How to Catch a Big Fish (8)
[Here. You should pull it around this point.]
And as I gently pressed my hand over his on the trigger, the arrow released.
In an instant, the present scene layered over memories of the past. The arrow, freed from the string, sliced through the darkness, tracing a trajectory like the tail of a shooting star.
The difference now was that this was real combat, and the arrow I had nocked was a flaming arrow, unlike in my memories.
In front of the direction the underlings were fleeing with the coffin, the arrow descended with a steep drop and embedded itself.
Whoosh!
Soon, a wall of fire burst forth, illuminating the darkness intensely.
"Stop! Stop!"
"Fire!"
I felt a sense of satisfaction watching the flames burn brightly. My aim was sharp; after all, it wasn't about hitting a moving target but rather honing my skills, which didn't take long. I had already laid out a generous amount of flammable materials—rosin and hay—at the anticipated impact point, so as long as I hit the mark, it would be powerful enough.
'It burns nicely.'
I was quite pleased with the visual intimidation and effect the wall of flames provided. Mixing some sugar and sand made the sparks fly in a very threatening manner. Yes! I hummed a cheerful tune inside as I immediately nocked the next arrow.
The count's henchmen, whose escape route was blocked, ultimately had to make a choice.
With one hand holding onto the coffin, their movements were restricted. Behind them was an unpredictable assailant pursuing them. To top it off, Leonardo, tasked with hunting them down, had the best weapon at his disposal.
The atmosphere alone was enough to overwhelm the enemy.
I later realized that the seemingly trivial staring contest during my first encounter with the grave robber was actually a battle of wills. Even though I had started over from the ground up in this new body, the veteran hero's seasoned presence and intimidation remained intact.
Thus, to those henchmen, Leonardo was by no means an easy opponent. Even in a 1 against 5 situation. Ah, but it wasn't exactly 1 against 5, was it? With my support, it was more like…
In the end, only about two of them could hold onto the coffin, while the others armed themselves with weapons.
As I watched their standoff, I gathered my focus. The mask, dampened with water beforehand, clung to my face, protecting my respiratory system from the humid air.
With just straw and rosin, the fire wouldn't last long, so that barrier was merely a temporary obstruction. Dragging out the situation would only tire Leonardo out more quickly, and the resources I had prepared were ultimately consumable.
'It's a race against time now.'
Thud!
The sound of feet striking the ground sharply. Leonardo lowered his body and charged forward.
As the flames reflected off the mirror-like blade, it took on the colour of iron freshly pulled from a forge. It was a vibrant colour that clashed with Leonardo's overall cool and blue demeanour.
Not a bad sword. Still, I had the feeling he viewed it as a consumable.
I wondered how he handled the sword—unless it was a high-quality blade, it would easily break under his rough methods. I had never seen him take care of a weapon as if it were an extension of himself.
Thud!
Leonardo delivered a knee to the chest of one of the henchmen and, as he landed, stomped on the dropped bow and quiver, crushing them underfoot. Each movement was imbued with a calculating attitude.
Though I found myself unexpectedly waking up in someone else's body, I let the flow of the situation carry me along. The guy, who had been getting by without causing any big ripples, showed a meticulous demeanour only when it came to battle.
Paradoxically, those movements didn't stem from a cold, calculating mind. It was his long experience on the battlefield that guided Leonardo's body. In the heat of combat, his blood was pumping, and he was instinctively moving his excited body.
Calculated instinct. The phrase fit perfectly as he moved, and the sword traced large arcs through the air.
Slash!
Leonardo deeply cut into the inner thigh of the henchman approaching from behind, parting flesh as blood gushed out, forming a puddle on the floor. As the opponent's lower body wobbled and staggered, Leonardo trapped his head between his knee and elbow and slammed it down, knocking him out before he could regain his senses.
Watching him, I questioned if this was really swordsmanship. It was a brutal, almost wrestling-like fight. Bones broke, and scars were etched into limbs. It was a brawl devoid of elegance or decorum. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed more suited to a mad dog than a holy knight.
Having grown up among mercenaries, perhaps he had learned this from them.
While that thought brushed through my mind, I lit the oil-soaked cloth tied to the arrow tip. A map gradually formed in my mind. Leonardo had his role, and I had mine.
The miniature model city, which had been brought over exactly as it was ten years ago, was already in my grasp.
[2nd Floor of Sinistra Underground Labyrinth,
[Completion rewards have been provided.]
[Reward: All 'creatures' will be marked on the map that has been fully explored, and designated targets can be tagged.]
Even though the quest was complete, the map was still bound to me, and I thought it would be interesting to fill it to 100% out of sheer stubbornness, so I revealed everything. Since the first underground level was too vast, I focused on the second level while moving straw as a side task.
And then, just as the situation called for it, this new feature appeared.
I had thought about it before, but both the "Innkeeper's Insight" and the "Scenario Notes" being visible only to me, as well as the timely introduction of these features, made me wonder…
Sometimes, this system is strangely accommodating.
'Tag all of the Count's henchmen, from 1 to 5.'
A white triangular icon appeared on the map. While Leonardo was dealing with the two, the other two henchmen attempted to change direction and escape elsewhere. And those two weren't me.
Whoosh!
Every time they tried to move, flames shot up in the alleyways, creating walls of fire. While Leonardo carefully trampled the remaining three, I took on the role of separating them from their group and obstructing their escape.
If Leonardo was like a piece on the game board, I was the one manipulating the game from the outside, creating a biased situation in favour of our side.
It sounds plausible when I say it like that, but in reality, my role was more like a shepherd dog, herding the sheep into our pen at the designated place and time.
'Block this alley. That one, too, and over there. Oh, and here as well.'
The pre-prepared arrows started to fly quickly. The loading speed also increased progressively.
It was easy to predict the direction the henchmen would retreat when faced with the wall of flames. All I had to do was set up obstacles in front of their escape routes and herd them into a corner. My mind was getting heated from the need to calculate and aim at the same time.
"Who the hell is setting the fire?!"
"Look at the direction, you idiots! It's coming from above!"
"First, take care of that crazy arsonist! Cough!"
The flames themselves formed a barrier, and in the meantime, Leonardo successfully took down three henchmen. The one who had been silently standing over the bodies of the three men now began to move.
He approached the remaining henchmen that I had herded into a corner like trapped mice.
I, too, descended from the rooftop and headed toward that spot.
"Damn it!"
Blocked by the walls shaped by flames and the buildings carved from dirt, the henchmen tossed the coffin aside and grabbed their weapons. They moved forward with cautious steps. Leonardo and I leisurely approached them.
Thud!
One henchman stomped the ground and immediately lunged forward with his sword drawn. Leonardo intercepted him, deflecting the attack. Without missing a beat, Leonardo dove inside, jabbed the hilt of his sword into the henchman's face, knocking him off balance, and expertly struck the back of his neck to knock him unconscious.
Now there was only one left. I could feel the tension radiating from the remaining henchman, who held a scythe tightly.
I smiled behind my mask, a gesture that wouldn't reach him. The corners of my mouth lifted, and my tone took on a different feel as I greeted him with a voice laced with familiarity.
"Hello there, it's a lovely night, isn't it? Quite lively."
[Scenario weight: 13.05%]