Brakkon writhed. His mouth groaned, his body trembled, unable to withstand the pain that kept torturing him. In front of him, a row of healing potions was neatly arranged. Mira stood over him, hands on her hips, head slightly tilted down—smiling as if enjoying a delightful game.
"Come on," she said softly, "Drink again. We're not finished."
Brakkon tried to crawl. His hand trembled as it reached for one of the potions. He gulped it down desperately. Once again, his body healed. But before he could stand properly or fight back—
Thud!
A hard knee slammed into his stomach. Brakkon spat out fresh blood. His body lifted off the ground and then slammed back down. Mira's foot immediately stepped on his head again. Brakkon was completely humiliated. No one could help him now.
"If... the guild finds out, you'll all be dead," he tried to threaten.
But Mira wasn't scared. She smiled. She squatted, grabbing a potion with her left hand. Meanwhile, her right hand grabbed Brakkon's arm. She swiftly elbowed the bald man's arm with incredible force. The sound of breaking bones echoed loudly.
"Aaaargh!" Brakkon screamed in agony.
And it didn't stop there. Mira stood up and mercilessly broke his other arm—and both of his legs. Brakkon's screams became the loudest sounds in the forest. Dyren merely watched. Meanwhile, Mara hid behind him, too afraid to witness the torture Mira inflicted.
"Shouldn't we just let them go? I think they've learned their lesson," Mara pleaded.
Dyren heard her and glanced over his shoulder. "Are you joking? Do you think if we were weak, they'd let us live too?"
A dark aura surged from Dyren's body. Mara, who had been behind him all this time, stepped back. She could feel Dyren's rage. Mara wanted to say something, but... no words came out. Maybe Dyren was right—especially with Brakkon's history of oppressing others.
"I'm sorry," Mara said. That was all she could manage.
***
One of the adventurers tried to run, but Mira vanished and reappeared right in front of him. Not a single one of them would leave this forest alive. Dyren thought the same—it would be too risky. If the guild found out, they'd be labeled as murderers. Eventually, they'd become fugitives.
"I told you all to stay still. Let me enjoy my little game with the bald one," she said, grabbing the man's hair and slamming his face into a tree trunk.
Crack!
Blood gushed from the adventurer's nose and mouth, his teeth scattered. He collapsed, unconscious. Mira channeled Mana into her hand and delivered a punch straight to his stomach. It pierced through his body. He died instantly, and Mira tossed his corpse aside.
"I'm getting bored," Mira muttered.
She walked back toward Brakkon. The bald man was now standing. His eyes sharp, filled with hatred and fury. He had already channeled Mana throughout his entire body. He was ready to fight—and had activated his best technique: Iron Form.
His entire body hardened. Like stone. Brakkon rarely lost when he used this technique.
"You're gonna die here, damn Beastman!" he shouted.
Without hesitation, he leaped forward and launched a punch at Mira's head. It was charged with massive Mana. Brakkon smiled when he saw Mira unmoving. He thought she was paralyzed with fear.
Bam!
The punch landed squarely on Mira's head. Brakkon laughed—but his laugh vanished seconds later. He swallowed hard. His punch hadn't hurt her at all. Not a scratch. She hadn't even flinched.
"Ah, you're so weak," Mira mocked.
Brakkon tried to retreat, but Mira's hand grabbed his arm first. In an instant, she yanked his arm forcefully.
"Aaarrrgh!" he screamed in pain.
His arm was torn off by Mira's pull. Blood gushed out violently. Brakkon collapsed and writhed in pain. Mira's face remained blank. No guilt at all.
"Are humans nowadays this weak?" she sighed.
***
Dyren still stood nearby, arms crossed. A thin smirk formed on his lips. He was satisfied watching Brakkon and his comrades being mercilessly tortured by Mira. No mercy at all. His long-held frustration was finally being avenged.
"Don't kill the bald one. I have an interesting plan for him," Dyren said.
Mira turned and shrugged. "Relax. I know the limits. You get the final say with this bald guy."
The remaining three adventurers knelt down. They were no longer laughing. Heads bowed, trembling like tiny mice before their predator. One of them, a lanky man with messy hair, begged.
"P-please! We were just following orders! Brakkon forced us to come!"
Mira walked slowly toward them. She stood in front of the remaining adventurers—besides Brakkon, because he would always survive. Mira tilted her head, pondering what to do. She turned to Dyren, waiting for his input.
"As for them, it's your call. I won't complain," Dyren replied.
"If I kill them... that's not a problem, right?" Mira asked casually.
Dyren shrugged both shoulders. "The choice is yours."
The three adventurers' eyes widened. They could sense something terrible was about to happen.
Mira had made her decision. She was ready to finish off the last three in the most horrifying way possible. She loved it. It reminded her of her past.
"Let's play a little."
Dyren, standing a little ways off, turned his body and looked toward Mara. He walked toward the mage girl. The girl trembled with fear.
"What are you..."
Dyren placed both hands on her shoulders and turned her body around, away from Mira. One second later, a loud scream rang through the air.
Mara shut her eyes. Covered her ears. The screaming made her shiver. It terrified her.
"Why are you killing them?" Mara whispered.
"There's no particular reason. I just don't like them. Isn't that enough?"
"You kill people just because you dislike them?"
"Don't others do the same? Humans are the most selfish and arrogant creatures. If given the freedom, they'd kill whoever they want. It's only morality that restrains them." Dyren gently patted Mara's head. "But I hope you're not like that. Be a kind girl and live a happy life."
Mara looked over her shoulder, gazing at Dyren's half-ruined face.
"Why don't you do that too? Isn't being kind... a good thing? When people thank you, doesn't that warm your heart?"
"In short... I'm not fully human, and I don't entirely have a heart like you do. I live for myself, and I'm part of that selfish group of humans."
"No. You're lying!"
Dyren laughed. "You're right."