The Hero Finds a Clue
The Calamity. A supernatural phenomenon that appears without warning and plunges lives into the yoke of suffering. Storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions—and the Dragon's Fury.
Kwaaaaaaaaang—!!
The arrow forged from Tyrant violently shook the Ashen Scales noble district branch.
"Don't panic! Raise the alert level and identify the intruders!"
Northern branch leader Carden managed to keep his composure despite his considerable shock, issuing orders calmly. Under his command, his subordinates quickly regained their stability and moved to carry out their duties.
Yet despite the tension, the intruders' identities were identified almost immediately.
The Hero, Leon.
The Dragon Daughter, Checire van Carbandia.
…And Lucy Heart.
'…What kind of combination is this?'
Carden felt more confusion upon receiving the report of the intruders' identities and movements than when the entire building had shaken.
"A-after the Hero and Dragon Daughter broke in, they've been indiscriminately beating our people down!"
"Th-they're showing no mercy! We can't stop them!"
"Branch Leader! You must flee! They're not opponents we can fight!"
'Why?'
Carden couldn't believe it. The fact that his entire force was being overwhelmed by just three people—one man and two women.
His hesitation didn't last long. He slammed his fist on the desk with a thud, veins bulging on his neck as he roared.
"Call the Executors right now!!"
The organizational structure of Ashen Scales was surprisingly simple for its scale. There was the Guild Master at the top, followed by five direct organizations known as the Scales. Then came the branch leaders spread across the continent and their subordinates. That was all.
The reason they still wielded considerable power throughout the continent's underworld was equally straightforward.
The Executors of the 'Black Scale,' one of the five Scales under the main headquarters, which symbolized the armed forces.
The Executors were dispatched to every branch under the orders of their leader, the 'Scale Weight,' and they bore the organization's true strength. They were the secret weapons that prevented Ashen Scales from falling into a mere third-rate syndicate.
While there were individual differences, on average they possessed martial prowess ranging from Top Expert to the threshold of Master.
"Husband, these opponents are easier than expected. You could have come alone!"
"R-really? Am I that strong?"
No. The Executors haven't shown up yet.
Among the regular members, there was no one capable of facing either me or Checire. Even Lucy, who was only Mid Expert, was pulling more than her own weight.
"You shall not advance any further!"
"Do not block my husband's path!"
"Gaaaah!"
Ordinary members were sent flying through the air by a single kick from Checire and slammed into the walls. It was only natural that both Checire and Lucy's tension began to ease.
But it was still too early to let their guard down. After all, what we were truly fighting against was time.
"Lucy. Do you have any information on the Executors of the noble district branch?"
I asked while casually striking the jaw of a mercenary who had clumsily drawn his sword and charged at me, knocking him unconscious.
Lucy swung her whip wildly to block the approach of others, pondered for a moment, then spoke.
"Well… our branch's Executor is just a low-ranking Top Expert, so…."
"Still, there must be rumors or information that have reached you."
"Hmm… First of all, it's certain that among the capital branches, the noble district branch holds the highest authority. It's where the most money from the Empire flows."
"For a place like that, the stationed forces aren't particularly strong."
"That's exactly the problem. The dispatched Executor—"
Even before Lucy could finish, I immediately understood what she was trying to say.
An overwhelming presence.
A being who had already forged his own world as a knight and martial artist.
I could sense a Master—one who had reached full maturity—approaching.
No. It's not just one.
…Two?
"Checire—!!"
The buildings of the Ashen Scales branches were generally located underground. The noble district branch was no exception. Yet… the wall beside the corridor where Checire was swinging her spear was violently punched through.
In other words, the attack had pierced straight through the ground beyond the wall.
"Ugh—"
The shockwave that flew in after tearing through the foundation and wall shot straight toward Checire's body. With her superb reflexes, she immediately retracted the spear she had thrust out.
She then gripped the spear tightly with both hands and slammed it into the floor, radiating aura throughout her body to block the shockwave.
Crackle—
Blue lightning filled the corridor. However, completely blocking the powerful shockwave was impossible—
"Kuh—"
She was sent flying into the opposite wall, embedding herself within it as blood spilled from her lips.
"Lucy, you hold off all the small fry."
"Y-yes?!"
I had to make a quick decision. The presences I sensed from the Executors were coming from the direction the shockwave had flown from—two of them. The branch's stationed members were pouring in from the corridor in the direction Lucy was facing.
I immediately swung my sword and collapsed the ceiling in the direction she stood, blocking the path.
"Hero—"
It couldn't be helped. No matter how weak the regular members were, there was no time to act leisurely in front of Master-level powerhouses.
"Oh-ho, I've heard the Dragon Daughter of Carbandia was formidable, but I didn't expect her to block it so cleanly."
"Grrrrraaaah—!"
"Calm yourself, friend. The entertainment here isn't limited to just the Dragon Daughter… there's also the Hero, after all."
Before long, two figures leisurely walked through the massive hole.
A middle-aged man with black gauntlets on both hands, standing with them clasped behind his back. Every step he took crushed the debris beneath his feet into dust.
And behind him appeared a grotesque giant. Its body resembled a mix of human and orc, while its head took the form of a lion.
"So, Hero. Before we truly cross blades, let me ask you one thing. Why the sudden raid on this place?"
"…Shouldn't you already know the answer better than I do?"
"Is that so? I see. It seems you've found some kind of tail. But wasn't this a rather reckless decision? Even if the two of us are the only powerhouses who rushed here immediately, the Guardians protecting the nobles will soon appear, won't they?"
Just as he said. Since this was the northern capital where the nobles' nests were located, a powerful military force existed here.
The Guardians—one of the Empire's foremost central organizations, composed entirely of Top Experts and above.
The reason I had limited the raid time to thirty minutes was entirely because of them.
Amusingly, they did not move immediately unless the nobles themselves were directly attacked.
No matter what happens, if it isn't directly related to the nobles, they only move after thirty minutes—an incredibly arrogant unwritten rule.
That was why staying in the Ashen Scales branch for more than thirty minutes was impossible. Once that time passed, both the Hero and Carbandia would have to worry about the blades at their throats first.
…About twenty minutes left now.
"Well, I tend to worry about my own body quite a bit. Checire!"
I had pretended to engage in the conversation just long enough. Checire had been waiting ever since she was sent flying into the wall, drawing the string of Tyrant and gathering her strength.
"You didn't think I wouldn't notice, did you, Hero?"
"…Of course not."
But my target isn't you two.
At my signal, Checire immediately released her hand. The aura she had condensed—far more powerful than when she first shattered the door and declared war—tore through the corridor as it flew.
Its direction was not toward the enemies, but deeper into the corridor. Straight toward the branch leader's office.
"This—"
Once again, what I needed to fight right now wasn't the enemy. What I had to be wary of was solely time—until the Guardians began to move.
The arrow of storm shattered the hinges of every door lining the corridor as it advanced, and finally, its power opened the door to the branch leader's office before vanishing.
"…I'm sorry. I didn't expect there to be two of them."
Checire wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, spun her spear once, and approached my side.
"You'll properly compensate me for overworking me, right?"
"Understood… I promise."
The gauntleted man released his clasped hands, assumed his stance, and gave a small nod.
"Executor of the Black Scale, Gaeldant."
"Grrrrraaaah—!"
"…And this friend is called Gallan."
Gallan roared, emitting a ferocious aura that dominated the air. Its intensity was so overwhelming that my skin tingled.
"Husband, both of them have completely crossed the wall of Master, correct?"
"Yes. The one with the gauntlets has reached full maturity. The other… is probably a chimera. It seems they forced their way past the wall."
"It's been a while since we'll be coordinating our breathing, hasn't it?"
Even in this situation, she smiled brightly as if something about it pleased her, looking at me.
I shook off the rising distractions with a single breath and turned my head toward the enemies who had drawn their weapons.
"Focus primarily on evasion and defense. Gathering information comes first."
"Then… I'll go first!"
Baaaang—!!
The Hero, Leon, sprinted across the half-destroyed corridor. He moved by stepping on small fragments floating in the air due to the vibrations rather than the ground itself. That was enough.
It allowed him to move at a speed faster than an ordinary human could blink.
And right behind him, Gaeldant's figure followed. He had advanced even further than Leon's level, stepping directly on the empty air.
One strike. As he clenched his fist, overwhelming power gathered within the gaps of his gauntlet and swirled arrogantly.
In a world where time seemed to have stopped, his fist flew toward Leon.
Tick—
And from below, Checire's spear, which had instantly closed the distance, twisted its trajectory ever so slightly upward.
Thud—!
Since the entire space was underground, there were dozens of meters of earth above the ceiling. Yet Gaeldant's power pierced through all of it, creating a massive hole in the sky.
A vibration like an earthquake rang out. Gallan, who had been leaping across both walls, the floor, and the ceiling, swung his sharp claws toward Checire.
Kaang—
Leon twisted his body in midair and swung his sword. The slash that folded space and reached him in an instant deflected the claws.
Kagak—
Gaeldant, who had stopped by scraping across the floor, clenched his fist again and lightly thrust it toward her.
But Leon, who had leaped again in his turned position, returned from behind and kicked Checire out of the way first.
Leon's and Checire's bodies were pushed apart, smashing through doors on opposite sides of the corridor and flying into separate rooms.
They immediately regained their balance and busily scanned the rooms for information.
The moment Gaeldant and Gallan saw this, they clasped hands and threw each other toward the rooms where their opponents were.
Gallan, entering Leon's room, used the momentum to try to shove him with his shoulder. Meanwhile, Gaeldant aimed his knee at Checire's chin.
Seeing the incoming knee, Checire—rather than blocking it—threw Bryunak, sending it between Gallan's legs on the other side.
At the same time, Leon folded space and threw his sword, striking Gaeldant's gauntlet and disrupting his center of gravity.
Bang—!
The air exploded, and once again both attacks missed.
Leon and Checire naturally swapped each other's sword and spear, confirmed there was nothing to gain in the rooms, and retreated.
That had taken twenty seconds.
The battle between superhumans stretched on endlessly. And the longer it continued, the more large and small injuries accumulated on Leon and Checire's bodies.
The ones consuming more stamina were, of course, the two of them. No matter how exceptional Leon's skill was or how magnificent Carbandia's bloodline, withstanding the coordinated assault of two powerhouses who had entered the realm of Mature Master was incredibly difficult.
The only reason they could endure was because the pair focused everything on perfect coordination of evasion and defense.
And then—
BOOOOOOOOM—!!!
"Kuhup…!"
"Kuh…."
The last place the battered Leon and Checire reached was the branch leader's office.
Branch Leader Carden had already swiftly issued orders after the commotion began and fled the scene.
…Which led to the one mistake he had made: leaving behind the materials that should have been hidden without taking them with him.
His judgment had generally been correct. The basis for it was precisely the martial prowess of Gaeldant and Gallan. Unless a Grand Master suddenly appeared, there should have been no force capable of overcoming their coordinated attack.
However, at this very moment, that was the worst possible arrogance and miscalculation.
"…! I found it, Checire!"
Leon, covered in blood and gasping for breath, picked up a small wooden box.
Seeing the certainty in Leon's eyes, Checire immediately pulled out a small whistle from between her breasts and blew it with all her strength.
"…? What are you—"
Carbandia. While there were many ways the great noble house maintained its power, the most characteristic was how much effort they poured into protecting and educating their direct descendants.
Surprisingly, quite a few children of noble families lost their lives meaninglessly. Of course, it wasn't to the extent of commoners, but there were often second-generation nobles who, relying on their family name and meager skills, acted without fear and died in vain.
However, Carbandia did not allow that.
The Whistle of Chilling Peace given to all direct descendants. The artifact's effect was simple, and truly devastating.
It transmitted the user's coordinates to the current head of the family the moment it was blown.
And every head of Carbandia throughout history… had been a high-level space mage capable of instantly casting long-range teleportation magic.
Crack—
Gaeldant's body was crushed under the pressure, folded to the thickness of a single sheet of paper. Beside him, Gallan's body—which had sensed the terror through pure beastly instinct—suffered the same fate.
"The evidence is definitely secured, right, Leon?"
"Yes. I swear it on the Hero's oath."
"Then—"
Zignight lightly raised his hand. As if the underground posed no issue whatsoever, the ceiling and all the earth above it floated into the air.
In an instant, the space above became a wide-open clearing.
Slowly rising into the air, he looked down with the indifferent gaze of a ruler and murmured.
"Shall we start by making sure they can't run away? Rakuna Kaeritas."
The northern capital. The nesting ground of the central nobles.
A barrier enveloping that entire domain rose up.