My SSS-Rank Gluttony Talent: I Can Evolve Limitlessly
Chapter 76: Will cost you a lot

Chapter 76: Will cost you a lot

"Look right there! An enemy!" one of them shouted, pointing with his sword.

"Kill him!" They shouted in unison, charging at Riley with fury.

But Riley didn’t flinch, almost like nobody was attacking him.

’As expected.’ he thought, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smirk.

This was what happened whenever someone’s reputation dropped down to [Hostile] with a particular group.

The NPCs didn’t care how long you’d lived in the village or what kind of person you were.

Once the reputation rank dropped to that level, it flipped a switch in the minds of the villagers—kill on sight.

They wouldn’t stop to ask questions, and would just attack immediately they set their eyes on that person.

He’d managed to avoid it earlier while making his way here.

His speed had kept him hidden—barely more than a gust of wind to anyone who saw him. By the time they turned their heads, he was already gone.

But this time... he hadn’t bothered to hide.

’Seems like Burus’ fears were justified after all,’ he thought, watching as the five guards charged furiously at him. ’The chief did send his men after him.’

The closest guard roared and swung his blade at Riley’s chest.

Another came from the right.

Then two from behind.

All of them attacked at once, not willing to give him any space to even breathe, talkless of escape.

However, Riley simply chuckled, barely holding back the urge to yawn.

"Too slow."

And then—

Just as the blades were about to reach him, he vanished.

The guards’ blades sliced through empty air, striking the ground and slamming into the soil with sharp clangs.

Chunks of dirt and grass flew upward.

Their eyes widened.

"What the—!?" one of them gasped.

"Where did he go?!"

They stumbled back, gripping their weapons tightly, eyes scanning left and right.

But there was nothing.

And a chill... crawling up their spines.

Then—

Swoosh!

A sharp gust of wind tore past them.

Their heads snapped to the side.

And there he was.

Riley.

Standing calmly behind one of their comrades, barely a meter away.

A faint shimmer still clung to his silhouette, like reality hadn’t fully caught up to his movement.

His arm was already extended forward, and in his grip was a thin dagger, glinting faintly under the sun.

The blade had already slit through the man’s throat.

The guard’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth opened as if to scream—

But only a wet, gurgling sound came out.

Blood poured from the deep cut across his neck, spilling down his armour and soaking into the grass below.

He reached up feebly, trying to stop the bleeding—

But his knees buckled.

And he collapsed, dead.

Riley tilted his head, watching the body fall.

Then, he chuckled softly.

His lips curled into a slow, sinister smirk.

"I wonder..." he murmured, voice cold. "Who’ll be next?"

The guards froze.

And before they could even take a step back—

Riley vanished again, without even making a sound.

The four remaining guards stood there, blades trembling in their hands.

Sweat dripped down their temples.

Their eyes darted in every direction, backs pressed together as fear began to take hold.

"He’s too fast," one of them whispered, panic creeping into his voice. "What kind of skill is he—"

He never got to finish, as Riley reappeared right behind him, slicing a clean arc through his throat.

The man froze, blood bubbling up in his mouth as he gasped for air.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his neck—

Then fell face-first into the grass, dead.

The remaining three didn’t even have time to react.

Seconds later, they too collapsed to the ground—

Each one with a deep, red gash running across their necks.

Their bodies kept twitching even after their deaths, blood gushing out from their necks.

The clearing grew quiet once more, the only sound now being the wind rustling through the tall grass... and the faint gurgle of blood seeping into the earth.

"Y-you... killed them..." Burus muttered, his body frozen in shock.

His eyes were wide, his gaze shifting continuously from the five bleeding corpses sprawled across his farmland to the lone figure who had butchered them like animals.

His knees wobbled violently, and he had to clutch his shaking hands behind his back just to stop them from flailing.

He couldn’t speak.

He couldn’t even breathe properly.

Each time he looked at Riley, he felt like his heart stopped for half a second—like a cold blade was being held just inches from his throat.

And the worst part was... Riley hadn’t even broken a sweat.

It all happened too fast, and was like one minute they were attacking Riley, and the next they all lay dead on the floor.

’He’s a... monster...’ he thought, his breathing growing erratic. His lips parted, but no words came out.

His eyes dropped again to the blood soaking into his farmland. His farmland.

And yet... he didn’t dare speak a word of complaint.

He looked back up, just in time to see Riley turn toward him.

The smirk on his face hadn’t faded, instead, it widened.

"I’ll help you, Burus," he said casually, wiping the blade of his dagger on the sleeve of one of the corpses. "I’ll take away all those disturbing your peace on this farm."

Burus opened his mouth—

But closed it just as quickly.

He couldn’t tell if he was supposed to thank him or scream in horror.

He just nodded.

Saying more than that felt... dangerous. Like his voice itself might offend the being in front of him.

Riley’s eyes twinkled sharply as he turned back to the corpses, then slowly glanced back over his shoulder.

"But you know," he continued, his tone calm, almost playful, "I’ll be going up against the chief."

His eyes narrowed.

"That’s very dangerous, isn’t it?"

Burus didn’t move, his eyelids too heavy to even blink.

The smirk on Riley’s face twisted, stretching into a grin—one more demonic than human.

"I’ll help you," he said again.

"It’ll only cost you a lot."

Burus swallowed hard.

The wind kept blowing, but for some reason, he felt like an unseen hand was wrapped around his throat.