Journey to Become the Zenith

The Smile Beneath the Moon

Pieces of steel slowly fell toward the ground.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

The metallic sound echoed through the forest beneath the cold night sky. The broken halves of shields rolled across the dirt and dead leaves, occasionally striking stones before finally coming to a stop.

No one spoke.

No one breathed.

Even the wind itself seemed to hesitate.

Everyone who saw this scene had their eyes left wide open. They couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed.

A man who casually swung his sword with no signs of mana fluctuations was able to slice over a dozen shields with a single slash.

One of the mercenaries slowly blinked.

”...Did anyone see what happened?”

Another stared with a pale face.

”I-I didn’t...”

”No mana...”

”No sword aura...”

”No skill...”

The voice of another knight trembled.

”Impossible.”

Sweat slowly rolled down his forehead.

”That wasn’t possible...”

The forest had become strangely quiet.

Far too quiet.

Somewhere in the distance, an owl cried.

Then reality finally returned to the knights.

Panic appeared.

”RETREAT!”

”Move!”

”Get away from him!”

The knights were able to regain their senses quickly and were about to retreat, but then Azriel casually waved the other sword in his right hand.

The movement was simple.

Too simple.

Like someone lazily brushing away dust.

Swish.

No grand explosion.

No frightening shockwave.

Nothing.

The knights continued moving.

One step.

Two steps.

Three.

Then confusion appeared on their faces.

”...What?”

”W-why...”

”My legs...”

The knights could no longer feel their lower halves, so most of them unconsciously looked down at their feet. It was then they saw that the upper halves of their bodies were slowly sliding away from their lower halves.

Expressions froze.

Eyes widened.

One knight stared blankly.

”N-no...”

Another reached forward as if trying to grasp something.

”This... this can’t...”

Fear completely consumed their faces.

Then silence returned.

Azriel had already looked away.

He didn’t even bother watching the result.

Victor was able to kill dozens of knights with two sword swings. The mercenaries who were watching the whole event stood in their positions frozen in horror. The person called Victor didn’t even need to use mana to annihilate dozens of knights, and he did it so casually and cleanly, like it meant nothing to him.

One mercenary suddenly dropped his weapon.

Clang.

The sound made everyone shiver.

”T-this monster...”

”No...”

Another violently shook his head.

”Humans don’t fight like that.”

Someone else unconsciously took a step backward.

”I heard rumors...”

”About Victor...”

”But this...”

His lips trembled.

”...this wasn’t in the rumors.”

The remaining people that were alive wanted to do a tactical retreat, but their legs wouldn’t respond as they all felt weak in the knees. They couldn’t understand it, even though the man in front of them was emitting an enormous pressure upon them, it wasn’t enough to render them like this.

No.

It wasn’t the pressure.

It wasn’t mana.

It wasn’t fear from strength alone.

It was instinct.

The instinct every living creature possessed.

The instinct screaming—

Run.

Run now.

Or die.

One mercenary felt tears forming.

”W-why can’t I move...”

Another tried lifting his foot.

Nothing happened.

”Damn it!”

”I said move!”

His body simply refused.

Azriel quietly observed them.

Golden eyes reflected moonlight.

Then slowly—

Very slowly—

His lips curled upward.

Victor who had just finished dealing with the knights present shifted his attention to the mercenaries. The moment the mercenaries were stared down by Azriel who was grinning widely they shivered in fear.

One of them nearly collapsed.

”T-that smile...”

”H-he’s smiling...”

”Why the hell is he smiling?!”

The grin wasn’t cruel.

Wasn’t angry.

That somehow made it far more terrifying.

Because it looked genuine.

Like he was actually enjoying himself.

Azriel tilted his head.

Curious.

Relaxed.

Like a man looking at something interesting.

”How about you guys, you don’t look like knights...” Azriel said as his grin widened slightly. His golden eyes slowly moved across the trembling mercenaries. ”I see... you’re mercenaries.”

He took a step forward.

Dead leaves crunched beneath his boots.

”That means you’re being paid to hunt my girl.”

The moment Azriel started walking toward them, the mercenaries felt their hearts nearly stop.

”No!”

”W-wait!”

”Please!”

When Azriel was about to attack, one of the mercenaries suddenly shouted in panic.

”We weren’t going to kill her! We were just hired to find some student from the knight academy who messed with a random noble! We never planned to kill her, we were simply fooled by our employer! We never knew that person was such a big deal! So please, we’ll back out and we’ll never mess with your business ever again, so please don’t kill us!”

The man practically shouted the words.

His face was pale.

His breathing chaotic.

Several others immediately nodded.

”Y-yes!”

”We’ll leave immediately!”

”We’ll disappear!”

”We swear it!”

One even dropped onto his knees.

”Please spare us!”

Azriel stopped walking.

Silence followed.

For a brief moment hope appeared on their faces.

Then Azriel laughed softly.

”Hah...”

He covered his eyes briefly.

When he lowered his hand, the smile on his face remained.

”That’s funny...” Azriel chuckled softly.

He took another step.

Dead leaves crunched beneath his feet.

”So you weren’t planning to kill her...” he said while tilting his head slightly. ”You were only planning to hand her over to people that wanted her dead.”

The smile on his face remained.

But somehow, it felt colder.

”I’m pretty sure people from your line of work aren’t that naive.”

His golden eyes looked directly into theirs.

”You knew exactly what kind of people hired you.”

Another step.

”You knew exactly what would happen after you handed her over.”

His smile slowly widened.

”And yet you still accepted the job.”

Another step.

”So I hope you guys don’t expect any mercy.”

Another step.

”You guys really are a different kind of mercenary from my friend.”

His eyes became distant for a moment.

Like he remembered someone far away.

Someone from another life.

Azriel suddenly looked toward the moon above.

For a brief moment, his expression became distant.

Like he was remembering someone.

Then he laughed quietly.

”I once had a friend...” he said softly. ”A real mercenary.”

”He used to say something every time we fought together.”

Azriel lowered his gaze toward them.

”A mercenary who takes payment also takes responsibility.”

His smile returned.

”Take gold...”

”Take blood...”

”Take consequences.”

Then he slowly raised his sword.

”So, if you’re calling yourselves mercenaries...”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

”Then at least show me some pride before you die.”