Sancant and Feder, the gatekeepers for Boruntar’s residence, were busy venting their frustrations. Under normal circumstances, they would have been drinking at a tavern or sleeping in a brothel by this hour, but instead, they had been ordered to stand watch through the night.
Feder did most of the complaining, while Sancant merely nodded along. Still, the pay was good, and given the sheer number of adventurers packed into the estate, they didn't expect the night to be particularly taxing.
“Seriously though, what is Galahat thinking?” Feder muttered. “Turning against Master Boruntar like this.”
“Who knows,” Sancant replied. “We just have to do the job we were given. Besides, almost every adventurer under the Azoth Firm’s thumb is gathered here right now. Even Galahat wouldn't be stupid enough to try and storm a place like this...”
Just as the words left Sancant’s mouth, the very group he had deemed foolish appeared before the gates. Galahat wasn't alone. It was no surprise to see Mult, his loyal younger brother figure, but several others accompanied them. Two members of the party in particular—one man and one beast—were recognized by the guards all too well.
“R-Rei?!” Feder’s voice cracked. “And... eek!”
He froze as Set’s massive form emerged from the shadows behind Rei. Beside him, Sancant managed to find his voice, though it trembled.
“G-Galahat. The Azoth Firm has officially placed you under suspicion of rebellion. Will you come quietly?”
“Rebellion, huh?” Galahat mused. “Well, I suppose that’s the right word when you’re trying to drag your own big brother out of the chairman's seat.”
Feder and Sancant’s jaws tightened at his casual admission. Sancant stole a quick glance back at the residence; he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized no one else had noticed the intruders yet.
It was a stroke of luck for Rei’s group. The adventurers waiting in the residence garden had grown complacent due to their superior numbers. Instead of maintaining a vigilant watch, they had abandoned all tension and were lounging about, lost in idle gossip. They weren't drinking, but their overconfidence was palpable. Skilled, high-rank adventurers might have remained alert, but the forces stationed in the garden were mostly E-Rank or F-Rank. The rest were thugs gathered just to pad the numbers—men who weren't even capable of becoming adventurers.
The Azoth Firm did employ several capable fighters. While none reached the level of Galahat—the only B-Rank in the Azoth Firm—there were a handful of D-Rank and C-Rank adventurers on the payroll. However, those individuals were either inside acting as Boruntar’s personal guard or were too sympathetic toward Galahat to be trusted on the front lines.
“Galahat, you’ve helped us out plenty in the past,” Sancant said, his voice pleading. “I’m telling you this for your own good. Just apologize to Master Boruntar and put an end to this rebellion.”
Feder nodded vigorously beside him. They both remembered the mistake they had made by turning Rei away when Boruntar had summoned him; it was only Galahat’s intervention that had saved them from severe punishment. They were deeply in his debt.
(But still...) Sancant thought, glancing at Rei and Set. (I can’t help but feel a bit conflicted seeing the very person we were protected for standing right here as an enemy.)
Despite their pleas, Galahat could not turn back. This act of gekokujo was no longer just about his own desires. He represented the firm members concerned about the current state of the Azoth Firm. He knew that Margrave Larcus had already signaled a tacit approval for the elimination of Boruntar. And more than anything...
Galahat stole a glance at Rei.
No matter how much Boruntar loathed or mistreated him, he was still the half-brother who had provided the medicine for Galahat’s mother when she was ill. Galahat was convinced that if he stepped aside now, Rei would kill Boruntar without a second thought. To pay back that old debt, he had to ensure Boruntar survived this night.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t back down,” Galahat stated firmly. “Tell my brother I apologize, but his retirement as chairman is already a settled matter.”
“...So there’s no other way?” Sancant asked, his face twisting as though he had swallowed a bitter pill.
Galahat gave a resolute nod.
The two men locked eyes for a long moment until Sancant finally drew a deep breath and leveled his spear at Galahat.
“That is a shame,” Sancant whispered.
Feder followed suit, aiming his own spear at Rei’s group. Having stood guard together for so long, he understood his partner’s resolve. He filled his lungs and screamed to alert the rest of the estate.
“Enemy attack! Galahat has rebelled against Master Boruntar! To arms! Everyone, to arms!”
His cry thundered through the garden.
The initial response was a wave of confused murmurs. It took several seconds for people to realize the alarm was real. Slowly, figures began to trickle toward the gate to investigate. This sluggishness was further proof that the garden was filled with nothing but low-rank adventurers and thugs brought along to make up the numbers.
“Whoa, they really showed up! And there’s only five of them!” a thug yelled from the front.
Soon, the mob from the garden began pouring out through the gate. They laughed at the sight of Galahat and Mult. When their eyes moved to Rei, they saw a boy in a Dragon Robe with his hood down. His small stature and lack of obvious muscle made them sneer. However, their expressions stiffened when they looked at Phron, who radiated the aura of a veteran, and Brasso, who carried the intimidatingly heavy Earth-shaking Hammer. And then...
“A—A Gryphon?!”
The mob’s laughter died instantly as they spotted the creature standing at the rearmost position.
“Hey, wait. Is that the one from the rumors? The one that supposedly wiped out the D-Rank Party Falcon's Claws all by itself?”
“Are you serious? I thought the Gryphon in this city was just some mascot character everyone doted on...”
As the crowd whispered amongst themselves, Brasso decided to end the conversation. He slammed the Earth-shaking Hammer into the pavement.
The sound was a deafening thoom—far too massive for a simple impact. The ground beneath the hammer buckled, caving in to form a shallow crater. As the mob stared in stunned silence, Brasso effortlessly hoisted the hammer back onto his shoulder.
“Anyone who doesn’t intend to fight us for real, get lost!” the dwarf barked. “I’ll only settle accounts with those who stay. But remember—if you stay, you’ve chosen to be my enemy. Only those prepared to take a hit from this hammer should remain.”
Silence fell over the thugs and low-rankers. The two gatekeepers were equally paralyzed.
None of them moved to leave, however. To be the first to run in front of such a large crowd would brand them a coward forever. Moreover, this was the residence of Boruntar, a man of significant power in Gilm. If they were seen as traitors or cowards, they would find it nearly impossible to live in the city tomorrow.
Yet, after seeing that crater, none of them were brave enough to attack Brasso, either. In the end, they resorted to jeering instead of fighting.
“Do you idiots really think you can work as adventurers in this city after crossing the Azoth Firm? Run home with your tails between your legs and we might let you off!”
“Yeah! Do you even see how many of us there are? Anyone with common sense would have given up by now!”
“Go on! Get lost before things get ugly!”
The air was thick with their taunts. They clearly thought they were being intimidating because of their numbers, but to Rei and his companions, they looked like yapping curs. Even Mult, the weakest member of Rei’s group, looked on with an exasperated expression. He was a D-Rank adventurer, far stronger than anyone in the mob. More importantly, he had witnessed Rei’s diabolical murderous intent when he had confronted Boruntar a few days prior. Compared to that, these men were less like barking dogs and more like whimpering puppies.
The taunts dragged on for a minute until Rei, deciding this was a waste of time, took a single step forward.
The mob flinched, backing away reflexively the exact distance Rei had advanced. They tried to save face by pretending they were just giving him room out of pity, but their voices grew more frantic.
“W-What? You only act tough because you have a Gryphon! You’re just a scrawny kid! You shouldn't make your elders angry!”
In the city’s guild, Rei had a reputation as an Untouchable Presence, but that knowledge hadn't reached the thugs. Even the adventurers present mostly believed the rumors were exaggerations meant to glorify his pet. It was an easy mistake to make; Rei was under 170cm tall and didn't look particularly strong.
“...Sigh.”
Rei didn't have the patience for this. It had been an exhausting day, and he had a busy schedule tomorrow involving harpy dismantling and material stripping interviews. He decided to clear the path as quickly as possible. He would honor Galahat’s request and try not to kill them, but he wasn't going to worry about a few broken bones.
Accessing the Misty Ring List in his mind, Rei summoned the Death Scythe.
The mob’s eyes bulged as the massive black scythe materialized out of thin air.
“I don’t have time to waste here,” Rei declared, brandishing the weapon. “Come.”
Predictably, no one stepped into his range. In fact, they backed away even further, desperate to stay outside the reach of that wicked blade.
“What’s the matter?” Rei mocked. “Is trash like you only good at talking? I suppose I shouldn't expect much from losers with less capability than a Goblin. If you’re that scared, stop pretending to be men and crawl back to your filthy nests.”
It was blatant provocation. Only a few of the more experienced adventurers recognized it as a trap; the rest were too stunned to speak. But as Rei’s insults began to sink in, their faces turned beet red with rage. Still, the sheer intimidation Rei exuded kept them rooted to the spot.
(Just a little more...) Rei thought. He could feel Phron and Brasso smirking behind him.
“What’s wrong?” Rei continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “If you’re too cowardly to face me even with those numbers, why don’t you just roll over on your backs and show me your bellies? If you show me a posture of total submission, I might feel some mercy and let you crawl away.”
He scanned the surrounding faces with a sneering laugh.
“Don’t screw with us, you brat!” one of the thugs screamed, his pride finally snapping. “I’ll teach you what happens when you mock adults!”
Knife in hand, the man lunged forward, charging straight at Rei.