The group of adventurers stumbled backward, seemingly frightened by the sheer bloodlust emanating from Jack. But the bald man, even though he was frightened, didn't take a single step back. His lips curled into a snarl as he fixed a menacing glare on Jack. "You arrogant bastard," he spat, with a quivering voice. "Can't you see you're outnumbered?" He jabbed a finger toward the four men backing him, who stopped backing down after witnessing their leader's courage. Then he gestured toward the three beastmen behind us, who seemed to be unbothered by Jack's bloodlust. "We'll crush you, and this little girl can't save you!" With a menacing point, he singled me out. 

I'm not a girl though. I thought slightly annoyed.

Jack's smirk widened as he stopped his bloodlust from leaking out and cracked his knuckles, the sharp sounds echoing through the tense air. He then rolled his neck, grabbed his axe from his back, and dropped it on the ground. Then, with a swift motion, he assumed a battle stance. His expression was calm. It was clear that he didn't take them seriously.

The bald man's patience visibly ran thin, his anger outwearing his fear. His head turned crimson-red as he gripped the hilt of his sword in a white-knuckled grip. He then made a quick commanding gesture to the two mages behind him who nodded and quickly began to conjure a spell. As the spell took hold, the ground beneath Jack's feet turned into a treacherous mire, causing Jack to slowly sink.  

Yet Jack seemed to be unbothered, maintaining his battle stance with a bored expression, waiting for someone to attack. 

Suddenly, the bald man lunged forward. He covered his blade in flames and held it high, bringing it down shortly after in a swift vertical arc toward Jack.   

Simultaneously, another man closed in on Jack. The head of his spear began rotating violently through the use of wind magic. He then began thrusting it towards Jack's chest with murderous intent.

Jack effortlessly snatched the blade from mid-air, snapping it in half without hesitation. Then in one fluid motion, he leaned to the left, trapping the spear between his arm and hip, stopping the rotation instantly and breaking it.

The bald man attempted to jump back, hoping to gain some distance, but Jack swiftly sliced his throat with a broken blade piece. Then, with remarkable precision, he hurled the same broken blade piece at one of the mages, effortlessly piercing his head.  After that he turned towards the spearman, grabbing his head and breaking his neck in a swift motion.  

The remaining mage's eyes widened in horror as his teammates fell one after another. He staggered back, his legs trembling with fear. But then he noticed the beastmen, his voice quivered with anger. "Y-You there!" He pointed furiously at the beastmen with a trembling hand.  "D-Do something already! W-Who do you think gave you shelter w-when you were thrown out of the forest!" 

The beastmen responded with a disdainful click of their tongues as they readied themselves for battle. One gripping a massive Warhammer, the other pulled a greatsword from his back and the third hesitated momentarily. With regret etched on his face, he reluctantly unsheathed two daggers, assuming a battle stance.   

Jack nonchalantly freed himself from the muddy ground, patting the dirt off his clothes with a bored expression still etched on his face. He turned towards the beastmen, taking a casual sip from his small bottle of booze. "You know," he said, his tone dripping with disdain, "you guys are really boring. I fought without a weapon, and you still couldn't even scratch me." He returned the small bottle to its place and slowly bent down to retrieve his axe. "And these furballs won't be a challenge either. So it's better to end this now." He declared with a steely, serious tone.  

The beastmen were not happy about Jack's remark in the slightest, and angrily fletched their teeth. Then, without hesitation, they lunged forward. Their speed was far greater than the adventurers. It seemed like they could put up a fight against Jack.

Yet, in the blink of an eye. Even though it seemed like Jack didn't move. A strong shock wave hit me and two of the beastmen were decapitated in an instant. Blood splattered everywhere as their lifeless bodies hit the ground with a thud.   

His movements were so fast, I couldn't even see them. I thought, not sure If I should be scared or impressed. But two people are missing. Looking, left and right I searched for the mage and the third beastmen. But I could only find one. The mage seemed to have run away.

Surprisingly though, the third beastmen managed to barely survive. With his back against a tree, and his shattered daggers next to him, he sat there. Motionlessly. It seemed like he was dead, but Jack knew that this wasn't the case and slowly approached him. He then crouched down to look at the beastmen who carefully met his gaze.

"I'm surprised," Jack began. " I wouldn't have thought that any of ya would survive this attack. Tell me your name."

The beastmen just glared at Jack without saying anything. His expression was a mixture of anger, regret, and something else. Something even more potent than the other two. Sorrow. 

Jack just shook his head and stood back up. "Finish him off Eldric," he said. Expecting me to follow his command.

Yet I just stood there, staring at Jack dumbfounded. "What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"What else would I mean by that?" Jack snapped back. " I tell ya to kill him. Ya need to know how to kill to survive." The air got tense again and I felt Jack's bloodlust leaking from him again. "Or are ya telling me that you don't want to?" he said menacingly.

Unable to answer, I just nervously nodded. This pressure was too much for me. I knew that Jack would kill me If I didn't do as he said. So, I unsheathed my sword and slowly walked toward the beastmen who just looked at me in silence. But instead of glaring at me, he smiled. It was a faint one, but it was like he knew that I couldn't go through with it.

And He was right. I didn't want to kill him. I didn't want to kill someone who didn't even harm me in any way. I sheathed my sword again and looked at Jack. His bloodlust was barely enough for me not to faint. And even though I couldn't look him in the eye, I still mustered all the courage I had and shook my head. "I... I won't do it, Jack. I won't kill this man." I said with a quivering voice. I expected Jack to shred me to pieces right here and now.

But Jack only let out a deep sigh. "I should have known it." He said, his voice heavy with disappointment. "You're still not ready." He pushed me out of the way, and with a single swing, he cut the beastmen in half. 

I watched in horror as Jack withdrew his blood-soaked axe from the lifeless remains of the beastmen. A sense of sorrow filled me. I knew that the beastmen didn't want to fight, yet he was forced to. But even if I wanted to help, I couldn't. I was too weak. I couldn't have stopped this monster, Jack. He was stronger than everything I had ever encountered.

With a single, fluid swing, Jack cleaned his axe, and his gaze fixed upon me. "I still have much to teach ya, boy," he remarked, his voice still filled with disappointment. His eyes, however, seemed to shift past me, and a faint smile played on his lips. "But it looks like we will get back earlier than expected. They have already begun."

Confused and anxious, I turned to follow his gaze, only to confront a sight far more horrifying than the slain beastmen. My heart pounded wildly within my chest as I stumbled backward, nearly tripping over my own feet.

"W-What is this?" I stammered, struggling to accept the ghastly reality before me.

On the horizon, in the direction of the village, a multitude of dark clouds swirled skyward, covering the orange horizon of the ascending sun. "But... But in this direction lies the village." I stammered again. And the moment I said that I realized something. The guildmaster! Without a second thought, I began to run. Ignoring the searing pain in my body, I raced against time, praying I wouldn't arrive too late.

Yet, as I reached the location where the guildhall should have stood tall, I was met with a harrowing sight: only smoldering ruins remained.