Volume 3, Intermission: Villainous Thoughts (1/2)

Name: Ryutanu Organdia

Race: Human

Level: 78

Job: Expert Adventurer; Subleader

Possessed Skills: Strong Arm; Axe Mastery B+; Bat Eyes; Kleptomaniac; Hundred-Demon Slayer

Divine Protection: None

Attributes: None

Damn it all.

We may not believe in god but that doesn’t mean we deserve this. We staked our lives and saved every coin we could just so we could leave that rotten alley, and this is how we end up?

Even Touri couldn’t escape alive.

Fighting with those heavy wounds really wasn’t a good idea, but he had to to help us escape. Those worthless quack doctors said they did their best, but what’s the point if they couldn’t save the guy!?

Gash was like an elder brother to me, Connery was like a younger brother… And now, after running for who knows how long, they’re gone… all gone.

Damn it! Why?

Why did everyone have to die and leave me behind?

It’s been 6 days since I led the survivors to the abandoned village of Fenis.

Who knows from where those Webrus whoresons will attack us.

There’s only 40 brats left now.

Just a year ago we were a clan of 300 elites, and now… All we have is this place, if we lose it too, we really won’t have anywhere else to go. Everyone here is just a brat, after all.

All the veterans died to help us escape, and I had to watch after these brats since elder sister (Pale) was no longer with us. The duty of teaching these kids ended up being pushed onto me.

Because of that I’m still alive. What a disgrace.

Sheet, elder brother (Touri)… Why d’ya have to up and die, huh, Touri?

Every one of us is a feather headed to freedom, and what binds us is our mutual desire to fly toward that freedom. Isn’t that what you taught us?

So why? Why did you have to die before me?

You picked up the brats with no place to call home, raised them up, and helped them walk under the fire god’s body. We’ve been growing these past 10 years doing just that.

“Elder brother, I brought you your meal. Kirina made it.”

While I was fixated on the map, Sophia brought me a loaf of bread.

“Have you eaten?” I asked.

“Of… course.” Sophia replied.

What a horrible liar. Her eyes are all teared up.

“I don’t feel like eating. You eat.”

“But!”

“Shut up and eat.”

After being strongly chided, Sophia meekly bowed her head, then she took the bread and left.

Damn it, if Pale were here, she would have been able to tell her off more gently.

I really suck with kids.

I ignored my stomach’s pleas as I glared at the map.

Is the southern border being watched?

The public order should be good until the Holy Shushunu Kingdom, so our situation could turn for the better, but…

While it would be great if we could leave straight through the west, they’re probably watching the western border. Looks like we’ll have to keep our foot in some other country’s border.

The northern woodlands and the southern desert.

Unlike elder brother (Touri) or elder sister (Pale), I suck at using my head. It would be a lot easier to just swing my weapon in the frontlines, but by some odd stroke of fate, I ended up being the brains.

“Elder brother, the enemy are attacking!” Sophia came back and said.

“Wake everyone up! Use the buildings as shields! We’ll stop them!” I ordered.

Upon receiving my orders, Sophia nodded and ran away.

I took my axe.

Burn all them sheetty bastards of Webrus! I’ll kill every last one of ya!

◆◆◇

Attacking during the night… Just the kind of tactic you’d expect from some cowardly assassins.

Unfortunately, for you bastards, you’re not the only ones who can see in the dark!

“Sophia, Kirina, cover me!”

“Understood!”

Under the cover of those with similarly good night vision, I took a step forward.

“…Looks like there’s still a big one left. Ryutanu the Strong Arm! 5 gold coins for his head!”

“Hyaha!”

As an assassin chuckled a stiff laughter, I swung my axe. There should be at least 20 enemies here.

“Hah! This is a piece of cake! Don’t underestimate the commanding officer of the Elks Clan’s shock corps!”

As soon as I stepped out, a throwing dagger was thrown at me, but I deflected it with my gauntlets and continued on my way. Enemies came at me from both my flanks, but I knew that the archers behind would be able to cover me, so I ignored them and swung my axe.

The enemy’s head split open like a pomegranate, but I didn’t stop moving. I took another step forward and claimed the headless corpse as my shield.

“Kill him!”

Think you small-time thugs can take me!?

Another dagger was thrown, and this time I deflected it with my corpse shield that I’d flung over my shoulder, then I went and rushed toward the tensed part of the enemy encirclement.

“Don’t tense up!”

“Eek—”

One of the small-time thugs cried out as I crushed his head, then I continued on to take out another 3 of the nervous enemies, cutting them down from shoulder to chest, then I threw my corpse shield to stop the enemy from moving.

In that instant, I took my axe out from the last enemy I’d cut and swung it toward a new enemy.

The future, my dead comrades… I don’t need to think about any of those right now. Right now, all I have to do is kill these bastards.

As blood sprayed onto my face, I bellowed out a howl.

“Damn it!!”

I used to hunt beasts, but before I knew it, I was already an expert at hunting humans. As I lifted up my head and eyed the approaching three assassins, I rushed out once more.

One of the assassins tried to cut me, but I jumped onto his chest and slammed my gauntlet into his face, then In almost the same time, I smoothly moved my axe with one hand to hold it with both hands and unleashed a sweeping motion, beheading the two cowering enemies.

Finally, I finished off the last remaining enemy that was powerlessly groaning.

“Tch… Useless.”

One of the enemies, who was raising hell, came to view.

“If you’re so tough, why don’t you come yourself!”

I shook off the fleshy bits stuck to my axe and fixed my stance. After a quick check to ensure that the archers from behind were continuing their suppressive fire, I bolted off once more.

I don’t know if it’s because I got drunk off the enemy’s blood or if I’d simply let my guard down, but…

“Go!”

Two assassins equipped with long swords ran after me, and I tried to sweep them away.

“Fool! Shoot!”

It was an attack coming from a blind spot, so I couldn’t react in time. The enemy shot their weapons without any regard for their own allies.

The two assassins in front died instantly as their bodies were penetrated, and unable to stop my own momentum, those two arrows buried cleanly into my body.

Fuck it all! These people aren’t humans!

One on my shoulder and another on my left flank, but I had to keep going.

The path was finally clear, after all! I won’t get a better chance than this!

“GURAAaAAa!”

Bellowing out a cry, I charged toward the enemy, swept with my axe, and crushed the head of the guy who looked to be their commander.

As soon as he died, the enemy ran away scattered and screaming, but I didn’t have the strength left to pursue.

Fuck, it’s getting dark. They poisoned their…