The carriage stopped abruptly, as chaos unfolded in the market.
"It's them! It's them! Close your shops! Run with your goods people!"
A group of bandits named Vulturebone enters the market from the front gate. Nobles scattered, shops closed, and town guards rushing to the scene.
But these aren't ordinary bandits, they're equipped with high-tech machinery. Noah looked at Ezren, his eyes widened when Ezren's face showed not fear, but a cruel smile playing on his lips.
"Heh.. so a bunch of idiots think they could disturb my ride? The Vulturebone folks are getting braver these days."
With a swift movement, he leapt out of the carriage, striding towards the group of bandits with sickening confidence. Noah peeked out the coach, frowning. Had this man gone mad?
"Let's see.. How many of you? One.. two.. meh, doesn't matter."
Ezren drew his sword, and then put the blade on the palm of his hand. Slowly, he wounded his palm, feeding blood to the cold metal as he cast an incantation in an ancient language.
"Ferrum sitiens, sanguinem accipe, virtus ex cruce, hostem dilania."
As he cast the incantation, the palm of his hand glows bright, enchanting the sword using the blood from his hand. The bandits just stare at him, cold and indifferent.
Suddenly, one of them makes a movement and lunges towards him with a modified axe. However, Ezren is quicker, like a lightning bolt, he easily deflects the incoming attack like it's a mere child's play. He didn't waste the opportunity and stabbed the bandit right in the heart.
"Is that all? Is this the so-called legendary scavengers?"
He asked mockingly, twisting the sword and pulling it out of the bandit chest, blood trickling down from the sword's edge onto the dirt. He marched alone to face the remaining Vulturebone. He moved so fast, even the ground struggled to catch his shadow.
Ezren fought against the group of Vulturebone, slicing, thrusting, parrying, deflecting. All while maintaining his grace and fluidity like a killer without moral — only etiquette.
After a few minutes, the market was a mess of dead bodies and sounds of war cry. Vulturebone was down to the last man standing. He is twice Ezren's size, wearing a haunting steel gauntlet.
Both of them stare at each other among the sea of dead bodies. But Ezren isn't terrified, if anything, he seems to be enjoying this more than necessary.
"So, big fella. How would you like to die? Beheaded? To the heart? Or you want me to slice you in half."
Ezren calls out with a mocking remark, as if he is some kind of indestructible force. The last bandit didn't respond, instead he took a step closer to Ezren,then another step. Each step echoed through the market.
"You will regret this, Ezren of Floren."
Suddenly, the bandit groans, he lets out a haunting roar that shakes the entire market, as if awakening something inside of him. Noah ducked behind the carriage, covering his ears, he could feel himself getting dizzy from the disorderly noise.
Then.. the man transformed into a mythical beast. He transformed into a hybrid of rhino and human. A mighty horn grows from the man's head like a real rhinoceros. This is commonly known as Rampage.
"So, you have Beast Gear? Interesting. I've never fought a gifted one before."
Ezren takes a fighting stance. Without a roar nor warning, the beast charged at him. The ground trembles under its mass. But Ezren didn't back out, he also charged forward with immense speed, as sword and horn clashed together, making sparks fly.
But the beast was way stronger than him, sending him flying backwards, almost hitting the carriage. Noah tried to catch him, but he skidded on the ground and stood up gracefully.
"Such a brutal raw strength, I wonder how long you'll last."
Ezren lunges at the beast again, but this time he is even faster, slipping through the beast's defense and slashing at its back. But to his surprise, not even a scratch was made.
"What the-!"
The beast falls forward, but quickly regains its footing, and swings its horn like crazy towards Ezren. He attempted to dodge, but didn't make it in time, knocking him to the ground.
Ezren tried to stand up again, using his sword as a crutch as blood trickled down his forehead. But just as he was standing up, the beast charged at him again, like a predator chasing its prey.
Just as the beast was about to reach Ezren, a rock hit the beast's head, distracting him momentarily — it was Noah, trembling in his shoes, he grabbed another stone, ready to throw it at it, even if it was futile.
Ezren gathers all the strength he had left, as he takes a defensive stance.
"Sanguis ferveat.. ferrum bibat!"
He channeled everything he had into his sword as he lunged forward to the beast, seizing the opportunity to attack the only weak spot of the beast — its unprotected stomach
With a roaring war cry, he thrust into the beast's heart, as time feels like it is set in place — no movement, no sounds. Then, the beast's body began to revert to human form, as Ezren falls on his knees out of exhaustion.
From afar, Noah could only watch and admire Ezren's swordsman skill. And it sparked something within him that he couldn't quite grasp, but this time — it wasn't fear.
[—To be Continued—]