1,000,000 Karma: My Reward Is a Quiet Life-Chapter 35: Thros, Once Upon a Time

The orc was blinking in disbelief, seeing to his right, the elf utterly elated with the wind around him, and to his left, the once unstoppable berserker left slumped against the wall.

Like clockwork, the remnants of the once great adventurer rose with a kick of his legs. The entirety of Thros’ torso was bruised and lacerated, a mix of purple and red.

"Fantastic!" The man, larger than life, shouted with an exhilarated smile, slapping his own chest without any restraint as blood splashed. "A real, proper battle it is, then! Let’s stake our lives–right here, right now!"

Wordlessly, the challenge was accepted as the archer drew in a breath that filled his lungs with bountiful vigor. Once more, he pulled along the bowstring as wind gathered, condensing at once and firing–

At the same moment, the smiling warrior lunged forward, slamming his foot right through the stone at his feet. The fastly-moving burst of wind collided with a chunk of risen earth, blasting it apart into chunks.

’He created a blockade? Was it earthen magic or just brute strength–? Wait–!’ Otto realized.

Every hair on the young adventurer’s body stood as he immediately drew his string again, predicting a quick rush by the man using the debris as a cover. Just as he took aim, he faltered, not knowing where the berserker was.

The truth became clear; the boisterous figure never took a single stride forward, instead gripping his oversized sword like a javelin.

Thros’ expression intensified as did the muscles in his right arm before he took one stride forward, using the momentum to throw his blade like a spear. It came so quick with such heaviness behind its path, that the elf could only let go of the string and hope, yet–

The wind, try as it may, did nothing to negate the weapons path of impalement.

’I’m...’ Otto thought sparsely in that moment that teetered on life and death.

Squelch.

"Hrk!--" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Without a second thought, it seemed, the orc was there without any regard for himself. The blade had no trouble piercing through Redrum’s stomach, sticking out through his back as blood gushed out, yet it made it no further.

The elf’s eyes wandered down, enveloped in shock as he found the tip of the blade mere inches from reaching his own self.

"Don’t hesitate now–!" Redrum forced out, followed by a hoarse cough of blood. "...Do what you must!"

When the orc in front of him was clenching every muscle in his body to shield him, there was no higher incentive to listen as Otto turned his focus back to the criminal. His eyes darted around the dark chamber, only finding swaying chains where perhaps the man in question passed, but moments behind.

A single misstep, one singular second late to react, and he’d be dead; that was certain in his mind. Against his left ear, the wind whispered, guiding a turn of his head as he found the man, sprinting through the darkness like a phantom coming for his soul.

He stepped in front of the impaled orc, drawing his bow as his eyes met with the dilated, amber pupils of the warrior. Even without a weapon in hand, the threat posed by the force of Thros was recognized well-and-clear.

"Hhff–!"

Otto exhaled sharply between his lips, letting the sharpened wind fly, cutting through the hanging chains.

It moved quickly, though the berserker galloped like a horse, leaping above the cutting gale. While the miss stung, the elf recalibrated his offense with a quiet adjustment, running forward to meet his foe halfway.

As he closed the distance, Thros’ smile widened with maniacal joy, though the young archer slid over the gravel, right between the maddened one’s legs. At the same moment, the berserk warrior’s fist passed through only air. Agility was the key for Otto, sliding himself around onto one knee and taking aim, then releasing–FWOOM.

Against the exposed back, the arrow of wind struck true; blood splattered and the warrior stumbled, yet did not fall. Folds of skin hung from the chiseled back, exposing the raw muscle beneath while laughter unbefitting of such wounds filled the cavern.

What remnants were left of Thros howled, expelling such a joyful laugh as he clung on, clenching his fists, "A monster like you–you’re trouble...far too much trouble!"

"Monster?" Otto mumbled in complete confusion.

Thros turned to face him, his legs wobbling before stomping down to settle himself, "I’ll hunt you down...protect the city, the people...That’s the right thing to do."

Both of the veteran’s hands clasped, with his left fist on top of the right as if holding a sword that wasn’t there. It was all too clear to the young elf now as he looked on at the deteriorating form of the man he looked up to.

["Once upon a time, the name "Thros" didn’t belong to a savage man, but a revered adventurer."]

Lillitap, a small town tucked behind the densest forest of Archmaud. Despite being part of the foremost kingdom on the continent, Lillitap was completely absent of capable fighters, with a Guild that hosted only the lowest ranks and copper-quests, yet–

It had one defender, and only one that was needed.

During a vibrant spring that brought lush greens to the quiet piece of civilization, it also brought the greed of monsters. The townsfolk shouted and fled into their homes at the sight of the cyclops that arrived with such thunderous stomps.

Each step it took quaked the entire town, casting its shadow over the people that might as well be ants to it.

"Bring me all the meat you’ve got every week, and I won’t eat you!" The one-eyed colossus demanded, slapping his belly with a sound that vibrated the winds.

All the swords the townsfolk had couldn’t amount to cutting even the pinky toe of the giant, nor would any of their arrows make it past its calloused, dirt-ridden skin.

"Now, come on, isn’t that a bit too direct, even for a monster?"

The voice came from the left of the cyclop’s ear, who scrunched his nose and looked over to his shoulder. With a squint, the gigantic eye honed in on the human standing on the colossus’ shoulder, taking in the view.

"A human...?" The one-eyed monster muttered in pure disbelief. "Get off me–!"

Such an angry proclamation bellowed from the depths of the sky-reaching being that for those on the ground, it sounded no different from thunder. Like boulders falling from the sky, the cyclops’ feet stomped into the ground, splitting the soil as the fields quaked.

It thrashed about, slapping its own shoulders, but the gallant man only laughed, running along the swaying arm of the giant. In his hand, the man of unkempt, long hair carried his tremendous blade, dragging it along the tough flesh of the colossus in his sprint.

"Is that all, fiend–?!" Thros shouted to the sky with gallant laughter following.

The cyclops stamped the earth, splintering the plains as it flailed its fist. In one leap from the colossus’ forearm, the heroic man crossed the empty air, leading his blade through the neck equal in thickness to an elder tree.

Like a meteor striking the world, the cyclops’ head crashed into the ground, with the savior of the town landing atop. The people gathered and cheered, and he could only relish in it, taking pride in the safety he provided.

["I was so strong back then. I could leap mountains, cut down the tallest of giants...It felt that with a swing of my sword, I could defeat anything. My body was no less sturdy than the toughest metal of this world, yet–my mind was not."]