The Mansion's Deadly Welcome

Albert quickly entered the massive mansion. Knights in armor and archers blocked the path he intended to take. Their intense aura made it clear they would never let him pass. The oppressive pressure weighing down on him stemmed from their fierce loyalty and oath to protect their lord.

"No need." Albert didn't particularly care. Even without the System's analysis, a hunter of his caliber could roughly gauge their strength at a glance. In hunter terms, they were all around average C-rank. However—

'There seem to be a few B-rank ones hiding among them.'

It was a simple tactic. Having witnessed Albert's martial prowess in front of the mansion, they had concealed their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠true elites among the knights. The plan was to exploit any openings while the knights attacked. It wasn't a bad strategy. If the intruder had been anyone other than Albert, it might have worked.

'If it were anyone else, that is.'

Albert smiled and advanced. There was not a trace of fear in his steps. His confident stride radiated strong self-assurance and fighting spirit born from his own abilities.

'Foolish bastard. I know you're strong.'

'But what can you possibly accomplish alone?'

The B-rank knights hidden among the others deliberately suppressed their auras and controlled their killing intent. A visible sword was not frightening. The truly terrifying sword was the invisible one the opponent never noticed. That was why they had to remain hidden. They waited for their chance. No matter how strong the enemy, facing this many opponents would force him to move violently.

'That moment will be our opportunity.'

The hidden B-rank knights exchanged glances, signaling one another. Timing was critical. Their opponent was powerful. If they failed to finish him in one strike, a second attempt would be far more difficult. They had to end it with a single blow.

"Haaah!"

At that moment, a soldier clinging to the ceiling dropped toward Albert. His gleaming sword flashed sharply, descending like a beast's fangs.

'His threatening attack is that drawing technique.'

'I don't know how he does it, but that drawing technique is dangerous. It can cut enemies from a distance regardless of range.'

'But from what I saw earlier, it requires time to activate!'

'We'll cut him down before that!!'

The surprise attack was also meant to prevent him from using the drawing technique. If an attack was threatening, the solution was to kill the user before they could employ it.

"Well, thinking won't change anything."

Albert assumed his stance. Though he knew the soldier's sharp blade was aimed at him, he ignored it. The reason was simple.

"Why did you assume my drawing technique would be slow to activate?"

The moment he took his preparatory stance, in less than 0.01 seconds, a fierce aura erupted from Albert's sword and flew outward. In one second—no, less than a second—the knight blocking his path died. Not only that, but the soldiers who had launched the ambush also had their necks severed, their heads rolling across the floor. Their eyes remained open. They likely hadn't even realized they were dead.

It was speed incarnate. Albert's attack, once called the strongest hunter's, was far beyond what these men could perceive.

"Nothing special."

Albert didn't stop. Though he left countless deaths in his wake, passing between pools of blood and corpses, not a hint of guilt showed on his face. These were enemies. Albert had no petty mercy to offer his foes. He saved allies and killed enemies. That was all.

He continued walking, cutting down those who blocked him and sparing those who didn't. He avoided harming the servants, as they were innocent. Albert had come only to punish his enemies, not as some pleasure-seeking murderer.

Thus, without a single wound, Albert stood before the office door. Just as he reached out to open it—

'Magic?'

He sensed magical energy from the door.

'Hide Magic? Concealment magic?'

'I see.'

The names of spells differed between worlds. Hide Magic was concealment magic from the other world. Using concealment magic allowed one to hide magical presence.

'A 4th Circle spell on the door? They must have spent quite a bit of money.'

'Oh, really?'

Mithril was an extremely valuable material. Just this door alone would easily fetch several thousand gold.

'I'll have to take it with me when I leave.'

'Then what do I do?'

Albert wore an incredulous expression.

'You want me to just take the magic head-on? Isn't that a bit much, even for you?'

'Well, that's true.'

Albert opened the door. The instant he did, the magic inscribed on it poured toward him. Flames far more intense than any Fireball engulfed him, intent on burning everything they touched.

"Uwahaha! You let your guard down at the very end! This door was specially commissioned from the Mage Guild. No matter how strong you are, as long as you're human, you won't be able to withstand it!!!"

Decep, who had been watching Albert get struck by the magic while holding his breath, sprang up from his seat and cheered.

"The money spent on mithril plating, embedding mana stones, and enchanting it with magic was enormous! This is the end! Uwahaha!"

Decep burst into laughter so loud it echoed throughout the spacious office. Delren, who had been observing, muttered quietly.

"Did we get him?"

"……!"

"……!"

The moment they heard those words, Hansen and Robert felt their bodies tremble with an inexplicable sense of dread. It was as if some kind of flag had been raised. Their instincts were blaring alarms, urging them to flee immediately.

And then—

"Quite the flashy welcome."

The flag had been recovered. When Albert waved his hand, the raging flames engulfing him extinguished as easily as a candle in the wind.

"Huk! Th-that shouldn't just go out like that."

No matter how much money had been spent, unless it was defective, it shouldn't have extinguished so easily. Albert emerged from the flames completely unscathed. Not even a single singe marked him, and his clothes weren't burned in the slightest.

'We still lack information. 4th Circle magic might have different power here.'

'Yeah, yeah, I got it. First, let's finish things here, shall we?'

Albert looked ahead. Along with three familiar faces, there was one now faintly remembered. The expressions of the three watching him were quite a sight. They looked as though they had seen something they shouldn't have—faces filled with shock, eyes trembling violently with fear and anxiety.

"We meet again. I told you, didn't I? That we'd meet again soon."

Albert slowly turned his head. Decep Carnival. Though he couldn't be certain yet, the likelihood that Decep was the mastermind behind this incident was high.

'Where is it?'

'Is that so?'

With that, everything became clear. These were the ones. The ones who had cursed Elena, making her suffer and struggle in agony. The ones who had forcibly submerged her in a lake called despair.

"Y-you bastard!! How dare you act this way in the Count's household!!"

At that moment, Decep's face turned red and blue as he shouted at Albert in a fierce voice. His tone carried intense anger that would never forgive. The displeasure in his eyes suggested he still believed he could crush Albert with his authority even in this situation. In noble society, power was everything. It was a natural thought.

"Did you think you could get away with this?! Aren't you afraid of the kingdom's laws?! If I report this to the kingdom, your family will……."

Swish!

Just then, while Decep was in the middle of his threatening speech, a chilling sound rang out. It was a horrifying noise that made one's hair stand on end the moment it reached the ears.

"Kuhuk! Aaaaaah! My arm!! My arm!!"

"Your arm is the name of a country."

Albert had already drawn his sword. No one in the room had seen him draw it. They couldn't have perceived it. By the time they realized, the sword was already out, and Decep's left arm had been severed from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the shoulder.

"Aaaaaah!!"

Decep screamed from the burning pain. As if that were a signal, blood began gushing like a fountain from his shoulder.

"L-Lord Decep!!"

The moment he grasped the situation, Robert rushed over and applied pressure to stop the bleeding. He tore part of Decep's clothing to staunch the wound. While treating him, Robert broke into a cold sweat.

'I didn't see it…… didn't hear it, didn't perceive it.'

That terrifying speed. He had thought he'd understood it when struck at Legrian Territory, but that hadn't been Albert's full power. Overwhelming strength. He possessed an immense power that could not be resisted, a depth like an endless lake.

"It was getting noisy, so I cut off the arm, but now it's even noisier."

"……Do you think you'll be safe after doing something like this? The kingdom's laws……."

Robert forced the words out. Since he could never win by force, he was trying to resolve it through conversation somehow. However—

"Kingdom's laws? I don't really care. Who exactly can punish me?"

It was arrogant. An assertion that nothing in this world—not even a god—could punish him. If anyone else had said such words, they would have been called presumptuous. But when Albert said it, it felt natural. Robert was startled to find himself accepting the words so naturally.

'Why am I……?'

It was absurd. Why did it feel so obvious? Even though it was an arrogant claim of standing above the heavens, he felt no desire to deny it.

"And besides."

Albert leisurely raised his sword.

"If everyone here dies, who exactly is going to report to the kingdom? Haven't you heard this saying? Without witnesses, it's a perfect assassination."

"……."

If he killed them all to silence them, that would be the end of it. He spoke so casually. At that bold display, Robert felt a thrill along with a strange sense of elation.

'If it's a man like that…… No, if it's him…….'

"Kuaaaah! You bastard! You turned my arm into this?! I will never forgive you!!!"

Decep ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flew into a rage. It was only natural. Who wouldn't be angry after having a perfectly fine arm severed? He wasn't a saint. Veins bulged in his eyes, whether from anger or pain.

"Kill him!! Right now!!!"

At that moment, in response to the command, certain beings emerged from the darkness. They had ominous red eyes, protruding fangs, and horns on their heads.

'These guys…… are strong!'

Robert was shocked. The auras emanating from them were so powerful they overwhelmed him. Each one had reached a considerable level. And there were ten of them. With their appearance, Decep's momentum surged.

"Uwahahahaha! Your arrogant attitude ends here!!! Do you even know who they are?! You're already dead!! Begging for your life won't help!!! You! And your family! That arrogant bitch too!!!"

Killing intent gleamed in his eyes.

"I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠kill you all!! I will never forgive!! Yes, that bitch was your sister, wasn't she. I'll show you how great my rage is! Right in front of you! That bitch……."

At that moment, Decep couldn't finish his sentence. And for good reason—the heads of the men who had just boldly revealed themselves suddenly fell to the ground.

A heavy silence filled the office. Decep blinked. Who were they……? They hadn't even been properly introduced yet, but these weren't the kind of beings who would die so easily. Yet they had died before they could even demonstrate anything.

"……."

Decep stared at Albert with a rigid gaze filled with fear. He saw the anger etched on Albert's face. Under that cold stare, he felt all strength drain from his body as a chill ran down his spine. It was a rage no mere human could possibly endure.

Albert slowly opened his mouth.

"Have you shown everything you wanted to show?"