In a swift motion, Aaron grabbed the dagger from his back, dodged the punch, and trapped the soldier’s hand in an underarm lock.

Aaron pulled him close, the sound of tearing flesh seizing the laughter that hung in the air. Aaron withdrew the dagger and the man staggered back with widened eyes.

The others exchanged puzzled looks. The wounded soldier took several steps away from Aaron, reaching out to his bloodied torso before grasping his neck. He struggled to breathe, wheezing helplessly as blood streamed down from his eyes and the corner of his lips.

Aaron watched with bated breaths as green vein-like structures began stretching from the man's arms, through his neck, and to his face. “Help..me” he whispered, his voice hoarse and strained.

In an instant, his face began to contort, swelling as the poison coursed through his body. Skin stretched, tearing apart with sickening cracks. His neck, arms, and stomach ballooned, mutating into grotesque, horrid shapes.

The sound of bursting flesh filled the air as the man's body ruptured, unleashing a torrent of blood and innards.

The other three snapped out of their shock, grabbing their swords quickly. They made a semicircle around Aaron, their swords glinting in the fire's light.

“We underestimated him,” one gritted, glaring at Aaron.

Aaron's gaze lingered on the battered corpse, the blood of the soldier dripping from his dagger. The system appeared before him

[Time left: 21:09

Enemy 1/4]

A dark grin spread across his face, his bloodied complexion adding to his uncanny smile. ‘one down, three to go’

He turned to face the remaining three, his haunting smile sent a shiver through them. Gripping the hilt of their swords tightly, they watched Aaron with calculating gazes.

They had no idea of the man they faced— A man forged in darkness, driven by rage and hate.

The first soldier lunged forward with a strained grunt, his sword slicing through the air in a deadly arc. Aaron sidestepped the attack with ease, dodging the blade by a hair's breadth.

The soldier was quick-witted, his hand twisting in lightning-fast motion; he brought his sword back, aiming for Aaron's neck. Aaron dropped low, escaping the hit by mere seconds.

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Seizing the opening, Aaron stabbed his thigh. The man’s face turned white in shock and his sword fell off his grasp. Aaron retrieved the dagger, picked up the fallen sword, and recoiled back.

Just like the first, the man's body began to contort. The other soldiers watched with graved looks, their faces twisting in disgust and fear.

Aaron exploited the brief distraction, aiming to catch the next man off guard. However, the man he intended to attack saw his movements and launched a desperate strike.

Aaron parried it, their blades crashing. The soldier locked a fierce gaze with Aaron, oblivious to his next attack. Aaron stabbed his neck with the dagger catching him by surprise.

The sound of bursting flesh filled the air. Aaron's smile grew wider, each drop of blood that touched his skin seemed to fuel his murderous satisfaction.

The last of them quivered in retreat, dropping his sword before Aaron's feet. He crumbled to his knees. “I don't want to die, please, spare my life,” he cried out.

Aaron's expression darkened, his smile twisting into a frown as he watched the man beg in tears. “Please I have a family waiting for me, I don't want to die, please, spare my life”

Aaron's jaw clenched in anger. He grasped the man's hair, yanking his head back. He stared intensely at him, his eyes only filled with rage. “Your family can meet you in hell” he gritted and stabbed the man's forehead.

Aaron held the dagger in place, watching with a growing smile how the man's body began to deform before rupturing into a mess of bursting organs and flesh.

Aaron withdrew his dagger and took a deep breath, standing amidst the carnage. His laughter erupted, a manic, unhinged cackle that echoed through the forest.

The system notification flickered but he ignored it, lost in his triumphant laughter.

((Level up!))

[Enemy terminated 4/4]

[Quest completed! Congratulations! Vessel has earned the title Bloodlust Executioner]

Aaron's laughter was short-lived, interrupted by the sudden grumble of his stomach.

Wiping his body with the Eldrador flag the soldiers camped with, he searched their tents for food but found only bottles of wine.

He thought back to the bear and decided to go back for it. When he got there, the bear's body was gone. ‘It disappeared? It couldn't have been alive, the system clearly said defeated.

Aaron surveyed the area and his gaze came upon a path that had broken branches and blood-stained grass. In other words, the bear didn't walk away, it was dragged away.

He followed the trail and when he heard the sound of cackling fire, he halted, instinctively seeking cover behind the trees. This time, he searched his surroundings before peering to see who the camper was.

He noticed that there was a large boulder where the camper's belongings rested. He saw the bear’s carcass, skewered on a strong branch over the fire.

There was only one tent, which meant it was a single person's camp, but there was no one in sight. Amidst the savory aroma of the bear's meat was a distinctive scent of lavender. Someone was close by, he could feel it.

Aaron ruffled his silver hair in dirt before gradually approaching the fire. As he came closer, his ears twitched at the soft swoosh sound. Aaron stopped and reached for his chest, catching an arrow mid-air, its blade minutes away from his chest.

He heard a quiet gasp at a distance and narrowed his eyes on the spot.