The sun had already set, the moon in its steed, shining just the weakest light onto the planet. Outside of the wooden shack, a small militia was formed. Led by the young soldier, Rei.
"Hah! This was easier than I expected! I'll take that kid hostage, trick the king into coming to collect him, and then kill the king in front of everybody. I'll become the hero of Sar, won't I?" Rei chuckled quietly, mumbling to himself.
He and a group of 25 people hid in trees, waiting for Bastle to leave the shack. They had seen him come in with crutches.
It was one of Rei's men who slipped the paper into Bastle's pocket, infiltrating the ranks and impersonating an Anore soldier.
Cricket…
A grasshopper buzzed softly, being faintly heard in the ears of each soldier. Along with other earthly noises.
Rei's plan was nothing short of ambitious. He disobeyed his general to be here. If he was to bring nothing back, he would definitely be punished.
But he was so sure that he would bring Bastle back.
Whiiir…..
The door slowly creaked open. Revealing the silhouette of Bastle. No crutches were in sight.
He took one step.
"Not yet…" Rei whispered to his men in the bushes.
Another step.
"Not yet….!"
A third step.
"Wait…"
A fourth step!
"Now!"
Leaves rustled as the soldiers descended from the trees, surrounding Bastle. They would have to make this quick and do it as quietly as possible.
"Remember the plan! Don't kill him!" Rei yelled, a sadistic, cruel smile creeping across his face. He tightened his two-hand grip around his long sword.
Something appeared a little different about Bastle, though. As if he was not the same person Rei met on the battlefield.
"An ambush… that was the paper's true intention. So it was fate that brought me to this… strange doctor." A low voice, just barely audible escaped his mouth.
"Huh? A little louder, pipsqueak."
His head was tilted down, out of exhaustion. He slowly lifted his head up.
"He told me to let my body heal… but I guess I could test this out."
"Huh? What is he-"
Fssh!
Instantly, he disarmed a soldier, slapping a sword out of their hand, and holding it for himself.
Slsh!
He swung his arm indiscriminately, just to test how fast his arm would move, and how much strength it would release.
Expecting a shallow cut, but instead slicing the man clean in half diagonally, he was visibly surprised.
"…"
The white in Rei's eyes glared.
— Who… who is this? What is this? This isn't that lizard freak… no.
Bastle's blank face grew into a smile.
"I'm… strong now. I get it. This is how you're always feeling like, huh? With all those boosts that you have?"
With ease, Bastle killed another one. He didn't apply any mana. Nor was his swordsmanship that impressive. Yet, despite these things…
To Rei, he was a monster.
Rei wasted no time flying away.
"What a shame. Did he run away? Then I'll just have fun with you guys. Testing my new power!"
He sliced, blocked, dodged, and pierced.
He received maybe two shallow cuts along his forearms, but that was it.
25 men.
In a single slice, he decapitated three.
— Are the soldiers that weak?
He plunged his sword through three, making a kebab.
— Or…
Spinning around, he sliced another 5 or so in half, blood and entrails splattering onto his face.
— Have I become that strong?
Before he knew it, all of the men he faced died.
— I'm… fucking awesome.
His heart pounded.
Seeing the bodies scattered, the mess he had made.
Before, he couldn't have ever imagined doing anything like this.
Now, his imagination had become reality.
Blood dripped down his lip.
He smacked, tasting iron.
— Disgusting.
He spat out the blood that fell into his mouth, wincing in displeasure. Although the taste was not pleasant, he was still a little glad.
"All this power and I'm still human."
He fell to the ground, exhausted.
The flashy exertion of energy ended up draining him quite a bit.
He was surrounded by the body of the soldiers.