Ethan darted through the some dense and tall bushes, his heart pounding from both exertion and adrenaline. The leader's angry shouts echoed behind him, spurring him to push harder. The dense forest seemed to blur around him as he focused on finding a place to hide.
He finally spotted a large tree with thick foliage and quickly made his way toward it. Breathlessly, he squeezed himself behind the tree trunk, hoping the thick canopy would obscure him from view.
As he tried to steady his breathing, he could hear the rustling of the long leaves and the occasional shout of the leader growing closer.
The seconds dragged on, feeling like hours. Ethan's body ached from the earlier fight, and his mana reserves were critically low. He could barely focus on his surroundings as he waited in the shadows, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
The leader's voice rang out, full of frustration. "He couldn't have gone that far! Go, Spread out and find him!" he said to his underlings.
"Okay, boss!" They all spread out in different directions.
Ethan held his breath as the sounds of footsteps and voices circled the area. He already guessed the thug leader must be a D-Rank hunter, a formidable opponent with far more experience than he had.
Despite his best efforts to stay hidden, Ethan could feel the leader's presence growing nearer. The man was real persistent, his footsteps methodical and deliberate as he searched for Ethan.
After what felt like an eternity, the leader's voice cut through the air again. "Haha, I know You're here, brat. If you come out on your own, and I will give you a quick death. His expression was arrogant, as if victory was already in his grasp.
Ethan's heart sank as he realized that the leader might have picked up on his scent or something. Well, anything could be possible.
"Does this mean he was nowhere safe now?"
He clenched his teeth, trying to remain calm as much as possible. The bushes rustled violently as the leader and his underlings pushed through, searching every nook and cranny. Ethan could hear their frustrated murmurs and the occasional snapping of twigs underfoot.
Suddenly, the leader's voice grew louder, more determined. "He's behind this tree! I can feel it. Go, and check it out." he said to his underlings, plastered with a manic grin, as he pointed towards Ethan's location.
Ethan's pulse quickened. He understood he couldn't stay hidden forever. The leader and his underlings' footsteps drew closer, and Ethan prepared himself for a fight, despite his weakened state. He gripped the 'borrowed' sword tightly, ready to make a last ditch effort.
The leader emerged from the leaves, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Ethan. A cruel smile twisted his lips.
"Hehe, Found you, brat."
Ethan tired calm his nerves, but he was clearly failing to do so, because of the radiating strong malicious aura from the leader.
The leader chuckled darkly. "You're dead, brat."
Before Ethan could react, the leader's underlings surged forward, their eyes filled with malicious glee. They grabbed Ethan roughly, their hands closing around his arms and legs. Despite his struggles, the thugs were too strong, and Ethan was quickly subdued.
"Let me go, and I will give another sword like this!" Ethan shouted, but his cries were met with laughter. The leader stepped forward, his expression a mix of satisfaction and contempt.
"Brat, I don't care about your swords anymore. You thought you could just walk away after killing one of my underlings? You're going to pay for what you did." he said menacingly.
With brutal efficiency, the thugs dragged Ethan back through the forest, arriving at the same place where the thug was killed by Ethan. By the time they arrived, Ethan was already exhausted, feeling the pain in his body.
The leader tossed Ethan onto the ground, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light. "This is where your little journey ends. We're going to make pay the same way, you did to my underling. By burning you alive beside him."
The underlings were nearly moved to tears, totally impressed by how much their boss had cared for them.
Ethan's head throbbed with pain, and he struggled to get up, but the thugs were merciless. They held him down, their grip unyielding. The leader loomed over him, his expression menacing.
"You should have just given us the locket when we asked," the leader sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Now you'll pay the price."
Ethan could only glare at him, the weight of helplessness pressing down on him like a vice. If only he had the power to turn the situation around. But what could he do? He had just reincarnated into this world a few days ago, and now he was facing this brutal reality. The unfairness of it all gnawed at him, frustration boiling beneath the surface.
The leader's smile twisted into a scowl. "Hey, What are you glaring at?"
He struck Ethan hard across the face, the force of the slap echoing through the air. "Brat, are you still thinking about fighting back? If that's the case, we'll make sure you're in no condition to even try. After that, you'll burn alive."
Without hesitation, the leader's underlings descended upon Ethan, beating him mercilessly. Each blow landed with a sickening thud, sending shockwaves of pain through his body. Ethan struggled to stay conscious, the agony threatening to overwhelm him.
"Is this how it ends?" he wondered, the thought flickering in his mind like a dying flame.
Yet, even as they pummeled him, Ethan refused to whimper. He endured the beating in silence, his resolve unbroken. Perhaps he was awaiting the release of death, or maybe, deep down, he still clung to a faint hope.
Ethan lay on the ground, his body aching from the relentless beating. The leader of the hunters grinned down at him, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. Ethan's mind raced, trying to find a way out of this dire situation.
"Enjoying your last moments, kid?" the leader sneered, twirling the sword in his hand. His men gathered around, forming a circle of malevolent intent.
"Boss, let's finish him off quick. We don't want any trouble," one of the underlings urged, glancing nervously around the place.
The leader chuckled. "Oh, we'll finish him, but not before I have a little fun. This brat needs to learn his place."
Pain coursed through Ethan's body, but he couldn't afford to give up. Summoning every ounce of strength, he struggled to his feet, his vision blurry but determined. He needed a plan, and he needed it fast.
"Hey, look at that. The kid's still got some fight left in him," another underling jeered, clearly enjoying his struggle.
The leader stepped closer, his face inches from Ethan's. "You still think you can take us all on, boy? You're out of your league."
Desperation fueled Ethan's resolve. He had to distract them, create an opening. His mind raced, and then it hit him—his last resort.
"Boss, why waste time on him? We got what we came for," a third hunter said urgently. The underling felt their boss was just wasting his time here. He glanced around nervously, to see if any guards nearby.
Ignoring his men, the leader focused on Ethan, his grin widening. "What's the matter, brat? No strength left?"
Ethan met his gaze, his voice steady despite the pain. "You're right. I'm out of my league. But you know what? You're making a big mistake."
The leader of the thugs laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "And what's that?"
"You underestimate me..."
"What's going on here?"
Just as Ethan was about to use his last resort, a familiar voice amidst the chaos halted his desperate act completely.
Aria hurriedly stepped forward, her long silvery hair waving amidst the morning dew. But her pretty face filled with rare anxiousness.
The voice brought Ethan hope, as if it was saying all hope wasn't lost yet.
"Why are you hitting him?" Her expression darkened upon seeing his bloody, battered, and bruised figure.
She hurriedly pulled Ethan from the ground, ensuring his safety first by feeding him a few healing potions as soon as possible.
Ethan gulped it down with gratitude within her soft embrace.
"Boss!"
The hunters began to eye each other with nervousness. They recognized Aria, the popular C-Rank hunter. Although known for her kindness and friendly behavior, she was a true killing machine inside.
If they accidentally angered her too much, they wouldn't know how they would die themselves. They were at most level 20 or so, while Aria was level 40 or above. On top of that, she had assassination class skills with her. Truly a deadly combination.
Aria took out her shiny dagger, a highly ranked weapon, probably C-Rank or above, and stared at the delinquent hunters with hostility.
"Explain everything truthfully, otherwise no mercy will be shown upon you," she threatened, her voice cold and unwavering.
The hunters froze, their bravado evaporating in the face of her deadly seriousness. One of them, stammering, began to speak. "W-We were just... teaching him a lesson. He... he attacked us first!"
Aria's eyes narrowed, the dagger glinting menacingly in her hand. "And what provoked that attack? Tell me the truth, otherwise no one will be spared."
The leader of the group, swallowing hard, took a step forward. "He... he got mad because we..we asked for his locket 'politely'. It was just a for fun, but he killed one of our comrades, see. He is really vicious." He said nervously and pointed to the dead body lying around, giving an appropriate made up excuse.
Without caring who it was, Aria's grip tightened on the dagger. "Nonsense! Do you think I am blind?" She shouted, her pretty face flushed red in anger.
The hunters exchanged nervous glances, realizing they were in deeper trouble than they had thought. "Please, we didn't mean any harm," another hunter pleaded. "We were just trying to rob him. But, he killed our comrade first. He could be put to the jail for this. Please let us go, and we won't speak a word outside."
Their leader also nodded like chicken pecking at rice, while inwardly thanking his underlings for such a quick thinking."
Aria finally understood the whole situation, but her anger still didn't subsided. No one leaves unscathed after harming her friends.
"Alright, you can only leave here alive after separating one arm each from your body. Not that cruel of a punishment, you know," she replied coldly. "And lastly, never tell about this murder to anyone else."
The delinquent hunters trembled, their bravado shattered after hearing the cruel punishment. "No, please don't!" they pleaded, desperation etching their faces.
"Swish! Swish!"
Silvery shadows blurred past, and their left arms fell to the ground alongside their leader's one after another. Blood pooled, staining the earth crimson. Their screams echoed throughout the vicinity.
"Ah! My hand!" The delinquents screamed, clutching their bloody shoulders.
Aria's voice sliced through their misery. "Silence! Get out of here before I kill you all." Her annoyance was palpable, her eyes flashing with impatience.
Hesitant but sensing the sincerity in her threat, the hunters stumbled away, cradling their maimed hands. They dared not look back.
The leader seethed with rage. At the end of the day, he had lost his arm instead of gaining the coveted sword. His unwillingness burned in his eyes as he glared at them before disappearing into the dense fog, holding onto his severed shoulder.
Aria sheathed her dagger, her expression softening. "Are you alright, Ethan?" Her transformation from merciless killer to concerned friend was astonishing.
Ethan nodded, gradually opening his eyes. The effect of the healing potions became apparent.
"T-Thank you, Aria. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up." he said, his voiced strained because of lingering pain.
She smiled gently, helping him to his feet. "Let's get you somewhere safe. You need to rest and recover."
Ethan nodded and tried to reach out to the dead hunter's body to test something important. But he was in too much pain to move, so he asked Aria to lead him there.
Aria remained silent, misunderstanding his actions as remorse for killing a human for the first time.
Though he did feel a twinge of guilt, he knew the hunter deserved it. Ethan had killed so many monsters that this felt no different.
Aria helped him to the dead hunter's body, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. "Don't feel so bad, Ethan. It happens sometimes," she said gently.
"I know," he replied, focusing on the task at hand. Ethan placed his hand on the dead hunter's body and activated [Skill Absorption], hoping to see if he could gain anything useful. He had a minuscule amount of Mana, which was enough to cast skill absorption. He could never miss the opportunity to be powerful after this traumatic experience in his life.
[ Ding ]
[ Your Skill Absorption was successful.]
[ Congratulations! You have acquired a new active skill: Muscles Enhancement(E) ]
[ Muscles Enhancement (E): Increases user's overall physical toughness and power by 2 times upon activation.]
Ethan felt a rush of information flooding his mind, the new skill integrating itself seamlessly into his soul. It was a useful ability, enhancing his physical capability and giving him an edge in combat.
Aria watched with a mix of awe and confusion. "What are you doing, Ethan?"
"Nothing! Could you please help me reach my place?"
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