Derek's Fury
“Company Commander!”
The company soldiers, spotting the attack on me, drew their swords as they shouted.
“Tch!”
It was obvious she’d aimed for an assassination, but she’d failed. Her face twisted in frustration.
She’s definitely way above my level.
If I hadn’t trained with the Special Forces battalion recently, that ferocious strike would’ve ended me for sure.
At this level, she could probably kill everyone here and escape.
The soldiers had swords in hand, but honestly, those were just decorations.
“Sergeant Hops.”
“Yes, sir! Company Commander!”
I called over the nearest soldier.
“Go find anyone who can help and let them know the enemy’s breached the citadel.”
“Yes…? Let’s subdue this one first—”
“Do as I say!”
Time was critical, so my voice came out sharper than intended.
“U-understood!”
Stung by my irritated bark, he grasped the gravity and sprinted off for help.
Now I just have to buy time.
It wouldn’t be easy.
And standing here passively, letting her strike first? That dropped my odds even lower.
“Hah!”
Swoosh!
A life-or-death fight.
I bellowed to psych myself up, but more than ever, I swung with safety in mind.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Maybe because her weapon was a dagger.
My reach advantage masked the skill gap.
I can handle this. I can handle it!
I’d figured an assassin meant certain death like some sadistic nightmare, but she wasn’t that good.
If I play it right, I might even win?
But it didn’t take long to realize that was wishful thinking.
“My intel must’ve been wrong. Even with those, nothing’s going right.”
The woman spoke for the first time.
Her voice was startlingly normal—unlike any Aditz scum I’d heard before.
More objectively, it was a smooth, pleasant tone, like polished beads.
Maybe she’s someone I can reason with.
I shouldn’t judge by appearances, but what choice did I have?
That was all I had to hope for.
“You gonna keep this up? Even if you kill me here, you won’t escape.”
I’d sent the soldier, and the explosion would bring troops swarming any second.
“Let’s both walk away alive. Run now, and I won’t pursue.”
Objectively, a solid deal for her too.
If she’s got any brains, if she values her life, she can’t refuse.
In this do-or-die spot, I couldn’t help but pat myself on the back for thinking of it.
“No time to hesitate—”
“Looks like a decent guy from how his men react. Sorry about that.”
“Huh…?”
Whish!
Like Ramon earlier, she drew another dagger from her bosom and hurled it.
Clang!
“Shit!”
I barely knocked it away, but the real fight was just starting.
“If I didn’t have orders to kill you, I’d have let it slide. But no choice.”
Clang!
Her attacks surged in—fiercer, faster, stronger than before.
She was holding back…?
I didn’t know why, but any thought of a fair fight was scrapped.
And orders to kill me? Why the hell me?
No other soldier had less patriotism than me. Why target me?
It made zero sense.
“You’ll pay for this someday.”
Clang!
Her strikes clung like glue, even as I pushed back.
The moment I poured everything into holding out, her hand gripped my shoulder.
“Huh?”
Whish!
In an instant.
Her dagger slipped free, my sword sliced air, and her lithe body fluttered behind me like a butterfly.
Positions swapped.
Her dagger aimed for my heart. Game over.
“Die.”
A voice devoid of emotion, ice-cold.
No room for persuasion, no future in sight.
This is really it.
Not bad for a second life. I’d lasted long.
Swoosh!
The dagger cleaved air toward my heart.
Powerless to resist…
“You shouldn’t do that.”
Drip. Drip.
The dagger’s tip halted just as it pricked my back’s skin.
“Wh-what the…?”
A faint sting, and her panicked voice from behind.
Something had shifted. I cautiously opened my squeezed-shut eyes.
“Keep going. I’ll kill you the same way. All three of you. Make it four with you?”
A voice laced with rage, bloodlust, madness.
It was Derek.
“Blood’s dripping down your back right now, right, bro?”
Thud!
No time for anyone to stop him—Derek drove his blade into the man’s back on the ground.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed like a fountain, bright crimson.
Not the heart, so not instant death, but he’d bleed out soon enough.
“Aaaagh! What the hell are you doing?!”
Didn’t expect Derek to act so boldly?
Her icy tone shattered into raw emotion.
Hey, hey, isn’t this poking the bear too hard…?
But Derek wasn’t done.
“Just giving it back. Sure, I’ll repay threefold, but you started it—no complaints, right?”
He flung the hole-ridden man aside and hoisted the woman by the throat.
She trembled violently.
Whatever he’d done, her limbs were pinned immobile.
All she could do was shake.
“Too lazy to do ’em one by one. Should I just kill you? You were gonna kill bro anyway, right?”
The face was Derek’s, but the vibe? Nothing like the guy I knew.
Clatter!
“St-stop… I surrender.”
Not the pitiless killer after all?
Against expectations, she dropped her dagger and raised both hands.
“Bro, over here.”
Derek beckoned me.
I bolted to him without a second’s hesitation—this miracle escape chance.
“Your back okay? Looked like it got cut.”
Derek eyed me with worry.
You look way worse off.
Blood still pouring—he needed treatment ASAP.
“Let her go, and hand over the three!”
At her shout, Derek tilted his head in confusion.
“Why would I? Never promised that.”
“Wh-what?”
Her voice cracked in shock.
Come to think of it, Derek hadn’t said a word about releasing her.
“There’s more of you, right? Spill the rendezvous point. Do that, and you live for now.”
“You think I’d tell you?!”
If she truly cared for her comrades, no way she’d accept.
“Boss… don’t worry about us—run! We’ll plot for later!”
The bleeding man bellowed, eyes bulging.
A rock-and-hard-place dilemma.
Even I could see no good options for her.
All captured? Or sacrifice some?
Troops would arrive soon—no time to deliberate.
“S-sorry.”
She chose abandonment, muttering briefly before turning away.
But Derek hadn’t promised to let her go nicely either.
Shrieeeek!
He closed the gap with inhuman speed, sword flashing.
What sound is that…?
Beyond metal—it tore space itself, a realm apart.
“Ngh.”
Too much even for her?
Her arm, unmoved by my strikes, now quivered.
Derek really is a monster.
All-out Derek exceeded imagination.
Shrieeeek! Shrieeeek! Shrieeeek!
Exchanges blurred into one endless clash.
I thought Derek had it, but her skill was unreal too.
“Hup!”
Shriiiiiieeeek!!!
With a short shout, Derek unleashed everything—her body scraped backward across the roof.
Normally, close the gap fast.
But Derek didn’t move.
Letting her go?
Probably sensed a decisive win would drag on too long.
And she, knowing it better than me, spat venomous killing intent.
“Disgusting, treacherous scum.”
Her eyes locked on me.
“I’ll kill you both with my own hands.”
With that spine-chilling vow, she fled.
“Whew, captain-level for sure. Nearly got me twice.”
The lethal tension vanished; Derek shook his head, back to normal.
“Glad you’re safe.”
“No way. If I hadn’t spotted these while moving, you’d be dead. Horrifying just thinking about it—can’t forgive that.”
Derek glared at the three captives, eyes bottomlessly cold.
“Still, thanks to you I lived. How’d you restrain them? If it’s weak, they’ll break free soon.”
“Nah, don’t worry. Sliced their leg and arm muscles—month minimum before they move.”
“Ah.”
Most reliable method, yeah.
“Wanted to kill ’em for endangering you, but assassin squad means intel goldmine. Gotta keep ’em alive.”
“Right, if they’re really the assassin squad.”
Aditz Empire’s most secretive, deadliest outfit.
If true, massive win.
Wait, then I detected their hit on me early and defended multiple times?
Thinking it over, this was huge.
I’ve really leveled up.
Monsters everywhere made it feel meh, but this was solid imperial lieutenant average.
“I’ll handle these. You move out, bro—time’s short.”
“Got it.”
Wanted to ask how enemies scaled the walls, but even I saw we had no time.
“Grab only what we can use and move. Hurry!”
“Yes, sir!!”
Derek’s dominance?
Panicked company snapped to, resuming roles.
“Company Commander! Explosion at the triple mess hall!”
“Tch. Casualties?”
“Two soldiers seriously wounded.”
“Send the wounded to medical, rest withdraw fast.”
“Understood!”
Accomplices, as Derek said.
“Head’s gone, so probably last blast.”
“Hope so.”
Praying for no more casualties, we fell back to the rally point.