040. Predator (4)
The slash-and-burn village, with bright torches burning here and there until late at night, seemed as if a festival had been held. Except that the guys carrying the torches are murderous bandits.
“We are dividing into teams to search, but their whereabouts are unclear. Judging from the general direction of movement, it appears to be heading towards the Carthaginian gateway in the north, but I am not sure.”
“It wasn’t easy to track him because he left the road early in the first place… … .”
Jerome, who was listening to the report with a cold face, spit out words as if he were chewing.
“Does it make sense that the entire search team was released and we haven’t encountered a single one so far?”
“A search team was attacked by these guys, boss. But it wasn’t long after they escaped, so they must have already been far away.”
“There is also a search team member whose whereabouts are unknown. Maybe he was attacked too… … .”
“It’s dark now and it’s hard to find any traces. “Even if we try to send in trackers, it will have to be after sunrise tomorrow.”
Rodrigo stood next to Jerome, stopped listening to the report and glanced at a corner of the hut.
Cayenne, who was quieter than usual, was sitting there, holding her head. To all who saw him, he seemed like a young son who was despondent over his mother’s death.
However, Rodrigo, who had known him quite deeply, knew that Cayenne was not the kind of person who cared about such things. I don’t know why, but the boy’s condition didn’t seem normal right now.
And his guess was correct. After Marta died at the bottom of the cliff earlier, Cayenne had been suffering from severe headaches. That suspicious devil worshiper had done something to the boy.
‘Head hurts… … .’
Cayenne bit her lip.
He simply tried to devour Martha’s soul, which he had been devouring for a long time, before he died. Because the soul of a completely dead person was tasteless.
[Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…
[Why me! Why me! Why me!]
[AslanAslanAslanAslan… … .]
Strange howling sounds can be heard from beyond the mountain. Sounds that only Cayenne can hear here.
Usually, it was fun to hear those stupid things crying, but now it was only making his headaches worse and worse.
The soul fragments that were spilled here and there on the mountain were precious things that died before they could all be eaten. I had decided not to waste anything like that anymore, but an unexpected person interfered.
‘What was it? That guy… … .’
When I first saw him, I thought he was just an ordinary guy, but his soul suddenly appeared before Cayenne’s eyes and was surrounded by an unusual light. Cayenne had never seen such a brilliant and overwhelming light before.
And right after he appeared, Cayenne was suffering from strange tinnitus and severe headaches. Just trying to interfere with another person’s soul makes me vomit.
Rodrigo hesitantly approached the boy who was sweating and groaning. This is one of the souls that Cayenne has been diligently devouring recently.
His weakened soul had already become nothing more than a puppet carrying out Kaien’s orders. Unlike the sensitive Martha, Rodrigo is just so stupid and dull that he does not recognize the sense of discomfort.
“… Go to the gates of Carthage, Rodrigo.”
Cayenne ordered without even looking at Rodrigo’s face.
No matter which way they escape, they will eventually have to go through the Carthaginian Gate. He won’t be able to stay hidden in the mountains for long since he is suffering from alcoholism.
“Kill them.”
Rodrigo, who saw a strange madness flowing through the boy’s eyes, trembled involuntarily. It was a fear deeply engraved in my soul without my knowledge.
“Kill them all, Rodrigo.”
* * *
Aslan woke up early in the morning.
It was because I heard something like a quiet conversation next to me.
“… Okay, has it arrived? You must have had a hard time making it on time. “Please tell Enrique the meeting place.”
“So, how is Mores doing?”
“I guess that was a little hasty. Was there any need to be in such a hurry?”
what? What are you talking about?
“The one in the basement. “It seems like it wasn’t that important to him, as he tried to use it right away just because I was away.”
“… No, I didn’t avoid it on purpose… … .”
“… I’m sorry. “I definitely didn’t run away because I didn’t want to play chess.”
Ah, this was Bart’s voice. But instead of having a conversation, I’m talking to myself.
“Yes, I guess so. For the time being, chess will be played twice a week… … .”
“… So it’s not that I don’t like it… … .”
I don’t know what it is, but I think I really hate it. The voice is slowly getting louder.
Aslan opened his eyes and called out to him in confusion.
“… Bart?”
He can be seen leaning against the entrance to the cave. I was obviously alone, but who was I talking to?
However, I was still half asleep and saw something strange through my blurred vision. In front of Bart, two vague, smoke-like shapes were glimmering.
Is it a ghost? Light pink and light blue shadows… … .
Aslan blinked, and before he knew it, the strange shadow had disappeared. He rubbed his eyes again and looked, but Bart was the only one at the cave entrance.
Did you see something because you were tired?
However, there was something that caught Aslan’s attention more than the ghost he saw in his sleep, and that was Bart’s face. Bart’s face, silently looking at him, felt oddly unfamiliar.
Aslan asked quietly.
“Hey, Bart. Was your hair that color originally? It feels a little dark… … .”
His hair, which I thought was dark brown, definitely looks darker than yesterday, even under the faint morning sunlight.
It felt like my face had changed slightly. Before, I was handsome with straight features, but I felt like my impression was a bit blurry, but somehow my impression became clearer and I felt like I looked better somehow? Huh?
The only thing that was no different from before was the silver-grey eyes that occasionally had a strange luster.
Bart pulled his hair and looked around at Aslan’s words, then nodded.
“Because I’ve been here for quite some time. “The tuning rate will gradually increase.”
Sync rate? What does that mean?
As I was staring at him blankly, Old Man Max, who had been tossing and turning behind me, opened his eyes and yawned.
“Off. Being homeless at this age? But somehow my back, which hurts every morning, is okay and I can handle it.”
He didn’t seem to notice anything unusual about Bart. Is it because it is such a subtle change?
Aslan alone tilted his head, Bart stood up, patted the hem of his robe, and said.
“From now on, it’s a race against time. “They will eventually chase us to the Carthaginian gate, so now we will aim to get to the gate as quickly as possible without worrying about leaving traces.”
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They say they paid attention to the traces so far. I thought you ran away blindly to avoid being pursued?
As Aslan foolishly opened his mouth, Bart slightly raised one corner of his mouth.
“Maybe if they try to follow the rules, they’ll have to get a little lost.”
Now then, let’s get started.
Soon, a waterfall of divine power, heralding the forced march ahead, poured down on the two people’s heads.
To their surprise, they were able to reach a well-maintained passageway around noon. I crossed the rugged peak of the western mountain range in just one day, accompanied by an elderly man. Of course, it was the end of a hellish march of chewing dry food while walking and frequently using divine power.
My body continued to recover and was fine, but it was still difficult and it was a schedule that drained my mental power.
Now just keep going down the passage and you will arrive at the gates of Carthage in just a few hours. A look of relief flashed across the faces of Aslan and Old Man Max.
“It is still too early to be at ease. “If they had run their horses through the road that had been maintained since yesterday, they might just barely catch up.”
Bart, who said that, also looked pale.
Aslan looked at him with a slightly worried face. My body, which still had no Aura activated, was very anxious as I didn’t know when it would fall, and the cloth under the handcuffs that I had been swinging around since yesterday was already soaked in blood here and there. Of course, if you unwrap the fabric, your arm will actually be fine.
Above all, was it okay to pour out divine power like that?
Bart walked to the side of the road, sat down on a large stone, and spoke.
“Time is a little tight, but we have to wait here for a contact plan.”
“A contact plan?”
“You can’t sneak through the gate, right?”
ah. Aslan and Old Man Max’s expressions became solemn.
This is a fact they have tried to ignore until now. Even if they arrive in Carthage safely, how will they get through the gate with uncertainty about their identity?
Fortunately, it seemed like Bart had a solution. He muttered in an indifferent tone, looking into space.
“This guy shouldn’t be too late… … .”
At the same time as those words were said, someone suddenly landed in front of them. It was as if the ghost had suddenly appeared without any sign on the open road, making me cry.
He was a man dressed in black from top to bottom, and except for the long scar running from the corner of his mouth to his chin, he was a quiet-looking young man who looked like a scholar.
The man glanced at Aslan and Old Man Max, who were startled and took a step back, then walked in front of Bart and got down on one knee.
“your majesty.”
It appears to be a sphere for Bart.
your majesty? Aslan froze at the unexpected title, and Bart faintly raised the corner of his mouth.
“My senses have become so dull that I didn’t even notice you came, Enrique.”
“This is number 21. your majesty.”
“… … .”
As the man responded bluntly, Bart, who sensed something unusual, kept his mouth shut.
Sure enough, the man quickly poured out his complaints in a harsh tone.
“How on earth did this happen? Do you know how surprised I was when I heard that he ordered me to investigate the merchant and slash-and-burn villages, and then suddenly appeared at the Asin branch the next night? If you just wait quietly like before, won’t I be able to bring you news on my own? “What on earth was so urgent this time?”
“I’m sorry about that, Enrique. Strangely, I don’t have a good feeling about this… … .”
“This is number 21, Your Majesty. Thanks to this, the central branch of the guild’s capital is not in chaos right now! “If you just give out a bunch of difficult and difficult instructions and then disappear like that, what on earth are you going to do with the people working under you?”
“that… … .”
“Where is that? Why are you suddenly notifying us to join you from far across the border? Even the fastest dispatcher on the continent can’t move like that! Even so, I’ve been running from Delcross to here for the past four days without being able to sleep, so how much… … .”
The man trailed off. Even though the tone is blunt and casual, strangely, the anger boiling up in it that cannot be fully contained is vividly conveyed. Aslan just blinked and looked at the two people.
It seems that Bart also sensed his intense anger. He secretly noticed and extended his hand towards the hesitant man’s forehead. Soon, a bright light appeared from his hand, and the man’s dark eyes instantly became soft.
But what the man noticed was something else. He grabbed the handcuffs in front of him and looked at the blood-soaked bandage and Bart’s face in turn.
“What is this?”
“It was like this when I opened my eyes in Asin. “At first, I did something, and it turned out to be quite useful for hitting people in an emergency.”
The man’s expression became strange.
“Could it be possible that this was filled to be used as a weapon?”
“… hmm.”
Bart’s face became noticeably depressed.
“Tell the Asean branch leader that if he has any complaints, he can speak out.”
“I’ll try, but I don’t know. “There are so many complaints, so isn’t this a protest to come and hear it in person?”
“… … .”
“Now that Your Majesty cannot use Auror, is there anyone else around here who can cut off Your Majesty’s handcuffs with an Auror blade without cutting off His arm?”
But Bart, who heard those harsh words, unexpectedly raised his head with a slightly brighter face.
“Even if that’s not the case, I have something in mind. I couldn’t bear to ask that child a favor, so I hesitated… … .”
Then No. 21, Enrique’s eyes became harsh.
“I can see what you’re thinking. If you just roughly cut off the handcuffs, the cut arm will reattach itself. Even if the arm falls off, it can be reattached. Well, is that what you want to say? “I’m sorry, but I don’t have the talent to cut a piece of iron like this with a single knife.”
“No, rather… … .”
“I’m sure you’re not just asking me to cut off your arm, are you? “I don’t do that.”
“… … .”
Wow, the resilience surpasses common sense and the scope of the idea is extraordinary.
Aslan, who was listening to their conversation next to him, swallowed his saliva without realizing it and thought so.
fantasy,
