Chapter 131

Chapter 131

They were mercenaries. But they were not a part of a large organization— they were a small, elite group typically hired to carry out high-leveled missions. They didn’t have much of a reputation, because the jobs they were given required a certain level of secrecy. Only those in the know knew about them.

They were called the Clawed Hands. And Giles was their leader.

Kings and queens and lords and ladies and politicians sought to employ them for their expertise. Even across the seas— they had been hired by prominent gnomes and powerful dwarves for jobs that required them to sail to the other continents. But this was the first time they had ever been hired by the Adventurer’s Guild.

It surprised them when they received this request. After all, the Adventurer’s Guild was a reputable institution. While they weren’t supposed to be a bastion of justice or ethics, they very rarely acted outside of the law. Their acts always complied with the domestic rules and regulations set in place of each individual country. That was how they managed to span far and wide in their influence. That was why they were ubiquitously accepted throughout all of Laxo.

And now, they were coming to Giles with a request— to carry out acts that would circumvent the laws of the Kingdom of Kal. Although... to be fair, it was the [Hero King] who first went against the conventions of war in place and seized a Guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild.

It was funny. Giles found it amusing, to say the least. But just with every other job he was given, he could not speak about his clients... not to anyone... not even to—

“I can’t believe the Adventurer’s Guild is actually hiring us to clean their dirty laundry,” a young woman said, drawing his attention back to her.

He frowned as he stared at his carefree companion— Sylvie. She walked with a slant posture, leaning back as she held her hands on the back of her head. The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.

“Are you sure the guy you spoke to was actually from the Adventurer’s Guild, Giles?” she asked casually.

And that made the leader of the Clawed Hands click his tongue. But before he could reprimand her, another voice spoke up.

“What are you saying, you idiot?” the third member of the group sputtered.

His name was Jaden. He was young too— even younger than Silvie. He claimed to be about twenty years old, but he looked like he was seventeen at most.

Giles was more than certain that he was lying about his real age.

Jaden gestured towards the passersby in the street as he exclaimed loudly, drawing their attention. “What would you do if someone overheard you saying that we were hired by the Ad—”

“Shut up, both of you,” Giles snapped.

Jaden and Sylvie both paused as their leader turned towards them. Giles swept his gaze over the mostly empty street. Fortunately, there weren’t that many people out and about. And those that were slinking around didn’t look like they even heard what either Jaden or Sylvie said.

“We have a job to do, so that’s enough chatting. Or we’re going to be late for our rendezvous.” Giles drew his dual dagger as he strode forward with haste.

The trio of mercenaries made their way out of Windrip as they started to head northwest. They passed the encampment erected right next to the city— they ignored the tower that rose up to the sky, overseeing everything in the area.

“Sylvie— Sylvie!” He snapped his fingers, drawing her attention back to him. “Focus.”

“Huh? What?” She blinked as she looked up at her leader.

“Were you even paying attention?” Jaden snorted. “It’s your turn to do your thing.”

“My thing?” Sylvie pointed at herself. “What are you talking about, Jaden?”

He opened his mouth, before pausing. He tried to work his jaw, only to slump his shoulders and turn to Giles. “...uh, what was she supposed to do again?”

“Were either of you idiots listening when I told you my—” Giles started. Then he looked between the clueless duo. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. “Nevermind.”

He looked back down at the convoy as it fully entered the valley. He took in a deep breath, before pointing down at them.

“Sylvie— cast [Landslide],” he said simply.

The young woman blinked, before grinning back at him. “You got it, boss.”

And with that, she slammed a fist down onto the ground as the valley shook, before the cliffside began to collapse down the convoy.

The closest soldiers to the landslide screamed as they were crushed by the falling rocks. But before the main bulk of the cascading cliffside could crash into the convoy, a group of [Mages] dashed out of their wagons, raising their staffs.

A tall stone wall rose from the ground, stopping the landslide before it could crush the convoy. The first [Mage] lowered his staff as he let out a sigh in relief. Then he spun around and called out.

“We’re under—”

But he paused. He stumbled forward before collapsing onto the ground as a dagger protruded from his back. And Giles lowered his empty hand.

The leader of the Clawed Hands still stood atop the hill as he looked down at the convoy. There was a flash of light, and his dagger vanished from the [Mage]’s back, reappearing in his palm. And as that happened, a group of shadowed figures emerged from the other side of the valley, flanking the panicked soldiers down below.

Giles turned back to Sylvie and Jaden as he heard the shouts and screams coming from the valley. And he nodded at the both of them.

“Now let’s do this.”

With that, the Clawed Hands descended on the convoy to rescue Guildmaster Evan from the Kingdom of Kal.