The streets of Shirotsume had turned into a warzone.
Screams and the clash of steel against claw filled the air, mixing with the scent of blood and burning wood. Vulcans swarmed the town like a tide of muscle and malice, tearing through anything in their path.
And I was right in the middle of it.
A Vulcan lunged from the side, swinging a massive fist. I ducked, feeling the rush of air as it barely missed my head. Spinning on my heel, I brought Rebellion up in a brutal arc—
Shhk!
The blade carved clean through the beast's torso. It barely had time to register its mistake before collapsing in a lifeless heap.
No time to breathe. Another one charged, this one bigger—smarter. It grabbed a broken cart and hurled it at me.
I dashed forward, flipping over the wreckage mid-air. As I landed, Ivory was already raised. Bang! Bang! Twin shots slammed into the Vulcan's skull, staggering it long enough for me to close the gap.
Rebellion flashed under the moonlight—
A single clean strike, and the monster's head rolled across the cobblestone.
But the fight was far from over.
I could hear the villagers screaming in the distance. My eyes darted across the battlefield—fires raged, and several homes had already been destroyed. Some of the townspeople were still trapped inside.
"Tch. Priorities."
Holstering Ebony and Ivory, I sprinted toward the nearest burning building. A woman was leaning out of the second-floor window, clutching a child, her terrified eyes darting around for help.
"Help us!" she cried.
No hesitation. I leapt, Rebellion vanishing into my inventory mid-motion. Grabbing onto the ledge, I hauled myself up, breaking the wooden frame in the process.
The room was thick with smoke. The flames were crawling up the walls, the heat pressing in from all sides. The woman coughed violently, shielding the kid as best as she could.
"Can you move?" I asked.
She nodded weakly. "The stairs are blocked—"
"Not a problem."
I grabbed them both, one arm around the mother, the other around the kid, and took a step back.
Then—jumped.
Glass shattered as we crashed through the window. I twisted mid-air to take the brunt of the fall, landing with a heavy thud on the dirt road. The woman and child were safe.
I wasn't.
The moment I stood up, a deep pain shot through my ribs. That fall should have at least cracked something—hell, maybe even broken a leg. But instead… nothing.
The pain was already fading.
I blinked.
It was subtle, but I could feel it. A slow, unnatural warmth spreading through my body, like a silent fire reigniting from within. My muscles didn't ache. My breath came steady.
The Fountain of Youth.
This was the first time I truly felt its effects. My injuries—were healing on their own. Faster than they should have. And not just healing.
I was stronger.
A shadow loomed over me. Another Vulcan. This one was different—taller, its muscles coiled like a predator stalking instead of mindlessly charging.
It grinned, baring sharp yellow teeth.
I cracked my neck. "You guys really don't quit, huh?"
With a flick of my wrist, Ebony and Ivory reappeared.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each shot hit dead center, but the Vulcan didn't go down. It growled, shrugging off the bullets like they were pebbles.
Okay.
I tightened my grip, letting a slow breath escape. Fine. If bullets weren't enough—
I rushed forward.
The Vulcan swung. I slid under, twisting mid-motion, my foot planting into its gut. Using the momentum, I kicked off, flipping into the air—
Rebellion materialized in my hands mid-spin.
One clean, downward slash.
The Vulcan split from shoulder to waist, its eyes still frozen in shock as its body crumbled.
I landed smoothly, rolling my shoulders.
"Next."
The fight continued. I moved through the battlefield, cutting through Vulcans, clearing a path toward the townspeople. Every time I felt exhaustion creeping in, it faded just as quickly, my body rejuvenating at an unnatural pace.
Guards had started regaining ground, rallying around me as I tore through the enemy ranks. Some looked at me with wide-eyed shock, but I had no time to answer their unspoken questions.
One last Vulcan—the biggest of them all—stood at the center of the square.
My grip tightened on Rebellion.
This one felt different. Smarter. Stronger.
It grinned.
And then—
It spoke.
"You… are interesting."
I froze.
It talked?
Oh right, Vulcans can speak and understand human language
Before I could react, the beast slammed its fists together, and the ground beneath me shattered.
The moment its fists connected, the cobblestone street exploded.
Cracks raced outward from the impact, jagged lines splitting the ground beneath me. I barely had time to react before the street buckled, sending chunks of stone flying in every direction. Dust and debris filled the air, cutting visibility to almost nothing.
My instincts screamed.
I leapt back just as the Vulcan surged forward—faster than anything that size had a right to be. A massive fist cut through the dust cloud, narrowly missing my skull. I twisted, my boots skidding against loose gravel as I barely dodged a second swing.
"Damn, you're quick for a big guy."
I had only fought Vulcans once before, back in the forest. Those ones were strong but reckless, fighting with nothing but brute force and instinct. This one? Smarter. Its movements were controlled—it was actually watching me, studying how I moved.
And then it did something I hadn't seen a Vulcan do before.
It grinned.
"You… fight well," it rumbled.
I cocked a brow.
Then it charged.
I sidestepped, barely avoiding a fist the size of a damn anvil. The force of the impact shattered the stone beneath me, sending chunks of debris into the air.
"Alright, enough warm-up."
I raised Ebony and Ivory—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three perfect shots, aimed dead center at its glowing red eyes.
The Vulcan moved.
Not dodging, not flinching—anticipating. It twisted its head just enough to let the bullets graze past, barely scraping fur.
"Okay, now you're just showing off," I muttered.
It lunged again—faster than before.
I rolled sideways, but not fast enough. A massive foot slammed into my ribs, launching me off the ground. My body crashed through the wreckage of a market stall, skidding to a stop against a pile of rubble.
Pain shot through my torso—then vanished.
The Fountain of Youth was already kicking in, repairing the damage before I could even feel it properly. I exhaled sharply, cracking my neck.
"Alright, my turn."
The Alpha's nostrils flared. "Strange… you do not break."
I pushed myself up, brushing dust off my jacket. "Nah, I just prefer to let my opponents tire themselves out. Keeps things interesting."
Its lips peeled back in another grin.
I smirked. "You should see me at parties."
The Alpha rumbled a deep chuckle, but its muscles tensed—coiled like a spring ready to snap.
"Time to end this."
I flicked Rebellion into a reverse grip, my body already moving before the Vulcan even attacked.
It lunged—full force.
I met it head-on.
The world blurred as I slid low, avoiding a swipe meant to take my head clean off. My foot planted against the broken stone—perfect positioning.
Rebellion flashed under the moonlight.
One clean, decisive upward slash.
The Alpha barely had time to react before my blade carved through its chest, splitting skin and muscle like paper.
It staggered.
For a second, it looked down at the wound, almost as if in disbelief. Then, a smirk.
"You… are worthy prey."
With a final, shuddering breath, the vulcan collapsed, the massive weight of its body kicking up a cloud of dust.
Silence fell over Shirotsume.
The surviving Vulcans—those that hadn't already been cut down—hesitated. Their leader was dead. Their numbers were dwindling. Their best shot had failed.
A chorus of roars erupted—not of defiance, but retreat.
The remaining Vulcans bolted, their massive forms disappearing into the dark forest beyond the town's borders.
I exhaled, spinning Rebellion once before vanishing it back into my inventory.
The fight was over.
The streets of Shirotsume were unrecognizable.
Fires still smoldered in the ruins of buildings, the acrid scent of smoke mixing with the metallic tang of blood. Bodies of Vulcans littered the roads, their massive forms lying in pools of dark crimson. The townspeople—shaken, bloodied, but alive—were beginning to emerge from hiding. Some wept in relief, others searched for missing loved ones.
I stood in the center of it all, rolling my shoulders as the last remnants of pain faded from my body. The Fountain of Youth had already healed any injuries I'd taken in the fight.
But as I looked around at the destruction, a heavy sigh left my lips.
"This town got wrecked."
The sound of sobbing reached my ears. I turned, spotting a woman kneeling beside a fallen man—her husband, maybe. His body was still, his chest unmoving.
Not everyone had been lucky.
My fingers tightened into a fist.
No matter how fast I moved, how strong I became… I couldn't save everyone.
I hated that.
A gentle tug on my coat pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced down. A small girl, no older than six, stood there clutching a torn stuffed toy. Her face was streaked with dirt, her big eyes filled with tears—yet she still looked up at me with something close to awe.
"Are… are the monsters gone?" she whispered.
I knelt down, offering her a small smile. "Yeah. They're gone."
She sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "Mama said heroes always come to help when people are scared."
I chuckled, ruffling her messy hair. "Sounds like your mom's pretty smart."
Before she could say more, her mother rushed over, scooping her up in a tight embrace. I watched for a moment before stepping back, letting them have their moment.
More villagers emerged from hiding, some searching for loved ones, others simply taking in the devastation. The air was heavy with grief, but also relief. They had survived.
But their home?
It needed rebuilding.
I turned toward the wreckage, cracking my knuckles. "Alright, guess it's time to fix things up."
A few of the guards blinked at me. "Fix… things?"
I smirked.
With a flick of my wrist, I summoned the Traveler's Clock.
A golden timepiece appeared in my palm, its intricate gears ticking in an almost hypnotic rhythm. The hands glowed faintly as I infused it with energy, its magic humming to life.
I lifted it high, and as I turned the dial—
The world shifted.
Debris slid back into place, broken walls mended, shattered glass reformed, and the very foundations of Shirotsume knitted themselves back together. Time rewound for everything inorganic, reversing the destruction as if the battle had never happened.
Gasps filled the air as the townspeople watched in awe. A moment ago, their home had been on the brink of ruin. Now, it stood as it had before the attack.
When the magic faded, I closed my hand, dismissing the clock.
One of the guards—a grizzled man with a deep scar across his cheek—stepped forward, his eyes wide with disbelief. "By the gods… how did you…?"
I smirked. "Just a little trick I picked up."
The tension in the air eased. People started moving again, tending to the wounded instead of worrying about rebuilding. Murmurs of thanks followed me as I walked, but I wasn't looking for gratitude.
Anyways perhaps with the death of that smart vulcan, the town should be more peaceful.