“Ha-ha, kid, are you joking?”

“No.”

Once again, silence fell.

Everyone couldn’t help but think that the child before them was an oddity.

The man brandished the battleaxe that he carried. “Killing children leaves a bad taste in my mouth, so you better get out of our way, brat.”

“You can’t kill me,” Emil stated. They were still in the Night Sage’s domain, anything that happened was still under his control. He could easily snatch Emil up before their attacks could even land.

But, the mercenaries clearly did not know that, so to them, Emil’s words sounded like cockiness.

“Who raised you to be so rude?” the man roared. He was short-tempered and did not like nuisances. He had done far worse and killing a kid actually didn’t bother him much if it made life easier.

Emil frowned. Was he being disrespectful? His father had always taught him to be courteous to others and he did not want to disappoint him.

But before he could speak anymore, the blood-colored axe was flying towards his neck.

He watched it move through the corner of his eye, but Emil remained rooted in place. His reaction speed was inhuman and he could see the blade moving in slow motion, and dodging it was even easier for him.

With a strange shift in the air, the direction of the axe was redirected and swung right by Emil without even cutting a single hair.

“Huh?” The man appeared to be confused after he missed his mark. The boy’s head should have gone flying in a fantastic display, but instead, nothing happened.

“Watch out,” a woman warned, seeing through what had happened. “That brat can use incantless magic. They’re more dangerous than expected already.”

Shock appeared on everyone’s faces then they looked at Emil with a different expression in their eyes. Their mocking aura had changed into a menacing one laced with killing intent.

Emil didn’t say anything, but he listened to their words carefully. He didn’t really understand what they were talking about. Who was “they”? The only one that lived there who was noteworthy was the Night Sage.

He then paused.

Actually, with their strength level, none of these people should have been daring enough to even cross the Night Sage’s vision. Why would they come here with the intent to fight?

“Excuse me, if I may ask again, who are you all?” Emil felt that this was all a misunderstanding. He didn’t want to harm others if that was the case.

But, they had no reason to explain themselves to Emil, and their desire to get rid of him was only increased.

Without another word, the man swung down at Emil once again. This time, he did not allow the fact that his opponent was a kid affect him.

Emil lightly stepped back and the blade, once again, was redirected by a strange force. As he watched the man charge towards him, the light in his eyes grew colder and colder. The air around his figure grew hazy and he darted forward to meet with his attacker. Emil raised up his arm and drew it down sharply.

In a split second, the man’s arm was severed from his body and his limb, still holding onto his weapon, collapsed to the ground. He opened his mouth to let out a pained roar, but before he could even utter a noise, Emil’s arm redirected and his fingers slid across the man’s throat. Erupting in a fountain of blood, the man’s head slid off of his neck and his large body fell backwards, banging against the ground. The green grass underneath was rapidly dyed red and his head rolled a few times before landing at the feet of the blonde woman that had been in charge.

Everyone was completely silent. Within a couple of seconds, Emil had killed their comrade. And it didn’t seem to cost him energy at all. The mercenary that he he had killed couldn’t be considered the strongest or weakest, but his strength wasn’t something a twelve year old should have been able to handle.

The woman didn’t say anything, but she drew her rapier and stabbed forward, the sword moving with incredible speed towards Emil’s heart. Out of all of them, she was the most experienced and she had encountered many beings who hid their true appearances. She assumed that Emil was one of them. She was even sure that the weak, Aes level aura that he exuded was just to misguide them.

Emil, his face and clothing now splattered with blood, watched the woman approach. His expression grew severe as he dodged her first attack and then leapt back a few meters. With that single movement, he knew that she was far stronger than the man he had just taken down.

He sighed to himself.

What a hassle.

She wasn’t deterred by Emil’s quick dodge and began to whisper words under her breath. Within a few moments, her blade became bright orange and seemed to be fiery hot. She raised her arm out and began to draw symbols in the air with the tip of her rapier. Grey colored anima with tints of yellow was being drawn towards her at a rapid rate.

“Not good,” Emil muttered to himself. He had dispatched the man quickly because he had the element of surprise--Emil still was no match for them in a full out battle. And considering that the woman was more powerful, his chances of victory were even slimmer. He’d have to expend all of his energy if he wanted her dead now…

I’ll deal with her last.

Just as the woman let out a shout and released her spell that flew out in a fiery tornado, Emil activated his teleportation and flashed behind a skinny man that stood at the back of the group.

He stabbed out his hand and pierced through the man’s chest and quickly drew his arm up and, effectively cutting through the man’s torso like it was nothing. Blood sprayed out, splashing onto everyone in the vicinity.

Emil didn’t relax, though. His body flashed once more and he approached another group member, he jumped up and wrapped his legs around his neck.

The man let out a confused shout and reached up to tear Emil off of him, but in the next breath, he felt a crushing force weighing on his head. Emil’s palms slammed together on his skull and an invisible pressure accompanied, causing the man’s head to rupture underneath it--bursting like a grape underneath too much pressure.

A meaty mixture of blood, bone, and grey matter exploded and chunks of the man’s head landed everywhere as Emil’s hands clapped together.

Emil released the man’s body and jumped backwards, his entire body covered in gore.

In the same moment, the woman’s spell had been completed and meters of scorched earth and burnt trees were left in its wake. It would have easily incinerated Emil if he had not avoided it.

Within mere seconds, the tide of the battle had changed and two more lives had been lost.