Once entering the large bedroom, four of them had their eyes on him, who stood at the door with a gallant aura and serious expression, matching with his grand entrance filled with confidence.

Two of the captive girls were at the side of the room, trembling as one of them shivered with a terrified expression, being embraced by someone who provided her with comfort, a fellow victim.

The large, built man was stark naked, currently pinning one of the girls, who Julia said was her sister, on the bed with her wrists restrained by his hands.

The man didn’t show any sign of flinching at the man's entrance, instead having an expression of rage and suppressed anger, but mostly annoyance on his face.

He kept staring at the girl, pinning her as she did her best to avert eye contact with the savage warrior on top of her, glancing at the man by the door with pleading eyes saying 'help', nearly on the verge of tears.

"You have some big galls for coming in here and disturbing us," he spoke with his rough and energetic voice; his muscular back still turned to Laruse.

He stayed silent, showing no intention of replying, nor negotiating with the brute. But, he looked around and saw yet another girl, but someone that he recognizes, having seen her when they took a peek from the alleyways.

The warrior lady had a stare that could be described as sharp and demoralizing, making even her eyes a rather lethal weapon.

Laruse took one step inside the room, resulting in the girl to quickly unsheathe her falchion, pointing it precisely at Laruse with a composed and calm demeanor, looking to be rather skilled despite her image.

"Let me take a guess. You're a survivor, aren't you? Trying to avenge someone's death? Or are you an adventurer that's here for money? Someone put up a bounty on me already? Speak up! The hell? Are you mute or something?"

The obnoxiously loud man turned around, laying the front of his body bare for all to see before lying his back flat on his bed, still gripping the girl tightly, which seemed to hurt her due to the girl's expression that made it painfully obvious.

"What a bother. Marcia, take care of him. I don't like being bothered," he made an arrogant shooing gesture.

She obediently followed his orders, not taking her eyes off of Laruse, who wasn't at all intimidated by her sharp glare.

The girl named Marcia assumed a stance, her eyes seemingly trying to spot his weak points with her keen vision.

At that moment, Marcia charged Laruse quickly, catching him off guard as he barely drew his sword in time, shielding himself as her falchion stood inches from his face.

(Tch, damn this! I'm still rusty after all. She's stronger than me. I'll die if I don't take this seriously. Her intent to kill is too strong that it's disturbing).

Laruse challenged the girl's stare with his own, a much more terrifying one that seemed to astonish Marcia as the weight she exerted on her sword weakened for a bit, which Laruse took full advantage of, shifting his weight as well to push her back on the defensive.

Marcia leaped backwards, creating a gap between them that spanned a few meters. She once again reformed her stance, readying for another attack.

"Oh, you’re still alive? Aren't you a lucky bastard. I only know a handful of people that can withstand her first attack, with the exception of me of course," the man remarked, looking entertained as he watched with interest at the battle transpiring in front of him with a bold attitude, as if it didn’t concern him at all.

Ignoring Marcia, he glanced at the man on the bed menacingly, whereas he returned the glance, yet playfully and provokingly in Laruse's perspective.

"What? Got something to say?"

"Just one thing. Are you Ruslan?"

"What you know, you speak after all. Yeah, what about it? Am I that famous already?"

"That mean you're the one that did all this, didn't you?"

"Don't see anyone else capable of doing the same thing. They're all too weak or incompetent, too scared to act."

"Then you know what your men have been doing to the innocents, don't you? Yet you allow them."

"Hey, it's their reward. I promised them that they can do whatever the hell they want as long as they follow me. Sure worked even though they're all useless," he laughed his statement off like it was nothing.

"I'm here for her and everyone else still here. Let them go," he sternly said, denying Ruslan’s smile as it disappears, turning into distaste.

The man's face suddenly changed into a serious one, filling the atmosphere with dread and terror.

"Marcia, finish him of or I'll kill you and your brother," he said with his normal tone of voice, as if it carried no weight, when in reality it did, a much heavier weight than Laruse or anyone in the room realizes.

She immediately sprang into action, rushing Laruse without her focused and composed demeanor, becoming reckless after what Ruslan had told her.

He noticed this, giving him the edge he needed in order to come out on top, managing to somehow counter the majority of her attacks, which still proved ferocious and deadly despite the lack the thought put in them.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Without delay, Laruse rushed after Marcia, who retreated back once more after failing to break through his defenses.

They clashed, but with Laruse having the upper hand as he engaged and carried the momentum of his weight with him.

"There!" Laruse sharply said, using his agile footwork to reposition himself, shifting his body into a technique that he's developed himself, one that requires a skillful, split-second timing and decision making that will most definitely give you the edge if you succeed, or send you to your doom if you fail.

Using her disgruntled state against her, Laruse unleashed his pacifistic technique upon her, letting Marcia's weight bear down on Laruse for a split-second, then followed by him slashing upwards as he used his legs to rise instantly, sending Marcia's sword flying towards the ceiling, lodging itself up there.

Surprised, she staggers back, losing her balance as she falls down on the floor with a thud.

"Give up. I've disarmed you. There's no reason for you to keep fighting," Laruse spoke coldly, staring down at her.

"The hell are you doing down there, Marcia? Stop playing around and finish him off already. I'm getting bored of this. Guess you really don't care about what happens to your brother, don't you?" Ruslan spoke lazily, yawning from the side.

She then gritted her teeth as cast her eyes downwards, cursing form under her breath. Again, Marcia used her position to launch herself towards Laruse, even more aggressively than before.

Laruse, having expected her to have given up after being disarmed, was caught off guard as he stumbled back, unable to point his sword towards her as she places herself on top of him, restricting his body to the floor.

She drew a sharp dagger from her waist and pointed it towards Laruse.

But, before the dagger could pierce through Laruse’s throat, he managed to grab hold and restrain Marcia's wrists, preventing her from penetrating deeper into his skin, only having pierced enough to cause a small amount of blood to come out.

"Grr, damn it!" he cursed his lack of awareness, nearly dying so easily as that.

His arms trembled as Marcia exerted more and more power, now using her entire body to weigh down on Laruse, forcing the dagger downwards with all her might, having a face of desperation while she does it.

With his strength declining, he poured as much as he could on his arms, forcing her back a few inches, which was more than enough for Laruse to breathe and make for his escape.

After having pushed Marcia’s arms a few inches back, he then lets then go, quickly bringing her down as all her resistance come crashing; Laruse evading a split second as the dagger pierces the floor where his throat was meant to be.

He then bashed his forehead against hers, making her reel in pain, enough for Laruse to finally escape, and immobilize her, in a way.

"Enough of this! Don’t let him control you with threats," he said boldly, understanding that her predicament was of threats being pointed at Marcia's brother, which she seemed to hold dear as seen from her desperate attempts.

"You, Ruslan! Where is her brother!" he faced him, filled with anger after having enough to provoke his feelings and emotions.

"Who are you to make demands, huh you filthy piece of shit? I don't think you understand what kind of situation you're in," Ruslan stood up, picking up and wearing his dark leggings and metal shoulder plate for his left side.

He stood taller than him, having a better constitution and build, making Laruse seem puny and insignificant.

"So, how about telling me why you came here before I kill you, then Marcia's brother. I’ve got all night," he started stretching his body, rotating both of his arms and shoulders, cracking his neck as he tilts his head left and right.

He combed his long, brown hair extending till his shoulder blades, taking his weapon that stood on the side of the bed, a custom made Zweihander, a sword exceeding the length of a normal longsword. This was meant to be held with two hands, however, he looked adept enough to use only one of his hands to wield it.

Ruslan swung his sword around a few times, creating the sound of winds being cut.

Ruslan held the Zweihander vertically in front of him, the flat edge facing both of them, bearing each one's reflection; opposites, where one wore a heinous, excited face, while the other wore a serious and adamant one.

"I'm here to save her," he pointed towards the long, blonde haired beauty, shyly hiding herself behind the bed sheets, shocked at the sudden statement of the mysterious man, "Then everyone else that you've trampled over!"

"Acting like a hero, huh? Sit this one down, Marcia. You're incompetent. You'll get what's coming to you after this. I'll make it quick. There’s no hero strong enough to stop me!"

Laruse readied his weapon, feeling the strange aura that Ruslan began emitting, imposing and dominating.

Ruslan rushed first, closing the gap between them with only one move, swinging his sword down, cutting the air.

Anticipating this from his overly aggressive attitude, Laruse dodged to the side, allowing him some room to counter.

Instantly, Ruslan defied his own openings, blocking Laruse from making a clean hit with the flat edge of his sword.

"You're pretty good, aren't you? This'll be fun. I haven't fought anyone that lasted this long against me. They either die within the first attack. Pathetic," the brutish man's smile grew even more deviously than before, somehow empowering his attacks.

Now on the defensive, Laruse backed away, creating a distance between them where he can breathe and recover his lost stamina.

"What're you doing? There's no resting here!" Ruslan attacked, even before Laruse could begin making space, delivering a fierce barrage towards him, sending vibrations to his hands.

Slightly overwhelmed, Laruse found himself at a clear disadvantage, not having enough strength to evenly fight someone who uses raw, overwhelming strength to get an edge on your enemy.

"What's wrong, hero? Seems like you're nothing but a piece of trash that grew a pair of legs," he taunted him, clashing blades as Ruslan bore down on him with his sword, only using one hand to display his pride and power.

Meanwhile, from outside the Keep, a few meters away inside the shadows of the alleyways, a woman stood, looking at the window at the very top floor which was the only one that had light, save for the entrance.

She stayed quiet, following his orders, yet an anxious feeling began swirling around her, a doubtful one that can't help but worry.

But, as she focused her eyes, she could the see the shadow of two people appearing on the window, one of a large, bulky stature, and another which was a bit smaller by comparison.

It piqued her interests even more as she saw them clashing quickly with their sword, fast enough that she couldn't tell by their actions at first, seeing as how vague the image was from her point of view.

"That must be him!" she thought to herself.

She held her breath once the shadow of the averagely-small man took a defensive stance, one that used his sword to defend and lock blades with the opponent.

"I can't do anything alone. If that's indeed him, then it means that he needs help," she started running back, ensuring that no one could hear her move about that alleys.

Coming to a crossroads, she unknowingly walked into a patrolling platoon of soldiers, those of which took a look at her like their next feast.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" quickly, before she could even move, the man restrained her like trained professionals, eyeing her down as they licked their lips in satisfaction.

"Don't worry. We're not bad people. We're just going to have a bit of fun, that's all," the man who seems to be their captain spoke with devilish intentions, becoming more and more excited as he saw her slender body, one that any man couldn't resist under such circumstances.

Julia gritted her teeth, trying to muscle her way through the brutes that were holding her, but to no avail did she succeed, nor even budge them in the slightest.

She supressed her panic inside her mind, trying to keep calm and composed as her mind wracked through her options.

"N-no, help me..." she silently pleaded to anyone, losing her resolve as the captain began caressing her, sending chills down her spine.