(Side Note: This chapter will be from Katsu's Perspective)
I arrived here in the Ashetira kingdom early yesterday. Since then, I've been hiding out at an Inn, thinking of my next move. I was in a very tight situation, no matter where I go, the Dark Mages will be after me, but I'm not necessarily running. I just need enough time to make a foil-proof plan.
I stared at the glowing crystal in my palm.
Right now, the dark mages were doing everything to get it back in their possession.
My ears picked up on the sound of footsteps approaching my door.
Knock. Knock..Knock…
A voice called to me.
"Sir, I have come to bring your order of roasted chicken."
I wasn't falling for that old trick, I didn't order anything.
When I went to see through the peephole, the door was kicked in.
Slam! Smash!
The force threw my back to the floor. This intruder was fast, he was already about to stab my chest.
I drew my sword at the last possible moment, parrying.
Slash! Clink!
He was stunned for a swift second, which I used to decapitate him.
Slash!
His headless body down, where I noticed a small badge on his chest.
The symbol of the Dark Mages.
"Crap, they're here already?!" I thought in a panic.
Tmp… Tmp..Tmp..Tmp..
I could hear many more of them making their way to my room. Without wasting any time, I jumped out the window and ran down the road, as fast as I could.
A fast-pace ball of fire exploded into the ground ahead, stopping me dead in my tracks.
It wasn't even a full second until I was surrounded by a crowd of mages.
Escape seemingly wasn't a choice, my only option was to kill them all.
I gazed, examining every enemy. To my surprise, I could not sense any of them to be powerful.
Having stolen their precious crystal, it was weird how they didn't send one of the leaders or something. Nonetheless, this was good for me.
"If this is all the man power you have, I think you're all too underprepared."
"Shut-up! We will not hear your lowly words!" One of the mages shouted.
Just as he was about to cast a bolt at me, my blade slid through his throat.
Slash!
I moved from target to target, letting my steel blade cut their flesh apart.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
In a matter of moments, my actions left the floor covered in their blood.
My back felt sizzling blasts coming my way.
['Time Slow' activated]
I stooped under and the mages behind were blown apart instead.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
My shoulders were splattered with their blood as I faced the last standing mage.
"You already had your chance to run. So you better be ready to face death." My threat brought a wide grin to his face, rather than despair.
This final mage started to laugh hysterically.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Hahahahahaha! You know, I just remembered something."
I stayed silent, letting him continue.
"In the past, there was a man exceptionally skilled at hunting down and killing us dark mages. For the longest time, we've tried to capture him, or at the very least, we tried to kill him. But before we could ever accomplish that, he disappeared, giving up on hunting us."
I shot a glare at him, "Why bring that up? That has nothing to do with this situation."
The dark mage grabbed his face, scratching it in excitement.
"Ohhh, but it does! That very man is you! Hahaha! You've Made Your appearance once again, but know this: The Dark Mages have gotten even stronger since you killed one of our leaders back then! You will know a world of -"
My ears heard enough.
I lunged at him, thrusting the edge of my blade into his heart.
Shank!
I wasn't entirely sure why I killed him before he could finish. Maybe it was because he was crazy. Maybe it was because I couldn't stand the sight of a Dark Mage. Maybe it was because I didn't want the surrounding citizens to hear it. Or maybe...it was because his words were true, I was the person he spoke of. The Killer of Mages.
I pulled my sword back, wiping the blood off it's steel.