Chapter 118: The Apology

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: The Apology

The guards stared at Daniel, their forms frozen in place.

Their mouths were open, the jaws slack. Their eyes were wide, the pupils dilated. Their bodies were frozen, the muscles locked.

The guard whose wrist had been cut off was still screaming, his voice high and piercing. He was on his knees, his body crumpled. He was clutching his stump, his hand gripping the wound. Blood poured between his fingers, the liquid warm and red. His face was pale, the color drained. His eyes were wild, the expression desperate.

But the other guards weren’t looking at him, their attention elsewhere. They were looking at Daniel, their eyes fixed on his form.

At his calm face, the features unreadable. At his cold eyes, the gaze icy. At his bloody dagger, the blade dripping.

And they were confused, their minds struggling to process.

"Apologies?" one of them said, his voice bewildered. "What?"

Daniel looked at him, his expression unreadable.

"Apologies," he repeated, his voice flat. "What are you, deaf? I said apologies."

The guards looked at each other, their gazes meeting. Their faces were confused, the expressions puzzled. Their eyes were wide, the pupils dilated.

"Apologies to who?" another guard asked, his voice uncertain.

Daniel’s eyes moved to him, his gaze sharp. His expression didn’t change, the features still.

He moved, his body blurring.

His dagger flashed, the blade catching the light. The guard’s wrist was cut off, the hand severed. It flew through the air, the limb spinning. It hit the ground, the impact soft. It twitched, the fingers moving. It stopped, the motion ceasing.

The guard screamed, his voice high and piercing. He clutched his stump, his hand gripping the wound. He stumbled back, his body retreating.

Daniel pointed at Fluffy, his finger extended.

"To her," he said, his voice cold. "Apologize to her."

The guards stared at him, their faces pale. Their eyes were wide, the pupils dilated.

"To a slave?" one of them spat, his voice incredulous. "You want us to apologize to a slave?"

Daniel’s eyes moved to him, his gaze icy.

"Any more questions," he said, his voice low, "and it will be your neck instead of your wrist."

The guard’s mouth closed, his jaw snapping shut. His face went pale, the color draining.

But another guard spoke up, his voice defiant.

"Go fuck yourself," he said, his voice sharp. "We ain’t apologizing to a goddamn slave."

Daniel looked at him, his eyes meeting his.

His expression didn’t change, the features still. His eyes didn’t blink, the gaze fixed.

He raised his hand, his arm extending. He summoned his gun, the weapon appearing.

The guard’s eyes widened, his pupils dilating. He looked at the weapon, his gaze studying. At its golden barrel, the metal gleaming. At its strange shape, the form unfamiliar. At its unfamiliar design, the structure unknown.

"What is that?" he asked, his voice uncertain. "A mage staff? A wand?"

Daniel didn’t answer, his silence speaking.

He fired, the gun roaring.

The bullet hit the guard’s knee, the impact thunderous. The guard screamed, his voice high and piercing. He collapsed, his body crumpling. He clutched his leg, his hand gripping the wound. Blood poured between his fingers, the liquid warm.

Daniel fired again, the gun roaring. The bullet hit the other knee, the impact thunderous. The guard screamed louder, his voice rising. He curled into a ball, his body folding. He sobbed, his tears flowing.

Daniel fired again, the gun roaring. The bullet hit his shoulder, the impact heavy. Then his arm, the impact sharp. Then his side, the impact deep.

Each shot was precise, the aim true. Each shot was deliberate, the intent clear. Each shot missed the vital spots, the aim intentional.

The guard was crying, his tears streaming. He was screaming, his voice hoarse. He was begging, his words desperate.

"Please!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Please stop!"

Daniel didn’t stop, his finger pulling the trigger.

He fired again, the gun roaring. And again, the sound echoing. And again, the noise repeating.

The other guards watched, their faces pale. Their eyes were wide, the pupils dilated. Their bodies were trembling, the forms shaking.

They didn’t understand, their minds struggling. They didn’t understand the weapon, its design unknown. They didn’t understand the power, its source mysterious. They didn’t understand anything, their comprehension failing.

But they understood one thing, their instinct clear.

They were scared, their fear palpable.

"What is that thing?" one of them whispered, his voice barely audible.

"It’s a mage staff," another said, his voice uncertain. "It has to be. It shoots projectiles."

"But it’s small. It’s not a staff."

"Then what is it?"

"I don’t know."

Daniel lowered his gun, his arm dropping. He looked at the remaining guards, his eyes moving over their forms. There were three of them left, their numbers small. They were still standing, their postures tense. They were still armed, their weapons drawn. They were still angry, their expressions fierce.

But they were also scared, their fear evident.

"So," Daniel said, his voice calm. "Do you want the hard way?"

The guards looked at each other, their gazes meeting. Then at him, their eyes fixed. Then at their fallen comrades, their gazes shifting.

"We’ll kill you!" one of them shouted, his voice desperate.

They charged, their bodies surging forward.

Daniel moved, his body blurring.

He dodged the first guard’s sword, his form twisting. He punched him in the stomach, his fist connecting. The guard doubled over, his body folding. He gasped, his breath catching. He choked, his throat closing.

Daniel kicked him in the face, his foot connecting. The guard flew backward, his body tumbling. He crashed into a wall, the stone crumbling. He didn’t get up, his form still.

The second guard swung his sword, the blade cutting through the air. Daniel ducked, his body lowering. He grabbed the guard’s arm, his fingers closing. He twisted, his grip tightening. The guard screamed, his voice high. Daniel punched him in the throat, his fist connecting. The guard collapsed, his body falling.

The third guard hesitated, his body frozen. He looked at his fallen comrades, his eyes moving over their forms. Then at Daniel, his gaze fixed. Then at his sword, his eyes studying.

He dropped his sword, the blade clattering. He raised his hands, his palms open.

"I surrender," he said, his voice desperate.

Daniel smiled, a cold, dangerous smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"Smart," he said, his voice flat.

He punched the guard in the face anyway, his fist connecting. The guard flew backward, his body tumbling. He crashed into a wall, the stone crumbling. He didn’t get up, his form still.

Daniel lowered his fists, his arms dropping. He looked around, his eyes moving over the scene. At the fallen guards, their bodies broken. At their broken bodies, the forms twisted. At their blood, the liquid pooling.

Then he looked at the fat man, his eyes fixed on his form.

The fat man was still there, his body frozen. He was standing in the corner, his form pressed against the wall. His face was pale, the color drained. His eyes were wide, the pupils dilated. His body was trembling, the form shaking.

He had watched everything, his eyes fixed. He had seen everything, his mind recording. He had seen Daniel take down five guards, his power undeniable. He had seen Daniel’s strange weapon, its design unknown. He had seen Daniel’s cold, calm face, his expression unchanging.

He was terrified, his fear overwhelming.

Daniel walked toward him, his footsteps slow. His steps were slow, the pace measured. Deliberate, each step placed with purpose. Each step echoed through the room, the sound sharp and clear.

The fat man stumbled back, his feet catching. He hit the wall, his back pressing against the stone. He couldn’t go further, his escape blocked.

"Please," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Please don’t hurt me."

Daniel stopped in front of him, his footsteps ceasing. He looked at him, his eyes meeting his. His eyes were cold, the gaze icy. Dead, the expression empty.

"Have you ever been castrated with a gun?" Daniel asked, his voice calm.

The fat man blinked, his expression confused. "What?"

"A gun. Have you ever been castrated with a gun?"

The fat man stared at him, his mouth open. His eyes were wide, the pupils dilated.

"I... I don’t know what that is," he stammered, his voice trembling.

Daniel smiled, a cold, dangerous smile that sent shivers down the fat man’s spine.

"You’re about to find out."