I stand against these two who are probably beyond my league. But does it matter to me?

No.

I am not courageous by default. It is mere foolishness out of heroism I want to show my friends. A self-sacrifice and selflessness that I knew well are not even normal for a person with critical thinking.

I bring out my one and only sword that I am well verse with. The engravings on it are so splendid that I don’t really think these swords should belong to someone like me.

Kran steps forward while giving me a very obnoxious look.

“Fuuu… according to the reports, you are the weakest hero among the summoned ones, but strangely, you are the one who keeps everyone connected.”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“Not really. Nil-sama doesn’t have any use of weakling like you.”

“Too bad for him.”

“Hmph! Then let’s get started then. Cr’thgor, is it fine for me to play with guy for a moment?!”

He turns to look at the man in emerald armor with a questioning face. In return, Cr’thgor thinks for a bit then speaks.

“Nil-sama’s order is just to scare them away that they will feel so much despair. He wants us to play with them like the rats they are.”

“But this one is… you know… pathetically weak. It could have been better if the woman with Arcana magic was left instead of this guy. After all, arcana magicians are useless because they don’t have the hero’s blessing.”

This is fine. I am buying time like this. If their goal was to push us to the brink of despair, then I will make sure that they will fail.

I let them speak their minds and attentively listens to their conversation in hopes that maybe, I can still make out of here alive or a miracle will happen.

“Kran, you do know about the circumstances we are in together with Nil-sama, we are betting on a small chance that some of them are the right people for his plan.”

“Come on. Which part of him is useful anyway? Besides, aren’t we just cutting off a bad weed before it grows any worse?”

“…”

“Let me have my fun once in a while.”

“I will have you explain it to Nil-sama and hope that he will not make you do embarrassing things as a punishment.”

“Heh!”

After their conversation, both looks at my direction while evaluating me.  Then Kran draws out a sword that radiates dreadful aura from nowhere and brandishes it at me.

“This won’t even last ten seconds.”

“I am not that easy to take out!”

“Then, come at me.”

“UUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!”

I charge in holding my sword downwards. I am filling my head with strategies and movements that I need to do to escalate the battle longer. I have though every feint and swings I am going to perform and the defensive that tactic that I honed during my training.

But…

Without even missing a beat, he flashes behind me. His speed is far more superior to mine and my eyes had barely known what happened.

My right arm that was holding my sword earlier… drops to the ground.

From my upper arm to below was cleanly cut. My right arm drops to the ground lifelessly as it was disconnected from my body. Then blood starts to gushes out.

“AhHH!!”

“I told you. Hahahaha! Hahaha! Serves you right! Why the hell do you even have a handsome face?! So jealous! GRaahhh!”

“GUH!”

I immediately hold the amputated part of my arm to desperately stop the bleeding. Pain and together with the feeling of missing limbs attacks my mind putting me in turmoil.

Meanwhile, Kran began to act weird talking to his self.

“Haa…haa…”

“Why?! WhY?! Why?! So jealous! So envious! Why do perfect people exist?! It’s not my fault! Hinoki! That bitch stole everything from me! HAAA!”

After I shakily hold my wound, Kran was able to collect his self once again and lands his eyesight unto me.

“Haaa… well… let’s get back into our fight. Hahahaha! Fight I said. Is it even a fight? But well, you have a wonderful sword here!”

He approaches my sword and picks it up.

He swings it several times and then after confirming it his self that he likes it, the sword was swallowed by a pugnacious aura that came from him.

“What…”

“Oh? I’m sorry. You won’t need that anymore. What are you doing kneeling on the ground anyway? Oh, do you want a hand? Hahaha!”

“Brazenly cracks a joke at this time…are all of the sins like this?!”

“Hardly. Well, you might not need to know it!”

“…”

“You’re weapon? My arcana magic is envy. If I am envious of something or someone, I can take it as I will. Like your weapon. I know there is more inside of you!”

“…”

He dashes towards me and I was unable to react from it. He strangles me with his one hand and the other hand is emitting a dense energy of malicious power.

As he holds me up, he then stabs his hand into my chest.

There was no blood, but pain strikes my senses as he pulls something out of my body.

…

After the torturous pain that I experienced, he pulls out his arm and let go of my neck. Together with his hand, there it is… my swords float in the air…

Eh?

“Oh, do you realize what just happened? I pulled out all of your soul weapons from your body. Of course, you will never ever be able to use them again as I will take them in as my possession.”

“What… does that mean?!”

“I can steal people’s soul weapon and magic, except for the damn arcana magic. I can also steal a person’s life and take it into my own.”

“How vile…”

“Hahaha! I like the look on your face! I want to mess it up!”

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Without any words to spare anymore, he kicks me sending me floating in the air. He then grabs and my head and smack it into the ground.

He punches and kicks me over and over. I slipped in a kick when I got a chance.

BAM

“Oh. You still have will left to counter?”

“You are not going to break me.”

“Is that so? Then I will be a little rougher then! Let’s take away those damn legs first!”

“!?”

…

“AHHHHHH!”

He grabs me by the ankle. I thought that he will just cleanly cut it like how he did it to my right arm, but right now, he is trying to tear it apart forcefully, bending my knees in weird directions. I can feel my bone getting dislocated over and over. I can feel my flesh tears apart as he twists and pulls it. I can feel my nerves and blood vessel being torn apart.

Little by little, my mind went blank many times, only to be woken up by the grinding sensation in my flesh that he does to me.

After doing it to my leg, he proceeds to the other one.

I can only grit my teeth and clench my fist. I am not going to give him what he wants. I am not going to scream in despair! I am going to show him my iron will!

After doing the same thing to my other leg, I can feel now the phantom pain of not having a lower leg. Blood spills left and right.

At this rate, there is no telling how long would I last…

The thought of imminent death approaches me…

“Hmph…you’re no fun at all. It seems that you are true to your words.”

“…”

“Not going to say a word, eh?”

“…”

“That’s fine.”

He then left me and look towards Cr’thgor.

“It will be fine we still pursue them now, right?”

“I see no other options. We shall follow them, but what about this man here?”

“Let him bleed to death. Toys like him are boring.”

“Haa… how many times did I have to tell you that people’s live isn’t a toy.”

“Whatever. Maybe I can also do this to that arcana magician with them.”

“!!!”

If they are still pursuing, then I can’t let them!

I fling my body with only the left arm intact and lands beside his feet.

After looking at me skeptically, I bit his shin really hard.

“Bastard! Let go of me!”

“…”

“Is that how you want it?!”

He kicks me down repeatedly at my back, but I didn’t yield to the pain. I endured it until he stops his attacks.

He got so angry that he just kicks me in the guts sending me flying and crashing into a tree.

I fell down from it and plops lifelessly.

I lost too much blood…

In my sight, the two are already leaving to pursue again…

My life fades away…

Is my sacrifice will worth it? Or will it be meaningless?

I can’t bear the thought of my friends getting slaughtered. I am thankful that it only happened to me. I wish there will be people in the dragon capital to guide them properly.

I hope that the people I am acquainted in the castle will stay safe.

I wish I had no regrets when I confessed my love to Lily before we left the Astlan Kingdom.

I am glad…

…

My consciousness completely fell to darkness…

.

.

.

“HAAA!”

I suddenly scream.

I immediately raise my body from the bed I am in right now. Why am I in a bed?

Did I just have a nightmare?!

…

No…

My right arms and legs are not here anymore.

Only my left-hand remain.

Where am I anyway?!

What happened to me after I faced Kran?!

It seems right now, I am in a wooden cabin…

My bed is surprisingly comfortable…

But it feels like the air is a bit thinner…

I look outside the window which is just beside me. As I peer at the large clear window, there are clouds…

No, clouds are meant to be looked up… not to be just casually seen in the land!

What the hell happened?! Seriously… What?!

As I am questioning my mind if I am still sane or not, the door to this room opens and someone enters.

…

An old man with dirty gray hair and fashionably comb beard, wearing a monocle which seems to be used by tinkers. He is tall and muscular despite looking so old.

He is dressed in a black and gray monochromatic coat which is unfasten showing the inside of it are tools for mechanical work.

He reeks, though, with the smell of alcohol…

He grabs a chair and sat beside the bed where I am resting.

“Good day, Boy. I never thought you would wake up now, of all times.”

“Eh?”

“It’s been quite a month passed since I picked you up from below ground! I thought you would never wake up and I would have a chance to dissect a human after a glorious two hundred years.”

“W-wait! W-who are you? Where am I?”

“Ga hahaha! Being an old man really makes you rude! I am sorry for that as I never had anyone like you for a long time.

I look at him with interests because of the unusual appearance. Even  the outside is bizarre.

“My name is…”

“…”

“My name is Dylan! I am the head researcher and the leader of the Ether technology researchers! And then, welcome! Welcome to the Floating Continent of the Ethers! Ga hahaha! Boy, nice meeting you!”

And this is how I met the man who will spark my addiction to liquor and a strong aversion to cheese.