Eddie, entirely unfazed by Rock's invincible facade, let out a chuckle. He deftly sidestepped Rock's lumbering fist and took to the air, spinning with grace.
The axe in his hand, rather than slicing, was cleverly reversed to hammer down on Rock's bald dome with a thud that echoed like a bell.
The supposedly unbreakable man staggered, his hands clambering to his pained head. Before he could muster a howl, his eyes rolled back, and he toppled like a felled tree.
Onlookers would have been dumbstruck witnessing a fledgling like Eddie effortlessly incapacitate the notorious Rock—a feat akin to David and Goliath.
As Eddie nonchalantly brushed his hands off, it was clear he viewed this less as a battle and more as a bonus level in a game, wondering about the loot this "monster" would drop.
Rock's return to consciousness was anything but pleasant, awakening to the reality of being bound like a parcel, utterly incapacitated and vulnerable.
The intricate binding rendered him as motionless as a statue, a far cry from his usual ferocious self. His feeble attempts at escape were pitiful against the meticulously knotted ropes.
Eddie watched the spectacle with a bemused smirk, already thinking ahead to the bounty he'd claim. Whistling a carefree tune, he anticipated turning this small chapter of his adventure into yet another entertaining story to recount.
As Eddie casually sifted through the meager possessions of his captive, Rock's eyes flickered open, seething with fury.
With a hint of impatience, he casually suggested, "Listen up, if you've got any secret stash worth more than a hundred gold, spill it. Maybe then, I'll consider giving you a break."
Rock's face turned an even deeper shade of anger as he spewed threats and curses. But to Eddie, his bluster was nothing more than the last howls of a cornered animal. Even the mention of the fearsome Iron Beast, leader of the Berserk Beast Mercenary Group, elicited nothing but amusement from Eddie.
As the conversation spiraled into fruitless threats, Eddie decided it was high time for Thistle Thorn's dinner. He calmly instructed his plant beast to consume Rock, explaining the nutritious value of live prey.
The prospect of Thistle Thorn inheriting or enhancing its abilities from such a meal was an added bonus to the otherwise grim task.
Rock's weak struggles were futile against the inevitable. As Thistle Thorn descended upon him, the grim reality set in.
Eddie, detached and calculating, observed the grim spectacle, his mind already racing ahead to the next conquest.
In his relentless pursuit of power, he saw each unfortunate soul as a stepping stone, an unemotional calculation in the brutal world where only the strong survive.
Rock, the once-feared mercenary known as "The Boulder," trembled with fear as the monstrous Thistle Thorn approached, its maw wide open in anticipation of its meal.
The brutal world of the mercenary had come full circle for him, his pleas for mercy echoing unanswered into the night. Eddie, with a detached coolness, watched unmoved.
He had made it clear: his deadly services weren't charity, and without the hefty price of a hundred gold coins, no mercy would be granted.
As Thistle Thorn began its slow, agonizing consumption, starting from Rock's petrified legs, the tough exterior of the mercenary crumbled into desperate sobs and futile pleas.
Eddie, indifferent to the brutal scene unfolding, advised the plant to begin its feast from the head to avoid waking the neighborhood.
He then casually strolled away from the horror, whistling a light tune, his thoughts already on his next meal in the tranquil night.
Rock's agonizing wails filled the night air, a grim testament to the merciless law of the land. Eddie, with an impish grin, called back, reminding the doomed man of his own merciless past.
"Always remember, you never spared those you killed. Consider this a lesson in karma!" And with that, Eddie's shadow merged with the darkness of the night, leaving behind a cautionary tale of retribution that would be whispered in fearful awe.