Episode 10.9

Eda was bemoaning about wanting to stay at Kogurus town for several days.

She's in an unfamiliar town after having just been paid a handsome sum. Understandably, her instincts as a girl is urging her to look and shop around.

However, Lecan wanted to quickly end the bothersome thing.

Even if the enemy most likely won't rough up their own town, assassins are just the kind who would do the unexpected. Fighting back would be hard if they got attacked in the middle of a town like here.

"Okay then, let's go our separate ways. I'll leave this town by myself."

"Let's do that. That's a good idea. You're with me right, Nike-san."

"That won't do at all."

"Eeeh?"

"Eda-chan, you want to go shopping around in this town right?"

"That and food ssuyo. I wanna eat tasty stuff ssu."

"The food at Golbul inn was really good, wasn't it."

"It was the best ssu!"

"Why don't we do the shopping and eating at Golbul then."

"That's nice ssu. But staying at that inn and paying for real seem like it'd be super expensive ssu."

"I'll cough up my own if you don't have enough."

"You sure? But unn. I didn't catch a sight of nice dresses when we passed through Golbul then."

"That's because that town is not a place where girls would want to dress up. But then, you can't expect much from this town either. It's located in a backwater after all."

"Eh? Is that true?"

"I believe Vouka actually has much more fashionable clothings even. And Eda-chan, have you ever taken a peek inside high-class clothing stores in Vouka?"

"I haven't ssu."

"Then you should use your money at Vouka."

"I gotcha ssu."

Thus, Lecan's party departed Kogurus even though it was already near evening hour. They got hit with an egregious amount of tax at the town's gate for leaving.

Lecan's party moved at a quick pace and arrived at the mountain.

When they reached a comparatively open space, Lecan halted.

"Alright. I'll set up a camp here. You two go on ahead."

"Eeeh? Why would ya do that. We're gonna camp here too then."

"You can't, Eda-chan."

"What is it that I can't?"

"We have to go on ahead."

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka.com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

"But why?"

"I'll keep you company with your magic practices."

"Let's go ssu."

"Alright then, first, let's start from <Lamplight (Parm)>. Light one, 20 steps ahead of you and another two steps ahead, move them matching with our walking speed. Have a go now."

"I gotcha ssu."

Eda walked off happily while practicing Lamplight.

Nike left a word before departing herself.

"Do yer' best."

"Yea."

Lecan swiftly gathered firewood and ignited it with magic.

Just as he sat down on a fallen tree and hovered his hands over the campfire, two red dots displayed on <Life Detection> began moving closer toward Lecan.

The silver ring on Lecan's left middle finger gleamed dully. He's been having it on often lately.

Lecan's ears couldn't pick up any suspicious sound at all. It's very unusual for him to be unable to detect things at this distance. These two must be extremely extraordinary assassins. Or perhaps they posses some kind of skills that allow them to erase their presences.

When they got 30 steps away, Lecan could finally hear their footsteps and rustling leaves if he just concentrated. But even that would have been inaudible had it been windier.

His opponents took their time to get close to him. They're very good at picking the timing to close in.

And just when they were 20 steps away, they stood still there. The other red dot took a roundabout way heading toward the opposite side.

"Marakis was your father huh?"

Lecan's question got sucked into the depth of darkness. Just when Lecan started thinking that they would not reply back, Dovor's face suddenly surfaced up on the darkness.

"I have never thought of that man as my father."

"Yet here you are for revenge."

"I suppose you can call this a revenge. However this is not for Marakis's sake. Zaikaz Company had spent many years, great labor and money to build our foundation at Vouka town. You broke that foundation down into pieces. I must settle the scores with you to make things right."

"I have no grudge nor debt toward Zaikaz Company. Neither did I do anything to break foundation or something."

"Vouka Branch Manager died because of you."

"Isn't that guy in custody, under an investigation right now?"

"And we have also lost eight people, valuable forces due to your actions."

"Eight people?"

"Even if I was only a temporary branch manager for a short time, I cannot just let you off without proper recourse."

"Did Zack order you?"

"No. This is my own volition."

"<Flame Spear (Bandroux)>!"

After confirming that the other opponent was rushing straight to Lecan from right behind him, Lecan unleashed <Flame Spear> from his loosely hanging right palm toward his back.

Then he abruptly turned his right hand to draw his sword and attacked Dovor in front of him.

However, Dovor turned around and disappeared into the grove of trees. Lecan was about to give chase and jump into the grove when something came flying toward his head.

He reflexively dodged but the object changed its trajectory, homing to him. Lecan twisted his head with his beastly reflexes, but that weapon managed to graze his forehead.

Lecan who had greatly leaped back was getting attacked from behind this time.

The assailant behind Lecan had managed to dodge his <Flame Spear> and survived.

Lecan twisted his body to dodge the dagger that was flying from behind him. The move wouldn't have been possible if not for <3D Perception> informing him of his opponent's movements.

A weapon flew at him from the front.

At this point, Lecan had roughly found out the identity of this weapon thanks to <3D Perception>.

Dovor is controlling something that looks like a thin thread. There's a sharp weight-like object attached to the tip of this thread.

The changing trajectory earlier was done by him bending the thread on the tree grove. In other words, they had already anticipated which one Lecan would try to deal first.

Lecan daringly closed in the distance to the enemy ahead of him. A knife came flying from behind, but he kept advancing on without dodging.

Lecan's action apparently slightly took Dovor by surprise, he got slightly delayed at throwing his weapon. That slight delay was fatal from the point of view of someone as skilled as Lecan. The knife hit Lecan's back dead-on, but his overcoat made from <Overking Bear> fur did not allow it to pass.

Lecan dodged the weapon coming from ahead and slashed at the thread.

But he couldn't cut it off. It was a terribly durable thread.

However, Dovor lost control of his weapon for an instant. Lecan closed the distance between him and Dovor in that instant and swung his drawn sword down.

Suddenly his whole body felt numb.

(Impossible!)

The silver ring Lecan wears on his left hand is enchanted with <Abnormal Status Resistance>, <Posion Resistance>, and <Curse Resistance>. How could he feel numb with this ring on.

Was the poison smeared on Dovor's weapon more powerful than the resistance granted by his ring. Or perhaps there was something more than poison to it.

Of course Dovor wouldn't let his chance go. He drew his dagger and thrust it toward Lecan's face. Aiming at his face instead of his overcoat was a sound judgment.

Moving his numbed face away was the biggest defense Lecan could muster up at that point. His cheekbone caught the dagger, averting the blade away.

His attempt was partly successful.

The dagger Dovor thrust didn't manage to stab Lecan right in the face.

In exchange, a large portion of meat on Lecan's cheek has been gouged out, his cheekbone shaved down.

This dagger must have been coated with poison as well. If his silver ring had truly been annulled, then Lecan would soon lose his ability to move at all.

Dovor jumped into Lecan's bosom. As if they were lovers embracing each other.

"<Flame Spear>!"

Lecan shot <Flame Spear> out of his left palm. The magic flame opened a huge hole on Dovor's chest before disappearing into the forest.

The enemy behind him swiftly approached. With a thin sword-like object in hand.

"UOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Lecan swung his sword greatly as he turned around. Lecan has a big stature and long arms. As such, the reach of his sword is abnormally huge compared to ordinary humans. The rushing opponent crouched down in an attempt to dodge the sword, but Lecan changed the trajectory of his sword by knocking his own body down.

The opponent behind him got split in two on the chest, dying instantly.

It was Gido.

The old man who served as the wagon's coachman on their way here.

Lecan had surmised that the old man would be skilled in the art of assassination, but never would have thought to this degree.

His body is burning hot.

He tried to to fetch potions, but his body wouldn't listen to him.

He cannot afford to faint now.

Someone is coming closer.

Who.

It's Nike and Eda.

Lecan lost consciousness.