Chapter 115: Omen (6)

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The night of Polfoardel in the capital was fiercer than the day.

Even without considering Flick, the underground city where day and night made no difference, the underworld and the dark alleys only truly began after darkness fell.

But in the end, they too were human, and when the night grew deep, they had to rest.

That was the only way to prepare for tomorrow, to live another day.

Sssk.

In the silence of the deep night.

While everyone rested in preparation for tomorrow, there were those who slipped through the buildings under the cover of darkness.

“……”

Clad in black robes, they halted before a certain building and exchanged glances.

Their destination was the stronghold of Dirsen, heir of Lahan.

Although Dirsen was away on other business, leaving a gap, his key forces and executives remained inside.

Thud, roll.

A small sphere rolled through the slightly opened door.

A member of the organization sitting at the first-floor counter tilted his head at the sudden sound and asked his companion.

“Didn’t you hear something just now?”

“…Sound? What sound?”

“Something rolling.”

“Were you dozing off again? Stop talking nonsense and sit down.”

“Mm.”

Was he really just half-asleep?

Just as the man hesitated to sit back down—

KWAANG!

A violent explosion erupted from inside the building, shaking the surroundings.

“Gahk!”

“What the hell?!”

Dust clouded their vision and a ringing filled their ears.

As they staggered to their feet, intruders surged inside even faster.

Sshhk!

Blood spurted high.

Without giving their two victims the chance to resist, the assailants beheaded them and then flicked the blood from their blades before raising their heads.

“Begin the cleanup.”

“Kill them all, leave no one alive.”

Turgar, Lahan’s second-in-command, had reached the limits of his patience.

Through subordinates planted within, he had learned of Dirsen’s movements, and he mobilized his men at the perfect moment when the enemy could not respond.

Dirsen’s hired mercenaries were the ones who directly followed him.

But the true target was his strongholds—the very foundation of his power.

Capturing Dirsen himself would be ideal, but even if that failed, it was no great loss.

While everyone’s attention was drawn to the ambush on Dirsen, they planned to sever every one of his limbs.

“An attack!”

“Block them!”

From the second floor, Dirsen’s men rushed out with weapons in hand.

There was no way they wouldn’t notice after the grand blast that shook the first floor.

But it was no problem.

They had prepared thoroughly, and the enemy would not withstand their forces.

“Out of the way.”

At the lead of the intruders stood one of Turgar’s most trusted men.

Known in the underworld as Bonebreaker, he swung an iron club heavier than most grown men’s bodies, smashing foes to pieces.

Crunch.

Swords and shields were useless.

The instant they met his overwhelming weight and power, they shattered, and bones broke along with them.

Now too, the head of a man who dared to block the descending club burst apart in an instant.

Splat.

Bonebreaker Vulcan wiped the flesh and blood from his weapon and glared coldly at the chaos around him.

“Filthy vermin.”

Lord Turgar had worked tirelessly for Lahan, yet these fools clung to that idiot son and sucked him dry.

Everyone here was nothing but worthless pests to Lahan.

In other words, they all deserved death.

Thud, crunch!

Every swing of Bonebreaker’s club echoed with violent cracks.

Dirsen’s subordinates fought with all their might, but they were crushed without mercy.

“……”

And a few floors above.

A child, terrified, clutched a teddy bear tightly.

At the doorway, furniture had been dragged over to form a barricade against intruders.

But even with that, the occupants exchanged uneasy glances, their faces tense with anxiety.

“When did they say NOX would arrive?”

“…It doesn’t look like they’ll make it in time.”

“Damn it. Of all times, the executives are away.”

Most of the key executives had gone with Dirsen or were tied up at other strongholds.

It left a gap in their strength, but no one had believed anything could happen.

Attacking this place meant open war.

“Don’t worry, young lady. We’ll protect you no matter what.”

“That’s right. The boss will return soon.”

The twin bodyguards, Ellen and Elan, soothed Dirsen’s trembling daughter while keeping their senses sharp for movement below.

“…If it comes to it, we may have to abandon this place and flee.”

“Let’s hold for now.”

Normally, when faced with a raid like this, fleeing at once was the only way to preserve one’s life.

But the twins chose to hold the top floor instead, relying on NOX’s support and the building’s defenses.

‘The walls, ceiling, and floors are all thick steel. We can endure until NOX or others arrive.’

No matter how hard one struck, ordinary blades wouldn’t even scratch it.

That was why they gave up on escape and chose to endure here.

Of course, it was all built on their trust in NOX.

“……”

Ellen pressed her ear to the wall.

The sounds of battle below were gradually fading.

It seemed the men who had staked their lives to hold the stairs had finally been wiped out.

The twins exchanged tense looks.

“…They’re coming.”

From below, multiple presences rushed up to the front of the room, and soon a relentless assault began.

Clang! Thud!

Once again, ceaseless noise thundered through the room.

Yet, as expected, the enemies could not easily breach the defenses here.

“Ellen……”

“Young Lady, it’s all right. It’s all right. The Boss will be here soon.”

Ellen embraced the weeping child in her arms and soothed her.

Even though she was the daughter of the underworld, she was only a five-year-old girl.

With ferocious men swinging blades outside, how could she not be terrified?

Though their own hands trembled, they had to endure somehow.

“…?”

But suddenly, the noise outside ceased.

Just as they strained their ears, wondering if the attack had been abandoned—

CRAAAASH!!!

A strike on a completely different scale from before crashed against the door.

“Ugh?!”

The sound was so loud that Elan, who had pressed his ear to the door, fell back on his rear.

Ellen, holding the Young Lady tightly, flinched and pointed forward.

“E-Elan. The door……”

“What?”

The thick iron door had been dented as if struck by something massive.

“No way, Bonebreaker?”

“…That monster is here?”

Ellen replied weakly to her brother’s words.

Splitting steel with a sword was nearly impossible, but with Bonebreaker’s strength, it wasn’t.

The worst possible enemy had come.

‘Or perhaps it was intentional.’

Ellen bit her lip.

The defenses of the stronghold’s top office floor were one of the deepest secrets.

Could it be that such information had already leaked to Turgar?

CRAAAASH!!!

The iron club struck again, crushing the steel door further.

For now it held, but no one could say how much longer it would last.

“…This won’t do.”

Ellen, holding the Young Lady, nodded at Elan.

“Let’s use the emergency passage.”

“The enemies might be waiting outside.”

“If we stay here, that monster will smash us all to pieces.”

“……”

It was a dilemma.

Danger waited no matter where they went, making the decision difficult.

KWAANG!!!

But on the third blow, the sound was different.

“…Damn.”

Cracks spread across the door and walls.

It was clear they would not withstand many more strikes, so a decision had to be made.

Click.

Elan manipulated the office’s furniture, and a hidden panel opened in the wall.

It revealed a secret passage connected below, known only to Dirsen and five others.

“You go first.”

“…Elan.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

Someone had to stay behind, making noise to delay the enemy.

At her brother’s self-sacrifice, Ellen clenched her teeth and nodded.

“Young Lady, let’s go. Hold on tight.”

“……”

Ellen embraced the child even more firmly and leapt into the opening.

Inside was a long slide.

It was dug deep underground so no presence would leak outside.

‘Surely they don’t know about this too?’

Rising to her feet with the Young Lady still in her arms, Ellen dashed forward.

But she halted after only a few steps.

“Well, what do you know, they really came?”

A handsome man with a beauty mark under his left eye sat waiting with several others.

“They call this Dirsen’s back door, so I thought I’d wait. Looks like I caught a monster-sized catch instead. I wonder what expression he’ll make when his precious daughter is captured.”

“Gastia……”

It was Gastia, one of Turgar’s executives.

He was infamous as a master of dagger arts and a pervert who enjoyed slicing flesh thinly.

“……”

Ellen’s expression grew heavy as she scanned the surroundings.

She could barely handle Gastia alone—facing his subordinates as well was impossible.

‘Focus on escape…’

Swish.

A thin line carved the air.

Blood sprayed as Ellen stumbled back.

In an instant, Gastia had slashed her wrist, tearing open veins.

“How shallow. Still, it’s a fatal wound. As you are, you won’t last five minutes. What will you do?”

“…Gastia. The Young Lady carries the Boss’s bloodline.”

“She’s also Dirsen’s daughter. Turgar isn’t the type to leave loose ends.”

“So you mean to kill the Boss’s bloodline?”

“Who said anything about killing her?”

Gastia sneered and reached to stroke the child’s hair.

Shaaak!

Ellen drew her sword like lightning, aiming at his arm.

Blood spattered from her wound, but Gastia evaded with ease.

“Just come along with us for a while…”

“Like hell.”

Thwuck.

Suddenly, a spear burst through Gastia’s chest.

The arrogance vanished from his face, replaced by shock.

As he spat blood and turned, he saw his subordinates already dead, their heads and bodies shattered.

Tap, tap.

Brushing her hands lightly, Second stepped from the shadows, tilting her head.

“You’re Ellen, right? Sorry I’m late. Other places were attacked simultaneously.”

“NOX! Is it NOX?!”

“That’s right. So now…”

Swoosh!

Second stretched out her hand, and the spear that pierced Gastia’s chest flew back into her grasp.

“There’s no need to worry anymore.”

“…Kuh.”

Gastia vomited blood again and raised his pale face.

“NOX? You say NOX?”

“Yes.”

“But NOX’s forces were supposed to already… side with Dirsen… how…”

Clutching his chest, Gastia gasped for breath, while Second only shrugged.

“Who said those two were our only strength?”

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