Chapter 199
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: Convergence at Parte
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Philia and Snowman agreed to travel together all the way to their destination. With the same goal in mind, there was no reason to split up—it was a perfectly reasonable call.
That said, the vibe between traveling companions was a little frosty.
"So, you know, it was just my compulsive kleptomania kicking in. What was I supposed to do about it...?"
"......"
Icy atmosphere.
The chill lingered even as they rode on horseback.
I didn't mean to steal, okay? It's not like this because I got caught!
And what made the mood even chillier was Bitan's peanut gallery commentary.
"Long time no see, lady!"
"Who...?"
Heh heh heh... The fearsome Lord Bitan has arrived!
"......So, who are you?"
......Hey, you don't know me?
"I don't remember you..."
You know, that super sharp-looking sword with the "kwak!" vibe? Ring any bells?
"Ah!"
Now you remember? Now?
"Not really..."
No... think harder... That scary memory that makes you hide under the covers at night...
"Sorry... I really don't remember."
...I hate humans.
For some reason, Philia's words seemed to drift even further from Snowman after that.
"Haa..."
Snowman sighed, accepting the situation.
He kept missing Han Yeo-myeong.
With urban skirmishes dragging on, letter deliveries were delayed.
In the whirlwind of events, Snowman had ditched the chase and headed straight for the goats' stronghold, Parte.
Along the way, he dipped into passing cities briefly.
Typically, he'd clean out whatever goat brass was left lurking there.
"So you're the crow."
"Crow?"
"The one delivering the finishing blow to crumbling goats. They call you the crow because crows peck at corpses, I guess."
"Haha..."
He was surprised the features of his scouting familiar had already become rumor fodder, but that wasn't it.
"Isn't it dishonorable? Snowman shouldn't be treated like that..."
"I didn't step up for honor, so it doesn't matter."
"Then why...?"
"I'm in a hurry. Gotta mop 'em up quick and move on."
"Ah... I see..."
Philia and Snowman left every city they passed in ruins.
Rumors spread not just among Adelrin's knights battling the goats, but to the Transmigrators too.
"We'll reach Parte soon."
"Faster than expected. Feels like we're almost caught up..."
Philia nodded.
"At this rate, the cartel's collapse is a done deal."
"We've hit them too hard for them to recover already. But Kaiyo Matos holding out in Parte? That's unexpected."
Kaiyo Matos.
The de facto leader of the Goat Cartel. Or rather, there had been plenty of brass besides him.
But prolonged fights with Transmigrators and Adelrin whittled them down until only Kaiyo remained.
Philia said,
"Who knows. Could have an ace up his sleeve..."
"We'll need to be careful."
"That doesn't suit you."
"Pardon?"
"I've seen what you're capable of."
"Haha..."
Philia flashed a soft smile at the sheepish Snowman.
The grueling schedule had worn her down a bit, but Parte would be the end of it.
Parte, the goats' last stand and Adelrin's far-western metropolis.
"Kyaaah!"
"Evacuate! Get out!"
"Where?!"
"Anywhere! Just away from the city!"
Civilians fled the streets in panic.
The goats weren't stopping them—either they'd given up or couldn't spare the manpower.
Prrr...
Clop clop...
Hoofbeats echoed from the streets, a full-on chorus hinting at an incoming cavalry.
"Parte at last."
"Yes, Sir Bren."
"These filthy criminals are wearing me out. Can't wait to head back to the capital for some R&R."
His shoulder-length dazzling golden curls and mystical blue eyes made Bren, lead knight of the Beregeon Order, stand out.
"S-Sir Bren... Shouldn't you wear your helmet...?"
"Hmph, I know. It's stuffy, so bear with it till we charge."
"Yes, sir!"
Bren eyed the fighters ahead.
"Scatter! They're targeting us!"
"Over here!"
He shot them a contemptuous glance amid the fierce skirmish.
"Trashy Transmigrators..."
Bren didn't like Transmigrators.
Hated them, really. Criminals and the ones helping him alike.
Of course, he never showed it or said anything rude—that'd be beneath him.
Rolling with trash made you trash.
He thoroughly ignored them.
Prrr...
His steed seemed excited by the clanging steel and shouts.
"Easy, Richel. Save the excitement. Lalsha."
He called the woman following him.
"Yes."
"Up front."
"Yes!"
Lalsha wore gear unfit for a knight: goggles with weird numbers flickering on the lenses.
"So, how's the Beregeon latest gear treating you?"
"Amazing! Gauging enemy strength from their aura... To think the Mage Tower collab's reached this level—I'm honored, sir!"
The device estimated combat power from an opponent's energy, like Transmigrators using Adventure Scores in hubs.
But with differences.
First, no precise predictions like Adventure Scores.
It eyeballed "...points or higher."
Plus, it often overstated actual combat power versus Adventure Score. Still tolerable, since it measured pure fighting prowess.
But Lalsha didn't report the flaws to Bren.
Bren was narrow-minded, skeptical of anything he hadn't experienced, and ignored bad news.
'Better not report it. Or wait till we're back.'
Lalsha checked Bren's power.
'8 million points...'
For reference, the Ghost Swordsman they'd met before neared 10 million.
'Saying Bren's weaker than a Transmigrator? No way.'
That'd earn her a dressing-down on some pretext—rigid military culture.
Bren closed his eyes amid the clashing steel.
"In the end... no Transmigrator stronger than Kaiyo Matos shows? Guess this body has to take down the enemy head. To stain my blade with low-grade Transmigrator blood, of all things..."
Lalsha tensed.
Kaiyo's Adventure Score was publicly over 8.5 million.
Top tiers often punched above their scores, so his combat power was way higher.
Bren would lose.
"S-Sir... Why not leave it to the Ghost Swordsman...?"
"Hand him the glory?"
"N-No, just worried you might get hurt..."
"Hmph, he's sloppy. Fast, sure... but does that speed work on me? What do you think, Lalsha?"
Hic...
Lalsha hiccuped inwardly.
'No clue. Ghost Swordsman seems stronger...'
Her thoughts got filtered into flattery.
"No way the Ghost Swordsman's blade touches you, sir."
"Haha... Good."
"Most Transmigrators couldn't hold a candle to you."
"Muahaha! Those eyes aren't peepholes! The mighty Beregeon Order delayed our schedule to march here—criminals gotta pay. Right, everyone?"
"Yes!"
"Beregeon is invincible!"
"Waaaaah!"
Group hysteria.
Unfortunately, only fools mistook it for morale, so no self-reflection.
"Show our might!"
"Sound the horns!"
Bwoooo...
"Full charge!"
"Waaaaah!"
The cavalry's sudden surge down the main street was a spectacle.
They charged fiercely toward the eyesore fortress in Parte.
Voices exchanged atop Parte's fortress.
"Kaiyo, some idiots are charging."
"Blast 'em."
"Civilians'll get swept up."
"So?"
Kaiyo asked boredly.
The questioned man grinned.
"Nah."
Fsssh...
Hiss...
Cannon fuses lit.
Flames reached the cannons, belching fire pillars.
Thunderous roar as shells rained on the cavalry's path.
KABOOOOM!
"Gaaah!"
Pheeeew!
"Uwaak!"
"Keurgh..."
Trampled by hooves, direct hits screaming to death, collisions in smoke chaos.
Kaiyo remarked casually,
"Entertaining."
Bren barely dodged shells, but his steed died on impact.
"Those trash... using gunpowder in a city?!"
"Where'd they even get that much...?"
Kaiyo issued another order.
"Noisy. Shut 'em up."
Hiss...
One cannon lit, others priming.
BOOM!
But one exploded unexpectedly.
"What the—?"
"Transmigrator!"
"Annoying..."
Bren, buying time from the attack, glanced at the mage targeting cannons before spurring forward.
"Hmph! Occasionally useful. Remember that name for me, Lalsha. I'll commend him later."
"Yes!"
Why make her remember a name he was too lazy for? Anyway, after heavy losses, Bren reached the fortress.
"I'll go first! Clear from the lower levels!"
"B-Bren, sir!"
"Lalsha! You follow."
"Eh? Uh... uh-huh..."
Whoosh!
Bren grabbed Lalsha's waist and leaped skyward.
Thud...
Pat pat pat!
Wall-running into the air.
View flipped instantly; Lalsha dry-heaved.
Urk...
Thud!
Finally, atop the building.
"You thought this eyesore could stop me, Bren?"
"Well, lookie here—a dizzy knight's climbed up."
Crack...
Kaiyo cracked his neck into stance as others arrived.
As Transmigrators swelled atop, Kaiyo ordered,
"Fire."
Bang!
Rat-tat-tat!
"Urgh..."
"Uwaak!"
This era's guns were musket-level, so the volley died quick.
But even brief fire sent Transmigrators tumbling.
Oddly, Lalsha and Bren were unscathed—by design.
"Situation clear?"
"...Lalsha, his power level?"
"...Nearing 10 million."
"Next to him?"
"8.7 million..."
"Next?"
"9.1 million..."
"...Trap."
Pulling back was a feint; real goat forces amassed in Parte.
"Lalsha, mine?"
"8.8 million."
"......"
Kaiyo grinned.
"Hey, what's this fun chat you two are having?"
"Kaiyo Gong, let's talk. If this indiscriminate civilian slaughter continues, Adelrin will officially..."
BANG!
Bullet grazed Bren's earlobe.
"What're you yapping, pretty boy?"
"Lost his mind?"
"Blast him with the cannon?"
"Sounds good!"
Fsssh...
One cannon swiveled on Bren.
Then.
Pfsh!
"Keurgh..."
Gunner clutched his throat, collapsing.
The man who'd slit it stopped before Bren.
"Sir Bren, you alright?"
"Gh-Ghost Swordsman."
Han Yeo-myeong eyed Kaiyo.
"Time's up, Kaiyo. The other goats are off to the afterlife. Your turn."
BANG!
Sudden shot.
But Han was faster.
Shing!
Cling!
"Cough..."
No one believed their eyes.
Han flashed his sword; the bullet ricocheted into another gunner.
"...This guy's something."
Han's momentum was fearsome, but the goats didn't flinch.
"You can't take us alone."
"Never said I was."
"Hmph, those idiot Transmigrators are all..."
Han turned, gazing at empty air.
"You're here. So it's time."
"What? Wh..."
KABOOOM!
Roof-shaking impact as a lone woman dropped in.
Karen.
"...And who's this?"
Lead knight Bren was awestruck by her entrance.
'Strong! A true powerhouse!'
Her aura said it all.
"W-Welcome. Are you here to support me, Bren...?"
"Huh? Who?"
She whipped around, red hair flying; Bren's breath caught.
"A f-fairy..."
"Don't recognize you."
Bren asked Lalsha.
"Lalsha, that knight's..."
"1... 18 million."
"...What? That means it's broken... No, she's a fairy—not a Transmigrator. A powerhouse here to aid me!"
Then another landed.
Thud...
"This the end?"
The man asked casually; Karen replied.
"Yeah! Han Yeo-myeong's here too."
"Bro!"
He strolled up like on a walk.
Bren jabbed Lalsha's side.
"......"
"Lalsha?"
"......"
Lalsha said nothing, tossing off her gauge.
"What are you doing?"
She answered,
"Must've busted from that earlier shock, sir Bren."