Chapter 31
The response to their provocation unfolded as anticipated.
“Enemies! We’re under attack!”
“Everyone, prepare for battle! Stop them!”
Dozens of naval soldiers rushed out and began forming ranks.
With no sign of confusion, they quickly organized into a well-ordered formation, armed with guns and swords.
Their disciplined and systematic movements demonstrated the rigorous training they must have undergone.
Leading them was the general in charge of this place:
General Ritorrio Garibaldi.
Standing in front of his fallen soldiers, holding his sword, he faced the mysterious intruders—two individuals wearing animal masks and wielding weapons.
With a sharp tone, he demanded, “Who are you? Why are you doing this?”
“…”
It was a perfectly reasonable reaction to their sudden attack and killings.
Yet, the two individuals ignored Ritorrio’s questions entirely and began conversing among themselves.
“As expected… They really are Arcroyal’s subordinates. Their response is quite impressive.”
“Yeah… They seem well-disciplined and focused.”
“Answer me! Who are you? Why are you doing this? If you don’t respond, I’ll have you shot immediately!”
The soldiers formed an impenetrable barricade, preparing to fire at any moment.
Their readiness to shoot added an oppressive weight to the atmosphere.
On the other hand, the intruders numbered only two.
Two against dozens—perhaps even hundreds.
By ordinary logic, the outcome seemed inevitable.
At a glance, it didn’t look like a battle but rather two people standing on an execution platform, awaiting their demise.
However…
“Thankfully, it seems there aren’t any significant threats among them…”
“Right. There’s one who looks slightly strong, but even he’s only at Elkana’s level.”
Remarkably, the two masked individuals seemed calm, even relaxed.
The tremendous magical energy emanating from their bodies caused chills to run down the spines of Ritorrio and his soldiers.
And then…
“Damn it! Fire! Shoot them down!”
Driven by sudden fear, Ritorrio issued the order to fire.
Overwhelmed by inexplicable dread, the soldiers obeyed, opening fire immediately.
—RATATATATAT!
Deafening gunfire roared as dozens of bullets were unleashed toward the two.
For ordinary humans—or even magic users—this firepower would have been fatal, leaving them riddled with bullets.
But…
“!!!”
“What the…?!”
The countless bullets stopped mid-air, as if hitting an invisible wall.
To be precise, the magical barrier emanating from the masked individuals had effortlessly blocked the barrage.
“Too bad for you. If you want to penetrate this, you’ll need something like a cannonball.”
With those words, the man lowered his outstretched hand.
The bullets, suspended in mid-air, clattered to the ground.
“Well then… Shall we have some fun?”
With that declaration, the two rushed forward at a ferocious speed.
Like wild beasts charging their prey, they closed the distance in an instant.
Faced with the overwhelming speed of their approach, the soldiers froze momentarily as if paralyzed.
And then…
Appearing right before their eyes.
Despite being familiar to the residents of this place, the sight of those animal masks now seemed more terrifying than ever.
“Ugh… Aaaaaaahhh!!!”
—SLASH!
Screams erupted as blood sprayed everywhere.
The two intruders, wielding a rapidly spinning magical blade and a butcher’s knife, leapt into the formation and began mercilessly slaughtering the panicked soldiers.
“Damn it! Stop them! Hold them back!”
Amidst the chaos, Ritorrio desperately tried to rally his men.
However, the soldiers were primarily composed of line infantry trained for long-range combat.
As such, they were strong at a distance but incredibly vulnerable in close quarters.
Even those wielding swords were unable to withstand the intruders’ attacks—their weapons shattered on contact.
This was no longer a situation where tactics or formations could be discussed. It was simply a case of overwhelming power crushing Ritorrio and his subordinates.
The two attackers, like lions rampaging amidst a flock of sheep, could not be stopped by Ritorrio in the end.
“General! We can’t hold them back! You must retreat! The soldiers have already lost their will to fight!”
“Ugh…”
The urgent plea of the adjutant urged Ritorrio to retreat.
In reality, the formation had already been broken, making even a second round of gunfire impossible.
In just that short span, nearly 30 soldiers had been massacred, and the numbers were still growing. Meanwhile, the soldiers’ morale had plummeted to rock bottom.
In the end, Ritorrio had only one choice left.
“Retreat… And you, deliver this news to Admiral Arcroyal immediately. I’ll rally the soldiers and try to hold them back.”
“Yes, General!”
Sending off his adjutant, Ritorrio began to retreat with the remaining soldiers.
The navy, which had surged forward so aggressively, now fell back in waves.
Watching the retreating naval forces, the two attackers—Franklin and Magellan—took a brief moment to catch their breath.
“What should we do? Should we chase them?”
“No… Our role is to be bait. It’s more advantageous to deal as much shock as possible while letting as many of them escape as we can.”
“Understood. If that’s the captain’s decision, I’ll follow it.”
Magellan, speaking with a measure of respect, displayed a willingness to follow Franklin’s orders—a behavior that had become more apparent since they had fought together against the Pirate King.
During the last meeting, he had even supported her against his girlfriend, Elkana, showing his trust in her judgment.
However, observing this, Franklin couldn’t help but feel a mixture of gratitude and concern.
‘Ha… But is this okay? No matter how you look at it, taking sides against your girlfriend might lead to problems later on…’
Though she had never been in a relationship, as a fellow woman, Franklin felt that having one’s boyfriend side with someone else would feel pretty bad.
Even if she were in the wrong, it would still sting.
Although she had no intention of interfering in their relationship, as the captain, she resolved to help smooth things over when the time came.
For now, though, Franklin decided to focus on the task at hand.
“Let’s proceed with the plan.”
“Got it. You mean setting everything ablaze, right?”
Historically, fire attacks had been a tried-and-true strategy. When it came to drawing attention, there was nothing quite like it.
With that thought, Magellan conjured a blazing blue flame in his hand.
Holding the brilliant, deep-blue fire without hesitation, Magellan hurled it into the warehouse ahead.
A warehouse filled with crates of gunpowder.
—KABOOM!!!
***
“What?! The munitions warehouse?!”
“Yes! We just received the report. Ten percent of the warehouse district is already engulfed in flames, and the fire is rapidly spreading.”
The sudden, catastrophic report caused Arcroyal to rise from her seat in fury.
“Who would dare…?! Who would dare to commit such an act here in Bennessa, at a time like this?!”
Her voice, sharper than usual due to the disruption of her tea time, made the trembling adjutant even more nervous.
“Well… We’re not entirely sure who they are. The attackers were wearing masks, and their power was overwhelming. Our forces couldn’t even get close to them.”
“…Damn it…”
A situation spiraling out of control, with no clear resolution in sight.
Arcroyal realized she had to make a decision.
Should she focus her forces on protecting this area?
Or should she prioritize securing the munitions warehouses?
Ordinarily, the latter choice would have been obvious.
However, the problem was the ongoing grand auction—a continental-scale event.
Such large-scale events were a reflection of a nation’s prestige.
More than that, the diplomatic and financial stakes tied to the auction far exceeded the losses of the warehouses.
“What should I do…”
“Hmm… Securing the warehouses is important, but shouldn’t we head there first?”
“Putting out the fire should take priority. If this continues, things will get out of hand.”
The difference between a site of immediate danger and one of potential future danger made the answer seem clear.
The soldiers began to prepare to move out.
But then…
“Wait a moment.”
“Yes?”
—
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