"Revenge, my ass!"
Rokuya cut him off without the slightest courtesy, his voice as piercing as ice.
"With your current strength, you don't even have the courage to swing your blade when you face a demon. I saved you today, but tomorrow you'll die on your next mission! Take your broken blade and get off this mountain. Come talk about revenge when your hands stop shaking!"
Rokuya's words struck the swordsman's heart like a heavy hammer, every single one of them.
The swordsman looked at Rokuya, then at the pile of demon flesh on the ground. Suddenly understanding something, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head hard against the ground before Rokuya.
"Th-thank you for saving my life, sir! I understand! I'll get stronger... I swear I'll get stronger!"
[Ding-intense gratitude detected. Gratitude Points gained: 150!]
Rokuya was overjoyed inside, but outwardly he maintained the cold, merciless bearing of a master. With a cold snort, he shouldered his blade and turned to walk deeper into the darkness.
"This job really gives you the best bang for your buck."
Over the next three hours, a bizarre "reverse hunt" played out throughout the outer region of Mount Fujikasane.
Relying on his vast sensory range, Rokuya moved through the woods like a ghost. Wherever a swordsman was in danger, he descended from above like a god.
He smashed the demon apart with a blow from his scabbard, then subjected the rescued swordsman to a vicious dressing-down in the cruelest, most demoralizing language before declaring on the spot that they were disqualified from the selection.
At first, some proud swordsmen refused to accept it and tried to resist. But Rokuya only had to release a little of the terrifying pressure that came with 50 points of strength, and they obediently