One Strike, Three Birds (3)
“Track Zeke Clayman.”
The Yustia assassination squad leader issued the order immediately upon hearing that Hades had been captured.
“Squad leader, what about the young lady? She's heading to the Yohayden mansion.”
The deputy leader asked him.
“Is her safety secured?”
“She's recovering from unconsciousness and currently traveling with the Yohayden duke's daughter.”
“Then send three squad members to handle any incidental threats. Avoid direct clashes with the Yohayden side.”
“Understood.”
The assassination leader shifted his gaze to the squad members.
“As for the young lady, we'll interrogate Zeke Clayman once we capture him and receive further orders.”
“Understood.”
The squad members nodded at the leader's words.
“Squad leader.”
At that moment, one of the scouts he'd sent out approached and knelt before him.
“Report.”
“We've located Hades.”
“His position.”
“……He escaped.”
A twitch.
The assassination leader's brow furrowed.
“Detailed report.”
“He approached a squad member in Alley 12 and reported Zeke Clayman's location. After receiving our squad's positions, he immediately exploited a gap and fled. It appears he made contact with Zeke Clayman before forcing his escape.”
“……Betrayal. Fine, noted for now. Zeke Clayman's location?”
“Lamieli back alleys. We're still tracking him.”
Despite the sudden betrayal by Hades, the assassination leader made a swift judgment.
Zeke Clayman must have passed some information to him before he ran.
Ignoring it would pose too great a potential risk.
“Deputy leader.”
“Yes.”
“You'll track Hades alone.”
“Understood.”
The deputy leader turned and vanished from sight.
He addressed the remaining squad members.
“All squad members except the deputy and pursuit team—assemble. We're moving to Zeke Clayman's location. Upon first contact, notify him of the summons. If he refuses, permission is granted to sever his limbs.”
The squad members nodded silently at his words.
Guided by the squad member, they arrived at a large warehouse-like building not far away.
It was completely unmanaged, its exterior filthy, with a musty, booze-soaked stench wafting out.
“Zeke Clayman is inside?”
“Yes.”
“We'll go through the upper windows.”
The Yustia assassination squad moved to the small windows high on the warehouse walls.
Over twenty men moved in perfect unison, their motions utterly silent.
They positioned themselves on the ceiling beams and surveyed the situation.
Zeke Clayman's black-haired nape was visible.
He was facing off against about a hundred armed men.
The assassination leader raised one hand.
“Hold. Assess the situation.”
The scene inside the warehouse was wretched, not even worth calling squalid.
Beheaded corpses hung grotesquely from the walls,
and empty bottles lay scattered haphazardly across the floor.
Some were even doing drugs, the acrid stench of herbs stinging their noses.
'Zeke Clayman, what the hell are you up to…….'
Zeke Clayman held a baguette in the standoff with the thugs.
“……He's really holding bread.”
He'd heard the report from his subordinate, but seeing it firsthand was even more absurd.
“Looks like there's a metal rod shoved inside.”
“Yeah, otherwise that stance wouldn't be possible.”
Glancing at his feet, two burly men lay with caved-in skulls, brains leaking out.
Then, the apparent leader of the gang opened his mouth.
“Boys! That bastard's the enemy who killed Kutan! We never forgive anyone who messes with our family! Time to make an example!!!”
“As expected of the Lackeys targeting Yustia.”
The assassination leader's eyes widened at Zeke's response to the leader's threat.
'What!? Black mages targeting Yustia!?'
It wasn't in the reports. Not even when receiving orders from Hella.
The leader was flustered by this sudden unknown information,
but decided to keep observing for now.
“Lost Hope, I won't let you scum kidnap Iriel.”
“Huh??? Us……. Yeah, we're Rust, but……”
“Right, you lot. Subordinates of Lost Hope. Lost. That black mage promised you Hope ranks if you kidnapped Iriel, didn't he.”
The assassination leader scrutinized the group facing Zeke.
'These trash…… Black mage minions, trying to kidnap Lady Iriel……?'
They looked utterly worthless at a glance.
They reeked of having killed one or two people, but that was it.
To the leader, a professional assassin, they seemed like rank amateurs.
He was slightly surprised by the brutality of hanging corpses on walls and their blatant drug use,
but that was shock at their audacity in the capital,
not because the thugs themselves seemed impressive.
'Zeke Clayman wouldn't bluff with something this flimsy to escape a crisis.'
If these guys were truly dangerous and after Iriel,
then Zeke's flight had some convincing justification.
But only if they were confirmed black mage minions.
Then, the leader saw Zeke charging toward the enemy side.
'……When did that bastard get that fast?'
Zeke's penetration speed into the enemy ranks was impressive even to the leader's eyes.
But the problem came next.
Something utterly unexpected happened.
Thwack!
A dull impact rang out, and Zeke went flying.
From a clumsy punch by the weakest-looking thug, who squeezed his eyes shut.
Zeke rolled across the floor, face-planting.
He coughed raggedly.
A sticky red puddle formed under his chin.
'……Impossible.'
Even the weakest-looking one possessed overwhelming strength.
And it didn't end there.
This time, he didn't even sense it coming.
Boom!!!!!
A blue glow erupted under Zeke's body, followed by a massive explosion.
Thick white smoke filled the hideout.
One of them must have used magic.
'That's no ordinary smoke!!! It's laced with magic!!!'
Having faced mages before, the assassination leader detected the suspicious haze rising.
He urgently turned to his squad and commanded.
“Everyone, hold your breath! Don't inhale the smoke!”
Fortunately, his judgment was quick, and the squad covered their mouths and noses in time.
The leader soon understood the magic's nature.
The thugs, who seemed slightly stronger than civilians, began morphing grotesquely.
Drip.
Veins bulging across their bodies, eyes turning blood-red.
Like humans who'd sold their souls to demons.
“……Grrr.”
“……Kill.”
“……Us.”
“……All.”
They growled like beasts.
Muttering something in low voices, like a bizarre ritual chant.
Gulp.
Swallows echoed from the assassins behind him.
'……Truly, black mage minions…….'
The name 'Lost Hope' seared into his mind.
The assassination leader's eyes wavered.
He faced a dilemma.
Priority on mission meant retrieving the downed Zeke Clayman now.
But these were enemies targeting Yustia.
A suspicious group aiming to kidnap Lady Iriel.
Despite Yustia's vast intel network,
no such group with these traits appeared on potential enemy lists.
'Slipped completely through Yustia's intel net…… A group nurturing such irrational power in secrecy…….'
Letting them escape here, and they'd slip through again,
striking Yustia at any moment.
'Lost Hope, was it…….'
The leader looked down at Zeke Clayman.
The man who'd uncovered this dangerous group alone, charging in recklessly to protect Iriel.
“Fucking…… bastards……”
He ground his teeth, words spitting out in chunks.
'…….'
Then, Zeke Clayman turned his head this way.
Locking eyes with the assassination leader.
“Assassination. Leader. The enemies. Have. Noticed.”
'Damn it. That magic was for us.'
The leader scanned the air.
Fortunately, the smoke from the instant-effect spell dissipated quickly.
He closed his eyes, pondering his next move.
Then decided.
“For Yustia.”
He met his squad's eyes.
“We eliminate Yustia's enemies here. Zeke Clayman's retrieval comes after.”
The squad bowed in unison.
They knew orders took priority, but having witnessed the fiends' power firsthand, they couldn't deem the leader's judgment wrong.
“We're outnumbered, so form an extermination unit, not assassination. Engage accordingly.”
Shing!
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The squad drew their weapons with grim faces.
“Go.”
Like silent rain, black-clad men dropped from behind Zeke, blades extended.
The assassination leader gazed steadily at the fallen Zeke Clayman.
“Zeke Clayman.”
“Yes.”
“When this is over, you'll explain.”
“Yes.”
Footsteps echoed as he moved.
In a low, solemn voice, he commanded.
“Charge.”
With that, the Yustia assassination squad lunged at the thugs, swords thrusting forward.
Suddenly, black-robed figures dropped from the ceiling.
Drawing swords, charging at his organization members.
“Fuck!! Stop the fight—stop, I said!!!”
Lorden screamed hoarsely, but no one paid him any mind.
Instead, grotesque shrieks drowned out his voice.
Lorden was going mad.
Suddenly, smoke billowed from the black-haired man,
so he instinctively held his breath.
The smoke filling the hideout cleared,
and in that brief moment, his subordinates' states turned bizarre.
“Fuck. What the hell is going on……”
His men fought the shadowy figures with bulging veins and blood-red eyes.
Undoubtedly professionals in killing.
Splat!
Splat!
Blood sprayed.
He couldn't tell how many subordinates had already died.
Even he, who'd crossed countless brushes with death, felt fear at the ferocity.
But could this even be called human fighting human?
His men ignored severed arms or gut wounds.
They thrashed to stab one more time,
and if their sword hand was cut off, they lunged with teeth.
The sounds from his men were more beast than human.
“Kyagagagak!!!”
“Kuhahahaha!”
“Die!!!!!!”
“Kyahahak!”
Was there really a black mage hiding among us?
Terrified, Lorden backed away step by step.
Then, bump.
He collided back-to-back with a subordinate.
The scout he'd sent to fetch the dagger from the treasure vault earlier.
“You……! Where the hell were you!”
But his eyes were blood-red too.
“Shit…… Fuck.”
As he cursed, the guy tilted his head, then grinned wickedly.
“Kyak!!!!”
Suddenly lunging.
Lorden instinctively drew his knife and slashed the man's chest.
Splat!
Blood sprayed, but it was shallow.
“You crazy fuck!!! Snap out of it!!!”
“Kyahahak! Die!!!”
But the man pressed forward, gripping the magic dagger reverse and thrusting at Lorden.
Lorden grabbed the incoming blade with his bare hand.
Scorching pain flared in his palm.
“Urk!”
Trembling.
In the midst of their struggle,
suddenly, a dissatisfied voice pierced his ear from somewhere.
Lorden whipped his head around but couldn't find the voice's source.
'A true subordinate of the black mage……?'