บท 13: A New Place to Call Home

As we arrived, we didn't immediately go inside. I told them to wait outside as I needed to clean up inside.

I then hid my presence as I sneaked into the town while avoiding vision of the Trolls that got inside. A lot of houses were still intact, as the variant Trolls didn't feel any presence inside them. Hence, there was no need to destroy the houses.

I circled around and surveyed it as fast as I can without being detected. After an hour later, I returned outside the town to where Rayle and Siri was.

"So? How is it, Lancell?"

"A bit bad, but still not that bad."

"Will we fight now?!"

"No. There are about 30 Trolls inside. Wanna go for suicide? Go on. I won't stop you."

"Well, that's a bit..."

Rayle shut up after he heard how many Murder Trolls were inside. As for Siri, her mouth gaped as she worried.

"Will you be alright?"

"Yeah. If nothing ridiculous happens. Anyway, I'm gonna start killing them today, wait here. I should be back by sundown. Also, take care of Lina."

"Wait, Huh?!"

Without waiting for Siri's next words, I dashed away as I entered the gate.

...

'Now then, it's a chance to let loose.' I thought as I felt my feet getting lighter in the feeling of freedom.

I materialized Arkenvalle, and then circulated the Void Wind Guidance, immediately feeling a lot lighter, and without wasting time. I dashed forward into the location of the first prey.

I ran atop the roof as the wind felt like pushing me back due to my sheer speed. A while later, I saw my first targets.

'Three targets. This should be easy.

I increased my speed further as I instantly accelerated and felt like I was flying. I jumped from the roof as momentum carried me forward in mid air. And using that momentum, I slashed at the unsuspecting Troll's neck, separating its head from the body.

I then landed on the next roof, and without letting my momentum die down, I moved my feet and rushed into the next and took another dashing leap as I stabbed my sword into the Troll's brain and used its body as foothold to leap onto the nearby other. The troll tried to grab me in mid air, but it was useless.

Void Step!

Before it managed to catch me, I disappeared as I was running on its arm when I reappeared, and leaped again to slice its head.

THUD!!

I then landed in my feet as I thought to myself.

'Three down.'

...

After about four hours of continuous fight, I managed to take down all 37 Trolls. It was a lot easier midway as when the scent accumulated in me, the Trolls just came to me like moths to a flame. And since there was a lot of footholds I could use, like the roof, walls, the lampposts, and a lot more, it got a lot faster.

I took out all of their magic cores as I then returned to find the three baggage I have.

Well, they won't be for long.

...

"Hey! I'm back."

"Whoah! Lancell! You're covered in blood! Was the fight awesome?!"

"I guess? It was easier than I thought."

"Wow! I wanna do something like this too! Can I one day?! Can I?!"

Rayle was as annoying as ever, but fortunately, Siri shut him up.

"Geez! Could you please shut up! You're annoying!"

Rayle shut up. For some reason, he seemed scared. Did something happen while I was gone?

I ignored the two as I then told everyone. "The town's cleaned up now. It's safe to enter."

They all made joyful expressions as they then entered inside to check the town. However, for some reason, Lina didn't follow them and just stayed behind me. Perhaps she wanted to say something.

"So? Anything you need?" I asked. She was silent for a while, but she then asked back.

"Why are you helping me?"

"It's a request from someone. I can't refuse it."

"Why?"

"It's because...of personal reasons."

"Debt?" She asked. Was she really curious? In any case, I don't have the obligations to entertain her questions, so I answered vaguely.

"Something deeper than that."

She went silent for a while, and then asked.

"Who asked you to help me?"

"It was mom."

"What?"

"Yeah. You heard right. She's not dead. And she's even way stronger than I am."

"Why would she ask you to help me?"

"I don't know."

She fell silent again. It was unknown what she was thinking, and I don't know what expression was on her face, but she seemed contemplating. After a while, she turned and walked away.

What is up with her?

...

After a few days...

I was teaching Siri, Rayle and Lina how to perceive mana. The both girls listened attentively while suppressing the mouth of a certain annoying muscle brain.

"...so in order to perceive mana, you have to first clear your mind. Clearing your mind reduces the strain magical perception places on the body. And to..."

Well, all in all it was all basics. It was going to be a bit of time before the Black Dogs appear in this world, and Trolls were in effective for my cultivation as I had already reached Level 33.

'About a week, huh?' I thought.

That was the remaining time we had before the Black Dogs start appearing, and it won't be good. However, with my current strength, I should be able to gain a bit advantage of the situation.

"Huh? Teacher? Did something happen? You suddenly smiled."

"No. It's nothing. Not yet..." I answered Siri's question with an ambiguous smile.

"Well then, let's wrap this up quick. I need to do something after this." I said as I continued the lesson.

...

SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...

In the place where the town's training grounds for soldiers used to be, I swung Arkenvalle in practice swings as my body was restricted my the Severing Blade's circulation method.

For the past week, ever since I started practicing the Severing Blade's practice method, I was strangely hooked into this incredibly difficult but quick Sword Technique.

Each time I pulled off a successful slash, I was filled with a tiny feeling of accomplishment.

'I guess I really love swinging the sword, huh?'

I've always loved swords. However, when I first gripped Arkenvalle, I instantly fell in love with the perfection of its grip, perfect weight, perfect length, and it even grew alongside me so I didn't use any other swords.

And with Arkenvalle in hand, I learned how to improve my swordsmanship further as I felt one with Arkenvalle every time I swung it in combat.

And yet...

'This sword technique... I somehow get it was tailor made for me and my current situation...How mysterious.'

It was strange. The synergy between my connection with Arkenvalle and the Sword Technique boosted my cultivation speed of the Severing Blade by a tremendous margin. At this rate, I might even reach Level 5 in mastery.

SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...

In any case, it doesn't matter as long as I get sufficient strength, so I kept swinging Arkenvalle as my body continuously adapted to the appropriate usage of the muscles.

SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...SLASH!...

Without noticing the time, I swung Arkenvalle. And a few hours of non stop practice swings, I finally noticed.

"Hm? So it was night already? Time really passes quick when enjoying yourself." I said to myself as I smiled a bit.

'Well, for now, I wanna go to sleep. I'm quite tired.'

And so, I returned as I navigated through the streets that was filled with rubble.

'Looks like this is gonna be a pain to clean up. Well, they don't actually need to clean it up though.' I thought. I didn't actually care about the rubble as I was used to watching the wrecked world that the Calamity Dragon brought. And for me, the world right now is a paradise.

'A paradise filled with bugs and vermin.'

The people were the bugs, while the monsters were vermin. The bugs weren't necessarily bad existences, but the vermin was sure to feed on bugs. And as one of the bugs, I'm gonna exterminate the vermin through poison and stingers. For the sake of my own peace. After all, there's no meaning for peace in a ruined world.

'That's why, this time for sure. I'll definitely kill that monstrosity. I definitely will.'

As I swore to myself, I had reach the house I was using as my home. I entered it and went directly to bed, and practiced Void Sensitivity, which made me fall asleep right after.

'I wonder what's gonna happen tomorrow?...' I suddenly wondered as my consciousness faded to black...