Dealing with the dead bodies

As Hunter and Kolvar surveyed the carnage in the tavern, the air was thick with the stench of blood and death. The once-empty Bored Hamster tavern was now littered with the corpses of the thieves, their lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. Blood was splattered across the walls, the floor, and the furniture, creating a gruesome scene that would haunt anyone who saw it.

The bodies of the thieves were scattered across the room, each one bearing the marks of Hunter's deadly precision. Some had their throats slit open, the blood pooling around their heads in dark puddles. Others had deep gashes across their chests and stomachs, their innards spilling out onto the floor. A few had been decapitated, their heads lying several feet away from their bodies.

The furniture was overturned and broken, evidence of the fierce struggle that had taken place. The chairs that Hunter had used to set traps were now nothing more than splintered wood, scattered across the room. The bottles that had been used as weapons were shattered, their contents mixed with blood and other bodily fluids.

The walls of the tavern were splattered with blood, some of it forming intricate patterns as if it had been sprayed intentionally. The wooden floorboards were soaked with blood, making them slippery and treacherous to walk on.

As Hunter and Kolvar made their way through the room, their footsteps squelched in the blood-soaked floor. They carefully avoided the bodies of the thieves, some of which were still twitching and convulsing in their final moments of life.

The scene was gruesome and horrifying, a testament to the brutal and bloody nature of Hunter's methods. He had killed without mercy, leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake. The tavern, once a quiet and peaceful establishment, was now a macabre monument to his violence.

Hunter paused to look back at the scene of carnage he had created. His eyes glinted with a fierce intensity as he surveyed the blood-soaked room, a twisted smile on his lips.

"Nobody messes with me," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Nobody."

In the dynamic duo of Kolvar and Hunter, Kolvar relied more on his intellect as he lacked the cutthroat nature that Hunter possessed. It's not to say that Hunter wasn't smart, but his penchant for killing was often all-consuming, leading him to neglect the repercussions of his actions. In fact, if Hunter took a moment to consider the potential fallout of his actions, he wouldn't have deployed nuclear weapons on every country on Earth before his transmigration to this world.

Kolvar's intelligence shone through as he worked tirelessly to find loopholes and solutions to the various problems that they encountered. On the other hand, Hunter was more of a 'shoot first, ask questions later' type of person, leading to a sense of unease in those around him. His ability to make tough decisions without batting an eye was both impressive and terrifying, as he could swiftly eliminate any threats to their mission, but the collateral damage of his actions was often significant.

In retrospect, if Hunter had taken the time to weigh the consequences of his actions, he might have approached certain situations differently. However, in the heat of the moment, Hunter's primal instincts took over, driving him to do whatever was necessary to achieve his goals. Despite this, Kolvar's logical approach was a necessary counterbalance to Hunter's brutal efficiency, and the two worked together to achieve their objectives in the most effective way possible.

Looking at the bodies, Kolvar walked through the blood and reminded Hunter of the soldiers.

"We cannot leave the bodies here, Hunter. The duke's soldiers wouldn't care these were thieves. They would only see murder. We are not nobles to get away with murders. So we need to hide the bodies and any evidence,"

Although this world lacked law enforcement like Earth, it didn't mean they had none. Each kingdom had its own laws and military to serve as the law enforcement. Some kingdoms were exceptions as they had several units within the army that took care of aspects of the law. After hearing Kolvar's words, Hunter looked at the carnage he brought upon the thieves and pondered a way to hide the bodies and wipe off any evidence. Since they were all thieves from the thieves guild, Hunter doubted they would go to the duke and complaint about the missing thieves. He knew the thieves guild would retaliate, but it was a problem for another time. First, Hunter had to deal with the dead bodies.

Kolvar carefully navigated through the bloody mess on the floor. His face contorted with concern as he reminded Hunter of the soldiers who patrolled the streets. "We cannot leave the bodies here, Hunter," he said, his voice low and urgent. "The soldiers of the Duke won't give a damn that these were thieves. All they will see is murder, and we are not nobles who can get away with such a thing. We need to make sure to conceal the bodies and any evidence of what happened here."

Despite the lack of a formalized law enforcement system in this world, each kingdom had its own military to serve as the law enforcement. In some kingdoms, there were specific units within the army that were responsible for maintaining order and upholding the law. Hunter knew that while they may not face immediate consequences for their actions, leaving the bodies out in the open would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention from the authorities.

He surveyed the carnage he had wrought upon the thieves and began to consider how to hide the bodies and remove any evidence. As a seasoned crimin...dictator, Hunter knew the importance of leaving no trace behind. Hunter believed that the thieves' guild wouldn't dare to complain about the missing members, considering they were all criminals. Nonetheless, he understood that there might be some consequences, but he chose to deal with them later. For now, Hunter's priority was to conceal the dead bodies and any evidence of their murder.

Hunter contemplated the dilemma of how to dispose of the bodies, ruling out the option of burning them outside due to the risk of attracting unwanted attention. Similarly, burying them would be too risky and time-consuming. As he pondered the problem, Hunter absentmindedly rubbed his chin with the dagger in his hand. Suddenly, a solution dawned on both Hunter and Kolvar simultaneously.

"Of course! How could I forget about our underground workshop?" Hunter exclaimed, slapping the back of his head in frustration. With renewed purpose, he made his way toward the entrance of his hidden workshop.

Kolvar pointed out to Hunter the potential consequences of leaving the bodies out in the open. Kolvar furrowed his brows as Hunter retrieved the key for the underground workshop from a hidden compartment in his underpants. He wondered why Hunter chose to store the key there, but he didn't question him. Hunter inserted the key into the hole, and the door clicked open, revealing a dimly lit staircase leading to the underground workshop.

"Make sure to close the front door tightly," Hunter instructed Kolvar as he descended down the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the cavernous space. The storm outside provided a convenient cover for any noise they might make inside.

Hunter's eyes immediately fell upon the large furnace in the center of the room, and he made a beeline toward it. It was one of the most important pieces of equipment in his workshop, used for melting metals, boiling liquids, and performing various other alchemical processes.

Hunter walked directly to the furnace, a massive iron behemoth that dominated the center of the workshop. It was big enough to fit a body and powered by coal and astral coins. The furnace was made with the same materials as the workshop's walls: ancient black stones with intricate runes carved into them. As Hunter approached the furnace, he couldn't help but have a devilish grin. He knew he could use the furnace to dispose of the bodies, and no evidence would be left. Hunter had done similar things in the past, and he was confident in his ability to cover up his tracks.

Foruntately, Xander's generosity extended to leaving behind several sacks of coal, which would be sufficient to power the furnace.

Hunter heard Kolvar's voice behind him as he surveyed the underground workshop. "What's the plan?" Kolvar asked.

"What's the plan?" Kolvar asked, looking at Hunter with uncertainty.

Hunter turned around, pointing to the sacks of coal near the furnace. "There's the coal. Start the furnace. I will bring the bodies here," he replied.

Kolvar hesitated, eyeing the furnace warily. It was a massive, intricate structure with several runes etched into its surface. He had no experience operating such a device and was unsure where to start.

"I'll figure it out," he said, determined to make himself useful.

Hunter nodded, impressed by Kolvar's newfound confidence. He made his way back up the stairs, leaving Kolvar to fumble with the furnace's mechanisms.

As Hunter patted Kolvar's shoulder with an amused smile, he left the underground workshop to drag the bodies inside. Kolvar, left alone, looked at the intricate furnace before him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. There were several runes etched on the metal surface, and the mechanics behind the furnace were complicated. Nevertheless, Kolvar knew he had to figure it out to help his friend dispose of the bodies.

Just a few weeks ago, Kolvar's concerns as a slave were simple: he had to meet his quota of harvesting devil's buttons to avoid being punished. He had never imagined that he would become a free man and help someone burn dead bodies. Now he found himself getting used to all the blood, murder, and dead bodies. Being able to handle such gruesome tasks had become a requirement for being Hunter's partner.

Kolvar chuckled to himself as he stared at the intricate mechanisms of the furnace. "A few weeks ago, I was just a lowly slave harvesting devil's buttons. Now, I'm here trying to figure out how to operate a furnace to burn dead bodies. What a life," he muttered under his breath.

Hunter, who was dragging the bodies into the workshop, overheard Kolvar's comment and smirked. "Hey, don't complain. At least you're not harvesting devil's buttons anymore," he quipped.

Kolvar turned to Hunter with a grin. "Yeah, I suppose that's one way to look at it. I traded in harvesting plants for burning bodies. My parents would be so proud," he joked, causing Hunter to burst out laughing.

"Who needs a noble title when you can be the best corpse burner in town?" Hunter joked back, patting Kolvar on the back.

Kolvar couldn't help but laugh along with Hunter. It was moments like these that reminded him why he stuck with the ruthless dictator. Even though their job was messy and dangerous, they still managed to find humor in the darkest of situations.