The Regression Of A Grand Mercenary

As I held a bandit by his neck, strangling him with the grip that could easily bend metal, I turned to their leader and simply spoke my opinion.

“You people are so…pathetic.” I said as I broke the bandit’s neck and threw him to the side.

“….” the leader looked incredibly nervous. I could tell that his body was screaming to want to leave…but my presence made him act to only one choice.

“I’ve said those words twice already. That’s how pathetic you people are.”

“Fire the arrows!” he said, and by his command, five men came to shoot their bows. As the arrows fell quickly down my way, I raised my hand and manipulated those five arrows in the will of my wind. Having taken control, I forced those arrows to be thrown back to the shooters, and immediately the leader of the bandits were down five men.

“You and your men don’t have a chance of leaving this camp alive. Either you die trying…or you surrender. But truth be told, wheres the justice in that?” as I spoke that devious sentence, I swung my sword again and manifested a breeze strike that killed two men instantly who were hiding behind a few wooden crates.

Just by waving my sword around, I could easily kill these men with no struggle.

I had full control of everything…and I could easily end it all with one technique, but again, where is the justice of it all…

To me, the least I could do to punish a bandit was through torture that leads to death…a quick death in their case is nothing but mercy on my part. Just looking at these bastards already makes my blood boil.

After maliciously killing his men left and right, leaving only about a dozen left by his side…the leader, the one who was clearly the strongest of them all stood with an indecisive face.

“W-what would it take to let us go?” he asked as he looked afraid.

“Nothing…nothing will ever convince me to let your kind go. My blood is boiling at the very thought of mercy.” at the end of my words, my bloodlust burst into a higher level.

With every swing of my sword, the air crackled with unreleased power, each strike effortlessly finding its mark amidst the chaos of the bandit camp. The leader, visibly shaken, glanced around at his dwindling forces, realization dawning on him that escape was futile. Yet, defiance flickered in his eyes, a last ember of resistance.

“Please… there must be something we can do,” he pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice.

I paused, a brief moment of contemplation passing over me. The wind whispered its secrets, carrying the scent of blood and fear through the clearing. These men, thieves and murderers, were beyond redemption in my eyes. They had chosen their path, and now they faced the consequences.

“You had your chance from the moment you chose this despicable path. Being a bandit…being someone that breaks families, that burns homes, that rapes women! There’s no more mercy left here…not to bastards like you.” I replied coldly, my grip tightening on the hilt of my sword.

With a sudden gust, I surged forward, unleashing a storm of precise strikes that cut through the remaining bandits like a scythe through wheat. The leader, now alone and cornered, trembled as he raised his weapon in a final, desperate attempt to defend himself.

“You brought this upon yourselves,” I muttered, my voice a low growl. The wind responded to my command, swirling around me with heightened intensity, amplifying my every movement.

In a blur of motion, I closed the distance between us. His blade met mine briefly, a futile resistance against the fury of the Tempest Blades. With a swift maneuver, I disarmed him, leaving him defenseless before me. His eyes widened in terror as he realized the inevitability of his fate.

“Any last words?” I asked, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade through flesh.

“A-” Right as he opened his mouth, I plunged my sword straight down all to a point that the ground broke from the sheer force of my strength.

It didn’t take a doctor to see that the man before me has died. In that moment, I saw the reflection of his fear mirrored in his eyes…

Hiis expression left me delighted. It made me feel…pride above all else.

The camp fell silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind. The bodies of the bandits lay scattered around me, silent witnesses to the storm that had swept through their ranks. With a heavy sigh, I sheathed my sword and the adrenaline of battle slowly ebbed away.

Justice, in its rawest form, had been served.

With its end, I turned my gaze towards the women who were in the center of all this…incident.

Taking off my helmet, I revealed my face to them and showed a soft expression.

“Lets go home.” with those words said, the women who were once afraid suddenly felt emotional. They couldn’t help but shed their tears because of what they had experienced.

Twenty women were captured, but now, I was able to save them.

After a while, I had the women rest by the camp as I handled the bodies of those bandits. Seeing their tired faces and the sheer fear imprinted in their eyes, the experience they must have gone through was something that needed to be settled.

They were hungry, so using the resources stolen by these bandits, they made themselves a warm filling dinner.

As they did, I used the winds to manipulate the very bodies of the dead bandits and gathered them into a single pile. Having placed them by the side of the camp, I took a torch and ignited their bodies with no hesitation.

With this done, some women watched as the corpses were burned all so easily.

“You guys should rest…anytime now, the men will come by with carriages.”

“Really? So the men are coming here to get us?” asked a woman who was around my age.

“Yes. This burning pile of bodies is meant to be a signal to call out to them to approach the camp now. In a few hours from now, the men will come to take us back home in carriages. From how dark your eyes are, I can tell that you haven’t been sleeping well. So please, get some rest…I’ll take watch over the camp.”

Having said that, the women trusted me and they went by the empty tents and warmed themselves around a fire. Some started to fall asleep, and pretty soon the men finally came with their carriages.

At the sight of their wives, sisters and daughters being saved, the men came dashing in and embracing them as they were safe. At this warm sight, I couldn’t help but feel thankful that nothing too heartbreaking happened.

As they cheered and rejoice, I stood by the side and took guard. As I did, the vice elder came by and spoke to me.

“Thank you. If it wasn’t for what you did, we would have lost everything…this would have been a dark day for all of us…so thank you.” he said as tears began to fall down to his cheeks.

“I’m grateful that I could help…but to be honest, this won’t be the last time the village will experience something like this again.”

“I know. For generations, our village has gone through to some similar experiences. Bandits and monsters alike, we’ve all fell to those experiences…but we couldn’t do anything. Our village doesn’t have the power to go against these problems…not until recently that is.”

“I can’t always be there to help…and although I’m always willing, I’m just one man.”

“…”

“So, I have a suggestion that will certainly help the village and its future.” having said this, I smiled at the vice elder and spoke my idea.

With everything settled, by the next sunrise, we all came back to the village safe and sound. We took everything that was still salvageable from the camp, so that came with coins and valuable items as well like armor and weapons.

Everyone cheered at the sight of our return, and calling out to my name like I was a hero of sort, the people shouted with such gratitude, I couldn’t really process it all. But I accepted their cheers and I smiled and waved at them with thanks.

With that said, my family wasn’t there to greet me. So I went home and found that a fire was made inside my home. When I came to look, I saw that my siblings were by the fireplace, huddled together like a pack of animals, they shared a single large sheet in their sleep.

Seeing that, I assumed that they must have waited for my return.

With them, Evelyn was also there…but unlike my siblings, she was by the table, reading a book. With her haggard hair and the dark circles under her eyes, I can see that she did not get a wink of sleep at all.

Slowly but surely I approached her. As she noticed me, she smiled and got up from the chair.

“How did it go?” she asked.

“It was fine…no one was hurt. All except for the bandits that is.” I said.

“Hmm, good…that’s good.” she yawned as she said those words. She could hardly keep her eyes open then. So, I picked her up from her feet and carried her to my room.

“W-what are you doing?” she asked.

“Be careful, I don’t want to drop you.”

Like a princess, I gentle carried her in my shining armor and placed her on my bed.

“…Get some sleep, okay.” I said to her as I looked worried.

As I was about to leave my room, she suddenly held my hand one last time and pulled me in close.

In a bit of a shock, she kissed me out of nowhere and pushed me away just after.

“…This still isn’t enough for the promise you made for me last time.” she said.

My promise…I remember it like it was only yesterday.

To make her mine…and to make me hers….

A consensual agreement to push our relationship further than before.

It was a spur of the moment promise. But seeing her so expose before like so, I would have taken her then and there…but I smiled instead and simply caressed her cheek.

“Just tell me when.” I said.

With what I said, she smiled and gave me a cheeky smirk.

“You can’t wait for me, can’t you? You’re heart…it’s beating twice as fast now.” she asked.

“Haha…yeah, this is much harder than dealing with those bastards.” I said in a soft expression. Trying to hold myself back as I am.

“Hmm, good things come for those who wait…that’s what they say isn’t it?”

With my heavy beating heart, I leaned in closer to her and we looked at each others eyes.

At that close of a distance, I couldn’t help but feel her warm breath in this cold season. Her warm skin…her flushed cheeks…and most of all, her alluring night dress. With how soft her figure was, I couldn’t help but reach out my arm to touch her bountiful breast.

“…Just say when.” I said as I was feeling her body then and there.

“Hnn~!” she moaned at my touch, and her cheeks became even more flushed. Redder than that of a cherry.

“…If not, then tell me to stop.” I said as I then went for her neck. Her delicate soft neck.

From the moment my lips touched her neck, she squirmed in delight…enjoying it like it was a delicacy she had yearned for all her life.

But then all of a sudden, she pushed me away for a bit and looked me in the eye with her hazy, drunken expression.

“W-wait…I-I think it’s a bit too early for this. What if your siblings hear us?” she asked out of worry.

“…” I said and only looked her with the same feverish eyes.

“Tonight…at midnight, I’ll wait for you in my room.” she said as she looked at me with an expression that lied to her own intentions.

She wanted me then and there…and I too wanted her.

But to her request, I complied and pulled my body away from her.

And just in that moment, I suddenly heard footsteps being made from the stairs.

When I turned around, I saw that Tilly, was awake…or at least barely awake.

“hmm? B-brother?” she called to me.

So I smiled and walked up to her.

“Come on, lets get you to your room.” I said as carried her.

“…Okay.” she kindly hugged me in her sleepy expression. And like so, I went to her room, but before I could leave the room, I waved goodbye to Evelyn.

And she waved back as well, only at that time she looked dissatisfied.