The rampant voices echoing across the air made Zeke's ears spin considering how many of them were asking for more from him.

Seeing their horrid state, Zeke did what he could with his runes, which he also had to help explain as some of them thought it was alien magic that could wipe their minds and make them his slaves. Once they realized that Zeke can make a somewhat passable hospital, each of them turned silent to get taken cared of.

He could have sworn that hours passed, perhaps even days when he kept working on his runes, ensuring that everyone who had been riddled with debuffs would be cleared.

What Tigger said when he mentioned the blisters and the itchy spots were more severe than he expected. The people weren't just itchy, they were burning in places and couldn't even sleep, thus making them get debuffs that affect their recovery rates which only made things worse for them in the long run.

So Zeke did whatever he could with his runes, helping Lyle create specialized potions that can clear the debuffs enough for Zeke to heal them. Since Lyle couldn't exactly bring his top-of-the-line alchemy gear with him, he only had the portable one which was deeply enhanced by Zeke's runes. Thanks to that, they were able to help plenty of people that couldn't even move thanks to the mounting debuffs.

Once they helped everyone get back on their feet, they took a short break to recover their resources. Zeke was just sitting on his ass on the ground, feeling incredibly uncomfortable already as it felt like he was sitting on top of a heating oven for some reason.

"What's with this place? I know it's heavily fire-themed but this is just ridiculous."

After arriving and teaching some 'rude' people how to properly greet someone, they explained their circumstances as best they could. Throughout this time, the leaders finally woke up and were gaining some movements, but Zeke ensured they were kept locked up with his specialized runic constructs. This way, not even their meadling Strength can break through the constructs as each one was bound to their wrists and ankles like true chains.

He has to go over and recharge them every once in a while, so he gets to hear what they think of him whenever they can. It was a refreshing way of seeing another one's perspective if he had to say.

Other than that, the other folks around here felt as though the bullies were finally put in their place, so they can finally have their heads raised high and actually smiling, especially after Zeke and Lyle scrounge up some food for them to eat from their storage packs. Zeke was extra glad he had another pack on hand for emergencies like these, but he was starting to worry that he might not have enough food. He was just planning on using his newfound Iron Parallel Thought to make a plan for that when he noticed Lyle approaching him.

"Sup mate," Lyle greeted, though he seemed to be missing his usual mirth.

"What's up your ass?" Zeke asked, more concerned than joking around.

"It's… complicated. I rather not talk out loud here where someone can listen. Let's… I'll show you."

Lyle quickly gestured Zeke over to a nearby ratty tent, looking nowhere near stable enough to handle a week in the woods, let alone several months. His instincts were telling him that nothing good would come from this, but if Lyle was asking for a favor, he wouldn't screw his friend over.

So he prepared himself when he met a single girl, her face stained with dry tears that seemed to have lingered there for years.

…..

Zeke marched along the poor campsite, ignoring the cautious glances coming his way from the weaker otherworlders.

All he was seeing was red. Nothing could stop him. Not even when an otherworlder who was bigger than him by a few centimeters could stand in his way for long, unable to withstand the aura Zeke was emitting subconsciously.

Aura is something that a person emits from all of their energies in their channels are synchronized to create a presence. For the untrained, this aura slips through, showing their imaturity. It would take an experienced fighter to properly control the presence contained in their auras.

But the fact is that if someone is capable of unleashing such a heavy aura, regardless of their immaturity–your best chance is to run away and hope they don't follow you.

Zeke was indeed such a person whose aura was blanketing everything around him. His anger and fury fully directed solely to the supposed leaders, the self-made bandits.

At this point, they're more like cancer. They have to be excised, or else Zeke can't call himself a healer. He has put aside any sense of morality dealing with these creatures. In a twisted way, this was the only path that would get rid of the source rather than the lingering symptoms.

"W-Wait! Please! I don't… I don't want you to hurt yourself."

A young woman cried out, trying to follow Zeke with Lyle's help, but neither of the men were doing anything.

Zeke knew Lyle would keep her away. She was hurt, brutally used, and traumatized. It took all she had to gather her courage to tell the strongest Journeymen of her terrible life living here in this god-forsaken tower.

Where the leader of the bandits used her night after night, uncaring of her woes and despair. And not just her either.

Zeke approached the leader who was quick to insult like a true creature of toxicity. He grasped the leader's neck, the matted and oily dirty blond hair covering his shocked face as Zeke stared daggers at him.

Nobody said a word, and no matter how many times the leader tried to say anything, his voice was caught from Zeke's grasp.

"You," Zeke asked. He didn't care about Identifying this scum and asked instead. "Give me your name. Now."

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

"W-What's it to ya, you son of a–"

"Wrong answer."

The leader screamed in pain and agony, only to add to everyone's shock to see his arm completely crooked in just a matter of seconds. Blood oozed from the skin tightening up to the point of it ripping apart, tearing some blood vessels from the action. It wasn't pretty to look at, and the girl who was screaming earlier shrieked with all of her lungs. She didn't bother stopping them now.

"Name," Zeke ordered. "Now."

"I-It's Dash. My name's Dash!" The leader cried out, spittle and blood flowing everywhere.

"So Dash–you feel like a man forcing women to do what you desired?" Zeke asked, his face contorting to a sneer, His voice picking up a mocking edge.

He had never felt so much anger and disgust towards anyone here before. Not even Alex from the undeath tower could match this level of contempt. He could only thank his lucky stars there weren't any predators targeting Tigger, or else…

Well, the same would be said for this. Just knowing that someone's own rights were taken against their will is enough to sent Zeke to the edge of hell and never look back.

"T-That–"

Crack. This time, Dash's leg cracked into a very uncomfortable position, proving that Zeke didn't care how he answered.

"Y-You didn't even let me finish!" Dash complained, his tears running down his cheeks. The other lackeys in his group watched on in horror, not daring to utter a peep less they gain Zeke's attention.

"You have no right to finish anything," Zeke demanded. Then, with a cold glare to everyone around him, he shouted to the fake sky above. "This goes the same for everyone else! Nobody has the right to take other's free will away from them! Just because you live in another world where the laws won't reach us won't stop me from delivering my own justice on all your goddamn heads!"

He particularly pointed this to any random people in the group. He won't subject the men to this–women can also just as easily fall into this category. No matter who or what they represent, Zeke will not allow anyone to take another's free will.

He had enough of it from the gods. He had enough of it from the angels. He had enough of it from all the damn authority that is making everyone's lives miserable for their own personal greed.

His hands shifted, now grabbing Dash's throat into a pincer-like grip that could crush steel. His voice turned ragged, his breaths caught as Zeke turned his hardened glare to the woman kneeling on the ground, supported by Lyle who stood behind her, his hand comforting and supporting the young lady's back with a gentle firm strength.

For once, Zeke's face softened. While Dash struggled to breath, he was completely ignored as Zeke asked the young woman.

"Tell me what you want," Zeke demanded. He won't be gentle with his demands, he promised himself.

The young woman stared, horrified at the sight. Then, in some corner of her eyes, Zeke saw a glimmer that spoke of violence and pure hatred.

He knows that feeling more than he wished to explain right now. Memories of long forgotten abusement now rushing up to take over his mind and heart.

She spoke–no, she growled. A soft growl, but one filled with all the hatred Zeke can recognize as well as anyone who has ever had their free will taken.

"I… I want him to die! I just want him to die! Just kill him! Take him away from this world!"

"N-No!" Dash screamed, his eyes widening to near dots. "You stupid bitch! I swear I'll kill you–"

Without another word from Zeke, his hand clenched hard enough to bend steel. A level 20 or so Warrior just wasn't strong enough to withstand his magically improved Strength.

…..

"Sorry that you had to go along with that," Zeke said quietly, his heart now returning to its normal pace, but his insides felt like they were about to hurl everything out of his gut.

Everyone was silent, but there was an odd sense of tension finally loosening, and of course, once Dash died, the others followed suit with their own punishment to the other bandits. At this point, Zeke didn't care about the brutality of it all–he had already seen it, and even did it himself.

Yet, that feeling of authority he displayed made him sick. He felt like a king stating his decree, and that only showed the hypocrisy behind his own words. How can he stand to call himself someone who defends someone's free will when he so explicitly ignored Dash's will to live?

It's easier to accept when you know that fucker deserved it.

Even Zeke's usual self-doubt can't deny the fact that what he did was right. Sure, there could've been better ways, but Zeke refused to consider them. If that made him a hypocrite, then so be it.

Still, adding Lyle into his rage-ridden justice wasn't a cool thing a bro can do, but Lyle, like a bro, took it like a trooper.

"Mate, I wish I could've recorded it. Ya think your girl might've purchased it off my hands for a few gold, yeah?"

"She'll force you to sell it for mere copper 'cuz I know she'll haggle you to hell since I'm involved," Zeke scoffed. But then he quickly turned the topic back. "But seriously… I'm sorry."

"Hah, it's alright," Lyle gestured with a wave. "Plus, that girl looks right as rain after what you did. Sure, forgiveness is one thing… but I never personally liked that. I knew a lot of girls like her, those that had no choice but to secretly go behind their parents' back to get medication to get rid of unwanted pregnancies. It was hard to swallow, especially when they admitted that their parents would gladly disown them if they showed up pregnant, even if they were forced to be."

Zeke was shocked to hear that, especially considering that it was in London of all things. Zeke knew his country wasn't exactly great considering their conservative values, but it was surprising to hear how strict those in other lands can be regarding such sensitive topics, especially in their day and age before they disappeared into Tarial.

"Anyways, all I know is that some of those customers… didn't come back. Sometimes, forgiveness can just be a poison that slowly corrodes you and kills you from the inside. Sometimes, you gotta suck out the poison quick, or you'll get taken down quicker than you can admit your grudges and guilt."

"Jesus Christ, Lyle, kinda going hard on that assassin shit," Zeke commented.

"Haaaa!" Lyle howled in laughter. "My bad, my bad. Guess I got a little emotional. Still, I'm more than glad to join my brother in arms to protect all the cute ladies in the world. Particularly, let's go save our ladies in distress!"

He pointed at a random direction with a flourish, and Zeke had to hold back his shifting smile at that.

Right now, it's better to find their comrades and get them out of this hellhole. He doesn't plan on letting anyone else suffer, especially after finding out that there is another camp that they've been attacking.

Though, the look on Lyle's face instantly changed when he kept pointing at one such random direction.

Curious, he turned to that direction, and his eyes widened.

A single Fire Fox was sitting near the dense densely populated trees, its eyes staring straight at the camp. If it was just that, then either Zeke or Lyle would take care of it.

But that Fire Fox wasn't alone. Another, then another slowly came out, then several more. Eventually, nothing but orange fur and fire-breathing maws came into being. Zeke's throat dried up as Lyle spoke quietly.

"Zeke, I think this is…"

Without saying it, the army of Fire Foxes growled and ran toward the camp, each of their tails lashing out and their maws revealing sharp fangs and rampaging flames. Zeke figured to finish what Lyle started.

"It's a horde!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.