The atmosphere seemed to have changed, the air had grown heavier, and a tension that hadn't been there suddenly manifested itself. The person behind this change was none other than Harsh, and Felix didn't seem to appreciate the sudden change because it created uncertainty, something Felix didn't like.
Thanks to the collar he had around his neck, he could completely control the monsters present. He signaled to a monster to quickly finish off Harsh. But as the monster approached him, it was decapitated by Harsh.
Felix was disconcerted by what he had just seen, or rather, by what had just happened, because Harsh's movements were so fast that Felix couldn't see anything. And just at that moment, Harsh disappeared, then reappeared right in the middle of the monsters, and the carnage could begin.
Harsh's blade slashed orcs nonstop, and he dodged each of their attacks. When it wasn't orcs, it was wolves with steel fangs that were being slaughtered by him. The situation seemed unreal from Felix's point of view; it was even inconceivable that a man without mana could cause such carnage, as it went against the rules of the world, for that which was without mana could not surpass that which had mana.
Felix wasn't the only one troubled; Harsh was just as troubled as he was, but for a different reason. As he was about to die, a warm feeling crept into him; it was as if something long dormant within him had awakened, as if a long-dormant volcano had suddenly erupted. And this was due to the intense death instinct he felt. It was contradictory because the death instinct seemed to mix with the desire to survive, creating a torrent of raw sensations within him, awakening a primal energy buried within him.
The blade of his dagger was fluid, striking again and again, and his body was half covered in the blood of the monsters he had killed, and it seemed to strengthen this primal energy even more. It was as if this energy was feeding off the carnage he was wreaking.
As he attacked another group of monsters, Harsh sensed danger behind him; one of the orc mages was about to cast a spell on him. It wasn't just a simple feeling of danger, no, it was more than that. It was as if he was aware of everything happening around him, as if his consciousness covered the entire area and everything that happened in that area couldn't escape him. So instead of sensing danger, he was aware. Suddenly, he disappeared and reappeared behind the orc mage. He beheaded him, and right after that, another orc approached him, sword in hand, and attacked him with a downward slash. Harsh countered the attack with his dagger, but it broke. But Harsh used the palm of his left hand and deflected the monster's attack, then with a swift kick of his right, he destabilized it and seized this opportunity to plunge the tip of his dagger deep into its eye. The monster collapsed to the ground, blood flowing profusely from its eye. Harsh picked up his sword and got into position.
Harsh's position was nothing special, as his stance was slightly low and his sword, which he held in both hands, pointed slightly towards the ground. But this position, combined with the monster blood that covered part of his body and his red hair, gave Felix a sinister feeling, and even monsters devoid of consciousness could sense it.
Felix raised his head and looked Harsh in the eyes. Those eyes were a deep blue. Felix felt as if he were looking at a calm sea, but one that was about to rage and engulf him at any moment, and this instilled a slight sense of fear within him. And this irritated him to the highest degree, because how could he, a soldier of Moebius's elite, be afraid even for a moment of a mere piece of trash like Harsh.
"So you were hiding your true strength?" Felix said gravely.
"..." But Harsh didn't answer.
Harsh's silence irritated Felix even more, and he said, "I was planning to end your life quickly, but I changed my mind. I'll make you suffer before I die, because because of you, I was delayed in my mission. Do you know how long I've been planning this plan!? So in the name of Moebius, I'll kill you and finish off Commander Marc Anderson once and for all." After this long diatribe, Felix fell silent.
"So Moebius wants me dead? This information is interesting," came a voice.
"Uh... Uh... Commander, what are you doing here?" Felix said, surprised by the commander's presence.
For the one who had just intervened was none other than Commander Marc Anderson.
"For an assassin, you're too talkative, but know this, I never trusted you, that's why I kept you close to me to keep an eye on you," said Commander Marc Anderson.
A few hours earlier, while on the main front, Commander Marc Anderson realized a problem. It had been more than two hours since the special detachment supposed to attack the monsters from behind had arrived. Suspecting a problem, the latter had moved with 500 elite men from his special unit, and that's how he arrived in this place.
The commander looked around; there were only dead people, and the only survivor was Harsh. A man without mana had resisted a horde of monsters. This feat would be told throughout the empire.
Then he addressed his men. "Liquidate all these monsters, and you, Harsh, rest."
Thanks to Harsh, there weren't many monsters left because he had wreaked havoc. Then the elite men of Commander Marc Anderson's special unit attacked the remaining monster.
Felix shouted, "It's not over yet, I'll show you what an elite soldier of Moebius is capable of."
Then he recited a spell and shouted, "Appear, stone golem."
Golems emerged from the ground and attacked Commander Marc Anderson's elite men, thus a new clash ensued.
As the battle raged, someone appeared on the battlefield. He was a tall man with long silver hair and golden eyes. He was dressed in a white gothic shirt topped with a blue aristocratic jacket, black pants, and leather shoes that reached to his shins. He exuded an air of nobility.
His appearance shocked everyone because, even though he was engaged in a battle, everyone's senses were heightened, but they were only able to spot him when he became visible to everyone. Even Harsh's new abilities hadn't been able to spot him.
The newcomer walked quietly, his eyes fixed on Harsh, then one of the members of Commander Marc Anderson's elite unit spoke and said, "Who are you? Please state your name."
But the man didn't answer him and walked right past the person who had just spoken. The latter, irritated, tried to grab his shoulder but was ejected without anyone knowing how, which put everyone on their guard.
Even Felix was surprised to see this man, which for Commander Marc Anderson meant that the newcomer wasn't affiliated with Moebius.
Then the man spoke. "Who are you? Because I was passing by and you called me." He was addressing Harsh.
"I didn't call you," Harsh replied, flustered.
"Yes, you did." The man insisted, then continued, "Your energy called me here, and I'd like to know how a mortal like you can possess that energy." The man's calm tone slowly changed; a deep irritation could be felt in his voice, and this irritation seemed to be directed at Harsh.
Noticing this, Felix spoke. "You know, we can team up to..." He didn't have time to finish his sentence before his chest exploded. The scene shocked everyone; Felix had just died without even realizing it. His body lay in a pool of blood.
"I don't talk to trash, let alone associate with them." Then he looked at Harsh and said, "Answer me where?" Did you obtain this energy? Are you "his" heir?"
"I don't know what you're talking about; I'm not anyone's heir," Harsh replied.
"You're lying, but it doesn't matter; I'll discover the source of your energy soon enough," the man affirmed.
Harsh was confused by the man's words because he didn't understand what he was saying, but he answered him. "I'm not a liar and I don't know what you're talking about."
"You humans are all liars, but that's okay because I have my own method for discovering the truth," the man said, and suddenly the atmosphere around him changed. A stifling silence fell over the area, followed by an unbearable pressure.
At that precise moment, Commander Marc Anderson understood who they were dealing with because the atmosphere and pressure this man exuded were the same as that day.
And a single word emerged from his lips. "Dragon."
N/A: I apologize for the delay in updating this chapter. I had plenty of ideas, but I was having trouble putting them in order. Adding to that, personal concerns led to the delay. But the next chapter will be updated no later than Sunday.