Chapter 4: Departure

"We must strike first and aim to end it in one move," I whispered before suddenly dashing toward the Rake-Wielding Cat King. Lu Xi and Zhang Yi immediately followed suit. When we were about ten steps away, I hurled my torch forward. It traced an arc through the air, heading straight for the Cat King. Just as it was about to strike, the Cat King nonchalantly swung its rake, knocking the torch to the ground, scattering sparks in all directions. Retracting its rake, it remained standing firm as if the entire scene was nothing more than an insignificant display.

"Ah!" I roared, using my momentum to leap forward, dagger aimed directly at its chest. However, the Cat King swiftly dodged, making me stumble forward due to my excessive force, nearly falling. At that moment, Lu Xi's bronze sword and Zhang Yi's ebony sword simultaneously struck. The Cat King reacted swiftly, using the rake's tines to block Lu Xi's sword while smashing the other end into Zhang Yi's shoulder, forcing him several steps back.

Our plan to take the initiative had failed. I quickly regained my footing as the three of us formed a triangular formation, surrounding the Cat King and preparing for a second assault. The Cat King seemed to sense that Lu Xi was the greatest threat. Its cold green eyes locked onto him, completely ignoring me and Zhang Yi.

Lu Xi focused intensely, suddenly thrusting his bronze sword straight at the Cat King's chest. The Cat King dodged sideways, prompting Lu Xi to shift his attack from a thrust to a sweeping slash, forcing the Cat King to raise its rake to block. In that instant, Lu Xi's sword flicked upward, slashing a deep wound into the Cat King's paw. Blood gushed out as it let out a shrill, pained screech.

"Triple Slash!" I thought in awe. This was the second level of basic swordsmanship, allowing for a series of attacks based on an enemy's evasion trajectory—precise and lethal. As someone still stuck at the first level, the best I could do was aim for weak spots and strike once.

Encouraged by Lu Xi's mastery of Triple Slash, we launched another coordinated attack. The Cat King soon bore several wounds, and its rake was knocked aside. Though still agile, I began attempting to predict its dodging patterns. My first two attacks missed, even causing Zhang Yi to be sent flying by one of the Cat King's swipes, but I refused to give up.

The third opportunity arrived. Lu Xi executed Triple Slash once more, the first strike targeting the Cat King's chest. As expected, it dodged sideways. This time, however, I had already maneuvered behind it. My dagger plunged into its back. With a pained howl, the Cat King retaliated with a powerful backward kick, sending me flying. I crashed heavily to the ground, my chest searing with pain as I spat out a mouthful of blood. Yet my dagger remained lodged in the Cat King's back, giving Lu Xi the perfect opportunity to slash its throat.

The Cat King's body slowly collapsed in the firelight, motionless at last.

"It's dead… We did it," I gasped, lying on the ground, my chest burning with pain.

Zhang Yi struggled to his feet and, along with Lu Xi, helped me up. I pulled a bottle from my belt and handed it to Lu Xi. "Quick, pour the lamp oil on it and burn it. Let's see if it can revive now!"

Lu Xi hesitated for a moment before taking the bottle and dousing the Cat King's corpse. Flames erupted instantly, its fur crackling as the stench of burning flesh filled the air.

"Let's get out of here. This stinks," Zhang Yi muttered, covering his nose. Lu Xi and I nodded, and with mutual support, we headed toward the cave entrance.

By the time we emerged, dawn had broken. We had neither eaten nor rested since noon the previous day. Exhaustion, combined with my injuries, left me utterly drained. As we followed the path down Wildcat Mountain, we saw the village chief and several villagers busy near a pile of goods, with a few corpses lying nearby. This was the very place where Shopkeeper Wang and his group had been ambushed.

Too weary to speak, I let Zhang Yi briefly recount last night's events to the village chief. He nodded and instructed us to rest first.

Three days later, my injuries had mostly healed. The battle with the Rake-Wielding Cat King had underscored the importance of basic swordsmanship. In those three days, I had advanced to the second level, while Lu Xi had reached the third level, capable of executing a Fivefold Slash. Zhang Yi, however, remained disinterested in swordsmanship, dismissing it as mere brute force combat.

That afternoon, the village chief summoned us. He praised our bravery and confirmed that he had sent people to verify and burn the Cat King's remains. Then, he presented us with a crucial mission.

"I want you three to travel to Baiqi City and report the cat demon incident to Magistrate Wang," he said, scanning our faces, awaiting our response.

Lu Xi never made decisions, and Zhang Yi maintained his usual carefree demeanor. Both turned to me for an answer.

Truthfully, I was hesitant. Our previous victory had been due to luck and impulse. If we faced another such battle, survival was uncertain. Furthermore, the journey to Baiqi City was long and fraught with potential dangers, including more demonic creatures. With just the three of us, we might not stand a chance. However, declining outright felt inappropriate. So, I cautiously asked, "Village Chief, why us?"

Sensing my reluctance, he explained, "First, you were involved from the start and understand the situation best. Second, as direct witnesses, only you can answer Magistrate Wang's questions accurately. Third, I believe you three are brave and capable."

His reasoning was sound and respectful, leaving me with little ground to refuse.

"Alright, but I have one condition," I said.

"What condition?" the village chief asked.

"I want you to form a patrol team around the village. The situation remains unclear, and if more demons appear, we need defenses."

"Rest assured," the chief nodded. "I am already organizing a patrol under the guise of guarding against bandits."

"Thank you, Chief," I said, bowing. "We'll prepare and set off tomorrow morning."

After leaving the chief's house, we wandered the village. I contemplated asking Zhang Yi to stay behind while Lu Xi and I traveled alone, given Zhang Yi's weaker combat skills. However, Zhang Yi vehemently refused, insisting he wouldn't be a burden. He even pointed out that others in the village, like Da Xiong, had also fought the cat demon. Unable to change his mind, I relented.

We eventually arrived at Old Man Yu's house, where he lavished praise on our achievements. Unlike the village chief's formal commendation, his words filled me with genuine joy. Though he knew little about demons and prophecies, he encouraged us to venture into the world and broaden our horizons.

Before we left, he gave us a letter for a renowned blacksmith friend in Baiqi City, promising that this friend would help us. He also gifted Lu Xi and me two books: Offense and Killing Swordsmanship and Mental Power Swordsmanship. As for Zhang Yi, he mentioned a hidden village southeast of Baiqi City, home to a great mage. If Zhang Yi disliked swordsmanship, he could consider learning magic instead.

The next morning, after bidding farewell to our families, we set off on our journey to Baiqi City.