Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 94 Having packed all her belongings, Kadogan immediately headed to where her younger brother Ragan would be. The establishment called "Left Hand Has Liquor," located in the back alley entertainment district, was one of the businesses managed by Gadum, providing various services to nobles and merchants. Ragan and other White Scale Tribe members were managing the entire area centered around Left Hand Has Liquor. "Ah, Lady Kadogan, you've arrived." The guard standing at the entrance with a fierce expression, a barbarian thoroughly influenced by city life, smiled brightly and bowed to her. "Is Ragan here?" "Actually, he's currently entertaining a guest of Gadum's. Huh? Lady Kadogan?" Kadogan headed toward the VIP room located in the deepest part of the establishment. "Hey! I said you don't need to send any more— huh?" The man with a hearty atmosphere—Ragan—recognized her. He was with an obese middle-aged man, each with someone beside them. He had been entertaining an out-of-town merchant who came with Gadum's recommendation. "What brings you here?" He showed both delight and bewilderment at Kadogan's appearance. She was someone who had repeatedly declined his invitations to visit his establishment. Alcohol was a means of approaching the gods and should only be consumed during rituals, or so she claimed. "I don't know what it is, but deal with it later. As you can see, I'm busy right now." Ragan waved his hand dismissively. At that moment, the merchant beside him looked Kadogan up and down. "Mr. Ragan. What's that girl's name?" "Huh? What's this? Do you fancy that woman?" "It's my first time with a barbarian, but looking at her like this, she's surprisingly— gack!" Ragan grabbed the merchant's throat and rose from his seat. The obese body, comparable to two merchant men, was easily lifted into the air. "You pig bastard. How dare you treat my sister like a whore?" "Gack— I'm, I'm sorry...! I, I didn't know better—" Despite the merchant's pleas, his face gradually turned purple. Ragan truly intended to kill him, and the merchant was horrified by this realization. 'Crazy barbarian bastard, I'm your boss's guest...!' At this sight, Kadogan let out a reproachful sigh. "Ragan." "..." Then Ragan grinned and released his grip. "Be grateful that my sister is a generous person." "Gah, gasp— cough! Th, thank you...! Thank you!" "Don't thank me, you should apologize to my sister. Is your head just for decoration?" "I'm, I'm sorry, Young Lady...! I didn't know better—" "I understand, so take those people and get out." "Yes, yes...! Hey, let's go!" The merchant hurriedly led his people out of the room. Ragan, who had already loosened his shirt and was heating up the atmosphere, looked disgusted when left alone with his sister in the room. "Kadogan. Can't you see I'm working? What's this about? What's happened to make you act so unreasonably? This isn't like you." "Pack your things and gather the guys immediately." "Huh?" "We've been in Bondaless too long. Let's leave this place soon." Instead of answering, Ragan drank straight from a bottle of premium liquor, one of the establishment's products. Half the bottle disappeared in one gulp, but he maintained a calm yet dissatisfied expression. "City liquor is strong, but it doesn't feel like I've actually drunk anything." "Ragan." "Still, I like the liquor here. I've gotten used to it, I suppose. The guys seem to be getting used to this place too. Kadogan." Ragan looked at his sister with an expression clearly showing fatigue. "What's wrong this time? What's happened to make you cause such a fuss?" "Gadum, that bastard messed with the wrong person this time." "Ha, what are you talking about— again?" It was common for Gadum to request "karma reading" on powerful figures or strong individuals. Kadogan would occasionally express anxiety about this. "It's not 'again'—this time is truly different." "Sure, I'm sure it is." Ragan let out a scoff. Just a few days ago, Kadogan had expressed anxiety after using karma reading on the "Three Big Shots." Ragan had easily "resolved" Kadogan's anxiety before and believed he could do the same this time. Kadogan's face contorted with frustration at Ragan's relaxed attitude, which clearly revealed his thoughts. "Are you going to keep acting like this?" "I'm thinking about it. How to reassure our cowardly sister." Kadogan's patience reached its limit. She stormed out of the room. Ragan hurriedly got up and followed her. "Hey, where are you going!" "If you won't come, I'll take our guys and leave." "Ah, this is driving me crazy! Kadogan! Fine! I get it— let's do this! First, let's try what we did before again." "It's a waste of time." "Hey! Even if it's a waste of time, we have to try first! If it really turns out to be a waste of time like you say, I'll follow your opinion without complaint. Got it!?" "..." Kadogan reluctantly agreed. Then, Ragan gathered his most trusted subordinates. The barbarian mercenaries, who made up a significant portion of City Councilor Gadum's forces, assembled in one place. "Ugh, right when we're busiest. Let's go. Since it's come to this, I need to know what you saw too." *** The underground chamber that had looked desolate when Kadogan was alone became a cramped and stuffy space when Ragan and seven other barbarians entered. They stepped onto the karma reading magic circle that Kadogan had newly drawn. "Mr. Ragan. That again?" "Yeah. If not us, who's going to ease Kadogan's anxiety?" Ragan's subordinates chuckled but added no words. They could face trouble if they responded wrongly to Ragan's jokes about his sister. After all, he had been exiled from the tribe for beating the chief's son half to death for insulting his sister. Ragan earned the nickname "Battle Maniac" due to his hot-tempered and belligerent nature. The story that even Gadum couldn't stop Ragan when he got excited was notorious throughout Bondaless. "We don't have time for this..." Kadogan muttered in dissatisfaction but asked them if they were ready. From now on, they would enter the mental world created by Kadogan and participate in "karma reading." And within that world, they would engage in battle. This was how White Scale Tribe warriors prepared for combat. Through karma reading, they would spy on their future enemy's karma and conquer it. They believed that if others had achieved such karma, they too should be able to achieve it. "By the way, what exactly did you see this time?" "Well, she wouldn't tell me either." Kadogan wore a mischievous smile at their conversation. The karma reading began to unfold. *** "N-necromancer...!" A moment later, the warriors instinctively stepped back before the advancing army of the dead. Kadogan wore a satisfied smile at their pathetic display. "Are you finally coming to your senses?" However, that smile didn't last long. "A necromancer. Interesting. Everyone, prepare for battle!" Ragan, his face now filled with fighting spirit, had stepped forward to block the necromancer's path. "...!" "Prepare for battle!" At Ragan's command, the scattered atmosphere immediately solidified. They formed a formation and engaged in battle with the necromancer. Surprisingly, the battle proceeded evenly. The necromancer's terrible power varied depending on how many deaths they commanded. In that regard, the necromancer they were facing now could be considered newly born. The fact that it was a terrible existence in itself remained unchanged— But its power wasn't enough to fully demonstrate the meaning behind the name "necromancer." "We did it!!!" "We defeated the necromancer!!!" The necromancer's form scattered. The barbarian warriors led by Ragan had succeeded in defeating the necromancer. Of course. The defeat of a necromancer, which couldn't be destroyed by ordinary means, was possible here— In this mental world created and controlled by Kadogan. Separately— There was also a fact proven by this mental world created by Kadogan for "karma reading." It proved that Ragan's group had the power to overcome this "karma." Just like the target of this karma reading. What that bastard accomplished, we accomplished too. Moreover, we have Gadum behind us. So there was no need to fear him more than necessary. Ragan smiled at his sister with this meaning. His expression was still flushed with the unresolved excitement of battle. "...This isn't all of it." "Really? That's perfect. I was just starting to get heated up anyway." Immediately, the world turned upside down. The black mist and dark energy that had covered everything lifted— A shallow pond spread out. Throughout the moonlit pond, beautiful blue lotus flowers bloomed. Like half-open eyes, those half-bloomed flowers evoked a certain restlessness in observers. A woman stood among those lotus flowers. A whistle. Ragan whistled. The other barbarian warriors' eyes also gleamed. The woman's navy blue bob hair absorbed the moonlight and gave off a blue glow. Her mysterious atmosphere naturally harmonized with the desolate pond scenery. The traces of training visible above the leather that fit her perfectly, The woman's appearance resembled a mysterious beast and stimulated the barbarians' desire for conquest. His subordinate Dorek approached the woman. Ragan chuckled as he watched his subordinate's actions, until the woman's figure suddenly disappeared from view. The woman had somehow gotten close to Dorek. "Gack— gack—" Dorek made a rattling sound. The woman's hand was choking his throat. No, it was piercing through it. The woman pulled her hand out from his throat. Though torn flesh and muscle, broken bones should have impeded the movement, it was as light as if there were no resistance at all. The woman's hand, emerging from inside Dorek back into the world, held part of the organ that had supported Dorek's throat. The woman fondled it as if it were clay, enjoying the texture. Dorek's body collapsed, having lost the support for his throat. It was an unreal form of death even for barbarians who had witnessed all kinds of deaths. All of this had happened in the instant Ragan lost sight of the woman. The joy of victory in battle against the necromancer. The excitement. It had already vanished without a trace. "...Interesting." Ragan's lips stretched wide. A smile filled with fighting spirit. Soon he hurled the hand axe in his left hand with all his might. -Whoosh! The barbarian's axe traced a diagonal line at fierce speed. It was an unpredictable trajectory and a speed difficult to react to. The woman casually waved her hand toward the approaching axe. Then, the axe's path, which had been clearly aimed at her, went astray. And acceleration was even added to it— Thud! The sound came from near Ragan. The axe Ragan had thrown returned and embedded itself in his subordinate Damus's forehead. Leaving his falling subordinate behind, Ragan charged at the woman. Once again her silhouette vanished, but Ragan, concentrating all his nerves, didn't miss it. Their swords crossed. Light. Ragan felt her sword that way and smiled. The thought that he could teach this arrogant bitch a lesson. A sadistic smile spread across the battle maniac's face. Ragan pressed down on the woman with his sword and spoke. "You're weaker than I thou—aaaaagh." His words lost their form midway. Ragan belatedly realized that the woman was holding her sword with only her right hand. Thanks to the sword in her left hand piercing through his left eye. Ragan's strength on the sword weakened. Then, the woman brought her face close to his while leaving the sword as it was. "Haah..." She let out an excited sigh while looking at Ragan's expression soaked in confusion and pain. Ragan was a battle maniac. The assessment that he was a madman who saw nothing when excited followed him like a tail. "..." Even such a Ragan couldn't understand what the woman was showing now. In battle- No, what kind of emotion was she feeling in the midst of slaughter? "Mon, mon—" "Ragan!" Kadogan urgently called out his name. Before he knew it, Ragan's wounds had healed cleanly. Ragan recalled that this was a world created by Kadogan. With her help, they could defeat that monster. They had already forgotten their original purpose. Their thoughts were thoroughly bound by the woman. Ragan calmly retreated and formed a formation with his comrades. It was the same formation they had used to defeat the necromancer. The busy movements of the barbarian warriors contrasted with the woman's leisurely movements. She stepped forward with light, swaying motions. Then, it seemed as if the world itself was helping her movements. Even though this was a world created by Kadogan. Before they knew it, the woman had penetrated the gaps in their formation and stood at their center. It was a foolish action. To willingly become surrounded by enemies. But she smiled joyfully as if that was exactly what she desired. Before they could fully comprehend the incomprehensible nature of her footwork, her actions continued. A sword was swung once. A line of fresh blood was drawn. Behind that line of blood, the woman was already executing her next movement. And while that next movement was being executed, she was already performing yet another movement. The barbarians' perception couldn't keep up with the woman's actions. When the series of actions the woman had performed came to an end— "Gack!" "Aaagh!" They belatedly felt the sword strikes all at once and collapsed. Only Ragan barely withstood the attacks and remained standing, but he soon realized this was a mistake. He should have fallen too. If he didn't want to be toyed with by that monster. Every time the monster stepped forward and moved her arms, Ragan's body grew further from human form. The monster initially didn't target Ragan's vital points so he wouldn't die. "Ragan!" However, at some point she noticed that no matter how much she stabbed and slashed, her opponent wouldn't die. "Haah... haah..." The monster's breathing became more rapid. That emotion was fully contained in her sword. It was no longer battle or slaughter. Butchery. Her sword carved up Ragan's body mercilessly, like a butcher's blade filleting livestock. "Wh-what the hell is that..." The shaman's body trembled mercilessly at the carnage unfolding before her eyes. Was that truly human? What kind of human could display such martial prowess? What kind of human could display such killing intent? "Ka— Ka—" Ragan desperately called his sister's name with his damaged jaw and vocal cords. The master of this world was Kadogan. Yet even so, Kadogan couldn't control that monster. "Ragan!" The barbarian who had craved battle was no more. He begged the monster for mercy. He pleaded with Kadogan for help. Any further delay would damage Ragan's mind. Kadogan immediately tried to end the "karma reading." "Gack!" It was then that an axe flew and embedded itself in Kadogan's throat. The pain paralyzed Kadogan's thoughts. In her blurring vision, she saw the monster smiling. 'This is impossible...' That was merely an afterimage of "karma." Nothing more than an illusion created by the past. Nevertheless, that illusion was encroaching upon the mental world Kadogan had created. How high must the original's level be, how strong must that ego be for such a thing to be possible? The barbarians couldn't even dare to fathom it. They could only writhe in agony. It was then. "...!" The monster's gaze shot out. At the end of that gaze stood a man. His gentle impression and youthful appearance didn't match this scene of slaughter at all. The monster closed the distance with the man in an instant using the same sinister footwork she had used to toy with the barbarians. And then an unhesitating attack. The monster tried to thoroughly deny his dignity in an inhuman manner, just as she had done to the barbarians. It was the moment when the monster's body was about to touch the man. "Kyaaaaaaah!!!" The monster screamed. Her body's form was collapsing. The man grabbed the defenseless monster's throat. Then, the monster's body transformed into a sword. "..." The man took the monster that had become a sword and suddenly left the place. "Ah... ah..." The barbarians couldn't follow that surreal scene. The consciousness of the barbarians, freed from the monster, flickered. *** "Heooogh...!" Gasping sounds erupted one after another in the underground chamber. "..." Ragan. He panted for a while with a dazed expression. And soon, he turned his gaze to his sister. "..." "..." They looked at each other and nodded their heads. *** [White Scale Tribe warrior Ragan has left the party] [White Scale Tribe warrior Dorek has left the party] [White Scale Tribe archer Damus has left the party] [...has left the party] [...has left the party] [...has left the party] [...has left the party] *** "This came for me?" The next morning. Risir unwrapped a mysterious bundle that someone had left in front of the mansion and checked its contents. [To Lord Risir]