Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: I'm the One Who Takes Now, Not the One Taken
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Heading north had made the nights surprisingly chilly.
But inside my tent, things were heating up in a whole different way.
We should have been deep in strategy talks, map spread out as we probed for weaknesses in the border city of Belvat. Instead, it was pure chaos.
"Hmmm... This really is the prime spot. The muscle density here is just perfect for a pillow."
Lilian mumbled from where she clung to my back like a sticky burr.
A chill of mana seeped from her slender frame into my back, sending a weird mix of discomfort and pleasure washing over me.
"Hey. You gonna let go?"
"No way. Edel oppa's back is like a natural heater. The carriage was freezing."
Ha, now it was oppa.
After I'd told her my name was Edel Kel Bark, the kid had started calling me "Edel."
She said it fit the "oppa" vibe better.
She was burying her face right between my lats like she owned the place.
Then, from the other side, Lunia slinked in with a sultry smile, digging into my arm.
"Oh my, Lilian dear. Such greed. This sort of thing is best left to a mature woman who knows how to handle warmth, not some scrawny kid with no meat on her bones."
Lunia casually rested her hand on my thigh and breathed hot against my ear.
"Chief, the night air is cold, isn't it? You know my specialty is fire shamanism. Tonight, I could warm your whole body... nice and toasty."
Her fingers were creeping past the danger zone.
I cleared my throat and tried to lock my eyes on the map.
Crack!
Finally, Aila's forehead bulged with a thick vein as she sorted materials nearby.
The quill in her hand snapped clean in two.
"You two! Get off him now!!??"
Aila's shriek made the tent shake.
"Is this a strategy meeting or a den of horny beasts!!?? Lilian, you're a marquess's lady and a mage—act like it!! And Lunia, you division leader, how dare you eye the chief like that!!??"
Swish!
But the two just glanced at each other and got even bolder, their hands moving more sneakily.
"Hands off!!"
They didn't seem fazed at all.
"Jeez, sis, you're no fun. If you're jealous, just join in. Plenty of room on the left lat. Oppa’s back is like the Pacific—room for all three of us."
Lilian patted my left side invitingly, and Aila's face turned volcanic.
"You... you absolute lunatics..."
I pinched my temple and let out a deep sigh.
Ha... soul-draining.
These three were the only ones with brains for strategy, but whenever they got together, this was the mess.
Women throwing themselves at you sounds great, right?
Hell no.
Aila seemed to hate my guts,
Lunia reeked of danger—like she'd suck out my soul if I touched her. My instincts were screaming. For sure.
And Lilian? Sole daughter of a marquess. Touch her, and I'd be hunted for life.
Plus, she felt like a hamster anyway.
Long story short, all three were forbidden fruit and ticking time bombs.
Outside, guys like Karack and Monta were gnawing on meat, muttering crap like, "As expected of Kel Bark. So popular."
"Enough."
I growled low with a thread of killing intent, and the tent went ice-cold in an instant.
Everyone but Lilian flinched and scurried back to their spots.
Why aren't you moving...?
Should I toss her? Nah.
...Sigh. Let it go.
She's a guest, after all.
"We're not here to play. Focus."
I jabbed a finger at Belvat fortress on the map.
"We're in a perfect stalemate. Ayula's Hart Helm has the gates locked tight for ironclad defense, and the Rokturan bastards are just probing without committing."
Best case? Rokturan attacks first, Hart Helm bleeds holding them off, and we swoop in for the fisherman's profit.
But both sides were wily old foxes.
Three days of this staring contest already.
"At this rate, we'll just burn supplies and waste time. Any bright ideas?"
"......"
Yeah, didn't think so.
"Tch. Give me the sitrep. What's the status?"
The answer came from Lilian, still glued to my back.
"I'll handle that. Since Belvat sealed the gates, desperate refugees have been climbing down ropes by the dozens since yesterday. Looks like the capital's chaos is finally rippling out here."
"Fast."
"Super fast. The civil war must be worse than we thought."
At this rate, days from now, the city would flood with uncontrollables.
And we just had to watch?
"What about the Rokturans? They just letting that happen?"
"That's the weird part. They're snatching every refugee that comes down."
I tilted my head.
"Not looting them or killing them on the spot?"
"Nope. Killing them right by the gates might draw knight attacks, maybe?"
"Rounding them up for slaves?"
Aila shook her head at my guess.
"If it was slaves, they'd kill extras. Nah. Southern tribes are insular. They think their ancestors' blessings are enough for them—no open tribes like us down there."
Hmm... okay?
Then why grab people?
Three days later, night.
Time was really running out now.
Frustrated and sleepless, I patrolled the camp outskirts with Karack.
The cool plains wind, different from desert gusts, cleared my head.
How long had we walked?
Crunch!
Faint footsteps.
"Someone's there."
"I hear it too, Kel Bark."
We dropped low and melted into the shadow of a massive boulder.
Karack's learning, huh.
Or was Araktu that strong?
Post-3rd Imprint, my senses were razor-sharp.
Five shadows approaching from over there.
Barbarian garb, but weird bone ornaments and blood reek—not ours.
Rokturan scouts.
"Shh. Hold position."
Karack nodded.
Here? Expanding search radius?
I held my breath, watching.
But the vibe was off.
Too much bloodlust for scouts. Hands gripped bizarre shaman tools.
"This way. I smell rat pups."
The leader sniffed, pointing dead at my rock.
His eyes gleamed like a beast's.
Tch, made.
Some tracking ritual?
I chuckled and strolled out casual.
"Rat pups? We're just innocent neighbors out for a night stroll. Harsh words."
Five Rokturan warriors ringed me and Karack instantly.
Ferocious muscle, bodies painted fresh with beast blood tattoos.
Patterns unlike ours.
Ours were wolf scars...
Theirs crocodile bites or something?
Skin-pricking hostility.
The leader drew a jagged blade, snarling.
"Who are you? No tattoos visible—tribals. Speak your business or die."
(Ours only show in battle. Mysterious.)
"Kill us? You? Pfft hahaha. Karack, they say they're gonna kill us."
"Madmen? Non-warriors with guts hanging out. Drag 'em. We'll let Araktu decide—sacrifice or slaughter."
What? Sacrifice?
Something clicked.
They need sacrifices?
But no time for intel now.
"Take 'em alive. Limbs optional."
Barbarians gonna barbarian—hot-blooded.
They charged.
"Karack, you take three. I'll take two."
"Got it!!"
I raised Kel Kar to block an axe.
Probe first.
Too strong, we bail.
Kwang!
Kel Kar met axe in a shockwave blast.
I grinned.
Good, manageable. Cannon fodder.
Kill or capture?
As I pondered, the guy yelped in shock.
"Hidden tattoos!! Grom Kel!!"
Oh, we're famous?
"Now you know us. So what?"
"Kahaha!! The desert mongrel pups chased to the fringes after defeat are back!! Araktu will love this!!"
My face went blank.
Die.
"Karack, kill 'em all here."
"Got it!!"
And something cold rose inside me.
That fishy instinct from empire slums, reeking alleys that kept me alive.
Kill or be killed.
Let them escape, Araktu finds out.
Too risky now.
I've killed plenty, but I don't enjoy it.
Hate it, even.
But I know what happens if you spare who you should kill.
By my standards, these all deserved death.
"You shouldn't have said that."
Without it, I might've let 'em go to avoid beef.
Mouths are the root of all evil.
I murmured low, inhaling cold night air.
Killing intent boiled over my 3rd Imprints.
Energy surged veins like scalding water.
"What're you doing? We outnumber. Subdue!!"
Axe guy recovered, swinging vertical at my skull.
I didn't dodge.
Didn't need to.
Right as it grazed my hair, I unleashed pent-up intent into my right arm.
Kwaaang!
Fist smashed chest; compressed air exploded.
"Guhk...!!"
Bones pulverized dull.
Body slammed back into rock, cracking it spiderweb.
Deep fist print on chest as it slid down dead.
Instant kill.
"Wha...!?"
One of the remaining four already bisected by Karack.
Three pairs of eyes shook in horror.
But I'm no saint.
Decide to kill? Make it quick.
I always pick the efficient path.
Last words? Why bother?
I kicked off without pause.
Taat!
Intent to toes, body flashed forward.
Dove into panicked swinger number two.
Cold smile at his terror.
"Should've watched your mouth."
Thwack!
Intent rattled his brain.
Dropped like neck-snapped doll, silent.
Before he hit ground, I snatched number three's nape mid-daze and smashed down.
Thud!
Whoosh!
Fist followed instant.
"St-stop!! M-mercy...!!"
Smash!!
Head burst mid-plea, brains spilling.
Dust rose; madness flooded my skull.
No pain controlling intent.
Only thrill of crushing life before me.
Last one bolted in panic.
"Wh-what is this monster... G-gotta tell..."
I shook blood off hand, voice low.
No usual smirk.
Pulled smoke from pocket, lit with match.
Chiiik!
"Get him."
"Y-yeah, Kel Bark."
Karack snapped out, chased, dragged corpse back soon.
"Hurry up next time? How'd I get three, you two—and one almost escapes? Do it right."
Grumbling usual, nicotine calming the bloodlust.
Whew... settle. Done.
Karack avoided my eyes, spooked.
"K-Kel Bark was so different... Felt like the real deal."
"Whining? So I've been fake?"
Karack grinned then.
"Yeah! Kahaha. Kel Bark through and through."
Intent faded; full-body ache hit.
Mind clear.
"Got Busenrak? Burn 'em."
"Yeah, Kel Bark."
Crackle crackle!
Bodies ignited.
Staring at city, inhaling roasting flesh stench.
Civil war, refugees, sacrifices, Rokturan, Hart Helm.
Regular barbarian ways won't cut it.
Need meaner, overwhelming, madder.
"Sacrifices? Dare touch my manpower? I'll show you what happens when you touch mine."
Elite warriors? Don't make me laugh.
I'm the taker now, not the taken.
Whiiing!
"Hoo—."
Thick smoke mingled with pyre flames, billowing up.