episode_0006

Captain Hugo stared intently at the flashing signal light that had been emitting a bright glow since earlier.

“Is it broken?”

It was an expensive magical signal device he had prepared for escape in case of any issues at Igorbich Station.

And now it was emitting a regular, sparkling light. Roughly once every minute.

The crisis signal required three consecutive presses. Even if pressed by mistake, such a signal would not be transmitted.

However, the signal blinked only once without fail. It seemed to be malfunctioning.

“Oh no, this was really an expensive item!”

“Hehe, Captain, don’t worry. After all, it’s money that can be recovered.”

“What about the others?”

“They’ve already taken their positions and finished planting the explosives. Once the train arrives, they’ll detonate it immediately, then rush in, loot the cargo compartment, and make their escape! Even with some buffer time, it’ll be over in 15 minutes!”

“Good. Oh, here comes the train. Everyone, get ready!”

“Yes!”

In the distance, the train was approaching, billowing steam as it raced forward. It was a 30-minute journey to Igorbich Station, about an hour on foot.

Even if the train derails, there is at least a two-hour window of ample time until reinforcements arrive.

“Blow it up!!”

Hugo turned his head and shouted.

-Boom!

Explosives buried along the tracks detonated simultaneously, causing the ground to tremble.

With a screeching noise, the train abruptly applied its brakes and slowly tilted sideways outside the tracks.

“Go! Take everything!”

“Wow! We’re rich now!”

I heard that the cargo compartment of that train is filled with gold bars. If we roughly melt them down and remove only the royal seal, how much would that be worth in the black market?

Hugo chuckled and, after one last glance at the malfunctioning signal device, stuffed it into his pocket.

He thought about thoroughly interrogating that damn wizard who sold it to him.

-Screeeech!

-Crash! Boom!

The derailed train twisted and toppled off the tracks.

Ivan climbed up a tree and looked down from a safe distance, then turned his gaze.

One guy seemed like the commander, and another guy appeared to be the deputy commander.

There were about three others around them.

“There are about ten people heading towards the train.”

There were about fifteen people, so the rough calculation seems correct.

Ivan jumped down from the tree and immediately grabbed his gun.

– Bang! –

“!!!”

“!!?”

With a distant rumbling sound, the thieves all either fell to the ground or hid behind trees.

Including one guy who took a bullet to the head, none of the five had ‘diagonal detection’.

‘Throwing weapons’ don’t work against those who have reached a certain level of strength.

That’s why there are no ‘archers’ in the hero party. As soon as they fire a weapon, the ‘strong ones’ can sense the ‘life’ entwined in the bullets.

Enhancing weapons with magic to eliminate life is fundamental. However, once projectiles like bullets or arrows leave your hand, you can’t manipulate them anymore.

Therefore, the strong ones never take cover. They leap towards the direction of the gunshot during that time to deal with their opponents. Being startled by the gunshot is only for the weak.

Hence, the extermination squad carries guns. It allows them to assess the opponent’s strength and is also a better weapon for dealing with weaker enemies in minor skirmishes.

“Who the hell is over there?!”

The guy shouting loudly is the commander. He needs to be kept alive because he has valuable information.

Therefore, there is no need to spare the remaining guys.

Ivan stepped away from the tree and took a step toward the guys.

“Shoot! Shoot!!”

– Rat-a-tat-tat! –

The diagonals became tangled. In the midst of that, Ivan leisurely reloaded his ammunition.

As soon as he confirmed the sound of the bullets hitting the magazine.

– Bang! –

“Ugh?!!”

One down.

Again, the sound of bullets bouncing off the magazine as they flew out.

– Bang! –

One down.

Again, clink, bang. Clink, thud!

One diagonal disappears with each shot fired.

Even if the trained agents hadn’t mastered ‘diagonal detection,’ they would never expose themselves or shoot.

But as soon as Ivan confirmed that these guys hadn’t even received such training, they emerged and started firing bullets.

This is the result. The difference in training, experience, and talent.

Four corpses with bullets lodged in their foreheads and a large, trembling man.

“You, you…!!”

The man grimaced, dropped his gun, and drew a knife.

Not a bad choice. If the bullets don’t hit, they’re useless.

“Who sent you?! Huh?! Where did this damn dog come from?!”

-Twang!-

-Thud!-

As soon as he drew the knife, he was struck by a throwing knife. Staggering back, he released the knife handle and grabbed his wrist in shock.

Feeling the overwhelming difference in skill, he turned pale and began trembling uncontrollably.

“Do you have a good memory for faces?”

“Huh…? Y-Yes! I remember you clearly!! Just wait! I’ll…”

“Good to hear. From now on, you’ll need to remember well.”

Ivan had no expectations of finding out who had orchestrated the train bombing from this guy.

An organization capable of such an act wouldn’t have left any loose ends behind so easily.

Therefore, first impressions mattered. Anything that could be a clue, no matter how small.

Gait, attitude, the clothes he was wearing at the time.

Any noticeable tattoos or accessories.

Even speech patterns and intonation.

“If anything comes to mind, speak up.”

Ivan spoke softly, raising his axe.

He had no intention of killing. This guy was probably a tutorial boss, and that was the protagonist’s job.

But hurting him wouldn’t be a problem. And Ivan knew countless ways to inflict pain without impairing “human function.”

9:35 AM.

It had been ten minutes since the train bombing occurred.

The perpetrator of the train bombing successfully thwarted!

*

“Ouch…!!”

Elysdis held her forehead and groaned. She couldn’t regain her composure.

With her father’s entourage decimated in the first-class cabin, there was no one to ask what had happened.

She shook her head vigorously and struggled to get up.

“Huh?”

She was standing by the window. The chair she had been sitting in just moments ago was lying elongated next to her.

This was a train. Train seats couldn’t lie sideways. Therefore, she realized with a jolt that the train had flipped over.

“Ouch, it hurts… Excuse me? Is anyone there?”

She groaned and looked around. She could hear the rumbling and noisy chatter, but there was no sound of people screaming in fear from the train accident.

In that case, this is… this is…

“Bandits!!”

Elysdis exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth. She had heard that bandits occasionally attacked trains, but it wasn’t a common occurrence. What could one gain from such a train in the first place…!

“No way! I’m here!!”

Elysdis startled and crouched down.

In most situations, this would just be idle talk, but surprisingly, Elysdis’ words were true in this incident.

“What should I do, what should I do…!”

With no agents following her and the warning that she would truly despair if anyone followed her, Elysdis found herself alone.

Feeling her head go white, she hastily grabbed her instrument case.

Fortunately, even in the midst of the train flipping over, the violin was unharmed.

“Thank goodness! Ah, what would I do if you were damaged…”

She gently opened the case and caressed the violin with care.

And soon, she tightly gripped the neck of the violin and held it upside down.

Like a pipe. No, like an ‘axe.’

There’s a saying among musicians that an instrument is like their life.

From this, it can be understood that Elysdis was prepared to fight, wielding her own life.

Risking her life as the “strongest music student,” she now enters the train terror situation!

*

Before the Dronian Kingdom was unified by King Ainar.

And before the Demon King unleashed a threat to all of humanity.

Until then, the Dronian Kingdom had gone through an era of warring tribes called the ‘Yal.’

Among these bloodthirsty slaughter groups that created a river of blood with axes, swords, and tongues (mainly used for kind greetings to the opponent’s parents), there was a peculiar class.

The divine messengers of Yal. Huscal.

While the Huscal class was often equated with the ‘knights’ class of other countries, there were differences in detail.

Unlike knights who established contractual relationships of mutual benefit with their lords and divine messengers, Huscals only valued loyalty and ability as conditions.

To the knights, salary and land are given as compensation, but for Huscarls, they receive only “loyalty.” They neither receive nor expect any compensation, except for small spoils and provisions.

Even if they are not blood relatives, they are accepted as “brothers,” meaning they eat the same food and use the same bed in the same household. (It does not necessarily mean spending the night together.)

And there were many such “brothers” to King Einar as well.

“Ahem… Ahh…!!”

A middle-aged man was sobbing at the edge of the forest.

The man glared at the wrecked train in the distance with his naked eyes.

“What rotten bastards, my nephewrrrggh!!”

My own nephew who wouldn’t even cause me any pain!! He’s riding over there!!

The man started pounding the ground again, screaming wildly.

*

“If you’re noticed following me, I’ll really be disappointed!”

When Essidis said those words to Einar, Einar, like a great warrior of Druan, could figure out the answer to this riddle.

“Aha, I just need to not be noticed!”

Since trustworthy people considered Essidis their nephew and cherished her, it would be impossible not to stand out on the same train even if she disguised herself.

But sending her on the next train was worrisome, as it meant venturing alone across the border by train.

As expected, King Einar brilliantly solved this riddle, like a great warrior of Druan.

“Aha, I just need to follow the train!”

Therefore, King Einar solemnly gathered his “brothers” and asked.

“Who will protect our Essi?”

“Brother!!! Please send me!!!”

“Who is the true warrior capable of chasing the train with two legs?”

“I’m here, brother!!!”

The mighty Huscarls of Druan raised their hands together and let out a roar.

The muscular men in their 40s, full of muscles, opened their mouths like hungry chicks and shouted.

Watching that bizarre sight with pride, King Einar asked solemnly.

“Then, those who can enter Yansk University, raise your hands.”

“…!!”

Yansuk University is difficult to enter. Even those who are confident in their practical skills or interviews gave up on the written exam, considering it too challenging. They didn’t feel embarrassed because knowledge is not considered a virtue of a warrior.

Among them, one person did not give up.

“Now you are a freshman at the Physical Education College.”

“Yes, sir!! I will protect the honor with my life!”

“Good. Go, my brother.”

“Yes, sir!!!”

That happened two months ago. This person, who had infiltrated Krasilov secretly while others were unaware, surprisingly passed the written entrance exam with confidence and was admitted to the Physical Education College (which means barely passing the minimum score and setting a new record in the practical evaluation).

Sadly, Yansuk University had no age limit for admission…

And now, on a day in January, a man who had been racing along the train without resting or sleeping for two days came to a halt, gasping for breath.

Having visually confirmed the train derailment from 2km away, he began rushing, knocking down every tree in a straight line.

To save the strongest physical education student and now the strongest music student in history, he entered the scene of the train terror incident!