Chapter 41: Conflict
[Eden's POV].
"Sigh.."
With a heavy sigh, I moved my gaze away from the lifeless body of the lizard man, which lay decapitated before me, and replaced my spear. These were the famed bandits who had tortured the neighboring village for a long time, avoiding prosecution with their devious techniques.
In a hushed tone, I uttered the word,
"Retrieve." The dense cloud that had covered the battlefield began to clear in answer to my command. It didn't, however, disperse into thin air, but instead condensed and swirled around a small, inconspicuous box grasped securely in my palm, which I had brought from the system shop.
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Item Name: Paralysis Gas Vial
Item Description:
The Paralysis Gas Vial is a potent tool designed to incapacitate non-awakened individuals and severely hinder the stamina of awakened beings when inhaled. It is a compact glass vial with a metallic seal and a built-in delivery mechanism.
Item Limitations:
The Paralysis Gas Vial is a single-use item.
It has a limited effective radius of 30 meters.
The gas effect on awakened beings is stamina reduction rather than paralysis, and only up to beings with origin level 4.
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I examined the landscape around me as I tossed the box into my inventory. With the darkness of night falling, the makeshift structures of the buildings were now clearly evident.
My gaze was then drawn to the men who were motionless on the ground. It was no surprise that their trembling bodies were filled with fear. Both of their leaders were killed, and they were stuck, unable to flee because of the paralyzing effect.
"B-boss," one of them mumbled, trying to find the strength to speak up.
"Hmmm," I replied, my gaze shifting to the shaky speaker.
"Y-you got what you wished for." "P-please, l-let us go," he begged, his voice shaking and his manner supplicant-like.
""Don't worry, I won't kill you," I promised him as I entered one of the buildings.
"T-thank you, boss," he said, a relieved expression on his face. He had no idea that believing my remarks was a naive mistake.
As I entered the structure, I found myself in a room with nothing but a bed and a few random belongings, none of which were very notable.
I decided to investigate the other buildings as well, although one of them attracted my interest but left it for last. After taking everything useful from the rest of the building i got into the last one.
Surprisingly, the interior of this specific building revealed a sight I had seen numerous times in my previous life.
But it was the first time I'd seen something like this in this world.
A awful sight greeted me inside the building. Four women were chained on the bed, their ripped clothes bore evidence to a harrowing ordeal. Their bodies, bruised and marked by torture, told a sad story of agony and cruelty.
Their tears and bruises covered their cheeks, and white liquid was trickling from between their legs.
I approached the women with caution and began untying their ties one by one.
As their shackles loosened, their tired eyes met mine, full with fear.
"Who are you?" One of them gathered the nerve to inquire, her voice shaking with fear.
"I'm an adventurer," I said as I continued my efforts to release them. "I've dealt with the bandit leaders, and the threat is over." You're no longer in danger."
The women sat down as I liberated them, still stunned and in shock from their ordeal. They made no immediate move to cover themselves, and I ignored their open state as well.
They were clearly still attempting to understand what had happened, their thoughts reeling from the abrupt change in their circumstances. At the time, their safety and well-being took precedence over any considerations about modesty.
One of the women, after a few moments of silence, mustered the courage to speak. She looked like an ordinary lady, unremarkable in appearance, but her voice carried no emotion as she asked in a plain tone.
"What happened to the bandits?" She asked, her gaze looking for answers.
"They are outside alive, but not for long" .
I replied to her as I stared into their eyes; those were the eyes I remembered having when I lost my will to live after my family perished in my old world. I know they have their own stories to tell and reasons for not wanting to live, but I don't have time for that.
"It's your choice" .
I took four knives from my side pocket and put them in front of them. People must sometimes decide whether they wish to start over or end their lives.
As I stepped outdoors, I was greeted by the sight of the bandits, who were still present.
walking closer to one of them, i grabbed one of their legs.
I dragged each bandit outside one by one, their groans of pain filling the air as I treated them mercilessly. Confusion and resentment spread like wildfire among them once I got them all collected in one area.
"What's the meaning of this? You said you'd let us go!" One of them protested, his voice laced with anger and disbelief.
With a firm command, I silenced him.
"Shut up," I said, leaving no space for debate. "I made that promise so you wouldn't attract any more attention; you know it's nighttime beast are active in this time."
"Fuck you, bastard" .
"Let us go" .
Their curses and insults rushed at me like knives, but I stayed unfazed, concentrating on my lengthy task of assembling them into a little, shaking tower.
With a sinister grin, I extended my palm toward the horde of bandits, my fingers extended as if conducting a wicked symphony.
"Let's try this," I grumbled under my breath, a devious glint in my eye.
"Ignite," I said, and I felt a small shift within me at that instant. My mana core shook, and a flood of energy flowed through my veins, culminating in my outstretched hand. The mana flowed like a river, igniting the flames.
"Fwoosh!"
On my palm, a little fireball ignited, sending weird, dancing shadows over my face.
It grew quickly, like a ravenous beast hungry for annihilation. I launched it with all my strength at the hapless tower of bandits when it reached a diameter of about one meter.
"Ahh".
"P-please,stop".
"I-it hurts" .
I examined them attentively as I heard their cries of pain. This was my first time utilizing magic, and I must say that it feels amazing to use, yet its wonder remains a mystery to me.
"Sssss... Crackle!"
"Sizzle... Pop!"
As time passed, their cries for aid faded, and after a few minutes, all I could hear was the sound of their burning bodies and the revolting stench of scorched flesh.
After I finished my task, I returned to the building where those four women were kept.
When I entered the building, I was met with the sight of four dead bodies, some with a knife in their hearts and others with their necks slashed open.
"They were weak" .
As I retrieved the knives, I whispered aloud, If they wanted to live, they had to have the will to live, and they clearly lacked willpower.
"I hate women who break easily."
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