Hunting Dog and Mad Dog (2)
Liana couldn't help but question Ardena's decision to escort Yushin all the way to the Akiteon Mountains. It was far too reckless. What if he just turned around and headed back to the Valua Kingdom...? Physically stopping the Diablo Slayer who'd slain Demon King Sabnack was impossible, but seeing Yushin set foot in the Akiteon Mountains—the border with Valua—filled her with unease.
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility."
As if sensing her anxiety, Ardena spoke up to reassure Liana. Her words carried unshakeable faith and rock-solid trust—the kind only possible between lovers who'd bared their hearts and shared their passion. Seeing Ardena's unwavering resolve, Liana found herself quietly envious.
"Um, Senior Captain...?"
"What is it?"
"How far have you... gone with Yushin? You seem different from before...."
How to put it—overflowing with composure? Ardena, who trusted Yushin completely, looked like a devoted wife radiating pure love. I trust my husband, her high elf warrior captain's demeanor seemed to declare. The elves around them blushed faintly in secret, cheering her on.
"Nothing happened! As a martial artist, I simply trust him."
Ardena replied, but none of the gathered elves bought her denial outright. She was in a relationship with the Diablo Slayer. Everyone in the Liberia Elf Kingdom knew about the passionate kiss they'd shared at the celebration attended by the High Priestess, the warrior captains, high elf nobles, and foreign dignitaries.
"This is to minimize friction with Valua. If Yushin helps us, we can resolve it peacefully without resorting to force. I don't want war breaking out over this incident."
Unlike the elves swayed by emotion, Ardena displayed mature professionalism born of experience. She aimed to prevent the situation from escalating. The Liberia Elf Kingdom was currently preparing to assault Granada, the Demon King Army's last stronghold. A full-scale war with Valua could turn it into a two-front conflict. That had to be avoided at all costs.
Valua was already cornered by rebellions erupting nationwide. There was no upside to prodding a trapped rat.
"I'm here to stop things from worsening. From now on, I'll handle it. Captain Liana, rally the rangers and bolster border security."
"Understood, Senior Captain."
Ardena issued orders to Liana and the elf rangers, who were growing increasingly radical, then called Yushin over and explained the situation again. He spoke up.
"Where's the guy you caught? I wanna meet him."
"I don't mind, but... you won't like what you hear."
"I've been through all kinds of shit in my life. I'll manage."
"Fine."
Ardena nodded and led him to where Liana had imprisoned the slave hunter. It was the temporary shack she'd mentioned. Opening the door revealed a man covered in blood, trembling in abject misery. The signs of torture were unmistakable, a testament to the elf rangers' seething rage toward slave hunters. It was a chain of hatred, repaying the suffering inflicted on their kin in kind.
"You dead yet?"
Yushin tapped the chair-bound slave hunter's shoulder with his fist. The man groaned loudly, then opened his eyes and met Yushin's gaze. He looked momentarily stunned to see a fellow human appear out of nowhere. Yushin introduced himself and, with Ardena watching, began conversing with the slave hunter.
"Ha, haha...! To think the famous Diablo Slayer would show himself before me."
"I didn't expect to end up chatting with a slave hunter either. Ballsy move, raiding the Akiteon Mountains to kidnap elf rangers. I've served in the kingdom army for years, but you're a first-class lunatic."
"...Call me an elite slave hunter, if you please...."
"Elite or incompetent, you'd qualify as elite. Too bad that elite skill just shortened your lifespan."
The man's blood-flecked lips twisted into a cackle at Yushin's blunt jab.
"This might drag on, so let's introduce ourselves. Might as well yap away before I croak, since I'm done for anyway."
The man gave his name: Karbaha. He roamed nations including Valua, kidnapping promising merchandise for the slave trade and selling them to merchants.
"Talking like they're trash to pick up."
"Not wrong, though. They fetch a price, so it's all the same, haha—HAHAHA!!"
Karbaha bellowed, madness gleaming in his eyes. The kind that let him trample others' misery for coin without a second thought. Ardena grimaced at his outburst. He was more vile than she'd imagined. Even if they weren't kin, treating elves—who looked so human—with no qualms as mere goods filled her with disgust. And he trafficked his own kind too.
"Yushin Gilliard, never thought I'd meet you. The hero who slurps elf pussy, here on some half-assed justice kick to punish me, huh?"
The slave hunter snickered, mocking Yushin as a 'fake hero.' I just turned the tables on elves who enslave humans. He justified his actions, painting Yushin—who aided elves—as a hypocrite.
"Sure, humans used to enslave elves. But now? Elves enslave us humans too! We're all the same scum!"
Talented humans got special roles, but most ended up in mines or wastelands. Even now, countless humans sold or abducted into the Liberia Elf Kingdom toiled endlessly as slaves.
"Yushin, no point listening to this."
Ardena frowned. It was pointless drivel from a slave trafficker, no less. Just curses from his captured plight, double standards justifying his crimes while condemning others—pure illogic.
"Nah, not entirely wrong. It's all six of one, half a dozen of the other. Humans, elves—who's right? That's why I've kept my mouth shut seeing human slaves in Liberia. Valua calls them barbarians, yet still uses non-human slaves—I saw it myself."
Yushin overlooked Liberia's horrors because Valua did the same. I can't condemn anyone. He wasn't pure enough himself. So he'd turned a blind eye, stayed neutral gray, neither approving nor opposing.
"You'll get dragged to Maherith for a public execution, flashy end. Might seem hypocritical from your view, but hey—who told you to get caught by elves?"
"Plenty of elves are already slaves in Valua, playthings for nobles! Kill me, and you won't stop the other hunters underground!!"
"Don't care, asshole."
Yushin grabbed the screaming Karbaha by the collar and smashed a fist into his face, silencing the howls.
In the past, Druin Ri—once a vassal of Agares—rejected the vampires' offer and deserted the Demon King Army. Simple reason: a dick can't serve pussy. Born with balls, he'd rather die than lick the vampire queen's like a lapdog. He refused her rule.
But freedom eluded him. Lucy Vampir's faction, inheriting Agares, and the Holy Empire—fiercely anti-Demon King Army—both hunted him.
"It's him! Druin!"
"Kill him and we'll be Holy Empire vassals!"
Bounty hunters, spotting his identity, charged with bloodshot eyes. Druin Egarnus, vassal of Demon King Agares—a Another One blessed by gods, yet betraying them for the Demon King Army. Condemned to summary execution by the Holy Empire, 66 principalities, and all anti-Demon King states. His bounty was astronomical.
"Charging like sperm gunning for the womb...!"
Druin drew both waist-sheathed swords, blades flashing. Instantly, limbs flew from the surrounding hunters in a grotesque spectacle. Unbelievable. Despite the distance, their bodies shredded. No elongated sword aura—just swings through empty air that cleaved distant foes in a blink.
"Argh!"
"U, uwaaa...! Uwaaaaa!!"
The get-rich-quick hunters writhed, screaming, limbs severed. But one exception: a girl knight lurking behind, eyeing his neck. Wearing Holy Empire-emblazoned breastplate, she alone escaped unscathed.
"M-monster! All those people in one go...!!"
The girl knight cried. Druin nodded.
"The fools charging a monster without knowing their place are at fault."
Like bareback creampieing and fretting pregnancy, he said—they'd shortened their own lives with stupidity.
"Eek!"
As Druin stepped forward, the girl knight fell back on her ass, pissing herself in terror. Death's grip made her lose control. Glancing at the pitifully trembling girl, Druin veered aside. Unlike the mercilessly slaughtered hunters, he spared the Holy Empire knight.
"I don't touch little girls."
He answered her puzzled stare.