Ha, ha, ha, ha...

　His rough breathing echoed loudly in his ears.
　He knew in his head that this was a folly to let the enemy know his position, but his body would not allow such thoughts of the young man.
　It is true that the young man's body was forged like steel after having passed through many battlefields, and his excellent physical functions were further strengthened by martial arts.
　However, even though their muscle strength and endurance had been incomparably enhanced, they were still within the framework of their human existence.
　Inhaling oxygen into the lungs to burn sugar and fat to produce energy. The energy produced is then consumed by the muscles and the oxygen is converted into oxygen dioxide and released from the body. These basic structural principles of the human organism remain the same.
Even if the young man was a double c-rank, one of the most skilled among the guild's youngsters....
　Wiping the sweat dripping from his forehead like a waterfall with his hands roughly, the young man carries the leather bag hanging from his waist to his mouth.
　The water is tepid, soaked with the taste of the skin.
　It's not a flattering taste, but it's still a lifeline to today's youth, equivalent to the finest wine.　

That's it.

　Squeezing every last drop into his mouth, the young man tosses the bag down in frustration.
　If he could reach the watering holes scattered throughout the forest, he could refill his water supply.
　The young man looks over the map of the Woltenia peninsula that had been kept in the guild.
　It is a poorly made map that cannot be compared to the precise maps used in modern Japan, but even so, I had an idea of the direction of the watering hole.
　However, there was no chance in hell that I would ever reach that watering hole.
(They're deliberately driving me in the opposite direction of the watering hole... they're going to hunt me down after I've exhausted my strength)　
　Spitting irritably, the young man glanced backwards as he spat in frustration.
　He wouldn't feel much fatigue even if he were to run ten kilometers on the well-maintained, flat city road, but this was the famous extraterrestrial demon world. The dense vegetation of the forest and the monsters that live there blocked our escape, and with the sightless pursuers chasing us from the rear, we were physically and mentally trapped.
　I honestly wanted to take a pause somewhere.
(d*mn you.)
　The fellow who had insisted on taking this job was already on his way to Hades.
　Although he was a money-grubbing man, he had a strange affinity with young people.
　When the work was over and my pocket was feeling better, I would often take them out with me to bars and brothels.
　However, what fills the hearts of today's young people is the incessant abuse of their dead partners and regret at their own poor judgment in accepting this job.
　The amount of money offered as compensation is five times the market price. In addition to the advance payment, they even offer a bonus depending on the results of the investigation.
　Although it was a dubious job that was directly requested by a certain nobleman and did not go through the guild, but this amount of money for a mere investigation was supposed to be a pretty tasty request.
　That's why the young man was also on board with this story.
　But.........
What's the point of a brief investigation? Son of a b*tc*. You got me mixed up in this shitty business.
　The Woltenia Peninsula.
　It was a place name that anyone who belonged to a guild and did rough work for a living would have heard of at least once.
　In fact, the young man had also heard rumors of this land many times in the past.
　It is rumored that a pirate stronghold and a hidden settlement of dirty sub-humans exist in this abandoned land.
　A treasure trove of high-ranking monsters with skins and fangs that are ferocious and strong, but fetch a very high price.
　Whenever I heard that story, my friends and I would sit in a bar and raise our spirits, thinking that one day we would be able to improve our skills and go to this land.
　It's a good thing that the guilds and peers would recognize you as a skilled player if you were to go to this place and come back alive.
　It's only natural that a youngster just starting out would be filled with fear and admiration.
　It was about two years ago that change came to the Woltenia Peninsula. Suddenly, a nobleman with a name never seen or heard of before was born, and he was granted the Woltenia Peninsula by King Roseria.
　It was truly a bolt out of the blue.
　Many people who heard about it were surprised that an unknown mercenary was anointed as a nobleman, and then laughed in derision at being forced into the Wortenian Peninsula.
　Although the name was the reward, it was usually only tantamount to harassment and punishment.
　It was true that the Woltenia Peninsula was a vast area of land for a single nobleman to claim as his territory.
　In fact, there are only a few aristocrats who possess such a large amount of land in the entire western continent.
　However, no matter how vast the territory was, if there were no people to live there, it was worthless.
　A naked king with no people to rule over, who has acquired a barren land that produces nothing. Or, in this case, a nobleman.
　Either way, the general public's assessment of Baron Mikoshiba was that he was a stupid nobleman who drew a poor lottery ticket because of his name.
　However, the young man learned firsthand that this assessment was a big mistake.

"Whoever made it... is a monster...

　The scene he had seen from the top of the hill came into the young man's mind, and words that could be described as both admiration and cursing escaped his lips.
　It was more magnificent and enormous than any city the young man born in rural Roselia had ever seen in his life.
　Indeed, it might be somewhat inferior in size to the huge cities such as the royal capital Piraeus, which he visited to register with the guild, and the capital of the Oltmere Empire, which he heard about from his friends.
　But who can remain calm when you see the city surrounded by many layers of high, thick walls and the huge harbor that fills the coastline?
　And a huge castle is being built in the middle of the bay.
　The grand, functional castle overwhelmed the minds of the young man and his companions.

'Tell them ... about ... that place ...'

　Right now, no one knows exactly what's going on in the Woltenia Peninsula.
　This is because Baron Mikoshiba has refused to establish a branch of the guild in his territory, and has set up a barrier to the north of Count Salzberg's territory, blocking almost all traffic.
　It's a good thing that you're able to get the most out of your time and money.
　At that time, I accepted this job because of the good remuneration, but in reality, I was unsympathetic.



　Shortly after Baron Mikoshiba took possession of the Woltenia peninsula, all the mercenaries and adventurers who went there disappeared.　
　At first, it was thought that it was just a bunch of fools who misunderstood their abilities and became fodder for the monster, but the young man understood the true reason firsthand.
　The huge citadel seen from the top of that hill said it all.
　The ability to create something like that in this extrahuman magical world in just a few years is exactly what makes the word "monster" appropriate.
　The young man's sense of duty to bring back the information he has obtained to his client is what makes his body move.　
　He believes this is the only way he can make amends for the loss of his friends and his sole survivor.
　Eventually the young man's path opened up.
　Evidence that he had passed through the forest at the foot of the mountain and had reached the borders of the county of Salzberg.
　The young man has reached the point of exhaustion and exhaustion, and he puts the last of his strength into his screaming body.
(Almost ... almost ... almost)
　The young man struggles to keep running. But when he is almost there, a black shadow suddenly falls from the top of a tree.
　And as something glows, something cold snatches the young man's throat.

''Huh?''

　The young man stopped in his tracks and put his hand on his throat, his eyes frozen with fear and astonishment.　　
　A thick, sticky liquid. Something other than sweat flows out of the young man's neck.
　Feeling the hands of the clock ticking his life slowing down, the young man fearfully lifts his hands in front of him.

''Blood.........''

　With each heartbeat, liquid dripped down his neck to his chest.
A red-black hand.
　The young man crumples to the ground as something hot rises from the back of his throat.

You're a lucky man to have escaped this far.

　Wiping the blood from the small sword in his hand with a cloth, the black shadow looked down at the young man's corpse with an inorganic gaze.　

''Those guys also seem to be training hard, but they're not done yet. Shall I tell Lord Gen-Oh to train them a little harder?

"Well, that's not what you said, Tatsusai-dono. They are quite good for someone who has only been training for a few months. If they train too hard and crush them, it would be all for naught. Before your mansion left, he told you not to let them train too hard, didn't he?　Well, don't be too hasty.

　The shadow slowly turns around as a wrinkled woman's voice is called from behind her.

'That said, Oume-dono. I'd like to make you raise your arm a little before your mansion-sama returns.

　Ryusai opened his mouth in frustration.
　As an elder of the Iganzaishu clan, Ryusai, who felt more responsible than anyone else for the rise and fall of his family, wanted to show off the value of their clan to Ryoma, if only a little.
　A ninja is a living tool.
　And a tool has meaning when there are people who try to use it.

Well, that feeling is certainly understandable. I'm sure you'll be able to see that, but I'm sure you'll also be able to see that they were able to take care of four out of the five intruders by themselves. You can't just admit that to yourself, can you?　

So this guy's skills are better than I expected.

　Abominably, Ryusai kicks at the body at his feet.

That's right. It's a good thing that we're here for the purpose of getting rid of this kind of skillful person who occasionally gets mixed up with us," he said.

　At those words, Ryusai reluctantly nodded.
　In fact, two people belonging to the Elders, the highest rank among the Iganzaishu, are in such a remote place, and it's not just a sight-seeing party.

''Indeed ... it's just as Oumedono says.

In fact, the training method you have devised has been quite successful. After all, a mere child has become strong enough to work as a burglar, albeit an imposter.

'I didn't know what that meant when they told me they were going to deliberately make those guys cross the border and then hunt them down to keep their mouths shut, though.

　When he said that, Ryusai gave a bitter smile.
　The development of the city of Seirios couldn't be known to others just yet.
　At some point, the entire continent would be informed and trade would flourish. However, now that the lord Mikoshiba Ryoma is away on the Zaruda expedition, if this information leaks out, it is impossible to predict where and what kind of movement will occur.
　Therefore, sealing the border in order to seal off information was correct.
　The problem is the other order that Ryoma gave.

Yeah, so am I. Other than him, who else would come up with such a dangerous training method that they would have to go all the way to the city of Seirios to recruit a secret agent and then deal with him? It's true that once you've experienced actual combat, you'll become much better at it.

　Rather than blocking the intrusion of the clandestine scouts at the borderline, once they were allowed to penetrate to the outskirts of Seirios, they would seal their mouths.
　At first glance, this would seem to be an irrational and unnecessary risk, but in fact, it was the exact opposite.
　It is a truly selfish and ruthless way of thinking, taking human life to the extreme.
　And, in fact, this plan has worked.
　In a short period of time, a mere child bought into slavery from all over the world has grown up to be able to work as a burglar in its own right.

"I've heard that when a lion teaches its young to hunt, it gives them weaker prey to teach them, just like that...

Well, it's certainly a good move to build up some balls.

But if that's the case, this practice is about to be compromised, isn't it?

That's right. I still haven't told Ryusai-dono, but these days there are more and more skilled people who have managed to outrun those kids' pursuits and get as close to the border as possible.

Hmm, so that's why you asked for me.

　At Ome's words, Ryusai sighed deeply.
　There was certainly no way he would continue to send in secret scouts without taking any measures, unless he was a very stupid person.

''Oh, I think it'll hold for a while longer, but I figured it's best to take care of it as soon as possible.

　If there are no returnees, of course, the clients and guilds will improve the quality of the people they send.
　In the beginning, they seemed to be full of single E and F-ranked people, but recently, B-ranked and similarly skilled people have been mixed in with them.
　If this trend continues, we'll probably see more A-ranked people being dispatched at some point.
　If this happens, no matter how much ground we have to cover, we won't be able to get rid of the intruders forever. Even if the Igazaki's veterans have set up a tenfold and twenty-fold defense net to ensure that they will not be let off the hook.

''If they continue to send people of this caliber in the future, then there's no problem, but that would be a naive idea.

Well, you can talk about that when the master of the house comes back.

　At those words, Ryusai gave a small nod and looked up at the far southern sky.
　He thought of his Lord's return after finishing the report of his return at the royal capital.

''Two days to go?

Yeah, I guess that's about it.