Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Followers of the Forgotten God (8)
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The information spilled by the boss he'd just met for the first time was about the underworld organization that had provided the Night Raven sect with a hideout, along with a list of their establishments under their control.
Following that lead, while wiping out five taverns, two brothels, three smuggler's dens, a small black market, and the five organizations running them, Kadim encountered around twenty followers of the 'Night Raven sect'.
"Judgment upon the 'Demon Slayer'!"
"Ruin to the 'Source of Calamity'!"
Crack—thud!
Unfortunately, though, the bishop wasn't among them. He hadn't located their main base either.
Still, there were gains. Kadim had found a way to extract information with less effort.
"I'm the 'Demon Slayer'. Any of you know about the Night Raven sect or suspicious cult followers?"
"……."
Standing at the entrance of an establishment and saying this would usually elicit a reaction from inside.
"……What? For real? The real 'Demon Slayer'……?"
They'd waver between doubt and fear before spilling what they knew.
Or...
"……What the fuck? What kinda bullshit is this, you bastard?"
Crack—thud!
"Uh, u-uhhh……."
In the latter case, splitting the skull of the first foolhardy idiot to charge would yield the same result as the former.
Of course, it was easier than killing them all outright, but it still required considerable effort. Rumors spread, leading to more fleeing on sight or beforehand. Most didn't get far before being caught, though.
Before he knew it, the day soaked in blood and sweat was drawing to a close.
A gray dusk settled over the underworld streets. It was time for the red-light districts and taverns to light up and lure in customers blinded by desire, but today, an austere silence hung everywhere. Worried he might return empty-handed, Kadim entered the last organization's tavern.
It was needless worry.
There, he finally found a lead on the bishop.
"Th-that creepy cult bishop bastard? That fucker's hiding in the underground passage our organization built! I'll show you the way, so just put down that axe for a sec……."
"Tell me now, or I bring it down. Say anything else, and I bring it down."
"Eek, uh, th-that is……."
Bam—!
"Oops, missed. Sorry. Next one'll hit your crown dead-on."
"Next building's warehouse! Right under the next building's warehouse!! Move the crates stacked there, and you'll find the entrance!! Please, please, let me guide you, just spare……."
Time to verify if it was bullshit. Grabbing the boss by the scruff, Kadim rose. The rough-faced thug, scarred like a slashed-up hide, dangled meekly like a kitten.
Kadim paused mid-stride toward the exit.
Several presences were stealthily approaching the door.
Creeeak—
The door cracked open as if caught by a breeze. Hostile shadows lurked beyond. Using the boss as a shield, Kadim hurled his axe through the gap.
Whirrr—clang!
"……Guh!"
Instead of flesh-rending and blood, metal clanged and sparks flew. He'd curved the throw like hooking a salmon. Clang! Another metallic ring echoed as the shadow at the door toppled. Kadim's eyes twitched. He'd thrown it casually, but to block it twice?
Charging out to hack them apart personally, Kadim shouldered the door to shake off the clinging foes and thrust his sword at the fallen one.
Whoosh—halt!
He stopped the blade just shy of the throat.
It was a familiar face.
"You……."
"No, you……?"
The one-armed warrior who'd avoided turning into a stump by amputating his own arm. And the Atalans from the subjugation party.
An awkward air flowed. Stunned by the sudden encounter, they exchanged helpless glances, unsure what to say. Their lost eyes made it clear they had no desire to fight.
Kadim didn't lower his blade. Keeping it at the one-armed warrior's chin, he demanded answers.
"Why are you here? Didn't you all follow your chief to Agon?"
"And what brings you here? After leaving to subjugate the central demon, what happened…… No, could the one rampaging through the underworld be you, Brother Kadim?"
"……?"
"We split from our leader midway. We came here to guard the True Society healers who allied with us. Then we heard a mercenary was causing havoc here and got orders to subdue him. Who'd have thought it was Brother Kadim……."
"……."
"……Hold on, lower that sword first. We have no wish to be your enemies. You wouldn't start something like this without reason—care to share the story?"
The one-armed warrior, Perun, lowered his broken hook that had blocked the axe. The Atalan warriors dropped their spears and curved swords to the floor.
It wasn't a ploy to lower his guard. They'd all clearly witnessed Kadim topple the subjugation leader and even slay an upper demon. They were warriors mad with battle lust, but they knew the line between bravado and true courage.
Only then did Kadim lower his blade and roughly explain.
"I came to Galentana to collect the subjugation payout. But some bastards here went after my life and kidnapped my companions."
"……!"
"Cultists of the 'Forgotten God'. These street rats were sheltering them, so I beat it out of every last one. Got it? Now step aside. I don't want pointless blood spilled."
No time to waste on lengthy explanations. Kadim jerked his chin with a fierce glare.
Troubled eyes rolled in the twilight glow. Retreat meant defying the healer's orders; fighting meant courting death. In the end, the warriors awaited Perun's call.
Perun closed his eyes in deep thought. After wrestling shadows, he opened them resolutely and spoke.
"Brother, do you need hands to help?"
The warriors startled, staring at Perun.
Kadim furrowed his brow.
"This has nothing to do with you lot, does it? Just don't get in the way and clear out."
"No, we've heard of the 'Forgotten God' followers too. Weren't they exterminated by the Elga Church? If they're lurking behind the underworld, threatening Galentana's safety, we must investigate—for the city's sake."
"……."
"Plus, I've been uneasy about abandoning the central demon subjugation and fleeing. We failed your order to hold the line too……. If we aid you this once, it might lighten this burden on my heart."
"……Ridiculous. Wasn't I never your real chief anyway? And if you help me, what'll you report to those who ordered the takedown?"
"Doesn't matter. Had they known it was you, they wouldn't have ordered it. And even if you're not the true chief, didn't we stand the same battlefield? Under the harsh wilderness code, nothing ranks above aiding a brother who bled and sweated beside you."
"……."
"Please…… grant us the chance to wield spear and blade on a battlefield with meaning once more."
Fierce battle spirit blazed in Perun's eyes. The other Atalans wavered briefly but honored his resolve, igniting their own. The sharper their fervor burned, the deeper Kadim's frown creased.
What a headache. After this, Kadim planned to hunt Agon's Furious Horn, their true chief. No sense owing debts or complicating the inevitable clash.
'Honestly, without accepting their 'sacred rite', they won't be much help anyway…….'
But breaking these stubborn warriors' resolve would waste more time. Exhaling sharply, Kadim hurled Blood Ghost at the wall.
Thwack, thunk—boom!
"……Gah!"
The blade embedded inches from his nose. The boss, who'd tried slipping away during the talk, froze, pissing himself. Kadim grabbed his scruff and addressed the warriors.
"Follow if you want. But don't spill needless blood fighting foes I could handle alone."
"……."
Perun and the warriors solemnly gripped their weapons in affirmation.
Guided to the next building's warehouse, the boss hadn't lied. Clearing the haphazard crates revealed a hole yawning like a well.
"Here! Down here! Follow it, and you'll hit the bishop's lair soon enough. I-I'll be going now……."
"You first. Gotta check for traps."
"Eek? Uh……."
Dagger to the neck, the boss scrambled down the ladder. Kadim, Perun, and the rest followed.
Inside resembled a dry underground aqueduct. Vents to the outside kept it from total darkness. Kadim and the warriors adapted quickly; the boss groped like a blind man.
Nothing odd at first. Trouble hit after some distance, as the passage widened into a spacious chamber with ample height and floor space.
"……!"
Sensitive warriors sensed hostility.
Weapons up, but no foes visible. They scanned puzzledly.
Kadim's senses outstripped theirs, pinpointing the source instantly. Faint presences like shadows over a night sky—from above, not front, back, or sides.
Whirr! Thunk, thunk, splat—!
"Guhk……."
A hail of darts; the boss took one to the crown, croaking like a toad before dying. Kadim crossed sword and axe to deflect. Warriors blocked with arms or weapons, taking minor cuts.
Shadows dropped from the ceiling like bats. Yellow eyes gleamed in the dark; eerie voices merged in echo.
"……."
Whirr—thunk! Whirr—thunk! Whoosh—halt!
Ilenia's doppelgangers slashed with hyena-like agility. Caught off-guard by the ambush and identical foes, the warriors faltered, stiffly parrying.
Then Perun's roar thundered.
"Don't panic, brothers! They're just monsters conjured by cult sorcery! No vile spell withstands Atala's fury—fear not, form ranks, and fight back!"
He didn't know the truth, just a desperate shout. But it sufficed to rally them. War cries followed.
"Perun's right! For Atala!"
"For the Father of the Wastes!!"
Clang, kreeee, clang!
Reformed, the shadows clashed with nimble shades.
Long blades met short; spear shafts crossed dagger trails. Fierce metal rang amid scant reflections in the gloom. Real crimson blood mixed with fake black ichor in a foul slaughter-fest.
Splat, slash—thud! Crack—thud!
"Kraaaagh!"
"Grrraaawr……."
Warriors traded blows evenly with doppelgangers. Perun hooked one through the brow and severed its neck with his curved sword. Glancing at Kadim, he shouted urgently.
"Brother Kadim! We'll handle these monsters! Don't worry about this place—push ahead!"
"……."
Kadim met it with impassive eyes.
Touching in a dire pinch, but not now. Their fierce stand was just pointless sweat and blood.
With a long sigh, Kadim raised his sword hilt. In a heavy yet resonant voice carrying to all, he intoned.
"Everyone, get down."
"……!"
As warriors dropped reflexively—
Crack—thud.
A blood-arc cleaved the dark.
Kraka—gaga—gaga—!
A crimson wave surged behind.
Red torrent from the blade bisected the chamber. Doppelgangers too slow to duck split clean.
Slash—thud, crack—thud!
"Huuuuh!"
"Gaaarrrgh!"
Kadim advanced swiftly, mopping up survivors. Red lines flashed; thick blood mist settled. Remains bubbled like hell's sewer; warriors' hair dewed with blood droplets.
No doppelgangers left.
Sudden silence blanketed the combat clamor.
Kadim eyed Blood Ghost. Having spewed all the street-rat blood it'd drunk, its red blade paled. He shook it clean with a relieved ring and told the still-prone warriors.
"Told you not to spill needless blood."
"……."
Perun and the warriors gaped flabbergasted.
Even as Kadim strode off, they lay there like sole'd spirits, unable to rise.
Galentana University, Paulownia Hall's second floor—ransacked like a rat hunt for ages.
In a cluttered storeroom off a sealed lecture hall, Ilenia finally found the small, goateed man.
"Phew, gotcha at last……."
"Eek! Hah, huff……."
Duncan shuddered convulsively, drawing his hellfire dagger.
Whoosh—fwoom!
"B-back off, fake human! I was careless last time, but I won't get kidnapped easy now!"
"……?"
"D-don't underestimate me! I beat Agon's Furious Horn! Stay sharp, and trash like you ain't worth squat! Got it? Now scram!"
"……."
Ilenia blinked in disbelief. Then, pinching her throbbing temple, she said.
"Look, mister…… I don't care what dream you're having. The mercenary asked me to pass a message and find you before he heads out. Took forever, but I found you. Phew, how'd you hide so well without a peep……."
"Th-think I'll fall for that? No way! Duncan, victor over Agon's Furious Horn, ain't tricked by cheap ploys anymore!"
"……Shut up, drop the dangerous thing, come out, and I'll give you 1,000 luden."
"Uh…… for real?"
As Duncan's jaw dropped slack, Ilenia shot her hand like lightning. Wrenched his arm back, snatched the dagger, and sheathed it at her waist.
Trussed like a roped chicken in seconds, Duncan flapped futilely.
"Waaaaaagh!! Kyaaaaaagh!! Showing your true colors, fake human! B-but you don't wanna get diced by the master's axe—release me and run far while you can!"
"……Phew."
Ilenia sighed deeply, pondering dumping this rowdy merchant in the dust pit and leaving.