16 - Full Over
Facing the ruins of the abandoned mine, I look upon the remains of a village that must have been uninhabited for a long time.
No one lived there now, and it was a place where only the faintest traces remained of it ever having been a village.
"So this is the bandits' stronghold."
Novem stood beside me, staff in hand, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings.
Perhaps because they outnumbered the bandits several times over, the group was in a state of laxity.
"Riel-sama, morale is far too low."
"Yeah, it's a problem. Though, for this particular occasion, that's actually better."
Adventurers dressed as soldiers, letting their guard down.
Some were yawning, while others were laughing and discussing how to spend their rewards.
Looking at them, I've recently begun to wonder if two silver coins was too high a price.
They had earned less than ten large copper coins while working seriously.
It felt a bit unreasonable.
Having handled mundane requests myself, I now understood just how exceptional a reward of two silver coins was.
I realized that having actual experience is different from just having knowledge.
'If I were told to fight leading a group like this, I'd normally refuse... well, just for this time, their atmosphere is important.'
How would the enemy react?
I had already devised countermeasures for that.
It had taken a full day's journey one way to reach the destination. I planned to launch an attack on the bandits tomorrow once the sun rose.
I looked around me.
"...Novem, don't act alone. Let's see... call Lockword-san and move together. There are a few other women here and there, so it would be good if you moved with them."
When I said that, Novem shook her head.
"No, I will stay by your side, Riel-sama. As someone capable of healing, I believe I can be of use."
It seemed she had no intention of leaving my side.
Moreover, my ancestors seemed to share the same opinion.
'Riel, keep her close. It would be troublesome if she were taken hostage. The other side likely realizes Novem is close to you. More than anything, the people around you—they can't be trusted.'
The Fifth Generation was right.
I had gathered them in haste and pushed toward the abandoned mine, but there were enemies inside.
Of course, all of my ancestors had noticed this.
'They aren't idiots either. They'll have devised some kind of countermeasure. If there's a leader, they'll move accordingly... and because of that, look how much we were made to suffer.'
The Fifth Generation's voice grew low.
The successive heads of the family hated bandits. Or rather, for a lord, bandits were a headache-inducing problem.
If the people of the domain became bandits and flowed into a neighboring territory, it would no longer be just their own problem.
"Riel-sama, everyone's preparations are complete."
When Novem informed me, I nodded.
"Let's proceed as planned. Let's have everyone take a break to prepare for tomorrow. Right... I'll make sure to speak with Lockword-san. She wouldn't be satisfied if she suddenly found out it was already over."
As I said that, Novem nodded.
"Shall we go together?"
Taking Novem with me, I headed toward Lockword-san.
Naturally, the successive heads had warned me not to leave Novem alone.
Inside the abandoned mine—.
"Boss! They've arrived. They're just leisurely setting up camp."
Hearing the subordinate's report, the large man grinned.
Grasping the red orb in his hand, he picked up an axe he had placed nearby.
It was a lord's weapon, obtained as loot.
He gripped the large battle-axe, holding the orb tied with a string in his left hand. He had it wrapped around his arm so as not to drop it.
"Underestimating us, eh? We've fought countless times. I'll teach 'em what a real battlefield is like."
As he spoke with a laugh, the subordinate bandits also took up their weapons.
The subordinates who had infiltrated as adventurers had also returned to report.
Twenty-seven members of the bandit group were assembled.
"Alright! We launch a night attack!"
The large man declared.
However, one of the subordinates looked down and let out a surprised cry.
"B-Boss!"
"What is it!"
—Then, smoke drifted into the place where everyone had gathered.
'Oh, the smoke really puts out well.'
Listening to the Fifth Generation's voice, I had been carrying in tree branches I brought to the entrance of the abandoned mine and setting them on fire.
It was a type of tree famous for producing a lot of smoke because of its leaves.
Furthermore, it had effects such as making the eyes sting.
"Novem, is your magic power okay?"
"Yes. I can still go."
When Novem said that, Lockword-san, standing next to me, widened her eyes and looked at the surrounding situation.
"W-What's going on? Weren't we going to attack tomorrow morning!?"
I shook my head.
"It was obvious, so if we did that, we'd be the ones attacked by the enemy. Besides, the enemies who had infiltrated have just returned."
The ancestors—especially the Third Generation—had seen through the fact that a group of bandits was lurking in Darion.
At the same time, it was discovered that there were collaborators.
I was a bit surprised when that name came up during the investigation, but—.
"Infiltrated? How did you know that! If you knew, you should have captured them, or... that..."
'...When you crush them, you have to do it all at once. It's foolish to buy unnecessary grudges. It's a waste, but for that reason, I had Riel play the foolish son and scatter money. Oops, no time for explanations. Riel!'
Telling the panicked Lockword-san that there was no time for explanations now, I drew my saber.
'Alright, I can help thanks to the skill's effect. Use it simultaneously with the old man's... the Fifth Generation's skill, Riel.'
When the Sixth Generation called out, I activated the skill.
Thanks to the skill [Full Over], which increases abilities by ten to twenty percent, I became able to use skills, albeit temporarily.
The Fifth Generation's skill was [Map].
And the Sixth Generation's skill was [Search], which was recommended for simultaneous use.
Map is a skill that recognizes the surroundings as a map.
To the current me, the passages inside the abandoned mine were clear as day.
And Search... this is a skill that discovers the placement of enemies and traps in the vicinity.
Both were exceptional as skills and were extremely useful.
However, constant use consumes a great deal of magic power. Therefore, even if I use them, it is only for a certain amount of time.
I confirmed the surrounding situation.
Apparently, no traps were found set within the abandoned mine. Only the bandits were moving around inside.
"As I thought, there's an escape route... Excuse me, could I ask you to deliver a message to Zelfie-san?"
The person I asked was an adventurer.
More accurately, he was an adventurer specialized in anti-personnel combat who made a living primarily as a bounty hunter—an existence also called a bounty hunter.
"That's remarkably accurate, it helps... are you a skill holder?"
The male adventurer was surprised when he heard the location I specified.
Then, I laughed it off.
"Now, I wonder."
When I said that, the other party said, "My bad," and immediately started running.
He was an adventurer wearing a black robe, and he ran off as if disappearing into the darkness.
"That was quite impressive. You've hired a real pro, haven't you? I'm a little relieved."
When Lockword-san said that, I tilted my head.
"I didn't hire him. Though he did cooperate."
"Eh?"
As Lockword-san pondered, unable to understand, Novem readied her staff. Interrupting her magic, she prepared a new spell.
The surrounding adventurers also readied their weapons, preparing for the approach of the enemy.
"They're relatively fast... six are coming from the front."
When I said that, those around me were slightly surprised but immediately took on serious expressions.
'You're quite good at using it. Instead of continuous use, you use it when necessary to suppress magic consumption. I can't believe you learned this just a little while ago.'
I was praised by the Fifth Generation.
Thanks to the skill called Full Over, I was able to meet the conditions necessary for skill use.
It was still impossible to use the skills of the Third and Seventh Generations, but regarding other skills, I became able to use them temporarily.
"The First Generation is great."
When I muttered that, the First Generation's voice was heard.
'You've finally understood!'
'Hey, you promised to stay quiet. Look, Riel... they're right in front of you.'
As the Fifth Generation silenced the First, I readied my saber.
Lockword-san, while swept along by the surrounding situation, also readied her own weapon. The weapon she held was a spear, which was unthinkable for a young lady.
"Wind Bullet!"
When Novem used magic, one of the bandits emerging from the smoke was blown away.
She had kept the power in check.
I also dealt with one of the bandits who slashed at me.
"Y-You bastard!!!"
The opponent who slashed at me while saying that held a dagger. It was the kind with a single edge that was slightly curved and had some width.
If I blocked it with my thin saber, it felt like mine would break.
Yes, if I blocked it—.
"Slow."
Parrying the dagger with my saber to break the opponent's posture, I immediately delivered a kick to the opponent's stomach. This time, I would not kill the opponent.
That was the contract we had made.
Looking around, the bandits were being subdued by the adventurers in the same way.
Amidst this, one of the bandits who had blended in as an adventurer screamed as he saw the man binding him.
"W-Who are you! I don't know anyone like you!"
The man bound the bandit in silence.
Once finished binding, he slammed a fist into the bandit to silence him.
"Efficient work. His movements are different. It was the right choice to rely on him."
"Yes, Riel-sama."
Novem shared the same opinion.
Once things settled down, I used the skill again. Rather than constant use, using it briefly when necessary was what suited the current me.
"...Full Over."
I activated the skill and confirmed the surrounding situation.
The map of the surroundings floating in my head, and the bandits moving within the abandoned mine—.
Besides the entrance, there were places like escape holes in the abandoned mine ruins. As the bandits returned into the mine, they started running toward that direction.
However, Zelfie-san and the others were already waiting at the end of the escape route.
Releasing the skill, I felt that the operation had succeeded. However, the Fifth Generation's voice came from the Jewel Orb.
'Don't let your guard down until it's over. If the commander lets their guard down, those around them will too. Consider that you can only relax once everything is finished and you've arrived in Darion.'
Clearing my throat, I focused.
'That's right. It's fine to release the skill moderately, but check as frequently as possible. Ideally, you'd be able to check constantly, but there's no point if you collapse.'
I touched the Jewel Orb to indicate my understanding.
Knowing that the exit had already been blocked by the adventurers, I could understand that the movements of the bandit group were clearly erratic.
However, once one reaction disappeared, their movements gradually began to coalesce.
'A warning, perhaps. It seems things will get troublesome from here. The opponent is desperate. Riel, if capture is impossible, kill the opponent immediately. Even if they are bandits, they don't seem to be opponents you can hold back against.'
Hearing the Fifth Generation's opinion, I touched the Jewel Orb again.
The Fifth Generation had the most experience in combat with such bandits.
This was because the Walt family had been promoted to viscount and had come to be relied upon as a patron for the surrounding area.
It seemed he often sent soldiers in response to the surrounding help.
And, perhaps because they had just been promoted and the relationship with the clients was subtle, or simply because they were looked down upon—it was also a period when many bandits flowed into the Walt family's domain.
The Fifth Generation stated clearly that the cause was jealousy from surrounding nobles due to the promotion.
In other words, the surrounding nobles had sent a large number of bandits into the Walt family's territory.
The one who crushed them was the Fifth Generation.
'Honestly, if it's an unused abandoned mine, it would be easier if we could just burn it down. Blocking the entrance and such would be good too.'
Setting aside the Fifth Generation's scary remarks, I felt the remaining bandits running this way.
The reason they didn't go in the direction where Zelfie-san and the others were was likely because they had suffered that much damage.
The reactions of the bandits had decreased to five.
I released the skill and waited for the opponent to arrive. As I readied myself, the surrounding adventurers also readied their weapons.
They likely trusted my judgment—the ability of the skill to know the enemy's approach.
'It seems you've been quite highly evaluated. Well, our father and son's skills are skills that those who want them would desire with all their heart. Use them effectively, Riel.'
(Yes)
When I replied so in my heart, the bandits jumped out from the smoke, which had cleared slightly, with desperate expressions.
Among them, the large man with the axe jumped out.
'That guy is the boss of the bandit group. ...Riel.'
As the Fifth Generation spoke, I headed toward the large man without using the skill. Those around me were fighting against the desperate bandits.
They likely had no room to lend me a hand.
"Riel-sama!"
Novem readied her staff to use magic.
However, I stopped her with my voice.
"I'll do it!"
Hearing that, the large man blatantly frowned. Then, he swung a large axe with one arm.
He was swinging a large axe, the kind one would swing with both hands, with a single arm.
No matter how much muscle he had, there was something unnatural about the way he swung it.
"Don't get cocky, you brat, goraaaa!!"
I jumped back to avoid the battle-axe swung sideways. I then lured the large man, who continued to chase me, into a place where trees were densely packed and difficult to fight in.
However—.
"Naive!! I've got this!"
Saying so, he thrust his left arm toward me. Red light was leaking from the gaps between the fingers of his fist.
"An Orb?"
When I said that, the large man spoke boastfully.
"That's right. And it's a piece with multiple skills! I'll turn you into mince in no time! Because—"
The large man's battle-axe, swung with one arm, hit the trees. Normally it would stop there, but he cut the trees down just like that.
He had cut down trees with a single swing.
"It's a skill that increases the strength of the weapon! This orb teaches me how to use skills! It's the best!"
Just increasing the strength wouldn't allow one to swing a large battle-axe with one arm.
As expected, there seemed to be several troublesome skills.
"A skill to strengthen muscle power! And, from the blade..."
'Hey! Jump to the side!'
The First Generation's voice sounded. It wasn't within the opponent's range, but I immediately jumped to the side.
Then, a slash flew from the battle-axe he swung down. It cut down several trees, showing off its power.
"Tch, you've got good instincts. That was the skill to send out slashes. But... this one is amazing."
The large man grinned. He laughed, and then vanished from my sight for an instant.
Since I immediately heard a voice from above, I jumped back from that spot. However, the impact alone broke my posture, and I rolled across the ground.
What I saw the moment I rolled was the sight of the ground being gouged out. It was something I couldn't believe the large man had done.
Rolling, I used the momentum to stand up, and the large man was closing in before my eyes.
"It's an incredible skill called Slash! Its speed and destructive power are five times the usual, ze-eeee!!"
I watched the battle-axe the man swung down.
The attack approaching at incredible speed was said to be due to a skill.
Voices were heard from around me.
"Riel-sama!!"
"Riel!"
I heard the voices of Novem and Lockword-san.
In the next moment, the face of the First Generation floated in my mind. His figure, sitting in a conference room chair with arms crossed, was in a barbarian style but dignified.
And then, his mouth twisted into a grin.
'Now... blow him away, Riel!!'