As the sleeve tore, black crumbs fell with a pitter-patter. They were the remains of a card, square in shape, as if scorched by fire.
That pattern is… a diamond? Huh?
"Aaaaaah! My diamond cardddd!"
Oops. Diamond cards are all alchemical steel with transformation properties. They are extremely vulnerable to Peru's ability. It crumbled just by being within its sphere of influence! It's even eating away at my clothes!
The Clover, which holds magical power, and the Heart, used for storing medicine, have relatively stable properties so they are still intact, but even these seem like they won't hold out for long. I pushed the cards hidden in my sleeve even further inside and shouted.
"Stop your ability! At this rate, my cards! They'll all disappear!"
"…Ah."
'…I broke it again. There goes the point of making them.'
Peru looked at the remains bitterly and withdrew her ability. However, the authority of corrosion doesn't end just because it's withdrawn. Once metal corrosion starts, it gradually accelerates and quickly becomes unusable. I rummaged through the diamond card remains with a heart-wrenching feeling. It feels like my heart is crumbling too.
The alchemists made their decision, taking my devastatingly crumbled cards as a cautionary tale. One came forward as a representative and said.
"Lord Jannok. Presumptuous as it may be, if you remain here, we have no choice but to leave as well."
It's a statement that doesn't make sense logically, but this place, Yeolguk, is governed by a different common sense. Peru, possessing the common sense of Yeolguk, understood them.
"…I know."
"However."
The alchemist continued.
"Lord Jannok's authority should work even on a Juggernaut. If you could make Lord Yeolpok retreat, we will reward you handsomely."
In short, their lives and money are too precious so they're telling her to go out and fight; a mere alchemist is giving orders to a Lord of Yeolguk. What makes them so confident against an alchemist recognized by the Golden Mirror?
But… surprisingly, in Yeolguk, that works.
'Lord Jannok, Peru, has neither money nor influence. Because of her ability that breaks and ruins everything, she couldn't accumulate wealth or build a faction. Just give her some pocket change, and if things go wrong, just run. She has no means to catch us anyway.'
This land is a country ruled by a bizarre economic system. Without money, without influence, and without the ability to create them, Peru is unwelcome. Even though she is feared for her ability, even though everyone acknowledges her power.
That alone is not enough to survive in Yeolguk.
Despite the alchemists' transparently selfish request, Peru had the will to stop Lord Yeolpok. However.
"…I, can't fight."
'…What the Lord creates is a precious asset, but… if I fight, whether I win or lose…'
The value is destroyed.
No matter who fights whom in Yeolguk, no matter who plunders what. As long as it exists within the borders of Yeolguk, it will eventually change into something else.
But Peru eats away at Yeolguk's assets just by using her ability. She is truly the natural enemy of alchemy, and of Yeolguk.
Therefore, Peru cannot fight. Instead.
"…If, you guys can make him retreat."
Here, Peru spoke to me.
"…I will cooperate. With anything."
Oho. Now the sub-subcontracting has trickled all the way down to me. Well now. Being used doesn't feel good.
But whatever. Let's consider it a small investment. Anyway… even if no one specifically asks us to, it seems like our party will have to deal with Lord Yeolpok.
I took out the one remaining diamond card. Diamond 1, made in the Bottomless Pit, the skewer containing Tir's true blood, was unscathed even by Peru's authority. After alchemically transmuting the card into a skewer, I spun it around in one hand.
"I heard you well. Hey, you alchemists over there. Prepare the compensation for me. Ah, I'm not easy to deal with, so don't even think about squirreling anything away beforehand."
An alchemist who had indeed been thinking of hiding some goods flinched at my words and shouted.
"Y-You, who the hell are you?"
"Me?"
If you ask who I am, answering is the natural order of things. I grabbed the skewer with a snap and struck a pose as I said.
"An apostle of peace, wishing to protect the peace of this world."
"Woof! Woof woof! Fire! Fire! Woof woof woof! Woof!"
Right on cue, Azhi is running over there in a hurry. Seeing her covered in soot, it seems she was caught in the explosion. Azhi barked noisily and ran straight towards me.
Good timing. My feet are a bit slow, so maybe I should ask for a favor.
"I'll borrow you for a moment for the sake of peace."
Saying that, I headed for an abandoned cart. It seemed someone fleeing had taken the horse and left the cart. I hopped onto the cart, tapped my foot, and shouted.
"Azhi. Dog sled. I'm counting on you!"
"Woof! Just this once!"
Azhi, who had run like the wind, slammed down in front of the cart and grabbed the long pole with her mouth. Even though it was a heavy cart pulled by two horses, it must have been light for the King of Dogs, as the front wheels lifted easily.
"Let's go!"
"Mung!"
Azhi, receiving my signal, kicked off the ground with all her might.
Who decided that only hoofed animals can pull carts? An animal that pulls a cart is an animal that can pull a cart, and dogs are no exception. Humans used to pull carts too, you know.
If so, the King of Dogs in human form would be more than perfect.
Bang. Along with the feeling of my body being pushed back, the King of Dog Sleds raced through the streets of Yeolguk.
As I dashed at full speed, a voice filled with dismay came from behind.
"Is he crazy? He's making a dog beastman pull a sled!"
Everyone sounds like a regressor. Is that the best reaction you have? As if regressors are normal.
Tch. Let's see when we get back.
Outside, the grand escape was in full swing.
Hundreds of jackals were scattering like a swarm of rats. True to jackals, they were all quite fast, so it looked like I wouldn't be able to catch even one of them on my own.
"Fweee! Do you think those bastards can escape! 1st Wing. You take the left! 2nd Wing. You take the right! The rest, spread out in between!"
However, first. The enemy was not alone.
"Kehehehe! Do you think things crawling on the ground can escape Lord Rocket's Wyvern Unit! Everyone, ignite!"
Second, because they all had strange propulsion devices attached behind them.
As they ignited, the shadows hiding in the night sky revealed themselves. Those with large wings and rockets hanging in clusters were gliding through the night sky as if they owned it. They didn't flap their wings like birds, but
The Wyvern Unit, having ascended by tilting their wings, straightened their bodies as they reached the apex and shouted.
"Now! It's hunting time! Tear, slash, and plunder!"
"Whiyooooo!"
Dozens of fireworks bloomed in the sky. The Wyvern Unit members equipped with explosive thrusters descended to the ground all at once, trailing long tails of sparks behind them.
Against the organized hunt, the jackals were hunted indiscriminately.
When they spread their wings wide and swung their legs, the blades at the tips of their feet slashed through the jackals' bodies. The jackals let out a single scream and tumbled on the ground. There was no need for a finishing blow. The jackals running at high speeds received a massive impact as they fell.
Even if they regained their senses, the jackals who lost their mounts had no choice but to surrender. In this wilderness, without a mount, they would only be plundered.
Some jackal avoided the Wyvern Unit's attack with exquisite driving, but the evasive maneuver that would be a lifetime boast for him was just a single attempt for the Wyvern Unit. Even if they missed, the Wyvern Unit left it to the comrades following behind and searched for their next prey.
Ascend again, then descend. Every time the wave of wings struck, a bloody froth gushed up. The Wyvern Unit carried out a slaughter that more than paid for its name.
"R-Run!"
"Save us!"
The jackals were too disorganized to deal with the Wyvern Unit attacking from the sky with a roar. The jackals fled separately and fell vainly. The jackals fleeing with their heads covered found an empty spot in the encirclement and shouted.
"Look there! There are no guys over there!"
The direction was south. No Wyvern Unit was visible in the direction leading to Gunguk. It was an obvious lure that even a fool would know.
But there was nothing they could do. The jackals desperately headed that way.
The 'Wing' Rodri, leading the 3rd Wing, laughed maniacally as he watched them flee all at once.
"Kehehe! Yes! Run. Towards Gunguk! That's the only place you can live! Hahahahaha!"
A 'Feather' flew up beside him as he rejoiced in the hunt after a long time. Rodri noticed his approach and slowed down. The 'Feather', who barely matched Rodri's speed, asked him.
"Captain. They're pretending to head to Gunguk now, but once they're out of range, won't they make a wide detour and escape?"
"Keheh! Of course, they could! But those things, lacking money and food because they fled in a hurry, avoiding us and running far away? It would be faster for them to cross the border and come back!"
In the first place, since Lord Yeolpok has shown such a强硬 attitude, there is only one method the jackals can take.
Plunder Gunguk, and sell the iron they received in exchange for the plunder guarantee.
There is no 100% guarantee that the Plunder Guarantee Right will be upheld, but the Guild Masters who possess Juggernauts are different. If they don't want their masterpieces of the Golden Mirror, the Juggernauts, to be taken away, they must protect them, and they must do their best to ensure that guarantee is fulfilled.
This is a fact well known to the jackals. Because of that, the jackals have no choice but to head to Gunguk.
Not to plunder Gunguk, but to preserve at least their own property.
And Rodri pointed that out.
"Our duty is just to whip those pig bastards! Let's go, kids! To instill the motivation to plunder!"
The 3rd Wing Captain shouted and flew ahead. The rest of the wyverns, belatedly understanding the meaning of his words, giggled and followed behind him.
It is a rule that the well-fed are passive in the hunt.
To make them commit to plundering more earnestly, they will slit their bellies and shake them down for all their money.
But they did not know.
What was mixed in among that pack of jackals.
In Yeolguk, the nation of alchemy, powerful factions are bound to be wealthy, but surprisingly, Lord Yeolpok, one of the most powerful factions, is not that wealthy.
His ability is related to heat and explosion. Every single one is a product with tremendous volatility. If there was high demand, he would make a fortune, but unfortunately, bomb-type items don't sell well in Yeolguk. The fact that they are hard to customize, difficult to store, and that the stronger the opponent, the less effective this one-time attack method becomes, makes the jackals hesitate to buy them.
However, there are a lot of people who follow Lord Yeolpok even for a small reward. There is only one reason.
"Ahahahahahaha! It's fun, so fun!"
It's because of visceral pleasure.
Flying in the sky with thrusters strapped on. Flying freely in the middle of the wind and looking down on others. While hunting the bugs crawling on the ground and filling their bellies.
Even he, who is nothing more than a bug on the ground, can feel this pleasure anytime if he becomes a 'Feather' of the Wyvern Unit.
"This freedom! This sense of liberation! You crawling on the ground wouldn't know at all!"
What a blessed creature a bird is. To be born with freedom in its body.
Victor, a Feather of the 4th Wing, thought so as he drew his blade and searched for his next prey.
A good prey caught his eye right on time. It was a young woman riding a two-wheeled vehicle with a cargo cart attached. Whether her hat had blown off or not, her long hair fluttering as she fled was clearly visible to his eyes even in the middle of the night.
He made up his mind. Victor licked his lips and shouted.
"Alright. I can at least claim one woman for myself!"
Tilting his wings, he immediately swooped straight down at the woman.