After Terry, the sharp-featured warrior, reminded them, most of the mercenary group's veterans vaguely recalled what had happened ten years ago. They had even received quite a few gold coins back then.
The female mage remembered it especially clearly. They had used the gorgeous clothes she'd bought for her father, and the share of the gold coins she'd received afterward had been worth far more than the robe. That was why she remembered the incident so well.
The members of the Mad Python Mercenary Group had seen their share of life and death, but none of them had ever imagined that the down-and-out nobleman who had been an insignificant sixth-level warrior could escape what they'd thought was certain death, only to return for revenge ten years later.
Raymond of the Mad Python Mercenary Group realized that his opponent wouldn't spare him. He immediately shoved Terry, the sharp-featured warrior, forward and said to Matthews, "He was the one who wanted to sell you into slavery back then!"
Matthews looked at Terry, whom they'd pushed forward. He intended to kill all of them soon. What mattered most now was finding out where his Sovereign Artifact had ended up, so he asked, "What happened to my weapon? Where did you take it?"
When Terry saw the mercenary group's leader push him forward, he knew there was little chance he'd get out alive. He turned to Raymond and said, "Captain, you took the biggest share when we divided the money back then."
"Since you're showing me no loyalty, don't blame me for doing the same!"
Then he turned to Matthews and said, "Raymond sold your weapon at an auction in Patel City."
Matthews said to Terry, the sharp-featured warrior, "And then? If you can give me valuable information, I might consider letting you live."
Terry asked excitedly, "Really?"
When Matthews nodded, Terry continued, "A member of the Jettanson Family in Patel City bought your weapon for 250,000 gold coins."
Matthews motioned for him to leave. Terry glanced back at Raymond of the Mad Python Mercenary Group, then walked behind Matthews, laughing loudly. "Hahaha! I'm off, then!"
Once they learned Matthews had come for revenge, they knew there was no way to settle this peacefully. With a single glance, they settled on a plan.
The Level Seven Mage Terry would pretend to approach and assassinate him, while the female Water Element mage would cast a sealing spell. Then Raymond would land the strongest blow.
As soon as Terry reached Matthews's back, he spun around and thrust a dagger at him. Only then did the mercenary group's female mage's ice magic appear where Matthews had just been standing.
"Ice Seal!"
Raymond had been waiting for this chance. The moment Terry struck, Raymond sprang into the air as if he'd received a signal, swinging the giant hammer in his right hand toward the spot where Matthews had just stood.
With Electromagnetic Induction, Matthews seemed to have predicted his movements in advance. He turned, and Terry's head fell to the ground. Unfortunately, the female mage was only a Level Seven Mage, and her ice spell was still too slow to cast.
After Matthews killed Terry, she finally sealed one of his lightning afterimages. Raymond's giant hammer also crashed into the pillar of ice formed by Ice Seal.
Matthews flashed forward again and killed Raymond of the Mad Python Mercenary Group. He could easily kill an Eighth-level Warrior who hadn't mastered Heavy as Light even before reaching the ninth level, let alone now.
Matthews didn't spare the other members of the Mad Python Mercenary Group, either. After he killed the people wearing the group's uniforms, the employer of this mission immediately revealed his identity. "Sir, I'm a member of the Church of Light. Could you let us go?"
Matthews wasn't a bloodthirsty man. If the employer hadn't said he was a member of the Church of Light, Matthews might have considered letting them go!
He'd already learned that members of the Church of Light had bought him at an auction to use as a vessel for Angel Descent. Now that he'd run into a secret escort by the Church of Light, transporting something coveted by necromancers, Matthews naturally couldn't let them go!
"Blame your membership in the Church of Light!"
After killing him, Matthews searched his body and found a box. He didn't find anything else of note.
Just then, the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion said, "Master, I killed those two necromancers."
Matthews went over to the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, Pal, and examined the two young mages. Necromancers were usually skilled with poisons, so Matthews used a scavenged weapon to prod their corpses. A lot of things had fallen from the high-level male necromancer's body.
Matthews picked up a book with a gloved hand and examined it. It turned out to be the Necromancy Cultivation Notes. There were also some other strange things, but Matthews didn't know what they were, so he left them alone and departed with the book and the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion.
After rejoining the Fire Rat Mercenary Group, Matthews took the reward for this mission out of his Space Ring. He gave the group's leader a Seventh-Level Magical Beast Core and said, "You've completed the mission. Give me a map to Patel City, and then you can leave."
Matthews took out another Seventh-Level Magical Beast Core and said, "Keep your mouths shut. I don't want you telling anyone what you saw. You've seen what happened to the Mad Python Mercenary Group!"
"Understood!"
When the Fire Rat Mercenary Group's leader agreed, Matthews continued, "Leave one Cloud-Patterned Horned Horse behind."
Everyone in the Fire Rat Mercenary Group had watched the battle from beginning to end. Naturally, they didn't want to get involved in Matthews's next venture. They took the Magic Beast Core and left.
Matthews had Fiona ride the horse the Fire Rat Mercenary Group left behind, while he rested on the back of the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, Pal. After they passed through the canyon, Matthews found a village and left Fiona and Asolun there.
Fiona still hadn't begun cultivating. All Matthews had taught her along the way was meditation. Since Necromancy involved the soul and Matthews knew nothing about it, he hadn't given Fiona the necromancy notes he'd just acquired.
Asolun asked, "Boss, why are you leaving me here?"
"It'd be inconvenient to bring Fiona with me this time, so stay here and watch over her."
"But, Boss, I want to go with you too!"
"No. This is the Church of Light's territory, after all."
"But—"
When Matthews saw that Asolun still wanted to go, he knew that he was going after the Sovereign Artifact, the Death Scythe. The worst-case scenario was that he'd have to steal it and run. So bringing Asolun, a Seventh-Level Magical Beast, and Fiona along would only hold him back.
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