The typical scorching desert morning stung my skin. It was a pity I couldn't feel its warmth anymore with this demonic body. For some reason, I liked this body because I didn't have to bother with the heat of the sun or the cold of the night moon. For the same reason, I also hated it.
"Hey. What are you doing sitting in the middle of the desert like this and naked? Were you robbed by bandits or something?"
Desert people. Ah, them. A group of people who inhabit the desert. Living there with rattlesnakes and poisonous scorpions as their companions.
Let me explain more about them. Hooked noses, a mix of Middle Eastern and Western features. Most of them work as bandits, robbing merchants who pass through the desert routes. Their skin is tanned brown, and their hair is dreadlocked or curly because they rarely bathe. Yes, they smell of body sweat from bathing once a year.
I think that's normal because it's hard to find water in the middle of sea sand. Except when they reach an oasis. They will bathe once or just fill their leather pouches before they go back to circling the arid desert for half a year.
Even so, most of them are tough warriors and fighters with great animals.
I mean fighters with animals literally. By riding them or making their animals fight.
Like the group of desert people currently surrounding me. They are riding large ostriches.
There are twelve people, two women and the rest muscular men with crescent-shaped swords at their waists.
"His thing is quite big and long." One of the two women from the group of desert people whispered to her friend. Making her friend grin, glancing at something below my belly.
I won't blame her for two reasons, one, it's like when a man sees a large-chested woman pass by and whispers how big her chest is. Two, because desert people are vulgar. They know no rules except that the strongest leads, and they have no manners. They are almost no different from animals except for their human-like physical form and the ability to think and feel.
I stood up, taking the demonic sword stuck in the sand.
"Where are you going?" I asked the man who had asked me. He seemed to be the leader of this group.
"We are going to the border. Do you need a ride? A man like you looks pathetic, stark naked in the desert with only a sword."
"You mean two swords?" The woman from the group giggled softly, her eyes never leaving what was below my belly.
Her friends also chuckled. Some laughed with pain, realizing theirs were inferior to mine. I could see that on their faces without words.
"I..." I was about to accept their offer, but seeing the demonic sword, I shook my head, refusing. "Just give me enough cloth to cover my sword."
"Which sword?" The other woman asked spontaneously. I don't know if it was because she was innocent or if she was teasing me.
"Both." I replied curtly. The woman immediately threw two shabby cloths, enough to cover the eye on the hilt of the demonic sword and the 'sword' attached to my body.
"Are you really not coming? Wherever your destination, walking alone from here will take about two days and two nights. If you come with us, you might get a mount at the border later." The group leader asked me once more.
It's rare to find a group of desert people who have sympathy for strangers. Most of them are bandits, if they meet a foreigner who is struggling and dying on the street, most of them will choose to capture and sell that foreigner as a slave. Or kill them and feed them to their pets. This is suspicious.
I shook my head firmly.
"These two cloths are enough. I'm leaving."
I stepped forward to leave the desert people's group. Three large ostrich riders blocked my way. I suspected this was suspicious.
"You haven't said thank you, buddy." One of the large ostrich riders said, preparing to draw a sword from his waist.
I sighed. "Thank you. Good afternoon, and I hope you have a pleasant journey."
The three large ostrich riders still blocked me. They grinned, laughing at me for no reason.
"You didn't say it sincerely."
"You know, 'thank you' among desert people like us means you have to give us something in return for our kindness in giving you two cloths."
I didn't lift my face. My eyes silently counted the heads around me. My right hand was ready to grip my sword hilt. Just like them.
I know desert people are always like this. Because I once had an experience meeting a group of desert people who more or less had the same behavior. Ah, at that time I killed them all for trying to rob me and Ye Jing.
After that, Ye Jing scolded me for being too excessive in killing them. Even though they were bandits. Why was he angry then? Why was he angry when I killed a bunch of pests like them? I've somewhat forgotten.
"Your sword. Pay for the cloth with your sword."
The group leader approached from behind my back.
"Which sword do you want?"
"Of course, the sword you're holding. Why would I take a sword attached to your body?"
"Unfortunately, this is not a sword that ordinary people like you can hold."
"Heh, you're bluffing. Even if it's a cursed sword, we'll still profit."
"Then take this."
I threw the demonic sword at the leader of the desert people's group surrounding me. Then I walked past them casually, folding my waist with the one cloth I had obtained.
The group of desert people was confused looking at me. They immediately gathered to see what sword their leader had gotten.
"A strange sword." That was the last sentence I heard from the leader of the desert people's group before he used the sword to decapitate himself.
"Ah?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"Tolui?!"
"You! Madman!"
Three large ostrich riders chased me with their swords raised high.
"It seems I'll remember why Ye Jing scolded me back then."
Three crescent-shaped swords swung from above the ostriches, aiming for the back of my neck and my back. With their speed, those swings would easily decapitate a human head like mine.
But unfortunately, I am no longer human. As the swords swung hard and hit my body... Clang! The three swords flew from their hands as if they had just struck a rock. Or even harder than a rock. The three crescent-shaped swords were stuck in the sand.
"At that time, if I'm not mistaken, it was also midday. Ye Jing and I had just finished lunch, and a group of bandits like you came. They spilled my week's supply of alcohol, which is why I slaughtered them. Ah, maybe that's why Ye Jing scolded me."
I looked at the three ostrich riders, placing my index finger and thumb on my chin. Their faces looked terrified, with trembling eyes and hands.
"Strange madman. We'd better leave him alone."
"But he killed our leader with his strange sword! We must avenge him!"
"Just leave him! We don't need to make trouble with him. We already got that strange sword. Perhaps we can sell that cursed sword for a high price in the yellow-skinned race kingdom."
"Are you sure? If it can be sold, I think I'll sell it myself. By the way, the people behind me are very quiet. It seems they're done."
The entire bodies of the three large ostrich riders—including their mounts—in front of me shivered violently. Realizing what had happened to their friends behind my back.
I turned around. It happened again. They had died by their own hands. Whoever holds the demonic sword will kill those around them and themselves.
The sword was extremely bloodthirsty.
No matter who held it, their hands would unconsciously move to kill. Killing anything that could be killed. That's why it's called the demonic sword.
"They died... How... It was only a few seconds."
"They killed themselves after trying to touch or even just approach the sword with the strange eye on its hilt? What... what kind of sword is that!!!"
I walked to pick up the demonic sword, whose blade was now covered in red blood. Nine heads rolled in the sand. Along with their mounts. I could see fresh blood on each of their swords. They committed suicide after their leader committed suicide in front of them using the demonic sword.
This is why I shouldn't let anyone hold this sword. This sword brings disaster.
"Get out of here. If you don't want to end up like your friends."
The three remaining ostrich riders immediately hurried away from me as if they had just met a demon. Or perhaps they had just met one.
"Ah, I remember. Ye Jing scolded me for killing people too easily."
I took a piece of cloth and covered the demonic sword, wrapping its hilt and blade away from the world.
"Well, what can I do, humans die so easily."
Then walked aimlessly. Leaving nine headless corpses in the middle of the desert.
"Next time I'll be more careful not to kill anyone. I'll try to be a kind human. As Ye Jing taught."
***