The fight between pride and sword turned into a rough and noisy brawl using their fists to vent their frustrations and pent-up anger.
"I trusted you!"
Claude gave Schalberg a hard punch on the face. The general punched back but, the guard did not avoid nor block. Ungrateful and growling was the only word and sound that came out of the general's mouth.
"I treated you as a father!"
This time, Claude uppercut Schalberg and was slightly lifted from the ground. Even so, he still managed to stand straight and retaliated once again.
"I... I've always been grateful to you!"
These words somehow stopped the general from his tracks. His dark red glaring eyes turned to their original color and the growling sounds he makes disappeared.
"Don't ever say that I did not appreciate every single thing you have done for me! Even the slightest I cherished! So..."
Hearing his own words made Claude felt embarrassed. He was not the type of guy who would express his gratitude and love towards those who are precious to him.
"I'm sorry," Schalberg said in his sincerest tone. His buffed-up body deflated, going back to its normal state.
'I can not say my real reason why I did what I did.'
Five years ago, Schalberg was peacefully having his usual day when a boy knocked on his office's door. That boy was none other than Silverwar. At first, when General Schalberg heard of the absurd proposal of Silverwar, he could not help himself but suppress his anger.
"Oi, oi, old man, did I not inform you that you are in no position to decline my offer?! It is the whole town's safety we are talking about here. Do not worry. We will not be abducting all kids here. That would make a bad reputation for you, right?"
Silverwar gave Schalberg two choices, one is to accept his proposal, gain money and the safety of the whole city and townsfolks, or, choice number two, have the town get destroyed and let the townsfolks die.
A man who prioritizes the lives of others will, of course, choose to have his city and townspeople spared.
'He has the power to throw the whole town into its destruction. He has a backer who's not to be mess with. I'm sorry, Claude.'
Also, Silverwar did something to the General's body. He put a curse on him that if he ever betrayed the brat, the curse will activate and, Schalberg will die.
"There is no one in town who's capable of attaching Silvana's arm back! Y-your sorry won't do anything!"
'Ah, what have I done while I was unconscious. I have done something so terrible! Now, the little hope I have in making Claude forgive had vanished now. There is no way he'd forgive me now, even if I apologize. Still, I want him to forgive me!'
Schalberg let out a deep sigh, cleared his throat, and grabbed Claude's both shoulders.
"Listen to what I've got to say, Claude." His firm grip from the guard's shoulder and the seriousness in his eyes made him listen. "It is up to you whether you forgive for all the bad things that I've done to you. Wait, if I say this, aren't I going to contradict what I have said to myself earlier if I say it?"
"Are you going to say it or not?!"
Silvana managed to stop the bleeding and tied a piece of cloth on her wound.
"It, it was, the real reason why I did it was to protect you."
"T-to protect me? You think I'd believe that kind of shit?!"
"You don't have to believe me. Silverwar has the power to kill all the townsfolks and burn the whole town to the ground. He has someone backing him from the shadows. I couldn't say no to what he wants. You know how much this place means to me."
The shackles that were binding Schalberg's heart and mind activated. Excruciating pain was sent to his body. Clutching onto his head and chest, Schalberg collapsed to the ground, agonizing over the pain.
"Oi, general, what's the matter?!"
A worried face was caught by the General's eyes. Claude and Silvana came to his aid, asking what was happening to him.
"I-it's too late, Claude. This is my destiny and, I am bound to die here."
The dying sight of the man who prioritizes and gave new life to him was a painful sight for Claude. Even if he was angry at him, the fact that he was now worried at him shows that he cares for the general.
"Don't say such things! You will jinx yourself! You can always change! We all have the right to!"
Schalberg found Claude's hand. Clasping onto it, muttered the words he wanted to say for a long time.
"I was glad, so much glad," he said as he coughs blood.
"Stop talking! We will now bring you to a doctor!" Claude was about to carry him when he told him to stop.
"It is too late, Claude. Hear me, I, I really wanted to say this... for a long time." Tears streamed down their faces. "Meeting you back there and caring for you was the best thing that had happened in my life. I could not wish for more." A painful smile showed on his face. Claude's hand clutched tighter on his and, the guard's tears came flowing down even more.
"Me too! I've been grateful to you! I forgive you! I can't even get angry at you. So please, please stop talking!"
Hearing Claude forgave him made him happy and relieved.
"I'm glad. Now, I'm ready to go. Don't worry. I will always be by your side.
I just hope that you won't do the same thing that I did."
The firm grip of Schalberg from Claude's hand loses all its strength. The general, staring in the sky with pain look in his eyes and a smile on his face, lost his life.
"Ahh!" His loud cry resonated throughout the whole town.
Inside the guards' headquarters and two levels beneath the city lies the prison cell where the captured kids were held.
After killing the two henchmen of Silverwar, Fritz proceeded inside the prison cell. There, awaits the ringleader of the illegal activities here in Malkar.
"I was expecting that stupid guard but look who came here," beside five henchmen, Silver war stood in front of the cells, "it's one of those kids that came here with the newcomers."
"I told you he's going to rescue us."
Kids who had lost hope of escaping began calling out to their savior. They did not care who is going to save them. They just wanted to be free of the hellish place they were in.
"What are you guys standing there for? Go and capture that kid!"
Silverwar was confident that with numbers, his henchmen would catch Fritz.
'What? The leader of these lolicons and shotacons is a brat? Just how old is he? Fifteen?'
"Don't you dare make a move if you don't want to get hurt? Just stay still and be a good boy."
Weapons on their hands, creepy smiles on their faces, their filthy hands slowly trying to reach Fritz, and their malicious intent was so obvious Fritz wanted to cut them into pieces.
'Okay, give me something useful for a swordsman.'
[A specific class has been chosen: Warrior Class.]
[Generating Warrior Class Skills...]
[Generation Completed...]
[Concerted Slashes]
[Toughness]
'I don't think I need toughness.'
In that confined space, not all five of the henchmen would be able to jump at Fritz all at once. He took advantage of the situation and the place to initiate a one-person at a time attack.
[Skill Activation: Concerted Slashes, Toughness]
He used Toughness just in case. From there on, only the scream of the henchmen and the agonizing of the restricted kids were the only sounds they could hear. In a swift, all five men were taken care of. Their limbs sliced off from their bodies, from head to both of their arms and feet using the Severance Blade.
Slow, amused claps echoed inside the prison. "Fascinating right, Dolor."
Behind Fritz came out a figure of a man. "Yeah, Silverwar."
~