Ch.33Ep.33: Broken Justice

Westret.

A region densely populated with numerous religious orders centered around the Order of Idra, the Witch of Dreams.

The second most active trading hub in Kadinant after Midret.

Radios and his companions successfully infiltrated Westret very secretly and quietly after leaving Nosret.

This was a remarkable achievement accomplished about one month after they left Nosret.

Now, you might be wondering.

If Nosret’s radius is 100km, how could it take a whole month to travel on foot?

Honestly, this can only be explained as a mystery.

This world was created by gods, so there are many mysterious aspects to it.

Looking at Kadinant on a map, it doesn’t seem like a particularly vast continent.

But strangely, when you actually walk through it, distances stretch beyond reasonable measure.

It’s better to assume the maps are wrong. The fact remains that it’s incredibly far.

Having arrived in Westret, the three were about to find lodging when—

“Huh? Brina? Why are you suddenly here?”

“Uncle! I came to see Father, but you’re here?”

“Um… do you really need to see him right now?”

A goblin who spotted Radios and his companions wandering in search of an inn delivered the disappointing news that Kraud was currently in a bad mood and would be difficult to meet.

“I distinctly remember him saying I could visit anytime…”

“Things have gotten a bit complicated because we destroyed the North Idic Order.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, there were rumors that the North Idic Order had been shattered to pieces by the goblins.

To think they had enough military power to destroy an entire religious order with just a handful of troops.

No matter how you look at it, joining hands with the goblin race seems like a hundred percent correct decision.

“Anyway, I’m sorry about this. If you can wait about three days, I’ll arrange something somehow.”

“Is Father injured—”

“Come on, the chief getting injured? By humans? That’s like saying a newborn could rip out my heart.”

The goblin grinned, showing his fangs, then messed up Brina’s hair as if patting it before disappearing.

Well, that’s that.

“What should we do now that we’ve come all this way? Father seems very busy.”

“We might as well take a break while we’re here. What could they possibly do if they discover we’re Guardian Spirits?”

“I suppose you’re right.”

Radios, who crushes those with demigod Orders through sheer power.

Elysse, who possesses a demigod Order and ranks second in combat among the Underworld messengers.

Arsia, who can somewhat detect approaching futures with her Near-Sight.

And Brina the goblin.

Each party member is someone who shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Of course, any enemies who come at them won’t know this, but attacking would be meaningless anyway.

“Waiting three days is plenty, right? Surely nothing will happen during that time?”

“You know that’s raising a death flag, right?”

“Come on, you think saying something like this will actually raise a flag?”

As if this were some fantasy novel.

Radios was about to say that, but seeing Arsia narrowing her eyes, he hurriedly went to find an inn.

“No mixed-gender rooms. I’ll give you two separate rooms.”

“But—”

“Not! Allowed!”

“…Yes.”

It seemed a bit strange that the innkeeper would take such a stance against mixed-gender rooms, but anyway.

Radios entered a room separate from the other women.

“Sigh…”

The first thing he did upon entering the room wasn’t throwing himself on the bed.

Nor was it going to the bathroom to wash up, but letting out a deep, heavy sigh.

Whoosh.

Then he spread his palm wide open and summoned a blue flame.

The “Blue Flame,” a new ability gained after devouring Cthuga, the Living Flame.

It was a much hotter flame than the purple-tinged Jade Flame.

Well, that skill from the Living Flame was truly mind-blowing, befitting its title.

‘I regret not using the power of replication back then because I prioritized killing.’

If he had obtained the Living Flame skill, it would have been like gaining an army of thousands.

But there’s no use dwelling on the past.

In the last battle, Radios focused on the potential of the power called “Order.”

The difference between having an Order and not having one was too great.

Until now, he had been crudely overpowering his opponents, but it was time for a change.

That’s why he deliberately came to consult with Kraud.

One reason he came in person was to avoid making it seem like a trade if he had summoned Kraud.

“I don’t have… a clear goal.”

Somehow, when he was reincarnated, his determination was overflowing, but lately it had withered a bit.

Is this what they call the famous slump?

“Should revenge come first, or my duty as the leader of the Guardian Spirits, or…”

Or should he do what the Blind Idiot God wants?

Now that he’s gained considerable power and his companions are growing stronger, it’s natural for such thoughts to arise.

To avoid suddenly falling into a slump, he needed to firmly establish—

Crash!

“Oh?”

Just as he was organizing his thoughts, the sound of breaking glass was followed by a thin dagger aimed at Radios’s neck.

However, he easily avoided it by turning his head, then sensed a presence outside the window.

“An assassin this time?”

It’s quite annoying to be attacked so soon after entering the inn.

Should he chase after them, or not?

“Captain! It’s orange!”

“..!”

As he was debating whether to pursue the attacker, Arsia’s voice came from a distant room.

She must have used her Near-Sight because of the broken window.

If it’s orange, that indicates a fairly dangerous level.

“I’ll chase them alone. You all absolutely must not leave the inn.”

“It’s dangerous!”

“It’ll be more dangerous if you follow me.”

“Captain! Captain!!”

Leaving behind Arsia who was urgently calling him.

Radios followed the faint presence of the attacker.

‘Would Namgung Ihyun send an assassin of only this caliber?’

He wondered while pursuing.

Would she send such an amateurish assassin against someone who had the power to kill Cthuga?

And there’s no way someone would hold a personal grudge against Radios.

Sending an assassin out of personal spite would be truly insane.

Based on the circumstances, he could only assume Namgung Ihyun had sent them.

‘First things first, I need to catch them.’

Whoosh.

Radios used the Blue Flame to increase his speed and close the distance.

No matter how skilled the attacker was, they wouldn’t be able to react to this speed and would be caught helplessly.

“Or so I thought…?”

As much as he increased his output, the attacker also increased their escape speed.

Well, look at that.

Did they not intend to be serious from the beginning?

If they were capable of this speed, their assassination attempt should have been much more threatening.

Could it be a lure to isolate him?

“But even so.”

Swish!

As Radios fully detected the attacker’s presence and opened his palm.

Three Twilight Swords appeared and shot toward the target.

At an unimaginably fast speed!

The attacker seemed flustered as their movements began to falter, and Radios had no doubt it would end soon.

However.

Clang! Clang! Crack!

“They broke… the Twilight Swords?”

With three collision sounds, the Twilight Swords shattered.

Faced with this unexpected development, Radios abandoned his casual attitude toward the attacker.

Whoever they were, if he didn’t catch them now, something terrible would surely happen someday.

“…Goblin Mask.”

Whoosh!

Radios used the best buff skill at his disposal to nearly double his pursuit speed.

Before long, he was able to catch the tail of someone whose entire body was covered by a hood.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Ugh!”

Since he had a mountain of questions to ask, Radios formed a magic sword and swung it at the attacker’s right arm.

Clang!

‘A prosthetic arm?’

The magic sword bounced off with the sound of striking steel.

The attacker, seemingly realizing that escape was futile, released their magical energy.

Radios recognized that this magical energy belonged to Namgung Ihyun.

That is, it contained the energy felt from the children of the Yog-Sothoth Order, and his eyes grew cold.

He deactivated the Goblin Mask and asked the attacker.

“Did Namgung Ihyun send you? To kill me?”

“…”

“Not much of a talker, are you? Boring.”

Rumble.

No need to drag this out. He’ll use the Sword of Judgment and go all out.

“I’ll ask one last time. Did Namgung Ihyun send you to assassinate me?”

Nod.

The attacker expressed their intention by nodding.

It was already a foregone conclusion, but it’s better to be certain.

“Blue Flame Tsunami.”

Whoosh!

Once Radios had fully assessed the situation, he launched a preemptive attack.

What was once a skill that started with Living Flame had transformed into Blue Flame Tsunami after gaining Cthuga’s power.

The hellish flames that would incinerate everything in their path instantly engulfed the attacker from all directions, but.

“…”

Without saying a word, the attacker swung their sword and collapsed the tsunami.

“Haha, so you’re also someone who possesses an Order?”

The faint sense of Order felt in the opponent’s slash.

Having fought beings with Orders until now, Radios felt that this Order was unstable, but.

As soon as he realized the opponent possessed an Order, he completely changed his attitude.

“Flashing Thousand Swords.”

“..!”

While the Goblin Mask is active, Flashing Thousand Swords can be used up to 3 times.

Although it destroys the body, the Goblin Mask regenerates it instantly.

However, if overused, tremendous pain accumulates in the body.

So it could be called a finishing move with a maximum of 3 uses.

‘But… they know about Flashing Thousand Swords?’

In Radios’s memory, only Cthuga had survived the Flashing Thousand Swords.

During his Guardian Spirit days, he used Flashing Thousand Swords when victory was assured and to minimize allied casualties.

Using that card in important or disadvantageous battles would have been suicidal.

If Radios had died, the Guardian Spirits would have collapsed too.

But judging by the attacker’s attitude, they seemed to recognize the Flashing Thousand Swords.

“Who are you? Who are you really?”

Now he was curious.

Why would they deliberately use a lure and hide their skills to create a one-on-one situation?

Radios silently urged the attacker to remove their hood.

The attacker remained silent.

Well, hasn’t he given them enough chances?

“If you won’t answer…!”

Just as he clenched his fist to unleash the Flashing Thousand Swords.

The attacker grabbed their hood and removed it.

Radios could somehow feel his heart starting to pound.

As the attacker’s face was revealed.

“Vei…chel?”

“It’s been a while, Radios.”

One arm was a prosthetic, and the right side of her face was wrapped in bandages, but.

That face undoubtedly belonged to the former leader of the Guardian Spirits, Veichel Breate.