Chapter 31
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Angry people tend to be very unreasonable.
When emotion overpowers logical thought, no amount of words, reasoning, or pleading will yield a favorable outcome. The consequence of unchecked rage often leads to catastrophe—bloody, brutal, and irreversible.
Erik, unfortunately, found himself on the receiving end of such fury.
And it wasn't just any anger. It was a storm of hatred condensed into the form of a man.
A man named Nikolai.
Worse still, Erik had no idea how to calm him down. No tactic, no trick, no lie felt like it could work here. And yet, the answer was simple.
'No, I don't know where they are.'
That was the truth. But something deep in Erik's gut told him that this caramel-skinned Russian wouldn't accept that answer—at least, not without blood.
And if he dared lie? If he said yes, and Nikolai discovered the deception? It would only get him torn apart faster.
"ANSWER ME NOW!" Nikolai roared, his bloodlust leaking like radiation from his very skin. The air warped with the intensity of it, dread clinging to every breath. "I'll give you five seconds. Answer me... or I'll rip out your innards and shove them down your filthy throat!"
Erik's mouth dried instantly. His stomach knotted in fear.
He had no idea if this man even understood what mercy was anymore.
"Five."
"B-Buddy, let's calm down, okay? Let's not take drastic measures..." Erik said with a shaky grin, trying to reason, but his voice faltered under the weight of the countdown.
"Four." Nikolai continued his countdown, teeth clenched.
"Buddy, I'm trying to help you here. You're just making it difficult." He felt the weight of every villager's gaze as they pressed back away from the scene.
"Three."
It looks like he had to choose on one of the two options available to him, and he chose to tell him the truth: "Okay, I—I don't know where your family is. But I can help you… Only if you—allow me." A single bead of sweat ran down his temple.
In the flicker of a heartbeat, Nikolai's arm shot upward, his heavy axe poised for the final blow. "One…" He growled, and Erik felt his blood run cold.
And then Nikolai moved.
With terrifying speed, the Russian man charged forward, dane axe raised high in both hands aiming to chop him in half.
"Everyone, get back!" Erik bellowed, turning defensive as the villagers fled in all directions. With reflexes honed from years of training, he ducked under the axe's arc. The blade whistled inches above his shoulder as he spun around, drawing his sword strapped to his back.
Cold steel rang as they met—Klang! The axe slammed against Erik's blade with a force that reverberated up into Erik's arm. He gritted his teeth, muscles straining, sweat stinging his eyes. The villagers scattered like startled birds, their cries mingling with the clash of metal.
'He's strong—way too strong.' Erik was shocked to see the strength being displayed before his very eyes.
Despite Nikolai being leaner than him, every strike carried raw, primal power. Each swing came faster, more savage, more relentless. Erik could feel his stamina bleeding away.
Erik pushed back, feeling the impact shake through his entire arm. This guy is strong, he thought, adrenaline singing through his veins. If I get careless, I'll die a brutal death. He gripped his sword tighter, inching backward as Nikolai's next blow came crashing down. Each strike was heavier, faster, fueled by hatred.
And then, it stopped.
For a brief, dreadful second.
Nikolai stepped back. His grip shifted. The dane axe was raised above his head for an overhead strike, two hands clenched tightly. If that connected with Erik's skull, it would be the end. The axe head came with terrifying speed towards him, too fast for him to even dodge it
CLANG!
Erik shifted his grip for a half sword grip and raised the blade blocking the axe from chopping him in half. The sheer impact from the blow still drove him to one knee, boots sinking into the churned snowy ground.
'I don't think I can hold him much longer.' Fear curled in his stomach, but he couldn't allow it to paralyze him.
Before he could regain his stance, Nikolai used the axe-head's spike to lock against the flat of Erik's blade. With a sudden yank, he ripped the sword from Erik's grasp dragging him towards Nikolai or more specifically towards his knee, then Nikolai's knee struck him straight in the face, sending him to the ground. Nikolai threw Erik's sword away far away from his reach.
The taste of copper filled Erik's mouth. Blood trickled from his nostrils, each breath an agony. He pressed a trembling hand to his bleeding nose and managed to rise onto one trembling knee. The world rocked, but he forced himself upright, forcing muscles to obey.
A shadow enveloped him. He looked up, vision blurred, to see Nikolai looming there—hammer in hand.
Erik swallowed; he was weaponless, dazed, and close to the brink of collapse. Nikolai raised the hammer high above his head, knuckles white, mouth contorted with rage.
"How dare you take my family away from me!" Nikolai roared, "I will kill you. I will hunt you down. I will hunt EVERY. LAST. ONE. OF. YOU!" His voice echoed through the village, and the terrified screams of the onlookers rose to a fevered pitch.
Erik's vision swam. He knew the sledgehammer's fall would end him. Only one thought pierced his panic: It's time to fight back. He clenched his fists at his sides—bones thudding in his chest—breathing ragged. As the hammer began its fatal descent, he surged forward in a blind, desperate charge.
He barreled into Nikolai's midsection, driving the man off balance and slamming both of them to the ground. Twisting swiftly, Erik wrapped his arms around Nikolai's waist, positioning himself behind.
RAAAH!!!
With a grunt that echoed across the village square, he lifted Nikolai off the ground and threw him backward in a clean, devastating German Suplex. The impact shook the dirt.
But Erik didn't let go.
Rolling them both, he rose again, dragged the stunned Nikolai back up, and executed a second suplex—this one a release throw that sent Nikolai tumbling across the ground like a ragdoll.
Erik chased after, pouncing on him and mounting his chest. His fists rained down on the metal skull helmet with unrelenting fury.
'If words fail to knock sense into a man—use your fists,' he recalled from his old combat instructor.
And he did just that.
Each punch shook through his arms. He felt the steel, the resistance—but no mercy.
He was sure victory was near.
'He's not trained in close quarters. He's young. He'll go down…'
But arrogance is a dangerous flaw.
Nikolai's left hand shot up, snatching Erik's descending arm by the elbow. With practiced fluidity, he yanked Erik's arm sideways, forcing his body to twist and drop. Before Erik could regain balance, Nikolai wrapped his arm around Erik's throat.
Rear naked choke.
Jujutsu.
'No!' Erik's mind screamed. 'Not here—not like this!'
He tried to roll away, but that was exactly what Nikolai anticipated.
Like a predator, Nikolai wrapped his legs around Erik's waist—locking him down.
Seconds passed.
Erik's strength was fading. His vision blurred. The world tilted sideways.
He had to act.
Now.
"REINFORCEMENT MAGIC!" he shouted through gritted teeth.
Blue Nordic runes lit up along his legs. Power surged through them.
And he jumped.
Five meters—straight up.
At the apex, Erik twisted, flipping their bodies in midair so Nikolai's back would hit the ground first.
THUD!!!
They slammed into the earth. The impact cracked the soil beneath them. Erik expected the choke to loosen—expected it to end.
It didn't.
"CURSE MAGIC: GRIP!" Nikolai muttered darkly.
Erik's breath caught. The grip tightened.
It wasn't human anymore.
'It's like his arms are iron bands…'
"REINFORCEMENT MAGIC!" Erik gasped.
Runes flared on his neck, strengthening the muscles against the pressure.
It gave him minutes—precious, fleeting minutes.
But then… the worst came.
"CURSE MAGIC: MAGIC DRAIN."
Erik froze.
He felt it. Like ice pouring into his spine. His strength—his magic—was being drained.
The runes on his neck was slowly vanishing and if did nothing, he would be in great danger.
"NO!" he roared, clawing at the steel-like arms choking the life out of him. "LET GO!!"
But it was like trying to bend stone.
His muscles weakened.
His heart raced.
His vision dimmed…
…The screaming villagers… the world… fading into quiet.
His eyes turned skyward—toward the stars just beginning to peek through the dusk.
'Eir… I'm sorry…'
---
WHUMP.
Nikolai released the curse and shoved the limp body to the ground, chest heaving. He slowly rose to his feet, groaning as pain pulsed through his ribs and legs. The high-altitude drop had not been kind to his body.
He stared down at Erik's unmoving form.
Rage flooded his veins.
"You deserved this... for taking my family away."
With a flick of his hand, the sledgehammer returned to his grip, humming with energy.
"I'll destroy all of you. I won't rest until every last one is gone."
Screams echoed in the distance—horrified cries from villagers who had seen too much. Nikolai's skull helmet turned toward them.
The glare alone made them stumble back in terror.
He turned back to Erik.
Dragging the heavy weapon across the ground, he stepped toward him. His voice was cold. Final.
"You shouldn't have taken them. Now… you'll die."
---
{ Rossweise's POV }
It happened too fast.
One moment, Rossweise was sharing fun memories with her friends, and the next—she felt it. A powerful shift, like a tear in the air. A gut-wrenching wave of sorrow... then wrath.
It came from him.
"R-Rose? Artom? Igor? What's wrong?" Sigrun asked, confused as the three of them stood frozen.
Rossweise didn't answer. She felt it in her bones—Nikolai was losing control.
When Artom and Igor both got up suddenly, panic on their faces. she knew they felt it too.
Pure hatred.
Pure pain.
And something else.
Desperation.
She took off running. So did Artom and Igor.
"Come on!" she yelled. "We have to stop him—before he does something he'll regret!"
'Hold on, Nikolai. We're coming… Please—don't do this…'