Flaming Assassin

Chapter 4: Her goal

Under the moon. Slave traders are all on their way to the capital city black market to sell new slaves. the Slave traders boos named Klaus are looking forward to the business his going to do with his new products.

"Young and slender... Strong and muscular... These slaves will surely make tons and tons of money."

"Master Klaus how about these scrawny girls? Their chest is underdeveloped and they look very weak."

"Well, many old men want girls like that as their toy. If those girls are the dress with something frilly and made to look cute. They will surely fill my pockets."

"Please give me back to my parents!"

"Me too, I missed my parents so much."

"I want to go home."

the little girls said as they look toward Klaus with begging eyes.

"Don't bother to talk to master... You're all abandoned by your parents. They sold their children for some wealth. If you have to blame someone. Blame your parents who give birth to you."

Klaus's assistant answered the girls.

"It's so sad to think... Love is a thing of the past. The world does revolve around love anymore. Money and power is the more important thing. Don't look at me like that. I bought all of you. Feed you and buy you clothes. For me, you slaves are all mere products. Not even human."

Klaus said his words to the new slaves.

The slaves were scared and trembles in fear.

The carriage entered the forest. It's so dark only the lam serve as their light.

"Master Klaus... Is it alright to go? This part of the woods is dangerous at night."

"The client is all waiting tomorrow morning. We need to prepared our product to be pleasing to other customers eyes. I hired adventurers to protect us. It's fine to go through... Why you're not moving? Having cold feet?"

The driver has a bad feeling about going through. But his master insisted and he can't defy him. For Kalus business is business. He needs to please his customers.

The driver pulled the rope and make the earth dragon move.

But before, the five carriages entered the dark woods.

A man was standing in front of them.

"Hey, what are you doing? You're on our way."

"I won't allow you to pass."

Standing in front of them was Ren with his sword in his hands. Anger already consumed him and he looking scary paired with the dark atmosphere of the forest.

"Master a man is standing on our way."

"I don't care what kind of screw loose he has. Let's have the adventurers take care of him."

The adventurers hire by the slave traders go out and confront Ren on the outside. They all get their equipment. A giant sword and Axe. They point it in Ren's direction.

"Mister... Let us pass or else we're going butcher you here."

"It's a dark place, mister. If we kill you here no one will notice."

"They man sure is silent... Are you insane? Well, no sane man will go outside in a forest full of monsters in the middle of the night."

A big man covered with iron armor and a giant sword walked in front of Ren. He drew its giant sword and swing it around like a feather.

"Krogant was the strongest among our guild. Looks like he's angry with this bean sprout standing on our way."

"I feel bad for this man."

The man named Krogant charge and attempted to smash Ren's head by slamming the sword on Ren's head. Ren swings his sword as fast as he could.

Piercing the steel armor with his sword. From the inside of the man, Ren ignites his undying flames. In few seconds the adventure named Krogant was burning from inside to charcoal.

"W-What the hell?!"

"He killed the top adventurer on our guild."

"There is no way he defeated like that. It must be illusion magic. Let's break the illusion magic and go back to reality."

"He's bad news!"

The adventurers all share Ren's position. Like how their comrade died. Ren used his flaming sword and cuts them down. The body that catches his flames continues on burning. One desperate man tried to use water magic to took off the flames but it's not working.

The flames keep on burning him.

"What's wrong with these flames?!"

"Aarggghhhhhhhhhh!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

The roar of flames echoed in the forest. Standing with the charcoal corpse was Ren. He walked and charged on the carriage to seek Klaus.

"Klaus!"

"Blasting rock!" 2x

Klaus's assistant chanted magic that made pieces of rock-free like a bullet on Ren. Ren's agile movement dodge the rocks and he killed the driver and the assistant.

"W-Who are you?!"

"Klaus one of the former members of red robe terrorist... I'm here to burn you to ashes."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm indeed a member but it was all about business."

"You're still an accomplice of evil. I'm going to burn you down together with you minions."

Klaus calmly looks into Ren's eyes.

"You killed all the adventurers I hired and the driver and assistant I have... I have no way of winning against you... Mister swordman, you can take out my head right now."

Klaus seat down on the chair and bow his head down on Ren.

Ren walked slowly to Klaus and raised his sword ready to cut his head off.

"Stop!"

Konoha appeared behind him and pulled Ren back before he swing the sword down to Klaus.

"What are you doing?"

"The man is a sinner but burning him won't do anything!"

Konoha said to Ren and pulled his sleeves back.

"This man is one of them... I promised to burn them all to ashes."

"Is this really what you're childhood friend wanted?"

Ren pointed his flaming sword at Konoha. Konoha standstill for a moment.

"Stay away! I'll burn you..."

"Then, burn me! Burn me to ashes! I'm siding with this man. I wanted him to pay for his sins in another way besides death. I wanted him to continue living!"

Ren's hands were trembling to look at Konoha's fearless expression. Her face reminded him of Hikari. Hikari was like Konoha. If Hikaru is here, she will tell Ren the same thing.

I'm sorry Hikari...

I'm sorry...

Ren swings his blade and cuts down Klaus's body. The flames eat his body down and the flames go the wood on the carriage. After that, Ren hastily cuts the iron chains tied on slave's feet and arms. Before they catch fire. They all run at safe distance away from the burning carriage.

Konoha looks to the burning people to the raging flames.

"Are you really sure to continue living like this?"

"I already killed many people... I can't back down anymore."

"That may be true... That may be true... But Ren... I don't want my friend to lose his way. Living this kind of dangerous life. I don't you to be a cold-hearted killer. I don't want my friend to be like that."

"I quit being friends with you."

"Then, eat a thousand nails! Eat thousand of nails! We promised right?! We made a promise..."

The slave thanks Ren for saving them from the slave trader. They all set off to the nearby town near the forest. Ren walked to the dark path once again inside the dark forest.

Konoha followed him from behind.

"Quit following me... I'm not your friend anymore."

"We're still friends... Not until you eat thousand of nails."

"I'm not stupid enough to do that..."

"I got lost track of you earlier. I blame myself for not finding you sooner. You killed adventurers and some innocent people."

"They are accomplices of evil. I can't let them live."

"How about me? I sided with them... Why won't you kill me?"

Ren doesn't have an answer for that question. His justice is unfair and unequal. Something that he cants accepts. He gritted his teeth upon realizing.

Konoha was a good person. She's a good person and Ren knows about it. It's been a month since they met in Stella city, but Konoha keeps on walking beside him. Sometimes she got too far away and lost track of Ren. Eventually, she's going to see and find him.

Ren is too confused about what's going on in Konoha's mind.

In Ren's eye's Konoha is too good he doesn't want to hurt her.

"I don't want you to be in trouble. Stay away from me."

"I won't not until Ren change."

"Why are you traveling?"

Asked Ren.

"Getting curious to me? It's lonely walking alone and talking will make the time goes flying. SO I will tell you."

"Just tell me."

"Because I don't have my memories."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't have much of my memories. It's called amnesia. I'm traveling hoping to find a clue about myself."

Konoha said as she lift her head on the starry sky.

"The stars look so beautiful."

Konoha said with a  smile.

Ren stopped walking and remembers one person who said the same line as she look at the stars.

"What's wrong?"

"Konoha..."

Ren turned his head toward Konoha. He wanted to push her away to his dangerous path. Suddenly from above, red liquid pours on Konoha's head.

"Blood?"

Konoha and Ren were astonished.

Looking above the trees. A number of dead people were handing around them.

"What happened here?"

"Rennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!"

Konoha screamed in fear. Kona has feet were warped with a  silk string and pulled above the sky. Ren move as fast as he could and leap. He tries to cut the string that was warping on Konoha's feet, but it was useless. The string was too tough to be cut.

the girl, Konoha was dragged at extreme speed to the deepest part of the forest.

Once again, Ren is about to lose a kind girl in his life.

Ren remembers the day he lost everything...