Inheriting the Novel

Chapter 129 : Ambush (1)

Ambush (1)

The Inquisitor Luem, who spoke brashly, proposed settling things in Linken's plaza.

It seemed obvious that his goal was to humiliate Sehenz in front of a crowd.

'How thankful I am.'

I couldn't help but applaud Luem for taking care of my business personally.

"What's going on? Why are the Inquisitors all here together...?"

"Isn't that the Mercenary King's company?"

Though it was rather late, the plaza of Linken was still bustling with people.

At the sudden appearance of the Inquisitors and mercenaries, the crowd began to murmur and steadily gathered around.

It didn't take long for the people to form a wide circle around us.

"If you'd calmly gone along with our demands, you wouldn't be subjected to such humiliation."

Luem glanced around the crowd and smiled slyly.

And it wasn't only Luem. The other Inquisitors who had followed behind him were also sneering at us.

The expressions of the mercenaries, on the other hand, weren't pleasant at all.

"Annoying as they are, those are real Inquisitors. We'd obviously lose if we fought."

One mercenary muttered anxiously.

They weren't lacking in skill themselves, but Inquisitors were in a different league.

"There's no need to worry."

I spoke to them in a grave tone.

"It's our business, so we'll handle it ourselves."

"Well, with you, I guess..."

Perhaps because they had witnessed my abilities during the demonkin corridor incident, the mercenaries looked at me with trust.

Sehenz, however, appeared a bit doubtful.

As expected of the Mercenary King. He figured out my intentions right away.

"Alright, seems enough people have gathered. Let's begin. To block the demonkin corridor, just as that mercenary said, we need real experts!"

Luem's exaggerated performance, as if he were putting on a play, stirred a bigger commotion in the crowd.

"Demonkin corridor?"

"Ah, don't you know? Recently, a suspicious cave was found near Linken!"

"Oh!"

The people began sharing detailed rumors about the demonkin corridor with each other.

They spoke about what exactly the demonkin corridor was, and that the Kingdom of Daidalua had entrusted the Mercenary King with the request.

"So then, what they're doing..."

A man stopped short of finishing his thought.

Everybody knew, without needing to say, that things weren't exactly friendly between Setram and the Seven Heroes.

Apparently, most concluded this was a war of nerves between the Inquisitors and the Mercenary King.

Having quietly listened to Luem's spirited speech, I stepped forward and spoke up.

"So, does the loser of this match automatically drop out of this operation?"

"That's right."

"Good, I like it simple. It'll be one-on-one matches, right?"

"Of course. But the Mercenary King is not to fight."

"... What?"

Feigning surprise, I answered, and Luem flashed a sardonic grin.

"This contest is to weed out those who might hinder the operation. There's no need for the proven Mercenary King to compete, is there?"

Luem gave the mercenaries a sweeping, confident glance.

"Additionally, anyone who wins a fight can keep fighting until another challenger defeats him."

"What?! Then if a strong guy wins once, he just keeps fighting?"

A mercenary protested, but Luem just smiled.

In reality, even one Inquisitor who had reached Swordmaster could easily clear them all out, so the protest made sense.

Currently, in Sehenz's mercenary group, Sehenz was the only one who's attained the Swordmaster level.

"We even considered your grumbling. Surely we can set some minor rules?"

"Tch!"

The mercenaries, eyes brimming with frustration, glared but couldn't refute it. After all, this whole thing was the result of my provocation.

I nodded lightly, acknowledging Luem.

"So that's all the rules?"

"... What?"

"That's all, then."

Luem looked disappointed at my easy acceptance. He was probably hoping, like the other mercenaries, that I'd make a fuss.

"So, let's decide who fights first."

"Hmph, fine. We'll send this one out first."

At Luem's words, one man, who had been standing quietly, stepped forward.

He looked notably younger than the other Inquisitors.

His skill: advanced-rank Sword Expert.

Considering his age, he was really quite exceptional.

'Is he about average among the Inquisitors?'

Having already grasped his profile, I nodded.

"Then we'll send this one."

"Ha! Fine, whoever it—what!?"

Luem, who had been smiling triumphantly, opened his eyes wide when he saw who I pushed forward.

Because, of all people, the first to fight was a tense young girl.

[Heartless jerk.]

Only Grancesia, who knew the girl's identity, hurled a small reproach at me.

In contrast, mercenary Sehenz grinned with immense satisfaction.

"W-wait, even she is a mercenary?"

"Don't judge by appearance."

"I mean, this is a bit much..."

Luem looked genuinely flustered as he stared at the young girl, Mersaya.

Even the young Inquisitor facing Mersaya seemed quite disconcerted.

"As you see, she's the youngest in our mercenary company. If you can't beat her, you can't beat any of us."

[By the way, when did you even join Sehenz's group?]

Tuning out Grancesia's nitpicking, I spoke, and Luem nodded.

"... Fine, if you lose, you're the only one who suffers."

The young Inquisitor and Mersaya faced each other in the center of the plaza.

The crowd buzzed at the unfair match, but none dared to criticize the Inquisitors outright.

"Hap!"

The Inquisitor attacked first.

Perhaps intending to end it in a single blow, he didn't even draw his sword—instead, he struck at Mersaya's neck with a knifehand.

But it was a mistake.

Snap!

"Ugh!"

With a sound of breaking bone, a cry of pain burst forth.

Naturally, the one screaming was not Mersaya, but the Inquisitor who'd struck at her neck.

"What... what is this?"

Luem opened his eyes wide in shock.

No wonder—the Inquisitor's hand that chopped at Mersaya's neck had broken.

'Sheesh, no magical protection, and he hit hard. That must really hurt.'

Maybe he was trying to be careful not to kill Mersaya, but it backfired.

How dare a human strike a dragon's bones and hide with his bare hand?

"Hiyap!"

Mersaya didn't hesitate to punch the Inquisitor groaning in pain.

Unlike the Inquisitor, she showed no mercy—it was a true attack.

"Gah!"

Hit by a dragon's punch, the Inquisitor lost his white teeth and was sent flying into the wall.

Still, as an advanced-rank Sword Expert, he wouldn't die so easily.

"How dare you, filthy human! Strike MY neck?!"

Holding her fist high in victory, Mersaya basked in triumph, while the Inquisitors could only stare in stunned silence.

Not just the Inquisitors—the crowd also fell silent, no one daring to speak.

Only the mercenaries, who had seen Mersaya's skills in the demonkin corridor, murmured in admiration.

"She's much stronger than she looks... That girl really is something."

"Truly, you can't judge people by appearances..."

If Mersaya had heard, she would have been indignant, but, lost in her victory, she heard nothing.

"Ugh! Philip! You're next. She's strong, so don't let your guard down!"

"Yes, leave it to me."

A flustered Luem quickly sent out another Inquisitor.

Since he'd stated the winner could keep fighting, Mersaya continued battling the Inquisitors.

And then...

"Kegh!"

"Ugh!"

"Aargh!"

Afterward, Mersaya defeated three advanced-rank Sword Experts and even one Swordmaster.

With a row of fallen Inquisitors behind her, Mersaya folded her arms in a cool pose.

"I'm the strongest!"

Overwhelmed by her rare victory, Mersaya wore an ecstatic expression.

[Didn't she just use Dragon Tongue in her fight with the Swordmaster?]

"Yeah."

[They probably had no idea she was a dragon, so they were utterly unprepared for Dragon Tongue... How pitiful.]

Even for Mersaya, defeating a Swordmaster isn't easy.

Sword Experts, no matter how skilled, can't cut through a dragon's hide and bones, but a Swordmaster poses a real threat.

'She instantly blocked the mana flow with Dragon Tongue, nullified his aura, then broke the sword barehanded and smacked the Swordmaster down in a single blow.'

Using Eye of Insight, I could clearly see what Mersaya had done to defeat the Swordmaster.

Mersaya had momentarily blocked the aura with Dragon Tongue, then shattered the sword with her fist, and swiftly took out the flustered Swordmaster.

Honestly, even I was quietly impressed by her polished technique.

'Why did her skills improve so much?'

[Isn't it obvious? She's fought three top-rank Sword Masters endlessly back at the domain.]

'... Well, no wonder.'

After what happened in Darsha, Kisea and Ian had each fought Mersaya several times.

And along with them, Teo also sparred with her, so all three learned to counter Dragon Tongue.

On the flip side, Mersaya learned how to fight against Sword Masters by facing those three.

"Anyway, that settles the match."

"... This is impossible."

I spoke with a slight smile, and Luem gritted his teeth and glared at me.

No amount of glaring could change that the contest had ended.

This was a match to determine the five weakest members. That match ended with five Inquisitors soundly defeated.

"Fine... A promise is a promise."

With so many people watching in the plaza, he couldn't go back on his word.

Luem stared daggers at me.

"You. What's your name?"

"Ray."

"... I haven't heard of you before."

He muttered my name a few times, then turned away, realizing there was no point in lingering any longer.

"You'll regret this."

He said under his breath—quiet enough that only I could hear—then led the other Inquisitors from the crowd.

Once their figures disappeared, a small cheer rose from the plaza.

* * *

Clang. Grrrkk!!

The sound of metal scraping echoed in the darkness.

The iron bars meant to hold a massive demonic beast were opening now.

"Grrrr!"

Its red eyes gleaming, the demonic beast searched for prey.

Its name was Basilisk.

A beast with a powerful body and a bizarre power to turn foes to stone with a gaze.

To take down a Basilisk required at least two Sword Masters and a full knight order—it was that strong.

"Seigon."

Setram's pontiff, violette, called out to the one standing at his side as he gazed at the Basilisk.

That person simply stared at the Basilisk, not answering Violette.

"Do you think you can?"

At the elderly man's words, the one called Seigon nodded.

"Let's see, then."

At Violette's prompt, seigon slowly bent his knees and leapt.

With a roar like a breaking wave, seigon's figure reached the Basilisk in a single bound.

"Screeee!"

Seeing Seigon, the Basilisk shrieked and its eyes flashed.

An ordinary human would have turned to stone on the spot, but Seigon didn't stop.

The red markings painted all over his body glowed briefly.

"...?!"

The Basilisk was momentarily taken aback that its power had no effect, but it composed itself and opened its jaws wide, about to crush Seigon.

And that was the end.

Craaaack!

Seigon seized the Basilisk's jaws and tore them open.

Even though Basilisk hide isn't scratched by most magic or sword ki, its hide was torn like paper.

"Excellent."

Violette beamed at Seigon, who stood calmly, drenched in Basilisk blood.

'It's almost done.'

The greatest sword of the New Star Kingdom that would hunt all heretics.

What he'd only heard of through divine revelation—soon to be complete.