After obtaining information from Mephisto, Renya used a certain method to track the black-clad assassin and, having pinpointed their base, infiltrated the ruins alone.
Amidst the billowing smoke, Renya was wrapped in an airflow created by wind magic, ensuring both his vision and breathing were unimpeded.
Ahead of him, he could confirm the presence of several men, along with the black-clad assassin and a silver-haired beauty.
'So that's La Folia Rihavein.'
Renya had researched the Aldigia Kingdom and confirmed the faces and names of the royal family, so he immediately recognized the silver-haired beauty's identity.
He confirmed the silver-haired beauty—La Folia's—identity. Though he wondered why she was in her underwear, he judged from her lack of distress or exhaustion that she hadn't been violated.
'And that one is "Silver." The fact that I couldn't find her real name speaks to her impressive ability to conceal her identity. It's also a surprise that she's a woman, but...'
While keeping his attention on the black-clad assassin, who was on guard, Renya sensed through presence that one of the men—a young man—stepped forward, apparently offended by being ignored at a glance.
The man had reddish-brown hair and burning violet eyes.
At first glance, he appeared slender, but those who knew what to look for could see from his solid core that he was well-trained.
"Y-you bastard! You're Leonhard Pheles, aren't you?! H-how did you find this place?"
The young man, faced with an unexpected intruder—and one he desperately wanted to kill—had bloodshot eyes and was screaming as if foam might fly from the corners of his mouth. But then, as if thinking of something, he turned and glared at the black-clad assassin.
"I can somewhat guess what you're misunderstanding, but she didn't lead me here."
But Renya himself denied it.
"Then why!?"
"...It's this."
He had no obligation to answer, but to buy time, Renya decided to reveal the secret.
"...The mask?"
As the young man said, what Renya held was a mask.
It was the one that had been knocked off during the clash with the black-clad assassin.
"Yeah. I used this to perform a tracking spell to locate its owner."
Originally, it was a basic spell for finding lost items.
Renya had modified it to pinpoint the owner of the lost item.
When he released the mask, it floated in the air and returned on its own to its owner—the black-clad assassin's hand.
This made it clear that the mask had guided him here.
"I-impossible! There's no way you could do that with such a basic, basic spell!"
"That's your common sense. But whether I follow that common sense is another matter, isn't it?"
Once again being denied his standing, the young man couldn't form another retort, his complexion changing rapidly from anger and humiliation.
'Now then, I see. La Folia's binding spell is rigged to kill her if forcibly removed. To undo it, the caster's magical authentication is required.'
Renya had finished analyzing La Folia's binding spell with the time he had bought.
"B-but this is where your arrogance ends! Coming here alone—what a fool! Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused by killing Lord Zolgia!?"
"Yes, that bastard. Honestly, it was quite a blunder on my part. I apologize."
Taken aback by Renya's unexpectedly humble attitude, the young man's eyes widened.
But the next words made him rethink.
"Because I left behind small fry like you, they ended up causing trouble for others. So this is my blunder. One must atone for one's own responsibilities."
That was precisely why Renya had come alone.
He had disposed of most of Zolgia's underlings.
But remnants had emerged.
As a result, the black-clad assassin and La Folia had been troubled, and if anything more happened to these two, Mio and Isha would surely be troubled as well.
Hence—
"I swear it. I will kill every last one of you. Not a single one will escape."
A declaration of annihilation, without games.
With this, he would put an end to the affair that had begun with Zolgia.
"D-don't mock me, you brat! You men! Kill him! Kill him!"
At the young man's command, the surrounding men readied their weapons and entered combat formation.
The next moment, mages who had secretly completed their incantations unleashed countless fireballs.
As red flames flew through the dim cave, Renya swirled an airflow of wind to scatter the fire masses.
Amidst the smoke and embers, Renya counterattacked.
Renya, who possessed overwhelming talent in magic that surpassed both friend and foe, was truly exceptional.
Through rapid, chantless, formless spellcasting, he attacked faster and more unilaterally than anyone, striking down the men easily without giving them even a moment to defend.
"What!? H-his spell construction is too fast—gyaaah!?"
"Th-this, this is... ughoh!?"
"I, I didn't hear about this, I didn't hear about—gughyaa!?"
Burned, pierced, slashed, crushed, and smashed by Renya's diverse elemental spells, the underlings died in an instant.
Instant death, with no room for survival.
"D-damn you! 'Silver'! What are you doing?! H-hurry, hurry up and kill him!"
The young leader shouted frantically, and the black-clad assassin, though hesitating, reached for her greatsword.
"Y-yes, that's it! Haha, if you care about this woman, then do as I say—"
"Then if I save her, it's over."
With that, Renya threw a demonic spear he had created in his right hand without anyone noticing.
"Hah—?"
"Ah..."
"A-are you, what are you—!?"
The young man's foolish voice.
La Folia's surprised voice.
The black-clad assassin's voice, filled with anger and panic.
Three different voices reflected the chaos of the situation.
The spear Kurosaki Renya had thrown was embedded in La Folia's ample chest.
"H-ha, ha...! Wh-what a fool! Did you miss, you amateur! If you kill her, either way you'll have to fight 'Silver' to the death! I win, I win! Haha, finally luck is on my side—"
"What are you talking about?"
"Hah...?"
The young man, who had been crowing in victory, was interrupted by Renya's words and a sound like shattering glass, letting out another foolish sound.
Looking, the spear embedded in La Folia was glowing.
At the same time, the spell binding her shattered.
Freed from the binding spell, La Folia collapsed weakly, sitting down.
The spear removed itself on its own and flew back to Renya's hand…
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