Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Crakto Village Ambush
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89
10
"...It's only been made recently. Feels like just a little over five minutes."
Noel straightened up after examining the muddy footprints.
The plains stretched out endlessly, but the footprints continued unbroken.
There were three sets left—thinking of Nagaraja's members, their owners were obvious.
The important part wasn't who was left.
If the tracks were only about five minutes old, that meant they'd chased them right up to their heels.
Thanks to Ethan, Kyriakos, and Louis holding the rear, they'd pushed forward without rest.
The distance closing was good news, but it felt a bit too narrowed, overly so.
"Are they wary of our pursuit?"
"We can't rule it out completely, but... probably not."
He shook his head at Leon's cautious question.
The distance closing meant their movement had slowed.
It was natural to assume they'd slowed for some scheme.
"If they were going to pull something, they'd have done it from the start. The timing's too late."
If they'd wanted to deal with them decisively from the beginning, they could've launched a full assault in the forest.
No reason to separate Torugang and Schvalina.
Now, with only three left, there was no motive for them to suddenly team up and attack.
"If anything, this is... them acting leisurely?"
"Probably."
Noel nodded carefully while scrutinizing the footprints.
Could tracking skills reveal it?
"They're letting their guard down."
"Yeah. They must believe the guys in the rear will take care of us."
Honestly, it didn't make sense.
Why did these villains always portion out their full strength just enough to let the protagonist grow?
Just look at the Demon King's castle—starting with level 1 goblins at the entrance, progressing through skeletons, ogres, trolls, to the Four Heavenly Kings, perfectly timed so the hero finishes leveling by the summit....
Thinking seriously, it was for balance adjustment.
The most out-of-place thing in a broken world where balance was shattered from the get-go....
"If they're careless, it's good for us. We can catch up."
"No, we'll rest here for a bit."
"Is that okay? They might pick up speed again."
He slowly shook his head at Leon.
He sat on a nearby rock and closed his left eye.
Behind the eyelid, he pictured the nearby map.
Every region of the Broken World implemented in the game was organized in his head.
He'd memorized the maps so thoroughly he could redraw them perfectly.
Around here, vast plains spread out.
But it wasn't just plains.
A bit further west lay the abandoned village of Crakto, forsaken due to monster activity.
Now uninhabited, it looked like meaningless polygons filling an empty map, but later it became a stage tied to the pioneers.
Of course, true to the trash game, it was one-use only.
One-use in the game, that is.
If Nagaraja was fleeing west, high chance they'd stop at Crakto Village.
Sunset was approaching just in time.
Even they wouldn't fancy marching all night without rest.
Plus, they had to link up with Torugang and Schvalina.
Their leisure probably meant they'd reached their destination.
Whether Crakto was the final goal or a waypoint, unknown.
But stopping there was a given.
Better to wait in ambush at Crakto than chase desperately.
From this point, shortest path... hits a steep incline midway.
Bypassing it bare-handed would be faster.
"Noel, are the footprints going straight?"
"Yeah, straight ahead the whole way."
"Good. We've bought time."
They're already acting leisurely.
No way they'd rush the incline, so they'd buy a decent chunk.
He opened his closed eyelid.
Short rest, but stamina recovered somewhat.
He stood from the rock, dusting his clothes.
"I'll take point from here. Follow me."
11
Crakto Village was a complete ghost town.
No signs of life, not even faint traces of past inhabitants.
Most buildings half-collapsed.
Even the intact ones had rotted doors and windows.
Faint signs remained of cobwebs and dust being cleared—proof pioneers visited sporadically.
As expected, they arrived first at Crakto Village.
After securing safety, Leon and he hid behind a ruined building at the village edge; Noel atop the broken clock tower.
"Stamina recovered much?"
"Honestly? I just wanna collapse into bed and sleep."
Leon, who'd asked seriously, chuckled.
"Me too."
No idea how many hours they'd been chasing.
Short break couldn't restore much stamina.
Barely holding balance—any strain and fatigue would drop them.
His own low stamina compared to the others played a part.
This body was healthy enough originally, but unfair to compare to flying aces like Leon and Ethan.
No matter how good a scooter's mana, it couldn't touch a bulldozer or sports car.
One other besides him worried about stamina.
He looked up at the broken clock tower bathed in sunset glow.
Backlit, Noel inside wasn't visible.
Her stamina was similarly low.
Plus handling the chase solo—fatigue must be heavy.
Hope she holds out this once.
"Cloropho, cloropho~ When will Schvalina and Torugang return?"
"Hmm... in 10 minutes?"
"Ey, 10 minutes is too short! They won't run back!"
"Hmm...... In 10 hours?"
"That overshoots the meet time! Cloropho's such a dummy~!"
Voices drifted from afar.
Bouncy bright woman's voice and slow drawling dark man's.
He instantly suppressed his presence, peeking out to confirm the enemy.
As expected, three walking side by side.
Petite white-haired woman in shaman garb with staff, chattering away: Lycha.
Hulking redhead with blank expression, hard to tell man from orc: Cloropho.
Silent, expressionless white-haired elder between them: Mikel.
All Nagaraja members.
"Cloropho cloropho~!"
Lycha tapped Cloropho's thick arm with her oversized staff.
Cloropho blankly raised his arm, scratching his head.
Like filming a skit.
Careless as could be, obvious to anyone.
Good for them.
He signaled with his hand.
No gunshot rang out.
Muzzle flash swallowed by sunset backlighting.
Sniper shot from clock tower hit dead-center Cloropho's forehead....
"...Sniper."
It didn't land.
Just before impact, Mikel thrust his rapier, piercing the bullet's side precisely.
Humanly possible?
Impossible for any normal human.
"Scatter. Secure safety, rendezvous at point 209."
"...O-okay."
"Got it~!"
At Mikel's command, Cloropho and Lycha split.
Tch, wanted to drop one before this.
Mikel strongest of the three—wouldn't snipe easily, hoped for Cloropho at least, but too greedy.
"Sub plan."
"Divide and conquer, huh."
Leon nodded, dashing toward the clock tower.
Leon protects Noel, weak in close combat, as they pick off scattered foes one by one.
Effective, but risky plan.
Sure enough, Mikel headed his way.
Of course it's this guy....
-No time to lament. Eyes on me. That's strong.
Didn't need Deathwise's kind warning—he knew.
Mikel... second strongest opponent he'd fought so far.
Strongest naturally: Oculeus.
Cloropho's roar echoed near clock tower.
Flashing through air: Lycha's magic, probably.
He emerged from building shadow.
Mikel, facing him, thrust rapier wordlessly.
Other villains talked too much—problem; this one silent—problem.
Clang!
Barely blocked with Deathwise swing.
Skill built up some—could react to Mikel's moves.
But slightest delay, skewered.
Chilling tension crawled his spine.
-Don't let guard down. Not even peak speed yet.
"I know!"
No leisure to reply mid-thought.
As demon sword said, Mikel whipped rapier more fiercely.
Thrust, thrust again.
Speed taxing just to track visually.
Inevitably gaps in defense.
One unblocked strike dove straight for his heart.
Rapier specialized in thrusts pierced rib gap, ample for heart.
Death's terror instinctively shrunk his body.
But he had faith.
This attack won't kill.
He whipped forward.
Forced Deathwise down.
Instant rapier touched chest, Absolute's Ring glowed.
Gentle yet intense light enveloped him, repelling rapier.
"Auto-defense, huh."
As Mikel muttered tonelessly.
High-tier defense rune.
Auto-activation, no chant needed.
Effect absolute, as named.
"Defense can be broken."
Even perfect strike nullified, Mikel calm.
Mechanically wrapped incoming demon sword with rapier, deflected.
Restricted his moves, unleashed barrage.
Sword strikes overwhelming space itself poured down.
Block or parry, more followed.
Without Absolute's Ring, honeycomb.
But ring not omnipotent.
Repeated hits dimmed its light.
Light fades, barrier gone.
Instinct screamed; he twisted coordinates with dimension magic.
"Dimension magic aptitude real too."
Forced distance.
Mikel indifferent, held rapier vertically before face.
Classic fencing en garde.
Fencing starts with....
-Acceleration. Incoming!
"Urgh...!!"
Mikel's single big step erased the hard-won gap.
Unbelievably human thrust—perfect, desperate strike.
Ring's light near extinction.
No confidence in blocking.
Fail to parry, die.
No—fail to kill first, die.
That resolve swung Deathwise upward.
Blades crossed.
Rapier hit first.
Deathwise lagged by a second.
Confident, Mikel accelerated to end.
But just before piercing chest, ghostly halted sword, retreated defying physics.
"Intriguing. Planning to reflect my attack with dimension magic?"
"...Sharp eyes."
Mikel aimed clearly for heart.
Thus, pre-impact, swapped his position with spot before Mikel's heart via dimension magic.
Stab him, Mikel stabs self—or so calculated... but waited till last second, still noticed and withdrew.
More than that, this bastard's dead set on killing.
Pioneers split opinions internally?
"Those meaningless strikes were feints to hide it."
"Thanks for the explanation."
"But that's all. Impressive disruption at that level, but give up."
Mikel raised sword again.
Dimension magic prime joker for variables.
Counter pierced, no next.
Mana bottomed out long ago anyway.
Fatigue mounting—even swinging sword at limit.
To Mikel, he looked half-dead corpse.
"Still, thinking you've won completely—too hasty?"
"Sun's set. Backlit sniper failed, dimension counter failed, sword skill worlds apart. No chance for you."
"Mostly right, but one mistake. From sunset, odds tilted my way."
Mikel mostly correct.
Ambush failed, joker read, skill lacking.
Sun fully dipped below horizon.
Moon emerged through clouds, illuminating.
Absorbing light, Deathwise's runes glowed red.
One step closed gap fully, slashed deep across Mikel's chest.
Mikel, unable to react, crumpled from knees, vainly clutching wound.
"How...?"
Night was his stage.
No need to spell it out.
Mikel stabbed rapier into ground to hold.
Impressive resolve, but blood pool formed—he collapsed limply.
Gorgeous blue box gold-embellished fell from his person.
"...This the one stolen from the forbidden stacks?"
Doesn't look like a book.
Maybe book inside?
Picked up palm-sized box.
Cautiously opened lid—bloodcurdling scream echoed.
Sound of neither human nor beast.
Despair-laden wail, denial's frenzy.
Unpleasant, stirring something in chest just hearing.
And this sound—he'd heard before.
"Tartarus Pavilion's easter egg...?"