Human Deity: The Rise Of The Arthur

Before Arthur and Joseph reached their destination halfway, a few shadows were following them being as stealthy as possible.

Only Joseph managed to these shadows because of this expertise in the matter. Being an adventurer, he had to be very cautious with his every decision as it could save or lose a life. Being known among the guild as the Bandit Hunter he had to notice very small changes in the environment as it could possibly be an assassination plot against him. These changes were easily detectable by his Will of Status since everything is displayed within his mind.

Joseph had once fought an entire group of trained assassins at A.d.u.l.t Rank and two members leading that group was at King Rank, totaling 20 assassins trying to kill. The battle was difficult to even for Joseph who was at Emperor Rank not because of the rankings or the amount rather the techniques that they all possessed. In the end, Joseph suffered a slight life-threatening injury from the entire fight while the group was all killed without mercy.

Joseph didn't ignore them as even though saw that the ranking of the two stalkers which both were at Infant Rank. Joseph devised the plan to capture and torture them for information. Filling Arthur in the details they went into a one-way dark alley where not a lot of people go to and the ones that do are criminals or people who wandered in the wrong spot.

When Joseph and Arthur entered the alley, Arthur could only see was an empty alley leading nowhere that was being illuminated by the moon. The two stalkers didn't know that they were already detected as they used the Conceal Technique which was better than Joseph's Conceal since he still hasn't mastered 1/10th of the technique.

Upon following, Arthur and Joseph both disappeared into the darkness. One of the stalkers immediately realized something was off, "Wait... RUN!" He ran as fast as he could not even waiting for his companion to respond. This stalker used his own movement technique but was immediately caught up with by Joseph.

"Wisp Movement"

Joseph grabbed the running stalker by the neck pinning him to the ground, cracks appeared where Joseph pinned the stalker to signifying the strength he put into subduing the stalker. The other stalker was trembling as he realized they were already detected and will be killed.

"Wisp Movement"

Arthur then immediately followed up on Joseph's attack on the two stalkers. As Arthur's body strength was not as high as Joseph he had to think of another way to subdue his target. Thinking at the moment, he used his Full Strike Technique and smashed the bones in the leg of the other stalker as he was trembling upon seeing what had happened to his companion.

The stalker which Arthur was supposed to subdue screamed out in agonizing pain as having your bones broken would be unimaginable, "AHHHH!" The scream of the stalker echoed throughout the

dark empty alley in pure agony.

"Hmph! Who are you working for?"

"N-No one! W-We are just a couple of journalists trying to get a scoop!" The stalker which Joseph has pinned down to the ground said.

"Hmm... well a journalist that would also happen to be part of the Hidden Bandit Guild. Now spill, before I rip your guts and feed it to the dogs!"

"S-Since you already know where I work isn't it pointless to keep me here? I mean you already--"

A domineering voice came from Joseph as he shouted, "SILENCE! Although I know where you work, I don't know who you work for! Now answer the question I am only giving you 10 seconds." A cold gaze landed on the man pinned to the ground, upon feeling this gaze his spirit was gone and was left speechless.

"10... 9... 8... 7..."

"W-Wait! Wait! There is no need for this nonsense! We could just compromise the--"

"6... 5... 4..."

"Come on! You already destroyed so many sub-guilds that the Hidden Bandit Guild that it--"

"3... 2..."

"We were really just by ourselves so--"

"1! Seems that you value your life! Just as expected, now you other one watch carefully what happens when you disobey my orders." Joseph's cold gaze then turned to the one with the broken legs making the latter shiver uncontrollably.

Joseph removed his grip from the stalker's neck and immediately right after he broke the stalker's leg like how Arthur broke the legs of the other stalker. The stalker which Joseph smashed the leg of screamed extremely loud. This person then was taking deep breaths trying to suppress the pain but Joseph wouldn't let him, with a swift motion of a blade he cut off a foot from the stalker. Another round of agonizing shriek echoed within the dark alley.

Joseph still expressionless had his cold gaze piercing the soul of the stalker. "Oh don't worry, we are just starting! This is just the tip of the iceberg!" Upon hearing this the stalker then cried tears as he knew that this was the end of him.

"P-Please! I will tell you who I am working for so just--" Merciless, this was the perfect description on what just happened. Joseph used his sword and accurately cut of the jaw of the stalker making him unable to speak, only a gurgling could be heard as his torture continued. This kind of torture continued throughout the night and the other stalker which had his legs broken feel immense pressure from just being there. Joseph knew multiple torture techniques as he needed them to get information from bandits.

By sunrise, what was left was just blood and meat it was so sliced and diced to the point that it was not even considered as a corpse but just a mess. The other stalker's face was filled with dried tears, he knew that if he would utter a single word that Joseph did not like he would be tortured the same way and even much worse.

Arthur upon experiencing this held his own for the most part but broke down at the end. The scent of thick blood for hours on end alongside such a traumatizing scene, even holding his urge to run was already considered as resillient considering he was from the modern world in the first place. He threw up on the side trying to not stain the corpse, or what was left anyways, with his vomit.

After this entire ordeal, they took the wounded stalker back to Rob's place, not noticing that they were gone for an entire night.

Upon arriving, they were greeted with the 5 girls but these weren't dark and gloomy with an aura that could make anyone depressed but with lively and heartwarming smiles. "Master! Welcome back! Sir Rob is almost done with--" the scent of thick blood then entered the nostrills of the girls which made every feel uncomfortable and made them cover their noses with their hands. One of the girls even vomitted but held it until she got to the bathroom where she let it all out.

A worried girl said with an unease tone, "W-Why is that man... so wounded?" The man still had legs but were so disfigured that people would question that they were even legs in the first place.

"Worry not! This was a bandit from a group that tried at stalk us but we killed the other one and kept this one for questioning so if you would excuse me." Joseph told this line with a smile on his face just how he usually is around these girls. He knew that these girls would still act the same regardless because this was a bandit.

The smile only made it more creepy and horrid, how could someone still smile after killing another fellow human being? These thoughts then circulated within the girls but was then reminded that bandits were also the ones that made them slaves, so the girls replied with an even warmer smile than before that made Arthur feel uncomfortable.

The smile was even warmer than before they were greeted so it must mean that these girls were happy that the bandits were killed... such as terrible world! But I must strive to survive in this godforsaken land, if people's actions are influenced by their d.e.s.i.r.es and vengeance then why shouldn't I do the same? These extremely poisonous thoughts made Arthur's resolve to kill even more solid and his will to survive even stronger than before seeing cold harsh reality.

The girls then greeted their master as they were doing before, "Master! Sir Rob is almost finished with his research and we... are we really being freed?" Their tones changed when they asked the last part.

Arthur patted each of them on the head, "Hahaha! Don't worry, I am not like those other people! I will remove the slave seal from you permanently! I would've let you girls go but the seals on you necks might make people stay away from you." Arthur's voice was reassuring and every single word was truthful to the very end making the girls appreciate him from the bottom of their hearts.

Arthur then joined Joseph in a dimly lit room deep inside Rob's store. "Now... you already saw what happened to your friend back there, are you going to hold back any information now?" Joseph's expression then turned solemn with a cold gaze that made the stalker shiver.

"No... so please... if you are going to kill me don't torture me like that!" The stalker was now full of fear towards Joseph and would not dare lie in front of such a sadistic man.

"Then who sent you here?"

"It was the vice leader of the guild... you already know her right? The woman who slaugthered your village while you were--" A sudden bang echoed within the room warning the stalker that if he would utter another word regarding the matter it would not end well for him.

"Donna Ivy, the most poisonous person in the entire Hidden Bandit Guild, it was her who sent me to observe your movements."

"Alright! Arthur get out... I have to talk to him in private. It's something that you don't need to know." Arthur then without hesitation walked out the room not daring to listen in the conversation.

After a short while, there was no blood or screams from the room contrary to Arthur's expectations. Joseph went out with a solemn look and told Arthur, "We don't have much time before-- just follow me and listen to my instructions to the letter!"

Upon arriving outside the building there was an open area perfect for training.

"Arthur, we don't have much time! In one month, there will be a war that will decide the fate of this entire kingdom!" Joseph took his unsheated his sword and pointed it towards Arthur.

"NOW RAISE YOU SWORD AND FIGHT ME! YOU CANNOT USE YOUR TECHNIQUES! THAT IS ALL! NOW FIGHT!"