Turning the Tide

"This is troublesome. I'd actually be happy to be honest with you, but I really don't know anything."

Listening to the other man's words, W answered like this.

Perhaps because W was visibly in pain, or perhaps because he did not see her as a threat at all, the Sarkaz warrior slowly lowered his raised blade. Faced with prey that could no longer escape, he intended to have a little chat.

After all, a single W's head would not bring him much profit. But if he could get more intelligence out of this woman—or even find those people from Babel Tower—it would be a huge gain!

"You're badly injured, and we don't have much time. A hasty interrogation could easily kill you. I don't think that would be good for either of us."

"Then go after that woman. She knows more than I do."

Almost the moment the Sarkaz warrior finished his threat, W responded directly.

Without hesitation, she made Ines the target for deflecting the conversation. At the same time, she was buying time.

Though Ines usually seemed difficult to get along with, she was still a teammate. W believed that woman would not simply leave her behind, and she also believed she would not die here.

This was not blind confidence, but experience gained from fighting alongside her time and time again.

"...She used you as bait. Don't you hate her for it?"

Looking at W's expression, the Sarkaz warrior naturally understood that she was merely stalling for time, though it would do her no good.

Still, he would not kill her so easily. Within the Sarkaz mercenary ranks, W was someone with a certain amount of prestige and standing. That meant she knew far more than ordinary Sarkaz mercenaries.

Catching someone of her status was not easy. Besides, with W's looks, she could still fetch a good price after the interrogation. Wealthy people in places like Victoria were quite fond of such merchandise.

"Cooperate with us. It'll be much easier."

"Bait, huh..."

W frowned slightly, as if she were weighing the pros and cons. The Sarkaz warrior did not interrupt her thoughts. He intended to give this Sarkaz mercenary a little more time. After all, he had all the time in the world.

"Have you ever used industrial Originium debris to lure Originium Slugs?"

A smile appeared on W's face again, though her injuries made it somewhat twisted.

"What are you talking about?"

For some reason, the Sarkaz warrior suddenly felt that something was wrong, as though something had fixed its gaze upon him.

He glanced around, but saw nothing that could threaten him. At that moment, his eyes returned to W. His patience was slowly wearing away. Before long, perhaps he would be unable to resist cutting down this mercenary with the weapon in his hand.

As for extracting intelligence?

He had only been trying his luck. He knew very well that getting information from low-ranking mercenaries was easy, but prying it from someone like W, who held a certain position, was far more difficult.

"It's just an old Kazdel trick. Originium Slugs cause all sorts of trouble, don't they?"

"Wild Originium Slugs are pretty stupid. I hear they react to Originium... Whether that's true or not, do you know what happens to the bugs that get lured in?"

"Stop playing games!"

At that moment, the Sarkaz warrior's patience had been completely exhausted. However, W had already achieved her goal.

She did not have any Originium detonators in her hands right now, but that did not mean she could not trigger the ones she had planted in advance. This round, she had won!

Seeing Ines standing behind him like a ghost, W's smile grew brighter. Though the blade in his hand was only inches from her, there was not the slightest fear on W's face. She knew she had won. She knew that blade had lost its chance to kill her!

"They get blown to pieces, just like the ones ambushing behind you!"

"Wh... When?!"

Hearing W's words and sensing the violent eruption of Originium energy just moments ago, the Sarkaz warrior showed a trace of panic.

If he had been alone, he naturally would not have appeared before W so brazenly. One of the things he had relied on were the companions lying in ambush behind him. But now, those companions had died in their opponent's trap.

"Sigh... I told you, I was live bait. Did you think there wouldn't be a trap prepared?"

"You should've killed me sooner, or run away right away. I'll give you another chance. Let's start over."

"Cough, cough..."

There was a hint of mockery in W's voice. After pausing briefly, she continued:

"...So soon?! You were tracking us?!"

Perhaps to match her words, W even put on the same expression she had worn when the two had first met.

But how could the Sarkaz warrior have the mind to care about such things now? He understood that he had been tricked. He had stepped into the trap of this hateful female Sarkaz before him, and he had wasted his chance to turn the situation around!

"You madwoman!"

The Sarkaz warrior raised his blade and prepared to strike at W, but the sudden sensation behind him stopped him in his tracks.

It was the touch of a sharp blade against skin. It was the sensation of a life about to be taken. Driven by instinct, the Sarkaz warrior stopped moving.

"When?!"

"My affinity with shadows is quite high. Did you really think you could catch me without bringing along a scout?"

It was Ines. At that moment, she stood behind the Sarkaz warrior with a rapier in hand, its point already aimed at his vital spot.

"Come on. Tell me, who is your master?"

The blade slowly pierced the Sarkaz warrior's body. At that moment, he let out a pained howl.

But this was only the beginning. There was still some time before this interrogation would be over!

"I... won't..."

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Before he could finish speaking, intense pain became a tangible scream tearing from the Sarkaz warrior's throat. As Ines twisted her rapier, his internal organs became a complete mess. He could no longer survive.

"Kazdel... will never... forgive... you..."

Words like a dying declaration came from the Sarkaz warrior's mouth. Then, his body collapsed onto the ground like a heap of mud...