Ch.174Report on the Downfall of Charity (16)

Kain pushed his way through the gap between the mercenaries and prisoners.

He swung the cutlass in his left hand toward the mercenaries. They backed away in confusion from the aggressive blade that gleamed in the moonlight and firelight.

Taking advantage of the opening, he used the staff in his right hand to stab, push, and strike the approaching prisoners. Unlike the mercenaries, the prisoners were numb to pain. They seemed desensitized to normal sensations, likely from prolonged exposure to the asas herb.

He had no intention of wasting energy fighting them one by one. It was more effective to simply disrupt their balance and knock them down. Conveniently, the prisoners’ ankles were bound, making it harder for them to respond.

He swung his cutlass at an incoming blade. Just as Lily had done, he applied a bit more force at the moment the blades collided. The struck blade vibrated with a “wing” sound in pain, and the mercenary let out a short cry as his wrist bent.

As if to make sure everyone could see, Kain swung his cutlass vertically and horizontally. Having already lowered his sword, the mercenary had no choice but to back away.

“Secure the wounded and form ranks! We’re getting out of here!”

Kain suddenly shouted. He jabbed his staff into a prisoner’s lower abdomen and struck his face with the flat of the cutlass. With a choked sound, the large prisoner collapsed with a thud.

Only then did the mercenary look at the man before him—a Venelucian naval officer who had suddenly emerged from the darkness with the explosion. But there was no time to identify who he was.

Flames erupted from the warehouse again. Unlike before, there was a booming explosion and the sound of walls and roof collapsing. Black flames devoured the night sky, and the red pillar of fire was brighter than a lighthouse.

From the outer harbor came screams, alarm trumpets, bells signaling assembly, and the sound of metal plates being struck. The Venelucian navy was on the move.

* * * * *

The Venelucians said it was madness to board the Ship of Fools. And Kain didn’t indulge in the recklessness of “everyone said it couldn’t be done, but I can do it.”

There are reasons why things are said to be impossible. Not only was approaching difficult, but the Venelucian navy’s quick response would also be a factor.

However, if that navy became busy with some incident, the story could change. To hide a small bonfire, one starts a wildfire.

So Kain had generously poured oil on the warehouse floor. He carefully stacked well-dried lumber that hadn’t yet been fireproofed.

The radially arranged lumber would spread to oil barrels and flammable items placed throughout the warehouse. This way, he could create continuous explosions at regular intervals.

Finally, he lit an oil lamp. He deliberately removed the lower shield so that when it fell, the fire would spread to the oil on the floor.

He tied one end of the rope to the oil lamp and the other to a rather heavy sandbag. The middle was hung on a hook from the ceiling, adjusting the rope so the lamp would rise to shoulder height.

Lastly, he brought a small box and placed the sandbag on top. Being quite thick, the bag sagged over the side of the box. He poked the sandbag with an awl. Sand leaked out more quietly than a crawling snake.

After some time, when enough sand had leaked out, the lamp would fall to the floor and break. Then the fire would spread throughout the warehouse according to his arrangement.

The Venelucian navy might easily unlock the warehouse door latch, but they wouldn’t easily discover the wedges inserted between the gaps.

It went as expected. The navy couldn’t properly contain the fire. The warehouse burned magnificently, gradually collapsing with loud flames and smoke.

While the navy was distracted by the warehouse, he needed to somehow bring Giuseppe Conlone.

But the situation had become more difficult. It seemed fire had spread to the lower deck of the Ship of Fools. Acrid smoke was rising through the floor hatch.

Now the prisoners on the deck were rushing up not to check the commotion above, but to escape the fire.

Though dulled by drugs, they still retained a sense of danger and death. If they lacked even that thread of judgment, they couldn’t have made the drug in the first place.

“Can’t you hear me!”

Kain swung his cutlass at the stupidly standing mercenary. The gleaming blade rested on the mercenary’s shoulder.

“Form a semicircle! If we’re surrounded, we’re finished! Secure the wounded and leave by boat! Snap out of it!”

The flat of the cutlass struck the mercenary’s face. Simultaneously, the iron staff plunged into a prisoner’s lower abdomen. The prisoner who took a direct hit to the stomach fell to his knees with a thud.

“F-form ranks! Form ranks!”

Other mercenaries stomped their feet and shouted disciplinary commands.

Just then, the explosion from the warehouse caused the prisoners to cower and gave the mercenaries time to regroup.

The mercenaries formed a defensive line, but that alone was barely enough to hold back the approaching prisoners. Giuseppe and the mercenary captain were still surrounded by prisoners. They needed to be extracted before being trampled to death.

Kain lowered his stance and charged in. He held the cutlass upright and struck the prisoners’ thighs, knees, and calves with its flat side.

He blocked with the blade and attacked with the staff. He stabbed at stomachs, struck upward at chins, and stomped on toes.

Using a pivot point for support, he kicked a prisoner’s upper knee. As the staggering prisoner fell backward, those rushing toward him became entangled.

The smoke rising from the floor grew thicker. To make matters worse, the wind direction had changed. The smoke from the warehouse was now blowing toward the sea—specifically toward the deck. As the acrid smoke mixed with the night fog, visibility decreased by the minute.

Kain adjusted his grip on the cutlass. This was too slow. The prisoners were too steeped in drugs.

But no matter how they were prisoners, he couldn’t indiscriminately slash them with the blade. That would be going too far. Instead, Kain struck the prisoners with the back of the cutlass.

It would be more painful than using the flat side, but they wouldn’t suffer fatal wounds or bleed.

Each time he swung the blade and staff, the smoke was torn apart. Through those gaps came screams. The cries of pain drew the attention of fellow prisoners. A couple more rushed at him, but soon they too were rolling on the floor.

The frightened prisoners hesitated. To their eyes, Kain looked like an evil spirit wrapped in shadows. Each time he swung his arm, screams erupted. Each time a flash gleamed, someone fell.

“A ghost.”

Someone pointed at Kain.

“A ghost. A ghost! A ghost has come!”

There was the sound of something exploding on the lower deck. Even blacker smoke rose thickly. Escaping through the gaps in the deck, they looked like the arms of demons trapped beneath the ground. Like arms and hands trying to grasp the necks of those who lived in evil.

Even Kain’s vision blurred.

He tried to suppress his cough, but each time, the smell of burning asas herb pierced his lungs. Now everyone on deck was coughing and kneeling. The deck was in chaos with people crying, howling at the sky, and banging their heads together until they bled in repentance.

– What a mess. Isn’t it?

Kain gritted his teeth.

A distinct figure appeared beyond the commotion. A human form made of shadows. He thought it might be Laios, but it wasn’t. There was no scabbard.

And it was much gloomier and colder than Laios.

– Look at what you’ve done.

Like the sea parting, a curtain of shadows spread out. Prisoners and mercenaries floundered as if swept away by a massive wave. The Venelucian navy rang bells, blew trumpets, and raised flags, but they wandered aimlessly, not knowing where to go.

Only Kain and the figure across from him remained standing upright.

– With this level of skill, all you can manage is a commotion. Isn’t that a waste?

Kain ignored it. Even amid the chaos, he searched for the mercenary captain and Giuseppe. Such a large man was nowhere to be seen.

– They went down to the lower deck.

The figure whispered.

– This fire was started by them. They’re fighting. It wouldn’t be good for either if they were discovered. But they’re trying to kill each other. If you go down now, it won’t be too late.

‘That’s a lie.’ Kain shook his head. The floor hatch was narrow. It was barely enough for one or two people to come up. And prisoners were still continuously coming up from below.

– You can hear me, can’t you?

Somehow, the figure had approached right in front of Kain. Kain glared. The figure whispered intimately.

– How long will you keep repeating such frustrating tasks? You shouldn’t be tied up in ‘mere’ things like this. You need to do greater things.

I can give you the power to part the seas. Forget about Giuseppe or the mercenary captain. I can take care of all that for you.

You only need to think about one thing, just one. After easily resolving everything, you can return home.

Kain moved forward, passing through the figure. The figure dispersed and reconstructed itself.

– I’m just trying to help you for a moment. Use me. Exploit me. I’m ready to help you. I can easily rescue Giuseppe. Think about the misdeeds of Leonardo of Charity, what he did.

Kain remained silent. It whispered.

– Don’t you want revenge?

It gently stroked Kain’s shoulder. Now its voice was as sweet as a beautiful woman’s.

– You didn’t intend to kill her. But he drove you and your poor Beatrice like hunting rabbits.

Leonardo is the one who inflicted such pain on you. You deserved a better ending. You didn’t have to go through such hardship. It’s all his fault. You were just caught up in it.

The figure gently stroked Kain’s arm. It firmly held his left hand. Shadows wrapped around the cutlass blade. Like the thorns of a dead rose, it was incredibly dark and ominous.

At some point, it embraced Kain from behind. It whispered in his ear with a sweet voice.

– Just say one word. I can help you. You can use me wisely. I will serve you. You are wiser, braver, and more self-disciplined than anyone I’ve seen. So just say one word. ‘I accept.’ Look!

A strange vision appeared before Kain’s eyes.

He saw himself standing proudly before the masses in the Imperial capital. He saw himself kneeling before the Emperor. He saw himself being personally praised by the Emperor. And behind him, Anna smiling kindly.

He also saw knights with gleaming swords planting their blades before him. The Veneration of the Sword. In front of countless fluttering flags stood Liliana, who had become the White Blood Knights Commander. She was looking at Kain with eyes of admiration, respect, and love.

– You are the true hero of the Empire. You know that, don’t you? You’ve suffered more than anyone. You’ve been sadder than anyone. Now it’s time for you to rest comfortably. Do as you wish. Do what you want. I only want you to be happier. Your happiness is my happiness.

Kain slowly raised the sword in his left hand. Thanks to the figure holding it with him, it felt as light as a feather.

– Come on. Swing it. With just one swing, you can subdue them all. Hurry.

Kain leaned forward. Using his left foot as a pivot, he spun his body around. He swung the cutlass upward from below.

There was no scream. Only the sound of a massive piece of metal being swung. It was such a fierce slash that the blade trembled with a “woong” sound.

The burst shadow writhed two steps back. Kain looked at it with disgust.

“Begone. You weak and pathetic thing that can’t even withstand a single sword.”

– You’ll regret it.

The shadow whispered.

– You’ll regret it. You’ll regret this moment for the rest of your life. But don’t worry. There are many opportunities. There are still opportunities left…

The wind changed. The shadow dispersed. Where it had been standing, blocking the way, appeared Giuseppe and the mercenary captain, rolling on the ground, bleeding.

The warehouse collapsed with a loud noise. Prisoners, heavily intoxicated by the drug, fell on their backsides. They trembled all over and prostrated themselves before Kain. Cries that an evil spirit had appeared covered the entire deck.

Kain rushed in, tearing through the smoke. Like the Knight of the Scabbard, Kain too was surrounded by writhing darkness.

But the darkness, the smoke, the shadows couldn’t swallow Kain. They could scratch at his chest, cling to his legs, and stick to his arms, but nothing more.

Kain didn’t even pay attention to them. He didn’t even glance at them. He pushed them to the edge of his consciousness. It wasn’t the time to be concerned with such trivial things.

He had to save people.

He lifted the battered mercenary captain and Giuseppe. Mercenaries ran through the divided prisoners to help.

Then everyone rushed to the ship’s side. They grabbed the net ladder and slid down, half-sliding. The palms of their hands were scraped by the rope.

“To the harbor! We’re going to the harbor!”

Kain shouted. The mercenaries hurriedly raised the sails and rowed. The tide was still ebbing, so progress was slow. On both sides, they could see prisoners throwing themselves into the sea.

From the other side, Venelucian naval officers in light boats approached. Behind them was a slightly larger sailing ship. The entire outer harbor was lit up as bright as day.

Kain grabbed a mercenary by the collar and shouted.

“You damn bastard, what the hell were you doing here! Pirates? Were you trying to rescue your comrades!”

The mercenary, terrified and also intoxicated by the drug smoke, couldn’t look directly at the glaring Kain. All he could see was an angry Venelucian officer.

“N-no! We’re from L-Leonardo’s mercenary group!”