Chapter 21

The orc that had stomped the instructor into a pulp now paced right in front of me, blocking the way.

It stood with its back to the orc model where I'd hidden my sword.

To get that sword, I had to kill this bastard first.

"Kinzo, we need to grab some blades. Check the area."

"Two more models on the right, but they're a bit far."

"Bell! Two discarded models on the right. Rip them open and search inside!"

"What? Why would I do that? I'm here to fight too!"

"The swords are hidden inside. You've got your own target to kill, remember?"

"Huh? How the hell do you know that..."

"Just go. If you really want to fight so badly..."

I stuck out my right hand, palm open.

"What's that?"

"Give me your dog tag. I'll make sure your name's on my kill record at least."

Bell grinned, her lips stretching wide, and tossed me her tag.

"I trust you, Mago. I'll be right back."

She clenched her jaw and sprinted off.

The orc wore special armor. A chipped two-handed axe rested on its shoulder.

It glared down at Kinzo and me.

I tossed my wooden sword aside.

Then I ripped off my own dog tag and wrapped it around my right fist—the engraved name plate positioned over my knuckles.

Bell's tag went around my left hand.

"Fire."

The moment I said it, Kinzo set the orc's axe ablaze.

"The second my fist connects, light these up too."

I raised both fists.

"Yeah... I get what you're planning."

I walked slowly toward the bastard.

It hoisted its flaming axe high and let out a roar.

Seemed like it wanted to show off its fighting spirit.

But treating Kinzo's reinforcement magic like garbage was a mistake—whether you were human or monster.

And the more they underestimated us, the more it played into our hands.

Just like always.

"Fine... go ahead and show off while you still can..."

I charged first.

The bastard leaned its weight into the raised axe.

The moment I entered its range, it slammed the weapon down.

I sidestepped instantly to the right.

The axe head buried into the ground.

The orc's stance dropped low.

I swung my left fist straight at its face.

Right as my knuckles closed in on that blue-green hide—

"Kinzo!"

Flame erupted from the metal plate.

Before the bastard could even flinch, my fist connected with its cheekbone.

A black, scorched mark seared into its green skin.

[Imperial Army First Training Center – 66th Class] [Trainee No. 10] [Bell Red]

Her name, engraved on the dog tag, was branded into its flesh like a scar.

"Feels like I'm pounding pork."

The orc staggered for a second, but that was all.

It straightened up almost instantly and came right at me, leading with its shoulder. The bastard was going to body-check me into paste.

I threw myself left, hit the ground rolling, and by the time I was getting back up, the orc had shortened its grip on the axe haft.

"Mago! It's getting faster!"

The monster had traded reach for speed.

It swung wildly, and I took a step backward for every swing, waiting for an opening.

"Mago!"

My back slammed against a tree trunk.

That's what it was doing. It pushed me all the way over here.

The relentless attacks weren't just aggression—they were a plan. Pin me in a corner.

The orc smirked and launched a horizontal slash aimed at my waist.

I saw it coming.

I jumped—high—kicked my feet back, planted them on the thick tree bark, and launched myself forward like a spring.

My knee drove straight into its face.

"Ghhhuuuaaaahh..."

I heard its nose shatter.

I didn't stop. I reached out with both hands, grabbed its braided, rope-like hair, and swung myself around behind its head. My legs locked tight around its neck, and I started hammering its face from above.

Left fist. Right fist.

Alternating, relentless.

The dog tags, still burning with Kinzo's fire, branded into its skin with every punch.

I watched it carefully between blows.

It was reversing its grip on the axe, turning the blade upward.

It was going to swing the weapon over its shoulder and stab me in the neck.

I waited with my left hand ready.

The blade came for my legs.

I caught the haft.

"Bet you've never arm-wrestled a human before."

I held it with one hand.

The orc thrashed, trying to shake me off.

It succeeded.

I let go with my legs, dropped down, and guided the reversed axe blade straight into its own throat.

The same blade meant to split my shins carved through its master's neck without hesitation.

The orc crumpled to the ground just before its head fully separated.

Kinzo walked up to me. "Tougher than I thought."

I grabbed the orc's axe with both hands and split the training model in front of me like I was chopping firewood. Sand poured out.

A sword was hidden inside, still in its scabbard. It looked completely ordinary.

I blew the sand off the hilt.

Sword in my left hand. Axe in my right.

"Mago, what are you doing?"

I adjusted my shoulders, feeling the balance, testing my instincts.

Left hand. The sword side felt better.

"I was thinking about using the axe too, but the sword's more my speed."

I dropped the two-handed axe.

"Right! Why didn't I think of that? Instead of searching for all the swords, we can just use their weapons—"

Kinzo grabbed the axe I'd discarded.

He grabbed it, but he couldn't lift it.

"...Never mind, then." He let it fall.

"Mago! Kinzo!"

Bell came running up, a sword in each hand.

"Found them. But why were they hidden inside those models?" She handed one of the swords to Kinzo.

"I don't really know. Kinzo's the one who figured it out."

Now all three of us had real blades.

"Mago, what's the plan? I want to go after the leader. The one with the necklace."

"Leader?" Kinzo asked.

Bell nodded. "The bastard with the flashy necklace is the chieftain. A pearl necklace on a pig, basically."

"Hang on, Mago. Don't get me wrong—I want to slaughter those monsters just as badly as you do. But our squadmates come first." Kinzo shook his head.

"The ones who ran downhill?"

"Yeah. They're probably being chased by orcs and goblins right now. No weapons, no protection. It's dangerous."

"I need to get to that bastard now..." Bell finally snapped.

A scream followed her words.

I recognized that voice. One of our squadmates.

"I should go... but..." Bell's face twisted as she muttered. "I can't just ignore it... Oscar's probably nearby too..."

I had to choose.

Go kill the monsters.

Or protect my squadmates first.

All three of us wanted to go for the kill, but none of us could make the first move.

If I hadn't already set things in motion beforehand...

That's exactly what would have happened.

"Kinzo. Bell. The squadmates will be fine. We're going after the leader."

"'Fine'? Even the instructors were unarmed!" Kinzo shot back immediately.

"El is still at the training center. She'll be heading this way now. And she'll be looking for Bell, specifically."

"El?" Bell tilted her head.

"Yeah. El. Elizabeth Red."

"El... my sister? Why is she here?"

*

"An earthquake?"

El flattened herself against the ground and pressed her ear to the floor.

She held her breath and focused.

"No... something's... off."

A bad feeling jolted her upright.

She shoved the armory door open—just wide enough to stick a fist through.

A chain lock snapped around the door, holding it shut.

"Is anyone out there?"

She pounded on the inside of the door.

"There's someone in here!"

She slammed it several times, but no one answered.

"Guess there's no one..."

She realized she was alone, and her expression changed.

Not disappointment. Relief.

She centered herself, then kicked the armory door.

The metal crumpled like paper and flew across the room.

A thunderous crash and a cloud of dust spread outward.

She broke into a full sprint immediately.

She was heading toward the back mountain where her younger sister had gone—

"Ah."

She veered and ducked into a building.

When she came out, she was wearing her treasured sword.

*

"We don't have weapons! There's no one to help us! It stings, but right now, retreat is our only option!"

Amon raised his wooden-sword arm high.

"Don't rush into anything!"

He kept backing up as he spoke.

Amon was the de facto leader of the Assassination Squad.

He watched the squadmates following him down the mountain.

"A-Amon! They're going to catch us!" one of them whimpered.

"Move faster...! We know this terrain better than they do!"

As he said that, Amon skillfully dodged the steepest slopes.

"Trust me! Trust yourselves—you've climbed and descended this place a thousand times!"

He kept retreating.

Not once did he take his eyes off the squadmates who trusted him enough to follow.

He wiped the sweat stinging his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Fall back! I'll take responsibility—"

Amon couldn't finish the sentence.

He knew too well the weight of leading a group.

He'd watched his father carry that burden for their prestigious family.

And he'd watched him give up.

No one understood that crushing pressure better than Amon.

I'm the strongest in the Assassination Squad. I have to do this. I'm the one who'll carry the family name and move the nation. If I can't even lead my own squadmates properly...

But doubt clawed at him.

Could they all survive against an army?

Could they make it through without weapons?

A thousand negative thoughts churned in his mind.

He tried to force them away.

Then it hit him.

Amon... sorry, but I'll be the one asking for favors.

Mago's words from last night echoed.

Tomorrow, you're the only one who can fill my spot.

Amon squeezed his eyes shut.

His wooden-sword hand trembled.

"I'll take responsibility! Just keep following me!"

Then—

His retreating back hit something solid.

"Move."

El's voice was sharp with irritation.

She flicked blood off her sword blade.

"Bell?"

"It's El. Where's Bell?"

"And who are you...?"

"I asked where she is."

"I can't answer if you don't tell me who—"

"I'm Bell's sister. Shut up and answer!"

"Bell... she's probably further up. The Guard Squad climbed an hour ahead of us..."

"Then she's coming down, right?"

"Bell's with Kinzo and Mago. The three of them together? If there's even one more monster to kill, they'll kill it... She's not coming down."

El gritted her teeth.

She ignored Amon and started climbing the hill.

Her crimson hair whipped behind her.

"You can't go up there! I don't know who you are, but—"

"From inside the armory."

"What...?"

Wait... if that's true... then the armory is open right now?

*

"Orders."

Kinzo's voice was quiet.

"Someone's giving them orders. That's the only reason those things are moving."

He pointed at the orc formation ahead.

"Command authority probably belongs to the Demon King. But what's the order? Destroy the training center? Or maybe they were flying past, saw a bunch of humans gathered, and got told to land and kill."

"You're too loud, Kinzo. We don't care why the enemies are moving. We just need to kill every bastard we see."

"Bell's right, Kinzo. We'll figure that out later. Bell—me and Kinzo will move together. You take the leader."

"Chase it down. That's what I wanted."

Bell got ready to run.

"Bell. Take this before you go."

He tossed her a canteen.

It was filled with the alcohol that would awaken her power.