Chapter 96
Chapter 96 – Raiders‘ Tragedy
Nightmare .
That was probably the most fitting word to describe what happened .
Why did we decide to raid this place? This place is a… the demon’s abode .
The man who was currently trying to escape… Garma, the deputy leader of『Hellhound』, one of the only three crime organizations in the capital, thought so .
The feeling of being chased did not fade no matter how long he had run . And it incited a frustration he never felt before .
What’s wrong with this mansion…? As Garma thought so, he came across a giant door . He pushed the door open…
[Hey, there . It seemed that you had a hard time getting to this place . ]
And there he is: his target . A dark haired youth who smiled calmly .
Lord of the Frontier Ares Schwarzer .
Once he killed this little bastard, Garma can finally bid this damned mission a good bye . This is his golden opportunity .
Garma moved in . He felt an urgent need to finish this nightmare once and for all . Thus he attacked without hesitation .
[Kaaaaaaaa!]
Without introducing himself, Garma bolstered himself and went to attack Ares… at that moment .
[Oi oi, at least say your name before attacking… I wonder how much do you know though] .
Along with that calm mutter, a thick killing intent hit Garma .
It’s like he was facing an ancient dragon .
An unprecedented, overwhelming intimidation .
The next moment after he was hit by that killing intent .
Garma’s consciousness… disappeared in an instance .
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Let’s rewind back to one week ago .
Garma, along with Bruno, the head of the crime organization『Hellhound』, was invited to a certain earl’s mansion .
Guided through the mansion, he was told to wait for their soon-to-be employer on a room behind this huge door .
(Hou? Aren’t they… the boss of western district, Balzac and Daryus, the head of the assassin organization『Cerberus』? )
Anyone who makes a living in the underworld would recognize Balzac . But this would be the first time for Garma to see the head of Cerberus Daryus .
Daryus was famous because he rarely appeared in public .
(But… to have the leaders of 3 crime organizations in one place… just what the hell are they going to discuss?)
Bruno sat on one of the empty chairs . Garma stood behind him .
The three did not see any intention to exchange words, creating an awkward silence to fill the room . The silence was broken when the owner of the mansion entered the room .
[Sorry to keep you waiting . I am the master of this mansion, Earl Vicenza . I’ve gathered all of you here for a great cause . ]
Along with that greetings, a short-statured middle aged man entered . He was wearing a luxurious clothes and jewelry . Him smiling nastily like that would remind anyone of a frog .
Seeing how he treated all three of them as if they were his vassals, naturally they showed some discomfort .
[Cut the crap . Tell us what you want to do from us . We are busy people here . ]
Balzac was the first to speak up . Hostility was evident in his voice . He might’ve been angered by the Earl’s attitude .
Earl Vicenza was clearly displeased by Balzac’s response . But he continued on with that same nasty smile still plastered on his face .
[Very well . I’ve got a good offer for you people . There is a request from a certain aristocrat who unfortunately couldn’t meet you three directly . You lot should feel honored . ]
His attitude didn’t change one bit . Thus it was Daryus who responded .
[It doesn’t matter who made the request . What are the rewards? And who’s the target? Just be direct with it . ]
[Humph, such attitude for a stray dog…]
To Daryus’ remark, Earl Vicenza once again frowned in displeasure . He then rolled open the scroll he had in hand . The scroll mentioned about the reward being… 30,000 platinum coins .
[How surprising . How much is 30 . 000 platinum coins? That’s almost equal to 10 years worth of a small territory budget . I don’t think there is somebody who actually able to pay that much?]
Earl Vicenza gnarled a bit upon Balzac’s reasonable doubt .
[There is . And eventually, this Arcadia will also centered around this person]
[Then what’s the job?]
Bruno finally spoke up . There was this spark in his eyes . It’s an amount that is unprecedented before . So he’s a bit excited about it .
Bruno planned to accept the request whatever it is this time around . His organization was ranked third under Balzac’s and Daryus’ . He planned to change that by garnering more support from the aristocrats .
Bruno always said, “I want to replace Balzac as the boss of the western district” . And I want to swallow the『Cerberus』whole to strengthen ourselves even further .
That 30,000 platinum coins were also too tasty to miss .
Balzac and Daryus also gave Earl Vicenza an intrigued look . Noticing this, Earl Vicenza gave a satisfied smile .
[Ares Schwarzer’s head . ]
Once that sentence was over, the room atmosphere instantly changed .
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◆
First up was Balzac .
[I decline . This is such a waste of time . ]
The Earl didn’t seem to expect this .
[Wha…why?]
[Even if you paid us with the budget of the entire Arcadia empire, it’s still impossible work . I’m leaving . ]
Balzac left the room with that .
Next was Daryus .
[That amount is way too small for this job]
[What did you say!!? I think the rewards are favorable enough . . ]
[Not if you compare it with the work required . ]
Daryus smiled .
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[You fools may not know this… but it’s so much easier to assassinate the emperor of Arcadia compared to that guy . Balzac already said it… it still won’t be enough even if the reward is equal to the budget of an entire country . It’s just not worth the trouble . ]
Daryus then stood up and headed for the door .
[Wa… wait…]
[Ah, let me give you friendly advice . ]
Daryus turned around before he left .
[And I’ll only say this once… you’re in deep shit . But you didn’t hear that from me . I don’t want to die just yet . ]
Having said so, Daryus left the room while chuckling . Earl Vicenza was perplexed by this development . But Bruno spoke up to the Earl .
[I’ll do it . ]
[R-really!?]
[However, there are conditions . ]
[Anything!]
[If I succeed, apart from the reward, I want enough funding to be able to wrest control of the western district . Your backing has tremendous power in his command, am I right?]
[Yes, indeed . Understood]
[If you break your promise, it’ll be your head that will roll next . ]
Bruno stood up as he said so .
[Garma . Gather our men . It’s a full-scale operation this time . ]
Thus Bruno left the room . Garma also hurriedly followed suit .
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A few days after the meeting, Bruno moved to assassinate Ares Schwarzer .
First to do is heading to Grants . He disguised his men as immigrants and sent them to Heinz .
After entering Heinz, Bruno and his men took some time to observe the mansion where Ares Schwarzer lives, striving to understand its layout .
Strangely enough, there were very little servants for a mansion owned by an aristocrat .
[There aren’t that many housekeepers . Shouldn’t it be easy if we attack them en masse?]
[But Ares Schwarzer was the hero who conquered Grants . If possible, I want to avoid direct confrontation with him . It’ll be best to attack as quiet as possible when he least expects it . ]
Thus Bruno decided to attack during midnight, not knowing that it’s a one-way ticket to the afterlife .
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Bruno’s plan was to attack at the same time from two directions . Garma would lead 200 people from the front, while Bruno himself would lead a select few to attack from the rear .
These select few that Bruno led… were former B-rank adventurers who were expelled due to bad conduct . Bruno hired them to work as his assassins .
Bruno and the several elite assassins entered the mansion from the backdoor stealthily and waded through the dark hallway . They suddenly stopped their silent march, as a presence could be sensed standing before them .
[Good grief . What noisy late night visitors . I did not expect that I would be getting to work soon after being summoned…]
Each of the assassins could hear that muttering . Bruno narrowed his eyes . The only source of light was the moonlight leaking in from the window . He could barely make out the form someone in full armor standing in front of them .
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[…… . get rid of him!]
The two assassins abruptly moved on Bruno’s command… but .
[Guaa!]
[Guhe!]
What could be heard from beyond the darkness was screams and the sound of something heavy and wet falling to the floor .
[Weak… how weak . I thought it will be a bit more entertaining . ]
The armored figure approached, making his golden feature visible .
Bruno… no, everyone’s eyes were focused on the face of the man wearing that golden armor… and saw only terror . Right… they realized that they’re facing against some sort of an undead skeleton knight .
[Wha… why is there an undead skeleton in the mansion belonging to an aristocrat?]
[Skeleton? How dare you to compare me with those lowly beings . I am a spartoi . An existence that are several dimensions higher compared to mere skeletons . ]
The golden armored skeleton disappeared from their view . And right then…
[Gaha]
[Guhe!]
The assassins around Bruno fell one after another .
[Kuh! What… what in the world is going on?]
The moment Bruno said that…
[You are the last one . ]
He heard a voice in his ear .
He hurriedly jumped away, but immediately sensed something hit his head… and just like that, Bruno’s consciousness fell into the deep abyss .
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Garma who attacked from the front was in an even more miserable condition .
The main cause was the man dressed in butler uniform who suddenly appeared before them .
[Well well, what do we have here? Uninvited guests should be awarded with appropriate rewards . ]
The butler snapped his fingers, and instantly, all 200 men… was dragged into a shadowy pit that appeared from under them .
[What! This is!?]
[Nooo! Help me!]
[I-I don’t want to die!]
The butler smiled a ruthless smile while watching the assassins perish almost at the same time .
[Well, that’s how your victims feel when you took their life . Just stay down there for now… even I feel sick from having to deal with wretches like you . ]
And just like that, everyone but Garma was swallowed by the darkness .
[Wha… what in the world . . ]
Garma retreated . But the butler also moved in slowly to approach him .
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[Well then… I have several questions for you… let’s hope that you’re willing to tell many things, shall we?]
Hearing that, Garma chose to run wildly onto the opposite direction .
This is terrible . It’s a haunted house, he thought .
That moment, he realized… why the other organizations declined the offer so easily .
They knew . They knew that the target was an opponent that cannot be trifled with .
[In any case, I have to escape… hopefully boss also got away just fine…]
He ran and ran… not daring to even look back because he could sensed the butler’s presence behind him . Garma did not know where he’s running to, but he knew that he’d die if he stopped running .
Then Garma opened the huge door that suddenly appeared before him .
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After Ares knocked Garma out, he noticed Helmut and Zetos were already standing there .
[You didn’t kill any of them, did you?]
[Yes, as per requested . ]
[It will feel uncomfortable to know that someone is dying right inside your house after all . ]
Ares threw Garma to the pile of bodies that Zetos had knocked out .
[Now… Zekka!]
[Yes, Milord! Did you call upon me?]
Zekka appeared from the darkness .
[For now, get rid of anyone involved in this matter . Oh, including the middle man . This should make for a good warning to the real backer . ]
[As you wish…]
[Oh and give these letters to Balzac and Daryus . Tell them I say thank you for their information . ]
[Both of them will be happy to hear that . Certainly . ]
Zekka snapped with his fingers . With that signal, several men appeared and began taking away the unconscious bodies that were piling up .
[Those who were sunk into the darkness by Helmut will later be handed over to Zekka as well . Please take good care of them . ]
[…did we overdo it this time?]
[That doesn’t matter . It’s still nothing ridiculous compared to what happened back then . ]
Ares nodded without changing his expression, then stretched his body .
[Now then, I will take a rest . Good night . ]
He returned to his room after saying so .
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An incident then occurred at the Royal Capital
Earl Vicenza was murdered by an unknown killer .
Assassination attempts of an aristocrat was normal, but it’s different matter if an earl actually fell victim to it . A large-scale investigation was held to track the perpetrator… but no evidence was found…