Chapter 12

Episode 12

Their hideout wasn’t far from the slums.

After what felt like ten minutes, their pace slowed. They stopped briefly, and I heard voices, the voices of their comrades.

We were descending. It seemed their base was located underground.

“Whew! Another successful haul?”

“They practically inhaled the bread. There were crumbs everywhere.”

“Doesn’t sound like they inhaled it. If they were that hungry, they would have licked the ground clean.”

“Hahaha! You’re right!”

They laughed, their voices filled with amusement. I hadn’t considered that. Thanks for the tip. I’ll be more thorough next time.

“Boss, what about this one?”

“What do you mean? Do what we always do.”

“Hehehe… I thought you might want a taste first.”

These bastards…

“Do you want to lose your head? The Master issued an emergency order. Be careful. No funny business.”

“Yes, sir.”

They started moving again.

I focused on the sounds, the rhythm of their footsteps. It seemed Selendis was being taken to a different location.

It wasn’t easy, but I memorized every sound, every turn.

I wanted to rip open the sack and teach them a lesson, but I forced myself to remain calm.

I needed to subdue them discreetly.

As long as we were in the same facility, it wouldn’t be a problem. Selendis was more than capable of handling herself.

“Did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

They didn’t suspect I was awake. A new voice, one I hadn’t heard before, shared a juicy piece of information.

“The Master summoned the Seven.”

“The Seven? What’s going on?”

“He’s summoned them individually before, but never all at once. He must have given them some kind of order.”

It sounded ominous.

It was the perfect name for a villainous organization in a martial arts novel. I suspected ‘Master’ referred to Satyr, and the Seven were elite assassins.

They were on a different level than the twenty assassins Selendis and I had faced.

I felt a surge of both excitement and apprehension. This would be a true test of my ‘Automatic Combat’ skill.

“With the emergency order and everything, the atmosphere is tense. I’m worried.”

“Just do as you’re told. It’ll blow over, like always.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Toss him in the storage room and come join me for a drink. We’ve got two new slaves to celebrate!”

“Is it your treat, boss?”

“Of course.”

I wished I had a recording device. They were practically confessing to their crimes.

At least I had confirmation of human trafficking. I could justify dismantling this entire operation.

My only concern was Baron Roman denying any involvement. But our infiltration had been successful, and there were other captives. We could rescue them and use them as witnesses.

Of course, that was a last resort. I would prefer a more direct approach.

“Boss, did you hear? The eldest son is attending the Baron’s banquet next week.”

“Oh, the eldest son? It’s been a while.”

“Indeed.”

…Wait a minute.

The eldest son? Was he referring to Hylix?

I wanted to hear more, but the man carrying me started moving.

‘Could it be that Hylix is backing Baron Roman?’

Something didn’t feel right.

Hylix was the eldest son of Duke Kalisto, the apparent heir.

He was a skilled swordsman and a brilliant strategist, graduating from the Kalisto Academy with honors. He had also distinguished himself in monster subjugation.

His younger brother, Romero, was also quite capable, but as the second son, he faced an uphill battle.

Of course, this was a medieval fantasy game, so anything was possible.

A thought occurred to me.

‘Could there be another reason for the establishment of the Lucius Inspection Unit at this particular time?’

It was a common strategy in power struggles. Before conquering the world, one must first secure their own house.

Perhaps I had stumbled into something far more complex than I had anticipated.

But I had no choice. I had been chosen by the mastermind.

*Click. Thud.*

The door slammed shut, and I rolled onto the floor. A bright light blinded me.

“This bastard is still asleep. Hey, wake up! Wake up and see what we’ve done to you! Hahaha!”

As you wish.

I opened my eyes and activated ‘Automatic Combat’.

“Gah!”

*Crack!*

My arm shot out, wrapping itself around his neck with bone-crushing force. He struggled, but I showed no mercy.

He would last thirty seconds, maybe more. I took the opportunity to assess my surroundings.

Four men stared at me, their faces etched with shock. They were bound, their limbs tied together. It seemed they were destined for the slave market.

“I have a question. Were you brought here against your will?”

“…Yes! Please, help us!”

“Save us!”

“Quiet! If you make a sound, they’ll come running.”

They fell silent, their eyes wide with fear. I tossed the unconscious man against the wall.

“Ugh!”

He was tougher than he looked.

He recovered quickly, drawing his sword.

“You bastard… what’s going on?”

“I infiltrated your little operation. I pretended to be asleep.”

“You’re insane!”

“Resistance is futile.”

It was time for the grand reveal. I retrieved the Lucius Inspection Unit emblem.

“O’Brien Walker of the Lucius Inspection Unit. Surrender your weapons and I’ll go easy on you.”

“Screw you!”

As expected, the emblem held no power outside the capital.

*SWOOSH!*

He lunged at me with his sword. I dodged effortlessly, grabbing his wrist and throwing him over my shoulder.

*Thud!*

He landed with a groan, unconscious. I retrieved his sword and untied the captives.

“Thank you, kind sir! We’re eternally grateful!”

“Save the gratitude for later. Keep an eye on him and stay here. Don’t leave this room, no matter what. It’s not safe.”

“Yes, sir!”

They seemed eager to exact their revenge, binding the unconscious man tightly.

*Clank!*

The door swung open.

“What took you so long… What the hell is going on here?!”

It was one of the men who had invited him for a drink. I activated ‘Automatic Combat’.

*Thud!*

My sword pierced his throat before he could react. He collapsed without a sound.

I stepped into the corridor and unleashed my aura.

*BOOM!*

The wall of the opposite room crumbled, dust billowing into the air. The men inside screamed and scrambled for cover.

Selendis would have heard that.

“Intruder!”

“He’s over there! Hurry!”

“Grab your weapons!”

The sound of weapons being drawn echoed through the corridors.

They were armed with a variety of weapons.

Spears, crossbows, swords…

But it didn’t matter. Nothing could stop ‘Automatic Combat’.

*Slash!*

The first wave of attackers fell.

Despite the chaos, my focus was elsewhere.

The Seven.

Word of the intrusion would reach them soon, and they would come for me.

*Hum*

I sensed a powerful aura approaching from behind.

*SWOOSH!*

A crescent-shaped wave of energy sliced through the air, decimating the men blocking the corridor.

“Are you alright, Master?”

Selendis arrived, her sword dripping with blood.

“I was hoping for a warm-up, but it seems I’ve been interrupted. How about you?”

“There are more captives than I anticipated. We might need assistance.”

Her voice was calm, her breathing steady. It seemed she hadn’t broken a sweat.

“We’ll manage. How many were there?”

“About ten.”

I had eliminated a similar number. Judging by the constant stream of reinforcements, this organization was larger than I had anticipated.

“We can chat later. Focus on the enemy. The Seven might be among them.”

“Shouldn’t we identify ourselves as members of the Inspection Unit?”

“I tried that. They weren’t impressed.”

*Clang!*

I deflected a mace with ease. A flurry of attacks followed. Three spears, their tips gleaming, thrust towards me.

*Whoosh!*

‘Automatic Combat’ defied logic, creating new pathways, guiding my body through a storm of steel.

But I wasn’t just a passive observer.

I moved with a speed and precision that surpassed even Selendis, cutting through their ranks like a whirlwind. Over twenty men lay dead or dying.

“Whew.”

Selendis finally let out a breath, her chest heaving. Even dealing with mindless attackers could be tiring.

And then…

One of the bodies twitched. He scrambled to his feet, desperate to escape.

My hand moved instinctively.

Faster than the blink of an eye, I threw a dagger. It found its mark, burying itself in his thigh.

“Gah!”

He stumbled and fell. I grabbed his hair and pulled him up.

“Tell me where the exit is. Don’t make me ask twice.”

“…”

“You can still talk with a dagger in your leg.”

I pulled out the dagger and plunged it into his other thigh.

*Thud!*

“Agh! It’s over there! Please! Spare me!”

“Are you sure?”

“I swear!”

His eyes were bloodshot. He was telling the truth. I called Selendis over and pointed towards the hidden exit.

“Evacuate the captives. Once you’re outside, fire the signal flare. Jericho will meet you.”

“Yes, Master. What about you?”

“I have some unfinished business.”

A powerful wave of killing intent washed over me. A masked figure emerged from the shadows, a blue blade flashing in his hand.

*Clang!*

I blocked his attack, and he took a step back.

“I was wondering who was foolish enough to infiltrate our base… The Inspection Unit.”

It was just the beginning.

More masked figures emerged from the shadows, each wielding a unique weapon. I finally understood why they were called the Seven.

“You’ve saved me the trouble of hunting you down.”

“Lady Selendis, go. I’ll handle this.”

“But there are too many of them. And they’re…”

“That’s an order.”

She hesitated, then nodded and retreated. I turned to face the assassins, my sword held loosely at my side.

“You’ve violated both territorial and imperial law by engaging in human trafficking. And that’s just the beginning. In the name of the Lucius Inspection Unit, I’m placing you all under arrest.”

“Arrest us? Hahaha! You’re insane! You’re just a nameless nobody!”

“The Inspection Unit? What’s that? Is it edible?”

“Hahaha!”

“Don’t underestimate him. He’s skilled. He came here prepared.”

At least one of them had a brain.

I whistled.

“Don’t forget our mission. Eliminate him quickly, then we’ll take care of the other girl. Together!”

*Whoosh!*

The seven figures vanished.

In a split second…

Projectiles flew towards me from seven different directions, all aimed at my heart.