Chapter 119: Radar ON, Whats That?!
It sounded like he was saying I was stronger than Cecil.
"Cecil is much stronger than me."
"Don't be ridiculous. A beast woman who can't even read the flow of mana is like a newborn babe to me."
The flow of mana?
Coming from a seasoned master like him, those words must carry weight.
But honestly... This is practically my first real fight since coming to this world.
Don't try to raise the tension with some unknown power I've never heard of.
If I start expecting some hidden power within me, I won't be able to focus. Like that's ever going to happen.
I caught my breath and gauged the distance. Since the enemy had Cecil hostage, I had to consider using her as a shield.
Woosh!
"Cecil!"
Damn it, I shouldn't have taken my eyes off him!
As Viscal threw Cecil with all his might, my attention wavered.
But...
"Ugh!"
Viscal stumbled!
Cecil landed gracefully on all fours beside me.
"Cecil! Are you okay?"
"I got him good!"
Serves him right for letting his guard down. See? I told you Cecil is stronger than me.
Viscal, wiping blood from his mouth, said with annoyance,
"I'll give you credit for kicking me with a broken leg."
Broken leg?I looked down at Cecil's leg in horror. It was bent at an unnatural angle. Her ankle, which had been in Viscal's grasp, was severely twisted and discolored a sickly shade of green.
Cecil, drenched in sweat, smiled.
"Don't underestimate me. I'm Oppa's bodyguard!"
"Cecil!"
I immediately pulled out a High Potion and tossed it to her.
"Drink this. It'll ease the pain!"
Cecil gulped down the High Potion without hesitation.
And then... Her broken leg rapidly returned to its original state.
Holy crap! This was even more magical than magic itself!
Peridot, thank you!
"Hmm."
Viscal, witnessing the scene, frowned with displeasure.
"A potion, huh? Weaklings relying on convenient tools..."
Cecil grinned.
"Someone who gets hit by a baby isn't exactly strong either!"
"What... did you say?"
Don't provoke him! Besides, I'd already spent 30 gold coins on healing.
There was no way I was turning back now.
I helped Cecil to her feet and whispered our strategy.
"I'll create an opening with my knife. You aim for a powerful attack when he's vulnerable."
"Got it, Oppa!"
Could we really pull this off?
Viscal hadn't even drawn his sword yet.
As long as this wasn't a fight to the death, we still had a chance.
"Let's make a run for it if he draws that greatsword on his back."
"Okay...!"
"Planning your strategy right in front of me? You think it matters?"
"You can't do anything about it even if you know!"
If the opponent is stronger, it's only natural to attack together. But if they're too much for us, running is the best option.
Cecil lowered her stance, ready to pounce at any moment, her knuckles gleaming.
"Hmph."
Viscal made the first move.
"You two, block that blond guy with the dagger!"
"W-Wait! You're ganging up on him? That's not fair!"
"I'm not like that arrogant beast. I'll crush this little girl first, then break your arms!"
"The Captain has spoken! Don't move!"
Damn it! He's strong enough already, and now he's calling for backup? This is cheating! The two beast guards surrounded me.
"Oppa!"
"Focus on Viscal! We have plenty of potions!"
"Right!"
"Aren't you ashamed, beast woman, relying on money for another chance?"
"Not at all! It's the money Oppa worked hard to earn! So… I won't waste it this time!"
I needed to focus too. One was armed with a spear, but the bear beastman wasn't.
I decided to break through this way.
"Heh heh. Trying to fight me barehanded?"
I brandished Dawn Moon like a fang.
"Gah!?"
The bear guard instinctively raised his arms to protect his face, giving me the perfect opportunity to slash at his thick, fur-covered arm.
Shhk!
That felt... That felt good!
No, I shouldn't be enjoying this. These guys, looking all beastly like this... it was kind of fun!
It awakened my primal instincts!
"Whoa! Captain! This guy, he cut through my hide with his bare hands!"
"You idiot! It's not his hands. He hid a knife!"
"See?"
Camouflage grip. I hid Dawn Moon behind my hand after drawing it. This element of concealment is another advantage of a dagger. I switched to a reverse grip and unleashed a flurry of blows on the bear guard.
"Ugh! Oof!"
His reactions were priceless!
He was a big guy, yet he was going down with just a few punches!
Every time he tried to grab me, I slashed at him with the hidden dagger, leaving shallow cuts.
Whether human or beastman, they all fear the blade.
His companion, unable to watch any longer, shouted,
"Hey, what are you doing? Getting your ass handed to you by a guy like that!"
"S-Something's wrong… I can't move properly! Ugh!"
Got him right where I wanted him.
What an apt expression. After showcasing the sharpness of my dagger, I'd instilled enough fear to paralyze him!
"Hmph! Hmph!"
I tightened my core and unleashed a practiced combination, finishing off the bear guard! Using him as a human shield, I approached the spear-wielding dog guard.
"Drop the spear. If you don't want to die."
"If I drop it, you'll just beat me to death!"
"You want to see your buddy get a hole punched through him? Huh?!"
Time for some extreme gangster acting!
No, I am the gangster!
I stuck out my tongue, threatening the terrified bear guard.
"C-Captain."
"Hehehe. Bear fur is so soft~? Maybe I'll make a coat out of this!"
At this point, it was hard to tell who the bad guys were.
"You bastard!"
The dog guard made his move!
As he thrust his spear forward, I kicked the bear guard at him, freeing him from my grasp!
"Whoa!"
I instantly circled behind him with Dawn Moon, aiming for his collarbone, then drove the dagger deep into his shoulder!
Damn it...! I didn't want to do this!
"Gah… Ugh…"
The dog guard's wounds were severe.
I stabbed him at least four times. If I left him like this, he'd bleed out.
I finally had a moment to spare for Cecil and Viscal's fight.
"Baby Kick!"
"Ugh!"
"Baby Punch!"
"Gah!"
Viscal was being pushed back?
How did this happen?
As I watched closely, I realized Cecil was fighting strategically. When she was at a disadvantage, she dropped to all fours, dodging and weaving. Then she seized the moment to land a few quick blows, slowly chipping away at Viscal's stamina.
"I see... I thought she couldn't read the flow of mana, but her instincts are incredible. She was already sensing it with her body!"
"Baby Dropkick!"
"Enough playing around!"
"Oof!"
Cecil had been captured!
"Interesting. A master who doesn't even realize he's reading the flow of mana, and a girl with exceptional instincts... You two have the potential to become quite strong."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"You may pass. However...!"
"However?"
"It would hurt my pride to let you go unscathed. I'll break a few limbs!"
"Don't waste the potions! I mean, please don't hurt Cecil!"
"Hmph!"
"Crack!"
This crazy wolf bastard, ignoring my joke, was actually going to break her bones?
"Viscal. Stop the violence!"
I stomped on the bleeding dog guard.
"Gah! Captain..."
"Ugh!?"
"Shit. This is my first time slicing open a guy's artery, so I'm not sure if I applied the right amount of pressure. Judging by the blood flow, he's got about ten minutes before he bleeds out."
"..."
"But if we give him first aid right now, he might live."
"Who cares about that trash..."
"What kind of king abandons his comrades who bleed for him?"
"..."
"Do whatever the hell you want. I'll do the same. I'll kill this dog bastard, then the bear bastard! And then..."
"You think you'll get a turn?!"
"I'll run like hell before you get the chance!"
"..."
"..."
That should be enough! Just give in a little, damn it...!
"...Fine."
"Oppa...!"
"Cecil!"
Cecil was released!
"I'll inflict a fatal wound on this one before I let her go!"
"Viscal!"
Viscal's menacing greatsword cleaved through the air, aiming for Cecil's torso!
A chill ran down my spine. Every hair on my body stood on end.
My mind went blank. But...!
"Clang!"
Cecil blocked the attack with her shield.
She was sent flying back like a baseball, but at least she was still in one piece. And not only that...
"Ugh! This girl..."
A short spear protruded from Viscal's thigh!
In that split second, Cecil unleashed her true potential, displaying agility that surpassed even Viscal. But was it too much for her?
Cecil collapsed, unconscious.
"That's enough!"
I grabbed the dog guard's head and lifted him up.
"One more wrong move and I'll really slit his throat."
"Hmph."
Viscal finally sheathed his greatsword.
I immediately kicked the dog guard toward him. While he was distracted, I made a beeline for Cecil.
"Cecil!"
"..."
She was just unconscious from the shock.
Thank goodness.
"Go."
"You think you can just beat us up and tell us to go?"
"I merely acknowledged that you're somewhat capable. You're still weak."
Viscal pulled out the short spear from his thigh and tossed it aside.
The wound on the Beast King's body vanished before my eyes.
Is he regenerating?
"But consider this your reward for proving yourselves worthy of passage."
"…"
We'll worry about that later.
Right now, I need to get Cecil out of here.
It'll be embarrassing to return after just a day, but this is no time for pride. Then it happened.
"Huh…?"
"Hmm?"
Viscal and I turned simultaneously toward the checkpoint.
Is the ground shaking…? Instinctively, I shielded Cecil with my body.
The next moment, the checkpoint exploded, engulfing us in a cloud of dust and debris.
"Cough! Cough!"
"Damn it, what was that?!"
Viscal's voice was filled with surprise.
No one saw it coming.Sharp shards of rock flew through the air, piercing my back.
But it was better than Cecil getting hit. I held her tighter.
And then…! A beautiful woman emerged from the dust cloud.
It was just a fleeting glimpse, but her beauty was unforgettable.
Black hair pulled back into a sleek bun, piercing black eyes—an Eastern beauty. She moved with ethereal grace, as if walking on clouds.
She wore a white cheongsam embroidered with red flowers.
In her hand, she held a straight, double-edged sword. She was the first of many to emerge from the checkpoint's wreckage.
Police…?
Instead of batons, they wielded swords, but their black uniforms reminded me of law enforcement.
They all pursued the woman.
Behind her came a woman wrapped completely in bandages, like a mummy, and a swarm of women in blue silk robes wielding tridents, dark as a cloud.
"What the hell is going on…!"
The woman in the cheongsam headed straight for the Beast District. Screams and explosions erupted in her wake.
"Ugh… Mmm…♥ Oppa?"
"Cecil, are you alright?"
"Yes… What happened…?"
"Something's happening in the city. Let's go!"
This was no time to be stingy. I shared a High Potion with Cecil.
"Can you walk?"
"A little dizzy, but I'll manage!"
"Let's go!"
"Wait, what about the Devil's District…?"
"This is more important. Something's happened back home!"
Was that woman the cause?
The people pouring out of the Devil's District were chasing after her.
I had a hunch. We needed to find that woman before anyone else.
"Cecil, do you remember her scent? The woman in the cheongsam?"
"Cheong… sam?"
"The dress with the slits on the side!"
I followed the trail of destruction, running blindly with Cecil.
"I'm not sure! There are too many scents mixed together!"
"You'll recognize it when you see her again. White cheongsam, hair in a bun!"
"There!"
She was on the main street! She was facing off against the mummy woman!
The cheongsam woman's sword trembled, engulfed in an eerie light.
"Back off! You stray dogs who have abandoned the path of humanity!"
"I should have known words wouldn't work on you~?"
"If they don't work, I'll just have to keep trying until they do!"
A 'Collapser'!
The sheer pressure from her sword swing crushed the air around them. The mummy woman, caught in the blast, was torn to shreds and scattered across the ground. But for some reason, she regenerated without spilling a single drop of blood.
'Holy shit.'
Is the Devil's District filled with nothing but monsters like her?
"I admire your fighting spirit, but how about we stop here~?
I'll make sure you feel every inch of your body with my touch…!"
"Come any closer and I'll cut you down."
"Like that would work?"
"I'd rather exhaust every ounce of my energy turning you to dust than become a slave to livestock like you!"
There was a pause. The mummy woman hesitated at the mention of being turned to dust.
…It seemed she was fine with being cut, but not so much with being pulverized.
Cecil and I, like the other spectators, kept our distance, observing the situation.
'That must be the Collapser Ariella is after. But….'
Could we even intervene? If that pressure hit me, I'd probably be crushed like an ant under a giant's foot.
There was nothing we could do with our current strength. However…
"Cecil. Did you catch her scent?"
"Almost…."
The cheongsam woman's sword flared with light.
"Incoming! Everyone, take cover!"
Boom!
The ground where she stood exploded.
What? That was quite the technique for turning someone into dust…!
"Damn it! She got away. To think she'd pull a stunt like that at the very end!"
"Cecil!"
I immediately ordered Cecil to track her scent.
"This way!"
Cecil darted off.
"…After them!"
Damn it! Did we make it too obvious? Now we had pursuers on our tail. Could we outrun them?
The mummy woman's subordinates were different from the police officers. The women in blue silk robes leapt from rooftop to rooftop, wielding tridents, surrounding us.
"Cecil! It's too dangerous to keep chasing her. We'll get caught in the crossfire."
"Should we fight?!"
"No, split up! Just pick a direction and run!"
"Right!"
Cecil and I bolted in opposite directions.
We weaved through crowded marketplaces and leapt over garbage-filled alleyways, shaking off our pursuers.
Cecil would outrun them easily… The problem was me!
Fortunately, my experience living on the streets came in handy. I managed to lose them in the labyrinthine alleys.
"Pant… pant…"
I was exhausted.
I couldn't run anymore… Capturing a Collapser—was I aiming too high?
We were just shrimps caught in a whale fight.
'Let's go back.'
As I was about to admit defeat and turn back, something caught my attention.
I heard a woman's moans.
"…"
I spoke softly.
The Milf Radar was reacting, which meant… The sword empress, having exhausted all her energy, lay collapsed nearby.
My eyes widened.