My Demons

With a fierce determination, I dashed towards the pirates, my voice echoing with a thunderous cry as I brought down my falchion.

Crack.

“Take that!”

The pirate, donning an iron mask, attempted to parry with my axe, but I relentlessly pressed forward with my falchion.

“Argh, gurgle!”

My forceful strike cleaved through his throat, leaving it gruesomely split in half.

Clutching his wounded neck, the disoriented pirate stumbled back while I swiftly pivoted, thrusting my falchion forward.

“Cough.”

The blade pierced through the abdomen of another pirate wearing an iron mask, its surface gleaming even brighter as it became saturated with his blood.

“Ah, Aaargh!”

The pirate, with his pierced stomach, emitted a mixture of a scream and a roar, wildly swinging his axe.

Swiftly, I leaned back, evading his attack, and delivered a powerful kick to his gut.

Collapsing under the impact of the blow and the absence of my falchion, the pirate doubled over in pain.

Perhaps due to being drenched in warm blood, I could feel a surge of heat coursing through my body.

Without hesitation, I charged directly at one of the pirates, relishing the sight of fear flickering in his eyes, visible through his unkempt hair.

Once again, my falchion swung, devoid of any finesse.

Whoosh!

The weighty blade sliced horizontally, tearing through the exposed armpit of the ragged pirate.

“Hurrgh!”

The falchion split the ribcage and the sternum like cutting through tofu.

Screaming madly, I swung my shining falchion around.

A severed head shot into the sky, attracting horrified gazes.

Then I realized it.

The life of a murderer that lay ahead of me.

The real debut stage for that life was right here, right now.

The thirst that had been dominating my body was momentarily satiated, and a strong pleasure wrapped around my body. I gritted my teeth at the sensation climbing up my spine.

“Grrr…”

I swallowed my rising moan and quickly surveyed my surroundings.

“Arghhhh!”

The mercenaries, high in spirit, were pushing back the pirates.

“Hahaha! Why did you come so late?”

“Uh, I had a bit of a problem.”

The angelic old man greeted me with a hearty laugh.

The old man was wearing leather armor adorned with bells here and there. The armor, having gone through a fight already, was drenched in blood.

I had little time to chat with him as pirates armed with spears approached me.

It seemed they were trying to restrain me, who had swiftly cut down two iron-masked men and a beggar.

As soon as I saw them, a thirst rose from my lower stomach again. Just before the intense hunger struck, my thoughts became clear.

Epiphany.

Kim Seung-soo didn’t know a thing about swordsmanship.

Of course, he didn’t know how to use a shield either.

Although he had learned taekwondo, he hadn’t thrown a punch since becoming an adult.

Phoenix probably learned swordsmanship. And how to use a shield. Because learning sword and shield is a basic setting for a player with hot blood.

So, he must have some basic skills ingrained in his body.

But that’s Phoenix’s story, I don’t know about it. I’m still a complete novice when it comes to swordsmanship or shieldsmanship.

So, how should I fight?

The answer was in the stats.

Strength 20, Agility 16, Health 18.

Since I didn’t invest in magic power at all, a better physical spec than this couldn’t exist at level 11.

Adding the stats of the unique item, the Dragon Slayer’s Ring, on top of that?

Strength 23, Agility 19, Health 18.

These stats surpassed those of most close-range characters at level 20.

Once the stats exceeded 10, they transcended the capabilities of ordinary individuals.

And when they surpassed 20, they entered the realm of superhuman abilities.

I had to capitalize on that advantage.

Being stronger, faster, and harder than my enemies.

The solution was to eliminate them instantly, without giving them an opportunity to employ tricks or apply martial arts principles.

With a swift charge, my falchion led the way. There was no cry or war shout—only determined action.

Thud.

“Ghurk.”

The blade twisted grotesquely, snapping the neck partially, crushing part of it, and shattering the rest.

The pirate with the broken neck groaned, foaming blood at the mouth.

From among the spear-wielding pirates, a masked man emerged, brandishing a two-handed axe.

His attack was fierce, fueled by every ounce of strength he possessed.

I raised my buckler to block the onslaught.

Cling!

“Kruk-“

The blow was completely halted, causing the heavy two-handed axe to recoil along its original trajectory. My arm tingled with numbness bordering on pain.

And as I parried the axe, I swung my falchion sideways, severing the arm of another pirate.

“Kwah-Aaa- gh”

His agonized scream abruptly ceased as a sharp blade pierced his throat.

Ah, my kill was stolen.

The perpetrator of the theft was a red-haired female warrior. Although not particularly tall, she possessed a sturdy physique.

She donned a leather vest over chainmail that covered her shoulders and wielded a large round shield and a straight sword reminiscent of those used by Roman soldiers.

“Form up!”

At the female warrior’s command, around seventeen mercenaries rallied around her.

During this time, she charged at the masked man with the iron mask.

“Uwoaa!”

Just as the man bellowed, swinging his axe downward, the female warrior extended her round shield and struck the edge against his armpit.

“Keuk.”

The pirate, in the midst of swinging his axe, was halted by the round shield lodged diagonally under his armpit.

Kkagakgak.

The axe scraped against the surface of the shield and the iron piece in the middle.

Whoosh!

Seizing the opportunity, the female warrior thrust her sword upward, piercing the man’s jaw.

While bashing a pirate’s head with my buckler, I observed the female warrior’s movements from the corner of my eye.

Now, that was genuine skill.

Her combat style was graceful.

Her blade, slithering like a snake past the enemy’s sword, found its mark in their throat.

Her sword deftly penetrated the opening left by her shield, striking the eye.

Her weapon entangled the enemy’s, while the edge of her shield ruthlessly assaulted their throat.

It seemed she possessed a solution for every situation she encountered.

As the female warrior dispatched three pirates, the mercenaries formed a solid defensive barrier amidst the enemy ranks, huddling together.

And what of me?

“Uwaaaak!”

I spun around, holding three spears tightly under my arm.

“Damn, what power.”

“Ugh!”

The pirates wielding spears tumbled to the ground, colliding with their comrades, futilely losing hold of their weapons and being sent flying.

When a silent pirate rushed at me from behind, I swiftly turned and deflected his shield aside.

Kudangtang.

The pirate fell backward, rolling away, and I swiftly advanced, stepping on his head.

Without wasting a moment, I thrust my blade into the back of the pirate standing next to him.

“[email protected], this guy’s insane…”

As the staggering pirate cursed, a mercenary engaged him eagerly, delivering the final blow with a swift sword thrust.

A female pirate charging toward me was impaled from the side by a spear that suddenly emerged from somewhere.

Thud.

She crouched forward, as if recoiling. I had the urge to finish her off, but another enemy was closing in on me.

I swung my falchion towards him, but… 

whoosh!

“Damn.”

It fell short. The gap was due to my unfamiliarity with my own body.

Thud!

I lunged my shoulder forward, forcefully pushing the pirate away. He was sent rolling across the ground, as if hit by a car. A nearby mercenary swiftly dispatched him.

“Damn, robbed again.”

In the midst of this chaotic melee, securing kills was no easy task.

As I glanced at the mercenary who took my kill while I was battling alone…

Oh, it was the angelic man from earlier.

“Phew.”

The man appeared exhausted. Upon closer inspection, I noticed a deep cut on his side, his armor was rent, and blood flowed freely from the wound.

I immediately rushed toward him and struck down the pirate targeting his back. My heavy falchion tore through leather armor and flesh, reaching his vital organs.

Thud.

I kicked the assailant away and proceeded to dispatch the nearby pirates one by one.

I struck one in the neck, cleaved another’s belly, severed the leg of a third, and then pierced his neck.

Even the brutal pirates seemed repulsed by the gruesome sight.

“What the hell is that?”

“Surround that madman!”

My fighting lacked any semblance of beauty.

There were no techniques, no clever maneuvers.

Instead, each of my opponents met their demise through dismemberment or being cleaved in half.

Perhaps due to the grisly spectacle, no one dared to attack, forcing me to take the initiative.

“Dodge! We need to dodge!”

“Someone bring a net or something!”

Some of them shouted in desperation, but most of the pirates gradually retreated from the outset.

“Ugh, uhh…”

During a brief moment of respite, another intense sensation surged through me. I trembled, suppressing any repulsive sounds.

Suddenly, I lifted my head and felt the gaze of dozens of terrified individuals.

Wow, a feeling I had never experienced before… as if I had become the protagonist of the world.

A shiver of superiority ran down my spine, and I bellowed at the top of my lungs.

“Come at me, you [email protected] cowards!”

Unfortunately, my shout inadvertently signaled the end of the battle.

“We can’t fight that thing!”

“Run!”

As the pirates turned their backs and fled, a spark ignited in the eyes of the mercenaries. Abandoning their cautious stances, they transformed into relentless hunters.

In an instant, more lives were lost than in the entire battle thus far.

I refused to remain idle.

Seizing the opportunity presented by their retreat, I began to gather kills. Of course, I didn’t target the fallen bodies on the ground.

Instead, I swiftly cut the throats of the fleeing pirates.

In this manner, I claimed twenty lives.

The battle concluded before sunset.

The pirates were thoroughly defeated, with less than half of their numerous ships managing to escape the harbor.

Among the 200 soldiers stationed at the center and right-wing, approximately 50 perished, but they took down 200 pirates in return.

The damage was substantial, but the victory was commendable.

Among the hundred or so civilian soldiers assigned to the left wing, twenty-two lost their lives. Yet, their body count of slain pirates reached an astonishing two hundred.

Among them, one individual was responsible for thirty-three kills.

As the military officer surveyed the battlefield being cleaned up, relishing in the taste of victory, a frown creased his forehead.

“…What’s this?”

Gazing at the mercenary who had single-handedly slain thirty-three pirates, the officer’s expression turned peculiar.

“I had arranged a meeting with a certain sergeant, but I don’t see him anywhere…”

The mercenary stood noticeably tall, his body drenched in exhaustion.

He gripped a steel buckler in one hand, while clumsily wielding a falchion in a reverse grip with the same hand.

The falchion, with its white blade exposed, bore no traces of blood—a curious detail.

“What on earth was this meeting about…”

“Well, it was a minor misunderstanding… I was told that if I brought in twenty heads, all would be forgiven.”

As he spoke, the mercenary wiped his face clean.

Removing the blood that clearly belonged to someone else, his dark eyes and handsome face were unveiled.

His sharp features and distinctive facial contours gave him an intimidating aura, but he wore a gentle expression that concealed it.

“I’m not exactly sure what misunderstanding you’re referring to… but we cannot penalize you for it.”

“Ah, is that so? I’m relieved to hear that.”

At the mercenary’s feet lay twenty severed heads, their hair intertwined for easier transportation, resembling a string of harvested potatoes.

The military officer stifled a curse and addressed the mercenary.

“You should be rewarded instead. I will inform the lord of your accomplishments.”

“Thank you!”

The mercenary respectfully bowed his head, and the military officer extended his hand.

“First, go over there and collect your reward money. The lord’s emissary will arrive shortly, so please wait.”

“Yes, sir.”

As the mercenary walked away, the military officer unknowingly let out a sigh of relief.

‘…There’s something about him that gives me chills.’

But the thought was fleeting.

The mercenary, now in motion, turned his upper body and head slightly to glance at the military officer.

With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he playfully addressed the stunned officer.

“Sir, how can I receive a message if you don’t even know my name or where I’m staying?”

Instead of uttering, ‘By tomorrow, there won’t be a person in this city unaware of your name,’ the officer inquired cautiously.

“…I see. Can you tell me your name and place of residence?”

With an enduringly playful expression, the mercenary responded.

“Phoenix. I am Phoenix, staying at the Bells & Whistles Inn.”

Observing the blood-soaked grin, the military officer involuntarily tightened his grip on the handle of his iron mace.

Whether aware of this fact or not, the tall mercenary swiftly departed, politely bowing his head to receive his reward.

He smirked upon discovering he received three times the amount of silver compared to the others.

The military officer concluded that this was someone worth keeping an eye on.