53
My Villains Chapter 53
14. Berserker (4)
'Raid Chief Pageno' is a pick that's quite tricky for melee characters to deal with.
Pageno himself is threatening due to his excellent mobility and attack power, but the real problem was the mounted archers.
They dart around dizzily, just shooting arrows and fleeing, which is so infuriating.
Moreover, when you get close to their leader Pageno, the attack speed of his subordinates increases and they even start focus firing, so it's no small annoyance.
That's why normally, you can only catch Pageno after killing all the mounted archers, but...
"Uwoooo-!"
With the 'Wind Veil tattoo’ it's a different story.
Utequais charged at Pageno, deflecting the rain of arrows from all directions with the power of his tattoo.
Pageno quickly tried to pull the reins to dodge, but Ellen's Flame Arrow struck his horse a step ahead.
Whoosh!
"Neeeigh!"
As the horse collapsed powerlessly with its chest pierced, Pageno, who had quickly rolled on the ground, faced a giant stone hammer.
"Damn it-!"
Crunch!
The stone hammer, no, the rare item 'Maul of Slonhe', flattened Pageno's upper body like a pancake.
...That's truly terrifying power. To think I tried to face something like that head-on. I guess I'm lucky to have gotten away with just a few cracked bones.
Unlike the Blood Knight with its standardized and limited skill tree, the Berserker had a wide variety of builds.
The 'Strike Berserker' specializing in heavy blow skills from the 'Tribal Combat Techniques' line.
The 'Ramen Berserker' using 'Ecstasy' skills from the 'Berserk' line as its main force.
The 'Stone Head Berserker' maximizing defense with 'Steel Skin' and 'Iron Seal', and dealing single-target burst damage based on defense with 'Headbutt'.
I liked all the builds, so I raised characters in rotation.
And the most recently created Berserker, 'DeepDarkSFantasy', was a 'Tattoo Berserker' specializing in tattoo-line skills.
"Athar- Marta!"
Utequais charged at the mounted archer, shouting an incomprehensible battle cry.
When he moved, his long feather decorations and braided hair fluttered magnificently. But that wasn't all.
When arrows flew in, the arrow and shield pattern tattoo on his shoulder flickered.
Every time he swung the maul, the hammer, club, and iron hammer pattern tattoos on his arm flashed.
And whenever a blade touched his skin, the Milky Way and cloud pattern tattoo on his back writhed.
Thanks to the mounted archers quickly retreating, none were crushed by the maul, but Utequais' rampaging appearance was nothing short of ferocious.
By the way, these effects are no joke, right? It's on a whole different level from what I saw on the monitor.
Anyway, to explain more about the Berserker's skills.
These tattoo-line skills had quite tricky characteristics.
The fact that there are various types of tattoos that can be engraved on each body part, and you have to choose one of them.
The fact that there's great synergy between tattoos, and they all have either lasting effects or conditional activation skills.
And the fact that the tattoo's effect doesn't activate on body parts covered by armor.
That's why high-level tattoo Berserkers walk around wearing only weapons, accessories, and underwear.
So at first glance, you might think ‘Isn't this just a pervert rather than a Berserker?’ but...
"What is this monster!"
"The boss has fallen!"
...Even seeing it in person, it doesn't look normal. Should I say it's fitting for a Berserker?
It's already like this with just his upper body bare, if he took off his pants too- ugh, it's horrifying just to imagine.
Anyway, the reason Utequais rampaging over there is bare-chested is to activate the effects of his tattoos.
He has the 'Blunt Weapon Armament Tattoo' on his arms, the 'Wind Barrier Tattoo' on his shoulders, and the 'Star Cluster's Blessing Tattoo' on his back, so he couldn't wear armor.
Of course, not wearing armor means lower defense, but it wasn't a big problem because the tattoos engraved on his shoulders and back guaranteed powerful survivability.
No, he even looked lighter without the cumbersome armor.
While watching Utequais fight, I was busily cutting down the mounted archers.
Have I already gotten used to fighting on horseback?
Without hesitation, I threw myself to grab the horse's head, slammed it to the ground, then finished by stabbing the bandit's neck.
It was more like the movement of a feline beast than a human... But well, who cares. As long as it's effective.
Ellen focused on targeting the horses' legs with her Wind Fist.
The bandits who fell off their horses were quickly decapitated by Grania, Randel, and others who rushed in.
With Pageno dead and half of the gang fallen, the mounted archers finally started to retreat.
"Hatanka, stop! There's no need to chase them!"
Utequais, who hadn't caught a single mounted archer after killing Pageno, was thoroughly enraged.
Perhaps that's why he kept shouting incomprehensible yells until the mounted archers disappeared from sight.
"Arak tark'ya qun-talil! Erpen Th-ral!"
I don't know what he's saying, but it definitely sounds like cursing.
By the way, doesn't this guy know about 'stealth'
His voice is so loud, I'm worried all the bandits in the area will come rushing in.
"Hey you, come over here!"
Only after I shouted with veins popping on my neck did Utequais spit on the ground and turn around.
Thanks to flattening Pageno, the plunder captain guarding the area, the resistance from the bandits significantly decreased.
There were about fifty bandits left at the previous campsite, but they were small fry without horses and didn't seem capable of stopping Utequais' charge.
"Gua lune'telil!"
"Aaaargh!"
"What's with this guy! Arrows don't work on him!"
The sight of him deflecting arrows and sweeping away bandits with his maul while roaring... It looked more like cleaning than combat. Is this what they call a human butcher?
Anyway, with me joining in after Utequais, the bandits soon scattered and fled in all directions.
Come to think of it, these bandits are weaker than I thought.
It seems like Prince Ulkar could sweep them away if he led his army head-on... Ah, would that be difficult?
Well, the 'Baron' who gathered these petty thieves and built a force close to a warlord probably isn't that easy to deal with.
Thinking about the final battle of Chapter 2, he was definitely a fearsome opponent.
The fact that we broke through the encirclement relatively easily was probably thanks to the prince's army drawing attention from the front.
Fortunately, the secret passage was still intact, and we were able to safely return to South Harbor through the sewers.
By the time we emerged above ground and faced the astonished soldiers, it was already pitch-dark dawn.
At normal times, the whole city should be asleep at this hour, but South Harbor was noisily awake.
It probably wasn't because of us, right? As I was observing the brightly awake city, I casually asked the familiar security guard.
"What's all this commotion about?"
"Well, you see."
The chatty security guard who had previously troubled me and Ellen with his kind guidance grinned.
"Don't be surprised, but listen. Just a while ago, about two or three hours ago, there was quite a commotion. I saw it with my own eyes on my way to change shifts, and it was unbelievable. Look at all those lights on over there. Someone might mistake it for a riot, don't you think? Is that why you're surprised?"
...Ah, I feel like my ears are about to bleed.
"But it's not like that. Actually, what happened was—"
"The Third Prince has arrived."
"Yes, the Third Prince— What?"
Interrupting the security guard's chatter, the one who appeared was a bulldog—no, the captain of the guard, wearing a thick cloak over a checkered emblem.
Leaving the now stiff-backed chatty guard behind, the captain eyed me and my companions with a sour expression.
"So you all made it back alive. Impressive, even you."
...What's with this unbelieving tone when they forced this request on us? Did they know it was such a tough mission?
"We had a few close calls with death, but somehow we managed to survive."
"... Follow me."
"Where to?"
"To the Salt Castle. His Excellency is asking for you."
Every time I went back and forth to the lord's workshop, I thought the Salt Castle was a bit oddly shaped. It was too small to be called a fortress without walls or a moat, and too fat to be called a tower.
At the four corners of the four-story box-like building stood archer towers, each topped with white-painted tiles. There's no way paint exists in this world, yet they managed such a pretty white color. It's quite fascinating.
Anyway, this was the residence of the great lord who ruled over the vast land including South Harbor. As such, it was visibly well-fortified.
The outer walls were built by applying lime between large boulders, looking incomparably sturdier than other buildings in the city made of bricks or wood.
There were no doors, let alone windows, on the first floor, and you had to climb wooden stairs to reach the only entrance on the second floor.
The passing soldiers were all wearing chain mail overlaid with breastplates, dish-like iron helmets, and carrying large kite shields. They all had big builds and lively eyes, probably the lord's personal guards I'd only heard about.
Mr. Luke and Utequais couldn't enter the Salt Castle. It was unavoidable since they were outsiders with uncertain identities.
Ellen and I were outsiders too, but... Well, we were the ones who received the request.
Arnal was immediately sent to a doctor because her arrow wound was severe.
The rest of us were slightly injured too, but not to the extent that we couldn't immediately meet the lord.
After passing through several narrow, dark corridors and stairs, we finally arrived at a wide and less dark room.
There were over a dozen people gathered in the room, and I recognized a few of them.
The military officer who commanded the battle at the docks, the merchant who bought the lizard skin, The Great knight Sir Ankir, and—
"I simply cannot accept what you're saying, Your Highness."
"What is there not to accept? Capable individuals taking on responsibilities has been the norm since the founder established this kingdom."
The handsome man sitting in the chair retorted confidently, Prince Ulkar.
Unlike his silver hair still radiating brilliance thanks to the candles lit around the audience chamber, his golden lion armor was covered in blood and dust.
...Wow, unbelievable. He really came?
Did he actually break through the encirclement head-on? Through all those bandits?
"...Are you implying that I, who currently hold this responsibility, lack the ability?"
"I'm not blaming the Count for his incompetence. I meant that what's most needed here now is an experienced military commander like myself."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Well, if that's how you want to take it, so be it."
As the prince folded his arms with an expressionless face, the man called Count hardened his expression.
The man who was the Count of Saiben and the master of the Salt Castle appeared to be in his early 30s with a small build.
He was sitting in an ornate wooden chair engraved with a Greek cross with circles at the ends, and his sunken cheeks were more striking than his well-groomed beard.
As the conversation paused momentarily, the captain of the guard who led us in stepped forward and bowed his head.
"Your Excellency, the mercenaries have arrived."
"Oh, yes!"
The lord, who had been frowning, beamed with delight upon seeing us.
Oh, but— who should I greet first? Is it right to greet the castle's owner? Or should I greet the prince first, since he's higher-ranking?
Cutting through my brief hesitation, the lord spread his arms exaggeratedly.
"The proud heroes of South Harbor have arrived!"
Randel and Ivo, who were standing with us, quickly stepped aside to greet the prince and then stood behind him.
Regardless, the lord burst into laughter, approached me, and patted my shoulder while standing on his tiptoes.
"Well done, well done!"
...What's this, why is he acting so friendly? We're meeting for the first time, mister.
"Treasurer, give these people plenty of gold coins! They've accomplished what even the renowned heroic Third Prince couldn't, and with just four people!"
At the lord's words, this time it was the prince's expression that hardened.
"The common people will praise His Highness the Prince. They'll talk about his bravery in breaking through the encirclement with just three or four cavalrymen and knocking on the castle gates. Fools are easily swayed by what they see, after all."
'With just three or four cavalrymen'...? Did this Ulkar really pull off that insane stunt?
While the army was dealing with the bandits, did the prince himself lead a small elite force to break through— that crazy plan?
Either not noticing the surprise evident in my expression, or simply not caring, the lord continued to chatter excitedly.
"But I'm different, heroes! Even if you came and went like rats or snakes through the underground, to return like this without a single injury. This is true wisdom, isn't it? Isn't this the courage befitting a battlefield?"
What nonsense, who's not injured? And this... He's mocking the prince, right?
Glancing sideways, I saw Sir Ankir trying to say something angrily and the prince raising his hand to stop him.
Regardless, the lord turned to the prince with a grinning face.
"Don't you agree, Your Highness?"
"...Indeed. Truly remarkable valor and wisdom, Count."
Contrary to his words, the prince's dark blue eyes looked as if they could spit fire. As if throwing 'emotional control' to the dogs, he wore an expression of obvious anger.
...Oh, I think we've gotten caught up in something bad here.
Suddenly, the phrase 'when whales fight, the shrimp's back is broken' flashed through my mind.