The red-haired man lunged forward, flame blade leading his charge.
"HAARGHH!!"
Richard leaned back with perfect ease, the flaming blade slicing just inches from his nose.
Then–
BAM!
He drove a mana-augmented kick into the man's gut, sending him flying through a butcher shop across the street.
KRRRRRSHHH!
Blood and meat painted the windows red as he crashed into a back wall.
Richard strolled after him leisurely, drawing mana from the air with every step.
The man burst from the wreckage, veins glowing red, body cloaked in fire.
"Mors tua est!" He roared. "By the Crimson King, I'll–!"
"Alright enough talk." Richard said as he raised his hand.
WHOOSH!
A spear of water pierced the flames–impaling the man through the shoulder and pinning him to a lamp post.
He screamed in agony–but Richard didn't stop.
He twisted his fingers.
SHUNK!
An ice dagger formed and drove onto the man's thigh.
CRACK!
The ground split beneath him as a pillar of stone launched the red-haired man skyward–
And Richard followed behind.
He shot into the air with a mana-infused jump and caught up mid-air before spinning into a mid-air axe-kick that sent the man rocketing into the town's inn.
BOOOOOM!
The entire building collapsed. People screamed as they ran. A cultist tried to crawl out from under the debris.
Richard casually pointed a finger at him.
"Ignis."
A ball of fire erupted from his fingertip detonating the cultist's skull.
He descended like a vengeful god into the wreckage, stepping past burning timbers.
The red-haired man tried to crawl away.
"You're tough," Richard said, crouching beside him. "But really dumb."
"Fulgur."
ZAAAP!
A bolt of lightning scorched the man's back.
He screamed again, convulsing. Buildings crumbled in the background. Civilians ran. Mana beasts rampage in the chaos, only to be caught in stray elemental blasts from the two.
The red-haired one last counterattack, swinging his flaming blade–
But Richard caught it.
With his bare hand.
SIZZLE.
His skin sizzled, then rapidly healed with dark mana.
"Cute," Richard said.
Then he hurled the man with such force that he crashed into the town's blacksmith smithy.
BOOOOOOM!!!
Steel and iron clattered. Sparks flew and anvils tipped over.
Richard landed inside the ruined forge, eyes scanning the walls lined with weapons.
He whistled.
"Nice place. You've been holding out on me, town smith?"
The red-haired man coughed blood in the corner, barely able to stand.
Richard ignored him as he began lifting swords off the wall.
"Hmmm... no too heavy." He said throwing the one he just picked.
Then another. "Too short." And threw that one out as well.
"Ugh, tacky guard." And threw out another.
Then he saw one that caught his eyes. A long, elegant blade, slender with a steel gleam and white grip.
The blade's edge glowed faintly in the firelight, the surface rippled with craftsmanship.
He picked it up and twirled it.
SHING-SHING.
"I like this one."
The man screamed, leaping forward.
"Die!"
WHOOOSH!
Richard didn't even turn around. He didn't need to.
All he did was casually snap his hand back and fired a compressed burst of wind.
BOOOOOM!
The man was blown straight through the smithy wall, landing outside in a crater of shattered pavement.
Richard stepped out, sword in hand.
The red-haired man stood just barely.
And they clashed again.
CLANG!
CLANG-CLANG!
SHRIIIING!
Metal rang across the area.
The man was strong. But Richard was faster, stronger, more skilled, and just unrelenting.
He spun, parried, disarmed and then sliced.
SHLICK!
In one smooth motion, the man's arm fell off.
"Arrrgghhh." He howled in agony.
But Richard wasn't having it. He sliced again.
SLASH!
And took the other arm as the man fell to his knees panting and trembling.
Richard walked forward like a grim reaper, his bloodied sword in hand, and his red eyes glowing like lanterns in the dark.
He then crouched as he grabbed the man's head in both hands with a satisfied grin on his face.
The man began to sob as he began begging. "Please... mercy... I-I'll–"
Richard shook his head, interrupting him with the grin still on his face.
He then spoke, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"No. No..." he said softly.
"...no begging."
"...and definitely no mercy."
Then–
CRRRRCK-KSHHHHH!!
The man's skull exploded between Richard's hands like a melon, blood and bone spraying the ground.
Richard stood there basking in the afterglow, his eyes dull with cold satisfaction.
The square fell silent–except for the crackle of flame and the distant cries of a dying town.
And just then a notification popped up on the system in front of him.
>Host has just killed an apostle of the Demon Cult.
>Exp received; 300Exp.