The Eminence in Shadow: The Dark Swordsman

Chapter 5: Yukime's Resilience

As the sun dipped below the horizon, a young man, about the same age as Kirito, strolled through the burdened village. His attire was far from the usual fantasy hero gear; he sported a full Slime Bodysuit. The purplish-black suit clung to his form, with intricate gold accents that shimmered as he moved.

The young man, wearing the Slime Bodysuit, looked around the devastated village, his eyes sharp and attentive. His keen senses had detected a powerful aura in this area, but to his surprise, there was no one to be seen. The once-bustling village lay in ruins, a ghostly silence enveloping it.

He furrowed his brow, perplexed by the absence of any visible presence. The aura he sensed was unmistakable, yet it seemed as though all life had evacuated this place, leaving only the scars of destruction.

The young man sighed in frustration as he looked around the desolate village. He muttered to himself, "I came here hoping for a bit of excitement, but it seems like I wasted my time. Well, I guess I'll have to make up for it by hunting down some bandits or monsters or something to keep things interesting."

As he continued his exploration of the ruined village, he suddenly noticed a trail of massive bloodstains splattered across the ground. It was as if a crimson river had flowed through the area. His sharp eyes followed the gruesome path, and he couldn't help but feel a strange mix of curiosity and irritation.

"Someone seemed to have stolen my spotlight before me," he mused aloud, his voice filled with a hint of annoyance. He quickened his pace, determined to uncover the source of this chaos and perhaps find the one responsible for such destruction.

He turned a corner, and there, before him, Gettan, the male Beastkin appeared, critically injured and caught in a pool of his own blood. Gettan's fur, once glossy black, was now matted with crimson.

Desperation and rage burned in Gettan's eyes as he struggled to speak through his bloodied breaths. With a trembling hand, he pointed a shaky finger towards the direction from which he had come, and he cursed someone with a voice filled with bitterness and anger.

"It's... the man in the black coat... He took... her... away... cursed him... for all eternity..."

The young man stared at Gettan's battered form and the description he had provided. A mix of emotions coursed through him – curiosity, suspicion, and a tinge of disbelief. The Beastkin's description of the  coat-wearing man seemed eerily familiar as if it mirrored his own appearance.

The young man's lips curled into a smirk as he gazed down at the injured Beastkin, his demeanour suddenly shifting. A dark aura seemed to envelop him, and his eyes gleamed with an unsettling intensity. He exuded an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance.

With a chilling tone, he leaned closer to Gettan and whispered, "Weaklings like you never stand a chance against pure power. You thought you could defy me, but you're just a pawn in a larger game."

Gettan's eyes widened in shock as he heard the young man's words. The realization slowly dawned on him, and he managed to croak out in disbelief, "You... Are you the one who did this? Are you the man in the black coat?"

The young man looked down on Gettan with a sinister grin. His voice dripped with arrogance as he confirmed, "Yes, I'm the Stylish Thief Slayer. You should feel dread before me."

Gettan weakened and on the brink of defeat, felt a surge of terror wash over him. The one he had cursed in his final moments turned out to be the very source of his torment. As consciousness slipped away from him, the cruel twist of fate that had brought him against two powerful persons.

Somewhere not far away...
Yukime lay in a fitful slumber, tormented by the events that had transpired. Amid her restless dreams, she heard a faint, distant voice. It was a gentle whisper, almost lost amidst the chaos of her mind.