Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Special Discount Store (2)
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In the instantaneous shift in Yuri's attitude, not only the one-eyed man but even the surrounding Black Sword Soldiers blinked in surprise.
Quiet silence prevailed.
Representing everyone, the one-eyed man spoke up.
“…You don’t even have any hesitation?”
“I’m not dumb enough to spit out an opportunity that’s practically being spoon-fed to me, and I’m not full either.”
“You’re thick-skinned.”
“If you keep praising me like that… it’s a little embarrassing.”
“…….”
Watching Yuri scratch the back of his head as if genuinely embarrassed, the one-eyed man held his tongue.
In the meantime, Yuri bowed obsequiously with an exceedingly pleased expression.
“To return the items, we’ll need to move a bit… How about I guide you right now to the hiding spot?”
“…Do it.”
Normally, wrapping up something like this would be left to the subordinates.
But at this point, he couldn’t help being curious.
Just what this sly fox had been up to.
Where he had hidden the stolen points.
Thus, the one-eyed man followed after Yuri, who scampered along.
A squad of Black Sword Soldiers trailed behind them.
The group, led by Yuri, arrived at a riverbank quite some distance from the garrison.
No sooner had they arrived than Yuri plunged into the water, leaving no time to stop him.
Splash—.
Cutting through the current without hesitation, he dunked his head and dove in an instant.
A moment later.
Bubble bubble—.
Yuri resurfaced amid small bubbles.
Grunting as he hauled himself out of the water, a rope dangled from his hand.
“Heave-ho!”
With a small kiai upon reaching land, Yuri yanked the rope, dragging out items tied to it one after another.
The one-eyed man and Black Sword Soldiers fell speechless once more at the sight.
“Huh…….”
A faint sigh escaped the one-eyed man.
And understandably so—they had assumed only points were stolen.
But the rope didn’t yield just points.
Clothes that appeared to be Black Sword Soldiers’.
Boots of all kinds, canteens, raincoats, belts, hats, and more.
Not singles, but multiples of each item emerging simultaneously—the one-eyed man spoke up in disbelief.
“…Didn’t you say you weren’t a kleptomaniac?”
“Hey, this isn’t stolen.”
“Then what is it?”
“You don’t usually call taking spoils of war ‘stealing,’ do you?”
“…….”
“Oh, and you did say I could take half of the stolen… no, spoils I obtained, right?”
“…….”
When someone was this brazen, even the victim ended up conceding.
That the guy had no hope of reform.
With a small sigh, the one-eyed man waved his hand dismissively.
Do as you please.
Seeing Yuri beam with delight, the one-eyed man growled lowly at his subordinates.
“Tell every bastard on garrison guard duty yesterday and today to submit incident reports.”
“Yes…….”
The subordinate nodded with a crestfallen expression.
No matter how busy they were, a minimum crew stood guard at the garrison.
Yet this Yuri had ransacked the place like his own living room, scooping up all sorts of gear.
Only then did an old memory surface from the depths of the one-eyed man’s mind.
‘Ha, that’s right…….’
In the past, Johan Redner, known as the Cloud Dragon.
The moniker Cloud Dragon stemmed from the Redner family’s signature technique, Cloud Steps—which bore another nickname.
That being……
‘Ghost Steps.’
Ghost Steps, for moving silently like a specter.
By now, curiosity was inevitable.
“You—just why’d you get caught? With your skills, escape would’ve been easy.”
“Ah, that? I always save the best for last.”
“……?”
“So I planned to hit the priciest, flashiest spot last…….”
“…And?”
“There’s gotta be something to take. I figured the commander’s tent would have fancy supplies, but nope—just piles of weird paper scraps. Searching more felt awkward, timing was off, so I headed out… and bam, locked eyes with that Black Sword Soldier uncle.”
“…….”
“Thanks to him, I learned not to get too greedy.”
“…….”
“With better luck, I could’ve taken more… tch, rotten luck.”
…Your story doesn’t add up, you punk.
So you’re saying better luck would’ve let you get even greedier?
“Next time, I’ll check my horoscope before going big.”
“…It’s real.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.”
Only then did the one-eyed man concede.
He’d overestimated this Yuri Holland.
‘He didn’t skip my tent out of some scheme—there was just nothing worth taking, so he left empty-handed.’
Irritation surged, and he growled.
“The guy who nabbed him… who?”
One Black Sword Soldier stepped forward with rank and name.
“Black Sword Unit, 21st Squad……!”
“Whatever. You—take leave.”
“…Sir?”
“Reward leave. Nine nights, ten days.”
“Th-thank you, sir!”
“If you’d snapped his limbs on capture, it’d be thirty nights, not nine. Tch.”
“……?!”
“And that guy… hm?”
Scowling at Yuri, he paused with a puzzled look.
‘Come to think of it, his energy’s shot up big time.’
Over twenty days had passed since seeing Yuri in that cave.
The shock of his capture in the tent had blinded him to it until now.
The guy’s mana had swelled massively since then.
‘Picked up some spirit herb somewhere?’
Otherwise, such rapid mana growth was rare.
‘Makes sense—the Forest of Beginnings is ancient; a herb or two could be lying around.’
And with this guy, even claiming he scarfed one down would ring true.
As he stared silently at Yuri.
“Vice Captain?”
Snapping from reverie, the one-eyed man waved again.
“Let him take half the stolen points. But the other loot… slice it exactly in half. No margin for error.”
“Huh? No way—that’s insane?!”
Yuri protested the absurd command, but the one-eyed man sneered.
“I said half. Two whole apples out of four is half; four halves is half. Problem?”
“Wow…….”
“Count yourself lucky the points stay whole. I’d halve those too if I could.”
“…….”
“Tch.”
With a light tongue-click, the one-eyed man departed.
His Black Sword Soldiers executed the order to the letter.
Slice—slice—.
The hoard Yuri had squirreled away like an acorn was bisected precisely before his eyes.
Shortly after.
Rustle—.
Yuri packed the halved goods neatly and boarded the Black Ship with the other 50th Cohort survivors.
The vessel bearing Yuri and three hundred souls……
Hoooon—.
Blared a long horn and shoved off from the dock.
Bound for the Dragon’s Cradle mainland.
* * *
Black Ship deck, tucked in a corner.
“Uggggh—.”
Yuri stretched long, patted his shoulders, and sighed faintly.
“Haa… Scamming folks really doesn’t suit a tender soul like me. Tough gig, tough.”
Did Yuri realize?
For all his ‘tough’ gripes, his face gleamed brighter than ever.
Pat-pat—.
Rubbing unsubtle shoulders, Yuri smacked his lips in regret.
‘Dang, petty jerk.’
The bisected haul tugged at his heartstrings.
No need for elaboration on the petty jerk’s identity.
‘If he was giving it up anyway, just hand it over clean. No need to halve it.’
Thus, Yuri’s mental file on the one-eyed man gained: ‘Petty type with grudges.’
‘Eh, solid points haul, and the rest isn’t total scrap.’
The Black Sword Soldiers cleaved with zero deviation per orders—items neatly halved.
A few stitches, and they’d serve somehow.
‘Normally, he wouldn’t stoop that low…….’
But post-mainland jaunt, Yuri figured grab what you can, even if stingy.
The mainland memory dimmed his gaze slightly.
And then.
“Hehe… hehehe.”
A soft chuckle leaked as golden eyes flashed amid his hair.
“Hohohoho.”
By rights, Yuri wouldn’t be in the Forest of Beginnings now.
Leaving it wasn’t elimination—so no need to loop back.
‘Planned to pop up on Cradle mainland with a grand “ta-da” and regroup…….’
But one encounter torpedoed it all.
He ditched the old scheme for a new one.
Hence Yuri’s grueling round trip between Forest of Beginnings and Dragon’s Cradle mainland.
“…You perverted skirt-chaser, just you wait.”
A thrill-tinged whisper slipped his teeth.
Yuri’s mind rewound to the past.
* * *
December 31st, around 3 a.m.
Swoosh—.
Sandy beach lashed by waves.
Wet footprints marred the pristine white sand.
The trail led from beach to nearby woods, ending at a lone figure.
Squeeze—.
Underwear-clad, wringing wet clothes—it was Yuri.
Fwoof—!
Shaking off dampness, he redressed sloppily and peered skyward.
His face soured faintly.
“No wonder land dodged me—I botched the heading.”
Seven hours prior, Yuri quit the Forest of Beginnings.
Nonstop swimming since.
Several times a boat’s speed should’ve covered a full day’s sail ages ago.
Mid-journey weather turned culprit.
‘No storm clouds, and I’d be golden.’
Halfway over, snowstorm blanked the sky anew.
Star navigation lost, Yuri swam by gut.
Cleared midway for course correction—too late; way off.
Yuri washed up far from target.
‘Where the hell am I?’
Sword Lord-spawned isle: Dragon’s Cradle.
Per Jerry, mainland uniquely formed.
Vast oval crossed X-wise by waterways, quartered neat.
Cradle comprised four mega-isles (east-west-south-north, territory-sized) plus central waterway hub: five total.
Riders quartered on northern isle—North Island.
Yuri aimed northernmost North Island, then southbound.
But now……
“Tch, west side.”
Sky-scan pegged him on North Island’s west coast.
‘West means third-years’ turf…….’
North Island quartered around central arena.
North zone: first- and second-years.
West: third-years.
East: fourth-years.
South: fifth-years.
Yuri sighed softly.
‘…Headache.’
This hour, first- and second-years jammed Forest of Beginnings—north zone ghost town.
Prime for newbie Yuri to prowl.
West/east? Third/fourth-year zones—stealth mode, slowdown.
‘Coast north, then south?’
Viable, but time parity nixed it.
Yuri opted west-to-center trek.
‘Silver lining: not east with fourth-years?’
Second-year top dog Teresa no pushover.
Jerry’s Silver Dragon Badge skill held water.
Third-years? Those survivors, grown a year—unknown caliber.
‘Jerry warned: steer clear seniors’ turf if you can.’
Trouble unknown.
Heeding that, Yuri grabbed the point crate, tensed.
‘Move first.’
Twenty hours to Jan 1 midnight.
Ample, but predawn beat daylight for stealth.
‘Max distance now, hole up pre-dawn.’
Plan set, Yuri pushed east to central zone.
Deep woods, presence pinged—Yuri halted.
Eyes iced over.
‘Company!’
Thickest tree: swift climb, breath held.
Moments later: man and woman.
Purple-haired guy, brown-haired gal.
Hand-in-hand cozy, passing Yuri’s tree exact.
“Ah……!”
Abrupt: man seized her wrist, shoved her treeward.
Thump—.
Tree-propped hand, other tilting her chin—he lunged lips-first.
Gal startled brief, then arms-neck embrace, kiss returned.
Yuri ringside, unwilling live feed.
Gulp—.
Adam’s apple bobbed oddly.