(What the hell is this little girl!?)
Batil thought. Who is this human girl who dares to point a blade at him without fear?
It started with a request brought by the manager of the Killri Company.
The four powers that rule this town check each other, but they are not hostile. Living in this town requires a certain amount of compromise, and they have divided their territories according to their respective strengths.
More than that, they couldn’t afford to show any openings to those who were aiming for this town as a military base, such as the “Calfaan Empire” and the “Evil Race Nation Dice.”
In such a delicate balance of power, the manager in charge of the Killri Company’s medicine-related business requested that they capture a young alchemist girl and her bodyguard.
The Killri Company does employ people who specialize in rough stuff, but they are only capable of using force against ordinary people. Even from the perspective of the amateur manager, it was clear that the bodyguard’s strength was extraordinary.
Real monsters like Rank 5 are rarely seen, but there are a dozen or so Rank 4 powerhouses even in this town with a population of about 50,000.
However, even if the opponent is Rank 5, they are no match for the Munza Society, which is both an individual and a group. Still, considering the considerable damage that would be inflicted, he demanded a reward of 100 gold coins, which the Killri Company manager agreed to.
Perhaps those girls are worth more than 100 gold coins. It has always been a common practice for the Killri Company to kidnap skilled traveling alchemists and drug them.
A young woman, especially a rare Mersenian woman with good looks, would easily fetch a price of several dozen gold coins.
In that case… they should just steal her.
If those girls are worth more than expected, he could have one of them make medicine as a hostage, and if she has good looks, he could eventually sell her to the elders of the Killri Company. Batil thought that even if he and the manager of the medicine department became temporarily estranged, it wouldn’t be a problem.
Besides, judging from the impression he got from the manager of the medicine department, he seemed to hold a grudge against the girls for embarrassing him, so as long as they didn’t escape, his impression wouldn’t be too bad.
The Munza Society provides underworld force, and the Killri Company provides food and daily necessities. A mere quarrel between a young boss and a manager would never lead to an all-out war between the organizations.
He captured one of the children who had been healed by the woman’s medicine and sent them to pick up the girls, using the child as a hostage. However, the woman who seemed to be her bodyguard killed the man’s subordinate who had gone to pick them up, broke his limbs, and barged in head-on.
Defying the Munza Society in this town is foolish—he thought she was a woman with guts.
Still, she’s just a naive woman who can’t abandon her hostage. He thought so, but when he ordered his Rank 2 and Rank 3 underlings to beat her down and bring her in, they were killed in a matter of seconds.
Dangerous… he immediately understood. There are mad dogs in the Munza Society who have lost their reason, but he understood that this woman was an even more dangerous “berserker.”
The way she fearlessly jumped into a group of 200 beastmen and coldly, ruthlessly, and without the slightest hesitation killed her enemies had a certain beauty to it.
He was even moved by how a human girl who could still be called young could become so strong.
Batil thought.
Could he do the same?
The pink-haired woman’s strength is in the upper ranks of Rank 4, and her overall combat strength is probably higher than Batil’s, who is also Rank 4.
But that difference is only in the amount of Mana. More Mana increases continuous combat power and allows for more Combat Arts to be unleashed. But even so, Batil should have higher HP, Strength, and Durability. If they fought head-on, Batil would have the advantage.
Batil cannot fight 200 people. But individual battles are different.
He doesn’t know the power she used to defeat the Tooth Brothers, but he can’t let this dangerous woman go back safely.
If he let her go after more than 100 people were killed, Batil’s reputation would be ruined. More than that, Batil couldn’t let a woman who tried to take from him live.
Growing up in this slum-like garbage dump, Batil has lived by taking from others since he was a child, gathering similar beastman Street Urchins.
Many comrades died, many comrades joined, and he became one of the young bosses of the Munza Society with just his strength.
That “group” of his was killed. By a single woman.
He won’t let anyone take anything from him anymore. His position and his group are all his.
Batil’s heart burned with endless anger, as if he had set fire to the black oil that is said to spring up in the desert, at the enemy who was trying to take it from him.
“…Little brat, I’ll tear out your guts and eat them!”
The beastman with dark skin and an impression like a black panther—Batil, one of the young bosses of the Munza Society—kicked the railing of the terrace and jumped down.
[Batil] [Race: Cat Beastman ♂] [Rank 4]
[Mana Capacity: 187/200] [HP: 452/470]
[Overall Combat Strength: 1203 (Body Enhancement in progress: 1446)]
He exposed his dark, bare upper body to the sun, held two Demon Iron-made black Hand Axes in both hands, and slowly approached.
“I’ll kill you, woman.”
“Try it.”
Clang!!!
At that moment, my Black Dagger and Batil’s black Hand Axe collided at the same time, making a high-pitched sound.
I’m being pushed back by the difference in strength. I parry with my wrist and strength, and the blade of the quickly swung Black Knife is blocked by another Hand Axe. I kick back his kick with the sole of my foot to create distance.
“Uraaaah!”
Batil’s axe rushes out in an instant. As I retreat, rotating backward to match it, I throw the Knife I pulled out from my thigh. The moment Batil dodges it, the Blade of the Pendulum attacks from the side, grazing his shoulder, and Batil also takes some distance.
As expected, Batil is superior in terms of Status.
Our skills are equal. My speed is slightly higher, but everything else is higher for Batil. My overall combat strength is higher, but I’m at a disadvantage in a short head-on fight.
Also, I’m terribly exhausted from fighting 200 people. A battle where even a lucky hit could mean instant death, a battle like tightrope walking blindfolded on a thread, puts more strain on my body and mind than I thought, and sweat is pouring out even when I’m standing still.
But—that’s fine.
“!”
Batil’s eyes widened at me, who closed the distance in an instant, using footwork that eliminated waste to the utmost limit, as if dragging my exhausted body.
A Black Knife strike that scoops up. Batil, who responded instantly, used his weight and gravity to his advantage and slammed his black axe into the Knife.
Clang!!
The moment Batil showed surprise at the light sound that echoed against the strength of the blow, my Dagger attacked Batil, using the recoil as it was.
“Tch!”
But even so, Batil swung his other axe without retreating.
“—!”
I could only block it with my Knife, and the axe grazed my arm because I couldn’t block it completely.
But my Dagger also gouged Batil’s shoulder, and I dodged the powerful arm that was swung without regard to the blood spurting out by going down on all fours, and unleashed a kick like an arrow that bent my whole body like a bow at Batil’s feet.
“Ha!!”
“Uraaaah!!”
We both let out a shout, and Batil’s kick and my kick kicked each other’s stomachs, blowing each other away.
“…cough.”
“…Tch.”
I coughed lightly, and Batil spat out blood-stained saliva.
Both of us have taken damage, but we’re not damaged enough to become incapacitated because we’re using Body Enhancement.
At the same time, we took a stance, and the beastmen who survived and remained in this place watched without even being able to breathe as we closed the distance little by little, shuffling our feet as if trying to find an opening in the other.
He’s strong… Even among the Rank 4s I’ve fought, he’s different from the vampires who rely entirely on their physical abilities.
My and my master’s combat style allows us to fight at our best even when we’re exhausted. We eliminate waste to the utmost limit and unleash a deadly blow, even using the opponent’s strength.
So no matter how strong the opponent is, the reason I can’t defeat them is because my skill is low.
“—Haa.”
I exhale. I spit out the heat that had accumulated in my body and the slight impatience that had welled up along with my breath, and Batil, sensing something in me as I quietly readjusted my Knife, rushed out as if pushed by something.
“Uraaaaaah!!!”
“…………”
A sharp flash of the Blade. The Blade of the axe that seemed to burn just by touching it. Even if I parried that Blade with my Knife, the difference in strength created a slight wound on me.
“Just die like that!!”
“…………”
It’s still not enough. What’s missing? No, that’s not it. The answer is within me.
Batil’s axe is swung with brute force.
I slightly parry the sharp belly of the Blade as if touching it with my hand, and the Blade of the axe brushed past my side, who had shifted sideways by only half a step using the recoil and footwork of pushing the Blade.
“—What.”
Batil couldn’t help but exclaim.
Even so, he immediately deflected the axe swung upwards from below by kicking the handle with his knee, slightly diverting its path, and using the momentum from the kick to take a half-step back, evading the blow.
He avoided using his depleted strength as much as possible. He evaded using the techniques he had learned, the skills he had acquired on the battlefield, and the high-level Skills he had honed.
His eyes watched the flow of Mana Particles. Detection read the enemy’s presence. The faintly emitted Intimidation hindered the enemy’s actions. Stealth Skill concealed his next move.
He felt like something clicked into place within him.
An exchange of techniques and skills that didn’t rely on brute strength. Batil finally began to sweat as Aria deflected his attacks with simple yet intricate techniques, and he let out a beast-like roar.
“Just what are you!?”
【Aria (Alicia)】【Race: Human Female】【Rank 4】
【Mana Capacity: 213/330】10 Up【HP: 103/260】10 Up
【Strength: 10 (14)】【Endurance: 10 (14)】【Agility: 17 (24)】【Dexterity: 9】
【Dagger Arts Lv.4】【Martial Arts Lv.5】1 Up【Throwing Lv.4】
【Archery Lv.2】【Defense Lv.4】【Thread Manipulation Lv.4】
【Light Magic Lv.4】1 Up【Dark Magic Lv.4】【Non-Attribute Magic Lv.4】
【Utility Magic ×6】【Mana Control Lv.5】【Intimidation Lv.5】1 Up
【Stealth Lv.4】【Night Vision Lv.2】【Detection Lv.4】
【Poison Resistance Lv.3】【Abnormality Resistance Lv.2】1 Up
【Simple Appraisal】
【Overall Combat Strength: 1497 (During Body Enhancement: 1853)】69 Up
I want to become stronger.
To fulfill my promise…
To grant Elena’s Desire.
To grant Carla’s wish… until I can kill that girl…
Next time, Munza Society Arc: Conclusion.
Aria has finally begun to climb the stairs to Rank 5.