Deep inside the forest, there was a settlement where many gorgeous, busty half-naked women live inside. But though it was supposed to be a settlement, there were still too many mysteries linger on that place. Such is the cave where one person, in the middle of being chased by the mentioned women, was lying there.

[Hey, Yohn….]

[Yes?]

[I think we were supposed to look for something else entirely….]

[What are you talking about?]

[WHY EVERY PLACE WE ATTACKED DOES WAS FOOD STORAGE?!?!] [WE’RE NOT SOME LOST MAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOOD WHO COULDN’T EVEN FIND ONE PIECE OF FOOD!!]

[We are, Rud.]

[Guh…!]

[That aside, I was sure that the places we raided was a places with many treasures lying inside.] [Well we could also call these foods a “treasure” though.]

[I have to admit, these taste good.] [But all of them were raw!]

[Except for that food you’re currently munching in your hand.]

[Yeah.] [It was supposed to be only a combination of bread, vegetables, and meat.] [Yet such deliciousness was out of this world.] [But still…!!]

[Don’t rush, brother.] [We still have a chance.]

[Rrrgh…!]

Inside the cave, a person with his wild red head and clothes that’s already ragged that it could even count as a wardrobe anymore, named Rud, was in the middle of talking with some creature, that looked like a mouse, but with weird hairstyle on it, named Yohn.

[*sigh… if only I could have my way with the girls here….]

[Shut it.] [They’re not a human, they’re dangerous.]

[But we’re also not a human, aren’t we?]

The moment the mouse had said that, the red-haired man just went dead silent and started to go toward the entrance of the cave. Once he do, he smelled something good. It is a smell of something being burned. But it doesn’t smell bad; rather, it was quite an enticing smell for those whom either was hungry till dead or just a mere glutton.

[Hey, something smelled good.]

[Goes off to food-hunting again?] [You sure are a greedy bastard.]

[Nay!] [I just wanted to go and check what smell is this.]

[*sigh… I’ll go too.] [Can’t let our guard down just yet.]

[You worry too much.]

***

Leading in by their lust, or in this case, their glutton sense, the man and the primate reached the places where the smell originated from.

[Look.]

[A girl… Hey, she’s barely wearing anything!] The mouse suddenly commented toward the girl’s cloth.

[Weren’t all of the girls here does that?]

[What are you saying, you blind!?] [Most of the girl we saw there, though they wearing something see-through, it’s still covered!] [Yet this girl, she boldly only wearing those underwear-like clothes!] [It’s beautiful, I admit, but it’s not sexy at all!!!]

[Whatever you say….]

[Also, look at her expression!!] [It was an expression of glutton, not lust!] [Girls like her exist just only to wring out our wallet!!] [It’s the most dangerous type of woman in this world!!]

[It does seem like you’ve had your fair share of trouble regarding them.]

[And I won’t ever get tricked anymore!]

[Wait, why are we even discussing this?] [She’s not even listening.]

When both of them stop discussed the girl, suddenly she started to went somewhere. It piqued their interest.

[Where’s she going?]

[To the toilet, I presume?]

[Dude, that’s rude.]

[Don’t play with your own name.] [And girls like her don’t even need manners.]

[Still, that’s quite a smell the meat gave is.]

[Sure is.] [Even I started to get tempted here.]

[Should we look a little closer?] [Maybe that food had something with what we’ve been searching for.]

[I agree, brother.] [Let’s take a look at it.]

As they keep getting closer toward the fire, they didn’t realize that they’ve been making small voices, but their surrounding itself were also very quiet.

[Dang, that’s some fine meat they’ve cooked.] [The last place we’ve raided was mostly vegetables storage, so we’ve been lacking in some meat.]

[Hold your horses, brother.] [We need to ensure that nobody’s looking at us.]

As they keep talking to each other while Yohn was resting on Rud’s shoulder, they just unconsciously were walking toward where the meat is.

[And here we are, right in front of it.]

[Dang, the closer we look, the more it looked delicious.]

[Should we grab a bite?]

[Are you trying to become a thief, brother?]

[We already are, Yohn.] [It wouldn’t hurt to steal one more.]

[Do agree.]

Just like a bug that keeps flying toward the lights, Rud slowly pulled over toward the fire and reaching out to grab the now was quite well done meat. As he grabbed the meat, it was so hot that he thrown it back and forth between his hand.

[HOT HOT! AUCH OUCH!! HOT!]

[Slow down!] [The meat won’t go anywhere!!]

[I know!]

As he just grabs a hold of the meat, he blows it up bit by bit. And finally, as the meat had cooled down, he was ready to munch it down.

[*slurp… Alright then here I go.]

As Rud was opened his mouth and moved the meat toward his head.

*SWOOOOOOOOOSH!!

Something started to dash out, or to be exact, flew toward Rud.

[Huh?!]

***

*JYASHHHHHH!!!

As the armored man jumped out from the place, he quickly pulled a slender, metal spear and flew it right toward the man’s head.

[Igh!!]

Rud, whom finally realized what was being aimed at him, quickly thrown the meat and evade it by a hair’s width.

*JRAAAK!!!!

The Spear hit and pierced the meat, and both of it flew toward the nearest tree possible.

[[THE MEAAAAAAAAAAT!!]] Both Rud and the woman who cooked the meat before started to scream together.

[[IT’S NOT THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT MEAT!!]] As both Yohn and other girl reminded both of them.

[Let’s get out of here!] [It’s a trap!!!]

[Cih!] [How dare they use such lowly method!]

[Shut up, you lowly thief!]

[You’re the same as me, aren’t you!?!?]

While bickering, Rud and Yohn quickly retreating from the places as the armored man and the humanoid-bird from the sky were going after him.

As they keep on running, Both black armored man and Rud were running at the same pace, that their distance hadn’t change at all. Though the humanoid-bird was actually faster than the armored man, the obstacle around the forest slowed it down.

[What the hell is that monster!?] [It’s as fast as I am??]

[Hey, it looked like a human to me!]

[Really?!] [Then, I guess we could talk to him for a bit!]

Just when Rud was thinking of slowing down, another spear was flying toward where Rud was supposed to run.

*JYASHHHHHH!!!

*JRAAAK!!!!

As Rud was still running while Yohn was just sitting on Rud’s shoulder, both of them can only went silent after seeing that.

[A HUMAN YOUR ASS!!!] [NO HUMAN COULD EVEN THROW A SILVER SPEAR SO HARD LIKE THAT IT PIERCES THE TREE ITSELFS!!]

[No! He may be stopped for a bit to collect more strength, and throw it with all his might!] [That means, he stopped chasing you!]

[Really!?]

Just as Rud was running while trying to turn his head on his back, the dread of seeing his chaser, a man donned in black armor while holding another silver spear on his hand, chilled Rud’s body that he started to frantically running as hard possible to get away from that man.

[HE’S STILL CHASING, YOU BASTARD!!!]

[IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE’S FASTER THAN US!!]

*JYASHHHHHH!!!

Just when Yohn was commenting about his speed, a spear flew right above Rud’s shoulder, in other words, almost hitting Yohn’s head.

*JRAAAK!!!!

[GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!]

Yohn quickly turned and hiding inside Rud’s neck.

[Don’t hide there!] [It’s tickling!!] [BESIDES, I’m the one he’s aimed for!]

[If I keep staying there, who knows when a stray shot will end up skewering me!!!]

[It’s a spear throw, not a shot!!] [Besides, it won’t skewer you, it’ll squash you like a mice you are!!]

As the two still keep running and evading the endless flying spear, Rud can see a light shone from the between of the trees.

[What?!] [Damn it, Rud!] [Turn back!]

[WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?] [ARE YOU SAYING THAT I SHOULD DO A SUICIDE RUN TOWARD THAT MONSTER?!?!]

[No! If you keep running toward this way, you’ll…!!!]

As Rud keep on running toward the searing light, Rud was finally bathed in a sunlight as they reached what may have becoming Yohn’s fear.

[It’s an open field…!] [That spear he’s been throwing all this time was for that purpose!] [No wonder it was so well-aimed while we could easily evade them.]

[Crap!] [If we stay here for too long, that bird will catch up on us!!!]

[Don’t panic, Rud!] [It’s not that wide of a field, if we could run as fast as possible toward the other woods, we’re safe!]

At that moment, as Rud keeps frantically running toward the other woods, the armored man was also out of the woods. But suddenly he slowed his pace as he’s stopped his own step, and the humanoid-bird was only flying around in the sky.

[What’s this?] [They stopped chasing?] [Are they tired???]

[That’s not possible.] [If that’s the case….]

*THONCK!!!!

***

Just when Rud was finally reached the other woods, he was bumped against something.

[Guoooh!]

[You hit the trees?]

[What?] [But I was sure I was walking through the right way…!]

As Rud was rubbing his own head while trying to walk toward the woods again, he felt something weird as he just keeps getting near the woods.

*Thunck!

[Gah!]

[Again, brother?]

[No!] [I was bumped into something entirely different!!]

It was a wall. An invisible wall was standing right between Rud and the Woods. Yohn finally went out from Rud’s neck as he checked whether he’s right or not.

[Damn, you’re right.] [It’s a barrier, we’ve been trapped inside!] [That monster wasn’t just all dread and scare!!]

The black armored man, whom may have been thinking that he already succeed in trapping the thief, started to standing there motionlessly as he keeps staring toward Rud.

[Dang it, acting all high and mighty here…!] [Hey Yohn, tell me what should I do!]

Rud was keep asking Yohn for support, however, Yohn sound couldn’t even be heard anymore.

[Yohn…?] [Ah…?]

As he trying to find out where he is, Rud found a small hole right besides his feet as he tried to gaze out of the barrier. Yohn was out there, out of the barrier through the small hole.

[THIS BASTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD!!!] [COME BACK HERE RIGHT AWAY, YOU IMBECILE OF A MICE!!!]

Yohn was trying to say something to Rud, however, maybe it’s because of the effect of the barrier, but he can’t hear anything Yohn had said.

[I CAN’T HEAR WHAT YOU’VE SAYING, YOU BASTARD!!!]

After a while, Yohn showing a gesture of trying to dig something, as if trying to send a message toward Rud.

[Oh I see… You want me to DIG the ground to run away?] [Sure, if HE’S NOT THERE TRYING TO STOP ME HERE!] As Rud pointing toward the black armored man.

Stolen novel; please report.

After saying that, the black armored man start coming closer toward Rud, as Rud were being alert of the armored man’s movement.

[This bastard just casually walking toward me….] [Don’t you think that’s cheating, fighting against an unarmed man with so much armament on your back?!?!]

What Rud had been saying doesn’t make any sense, since he was supposed to be the vigilante, not the victim. It can be said that Rud had already lost his mind ever since he entered the Village. But yet….

*JRAK!

Suddenly in front of Rud, a single broadsword was lying right in front of him as the armored man unsheathed his own sword. Rud was still on alert, thinking that it was another trap laying in front of him. But seeing that black armored man just took on an empty pose while wielding the sword, Rud started to get a hold of himself and also took the sword.

*SHCRAAK!

Now both Rud and black armored man had wield sword on each arms, as Rud circling around black armored man, trying to find an opening in black armored man’s pose, though it can be said that Rud was not even capable of such feat.

[YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!]

Rud swings his sword vertically downward toward the armored man. Though it took most of his strength only to swing it away, black armored man was just casually circled back and swung his sword vertically upward.

*CRAAAAAAANG

It is as everyone expected, the sword that was once on Rud’s hand was repelled far high from his sight, and stabbed the ground in his back. It was just a moment, but Rud was unable to comprehend what the armored man had done to it, as he wields a sword no more. 

{What in the….} Rud was left speechless of things that are happening right in front of him.

The black armored man came closer toward him, but suddenly Rud, whom started to panicked, stopped him with his arm raised in front of him.

[WAIT!] [IF WE THINK ABOUT THIS CALMLY, AREN’T YOU BEING UNFAIR?!?] [I MEAN, THAT SWORD LOOKED SO STURDY AND SHARP, WHILE MINE WERE BEING SHABBY!] [WE SHOULD TRADE IT!]

It was nothing but an empty reasoning. Yet the black armored man stood still for a while,  throw the sword on his hands toward Rud,, then steps toward Rud’s back to took back the sword that was once in Rud’s hand.

[HA! YOU STUPID!] [NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR BEST SWORD, YOU’RE NO MATCH FOR ME, YOU BLACK MONSTER!!]

A vain confidence. Such ego had totally permeated into Rud’s mind as he mindlessly swings his sword again toward the black armored man vertically downward again, yet…

*PRAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!!

It happened in an instant. From the last posture the black armored man shows, he only swung his sword horizontally. But somehow, he bleeds. Rud started to bleed, though not that deep. The cut was shown on his cheek, his neck, and his arms. The cause of such wounds was coming from the shards of the swords. The sword, which was supposed to be thicker and longer than what the black armored man currently holding, was destroyed in an instant and its fragments was hurting Rud.

[Wa… what the….]

He finally sees it. No, he did see it, he just unable to realize it. Having his sense dulled from many things that happened when he first arrived here, and with his recent crime, he was unable to realize the truth within this place, this village, this forest, this island. What stands before him, is now becomes what he was once feared before he set foot onto this island.

{He’s really serious…!} {It’s going to slaughter me…!!!}

Sensing that his life was somehow in danger, Rud changed his posture. Though it is not polished yet, one can see that Rud had prepared to have a faceoff with such monsters right in front of him. The black armored man had realized the changes, and somehow, started to raises his arms toward the back.

[What…?]

*SWOOOOOOOOSH!!!

As he swings it forward into the air, he unleashed an infinite amount of weapons, sword, axe, club, spear, anything that can be used to kill people, were being flung toward the air. Rud was left speechless as he saw one of the weapons had already flown toward him.

[UWAAAA!!!]

***

[What in the world is that thing…!?]

Yohn was outside of the barrier, so he couldn’t do anything but watch. But even if he could, he would prefer to not get near them. What currently happened inside the barrier was not something people would like to interfere.

[*pant… *pant….!]

Inside was his partner, Rud, in the middle of trying hard to survive the waves of attacks coming from the black armored man. The moment the weapons were flying from his hands, Rud was frantically running while evading each and every weapon that came flying toward him, but as Yohn had suspected, Rud was unable to evade most of the attacks, leaving him in tatters. Before they knew it, the whole field inside the barrier becomes a forest, with weapons growing out from it. 

The black armored man started to charge in while pulling the sword on his right. Seeing that, Rud also quickly pulled an axe on his right hand.

*CHRAAASH!!!!

The two weapons clashed each other hard enough that the sound itself penetrated the barrier. Though they clash against each other, it was just Rud trying to defend himself from waves of attacks unleashed by the black armored man. As the black armored man swiftfully played the sword on his hand, he keeps sweeping Rud straight toward the back as Rud was frantically defending by just depending on the length of the axe alone.

*PRAAAAAAAAAK!!

Though it was to be expected, eventually the axe started to broke after defending against torrent of attacks from the black armored man. Nevertheless, Rud weren’t as panicked as before and started to run away from him as he trying to find a good equipment for him to use. As he keeps running, he finally found one.

*JRAAAAANG!!

Though Rud still gets pushed back by a bit, he finally able to stop the black armored man’s charge with a big shield he held in his hands.

[Weapons…!!]

But before he was able to grab a weapon on his right hand....

*JBRAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGK!!!

[GAH!!]

He’s already thrown far away. Rud was having a hard time seeing his front because the shield is too big that it blocks his view, so he didn’t realize that the black armored man had already changed his weapon to that of a hammer. A big, round hammer wielded with two hands on his possession blows Rud away together with his shield.

[Damn you…!!!]

Not stopping, he’s standing as fast as possible and quickly took a spear and a small shield on both hands and started to charge towards the black armored man as he also throws away his hammer and changed it into one pole spear and swiftly dashed toward him.

The clash of weapons, which wasn’t what Rud possess, keeps happening though it was clearly a one sided battle as the black armored man slowly chipped away Rud’s stamina. Yohn started to worry as he already knew how the battle will go on.

[If this goes on, Rud will die…!!] [Is there something I could do…!]

After saying that, Yohn started to frantically run encircling the whole barrier as he tried to find some clue. 

[GHAHK!!!]

While inside the barrier, Rud already lost yet another weapons, but still pull some more weapons, mainly shield and spear, as he quickly stepped back again and again. Though it looked like Rud was clearly planning something, the black armored man keeps gaining and charging onto him.

*JRAAAAASH!

[URGH!!!]

Using sword on both of his hands, the black armored man slashed through Rud’s defensive stance and sliced through his chest, as blood started to pour out from his body. The pain was so massive that Rud ended up dropping back the weapon he had frantically took. But nonetheless, he’s still standing, while keeping his eyes open and glaring toward the black armored man.

[Almost…!]

*BLAAAAAAAR!!!!

While struggling just to run away, he took another giant shield and started to back away as he tried to take another weapon. But the black armored man just quickly changed his weapon back to hammer and start to slam it up toward where Rud was standing, trying to flatten him.

[Damnit… Being strong had it limits, bastard!!!]

Even in his critical condition, it seems that Rud still had enough energy to comment back as he finally being cornered on the barrier.

[*pant…. *pant….]

Rud and the black armored man stand still for a while. They observe each others, as they planned on their next move while already seeing that the next move shall be the deciding match, for Rud at least. Took one more hit, and he’s already gone, while the black armored man still had enough stamina to last much longer than him.

{Still… I have a chance…!}

Though fear still lingers within his mind, mental, and body, despair never took him away. Or to be exact, he already experienced the same condition that he may have a moment of reminiscing.

{This much is nothing compared to what I’ve been through before I’ve reached this place…!} {I will…!!!}

Readying the short spear that he already took hold before and hid inside his cloths, he took it out quickly that the black armored man seems shocked seeing that. Using that chance, Rud raises his arm and aiming toward the black armored man.

[EAT THIS!!!!!!!]

*FWOOOSSH!!!!

He threw it straight toward Vram. But it was as expected of the black armored man to evade the spear as well charging straight toward Rud, that now had already hiding inside his huge shield. 

*JSHHRAAAAAAAAAAAAK!!!

As the black armored man swings his hammer toward the shield, he suddenly felt something amiss and stopped his charges as well stopped his swing.

*BRAKKH!!

There was no one behind the giant shield as it was left fallen on the ground just like that. The black armored man left in awe seeing such feat in such condition.

[IF ONLY YOU KEEP CHARGING TOWARD, YOU COULD AT LEAST BROKE THE BARRIER WITH IT!!!] [BUT I SHALL HAVE MY OWN FIRST STRIKE NOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!]

Charging from the side, Rud had already wielded a lance on his hands, charging straight toward the black armored man. Since he was already stopping before, it will be hard for him to swing his hammer back at Rud whom have already had him in his range.

[WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!]

Yet, the black armored man let go of his hammer, dropped it there, and also went straight toward where Rud is unarmed. Though Rud was still in the middle of his war cry, his expression already changed from that of a brave soldier into that of a losing dog. The black armored man parry Rud’s lance by sliding his metal gauntlet onto the lance’s side, grazing the armor whilst raises his other arms, clenched it, and swing it straight and fast toward Rud’s face.

*BUAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!

Coincided with the sounds of falling hammer, Rud was already thrown far away from where he originally is. But as if one bump is not enough, he keeps bumping the ground twice, thrice, and so on until he finally reached the end of the field.

*BRAAKKKK!!

And slammed onto the trees.

[Y…ou…. Bastard… so yo..u… can als…o use…. Bare… hands…!!]

Uttering his last, farewell words of a loser, Rud’s finally lost consciousness as the black armored man approaching him.

[… Though ignorant, he fought well….]

And started to drag him elsewhere.