I arrived at the Araumi region.
This area was always crawling with automatons. According to the game, there should be an inactive Ruin Grader here, but I had no intention of seeking it out.
Kettle darted through the forest.
"Miss Ryuguu! You're here!"
A bearded man from the Adventurers' Guild ran over from a small camp nearby. "Your timing is perfect, Miss Ryuguu. We have an emergency situation."
"A rookie adventurer wandered into the bay north of Araumi. I need to hand over duties to other adventurers, but no one's available right now. Could you please go search for them?"
The man clasped his hands and bowed deeply.
"If there's payment, it's no problem," I said, glancing around. "Are there many automatons in that bay?"
"Not just automatons—that's not why we're urgent. Some Fatui soldiers appeared there a few days ago. They've been occupying the area, and we don't know what they're up to."
Ah, the Fatui.
My eyebrow twitched.
I nodded, indicating I'd accepted.
"System, what's the average level of Fatui soldiers?"
［Between 25–30. Your level can handle them］ the System said. ［Moreover, eliminating Fatui yields higher EXP］
North of Araumi, there was a cliff. In the distance, an inactive Ruin Hunter lay prone. I created a save point, signaled Kettle to stay back, charged forward, and drove the Debate Club straight into the machine's core.
Inactive states were always easiest to exploit.
The automaton barely activated before I shredded its internals. Cryo energy exploded inside, sparks flying from the newly lit core.
The Debate Club was unexpectedly effective at destruction.
Kettle was quiet when not intimidating others. Her paw covers minimized her footsteps. I stuffed the extracted core into my inventory and gave the dog a thorough ruffling.
"Good girl, Kettle. Go play in the forest over there. When you're done, wait for me at the camp."
She whined reluctantly, pawing the ground, but obeyed and trotted into the woods, tail held high. The trees were mostly pine and peacock wood—tall, dark forests where she could hide if danger arose.
I lacked a wind glider. Walking to the cliff edge, I peered down.
It looked pretty high.
I'd need to find a place to slide down.
——
"Nothing more thrilling than landing right on someone's face, don't you think?"
I stood barefoot on the beach, holding my geta.
"Good thing I always go barefoot inside. If my socks got wet and sandy, I'd lose it."
Blood dripped steadily. I grimaced and pulled out a Violetgrass to munch on. My right sleeve was charred and tattered. As I spoke, I kicked the half-debt collector into the sea, sending him rolling with each strike. "Stepping on you was wrong, but you slashed my shoulder open too. We're even—"
Whether he heard or not, he coughed up blood angrily, crimson seeping from cracks in his mask. "...You'll... pay for this... cough!"
"You're awake again?"
I peered curiously into the mask.
"Pretty average-looking. Such fierce eyes, though."
I pressed his head into the seawater with my foot, spun the Debate Club, and drove it down to snap the unfortunate man's neck.
"Tch."
It suddenly hit me.
"I forgot to ask if he'd seen the Adventurers' Guild member! Ah, my memory!"
I devoured five or six Violetgrass before the bone fracture in my shoulder healed. Thankfully, I'd stored some homemade seaweed rice balls in my inventory. I scarfed down several more before the wound closed completely.
The blood loss had been alarming.
I had no choice but to wade through the water along the beach, searching. If a Fatui debt collector was here, it meant there was some "debt" to collect.
It reminded me of the Fatui Harbinger—Tartaglia.
But given how much time had passed in the story, it was unlikely Tartaglia was still in Inazuma. However, if he was still tracking Scaramouche, and assuming Scaramouche hadn't left Inazuma, he might still be around.
Really limited my options.
I heard rustling and looked up to see an unexpected figure running past beneath the cliff. His stained clothing and slightly overweight build looked familiar—
It was Yamada Taichi.
That meant today was the day the merchant convoy was scheduled to transport goods from Ritou to the Yashiro Commission. I glanced at the sky.
Not yet noon—still before the planned attack.
So why was Yamada Taichi here? This was Araumi. Was he hiding here to avoid the Yashiro Commission's surveillance?
"Let's just capture and interrogate him first. Save."
I stored my geta in my inventory and quietly followed.
Yamada Taichi seemed cautious, glancing back repeatedly along the way. Though nervous and uncoordinated, he didn't stop.
The man entered a small cave filled with familiar setups.
Treasure Hoarder insignias, heavily worn tools, empty chests, scattered ropes, and flimsy-looking cages. On the table lay a map I'd seen before. I strolled in quietly—Yamada Taichi still hadn't noticed me. I approached from behind—
Tch. Too short to grab his collar.
So I used the Debate Club to shatter his knees from behind, forcing him to the ground. Yamada Taichi howled in pain. I swiftly tore his clothes and stuffed them into his mouth, then grabbed a rope from the floor and bound him tightly.
"There, there. Endure it. It'll pass."
［You could knock him out first, then tie him］
"Where's the fun in that?" I said while tying him, watching Yamada Taichi writhe like a live fish. "Relax. It's just shattered knees. In my experience, the pain fades after a while."
The System choked.
"So, uncle, I still owe you for the house."
I crouched and poked his head.
Yamada Taichi stared at me with terror, as if I were insane. "Mmph! Mmph mmph!"
Everyone who heard me talk to the System thought I was unhinged.
Seeing his pained expression but no more screams, I pulled the gag out and tossed it aside. The first thing he said was, "Miya Ryuguu! What are you doing here?!"
"On a mission. Didn't expect to run into you, uncle," I lied effortlessly. "I thought you were a Treasure Hoarder. Only realized it was you after I struck. Sorry about the force."
He shrank back. "...Then, then let me go—"
"Uncle, you're targeting the Kamisato family, right?"
I cut him off, picking up a stick to poke at the ground, drawing a few lines. "I ran into a Treasure Hoarder grunt in Inazuma City. Just broke his limbs, and he told me everything."
"Noon. Merchant convoy. Deal. More bandits—"
Yamada Taichi's face paled. He glared at me fiercely.
I smiled at him. "So if it's you, uncle, will I need to break your limbs and spine before you talk?"
"—Why oppose the Yashiro Commission?"
The man hesitated, eyeing the gleaming Debate Club on my shoulder. "I... I just wanted revenge..."
"Revenge on who? Kamisato Ayato? Or the new Kamisato leadership?"
"All of them! All of them! If not for them, I wouldn't have to share my profits... Those brats—" Yamada Taichi's once-decent appearance twisted into something ugly, his eyes red with rage. "I was trading before they were weaned! Who gave them the right to interfere? I established those trade routes! How dare they say I obstructed them? Their family's decline wasn't my fault! They swoop in halfway and demand a cut of my business! And that guy—"
I could guess who he'd curse next. Slowly, I stood up, twirling the Debate Club in a clumsy flourish.
"...That Thoma—the Kamisato family's dog—"
［He hasn't disclosed all the information yet］
The System reminded me.
I knew. So I let Yamada Taichi continue.
The man, now on a roll, seemed to realize his poor choice of words and looked up at me in panic.
I lifted my chin. "You haven't mentioned your dealings with the Treasure Hoarders."
"I... I just recently learned the Yashiro Commission had a shipment coming from Ritou. I wanted to disrupt the convoy, that's all." Yamada Taichi deflated like a balloon, his earlier bravado gone.
"Was it the Treasure Hoarders you dealt with? Or those wandering bandits?"
"B-both."
I kicked him.
He rolled across the ground. I aimed at the hand supporting his weight and drove the Debate Club's grip down.
It was enough to pierce a hole through his palm.
The Debate Club's handle impaled his hand, pinning it to the ground. I slowly twisted the weapon, listening to his screams.
"Uncle, you really don't take me seriously," I said, feeling oddly calm. I even considered piercing a hole in his mouth to shut him up.
"Insulting my brother right in front of me? How dare you."
I could extort his assets or scam money from him—but I decided against it. I knew nothing about Inazuman law. If I obtained something without legal validity, it'd be meaningless.
Kill him here?
If he was a long-established merchant in Inazuma, killing him might bring trouble—like charges of vigilante justice.
I knocked Yamada Taichi unconscious instead.
I remembered to infuse my weapon with Cryo energy, demolishing the camp and sealing the cave with massive ice spikes from the ceiling, burying the place under rock and dust.
"If I could say—'The Kamisato family sends their regards'—wouldn't that be cool?"
［That would sound too much like the Yashiro Commission］
I tied the unconscious Yamada Taichi to the Debate Club and carried him over my shoulder, heading quickly toward Ritou. To prevent escape, I planned to pierce blood holes in his palms and thread ropes through them—one hole already existed; I just needed another—connecting them to the ropes on his legs.
Even if he woke, the pain would immobilize him.
"Like in The Godfather—sending regards on behalf of some faction. Has a nice ring, doesn't it?"
［Don't understand］
Near a rock on the beach, I found the rookie adventurer collecting shells. With a seemingly half-dead man tied to my weapon, the rookie stayed pale and silent, following me back.
I escorted them to the camp.
Judging by their expression, there'd probably be new rumors about me—like "Miya Ryuguu, the one who skewers uncles."
Roasting people on a Debate Club for dinner or something.
"Kettle!"
I called out as I walked. Soon, I heard the familiar whistling whimpers approaching. A large black dog burst from the forest and leaped into my arms.
"Good girl. Why so happy?"
She nuzzled my hand with her nose, holding a stone in her mouth.
Why bother carrying a stone?
I took it from her mouth and turned it over. It had a tanuki face—goofy and cute. A small tanuki statue—I immediately yeeted it with all my strength.
It cut through the air with a sonic boom, vanishing into the forest.
I gave Kettle a chicken leg.
"Good fetching. Don't fetch that again."