27-Lily
I don’t really know why I did that. While every person that had experience in combat knew that hitting weak points was an easy way to gain an advantage over their opponent, Horde I fought didn’t have any reproductive organs. Even if they did, more than 90 percent of them didn’t have the concept of pain. That’s why I wasn’t used to using groin shots. But since I used it, I was sure of one thing: This monster was a female. I hoped it didn’t have the concept of sexual assault.
“Grhhh!”
“Fuck!”
It must have the concept of sexual assault since a claw strike opened a huge gash on my shoulder. I may have deserved it. I threw myself somewhere, just trying to mindlessly survive.
(Duration of Tyranny of King is ended. Your stats return to normal.)
Come on, not now!
Cold Resist already ended, and I could my feel body freezing.
Monstrous Strength didn’t just end but also gave me a penalty.
The duration of Tyranny of King was too short to make a meaningful difference in my situation.
Ah, also I could feel my body go in shock because of ingesting those potions. I didn’t know too much about potions but it seems they came with a bunch of complications. Complications that I was feeling very much right now. I was trying to a dagger from my coat yet my hand was shaking too much. I couldn’t even grasp the handle. Just as I thought I was going back to the void, a flash of blue lightning got between me and the monster.
“Finall-Thud.”
The last thing I heard was my body hitting the ground.
“♪ Steady as she as goes ♪.
Man- or people who watched him thought he was a man- had long violet-colored hair reaching to his shoulders.
“♪Your friends have shown a kink in the single life ♪.”
His body was thin despite the battle progress he was currently showing. He was facing down two tiger-like creatures except they had manes like lions. They were originally 3 of them but one of them lay in their own blood, motionless. The swords he held in his hand were what caused it. They were thin, their thinness coupled with their length was enough to make one believe they would be broken if he swung them once. This belief was tested when one of the tigers jumped toward him. It was as swift as the wind. Despite that, he just stepped to the side, dodging its attack. It seemed so effortless and easy, like a well-practiced dance. Tiger growled before collapsing to the ground while bleeding. The last one looked at both of its fallen comrades before turning around and leaving. The man put both of his swords into their sheaths.
“Hey! Why don’t you chase it? I paid you-“
One of the men came forward, screaming.
“Shush, dear. You paid me to defend you, not chase after escaping monsters.”
He put his finger to the man’s mouth. His voice was warm despite the other man shouting and ordering him.
“Don’t touch me! You-“
He pushed his finger to the side, rudely. Despite the rough body language, the sword user smiled. His smile was the thing that stopped other men from speaking.
“Come on. Say what you want to say. It is not like you haven’t called me slurs before."
The other man turned around.
“Just do what you are paid to do!”
“I am already doing it, don’t I?”
He pointed to dead tigers. The caravan which was stopped for a while due to the attack started to move again. The man went towards the hooded figure who stayed slightly far away from the caravan. He and the hooded figure were opposites. The hooded figure was covered with black robes from head to toe, not showing any skin. The man on the other hand wore a sleeveless shirt that showed his muscular mid-riff. He wore fingerless gloves that reached nearly to his shoulders. His long hair wasn’t made, it was just set free.
“Thanks for taking care of the left side.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
A female voice answered him.
“You know, you remind me of someone I knew. He was a tsundere like you.”
Hooded figure turned towards him. Her face was masked but it wasn’t hard to guess she was weirded out by him.
“I also met someone like you not long ago.”
Man laughed.
“Someone like me? Like a slut?”
The hooded figure barely suppressed her sigh. The man just shrugged his shoulders.
“I wouldn’t blame you if you thought of me like that. It is the truth. A truth I am not trying to hide. You see?”
He said as he pulled his shirt up.
“I realized that the first time you tried to flirt with me. How can you find compliments when I am just covered with robes fully? What if I am really ugly?”
Man laughed.
“I don’t believe in outer beauty. Also with enough alcohol, everyone can be a beauty.”
“Nevermind. You are not like him at all. He had more class.”
“ I mean, having more class than me is not setting the bar very high. But now I am really curious. What is that man’s name?”
She hesitated for a second.
“Poyraz.”
She felt the air around her getting heavier.
“I am sorry, who?”
She felt like she made a mistake. She didn’t really think saying his name would create any problems. He already said he didn’t have any friends or family with her. So she thought saying his name wouldn’t create any problems.
“I think there was a mistake.”
She said. He tried to grab her shoulder but only grabbed the shadows. She was suddenly far away from him. Her hand went to her dagger but she didn’t pull it, for now. Seeing her cautious attitude he raised his hands and waved them as if to signal he wasn’t hostile.
“I am sorry. Poyraz… That’s the name of my best friend. I thought he was dead.”
He lowered his hands.
“He probably thinks I am dead too. If that’s really him… I am willing to do anything for you if you told me where
you saw him.”
This was new for her. She has been around him for a week now. But he was always a trickster. No hint of seriousness existed in his behaviors. Yet, he suddenly became so serious, just with one name. She wondered if telling his location would put Poyraz in danger.