Jin woke up from the fact that someone covered his mouth with his hand. It was dark outside the window and someone turned the lights in the carriage off.
"Master, scouts noticed strange activity, we believe we are being ambushed. Most likely it's nothing serious, but just in case be ready to run for your life. If something happens take only the essentials and run towards the forest to the left run straight you will get to the biggest tree, from there go south, there's our training camp." Someone in the royal guard captain outfit shot of everything and was about to leave.
"Is it that dangerous?" Jin was quite shocked.
"We don't know, but ambushes on important royal personal are increasing in numbers, to the day there rarely been any survivors" Captain was saddened.
"Damn demon lord wants to reduce our power and morale before starting the conquest. If things get hot just run, master, don't look back. Take this short sword just in case." He passed Jin's short sword in a scabbard. It looked like a gladius, Jin liked the feeling of having a cold weapon in his hand.
"Be ready, master." Captain left him and the procession soon continued.
Jin found that the captain left a small bag. It was empty inside, so Jin put books and notes on magic there, some hard food and wineskin. He was going to put the medallion there but thought if the enemy targeted royals, then the medallion would become his ticket to hell.
"Huh, bloody hell, I wanted some adventure, and now I pray there will be none." Jin laughed awkwardly.
Bag tide to his back, sword on the left, he was anxious and ready to run any time now.
Enemies did not shout "Attack" or something like that, arrows hit the guards that were close to the end of the procession, then lots of shadows rushed from both sides.
"Ambush! Stick together, protect the leader!"
Every guard steadied their shields and stood around the carriage in the middle of the procession. Jin was confused at first, it was not his carriage, then he understood it was a diversion.
Silently he left the now abandoned carriage and moved towards the forest while squatting. He looked back and saw something out of this world – there were countless flashy stars, arrows, circles, and shields exploding everywhere. It was evident that both parties used storms of skills, and it was the first time Jin really understood how deadly magic could be. He stopped and could not take his eyes off.
Jin even had the notion to come back, thinking that royal guards would fend off the enemies. Then the earth shook, 3 meters' tall shadow landed in the middle of guards, swinging a huge hammer at the royal captain. The impact from the landing shook some of the guards off their feet, the captain blocked the attack with a shield but staggered back. The rest tried to feel the ranks, but then a lot more shadows launched themselves from the bushes. The newcomers were not as huge as the first one, contrary they were around 1,5 meters tall.
Each shadow had horns on their heads, at first Jin thought that were helmets, but when they came to light of the carriages, he understood – those were demon horns.
The big one had strait and pointy horns that going forward, he looked like an enraged bull in the barbarian outfit, the rest looked like black goats and rams in bandit outfits.
Jin found it ridiculous at first, but when he saw how these animals used were fighting with every part of their bodies, not afraid to get hurt or die, he got chills running down his spine.
He nervously swallowed, forgetting that he kept medallion in his mouth. As he was choking, trying to spill the medallion out, the next scene made him swallow and run towards the forest with all his might. Barbarian shouted, making lots of guards tremble, trying to stop him, commander rushed in. Goat warrior plunged his spear at the back of commander's knee stopping his advance, then if it was not enough, he rushed in and plunged his horns into the commander's back, the bull didn't hesitate and smashed his hammer vertically from above towards commanders head. When the hammer hit the commander's head there was no pause at all, the giant hammer hit the earth, smashing both commander and the goat warrior.
Goats and rams were not discouraged, they roared and attacked with frenzied dedication skewering guards with their weapons, horns, biting, and kicking them. Jin never saw such a carnival of gore, some of the demons were feasting on the human guts, these demons had the red color of their eyes receding, making their heads look like ordinary animals, the only difference was that goats and rams didn't feast on humans.
"Awoo!" A sudden howl made them pause.
"What's up, Redict?" The bull asked tensing up.
"Some human weakling escaped" The wolf answered.
"About what level is he?" The bull was ready to chase.
"I think, his level one, or even zero strange things is he's grown up. Amir, how can he be that weak?" Redict spewed disgusted.
"Leave him be, let the humans know the terror they are about to experience. The fear makes them more tender." Amir laughed.
Jin was scared silly. He ran and ran, tripping over the roots of trees, prickly bushes clinging to clothes, and tearing the skin. Every shadow threatened death. Soon, he stumbled once again and fell into a ravine, hitting his head on a stone. The last thing he thought about when he stumbled was "Fuck my luck" and the blackness swallowed him.
It was midday when he woke up. Something bothered him in the corner of his mind.
"Notification"
"Skill self-harm leveled up
Skill self-harm leveled up
Skill self-harm leveled up
Skill self-harm leveled up
Skill self-harm leveled up
Skill running leveled up
Skill self-harm leveled up"
"FUCK YOU SYSTEM" Jin roared maniacally, but headache sobered him up.
There were no suspicious sounds or activities around him. The luck pushed him into the middle of prickly bushes, he started to hate so much, no one could see him and no one could touch him here.
After observing his surroundings, he calmed down a bit. His bag and sword were with him, he heaved the sigh of relief. Then he remembered that he swallowed the medallion and lost the direction.
He didn't even know where south or north was in this world, where should he go to find the camp?
Everything needs to be decided after he dies. First thing first – he needed to calm down and not do something stupid. He tried to stand up and the blackness swallowed him again.