Read Novel Full Chapter 285
Chapter 285
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Chapter 285 – Things I Have to Accept
Finally, there was no one left to attack me. Under the watchful gaze of countless pairs of eyes from the shadows, I walked south alone down the deserted main street.
This empty time felt especially unbearable now.
Somewhere, I suppose, I had this feeling that things would work out somehow.
Of course, Carla and Zeo were tolerant of my black magic, as were Hans-san and Lodge.
They didn’t fuss over me. They looked at me for who I was, not the color of my magic. It was as if they were saying, “So what?”
The goddesses were the same.
Maybe, deep down, I’d started to think it wasn’t such a big deal after all.
I’d just witnessed the reaction people should have.
To humans, monsters are sustenance and the source of terror that preys upon them.
If there are no demons in this world, then it’s only natural to be judged as a monster.
So, I have to accept it.
(…Finally.)
“I’ve never seen your face before. You’re a mercenary, right?”
“Well, I suppose so. More importantly, I don’t see your brother anywhere.”
In front of the gate leading to the Special Zone in southern Guinier was a large plaza where a man came out to greet me.
He was a muscular man with short, spiky hair and was carrying a metal mass that could easily be called an oversized sword. Based on Horace-san’s prior information, this must be the younger brother.
Insight works, but neither Investigation nor Mind’s Eye registers a reaction.
I still can’t sense the older brother either. They are both definitely high-level Concealment users.
Scattered around us, thugs surrounded me and watched.
Numerous long-range units armed with bows and staffs can be seen peeking out from the stone walls above.
But something feels off.
This isn’t about fighting. This is…
“I have a proposal.”
“…?”
“You know about my brother, so you must have seen the guild request and made a special effort to come here, right? Well, I’ll give you 50 million right now—more than the reward. Now, get out of this town.”
“Huh…”
This unexpected proposal caught me off guard.
What a painfully complicated way to go about things.
It would have been easier if the two of them had just come out to greet me from the start.
Disposing of the younger brother could be done quickly. But the problem is the older brother’s whereabouts and intentions.
All I know is that he was a magic-type job who wielded a staff when he was a ranker.
I’d already played my cards, but if I took out the younger brother before he showed himself, the older brother might take unnecessary steps to escalate the situation.
“You’re being pretty cautious, huh?”
“Hmph. I can’t figure out what the hell it is. Besides, you came here for the money, too, right?”
“You should know better than anyone that no one would normally get involved for that level of reward. By the way, what happens if I refuse?”
“No matter the cost, my brother and I will kill you for sure.”
“…Says the former low-ranking member.”
“Hmph… That was five years ago! I’m much stronger now!”
“Haha!”
I paused and took a deep breath.
―Voice Amplification―
“I give those watching around us now a ten-second grace period. If you acknowledge aiding these brothers and have the will to atone for your sins, drop your weapons and head toward the town center!”
“Ku-kuahaha! What happens if we refuse?”
“Naturally, I’ll kill every single one of you, no matter the cost.”
“Hah! You alone against this many?”
“10, 9, 8…”
Seeing no need to hide it anymore, I pulled a longsword from my storage.
But the atmosphere felt different than before.
No one laughed. The younger brother in front didn’t charge.
Only an odd silence hung in the air as my countdown slowly progressed.
The others surrounding us probably knew what I had done to get there.
Yet, even with two rankers present—the top leaders who command the organization and carry immense expectations, trust, and fear because of their combat prowess—not a single one moved.
They live in their narrow world and simply don’t know.
There are always those above you, and the gap is like grasping at clouds—a difference beyond imagination.
And the younger brother? Because he knows such beings exist, he’s probably being shaken to his core right now.
When he saw me, his face softened for a moment.
He understood without a doubt that I wasn’t a familiar high-ranking mercenary.
Still, he considered various possibilities: a mercenary from another country or a rookie. He was set on settling it with money if it was a mercenary.
It’s the first card to play when a powerful opponent arrives despite an impossible bounty.
But when he realized the second card—the one a villain would immediately consider—had already been crushed.
Was there any chance these brothers could still win? Or not?
“2, 1, 0.”
“W-wait! I’ll get more money—”
“Execution.”
If I couldn’t find the elder brother, I’d drag him out by force.
First, eliminate the root cause: the brother and his accomplice. Then, proceed with the best course to annihilate this place.
“A-Ask…!”
The moment I teleported behind the younger brother and swung with all my might to cut off his head, I heard the words I’d been longing to hear. Perhaps he couldn’t hold back.
Is the long-range unit on top of the stone wall a decoy?
The one mingling among the thugs on the left.
As I was about to dash forward, a strong sense of unease washed over me. However, I forced myself to take a step.
Looking down, I saw a thick, dark, sludge-like substance with strong adhesive properties clinging to my feet.
Movement hindrance—probably dark magic.
I sensed the magical power at my feet just before teleporting, but I never expected the spell to follow me during the teleportation itself.
—Flight—
Still, if I force myself to fly, it shouldn’t be a problem.
The man I finally caught sight of was hidden behind the thugs’ forward-facing weapons, but looking down from above made his hiding place obvious.
The man I finally caught sight of was wearing a deliberately shabby, dirty brown robe to blend in. He was gripping a pointed metal staff.
Beside him stood a red-haired woman with the staff’s tip pressed against her neck.
Her legs were missing below the knees, and blood was spurting out.
“You piece of trash…”
I lunged forward with enough force to leap into the air. Yet, a sense of unease lingered.
The escapees with severed legs could easily become the most convenient hostages.
That’s why I rescued them beforehand, crushing any possible scheme.
Of course, there could have been a leak.
I had prepared myself for that eventuality, but—
Why was she being cut down now?
And then—
The sensation of severing a neck—this softness.
…Realizing this, I let out a sharp click of the tongue.
So this bastard made only the younger brother real.
The fake before me was a sacrifice to buy time. The real one—
Glancing around, I saw a man with no expression on the stone wall above. He gripped a metal staff. His lips moved slightly as he looked down at me.
In an instant, my vision was stained with sand.
Is that guy the real one?
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