Volume 2 Chapter 94 The Ominous Signs Of Disaster Approaching The Fortress
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Kian walks with Serena through the vast Izerland Hills.
The rolling green hills rise and fall like undulating sand dunes, making it a somewhat difficult place for monsters to inhabit.
After all, there’s nowhere to hide or find water.
If a powerful monster like a Griffin were to attack from above, the prey would have no means to defend themselves and would be swiftly devoured.
However, night raiders and undead do appear.
Kian and Serena slowly make their way through the winding valleys of the hilly terrain under the glowing half-moon.
”Once we get out of this hilly area, we’ll reach the town street where we were attacked by a Griffin before.”
Serena walking beside him said this quietly.
Her silver hair had dog ears perked up.
It seemed she was understandably tense.
”Yeah, we need to be careful.”
Kian replied, though his heart was remarkably calm.
He had faced foes far more dangerous than Griffins in the fortress.
Even if a Griffin appeared now, he was confident he could defeat it effortlessly.
He couldn’t let Serena be in danger, so if they really encountered one, he intended to take it down before the battle began with a single strike from his Windsong Blade, but if she weren’t there, he would have been fine sealing his magic sword and facing it regardless.
Right now, Kian was practicing releasing a lot of magic power as Natra had advised him.
If it were a Griffin, it would be difficult to defeat without making good use of Shot-type techniques.
It would indeed be the perfect enemy to sharpen his skills.
”Hmm──Kian, stop.”
”Huh?”
As they reached the end of the hilly area, Serena suddenly stopped and restrained Kian with her arm.
Before Kian could ask what was happening, Natra and Rufna appeared on either side.
Both were dressed in those distinctive garments and masks.
However, their sleeves were rolled up, exposing their shoulders, bound with ties.
Their legs were also tucked into their tabi footwear, making it very easy for them to move.
”──!? You are… the Night Wraith?”
”……”
Natra did not respond.
On the other hand, Rufna, wearing a Tengu mask, turned to Kian, holding a magic-draining bishop staff.
”Master, there’s a group of humans. About 8 hundred meters ahead. I can hear the sound of armor clashing and the occasional neighing of horses.”
”What? Are they enemies?”
”I can’t tell. But if humans with weapons are gathering at this hour, it’s not something ordinary. They could be bandits, so we should be careful.”
”I’ll send out bats. Serena, let’s move forward as we are.”
”Aren’t we going to go around? Are we planning to fight?”
The silver-haired girl frowned.
Kian responded casually.
”If they’re bandits, I might as well take them down. It shouldn’t take much time. It’s more of a hassle to detour. Even if we go around, if we get spotted by the armed group, they might chase us, leading to a fight anyway.”
”Being aggressive is fine, but are you okay with that?”
”I’m fine. Natra, Rufna, how about you 2?”
”No problems here. There’s no need for Master or the young lady to step in. I’ll take them down in 2 seconds.”
”…Right, that’s true. Serena, speak up if you have any objections.”
”I can’t say anything since I don’t know how skilled you all are. I know Kian’s level since I sparred with him about 3 weeks ago.”
Speaking of which, Natra and Rufna had cleverly concealed their magic power using stealth.
Upon closer inspection, one could tell they were competent fighters just from the quality of their stealth and balance, but perhaps due to her lack of experience in combat, Serena couldn’t grasp their capabilities.
However, she seemed to feel an unusual pressure with her 6th sense, and her fur bristled as she stepped back.
”……”
”I think they’re probably stronger than the average bandits, so we should be fine.”
”True. I also believe that if they are bandits, we should take them down before they attack innocents. But if things get dangerous, don’t hold back and retreat. Even if they shoot arrows, as long as you’re near me, I can protect you with magic.”
”I’m counting on you, Serena.”
”Mhm.”
As they continued straight ahead for a while, they saw a bat returning from the other side.
When Kian listened to the story, it seemed that the Azraelian armed forces had set up some sort of checkpoint at the end of the hilly area.
A blacksmith was also accompanying them, looking clearly like some mercenary group, but they were disguising themselves as a merchant party using a covered wagon.
By the time they finished conveying this, they spotted multiple red flames from campfires ahead.
They moved forward.
Suddenly, the campfires shifted.
Under the white moonlight, the sudden sound of metal clashing echoed from the front.
It seemed the opposing side had noticed their presence.
”Stop!”
”Stop! Stop right there!”
The light of the torches flickered.
In the darkness, figures of men holding warhammers and axes emerged.
With a serious expression, Serena stepped forward.
Kian raised his voice.
”Who are you!”
”We are the ‘Azraelian People’s Army’ fighting for freedom!”
The leading man spread his arms wide, holding a torch.
He continued in halting Common Tongue.
”We are heading towards the border capital, Izerland Fortress, to protest for our freedom. Seeing you, you must be Azraelian as well. Then, we are comrades. Comrades, will you not join us in fighting for freedom?”
”This is the land of the Franz Kingdom.”
Serena said this as she slowly reached for the long sword at her waist.
After a brief silence, the man seemed to decide to ignore Serena.
He turned his attention back to Kian.
”Sorry, but we have our own things we want to do. We can’t join you.”
”Understood. Then leave your valuables for the People’s Army! That armor you’re wearing could sell for quite a lot. Help the People’s Army!”
”Sorry, but this armor is a vital tool for my trade. I can offer dried meat and bread as support. Can you let us through?”
”No way!”
The man shouted, furrowing his brow.
”How selfish of you to not join the People’s Army and not donate money! I will pass judgment on behalf of Azrael! ──Everyone, strip these guys of all their clothes!”
(No room for argument, huh?)
He had hoped to avoid combat after that strange question, but this won’t do.
The men raised their war hammers and stepped toward Kian, but at that moment, Rufna raised her hand.
Dense black magic power oozed from the Dark Elf’s body.
It was an astonishing amount of magic power being released.
Her magic power fell upon the combat group like physical pressure.
”Huh?””Ah!? “Ohhhh!?””W-What the hell!?”
With a noisy clamor, the men in front of them seemed to be grabbed by the head and slammed to the ground.
They lay on the grass, unable to rise again, flailing like frogs in agony.
”Wha…!?”
Next to the wide-eyed Serena, Rufna’s lips curled up into a grin.
She suddenly lowered her hand from in front of her face to her knees.
”Wagyo!?””Pip?””Po-e!?
A series of unpleasant crunching sounds echoed, and the smell of blood began to waft through the air.
It was the advanced application technique ‘Pressure’ of ‘Shot.’
Before Rufna’s overwhelming power, the group of weaklings was flattened without a chance to fight back.
What remained were only the makeshift camp and the rear guard personnel like the blacksmiths.
”────”
As they screamed and tried to escape, Natra stepped forward, drawing her long sword from its sheath.
”Don’t kill them.”
”Understood.”
She swiftly drew her long sword.
In the next instant, she sheathed the sword with a sharp sound.
”────” “────!?”
The blacksmiths, who had their backs turned, collapsed in a heap.
It didn’t seem like she had moved from that spot.
Natra, using the application technique ‘Domain’ of ‘Leap,’ had harvested the consciousness of all the fleeing ones.
”Wha, what…?”
”Rufna, bury the bodies with magic. You killed them.”
”Was it no good, milady?”
”Of course not. Sir Kian doesn’t wish for unnecessary bloodshed.”
”Natra, leaving the living bound on the cart. If they aren’t attacked by monsters by noon tomorrow, the East End guards will collect them.”
”Yes, sir.”
”Are we going to collect their money, Kian?”
”No need, Serena. We’re not so desperate that we have to scavenge corpses. Serena, are there any survivors in the covered wagon?”
”Huh?”
”It’s the residents from the nearby area who were captured by the bandits. They might be hidden in boxes or something. Do you sense anything?”
”N-no, I don’t feel anything.”
”I see. Alright. Let’s get to work.”
With a single command, Rufna activated a great magic of earth.
Kian and Natra skillfully bound the men who were sprawling across the twisted terrain with ropes.
Staring blankly at the scene, Serena muttered a single word.
”W-what is this…”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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