CH 170

Chapter 170 – Pirate Fort Raid

In front of the gate at the entrance to the pirate hideout, Myrril and I timed our advance with submachine guns at the ready.

When I gently opened the door, there were no guards in the vicinity.

“No threat.”

After confirming and eliminating the threat, we enter the hideout. The interior was dimly lit but slightly warmer than the outside, and the inside was draped with furs-like curtains to block out the outside air.

There were many signs of people here and there in the darkness that stretched to the back of the room.

I wondered if any of the hostages were women or if they were being treated badly, but so far, there were no female voices. Rather, it was just the presence, but no one’s voice was heard. I did not know what was going on.

After passing through the entrance gate, I found a stone altar-like platform set up on a gentle slope. The distance was about 300 meters. It may have been built on the natural terrain of the original site, but it was built to resemble a throne room.

Sitting in a luxurious chair in the center of it is a man wearing a captain’s hat. He must be the pirate leader. He is asleep, or perhaps he is lying on his back, not moving a muscle.

“Louis and Tig will take the enemies on the right side. Takifu, you take the left side. I’ll take the front…”

As she spoke, Myrril stopped moving.

“…What the hell is that?”

From the left and right side of the altar, men tied up were brought in. Most of them are dressed like merchants, and there are two men in leather armor who seem to be their guards. The men who brought them were dirty and looked like a gang of pirates.

One pirate and one hostage. It was not for the sake of transportation but because it seemed to have a meaning, and I couldn’t help but be caught up in it.

“To the great captain, our sustenance.”

“””Our sustenance.”””

Ten hostages. They are thrown in front of the pirate leader called “the great captain” or something like that, and they writhe in fear. Their mouths are gagged, and they seem unable to speak.

“…Hey, that guy.”

“He’s dead. I mean, it’s bones inside.”

I can’t see the details, but according to them, the pirate captain is a skeleton. Are the pirates going to sacrifice hostages to the dead captain?

“Hey, Tig, you said pirates don’t touch hostages, right?”

“That’s if they’re sane. With a bunch of crazies like that, it’s a different story.”

“Well, that makes sense. Tig and Louis, you take care of the enemies on the perimeter. Takifu?”

“Yes.”

I teleported to the front of the altar with Myrril in my arms. I look at her and instantly decide our roles, and the two submachine guns start to sweep in.

“Don’t raise your head!”

I warn the lying hostages and then proceed to shoot through the standing pirates. Strange barbaric swords roll from the hands of the men, who collapsed in an instant. Each sword has a strange pattern engraved on its blade, and the magic stone on the hilt glows with a pale red light.

“Is that a magic tool? Were they going to perform some kind of ritual?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know much about magic, and I’m not familiar with this kind of evil ritual.”

“Mmmm! Mmmmmm!”

One of the hostages was desperately pleading for help. I removed the gag, and he looked at us, coughing.

“A-are you lord’s soldiers?”

“No, we are just passing adventurers. We’re just passing through, but we’re here to help you. Are there any other prisoners?”

“I don’t know!”

“What do you mean you don’t know? Have you not seen what happened to those who were carried away with you?”

The man, who appeared to be a merchant, shook his head in frustration. I looked and saw that the other hostages in the line were moaning with similar expressions.

“No. All of the ship’s crew and passengers were brought to this island. As far as I know, none of them were killed…”

A metallic clang came from the entrance side. Angry shouts, screams, and violent crashes. Tig and Louis were starting a battle. Every time the two intercepted, a strike would bounce off the enemy, crush them, blow them up, and send them spinning and flying, then rolling over and getting stuck. It was like a clash of armor. It was a one-sided extermination and slaughter as if they were reenacting the encounter with Myrril with different actors. No blood splatters, no pieces of flesh, no brain fluid, but every time the muscle-brained pair swung their arms and legs, the enemies that came at them one after another were reaped and rendered helpless.

Even so, there was no sign of any decrease.

Kayson-san told me that the number of pirates was between four and fifty. But there are so many. I have a feeling that some of them are civilians. I have a bad feeling about this, so I look back at the merchantman.

“I don’t know…”

The man responded to my gaze and shook his head with a pathetic look on his face.

“Yes. I don’t know who’s on our side.”