Damn side quest,
The additional conditions for <Blood-Stained Gold> are three.
【One, the accompaniment of a member from <Black Wolf> is limited to one person.】
This condition is met by bringing only <Ruby Red> instead of other members.
Of course, Ruby, who suddenly revealed herself as a member, maintains a certain distance compared to the other members, but ‘Only the best of the A-class mercenaries qualify for the Union, and only an extreme minority become branch leaders.’
Which means Ruby, as the branch leader of the Mercenary Union, must be at least A-class.
Considering that Laktea is C-class and Luna and Hanlyang are D-class, this actually works out well.
Next, the second condition.
【Two, rescue the <Saint> trapped in the underground chamber before she <falls to darkness>.】
As soon as the quest started, I raced to Gafelt’s estate with Ruby.
“Rescued, Captain!”
“…Safe.”
We barely managed in time.
I approached the shivering woman, extended my hand to help her up, and asked.
“Are you alright?”
“A… yes. Thank you.”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…Because of you, I’m fine.”
By the narrowest of margins, we successfully met the second condition.
Interestingly, the designation <Nun> had changed to <Saint>.
A saint.
If I had been aware of the original story before merging into this situation, I might have been able to utilize it somehow in advance, but for now, it’s just an uncertain factor.
“Well, let’s go then.”
“Eh…? Aren’t you a mercenary? I thought it was customary to offer some form of thanks.”
“It’s fine, please leave now. Just follow the path we came from.”
I naturally detached myself, ensuring only the side quest’s conditions were met, then pushed her towards the exit.
“Wait! Wait a moment!! Then at least take this!!”
“Yes, thank you. Now please go. Please.”
“Consider it collateral. It’s something truly precious to me… I will definitely come back for it soon…!!”
“Alright then. Goodbye. See you.”
With difficulty.
Once I accepted the mysterious dark object, the Saint finally moved on.
“…Black teeth. I’ll burn you alive.”
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【Congratulations!】
【Through your choice, the Bad Ending – <4. Black Wolf (A-)> has been successfully averted!】
【Number of Bad Endings Averted: [4 / 15]】
【The next Bad Ending – <5. The Tyrant's Omen (A)> will be set in the main scenario.】
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Does the eerie similarity in names to <Black Wolf> give me the chills, or is it just me?
Regardless, that takes care of the second condition.
The final third condition remains.
【Three, complete all the conditions before dawn breaks tomorrow.】
It took some time to get familiar with the mansion’s structure thanks to Ruby’s information.
‘If it’s about midnight now, we’ve got roughly six hours till dawn.’
Within this timeframe, I need to assassinate <Duke Gafelt> to complete the <side quest>.
‘Naturally, I feel a pang of guilt.’
Assassination.
Killing someone.
Even if I don’t do it directly, I’ll be complicit in murder, a witness to it happening.
But,
– “Burned down the orphanage. Killed everyone there.”
– “Sir ordered it. Said to string them up and send them.”
After hearing the disgusting words from that soldier, it felt strangely relieving.
As if my body, which I’d merged into as <Nahan>, was longing for it.
What can I do?
“Ruby.”
“Yes, Captain?”
“I fancy a breakfast from our hideout.”
To live, you sometimes have to kill.
Though I feel apologetic for thinking this way while keeping my hands clean,
“At least as always, according to what Captain desires.”
Apparently, the members of <Black Wolf> mercenaries don’t mind such things,
“Lead the way, Ruby.”
“Yes, Captain!!”
We can only support each other.
“Eeek! Captain, can I kill them all!?”
“…Let the serving staff live for now.”
“What!? They’re all the same as Gasfel! We already know all their identities! Extorting money, human trafficking, harvesting orphans’ organs, assassinations for money…”
“Cancel. Do as you wish.”
Though I tried to preserve some semblance of conscience, the other side threw that away first.
“Captain is the best! Captain is really the best!! Ahh, I’d love to savor killing each of them slowly, but… Since Captain wants it quick…!!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Ruby, who had been hopping around impatiently, snapped her finger.
Snap!
Giiiiiiik…!
Spear-like forms instantly pierced the bodies of the captured enemies, transforming them into crimson spears, which then hardened into spiky puppets replacing their bones.
The first puppet to transform followed Ruby’s gesture and lunged forward.
“Monstrosity!!”
“What are you doing, you guys!! Stop it!!”
Many soldiers and mercenaries formed a battle line, attacking the creature in vain.
Tuck, crack!
The monster twisted its joints at bizarre angles in mid-air, dodging every attack.
Then,
“Alright, for a brief moment–”
Crunch!
In one swift motion, the monster skewered two mercenaries’ hearts and ripped the throat out of the soldier beside them, killing them instantly.
“You, mercenaries! What are you doing?! Block it properly!!”
“Shit, didn’t you know?! All of us are at least B-class and up! That monster…!”
Snap!
Crack!
The time it took for one mercenary unit and a squad of soldiers to be wiped out by the monster was one minute.
“Puhaha! Did you see that, Captain?! We could finish this before midnight, right?!”
“Yeah, yeah. Sure. You’re the best. Top-notch.”
Ruby’s strength was beyond imagination.
‘Is this really A-class?!’
Then, how strong must the Emperor and the Hero, labeled as S-class, be?
‘Right, let’s focus!’
Forget the main story or anything else, I’ll just keep going full throttle until all bad endings are averted with this side quest.
“Captain is the best!! I could hand over my heart to Captain!!”
“Whoa, thanks. You’re the best. Ruby is the best.”
“Ehehe. Just wait a bit longer, Captain?”
… Whoa, she’s scary.
Let’s avoid associating with her as much as possible.
“How do you like them, Captain?! Aren’t my pets cute?!”
“Uh, yeah. They’re cute.”
“Right?! They’re also incredibly effective!! Seriously!! They’re so cute I want to bite them!! Can’t help it. I have to go bite them right away!!”
“Ugh… Wow. Let’s go!”
While trying to suppress my urge to vomit at the sight of blood, meat, intestines, and other scattered body parts,
“Mmm!! Pock! Pock! Did you hear that?! Since Captain now finds me cute, call all your friends and play together!”
With her body quivering and her hands clapping,
…Ddrrrrkkk!!
The whole mansion shook.
“Ruby?”
“Yes, Captain!!”
“Just checking….”
…Is the building collapsing?
Since I didn’t want to look overly scared and ask, Ruby grinned and responded.
“Yes, Captain. <T-h-e-y>, I’ve gathered lots of <fr-i-e-n-d-s> here.”
“…Huh?”
That was when I realized.
Since we ascended from the basement to the third floor, Ruby had created around a hundred human skewers.
In other words,
“<S-e-l-f>, <t-i-m-e> to <f-r-e-e> <h-u-g> now!!”
Ruby now had 108 unstoppable monsters under her command.
“Shit, run!! Run for your lives!!”
“Ugh!! I’ve been bitten, help!!”
“…Monsters.”
Past the third floor, which had turned into chaos, then the fourth floor, and finally to the fifth floor where Gafelt resided.
True to Ruby’s word, we arrived just before midnight.
“Well then…”
My slightly diminished tension relaxed as I was about to open Gafelt’s door.
Ding!
A cheerful alarm sound brought the system window I’d momentarily forgotten to mind.
【Completion rate: …100%】
【New Information and Skills for <Nahan> have been unlocked!】
The cold iron encasing my heart melted like it was in a foundry, spreading warmth throughout my body and filling me from my toes upwards.
Unfamiliar yet familiar,
Cold but warm,
Such contradictory sensations enveloped me briefly as I called up my status window.
‘This is a combat situation. Check information later. Focus on helpful skills first.’
Just as I finished thinking, a window appeared, except it wasn’t the usual blue system window but a black one with white letters.
【Skill List – <Black Wolf>】
-Passive: Black Wolf (Ex)
-Skill 1: Black Curtain (Ex) (Partially unlocked) (4/6)
-Skill 2: (Restricted access). (Ex)
-Ultimate Skill: (Restricted access). (Ex)
Surprisingly, all Ex-class skills.
‘So, this is the rumored perk of merging?’
Extremely small portions appeared to be unlocked, but judging from the rank, all complaints vanished.
While organizing the recently-unlocked abilities in my mind, Ruby, who had meanwhile gathered her army of a hundred, whispered into my ear with a grin.
“Captain? It’s almost midnight… Shall we open the door?”
And just then, I had fully grasped all the functions of the unlocked <Black Curtain>, and with a faint smile, I nodded at Ruby.
“What’s there to hesitate over? Hurry and open it.”
“Gee! Shall I kill immediately?”
“No, I have some questions first.”
“Aha!”
After Ruby clapped her hands and circled around me, she tilted her head and asked.
“Shall I prepare a meal first? You’ll hear everything promptly no matter what he replies.”
“Cooking while so menacing? I think questioning him politely will suffice.”
“Hmm…”
“Just open the door, okay?”
Let me try this amazing skill now.
Right at midnight, due to some random favor from the system, I couldn’t help but wiggle my butt.
After about an hour from the basement to the fifth floor here.
“Yessir! Taking orders!”
Clunk!
Finally, the door to Duke Gafelt’s room was opened, followed immediately by,
“Hi. Are you Duke Gafelt?”
The world’s friendliest voice.
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【<Black Curtain (Ex)> is activating.】
◆ Effect
: If the opponent ever feels the slightest fear towards <you>, from that moment onward they will perceive you as death personified. The status ailment <fear> of <you> will linger until they die.
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“Gag, gaaakh, br, breath, haaah, is not coming, stop!! Gwaaak…!! Can’t… Breath…”
“…Didn’t you say you’d be gentle, Captain?”
“…Feels pretty gentle to me.”
Anyway.
Now’s a golden moment to extract information if the opponent’s thoroughly terrified.
I quietly approached Duke Gafelt, who was huddled in the corner, trembling violently, and asked.
“Tell me everything you know about the Emperor.”
And just then.
“Of course, gaaak… Of course it was you!! The Emperor’s hound, the Black Wolf!!”
…Black Wolf?
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【<Black Wolf Mercenary Group>】
-Alternate Names: Incompetent Mercenary Group (Temporary), Garbage Dump (Temporary), Mercenary Kindergarten (Temporary)
-Level: D (Temporary)
-Group Members
◆ Leader: <Nahan – <black Wolf (New!)>>
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What’s that supposed to mean, dude?
