I was calm. So very calm.
Everything around me came into focus. It was like the world itself was mine to do whatever I pleased with.
The arrow whizzed through the air, cutting it.
*thump*
A lone, brave beast falls to the ground.
I take a step forward, unhurried.
The thumping of feet could be heard just beyond the stalagmites on either side of the fallen beast.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
Then, another arrow came.
I dodge – not even attempting to catch it – with minimal movements. Just a tilt of my head.
The arrow whizzes past me, a sharp shrill entering my ears.
Then, it was gone. Both the arrow and the shrill.
*thunk*
The arrow lodges itself somewhere behind me.
I give my assailant an ice-cold gaze, sizing the beast up.
"…?!"
The beast flinches, it's grip loosening. The wooden bow almost fell from the beast's grasp.
「Skill 'Quick Step' is activating」
Pushing heat and converging mana into my legs, I burst forward.
"!?!"
The beast panics, hurriedly pulling the bow towards itself for protection.
I cut the beast's arm off.
"—!!"
The beast screams, it's voice echoing in the cavern.
Crimson liquid flows from the beast's hand, staining the ground.
I focus, letting 「Horizon Oath」 overcome me.
After a few seconds of concentration, the rustling and scraping of the earth could be heard.
"______?"
"‐_–_—!"
"____—_!"
Multiple indistinguishable voices echo in my ears, all of them speaking in an unknown language.
Just like usual, then
I focus on the voices some more, trying to find their source.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
Before I could do so, however, a desperate strike came for my throat.
I take a single step backwards, the blade missing me entirely.
I examine my assailant.
The beast was holding a dagger. The blade seemed to be carved from some beast's bone, with some kind of cloth to act as a hilt. There were carvings on the edges–most likely some kind of tradition.
With a casual step forward, I cut the beast's other hand.
"—!?!"
The beast screamed once more, and this time, the rustling became more prominent.
I nab the beast's dagger just before it falls to the floor.
And in 3… 2… 1–
"—!!"
I pivot, throwing the dagger behind me, no hesitation involved. The screaming beast belatedly notices, the last expression on it's face a mix of surprise, fear, and hate.
*thump*
The beast falls.
Just a couple more
I make my way behind the protruding stalagmite, following the source of the foreign whispers earlier. Before I was rudely interrupted, I had managed to get the general direction from which the whispering originated from.
Soon enough, I find the source.
There were a couple of them, six–maybe even seven, including the runaway.
They were all injured one way or another, each Night Beast either bleeding or covered in bandages.
There were uninjured ones, too. Though it was only two. Despite being the ones in best condition, they looked the most afraid, like THEY were the ones covered in wounds.
I take a step forward.
""…?!""
They all uniformly flinch, some even foaming in the mouth and fainting.
…Guess I should start now
「Your title 'Executioner' is–」
"Woooah, stop right there!"
""….?!""
I immediately take a step back, putting the longsword in front of me.
As soon as I do, a familiar figure greets me.
"Man, ya' really roughed 'em up, huh… just like the orcs! No wonder this felt so familiar… this was just like that time! You really are a monster—in a good way, I mean. Glad to have you."
She flashed me a shiny, fake smile.
…
Seeing her strike a conversation so nonchalantly like that, for some reason, cooled my head.
The beasts let out an exaggerated sigh, and I could feel some of the tension in my body leave me.
I was acting like a beast, mindless and bloodthirsty. My thoughts set on killing and getting stronger.
I didn't want that
The witch puts a hand on my shoulder and looks directly at my eyes.
"You good?"
She questioned with just a tad of sincerity in her voice.
I looked away from her judging gaze.
I just gave a simple nod. She eyed me skeptically.
"…Sure, let's go with that. Come on, I just finished with mine."
She turned around, ignoring all the other presences on this side of the pit.
She gave me a cheeky, somewhat playful look.
"I found something ya' might wanna see."
◇◆◇◆◇
"I'm still alive!"
I scream to nobody in particular.
As soon as I regain consciousness, I pat my body, examining it.
"Arms, check. Torso, check. Legs, check. Face, still amazing."
I check below.
"Chastity, questinabl–"
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"!?!"
A voice from the side made me jump, my body aching and creaking all the way.
I cleared my throat.
"Ahem! I believe it would be of note that a lady such as yourself should not be talking about such vulgar matters."
"Did I really say something like that?"
"Yup. Anyways, on a completely different note, can you keep what you just heard a secret?"
"Are you still high from almost dying?"
I laughed at her skepticism.
" Hahahahahaha! What makes you say that? I just flew several meters in the air and passed out just before I hit the ground without anyway to reorient or save myself. Nothing serious. In fact, I'm all for doing it all over again. Where's Ev?" I looked around the medical ward. "Could you deliver a message for me? Don't worry, it's nothing complicated. Just tell her that Morgen 'wants a rematch'… she'll know what I mean."
The girl sighed, exhausted.
What's her problem?
"Do you even know who I am?"
"Huh? Of course I–"
…What the–
"Who…"
I edged closer to the bed, ready to bounce any second.
The girl had sky-blue hair, flowing like water, the tip reaching her waist. She had beautiful eyes, clear yet full of life. Her skin was milk-white, almost alarmingly so. She was skinny, but not too much that it would look unnatural, rather, her figure was only accentuated by the white dress she wore that fit her to a T.
She gave me a serene smile.
"Nice to see you again, Lámpros Everstar."