The Labyrinth City of Zarkal (2)
The Labyrinth City of Zarkal (2)
A week has passed since Redin left the castle.
As expected, Viscount Bothaman attached a guard, and throughout the week he followed him around, keeping an eye on him.
Of course, he thought he was undetected.
"Welcome."
He settled in at an outdoor table in the restaurant. The food was delicious, so he always ate lunch here.
"I'll have the same thing I've always had."
"Alright."
Shortly after the waiter entered, a familiar-looking man took a seat a short distance away.
A watcher followed him.
Though he doesn't seem to have much in the way of physical strength, his ability to hide and blend into his surroundings is excellent.
He unconsciously stroked the telescope at his waist.
[Watcher's Eye].
-Can see up to 20 kilometers away.
-If you specify a specific target, you can see its movement in real time.
-You can search for people.
The Watcher's Eye, a telescope from Necromancer Tervis' warehouse. If it weren't for it, he'd have missed him.
"Your food is here."
The waiter brought the food.
A steaming steak.
Cheese and glazed sauce covered the meat.
He sliced the meat using a fork and knife.
As he took a big bite and chewed the meat, the juices burst out and mingled with the sauce.
He ate the fries on the side.
A lime-flavored sparkling water was also included.
"Stuffed."
By the time Redin has finished eating.
A strange man joined the Watcher's table. His bald head was covered in lightning bolt tattoos, and he wore a leather jacket and a machete.
It was clear he hadn't done this before.
He didn't make eye contact with Redin, just struck up a conversation and casually began to order some food.
Click!
Using the watcher's eye on his waist, he designated a new person as the target of surveillance.
Then he got up from his seat.
"I really enjoyed my meal."
While paying for the food, he casually glanced around.
He might have a companion.
He looks around for any suspicious-looking figures, but he can't find them with ease because they seem to be hiding in a convenient spot.
Passing the Watcher's table, he muttered to himself.
"I think it's time to go somewhere else......."
Redin left the restaurant and headed back to the hostel.¹
It was close by, so he was able to get there quickly. When he arrived at his room, he saw that the people in the restaurant were on the move.
He grabbed his bag and left the hostel.
Now that Magnes has taken the bait, it's time to reel in the fish. Redin went to a place that rents carriages, instead of taking the teleporter.
"I'm trying to get to the Reftal Estate right now, do you have a coachman and carriage?"
"Right now... it's a bit pricey."
"I don't mind the price, please arrange it right away."
He paid twice the price the owner asked.
The owner whose mouth was agape, immediately arranged for a carriage and coachman.
"You can get on there."
Once in the carriage, Viscount Bothaman's watcher returned to the castle, and the watcher from Magnes came over.
A man with a long beard standing beside him.
From inside the carriage, he used the telescope to mark the bearded man for surveillance.
"Let's depart, lass!"
Clip-Clop!
Clip-Clop!
The carriage moved as the horses ran.
Traveling along the main road, the carriage left the territory and headed out onto the plains.
If they kept going, they would come to a forest.
That's when the men from Magnes will be coming for him. Redin went to the chair near the coachman and pulled back the small wooden curtain.
Whoosh!
The coachman turned his head.
"Is there anything you need?"
"If there's a small disturbance along the way and I disappear, you can just go to the Reftal Estate."
"Yes?"
"Just do as you're told and there won't be any trouble."
Bam!
The wooden barrier closed and he returned to his seat. Utilizing the Watcher's Eye, he located the current location of the two.
They were following, spurring their horses on.
As the carriage drew closer to the forest, they picked up their speed and began to gallop.
Bang!
He opened the door and jumped out of the carriage.
Using the ghost walk, he slipped into the woods and took cover. Maintaining a reasonable distance, he ran after the carriage.
*Hiiee!* Hiiee!
At the sound of horses, the men of the Magnes organization broke off to either side. To the left and right of the carriage.
"Mex, I'll take care of the look-out, you get to the carriage and make sure the target is taken care of."
"Tch. The troublesome stuff is always on me."
The man called Mex, moving to the right, scowled and picked up his pace. He was getting closer to the carriage.
The bald man, on the other hand, was moving rapidly away from the horse-drawn carriage. He pushed the bald man out of his mind and looked at Mex as he approached the wagon.
Starting with him.
He kicked the ground and unsheathed his sword.
Using a slashing motion, he leapt toward Mex. The mana-filled blade aimed for his neck.
Swish!
The sword sliced through the air.
Mex, perched on his horse, disappeared.
Redin immediately activated the Eye of Arrakis. A red line stretched off to the right. He leaped onto the horse's back.
He spun and swung his sword.
Clang!
He parried his opponent's blade and landed on the ground. Raising his head, Mex grinned, and hefted his sword to his shoulder.
"What the fuck are you?"
"Then why did you target me."
Mex looked a little surprised.
"What. Did you know we were following you?"
"I can smell the garbage even with my nose covered, how could I not?"
"I heard you weren't a normal kid."
Click!
Mex let his sword hang down. The blade then detached, forming a whip.
A segmented sword.
A sickening grin twisted the corners of his mouth.
"Well, this is good for me. I'm already annoyed enough that I'm going to have to cut off your head."
"Can you do it?"
Redin goaded the Magnes person.
"Of course!"
He swung his sword.
The blade slithered like a snake.
What seemed like one sword became dozens in an instant. The blades of the swords ravaged the area.²
Shattering the trees.
Tearing up the ground and rocks.
They swarmed toward him.
Redin remembered the method of dealing with this kind of sword in the insights of the sword saint, and infused mana into the famous sword Cairo.
An intense anticipation.
The sword glowed with a vibrant blue light. Standing upright, he quickly swung his sword.
Whooooooosssshhhh!
A gust of wind swept through the surroundings.
The segmented sword floated into thin air, losing its power, and he used the wind slash again to lunge toward Mex.
Slash!
Although Mex dodged quickly.
It was well within his expected range.
[Shadow Entrapment].
Two hands emerged from Mex's shadows to subdue him. Redin pursued him with a whirlwind slash, plunging his sword into his heart.
"Cough!"
"Not bad."
[Killed the target].
[Harvesting a damned soul].
Using the [Mask of the Dead], he changed his face to that of a long-bearded man.
[Transforms into a Mex].
Redin donned a cloak and picked up the segmented sword that had fallen to the ground. Mounted his horse and moved toward the bald man.
Just then, the bald man approached.
“What, is it over already?”
“He wasn’t anything special.”
"The body."
"I buried it over there."
"Are you sure you handled it properly?"
"You can just go check it out for yourself."
The bald man turned his horse's head.
His expression showed that he had completely lost his suspicion. Confirming that he was not on guard, he raised the segmented sword.
He deserved to die for letting his guard down.
Redin whipped out the segmented sword and dealt with the man.
Swish!
"Keuk.. W-Wha... the"
"You should have been more vigilant."
[Killed the target].
[Harvested a damned soul].
[As a result of reaping 10 souls, the mask's abilities increase slightly].
[Monsters' souls can now be harvested].
[A soul can now be harvested despite not being marked as a target].³
Activate the mask's abilities.
The corners of his mouth turned up at the small, unexpected achievement.
"Now all that's left is..."
-This time, the Black Dragon Clan members moved their base as they expanded their business area, but can we leave them alone?
-Leave them for now.
-If we leave them alone, they'll get big headed and refuse to listen to their leader.
-Well, go take care of that. For now, Redin. Focus on dealing with him. He could ruin our efforts.
Mex's memories, obtained through the Mask of the Dead, contained the location of the Black Dragon Clan's base.
"Shall we open the board?"
* * *
Terry the Poison Toad.
The reason why he, who was a Chief of Operations at Burning Hell, was able to become a captain at Magnes.
That's because of the help of prisoners.
Prisoners who weren't from Magnes, who were imprisoned. Terry joined forces with them and won the position of Captain of Magnes.
The prisoners helped Terry for one reason.
As a non-Magnes member, they wanted to get into the Magnes organization and make a big name for themselves.
Instead of dividing the territory between them, Terry used the power and support he received from the prisoners to grow his influence in Magnes.
Joining hands for mutual benefit.
A unique arrangement.
Redin intends to smash it.
'Shall I start moving now?'
He stepped toward the red house up ahead. The headquarters of the Black Dragon Clan, one of the many organizations that follow Terry.
As he exits the forest, he hears an unfamiliar voice.
"Who are you!"
The man standing guard atop the treehouse pointed an arrow at him.
He pulled off his cloak with his hands.
"Mex, what are you doing here?"
Without answering, he drew the segmented sword.
As he channeled his mana, the blade of the segmented sword separated and stretched out.
He stomped into the ground.
"Son of a bitch!"
Puuuuuuuuu!
A horn blast echoed around the hideout. Multiple footsteps could be heard moving inside.
It's good to have them moving on their own.
He scaled the wall and slit the throat of the man standing guard.
[Killed the target].
[Harvesting a damned soul].
These men are criminals.
Criminals who have committed violent crimes for which they have no remorse.
There's no pity for them.
He shook off the blood and made his way downstairs. As he stood before the main entrance to the hideout, the door swung open and a number of prisoners burst out.
"Mex?"
"What the fuck is that asshole doing here?"
"Why did you blow off the bullhorn?"
He stuck his foot out in front of him, watching their confusion. Only one person will ever get out of this place alive.
Someone who will tell the other groups.
The remainder will go to hell this very day.
Swish!
He swung his segmented sword wildly.
He slashed at the prisoners in front of him, then followed up with another great flourish.
"Aaah!"
"You're crazy... Is this a betrayal!"
"Come on, everyone, let's kill that bastard first!"
He gripped the segmented sword tightly as he faced the approaching prisoners. The Sword Saint Harungel had handled all kinds of weapons, and among them was the segmented sword.
He channeled his mana and incorporated the techniques of Storm Slash into the segmented sword.
Rumble!
The segmented sword fluttered and stirred the wind, and it became a great storm serpent that swept through the hideout.
Kwagagagagagang!
A violent storm ravaged the surroundings. The headquarters is destroyed, and the prisoners caught in the storm are torn apart.
Those who were quite skilled.
The ones still breathing, covered in blood, He moved to end their lives directly.
"Keuk... Why the hell..."
"Because I don't need you anymore."
"Fu..."
Thud!
Redin tossed the prisoner to the ground and looked around. There were no breathing beings around, except for one lurking nearby.
"Huuu.."
The finishing touches should be solid.
Pulling a communication bead from his pocket, he pretended to report to Terry.
"I've cleared out the Black Dragon Clan, and I'm turning the area they were in charge of over to the Magnes who have been cooperating with us."
He turned and walked away.
It wasn't long before he sensed the hiding man stirring.
Now he's going to make this known.
To the Non-Magnes prisoners who were working with Terry.
And they would be troubled.
Whether this is real or not. Some of them would check with Terry, and some of them would make a move to protect themselves.
For instance.
It doesn't matter if all of the people who joined forces with Terry don't do anything.
If it creates a rift between them, the plan is a success.
"They'll make a move at some point."
The prisoners don't have any deep loyalties to Terry, they're just sticking together to ensure each other's interest.
If they think they're in any danger.
They'll immediately turn away from Terry, and he'll start to get impatient as his original plan goes awry.
Weakened power means weakened position in the Magnes organization.
"If he starts to get desperate, I can pull something about the Oberg Imperial Laboratories...."
He'll bite on it without suspicion.
Until the dust settles, He will focus on his personal growth. The plan he had before he came here.
The Fairy Heart and the 3rd skill to copy.
Time to go get them.
** ** **
TL/N:
1. Unlike hotels, hostels may only have a few people on staff and fewer amenities. A hostel is popular among single travelers or young people who are looking to save money on lodging.
2. The Sword used by Mex is a combination of Urumi and a Segmented Sword.
3. 2nd Upgrade of the [Mask of the Dead], 1st upgrade was reviewing a portion of memories of the killed target.