The Duke’s Madness

About 100 mercenaries repeated the same words.

“kill… .”

“Block… .”

“I can’t pass through here!”

La Borde, who was watching the scene, muttered with a confused expression.

“Is that a hallucination? no···. How can you hallucinate 100 people without being a great wizard?”

At this, everyone nodded.

Fake miraculous magic created by processing mana.

The wizards who dealt with the magic created sparks in the air, and sometimes thunderbolts.

And among those magics, one of the most difficult ones was ‘hallucination’ magic.

Hallucination magic, which penetrates and manipulates the human mental world, is known to have very difficult casting conditions.

‘So it’s strange… If this amount of hallucination magic was cast, Whitebeard. It should be at least the legendary warlock I saw last time.’

Could it be that the white beard took part in this?

Arthur, who was thinking about it, judged that it may or may not be so.

Since this happened, even the slightest possibility could not be ruled out.

As Arthur pulled out the meteorite sword with his thoughts, Carpe shouted.

“Kill it first! As long as you’re hallucinating, there’s no way to solve it unless you get out of it yourself! Take it down and go!”

With a cry, a huge ball of fire erupts from his hand.

With that as a signal, the four mercenaries who gathered to catch Martial Dust run out of their seats.

puck-!

Azlan strikes the heads of the attacking mercenaries with a gauntlet made of a fairly unique material in his hand.

It seemed that he was not used to fighting like this, flinching in surprise every time blood splattered.

puck!

On the contrary, Keras, who was introduced as a D-class mercenary, was blowing the heads of the mercenaries with a drawn pistol, probably very familiar with this type of interpersonal warfare.

Arthur, who watched the scene closely, saw Cassel and Hyson.

He turned his attention to the two C-rank mercenaries.

“It’s painful to cut down the powerless, but this must be my destiny…”

With these words, Cassel’s huge longsword splits the mercenaries’ bodies.

“This karma. i will get it back someday Please sleep in peace.”

Cassel’s knife skills, cutting down mercenaries while muttering to himself, were quite surprising even by Arthur’s standards.

‘I thought he was just a fool, but his skills are really good?’

Hyson, who last looked at him, was striking the mercenaries by wielding a terribly large shield like a blunt weapon.

I wondered why I was fighting such an inefficient battle with a shield, but I didn’t feel any discomfort because I had good strength.

‘Every fighting style is different… But the only one to keep an eye on is Kassel?’

Arthur, who prioritized who to deal with first if any of them turned into an enemy, looked at La Borde for the last time.

He was turning hallucinating mercenaries into minced meat with the shotgun he saw at the gunsmith.

Arthur, who had even seen that figure, moved in earnest.

“Kill it… do!”

With a cry, he neatly cut off the head of the mercenary who was attacking.

Every time the blade flashed, exactly one head was blown off, and Cassel, who was watching the scene, muttered in a low voice.

“…As expected, the opponent is not as easy as expected! But don’t lose!”

With these words, the battle progressed quickly, and soon all of the 100 mercenaries were either dead or incapacitated.

It might be because they were hallucinating, but the mercenaries could only show mechanical movements.

As the battle ended, Azlan, covered in the blood of the mercenaries, muttered with a frown.

“f*ck…. this is right? You feel like you just killed civilians? Couldn’t I just faint?”

From nob le mt l dot com

No one could answer this question.

I pretended not to, but because they felt it too.

It was a massacre, not a battle.

From nob le mt l dot com

No matter how often murders happen in the back world, massacres felt different.

At that time, Arthur, who was silent, gave advice while shaking off the blood on the meteorite sword.

“Stunning would be worse, Azlan.”

“… why? If you clear the hallucination anyway, you’ll come back to your senses.”

“I will come back to my senses. Half crazy, or idiot. And these people usually end up in two ways.”

Arthur points to the mercenaries who have become corpses.

“One is to commit suicide, or someone around you to kill. Self-determination is when you’re crazy, killing people around you is because you can’t handle someone who has become an idiot.”

“… … .”

“That’s why hallucinations are called black magic. The moment you get caught, there’s a life waiting for you that makes you think it’s better to just die. So don’t feel too guilty.”

Azlan’s eyes widen.

The mercenaries next to him were no different.

“hmm… Did I say something wrong? Why is everyone looking at me like that?”

Azlan hesitated and asked.

“Dawn, have you ever been hallucinating?”

“yes. I’ve experienced it before. I won’t go into detail, so I’ll stop here.”

With these words, Azlan shuts his mouth.

In the meantime, Carpe, who was taking care of the scene, shouted.

“Is anyone quitting?”

“… … .”

“This is an unexpected situation. Anyone who wants to quit, quit now. If I move forward now, I won’t be able to quit halfway.”

At Carpe’s explanation, Keras, a D-class mercenary, asked a question.

“What do you mean by unexpected Carpe?”

“From what I hear, Martial Durst. I haven’t heard of a wizard who reached this level.”

“… What do you mean?”

“The information we know now is wrong. Even though it’s a 1000 gold bounty, why would the offices throughout Arcane send mercenaries here?”

“… … .”

“Martial Durst, it’s because his skills aren’t worthy of a 1000 gold bounty. But if a wizard like this is with you, the story will be different.”

Carpe warns.

“Now predictions are useless. So let’s decide here. Martial Durst, is there anyone who will follow me to catch him?”

Arthur is the first to raise his hand.

“Me!”

“… … .”

“Me! Mr. Carpe!”

Carpe was silent for a moment before muttering.

“Where are you going on a picnic?”

“no?”

“… nope Then who else?”

Azlan pondered and raised his hand.

Carpe asked with a surprised expression.

“Are you okay?”

“It feels more like falling out of here like this.”

“… … .”

“It doesn’t matter. I see.”

With these words, Cassel and Keras raise their hands.

“I am alumni.”

“I’d be embarrassed if I fell out of here.”

The last remaining mercenary and battle gang leader with Carpe’s gaze.

Head to La Borde and Hyson.

“… I’m not participating.”

“Larobed, you can be a bit dangerous.”

“know. So, if it seems dangerous, I will run away on my own.”

At this, Carpe nodded.

Then Hyson opens his mouth.

“I’m out of here. I didn’t come here to see you like this.”

Everyone raised their eyes.

If Azlan was missing, he was missing, because he didn’t expect Hyson to be missing.

However, Hyson had already made up his mind and turned away.

“Please do well. I think this mission… Nope. It’s not polite to put a candle on a falling yard.”

With these words, Hyson really left.

Arthur, who was watching, let out a low exclamation.

‘oh···. He was the one with the least presence, but he jumps out at the last minute.’

When Hyson disappears, Carpe raises his hand.

“Let’s go then. Once you get past this, the destination is right in front of you.”

With these words, the mercenaries swallow dry saliva.

“Take it easy… It seems to me that from now on it is real.”

* * *

Carpe takes the lead again and runs out.

Seeing that there was no hesitation, it seemed that he was sure of the path he was on.

It was time to run around the landfill for a while.

Carpe stopped running and licked his lips.

“Write… It leads in here.”

Arthur, who was next to him, abruptly poked his head out.

“Isn’t this a sewer?”

“that’s right. I wondered why he hid in a landfill like this… He was hiding in the sewers like a rat.”

“Hey… Are you familiar with Martial Durst, Mr. Carpe?”

“Friendship? What am I doing, such a spy…”

Carpe shuts up.

And he warns Arthur, who is smiling brightly.

“Don’t even think about thinking about it. Where are you playing with your snout?”

“oh···. It’s not easy either. It was like that last time too.”

“Last time? Have we ever met?”

“well? When you’re on this floor, everyone passes by at least once, right?”

Carpe sighed.

“Whoa… Why did you bring this guy?”

“Isn’t that helpful?”

“That’s right, it doesn’t help…. I doubt it will help in the end.”

With these words, Carpe entered the sewer, and Arthur stood beside him.

Azlan and La Borde looked at the two with strange eyes.

‘Have you ever met those two?’

‘fairly···. Does it look friendly?’

Carpe was famous as one of the few trustworthy mercenaries on this floor, but he was also famous for not having a close relationship with anyone.

Considering that he was a rare and talented wizard, it was quite unusual, but in the midst of that, naturally talking to a mercenary named Dawn made it look amazing.

Then Cassel muttered.

“The sorcerer and the masked man are one team… It’s not easy.”

“… … .”

“What do you see? I don’t like spying, do you?”

Azlan sighs and breathes.

“This one or that one… There is no normal, no.”

After that, as I started running again, silence fell naturally.

However, it was not long before a rough breath came out of Azlan’s mouth.

“… Ha f*ck.”

Smell peculiar to sewage.

The blood of the mercenaries who were covered a moment ago.

It’s because the texture of the muddy water made my nerves stand up.

‘It’s money and it’s nabal, and I just want to take a shower and wash it.’

It was when Azlan bit his lip while thinking.

Arthur, who had been running in the lead, turned his head quietly.

“Are you okay, Azlan?”

“… To be honest, I think I will die.”

“Can I help you?”

Azlan tilts his head.

“Help me? What can you do?”

Arthur snapped his fingers instead of answering.

At that moment, not only the stench from the tip of the nose, but also the blood that covered the body was washed away.

Azlan raised his eyes at the little miracle that could only be explained as magic and asked a question.

“you you… Were you a wizard?”

“no?”

“Then this is… What is it?”

At the question, Arthur pauses for a moment.

At the same time, Undine, who was holding Arthur’s feet, poked out his head.

[hello… .]

Azlan burst into exclamations at Undine’s greeting.

“Intermediate Spirit? Were you an elementalist?”

Arthur nodded.

La Borde and Keras, who followed the scene, raised their eyes.

“The elemental magician is more valuable than the magician… .”

“Mr Dunn. He must have been more talented than I thought.”

Arthur said to Undine in praise.

“Would you like to wash them, too?”

[Yes Arthur!]

Along with the answer, Keras and La Borde’s physical condition also improves.

Keras and La Borde burst into exclamation at the little miracle that is needed more than anything in the current situation.

In the midst of it, Arthur looked at Cassel.

“… i don’t need Relying on others is something only the weak do.”

“Oh really? Then I get it.”

Cassel’s pupils shake at the sight of Arthur who turns his head coldly.

However, he did not open his mouth to ask until the end.

Seeing that, Keras burst into laughter and said to Arthur.

“To be honest, I was dubious, but it looks like you survived the real Black Cross, Mr. Dunn.”

“hmm? What are you looking at?”

“It’s the same with the spirits, and it’s the same when I shoot Teniachi at that time…. Come to think of it, how did you know that Mr. Teniachi was hypnotized earlier?”

Arthur shrugged.

“It’s a feeling.”

“… Can you feel it?”

“yes. Teniachi-san is a B-class mercenary, right? But I was standing in the way too defenselessly.”

Azlan asks.

“barely···. Did you shoot for that one reason?”

“That’s not it. Uh, there’s a slightly more complex reason…”

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

“My breathing was irregular, and my eyes were out of focus. When they looked at us, their eyes were staring into the air, and their mouths were strange when they spoke.”

The mercenaries raise their eyes.

Arthur snapped his fingers in it.

“A skilled mercenary would never be in this condition. So I fired a gun. If things were normal, I would have dodged my shots, otherwise I could incapacitate the enemy.”

Silence falls with the answer.

“… … .”

The eyes of the mercenaries who were looking at Arthur in the midst of it were once again different.

At that time, Carpe, who was running in front, stopped walking.

The moment the mercenaries woke up in tension at the sudden stop, Carpe turned around.

And with a somewhat servile expression, he called Arthur.

“Hey madman.”

“Me?”

“okay. Please wash me too.”

“… ?”

“No, am I not even a living person? The stench makes me die too.”

At this, everyone rolled their eyes.

In the midst of that, Arthur burst out laughing.

“Mr. Carpe is insidious, so I can’t do it.”

“Are you mean? Who is better than me?”

“No, you are insidious.”

Carpe pouted her lips.

Azlan, who was very nervous at the sight, let out a sigh.

“… what is this combination? I will really go crazy.”

La Borde, who was next to him, also nodded involuntarily.

And Keras, who was next to him, stroked his chin and asked a question.

“How many more minutes do I have to run?”

“It’s soon. Just run for 10 more minutes and you will see the end.”

With these words, the party started running again.

I ran like that for about 10 minutes, but Carpe didn’t stop.

However, none of the party raised a counter-question.

This is because there has not been any change in the sensations that can be felt.

After that, I ran again for about 10 minutes.

Even though the promised time had passed, Carpe did not stop.

Arthur, puzzled by that, broke the silence and asked a question.

“It’s been 10 minutes, but it’s still a long way, Mr. Carpe?”

“… … .”

“hmm? why no answer? Are you mad at me for not sharing Undine’s abilities?”

Carpe didn’t answer.

Arthur, who opened his eyes, stopped running.

widely! widely! widely!

However, La Borde and Azlan, who were running side by side, continued to run.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the strange sight and murmured.

“what? What is this? Time has stopped?”

After that, I raised my senses as much as possible and looked around.

But nothing was felt.

Rats and worms that live in sewers.

I could only feel their small presence.

If time had stopped, I shouldn’t have felt this kind of sensation, but the rats and bugs were definitely feeling it.

‘Is it hallucination then? no···. Can you call this hallucination? I heard that this type of mental magic is only possible through direct or indirect contact?’

I heard that even a person who reached the highest level, called a great wizard, could not violate this condition.

Because of that, Arthur awakens tension.

I don’t know what, but something happened.

That too in a very bad way.

It was time to raise the senses of the whole body as much as possible.

I hear a familiar voice buried in my memory.

“Amazing. I never thought the Bavarian child would be here.”

At these words, Arthur’s shoulders trembled greatly.

‘what?’

At the same time, my heart started beating wildly.

As the heartbeat passed through my ears and made my head ring, a sign that appeared out of nowhere approached me.

widely. widely. widely.

A cold sweat flowed from Arthur’s body in line with his regular gait.

I felt this feeling more vividly because Arthur was calm even in the face of any situation.

‘Tension fear… no this… What should I call it?’

The sound of footsteps that had been heard along with the murmur stopped.

At that moment, Arthur’s senses go beyond their limits and reach their peak.

It was so sensitive that it made my eyelashes look big.

Because of that, the moment Arthur burst into exclamation, the owner of the footsteps asked a question.

“Arthur Bayern. Why are you here?”

At this, Arthur turned his head.

And he raised his eyes.

“Can Madrid… ?”

The second prince of the empire and the man who will become the next emperor.

And the culprit behind everything that killed him in his previous life.

Surprisingly, he was looking at him from a distance.