Chapter 82

Chapter 82. Take Out the Leader

It was noisy outside. Shouts and screams, the monsters’ shrieks, the ring of steel, and the sound of buildings collapsing mixed together and stabbed mercilessly into his ears. Just from the noise alone, it was obvious how chaotic the current situation was.

However, Balun did not so much as blink. It seemed a melee had already broken out, but that did not mean he needed to rush out in a panic, did it?

It was truly unfortunate that there would be casualties, but that did not mean he was burning with enough justice to step forward.

Because Balun did not think of himself as a hero in the slightest.

He was merely a selfish little citizen.

To be honest, he had intended to run away without caring whether others died or not, so was it not rather commendable that he had changed his mind and decided to fight? Should he not be praised instead?

And that praise should probably come in the form of money rather than mere words.

After all, one had to receive something before giving something in return.

What if he simply went out, fought without any compensation, and performed tremendous feats, only for this damned mayor to wipe his mouth clean and pretend he knew nothing?

What if the mayor got angry at him instead, saying, ‘You fought because you wanted to, so why are you telling me to give you money? Why do you not get out of my sight at once?’

What would he do then?

Would he just stare at him, blinking like a mute who had eaten honey?

Even if he fought well without injury, the odds of that happening were fairly high. And what if he got hurt? What if, by some chance, he lost an arm or a leg?

Would the mayor not completely erase his earlier groveling attitude and coldly order, ‘What is this crippled bastard doing, coming to me and making a fuss? Remove this thing from my presence at once!’?

Of course, that was only the worst-case scenario in his imagination, but Balun thought there was a meaningful chance that imagination could realistically come true.

No, the world was so cold and ruthless, so why would he expect goodwill?

Politicians were filthy and vile, so would they really look after a mere Barbarian mercenary?

Absolutely not.

They would make a fuss trying to get rid of him somehow. Especially when Mayor Emil had already been squeezed out of 500 gold by him.

“100 gold. I will give you 100 gold. What do you say?”

“I will not do it.”

“T-Then 200 gold! A full double! With this much, you should not feel slighted.”

Of course.

Even now, was this not exactly what was happening? Even in this situation, Emil was trying to pay as little money as possible.

“You do not seem that desperate. Then I should just leave.”

“No! I truly did my best! I do not have much money! As it is, my expenses have suddenly increased because I had to urgently sign contracts with other mercenaries! Please understand!”

Emil clasped and rubbed his hands together like a fly while pleading, but Balun only snorted.

“Do not try to trick me. Balun knows everything. Mayor, you are rich.”

“Rich? What are you talking about...?”

“Mayor belongs to a wealthy merchant family. That much money is a small amount to you, Mayor. Are you going to say I am wrong?”

“T-That is...”

Cold sweat flowed down Emil’s face.

Whether Emil did or not, Balun took a notebook and a fountain pen from his breast pocket, then spoke as he wrote in front of him.

“Let us do this. A basic contract fee of 500 gold. If I render distinguished service, an additional performance bonus.”

“What? That will not do! That is far too much!”

Emil jumped in shock. His thick flesh quivered.

“What kind of mercenary takes hundreds of gold for a single contract! Even Gold Badge Mercenaries do not receive that much, and are you not a Silver Badge?”

“What does it matter whether I am a Silver Badge or not? That is how much I receive. The Blue Magic Tower, the Red Magic Tower, and the Rotenfeld Family all gave me large sums of money. If you want to hire me, Mayor, you have to give me that much too. If you dislike it, forget it.”

“Ugh.”

“I am leaving. The tea was good.”

“I will stamp it! I will stamp it!”

Emil brought his seal and slammed it down as if venting his anger. Seeing his tearful expression, Balun lifted his backside and stood.

“I will be back. Prepare the money.”

After giving that notice, Balun abruptly left.

With an expression as if the world had collapsed, Emil watched Balun’s departing back and muttered.

“He is a thief. A complete thief. A thief wearing the skin of a Barbarian...”

Emil hoped that since he had spent so much money, that bastard would achieve incredible results.

***

The battle had broken out in the densely populated residential district outside the eastern gate of the outer city.

Centered around the shopping district, it was a place where single-story wooden buildings stood packed closely together, forming a maze of complicated alleys. It was an outer residential district where the lower class of Mirehal lived.

The vanguard of the Lizardman group had already pushed this far in, roaming through alleys here and there while smacking their long lizard tails against the ground.

Balun climbed onto the city wall to confirm with his own eyes that this complicated urban battle was taking place.

When he climbed up the stone stairs onto the city wall, a soldier was startled and tried to send Balun back down.

“What? Who are you? Get lost! This is not a place you can climb up as you please!”

“I am a mercenary. I signed a contract with the mayor as well. I also received permission to come up.”

“What? The mayor hired you...?”

“Yes. I came to assess the situation, so do not mind me. I will go back down soon anyway.”

“H-How am I supposed to believe that?”

“Should I confirm it for you? Shall we go to the mayor right now?”

“Huh? No, that is not...”

“Then clear the way. I am going up to the watchtower.”

“No matter how much you are a hired mercenary, I cannot allow that. Not just anyone can come up h—eek!”

“Will you move after getting hit, or will you just move?”

“I-I will move! I said I will move!”

He did not understand why people only listened after he used force.

It would be nice if they moved when he asked nicely.

Only after a few more scuffles could Balun climb up to the watchtower.

He even proved his identity several times by showing his Silver Badge and so on, but they still did not believe him.

Those damned bastards.

This was discrimination against Barbarians, was it not?

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed that way.

“Mm, there certainly are quite a few.”

The sight unfolded below him at a glance.

If he were to describe that impression in a single phrase, it was the very picture of a disaster about to happen.

Dark green lizard monsters were swarming around and causing chaos, and ugh.

It was somewhat revolting to look at.

For starters, Lizardmen stank from the beginning, and it felt as though that smell was rising all the way up to the watchtower on the city wall.

“How many are there in total?”

“I do not know. But what is certain is that this is not all of them. More are coming. Would there be around five hundred?”

Balun had simply muttered to himself in surprise, but the soldier beside him answered. He seemed to have mistaken it for a question.

“But, Barbarian. What are you going to do by looking at this? It is not as if you have a bow.”

“That is true.”

“Then what is the point of doing this? Would it not be better to go down and help? Are you going to let that big axe of yours go to waste?”

“Are you an idiot? I have to come up with a strategy before deciding whether to go fight or not.”

“What? An idiot?”

“If I just charge in and fight recklessly because monsters have attacked, how would that make me any different from those things? Is that not right?”

The soldier let out a hollow laugh, as if he found it absurd.

What could be more absurd than being called an idiot by a Barbarian?

“Then what is this strategy? Let me hear it. I want to know what kind of grand strategy you have.”

“That is simple. I find the leader.”

“And if you find it?”

“I kill it. Monsters usually become idiots once their leader is gone.”

“Ha! Do you think it is that easy? If it were as easy as you say, why would everyone be so afraid of Monster Waves?”

At the sarcastic remark, Balun spoke without even turning his head.

“As expected, you really are an idiot.”

“What?”

“There is no such thing as an easy war in the first place. No matter what I choose, it will be difficult anyway. If it will be difficult no matter what, then choosing the best method is always right.”

The soldier shut his mouth for a moment. He had nothing to say.

But did he feel rebellious?

The soldier’s mouth did not stop.

“T-Then! Looking at it that way, can you even find it? Can you find out who the leader is among all those lizard monsters? There is no way you can—”

“Of course I can.”

“Huh? You can?”

“Yes. I found it.”

Balun’s eyes reached the edge of his field of vision. There was one far in the distance.

“Where? Where is it?”

“You would not know even if I told you. It is not easy to figure out.”

“What kind of nonsense is th—hey, what are you doing!”

The soldier was horrified. Balun had suddenly stepped outside the watchtower.

Outside the watchtower was immediately below the city wall, and the watchtower was quite high.

It was a height where falling would definitely cause serious injury.

“Hey! Are you trying to kill yourself? Come back in! Come ba—!”

WHOOSH!

Balun threw himself outside the watchtower.

His massive, muscular body landed below.

THUUUD!

It produced a massive tremor through the ground.

The tremor was so great that the Lizardmen swarming around and moving together lost their balance for a moment.

“Insane. What is that...?”

Even after jumping down from such a height, Balun moved as though nothing had happened and drew his axe. The soldier could not close his mouth as he watched him.

***

‘I feel as if I have become some kind of monster. To think I am fine even after jumping down from such a height.’

Balun shook his head and released the strength he had put into his body. The Enhancement Art applied throughout his body came undone, and his flesh returned to its original state. Then the numbness spreading through both his legs felt even stronger.

It was because of the impact from jumping down from the watchtower.

Still, it only felt numb, and there was no major problem. It was proof that a body strengthened by Enhancement Art was sturdy enough to cover even the insane act of jumping down from the top of a watchtower.

If Enhancement Art used lightly could do this much, then in his Awakened State, he probably would not even feel this numbness at all.

Balun moved immediately. As he walked, he drew a map in his head. The map he had seen from above the watchtower.

‘The allies are gathered near the center and the city gate. In that case, I will slip toward the outer edge and strike from the side.’

If they had been his fellow tribesmen, he would have joined them and fought alongside them, but these people were strangers.

The forces currently fighting were a collection of several groups. Soldiers, Knights, mercenaries, swordsmen affiliated with the Swordsmanship Guild, and more. More than six or seven different groups were fighting in their own ways without being integrated with one another.

In other words, their command structure was divided among several heads, which meant it would be difficult for them to exert proper strength.

Could he really entrust his back to such people?

If he fell into danger, would they truly save him?

There was no way they would. That was why Balun chose to act alone.

If he could not trust others to guard his back, then he would simply not trust them. He would trust only himself. Balun had always lived that way, and he made the same judgment this time as well.

‘In any case, I need to open a path if I am going to take down the Lizardman Leader. Companions without trust would only get in the way.’

Balun ran. It was a place he had come to for the first time, but there was no hesitation. That was because he had already decided on his route when he looked down from the watchtower.

How could he open a path to the Lizardman Leader effectively without putting himself in too much danger?

There was only one answer. He would deliberately choose narrow alleys.

A narrow alley itself had the effect of limiting the attack route, so it was effective for a small number of people like him to defend. At the very least, if he fought while passing through a place like this, he would not be surrounded.

Of course, even then, it would not be easy.

SKREECH!

CLANG!

At the chilling sensation that suddenly flashed through his mind, Balun urgently raised Blue Moon to block. The scimitar held by a Lizardman was blocked by Blue Moon and trembled violently.

It had been hiding in the alley, then had sprung out and launched a surprise attack.

As Balun looked into the reptilian eyes split lengthwise, a strange thought abruptly arose.

‘Did Lizardmen originally know how to launch surprise attacks like this?’

Lizardmen did have some intelligence, but he did not think they were the kind of creatures that used this sort of strategy.

The Lizardman’s powerful strength transmitted through the hand holding Blue Moon. Leaving the vibrating numbness behind, Balun shoved the scimitar away with all his might, drew Crimson Moon with his right hand, and slashed across its chest. In that instant, the muscles in Balun’s right arm bulged.

STAB!

SKREECH!

The Lizardman’s hard scales split open like a lump of meat, spraying blood.

‘Ugh, the smell is disgusting.’

This was why he hated Lizardmen.

“Move, move!”

Even though he had cut down one, there were still many enemies. Even accounting for the alley, there were as many as four Lizardmen in front of Balun.

Their scimitars thrust forward wildly. Their sword strikes had no technique at all, but they were attacks filled with strength that looked down on humans, so he absolutely could not ignore them.

Balun dropped the handaxes in both his hands to the ground, picked up Black Moon, and drew in a deep breath.

“Hooop!”

The Mana dwelling in his bones and muscles condensed to the limit. Feeling the power gathered to its threshold, he swung Black Moon horizontally.

BOOOOM!

With a tremendous explosive roar, the blades of the four scimitars thrusting toward him shattered with a crash.

Even then, an enormous amount of power remained.

VMMMM!

Unable to contain that overflowing force, Black Moon cried out as he was swung.

SLAAASH!

And he cut through the necks of all four Lizardmen at once.

“Whoa.”

Balun’s eyes widened as he saw the four Lizardmen’s heads shoot into the sky, spraying fountains of blood.

Because he had not felt any sensation of cutting at all.

‘Insane. What is with this power?’

He had not even swung it with that much strength, yet it produced such power?

Lizardmen’s necks were so tough, yet they had been cut as if they were tofu...

‘How much stronger would it be if I struck with full power?’

VMMMM!

Judging from how the big axe kept crying out fiercely even though Balun had not spoken to him, Black Moon must have liked it too.