novelVolume 5
| ← Ch.048 | Ch.050 → |
Succulent looked Climb over from head to toe.
The man behind him had a revolting look of lust in his eyes, but Succulent seemed to be appraising Climb's strength as a warrior, much like how a serpent was sizing up its next meal to be swallowed whole.
The man behind him licked his lips and asked:
"I'd like to take that boy with me. Can you do it?"
The hairs on Climb's back stood on end, and his anus itched.
So he's that kind of guy!
"That will cost extra."
Succulent turned to face Climb, ignoring the latter's internal screaming. His stance exposed no weaknesses, and he seemed like an even more formidable obstacle to Climb now.
Succulent suddenly stepped forward.
The oncoming wave of pressure forced Climb to take one step back.
When there was a massive disparity of strength between two opponents, their battle would not take long. However, Climb had to take on that arduous task.
If I remain on the defensive and focus on blocking attacks, I ought to be able to buy time until they return.
But before that, he had to do one thing.
Climb took a deep breath.
"SOMEONE HELP ME—!"
He shouted with all his might, as though he were trying to dump out all the air in his lungs.
There was no way he could win if he fought alone. Capturing these people and preventing their escape would count as a victory for him. Allowing someone as strong as this man — in other words, someone who might know a lot of important information — to escape would be a complete loss.
That being the case, why should he hesitate in crying for aid?
Indeed, Succulent's expression turned vicious at that moment.
Now that Climb had done this, Succulent was in a race against the clock. In other words, he might end up pulling out all his trump cards early on.
Climb continued to observe him, not daring to relax.
"Cocco Doll-san. Capturing him might be a bit difficult. I have to finish him off before his friends arrive."
"How could that be?! Aren't you a member of Six Arms? Can't you beat a measly little brat like this? Doesn't that disgrace the name 'Illusion Devil'?"
"Now you've put me in a spot. Alright, I'll do my best. But please remember that our win condition is that you escape, no?"
Climb remained on his guard and eyed Succulent, trying to find the reason why he was called the Illusion Devil. If he had chosen that name himself, it would probably not be too dissimilar from his actual abilities. That being the case, he could probably discern said abilities by finding the reason for the name. Unfortunately, he could not tell anything from his foe's appearance and his equipment.
Climb knew the odds were stacked against him, but gave a valorous shout to steel himself.
"I will hold this door! You will not pass so long as I still draw breath!"
"We'll see about that. Seeing you beaten to the ground in a disgraceful heap ought to be proof enough."
Succulent slowly raised his sword and took a stance.
Huh?
Climb questioned what his eyes had just told him.
That blade seemed to flicker. He was not seeing things. The flickering vanished quickly enough, but Climb was certain of what he had just witnessed.
Is that a martial art of some kind—?
That was probably the source of the moniker "Illusion Devil". His foe had most likely used some kind of ability. He ought to be wary and remain alert.
Succulent stepped into range and swung his sword.
That movement did not look like an attack from an adamantite-ranked warrior. In fact, it looked sloppier than one of Climb's own strikes. He raised his blade in preparation to intercept the strike — then a chill not born of the air ran through him, and he hurriedly leaped aside.
Pain suddenly blossomed on the other side of his body, and he was very nearly tossed away.
"Gwaargh!"
Climb stumbled back several steps and collided against the wall. He had no time to think about what had happened — Succulent was already in front of him.
The blade swung like it had last time. Climb raised his sword to protect his head and threw himself to the left to flee the blow.
His right upper arm was wracked with agony.
Climb recovered into a standing position after rolling away and thrust behind himself without thinking.
His blade struck nothing but air.
Now that he knew his foe was not going to pursue him, he looked back, clutching his right arm. He saw Succulent going for the door which led to the staircase, still mindful of Climb's movements.
Climb ignored Succulent as he tried the door and looked at Cocco Doll. He guessed that Succulent would be hampered by the simple fact that he was here to protect Cocco Doll.
His guess was right.
Succulent stopped trying the door and put himself between Climb and Cocco Doll, clicking his tongue as he did. After that, he looked between Climb and the door, then looked back at Cocco Doll, his face twisted.
"Damn, I fell for it. Sorry, but I have to kill this little punk here."
"What are you talking about? If we keep this kid alive, we can use him to blackmail that little bitch, can't we?"
"He tricked me. It's all because he was guarding the door... so declaring he would hold the line was part of his plan. To think this punk would try to screw with my mind."
... Excellent! He took the bait. Looks like he doesn't know what's going on outside. Now they won't try to flee.
GIven that Cocco Doll had only one bodyguard, trying to flee while Climb could still fight was a foolish course of action. This was because they might end up being flanked if Climb had colleagues on top of the stairs. That was also why Succulent could not let Cocco Doll flee by himself until he had dealt with Climb.
What rattled Succulent was the fact that Climb had loudly declared that he would defend the door, but he had then left it swiftly with the intention of attacking Cocco Doll. Now, Succulent was sure that there were ambushers waiting outside the door, prepared to launch a pincer attack to capture Cocco Doll. That certainty limited the tactical options he could consider.
Right now, Succulent was probably thinking that he had to finish Climb off in order to escape safely. Of course, he was operating without knowledge of the conditions outside the door. Otherwise, he would have opened it and fled long ago.
Climb had won this gamble, but he raised his sword in response to a sudden surge of killing intent.
"!"
Climb grit his teeth against the pain which came from his side and his right upper arm. He might have broken several ribs, but fortunately he could still move. No, he would have been hacked to pieces by now if that pervert had not declared his desire for Climb's body. Even a chain shirt did not provide complete immunity to slashing attacks.
Still, what was that weird move? Did he add another high-speed slash after his initial attack? Doesn't seem like it...
Gazef's face flashed through Climb's mind.
Gazef Stronoff possessed a unique martial art, the [Sixfold Slash of Light], which allowed him to continuously attack a foe six times. Perhaps Succulent was using a weaker version of that, a [Twofold Slash of Light]?
If that were the case, then Succulent was probably using some sinister martial art, where his first strike was made at normal speed and then followed up by a lightning-fast second strike.
Something's off here. If I can figure out that technique's secret, I should be able to deal with it... In any case I'm at a disadvantage if I'm constantly on the defensive. Time to attack.
Climb swallowed and began to run. His eyes shifted from Succulent to Cocco Doll.
Succulent's face twisted miserably.
Given that he's a bodyguard, he probably doesn't want anyone to make a move on his charge, even if it's just a feint. I'd feel the same as him, so I understand him pretty well.
Climb closed in as he tried to apply his own experience to his foe.
An Illusion Devil... If that's true... then maybe that move's a trap in itself... however, it's worth making sure.
He closed in and cleaved downwards. As expected, the strike was easily deflected. He fought against the rebounded impact and swung down again. The blow was weak because he had not brought the sword up, but that was enough.
Succulent deflected the strike again. Climb nodded in satisfaction and pulled away.
"It's an illusion, not a martial art!"
He had felt something strange when his sword had been deflected. It was as though his strike had bounced away before it had even made contact with the sword he could see.
"Your right arm's an illusion! The real arm and sword are invisible!"
In other words, what he thought he had blocked was an illusion. It was the invisible sword which had struck him.
Succulent's face went blank, and he calmly replied:
"... Correct. This is just a combination of an invisibility and an illusion spell. I've trained as an illusionist and a fencer. Once you figure it out, it's not much of a trick, is it? Laugh it up if you want."
How could he laugh at that? It seemed simple in principle, and he did wonder why he had not figured it out earlier. However, an invisible blade was a true terror in a life-or-death battle, where every hit might be the last. The illusion that he could see only added to the deception.
"I suppose I'm below you in raw fighting ability because I pursued two paths at once. However..."
Succulent's sword hand turned a full circle. But was that his real hand? For all he knew, he was watching an invisible arm while the real hand had already taken out a dagger in preparation for a throw.
Climb broke out in a cold sweat as he realised the fearsome power of illusions.
"Among the arcane magic caster vocations, illusionists can only use spells from the illusion school. Granted, some higher-tier spells can inflict damage so realistic that it can trick the brain into thinking it's dead... but I'm not that skilled."
"Sounds like a lie. There's no way to prove you're telling the truth."
"That's right, " Succulent smiled."Eh, still, you don't have to believe me either. Alright, I've said my piece... In any case, I can't enhance myself with spells, nor can I weaken you with magic. However... can you tell what is real and what is merely illusion?"
Saying so, Succulent's body split apart into multiple images of himself, stacked one on top of the other.
"[Multiple Vision]."
The one in the center looked like the original, but Climb had no way to be sure.
Dammit, I gave him time to prepare!
Climb's aim was to stall for time, but it was too risky to allow a magic caster to enhance himself with spells.
Climb shouted loudly, using a martial art to enhance his senses, and charged in at Succulent.
"[Scintillating Scotoma]."
"Uuurgh!"
Part of Climb's field of vision suddenly banished. However, the spell's effect promptly ended. He must have resisted the magic.
Climb stepped in and swung his sword in a grand, sweeping strike. Of course, only one of the Succulents was within his reach. Moving close enough to get all the Succulents in range of his swing would necessitate entering extremely close quarters, where he would not be able to bring his sword to bear.
His sword hit one of the Succulents, which split laterally in two. However, his foe did not spew blood, nor did the sword encounter any resistance as it passed straight through Succulent's body.
"—You guessed wrong."
A chill rose from his guts and his throat suddenly grew hot. Climb reflexively raised his left hand to grab the heated portion.
Pain shot through the hand holding his throat and fresh blood spewed forth, bringing with it a disgusting sensation of wet clothing. Had he not sensed Succulent's murderous intent, or if he had not promptly sacrificed a hand to save himself, his throat would have been cut open. Though glad to still be alive, he grit his teeth and bit back the pain as he swept his sword once more.
The blade met no resistance again, and the only thing it cut was the air.
It would be bad if things continued like this.
Climb realized this and decided to change martial arts. He decided to fall back while using [Evade]. He could see the remaining two Succulents raise their swords over their heads. Climb knew that the swords were illusions, and focused his attention on his hearing.
The chain shirt he wore and even the beating of his own heart were meaningless noise. All he had to listen for was the sound made by the man before him.
— Not it — that's not it — this one!
The sound did not come from the upraised swords coming down on him. The sound of something slicing through the air came from the empty space right in front of him, at his face.
Climb hurriedly turned his head aside — and as he did, a line of heat blazed across his cheek, followed by the sensation of pain as his flesh split apart. A scalding hot liquid flowed down his cheek and over his neck.
"Half-right!"
Climb spat the blood pooling in his mouth as he bet everything on his next attack.
He had used his left hand as a shield, so now he could not feel anything except pain below his wrist. He did not know if his fingers could move. For all he knew, the nerves might have been severed. However, Climb wrapped his left hand around the hilt of his sword, in the hope of squeezing out just a bit more strength for his next blow.
Pain exploded through Climb's body, and he grit his teeth. His left hand could still move, and it could still grasp his blade. It felt like it was swollen and throbbing, but he was probably imagining things because of the pain.
With both hands on his sword's hilt, with all his might, he raised his sword to a high stance, and swung it down savagely.
Blood spurted. There was the sensation of hitting something hard. Fresh blood spewed like a fountain. It would seem he had struck Succulent's real body.
It would seem Climb's blow had been mortal, because he collapsed heavily to the ground, Climb could not believe that he had brought down a man on par with an adamantite-ranked adventurer, but it was an undeniable truth that Succulent was on the ground. Climb fought back the surging elation in his heart and turned his gaze on Cocco Doll.
He did not look like he was going to flee.
Perhaps he had relaxed mentally, but the pain from his cheek, his left arm, and the rest of his body made him nauseous.
"Can't really call this a victory..."
If he could have captured Succulent as well, he would have no complaints. However, that was too much to ask of Climb. Even so, capturing a man who was guarded by one of the Six Arms would probably yield a treasure trove of intelligence.
Climb stepped forward, making to apprehend him. However, something about Cocco Doll's face made him suspicious.
The man seemed too relaxed.
Why was he so relaxed?
Just then, a burning sensation pierced his belly.
He lost all strength in his body, like his strings had been cut. His vision blacked out for a moment, and by the time he came to he was on the ground. He had no idea what was going on. The pain in his belly was like a red hot bar of iron shoved into his flesh, and the pain was starting to spread. He panted heavily, and a pair of feet loomed into view of his eyes, which could only see the ground.
"Sorry about that, but I can't let you win."
He struggled to look up, but all he saw was an unscathed Succulent.
"That was [Fox Sleep], by the way. It's an illusion used after taking a wound. It hurt like hell, mind you. You must have thought you'd finished me off, didn't you?"
He moved his finger, tracing a line down his chest. That must have been the path Climb's sword travelled when it had hit him.
"Huhhh. Huhhhh. Huhhh. Huhhhhh..."
Climb panted and gasped. He could feel the blood pouring out of his abdomen, drenching his clothes and his chain shirt.
—I'm going to die.
Climb scrabbled for the pieces of his consciousness which had been rent asunder by the pain.
—If I pass out, I'll die.
However, his death was certain, even if he did remain conscious. His opponent would probably finish him off soon.
He had fought a man on par with an adamantite-ranked adventurer. It had been a heroic battle. Things being as they were, he had no choice but to give up. The difference in their abilities was far too great. That was simply how things were.
However— he could not give up.
He would not give up.
Climb clenched his teeth like he was trying to shatter them in his mouth.
He would not permit himself to die. He would not allow himself to lose his life without an order from Renner.
"Guh, geh! Gyuhh, gegehh..."
His growl was somewhere between a moan and a gnashing of his teeth, in order to spur on his flagging spirit, which was on the verge of surrendering to the pain.
He could not die. Not yet.
Climb struggled to remember Renner. He still had to return to her side today—
"We're running short on time, so I'll put you out of your misery with this. Farewell."
Succulent pointed his sword at the groaning youth.
He had been fatally wounded. His death was only a matter of time. Still, Succulent had the feeling that it would be best to finish him off right now.
"... Say, can we take him with us?"
"Give me a break, Cocco Doll-san. He might have friends behind that door, you know? Besides, even if we take him, he won't last until we reach safety. Just forget about him."
"Then, at least bring his head back. I want to put it in a bouquet and mail it to that fucking bitch."
"Fine, fine, fine. If it's just the head I can still... ah, uwahhh!"
Succulent leapt back.
The young man swung his sword.
For someone on the verge of death, the strike had been steady and true,
Succulent had originally looked down on his dying prey with arrogant eyes. Those eyes now opened wide.
The boy had used his sword to prop himself up and gotten back on his feet.
Impossible.
Succulent had take over a hundred lives thus far, and he was certain that he had dealt the kid a mortal blow. There was no way he could still be standing after that.
However, the sight before him flew in the face of Succulent's accumulated experience.
"Why, why can you get up?!"
It was a bone-chilling sight. It was as though Climb were one of the undead.
A long, thin trail of drool oozed from the corner of the boy's mouth, and his ashen white face seemed devoid of all humanity.
"I... die... Renner-sama's... kindness..."
His sudden intake of air froze in Succulent's lungs as Climb's burning gaze turned on him. He was afraid. He was frightened of how this young man had made the impossible possible.
The young man staggered, and Succulent came to his senses. Shame suddenly welled up within him.
How could he — as a member of Six Arms — be afraid of someone weaker than him? How could he possibly accept that?
"Don't you know how to die?! Go to hell!"
Succulent advanced toward his opponent. He was certain that a single stab would finish the job
♦ ♦ ♦
However, he had greatly underestimated his adversary.
It was true that in terms of overall combat ability, Succulent was overwhelmingly superior to Climb. However, Succulent had chosen to walk the path of the illusionist and the fencer at the same time, while Climb had been a warrior all his life. Thus, in terms of martial ability, not only was there no disparity in strength, but one could even say that Climb was Succulent's superior. The only reason why Climb could not match Succulent was due to magic. Without the aid of spells to enhance him, Succulent was the inferior combatant.
♦ ♦ ♦
There was a thrumming sound as the blade cleaved down from above, and then there was a high-pitched clash of metal.
The only reason Succulent could block the boy's strike was because his movements were slowed from being on the verge of death.
A rill of cold sweat ran down Succulent's face.
His foe was dying. Succulent had been distracted by that fact, and his darkened eyes went wide.
Succulent was a fencer, and he had trained for countless hours to evade his enemy's blows. The fact that he had to actually use his blade to block Climb's hit was quite extraordinary.
—That was not the attack of a dying man.
Those words raced through Succulent's increasingly frantic mind.
No, it was not just that. The speed of Climb's blade had been even faster than when he was unhurt.
"How the hell did you do that, you bastard!"
This was someone who became stronger through battle. It was not impossible, but Succulent had never witnessed anyone like that before.
He even began to feel that the young man had thrown off some kind of limitation.
"What the hell did you do? Was it a magic item? A martial art?!"
From his tone, one would be unable to tell who had come out victorious in their battle just now.
♦ ♦ ♦
What exactly had happened to Climb? The answer was simple.
Sebas' training had scrambled the part of his brain that protected his body.
His sheer will to live overlapped with the vision of death which Sebas' training had shown him. Thus, he had managed to remove the limits placed on his physical body by his brain, unlocking the power of the adrenaline surge.
While that training had only allowed Climb to make a single attack, without that training, he would have died without the chance to do anything at all.
♦ ♦ ♦
After blocking that mighty blow, Succulent was thrown far back.
The impact of his rough landing pierced through his back and churned his guts. While his orichalcum chain shirt absorbed some of the impact, it knocked the air from his lungs and left him unable to breathe for a moment.
What had happened? Succulent — who had taken the blow — could not explain it, but Cocco Doll had been watching from the side and had seen everything.
Succulent had been kicked.
The boy had promptly kicked Succulent right after his downward chop had been blocked.
Succulent had no idea what was going on, but he hurriedly rose to his feet. For fencers — to whom mobility was their greatest asset — being prone on the ground was a death sentence.
"Dammit! What kind of a soldier are you?! You even kicked me! Soldiers should stick to what they know and not try new tricks!"
Succulent cursed angrily as he rolled back into an upright position.
Unlike the regimented combat curriculum of ordinary soldiers, Climb's down and dirty fighting style made Succulent feel like he was facing an adventurer. Thus, he could not be underestimated.
Succulent started to worry.
At first, he had thought that the fight was his to lose. Killing a punk like this should have been a piece of cake. However, he now felt that composure slipping away from him.
However, as Succulent stood up, he saw the young man who had become a threat slump to the ground, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
The youth's face looked terrible, as though the series of blows had snuffed out the flame of his life. No — that was exactly what had happened. This must have been a last burst of fire, like how candles would flare up before going out. Yes, that must have been the power he had used.
Right now, that boy would die from the merest tap.
As he saw Climb's condition, Succulent began to feel relieved, but that was soon replaced by confusion and anger.
He was furious at the fact that someone like him, a member of Six Arms, had been so hard-pressed by a miserable little mook like Climb. He was angry at the fact that he had started to panic. Still, the victor was clear. All he had to do was kill the kid and run.
However—
"—Don't you think you've done enough?"
♦ ♦ ♦
It would seem he had made it in time, somehow.
Climb was face down on the ground, his face covered in sweat, his skin so pale that it was practically white. Still, he was breathing. That said, the wound on his belly was fatal, and he would die within a few minutes if it was not immediately treated.
Brain felt that he could not relax yet as he entered the room.
There were two men inside. One of them did not look like a fighter.
"Don't pay any attention to that suspicious-looking guy, just kill him!"
"If I do that, he'll charge up and kill me. This guy isn't like the punk from just now. I need to focus and concentrate to beat him. If I'm distracted or get careless, it'll be the end of me."
The person who answered was Succulent. Brain knew exactly who the man was. He looked just like the description that had been supplied to him. Plus, the man was holding a bloodstained blade and he had a body double out. Brain had suspected him from the beginning, and his suspicions had just been confirmed.
Without another word, Brain ran up, drew and slashed. There was no hesitation in his movements. Succulent had leapt away even before the blow had landed, and the 「Katana」only struck empty air. However, Brain had only done so to get his opponent away from Climb. He stood over the fallen Climb, planting his feet in a location where he could cover the lad.
"Climb, are you alright? Do you have any healing items on you?"
His words were quick and tense. If Climb did not have anything like that, he would have to find some other way to save him.
"Hahhhh. Hahhh. Hahh. Hah. Ye... yes... I do..."
He glanced over and saw that Climb's hands had released his sword and begun to move.
"Really now."
A great weight lifted off Brain's shoulders. After answering Climb, he glared fiercely at Succulent.
"I'll take you on next. Allow me to avenge that kid."
"... You're pretty cocky. But that's only to be expected. To think you'd be carrying such a valuable weapon from the South... I don't think I've heard of anyone like you before... mind telling me your name?"
He did not intend to answer.
Climb was a comrade — a brother-in-arms. How could anyone reply calmly when one's brother was on the brink of death?
Just then, a doubt blossomed in Brain's heart.
Was I like that in the past?
His old self had lived for nothing other than honing his swordplay. When had he cared about anything else?
Then, he chuckled to himself.
... Oh. I get it now.
His ambition, his dream, his goal, his life, his way of living — all of them had been shattered beyond recovery by the monster called Shalltear Bloodfallen, and the cracks in his heart which had appeared had then been filled by the person called Climb. When faced with the vicious bloodlust from the mysterious Sebas, Brain had been driven to his knees, but Climb — though weaker than him — had endured through it. It was then, when Brain was filled with admiration, that Climb had worked his way into Brain's heart. That was because Brain had seen a spark of manly radiance within Climb that he himself had lacked.
He stood before Climb, locking eyes with Succulent. Did Climb now see in Brain's back the same determination that Brain had seen in Climb's?
His old self would have laughed at this. His old self would have laughed at how weak he had become.
In the past, he had believed that these things were nothing more than weaknesses to a warrior. He had believed that all a warrior needed was to be as sharp as a sword.
However — he understood now.
"So that was how you viewed life... I see, Gazef... It seems that even now, I'm still no match for you."
"Didn't you hear me? I'm asking you again, could you tell me your name?"
"Forgive me. While I feel there's no point in telling you, well... I am Brain Unglaus."
Succulent's eyes widened into saucers.
"What? You mean that.. !"
"No way! The man himself? Are you kidding me?!"
"No, I don't think it's a mistake, Cocco Doll-san. Valuable weapons indicate a warrior's level. A 「Katana」like that certainly suits someone like him."
A wry grin crossed Brain's face.
"More than half the people I've met recognized me... well, my old self would have been proud. Right now, it's a little more complicated."
Brain had no idea why Succulent was smiling at him so companionably. However, his doubts were soon answered.
"I say, Unglaus! There's no point in us fighting, is there? Someone strong like you is worthy of joining up. Why not become one of us? You could easily become a member of Six Arms with strength like yours. It's plainly obvious how skilled you are. You're just like me, aren't you? You want to become strong. I can tell by looking in your eyes."
"... You do have it at that."
"Right? Then let me tell you. Eight Fingers is a pretty good place. It's great for those who are strong. They'll give you all the magic items you want, as powerful as you like. Look at this orichalcum chain shirt! This mithril sword! These rings! These clothes! These boots! They're all magic items! Come, Brain Unglaus. Join us. Join the Six Arms."
"... Worthless. Is that all there is to your organization?"
Brain's unimaginably cold and contemptuous attitude froze the smile on Succulent's face.
"Say what?"
"Didn't you hear me? I said, if that's all there is to you, you won't amount to anything even if you band together."
"You!... Hmph. Well, if you say that, then your strength's nothing special either!"
"Indeed. Someone like me is nothing special. I learned that very well after witnessing a true monster."
Brain pitied Succulent and his haughty attitude. He truly was like a frog in a well. Thus, Brain decided to give him a sincere warning.
"It's the same with your strength. Perhaps we're the same way. That's why I want to warn you — we're nothing special."
Brain turned back and glanced over his shoulder at Climb, who had drunk his healing potion.
"Also, I've learned one more thing. Strength gained for someone is greater than what a person can train up by themselves.
Brain smiled. It was a kind, carefree smile.
"Perhaps it's only a little, but in the end, I do understand."
"I have no idea what you're talking about... What a shame, Unglaus. What a shame that I have to kill a genius swordsman who once stood on par with the mighty Gazef Stronoff."
"Can you do it, with that sword which you only swing for yourself?"
"Of course I can kill you. That's easy enough. And after I kill you, I'll kill that brat on the ground. No more holding back, and no more games. I'm going all-out."
As Brain watched Succulent begin an incantation, he sensed someone moving behind him and issued a warning.
"Climb-kun, don't move. You're not fully recovered yet, are you?"
Climb froze.
Brain smiled. He was as surprised by this as he was by what he had done just now. Then, he added:
"Leave the rest to me."
"—Thank you very much."
Brain smiled by way of reply and sheathed his sword. Then, he lowered his stance and turned the sword and sheath over at his waist.
"Please be careful. Succulent uses illusions. What you see may not be real."
"I see... yes, quite a tricky opponent. Still, it'll be fine."
Brain stayed where he was, staring silently at Succulent. He had created five illusory duplicates out of nowhere, and he gleamed with what seemed to be a magical radiance. In addition, he seemed to have donned some kind of shadowy cloak. Brain had no idea what kind of magic Succulent had used.
"Thank you for giving me time to prepare. Magic casters are more powerful than warriors when they can prepare themselves. You lose, Unglaus!"
"Hm, no need thank me. After talking to him... well, I'm pretty sure I can't lose."
"... Big words for a hired blade! So you're staying there to protect that punk. How sweet of you."
Brain heard the sound of Climb shifting from down where he lay at Brain's feet.
Climb must have been feeling guilty about giving the enemy time to prepare himself. Therefore, Brain made a declaration, loud enough that Climb could hear.
"—One strike."
"What?"
"I said, I'm going to take you down in one strike, Succulent."
"Try it if you can!"
Succulent charged him, wreathed by his afterimages.
As his opponent entered his attack range, Brain swivelled, completely ignoring how he was exposing his defenseless back to the oncoming Succulent. And then — with Climb in between — Brain drew with incredible speed and cut at the empty air.
♦ ♦ ♦
There was a mighty crash as the walls shook.
The still-prone Climb and Cocco Doll turned to look at the source of the sound.
Succulent lay there. He had rolled to the ground and was motionless. His sword had fallen to the ground.
Brain's mighty draw-cut had sent Succulent flying, smashing him into the wall with tremendous force, after which he had collapsed to the ground. If Brain had not hit him with the back of his sword, Succulent would have been lying in two pieces instead of one. Even the orichalcum chain shirt he wore made no difference, so powerful was that blow.
"... My [Field] can pick up anything — even the invisible. The illusion in front was meant to get my attention so he could attack from behind... A cunning move, but unfortunately, he used it against me. Plus, attacking Climb-kun was a poor choice for you. Let me guess, you wanted to kill him and then mock me for not being able to protect him. However, you were so focused on attacking Climb-kun who was lying on the ground that you didn't keep an eye on me. Did you forget who you were fighting?"
Brain sheathed his sword, and smiled to Climb.
"Told you, didn't I? One strike."
"Well done!" Climb said.
But someone else had said "well done" besides Climb, and both voices blended together. That person was Sebas, and that was nothing special. Rather, it was where the voice had come from which was surprising.
Both of them looked to where Cocco Doll had been standing.
In his place was Sebas, and beside him was the limp form of Cocco Doll.
"When did you arrive?"
Sebas responded calmly to Brain's question:
"Just now. I believe you were both focused on Succulent and did not notice me."
"Is, is that so."
No way, Brain though as he answered.
I had [Field] active, didn't I? It might have a narrow radius, but I should have sensed him if he had come running up to us. But I didn't sense him at all... Until now, only that monster Shalltear Bloodfallen could do that. Well, I had my suspicions when he emitted his murderous intent back then, but now I'm sure of it — he's the match of that monster. Where does he come from?
"In any case, the people locked up here have been rescued. Also, Climb-kun. I'm sorry, but some people put up fierce resistance, so I had to kill them. Please forgive me... but before that, I ought to heal your wounds."
Sebas came before Climb and laid his hands on Climb's belly. It was a brief contact — he removed his hand right after touching him. However, the results were plainly obvious. Climb's face had still been pale after drinking the potion, but now he was back to a healthy state.
"My wounds are healed... Are you a priest?"
"No, I did not use the power of the gods. Instead, I infused my ki into you for healing."
"A monk, then! No wonder, " Brain exclaimed. Now he understood why Sebas was neither armed nor armored. Sebas merely smiled as an affirmative.
"Then, what do you two plan to do next?"
"Well, I intend to hurry to the nearest guard post, explain the situation, and come back with some men. I hope you two gentlemen can hold the fort here until then. For all we know, Eight Fingers might send reinforcements.
"... Well, I'm already on this boat, might as well enjoy the ride."
"It is fine with me as well. However, could I trouble you not to mention me? I came to this country to do business, and to be honest, I do not wish to continue interfering in the underworld of a foreign nation."
"I'm fine. If anyone asks, just say Stronoff will vouch for me."
"I understand. I will do as the two of you say. Then, please allow me to make use of you two gentlemen for now."
Part 3
Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 19:05
Climb finally returned to the Royal Palace as darkness began to spread over the Royal Capital.
His wounds were completely healed, but he was dog-tired. The fighting had taken quite some time, and so had coordinating matters after the fact. In the end, things had worked out not because Climb had Renner's backing, but because the soldiers were afraid of Eight Fingers and did not dare handle things too eagerly. The biggest problem had been the question of taking responsibility.
The person in charge might as well become a target of Eight Fingers — to be made into an example. This was not a distant probability, but a distinct possibility. Therefore, Climb had simply written the events down and asked the soldiers to send it to Renner. After receiving her approval, he had signed his name and that of his mistress Renner as the people responsible.
Of course, there were drawbacks to doing so but there were at least two merits to that approach.
The first was that Renner's reputation would be boosted.
She had acted against an organization eating away at the heart of the Kingdom, and they were a filthy band of slave trading scoundrels to boot. In addition, her subordinate had led the charge against that crime syndicate. That would surely boost the public opinion of Renner, who otherwise remained within the Palace.
The second was that they could protect Sebas, and the woman he had rescued from abuse in that brothel.
Now that Climb and Renner had taken credit for that, it would keep Sebas and that woman from drawing attention, and it would also avoid them becoming priority targets for Eight Fingers.
I didn't do anything during the raid... it's the least I can do...
As for Brain, he said he would speak to Gazef on his own account, and he encouraged Climb not to worry.
Climb thought about those things as he knocked on Renner's door.
Renner had told him there was no need to knock and that he should enter directly. However, the hour was late, and it was still impolite to charge into her room without giving notice. Ever since he had accidentally seen Renner in a sheer silk nightie, he made sure to knock every time he visited.
His mistress had agreed on that.
While Climb waited for an answer, he sniffed himself.
He had bathed and scrubbed himself, but he was not certain that the stink of blood was gone because his nose was used to it. Frankly speaking, he should not have entered Renner's bedchambers in this attire, but it was imperative that he reported the day's events to Renner in his own words.
The most important thing was the people who had been locked up in that place. They were currently in the custody of the guard post, but they would need to be taken somewhere safe within a few days. Some of them were hurt, so he had to arrange for priests and other healers to go and help them.
Renner-sama is kind. She will surely lend a hand to the people if they are in need.
Climb felt his heart grow heavy as he thought about all the things he would be troubling his mistress with. He could not help but think about how much better it would be if he were stronger. It was all thanks to her that he could lead a life like this and serve such a great mistress, yet he could not do more for her.
... Strange. There didn't seem to be an answer... There wasn't one, right?
He had not heard her granting him permission to enter.
Nobody was standing watch in front of the door, so Renner ought not to be asleep yet. Could she have accidentally fallen asleep without informing the night watchman?
Climb knocked again.
This time, Climb heard a quiet voice granting him entry from inside the room. That put his heart at ease and he entered. He had already decided on the first thing he would do.
"Forgive my late return."
He bowed his head low, in apology.
"I was so worried!"
Climb could hear distinct anger in Renner's voice, which surprised him. Climb's mistress very rarely got angry. Even when insulted, she had never displayed her anger in front of Climb. That was why he was acutely aware that Renner had been truly worried about him.
He struggled against the warm tears that threatened to leak from the corner of his eyes, and lowered his head in sincere apology
"I was really worried about you! When I thought about how Eight Fingers might have struck first and done something to you, I... then, what exactly happened? I received a brief report, but can you explain in detail?"
Climb was going to deliver his report from a standing position, but Renner insisted that he sit down.
Thus, Climb took a seat. There was a teacup in front of him, and Renner poured him a piping hot cup of tea from her Warm Bottle.
After thanking her, he sipped at the tea.
Climb then narrated the entire situation to Renner, because some people needed her help.
"What did you think of those people when you saw them?"
Climb was briefly baffled by the first question Renner had asked after hearing the proceedings. However, she had asked, so he had to answer.
"I felt sorry for them. If I were stronger, I could have saved these people from their suffering."
"Really now... You must have felt sorry for them, Climb."
"I did."
"Is that so. You're really nice, Climb."
"Renner-sama, if you need me to protect them, I can go at any time. I have already resolved myself."
"... I'll call on you when the time comes. Let's leave that aside for now; I have something to tell you. Tomorrow, or the day after at latest, we intend to launch attacks on the Eight Fingers bases indicated on the parchment Lakyus gave us. You can imagine how their defenses will become stronger as time goes on, thanks to the attack on the brothel."
"My sincerest apologies! It was my fault for acting on my own!"
"No, please pay it no heed. Think of it as us deciding on a course of action. Besides, I do like how you performed this time round, Climb. You captured Succulent, a member of Six Arms, and brought in Cocco Doll, the head of the Slavery Division. That ought to shake our opponents to the core. Therefore, I want to capitalize on this victory."
Renner lightly punched the air in a cute way.
"We'll hit them again before they can get the word out of the Royal Capital!"
"Understood! I will go rest now, and gather my strength for tomorrow's operations!"
"Please do. I think tomorrow will be quite an exciting day. Please keep that in mind."
♦ ♦ ♦
Climb left the room. He felt the scent of blood had faded away somewhat.
"Thank you very much, Climb. Next..."
After finishing the now-cool tea, Renner stood up. She walked over to a handbell. If she shook it, the bell in the adjacent room would shake as well. As she thought of the face of the maid waiting in the next room, she smiled coldly. How fortunate that she was on duty today.
"My my, what kind of expression should I put on now?"
Renner went up before the mirror and cupped her face with both hands. Then she rubbed up and down. She was only human, and doing so would not change the shape of her face. It was merely a form of self-affirmation.
Renner let go, and smiled.
"No, this is the smile a princess wears for meeting others..."
Renner smiled again. She went through a variety of them before settling on a pure, innocent smile.
"This is best."
After her preparations were complete, Renner shook the bell. Soon, a maid knocked on the door and entered.
"Could you do something for me? Could you help me boil some hot water?"
"At once, Renner-sama."
The maid bowed, and Renner smiled to her.
"What's the matter? You seem quite happy today. Did something good happen?"
Now that her prey had taken the bait, Renner's smile grew ever more joyful.
"Hey, did you know? Climb-kun did really good today! It was amazing!"
She spoke like a child. It was the attitude which fit a foolish princess leaking important information all over the place.
"Well, isn't that lovely."
The maid hated Climb, and she tried her best to hide her displeasure. However, she could not keep her emotions out of her words.
—Die.
—You should die.
—Everyone who dares look down on my Climb should die.
Renner pretended she had not heard the maid's response, because Renner was an innocent little princess. She did not sense others' ill intentions and took their rudeness in stride. She was a naive, innocent — and foolish princess.
"Yup! He was soooo amazing! Climb beat up a whole bunch of bad guys! And then he rescued a lot of people the bad guys locked up! He sent them to... Yeah, I think he sent them to a guard post. Now we can punish the nobles who helped the bad guys do bad things!"
"Really now? Marvellous, that's Renner-sama's Climb-san for you. Then, could I trouble you to tell me of his heroic deeds?"
The maid believed the princess was clueless and would not suspect anything. Thus, Renner began ensnaring that stupid woman in her scheme.
Everything sat within the palm of her hand. All this was in order to gain what she wanted.
Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 22:10
A strange-looking group blended into the darkness.
They were all outfitted differently, without any sense of regimentation or unity. The closest thing to them would probably be adventurers.
At their head was a stout, muscular man. Behind him was an effete-looking pretty boy and a woman in gauzy silks. Behind him was a robed person, and someone in a suit of full plate armor brought up the rear.
The group were looking at an opened door. The room beyond was pitch-dark, and they sensed that any previous occupants were long gone. A look around did not turn up anyone else.
This was quite a strange situation. Indeed, the brothel should have been stripped bare and taken to a guard post. That said, someone ought to have been posted to stand watch, even if the place was empty. In fact, if one looked along the otherwise empty streets, one would be able to see signal fires where the night watch would have been stationed.
Yet, there was nobody here. That was because this group had used their influence to temporarily get rid of the sentries..
The stone-faced man at their head — Zero — glared fiercely at the gutted brothel and growled:
"This is too big to be a mere joke. I need to apologize to Cocco Doll. I lent him Succulent of Six Arms, but to think this place was taken down so easily, and on the day I sent him over... What a joke."
Sneering laughter came from behind him. Zero turned and fixed the source of that laughter with a razor-sharp gaze.
The woman in silks knew Zero's personality, and she hurriedly said:
"Ah, well.. So boss, what should we do now? Should we kill Succulent, since he got captured? If we're going with that, he ought to be at the guard post. We're all the direct-attack sort, and if it doesn't work it we'll have to borrow assassins from the other departments... what about it?"
"There's no need to go to such lengths. Even a man like him has his uses. I'll just ask the Count to release him... that'll cost a pretty penny, though. Go make a list of what the Count likes."
"How about Cocco Doll?" the delicate pretty boy asked.
"He has his own connections. If he has any requests, we'll handle them through our connections. Count it as a form of apology. How about the guest list? I heard the guards took it, no?"
"Information on that front has not come in yet. Or rather, I hear they have not learned any concrete details"
The voice from under the robe was grim. It was as though someone were speaking out of a grave. The sepulchral voice sent a chill down its listener's spines.
"I'd like to get my hands on it. We can use it for all sorts of blackmail."
"Don't be foolish. If we obtain it, the other divisions will be even more suspicious of us. People are already suspecting that we were behind all of this. If we find the guest list somewhere, give it to Cocco Doll several days later and apologize. Besides, the list ought to be in an unbreakable code, so you won't be able to use it anyway."
The pretty boy shrugged in response to Zero's spiel.
"In any case, we'll investigate this matter later on. My guess is if it exists, it'll be in the hidden vault... still, whoever broke this door down really did a number on it. How did they make this hole? I doubt they used a weapon... was it magic?"
"It was a fist."
All eyes went to Zero's body. Zero repeated himself — that these traces were made by a fist.
"Fists... Well, that's quite something."
"—Don't be foolish. This much is nothing."
Zero took a breath and interrupted the woman's awed gasp, then he chopped at the door with a knife hand. His hand sank into the door like he was tearing through paper. Zero withdrew his hand, leaving a rent which matched the one Sebas had left.
The pretty boy spoke up, somewhat lamely:
"Well, you're not a good comparison, boss... still, our enemy can break down a steel-reinforced door. While Succulent was the weakest of us, that still means he took down a member of Six Arms. Should we take him as a potential enemy, then?"
"That said, if Succulent lost, that does not indicate the foe is very strong, no?"
There was an undercurrent of mockery in the robed person's voice.
"He is far weaker than us once you see through his illusions. He's good against people he outmatches, but he'll go down against any decent opposition. Did you not know that?"
He was answered by several chuckles. This was both a sign of approval, and a sign of mockery for those weaker than themselves.
传来一丝小小的笑声。那是在肯定这人的意见，也是对比自己弱小之人的侮蔑。
"We've said everything that needs to be said. I'll ask again — what should we do? Shall we pull back? I don't think clashing with our opponent will be worth the potential losses?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
Zero's words were laced with an anger which he could not completely suppress."
"Our reputation will be damaged if we don't make an example of the person who attacked this place. Screw the losses. Six Arms will move out together and eliminate the attacker. 'Undying King' Davernoc."
The robed man extended a hand. Said hand did not belong on a living creature, and it clutched an orb that radiated a bizarre aura in response to its owner's emotions.
"'Void Cutter' Peysilian."
The hitherto silent man in full plate armor pounded his chest with a resounding clash of metal.
"Dancing Scimitar' Edstrem."
The silk-clad woman dipped her head elegantly, as the bangles on her wrists clattered.
"'Thousand Kills' Malmvist."
The pretty boy clicked his heels together with a resounding report.
"And then myself, 'Battle Demon' Zero!"
The people around him nodded to show their agreement and understanding.
"First, we'll bail out Succulent and question him. After that... find a good torturer. We're going to show that attacker the true meaning of hell. We'll make him regret his foolishness!"
Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 3rd Day 17:42
下火月[九月]三日 17：42
It was sunset by the time everything was over and Sebas returned home.
Climb-kun's protecting all the captured people. Succulent, the owner, and everyone else was arrested. That ought to keep them quiet for a while. Hopefully that can buy some time.
Then, what should he do about Tsuare? Sebas felt that the best option would be to bring her somewhere safe, but Sebas knew there was only one truly safe place in all the world.
As Sebas agonized over the matter, his feet brought him back home.
Just as he was about to open the door, his hand froze. Someone was behind the door. He sensed that it was Solution, but Sebas had no idea why she was standing behind it.
Was there an emergency of some sort?
Sebas had a bad feeling about this, but he still opened the door. What he saw next defied his expectations and left him frozen in place.
"Welcome back, Sebas-sama."
Solution was standing there in her maid's uniform.
A chill ran down Sebas' spine.
Solution — who played the role of a merchant heiress — was wearing her maid uniform in the presence of Tsuare, a human who knew nothing about the truth. Was it because she did not need to act any longer, or was there some reason which required her to wear her uniform?
If it was the former, that would mean something had happened to Tsuare. If it was the latter—
"—Sebas-sama. Ainz-sama is waiting for you inside the house."
Solution's calm, even voice made Sebas' heart lurch in his chest.
Sebas, who could remain calm in the face of a mighty foe or a being on the level of the Floor Guardians, was actually anxious and tense when he heard his own master had come to visit.
"Why, why is he..." Sebas stammered. Solution merely watched him in silence.
"Sebas-sama. Ainz-sana is waiting for you."
There was nothing else to be said. All Sebas could do was follow Solution into the house.
His steps were heavy, like a condemned criminal walking to the chopping block.
| ← Ch. 048 | Ch. 050 → |