Chapter 35
Chapter 35
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Knight Hanson (5) - The Fuse Called Hatred and Rage
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A village engulfed in roaring flames. From afar, it might have looked like the sun was rising.
'Burning nicely.'
I'd deliberately started the blaze in spots hidden from the stables, nice and slow. At first, they probably wouldn't have noticed much. Their attention was drawn elsewhere anyway.
"Fuck, fire!"
"Get water, you idiots!"
I'd been hiding in a house, then slipped into the mercenaries' ranks. We weren't close enough to know every face by heart.
"Move your asses!"
"Who the fuck did this?!"
I filled a bucket at the well and ran toward the blaze. The moment I hit a blind spot in the alleys, between the crowd, I splashed the water on the mercenary right beside me.
"Pfft! What the fuck?!"
I charged the startled bastard and drove my sword into him.
"Gahk!"
The guy next to him jumped in shock and opened his mouth to yell. I whipped a dagger from my belt and hurled it.
"Sh—"
—Crunch!
The mercenary tumbled to the ground. I tossed their bodies into the flames, grabbed the bucket, and headed back out.
'Gotta thin their numbers.'
And at the same time, make sure they couldn't get the fire under control. If they did, they'd start hunting the arsonist, and security would tighten up.
'Can't let that happen.'
Sorry for the ones chased from the stables, but I couldn't save everyone. Efficiency was key.
I refilled the bucket at the well and ran down the street, calling out to a mercenary sprinting beside me.
"Hey! Help me out here! The flames are too fierce; I can't handle it alone!"
"Where? Where?!"
I lured in three more and led them to the alley from before. They froze as they went to dump their buckets.
"Hold up."
"What?"
"Isn't that the smell of burning flesh?"
'He caught that?'
Every now and then, one of these mercenaries had a nose like a bloodhound. Guess this was the one.
Splash!
"Fuck!"
I doused him without hesitation and smashed the bucket into the front guy's face. Ignoring the one toppling backward, I drew my sword.
Slash!
I channeled mana and cleaved the lead bastard's torso in half. Blood poured from the severed heart.
"Sh—Gaaahk!"
The one behind drew his sword, but I blasted flames into his mouth. The searing heat choked him out.
Stab!
I finished the one clawing at his throat, then stomped the head of the knocked-out merc behind him, shattering it before hurling the corpse into the fire.
'Better not push it here.'
⚔ STATUS UPDATE ⚔ ⚡ Strength: 45 → 46 💨 Agility: 45 → 46 I allocated the stat points and headed back out, repeating the process. After two more level-ups, half the mercenaries fighting the fire had vanished.
"Hold on, why are there so few of us?"
"And why won't this fire die?!"
By then, the mercenaries caught on to the weirdness and stopped rushing straight to the flames. The streets reeked of burning flesh from all the bodies.
"There's a traitor for sure."
"Who the hell is it?"
"How the fuck should I know?!"
The mercs huddled around the well, eyeing each other suspiciously. I couldn't help but smirk at the paranoia.
'Idiots.'
Couldn't spot the enemy right in their midst. Pathetic.
"Let's head back to the Village Chief and talk it over."
"Yeah. For now."
"But shouldn't some stay to put out the fire? The whole village is gonna burn!"
"You? You're the traitor, you fuck!"
One merc's words set another off. Swords came out fast.
"What the hell's your problem?! Did I say something wrong?!"
"Shut your trap! Anyone yapping about putting out the fire gets labeled a traitor and killed. Got it?"
A burly, bearded guy bellowed, and the others nodded. Looked like the leader here.
'Knows how to steer the mood.'
We returned to the stables, but the Village Chief was nowhere in sight. Probably off fighting the fire himself.
"That fucking bastard..."
The merc leader thought otherwise, it seemed. His reaction screamed betrayal.
Whatever happened, it was before I showed up. No other explanation for his rage.
"Fan out and find the chief first."
"Got it!"
"Everyone, scatter!"
I stuck with one merc as we hit the streets. While jogging, I prodded him.
"Why's everyone so on edge? What went down with the chief?"
"You really don't know?"
He shot me a wary glance.
"Joined up pretty recently, so yeah, I might not. Overheard the others say it was some old shit anyway."
"It's been a while since then."
"So what happened?"
Curiosity piqued, I tossed him a silver coin. He pocketed it and spilled.
"Same old story. One of ours got into it with a villager. But you know how fucking annoying these villagers are."
"Oh, I know."
"Fight broke out, our guy lops off the villager's arm. Shit escalates, villagers lose their minds."
Refusing to clean the inn, serving garbage food, hurling insults on the street.
"Some of us snapped, chopped off limbs as examples, hung 'em around town. Thought that'd settle it."
"Thought?"
"Chief torches the inn while we slept. Most burned alive; a few escaped but got clubbed by waiting villagers."
"And you're still hanging on?"
That should've ended it all.
"Should've blown up way sooner, but with the mess outside? Had to compromise. They vent their impotent rage on outsiders passing through."
Chief needed mercs for protection; mercs needed a safe spot to eat and crash. Forced alliance.
'So why take it out on innocent travelers?'
I clicked my tongue as we walked. The merc beside me suddenly looked off.
"Talking made me curious. When'd you roll into the village?"
"When?"
I tensed my legs and answered.
"Yesterday."
"What?"
Whoosh!
I lunged, swinging a fist. He was quick—thought he was—but he'd braced, dodging barely.
Thud!
That was it. Next punch packed mana; he crumpled.
Crunch—
I crushed his skull and chucked the body into a nearby house. Flames would handle the rest.
'Back to merc hunting.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Fucking bastards, found you."
The merc leader spat curses at the Village Chief. I was right beside him, but few mercs remained.
My handiwork. Losing that many should've raised flags, but the leader fixated solely on the chief.
'Blind rage clouds the eyes.'
Flames roaring everywhere, heat searing skin. Anxiety over losing their village, fury at vanishing men.
All woven together into this perfect storm.
"What're you doing here?! I told you to put out the fire!"
The opposite of his stable demeanor. True colors, maybe. He'd dutifully doused fires near the villagers, though.
'Won't matter.'
Other blazes raged uncontrollably. Village wells couldn't cope.
The chief's eyes flicked, then he sneered.
"Ah, so that's it. Wondered why the fire started. You lowly scum getting revenge for what we did?"
"Revenge my ass! You started it, fucks!"
"Yeah!"
"Knew it when you fed our people to monsters calling 'em sons and daughters!"
Mercs and villagers drew hidden weapons. No reason left—just hate and fury, sparked by my flames.
"Fuck 'em up!"
"Shitheads!"
They charged. Villagers outnumbered them, but mercs held ground—lifers with blades.
"Gaaah!"
A merc severed a villager's throat. Half-off head dangled, spraying blood. Nearby villager swung a club, bursting the merc's skull.
Splat!
Watermelon-crack sound, blood and brains everywhere.
I wove through mercs, picking off villagers one by one. Easy one-strokes, but I paced myself slow.
Fierce clashes amid burning village, crimson sprays. Bodies piled, dwindling to few.
"Never liked you, fucker!"
Leader slashed down at the chief. Middle-aged man staggered, then collapsed.
"S-spare—"
—Slash!
No mercy. Nearby villagers glanced, then fled.
"Raaagh!"
Bloody leader roared, surveying survivors.
"Good work. All of you."
He clapped my shoulder, grinning wide. I smirked back.
"Yeah. Good work."
Slash!
Mana-charged swing, vertical from below. Sword split him clean in two.
Splatters!
Guts and blood gushed endlessly.
"F-fuck!"
"What the hell?!"
"Traitor!"
Survivors yelled. Finishing them was simple—exhausted wrecks.
"Hoo..."
I exhaled, scanning the carnage. Corpses and blood everywhere, village blazing fiercer afar.
I headed for the stables.
'Time to bounce.'
What a shithole.