Extra of a Crazy World Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Battle of Baran Village (2)

“HUFF, HUFF…!”

Rebecca was holed up in the hideout Rudian had prepared.

“No, no…!”

For her, who had been kidnapped by thugs several years ago and suffered greatly, the current situation was deeply triggering the trauma of her past.

Originally, her vibrant personality wasn’t the type to be greatly bound by such past incidents.

But the reason she was suffering so much now wasn’t because of the past, but for an entirely different reason.

“I have to go. But if I go, I’ll be a hindrance to Rudian…!”

From a while ago, something black and viscous had been calling to her, stimulating her instincts.

Her mind was becoming hazy, almost like what she imagined being on drugs would feel like, and her will was being pulled extremely toward one direction.

Back when the thugs who kidnapped her in the past were trying to perform some kind of ritual. That peculiar sensation she had felt just once then.

Rebecca felt like she was about to lose her grip on sanity as she was overwhelmed by an addictive sensation much stronger than that time.

“I must endure. I must endure…!”

Rebecca was unaware that saliva was already dripping from her mouth.

Demon Eater.

Coincidentally, when Rudian was training with Diablo.

The powerful aura that had faintly emanated from Diablo awakened something in her blood as she watched.

“I want… To eat.”

A flow that would twist the original story’s development, which Rudian had never anticipated, had begun.

***

While Rebecca was fighting against the instinct of blood that was gradually awakening within her.

Rudian, too, was fiercely battling the situation he found himself in.

“…Kuk!”

Though these were opponents he could easily dispatch by borrowing Diablo’s power, Rudian didn’t want to use the power of demons in a fight against ordinary humans.

Moreover, Diablo’s power was something that the current Rudian couldn’t control.

If he carelessly borrowed that power and Diablo went berserk on its own, there was a high possibility that the entire village would be swept away.

So despite the hassle, Rudian was engaging in urban warfare using only his own strength.

“You, you… Knew how to handle magic…!”

PWAK!

A cavalryman who had fallen for Rudian’s bait and created a one-on-one situation had his heart pierced by a single thrust from Rudian.

“Traps!”

“Don’t come close! There are traps!”

The traps that the people of Baran Village had set up throughout the village were inflicting sufficient damage on the enemies.

The traps that the vigilante group had laid for monsters were proving their worth.

“These crazy bastards! They set monster traps?”

“For beasts, naturally beast-catching traps work best!”

Faced with Baran Village’s resistance, which was much better prepared than expected, the Kingdom of Rohans’s detachment fell into confusion.

Especially when they entered the alleys incorrectly, traps were waiting nine out of ten times, increasing the casualties even more.

“Damn them, they’ve turned their own territory completely into hell!”

The Dera Village they had raided before wasn’t this viciously prepared.

They had brought in the village chief and several villagers and cut off their heads as an example, and the rest had simply submitted.

But these people, who should be safer due to their proximity to Iskar main Castle, what had they eaten wrong that they were struggling so desperately?

“HAHAHA! This is the spirit of Baran Village! You damn invaders!”

“Chief, please be quiet!”

Baran Village, surprisingly, had a high proportion of retired soldiers from Iskar Castle.

Though the vigilante group was small in number, even ordinary residents who weren’t part of it had learned basic spear techniques.

Especially the village chief, Marco, was an ex-captain of the White Company who had been expelled from the military for causing trouble.

In a one-on-one fight, he could challenge even ordinary detachment members.

“Did you think you could take over this village with just that many numbers, you weaklings!”

“You damn bastards…!”

They had fallen badly into a trap.

Now, only five subordinates remained.

“Once we kill you all, it’s over.”

Bernard Kalcho glared murderously at Rudian, who now stood proudly before him.

‘This isn’t someone to be underestimated just because he’s young.’

In appearance, he was just a boy who hadn’t even reached adulthood.

He looked like someone who might not even be able to properly perform squire duties, let alone be a knight-in-training, but Bernard had seen with his own eyes this boy cutting down nearly ten of his men.

Moreover, he had even blocked Bernard’s magic-infused blade.

Looking at Rudian, Bernard spoke.

“You’re the core of this village. It’s truly unbelievable, but… Have you awakened to magic at that age? A boy who doesn’t even seem to be from a distinguished martial family.”

“……”

A genius.

For Bernard, this was a disastrous situation, but the boy before him was definitely a genius.

Bernard dismounted and drew his sword.

“In honor of your and the villagers’ valiant fight, I’ll tell you one fact.”

“…?”

While maintaining his vigilance, Rudian waited to hear what the man would say.

For some reason, he felt a strange unease.

“Originally, this place was designated as the location where our Cooper would finish the operation. I thought this was practically our limit of advance, since going any further would bring us to Iskar main Castle.”

“…Don’t tell me.”

“And I am Cooper’s squadron leader, not the ‘captain.’ Do you know what this means?”

“…!”

Gritting his teeth at Bernard’s words, Rudian answered.

“It means you’re not the only ones invading here.”

“Kukuk, correct answer.”

Naturally, the current situation was an achievement they could attain thanks to most of their prepared impromptu measures working.

If just one more squadron of similar size to the enemy’s main force came, this place wouldn’t be able to withstand at all and would be turned into a wasteland.

‘…Can we hold out?’

There’s no way Iskar main Castle wouldn’t notice these guys’ movements.

The question is whether Rudian and the vigilante group could hold out until they arrive.

‘Should I use Diablo?’

Rudian felt a strong temptation for a moment.

‘No, it’s not the worst-case scenario yet. Let’s first deal with these guys in front of us and then think.’

Already, the vigilante group with spears and bows was slowly closing the distance around them.

If they fought, they could probably defeat those five without much difficulty.

But then.

“What are you doing, Bernard.”

Due to a voice coming from the village entrance, joy and despair crossed the faces of Rudian and Bernard respectively.

“Captain!”

‘…Damn it!’

CLOP! CLOP!

No one present had noticed the figure approaching on horseback from the village entrance.

It was partly because everyone’s attention was focused on each other, but it was also a testament to the opponent’s exceptional capabilities.

‘…This guy?’

Rudian looked at the suddenly intruding figure.

He was a muscular man about a head taller than Bernard Kalcho, with the peculiarity of wearing gauntlets on both hands but no other visible weapons.

But what disturbed Rudian’s nerves the most was none other than the opponent’s “status.”

-Name: Alec Hyuma

-Age: 145

-Title: Kingdom of Rohans Special Cavalry ‘Cooper’ Chief Commander, Demon King Iblis’s Mid-level Servant

-Strength: 27(+13)

-Agility: 30(+12)

-Vitality: 25(+25)

-Magic: 28(+30)

Total Combat Power: 3,620

Special Characteristic: Half-human Half-demon

‘…A minion of the demon race!’

What Rudian had feared most had become reality.

If there was any consolation, it was that he had appeared alone without other companions.

‘3,620…. Can I handle him?’

In terms of combat power, the opponent was almost comparable to Derrick.

Befitting a servant who had sold his soul to a demon, his lifespan exceeded that of humans, and his combat power was three times that of Bernard Kalcho.

‘Are those figures in parentheses the power received as a servant?’

But even without the additional abilities, the opponent was overwhelming Rudian’s stats with just his basic abilities.

‘A guy like that is only a mid-level servant, not a high-level one?’

Rudian felt the hair all over his body standing on end.

As an avid reader of <The. Chro. Seven.>, he knew well what kind of combat power the named demons appearing in Part 1 possessed.

But there was a dimensional difference between seeing it in text and feeling it in person.

“I apologize, Captain. Due to my incompetence, I’ve lost many subordinates.”

“……”

Bernard bowed his head in apology despite his superior appearing alone, showing no particular agitation.

It seemed that Alec Hyuma was the type who regularly wandered around like this without accompanying subordinates.

Alec looked down at Bernard with disgusted eyes.

“Incompetent fool.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Bernard couldn’t even meet Alec’s sharp gaze and kept his eyes lowered.

“If you’re sorry, you must pay the price.”

“What? C-Captain?”

Bernard was considerably surprised by Alec’s cold response, which differed from his usual demeanor.

But before Bernard could make any excuses.

PWAK!

A blackened fist blew Bernard’s head clean off.

“…?”

“W-What just happened!”

“He killed his own subordinate?”

Seeing Alec’s immediate execution without even hearing an explanation, despite whatever mistake might have been made, Bernard’s remaining subordinates bulged their eyes.

Simultaneously, Rudian’s shout followed.

“Chief! Run away!”

The quick-witted village chief issued a retreat order to the vigilante group as soon as he heard Rudian’s scream-like shout.

“Damn it! Everyone, run!”

The chief was worried about Rudian but realized this wasn’t a situation where he could look after anyone.

Only knights who could handle magic could so magnificently blow off a person’s head with just a fist like that, and in the chief’s experience, such a person was not someone who could be dealt with by the village’s vigilante group or traps.

Not only the chief and the vigilante group but also Bernard’s surviving subordinates began to flee at the sight of their captain’s crazed action.

Yet surprisingly, Alec Hyuma did not chase after the fleeing villagers and subordinates but remained standing in place.

Or more precisely, he was directly staring at Rudian, the only one who wasn’t fleeing.

“……”

‘…What’s going on?’

Rudian frowned in confusion at Alec’s behavior, ignoring everyone else.

He had been prepared to use Diablo to stop him if the man went on a rampage, but strangely, that hadn’t happened.

“Hmm.”

“…!”

The mouth of Alec, which had seemed like it would remain silent forever, slowly opened.

“Why do you interfere with us?”

“…What?”

A deep baritone voice, fitting his build, penetrated Rudian’s ears.

But what made Rudian confused wasn’t the man’s tone but the content of his words.

“Your side should have received prior notification? No, perhaps due to our too rapid movement, orders haven’t been properly disseminated? Even so, this is happening in your territory.”

“What are you saying…”

“Don’t underestimate my senses. Do you think I wouldn’t have noticed that you are in a position to serve the same great beings as I do? There’s no need to pretend to be righteous.”

It was so absurd, but Rudian wasn’t stupid enough to not understand the context.

“I am Alec Hyuma, servant of the great Demon King Iblis. What is your name, and whom do you serve?”

‘This bastard…!’

At first, he was unsure, but with Alec Hyuma’s next statement, Rudian was certain.

‘This guy mistakenly thinks I’m a servant like him!’