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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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Chapter 75: The Treasure Hunt (3)
***
That night, Damien rented the best inn room in the Olden Village.
With a guide hired, the preparation to find the secret warehouse was completed. Damien was laying on the bed and organizing his thoughts.
‘What kind of items would they have hidden?’
The place Damien was looking for was a place created by the dark mages of Yulan to safely store the treasures they obtained.
There would surely be a lot of goods, as well as many rare items.
‘The most necessary items for me are mana cultivation techniques and potions.’
Since it was a dark mages’ secret warehouse place, he couldn’t expect mana cultivation techniques, but it seemed reasonable to expect potions or enough ingredients to make potions.
‘By the way… what about the mercenaries?’
What made Damien worry more than anything was Juan and the mercenaries.
‘They’re too weak.’
It was a fact that Damien had felt in his past life as well. The six, including Juan, were not people suited for mercenaries.
Not only were they not talented in fighting but they were also short-tempered.
Thanks to Juan’s application of the training methods he learned as a knight trainee, they had barely managed to survive as mercenaries until now.
‘I can’t be with the mercenaries anymore.’
Unlike his past life, Damien had something to do now. No matter how precious the mercenaries were, he couldn’t be with them.
‘But if I leave them alone… they will definitely be in trouble someday.’
In his past life, it was almost impossible to count the number of times the mercenary group had been saved by Damien’s efforts in times of crisis.
‘It can’t be helped. They have to work hard to improve their skills.’
If you’re worried about not having the skills, you can train them.
Fortunately, Damien’s head was filled with the skills and levels of dozens of masters.
‘I can’t teach them very difficult skills. Then they won’t be able to learn it properly.’
But he couldn’t just give them anything. If he did, it would be too difficult for them to learn any of the movements properly.
“I can’t help it. I have to create something new.”
He needed a simple and effective weapon technique that even a dull person could learn.
Damien went outside and bought ink and paper.
He sat at the table and started thinking about the weapon techniques that he would teach his mercenaries friends.
That’s how the night got deeper.
***
While contemplating weapon techniques for the members, the day broke.
Damien packed his things and headed to the meeting place with the mercenaries.
“Oh, you’re here early.”
Juan greeted Damien with a warm smile.
In just one day, Juan’s mercenary group had changed a lot.
First of all, they were wearing sturdier armor than yesterday. Their weapons had also been replaced with new ones.
“Thanks to the generous commission, we were able to get new equipments.”
Juan said after noticing Damien’s gaze.
They had received a large sum of money but instead of squandering it, they had used it to upgrade their equipment.
It seemed obvious but most mercenaries did not make such choices. When they came into the matter of spending money, they would often squander it on alcohol and gambling.
Indeed, they were good at everything except fighting.
“Trust us firmly. We know the Longhost Mountains very well! And there are many thieves we know. We can avoid unnecessary fights!”
And so, the journey began.
“Here, the ground suddenly lowered, so we need to be careful.”
“That flower is poisonous, so don’t touch it. Even a brush against it can cause poisoning.”
“Eek, it’s a venomous snake. Let’s go around.”
As Juan confidently predicted, his guiding skills were impressive.
By following Juan’s instructions, they were able to avoid all dangers.
“That rock over there looks like the woman you mentioned.”
Juan pointed to a distant place. A strange rock was precariously perched at the edge of a cliff.
Damien unfolded the map. The map showed a complex path starting from that rock.
“I want to move in the direction that rock is facing.”
“Towards the valley. The other way is even more treacherous. You need to be well prepared.”
Juan was about to turn around.
At that moment, Damien said to Juan.
“Wait.”
“Why?”
“It’s an ambush.”
“Ambush? That can’t be. Thieves usually in deeper…”
Damien picked up a stone and threw it into the forest. With a hard sound, a scream erupted.
“Ah!”
A man grabbed his head and fell to the ground.
“Damn! We’ve been spotted!”
“Everyone, come out!”
Immediately, a group of people emerged from the forest.
Unlike their shabby clothes, they all held deadly weapons.
They didn’t look like normal people with regular jobs.
“You noticed the ambush! You’re not an ordinary guy!”
“What’s the use of that? If you’re outnumbered, you can’t do anything.”
The thieves poured out a series of insults towards Damien’s group.
“Get out of the way. You idiots who can’t even hide properly.”
Pushing aside the thieves, a bald man walked out.
‘He’s quite skilled.’
Surprisingly, the man was not an ordinary thief. Mana could be felt from his whole body.
“Hedgehog! What’s this all about? We’re paying the toll every time!”
After seeing the man, Juan shouted with an angry expression.
The man called Hedgehog replied, poking his ear with his finger.
“Well, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this either. But I heard that the person over there is rich.”
Hedgehog’s mouth twisted.
“If the person has that much wealth, wouldn’t it be better to rob them directly than to take a toll?”
“You haven’t heard the rumor properly! The client here is a knight who knows how to use aura!”
“Kuhahaha, a knight? A knight is fine, right?”
Hedgehog picked up the axe he had hanging on his back. The crimson aura enveloped the axe.
“I forgot. I’m also a knight. I’m just stuck in this backwater because I’m unlucky.”
It wasn’t for nothing that people were afraid of the Longhost Mountains.
Many of the criminals and thieves who flocked to the Longhost Mountains were former knights.
“Hey, you there. I’ll tell you in advance. I’m low class.”
Hedgehog pointed to himself with his thumb. He seemed quite satisfied with his status.
“…”
From Damien’s perspective, he wondered what he was supposed to do.
“Hahaha, are you speechless because you’re confused? I know guys like you well. They’ve just become knights and they came to the Longhost Mountains to make a name for themselves.”
Hedgehog pointed at Damien.
“Then five people who crossed me are already dead! Now you’ll be the sixth. Hahaha!”
Hedgehog shouted, pointing at Juan’s mercenaries.
“Kill them all! We don’t need hostages!”
The thieves rushed in with their weapons.
“Step back!”
Juan pushed Damien towards a large tree. Then he stood behind the tree, forming a shield wall.
Juan, Bolt, and Leg held up shields and blocked the surroundings. Behind them, Bread, Fish, and Bob held spears and waited.
“Come on! You son of bitches!”
“Cut off their heads!”
Juan, Bolt, and Leg threatened the thieves by striking their shields and swords. When the shields blocked their way, the thieves couldn’t easily approach.
At that moment, Bread, Fish, and Bob stabbed the thieves with their spears from behind.
“Ow! Ah! It really hurts!”
“These bastards! Do you really want to die?”
Because of the mercenaries’ solid defense, the thieves couldn’t easily approach.
‘Individually, they’re not that impressive, but in a group battle, they’re different.’
Although they had been underestimated by Griffin’s mercenaries, Juan’s mercenaries were actually quite exceptional. Thanks to Juan’s rigorous training, their stamina and perseverance were commendable. They were qualitatively different from thieves who just played around all day.
‘But apart from that, it’s pitiful.’
From Damien’s perspective, all their movements were incredibly sloppy.
If they changed their movements a little, they could more efficiently deal with the enemy.
If they targeted different areas to stab, they could kill them in one go.
That thought kept swirling in his mind.
‘But their attitude towards the employer is praiseworthy.’
Despite seeing Damien’s skills, the mercenaries didn’t ask for his help. They were only facing the thieves with their own strength.
Since they had received a reward, they were determined to give their money’s worth.
‘I’ve really met a good group of mercenaries.’
If it had been another mercenary group instead of Juan’s, even if they had accepted Damien, they would have used him as a shield and then discarded him.
“Damn it! What are you doing without killing them quickly!”
Hedgehog shouted angrily.
“If you act like this, you’ll know that you’ll die in my hands!”
The hedgehog unleashed its aura. Fear spread across the faces of the thieves.
Fear drove out fear. The thieves rushed forward more aggressively.
“Ah, aah!”
“Rather than being killed or crippled by the boss, it’s better to die here!”
The thieves rushed forward, sacrificing their lives. The thieves who couldn’t be stopped with spears started banging on the shields.
“These motherfuckers! Can’t you just get out of here!”
Juan shouted, slashing behind the shield. But he couldn’t swing his sword properly because he was holding a shield and had comrades on both sides.
The situation was the same for Juan as well as Bolt and Leg.
“Juan, Bolt, Leg. If you attack upwards, it’s ineffective because you can’t swing properly. Bring the sword down and stab them in the thigh.”
Then Damien who was watching all the fight from behind gave them advice. Juan shouted urgently.
“What the hell does that mean…….”
“If you stay like this, the shield will be penetrated. Do as I say right now!”
At Damien’s advice, Juan, Bolt, and Legs were startled and followed his instructions.
They stabbed the thighs of the approaching thieves with their swords. As the swords pierced their thighs, the thieves screamed.
“Aaah! You bastards!”
“My leg! My leg!”
The thighs were not only important for movement but also where major arteries and veins passed through.
If the thigh was pierced, not only would the ability to move be lost, but if you were lucky, you could even cut the femoral artery.
“Bread, Fish, Bob. The three of you are too weak to kill someone by stabbing them head-on with the spear. Strike down diagonally below.”
Damien gave instructions to the remaining three as well. The three of them followed Damien’s instructions without understanding a word.
“Crunch! Kweok!”
The spear was properly stuck in the thieves’ bodies. The thieves screamed and died.
“Juan! You lack the technique of using a shield! If you see the enemy coming, hit them with your shield! Don’t just stand there!”
“Bread! Get your head out of your ass! If you don’t want to die, don’t stop moving your hands!”
“Leg! What’s with the way you’re holding the spear? Hold it shorter!”
“Bob! What are you doing with that big body? Look far ahead and see if there are any dangerous guys!”
As soon as Damien gave the order, the situation began to change. Juan’s mercenaries began to overwhelm the thieves.
In the blink of an eye, more than ten thieves were killed or injured.
The remaining thieves couldn’t rush in recklessly. They just surrounded the area with fearful faces.
“You trash! I’ll clean up. Get out of the way!”
Hedgehog pushed the thieves aside and stepped forward. The thieves spread out, creating a path.
“You there, you coward! You’re also a knight, aren’t you? Come forward! Let’s fight like real men!”
Hedgehog raised his aura. The faces of Juan and his men turned pale at the tremendous power.
“If you want to die like that, there’s nothing I can do.”
Damien also stepped forward. Hedgehog looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“Where’s your weapon?”
“This is enough for someone like you.”
Damien raised his index finger. Blood vessels appeared in Hedgehog’s eyes.
“This kid… going to break all your fingers…”
Suddenly, Hedgehog’s movements stopped. Even though Damien didn’t approach, Hedgehog stood there, shaking all over.
A moment later, a zigzagging line of blood ran from the hedgehog’s head to its toes. The hedgehog’s body split into pieces and collapsed.
The spilled blood stained the ground. The smell of blood spread in all directions in an instant.
The place where Hedgehog was standing.
To be precise, a woman was standing there.
Her hair was disheveled like a homeless person and her demeanor was cunning.
“Hello?”
The woman smiled broadly. Her blood-red lips were parted up to her ears as if they had been smeared with blood.
‘…Why is that woman here?’
Damien knew exactly who the woman was.
A madwoman who reached the level of a master by being too absorbed in killing people.
A killer that Dorugo had tried to bring to his side, but it had failed, and she had died at Damien’s hands.
Killer Ghost.
She was right in front of him.
***
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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