One of the Revarge beasts charged toward Takeshi, its eyes glowing red with hunger. Takeshi pulled back his right fist and bent his knees slightly, focusing all his concentration on the hungry monster lunging toward him.
'My stance is perfect.'
The distance between them was barely two meters, yet Takeshi didn't budge. Instead, his eyes widened and his mouth opened involuntarily just before a blue liquid splattered across his face.
"What?? What just happened??"
The Revarge was split clean in half, its blue blood spraying across the area. Its mangled corpse hit the ground under the gaze of Takeshi, who waited for a clear explanation of what had transpired.
The silence was broken by the sound of light footsteps emerging from the darkness toward Takeshi. He looked up to see a man clad in a pitch-black robe covering his entire body, carrying a pure sword in his left hand that shimmered despite the absolute darkness. He approached slowly.
Takeshi realized it was this man who had cut the beast down, causing him to take a step back as he asked:
"Who are you, too?"
Countless questions raced through his mind, but this was the most logical one to ask first, though the word "too" was an addition that might cause him some trouble.
Suddenly, the rest of the beasts lunged at the man simultaneously. Despite the threat, he returned his sword to its sheath beneath his robe and stood tall, taking a deep breath.
In an epic moment, his eyes glowed with a brilliant white light—bright as snow and shimmering like silver. An aura erupted from him, swallowing everyone present and sending out a massive pressure felt by all, including Takeshi.
This aura emitted a crushing weight, a pressure that bred pure terror. Takeshi felt as if the earth's gravity had suddenly intensified while he stared at the source of this aura, this mysterious man.
'Who is this bastard?!'
Moments after the aura was released, it began to fade gradually, merging back into the open air. The heavy pressure vanished, leaving a handful of questions in Takeshi's mind and terror etched on the faces of the monsters.
The beasts froze in their places, their trembling eyes returning to normal. Then, each took its own path and fled for its life; the true monster wasn't any of them, but the man standing in their midst who had struck fear into their hearts without moving a muscle.
No one remained in that place except Takeshi and the stranger, who let out several mocking laughs before turning toward Takeshi and removing the hood from his face.
He was merely an old man, nearly bald, wearing medical glasses with a wide grin framed by a small white beard.
"You asked me who I am."
He extended his wrinkled hand to shake Takeshi's, continuing:
"I am Orfin, and what is your name, boy?"
Takeshi remained stunned, staring at the old man's hand in amazement, his mouth unable to utter a single word.
'This pressure... this old man is no ordinary person!'
The wind gusted, making the fallen leaves dance in the sky. A few drops hit the ground, but it wasn't raining; they were drops of Takeshi's sweat.
Old Orfin's hand waited for a handshake, yet Takeshi hesitated to offer his own. The pressure he had felt was unnatural, making trust in its possessor nearly impossible—and given what had happened to Takeshi today, it was truly impossible for now.
Takeshi kept thinking, realizing the vast power gap between them.
'Why does he want to shake my hand? Maybe he wants to gain my trust only to kill me later... No, if he wanted to kill me, he would have done it a long time ago... Maybe he's from the Royal Skull Gang and came for my sword? But his robe isn't like Yamikaji's or his followers'. Damn it!! What does this man want?'
After intense hesitation, Takeshi spoke his first words to Orfin:
"What is your goal in helping me?"
Despite Takeshi's words, old Orfin did not lower his hand. Instead, he replied with a mocking smile and a brief silence.
Takeshi backed away a few steps, raising his fists in anticipation of anything, then said:
"Tell me, what do you want? What drove you to help me?"
After Takeshi's questions, and once silence had reigned for a moment, Orfin lowered his hand, the smile still stuck on his face as he said:
"I told you before, my name is Orfin. I was passing through this place and saw you alone against those beasts, so I helped because I thought you needed assistance—"
Even though Orfin's words and his delivery radiated honesty—making it difficult to disbelieve him, especially coming from a cheerfully smiling elder—Takeshi didn't believe a word he said. Doubt continued to haunt him; mistrust was the trait that defined him now.
Takeshi grit his teeth and knit his brows, saying:
"Do you think I'm a fool to believe a story like that?"
"No. Why don't you want to believe me?"
Takeshi cast a serious look at Orfin, then said:
"I know looks like yours very well. They project honesty and affection, but behind them lies a pile of lies and evil. I want to be sure if there is something suspicious behind that look of yours or not."
Orfin scratched his beard while trying to remember the reason he had come in the first place, then raised his finger once he recalled:
"Oh! Right. I came looking for someone nicknamed the Pest—"
Orfin didn't get to finish his sentence as Takeshi lunged at him, surprising him with a sharp strike. However, Orfin managed to block it with his forearm, smiling as he sank into his thoughts.
'I expected you to attack me, boy...'
Takeshi didn't stop with that attack; he pulled back his fist and aimed a kick at Orfin's knee, but the latter managed to dodge it smoothly.
"What is wrong with you, boy? I don't think I've done anything wrong to warrant an attack."
Takeshi did not respond to Orfin's inquiry. Instead, he stood staring at him steadily, without even blinking.
'Damn it! That cursed word makes me lose my temper and self-control for a moment. I shouldn't have attacked him in such a stupid way! If he's smart enough, he'll deduce that the one he meant by that title is me.'
Takeshi focused briefly on Orfin's cheerful features and thought:
'That is, if he's smart...'
He took a deep breath, then took a step back and said:
"I know who the Pest is—"
Orfin raised his hand joyfully, his smile nearly splitting his cheeks, and said loudly:
"Really!! I'm glad I met you, boy! Then tell me where he is!"
Takeshi didn't respond for a moment. Instead, he felt a hidden smile within him, as if a sense of victory had washed over him.
'I can use him and ask if he knows anything about the Royal Skull Gang, but first I must ask if he is from that village or not...'
On the western bank of the forest lies a large village called "Thessaly," which is also nicknamed the Village of Chaos. Although it is one of the main areas where merchants go to bring their goods and sell them in major cities, injustice and corruption prevail there. Moreover, its residents are among the few who believe in the legend of the three Pests in this world, which makes them hate Takeshi and leaves his reputation there dragged through the mud.
Takeshi formulated his plan in his mind, then said with a smile to Orfin:
"Fine, I can tell you where he is, but on one condition."
Orfin shook his head in surprise.
"A condition?"
Takeshi raised three of his fingers and answered:
"Yes. I want you to answer three of my questions."
Orfin's smile grew even wider as his eyes expanded and glowed.
"Tell me, and I shall answer you!"
Takeshi felt the thrill of victory; he could now find out if this old man before him was someone who wanted to kill him, or a member of a gang he wanted to destroy. And if not, he would be able to gather the information he wanted—provided Orfin was honest with his answers.
"Alright. My first question: Are you from a village on the western side of the forest?"
Old Orfin scratched the back of his head and tilted it, saying in surprise:
"What village are you talking about?"
Takeshi interrupted him, saying:
"Fine. I understand from your words that you don't even live in this forest."
He raised two fingers high and continued:
"My second question: What do you want from the person you are searching for?"
Orfin struck his left palm with his right fist.
"I heard that he is strong."
Takeshi knit his brows and replied hesitantly:
"That doesn't answer my question. What do you want from him?"
Orfin lowered his head, and those gentle features vanished from his face, as did that tone from his speech:
"Peace. That is what I want—"
Takeshi interrupted him:
"Peace? Explain more. What does that have to do with that person?"
Orfin raised his hands and his head high, continuing with enthusiasm:
"I want to gather strong people—people who can achieve justice and bring down oppression. I want to build a world free of wars, free of monsters, and free of gangs. Therefore, I want to recruit the Pest found here to this union, and we will bring down oppressive systems like classism to achieve justice and fairness in our world, boy."
With every word Orfin spoke, Takeshi felt his heart rate increase. Every word he heard touched his heart, as if a great opportunity had appeared before him.
Takeshi wanted to ally with him, but the experiences he had gone through—creeping into his memory and painting themselves before his eyes—made him unable to fully trust Orfin.
It was true his doubt had lessened, but it had not vanished entirely.
'I want to ally with you, Orfin, if you are honest. But I cannot trust you so easily. I was going to ask if he knew the Royal Skull Gang—but after hearing his goal, as soon as I ask about them at any time, he will answer directly. Therefore, I will ask you this question...'
Takeshi clasped his hands and threw his last question:
"My third and final question is: What did you do just now to those monsters? What was that powerful pressure you put us in? Tell me everything about it!"
Orfin raised his head toward the sky, toward the shimmering moon, then closed his eyes to sink into deep thought.
After a few seconds, Orfin lowered his head quickly, smiling, and said eagerly:
"Fine! I will answer you."
Takeshi cleared his mind and all his thoughts to hear Orfin's words; if he learned about that thing and the way to acquire it, a new door would open before him toward new horizons.
"But I need to ask you, boy... Do you know what Aura is?"
After Orfin's direct question, Takeshi felt he had found a thread that might lead him to the peak. Silence reigned for a moment again while Takeshi linked all his memories, then he answered:
"Yes. I know..."
Would you like me to translate the explanation of Aura next, or should we focus on Takeshi's internal reaction to this revelation?