About twenty minutes has passed since the first time i heard cavalry trumpets. I heard the battle cry of the death. This is the world where the swords and shield was parts of your normal life, and magic as technology. Ah another kill... Let's find another or go save my brothers. I say.

"Who is next!?"

"Haaaa!"

"Huh!?"

I change my attention into the source of the sound and only split second after, i can see a sword was directed on my face from bellows. My helmet that was made from leathers reinforced with iron plates it is not full faced design. This gonna leave a deep mark if it's hit me. Parry!

*Dzing! Clank!*

*Snap!*

IT BROKE! And there is another one! Incoming!!

"Euaaaarghhh!"

Pitch black! My view seems tainted in red frames when i closed my eyes. Maybe it's just my imaginations!? but i told you, there was flash of lights and then just 'whamm!' the lights went off. 

I can feel that i'm bleeding from my left eye, the pain went fast from zero to ten only in second. I try to touch my wound and press it to stop the blood loss, but the pain made me hesitate. My hand tremble. 

"Hey you there, you... Yeah you!"

Female!? did i just got beaten black and blue by young female!??

"Who is your name? you are different from the other shrimp out here, you got the vibes of veteran warrior but the way you fights with the sword is kinda... HERESY"

*Thud*

I discarded my shield side ways. I don't need it anymore. My sword got snap when i try to parry her attack.

"U-uuurgh..Aww!"

"how rude, did your mother teach you manners? Answer my question."

WHO FUCKING CARES! AWWWW IT IS HURTS EVEN NOW!!! I tried to open my eyes. In the battlefield, especially in close combat. Loosing sights is dead sentence. Pain killers where is the pain killers. I took out a small liquid gels that i made from slime core, squeeze it on my wounds.

"What are you doing?"

"Can you see i'm mending my wounds!? Ahh... This kind of method is uncommon right. There is a time where you can't always count on magic or magic potions you know"

Money... I have no luxury to provide that kind of thing. I'm just a broke slaves.

"Ahh... I see, interesting"

The pain starting to fade away, I need to open my eyes but the thing is still sting so much. I can feel the pain is sapping into my brain a minute before. Fuuuuuuuuuaaahh! Hurts, frustrating, battlefield sure is the house of pain.

"You really noisy...Ugghhh"

I need more dosage to completely make the pain erased, but unfortunately... Out of stock.

"Heh, hard to crack for a rookies, weird. so weird"

"........"

I use this chance to regain my breathing and let the pain subside. 

"The only thing that got my interest was your swords play. Why did you use it like it was some kind of one handed blades or maybe a knifes? that is not how to use that kind of swords you noobs, or did you underestimating me?"

"How i fight is none of your business"

"Did they research or teach some kind of new swords arts?"

*Pfuhh!*

I spit on the ground. It's a blood! My blood. Blood from my eyes that mixed with eye fluids flowing down through my face, and some got inside my mouth when i speak. EUuuuughh... Slimy, thick taste of iron,, just like when you taste the metal coin! Eugh~

*Pfuhh!*

"You are very talkative with a stranger for a lady. Did your parents teach you like that?"

"Y-YOUU... Ehem! I just wanna teach you that the battlefields is not a place to play around or test something imperfect if you want to live"

"Are you my mother!? You have no right to say that, so far i have survived many battle with how the way i fight"

"Enough. now please die for me, more kills means more money. That was what they said in mercenary business."

She stand not far in front of me, then she lunge and dash forward aim for land a strike. I just can put my defence stance up, my eyes still blurry with my tears from my agony. BRACE FOR IMPACT!

"Agahhh-Ugohhhh...."

My body bent like 'C' letter and then I'm rolling on the ground. and now... I-i can't breathe... a kick!? Yes. A 'T' kick, Powerful 'T' kick with perfect accuracy.

"I guess this where it ends"

She said that just now. My solar plexus got hit so hard. Laying on the ground, struggling to take a breathe but no air went in at all. Like a fish that got taken out off the water. i'm suffocated.

"A-A... a.. A....... A..."

Uhhhh... did i just lost grip of my broken iron sword when she sent me rolling? i need to find replacement for it A.S.A.P. 

"you seems, is used to this degree of pain. impressive!"

She is very very talkative young woman. i'm only wear leather armor, a T-shirt styled chain mail, a thin small iron plates protecting my heart. i can't blame the protection capabilities, because this was the conscript gears. I knew it was also made in rush to fill the quota, quantity over quality. My breathing is back now. I glare at her.

"hoo~ he still retained his consciousness, after he act like helpless worms. Such interesting guy... i like y-"

THAT'S IT!! A BACK UP HAS COME!! My fellow brother in arms try to land a hit with his sword from her blind spot. he was the guy with one gold coin debt. With big body build.

"Heaaaah!!"

"Eii! Haa!"

She parry it. then divert her opponent sword trajectory, and when her opponent is losing his ballance she counter it with fast 'low roundhouse kick' or 'calf kick'. He is down in one swoop. I'm not sure but it's the 'calf kick' I know, did this world also have similar style!? 

"You roaches... you interrupting my speech. now die just like the way cockroaches died."

 "N-no no no n- HA-haghhhh..hegh..u-ughhhh~"

Ah. He lose and he got killed just now, Sorry....i will pay the debt of yours as my gratitude for your efforts to save me. He was executed with elegant finishing thrust in the chest. Ummm...is that a sabers or rapiers?? All the swords is looks the same to me. If i survive this battle i will learn more about this world. 

"i wish i could kill you hundred times, but that would be waste of my time just to kill a mere nasty roaches like you"

No shield, a fast, long, and light swords she use, so maybe...is she.... a raiders? where is her mount then? Ah, she now heading this way.

"I'm sorry for the interruptions. I will continue from where we left before"

I'm still laying on the ground... headache, but at least i can breathe normally. I can now only see with my right eye. Black and white, bit blurry, but i believe it will soon get better. I lost my left eyes just some minutes ago. She now stand close to me, and i said to her.

"I will not give up my life here. i will make my way home."

She stop her movements. I see her stand beside me now, she look down on me who was laid on the ground. My head scream a danger, my heart beating slow and hard, it's an adrenalin rush. My body is now ditch his last roll of dice. My fear slowly faded, my pain seems like was just a lie. overwritten by surge of powers. everything seems moving in slow motions, i knew this adrenalin rush will only run for a couple of second or little bit more. I have experienced it before... make full use of it. 

*clack*

sound of helmet visor being opened

"Honestly, if we are not destined to meet in the battlefield maybe we both can go into a dinner. but you see... It is a bad luck for you and me to meet up here, all we can do is to move forwards and sometimes we need to sacrifice others too. I bet you also understand that this world is cruel, unfair."

High tier beauty! my mind drop a comments split second after she open her helmet visor! red hair, clear blue eyes just like a cristal, she put her best smile. A man maybe would willingly offered their body and soul for this angelic beauty right!? But sorry... not me, and not today. 

"....."

i just gave my response with rebellious gaze. she blink her eyes in amazement.

"You are fearless man, even when the death was in front of you"

that was nonsense of you. of course i have a fear within me. But there is always a trick to overcome obstacle that called 'fear'. By get used to it. When you have level up your fear meters. You won't get panicked or nervous im front of your fear. Your mind will be in full control by your own. If you can take control your body and soul when you're pressured by fear. Your survival rate will drastically increased.

"I've been through a lot worse than this, and many times horrible experience that will make you think dead was better"

"Is that so? Then i will make it fast and less painful for you. my name is Tania. thank you for entertaining me. Die."

W-who was that again!? Tatiana? Tanya? W-wait!? oh crap! she aim for my neck... Evade!

"Hup.."

She cut on the empty air.

"Wha- Hheyyy!"

I did barrel roll on the ground, then after some distances... i grab a stone as big as my eye. I will use this to execute revenge plan for my dear poor left eye. Go full power, land on her unguarded eyes! i'm counting on you Dr. Stone! 

"Here, have some of this!"

*PANG!*

The stone hit metal surfaces instead of body flesh.

"Iaaahhhh~"

Son of a... DAMN! how the fuck i missed my mark!? Che- no time to get frustrated. She now stumbling, get up man! use this momentum to regain my stance.

"Heh... Just my luck. Dear luck... why you let me down this time"

 

I see a lot of dead peoples, looks like the battle still carry on. I just looted a knifes from the dead, knife combat was my strong forte. Sword fight is just not my playground, but doesn't means i don't have any experience with it.

Ah yess... i broke my sword in my first confrontation with her. iron sword is sure inferior against steel sword. The durability of my iron sword is also at the limit i guess. 

You see... Back in my day, you can just reload and it's done. But swords fight was different, no reload doesn't means it's a everlasting weapon, what the hell i'm thinking!? In console game maybe yes, but in reality? That was really epic experience of mine. 

Blunder. I should swap my iron sword back then when i still have a chance. Lucky me it is not an instant death when my iron sword got snapped.

"Lady... i was aim for your eyes you know, and now I'm thinking... How much left of your luck? I wonder"

She glared at me grinding her white teeth. She said with heavy voices.

"Sly... there is a difference between villainous act and knight code of honour, i also was wrong to say that you are fearless, your act is just look like a streets villain"

She have that perfect womanly voices. without that muffled sound from inside her helmet, i wonder what if she sing a song? Sure she will win the golden trophy. 

"Listen... Before i got caught and forced to be a slave. I was in the battle struggle situations in every single time, and even now once again forced to make a struggle for my life. So please understand oh dear city dwellers, the world is big and wide. You just seeing other part of the world but actually you still don't see it all"

She just stare at my face... What's wrong? Pretty face will not make me hesitate to kill... I'm different from that bunch of degenerate man who take lust over everything.

"...."

"Hear this, young lady"

That stone sure got her metal helmet ringing so hard, successfuly made her drop her character. 

"Yes, what?"

She really listen!? Well... I need more time to adapt my self with only one eye intact, my accuracy and sense of distance got confused. i'm still regretting the fact, that i missed my mark. But this is a good opportunity. Deep inside she was obedient lady if I'm not wrong.

"Overconfidence with your upper hand and skill sometimes is a bad moves. Your luck will run out fast if you did that again and again, realistic. I'm not ashamed for what i did, but i hate my self for all what i did."

"......"

"In this is death or alive situation, there is no rules or ethic is valid at the time of chaos. Everything is justified in the process of war. Rules will only valid when the war ended right? so just don't lose the war they said right!?"

"......"

"There is an ethic In the act of murder? Hah! what an outrageous joke!? Only just degenerate sick bastard who did something like that whatever the reasons is... justified or not. killing people it's still a crime against humanity, that is why i hate my self up until now"

"What a confusing stupid nonsense you are spitting"

"let me explain, i know what you are thinking. In some cases an act of murder is a must if that people is really deserves to be killed right? it's for maintain peace yes?"

"Ummm...So the demon in heroes coat use justice as a shields to force their way to commit a chain of killing or maybe even worse a massacre, is also the facing the same demon who try to stop them from doing that injustice action to achieve their justice rights. Never ending chain until both of them perished. I'm started to get the picture of it but...."

"Yes. Sadly most people is not understand what happen and making light of killing act. After first blood another blood will be spilled, trust me. The word of 'peace' is the ballance between good and bad things, but please also understand that to much justice will destroy the humanity and civilization. To much injustice will also did the same. That is why murder is a crime against humanity... Murder is a curse, it will not ended until all humanity is perished. So act of murder whatever the reason it is and how they did it, will never be justified, you got it or not?"

Uuuhhh... i just selfishly preaching my own wisdom to her. Well, I don't care! I can see that she was annoyed, but she can't denny it and weirdly she listen to it till the end. then she put her straight face on and said.

"Understood. That was something new to be honest, but still this is my job. killing people for peace of my people, the blood was spilled and we can't back down now"

"Yes you're right, i also have my own reason. I'm really really not enjoying this actually and if i'm not, i will be killed without a fight like a foolish bugs. I hate my self"

"Hehe... Round two then?"

"Yes. Come"

-------______-------

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