Chapter 4 Arc 1 The Windmill

Chapter 4

Arc 1

The Windmill

“Yes, that would be me, little adventurer. It seems you’ve come to witness my grand sacrifice.” The man smiles blissfully, as if he’s on the verge of true salvation.

Koro stares, confused. “Wait… how do you know I’m an adventurer? I haven’t even introduced myself.”

The man smirks. “Oh, but you didn’t need to. You’ve seen the symbols on the walls, right? I’ve been using them to eavesdrop on your conversations. It’s dark magic, you see. I learned the basics from a dark elf six years ago. She nearly killed me in battle—then taught me out of pity. But later I discovered that dark magic, when paired with sacrifices like human souls…” He gestures toward the shadow wolf standing loyally at his side. “…opens a gateway to curse spirits. I strike contracts with them. My deal is simple: I offer human souls to my precious shadow wolf, and in return, he grants me cursed vitality—a power beyond magic itself.”

Koro grips his sword tighter and steps back, readying himself. “Well, that’s a morbid explanation. But I’m guessing you still can’t use cursed power yet since you’re collecting souls—which means you’re limited to regular magic for now. By the way, what’s your name? I’d like to know the name of the sick bastard I’m about to kill. Especially after what you did to Selina.”

The man chuckles. “Funny you mention that traitor. I was an adventurer once too. My name is Crimson V. I was A-rank, just like you—held that rank for a decade until I met that dark elf. Her name was Kahlani. She showed me the true path… and I’ve never been the same since.”

Koro’s stomach turns. Anger surges through him. “You’re pathetic. A former A-rank adventurer corrupted like this? You make me sick. I should end you right here. So a dark elf handed you your ass, you quit adventuring, and now you think it’s okay to sell people’s souls to that stupid wolf?”

Koro’s mana erupts outward in a violent purple aura, shaking the entire windmill. Crimson grins wider. “Yes! That’s the energy I’ve been waiting for, young adventurer. Come on—show me what you’ve got.”

Koro dashes forward. Crimson snaps his fingers; the wolf lunges, claws swinging. Koro grabs its head mid-air, uses it as a pivot to flip over, then charges his gio sword with lightning and swings down at Crimson. CACHEEE!!! A massive explosion erupts. Lightning scatters everywhere—Crimson had blocked with a dark magic shield. The wolf spins and slashes Koro across the back; blood sprays. Crimson thrusts a conjured dark spear—Koro lights up in a faint blue glow. “Hyper Sway.” He dodges the spear effortlessly, then evades another wolf swipe, backflipping away as the technique begins to fade.

Both Crimson and the wolf charge, closing in. Koro leaps high. “Raigeki!” A storm cloud forms overhead; lightning crashes down on Crimson. “AHHHHHH!!! Yes—this is a good battle!” Crimson drops to his knees, panting. The wolf charges Koro on the ground. Koro ignites his fist with blue flames. “Soul King’s Flame!!!” He punches the wolf square in the face, melting half its fur and skin away. Koro smirks—then notices the wolf shrinking. Earlier, when his emotions turned negative, it grew.

“Oh… I get it now. Shadow beasts thrive on negative emotions. The more souls and despair they feed on, the stronger they become. And that symbol on its back—when I burned it, it screamed and regenerated slower. Now I know how to beat both of you.”

Koro smirks. Crimson smiles. “Kid, you really are something else.”

Koro laughs. “Give it up, old man. We may both be A-rank, but I’m still in the game. You quit a long time ago. Time for the old generation to step aside and let the newcomers take over.”

CLING! SHEEEH! CLACK!

Shockwaves ripple with every clash. Crimson swings his dark magic sword; Koro blocks and counters with a punch to the chest. The wolf charges again, claws flashing. “You’re a one-trick puppy,” Koro taunts, dodging easily. Suddenly the wolf spins, mouth opening—a dark, pulsing orb rockets toward him. Koro dodges with lightning-speed mobility, but the blast explodes behind him, shaking the windmill. “Okay… never mind. Two-trick puppy.”

Crimson fires a dark magic beam from his sword. Koro charges his own blade with light magic, swings upward, and unleashes a slashing blue projectile that cleaves straight through the beam. He pursues as Crimson retreats, sending the wolf to fire more cursed orbs. Koro leaps to the wall, running along it while dodging explosions. He counters with sword-slash projectiles, slicing pillars and carving holes in the windmill’s interior. The structure groans—on the verge of collapse.

Crimson leaps up, slashing. Koro sheathes his sword and unleashes fire punches; Crimson dodges and keeps swinging. Koro backflips off the wall, blocking a wolf slash and skidding across the floor.

He dashes at the wolf, dodges its claws, and leaps high. Spotting the symbol on its back, he knows it’s time to end this. Lightning sparks from his fingertips, hands glowing blue. He clasps them together. “Raiko!” SHPPPPSO! A thunderous clap of lightning erupts, shocking the wolf into agony. The symbol fades—the wolf vanishes.

Crimson screams in rage, his magic surging red. He punches Koro square in the chest—fist nearly reaching organs, stomach caving in. Koro coughs blood and crashes through a pillar, bringing it down. The windmill’s wings collapse completely.

“Give up, little adventurer. Your time has come. You took my wolf—it’ll take ages to contract another curse spirit. Now I must kill you.”

Crimson charges. Koro rises, breathing heavily, wiping blood from his mouth. He forces his upper body forward, channeling all his mana into his left palm. Blue lightning surges wildly.

“Hey, old man… you might want to dodge this one. It’ll pierce any defense. This isn’t just lightning—it’s prime lightning, an S-rank casting technique. Even though I’m not S-rank yet, this one move is. Prime lightning—Narukami—shatters any magical barrier.”

Crimson laughs. “Narukami, huh? What a bunch of bullshit. Come on—let me see what you’ve got, kid.”

Crimson charges his dark sword to full power, growing it to pillar size. He swings down. Koro dashes at light speed. “AHHHHH!! Narukami!!”

They clash. For a few seconds, they struggle—then Narukami shatters the sword and impales Crimson through the chest.

Crimson looks up, grinning. “Oh yes… that’s it. Kill me. You were a worthy opponent, kid. But if you ever run into that dark elf woman, tell her I said hi… before she sends you to meet me in hell.”

Crimson laughs hysterically. Koro rips his hand free. Crimson coughs blood, gasps a few times, then collapses—dead.

Koro stands amid the ruins: shattered pillars, cracked walls, cratered floors. He returns to the villagers. His hand drips with Crimson’s blood.

“Crystal… everyone… the threat is over. I ended him. You can all go home now.”

Crystal falls to her knees, crying, and hugs him. The remaining villagers—about a hundred—bow and kneel in gratitude. Koro escorts them through the dark tunnels. They emerge into daylight, collapsing onto the grass, finally free.

Crystal cries quietly, overwhelmed with relief. Koro crosses his arms, a small, satisfied smile on his lips.

Then—an explosive fiery arrow streaks toward him. Koro reacts instantly, hurling it away.

“What the hell? More enemies?”

A young elf woman steps out: pretty, with blond hair, pale skin, blue eyes, dressed in white-and-green adventurer gear, bow in hand. “I will take you down, bandit. How could you kidnap these people from their village?”

Koro blinks. “Bandit? Wait—you seriously think I was the one who kidnapped them? The bandits are already dealt with.”

The woman hesitates. “Huh? But the—”

“Look, I can prove it. I’m an A-rank adventurer from Legend Cry. I’d never do something like that.”

The woman lowers her bow slightly. “Legend Cry? I’m from Legend Cry too. You’d better show me proof.”

Koro grunts in pain—the wolf’s bite still burns on his side—as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the adventurer’s ID Maya gave him.

The woman’s eyes widen. “Oh… it’s you. The new recruit everyone’s talking about. Aaron wouldn’t shut up about you while you were gone.” She smiles sheepishly. “Oh—I should introduce myself. I’m Sophie Orion, A-rank adventurer of Legend Cry.”