Chapter 8: Unexpected Strength

Raymond hummed a song as he wiped his sword using a worn-out towel. He had never been so happy in his life, and he did not know if he could be any happier. She had hugged him. She had hugged him tight.

“Finally done!” he said in delight. He raised the sword up and stared at its polished beauty. It glimmered at the faintest touch of light.

Again, his memories from before resurfaced in his mind. His lips crooked into an arc as he savored the euphoria. “She said she’ll remember my name! Hehehe~”

He was still smugly grinning when a voice suddenly spoke to him. He jumped in surprise, and the sword he was holding fell down the ground with a loud clank.

“Human—I want you to end this farce at once,” said the voice.

It was oddly familiar, and Raymond was struck speechless when he realized to whom it belonged to. He glanced left and right but found no one inside his room.

Though he was sure that it belonged to that entity, he still asked, “I-Is that you? M-My God?”

There was a small pause before the voice replied, “I am no God. Be careful of your words or else, I shall obviate your existence, mortal. There is no true God aside from the God of Death, Thanatos. As privilege of a fellow believer, you are entitled to call me by name. Jiablu.”

By now, there was no doubt that it was the entity from before. Even though there was no one around him, Raymond knelt down. He said, “What can this humble servant do for you, Master Jiablu?”

“I want you to end this war. Go out and kill all of the pests gathered outside this fort,” said Jiablu.

Raymond’s eyes grew wide. What the entity was asking of him bordered the absurd. It was preposterous. Still, Raymond was ready with his reply. After he found out that Lady Sophia had risen from the dead, he was ready to give everything in return of such favor.

“As you wish, Master,” said Raymond. He felt the presence of the entity vanish. He stood up and grabbed the hilt of his sword. Without another word, Raymond left his humble abode.

***

Raymond walked through the Residential District of the fortress. The few people he encountered on the streets were spiritless, with their backs hunched in defeat. It was obvious to everyone that the chances of them being annihilated were high.

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After passing through a few intersections, Raymond arrived at a four story building. He stared at its exterior, but his gaze was elsewhere. Inside that place, the most important person to him was currently recuperating. He wanted to enter and say his farewell, but he felt that doing so was not a wise decision. He knew that he was going to die soon, that going outside to battle a massive number of enemies alone was his repayment for the favor he had received. Peculiarly enough, what he felt was not fear but contentment.

“This doesn’t feel bad at all,” said Raymond. He clenched his fist then made a salute. He said in a determined voice, “Lady Sophia, this soldier shall depart soon! I shall make sure that I take as much enemies that I can before I fall! For the fortress! For Rube!”

Raymond did not notice that his voice had turned loud after his salute. The few people in the streets shot weird gazes at his direction. Still, he rigidly stood still. After a bow, he turned left and disappeared into an alleyway. He was unable to see the figure of the woman peeking through the curtains of her window.

***

The walls of Rube Fortress spanned over twelve meters in height. Archers manned the battlements, and soldiers guarded the door. From the distance, everyone was once again able to see a sea of green moving towards their direction. The bells of the fortress rang.

“Another wave! The monsters are coming!” said the soldiers.

Immediately, the soldiers assumed their formations. The sounds of footsteps running in all directions reverberated, with the sounds of the bells ringing and clanking as background.

Amidst the commotion, Raymond approached the large wooden wheel that served to open the door. He approached the soldiers manning the area. “I’ve got an order from the higher ups. I need to go outside and inspect the status of the walls.”

The three soldiers glanced at each other. They had seen Raymond numerous times before, and with his badly misplaced scars, he was a familiar figure. One of them said, “Something wrong with the walls?”

Raymond raised a brow. “That’s what I’m tasked to find out. Open the door a little bit so I can get out. Be sure to close it tight after.”

“W-What? Sure, we can open it right now, but I cannot guarantee that you’ll be able to come back inside. The monsters are very close to Rube as of the moment. You’ll die if you go out now,” said the soldier.

Another one nodded. “That’s right. Also, I think there is a plan to barricade the doors with a large slab of stone. It’s Commander Lancelot’s idea. Word has it that we will first wear out the enemies.”

“We do not have time!” snarled Raymond. “Quick! Open the door and let me out!”

The three soldiers almost jumped in surprise after Raymond’s holler. Though hesitant, they pulled the lever and the door squeaked as it opened. The gap was wide enough for a single person to pass through.

Raymond sternly said to the soldiers, “Be sure to shut it tight after I pass through. Got that?”

Without warning, Raymond ran through the opening. He broadly grinned the moment he heard the sound of the door shutting. Not far from where he stood, he was able to see the clouds of dust swirling upwards as innumerable monsters approached their direction. The wave of monsters this time was far more numerous that the last one.

Raymond pulled out his sword from its scabbard. A scorching sun. Innumerable monsters. It was not a bad way to die at all. At the very least, he was somehow confident that Lady Sophia would survive this predicament. The Commander of the Knights of Tesma was here. Raymond was sure that he would be able to do something.

He prayed, “Oh God Thanatos, I’ve clearly told you that I am willing to give you everything in exchange for her safety. I am willing to give even my soul in exchange. Accept this meek life of mine.”

Raymond gnashed his teeth then roared, “This is my resolve! For Lady Sophia!”

He ran forward, alone and without anything but a single sword. Step by step, Raymond knew that he was closer to death. Still, he felt a peculiar contentment. He had done his part, his purpose. If this was how that entity wished for him to die, then would gladly do so.

He felt the pungent stench of death as he eventually came into close proximity with the invading horde. He gripped the hilt of his sword tight then made a slash. It was a strike that contained his entire might, his resolve, his life, his soul.

“Eh?” said Raymond in disbelief. To his utter surprise, that single swing of his blade killed hundreds of enemies in an instant. Their severed bodies flew up into the air as green blood rained down the ground.

His body instinctively dodged a mace from an ogre, and he returned with a vertical slash. Raymond’s eyes widened further when he felt the tremendous pressure from his strike. The ogre was instantly cleaved into two. His slash created a large fissure on the ground, and even now, his slash continued to cruise forward, decimating everything it encountered in its path.

It was only now that Raymond realized the real intent behind the entity’s words.

I want you to end this war. Go out and kill all of the pests gathered outside this fort.

He was not sent to die here. He was sent to slaughter his enemies. All one hundred thousand of them.