Chapter 559
Chapter 559
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 559
Chapter Title: The Match-Selling Girl
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Roooaaarrr!!
The enraged Sasquatches attacked the black-clad thugs indiscriminately. The thugs were getting completely overwhelmed by the assaults, but they somehow managed to hold their ground thanks to their superior numbers.
Whoosh!
Among them were mages, judging by the purple fireballs and energy arrows flying around thick and fast. The Sasquatch struck by the magic writhed in agony, vomiting blood.
The thugs fought while protecting those mages.
"..."
But that purple fireball... it felt strangely familiar.
I'd seen something just like it countless times before.
The realization triggered a pulsing rage, and a deep-seated hatred began boiling up from my chest, surging through my veins until it stabbed into my brain like a spike.
"Heretics."
Mainly heretics used that kind of magic.
Were those bastards heretics?
And right now, Hildegart had sensed demonic power and tracked it here. What that meant was simple.
The heretics were highly likely to be wielding demonic power.
"Winia, just to be sure—what kinds of purple magic are there?"
"...No idea. I've never seen that before."
"What? There's something even you don't know?"
"Even I don't know everything."
I was curious if other mages besides heretics used that stuff, but it looked like I wouldn't get an answer.
In any case, we pressed ourselves flat to the ground, drawing eyes to us while covering our faces and heads, monitoring the battle between the Sasquatches and the thugs.
"Mr. Katt, it's definite. I can sense demonic power. From the Sasquatches or the humans—I can't tell which, but one side is emanating it."
"Got it. Thanks for the heads-up, Hildegart."
"Heehee."
We couldn't be 100% sure they were heretics yet.
Purple magic wasn't exclusive to them, and while the black clothes were suspicious, it wasn't solid proof.
But one thing was certain: they were using demonic power right now. That made them targets for extermination, no matter what.
I had to complete the Saintess of Cardia's mission.
Rooooaaarrr!!
"Kyyyaaah!!"
The battle soon reached its climax.
The Sasquatches, battered by sustained magic barrages, collapsed one by one. After two more fell, the survivors fled madly toward the far side of the snowfield.
The humans claimed victory.
But it was a bitter one. Casualties were heavy.
The pristine white ground was soaked in crimson blood. Counting the survivors, there were five. Over ten had been killed by the Sasquatches.
In contrast, only three Sasquatches lay dead.
A 5:20 exchange rate wasn't favorable.
"Mr. Katt. Looks like it's over."
"Yeah. I see it."
Once the fighting stopped, they took a brief rest before starting to recover the bodies. Not sure how much they could salvage, though.
There weren't any intact corpses left.
Humans hit by Sasquatch paws had exploded into chunks mid-air. The thugs just gathered the meat scraps and laid them out.
One guy was even slicing open a Sasquatch belly to pull out the guts.
Collecting trophies, maybe?
After grabbing everything worth taking and piling the bodies, the group suddenly moved in eerie unison, like they were performing some ritual, then launched fireballs to cremate the remains.
Some kind of funeral rite, apparently.
Once the rough work was done, they offered silent prayers or something and started moving out.
Heading back to base, probably.
Time to tail them.
"Let's follow. You good with that, Hilde?"
"Yes! Of course! Leave it to me!"
We'd hang back a bit and use Hildegart's radar to track them stealthily.
Needed to be extra careful.
Holy Knights had been searching the area until recently, yet these guys hadn't been spotted. That meant they were cautious and good at hiding.
Only a handful had ever been caught.
They knew they were being hunted. Fortunately, it was starting to snow a little.
Footprints should cover okay.
"Darkie. This seems pretty risky. Wouldn't it be smarter to just pinpoint their location and report back?"
"We'll check it out first. Pull back if it's dangerous, poke our heads in if it looks doable. Don't worry. I won't do anything stupid. I've got a brain."
"If you say so, darkie... Still kinda worried."
"With you and me here, what's to worry about?"
A seasoned warrior and mage combo was perfect for assassinations.
They hadn't noticed us yet. First strike advantage was ours. A mage's surprise attack was like an autocannon.
No need to fear for now.
"Mr. Katt. They're pulling away a bit."
Hildegart reported with her eyes closed. Looked like the humans were the ones borrowing demonic power.
Those damn demon scum...!
Guaranteed rights to fair labor!!
The right to workers' liberation!
The prophet's cries still echoed in my ears.
His convictions were genuine.
He'd just been tricked by demons.
Demons tempt humans with sweet lies and corrupt them. As a Fusion Neo-Confucian crusader, I wouldn't stand by and watch.
"Let's head down."
We descended the rocky slope carefully, scanning our surroundings. I took Winia's hand as she struggled a bit, going slow and steady.
"...Darkie's been pretty reliable lately."
"Heh heh heh. Reserve paladin, remember?"
"Paladins are fuckin' awesome."
Down below, the fierce battle's aftermath came into clearer view. They'd cleaned up some, but not everything.
"..."
Nothing identifiable remained from the cremated bodies. Same for the Sasquatch corpses. Anything useful had been burned or taken.
Hungry monsters would probably devour what was left soon. Winter was a starving season; scavengers for charred flesh were everywhere.
"Darkie, stick to their footprints as much as possible. Got it?"
"I know that much."
"I'm flying, so I'm fine!"
Wings sounded nice right about now.
We moved in the direction they'd gone.
They might have outposts monitoring the area, or ambushers lying in wait.
I spread my honed senses wide.
Drawing my living blade, I took point, ready for scouts or sudden attacks.
"Winia. Shields on instant cast?"
"Obviously. But if they hit us first, we shut up and run. Got it? We don't know their numbers—if they spot us first, no chance of winning."
Winia said bluntly.
Common sense.
Made her sound worried, though.
"Right. If they strike first, we bolt."
"Smart thinking."
If we spotted them first, we could improvise. But if they saw us? No shot. Unknown numbers, unknown backup.
Just fold and report.
Keep that in mind.
We tracked by cross-referencing Hildegart's radar with their trail. It lined up well enough.
"..."
Tension was high.
They hadn't fought amazingly. Even against Sasquatches, they'd been scrambling.
No inhuman training, no fearlessness of death. The worry was their scale. Started with about twenty.
That kind of force was dangerous.
Main base might have more. Though those could be their max, too. Had to scout either way.
Snap... snap...
Nothing special en route. Obsessively checking terrain slowed us, but that was it.
Chewing jerky on the move, we finally spotted what seemed like their base.
"...A cave?"
"Mr. Katt. It's inside there."
A secretive-looking cave mouth ahead. Entrance shoveled clear of snow. Well-trodden path, lots of prints.
Remote cave, suspicious dwellers.
Screams "crazy bastards." High chance heretics.
...But should we go in?
Couldn't decide.
"Darkie. Hold position. Let's observe."
"Got it."
We shifted to a wooded high spot. Time to camouflage and watch. Didn't know troop count or if others were out.
Probably not too many.
Large group in midwinter? Hard to survive, easy to spot.
Platoon-sized ideal.
Half dead from earlier fight? Perfect.
Stashed our packs, laid out tent cloth for camo. Higher ground than the cave—hard to spot.
"Hmm... I'd love to scout personally, but if demons are in there, they'd sense me. Can't use mana recklessly."
Hildegart was suppressing her power. Demons would feel it otherwise.
"It's fine. Stay here with us."
"Hee hee hee. Yay!"
"Seriously... Darkie and succubus, keep quiet. Voices down to whispers."
"Yup."
"Yes."
We hunkered down, watching the entrance. Hildegart's magic kept the cold at bay. Just had to mind melting snow.
Sun began setting soon.
No activity at the mouth. Were those the last ones in? Needed rotating watches overnight.
"...What kinda hardship is this? Whatever, we can handle it. But darkie, when we get back, you're in for it. Not letting you up all day."
You'll need to brace yourself, Winia.
"Slave Katt time when we return."
"Heh heh. Good enough."
"Hilde. Still sensing it inside?"
"Yes. Definitely."
"Chance you've been made?"
"Succubi are pros at hiding auras. Suppressed max. A strong demon might notice, but... if they had strong demon power, they wouldn't have nearly gotten wiped by Sasquatches. We're good."
Made sense.
We took shifts sleeping, watching the cave. No big deal for adventurer me and Winia. Hildegart was thrilled just to cuddle—no complaints.
Night passed; sun rose.
"..."
"..."
We stared silently at the cave, breaths held.
Boosted stamina plus tension—no fatigue. Mind sharper than ever, scanning the scene.
...
...
...
An hour of silent glaring, then two black-clad thugs emerged from within.
Keep monitoring traffic?
Or take 'em out now and infiltrate?
"...Hilde. Can you mind-magic if we capture them?"
I whispered barely audibly.
"Probably, but... it'd expose my power. They'd sense it inside instantly."
"Hmm..."
Better not.
Kept watching.
Light foot traffic. Two or three would peek out occasionally, look around, go back in. No formal sentry?
No one entering or venturing far.
As we pondered next moves, two more emerged, packs slung over shoulders.
Chatting idly, they descended well away from the cave.
"Those fucking bastards dare...!"