Falling beside the corpse, Light caught his breath.
'Looks like my suspicions were right; that hooded figure had a hand in this. Phantaminum seems to be his name.'
As he glanced back at the demonic dog's body, Light sensed a faint presence. A specter began to emerge from the corpse. Grimm had freed himself from the mortal chains.
"Damn it!"
Light braced himself for the next phase of the confrontation, uncertain if he could harm this new enemy. However, Grimm, with bloodshot eyes, seemed intent on destroying the one who had killed him. But with an irritated huff, the specter chose to leave the house, vanishing into the darkness.
Light sighed in relief.
'That guy had some wraiths with him. I might have to face them later.'
The abandoned remains exuded a strange energy, more intense than common mana, and seemingly hungry to consume everything around them. Approaching it, Light attempted to absorb the energy, which felt akin to flames.
[Absorption Attempt in Progress]
[Success]
[Mana 10 -> 20/100]
[New Ability Being Learned]
[Flame Manipulation 1/10]
[Recover more flame fragments to learn!]
'Intense, it's part of mana, but it's different.'
Dawn was breaking, and Triss hadn't returned. The location of his enemy was unknown, and it was time to follow the plan and seek out the dwarves for information. The biggest problem was that he was a criminal...
'Wait, if I grab some coins from the house, I can pay!'
Relief washed over Light as he thought of the solution. His eyes brightened with the idea, and he smiled resolutely, relieved to have found a way to ease the situation. He gathered five copper coins from some drawers and headed toward the city.
It was still early, and few people roamed the streets. All of them cast glances at the stranger, with some running off somewhere. Light expected this. They were going to call the guards, who would witness firsthand Light settling his debt and leave him in peace.
Returning to the tavern, the barkeep was cleaning up the mess from the previous night. As soon as he heard the door open,
"Sorry, but we're closed right now."
"I know. I'm here to settle my debt."Recognition immediately stopped the dwarf in his tracks, his veins bulging with barely contained rage.
"Look who decided to show up! And with some nerve, huh?"The guards arrived and stood at the entrance, watching the scene unfold. Light, now near the counter, placed the five copper coins on the table.
"Here it is. I even have witnesses that the debt has been paid. I apologize for what happened" he said firmly yet conciliatory.
"Oh, sure, this covers the price of a beer, but it's not the value of your debt" the dwarf retorted, with a sarcastic smile.
"What? We have witnesses here; the debt is paid" Light replied, his voice filled with frustration.The dwarf turned his gaze to the guard at the entrance.
"Guard, what's the penalty for skipping out on a debt and fleeing?"
The guard responded in a grave, impersonal tone: "The penalty is about ten gold coins as bail or forced labor for at least twenty years. The debtor usually ends up paying about eight gold coins to the wronged party and two to the city guard."
'Damn it!'
"Do you have the eight coins that belong to me, plus the two you owe the guards for their service?"
Light quickly formulated a plan to escape this situation.
'Please, let him be weak!'
***
Name: Dundar
Title: [None]
Status: Barkeep
Rank: [None]
Race: Dwarf
Aura: 0
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Endurance: 2
Skills: [None]
Characteristics: Adult, Vindictive, Reckless
Observation: Barkeep of Dirgrad's tavern
***
'No one can know about this...'
Quickly, Light jumped over the counter and delivered a punch to Dundar. The impact sent blood and teeth flying everywhere. Not giving him a chance to react, Light grabbed Dundar by the hair and pressed the cold blade against his neck.
The dwarf, with Light's cold blade pressed against his neck, tried to hold back, panic growing in his eyes. The room was thick with tension, the air silent except for Light's heavy breathing and Dundar's slight trembling.
The guards, watching the scene intently, exchanged glances. One of them, with robust arms, full of vitality, and a serious expression, took a step toward Light. "Calm down, stranger. Let's resolve this civilly. There's no need for violence."
***
Name: Boros
Title: Fist of Dirgrad
Status: Dirgrad Guard
Rank: Initiate
Race: Dwarf
Aura: 10
Strength: 5
Agility: 2
Endurance: 3
Skills: Dash (Imperfect), Fury
Characteristics: Adult, Kind, Warrior
Observation: One of Dirgrad's strongest guards, recognized for his strength.
***
"Shut up! Do as I say, and everything will end well!" Light shouted, his voice full of authority.
"Please, I have a family and children, let me go" Dundar begged, tears streaming down his face. His head hit the counter with a thud.
"I told you to be QUIET!" Light retorted, pressing the blade more firmly.
"I need information about my companion, Triss!" Light continued, his voice sharp and unyielding. Knowing they didn't know what a fairy was, he described her: "She's a fairy, small, with a humanoid figure and wings that leave a trail of sparkling dust wherever she goes."
Faced with confusion and unfamiliarity with what Light was describing, the dwarf just shook his head, visibly baffled.
"And what about the Hermit Rorik!" Light demanded, his gaze fierce and determined. "If you don't have answers, heads will roll!"
The guards, especially Boros, who had tried to calm the situation, felt the pressure mounting. They exchanged worried glances, realizing that any delay could result in more violence.
Boros quickly selected one of his guards to go after information while trying to keep things from getting worse. Shortly after, the guard returned and whispered something to Boros.
"Rorik and Triss are imprisoned in our dungeons. If you go to the entrance, we can make the exchange for the hostage."
Light's gaze briefly scanned the building. The tavern was narrow and small, making it difficult to mobilize soldiers for an internal confrontation. However, the space outside was ample, making it easier to set up a perimeter around the area.
Without hesitation, Light made a swift and precise strike, slashing through Dundar's leg. The dwarf let out a sharp cry of pain. Most of the guards, visibly shaken by the brutality and cruelty of the action, were trembling. Boros grew increasingly tense, the situation becoming more critical.
"Do you think I'm joking?" Light growled, his voice full of menace. "This is your last chance. Bring Rorik and Triss here immediately!"
Boros, feeling the weight of responsibility, quickly gestured for his guards to prepare for the negotiation. He understood that any mistake could escalate the situation and cost lives, increasing the pressure for an immediate resolution. A few minutes later, the sound of chains echoed through the tavern, and two hooded figures in tattered cloaks appeared at the entrance. One, small, left a trail of sparkling dust in its wake; the other had a long white beard.
'Are they trying to deceive me?' Light thought, suspicious.
"Lift the hoods!"Without hesitation, the hoods were removed, revealing familiar faces: Rorik and Triss, without a doubt. Yet something felt off.
'I need to check!'
***
Name: Rorik
Title: Hermit of Dirgrad
Status: Retired
Rank: Initiate
Race: Dwarf
Aura: 5
Strength: 3
Agility: 2
Endurance: 4
Skills: Fury, Illusionist (Master)
Characteristics: Old, Wise, Scholar
.
Observation: Rorik is an elder who lives in Dirgrad and has never explored the outside world. However, he has studied deeply and inherited the ancient knowledge present in his village, becoming one of its foremost scholars.
***
'Why is he weaker? And where did this skill come from...' Light immediately tried to analyze Triss.
***
Item: Stone
Rarity: Common
Category: Natural Resource
***
'So that's it...' Light thought as he approached the fake hostages with a charming smile. "I finally found you! You have no idea how worried I was" he said, with a sweetness that contrasted with his intention.The artificial Rorik replied at once
"Light, I did all I could for us to get away. I never thought that it would bother you so much," he said, as tears of crocodile crawled down his face.Light approached with false softness, the kind one did when going to give a hug. The imposter relaxed his vigilance for an instance, deadly enough. Without hesitation, Light slashed through the imposter Rorik's neck with lethal precision. No doubt or regret; the slash was quick, sharp, and deadly. The moment the blade sliced flesh, everything broke. Rorik's body dissolves into a cloud of smoke as a different dwarf appears in his place; a stone falls from above, showing the dispellement of magic.
[Shattering Illusions and Unveiling Lies!]
[You have killed Murak, the Master Illusionist]
[Aura 4 -> 6]
[Your glory reaches the gods!]
[Aura 6 -> 8]
Light did not dawdle. The guards had barely reacted to this exposure of the imposter before he charged forward to reach the nearest guard. The soldier brought up his sword in defense, but Light's advance could never be checked. The steel clashed with a metallic clang, and yet his blade cut to the side of the guard, opening up a wound that made him stumble backward.Boros, realizing the situation had become irreversible, shouted with a firm, authoritative voice
"Attack! Don't let him leave alive!"His fellow soldiers, however, became too frightened to move. Some who could not bear the fright of it all dropped their weapons, and others instinctively retreated with retrograde steps and fear imprinted on their faces.
"Tsk" his tongue clicked, infuriated by the cowardice he saw before him. He didn't waste any time but pushed forward, his battle axe glinting with the promise of death. One of Dirgrad's most honored guards, known far and wide for his beefy strength and bravery, Boros wouldn't let some stranger show disrespect to his face.
Feeling danger imminent, Light spun around to face Boros. There was no escaping the coming battle. Steel rang clear across the tavern as Boros struck with incredible force, seeking to crush Light's skull. He dodged nimbly to the side, the wind from the axe whispering past his ear. Light struck back with a quick thrust, but Boros parried it skillfully with the handle of his axe, the battle light flashing in his eyes.
"You have guts, stranger" Boros growled, his muscles tensing as he prepared for the next attack.
"But you're not leaving here alive!"The two warriors clashed in an intense battle, every move calculated and each strike potentially fatal. Boros, by experience and muscular strength, squeezed Light on every side. Still, Light kept a step ahead, through speed and agility and dodging, responded with well-placed attacks.
The rest of the guards did not do anything, still very careful about the fight, while the battle between Boros and Light only intensified. Blood began to flow from several cuts and wounds that both of them sustained. The silent tavern now echoed with metal clashing against metal, heavy breathing, and muffled pain cries.
With a battle cry, Boros came down striking vertically with all his might at Light, trying to cleave him in two. But Light dodged nimbly to the side and countered with fluid grace, his blade finding its place precisely to the side of the dwarf.
The blade bit deep into his body, and, grunting with pain, Boros stepped back a few paces with the axe trembling in his hands. Blood spilled from the wound, but he was still on his feet, willing to fight until the last breath.
"Back off! Or you'll be next!" Light threatened, but his warning was ignored.A great roar resounded through the tavern, a sound filled with determination.
[Boros used Fury]
[Boros used Dash (Imperfect)]
Boros did not hold back but charged, the axe gleaming in his hands. He gained super speed and super strength, hurling himself shoulder-first into Light. It was devastating, and Light was hurled across the tavern, crashing violently onto the wooden wall.The shock caused the tavern to shake.
The sound of breaking plates and glasses mixed with Light's muffled groans. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain as the blow diffused all over his body, but the will to survive lingered.Panting heavily, his eyes flaming with anger, Boros inched closer and closer to Light to finish him off.
The room was tight with tension. All the other guards stood petrified, unable to take a step further. It dragged on—each second—as Light fought to recover.The axe head bit deep into earth, narrowly missing Light's heart. Light rolled to the side at the very last second, and steel crashed into the ground.
Light came in with a strong punch into Boros's already wounded side, striking his open wound with all he could muster in an attack. Grunting in agony, the Berserker stumbled and fell to his knees, his brute force of fury finally broken.
Light did not waste any time at all. With the advantage he had achieved, he got up quickly to see what the next move would be. He was aware that Boros was resilient and that his opponent would not be kept down for very long. The berserker was already struggling up to his feet, his eyes washing with hate, and Light needed to act fast before things turned sour.
With cold, warrier-like determination, Light raised his blade, his concentration focused on this next strike. In the dim light of the tavern, the steel glinted as it came down in a deciding blow, aimed at Boros's head. The axe was still at the berserker's side, and Boros did his best to raise his arm in a block, even in his pain, but it was a little too late.
Light's blade, expertly swung, met its mark with a hissing drive. The blow cut cleanly through Boros's hurried defense, striking hard enough to shatter full-body . That impact's echo momentarily filled the tavern, as if everything else suddenly went silent. Surprise and pain united in the widening of Boros' eyes before his body finally gave way to his pound of flesh hitting heavily on the ground.
[Defying Fate and Its Laws!]
[You have killed Boros, the Fist of Dirgrad]
[Aura 8 -> 10]
[Your glory reaches the gods!]
[Aura 10 -> 12]
The guards, who had hesitated before, now watched in a mix of shock and horror, unable to believe what had just happened. The imposing Boros, one of Dirgrad's most feared warriors, was dead. Light, breathing heavily, wiped the blood from his blade, his eyes fixed on the remaining guards, assessing the situation.
"The next one who moves. will die like him" Light declared, his voice cold, relentless.
Some steps back, the guards were overcome with panic; it was easy to recognize, clearly shaken by the death of their leader, realizing they had no chance against the relentless stranger.
Light knew it was time for his exit before more guards gained their courage again or, worse still, more troops arrived. With a final, full-of-threat look, Light began to back away toward the exit, at the ready to let loose at the slightest sign of aggression.
With Boros defeated, Light had earned a temporary reprieve, but he knew the city would not let him get away so easily. He needed to find the real Triss and Rorik and leave Dirgrad before chaos fully erupted.
"More warriors will come"