#Chapter 90
—
Arthur stared at the countless humans belonging to the **<Pirates>** faction blocking his path.
‘…So they knew from the start, huh?’
There was no way such a large group would coincidentally attack a passing train. They must have predicted that Shuga would be on this train and laid in wait from the beginning.
‘So the information leaked? But wasn’t this ticket given to me by Mr. Balans?’
Then, did Mr. Balans deliberately leak the information?
As he pondered, Arthur’s lips curled.
“Hm… interesting. A father and daughter’s quarrel, and this is how savage it gets.”
One of the pirates blocking the way spat phlegm at the ground.
“What the hell are you babbling about? Lost your mind because you’re about to die?”
Arthur shrugged.
“Lost my mind? Come on. Where would you find a sane man like me?”
With those words, Arthur raised *Beast*.
Bang—!
The gunshot rang out, and the man who had just spat phlegm had his face blown off.
“You bastard!”
With curses, the men behind surged forward like a wave.
Arthur was about to pull the trigger again, but then his shoulder twitched.
“Oh… you want to be of use, huh?”
At his words, the demonic sword in his hand quivered.
Arthur’s lips curved faintly as he swung the demonic sword instead of Beast.
Whip—!
In an instant, the sword lashed out like a whip and hooked the throats of the charging pirates.
“Wh-what the hell is that sword?”
“It moves… like it’s alive?”
The pirates who hadn’t yet lost their heads faltered in fear.
Arthur did not miss that opening.
“……!”
Springing forward, Arthur leapt right into the heart of the enemy lines and began to dance with his sword.
The pirates swung down their blades with all their strength to block his strikes, but it was useless.
“…What the hell is this?!”
Somehow, a translucent barrier had formed, deflecting their blows.
The pirates cursed and scrambled for the pistols hidden in their coats—but Arthur’s blade was already faster.
Shhhhk—!
With an eerie sound, blood and flesh burst apart.
The more his sword danced, the faster pirate heads rolled to the ground.
The pirates shuddered in primal terror.
“That monster bastard!”
Panicked shouts broke out as the pirates scattered.
And then—a massive cannon barrel appeared.
“A cannon?”
Arthur’s eyes widened in disbelief.
They had even brought a weapon used in war?
The fuse was lit.
Boom—!
With the deafening blast, Arthur used spatial leap.
A wave of scorching heat erupted from the explosion, drawing triumphant cheers from the pirates.
“Got the bastard, finally!”
“Got who?”
“Who else! That mercenary just now—”
The pirate trailed off in shock.
Arthur was suddenly standing among them, grinning.
“I’m still alive, you know. By the way, where did you even get this kind of toy?”
With that, Arthur sliced off the cannon’s barrel and activated Julie’s bloodline ability.
Crackle—!!
His demonic sword, wreathed in lightning, slammed into the ground.
Electric currents exploded outward, shocking the pirates into screams.
“Graaahhh!!”
Dozens of pirates collapsed all at once.
Arthur alone remained standing, letting out a light sigh.
“Whew… fighting nonstop like this is starting to get tiring.”
He turned his gaze to Undine.
“Mind giving me a little boost, Undine?”
\[Of course, Arthur.]
Undine’s hand touched his forehead.
A refreshing energy coursed through him, bringing a faint smile to Arthur’s lips.
‘Now that Undine has become a high-ranking spirit, battles have gotten so much easier.’
Not only could she create strong protective barriers, but she could also heal almost perfectly.
‘And if her stamina holds out, she could even unleash a storm bordering on a natural disaster.’
Of course, such a technique would leave her utterly drained after a single use, but the fact that it was possible at all was what mattered.
Having such a hidden trump card to rely on was a tremendous comfort.
‘That aside… just how far has Miss Shuga run off to?’
He had expected to find her by now, but she was nowhere in sight.
‘…Don’t tell me she left the train?’
Arthur shook his head.
With so many presences still lingering beyond this train, Shuga was definitely still inside.
Finishing that thought, Arthur started forward again.
“Spit.”
More pirates appeared to block his way.
Arthur twirled both his sword and Beast in his hands.
“Even if I ask nicely, you won’t step aside, right?”
“You call that a question?”
Arthur chuckled and nodded.
“Didn’t think so. In that case… I hope you’re all ready to die.”
—
—
The man leading Shuga glanced back.
“They still haven’t caught him?”
As he spoke, his body began to change.
Shuga’s eyes widened in shock.
‘A… a wolf?’
In an instant, the man shed his human form and became a wolf, his gleaming eyes turning toward her.
“Go that way, wench. If you stray, I’ll kill you.”
Terrified, Shuga nodded hastily.
The werewolf turned and strode back the way he had come.
Watching in silence, Shuga muttered under her breath.
‘…A werewolf? Then he must be of the werewolf bloodline?’
The chances were high.
The bloodline that transformed into wolves under the full moon.
They were known to be brutal, merciless creatures.
The thought made her recall the two she had been with until recently.
‘Donn… Kassel.’
Though it had only been a short while, unlike other mercenaries, they were of her age.
Perhaps because of that, she felt an odd pang of guilt for her current actions. But Shuga quickly shook her head, muttering bitterly.
‘Don’t act like a hypocrite, Shuga Highbin. You didn’t come this far to play the saint.’
Chastising herself, she moved forward.
When she opened the door ahead, a one-eyed man folded the newspaper he’d been reading.
“You’re here.”
It was the pirates’ first mate—**Schneider**.
He gave Shuga a flat look and gestured.
“Come. We’ll arrive at our destination soon.”
Shuga hesitated, then asked,
“You’ll keep your promise, won’t you?”
“……”
“If I disappear, you’ll end the civil war and spare my husband, right?”
Schneider’s lips twisted into a smile.
“Well, who knows.”
“……?”
“Decisions like that aren’t for the first mate. They’re the captain’s call.”
Shuga’s mouth fell open.
“You’re… changing your story now?”
“Who knows. All I was told was to kidnap you here and keep you from returning to the Prime Kingdom.”
“That’s not what you promised!”
“You actually believed a pirate’s promise? But well… nothing’s been decided yet. You can still cling to hope.”
Rising from his seat, Schneider smirked.
“Who knows? You and your husband might even share the same grave.”
Shuga trembled, biting her lip.
She raised a dagger and aimed it at her throat.
“Come any closer, and I’ll stab myself.”
“Go on, then.”
“Then you’ll fail your mission. If my husband learns of my death, do you really think he’ll give up the throne?”
Schneider’s eyes narrowed.
His hand moved toward the hilt at his waist—
Boom—!
The door burst open.
Something rolled in and stopped at their feet.
“…The werewolf?”
Shuga gasped.
Arthur stepped in through the splintered doorway, stretching with a yawn.
“Hide-and-seek’s over, troublesome client.”
“…Donn?”
“Really now, standing still isn’t enough for you? You have to cause trouble too? Don’t tell me this is your rebellious phase?”
Approaching her, Arthur blinked.
“…Why are you pointing a dagger at your throat?”
He flicked the dagger from her hand with a sharp *tak!*
Startled, Shuga snapped at him.
“Wh-what are you doing?!”
“What are *you* doing, Shuga?”
“This has nothing to do with you!”
“Me? I’m a mercenary hired to guard you, remember?”
“I don’t need you anymore! So just leave me alone!”
Arthur shrugged.
“Then are *you* going to pay me 500 gold?”
“…What?”
“I’m a mercenary who works for payment. If you want me to drop the contract, you’ll need to compensate me. Are you going to pay?”
Shuga’s mouth opened in disbelief. She was about to shout something back when a sharp metallic screech cut through the air.
Arthur turned, eyebrows rising.
“…Oh? That’s some fine swordsmanship.”
Schneider had drawn his blade, sneering.
“I’m nothing like the riffraff you’ve faced.”
“Riffraff? Me?”
“Who else?”
Arthur stroked his chin.
“Now that’s refreshing. Been a while since anyone’s called me riffraff.”
“Seems you’ve never faced a true master.”
Schneider’s breath grew steady.
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
‘…Five rings?’
Power surged from Schneider’s sword.
Fwshhh—!
The radiant aura only those who’d reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship could unleash—**Sword Aura**.
Arthur murmured with mild surprise.
“Well, that’s unexpected. I thought pirates only relied on numbers.”
“Bottom-feeders like you can’t even compete with numbers.”
Schneider charged.
Arthur grabbed Shuga by the waist and flung her into the air.
“Kyaaaah!”
Her body landed against something invisible—a protective barrier.
As she caught her breath, Arthur’s sword clashed against Schneider’s.
Clang—!
Sparks flew as they locked blades, until Arthur pushed back and leapt away.
Schneider lunged forward.
“Running away?!”
“As if.”
Arthur raised Beast.
Schneider suddenly felt a chill of foreboding and twisted his neck aside.
Bang—!
The bullet smashed through the carriage behind him.
Shuga gasped, and even Schneider flinched.
In that instant, Arthur swung his demonic sword.
Shhhhk—!
Like a whip, the blade lashed out.
Schneider gritted his teeth and parried.
Clang—!
The demonic sword quivered under the impact of the Sword Aura.
Arthur chuckled softly.
“Well held. Keep it up, won’t you?”
The sword trembled violently in protest, but Arthur paid it no mind.
Panting, Schneider muttered,
“…I take it back. You’re no riffraff.”
Arthur smirked.
“Quick to change your words, aren’t you?”
“Honestly surprising. Where did you even find artifacts like those?”
“These?”
“Yes. They’re compensating for your meager skill. Which is why I look forward to killing you and claiming them.”
He sneered.
Arthur blinked innocently.
“Oh… you’re trying to say I only rely on artifacts, right?”
“Isn’t that true?”
“Well… it is. But wouldn’t it be better to put it like this instead?”
Arthur awakened Tacen’s bloodline power, summoning both Undine and Gnome.
“…!”
Schneider’s eyes widened.
Then Arthur roused Julie’s bloodline ability as well, grinning.
“I rely only on bloodlines. That sounds much more accurate, don’t you think?”
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