It felt like the time had stopped. I looked into the devil eyes, and it looked back. For one moment, I forgot the pain on my left hand.

"shishishi, what is that? Another food? shishishi" interrupted the spider with enthusiasm.

With a smile, the demon transformed into a black sword. The thing was flooding in the mid-air, awaiting to pick up by his owner.

I didn't hesitate and grabbed the sword. At the same time, I felt a warm feeling which permeated through my whole body. It felt gorgeous.

The spider tongue came flying towards me, I didn't dodge, with a single strike I cut the tongue in two pieces. The blood spluttered overall.

I was surprised at how light the sword felt. It had practically no weight. The sword had the characteristic of a katana, single-edged blade, wrapped in whole black, only the Hamon was in silver-blue, like the demons eye.

The spider let a big scream, I didn't give him time to prepare for an attack. I charged—my surrounding blurred. My body moved faster I ever had dreamed. It felt like flying. One strike, I made the spider two legs poorer.

As I landed, I faltered a little, and my breath became heavier. Even I could feel the immense power, the pain of the acid robbed my whole energy.

I checked my left hand quickly, I could already see the bone from my small finger. The skin on the hand, also forearm were already dissolved; it was only a question when I would lose my left hand.

First, I needed to concentrate on killing the spider before I could think about the meal-eating thing on my left hand. Simple said as done.

I need to hurry up.

I tried to calm myself before mobilize for the next attack.

I felt the spider tremendous bloody aura. It was in a rage. It let a battle

scream.

I couldn't slow down now. With the next blow, I had to finish it. I clung to my sword as tightly as I could, pain erupted and penetrated in every my nerve cell.

I pressed my teeth together, I charged. The spider was quivering with fury while he tried to hit with the acid. The came like bullets. I dodged multiple time—the eyes of the spider was filled with anger.

I closed the distance, pushed all energy in my legs and jumped as hard as I could, the muscle tore, my bones cracked.

Before I could realize, the blade went through the spider-like butter. I saw everything in slow motion, the spider was paralyzed, with wide eye. It had experienced first time terror before it was cut in two pieces.

I landed on the soft grass and wiggled a little. I gasped.

After that, I calmed down until my view got better.

The sword vibrated. I felt a bloodthirsty aura from my weapon, while a big black smoke arose from the blade. It quickly wrapped the dead spider and devoured in an insane speed.

I dropped the sword. "What the hell was that? " I asked myself.

A message appeared on my view. At the same time, the meat-eating pain on my left hand disappeared.

NEW SKILL - Poison Resistance: You are immune against all meat-eating poison

Did the sword absorb the skill or what?

Even the flesh-eating pain disappeared the state of my left hand was in a really ugly state. The whole meat on my little finger was gone. Also, the skin on my hand and forearm complete gone. But the worst part was my treasure ring, where I put several potions and other things, was melted away.

Well, I should grateful to be alive. That's something.

I looked away and noticed several states on my view.

Soul Weapon: Katana

Partner: ???

Level: ???

Progression: ???

State: Death

Skill:

Poison Resistance: Immune against all poison

There was a lot of unknown, but what me more irritated was the state.

Is it a joke or something? Or it to do with the disappearance of the crest?

Anyway, I didn't have the luxurious to think about such a thing. First, I had to escape from the forest. I was sure the next dangerous was lurking somewhere.

After the adrenaline rush slowly faded away, the pain in my body came to the foreground. I was in a miserable state. Still, I had to move one.

I scanned my surrounding until I found a dirt path, which could lead me outside. I decided to follow the way. I took my sword and moved. While hoping I didn't see his species again.

Many questions buzzed in my head, but I decided to put it aside and find a way to get out of this forest.

While I am following the way, I looked to the moon. I still couldn't believe that yesterday my biggest problem was where I should eat.

The forest was calm. It wasn't really a good sign—only several swirling winds past me.

The path widened and ran into a big rough broad path. It looked like a big road. There were several furrows. I was relieved. If I followed this road, I would surely come out somewhere.

As I put my first step on the rough road, something gleamed. I bent myself down as far as I could and took it. In a small clear bottle was a red liquid. I already saw something similar in the storage room. It was a healing potion.

I scanned the ground. A little further was someone lying. Around the body was several things scattered. It looked like someone had emptied a bag with stuff over there.

I took a closer look. It was an adult woman. First, attract me was her beautiful face. I never saw such a face in my entire life. She had pointed ears. I was so fascinated by her beauty that I completely forgot that she was already dead.

I pulled myself together, on her right hand, she was holding some kind of staff with a green gem. Her body had deep long cuts. As I looked closer to her stomach, there was a big hole.

I touched her arm.

It is warm.

I felt a strange queasy feeling in my stomach.

Something dangerous popped up behind me, I jumped on the right side. At the same time, I heard a big smack on the spot where I was right now.

There was something like a grizzly bear, and it had a massive body, it was at least three or four meters tall. When the monster noticed that I wasn't under his long sharp claws, he let an angry roar.

I made several step back until I hit a soft resistance. I look down, there was another corpse, the upper body was soaked in full blood. It probably belongs to a man. The head was no longer attached.

Slowly I looked around. The ground was soaked in blood. There was another corpse.

A fight must have raged here. Shit, I should have noticed earlier. My brain turns slowly off.

The bear let another roar. The bear was completely different from the previous monster. Also, it didn't have the dangerous, ominous aura like the spider. Besides that, his body state wasn't even better than mine, it looked battered.

The monster had obviously had its best days. The left eye was missing, several deep long injuries on his body, blood was dripping from several cuts. His fur was soaked in blood. It also hyperventilated.

We both weren't in good condition. He tottered, I tottered. From the outside, it looked like two drunk people were going to beat each other.

"Hi...we both have a bad day today. What if we both go our separate ways?" I asked the bear. I was surprised how weak my voice was.

But it seemed he had a different opinion despite his big injury, he stepped forward and let another big roar and charged with his massive claws.

I sighed and clung again my sword, prepared for the next battle. My whole body was trembling, I was clearly on the verge of collapse. I flinched over, the red potion was still next to the woman corpse.

I have to get over as quickly as possible.

I parried his claws with my sword. I big wave was sent through my whole body. I retried and fell on the ground. I fetched a deep breath, blood spouted from my mouth.

Vin, damn you pull yourself together. You can do it.

With a jerk I stood up, I pretend to attack his head. Instead, I threw soil in his right eye.

Full hit.

It roared as loud it could. It had lost its orientation. It waved its arms around to catch something.

I took a deep breath and exterminated the bear. Under the forehead was something glittering.

A crystal. Is that a soul monster?

I couldn't even move. My whole body was nailed to the floor. I pressed everything together and moved. As I reached the range, with one stroke, I bored the sword through the crystal with the last energy. I heard a crackle and a last scream of the monster before I stepped back.

The bear slowly disintegrated and turned into ash. As previous the sword pulled the whole ash inside, only a football-size crystal and two long claws stayed behind.

NEW SKILL - Diamond Skin: you are allowed to harden one of your body parts

Is it finally over?

With the last energy, I lurched the way towards the red potion. With a jerk, I poured the content. It was cold, also sweet. I felt how the liquid moistened my dry throat.

A fiery feeling spread inside my chest, it burned my fatigue away, it burned my pain away, it burned my dizziness away. Everything faded away.

I couldn't believe it. It exceeds common sense. Everything was gone within a few seconds. Not even the best medicine could do such a miracle.

This is also magic.

I moved my legs, my arms. The old energy was in everything again. It was like nothing had happened.

Well, my left hand looked now like more a dry pork.

With a sigh, I stood up. I took a few deep breathed before turning around, looking my surrounding.

I count exact three corpses on the road. In a little far away was also a well-decorated carriage.

"prrhe me, plzze" I heard a whining noise. Irritated I looked my surrounding. Suddenly something grabbed my leg.

I looked down, there was a guy, who was wearing expensive cloth, his face looked like a pig. Pink skin and he had a distinct huge black moustache. I saw a lot of strange things here, but this guy surpasses everything.

He clung on my right leg like there's no tomorrow. "What? I don't understand. Dammit, stay away from my leg?" I yelled.

He was still clinging on me "Plea..Please help me. I saw your fight. You are an adventure, aren't you? I pay you twice..please protect me until Magnone."

Magnone? Is that the summoning place? Not even ten horses will be able to bring me there. Otherwise, it seems the monster attacks him. I don't want to involve in his problem.

"Sorry, I am not an adventure, and I never heard of Magnone". I gave him a prompt answer. I tried to leave to collect stuff from the ground, which could be useful for my journey. Unfortunately, he still grabbed my leg again.

".M..M..Magnone is.. richest..biggest city in the world, you can find everything. you..you benefits." and he cried "I pay...play.. you more than other twice.., 100, no 200, no I PAY YOU 250'000 LUX. Please, please help me.."

Lux? Isn't that the currency of this world?

I stopped not because he was whining.

250k seems awful money. I earn per years is 25k euro. I don't know what the exchange rate is, but it was still a lot of money.

I turned my face to him. He had light injuries over his body, also looked terrified. "So I have you protect until you reach the Magnone city. And you pay me 250k lux?" I summarized.

"Yes, I hired three adventure, but as you can see..... I am a merchant, I need to bring an important thing to the Magnone city. You have only protected me until there. I will pay for you. It only a day away from here."

So it was far away from here, it was good. I have already decided to get this place as far behind as possible. I don't want anything to do with "the hero, dark lord"- shit anymore.

"Ok. I accept it. But if you dare to betray me, I'll slaughter you," I warned him.

"I swear on my Brent family that I won't betray you. Thanks, thanks." He took it seriously, also I couldn't see any lies in his eyes.

He released my leg from his tight grip and stood up.

Now I looked at myself. I was really in a worse state, especially my clothes. My shoes were half torn, only question when they fall apart. My cloth became filthy and soaked in blood and other dirty.

"Do you have any clothes?" I asked him.

"Sorry, I don't have any, but there are bags with cloths of them," while he was pointing his finger to the corpse.

"Hmm, ok. do you have a shovel or something?" I asked him, he looked puzzled. "Ehm, I think something like should be inside the carriage".

After he gave me a shovel, he looked confused. "What you want to do?"

"Give me 30 minutes." With that, I started to dig a big whole. First I dragged the elf and the rest two guys. One of the guys had good boots, so I took them. It wasn't pleasant to wear, but better than my current shoes.

It wasn't the best funeral, but better than to rot on the street. I honestly wouldn't do that for stranger people. But thanks to her potion, I was still alive. So I decided to give at least a good place to rest for them.

I also took all the valuable stuff from them, which I could use or sell. I stuffed everything in the elf bag, even the football-size crystal and the dropped claws.

The size of the bag wasn't big, but I was able to put a lot of stuff inside. It was kind of inventory.

When I grabbed the gem staff, I got a message.

You can't use magical staff.

Even I couldn't use it, I could sell it. As I tried to take the dagger, I got an electric shook.

You can not use other weapons than your soul weapon.

It seemed the rule of the heroes applied for me too.

After I collected important stuff, I changed my blood-smeared cloth. The clothes weren't in my size, and they were bigger but better than nothing.

I found a white-blue bandage. "What is this?".

The merchant gave a closer look "It is a protective bandage. A lo of adventure use it. it can protect you from injuries, also strengthened your body parts."

I didn't hesitate and wrapped my whole left arm with that bandage.

After that, I entered the carriage, where the merchant guy was already waiting.

As I sat down on the soft, my butt felt relieved. My body relaxed. I also notice how mentally exhausted I was. This time I grabbed a violet potion, from the bag and drunk. After a few second, also, my mind cleared. The thing helped me. It was like an energy drink.

I wondered if I could drink a lot of it. I threw the empty glass out of the window.

The carriage started with a jerk.

Let's see how it gets