Screams echoed through the vast training ground, slicing through the air with a palpable tension.
Onlookers stood frozen, their faces painted with shock and disbelief. They could hardly reconcile the man before them with the one they thought they knew.
Matthew, a figure known for his formidable skills among Baron Ethan knight's ranks, was now crumpled and defeated. How could this be? Was the once-weak Harry truly capable of such a display?
Gasps rippled through the crowd as they processed the brutality of the moment. Rather than delivering a swift death, Harry had opted for a far crueler fate: severing Matthew's limbs while he was still conscious. A quick death would have been merciful; this was an act of vengeance.
"Is he really going to let him bleed out like that?" one apprentice murmured to another, their eyes wide with fear.
"Yes," the other replied, trembling slightly. "That's Harry. I never thought..."
In that moment, Harry turned his attention to Matthew, who had lost consciousness, a faint trickle of blood pooling beneath him. He shook his head, boredom etched on his face. 'I expected more from him. I've faced tougher foes in my past simulation.'
With a swift motion, he pulled the sword from Matthew's body and stepped away, his gaze landing on Klaus, who watched him with wide, terrified eyes.
"Master Harry," Klaus stammered, a shaky, eager smile stretching across his face.
In a heartbeat, Harry dropped his sword, the blade landing perilously close to Klaus's neck, leaving a crimson mark on his skin.
"I heard you've been stealing Al's knight potion," Harry said, his voice steady but laced with an underlying threat. "Where is it?"
Klaus's heart raced as he opened his mouth to protest but caught sight of Matthew's still form out of the corner of his eye. Panic washed over him. "It's in the floor behind my room!" he blurted, desperate to distance himself from any semblance of guilt.
Just a moment before, he might have dared to argue, but that was before he witnessed Harry's ruthlessness. This was a different kind of man, one willing to shed blood without a second thought.
Klaus had always feared Matthew's wrath, but now the threat before him was far greater. If Harry had no qualms about attacking a knight elite, what was stopping him from turning that same blade on Klaus?
"Don't lie to me," Harry's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "You're not deceiving me, are you?"
"Of course not!" Klaus nearly shouted, desperation tinging his tone. "I swear, Master Harry, I wouldn't dare!"
Harry studied him intently, a half-smile on his lips, leaving Klaus feeling exposed under the scrutiny.
"Good answer," Harry finally replied, his smile widening just a fraction, though his eyes remained cold. "Let's see if you can keep it that way."
The crowd watched, breathless, as the tension thickened around them. In that moment, it became clear: the balance of power had shifted, and with it, fear reigned.
A long sword plunged down with brutal force, piercing through Klaus's chest. He watched in shock, disbelief etched across his features.
Harry's lips curled into a cold smile as he delivered his final words. "Then die." With that, he drove the blade deeper, and Klaus's head fell, rolling away to land with a sickening thud on the ground, his expression frozen in a distorted grimace.
Without a glance back, Harry strode away. He had never intended to let either of them survive. 'Tolerance? What a joke,' he thought bitterly. 'If you're weak, just accept your fate. But I'm strong enough now to exact my revenge. All those hours of training weren't for nothing.'
As Harry exited the training ground, he could feel the weight of the crowd's fearful stares on his back. They parted ways, their eyes wide with terror, afraid he might turn his wrath on them next. Yet, Harry had little interest in their cowardice; his focus lay elsewhere.
He soon arrived at Klaus's house and began to search. Just as he had anticipated, tucked away behind the dwelling, he found a small glass vial. The potion inside shimmered with a vibrant green hue, almost sinister in its brightness, reminiscent of poison.
He opened the bottle, and a sharp, acrid scent wafted up, making him grimace. But as he examined the contents more closely, a sense of satisfaction washed over him. "Only half left, but it's definitely the Knight Potion," he mused, nodding to himself.
Harry's predecessor might never have been deemed worthy of such a prize, but being the son of Baron Ethan had its advantages. He knew the appearance and effects of the knight potion well, having heard enough stories to recognize its importance.
"Next..." he murmured, pocketing the vial. He then made his way to the outskirts of the manor, where a different kind of life thrived.
Inside a spacious hall, a tall young man stood waiting, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. "I heard you took down Matthew and Klaus," he said, eyeing Harry closely.
"Reggie," Harry sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "If you knew what they were like, you'd understand how helpless I felt."
Reggie's brows furrowed with concern. "I get it. But are you safe here. You didn't even come to me for help."
Harry continued, "With my father away, I thought I could lay low in the manor, but they just wouldn't let up. They kept pushing until I had no choice but to stand up for myself."
Reggie's expression softened. "You're my brother, Harry. Alfie would never turn you away."
"True," Harry replied, a bitter smile crossing his lips. "But with how they've treated me, I can't help but think I'd be better off wandering alone."
"Don't say that. I won't let anyone force you out. Not even Alfie," Reggie assured him, determination etched on his face. "Stay here for now. I'll make sure you're protected."
"Thank you, Reggie," Harry said, relief flooding through him. "If you need anything, just let me know. From now on, I'm here to follow your lead."
Reggie and the middle-aged man beside him exchanged glances, both visibly pleased. "Good to have you here, Harry," Reggie replied, a hint of a smile breaking through his serious demeanor. "Together, we'll face whatever comes our way."