Chapter 8.1 – Bloody brilliant comedy

Morning arrived.

Since the weather in this region was warm all year round, Kai and Sophie could sleep without getting cold. Well, cold was one thing they didn't have to worry about, but on the other hand there wasn't really a bed in the cell. There was only one long bench to sit on and it also barely fit one person when they laid down. So, at night Kai had to bear the wooden floor, while Sophie was on the bench.

Anyway, all of it was irrelevant to Kai as he could basically sleep anywhere. Kai woke up well-rested and refreshed, while Sophie was still a bit drowsy. She couldn't sleep well at night, she couldn't stop worrying about what the next day would bring.

Sophie's stomach growled.

They hadn't been brought anything to eat the day before nor this morning, so they were both quite hungry. Actually, they had gone without eating for more than a full day, because when they were ambushed they had been just starting lunch.

It was noon already, too. Then Bosuichi came.

"Hello, I've come to release you from this prison," he directly said, "The client will be arriving shortly, then you will be given over to him," he was addressing just Sophie, rather than both.

"What will happen then?" with a grim expression Sophie asked, thankfully she was calmer than the day before.

"Well, that doesn't matter to me... However, I can say that the client is a certain noble with some peculiar fetishes. I think you'll find out yourself later on."

A shiver ran through her spine imagining the possible future.

Kai couldn't comprehend why Sophie was so terrified. Were the people of this world that cruel? Were the people capable of some special brutality? Twisted minds should basically be the same everywhere. Still, Kai would later see what this world could offer...

They were both taken out of their cell, their hands still binded.

When they were taken towards the entrance of the camp, they could finally see the place they were at. Rather than calling it a camp, it was actually somewhat of a small settlement. There were decent wooden houses and a well, and everything was connected with paths. There were even some women there. In the half that they walked through there was maybe around 200 people.

They arrived at the entrance, where a good looking carriage was also stationed. Beside it was standing a self-important looking fat man with some fancy clothes, and next to him there were two other people. One was wearing a butler suit, probably the man's servant, and the other, a tall, muscular and armed man, a bodyguard perhaps.

"YOU MADE ME WAIT SO LONG!!" the fat man was really loud.

"I apologize," Bosuichi bowed slightly, then pointed towards Kai and Sophie, "Here are the goods you have requested, princess Sophie and... probably her companion in travelling."

"Actually, it's the other way around!" Kai pointed out with an easygoing smile.

"WHAT! A MAN? I HAVE NO USE FOR A MAN! But the princess on the other hand, guhehehe-," a sort of perverted smile started to appear on his face.

"Ee--!? You don't want me??" Kai cried out, but was punched in the gut as a result.

"Then, about the man," Bosuichi asked.

"I DON'T CARE, DISPOSE OF HIM," as he said they started dragging Kai somewhere, "Now, the enslavement contract for the princess..."

"NOO--!" Sophie screamed, trying to shake herself free, but the men had a firm hold of her.

Some sort of parchment was brought out. Sophie's clothes were ripped so that her well-developed chest was revealed. The presumed noble held the paper in front of her and started chanting something, it wasn't the normal language, but a magical one. Sophie struggled, but understood its meaninglessness, her face stiffened in fear as the man continued, and despair and horror were reflected in her eyes.

"This is enough, I guess," someone muttered.

Then, there were two thuds, there was also another scream, but it was cut short. The noble and the others looked at what had caused the commotion, and saw this – Kai was standing there and beside him laid three dead men, their heads detached from their bodies.

The noble looked at the sight dumbfounded, but Bosuichi was quicker to react.

"GET HIM!" the leader, Bosuichi quickly called out to the other bandits around.

Everyone had their weapons already at hand, they encircled Kai swiftly and efficiently, showing off their well-practiced teamwork.

"Eeh, they were weaker than I thought... As I've already started this way, might as well finish by beheading everyone..." Kai pondered out loud enough that the others heard him.

His confident words were unnerving, forcefully striking fear into the just recently decisive men, however, their leader quickly reassured them,

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"He must hiding blades somehow or he's a beast race that can transform! Take him out with numbers!"

Still, it was the wrong call. Or perhaps it was right? Either way it didn't matter as evidenced later on.

When one tried a sneak attack from behind, almost as if he had eyes on the back of his head, Kai dodged the sword flawlessly. With two quick steps he was instantly behind the man. He grabbed his head and made an insanely fast motion. The next moment the body dropped on the ground, while Kai was still holding its head.

Unable to stop halfway, another two attacks were already coming. Kai dodged a spear, grabbed it during the thrust and threw it through the head of a man standing on the opposite side. He also ducked under a horizontal sword slash and, as he stood back up, striked the guy's chin upward with such force, that the head snapped back, almost tearing off from the neck. Needless to say the man died in an instant.

There was a moment of hesitation in the men, seeing Kai's incredible power. However, apparently they still believed they could overwhelm him with numbers.

Thus the battle started.

Well, it was really just a one-sided massacre.

Noone could even scratch Kai while he was able to dodge effortlessly, and at the same time he used two swords that he had picked up, and was like a whirlwind swinging them wildly. But to the men it looked more like a dance of death, a dance that resulted in death when seen close up.

Heads were literally sent flying as Kai easily cleaved them off.

Lives ended at an incredible pace. The horrible show that Kai made lasted perhaps only 5 minutes, but in the end already around 50 men had died.

However, it was still not enough. Now the men started attacking out of fear. In front of them they only saw a blood red demon that had come to kill their friends and comrades. Thus the attacks continued.

What was going on in Kai's mind?

Simply – dodge, slash, sidestep, strike, dash, slash, ...throw?, and repeat. He had almost become like a mindless killing machine.

But it must be said, he wasn't particularly enjoying himself. He didn't enjoy killing weak opponents. For him, there must be thrill in battle. In battle one should fear for his life, but right now he was cold, he coldly predicted and countered, efficiently executing techniques.

10 minutes had passed.

The enemy numbers seemed to be slowly dwindling.

Now, after around 20 minutes since the beginning of the battle, the place quieted down. There weren't any cries of pain, just the heavy breathing of one man.

Kai was drenched in blood, and he was standing in the middle of countless headless bodies. He looked at the sky, and sighed.

He was out of his battle frenzy. When he looked around himself, he saw the outcome. What did he feel seeing such a sight? Perhaps one would think he felt nothing, considering his earlier behaviour and demonic slaughtering of everyone around, but one would be wrong. As he stood there, tears started falling. He was crying.

Kai was crying, but he wasn't bawling. He didn't make any sniffing sounds either, just, tears constantly flowed out of his eyes. It took a moment for him to compose himself.

He then noticed the fat noble back at his carriage. Maybe he had been too afraid to move earlier, but just now he started trying to get away. But when Kai noticed Sophie laying on the ground unconcious, maybe she was hit during the scuffle, he started approaching the guy.

Kai didn't conciously adopt any expression, but the noble's face twisted in terror when he saw Kai approaching.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? PROTECT ME!!" the man called out to his bodyguard.

A tall man, a bit over 2 meters probably, stood before Kai. He was wearing platemail and wielding a twohanded sword. He should have considerable skill, as one could feel from his imposing figure.

"An enemy?" Kai inquired dully.

The man took a moment to answer, "If I could, I'd rather continue living..."

"Then step aside," Kai commanded.

"I can't do that."

"...Then, is a compromise possible?" Kai asked with a sudden polite smile.

Kai took the man's silence as a 'yes', "Then, I have some questions for the nobleman. As for what will happen to him... I'll leave that to Sophie, when she wakes up..."

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