Lucien is not yet fully recovered. Zuko can't even lift the lightest sword commonly used by fighters and warriors in the world of Raace. They have a savior who will guide them to do many things and also adapt to the atmosphere of this world. However, what happened was truly beyond expectations. Jessamy's abode, which he had tried to build in the most secluded location, was raided by troublemakers who wanted to eliminate Jessamy for mysterious purposes.
CTANG! CTANG! CTANG!!!
The swords, with weights beyond Zuko's imagination, swung and clashed effortlessly in the air as if as light as feathers. Realizing that his head could easily be severed, Zuko darted among the fighters, attempting to conceal himself behind a large tree.
"HEAAAKH!!!"
BRUAAKH. A man among them, bulky but not overly tall, kicked Jessamy's house door with one foot, causing the door leaf to easily sway off its hinges.
Zuko panicked as he saw Jessamy overwhelmed by four other troublemakers, unable to pay attention to anything else. How could this happen? Lucien was inside there.
"OW, OW, OW, WHO'S SLEEPING COMFORTABLY UNDER THE BLANKET?" he asked with a booming voice that made it audible to everyone.
Jessamy immediately panicked and instinctively turned towards the interior of his house. His carelessness gave the four men he was fighting against the opportunity to attack the man at a point he didn't realize.
DUAAKH! BUUKH! BUUKH!
"Ahahaha. Turns out he can be defeated this easily. We better tie him up so we can take him to the fighter trader in town who will sell him to one of the warring kingdoms."
"In that case, I'll sell this weak-looking kid to the slave trader," another man said as he casually walked into Jessamy's house.
"NO! DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Jessamy screamed while lying prone on the ground, his body restrained from above.
"DON'T TOUCH MY FRIEND!!!" Zuko yelled, forgetting his safety, and reflexively ran into the house. The short but bulky troublemaker was about to reach for Lucien's still partially unconscious body.
The teenage boy's lips suddenly moved, emitting a faint voice, "Excogitate."
The activation of power.
The knight's magic has arisen.
Divagate!
BOOOM!!! An unimaginable explosion occurred, destroying Jessamy's house from within. A figure, completely covered in mysterious energy flames, emerged from the wreckage, carrying the body of the troublemaker who had first entered and disturbed it.
"LUCIEN!" Zuko shouted with joy, relieved that his friend was still alive, though he didn't know what had happened.
CRUNCH. Jessamy, battered and bruised, immediately covered Zuko's mouth and pulled him to hide somewhere. As a result, only four troublemakers remained unaware of who they were facing. They recklessly drew their weapons and ran around the figure, intending to attack randomly.
However, what happened was... the figure that no longer resembled Lucien, Zuko's friend, raised both hands until they reached the highest position, then bent them inward while bowing his body. CREAK CREAK CREAK.
"UWAAAAHH! UWAAAAHH! NO!"
The three troublemakers felt something sharp and hard piercing them from within their bodies, breaking through the skin, causing blood to spurt out and flood the once peaceful and serene area.
"Jessamy, what are you doing? What happened to Lucien?" Zuko asked while pulling at one arm of the man's clothing, which was only a simple garment in earth tones made of cheap and rough material. It seemed to be the typical attire of the lower middle class living in this world.
Before he could finish his question, Zuko saw about a dozen more horseback riders arriving, seemingly friends of the five men who had come earlier. Without hesitation, a small battle ensued with swords ranging from small to large, knives, double sticks, and even large hammers and axes. Together, they attacked Lucien, who seemed like someone else entirely.
Something long and flexible like a thorn-covered tentacle emerged from the palm of his hand. With his brown iris eyes now glowing purple, he used the tentacle to fend off those attempting to attack him.
However, the resistance wouldn't end so easily. One of them leaped into the inner part of his tentacle, then swiftly ran and forcefully stabbed one of his arms.
"HWOAARGGHH!!!" Lucien screamed, or whatever creature was currently taking over the teenager's consciousness.
Without saying anything to Zuko, who still felt like he might faint from disbelief at what he was witnessing, Jessamy leaped out carrying a two-handed sword and joined the chaos.
"He's got nothing to do with me! If you came here for me, then deal with me and leave him alone!" Jessamy shouted at the troublemakers, known as the Hunter Head.
The apparent leader of this second group separated from his subordinates who were trying to fight Lucien. He replied, "If we can get more than one, why not?"
Meanwhile, Lucien, still out of control, continued to fight against the Head Hunters who were trying to incapacitate him, thinking he was a new species of magical creature that could be sold to one of the warring kingdoms.
SLASH SLASH SLASH. CLANG CLANG CLANG. The onslaught of about a dozen people with their various weapons made him, who initially could lead the fight, weaken further.
Watching this, Zuko couldn't bear to remain silent any longer and chose to approach his best friend, clumsily dragging a sword that Jessamy claimed to be the lightest sword commonly used by fighters.
Zreett zreett zreett. "You shall not harm Lucien anymore!" he shouted.
Three of them turned towards him with a more determined look, ready to attack him as well. Amid the dire situation, Zuko felt empowered by the adversity facing him. With full force, he swung the sword to fend off the three Head Hunters who also intended to sell him to the slave trader.
"Ahahaha! Look at how this fool wields the sword!" one of them jeered.
DUUAKH DUUKH BUUGH BRAAKH. Blindly, they attacked Zuko's body, who could only regret why this wasn't like he imagined it to be. Wasn't he supposed to be able to use magic or a system from a game if he transmigrated to this world? Wasn't that what was usually depicted in anime and novels?!
"WHAT KIND OF PLACE IS THIS, DAMN IT???!!!" he yelled amid the torment inflicted by the Head Hunters for their pleasure.
Lucien, in his berserk mode, heard that voice and suddenly fell silent, making those who had been attacking him pleased and attempting to torment him even worse.
Until at one point…
TANG! The sword they wanted to use to slash the mysterious tentacle protruding from Lucien's palm suddenly broke like rotten wood. PTANG! TANG! BRUK BRUK BRUK. One by one, the sharp weapons affixed to his body loosened themselves as if pushed by magical forces from within his body. All the wounds from their fight on his body closed up and returned to perfection.
"HOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" The teenager let out a terrifying scream from his mouth, which could now open twice as wide.
Everyone's attention automatically shifted to what was happening to Lucien, unaware that the ground beneath them was shaking and dozens or even hundreds of trees, whose types could not be found in the real world, were making cracking sounds simultaneously as if breaking from within.
KRTEK KRTEK KRETEK!!!
Lucien's body rose about three meters from the ground. Because they were in an area outside the influence of the magus king's power, such a thing was not common. It silenced the Head Hunters, who were more accustomed to dealing with the kingdoms of titans who enjoyed gathering power.
"How dare you touch my precious Zuko."
Precious? Zuko didn't understand what his friend meant by that. I mean, wasn't it too ridiculous for one man to say to another?
"I will kill you all."
Zuko, who had just moved to another world with his friend, had to face the reality that his friend was no longer someone he recognized.
What should I do next?!
He could only wonder silently in his heart.