Chapter 560
Chapter 560
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 560
Chapter Title: The Little Match Girl
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"Let's chase after them."
With that, Winia and Hildegart sprang into action.
Even if nothing else was certain, there were exactly two of them heading out somewhere. It was a golden opportunity to whittle down the enemy's forces and gather evidence at the same time.
-Rustle, rustle.
We quickly tidied up our spot and tailed them while taking a slight detour. This was high ground to begin with, so there was no real chance of getting spotted.
We could just ambush them once they were far enough from the cave.
-...
-...
The two kept walking, chatting away as if they had no clue we were there. What the hell was in that bag of theirs?
They carried weapons, sure, but not the kind you'd expect from guys prepping for war.
Just what kind of bastards were these, coming out here in pairs to the snowy mountains where Sasquatch might lurk?
Did that mean they were skilled?
No, if they were skilled, they'd have noticed us by now.
"Winia. Can you take one out quietly?"
"One, yeah. The other one's on you, darkie."
"I'll signal."
The slope was about six meters high.
Easy enough to slide down fast without issue. They still hadn't sensed us.
The moment they rounded the curve, I signaled Winia.
"Winia. The one on the right from their direction of travel. Grab him. I'll handle the one next to him."
Winia nodded silently and whispered her incantation in a tiny voice. With a surge of mana, an ice arrow began forming in midair.
Nothing beat this for a quiet takedown.
"Darkie."
Winia finished her cast and called me. -Thwack! I kicked off the ground and charged down the slope like a bullet. Mouth shut tight—this was a stealth op.
I just bolted forward, sword raised high.
"...?"
"Wha...?"
They turned toward us in that instant.
And that's when—
-Crack!
The ice arrow flew faster than me and slammed into the dazed one's temple. A perfect ambush in the blink of an eye. He probably died without even realizing it.
"Wh-whoa!!! "
The survivor freaked out and tried to bolt at the sight, but there was no escaping my speed.
-Stab!
I closed the gap in a flash and plunged my blade into his back.
"You dare turn your back on me, you fuck?"
"G-gahk...!"
No need for sword aura. Like stabbing a can of tuna with a fork, my sword pierced his back effortlessly and burst out his chest.
Like an alien.
"Kuhak...!"
"Shut it."
I reached out, grabbed his writhing nape,
"Mad Night Blood Jade Hand."
-Crunch!
I poured all my strength into my grip, feeling his neck vertebrae snap. His body went limp in an instant.
I grabbed the ankles of the two corpses and dragged them along.
"Darkie, you make sure they're dead?"
"Yeah. Winia, Hilde—check the surroundings. I'll frisk these bastards."
I asked them to keep watch, hauled the bodies to some cover, and had Hildegart rub snow over the bloodstains. Smart girl.
"Hmm."
Other than being bald, they looked pretty ordinary. I stripped off their black clothes with practiced ease and rummaged through their pockets. Jackpot.
"This is..."
One had a necklace like a dog tag. Etched on the coin-sized disc was a familiar symbol.
"These fucking bastards."
Heretics, confirmed.
It was the same symbol Elise and I had been hunting for ages.
Proof they were heretics. Nothing else but weapons on them, but there was a bag, so I checked that too.
-Rummage.
I flipped the bag over, spilling its contents on the ground.
Some book-like thing, wooden tools, a statue, a map... nothing special.
"..."
I checked the book first. The scribbles inside were unreadable to me. Scrawled wildly, but with some pattern... suspicious.
"Winia. Hilde. Take a look at this."
"What is it?"
"What is it?"
They shook their heads when I showed them. Never seen the script before. Score.
"And this necklace. You've seen the symbol, right, Winia?"
"Heretics."
"Hmm... No idea. I don't know much about human religions."
Too bad.
I erased the traces, grabbed the bag, and buried the bodies in the snow. Perfect cover-up. No deaths today.
"So what's next, darkie?"
"Gonna poke around. If the ones we sent don't come back, they'll know something's up. Let's go before that. Might be fine now that two are down."
"You really wanna go? Feels risky to me."
"If it gets dicey, we bail. Already scouted the escape routes."
These guys were small fry.
Even a truckload couldn't kill me.
Probably grunts.
Higher-ups had freaky looks in my memory. Only tough heretic was that blink-and-shield dagger master in the sewers.
Overall, doable. If they had real pros, they wouldn't have gotten wrecked by Sasquatch like that. The mage who fought back seemed the biggest threat.
"If it goes south, we bail immediately."
"Don't worry. Always been that way. Trust me?"
"Sigh, gotta trust you, darkie. Let's go. If shit hits the fan, I'll lead with Flame Arrow and run."
A Flame Arrow in the cave would be devastating. I knew her full power.
So we climbed back up and snuck toward the cave.
"Lady Winia really loves Mr. Katt, doesn't she?"
"What?"
"Hehe, just saying. So jealous."
"Ugh... Don't say weird stuff, succubus."
"Yes, yes."
Such embarrassing chit-chat.
We reached our surveillance spot after a day. No changes. Tracks at the entrance unchanged.
-Rustle, rustle.
We descended slowly toward the cave. Next up: infiltration, ambush, or escape. I never doubted my judgment. Push if it works, bail if not.
At the entrance, I hugged the wall and whispered,
"Hilde. Can you watch our backs?"
"Yes. Leave it to me."
"Fuck yeah, demon friend—gotta trust you. Winia, let's go."
No signs of life near the entrance.
I led with sword drawn, Winia behind. No words, just sensing each other as we advanced.
-Utmost vigilance.
-Pounding heart.
Dim, but light ahead.
Light meant activity. No negotiations with these bastards.
Kill if we can, run if not.
We crept toward it.
Glancing back, Winia aimed her staff forward, eyes like a seasoned hunter's. Reliable mage. Battle-hardened woman.
Who else could I trust if not her?
No traps in the tunnel. Just sounds from ahead... We reached the light source.
-Grumble, grumble.
-Murmur, murmur.
-Rustle, rustle.
A short flight of five steps down, black-robed figures moving below. We pressed against the wall by the entrance and peeked in slowly.
"..."
These fuckers built a lab in the cave.
Eight people and one freakish being bustling about. Some dissected bloody stuff on workbenches, others scribbled at desks, one sprinkled water on an altar.
But that `freakish being` unnerved me most.
"...Graaah."
A horned skull-headed lanky thing wrapped in paper-thin black skin.
Like a human skull model coated in tar. Humans shared space with this demon without flinching. Demon conspirators, confirmed.
Anyway, demon.
Assessed in five seconds, ducked back.
Total `nine` inside, including demon.
They hadn't spotted us.
-Fidget, fidget.
I squeezed Winia's hand, signaling Flame Arrow. She nodded, stepped back from entrance, and began chanting.
-High-Speed Chant.
The new spell she learned. More mana, faster cast. Speaking here would alert them all. But fast was better.
At least land one hit before detection.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Flame Arrow High-speed cast complete
"Flame Arrow!"
Winia's shrill cry echoed as a blazing fire arrow rocketed into the lab.
-Boom!!!
The familiar explosion rocked the place, screams erupting.
"Kyaaaaah!!"
"Uwaaak!"
"Wh-what! What happened?!"
"Intruders! Over there!"
Flames caught everywhere with the blast.
Fire spread to workbenches, bookshelves, desks, chairs, altar—total chaos. One got roasted direct hit, two more flailed with embers on their clothes.
"Verde!!!!!!!!!!"
I aimed my sword at the pandemonium—
"Charge!!!!!!!!!!"
-And yelled.
"Paladins!!!! Attack!!!"
Pure chaos bait. I revealed my armor and charged in. Whatever you are, you're busted. Paladins are here, you heretic shits.
Just plant that impression amid the mess.
"P-Paladin!!!"
"They found this place!!!"
"Verde's lapdogs here!!!!"
They understood us.
Reaction confirmed heretics. Same symbol on the altar. They panicked thinking real paladins arrived.
"R-run! We'll hold them!!"
They drew swords in horror and rushed me.
"Waaah!!!"
"Die, Verde's hunting dog!!"
Not impressive skills. Only four charging. -Then.
Fuck all.
"Dieeee!!!"
"Heh heh heh, you fucking heretic scum! Lord Verde and Lady Isermart are with us!!!"
-Slash!!!
I roared and charged. Lab was spacious enough for swordplay. I surged mana, unleashing the pinnacle of my Vital Sword Technique!
"I won't forgive vermin!!!!!"
-Slash!
The life-giving sword also killed.
Vital Sword Technique brooked no heretics—its arc led to hell.
The moment it turned killer, life's flame extinguished!
"Kyahaaak!"
"Kyak!"
My sweeping blade spat brilliant sword aura, bisecting two in a spray of blood.
"Perish, heretics!!!"
-Thrust!
From swing to stab, piercing the third's chest. The last bravely swung his one-hander down.
-Bang!
"Agh!"
My trusty gauntlet blocked effortlessly. I raised my arm, then grabbed his face.
-Grip!
Channeling inner force—
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Mad Night Blood Jade Hand Crushing grip engaged
"Mad Night Blood Jade Hand."
"Bwooooong!!!"
With a grotesque scream, his face caved in and dangled limply.
My grip strength was monstrous lately.
"..."
"..."
Four down in under ten seconds.
"Heh heh heh, long live Verde. Heretics. Surrender now for a quick death. You're surrounded."
Left: the freakish demon and three others.
"...Impressive, paladin. Caught by Verde's seeds."
The strongest-looking drew his longsword and stepped forward.
What about the demon and the other two?
"Run. I'll buy time."
"...Your sacrifice won't be in vain. If you survive, meet there. Farewell."
Beside the demon stood a white-haired woman like snow. Black heretic robes, but curvy figure screamed woman. What the hell was she?
-Grooo...!
Most bizarre: she cradled a baby Sasquatch with blue fur.
What the fuck are these guys?!
"You fucking bastards! What the hell are you?!"
-Zwoooosh!!
Suddenly, purple glow burst from the demon's eyes beside her. Magic? A purple gate formed along the beam's path, and the demon strolled in calmly.
Like a beam projector gate!
"..."
The white-haired woman with the baby Sasquatch glanced at me and followed into the gate.
Such bullshit!
"You dare run?!"
"Your opponent is me, Verde's seed."
I lunged, but the longsword heretic swordsman blocked.
"You fuck!"
Strong!
"Fuck your mom, dogshit!"
"What?"