"Kill this fucker! Right now!"
All three of the individuals drew out their weapons, more than ready to go into combat with the random man who had just shoved his mouth into their business.
One of them, in particular, holding a blade in his hand and at the very front, was more than ready to battle.
But as he clutched his blade, prepared to face Ash, who was racing at full speed in his direction, he became aware of something.
He was afraid of this man. His legs were shaking, and his hand was so unsteady he could barely hold his blade well.
"T-the hell? Don't screw with me!"
He yelled out loud, as if trying to motivate himself.
However, it was already too late. Ash had already closed the distance.
"Distracted?" said Ash with a face meaning only business and nothing more.
Before the man could even raise his arm to defend himself, Ash clenched his fist and quickly drove his fist right through the man's chest.
A blow so powerful, not only did it allow Ash's fist to pierce the man's chest like a knife, but it also sent the man flying and landing several feet away from his partners.
The remaining two were left speechless; their eyes widened as they soon understood the kind of person they were up against. Even the elf girl had the same reaction, only she was too weak to stand to her feet.
Still holding his hand out after the punch, Ash narrowed his gaze, watching as his new red-painted fist dripped with blood.
'T-that was unexpected.' he uttered to himself, his voice clogged as though he was going to puke, 'I didn't expect my punch to be this powerful. This demonic aura is really something.'
Sigh.
He turned his attention to the remaining men.
The man whom Ash had just killed just so happened to be the strongest in the team. Hence why he was the one to lead the attack.
But since Ash was able to eradicate the man from the face of the earth in the blink of an eye, they knew for a fact they didn't stand a chance.
"Damn it! We have to run," one of them yelled, giving one last look at the elf girl as he knew he could not take her. Not when the person they are about to run from wants her in particular.
"Fuck!" the other cursed.
Just as he turned around to run, his partner right next to him—
Blursh!
Abruptly, his partner collapsed to the ground, his severed head rolling on the ground with blood-soaked hair.
Terrified, the man could only stare at the head in shock, observing as blood slowly surrounded its vicinity.
In a matter of a few seconds, another one of his colleagues was kissing the ground, dead.
And of course, he knew the course, which was why he was too petrified to move.
Ash was right behind him.
Coiled around his arm like a long snake was his dark energy. It was flexible enough for Ash to use as a weapon and slice the other man's head off.
This one will be no different.
Fully ready to kill the last one standing, Ash raised his head, stretching the dark energy far back just so he could drag it back like a spring and eliminate his target.
Unfortunately, that didn't go as planned.
The last man, shaking visibly, fell to his knees and bowed his head.
"Please, Boss, don't kill me, I beg of you!!!" pleaded the man, his face blue from fear. "You can have the girl! I don't want her; hell, I'll give you whatever it is you want. Anything at all."
As the demonic energy wiggled behind him, Ash stared down at the man. Not impressed, nor did he have the least bit of empathy for him.
It was quite normal for people to cower in fear when their life was on the line.
If this was Ash a few months ago, he would have folded and probably never killed any of them. But after all the monsters he had killed during training and seeing how cruel this world can be—
"Why would I spare a pig like you?"
Terror ran through the man's spine after hearing Ash's response.
"I—"
Before he could say anything, Ash sliced off his head and kicked it to the side as though it were nothing more than a doll.
"Shut up." Ash spat, his demonic energy disappearing from his body.
[You have eliminated three enemies.]
[70 points has been allocated.]
[Chances of contracting your new slave has been calculated after recent event.]
[98%]
After seeing the system notification, Ash turned his attention to the elf girl. His scowl remained.
Her face was a picture of fear, in stark contrast to the expressionless one she wore when she first saw him.
She just witnessed this very man kill three strong adventurers as though they were nothing.
And this was going to be her master? Who is supposed to save her from him?
"Hey!" Ash fully turned to her with a frown on his face. "Little girl, can you sta- blurrrh!"
Ash found himself on his knees, puking on the ground mid-sentence.
Blurrrh!
Bluurgh!
After what seemed like forever, Ash sat on the ground, using the back of his hand to clean his mouth.
'Ugh, what do you know? Killing people does affect me. If I had hesitated for even a second, they would have killed me. Remember that.'
Once he was done, he looked at the elf.
He had expected her to have at least tried to run away; instead, she stood to her feet, waiting for Ash to address her.
A slightly frustrated grunt left Ash's mouth as he scratched the back of his head.
Soon, he reached into a small portal that appeared at his side.
[3 points has been deducted.]
Now holding a small blue potion in his hand, he stretched it to the girl.
"Here, drink this."
The elf girl was hesitant at first, but eventually, she acted.
Her weak legs strode forward, and she grabbed the potion with her bruised hand.
Then with a single motion, she chugged the entire potion.
Surprise was etched on her face when she realized most of the injuries that had never healed from her body since she had been sold had all closed off from her skin. She felt no pain; it didn't sting anymore.
"T-thank you," she uttered. Her voice was so tiny that Ash could barely hear her.
Still seated on the ground, he finally uttered,
"Don't thank me," he glared. "I believe we had a deal before I agreed to save you."