Chapter 10: Kin of Twilight – 13
Despite the strong scent of danger in the air, we pressed on toward Bartran.
I sensed the presence of a rather intense trouble brewing, but regardless, we needed to report to the guild about the “Twilight Hound” as soon as possible. After all, it was a monster that had already been marked for extermination.
As we approached the town, the area around the castle gate was unusually noisy. In fact, there were signs of destruction surrounding the gate.
Hurrying over, we found several gatekeepers lying on the ground. To our horror, about ten soldiers had all succumbed to their injuries. Their bodies were gruesomely slashed, a sight that was hard to bear.
“This is terrible. Did a monster attack…?” I muttered.
“No, if it were a monster, the people nearby would have been attacked as well,” Sfenia replied, scanning the surroundings.
In Bartran, the Outside-Wall District—essentially a half-slum—spread out beyond the castle walls.
Many of its residents were watching from a distance, but as soon as we turned our gazes toward them, they all scurried back into their makeshift homes.
“Does that mean it was bandits? Still, the town seems eerily quiet for that,” I mused.
“The corpses of the soldiers clearly indicate the work of a single entity. Perhaps…” Sfenia said, glancing at Mariane. Mariane nodded, her brow furrowed in concern.
“Yes, it’s possible that the ‘Kin of Twilight’ has appeared.”
At those words, Freinir and Larni flinched. The existence of the “Kin of Twilight,” which they had heard about since childhood, seemed to weigh heavily on them.
“Regardless, we need to assess the situation. Let’s head to the guild first,” I decided.
“Please be careful. They say the ‘Kin of Twilight’ commits massacres for amusement. Depending on the individual, they typically require multiple A-Rank parties to confront,” Sfenia warned.
“I understand. We should prepare to flee if necessary,” I replied, though I felt a strange certainty that fleeing would not be an option for me as I stepped further into the town.
Strangely enough, the town was quiet. In fact, the lack of people on the streets confirmed that something was very wrong.
We arrived at the Adventurers’ Guild without any issues.
However, the lobby, which usually bustled with several adventurer parties, was completely empty. Not even a single guild staff member was at the counter. When Mariane entered the back office, it seemed there was only one staff member remaining. After speaking with her, Mariane returned to us.
“It seems an unidentified monster has appeared and started something in the central plaza. All the adventurers are heading there,” she reported.
“Is it the ‘Kin of Twilight’?” I asked.
“We can’t be sure, but that seems likely. Apparently, it was dragging several injured adventurers with it, and I doubt many would engage in such behavior,” she explained.
“A monster that kills for amusement… I can’t believe such a thing exists.”
I had heard about the “Kin of Twilight” on our way to the town, and all I gathered was that they were incredibly powerful and possessed a mentality far removed from that of humans. The idea that such incomprehensible beings occasionally appeared and wreaked havoc was alarming, but then again, monsters were precisely that. Perhaps it wasn’t so surprising after all.
“We have no choice but to see what’s happening. Depending on the situation, we might have to fight alongside all the adventurers present,” I concluded.
“Souji-sama, are you sure about this…? I sense a very sinister presence. It’s stronger than the demon we faced recently,” Freinir said, gripping my sleeve with a worried expression. I could feel her trembling as I gently patted her head.
“We’ll be fine as long as we’re together. Either way, we need to act here; otherwise, many lives could be lost,” I reassured her.
“…Yes, you’re right. We are adventurers, after all. We can’t abandon the people,” she replied, her resolve strengthening.
I nodded, but deep down, I lacked confidence in whether this decision was truly the right one. As the leader, it was important to consider the safety of my party members… but the reality was that we didn’t have enough information to justify fleeing. What was the monster’s purpose? Was it truly the “Kin of Twilight”? Those questions remained unanswered.
The central plaza was teeming with people. Residents were peering out from the second and third floors of surrounding buildings, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening.
It seemed someone was speaking in the middle of the plaza, but from outside the crowd, we couldn’t see what was going on. With no other choice, I declared myself an adventurer and pushed my way through the throng to get a better view.
“Ku-kikekeke… Now, who among you dares to challenge me to a one-on-one duel? This is a splendid opportunity to claim the head of ‘Zaikal’ and make a name for yourself!”
In the center of the plaza stood a bizarre figure, his high-pitched voice ringing out.
He was about two meters tall, with an unnaturally thin body and disproportionately long limbs. Beneath his wild hair, his pale blue face wore an unsettling archaic smile, as if he reveled in the chaos of the moment. Though he appeared male, the distinction of gender seemed almost irrelevant in his peculiar presence.
He wore a black leather suit, with nothing else adorning his body. He was completely unarmed.
“However, there are conditions for this battle. We shall fight barehanded. If you fail to adhere to this rule, these unfortunate souls will become dog food,” he declared, gesturing to a group of adventurers lying nearby.
There were about twelve or thirteen of them, all brutally slashed and barely clinging to life. Regrettably, a few appeared to have already perished. Among them was a member of the “Supreme Radiance,” but they were still breathing.
The real issue was that around these adventurers, about ten “Twilight Hounds” were encircling them. They were sitting obediently for now, but at the man’s command, they could pounce at any moment.
“Come now, come now, time is running out. If no one dares to challenge me, I will turn these poor souls into my meal and reduce this town to rubble! I am ‘Zaikal of the Kin of Twilight’!”
With that proclamation, the man—Zaikal—radiated an overwhelming aura of “something.”
It was akin to the “fighting spirit” or “demonic energy” often depicted in manga. Whatever it was, it rendered most of the onlookers immobile.
Even the adventurers appeared pale, frozen like statues. Strangely, despite being engulfed in such power, I felt a heat rising within me.
With a strangely cool head, I realized that I wanted to fight this Zaikal. How absurd… I questioned myself, but all I heard in return was an inner voice urging me to step forward.
When I turned around, I saw the members of “Soul’s Guidance.” They looked somewhat pale, but they seemed more capable of movement than the other adventurers.
“I’m going to step up. If those dogs move after the duel is decided, please cooperate with the other adventurers to handle the situation immediately,” I instructed.
“Souji-sama, you can’t…!” Freinir protested.
“Souji, that’s not a good idea. If you go, we should go together…” Larni added.
I shook my head firmly. “For now, we have no choice but to follow his lead. Everyone here is essentially a hostage. Don’t worry, I can probably win.”
Those words slipped out of my mouth without any basis. Perhaps it was simply my desire to fight. No, it was just that, given the circumstances, I was the only one who could step up. If this was indeed a manifestation of my “Bad Luck” skill, then it was likely an opponent I could defeat… I forced my rational mind to accept that.
Sfenia and Mariane looked like they wanted to say something, but unfortunately, time was of the essence. I placed my mace and shield on the ground, signaling that I would not be swayed, and stepped toward Zaikal.
“Ku-kikekeke… How delightful! To find someone who can withstand my Soul Force. I was beginning to despair over coming to such a backwater settlement.”
“Before we fight, tell me your purpose,” I demanded.
Zaikal tilted his head, furrowing his brow as if genuinely confused by my question.
“Purpose… what is that? I have no purpose in my actions. Only impulses exist. I simply do as I please; that is all,” he replied.
“I see… Thank you for your honesty. Then we shall fight according to our desires,” I stated.
“Ku-kikeke… Yes, a battle to the death, wagering our very existence. But you shall be the one to die. However, I shall pay my respects to the death of a strong opponent,” he said with a grin.
Hmm, I still couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. It felt like our fundamental values were worlds apart. It seemed inevitable that I would have to fight this Zaikal.
As I took a light stance, Zaikal’s eyes gleamed with delight.