Chapter 6
Chapter 6
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The Wastrel Survives Too Well! (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The New Moon Curse.
As you can guess from its effect of drastically narrowing the target's vision and hearing, it's a curse technique that wields tremendous power in combat.
But it does have the limitations typical of curses.
'It doesn't work on those who channel divine power like holy wheels, or on those who can naturally cloak their bodies in mana.'
In this world, the former would be the pure-energy righteous monks or those filthy priests.
The latter would be absolute peak masters who can maintain protective aura around their bodies.
But Bang Cheon-deok?
Neither applies!
And sure enough.
Confusion spreads across Bang Cheon-deok's face as my curse sharply narrows his sight and hearing.
"?!"
With that, the certainty in his thrust fades away.
His strike, which had seemed as immovable as Mount Tai for a master who had fully surpassed the wall of first-rate, now looks like a sandcastle built by a child.
'I could twist aside to dodge, or deflect it along its line.'
But I don't bother clashing weapons to reveal my position.
Some humans have that beastly instinct to track killing intent.
This isn't a spar.
It's a fight started with the intent to kill each other, and right now, I'm not a warrior—I'm a hunter.
'So, dodge!'
Shhkk—
Having evaded Bang Cheon-deok's strike, I take another step forward like lightning.
And in that instant, I infuse the time-warping Regret with the ejection-type black magic 'Melody of Nightmares.'
Woooong—
Regret, now shrouded in inky haze, resonates.
Thus, the 'pseudo sword aura' is complete.
All that's left is to slash or thrust.
No time for hesitation.
Ejection-type black magic has abysmal fuel efficiency.
Even now, my internal energy is draining away rapidly.
To prevent my lacking strength from becoming a variable, I grip the hazy Regret with both hands and swing it with all my might toward Bang Cheon-deok's neck.
Sssaaaek!!
The inky haze on Regret traces a crescent arc.
Bang Cheon-deok, having surpassed the wall of first-rate, squeezes his eyes shut and stumbles backward.
Sensing the killing intent surging toward him, he's trying to evade.
Is there a saying for times like this—something about rotten fish being better than none?
But with Escort Leader Eun and Escort Chae, who had been knocked down, rising again with swords drawn and blocking three directions.
Bang Cheon-deok's retreat falters after barely two steps.
That was the end.
Chwaaak—!!!!
The swung Regret carves a red line across Bang Cheon-deok's neck.
Only then does the eternally dragging time snap back to normal.
Bang Cheon-deok clutches his neck, collapses to his knees, and rasps a blood-choked question at me.
"...Kuhk, wh-what was... that just now...?"
A question I'd heard countless times in my past life.
I give Bang Cheon-deok the same answer as always.
"What good's knowing for a man about to die?"
* * *
With me turning Bang Cheon-deok into a departed soul in a single exchange.
"?"
"???"
Escort Leader Eun and Escort Chae, charging in for a pincer attack, suffer a moment of cognitive dissonance and freeze in place, blinking like statues of filial piety.
'If this were a variety show, it'd be prime time for a freeze-frame subtitle.'
But only for a moment.
Quickly grasping the situation, Escort Chae and Escort Leader Eun bellow in unison.
"Damn it! We trusted you!!"
"Young Master Eon! You're pretty good, aren't you?! With skills like that! Why hide your sword aura when you could've just shown it?! You had us worried! Ah, no way! Was that part of the plan too?! Fool the enemy by fooling your allies first...?"
At this rate, they'll embrace me!
'I get that both of you nearly died and came back thrilled...'
But I have no hobby of hugging fellow men, and now's not the time.
'The Northern Deer Bandit Lair thugs, unaware their leader fled subordinates behind to cross the Styx, are swarming the caravan like enraged hornets.'
Well, they're holding up decently, so a brief delay shouldn't cause issues.
Still, to minimize needless casualties, we need those bandits to drop their weapons ASAP.
I raise Regret, point toward Yin Xia Lian's carriage, and speak.
"You two planning to stand there?"
Prompted back to reality, Escort Leader Eun responds.
"...Ah! N-No, this isn't the time! I was just so shocked by the great hero's prowess for a second!"
Suddenly my title jumped from young hero to great hero.
Escort Leader Eun's quite the character.
"Anyway. Once you've recovered from the shock, time to do your jobs."
With that opener, I hand Bang Cheon-deok's head to Escort Leader Eun, step aside, and raise my voice.
"Enemy leader defeated!!! Escort Leader Eun Jeong-gil of Silver Radiance Merchant Group has beheaded Iron Skin Wild Yak Bang Cheon-deok!! Northern Deer Bandits, drop your weapons!!!"
I shoot Escort Leader Eun a look to carry on the rest.
He hesitates with a 'This okay?' expression but finishes my line.
"...Y-Yes! I'll say it again! Northern Deer Bandits, drop your weapons!! Those who comply will be spared punishment, deemed unwittingly swayed by Iron Skin Wild Yak! But those who don't will be seen as deeply complicit in his plot, and under Silver Radiance Merchant Group and Yin Xia Lian's name, we will punish you without fail!!!"
Then.
"The chief's dead?"
"N-No way?"
Murmurs rise, and the clanging fights here and there taper off one by one.
The bandits muttering 'No way?' spot Bang Cheon-deok's head in Escort Leader Eun's hand and grasp the situation.
"Th-that face in the escort leader's grip... It's Chief Bang, right?"
"Y-Yeah?!"
That sealed it.
Clatters of weapons dropping echo from all sides, and bandits start fleeing one after another.
Some bolt up the mountain, perhaps aiming to seize the lair in the chief's death vacuum; others dash down, distrusting Silver Radiance's promise of no punishment.
With the fight concluded, Escort Leader Eun asks me awkwardly.
"You beheaded Iron Skin Wild Yak, Great Hero. Why yield the credit to me?"
Credit, huh...
Well, for someone like Escort Leader Eun with firm foes in Silver Radiance, it counts as credit.
'I don't want it anyway.'
What would I even use it for?
'Better avoid needless grudges.'
You might not know since I hid it, Escort Leader Eun, but as a disowned Eon Family outcast, a shield like Silver Radiance is beyond me.
Even if bandit loyalty's weaker than Post-it glue.
Still, Bang Cheon-deok's been at this years—surely a few were genuine?
'Even if not a single one, right now I want to avoid fame at all costs.'
Plus, this way, the incident aligns with canon: 'Yin Xia Lian nearly got kidnapped but survived unscathed,' now with room to insert 'under Yin Xia Lian's command.'
With that in mind, I reply.
"What good's it if word spreads a random guest escort nabbed Bang Cheon-deok? No one saw our fight amid the chaos anyway. Just keep quiet, Escort Chae."
"True... But in Silver Radiance and our escort agency's iron rule, merit must be clear..."
Hey, it's fine, man.
Keep it, keep it.
Wait, no.
'He's grateful—maybe no need to refuse?'
I wiggle thumb-and-forefinger pinched together at Escort Leader Eun and grin.
"The promised pay and favor chit are plenty... But if you're grateful, tell the Hall Leader to show sincerity with this. Yellow over white, and ideally with a proper horse-hoof shape."
"...Gold over silver. Pure gold ingots, got it."
"Perfect. Better than 'Southern Jiang Merchant King's daughter saved by some unknown drifter.'"
"......"
"'Under Radiant Prosperity Hall Leader Yin Xia Lian's command, Escort Leader Eun and Escort Chae executed Northern Deer Lair's chief for breaking the beautiful unspoken rule between caravans and bandits, protecting the caravan.' Doesn't that help both Miss Yin and you far more?"
That aids Yin Xia Lian's canon rise to sub-guild leader.
Letting me cash in the favor bigger,
And the 'Bang Cheon-deok slayer' title? Useless to me—I can't eat or sell it.
But he interprets differently.
Escort Leader Eun suddenly clasps hands in salute, extreme respect.
"To think that far ahead! Gr-Great... benefactor...! No, noble guide!! The skilled fortune-teller said at thirty I'd meet a noble guide! That was you! I apologize for my rudeness at the strategy meeting earlier, and pledge lifelong...!"
"Hold on. Hold."
"Yes. Speak."
What noble guide nonsense.
This guy's twenty-some years older than me...
Wait—he just said 'at thirty'?
'So Escort Leader Eun's exactly thirty?'
Did he eat some eternal youth fruit?
Anyway.
I did it for myself; titles like great hero or noble guide are burdensome.
"Hey. Stick to young hero or young master. It's too much."
* * *
Under Yin Xia Lian's command, the caravan swiftly handles aftermath.
Of Silver Radiance Radiant Prosperity Division's caravan sixty-two members, ten minor injuries, three serious.
Serious just means cart-bound from shoulder or chest stabs—no life threats.
With casualties assessed, Yin Xia Lian bows to me.
"My blunder nearly killed many, but thanks to you, Young Master, all survived. I will never forget today."
The first part's clearly for me; the latter chills with intent to punish the culprits.
'Not my business.'
I nod and reply.
"Just did what needed doing."
Got paid, and your death would've complicated things.
"More importantly, let's clear this pass quick. They might have backups targeting you."
"Yes. Best to escape this wretched pass fast."
The caravan sets aside relief, moves nimbly under her orders.
Right overturned carts, load wounded.
Dump shattered goods, spoiled merchandise, heavy drags.
Ready.
We hasten over Northern Deer Mountain.
Fortune smiles—no opposition ambushes from her rivals.
'If I were her rival, I'd have assassins blanketing for contingencies.'
Thankfully, her would-be killers didn't.
Over-trusting Iron Skin Wild Yak Bang Cheon-deok? Or too natural?
After the pass, smooth sailing.
Ah...
No.
"I sent urgent falcon post, yet in the time to resolve Northern Deer and cross, you barely reached here? Quite nimble, Sub-Branch Leader."
"...H-Hall Leader! Th-that's!"
"I know your plight caught in whale fights, but if you seek my understanding and pardon, your scales should've tipped by now."
The novel's classic frosty aura returns to Yin Xia Lian; Silver Radiance Sub-Branch Leader caught dawdling intentionally, swallowing hard.
Anyway.
Otherwise, zero incidents to Sub-Branch arrival.
Thus ends my unwanted guest escort gig.
Now for promised pay and rewards.
Sure enough.
Hearing the treasurer paying Northern Deer escorts, I trudge over.
"...N-no, Young Hero, not there—the Branch Leader's office."
Escort Leader Eun bows, points, then whispers thumb-forefinger pinched.
"Ahem... Your amount's... different unit from the others... That yellow, horse-hoof shaped. Yes."
Gold ingots in the office? No reason not to.
A few steps to the office.
"No time earlier; now proper thanks for your grace."
Yin Xia Lian, in elegant ornate robes like porcelain sculpture, full makeup—powdered face, rouged lips—greets me.
Her look makes my lips curl involuntarily.
Because she's pretty?
'No.'
Objectively stunning, sure.
Southern Jiang's top beauty, whites whiter, reds redder—how not?
But I'm resistant to beauty.
'Hunter life exposed me plenty.'
Succubi, elves, etc.
Saw 'em? Killed 'em too.
Reason I smile?
'Yin Xia Lian's game is obvious.'
Short time, huge mess—even settled, paperwork mountains await.
Yet she bathes, primps?
She's trying to win me over.
'Canon scenes give her away.'
First, beauty to seize initiative. Next, money.
Click—
"Here. Added to the agreed pay as my sincerity. How to price saving me and my people? Please accept."
Money shown; now 'Work with me.'
"If nowhere to go, our Radiant Prosperity Hall..."
But I cut her off before finishing.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I have business. And a place."
Need to claim Heavenly Demon founder's tomb first.
And why work for you?
'Unless you work for me.'
You boasted no negotiation target resists you?
Starts today.
Open wide.
Horse-trading, first loss incoming.