NOVEL WEB Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Who Is the Prey?
Allen's lazy voice was carried by the night wind across the bandit camp, brushing against the ears of every thief present.
Everyone froze.
Banbao narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on Allen's face. It only took a breath before a pleased expression crept across his features.
The target walked right into our trap? The intel was right!
Beside him, Greyhawk reacted even faster, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Allen!! That's Allen! Boss Night Lion's intel was spot on! And he dares walk right into our hands! Kill him! Boss Night Lion said it himself—he won't take a single coin from the bounty! The entire thousand gold is ours to split!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the thirty-something bandits in the camp stiffened. Even the air seemed to pause.
Then—a burst of steel rang out as blades were drawn. Countless flashes of metal danced in the firelight.
"Kill him!!!"
With Greyhawk's cry, the bandits charged Allen with murderous faces. Over thirty figures surged forth, boots hammering the earth with chaos that echoed for kilometers around, kicking up clouds of dust in the moonlit dark.
Allen narrowed his eyes at the sight.
He stepped forward from the line where torchlight met shadow—
Dirt exploded underfoot as he launched forward!
One man against thirty!
From the front ranks, a shout rang out, full of greed.
"A thousand gold coins!!! Haha! Finally, I can go back to Rigatte and spend it on women! Kill!"
That man, a mid-level in Kenjutsu Ryuu (Sword God Style), was fast. In a blink, he reached Allen.
But Allen merely tilted his head slightly, reading the attack. He sidestepped the descending blade and took a step to the man's right, twisting into an impossible, downward angle.
For a split second, their eyes met.
Allen's toes left the ground.
His blade was drawn!
In one fluid motion, his body twisted in midair, arms whipping the blade up in a circular arc from his foot.
Hokushin Ryuu — Enten Zan (Circle Heaven Slash)!
Under the orange glow of firelight, his blade traced a dazzling arc. Douki (battle aura) surged along the edge, pulling wind pressure in its wake!
The bandit had fast reflexes, instantly guarding with his sword.
Clang!
Steel clashed. Sparks flew.
Then, in the next instant—the bandit's blade shattered.
Allen's attack never slowed.
His blade carved through flesh and bone: slicing liver, crushing ribs, cleaving lungs, severing the spine, piercing the heart, splitting the scapula, skimming past the collarbone, shaving off cheek flesh, smashing teeth, and exiting through the ear.
It took less than a heartbeat.
Allen landed on one foot and sheathed his sword, stepping through the now-bisected man.
Behind him, the body burst apart in the cold wind.
Flesh mist, mangled organs, and bone shards rained down—splattering over Allen's back and shoulders as he passed.
The thieves froze, staring in horror.
Not at a beast.
But at a blood-drenched butcher.
And his prey wasn't monsters.
It was men.
The butcher flicked chunks of meat from his shoulder.
"Dueling makes you hold back. But actual death battles? They let you fully unleash the destructive power of Hokushin Ryuu's practical techniques. This… this gets the blood pumping."
He swung his sword once, drawing a long trail of blood on the ground. A nearly invisible green glow shimmered on his arm for half a second.
With Healing Magic glyphs activated, the strain of real combat from Hokushin Ryuu's brutal techniques faded in an instant. Allen grinned at the now-frozen thieves.
"What's wrong? Not charging anymore?"
From the back, Banbao witnessed the entire move. His expression turned stormy.
That was Practical Hokushin Ryuu… This kid isn't just upper-level in Suijin Ryuu (Water God Style)?!
Allen looked over their heads, gaze locking on Banbao's venomous glare, then at the bandits who had silently surrounded him but now hesitated.
"What? Are you afraid?"
Silence.
These were opportunistic thugs at best. No one wanted to be the next body. Everyone stepped back—hoping someone else would go first.
They all had the same idea.
So they all backed away.
Perfectly synchronized.
Allen chuckled, crouching down in a position that made drawing a blade difficult. He slung his slightly nicked blade across his shoulder, mockery in his voice.
"Just moments ago, all of you were yelling about killing me. Now you're scared? If so, might as well kneel and beg. I'll give you a clean death."
From the rear, Banbao's eyes flickered with thought. But Greyhawk, unable to stand the sight of Allen acting so smug, opened his mouth to rally the troops.
But before he could speak—
Someone snapped.
"You arrogant brat!"
A thick-bearded bandit's eyes flared with killing intent. His feet exploded the dirt beneath him as he vanished—
Silent Blade no Kata!
Upper-level in Kenjutsu Ryuu!
The onlookers only blinked—
And he was in front of Allen.
They clashed. The wind roared. Shockwaves rippled outward.
The scent of blood and the sound of tearing flesh filled the air.
Their forms paused—just briefly.
Then the bandit's body, like a stack of wooden blocks, fell apart.
Cleanly sliced chunks dropped vertically, without inertia, like rain. Allen stood still, blade behind his back, soaked head to toe in red.
Utter silence.
Banbao swallowed his words. He had recognized the technique.
That was Allen Boreas Greyrat's self-made secret technique—
But the intel said he could only use it for defense!
This wasn't defense.
This was counterattack.
He exchanged a grim look with Greyhawk.
The intel is wrong.
And yet, the way the corpse fell—in perfect, inertia-less slices—was textbook Suijin Ryuu secret technique.
What the hell is going on?!
Then Allen spoke, voice casual:
"Barely mastered Silent Blade no Kata. Douki release too chaotic. All force, no speed. It was obvious."
He glanced at the severed head near his boot.
"Died without injustice."
(End of Chapter)
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