Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Chapter 20: Death vs. Death (2)
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The members of the Twelve Squad were tense as could be.
Just because Four Thousand Four was alone didn't mean they could afford to slack off. And now they knew exactly why he was called Four Thousand Four.
The bastard was a true killer.
He didn't see people as people—he killed them like animals.
The guy had no humanity whatsoever. He'd slaughter even his own parents and children if it meant survival. That was why he was rampaging like this despite the truce edict hanging over everything.
He had to be killed.
And when the time came to kill him, there could be no hesitation whatsoever.
"Keep your heads on straight. One slip and you're done."
The squad leader didn't even need to say it. The Twelve Squad members already had bloodshot eyes, veins bulging.
They were the killers the Vanguard spoke of.
True assassins who carried out the Heavenly Annihilation Division's orders without regard for good or evil.
Parents, wives, children... before the Division's command, no human bonds mattered.
Once the order dropped, only killer and target remained. The one to die and the one to kill.
They were killers. So it was fine to kill them.
Four Thousand Four halted his movements and perked up his ears.
He knew how they saw him.
Since he'd ignored the truce, they'd peg him as a cold-blooded monster without pity or tears. And since he'd shown no mercy in cutting down the squad members, they'd think him a vile, ruthless demon.
He could feel their killing intent.
Their iron will to kill him came flying like arrows, embedding deep.
Both sides were dead set on killing the other, so this fight wouldn't end until one fell. The approaching Killing Squad and the ones behind them.
'Vanguard, please... just stay out of this fight.'
He didn't want to kill Vanguard. He didn't want to kill Hanbi, Jaja, or Fox either. But if he had to... he'd have no choice. So he just hoped they'd stay out of it.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, flames erupted from the forest.
"What the—!"
The leader of the Twelve let out a cry of alarm.
The termites were chasing Four Thousand Four. But suddenly, flames surged up and engulfed them.
The fire had started with eerie precision.
It targeted the termites perfectly... burning both the front and rear of their trail at once.
This was no natural blaze.
And it wouldn't go out easily. Like fire on oil, it kept spreading relentlessly. And it burned with expert focus, consuming only the termites.
"What the hell is this? Why's it so vicious?!"
"Firefly powder. It's firefly powder."
"Damn it! Why the hell is firefly powder showing up out of nowhere? What's that Four Thousand Four bastard's deal?!"
"Quiet down!"
The Twelve leader's face went pale.
Four Thousand Four had sniffed out the pursuit. So he'd torched every last termite.
Now they had no way to track him.
And what came next... was retaliation. No doubt he'd come at them. They'd poked the bear first, and they knew he'd chase them to the gates of hell. Why would he let them off now?
"He's going to attack us. So..."
The Twelve leader trailed off, staring piercingly at his squad.
One wasn't moving.
Everyone had been too focused on the sudden flames to check on each other. With fire roaring right in front of them, who had the spare attention?
In that gap... one had met his end.
A thin trickle of blood leaked from the back of his head. Just a thread-thin amount.
Shh!
One squad member checked him.
"Damn it!"
"What?"
Instead of answering, the assassin checking the body pulled a small twig from the corpse and held it up.
The twig was tiny, like a branchlet. Barely a handspan long. Thickness of a chopstick, with a crude thin needle jammed into the tip.
A makeshift arrow.
No one could throw something this small by hand. And no bow for firing it came to mind. A toy bow, maybe.
Could that kill a man?
"Wooden bow."
"Ha! Even a wooden bow. What the hell keeps popping up?"
"That bastard's got every damn weapon in the world, doesn't he? Making us sick of it."
Everyone threw in a word.
But no one left to respond. Six had entered the forest; now only three remained in a blink.
Everything had flipped.
The Killing Squad was supposed to hunt him down, but he was hunting them.
Swish!
The leader closed his eyes.
He stilled himself and quietly unleashed the Heavenly Ear Technique. Any sound in the forest, he'd catch it all. And among them, the bastard for sure.
Time passed.
The termites wrapped in flames crumbled to a handful of ash.
All the termites handed over by headquarters to track Four Thousand Four had been wiped out.
But that didn't mean they'd lost every means of pursuit.
The Fifteen Squad leader had a pouch. And headquarters still had one last pouch.
They could call on the Fifteen Squad leader right now and resume the chase. But they couldn't. Pride wouldn't let the words "help us" escape their lips.
'Nothing!'
The Twelve leader scowled and opened his eyes. But!
"You!"
An unfamiliar figure stood before him.
The leader instinctively knew this stranger was Four Thousand Four.
He whipped his head to the side.
Both squad members were dead. No sound, no sensation... and yet both lay neatly on the ground.
"Th-this...!"
Forgetting the enemy was right there, the leader cried out in shock.
When had they died? How? What technique had slain his men? No, wait. He'd had the Heavenly Ear Technique active—how had he fooled both ears?
"This is impossible..."
Swish!
Four Thousand Four closed in like a ghost.
No—while he'd been gasping in shock a couple times, the bastard had already plastered himself to his side.
Pfht!
The blade pierced up under his chin.
The leader couldn't even raise a hand. He swore he had no chance. No lapse in vigilance, full attention... so when the hell had he snuck in and struck?
Four Thousand Four caught the collapsing leader and gently laid him down.
No sound rose. Not the tear of flesh by steel, nor the thud of the body.
Crackle! Pop!
The lingering fire licked at fallen leaves.
"That's firefly powder, right?"
"Ha! Four Thousand Four... changes every damn day. At this rate, he handles it better than me."
"You joking right now?"
"For real. I couldn't use it like that. He limited it perfectly, ignited just the termites."
"That hard to pull off?"
"Damn tough. Impressive skill."
Fox looked genuinely awed.
"Four Thousand Four, you think he's known firefly powder all along? Otherwise, how..."
"Quiet."
Vanguard silenced the chatter with a heavy voice.
His expression was grave. Brows deeply furrowed. Lips pressed tight.
"What's up...?"
Jaja sidled up close and asked.
"Looks like the Twelve Squad got wiped out."
Everyone's jaws dropped at Vanguard's words.
From their spot, they could only see the flames. No clue what was happening in the forest.
"For real?"
Hanbi asked, face full of disbelief.
To erase a whole Killing Squad in such a short time demanded serious martial prowess. Even surrounded by six, you'd need the edge to win.
Four Thousand Four wasn't that strong.
So how had he annihilated a squad in less time than a meal?
"Vanguard's right. Twelve Squad's gone."
Fox said, squinting.
He was watching the Fifteen Squad charging into the forest. People who wouldn't budge if Twelve was still kicking—yet they bolted like pigs with tails on fire.
Something big had gone down in there.
"Kekeke! Guess we better get ready too?"
"Getting fun. Who'd have thought he'd wipe out Twelve. Fifteen won't fare better. Vanguard, time we move. Can't let him slip away."
The Wolf Valley Twins cackled darkly.
"Heh heh! Folks say death don't pick favorites... but I know the order. Who drops first."
Fox snickered.
"Hoho! Hohohoho!"
Jaja clutched her belly laughing.
Vanguard eyed the Wolf Valley Twins.
"Which of you is Six?"
"I'm Six."
"Sir."
"...?"
"Cocky bastards. You crawled under me, learn to serve your leader. Say it again."
"I... I'm Six, sir."
One of the Wolf Valley Twins spat it out, eyes flashing murderously.
"I command you, Six. Cut off Four Thousand Four's escape."
"What the—? Haha! Vanguard, even if you hate me, this ain't how you give orders. That basically says 'go die alone to Four Thousand Four'!"
"Didn't know? Our Vanguard's infamous for offing One-Four-Six. You two are Four-Six. Time to prep your coffins. Came as Four-Six without that resolve?"
Fox poked at them.
"Heh heh heh!"
The Wolf Valley Twins glared murder at Fox.
He was right. Under Vanguard, his orders were absolute.
Defy, and headquarters' laws would purge you. Same as Four Thousand Four.
Big mistake from the start. Should've said they were dispatched to watch Vanguard.
"Let's go."
Swish! Shooosh!
The Wolf Valley Twins vanished in a blur.
"You okay with this? Fifteen alone's a handful—now we're piling more on Four Thousand Four..."
"Fox, Four Thousand Four's our enemy. If they drop, we take him out. Get your head straight. He's not yesterday's Four Thousand Four."
Vanguard said coldly.