Savage Ascension: Starting with God-Tier Plunder Ability-Chapter 43: Obviously Acting

The village hall was bigger than Black Mountain Village’s. When the round table meeting there wrapped up, it was close to midnight. Rowan and the Skull Mercenary Group had put out their torches and were resting around a campfire they’d lit.

Since torches were precious, they had no choice but to gather firewood from the area and light a campfire.

"Krrrrng."

Everyone was trying to sleep. Shield-bulk Keireon was snoring.

Kaiya was perched on a tree branch, and the wolf Dono would open his eyes slightly whenever the prisoners moved even a little, then close them again. That alone was enough to keep anyone from trying to escape.

There was another reason too. Rather than being scared, they were genuinely gripped by the feeling they could die. The mercenaries had shown merciless skill with their hands, and watching the mercenary group’s preliminary preparations that looked like they were getting ready for battle, no one dreamed of escaping.

"If you go east, there’s a steep hill right there. If you climb it, you can see right here through the trees. Perfect for shooting."

After scouting the area, Rear-picker Bedum talked about places to watch out for on the ground, and then youngest Sen pointed out just two spots with his hand that were good for shooting.

If a chaotic battle broke out, the group would consider people at those two locations as allies.

The others even made traps by weaving grass together outside the path to the village. Watching all of this, Rowan realized anew that this mercenary group was truly a strong mercenary group.

’Their preparations are something else.’

Unlike mercenary groups that relied on numbers, their skills were high and their response level was precise. He especially liked the traps that were simple and didn’t require resources.

’I was thinking of carrying caltrops, but if you weave grass like that, feet will get caught and people will trip.’

Since they’d be dealing with villagers, lots of people rushing in would get tangled up. Injuries wouldn’t be serious, but lots of people would definitely end up watching the ground as they walked.

’I’m learning something again.’

Having finished their preparations that way, the mercenaries rested as quietly as mice until midnight.

"Caw! Caw!"

Flutter! Flutter!

Kaiya flapped his wings excitedly and cried out. Everyone got up immediately without anyone saying anything. In the silent night, the crow’s movements could pierce clearly into their ears.

"Ugh."

Keireon made an uncomfortable sound as he got up, feeling stiff. He was the strongest and biggest in the mercenary group, so he carried heavy armor. Usually he just wore leather armor, but before battle he put on heavy armor over it.

Since he’d slept in heavy armor, it was natural for him to be uncomfortable.

He started moving his body to wake up and warm up his muscles. He didn’t take water in his mouth. He’d already drunk enough. A little sip of alcohol and a piece of jerky was all he’d eaten after waking up.

There were lots of torches, easily over thirty. Forty able-bodied men holding clubs and farming tools came out of the gate and walked slowly.

"Keireon, go to the back first."

"Looks like they’re finally coughing up some cash."

In the end, it seemed like blood would have to be spilled. In this world, it was hard to give money but easy for people to die.

Keireon pulled the cart and headed to the rear. The creaking sound of the cart rang out. When the cart sounded to Rowan like it was being dragged right next to him, he touched his ear. Maybe because it was night, the sound stretched far.

When only the chief and three able-bodied men approached from a hundred paces away, Keireon was already next to Yuval.

"I told you to guard the cart."

"We need to establish dominance from the start, Captain. How could they steal and run away with that heavy bearskin?"

’He’s being stubborn again. Let’s not bother.’

Yuval didn’t say more. Keireon would obey a hundred times, but there was that one time he’d refuse, and this was one of those times. When that happened, even Yuval, the mercenary captain, couldn’t break his stubbornness. Usually he’d follow like a docile ox, but when he fixated on something weird, he wouldn’t bend even with a knife to his throat—that was shield-bearer Keireon’s personality.

Merein would rag on him whenever that happened, saying Keireon was on his period. Everyone in the Skull Mercenary Group nodded at that. Like when he insisted on eating meat, an absurdly trivial opinion he wouldn’t budge on.

Keireon was the type to occasionally throw such ridiculous fits of stubbornness that they’d say he was on his period.

Of course, if they gave in once, after that he’d follow Yuval’s words even on very difficult decisions, which is why he was still mercenarying with Yuval.

"Did you bring the ransom?"

He spoke politely. But flat-out informal speech hit Yuval’s ears.

"Just like a mercenary to look for money first. Sorry, but we can’t accept it as is. Instead, we’d like to give you eight silver coins through something else."

Village Chief Mountings said, holding both hands tightly around his cane to support his body. Consensus Yuval came forward two steps with his right hand on his undrawn longsword. With ten steps between them, his face was completely hidden in shadow from the campfire light.

The mercenary group’s appearance with the campfire behind them looked pretty scary. The faint red light from the torches the villagers held illuminated them very faintly, but not enough to make out faces.

"Then go ahead and state your conditions."

Yuval hadn’t offered a greeting at first, and Mountings had started with informal speech, so Yuval changed his tone too. They made angry expressions at his rudeness, but Mountings was unfazed. Village Chief Mountings had low expectations for mercenaries to begin with.

’Actually, it makes things easier this way.’

It was enough to consider them villains and accept them as such. Anger was an excellent indulgence. People consumed by anger could kill people, kill lovers, kill parents. It was sufficient indulgence for killing mercenaries.

"Instead of eight silver coins, we’d like you to take on one request from our village."

It was practically nonsense.

"A request? Why would we accept it?"

"If you won’t, can’t be helped. Kill the prisoners or let them live, whatever you want."

The chief came on strong. To the mercenaries, it could only look like obvious acting. But the ones who panicked at this display were the prisoners.

"Mountain Master! Mountain Master! It’s me, Morrison! R-Regin’s here too! Regin’s wrist got cut off! If we become criminal serfs or slaves, we’ll die! Chief!"