Chapter 15: I Still Prefer Your Brutal Side (Part 2)
The veteran at the front swung his morningstar with a whooshing sound, clashing with Fingal's weapon. The sharp clang of metal striking metal pierced their eardrums. Fingal staggered backward, his lower back hitting the wall—he was surrounded.
His hands were numb from the impact, nearly losing his grip on the weapon.
To let go is to die.
Thump.
Thump-thump!
Who is it?
Who is ringing the bell?
The whole world seemed to fall into an eerie silence. Fingal heard what sounded like someone striking a giant bronze bell... Wait, was that my heartbeat?
Clear fear and despair flashed in Fingal's eyes... This defied logic. This was so unlike a web novel!
The world seemed to turn gray.
Damn it... Burn! I'm a transmigrator! I can't die! My hypnosis plan isn't complete yet!
His mind reacted, but his body was like gears without oil, grinding together with a mournful whir. His lungs felt ready to explode.
This reminded him.
He was an old-fashioned soul who loved nostalgia, his favorite being Saint Seiya. Those scenes were vivid in his mind, and he could recite the touching lines by heart.
Once, when Seiya was beaten so badly he couldn't get up, he told Athena, "I'm so tired. I have no strength left. I can't stand at all. Humans can't defeat gods." But Athena said, "You still have hope! You still have life. You're not left with nothing."
Then Seiya stood up, burning with life, and rose to defeat the god.
So moving.
But as he grew older, Fingal realized more and more that it was impossible. Like math problems, if you don't know how, you just don't.
Just like now, a flashback of his life flickered like scenes in a movie theater.
Everyone's despair is a powerlessness to change reality... Whether it's school, work, marriage...
His eyes seemed to flash with memories that didn't exist—a girl? He didn't know. She seemed beautiful, pleading with him...
Ah, damn it, could you speak louder?... I can't hear you.
In his daze, Fingal felt his consciousness submerged in the deep sea. In that endless darkness, a stunningly beautiful girl reached out to him like a ray of dawn, mumbling something.
"Let's kill him together!"
"Stab him! Hurry!"
In reality, a weapon stabbed toward him, about to eliminate this bold madman.
Huff, huff...
What are you saying?... What do you mean... live well?
Do... I know you?
In his haze, the girl in his consciousness took his hand, embraced him like a flower, and whispered in his ear.
"Don't die..."
"Live well..."
A tear rolled down Fingal's cheek. For some reason, an immense sorrow enveloped him like a tide... He didn't know why he was so sad, but he felt that if he didn't do as the girl said, he would be miserable—a fear worse than death.
So...
Don't die!
Boom!!
Yanked violently from the depths, Fingal's consciousness returned to reality. The world regained its color.
His eyes seemed to ignite, turning golden and bright, his pupils shifting into terrifying vertical slits.
"I said enough!" The veins on Fingal's temples throbbed fiercely, like suppressed rage erupting in a lion's roar. "It's you who should die!!"
How could I die here?
At the hands of a bunch of... foolish... lowly, despicable... vermin?
Absolutely not!
"!!!"
What is that?
The leading soldier suddenly felt a surge of panic, a chilling premonition.
"I told you not to underestimate me, you bastard!"
Fingal's eyes widened with fury. His muscles swelled instantly, transforming his previously average build into one rivaling a bodybuilder's. Bulging arm muscles revealed prominent veins as faint red scales pierced through his skin.
Rip!!
His already heavy one-handed sword swung toward the neck of a soldier charging with a polearm, cleaving through it like slicing vegetables.
Thud... thud...
The head rolled several times on the ground. Peeking civilians in nearby houses screamed in terror.
The sunlight fell perfectly upon the youth's delicate face, his golden hair dancing wildly in the air, revealing a countenance filled with fear and rage—yet his lips curled into an inexplicable smile.
The brutality in his blood ignited like a forest fire sparked by a carelessly dropped cigarette butt. Dark desires made him burn with restless heat, as if flames were erupting from within his body... Lust and rage, fear and greed, all emotions fueled his growing ferocity.
Without a second thought, he swung his blade in a circular arc, cutting through the air like a thunderclap, the steel gleaming with an eerie cyan light.
"Die!"
Fingal moved as if unopposed, chasing down over a dozen soldiers with his blade as if chopping meat, never stopping even when wounded.
Kill!
Slaughter!
Perish!
He plunged his sword into a soldier's heart, laughing wildly.
...
[Aura's Favorability Slightly Increases...]
[Aura's Favorability Slightly Increases]
[Aura's Favorability Slightly Increases...]
[Aura's Favorability Moderately Increases!]
[Acquired Level 4 Entry: "Isn't It Normal to Agree to Subordinates' Requests?" — Aura may become more willing to comply with requests that go against her principles.]
[...]
[Breaking Boundaries — Aura's Favorability: 150 (Friendly)]
Watching from the sidelines, Aura widened her eyes, crushing a porcelain cup in her hand. As she observed Fingal's merciless slaughter, a faint, unnatural blush spread across her pale cheeks.
This guy really isn't human... At least not purely human. What creature is he? Dragon? Serpent?
She didn't know, but Aura genuinely felt:
"...This version of you is much more pleasing to the eye."
This cruel, violent demeanor—
This was her aesthetic.
Humans were nothing but lowly Paramecium.
Five minutes later, Fingal returned to the dessert shop drenched in blood, looking down at Aura with eyes as cold as Antarctic ice, his gaze openly frigid.
"Well, you do have some power after all... How does it feel? Enjoyable, right? I told you it'd feel good. It's not like I'm solely following the Demon King's orders to kill."
Aura applauded with a smile, delighted to have such a subordinate—pleasing to the eye and powerful.
As for what he himself thought? Aura believed she shouldn't care. If he usually deceived himself with nonsense, it didn't matter. What mattered was that he was useful to her.
She permanently abandoned any thought of killing Fingal.
...
[Aura's Favorability Slightly Increases]
[Level 4 Entry implantation in progress..... Implantation successful.]
[Aura's Favorability: 161 (Friendly)]
Fingal remained silent, his expression seemingly frozen... After a long while, his icy face seemed to welcome the early spring sunshine, melting away, replaced by that still brilliant smile.
"Thank you very much for the praise, Aura-sama."
"Would you like a reward? If you want to touch my chest, I can agree to it this time?"
Aura stood up from her chair, generously spreading her arms like a young girl wanting a hug.
"No need, thank you." Fingal smiled shyly, while pointing at the nobleman who had wet himself in fear. "If possible, could you spare his life and make him follow my commands? Aura-sama."
Aura was momentarily stunned. Let him go? Hmm... alright, this isn't really a big deal.
She agreed without much thought, completely forgetting that this was her first attempt to transfer control of a Puppet to someone else—something that should have been impossible.
"If that's what you're asking... since you've requested it, very well."
And so, the town of Follich fell into Aura's hands—more accurately, into Fingal's control.
After today, news spread through the town that Fingal had become a glorious 'Honorary Knight'.
Which meant he was essentially a noble.
As time passed, the town stabilized again. The townspeople pretended not to have seen what happened before, merely keeping it in memory, occasionally mentioning it during idle conversations among village women.
Thus dozens of days passed by.