Chapter 11 Into the Shadows （2）
As the sun dipped beneath the horizon and the last traces of daylight faded, I left the inn and made my way toward the abandoned district.
The streets of Altheria had grown quieter, most citizens retreating to their homes as lanterns flickered to life along the paths.
The warm buzz of the market had vanished, replaced by the occasional whistle of wind through narrow alleys.
My footsteps echoed as I walked alone through the emptying streets. The memory of what happened earlier still lingered in my mind. I muttered to myself, “If that guy was willing to go that far just for being humiliated once... then his boss has to be even worse.”
That kind of blind loyalty wasn’t normal—it was dangerous.
I clenched my fists as I continued walking.
If they’re allowed to keep operating here, someone innocent will eventually get hurt. Maybe a lot of people.
I paused near the edge of town, gazing at the crooked, rusted gates that marked the entrance to the abandoned district. Beyond them, the streets were darker, colder—completely silent. The wind howled through broken windows and shattered rooftops like a warning.
This might be the first time… I actually kill someone, I thought.
I took a breath and stepped forward.
As soon as I crossed into the district, a strong gust of wind rushed past me, carrying with it the smell of dust, rusted iron, and decay. The atmosphere shifted. It wasn’t just quiet—it was tense, like the buildings themselves were holding their breath.
Then a voice rang out from the shadows.
“You shouldn’t be wandering around here. It’s dangerous.”
I stopped immediately, my eyes narrowing.
A figure emerged from the darkness—tall, familiar, and cloaked in a heavy black coat.
“Guild Master?” I said in surprise.
He stepped into the moonlight, his expression grim. “Raito, what the hell are you doing here?”
I lowered my guard slightly and replied, “I could ask you the same thing.”
He didn’t look amused.
So, I explained everything—how I was followed, the ambush at the bell tower, and what that beaten man had told me. Then I added firmly, “If they’re willing to go that far over a small defeat, there's no way I’m letting them roam free. Not when innocent people could get caught in the crossfire.”
The Guild Master crossed his arms. “Then what exactly are you planning to do?”
I gave a faint grin. “Simple. I’m going to kill every single one of them.”
He looked at me, stunned. For a moment, he didn’t speak.
Then, a new voice echoed from a nearby alleyway. Calm. Confident.
“So you plan to take them all down by yourself, huh? Gutsy, kid.”
Another figure stepped out of the shadows—this one clad in polished silver armor that shimmered under the moonlight. His cape billowed slightly in the breeze, and the way he carried himself made it clear he wasn’t just a soldier.
“Who are you?” I asked, keeping my eyes on him.
Before the man could answer, the Guild Master let out a sigh and introduced him. “This is Sir Kael, the Captain of Altheria’s knights. He’s been helping me investigate Brugo and his gang for weeks.”
“A knight captain?” I raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t expect that.”
Kael gave a curt nod. “We’ve been gathering evidence to charge Brugo and his men. Until tonight, it wasn’t enough to act on.”
I tilted my head. “Brugo… so that’s the name of the guy in charge?”
The Guild Master nodded. “Yes. Brugo is the leader of the gang you’re planning to wipe out. But listen, Raito—you don’t need to play the hero here. Let us handle it. We’ve got knights, adventurers, and now enough to move officially. You can walk away.”
I smirked and shook my head. “Yeah, no thanks. I already sent a message to Brugo that I’m coming for him.
If I back down now, it’ll make me look like a joke.
Besides…” I looked off into the shadows.
“It’s not like I’m trying to be a hero. I just don’t like the way those guys act.
People like that don’t deserve to live.”
Kael stepped forward slightly. “If you’re seriously planning to take them down yourself… then I have a proposal.”
I looked at him. “I’m listening.”
He crossed his arms. “Like the Guild Master said, we’ve gathered enough evidence tonight to act. We were preparing to arrest them—or put a bounty on their heads by morning. But if you really do manage to kill Brugo tonight, the mayor has agreed to offer a large reward for taking him out.”
I gave a short chuckle. “I didn’t need the mayor to get involved. Just give it to the Guild Master. I’ll claim it through him. I’m not interested in drawing more attention to myself.”
Kael raised an eyebrow, but nodded respectfully. “Understood. But if things go south, we’ll be standing by. You can signal us anytime, and we’ll be there—ready to step in.”
I gave him a glance and nodded. “Thanks… but that won’t be necessary.”
As I ventured deeper into the abandoned district, a faint light flickered in the distance. I quickly ducked behind the nearest crumbling house, blending into the shadows. Activating my [Advanced Search] skill, I scanned the area within a 30-kilometer radius.
Sure enough, about ten individuals were lying in wait with bows drawn, hidden in elevated positions. Another thirty were gathered deeper within the district, surrounding Brugo. I narrowed my eyes.
"Pathetic," I muttered to myself. "They can’t even fight fair."
Silently, I summoned the Glacier Sword, its blade humming with chilling energy.
I moved like a shadow, slinking along the alleyways, my presence masked.
One by one, I approached the archers, freezing and dispatching them before they could make a sound.
The last one nearly caught on, his head turning slightly—too late.
With a swift stroke, I beheaded him, catching his head by the hair before it could hit the ground.
With cold resolve, I carried the severed head toward Brugo’s encampment. As I stepped into the open, the crowd of thugs fell silent. Their attention locked onto me. Brugo stood at the center, flanked by the man who had ambushed me the day before.
“That’s him!” the man shouted. “That’s the brat who’s challenging your rule, boss!”
Without a word, I tossed the severed head onto the ground. It landed with a heavy thud in front of them. The man who had spoken screamed and stumbled backward, falling in fear.
Brugo's eyes narrowed as he looked at the head, then at me. “So… you’re the little pest that’s been meddling in my turf.”
“Meddling?” I scoffed. “Your guy picked a fight with me first. And now? I’m just fed up with you bastards.”
Brugo sneered. “You’ve got a big mouth, brat. You should learn your place. Kill him!”
At his command, the thugs surrounded me, weapons drawn and ready. But I couldn’t help but laugh.
Brugo blinked, confused by my reaction.
With a sharp motion, I stabbed my Glacier Sword into the ground and shouted, “Frost Prison!”
In a flash, an icy mist exploded outward from the sword’s point of contact.
Crystalline frost raced across the ground and up the legs of every enemy around me.
In mere seconds, dozens of thugs were completely frozen, locked in place with sheer terror etched into their faces.
Only Brugo remained partially free, his body frozen from the neck down.
His eyes widened in horror as he shouted, “What the hell just happened?!”
I stepped forward calmly, surveying the frozen scene. Without a word, I summoned my Flare Sword in my right hand and raised it to the sky.
“Wildfire Blade.”
Flames erupted from the blade, extending it to an enormous fifteen feet in length. The heat shimmered in the night air as I spun in place and swung the fiery sword in a wide arc.
The frozen statues of Brugo’s men shattered into icy fragments with a sound like breaking glass.
Only Brugo and the guy remained.
As Brugo remained the only one left standing, he roared in blind rage, veins bulging across his neck. "You damn brat! You'll pay for that!"
Cracks began to splinter across the thick ice imprisoning his body.
A surge of mana exploded around him, and with a loud shatter, the frost crumbled away.
I didn’t hesitate—I dashed forward, the frost still swirling in the air behind me.
Just as I landed in front of him, Brugo broke free completely and swung his massive sword down at me with brute strength.
I raised my Glacier Sword and parried the blow, steel clashing with a deafening clang.
Sparks flew. Our eyes locked. His were filled with hatred and desperation—mine with calm resolve.
Ice began creeping up his sword and arm from the point of contact.
His expression twisted into shock as he realized what was happening.
Using his distraction, I switched to offense.
I channeled fire into my Flare Sword, its blade glowing bright red.
With one powerful swing, I unleashed a flaming arc of energy, slicing through the frost and sending Brugo flying backward.
He crashed through a crumbling wall with a grunt, smoke and dust trailing his body.
He groaned, pushing himself up. A searing, molten slash marked his chest, glowing against his armor. He howled in agony and rage, then smash his sword into the ground and roared, “Stone Fang!”
From beneath hes feet, jagged stone pillars erupted, hurtling toward me like the jaws of a colossal beast. I met his spell with one of my own, swinging the Glacier Sword upward and yelling, “Iceberg Crystals!”
A wave of icy pillars surged from the ground in front of me, crashing into the stone pillars. The two forces collided in an explosion of rock and ice, kicking up a massive dust cloud that swallowed the battlefield in gray.
The moment visibility dropped, I took the chance. I channeled my mana into the Glacier Sword and shouted, “Ice Shackle!”
Hundreds of razor-sharp ice spikes burst from the blade, launching forward like a storm of frozen spears.
The blizzard of magic tore through the fog, revealing Brugo on the other side just as the first wave reached him.
He tried to block the spikes, swinging his sword wildly.
He managed to deflect the first set, but the second barrage pierced through his guard—jagged icicles stabbed into his shoulder, thigh, and side.
He staggered.
I raised my Flare Sword high, the blade glowing intensely. Fire pulsed through it, heat warping the air. Then I charged.
He raised his weapon to strike me down, but I was faster. With one swift move, I sliced through his arm with the Glacier Sword. Brugo screamed, stumbling back in shock and pain. And before he could fall, I followed through, cleaving his neck with the Flare Sword.
His body froze in place, then collapsed. Silent.
Ash and ice drifted around me.
I stood over the lifeless body of Brugo, blood sizzling on the Flare Sword’s edge, my breath heavy from the battle. My mind was quiet—but not at peace.
"Tch… that was disappointing. Ended too quickly," I muttered, brushing the dust off my shoulder. "Well, I guess I shouldn’t have expected much from a mere C-rank. That Goblin King was way more dangerous."
I looked down at him.
“You chose this,” I muttered.
Even now, part of me wondered if this was the right path. But I knew one thing for sure—if I let men like Brugo continue, more innocent people would suffer. I couldn’t ignore that. I wouldn’t.
“Even if I don’t want to be a hero…” I said to my self, sliding both swords back into my item box. “…it looks like I still can't escape the duty of one.”
"So this is what it feels like…" I murmured. "This is the first time I've actually killed someone."
As the wind picked up, rustling the ashes and frost in the air.
And the abandoned district had fallen to silent.