Volume 5 Chapter 21: The Attackers’ Fates

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Author: 夜州 (Yashu)

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The cavalry heading toward the Esfortean party got closer quickly.

Claude and the other escorts gathered at the very back, with the escorting knights standing in front of the prisoner transport bus to protect the students and teachers inside it.

Of course, Cain was the strongest person in the country, no, in the whole world.

He stood in the line with Claude’s party and the other adventurers to greet the coming cavalry.

“But still, to think they’d attack us. It seems like some people are just plain stupid.”

“Well, we have the ultimate weapon (Cain) too.”

Claude confidently pulled out his sword, and Lina held her staff at the ready. Milly and Nina also readied their own weapons.

–– Then, the horsemen stopped in front of them.

The people there were not only private soldiers and adventurers, but there were also some who seemed to belong to the criminal underworld.

From among the over two hundred people, all holding their own weapons and getting ready to be able to enter battle whenever, one of them stepped forward.

The evilly grinning man was Malph Vandega.

“So Silford’s here as well. Perfect. Due to you, I lost most of my savings. Now I will pay you back in turn.”

“Once we’ve disposed of this lot, we can do what we want with the women, right?”

“Not the princesses. We can sell them for a lot if we enslave them. But you can do what you want with the others. But, make sure to kill that silver-haired boy no matter what.”

“Yes, got it.”

Cain sighed at the conversation between Malph and a man robed entirely in black who was likely from the Dark Guild.

Similarly, Claude and the other three also heaved huge sighs. However, two of the B-Rank adventurers, who didn’t really know Cain all that well, nervously asked Claude.

“Claude-san, there’s only this many of us, what do we do!?”

The adventurer asked anxiously, to which Claude smiled, his teeth visible.

“Not a problem at all. I mean, with Cain here, we’re pretty useless, y’know?”

While the adventurer was surprised by Claude’s answer, Cain smiled bitterly at it.

“?! Cain’s that student right? One kid can’t manage that many people on his own.”

“No, if he went all-out… Even if we became his enemies, we’d be killed in a split second. He’s an S-Rank adventurer-sama.”

“Eh, did you say S-Rank!? You’ve got to be kidding. If he is, then…”

Normally, it would be difficult to deal with that many people. While the adventurers had been prepared to not come out of this alive, they patted their chests in relief when Claude gave them some hope.

While Cain and the others were talking, Malph’s people were moving to surround them, but they showed no signs of attacking.

When Cain and Malph’s eyes met, Malph grinned.

Simultaneously with that, the sound of galloping horses came from behind Cain and the others. Cain instantly used Search, and the reactions of hundreds of people pinged back to him.

“It seems like they made it in time.”

Malph muttered with a grin.

“Claude-san, there’s enemies behind us too… several hundred of them.”

“What!? Cain… what do we do?”

Claude didn’t seem to have expected to be attacked from both front and behind, and his leisurely expression disappeared.

“I’ll deal with the people coming from the back for the time being. While I do that, please protect this place with your lives.”

“All right. Leave here to us.”

Nodding at Claude’s words, Cain turned around.

“Oh, right. I can at least do this much.”

Said Cain, pulling out his sword and swinging it once.

With just that, a tear in the ground spanning over two meters, and twenty meters long, was made.

““““……””””

Claude, Lina, Milly and Nina, as well as their opponents were all stunned.

In one swing.

Cain had that much power.

“Please take care of the rest.”

With those words, Cain ran to the back.

“Cain is absolutely ridiculous. Alright, Lina, Nina. We’re protecting this place.”

The six adventurers gazed at their hostile opponents, stances ready to fight.

◇◇◇

Cain greeted the soldiers who had come running up from behind alone.

The knights who were guarding the prisoner transport vehicle made slightly relieved faces at seeing the soldiers’ armour.

However, a single sentence from Cain was enough to make that fragile comfort crumble.

“They’re likely enemies. Don’t let your guards down. Please take care of the others.”

“Yes, we will protect Her Highness and the others even if we have to lose our lives.”

Cain nodded, then went and stood in front of them on his own to meet the incoming soldiers.

And, leading them was a familiar face.

“Oh, Sir Silford, so you were safe?”

The person leading the soldiers was the lord of Terenza, Viscount Baldo.

“Yes, the escorts are dealing with them. Anyway, why are you here…? This land belongs to the Republic of Ilstin. And how do you know we’re being attacked?”

“…Well, from a certain source of information, that’s all. So, I gathered my soldiers and came to rescue Her Highness the Princess and the others.”

The soldiers who had come to help numbered close to three-hundred.

There weren’t any adventurers, but behind the soldiers, there seemed to also be people who looked like they belonged to the criminal underworld.

“…Is that so. So then, why –– did members of the Dark Guild also come to save us?”

At Cain’s word’s the soldiers became nervous. Then, Baldo grinned.

“Muhahaha. So you did notice. Indeed! These soldiers have been gathered –– to enact revenge upon you! Sir Silford, I will take your life! You can just leave Her Highness and the others to us. They’ll fetch a good price as slaves.”

Cain sighed at Baldo’s sudden change in attitude.

“You’re in contact with Malph, aren’t you. And does Marquis Corgino, your superior, also know about this…”

“But of course. I have to bring your severed head back with me.”

(Marquis Corgino too… it’s a complete revolt… But for the time being I have to go help Claude-san…)

Cain thought about what would happen now.

“Is that right… Then, I take this as a complete rebellion against the Kingdom of Esfort and will stop it. And I will not be merciful.”

“What can you do alone. You have this many opponents…”

Not waiting for Baldo to finish his words, Cain placed his hands on the ground and let magical power flow into it.

[Earth Fall]

At that moment, the ground where Baldo and a large number of the soldiers were, shook like in an earthquake and began sinking.

Its diameter must have been at least fifty meters, and the depth of the circle of earth that had sunk down reached ten meters.

“What is this!?”

“Get us out of here!!”

Cain looked down at the infuriatedly shouting soldiers.

“I’ll deal with you later, so you just stay in there.”

Cain called out to the knights guarding the prisoner transport bus.

“They probably won’t be able to get out, but if they do, please deal with them. Just give me the signal and I’ll come running.”

“Y-Yes. Understood.”

“Then, please take care of it. I’ll go deal with the ones over there.”

Cain immediately ran off towards Claude and the others.

Left behind, the prisoner transport vehicle’s bodyguards, as well as the students and teachers anxiously looking out from the prisoner transport bus were all stunned at that absurdity.

“Say, Silk. Can people normally do that…?”

“Teles. I doubt anyone other than Cain-kun could do that.”

The only things visible and audible from the prisoner transport vehicle were the large hole in the ground that had appeared out of nowhere and the shouts coming from within it.

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