‹ Micheal ›

 

 

"You've done well. I have no wish to kill you, you're free to go." - Me

 

Not hearing any response other than a strained sob from the broken Elias, I simply turn to leave.

 

I hadn't really intended for this to happen. But as I was scouting out the camp, figuring out the best approach to this, I was discovered by this old fellow, Henry.

 

I was quite surprised that he managed to find me. I didn't have obscurement activated at the time since I can't use it indefinitely with the constant drain of stamina it put my body through. But I thought if I just steered clear of the entity inside the tent, I should stay undiscovered.

 

Apparently this old man had a weird and rare class called "reconnoiterer". If I remembered correctly, that word was usually tied to military scouting and information gathering.

 

That should explain how he could've possibly found me, and other than that he was already quite a formidable man with just his level alone. It was just very unfortunate that he specifically specified in discovering stealthed targets and such.

 

Luckily he didn't recognize me as a threat when he had first spotted my form. While he knew where I was, he had yet to actually lay eyes upon my body and form. So I think he actually thought that I was some critter or animal that he could use for that stew he had been so religiously hovering over all this time.

 

While he definitely wasn't an optimal choice in someone to kidnap and interrogate because of him seemingly being the camp chef, I had to make due, if I ran now he would alert my presence to the camp.

 

So after preparing a large dose of my paralytic compound, I injected it into him and took him to an obscured location. I was also lucky in the fact that he wasn't too much of a combat specialized man. Or my paralysis wouldn't have taken effect that easily.

 

Unfortunately, when I had started to interrogate to old man, I found out that he was a stubborn old fool as he refused to answer any of my questions. Vehemently rejecting any and all communication.

 

Suddenly I heard the call of a similar voice in the distance with my enhanced hearing that was many times better than that of a human's. It was that guy Elias, and he was calling for this guy's name "Henry".

 

Quickly knocking the man out and severing several certain tendons, making sure he couldn't escape even if he woke up before I returned, I flew back to the camp at breakneck speeds.

 

Seeing the form of Elias looking around for the guy I had just kidnapped, cursed my bad luck. Taking position,  I made some noise to attract Elias' attention since I could see that he was about to go and alert someone of Henry's disappearance.

 

Once again pulling the same trick of paralyzing my victim and then promptly kidnapping them, I drag Elias' form back to where I had left Henry.

 

What I had feared would happen when the cook, Henry, disappeared did actually happen when Elias went looking for him. But this kind of turned out for the better as Henry wouldn't speak a word, but I should be able to easily get Elias to spill the beans.

 

By doing some threatening, I easily got the information I wanted. I only needed information about if I needed to worry about humans stumbling upon my tribe and followers, so knowing where the closest human town or civilization was would help greatly with expanding my vision of the world around me.

 

As they had expended their usefulness, I decided to just off the man named Henry. While sure I could've probably gotten more information, I knew that I was running on borrowed time. 

 

It wouldn't take long before they noticed two people missing, and I would rather get a move on before they caught up to me. As I moved away a dozen meters, I was about to take off.

 

But I was suddenly halted in my tracks as I heard a bellow from behind.

 

"ELIAS!" - ???

 

Turning around, I was surprised as I saw three familiar figures emerging from the foliage. It was Darshan, Hennard, and Yrmel. Quickly expanding my senses out to detect if any had followed them out here, I detect that they were completely alone.

 

They all dashed for the prone of Elias. As Yrmel and Darshan were tending to the half-paralyzed Elias, Hennard had placed himself between me and them while brandishing his big metal two-hander.

 

"W-what happened, Elias!" - Darshan

 

Looking to the corpse of Henry who was staring lifelessly out into the nothingness, Darshan looked back to Elias with a questioning expression. Getting propped up by Yrmel, Elias only shook his head in sadness and then shot me a deadly glare of hatred. Obviously signaling me as the perpetrator.

 

While I could've killed them both, I believed that Elias hadn't really done anything untoward to me, and killing him would only reward me with a very meager amount of EXP. So I only killed Henry due to him being quite a high-level human.

 

Moving to Hennard's side, Darshan also brandished his sword and pointed its tip towards me.

 

"Monster! You will pay for what you've done." - Darshan

 

Hearing his "righteous" proclamation, I could only chuckle slightly.

 

"I have no wish to kill you, you can all leave." - Me

 

Immediate shock and horror flashed across the new arrivals' faces at hearing their language being spoken by a monster.

 

"Y-you can't escape that easily you filthy monster." - Darshan

 

I only sigh, at this guy Darshan's stupidity. To discourage him from doing anything he definitely will regret, I let some of my killing intent flow out. This was only a minuscule amount of my aura as if I used anymore I worried that I would alert the powerful entity, back the camp, to my presence.

 

But it was enough for them all to adopt slightly pale faces of stunned terror. To my surprise, Elias at this moment managed to regain most of his motory functions. Letting go from Yrmel's support he took a stance beside Darshan and Hennard.

 

"Be careful, that thing has an extremely powerful ability to paralyze with its claws. But if we all attack together and avoid its claws, we can take it down!" - Elias

 

Hearing the extremely stupid assumption of my only having paralysis as my weapon from Elias, I almost facepalm. But then I suddenly see Darshan nod in affirmation.

 

They surely weren't going to...

 

Right?

 

"Hennard take the vanguard, me and Elias will take the flanks, and Yrmel will provide support at the rear." - Darshan

 

Oh god... they're really going to...

 

But the words from the clearly more experienced Hennard surprised me.

 

"No, we can't beat this monster..." - Hennard

 

Unfortunately, that didn't seem to dissuade either Elias or Darshan. Elias was already humiliated, shamed, and enraged from me kidnapping him and killing Henry. Darshan was simply inflamed in a seemingly righteous rage.

 

"Now's not the time to pussy out Hennard! We can't let this evil monster escape and run wild." - Darshan

 

I honestly had no real want or need to kill them, but I wouldn't be pushed around if they decided to dare and attack me.

 

"I warn you, any who attacks me will face the consequences. Simply leave, and you will stay alive. It's that simple." - Me

 

But of course...  They didn't listen...

 

Suddenly, Darshan charged followed immediately by Elias.

 

"Your tricks and threats won't fool me. I see through your charade, monster!" - Darshan

 

Before Hennard or Yrmel could really react and get out of their stupor of hesitation, Elias and Darshan had already closed the distance.

 

I only sigh, at the stupidity of these two.

 

Darshan's blade was now only inches from my deadpan face as he lunged directly for the kill.

 

But what I did next shocked everyone into a deadly-still silence. As fast as lightning, my hand moved up clutched the steel sword. Halted in his tracks, Darshan could only stare with horror into my deep red eyes. The blade had only managed to scratch the hard carapace of the inside of my hand.

 

Suddenly my other hand moved up and used weak infusing slash on the blade within my grasp, effectively snapping it in half. Without any warning, I moved in a blur and plunged the broken-off blade directly into the heart of Darshan.

 

 

Feeling his body slowly beginning to lose strength, I whisper into his ear that was now next to my head.

 

"Your idiocy was your own downfall. In your next life, don't play the hero." - Me

 

The silence that had encompassed all of the surroundings was shattered as the broken half of Darshan's sword clattered to the ground.

 

 

"DARSHAN!" - Yrmel

 

A scream of despair ripped from Yrmel as Darshan's body fell lifelessly to the ground. Hennard could only hold her back as she desperately tried to rush to Darshan.

 

Elias was now simply staring in shock and horror. He stood motionless with his dagger poised to attack, and piss running down his leg. But after Darshan's untimely death he was unable to process anything, not to mention an attack. The sheer terror that had taken hold of his small mind was almost enough to wipe it blank.

 

 

Suddenly spurting out a mouthful of blood, Elias also fell to the ground. I had used blink to appear behind him. Without wasting time I had plunged my hand with claws directly into his heart from the back. Pulling back my hand, I ripped apart whatever remained of his heart.

 

Looking at the sobbing mess that was now Yrmel being held back by an obviously pain-filled Hennard, I speak.

 

"(Sigh), I warned them. Unfortunately, they just weren't as smart as you... Farewell." - Me

 

Not sparing the two grieving people any more attention, I take to the air.

 

 

I was about to bolt away, but I was suddenly hit by a stinging pain in the left of my shoulder blade which also managed to shoot me straight out of the sky.

 

I barely managed to right myself midair before hitting the ground. Landing on my feet, I snapped my head backward to discover a metal arrow plunged a few inches into my carapace while simultaneously pinning down one of my wings.

 

"Leaving so soon, little friend?" - ???