Ch.354Side Story 1 – Southern Continent Travelogue (9)

The Blood Mist Ravine was once again enveloped in silence.

Rustle.

Red blood sprayed through the air once more.

One of the Black Fang members collapsed, twisting his body with a deep gash across his chest.

And there in the center stood Jawil Wilson.

‘Jawil Wilson, you’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?’

Blood dripped from Jawil Wilson’s greatsword.

A relaxed expression adorned his handsome face as he casually tapped his sword and raised the corner of his mouth.

“Oh? Has the Black Fang lost all its teeth to decay?”

Yet no one could respond to his casual demeanor.

A stunned silence fell, and the Black Fang members couldn’t hide their bewilderment.

Bella, too, froze in place.

“W-what is this…?”

The Jawil Wilson they knew had always appeared to be an ordinary mercenary, but now he looked like a seasoned knight with experience from countless wars.

The Black Fang members instinctively stepped back.

But it was already too late.

Because Jawil Wilson had raised his massive greatsword once again.

Swoosh—!

It happened in an instant.

Two nearby men were sent flying simultaneously.

One collapsed clutching his stomach, while the other rolled away screaming.

And Jawil Wilson smiled.

“Not quite what you expected… Disappointed?”

Jawil Wilson’s eyes gleamed through the faint mist.

In that moment, the expressions of the Black Fang members froze completely.

“Y-you bastard…!”

As someone shouted with a voice full of rage, Jawil Wilson swung his greatsword and said quietly:

“Now, now, just line up and come at me calmly.”

—Crack!

Another man was sent flying and thrown to the ground.

Fear.

It was slowly appearing on their faces.

The prey they had intended to capture had somehow become the hunter.

One by one.

And then another one by one.

With each swing of Jawil Wilson’s greatsword, the Black Fang crumbled.

Wow…

Earlier it really wasn’t 50%, but maybe 30% of his ability.

My Eye only shows precise numbers, nothing more.

In other words, experience has nothing to do with numbers.

I couldn’t help but be impressed.

Perhaps Jawil Wilson had been ready to swing his sword at any moment, even while putting on that foolish act.

Swish.

The pungent smell of blood spread thickly through the Blood Mist Ravine.

Looking down at the Black Fang corpses strewn across the ground, Jawil Wilson was slowly catching his breath with his greatsword resting on his shoulder.

His clothes and greatsword were covered in fresh blood, but his eyes still sparkled.

Jawil Wilson looked at the terrified Black Fang members and laughed heartily.

“Wow! This is fun! Got any more?”

That’s when it happened.

Shink.

“Stop.”

With that cold voice, a sharp dagger touched my neck.

It was Elduna.

She held a dagger in her hand and was glaring at Jawil Wilson with a cold expression.

“I said stop.”

Her unwavering gaze suggested she would plunge the dagger into my neck at any moment.

Looking at her, I smiled calmly.

“Do you want to slit my throat?”

Ignoring my words, Elduna pressed the dagger deeper and raised her voice at Jawil Wilson.

“Teiran, I said stop! Your comrade is going to die!”

At that moment, Jawil Wilson burst into laughter.

“Bwahahahaha!”

Jawil Wilson laughed heartily, genuinely amused.

Holding his stomach with one hand, he chuckled and said:

“In all my life, I’ve never seen anyone as stupid as you.”

“W-what?! Are you saying you don’t care if your comrade dies?”

At that moment,

—Bang!

Jawil Wilson swung his sword again.

As one of the Black Fang members rolled on the ground with a miserable scream, Elduna was taken aback.

“I-I told you to stop!”

Despite her cries, Jawil Wilson paid no attention.

He raised his greatsword again and charged toward the Black Fang.

Blood splattered, flesh tore, and screams filled the ravine.

Elduna glared at me with an increasingly bewildered face.

“Make Teiran stop now!”

“Well, if you can kill me, that is.”

As I said those words, I released a wave of killing intent toward Elduna.

She flinched.

“W-what…”

Thud.

The dagger in Elduna’s hand slipped and fell to the ground.

Clank.

The quiet sound echoed across the ravine.

I immediately picked up the dagger and held it out to her.

“Here, you dropped this.”

Elduna took the dagger and raised her hand to swing it at me.

Just then, another dagger came flying from somewhere.

With a “whoosh,” it instantly pierced through her forehead.

“Ugh!”

Looking in the direction the dagger had come from, I saw it was Jena.

I sighed briefly at the unexpected situation.

“Jena.”

“…Yes?”

I pointed at the man who had appeared to be the leader earlier and spoke.

“Is that man the leader of the Black Fang?”

“N-no… the leader is at the headquarters.”

“Where is the headquarters?”

“W-why are you asking me…”

I smiled broadly at the flustered Jena.

“Your brother is at the headquarters too, right? I’ll rescue him, so let’s go.”

“T-there are more people there than here.”

“That’s fine, just guide me.”

If any of the Black Fang members here saw what Jena just did and reported back to headquarters…

The chances of her brother surviving would decrease.

Therefore.

It seemed we needed to go and rescue him as quickly as possible.

“Teiran.”

“…Yes?!”

“Can you handle things here?”

“Should I kill them all?”

“Why? Planning to spare Bella?”

At that, Jawil Wilson grinned.

“No, sir. Let’s go.”

As I took a step forward, I nodded at Jena, signaling her to hurry.

“Let’s go.”

“Ah! Yes.”

As we left the Blood Mist Ravine and walked along the dark forest path:

“How old is your brother?”

“Eleven.”

“Is it a boy?”

“No. She’s my little sister.”

“I see.”

Despite having much to say, Jena remained silent as we headed toward the headquarters.

Then, she slightly paused her steps and turned her head.

“Are you really going to the headquarters to save my sister?”

“Yes.”

“Why… would you?”

Her voice was light, but there was a trembling quality to it.

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.

“To repay the kindness you showed me.”

“Kindness…?”

“You warned me not to come here at the tavern last night. Don’t you remember?”

“So you came here deliberately to save my sister…?! Just for that reason alone?”

“Didn’t you try to save me just because you honestly told me about your marriage?”

Jena bit her lip for a moment.

But soon, she sighed and shook her head lightly.

“You’re quite an unusual person.”

“Well, I hear that often.”

Just as I was about to take another step, Jena spoke again.

“…At the headquarters… there are far more people than what you just saw. And the leader of the Black Fang…”

Her voice trailed off, then she straightened her back and continued:

“…is stronger than the average knight commander of a domain.”

“Oh, is that so?”

At my response, Jena rubbed her forehead as if frustrated.

“Are you actually listening to me?”

“I’m answering because I can hear you.”

That’s when it happened.

—Rustle, rustle.

The sound of grass moving came from somewhere, and I sensed a presence.

I naturally drew my sword from its scabbard.

Jena also showed clear signs of tension.

She quietly held her breath and surveyed the surroundings.

And then.

Growl…!

Yellow light flashed in the darkness.

A pack of goblins baring their red teeth.

There were at least ten of them.

They were showing their teeth like wolves stalking prey, holding sharp daggers and clubs.

Additionally, there was a hobgoblin, which made Jena flinch and take a step back.

“I’ll take the right side. Kashian, please take the left.”

—Swish.

Ignoring Jena’s words, I walked slowly toward the goblins, my eyes unwavering.

“Kashian…?”

“Stay back and rest. I’ll finish these quickly.”

“W-what are you saying… Even if they’re just goblins, there’s a hobgoblin too… It’s safer if we fight together!”

—Whoosh.

As the wind brushed against my face, the goblins moved in unison.

That’s when it happened.

—Flash!

A streak of silver light flashed.

And,

—Slice.

“……?”

Jena blinked.

She had good reason to.

The goblins had no time to react as their necks were all severed by my single sword strike.

“……!!”

Jena was speechless.

The goblin corpses were cleanly cut in half without the slightest error.

—Drip.

As the green blood on my sword began to spread on the ground, Jena finally turned her gaze to me.

“W-who… what are you?”

I casually swung my sword once to shake off the blood and spoke.

“Why? Do you trust me a bit more now?”

“No… First Teiran, and now you too… You’re both way too strong for mercenaries!”

“Being strong is a good thing—it increases the chances of rescuing your sister. Don’t you agree?”

“B-but…”

I smiled gently at the flustered Jena.

“Well, shall we get going again?”