The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - Chapter 37

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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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The Strongest in Our Neighborhood (37)
“Listen, Captain of the Guard.”
When Jang Ga-in called out, Alberto turned, his body tense.
“Yes, Ga-in.”
“Are those the ones that Count Johanson sent?”
“Yes.”
“So the Count’s hidden blade over the Centron Mine shares turns out to be just this? I had some expectations given his reputation, but I’m rather disappointed.”
Hearing Jang Ga-in’s words, Alberto’s expression grew slightly bewildered.
“What? I know you’re strong since I’ve faced you, but they’re not the kind of opponents one can afford to underestimate.”
“So if I find myself evenly matched with them, you and these knights are planning to gang up on me, yes?”
In that instant, Alberto’s eyes widened.
“What? No, no, that’s not it. For all my rank, I’m not so dishonorable as that.”
“Please. Your intent is transparent as glass. Especially when Eldom and Shaveltiger withdrew just now—your eyes gave you away immediately.”
“No, that’s not true. Please don’t misunderstand.”
“We’ll see soon enough whether it’s a misunderstanding or not.”
As Jang Ga-in regarded him quietly, the captain broke into cold sweat and swallowed hard.
“Well, even if you do gang up, I don’t mind. It might actually be more interesting that way.”
Jang Ga-in studied the captain for a moment, then walked toward the center of the Training Ground.
“Are you the Ga-in who took all of Baron Dapharon’s shares?”
As Jang Ga-in drew near, Leodoson spoke.
“You’re the retainers of Count Johanson, sent at Baron Dapharon’s request to settle the matter of the Centron Mine shares?”
“Ha. Since I asked first, you ought to answer my question before taking the lead in the conversation. Are you trying to seize control without any decorum?”
“The ones without decorum are you. You’ve laid tricks on the Training Ground floor to fight at your advantage, pretending otherwise.”
“Tricks? What are you talking about?”
“You said there’s a mage called Raila, so I imagine you’ve set up some sort of Magic Circle on the ground.”
Flinch.
Hearing Jang Ga-in’s words, Raila started slightly, pricked by conscience, and Leodoson beside her let out a soft laugh.
“I thought a Magic Circle hidden so perfectly would escape notice, but you’re quite perceptive. Though it seems you’re a step too late for all your sharpness.”
“A step too late? What do you mean?”
“You’ve already fallen into the trap and can’t escape.”
As Leodoson spoke and drew his blade, Jang Ga-in lowered the spear resting on his shoulder and aimed it at his opponent.
“Trying to catch an eagle with a few spider webs? Such a trap means nothing to me——”
“Artemporte Um Marca!”
At that moment, Raila suddenly struck the ground with her Magic Staff, muttering words in an unknown tongue.
Shiiiiir…….
In that instant, a transparent barrier materialized before Raila, and black smoke billowed up from beneath Jang Ga-in’s feet.
Thunk.
Almost simultaneously, Jang Ga-in launched himself from the ground and rushed toward the mage Raila.
“When a battle begins, you eliminate the caster or array master first. This time, I’m going for the mage——”
“You bastard! You’re mine to fight!”
Leodoson beside him immediately swung his blade toward Jang Ga-in’s neck.
Jang Ga-in dodged the blade lightly, then thrust his spear at Raila, and geometric patterns of light bloomed across the transparent barrier, deepening its density.
Boom——!
The moment the spear and transparent barrier collided, the very space seemed to rupture in an explosion, and Raila’s body flew backward like a lamb struck by a bull’s horns.
“Gaaaahhh…….”
As she flew backward, Raila’s eyes opened so wide they seemed ready to tear.
Crack-crack-crack.
During her flight, the Necklace, Ring, and Heart Protection Mirror she wore fractured, then shattered completely.
Amid the terrible pain, Raila stared at the artifacts scattering into the air as they broke, her expression one of utter disbelief.
‘All my protective artifacts destroyed!’
How much force must have been infused in that spear thrust for something so absurd to happen?
And this terrible pain meant that even with all those artifacts destroyed, they hadn’t fully absorbed the impact—the remaining force had still struck her body with devastating power.
Thud.
“Gaaahhh!”
After rolling several times across the ground, her vision spun.
‘You’re finished now.’
Leodoson, who had missed beheading Jang Ga-in, watched his spear and shield collide and explode, recognizing it as a golden opportunity.
If he succeeded in attacking before the opponent could dissipate the blast’s aftermath, he could inflict a mortal wound.
He infused his blade with Aura once more and thrust forcefully at the back of his opponent’s head.
Spin.
In an instant, the opponent swung his spear at Jang Ga-in’s head without even glancing back.
‘What? How is he moving? Did he already neutralize the shockwave from the explosion?’
Since a spear was a relatively long weapon, Leodoson’s head could shatter before he could drive his blade through the opponent’s skull. So he had no choice but to twist the path of his sword to intercept the spear.
Crash!
When sword and spear collided, an explosion erupted much like the one that had occurred when the spear and shield met moments before.
‘Gasp!’
In that instant, Leodoson found himself gasping for breath without even realizing it.
A series of cracking sounds rang out from his wrist, then his elbow, then his shoulder. And as strength drained from his fingers, the sword he’d been gripping flew from his hand and tumbled far away.
Whoosh.
His body spun a half rotation in the direction his arm had been twisted, and before he could even gather his wits, the spear shaft came sweeping across his ribs, caving in his armor.
“Cough!”
Crack!
Dimitrion, who had been watching the fight between Jang Ga-in, Leodoson, and Raila, felt his jaw drop and his eyes widen as if they might split.
‘I, I knew Ga-in was strong, but to be this utterly dominant?’
Suddenly, the memory of his own first clash with Jang Ga-in came flooding back.
‘Now that I think about it, I was taken apart just like that.’
A bitter taste crept across his tongue.
The sorceress Raila had deployed a Magic Circle and unleashed a magical assault, yet not even one breath had passed before the mage was sent flying ten meters through the air, rolling across the ground and coughing blood. The Expert-level knight Leodoson stood bent grotesquely, the side of his plate armor caved in, also spitting blood.
Dimitrion quietly turned his head and glanced at the captain of the guard, Alberto, who stood with his sword half-drawn and frozen.
Had their fight been comparable, the captain and his soldiers would surely have joined in.
“Alberto.”
“Yes? Ah, yes. Dimitrion.”
“That sword of yours, half-drawn—you’d better sheath it quickly.”
“What? Why was I even drawing it in the first place?”
Alberto jumped in alarm, hurriedly pushed the sword back into its scabbard, and began clearing his throat awkwardly.
“Even though I told you what Ga-in’s skill level was, you didn’t believe me. Now that you’ve witnessed it firsthand, what do you think?”
“At the outer wall earlier, I thought we were overwhelmed because of the Saber-Tooth Tiger, but seeing how quickly Leodoson and Raila were defeated, even without the tiger, you’re clearly a master far beyond my capacity to challenge.”
“If Ga-in harbored any malice, he could single-handedly reduce this entire territory to rubble.”
At that level, he could genuinely be called Master Level—far beyond the highest ranks of Expert.
And it was known that a Master Level fighter could sweep away a small barony like this one entirely alone.
“Y, yes, I suppose so.”
“Still, I’m concerned about how Baron Dapharon will receive Ga-in now.”
Gulp.
Hearing Dimitrion’s words, Alberto unconsciously swallowed hard.
* * *
“Is that a Potion?”
“Oh!”
After coughing up blood, Raila had been about to retrieve a Potion from her robe and drink it when a voice from directly behind her made her jump.
She turned to see a man named Jang Ga-in standing with his spear resting across his shoulder, looking down at her with an odd expression.
“Yes, it’s a Potion. Going by the color, it looks like a high-grade one at that. Ah! I won’t stop you, so don’t mind me and just drink it.”
“D, drink it? Really?”
“Yeah, drink it. If I’d meant to kill you, I’d have done it already—I wouldn’t just be standing here watching. So drink without worry.”
“A, understood.”
Raila glanced once at Leodoson, who lay far off clutching his grotesquely twisted waist in agony, then hurriedly drank the Potion.
“Feeling better after the Potion?”
“Yes, breathing is much easier now. Thank you for showing mercy.”
“Well, I had my reasons for letting you live, so there’s no need to bow so deeply. Eldom.”
“Yes, Ga-in.”
“Would you bring me the bundle tied to the Saber-Tooth’s back?”
“Of course.”
After a moment, Eldom rode up on the Saber-Tooth Tiger and handed over a large bundle, and Jang Ga-in continued.
“Not long ago, I encountered a High-Ranking Demon in the forest and fought it. Did Dimitrion perhaps mention it? The High-Ranking Demon escaped into this kingdom after fighting me.”
“Yes, I heard about it.”
“After the demon fled, I discovered a storehouse in its lair. These items are what I found there.”
As Jang Ga-in opened the bundle and revealed its contents, Raila’s eyes widened.
Jang Ga-in continued.
“Based on the high concentration of demonic power, this looks like a High-Ranking Demon Beast’s horn. This one’s called a Demon Spirit Stone. This is called a Blood Stone. And this looks like a gemstone—both the Druid Clan and the Dwerg Clan said they’d never seen one like it before.”
“G, goodness! This is Gokurun’s Horn, and I’m not entirely sure about this gemstone either.”
“Is Gokurun a High-Ranking Demon Beast?”
“Yes. It’s a High-Ranking Demon Beast that hunts Wyverns, and aside from Dragons, it’s the most powerful flying monster.”
“A demon beast’s horn like that must be extraordinarily rare?”
“Indeed. Quite rare.”
“I’m thinking of selling these. Can you afford them? Do you have the money?”
“I have the money, but… I don’t see a reason for me to purchase them.”
“No reason to buy? Then I suppose I have no reason to let you live either.”
Jang Ga-in lifted his spear, his expression contemplative about where to strike, and fear flickered across Raila’s eyes.
Glancing sideways, she saw the giant saber tiger licking its chops as it watched her.
“Wait—now that I think about it, if it’s Gokurun’s Horn, my master, the Alchemist, would be delighted. I’ll purchase all of this.”
“They say mages are prudent, and you certainly make such a choice. But how much will you give for these?”
“300 Gold.”
“What? 300 Gold? Are you joking with me? Hey, do you want to die?”
“Why do you say that? 300 Gold is quite generous.”
“I’ve heard that body parts of High-Ranking Demons fetch hundreds of Gold. You’re saying this is only worth 300 Gold?”
“While demon bodies command high prices, demon beast bodies do not. And since this is Gokurun’s Horn, I’m offering 300 Gold for everything combined.”
As Jang Ga-in was speaking, he realized he hadn’t yet brought out the High-Ranking Demon’s Arm.
“Then what about this? It’s the arm of the High-Ranking Demon I fought.”
When Jang Ga-in produced the High-Ranking Demon’s Arm from his possession, Raila’s eyes widened.
“May I examine it for a moment?”
“By all means.”
Raila took the High-Ranking Demon’s Arm and examined it, tilting her head thoughtfully.
“The severed arm is still alive, so it does appear to be a part of a High-Ranking Demon, but strangely, the Demonic Energy is very weak.”
“The Demonic Energy emanating from this arm was contaminating the surroundings, so I extracted most of it.”
“One cannot suppress Demonic Energy with an Aura alone… Ah! Though with your skill level, it would be possible. But with the Demonic Energy this weakened, I cannot offer you its true value.”
“I understand. So what will you offer?”
“500 Gold.”
Jang Ga-in’s eyes widened in an instant.
“500 Gold! That’s better than ransacking a demon’s vault.”
“In any case, it is still the arm of a High-Ranking Demon, so it cannot be inexpensive.”
“If I hadn’t extracted the Demonic Energy from this arm, how much would you have offered?”
“I would need to measure the concentration of the Demonic Energy, but I would have offered at least double that.”
“Double means over a thousand Gold?”
“Yes.”
“Blast! I’ve let a fortune slip through my fingers. So if I bring you that High-Ranking Demon, dead and intact, how much could I receive?”
“I would need to assess its rank, but if it truly is a Count-tier High-Ranking Demon, you could receive over 10,000 Gold.”
“10,000 Gold! I must find that bat-like creature and capture it no matter what!”
Jang Ga-in’s eyes gleamed with fervor, and Raila swallowed hard without realizing it.
“Regarding that, Sir Ga-in… I only have 300 Gold available right now. Could I purchase the demon’s arm later?”
“Hmm? Yes, of course. Is your money in Count Johanson’s domain, perhaps?”
“Yes, in the vault of my research laboratory in the Count’s domain.”
“You’ll be returning to the Count’s domain once you’ve recovered and regained your strength anyway, won’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go together. We’ll retrieve the money and I’ll hand over the demon’s arm.”

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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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