Chapter 84
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 084
Chapter Title: Mercenary and Employer (2)
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“Wow!”
“Is that really the same kind of human as us?”
“So that’s how mages fight...”
Cedric’s friends—and the members of the mercenary band he led—watched the battle unfold in awe.
Then came Cedric’s sharp correction from the side.
“Watch your mouths, all of you. It’s Mage-nim.”
Cedric’s face was deadly serious.
One of the members tilted his head at the sight.
“Eh, it’s not like he can hear us from here anyway.”
The burly knights were charging straight at the griffin.
And their mage master had moved closer to the battlefield to support them with spells.
That left the mercenaries not joining the fight behind, free to chat casually among themselves.
“We’ve got squires right there.”
Cedric whispered, flicking his eyes to the side.
Not far from them, the squires of the burly trio waited, their eyes gleaming as they watched the fight.
“This much is fine. Hey, we’re all witnesses today anyway—what’s with the groveling?”
“Yeah, just act normal, man.”
“He seemed pretty chill for a mage earlier. Bet he won’t care if we’re a little rude.”
The members spoke with bored nonchalance.
Cedric, watching them, let out a deep sigh.
He was about to lose his mind from frustration.
“That’s exactly why we need to show proper respect. So he’ll keep hiring us going forward. Argh, what am I gonna do with you idiots?”
Cedric, leader of the Four Idiots Mercenary Band.
He was the sharpest mind in the group.
As he launched into his rant, the three others caught on that he had a plan and sidled closer.
“So, what’s your idea?”
One member asked slyly, ignoring Cedric’s glare.
Cedric shot him a look right back.
“Look at Heros-nim. What do you think?”
“What do we think? Well...”
Cedric pointed toward the battlefield.
The members’ heads turned naturally that way.
There was Heros casting spells.
Lightning bolts flew, small fireballs shot out, sharp-tipped rocks thrust up from the ground...
A barrage of different magics.
“Fucking strong.”
One nodded, and the other two agreed.
Cedric bobbed his head too, as if it was the perfect answer.
“Right? Heros-nim is ridiculously strong. Our last employer was a mage too, but nothing like this. He’s gotta be top-tier among mages.”
The members recalled their previous employer at Cedric’s words.
The guy had been prickly, nitpicky, and barely used magic.
When he did, it was weak sauce.
Heros, on the other hand?
Every spell aimed at the griffin packed enough punch to drop a man easily.
Even mercenaries clueless about magic could tell he was exceptional.
“Get what I’m saying? Stick close, swear loyalty, and we profit. You saw those soldiers earlier, right? Left behind to guard the baggage.”
The members nodded at Cedric’s question.
Satisfied, he pressed on.
“How messed up is that? What lord heads out to fight a griffin and leaves soldiers behind like that? They’re short on meat shields as it is. This was him looking out so they wouldn’t die. So doesn’t it make sense to work under someone like that?”
But Cedric immediately faced pushback.
“Nah, that’s a stretch.”
“Yeah, just left ’em to watch the gear. Consideration? Bullshit.”
“Kinda agree with them. Gotta have someone back if the mounts and food vanish when you return.”
Cedric squeezed his eyes shut, fury boiling at their stupidity.
But as always, he tamped it down with a sigh.
“Heros-nim told the soldiers he’d handled the baggage with magic, so rest easy. If magic can guard it that well, why leave soldiers? Tell me, you morons.”
“Uh...”
The members finally tilted their heads, questioning it.
Cedric barreled on regardless.
“Listen up. This is our shot at the good life. Play it right, and we could end up as lord’s guards. You wanna eat sword-rice forever? Better settle down before you’re crippled or old. Raise chickens, smack your wife’s ass, live easy.”
Light dawned in their eyes at his words.
That was the dream for any mercenary.
Cedric grinned, flashing yellowed teeth at their shift.
“Work under Heros-nim, and that’s your life. Think I’m wrong? Piss off. I’ll disband the band today. Whatever you choose, I’m going with Heros-nim.”
Cedric’s resolve was ironclad.
The members exchanged glances.
Then one by one, they spoke.
“Nah, you can’t be wrong.”
“Yeah, you’re the boss. Where else we goin’?”
“Damn right.”
With their buy-in, Cedric finally relaxed.
But not completely.
First, they needed Heros’s favor.
So he kept eyes glued to the battlefield, ready to charge in at Heros’s call.
But... was the griffin always that small?
A sudden doubt.
He replayed the griffin snatching his employer’s horse in its talons.
In his memory, it was bigger than the one Heros and the trio faced now.
It felt off, but...
Must be my imagination.
He shook it off and refocused on the fight.
Ready for Heros’s summons.
Smoother than expected?
The griffin hunt was going well.
Not that it wasn’t dangerous, of course.
The beast was a monster on land too.
“No letting your guard down till the end!”
I shouted to rally our side.
That’s when it happened.
Slash!
Bear’s sword swing.
A red line bloomed horizontally across the griffin’s flank, blood gushing out.
But it didn’t just take it.
Clang!
The griffin spun, swiping with a foreclaw.
Bear barely parried the talon—hard as any weapon—with his sword.
But the force shoved him back.
Raw power difference.
Still, Bear drew its attention well.
Bear was out briefly, but Gilbert and Conal remained.
They used the opening he’d made.
Closing in from behind.
But the griffin reacted swiftly, like it knew we’d try that.
Whoosh!
It whirled again, claw slashing.
Conal dodged back, but Gilbert lunged forward, dropping low.
Diving in to strike.
The griffin countered with its massive beak.
Thud!
Gilbert blocked with his sword but got hurled back by the impact.
Now the whole burly trio was separated from it.
My moment—I cast.
Boom!
Rock thorns erupted from the ground.
Spearing toward the griffin.
It irritably swatted the incoming stones to dust with a claw.
Awesome strength.
But I wasn’t disappointed.
My goal wasn’t to hit it anyway.
Bought the trio time to regroup. Good enough.
Fights with Silence Compliance knights were solo duels.
This was team combat.
Had to sync with the burly trio.
Meant careful spell picks.
Tougher than expected.
The griffin’s hide shrugged off normal spells—no real damage.
But big hits risked friendly fire.
Tricky, but rewarding.
Learning a ton here.
Timing attacks in group fights, aiming spells to spare allies, using skills at key moments.
Lots of insights.
Mana left... not much.
Spells used so far:
Absorbing Earth: once.
Level Ground: once.
Lightning Bolt: once.
Transferring Flame: once.
And...
Rock Thorn: three times.
Mana remaining: 259.
Rock Thorn’s the best for griffins.
Absorbing Earth and Level Ground ate 80 mana each—too pricey to spam.
Lightning Bolt? No effect. Shook and done.
Transferring Flame same—couldn’t scorch its wings.
So Rock Thorn as main.
Direct hits possible.
And it worked best.
Can fire twelve more—eleven, factoring regen.
Calculated based on current mana.
Back to the fight.
Then...
Huh?
A small shadow appeared before me.
Growing fast.
Something overhead.
What the—
I looked up quick.
A monster diving straight at us.
Griffin?
Falling right here.
So... not one griffin. Two.
We’d been hit by the first alone.
Realization hit.
“Heros-nim! What now?”
Bear asked for orders.
I held off, thinking fast.
Options: three.
One: Finish this griffin quick, then face the new one.
Two: Retreat.
Three: I block the new one solo; trio drops the current.
My pick...
Three.
Could the griffin tank flame magic?
Curious now.
Perfect time to test.
Mana’s just right.
259 left.
Blazing Flame: 240.
One big shot possible.
“Kieeeek—!”
The diving griffin screamed, closer now.
Skull-splitting volume, but I kept eyes locked through the grimace.
Whoosh!
Flames erupted before me.
Ballooned in seconds to engulf my whole body.
Three seconds total.
I hurled the gorgeous orange blaze at the plummeting griffin.
Survive if you can.