One Man Army

My armour was shockingly light—or was I shockingly strong? I certainly felt strong, as I picked up the pace. So close to my objective, I eventually started running.

The castle wall was gargantuan; a skyscraper by itself. Undeterred, I sprinted right up to it. I leapt into the air—it must have been five metres. I planted my right foot firmly onto the wall and pushed off.

*Woosh!*

I soared up another few metres, before planting my left foot onto the wall.

*Thud!*

*Scrrraaape!*

*Woosh!*

I kept up the strategy. Eventually, I made it high enough for one final leap.

*Clank!*

I grabbed the top of the wall and hauled myself up with ease. While my body had felt too heavy to stand upon arriving in this dreamlike hellscape, now it felt so light, I basically couldn’t feel it at all.

I stood atop the epic wall. As I’d figured, something of that height had to be remarkably wide. The wall’s width spanned roughly three metres.

More impressive, however, was the castle. There was no word powerful enough to describe the sheer size of the thing. It was shrouded in thin, white mist. The rounded, authoritarian architecture warned me against approaching, but the fire in my heart compelled me forward.

However, even the fire in my heart died a little upon seeing two—no, three—dragons crawling around on the fortress walls.

I wonder how long it took them to build all of this.

I turned around. The world spanned vast and mysterious. Rolling green hills, water both cascading and still; a ruined city. Above all else, adventure as far as the eye could see. Adventure… It almost made me sad.

I’d always wanted something to happen. I’d always wanted my life to have meaning. But I didn’t want this. Why didn’t I get an Adventurer’s Guild power fantasy, with hot women and a harem? Well, I guess there were two hot women, but they weren’t interested.

I gave a small sigh.

I miss my parents. I miss my room. I’m not stupid enough to miss the mundanity of it all—I know I’d lose my mind if given another five years of that. But I do wonder how life would have turned out, had none of this happened. What if I had just been a normal guy? Would I have made friends? Gotten a girlfriend? I mean, I’m going to die a virgin if I die today. Would I have started a business, or buried myself in academics? I enjoyed being an investigator, travelling around with Erin. I already had a passion for puzzles, so maybe I would’ve become a detective?

I turned back around to face the fortress.

Man, for a guy who spent his entire life thinking, I sure thought I’d have something more insightful to say when faced with something this big. I guess I’ve just accepted all of this.

With a slight shake of the head, I pulled myself out of my mind. I crept towards the edge of the wall and looked down.

Oh.

The castle grounds were full of people. There must have been upwards of two thousand down there. They were engaged in all sorts of activities, from playing cards, to drinking booze… to playing cards and drinking booze. Well, I suppose there were plenty who simply ambled or stood around talking. And oh, would you look at that: a training camp. Roughly a hundred of them swung training swords like rabid dogs; not that dogs could swing swords, but if they could, I imagined this to be what rabid ones would have looked like.

Though initially surprised by their numbers, I wasn’t scared or even apprehensive. I gripped the hilt of my sword and took one step into the air.

I fell forward.

I accumulated speed at a worrying pace. Had this been a good idea? There was only one way to find out. I inhaled deeply. “HEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYY!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

The people down below all looked up at me. Thankfully, despite the wind blasting into my face, I was able to keep my eyes open.

Not yet…

Not yet…

I got a good look at one of the men. He, like the others, had greyish skin. Everything moved in slow motion as I stared into his jet-black eyes.

NOW!

The world shifted. In a blink, I was stood on the ground, right where the sickly-looking man had just been. He, on the other hand, hit the floor with a sickening crunch. I refused to look at the aftermath. However, despite my familiar aversion to gore, I felt nothing at having just killed someone. Was it because he had looked inhuman? In fact, they all looked like zombies. I guessed they were possessed. Now, Kugo knew it was wrong to kill them under such circumstances. But Kugo was a model Japanese high school student. I was no longer Sato Kugo.

I sliced through a man. No, I mean, my sword went straight through him, as if it were immaterial.

Huh?

Despite that, he fell. They sure looked dead to me.

I sliced through someone else. Again, my new sword acted as if it didn’t exist. And again, my victim was felled. I grinned. Since I hadn’t been raised as a bloodthirsty combatant, I had greatly hesitated to get my sword bloody during my time in this fantasy world? But now? I didn’t need to hold back.

I hacked and slashed, dodged and weaved, blocked and countered. I was stronger and more agile than ever before. Furthermore, my sword killed anything it touched, even if just barely. I was unstoppable. I rampaged through the crowd like a tornado, destroying everything in my wake. I cut through swords and people.

Occasionally, I’d make major advancements by using my power. However, I found myself jumping back where I’d switched from, to kill more people. The sight of those grey mutants enraged me to no end.

Eventually, multiple war horns went off. The dragons made that hellish goose honk I’d heard from Kaizo.

Yikes… I probably should have made a stealthier entrance.

The entire army descended upon me.

***

I stood with my sword raised, ready for the next wave of fighters. I was panting heavily. How long had I been fighting for? An hour? I’d killed roughly two hundred people by now. There was no way I could get them all. My enemies now gave me a wide berth. None of them dared approach.

“Where is Allister Twain?!” I roared.

The crowd eyed each other nervously.

“Allister?!” I shouted.

Hm?

The crowd in front of me was beginning to part. Was my long-awaited foe arriving?

A man in thick, black armour entered the scene. He was about two metres tall, with broad shoulders. He held a gargantuan sword by his side. The man curiously wasn’t wearing a helmet, so I could see his bald head and defined features. He sure looked intimidating, but he wasn’t Allister.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“I am Allister’s top general. He has sent me down here to dispatch you!” the man boomed. His voice was deep and full of bass.

“Yeah, right. If anything, I bet Allister told you to bring me to him,” I retorted.

I saw the surprise pass over his stern face. It was gone in an instant.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” I grinned. “He’ll kill you if you kill me.”

“He’ll thank me for not allowing his time to be wasted if I kill you,” the general replied with indignance.

I twirled my sword. Whatever. One slash from this will dispatch this loser. I darted towards the general and swiped as fast as possible.

*Clang!*

My sword bounced off his armour.

The man looked down at me with a horrifying, toothy grin.

I may be in some trouble here.