Chapter 317. Anti-Terror Support (4)
The tracking teams were regrouping after the report that the centaur had appeared. Naturally, their location was right here with us. With the guild master, the first team leader, and Ellis all present, what choice did they have but to come? As time passed, familiar faces began trickling in one by one. It seemed to take a while since some guild members had gone pretty far out. Even a few from this morning who had looked dissatisfied with me showed up, but that wasn't my problem to worry about. I stuck close to Ellis's side.
Irene had stepped away for a moment, and Sebas Chan and Scarlett had gone out to greet the arriving members. The only people I knew here were Ellis and the guild master. I huddled right next to them, eavesdropping on their father-daughter chat.
"That was Lee Ho-yeon's doing."
"Oh, really? All those mine corpses are his handiwork..."
"We just got lucky."
My name came up in their conversation, so I jumped right in.
"Sometimes a man needs to boast more than be humble. Especially in front of a woman... Gahk!"
"Please don't say weird stuff."
- That guy's a proper stud. Yum!
Liliana seemed to agree with Isaac, but Ellis clearly didn't. Isaac clutched his side after Ellis elbowed him, muttering something about broken ribs before excusing himself to get checked out. What the hell was with that old man? Watching Isaac dash off somewhere, I turned to Ellis.
"We're about to go meet the centaur. You aren't nervous, are you?"
"...Not at all."
"Oh, really?"
"You should be the nervous one. You said you had a way to track the centaur."
"Ellis, hold on a sec." I sidled up to her carefully and whispered in her ear. "Truth is, that was a lie to get you here."
"...What?"
Ellis glanced around before grabbing my arm, her face deadly serious.
"For real? Are you an idiot? If Dad finds out you lied..."
I'd only meant to tease her a little, but she looked genuinely shocked. Grinning mischievously, I pressed down on the back of her hand.
"Nah, just kidding. Of course I've got it prepared. You think I'd lie to your father and risk what he'd do to me?"
"...Haa. Annoying."
Her startled expression twisted into a frown as she glared at me, then turned and stalked off.
"Ellis. It was a joke! Ellis?"
"I'm going to check the perimeter. Don't follow."
She shot back primly and headed toward Sebas Chan in the distance. Tsk. Can't a guy have a little fun?
- Finally alone! This was so boooring!
"...Yeah."
Only after Ellis left did Liliana start chattering excitedly. She'd been mumbling to herself earlier, but I hadn't responded till now. No way I could reply to her with people around.
- Now we're going to see the centaur, right? How're we catching him?!
"Who knows? Best bet is to track him with the team and capture him alive. We need space to talk to him anyway."
- Ooh! Yay! Let's go!
My plan was to use the tracking team to capture the centaur alive, then leverage Isaac's cooperation to meet with Liliana and the centaur. Meeting was one thing, but actually conversing? That method seemed ideal. Liliana couldn't be seen by others, after all.
"First we gotta find the centaur..."
While chatting with Liliana and scanning the area, I spotted a group staring our way. Tracking team members—and the guy who'd looked pissed earlier was eyeing me.
"Genius mages these days even talk to themselves?"
"Hey... cut it out. That's Miss Ellis's guest."
"What? If she's got a problem, she'll come complain herself."
- Who the hell is that psycho?! Should I kill him?!
Even with a guild mate trying to hold him back, he grinned at me. Wow. He'd kept it hidden with Ellis and the guild master around, but the second they were gone, he started shit? Scary world out there.
"Nothing better to do. Perfect timing."
- You're really going? Is that okay?
"Yep."
I locked eyes with the guy who'd said my name and strode over. He flinched, clearly not expecting me to actually approach, but quickly plastered on a cocky smirk. Honestly, it made me kinda glad. Ever since I got strong, I hadn't run into his type anymore—thugs. Looking back, they weren't bad guys; they'd been my emotional punching bags during tough times. I'd even kinda wanted one to pick a fight again after I powered up, but they wouldn't even make eye contact anymore. And now, after all this time, I run into a thug in a far-off foreign land.
I approached the guy with a friendly smile.
"Got a problem with me?"
"Nah, not really? What brings the genius mage?"
Hmm. Disappointingly, he didn't escalate. I could read guys like him now just from their faces. Born with decent talent, joined a solid guild like Iris, but felt inferior next to real geniuses. The classic spineless type—no guts to actually start something.
- Poor guy doesn't know his place.
"Yeah, just a ball of inferiority complex."
"...What'd you say?"
"Oh, sorry. Slipped out."
The guy's face twisted into a scowl. No one watching, so he figured he could jump me—but hey, no one's watching us either.
"Brat thinks he's hot shit 'cause we let him slide..."
"Hey, enough already!"
His pride stung, he started gathering mana. Just as I'd figured. These types care way more about their buddies' eyes on them. 'Bet I can throw a few punches.' Iris Guild guy picking a fight with me? Awkward for a sec, maybe, but they'd take the hit in the end. Letting it slide coolly might even boost my image. I was about to raise my own mana in response when—
"Guhk!"
Thud!
The guy's head slammed into the ground mid-stride toward me.
"...Huh?"
*
Isaac limped away from Ellis's line of sight after her rib-cracking elbow.
"Ow. My girl punches just like her mom—hurts like hell."
He hopped lightly onto a nearby rooftop.
Tap.
"Hmm."
He sent mana probing into a nearby building at the same time. 'Definitely felt mana there.' No way he'd misread it. Decades on the front lines had honed senses that didn't fail. Mid-chat with Ellis, he'd sensed unfamiliar mana nearby. Focusing more intently, he picked up faint traces from a rooftop close by. Only up close did he identify it—a barrier. If even someone of his caliber struggled to detect it, a formidable barrier mage was inside. Couldn't leave a threat near their ops site, so Isaac pierced the barrier and entered.
Inside, he glimpsed the profile of a woman with alluring red hair. Stunning, even from a side glance. Ahem. Isaac cleared his throat. No need to be rude to a beauty. He closed the distance slowly.
"Lady, what brings you to a place like..."
Snick.
"Oh dear, was the barrier too weak?"
Isaac halted as he sensed her mana.
"...Who are you?"
His instincts screamed. Like Lee Ho-yeon's combat sense—wild instinct forged in battle. He never ignored a lifetime's worth.
Rebecca smiled faintly at the frozen Isaac.
"Why act like that when we're in the same boat? I'm just a guardian too."
"...Lee Ho-yeon?"
"Yep. So no flirting, please. Got a lot on my plate."
"..."
Isaac swallowed. It was still bright out; night was far off. Fighting now, victory wasn't guaranteed. 'Damn, too hasty...' Few could beat him, and he knew all their mana signatures. A hidden powerhouse backing Ho-yeon? He was already in her domain. No escape from a barrier this strong. But Rebecca laughed, seeing through him.
"Don't worry. No intent to fight. Just watching my baby—er, Ho-yeon's back."
"How can I trust you?"
She wanted him gone, but Isaac couldn't retreat like this. Not with his daughters nearby.
"Hmm, if you were my target, you wouldn't be asking. Good enough reason to trust, right?"
"..."
Whirr—A gap opened in the barrier behind him.
"If you can't, ask Ho-yeon and come back. Now, if you don't mind..."
Rebecca turned away. Even if you attack, I can handle it—so scram quietly.
"..."
Isaac slipped out silently, and the barrier sealed seamlessly.
"...Sheesh."
He couldn't recall the last time he'd shown such weakness. Out on the other side, he chuckled wryly.
"At least she was pretty. Hmm. Should ask Ho-yeon about her."
Not a bad feeling, thanks to her looks. Two things bugged him: where'd such a powerhouse come from, and why guard Ho-yeon's back? Upgrading his mental eval of Ho-yeon another notch, Isaac headed back to the team.
There, he spotted a guild member powering up mana at Ho-yeon. Grasping the situation instantly, he grabbed the guy's head from behind and smashed it into the dirt.
"Gahk!"
"...Huh?"
Ho-yeon blinked at the suddenly appearing guild master. What? When'd he get here? If it'd been aimed at him, [Combat Sense] would've triggered against a surprise attack, but against a guild mook? He hadn't even noticed the approach.
Isaac held the guy's head down and looked at me.
"Sorry about this, Ho-yeon. We'll kick this idiot out of Iris Guild right now. No use for someone who picks fights without sizing up the opponent."
"...Uh, yeah. Thanks. I hate awkward situations too."
- What?! I would've won anyway!
'Too bad...'
A rare stress-relief target, gone. Ho-yeon tamped down his raised mana, hiding his regret. Normally you'd at least ask for details, but no questions asked—just straight smash. Couldn't complain.
Isaac stood, dusted his hands, and eyed me.
"Ho-yeon. Sorry about this mess, but I need to ask..."
"...What happened!?"
"G-Guild master! What's going on?!"
Then Ellis and Sebas Chan came running from afar, Scarlett trailing behind. The three closed in and saw the guild member's head planted in the dirt—then all stared at me in unison.
"Why're you looking at me like that?"
Your guild master did it.
*
- Too many people now! Ughhh.
I patted poor Liliana. Conversation time vanished, so petting would have to do.
"You pulled off another one."
"Wasn't me."
I shot a glare at Scarlett beside me. Victim here. Victim. Can't you see the tears?
Ellis and Sebas Chan were getting explanations from the guild members. The way Ellis eyed the dirt-planted guy like trash meant she was pissed too. Because he was my guest? Or because it was me? 'Hope it's the latter.'
I sidled closer to check Ellis's status window when the guild master approached.
"Ho-yeon. Got something I wanna ask."