Chapter 180 : Ashuban of Sherwood

I couldn't hold back my anger. They say that in a mountain where the tiger has disappeared, the fox is king. But here, it wasn't even a fox, but a damn weasel wearing a tiger's skin and pretending to be the mountain lord.

'How dare these worthless trash bastards impersonate Sherwood?'

Sven said with a deeply worried face.

"Those guys are going around causing all sorts of trouble, pretending to be the Sherwood Mercenary Corps. The name of Sherwood is being tarnished. That proud Sherwood..."

It was the first time I had heard that Sherwood was proud, but anyway, I was indignant.

"These bastards who deserve to be torn to shreds...!"

Because Sherwood was not a name that could be tarnished by such pathetic guys. Now that my second name had also become Sherwood, Sherwood and I had become one. To curse Sherwood was to curse me. Not a metaphorical expression, but literally.

Sven buried his face in his palms and sighed.

"A lot of people have left. Because they caused all sorts of trouble while using the name of Sherwood. They would beat up passersby just for looking at them, go into shops and cause a scene, and take whatever they wanted as if it were their own..."

The more I heard, the more the thought that I couldn't let them live kept circling in my head.

'How dare they impersonate Sherwood?'

Have their livers swollen out of their bodies?

Miho, who was eating liver, also said in a low voice.

"That's something I can't just let slide."

This was a situation that could never be overlooked. I have to break the heads of these trash bastards.

When?

Right now.

It's human nature to act immediately once a decision is made.

"These bastards, I'll just."

As I prepared to attack immediately, Sven was terrified and tried to stop me.

"Stop it. They're not guys you can handle on your own. He's an aura user with a gold tag! It would be different if you brought the other members. You can't do it alone!"

In fact, the other members of the mercenary corps are here. Miho alone could easily take care of them, but only our mercenary corps members know her identity. Everyone else just knows her as a strange fox that can talk.

I stared at Miho blankly and then turned around. Because I'm not the me I used to be.

"I'll be back in a moment."

Sven grabbed my shoulder.

"Are you going alone? Think again. I told you, you can't do it alone. It's reckless!"

I gently released Sven's hand, which was trying to stop me, and pressed a few silver coins into his hand.

"I don't think so."

When I looked at Sven with clear eyes, he stopped trying to stop me and just stared at me blankly.

"You... you've changed. Your atmosphere is different."

I just smiled and left the shop.

When I get very angry, my head becomes rather cold.

I walked the familiar streets and drew the sword from my waist.

Screech—

Hans's silver sword, which had been cleanly broken in half, greeted me. It was broken in half, but I couldn't bear to throw it away, so I just brought it.

But...

'It's actually better.'

This is also a part of training.

I put the silver sword back into its scabbard.

I organized my thoughts as I walked.

After dealing with the guys who are tarnishing the name of Sherwood. What then?

I'll re-establish the Sherwood Mercenary Corps as planned.

From the beginning again. I'll build it up slowly with my own hands.

Since it was shattered because of me, it is also me who will put it back together.

I have to spread the news that the Sherwood Mercenary Corps has been resurrected. That way, these guys will hear the news and come back on their own.

It doesn't matter if they come back because they're curious about the truth of the rumor, or if they come storming in, angry because they think someone else is impersonating them.

In a way, the context is the same as when I cut down the Baron of Brankai in the Blake Kingdom. It's time for a spectacular prelude so that the rumor can spread quickly.

And, although the current situation is very unpleasant, a suitable stage has been set for it.

It's fine if they decide to retire like the leader and my sister. It's fine if they say they won't come back to the mercenary corps. But I have to hear those words directly.

Come and say it to my face. Don't mutter where no one can hear.

I fell from a cliff and came back without dying, so I have that right.

Do you understand? You damn bastards?

For that, my name must become famous above all else. It must spread far like the waves spreading in the wide sea.

Because I have to let them know that I've come back alive.

'Hmm. Let's see.'

Since rumors spread with nicknames...

The Red Eye Devil won't do. Because my name is missing. How can they associate me with the Red Eye Devil when they hear that name?

Then...

[Ashuban of Sherwood. How about that?]

The Heavenly Demon gave his opinion.

"Hmm. Not bad."

It's simple and good. Let's go with Ashuban of Sherwood.

"I am Ashuban of Sherwood!"

When I shouted, people whispered and moved away from me.

From what I could gather, the people here now seemed to understand Sherwood as a pronoun for the Starscratcher guys.

A sigh escaped me automatically.

"Oh dear... the authority of Sherwood has fallen to the ground."

A situation where there are more and more reasons why they must not be left alive.

As I was walking, sharpening my killing intent like a sharp sword, Miho called me.

"Ashuban. Give me a sword."

I looked at her with a surprised expression.

"Are you going to fight? What's the occasion?"

"Do you think I can stand by and watch those guys defile my home?"

"Hmm."

It was a convincing reason.

Miho's napping spot is fixed. A window where the sunlight and moonlight shine without being blocked. Napping is important.

But I only have one sword, so I couldn't give it to her right now.

"Wait. I'll get you one."

As I turned the corner, a familiar building came into view. The hideout of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps.

But it was a little different from what I knew. There was graffiti of unknown identity on the outer wall, the windows were broken, and broken bottles and plates were scattered around.

And in front of it, some guys were chuckling and drinking in broad daylight.

It seems they had been using it like a pigsty.

'Ah, I'm getting angry.'

I was angry when I heard it from Sven. But seeing it with my own eyes, I was getting angry all over again.

I strode straight towards them.

I took a coin from my pocket, and then, after putting starlight into it, I flicked my finger. A meteor bullet was shot at the guy on the left.

Clang!

The bottle the guy was drinking from shattered, and the guy collapsed.

"Huh?"

The guy who was chugging from a bottle next to him slowly blinked his eyes, and then glared this way with unfocused eyes.

"Who are you? Hiccup. How dare you attack the Sherwood Mercenary Corps? Hiccup. You must have a death wish."

And then he drew his sword and came running, staggering.

Shushruta asked.

"Shall I kill him?"

I nodded.

"Kill him. I just decided. I won't let a single one live."

"Understood."

The guy managed not to fall and ran right up to me, and then he swung his sword down, staggering.

"Yaaah!"

But that desperate blow could not reach me. Because a dagger had been stuck in the guy's jaw before that.

"Gak!"

Shushruta pulled out the dagger she had stuck in his jaw, and the guy collapsed, spraying blood.

I strode over, kicked up the sword the guy was holding with the tip of my foot, caught it, and then threw it to Miho.

"Here."

Miho quickly caught the hilt of the sword with her mouth.

I looked at her wagging tail and asked.

"Shall I give you another sword?"

She shook her head.

"I don't need it. Do I need two swords to deal with such pathetic guys?"

"Hmm."

How strange. She had no problem speaking even with a sword in her mouth. It's not for nothing that she's a magical beast.

Shushruta asked.

"Are we going to attack right away? They all seem to be asleep."

What time is it that they're still sleeping? It seems they had been drinking all night.

It was a perfect opportunity for a surprise attack, but I couldn't do that. Because if I kill them inside, the hideout will be stained with their blood. I had to drag them out and kill them.

There was another reason. So that the villagers could also watch the scene of these trash being dealt with.

This will be the signal for the revival of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps.

Sherwood is not a name to be tarnished by such pathetic guys. It must become great again.

"Shushruta. You take the back. Make sure not a single one escapes."

"Understood."

Shushruta immediately shot her body to the back of the hideout.

Miho looked at me.

"And me?"

"You and I will fight here together."

"Good."

Miho wagged her tail. From behind, she looked like a walking cotton candy because she was so fluffy.

I took my eyes off the cotton candy and looked at the messy hideout.

I took a breath, and then shouted with a voice mixed with internal energy.

"Come out—!!!"

My voice echoed through the streets.

As if they had been startled awake, I heard the guys moving around busily.

One of them stuck his head out of the third-floor window with a frown.

"Who the hell is it?"

"It's me, you son of a bitch."

The guy glared at me.

"You crazy bastard, you must have a death wish. Do you know where this is? This is the Sherwood Mercenary Corps' hideout, you bastard! Do you want to leave this world faster than expected?"

"Ha."

Look at these guys.

Seeing them shamelessly selling the name of Sherwood without a change in their expression, I was slowly getting angry.

Seeing them act like this as soon as a fight broke out, I could clearly guess how they usually were.

"Alright. Let's see the skills of that so-called Sherwood Mercenary Corps."

"What? Is that guy crazy?"

"Come down, you son of a bitch!"

The guy pointed at me with his finger.

"You crazy bastard. You, just wait right there."

The guy disappeared from the window, and then I heard the noisy sound of the guys coming down.

A little later, the door burst open and the guys, who were not even properly sober yet, came out of the building in a crowd.

"What crazy guy dares to make a fuss in front of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps?"

"If you're drunk, you should just go home."

"It's too late to regret it. I'll pull out your tongue."

At this point, the windows of the nearby buildings began to open one by one. People also gathered on the streets, whispering. They must be watching to see what's going on.

The stage was set.

I stepped forward confidently and spat out some improvised lines.

"You worthless scum, worse than beasts. I was away on a long journey for a while, and in that short time, there's no other mess like this. How dare you impersonate Sherwood?"

The guys looked at me with slightly surprised, widened eyes.

One of them asked.

"...Who?"

I answered confidently.

"I am Ashuban of Sherwood."

Whisper, whisper.

"Ashuban? Have you heard of him?"

"No. It's the first time I've heard of him."

"Was there a guy like that in the Sherwood Mercenary Corps?"

"No. I've never heard of him."

"Then what's that?"

"It looks like a fox."

"Why is a fox holding a sword?"

"...Am I still drunk?"

The guys, who had been exchanging opinions, began to look at me with suspicious eyes one by one.

I didn't care and scolded them.

"You fakes. Do you like pretending to be someone else so much?"

I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword and declared in a solemn tone.

"You fakes. I will give you the one and only truth."

"...."

"Ask me what it is."

The guy who had been cursing at me from the window earlier asked the question.

"What is it?"

"It's death."

At the same time, I drew the silver sword from my waist.

The guys blinked for a moment, and then pointed at my broken sword and laughed.

"Puhaha!"

Laughter and ridicule erupted.

I watched the scene for a moment, and then injected my internal energy.

Woong—

A red aura rose from the silver half-sword.

"...."

The guys all shut their mouths at once.

(End of Chapter)

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