Britus Village

"Oppa!"

Na Seoyun's support. Even without it, cutting loose at this point wouldn't have been a problem. Still, the fact that she'd picked a decent moment to appear had made things considerably easier.

"Rear!"

A single syllable. That one word was all it took ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for her to grasp exactly what I intended.

I plunged straight into the gnolls, who had already fallen into chaos, and began a massacre, sweeping the greatsword in wide, brutal arcs.

The gnolls had started throwing themselves at me to kill me rather than take me alive — but it was a decision made far too late. Even if they'd come at me with murderous intent from the start, killing me would have been impossible. With every last centurion already dead and the momentum of the fight firmly in my hands, the remaining gnolls could thrash all they wanted. I wasn't afraid of a single one of them.

I still hadn't dismissed my Sword Qi, so every gnoll that met the greatsword was split apart on contact. Hide, muscle, and bone sheared through in a single stroke, spraying blood in every direction. The air filled with their dying screams, the heat of fresh blood, and ragged scraps of filthy flesh.

"Hah!"

Na Seoyun, having already broken through the press, came running and immediately took up position at my back. The instant she arrived, I let the Sword Qi fade.

My circuits felt a little tight. Still, this much was manageable. It wouldn't hinder the fighting.

"They're throwing themselves at us blindly for now, but it won't be long before they start to run. When they do, we split up and hunt them down. Kill as many as you can."

"Yes, Oppa. I understand."

"I'll cover you for a moment. Start us off with a spell."

"Yes!"

Na Seoyun began drawing up her mana at once.

She cast the spell, circulating mana through her circuits in the prescribed pattern, and at the same time quietly recited an unknown incantation that even the Tower's power could not translate. Constructing an image of one's own. The incantation that served that purpose. That, I had been told, was where magic began. I didn't know the deeper theory — but the fact that all of it had to be done nearly simultaneously, and in a matter of seconds no less, in the middle of a fight, was enough to make the difficulty of magic painfully clear.

With a single-cast spell, a technique registered as a skill could be adapted until it came as naturally as breathing. Na Seoyun was doing none of that. She was completing the magic with her own power. That she had already reached this level only a few months after entering the Tower made me appreciate, all over again, just how staggering her talent really was.

She trusts me that much, huh.

She was working through this entire complex process while surrounded by enemies — by gnolls. Outstanding as her talent was, she still hadn't found any other way to protect herself once she'd already begun to cast. She didn't know shield magic well enough to prepare one in advance, and she had no item that would keep her safe. She was trusting in me alone, and for no reason other than that I had told her to, she was preparing a spell in the heart of the enemy line without a shred of hesitation. Remarkable focus. Remarkable nerve.

The gnolls, however, had no intention of standing around and watching the magic finish. As if it had been no coincidence that their strength had subtly concentrated toward us after sensing Na Seoyun and Na-yeon's mana earlier, they seemed to grasp the situation in an instant.

"Grrrk! Grrrk! Grrrk!"

A heartbeat of hesitation — then they were barking and charging straight at Na Seoyun.

Not a chance.

I circled her, swinging the greatsword in wild, sweeping cuts. Under the influence of Weapon Mastery, even those haphazard swings found a natural trajectory of their own — movements so fluid it was as if the greatsword had been an extension of my body for years. Without so much as grazing myself or Na Seoyun, the blade moved with boundless freedom inside that cramped, encircled space.

Thanks to the interruption, the gnolls never reached her while she cast. The result was catastrophic.

Na Seoyun's magic improved by the day. She was already using not a single shot, but a volley of Magic Arrows — and that didn't appear to be the end of it.

The Explosive Attribute, on top of everything else.

It was still an unattributed spell, and among the simplest magics there were — but stacking two additional properties on it changed the equation entirely.

A staccato of detonations ripped through the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠field. Magic Arrows bursting in rapid succession — a vivid demonstration of why mages were the undisputed specialists of wholesale slaughter.

This was exactly why, even though I was weak in the early going, I intended to support and raise mages through Han Ba-da. A Mage Legion assembled from gathered mages was, in modern terms, artillery: the ones who provided fire support. And once their level rose, they began to exceed the power of simple artillery altogether.

Na Seoyun was a case in point. Outstanding talent aside, she was still a mage who hadn't broken out of the Lower Floors. A little short of Middle Floor standards. And even so, she could sweep ordinary trash mobs off the field without breaking stride. Anyone who hadn't reached the minimum threshold, or who didn't have decently good equipment, would have a hard time holding out — even trainees receiving the System's assistance.

The surroundings were reduced to a wasteland in seconds.

For cleaning up fodder like this, Na Seoyun was faster than I was when I cut loose. While I, unable to use techniques for lack of mana, carved them down one at a time, she simply massacred them. Enough to make everything I'd just done look pale by comparison.

I didn't spare the praise.

"Great! Well done, Seoyun!"

Then I took up my sword at once and charged the ones the magic had left relatively untouched. Even with the Explosive Attribute added, the base was still Magic Arrow — and unattributed magic at that — so both the range and the power came up a little short. She'd made up for it with volume. A Fire Arrow would have been far better. But even this was more than I could ask for. I started cutting down the ones who were beginning to seize up with terror, one after another.

A blast landed from far off — Na-yeon's support, arriving on cue. And Na Seoyun, sword in hand now, had begun following at my back, filling every gap I left, piece by piece.

In the end, just as I'd expected, the gnolls began to break. The magic had hit harder than they'd anticipated, and they were frightened earlier than I'd thought they would be.

A whimper. A bark. One of them spun on its heel and bolted — and that single flight was all it took. The rest of them turned and fled in a scrambling tide.

I had no intention of letting them go. To cut their numbers down by even one more, I chased the runners to the end and cut them down. Na Seoyun, following my instructions, left her place at my back and tracked the ones fleeing in a different direction.

Our base speeds were different. Unless I used mana, I couldn't outrun a gnoll — and both Seoyun and I had already spent a fair amount of it, so we didn't manage to slaughter all that many. Even knowing I'd lose them if I kept chasing, I pursued the gnolls as far as I could. Honestly speaking, it was for show.

Na Seoyun kept charging because I refused to quit, and Na-yeon, even knowing full well her spells couldn't reach, used spirit magic from a distance anyway.

We kept at it for a while.

This should be enough, right?

I was far too low on mana. The Sword Qi had seen to that. Putting on a slightly exhausted look, as if I couldn't go any further, I watched the direction the gnolls were fleeing with careful attention.

"Wooooaaaaah!"

"Holy shit! That's insane! How the hell is that F-Rank?!"

"A! An A-Rank mercenary! An A-Rank mercenary has appeared!"

Coldly speaking, my level fell short of A-Rank. They didn't care in the slightest. They were too busy marveling at what we'd just done.

I listened to the cheers rising behind me and allowed myself a satisfied smile.

"Incredible. Worth having four beauties as wives."

When I returned to the village, the veteran mercenary three brothers I'd turned down before came walking up. They'd been a little cocky last time. Today they were noticeably better behaved. As expected — with mercenaries, skill was everything.

"Thanks to you, we lived. I figured this fight was going to drag on for a long while. Didn't expect that."

He seemed a bit disappointed, though he didn't let it show much. It wasn't as if their employment was being cut off on the spot, and men like that didn't quit just because they'd taken a beating. The mercenaries would be hired again eventually — or the contract might simply be kept running. The daily wage would just be a little thinner without any fighting.

Besides, it was a little ridiculous to ask a man who'd just come back from making a real contribution why he was showing off. After a display of skill that open, you'd have to have your guts spilling out of your belly to say it to his face.

"Gnolls aren't weak, but once you kill the leaders they turn into a disorganized rabble. It was worth fighting, so I went in."

"...Look, I was gonna say this last time too — quit with the creepy-ass honorifics, will ya? Your wife talks just fine. Why're you goin' around talkin' like that?"

Mercenaries, as a rule, didn't do honorifics. Some of them used them with a client, but in a trade where the majority only managed a half-polite register even with the people paying them, mercenaries among themselves spoke casually unless there was a particular reason not to.

"...Brooke."

"Ah, come on, I still gotta say what I gotta say, hyungnim."

"Haha. I haven't been a mercenary for very long. I'm not used to it yet. And she isn't my wife."

"...Huh? Not your wife? Don't tell me it's a harem?"

"Didn't I tell you they're just comrades? Haha."

"...That's for real? Still, at least one of 'em's gotta be a girlfriend, right?"

"...No. Hahaha."

The second brother, Brooke, looked at me with an expression of genuine, almost offended disbelief.

"...You a eunuch or somethin'?"

"......I'm perfectly fine."

"Then maybe you're ga—"

Instead of answering, I narrowed my eyes and gave him a slight look. The man called Brooke flinched and found somewhere else to put his gaze.

Keeping up the honorifics was getting tedious, too. I considered just dropping them — then held back, knowing it was better to maintain this persona for a while yet. It was good for my reputation.

"...Excuse me. Are you Yoo Shin-hoo?"

While I was talking with the Brickle brothers, a man in town-watch uniform addressed me. Judging by the kit, he belonged to the watch the village maintained itself, not to the men sent as support from the castle.

"I am. What is it?"

"The village chief — Rusell, that is — would like to see you. Would now be all right?"

He'd watched my performance with his own eyes, and he asked carefully, as if concerned I might be exhausted. As a man of this village, he seemed genuinely grateful to someone who had given his best to protect it, and he was being as respectful as he knew how.

"I'm fine. If the client is calling, I should go."

"Ah — he said it's all right to see him tomorrow, if you're tired."

"I'm perfectly all right. Though I'd like my companions to get some rest."

"Ah, yes. Just you going is sufficient, Yoo Shin-hoo. You're the party leader, after all."

"That's fortunate."

My companions happened to be coming toward me just then. I spoke to Na Seoyun.

"You heard that, right? Seoyun — go rest first. I'll go see the village chief."

"...Yes. I understand, Oppa."

Na Seoyun looked thoroughly displeased at the sight of someone taking me away the moment the fighting was over, but she headed toward the others as if she would follow my decision regardless.

"Ah, you look busy. I was going to suggest a drink... Well, if there's a chance next time, I'd like to have one..."

"Of course. If the opportunity arises. Well then — I need to see the village chief."

"Go on, then."

"If you'll follow me."

As if he'd been waiting for our conversation to end, the watchman led me to where the village chief was waiting. The moment I stepped inside the building, Village Chief Rusell greeted me with unmistakable warmth.

"Ohh, Yoo Shin-hoo! You've worked hard."

"Not at all. I accepted a commission. I simply did my best."

"Haha. Humble, too. To think you possessed this level of skill... Drener didn't give you B-Rank mercenary treatment for nothing. No — I feel even B-Rank treatment is insufficient."

"You flatter me."

"I was especially moved by the sight of you chasing those gnoll bastards to the very end. To think you'd try to complete the commission with that much passion... I would have been fully satisfied if you'd simply held the defense..."

I was quietly pleased. The play had landed exactly as I'd intended.

"I simply did everything I could."

"I'm truly amazed, and filled with nothing but gratitude. Thanks to you, it seems the village will actually function properly for a while."

I smiled as if I were glad to hear it.

"But what did you call us for?"

The village chief paused. His lips moved, full of hesitation — but as if this was the moment, he forced himself to speak.

"I know it's rude to bring this up right after the fighting has ended. But if not for the way things stand right now, I wouldn't dare raise it in front of you."

He opened his mouth carefully, as if the present atmosphere was the only thing that made the words possible.

"You probably already know. Among the terms of the commission, besides the defense, there is one more thing."

I smiled inwardly. I knew exactly what this was. It was what I'd been waiting for.

"...The investigation. Is that what you mean?"

A nod. He looked at me with very cautious eyes.

"You'll understand easily enough if you look into it even a little. Investigation is truly dangerous, and it has never properly succeeded. But from my position — having to worry about this village — I am truly sorry, and I would at least like to bring it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up once."

"You're asking me to take on the investigation?"

The village chief hesitated a little, then nodded.

The reason for the hesitation was obvious. With today's performance alone, I had already overachieved the commission. If he tried to force another job on me under the pretext of an investigation, every other mercenary would have to be dismissed on the spot — and they would almost certainly rise up as a group. Moreover, if I voided the commission when asked to take on work this dangerous, it would be the village chief who took the loss. Treat a man of my skill carelessly and watch him walk away, and he would instantly lose the trust of every watchman, mercenary, and villager who had just seen what I could do.

That was why he had no choice but to speak as carefully as he possibly could.

"I know it is truly difficult work... but yes. I would like to commission the investigation to your party, Yoo Shin-hoo."

The moment those words left his mouth, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠message window appeared before my eyes.

I smiled a very satisfied smile, deep on the inside.