The forest fell silent.
Not even the wind seemed willing to disturb the battlefield.
Then a loud voice echoed through the trees.
“So… you’re done hiding like rats?”
A tall man stepped into the clearing with several mercenaries behind him.
He wore worn military gear, and a massive scar stretched across his face.
Everyone in the Dryland knew his name.
Wolf.
He smiled arrogantly as he scanned the area.
“I’ll give you one chance,” he shouted.
“Join us… or die.”
Levi calmly stepped out from behind the barricade.
He wore military gear of his own.
A Glock 19 rested on his hip, while several knives and spare magazines were strapped across his vest.
Unlike the others…
He showed no fear.
Wolf laughed.
“And who are you supposed to be?”
Levi met his eyes without flinching.
“I should be the one giving you a choice.”
Wolf’s smile slowly disappeared.
“You can leave now,” Levi continued calmly.
“Or you can stay here and make this place your grave.”
A few mercenaries burst into laughter.
Wolf smirked.
“I don’t recognize you, boy.”
He looked Levi up and down.
“What are you? One of the Godmother’s little lovers?”
“You think protecting her is going to earn her affection?”
Levi sighed.
“It’s nothing like that.”
“I don’t need her love.”
He slowly reached toward one of the knives on his belt.
“But you picked the wrong night to attack.”
“If you wanted this place…”
“You should’ve waited until I was gone.”
Wolf laughed louder.
“And why would I do that?”
Levi answered without hesitation.
“Because I’m leaving in four days.”
“You would’ve had a much easier time attacking then.”
For just a second…
Wolf’s smile disappeared.
Then rage replaced it.
“You arrogant little—”
Without warning, Wolf lunged forward, throwing a powerful punch directly at Levi’s face.
Levi didn’t even think.
His body reacted on instinct.
He leaned slightly to the side.
The punch missed completely.
Wolf had thrown so much force into the attack that his body continued moving forward.
His balance broke.
In that instant…
Levi moved.
Everything happened so quickly…
No one had time to react.
Levi looked him directly in the eyes.
“I warned you.”
His voice remained calm.
Cold.
Emotionless.
“This would’ve been your grave.”
BANG!
The gunshot echoed through the entire forest.
Wolf’s body collapsed onto the ground without another word.
Silence.
Complete silence.
The infamous mercenary leader…
A man whose name struck fear across multiple districts…
Had died in a single shot.
For several seconds…
No one moved.
Neither side expected the battle to begin that way.
Then someone screamed.
“Kill him!”
Gunfire erupted across the battlefield.
Mercenaries rushed from every direction.
Levi holstered his pistol.
Instead of reaching for another firearm…
He pulled out his twin daggers.
His preferred weapons.
Guns were useful.
Efficient.
But daggers…
Daggers allowed him complete control.
Every movement.
Every strike.
Every weakness.
He disappeared into the battlefield.
To the others…
It almost looked like he was dancing.
His footsteps were unbelievably light.
His movements smooth.
One slash.
A man fell.
Another step.
A second throat opened.
A quick spin.
Another enemy collapsed.
Blood painted the forest floor.
No one could keep up with him.
The battlefield became a blur of silver blades and crimson blood.
It was almost impossible to believe one person could move so effortlessly.
Levi wasn’t fighting wildly.
Every movement had purpose.
Every strike was precise.
Almost surgical.
Like a master butcher.
Or a highly trained surgeon.
Within minutes… This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Bodies covered the ground.
The remaining mercenaries began to panic.
“What is he?!”
“He’s a monster!”
Some tried to run.
Others fired wildly into the darkness.
It didn’t matter.
Levi reached them before they could escape.
One by one…
They fell.
When the final mercenary collapsed…
The forest became quiet once again.
Only the sound of rain remained.
Levi stood alone in the center of the battlefield.
Blood covered him from head to toe.
His clothes.
His hands.
His face.
Even his pink hair carried streaks of crimson.
His daggers rested calmly at his sides.
He slowly looked toward the moon breaking through the rain clouds.
His breathing remained steady.
His body completely relaxed.
Anyone seeing him for the first time…
Would’ve mistaken him for the true monster of the Dryland.
Yet inside…
Levi hated every second of it.
He hated blood.
He hated the smell.
He hated taking lives.
But sometimes…
Survival demanded ugly choices.
No one approached him.
Not immediately.
Even his own allies hesitated.
The battlefield felt colder than before.
The rain slowly washed the blood from Levi’s face, carrying crimson streams across the dirt below.
Finally…
Carmen walked toward him.
She looked at him for several seconds before letting out a small sigh.
“I’ll never get used to seeing you like this.”
Levi gave a tired smile.
“I know.”
“It’s not exactly pleasant.”
Carmen gently smiled back.
“It’s okay.”
“At least I know you’ll always be able to protect yourself.”
Levi looked around at the battlefield.
“Come on.”
“We still have work to do.”
“If we leave these bodies here…”
“The monsters will smell the blood.”
Everyone quietly nodded.
The battle was over.
But the night’s work…
Had only just begun.