Karn quickly made his way around the two scouts on top of the tree but before he made any actions he changed into the old man robes he acquired when opening the gift box in his inventory.
The outfit was as flexible as it was stated in the description both of the pieces fit the body perfectly and moving around in it felt like the cloth was not even present.
The two had no idea that there was an old blind man behind them looking at them like prey.
----
Today was an usual day as scouts for the two, usually their turn lasted around 4 hours per group. They were on their last hour before they could go back into the hideout.
"Those losers from the village would never revolt against us, why do we even bother with watching the entrance to the hideout?" said scout #1.
"Are you stupid? It isn't the village we are scared of it is the mysterious cultivators that come through here unknowingly." said scout #2 from another tree. Scout #2 was a serial killer he had killed many unknowing cultivators who came here for their money and treasure. He was also the strongest of the scouts due to his experience.
Scout #2 waited for a reply but nothing came back. "You ther-!!" Asked but right before he could finish his sentence a hand came flying towards the scout.
The man could barely guard himself before he went flying and crashed on the ground. The scout quickly got up in the dust he created after the fall. What he saw in the dust was a silhouette of a man where he had been perched up. Although the body could not be seen the face of the man could barely be seen with demonic grin.
"oho? I thought I had for sure gotten you. I guess there is a reason you are a 2nd tier martial warrior." Karn said while caressing his beard looking at the banner of top of the scout 'Tier 2 - Warrior'. The other guy he had just killed easily was 'Tier 3 - Warrior'. He had not even noticed Karn until he had died but this guy was able to react and defend in time.
The scout who had brushed across death itself had realized he was under attack and took out his saber on his waist. He had used this weapon for 3 years for killing and murdering many people and cultivators.
Karn who saw the man draw his saber thought 'I need a good weapon for myself as well'. He equipped the karambit he had gotten from before to fight as well.
As the dust settled the man saw an old man in front of him and the weapon he was using.
'Is this old man blind? Must be a cultivation technique, also his weapon is rather strange I have never seen a curved dagger like that.' The old man in front of the man was full of mystery and he didn't have the time to ask him questions. The old man was leaking bloodthirst like nobody else. Was it even possible to look this demonic at the tender age of 69?
Karn moved first with lightning speed he approached the scout from behind slashed at the back of neck with the karambit. The scout just like before could barely keep up with Karn barely getting out of the way but not without a wound on his back. Even with a bleeding back the scout did not care he barely escaped Karn's attacks accumulating wounds all over his body.
The scout was sweating just from these exchanges. He knew he was outclassed. He always prided himself for his speed and the old man in front of him was speed blitzing him. The pride he always had was crushed very quickly, his body was sending him alarm signals.
"This old body is getting tired quickly, I guess I should end this now" Karn said as he moved again but instead of moving using his speed he had also utilized the heavenly thief technique. His speed went up by a whole notch.
The man put his arms up to defend but the karambit that should have been blocked by his arms had slit his throat. 'A feint? No, it was an illusion.' The scout died realizing how he had died.
"I haven't felt this rejuvenated since my young days haha" Said Karn as he wiped the sweat on his forehead. He had a stamina of 10, his body could only endure a battle for so long. Karn could have ended the battle from the start if he went all out against that scout but he wanted to play with the prey and test his battle wits out too.
Had it been 30 odd years since he last killed someone with his own hands? Karn looked at the blood soaked dagger and the dead body in front of him. He had killed someone. Did the weight of taking a human life not mean anything to Karn?
Truth be told... it did. The expressionless face from before had slowly turned into a smile that could only be described as demonic. Karn moved his hands and squeezed his cheeks as hard as possible to relax his smile until the expression had left his face like it was never there before.
"Not good, this might get me arrested" Karn said wondering if there was such a thing as police in this world.
Karn sat down and decided to look at his status as he recouped his stamina.
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The old man with broad shoulders and his ramblings had come to an end finally.
Karn's grandson had long since forgotten about his grief and was immersed immensely with the stories the old man with broad shoulders had told him. Among the stories one that was of note had come up.
"Your old man was quite the thing back then. He wasn't the strongest nor was he the fastest but he was definitely the smartest. Every time we were in a tough situation he would come up with a brilliant plan that would save us." The old man remarked.
"Ah I remember now. It was the day before Christmas, Karn, Me and Bon our third brother in arms were holed up in the south of the battlefield. We met a particularly tough tribe of the Viet's back then. They lived in the holes they had made in the ground for god knows how long and they were god damn good at it, I tell you. The moment you stopped thinking about them they would come behind you and stab you. Gone like the wind as if they were never there if your crew looked back to see what happened."
"Karn joined us as a fresh recruit right after we started dealing with these guys. The first day in the hole we didn't talk much. The notable thing is that Karn saw it. He saw one of them come out of the hole and kill one of our own. Your old man told me and Bon when we were in the hole about to sleep while he was on watch duty. He told us right before the tribe man came out of his hole he heard a whistle."
"Me and Bon slept thinking nothing of the matter. Just another day and another soldier dead. What was so special about this one. When I woke up to take over watch duty, I went outside the hole and I saw Karn standing there whistling. I took over the shift and he didn't sleep all night. He just kept whistling all night until I saw it. A hand came out of the hole and then a head peeked out of the hole."
"What? You are telling me....?" Karn's grandson spoke in surprise.
"Yes.. he had replicated the whistle of the tribe that told them to attack. Just like us I am sure they had a man on watch duty on behalf of the tribe. The head went back down as fast as he had come up but Karn saw it as well and went quiet. I remember his expression day as night. That grin on his face was quite the sight. It looked like a demon toying with his prey."
"The next 3 day was a slaughter. Karn went from hole to hole whistling and had our men cut down that tribe until likely only the children and women were left. We were never attacked by them after that."
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*Status*
Name: Karn Bastion
Age: 69
Fame: 5
Title: N/A
Cultivation: 2nd tier martial warrior
Skills: God's Eye (Special)
His cultivation had increased. 'Must have happened when I spent my ability points.' Otherwise he would have felt something if it had happened during the battle.
After resting Karn made his way back to Rei who was waiting for him with an anxious face.
'Did this old man end up dying already?' She was waiting for the old man to come back but he had not come back even after 20 minutes. Just as she was done thinking the worst things about this situation she saw an old figure coming back as quick as lightning.
Rei looked at the old man who had just stopped and his clothes had changed completely and they were all covered in blood. 'Did this old fogey go to kill them or enjoy a bloodbath?'
"Lets go in" said Karn as he looked at Rei who had nothing to say. She knew because of her two people had died but she had resolved herself for this or else her brother would die. This was a kill or be killed world.