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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Ashar Desert (1)
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"What did the captain say?"
Seamus asked as Kratos emerged a little later, curious why the captain had called for him separately.
"He gave me some money. Said I'd probably have a lot to prepare for my first mission and wouldn't have any cash."
Well, he wasn't wrong. Kratos had spent most of his money renting a house in Libria to dig the tunnel.
"That's our captain. See? I told you the 10th Unit is the best. When you get to choose a unit later, you have to pick ours. Got it?"
Seamus nodded with a bright expression, as if he'd expected as much.
"Things like food and cold-weather gear for the mission are supplied by the corps, so you don't need to buy them separately. You can use the money for personal weapons, potions, or anything else you need."
Seamus eyed Kratos's utterly defenseless appearance.
Even if it was his first mission and he was new to mercenary work, showing up without even a basic piece of armor was something else.
"Hmm. First, you should probably buy some armor. I know reconnaissance is the main objective, but still…"
"Right. Having some basic armor isn't a bad idea. Know any good shops? I'm new around here."
Of course, with his superhuman regeneration, defense, and brute strength, Kratos hadn't felt the need for armor.
But he knew it was necessary.
Having something extra would have made dealing with a guy like Brandt much easier.
It was a thought he'd had even as he received the hammer—after all, gear is king.
"Alright! I'll show you one tomorrow. It'll be a good chance to learn your way around, too. I'd still recommend getting a proper set of armor when you get back to the main corps, but for now, it's getting late."
Such kind people. The other members were the same way. The 10th Unit seemed to be full of good… no, good mercenaries.
***
Perhaps because it was the day after the battle, the usually vibrant city was shrouded in a somber mood. The fear of death, once a distant concept, had now settled over the town.
Of course, the mercenaries, who made their living from death, were more active than ever.
The corpses of the slain monsters, and the clearing of the monsters around the desert—all of it was a mission, a source of income for the mercenaries.
'Well now. I'm pretty sure it wasn't this big when I came here in the past. At this rate, it'll be much larger in no time.'
It seemed every city he visited after his possession was different from how he remembered it. The border regions, in particular, had changed drastically.
"Ha. To think Kanta Village is now within direct striking distance."
"Honestly, there's no guarantee they won't attack again."
"If it's this bad even with the White Mercenary Corps doing regular patrols, how bad is it in the heart of the desert?"
"The White Mercenary Corps is losing control. I've heard a lot of complaints from all over. Some of the smaller villages are even hiring their own mercenary groups."
Every one of these conversations was a precious piece of information. Even if not direct intelligence, the picture formed by assembling these fragments was incredibly useful.
"More mercenaries will come. Word must have gotten out."
"It's better to just stick around the outskirts. I hear the monsters deeper in are immune to ice magic now."
"Really? Ice magic?"
"Yeah, the desert weather is so insane, they've developed a strong resistance to cold. You know Hans's mercenary group? Half his guys were wiped out, and the group is on the verge of disbanding."
"Phew. I knew that guy would end up like this. So greedy. Insisted on crawling deeper inside, trying to hit the jackpot."
What kinds of monsters appeared, what their weaknesses were, which monsters appeared in which areas, or what the current situation was like.
It was the reality seen by mercenaries who had long been in the desert.
No matter how much those in high places or other regions debated, it was all just theory.
There would be a time lag in information, and word-of-mouth could easily lead to exaggeration or downplaying of the facts.
"It's a bit chaotic here. There's no war going on these days, so it's all about the monsters. A mercenary's got to eat, you know."
Seamus pushed his way through the dense crowd.
"Ugh. Why are there so many people here today? It's not usually this crowded."
"Excuse me."
Seeing this, Kratos extended his arms, pushing the mercenaries in front of him to either side to create a path.
"Agh—what the!"
"Who's pushing so hard!"
He had only stretched out his arms and applied a little force, but the mercenaries staggered and fell away like dominoes.
"Ah. It's the hero from yesterday!"
"The barbarian warrior! I heard he slaughtered nearly a hundred monsters by himself."
"To think such monstrous strength comes from that slender body. It's insane."
The mercenaries recognized Kratos and patted him on the shoulder, expressing their gratitude for yesterday's events.
There wasn't a single mercenary who hadn't seen Kratos's rampage. Moreover, his terrifying visage was already becoming a legend in Kanta Village and spreading throughout the mercenary world.
Rumors like, 'There's a madman among the White Mercenary Corps' new recruits,' and 'He tears monsters apart with one hand and rips their heads off.'
'Hmm. This is where someone's supposed to pick a fight with me. It's a cliché. Too bad.'
Just as he was pondering why no one was causing trouble like in the novels, they arrived in front of the armory.
"Get lost, you bastards!"
The door flew open, and someone was thrown out, flying right at them.
Flying…?
*Thwack—!*
Kratos quickly punched the massive lump hurtling toward him.
"Guaargh—!"
"Whoa—!"
A grotesque sound erupted as the lump was sent flying in the opposite direction, followed by gasps of awe and applause from the mercenaries behind them.
Wait, they're clapping in a situation like this?!
"And who are you lot! What's so interesting? Get lost!"
"Hey! If an armory won't repair armor, are you telling us to go die?!"
"Damn it! How am I supposed to make repairs when I don't have the materials!"
"You think you're the only armory here? To hell with you, I'm taking my business elsewhere!"
The shop owner who had thrown the massive lump stormed out, glaring at the mercenaries gathered in front of his store.
"Uncle! What are you doing, causing a scene again!"
Seamus, who had hidden behind Kratos the moment the giant lump came flying, peeked his head out and shouted.
"Huh? Seamus? What are you doing here?"
"Getting ready for a mission! Are you seriously slacking off and not running the shop again? What if Aunt finds out?"
"Phew, it's not that. Let's talk inside. I'm not—no, I can't—do business today! Come back tomorrow!"
They were family?! Like, actual family? Suddenly, Kratos began to suspect Seamus's motives for recommending this place.
Back in Korea, weren't you supposed to be most careful with deals between family and friends? Especially for things like phones or computers.
"Get lost, you dogs! Ah, not you, Seamus. Come on in."
"He's my uncle. The best blacksmith around here, especially when it comes to armor. Of course, he gets scolded by my aunt a lot for not doing his job properly."
Inside the shop, many of the shelves were empty. In a place with such active hunting, the racks should have been groaning with armor for sale.
"I don't recognize this face."
"This is Kratos, a new recruit. He's heading out on his first mission and came because he doesn't have any decent armor."
"Oh! So you're the mercenary from the rumors yesterday. I hear they're calling you the Blood Fiend. It's a pleasure. I'm Jarkan. Let's see, repairs are difficult, but I should have some armor left."
What? The Blood Fiend? He'd just killed a few monsters on a rampage, and they were calling him the Blood Fiend. It made him sound like some psychopathic serial killer.
"This should be about right, yes."
Jarkan brought out a few pieces of armor.
"But Uncle, why aren't you open for business? There must be a lot of repairs needed after yesterday's battle!"
"Things have been strange lately. Really strange. I can't get the materials I need for crafting or repairs. I've been substituting with hides from the monsters we catch in the desert, but the materials I need are arriving tomorrow, so I closed up for the day."
"Material supply? How is that possible? I mean, if they aren't supplying the front lines here, where else would it be going?"
"That's what I'm saying. The merchants swear they're completely out, so there must be some kind of problem."
It seemed like a trivial conversation, but Kratos, while examining the armor, listened intently.
A sudden disruption in distribution meant there was either a problem somewhere along the line or logistics were being diverted to one specific area.
"There's a rumor that the capital is controlling the supply chain. They'll probably only come to their senses after we're all dead and the monsters are pouring into the central regions."
It was rare for the state to control supplies. But then again, this was a fantasy world, not Earth. If the king gave an order, you followed it.
Defy it, and you'd be branded a traitor.
Listening to Jarkan's grumbling, Kratos picked out a suit of leather armor that allowed for easy movement.
With several vital areas reinforced with steel plates, it looked quite sturdy and didn't seem to restrict movement much.
He'd attended a lecture on how to choose armor back in his old mercenary days.
"Hoh. You've got as good an eye for gear as you do for fighting."
Jarkan nodded as he adjusted the armor to fit Kratos's body. It was the best piece among the ones he had brought out.
"Just give me 3 gold. It's originally 5 gold, but I'll give you a discount since you're the savior of Kanta Village. Make sure to stop by often when you go on missions."
Hmm. 3 gold. It didn't seem like a bad price.
But why did he feel so suspicious?
It felt like the price was 3 gold all along, but he inflated it to 5 just to 'discount' it back down to 3.
"Okay~ We're heading out! See you when we get back!"
"Right. Good luck on your mission. I'm sure this problem will sort itself out eventually. Damn capital bureaucrats."
Doing business with acquaintances was never a good idea.
***
The next day at dawn, just as the sun was beginning to rise, the 10th Unit gathered at the gate, fully prepared.
The 7th and 9th Units from the White Mercenary Corps had been dispatched on a support mission and were scheduled to clear out the monsters around Kanta Village for a while.
This place was a border town in the desert and a vital supply point for the White Mercenary Corps.
"All members are ready."
Camels were laden with supplies, and beside them stood the unit members, wearing shemaghs against the hot weather, awaiting Lando's signal.
The bone-chilling cold of the night vanished as if it were a cruel fairy's prank, replaced by a staggering heat.
No one looked pleased. They had stayed one night for personal maintenance, but they all had ears and could think for themselves.
The situation was far more serious than they had heard.
In the early dawn, the mercenaries who were awake came to see them off, to wish them well—for the White Mercenary Corps who had saved them, and for their journey to solve the desert's problems.
"Let's move out."
At Lando's command, the twelve unit members slowly led their camels forward.
A reconnaissance mission into the heart of the desert.
"I'll take the lead. Seamus, you take the rear. Kratos, you're in the center."
They formed a diamond formation and advanced toward their first destination.
Traveling in the desert meant never pushing oneself too hard. Water and food were limited. Encounters with tribes and oases were uncertain. There was no telling when they would be resupplied.
"Damn it."
"It's a massacre."
As soon as the gates opened, they were greeted by the sight of mercenary corpses that had yet to be collected, dismembered monsters, and the brutal scars of battle.
"Hmph. This is going to be rough."
"What can we do? We just have to resolve this as quickly as possible."
With a grim expression, Kratos spurred his camel onward, surveying the chaotic scene around them. In times like these, it was crucial to maintain composure.
After traveling for half a day, Lando dismounted his camel and carefully examined the signs of battle. He dusted off his hands, stood up, and looked in the direction the tracks led.
"The monsters definitely moved this way."
The 10th Unit was searching for the monsters' movement path.
Rather than wandering aimlessly in this vast desert without any information, it was a logical choice to backtrack even the smallest of clues.
The wind blew, scattering sand across the dunes.
And atop one, the shape of a beast appeared.
Lando drew his sword and muttered in a low voice.
"All units, prepare for battle."
With a cold gaze, Kratos drew the hammer slung on his back.
It was glaringly obvious that this reconnaissance mission would be more arduous than he had anticipated.
Of course, the rewards would surely be all the sweeter for it.