Only I Am Human (6)
Shwick—! My hand sliced through the air.
“...!”
His eyes widened at the unexpected assault.
Clang—! A sharp, explosive ring echoed as my body was hurled backward. I twisted mid-air and landed on my feet.
Even reinforced with mana and layered with shadows, my wrist still tingled numbly.
The knight captain had already drawn his sword, facing me squarely. He'd blocked my attack without so much as glancing back.
Did he spot me closing in? Or was it pure instinct?
“As expected,” he muttered under his breath.
“I knew you'd crawl out eventually. You filthy rat.”
A trap, then. He'd been wandering alone on purpose, dangling himself as bait. But I didn't falter.
“...”
I dropped into a low stance without a word.
“Cat got your tongue? Mute, are you?”
Predictable provocation. The classic trick—get me talking, analyze my voice for clues. Fat chance.
Pop. I kicked off the ground again. Using the alley wall as a springboard, I launched myself once more. This time from the left, diving straight for the knight captain's waist.
But his reaction speed surpassed my expectations. He swung what looked like a hefty blade with effortless grace.
Kwaang! Sword met shadow in a shower of sparks. Outmatched in raw power yet again, I swiftly pulled back to create distance.
“Trained footwork. Nimble as a rat, just like I thought.”
He oozed composure, slowly readjusting his grip as he closed in on me.
“No ordinary thief or killer. Who the hell are you? Not one of the villagers, that's for sure.”
He pegged me as an outsider. Perfect. No need to disabuse him of that notion. I pressed the attack. This round, it was all about speed.
Shifting positions relentlessly to feint his eyes. Thrust, slash, retreat. Every strike targeted vitals—irregular combos that would end in instant death on contact.
Yet the knight captain parried them all with unflappable calm.
Kang! Chaeng! Kagagak—! The clash of metal buzzed in my ears.
The narrow alley cramped his movements. It should've favored me. And still, not one blow landed.
His swordplay was exquisite, even to an amateur like me. Blades honed in on my openings with lethal precision. He was strong. No denying it.
Shiiik—! A blade whispered past my throat. A fraction slower, and it'd have been lights out. Ice prickled down my spine.
“Hoh, dodging that one. But how long can you keep scampering away?”
His gaze sharpened. He unleashed a massive swing, and a heavy gust slammed into me. Blocking it head-on might've snapped bones. I rolled desperately across the dirt to evade.
Kwaaaang—! The ground where I'd stood cratered deep. My face-concealing hood tore free in the same instant.
“...!”
His eyes flashed wide for a split second, then he nodded.
“Knew it had to be you. My gut never lies.”
“Impressive. Doesn't it warn you you're dying today?”
“Don't make me laugh. My life's not yours to claim, girl.”
“Keep yapping.”
“...By order of the lord, I will take you alive.”
Bad news. I was hitting my limit. I'd been holding my breath the whole time—no voice, no info for him.
It looked even, but he had me one-sidedly pinned. I hadn't landed a solid hit; he could've ended me anytime.
Worse, presences were closing in from afar. Identity blown. If they encircled me, game over.
Fine. All or nothing.
Mana surged to my soles. I rocketed forward.
Kwaang—! Part of the wall crumbled, billowing thick dust. In that blinding moment, I wheeled toward the village heart.
“Halt!”
His roar thundered behind me. He gave chase at once. But speed was my edge.
Each shadow-step widened the gap—inch by inch.
Unfavorable board? Flip it. Can't win straight? Rewrite the rules. This was a game world. Every limit on me was fake. Knowing that, I trusted myself to do anything.
A roadside torch caught my eye. I snatched it mid-sprint. Blazing heat scorched my face.
“Bye now.”
I flung it onto the nearest rooftop. Dry weather, wooden homes—ideal setup.
Whoosh! Flames erupted like they'd been waiting, the red inferno ballooning in seconds. One wasn't enough. On the run, I scattered every ember in sight.
“F-Fire! The village is burning—!”
“Aaaah...! Help! Somebody, please!”
The quiet village drowned in pandemonium. NPCs spilled into the streets, their sleep-dazed faces twisted in horror.
Yes—chaos. Exactly what I craved.
“M-Move... Gurk!”
I slashed the throat of an NPC blocking my path. He crumpled without a scream. His head sailed through the air; blood fountained like a geyser, lit by the blaze.
Severed a bucket-toting man's waist next. Torso and legs parted, he pitched forward. Water splashed uselessly against the surging flames.
Chaos accelerated. Screams and wails filled the village core. Through it all, the knight captain dogged my heels relentlessly.
“Stop—now!”
He couldn't ignore innocents dying in this nightmare. But he wouldn't stop. His instincts screamed that letting me slip meant catastrophe.
Grinding his teeth, he shoved through the crowd and lunged. Kagagagak—! Sparks flew anew. His face loomed close—twisted beyond measure.
“Told you to bark, didn't I?”
“Raaaats—!”
I repelled him once more, gaining space. He lost it completely and charged wild.
...Just as he lunged. The flames denied him passage.
Debris collapsed, burning timbers barricading his path. Heaven-sent luck. I plunged into the choking smoke.
Mana shielded my lungs as I melted into the fire-forged shadows.
The knight captain wheezed raggedly, scanning wildly. Firelight gleamed off his armor. Sooty face, bloodshot eyes.
“Come out! Fight fair, you coward!”
He hacked wildly at empty air. Gusts rent the smoke—but futile. I was already hunkered in his blind spot.
My heart thundered like mad.
Tension? Fear of failure? I shook my head. This felt different.
Now was the moment. His reason shattered, senses dulled. Even a powerhouse knight couldn't stay flawless in hell. I held my breath. Squeezed every drop of mana, flooding my body haphazardly.
Euphoria devoured me whole. Laughter bubbled up unbidden.
The instant he turned his back searching—shadows rippled. Distance vanished. Three meters, two, one.
Instinct flared; he twisted. Monster senses, as expected. Timing to decapitate anyone else, yet he reacted instantly. Impressive.
But not this time. Our eyes locked. In the crawling time, my face mirrored in his black pupils. Gleaming crimson irises, lips curled in manic glee.
“It's over.”
With those words, our shadows crossed.
His motion froze. Eyes bulged. Disbelieving, a trembling hand clawed at his throat. Mouth worked silently; red foam bubbled at his lips.
A vivid red line bloomed late across his neck. His quivering gaze bored into the void for long moments.
Tok. His head lolled free, hitting the ground limp. It rolled, halting coincidentally to face me—eyes wide, staring right back.
His body knelt a beat later, then toppled forward. Blood jetted skyward, spraying everywhere.
Only then did I gasp the breath I'd hoarded, ragged and raw. My body was a mess of sweat and gore. Hands shook—mana exhaustion.
Moments later, mana surged explosively, dwarfing my reserves. Euphoria, orgasmic in intensity, seized my mind anew.
“Huuuuh...! Heuk... Het.”
Laughter escaped. No time for victory highs, though. Knights' shouts echoed from afar—reinforcements breaching the blaze.
I reached for his head, paused. Too bulky to lug. Instead, I booted it away.
“Huh... That was fun.”
The final trace vanished into the flames. Evidence erased clean. I slipped into the dark. Soon, the knights' agonized cries rang out.
“What the... Captain?!”
“C-Captain! Captain—!”