Chapter 221

Chapter 222. The Hidden Sword of the Swordsmanship Family’s Dullard (1)

“Damn goblin bastards. They’ve hidden themselves deep!”

A man holding an axe kicked a stone on the ground in frustration.

Clang! The stone rolled away and echoed as it hit the wall, causing those following behind to frown.

“Don’t act recklessly in the mine. What if the goblins notice and ambush us?”

“Pfft! Don’t worry! I’m a goblin slayer!”

“Big talk for a Silver-class who can’t even use Aura.”

“Do you need Aura to kill goblins? And you’re Silver too!”

“I’m a full-fledged Silver!”

“Bullshit!”

The two mercenaries argued, but the others didn’t bother to stop them, instead chuckling as they continued forward.

“Hey, let’s pick up the pace. Don’t forget our mission isn’t just to kill goblins but to rescue the miners.”

“Whether we go late or early, they’ll probably be corpses anyway. What’s the rush? You know goblins don’t spare men, right?”

“If we bring back some meat, the receptionist will be thrilled. We’ll get paid faster if we bring back something recognizable.”

“Hmm, you’ve got a point.”

The mercenaries quickened their pace. But one person started falling behind, and the others turned to ask, “What’s wrong, Captain?”

The man called “Captain” was different from the other Silver-class mercenaries. He was a Platinum-class mercenary, someone the others treated with caution and respect.

“This mission… it’s to rescue miners kidnapped by goblins, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Until we got here, I thought the witness might’ve been mistaken. Goblins don’t kidnap men. They kill them on the spot and drag them away. So why did the witness say they were ‘taken’?”

The Captain seemed uneasy, but the other mercenaries responded casually, without a sense of urgency.

“Maybe they couldn’t see clearly from a distance, relying on the light.”

“The miners probably didn’t know if they were dead or alive. They might’ve mistaken the goblins carrying corpses for living people. It happens.”

“Let’s hurry. I want to get back to the village before sunset.”

As the mercenaries urged everyone to move faster, the Captain looked around and suddenly froze.

“E-everyone, stop! Don’t move a single step from where you are.”

“Ah, what now?”

“Is this guy on something? Why’s he so jumpy?”

The mercenaries grumbled, but the Captain was sweating bullets as he spoke.

“Y-you idiots. Can’t you see? Since when… why didn’t you notice?”

“Ugh, this is frustrating. What’s the problem?!”

The self-proclaimed goblin slayer shouted angrily.

“We’re definitely in the mine’s tunnels… so why are there no support beams?”

“Huh?”

“W-what?!”

The other mercenaries looked around and were equally shocked.

The Captain was right. Mines should have support beams to prevent collapses.

They were definitely there at the entrance. But as they carelessly walked in, they realized there were none here. How could the tunnels hold without support beams?

“Maybe it’s a tunnel that doesn’t need support beams… Aaaah!”

The oblivious mercenary suddenly screamed as he was lifted into the air.

A massive pincer silently emerged from the darkness, lifting the burly mercenary effortlessly.

Crunch!

The mercenary’s upper body was severed and fell to the ground with a thud.

-Skreee!

From the darkness emerged an ant. A massive, human-sized ant.

“W-what the hell is that?!”

“Ants!”

“Grab your weapons!”

As the mercenaries prepared to fight, the Platinum mercenary muttered in despair.

“…Idiots, that’s not just any ant. Look at its carapace. It’s covered in rock-like scales. It’s a Rock Ant. An A-rank monster, like an Ogre!”

Normally, A-rank monsters can’t be defeated without Aura. Even three Platinum mercenaries would struggle against one.

But here, there were eight Silvers and one Platinum.

There was no chance of winning.

“Run! They’re not fast. If we sprint, we might survive!”

Despite his despair, the Platinum mercenary did his duty as Captain. But the Silver mercenaries didn’t listen.

“Damn it! It’s just one! Kill it! Avenge Marlin!”

“Uwoooah!”

“Idiots!”

The Platinum mercenary, seeing the inexperienced mercenaries lose their cool, decided to run for his life.

Why risk his life for those who were determined to die? They weren’t even close.

“Pant, pant!”

After running for a while, the Platinum mercenary slowed down as he sensed something ahead.

Thinking it might be allies, he cautiously approached, only to curse.

“Damn it…”

Sssssk.

Rock Ants crawled out of the darkness.

Not one or two. Five of them. The massive tunnel was completely blocked.

“They’re not letting us escape.”

Zzzzzzz!

Aura erupted from the Platinum mercenary’s sword.

“After this mission, I was planning to challenge for Diamond-class. Don’t underestimate me!”

Sssshhhk!

His Aura-infused sword cut through the Rock Ant’s steel-like carapace. Thick green fluid gushed out.

-Skreeee!

The Rock Ants, as if coordinating, surrounded the mercenary and attacked simultaneously.

“Uryaaaaah!”

With a desperate shout, the mercenary exploded his Aura. His sword screamed as it blocked and sliced through the ants’ teeth and claws.

“Haa, is this it?”

The Rock Ants, with their teeth and claws severed, retreated instead of charging recklessly. The mercenary, thinking he had the upper hand, smiled with hope.

‘Maybe I really am Diamond-class. I overwhelmed A-rank monsters.’

From despair to hope, and then to confidence. Riding the emotional high, the mercenary was about to make a run for the exit when-

Boom!

The entire tunnel shook as a massive figure appeared.

The Rock Ants were already huge, but compared to this, they were like regular ants.

A Rock Soldier Ant.

A monster that could even eat Ogres in one bite.

“…Hah, haha.”

The Platinum mercenary felt his fighting spirit melt away.

If the Rock Ant’s carapace was like steel, the Rock Soldier Ant’s was like Amantiir. Without Master-level Aura, you couldn’t even scratch it.

“G-gahhh!”

Not wanting to die standing still, he charged anyway-

Thunk!

“Guh!”

Despite its massive size, the Rock Soldier Ant was incredibly fast. Its spear-like foreleg pierced the mercenary’s stomach.

“Is this the end…?”

Resigned, the mercenary decided not to resist the fear anymore. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate.

Just as he was about to embrace his slow-approaching death-

Thud!

‘Thud?’

Sssssss.

Something sticky poured over the mercenary’s head.

“Ugh, what is this?”

-Skreeee! Skreeee!

The ants screeched in chaos.

Soon, the Platinum mercenary felt his body being pulled back. The Rock Soldier Ant was collapsing toward him.

Opening his eyes, the mercenary quickly rolled away to avoid being crushed and looked around.

What he saw was unbelievable.

Thud, splat!

The Rock Ants’ heads were exploding out of nowhere.

‘The Rock Ants’ heads are the hardest part… What’s happening?’

The Rock Ants’ heads were bursting like jelly. The mercenary couldn’t even begin to guess what was going on.

Then.

Thud, thud, thud.

Footsteps echoed from the other end of the tunnel.

“A hallucination? Yeah. This must be a hallucination. Everything I’m seeing is just what I want to see. Is death this sweet…?”

As the footsteps grew closer, the mercenary felt his body grow heavier.

He was alive for now, but his stomach had been pierced. Though he avoided instant death, his organs were damaged, and he was bleeding heavily.

Leaning against the wall, the mercenary muttered, “If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve confessed to her back then.”

Slowly closing his eyes, the mercenary.

And then, the footsteps stopped.

Slap!

“Ow?!”

The mercenary’s eyes shot open as he felt a burning pain on his cheek. He looked up.

It was a person.

In this deep, dark mine, a person?

“…So it wasn’t a hallucination?”

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Yes? This brat’s out of it. When a superior calls, you answer properly.”

“P-Platinum-class, James!”

“Brat, aren’t you getting up?”

“Ugh.”

James groaned in pain but managed to stand. Only then did he get a proper look at the person.

Silver hair that shimmered mysteriously in the torchlight. Golden and purple eyes. Even in this situation, he was undeniably handsome.

“E-excuse me… May I ask who you are?”

At James’s awkwardly formal question, the handsome man replied casually, “I’m Keter, Branch Chief of the Ruquer Mercenary Guild. Just call me Branch Chief.”

* * *

At Keter’s introduction as the “Branch Chief of the Ruquer Mercenary Guild,” James’s hazy mind cleared.

“B-Branch Chief? You came to save us? As expected of the Mercenary Guild! A symbol of trust and faith… Cough!”

James coughed up blood and collapsed. In his excitement, he’d forgotten he was severely injured.

Keter casually searched James’s pockets and pulled out some gold coins.

“9 gold? Not even enough for a potion cap, tsk.”

Keter put the 9 gold into his magic pouch and pulled out a low-grade Elixir.

Glug, glug, glug.

He poured half into James’s pierced stomach and forced the rest down his throat. Then, he chopped James’s throat to make him swallow.

“Cough, cough!”

James, who had passed out, came to and tried to spit out the Elixir, but Keter covered his mouth.

“Drink it. It’s good for you.”

“Ugh… Ugh…”

James, realizing his body was healing, finally accepted the Elixir.

Though not fully healed, he felt he was out of immediate danger and looked at Keter with gratitude.

“T-thank you. For such a precious Elixir…!”

“It’s not free. Pay me back later, James.”

“……”

“Why are you just standing there? Let’s go.”

“U-um, I’m sorry to ask, but are you two… alone?”

James asked, looking at Keter and Decameron.

“Why?”

“There are other mercenaries with me. Most are probably dead, but some might still be alive. Rock Ants store their prey like spiders…”

“I know.”

“Ah, and I’m skilled in tracking. I can help find the captured mercenaries…”

“Ugh!”

Thud!

Keter, unable to bear it, smacked James on the head.

“I thought you had something important to say. Get lost!”

Keter even shot an Aura Arrow to emphasize his point, and James, realizing it wasn’t just a threat, quickly ran off.

After sending James away, Keter turned to the ants he had defeated.

“Sigh, all of that is money and ingredients.”

The Rock Ants’ carapace was as hard as steel but much more flexible.

Not only that, but their flesh was poisonous if eaten raw, but when cooked properly, it tasted like lobster.

Among gourmets, Rock Ant meat was praised as “land lobster.”

“I’ll have Ultima collect it all.”

Keter hadn’t forgotten the communicator Ultima had given him.

Breaking the glass bead would summon the Ultima Merchant, no matter where he was. It was meant for emergencies, but-

“This is an emergency. If I leave it, the villagers or other mercenaries will try to take it.”

Keter pulled the glass bead from his magic pouch and crushed it.

It wouldn’t summon Ultima immediately, but it would take time for them to arrive. Better to break it early.

“One hour. That’s all I need.”

Keter, who had played in ant nests as a child, knew how deep and complex they were, with countless chambers.

But no matter what, the queen’s chamber was always at the center.

“Besides, these things have mana. Detecting them won’t be hard.”

Keter placed his palm on the ground and spread his mana. The released mana detected the queen hundreds of meters below.

After a moment.

“I found her, but she’s deeper than I thought.”

Given the Rock Ants’ size, the tunnels were large and long. Even running, the elevation changes slowed him down.

Plus, the tunnels were filled with ants. He could ignore them, but near the queen’s chamber, Soldier Ants blocked the entrance.

“Annoying. I’ll have to kill them one by one.”

Keter stroked his chin, pondering for a moment, then nodded with a determined expression.

“Let’s just go straight down from here.”

Keter spoke as if drilling hundreds of meters vertically through the ground was as simple as digging a front yard.