"Give 'em hell, Lyle!!"
When I heard the First Generation's voice, I couldn't help but laugh as the big man's greataxe swung toward my face.
Seeing my expression, the big man must have thought I'd lost my mind—or maybe he just didn't realize what was about to happen.
Either way, this fight was already over.
"Limit Burst."
If Full Over enhances your overall abilities by ten to twenty percent, then Limit Burst pushes you past your limits entirely. It's a skill that simultaneously heals the massive backlash that comes with that kind of boost.
The moment I activated it, time around me felt different from usual. It was profoundly slow, and my senses sharpened to a razor's edge.
I drew the spare saber from my left hand and crossed both blades against the incoming axe, deflecting it. Sparks flew from the impact, and the shockwave rattled through me. I absorbed the force, twisted my body, and drove a kick straight into the big man's head.
"Wha—"
He didn't go flying, but after stumbling and falling, he was clearly dazed from the direct hit to his skull.
He used his axe as a crutch to stand back up, staring at me with a look of utter incomprehension.
"That's quite the handy skill. I'm jealous," I said.
At that, the big man raised his axe again.
Whether it was the skill's effect or the big man having some particular resistance to blunt damage, I couldn't tell. Maybe both.
Roaring at the top of his lungs, he charged at me while swinging his axe wildly.
But that roar wasn't meant to intimidate.
He'd realized in that split second that my movements had changed. And at the same time, his signature killing blow—until now, completely unstoppable—had been deflected with ease.
Maybe he panicked after learning his trump card was useless.
"You goddamn monster!!"
I felt a bit sorry, being called a monster just because I was stronger than him. I deflected his attack with both sabers again and landed another kick.
One saber probably would have snapped.
(The skill's effect is incredible.)
This time, I drove my foot into his gut. The big man dropped to one knee and looked up at me like he was witnessing something impossible.
"How? I've got speed and power! How can someone soft and flimsy like you—"
He did have more raw power, enhanced by the skill. But I was the faster one. Besides, anyone who can manipulate their magic force gets a boost in strength, and I'd trained extensively in that. So calling him a power type was generous. He was really just temporarily pumped up. What he critically lacked was technique.
Using my skill to sense the surrounding presence, I could tell the thieves had already been captured. The only one left was the big man in front of me.
As I walked toward him, he dropped his axe and raised both hands, begging.
"W-Wait! I, I like you, y'know! I think you could make my biggest dreams come true! So, how about you make me your underling? Hell, I'll even let you boss my guys around as soldiers or whatever—"
What a one-eighty. Total cowardice.
I glanced at the axe he'd thrown. It was well out of his reach.
But then the First Generation spoke up.
"Hey, this one's a slippery little schemer. Anyone with a cowardly streak like his—"
When he noticed my gaze shift slightly, the big man pulled out a hidden knife and took a combat stance. The orb clenched in his left hand glowed faintly.
A leering grin spread across his face.
"Idiot!"
"—always keeps a weapon or two hidden."
Then the Fifth Generation chimed in, sounding exasperated.
"Could you maybe warn us a little sooner?"
"Don't be stupid. That's more than enough for Lyle."
By the time I heard the First Generation's words, I was already lunging forward and throwing a kick. The strike to the big man's jaw sent his skill fizzling out.
Looking around, I saw that the other adventurers had surrounded me. They seemed relieved—they'd been worried I'd get ambushed. I'd been on guard too, but I'd probably let my guard down a little after all.
(Lucky the skill saved me. Actually, this Limit Burst—this thing's broken.)
There were restrictions on consecutive use, but like the others, it was powerful despite its quirks.
I deactivated the skill and looked down at the unconscious big man.
"That should do it. Lyle, before we hand him over, take that string off his left hand—"
As the Fifth Generation spoke, I deactivated my skill, approached the unconscious man, and forcibly tore the cord from his left hand to reclaim the orb.
The red orb glowed faintly.
(I'm starting to think this one might be way more convenient.)
While examining it, I looked at the blue Jewel glowing against my chest. The Jewel that complained and placed restrictions on my skill use. The one that taught anyone how to use their skills freely, regardless of who the wielder was.
If I had to choose between the two, I'd probably pick the latter.
"...Hey, you look like you've got something to say."
The First Generation had picked up on my thoughts with his primal intuition, asking in a low voice.
Just then, Novem and Mr. Lockward rushed over to me. The bandit boss was surrounded and tied up by the adventurers.
"Lyle, sir... That was magnificent."
Novem's eyes were a little teary, but she smiled at me. Mr. Lockward was flustered when he saw me. He probably wanted to say something about the red orb I was holding, but since he hadn't done anything, he couldn't bring himself to speak.
(He's an awkward one.)
While I was thinking that, a voice came from the adventurers.
"Hey, this one's in bad shape."
"He's bleeding from everywhere. Is it backlash from the skill use?"
"Well, as long as he's alive, it's fine. Come on, let's move him."
I turned around. Blood was gushing from the bandit boss's body. The adventurers were pouring medicine over his wounds to heal him.
(Well, we do need him alive.)
Excessive skill use. His body hadn't been able to take the strain.
(Looking at this, I can see why my ancestors imposed restrictions on my skill use.)
Watching the big man bleed from every pore, I resolved to exercise extreme caution when using my skills.
Then Mr. Lockward called out to me.
"Ah, um..."
He looked utterly conflicted, alternating between staring at the orb in my hand and my face.
Seeing this, Novem spoke to me.
"It's time to fulfill your objective, Lyle, sir."
At her words, I handed the orb to Mr. Lockward. I'd thought about tossing it, but then I remembered it was a precious family heirloom. Better to hand it over properly.
He received the orb with both hands, gripping mine in the process, and looked up at me with tears streaming down his face. His bright red face was practically screaming that he wanted to thank me.
"Um, well, I didn't really do anything, but, uh..."
Mr. Lockward couldn't get the words out, so Novem gently said:
"Please accept it. That is Lyle's wish. Isn't that right, Lyle?"
Novem was giggling as she sought my confirmation. I scratched my cheek with a fingertip and averted my gaze, embarrassed.
"Well, you know... my objective is accomplished. So, no problem. More importantly—"
"Th-Thank y—"
Mr. Lockward tried to finish his thanks, but he never got the chance.
I turned around to face an approaching adventurer.
"Sorry to bother you. Business calls, you know."
"Not at all, thank you. You really helped us out."
When I said that, the adventurer removed his hood. He was a sharp-eyed man with an aura that said he was no ordinary fighter. More than a bounty hunter, this was the kind of adventurer on familiar terms with the lord himself—someone of proven skill, good character, and deep trust.
He wasn't an adventurer from Darion, though. Zelphy had reached out to him and asked for his cooperation. To make sure this wouldn't become a problem at the Guild, I'd had Hawkins look into it. Hawkins had made a difficult face but ultimately said, "Officially, we can't." He'd turned a blind eye. More than anything, he'd been worried about whether this person could actually help.
(If Zelphy wanted to help Mr. Lockward, I figured he'd cooperate wholeheartedly. Glad I was right.)
The adventurer across from me looked relieved.
"Helped out, did we? Now we can try these guys at our home turf. The lord will be overjoyed."
Right—these were adventurers from the very territory the bandit gang had been terrorizing. The best of them had joined the subjugation effort.
"I want to claim certain items from the treasure they've hoarded. I know it's rushed, but I'd appreciate your oversight."
I nodded.
"Right, right. You've got to act quickly at times like these. They're still on the job. We should explain the situation to the adventurers brought in from Darion, too. There might be some greedy ones who'd try to lay hands on the bandits' loot."
The cheerful voice of the Third Generation reached me.
I had to stay and oversee things, so I asked one of the adventurers to handle the explanation.
"To think we'd have to rely on adventurers..."
The Seventh Generation didn't seem thrilled about depending on mercenaries. The Third Generation responded with exasperation.
"You've got adventurer acquaintances of your own, don't you? I mean, I get the feeling, but adventurers are a mixed bag."
Still, we absolutely needed a top-tier adventurer for our plan.
"That greataxe—is that okay to take? It was once owned by a retainer of the lord. His relatives have been looking for it. I know you have the rights to it, but they'll pay a fair price."
I looked at the greataxe the big man had wielded. It was indeed an impressive weapon.
I had no use for it, so I left the pricing to them.
"That's fine. Whatever amount they offer works. Now, shall we go check it out?"
"You're easy to work with. But are you sure? He said it was a family weapon, passed down through generations. You could drive the price up, you know."
Hearing that, I spotted Mr. Lockward trembling at the edge of my vision.
"...I'm not really in the mood for that sort of thing." (My objective's already been achieved. No reason to get greedy.)
"Fair enough. This way, then. It's still inside the abandoned mine—we haven't been able to touch it yet. I'll let the client know about the heirloom axe. He'll be thrilled."
"That might be too much, but... well, sure, go ahead."
Maybe I shouldn't have said anything more? I hesitated, but figured it was the adventurer's good intention and let it go.
I headed into the abandoned mine alongside the adventurer. Novem came with me. Mr. Lockward watched us leave—or rather, he just stood there, frozen, unsure of what to do. He'd probably let his guard down after the tension broke.
"What a relief. What a real relief. Alice's Jewel has returned to Alice's descendant... Damn it, I'm tearing up."
The First Generation seemed to be crying.
Seeing that, the Second Generation declared:
"Watching a grown man cry is always so ugly. Or is it just because it's the First Generation?"
"You little— How dare you say that while I'm being vulnerable! Show your face!"
"I told you, I can't show up, you brainless barbarian!"
Same old banter as always, but—
(Hey, cut it out! I'm exhausted from the fight and—oh, there's the dizziness.)
As I started to wobble, Novem was immediately there to support me.
"Lyle, sir!?"
"Hey, hey, you okay? Well, you did push yourself pretty hard. Rest up a little first—"
"N-No, I'm fine... Just a little more." (Learn to read the room, would you!!)
It never ended. And it was becoming my usual pattern, which I was not fond of.
---
The cart rattled and swayed. Behind iron bars, the captured bandits were crammed uncomfortably into three transport wagons.
They had no idea they were being taken back to the territory they'd been terrorizing, dragged out of Darion.
"Damn it, we hadn't even done anything yet!"
"Yeah! We never even touched your territory!"
"Let us out, now! You even stole our treasure!"
The bandits' self-serving complaints only drew smirks from the surrounding adventurers. I didn't think they were simply laughing at the bandits' words. It was more like they knew what awaited the prisoners.
Seeing this, the big man sensed something off.
"Hey—these guys are Darion adventurers, right?"
Rubbing his sore jaw, he asked one of his subordinates—the one who'd gathered intel in Darion as an adventurer.
"No, sir. I've never seen them before."
The big man looked around.
"Where the hell are they taking us? What's the meaning of this—crossing borders to drag us out?"
Hearing that, one of the adventurers rode his horse up to the bars.
"When did we ever say we were from Darion? You lot are going back to the territory you ravaged and getting what's coming to you."
At those words, the color drained from the bandits' faces.
Banseim Kingdom was a nation where lords wielded tremendous power. There were common laws, but in some territories, the lord's will held overwhelming sway. As a result, criminals who fled across border lines often got away with it. Sure, if things went too far, famous bounty hunters might track them down—but that was rare.
"W-What do you mean?! We were in Darion! You have no reason to come after us!"
The big man was clearly losing it. His subordinates panicked even more.
Seeing this, the adventurers burst into laughter.
"We just happened to catch you when you ran this way. The Darion adventurers herded you over here, and we just happened to be nearby. Really, what a pain those Darion folks are... Now we owe them a big favor."
Each adventurer had taken on their own commission. Recover the valuables the bandits had stolen. Avenge a family member. A whole range of requests, all accepted simultaneously, allowing the adventurers to participate in the Darion subjugation under the guise of an ordinary mission.
It was Zelphy who had contacted the adventurers connected to the lord.
"Y-You bastards! Why would you do this?! Because we're bad guys?! There are worse people out there!"
The big man was right. Compared to truly heinous criminals, their crimes were relatively light. Relatively. In truth, their offenses were still serious. They'd raided villages and burned them to the ground. They'd attacked the lord's residence. They'd harmed women and children—just to name a few.
A lord whose territory had been ravaged like that couldn't very well let the bandits escape unpunished. That would destroy his standing. His people's resentment would grow. They'd see him as weak.
"How should I know? Your luck just ran out. Besides, after terrorizing everyone for so long, you've got the nerve to complain now? Some of these adventurers are from the villages you attacked, you know."
The big man looked around. Among the smiling adventurers, a few were not smiling at all. They brandished their weapons.
"So you're going to judge us, right? If you kill us here—"
"Huh? What are you saying? Even if one or two disappear, the rest of you are getting tried and executed. As long as we have enough witnesses, it doesn't matter."
Every single bandit's face went pale.
---
When we arrived in Darion, we released the gathered personnel and returned the rented carts and equipment to the merchants.
Most of the treasure the bandits had hoarded was returned. After settling all the payments, what remained in our hands was sixty gold coins.
(If I'd done this properly, we'd have taken a massive loss. No wonder the lord's got a headache, given all the complications that came with the subjugation.)
When accepting the job, I'd also hired capable adventurers from Darion as a precaution. That had cost a pretty penny. And the bandits' treasure—finding someone to appraise it had been such a hassle that I'd sold most of it to the adventurers directly.
Everything was done. All that remained was to report to the Guild.
"Finally, it's all wrapped up."
I stretched, and Novem said to me:
"Good work, Lyle, sir. But if I may ask—what was your true objective, Lyle, sir?"
That question put me in a bind. Should I tell Novem about the Jewel and my ancestors' intentions, or keep it to myself?
(Now's as good a time as any to tell Novem. She saw me use the skill during this battle, so she'd find it somewhat convincing anyway...)
Just then, Zelphy appeared on horseback.
"Good work, both of you."
"Ah, good work, Zelphy," Novem said, and I echoed the greeting.
"Go take a bath and then report to the Guild. I'm sure Hawkins is waiting at home, worried sick."
When Zelphy said that, I pictured Hawkins looking concerned. Short as our acquaintance was, that man was genuinely good people.
"Will do. And Zelphy, you have business with us too, right?"
At my words, Zelphy's eyes went wide. Then he scratched his head and looked away sheepishly.
"...I swear, I thought you were a frail little brat, but you're one hell of a kid."
He sighed, then said:
"After you check in at the Guild, we'll head to the lord's residence together. There are things you should know."
With that, he mounted his horse and rode off.
Novem turned to me with a smile.
"When did you figure it out? That Zelphy was connected to Darion's lord and knew the adventurers?"
At Novem's question, I raised both hands in surrender.
"Probably later than you did. And it wasn't my own ability that tipped me off."
Hearing that, the Third Generation spoke up proudly.
"That's right, I was the one who noticed! Well, you see, she's quite capable, and she gathered information so quickly. At first, I was a little suspicious—but when that girl Aria showed up, I gradually became more certain—"
"That's enough. You're derailing the conversation."
When the Fourth Generation cut off the Third Generation's boasting, I turned to Novem:
"I was only a little suspicious, starting from when Hawkins recommended an instructor for you. Though I imagine he would have shown up even for a lower fee."
"You were suspicious from the start?!"
"Well, he sent an instructor to us when we clearly had a shady background. And he didn't seem to offer one to anyone else."
Novem had been giggling the whole time. That made me wonder—if she was suspicious from the beginning, why had she paid such a high commission?
Sensing my question, Novem explained:
"I believed an instructor's guidance would match the fee paid. I decided I couldn't cut corners when it came to Lyle's grand ambition."
"Oh, really?" (My grand ambition? Wait, did I say something to Novem about that?)
There were parts I didn't quite understand, but since I still had to report to the Guild, Novem and I headed to the bathhouse. A few days' worth of grime had built up, and I wanted to wash it off.
(...Then again, my grand ambition? I don't remember saying anything like that. Becoming an adventurer was just something that happened—more like I had no other ideas.)