Smiley

'I... have been saved!' Ash's thoughts echoed with disbelief as hope surged through his face like a crashing wave.

The blue-haired warrior turned toward the Fangbanes, his hands gripping the short sword with poised intent.

The beasts flinched, stumbling backward. The earlier slash had struck their horns, forcing them to shudder and fly away.

"Traveler, rest as you please. I got this." The blue haired warrior said with his back facing Ash.

The first thing Ash thought was hilarious

'A Smiling warrior... Smiley!' 

He drew a gentle smile on his face and dashed to attack the Fangbanes before they move.

Yet, the Fangbanes were faster and reacted to his dash faster than he imagined.

'What a crazy bastard!' Ash didn't mind been saved by another. As soon as his life isn't endangered, he is fine.

Ash exhaled slowly and let his body sink into the ground, focused on steady breathing.

Meanwhile, the blue haired started the fight with a horizontal slash, forcing the Fangbanes to dodge the attack.

Once they dodged his slash, they dashed immediately to feast on his legs. The warrior foresaw their plan and jumped high in the air.

Although his move prevented the severe damage he could receive, But, to Ash's bad luck, they landed in front of his body.

Ash felt their movement close to him. Yet, he didn't react!

Instantly, one of them was about to feast on his flesh. And not any flesh, his peeled skin!

Yet, Ash still didn't move!

"Nice bait, Traveler..."

In a fraction of a second, the short sword flashed upon the Fangbane, slashing its body in half.

The other Fangbane's three eyes burned with monstrosity and lunged forward.

The blue haired warrior widened in shock!

That Fangbane wasn't at LV.4!

It was LV.5!

The Fangbane Jumped and turned its body into... a ball?

It spun with magnificent speed and disappeared from the blue haired vision.

Its horn was pretty tall. The spinning made its horn like a small chainsaw which can slash anyone with ease.

The blue haired warrior desperately searched for it but with no result. The Fangbane slashed him, several cuts and deep injuries appeared on his body.

The tiny bastard was just too fast!

Feeling a tight grip on his leg, the blue haired stopped. the smile on his face was no where to be seen but now it returned as a grin.

The blue haired warrior knelt on his knees. He surrendered.

trying to catch his breath, he dropped his gaze to the ground.

The Fangbane realized this and returned to his normal figure. It, instantly without any second to waste, dashed to claim victorious.

The blue haired warrior looked at it with awe. He was smirking, his blue eyes burned with resilience.

"It was nice fighting you, Fangbane."

From the shadows casted by the blue haired, A dark silhouette emerged and seized the Fangbane's face.

The blue haired warrior slashed a second after.

"Traveler... what are you doing?"

But Ash pulled the Fangbane higher in the air. The slash missed its body.

Without any word said, Ash pushed the blue haired warrior, forcing him to fall to the ground. The short sword was released from his grip.

Ash took the sword and stabbed the Fangbane in his stomach. Blood flowed like a river but the damned beast didn't die yet.

And that was what Ash wanted!

Ash pulled the sword and stabbed it again, this time at another spot.

Ash stabbed and stabbed. His body became bathed from its azure blood.

"T-traveler..." The blue haired warrior was shocked. Whispered as he stared in silence, not daring to talk any further.

Ash slashed its limbs, leaving the poor Fangbane with no legs.

And his final slash was its head, separating it from its limbless body.

Ash mangled the Fangbane.

[You have slain a LV.5 Old Times Twitchling, Fangbane!]

[35 EXP Gained!]

Standing up after the one-sided massacre, Ash's eyes blacked out. The sunlight washed his body, showing a smirk curling upwards on his face.

"Traveler..." Ash said, making the panel shimmer in front of his blacked eyes. Well, only one was black.

[Traveler: Ash Verlane]

[Code: *789#1000]

[Level: 1]

[EXP: 140/250]

'Hehe, great.'

Staring at the head of the mangled Fangbane, Ash throwed it to the blue haired.

"Here it is, dead as you see."

The head dropped near him, spinning until it stopped. Its three eyes dulled to a lifeless gray as the last flicker of life drained away.

The blue haired responded but with a serious tone:

"We have to leave now, the other Fluffbanes saw what you did. The higher tiers of them will arrive sooner or later."

Ash stared at him in silence.

"Do you know the route to the nearest safe zone?" Ash asked.

The blue haired shook his head and said:

"No, I'm just like you. I got teleported here. I know nothing about this magical world."

'Hmm...'

"Anyway, you are right. We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Ash took his first steps and the blue haired followed after he sighed.

"By the way, traveler. I didn't state my name yet. My Traveler's name is Aeris Vire. You?"

Ash was confused for a moment but he didn't show it.

"Mine is Ash Verlane."

"Ash! Ok, got it." The blue haired said with a smile gently drawn on his elegant face.

setting off for their journey, they decided to never approach the woods. The Fluffbane race was too powerful and they didn't want to risk their lives.

although, there was something Ash kept asking himself in utter confusion.

'How did my broken leg heal by itself? I remember it was broken!'

Aeris realized his confusion and looked at him with a familiar expression.

"What is going on, Ash?"

"Nothing, nothing really."

Both of them were injured badly, several parts of their flesh were missing and yet they walked as if no blood were flowing out of their corpses.

Of course, Ash was way worse than Aeris. He was mangled not just injured.

Walking at the edge of the river that ran nearby the woods of the Fluffbanes, Aeris was yapping about what happened to him and how he reached LV.2 so easily.

"You know, Ash. When I first got here, there was a corpse of human lying near me with a sword in his hands. I bet he was a warrior who died fighting. So, I took his sword and told him that I will continue your unfinished duty. Because of that sword, I killed so many Fluffbanes with so much ease. I reached LV.2 because of that sword."

Aeris paused for a moment, a sense of guilt appeared on his face.

"When you woke up, I had just reached your area. Sorry, for not helping you from the start. I was going to help from the start but what you did made me witness in silence. You were injured beyond my comprehension, yet you fought with all of your might. You are a warrior, Ash!"

Ash listened to him and didn't reply or react.

"Only when the events escalated beyond your will, I decided to dash and save you. A symbol of heroism, right?! Hahaha."

Ash Straightened his right arm, blocking the way for Aeris and gestured to stay silent.

Something was wrong.

Ash kept staring ahead, until he saw it with his own eyes. It was one of the Fluffbanes.

This one, however, was bigger than them combined! It was enormous!

Ash gripped Aeris and hid behind the closest tree, trying to observe what the giant Fluffbane would do next.

Ash and Aeris, both of their eyes widened in fear, utter fear!

The panel made them horrified!

"N-no way!" Aeris muttered with a very low voice.

Ash, on the other side, was shocked!

The monster's panel shimmered:

[Vilewarren, The Hollowbane]

[Level: 22]