Chapter 75: Treasure Hunt (3)
That night, Damian rented the best room in the Old Town’s inn.
With a guide now on board, he was ready to find the hidden stash. Lying on the bed, he organized his thoughts.
“What kind of treasures could they have hidden?”
The hideout Damian sought was a place where the dark wizards of Yuran stored their treasures for safekeeping. It was bound to be filled with wealth and rare items.
“What I need most are mana cultivation techniques and elixirs.”
While it was unlikely to find mana techniques in a dark wizard’s hideout, he hoped for elixirs or at least the ingredients to make them.
“But what about the mercenary group?”
What troubled Damian more was Juan and his mercenaries.
“They’re too weak, far too weak.”
Even in his past life, he had realized that Juan and the six others weren’t cut out for mercenary work. They lacked fighting talent and the ruthless nature needed for survival.
Thanks to Juan’s training from his days as a knight apprentice, they managed to scrape by as mercenaries.
“I can’t stay with the mercenary group any longer.”
Unlike his past life, Damian now had a mission. No matter how dear the mercenary group was, he couldn’t stay with them.
“But leaving them behind… they’ll surely run into trouble someday.”
In his past life, Damian had saved the mercenary group from countless crises.
“I guess I’ll have to put in some effort.”
If they lacked skill, he could train them. Fortunately, Damian had the techniques and expertise of dozens of masters stored in his mind.
“Nothing too difficult. They won’t be able to learn it.”
He couldn’t just hand over any technique. If it was too complex, they wouldn’t master even a single move.
“I’ll have to create something new.”
He needed a simple yet effective weapon technique that even the slowest learner could grasp.
Damian went out to buy ink and paper. Sitting at the table, he began to devise a weapon technique for his companions.
The night wore on.
By the time Damian finished working on the technique, dawn had arrived.
He packed his things and headed to the meeting place with the mercenary group.
“Ah, you’re early.”
Juan greeted Damian with a cheerful face.
In just one day, Juan’s mercenary group had changed significantly. They wore sturdier armor and carried new weapons.
“Thanks to the generous payment, we managed to upgrade our gear.”
Noticing Damian’s gaze, Juan explained.
Most mercenaries would squander a windfall on booze and gambling, but Juan invested in equipment. It was a rare and commendable choice.
“Trust us. We know the Longquist Mountains like the back of our hand! We know the bandits too, so we can avoid unnecessary fights!”
And so, the journey began.
“Be careful here; the ground suddenly drops.”
“Don’t touch those flowers; they’re poisonous. Just brushing against them can poison you.”
“Yikes, a viper. Let’s go around.”
True to his word, Juan’s guiding skills were impressive. By following his instructions, they avoided all dangers.
“That’s the rock you mentioned, the one that looks like a woman.”
Juan pointed to a strangely shaped rock precariously perched at the edge of a cliff.
Damian unfolded his map. The rock marked the start of a complex path.
“I want to head in the direction that rock is facing.”
“Towards the valley, then. The path there is even more treacherous. Be prepared.”
Juan was about to turn when Damian stopped him.
“Wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s an ambush.”
“An ambush? That can’t be. The bandits are deeper in…”
Damian picked up a stone and hurled it into the forest. A sharp sound was followed by a scream.
“Agh!”
A man clutched his head and fell to the ground.
“Damn it! We’ve been found out!”
“Everyone, come out!”
A group of people emerged from the forest, brandishing menacing weapons despite their ragged clothes. They were clearly not ordinary folk.
“To spot our ambush… he’s no ordinary man!”
“Doesn’t matter. Once we gut him, he won’t be able to do anything.”
The bandits hurled threats at Damian’s group.
“Move aside, you incompetent fools.”
A bald man pushed through the bandits.
“He’s quite skilled.”
Surprisingly, the man wasn’t an ordinary bandit. Damian could sense magic emanating from him.
“Porcupine! What is this? We pay the toll every time!”
Juan shouted, frowning at the man called Porcupine.
Porcupine picked his ear with a finger and replied.
“Sorry about this. I didn’t want to, but I heard your friend there is loaded.”
Juan’s expression hardened at Porcupine’s words.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Where else? Word gets around. I heard you landed a big job, paying a gold coin per head.”
Porcupine’s lips twisted into a grin.
“With someone that wealthy, it’s better to rob them directly than just take a toll, don’t you think?”
“You must have heard wrong! Our client here is a knight who can wield aura!”
“Ha! Aura, huh? Aura’s great, sure.”
Porcupine picked up the axe slung on his back. A crimson aura enveloped it.
“Seems you forgot. I was a knight too. Just got unlucky and ended up in this backwater.”
The Longquist Mountains were notorious for harboring criminals and bandits, many of whom were former knights.
“Hey, you there. Just so you know, I’m a low-class knight.”
Porcupine pointed his thumb at himself, clearly proud of his rank.
”…”
From Damian’s perspective, it was hard to care.
“Ha! Speechless, are you? I know your type. Just became a knight, eager to make a name in the Longquist Mountains.”
Porcupine pointed at Damian.
“I’ve already killed five like you! You’ll be the sixth! Ha!”
Porcupine shouted at Juan’s mercenaries.
“Kill them all! We don’t need hostages!”
The bandits charged with weapons drawn.
“Fall back!”
Juan pushed Damian towards a large tree and formed a defensive line with his back to it.
Juan, Bolt, and Reg held shields, blocking the way. Behind them, Bread, Fish, and Bob stood ready with spears.
“Come on, you traitorous bastards!”
“I’ll take your heads!”
Juan, Bolt, and Reg banged their shields and swords, intimidating the bandits.
The shields blocked the way, preventing the bandits from getting close.
At that moment, Apple, Fish, and Bob thrust their spears at the bandits.
“Agh! They really stabbed us!”
“You bastards! Do you want to die?”
The mercenary group’s formation was so solid that the bandits couldn’t easily break through.
“Individually, they’re nothing special, but in a group, it’s different.”
Though they had been easily defeated by Griffin’s mercenaries, Juan’s group was actually quite skilled.
Thanks to Juan’s relentless training, they had decent stamina and perseverance, unlike the lazy bandits.
“Though everything else is too pathetic to watch.”
From Damian’s perspective, their movements were clumsy and inefficient.
If they adjusted their moves slightly, they could handle the enemies more effectively.
If they aimed for different spots, they could kill instantly.
These thoughts kept swirling in his mind.
“But their dedication to their employer is commendable.”
Despite knowing Damian’s skills, the mercenaries didn’t ask for his help. They were determined to handle the bandits on their own.
They intended to earn their pay.
“I really did find a good mercenary group.”
If it had been any other group, they might have used Damian as a shield and discarded him.
“Damn it! Why aren’t you killing them already?”
Porcupine shouted furiously.
“If you keep this up, I’ll kill you myself!”
Porcupine’s killing intent spread, instilling fear in the bandits.
Fear drove them to charge more fiercely.
“Ugh, argh!”
“Better to die here than face the boss’s wrath!”
The bandits recklessly charged, pounding on the shields.
“You bastards! Get lost!”
Juan shouted, slashing over the shield. But with the shield in hand and allies on either side, he couldn’t swing properly.
The same went for Bolt and Reg.
“Juan, Bolt, Reg. Attacking from above is inefficient. Lower your swords and aim for their thighs.”
Just then, Demian’s voice cut through the chaos from behind. Juan shouted urgently.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden…?”
“If we stay like this, the defense will break. Do as I say, now!”
Demian’s sharp command startled Juan, Bolt, and Fish into action. They lunged forward, stabbing the thighs of the approaching bandits. The bandits screamed in agony as the blades pierced their flesh.
“Argh! You bastards!”
“My leg! My leg!”
The thigh is not only crucial for movement but also houses major arteries and veins. A stab there could incapacitate someone, and if lucky, even sever those vital blood vessels.
“Apple, Fish, Bob. You three don’t have the strength to kill with a direct thrust. Angle your spears downward.”
Demian instructed the remaining three, who followed his orders without understanding why.
“Gah! Ugh!”
The spears found their mark, and the bandits fell with death rattles.
“Juan! You’re not using your shield properly! When you see the enemy charging, bash them with it! Don’t just stand there!”
“Bread! Get your head in the game! If you don’t want to die, keep moving!”
“Leg! What kind of grip is that on your spear? Hold it shorter!”
“Bob! What are you doing with that big body of yours? Look ahead and spot any dangerous ones!”
As Demian’s orders rang out, the tide of battle shifted. Juan’s mercenaries began to overwhelm the bandits. In the blink of an eye, more than ten bandits lay dead or wounded.
The remaining bandits hesitated, too afraid to charge. They circled warily, their faces etched with fear.
“You worthless scum! I’ll handle this. Move aside!”
A man nicknamed Hedgehog pushed through the bandits, creating a path.
“Hey, you pale-faced knight! Step forward! Let’s see how you fare against a real opponent!”
Hedgehog summoned his power, and the sheer force of it drained the color from Juan and his men’s faces.
“If you’re so eager to die, I can’t stop you.”
Demian stepped forward. Hedgehog looked puzzled.
“Where’s your weapon?”
“For someone like you, this is enough.”
Demian raised his middle finger. Hedgehog’s eyes flared with anger.
“You little brat! I’ll break every finger on that hand…”
Suddenly, Hedgehog froze. Though Demian hadn’t moved, Hedgehog began to tremble violently in place.
Moments later, a zigzag line of blood appeared from Hedgehog’s head to his toes. His body fell apart, collapsing into pieces.
Blood pooled on the ground, the metallic scent quickly filling the air.
Where Hedgehog had stood, a woman now appeared. Her hair was wild, and her clothes were ragged, like a vagrant.
“Hello?”
She smiled, her lips a vivid red, as if painted with blood, stretching to her ears.
’…Why is she here?’
Demian knew exactly who she was. A madwoman who had become a master in the art of killing, so consumed by it that she had reached a terrifying level of skill. Dorgo had tried to recruit her, but she had refused, ultimately meeting her end at Demian’s hands.
The killer known as the Death Wraith stood before him.