Chapter 90: Horned Lizard (4)
The method Gale devised to utilize his mana was.
‘Let’s target the eyes.’
Hit the light bullet that reached the opponent's close range immediately with another light bullet fired right after.
And make it explode to temporarily impair the opponent's vision.
‘Block the visual information!’
The eyes are the most crucial organ for judging objects. Because 70% of external information is obtained through reliance on the eyes.
Therefore, causing loss of sight could block information obtained visually and simultaneously induce a decrease in attack power.
‘How can you attack properly if you can’t see?’
Grin. Gale smiled and aimed his gun.
Tang!
Gale showcased the technique of rapidly firing twice and hitting the first bullet with the second, but.
‘Focus!’
He was so focused on the new attempt that he didn't pay much attention to it.
No, even the usual Gale wouldn't have thought much of it. Because he only considered his own skills to be at a ‘not bad level’.
Taang
“Kuak! You bastard, targeting the eyes again...!”
As Candela clutched her eyes in pain, Gale grinned with his characteristic mischievous satisfaction.
“What are you talking about. Last time, ma'am, you dug your own grave, see.”
“...What!?”
Through her blurry vision, something gray approached at high speed.
“Ma’am. Your body is quite tough, you know.”
The moment their red gazes met, Candela sensed danger. She immediately tried to pull back, but!
“So don't resent me too much for not being able to control my strength.”
Gale, having closed the distance unnoticed, drove a powerful hook into Candela’s solar plexus.
His hand was brimming with mana.
“...Keoheok!”
Craaaack!
The ground where Candela crashed buckled, creating a small crater.
Seemingly losing consciousness briefly from the impact, she soon pushed herself up, vomiting bile.
“Kahaha! ...You! You’re really strong!?”
“Wow. What’s with that durability? I hit your solar plexus squarely, and you got up after that?”
“I am quite sturdy! Anyway, I lost this round! I admit it cleanly!”
Candela, revealing her fangs in a fierce smile, struck her clenched fist against her other hand. And, overcome with excitement, she shouted.
“Let’s fight one more time!”
Candela’s ochre eyes sparkled.
‘She’s crazy about fighting.’
Gale, instinctively realizing this, took a step back with a reluctant expression.
“Um... Ma’am? The reason we fought was because of the duel, you know.”
“I know? Since I lost, I’ll accept the result of this match cleanly. But that’s that, and this is this!”
Despite having fiercely traded blows just moments ago, Candela, fueled by some unknown energy, suddenly launched a barrage of attacks at Gale.
Gale, desperately dodging, yelled back.
“Ma’am! I don’t want to fight, you know! I’ve done my quota for today!”
“Why, why? It’s fun! Let’s fight!”
“Ah, I said no-!”
“But why do you call me ma’am? I don’t raise brats like you, street loafers.”
“I usually call women who seem older than me ma’am, see? Besides, street loafer... that’s harsh.”
As the chase and argument continued.
Clap, clap-
The sound of hands clapping a couple of times was heard.
It wasn't applause expressing admiration or praise towards someone, but rather a dry sound seemingly intended to draw attention, saying ‘Look at me’.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough.”
Along with that, an unfamiliar voice was heard. The uninvited guest who suddenly inserted himself between Gale and Candela lightly grasped their shoulders.
Then, surprisingly, they couldn't budge an inch, as if weights weighing several tons were attached to their bodies.
“Wh-Who... Who are you?”
Candela’s pupils trembled violently as she forced her voice out through trembling lips.
She couldn't bring herself to retort informally. She absolutely shouldn't.
Her instincts, which had saved her life and guided her path until now, strongly warned her.
—That person could shake the world.
A low, soft, beautiful voice spoke.
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Spero's Vice-Captain, Lewin Legisel.”
That can’t be right! He wasn't someone who belonged in such a position, in such a vessel!
Candela was certain.
Although it was a very exceptional case, occasionally among beastkin, individuals with unusually strong instincts... 'intuition' were born.
Despite being bound by the powerful restraints imposed by a Top Hunter generations ago, through an extremely rare probability of one in tens of millions, descendants inheriting the primal and destructive power of the 'true beastkin' from before the binding were born.
Such individuals usually had a knack for fighting or excelled in other fields.
Because they could fully utilize their innate intuition to build their towers from a more advantageous position than others.
Nero, Hake, and Candela were also of that kind.
“...”
Therefore, Candela 'instinctively' realized it.
The unusual, heterogeneous peculiarity of the person named Lewin compared to others. The special brilliance shining alone amidst countless grains of sand!
But she didn't voice the truth she had realized. Silence is always a virtue.
“I believe a duel was proposed through our member. With three conditions set by both parties.”
“Th-That is correct...”
“Since the outcome of this duel was decided by Gale’s victory, isn’t it now time for you to discuss negotiations with me?”
“Y-Yes.”
But how painful knowledge is!
Knowing a truth one cannot handle greatly affects the present in itself.
“Ma’am. Why are you so scared?”
“Shut it, brat!”
Candela was afraid of this boy named 'Lewin', who barely reached her chest. It was the worst fear she had ever experienced.
To Candela, Lewin looked like a disaster wearing a human mask.
‘A walking disaster.’
One who might change his mind at any moment and destroy her home and loved ones.
‘How is everyone else okay...?’
Gale, laughing heartily and foolishly.
Or the three people who had approached from behind him at some point, presumably fellow Spero members, also did not fear the boy.
Weren't they rather sending looks of trust towards him!
She couldn't comprehend it at all.
“Shall we sit down somewhere and continue talking?”
“Yes! I will guide you.”
But that was that, and this was this.
Feeling an eerie fear from the gently smiling face, Candela respectfully escorted Lewin to her office.
She was immensely proud of herself for not shedding tears midway.
“Hake, could you release the unique magic now?”
That was the first thing Elwin said as soon as he sat down.
“Yep yep~ Released!”
Hake replied, lightly snapping his fingers.
“Wh-What?!”
Candela jumped in surprise.
The view of the tunnels was clearly visible through the large window opposite her seat, and among it, she saw people going about their daily lives without any problems!
“Wh-What is this!”
Candela rushed to the window, craning her neck to look down.
She saw residents waving cheerfully upon spotting her. They didn't look like the people who had been screaming moments ago, having lost their sight, hearing, and touch.
“...Everyone’s fine?”
Hake replied to her somewhat muffled words.
“Of course. That’s why I said from the beginning, right? How much was reality, and how much was illusion.”
“Haaa... So even that was an illusion.”
Candela let out a sigh. It was a sigh of relief.
Hake chuckled and then said.
“If I took innocent residents hostage, that person over there would probably take my head off first?”
“Don’t say such gruesome things, Hake. I’m not such a violent person, you know?”
Elwin refuted, but the Spero members countered his refutation.
“Kid, youuuu? Put your hand on your conscience and think about when you train us! You push us to the brink of death!”
“That’s because it’s training! That’s how you learn. I went through it too, you know?”
“...You go too far.”
“Same here.”
“Mr. Calix, Ms. Sercia too?!”
Elwin, stabbed in the back by the axe he trusted, wore a shocked expression.
“Kahat.”
The tense shoulders of Candela, who had been stiffened by the banter-like conversation, relaxed slightly.
“...Well, anyway, it’s fine. Let’s get to the main point now.”
As Candela nodded seriously, Elwin continued.
“We didn't come here to harm you, Candela, or the Batevil tunnels.”
Earlier, Elwin had shown goodwill by having Hake release his unique magic. Candela nodded her head again.
“In that case, is there something you want from me?”
Since she lost the match, ownership of the papyrus passed to him. But that wasn't the only condition.
Before fighting Candela, Gale had said this:
-What our side wants is, first, peaceful dialogue and negotiation. Second, the papyrus our colleagues stole earlier. Third, Horned Lizard, your assistance.
As seen from the first and third conditions, he truly intended to obtain 'something' from Candela through peaceful means, dialogue, and negotiation.
Whether it was information she knew, her unique magic, or whatever else.
“Beating around the bush isn’t my style. I’ll tell you directly. Candela, there’s something I’d like you to help with.”
“What... is it.”
Candela swallowed hard, waiting for his next words. She wondered what kind of help the walking disaster could possibly ask of her.
Finally, Elwin’s lips parted.
“Would you betray Depicio for us?”
“...Excuse me?”
Stunned, Candela’s mouth fell open in shock. But Elwin didn’t regard her bewildered state and dropped another bomb consecutively.
“You were planning to betray them anyway, weren't you? Right?”
“H-How did you know that...!”
The fact that Candela, who obediently followed Depicio's orders like a leashed beast, was secretly waiting for a chance to backstab Depicio should have been a secret known to absolutely no one...!
Candela was hot-blooded but not stupid. She had never revealed this even to her own subordinates in the Batevil tunnels. Because she didn't know who might be a Depicio spy.
“D-Did you perhaps hear it from Frau?”
She had only told this fact to Frau, her most trusted and dear sworn brother in the world.
Could her brother, who became a Hunter, have worried about his older sister and told this disaster the secret? Noticing that this disaster shared the same goal as his sister?
‘But Frau is...’
Utterly clueless about anything. Although she loved her younger brother, Candela absolutely didn't believe Frau was perceptive.
She’d rather believe rumors about singing octopuses.
“No. I didn't hear it from Mr. Frau.”
Sure enough, Elwin shook his head firmly.
“Then?”
“Hmm, how should I explain it?”
He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“I’m a born rebel too, you see. Just like you, Candela. Rebels recognize rebels, well... let’s just go with something like that.”
“You mean it’s difficult to explain.”
Elwin didn't answer, smiling again. But sometimes, a smile speaks the answer.
However, he continued in a serious voice.
“Let’s screw Depicio over together.”
As if this were the complete truth, devoid of any falsehood.