"Hey, is this really the mission location?"
It was still the familiar Kazdel, but the people weren't familiar.
Feeling the increasingly strong sandstorm, Scout responded by pulling up his mask.
"This is the right direction. As mercenaries, everyone should remember this road."
"Yes, of course I remember..."
The sinister-looking, Horned Sarkaz tapped the hilt of his sword and glanced sideways, saying:
"If we're on the right track, we should be seeing those shitty buildings by now."
A strangely shaped, enormous longsword pointed straight ahead, with only a flat wasteland in front of it.
"Then can you tell me... where did the Scar Market go?"
"..."
The thought of the rumors about the Military Commission's withdrawal filled Scout with a sense of foreboding.
"Perhaps it's been concealed by Originium Arts... Let's observe it closely in the near future."
Flamebringer brandished his sword, assuming the most suitable stance for drawing it from its sheath.
"You stay here, I'll go investigate."
"... I will provide sniper support."
"Save your bullets, I don't want to be accidentally shot by an idiot while fighting the enemy."
Watching Flamebringer depart, Scout gained a more direct understanding of this legendary swordsman.
"It's not so much that they're difficult to get along with, but rather that they don't know how to express themselves."
Scout wasn't angry at what the other person said; he considered whether to buy a gift to improve the relationship.
Hmm, a copy of "The Art of Language" would be good.
While he was thinking, the sniper master had completely concealed himself.
Flamebringer was in sight, slowed down and eventually stopped.
The previously alert posture became somewhat strange, with even the blade drooping to the ground.
"Is something wrong...?"
The surrounding view kept disappearing from the sniper scope until Flamebringer's signal came through.
As Scout stealthily reached the designated location, he gained an understanding of Flamebringer's unusual behavior.
"They moved it so cleanly..."
What should have been a chaotic market complex was now completely empty.
Not only that, but besides the buildings, even the land itself has been reduced by several layers.
It gradually concaves from the outside in, almost like --
"Was it attacked by Catastrophe?"
Flamebringer offered a guess, which he then dismissed.
"No, the coverage area is too small."
"... Come closer."
After confirming that there were no obstacles to hide on the flat ground around them, the two approached the site of the former Scar Market.
Reaching the edge of the slope, Scout wiped the dust off the ground with his finger.
"Traces of artillery fire..."
"Huh? The Military Commission had nothing better to do than plow the land with bombs before they left?"
Flamebringer slid down the slope, his sharp blade cutting through the scorched soil, wisps of heat rising from the cracks.
"Looks like we should thank them for not using that firepower on the battlefield; that amount of firepower could take down a warship."
"Beware of Originium dust."
Scout offered a face towel, which Flamebringer refused.
"No need, I was already infected."
"Then we must also be careful to prevent the infection from worsening."
Do you think I'll live to see the day I'm deeply infected?
Flamebringer lifted his face towel and shook his head.
"I'd rather die on the battlefield, or by the blade of a strongman, than from disease."
"..."
Scout silently retracted his goggles.
To retract my earlier statement, this teammate was indeed somewhat difficult to get along with.
"Let's go. The Military Commission has gone to such extremes; that Cyclops has probably left by now." Flamebringer led the way back.
"The mission failed. The report is yours."
"...I'm the captain this time, after all," Scout sighed.
"Then I'll leave it to the captain."
"..."
Scout re-wound the gun and then left.
Just when the two thought the mission was over, Scout suddenly stopped.
"Stay hidden! There's movement!"
Unexpectedly, Flamebringer had been arguing earlier, cooperated, and the two hid behind a boulder, with Scout pressing his ear close to the ground.
Looking at the slightly trembling pebbles on the ground, Flamebringer frowned and said:
"An earthquake?"
"No, it sounds more like a mobile warship."
Scout carefully tried to pinpoint the source of the sound, then his body stiffened.
"No... it's heading this way!"
There was no need to listen any longer; the powerful tremors nearby were enough to determine the direction.
As the two peered out, a massive sandstorm gradually approached.
And at the very forefront of this sandstorm, the golden horizon drew ever closer.
"Golden Storm..."
Remembering the mission objective's name, Scout checked his equipment again.
"Looks like we're in luck."
"Yes, so how do you plan to intercept them?" Flamebringer narrowed his eyes.
As the sandstorm drew closer, they came into view of the frenzied Beast Herd.
This is no ordinary caravan; anyone who dares to stand in their way... will undoubtedly be crushed to dust.
"No need to intercept them, just make them notice us."
Scout mounted his gun and sensed the wind direction across the wasteland.
Assessing the movement of the Beast Herd, the gun's tip pointed at a boulder.
Bang--!
"Boss! We've been running for four hours already!"
The raging sandstorm seeped into the gaps in the armor, and Rice tried his best to keep his voice from being drowned out by the Gale.
"[Sarkaz swears!] Can't you just hold it in? Will you die if you skip a meal!?"
The accompanying mercenary couldn't help but curse, Rice hurriedly explained:
"No, we should have seen the Scar Market by now. Did we take the wrong turn?"
No, the path is correct.
Hedley glanced at the position of the sun.
"Perhaps the previous route went astray, and we need to take a break beforehand?"
"Can you guys still hold on?"
Vera looked behind her; the mercenaries all raised their right hands.
"No problem!"
"Then let's..."
Buzz--
Before she could finish speaking, the world in Vera's eyes seemed to slow down.
The swirling dust danced before my eyes, even the wind seemed to have a trajectory.
Bullet time has been triggered!?
With a sense of vigilance, Vera slowly shifted her gaze.
Bullet time provides a sensory acceleration, but it does not enhance physical abilities.
Fortunately, she still had a backup plan.
[Time Stop Sound Effect]
In the still world, Vera carefully surveyed her surroundings.
But the bullet itself is too small, and with time running out, how can she solve this?
Vera's proposed solution was--
Scan all the empty spaces once.
"Um?"
Corrosive Bullet was fired, Scout immediately sensed something was wrong.
The boulders were not broken as expected, and what came into view was no longer sandstorm and gold.
Sizzle--!
With a sharp screech, crimson lightning tore through the air, and a massive dark blade came hurtling towards them.
From a touch of crimson to a sweeping expanse of red, it all happened in an instant.
Before Scout could react, a hand pressed his head down firmly.
The two knelt on the ground, a tingling numbness shooting through their backs. Before the relief of surviving the ordeal could even rise, a raging sandstorm was already approaching.
The Behemoth spewed out scorching breath, and thousands of hollow gun barrels were pointed at the two people in the center.
Feeling the deadly stinging pain all over his body, Scout pulled Flamebringer was standing next to him, to crouch down and cover his head in defense.
Actually... I'm a good person.
Attention-grabbing tactic... a resounding success!
After Vera asked Vane for confirmation in the group chat, Vera unfriendly gaze softened.
"Let them go, the sign is real."
With a resounding clang, the mercenaries put down the Butchers they were carrying.
As Scout departed feeling the fatal sting, he was once again struck by the Babel Tower's good reputation.
"I apologize for the misunderstanding caused by my inappropriate actions."
"It's alright, you didn't intend to attack us anyway," Vera waved her hand.
"Instead, we should thank you for stopping us; we just happened to need to contact the Babel Tower."
Contact Us?
Scout was somewhat taken aback; the intelligence report hadn't mentioned any of this.
No, the intelligence itself may be flawed.
The Elite Operator's heart pounded as he scanned his surroundings through his goggles, a mere glimpse of his surroundings.
Hordes of colossal Behemoth, well-made standard armor, and enormous, obviously dangerous firearms that appeared out of nowhere.
This isn't a mercenary group; it's an army... a well-equipped army.
Scout looked at Vera, his gaze finally settling on the longsword at her waist.
The massive sword energy that nearly cleaved him in two reminded him of Theresis's attack, which he had witnessed on the battlefield.
Scout had a bad feeling.
[Could this mercenary group be a disguised organization of the Military Commission?]
With this connection, Scout felt that Vera's gentle voice had become terrifying.
But someone wouldn't allow him to think that way—
Seeing that Scout hadn't replied for a long time, W's forehead vein throbbed, and he muttered to Rice beside him.
"[Sarkaz swearing!] Didn't you hear our boss talking to you!?"
The mercenaries cast satisfied glances at Rice, and Scout was jolted awake.
"Sorry, I was just... a little surprised."
It seems you need to take a break.
Vera failed to notice Scout's alertness (who could tell when he was completely covered up?), assuming he was simply startled.
Since that's the case...
"Let's eat!"
Amid Scout and Scout's bewildered gazes, the well-trained [army] instantly transformed back into the mercenaries they knew.
A campfire was lit, and Behemoth surrounded them.
As the crowd dispersed, the group of toddlers, who had been huddled in the very center of the group, came into view.
Seeing the children's curious gazes, Scout dismissed all his previous guesses.
This team... this team can only protect the weak in the very center.
He is definitely not a member of the Military Commission.
Seeing Scout standing there in a daze, Vera assumed he was just embarrassed.
"Want a skewer?"
Scout instinctively took the food, only then noticing its unusual nature.
Looking around again, the fact that everyone was a carnivore made him think again.
While Flamebringer was already enjoying his meal, Scout was once again lost in a brainstorming session.
[Did they wipe out the Scar Market? But the Scar Market's food supply can't withstand that kind of consumption!]
Is there a problem?
Looking at this Elite Operator who was intermittently lost in thought, Vera couldn't help but have doubts about the healing capabilities of Babel Tower.
Look, even the mentally challenged can go to the battlefield.
"No... I'm just... so surprised."
Knowing that his appearance was indeed somewhat embarrassing, Scout couldn't help but look at his companion.
How does Flamebringer maintain...?
"..."
In his line of sight, Flamebringer was tearing into meat with large bites, but his gaze was fixed on one of the Confessarius in the children's group.
It was a look of yearning for a formidable foe, but Scout clearly couldn't understand it at that moment.
Because of that Confessarius, he... crashed again.
"... poor child."
Unable to resist shaking her head, Vera turned to Hedley.
"Do you see what's going on? Why has the Scar Market disappeared?"
"Judging from the site damage, it looks like it was bombarded by a lot of artillery fire." Hedley brushed the dust off his hands.
"Based on the ground temperature, not much time has even passed."
Vera frowned as she listened to Hedley's description.
What exactly happened?
The Temporal Beast used a time rewind, returning to last night...
"I don't know, it was the boss's order."
When his companion asked him a question, the mercenary waved his hand impatiently.
"Let us leave if they want. This place is going to be abandoned anyway, what's the point of staying?"
"But so many supplies were still taken away?"
"The boss told us to leave, but he stayed here. Guess what he's planning to do?"
"... I just don't understand! Iron Blade and the others are always secretly going against the boss, so why does the boss still include them?"
The mercenary who had been speaking couldn't help but complain, letting out a heavy sigh.
"If I'd known there was no future following the boss, I would Babel Tower instead..."
"Come on, do you think the Babel Tower will accept just anyone?"
Amidst their complaints, the two had already packed their things and joined the departing group.
Meanwhile, the very person in charge of the two men's discussion was watching them leave.
"Have your little tricks finally come to an end, Scar Eye...?"
A red glow appeared in the darkness behind the Cyclops; it was the blood in the goblet.
"You're joking. I wouldn't dare to play tricks on you."
Vivid blood vessels were wrapped around the Giant's neck; it looked as if it could snap at any moment, yet the Giant dared not move an inch.
"Oh? Where did your confidence come from when you challenged Qaisatusta?"
Ducare propped his cheek on his hand, then looked at the other person with interest.
"I thought you were prophesying something, but now it seems... you've accepted your own death?"
"You know, I will not die tonight."
With those words, the dangerous blood vessels silently disappeared.
"Prophecy... it is indeed a troublesome thing."
Tasting the blood in his cup, Ducare looked at his opponent with disdain.
"Years ago, the Giants ' prophecies still brought good news, but now they only bring sorrow."
"Perhaps, at least I've never seen good news since I was born."
He stretched his neck and said Scar Eye:
"It's difficult for us to have genuine emotions when we can foresee our future."
"Everything has already been experienced in our memories; when we meet someone... we see their worst future."
Seeing Scar Eye's behavior, Ducare's eyes gradually grew impatient.
I initially thought this was an eccentric Giant, and that's why I've stayed until now to observe him.
Now it seems... the other party was nothing more than a puppet of prophecy.
"So what did you predict? And how are you going to live tonight?"
This was Ducare's only curiosity.
You'll see it soon.
Scar Eye pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Ducare without any hesitation.
A hint of interest rose in Ducare's eyes, and he asked curiously:
"Those mercenaries outside are your source of confidence? Don't tell me you're such a boring guy."
"Of course... unlike other Vampire, the Great Lord does not take pleasure in slaughtering the weak, and I understand that."
"So, what kind of surprise did you bring me?"
Ducare looked at the other man expectantly, but Scar Eye didn't reply. Instead, he asked about another topic.
"During your long life, Your Majesty, have you ever experienced joy?"
"Fun, ah... the battles with the Banshees back then were some pretty good memories."
Ducare was unusually patient tonight, not annoyed by the veergence of the topic.
"The Banshee mourned the lost travelers in the wilderness with sharp, mournful cries, while mercilessly plunging their black, bone claws into the backs of these poor souls' heads."
They have always been the Vampire's most prized hunters. We fight side by side on the battlefield, using fear as our weapon to reap the lives of the weaker enemies."
"And what about the Cyclops in the Great Khan's eyes?"
"Giants... a bunch of hopeless pessimists. They might be somewhat useful if they could just shut their damn mouths."
"A pessimist...?"
Scar Eye repeated, talking to himself.
"What? Are you angry?"
"No, you're absolutely right." Scar Eye shook his head.
"On the day the Giant awakens his bloodline, he will see his own future."
Those guys accepted their fate willingly, but I hate that way of life.
So I left my tribe and returned to my homeland."
"But you still haven't changed anything."
Ducare gave a wicked smile; in his long life, he had seen countless Giants do similar things.
And the result...
"The Cyclops cannot escape prophecy, not even his own death," Scar Eye calmly acknowledged.
So what? Your death is tonight?
"No, that's too early."
He sensed that the mercenaries outside were closing in, so Ducare waved his hand, and everything fell silent.
The surging blood poured in from outside, and the Vampire's lord lost his patience.
"Tell me, what bargaining chip do you want to use to save your life?"
When the future is already predetermined, and it's certain that this future is destined to be this way, would you resist?
"A stupid question..."
Ducare didn't answer, but Scar Eye laughed.
"We'll meet again, Ducare."
As soon as those words were uttered, the Giant went insane.
"I shouldn't have died... I shouldn't have died at this time!"
"No, I want to strive for the greatest possible possibility!"
"This is not the death of fate, I... have triumphed over fate!"
"Ah! Death! This is the breath of death!"
"Haha! I was right! I changed the prophecy!"
"..."
Gazing at the crazed Giant, Ducare pierced his chest.
As life drained from his body, the mad Giant regained his senses.
"Any last words?"
Staring blankly at Ducare, Scar Eye grinned a sinister smile.
We will meet again.
Boom--!
As the words fell, intense flames rose from beneath their feet.
In a slow-moving world, raging flames gradually fill the entire space of the Scar Market.
The two were located at the very center, which was the origin of the most intense explosion.
Boom!
The darkness briefly recedes, and now it is time for the flames to revel.
As the noise subsided, the flame at the very center also began to recede.
In the burning sea of fire, the Vampire's monarch reshaped his form.
The magnificent clothing was tattered and torn, and the quiet atmosphere hinted at the monarch's anger.
No, perhaps it wasn't anger.
"Hahaha!"
Unrestrained laughter erupted from the flames; it was Ducare's heartfelt joy.
He wasn't angered by the attack; he had found something interesting in this mad behavior.
Today, a Giant has triumphed over fate.
Even if the price... is my own demise.
We'll meet again.
"..."
The laughter subsided, and without using blood to embellish his finery, Ducare departed in the direction of the departing procession.
The flames flickered gently, and a belated reply arrived.
"I'll be waiting."