Akatsuki Translations

“What the hell are these useless bastards doing!!!”

The leader of the group of bandits occupying Canaan Fortress, Gada, was shaking with rage.

While his comrades were still reveling in the victorious mood from the Island-Eating Turtle raid, he was furious at them for recklessly touching upon a grave taboo and for their carefree revelry.

He also harbored deep resentment towards the “Necromancer” responsible for everything.

Originally, their band of bandits was a group of outcasts struggling for survival amidst constant threats of hunger and monsters. Their daily struggle was real, scraping by and cunningly stealing from others just to eat.

But everything changed dramatically with the arrival of the mysterious Necromancer.

He expelled the threat of monsters, provided transportation with undead horses, expanded their territory, and enriched their lives. His comrades quickly became enamored with the man.

However, Gada, who had been the original leader, did not trust the Necromancer. It wasn’t just because he felt sidelined since the man’s arrival.

— “With the power of our ‘God’, even the sinful likes of you can surely be saved.”

The only being that could fit the definition of the “God” the man spoke of was the Sun God, Zerudia. Yet, the man never once professed his devotion to Zerudia. To Gada, this suggested that the Necromancer’s deity was an “Evil God”, which was ominous.

Gada was well aware that he was a scoundrel, an outcast. But even an outcast has principles, and even trash has its own set of rules.

Yet, the Necromancer seemed to stand on no such path. Gada only sensed an abyss of darkness in him. And yet, due to their stupidity, his subordinates blindly trusted and depended on the Necromancer. It was unbearable for Gada.

He had vehemently opposed the raid on the Island-Eating Turtle, but was overruled by his comrades, and it was carried out.

And now, this current turmoil.

He wanted to scream “I told you so,” but this wasn’t the time for that. If things continued this way, the idiocy of his men would get him killed too.

“Hurry ‘n capture ‘em!! Kill ‘em!! There’re only two of ‘em, right?” -Gada

“But Boss, it’s as like they know our every move!” -Bandit

“Then they’re probably usin’ some magic to do that, you dumbasses!” -Gada

He berated them. His comrades were painfully dim-witted. He was infuriated by their lack of thought. But he had to remember that the brains of those who’d ended up in such a place couldn’t be expected to be sharp.

He told himself to calm down. He couldn’t rely on his comrades. They were useless. The Necromancer, who had locked themself in their room since returning from the raid, was no different. Only he could be depended upon.

“We outnumber them! Surround them! Head them off— no.” -Gada

Suddenly, an idea struck the infuriated Gada. His thoughts cleared, and a sinister smirk formed on his face.

“We have the perfect bait, don’t we?” -Gada

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Canaan Fortress First Floor; While crossing the courtyard leading to the collapsed main entrance

“Enemies from the right and rear.” -Shizuku

“They’ve changed their tactics.” -Ur

Ur and Shizuku, who had been continuously engaging in combat as a diversion, noticed the change in the enemy’s movements. Previously, the bandits had been blindly searching for them and attacking on sight. This made them easy prey for Ur and Shizuku’s tactics. But now it was different.

“They seem to be aware of us, but they are not trying to catch up.” -Shizuku

“They calling their comrade while creating distance in order to block our path…?” -Ur

Had they noticed their detection abilities?

Of course, they had anticipated this. If the enemies had someone smart among them, they’d quickly realize the oddity of Ur and Shizuku’s ability to move as if they could see their positions.

It wouldn’t be surprising if there were one or two thinkers among the enemies outside of the Necromancer.

So, this was within their expectations.

However, being prepared didn’t mean they were safe.

“There are five of them. They’re likely accompanied by undead soldiers. A direct assault isn’t advisable.” -Shizuku

They were clearly outnumbered. If it had been just one or two enemies, a quick strike and retreat would have been possible. But with four or five, it’d be difficult. The undead were also a hindrance. If they stopped, they’d be attacked from all sides. If that happened, it’d be the end. Their equipment might be superior, but they couldn’t overcome the numbers. If surrounded, they’d be beaten to death.

“We need to keep our distance and reduce their numbers as much as possible, huh…” -Ur

But what were the bandits aiming for with this tactic?

Their role was to act as a diversion, but the enemies were trying to lead them somewhere. Where? While they had knowledge of the terrain from their prior investigation and the magic tome, the enemy obviously had more information. There might be traps set—

Just then, Shizuku interrupted his thoughts.

“I’ve figured out where they’re trying to lead us.” -Shizuku

Ur looked up quickly, but her expression was not a comforting one. He peered into the magic tome she held. She was pointing to a room on the first floor of the fortress they were in. The magic tome showed the presence of at least ten individuals in that room.

A trap? No, that wasn’t it. It wouldn’t make sense to keep so many people in such a confined space. Then who were these figures in the room?

“This is just speculation, but they’re likely the hostages captured by the bandits.” -Shizuku

“They intend to use them as bait…?” -Ur

They had to hurry. One of their objectives was to secure the hostages. Even though their primary mission was to cause disruption, leaving the hostages behind was not an option for either Ur or Shizuku.

“Even if we rescue the hostages, we might not be able to thwart the enemy’s plan.”- Shizuku

Ur understood her meaning. But they couldn’t avoid heading to the room where the hostages were held.

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“Boss! They’ll get to the ‘slave room’ before us!” -Bandit

One of the subordinates groaned. The idea of using the hostages was something even the dim-witted underlings seemed to grasp. Therefore, they were getting anxious at the invaders’ speed. They were fast. It was clear they were using magical tools or potions to enhance their speed.

However,

“It’s fine like this.” -Gada

Yes, this was acceptable.

They were heading straight for the room with the hostages. It was evident they were using some kind of magic to detect their movements. But by heading straight to the hostages, they were essentially admitting how vital the hostages were to them.

“If they’re so keen on rescuing the hostages, let ‘em. They won’t be able to protect or free ‘em.” -Gada

And if that’s the case, the rest would be easy. Pinning them down and using the hostages to make them submit would also be straightforward.

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“…I see.” -Ur

This was Ur’s first response after observing the situation. Though his words indicated understanding, they were laden with intense, unpleasant emotions. Anyone with a decent sense of morality would feel the same after seeing the scene before them. Shizuku didn’t say a word, but her eyes were filled with sadness.

This was why the bandits had lured Ur and his team here.

“hurds… hurds…”

“He, help me…”

“…Ah.hh..”

Everyone in the room was in a pitiful state. They wore what once were beautiful clothes, now covered in mud and blood. Their bodies were chained, with cuts and bruises all over. Despite it being just a day since the Island-Eating Turtle incident, the situation they faced was nothing short of horrific.

It was expected. Those who had staged an attack on the Island-Eating Turtle wouldn’t care about how they treated their hostages. However, seeing it firsthand invoked an uncontrollable pain and anger.

“I’ll begin the treatment.” -Shizuku

“Please do… Now then…” -Ur

They had anticipated the hostages’ conditions. Thus, they had prepared as much healing and recovery potions as possible. But treating them meant pausing their journey. They couldn’t keep luring the bandits and striking when an opportunity arose. The advantage of “Footprints” would be completely lost. And then,

“There are many of them.” -Shizuku

Using the “Footprints” map from Shizuku, it was clear that the bandits were surrounding the room where the hostages were held. The bandits, who had been keeping their distance, were now closing in. They’d soon focus their attack on this room. If that happened, they’d surely be overwhelmed and killed. Defending the hostages during a battle was impossible.

They were cornered. So, what to do now?

――― 90% of the outcome of any situation depends on preparation.

“…You’re completely right, Diz.” -Ur 　(流石、ディズ様）

With a sigh, Ur twisted his Dragon Fang Spear.