◆ Southeastern Region of Avangarde Royal Capital – Meeting Hall ◆
“Members of the Special Operations Unit, disarm and surrender immediately. Prepare 30 million gold and wait at the highest hill east of the town. If we cannot confirm by sunset, the hostages will be killed. This is the statement from the Royal Quake Faction…”
The mayor conveyed the grim declaration from the Royal Quake Faction to everyone with a heavy expression. The guild master, the captain of the security team, and the influential figures of the town all buried their heads in their hands. Just as they were about to embark on a subjugation mission, it seemed the Royal Quake Faction had already taken the initiative. They had captured an entire merchant caravan coming to this town as hostages, including the guild master’s daughter and other relatives of the prominent figures.
When we arrived in this town, it was peaceful, and there was no way we would allow a mere band of thieves to carry out kidnappings. While I considered the possibility of it being a bluff, the items each of them wore were left at the town’s entrance. When had that happened? Even Captain Baste was pondering this.
“…Your daughter was at a friend’s birthday party last night, wasn’t she, Guild Master? But she never returned.”
“Y-yes. We searched desperately, but we couldn’t find her…”
“This town is within the influence of the Royal Quake Faction. It’s a wonder she was safe until now. Why did you allow her to go out?”
“It was within the town! Besides, the security team is here! They wouldn’t allow even a single rat to sneak in!”
“There are bad people among the townsfolk as well.”
“Please, Guild Master and Captain Baste. What we need to do now is not engage in a futile argument. Our priority should be the release of the hostages, right?”
It’s as if the mayor is saying that despite your presence, we must comply with their demands, showing that we should disarm and reveal ourselves. Captain Baste took a deep breath and stood up, as if he had made a decision.
“Understood. We will comply with their demands. However, I doubt they will release the hostages because of it.”
“Anything is better than the certainty of them being killed!”
“Still, why do they want us to bring the ransom? Normally, they would specify the townspeople.”
“That doesn’t matter! The highest hill to the east isn’t far! We’ll prepare the gold, so you all get ready!”
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the guild master hurriedly left the room. It’s understandable; the life of his only beloved daughter is at stake. If Ritta were in that position, I wouldn’t know if I could remain sane. But what is Ritta planning to do?
“Then, Baste Squad, we will head to the eastern hill.”
“From that hill, we should be able to spot them from anywhere. It’s the perfect vantage point for surveillance…”
I reported as best as I could, but the cold gazes from the townsfolk, including the mayor, remained unchanged. To them, it was only natural that we would protect them, especially with the reputation of the Special Operations Unit preceding us. At this point, it could be said that we had already lost their trust. In other words, failure was absolutely unacceptable.
◆ Eastern Hill ◆
“As the mayor said, this is a good vantage point, Captain Baste.”
“We are likely being watched from somewhere.”
Surrounding the base of the hill was a forest, making it impossible to discern details from here. This meant that even if the thieves were hiding among the trees, we wouldn’t be able to catch them. Following orders, we left our weapons and armor behind, and the Baste Squad waited here.
“…It’s been ten minutes already. It should be time.”
Captain Baste, having placed the ransom, had already completed his incantation. No, incantation wasn’t even necessary. He had reached a level where he could unleash magic simply by envisioning it in his mind. Disarmed and waiting with the ransom prepared, we could at least face the mayor and the others without shame.
“Weaking Area.”
With the magic cast by Captain Baste, the sound of branches snapping echoed from the trees below. The hidden thieves were taken down by his spell. They were likely crawling and struggling to stand. I could hear the rustling of leaves and the ground being disturbed.
“This view is still not satisfactory. Lester.”
“Fah! Fah! Fai!”
Now it was Lester’s turn. Flames erupted from his palms, igniting the forest. It seemed like it would turn into a full-blown forest fire, but the trees were being charred in a circular pattern, as if they were being hollowed out by the flames.
“Truly impressive, Flame Wizard, with the concept of ‘burning out.’ The only one who could rival you would be Rainis, the ‘Flame Master’ from the Freezing Nation.”
“Please, I’ve never met her, but do you really think we are inferior to her?”
“Ha… I apologize.”
Looking down at the now devastated forest, I confirmed the presence of the thieves. There were about twenty of them. Even with hostages as shields, they dared to stand against us with such numbers? As Captain Baste said, Lester now was no mere enemy of a few hundred levels. He must have held back with his magic.
Moreover, having been affected by Captain Baste’s Weaking Area beforehand, they couldn’t even stand. The one lying face down there was likely dead from the weight of his equipment. Captain Baste’s Weaking Area could reduce the strength of enemies to that of a newborn. There was a time when he was criticized for only being able to use weakening magic, but that alone had allowed him to rise to A-Rank. Who else could achieve such a feat? Who could mock him?
“Just to confirm, are these fools from the Royal Quake Faction?”
“…Yes.”
I dashed down the hill towards the incapacitated thieves, looking down at them with a sense of ease. Despite their predicament, they didn’t seem to lose their nerve entirely.
“Tell me where your hideout is. And where the hostages are.”
“Who would tell you that…?”
“GYAAAHHH! AHHH! IT’S HOT, IT’S HOT, IT’S SO HOT! UAAAHHH!”
The limbs of a nearby fallen thief were burned away by Lester’s magic, and he was experiencing a nightmare of suffering. The severed ends were exposed to high temperatures, leaving him unable to escape. Perhaps unable to endure the heat, one of the thieves began to convulse and then fell silent.
“Hey, you fools, be careful with your words. If you give an unintended answer, I will kill you one by one just like this. If I determine you’re lying, you will die. Understand?”
“I-I don’t know… We were just following orders, and AAHHHHH!”
Lester was simply executing what he had stated. The smell of burning flesh was horrendous, but for them, the terror must have been unbearable. Watching their comrades brutally killed and subjected to such a horrific stench…
“Alright, you will guide us. What happens if you try to set a trap or lead us astray?”
“…Yes.”
It was impressive that he had remained silent until the last one. After Fenfuu gleefully severed his limbs, we bound him up and carried him like a caterpillar. All we needed from him now was his mouth.
◆ In Front of the Abandoned Western Mansion ◆
The location where the thieves finally spoke was an abandoned three-story mansion that once belonged to a noble family. Though old, it was still livable, with only a few cracks in the walls, and now it served as the thieves’ hideout.
“For a hideout of the Royal Quake Faction, one of the major powers, this place is rather modest.”
“W-We had no other choice…”
“And soon, you will have no place in this world either.”
“W-Wait! I told you the location! Help me!”
“Fool.”
While I had promised to help, I never said I would keep that promise. After burning him, Lester tossed the charred remains into the forest.
Knowing the location was all we needed; our actions would remain the same. It was clear that the thief we had just killed had not provided false information. Captain Baste’s Weaking Area allowed him to roughly gauge the number of living beings within its range. It was almost certain that about thirty thieves were hiding inside. This also meant that we had incapacitated those present without a fight.
“I’m truly glad to be part of the Baste Squad. Though I feel like I could burn a bit more.”
“At this point, any offensive magic seems meaningless.”
“…Is that so?”
Seeing Captain Baste’s briefly darkened expression, I regretted my words. It was careless of me, considering his past of being looked down upon for not being able to use offensive magic.
“Then, let’s go clean up the scum that are lying around inside…”
Suddenly, my vision swayed, and I felt like I was about to fall. My steps became unsteady, as if I were intoxicated. A headache and nausea followed, causing me to stop in my tracks.
“C-Captain Baste… what is this…?”
“Tch, it’s Custom Magic… and such a wide area… The user must be Gunnar.”
“An eye for a foot, a victory’s iron wall, huh?”
Despite being in the Weakening Area, the one who emerged from the mansion’s door appeared to be Gunnar. And it wasn’t just him; there were several others who seemed to be in surprisingly good shape. With his unkempt hair twisted around his fingers, Gunnar grinned, revealing his toothless mouth.
“It seems there’s a skilled user of Enhancement Magic among them.”
“Yet, thanks to that Enhancement Magic, most of our forces have been wiped out. Truly a desperate situation.”
“What’s wrong with this guy… can’t he speak properly?”
Gunnar’s choice of words took a moment to process, likely due to a lack of proper education. Essentially, he was saying they had countered the Weakening Area with Enhancement Magic. But even if they thought they had completely negated its effects, they shouldn’t have any fighting power left. The fact that they dared to come out meant they were relying on the advantage of hostages.
“Captain Baste… this nauseating discomfort…”
“This must be Gunnar’s Custom Magic. It disrupts the enemy’s sense of balance. However, I had no information that it could be activated over such a wide area; this is unexpected.”
“Yeah, really…”
“What a shabby display.”
Even I, who couldn’t use magic, felt a prickling sensation on my skin. Captain Baste’s serious magical power would amplify the Weakening Area’s effects, finally rendering Gunnar and his crew powerless. Caught off guard by an unintended sense of weakness, they fell without even attempting to defend themselves. They slammed to the ground, unable to even writhe in pain.
“I can’t… move…”
“I adjusted it so you could come out without a care. Why do you think I did that? To show you trash the reality of your situation.”
“You’re saying this is the Avangarde Special Operations Unit, huh?”
“Hi! Hi! Hi! Tear them apart!”
Unlike Enkal, the vice-captain of Argil’s squad, Fenfuu tore into the enemy’s body. Known as a master of hidden weapons, she concealed a hundred blades designed for “tearing” within her gear. She wasn’t the type to comply with disarmament, and Captain Baste didn’t reprimand her for it. After all, he believed these lowlifes could be dealt with easily.
And she showed no mercy to the fallen thieves, instead adding more wounds to ensure they suffered as they died. Blood sprayed in a grotesque display, and for a brief moment, everyone waited for them to breathe their last.
“Th-there are hostages…”
“Is that what you’re referring to?”
Gunnar’s last lifeline, the hostage, was already emerging from the back of the mansion. Among the adventurers, it was only Donboss who could navigate underground combat, so it was no surprise he could infiltrate such ruins. The mole-like figure led the hostage along a route he had crafted himself, puffing out his chest in triumph. This guy could even burrow underground with his bare hands if he wanted to. He embodied the notion that “A-rank is a den of monsters.”
“Th-this is absurd, too easy, way too easy…”
“After all, it’s the wisdom of a ragtag group with no education. But isn’t this better? You can follow your beloved captain now.”
“I-I don’t care… as long as the kingdom can… be brought down… I’d gladly give my life! Hahaha! Hah—guh…”
It was Fenfuu who made Gunnar spit out blood like foam. After tearing vertically along his spine, she pierced the back of his neck. Once finished, she gazed at the blood dripping from the blade attached to her finger, looking somewhat unsatisfied.
“There are hostages, so let’s leave it at that, Fenfuu.”
“Hi! My apologies! Hi!”
“Look at them; they’re more afraid of us than the thieves… honestly.”
Donboss likely made a grand display of slaughtering the thieves inside during the rescue. The merchant group, along with a girl who seemed to be the merchant guild leader’s daughter, trembled, nearly collapsing but supported by the adults of the merchant group.
“Ah, to think the merchant guild leader’s daughter is only twelve… how… she’s so young I can’t even bring myself to touch her… sigh.”
“You’ve already frightened her enough. Please refrain from unnecessary comments.”
Even though they had been freed from the terrifying thieves, they seemed to be more dominated by fear now. Not a single person stepped forward to express their gratitude. They were so paralyzed with fear that they couldn’t move.
I felt a twinge of anxiety from their gazes, as if they were looking at some otherworldly creature. I recognized this feeling; it was a sensation I had experienced before.
“However, I’m curious about Gunnar’s last words. It sounded as if he was certain of something as he faced death.”
“Don’t take the stubbornness of a mere thief seriously, Nikka. It doesn’t matter, but you didn’t have any role to play at all.”
“Now that you mention it…”
“Hahaha! Well, there’s always next time! Hahaha!”
Lester’s loud laughter could be interpreted as teasing or disdain. Indeed, I hadn’t been able to shine, and that was enough to overshadow the inexplicable anxiety I had felt just moments ago. I had grown stronger, but this wasn’t enough.
“Hey, you lot, hurry up and come over here. Seriously, can’t you at least say thank you?”
“Donboss, lead the way.”
I envisioned gripping the spear I had left behind tightly, vowing that next time would be different. I had become stronger. This power, what was it for? To kill enemies. To eliminate nuisances and earn a hefty salary to find happiness. If that happened, Ritta would surely look at me differently. Just thinking about it made me smile.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Soon, we’ll reach the town of Nanto, where the Waterway Brigade is stationed.
The Kingdom’s forces are there.
Sigh, it might not even be worth a single gold coin.
Well done, I suppose.
But what if it just turns into a free labor?
Shin is just free labor, you know?