Chapter 6: He's a Monster! Hated and Feared!
As the dust settled, Ren's figure appeared again in the black-robed men's sight.
The earthen spikes that had burst from the ground stabbed straight at Ren, yet they couldn't pierce his skin at all.
A layer of invisible armor clung to his body.
Armament Haki could greatly enhance defense.
The black-robed men instantly panicked, staring at the blood-soaked Ren in terror.
With a sweep of his arm, Ren shattered the earthen spike pressing against his chest, killing intent flickering in his eyes.
Looking at the black-robed men forming a ring around him, Ren bared a vicious grin.
Boom!
The ground beneath Ren exploded, and cracks like a spiderweb spread outward.
Ren turned into an afterimage and shot toward the nearest black-robed man.
One punch.
The man's body was blasted apart.
Flesh and blood splattered everywhere, dying the area crimson.
Before the others could react, Ren broke through the encirclement and charged straight at the mages behind them.
"Stop him!"
The mages reacted, shouting in fear at the black-robed men around them.
But before the words had even fully fallen, Ren was already in front of them.
Before the mage could raise his staff and cast a spell, Ren grabbed his arm.
With Ren's hands tightening, he tore the arm off.
Blood sprayed like a fountain, splashing everywhere.
"Ahhh!"
A shrill scream echoed through the night.
Ren smashed the mage's head with a punch, then lunged at the rest.
With monster strength and a body like steel, these black-robed men were no match for Ren at all.
In moments, more than half of them were slaughtered, blood flying in every direction.
Ren wiped the sticky crimson off his face, his expression growing even more savage.
The remaining black-robed men began to flee in rout, rushing into the surrounding mountains and forest.
Ren glanced at the prison carts not far away, then charged after the scattered fugitives without hesitation.
Screams kept echoing through the woods. Ren's figure was like a reaper's demon, constantly appearing beside each fleeing black-robed man.
In the next instant, bodies burst apart like smashed melons, blown into pieces.
Blood dyed the forest red, and the air filled with a thick stench of iron.
After who knew how long, Ren walked out of the woods, his entire body slick with blood.
He shook the dried blood from his fists and headed toward the prison carts.
Inside the carts were some villagers from Ren's village.
There were also people from other villages.
When they saw Ren drenched in blood, shock and fear immediately filled their eyes.
As if they were looking at a terrifying monster.
Even the villagers who had known Ren since he was little couldn't help feeling afraid.
Ren opened the carts and freed the imprisoned villagers.
"Everyone, it's alright now. Go back."
Ren forced a smile as he spoke to the villagers.
In Ren's mind, it was a friendly smile, but to everyone else, a smile on a face covered in blood only looked more horrifying and vicious.
Some villagers backed away, and others were so scared they collapsed onto the ground.
"…Are you really Ren?"
At that moment, a middle-aged man asked him shakily.
"Uncle Gil, if I'm not Ren, then who am I?"
Seeing the fear on the man's face, Ren sighed in his heart and squeezed out another smile.
The group exchanged looks. With severed limbs and broken bodies everywhere, they were terrified.
Some people even threw up from the gruesome scene.
"Uncle Gil, it's over. You can go back now."
After a brief silence, Ren lifted his gaze and swept his eyes over everyone.
Seeing the fear and disgust in their expressions, Ren said no more and turned around, walking back toward the village.
Watching Ren's back, no one knew what to say.
Clenching his teeth, the villagers from Ren's village decided to return.
Seeing them leave, some of the others panicked. Faced with the dark forest and the remains scattered across the ground, they chose to follow as well.
Back in the village, Ren went straight to where Erza was hiding.
He moved the stones aside, and Erza and Kagura appeared in his sight.
The moment the stones shifted, Erza was gripping a wooden stick tightly, staring at the opening with full alertness.
When she saw Ren, she instantly let out a breath of relief, threw the stick aside, and climbed out.
But the moment she stepped out and saw Ren drenched in blood under the moonlight, panic rose in her eyes.
She rushed in front of him, not knowing what to do.
"…Are you hurt?"
"What do I do? What do I do…"
"I'm fine. I'm not hurt. This isn't my blood."
Seeing Erza so frantic she was about to cry, Ren smiled and lifted his hand, about to ruffle her hair like he always did.
But halfway up, he saw his palm coated in blood, and his arm froze.
Just then, Erza reached out and grabbed Ren's wrist, placing his blood-stained hand on top of her head.
She nuzzled into his palm like a kitten.
"It's okay. I'll stay with Ren forever."
Erza smiled with pure innocence, not caring at all that Ren was soaked in blood.
Kagura stood off to the side, staring blankly at Ren.
His face was stained crimson, yet he was smiling gently.
She just stood there, stunned.
Before long, noisy voices came from the village entrance.
The three looked over. The villagers had returned.
Kagura spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. Her eyes immediately reddened, and she ran toward him.
"Big brother!"
Her voice trembled with tears as she threw herself into a boy's arms, hugging him tightly.
The boy froze for a moment, then his expression turned emotional as he hugged Kagura back.
"Thank goodness, Kagura. I couldn't find you anywhere. Thank goodness you're okay!"