Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Assault
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[...You, I mean.]
Kalliban's voice echoed from inside the amulet.
[From now on, if there's anything important, run it by me before you say it. You're usually so sharp-headed, so why only screw up at times like this...]
“...”
Yeah, maybe I really should do that from now on.
Please take care of it, Kalliban.
“...A child who carries disaster on the tip of their tongue.”
Casa Garda clicked her tongue as she spoke.
That was her reaction after listening to my full explanation.
“I get what you mean. So that's what 'deep relationship' implies.”
At least this time, I succeeded in clearly conveying what I had in mind.
“Fellow alumnus. Wants to become Liru's priest.”
Casa fell silent for a moment after saying that.
The trait 'Stand-up Fighting Technique' I pried from Liru was a style created by Casa. At least while this person's body was 'intact,' it must have been passed down from her.
And right now, I was asking her to teach it to me too.
“...”
Frankly, it was incredibly rude. In the tribal alliance, honor and combat skills were the two most sacred things.
It was like asking her to spill trade secrets just because I asked nicely.
“...Hmm.”
And then.
Seeing Casa snort and set down her pipe, I took a deep breath.
After bringing up something like this, what was coming was inevitable.
[System Message]
[ A crisis situation has been detected. ]
[ Judged as a direct threat to life. ]
[ Applying 'Skill: Desperate Situation' at EX rank. ]
[ Activating 'Skill: Proof of Faith.' ]
[ All stat bonuses are temporarily converted to 'Endurance' stat! ]
[ Activating 'Skill: Holy Shield.' ]
[ Influenced by 'Trait: Divine Power Operation,' generating two simultaneously! ]
As I activated my prepared skills in a rush.
-!
A flash-like strike exploded forth.
It was a speed that obliterated the motion itself, existing only as a start and end.
“...”
I barely swallowed dryly at the sight of the fist frozen right in front of my face.
Even after diverting all EX-rank stat bonuses to endurance, and deploying two shields that hardened even further under its influence, I had 'barely' blocked this punch she threw lightly from her seated position.
With that body of hers. With a strike so sloppy even her center of gravity wasn't steady.
Yet it packed this much power.
“...”
But, put another way.
I had somehow 'blocked' it.
A strike from one of the world's top-tier powerhouses, once called a Fist Saint, right up close.
“You've got enough backbone to talk big like that.”
Casa chuckled, withdrawing her fist and picking up her pipe again.
I let out a sigh of relief watching her.
“...I've met the conditions, Casa.”
The lion's necklace, proof of recognition as a promising talent at the chieftain level.
And proof of the capability to withstand a 'teacher's' strike by any means necessary.
I had fulfilled every criterion for requesting discipleship in the tribal alliance.
“...”
Casa exhaled a long plume of smoke from her pipe and fell silent for a moment.
“Finishing in 10 days means mastering all my techniques, right?”
“...”
“Even if you have circumstances that make it urgent, kid?”
Please stop with the mind-reading.
It's true, though. Chapter 3 starts tomorrow and wraps in 10 days.
My goal is to master this person's fighting techniques by the 'final event' of Chapter 3, 10 days from now.
Otherwise, clear probability drops off a cliff.
There's one more thing, too.
“...I want to help Liru a bit.”
Considering her immediate 'goal,' that's honestly part of my intent.
“Help how?”
“She's living so desperately to reclaim the rights and honor you lost. The ones stolen by the unjust.”
“...”
“No one else can do it for her.”
It's obvious just looking around.
In the tribal alliance, a clan means the same as a 'family' in common terms. The member count isn't much different either.
In that sense, the number of incense sticks burning around now.
Excluding Liru, the last survivors of this clan are the kids she just brought in and Casa.
“A stubborn, prideful person. She won't stop until she achieves it for real.”
Just the fact she built this ramshackle but spacious building 'alone' for the remaining clan proves it.
In the tribal alliance, clans can only live in structures they build themselves. Tradition demands it.
Also, by tribal alliance tradition, the elderly, infirm, and children are excluded from the 'labor force.'
Even exiled from the alliance, Liru Garda stubbornly upholds that.
For a building this size, it must've been grueling labor—especially with zero knowledge of construction.
She piled it up with bare fists and sheer will alone.
So, as I said when I first entered.
No reason to mock this space as shabby. It's infused with that much pride and effort.
“But her current approach is too slow. And she has no one to help.”
Liru's plan now is to prove her worth at the 'imperial academy,' build a power base in the empire, and get revenge on the ones who reduced her clan to this.
Think about it—she's always shown up diligently to events where she could stand out.
The observation class, midterms, all of it.
If she were the reckless rule-breaker her reputation paints, no reason to bother. She'd just barge around as she pleased.
But as I said.
That method's too slow. No telling how long till results.
So.
“...You're saying you'll handle it all for her, kid.”
“At least make sure it's all done by 10 days from now.”
If Liru passes tomorrow's selection exam, gets the exchange student slot, and heads to the tribal alliance academy with Casa.
It's not impossible.
“...”
Casa stared at my face for a long while, then smiled faintly.
“You mean it. No schemes behind it.”
At times like this, her mind-reading intuition is handy.
No need to prove my intent with extra antics.
“But I need to ask why you're going this far.”
“...”
“The kind of help you're talking about isn't something you offer a stranger from yesterday.”
I sighed.
Still.
Common sense says I have to answer this much.
“...I'll just say it's important to me too.”
“Important, huh.”
“Yes. Helping Liru is important to me.”
Right now, the list she's grinding her teeth over for revenge overlaps perfectly with the guys I need to kill progressing Chapter 3.
Success means pure gain.
Conversely, if her revenge fails or even the 'process' glitches and she rages.
The Blue Devil gets unleashed. No choice for me.
“...”
And after staring at my face a long while, Casa.
Burst into booming laughter.
It rang out incredibly, unbelievable for her age and condition.
[System Message]
[ Target 'Casa Garda's' favorability has risen to 'Interest Stage 1'! ]
[ Good-aligned character. Reward reduced! ]
“...”
Better than getting mad or cold-shouldering me after hearing me out.
But this reaction's beyond my expectations.
Why this?
“The thing about becoming deeply involved with Liru at first, kid.”
Casa smiled even wider in response.
“Doesn't seem like such a bad way to put it after all.”
“...Pardon?”
“You didn't mean it that way, sure... But living to this age, you start seeing things. Just from words and actions, you get a 'sense' of how it'll play out.”
Her smile shifted slightly.
It'd been warm and kindly before, but now... what to call it.
Like, gotcha.
“You're fated to be bound by your own words, kid. Didn't I say you carry disaster on your tongue?”
“...What do you mean?”
“Even if you didn't intend it, you'll definitely live up to what you said.”
“...”
“Good or bad, that fate exists. Liru's had a hard time finding a match too.”
“...”
“Won't be hard to go along with your words. The bond'll get stickier ahead. Right?”
I like that she took a shine to me and cooperates right away.
But the reasoning's kinda off?
●
One realization: tribal alliance ointments work wonders.
Thanks to the stuff Liru slathered all over me, wounds were healing incredibly fast. Like magic.
‘...It worked out well, at least.’
Not even a devil's vessel, yet starting with favorability at Interest Stage 1—guess it's no fluke. Casa agreed smoothly to everything: sending Liru to tomorrow's selection exam, taking me as a new disciple, passing word along, and heading to the tribal alliance with Liru herself.
Stuff that'd make the beggar feel awkward getting accepted on the first ask.
“...”
Good's good.
She said a lot of ominous stuff, but whatever—good's good.
Thinking that, I arrived at the dorms and headed to my room.
That's when a system window flashed before my eyes.
[System Message]
[ 24 unread important messages! ]
What now.
24?
I blinked and opened the window.
[System Log]
#1
[ Target 'Elnor's' mania has subsided! ]
[ Corruption level decreased! ]
#2
[ Target 'Elnor's' mania has subsided! ]
[ Corruption level decreased! ]
#3
[ Target 'Elnor's' mania has subsided! ]
[ Corruption level decreased! ]
.
.
.
“...?”
What the hell.
Checking timestamps—they're from the past week while I was dodging Elnor's sight.
All 24 are identical: Elnor's mania subsiding, corruption decreasing.
‘...I didn't do anything?’
No idea what's up, but good for me.
Given Elnor's tendencies, the instant I started avoiding her, she'd flip out.
I was planning to soothe her soon somehow, but both worrisome symptoms kept dropping without me knowing.
“You're here.”
Whoa.
I jumped at the sudden voice right beside me and turned.
Someone I know.
Vizla. Looks painfully ordinary, but he's an elite exorcist agent from the Holy Kingdom.
Helped during the Valkasus boss fight too.
Still in the academy, so disguise holding up.
“...Why'd you show up out of nowhere?”
“Had a message. Your safety's important to the Holy Kingdom too, in various ways.”
Vizla sighed reluctantly.
“...Intel says a major plot targeting you is brewing. Brace yourself.”
“...”
About time.
I can guess what.
Chapter 3's boss, [Apostle of the Inverted Tidal Wave], is one slimy bastard, as I've said.
Given his nature, my existence bugs him big time.
No surprise if he pulls schemes before the chapter even starts.
“...Hired some famous assassin?”
“Veil of the Four Wings. Ring a bell? Pretty notorious in the underworld.”
Do I ever.
Member of the 'Wanderers,' the assassination outfit run by the Apostle of the Inverted Tidal Wave. Tough customer.
“...Got it. Thanks for the info.”
“Watch yourself. Not your average guy. You handled the prior two attacks well, but...”
“...?”
Hold up.
“Two attacks?”
“Yeah. Heard over 20 assassins each time. Guess your skills let you come out unscathed. But this one's on another level, so I brought the intel myself—”
“I've never been attacked?”
What're you on about?
“...”
“...”
Vizla and I exchanged awkward stares.
“No, is your intel reliable?”
“...The Holy Kingdom's intelligence is top among superpowers. It's definite.”
“I'm telling you, no attacks.”
“Anyway, message delivered.”
“...”
“Prepare thoroughly, Dawood Campbell. Not your average guy.”
I watched him vanish after that with a dumbfounded look.
‘...Whatever.’
No clue what those two 'assaults' with 20+ assassins mean.
But if he came in person, probably not a lie.
Expected timing: tomorrow, probably.
Before the 'selection exam' kicks off.
‘...Don't wanna face that guy.’
Among Wanderers, Veil's a bad matchup for me. Strategies bounce off; he just smashes with raw specs.
But he won't back off just 'cause I don't like it. Gotta fight.
Prep thoroughly and pay him back in kind.
●
Next day.
Selection exam began.
Assassins didn't show a single whisker.
“...”
Why aren't they coming?
[System Message]
[ Target 'Elnor's' mania has subsided! ]
[ Corruption level decreased! ]
And why're you popping up outta nowhere?
●