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What... the hell..?

Rysef, Melyn, Klon, and I bore witness to a view that was exactly as the Sentinel described:

Pandemonium.

It was anything but manageable.

「S-so Ashen Thief... was this part of your master plan..?」

I couldn't help but utter those sardonic words to the now-mortified Rysef. In the face of hell, it was the only question I could muster up.

「No Lorenzo... this... this was... unforeseen...」

The Lakua Village was engulfed by violent flames. Death and destruction scorched the earth and the place we called home was no more. And through the haze lay an even more horrific scene.

Bodies. Mangled and strewn throughout the dirt roads.

The streets were stained with the blood of people whose faces we'd recognized. People who had laughed, drank, ate, and reveled with us. People we would never see ever again.

Men, women... and even children were among the dead.

The sight caused the thief girl to sink to her knees. It occurred to me that some of the corpses belonged to the children who frequently hung out with Melyn—her dearest friends.

Although I seldom conversed with them, I could still recall them by name.

「Say Rysef... this is just a bad dream... right..?」

Her hollow voice was somehow audible amidst the chaos in the background.

「Mel...」

「Tomorrow we'll wake up... and this'll all go away... won't it..?」

The Ashen Thief redirected his attention to the Sentinel who was also visibly shaken by the whole ordeal. No one could've anticipated this level of barbarity.

「Klon, was it like this when you left?」

「C-Captain Asthos and Captain Lia assured us the invading forces were weak... so I thought...」

「Hm. Something changed the tide of battle huh..?」

I slowly walked over to the thief girl and comforted her.

There were no tears to be found, only a cold gaze that could've extinguished the fires before us. Cold as in distant—devoid of the sadness and anger you'd expect.

The Ashen Thief took a step forward and clenched his massive fist.

「Klon, take care of my apprentices, I'm heading to the fight.」

「T-the fight?! But there's no fight...」

BOOM!!!

An earsplitting explosion came from the farthest end of town, by the promontory. Naturally, Rysef gave a nod to the Sentinel and sped towards the source, leaving us behind.

「You're kidding me...」

「Um... Klon..?」

「Oh... yes, Lorenzo?」

「Do you know where the orphans could be? I don't see them among the bodies...」

「Ah... Rysef hasn't told you yet hasn't he..?」

He pointed at the forest near the springs.

「There's a concealed stone door by the rockface behind the waterfall. We were told to hide both the children and the infirmed at the foxhole there in the event of an attack.」

「And the key?」

「Only a select few Sentinels possess it. But I'm certain Rysef has one stowed away in his... manor... behind us...」

We then turned around to the building in question and looked at each other.

「Klon, I assume you've mastered the Hu breathing technique?」

「Wouldn't be a Sentinel if I didn't.」

I turned back to the despondent thief girl and grabbed her shoulder.

「Mel, all hope isn't lost. Thonvir, Ysolva, Oleena, and the survivors are all waiting for us at the springs. You can grieve once the situation is sorted, but right now we should stay on our toes and watch out for any enemies. Alright?」

And her answer was to magically construct a cudgel.

Melyn, in silhouette against the darkened sky and imposing conflagration, stood with her weapon in grasp.

「Let's make them pay... Zozo...」

She simmered with rage. No longer shell-shocked, the thief girl once again took on the role of a responsible big sister.

I solemnly inclined at her as if to say, "let's do it".

But the problem remained...

「Mel, in the manor...」

「I know Zozo... I don't recognize this person's breathing either.」

We readied ourselves as this stranger approached the front door. They were likely done with whatever business they had in our abode.

As I'd left the ballistite inside, all I could rely on was my wooden club. I just hoped this intruder wasn't some heavily-armored brute.

Ka-chak! Creeeaaak..!

And the door opened, revealing a young bronze-skinned man with milk-white cornrows and a mahogany overcoat. Upon closer inspection, it was entirely comprised of bird feathers.

In one hand was a couple of books and in the other was a fancy golden staff.

「Another Sentinel..? Seriously..? Do you guys come from eggs or something?」

Klon stepped in front of us and unsheathed his club. His countenance had darkened greatly.

「Stop right there. That coat of yours... are you a poser or just stupid?」

「Poser? Stupid? Uh... neither..?」

Melyn and I were unsure of what was going on. Klon seemed to recognize this airy character.

「So... you mean to tell me you're with the Bloody Talons?」

「No shit! That's a first. You've heard of us?」

「I had a stint as a liquidator back in the day... Heard tell of a fabled group that killed elusive targets for large sums of cash. Their success rate was 100%.」

「Well, hot damn! Our troupe of hitmen certainly are something, aren't they?」

The Sentinel grit his teeth and positioned himself between us.

「Who sent you? Why did you accept the job? Why waste your breath on slum dwellers who can't even afford to eat?」

「I'm under no obligation to answer... ya know?」

「Then answer me this... why would the legendary Bloody Talons be involved in murdering innocents..?」

The feathered-coat man dropped the books and took a deep breath.

「You've got the wrong idea, pal. We at the Bloody Talons never draw the line at anything. Our code of ethics is we have no code of ethics. You pay, we eliminate. It's simple that way right?」

His words sent a chill down my spine. Past his nonchalant smile was an efficient killer. The facetious man's aura screamed like a flock of ravenous hawks.

「Oh. By the way, do you know who claims ownership of these books? They're pretty dang rare. Uh... not that it matters. I always loot from my targets unless the client specifies otherwise.」

Even as he exposed his back to us and reached down for the books, I could feel the bloodlust in his pose.

This was definitely a trained assassin—his precise movements were a dead giveaway.

「No answer? Well, I personally don't vibe with killing children, so those two in the back can go. The low-level grunts the client lent us will deal with them. Eh... I probably shouldn't say that...」

The mysterious man then aimed his staff at the Sentinel.

「You, however, I have to take out. Sentinels are on the priority list after all.」

Klon took on a defensive stance and looked at us from over his shoulder.

「Lorenzo, Melyn... change of plans...」

The Sentinel stealthily brought out a small metal object from his back pocket and tossed it over to me. He then changed footing and assumed an offensive combat pose.

He was prepared to fight to the death.

「Lorenzo, use that instead. I'll hold him off. The manor isn't safe for you two.」

I stared down at my palm containing a lockpick and realized what Klon was insinuating.

「Klon... but what about...」

「Just go, Lorenzo! Master Rysef gave me orders to keep you safe, and I intend to do just that」

Klon chuckled as I pocketed the lockpick and took Melyn by the hand. We were ready to turn tail and run into the forest.

「Heh, besides... as a former contract killer, it's only fitting I go up against the crème de la crème of my past!」

「Hah! You're pretty committed to dying. Makes things a lot easier. Those other Sentinels would usually beg for their lives and whatnot. Kinda tiresome, don't you think?」

「I've no mercy for you... bastard.」

Dammit! Sorry, Klon!

We sped away from the site, allowing the Sentinel to have his duel with the assassin.

With Melyn in tow, I made my way past the tree line and into the woodland. The sound of spells being cast and blows being dealt reached the forest.

Brack! Sploosh! Breck!

Even an untrained ear could tell Klon was fighting tooth and nail to defeat the man. Every blow, every dodge, every block. He was no ordinary combatant. He was a Sentinel.

But that commendable effort came to a screeching halt with a single strike.

Schlink!

And the ensuing silence shook me and Melyn to the core. Under the cover of the evergreen, we skulked in this suffocating atmosphere.

The thief girl stopped and cast her gaze downwards.

「Why did we..?」

「Mel, let's keep moving. Lest Klon's sacrifice be in vain.」

「We could've helped him...」

「Not a chance Mel! Judging by how Klon acted, these "Bloody Talons" people aren't a walk in the park like the usual ruffians we deal with.」

「But...」

I clutched Melyn's hand and advanced despite her protests.

The route we were taking cut directly through the woods and edged around the village. A village consumed by inferno wasn't exactly the ideal environment to be walking through.

But this trackless shortcut posed another problem.

We're making way too much noise...

The thief girl's maneuvers were not as sharp as they usually were. The grass beneath her feet loudly rustled with every footfall.

Her emotions were interfering with her usual quiet footsteps.

We were at risk of being ambushed.

To circumvent this, I tried using the Hu breathing technique to scan the area and navigate around the threats, but the smoke from the settlement had reached the forests.

The thick smog made it virtually impossible to properly respire.

「Mel, can you use Hu or Xi?」

「N-no Zozo... It's dangerous to breathe in the air. Cover your mouth.」

「We don't have time for—」

「Zozo!」

「Dammit, fine... not that it makes a difference...」

I brought out Ysolva's handkerchief and put it over my nose. Our sense of direction was slowly getting thrown off by the permeating fumes.

The distant commotion from the headland was getting closer and closer. I was certain we were veering back into the village.

「Mel, stop for a moment. We should turn left from here.」

「Is it because we're nearing the battlefield?」

「Yeah...」

「Shouldn't we check it out first before heading to the springs?」

I came to a halt and looked at her. Her crimson stare was dead serious.

「Far be it from me to deny you... but Mel... didn't you once tell me not to play with fire?」

「This is different Zozo. What if those Blood Talons guys come from behind us while you lockpick the secret passage? We should at least survey the place to make sure no one can sneak up on us...」

I had a feeling that wasn't the real reason Melyn wanted to check in on the confrontation.

Alas, I too was curious as to how Rysef and the Sentinels were faring against these contract killers. So consequently, I shrugged and went along with the thief girl's wish.

We gradually slunk through the undergrowth and reached a bush directly by the dirt path opening up to the headland. The fight was somewhat visible from here.

And we leaned up against the shrub and peeked through the gaps in the stems.

I've never seen Rysef fight with the intention to kill before... Maybe now I'll witness the true strength of the Ashen Thief.

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