Wolves of Hader

Chapter 50

When we stood up, everyone in the tavern gathered before us—all of them with their swords drawn.

The only one sitting was Mart.

He looked back and forth between me and the Syren family's retainer with a flustered expression.

Mart spoke.

"Where is Art Syren?"

"Why are you looking for him?"

Hearing my answer, Mart let out a bitter smile as he stood up. Though he was smiling, it was the look of a man resolved to die.

Ross looked at such a Mart with a puzzled face. He'd definitely lured us in, but was now wondering what on earth was happening.

Mart spoke.

"I thought he'd come all the way into the tavern. That's too bad."

"So you knew this would be where you die. Just as foolish as your father."

"Yeah. Both my father and brother got used and wrongly killed by you bastards. But..."

Mart grinned wickedly.

"I don't plan on dying in vain. I'll kill all of you—and Art Syren outside, as well."

"This guy, thinking of himself as the king of bandits, has really gone mad. You've done all there was for you to do, so go quietly."

Mart looked at Ross and me.

"Sorry. You won't believe me, but I didn't plan to kill you. I just lured you out as they wished, and planned to kill only them before letting you go."

"You were going to put it on us—make it look like we killed them."

"I can't deny that."

"So, what were their terms?"

"The condition was my title being reinstated. But that's not why I did it. Once Art was dead, I planned to return to the mountains."

"Why Art?"

"Their gang killed my brother. I heard they laughed while he was beheaded with a dagger."

Mart gritted his teeth.

The Syren family's retainer was watching us with an interested look. Here we were, making small talk in the middle of this.

He spoke toward the back.

"Everyone has been given swords?"

"It's done."

Mart said urgently.

"You two, hide in the kitchen. I'll block the entrance however I can."

"Alright."

Ross and I entered the kitchen. Eight huge guests also followed us in.

"Don't leave a single one alive!"

"Yes!"

"Come! Who wants to die first!"

Just as Mart shouted—

A fierce surge of magic power poured from his whole body. It was far stronger and greater than I'd anticipated.

What had he been doing on that mountain? It was magic power you couldn't obtain from normal training. His words about killing Art were clearly not an empty boast.

Puh-buk—

The sound of two knights being sent flying echoed out. Mart, after a body charge, had also snatched their swords and counter-attacked.

Chaeng— chae-chaeng.

A fierce battle broke out.

The opposing knights were all high-ranking knights possessing magic power, but Mart was not overwhelmed.

His strength was remarkable, and his speed was incredible.

It seemed the knights planned to kill Mart first before dealing with us. In their eyes, we were just kids.

Ross said,

"He won't last long. He's up against too many by himself."

"But he won't die easily either."

"Young master, he's getting pushed back."

That was said by one of the eight guests—it was none other than Donnie. The others with him were Berserkers.

"Deal with everyone in this manor except Mart. Not a single witness is to remain."

"Understood."

I pulled a small ornament from my clothes and set it on the prep counter, then drew a wide, flat stone hidden inside my shirt and set it down too. It was a stone of shrinking magic.

As I injected magic power into the stone, light flared up around it.

In an instant, the tiny ornament vanished, replaced by a coffin.

I immediately opened the coffin lid.

Inside the long coffin were my sword and a pile of greatswords belonging to the Berserkers—these weapons had been pre-shrunken in anticipation of being unarmed.

I was first to pick up a greatsword and stand by.

Behind me, Donnie, Ross, and the Berserkers lined up at once. Except for Ross with his spear, everyone hefted a massive blade!

"Let's go!"

Ross and I, Donnie, and the Berserkers all burst out of the kitchen. The knights who'd been fighting Mart glanced our way—at that moment:

Pahng—

Launching from the kitchen entrance, I leapt forward, the sound of wind slicing crisply.

Leaping in front of the kitchen, in a single bound, I flew to the tavern entrance.

The Syren family retainer, standing guard there, recoiled in horror.

"Urk! What is this!"

Shiiiik—

My huge sword came down over the retainer's head. He tried to dodge in a hurry, but couldn't move properly.

The surging force of magic power pressing down on him prevented it!

Puh-guh-guhk!

The greatsword slammed into his shoulder, splitting his torso in an instant.

Chwaaak—

Blood sprayed everywhere.

The retainer's skill was likely at the level of the Sword of Light. Yet even he couldn't dodge the blow from the greatsword.

"Tando, sir!"

"Damn!"

His aged body ripped apart, blood pouring like a waterfall. At that same moment, those in the rear charged at me all at once.

I too pushed off the floor and swept my sword horizontally. A slash spinning at tremendous speed!

The Berserkers called this Whirlwind—the Crimson Tempest!

Puh-ker-ker-ker—

Ka-ka-kang—

Blades coming at me ricocheted away in sparks. The bodies of my attackers were mercilessly hacked apart, spewing blood everywhere.

They swung their swords in a panic, but it was like throwing themselves into a fast-spinning buzz saw.

"Aaargh!"

"Uu-agh—"

Screams erupted and blood spurted. At last, they tried to break away, but Donnie was waiting for them.

They were the ones who'd locked the door.

They were the ones who sealed the exits.

They lured us in to kill us.

I swept through the entrance and came to a stop.

The tavern was choked with a blood-red mist. Blood winds lashed from the swirling momentum, and the floor was awash in gore.

Blood dripped from windows and walls, and the floor was littered with people whose upper and lower halves had been separated.

Donnie and the Berserkers slaughtered most of the men and headed for the second floor, as the rest had fled up there.

Mart stood dazed, blood streaming down his face. Ross was kicking aside two men impaled on his spear.

"Aaagh!"

"Spare me!"

Kwakwa-kwang—

With the Berserkers' spinning charge, more screams erupted. Severed limbs shot upward; blood burst like a fountain and sprayed everywhere.

Men without their lower halves tumbled off the railings. Others, shoulders split, rolled down the stairs. Knights crawled clutching their gutted flanks.

It was a one-sided massacre.

It wasn't because the Syren family's knights were weaker than our Berserkers—they lost because our swords were just too massive, and our swordsmanship vicious and bizarre.

Moreover, my Berserkers...

They'd apparently annihilated some 180 Tak tribe warriors in the south.

That's why I brought only seven elite men to this tavern.

Step by step, I walked up to Mart.

Mart stared at me, half out of his mind.

"Wh-what are you people?"

"You fight well. You're better than just a mercenary."

"Are you going to kill me?"

Most of what Mart said was probably true. Still, he did trick us. That's both the real and false side of Mart as I had hypothesized.

"We have terms too."

"What are they?"

"This event—you did it."

Mart immediately nodded.

It was what he'd planned on all along. Kill Art and disappear.

"It was excessive, just to cut off a family's line. But even a hundred men weren't enough for this."

That was why Mart had looked so flustered in the tavern.

He thought a few assassins would come for two kids, but he found himself surrounded by dozens of knights.

The screams from above had died down. Whether they carried swords or not, all were of the Syren family.

Now, with my life as Roger begun anew, I offered no clumsy sympathy.

"All taken care of."

Donnie came to me and bowed.

All seven Berserkers—bodies soaked in blood—stood before me, detached from the carnage.

"Who were the dead?"

"The leader was Tando, ranked 6th among the Syren family's retainers. These are Tando's subordinates, an elite group responsible for covert work."

I stepped toward Donnie.

He wasn't the same innocent Donnie as before, and that made things a little awkward for me too.

"Are you alright?"

Donnie nodded silently.

How could he truly be alright?

No matter how much you become a warrior, you're still human. I myself felt like throwing up.

I looked around at the tavern turned into a sea of blood.

A scene so ghastly you could barely open your eyes, yet paradoxically, I felt calm.

I felt a new sense of awakening—this was the world I now live in.

From now on, daily life and a warrior's life coexist. I have to forget quickly, for the sake of not letting my mind break down.

You can't live every moment with grim resolve.

"All cleared?"

"Yes! We've checked several times!"

Without hesitation, we threw off our blood-soaked outer shirts.

We didn't wipe the blood off our faces—wouldn't do to let those outside recognize us.

"Let's go."

Donnie and I took the lead, berserkers slinging huge swords over their shoulders as we headed for the exit. At the door, Donnie pounded loudly.

Kung-kung-kung-kung—

Soon a voice sounded from outside.

"Is it finished?"

"We killed every last one!"

"Good work!"

Krrrng—

The iron barrier blocking the doors and windows came down with a roar, like a castle gate mechanism from the basement.

Thunk.

The door opened slightly.

A man peered out and eyed me in puzzlement—the group, all bathed in blood, must have shocked him.

"Tando, sir—?"

"He's dead."

"Tando is dead? What nonsense is this! To be beaten by a mere bandit boss and two rookies—"

Thunk—

A sword pierced and withdrew from the man's throat.

It was Mart.

"I told you, I'm not a bandit."

Srrrng!

As the man collapsed, the knights immediately drew their swords.

"What are you doing!"

As expected, there were Syren family knights waiting outside. About ten of them.

Since we wore plain clothes and our faces were bloody, they assumed we were allies.

Mart took the lead, and we followed behind. The Syren family knights gradually backed away.

"Mart! You betray us using your subordinates?"

"Betrayal? Betrayal, you say? Hah... If you say so. Where is Art?"

Was Art really here?

If he was...

"Impressive, Lord Mart."

From behind the knights, a hooded figure stepped out. Cloaked in street clothes and a cape.

Art Syren? It could be an impostor, but the magic power he gave off...

It's real!

Right at that moment—

Mart shot out like a bolt of lightning. No, he sprang out like a coiled spring.

Almost at the same time, I launched myself as well.

No time to plan or think. Who could have thought the real deal would show up?

This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take out the next head of the Syren family!

Shiiiiiik—

While flying, I swung my massive greatsword in a wide arc, pressing down on Art Syren like a landslide!

In that brief instant!

Art Syren was unable to dodge and grit his teeth. The look of surprise, shock, and near-terror on his face!

But he was the Sword of Light. His magic power rivaled mine and he was a bit faster.

No—in truth, my own strength had increased since last time.

My greatsword fell toward Art Syren's crown first. Only then did he urgently swerve left out of my vision—but that was right where Mart's sword was aimed.

Thud—

Mart's sword buried itself in his side.

Just at that instant!

My blade crashed down on his left shoulder.

Puk—

My greatsword slashed through Art Syren's left shoulder.

As it did, my body crashed down on top of his. Mart, who had struck first, also tangled with him.

Puh-buh-buk—

Time, which had seemed to slow, now felt like it snapped back to normal.

That's how small an instant it all was.

The three of us collided at once, tumbling and twisting together. I tried to attack again, but Art Syren wasn't going down so easily.

Pupung—

Magic power exploded, blasting the three of us in different directions.

In his desperation, Art Syren had detonated all the magic power he had at once.

After rolling along the floor, I immediately leapt toward where Art had been hurled—but he'd already fled outside the manor.

His knights were blocking the gate.

"Kuh! Art—!"

Mart coughed blood and screamed. The magical blast must have left him with internal injuries.

I too was briefly paralyzed, having been caught off guard.

Then—

I saw someone atop the wall firing an arrow at the fleeing Art.

It was Lok of the Elin, from the recon squad who'd come to the capital with us.

The arrow Lok fired flew like a bolt of light and struck Art Syren's back as he ran.

I thought we'd caught him, but it wasn't so.

Even after being struck by the Arrow of Light, he rolled forward and immediately got up, running again.

Now that I looked, his left arm wasn't moving.

That left arm had fallen at my feet.

Along with the blood Art had spewed.

Although the ambush had failed, there probably would never be a better chance than this.

No matter how much Art's desire for revenge grew, his wish to kill us wouldn't change.

"Eliminate them all!"

Donnie's voice rang out.

All the knights in this manor would now fall under the storm of blood. The tavern and the corpses would be reduced to ash.

// //

The carriage raced away.

With only the intelligence squad left in the capital, all the special forces were heading north.

Mart was riding with us.

"Will Lord Mart's castle be alright?"

"It's ownerless now, and there's no one left but a few servants. Nothing much to worry about."

"Where will you go now?"

"I'll head to the northern mountains, gather my brothers, and leave the continent. If I don't make it in time, my brothers will die."

"And if it's another continent?"

"There's always somewhere to go. It isn't safe to stay on this one."

Mart glanced outside.

Dusk had fallen, and we were far out from the capital, darkness covering everything.

"Let me off here. Since Art overheard our conversation, the Syrens will believe my subordinates assisted me in all this."

"The grand duke won't believe that."

"Whether he does or not, what can I do? I tried to secretly kill you—but was undone myself. Should I make an announcement about it? Since it'll be hard to pin everything on you, their first priority will be hunting me down."

The Syren family would hide this incident. Nothing was to be gained by letting word get out.

Even the massacre of so many knights would arouse the suspicions of other nobles.

With the tavern burnt down, the corpses within would be nothing but bones.

Whether my brother and I died or escaped would remain uncertain for some time.

As Lord Mart said, they would probably assume he did this with his men's help.

So, if the grand duke sent out a pursuit team, it would be up north.

If he wanted to arrest us, he only needed to order the lord of the eastern gate.

To him, we were still just kids—there was no rush.

Mart went on.

"They'll be on our tail shortly. If you keep traveling with me, you'll be in danger too. It's best if we part ways now."

I agreed. It did seem likely Mart would be caught before he reached the northern mountains.

"Are you confident you'll survive?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to save my brothers. I promised them a good life if we could restore the house... But I may not even see their faces again."

Mart, Duke of Privy.

His father was the emperor's uncle. He had only been destroyed because he was persecuted to the core—he was still of true imperial blood.

So, unless the emperor's hidden son is found—

The next heir to the imperial family is Lord Mart. He never had troops or fortune, so no one followed him.

But now, it's different.

"We're not going to run. Instead, we'll ambush them. While we do that, take your brothers east. For those after you, their own lives will soon take greater priority than catching you."

"What? Ambush—?"

"We'll disguise ourselves as your men and lure the Syren family's knights in. This is our chance to eliminate as many of their elites as we can. And then..."

Mart's eyes widened.

"We'll turn the capital upside down. That was our true goal from the beginning."

Mart could not answer.

To instill fear in the Syren family and their forces—that was our aim.

That way, all the houses who have been hiding in silence will wake up and see the light of hope.

We are the new dawn.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

It's a bloody massacre, and I love it...

Too bad Art was able to escape...

Such a cockroach...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】