Chapter 104
Chapter 104
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Festival of the Hundred Beasts (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"...Why the hell are you here?"
It had been a very long time since he'd last seen that face. Balus, the poacher. Ronan's comrade from the Penal Legion and a low-ranking member of Caribolo's Snare, one of the continent's top poaching organizations.
In the past, Ronan had tricked him into a fake contract by pretending to be a warlock and claiming Cita was a devil's messenger. Completely fooled, Balus had become a spy, periodically reporting information on Caribolo.
That was Ronan's last memory of him. The pieces floating in his mind for a split second clicked into place. Poachers, a festival where rare fantasy species gathered. Putting it together, Ronan widened his eyes.
"You son of a bitch. I spared your life, and this is how you repay me? Back to poaching?"
"N-No, it's not like that. Please..."
"Explain. Short and clear."
"Eek!"
Ronan released his grip on Balus's hair. Balus staggered to his feet like a newborn calf. After several deep breaths, he opened his mouth.
"...Caribolo is carrying out a major operation this time. The goal is to steal rare fantasy species, including the doppelganger, before the Festival of the Hundred Beasts begins. I was assigned to the operation team."
"Unbelievable. An organization like Caribolo must have plenty of money. Why sneak into Phileon and pull this shit?"
"It's an operation with symbolic meaning. Lately, the organization's reputation has been in the gutter."
Balus continued his explanation. Caribolo's Snare, the poaching organization, was facing unprecedented difficulties since its founding. Several branches in imperial territory had been wiped out one after another, and the empire's poaching enforcement unit had bolstered its forces to an insane level. Ronan nodded as he pieced it together.
'The future has changed.'
Originally, it was an organization that would remain intact until the world ended. It seemed the snowball that started rolling with Balus's spying was gaining momentum steadily.
"Money and other fantasy species are just bonuses. The key is breaching Phileon's security and stealing one of the world's only two doppelgangers—the act itself. The organization's goal is to announce to the entire continent that Caribolo's Snare is still alive and well."
"Yeah, only an outfit like yours would even dream of it."
Ronan nodded slowly. Touching Phileon Academy—something no poaching group on the continent would dare conceive unless it was the top dog. A sudden question crossed his mind.
"Hold on. Weren't you just a lowly grunt the last time I saw you? How'd you end up on a critical op like this?"
"Well... embarrassing as it is, I got recognized."
"Recognized?"
"Yes. I worked hard to avoid getting caught as a spy... and the higher-ups apparently saw it in a good light."
Balus scratched his cheek awkwardly. In short, he'd thrown himself into organization work to maintain his spy cover, caught attention, and kept getting promoted.
"So I gained access to higher-quality intel over time. It's no exaggeration to say every document from the Ulcanto branch passes through me."
"Ridiculous."
Ronan let out a hollow laugh. In his previous life, he'd been a thug who just blabbered about poaching stories. Who knew he had talent for paperwork and scouting? Balus, who excelled in reconnaissance and administration, had been deployed for this doppelganger heist.
"I infiltrated early, gathered intel, and copied the key. Baren always kept it on him, so it was no easy task. But I pulled it off."
Balus's mission had been to disguise himself as a student and scrape info on the festival and doppelganger. He'd infiltrated Phileon two weeks ago—exactly the day Rakota vanished. Ronan asked.
"Speaking of, where's the real Rakota? You kill him?"
"Our side kidnapped him and is holding him. He's still healthy, so no need to worry about that."
Balus revealed they hadn't killed Rakota for the hostage play—and even told him the location. Ronan let out a sigh of relief. No matter the reason, if he was alive, they could rescue him.
"So why'd you release the doppelganger? What was that about no time?"
"To prevent casualties. I didn't expect Baren and everyone to stand guard right there. If I hadn't released it then, another operative would have triggered an explosion scroll, grabbed the doppelganger, and bolted."
"Fuck, there was another poacher there?"
"Yes. That's why I said we were out of time."
Balus said there were other poachers besides him infiltrating Phileon. Given how they'd breached security, it seemed like a thoroughly planned op. Ronan spat on the ground and cursed.
"What a shitshow. This damn school never gets a break."
"I'm sorry. Uh... Ronan, was it?"
Thud. Suddenly, Balus dropped to his knees. Ronan frowned at the abrupt action.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"I know this is shameless and out of nowhere. Please stop Caribolo."
"I was gonna anyway... but why the sudden plea?"
"After meeting you, I realized how horrific poaching is. If the doppelganger falls into the organization's hands first, all the atrocities that had quieted down will flare up again like wildfire."
A choked sob escaped Balus's lips. He truly despised Caribolo's deeds. He'd clearly witnessed plenty of horrors during his spying. Watching him, Ronan replied indifferently.
"There's another reason besides that."
"I want out of the organization. Help me."
"There we go. Honesty's a virtue."
Ronan chuckled. Balus had reached a point where he couldn't escape on his own. If the op succeeded, he'd be stuck in hellish days forever; if it failed and he alone survived, he'd face punishment.
'They've milked him good.'
He'd never planned to kill his old comrade anyway. Plus, Balus had exceeded expectations as a plant in Caribolo. A capable guy by nature—it was smart to pull him out before things got messy. Deciding, Ronan nodded.
"Got it, so get up... Hm?"
Ronan raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, he sensed movement behind him. No sound, but he felt it. Chuckling, Ronan muttered as if to himself.
"Guess we've been away from our spots too long."
"Huh?"
"Things felt off since the banquet hall. Someone kept eyeing me. Decent at hiding their presence."
"What do you—Whoa?!"
Suddenly, Balus's eyes bulged. He pointed behind Ronan and yelled.
"B-Behind you!"
"I know."
Ronan drew his sword and spun in one motion. Slash! Blood sprayed along the clean sword path. A hand clutching a dagger hit the floor.
"Gah!"
Fully turned, Ronan readjusted his grip. A man in full plate armor clutched his severed wrist.
He was the guard who'd been glancing at Ronan in the banquet hall. Blood gushed from the clean cut. Bloodshot eyes gleamed through the helmet's narrow slit.
"B-Balus... you traitorous bastard!"
"Eek...!"
"Knew it was you. Fucking poacher."
In an instant, Ronan's arm vanished from view. An invisible slash shot toward the guard. Slash! Red lines appeared above his left arm and both ankles, covered in armor. Splurt! Blood fountains erupted from the severed armor gaps. Tendons in his limbs all cut, the guard screamed and collapsed.
"Arghhh!!"
"If you're gonna scream, do it over there."
Ronan grabbed the guard's arm and hurled him into the silent magic's range. The guard, sprawled like a frog, screamed again. The building would have rung, but the mana sound barrier muffled it.
"Scream all you want now, right? Let's end this quick—I'm busy."
"Gurk!"
Thud! Ronan kicked him flat and mounted his chest. He seized the thrashing guard's throat and wedged his blade tip into the helmet slit. The guard went still instantly.
"Guh... N-Not the eyes! Please...!"
"Yeah. Can't walk alone anymore—blind on top? Pathetic."
The black blade tip hovered at his eyeball. Any twitch would pierce the cornea. Tap tap. Ronan knocked on the helmet like a door and continued.
"Spill everything. Numbers, locations."
*****
About ten minutes later, Ronan returned to the banquet hall, leaving Balus behind. His job was to clean the blood and hide the crippled guard.
'Gotta hurry.'
The hall was empty—everyone must have gone searching for the doppelganger. Only Adeshan remained, idly opening and closing the doppelganger's crate, waiting for Ronan. Sensing him, she waved happily.
"Oh, you're back, Ronan. What about the kid you went with?"
"Fell in the toilet washing up. Gonna take a while."
"Huh? Toilet...?"
"Senior, come here a sec."
Ronan closed the banquet hall door and pulled Adeshan to a corner. He relayed everything from Balus and the guard-poacher. Her eyes widened as he spoke.
"P-Poachers?! Here in Phileon right now?"
"Yeah. Nothing we can't handle ourselves. Got paper and pen?"
"I do, but... what for?"
Ronan didn't answer. He took her notepad and pen, tore out five sheets, and scribbled different info on each: the situation and poacher locations. Setting the pen down, he continued.
"That should do it... Senior, can you control birds now too?"
"Birds?"
"Yeah. Summon seven smart ones."
It made no sense, but his expression was dead serious. Adeshan opened the window and leaned out. Crisp, cool night air drifted across the moonlit campus.
Soon, crows dozing on the building roof caught her eye. She extended a long finger and spoke.
"Come here."
Shadow mana spread forward. The awakened crows swirled up.
Seconds later, seven crows entered the hall. Lined before Adeshan, their eyes glowed gray. Ronan whistled in admiration.
"You've come a long way. Feels like yesterday you were playing with rats."
"Thanks to you. What's next?"
"Tie these to their legs. You can give location commands, right?"
Adeshan nodded. Together, they bound the prepared notes to the crows' ankles.
"Good. Here's who gets them. First, Baren and Naviroje. Then..."
Ronan named the seven recipients. Adeshan's eyes went wide. She asked in a flustered voice.
"C-Caribolo poachers? They're all pros—sure about this?"
"Gotta catch 'em to use 'em later. Arondale's the problem..."
Ronan twisted his lips. Eight poachers had infiltrated Phileon total. From Balus's description, the rest seemed manageable, but one stuck out.
"Eh, whatever. Hope he runs into Instructor Naviroje or Baren."
"True... not our level anyway. Why would a Valkar warrior stoop to poaching..."
"Money makes people do anything."
Balus's words flashed back. He'd warned about the Caribolo exec leading this: Arondale, one of the Three Great Beasts. A fighter who'd reached Aura awakening, with a record of massacring a werewolf pack barehanded. Ronan said.
"Let's move. Time's short."
"Okay."
Ronan and Adeshan left the banquet hall. Seven crows flew out the window simultaneously. Five hours until sunrise. Their goal: find the doppelganger and expel the poachers before the festival.
"Finding the doppelganger first. Anything?"
"Found unique mana traces in the hall. Spotty, but..."
Adeshan said she'd detected one doppelganger's mana. Ronan clenched his fist in triumph. Like finding the culprit's footprints.
"That way. Climbed and descended this tree."
"Found one too. Broken pavement—must've transformed into something big."
With senses maxed, Ronan and Adeshan tracked the doppelganger. The empty campus evoked an abandoned village. Only their footsteps echoed on the deserted paths.
"Damn, where'd it go?"
Ronan muttered irritably, following traces. They'd crossed nearly the whole grounds, but no doppelganger.
Another twenty minutes, and they halted together. The trail ended at the northwest woods.
"Clever bastard... Let's go in, Senior."
"Uh, yeah. We have to. Got it."
Adeshan's face paled. Her gaze lingered on the dark woods. Come to think, she'd feared the dark earlier too. Watching her, Ronan offered his hand.
"Wanna hold hands?"
"H-Hands?"
"You're scared, admit it. Lots of hairy guys are. Just grab."
"...Okay."
Adeshan hesitated, then took his hand. His rough, callused palm—unfitting for his age—transmitted hot warmth through the hardworking skin. Her ears flushed red as she started to speak.
Thud.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps from behind. Not human—deep, resonant.
They turned toward the sound. Their clasped hands tightened. A massive lizard stood, drooling.
Grrr...
"Whoa."
Its head alone loomed over 5 meters from the ground. Glossy red scales each palm-sized. Long, thick horns crowned a head not unlike a dragon's. Seeing the monstrous form, Ronan chuckled dryly. Wingless dragon. A drake.
"Looks like it, right?"
"...Yeah."
"No one's falling for that... Omega, huh."
No real drake—this wasn't tamable like a manticore. Drake was beyond that. Steadying his breath, Ronan gripped his hilt.
"Fake ass."
The drake just stared silently. As Ronan pulled his hilt—
Suddenly, it bubbled like foam. Startled, Adeshan backpedaled.
"Kyaa!"
"Yeah. Let's see your face."
The boiling drake slowly shifted to human form. Ronan slowly drew his sword.
'...Calm down.'
He desperately suppressed his emotions. He wasn't sure he could hold back from slashing the sudden Ahayute. Even knowing it was a doppelganger. Splash! The transformation complete, it landed.
"...Huh?"
It wasn't Ahayute. A burly man stood expressionless. Locking eyes, Ronan froze. Adeshan's eyes rounded.
"...Ronan?"
The face was a mature version of Ronan's own. But quite different from current Ronan. His height neared 190cm, and he wore imperial army uniform. A trembling voice escaped Adeshan's lips.
"Why... that form?"
She couldn't look straight. Beyond battered—torn uniform exposed flesh oozing dark blood. His sword was shattered.
But worst: black clumps like mold infested his body. Seven dark masses gnawed at him. Groaning in pain, he glared at Ronan.
-You protected nothing.
"You..."
Dazed, Ronan stepped forward slowly. Then the man turned and fled. At unbelievable speed, vanishing into the dark woods.
"Damn it, stop!"
"Ro-Ronan!"
Snapping to, Ronan dashed into the woods. Adeshan hesitated, then shut her eyes and followed.
Whoosh—the fierce night wind swept the treetops. Under waving branches, three sets of footsteps echoed.