3rd person pov
A giant pillar light that reached the heavens. That's how the witnesses describe it.
Was it the result of a powerful spell?
Or perhaps an angel falling from the sky?
An artefact of legends being unleashed?
Whatever it was it raised the worry of those who witness it. What if it was the work of the so-called [Dark Lord]? A new unknown entity that is responsible for the current upheaval of the world itself.
That worry was quickly dissipated however as the leaders of the world have prepared the greatest countermeasure.
The [Hero Summoning Spell].
An arcane spell that could only be cast by those of the royal bloodline. A treasure of great worth that could overturn even the gravest of situation.
Summoning more than one individuals each holding fighting capability of an entire army, naturally, this message calmed the people's heart.
Everyone is eagerly waiting for the arrival of the fabled heroes, and soon the incident was forgotten altogether.
Yes, everyone is curious about how mighty and gallant could these heroes be...
XxX
Akaba's Pov
I could only stare dumbly with my mouth agape, no it was safe to say that all of us were too dumbfounded to let out even a word.
"Scared? Couldn't blame ya! Not even an S rank could keep her composure in front of me!"
Did I just hear something a bit sexist back there? More importantly who the heck are you supposed to be?
"Oho Almost forgot to introduce myself! I am Barudo! The leader of the dark ten!"
Perfect timing and chuunibiyou name aside there are so much that you have put at risk simply by declaring your team's name. Of course, none of us could voice that out due to being too busy doing something else.
"Barudo (bald), a fitting name." Midori, being the least humorous of all of us commented with a flat tone.
"Oho? You look calm for someone in deep in trouble. even the rest of your group are trembling in their boots."
While it was true that our entire body was shaking the reason behind it wasn't anywhere near because we were afraid.
No, we were shaking due to the struggle of keeping our laughter in, especially because of Midori's comment.
Just as he had said the name suits him perfectly and it was because he was obviously bald, but that's not all.
Seriously it was like looking at the world's greatest cosplay of random bald thug leader, and his compatriots' fashion sense only add more fuel to the fire. Though all of them are armed with different arrays of arsenal each their appearance mirrors the stereotypical get-ups of fodder grunts, one of them even wears a full face helmet for god sake.
Heck, whoever sent us here in the first place should give us a medal for not bursting out laughing right away.
"What's the matter? You all gone silent all of the sudden?" Barudo pointed thus snapping all of us out of our comedic stupor.
The fact that he hasn't attacked yet means that he thinks he has the upper hand. I wouldn't blame him though I myself wouldn't view five bizarrely dressed (probably in this world's standards) individuals threatening, or in this case seven.
I took a glance at those behind me, and with just that everyone easily understood that I'm asking for permission to play middleman.
We could kill all of these guys no problem, I just knew. But right now we need information, and our best alternatives are to gouge whatever pieces of common data these unexpecting band of probably soon to be dead marauders have on them.
They slightly nod at the request, and Koen crept up to my side. I was shocked to see that he seems to be actually nervous about the situation but that worried vanishes the moment I realized that it was all an act that almost fool even me.
With minimal movement that made it impossible to be seen by any of the bandits in front of us, he swiped his thumb against my backside. Carefully so that I could feel it but not enough to startle me. It was a series of horizontal swipes, two fingers to the left and one finger to the right.
I quickly figured out that this was the location of 'Dark Ten's' remaining associates. In truth I have already deduced that the other three are preparing for an ambush the moment Barudo revealed their group's name, nobody would add numbers to their team's name unless it had special meaning and in this case the total number of their members.
With this information at hand, the war of words finally began.
"You guys are not adventurers aren't you?"
Some of them laugh and snickered, but the leader only smiled.
"No, sir. Got kicked out for being too unethical or something. Seriously you just punch an annoying guy and the next thing you know you get expelled for being too aggressive."
"Was he a noble or some sort?" Keeping things going was a good way to gather information, especially when we are in the dark like this.
"Nope, just some random guy who spill my drink. It wasn't my fault that his head was so frail. Blew it open like a melon with a single punch!" To add emphasis and satisfy his own ego Barudo pumped his fist upwards.
"Though being an outlaw does have it's perks. I don't need to worry much about rules or regulation, especially when it comes to some stuff." There was extra stress on the last sentence, and him staring right at Momoiro made it obvious to what he was referring to.
Yep, we're definitely going to slaughter these fools. Aogiri would do most of the work but until he snaps there are few more things that I need to ask.
"How did you found us?"
"Well, a few hours ago there was this big light spell or whatever being cast. Since I and the lads are free we figured that there'd be no harm in checking it out. As it turns out we were right, going here was the right decision." Again he was staring at Momoiro. I'm surprised that Aogiri hasn't killed the man yet.
But more importantly was this bright pillar thing, I do remember being flashed at zero range with a truck's headlight so that answers the question how did we get here.
Which leaves us with only one other..... Who sent us here?
"I'm expecting all of you five to work hard today!"
.....Shit
"I know that look. Anyone who just got screwed over always makes one of those."
Well damn, Barudo looks like you're a mind reader now. In other news, I (probably all of us) had already figured out another crucial piece of the puzzle, and it did nothing good to our current mood.
"Well long story short I just found out that my employer sold us out. Not that you'd understand."
To my surprise, he instead gave me a sympathetic smile.
"The opposite actually. I know what it's like to be tricked, of course, I always make full payment afterwards but the point is I know what's it like to be in your shoes. You know what I might even cut you guys some slack being birds of a feather and all...."
Will you look at that, this thug is much nicer than even the newest of salesmen (those guys can be deceitful despite their lack of experience), perhaps we won't have to kill him after all.
"If you'd just give me a round with the lady over there I'd be more than willing to talk this out. Heck, I might even let you all join my group..."
And with that, his life comes to an end.
Aogiri moved at a moderate speed in my eye but to the sorry ass group of these obviously soon to be victims he practically disappeared or maybe teleported, the point is he killed the bald thug with ease.
He lopped his head off with a chop, a single horizontal swipe that perfectly mimicked a blade's swing.
For a person with 'that' amount of love for his wife a kill like that count as letting him off easily, that is until I saw him following up his attack with a less refined one.
A punch aimed at the severed head, this time he really didn't hold himself back and 'you guys know what' burst into a red mist. I winced at the sight and realized how much of a bitch karma was in this world.
Honestly, this is how exactly I imagined how things would turn out albeit with less blood.
"W-Wha...."
"O-Oi...."
"T-This can's be...."
Those cliche lines were promptly uttered by the now headless snake. I couldn't help but pity them a bit despite whatever heinous act they had and probably would have done if it weren't for us. But they reap what they sow, and there was no way I would waste such opening.
The second in command, the guy wearing a full faced helmet. He was the closest one to the deceased boss and might just be the brain of this group.
So I killed him, grabbed his head and twisted it until it made a 180 degrees turn. It was painless and practical since I don't have to double check whether he was dead or not by the time I was done.
Once again the dwindling group was taken by surprise and I used their staggered state to check whether or not full-face is truly dead (who knows maybe human in this world could only be killed by destroying their head). To my pleasure he really was and I wasted no time to recover my secondary objective.
Since he might be the brains it was only natural to kill him off to avoid troublesome development, that was my first objective. The second was because he happens to have just the thing I need to arm myself.
I ignored whatever sharp weaponry in his disposal and goes for his sole means of defence. A slightly jagged buckler.
"It ain't a tower, but I guess it'll do." I casually commented while equipping the protector.
I took a peek at Aogiri who too had already armed himself with the late Barudo's greatsword. He lifted the large weapon with only one arm and relative ease swinging the thing around for a practice act.
I expect the group to quickly flee after seeing their leader being disposed of this easily. Of course, there was one scenario where that wouldn't happen and that is...
"D-DON'T PANIC!" shouted the guy at the very back. "BUY ME SOME TIME SO I CAN CAST MY MAGIC!"
Damnit, just our luck. Any tactician knows that their best chance of survival lies within staying in a safe zone. They would either position themselves near the strongest member of their party or stay at the very back to avoid direct confrontation, another reason why I focused all of my efforts on taking out full-face guy rather than taking down multiple of them.
Now knowing that the brain of the Marauders picked the latter alternatives means that we have to take out all of them, sneaking rouges included.
To my disbelief, the order came through and two of them charged at Aogiri brandishing their weapons. You guys should've run.
Once again with ease but this time putting his new arms into use Aogiri swung the greatsword horizontally with only his right arm. This might lower the quality of the attack considering the sheer weight of the weapon, and yet the final result runs counter to that logic.
The two thugs are now two pairs of a split upper and lower body, the cut was also so clean indicating that the speed of the slice was a superb one.
I too wasted no time in dilly dallying, bolting towards the last two member stationed closest to the mage (I don't know what's he's called so let's go with that).
I kill the first one by bashing his skull with the edge of the shield in an outward swing, the poor gal dying instantly from the shock and trauma. Lastly, I throw the shield at the final member, the man sharing the same fate and cause of death as the girl.
All that's left was the mage.
Since Aogiri decided to stay put (probably guarding the missis) the now weaponless little old me is forced to deliver the coup de grace. Wouldn't be much of a problem since I've barely broken a sweat and that the humans here are as fragile as the ones in the previous world.
"MOMOIRO!" Aogiri hysterically shouted.
I immediately halted my dash and swerved to the right, not only because of the roar but also because I sensed a killing intent originating from the back. I dodged due to having the newly emerging creep targeting me in mind but after Aogiri's impromptu warning it was obvious that I was wrong.
So who just tried to kill me?
As I pondered this question Mr Husband kicked the spear belonging to one of the dead ambushers to his wife, and to no one surprise, she easily caught the object twirl it in her arm as if it was a part of herself and entered a battle stance.
I watched as one of the assassins emerging with a leap, holding two knives in each hand no doubt aiming for the kill. With a splendid form and a fluid motion, Momoiro thrust the polearm with equally amazing accuracy.
Yet miraculously the skyward rouge somehow managed to dodge albeit receiving a nasty graze that would probably lead to his death.
I could've sworn that there was some sort of odd glow coming from his left foot before he shifted slightly airborne. Did he use materialization type magic to create a mid-air footing? If so then why did he failed to properly dodge?
Unlike me Momoiro did not waste even a single breath in figuring that one out, quickly recovering she spun the spear skillfully and used the handle as an impromptu bludgeon weapon to swat the assassin of the air. This time it work.
"OHOG!" he coughed out blood. Despite being an impromptu attack the damage caused was painfully clear, and if he wasn't unfortunate enough he was also sent flying. He landed a few feet away right in front of someone's feet.
It was Aogiri's. And with that one of the three assassins died.
As for me I simply watched as everything stated above unfold, at the same time worrying if it was another assassin who was targeting me. But the other two rouges have yet to make any appearances. I wondered for a second if I was being too cautious and let my paranoia get the best of me.
Turns out I was only half wrong. There was a threat coming towards me, but simply because I was in the way.
With a 'pop' the mage's head exploded like a watermelon getting hit by a rock launched from a high-end slingshot. I used this analogy because I later learned that that was exactly what had happened.
"Interesting. So with enough understanding magic can be used to materialize real mass." Was what I gained from reading his lips from quite afar.
With all threat neutralized all that's left is to track down the other two rogues, of course, we wouldn't mind letting them go should they be too far away but from how one of them decided to charge in probably meant that they're going to do the same.
There was also a chance that they have yet to do so and opted for the safer option after watching their allies getting disposed of.
Whatever their choice was it didn't matter, but due to being absorbed in my thought I once again noticed another thing too late.
"Where's...."
"Here!" a cheerful voice interrupted, it was as if he had read my mind and probably did.
Coming out of the tree line with a solemn smile was Koen, his arm dirtied by you know what from doing the obvious. Looks like we don't have to worry about the other two routes.
I let out a sigh and fell to the ground, whether it was one of exhaustion or relief I will never know.
'It's tiring... but there's no time to waste....'
Things are only going to get harder from now on.
I stood up and directed my view at all of my colleagues, putting up the most serious expression I can manage at the moment.
"First off...." I started.
All of us had blood on our hands, some more than others. But it was obvious that none of us thinks too much about it, this wasn't our first time taking lives after all.
We already had a lifetime of exactly just that.
"We have a lot to talk about. I'm Akaba, and I'm a shielder."