Rise of the Nightmare Crestmaster

The commotion of breaking the chain alerted Kevin at once, perhaps were he an ordinary man he might have missed that slight noise. But not him he knew something wasn't right.

He walked over and inspected the cages and those inside but pass over most of them quickly. Aldrich was aware of him slowing down only once before he stood before his own cage.

"I hope you die slowly for killing Cathia you bastard!"

Kevin spat out with a venom in his every words at that cage where he slowed down.

This was an extremely important captive that he had to keep a tight watch over. But Kevin was not worried since the poor sod was just brought in and there was no he could have recovered that quickly.

Unless he was a grade two Crestmasters, that being the case Kevin wouldn't have been able to land a hit even if he was give a thousand years.

There was also the possibility of a wondrous item, but all of his possessions were stripped off of him the moment he was brought in. Meaning that was impossible too.

In fact with the hit Kevin gave him in combination with the effect of the Disorienting orb, it was very likely to cause a permanent head injury if he was not healed by a cleric soon.

Kevin gave the prisoner a careful look just to make sure, his hands were still hanging over his head and still cuffed properly… Hmm? Because of the room being dark he couldn't see very well.

It looked like his right arm was actually free and the prisoner was holding onto the chain connecting to the ceiling of the cage to trick him.

Kevin's face went black in anger, 'this bastard ever with his legs broken like that he still didn't want to obediently stay put, did he think he was clever?' He sneered.

*Splash*

Kevin threw in a nearby jug of cold water at Aldrich through the gaps of the bars. "Hey! Stop pretending asshole! I can see what you're doing!"

However despite this the prisoner did not respond, he did not even flinch when the water splashed on him. 'W-what was I wrong? No, he definitely broke the chain… did he do it while he was unconscious?!'

While Kevin was struck with this absurd thought, the previously unmoving Aldrich suddenly lunged at him like a madman. This spooked Kevin.

It happened so abruptly that he jumped back even though Aldrich was still locked in the cage, it was an instinctual reaction due of a feeling of danger.

After all these cages were not made to hold Crestmasters in the first place.

However when he jumped back, away from the danger, for some reason the feeling of danger grew several fold and it came from behind. The dangerous feeling from Aldrich was not fake, but it couldn't compare to this.

*DEATH!!*

In Kevin's subconscious mind this word written in blood appeared. He had no idea how Aldrich could even walk on his legs like normal but he didn't have the time to ask himself that question.

Kevin released his Warhammer from his crest in midair, he did not know what it was but he knew that it was bad news. He could not possibly change course by twisting his body in such a short time, but he was a Crestmaster after all.

In the span of a blink the warhammer was pulled to the ground thanks to its own weight and leveraging that, Kevin grabbed on to it and twisted in the air using it like a crotch he flipped vertically so that his legs were touching the ceiling.

Kevin spat out a mouthful of blood. A moment a go he did not know what the danger was but now he knew. It was a sword, even though he could not see it, it pierced him in the middle of the chest.

In the same manner that he could react and adjust in such a small amount of time so could Aldrich. No, he was even better. With his calculative abilities and perception he was able to predict Kevin's trajectory and move accordingly.

But even of he did not succeed in that, the results would not have changed.

Before Kevin could rouse his vitality, a burning sword cleaved his head off. In splatter of blood a headless corps fell convulsing and released a nasty smell.

In less than two minutes a Crestmaster was dead.

Kevin did not even get to use a single skill, it took a single exchange to determine the strong and the weak. The weak being the loser who died.

Aldrich had no intention to engage in a duel with him or anyone for that matter, he just wanted to kill him in the fastest most efficient manner possible.

That was so Kevin couldn't call for help. If he did so then Aldrich could be surrounded and besieged. While he could kill Kevin relatively easily on his own there was bound to be trouble if he was facing multiple Crestmasters at once.

He had broken out of the cage while Kevin was fully focused on the invisible sword behind, he used his true sword and easily destroyed the cage.

He rummaged through the belongings of the dead Crestmaster but he did not find his things nor did he find the key. Well it's not like he needed it.

But he still stole his trousers, being in the nude did bother him a bit.

If possible he wanted to keep Kevin alive to ask him so questions but the circumstances were not ideal. They rarely were.

Aldrich looked over the cages and found the one which Kevin has slowed down to inspect, indeed, he found Cole inside. And he did not look good at all.

And he thought he was beaten up badly. Cole was basically beaten to a pulp, with his limbs broken and twisted. It was likely that he fought back when Aldrich was knocked out.

He clenched his fist, this little bit of blood was not enough to satisfy him.