Kuro no Shoukanshi

This chapter is partially written from Cashel’s POV but then again not, kind of a mix. His thoughts are written in italic.

For those wondering: Rank x will be used for requests and adventurer ranks. Grade x will be used for skills (always in [ ]). Just for differentiation.

“… so, how was it? Him.” (Cashel)

After Cashel left the guild, he entered a dark alley.

Two men were waiting for Cashel there. Beforehand those two were mingling with the other adventurers at the bar while having light-hearted talks here and there.

“… Ah, boss.1 That rookie, I think he might be an important person.” (-)

It was small dirty man with the air of a thief around him.

“Rank C going by my [Eyes of Identification]. At least that guy likely got Grade C [Hide] if not more, you know ssu~ .” (-)

“Hee, even though he was brandishing his useless pride in his own skills so recklessly? I wonder what he is hiding.” (Cashel)

“Oi, Cashel. Can we tease him a bit before killing him off? I want to fight him first!” (-)

Next to the small man, there was a lively, muscular giant standing.

Cashel shrugged his shoulders while exclaiming a “Yare yare2 ” as the giant was laughing.

Even though it’s the usual antics, that guy really has no self-restraint.

“Raji (T/N: >> Raji

“This can also count as guidance, you know ssu~ . Raji, you are not allowed to break yet another one with all your strength ssu~ . Whatever you do, the basics are to be very very gentle ssu~ .” (-)

“I don’t really understand such difficult words! I will merely do him in just like always.” (Raji)

“As always a muscle-brain ssu~ …” (-)

Cashel ran across those two about half a year ago.

While they were raiding and scavenging a certain village, although it was by coincidence he happened to pa.s.s by and thus their cooperation began.

To begin with, Cashel himself was at that time also searching for prey in that area.

Although he is an adventurer, he also carries an aspect of deriving pleasure from murdering others.

Occasionally he used his well-featured outer appearance and at other times he displayed his mastery of the sword in front of them as a lure. Since he possessed the skills [Spy] and [Hide] he smoothly coerced them while hiding his true intentions.

The name of the small man is Gimul (T/N: >> Gimuru <>

He was a member of a famous band of thieves before the group was annihilated in a fight with a high-ranking adventurer.

Being aware of the nature of that adventurer due to his [Eyes of Identification], he escaped before anyone else could.

Though it was sly, this swift action saved his life.

From then on he lived his life filled with a void every day.

Before he ran away, he took out one knife.

He realized that the means of him surviving was only one way.

The giant man was Raji.

By nature, he was a mercenary wandering the battlefields in his search for blood.

However, he not only slaughtered the enemy but occasionally ordinary citizens as well. During war time both countries agreed to put him on the wanted list for his brutal nature.

Although it was also amusing to kill the bounty hunters who came for his head, it gradually became unpleasant.

Heading towards far off lands, he moved from nation to nation.

Those three different characters met in that village in the end.

Without even the time for the guild and nation to send reinforcements, they destroyed the village completely.

Leaving no more than a gruesome scene behind, Cashel used [Hide] on the thing resembling a mountain of corpses.

Although it would be exposed due to the level of the skill being Grade F, if [Eyes of Identification] were to be used, it was a temporary solution until they could dispose of it.

Having found kindred spirits, the three proceeded to agree on a mutual goal they could do together while keeping their different conduct.

As it was quite hilarious that their base was the town Pazu they enjoyed themselves while not leaving a trail of their deeds. Recently they were overdoing it though.

A rumor that Cashel was abusing his position as an adventurer to hunt rookies had begun to spread.

From that time onwards it went so far that suspicious looks were directed at Cashel wherever he went. Occasionally Gimul and Raji simply considered it to be all right to abandon Cashel.

That didn’t mean they would reveal his actions to the public right away though. When the time was ripe, they would sell out Cashel in order to gain the achievement of catching him by themselves …

Recently Kelvin came to the town Pazu. Cashel was absent on a campaign. Gimul and Raji spent their days drinking in the bar.

It was just a matter of time before they would target Kelvin who was completing requests consecutively in a short amount of time.

“Still, going ahead and causing us work … to actually defeat a Black Soulknight solo … I hate it that I don’t know what he is thinking. What do you think?”

“No idea. I wonder if he is a simpleton confident in his own victory? Not that it would make any difference.”

“Good! Good! Defeating him will be well worth it!” (Raji)

“… Maa, at that time I will leave it to you, Raji.” (Gimul)

Gimul and Raji didn’t notice.

Cashel had planned to use this match to get rid of them to begin with.

Cashel had realized it himself, too.

It wouldn’t be unusual for himself to be accused of the crime of hunting rookies.

The place the Black Soulknights appeared was an old castle filled with evil spirits cla.s.sifying it as a Rank D dungeon.

He was told that the Black Soulknights appeared inside the deepest part of the castle. Of those drawn in and those gathered by the guild to tackle the Rank D request, no one has returned as a result.

On that occasion Cashel went on an expedition and using his [Spy] skill he scouted the area. Quite obviously it wasn’t just a Black Soulknight.

Let’s use that guy to remove the nuisances.

Cashel refined his plan to use the rookie hunt as bait.

Unlike the rookie adventurer, those three had miscalculated. After all they didn’t particularly pay any attention to him and neither were they vigilant towards him.

At the point of time when Gimul’s [Eyes of Identification] were resisted, they ought to have noticed it.

For him to be endowed with skills far beyond Grade C.

Translation Notes

1 danna … can mean a lot of things, I opted for boss here as it fits the setting perfectly.

2 exclamation of relief or disappointment, border line to a sfx but well not quite.