Chapter 40
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: I Take Back What I Said About Sparing You
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"Why the hell are those bastards still shooting arrows?"
"They're idiots who don't listen. That's why we stuck 'em on the outskirts—they couldn't get a good look at the fight."
"You heartless pricks. Should've given 'em a heads-up. Now they're gonna get themselves killed because of you assholes."
I nocked an arrow and drew my bow.
I wrapped the arrow in thick, viscous flames and let it fly.
The arrow slammed into the watchtower pillar.
No explosion, no roaring blaze.
Just intense heat warping the iron reinforcements like melting wax, tilting the whole tower.
"Wh-what kind of magic is that?"
"Hellfire. You lot go put out the fire. Make sure it doesn't spread to the forest. If any of those idiots are still alive, save 'em."
"Got it!"
I leaped from the watchtower into the compound.
A few gatekeepers were waiting, but they couldn't thrust their spears at me.
Their eyes were glazed, legs buckling and trembling.
What a bunch of pushovers?
Looked like the bandits killed in the cavalry clash were the elites.
No wonder they moved so nimbly. All the forest ninjas are dead—trampled, burned, frozen solid.
I beckoned the guy closest to the gate. The bandit fell flat on his ass.
He must've thought magic would shoot out of my hand.
Had no choice but to point at another one.
"I'm the boss now. That guy's legs gave out, so you open it."
"Y-yes, sir! I'll open the gate."
As the gate swung open, Requiya strolled in with hands clasped behind his back, cool as a martial artist who'd just cleared a dojo.
I let out a disbelieving sigh and told him,
"Bar the gate and stand by here. Don't let a single one escape."
"Sir!"
I approached the group waiting in the clearing.
They look pathetic compared to the ones I fought earlier.
Their clothes were torn, faces bruised.
A woman with a splinted arm and a guy on crutches caught my eye.
These folks didn't look like bandits no matter how you sliced it.
No weapons, for starters.
"Who the hell am I?"
Not a peep.
No one shook their head or stared at the ground.
Their eyes held no hatred, no fear.
What's their deal?
I activated Blue Eye.
They had zero mental barriers.
No will to live, no fear of death—just hollow voids.
They actually want me to kill them? How hellish must their lives have been?
I locked eyes with every single one.
Then pointed out a few and called them forward.
"You, you, you. And you."
I couldn't even vaguely read these guys' emotions.
They radiated the same killer intent as the elite bandits.
They looked healthy, eyes sharp and fierce.
"Wanna die easy, or go down swinging?"
"Fuck this—!"
The one who chose to swing pulled a short spear from behind his back.
He gripped the blade with thumb, index, and middle finger.
I infused it with chill, freezing it from tip to shaft. The cold seeped into his body.
As I shoved more frost in, I told the others,
"Actions speak louder than words, huh? Anyone not itching for a fight, go fetch your boss."
They froze, unsure what to do.
Wham!
I swung my fist, shattering the frozen bastard's head.
I glared at them again in warning.
"Make me say it twice, and you end up like him—erased."
The bandits spat curses and bolted.
They headed for the biggest wooden building.
"So that's where he is."
I started toward it but paused, feeling eyes on me.
An old man hesitantly spoke up.
"Are you a priest, sir?"
"Nope."
"Then why's your body glowing?"
"You ever seen a priest? Do they glow?"
"Well, no. I just thought priests serving the gods might."
"I'm a Holy Knight."
Bandit boss Holy Knight Kalruk.
Heh heh.
-I wanted to laugh but held it in.
Partly because of their awestruck faces, and partly 'cause grinning through all this blood would make me look like a psycho killer.
"You look beat. Sit and rest easy."
I launched toward the boss's quarters.
Deliberately wrapping my whole body in radiant light for them to see.
Heh heh heh.
Behind me, men and women alike burst into sobs.
What did it mean?
Relief at surviving? A vow to live again?
I resisted peeking into their hearts with Blue Eye.
Just one thing.
Those cries lit a fire in my chest.
I'm gonna kill every last one of these fuckers.
I kicked the boss's door open.
A guy in just pants, perched on the bed, glared at me.
"What crazy fuck—!"
"Me, asshole."
His underlings' faces were swollen red from slaps.
"Guess I came in too peacefully. You still haven't clocked the situation."
"Glowing like that—what sorcery is—"
"Sorcery my ass, you prick. The only sorcery here's in your thick skull."
He was a hulking brute, over two meters, neck thicker than his head.
I grabbed his hair and slammed him to the floor.
"Gah—!"
On the bed, a young woman with bruised eyes huddled under the covers, shaking.
I death-glared his goons.
"Get your asses to the clearing and kneel, you shits."
"You bitch—!"
Mid-charge, I drove my foot full force into the boss's balls.
Something popped, and his gray pants turned red.
Fine by me.
Not my pants.
Right.
I yanked the boss by the hair to drag him out, but a chunk came off clean.
Guy must've chowed down on male hormones and grease solo.
"Grrgh—I am Brad's—"
"Shut it. Don't care about your name."
"Touch me and—"
I kicked his jaw.
Crack. He crumpled.
Finally quiet. Felt better.
Note to self: Jaw-kick the loudmouths.
I called Requiya to the clearing.
No one looked like they could run anyway.
"Handle these guys—no. I'll do the dirty work. Stabilize these people. Hear their story too."
"Sir."
The clearing was littered with bloodstained ropes.
What the hell had these people done wrong? What atrocities had these bandits committed to pen them like slaughterhouse livestock?
I ignored the foaming boss on the ground and asked the three bandits,
"I'll spare one of you."
One gawked up in shock, one turned away, one bowed his head.
"There's a rock sealing a disaster near Brad's west gate. Speak up if you know it."
I could hear their brains grinding.
"That was years ago, and you don't know?"
"Heard rumors, but not the spot."
"Close enough is fine."
They shook their heads.
"I see what you're thinking. Wanna live a bit longer, huh? Mull it over. Are your sins really that light?"
Murder, robbery, kidnapping, rape, human trafficking.
Even from this distance, I caught snippets of Requiya chatting with the villagers.
"Not gonna answer? Don't wanna? ...Nah. Don't bother."
Patience gone.
Never had any to begin with.
I kicked each in the gut, knocking 'em out.
Bound their hands behind their backs.
"Plenty more to ask anyway. I take back what I said about sparing you."
I beckoned the watchtower guards and gatekeepers.
"Drag 'em to the gate tower. Resist, and you join 'em."
"Yes, sir!"
After hauling the boss and bandits to the gate, I tossed a long rope over the tower roof.
Made nooses at the ends and slipped them around their necks.
"I'll do it!"
"You killed a lot of people?"
"No, sir. I'm not that skilled."
His answer drew a sigh.
Sounded like skill made killing okay.
Not his intent, probably.
Just trying to atone.
Scared I'd punish him too.
"It's dirty work. I'll handle it."
I gripped the ropes in my right hand, gathered frost in my left.
Dripped chill over their heads, waking them one by one.
"Don't think you'll die easy in your sleep."
I bunched the four ropes over my shoulder and hauled, turning toward the gate.
"In the name of Holy Knight Kalruk Seid, I sentence you wretched sinners to hanging."
They thrashed and screamed.
Eyes bulging like they might pop, drool flying.
Pants soaked.
"Hurts, huh? How many desperate souls did you butcher to survive?"
Blue Eye's truth burned in my head.
Bloodied ropes, boss's fear-stained lair, blood sprayed across the clearing.
Merchants, travelers, women, kids.
Blood of the helpless.
"Gaaahhh—!"
They bellowed to survive, necks straining.
Tough luck—the ropes were sturdy.
Meant to hold people from fleeing, after all.
"Let me at least—Holy Knight, sir!"
A quick-thinking bandit jammed an iron stake into the ground.
When the prisoners dangled higher than the fence, he tied the rope to it.
"What's your name?"
"Kruk Amud, sir!"
Creepy name. Kill him too?
"Fine, Kruk. You're my temp adjutant. I'm the boss."
"Understood, boss!"
I clapped his shoulder, eye contact locked.
"Any cash in the camp?"
"Pardon?"
Pardon my ass.
Got any dough?
Better check myself.
I headed for the building with the massive padlock.
Crazy bastards... What's the point of a lock?
Wood door smashes easy.
Thieves guard their doors best, huh.
Smashed in, checked the warehouse.
Clothes, grain, essentials—everything.
Decent coin, plus sellables.
Gathered the beggars and assigned tasks.
"First twenty of you, clear the corpses from the trail."
"Why?"
A clear-eyed beggar sniffed and asked.
"Hey, you shit. You gonna let wild beasts rip into 'em? That human?"
"No, but..."
"Live like beggars, fine—but don't quit being human. Got it?"
"Not really?"
Ugh. Just kill 'em?
Sighed and tried again.
"Even without beasts, they'll rot and spread plague. Burn 'em piled up. Move."
To four of the remaining eight:
"This ain't fit for humans. See those villagers? That's what people look like? Open the warehouse, hand out fresh clothes and coin. Boil water for baths, give soap. Clean yourselves too. Go."
The last four bandits had bows.
"You four, go hunt. Those folks are skin and bones—they'll drop dead walking. Need meat."
"What should we hunt?"
"Why you gotta ask every damn thing? Can't you just figure it out?"
Fuck, wanna smack 'em.
One jutted his chin defiantly.
"Locked up our whole lives doing chores—whaddya expect?!"
Oh, the idiots are bold.
Still, rang true.
The others looked pitiful too.
"He's right! We just did grunt work to survive."
"Goddamn it, you..."
So brazenly arguing, I was speechless.