Chapter 109
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Yanagiya Riki (1)
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"This is an honor. I don't know what you guys are up to, but for someone from the neutral nation to know my name."
These guys had stopped by the neutral nation just to catch me, but Yanagiya Riki had no idea about that, so she seemed to think they were players from the neutral nation.
"... I get that you're Yanagiya Riki. So, what brings someone from the Eastern Alliance here?"
"I told you already. Just passing through. Well... I'm not alone."
The moment she finished speaking, a man appeared from behind her.
"Sis, you're too fast. Slow down a bit...!"
"You're the slow one, you punk."
'... What the hell is going on here?'
We were in the middle of being captured and dragged off by outlaws when Yanagiya Riki and her subordinate showed up.
Coincidences couldn't stack up like this.
The man who seemed to be Riki's subordinate spotted the leader of the outlaw group and widened his eyes before speaking.
"Huh? Jeon Ji-hee?"
Yanagiya Riki questioned the man at his reaction.
"What? You know her?"
"... You don't know? That woman was an executive of the Execution Holy Society, even if she was at the bottom rung."
"What? So these punks are outlaws?"
"......"
"Well, something felt off. Dragging a guy around in that state was weird from the start, but outlaws, huh?"
"... So what? Because we're outlaws, you're suddenly burning with a sense of justice?"
Yanagiya Riki smirked at the woman's words and replied.
"Nah. Do whatever. I'm here to do the same thing as you guys anyway. I've got someone to take with me too."
Hearing her words made me suddenly uneasy.
'Fuck... no way, no way... she doesn't mean me, right?'
If so, then both the outlaws and Yanagiya Riki were after me.
'No way... even if...'
"Anyway, I don't care what you do. I won't interfere, so don't worry."
But Yanagiya Riki's next words shattered my hopes.
"That said, I've got a question. I'm looking for a guy named Lee Yun-seong from the Eternity Clan. If I want to head to the city of Runde, which way do I go?"
The outlaws panicked at Yanagiya Riki's question.
It was a natural reaction from their perspective. After all, they were dragging me along.
A few who couldn't hide their reactions glanced at me nervously, and spotting that, Yanagiya Riki turned to look at me too.
"......"
"......"
Silence suddenly fell over the area.
I was probably the only one feeling the awkward tension.
Unless Yanagiya Riki was completely oblivious, she had to notice something was up.
And sure enough, she asked me my name.
"... Hey, what's your name?"
'Fuck, fuck!'
"... N-not me. It's a misunderstanding."
"... Ha."
The situation turned strange. I only had one body, and there were two groups trying to drag me off.
"... What are you doing? Weren't you on your way? We won't interfere, so just go already."
Even as she spoke, the leader looked anxious.
"No, no... that won't work. Looks like my business is right here."
"What? Fuck, are you kidding?! That's not what you said!"
Yanagiya Riki scowled at the woman's cursing and spoke in a menacing tone.
"... Hey, why's your mouth so foul?"
A formless pressure suddenly filled the air, choking everyone.
The woman called Jeon Ji-hee seemed a bit better off, but she couldn't hide the tension in her eyes.
Someone muttered in fear.
"This is... a r-rank... ranker..."
"Hand over that man. Then I'll let you go."
"... We can't do that. Our orders were to bring this guy in."
"Is that so? Then the answer's clear."
With that, Yanagiya Riki began drawing her sword.
It was a moment on the brink of explosion.
Jeon Ji-hee bit her lip and shouted.
"Fuck, everyone attack! There's only two of them! Complete the orders no matter what it takes!"
".. Yes!"
"Two? What are you talking about. Hey, you stay out. I can handle it alone."
"Yes, sis."
And so, a 1-vs-20 battle began.
Whoosh—
"Die!"
One guy closed in and swung a blunt weapon, but Yanagiya Riki dodged with minimal movement, not even bothering to block with her sword.
"Hey! Don't rush in recklessly...!"
His comrade warned him, but it was too late.
Kwachik—
"Gahk...!"
I had no idea what she did, but the guy's abdomen was completely gone.
Behind Yanagiya Riki, something resembling a rakshasa flickered into view.
'... She's strong.'
A ranker was a ranker indeed.
She instantly killed an average player, proving her overwhelming strength.
As one subordinate died in a flash, Jeon Ji-hee twisted her face in fury and spoke.
"... Form the battle formation. I'll fight Yanagiya Riki. You all support me."
The battle that ensued was a spectacle.
Over ten people coordinating their assault on one—it was enough to make even me, who was weak, swallow hard.
Like tightening a noose, more than ten outlaws pressured Yanagiya Riki.
Yanagiya Riki shifted from aggressive to defensive.
As clashes went from dozens to hundreds of exchanges, two more outlaws fell out, and minor scratches began accumulating on Yanagiya Riki's body.
"How's that?! Being a ranker doesn't mean shit! How are you gonna escape from here?! Huh?! Speak up!"
"....."
"Where'd that cocky attitude go?! I'm gonna catch you and feed you to the monsters, you bitch!"
Jeon Ji-hee taunted her, but Yanagiya Riki didn't react.
She just calmly parried attacks with steady eyes.
'Analyzing them?'
I wasn't an expert in combat, so I could be wrong, but it felt like Yanagiya Riki was analyzing their formation.
"Act all high and mighty like before! I knew you'd fold if you relied on your rep and...!"
"Now I get it."
Yanagiya Riki, who had seemed purely defensive, thrust her sword into the gap between the attackers' weapons.
Chaeng—
"Huh?"
I couldn't follow it with my eyes or brain, but apparently high-level fighters saw something.
The moment she thrust her sword, discord rippled through the formation.
'... How did she do that?'
It was like dominoes toppling.
The ironclad formation crumbled like dominoes from her simple action.
"Wh-what?!"
"What's going on? Your footing's off!"
Those who had been in sync suddenly had their attack timings ruined, their footwork mismatched.
The fierce assault devolved into the chaos of a ragtag mob.
I was stunned watching it, so it must have been hell for them.
"Wh-what... what did you do... what the hell is this..."
"What do you mean? You thought that sloppy formation would work on me?"
"... What?"
"You idiot bitch, a proper battle formation takes even native martial artists decades of training together. You think I believed you amateurs, who at best synced up for a few years, had a real one?"
"What...?"
"It was full of gaps, you moron."
"Damn...!"
"Here's some advice: flashy amateur tricks like that have no chance against the strong. Not that it matters for a dead bitch like you."
"Urgh...! Everyone, get it together! Reform the formation!"
"Ha, you moron, I said it won't work."
The outlaws tried forming it again, but it broke even faster than before.
"Pathetic. That garbage formation's useless no matter how many times."
Kwak—
"Aaaagh! Let go!"
Jeon Ji-hee's weapon was already tossed aside in a corner.
Her hair was gripped in Yanagiya Riki's hand.
As she screamed to be released, Yanagiya Riki grinned chillingly and spoke.
"Let go of what? You've gotta pay for talking shit to me, right? What was it? Feed you to monsters?"
"Urgh...! Let me go, fuck!"
The remaining outlaws hesitated in fear.
With their leader caught, they'd lost the will to fight.
Yanagiya Riki looked tired and pale, and even if they all rushed her, victory wasn't guaranteed.
Plus, they'd already lost two to Wi Ho-yeon before meeting her.
"One arm first."
Sguk—
"Kyaaaaaaak! Aaaak! My arm! My aaaarm!"
Seeing her casually sever a human arm filled everyone, including me, with terror.
Outlaws might have done worse, but now they were prey and she was the predator—it was natural to feel fear.
"Ah, why so noisy? Hold it together, bitch. You're lucky. If this was Eastern Alliance territory, it wouldn't end here."
Casually slicing off an arm while smiling like a demon.
"Don't! Don't do it! My arm! My aaarm... Hic! Ahk...!"
"Don't do what, you foul bitch? Gonna keep acting like a noob? Winners take all from the losers—basic common sense in Eras, right?"
Sguk—
"Aaaak!"
I'd investigated Yanagiya Riki before and knew she was ruthless, but seeing it firsthand made it real.
Writhing on the ground with both arms severed, I couldn't help but break into a cold sweat watching her.
There was no guarantee it wouldn't happen to me.
"S-spare... me..."
The woman kept screaming even after losing both arms, but eventually went still.
'Crazy...'
She wasn't Wi Ho-yeon level, but the dead woman was still a top-tier fighter.
She could match Yanagiya Riki, but Riki had no major wounds.
Chwaak—
Yanagiya Riki shook the blood off her sword and spoke.
"Well, your leader's dead. Still wanna keep going?"
"N-no, no sir! We, we won't interfere!"
The survivors answered immediately, clearly wanting to avoid conflict, shaking their heads vigorously in fear.
"Good. Now step aside. I'm taking that guy."
The outlaws cleared the path in unison.
Thud, thud.
'Fuck, fuck!'
I couldn't even think of resisting her. Cold sweat dripped with every step she took toward me.
'For now... for now, I have to play along as subservient as possible.'
Any resistance or wrong word could end me like that corpse.
"Hey, come along nicely while I'm asking."
"Yes! Got it!"
I jumped up and bowed subserviently. She looked briefly surprised, then composed herself and continued.
"Good. Resist or pull any funny business, and you're dead. Just follow quietly."
As I followed Yanagiya Riki, I screamed internally.
'Fuck! When the hell is rescue coming?! I'm screwed...!'
Please, someone save me.