novelraw Chapter 197 : Chapter 197
Chapter 197 : Chapter 197
Chapter 197 : There Must Be the Body or the Head
The place the fleeing Magic Knight eventually headed to was a small peripheral city located northeast of Agma, which was ruled by the Alba family.
A city closest to the point where the borders of three countries—Deluna, Trey, and the Empire—met.
“Hmm. He entered a smaller city than I thought.”
“Indeed. Still, there seem to be many merchant groups? The demonic energy is thick too.”
“Yes. Baron Kayian's territory? I hear such words often.”
Three people wearing shabby robes entered the city gate.
Being unfamiliar with the Empire's geography, they were people who knew where they were only by listening to people's voices.
‘Just what is this place…….’
Perhaps because there were many merchant groups coming and going, the guards let them in even though they just wrapped themselves in roughly obtained robes, seemingly not even checking identification plaques.
The bustling street visible as soon as they entered the gate, and even the gazes of hoodlums glaring at strangers from the alleys.
All of that came as an annoyance to Lauel, who secretly held an arrow and amplified her senses.
Come to think of it, the merchant groups coming and going didn't look that normal either.
It felt like I understood the ‘Why? Why bother?’ gaze of those who sold us the robes.
“It looks like a lawless city, would there really be anything in a place like this? Maybe it's just another stopover city.”
“No. I confirmed the demonic energy of the guy entering the inner castle.”
“I am also checking the body temperature.”
When the two human radars informed that they were all working properly, Lauel sighed softly.
“Hmm. Then we should prepare.”
“Right.”
“Right away?”
“No, let's wait until it gets dark.”
“Hmm?”
“Wasn't it you, Imadi-nim, who said the ‘justification’ has left us? To start something in broad daylight is a bit…….”
“Hmm. That is true.”
“And there is no demonic energy that looks like a Seven-Star in here. It seems a tail bit another tail.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Because perhaps the tail here might tell us where the body or the head is…….”
“It would be even better to wait then.”
“Yes.”
“Then…….”
However, Imadi’s expression as he glanced around wasn't very good.
The streets inside the castle were bustling, but clean and large buildings like the Imperial cities seen so far were not visible.
And the most bothersome thing was the sharp gazes directed at them looking around.
Gazes uncomfortable even for Imadi, who had lived only in the Tower of Spirits or Aslan all his life.
“This…… We won't get entangled in troublesome matters for nothing, right?”
“Hmm. Who knows.”
Muno deliberately showed a part of his huge greatsword outside the robe, but only some of the gathering gazes disappeared.
And above all.
Unlike him and Imadi who were focusing only on the target, Lauel’s reaction, detecting the surrounding situation, was different.
“Let's clean up in advance, Muno-nim.”
“Huh?”
“It seems those we bought robes from earlier are spreading rumors. That we have some money.”
“Ha…….”
No wonder it felt like only we were being stared at despite so many people.
“Where are those guys?”
“Over there…….”
“Right. Let's just go into the alley. That would be better than the main street.”
“Yes.”
The party slowly entered a dark alley as if drawing the gathering gazes.
Then dozens of people followed behind them, and soon numerous screams continued deep in the back alleys of the border city, Baron Kayian's territory.
* * *
“Ugh…….”
“S-Spare me.”
Vagrants and robbers fallen bleeding.
They were piled up like a small hill in the back alley, groaning collectively.
The shadow cast by the outer wall right behind them hid that huge human hill from outside view.
“I won't kill you. As long as you stay as if dead.”
Actually, no one died.
Because I didn't want to cause a setback by making things bigger for nothing ahead of a big task.
“Shut up, everyone. From now on, anyone who makes a sound will get a knife stuck in one of their limbs.”
Lauel, who had particularly many robbers jumping at her because she was a slender woman, added a nervous warning.
“Ugh…….”
“Kugh…….”
Of course, the robbers, who suffered injuries of at least one broken limb, didn't become completely quiet with just that one warning.
THWACK.
“Kuek!”
THWACK.
“Ugh…….”
“I told you not to make a sound? Should I stick it in your neck instead?”
When Lauel embedded arrows into the thighs of those groaning as she said, the alley fell into silence in an instant.
Fear stimulating the survival instinct paralyzed physiological pain.
And amidst that.
“Then shall we collect some extra income now.”
SNAP.
When Muno lightly snapped his fingers, numerous pieces of metal popped out from here and there in the clothes of the attackers piled like a hill.
Metal manipulation ability that became ridiculously powerful compared to just a few years ago.
“Hup!? Uup!”
When a guy who made a sound in surprise seeing that had his eyes widen twice as large due to an arrow striking his thigh again.
“Not much usable stuff.”
CLATTER.
CLANG.
Most weapons or junk fell to the ground as is, and only about ten gold coins remained in the air.
“Robbers carrying around gold coins……. Besides, what is this? Where did you put this? Ugh, dirty.”
CLINK.
Muno, who dropped one strangely grimy gold coin on the ground amidst that, put only the remaining gold coins in his pocket and turned around immediately.
“Gold coins were metal too?”
“Of course. It's metal. Shiny metal.”
“Ah. I see. I thought it was a completely different material.”
“Hmm?”
“Because I've seen many people risk their lives for a single gold coin.”
“Ah…….”
Before a conversation on a randomly philosophical topic continued, Muno hurriedly changed the subject.
“By the way, the guards really aren't coming? How does this city run?”
Even if we handled it quickly, screams must have spread, but there was no change outside the alley.
I just said it because I was honestly dumbfounded, but Imadi added unexpected words.
“The demonic energy is significantly thick compared to the city scale. So there's no way the city runs properly.”
“Does that relate to what you said about farming not going well?”
“It's a bit different from that. If thin demonic energy resides in the atmosphere, people's aversion to demonic energy gradually decreases. Instead, they tend to become that much more violent, and parts of humanity including compassion become dull.”
“Is there such an influence too?”
“Yes. That's why Imperial citizens these days aren't very reluctant or afraid even when seeing a magician. I heard it wasn't like that back in the days of the Deus Kingdom.”
It was a fresh story heard for the first time.
“That's also why there are almost no cities near Magic Towers. They know it too. At least other cities seemed to regulate to keep the line of demonic energy concentration in the atmosphere, but here they seem not to care at all.”
“Either there are many magicians, or many magical tools. Or it could be both?”
“Right. The probability that this is the place we were looking for has increased.”
“I hope so…….”
Still, demonic energy of Seven-Star level is not felt.
‘I hope it's at least the body.’
Just then.
- Grr.
I felt the Magic Knight who entered the inner castle approaching near a quite strong demonic energy.
A movement detectable because I had focused a part of my consciousness, the perception of Demon Devourer itself, entirely on him.
“Wait a moment.”
“Hmm?”
Even so, it is a bit confusing due to the traces of magic barriers or magical tools rampant in the inner castle, but.
“It seems he met the boss of this place.”
“Ho. Is even that possible?”
“Because I focused on him. But…… huh?”
Momentarily, chaos began to come.
Because the large demonic energy contacted by the Magic Knight designated as the target from the start, meaning the guy who looks like a high-ranking magician, began to move rapidly alone.
As if surprised by something.
“What?”
“Wait, wait a moment.”
Which guy……?
Under momentary judgment, I focused the Demon Devourer's consciousness on the guy presumed to be a high-ranking magician.
If there's a fortunate thing, it's that he is only moving inside the inner castle and doesn't seem to be trying to go outside.
But even that was brief.
“Huh?”
The guy, who stayed at a certain point underground lower than the ground for a while, suddenly began to move rapidly towards some underground passage.
And at a tremendous speed that didn't seem like just running.
And that direction is…….
“Damn it!”
CLATTER.
At that moment, Muno extended the iron chain towards the fortress wall as is.
“Lauel!”
“Yes!”
While Lauel reflexively leaped up the fortress wall, I snatched Imadi’s body, who reacted late, with the opposite iron chain.
“Ugh!?”
I saw a bewildered gaze, but Muno didn't answer.
WHOOSH.
‘Even if someone sees this, it can't be helped.’
Muno, who flew up the fortress wall like that, ignored the soldier whose blank eyes met his and jumped outside the castle.
THUD.
And he ran eastward turning around the fortress wall as is.
“What, what is happening!? The target is still inside there……!”
“The high-ranking magician who contacted him is trying to escape outside through a secret passage!”
“What!?”
“Southeast!”
It is just a pursuit based on intuition.
Perhaps staying in that city thick with demonic energy might have a higher probability of catching the real body or backer of the Evil cult.
However, Imadi, dangling in the air hanging on Muno’s iron chain, decided not to tackle from that moment and to obediently endure motion sickness.
And soon.
“Damn it!”
“Why!?”
“He is flying! Daaaamn it!!”
DASH.
At that moment, gray flames rippled from Muno’s body and his speed began to increase several times in an instant.
Acceleration.
I began to use the technique, which now consumes only mana completely but still puts a massive burden on the body, just to chase the enemy.
‘Ah! Wait……?’
Only after accelerating did I remember the forgotten comrade and looked back, but.
DASH.
Lauel was chasing behind him without trouble.
Although her face was slightly flushed, she even smiled when our eyes met.
She seemed to firmly assert that she is still faster.
Of course.
“Urrgh……!”
There was one person dangling and swaying at his tail who didn't look okay at all, but.
‘He’s a Seven-Star, so he'll be fine.’
Thinking so, Muno tried to ignore Imadi’s expression and focused only on chasing the target.
Probably a magician cutting through the sky at a height I can't even see.
Now I could know for sure.
‘6-Circle.’
If such a high-ranking magician is moving so urgently, there must be at least the body or the head of the Evil cult where he is heading.
‘I won't lose him.’
Like chasing a flying bird by running on the ground.
I felt the distance widening little by little even though I was running with all my might.
‘If Victon was here…….’
No, if only I had wings too.
To the point where all sorts of random thoughts occurred even in the urgency.
But on the other hand, I was confident too.
‘Even if he gets far, I won't lose him.’
I already experimented enough while chasing a single Magic Knight.
That the sense of Demon Devourer focused entirely on a single target can clearly know the location even if he gets a little farther than now.
‘Right. Until he gets a little farther, damn it.’
The moment I realized, more strength went into his body.
“Bleeergh!”
Although an unpleasant sound began to be heard from behind for some reason.
Muno didn't look back even for a moment and just ran with full power.