Chapter 180 - Slaughter

"Wait for me!" Slyff shouted and transformed into a tiny bee before dashing out of the town together with his companion.

Jeeran bolted towards the catapult handler who was shooting stones. However, before it could reach the man, Kadyn saw a shadow appearing behind the enemy and his head and blood flew in the sky that Jeera gulped down its throat.

Cecelia grinned towards Kadyn and said, "I guess, you were a bit late." Then she cut the right hand of the corpse in a swift manner and moved towards another prey.

Just as he was about to dash, a light released from the corpse that Cecelia had killed just now. Kadyn tried to dodge, but he failed. It vanished inside his body. He thought it was some kind of spell that the enemy had used at the last minute prior to his death—however, nothing happened. He looked confused.

He didn't attack and let Cecelia kill a few more enemies. The same thing happened again. A light discharged and vanished inside his body. There was nothing weird inside his body, though. Then he checked his consciousness and a shocked expression appeared on his face. The World Lotus sprout was absorbing those lights. 

His eyes shone in anticipation; he grinned as he patted Jeeran's neck. The beast roared furiously and opened its mouth—shooting a gale of wind. Screams echoed, as the gale shredded them into minced meat. Even Rank 3 mage would have a hard time protecting against such an attack, much less these people. Even rank 2 could watch just helplessly. "Don't crush them!" Kadyn said. "How would I claim the reward from the emperor?"

"Grrr?" Jeeran twisted its head and eyed him confusedly.

"Kill them," Kadyn replied, "but don't crush them—or at least, leave their right hand intact." 

"Grrr," Jeeran nodded and attacked another catapult shooter. This time it used its sharp claws and crushed the head of the enemy, a rank 2 mage. Kadyn waved his hand, the body started to fly towards him, then he cut the right hand and placed it inside the space ring.

By now the enemy had also realised that it was not possible to battle in close range with catapults so they abandoned them and started to use spells instead. They used different kinds of spells, but no one used devouring magic—or poison magic—as it was the specialty of the Bone Spear Tower.

"Roar!"

A roar attracted Kadyn's attention. A large chimpanzee was wreaking havoc amid the enemy camp. Kadyn smiled at the scene. Slyff was just a rank 1 mage, however, he was a special kind. He could transform into powerful beasts that could fight stronger mages than themselves. Previously, Fidomer had caught him unprepared, otherwise, he might not have ended that badly.

Kadyn jumped down from Jeeran and started to attack on his own. Jeeran also didn't stay idle, its every attack took tens of people. Then Kadyn would rush and collect his trophies.

"Wound Rupture!" he heard a shout. A group of enemy mages burst into a bloody mist—except their right hand—Elora grinned towards Kadyn and once again attacked. Though it was a bit annoying to collect the right hand again and again—it was a necessity. One could not believe a man, just because he said something. Proof was a must. 

"Die!" another shout echoed. Kadyn was surprised when he saw Dion standing at the large walking tree—which waved its branches like its handa—crushing his opponents like ants. Rank 1 wood spell! Sentient Tree: it could awaken a tree for a short period of time. Only flaw was that he could awaken just a single rank 1 tree. Nonetheless, as the tree crushed his enemies, his hands turned into wood that he extended and collected the right hands of the corpses.

"Run!" No one knew who bellowed, but as soon as the shout echoed, the enemies started to escape. 

"Humph!" Barret snorted, then he placed his hands on the ground and walls started to grow out of the ground. Blocking the path of retreat. Kadyn saw a ball of fire falling from the sky and roasting the enemies. Enemies smashed on the walls and screamed—some of them even begged. 

However, no one showed them any mercy. They didn't think a single time before throwing those stones and spears towards the city. They didn't care about the children inside. Showed no mercy towards innocents. So how could they expect such a thing from others? 

It didn't take long for the area to become silent—Kadyn had captured just a single rank 2 enemy mage. The blood and guts and faeces were rolling, some of the bodies still twitching. Eyes open, terror written, men and women, young and old. There was a single common thing in those corpses—their right hands were missing.

Though there were soldiers of the Carran Town amidst the corpses, they were in minority.

Kadyn wondered if one day he would also lie like them, eyes wide-open, filled with fear, begging to live. Would his enemy show him mercy? He doubted. So he could not show them mercy either. The world was a jungle and in the jungle only strong lives. There was no mercy—only survival instinct. And his survival instinct told him to kill these people if he wanted to live. 

"Wow! They have defeated them so easily!"

A smile appeared on his face when heard victorious shouts from the walls. From the city. At least, he had saved those who deserved to live more than those he killed. 

Did he feel guilty? He eyed the corpses and looked towards the sky. Maybe. Maybe, he felt guilty—for the relatives of these corpses who were waiting for them to return victorious. For their family members; for their wives and children… Maybe he felt… but no matter what he felt, he didn't regret it. If he had a chance to do it, he would do it again. Because that's what his heart told him to do.

He walked into the town and a smile appeared on his face when he saw people looking at him like a hero. He was no hero. He knew that. However, he felt very pleased when he saw admiration on their faces for him. He knew his heart wasn't wrong. What he did wasn't wrong. 

"Ahhha…" his train of thought broke when he heard the painful moaning. "Go help them," he said towards his companions who were walking behind him. All of them nodded and rushed towards the injured to help. Zelie also had a wound on her breast that after using a healing potion vanished. 

Nefia looked pale, blood covering her entire being. Enemy blood. Once she was a timid princess, now she was a valiant warrior. She slouched at the corner of the road, a tired look appeared on her face. She drank a Mana Replenishing Potion and closed her eyes. Slyff hurried towards her and placed her head on his lap, letting her rest.

Kadyn, on the other hand, eyed the man whom he had dragged from amidst the corpses. Just as he was about to speak, a man rushed towards him. "Sir, we have news about the emperor!"

Kadyn lifted his gaze and found the man he had talked on the town wall before the battle.