I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

They say tough times call for tough people, and tough people call for tough circumstances. What happens when you threaten or attempt to threaten a room filled with tough people? Of course, situations like this occur.

Raph slowly placed his index finger on the blade, his expression hidden from plain sight within the hoodie. "So, are you going to give me the job or not?" He asked, his tone laced with curiosity, but the Receptionist could feel something else from it. Something eerie.

"It's like I said. We aren't taking new recruits," She said firmly, standing her ground.

'Well, of course she did. Five level 70s are surrounding me….and there's even more in the tavern…..this should be a safe place for anyone on their side...well until I arrived'.

"Why is it So?" Raph asked.

She furrowed her brow in annoyance. "I don't have to reply to that. The rules are the rules". She said,

'....well, there's no going back'. Rapj thought with a sigh. "I want to talk to your manager".

"Oi! Kiddo!" The bully man who held a mace behind him called out, his large body forming a shadow over Raph. "You've been talking out of line for a while now. Do you want to lose your life?"

Raph smirked but remained silent. 'They pretend to be cold, but deep down they just want to avoid trouble'. Raph suddenly kicked the back of his chair, causing it to strike the bully man behind him with a loud bang.

The man groaned in pain when Raph suddenly ducked while pulling the dagger away from his neck at the same time. The dagger whizzed through the air, missing its target at the same time.

Raph held the female assassin's hand and pulled her towards him with great force. She yelped in shock, twirling her body in the air and sending a roundhouse kick from the back.

At the same time, the two mages prepared a spell in unison, a water and fire ball forming at the same time beside him.

Raph simply pulled her body to the Counter with a loud bang, twirled her through the air slamming the two mages away at the same time and flinging her body across the Tavern.

He then spun around to his left, jumping into the air at the same time as a longsword was thrust towards his position, only to miss him by a hair's breadth.

He landed on the Sword, slamming it to the ground and kicking the man in a knight's armor backwards.

The man groaned in pain, releasing hold of his sword, while he glared at Raph in a fit of rage.

Raph simply walked forward, and slammed his knee against his abdomen, sending a chill force of pain through his body, causing the man to stun in his position.

Raph sent an uppercut through the air against the man's chin, slamming him away and unconscious.

He then turned to the bully man, who was still swept up in the pain and startled by the scene, unable to think of retaliating on time. And by the time he thought to do so, it was already too late.

Raph reinforced his fist with aura and smashed it into the man's face, the gruesome sound of bone breaking and blood spurting out echoed in the tavern. The man's body fell limply on the floor, and with it were some teeth that came out his mouth.

'Well, no surprise here. After all, you needed at least eight 7-star swordsmen or 7 circle magicians to deal with an 8th star or circle'.

These five of level 70 were nothing to him.

A moment of silence descended upon the Tavern for a few seconds as the Men and women digested the scene that just took place with startled and wary gazes. The silence was permeated by the groaning of their injured comrades.

Raph ignored them, walked towards the broken wooden counter, and slammed his fist into it.

"Can I get the job? If not, I will meet your Manager directly". He said, his voice chill and cool and devoid of emotions.

The Receptionist could tell that he meant business, and she didn't need the cold aura that vividly exuded from him to know that.

She cursed. "You're not from around here, are you?" She asked.

Raph shook his head. "I am not, but I know the situation. You guys take goods to the East; I don't care what it is or what it is for; I just need a ride to the East".

"Oh…so you were headed to the East?"

A voice echoed in the tavern, causing the people gathered to turn towards the source of the voice.

By the far right of the Counter was a stairway, and descending from the stairs was a red-haired woman with fiery red eyes and a muscular build.

She exuded an aura of prestige and strength from her being, regardless of the two greatswords that hung on her back.

'This is a Merchant Union right?" He wondered for a moment but drove away the thought after scanning her with his eyes. 'Level 97'. He thought, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Yes, I am, and who might you be?" He asked with a lax tone in his voice, and the glares from the people in the tavern were more than enough proof of his speculation.

The woman laughed as she folded her hands. "You got balls! I'll give you that" she said, turning towards a table of burly men. She slammed her fist on it, her expression growing ferocious. "What are you good-for-nothing doing?! Get them treatment!". She ordered, her voice laced with irk.

The five men stood up in unison and helped their fallen comrades.

Raph watched while this occurred, his gaze never leaving the woman as she instructed the rest of the people present.

From what he could tell, it seemed like they were about to transport something big, considering the number of carriages.

These people gathered here seemed more like mercenaries than merchants. They must have been employed to guard the true merchants while they were performing their tasks.

The Merchant Union acted as a link-up for merchants and mercenaries, and Raph had come at just the right moment when they lacked Mercenaries. In fact, it was so perfect, they found it suspicious.

'....but it's mere coincidence'. He thought with a sigh as the woman finally turned towards him. A smirk played on her face.

"You asked who I was?" She said as she pushed off one of the Men on their table and took his chair, taking a seat on it as she stared at him. "I am the manager of this establishment. Shyna Laverlone. Did you ask to see me?" She asked, curiosity etched in her voice.

Raph took a seat away from the broken part of the Counter.

"Yes, I heard the Merchant Union was hiring Mercenaries. I've come long and far to help assist your cause" he replied.

"Our cause? Do you even realize where you are?" She raised a brow in confusion, and perhaps curiosity. She was unable to read anything from this individual. Neither his intentions nor his level, but she could tell he was the real deal.

'He defeated five of my elites. You don't see people his statues defeating five level 70s in a minute….he's too suspicious'.

"Yes, I do. And that is why I'm taking the necessary procedures; if not, I would have left for the East a long time ago," Raph replied. After all, this was a time of war. Volunteering for a trip to the east was like asking for a death threat. There was a fifty percent chance of not returning and another sixty percent chance of getting mixed up in the war.

Of course, all this wouldn't matter…..as long as you were on the western side of the war.

'But the Styl village Merchant Union wasn't on the western side of the war, but the East'.

"We still don't take new recruits, and I can not bend the rule just because you seem strong".

"I'm not asking you to bend the rules. Do you not trust me just because I seem like a Westerner?"

"Well, your fighting style screams Western style. It's a knight fighting style, isn't It? We don't trust you enough to give you an important task".

Raph stared at her for a moment, then sighed. "Aren't you afraid that I'll report all this to the Kingdom? You are in Lumbrica's territory".

His words seemed to have struck a nerve as the mood in the building grew dark. Shyna, for example, did not take his words lightly, and neither did her subordinates.

"The total number of Mercenaries in this building is one hundred and eight. Do you think you can leave here alive if I give the order to eliminate you?" the tone in her voice reduced and tinted with malicious intent.

Raph chuckled. "Without a doubt".

Shyna widened her eyes in shock, and for a moment, her lips curled upwards. She stood up and walked towards the stairs. "Lora, give him the job and prepare a pass for him as well".

She instructed, startling the Receptionist.

The Receptionist's gaze flickered between Shyna and Raph. "Ye–Yes, ma'am", she stammered, bowing at the same time.

Shyna nodded in satisfaction before turning to Raph. "I didn't get your name"

Raph stared at her while his thoughts lined in order. 'wouldn't want to tell them my real name…..well then, I'll use…'

"Kael"

"Alright then, Kael. You better not disappoint".