◆ Avangarde Castle – Conference Room ◆
“I believe this month has been filled with intense missions, and I want to commend you all for your efforts. You’ve managed to survive until today.”
This was a regular meeting of the Special Operations Unit led by Captain Argil. Vice-Captain Enkal and Assistant Shim sat on either side, their eyes scanning the team members. If anyone dared to yawn, they would be met with a fierce reprimand, and in the worst cases, something akin to corporal punishment. Unlike the days of being an Adventurer, this was now a military unit run by the nation, so every detail had to be meticulously observed.
Despite it not being his style, Captain Argil was fumbling through unfamiliar words to lead the meeting. There was someone watching over, but it felt more like a formality. If anyone here decided to act, it would be easy to silence a mere soldier who hadn’t even reached Level 30.
“First, let’s discuss the withdrawal of the expedition team from the Vikkes region in the southwest.”
The members of that expedition team visibly flinched. It was a relatively peaceful area where someone of my low level could be dispatched. I had acted all high and mighty in front of my sister Ritta, but within the Special Operations Unit, I was still considered a rookie. However, I had grown stronger, and I didn’t care much about being looked down upon. This was something that hadn’t changed since my days as an Adventurer, and it was a reality I had long accepted.
“In just a few days, the remnants of the Comet Wolf Brigade and the extermination of the monsters, is that so?”
“…No, that is—”
“Hmm?”
Captain Argil tilted his head in a condescending manner toward the leader of the expedition team. He understood well that the withdrawal of the expedition teams from various regions was becoming conspicuous. By dispatching the Special Operations Unit, they received funds, including taxes, from the local lords. This was the source of the unit’s funding, but with so many teams withdrawing, it was bad for business. Knowing the main reason for this, Captain Argil was clearly irritated.
“As you know, the Flash Strike Girl and the Flame Princess have mostly cleared out the area… The lord is in such good spirits that he said, ‘There’s no need to send anyone to this region anymore; we can manage with just local patrols.'”
“That’s to be expected. The maintenance costs for the unit are not trivial. So you let them take all the credit?”
“By the time we reached our destination, everything was already over…”
“The leader, Benkei of the Thousand Tools, was originally A-Rank but was defeated by the Flash Strike Girl in the Combat Tournament. How do you feel about that now?”
I had never met Captain Argil during my time as an Adventurer, and I had unconsciously formed a silent image of him. To think he would be someone who would nag like this. I don’t know, he is certainly strong, but lately, I often feel like shouting that there’s something more to strength than just power. Was this what strength truly meant?
“After being made to taste bitterness, you still show such incompetence. It seems you are just a loser at heart. What’s your level?”
“…1250.”
“And the rest of the team hasn’t even reached 1000. The Flash Strike Girl is said to exceed Level 2000; how do you feel about that now?”
“What do you mean by ‘how’?”
“I’m asking whether you think you can win! You clueless fool!”
“Ugh!”
The small iron ball that Shim, the Vice-Captain Assistant, threw was lethal. He carried those around and used them in actual combat. The strength behind that throw, coming from someone close to Level 2000, was more deadly than any ranged attack. Benkei slumped back, his head thrown back as he lost consciousness.
“He’s not dead, is he? He’s still a valuable asset.”
“Heal him.”
At Captain Argil’s prompting, Shim ordered a nearby priest to assist. It seemed Benkei was still alive, as he slowly raised his head after receiving healing.
“That power is likely akin to the Flash Strike Girl’s own attacks. Of course, if she were to go all out, it would be a different story.”
“She doesn’t… go all out against humans…”
“Now you understand. Why can’t you think of a strategy to kill? If you can’t catch them, there are countless ways to lure them out.”
“Well, that’s in the past, Shim. More importantly, starting tomorrow, we’ll be heading out on an expedition to the southeast, Baste Squad.”
“Yes, sir!”
Baste, the Sealing Mage, was the captain of my squad. That meant another expedition awaited us tomorrow. I felt a strange heaviness in my body, something I hadn’t experienced since my days as an Adventurer. My rank had changed, and my income had increased. Yet, this fatigue was perplexing.
“As for the interference caused by the Flash Strike Girl… if she happens to get in our way, we will obviously kill her. However, it is preferable to have multiple members exceeding Level 1000 when we engage.”
“However, that girl is rumored to exceed Level 2000. In our squad, only four of us can come close to that, including you, Captain Argil… It seems tough, doesn’t it?”
“Who do you think I am?”
“…The Grim Reaper.”
It must be my imagination. I was just struggling to adapt to this unfamiliar environment. If I held this position, I could surely protect Ritta and make her happy. Despite what happened last night, I believed that one day Ritta would understand. I had to make up for the hardships I had caused her as a weak brother. My job was to reassure her that I was a reliable older brother. The reason she didn’t rely on me was that I was still weak and hadn’t achieved anything. After all, Ritta admired the Flash Strike Girl Lua, even though she acted sulky about it. She admired Lua for her strength, yet she denied me—how absurd. If that was the case, I would become strong enough to silence any doubts.
◆ Southeast of Avangarde – Town Inn ◆
I had repeatedly told Ritta not to leave the house. She didn’t respond, but it would be pointless to say anything more. If I could show her something impressive during this expedition, I might be promoted to Vice-Captain. Other members of the squad were aiming for the same thing. A-Rank “Burning Mage” Lester, “Earth Mole” Donboss, and “Hundred Strikes” Fenfuu. They were all ranked higher than me, and almost everyone in the Royal Capital knew their names. It was a far cry from “Star Lancer” Nikka, who was just hovering around the 100th rank.
“Let’s go over the mission details once more. Our task is to exterminate the ‘Royal Quake Faction,’ which has been showing significant activity among the remnants of the Comet Wolf Brigade. They consist of about 50 members, nearly all of whom are Custom Magic users. The leader, Gunnar—”
“Captain Baste, there’s no need for a recap. We’ve become strong enough to burn through anything in our way. We’re not worried about mere thieves anymore.”
“Just as Lester says!”
“Heh! Heh! I can tear through orichalcum now, you know? Heh! Heh!”
“…That’s true. Then, we’ll have free time until nightfall and will proceed with the extermination early tomorrow morning.”
The strategy meeting concluded in less than a minute. Perhaps they were just trying to create an atmosphere befitting a military unit. This had been the trend lately. With the members present, even a Crystal Dragon, second only to the Kaiser Dragon in strength, could be defeated in mere seconds. Now, facing human thieves was enough to make one yawn.
But perhaps because of that, I felt a sense of dissatisfaction. What used to be life-and-death battles had turned into mere tasks. I had once yearned so much to become stronger.
“Donboss, even in this remote countryside, there are some incredibly beautiful women. We are now the ones they welcome with open arms. We can easily take them down!”
“Muffuff! That’s great news!”
“Let’s head into town right away! Let’s get fired up! Fenfuu and Nikka, what about you?”
“No, I’m good.”
I bluntly declined, uninterested in womanizing. The biggest surprise since joining the Special Operations Unit was the obsession with women among my comrades. More of them liked it than I had expected. Thanks to the unit’s reputation, many girls approached us without hesitation, which shocked me. Girls who approached unknown men for money were hardly worth anything. Considering that, my sister Ritta was truly a remarkable girl. It was my duty as her brother to ensure she didn’t stray down a depraved path, and for that, I needed to become wealthier.
◆ Inn Corridor ◆
“O-Onii-chan…”
“R-Ritta?! What are you doing here?!”
My sister, in an unexpected place, was wearing the same gear she had when she was a soldier. Had she just arrived at the inn? The scrapes on her body looked fresh, and she must have chased after me all alone. If she ran into the remnants of the Vandalsia army or even the Royal Quake Faction, it would be disastrous. Her red hair was disheveled with dirt, and her steps were slightly unsteady. Why, why would she go so far?
“I told you to stay home!”
“It’s my choice what I do on my day off…”
“Did you follow me?!”
“I didn’t…”
“Then what are you doing here?!”
“What’s going on, Nikka? Is someone there?”
I raised my voice, causing Baste to emerge from the room. It seemed that Lester and Donboss, who were still at the inn’s entrance, heard me as well and hurried back, wondering what was going on.
“Nikka, who is that girl?”
“…My sister. She followed me without permission.”
“Oh, so she’s your sister. But we can’t have a family reunion right now; prioritize the mission.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister, Nikka. She seems a bit naive, but…”
I shot a glare at Lester, who was casting a filthy look at Ritta. Perhaps sensing the tension, he quickly masked it with a smile. I couldn’t let him touch Ritta. I couldn’t tell her to go home now, so for today, I decided she would sleep in the same room as me.
“Well, well, little sister. What’s your name?”
“…Ritta.”
“Ritta-chan, how about we have a meal together? I’ll treat you to anything you want.”
“No, thank you.”
“A cute girl like you shouldn’t be dressed so shabbily. Leave the fighting to us. Come on, let’s start with a shower.”
“Donboss, about that…”
I almost said the same thing Donboss had just said. But I quickly regained my composure and stopped him from reaching out to Ritta with his dirty hands.
“Donboss, you’re going out, right? I’ll take care of my sister, so feel free to have fun today.”
“Well, Ritta-chan, see you next time!”
Ritta shrank back as if she had encountered a grotesque creature. Donboss, with his short legs and stout body, was far from handsome. His nickname, “Doryuu,” was often mocked by others who called him “Mole” due to his appearance. And with his womanizing tendencies, I definitely didn’t want him anywhere near Ritta. If he dared to make a move on her, it would be my duty as her brother to protect her.
“Ritta, there are filthy guys like that outside. So…”
“I’m not weak enough to need my brother to protect me.”
“W-Wait! Ritta!”
Ritta brushed past me and entered the back room. She locked the door tightly, but I knew that wouldn’t provide any real sense of security. Back in my room, I lay on the bed, enjoying my free time. Unlike those guys, I had no interest in playing around.
“Damn it, why do they have to make things so complicated…”
Tomorrow, we would annihilate the Royal Quake Faction. I didn’t know what Ritta was planning, but I would do what I could. There was no way we would lose to mere thieves. That meant there was no need for a strategy. Would the Flash Strike Girl devise a plan against a Cave Rabbit? It was the same kind of nonsense.
My level was 820, which was on the lower side among the Special Operations Unit, but it was well above the current S-rank. What was there to worry about? If anything, I could line up the heads of those sleepy terrorists shouting about the collapse of the monarchy. I would show the others what happened when they defied the Special Operations Unit. The remnants of the Comet Wolf Brigade would be finished after that.
“If only I could kill that Hecaton right now. I wonder how he’s doing? I heard rumors that he died in the wild, but he’s not that weak. Just wait, when I see him next, I’ll make him regret embarrassing me in front of everyone.”
I transformed my simmering resentment toward Hecaton into anger directed at the thieves and settled down for the night. I was looking forward to tomorrow’s annihilation battle.
◆ Shin Report ◆
No time to rest,
Flying around all day,
Next is the east, then south.
What’s next?
What is it?
It’s exhausting.