Chapter 409 - Episode Fifty-Five - A Visitor from the Fire Country (5)(Side: Collector)

The collector followed Ela and turned his attention to the commotion outside the tavern.

They saw two men in white cloaks running through the village, setting fire to buildings.

A seasoned adventurer from the village tried to stop them, but was easily kicked away.

W-What the hell is that ?

Ela said in dismay.

The collector squinted at them and observed them.

Its clear that hes also very familiar with martial arts and using magic to improve his physical abilities.

They didnt seem to be any kind of bandits.

If that was the case, then the purpose of exposing themselves and setting everything on fire in the village like this would be limited.

A diversion, huh. If it was an assassination, there would be no reason to stand out, and it would be because of the extra stuff that that idiot left behind.

This is not the time to calmly contemplate such things!

Ela gets down so that she wont show herself through the window.

W-We have to somehow contact Lark-samas private army !

They wont be able to help us. Is the witch not here? What a useless bastard.

The Collector froze for a bit, looking out the window.

Ela gestured for the collector to get down.

Hmm time to go. Looks like Ive been here a little too long.

The collector quietly left his seat and walked out into the aisle.

Shu, Shu-san, its not safe to leave now!

The collector did not respond, but put his hand on the exit door.

Ignoring the girl who ran after him, he walks out of the store.

Sheesh, I didnt intend to stay here this long, though.

The collector said to himself.

Originally, he himself had planned to start over much earlier.

However, when the collectors wounds from the loss of his treasures had finally healed, he found himself making too many acquaintances in this remote village in the Fage territory.

He found himself settled here, not as a legendary adventurer, but as just an eccentric young man.

It was a shame to throw that away.

It had been nearly a hundred years since the collector had felt so comfortable living in an ordinary village, without fear of anyone.

But the time had come for that to come to an end.

The collector knew that his excessive power would not allow him to be at peace.

He crossed the smoking building and ran towards the two men who were committing the crime.

When the pair noticed the collector, they turned to him, their eyes hidden behind their cloaks.

A number of adventurers were lying nearby.

Among them were the same two people who had just tangled with the collector at the Dwarfs Lair.

They seemed to have been kicked in the abdomen, and the area around their mouths was stained with blood.

W-What are you doing here? You cant do anything to help here, you pimp! Hurry up and run! Find Alta-san of the Alchemist Division!

Hmph, you third-rate bastard, trying to be cool. I can run away if I want, but Ive been here a little too long.

The collector snickered at his advice and drew his sword.

It was the sword given to him by Iris, the female merchant.

It was the first time he had ever wielded it.

As expected, Ive become quite dull. Ive been resting a little too long, I need to get used to it. Hey, you two, come at me together. Its not enough, but Ill put up with it.

The two men looked at each other and one of them jumped towards the collector.

The man leaps forward and tries to tear the collectors abdomen with a claw hidden in his cloak.

Fool, cant you see the difference in strength?

The collector flicked the mans arm with his elbow and grabbed him by the head.

In a flash, he swung the sword in his opposite arm and cut off his abdomen in one fell swoop.

The collector throws his upper body, still in his grasp, to the ground.

Thats why I told you guys to come at me together. The result would have been the same, though. You guys are unpleasant, dont whine like a little boy asking for forgiveness, okay?

The other one of the assailants turned and ran vertically up the side of the building.

Seeing that he was no match for him, he chose to flee the scene.

You idiot!

The collector quickly ran to the side of the building, jumped up in a large vertical leap, and kicked the wall in midair, forcing himself higher.

In an instant, he was ahead of the man fleeing up the wall.

As the man turned around and tried to flee backward, I struck him with a sword blow that I swung with both arms.

The sound of cracking bones echoed.

The mans body, split in two, was knocked straight down to the ground.

The collector landed on top of the corpse.

His head and body were crushed by his weight.

Hah, you really thought you could escape.

The collector spat into the puddle of blood and sheathed his sword back into its sheath.

The adventurers, who usually mocked him, could not comprehend the scene before them.

Larks private army, which had arrived late, also had no idea what was going on and observed the collector from a distance, dumbfounded.

Shu, Shu-san ?

Ela, who had come out of the tavern in fear for his safety, asked him, her voice strained.

Ela naturally stood just outside the distance of the sword that had already been put away.

I intend to leave this land, Ela. But I will surely return one day to pay back at least my share of the bill. I will be grateful to you for that.

Kyaaah!

When the collector took a step towards Ella and reached out his hand, Ela let out a short scream and stepped back.

The collector stopped moving, looked a little sad, and pulled his arm back.

Oh N-, no, Shu-san

Ela faltered, trying to excuse her words and actions.

But it was clear that she was frightened.

Ive been in your care for a long time, Ela.

That was all the collector said, and he left the village.

People were gathering, but where he ran, they avoided him, and the road naturally opened up.

(I have become quite good-natured for someone like me)

The collector was on his way to the outskirts of the village, to the eerie round tower that had become a landmark.

The collector realized that the enemys goal was to distract them, and that their true target was the weapon left behind by Abel.

Since Altamir was nowhere to be seen, I could guess that it was the mysterious tower she was rumored to be obsessed with.

So this is it, then.

In front of the tower on the outskirts of the village, a strange, ugly old man was holding Altamir down to the ground.