"Daddy! Daddy! Nooooooo!"
The daughter of the merchant kept screaming. Her unnatural behavior raised some suspicions, but why would someone so skilled enough to affect the mind target them? The abilities to affect one's mind, consciousness, and thoughts are highly valued in each kingdom.
If such a person truly wanted to assail them, then many people would gladly take upon such a mission to get on the good side. But more importantly, why? Why have they been targeted if the merchant was one of the common merchants without much influence?
They also hadn't crossed the borders of Metal Perante Kingdom!
So there was just no way for the merchant to be suspected of doing any shady business.
While the bodyguards had their thoughts in turmoil, the father hugged his daughter so much she awakened. Her eyes were already blurred from her tears, but now, she puffed her cheeks and let out even more tears.
It was just so scary.
"Everything was so vivid! It couldn't be possibly a normal nightmare!"
"It's okay, sweetie. It's okay-"
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The situation was far from okay.
The old merchant shifted his eyes to the source of the voice only to see the bodyguard falling onto his knee. There was a lethal wound on his thigh which was not really well protected, unlike the torso. The blood was oozing out rapidly and the man couldn't even stand up!
Next to him, his friend was pointing the small sword at the assailant. It was naturally Reigner with his arm blade and white eye. In the cooperation with Nightmare, he aimed to take down the bodyguards in swift and deft silent attacks.
Unluckily enough, they were looking around vigilantly.
Not only that, but Reigner's body was just too weak. In his life, he just fooled around with his friends and then enjoyed some time on the games... Never in his life, had he a need to be 'the white knight' for his girlfriends solely because he had a lot of friends around.
Why would someone bother with them?
And Reigner always made sure to speak a lot and be as cheerful as possible. It had been changing lately as the last year of high school and lucrative game servers appeared in Reigner's life... And then, Nightmare.
In a nutshell, Reigner had never trained.
[So weak. I knew you were a fucking trash.]
"I bet you hoped for me to fall in the despair when the metal soldier pointed his lance at me... So much despair that I would lose my mind to get easily swallowed up by your presence..."
[...]
"Seven hundred nightmare points is not enough to deal with me and I am going to strengthen myself now..."
[Are you perhaps going to renege on your words?]
"Not really."
'Because I don't know how far you can go, my shitty reincarnation.'
Reigner with Nightmare had leeway to talk. The shocked bodyguard was not only going all out, but he was also hoping for his friend to recover. More or less, the bodyguard was trying to see through Reigner and buy some time.
When the earthling spotted the bandage with some oily stuff wrapping around the deep cut, his human and white eye narrowed. Seven hundred nightmare points weren't needed for such bodyguards, unlike the soldier who had invaded the lost city.
Little points were enough.
Reigner just had to push forward and let his wounds deepen a little. There is nothing free in this world and this alone was something Reigner was sure about. He closed up a distance, then under the guidance of his white eye, Reigner unnaturally slashed his blade arm.
It was as if he was diving forth.
"Ughhh!"
The belief in strong metal armor had been thoroughly shattered by Reigner's blade. He cut it easily, then with his free hand turning on the ground, Reigner jumped and nimbly added another slash. The slash had an easier time descending onto the shocked bodyguard, quickly ending his life in the process.
At this point, Reigner felt like he is learning his new battle style relatively quickly. He had a good reincarnation guiding him up, but Reigner didn't know that his body is 'remembering' the first reincarnation moves.
The bodyguards fell like fools influenced by mommy's lullaby later on.
"I am going to keep them alive for now."
All to build up enough nightmare points... Nightmare wants some, but before he gets his own share, Reigner has to make sure the need for a nightmare's influence wouldn't be needed for future endeavors.
He has to find the closest kingdom and sharpen up his body. This is his goal.
And Nightmare flawlessly utilized his powers through Reigner's body while the earthling closed up the distance to shocked father and daughter. They had thought of running away, but in fact, the battle between bodyguards and Reigner happened in less than a minute.
"S-stop... I will give you the carriage, my goods and whatever you want! Please!"
"I am sure the same words had left the lips of other earthlings."
Not understanding the term 'earthling' the daughter just screamed, then pledged using her body. Reigner might be going on ham on them, but he wasn't interested in such an offer. The current he had experienced something valuable not too long ago, so he surely wasn't in a mood for that. Then, the pleasure had currently no room in Reigner's situation.
"Unluckily enough, your body won't be able to save you. My condolences."
Reigner raised his blade, but before killing them, he used that blade's sharp edge to get as much information as possible. The armors on the bodyguards stated that the merchant is from the metal soldier's kingdom.
Whether this or another kingdom, Reigner couldn't sniff his nose at those and just accept the closest kingdom. Not like he is welcomed anywhere with his origins being revealed.
"Done?"
[Done.]
So when Reigner learned enough, he took the clothes of the merchant, put them on, then shoved the dead bodies off the road into the bushes. He cleaned the blood and any other marks on the carriage that might state that there was a battle and urged the horses to go forth.
In his hand, there was a metal plate.
It had the image of Reigner's face carved along with the fake information.
[Item Creation System - Identity Plate Modified.]
"Very useful power."
The identity plate had unknown, metal-like energy imbued inside. Of course, this was so that no one can easily fabricate those for themselves. There was a special department in the Metal Perante Kingdom dealing with this matter.
Reigner, however, was sure of his power. He had to be sure, otherwise, there was no way for him to enter the capital of the kingdom without any fuss.