"AWOOOO—!"
The dozen or so thunder wolves summoned by Roy completed their task, lifted their heads in a final howl, and then dispersed into nothingness.
All three Lv.2 remnants of the Rudra Familia—and every single bandit in the stronghold—had been wiped out. Under the glow of the setting sun, corpses were piled high like a small mountain.
There was no fear on the faces of the survivors—only exhilaration.
Roy looked at the people who had been freed and said with a smile, "It's over now!"
"Oooooooooh—!"
After a brief moment of dead silence, thunderous cheers erupted, resounding through the sky. Everyone excitedly embraced their family members and friends.
It took a long while before things finally settled down.
Then, a series of gurgle gurgle sounds broke the calm—growls coming from stomachs, one after another. Many people lowered their heads in embarrassment.
Roy didn't think much of it. Survival was the most important instinct of any living being—bar none. He loudly called everyone over and led them into the bandits' warehouses.
Pile after pile of supplies was carried out of the caves—goods that had clearly been looted from merchant caravans.
Having gone hungry for several days, no one cared about anything else. They ate heartily and enthusiastically shared food with one another.
Roy was unquestionably the center of the feast.
After his battle with Hyakinthos had been broadcast through the divine mirror, almost no one in Orario failed to recognize him. His name had spread like a violent gale across the world.
It truly felt like there was no one who didn't know him.
When Shakti arrived with members of the Ganesha Familia, following the marks Roy had left behind through the deep mountains and forests, she was completely stunned.
She had expected a fierce battle—only to find a lively bonfire celebration.
Under a night sky filled with dazzling stars, people who had survived the calamity gathered around blazing fires, drinking and laughing together regardless of race or age.
If not for the piles of corpses and the heavy stench of blood that still lingered in the air, Shakti might have thought she had come to the wrong place.
The members of the Ganesha Familia began their work—confirming identities and distributing supplies.
After enduring prolonged stress, followed by overeating, the rescued people finally felt at ease upon seeing the Ganesha Familia. A powerful wave of exhaustion washed over them.
One by one, they collapsed to the ground and fell into deep sleep.
Shakti walked up to Roy and said, "Sprout of Justice, thank you. We've been chasing this group for nearly half a month and couldn't find them."
Conducting rituals that involved burning people alive naturally required rampant looting. The disappearance of numerous merchant caravans had long drawn the Ganesha Familia's attention.
Unfortunately, the bandits' base was hidden too well, and it had eluded discovery.
Those bandits ran faster than foxes whenever they spotted members of the Ganesha Familia, only targeting small caravans—until they smashed straight into Roy, a solid iron wall.
Roy laughed cheerfully. "Captain Shakti, no need to be so polite. We're all on the same side."
Shakti gave him a strange look. She still remembered that duel—how she had tried to stop Roy, and the ruthless glare he had thrown her way, as if he wanted to devour her along with his opponent.
Yet in everyday interactions, he seemed like a genial, easygoing man. He was truly hard to read.
Once official matters were done, she lowered her voice. "How did you get out of Orario? We don't have any record of you leaving the city."
Roy scratched his head awkwardly. As expected, it came up.
Adventurers belonging to Orario actually found it very difficult to leave. Orario was called the "Center of the World" because it possessed the greatest combat power, resources, industry—everything—in the Lower World.
Which also meant it attracted countless monsters and threats.
The Guild had to do everything in its power to protect the city.
High-level adventurers who wished to leave Orario had to undergo strict reviews and complicated procedures.
Orario was extremely sensitive about the outflow of combat power. Adventurers trained in the Dungeon were far stronger than those outside.
If such adventurers left and then turned against Orario, the consequences would be disastrous.
Thus, high-level adventurers were not allowed to leave.
This was an unspoken rule—and a shared understanding—of Orario.
Roy had slipped out in secret.
Whether big or small, it was still a problem. If the Guild found out, a fine of several million valis was guaranteed—the higher the level, the harsher the punishment.
Not happy about it?
Then don't make a living in Orario.
Shakti sighed helplessly, unable to ignore it. "I'll help you add a record afterward."
Roy grinned. Having connections really did make things easier—Captain Shakti truly had influence.
"But you'll have to help out as well," Shakti added, gesturing toward the freed people. "Act as a guard and escort them back."
"No problem," Roy agreed readily.
The winding mountain roads were difficult to traverse, especially at night. The group rested in the stronghold for the night and didn't set out until dawn the next day.
Roy joined the group as their escort.
"Mr. Roy, thank you!"
Two young and beautiful girls ran up to him—it was Eina and Misha. Their faces were filled with gratitude. At last night's celebration, Roy had been surrounded by people, and they hadn't had a chance to approach him.
Now that they finally had the opportunity, they immediately came to thank their lifesaver.
With more than a hundred kilometers to Orario, and nothing much to do along the way, Roy chatted with the two newly graduated, innocent girls. They talked about this and that—tanks, planes, and everything in between.
Roy pulled out some cheesy pickup lines from his previous life, making the girls laugh uncontrollably.
If it were anyone else, it would be called frivolous. Coming from Roy—powerful, handsome, and with the added filter of being their savior—it was called humor.
Laughter echoed through the group from time to time.
The girls themselves felt it was somewhat inappropriate and tried hard to suppress their emotions. Their shoulders trembled as they laughed, and they shot Roy a reproachful glance—but there was no real blame in it, only a hint of playful flirting.
The psychological shadows left from their two days of imprisonment eased somewhat at that moment.
Eina cast a shy glance at Roy with her emerald-green eyes, recalling that moment yesterday—the instant their gazes met, and the smile he had shown her.
Now she seemed to understand. That smile had been meant to comfort her, to tell her not to be afraid.
A blush spread across her pretty face, quickly reaching the tips of her ears. Even her heartbeat began to quicken.
Misha noticed Eina's strange state and exclaimed in surprise, "Eina, why is your face so red? It's even warm! You're not catching a cold, are you?!"
Roy had just been called away by Shakti.
Worried about Eina, Misha grew anxious and was about to shout, "Mr. Roy—!"
"I'm fine! I'm really fine, don't say nonsense!" Eina hurriedly covered her friend's mouth.
"Not a cold, but your face is still this red… could it be?" Unable to speak properly, Misha muttered softly, the fierce flames of gossip burning in her eyes.
Eina ground her teeth in frustration. If only this idiot put the same sharpness into her exams, how great would that be.
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