ALL NOVEL Chapter 69
Chapter 69: The City of Desire and Despair (8)
When Solenne and Andrea had been reduced to slaves, they had vowed revenge.
If they ever regained their freedom, they wouldn’t just kill those who had captured and abused them. Their true goal was to destroy Akela City’s black market, particularly the slave market within it.
And now, Martin Adalbert, the heir of the Adalbert family, had declared that he would accomplish that very task.
“…Anyone can make promises, but you apologized to us immediately and broke the magic circles that bound us. I’ll admit you’re different from the humans I’ve encountered so far,” Solenne said, her tone slightly softer.
“Only now are you admitting I’m different? Your standards are a bit harsh, aren’t they?” Martin replied with a chuckle.
“I can’t help it. Every human I’ve met has been despicable. At least the Adalbert family is held in high regard even among the elves. If the heir of that family says so, I suppose it’s worth trusting—for now.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Martin replied, turning his gaze toward Andrea.
The old dwarf finally spoke. “I agree with the high elf. It’s hard to trust you just based on words, but given the reputation of the Adalbert family, I’ll give you a chance. As an heir to one of the great families, I doubt you’d break a promise tied to your family’s name.”
“Of course. Then, I’ll be counting on both of you for the time being. Until you rejoin your people, we’ll be together. However, for the time being, I need you to keep wearing the collars until we leave the city. We don’t want to attract unnecessary attention.”
Solenne and Andrea nodded without objection, their hostility fading.
Martin felt satisfied with this.
He had never expected to win their trust with just a few words. Their hatred for humans ran far too deep for that.
This would likely be the same for the other elves and dwarves they would soon encounter.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
Rescuing the elves and dwarves and destroying the slave market was only the first step.
He had already prepared for the next phase, so there was no need to rush.
With thoughts of the future in mind, Martin prepared to leave the room.
But he suddenly paused.
“Martin,” Sien called out, her expression tense.
“Yeah, it seems like something troublesome is happening again,” Martin replied, shaking his head.
It was simple.
Since entering the black market, his detection field had picked up multiple figures surrounding the mansion.
“There are 22 of them. They’ve surrounded the building.”
“What’s their skill level?”
“They’re all about as strong as ordinary knights.”
“Then they’re not a formal knight order?”
“No, their movements are disorganized. They’re probably mercenaries hired with money. The real question is who hired them… But honestly, anyone here could be behind it. All the guests at this auction are shady types.”
Martin let out a bitter laugh.
Everyone at the slave auction had immense wealth, so hiring skilled mercenaries was a trivial matter for them.
On top of that, after the commotion caused by the man in the lion mask, and with everyone desiring the high elf and dwarf, there was no shortage of motivation.
At that moment—
“Number 12! Listen up!”
The voice of the man in the lion mask echoed through the mansion.
Hearing the familiar voice, Sien frowned.
“See? I told you. That guy would definitely come back for revenge.”
“That’s exactly why I let him live.”
“Not going to let him off the hook this time, right?”
“Of course not. He should’ve been grateful I didn’t kill him before, but now he’s squandered that mercy.”
“Exactly. And it’s hilarious how he’s still acting so arrogant, relying on whatever backers he has, despite basically being abandoned by his own family.”
“Even so, his connections are still valuable. Most people would hesitate to make a move against someone with that kind of backing.”
“But you’re not most people, are you, Martin?”
“That’s exactly his bad luck. It’s time to show him that a powerful background is no shield.”
“Are you sure, Martin? I could handle this alone,” Sien offered.
“I just want to stretch my legs. Honestly, I’ve got a lot of pent-up frustration. So, please step outside with Solenne and Andrea.”
“Sigh, alright,” Sien agreed reluctantly.
With that, Sien left the mansion with Solenne and Andrea, leaving Martin alone.
“Hoo.”
Since arriving at the slave market, he hadn’t been in a good mood.
The very atmosphere of the place was unpleasant, and having to watch such vile people only made it worse.
While he would eventually deal with all of them, he intended to release some of his anger now.
With that thought, Martin put his mask back on and raised his right hand.
Crash!
A window shattered as Martin stepped forward.
He manipulated the air with Omni Distortion, wrapping the wind around his body as he leaped outside, landing gracefully on the ground.
“Hey, employer! This isn’t what we agreed to. That guy’s clearly no ordinary noble. To move like that in midair, he has to be at least a fifth-circle mage!”
“If he can fly, I’m out. I’m not risking my life for this.”
The mercenaries hired by the man in the lion mask started grumbling.
They had accepted the job because it seemed simple—just take out some noble brat—but now they realized they might lose their lives.
Of course, they weren’t happy about the situation.
“If you kill both of them, I’ll triple your pay. Does that sound good enough?”
“Well, I do like a generous employer. But if he turns out to be a seventh-circle mage, I’m out.”
“A seventh-circle mage would be in the top 100 of the Empire. Do you really think someone like that would show up here?”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Hey, I don’t know who you are, but don’t take this personally.”
“If we were richer, we’d let you go. Too bad,” the mercenaries said, glaring at Martin with murderous intent.
Feeling emboldened by his mercenaries, the lion mask man confidently spoke again.
“Hand over the elf and the dwarf, number 12. Do that, and I’ll spare your life.”
“You sure are confident for someone who can’t do anything by himself. You don’t even have the money to get what you want. Is there anything you’re actually good at?”
“…I swear, you won’t die easily. That woman beside you won’t either.”
“That’s my specialty. Why don’t we see who’s better at it?”
A cold smile spread across Martin’s face.
It was a clear expression of disdain.
“Kill him now!” the lion mask man ordered.
Whoosh!
At his command, the mercenaries charged, their weapons coated in aura.
“Be grateful. You’ll learn that sometimes, money isn’t everything.”
The lesson, however, would come at the cost of their lives.
Still smirking, Martin clenched his fists tightly.
* * *
Martin calmly observed the incoming mercenaries.
Not only could he clearly see their movements, but he also anticipated exactly how they would attack.
Based on this, he quickly decided how to strike back, channeling his mana.
Omni Distortion and his golden aura fused in his hands, and he unleashed it using the techniques of the Rothar Martial Arts.
Boom!
“Gaaah!”
The overwhelming force instantly crushed the mercenary leading the charge.
Although the mercenary tried to swing his sword in desperation, it was futile.
His aura-infused weapon shattered first, and in the blink of an eye, his entire body was pulverized by the golden strike.
The remaining mercenaries were completely caught off guard.
“What the hell was that?!”
“Dammit! Avoid engaging him head-on!”
Vrrrmmm.
At that moment, Martin used teleportation, disappearing from sight.
Seeing this, the mercenaries panicked even more.
“He can teleport!”
“Damn it! We should’ve gotten better information before taking this job!”
Their frustration and fear turned toward the man in the lion mask.
But they didn’t have time to think about anything else.
Crack!
Reappearing behind one of the mercenaries, Martin grabbed his neck and snapped it with Omni Distortion.
“Let me return the favor.”
As soon as Martin finished speaking, he struck the body of the now lifeless adventurer, sending the corpse flying like a cannonball toward the remaining mercenaries.
“Ugh!”
“Gah!”
Though none of them died, the force of the impact caused them to lose their balance and stagger. But that brief moment was more than enough for Martin.
It gave him the opportunity to end their lives swiftly.
He swung his left elbow, shattering one enemy’s skull, and followed it up with a right hook, crushing another’s heart with a single punch.
“Die!” yelled the only adventurer who had reached the fourth circle, charging at Martin in a last-ditch effort. His aura-covered sword aimed straight for Martin’s back.
But Martin had anticipated the attack. He swiftly turned around and grabbed the man’s wrist in mid-swing.
Then, using Omni Distortion, he twisted the adventurer’s arm.
“Aaargh!”
The man screamed in agony, his grip loosening involuntarily as he dropped the sword.
Clatter.
Martin kicked the fallen sword into the air and caught it by the hilt, smoothly swinging it horizontally.
The golden aura that enveloped the blade cut through the air with ease, decapitating the man in an instant.
“I’ll be taking this.”
Whoooosh!
A gust of wind formed around the blade as Martin infused his golden aura into it, creating a fearsome, swirling force.
The sight alone was enough to strike terror into the hearts of the remaining mercenaries.
“What the hell is that monster?!”
“Get out of the way! Let’s get out of here!”
In the end, the mercenaries chose to flee.
Martin couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Do they really think they can escape?”
Despite the overwhelming difference in strength, they still clung to a sliver of hope.
How pitiful, Martin thought. If it were him, he would have begged for mercy instead.
Not that it would have mattered—he wasn’t planning to spare them anyway.
With a light flick of his wrist, Martin swung the sword.
Boom, boom, boom!
The golden whirlwind split into dozens of smaller vortexes that tore through the fleeing mercenaries.
Those who couldn’t avoid it tried to resist, but it was futile.
The moment the golden winds touched them, their weapons and bodies were shredded to pieces.
Clang.
As the attack subsided, the sword shattered from the sheer force, but Martin paid no mind to the broken weapon. His attention was now focused on the only survivor—Simone Royce, the man in the lion mask.
“Gah!”
Simone collapsed to the ground in fear, trembling uncontrollably. His body was drenched in sweat, and he couldn’t muster the strength to move.
Martin walked over and kicked Simone in the face.
“Ugh!”
Then, pressing his right foot onto Simone’s neck, he used his left foot to kick off the lion mask.
Beneath it was the face of a well-groomed man in his early thirties, with sharp, narrow eyes that gave off a slimy impression.
“Just as I thought. Simone Royce.”
Martin casually called out the man’s name, confirming what he had suspected all along.
“The Marquis of Royce family certainly has powerful backing, and you’re even the current head’s grandson. Although, you’re just one of over 20, aren’t you?”
“If you kill me, my family will never forgive you!” Simone shouted in desperation.
“You’ve already been completely disowned. The Royce family won’t lift a finger to help someone who’s been stripped of their succession rights. Don’t you think so?”
“Arrrgh!”
Martin applied more pressure to Simone’s neck, causing him to scream in pain.
But the real terror came from the overwhelming fear that seized him, the kind that made him feel like his heart could stop at any moment.
“If you know who I am, then you know my father will avenge me! He won’t let this go!”
“Do you think I’m afraid of your father, when I don’t even care about the current head of your family? And you’re still trying to threaten me after everything?”
“Arrrgh!” Simone’s screams grew louder as the sound of his bones slowly cracking echoed in his ears.
“P-please! I was wrong! Spare me!”
“Simone Royce, I already gave you one chance. You threw it away, and instead, you attacked us. It’s obvious what you’ll do if I let you go again. How could I spare you?”
“I’ll never do it again! I swear, just give me one more chance!”
“Put yourself in my shoes. Would you give me a second chance, or would you deal with the threat permanently?”
Simone couldn’t respond. He knew full well that, in his place, he would have killed his opponent without hesitation.
Martin smirked, then prepared to crush Simone’s throat.
But just then, a voice called out.
“I don’t know who you are, but please, spare him this once.”
“Oh, I know exactly who you are. But why is the secretary of the mayor at a place like this?”
Martin loosened his grip slightly and turned his head.
It was Dietmar Hessler, the secretary of Jerome Metzelder, the mayor of Akela City.
Dietmar was drenched in sweat, evidence of how hastily he had rushed to the scene.
Once again, he begged, “Please, I ask for your mercy. For the mayor’s sake, just this once, let him go. I promise there will be no repercussions.”
“And what if there are? You know killing someone here is considered self-defense. Not to mention, there’s no legal issue with killing people in this part of the city.”
“What about the Royce family…?”
“As I’ve already told him, I don’t fear the Royce family.”
“What?!”
In response, Martin said nothing. Instead, he removed his mask and dispelled his polymorph magic.
Dietmar recoiled in shock.
“T-the heir of the Adalbert family?!”
“Now you understand why I have no reason to fear you.”
Martin had already made up his mind. Simone Royce would die here today.
There would be no negotiations.
Both Jerome Metzelder and Heinz Schwarzenbeck would be consumed by anger, clouding their judgment.
With that thought, Martin pressed down with all his strength.
Crack!
Simone let out one last scream before his body went limp, his neck broken under Martin’s foot.
“Hngh!” Dietmar turned pale as he watched the life drain from Simone Royce, the grandson of the Marquis of Royce, right there in Akela City.
Despite trembling in fear, Dietmar managed to speak.
“T-the mayor won’t let this go…”
“Interesting. So the mayor is connected to the Royce family? Nicholas von Royce really does have his hands in everything, doesn’t he?”
“Gah!”
“I’ll be keeping an eye on how you handle this. Oh, and by the way, I’m moving to a different place. This place is too uncomfortable for me to stay any longer.”
With that, Martin calmly turned and left.
He soon rejoined Sien, Solenne, and Andrea, and together, they left the black market behind.
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