Chapter 2. The Fifteen Strongest (2)

- I'll kill you! Pathetic nonentities!

[Transformation]

The wounds of the Fourth, who was in the fog of darkness, began to rapidly heal. At the same time, he continued his transformation, his bones and muscles stretching and thickening, and his skin was covered with a thick fur of a metallic sheen.

Huge claws formed from dark energy appeared on his hands. They looked more powerful than the ones he had used before. At the end of the transformation, the Fourth fell into euphoria, he felt every beat of his heart, his lungs filled with a lot of air, and bloodlust sparkled in his yellowed eyes.

- Hunting time.

Now the Fourth looked like a huge and terrible lion. All his wounds were healed. He felt stronger than everyone else. Using his heightened instincts, the Fourth began to locate his enemies, who were consumed by a fog of dark energy.

*Sniff sniff*

His face froze in surprise.

- Why are you the only one here?

He turned around. Conrad stood in front of him.

- It doesn't matter, I'll kill you first, and then I'll find and tear the others to shreds.

The Fourth straightened up and slowly but confidently walked towards Conrad.

- I will tear off your arms and legs, and then throw the remains of your body to your comrades and slowly kill them one by one, watching as they are consumed by despair.

The monster caught up with Conrad and looked down at him. All this time they looked into each other's eyes, and in their gazes one could read, pure hatred for each other.

- Last words?

The Fourth took a wide swing.

There was a loud impact noise.

The fog of dark energy dissipated in the blink of an eye.

Conrad stood in the same place, but took a fighting stance. His fist was bloody. The Fourth was sitting a few meters away, clutching his stomach with both hands and coughing up blood.

- What... Are… You?

His voice was barely audible.

Conrad walked towards the Fourth, who froze in horror as he watched the man move towards him. Conrad's gaze had not changed from the very beginning of the battle, he was just as cold and calculating.

Previously, the Fourth had thought that Conrad had such a look because he was overly self-confident, but now he realized that it was he who was overly self-confident here.

The monster tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't support him. Looking over his body, he noticed countless cuts left by the wind currents, and blood flowed from the wounds at an unimaginable speed.

- Just... A blow...

The Fourth's face froze in horror, and with the last of his strength he backed away.

- D-d-don't... Kill...

He lost the last remnants of his pride and began to beg for mercy, but Conrad was indifferent. Having caught up with his target, with a slight movement of his sword he cut the monster into two parts.

The Fourth's lifeless body filled with a silvery glow and began to turn into energy, which dissipated into the wind.

---

- Why is Conrad finishing off the numbered one again?

A cheerful red-haired young man stood over a sitting huge man who was slowly counting food supplies.

- Have you forgotten what explosion Sixth made before his death? If Conrad had not thrown us back with his wind in that battle, we would already be dead.

- But, Zass, finishing off the numbered one is such an achievement, it's like taking down a powerful dragon from fairy tales!

The red-haired youth's eyes glowed.

- Don't you want to be known as a hero for killing one of these vile creatures?

- The only thing I want is to return to my wife and daughter, to go with them to a picnic in some park.

There was melancholy in the man's gaze; he looked up.

- And admire with them the clear blue sky, and not this crimson horror.

- By the way, i like the red sky more than usual.

A tall, white-haired woman quietly approached the men and powerfully hit the young man on the back of the head.

*Bam*

- Ouch! Aisha, what are you doing, you bandy-legged beast?

*Bam*

With the second blow, she drove the red-haired man's face into the ground.

- Who are you calling a bandy-legged, bastard!

She was clearly annoyed by the young man's behavior.

- Don't listen to him, such a charming and beautiful girl shouldn't pay attention to such ill-mannered bullies.

The man looked down and began to count the food supplies again.

- Zass, why can't this trash learn at least a piece of proper manners from you?

The woman sighed heavily.

- Because this old man is lying, you're so scary, you better not leave the house at all, old witch!

The red-haired youth looked at Aisha angrily.

The woman could not stand such treatment and began to trample him into the ground.

- What an asshole you are, Patrick!

Zass went about his business, not paying any attention to what was happening, as if the altercation between these two was commonplace.

- I'm not going to heal you anymore, little piece of shit!

When she finished, the woman snorted and headed towards the campfire, where a crowd of people were sitting, talking animatedly among themselves.

- How that witch treats me! Why can't she stay at home?

Patrick watched the woman leave.

- You always scolding with her, but none of us will forget how you defended her in the battle with the Eighth. Your chest was pierced through.

- So what? She's just a weak old woman, and a strong warrior like me has to protect weaklings like her!

Patrick was inspired, but then he looked down, clenched his fists and muttered softly:

- I did not become stronger so that the weak would fight on the front line.

A warm smile appeared on the old man's face.

- It's decided! I need more training, I will become even stronger, and the weaklings will no longer need to fight!

The red-haired young man was more inspired than before, and his eyes lit up with excitement.

- Master! Master Conrad is back!

An enthusiastic male shout rang out from the direction of the campfire. All the people stood up and walked towards the male figure who appeared, with a huge two-handed sword behind his back.

- Conra-a-ad!

Patrick overtook the crowd of people walking.

- He's acting weird again.

Aisha rolled her eyes.

- Fight with me!

The red-haired youth's eyes burned with even more fervor, and a smile shone on his face. On the way, he picked up his trident and attacked Conrad.

[Path of Fire: Demonic Piercing]

The trident was covered in flames and in a leap Patrick struck straight at Conrad. Flames burst from the tips of the trident in powerful columns of flame.

*Bam-s*

A second later, Patrick was unconscious.

- Aisha, heal this tomboy.

Conrad was smiling kindly, looking towards the woman.

- Well, how can I refuse you?

Chapter end