Brain's eyes opened to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the leaves above him. He tried to sit up, but his body felt heavier than usual. Looking around, he felt disoriented. The forest ground was covered with a thin layer of grass, and the air smelled... almost familiar.
Brain Unglaus struggled to recall the last thing that had happened before waking up here. His mind was filled with blurred images: the training grounds, the weight of the sword in his hands, and the sweat dripping down his face as he parried and thrust alongside Climb, Princess Renner's loyal bodyguard. But then, there was sudden darkness... and nothing else.
He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the fog in his mind, but to no avail. There was a void where his memories should be as if someone had swept them away. He stood up, brushing off the leaves and dirt that clung to his clothes. His sword felt strange and unfamiliar; it was undoubtedly his own, yet it didn't feel like the same one he should be wielding. He had an oddly faint sense that he should be carrying another sword.
Taking a deep breath, Brain started walking through the forest. The trees towered over him, and the sunlight barely penetrated the canopy, casting long shadows on the ground. Birds chirped in the distance, and the occasional rustle of leaves hinted at small animals moving about. A sense of unease crept over him as if he were being watched.
After a while, he heard the faint sound of voices and laughter. Following the noise, he emerged into a small clearing where a village lay. The sight was almost too peaceful for his liking. Stone cottages with thatched roofs dotted the landscape, and smoke curled up from chimneys. Children played in the fields, their laughter echoing through the air. But something was off.
As he approached the village, he noticed something peculiar about its inhabitants. Some had ears resembling those of rabbits, while others had tails like foxes or cats. A few had eyes that glowed faintly, almost like those of animals. Yet, despite these features, they otherwise appeared human. Their clothing was simple but well-made, looking somehow alien to him.
Brain hesitated at the edge of the village. He had never seen anything like this before. In the Re-Estize Kingdom, beastmen were typically outcasts or lived in their own settlements. But here, in this village, humans and beastmen seemed to coexist. Or were they even considered beastmen? Confused, his mind raced with questions: How did he end up here? What had happened to him? Why couldn't he remember anything?
His stomach growled, breaking him from his thoughts. He needed to find answers. Perhaps the village had a tavern or an inn where he could inquire about his situation. He decided to head toward the inn.
As he entered, the smell of cooking meat and the warmth from the fire greeted him. The inn was cozy, with wooden tables and benches. A few patrons were seated, murmuring. Some looked human, while others had animal features, like a man with a wolf's head sitting in the corner, his eyes fixed on Brain. A woman with deer antlers tended the fire, humming a soft tune.
Brain hesitated before approaching the innkeeper. He cleared his throat, trying to gather his thoughts. "Excuse me," he said, "Do you know where I am?"
The innkeeper, an older woman with the tail of a fox, turned to him with piercing green eyes. She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "You are in the village of Higanbana," she said softly.
Brain frowned; he had never heard of this place. "How far am I from Re-Estize?" he asked while also requesting a beer.
The innkeeper raised an eyebrow at the mention of Re-Estize. "Re-Estize?" she repeated, her voice tinged with confusion. "I've never heard of that place. You're in Mistral now."
Mistral... a name Brain had never encountered before. It felt strange on his tongue, almost alien. He opened his mouth to ask more questions, but then he noticed the sun beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. Shadows grew longer, and the village started to quiet down.
Turning to the innkeeper, his mind racing, he asked, "How much is a room for the night?" He tried to keep his voice steady despite the unease swelling inside him.
The woman's expression softened, and she nodded. "Thirty-five Lien," she replied. "That includes breakfast in the morning."
Brain frowned. Lien? He had no idea what that was. He reached into his pockets, searching for the gold coins he typically carried. Instead, he found something entirely foreign: a smooth rectangle with strange symbols printed on it. He had never seen anything like it before; it felt almost artificial as if it were made of something from another world.
Unsure how to explain this to the innkeeper, Brain hesitated. She watched him patiently.
Finally, he decided to say nothing and handed her one of the strange rectangles. "Here," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
The innkeeper examined the object closely, her eyes narrowing as she studied the symbols. She nodded slowly. "That should cover the room and your drink," she said softly. "Your room is ready. Follow me."
She led him up a narrow staircase, the wooden steps creaking slightly under his weight. The air grew colder as they ascended, the sounds of the village fading behind him. She stopped at a small door at the end of the hall, turning to him with a reassuring smile.
"This is your room," she said. "Let me know if you need anything."
Brain stood in the doorway, looking around. The room was modest but comfortable, featuring a simple bed, a window that let in the last rays of daylight, and a wardrobe in the corner. Everything was clean, orderly, and surprisingly welcoming, given the strangeness of the situation.
He closed the door behind him, the weight of everything that had happened settling over him. He had no idea how he'd gotten here, why he had those strange rectangles in his pockets, or what Mistral was. All he knew was that, for now, he needed to rest and try to figure out what was going on.
He lay down on the bed, the unfamiliar mattress soft beneath him. The room was quiet. The only sound was the gentle rustle of leaves outside his window. Sleep tugged at him, but he fought it off, determined to stay alert. He couldn't afford to be caught off guard, not when so much was unknown.
Just as he was about to drift into sleep, a sudden scream pierced the quiet of the night. Brain shot up from the bed, his heart pounding in his chest. The scream was followed by chaos, the sound of breaking glass and shouting voices.
He hurried to the window, peering out into the dark village. The moon was high, casting enough light over the thatched roofs to let him see the streets without problem. In the distance, he saw villagers running in all directions, terror etched on their faces. Some were heading toward a large stone building at the center of the village, while others sprinted toward the opposite side, armed and determined.
Brain's eyes narrowed as he tried to make sense of the commotion. The group heading toward the stone building seemed unarmed, their numbers growing as more villagers joined them. On the other hand, there were fewer armed villagers, but they were moving with purpose, holding weapons on their hands.
His mind raced. He thought the village was under attack, perhaps by bandits or wild beasts. But then, a figure emerged from the shadows, a massive, hulking creature with the body of a wolf clad in thick, black, armor-like bones. Its eyes burned an eerie red, and it moved with unnatural speed, tearing through the village street.
Brain's breath hitched as another creature appeared, a bear-like monster, even more imposing, adorned with red lines running along the bony plates covering its body. The armed villagers began to engage, swords and spears clashing against the monsters, but their weapons seemed to bounce off the creatures' armored frames.
He witnessed a villager, a man wielding a spear, strike the wolf-like monster, but the attack barely left a mark. The monster retaliated with a guttural roar, swiping its massive paw and sending the man flying across the street.
Brain's mind reeled. These were not ordinary beasts; they resembled a terrifying mix of monsters and undead, their black, bony bodies almost reminiscent of armor. The red lines along their frames pulsed faintly, giving them an otherworldly appearance.
More screams echoed through the night, and Brain saw another group of villagers being overrun by the monsters. The armed villagers fought valiantly, but it was clear they were outmatched. Their swords and shields were no match for the creatures' reinforced frames.
Brain felt a surge of adrenaline as he reached for his sword, instinctively gripping the hilt. Without a second thought, he pushed open the window and jumped.
The ground was close, and he rolled to his feet, landing gracefully. He looked around, trying to get his bearings. Chaos unfolded before him, a wave of panic and violence sweeping through the village.
A wolf-like creature with black armor and glowing red eyes lunged at a man with rabbit ears. Brain acted on instinct, raising his katana to block the creature's claws. The impact was tremendous, the force of the blow sending a shock through his arm. But he held firm, his blade parrying the attack.
The man with rabbit ears looked up at Brain, fear evident in his wide eyes. "Thank you," he managed to say before ducking to avoid another swipe from the monster. Brain wasted no time; his katana swung in a swift arc, aiming for the creature's leg.
The wolf-like creature howled in pain as the blade found its mark. It stumbled, giving Brain the opening he needed. He pressed his advantage, driving the katana deep into its side. The monster's body shuddered, and then, to Brain's astonishment, it began to dissolve, melting away into a dark cloud, leaving no trace of the creature behind.
Encouraged by this unexpected turn of events, Brain turned his attention to another monster, a bear-like creature with massive paws and the same black body, and white bony armor. He sidestepped its swipe, his sword meeting the creature's arm. The armor held, but he could feel its weight through the blade. It was no ordinary armor; it was something far more alien. He realized that to defeat these creatures, he needed to target their weaker points, the areas without the armor.
Brain's movements became fluid, his katana slicing through the air with precision. He danced around the bear-like creature's attacks, each strike aimed at the unprotected spots. The monster roared in frustration, but Brain pressed on, his determination unshaken.
Another wolf-like creature lunged from the shadows, and Brain was ready. His katana met its claws, and he followed up with a swift, powerful thrust to its chest. The creature let out a guttural growl before evaporating into a black mist, leaving no evidence of its existence.
Brain continued his fight, the katana in his hand slicing through the air with practiced precision. The monsters were beginning to thin out, their numbers dwindling as he and the other villagers with weapons fought back. But now, a new sound broke the chaos—a loud explosion that echoed through the village.
Brain's eyes widened as he turned to see villagers armed with strange, cylindrical objects. They looked unlike anything he had ever seen. Some held what appeared to be long tubes, and when they aimed them at the monsters, a flash of light erupted, followed by a deafening explosion.
BANG!
The force of the blast sent debris flying, and the smell of burning metal filled the air.
Some monsters reeled back, some of them hit by the explosions, their bodies dissolving into clouds of dark smoke. But these explosions were not coming from the monsters but from the villagers themselves.
Brain stared in disbelief. He had never heard of such weapons, nor had he ever seen anything like them. The villagers were using these strange devices to fight back against the monsters, each explosion sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Unfortunately, it was not enough to beat the monsters, as some wolf-like monsters attacked one of the villagers using those weapons and killed him.
Brain pressed forward, his katana finding its mark again and again. The monsters retreated, their numbers getting smaller as they fled. But as the last of them were driven back, a chilling sound filled the air, a hissing that seemed to come from nowhere.
Brain's heart pounded as the hissing grew louder, the sound echoing through the village streets. His eyes darted around, searching for the source of the noise. Then, with a sudden, terrifying movement, a massive snake-like creature slithered into view.
The creature was unlike anything Brain had ever seen. It was gigantic, its body thicker than a tree trunk, and it moved with an inhuman speed. Its scales glistened in the moonlight. One of the snakes had a white body with white bone-like armor plating on its head, and its eyes glowing a bright red. The other was the opposite, its body was black, but the rest of it was similar, with the same white bone-like armor plating on its head, and its red eyes burning with malevolent intent.
Brain smirked in a strange sensation of fun. These creatures were even more terrifying than the wolf-like and bear-like monsters. They hissed again, their fangs glinting in the light of the moon, and lunged at the villagers with scary precision. The villagers with the strange weapons fired their devices, but the explosions did nothing.
Scared, the villagers, who had bravely held their ground against the other monsters, turned and ran at the sight of the twin serpents; their terror was palpable, their screams filling the night air as they scrambled for safety.
"It's a King Taijitu!" one villager shouted before trying to flee.
Brain's lips curled into a smirk. He had no memory of these creatures, nor had he ever heard their name before, but none of that mattered. The moment he laid eyes on them, he knew these were worthy opponents.
The thrill of battle coursed through him. His fingers twitched at his side, eager to grasp his blade.
The villagers ran in fear, leaving him alone, and the monsters looked like they were still thinking about which human they wanted to eat first.
Brain took a deep breath, lowering his stance, his smirk widening as anticipation flooded his senses. With a slow, deliberate motion, he slid his katana back into its sheath.
And then, power surged. A red energy spread to life around him, expanding outward in a perfect sphere. The world within that space shifted, sharpening his perception. With every movement of the air and every flicker of the grains of dirt inside that circle, he could feel it all.
The twin King Taijitus reacted instantly, their massive heads snapping toward him, their tongues flickering out as if tasting the sudden change in the air. Their glowing red eyes locked onto them, recognizing him now not as mere prey but as a threat.
They coiled back, their massive muscles tensing like drawn bows. The tension in the air was suffocating.
Then, with the force of striking vipers, they lunged.
They moved like twin bolts of lightning, one from the left, the other from the right. Their colossal jaws opened wide, each aiming to devour him whole in a single, devastating bite.
The villagers, who had paused in their flee to watch in horrified fascination.
"He's dead!" one of them cried out.
For a fraction of a second, Brain remained perfectly still.
Then, lightning flashes appeared.
Not just one flash, but several. Streaks of lightning illuminated the battlefield, cutting through the night.
The instant the King Taijitus entered the circle inside Brain's energy, the battle was already over.
Brain's katana emerged from its sheath, and the blade sang through the air, slicing through the thick scales of the serpents as though they were made of nothing more than mist.
For a brief moment, the world was silent.
Then, the colossal, severed heads of the twin King Taijitus crashed to the ground, their massive bodies convulsing one last time before slumping, utterly lifeless. The ground shook beneath their weight.
The battlefield fell into absolute stillness.
And then, the remains of the creatures began to dissolve into black smoke, leaving behind nothing.
The villagers stood frozen. Even those who had still been running stopped in place, their eyes locked onto the scene before them in pure disbelief.
Brain exhaled, standing tall once more. The red aura around him flickered briefly before fading into nothingness. He stood up straight and slid the blade back into its sheath. His smirk never faded.
The village remained eerily silent. The only sounds that remained were the distant crackling of flames from overturned lanterns and the whispering wind.
The man who had identified the King Taijitus finally broke the silence, stepping forward with slow, cautious movements. His face was pale, his breathing uneven. He looked between Brain and the now-empty space where the monsters had once stood as if trying to convince himself that what he had seen was real.
"You... you killed it... just like that?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
Brain didn't answer immediately. He simply looked down at his hands. The sensation of battle still pulsed through his veins.
Then, he glanced at the villager, his smirk widening slightly.
"Is that all this world has to offer?" he muttered.
/
Brain Unglaus strode through the dense forest. The only sounds he could hear at the moment were his boots crunching against the fallen leaves and the call of a raven.
It had been several days since he had awoken in this strange land, this so-called kingdom of Mistral. Yet, no matter how much he searched his mind, he could not remember how he had arrived here. His mind still felt fragmented; he knew he had missing memories but did not know exactly where to look for them.
He had wandered from village to village, gathering whatever information he could about this foreign land. Mistral was unlike any place he had known. The people here spoke a language he understood, but they were words so strange to him, and their customs were unfamiliar.
He had heard whispers of a war between four kingdoms, of huntsmen and huntresses, and of creatures called the Grimm that lurked beyond the safety of settlements.
One of the strangest things he had learned was the existence of Semblances, unique abilities that were seemingly innate to individuals. The villagers who met in the first village he visited thought that his 'Field' was his Semblance, and he played along with them. The villagers' explanation of them reminded him of Martial Arts, but there was a key difference: Martial Arts could be learned through rigorous training and mastery of the body and mind, but Semblances were unique to the individual, something that could not be taught or replicated. One man he had spoken to in a village demonstrated his Semblance by conjuring a small whirlwind in his palm, controlling the air as if it were an extension of his will. Brain had watched with narrowed eyes, noting the absence of any Martial Arts or Mana, so it could not be magic either.
And then there were the Faunus. Beastmen, yet not quite. Where the beastmen he remembered were basically humanoid animals, full of fur and all other parts that their animal counterpart may have, the Faunus of Mistral were different. Some had an extra pair of ears that looked like those from animals, others a tail swaying behind them, and there were even those with feathers tucked into their hair or reptilian eyes gleaming in the moonlight, but only that, one feature, and the rest of the body remained looking like a human.
They lived among humans, and while many villagers spoke of them as equals, Brain had sensed a tension in their words, as though some unspoken divide existed between them. He did not press further, for it was not his place to pry into the politics of a kingdom he did not belong to.
The monsters, however, were another matter.
The Grimm. The monsters that hunt humanity on this land. Beasts of pure black, with red, malevolent eyes that burned with hatred. The stronger ones bore white, bone-like plating, giving them an almost armored appearance. Those monsters apparently are attracted by negative emotions, and they are able to learn. And the most disturbing detail? They left no trace when they died. No corpse. No blood. Only an empty space where they once stood, as though they had never existed at all.
Brain exhaled, watching his breath fog in the cool air. This land was strange.
And yet, in some ways, it was the same.
He stopped his steps, his eyes locking onto the figures ahead. A group of men stood in the middle of the dirt road, their posture relaxed yet alert. Their clothing and armor, together with their weapons, looked mismatched. Some carried rusted swords, others had crude axes, and a few had 'guns' resting in their belt. Their expressions shifted the moment they saw him, with eyes glinting with the predatory gaze of those who are unable to gauge someone and think that they are attacking the weak.
Bandits.
It seemed Mistral had one thing in common with Re-Estize.
Brain sighed, rolling his shoulders as he assessed them. Six men. No sign of armor, and their weapons were poorly maintained. Against an average traveler, they might have been a threat. Against him? The only thing he has to take care of is the man with the guns, as he has never fought against that kind of weapon.
One of the men stepped forward, a small scar running down his cheek. "Well, well, looks like we got ourselves a lost traveler," he mocked, faking amusement. "That's a fine sword you got there. Hand it over, and maybe we'll let you keep your life."
Brain tilted his head. "You want my sword?"
The bandit grinned, misinterpreting Brain's calm tone as fear. "That's right. And whatever coin you got, too. Be a good lad and…"
He never finished his sentence.
In an instant, Brain's hand moved to his hilt, and before the bandit could react, steel flashed through the air. The man's body froze, his eyes wide with shock as a thin red line appeared across his throat. A bit later, his body fell to the ground, his blood spilling onto the dirt.
The remaining bandits staggered back in disbelief at how fast it all happened.
Brain exhaled, his sword gleaming in the dim light. "You should have picked another road."
The second man shouted and charged, raising his axe high. It was a wild, undisciplined swing, the kind of attack that relied on brute strength rather than skill. Brain stepped aside, and with a single, precise strike, he severed the man's arm at the elbow. A scream tore through the air before Brain silenced it with a thrust through the heart.
The others hesitated now. Their bravado was long gone, replaced with fear.
"Monster…" one of them whispered.
Brain didn't bother correcting him. If they wished to see him as a monster, so be it.
The remaining four turned to flee, abandoning their fallen comrades. Brain let them go. Killing them would have been easy, but there was no point in wasting energy on cowards.
He flicked the blood from his blade before sliding it back into its sheath, then stepped over the bodies without another glance.
/
Brain walked through the dense forest again. It had been a few days since he had last seen a village, and in that time, he had been left alone with his thoughts. The last settlement he visited had suffered the same fate as the first, an attack by the creatures called Grimm.
Out of boredom and to earn some form of money, he had helped defend the village. The villagers had paid him in Lien. The colorful currency of the land that consisted of cards with a symbol resembling an "L" crossed with two horizontal lines (Ⱡ). He did not understand how it worked. The material still felt strange to him, light, flexible, and smooth, unlike gold, silver, or copper. He had his own gold coins, but they were practically worthless here.
Right now, he found himself walking yet another road, surrounded by towering trees and thick underbrush. But even since the beginning, when he started walking around this kingdom called Mistral, he has felt that there is someone watching him.
But he had not found a real reason to suspect that someone was really following him until a few days earlier when his name was recognized in the last village he visited. But Brain continued forward, unfazed. If they wanted to ambush him, they would find themselves on the wrong end of his sword.
Moments later, a group of men stepped onto the path, blocking his way. They were wearing different kinds of weapons. Some carried swords, and others' guns', as the people had told him they were called. Firearms that were projectile weapons that he had seen in this strange land.
One of the bandits, a gruff man with a missing tooth and a bandana, stepped forward. "You," he said, pointing at Brain. "Come with us."
Brain raised an eyebrow, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword. "And why would I do that?"
The bandit smirked. "Our boss wants to see you. Has an offer for someone like you."
'An offer?' Brain thought while sighing. He had little interest in whatever a bandit leader wanted, but he was curious. And, at the very least, it would break up the monotony of walking aimlessly.
"Sure," he said, shrugging. "Lead the way."
The bandits exchanged glances, surprised at his lack of resistance. They gestured for him to follow, and he did, keeping a leisurely pace behind them.
The journey took a while, as they, at some point, moved away from the main road and started to walk through dense forest until they reached a wooden log wall. A single gate stood as the entrance, and as one of the bandits pushed it open, Brain took a good look at what was inside.
The camp was a chaotic blend of tents, crude wooden structures, and scavenged materials. Scattered throughout were several campfires. At the center of the camp stood a large tent, distinct from the rest. From within, a figure emerged.
A woman.
She wore black and red robes, with armor covering her forearms. A large sword rested at her hip, and her crimson eyes locked onto him with an intense gaze. Her long black hair moved slightly in the breeze, and there was an air of authority around her.
The bandits stepped aside, allowing Brain to approach.
"You're the one they spoke of," the woman said, her voice firm. "The warrior wandering Mistral, cutting down Grimm and bandits with nothing but a blade."
Brain said nothing, simply watching her.
She smirked. "Impressive. Few can fight Grimm alone. Even fewer do it without getting any scratches."
The woman took a step closer. "I am Raven Branwen, leader of Branwen Tribe."
'Tribe? So, they saw themselves as more than just bandits.'
"I want you to join us," Raven continued. "A warrior like you would be an invaluable asset for our tribe."
Brain chuckled. "Join you?" He scratched his cheek casually. "I was part of a bandit group once. That life doesn't interest me anymore."
Raven narrowed her eyes. "Is that so?"
He smiled genuinely at her. "I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline."
Silence fell between them, thick with unspoken tension. The bandits around them shifted uneasily, gripping their weapons.
Raven exhaled slowly, then tilted her head. "You do realize what that means, don't you?"
Brain remained unperturbed.
"You've seen our camp," she continued. "We can't let you leave."
A grin spread across his face. "Oh? And you think that's a problem for me?"
The bandits smirked and started to move around him, taking their weapons and getting ready for the fight to come. They knew how easily he had defeated other bandits, but with their number, they thought it should be a walk in the park for them.
Raven studied him carefully, her gaze sharp. Then, with a small smirk of her own, she placed a hand on the hilt of her sword. "You're an interesting one, I'll give you that."
Brain's hand rested on his own weapon. If it came to a fight, he had no doubt he could cut his way through them.
Brain smirked, and the bandits took it as a sign of arrogance, more like an insult. Their confidence was evident; they believed that numbers alone would be enough to bring him down.
Brain sighed. He took his sword and put a fighting stance with his katana in front of him, but he still looked relaxed. He moved his eyes without moving his head, 'fifteen, maybe more,' he thought while observing the bandits ready to attack.
"Let's kill him," one of them muttered.
"I call dibs for the sword!" another said.
But before any of them moved, Raven turned on her heel and walked back into her tent, completely unconcerned. "I leave it to you, Vernal."
In her place, another figure stepped forward. A young woman, barely in her twenties, with tan skin and short brown hair, took the lead. Her icy blue eyes burned with authority as she crossed her arms and stared him down.
"Since you were stupid enough to say no," she said, "you can die knowing you had a chance to live."
She raised a hand and flicked her fingers.
"Kill him."
The bandits charged.
Brain reacted instantly.
The first opponent, a large man wielding a rusted axe, swung down at his head. Brain sidestepped, twisting his body and bringing his sword in a horizontal slash. The blade carved through the bandit's midsection with ease, cutting deep into his armor and sending him sprawling to the ground with a pained gurgle.
It felt like training. It seems none of the opponents knew how to fight properly.
Another bandit dived, aiming for Brain's ribs. With a quick step back, Brain avoided the strike and slammed his elbow into the man's face. The nose bone crunched, and before the bandit could stabilize from the impact, Brain brought his sword up in another swift arc, slicing across the man's chest.
"Was he who wanted my sword?" asked Brain, trying to get the bandits out of their rails.
The others hesitated for a second before rushing to attack all at once.
Brain's feet moved, dodging a hammer strike before crunching down and spinning on his heel with his arm stood with his katana, cutting through the attacker's leg. The bandit screamed while on the ground, but Brain didn't wait too long before he pressed his sword through the man's chest directly to the heart before taking it away, ready to face the next opponent.
A blade came on his way, directly to his head. He ducked, and the wind from the swing passed so close to his skull. He made him pay for his mistake, and in a quick motion, he slashed across the attacker's throat. Blood sprayed all around before the bandit collapsed in the pool of his own blood.
Vernal watched, her fists clenching tighter with every bandit that fell.
"He's toying with you!" she snapped. "Stop fighting like idiots and kill him already!"
The remaining bandits rumbled and kept going against him, but their attacks were becoming more desperate.
One shot, a bullet that zoomed close to Brain's ear, barely missing. Brain turned and ran at the gunman before another shot could be fired, slamming his shoulder into the man's chest while his sword entered his stomach. The impact sent him tumbling back, and the sword left his body while doing so, but before he could fall to the ground, Brain swung his sword again and beheaded the man.
A spear-wielding bandit attacked next, thrusting forward in an attempt to impale Brain's stomach. He twisted, letting the spear glide past him, and gripped the shaft with his free hand. A single pull yanked the bandit forward, off-balance, and Brain drove his sword into his side.
A pair of twin daggers slashed at him from behind. He blocked them with his sword before sending a powerful horizontal strike to the ribs and sending him motionless to the dirt.
The last of the bandits that were in the circle, a woman wielding a curved saber, hesitated. Her grip trembled as she took a step back. Brain sighed, giving her a chance to flee, and fortunately, she took it.
Vernal's lips curled in fury. "Pathetic," she spat, and in a blur of motion, she launched herself at him.
She was different and faster. Unlike the others, who were nothing more than thugs with stolen weapons, Vernal had skills. The moment her crescent-shaped blades came for him, one in each hand, Brain felt the shift in fighting skill.
He barely had time to parry her first strike before her other arm with her weapon came swinging from the opposite direction. He twisted, but the blade sliced the fabric of his other sleeve.
The attack didn't stop. She attacked with the force of a tornado, her weapons moving fast in each attack. Brain kept his footing, his sword intercepting her attacks. He could acknowledge that the force behind the attacks was strong. She was good, not as good as Gazef, but better than Climb, for sure.
Then, she attacked with both hands, Brain barely able to protect himself with his sword in time. Vernal had a smirk on her face, and Brain saw the gleam of metal barrels at the base of the blade.
Vernal pulled the trigger, and gunfire erupted so close to Brain's face. He ducked, barely avoiding the shots.
The noise, so close to his face and ears, was deafening, unlike anything he had heard before.
She grinned. "First time fighting someone with guns?"
Brain didn't answer; instead, he just smirked and adjusted his posture.
The moment she fired again, he moved forward, watching directly at her posture, the way she was standing, and the position of her hands.
He closed the gap between them, and in an instant, he was too close for her liking. He swung his sword, and she was barely able to move away; her eyes widened.
Once she took enough space, she again put a guard position. "Not bad," she admitted, rolling her shoulders. "You're tough."
Brain stood up, resting his katana on his shoulder and a smirk on his face. "You're better than the rest," he admitted, pointing at his sleeves. "But not enough."
Her eyes frowned. "We'll see about that." She rushed forward again, her crescent-shaped blades spinning in her hands.
Brain frowned a little while adjusting his stance, his grip on his sword tightening ever so slightly. He had entertained the idea of testing her skill, seeing what she was capable of, but he had seen enough; she was not even close to the shadow of Gazef.
Her first slash came fast and directed to his throat. Brain moved slightly, just enough to let the blade pass by harmlessly, and then he retaliated instantly, bringing his sword down in a sharp arc. Vernal blocked, but the force of the blow made her arms tremble.
She clenched her teeth and stepped forward, trying to break his guard, but Brain had already moved his sword from the side, forcing her to twist her body to avoid a direct hit. Before she could fully recover, Brain kicked her directly in her gut, making her stumble back.
"You're quick," he admitted. "But not enough. You lack experience, strength, and discipline."
Vernal frowned, her eyes full of anger. "Shut up!" she snapped, attacking him again.
Brain sighed before meeting her head-on.
Vernal's attack was again with the same pattern, blades in swift arcs directed to his throat, but Brain parried each attack with ease, looking like this was only a small training mock battle. He was moving to his sides in an almost casual way. His sword pasted her defenses, slicing her sleeves and creating lines of blood on her arms. To her credit, Vernal only winced a little but refused to back down.
She attacked again, with more desperation, but Brain merely sidestepped, swept her legs from under her, and sent her crashing onto the ground as if she were a beginner.
She tried to get up, but before she could, Brain pressed his foot against the back of her knee, making her unable to stand up, his sword touching the back of her neck.
"That's it," he muttered. Brain raised his sword, preparing to behead her in one clean strike.
Vernal's hands clenched into fists. She had lost.
CLANG!
The sound of steel meeting steel echoed through the camp.
Vernal's eyes blinked and turned to see to the side, and there she was. Raven Branwen.
Her crimson eyes were sharp as she blocked Brain's blade with her own. The force of their clash sent vibrations up his arms, and for the first time, Brain's smile returned to his face.
"You're quick," he said, stepping back slightly.
Raven didn't answer. She simply stared at him, holding her sword.
Vernal took the opportunity to push herself up, panting heavily.
Brain tilted his head. "So it's two against one now?"
Raven's lips curled into something close to a smirk. "You seem confident. Let's see how long that lasts." She said before both of them attacked.
Brain barely had time to react before Raven moved. One second, she was standing still; the next, her sword was already inches from his throat.
He parried the attack barely, but Vernal was already there, slashing at his exposed side. He twisted, narrowly avoiding the hit, but Raven followed up instantly, her blade cutting through the air as Brain dodged the attack.
For the first time, Brain was really forced to be on the defensive.
He blocked, parried, and dodged, but it was difficult. Unlike the bandits before, these two knew what they were doing. They knew how to fight in pairs, something he had never done himself.
Raven's attacks were calculated and methodical, while Vernal was aggressive, attacking blind spots, and trying to create openings so Raven could exploit them.
Brain moved quickly, defending himself against the well-trained pair attack. And in a quick motion, he jumped back to take some distance from the two.
He exhaled, with his eyes still looking at both, and adjusted his posture. His smirk was still plastered on his face.
Then, he launched against the two with a plan in mind. Vernal attacked him too, swinging her blades hard, but with a quick movement of his wrist, Brain redirected the attack at Raven.
Raven blocked it with no trouble, but she looked pissed at the short sight of her partner.
He kept the same tactic, shifting between the two opponents. If Vernal attacked, he would deflect and redirect toward Raven. If it was Raven, he would evade and force her to reposition.
The fight dragged on, and Brain realized that he had been walking since the morning and had no food in his stomach, which was the reason why he was getting out of breath. Sweat started to fall down his brow, but he wasn't the only one starting to wear down.
Vernal was breathing harder, her movements getting sloppier. She was strong, but she didn't have the endurance to keep up with this level of combat.
"Vernal," Raven called coldly without taking her eyes off Brain. "Stay focused."
Brain smirked and lunged against Vernal; instead of splitting his attention between both, he decided to focus entirely on the weak one.
She reacted in time before his blade could cut her mid-section. He slashed his sword fast, forcing her to block and step back. She tried to counter, but he sidestepped effortlessly, slamming his foot against her knee.
She staggered, but Brain didn't give her time to recover. He grabbed her wrist, twisted it, and forced one of her weapons out of her grip. She gasped, trying to retreat, but he swept her legs out from under her once again.
She hit the ground hard, and he raised his sword again.
But again, Raven was there. This time, she wasn't saving Vernal with a defensive move. She was attacking.
Her blade came at him like a blur, faster and stronger than before. Brain barely managed to react in time, raising his own sword to block. Then the blade of Raven's sword started to burn, and Brain had to take distance between them.
Raven didn't stop and pressed forward, and her strikes were heavier and more precise than before. Brain blocked, but each time he did, he could feel the heat of the fire coming from the blade.
'An enchanted sword, huh?' thought Brain, smiling wider.
For the first time since he was in this land, he was struggling.
Raven slashed downward. Brain rolled to one side as the sword created a line of fire. Vernal again attacked and, this time was able to make a small cut on Brain's shoulder.
He gritted his teeth, stepping back.
Raven's expression didn't change. "You should have accepted my offer."
Brain chuckled, rolling his shoulder. "Maybe."
But then his eyes flickered toward Vernal, who looked like she was on her limit.
'First, take out the weak link.' He planned in his mind. 'Then, go after the real fight.'
Brain exhaled. 'It's time to end this,' he thought before taking a step forward, aiming at Vernal. She barely had time to react before his blade was already moving in her direction.
But just before he could strike, a wall of fire erupted between them. Brain halted immediately and clicked his tongue.
Raven stood tall, and her sword was glowing with deep crimson.
'That damn enchanted weapon,' Brain thought, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Vernal prepared to attack him again, but Raven's loud voice cut through the crackling flames and stopped her.
"Stay back!"
Vernal hesitated, confusion flashing across her face. "But—"
"You're too weak," Raven snapped, her voice laced with finality.
Vernal gritted her teeth and clenched her fists from the helplessness she felt. She should have died thrice by now. Her pride was broken. She had fought with everything she had, but in the end, it wasn't enough. She knew Raven was right, she would be only in the way if she continued.
Reluctantly, she stepped back, her face frowning and red due to the anger she felt. She looked around the camp, across the battlefield, and she finally noticed that most of the camp was empty.
The so-called warriors of the Branwen Tribe had fled. Only a handful remained, watching the fight with wide eyes, unable to look away.
Raven exhaled, her eyes meeting Brain's. "I suppose I should thank you," she said. "You've done me a favor."
Brain raised an eyebrow.
"You filtered out the weaklings," she continued. "The cowards who ran at the first sign of danger were never worthy of my tribe." Her grip on her sword tightened. "I'll ask one last time. Join me."
Brain considered her words carefully. He wasn't a man who let his emotions cloud his judgment, and he held no personal grudge against Raven. She was strong, capable, and intelligent, and he could respect all of it. But his answer was the same.
"No." He shook his head. The voice was without any malice or anger.
Raven let out a slow breath as if giving him one last chance to reconsider. Then, without another word, she attacked.
This time, Brain was ready.
Their blades clashed, sparks flying as the blades met each other. Unlike before, Brain had fully measured Raven's strength, and he adjusted his strategy accordingly. She was strong, very strong. He could confidently say she was close to his level of a couple of years ago.
'Not quite at Gazef's level,' he thought, deflecting a particularly brutal strike. 'But close to my level when I first fought him in the tournament.'
Raven's sword, still glowing with fire, burned through the air with each swing. But then, she saved her sword in her hilt, and a strange rotary chamber moved, and when she took her sword again, the blade was now yellow, and the flames were replaced by lightning.
Brain barely dodged as a bolt of electricity arced from her blade, the residual energy crackling in the path. He grinned, exhilarated.
She wasn't just strong; she was versatile. And that change was not the only one. Fire, Lightning., Wind. Every time Raven put her sword inside its hilt, it returned in a new color with new properties.
Brain was forced to adapt on the fly. He dodged searing flames, parried electrified strikes, and held his ground against gusts of wind that threatened to throw him off balance.
The remaining bandits who stayed behind could only watch.
They had always known Raven was powerful, but they had never met someone who could stand to her full fury, maybe her traitorous brother, but he had always fled as the cower he was every time the fight was against him.
They had never seen her pushed to such lengths. And what was even more shocking was that Brain was keeping up with her.
Their leader, the woman they feared and respected, was locked in an even battle with this lone swordsman.
With every move, every strike, and every counterattack, Brain matched Raven step for step, blow for blow. And slowly, ever so slowly, he began pushing her back.
For the first time in many years, Raven felt pressure in a fight. She growled as she defended herself from another attack, but her foot slid back slightly. He wasn't just strong, he was relentless. Precise. He wasn't wasting a single movement.
Brain saw her foot sliding and saw the opening he was waiting for.
He swung his sword in a faint, and when both the metal clashed, he pushed it to the side, leaving her exposed, and without wasting more time, he trusted his sword to her midsection.
It was too late for Raven to react.
Brain's sword went forward, and it impaled a body
Vernal had jumped in time and put herself in front.
She knew too well that she was too weak at the moment to move Brain's sword, and her weapon had no munition anymore, so she did the next thing she could to save Raven and the tribe.
Brain's katana pierced straight through her.
Her breath hitched, her eyes narrow but with a smirk on her face.
Brain frowned when he saw her. He hadn't imagined that a bandit would give her life for another person.
The camp fell into absolute silence.
Raven's expression darkened. "You... idiot."
Her voice wasn't just angry. There was Frustration, Grief, Loss.
Vernal coughed, blood staining her lips, but she managed to hold Brain's sword.
"I-I won't... let you... use it," she murmured.
Brain tried to withdraw his blade, but her grip was strong enough to retain it inside her body.
Then he realized that something else was happening. Something was wrong.
Everything went darker as black clouds agitated as an unnatural storm began to form. The air itself became heavy.
Brain looked around and then he saw it.
Raven's eyes ignited into literal fire. Not a mere glow or a reflection, but real flames that came out of her eyes. The wind lashed against his face as the storm above was still forming.
Brain said nothing, he just watched as Raven lifted off the ground. Floating.
As she hovered above, her clothes and hair waved wildly in the storm's unnatural winds, Brain couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
"So, I'm fighting a swordwoman who is also a magic-caster." He rolled his shoulders, easing into his stance again. Then he murmured, "Still… not as strong as the one who killed Gazef."
The temperature around him spiked instantly.
Raven's face twisted in rage, the storm responding in kind. The wind turned into a deafening howl, and lightning crackled between the dark clouds above. Flames burst from the ground in sporadic eruptions, the entire battlefield turning into an inferno.
Brain turned his attention back to Vernal for a brief moment. He reached out, placing a hand on her cold shoulder, he made a small nod to acknowledge her final stand. Then, with one swift motion, he wrenched his sword free. Her body slumped lifelessly to the dirt below.
That was all the time he had before Raven struck.
She moved faster than before, her blade imbued in flames became bigger as it carved toward him. Brain barely managed to turn away and dive. Raven's strike sent a wave of fire to where he had been standing a moment before.
He stepped back, gripping his sword tighter, and activated [Ability Boost] and [Capacity Building]. A surge of strength rushed through his body, his muscles responding instantly, his reactions sharpening. He launched himself forward, and their blades met again, but now the strength in both attacks made sparks and embers come out of the swords.
Their duel restarted. Raven pressed the assault, and her sword was enhanced by her elemental power without the need to hilt her sword. Brain adapted quickly, moving through her attacks, while his blade deflected or redirected the worst of the elements he couldn't afford to take a direct hit.
Brain's feet slid against the dirt as he avoided a lightning attack that snapped through the ground. He responded with a brutal counterattack, slashing upward at Raven. She blocked, but the impact forced her to ascend further, creating space between them.
She raised her free hand, and the wind around her coalesced into a raging cyclone. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she hurled it downward.
Brain reacted instantly. He planted his foot down hard, bracing against the sheer force of the wind, and slashed into the core of the vortex. His blade disrupted the flow, splitting the attack in two and allowing him to dash forward once more.
Raven flew in his direction, too, and they clashed again. She moved her sword downward, now coated in ice, and Brain barely dodged in time as the cold ran through his hands. He countered with a flurry of rapid strikes, forcing her on the defensive for the first time since she showed her magic powers.
He could tell that her emotions were making her reckless. Her attacks were powerful, but her focus was long gone. Still, she was strong. Stronger than anyone he had met since waking up in this land, but still no match for Gazef, or Sebas, and of course, not as close as monsters as Shalltear Bloodfallen or Ainz Ooal Gown. But more importantly for Brain, she wasn't as strong as him.
He took a moment to breathe and focus. Then they clashed again, but now he twisted his wrist, deflecting her strike and creating an opening that he capitalized by slashing toward her exposed side.
But Raven roared, and the flames in her eyes flared even brighter.
A sudden blast of heat forced him back, and in that brief moment of separation, she retaliated with a brutal strike of her own, and Brain barely blocked in time.
They separated again, both breathing hard.
"How do you know about magic?" Raven asked with fury.
Brain, still catching his breath, frowned slightly. 'What kind of question was that?' Brain thought.
But as he looked at her, he realized she wasn't just angry. She was disturbed. Still, he had no interest in explaining himself to her, so he said nothing, and that only enraged her further.
Raven's grip on her sword tightened as she glared at Brain; her eyes and flames grew bigger due to the fury. The storm above raged, reflecting her wrath, and the winds howling louder, sending debris flying across the battlefield. Brain remained still, his gaze steady, his silence unwavering.
"Answer me!" she yelled, and her sentence ended with a lighting falling outside the camp. "How do you know about magic?!"
Brain said nothing; instead, he put his guard up and was ready to continue the fight.
Raven snarled, then dived towards him.
Her katana sliced the air, covered in flames as she brought it down with enough force to split a man in half. Brain dodged, spinning on his heel.
But Raven was not done.
She attacked again. Her strength was wild, unrestrained, and dangerously skilled. Brain matched her movements, his feet gliding across the battlefield, his sword deflecting and redirecting each strike.
One of her attacks missed him barely, cutting tiny parts of his hair but carving a deep slash into the ground where he had just been. She turned mid-air, slashing again, now horizontally, a cut meant to part him in two.
Brain ducked low, feeling the edge of her sword passing inches above his head. He knew that he had to fight perfectly, as a minor failure would end in his death.
He swung his sword, aiming for her ribs. Raven twisted away at the last second.
Another flurry of strikes followed, each faster than the last. Their swords clashed again and again, and the sound of both metal meeting filled the now-empty camp as the remaining bandits flew away.
Brain had fought warriors; he had fought monsters, but fighting someone who wielded such destructive power alongside their skill was something else entirely.
Breaking away, Brain leaped back, creating distance between them. He sheathed his sword, exhaling slowly as he shifted his stance. His legs bent slightly, his left foot forward, his right foot positioned firmly behind him. His right hand rested over the hilt of his sword, fingers lightly gripping it.
Then, red energy flared around him.
It was visible to the naked eye, and was too evident that it was a trap, but it was the down side he was willing to pay. His senses expanded, the energy wrapping around him like an extension of his body.
Raven hovered in the air, watching him. Her eyes furrowed. "What's this?" she demanded an answer, but he said nothing and her anger got worse. "Are you mocking me?"
She flicked her wrist, and a gust of razor-sharp wind shot toward him, cutting across the battlefield. The attack passed close, but Brain did not flinch.
Raven narrowed her eyes. "Fine. Let's end this."
Then, she flew forward, faster than before.
A streak of fire and lightning, her sword raised high, aimed to cleave him apart in one devastating strike.
Meanwhile, Brain's fingers tightened around his sword's hilt.
And then, the instant she entered his range, his blade moved.
[Fourfold Slash of Light]
The four large swings appeared through the air in different directions, but they were corrected in mid-flight following the path Brain had visualized for them. All four attacks hit their target with complete accuracy at super speed.
The attacks were so fast they seemed to happen simultaneously, each strike cutting deep into different parts of Raven's body.
Raven's momentum carried her past him, but her body landed immobile. Blood seeped from four fresh wounds across her arms, her side, and her thigh. Her sword landed in another direction altogether.
Brain exhaled, slowly lowering his sword.
He turned his gaze toward the camp. The bandits were already gone, and the only ones that remained were the bodies of those who attacked him and a bunch of stuff scattered around due to the wind attacks.
Their leader was bleeding, close to dying in the middle of a pool of her own blood.
Brain sighed. He glanced at Raven one last time before stepping toward the now-abandoned supplies. He rummaged through the scattered goods, grabbing some food, enough to last him a few days. He wasn't about to waste time hunting when these fools had already gathered what he needed.
With his supplies secured, he cast one final look at Raven.
She was still, his face on the ground, blood pooling beneath her.
She wouldn't last much longer.
He bowed out of respect for encountering a good opponent and then turned and left.
/
Raven was still on the ground, her fingers digging into the dirt, her teeth clenched in fury. The bastard had cut her down and left her to die.
She growled, forcing herself to stay conscious.
The camp was empty now, the bandits having fled like the cowards they were.
She could feel her body weakening.
But she wasn't dead yet.
Gritting her teeth, she reached deep within herself, focusing on what little strength she had left.
She wouldn't die here.
Not like this.
Then, a glowing red appeared around her wounds.