Ascension of the Overlord

The boy's pacing grew more frantic, his breaths shallow and uneven. He clutched his broken spear tighter, his knuckles white as he glanced nervously into the shadows.

"It's out there," he said, his voice rising in pitch. "I know it's out there!"

"Calm down," the swordsman snapped, though his voice betrayed a hint of unease. His hand hovered over the hilt of his blade, his eyes scanning the tree line.

The archer straightened, gripping her bow tighter. "What if he's right?" she muttered, her voice quieter now.

The boy stopped suddenly, turning to face them, his face pale and drawn. "You don't get it! It's not some dumb animal! It's waiting, watching us! It knows exactly where we are!"

The fire crackled, the only sound in the heavy silence that followed.

And then I stepped on a branch.

The sharp crack echoed through the clearing, and all three of them spun toward the sound.

"There!" the boy shouted, pointing into the shadows. "It's here! I told you it was coming!"

They were already moving. The swordsman drew his blade, stepping in front of the others, his stance tense and ready. The archer raised her bow, an arrow nocked and trembling slightly in her hands.

The boy stumbled back, his wide eyes locked on the spot where I stood hidden in the darkness.

"It's here," he whispered, his voice barely audible but shaking with terror. "We're dead."

I stepped closer, letting the firelight fully illuminate me. My towering frame cast a long shadow across the clearing, and the mismatched armor clanked faintly with each step.

The boy froze, his eyes wide and full of panic as he stumbled back. "It's… it's the monster!" he shouted, his voice trembling.

The swordsman raised his blade, stepping in front of the boy. The archer's bow was trained on me instantly, the string taut.

I stopped, raising my hands slowly. "I'm not what you think I am," I said, my voice calm but deep, resonating unnaturally in the quiet night.

The boy shook his head, his voice breaking. "You're lying! You're huge! You're—"

"I'm here because of the monster," I interrupted, keeping my hands raised. "That's why I was sent."

The group hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances.

The swordsman narrowed his eyes. "Sent by who?"

I paused, my mind racing. "By someone who knows what's out here," I said carefully. "They sent me because of my size. To handle something… dangerous."

The boy blinked, his panic faltering for a moment. "You… you're hunting it?"

"Yes," I said firmly, lowering my hands slightly but keeping my sword sheathed. "That's why I'm here. To take care of the threat before it reaches the village."

The archer frowned but lowered her bow a fraction. "If you're here to help, why didn't you say so sooner?"

"I didn't want to scare anyone," I said, my tone even. "I know how I look."

The boy took a hesitant step forward, his expression shifting from fear to uncertainty. "You're not… it?"

"No," I said quietly. "I'm not."

The boy stared at me for a long moment, his breathing uneven. I could see the hesitation in his eyes, the way his fingers twitched nervously as if he wasn't sure whether to run or stay.

"I'm not your enemy," I said again, softer this time. "I'm here to help."

The swordsman lowered his blade slightly, though his posture stayed guarded. "If you're hunting this thing, what have you seen so far? Have you found any sign of it?"

I paused, the question catching me off guard. My mind raced for an answer. "I've been tracking it," I said finally. "But it's elusive. I haven't found anything concrete yet."

The archer narrowed her eyes, her bow still partially raised. "And how do we know you're not lying? That you're not the thing we're running from?"

I took a slow step forward, letting the firelight catch the mismatched plating on my armor. "If I were your enemy," I said calmly, "you wouldn't still be standing."

Her eyes flicked to the boy, who was still staring at me, his fear now tempered with curiosity. Slowly, she lowered her bow.

The swordsman let out a slow breath, his grip on his weapon loosening. "Alright," he said. "If you're here to help, you can stay with us for now. But if you make one wrong move…"

"You won't have to worry," I interrupted, keeping my voice steady. "I'm here to help, nothing more."

The tension around the fire slowly ebbed as I settled down near the edge of the clearing. The swordsman and the archer returned to their spots, though I could feel their eyes on me every few moments. The boy, however, stayed close to the fire, glancing at me nervously before looking away.

"You're big," he said finally, his voice small but curious.

I nodded, leaning my sword against a nearby tree. "I get that a lot."

"What kind of knight are you?" he asked, his fear slowly giving way to curiosity.

"The kind that gets sent for things like this," I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

The boy tilted his head, his brows furrowing. "So, you're like… a hero?"

I froze for a moment, the weight of the word sinking in. "Not exactly," I said quietly. "I just do what needs to be done."

The swordsman snorted, leaning back on his hands. "Hero or not, we're lucky to have you if you're telling the truth."

The archer shot him a sharp look. "If. We're not out of the woods yet."

I didn't respond, instead letting the silence settle as I stared into the fire. The warmth of it felt foreign, almost surreal against the cold weight of my armor.

After a long pause, the boy spoke again, his voice softer this time. "Thank you."

I looked up, surprised. "For what?"

"For… being here," he said, his gaze fixed on the flames. "Even if you're not… you know. It feels safer with you here."

I didn't know how to respond to that.

The fire crackled softly, its warm glow flickering across the group as the tension slowly ebbed away. The swordsman leaned back, his blade resting at his side, though his hand never strayed too far from it. The archer sat close to the fire, her bow within easy reach, while the boy stayed quiet, his gaze darting between me and the flames.

"We'll take turns keeping watch," the swordsman said finally, his tone firm. "I'll take the first shift."

The archer nodded, settling into a relaxed but alert posture. "I'll take second."

The boy glanced nervously at the others. "I can—"

"You'll rest," the swordsman interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You've been through enough for one day."

The boy hesitated but eventually nodded, pulling his blanket tighter around himself.

I stayed where I was, my massive frame perched near the edge of the clearing, just out of the firelight. I didn't need to sleep, and the thought of lying down in this armor seemed absurd.

The swordsman cast a wary glance in my direction. "You don't sleep?"

"Not when there's work to be done," I replied simply, my voice calm but distant.

He grunted, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Convenient."

"Let him keep watch with me," the archer said suddenly, her tone sharp. "If he's as capable as he says, I want to see how he handles the quiet."

I nodded slightly, leaning back against the tree. "I don't mind."

The hours passed quietly, the fire dying to embers as the night deepened. I stayed silent, watching the others sleep while the archer sat across from me, her eyes occasionally flicking toward me.

"You're an odd one," she said finally, her voice low.

"Why's that?" I asked, my gaze still fixed on the darkness beyond the clearing.

"You don't talk much, but you don't act like most knights either. Most of them wouldn't bother with a job like this."

I shrugged. "I do what needs to be done. That's all."

She didn't respond, but I could feel her eyes on me, searching for something I wasn't ready to give.

The night passed without incident, and as the first light of dawn broke through the trees, the group began to stir. The boy was the first to sit up, rubbing his eyes groggily before glancing over at me.

"You didn't sleep?" he asked, his voice still thick with exhaustion.

I shook my head. "I don't need to."

His brows furrowed slightly, but he didn't say anything more.

The morning sun crept through the trees, casting long shadows across the clearing. The fire had died to little more than ash, and the chill of the early air hung in the silence. The swordsman stretched, rolling his shoulders as he stood. The archer was already checking her bowstring, her expression sharp and focused.

I stood near the edge of the clearing, watching as the boy rummaged through a small pack, pulling out some bread and dried meat. He glanced over at me, hesitating for a moment before holding up a piece of bread.

"Do you… uh… eat?" he asked awkwardly.

I shook my head. "No, but thank you."

The boy nodded, looking unsure of what to say. He sat down by the remnants of the fire, chewing slowly and casting quick glances my way.

As the group readied themselves to leave, the swordsman spoke up. "If you're hunting this thing, I'd like to know what your plan is."

I adjusted the straps on my armor, the added plating shifting with a faint creak. "I was planning to track it. If I can find its trail, I'll deal with it before it reaches anyone else."

"You're tracking it alone?" the archer asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've done it before," I said simply.

The boy perked up, his curiosity outweighing his fear for the moment. "Really? You've fought monsters like this before?"

I nodded. "Plenty of times."

"Were they big?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. "Like, bigger than you?"

"Sometimes," I said, the faintest hint of amusement creeping into my voice. "But big doesn't mean unstoppable. You just have to know how to fight smart."

The boy's eyes widened, and he sat back, clearly impressed. For the first time since I'd met him, his face softened, and a small smile tugged at his lips.

As we moved through the forest, I stayed close enough to the group to keep them calm but far enough back to avoid making them nervous. The boy walked beside me after a while, his fear replaced by cautious curiosity.

"So… how'd you get so strong?" he asked, glancing up at me.

I paused, caught off guard by the question. "Training," I said finally. "And experience."

"Like… knight training?" he asked, his eyes lighting up.

I nodded. "Something like that."

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "Do you think you could teach me sometime? You know… if we're not all dead."

The bluntness of his words almost made me laugh. "We'll see," I said, the faintest smile hidden behind my helmet.

The swordsman glanced back at us, his gaze lingering on me. "You're good with kids," he said, his tone neutral.

I shrugged. "I try."

"Not many knights bother with that," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Most just do their job and move on."

"I'm not most knights," I replied simply.

The day passed quietly as we moved through the forest, the tension in the group slowly easing. By the time we stopped to rest near a stream, the boy was sitting close to me, asking questions about fighting, weapons, and monsters.

I kept my answers vague, careful not to give too much away. But I could feel something strange—a faint warmth in the way he looked at me, like I was someone worth trusting.

And then it happened.

A rustling sound came from the nearby bushes, sharp and sudden. The swordsman and the archer were on their feet in an instant, their weapons drawn.

"Stay back!" the swordsman barked, positioning himself between the noise and the boy.

I stood as well, my hand instinctively going to the hilt of my sword. The boy clung to my side, his wide eyes darting toward the sound.

The rustling grew louder, and a shadow moved through the brush. Without thinking, I stepped forward, drawing my massive blade in one fluid motion.

The boy gasped, his face going pale. His eyes locked on the sword, recognition dawning in an instant.

"That… that's the sword," he whispered, his voice trembling.

The archer froze, her gaze snapping to me. "What sword?"

The boy pointed, his hand shaking. "That's the one. That's the sword that killed them!"

The group's trust, carefully built over the last day, shattered in an instant.

The swordsman's blade shifted toward me, his expression dark. "What are you?"

I stayed silent, my mind racing. The glow of my armor, faint beneath the disguise, began to seep through the cracks.

I stared at them, my sword still raised, the boy's trembling finger pointed directly at the blade. The weight of his words hung in the air, crushing the fragile trust I'd built.

"That's the sword," he said again, his voice cracking. "That's the one that… that killed them."

The archer's bow snapped up, her arrow aimed squarely at my chest. The swordsman's blade shifted toward me, his stance tense and ready.

I held my ground, my free hand raised. "Wait," I said, my voice steady but low. "You don't understand—"

"No," the boy cut me off, his voice rising. "You lied! You said you were hunting the monster!"

"I am hunting it," I replied quickly, keeping my sword lowered but ready. "I didn't want to kill them. They attacked me first. I had no choice!"

The swordsman stepped forward, his blade glinting in the sunlight. "No choice? You expect us to believe that? Look at you!" He gestured toward my massive frame, his eyes narrowing. "You don't look like someone who doesn't have a choice."

The archer sneered, her grip on her bow tightening. "You're no knight. You're the monster, aren't you?"

I clenched my jaw, my mind racing. "Listen to me," I said, my voice sharper now. "I don't want to fight you. If you attack me, you'll leave me no choice."

"So what?" the swordsman spat, his tone venomous. "You'll kill us too, like the others? Were they just in your way?"

The boy stumbled back, his face pale, his eyes filled with betrayal. "You lied," he whispered, his voice trembling.

The archer fired.

The arrow flew straight for my chest. I caught it mid-air, the shaft snapping like a twig in my gauntleted hand. My eyes glowed faintly beneath the hood, the disguise slipping as cracks of spectral light seeped through the damaged armor.

"This is your last chance," I said coldly, lowering the broken arrow. "Don't do this."

But they didn't listen.

The swordsman roared, charging forward with his blade raised. The archer fired another arrow, and the boy scrambled for his broken spear, his hands shaking violently.

I moved on instinct. My sword swung in a wide arc, the sheer force of it colliding with the swordsman's blade. His weapon shattered, shards of steel flying through the air as the impact knocked him to the ground.

The archer loosed another shot, this one grazing my shoulder. I turned toward her, my steps heavy and deliberate. She tried to draw again, but my blade came down before she could release.

It cleaved through her bow, splitting it—and her arm—clean in two. She screamed, stumbling back as blood sprayed across the ground.

The boy lunged at me, his broken spear aimed for my side. I sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the shaft and snapping it in half with one hand. He fell to the ground, scrambling backward as I loomed over him.

I should've felt something—guilt, regret, horror at what I was doing. But there was nothing.

No. That wasn't true.

There was something.

A twisted calm settled over me, cold and heavy. The fire of guilt that had burned in my chest was gone, snuffed out by a deeper, darker instinct. My body moved without hesitation, my strikes precise and brutal, each one leaving a trail of carnage in its wake.

I turned back to the swordsman as he tried to rise. My blade swung low, cutting through his leg in a spray of crimson. He collapsed with a scream, clawing at the dirt as blood pooled beneath him.

The archer was crawling away, her face pale and twisted in agony. I stepped forward, my boot crushing her remaining hand into the ground. She shrieked, her voice ragged and broken.

The boy's terrified sobs reached me, faint and distant, like a sound carried on the wind. He was backed against a tree, his eyes wide and glistening with tears as he stared at me.

"P-please," he stammered, his voice trembling. "Stop… please…"

I took a step toward him, my sword dragging across the ground, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.

"Why?" I asked, my voice cold and hollow. "Why should I stop?"

His lips quivered, but no words came.

I stared down at him, my glowing eyes locking onto his trembling form. For the first time, I realized something: I wasn't angry.

I wasn't anything.

The calm that filled me wasn't human. It was something deeper, something colder. And yet, as I raised my blade, a strange sense of satisfaction began to creep in, like a faint ember in the void.

The boy whimpered, his tears streaming freely now. I hesitated, the blade hovering inches from his neck.

"Do it!" the swordsman groaned from behind me, his voice choked with blood. "Just… end it already!"

I turned slowly, my gaze shifting to the carnage around me. The bodies, the blood, the broken pieces of the lives I'd just destroyed.

And then I smiled.

The swordsman lunged. My blade met him mid-strike, slicing through his torso in a spray of crimson. He hit the ground in two pieces, his scream cut short.

The archer staggered, clutching her severed stump, blood pouring in streams. She screamed, hurling a dagger with her remaining hand. I sidestepped, the blade missing.

I swung once. My sword cleaved through her chest, splitting her body open as blood and viscera sprayed in every direction. She crumpled to the ground in a twitching, lifeless heap.

The boy trembled, pinned against a tree, tears streaming down his face. "P-please…" he whispered.

I stepped forward, my sword dripping red, and plunged it through his chest. His body sagged, lifeless, as blood spilled over my hands.

I stood there, covered in blood, staring at the carnage. And then I laughed.

Low, hollow, and cold, it echoed through the clearing. I didn't feel fear. I didn't feel regret.

I felt alive.