"Don't tell me it's the lizardfolk again.." He was getting ready to fight back whoever was coming.
"Stop there!" Three adventurers showed up, two men and one woman. The person in the middle decided to raise his weapon toward kuro.
"Ay chill down buddy!" Kuro raised his arms up, The person who happens to be the leader spoke, "It's one of three possibilities: either you're a demon in human disguise, or a foolish rookie who accidentally ended up here." He got one step closer toward kuro while still keeping his sword toward him.
"Trust me, i'm neither!" Kuro took a step backward.
"Who happens to enter a cave without gear or even a weapon..? And these clothes aren't something I've seen before!" The man said.
"Hey, just leave him, he is just a rookie who came here by accident." The person behind the leader took the man in front by the shoulder.
"Perhaps he is right." The woman agreed. Kuro nodded as a yes.
"Shoot!" Footsteps of the lizardfolk were getting closer to them. The lizardfolk appeared in sight, facing all of them with a roar.
"Lizardfolk? They didn't tell me these exist in caves." The leader stated while getting ready to fight it. The woman raised her wand above, as the other man took his bow in action.
They're gonna fight it? Kuro thought, glaring at the group.
"Rookie, stand behind as we finish this monster!" The man raised his sword above. "GET IT!"
The bowsman put two arrows in the bow, sniping the monster's head for the shot. As he threw these arrows toward the beast, the woman with the wand powered these arrows, giving them some energy/speed boost.
This is something I see in fantasy games. Did we change worlds or really go back in time?
Kuro was confused while thinking this.
The arrows reached the monster's neck; however, the arrows broke due to the monster having armor on its neck. "Impossible.." The bowsman said.
"DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!" The swordsman charged, leaping high with his blade arcing in a deadly weave. Three strikes slammed against the monster's armored hide, sparks flying with each metallic clash. Yet the blows barely left a mark. "Impossible…!" he gritted, chest heaving with effort.
The monster roared in anger, sending shockwaves that sent the swordsman onto the wall. "This isn't a normal lizard..."
"Indeed, i'm not...HAHAHA" The lizard spoke suddenly.
"No way it spoke..!" The woman's heart started hammering as she fell on her knees. "A rebirthed monster.." The bowsman was almost spitting these words out.
The astonished kuro started walking toward it. As he did, a voice of trembling onto the ground was heard behind him. The swordsman was standing on one knee, while his sword was pushed into the ground. "Step back..i haven't given up..yet." He stood up while blood started pouring from his injured head.
"Insane will...i'll crush this bravery down." The monster took a step toward the injured man. The swordsman was hardly breathing, "Please..take them both out..i promise i will come back.." He ordered kuro.
He is still trying even while injured. Kuro smirked at the man.
"What are you smiling about...leave..this is a new tomorrow for you.." The man said in disbelief at the action Kuro did.
"Nah, i don't feel like a new tomorrow will be fitting, I won't even rest knowing I left a dead man behind. I appreciate your bravery, but it's time i take action." Kuro walked toward the injured man, knowing he was weak.
Kuro took the man's sword, "Let's see how this ends up.." Kuro turned to the monster.
"So brave, i admire this. However, it's your last action, now prepare to die!" The lizard roared in anger once again, running toward Kuro.
Kuro then lunged toward him with no hesitation. He was mid-air in front of the monster, throwing a slash toward the lizard. "Hmph!" The lizard raised his arm, blocking the slash. Kuro proceeded his way toward the lizard. He then jumped up to reach the monster's raised arm, swinging his sword to slice the monster's arm off. The lizard in quick motion used its other hand, punching Kuro in the face, sending him backward.
The pushed kuro landed on the wall as blood poured down his face. "We're all done.." The woman said.
Then the lizard turned back at the fallen trio, "Lost hope, huh..? It'll be painless HAHAHA."
"You might have to face your opponent.." Kuro stood behind the lizardfolk while blood poured down his face. "HM!?" As the lizard turned around, Kuro rushed at the monster with all his power. Upon reaching, he swung his sword, striking the monster's tail, slicing it down.
He then stood up with a smirk. "YOU DARE UNDERSTIMATE ME!?" The monster roared with all its might, sending shockwaves all around the cave. The cave shook as stone started falling on them. Everyone else grabbed something so they wouldn't get sent back.
"How is he standing on his feet..?" The swordsman said. Then the lizardfolk threw a punch, and Kuro parried the punch, which sent him backward. The monster consistently threw punches at Kuro, as Kuro was swinging his sword, blocking some and deflecting some.
This human is not fighting alone..i see three figures all around him. The lizardfolk thought while throwing punches. "GR!" Kuro reflected the last punch and dashed toward the lizard.
"It's true..he isn't alone!" The lizardfolk roared as Kuro got closer. Then the lizard threw a punch using all of its might toward Kuro once again, this time with more power.
Kuro was sent back, although he stood up again and rushed toward the monster's face. He jumped forth, attempting to cut the monster's head down. "You're using the same tactic again and again. CAN'T YOU DIE ALREADY, HUMAN!?" The monster roared, sending Kuro backward.
Kuro stood on the ground motionless with his head facing the ground. I see no emotions in this man.. The woman thought, then she proceeded. He kept trying again, even if it didn't work..his will to win is high
"Sorry, lizard..i won't die from the beginning of my arrival..i still have an order to fulfill.." Kuro glared at the lizard, spreading fear into it.
"These red eyes...IS HATING ON ME!" He screamed hard. As he was screaming, Kuro took his chance. He darted toward the monster's head with a swing, "I put care into this swing.." The monster's head snapped off.
"We're done.." Kuro landed on the ground. Both the bowsman and the magic woman stood in disbelief at how a rookie could defeat this kind of monster.
The swordsman was clapping for the victory of Kuro. "Leader!" The woman rushed toward their leader to heal him. "No, he is injured more than i am." Kuro walked toward them, then he handed the man his weapon back. "I did something to prove i am not a rookie. Am i right?"
"Indeed, you did." The girl took her wand and started healing the injured kuro. "Phew, we all thought we were dead. Thanks to you, we lived." The bowsman wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"We all owe you for this.." The swordsman stated.
"It'll be rude not to introduce ourselves." The swordsman said while Kuro was wiping dust from his clothes.
He pointed at the bowsman and said, "He is Uoro Esaki, our bowsman." Then he pointed at the woman, "She is Toshu Nal, our supporter."
"Finally, I'm Boro Somu, the leader and swordsman of this group. We're ranked D"
"I'm Kuro Sato, Nice to meet you all." Kuro introduced himself.
They all waited for him to proceed to say his rank, "What are y'all looking at me for?".
"You're not gonna say your rank?" Toshu questioned.
"Uh..I basically don't have a rank.." Kuro was confused, yet trying to know more about this world.
"NO RANK!?" They all screamed at the same time, not believing Kuro.
"This is really stupid.." Uoro turned his head down.
"It's like you're new to this world somehow. I've noticed from your clothes and how you look like fighting without gear." Boro expressed.
"Anyway, this cave seems dangerous; let's get out of here", Toshu said.
As they were walking, Kuro asked, "What is the ranking system y'all have here?"
"Well, it's hard to explain since everyone here knows about it." Boro sighed, but proceeded to explain. "Basically, it's a ranking system based on strength/use."
"Strength and use?" Kuro questioned. "Yes." Boro answered.
"The strength is the power of the individual; the use is how useful he is in society." They all sat down near a tree while Uoro collected some tree branches to light a fire.
"Here we have SS Rank, the highest rank, and then S. A, B, C, D, E come after them." Boro stated.
"In society? Wait, so y'all live in one society?" Kuro asked Boro. "No, there are nations all around the world. Which are 5. Tenshinkoku is the largest. Seiryutei is the strongest. Kurokawa no Kuni The darkest. Akagane no Teikoku is the wealthiest. Hakumei Shogunate is the religious." Then Boro proceeded, "Each nation serves a purpose, but the most visited and relied on nation is our nation Tenshinkoku. Most people live there." Toshu was cooking meat for dinner. "And there are various races, i can't count it for you, but mainly demons are the worst. They're the kind of beings to devour everything and cause destruction everywhere. They guide monsters for evil and chaos, basically the most feared race."
Wait, he didn't say anything about Soul Brigade..Do they exist in this timeline? Kuro questioned in his mind.
"Finally, the soul brigade warriors. Not many people get on their land; either way, we don't know anything about them. They're here to maintain the balance, as i heard, and they fight mainly against demons." Boro took a bite of the meat, which was already done.
"There is much to learn on my own.." Kuro stared at the ground for a moment. "Take your dinner." Uoro told kuro.
"Oh thanks." Kuro took the meat and proceeded to eat. "You're a strong warrior..still not enough to be high-ranked. But you'll be there if you work hard. I advise you to enter the Sentinel organization." Boro looked at kuro with a smile. Uoro got closer to kuro and said "They pay good money!"
Kuro smiled and said, "I will consider this."
"So you were after money after all..?" The laughing toshu said.
"No no, not anything like that, trust me!" Kuro refused.
They all laughed it off and proceeded to eat.
-
The next morning, they stood before the Tenshinkoku capital town.
"Here..I might find a clue to know where Uoshi and Maruko are." - Kuro Sato