Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Burning Warehouse, The True Crisis
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The hornet's nest had been poked, and the intruders' expected reaction began to unfold just as anticipated.
"It's the enemy! The enemy is attacking!"
"Everyone, prepare for battle! Hold them off!"
Dozens of navy soldiers rushed out in an instant, swiftly forming up into ranks.
Without any panic or disorder, they methodically assembled into a defensive square formation, rifles and swords at the ready. Their disciplined precision spoke volumes about the rigorous training they underwent daily.
Leading them was the commander in charge of this post.
General Litorio Garibaldi,
He stood before the fallen soldiers, sword in hand, glaring at the mysterious attackers…
A man and a woman wearing animal masks and wielding weapons. His voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Who the hell are you? Why have you done this?!"
"…"
A perfectly reasonable reaction to strangers who had suddenly appeared and committed murder.
But the two invaders ignored his question entirely, carrying on their own conversation as if he weren't there.
"As expected… They must be under Acroyal's command. Their response is even better than anticipated."
"Y-Yeah… You can tell just by looking. They've got real discipline."
"Answer me, damn you! Who are you people?! If you don't respond, we'll open fire right now!"
The soldiers stood like an impenetrable wall, blocking the path.
Poised to fire at the slightest signal, their readiness alone was profoundly intimidating.
On the other side, their total force numbered just two.
2 against at least dozens, maybe hundreds.
By any normal reckoning, the outcome was already decided.
Visually, it looked less like a battle and more like two condemned prisoners on the scaffold facing their executioners.
Yet…
"Still, that's a relief. No signs of any real heavy hitters…"
"Yeah. There's one guy who looks somewhat strong, but… he's only Elkana-level at best."
At this moment, the ones feeling at ease were the pair of intruders.
A tremendous surge of mana began emanating from their bodies, sending chills down the spines of General Litorio and his men, as if they'd brushed against pure malice.
And then…
"Damn it! Fire! Wipe them out!"
Litorio barked the order to open fire, driven by instinctive fear.
Captured by an inexplicable dread, the soldiers pulled their triggers without hesitation.
-Tadadadang!!!!
A deafening volley of gunfire erupted, engulfing the area in an instant.
Dozens of bullets rained down on the two figures.
An ordinary person…
No, even mana users wouldn't survive that barrage—they'd be riddled with holes.
But…
"!!!"
"Wh… What?"
The bullets halted dead in midair, as if slamming into an invisible wall.
To be precise, the barrier of mana flowing from their bodies effortlessly stopped the incoming projectiles.
"Sorry, but you'd need cannonballs to punch through this."
With that, the man lowered his outstretched hand.
The suspended bullets immediately clattered to the ground in a noisy cascade.
"Alright then… Let's have some fun for old times' sake!"
With those words, the two charged forward in a blur.
Like charging beasts of prey, their ferocious speed froze the soldiers in formation, bodies turning to ice.
And then.
In an instant, they appeared right before the soldiers' eyes.
Even for locals who'd seen them countless times, in this moment, nothing felt more terrifying than…
The animal masks.
"G… Guuaaahhh!!!"
-Pak!!!!
Screams rent the air as blood sprayed in all directions.
Whirling their mana-infused swords and butcher knives at superhuman speeds—Compression active—the pair plunged into the formation, mercilessly slaughtering the panicked soldiers.
"Damn it! Hold them! Stop them!"
In the chaos, Litorio desperately tried to rally his men.
But his forces were mostly frontline infantry gunners.
Devastating at range, they were woefully vulnerable up close.
Even those with swords couldn't clash weapons without getting cleaved apart, blade and all.
There was no room for talk of formations or tactics. Litorio and his subordinates were simply being crushed by overwhelming power.
Like lions rampaging through a flock of sheep—that was the intruders' display, and Litorio couldn't stop them.
"General! We can't hold! You must retreat! The men have lost the will to fight!"
"Tch…"
His adjutant urged retreat in a frantic voice.
Indeed, the formation was shattered, making further volleys impossible. In that brief time, over thirty soldiers had been massacred, with more dying by the second. Morale had plummeted into the abyss.
In this dire situation, Litorio had only one choice.
"Fall back… And you—report this to Admiral Acroyal immediately. I'll try to regroup the men and buy time."
"Yes, General!"
He sent his adjutant off, then withdrew with the remaining soldiers.
Watching the navy men scatter just as they'd come, the culprits—
Frankling and Mazelan—took a moment to catch their breath.
"What now? Chase them down?"
"N-No. Our role is bait, after all. To draw attention, it's better to shock them hard but let as many escape alive as possible."
"Got it. If that's the captain's call, I'll follow."
Mazelan spoke with a measure of respect.
Unlike at first, ever since they'd united against the Pirate King, he had started deferring to Frankling's words.
Even in the recent meeting, he'd backed her against his own girlfriend, Elkana.
Watching this, Frankling felt grateful but also a twinge of worry.
'Sigh… But is that okay? Even if she's wrong, having your boyfriend side against you can't feel good…'
She'd never dated herself, but as a woman, she imagined it would sting.
She wasn't one to meddle in others' love lives, but as captain, she figured she should help smooth things over eventually.
For now, though, she focused on the task at hand.
"Let's stick to the plan, then."
"Right—burn it all to the ground, yeah?"
Fire attack, a tactic with ancient history and tradition.
Nothing pulls aggro like it, Mazelan thought, conjuring blazing flames in one hand.
Dark blue in hue.
Without hesitation, he hurled it into the warehouse nearby.
Stacked floor-to-ceiling with gunpowder crates…
-Kwagwagwang!!!!
*
"What? The munitions warehouse?"
"Yes! Word just came in. A tenth of the warehouse sector is already an inferno, and the blaze is spreading."
A bolt-from-the-blue report.
Acroyal shot to her feet, fury etched on her face.
"Who the hell would dare pull this shit in Bennetsa, of all places, at a time like this?!"
Her voice was sharper than usual, her teatime interrupted.
The adjutant who'd brought the news trembled as he replied.
"W-We don't know their identities. They're wearing masks… And they're so monstrously powerful, we couldn't even get close."
"…Tch."
The situation had turned dire in every way.
Acroyal faced a choice.
Devote all efforts to guarding this place.
Or redirect forces to protect the munitions.
Normally, she'd pick the latter without hesitation, but…
The Continental Grand Auction was underway here.
Such massive events showcased a nation's prestige.
More crucially, the money and diplomatic stakes dwarfed even the loss of the entire warehouse.
"What to do…"
"Hmm… This is important too, but shouldn't we head to the warehouse first?"
"Put out the fire that's actually burning. If we don't, it'll be a real disaster."
The site of immediate danger versus the still-secure but potentially catastrophic one.
On paper, the answer was clear.
Her subordinates readied to depart at once.
But…
"Wait…"
"Yes?"