention was, "And that concludes the tour. We''ll be heading to the dining hall next."


    Hupo was feeling hungry, so he was glad to hear that the tour was finally over and that their next destination would be the dining hall.


    ***


    Princess Amigdala had inherited her mother''s gorgeous looks. She had high cheekbones and golden, curly hair that draped over her round shoulders. An elegant cherry blossom pink dress adorned her delicate figure. Hanging around her neck was a sparkling diamond necklace of exquisite quality.


    She sat with her arms crossed, tapping her finger and staring at the door.


    How much longer do I have to wait for them?


    She didn¡¯t let her displeasure show on her face. She needed to keep up appearances, for the many nobles who were looking in her direction. They were probably admiring her beauty. She didn¡¯t blame them. It was only natural for insects to be attracted to light.


    The chatter died down when the doors of the dining hall swung opened. Everyone''s attention was drawn to the group of people entering. At the head of the group was Youji, followed closely by a warrior in black armor.


    That must be the winner of this year''s Combat Tournament. Why is he wearing armor? His brain must be the size of a peanut.


    Amigdala¡¯s lips drew back in a snarl when she saw the woman walking behind the warrior.


    That tramp is stealing the show!


    She made a slight growling noise in her throat. Feelings of bitterness festered inside of her, as she watched the nobles staring stupidly at the woman.


    Strutting around with those melons hanging out, in such a revealing dress ¨C is she trying to piss me off?


    Amigdala rubbed her own chest with her hand. There wasn¡¯t much there. Much to her dismay, she¡¯d inherited her mother''s flat chest.


    The woman''s dress glittered under the bright lights.


    When Princess Amigdala realized why, she gritted her teeth.


    How can a commoner afford such a high-class dress? Not even my dresses have that many diamonds! And that necklace¡­ it makes mine look cheap in comparison!


    She leaned toward her father, who sat next to her. "I want that woman as my maid."


    She had made a similar request of him not too long ago. The daughter of a low-ranking noble had looked at her the wrong way, so she had her father arrange for the girl to become her maid. Afterwards, she had unleashed the palace''s guard dogs on the girl and laughed with glee as they ripped her to shreds.


    Her father replied in a lowered voice, "She¡¯s the partner of our important guest. We cannot risk offending them."


    "Father!" Not use to rejection, she crossed her arms and pouted.


    Looking more closely at the warrior, she noticed that he was wearing a mask.


    Who does he think he is, wearing a mask in my father''s presence? How rude!


    That was the last straw. She couldn¡¯t restrain her annoyance any longer.


    She slammed the table and stood up. "The audacity!"


    The whole room went completely silent. Everyone looked in her direction.


    She pointed at the warrior. "How dare you hide your face behind a mask! Know your place, you filthy commoner!"


    "Amigdala! Control yourself!"


    Taken aback by the anger in her father''s voice, she sat back down.


    "Please accept my sincerest apologies, Hupo. My daughter has shown you grave disrespect."


    "No, she¡¯s correct. I should be the one apologizing for forgetting my manners." The warrior brought his hand to the side of his mask and opened it.


    What Princess Amigdala saw next took her breath away. His face seemed to brighten the entire room. All the negative feelings she had felt moments ago melted away. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest.


    Are the other women feeling the same way?


    Looking around the room, she saw that the nobles were mindlessly staring at the warrior. Some of them were even drooling. Like her, they appeared to have completely lost themselves at the sight of the most handsome man in the world.


    I must have him. I''ll ask my father to make him my guard after dinner. He''ll make the perfect pet.

 Bonus Stage 3

    What was that all about?


    Although Hupo was bewildered by the princess''s sudden outburst, he was even more surprised by how fast her demeanor changed after he took off his mask. Her face, previously twisted in anger, became relaxed, and her frown curved into a smile.


    I learned something important today. When attending formal events, leave the samurai mask at home.


    A long ebony table stretched down the center of the dining hall. Sitting at its head was the king. The princess and numerous nobles sat at its sides. Youji led Hupo and Alana to their seats.


    After they were seated, the servants began placing brown bowls of steaming food in front of each person at the table.


    The king smiled. "Hupo, who¡¯s this fine lady you''ve brought with you this evening?"


    "Sorry for not introducing her sooner. Her name is Alana."


    "That''s a beautiful name. What do you two think of the Royal Palace?"


    "It''s big. Youji was a very informative tour guide."


    Maybe a little too informative.


    "I''ll give you a tour of my room, any day." Princess Amigdala winked at Hupo.


    The king cleared his throat. "I''m sorry, my daughter had a few too many glasses of wine to drink. Why don¡¯t we start eating?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to show you after dinner.¡±


    Oh no, not another tour!


    Hupo forced a smile. ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    ***


    Hupo stared at the brown bowl of food in front of him.


    The bowl isn¡¯t made of wood. It looks like -


    "It''s made of bread."


    The voice sounded very familiar.


    Hupo turned to the elderly man sitting beside him. ¡°You''re that man from the qualifiers. You were also at the award ceremony."


    ¡°Yes, that would be me.¡±


    ¡°Your name is Raisin, right?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Raizen.¡±


    "Sorry for not recognizing you sooner. You''re dressed very differently tonight."


    "No harm done. You should start eating your food before it gets cold.¡±


    The bowl of food gave off a comforting scent. The smell of the freshly baked bread perfectly matched the scrumptious aroma of the roast meat inside.


    Hupo ate a mouthful of the meat. It was like heaven inside his mouth. The herbs, honey, black pepper, and ginger intertwined with the juicy venison to create a bold and hearty flavor.


    "Not bad. What do you think of the food, Alana?"


    "It''s delicious, but I still prefer your cooking."


    Hupo chuckled. "Thanks."


    After he finished eating the contents of the bowl, he was about to lean back in his seat when Raizen stopped him.


    "Aren''t you forgetting something?"


    You mean the food wasn''t free?


    Hupo maintained a calm facade. "What do you mean?"


    "You didn''t eat the bowl. That''s the best part!"


    Whew, for a moment there I thought he was going to ask me to pay.


    Hupo broke off a piece of the bowl and ate it. His whole body was smacked hard by an intense wave of flavor. The bread had soaked up all the juice and sauce from the meat, concentrating the meat''s already strong flavor. His taste buds didn¡¯t stand a chance. It was a one hit knockout.


    As he was recovering from the flavor tsunami, he heard Raizen''s voice. "Tasty, right?"


    "Wow, no kidding.¡± Hupo gulped down some wine.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    It tasted like every other wine he¡¯d had.


    Raizen leaned toward Hupo. "Is your companion a mage?"


    "She is. How¡¯d you guess?"


    "It doesn''t look like she needs the staff for walking."


    "You''re very perceptive."


    ¡°It''s her lucky day. I happen to be a close friend of the Magic Academy''s headmaster. Just say the word, and I''ll get her enrolled in the best magic school in the Dominion."


    "Thank you for your generous offer, but -"


    "Don''t worry about the expenses. Everything will be covered."


    "What I was meaning to say was -"


    Raizen pointed at himself. "She wants me to teach her? I''m afraid I don''t take trainees these days anymore. How about a job instead? I''ll make sure she gets one that makes full use of her magical abilities."


    "You see, she -"


    Raizen sighed. "Fine, I understand."


    "You do?"


    "Since you''re so persistent, I''ll make an exception for her. I''ll personally oversee her magic training." Raizen crossed his arms and nodded.


    "Huh?"


    Raizen raised his hand. "No need to thank me. It''s my solemn duty to pass on my knowledge to the next generation."


    "I''m sorry, but she wouldn¡¯t be interested in taking lessons from you, or anyone for that matter."


    "Surely you jest. Who wouldn''t want to study under me, the most powerful mage in the Dominion?"


    "Well, do you think I''m strong?"


    "Of course! You''re undoubtedly stronger than the knight commander. Even I don''t think I can beat you."


    "Then I''ll let you in on a little secret." Hupo leaned toward Raizen and whispered. "Alana is stronger than I am."


    "What?" Raizen nearly fell off his chair.


    ***


    Hupo followed the king to a room on the topmost floor of the palace. The room was protected by two guards and a thick, reinforced wooden door. Inside, hundreds of weapons, including swords, spears, maces, axes, and bows, were displayed on stands and in glass cabinets. Dozens of armor sets stood along the walls. The most striking item was located at the center of the room. It was a life-size, golden statue of a knight that gleamed under the bright light.


    The king gestured toward it. "That''s the Golden Knight. It captivates the attention of anyone who walks into this armory."


    Up close, Hupo could see dozens of gems of all colors embedded on its surface. "It must''ve cost a fortune to make."


    "The money it took to make it was negligible, compared to its cost in human lives."


    "What do you mean?"


    "My great-grandfather lived during a time of strife, when human countries were small and constantly at war with each other for land and power. He ushered in a period of peace, by conquering the neighboring countries and forming what is now the Dominion. When the Unification Wars were over, he made the Golden Knight by melting the crowns and scepters of the conquered monarchs. It''s a memorial to all the knights who died during the wars. They wore golden armor back then."


    "Why are you showing me this?"


    "We live in perilous times. The civil war in the Zodiac Kingdom may spill into this country at any moment. Werewolves from the west threaten to devour us all. The Dominion needs your help. I need your help. Fight for me, and together, we can preserve the peace that my great-grandfather worked so hard to bring about." The king held out his hand.


    "Fighting for peace makes as much sense as drinking for abstinence. I cannot take your hand." Hupo turned to leave.


    "I offered you a knighthood. You refused. I offered you a high army rank. You refused. I even offered you the finest maids in the palace. You refused. What would it take for you to bend the knee?"


    "I kneel to no man." Hupo walked away without looking back.


    ***


    "You alright? You look awfully pale."


    Raizen smiled at Youji, who sat across from him. "I''m fine. Thank you for your concern."


    In reality, he wasn¡¯t alright at all. His hands were shaking underneath the table. Although he didn¡¯t think that Hupo was lying to him, he still found it difficult to accept that Alana was more powerful than he was. It had taken him a lifetime of study and practice to attain his current level of magical power. How could he be surpassed by someone so young?


    After dinner, Hupo left the dining hall with King Rowan, while Alana remained seated at the table. Raizen saw a perfect opportunity to confirm his suspicions. He was about to shift onto the seat next to hers, when a noble plopped onto it first.


    The noble introduced himself, then proceeded to shower her with praise.


    Raizen propped his chin on his hand, as he waited for his turn to speak. Tapping his finger on table, he listened to the noble ramble on and on about his family¡¯s wealth and connections.


    Her lack of response and vacant stare indicated that she didn¡¯t have slightest spark of interest in what the noble was saying.


    The noble wasn¡¯t fazed by her apparent lack of interest. He began describing his family business to her in detail. After another long stretch of blabbering, he finally vacated the seat. But then another noble approached it.


    Oh no, you don''t!


    "Ice Breath." Raizen blew at the floor in front of the approaching noble, covering it with a sheet of ice.


    The noble slipped and fell, hollering on the way down.


    Alana turned to look at the noble.


    Meanwhile, Raizen pounced onto the vacant seat. "Someone should really clean that spill. It¡¯s a tripping hazard."


    She turned to face him.


    "I¡¯m Raizen, Head Mage of the Dominion. I heard from Hupo that you''re a mage as well."


    "I am."


    "He also told me that you''re more powerful than he is."


    She smiled. "He''s just being humble."


    "Oh, I see." He felt a sense of relief.


    Hupo probably understated his own power and exaggerated hers.


    He heard Hupo¡¯s voice behind him.


    "Alana, it''s time to leave.¡±


    Raizen turned around to face Hupo. ¡°Leaving so soon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. It has been a pleasure seeing you again, Raizen."


    He finally got my name right. Took him long enough.


    "You as well."


    As he watched them leave the dining hall, Raizen laughed at himself. He took a sip from his wine glass.


    For a moment there, I actually thought she was more powerful than me. How silly is that?


    He realized something as he took another sip of his wine.


    Wait a minute... How was Hupo able to walk up to the table without slipping?


    Raizen got up from his seat and turned around. The ice was gone, as if it had never existed. His wine glass fell out of his hand and shattered on the floor.


    Impossible...


    Melting ice was not difficult for a mage to do. Any mage who knew the [Fireball] spell could do it. However, most mages would end up destroying the floor and starting a fire. One ability that separated novice mages from expert ones was mana control. Even for a master level mage, like himself, putting just enough mana into a fire spell to melt ice, without leaving any traces, was impossible. If he¡¯d attempted to melt the ice, he would have left, at the very least, a burn mark.


    Her mana control is truly divine.


    Youji¡¯s voice broke his train of thought. "You''ve been acting strangely all evening. Are you going to tell me what''s going on?"


    Raizen wiped sweat from his face. "If there is a god of magic, then it would be her."

 Hack and Slash 1

    Although his bosses had told him to rest while they were gone, Easton continued working. It simply didn¡¯t feel right to stay idle, especially when there was still work to be done. Chicken Castle was closed, but the tables still needed to be wiped, the floors needed to be mopped, and the chairs needed to be stacked.


    Easton scrubbed at a table until it gleamed, before moving on to the next one. He didn¡¯t stop until all the tables were spotless. Seeing the fruits of his labor brought a satisfied smile to his face. He hoped his bosses would be pleased with his work. They¡¯d given him so much, but all he could offer them in return was his labor. He also enjoyed working at Chicken Castle. It gave him a sense of purpose.


    Coco was busy mopping the floor. "I can''t wait to see the look on their faces when they get back."


    "How come?"


    "The floors will be so shiny that they''ll need to cover their eyes."


    Easton laughed. "I''m sure they will."


    There was knocking at the door.


    "They''re back!" Coco dropped the mop and darted toward the door.


    She unlocked it and flung it open. Standing on the other side was a tall man in a scarlet surcoat.


    Easton approached him. "Sorry, we''re closed."


    Ignoring Easton, the man entered and scanned Coco from head to toe. "Is this the first-class beauty you''ve been talking about, Otto? If so, then I''m thoroughly disappointed. She''s as flat as a board."


    Coco picked her mop off the floor and pointed it at the man. "Who are you calling flat? Get lost!"


    A short, chubby man entered. "That''s not her. Knights, restrain them at once and search the restaurant!"


    Easton recognized him immediately. He was the man who had caused a disturbance at Chicken Castle a few days ago.


    "Yes, sir!" A group of knights streamed into the restaurant.


    One of them yanked the broom from Coco¡¯s hand. Two other knights grabbed her arms.


    Coco screamed and kicked. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Easton tried to pry them off her, but a knight grabbed him and slammed him onto the floor.


    "What do you want?" He struggled to break free, but the knight held him down firmly.


    The short man kneeled next to Easton. "Where is the beauty?"


    He must be talking about Alana. Is this payback for what happened earlier?


    Easton remained silent.


    The knights who were searching the restaurant returned.


    "There''s no one in the kitchen."


    "She''s not upstairs either."


    The short man held a serrated knife against Easton''s face. "We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Now tell me, where is she?"


    Coco struggled against her captors. "Don''t tell him anything, Easton!"


    Easton kept his mouth shut.


    The short man gritted his teeth. "Can someone please shut her up!"


    Coco grunted. Her screams stopped.


    "Coco?" When Easton didn¡¯t hear a response, he struggled with all his might to break free. "She¡¯s just girl! How can you be so ruthless?" If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The short man sighed. "Finally, some peace. Where were we? Oh yes, as I was saying -"


    "Finish this quickly." The tall man headed for the door.


    The short man turned to face him. "What about the girl?"


    "She doesn''t interest me. Do whatever you want with her."


    "Thank you, Prince Darius! I''ll put her to work at my brothel right away. And the restaurant?"


    "Don¡¯t leave any evidence. Burn it to the ground."


    "Gladly." The short man turned back to Easton. "In a way, I''m glad you''re tight-lipped. It''s always more fun that way. In the end, they always talk."


    He brought his knife toward Easton¡¯s face.


    ***


    Breathing heavily, he raised his hefty sword and brought it down. His arm ached, but he continued repeating the motion. With each swing, his toned muscles rippled underneath his skin.


    Even with the window open, the hotel room seemed too hot. Sweat trickled down his neck and bare, chiseled back. Although he¡¯d been swinging his sword in his room for the past week, he hadn¡¯t damaged the room''s walls or furniture. This could be attributed to his master level control of his sword.


    Dugu found solace in sword training. Whenever his mind was plagued with worries, he swung his sword. On the surface, it appeared to be a simple act. But every movement took considerable mental and physical effort to execute. The training pushed both his mind and body to their limits. It demanded so much focus that he would temporarily forget about his worries. When he was training, he entered into his own little world - one that contained just him and the sword in his hand.


    With each passing day, he grew more restless. The last time he spoke with Thrax, through the ring, was in Dubin Village. Afterwards, no matter how much mana he poured into it, he couldn¡¯t get hold of him.


    He kept track of Hupo''s location, so he could find him when he needed to. He¡¯d been living at a hotel near Chicken Castle, ever since he learned that Hupo was staying at the restaurant. He¡¯d also dined regularly at Chicken Castle and met Hupo¡¯s companions.


    The scent of smoke wafted into his room. Dugu put down his sword and looked out the window.


    Black smoke billowed toward the night sky from a nearby building.


    Isn''t that where Hupo''s restaurant is?


    Without a second thought, he put his shirt on, grabbed his sword, and bolted out of the hotel, toward the burning building. He hadn¡¯t forgotten how Hupo had offered to help him, at great personal risk. What kind of man would he be, if he didn¡¯t do everything in his power to help his benefactor in return?


    The flames engulfing Chicken Castle cast an orange and yellow glow. They roared as they consumed what had once been a popular restaurant. The windows broke outwards, leaving shards of glass scattered across the ground outside. Now that he was standing in front of the inferno, he could feel intense heat against his skin.


    But his resolve didn¡¯t waver. He rammed through the burning doors. Thick grey smoke filled the interior of the restaurant. It stung his eyes, burned his lungs, and left a smoky taste in his mouth. Crackling flames licked the walls and swept across the ceiling.


    ¡°Is anyone here?¡±


    There was no response. All he could hear was his own heavy breathing and crackling and popping sounds from all directions. He winced as the extreme heat turned his sweat into steam, scalding his skin.


    Coughing, he navigated his way around the maze of burning chairs and tables. The wooden floorboards creaked and groaned with each step. It was difficult to see anything through the thick smoke. He stepped onto something sticky. Crouching down, he spotted a man sprawled on the floor, in a pool of blood.


    "It''s going to be alright! Hold on!" He carried the man over his shoulder.


    Dodging the fiery debris falling around him, he made a hasty exit from the burning restaurant. Once he was outside, he received cheers from the crowd of onlookers. The air outside was refreshing. He¡¯d never realized that air could taste so good.


    When he lay the man onto the ground, some of the onlookers screamed. There was no skin on the man¡¯s face, only raw, weeping flesh.


    Dugu touched side of the man¡¯s neck and felt a pulse. He removed a healing potion from his waist and poured it into the man¡¯s mouth.


    The man coughed and gasped for air.


    ¡°Can you hear me? Was there anyone else inside?¡±


    ¡°Dugu?¡±


    Dugu recognized the man¡¯s voice. It belonged to Easton, one of Hupo¡¯s workers.


    ¡°Is that you, Easton?¡± Seeing the once happy man in such a wretched condition pained his heart.


    ¡°Yes. Where are you? I can¡¯t see anything. It¡¯s so dark¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± As Dugu held Easton¡¯s hand, tears streamed down his face. He saw that the other man¡¯s eyes had been carved out of their sockets.


    Don''t worry about me,¡± Easton said. ¡°Coco was taken to a brothel. You must hurry."


    He¡¯s still thinking about his companion, even in his current state? What a guy.


    Dugu tightened his grip around Easton¡¯s hand. "I''ll save her. You need to rest."


    Scanning the group of spectators around him, he recognized a face. "You''re staying at the same hotel as me, right?"


    The spectator nodded. "Yes, our rooms are on the same floor."


    "Perfect, please take this injured man to my room. Here''s my room key and something for your troubles." Dugu took out his room key and a handful of silver coins.


    "I''ll be glad to." The spectator took everything in Dugu''s hand.


    "Before you go, can you tell me where the closest brothel is?"


    "There''s only one in the city, not far from here. It''s a superb place to unwind, but it''s quite expensive."


    Dugu''s eyes widened and his mouth curved into a smile. "Great, I''ve got a lot of unwinding to do."

 Hack and Slash 2

    The brothel was an easy place to find, even in the dark. Whoever ran the place made no attempt to conceal it. Not only was it in plain sight, but it was also located in an upscale part of the city. An ornamental lantern on each side of the entrance lit up the front of the building. The words ¡®Otto¡¯s Brothel¡¯ had been engraved in large, gold lettering on the stone wall of the windowless, two-story building. Its front door was studded with iron and reinforced with iron bands.


    When Dugu knocked, a slit in the door opened.


    Someone peered through it from other side. "Entrance fee, please."


    "Let me get it out it for you." Dugu gripped the long handle of the sword on his back.


    He pulled the sword out of its leather strap, revealing a big and bulky heap of iron. "Here you go."


    Swinging it downwards, he busted open the door and the man behind it. Shards of wood and jagged metal flew in all directions.


    He stepped through the hole he just made, into a luxurious lobby. In front of him was a full-length reception desk with a marble top. It was flanked by two marble staircases that curved elegantly upwards to the second floor, which was open to the floor below. If he hadn¡¯t known better, he would¡¯ve thought that this was the reception area of a high-class hotel.


    Dozens of men, armed to the teeth, congregated on the first floor. The way they moved and the scars on their bodies suggested that they weren¡¯t amateurs. Their armor and weapons varied as widely as their body shapes and sizes. This was a ragtag bunch of experienced killers.


    He cleared his throat. "I don''t suppose someone could point me to the bathroom?"


    No one responded.


    He shrugged his shoulders. "Heck, it was worth a shot."


    A porky man on the second floor pointed at him. "Get him!"


    He must be the boss.


    The armed men shouted battle cries and swarmed Dugu.


    ***


    As Otto''s brothel business grew, so did his need for more security. The men he had hired to protect it were supposed to be the best of the best. They were mercenaries he had recruited, at great expense, over the years. Each one was supposedly stronger than the average knight.


    However, Otto watched, in disbelief, as they were cut down with unreal swiftness. It was like watching waves crashing against a shore, except the waves were his men and the shore was the intruder. With each swing of his monstrous sword, the intruder sent multiple men flying through the air like lumps of meat, painting the floors and walls with blood.


    He wondered which family had sent the intruder. The number of families from who he and Prince Darius had kidnapped women were too numerous to count. Up until now, every single person who tried to save their loved one from the brothel had been put down either by his men or by the prince''s knights.


    It¡¯s only a matter of time before all my men are cut down. I need to get my money and leave! This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    He ran to his office and fumbled in his pockets for the keys. Beads of sweat dripped down his face. He had trouble inserting the key into the keyhole, because his hands were shaky. After many attempts, he finally managed to unlock the door. Piles of gold coins sat on the table inside. He grabbed a sack. As he filled the sack with gold coins, he could hear the cries and screams of his men outside.


    After all the money I spent on them, the least they could do is buy me time to escape. Where''s Prometheus when I need him? What am I paying him for?


    Once the sack was full, Otto tried lifting it up. Even with both arms, he could barely lift it off the ground. Not willing to lighten the load, he dragged it out of his office. When he tried to get it down the stairs, he lost his footing and tumbled downwards.


    He landed at the base of the stairs, battered and winded. As he lay on the floor, he gasped for air and collected his thoughts. He slowly moved his arms and legs, to make sure everything still worked. They ached, but otherwise worked fine.


    Someone held out a hand. "Need a hand?"


    Is that Prometheus? Did he finally show up?


    "About time, Prometheus! Who do you think pays you?"


    The hand tugged him up onto his feet.


    "Definitely not you."


    Otto raised his head to see who had just helped him. He cried in surprise when he saw the intruder, covered in blood, standing in front of him.


    He took out his knife and pointed it at the intruder. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!¡±


    The intruder knitted his brows when he saw the knife. ¡°Easton¡¯s face was ripped apart by a serrated weapon. You must be the one who cut up him up.¡±


    Otto didn¡¯t know who the intruder was talking about. The number of faces he¡¯d cut up was too many to count.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re talking about. But if you don¡¯t want to end up like your friend, then I suggest you leave!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± The intruder stepped forward.


    Otto backed away. He stumbled over something and dropped his knife. Color drained from his face and he felt sick to his stomach, when he saw that his feet were entangled in the intestines of one of his men. He surveyed the room and saw piles of bodies everywhere. There was no one left to save him. All his men had either died or fled. His clients were fleeing left and right. Death was staring him in the face.


    The intruder took another step toward him.


    Otto gestured for him to stop. ¡°Wait!"


    He searched for a way out. When he saw his sack of gold coins lying on the stairs behind him, an idea popped into his head.


    As long as I¡¯m alive, I can always make more money. Even if I can¡¯t, I still have enough money stashed away to live like a king for the rest of my life.


    He pointed at the sack. "That''s filled with gold. Take it! Just let me live."


    The intruder''s face lit up. "Free money? Sweet!"


    That''s what I thought. No man in his right mind would turn down that amount of gold.


    The intruder narrowed his eyes. "On second thoughts..."


    It''s not enough? He''s as greedy as me!


    "Picking it up would be a pain. You see, I''ve only got one arm." He tapped his empty left sleeve with his sword. "How about this: I''ll leave my sword right here, but you have to promise me you won''t touch it."


    Otto nodded. "I promise!"


    "Great!" The intruder propped his sword against the wall and proceeded up the stairs, toward the sack of coins.


    That massive sword must be the source of his power. He lifts it so easily with one arm, so it''s probably enchanted with weight reduction magic. If I can just get my hands on it...


    When the intruder stopped to pick up the sack, Otto rushed over to the sword. He couldn¡¯t reach its handle, so he wrapped his arms around its blade and pulled with all his might


    "Fool! I''m going to make you regret... eh?" Otto''s eyes widened.


    The massive sword fell toward him, and, try as he might, he couldn¡¯t push it back. It crushed him against the floor.


    He tried to suck in air, but nothing came. "Hel-help me! I-I can''t breathe!"


    His whole body felt numb.


    The intruder approached him. "You''ve made a fortune by trapping women in this hellhole. How does it feel to be the trapped one?"


    "I-I''ll pay anything!"


    "Nah, you can''t put a price on justice."


    Otto¡¯s heart, beating against his rib cage, slowed as time passed. Tears welled up in his eyes, as realization of his imminent death dawned on him. It was too unfair. He hadn¡¯t even had a chance to use the money he¡¯d worked so hard to make. His vision blurred as his consciousness slipped way.

 Boss Battle 1

    Dugu lifted his sword off the brothel owner''s body and sheathed it on his back. As he gazed at the corpse in front of him, he recalled something important.


    Oh no, I forgot to ask him about Coco! Too late for that now.


    He looked upwards. Many beautiful young women, in various stages of undress, were looking down at him from the second-floor balcony. Coco wasn¡¯t among them.


    He hollered as loud as he could. "Coco!"


    After a moment of silence, a red-haired woman raised her hand. "Um... mister?"


    "Yes?"


    "Are you looking for the new girl? She''s in there." She pointed to a room on the second floor.


    "Thanks!" Dugu hurried up the stairs to the room.


    He found a girl, naked and covered in bruises, on the bed inside. Her face was battered beyond recognition.


    He put a blanket over her body and kneeled at the bedside. "Coco?"


    One of the girl''s eyes was swollen shut. The other one opened ever so slightly.


    She slowly turned her head toward him and spoke with a weak voice. "Are you Dugu?"


    He nodded. "Let''s get you outta here."


    "It hurts too much to move."


    Dammit, I''m out of potions.


    The redhead, who had directed him to Coco''s room, kneeled beside him. "I can help."


    She placed both her hands over Coco''s body. "Mending."


    Her hands emitted a green glow.


    Coco''s bruises shrank, and her face became less swollen.


    The redhead lowered her hands. "How do you feel?"


    "I feel much better now, thank you." Coco sat up.


    Dugu turned to face the redhead. "Are there other injured girls here?"


    She shook head. "Just her at the moment. They save the worst beatings for the newcomers."


    Coco wrapped the blanket around herself. When she tried standing, her knees buckled.


    He caught her. "Take it slow. I''ll be your crutch."


    He put her arm over his shoulder and helped her out of the room. As he walked down the stairs with her, he noticed that the other women were following him.


    Once he reached the base of the stairs, he turned around. "You''re all free now. Go home to your families. There''s no need to wait for me."


    Some of the women walked around him, toward the exit, but most of them remained standing.


    "What are you all waiting for?" His brows drew together.


    The redhead approached him. "We have no homes to return to."


    There were many words of agreement from the crowd of women behind her.


    I can''t just leave them here. But what am I going to do with them? Maybe I can just pass the problem to someone else.


    ¡°Follow me. I know a good guy who can take you all in."


    Coco turned to face him. "You mean Master Hupo?"


    "Precisely."


    "He''s the best! We can use all the help we can get at the restaurant!"


    I guess she doesn''t know that Chicken Castle was burned down.


    Coco''s enthusiasm was infectious. The other girls began excitedly chatting amongst themselves.


    "Alright, we better get going then. It''s already dark outside." The sack of money by the stairs caught Dugu¡¯s eye. "I need two of you to carry that sack for me."


    The two women closest to the sack picked it up.


    He''s probably going to need that. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Dugu sensed danger from above. He pulled Coco toward him, and leaped away.


    Something from the ceiling crashed onto the spot where he and Coco had stood a moment earlier.


    ***


    There was no doubt in Dugu''s mind that the assailant was a master level fighter. Only a master level fighter could have hidden from his honed senses and struck with enough force to crack the marble floor. If he¡¯d moved even a second later, then he and Coco would have been splattered all over the floor.


    "Wow, you actually dodged it! Guess you really did make this mess. This is going to be so much fun.¡± Although the bottom half of the assailant¡¯s pale face was covered by a black scarf, Dugu could tell that he was smiling - tiny wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes.


    Dugu glared at him. "Who are you?"


    The assailant combed back his spiky silver hair. "My name is Prometheus. Who might you be?"


    Dugu recalled hearing the name from the brothel''s owner. "I''m Dugu. You work for the owner of this place, correct? Well, he''s dead, so why don''t you take a hike."


    "True, he pays me to hang around here, but I''m not doing this for him. I''m doing this for me.¡±


    I''m not sure if I can beat him in a fight. Maybe he''ll leave if I give him the sack of money.


    "If it''s money you want -"


    "You still don''t get it, do you? Let me phrase it for you in words you can understand: I want to tussle with your muscle." Prometheus clanged his fists together, which were covered in black metal gauntlets.


    Doesn''t look like this wacko will leave.


    Dugu looked at the crowd of women and then at Coco, who he held close to his body.


    I can''t fight freely with them here.


    "Hmm? Oh, I see. Don''t worry, they can leave. Wouldn''t want them getting in the way of our fight." Prometheus winked at Dugu.


    Good, he seems to only be interested in me.


    Dugu turned toward the redhead. "What''s your name?"


    "Rebecca."


    "Rebecca, I need you to take Coco and the other girls out of here.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I''ll join you all shortly.¡±


    "Be careful." Rebecca took hold of Coco¡¯s arm.


    The two of them walked out of brothel, followed closely by the rest of the women.


    As he¡¯d promised, Prometheus didn¡¯t pursue them.


    Dugu activated [Sensory Boost], which augmented all his senses. Against a master level opponent, he couldn¡¯t afford to hold back.


    He unsheathed his sword. "Let''s dance."


    "I''m dying to see your moves." Prometheus lowered his body.


    He shot towards Dugu with explosive speed.


    Dugu slashed, but his sword was parried by Prometheus''s gauntlet. He slashed again and again, but was parried each time. His focus didn¡¯t waver. Slipping up for even a single moment could mean death, such was the intensity of a master level fight.


    But Prometheus laughed hysterically the whole time. "Oh boy, you''re good!"


    Dugu wondered how Prometheus could have the mental capacity to fight, talk, and laugh at the same time. They exchanged blows at such a high speed that their movements appeared to blur together.


    He didn¡¯t understand why Prometheus met each and every one of his blows head-on. It would have been much easier for Prometheus, who was much faster than he was, to dodge. A master level fighter should know that.


    Amidst the flurry of slashes, Dugu noticed that his sword was being chipped with each blow.


    What are his gauntlets made of? Adamantium? If this keeps up, my sword will break!


    Dugu leaped backwards.


    Prometheus didn¡¯t pursue him.


    They were back where they¡¯d started, except Dugu was breathing heavily, while Prometheus didn¡¯t look tired at all.


    I haven¡¯t fought such a strong opponent in a while. He may be even more powerful than Thrax.


    He began to feel the side effects of using [Sensory Boost]. His head felt like it was going to explode. He endured the pain, because he knew that deactivating the skill would mean certain defeat. Without it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with Prometheus''s lightning fast movements.


    Prometheus shook his head. "Tired so soon? The fun just got started."


    "Sorry to disappoint you."


    "You look like you could use a break. Why don''t you take one? While you rest, I won''t lay a hand on you, I swear."


    "You serious?"


    "Dead serious."


    Since Prometheus had kept his word earlier, about letting the women go, Dugu decided to trust him. Moreover, his body was begging for rest. He deactivated [Sensory Boost] and supported himself on his sword.


    Prometheus threw a dagger at him.


    Dugu barely dodged it by tilting his head.


    Prometheus pounced at Dugu again, but this time, without [Sensory Boost] active, Dugu wasn¡¯t able to dodge the attack in time.


    "Just kidding." Prometheus slammed his leg into Dugu''s side with tremendous speed and force.


    Dugu was sent flying, crashed onto his side, and rolled across the floor. After he stopped rolling, he hoisted himself up with his sword. He felt throbbing pain in his flank and found it difficult just to stand.


    I should''ve known better than to trust this wacko. I guess I don''t have a choice - I have to use it.


    He took out the small bottle that Thrax had given him for use in emergency situations. Although he had no idea what was inside it, he thought it was worth a try. After all, what did he have to lose?


    He gulped down the concoction. It burned his tongue and the back his throat on its way down.


    Seconds passed, by nothing happened.


    He filled the bottle with cheap liquor?


    "Dammit, Thrax!" Dugu threw the bottle away.


    Prometheus laughed. "Who are you talking to? And they say I''m crazy."


    Dugu''s heart began pumping hard and fast, as though it was about to leap out of his chest. The pain in his flank diminished while his energy and focus spiked. His vision and hearing became crystal clear, as if [Sensory Boost] was still active. Overall, he felt amazing.


    He knew he needed to end the battle quickly. Whatever had been in the bottle had boosted him mentally and physically, but there would be a price to pay once it wore off. Everything had a cost. The human mind and body couldn¡¯t maintain such an elevated state for long.


    He realized that, even with his temporarily boosted abilities, he wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat his opponent in a head-on fight. Although they were both master level fighters, Prometheus was much stronger and faster than he was. Prometheus didn¡¯t even seem to be fighting him seriously.


    If I can''t beat him in a direct fight, then I''ll have to attack him indirectly.


    Dugu dashed toward the exit.


    Prometheus sighed. "They always run."


    He pursued Dugu.


    When Dugu reached the broken door, he scooped it up with his sword, hurled it at Prometheus, and then threw his sword in the same direction immediately afterwards.


    Prometheus tore the flying door in half. "You think that''ll sto-"


    As Dugu had hoped, Prometheus''s guard was down. The sword struck him, sent him flying, and impaled him against the wall at the other end of the brothel.


    Dugu''s mind and body began shutting off.


    What was in that drink?


    He blacked out.

 Boss Battle 2

    She felt completely drained. For the past few minutes, Rebecca had been healing Dugu with [Mending]. It was becoming difficult just to keep her hands positioned above his body. But she persevered. It was the least she could do for the man who¡¯d just saved her.


    After being forced to live in the brothel for so many years, she had given up all hope of being rescued. Every year, she watched as would-be saviors were mercilessly cut to pieces by the brothel owner''s men. That all changed when Dugu showed up. He was the knight in shining armor that she, and all the other girls at the brothel, had been waiting for.


    "Eesha..." Dugu¡¯s eyes gradually open.


    Is that his wife?


    He grabbed Rebecca''s hand.


    Rebecca saw a ring on his finger, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was a wedding ring.


    She lowered her hands. "How are you feeling?"


    He released his grip. "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else."


    "That''s alright. You pushed your mind and body far beyond their limits. It''s perfectly normal to feel a bit confused afterwards."


    He rubbed his head. "Where''s Coco?"


    "She''s waiting outside with the other girls."


    "Where''s the wacko? Did I get him?"


    "You sure did." She pointed to the wall at the far end of the brothel, where a man was impaled. ¡°He¡¯s over there.¡±


    "I can''t believe I was able to hit that speedster." Dugu walked toward his sword and pulled it out of the wall. The body that it impaled fell lifelessly to the floor.


    "Big Bertha may be falling apart, but she''s still a good sword." He sheathed the sword on his back. "Let''s get going. I''ve kept you girls waiting long enough." Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Rebecca held onto his empty sleeve and followed him outside. Holding on to him gave her a sense of security.


    She was glad the sun had set. Otherwise, she would have a hard time seeing anything. Her captors had never allowed her outside, so her eyes were not acclimatized to sunlight.


    Even in the dark, she could see the smiles on the other girls'' faces. They appeared to be as excited as she was about the prospect of a new life. Not long ago, all they could see was a bleak future. Now a bright one had opened up for them. Their prayers had been answered.


    Rebecca was sure that Hupo, the man Dugu was taking them to, was a good man. After all, why would Dugu leave them with a bad man, after risking his life to rescue them from one? And Coco''s opinion of Hupo appeared to be very high. He must have treated her well to deserve such praise from her.


    "Am I walking too fast?" Dugu turned to look at Rebecca.


    "No, not at all." She held his sleeve closer to her body.


    Tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time she had been treated with such respect. When she was living in the brothel, she had no control over anything, including who she slept with, what she ate, how she dressed, or even when she was able to use the toilet. Any disobedience was met with harsh punishment.


    Everything Dugu had done for her, thus far, was proof of one undeniable fact: He was a man who respected women.


    ***


    He slowly pushed himself off the floor. His hands almost slipped, because the floor was wet with blood. Touching his chest, he noticed that the gaping wound that had once been there was almost completely healed. He turned around and saw large cracks in the wall behind him.


    That was fun. Good things come to those who live long enough.


    Prometheus felt nothing but gratitude toward Otto. The only thing that could get his blood pumping was a good fight, and Otto had given it to him. Although Otto had been paying him a lot of money, that wasn¡¯t the real reason that he stuck around the brothel. He¡¯d hoped that, one day, a strong fighter would show up, seeking revenge. After years of waiting, that day had finally come. A strong opponent had appeared.


    A groaning noise caught his attention. He turned toward the sound and saw a bloodied man crawling toward the brothel''s exit. The man was leaving a trail of fresh blood in his wake.


    Prometheus walked to the man¡¯s side and squatted down. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"


    "Prometheus?"


    "Yes, that would be me."


    The man smiled. "Thank heavens you''re back! You''ve come to save us, at last!"


    "Save you?" Prometheus laughed. "I''m afraid you''ve got the wrong idea, buddy. I didn''t come to save you."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''ve come to..." He lowered his scarf, revealing a wide mouth lined with long, pointed teeth, "...eat you!"


    The man squealed and his body thrashed about as Prometheus dug in.

 Combo Breaker 1

    Barin drew back his bow and pointed it towards the sky. The arrow in his hand glowed purple, as he focused his mana into it.


    ¡°Gas Arrow!" The bow string twanged as he released it.


    Shortly after the arrow was released, it exploded, showering streaks of purple gas over the surrounding area. He and the five other assassins standing around him became shrouded in purple mist.


    After expending much of his mana, he felt as though he had no energy left in his body. The bow in his hand now felt much heavier.


    The man standing beside him coughed. "Branch Leader, are you sure you¡¯ve given us the right antidote? I¡¯m feeling sick already from breathing this toxic mist.¡±


    Barin responded to the man, who was one of the Sword Devil Twins. "You¡¯re just imagining it. If you hadn¡¯t taken my antidote, then you¡¯d probably be dead by now. But I doubt that even this will be enough to kill Hupo. I hope that, at the very least, it''ll weaken him.¡±


    The Sword Devil Twins were identical twins. Individually, they were much weaker than Youji, the strongest swordsman in the Dominion. However, they fought incredibly well together, as if they could read each other''s thoughts. With their extraordinary teamwork, even a fight against Youji would have an uncertain outcome.


    "Isn''t this overkill? Did you really need to gather all of us just to kill one man?¡± A woman standing beside Barin twirled a blowpipe in her hand.


    Barin turned to face Poison Piper. ¡°Hupo is not your average man - he¡¯s a Combat Tournament champion.¡±


    Poison Piper was a poison specialist. She could consistently hit a target the size of a coin fifty meters away with her blowpipe. Each of her darts were coated with a deadly poison that could kill a human with one hit.


    ¡°Didn''t the prince say he''ll be unarmed?"


    "Yes, he did say that. According to him, Hupo will be returning from a visit to the Royal Palace, where guests are forbidden from bringing weapons. However, that doesn''t mean we can let our guard down. Master level warriors can be very dangerous, even without their weapons. That¡¯s why I¡¯m personally overseeing this assassination. This ambush is designed to kill the most dangerous opponent imaginable.¡±


    ¡°Sounds exciting.¡±


    Barin used mental imagery to simulate how the assassination would unfold in his mind. It was a ritual he engaged in before every assassination, to help him prepare for all possible scenarios. Since he¡¯d never seen Hupo before, he imagined him as Youji, the strongest warrior he knew.


    He and the other assassins would lie in wait for the carriage carrying Hupo. The coachman would die within seconds of entering the poisonous mist. His death would be the signal for the Sword Devil Twins to strike. They would leap onto the carriage''s roof and stab through it. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    If Hupo managed to survive the rain of swords from above, he would exit the carriage into the poisonous mist. The mist would not only weaken him, but it would also distract him. While he was distracted, Poison Piper would shoot a poisonous dart at his blind spot.


    Even if, by some miracle, Hupo managed to dodge or survive the dart attack, the two Chain Brothers would finish him. They had the ability to control the movement of their chains as freely as their own limbs. Jumping from the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, they would wrap Hupo up in chains and squeeze the life out of him.


    Barin would intervene if he saw a problem at any point of the assassination. He was a master level archer, who could augment the destructive power of his arrows and fire them with lethal speed and accuracy. His arrows were so swift and lethal that his targets often died before they could scream.


    After imagining the battle in his mind many times, Barin couldn¡¯t see any way for Hupo to walk out of the ambush alive. That was, assuming Hupo was as strong as Youji.


    Barin heard the sound of galloping horses. "The carriage is coming! Get into your positions!"


    ***


    Hupo rode home with Alana, in the same carriage that had taken them to the Royal Palace.


    "May I ask you a question, Hupo?"


    "Of course, I''m always happy to answer your questions."


    "I don''t understand why we didn''t just teleport back to Chicken Castle. Wouldn''t that be a more efficient and faster way to travel?"


    "Good question, Alana. The reason why I chose to travel home in the carriage is because it would be rude not to, since it was a courtesy extended to us by the king."


    She looked confused. ¡°Why do we need to inconvenience ourselves to appease him? Isn¡¯t appeasement a sign of weakness?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°True, acting cold toward others may be seen as a sign of strength. But that¡¯s only a facade that masks weakness. As humans, we all have an inner core of needs and wants. Not recognizing that is, in my opinion, a shortcoming. On the other hand, showing kindness and regard for another¡¯s thoughts and feelings is true strength. It¡¯ll help you build a support network around you. You may find yourself in a challenging situation one day and that person that you¡¯ve maintained a good relationship with may be able to help you.¡±


    ¡°I still have a lot to learn from you. Being human is complicated.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get a hang of it. Life as a human is a series of trials and errors. No one gets it right from the get-go. One of the most important things you can do, as a human, is to learn from your past mistakes. That way, you can avoid repeating them in the future. Humans are not perfect, so we¡¯re all bound to slip up from time to time. Even I make mistakes. I told Raizen how strong you really were, without thinking about the consequences. If he informs the king about your powers, then the king will probably try to turn you into a human weapon. I¡¯m sorry for not thinking about that earlier.¡±


    "It''s okay, I know you always try to do what''s best for me."


    The carriage jolted to a stop.


    He heard the coachman''s voice coming from outside.


    "Get off the road!"


    Looking out the window, all Hupo could see was purple mist.


    Strange, it was clear a moment ago.


    His instincts told him that something wasn¡¯t right, so he activated [Awakened Eyes].


    He saw particles of mana dispersed throughout the air, which indicated that someone had used a skill to create the mist. "Alana, teleport to safety. I''ll handle this."


    "But -"


    "No buts. Please trust me."


    "Watch yourself. Teleport." Her body was engulfed in blue light, then she vanished.


    He heard choking sounds coming from outside the carriage.

 Combo Breaker 2

    With [Awakened Eyes], Hupo could see through the carriage''s walls in all directions. He saw the coachman slump and fall off the carriage. There were six assassins outside ¨C one in front of the carriage, one behind it, and four on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. They all radiated killing intent.


    Two of them leapt from the rooftops toward the carriage.


    He felt the carriage shake and heard loud thuds above him.


    I¡¯m a sitting duck in here. I need to get out.


    He got off his seat and kneeled on the floor of the carriage. "Sonic Speed!"


    Power surged into his legs. They pushed off the floor with explosive force. He smashed through the carriage¡¯s roof with a bang, blasting away the assassins on top and sending countless shards of wood flying in all directions. Even though the roof was made of solid wood, it hadn¡¯t had any more resistance than paper.


    Air rushed against his whole body as he ascended at the speed of sound. The clouds drew near. They were so close that he could almost touch them. At that moment, he gained a better understanding of just how powerful he really was in this world. At his height, the assassins below appeared to be the size of ants.


    As he fell back to the ground, a barrage of flaming arrows flew towards him from below.


    "Breath of the Wind!" He sucked air into his lungs, expanding his chest to many times its normal size.


    A gust of wind burst forth from his mouth, blowing back the arrows, clearing the mist, and softening his landing.


    With his 360-degree field of vision, he saw a dart fly towards the back of his neck. He caught it between his fingers, twisted around, and flicked it back at its owner.


    After being hit, the dart''s owner collapsed onto the ground and began convulsing.


    Two more assassins leaped from the rooftops toward Hupo. The chains around their arms unwound and twirled around him, like flying serpents encircling their prey. At the same time, electrified arrows flew towards him, through the gaps in the chains.


    "Fiery Hurricane!" He spun around with a flaming sword, incinerating and ripping apart everything in sight.


    Raging hot flames whirled  around him like a tornado of fire, engulfing the entire city block. Windows exploded and steel fences became molten metal. The howling of the flames drowned out the screams of those caught inside the hellfire.


    When Hupo finally stopped spinning, red hot, broken chains and charred chunks of flesh fell all around him. The surrounding buildings, now windowless, were scorched black. Looking around at the carnage he''d just wrought, he noticed that only the archer who¡¯d shot the arrows at him had managed to survive.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ***


    Barin woke up to a throbbing pain that stung his entire body. Having lived as an assassin for most of his life, he had suffered all kinds of injuries. But this pain was different. It felt as though a fire was burning him from the inside out. He screamed from the very depth of his being, but only gurgling noises came out of his mouth. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t open his eyes. Clutching at them, he screamed when he realized that they¡¯d been melted shut. There was a constant ringing in his ears. Through the ringing, he heard the voices of a man and woman conversing.


    ¡°Are you alright, Hupo?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Sorry to worry you.¡±


    Gathering what little strength he had left, Barin reached out to them. "Hel-help me."


    The male voice responded to his plea. "Only if you tell us everything."


    Barin wanted to live, no matter the cost. "Any-thing."


    "Remember your words. Alana, please heal him."


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Someone touched the side of Barin¡¯s face. ¡°Healing Touch.¡±


    Energy surged forth from the hand and spread to all parts of his body. His strength returned and he felt relaxed. It was as if a wave of cold water had extinguished the fire that was burning his insides. When he touched his face, he was surprised to feel healthy skin. Opening his eyes, he saw a beautiful night sky, decorated with glittering stars.


    Did I just wake up from a nightmare?


    He smelled something burning. Turning his head toward the odor, he saw blackened flesh littering the ground around him.


    I guess not.


    He stood up with ease. His body was pain free and full of energy.


    This is a miracle! Not only am I still alive, but I feel great!


    Looking down at his body, he saw that his armor and clothes were almost completely burnt off.


    He heard an icy, male voice. "Have you already forgotten your end of the deal? Tell us everything, starting with who hired you."


    Standing a few feet away from him was a man in black armor and a strikingly beautiful woman.


    Barin''s eyes widened when he recalled what had happened.


    The last thing he wanted to do was upset the man who¡¯d just annihilated his entire team with ease. ¡°The prince offered me a lot of money to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Why does he want me dead?¡±


    ¡°He said you were in his way.¡±


    ¡°In the way of what?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t specify.¡±


    ¡°What else can you tell me?¡±


    ¡°He told me that you were the martial tournament champion, and that you would be returning from the Royal Palace tonight.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I know.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, before Hupo replied "I can hear your heart beating against your ribcage, see your chest rise and fall with each breath, and smell the sweat on your skin. All my senses are telling me that you''re being truthful."


    Barin couldn''t believe what he was hearing.


    He must be bluffing. No human can possibly have such keen senses!


    "You¡¯re free to leave." Hupo turned around.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Barin blinked rapidly. ¡°Are you really going to let me go, just like that? After I tried killing you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a man of my word. But don''t get any wrong ideas. If you ever cross me or anyone I care about again, I will destroy you."


    Barin dropped onto his knees and bowed. "Thank you for sparing my life!"


    His knees were in pain after hitting the ground so quickly, but the pain was nothing compared the mind-numbing fear he felt. He was in the presence of an absolute power who could end his existence at any moment.


    Hupo took the woman''s hand. "We need to return to Chicken Castle right away."


    "I agree." She paused.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "I can''t teleport to the inside of Chicken Castle anymore."


    "Then take us just outside of it. I have a bad feeling about this."


    "Right away."


    A blue light engulfed them both.


    Barin rubbed his eyes. It took him a while to process what had happened.


    Just who are they? What are they?

 The Beatdown Begins

    The air whipped past his face and hair as he rode his horse at top speed. His head was lowered, to minimize wind resistance. Sweat poured down his face. He could hear his heart thumping in his chest, even through the loud galloping of his horse. Five knights, atop horses, followed closely behind him.


    "My prince! It''s not safe to ride so fast through the city!"


    Prince Darius ignored the voice of the knight behind him. This was an emergency. Every second counted.


    "What have I done? How I could let this happen?" He cursed himself for his current predicament, wishing he had relieved himself at Otto¡¯s Brothel before heading home.


    The sexual tension building up inside of him was becoming unbearable. It had almost been twenty-four hours since he had slept with a woman.


    When he arrived at the brothel, Prince Darius was surprised to find that its doors were broken down.


    Intruders? They''re probably dead by now.


    Only death awaited those who dared attack the brothel. It would take an army to bring the place down. Otto had bought the best security money could buy. He had some of the strongest mercenaries on his payroll, including Prometheus, the most feared mercenary in the Dominion.


    Dismounting from his horse, Prince Darius rushed toward the entrance.


    "Please wait, my prince!"


    Again, he ignored the voice of the knight behind him. What was there to be afraid of? The only place in the city that was more heavily guarded than Otto¡¯s Brothel was the Royal Palace. It was even more secure than his own mansion. In other words, it was a perfectly safe place to enter. At least, that was what he thought until he stepped inside, slipped, and fell on his back.


    As he lay on ground, a foul odor ravaged his nostrils. "For goodness'' sake! With all the money he''s raking in, he can''t even afford a cleaning lady?"


    One of the knights behind him helped him up. "Are you okay, my prince?"


    Prince Darius glared at the knight. "Do I look okay to you?"


    He looked at his hands, which were covered in a sticky red fluid. "What is this crap?"


    Looking down at the floor, he screamed when he saw a severed head staring back at him. He kicked the head away. It was among the countless body parts that were strewn all over the floor. From their appearance, he could tell that they were the remains of Otto''s men. There were no signs of the attackers, so he concluded that this was the work of one man.


    He could only think of a handful of people in the Dominion who could single-handedly take on Otto''s mercenary army - the Combat Tournament champions, the knight commander, and the head mage. Since the latter two were supposedly on his side, he ruled them out. That meant that the culprit was a combat tournament champion. The only one who he and Otto had offended was Hupo. But Hupo should already be dead. That is, if everything had gone according to plan.


    Otto had conceived of an ingenious plan to kidnap the beauty who worked at Chicken Castle. The plan was to lure Hupo away and then kidnap the beauty.


    The first part of the plan had been put into motion when Prince Darius persuaded his father to invite Hupo to the palace. Convincing his father was easy. All he had to do was remind him about the impending werewolf invasion and then explain how Hupo was critical to their being able to repel it. Of course, Prince Darius didn¡¯t believe any of his own words. In a full-scale war, what difference could one man actually make? The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    To prevent Hupo from seeking revenge, Prince Darius had hired assassins to kill him. Since Hupo was visiting the Royal Palace, he would be unarmed, so killing him should have been a breeze for the assassins.


    At least, that was what Prince Darius wanted to believe. But the scene in front of him suggested that Hupo was still alive and out for blood - the blood of a prince. If Hupo had indeed defeated the assassins, then he had probably already learned who had hired them.


    Prince Darius realized that his own mansion was no longer safe. Hupo could be waiting for him there. At the moment, the Royal Palace was safest place to hide


    He turned to leave. "We''re going to the Royal Palace."


    The knight closest to him spoke. ¡°I mean no offense, my prince, but weren¡¯t we banned from stepping foot inside the palace?¡±


    ¡°This is an emergency. I¡¯m sure my father will understand.¡±


    ***


    The view before Hupo''s eyes changed. His attention was immediately drawn to the blazing hot inferno in front of him. The wind carried the black smoke from the roaring flames, raining down ash. He stood, shaking, unable to believe what he was seeing. Chicken Castle was burning.


    "Alana, put out the fire! Coco and Easton may still be inside!"


    "On it!" Alana pointed her white staff at the burning restaurant. "Strong Winds!"


    Powerful gusts of wind burst forth from her staff, snuffing out the inferno.


    The crowd of onlookers, astonished by the potency of her spell, gasped.


    As Hupo rushed toward the smoldering remains of the restaurant, he prayed that he wasn¡¯t too late. The restaurant could always be rebuilt, but Coco and Easton were irreplaceable. They weren¡¯t just his employees - they were his family.


    "Master Hupo!"


    Turning around toward the voice, he saw Coco running toward him, dressed in nothing but a blanket. She embraced him and sobbed.


    He patted her back. "There, there. You''re safe now."


    "It was awful!"


    Alana approached them. ¡°What happened, Coco? Where''s Easton?"


    "Allow me to explain." Dugu emerged from the crowd of onlookers.


    ***


    Hupo stood in front of the door of Dugu¡¯s hotel room.


    Coco clutched his arm tighter.


    Unlocking the door, Dugu paused for a moment, before opening it.


    A man rested on the bed inside.


    When Hupo took a step forward, Coco tugged his arm back. Her eyes were wet with fresh tears.


    He wiped a tear from her face. ¡°I need to see him.¡±


    She lowered her chin and let go of his arms.


    When he approached the bedside, his eyes widened at the sight of the faceless man on the bed. In place of his face was red flesh and empty eye sockets.


    His chest began to ache. He felt as though someone had bound his heart and lungs with barbed wire and tightened it.


    How could he have let it happen? He¡¯d promised Easton a better life, but instead, Easton had ended up suffering the worse pain imaginable. Had Dugu been even a few minutes late, Easton would have perished. Hupo didn¡¯t know how he would have been able live with himself if that had happened.


    He turned to face Alana, who was covering her mouth. ¡°Please heal him.¡±


    She sat at the bedside and touched Easton¡¯s hand. ¡°Healing Touch.¡±


    The numerous cuts on the exposed flesh closed. Nerves crossed the flesh and reattached themselves. New eyes and skin grew in place of the missing ones. In seconds, Easton¡¯s face was restored to its original appearance.


    Coco cried tears of relief while Dugu gasped.


    Hupo clinched his fists. ¡°Who did this?¡±


    ¡°There were two of them. The one who mutilated him was the brothel owner. He took orders from someone named Prince Darius.¡±


    ¡°Where are they.¡±


    ¡°The owner of the brothel is dead. I made sure of that.¡±


    ¡°Then all that¡¯s left is the prince.¡±


    ¡°He may already know that the owner of the brothel is dead. If that¡¯s the case, then he¡¯s most likely hiding in the Royal Palace.¡±


    ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an army stationed there. We¡¯d have to carve through an entire army just to get to him.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Dugu was speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay the prince a visit tomorrow. We need to get everyone to safe place first.¡± Hupo knelt next to the bed and brushed back Easton''s hair.


    Anger swelled within him, twisting and screaming to be released. But he knew that now was not the right time to unleash it. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he leaned forward until his forehead touched Easton''s. ¡°There will be justice. I swear it.¡±

 Aggro

    Youji walked at a brisk pace toward the throne room. He had been summoned to the Royal Palace for an urgent meeting.


    Had the werewolves finally made their move?


    The last time King Rowan had summoned him like this was when the werewolves had raided the frontier villages. At the time, he had urged the king to send knights to repel them. He¡¯d even volunteered himself to lead the counterattack. But his suggestion had been shot down.


    King Rowan wanted to preserve the Dominion''s military strength to defend the cities. Youji could understand the king¡¯s desire to protect the most populated areas of the Dominion, but it was precisely that kind of thinking that had led to the Dominion''s current predicament. The werewolves wouldn¡¯t be at their doorstep, had the king provided Ferdania with adequate military support.


    Luckily, the werewolves had, for some unknown reason, halted their attacks after burning down only a few villages. How many more villages could they have burned down before they set their sights on the cities? Considering that the villages were completely undefended, probably all of them. The population of each village was small, but without them, there would be no annual harvest and the Dominion''s citizens would starve.


    Even though he didn¡¯t always agree with King Rowan''s thinking, he respected the king''s decisions. His ultimate duty was to protect the king, not to make decisions for him. Just being heard was enough. Having been born a commoner, he felt that it was his responsibility to advocate for the people. Besides Raizen, there was no one else who was both close to the king and sympathetic to them.


    When Youji entered the throne room, he walked down the glistening, gold carpet that ran down the center of the room. It looked so expensive that he wondered if it was really alright for him to step on it. Standing at the sides of the carpet were Raizen, Prince Darius, General Hyperion, and numerous nobles.


    General Hyperion is in charge of the capital¡¯s defenses, so I¡¯m not surprised to see him here. But what is Prince Darius doing here? I thought he was banned from the palace for kidnapping a noble¡¯s daughter.


    Youji knelt before King Rowan, who sat on the throne. "My apologies, Your Majesty, I was outside the palace when you summoned me."


    "It''s alright, Youji, I understand." King Rowan appeared more tired than usual.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty." Youji took his place by Raizen''s side.


    "Now that everyone is gathered, let us begin." King Rowan turned toward Prince Darius. "Tell them why they were summoned."


    Prince Darius cleared his throat. "Someone is after my life."


    No one seemed surprised. His penchant for kidnapping young women was well known to the capital''s residents. It would be even more surprising if no one was after his life. Although a threat to his life was no trivial matter, it was such a common occurrence that, normally, it didn¡¯t warrant an emergency meeting. Something else must be going on. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    One of the nobles unleashed a flurry of words. "What? Why would anyone want to hurt our prince, the model citizen?"


    Wait, are we even talking about the same person?


    King Rowan was getting old, so it wouldn¡¯t be long before Prince Darius ascends to the throne. Youji didn¡¯t look forward to that day. Unlike the king, the prince didn¡¯t care about the citizens of the country at all. He only cared about himself. Although many of the nobles despised him, some of them had recently been trying to win his favor, most likely in hopes of elevating their own status in the future.


    Another noble chimed in. "That''s exactly what I was thinking! Whoever it is, put me in an arena with them. I''ll personally teach them some manners!"


    There were many nods and words of approval among the nobles.


    Youji could see Raizen roll his eyes.


    "Then you''ll be up against the Combat Tournament champion."


    The room went silent at the sound of King Rowan''s cold voice.


    "Oh." The noble who had issued the challenge lowered his head.


    Raizen approached Prince Darius. "My dear prince, pardon me for asking, but why would Hupo want to take your life?"


    Finally, someone has the courage to ask what needs to be asked.


    Prince Darius loosened his collar. "He got in my way, so I did what needed to be done."


    ¡°How did he get in your way?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to meet one of his workers, but he refused to let me see her.¡±


    Raizen shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated manner. "I wonder why?¡±


    ¡°I was baffled as well.¡±


    ¡°You must¡¯ve been very upset.¡±


    ¡°You bet I was! I wanted to punch his face in with my bare hands!¡± Prince Darius pounded his fist in his hand.


    ¡°How did you get even with him?¡±


    "I burned down his restaurant."


    "And?"


    "I messed up his workers."


    "Anything else?"


    "What is this? An interrogation? I''m the victim here!" Prince Darius pointed to himself.


    "Just answer the question!" The anger in King Rowan''s voice surprised Youji. He had rarely seen the king so upset.


    Prince Darius gulped. "I hired assassins to kill him."


    Raizen narrowed his eyes. "What else did you do to him?"


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything else.¡±


    "And you''re the victim?"


    "Yes. Yes! At last, someone understands me."


    "I understand you perfectly. I have no more questions, my dear prince." Raizen returned to his original position.


    King Rowan gazed at the prince. "Do you regret what you''ve done?"


    The prince nodded. "Of course I do! I should''ve hired more assassins!"


    King Rowan shook his head. "I''ve failed as a father."


    General Hyperion stepped forward. "Your Majesty, can''t we just pay him off? Every man has a price."


    "Not this man. He already turned down my offer of knighthood, twice. He can''t be bought." King Rowan turned toward Youji. "Youji, what do you think we should do?"


    "Mobilize the capital''s entire garrison."


    General Hyperion''s eyes widened. "Are you mad? That''s twenty-five thousand knights! And all for one man?"


    Youji turned to face General Hyperion. "That man decimated a squad of knights with his bare hands and won the Combat Tournament with ease. Even then, I doubt we''ve seen his true strength."


    "But still, he''s just one man. A thousand knights should be more than enough. Not even you could stand up against that many."


    "Maybe you''re right. Maybe a thousand knights are enough to defeat Hupo. But suppose you''re wrong, and we went with your plan. Then not only would we lose all thousand knights, but the prince''s life would be forfeit as well. Are you willing to take that chance?"


    King Rowan gestured for silence. "That''s enough. Youji is right. Even the slightest chance of failure is unacceptable when my son''s life is on the line. We''ll go with his suggestion."


    General Hyperion bowed. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

 1 versus 25,000

    It was a spectacular view. He couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing such a dark and clear night sky. The stars shimmered with incredible clarity.


    As Hupo gazed at them, he wondered if they matched the ones in his old world. He had spent most of his life in urban areas, where artificial lights and polluted skies obscured his view of the stars.


    A voice flowed from behind him.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it? Never ceases to amaze me, no matter how many times I see it."


    Hupo looked over his shoulder. "Good evening, Erwin."


    "If you''d rather be alone¡­"


    "No, it''s fine. I could use some company."


    "Me too." Erwin walked to Hupo''s side.


    "I''m sorry for imposing on your village like this."


    Erwin smiled. "Don''t be. It''s an honor to be able to do something for our saviors. We wouldn''t even be here if it weren''t for you and Alana."


    "You allowed us to stay here, knowing full well what we''re planning to do."


    "Any loyalty I may have had toward the royal family vanished long ago, when they abandoned us to the werewolves. They didn''t give a damn about me, so why should I give a damn about them? When I heard what the prince had done to those poor girls, my opinion of the royal family sank even lower."


    "You could be branded as traitors."


    "I''ve already discussed this matter with the other villagers. We all know the risk, but we still agreed to take you and your friends in."


    "Dugu will stay behind tomorrow to protect the village."


    Erwin''s brows drew together. "Are you sure you don''t need to take him with you?"


    "I¡¯ll be fine."


    "How will you sneak into the Royal Palace?"


    "Sneak in, like criminals?" Hupo shook his head. "Never, I''ll do no such thing. We''re the ones who''ve been wronged."


    "Then how do you intend to reach the prince?"


    "Like a man."


    ***


    Chicken Castle had been so rowdy, so animated ¨C a warm, welcoming place for friends and families to enjoy each other¡¯s company. Now only a blackened skeleton remained of the once popular restaurant. The wind whistled through the twisted metal and black fragments of wood that had once been furniture.


    Hupo stood in front of the remains of his restaurant. ¡°I remember standing here, on Chicken Castle¡¯s opening day. I was so proud and excited at the prospect of owning my own restaurant. The location was perfect ¨C it was right next to a busy road. All we needed to do was convince people to come inside. And that¡¯s exactly what we did, with our good food and welcoming environment. We drew in more customers than we could handle. Everything seemed perfect.¡±


    Alana walked to his side. ¡°You worked hard to build it up.¡±


    ¡°We did it together. Seeing it in this wretched state pains my heart. But that pain is nothing compared to what I felt when I saw what had happened to Coco and Easton. What the prince did to them is unforgivable.¡± He clenched his fists. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Their bodies have been restored to normal, but it¡¯ll take time for their minds to heal.¡±


    ¡°I feel partly responsible for what happened to them. If only I had been there to protect them¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. Thinking about ¡®what if¡¯ scenarios isn¡¯t going to help you. It¡¯s only going to make you feel worse.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I can never change the past. The only thing I can change is the future.¡± His eyes fell on a signboard sticking out from the ruins.


    He pulled it out, and wiped ash from its surface. ¡°Do you remember how we came up with the name for the restaurant?¡±


    ¡°We sampled your food, and then you asked us what we thought the restaurant should be called. In the end, we agreed that Easton¡¯s suggestion was the best.¡±


    Hupo smiled. ¡°He¡¯s often quiet, but he¡¯s much more extraordinary than he lets on. That man is actually very thoughtful and courageous.¡±


    He turned to face Alana. ¡°Thanks for the lift. I must finish the remainder of the journey alone.¡±


    ¡°Let me come with you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be concerned about my safety. I¡¯ll be fine, no matter how many opponents stand in my way. By now, you too must¡¯ve realized just how powerful we are in this world.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your safety that I¡¯m worried about. I¡¯m concerned about what fighting so many of your own kind would do to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I must go alone. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re human too. Please respect this selfish wish of mine and let me bear this burden alone.¡±


    Alana embraced him. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    He wrapped his arms around her. ¡°I will. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±


    Moving away, he leaped onto the roof of the closest building.


    He continued leaping, from rooftop to rooftop, toward the Royal Palace.


    ***


    General Hyperion yawned. He had spent most of last night and all morning assembling and organizing the capital''s knights for battle. Behind him was a twenty-five thousand strong army. Each knight within the army was trained and equipped to kill. They were organized into a disciplined battle formation, in front of the palace gates.


    This is absolute insanity - gathering together twenty-five thousand knights just to fight one man. I can''t believe Youji convinced King Rowan to go along with such a ludicrous plan.


    He found himself constantly nodding off to sleep and jerking back awake. Despite his best efforts, he couldn¡¯t keep his eyes from closing.


    "General!"


    General Hyperion snapped back awake. He looked at the knight captain. "What is it?"


    "He''s coming."


    Looking into the distance, General Hyperion could make out Hupo''s figure.


    "He''s going for a frontal attack?"


    He hadn¡¯t expected anyone to show up. It wasn¡¯t something a man in his right mind would do. The most sensible way for an assassin to reach Prince Darius would be to sneak into the Royal Palace. It would be much easier to get past the palace guards than to take on an entire army.


    He turned toward the knight captain. "Alert the king immediately!"


    "Yes, sir!" The knight captain bowed before leaving.


    General Hyperion rode his horse toward Hupo. It was his duty to meet with the representative of the enemy army, as he¡¯d always done before any large-scale battle. Except this time, the enemy army and representative were one and the same. The meetings had more of a symbolic, rather than practical, purpose. They showed that each side was willing to exhaust all diplomatic options, up until the very last moment.


    He stopped in front of Hupo. "I''m General Hyperion. I''ve come to negotiate the terms of your surrender."


    Hupo laughed. "You crack me up."


    Has he gone mad after seeing the enormous army before him?


    General Hyperion cleared his throat. "Threatening the prince''s life is a grave offense, punishable by summary execution. But luckily for you, the king is a merciful and forgiving ruler. He is willing to overlook your transgression, just this once. In return, you must leave the Dominion and never come back."


    "And if I refuse?"


    "Then you will die. As you can clearly see, you are hopelessly outnumbered. Even if you are the Combat Tournament champion, there is no way you can fight this many men. No matter how strong you are, you will tire eventually and fall. I''m giving you a clear-cut choice - fight and die, or run and live."


    "I''ve got a proposal of my own: Tell your men to get out of my way, or I''ll cut every last one of them down."


    "I''m afraid I can''t do that."


    Hupo showed the back of his fist and extended his middle finger upward.


    General Hyperion narrowed his eyes. "I''m sorry; I fail to comprehend the meaning of your hand gesture."


    "Where I¡¯m from, it means negotiations are over."


    "Well, that''s a shame." General Hyperion turned to leave. "I''ll see you on the battlefield."


    When General Hyperion returned to his army, the knight captain approached him. "Sir, I''ve notified the king. He''s watching from the palace''s observation deck."


    "Thank you. Unfortunately, Hupo refused to capitulate. I don''t know if he''s brave or just plain stupid."


    "What should we do?"


    "Strike him down with arrows. Against a warrior, it''s one of the most dishonorable things to do, but also one of the most effective. I will not risk the lives of my men for the sake of pride."

 Wrath of God

    Located upon one of topmost floors of the Royal Palace, the observation deck could easily accommodate upwards of a hundred people. Under the present circumstances, it was considered the safest place for the royal family to be. To reach it, an assassin would have get past the multitude of knights guarding the floors below.


    Youji stood at the edge of the observation deck, gazing upon General Hyperion''s awe-inspiring army. Behind him were the royal family, Raizen, and half a dozen nobles. The army was comprised of tens of thousands of silver knights, organized in rows. Knights armed with long pikes and tall shields occupied the front rows. They held their shields edge-to-edge, forming a metal wall. Behind them were the archers, equipped with longbows. Further back were the cavalrymen, who were mounted on powerful war horses. The remaining infantry stood at the back of the army.


    He couldn¡¯t shake off a feeling of uneasiness in his chest. The logical part of his brain was telling him that the royal family was perfectly safe up here. There was no way for Hupo to reach them. To do so, Hupo would have to defeat General Hyperion¡¯s army. No man could possibly do such a thing. Even the strongest of warriors would succumb to exhaustion, when up against such overwhelming numbers. But his emotions were warning him of impending danger.


    Raizen approached Youji''s side. "What a magnificent sight, seeing all those people lined up neatly in rows. Almost makes me want to shed a tear."


    "What are you getting at?"


    "It''s a sight almost worthy of applause. That is, if I didn''t know they were all gathered to murder one man."


    "That man wants to take the prince''s life."


    "You can hardly fault him for seeking justice for himself and his workers."


    Youji¡¯s brows drew together. "Is that what this is about?"


    "What kind of a king would the prince become, if he gets away with this?


    "A living one."


    "If living is all that is required of a ruler these days, then sign me up." Raizen raised his hand.


    "Choose your words carefully. What you''re saying is tantamount to treason."


    "I was thinking, since we''re all going to die today anyway, why not?" Raizen shrugged his shoulders.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Well, do you think Hupo is stupid?"


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    "Do you think he''s crazy?"


    "Not at all."


    Raizen sighed. "Then we''re screwed."


    "What?"


    Raizen crossed his arms. "Say, if you and I were to fight that army down there together, how many knights do you think we could take out?"


    "That''ll never happen." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Raizen smiled. "Humor me."


    Youji held up three fingers.


    "Three thousand? Yes, that sounds about right." Raizen nodded. "What if we were to fight separately?"


    After having fought many battles together, Youji knew full well how lethal Raizen''s magic was. Raizen could incinerate dozens of men at once with his [Lightning Barrage] spell. But the number of times he could cast it was limited to the amount of mana he had.


    "At most, a thousand each."


    "Why the much lower number?"


    "Our combined strength is much greater than the sum of our individual strength. By fighting together, we can make up for each other''s weaknesses and watch each other''s backs."


    "Precisely. Now let us consider Hupo''s case. His companion is an extremely powerful mage. Wouldn''t it make the most sense for him to bring her along?"


    "Yes, it would."


    "Then why didn''t he? According to General Hyperion¡¯s messenger, Hupo came alone.¡±


    "I don''t know."


    "I think you do."


    Youji''s eyes widened. "No... it cannot be... that''s impossible."


    Raizen leaned toward him. "Is it?"


    "He doesn''t need her."


    "Exactly. Like I said, we''re screwed."


    ***


    His whole body glowed a bright white, as if he had become pure energy. None of the knights could take their eyes from what appeared to be the embodiment of absolute purity. They temporarily forgot where they were, lost in the white glow''s celestial beauty. If one were to imagine what god would look like if he revealed himself to mortals, Hupo¡¯s appearance would approach that image - a perfect being, so pure that any mortal would be drawn to its magnificence.


    And then, from his sword, a colossal beam of erratic red energy exploded into the sky. It was as if all the anger in the world had been gathered and given physical form. The red blade of energy had a serrated, volatile appearance. It produced a screeching noise, as if the air itself was screaming in agony from being torn asunder. Continuing to grow in size, it shot ever further into the sky.


    Screams and cries of despair broke out among the knights. They wondered what they had done to incur the wrath of god. Anything the blade touched would surely be destroyed.


    General Hyperion shouted orders to release arrows. His desperate voice brought many of the knights back to their senses. The archers did as they were told, hoping that, somehow, their leader would lead them to salvation. They released enough arrows to blanket the sky.


    ***


    Hupo tightened his grip around his katana. Intense heat emanated from its massive blade of red energy. Without his armor, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to endure it. Shaking violently, his katana was becoming increasingly difficult to control. It felt like it could thrash out of his sore hands at any moment. Since coming to this world, this was the first time he¡¯d felt physically tired. At last, he had found his body¡¯s limit.


    The army unleashed a torrent of arrows toward him. As the arrows closed in, his breathing and heartbeat remained steady. Most people would be panicking in his situation. But Hupo was not ¡®most people.¡¯ He maintained his stance even as thousands of arrows rained down on him. They clanged against his armor and bounced off harmlessly. Even arrows that hit the openings in his mask were deflected. He had buffed his defensive stats with [Armored Body] beforehand, so his defense was so high that low level attacks had no effect on him.


    When the arrows stopped falling, he found himself in a field of sticks. He heard galloping in the distance and saw the army''s cavalry charging toward him. But they were too late. His skill¡¯s thirty second activation time had passed. He stepped forward, clenched his teeth, and prepared to swing his katana. Then he paused.


    [Blade of God], the attack he was about to use, was a Divine Skill. Divine Skills were incomparably more powerful than conventional ones and could only be used once every thirty hours. They were weapons of mass destruction. With a single move, he could wipe out the entire army of knights in front of him. But he was reluctant to do so.


    Is the price of justice too high? If I strike them down, then I¡¯ll soil my hands with the blood of tens of thousands of lives. I¡¯ll also ruin countless families, turning wives into widows and children into orphans. Can I possibly bear such a burden?


    The ground trembled and the galloping became louder, as the cavalry approached him. They¡¯d reach him in less than ten seconds.


    When he closed his eyes, a vivid image of Easton¡¯s mutilated face flashed in his mind.


    I made a promise. There will be justice.


    He took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and swung his katana with all his might.

 The Strongest Knight vs The Strongest Man in the World

    Youji heard screams and frantic cries around him. Although he appeared calm on the outside, he was anything but. The unreal scene before him had thrown him into a state of fear and desperation.


    It was as if a giant hand was sweeping across the army. Except the hand was a blade of energy, and instead of knocking knights down, it was scorching them to dust. The knights below were pushing and trampling over one another. But their desperate attempts to flee were in vain. The blade of energy was not slowed at all by the tens of thousands of bodies in its path. Anyone and anything it touched was incinerated in an instant, without exception.


    How can anyone be so powerful?


    The floor beneath him began quaking. A loud screeching noise pierced the air. He looked down the edge of the observation deck and saw the blade of energy cutting into the Royal Palace. The windows and stone walls were being blown to bits, releasing shards of glass and plumes of dust. It was only a matter of time before the whole palace collapsed.


    He tried to think of a way to save the royal family. Since they wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the front doors in time, the only one way out of the palace was off the edge of the observation deck. With his skills, he would only be able to save one member the royal family. He needed to entrust the safety of the other two to Raizen.


    Youji turned to face Raizen. "Save the prince and princess! I''ll take the king!"


    Raizen nodded. "Got it!"


    Youji rushed to King Rowan''s side and flung him over his shoulder. "My apologies, Your Majesty."


    "What about my children?"


    "Raizen has that covered."


    The floor beneath Youji cracked and tilted. He anchored himself by stabbing his sword into it.


    He watched the nobles cling desperately to the railings of the observation deck. But there was nothing he could do to help them. They fell screaming, one after another, as the observation deck broke apart into stone slabs.


    Youji pulled out his sword. "Leg Boost!"


    Mana flowed into his legs, filling them with power. He sprung from one stone slab to another, dodging and cutting away debris, all the while carrying King Rowan over his shoulder.


    "Tornado Slash!" Youji spun around at high speed, right before reaching the ground.


    The air current created by his spinning motion blew away the plumes of dust around him and softened his landing.


    A massive shadow loomed overhead. Looking up, he saw a gigantic slab of stone falling straight toward him. There was no time to move out of the way. His only option was to cut through it.


    Youji was about to make a move, when a torrent of lightning crackled through the air and struck the stone slab from the side, ripping it apart into countless of pieces.


    I''ll thank him later.


    Raizen was the only mage he knew who could cast [Lightning Barrage]. It was an incredibly fast and powerful attack spell.


    Most of the debris from the stone slab fell harmlessly around Youji, but some of the it continued falling toward him.


    I cannot afford to let a single one reach the king. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Razor Focus!¡±


    Time itself seemed to slow down. The debris appeared to fall more slowly. He could perceive the location and movement of each and every stone.


    "Limiter Release!" The limitations that his mind had subconsciously placed on his body, to protect it, were removed.


    He repelled every stone that entered his sword range. It was as if there was a barrier around him.


    After knocking away all the stones, he lay King Rowan on the ground. The king was unconscious, but otherwise unharmed. When the dust settled, only rubble remained where the Royal Palace once stood.


    After using so many skills in quick succession, he felt physically and mentally drained. He fell to his knees, gasping for air. His head throbbed and his vision blurred. He heard muffled voices and turned his head toward them. Although his vision was blurry, he could still make out the figures of Raizen, the prince, and the princess approaching him.


    His mental fog cleared enough for Raizen''s voice to break through.


    "You alright, Youji? How''s the king?"


    "I''m alright." Youji stopped to catch his breath. "The king is unconscious."


    Raizen knelt next to King Rowan and muttered ¡°Awaken.¡±


    King Rowan''s eyes fluttered open. "Wha-what happened?"


    "The Royal Palace collapsed." Raizen paused. "Apart from you and your children, we couldn''t save anyone else. I''m sorry, your Majesty."


    "What about the army?"


    Raizen shook his head.


    "But-but how? How can that be? Twenty-five thousand knights gone... in an instant..." King Rowan appeared dazed.


    Youji helped the king stand. "Your Majesty, I don''t mean to be pushy, but we need to leave now. Hupo is probably headed this way."


    He heard a deafening thunder clap behind him. A fraction of a second later, he felt as if a huge hand had slammed into his back. He was sent flying through the air, for what seemed like ages, until he crashed onto his side. As dirt fell all around him, he pushed himself up.


    He rushed toward King Rowan, who lay on the ground not far from to him. "Your Majesty, are you hurt anywhere?"


    King Rowan coughed. "I''m fine. How are others?"


    Before Youji could reply, he heard a distant, but clear voice from the direction of the blast.


    "They look fine as well." Hupo was strolling up the edge of a crater toward them.


    ***


    Youji scanned his surroundings and saw that Raizen, Prince Darius, and Princess Amigdala were back on their feet. He knew that he couldn¡¯t beat Hupo, even with Raizen''s help. The best he could do was buy time for the royal family to escape. Even if he could only buy a minute, with his life, then that would be enough.


    ¡°Raizen, get the royal family away from here, as far as you can. I''ll hold Hupo here.¡±


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of them. But don''t go dying on me just yet. You still owe me one." Raizen gathered the royal family and ran.


    There''s no one I trust more than you, old friend, with the royal family''s safety.


    Resolving to put everything he had into the next minute, Youji began activating his skills, one after another.


    "Razor Focus, Limiter Release, Arm Boost, Leg Boost, Harden Muscles, Harden Bones, Endure Pain."


    Under normal circumstances, he would never activate so many skills at once. Otherwise, he could die from exhaustion when they wore off. But now was not the time to hold back. Extreme circumstances called for extreme measures.


    He felt like a ball of energy had exploded inside of him, spreading power to his entire body. He had never felt power like this before.


    Yes, with this power, I should be able to last at least a minute against him.


    For the next few minutes, he would have a superhuman body. His senses and reflexes had exceeded the bounds of humanity. He could bend metal with his arms and leap several stories. His muscles and bones were as tough as metal. He could endure a stab wound without batting an eye. And to top it all off, he had the skills of a Master Level swordsman.


    All his skills and battle experience would be put to the test in the next few minutes.


    This is it.


    He raised his sword and lunged toward Hupo with a speed he never knew he had. But before he could take another step, his heart and mind were pierced by an overwhelming sense of impending doom. His sword fell from his hand and he collapsed onto his knees.


    "Hold me here? Please don''t say impossible things." A choking bloodlust was bursting forth from Hupo.


    Youji felt wave after wave of intense fear. His heart pounded so loudly that he was afraid it was going to burst out of his chest. He became so afraid that he couldn¡¯t catch his breath. His whole body was shaking, and he felt as though he was going to throw up.


    Am I dying?


    Hupo stopped at Youji¡¯s side, leaned toward his ear, and whispered, "How can you hold me here, when you can''t even move?"


    After Hupo passed him, the bloodlust dissipated. Youji was able to breathe normally again, but he couldn¡¯t stop shaking or move his body.


    Is this all that my decades of backbreaking training and battle experience amounts to? A one second fight?

 Small Breasts

    Whew, for a moment there, I thought he was going to die. If his power level had been even a bit lower, then the [Bloodlust] skill would¡¯ve killed him.


    Based on the amount of pressure that Youji emitted, Hupo had judged his power level to be at least level thirty. He was glad that his judgment was correct. The skill had paralyzed, rather than killed Youji, just as he¡¯d intended. He didn¡¯t want to take the life of such an honorable man ¨C a man who was willing to sacrifice himself to buy time for the others to escape.


    Looking into the distance, Hupo saw that the others were not far from him.


    "Leap!" In a single bound, he landed in front of them.


    His landing cracked the ground, sending dirt and dust flying in all directions. Turning around, he saw Raizen and three other people - the king, the princess, and a young man.


    The young man must be the prince.


    "Raizen, I wish we could''ve met again under different circumstances."


    "As do I."


    "Except for the prince, you''re all free to leave. He''s the only one I came here for."


    "Thank heavens! You should''ve said so earlier!" The princess moved away from the group.


    "Wait, don''t leave me!" The prince extended his arm toward her.


    "Sucks to be you, brother." Without looking back, she walked away.


    When Hupo took a step toward the prince, Raizen blocked his path.


    Hupo gripped his katana. "Stand aside."


    Raizen shook his head. "Regrettably, I can''t do that."


    "Why are you throwing your life away for the prince? Is he a man worth fighting for? Is he worth dying for?"


    "Certainly not."


    The prince glared at Raizen. "What did you say?"


    Raizen turned toward the prince. "I''m sorry, my dear prince, but since I''m going to die soon anyway, I may as well say it. Except for your father, no one loves you, not even your own sister. Everyone despises you, especially me. To be honest, I''ve never seen a more worthless piece of trash in my life. I bet you''d rape your own sister if you could."


    "I''d never do such a thing! Her breasts are too small!"


    Raizen turned back to face Hupo and sighed. "See what I mean?"


    Hupo kept his hand on his katana. "Then why do you stand in my way?"


    "Don''t get me wrong. I''m not doing this for him. I''m doing this for the king''s sake. He''s someone worth taking a knife in the heart for." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Another honorable man. I''m encountering them one after another today.


    "Then so be it."


    Hupo took another step forward.


    "Lightning Barrage!" A torrent of lightning crackled forth from Raizen''s hand, toward Hupo.


    Hupo used [Flash Step] to instantly shift his body three steps to the side, dodging the lightning. He was surprised by his own reaction time, which was quick enough to dodge an attack that moved at the speed of light.


    Raizen continued shooting lightning at Hupo.


    Meanwhile, Hupo continued dodging with [Flash Step].


    "Try dodging this! Arc Lightning!" Raizen slammed his staff into the ground.


    Lightning spread along the ground in a wide arc, from the bottom of his staff, toward Hupo.


    "Lightning Blade!" Lightning enveloped the blade of Hupo¡¯s katana.


    He stabbed it into the ground, stopping Raizen''s lightning in its tracks. The collision sent bolts of electricity flying in all directions.


    As soon as Raizen''s lightning attack dissipated, Hupo pulled out his katana, which was still sheathed in lightning, and hurled it at Raizen.


    "Triple Magic Shield!" Three transparent, floating shields materialized in front of Raizen.


    The katana streaked through the air, shattered all three shields, and impaled Raizen''s shoulder.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± The lightning around the katana electrocuted Raizen. He fell to the ground, convulsing.


    Hupo walked over to Raizen''s body and pulled out his katana.


    After taking lightning damage, he should be paralyzed for a while.


    He headed toward the prince.


    The prince staggered backwards and fell. "Save me, Father!"


    King Rowan got down on his knees. "Please spare my son! I beg of you, take my life instead!"


    "Your son is poison, and I''m the antidote." Hupo continued walking toward the prince.


    The prince pointed a shaky finger at Hupo. "You can''t do this to me! I''m royalty!"


    Hupo stopped in front of the prince. "And now you''re dead."


    He stabbed his blade into the prince''s chest.


    ***


    King Rowan had loved his late wife dearly. She had died giving birth to his son. At her deathbed, he promised her that he would keep their children safe and give them the best in the world.


    Being the king, he had many duties to perform and didn¡¯t find much time to spend with his children. Instead, he just gave them whatever they wanted. As they grew older, their requests became more challenging, but he continued indulging them. As a result, his son and daughter came to believe that their mere existence entitled them to special privileges and rewards.


    When he first found out what his son had been doing to women in the capital, he did nothing to stop his perverse behavior. He kept telling himself that he was too busy to deal with it. However, deep down, he knew the real reason why he always kept his distance from his children. Seeing their faces brought back painful memories of his deceased wife. Her death left a hole in his heart that never quite healed.


    Now his son was dead. He wept as he held his cold body in his arms. He wished he could turn back time and spend more time with him. If only he¡¯d instilled a sense of righteousness in him, then perhaps he¡¯d still be alive.


    "Your Majesty, I''m so sorry."


    King Rowan turned toward the voice and saw Youji, who was limping toward him.


    Resentment festered and grew inside King Rowan''s heart. "Why are you still alive, while my son is dead?"


    Youji dropped onto his knees and lowered his chin. "I failed my sacred duty to protect the royal family. Please pass judgment on me as you see fit."


    King Rowan glared at him. "Did you even try saving him?"


    "Why ask a question you already know the answer to?"


    King Rowan recognized Raizen''s voice.


    He scanned his surroundings, but was unable to find him. "Raizen? Where are you?"


    "Down here."


    Not far from him, King Rowan could see Raizen sprawled on the ground. "What are you doing there?"


    "My apologies, Your Majesty, but I won''t be able to move my body for the next little while."


    "What happened to you?"


    "Hupo left me completely incapacitated. He probably did the same thing to Youji."


    King Rowan turned to look at Youji. "Is that true?"


    Youji kept his head lowered and remained silent.


    "I¡¯m sorry for questioning your loyalty, Youji. Deep down, I knew you tried your best, but -.¡± King Rowan choked back tears. ¡°I-I just can¡¯t accept this. I just can¡¯t.¡±

 Death as Far as the Eye Can See

    The place where the army once stood had become a desert. Hupo walked into the vast expanse of ash, which stretched further than the eye could see. The soft ash shifted with every step he took. Kneeling, he scooped a handful of the dark, powdery residue with his hand. Most of it slipped through his fingers. He could see bits of bone among the ash.


    I did this.


    He clenched his hand into a fist and lowered his chin. The thought of being responsible for the destruction of so many lives overwhelmed him. He felt tightness in his chest. It worsened and spread to his throat. Breathing became difficult. When he tried standing, he felt dizzy and fell onto his hands and knees.


    His stomach contracted violently. Its contents sprayed from his mouth, spraying the ground. The foul stench of vomit filled the air.


    He heaved again, but only clear liquid came up. The stomach acid burned his throat and left a sour and bitter taste in his mouth. He wiped his lips clean, as he surveyed the mess he¡¯d just made with watery eyes.


    ¡°Hupo!¡±


    Raising his head, he saw Alana descending toward him.


    She rushed toward him as soon as she landed. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Sorry to worry you. I¡¯m fine. What are you doing here? I thought I told you to wait for me in the city.¡±


    She took hold of his arm and lifted him up to his feet. ¡°I was watching you from afar. When you fell, I came as fast I could. What happened to you?¡±


    He looked at his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve tainted these hands with the blood of tens of thousands of lives. It¡¯s an act that cannot be undone. Those knights that I¡¯ve killed are gone forever. Because of me, they¡¯ll never see their families again.¡±


    ¡°The burden you bear is great. I wish I could help you carry it.¡±


    Hupo shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for both of us to.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ***


    Dubin village hosted a feast, upon Hupo''s safe return. Everyone gathered in the village square to share food and drink.


    While Dugu waited in line for food, a fragrant smell wafted through the air. His mouth watered and his stomach growled.


    Erwin, the man ahead of him, laughed and turned around. "Someone''s hungry."


    Dugu wiped drool away from his mouth. "Smells a whole lot better than what I''m use to eating."


    "That''s the stew you''re smelling. It''s made with chicken, sausage, spices, and a whole whack of other ingredients. I''m glad the villagers can remember the recipe. I take it you don''t cook either?"


    Dugu pointed to his back. "This sword isn''t for cutting vegetables."


    "There are many pretty ladies here. I''m sure one of them can give you a hand." Erwin winked. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Dugu sighed and showed his hand.


    Erwin narrowed his eyes. "Is that a wedding ring?"


    "It''s a slavery ring."


    "Aren''t they the same thing?"


    Dugu nodded. "My point exactly."


    They both laughed.


    After Dugu had his food, he searched for a spot to sit. Many of the women he had rescued were sitting around a camp fire, dancing and singing songs.


    That looks fun, but my wife wouldn¡¯t want me going over there.


    He sighed and continued his search. His gaze fell upon the silhouette of a man, who sat alone in the darkness under a tree. Looking more closely, he realized that the man was Easton.


    He could use some company.


    Dugu noticed an untouched bowl of stew next to Easton. "Aren''t you going to eat that?"


    Easton raised his head. "Huh?"


    He wore a vacant expression.


    Dugu tapped the bowl on the ground with his foot. "That bowl of stew isn''t going to eat itself."


    Easton''s gaze slowly moved to the bowl next to him. "Hupo brought it for me. You can have it. I''m not hungry."


    The trauma he endured recently must still be fresh in his mind.


    Dugu sat next to him. "I''m also a torture survivor."


    "Really?"


    Dugu nodded. "After I was captured by the werewolves, they beat the living daylights out of me. It was payback for all the werewolves I had killed. The daily beatings got so bad that I thought I was going to die. And do you want to know how I dealt with it afterwards?"


    Easton stared at Dugu in silence.


    Dugu leaned toward him. "I kept myself busy. I was so busy honing my sword skills that I didn''t have time to think about anything else. Those painful memories will always be there, but over time, they''ll become more tolerable."


    "What can I do to keep busy?"


    Dugu recalled what the old man in his dream had told him. ¡°That''s something you''ll have to figure out on your own. The world is a big place. As long as you never give up and keep searching, then one day, you¡¯ll find your place in it. Keeping yourself busy, doing something that you¡¯re meant to do, will bring you a sense of fulfillment.¡±


    He handed Easton the bowl of stew. ¡°First, you''ll need to eat to feed that brain of yours. It''s hard to think on an empty stomach."


    Easton took the bowl of stew and began eating.


    ***


    Alana''s healing magic was able to heal Easton''s body, but not his mind. The horrific torture that he¡¯d endured left him with traumatic memories. His demeanor became quiet and somber. His appetite had also changed. He used to be so excited about food, but now he hardly ever touched it.


    That was why Hupo was surprised to see Easton chowing down a bowl of stew. A few words from Dugu seemed to be all it had taken to get him to eat again. Hupo wanted to know what those words were.


    When Dugu left Easton, Hupo approached him. "Dugu, how did you do that?"


    "Do what?"


    "Get Easton to eat."


    "I just told him one thing."


    "Which is...?"


    "My deepest and darkest secret."


    "Oh..." Hupo cleared his throat. "Whatever you did, it''s working. You''ve brought some light back into his eyes. And for that, you have my gratitude."


    Dugu gazed at Easton. "He reminded me of myself, not too long ago."


    Hupo could see a deep sadness in his eyes. "I''m sorry to hear to that."


    "It''s alright, I''m just glad to be alive. Surviving a near death experience gifted me with a new appreciation of my own life."


    "It''s good to have a postive outlook. Everyone encounters adversity, but not everyone can deal with it as well as you can. Any news about your wife?"


    "No, I haven''t heard back from the werewolf holding her hostage."


    "Then what do plan to do?"


    "I have to return to Ferdania. Something is wrong."


    "Let me come with you."


    "Are you sure?"


    Hupo nodded. "I want to help you save your wife."


    A big smile spread on Dugu''s face. "Thank you, you''d be a big help!"


    "It''s the least I can do, after all you''ve done for my companions."


    "What about the girls and the villagers?"


    "Alana will stay behind to protect them."


    "She won''t be happy about that. She didn''t seem so thrilled when you went off by yourself to the palace."


    "I know, but she''ll come around. I just need to do some convincing, like last time."


    "By the way, can I ask you question? I have one that''s been burning in my mind."


    Hupo was certain that it was a question about his relationship with Alana. He forced a smile. "Go on."


    "How did the prince die?"


    Whew.


    "How do you think he died?"


    "In the most painful way imaginable?"


    Hupo shook his head. "No, nothing like that. What do think I am, evil? Let''s just say, he died of a broken heart."

 Weak Sauce

    Deo made his way to the royal residence¡¯s training ground. Wherever he walked, werewolves would stare in his direction for a moment, before quickly looking away. Did they fear him? Of course not. Most of them saw humans as an inferior species. But they didn¡¯t dare look down on the monster behind him.


    ¡®Monster¡¯ was a suitable word to describe Anubis. The demon general was built for violence. Bulging muscles adorned his tall frame. Like Kreed, his eyes glowed red and horns grew out of head.


    A werewolf opened the doors to the training ground for them. He stood very straight, avoiding eye contact and gulping as they passed him by.


    Anubis lowered his head to avoid hitting the top of the doorway.


    The training ground was a large, open space surrounded by walls. Five armed men awaited them inside - an axeman, a swordsman, a spearman, an archer, and a mage. They had once been soldiers of Ferdania''s military during the Ferdania-Werewolf war.


    "Anubis, I''ve gathered some of the strongest prisoners here so that you could test your new body." Deo extended his hand toward the group.


    To motivate them, Deo had promised them their freedom if they could survive the ¡®training exercise.¡¯ Of course, he didn¡¯t expect them to stand a chance against the demon general, who was supposedly stronger than the werewolf lord.


    "One hand. Yes, that should be more than enough." Anubis put one hand behind his back.


    Deo raised his eyebrows. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Anubis moved toward the fighters.


    They reacted by backing away. Their weapons trembled in their hands.


    Wiping sweat away from his forehead, the swordsman yelled at the others. "Do not despair, he''s just one werewolf! Surround him!"


    His confident voice appeared to give the others courage. They moved quickly to surround Anubis. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    A tense few seconds passed, but no one moved.


    "Ready? Because I am." Anubis punched the air.


    The axeman, who stood in the direction of the punch, was knocked backwards. His body splattered against the wall, painting it red with blood.


    Incredible! He created a powerful blast of pressure by merely punching the air!


    The spearman thrust his spear at Anubis''s back. Lightning crackled at the spear''s tip right before it struck.


    The spearman used lightning to increase the penetrating ability of his attack. Anubis will definitely feel that.


    "That tickled." Anubis twisted around and slammed his fist into the spearman''s body. The punch produced a loud bang on impact. It blew a gaping hole in the spearman, sending him flying in the air like a rag doll.


    Much to Deo''s surprise, the lightning enhanced spear attack didn¡¯t even scratch Anubis''s body.


    An arrow zipped pass Anubis'' ear.


    "What were you aiming at, the air?" Anubis strolled toward the archer.


    The archer shot more arrows in rapid succession.


    Anubis swatted them away like flies. Before he reached the archer, a fireball flew toward him from the side. Without stopping, he caught it in his hand and tossed it back at the mage who had shot it.


    Deo watched in awe as the mage was struck and burned alive by the fireball.


    The mage screamed and flailed his arms around for a few seconds, before collapsing. His corpse continued burning, filling the air with the smell of smoke and burnt flesh.


    Anubis reached the archer. With a swing of his arm, he slapped him with enough force to crack the wall.


    Then, the swordsman raised his sword, charged at Anubis, and slashed.


    Anubis deflected the blow with a finger flick.


    The swordsman continued attacking and Anubis continued flicking. After slashing a dozen times, the swordsman stopped to catch his breath. All his blows had been deflected.


    Anubis raised his arm and flicked the swordsman¡¯s forehead.


    The swordsman¡¯s head snapped backwards. His body crashed into the ground, rolling numerous times before coming to a stop.


    "What are you people made of, paper?" Anubis had annihilated the group of armed men in less than a minute.


    When he turned to leave, Deo began clapping. "What a magnificent display of strength! I can''t believe you did it with one hand behind your back."


    "I went overboard. One finger probably would''ve been enough."


    As he watched Anubis walk away, Deo let out a deep sigh of relief. He was thankful that they were on the same side.


    Anubis stopped. ¡°When will I get a chance to fight them?¡±


    ¡°You mean the two strong enemies that the pre-invasion force encountered in the Dominion?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Soon. Now that you¡¯ve adjusted to your new body, we can commence the invasion.¡±

 My Boss is a Monster

    Barin sat alongside other branch leaders at a round, black table. All of them, including him, were master level fighters. Once, he saw them as powerful beings. But after encountering Hupo and experiencing firsthand what true power was, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head at how naive his past self had been. There were six seats at the table. One was reserved for the supreme leader. All the other seats, except one, were filled by branch leaders. The empty seat belonged to the leader of Ferdania''s branch. She had been missing ever since the werewolves conquered Ferdania.


    Chronos sat next to Barin. He was the Celestial Empire''s branch leader. Gunther, Andor''s branch leader, sat on Barin''s other side. Sitting furthest away from Barin was Shazara, the Zodiac Kingdom''s branch leader. Besides their names and which country they were stationed in, Barin knew little else about them. They shared intelligence with one another, but not information pertaining to themselves. In the world of assassins, no one could be trusted. An ally today could become an enemy tomorrow. Keeping one''s abilities hidden prevented others from coming up with ways to counter them.


    "Why the gloomy face, Barin? You look like you could use some shuteye."


    Shazara was right. He hadn¡¯t had a good night''s sleep since he¡¯d encountered Hupo a month ago. The vulnerability he felt when he closed his eyes was terrifying. When he did manage to fall asleep, he would wake up, after only a few hours, from a nightmare. The recurring nightmares were always related to his encounter with Hupo. They even bled into his daily life. Any loud noise made his heart pound and gave him a bad feeling in his stomach.


    But he didn¡¯t want to appear weak in front of his fellow branch leaders. "It''s nothing."


    "Considering what we do for a living, it''s a miracle that any of us sleep well at night."


    The others laughed at Chronos''s remark.


    Fools. They have no idea how ignorant they really are. If they knew there were monsters like Hupo walking about, then they wouldn''t be able to sleep either.


    Gunther slapped Barin''s back. "Lay off him, won''t you? He''s probably having nightmares about the supreme leader."


    Chronos and Shazara laughed.


    The supreme leader was an enigma. Barin heard many outrageous rumors about him. Some said he¡¯d been around since Algori''s founding, but that would mean that he was hundreds of years old. Others said he wasn¡¯t even human. However, one thing was certain - the supreme leader was strong. To keep all the branch leaders in line, he had to be. Some assassins, including former branch leaders, had tried to overthrow the supreme leader in the past. They¡¯d all ended up dead.


    When a cloaked man in an iron mask entered, the room became eerily silent. He approached the table and took the seat reserved for the supreme leader.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Chronos was the first to speak. "Since we¡¯re in my branch and I arrived first, why don''t I start the meeting?"


    The man in the iron mask slammed the table. "Silence!"


    Chronos gulped.


    Barin began shivering. When he saw ice crystals forming on the inside of his water glass, he realized that he wasn¡¯t imagining it - the room had indeed become colder


    The man in the iron mask pointed at Barin. "You."


    Barin thought his heart had stopped. "Supreme Leader, I don''t understand -"


    Before he could finish, he was yanked off his chair by an invisible force and pulled toward the supreme leader. He slid across the table, knocking over his glass of water and smacking into the supreme leader''s hand. The hand wrapped around his head and lifted him up. His feet dangled in the air as he struggled to break free from the suffocating grip.


    A cold voice boomed, "Repent!"


    "Wha-what do you want?" Barin felt the hand tighten around his head.


    "Repent!"


    Barin desperately tried to figure out the meaning behind the supreme leader''s words. It held the key to his survival.


    He thought of the failed assassination attempt on Hupo''s life. "I''m sorry for losing the assassins!"


    The hand squeezed tighter. "Repent!"


    Time was running out. The pressure on his head was becoming unbearable. His skull could be crushed at any moment. When he sensed increased bloodlust from the supreme leader, a flash of insight hit him.


    Algori was comprised of people from all walks of life, including thieves, criminals, and knights. Some joined the organization to make a living with their unique set of skills. Others joined because they were disillusioned with their government and wanted to do some good. The overarching aim of Algori was to promote social justice. Branch leaders were expected to reject any assassination request that went against that goal. It put the organization at odds with tyrants and oppressors.


    Barin had let his greed get the better of him when he¡¯d accepted the prince''s request. Although he knew that the prince had a reputation for kidnapping women, he had accepted the request anyway because the prince had offered an enormous amount of money. He thought he could twist the truth and make it look like he was protecting the royal family. But the supreme leader wasn¡¯t naive.


    Even though Barin was in charge of Algori''s activities in the Dominion, all of the organization''s members ultimately answered to the supreme leader. It was not surprising, but expected, that the supreme leader would have people within Algori''s Dominion branch monitoring his activities.


    "Wait! I''m sorry for choosing the wrong client!"


    The hand released him. "There''s hope for you yet."


    Barin collapsed onto his hands and knees. "Pl-please, no more. I promise it won''t happen again."


    "Get back to your seat!"


    Barin winced at the anger in the supreme leader''s voice. He bowed before scurrying back to his seat at the table.


    Once Barin was seated, the supreme leader continued speaking. "I''ve heard that the Dominion is in dire straits. Is it true that the Royal Palace was destroyed?"


    Barin nodded. "That''s correct."


    "And the army defending the capital was obliterated?"


    "Yes."


    "By one man?"


    "Correct."


    "The man you tried to kill?"


    Barin gulped. "Yes."


    The supreme leader shook his head. "Foolish."


    "I sure am."


    "I do not wish for Algori to become enemies with this man. Find him and pay him double what the prince offered."


    Barin''s eyes widened. "Double?"


    The supreme leader glared at him. "Is there a problem?"


    Barin stiffened his back. "No, not at all!


    "Good. Then let''s hear the reports from the other branches."

 Rage Quit

    A week had passed since Beth left her home town in the Dominion, on her way to Andor''s capital. She rode in the same wagon as her father, who was a merchant leading a trade caravan. He had hired more guards than usual to protect the wagons, because travelling within the Dominion had become more dangerous. Not only did they need to be wary of bandits, but they also had to watch out for werewolves as well. Several of the frontier villages had already been attacked by werewolves.


    Her father chatted with the coachman for a while, before returning his seat. "We''ll cross the border soon. Once we''re in Andor, we''ll stop to rest."


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± She felt sadness in heart every time she left the home she grew up in.


    She had fond memories of it - memories of the blessed days she¡¯d spent with her late mother. Her mother had passed away years ago from sickness, but her gentle voice and smile lived on in Beth¡¯s memories. As Beth reminisced about the past, she nodded off to sleep. She was awoken by shouts from outside.


    "We''re under attack!"


    "Protect the wagons!"


    Her father grabbed his sword. "Beth, stay here until I return."


    He had trained in the art of swordsmanship in his youth. Although his body was not what it used to be, he still retained his most of his skills with consistent practice. Still, she worried about his safety.


    "Be careful, Father."


    With a nod, he opened the flap of the wagon and left.


    The two guards sitting across from her followed.


    Beth could hear the sound of a vicious battle outside. In every direction, she heard screaming, horse hooves stomping the ground, and metal clanging against metal. Eventually, after what seemed like a long while, the sounds stopped.


    A voice, that she had never heard before, was shouting outside. "Check the wagons for any stragglers! Keep your guard up!"


    Beads of sweat flowed down her forehead. She reached for a pot inside the wagon and firmly grasped it''s handle with her shaky and clammy hands. She heard footsteps outside. As the sound of the footsteps grew louder, her heart began hammering in her chest. She could hear each of her quick and shallow breaths. Her knuckles blanched as she tightened her grip around the pot¡¯s handle.


    The flap of the wagon opened and a rugged man, who she¡¯d never seen before, peered inside. When he saw her, his face twisted into a perverted expression.


    He licked his lips. "My, my, today must be my lucky da-"


    She slammed the side of the man''s face with the bottom of the pot, knocking him backwards. She hopped out of the wagon and ran as fast as she could. There were many bloodied bodies strewn all over the ground, so she had to watch her footing while running. She didn¡¯t want to think about whose body she was stepping over.


    She heard a voice behind her.


    "You bitch! That hurt like hell!"


    Two bandits stepped in front of her, blocking her path.


    She turned and continued running.


    One of the bandits chased her down and grabbed her arm.


    Twisting around, she swung the pot at him.


    He grabbed it and threw it aside. "We got a feisty one! Hahaha!"


    "Let me go!" She screamed and tried to pull away from the bandit¡¯s vice-like grip.


    He dragged her by the arm and threw her into a group of people sitting on the ground.


    She pushed herself up and wiped dirt away from her face. Glancing around, she saw that the group in front of her consisted of only women and children from the caravan. They were trembling and embracing one another. A woman soothed her bawling child, rocking back and forth as she held him close to her chest. Another woman covered her face with her hands, weeping and shaking her head.


    Beth¡¯s father was not among them. Tears welled up in Beth¡¯s eyes when she realized that he and the other men of the caravan were most likely dead. Both her parents were now gone forever. She felt so alone, so vulnerable. The tears wouldn¡¯t stop flowing. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Two dozen bandits surrounded her and the group of survivors. One, in particular, stood out from all the rest. His whole face was wrapped in bandages, except for his eyes and mouth.


    She overheard him talking to a much larger, bearded bandit.


    "What do you plan to do with the women and children, Dreyfus?"


    "It''s Chief Dreyfus.¡± The bearded bandit furrowed his brows. ¡°First, you just stand on the sidelines for the whole battle. Then, you don¡¯t even address me properly. You¡¯re lucky that I¡¯m in a good mood, or you¡¯d be dead by now.¡±


    The bandaged man lowered his head. "Please forgive me for my rudeness, Chief Dreyfus. I meant no disrespect."


    The corners of the bearded man¡¯s mouth curved upwards. "That''s more like it. I''m letting you off the hook this time because you''re a new recruit. We''ll sell the children to slave traders. As for the women, I''ll let the men have fun with them, before auctioning them off to brothels.¡±


    Beth lowered her face into her hands and sobbed.


    How can it end like this?


    Many other women around her were also crying in despair. They too must have realized that only a life of horror awaited them and their children.


    The bandaged man shook his head. "This is not what I signed up for."


    "I don''t care what you signed up for. Just do as you''re told, or I''ll gut you like a fish."


    The bandaged man jabbed his spear into the bearded bandit¡¯s chest. ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ you ungrateful¡­ brat¡­¡± Groaning and coughing out blood, the bearded bandit fell backwards.


    "I hate men like you the most." The bandaged man pulled out his spear and flicked away blood from its pointed tip.


    The scene caused an uproar among the bandits.


    "The new recruit just killed the chief!"


    "I''ll slice your throat!"


    "You traitor!"


    The sound of rattling chains and metal scraping against metal could be heard as they drew their weapons.


    The bandaged man pointed his spear at the other bandits. "You¡¯re the ones who have failed me. I joined you guys to earn a living and to improve my skills by killing men, but you''re all nothing but a bunch of murderers and rapists."


    Breaking out in battle cries, the bandits closed in on the bandaged man.


    Beth saw an opportunity to escape. Standing up, she turned to face the surviving members of the caravan, who remained seated. They were transfixed by the battle taking place behind her.


    ¡°What are you all doing? We can escape while they¡¯re distracted. Let¡¯s get moving!¡± Beth motioned for them to follow her.


    They didn¡¯t move.


    A boy in the group pointed at a spot behind her. ¡°But he¡¯s winning.¡±


    What¡¯s he talking about? There¡¯s no way one man can stand up against a dozen.


    Turning around, she saw an unexpected sight.


    The bandaged man was still fighting. He was agile like an acrobat, dodging attacks from all directions. His spear thrusts were so quick that they looked like flashes of silver. One after another, the bandits fell. Their bodies began piling up around him. In mere minutes, he took down almost all of them. The few remaining bandits dropped their weapons and fled.


    Once they were gone, he supported himself on his spear, gasping for air.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe those thugs gave me so much trouble.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m still not strong enough.¡±


    Beth walked towards him. ¡°Thank you for saving us. We owe you our lives.¡±


    ¡°There was a time when I was the one being saved. I¡¯m just glad that I was able to do something good with this life of mine. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t stop them sooner. I would have done so if I¡¯d known what they were really like.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You didn¡¯t do this to us.¡± Beth¡¯s lips trembled.


    She lowered her chin and put her hand on forehead.


    Tears dripped down her face as she thought about what she and the other survivors had lost. ¡°Everyone here has lost someone precious to them. I¡¯m not sure if we can even finish the journey without any guards to protect us. What will we do if we get attacked again?¡±


    ¡°I have a proposal for you. As you can see, I had a fall out with my former employer." He pointed his thumb at the pile of corpses behind him. "If you pay me what you were going to pay your deceased guards, I¡¯ll ensure the safety of your caravan for the remainder of your journey.¡±


    The bandaged man had single handedly defeated the bandits, something that not even the caravan¡¯s guards could do. If the caravan had him to protect it, then there was a good chance that they could make it to their destination. But would the other survivors approve? Up until a moment ago, he had been one of the bandits.


    She turned around and saw them walking toward her.


    A woman in the group said, ¡°We want you lead us, since you¡¯re the daughter of our former leader.¡±


    Beth felt a weight at the back of her throat. Leading a caravan was a lot of responsibility.


    The burden seemed too heavy and too soon. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m fit to lead you.¡±


    ¡°When we had lost all hope, you were the only one here who had the courage to stand up. If you¡¯re not qualified, then who among us is?¡±


    The other survivors nodded and voiced their support.


    She recalled how hard her father had worked to build up the caravan. In the early years of his business, he had been away from home for months at a time, to earn enough money to support his family. She didn¡¯t want his decades of hard work to go to waste.


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to have me as your leader, then I¡¯ll do my best to live up to your expectations.¡± Beth gestured toward the bandaged man. ¡°This man has offered to protect us for the remainder of our journey, in exchange for the wages of our deceased guards. I understand that some you may be wary of him because he was once part of the group that attacked us. But I implore you to think practically. Without his protection, we cannot continue our journey and our sacrifices thus far would be for nothing.¡±


    The women muttered amongst themselves, before giving their answer.


    ¡°He just stood by the sidelines during the attack, so he didn¡¯t hurt any of us.¡±


    "Thank you for offering to protect us.¡±


    ¡°We accept your offer.¡±


    ¡°Please protect us."


    The bandaged man bowed his head. "I¡¯m now at your service."


    Beth turned toward him. ¡°I¡¯m Beth. How should I address you?¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second.¡± He began unwrapping the bandages. ¡°I don¡¯t need to conceal my face anymore.¡±


    Behind the bandages was the face of a beautiful woman. Her long, flowing amber hair shone under the bright sunlight. ¡°You can call me Claire.¡±

 The Man without a Heart

    The cozy teahouse was huddled among towering city buildings. The warm yellow glow coming out of its large windows attracted people inside, who were weary of the crowded street and unrelenting rain. The interior of the teahouse was bathed in bright lights and decorated with colorful floral arrangements, in contrast to the dreary overcast sky outside. Employees called out orders over the murmur of voices and the clinking of spoons against porcelain cups. A fresh, floral aroma permeated the air.


    A few customers glanced at the door when it swung open. They felt a slight chill, but they weren¡¯t sure if it was from the chilling wind that blasted inside or the appearance of the new entrant. Even after the door swung closed behind him, they continued staring. The sudden drop in noise led the other customers to glance up. Their attention was drawn to his unusual silver hair and deathly pale skin.


    Prometheus took a seat at the square table near to the door. When he glanced around, the other customers averted their gaze. The noise gradually picked up as they returned to their conversations.


    A waitress dressed in black and white approached his table. ¡°Welcome back, sir. Will it be the usual?¡±


    Without shifting his gaze from the small vase of pink carnations on his table, he nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it ready right away.¡± She left the table and returned with a slice of cake and a silver spoon. ¡°Your tea will be ready shortly.¡±


    Even before biting into the cake, his senses were bathed in waves of pleasure. The pastry was a wondrous work of art. From a single look, it was easy to see that it had taken a painstaking attention to detail to render such a splendid creation. It was so beautiful that he wondered if it was really okay to eat it.


    He dug a spoonful of cake and brought it close to his nose, slowly inhaling its deliciously pronounced berry scent. One bite was all it took to understand what true baking talent was. The transcendent taste sent his mind and soul into a state of ecstasy. The sweet vanilla icing mixed wonderfully with the sour berry filling to bring the cake''s flavor into the realm of the divine. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The kettle¡¯s high-pitched whistling brought him back to reality.


    Moments later, the waitress brought him a dainty cup, paired with an eggshell white saucer. "Sorry for the wait. Here¡¯s your tea."


    He gave her a thumbs up.


    The steaming hot tea inside the cup was crystal clear and was a bright tan color. A few plump and whole tea leaves floated at the bottom of the cup. When he held the cup of tea close to his nose, the steam warmed his face. He took a deep breath and smelled an enticing and refreshing fragrance.


    He lifted the scarf off his face and slurped from the cup, spraying tea into his mouth. The slurping action aerated the tea, unleashing its full flavor and cooling it so that it wouldn¡¯t burn his mouth. He tasted a pleasantly crisp flavor, which lingered on his tongue. A soothing warmth cascaded down his throat. The entire tea tasting experience soothed his mind and body.


    A warrior in golden plate armor approached Prometheus¡¯s table. ¡°A man with silver hair and black metal gauntlets - you must be Prometheus, the infamous mercenary everyone in this country seems to know about.¡±


    Prometheus ignored the warrior and continued slurping his tea.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deny it? Then you must be him. I can¡¯t believe my luck. Here I was, thinking that I would be returning to Andor empty handed, after losing the Combat Tournament and ending up in a coma. However, if I take your head, then I¡¯ll bring glory to my family. I¡¯ll be known as Gilgamesh, the man who slew the most infamous mercenary in the Dominion.¡±


    ¡°Piss off.¡±


    Gilgamesh''s face scrunched up. ¡°You insolent punk!¡± He reached for his sword.


    Prometheus thrust his hand into Gilgamesh¡¯s chest and yanked out a red, pulsating mass.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Gilgamesh¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of his own heart in Prometheus¡¯s hand.


    Blood sprayed out of the gaping hole in his chest. He began falling backwards. The moment his body hit the floor, the customers erupted in screams. They rushed toward the door, shoving each other and knocking down chairs and tables. Table vases hit the floor, shattering into countless pieces.


    Prometheus wiped the sticky blood from his face, paying no heed to the chaotic scene unfolding around him. He remained calmly seated at his table, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Lifting his scarf off his face, he took a bite out of the heart. ¡°Tastes like chicken.¡±