Sword God in a World of Magic

When Kiva heard these words, his body became filled with terror.

He hadn't known who Shang was earlier, but now, he knew who stood in front of him.

Kiva's insides shook, but he did his best to hide it.

"Then you should know how stupid it would be to kill me," Kiva said with a calm voice.

Shang only smirked and looked into his eyes. "Why?"

"You know who I am, and you know how much my life is worth," Kiva said. "Killing me would bring you nothing but momentary satisfaction while keeping me as a hostage gives you monetary satisfaction. One is worth more than the other."

"You should know how expensive it is to become more powerful. Don't throw millions of gold out of the window just because you feel like it," Kiva said.

Shang nodded along.

Yep, Kiva Orvis was probably worth over 50 million gold.

"You know, you would have a point in other circumstances," Shang said.

Kiva's insides tightened.

"However, you tried to kill me back then, Duke Mithril has put a bounty of 20 million golds on my head after that, and you are actively killing the warriors," Shang said.

"Why would you care about the people I've killed?" Kiva asked with narrowed eyes. "You've probably killed just as many people as me. I refuse to believe that all the people you've killed are deserving of their death."

A couple of instances of Shang killing someone innocent shot through his mind.

"You're right," Shang said. "I wouldn't care as much about the warriors under normal circumstances. Sure, I feel some kinship with them, but not enough to risk my life for them."

"However, this is not a normal circumstance."

"Let me just say that someone I don't want to anger is invested in the warriors' survival."

Shang's smirk widened.

"Also, Duke Mithril, as well as his people, are my enemy, and I don't like to keep my enemies alive just for some money."

"Additionally, you've seen my face, and I want to keep my return a secret for now."

Kiva wanted to negotiate some more, but he quickly felt himself being pulled away as Shang ran off with him. Of course, Shang pocketed the corpses and their belongings.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" Kiva shouted in Shang's grasp.

"You know, I don't like lying," Shang said with a neutral voice. "I need to send Duke Mithril a message, and the message needs to be authentic."

Kiva wasn't sure what Shang meant, but his fear increased more and more as time passed.

Shang charged into the swamp with Kiva Orvis and quickly searched for a good place.

And just a minute later, Shang found a suitable place.

Between a couple of half-dead trees, Shang saw a gigantic millipede oozing poison. A terrifying poison swamp had already formed around it, which released a sizzling noise.

The millipede looked over and saw Shang.

his right eye and

the millipede dove into the swamp

an Initial Commander Stage Swamp Millipede, and this was

right beside the poison

everything

that moment, Kiva Orvis' world broke down, and

"No, please-"

SPLASH!

him into the poison

SSSSSSSS!

began

on his hand, but it wasn't

violently thrashing around below the surface as Shang's hand kept his

for the

hands and feet broke the surface, but they looked worse and worse as

Kiva's skinless right hand fell off as he

seconds, Shang kept Kiva's body in

Until he stopped moving.

used his Darkness Mana to see if there

There wasn't.

He was dead.

Splash!

out

his legs

missing at the middle of the

off, and even a huge part of his flesh was missing. Obviously, his organs were also

face basically didn't exist

and nose were gone, just

Orvis' corpse, Shang's hand had only

saw him, he was surprised

Nothing.

He felt nothing.

He didn't feel regret.

He didn't feel satisfaction.

He just felt nothing.

was like this was nothing

like

of things,' Shang

onto delivering

Kiva's corpse into his inner world and ran towards the north. This time, he didn't need

the north, he retrieved a black mask from his

had worn when

he put

and Kiva Orvis,

into the warrior's academy and getting spotted, he decided that

knew that he was here, no one

far easier

one didn't know what one was fighting

minutes later, Shang arrived at the border between the Empress Cobra Zone

It was currently night.

scouted the surroundings and made sure