Chapter 76

“Hey there. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’ve missed you.”

“Wh-why are you here…?”

The summoned woman muttered blankly. She seemed to be paralyzed by panic and terror. She didn’t even try to move, remaining collapsed on her rear.

I let out a scoff and pointed my pistol at the woman.

“I don’t care about the details. The only certain fact is that I’m going to kill you.”

I cocked the hammer of the pistol. At that moment, something flew toward my forearm. I instinctively pulled my arm back, but it pursued me and coiled around my limb.

It was a translucent chain. It was wrapped tightly enough that it wouldn’t come off easily. I looked in the direction the chain had come from.

“Hey. What do you think you’re doing?”

The one holding the end of the chain was the Sage. In other words, this was likely magic. It had activated without an incantation. Its speed was on a completely different level compared to the mages I had killed so far. The name “Sage” wasn’t just for show.

The Sage glanced at my pistol, then interrogated me with a grim expression.

“That’s my line. What are you doing?”

“I have a history with this woman. I won’t be satisfied until I’ve put a lead ball through her,” I answered, keeping my sights leveled on her.

The woman was teary-eyed. I felt no pangs of conscience. Once I’ve decided to kill, there is no room for hesitation.

Realizing I wouldn’t stop, the Sage let out a sigh.

“I don’t know what happened in the past, but I can’t have you acting on your own. She—Mihana—is a trainee studying under me. I cannot stand by and watch her be killed.”

“…She is also my subordinate,” the Assassin King stated solemnly.

The unspoken words were a condemnation of my behavior. Only the Sorceress sat back, watching our exchange with a smile. She seemed intent on remaining a third party.

Forcing a kill here would be a bad move. It would make enemies of both the Sage and the Assassin King. If it escalated into a fight to the death, things were bound to get troublesome.

‘For now, I’ll have to find a better time…’

I quelled my bloodlust and took my finger off the pistol’s trigger. Simultaneously, the chain vanished. The Sage stepped in front of me, positioning himself specifically to shield the woman.

“You called Mihana a human summoned from another world? Do you know her true identity?”

“Of course. We’re ‘comrades,’ so to speak.”

“Th-this man is the one who blew up the Imperial Capital! He tried to kill us all…!”

The summoned woman—Mihana—tattled loudly. She started acting up the moment she sensed the atmosphere was in her favor. I almost acted impulsively out of sheer irritation, but I held back at the last second. Even I have some shred of reason. Now was the time for patience.

The Sage looked at me with an unreadable expression.

“That Bomber… I see. To think you were also a Hero from another world…”

“I’m not the type to be called something like that.”

It seemed he knew about the destruction of the Imperial Capital. He must have heard it from Mihana. Still, the title of “Hero from another world” almost made me laugh. It was incredibly mismatched. It would just be farcical if I claimed it for myself.

“At any rate, I understand that the relationship between you is hostile. Jack Aaron.”

“What is it?”

“Can you cast aside your past grudge and suppress your murderous intent toward Mihana?”

“Impossible. Give up on that,” I shook my head and replied instantly.

It was obvious. No matter who tries to stop me, I don’t let my targets escape. With that stance, I had already eliminated two of the summoned individuals. The third would be no different. There are no exceptions.

“We cannot simply overlook this either. Mihana is an important subordinate. I cannot permit her murder.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame…”

I slumped my shoulders at the Sage’s resolute words. Meanwhile, my consciousness focused on the feel of my pistol. If anyone gets in my way, I’ll remove them—whoever they may be. At this close range, it would be easy to blow the Sage’s brains out. I could hit him even with my eyes closed.

Of course, the Sage likely predicted my actions. He was on high alert right now. He would surely defend himself with magic. I would either have to shoot him dead before he could deploy it or break through his defense.

As I considered dozens of ways to kill him in my mind, the Sage spoke.

“However, I have a compromise. Jack, you should find this acceptable as well.”

“I’m listening.”

“If we follow the proper procedures, a fight to the death is permitted. In other words, a duel.”

“A duel?”

I couldn’t help but ask back. I hadn’t expected those words to come up in this situation.

The Sage waved a hand. Before I knew it, two sheets of parchment were clutched in his fingers. They were magical contracts. They left a strong impression on me because I had used one during my fight with the time-stopping summoned individual, Minoru.

The Sage spoke while unrolling the contracts.

“It is a duel carried out by forming a magical contract. This way, both sides stand to gain. I’ll explain the details while we walk.”

“You really are impatient. We’re starting the duel right now?”

“It’s a delicate matter. It’s best to resolve it immediately.”

The Sage left the room without even looking back. He seemed to be the type who hated useless back-and-forth.

I shrugged.

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead. Rules are important, after all.”

Meanwhile, Mihana stood up awkwardly. Her eyes wandered as if searching for help.

“Um, do I have a right to refuse or…?”

“—Mihana.”

“Y-yes!”

Called by the Assassin King, Mihana straightened her back. It was an almost reflexive motion. She was well-trained. Since they mentioned she was a subordinate, it was likely part of her mandatory discipline.

The Assassin King spoke with a voice that had a surprisingly firm core.

“Believe in your own power. Thou art strong.”

“Thank you… very much…”

Mihana bowed timidly. Despite looking like a creepy mass of mist, the Assassin King might actually care for their subordinates. Well, it was none of my business. I just had to carry out my objective solemnly.

After that, we moved under the Sage’s guidance. We arrived at an open space beneath the Great Tree. It was about the size of a basketball court.

Mihana and I faced off in the center. The others moved to the edge of the room. A unique tension filled the air.

I questioned the Sage.

“So, is this where we’re dueling?”

“No. That’s not quite right, but I’m going to add a little touch.”

As he replied, the Sage placed his hand on the floor. Immediately, the entire room began to vibrate. The floor and walls undulated, deforming with a series of creaks.

The shaking subsided in less than twenty seconds. I, who was supposed to be in the center of the room, was now standing inside a narrow passage. There were forks in the path ahead and behind me, and I could see them becoming more intricate further in.

This was clearly a maze. No one was within sight, and the walls reached all the way to the ceiling. It was designed so that one couldn’t climb up to see the layout. The Sage must have generated this with magic.

“Haha, this is incredible.”

While I was admiring the versatility of magic, an image of an hourglass appeared on the ceiling. The sand in the image was gradually falling. As I watched it, a voice echoed loudly.

『The time limit lasts until all the sand in the hourglass has fallen. If Jack kills Mihana within that time, it is Jack’s victory. If Mihana manages to escape, it is Mihana’s victory. The terms upon the conclusion of the battle are as stated in the contract.』

The Sage’s voice cut off abruptly after saying just that. It seemed the explanation was over.

“A game of tag inside a maze, huh? It’s different from my image of a duel, but it’s interesting.”

I laughed as I did some light leg stretches. We had already finished the magical contract on the way here. The contents were somewhat complex.

In this upcoming duel, if I won, I would receive prize money and a portion of the Assassin King’s territory. If Mihana won, Alice and I would be forbidden from any intentional act that would lead to her death, and furthermore, we would have to cooperate with the Assassin King’s work once without conditions. Additionally, both the Sage and the Assassin King were forbidden from taking retaliatory action even if Mihana died.

Broadly speaking, those were the terms. The price for breaking these was the enslavement of one’s soul. Since this contract was supposedly high-grade, it was designed so that no cheap tricks would work. It was a specification where fake names, like the one Minoru used, wouldn’t pass.

I wasn’t interested in the prize money or territory, but there was no reason not to do this. It was a chance to kill Mihana openly without being interrupted by the Representatives. It was a deal worth taking, even if it meant taking on some risk.

“Time to get moving…”

Judging by the hourglass on the ceiling, the time limit was about five minutes. I didn’t know how convoluted this place was. I had to act swiftly.

With my pistol and knife in hand, I began to walk into the maze.