The world was still as I looked at my opponents, my breath heavy in my chest.

Calm. I told myself.

Calm.

Adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I could see the soldiers, already stumbling into a makeshift formation. I could see their clanking armor, their shining swords. I could still smell the remnants of the massacre, the stench of blood and sweat and god knows what else still lingering in the air. I felt the blood on my shoes, wet and sticky, much of it still warm.

How to approach this?

I took advantage of my cheat to think about it for a bit. I was no combat expert, of course, but I was no idiot either… I think… and I had quite the cheat on my side.

In hindsight, there were a variety of ways I could’ve approached this. A slow, methodical, drawn out fight, where I took advantage of my invulnerability to whittle them down. A more conservative approach, where I would shadow them from a distance, keep them constantly on guard. Force them on the offensive. Both would’ve been sensible. But then, with blood roaring through my ears and my legs already shaking, I was anything but sensible.

Screaming like an anime protagonist, I charged sword first into battle.

The fat soldier came forward to greet me. As I grew near, I made my first attack: a wide swing. The blade flew through the air, carving the distance between us in a neat arc. It was a highly telegraphed, beautifully angled strike. Were this a video game, you’d have seen the golden flash of a finisher move shining as I activated my super ability. Teenage me would’ve been proud.

Future me, unfortunately, is shaking his head right now, and present me was in for a nasty surprise. See, as cool as my swing looked, it was also absolutely, completely, laughably stupid.

Case in point: the fat soldier moved back in a deft movement, leaving me stumbling and off balance as I tried to redirect the arc of the sword. Then, just as I was mustering the strength to bring the blade back the other direction, he struck.

Fatso’ stab was about as inelegant as an attack can be. Simple motion forwards, simple motion back. A grade schooler could’ve probably managed it, without even thinking. This was the classic basic attack from a game, and should’ve done nothing more than 1% damage at most.

It probably could’ve killed me.

I gasped as the sword punched into my chainmail armor, cracking the outer edge. Blood seeped through as I stumbled back, winded. Then came the second strike. A wide swing, much like mine, but faster. And with more force.

94/110

83/110

There was an audible crack as sword split armor, and I found myself losing all balance. I dropped my sword as I stumbled, and the fat soldier approached, his fist now balled. My face whitened. “F-”

Then came the smack. I felt the crunch of bones breaking as I flew back. There was a cold clunk as I hit the ground, still full of uncleaned blood and grime. I felt a crack in my head as something shifted in my brain.

70/110

[System]: Notice: light bleeding

“Ugh.”

My sword clattered uselessly to the ground somewhere, and stars sparkled before my eyes. But that wasn’t the worst part. Soldiers were all around me, weapons in hand, and they were… laughing.

The fat soldier in particular was guffawing, hands on his potbellied stomach. “Aye? No lions, you said. Must’ve been sick that day, aye? What happened? Some hero.”

“Nice form!”

“Technique worthy of a demigod!”

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Then there were the mutters, which hurt even more. “Anticlimactic. Haven’t been let down so badly since she finally took my money.”

My cheeks burned. I couldn’t remember being this humiliated in my life.

But it was the redhead’s reaction that hurt the most. She was peering at me from the corner of her gaze. Her eyes, once full of hope, were dim now. Not mocking, or judgemental even… just… disappointed. As my eyes focused in on her, I saw her softly shake her head.

It’s okay, she seemed to say. I appreciate it.

You tried.

I felt something rise in my stomach. A hot, raging fury I had never felt before.

You know that feeling of rage so intense for a moment you forget about everything else? About surviving, about looking good, about life… about everything. That was me, on that day.

I felt the soldiers approach, I felt the cold metal press against my back. But so what? At that point… I hardly cared.

With my fists swinging, I got to my feet, screaming like a demon. I saw the shock on one soldier’s face, eyes wide, as I nailed him with the strongest punch I ever delivered.

Crunch.

He flew to the ground, and didn’t get back up. There were slashes, stabs, jabs at me. Into my back, into my neck. Pain jolted at me, a familiar friend. I didn’t care.

65/110

[System]: Notice: Bleeding

58/110

40/110

[System]: Notice: Heaving bleeding

31/110

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Slowly, I turned around. Blood dripped from my clothes, my broken armor. It ran down my arms, my pant legs. Dirt and grime caked over half my face, and no fewer than three swords were embedded in my back. Standing there, with a tail of metal spurting from my back, I must’ve looked like a creature straight out of hell.

An animalistic snarl bubbled in my throat. “You messed… with the wrong man!”

Using pause, I dodged a half hearted swing, and slapped the sword out of the soldier’s hands. Then I weaved around, and punched. He went flying too.

27/110

I gritted my teeth.

Stupid bleed damage!

Eyes still blazing, I approached Fatso. As I did, a sword slid out of my back, popping uselessly to the ground. If a wound existed in my shoulders, there was no indication now. It had closed the moment the sword left, as if it was never there.

Fatso stared. “What in Pluto’s name…” Besides him, I saw the soldiers’ weapon arms shaking.

I walked forwards. Fatso stumbled back. I spat out blood, and smiled. “C’mere!” I growled.

23/100

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The soldiers ran, and I followed.

I was bleeding, dying, with a sword sticking out of my back. But man did it feel good. I grinned like a maniac as one stabbed, uselessly. I let the sword sink in, and I paused. Yes, I paused, wasted precious time just to assert dominance. Show just how little and useless that length of iron was. Then I punched.

14/110

[System]: (message too long, please access the menu to enable long text notifications)

There was a crunch as he flew back. As I approached, Fatso’s face transformed. From a grim, meek fear to an overwhelming, stark terror.

I smiled. “What’s wrong?” I taunted, gloated.

Fatso fell to his knees, dropping his sword. All of a sudden, somehow, he seemed small.

“Sir.” His voice was low, respectful, terrified.

I blinked. Anger was put on the sidelines a bit as confusion took over.

Like, I was expecting some fear. But… this? Really?

“Roland!” I saw Gaius run back to me, breathless. “Are you… dear Jupiter!”

It was only when I looked back that I saw who Fatso was really bowing to.

Stepping through the blood and grime, the first of the praetorians approached, his lithe build suddenly towering over everyone else. “Tell me.” He said, his voice tinged with a thinly veiled fury. “What is the meaning of this?”

Some praetorians had gathered, but all were a deathly quiet. They had the appearance of inmates seeing the warden.

Regularly, this was when I’d have clammed up, sat obediently, and admitted every fault under the sun. But well… being about to die kinda gave you a new outlook on priorities.

8/110

“They…” I pointed towards the men. “Tried…” I pointed towards the girl. My vocabulary wasn’t there yet, not quite. But the gestures were simple and understandable enough.

Lucius’ eyes narrowed. She was coming to me now, eyes wide and alarmed.

“Oh, hero!”

A laugh bubbled in my chest. It was ridiculous, I know. But man was hearing that cliche line one of the highlights of my life.

I allowed myself to lean against her for a bit. Close enough to see her face in more detail. She was prettier up close. Fiery locks of red hair framed her lovely, heart shaped face. Her eyes must’ve been even prettier on a good day, but now they were red, moist with tears.

“You can’t go.”

I couldn’t agree more. For the first time in my life, I was being held close by a girl! Goddamnit, I can’t! I can’t! You better bet I was going to enjoy this.

But well… not for long. I could see her scrambling to find something. Grabbing at a torn shirt, a loose fabric. Trying to patch up my wounds, for what little good that would do.

1/110

I took a breath.

Damn it. It was unfair, so unfair. Just when I got a girl…

But fine. If I had to go, I’ll go out with some dignity.

I forced a smile onto my face, and managed to set my heart on a cliche. “Better to burn out than to fade away.” I said, closing my eyes. “Go on without me.”

Hey, hey! Don’t look at me like that! I meant it, I really did, okay? Give me some credit, I didn’t have forever!

Well… I guess I couldn’t hit the pause button, but that’s besides the point. Anyhow, where was I?

I stood there, slowly sinking to the ground, waiting for death as the redhead scrambled. “Do something! He’s bleeding! Let’s…”

More voices. Something wrapped around my arm. I almost laughed, but that would break my dignity. Her gesture was cute, almost adorable. But it wasn’t going to change…

[System]: Bandage applied, bleeding staunched.

What?

All of a sudden, all of my bleeding stopped. My eyes blinked open in shock. “Wait… I’m alive?”