Chapter 23 - 23: The Journey Part 4

"1 down, 179 left" Aron muttered in a low tone with his arcane drawn and pointed towards the group.

Everyone present was rendered speechless for a moment as they were still trying to process just what had happened. The once confident aristocrats shuffled back slightly while Jin and Jagu who stood next to Aron cast side glances at him.

Behind them, Scarlett wore an amazed look with a bright smile on her face while Lucas and the others simply looked on in silence.

"You killed Sir Benjamin! Do you have any idea what you've done? The consequences will be severe I promise you!" One of the aristocrats who stood close to the now dead Benjamin threatened but Aron simply smiled, not the least bit fazed.

Aron instead pointed his weapon towards the aristocrat who threatened him and fired another shot. But it didn't end there, Aron continued to fire shot after shot, each one accurately killing it's target with a single hit.

"Quickly everyone, cast barrier!" Aron had managed to shoot numerous more contestants before they managed to re-organize themselves and set up a barriers deflected Aron's shots.

For a moment they thought themselves safe until all of a sudden, Jagu appeared right in front of the barrier at a frightening speed. He then clasped his hands together and raised them upward ready to strike the barrier with all his might.

"You think this much will be enough to save you!" He exclaimed before hitting the barrier with immense force.

The hit was so strong that not only did the barrier the numerous contestants worked together to form shatter but the shockwave it produced sent the majority of them to their knees.

With their barrier gone, they could only look at Jagu's towering figure with nothing but fear. Jagu seemed to enjoy the sight of them cowering before him as approached them slowly and bared his claws and fangs.

"No! Wait! Please!"

"Ah!"

"Help!"

The scene that followed could only be described as gruesome as Jagu began attacking the contestants without mercy.

His claws would rip right through the flesh of his targets while his fangs would sink into their necks before he ripped out their throats. All while bearing a smile on his face.

Lucas who was witnessing this from afar couldn't help but look away and hold his mouth in an attempt to prevent himself from throwing up.

"Haha, is the best aristocrats have to offer!" Jagu yelled out confidently as he continued to butcher contestant after contestant.

"I'm too sober for this..." Jin spoke for the first time since the butchering began and sighed before rushing into the scene.

Unlike Jagu, Jin's movements were fast and agile as he closed in on his targets. He remained true to his word and never unsheathed his sword, instead he would perfectly snap the neck or punch so hard that his opponent's ribs would shatter and puncture their heart in the process.

As he continued to do this, he felt a sharp gust of wind by pass him. When he looked to find the source he saw Aron still had his arcane gun drawn and was still taking out contestants like they where flies.

'I've never seen such an odd weapon. It's like a miniature cannon...the journey truly a place of growth and discovery.' Jin thought to himself with a smile on his face before snapping the neck of the contestant in his arms.

In only took minutes for the once large group to be left with only one person. The same young man who had been slapped earlier by Benjamin was now curled on the ground quivering madly.

As he looked up ready to meet his end, he found Aron, Jin and Jagu surrounding him from three sides, each looking like they would end his life at any moment.

"Please, I told them not to attack you. Please spare me..." The young man begged desperately with tears running down his face.

"Hmph, this coward speaks the truth. That's still no reason to spare him though now is it." Jagu like most skilled man beasts could tell whether someone was lying or not by listening to their breathing and observing their body language. Although not always accurate it was dependable.

"One more dead aristocrat doesn't make much of a difference to me. The sight of them groveling beneath my feet is a wonderful sight though" Jin added uncaringly, among the three his manner of speaking was the most calm and laid back despite seeming like the one who hated aristocrats the most.

"Wait!"

Before the trio could decide on wether or not to end the young man's life, Lucas's voice reached their ears and caused them to turn around.

"Stop this! Hasn't enough blood been shed? It's fine to defend yourselves but this... this is no better than a massacre!" Lucas angrily stated as he faced Aron, Jagu and Jin with furrowed eyebrows.

"I don't know where you hail from Lucas was it? But where I'm from, the aristocrats committed massacres like they were celebrations. Don't preach to me like you a damn thing about these people!" Jin's usually friendly demeanor all but vanished as he replied to Lucas angrily. He looked ready to say more but was stopped by Aron tapping his shoulder.

"Don't waste your breath, sparing one life won't change much." Aron advised and Jin took a moment to breath before nodding his head towards Aron.

"Well now, if you're all done fiddling about, how's about we board our new ship?" The tense situation was diluted when Scarlett yelled this question from the deck of the airship with Oxin by her side waving happily.

"When did they..." Sharla muttered as she looked behind to see only Hinako and Evanora silently standing looking up at the airship.

Without giving an answer, Scarlett had the boarding platform extend from the airship to the ground for the others to board.

"We won't be coming along, though we do wish you a safe journey." Mirai suddenly announced as her and Sharla didn't move from their position.

Aron only nodded at this before boarding the air ship, he had formed no real bonds with anyone nor did he feel he needed anyone to be successful. Whether someone stayed or left didn't matter to him and the same could said for the others as no one really replied to Mirai's remark causing Sharla to show an annoyed look as they raised their hoods up and prepared to leave.

"Wait! Why are you leaving?" Lucas was the only one to call out to them and ask but even then Sharla replied with her ever arrogant attitude.

"No matter how you look at it, those three killed a large number of aristocrats. Although that is well within the rules of the journey, it doesn't mean they won't be hunted down for revenge. Milady and I have no interest in making the entire aristocratic community our enemy. So this is where we part ways." Sharla briefly explained before turning to walk away but found Lucas was approaching her and Mirai.

"Then let me join you, I also want no part of this murder." Lucas offered and Sharla hesitated for a moment but soon agreed after she saw Mirai nod at the idea.

Jagu hmphed upon hearing his and boarded the ship anyway, walking right behind Aron. Jin was also about to do the same when Hinako walked over to him.

"I know I cannot convince you to not seek vengeance so plainly but have it your way. I too won't be coming along, I work more efficiently from the shadows and I don't need the kind of attention you're about to create. Good luck Jin." Hinako said in low soft and caring tone in a language foreign to everyone present, except Aron and Mirai who both showed signs of understanding what had just been said.

"Good luck to you too, Hinako. We'll talk more once the journey is over" Jin kept his goodbye short as he replied in the same peculiar language before boarding the airship as well.

After Jin boarded, Scarlett prepared to draw in the platform when she realized she had forgotten someone.

"Where's the strange quiet girl?" She asked while looking at Jagu, Jin and Aron who all simply shrugged her shoulders, Oxin did the same when Scarlett shifted the gaze to her leaving her slightly puzzled.

"Oh well, let's set off then shall we, I'm curious to see what features this little bugger has." Scarlett expressed in a happy an excited manner before walking towards the inner ship.

Aron and the others weren't far behind as well but little did anyone know that the incident they had just took part in was scene by millions all across Pesia via Magic projection as was the case with most eventful fights that took place during the journey.

Unlike most fights however, Aron, Jin and Jagu did something no other commoner even dared to. This sparked all sorts of opinions and reactions from both the commoner and aristocratic community.

"Haha, serves those stuck up leeches right!" A drunken old man in tavern somewhere in Lanchester exclaimed happily as he witnessed the scene.

"How dare a bunch of dogs bite the hands that feed them, I don't care how. Contact my son and make sure that group doesn't make it to the end of the journey!" An angry well dressed individual slammed the desk he was seated behind as he gave these instructions to a man in a butler's uniform.

As the butler bowed and turned to leave however, he showed a sly smile before excusing himself.

'This will truly be an interesting Journey....'