On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 373

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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First Day of Infiltration, The Organization Was Destroyed 373
The Crow in Darkness (4)
At that moment.
Blron and the other Crows were catching their breath, allowing their exhausted bodies to rest.
They waited for one piece of news.
Word that the traitor had been dealt with.
It wouldn’t take long.
“Captain Blron, sir. Those Seniors you mentioned. Just how strong are they?”
“Two of them could eliminate Master-grade fighters without anyone knowing, and if three gather, they could even handle that man Ziel.”
“That much?”
“They’re three of the five who’ve reached the top tier in the Red Raven.”
“That’s nearly half the Organization’s full strength…….”
Many strong fighters are known to the world.
But far more strong fighters remain unknown to it.
As long as organizations like the Red Raven exist, that law will always hold.
“The Organization itself treats this as an enormous matter. That’s proof. Wait. Those Seniors never fail.”
After the collapse of the Black Sky, they had kept low for a time.
The Black Sky was, nominally, a group composed solely of Assassins.
That’s why it fell.
Because in reality they were targeting the throats of people in power.
The Red Raven, by contrast, was a group that doubled as information gatherers.
Yet even so, they couldn’t dare show themselves in this turbulent period.
But now the opportunity had come.
Eliminate the traitor, and the Red Raven would take the place of the Black Sky.
That was the direction the Organization must move!
‘Tonight I’ll be able to rest easy once I get back inside.’
The fallen Crows were regrettable, but unavoidable.
Crows, after all, were born from darkness and returned to it.
If the mission was completed, they would have no cause for complaint.
“Watch the perimeter carefully. The moment the Seniors send their signal, we move out.”
On the roof.
It was then that a Big Man suddenly appeared above the field site where the Crows were hiding and resting.
Slash!
Crows drew their swords in quick succession.
“What in the——”
“Hey, hey, my friend! Don’t touch!”
A tremendous roar erupted, and an enormous Greatsword came flying through the air.
The shoulder of one Crow standing right in front of Blron was crushed flat.
“Gaaaahhhhh!”
A scream rang out!
But for some reason, that scream scattered as it spread outward.
As if it had struck an invisible wall.
“Tear him apart, brute.”
And behind the Big Man stood a figure in a robe, visible now.
What he held was a wand.
‘A Mage?’
Before Blron could even process the situation, another Crow’s leg was completely crushed.
The Greatsword wielded a power beyond measure.
It would have been better if it had simply sliced clean through!
“Where are you!”
That howl was loud enough to burst eardrums.
Bang! Crash!
The Crows were no match for this.
Overwhelming strength!
The moment one Crow drew his sword to meet the strike.
Snap!
His blade shattered, piercing his chest, and the Greatsword came hammering down like a nail-driver, pinning him through.
“Ack——”
Three had fallen already.
Blron spun around urgently.
‘I have to call the seniors……!’
Four Crows remained.
Caught off guard by the sudden assault, they all drew their swords in haste, but victory seemed impossible.
A monster.
If they’d known beforehand that he was actually slightly weaker than Gilbert—or rather, Erso—they never would’ve responded so poorly.
A face surfaced in Blron’s mind, late and unwelcome.
Ziel Steelheart.
One of his subordinates!
“The Western Region…… Mercenary King?”
“I’ve abandoned that name!”
Bang!
“Gah!”
Kelvin’s blade carved through Blron’s arm in a vicious sweep.
Flesh and bone pulped under the impact, and pain beyond description flooded through him.
“I’m Kelvin!”
Even as his consciousness wavered, Blron scrambled to his feet.
He had to run.
If even one person escaped to reach the senior who’d finished his work by now…….
Smack!
“Ugh!”
Blron, trying to leap from the rooftop, crashed down instead.
There was something there.
A wall.
A transparent wall.
Thud.
His fist connected, but it was useless.
And beyond it—that robed man from before!
“You lot won’t escape alive. Our Boss has ordered it—eliminate everyone except one.”
“Th—this madman…….”
Zephyros.
The Red Ravens had marked him, but they’d never imagined a mage this powerful—that very same man!
Crack, snap!
A chilling sound from behind.
Zephyros, watching it unfold, grimaced.
“Well, he’s earning his bulk.”
Blron couldn’t bring himself to turn around.
His blood chilled as a few more sounds rang out before silence fell.
Only then, trembling, did Blron turn his head to see—
“One survivor.”
A bear drenched in blood stood before him.
A bear in the truest sense of the word.
Save that he’d learned his friend was under attack and rage had consumed him…….
Which meant a greatsword swung, limbs torn free…….
Kelvin.
“Let one live, Kelvin.”
It was then that Blron’s thoughts turned to the poison hidden in his mouth.
“Almost there.”
Zephyros dissolved the magical wall and struck Blron’s body with paralysis magic in the same breath.
“Nearly got us all killed.”
This side was finished.
Kelvin’s fury still simmered just beneath the surface, but somehow he’d managed to hold it back.
“It’s not like Gilbert’s dead. The Boss went, remember?”
“B—but if he dies—”
“He won’t. We heard the Boss fighting.”
Kelvin relaxed somewhat at that.
Zephyros found it unexpected.
‘Those two can’t stand each other, yet here they are, worried sick.’
It would be good to tell Gilbert about this……
“Um, uh, but.”
“What?”
“Gilbert, keep it secret!”
“…….”
There seemed to be quite a lot of people in the world who couldn’t be honest.
“You’ve really made a mess of things.”
If a faint-hearted Mage had witnessed it, their heart might have stopped on the spot.
Bodies with shattered limbs and chests lay scattered carelessly across the rooftop.
Not a single one of them would survive.
Except for this one here.
Though he wouldn’t last much longer either.
“Hey, information! Harvest!”
“Are you trying to copy what the Boss does? You?”
“I, I have experience!”
“That tone of yours isn’t going to cut it, I think…….”
For now, Zephyros decided to stop Kelvin and wait.
And at that same moment.
Clang, clang!
A life-and-death duel was unfolding.
Though the tension was somewhat less than before.
‘This sword is insane.’
Gilbert marveled at the sword’s performance.
Even clashing with Mana pouring into it, the blade showed not a single flaw.
His opponent’s bewilderment was plainly evident.
Not only was he being pushed back by Gilbert.
Two of his comrades were paralyzed, and now he was forced into a one-on-one duel!
And against some stranger who’d suddenly burst in!
‘So this is Ziel Steelheart…….’
He was beyond what the rumors had suggested.
He’d heard he was strong—but he’d thought three of the top-tier could manage him if they coordinated.
A foolish thought.
Three?
‘Even ten wouldn’t stand a chance against this monster!’
However sudden the surprise attack, he’d subdued all three at a speed that was utterly impossible to match.
And in the process, his opponent had grown stronger still.
One on one.
He’d thought he could suppress him…….
But then he suddenly received a new sword and came charging like a madman.
And finally—
Scrape!
“Hck.”
His arm was severed.
There was no time to staunch the wound.
The Second Strike and Third Strike followed, piercing through his shoulder as well.
“Hck.”
A top-tier Crow was tasting defeat for the first time.
As with all in this profession, defeat in real combat meant death.
“Boss, what should we do?”
“It’s real combat. Handle it yourself.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Without hesitation, Gilbert drove his sword through.
The pain was momentary.
The top-tier Crow collapsed forward.
The eyes of the two who’d watched this while paralyzed trembled with despair.
“Prepare yourselves. Face me now.”
“Wait, Boss!”
At that moment, Gilbert made a startling proposal to Ziel.
“I’ll face them both at once. Since a moment ago, I’ve been…… sensing something.”
Sensing something.
He couldn’t put it into words, but something was clearly becoming visible.
Beyond that point.
A place he hadn’t yet reached.
A thread—a clue that could lead him there!
“Good.”
Gilbert took the sword Ziel handed him and gripped it firmly.
‘I can do this. I blocked three of their blades at once just now.’
It might have been a handshake, but Gilbert stated it clearly to keep his nerves sharp.
“Even if I’m in danger, please don’t intervene, Boss.”
“But I’ve already intervened. What are you talking about?”
……
“However, I won’t intervene in this particular matter. Not even if you die.”
When the Boss said something like that, it meant he truly meant it!
His resolve was set.
Gilbert drove himself to the edge of a cliff for the next realm.
Click.
And the paralysis of the two remaining top-tier Crows wore off.
“If you run, you die by my hand.”
Though only paralyzed, the two Crows had heard every word of the conversation and seized their swords without hesitation.
The victor lives.
Within that immutable principle, three blades extended simultaneously.
Clang! Ring!
All three fought with desperation.
Lose and you die.
Win and you live.
Of course, Ziel had no intention of letting the Crows escape.
But the situation was too urgent for his thoughts to reach that far.
The two Crows understood.
Even if they fled midway, they would all fail anyway!
‘Damn it, why did I agree to face them both at once?’
Under their relentless assault, Gilbert’s tunic tore in several places.
Certainly, each one individually was slightly weaker than Gilbert, but their combined attack was more vicious than he’d anticipated.
But he had to win.
If he won, everyone would be happy.
Crash!
Gilbert deflected the incoming blade and spun backward, then drove his sword straight through his rear guard position.
Squelch!
“Guh!”
Landing a blow didn’t guarantee the advantage.
Immediately, the other one’s blade slashed across Gilbert’s back. It was a deep wound. Blood sprayed across the ground in profusion.
“Damn.”
Ziel, of course, didn’t move.
Not because of Gilbert’s request.
‘In five minutes, I’ll apply hemostasis and stitch the wound.’
He already knew.
That Gilbert would win.
Naturally, Ziel had no intention of letting Gilbert die.
Just now, Ziel had done something rare for him—lied.
Because he was a subordinate.
A rather precious one, at that.
Clang, ring!
In the meantime, another enemy took a long slash from Gilbert’s blade.
The wound, infused with mana in a surprise move, sizzled with a crackling sound and burned instantly.
“Argh!”
But in that moment.
Thud!
The other Crow came rushing from behind and drove his blade into Gilbert’s side.
“Guh.”
Blood trickled down.
The match seemed decided.
‘Did I lose?’
Ziel remained perfectly still.
That was the moment.
Gilbert twisted his body where the sword had pierced him.
Crack!
He spun violently, driving his blade straight into the heart of his assailant.
“Kuh……hah.”
He’d struck the ribs instead.
A fatal wound.
He’d thought victory was assured.
But instead of stopping there, Gilbert wrung out every last ounce of strength and delivered one final blow.
That decided the match.
As for the last one—
Thump!
Gilbert swept his leg out and knocked him down, finishing him by pointing his sword at the man’s throat.
“Haah……”
Instead of exhaustion that might topple him at any moment, there was only a manageable pain.
Perhaps it was thanks to the hellish training he’d endured back at the Harmatan Family.
“I’ve left one alive, sir.”
“You can kill him. We can extract all the information we need anyway.”
Extract information from a corpse?
‘Typical boss.’
Even bleeding to death, Gilbert’s misconceptions never ceased.
Ziel glanced at him briefly, then paralyzed the fallen man again just to be safe.
After that, he dressed Gilbert’s wounds with practiced efficiency and asked a question.
“Do you feel the difference?”
“I’m still not entirely certain, sir.”
“Draw your sword.”
Ziel unsheathed the Bloody Moon.
“Strike it against mine. If you’ve truly reached the next realm, your blade won’t shatter even when it meets my own.”
“But, sir—isn’t that sword incredibly rare and precious?”
“A sword means nothing to me.”
Gilbert was moved by the gesture.
But Ziel had spoken the simple truth.
A good blade was pleasant enough to use, but a sword was ultimately just a tool.
In Ziel’s hands, a tree branch or a sword made no difference to the threat they posed.
“I will succeed, sir. I swear I won’t let your blade break.”
“See that you do.”
It was said that when a Master-grade blade struck an ordinary one, the difference in mana properties would shatter the lesser weapon.
That was the fundamental reason a Master had to face a Master.
‘I’ll do this.’
There had been something different about him since the fight ended.
A stirring sensation of mana within his body!
‘I’ll do this.’
As he drew his mana upward, a soft luminescence bloomed around the blade and enveloped it.
Ziel, in turn, drew mana into his own sword.
Naturally, he matched his output to Gilbert’s level.
Clang!
Just one strike.
That alone was enough to know.
“You’ve made it.”
At those words from Ziel, tears rolled down Gilbert’s cheeks.
The sword was unscathed.
Not a single mark marred its surface.
“Sir……”
A thought occurred to him in that moment.
‘I could’ve just taken one of those fallen men’s swords and tested it instead…… right?’
But Gilbert chose not to break the moment, and instead knelt on one knee.
“I owe it all to you, sir.”
“True. You owe it all to me.”
“Yes, sir!”
“But you’re the one who endured the training.”
“Sir……”
A flower of emotion blooms upon the field strewn with corpses!
And the Crow watching it all thought to himself.
‘I envy him…… I’m not Master Grade…… .’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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