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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Azantu (1)
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"This way! Move it!"
A Guardian affiliated with the Korean Returner Association, Lee Chang-su, was leading his team in pursuit of the criminals' escape route.
"Senior, even if we chase them now, do you think we can catch those guys?"
They had arrived at the scene less than five minutes after the incident, but that was more than enough time for Returners with all sorts of abilities to slip away.
"Then what do you want me to do? We at least have to track their trail! This is the third time already!"
The duo of the werewolf and the black-masked figure weren't new to this. They'd pulled off crimes before.
And they'd chased them previously too, only for the trail to vanish without a trace at some point, leaving them empty-handed.
'Damn it, their activity range is too wide for us to cover everything. Seems like they have accomplices helping with the escapes too. Looks like we're gonna strike out again this time.'
As always, the defenders needed far more manpower than the attackers.
And the Guardians were perpetually short-staffed.
Still, hoping to find even a minor clue, they tailed the villains—when
Boom—!
A shockwave erupted from deep inside the construction site, their destination.
"S... Senior, that energy..."
"Tch, follow me! We're going in!"
The noise was a minor issue.
What mattered was the chilling aura spreading from within, laced with palpable malice.
Lee Chang-su charged straight into the construction site.
"What the hell is this?"
In one corner lay workers from the site, collapsed. In the center were an unconscious masked man and a seemingly ordinary woman, both out cold.
And against one wall, a battered werewolf was embedded there, slowly reverting to human form.
Scanning the scene, Lee Chang-su barked orders at his team.
"Check the perimeter! The fight just ended, so whoever did this can't be far!"
The situation was clear.
Someone had fought the Villains and vanished.
They'd subdued the Villains, so they didn't seem malicious, but that didn't mean they could be ignored.
The lingering aura alone was enough to raise goosebumps; they needed to identify this person if possible.
But whoever it was had left no trace of where they'd gone.
"Team leader, Villains secured."
One team member approached, levitating the three with special ability-suppressing cuffs via telekinesis.
The woman was unfamiliar, but from the circumstances, she was likely the getaway accomplice.
'The investigation will reveal everything.'
Lies didn't hold up under ability-based interrogations.
As a precaution, he called for backup to transport the site workers to a hospital under Guardian jurisdiction.
Even if an accomplice was posing as a victim, they wouldn't escape.
'We caught the perps and solved the headache... but.'
A new worry had emerged.
The sinister energy still thickly clinging to the air.
'Gotta hope we can get some info from these guys.'
They'd faced the culprit directly, so they must know something.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I resummoned Hans after unsummoning him earlier.
I was getting used to it; facing him directly was tolerable now.
'Han Seonghyeon can't do much, but Hans is different. No need for me to show my face.'
It was far from home, no risk of exposure. And he had the power to crush those Villain scum.
No reason not to step in.
'That aside, they were tougher than expected.'
I easily took down the woman who'd opened a gate for escape, assuming it was her out, and the masked non-combatant, but the werewolf put up fiercer resistance than anticipated.
Luckily, I downed him and unsummoned before the Guardians arrived, but it was a close call.
'Resisting that hard even under fear effect. Well, he's a Returner who survived his own hell, so maybe that's expected.'
Not all Returners were like that, of course.
Unlike the early ones sent to the otherworld with nothing, recent Returners had info to prepare, and many came back stably farming Karma.
Early Returners took about ten years; now, some returned in as little as five.
Though some stayed longer, using Karma to grow stronger.
'And the average return rate is still just 20%. Terrifying. And that's a huge improvement from the start.'
Anyway, it was none of my business anymore.
The Guardians would recover the stolen jewels and handle the punishments.
I'd considered killing them to eliminate witnesses, but...
'They don't seem to kill. If I go around slaughtering recklessly, even Hans might get labeled a Villain. As long as no one finds out he's not human.'
Occasionally smashing Villains like this didn't sound bad.
It helped overcome trauma and relieved stress.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
For several days, Heinz gathered info in the city with Diana's help.
Diana was the 12-year-old girl he'd met upon first entering the city, a lifelong local.
'Perfect guide material. She's seen hardship, so she knows a lot.'
For two silver coins, she'd guide him around the city daily while he stayed.
That was their deal.
Knowing his urgency, he'd paid upfront.
Risking being stiffed to show goodwill—and luckily, Diana had upheld her end faithfully so far.
On the first day, he'd been shocked to find her squatting outside his inn at dawn.
After that, they scheduled around lunch, eating together and touring the city as routine.
'Up until now, anyway.'
Yeah, until yesterday.
I sat at a table on the inn's first floor waiting for Diana, then stood up.
'She's not the type to break promises. She's kept them perfectly so far. Something must've happened.'
Well, the help so far had been worth every coin.
Just in case, I left word with the innkeeper and headed to the markets alone.
This city, Azantu, was a small one in the western Talia Kingdom.
They farmed, hunted and foraged in the surrounding forests—your typical town.
'Security doesn't seem great, though.'
Few people about, all looking tense and cowed.
Diana hadn't elaborated, but she'd insisted on sticking to main roads and avoiding alleys.
And urged leaving the city ASAP.
'Probably best to head out soon. There's another city to the east; maybe there...'
As I mulled this and restocked travel supplies,
"Hey, you there. Got a minute?"
A group of burly thugs with neck tattoos beckoned from an alley.
I glanced back—no one else.
'Why is my gut always...'
I approached anyway.
Planning to leave soon, I'd handle it quietly if possible; otherwise, improvise.
"...So yeah. We protect these shops, see, but with all the mouths to feed..."
It was nothing major.
Just pay up for "protection."
"Ahaha, I see. Here, it's not much, but for your security efforts. Please accept it as my token of appreciation."
"Ahem... This guy's got manners. We'll put this to good use."
I buttered them up, slipped them some cash, and wrapped it up.
That's what the separate pouch was for.
'Security here's definitely crap.'
"Boss, so why that kid..."
"What else? They told us to prep one, so we do. We just follow orders..."
Their fading voices drifted over, but my attention was elsewhere.
'A week on foot to the next city east. For average folk; shorter for me... Maybe get a horse or carriage?'
Had to ride a carriage at least once in another world.
As I pondered travel and sought provisions at a food shop,
I spotted a very familiar back of the head.
"...Anyway, thank you. If you see him, please let him know!"
"Sure, I'll remember."
Diana finished talking to the shopkeeper with a quick bow, then hurried this way without noticing me.
She was about to brush past, so I grabbed her collar.
"Eek! W-what?! Let go!"
Anyone seeing would think I was the bad guy.
I released her and frowned.
"It's me, Heinz! You were over an hour late, and now what're you doing here? Know how long I waited?"
"M-mister?"
Finally looking, Diana's eyes went wide.
Her pupils shook, like something had happened.
"Ah...! S-sorry for missing our meet! I should've come tell you first... I was just so flustered...!"
"Yeah, you look it. Never mind that—what happened?"
"Ah...! M-my little brother Aaron... um..."
Diana stammered, then started sniffling.
"I made him breakfast this morning... told him to wash up... W-we're out of water. So I went out..."
Tears streamed as she babbled incoherently.
'Whoa, this looks bad.'
A sturdy young man menacing a crying girl.
And I was the young man.
I quickly backed away.
Diana trembled, tears dripping.
"H-hey! Okay, okay! Calm down first? Deep breaths. I'll listen."
Truth was, I was weak to kids.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I finally got Diana calmed enough to talk.
"I have a little brother named Aaron. He was sick until recently..."
Still rambling a bit, but I got the gist.
Diana had an 8-year-old brother.
Orphaned siblings scraping by on odd jobs and errands for pennies, until Aaron suddenly fell ill.
"I used our tribute money to take him to the apothecary in a panic. Things looked bleak, then I met you, mister."
Thanks to me, they paid the overdue tribute on time.
"And with the food you bought, he ate his fill and got better recently..."
'No wonder she always wrapped up leftovers in cloth instead of eating them all.'
I'd figured she was saving for later.
Should've known and packed extras.
But that wasn't the issue now.
Aaron had vanished today.
"C-could he be out playing with friends?"
"No way! Aaron felt bad for me even when sick and helped with chores despite it! He'd never leave without a word and worry me!"
Her fervent denial softened to a weary tone.
"...And he has no playmates his age anyway..."
That painted the picture.
Poor orphan siblings—prejudice is universal.
"Let's head home first. Maybe paths crossed. Check there, and if not, I'll help search."
"You too, mister...?"
I'd corrected her plenty, but priorities.
"Yeah. Can't pretend I don't know now that I do."
We'd spent days together; how could I ignore her crying little brother was missing?
Diana's eyes widened, mouth agape, then she bowed her head, tears falling.
"No time to waste! To your place."
"...Yes!"
No more delays—we rushed to their home.
As expected, their living conditions were dire.
One of the shabby shacks scattered deep in the back alleys.
"Isn't it dangerous living here?"
I knew they had no choice, but en route, we'd passed plenty of shady types.
How had these weak siblings survived?
"It's fine for now. We paid the tribute."
Diana pointed to a mark on the alley wall: a shark's maw with sharp fangs.
The local gang's symbol, no doubt.
'Hang on, I've seen that somewhere...'
"Aaron! Aaron, you here?!"
While I pondered, Diana entered calling, but no reply.
"What do we do? He's still not back. If something happened..."
As her eyes welled up again, I recalled a passing sight.
'The tattoos on those thugs' necks!'
And the connected memory hit.
'Someone ordered a kid prepped, and they just follow orders.'
Those thugs had taken Aaron.