The Thief Strikes from Behind (3)

"BURNING—AR—ROWS!!!!"

Please, I thought. Please let Yun Mina understand those few short words.

"What? Human say what!"

"This human funny! Arrow no burn! That cold!"

"No, arrow not cold! That hot!"

"Same thing!"

"Absolutely not!"

...What the hell is wrong with these goddamn monsters, standing around doing a comedy routine right in front of me!

Wait. Hold on... these bastards have intelligence?

Could it be... could it actually work...? Those spells I never had a reason to use until now...!?

"Sleep."

I cast Sleep, a mind-affecting spell I hadn't gotten to try in ages simply because there'd never been a use for it.

"What?"

"Suddenly what noise! You sleep! Die first!"

"Yeah, you sleep... why suddenly sleepy?"

Oh. One of them was starting to sway on its feet.

"Hey, I, sleepy... sleep... coming..."

"What you say! Snap out of it!"

"Why you suddenly like that! Don't scare me!"

Yes! The troll on the right was going down! Time to hit another one—with a different mind spell this time!

"Despair, scatter through that one's mind and drain the strength from its body!"

I cast the 2nd-level spell Broken Spirit on another of them.

"What? That human make weird noise!"

"Yes! Despair from ancient times make man stron—ughhh... I... garbage... want die..."

"Now what wrong with you!"

Are we filming a sketch comedy?

But there was no time to stand around marveling. Two of the trolls were reeling under the effects of the mind spells.

Except... why weren't they falling asleep? Why weren't they collapsing into helpless despair? Both affected trolls just staggered and swayed—nothing more.

"Ugh, uhhh... so... so sleepy..."

"I am garbage... I ugly... lady trolls... say I especially uglier... sad..."

"Both of you what talking! Snap out! Must kill human!"

Damn it! Was the effect this weak just because they were high-level monsters? The same thing had happened in the original game. Low-level mind spells either didn't work on high-level monsters or their duration was pitifully short. These things were level 55—it wasn't strange that they'd have some resistance to low-tier magic.

But hesitating and letting this tiny opening slip away would be even more stupid!

"Huh? What, what! Human! Human where go! You just there! Why not there! Come out now!"

I slipped away from the three trolls in a flash. I'd given Yun Mina the hint—now I needed to set the perfect stage to make use of it.

Alright. To make fire spread... luckily it was a dry April spring, ideal conditions for flames to catch... Ah, that's it!

There were wrecked cars nearby, barely more than scrap. No—looking closer, they'd been knocked clear onto the walkway beside the bridge, probably when the trucks came through. Perfect. I'd use those.

I approached the nearest car and popped the hood without a second thought. Moonlight caught the engine bay, but the internals were only faintly visible—nothing I could make out in detail.

So I reached in and felt my way by touch.

If I do it the way Siban taught me...

Kim Siban. The friend I'd been texting right up until the world ended.

The guy had been a total car nut. He'd been a huge help when I got my license, and he'd even dragged me along when he worked on his own car, teaching me this and that.

I'd screwed up enough to get an earful of cursing... who knew it'd pay off now.

The fuel line running to the engine... this was it. Hell, just rip the whole thing out!

I yanked it free with zero finesse, then moved to the car window and smashed it in with my sword hilt. Crash!

...Did they hear that?

"Human where! Just now weird noise! Come out now!"

They'd heard it—but they hadn't spotted me. Good.

Nothing inside. Huh? It wasn't even locked. Feeling a little dumb for breaking the window, I opened the driver's door and checked for a start button.

Keyless cars were pretty common these days... ah, this one still had a key in it. I could roughly guess what fate had befallen the driver.

I turned the key without hesitation.

Vrrrm...!

Fortunately, the engine caught. The sound was off, though—fuel wasn't feeding properly. Obvious, since I'd just ripped out the line.

I released the parking brake and went around to the back of the car.

"Hup...!"

I pushed. The car rolled. Manually, of course.

Slowly, carefully, I brought it right up near where the trolls were milling about.

"Human where! Not come out now, smash bridge for real—why this here?"

The dumb troll only noticed the car once it was right under its nose.

They've got intelligence, but not much in the way of brains. Or maybe my Stealth is just that good?

Either way... the stage was set!

"Filthy trolls! For the crime of tormenting people, I shall pass judgment upon you!"

I revealed myself in front of them, sword leveled, radiating righteous confidence.

"There! Human! Kill you!"

The troll moved the instant it saw me—closing the gap in a blink and swinging its arm. I knew this was the perfect moment to deliver the hint.

"The car! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Wait for the signal!"

I bellowed it at the top of my lungs, right up until the fist was in my face.

Of course, that fist never touched me.

Whoosh!

"Urgh? What! Definitely... hit...!"

An illusion, obviously. Only an idiot would stand there and take a punch from a fist the size of a hog. The 2nd-level spell Mirror Image was proving incredibly useful yet again.

The real me had been watching from behind the car the whole time, and the moment the troll touched my illusion, I moved. Where was I now?

Right behind the stinking troll.

From there, I launched myself into a massive leap.

The instant I was airborne, I whipped my iron sword around the troll's neck like a garrote blade, then wrenched downward with everything I had.

"Ghk!?"

Thud!

How's Strength 18 taste! The troll shrieked as something sharp suddenly cinched around its throat and toppled backward, completely blindsided by the ambush.

Unfortunately, the blade didn't bite through. Damn, that hide was ridiculously tough! Stinking bastards!

BOOM!

Still, I'd achieved my goal. One of the remaining trolls hit the ground.

I yanked the sword free from its neck and stomped straight down on its ugly mug.

Thwack!

"Aaagh! Human! My face not ground—hurts!"

I kept going, trampling across its chest and its grotesquely swollen belly as I ran.

Agility 18 legs carried me across the troll in a blur, putting distance between us in a heartbeat.

And right on cue, the other two shook off the magic.

"Ugh! Huh? Shihutu! You okay!"

"Head hurt... wait, human! Coward! Bully friend while we lying down!"

The remaining two broke free of the spells and rushed to their companion. All three trolls were together again—one still on the ground, and right next to it, a car leaking fuel.

Perfect. Beautiful.

"Now! Shoot!"

I roared at the top of my lungs.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Thwip, thwip, thwip...!

A sound that never disappointed me. Arrows, incoming. And not just any arrows—

Fwoosh!

Three arrows wreathed in flame.

Burning arrows in the dark were impossible to miss. Two of the three streaked toward the trolls still on their feet; the third flew straight at the car.

Fuel was leaking from the vehicle, pooling thickly on the ground beneath it.

Dry weather. Fuel soaked into everything. How would the fire catch?

FWOOSH!

It caught big.

"Ack! What! Arrow!"

"Fire, fire! Hot!"

"Arrow, hot! Why hot!"

Two trolls howled in pain from the sudden arrows and the roaring flames. The one on the ground scrambled to get up.

The problem—for them—was that the fire was already climbing off the ground. Flames riding the spilled fuel as it spread.

And the engine of the car I'd left running was starting to cook under the sudden heat.

"Aaagh! Hot! Hot! Human who make hot! Kill you!"

The trolls, taking real-time damage from the flames, tried to charge me. I had no intention of letting them move freely.

"Arrows, punish my enemies!"

I snapped off Magic Missiles at the closing troll. At Mage level 8, four bolts streaked out and punched dead-center into its burning head and torso.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

"GRAAAAAAGH!"

Huh. It looked like it was suffering even more damage than before.

Its HP bar had dropped considerably. Still disgustingly high, but still. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fire must have been weakening its hide. How that worked, I had no idea—probably some elemental affinity nonsense.

"Arrows, punish my enemies!"

"H-hot—AAAAAGH! What is this!"

I loosed another volley of Magic Missiles at the other thrashing troll. They slammed home into its blazing skin as if they'd read my mind.

It was working this well? I clicked my tongue inwardly at the pure fantasy-game elemental matchup.

I'd only thought of fire because I remembered fighting trolls with fire and poison in games—and this was the only fire I could use on short notice. And it was this effective?

Reality was starting to feel more and more like a fantasy world. As if it weren't already fantasy enough!

Thwip, thwip, thwip!

Sora must have read my mind perfectly, because she sent a follow-up volley. This time flaming arrows slammed into all three trolls—one scoring a clean hit on the head of the one still trying to stand.

"Aaagh, hot! Hurts!"

I wanted to fire more Magic Missiles... but I was out. Fine. Cast Mage Armor on myself, charge in, and cauterize the wounds with my sword?

That was the plan—until a gut feeling hit me hard that I wouldn't need to.

FWOOOOSH!

The car I'd parked next to the trolls was looking real unstable. At this distance... run!

I scrambled several more meters back and ducked low. An exploding car probably wouldn't hit this far, but better safe than sorry!

And thanks to the flames and the leaking fuel—

BOOM!

Exactly as I'd pictured it, the car went up properly.

"GYAAAAAGH!"

"GRAAAAAAGH!"

"KREEEEEEEK!"

The trolls took the blast full-on, screaming like cartoon villains. Even crouched, I felt a bit of the shockwave, but nothing serious.

Still, this was no time to sit around waiting.

"Arcane power, wrap my body and shield me."

I cast Mage Armor, gripped my iron sword in both hands, and charged the three staggering trolls.

Slash, slash, slash!

I swung without hesitation, aiming for their necks the way I'd carve through orcs or goblins—the fire had softened them up enough.

The results were extremely satisfying. Ending it here would have been more than enough—but.

"Oho..."

Among the troll corpses, something was glinting.

Without hesitation, I plucked it from the flames and the wreckage of the bodies.

...Should I just throw this away?

"Hoon oppa!"

"Great work, oppa!"

"Welcome back, Jeong Hoon-ssi."

"Wow, as expected, Orabeoni is the best... those big brutes went slash! So, how was the joint masterpiece from me and Sora unnie?"

I walked back across the bridge to Yeouido.

First stop was where the three trucks had halted—right in front of the National Assembly Building's main gate. My women were gathered there waiting.

"Thank you for understanding my instructions. Sora, Mina. Kim Seyeon-seonsaeng, thank you for bringing Mina."

"O-oppa, you're the one who... worked so hard. You even leveled us up..."

"If you're grateful, treat us to something delicious later! Though honestly we're the ones who should be thanking you!"

"I only did what needed doing. If anything, you had the harder time."

That last bit—Kim Seyeon calling me "you" like that—hit me square in the chest like one of Cupid's arrows. My mood shot straight into the sky.

"Ah, Seyeon unnie... a little too obvious, don't you think? Hehehe..."

"Oh my... what a slip!"

"Seyeon unnie... was that really a slip? Earlier in the office—"

"I-in the office? D-don't tell me... Seyeon unnie, you and oppa again...?"

"N-no! It stopped at an attempt...!"

"S-stopped at an attempt!?"

I could listen to this banter every day and never get tired of it. They bickered and needled each other, but none of the four ever looked genuinely hurt. How had I managed to end up with nothing but bright, good-natured women no matter who I picked?

"Wooow, Orabeoni... you went at it hard with Seyeon unnie not that long ago and you're already going again? An adult man's lust really is... terrifyingly terrifying, isn't it? Ah, so scary. I'm scared to death I'll end up like that toooo...?"

...Mina I should probably count as the exception. You little devil!

My attention shifted to the people who'd come in on the trucks. I walked over with the others to where the vehicles had stopped. Some of our residents were already out helping the survivors climb down and get settled.

"...They all look to be in rough shape."

Aside from a rare few, every survivor coming off the trucks was in terrible condition. Sickly complexions, gaunt from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠starvation.

More than anything, their faces were cast in deep shadow—the kind that only came from long days of real suffering. It wasn't just because it was night.

It was the look of people who had spent every day until now stripped of all hope.

"Yes. I heard some of their story... it was serious. Truly."

Kim Seyeon came up beside me, her expression quite grave.

"What information did you learn?"

"Well... I think it would be best if you heard it directly. Just a moment."

Kim Seyeon carefully approached the survivors who'd gotten down from the trucks.

A moment later, my eyes went wide.

She was considerably thinner and her face was shadowed, but her looks still hadn't lost their light.

Long black hair held back with a headband, eyes a deep greenish hue. And her figure... not quite on Kim Seyeon's level, but easily a match for Han Sora's. She was taller than Sora, so the impression was more slender and well-proportioned than simply voluptuous.

She wore a coat—probably issued by one of our residents—over thoroughly tattered clothes, which only made her look more pitiful. Who was this beauty? Some kind of leader among the truck survivors?

"This is Jeong Hoon-ssi. He's the one who rules Yeouido as his territory."

"Well met. I am called Jeong Hoon."

I offered a greeting to someone who was, more or less, a guest. The deeply shadowed woman dipped her head a little and introduced herself.

"Hello... I'm Jung Yun."

A rather familiar name. The moment I heard it, I flicked my eyes sideways to Yun Mina beside me.

"Huh? Yun... unnie...? Why... are you here...?"

Ah. So it really was her.

The woman Yun Mina had mentioned when talking about her past—Han Daegeon's number one, his lover. Jung Yun was standing right in front of us.

Jung Yun seemed to notice Yun Mina only now as well. Her eyes went wide and locked onto Mina as she spoke.

"Mi-Mina...?"

Her voice trembled, like she'd run into someone she never expected to see.

And light returned to her eyes. No—not light. A kind of bitter anguish. That anguish welled up and spilled over as tears.

The surge of emotion poured out in a surge of words, laying bare a shocking truth.

"Mina... I'm sorry...! Daegeon... he... he betrayed us! He said he was going to save Ju-hui... and he sold us out! I'm sorry, Mina... I should have listened to you, I should have listened...! I'm really, really sorry...!"

It was something close to a desperate confession.