Chapter 75: Responsibility (8)

Chapter 75: Responsibility (8)

TL/Editor: Raei

Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun

Illustrations: Posted in discord.

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In the dormitory, Locke emerged from his room, a puzzled look etched across his face.

"Fire?"

He couldn't believe it.

The idea that all the students were scattering because of a mere fire seemed absurd.

The existence of the fire itself appeared to him as an absurdity.

With a half-smirk, Locke leisurely began his stroll.

Yet, his path deviated from the rest.

He was advancing towards the fire.

As he approached the burning area, an odd spectacle met his gaze.

"What's this?"

There were smoldering ashes.

Yet they hardly generated more than wisps of smoke; it didn't feel like an actual fire.

Looking at this, Locke was certain.

Someone had intentionally created this situation.

But who? And why was everyone leaving?

Without even properly investigating?

Locke didn't have the answers, not yet.

"I'll find out when I get there."

That was his train of thought as he continued his stride.

Gradually, the answers began to reveal themselves.

"What's he doing?"

The lounging mercenaries were startled to see Locke.

Locke unsheathed his sword.

This was an outcome he had somewhat anticipated.

Without a moment's hesitation, Locke launched his attack.

"Cough!"

His sword, gleaming under the light, brought down the mercenaries one after the other.

Caught off-guard, their weapons set aside.

They didn't stand a chance against Locke unarmed.

And so, in a brief instant,

"Whew"

Locke cleaned the blood off his blade.

Most of the mercenaries now laid sprawled on the floor, victims of his sword.

"Two of them, huh"

There were those who abandoned their comrades and fled.

Two of them.

Clutching their wounds, they were making their way up the stairs.

"There are more, is that it"

Had they descended, it would have meant they were retreating.

Then, a groan emanated from a fallen mercenary.

"Ugh... save me..."

Locke walked over to him and crouched down.

He stared the mercenary in the eyes.

Seeing Locke, the man trembled in fear.

"P-Please, let me live..."

Locke held his gaze, then asked,

"Who gave the order?"

The mercenary hesitated, trembling.

If he exposed the mastermind, he was doomed.

He had loved ones he had to guard.

But that was a concern for the future.

The present demanded survival.

Finally, the mercenary spoke in a hushed tone.

"It... it's the Fred family."

Nodding, Locke seemed pleased and continued his interrogation.

"How many of you are here, and who's the toughest among you?" Locke pressed.

The mercenary shuddered as he answered, "There are 13 of us... The toughest... he can defeat six to seven mercenaries effortlessly..."

Locke rose from his crouched position as the mercenary finished speaking.

"H-huh...! Don't...don't hurt me!"

A fallen man whimpered, recoiling from Locke's sudden movement.

Locke didn't even acknowledge him.

'Four down... two hurt... and the strongest can take six to seven...'

Locke's thought process was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

I took a deep breath.

"Ready for a round?"

I raised my fist, slamming it onto the carriage roof with a mana-infused punch.

The roof gave way, revealing Carol's sword inside the carriage, aimed straight at my throat.

It appeared he predicted my drop from the roof.

I grinned, raising my left arm.

-Clang!

"What?"

As my arm collided with the blade, the clashing of metal filled the air.

Carol's sword couldn't penetrate my arm.

Feeling proud, I mustered strength in my right hand.

"Is it my turn now?"

Before Carol could respond, my punch connected.

-Bang!!!

"Ughhh!"

My punch hit Carol's stomach.

The impact sent him flying backward, crashing through the back wall of the carriage.

"Phew!"

A voice echoed in my mind.

[Ugh, 'Guardian Spirit' means I absorb the hit instead. Be careful.]

It was Priscilla, complaining about the collision.

"Sorry, endure it for a bit."

I spoke to Priscilla, then shifted my focus to Luna.

"Luna, are you alright?"

She appeared to be unconscious.

First, I needed to get her off this carriage.

Carrying Luna, I jumped off the moving carriage.

Upon landing, I noticed a figure moving towards me.

It was Carol.

Despite being directly hit by me, he seemed to have recovered.

Perhaps, physical enhancement.

Considering he was likely a swordsman, the odds were high.

Gritting his teeth, Carol approached me.

"You damn brat..."

I gently placed Luna on the ground behind me.

Then, holding my ground, I locked eyes with Carol.

"I didn't like you from the moment I saw you."

I rolled my shoulders a few times, trying to alleviate the tension, then moved forward.

"Let's get this over with."

Carol, his gaze filled with venom, ran towards me.

"I'll crush you!"

But before he could reach me, a known voice echoed.

"Sylph. Shoot!"

"Huh?"

I stopped in my steps at the sound of that voice.

A voice I recognized uttering familiar words.

-Bang!

Following that, the sound of whipping wind filled the air and a tiny flame hurtled towards Carol.

"Ah."

Carol managed a startled gasp as he saw the flame bearing down on him.

-Kwaaaaaaang!

The flame mushroomed into a conflagration, surpassing the magic Anton had cast earlier.

Explosion magic.

The ferocious flames engulfed Carol.

"Haah... Haah..."

Heavy panting echoed from behind me.

I spun around.

A well-known face greeted me.

"Rie?"

As her name slipped from my lips, Rie exhaled and offered a small grin.

"Huff... Huff... I... came first, didn't I?"

Though Rie was struggling for breath, she still found the energy to laugh.

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