Chapter 47 - How to Fight
The Kikyo Society is a rapidly growing new force. We might have been a bit naive about this fact.
Many of us, including myself, act on momentum and enthusiasm. Sometimes, we’ll take someone down if we’re annoyed, and other times, we’ll help out for no reason.
We might act irrationally or emotionally. As long as it doesn’t harm the Kikyo Society, I think we have a fair amount of freedom. To outsiders, we might seem to be living as we please.
Being a new group of women, there are bound to be many who find our actions bothersome.
As we grow in numbers and strength, we naturally attract attention. This attention, especially from the underworld, is often negative.
Exembra is home to many large and small criminal organizations.
How much attention we’ve attracted and how cautious we’ve been might be more than we realized.
A steamy night of free time.
The newly promoted members are gradually getting used to their new lives, and they’re starting to go out more often at night.
Despite our awareness of the risks, the Kikyo Society hasn’t faced any significant incidents.
One evening, as we were chatting in the headquarters, the front door burst open.
"Hurry, recovery!"
"Quick, heal them!"
Bonnie and Paula, who had gone out for drinks, rushed in, breathless. The situation was clear.
Two of our new members were carried in, battered and bruised.
"Quick, this way!"
"Hey, are you okay? Don’t you die on me!"
"This is bad."
"What happened?"
Just a glance was enough to see that they were severely injured. Deep cuts and broken bones on their limbs, and a particularly nasty blow to the head suggested a clear intent to kill.
Rosabel and Colette immediately started healing them with magic.
Thanks to the specially designed coats, the damage to their bodies was minimal, and they were fortunate to be alive. Though unconscious, they would likely wake up soon.
Everyone carries emergency recovery potions, but Bonnie and Paula had forgotten theirs. As a punishment, they’ll have to face the consequences. The new members had used their potions during the fight, leaving empty crystal vials in their pockets, a sign of their diligence.
Relieved that they would recover, we took a moment to gather our thoughts.
"Bonnie, Paula, what happened?"
"We don’t know all the details, but the Rosimar Gang did this. Their emblem was clear. When we found them, they ran away!"
"Damn, those guys! We won’t let this slide!"
According to Bonnie and Paula, the two new members were surrounded and attacked by a group.
From a distance, they could see the new members resisting fiercely, but they were outnumbered. When Bonnie and Paula arrived, the new members, reassured by their presence, passed out.
"Bonnie, Paula, thank you. We’ll deal with them properly."
Gradena, usually smiling, was unusually serious, suppressing her anger.
The new members had a special bond with Gradena, who had mentored them in the Combat Unit. Their injuries would hit her hard.
"Yukari, let me handle this."
"Alright. Everyone, this is Gradena’s responsibility. She’ll choose the team and the approach. The rest of you, support her."
The members, with serious and determined faces, nodded in agreement.
"Josephine, if you can, provide information on the Rosimar Gang."
"Sure. I’ll give you everything you need."
The Rosimar Gang is smaller than us, with about twenty members, none of whom are particularly strong.
The motive is unclear, but they might have wanted to make a statement against our growing influence.
We haven’t had any significant conflicts with them in the past. Perhaps it was a spontaneous fight.
"They’re not a big gang. Five of us should be enough. Bonnie and Paula, you’re in. The rest is up to—"
Many from the Combat Unit volunteered, but Zieglune and Valeria were the quickest.
"First come, first served. Zieglune, Valeria, let’s go."
They quickly prepared their gear and potions.
"If you can see the Rosimar Gang’s office from the roof, we’ll watch from there. Signal us if you need backup."
The roof, once a desolate space, has been transformed into a garden by Lily, a serene spot for relaxation.
"Got it. We don’t expect to need it, but keep an eye on us."
The unconscious new members woke up as we were discussing the plan. They seemed relieved to be back at the headquarters and shared their ordeal with Paula. They nodded in agreement with each other.
"Hey! We want to go too. As aspiring members of the Combat Unit, we can’t just sit back and watch!"
Even after such an ordeal, they still had the will to fight. They might be promising new members. Yukari and Gradena exchanged nods of approval.
"Yukari, it’s also a training opportunity. I’ll take the other aspiring members too."
In the office, many new members were watching. Yukari called out to them.
"You heard that? Aspiring Combat Unit members, follow Gradena."
The new members, tense and determined, quickly prepared for the mission.
Some might shine in this experience, while others might struggle. But humans adapt. I’m not worried.
Gradena gave a stern speech to the new members.
"You don’t need to fight. Just observe our techniques. Some of you are experiencing this for the first time, so it’s fine to just get a feel for it. Today, the Rosimar Gang will be finished. We’ll make them regret ever crossing the Kikyo Society. Let’s go!"
Gradena led the way, followed by Bonnie, Paula, Zieglune, and Valeria, all fully armed. The new members, a mix of excitement, tension, and anxiety, followed closely.
We moved to the roof to watch, ready to provide backup if needed.
As we settled in, the injured new members gradually regained consciousness. They looked around, relieved to be back at the headquarters, and recounted their ordeal to Paula. They nodded in agreement with each other.
"Hey! We want to go too. As aspiring members of the Combat Unit, we can’t just sit back and watch!"
Even after such an ordeal, they still had the will to fight. They might be promising new members. Yukari and Gradena exchanged nods of approval.
"Yukari, it’s also a training opportunity. I’ll take the other aspiring members too."
In the office, many new members were watching. Yukari called out to them.
"You heard that? Aspiring Combat Unit members, follow Gradena."
The new members, tense and determined, quickly prepared for the mission.
Some might shine in this experience, while others might struggle. But humans adapt. I’m not worried.
Gradena gave a stern speech to the new members.
"You don’t need to fight. Just observe our techniques. Some of you are experiencing this for the first time, so it’s fine to just get a feel for it. Today, the Rosimar Gang will be finished. We’ll make them regret ever crossing the Kikyo Society. Let’s go!"
Gradena led the way, followed by Bonnie, Paula, Zieglune, and Valeria, all fully armed. The new members, a mix of excitement, tension, and anxiety, followed closely.
We moved to the roof to watch, ready to provide backup if needed.
Josephine pointed out the location of the Rosimar Gang’s office. Indeed, it was visible.
Using Physical Enhancement Magic, we could see far and clearly. If Gradena’s team needed to signal us, we’d notice.
From the rooftop garden, the remaining members watched the Rosimar Gang’s location with focus.
After a while, we saw Gradena and her team arrive in a jeep.
Waving to us, they broke through the entrance and charged inside.
Once inside, we couldn’t see the situation clearly.
Occasionally, we could see windows breaking. What’s happening in there?
We kept watching, and soon, the new members, wearing Kikyo Society coats, emerged from the building, looking a bit flustered.
Shortly after, a woman in a black coat was thrown from an upper floor. It’s Paula, I think.
She landed gracefully but used a recovery potion, indicating she was injured.
"Josephine, they seem to be struggling."
"That’s odd. Did they get new members?"
It’s hard to stay updated with the latest information, so we can’t blame them.
They might have new members or a strong individual who happened to be there.
Gradena and the others joined Paula, and the new members were instructed to stay back.
There was no signal from our side, so we continued to observe.
A tall man with a giant spear appeared on the broken wall, looking down at our members.
Indeed, he looks strong.
But he’s alone, just one person.
He jumped down and swung his spear at Gradena. Despite the loud impact, Gradena held her ground.
The Kikyo Society members gradually surrounded him. The man, sensing the encirclement, attacked more fiercely, but Gradena held her ground.
If this continues, he’ll be defeated soon. But Zieglune and Valeria aren’t intervening.
The man, perhaps thinking it was a one-on-one fight, focused on Gradena. He probably planned to break through and escape. It’s a good strategy, but it won’t work.
"What an idiot."
The moment the man’s attention wavered, Valeria threw a paralyzing dart, which hit his waist.
Shocked, he was vulnerable, and Gradena cut off his arm.
Bonnie and Paula rushed over, kicked his legs out, and began to torture him.
Since this information was unknown to Josephine, he could be a valuable source.
We still need to be cautious about magic, but he’ll likely surrender. If he resists, we won’t hesitate.
Zieglune and Valeria stayed to guard the man, while the others returned to the building.
A moment later, Bonnie emerged, dragging a ragged figure.
"That’s probably the Rosimar Gang’s leader. He’s in bad shape."
Josephine provided the context.
The Rosimar Gang is finished. We’ll make them pay for their actions.
We might also use this opportunity to promote the Kikyo Society.
Suddenly, a high-powered fire magic attack struck the area.
Despite the surprise, Zieglune and the others quickly covered their heads with the coats and took cover.
The coats’ protection was effective, but the captured men were exposed and severely injured. The fire magic seemed to target them specifically.
"…They’re trying to silence them."
"It seems so. Was the Rosimar Gang hired by someone to attack our new members? It’s too quick. We didn’t plan this attack in advance."
"We’re under surveillance. They might have acted quickly to prevent us."
Indeed, that’s possible.
It’s unsettling to be watched, but it’s the price of our growing influence.
"We can’t see where the magic came from. Tracing it will be difficult."
"But it’s clear that the Rosimar Gang didn’t act alone. We need to continue our investigation, but uncovering the mastermind will be challenging."
"We can’t leave this alone. We’ll take it step by step."
There’s a lot we don’t know, but that’s okay for now.
Josephine and others have their limits. We can’t expect to uncover everything immediately.
What’s unacceptable is targeting our apprentices and new members. However, I don’t think it will happen frequently.
By destroying the Rosimar Gang, we’ve likely deterred other small gangs from targeting us. The survivors will spread the word, and the Kikyo Society’s reputation will grow.
Whoever they are, they won’t get away with it.
We welcomed Gradena and the others back at the headquarters.
The new members were included this time and had plenty of recovery potions. They all returned safely, though the jeep was badly damaged. It’ll need maintenance, but it’s still functional.
"Yukari, here’s a souvenir."
Gradena handed me a spear. It belonged to the man with the giant spear.
I’ve been using spears recently, so she brought it for me.
"It’s a good fit."
Lily nodded in approval. It’s a high-quality spear, better than mithril, with a sleek silhouette. A bit thick for me, but solid and simple. It’s useful.
But I’m more into spear throwing than actual spear combat.
The other items recovered, such as magical artifacts, might be valuable. The jeep repair might be covered, but I’ll make the one who used the fire magic pay for it eventually.
Fighting should be done in a way that ensures victory.
I don’t care much about saving face, and the Kikyo Society isn’t a hero’s guild.
If hand-to-hand combat isn’t possible, use weapons and tools.
If a direct approach fails, use surprise attacks or ambushes.
If numbers are the solution, use them. If you can find weaknesses, exploit them. There are many strategies.
Cowardice? That’s just an excuse from losers.
We’ll accept any challenge. If you sell us a fight, we’ll buy it.
But if you’re selling, at least have your last meal first."