68 – The Fire of Neo-Solitron (2)
The Fire of Neo-Solitron (2)
“I am willing to cooperate with you. However, there are conditions.”
“Surrender? Conditions?”
What a ridiculous bastard.
“Who said they would accept?”
I restrained the guy by shooting mana with my fingertips.
It’s called the Ice Palm.
“What, what?!”
The Hwangum Sword, who couldn’t even move a muscle, twisted his body.
But my Ice Palm is a skill I’ve honed for decades. It’s not a technique that can be broken with such feeble resistance.
“What on earth is this…!”
Since he was preparing a spell since earlier, it will be difficult to release it, as he took a direct hit.
“This insane samurai bastard. When did he ever hesitate to kill the people with joy, but now he surrenders at the slightest disadvantage?”
Meeting a living jindo dog samurai after a long time seems to have ignited my anger.
“I’ll make you into minced meat.”
I put a ninja dagger in my sword pocket. I don’t need a weapon against such a third-rate bastard.
I’ll turn this b*tch into Korean soul food, injeolmi.
“Wait, wait! I’m the Hwangum Sword! Hwangum Sword!”
“What do you want?”
I approached him, releasing my hands lightly. His expression of fear was top-notch.
“Do you not know who I am? I’ve only fought against the Koremgald Kingdom’s army approaching the border! I have never killed any people!”
To confirm whether it was true or not, I made eye contact with Orpheus.
If it’s Orpheus, he should know.
“It’s true. The Hwangum Sword was at the edge of the kingdom until I was assigned to pursue you.”
As expected, Orpheus knew.
But that doesn’t mean this bastard is innocent.
“So, you’re saying he could have been involved in the massacre while chasing after me?”
Damn, it’s creepy to think about it again. Taking advantage of my sigh to kill the people?
“No, today is the first time I’ve set foot on the battlefield.”
This time, the Hwangum Sword replied. Despite sweating profusely due to the continuous tightening ice magic, their pronunciation was commendable.
“Anyway, you came here to kill me. After killing me, you would have killed the resistance and my companions too, right? Am I wrong?”
“That’s right.”
Surprisingly, the Hwangum Sword agreed without hesitation.
“If you weren’t strong, that’s what would have happened.”
They’re too straightforward about the samurai subject. No wonder I’m slightly curious.
“Keep blabbering.”
I decided to give this woman a chance. But if she makes a wrong move, I can kill her right away. I won’t let my guard down.
“What do you think would have happened if a weakling with a little power instigated the people to resist against Matap and went against them?”
“Don’t ask me, you answer.”
Smack!
She was too arrogant, so I gave her a good slap. She shouldn’t dare to engage in self-questioning like before.
“Ugh…! The Matap Leader doesn’t spare those who reject the ways of Matap. An unwinnable war would have broken out, and one-sided massacre would have occurred.”
“Are you saying the runaway ninja was trying to determine if they could oppose the Matap Leader or not?”
Orpheus answered as I pondered whether to hit him a few more times with the bat.
He asked me with his eyes if he could interrogate, so I just let it go.
I’m a Sweet Ninja, I have the generosity to give up an “interview” to a colleague.
“That’s right.”
“Aren’t you on the side of Matap?”
“You… You’re the royal that the Matapju told to bring back. You said you had blue hair, and it was true. Did you dye it with magic dye or something?”
What the hell is this guy suddenly talking about? Orpheus is a fallen noble, not a royal.
“Just answer the question.”
Orpheus, who became a victim of fabricated information, swallowed the words of Hwangumgyeong expressionlessly.
“That’s right. I hate those Matap bastards too.”
“Are you cooperating with them forcibly?”
“They threatened me. I had no choice.”
Orpheus’s calm expression, forcibly maintained while enduring the pain of bondage, somehow irritates me.
“This guy is making excuses.”
Crack!
I gave him three blows of uncontrollable anger.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Ugh…! H-Haven’t I surrendered? Is it okay to treat me like this? I haven’t killed any commoners!”
“What’s a bat-like b*tch like you talking about? Do you want to experience ‘Aileen’ too?”
I could turn him into ‘Kakashi’ or ‘Delbanas’, or even ‘Delamion’.
Come to think of it, the Queen Bee or Joseph seems to have died more comfortably compared to those upper-class bastards.
It’s just a shame that I can’t bring her back to life and kill her again.
“…There’s nothing to refute that statement. It’s sad.”
The face of Hwangumgyeong turned bright red. What is this guy?
“Robin.”
I was about to squeeze him a few more times, but Orpheus stopped me.
“I said I would cooperate. I said there were conditions. What are they?”
Orpheus started the interview again.
“…After killing Matapju, it doesn’t matter how you dispose of me. Just bring back my master, Ganggeomgyeong. Ganggeomgyeong is only cooperating because his family is held hostage.”
“You’re an honorable knight. You wouldn’t lie.”
Orpheus looked into my eyes. Does the final decision mean I have to make it?
“That’s right.”
I accepted the audacious proposal from the woman.
She was just a third-rate warrior who was forced to cooperate because her family and life were held hostage. There was no need to kill her unnecessarily.
Of course, if she had committed mass murder, there would be no leniency and she would be executed on the spot, but since she hadn’t, well, I decided to let it go.
“Okay. Then you’ll fight with us too.”
It’s like getting one “Battle Totem to Protect the People.” At least it’s a grade higher than special.
“You have to fight hard to repay your sins.”
As I turned my back to go and kill the remaining seven Gyeonggyeong, Hwangumgyeong spoke up again.
“Wait. I have information to give you. It will definitely be helpful.”
With the ice broken, she raised her right hand.
It’s like a student raising their hand to ask a question to the teacher.
“What is it? Lady.”
I am a patient and empathetic listener to others’ words. I decided to listen.
***
The office of Byeon Geom-gyeong’s mansion, which fell into the hands of Matap after losing its owner.
“Irana Penhof.”
Jeol Geom-gyeong, James Bonk, called out the name of the woman who attempted to trespass into the mansion.
“Answer the question properly. Did you try to steal Byeon Geom-gyeong’s body?”
Even under the interrogation of the soldiers standing on both sides, Irina, who was tied up with ropes, did not open her mouth.
“She’s Byeon Geom-gyeong’s lover.”
James tried to understand the situation by combining the bits of information he had heard.
“He was the first witness to the murder and then quietly disappeared. Was it to seek revenge on the fugitive ninja who was the killer? No.”
Suspicious movements and strange behavior. And a scheme to hide something.
James’s intuition was ringing alarm bells.
“The Artifact of the Observer.”
James raised his voice. The mana contained in his deep voice stirred up the office.
Hmm.
“Hmm.”
James didn’t overlook the momentary trembling of Irina’s shoulder.
“I heard that you received an artifact from Joseph, who was in charge at the time. Do you know where it is?”
“I don’t know. I handed it over to Byun Geomgyeong as soon as I received it. Only he knows.”
It was an immediate response, as if he had been preparing the answer for a long time.
“Give up. I noticed it, so your plan is useless.”
James, who judged that Irina had taken the bait, let out a confident laugh.
Irina’s mouth twitched at James’ attitude, not hiding his confidence.
“Do you want me to interrogate him myself?”
James’ eyes emitted a yellow light.
The intense aura, like a sharp sword piercing the heart, was too overwhelming for a magician who was far from battle.
“Ugh…!”
It was when Irina let out a groan with a frightened expression.
“Jeolgeomgyeong.”
An old man opened the door to the office and entered.
The man, who was taller than an ordinary soldier by one head, was a knight known as Ganggeomgyeong.
“Ganggeomgyeong. What’s the matter?”
James questioned him.
Despite being over eighty years old, his body, which had been trained consistently every day, was very resilient.
A veteran who had been in active service for over forty years and produced numerous knights. That was Ganggeomgyeong.
“The resistance attacked the patrol team, Paegyeomgyeong. They revealed their presence as royal members.”
But even he was pushed back by James in terms of strength and rank.
It was all thanks to the special-made “magic armor” that made him a hunting dog of Matap.
“Hmm. Are you sure?”
“He was holding the weapon of the ancient warrior.”
There was no trace of sadness on the indifferent face of Ganggeomgyeong.
“To maintain composure even when your grandson is being held captive. Impressive.”
“The ancient warrior, huh. So she’s a royal.”
The only person currently referred to as ‘alive’ among the so-called royals is that woman.
“Veldergard, that pathetic guy, is causing trouble again.”
If that guy had done his job properly, there would be no room for retaliation.
“A deserter ninja. Your comrade has finally taken action. What are you doing and where?”
I went against the opposition of the Matapju and personally supported to capture that guy. I compromised my pride and cooperated with the other Chilgeomgyeong.
But even so, I couldn’t even find out if he was alive or dead.
“I don’t know if the resistance is thorough or if he’s really dead. I can’t tell.”
It was clear that he was injured from the battle with that Byeongeomgyeong. But even after two months, not a single trace of him.
“What will become of the fight of my lifetime?”
The exhausted Jeolgeomgyeong sighed and stood up.
“I will call for the Kwaegyeomgyeong and Hwangyeomgyeong. It seems like we have to take matters into our own hands.”
“Hwangyeomgyeong hasn’t returned yet.”
“Then just the Kwaegyeomgyeong.”
Matapju ordered to capture him at all costs.
As the descendant of the ancient warrior, she even had the weapon used by the warrior. If she didn’t take action herself, her allies would just die in vain.
No matter how sharp their moves may be, even if they reveal themselves now, there is no extraordinary trick to deal with all four of the Seven Swords at once.
“What should we do about this person?”
“Keep a close eye on them. Without their staff, a magician is just an ordinary human.”
“Understood.”
The Seven Swords who gave orders to the soldiers left the office along with the Strong Sword.
Irina, who had been observing the situation, stared at the soldiers who were seeing off the Strong Sword.
With a determined expression.