[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 168: Ask Anything
"First, grow up a bit."
Thud!
I knocked the spoiled brat unconscious with a strike to the back of his neck.
'Now then.'
I needed to leave the scene in a bit of a ss.
"A gambling den like this has no place in this world."
I infused about 80% of my Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique energy into my dagger.
"Red Wolf Crescent Moon."
I deliberately announced the na of my technique as I unleashed a devastating slash.
Boom!
The walls, roof, and stairs crumbled upon impact, and the entire building began to collapse as if struck by an earthquake.
'Wow, that's brutal.'
I was impressed by the sheer destructive power.
"See, Krahel."
I spoke to Krahel's severed head.
"A tower built on the tears and blood of others will inevitably crumble one day."
I intended this as a provocation to the Bisakino Brotherhood.
'But I’ll need sothing more.'
What if those idiots don’t get the ssage?
I roughly carved a spider symbol into the floor with my dagger and then slashed the body diagonally.
"Perfect, very symbolic."
I tossed the dagger, which was on the verge of breaking from the excessive energy, aside.
"Goodbye."
The dagger embedded itself into a collapsing wall and disappeared.
'What a ss.'
I nodded as I watched the disaster that had befallen the Black Night Society.
"I won’t pity you."
You crossed the line. This is the price you pay.
Krahel, now dead, might have asked if I even had the right to do this.
'Well.'
If I were a man who had lost his family and had his life ruined by Krahel and the Black Night Society, I wouldn’t have cared whether the person avenging had the "right" to do so.
'If no one else will do it, I will.'
Anyway.
"This brat is such a pain in the ass."
I slung the unconscious brat over my shoulder and left the scene.
Tap tap tap!
I moved swiftly like a nimble cat, leaping between walls and rooftops to escape.
"Find him! He couldn’t have gone far!"
"Don’t attack! Just surround him first!"
The shouts of those trying to hunt down echoed beneath my feet.
"Tsk tsk."
If you have ti for that, why not clean up your collapsed building?
"Gareth, are you here?"
Gareth, who had been hiding well, peeked out.
"How did you know?"
"There are ways to know everything."
Gareth' aura was unusually pure for soone in this dark underworld, making it easy to sense.
"Did you see everything?"
"Yes. I saw it all."
Gareth looked like he had a lot to say.
"First of all, well, that was incredible."
"Good."
"It’s absurd. You single-handedly slaughtered Krahel and dozens of his n."
"I didn’t kill all of them."
"Right. You even showed rcy to your enemies."
"I’m naturally a bit benevolent."
Of course, that was a joke.
"This is a huge incident. Who would’ve thought the infamous Black Night Society’s right-hand man would end up like this..."
Gareth marveled but then asked with concern, "But won’t there be too many witnesses? You didn’t even cover your face."
"It’ll probably be fine."
The survivors were all overwheld by the oppressive mana I had released.
'When hit by that, people’s cognitive abilities drop as their spirits are crushed.'
Even if they try, their testimonies about will likely be inconsistent.
Which is perfect.
"By the way," Gareth pointed to the bundle on my shoulder.
"Who’s that?"
"Not sure."
"Huh?"
"He seems like he might have useful information, so I kidnapped him. So young master or sothing. Cardo... Cardovan?"
"Ah. The third son of the Cardovan, I presu. His na is probably Marlok."
"Oh, you know him?"
"Who doesn’t?"
Gareth nodded.
"So, he’s quite famous... um... for being..."
"A piece of trash?"
"Sothing like that."
"Confird. I kidnapped the right guy."
"Yes. Well done."
Gareth gave up thinking and asked, "But he’s a noble. What are you going to do with him?"
"Interrogate him first."
"Okay."
"If he’s useless, I’ll beat so sense into him and send him back. If this brat’s behavior improves even a little, his parents might even thank . Isn’t that a good thing?"
Gareth laughed incredulously, and I joined in.
"Hahaha."
"Hehehe."
As if sensing the ominous future, Marlok Cardovan, the third son, woke up.
"W-where am I?"
Look at that, his tone beca polite after one hit.
"Oh my, you must be very shocked."
I patted the young master’s head with a concerned voice.
"But it’s strange that you’re already awake. Did I hit you too lightly?"
"W-wait—"
Thud!
I knocked him out again and slung him over my shoulder.
"Let’s take a few detours before heading back. You can go ho first if you want."
"Understood."
"Alright."
"Uh, Karzhan."
I turned around at Gareth' call.
"What is it?"
"I think I need to say this."
"What?"
Gareth grinned.
"I think I understand a little why Zizek trusts and follows you so much."
---
I wandered the night streets of Grunewald City, diligently training my Scarlet Cloud Ghost Path and Whispering Snow in the Night, then knocked Marlok out again when he woke up from motion sickness and returned to the base.
"Why did you bring him here?"
Zizek was horrified that I had kidnapped a noble.
"Don’t worry. I’m not planning to kill him."
"Isn’t the act of kidnapping itself a problem?"
A surprisingly sensible question.
"It’s fine. I’ve thought it through."
"Ugh, well. You single-handedly crushed Krahel and his gang, so kidnapping one spoiled brat is nothing in comparison."
Zizek shook his head.
"Boss."
Rob entered the office and reported.
"Marlok has woken up."
"Ah, really? Good job."
Now it’s ti for so fun interrogation.
"Let’s go."
"Should I co too?"
"Yeah. I’ll give you a mask, so wear it."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Just stand there and look intimidating. Don’t say a word. Got it?"
"Ah, understood."
It’s always better to have soone setting the mood. Plus, realizing there’s more than one perpetrator makes it even scarier.
"But what are you trying to find out?"
“That bastard sold the na of Young master Sorset.”
“Ah, did he?”
“So, I’m planning to find out what that guy’s relationship is with Young master Sorset and what his connection is with the Visakino Brotherhood.”
Zizek nodded.
“I see. If you find out, it’ll be helpful for Young master Allenvert too.”
“Uh….”
That’s true.
“Why?”
“Nothing. You’re really loyal to His Highness, aren’t you?”
“Of course. I can’t express how honored I am to serve him.”
“You’ve never even seen his face, yet you act like a devoted servant. What a bootlicker.”
“Why are you insulting like that?”
“Just because.”
It’s kind of creepy.
* * *
The Black Night Society’s leader was half in shock and half consud with rage as he stared at the ruined gambling den.
“What kind of bastard…”
The leader muttered.
“Dared to look down on the Black Night Society and pull off sothing like this?”
The senses of a once-feared swordsman, who had once road the underworld freely, were now sharply awakened.
“……To think you’d die so miserably.”
The leader looked at Krahel, lying in a coffin hastily prepared by his subordinates.
“What happened? You weren’t the type to fall so easily.”
Krahel had been the first ally the leader had recruited when he broke away from the Visakino Brotherhood.
Though wild in temperant, he was a steadfast man. Even his cruelty, pettiness, and rcilessness in trampling the weak had matched the leader’s own nature.
“To dare touch the Black Night Society is to challenge the Visakino Brotherhood.”
The leader twisted his lips as he looked at the mark left by Karzan—a spider emblem with a slash through it.
“This can’t be the work of a lone wolf. Who sent them?”
Perhaps it was an assassin sent by one of the five major organizations on par with the Black Night Society. If not that, then…
‘Who knows? How many ships would it take to carry all those who hold a grudge against ?’
The leader chuckled dryly. His life had been one of surviving through bloodshed, drinking the tears of others.
“If this is our end, it’s co a bit too soon.”
He closed his eyes briefly, praying for his comrade’s soul.
“I’ll make them pay dearly for this blood.”
“Just give the order, Leader.”
Even after turning an imasurably strong enemy against them, they showed no signs of shrinking back.
“If we can’t win by strength, we’ll ambush them in their sleep, poison their food and drink, and drag out their families if we have to. We’ll kill them no matter what.”
How many stronger, wiser n had they outmaneuvered and killed before?
“And if even that fails, we’ll pour out the money from our vaults and hire the Svaltalfar clan.”
The Svaltalfar, known as the greatest assassins in the Kingdom of Litvaleur.
To even consider hiring them, who maintained close ties with noble clans despite their underworld connections, was akin to the entire Black Night Society issuing a death sentence on that person.
……But that was impossible. They didn’t take just anyone’s requests.
“What about his appearance? Did anyone confirm it?”
The subordinate addressed by the leader broke into a cold sweat as he answered.
“Well, it’s… unclear.”
“Unclear? Why? Was he wearing a mask?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then?”
The subordinate, sensing the leader’s irritation, nervously replied.
“Everyone’s mories are hazy. Aside from him being a rough-looking, large man, there’s almost no consistent testimony. So say he was bald, others say he had one eye, and so rember him with long hair.”
“……Did these idiots all get drugged or sothing?”
“That wasn’t the case.”
“Huh.”
They didn’t know. When faced with the overwhelming pressure of a powerhouse at the 5th tier—practically close to the 6th—mory and perception could beco distorted.
“If nothing else, ask the onlookers, the gamblers who were here. We need to confirm his appearance and put out a bounty. Bring any eyewitness accounts, and I’ll reward you.”
“Understood!”
“Clean up the scene and report back.”
The leader gritted his teeth.
“No matter what it takes, I’ll have that bastard’s head hanging right here.”
……And sowhere far away, a bat was watching this scene. It was a ‘blood bat,’ created through the power of the vampire Skella Recrusa.
-This is strange.
She, who had been tasked by Verdzig to track Allenvert’s movents, couldn’t simply overlook this sudden and bizarre incident.
-Who would do sothing like this, and for what purpose? Is it internal strife, or is there another reason I’m not aware of?
……Verdzig’s judgnt in entrusting this matter to Skella wasn’t wrong.
* * *
The Cardovan clan.
Among the many noble clans of Grunewald City, they were a rchant-origined house known for their considerable wealth.
Having amassed a fortune, they had purchased a title at so point in their ancestry, changing their social status. Once dismissed as upstarts, they were now a clan whose history of humiliation had been forgotten.
Marlok was the soft, spoiled young master born into such a clan. Despairing over not being the eldest son, he had neither strived to beco a knight, bureaucrat, nor even a rchant, instead using his failures as an excuse to escape into a life of indulgence.
“Ugh….”
That was Marlok, the third son of the Cardovan clan.
“Water… water….”
“Water, you say?”
“?!”
Marlok, groaning in pain and desperately craving a sip of water, finally realized that two n were now looking down at him.
One was the man who had taken down Krahel as easily as breaking a child’s wrist, and the other was a masked figure whose role—whether subordinate or leader—was unclear.
‘Damn it, so it wasn’t a dream after all.’
Only now did Marlok fully grasp his predicant, locked in so unknown cell.
‘What kind of gaze is that….’
He instinctively lowered his eyes under the terrifying, bloodthirsty stare of the man looking down at him.
“Thirsty?”
Karzan asked.
“N-no, not really.”
Marlok hurriedly shook his head. With a man like this, he felt like he might cut off his finger and make him drink blood instead of water.
“Really? That’s good. If you get thirsty, make sure to tell later.”
“N-no, I’m fine.”
“I said tell .”
“Y-yes, I understand.”
“Good.”
Karzan gently patted Marlok’s head. But to Marlok, it felt like the jaws of a beast ready to bite his neck at any mont.
“Listen carefully, Marlok.”
“……!”
He was shocked that this killer knew his real na. Who told him? The man in black? If so, who is he? Why did they bring here?
As Marlok’s eyes darted around nervously, Karzan spoke.
“I’m going to ask you a few questions now. It’d be best if you cooperate.”
“…….”
He knew he should refuse.
But Marlok’s mouth was honest.
“Ask anything. I’ll answer sincerely.”
“Good, I’m glad we can finally have a constructive and amicable conversation.”
Karzan smiled contentedly.
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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