SWNOVELXO Chapter 88
Chapter 88. The Great Counterattack In The Wilderness
The plaza was bustling with people.
Guided to the square by Kairyu’s hand. They were all cursing the kingdom. Thanks to Kairyu’s prior preparations, they had yet to fully riot.
Not just the usual residents but also noticeably shabbily dressed individuals. When we say “people” here, it includes beast folk as well.
“Gentlemen! Thanks for gathering so well!”
Declared the muscular, dark-skinned man, Bachal, loudly. With the authority of the Fishing Guild’s leader, his voice carried well across the square, a baritone with excellent resonance. Damn. He’s handsome too.
“Some of you may have heard this in whispers, but let us declare it here again!”
“Whoa!” Angry voices echoed throughout the square.
After causing a commotion for a while, Bachal raised his hand. The plaza naturally quietened down. Quite the charisma. Though originally, this role was meant for Cherina.
“We, the residents of Piratas, have decided! The current King of Piratas has no right to rule! We shall take his head!!”
This time, it was thunderous. People in the square raised their voices so loudly it seemed they might burn even the heavens with their fervor.
“Originally!”
At that, the voices of the residents toned down momentarily. Suppressing the urge to continue, as if to prompt further.
“It was planned for your beloved Cherina Valiero to make this declaration! Right here!”
“Ohh?!”
A strange wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.
“But! Cherina Valiero has been captured by the foolish King Piratas II, who learned of this!”
“Uwaaaah!”
A mix of emotions rose in uproar. And from somewhere, cries of “Take her back,” “Take her back,” spread like waves, until everyone in the crowd found themselves stomping their feet and chanting, “Take her back!”
“Yes! We must retrieve the courageous Cherina Valiero!”
“Uooohhhh!!”
The angry voices filled with killing intent spread through the crowd as they raised their arms.
“The righteous cause is with us! Who truly cares for this country? Who is the rightful king of this land!!”
“”””Cherina! Cherina! Cherina!””””
Hundreds echoed the name of just one person.
“That’s right! We must retrieve her! Fear not! The righteous cause is with us!”
As Bachal raised his hand, fishermen waiting in carriages simultaneously revealed their cargo.
The carriages were loaded with a large number of swords and spears. In other words, weapons.
“Look! Presenting Baron Retel!”
“Oooh!” The crowd showed some confusion.
“These weapons were provided by Baron Retel, a stalwart of this country! The Baron gladly assisted us! Now, take up arms! The righteous cause is with us!”
“”””The righteous cause is with us!””””
“”””Uooooo!””””
“”””Retrieve Lady Cherinaaaaa!!””””
Various angry cries swirled as weapons were passed to the crowd one by one. Those who received them raised their weapons and surged toward the castle gate.
Thus began the birth cry of the revolution that would echo through this country for generations to come.
――――
“What are we going to do now?”
I asked Bachal after finishing distributing weapons. The reason I’m still here is because I’ve been helping with the weapon distribution. I actually intended to dive in right away, but Bachal stopped me.
“We’re heading somewhere.”
Bachal said as he prepared his own weapon.
“Where to?”
“A good place.”
I frowned at Bachal’s joke.
“We’ll see… And your Excellency. About that matter. Are you sure?”
“I-I’m fine… Just leave it to me…”
“Alright then, please take care of it… And you! Make sure to safely deliver His Excellency!”
“Got it!”
Middle-aged, sturdy-looking men proceeded to escort Baron Retel while Bachal led the way. Well, the Baron doesn’t seem likely to participate in the fighting, so they’ll probably take him to a safe place.
“Let’s go.”
We advanced into the dark night under Bachal’s lead.
The path he chose was mostly deserted.
“Hey, isn’t there supposed to be a gate here?”
“Can’t move towards the gate with the crowd there. Just keep quiet and follow.”
“Being all high and mighty…”
I followed the slim, muscular fisherman while holding my loaded P229. We’ve been taking backstreets, and the directions are getting confusing.
After a while, Bachal crouched down in the darkness and gestured for us to do the same.
“How’s it going?”
I asked in the darkness, and darkness replied in turn.
“No problems.”
Bachal nodded and motioned us to follow. We were about to enter a building.
It was dark inside. Well, that’s to be expected.
“Hey there. Managed to master some wave manipulation?”
A deep voice came from the darkness. As my eyes adjusted, I could faintly see the source of the voice in the dim light filtering through a slightly open wooden window.
“You’re… Chicken!”
“Who’re you calling a chicken?!”
“Quiet! Quiet!”
As I was about to raise my voice, the chicken crowed even louder, and Bachal’s men tried to hush him desperately.
The owner of the voice was muscular, shirtless, with pants that could rival those of a Japanese homeless person.
“Isn’t that Max-sensei? What are you doing in a place like this?”
I hurriedly asked, lowering my voice.
Max, the owner of the Mohawk, was Cherina’s wave dojo master who examined my wave. He’s also my mentor, although I haven’t learned much from him.
Behind him stood disciples who looked like they belonged in a post-apocalyptic setting, complete with shoulder pads and large motorcycles.
“We’ve been Kairyu members from the start. We’ve been planning with Bachal-dono for a while.”
“Is that so?”
Despite their appearance, they’re reliable reinforcements.
And the muscle ratio just went up again. Who’s going to be pleased with that?
“Max, how much information do you have over here?”
“We’re playing hide and seek. Can only peek outside from here.”
Bachal’s inquiry earned a shrug from the orange rooster’s crest.
“Then let me tell you, it’s a mixed bag of good and bad news.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Then hit me with the bad news first.”
Max grumbled, tensing his shoulder muscles. Intimidating.
“Unfortunately, the good news comes first. Cherina joined us.”
Instantly, Max’s expression brightened. Intimidating.
“That’s fantastic! We’d sacrifice anything for the lady! My family owes everything to the lady’s company!”
“That’s reassuring. Now for the bad news…”
Bachal paused for a moment.
“Cherina has been abducted by that pig of a king.”
He spat out the words with sharp intensity.
“What?!”
“Quiet! Quiet!”
This time not only Bachal’s men but also the now-standing Max were restrained by his post-apocalyptic disciples.
“…Is that… for real?”
Once he calmed down a bit, Max, looking agitated, asked Bachal almost aggressively.
“…Sorry. She was taken right in front of me.”
“You… You let that happen?!”
His upper body muscles rippled. Intimidating!
“Paul Molmore betrayed us. He sold Cherina out.”
“…”
Finally quiet, or so I thought, but Max trembled all over, his face twisted in fury. His entire body muscles bulged, even emitting waves of light. Intimidating! So intimidating!
“I… I’ve… I’ve had some dealings with Molmore. When I was a kid, he gave me jobs in waste management. The pay was crap, but it kept me alive… But…”
His waves… not his fighting spirit… danced.
“That bastard Molmore, let me kill him! I won’t forgive the bastard who kidnaps the lady!”
Max looked between Bachal and me, his eyes intense! So scary!
Bachal shifted his gaze to me. I nodded with a sigh.
“Understood. You deal with Molmore. If possible, we’d prefer him alive.”
“Hmph. Then I’ll break his arms and legs before handing him over alive.”
Cherina is too well-liked.
“Well, that’ll have to do.”
Bachal sighed deeply.
“I appreciate your understanding, sir.”
People call that extortion.
“Now that seems settled, could you please explain?”
I glared at Bachal, who silently pointed ahead. There was a wooden window with faint light leaking through. It seemed like he wanted us to look outside.
I peered out through the slightly open window.
“…The city walls? When did they get so close?”
The city walls towered beyond the 15-meter open space.
“We’re at the western section of the walls. Security is lax here because there’s no gate.”
While inspecting a large spear, Bachal answered.
“I see… Security’s lax, but how do we get past this?”
Though not as high as the city walls, the walls surrounding the Pilatus Royal Castle were still quite tall. Climbing them seemed impossible.
“Well, you see, this western section of the walls was repaired during the previous king’s reign. It might not look like it, but compared to the ancient walls, it’s like paper.”
Would that information even be useful?
“Sure, it might be softer compared to ancient times, but how are we supposed to deal with a stone wall like that?”
“Well, his Excellency will take care of it somehow.”
He smirked. It’s irritating when handsome guys do it. Damn it.
“That Excellency?”
My questioning and a high-pitched sound from somewhere overlapped. It sounded like the roar of a plane cutting through the wind.
Suddenly, there was a vibration and a loud noise.
“What’s that?!”
“Look!”
Bachal pointed at the city walls… with something thick sticking out of them.
What’s that?
High-pitched sounds continued consecutively. With each one, there were vibrations and explosions, and the protrusions grew.
“What the hell?!”
I couldn’t help but forget our hiding and shout.
“Those are ballista bolts. And they’re being fired from quite large ones.”
Despite the chaos in front of us, Hagg was calm, adjusting his beard.
“While they have pretty good performance to shoot iron bolts… surprisingly, they have something like this out here.”
He seemed oddly composed despite the situation. Yaralai was the same.
Aren’t you guys too used to rough situations?
Steel bolts kept flying in, gradually breaking down the city walls.
“Hey Bachal! What’s going on?”
He returned a smug, wicked grin. Infuriating.
“This… this is an opportunity!”
Bachal smashed through the wooden window and leaped outside, followed by his fishermen and Max, as well as the disciples.
“What are you doing, Akira?! Let’s go!”
Hagg and Yaralai were already outside and ready. They adapt quickly.
I hurriedly tried to join them outside, clumsily grabbing the window frame.
“Envelop yourself in waves!”
I got scolded.