"Teacher! Don't you think it's inappropriate for me to fight?" Colt asked while being surrounded.
Neun simply watched and waved his hand, "Don't worry about it. You want to be strong right? Just simply do what I taught you. Also, the guards are incapacitated. They can't move a muscle right now."
Neun disregarded Colt's plea.
"Get him! Kill him and take the child!"
While Colt was busily convincing Neun for help, the people around him rushed to take his life.
None of them hesitated to brandish their blade against him.
Colt at first was hesitant, but something in his mind clicked once he felt danger. As soon as his opponent took a step forward, Colt already moved with Piercing Droplet and took the initiative.
Slash!
Colt painted a crimson arch with his sword. The first life was taken, and Colt still didn't feel the least bit of guilt for these people deserved death.
Some hours ago before this incident.
"We're travelling at a much faster rate now. At this point, we'll be able to reach Origin Mountain."
Sera reported with her usual expressionless self. If this were a typical journey, a week and a half in like this one would have many of the soldiers and horses tired.
But thanks to Colt's training which made them stop a lot of times, the horses are well-rested, and soldiers have been trained not to complain.
"With this, we'll be able to return in less than two months. It seems like I'm going to get married far earlier than expected. Ugh, I want to see my daughters." Colt was complaining, but he had a smile on his face.
Before him were two fascinating scenes, first, there would be Avern acting like a teenager as he watches Sera from one corner of the carriage.
The other would be Julius prostrating before a Fat Cat who was looking down upon the Beastman.
According to Julius, he could supposedly feel a regal presence coming down from the cat. The pressure was too much, and he couldn't raise his head to look directly at the cat.
Colt wanted to make him stop it, but his devotion was too intense.
After an hour or so, Colt had an idea, 'What if I take Fluff to every Feline Beastmen Clan? Will I get an army?'
He smiled at the idea. He wanted to dismiss it as a joke, but the thought was already stuck in his head, 'This guy is a Lord indeed.'
Their travels continued forth without getting hindered. They reached the Origin Mountain in two hours without trouble. Though there would be bandits trying to rob them, the mere sight of Dragon Horse and a Platoon of soldiers would make them piss their pants.
Colt was pleased to know of this outcome. Everything was going well. Everyone was trying not to become a piece of luggage for the group.
Even Julius did his best for the group. The Ragdoll Cat Clan is a native in the Origin Mountain.
"Are you sure about this? Are you not scared of what it is that you will see?"
"I…also want to see what happened. This is more of a selfish request than anything else."
Colt didn't fight against Julius. Going through the path Julius pointed them to, Colt and the rest of the group found themselves with burnt trees throughout.
There were huts around the area, bloodstains could be seen, but there was no life. Only the ugliness of what happened remained…it was not a pretty sight.
Julius got down from the carriage and witnessed what is now his village. He fell to his knees, unable to get up for he had lost strength.
He was shaking and sobbing. His pain was apparent, and Colt couldn't find the words to comfort the child.
Gathering around a campfire, Colt handed over food to Julius. The young beastman accepted it but failed to eat and finish the meal.
"You need to eat." Colt could only say these words. He did not know how to comfort Julius of his lost.
Julius looked at Colt and forced out a smile, "Thank you, Young Master Colt. I'm fine, and I am merely reminiscing of the past. This place used to be filled with laughter, but two months ago, a rain of blazing arrow killed most of us. We tried to fight back, but none of us could prevail. All the young boys were captured to be sold as slaves, and the women were turned to toys for those slave traders.
"There used to be thirteen of us, but when we tried escaping, all twelve of them were killed, and only I managed to escape. Young Master…am I, going to die soon?"
Julius raised his head and stared at Colt. He seeks an answer Colt could only answer with, "No, I'll make sure that you live."
Colt could not longer smile as Julius lowered his head. An intent to kill rose from Colt's chest.
A strange but familiar emotion it was. He was pressured to abandon the sentiment, but he couldn't.
'This is not a good emotion to carry.'
Colt was at a state of wanting to kill but also trying to avoid that emotion. He knows the feeling of taking someone else's life.
He thought he'd find it more repulsive, but he didn't. It was an experience not worth noting.
However, Colt knows that his fate is to kill. War is coming, and there, he will surely kill more people than he could imagine. But for the time being, he wants to remain as pure as he could for his children.
But fate wants to lead him to a different path.
While Colt was busily trying to comfort Julius, the young beastman suddenly fell to the ground.
It surprised Colt, but it was not just him who fell because the guards around the area also fell. Only Avern, Neun, Fluff, and Colt was left awake.
"What's happening?"
"Calm down… some people are trying to make this an unpleasant night," Neun spoke with indifference as he looked around the area.
Colt stood up and carried the young beastman to Neun.
"Teacher, how are we going to take care of this?"
Colt could feel a lot of people surrounding them.
Neun already analysed the situation, and instead of panicking, he picked up his food and sat down, "You take care of it. I'm going to continue eating."
"What!?"
"Oh, shut up. Hey, Necromancer boy, don't you try and say you're going to help him. Take care of Sera instead."
Avern wanted to say something, but he was fearful of Neun and decided to follow his orders.
And so, Colt was made to take care of everything. His sword will be tainted with blood.
He wanted to avoid it, but it is an inevitable fate. Neun is merely preparing him so he will not hesitate when he needs to do what he needs to do.