Rose’s POV
Men surrounded me, their eyes blazing with fury as if I’d just slaughtered one of their own.
One of them stepped forward, cautiously closing the distance. He’d witnessed how brutally I’d taken down their leader, so his apprehension was justified. Clutched in his hand was a knife, glinting menacingly under the dim pub lights. I knew he didn’t plan to kill me—not outright. The blade was a psychological weapon, meant to make me feel threatened and vulnerable. Humans have an instinctive fear of weapons, often trembling and losing their nerve in their presence. He was counting on that fear to give him the upper hand.
Unfortunately for them, a mere knife posed no threat to me.
As he closed in, he thrust his hand forward, the knife aimed directly at me. I swiftly seized his hand, yanking him towards me with force. With a swift and deliberate motion, I used my knee to snap his arm.
“Agh!”
The knife clattered loudly to the floor. With his arm now broken, emitting a sickening crunch, I deftly maneuvered under it, positioning him behind me. In one fluid motion, I hoisted him over my shoulder and hurled him back toward his gang.
The men stared at me in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief. I grinned wickedly and beckoned them forward with a taunting gesture.
They exchanged uncertain glances before charging at me. Six of them, all at once. The first two wielded knives, the next two were unarmed, and the last two were conjuring magic.
The magic users hurled fireballs in my direction. With a swift motion, I conjured a Water Shield, dousing their flames.
“Raaaah!”
The knife-wielder seized the moment to lunge at my back. I spun around, striking his wrist and sending the knife clattering to the ground. Using my legs, I ensnared his arm, rolling to the floor and flinging him aside with a powerful toss.
“Aggghh!”
I rolled again, quickly finding my footing. As another man attempted to knife me, I grabbed his hand, yanking him toward me and delivering a brutal elbow strike to his head.
“Ghhh?!”
The man crumpled to the ground, out cold.
The magic users hurled more fireballs in my direction. With a swift motion, I slashed through the flames barehanded, dispersing them. Their eyes widened in shock. Seizing the moment, I grabbed a nearby chair and flung it at them. The first magic user took the full brunt of the chair, which shattered upon impact. The second one, stunned, quickly recovered and launched another fireball.
I snatched another chair, spinning to build momentum before releasing it with all my might. The chair flew through the air and collided with the second magic user, sending him flying backward. The chair splintered into pieces.
“Fuck, this woman’s trouble,” one of them grumbled.
“I know that fighting style. And that hair… That’s the Green-haired demon! The one who took down a stray dragon barehanded!”
The guy who spoke clearly knew his stuff. He was spot on. I had earned that reputation. Back in my adventuring days, I faced off against a rogue dragon and emerged victorious. Though it had been a long time, my moniker, the Green-haired demon, still echoed among some circles. It was a modest nickname, but one that I had come to embrace.
“Come on, now. Don’t be shy. I can take all of you at once,” I taunted.
The men didn’t move, just staring at me in fear. It looked like they finally realized they were up against someone they shouldn’t have messed with.
“Tsk. Assholes,” I muttered.
I couldn’t go back to drowning myself in booze after that brawl. The taste of alcohol would just turn bitter now. So, I made my way out of the pub, leaving behind the mess. I wasn’t about to pay for any of the damage. There’s an unwritten rule among adventurers: whoever starts the fight foots the bill for damages, no matter who actually caused them. As far as I was concerned, I wasn’t the instigator. They were the ones who pushed me to the edge.
Stepping into the cool night air, I felt its refreshing touch against my skin, a stark contrast to the heated chaos I left inside.
“Now, where should I go? Going back home doesn’t quite sit right with me.” I retrieved a cigarette from my breast pocket, conjured a flame with a flick of fire magic, and nestled it between my lips. Inhaling deeply, I savored the sharp drag before releasing a billowing exhale of smoke. “I’m not ready to head back just yet. Looks like I’ll need to find another watering hole to drown my troubles.”
I strolled through the night, smoke billowing from my cigarette with each step. The dimly lit streets cast long shadows, adding to the somber atmosphere. As I ambled along, lost in thought, a sudden sensation washed over me.
“Hey, mind coming out of your hiding spot? If you’re gonna radiate that much bloodlust, hiding’s pointless,” I called out.
The figure emerged from the alley, clad head to toe in black. From the curves, it was clear she was a woman. Though we hadn’t started fighting yet, her presence exuded danger.
“Good instincts, as expected of someone working for the Administrators,” she remarked.
“Who are you?” I asked.
The woman pulled back her glove slightly, revealing a half-moon tattoo on her wrist—the mark of the Eclipse.
“You’ve done well, uncovering one of our former members and learning about our organization,” she said coolly. “Unfortunately, the Cult Leader doesn’t tolerate loose ends. That’s why we had to eliminate the man. And now, for knowing too much, you’re next.”
“I see,” I replied calmly. “So, you’re the one who’s going to take me out?”
“That’s right. Here and now, you’re going to be taken out,” she declared.
“Are you certain you can kill me?” I challenged.
“Unfortunately, yes,” she replied confidently. “You may be called the Green-haired Demon, but I’m sure you won’t be much of a challenge for me.”
“And how can you be so sure about that?” I retorted. “Why don’t we settle it right here, right now? Sound like a plan?”
I could see a sinister grin spread across the woman’s face from beneath her mask. “Sounds like a thrill,” she remarked. “I’ve heard tales of your god-like prowess in martial arts, but I’m no stranger to the same league. This might just be your ultimate challenge yet, don’t you think?”
“You’re really talking yourself up,” I countered. “While your skills may be impressive, I’m unmatched. No one comes close to besting me.”
I readied myself for the impending clash, my fists clenched tightly, imbued with a swirling aura of mana that drew in the energy from the surroundings. It crackled with power, a testament to years of honing my martial prowess and mastering the art of mana manipulation.
“I see you’re no slouch in mana manipulation,” she acknowledged with a hint of respect. “Impressive for someone known for taking down a dragon single-handedly. Yet, even with such power, you’ll find it lacking against me.”
Suddenly, a shiver shot up my spine like an electric jolt. The woman drew in mana from the surrounding atmosphere, her arm engulfed in a swirling vortex of energy that seemed to warp the very air around us. The sheer concentration of power was staggering, almost suffocating in its intensity. I couldn’t fathom how someone could command such a vast amount of mana and focus it into a singular point.
“Now, let’s see who truly reigns in martial arts.”
She assumed a stance that betrayed no weaknesses, every movement precise and deliberate. A deep-seated unease settled in my veins, a foreboding sense of impending defeat unlike anything I’d ever felt before. It was a profound overwhelm, a realization that this encounter could be my most challenging yet.
The fight began with a sudden burst of speed from her. She launched herself off the ground, hurtling towards me like a bullet. Her movements were swift and calculated. As she closed in, she threw a punch aimed directly at me. Reacting quickly, I bent my body backward, narrowly evading the blazing fist. The intensity of her mana was palpable, radiating heat that singed my skin. Was she also channeling elemental forces into her mana? This woman was undoubtedly a formidable opponent, a force to be reckoned with.
After dodging her initial attack, I seized the opportunity to counter with an uppercut. She deftly leaned back, narrowly avoiding my fist which swung through empty air. Reacting swiftly, she retaliated with a sweeping kick aimed at my feet, but I managed to tumble backward, avoiding the brunt of the blow. Before I could regain my balance, she closed the distance in an instant, her fist poised to strike. I quickly formed an X with my arms, shielding my face as her fist collided with my defense. The sheer force of the impact pushed me back, though it didn’t cause much pain. Taking that hit straight to the face would have been a different story altogether.
“Nice reflexes,” she complimented.
“You too. I guess you were right. This might just be my toughest challenge yet.”
With that, we both charged at each other again.
