Episode 6
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There were moments in the year when the mountains were completely covered by enormous, deep layers of snow. Level 8 and 9 monsters would usually hibernate during these times. However, there were instances when level 7 monsters would suddenly appear out of nowhere.
Snowflakes fell from the sky, creating a breathtaking view at sunset atop a massive mountain. Below, there was a large base filled with people vigilantly watching their surroundings every second.
This was common, after all.
Here lived slave traffickers.
"We need to move as soon as possible. The chances of the kingdom's knights coming here are quite high."
In a room at the center of the base, there was a table where four people were seated, discussing. Their discomfort at being in this area for too long was evident on their faces.
It wasn't normal, but it was necessary to move as soon as possible.
Among the four, there was a second-circle mage, the strongest of all those present in the slave base. However, he wasn't the leader.
"The royal guard is currently searching for us."
"What are you worried about? It'll be hard for them to find us quickly. We're near the border with the other empire, and the royal guard won't be able to follow us there."
On the other side of the Akashic Abyss lay the neighboring empire. Escaping there would save them from the royal guard, but it could also result in them being pursued by that empire, as their presence would be seen as an intrusion.
The four looked at each other intently.
The matter was truly serious one mistake, and everything would fall into ruin. With just one second-circle mage, they wouldn't even stand a chance against a single knight of the royal guard, nor could they easily escape from them.
"Even if they find us, we have her. If they want to save her, we could threaten the royal guard with her."
"Are you stupid? The royal guard knights aren't idiots at all. Do you even know who their members are? Each of them has been trained to counter threats with a reen."
"Calm down, Steve. We need to prepare over the next two days and then leave. What do the rest of you think?"
"....."
The room fell silent. Each of the other three had a somber expression. They had someone far too important to the empire in their hands.
They barely managed to kidnap her at the right moment, but shortly after, they started being pursued by the royal guard. The escape plans were just good enough after all, they were the organization with the best minds.
Even being intelligent, creating an escape plan wasn't easy.
Steve, with black hair and brown eyes, spoke.
"Rosell, could you buy us some time? You're a second-circle mage, after all."
"Tch... Idiot, it's not that easy. If I were a third-circle mage, I could kill the entire royal guard. Either that, or if that woman comes with the guard… After all, she's her older sister."
There was someone the commander of the royal guard. She wasn't a mage, but her absurd strength alone could easily kill a seventh-circle mage. Rosell had witnessed that woman's power.
If that woman came, then everything would be lost.
"I know. I guess we shouldn't have kidnapped her."
"Wait a moment. Don't you remember how much the other empire is offering for delivering her? Even a high-ranking noble wouldn't have that kind of money."
"How much is it exactly? You still haven't told me."
"This idiot... It's a billion gold coins. We'd have enough for several lifetimes if we get that."
"....."
So much money for a single woman. The enemy empire would even pay more for her.
"After all... That woman is a princess and possibly the heir to the empress. She's the closest."
They had barely managed to kidnap her, but now the entire empire was after this group for abducting one of the empire's princesses.
They were committing the greatest crime in the empire, and they were doing it for the enemy empire in exchange for an overwhelming amount of money if the mission succeeded.
"The empire promised us safety if we deliver this empire's princess into their hands."
"Then why didn't they send someone to help us?"
"Because if they did and we were discovered, then both empires would go to war. And possibly, the other continents' empires would seize the opportunity to wipe out both empires at once."
The situation these four found themselves in was anything but ordinary. They were talking about a princess who could even become the next empress. After all, she was the closest to that position. The first princess wasn't seeking the throne, so she was the only one left.
"We must leave for the other empire as soon as possible with the princess."
***
Park Chan-woo looked ahead. It was nighttime, and the light from torches illuminated a specific area.
'It seems that's the place.'
Encrid spoke as Park Chan-woo observed the slavers' base. It was quite large, but not enough to be considered a massive organization.
Even so, the number of people on watch was considerably high. Park Chan-woo had completed countless missions in the past infiltrating other organizations and gathering information.
The Triad of the Night had the best assassins in the world. Collecting intelligence on other organizations was relatively easy, but such tasks were often left to rookie assassins as a means of gaining experience.
Park Chan-woo was exceptional at this.
One of his greatest abilities as a former assassin from another world was his precision. However, saving so many slaves would not be easy. The moment he was discovered, freeing them would become almost impossible. Yet, he had a plan.
"Who are you? Hey, there's someone here... Quickly, after him before he escapes!"
Park Chan-woo had devised the perfect method to save all the slaves. Though his past missions were not about saving lives, there had been times when he was sent to rescue assassins who held crucial information for the organization information that could not be lost.
Allowing himself to be captured, Park Chan-woo was taken by the slavers.
He had a plan in mind, but he needed to get inside the slavers' base first. Phase one of his plan was about to begin, as he had anticipated.
"You little shit, how the hell did you get here?"
"Hey, look! I found a brat. I think he's one of the slaves trying to escape!"
"Ha! A piece of trash like this trying to escape? If the four leaders find out, we'll be in trouble. Take him to the underground."
The man grabbed Park Chan-woo by the head and dragged him along the ground, pulling him down a staircase that led deep into the base.
That's when Park Chan-woo opened his eyes.
"Mom... I'm scared..."
"Stay still... Someone help us... Please..."
"W-Wait... No, please, no... Argh..."
For the first time, Park Chan-woo witnessed something even worse than in his previous world. The suffering of the people here was far beyond anything he had seen before.
The underground echoed with cries of anguish. Men and women were chained to the walls, their bodies covered in bruises and scars. Some clung to the faint hope of rescue, while others had already surrendered to despair.
A child no older than six whimpered in the corner, his thin frame trembling as he clutched his knees. Another woman begged for mercy, her voice hoarse from endless screaming.
Park Chan-woo's expression darkened as he took it all in. The brutality of this place was unparalleled, and the weight of their suffering pressed heavily on his mind. Yet, deep within him, his resolve grew stronger. He clenched his fists.
'These bastards...'
Park Chan-woo clenched his teeth. Moments later, he was thrown into a cell with some children. Park Chan-woo held onto the cell bars and looked around.
The piercing screams of hundreds of children and even adults reached his ears so loudly that it felt as though they might burst.
"This world is even worse than the one I come from."
Park Chan-woo looked back.
'Hmm, this cell is the emptiest compared to the rest.'
A woman, around 17 years old, with silver hair and wearing an outfit very different from the other slaves, stood out. While the others were dressed like vagrants, her attire was, in simple terms, quite elegant though worn and tattered.
"....."
The woman lifted her head and stared at Park Chan-woo with her beautiful red eyes, which contrasted sharply with her silver hair. Her skin seemed well cared for, if not for the fact that she was in this slave compound.
She would have been an exceptionally beautiful woman.
Park Chan-woo observed her for a moment.
"How long have you been here?"
"....."
Her eyes hinted at having endured terrible experiences. Park Chan-woo sighed. It didn't seem like she had been here for many days. It appeared she had only recently been imprisoned in this place.
"Never mind. Forget I asked..."
'I... I've been here for three days...'
She spoke in a tone that was barely a whisper. Park Chan-woo looked at her once again.
"It seems my guess It wasn't bad."
The first phase of the plan was to infiltrate the traffickers' base. The second phase was to wait for the right moment and that moment was when they stopped guarding the slaves and left them alone.
There were times when the kidnappers left their captives unsupervised for at least an hour. Park Chan-woo inspected the cell's lock. It was so outdated and weak that, using the mana of a first-circle mage, he could easily break it.
'Now it's just a matter of waiting.'
'I'll get everyone out of here.'
Even if there was a second-circle mage in this place, Park Chan-woo was confident he could free at least most of the people imprisoned here.
At the same time...
The woman behind Park Chan-woo stared at him intently. Her red eyes moved to his forearm, where a completely black circle with ten stars in a row was visible.
Her eyes widened.
He was a first-circle mage.
The strength of a first-circle mage when using mana was no joke.
Then the woman spoke.
"I... My name is Gloriana... Who are you?"
Park Chan-woo looked at her.
"My name is Park Chan-woo. I have a way to get all of you out of here."