The sound of several armored men stomping down the stairs was incredibly loud. And it didn't help that I was running after them, shouting curses as I burst into the common room. The room was mostly empty, except for a few wide-eyed onlookers who seemed to be the usual crowd.
The men had already made it outside, so I followed them through the door. I might have been a bit forceful, or maybe the door was just that shitty, but it sort of came off its hinges as I threw it open. I blinked at it as I stood there holding it, before I threw it down next to me.
I found myself surrounded by men clad in steel, each one pointing a weapon at me. I scowled at them. "So, first you wake me up with a mace to the face, and now you want to gang up on me? You're really getting on my nerves."
None of my attackers seemed thrilled to be there, but as someone shouted an order from behind them, a couple of them charged at me, screaming.
I calmly observed them. They were obviously trained, but they still felt clumsy to me. I sidestepped and tripped the woman swinging her sword at me, before effortlessly grabbing the man who followed her. I'm not particularly fond of breaking bones and all that, but there's a saying in martial arts. While they're meant for self-defense, if someone threatens your life, you put them down with extreme force. Alright, maybe extreme force isn't always necessary, but in my opinion, if you're going to do something, do it properly.
So, in the case of a bone-breaking, I made sure to do it properly. It made a sickening sound, but he wouldn't be swinging a sword with that arm anytime soon, if ever.
There was a moment of stillness. I stood there, holding a sword in my hand, surveying the scared men and women around me. The woman at my feet moved, I kicked her in the face, and the stillness had shattered. They all charged me at the same time..
I knew I couldn't hold back any longer. If they wanted to use weapons, if they wanted to outnumber me... well, they were asking for it.
I recalled a quote I had read once.. Yeah, I like quotes from famous people, and for some reason, I remember them really well. I may not have the patience for reading whole books, but I've always liked quotes that contain great thoughts. It was Miyamoto Musashi who said, "Perceive the enemy's intentions, adapt swiftly to changing circumstances, and move like the wind. When outnumbered, flow through the gaps, exploit their weaknesses, and create chaos in their ranks. Only then can one escape the clutches of being surrounded and emerge victorious."
Miyamoto was a famous samurai in ancient Japan, and that quote sums up how to act when you find yourself surrounded. Move, keep your enemies in front of you, don't let them attack you from behind. I calmly scanned my surroundings and found the gap.
I ran along the building, charging straight at a young man who looked utterly surprised. I felt a pang of remorse for the necessity, but I didn't hesitate. I skillfully dodged his clumsy sword strike, and with a roar, I swung my own sword in a sharp motion. I'm no weapons expert, as I've always relied on my own body when fighting, but most martial arts have at least a few lessons involving weapons.
That meant that my blade sliced cleanly into the man's shoulder, and as he fell, screaming, I tossed him aside. I stepped into the gap I had created and turned, finding a group of armed fools rushing after me. The fighting became a blur, and I let my body act on its own. I didn't need to think too much; I simply let my training guide me.
I stabbed a man, my sword getting stuck in his neck, and I disarmed him of his mace as he fell. I promptly used it to crush another man's elbow. I spun around and unleashed a crushing strike, sending a woman crashing through a house wall with a dented chest plate. I sustained a few minor cuts and bruises, but with adrenaline coursing through me, I felt nothing. I fought for my life in the street that day, and damn, I was good at it.
I'm not sure how long the fight lasted, but I kept moving backward, always keeping the weapons pointed at me in front of me. This resulted in a long stretch of blood-soaked street, littered with dead and dying men and women. And finally, I stood there, alone. I was panting heavily, my bare chest covered in small wounds and smeared with blood. I wore no boots, and to anyone looking, I must have appeared like a savage.
A 210-centimeter giant of a man with rippling muscles, long blond hair dyed red, a beard that reached his chest, also stained with blood. A body that was adorned with Norse tattoos—strange runes, mythical creatures, and other symbols. I wore next to no clothes and had just savagely dismantled fifteen soldiers. I thought they were the city guard or something, but they were just mercenaries.
Of course, I knew none of that at the time. I looked around, feeling a surge of nausea. I had acted on instinct, unleashing the beast inside, so to speak. Say what you will about martial arts, but they do teach you how to take someone's life.
I threw the bent sword I was holding aside, the clang of it was loud, too loud in the sudden quet I found myself in. That was, at least until a woman spoke—or rather, half-shouted. "That was pretty damn impressive, big guy. Looking for a job?"
I slowly turned to see a woman emerging from a side alley, accompanied by another group of armored bastards. I let out a sigh. "More fools to be crushed..." I muttered. The woman grinned and raised her hands.
"Hey, hey! We don't want to fight!" she exclaimed. But my mind was elsewhere, in survival mode, and another threat had just stepped forward, begging to be taken down.
I approached the woman, and the warriors around her immediately tensed. However, she raised a hand, signaling them to hold back. She studied me with narrowed eyes. "You're not all there, are you?" she remarked. I didn't answer. Instead, I mustered whatever energy I had left in my aching muscles and lunged with violent intent. I was going to crush her, or so I thought. As I swung a fist toward the woman, she simply wasn't there.
A voice sounded right behind my right ear. "Sorry, big guy, but I think you need to take a little nap."
A sharp pain shot beneath my right ear, and suddenly the ground rushed up to meet me. It was my first-ever knockout, and I wasn't even conscious to witness it.
I woke up later, my head pounding with a relentless headache. I found myself shackled by heavy chains to a bed. I glanced around the room, but it was utterly barren. Nothing at all. I let out a weary sigh and closed my eyes, only to be irritated by the appearance of a little notification icon once again. I focused on it, and to my dismay, another set of screens popped into my vision. I groaned in annoyance.
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Notice:
Rewards
You have defeated 16 Mercenary warriors
32 Essence points (EP)
Notice:
Available abilities:
Reward:
You have learned basic sword mastery
None
3 Essence points (EP)
Notice:
Available abilities:
Reward:
You have learned basic axe mastery
None
3 Essence points (EP)
Notice:
Available abilities:
Reward:
You have learned basic mace mastery
None
3 Essence points (EP)
Notice
Rewards
You have earned a new achievement
Versatile fighter
You have used at least 3 different weapons in a single fight.
1 Specialization points (SP)
3 Essence points (EP)
Increased power with any weapon ability used.
I swiped away the screens and shouted, "Hey! Is anyone there? Hello?"
There was no response, so I began shaking my shackles and shouting even louder, creating quite a racket. "Hello!? You better come unlock these damn shackles before I lose my temper!"
Finally, after a lot of shouting, the door swung open and a woman who seemed vaguely familiar entered. She was flanked by two large, intimidating men. She was a tall woman, around 170 centimeters, with fiery red hair and freckles, and piercing green eyes. If I weren't so annoyed, I might have found her attractive, but at that moment, all I wanted to do was punch that smug expression off her face.
She looked amused. "So you're awake now. How are you feeling?"
I scowled at her. "Screw my feelings. Why the hell am I shackled?"
She grinned. "Well, you did carve through quite a few people. If we hadn't taken you in, the city guard would have."
I recalled the street fight and examined myself. I was clean, and most of my wounds had disappeared. "How did I get here, and what happened to my wounds?"
She sighed and pulled out a small chair from seemingly nowhere—I hadn't noticed it before. She sat down and locked eyes with me. "We brought you here, not without some difficulty, I might add. We made sure you were cleaned up and your wounds were taken care of."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then may I ask why I'm naked again?"
The woman let her eyes roam over me for a few seconds, then she smiled and shrugged. "Had to reward the girls—and a couple of the guys, I suppose. They cleaned you up and tended to your wounds. Giving them something pleasant to look at was the least I could do."
I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Haha! So I was caught by a bunch of perverts, huh? That's just great. So, what now?"
The woman looked pleased. "Not perverts. We soldiers simply learn to appreciate the simple things in life. As for what happens now, it's up to you. First, there are some questions, and then I have an offer for you."
I nodded and let out a sigh. "Of course you do. Well, let's get on with it then."
She gestured for her two guards to leave, which they did, though they didn't seem too happy about it. Then she turned back to me. "Let's start with names. I'm Margie Reimes, and I command this company, Crow's Feast. What's your name, warrior?"
I smiled at her. "I'm not a warrior, I'm a fighter, a martial artist. My name is Erik Svenson."
She tilted her head. "I'm not quite sure what a martial artist is, but it's nice to meet you, Erik Svenson. Now, why were you fighting with those scumbags in the street?"
I shrugged. "I don't know..."
She paused, studying me. "You don't know?"
I grinned. "I woke up to a wooden club hitting me in the face. I took offense to that and punched the guy through a wall. Then I followed his buddies into the street, and I think you know the rest."
Margie sighed. "Damn cowards. Did nothing happen before that?"
I pondered for a moment. "Well, I did beat up a few thugs in the street and took their money to buy myself a feast."
Margie stared at me, then burst into laughter. "You're pretty damn honest, huh? Well, the Heartseekers—the mercenaries you either killed or crippled—have connections with a lot of local gangs. Those thugs might have called in a few favors to have you punished, but it backfired big time."
She nodded in satisfaction. "That's enough for the guard. Now, onto my offer. You're going to be in trouble, Erik. No matter the reason, you caused a huge mess, and the guard wants your head. However, if you join my company on a contract, you can avoid that fate."
I scowled. "And what does your company do? Actually, let's start with something else. Where the hell am I?"
Margie looked surprised. "You're in Salin. Didn't you know...?"
I interrupted her. "I know I'm in Salin, but where the hell is Salin!? More importantly, why do people carry swords and axes around here?"
Margie blinked at me, then slowly replied, "Salin is located on the continent of Pantia, in the southern part. As for weapons... Why wouldn't people carry swords? It's a dangerous world, after all. Don't people carry swords where you're from?"