Chapter 196 - The Forest Depths
The forest, even at the witching hour when the grass and trees sleep, is still quite noisy. Despite its apparent stillness, the sound of insects can be heard, and the occasional cries of nocturnal beasts pierce the air. The leaves rustle loudly when the wind blows.
Even so, the presence of human footsteps would attract immediate attention to those on guard. Of course, no one clumsy enough to make noise is among them, and their concealment of magic is perfect. With careful attention, they can approach fairly close without being detected.
This time, despite the darkness, everyone is wearing sunglasses, making them a suspicious group. If discovered, they would likely be attacked without hesitation.
Multiple guards stand watch outside the cave entrance, which is believed to be a mining site with night shifts. Just a short distance away, seven large log cabins stand. Despite the early morning raid, the cabins seem mostly empty, as if only night owls inhabit them. Each cabin likely has a few people, at most.
Given the number and size of the cabins, it’s surprising that there aren’t more people around. It’s possible that there simply aren’t enough people, but that’s fine. There’s no time to investigate further; they’ll have to act quickly and decisively.
"Enemy numbers could be high or low. There might even be villagers. The worst-case scenario is that this is just an abandoned mining site used as a hideout by the remnants of the McDallian Family. We might encounter some unpleasant situations."
"Guess it’s a bit late to worry about that now. I’ll be happy just to beat up some idiots and maybe snatch some loot. What do you say?"
Ophelia lists the negative possibilities half-jokingly, but everyone’s determination remains unchanged. They ready their weapons, their spirits lifted by the late-night tension and matching sunglasses.
"Alright, let’s get started. Who’s going to do it?"
Everyone grins, as if they all have the same idea.
"Alright. Mia will go first, followed by Valeria, Albert, and Verone. I’ll bring up the rear. Liliane and Graylease, you two will handle a separate task. After the attack on the cabins, secure this area. Got it?"
Everyone nods in agreement. Mia throws her knives, taking down two guards simultaneously. Mia follows suit, throwing her own knives to take down two more.
Valeria moves with superhuman speed, dispatching the guards before they can even react. Ophelia, draped in a silver coat, takes advantage of the distraction to approach from another angle and cut down another guard.
Just as our presence is about to be detected and the enemies start to react, Verone unleashes a blinding light magic spell, searing the eyes of the guards who are accustomed to the darkness.
The perfect timing of the distraction allows us to quickly eliminate all remaining enemies. The suppression is completed in a matter of moments.
The intense light might have been noticed from the cabins, but Liliane and Graylease, who are already heading there, will handle it. The people in the cabins are likely either sleeping or drunk, so even if they notice, the impact will be minimal.
Following the plan, Mia leads the way, and we follow. The cave is surprisingly spacious, but the many branches make even a brief exploration challenging. Mia considers not only magical sensing but also the echoes, airflow, and even footprints to choose the best path. Her confident movements, though seemingly casual, are leading us steadily toward the area where people gather.
The complex network of tunnels can’t be navigated by magical sensing alone. Witnessing such skill is truly impressive.
We sprint down the gradually descending path, mercilessly taking down any hostile faces we encounter. As we get closer to a large group, we know we’re nearing our goal.
After one or two more turns, we stop.
"Nice work, Mia. Thanks to you, we avoided unnecessary exploration."
"Amazing."
"It’s my specialty."
"Is it better than when you were an adventurer?"
"It wasn’t at this level back then. Good job."
Mia, blushing slightly, accepts the praise. Everyone pats her on the shoulder, offering words of admiration.
Now, the real challenge begins. The destination is just ahead, and it appears to be a vast space.
"There are more people here than we expected from the McDallian Family remnants."
"Looks like the villagers are involved."
"I can’t make out what they’re saying from here, but I hear shouting."
"Forced labor, no doubt."
Given the situation, it’s hard to imagine otherwise.
"I’ll check the numbers and positions."
Mia, moving with unusual stealth, disappears and returns quickly.
"No enemies nearby. It’s faster to see for yourselves, so let’s go together."
Upon reaching the area, we are greeted by a space larger than we imagined. Our current position is at the top of a gently spiraling, long corridor, offering a bird’s-eye view of the vast space below.
Typically, the best vantage point would be guarded, but it seems the guards we encountered earlier were likely posted here.
The space is brightly lit by magical devices, as bright as midday, allowing us to see every corner clearly.
"Wow, this is incredible."
"I didn’t expect it to be this large."
The sight is indeed breathtaking.
The underground space is as large as a baseball field, with a depth similar to looking down from the upper stands. It might be even deeper.
Who would have thought such a space existed beneath the forest?
The unrealistic, massive space is fascinating and could even be an interesting tourist attraction.
However, the people here present a stark contrast, their presence grotesquely ugly.
"Why go to such extremes?"
"Even for this, it’s not normal."
Many people are on the brink of death from harsh forced labor. The harsh words of those forcing them are brutal, even by the standards of Exembra, where the underworld reigns.
Even if it’s forced labor, the scenes of cruelty here are extreme.
It seems the villagers are being overworked, as if there’s some urgent reason. Bodies are scattered everywhere, the result of being killed for defiance or left to die when they can no longer move. Some are killed on a whim. The atmosphere here is brutally violent.
The living are at the edge of exhaustion, moving their bodies mechanically until they collapse, devoid of any hope.
Surprisingly, the labor force includes not only able-bodied men but also the elderly and women. The dead bodies, especially those of the elderly, are a testament to the harsh conditions.
The hellish forced labor includes whipping and beating with clubs, treating the workers like unruly animals. It’s nauseating. I may be a criminal, but I don’t want to be lumped in with people like this.
"Damn, I can’t stand this. Let’s finish it quickly."
"How should we approach it? The light is too bright for light magic to be effective, and loud noises might kill the weakened villagers."
In a closed space, light and sound would be more effective, but the villagers are already on the brink. A shock could kill them. We need to be careful.
However, the stun grenade magic could quickly incapacitate the enemies. It would be ideal if we could use it.
"The enemies number around fifty, and there are about two hundred villagers. A direct assault would likely cause confusion and harm the villagers."
Given the scattered enemies and the presence of villagers everywhere, there’s no way to take out the enemies en masse. What should we do?
"What about Onee-sama’s magic?"
She shakes her head. Thorn magic can target specific points, but hitting all the enemies at once would be difficult. Even with a small margin of error, the consequences could be fatal.
"What about healing first? Use Yukari’s magic to heal everyone, then use Verone’s magic to incapacitate the enemies and villagers together."
"Ah, that might work."
Hmm, use fog magic to heal everyone in the mine, then follow up with a stun grenade to incapacitate everyone. It’s a bit rough, but it might minimize harm to the villagers. Even if we try to quietly eliminate the enemies, we might only manage ten before being noticed. This is the best approach we can think of.
"Let’s do it this way. But I don’t want the villagers to see my magic. I’ll incapacitate everyone before they can recognize the fog magic. Got it, Verone?"
"No problem. I’ll time it perfectly."
Pressuring a master of technique like Verone is unnecessary. Once the stun grenade is ready, we’ll be set.
We all return to the corridor and form a shield to block it, combining mineral and drug magic for a wide range of applications.
While maintaining visibility, we deploy a translucent shield to block light, followed by a silicon gel shield to block sound. It’s weak in terms of defense but effective for light and sound.
After preparing for the stun grenade, we spread a thin magical membrane over the ground, weaving a web of magic. This allows us to activate the fog magic in a specific area and time it accurately.
"Let’s do it."
Verone, nodding, prepares to activate the stun grenade just as the healing fog is released.
The dull boom reverberates through the sound shield, signaling the start of the operation.
We avoid ranged weapons and magic, moving in to take down the enemies up close.
Each of us leaps down the slope, landing with varying degrees of grace and heading toward our targets.
Valeria, the fastest, targets the farthest enemy. Mia follows, taking out nearby enemies.
Ophelia’s and Verone’s swords gleam, and Albert’s hammer roars.
The struggling enemies are no threat. There’s no honor in killing them face-to-face. We’ll send them straight to hell without them even knowing what hit them.
I keep an eye on everyone’s movements while moving myself. Using the Silver Super-Hard Bat would be wasteful on these scum. My fists are enough.
I punch their necks, crushing their throats and vertebrae. I shatter their ribs and sternums, destroying their lungs and hearts. I deliver body blows, rupturing their livers and kidneys. I grab them by the arms and shoulders, crushing them before slamming their heads into the hard ground. I kick their thighs and knees, rendering them helpless. I finish them off with a final blow.
This level of violence doesn’t faze me. The suffering of strangers is merely a distant matter. Seeing it might make me angry, but it doesn’t enrage me.
I kill them calmly. I won’t leave any loose ends. I’ll finish the job here.
The enemies, blinded and deafened, are no match. They are crushed like insects, and the massacre is swift.
Verone’s stun grenade is powerful, and the villagers are still recovering. We’ll take care of everything in this time.
"There’s another path leading up. Mia and Ophelia, check how far it goes. If it leads to the surface, confirm Liliane and Graylease’s situation before returning."
"Right, there might still be enemies. We’ll take care of them."
"I’ll look for the village leader."
Indeed, we don’t need to wait for all the villagers to recover. Finding a representative for information and gratitude can help us use our time effectively.
"We’ll ask the others. Some are starting to see and hear again."
If there’s any severe damage, like ruptured eardrums, we’ll use healing potions as a special service. We’ll pass it off as a healing magic user being present. There’s no need to explain further to them.
As the villagers start to recover, they seem to understand the situation. They see the dead bodies of the former McDallian Family members and the strangers moving freely, realizing they’ve been rescued.
We try not to be overly authoritative in our interactions. The villagers have been pushed to the brink of death, and their physical and mental states are fragile. They can’t be pushed too hard.
However, we’ll still require their cooperation. As a group of formidable women, even the dull-witted can sense our authority.
Soon, Albert brings over a beastman with a distinguished air.
The middle-aged beastman, who looks more like a bear with a hint of cat, has white short hair and a beard that, while white, doesn’t look unkempt. He looks more ruggedly handsome, like a veteran actor.
We sit him down at a table and chairs that were likely used by the guards. We give him water, and he takes a deep breath.
"Are we safe to assume you’ve come to help?"
Given our unknown nature, it’s understandable he’s cautious. I offer a reassuring smile.
"Yes, you’re right. I’m the leader of the Kikyo Society, Shinogami. You may not have heard of us, but in Exembra, we are enemies of the McDallian Family."
"Kikyo Society, I see. I’ve heard of you. Thank you for your help."
He introduces himself, revealing he’s the village leader of a neighboring village, not the one we initially thought.
"Neighboring village? What about the leader of this village?"
"He’s being tended to over there. The leader of the other village is also with him."
So, the people from three villages have been gathered here.
"Tell us what happened. How did this situation arise, and what’s your connection to the McDallian Family? I should warn you, there’s no point in hiding anything."
We can make educated guesses even without details. It’s unlikely the McDallian Family would visit such a remote village without prior ties. They were probably already in league with the village, engaging in illegal activities.
In such a remote village, paying taxes would bring little benefit, and a subsistence lifestyle is the norm. For a better life, they likely sought other means. The exact sequence of events is unclear, but it’s evident.
Connections with the underworld of another country are highly risky. While they might try to cover it up with authorities, there’s no point in hiding it from us. Hiding information would only hinder further discussions.
"To repay my rescuers is a principle I must follow. I’ll answer your questions as you wish."
Good attitude. Let’s get the full story.