I looked at the men in front of me with apprehension. I felt every muscle in my body tense as they ran toward me. One hung back, pointing to a magic staff with a crystal on top.

My heart was beating erratically, my hands were sweating, and my grip on the spear was slipping.

I looked back at the girl; her brown eyes met mine, with a strange gleam hidden in them.

In these situations, I really didn't have time to overthink. My life was in danger, and with the slightest disturbance in the air, I kicked the ground, moving away from my position. A sharp light with the edge of the sword where my head was.

—Clank!—

With a powerful weapon, I could land a blow on the enemy's sword body.

"Oh, not bad, but I remind you once again that this won't be enough!".

With a tinge of mockery hidden in his praise, the other enemy shot out from behind. The katana, a crisp, armored blade, whistled through the air.

It was so fast that the distance between the two closed instantly. Being so close, it was difficult to maneuver such a weapon as the spear was in my hands, but a —Clink!— resounded and metallic sparks flashed in our eyes.

My hands went numb from the block, and my feet recoiled from the force of the enemy blow. I sweated like bullets; if my senses weren't sharp, my head would be rolling in the sky freely!

—Ugh—

With my spear protecting me and using both my hands, I was helpless and vulnerable. A kick connected with my chest; it was the foot covered in metal boots that belonged to the man with katana. A choked sound came from my tight lips, and I was sent backward.

With my hand, I somersaulted to land firmly on the ground.

This battle will be difficult, even if they have strength similar to that of the <War Shadow>. Unlike monsters with little to no intelligence, humans were capable of reasoning and creating favorable opportunities in battle. Let alone a group of adventurers who are apparently accustomed to group strategies.

However, I should not hesitate in a life-and-death situation. My hands closed tightly around the spear, and as the leader smiled with arrogance plastered on his face and using his bulging arms full of muscles, his heavy sword gained incredible speed.

I was not strong enough to stop that sword, so I decided to dodge it to the side. I started to run, and my eyes were fixed on the wizard, who was grinning from ear to ear. An intricate magic circle glowed before his magic staff, and a compressed fireball shot out toward me.

As it approached, the room took on a fiery hue as a torrent of heat overwhelmed my delicate face. The heat was extremely enveloping.

—This is bad!

The speed of a magical attack was to be feared, especially when it was your first time engaging in combat against a mage.

In the blink of an eye, the fireball was in front of me. Luckily, it was still moving, so I managed by dodging along the ground.

—Swoosh!—

—Boom!—

A thunderous thud on the wall, the wizard man, prepared another spell.

"Damn it! This brat is like a slippery cockroach!"

I turned my body, the spear with me, creating a strange combat stance, but with that, the sword coming towards me was repelled. My eyes flashed as I saw a gap in the adventurer's stance. Taking a small step back, the man grunted, but my spear did not spare him.

"Ahhh! M-my leg!"

I roughly pulled the spear out of the man's leg, whose flesh was shredded, and red blood gushed out like a broken pipe.

An attack became visible from my left vision; I kicked the wounded man's body and politely passed it to the leader.

"You bastard! Stop, and you'll suffer less pain when I kill you."

I rolled my eyes at the leader's blatant and senseless roar. Did he really think I was a fool? I ran off to the opposite side. Well, I guess his wizard will have to pay for it.

They seemed ready to kill me. What should I do with them? The thought of killing other humans repulsed me, but... Did I have any choice in this tight situation? It would be my life or theirs.

I fell into a profound dilemma...

If they managed to make it out alive, even if I defeated them and consented to the arrogant mentality the adventurers had, they would probably seek a <Familia War> at the very least.

I am the only member of the <Hestia Familia>; it would not be wise to let a <Familia> with so many members go to war against us.

Remembering my Kami-sama's happy face, I made up my mind. I will not let anything or anyone erase that pure happiness from her face, even if it means staining my hands; ¡even if I have to bear the total weight on my conscience!

Soon, when I was in front of the magician, he still chanting.

"<Illusory Spear>."

With that word leaving my lips, I could feel a part of my mana being drained for the first time. A dark <light> covered my spear, and I thrust it toward the mage. In quick succession, three spears similar to mine shot out.

Disbelief shone in the mage's eyes, interrupting his chant. Mages were weak against close physical attacks, so they usually kept to the rear. Thus, without him being able to do anything, three horrible holes appeared in his chest, from which blood gushed out.

As the name <Illusory Spear> indicated, the skill looked like an illusion, which, as soon as it completed the target, disappeared without a trace.

I expected the ability to stun him as written in the description, but this result should have been possible due to the physical vulnerability of the other party.

—Thumb!—

The man fell to his knees, his eyes showing disbelief, lowered to look at his wounds; his eyes became blurry, and he lay on the ground, dead.

<<You have absorbed the <Excelia> of a level 1 adventurer>>

<+7 Mana>

<+5 Endurance>

<+3 Dexterity>

Surprisingly, my mind remained serene. I didn't feel the revulsion I thought would assail me after killing a human. Does that make me a monster, or is it because of <Gaia's Blessing>?

The adventurers' movements stopped for a brief moment. Their eyes widened before the leader's eyes flashed with fury.

"You cursed one! You dared to kill my companion. You had better prepare to suffer before your death."

The leader's roar woke the startled adventurers, mobilizing again. However, unlike before, they charged with more intensity, and even their movements became more fluid. One of them was wounded, so only two of them put more pressure on my shoulders.

It seemed that now that I had killed one of them, they took me seriously. The real battle begins now.

The sudden surge of their powers took me by surprise. They clearly used their own abilities. I, who had barely turned around, was met with a katana flashing toward me.

'Shit! To the right.'

The moment I dodged, I glimpsed another attack with uncertainty; however, it was impossible to block or dodge it due to the position that did not allow me such an action. I am sure that at this moment, my face was bleeding.

—Ugh!—

The air escaped my lips, leaving me breathless and, at the same time, making me want to vomit. My body crashed against the back wall, sliding down.

I looked down at my stomach; a large sword wound was spitting out of my bloodstream. I could see my flesh throbbing and blood staining the bones from my ribs. It was overwhelmingly terrifying to see your own body in this horrible scene.

My vision was getting dimmer and dimmer, and the taste of iron was being transmitted through my taste buds. The angry voices were getting closer, but I couldn't understand the content of the words.

I looked up, and my heart began to pound in despair. The leader's sword was an inch from my face.

'My body! You have to persist! I can't die and leave Kami-sama alone.'