Chapter 25 Chapter 25: Mercenaries
Chapter 25: Mercenaries
Before long, the three members of Hearth's squad were all holding food in their hands.
The five of them sat around the campfire, the atmosphere unusually harmonious.
"Ah! Mmm!"
W opened her "bloody maw," the soft and delicious bread making her reveal a satisfied and joyful smile.
"The gaze observing me yesterday, was that you?"
Kevin looked at Ines and said.
"Yes, I'm very sorry for the previous offense, Mr. Kevin."
Ines immediately apologized.
"No, that's not what I meant. You should be glad you didn't probe too deeply. That kind of spell can bring you disaster at times."
The mind is never a simple domain.
"Actually, I'm very fortunate..."
Ines smiled bitterly. If she hadn't probed Kevin's true strength beforehand, she probably wouldn't have had Hearth avoid Kevin and Pozëmka.
After all, she is a mercenary, and there are no saints among mercenaries.
"Hey, I say, Kevin, how did your Originium Arts become so strong?"
W crossed her legs and asked curiously. With such strength, if she had it, she could definitely survive in Kazdel for a long time.
Besides, that simply doesn't belong to the human category anymore.
"..."
"Hey, fine if you don't want to say. I'm actually not that interested anyway."
W's familiar and casual demeanor reminded Kevin of someone.
The group chatted idly, and dinner was soon over.
After the meal, at the insistence of the three, it was decided that W and Hearth would take turns keeping watch at night, while the others returned to the vehicle to rest.
Under the moonlight, W examined her handgun. It was a trophy she had taken from several Sankta she killed on the battlefield. One of them had been modified into a grenade launcher.
Originally, she thought its power was pretty good...
W glanced at the roof of the armored vehicle, then looked at her palm, feeling somewhat bored as she tossed the grenade launcher aside.
"It's not as powerful as that one."
—
Early in the morning, everyone quickly packed their belongings and set off again.
Their vehicle stopped three kilometers outside another small town. After all, according to Hearth's opinion, this vehicle was still too conspicuous.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, he went alone into the town to gather information.
As a mercenary Amiya, Hearth knew where to find suitable information channels.
"Let me tell you, you have no idea about Hearth and Ines."
W crossed her legs on the steering wheel, joking with Pozëmka while vividly imitating:
"Hearth, if you want to go die, just say it."
Her voice changed again, becoming somewhat low:
"Ines, believe me, my head has already been reserved by you, hasn't it?"
"Hahaha, I'm dying of laughter."
W held her stomach, letting out waves of joyful laughter, completely ignoring Ines behind her whose face had turned as dark as a pot bottom.
Even Pozëmka was infected by her mood and almost couldn't hold back her laughter. But after glancing at Ines's expression, she immediately felt it would be impolite and held it back.
However, her trembling shoulders still betrayed her state.
"W!!"
Ines had finally had enough.
"Huh? What's wrong? Didn't you two argue like that last time? Or do you want to add some details?"
W wiped away nonexistent tears from the corner of her eye and asked with a residual smile on her face.
"Just imitating a bit. Oh, your expression changed. Getting angry?"
A very punchable tone! The smile on W's face made Ines want to punch her hard!
Hardened! Fists hardened!
"Fight outside?"
W glanced at Kevin and Pozëmka inside the vehicle and suggested.
"I was thinking the same."
Ines's spirit had mostly recovered; it wasn't a particularly serious injury anyway. 6⑨4⑨3⑥1③5
The two nimbly flipped out of the vehicle andin perfect syncly drew their short knives from their waists.
"Hey! Why are you suddenly fighting?"
Pozëmka clearly couldn't understand the interactions between mercenaries.
"It's fine. They're probably just... sparring."
Kevin reassured her. At least he hadn't sensed any substantial hostility from these two just now.
On the contrary, people under great pressure often need a way to vent. He had seen many such people.
And mercenaries were clearly among them. The pressure of living on the edge of a knife wasn't something ordinary people could bear.
Naturally, their chosen way of venting would also be... more special?
Clang!
The short knives collided, their sharp blades scraping out dazzling sparks.
Both wore slightly crazy smiles on their faces. Or rather, at this moment, they showed their true selves without any disguise.
Thump!
W punched toward Ines's abdomen but was blocked by her knee.
At the same time, Ines grabbed her short knife backhanded and stabbed down fiercely, but her wrist was hit by another punch. Ines's wrist went numb and sore, and her weapon slipped from her hand.
But she had anticipated this. Her left hand caught the blade mid-air and stabbed toward W's neck.
Clang!
The blades clashed again. Their fists and legs exchanged blows. W was hit in the abdomen by Ines, while Ines's left shoulder was kicked by W.
Both simultaneously separated a distance apart.
"Ha... hah. Seems resting for a day has made you quite rusty. No strength in your hands."
W clutched her abdomen, enduring the pain and nauseating feeling coming from it, forcing a smile on her face as she mocked.
"Heh, you're not much stronger either."
Ines's entire left arm was numb, almost without sensation now, but her words mercilessly retaliated against W.
Twirling the short knife in her right hand, Ines curled up a corner of her mouth:
"Again?"
"Again it is."
"Enough! Both of you stop!"
Hearth finally returned and hurriedly stopped their fight.
Seeing these two get out of the vehicle from afar, he knew something was wrong.
Getting closer, sure enough, the two problem children in the team were fighting again.
Hearth had a headache. Actually, he could understand this behavior. Occasionally fighting to vent was the cheapest way for mercenaries to relieve pressure.
But these two's frequency was just too high! A small fight every three days, a big fight every five days. If not for his restraint, these two would definitely beat each other's brains out!
"Tch, fine if we stop. Boring."
"Heh, then we'll talk next time."
Both simultaneously turned their heads away. Someone offered a way out, so they knew when to quit.
————
[Event - Rhodes Island Action Log (Archived)]
May 12th
Kevin first showed interest in participating in missions. The Doctor sent him to the Lovinen Plains. Great victory!
May 15th
Skirmish at Supply Line 23. Encountered Kevin returning to the ship. Great victory!
May 19th
Scout squad cover operation. Kevin moved out. All personnel survived. Great victory!
May 26th
Doctor, oh Doctor! How could you fall so low? Can you not command operations without Kevin? Quickly use your omnipotent intelligence to think of something!
May 30th
Southern Great Rift Valley battle. Kevin rushed to aid. Great victory!
KEVIN THE VICTORIOUSSSSS