Tti-ring!
[Emergency Quest: Kill All the Enemies!]
Lifeforms are holding murderous intent against the 'Astravor.' Kill them all to secure your safety. If you don't follow this instruction, a corresponding penalty will be given.
[The number of enemies left to kill: 4]
[The number of killed enemies: 0]
Hal's pulse quickened.
"Emergency quest?"
This was new.
He had received system notifications before—usually cryptic or unreadable—but this one was different. It was clear. And the way it was issued...
A penalty if I don't comply?
The weight of it pressed down on him. This wasn't a simple suggestion from the system. It was a direct order.
But apart from that, there was the other thing....
'Wait up. The words are clear this time around? What changed?' Hal thought.
The first time he had seen something like that, it was written in gibberish and he had no idea what it was then, neither did he now.
What could an 'Astravor' have meant? He had no idea, but he was going to put that aside for now and deal with this evil beings.
Lowering the translucent interface, his eyes locked onto the four Convicts nearby.
They were too relaxed.
One of them scratched his head lazily.
"What the hell was that guy thinking, leaving a C-rank and an E-rank with us? Where's the fairness in that?"
Their helmets lay discarded, their postures indifferent.
Hal could see it now—they weren't taking this seriously at all."If you don't mind Mr Height, I'd like you to sit this one out." Hal said to Mr Height's.
The emergency quest had given him four enemies to kill, which meant he had to kill them all alone.
"What are you out of your mind? How do you expect to take down four C-ranks all alone?"
"Just trust me, sir...."
"Trust? You? Hahaha, you know what? Perhaps I take you down myself and save my fellow C-ranks here the stress of dealing with crap like you."
Hal's eyes sharpened into a slit as he watched Mr. Walked up to the Convicts to plead to become part of their small gang. He hadn't expected Mr Height to act that way.
'Snake.'
He disliked people like this. People who would throw away every sense of justice at the smallest sign of danger.
Well if he wanted to join the Convicts in killing him, they were welcome to try. Perhaps the system would add him to the list of people to kill.
The Convicts exchanged amused glances, watching the exchange like it was entertainment.
"Hey," he called, addressing them. "Why waste your time fighting this brat? I'll do it myself. Let me join you."
The Convicts chuckled, eyeing Mr. Height with amusement. "Oh? You wanna switch sides?"
"Why not?" he said, gripping his axe. "Saves you the trouble. He dies, I live, and we move on."
The leader leaned back, considering it. Then he grinned. "Fine. Kill him, and you're in."
Mr. Height turned back, rolling his shoulders.
"Tough luck, kid," he said, lifting his axe. "I'll make it quick."
Tti-ring!
[System Update.]
[Emergency Quest: Kill All the Enemies!]
[The number of enemies left to kill: 5]
[The number of killed enemies: 0]
Hal's eyes flickered toward the update. Hal was kinda worried that if Mr Height didn't take the initiative, he wouldn't get the emergency quest notification.
The moment Mr Height revealed his murderous intent the message popped up.
And, just as he had suspected, the system added Mr Height to the kill list.
Well, now that he had the go-ahead to kill him, Hal got ready to do so.
A slow smirk formed on his lips, and he stood there seemingly not bothered by the staggering Height.
Mr. Height's expression darkened. "Cocky little—"
He lunged.
His axe swung in a devastating arc, cutting through the air with enough force to split a man in half.
The Convicts chuckled.
"Haha! The brat's frozen!"
"He's not even moving! Where's all that confidence now?"
The thing was that they got Hal wrong. He wasn't scared, no, he simply wasn't bothered, as Mr Height posed no threat whatsoever to him.
At the last possible moment, he sidestepped—fluid, precise, effortless.
Whoosh!
The axe slammed into the ground, missing completely.
Mr. Height's eyes widened, but before he could react, Hal moved in, summoning his dagger, Steel with a mere flick of the hand.
He stepped in close, his lips barely parting as he whispered:
"It's not personal, sir."
Slice!
A thin red line appeared across Mr. Height's neck.
His confused expression lingered for a moment—his mouth still in the middle of forming words—before his head slid cleanly off his shoulders.
Thud.
His lifeless body fell forward, powerlessly, the weight of its final action dragging it down.
Hal didn't even spare the lifeless body a glance as he wiped the blood off his blade.
It was a matter of kill or be killed.
There was a brief silence and then...
"H-huh?"
"What the F*CK?!"
The Convicts bolted to their feet, their eyes wide with shock.
They weren't just angry. They were terrified.
"How… How did an E-rank just kill a C-rank…?"
The one who had winked at Freya outside the Gate snarled, unsheathing his weapon. "You little shit!"
The guy who seemed to be their boss, as he was the most composed, let out a slow exhale, a smirk playing at his lips. "Well, well… maybe you got lucky with that piece of trash. But that luck ends now."
He tilted his head, studying Hal with interest.
"What rank did you say you were again?"
Hal met his gaze, and under his helmet, his eyes gleamed, their blue color seemingly brighter; his lips curled into a slightly mischievous smile, and he said, with a voice as cool and ordinary as he could manage...
".....E-ranker, Hal Rodgraim."