"THIS?!"
He gripped his spear tightly, his eyes darting wildly around their surroundings. "What… what i-is out there!" he stammered, his bravado dissolving into fear.
Whooosh!
BANG!
An arrow, seemingly appearing from nowhere, struck him squarely in the chest. The force of the impact drove the projectile deep into his body.
PIFFFF!
A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips as he dropped to his knees, his eyes fixed on the fletching of the arrow protruding from his chest in stunned disbelief.
Whoosh!
With a supreme effort, the dying demon slowly raised his head. Through his blurring vision, he saw a figure standing before him, as dark and silent as the night itself.
Whoosh!
A flash of polished steel moved swiftly under the moonlight. The demon's eyes widened in a final moment of terror before his head, too, was severed, arcing through the air before landing with a soft thud. His kneeling body remained upright for a moment longer, before finally collapsing.
The dark figure lowered his bloodied sword and stepped silently into the village.
Kyle and Gabriela approached the gate, stepping past the two headless corpses without so much as a glance.
Kyle subtly observed Gabriela's expression, half-expecting to see revulsion or some sign of distress. Instead, her face remained impassive, her gaze as cold and detached as his own.
'Hmm… It seems my initial assessment was incorrect,' he mused internally.
'And MS, why are my soldiers so… powerful?' he inquired mentally.
{MS: It seems Host is still unaware of the true meaning of 'powerful'.}
"...."
Kyle remained silent, his thoughts swirling.
{MS: The troops have experienced a significant increase in strength due to the presence of a General, Host. With their current capabilities, a single soldier can now contend with a Rank 11 Hunter. Furthermore, the combined force of these twenty-five soldiers can effectively challenge a Rank 17 Hunter.}
'That is… satisfactory,' Kyle conceded internally, though his outward expression remained unchanged. He turned his attention to the seemingly deserted village, his blue eyes scanning the silent rows of houses.
"It appears our quarry is attempting to conceal themselves," he stated aloud, his voice calm and even.
"Let us encourage them to emerge."
He opened his hand, and a ball of intense fire coalesced in his palm, casting a flickering orange glow on his face. He aimed it directly at the largest structure before him, undoubtedly the dwelling of the village chief – now likely occupied by the demon leader. Even if innocent villagers were inside, Kyle felt no hesitation.
WHOOSH!
The fireball shot from his hand with alarming speed. The instant it collided with the building, a deafening explosion ripped through the quiet evening air, sending shockwaves and debris scattering across the village.
Kyle lowered his hand, watching as, one by one, the windows of the surrounding houses creaked open, and the faces of frightened villagers peered out to witness the source of the violent commotion.
Whoosh!
An arrow, launched from the swirling smoke and debris of the exploded building, streaked towards Kyle with deadly accuracy.
BANG!
Before the projectile could reach him, two of Kyle's foot soldiers materialized in front of him, their drawn blades intercepting the arrow in a shower of sparks and splintered wood.
The broken pieces fell harmlessly at his feet. A faint smirk touched Kyle's lips.
"How dare you!"
A hulking figure burst from the dissipating smoke, landing heavily on the ground with a resounding thud that cracked the earth beneath his feet.
Kyle observed the demon before him with cold appraisal. The creature stood an imposing six feet tall, dwarfing Kyle's own five-foot-nine frame. The demon's muscles bulged grotesquely, straining against his thick hide, a display of raw power that elicited a silent chuckle from Kyle.
"What bloodline?" he inquired, his voice devoid of any real curiosity.
"A Bear."
Gabriela answered, her voice barely audible above the lingering echoes of the explosion.
The demon roared in fury, tossing his now useless bow aside. His bloodshot eyes locked onto Kyle, his expression a mask of rage. "Who are you?! You dare to attack a village under the protection of the Demon Kingdom?!"
The demon's fury was palpable, but due to the mask Kyle wore, his identity remained concealed.
"No," Kyle corrected him, his voice still calm amidst the chaos.
"You misunderstand my intentions." He took a step forward, the metallic glint of his unsheathed sword catching the moonlight. He walked past his two protective foot soldiers, his gaze never leaving the demon leader.
"I am not merely going against Gavania," he declared, his voice resonating with a chilling conviction. "My quarrel is with the entirety of these three kingdoms."
"You fool!" the demon bellowed, his massive frame tensing as he prepared to attack.
"You rely on brute force," Kyle observed, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. "But I do not."
He shifted his weight, the ground beneath his feet groaning under the sudden pressure.
"The bringer of retribution is…"
Whoosh!
He moved with blinding speed, leaving cracks spiderwebbing across the ground where he had stood.
"You dare challenge me?!" the demon roared again, lunging forward, his massive claws extended to strike.
BAM!!!!!!
"....."
".....?!!"
The demon, Gabriela, and the villagers who were cautiously observing from their doorways and windows were all frozen in stunned silence.
"Nemesis," Kyle finished his sentence, his voice low and deadly.
He stood behind the man, and with a swung of his sword, a spray of dark blood arced through the air, splattering onto the ground.
"AAAAAAH!!!!!"
The demon let out an agonizing scream, his voice raw with pain and disbelief as both of his arms, severed cleanly at the shoulders, fell heavily to the ground.
"Weak… And I was led to believe you were a Rank 15," Kyle muttered dismissively, his blue eyes reflecting the cold, indifferent light of the moon.
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I Just want to say thank you for checking out this book to this chapter... Please, if you can, leave a Review and Comment... And Also power stones...
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