★16
ETO'S POV
We left in the evening and set up camp in the woods. Around the fire, some were chatting, others sharpening their weapons or tending to gear.
I noticed a boy, slightly older than me, sitting apart from the others. Curious, I made my way over and took a seat beside him.
"Hey."
I called softly, breaking the silence.
"Yo..."
"Bunch of noise makers, right? I get it."
"Yeah."
"It makes it hard for me to focus."
"Me too. My name is Zelrich."
He extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Zel. I'm Eto."
He's just a kid like me, so I took his hand, gently shaking it.
"Nice to meet you, Eto. Where are you from? You don't look like someone from the eest."
"I live on an island up in the north."
"North? That's quite a journey."
"Yeah."
"Well, I'm not from the west either. I'm from the kingdom of Bulmund. A straight walk to the east, and there it is."
"A day's journey will get you there from here."
"Sure... What brings you to Closeus?"
Zelrich asked.
"Just exploring, that's all."
"If you're exploring, joining the hunters isn't the right choice, you know."
<
"You're right. I'm just curious to see the monsters they hunt."
"Monsters?"
"Yeah."
"Is this your first hunt?"
He asked.
<< Wait, did I mess up again?>>
"What monsters do you people hunt?"
I took another route.
"Any monster that will cause a fortune."
"Is it ok to guess you're financially unstable?"
"No problem... you're right, actually. I just need to find enough money to pay off the people who took my little sister away."
"What!?"
He nodded slightly, his expression falling.
"They gave me one month, and I barely got half the price with only one week left. At this rate, she'll..."
Tears began forming in his eyes.
<
"Don't worry, I'll help you rescue her. I promise."
"How?"
I smiled.
"Have faith. After the hunting tomorrow, we'll head out, ok?"
"Head out where?"
"Hmm, just hang on."
I stood up and walked away, leaving the camp behind.
The next morning, everyone prepared for the journey into the forest. Zel and I trailed together, lagging behind the main group, moving at a slower pace as we chatted quietly and took in the surroundings.
"Hurry up, brats. If you get lost, we're leaving you!"
The captain yelled at us, and we picked up the pace.
"Hey, are there monsters like goblins, ogres, or some intellectual monsters here?"
I asked straightforwardly, not wanting to waste time.
"Nah, just some magic beasts. We mainly hunt giant bears because their furs are really expensive."
"Oh... I see. What about monsters like goblins, ogres, and the like?"
Now I'm getting attention from the rest of the party.
"We barely see these kinds of monsters here. Most of them are deep within the Great Jura Forest."
"Jura forest, keh?"
"Yeah, that's where the Storm Dragon sleeps."
"Ok, thanks for the info."
This mission was already effectively over for me now that I know all the monsters they were hunting.
Unlike Shinn, Eto didn't need to witness them to believe; instinct and immature experience were enough.
"Are you ready, Zel?"
I asked.
"Eh."
Without waiting for his reply, I teleported us to Bulmund within seconds.
"Wha...where are we?"
"Kingdom of Bulmund."
"What about the crew?"
"They'll be alright."
"Oh, but still..."
"Do you want the money or your sister?"
Although his answer is obvious, I asked him anyway.
He thought for a moment before answering.
"My sister.."
"Good. You can use the money you've earned to take care of her and here, take mine too."
I gave him two purses filled with golden coins, and his reaction said it all.
"A... all this...money? Do you know how much this is worth?"
He asked, probably seeing this amount of gold for the first time. I wonder what'll happen if I show him the second floor of the Star Palace.
"I don't care. Now, take me to those bandits."
My body was itching to deliver justice, but in reality, it was merely a thrill.
"O...ok."
Zelrich crept deeper into the cave, the echo of dripping water masking his footsteps. Shadows danced along the jagged walls until he finally spotted them, bandits huddled together, talking quietly.
And there, bound was his little sister, her eyes wide with terror.
"Hey, kid!"
A voice called out from behind him, sharp and mocking, as one of the assailants stepped into view.
"Brat, you've been here means you have the complete money, right?"
Their boss was sitting on a rock.
<
Eto watched from the sidelines, waiting like a predator he is.
"Y... yes."
"Hand it over!"
One of the bandits grabbed Zelrich's bag and hauled it over to the boss. Without hesitation, they tore it open, sending clothes and belongings spilling across the ground as they rifled through it, hunting for a few coins.
"Heh? What is this?"
The bandit scoffed, ignoring the empty bags I had handed Zelrich, and dismissed the contents without a second thought.
"It's not complete."
"It...is.."
"Are you trying to play some game here?"
One of them drew their dagger and went over to their sister.
"N....no, I'm not... I swear it's complete."
"Yeah. It was, but we've changed the amount."
This was unexpected. They're probably using him to get rich while keeping his relative hostage. Such cruelty...
"Y... you didn't tell me, though."
"Hmm, ok... one week to complete the payment or else you know what is going to happen."
"But I don't..."
A kid's voice echoed through the cave as he stepped out from the shadows. He was dressed in brown with long black hair. He calmly made his way inside the cave. It was Eto.
"Y... you who are you?"
I snapped my fingers, and the ground rumbled in response. Earthen walls surged upward, sealing every exit in an instant. The bandits flinched, but none of them faltered.
"I'm the vigilante who's going to fix what's wrong."
I said it with an easy smile, unhurried, strolling forward as if merely taking a casual walk. The calmness in my voice chilled the air more than any threat could.
<
On the outside, he appeared calm, but inside, he's just a kid trying to make a grand entrance.
"Big mouth from a kid!"
The hulking man behind Zelrich stepped forward, a mass of filthy flesh looming over me.
"Kid or not, I'll show no mercy."
He brought his axe down in a heavy arc, but the blow never landed on me. In an instant, his own body split apart, flesh and bone separating with a wet, final sound as he collapsed into two lifeless halves.
"W...what!?"
"What happened? He didn't even move!"
"Zel, come stay behind me."
I ordered, and he obeyed like a loyal dog.
"One down six to go."
I stomped my foot. Three jagged spikes ripped through the earth, impaling the fools who dared approach. Mercy would have been too kind, so it wasn't fatal.
From those spikes, crude axes formed, their edges intentionally blunted; they tore into flesh and bone with a deliberate, savage rhythm. My gaze sharpened, predatory, unblinking fixed on the boss as I strode toward him with unnerving calm.
"Take another step, and she'll be on her way to Heaven."
He pressed the blade to Zel's sister's throat and barked his threat.
I didn't move, I didn't speak. I merely traced a finger through the air silently. An invisible arc ripped outward, and in an instant, his body was gone: annihilated to nothing, not a drop of blood left behind. The rock behind him fractured from the force, yet the girl remained untouched, not a single scratch upon her.
Another fool raised his gun and emptied the magazine at me. The bullets froze mid‑air like raindrops caught in time.
With a casual flick, I reversed their course faster & sharper, and they tore through him, leaving gaping holes across his body. I spared his head, letting him feel everything until the end. My gaze remained locked on the boss: the last man on his knees, sobbing and pleading.
"Please... don't kill me... You take all you want just don't kill me. T...take the girl you came for her right?... I was about to hand her over anyway... please don't kill me... I...have a family please...."
"Life is priceless. You should've considered your family before falling on the wrong path. I'll burn your very soul to the point you'll never reincarnate."
My voice leaked my intentions, automatically summoning a magic circle that incinerated him completely.
I didn't want them to witness more than they could handle, so I gave him a quick death on the outside, though.
Right now, his soul is tied to a cycle of rebirth along with the destructive flames in the Looping Chaos Prison. He'll be experiencing death and rebirth for eternity. I took a deep breath and turned, my usual expression restored.
"Done."
Zel quickly ran to his little sister and untied her.
"Anya, are you alright? Are you injured?"
He asked, his eyes unable to hold back his tears.
"N...no. I..I'm alright, Z..Zel kun.."
<
"Thank you, Eto. I'm grateful."
"No problem. It feels good to help."
<
"E...Eto san?"
Anya, a little girl no older than twelve, is already flushing in my presence.
<
(Hoodie = hood.)
The boy was practically glazing himself.
"Yo."
I waved, smiling broadly.
"Let's get you out."
I teleported them outside the cave, and we headed down to the kingdom of Bulmund together. Zel is carrying his sister on his back. It was nighttime already, and the trio walked within the kingdom.
"Where are your parents, Zel?"
"U... they passed away. My little sister is all I have."
"Oh... Maybe I shouldn't have asked. I didn't know."
"No, it's no problem. Death is something we're bound to."
<<... Come to think of it, none of us visited this kingdom. Sai went to the Eastern Empire, Ban approached Ingrassia, Yami investigated Falmuth, Shinn & I are currently in the western states. This is my chance to score more.
Zel, do you know of any slave trades in this kingdom?"
"No, this is a small kingdom. All the nobles are lords of the village. Not what you expect, right?"
"O.. yeah."
"No, slave trade and no monsters attack but."
"But?"
"B... but it has very poor military strength; most of their front liners are adventurers from the Freedom Association."
"Freedom Association, you mean Free Guild? The one Yuuki's in charge of?"
"Don't call his name lightly. He's a Grandmaster, you know."
<
"Yep, I do."
<
<
Asteri quickly intervened. Partnership will stain his pride, he can't jet this joke slide.
<
"Due to poor military service, they are threatened by other nations."
"Yes, that's obvious."
"We're here."
We arrived at their home and they went in.
"Make sure you get some sleep. Anya chan,"
She blushed when I spoke to her.
"I...I will."
"This is goodbye, Zelrich."
"What? Are you leaving?"
"Yep. Take care of your sister, ok?"
"Where are you going?"
"It's a personal business, so don't worry."
"Ok... Will I see you again, Eto?"
"I might pay a visit, so sit tight. I'll be watching too."
"Watching? What do..."
I disappeared before he could finish talking.
Shinn was waiting for Eto, who didn't show up.
(Only Star knows what he did.)
To be continued...