Blood Red.
The only color Noah could see in that moment was the deep crimson of his enemies' blood, painting the battlefield like a macabre canvas.
His heart pounded, each beat in sync with the violence around him. The stench of iron filled his nostrils, and the screams of the dying echoed in his ears like a twisted symphony. He moved like a force of nature, not a man but a storm, a whirlwind of death.
Swoosh!
One enemy fell, his skull caving under the weight of Noah's strike.
Splat!
Another's chest burst open as Noah's scythe cleaved through bone and sinew with ease, spraying blood in a fine mist that covered the boy like a sick blessing. The battlefield was a chaotic sea of violence, and Noah was its tyrant, reaping lives with cold precision.
He didn't fight like a man.
He fought like a beast.
No, he was worse than a beast. He was a monster.
A flash of movement caught his eye. A hulking orc charged at him, its axe raised high, the massive weapon glinting in the flickering light. Noah barely flinched. His mind was too focused, his body a machine built for one purpose: to kill.
As the axe came down, Noah twisted his body with fluid grace.
Clang!
His scythe rose in a flash of black steel, meeting the axe mid-swing. Sparks erupted from the clash, the high-pitched screech of metal against metal ringing in Noah's ears.
But Noah didn't stop. He never stopped. There was no time for mercy.
Roar!
Another enemy was upon him, barreling forward with murderous intent, a bestial roar escaping its maw. Noah's instincts kicked in. His body moved faster than his mind could keep up with. With a flick of his wrist, his scythe spun through the air like a deadly whirlwind, aimed squarely at the charging brute.
Splat.
The sickening sound of steel meeting flesh reverberated across the field. The creature didn't even have time to scream as the scythe tore through its chest, severing its heart from its ribcage. It fell to the ground in a lifeless heap, blood pooling beneath it.
Noah's weapon, slick with gore, gleamed in the dim light as he yanked it free. His breath was steady, controlled. His eyes, once full of fire, were now cold, dead things. There was no hesitation in them—only the drive to annihilate.
The first orc, seeing its chance, recovered from its failed attack and swung again, its axe slicing through the air in a vicious arc, aiming to cleave Noah in two.
But Noah was already gone.
Whoosh!
His body moved faster than the orc could react. In a heartbeat, he closed the distance, his feet planting firmly on the ground as he thrust his palm into the orc's massive chest with a deafening crack.
The orc's eyes bulged in shock as it was lifted off the ground by the sheer force of Noah's blow. Its body flew backward, crashing into the dirt with a sickening thud. Blood gushed from its mouth as it struggled to breathe.
From a distance, John could only watch, mouth agape.
How the hell did he do that?
John thought, his mind racing to comprehend what he had just witnessed.
He used my move—after seeing it just once!
Noah's expression remained impassive. Without a word, he lifted his leg, twisting his body mid-step to use his momentum for a final, deadly strike.
"Death Flame."
A black flame ignited around Noah's foot, dark and cold, as though the very essence of death itself had taken shape. The fire consumed the air around it, a chilling void that sucked the warmth from the battlefield.
With a single motion, Noah brought his foot down like a guillotine.
Crack!
The orc's head snapped sideways, its neck breaking with a sharp sound, the black flame searing its flesh as it fell.
"...Monster..."
John whispered, unable to take his eyes off the scene before him. His hands trembled. He was no stranger to combat, but this—this was something else entirely. Noah wasn't just strong. He was something beyond human.
John, a genius in his own right, had once thought of himself as unparalleled, but now... standing there, witnessing Noah's brutal efficiency, he realized how insignificant he truly was.
Noah's cold, emotionless eyes scanned the battlefield. Bodies lay scattered, broken and torn, their blood seeping into the earth.
A monster among corpses.
Without a word, Noah bent down, reclaiming his scythe. His grip tightened around the weapon, his muscles coiling as he channeled mana through his body. From his chest to his arms, from his fingertips to the blade of his scythe, the mana flowed like a river, pooling at the weapon's edge.
"Death Flame."
The scythe ignited once more with that eerie black flame, pulsing with deadly energy.
Noah's posture shifted, his body leaning forward. The scythe was poised at his side, its blade gleaming with murderous intent. In one smooth, fluid motion, he spun, slashing outward with deadly precision.
"Duck."
John barely registered the word before his body reacted, instinct taking over. He hit the ground, his heart pounding in his chest.
Zoom!
A ring of black fire erupted from Noah, expanding outwards at impossible speed. The heatless flames tore through the air, and in the blink of an eye, it was over.
Splat.
Splat.
Splat.
The sound of bodies being ripped apart filled the air. The flames left no survivors, cutting through flesh and bone like they were nothing. John's mind struggled to keep up with what he had just witnessed.
When he finally dared to look up, his stomach churned at the sight before him.
The battlefield was a massacre.
Limbs were strewn across the ground, severed heads and torsos laying in grotesque piles. Blood soaked the earth, turning it into a red quagmire. Guts and viscera were scattered like confetti at a twisted festival.
And in the center of it all stood Noah, his scythe resting on his shoulder, drenched in blood but otherwise untouched. He stood motionless, like a statue of death itself, surveying the field with cold, detached eyes.
Around him, only silence remained.
Noah's gaze didn't linger on the carnage. His job wasn't finished yet.
"John! We can't let them regroup!"
Noah's voice broke through John's reverie.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!"
John snapped back, shaking himself free of the horror.
While Noah unleashed death with a single scythe, John had to rely on his magic and martial prowess. As he stepped into the fray, he channeled his mana. Energy surged through him as he prepared to cast a spell.
"Magic Missile!"
The air crackled with energy as three glowing orbs of blue light shot from his fingertips, streaking toward a group of orcs that had gathered at the edge of the battlefield, rallying for a counterattack.
Boom!
The missiles exploded in a brilliant flash of light, sending orc bodies flying, limbs and entrails scattering in every direction. The stunned survivors staggered back, their resolve shattered.
"Nice work!"
Noah called over, still swinging his scythe in a graceful arc that severed an enemy's head clean off.
"Just warming up!"
John replied, sweat glistening on his brow. He glanced at Noah, whose focus was unwavering as he danced through the chaos. The boy was a force of nature, an embodiment of death itself.
But John had his own tricks. As another wave of enemies charged, he swiftly transitioned into his martial arts stance, blending his physical skills with his magic. He sprang forward, launching a series of swift punches, each enhanced by bursts of mana. His fists glowed with power, striking with an otherworldly speed.
One orc fell victim to John's devastating hook, the crack of bone echoing as it collided with its jaw, sending the creature sprawling.
"I may not have your strength, but I have my own weapons!"
He quipped, a grin tugging at his lips.
Noah glanced at him, a flicker of amusement crossing his face.
"You think that'll be enough?"
He challenged, cutting down another foe with effortless precision.
"Just watch me."
In that moment, John reached deep within himself, pulling on his ability to freeze the air around him. "Chill Blast!" he shouted, directing the frigid air toward the ground. The earth beneath the orcs turned to ice, slick and treacherous.
The nearest orc slipped and fell, crashing to the ground. John followed up with a swift kick to the creature's side, sending it skidding across the ice like a ragdoll.
"Careful! You'll hurt someone"
Noah taunted, a hint of a smile breaking through his stoic demeanor.
"Like I care!"
John shot back, exhilarated by the thrill of battle.
"I'd rather be an ice mage than some bloodthirsty freak!"
Noah chuckled softly, but his attention shifted back to the battle as more enemies surged forward, undeterred by their fallen comrades.
"Let's end this"
Noah said, his voice low and fierce. He spun his scythe again, summoning dark energies from the depths of his being.
"Death Flame!"
The air thickened with a sense of foreboding as black flames erupted from Noah's scythe, swirling around him like a dark storm. The fire crackled with an energy that felt almost sentient, hungry for destruction.
"Together!" Noah commanded, locking eyes with John. "We can't let them escape!"
With a nod, John braced himself, channeling his mana into a single, powerful spell. "I'm ready!" he shouted, feeling the energy coiling in his core, like a tightly wound spring.
The two of them stood back-to-back, the remnants of the battlefield alive with the chaos of the remaining orc forces, still thirsting for vengeance.
Noah unleashed the Death Flame, sending tendrils of black fire spiraling outward. The flames danced and flickered, devouring everything in their path. With each wave, the orc warriors were engulfed, their screeches of panic echoing as they were consumed by the void of heatless fire.
"Magic Barrage!"
John shouted, sending a flurry of magical projectiles toward the nearest group of enemies, each orb bursting into radiant light upon impact, illuminating the battlefield with an ethereal glow. The orcs that survived Noah's onslaught were caught off guard, disoriented by the light and the ensuing chaos.
"Now!" Noah urged, his voice rising above the din. "Push forward!"
With a surge of adrenaline, John sprinted ahead, the icy air swirling around him as he summoned the power of winter.
"Frostbite!"
He yelled, unleashing a wave of freezing energy that spread out in front of him, encasing the remaining orcs in a solid sheet of ice.
"Perfect!"
Noah grinned, his voice filled with excitement. He raced toward the frozen foes, his scythe raised high, the black flames licking at the air around him. He struck with a ferocious swing, the blade slicing through ice and flesh alike, leaving nothing but shattered remains.
John followed close behind, delivering swift kicks to any enemy that dared to move, his icy punches shattering the remains of those trapped within their frozen tombs.
This was not a battlefield. This was a massacre.
Limbs were strewn across the ground, severed heads and torsos laying in grotesque piles. Blood soaked the earth, turning it into a red quagmire. Guts and viscera were scattered like confetti at a twisted festival.
And in the center of it all stood Noah, his scythe resting on his shoulder, drenched in blood but otherwise untouched. He stood motionless, like a statue of death itself, surveying the field with cold, detached eyes.
Around him, only silence remained.
Noah's gaze didn't linger on the carnage. His job wasn't finished yet.
______________________________
Congratulations! You have obtained the title "Genocider."
Congratulations! You have earned 30,000 experience points!
Congratulations! You have obtained 30,000 coins!
Congratulations! Your Second Job is evolving! [PAWN] —> [KNIGHT]
Congratulations! You have reached Level 19.
______________________________
Name: Noah Gallagher
Sex: Male
Level: 19
______________________________
Jobs:
First Job: Reincarnation of Thanatos
Second Job: Knight [Growth Type]
______________________________
Titles:
Loser – Double experience gain.
Second Time Ranker – Skills consume half MP.
Genocider – +5 to all stats.
______________________________
Skills:
Corpse Resurrection (Great Commander) LV.3 – Command 12/24 undead.
Death Flame LV.3 – Consumes enemies in a cold, black fire.
Martial Artist [EX] – Heightened reflexes and combat ability.
Mana Vision [EX] – Sixth sense for mana detection.
[NEW] Blink (1) – Instantly teleport 3m forward.
______________________________
Noah's stats flashed before his eyes. But he wasn't concerned with the notifications or the rewards. There was no satisfaction, no pride. This wasn't victory—it was survival. And survival was all that mattered.
As Noah stood there amidst the sea of corpses, one thought lingered in his mind.
More.