Chapter 528
Chapter 528
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 528
Chapter Title: A Useful Guy
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"Since friends disappearing is such a common thing, what happens when they do?"
"...They're probably dead."
Why does this little shit know that so well?
"That's too awful...! Anyway, you gave a good answer, so eat this."
He'd answered in his own way, so I had to show some sincerity. I tore off a fist-sized chunk of bread and tossed it to him. The kid snatched it and bolted from the scene at full speed.
"M-Me too! I know!"
"My friend disappeared!"
"One of the guys who was there just isn't anymore!"
At the same time, the orphans came charging in like a swarm of summer cicadas, screaming their heads off. They'd seen the last one score some bread, so of course they'd pile on.
I asked the orphans simple questions and only gave chunks of bread to those who answered properly.
The ones who got bread shoved it straight into their mouths and chewed like wild animals, or tried to sprint away with it. They lived lives where food was scarce, so that kind of behavior was inevitable.
"Th-That's mine! Give it here, you little bastard! Hand it over!!!"
"Aaaah! Don't do that! I got it!!!"
But some of them, their eyes completely crazed from hunger, even tried to snatch the bread I'd given right in front of me.
Daring to steal from what I'd handed out?
That's the same as robbing me.
Even orphans don't get a pass for that.
Only one option: kill them.
"You motherfucking orphan piece of shit!!!! Hey!!!!!!"
"Y-Yes?!"
I shot up from my spot and bellowed, making the kid who'd tried to grab the bread jump in fright and flop onto the ground.
I'm about to hand these out one by one, and this fucker starts shit?
"You fucking bastard, trying to steal what I gave? You're dead. Get over here, you little shit!!!"
"U-Uwaaaaaah!!!"
"Hey! You, trying to steal that bread—get lost!"
"Hiiiik!"
The moment I raised my fist, the troublemakers turned tail and fled like their asses were on fire.
Being orphans doesn't excuse that crap. I'm pretty lenient with kids, but I draw a hard line. Once the commotion died down, I went back to handing out bread and asking questions.
I gathered info this way, tossing cheap bread to the orphans.
No one seemed to know much about the kidnappers. They just saw it as the usual run-of-the-mill disappearances. Makes sense, since the kidnappings were done on the sly.
And honestly, I didn't expect solid intel from orphans anyway. Some were just babbling bullshit for a shot at bread.
Hildegarth had only caught a glimpse of the kidnapping site by chance and poked around a bit, so we didn't have much on the perps either.
I'd fixated on the agitators from the start and missed pinpointing their exact spot.
"Gather up all your friends and come here before sundown from now on. I'll give you bread. And anyone who tries to steal what I hand out? I'll snap their necks right there."
"Y-Yes...!"
So this was my play: round up the orphans like this, and it'd mess with the kidnappers' supply line. Do it enough times, and someone would get desperate and show themselves.
If I can't grab the tail, make them show it.
That's the thinking. While staying in Audville, I gathered orphans at set times every day.
"Hey, Hildegarth."
A week of investigating, writing reports, and handing out bread like this.
"Yes!"
"Feel anything nearby?"
"Hehehe, yes. They're clustering together, so resupplying sacrifices must be getting tough. Look over there. They've already shown their tail."
"Heh heh heh, yeah. That one?"
A shadowy figure was peeking at us from behind a building.
I chewed bread with the orphans while sizing him up.
"..."
The guy looked straight out of a serial killer flick, sunken eyes darting around nervously.
He gave off the vibe of a man whose whole purpose in life was kidnapping and murdering orphans.
He thought he was hiding in the alley, but he'd already entered Hildegarth's sensor range. Game over.
My plan had worked perfectly.
Lure the kidnapper close enough, and Hildegarth's demon sense picks him up. After a week of bread handouts to these brats, payoff time.
I'd threatened to weed out anyone coming solo instead of in groups, so they started bunching up. Made targeting them a pain, so he was scouting.
"Definitely not contracted to some powerhouse demon. That's why he turned to these puny sacrifices. Shall we tail him?"
I'd blown nearly a silver on bread just to find this guy.
I'm getting that value back, no matter what.
"Heh heh heh, damn right. Let's go."
"I did great, right? Praise me quick!"
"Uh, fuck. You did good."
"Kyaaah!"
Claudia and Winia were resting at the inn today. I'd worked them hard for a week, so I let them off under the pretext of report review.
And right when they were out, we hooked the tail.
Whatever, I'm enough on my own.
So Hildegarth and I stood watch on the kidnapper's movements while I dumped all my remaining bread on the orphans.
"Party's over! Head home! I won't be back starting tomorrow!"
"Aaaah!"
The kidnapper didn't budge until I'd torn up and distributed every last bit. Only when the orphans scattered in packs did he finally move.
"Hildegarth. Can you track him?"
"At this range, and I've already locked on? Easy. Let's go, Katt."
We crossed the now-empty square, tailing the kidnapper.
No way a punk borrowing demon power could shake me. Basic stamina gap alone.
..."
I kept a safe distance to avoid detection, muffling my footsteps as I shadowed him. He didn't notice, just hustled along toward somewhere.
Man, he's slow as hell.
This amateur borrowed demon power?
"Looks like that's the place."
He headed for a rundown building in a remote spot. Sparse foot traffic—perfect hideout for criminals.
He glanced around, then scurried inside like a rat.
"Demon aura. Kinda faint, though? Should be a cakewalk."
Shing.
I drew the Heavenly Demon Sword.
The sensation from the hilt was Vugal's rage. Fully redeemed as a blade of mercy, he was genuinely furious about this mess.
I'd bet on it.
"Neat sword."
"Good blade."
"Yeah? Matches your armor color nicely. Looks cool."
Hildegarth didn't recognize Vugal. Didn't even suspect demon sword. No surprise—the saintess missed it too. Lisha's work is flawless.
Grip tight on the sword, I approached the building and eased the door open.
Creeeak.
No signs of life...
But a familiar stench wafted out.
"Oh my, blood. Human blood."
Ticking my nose: rotting corpses and foul blood. The smell alone screamed murder scene. Recent, too.
Sure enough, he'd snatched orphans for sacrifices and slaughtered them all.
"Grrrr...! Hngh...! Krgh..!"
That inhuman hunch turned real, and the true tenets of Fusion Confucianism scorched my brain.
Rumble.
My body trembled, inner mana surging wildly.
Yet my senses sharpened beyond ever, mind ice-cold, facing reality. Nothing else to touch, so they go after kids? Only Fusion Confucian judgment fits.
"Hehehe, demons love human blood. But succubi prefer semen over blood."
This psycho.
"Lewd race!"
"All succubi are lewd. But I only wanna be lewd for you, Katt?"
"Bullshit."
Just me and Hildegarth now.
She went full coquettish, voice dripping seduction.
"You always smell so good, Katt."
"What smell?"
"Well, you reek of semen every day. Just being near you almost makes me cum."
What the fuck is this nonsense?!
"What bullshit is that, you succubus slut?! How clean do I keep?!"
"Y-Yes. Even if you wash perfect, succubi can tell. Your semen scent is so strong right now, it feels amazing."
"Shut up!"
The blood-drenched building had one path leading underground.
Stench rising from below.
"Shall we go down?"
"We have to."
I kept the cape on as we descended slowly with Hildegarth. Better not expose the armor—too much blood splatter expected.
At the iron door to the basement, voices echoed from inside.
"Kuh... Kuhuhu... No more tender flesh...? I'm hungry. Fulfill the contract..."
"Shut up! I'm in a bind too! The kids are suddenly grouping up—I can't kidnap anymore!"
"Kuhuhu... That's your problem... Fail the contract, pay the price..."
"Just wait a bit, please!"
"Delay more... and you'll be the sacrifice..."
"Krrgh!"
No need to hear more—demon and human haggling. Their blood-scented banter pushed me past endurance. I hadn't killed much lately. Now violence roared inside.
Tremble...!
My sword hand shook.
Calmed it barely, twisted the knob—locked.
"Katt, want me to open it?"
"No."
Me.
Crackle!
I coated the blade in sword aura. Fury and blood scent fueled my hype. Aura formed insanely fast. Pulsing mana exploded outward.
"DIE YOU FUCKERRRRRS!!!"
Shraaaash!
I shredded the basement door. Iron should've resisted, but aura-clad Heavenly Demon Sword diced it effortlessly.
"Wh-What?!"
Boom!
Kicked the mangled door and stormed in.
"Who the fuck are you!"
Hildegarth summoned azure flames, revealing a panicked man drawing a hand axe.
That's the kidnapper.
"Kuh...!"
Behind him, a pitch-black demon like a morbidly obese freak perched on the table. But who cares.
"Heh heh heh, what were you chatting about with my pals?"
"Wh-What the hell are you?! Get out if you don't wanna die!"
Bone fragments.
Blood stench.
Floor littered with tiny shattered bones, coated in dark blood—like monsters had gnawed them. Even a small skull.
Demon ate all the orphan sacrifices.
"Damn, what's with all these bone bits? Could open a potato stew joint with this."
"Who the fuck are you?!"
These fuckers don't deserve easy deaths... Pondering how to spin this into a report, I advanced slowly.
"D-Don't come closer! Stay back!"
The freaked kidnapper backed up to the demon on the table.
"Dedalt! We're busted! Kill him!"
"Kuh... Kuhuhu. Not in the contract. Offer new price."
"Anything! Hurry!"
"Then reset your sacrifice quota."
"No way in hell!"
No, fuck.
"These shits hiding in front of me?"
Flash!
I unleashed Heavenly Demon Supremacy. Crunch! Heavy step pulverized bones underfoot. How dare these fuckers desecrate human remains!
"DIE THRUSTERRRRRS!!!"
Sword leading, I targeted the demon!
"Kr... Krkr... Foolish... HUMAAAANNNN!!!"
Squelch!!!
Demon rose as Heavenly Demon Sword pierced its gut and slammed it into the wall.
"Kweeeeeeee!!!"
No low-tier demon stands against me. Pinned like a dart, it screamed.
This is true merciful blade power!
"Dedalt!"
Kidnapper freaked, swinging his axe.
"Fuck your mom!"
Smack!
Dropped sword, backhanded him murder-style.
Splat!
"Guhek!"
Face-smashed, he flew across the room into the far wall, slumping.
Whoa, fuck, now a slap sends 'em that far.
"Heh heh heh, now spill the potato stew success secrets?"
Time for interrogation.