Chapter 164

“Ha, look at those bastards, scurrying around like rats whose tails are on fire.”

Dan chuckled.

“I-It worked this well…?”

Annette’s eyes widened.

Her values were completely opposite from those bandits, it seemed she couldn’t quite grasp their actions.

I smiled and explained.

“ It’s obvious. There’s nothing more valuable to those bastards than their loot. But if that very loot was crumbling before their eyes, they’d have no choice but to come out, wouldn’t they?”

“ A strategy utilizing human psychology to lure them out…As expected of Team Leader.”

Allen’s eyes sparkled with admiration as he gave a thumbs up.

“ As expected of Master! ”

Dolph chimed in, clicking his tongue in awe.

Good job being socially adept, you two.

Anyway, that wasn’t what was important now.

I shouted to Godwin, who’s outside the gate.

“ Get back in now! ”

“ Heh, okay.”

Godwin, looking satisfied, walked back in with his massive hammer.

Thud!

The gate closed again.

It might have been a small gate, but it was a sturdy one, made of solid wood reinforced with iron plates.

It couldn’t be breached without siege weapons.

And the bandits couldn’t possibly have siege weapons.

The only problem was…

The wall.

It was only about 4 meters high.

That’s how it is with small castles.

Even though they couldn’t break through the stone wall, if one person propped up from below, another could climb on top of his shoulders and jump over it.

The bandits would definitely target the wall and attack relentlessly.

Nonetheless…

‘ Neutralizing their cavalry advantage is a huge win in itself.’

Yes.

This was the battlefield I had chosen.

A location where their mobility was nullified, while we could engage in a favorable fight.

Forcing this battlefield onto the enemy meant we’d already won half the battle.

“ Godwin at the north, me and Dolph at the west, Camian and Annette at the east, and Allen and Dan at the south.”

I gave instructions.

We had already decided on these positions beforehand.

Godwin, the strongest, would cover one side of the wall by himself, while the rest of us would cover the remaining sections in pairs.

The most effective formation.

“ Not a single ant will get past me! ”

Godwin declared assertively.

I wasn’t worried about him.

“ I’ll give it my all, trusting in Master! ”

Dolph shouted, his voice strained.

He’s a bit unreliable, but I’m here, so we’ll manage.

“ Put all your effort into this.”

“ Good luck everyone! ”

Camian and Annette duo.

They’ve overcome countless hardships together, they’ll do just fine here as well.

“Le-Let’s do this! ”

“ Hmph, this place will be *their* graveyard, not mine.”

Allen and Dan duo.

Allen has grown significantly, and with sly Dan, they should be fine.

“ Alright, let’s win and enjoy a celebratory drink! ”

I shouted one last time.

It was the beginning of the battle.

* * *

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

The earth-shaking sound of horse hooves.

The elite cavalry, the pride of the bandit gang, galloped towards us like the wind.

They didn’t charge in a tight formation.

They were wary of the arrows.

They still had to get close, but they intended to minimize casualties.

Whizz!

Whizz!

As the distance closed, arrows flew towards them as expected.

But…

“ Hah! ”

“ Think you can get us again?!”

Neigh!

Thud, thud!

The bandits evaded the arrows using their agile horsemanship.

Earlier, they were caught completely off guard, but if they knew where the attacks would come from, they could easily counter.

“ Good, good…”

Ibrahim was about to yell, boosting their morale, when…

Whizz!

Whizz!

Two arrows flew again.

But these arrows were different.

They weren’t simply fast and accurate, their trajectory even predicted the bandits’ movements.

Thump! Thwack!

“ Khhuck! ”

“ Aaaaaack! ”

The arrows, as if mocking the bandits’ frantic efforts to evade, neatly pierced their vital points.

The bandits, impaled by arrows, fell from their steeds and rolled on the ground.

“ Ugh, everyone, be careful! ”

Ibrahim hurriedly warned them.

Whizz! Whizz!

“ Kkhuhuk! ”

“ Ugh! ”

But despite his warning, two more arrows arrived, instantly turning two more bandits into corpses.

Only now, did Ibrahim fully realize.

That his men couldn’t dodge those arrows.

Naturally.

Because all those arrows that skewered four bandits, were shot by Max.

Max, having received one-on-one instruction from the best archer, Hiresia, could proudly boast about his skill now, he’s the “real deal”.

He had reached a certain level of proficiency, especially with rapid fire, making even Ibrahim mistake the arrows for being shot by two people.

“D-Damn it! Get to the wall! Now! Quickly! “

Despite his shock, Ibrahim quickly made the right decision.

Trying to reach the wall where Max was positioned and stop the arrow attacks.

“ Ugh! ”

“ Argh, ”

Two more men fell victim to the arrows, but eventually, the bandits managed to reach the west wall, where Max was positioned.

They immediately dismounted and built a human ladder.

Because the height of the human ladder exceeded that of their horses’ shoulders.

“Haa! ”

And so, one bandit jumped, becoming the first to reach the top of the wall.

But awaiting that bandit…

Was a powerful strike, cutting through the air.

The strike of a master executioner.

Crack!

That single strike instantly severed the bandit’s neck.

His body, now lifeless, rolled pathetically down the wall.

“ Tsk! ”

Ibrahim’s face contorted, grinding his teeth.

Then he roared at the top of his lungs.

“ Faster! Get over the wall, faster! Everyone else too! Hurry up! Overwhelm them with nonstop attacks!”

This small castle wasn’t impregnable, even without siege weapons.

All they had to do was overpower us with superior numbers.

It’s over once they secure even a single section of the wall.

The bandits, following Ibrahim’s instructions, finally reached all sides of the wall.

“ Whoever gets over the wall first gets 1,000 gold! The second one gets 500! Got it, bastards?!”

“ Uwaaaaaaaa! ”

“ 1,000 gold is mine! ”

“ Shut up, it’s mine! ”

Their morale soared at the astronomical reward.

And so, a fierce battle for life and death began, as the attackers tried to secure the wall, while the defenders desperately tried to hold.

* * *

Shing!

”Ugh.”

Dolph groaned, his eyebrows furrowing in pain as he was slashed on the shoulder by a bandit’s sword.

Blood dripped from his cut.

And that wasn’t all.

Dolph’s body was stained red, covered with cuts and stab wounds.

“ Ma-Master…I-It seems…I-I’m done for…”

Being a true extra to the very end, he’s raising his own death flag.

Clang!

I blocked another sword strike that was about to fall on Dolph, letting out a chuckle.

“Get a grip. No one would remember you even if you died here, Dolph.”

“ Huh? Th-That’s…”

“ That’s how it is for unimportant people, that’s life. If you’re upset, grit your teeth and kill those bastards to survive.”

“ Uh…O-Okay, Master.”

My pep talk seemed to have worked. Dolph gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on the sword.

“ I’ll leave that guy to you. Get your revenge.”

“ Yes, Master! ”

Dolph, blood still dripping, charged at the bandit who had injured him.

“ You bastard! ”

The bandit sneered and clashed blades.

The nerve of him, looking down on another extra, when he’s an extra himself.

Teach him a lesson, Dolph.

“ Die! ”

Then, a murderous sword strike came towards me.

Clang!

I easily deflected the attack.

I had already assessed their level.

Some were stronger than others, but I could handle up to two at a time.

There was only one enemy in front of me.

“ Let’s all die together! ”

Another bandit appeared, two now.

It has always been like this for me so far.

Two on one.

It would have been dangerous if it were three against one, but even being Dolph, he could still manage to hold back one opponent, so I could avoid those situations.

One thing was important.

Take down one bandit before another climbs up.

“ You’re the ones who are going to die.”

I said, and moved immediately.

Following the pattern I had established for taking down bandits so far.

Swish, swish, swish!

First, the triple slash of the Empire’s Eight Forms.

“ Ha! ”

Naturally, the enemy focuses all his energy on blocking the attack.

Meanwhile, his comrade aims for an opening.

“ Hyaa! ”

Whizz!

A blade coming from my side, with a yell.

But…

The initial triple slash was a feint, with Illusion Sword techniques woven in.

This is the real deal.

Thump!

I stomped hard on the ground, rotating my body.

The enhanced strike of the executioner, leaving no blind spots.

Whoosh!

The powerful strike clashed with the bandit’s sword.

Clang!

“ Ugh! ”

Unable to withstand the force, the bandit’s sword was flung upwards.

His neck and below were left wide open.

Even a ten-year-old could finish this.

Phoo!

The thrust of the Empire’s Eight Forms pierced the bandit’s heart.

Instant death.

As soon as I pulled the blade from the warm corpse, I unleashed another enhanced strike of the executioner.

Blam!

The attack startled the remaining bandit, making him freeze. He couldn’t properly block my strike.

His severed head flew through the air, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

Thump!

I kicked the lifeless body down the wall.

The wall was swiftly and neatly cleared.

This was the power of my anti-bandit strategy, a method I’d perfected through countless battles.

A combination of all the swordsmanship I had mastered so far, from the Empire’s Eight Forms, to the executioner’s Strong Sword, and the con man’s Illusion Sword.

“ Ugh…N-No way…”

It seemed like Dolph was also nearing the end of his fierce fight.

“ I’m no slouch either, you bastard! ”

Phoo!

A deep gash opened on the bandit’s chest, spilling blood.

Dolph kicked his dying opponent with a powerful blow, his disbelief clearly etched on his face.

Thump!

The sound of the bandit crashing to the bottom of the wall.

“ Gasp…gasp…”

Only then, did Dolph gasp for air, catching his breath.

“ Good job, Dolph. ”

“ Tha…Thank you…Master…”

“ I’ve already exceeded my share, though…”

10 bandits per person.

I had already surpassed that number.

Six had been dealt with before even reaching the wall, and another ten on the wall itself.

Sixteen in total.

Of course, the reason why the battle was still fierce was Dolph.

Counting the one he’d just finished off, Dolph had only taken down three bandits.

“So-Sorry…”

“ No, no. I wasn’t reprimanding you. You did your best, Dolph, you’re covered in wounds. ”

I said with a grin and then continued,

“It seems like our combined effort, taking down nineteen of them, is finally paying off.”

Indeed, no new enemy appeared on the wall.

I could sense that their numerical superiority was running low.

It meant the others were also doing a good job, struggling hard to eliminate the bandits.

“ Hang in there, Dolph. Victory is close at hand.”

“ Yes, Master! ”

Dolph clenched his fist.

* * *

“ Ughhhhh…”

Ibrahim’s face was pale as a corpse.

Everything he had built over 10 years…

All of it was crumbling before his eyes.

His loyal subordinates.

His comfortable, secret hideout.

All the treasures stored inside.

Everything was turning to dust.

Ibrahim saw it with his own eyes.

The end?

Is this the end?

Is this really the end?

No…

“ I won’t forgive you.”

Ibrahim’s lips bled as he bit down hard enough to draw blood.

His eyes, wide with murderous intent, were bloodshot due to burst capillaries.

Kill.

I’ll kill you all.

I’ll kill those bastards who destroyed all that I’d built!

Ibrahim’s hand, trembling with rage, pulled a black scroll out of his pocket.

A mysterious scroll he had found in the basement of the castle.

When he took it to get appraised, the black market mage frowned and gave a clear warning.

‘ Hmm…After looking through the ancient texts, I’m certain of this. This is a Forbidden Black Golem Scroll. I warn you, never use this. It doesn’t even recognize its master, it’s a monster that only seeks to kill all living creatures.’

The warning chilled him to the bone, but Ibrahim had carried the scroll with him.

He thought that one day, he might need to use it. No matter how dangerous it was.

And his thoughts proved to be correct.

He was certain of it now.

Dangerous?

It doesn’t matter.

As long as I can destroy those bastards who took everything.

Rip!

Ibrahim, without any hesitation, ripped the black scroll.

* * *

“ Uhahahahahahahaha! ”

A maniacal cackle.

Before I could even process its meaning, I saw something approaching.

Something huge.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

The ground shook violently.

“Wh-What is that…?!”

Dolph, who was next to me, collapsed, his eyes wide with terror.

I also froze, my eyes wide open.

A giant black golem.

It’s my first time seeing one.

Something that shouldn’t be in this battle.

‘That thing…’

I quickly searched my memory.

Every memory related to the Bloody Tempest bandit gang.

But those were just fragmented memories, not even piecing together a clear picture.

They were just experience points, disposable enemies.

I effortlessly crushed them on the battlefield…Wait.

I realized something.

I had chosen a different approach to this battle, unlike my past experiences.

I was the one who decided on a siege.

It was the best choice for our current strength.

But in the past, we were always stronger.

So, we easily swept through them in their own territory.

……That difference…

That difference must have led to this change.

‘Did I give them too much time?’

I frowned.

Just then …

My comrades from the other sections of the wall were rushing towards us.

“ Wh-What is that thing…? ”

Annette’s eyes trembled.

“ I don’t know. It looks like we have to call it a Black Golem, but…”

I shook my head.

“…It seems like that bandit leader, summoned it.”

Camian said, his eyes narrowed.

“ It seems so.”

I agreed.

“ I-It looks strong…”

Allen stammered, his voice trembling.

No one disagreed.

Its sheer size exuded an overwhelming intimidating presence.

“ Tsk, how do we deal with it? ”

Dan asked.

He also gulped, looking tense.

“ Let’s observe for now. We don’t know anything about it.”

I made the call.

To recklessly attack an unknown enemy is a foolish thing.

Moreover, we had the walls and the gates.

Offering overwhelming defensive advantages.

“ I-It’s coming towards us! ”

Dolph yelled.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

The Black Golem, as he said, was moving straight towards us.

The wall was getting closer.

And below it, were the surviving bandits.

Those who had been despairing just moments ago, were now cheering.

“ As expected of Boss! He even had a secret weapon! ”

“ Hahaha! You’re all finished! Think you can stand against this monster? ”

The bandits welcomed the Black Golem.

And then…

“ What?! ”

The Black Golem picked up one bandit with its giant finger.

“ Wh-What are you doing, you rockhead! The enemy is over there! ”

The bandit cursed, frowning.

But…

The Black Golem squeezed the bandit’s body with its finger.

Splat!

Flesh burst open, bones shattered.

No, the human form simply exploded, like a balloon.

Truly monstrous strength.

“I-I-It, killed him…?!”

“Wh-What the…?!”

The bandits looked on, frozen in horror.

The Black Golem swept its arm toward the bandits, seemingly growing more aggressive.

Blam!

A bandit, their body twisted at unnatural angles, was flung far away, spitting out blood.

Instant death, no question about it.

It was only now that the bandits seemed to grasp the situation.

“ Uwaaaaaack! ”

“ Mo-Mo-Monster! R-Ru-Run! ”

“ He-Help! ”

The bandits, like a colony of ants, scattered and fled, their faces twisted in terror.

We watched the spectacle unfold.

“ Wh-Wha-Wha-What do we do…? ”

Annette’s voice trembled.

“…I don’t think I can handle that thing.”

No need to explain, Godwin. We could all see that.

“ Tsk, but there must be a weakness…”

Camian, not giving up hope to the very end.

“ We’ll get splattered before we can even find its weakness…”

Dan shook his head.

“ Master…. A-At this rate, it’s over…”

Stop setting up your death flag, Dolph, damn it.

“ Bu-But, we’re i-i-inside the castle…”

Allen, clinging to the protection offered by the walls and gates.

Just then…

Boom!

The Black Golem slammed into the gates ruthlessly.

A sturdy gate, made of solid wood reinforced with iron plates.

But a single strike from the golem was enough to punch a giant hole through the wood and crumple the iron plates.

“Ughhh!”

Allen, screaming in terror, fell back.

He probably didn’t expect it to be powerful enough to destroy the gate with a single blow.

“ Se-Se-Senior! ”

“Ma-Ma-Master! ”

They’re all calling for me.

Hoping that, like always, I’d come up with a miraculous solution.

……But I don’t have one.

“ Godwin and I will stall it. Everyone else, run! ”

Acting like a true leader, I volunteered for the most dangerous role.

I’m sorry for Godwin, but there’s no helping it.

It’s a role that our strongest comrade must take on.

“ Heh, fine by me. I’m not afraid of dying.”

Godwin, a true man.

I definitely have a good eye for people.

“ Bu-But, how can we abandon you two…”

“ Ugh, no! We can’t! ”

It seems my leadership qualities were put to good use, I gathered quite a following.

By the way, stop waving your death flags around like that.

Nothing has been confirmed yet.

“ Go! ”

I commanded with as much style as I could muster.

I’ve always wanted to do this once.

Pull off a scene like this.

“ Uhahahahahahahaha! ”

The bastard leader was laughing like a madman.

Laughing like he was truly ecstatic.

……I won’t let that bastard off the hook.

Just then …

“ What’s so funny?”

A voice came out of nowhere.

My eyes widened in disbelief, my body rigid.

Because the owner of that voice was…her.

My fiancee, Regina Ernbert.

“ Pr-Pr-President…?!”

“ Mi-Mi-Miss…?!”

Every single person here who knew her cried out in shock.

Godwin and Dan just blinked in confusion.

The terror of despair quickly receded, replaced by a new tide of hope filling our hearts.

Because they understood.

The weight that the name Regina Ernbert carried.

“ Tsk, and who might you be?”

Ibrahim snarled, swinging his sword impatiently.

A gesture aimed at swatting away an annoying fly.

He was the only one who didn’t know.

That he was the one who was about to be swatted.

Snap.

His sword was caught by fingers.

Ibrahim’s eyes widened in shock.

And then…

Crack!

Swoosh!

Blood spurted from both of Ibrahim’s legs.

“ Aaaaaaaaack! ”

Ibrahim screamed in agony, rolling on the ground.

Both of his legs had been neatly severed.

Drip, drip.

Blood dripped from Regina’s Hanbing Sword.

An unsheath so fast that it was imperceptible.

“ Wait there. You’re next.”

Regina dashed off.

Towards the Black Golem.

I couldn’t help but blurt out, even though it might ruin the mood.

“ Regina, hurry! The gate is about to collapse! ”

Boom!

At that moment, the gate was completely destroyed, and flew off its hinges.