The tall, thin noble youth’s face was deathly pale. The hand holding his rapier shook like a leaf, and his legs wobbled as he stumbled backward, muttering, "Don't come any closer... Stay away from me..."
Ethan didn't even give him a second glance.
His figure blurred as he lunged straight for the nearest runner.
His sword fell.
A head was severed.
Blood flowed freely across the deck, staining a massive area crimson.
A heavy, metallic scent of blood filled the air, so thick it was almost suffocating.
Just then, four figures burst out from the crowd simultaneously.
Unlike the others who were scattering in a panic, they closed in on Ethan, surrounding him.
Their leader was a youth in dark gray leather armor, a hideous scar stretching from his left eyebrow down to the corner of his mouth.
He gripped a short spear in his right hand, its surface pulsing with a faint red glow.
To the left was a short, sturdy youth wearing pitch-black gauntlets inlaid with three dull yellow crystals on the back.
To the right was a thin young man in light cloth clothes, his seemingly ordinary leather boots shimmering with faint green patterns.
The last was a bald youth holding a small, palm-sized round shield in his left hand, which emitted a faint, earthy-yellow halo.
The four stood apart, yet they formed a subtle encirclement.
They didn't speak.
There were no warnings.
No demands for surrender.
The scarred youth at the lead suddenly hurled his short spear at Ethan!
The moment the spear left his hand, the red light on its surface flared. The weapon’s speed increased explosively, tearing through the air with a sharp, piercing whistle as it aimed straight for Ethan’s throat!
Ethan’s pupils constricted.
His body instinctively tilted to the right.
The short spear whistled past his left shoulder, the gust of wind it carried slicing a tear in his clothes. He could feel a strange, intense heat emanating from the spear; the skin it grazed stung with a burning pain.
The spear flew past Ethan and slammed hard into the deck.
Boom!
A burst of flames erupted, yet the deck remained completely unscathed.
Taking advantage of this opening, the sturdy youth kicked off the deck, charging at Ethan like a rolling boulder. The dull yellow crystals on his black gauntlets flashed as he threw a right hook, the punch carrying a heavy, whistling wind.
Ethan shifted his weight and spun his body, narrowly avoiding the strike.
The wind from the punch brushed past his chest. Even without a direct hit, he could feel the crushing pressure behind it.
The thin youth moved at the same time.
The green patterns on his leather boots suddenly lit up, and his speed spiked, turning him into a blur as he circled behind Ethan. A dagger appeared in his hand out of nowhere, stabbing toward Ethan’s lower back!
A pincer attack from front and back.
The bald youth didn't attack; he simply stood a few paces away, holding his small round shield. The earthy-yellow halo on the shield pulsed, ready to block any counterattack for his companions.
The corner of Ethan's mouth curled into a slight arc.
Interesting.
These four were much stronger than the others. The glowing objects they held were Supernatural items, just like the girl’s silver hairpin. He didn't know what they were called, but he knew they were definitely valuable.
Unfortunately...
The users were too weak.
Ethan ignored the dagger stabbing from behind and lunged forward with explosive power toward the sturdy youth!
A flash of joy appeared in the sturdy youth's eyes as he threw another right hook, the yellow glow on his gauntlet brighter than before.
Just as the two were about to collide.
Ethan’s body twisted in an unnatural way.
The punch grazed his ribs, the force of the wind tearing another hole in his clothes.
But Ethan’s sword had already swept across the side of the sturdy youth’s neck.
Squelch!
Blood sprayed violently.
The sturdy youth’s eyes widened as he clutched his throat, but he couldn't stop the fatal wound. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a mouthful of bloody froth escaped.
His body crashed to the deck.
【Life Energy +8. Current Life Energy: 70.】
Ethan reached down, snatched the still-warm black gauntlets, and stuffed them into his robes.
Behind him, the thin youth’s dagger struck nothing but air.
He froze for a second, horror flashing in his eyes.
How was that possible?
Ethan had been right in front of him just a moment ago. How could he disappear in the blink of an eye...
Before he could figure it out, Ethan’s sword arrived.
The tip of the blade pierced through the thin youth’s back and emerged from his chest.
He looked down, staring in disbelief at the sword tip protruding from his chest as blood gushed from his mouth.
【Life Energy +4. Current Life Energy: 74.】
Ethan withdrew his sword, and the thin youth’s body slumped limply to the deck.
The scarred youth hadn't even had time to react before two of his companions were down in a pool of blood. His expression changed instantly, replaced by a deep, overwhelming terror.
"Wait! We can—"
Ethan’s sword didn't wait.
A flash of sword light, and the scarred youth’s head flew high into the air, tumbling twice before hitting the deck.
【Life Energy +3. Current Life Energy: 77.】
The bald youth was completely stunned.
The hand holding the small round shield shook violently, the earthy-yellow halo flickering erratically. His legs felt like jelly; he wanted to run, but his feet wouldn't move.
"Don't... don't kill me... I can give you this..."
He held the small round shield out with both hands, offering it like a final lifeline.
Ethan took the shield, flipped it over a couple of times to inspect it, and tucked it into his robes.
Then his sword fell.
The bald youth’s head rolled into the pool of blood.
【Life Energy +4. Current Life Energy: 81.】
Ethan retracted his sword and scanned the four corpses, a satisfied smirk touching his lips.
Four Supernatural items, plus the girl’s silver hairpin from before—that made five.
These things were definitely worth a lot.
He turned and continued his hunt of the scattering crowd.
...
Ethan caught up to the last fleeing youth.
It was a boy who looked no older than fourteen or fifteen, dressed in coarse linen clothes with a face that still held a trace of childish innocence.
He couldn't run anymore. His legs gave out, and he knelt on the deck, his face a mess of tears and snot.
"Please... I... I just passed the test... I didn't do anything..."
Ethan’s sword paused in mid-air.
He looked at the tear-stained face and remained silent for a single breath.
Then,
The sword fell.
【Life Energy +1. Current Life Energy: 236.】
Ethan withdrew his sword and surveyed the entire deck.
Bodies were strewn everywhere.
A river of blood.
Not a single survivor.
A satisfied smile played on Ethan's lips.
236 Life Energy points.
This felt amazing.
"Right, almost forgot. Time to loot."
The corpses were scattered across the deck amidst the river of blood.
Ethan moved with practiced efficiency, without the slightest psychological burden.
These were dead people. The belongings of the dead naturally belonged to the living.
About half an hour later, Ethan finally finished searching the last corpse.
He straightened up and patted his bulging chest and the twenty-odd coin pouches hanging from his waist, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Thirty magic stones, and with the gold notes and loose coins, it's almost two hundred thousand. How generous."
He turned and walked toward the row of tombs.
Rate on N.U.
