Tenkomori: The Homecoming Club Conquers Another World
Chapter 178

Chapter 178. Guard Duty 3

The fourth day passed without incident, and the fifth day of guard duty began.

After taking a short nap at dawn, I trained Cliff, then waited in the warehouse as time passed.

As dusk deepened, the Lamlon Trading Company began cleaning up, while the neighboring brothel grew busy with opening preparations.

Listening to the noise, Gino came to call for us.

Led to the usual reception room, we found Ruben and Derrick waiting. The moment they saw us, they cut to the chase.

"Word from the guards. We've located the attackers' hideout."

The first thing that came to mind was unease.

A warning of an attack was one thing, but finding their hideout felt too convenient. Nine times out of ten, it was a diversion.

Ruben and the others seemed to expect this as well. The strike team would be led by Derrick, composed of six guards plus me—eight in total—while Gino and the remaining guards would protect the enslaved woman, Orianna.

And, needless to say, Cliff would stay behind.

Ideally, I'd want him in the warehouse, but he insisted so strongly that we compromised—he could stay in the reception room as long as he didn't leave and continued relaying messages loudly.

"We'll depart at midnight, rendezvous with the guards, and head for the hideout. But the guards are strictly support—they won't engage."

"So they're just guides?"

"For now, the attackers haven't made a move. Stick to your primary duty—breaking up fights."

"Surround and capture, then."

When I muttered that, Ruben smiled and nodded.

The plan was clear, but I was worried about Orianna—or rather, the success of the request itself.

After relaying Gino's instructions, Ruben replied that the strike took priority.

He also sensed my concern and outright stated that even if something happened to Orianna, it wouldn't count as a failure.

Verbal agreements are flexible, but we couldn't rewrite the contract for every minor instruction. As long as I wasn't held responsible for failure, I'd take it.

After preparing in the warehouse, I resumed guard duty in the reception room as usual.

Then, around midnight, I slipped out quietly and headed to the warehouse, where the strike team had gathered.

As I joined them, I used [Presence Detection] to scan the surroundings.

At least there were no watchers.

Once everyone was assembled, Derrick, the commander, spoke up.

"We'll raid the hideout now, but there are two key points. The attackers' leader is a man named Egul of Twin Claws. He fights with hook blades on both hands—you'll recognize him immediately. Capture him alive if possible, but kill him if necessary. Either way, secure him. The second point—if there are non-combatants in the hideout, do not harm them. Protect them at all costs. This takes precedence over capturing Egul."

Finally, we had a name for the attacker—but the last part made me tilt my head.

Why would there be non-combatants? Even if they'd brought prostitutes, they wouldn't be more important than the leader.

"Who is it?"

"A young man. No description, but if he seems unfamiliar with combat, protect him."

The others hadn't been briefed either, leaving everyone equally confused.

And for good reason. I could use [Appraisal], but the rest would have to judge mid-combat. Plus, the fact that the non-combatant could retaliate meant he wasn't kidnapped—he was there willingly.

Was he the one who hired the attackers? The order not to harm him made no sense.

Derrick refused further questions, and we set off for the hideout.

Moving as a group would draw attention, so we split up and headed for the rendezvous point.

Late at night, many taverns and brothels were closed. We moved east through dark streets, then turned north near the town's center.

When we reached the rendezvous, about twenty guards were waiting.

The suspicious building wasn't far.

Led by the guards, we arrived at that building again—but I frowned as I sensed the presences inside.

There were more people than last time, but the composition was completely different.

Egul and the suspicious man were absent, and the so-called non-combatant likely wasn't there either.

It was an apartment building, so there were presences on other floors, but if none of them were targets, this raid was a complete failure.

Unaware of this, Derrick asked the guard captain to surround the building.

Even if presences leaked out, sealing off escape routes seemed like the right call—but unfortunately, none of the guards had the skill to notice.

Watching them disperse, I felt stuck.

A failed raid wasn't my responsibility. With the one-week deadline two days away, as long as the guarded target was safe, I could buy Miranda and Tess at the offered price.

But still—was it right to take payment without doing anything?

Scratching my cheek, I expanded [Presence Detection].

Broadening the range beyond the apartment, I compared the sensed presences with my memory.

Excluding the few pedestrians and sleepers in nearby buildings, the guards finished their encirclement.

Time was running out. One last check.

Knowing it was futile, I pushed [Presence Detection] to its limit. I could detect, but no longer distinguish.

Amid the countless vague presences—one was moving away at high speed.

Activating [Stealth], I slipped into a narrow alley, then used [Leaping Rabbit] to vault onto a roof and launch into the air.

A shadow sprinting down the road—it was the man I'd tailed before.

As I fell, I attached a [Reference Point] and landed with [Leaping Rabbit].

So they did have a lookout. This strongly suggested a diversion—or so I wanted to say, but something felt off.

The man was heading further north, away from Lamlon Trading Company. If this was a diversion, they'd have stationed closer.

Watching the moving marker, I returned to the strike team just as Derrick gave the order.

"Begin. Don't forget the earlier instructions."

At that signal, we infiltrated the apartment building.

A scout-type guard took the lead, ascending the stairs. A quick [Appraisal] of his back showed Skill Ranks of 2 to 3. Weak by my standards, but sufficient for a slaver's guard.

Perhaps because we were all lightly equipped, we reached the third floor undetected.

There, the scout paused on the stairs, gauging the situation.

Nine people were on this floor.

Most were in a large room, with two sleeping separately. Checking carefully just in case, none seemed like non-combatants.

Feeling my mana slowly deplete, I glanced at the dark hallway walls.

The marker was still moving. The real target was over there, but these guys were likely part of the attackers too. Should we deal with them first?

Just as I considered it, the scout raised eight fingers, pointing to the large room.

Derrick looked ready to charge, so I quickly tapped his shoulder.

When I pointed deeper inside and raised two fingers, the scout frowned in displeasure.

But he soon noticed the two sleepers and bowed apologetically.

Retracting my earlier thought—these guys were about as strong as street thugs, and sleeping presences were harder to detect.

Derrick reconfirmed with the scout and me, then sent two men deeper inside.

The remaining six took positions outside the large room, kicking the door open on his signal.

"—Huh!?"

The sound of shattering bottles mixed with angry shouts.

The men scrambled for their weapons, only to be cut down or knocked aside by the strike team.

I disabled one, but there was no need for further action. In under a minute, the suppression was over.

No casualties on our side—but calling this raid a success was a stretch.

Derrick seemed to realize it too, scanning the men with a bitter expression.

"Where's Egul?"

"Dunno!"

The man's arm was likely broken. Grimacing in pain but still defiant, Derrick kicked him in the stomach, sending him writhing in agony.

Coldly watching, Derrick stepped on the broken arm.

"S-seriously, we don't know! He hasn't been back since yesterday!"

The others also claimed ignorance.

The two in the bedroom didn't know either, and checking other floors yielded no sign of Egul or the non-combatant. The guards also reported no escapees, confirming the raid's failure.

Derrick's brow furrowed deeply as the others waited silently for orders.

After a brief glance, I walked to the window and looked outside.

The marker had stopped.

If we were going to act, it had to be now—but that didn't guarantee it was the right move.

It was clearly in the opposite direction from Lamlon Trading Company, moving further away.

Hesitating, I finally spoke to Derrick.

"A few days ago, I saw a suspicious man watching Lamlon Trading Company. He didn't return here."

Keeping his frown, Derrick turned to me.

"Why didn't you report it?"

"There were others even more suspicious. Slaver grudges are common. But when the guards surrounded this place, I saw the same man running away."

When asked where, I only said north.

All I knew was the current location—[Reference Point] couldn't tell me what was there.

Wordlessly, Derrick stood beside me, gazing at the moonlit townscape.

He wasn't looking north but toward Lamlon Trading Company.

If this was a diversion, they'd be under attack by now.

Would he trust my intel and head the other way, or return to Lamlon?

After a long silence, Derrick nodded quietly.

"Lead the way."

◇◇◇◇

Guiding them, we moved through the night once more.

The earlier men had been taken by the guards, leaving nine of us. Not much of a force, but the strike team was down to two-thirds strength.

As we followed the marker, Derrick asked if it was near the inner gate.

Now that he mentioned it, the marker was close to the inner wall, but I wasn't familiar enough with the town to say.

When I admitted this, Derrick suddenly looked tense.

An awkward silence fell as the marker drew closer.

If Egul or the suspicious man were there, approaching carelessly would be dangerous.

Spotting a hideout-like building ahead, I stopped.

The marker pointed to another apartment building—convenient for hiding a group.

Activating [Concentration Up], I focused on the presences.

The marker was stationary on the fourth floor. Alongside the suspicious man, I sensed a strong presence.

Should I be relieved or puzzled?

That was likely Twin Claws Egul—but something still felt off.

Moving hideouts suggested a diversion, yet Egul was here, and the other presences were far stronger than before.

Why keep the main force in reserve? Were the attackers at Lamlon stronger than these guys?

Unlikely, but at least the raid's objective seemed achievable.

I also sensed a weak presence—the non-combatant.

I explained the situation to the others.

Excluding the non-combatant, there were eight combatants.

A few, including Egul, seemed skilled in scouting techniques, so approaching carelessly risked escape.

After consulting with the guard captain, Derrick turned to us.

"They say fully surrounding the place with our numbers will be tough. So we'll split the strike team. The more combat-capable half enters first, and once the fighting starts, the other half charges in. Meanwhile, the guards will encircle the building and watch for escapees."

Flawless—or rather, the only option. But Derrick couldn't join the vanguard.

He and Gino were the faces of Lamlon's security. Too recognizable, and without [Stealth], he'd be spotted instantly.

The other guards were at risk too, but less so. And with the vanguard half the size of Egul's group, they wouldn't expect an immediate assault. The hesitation might buy us time.

Derrick seemed to agree, excluding himself and adding me to the vanguard, appointing a temporary commander from the guards.

"Then, we're counting on you."

Under Derrick's orders, the four of us headed for the apartment.

I suppressed my presence while the others didn't bother—Egul and the suspicious man had to have noticed.

But thanks to our small numbers, they hadn't moved yet.

Approaching the entrance, I found the door broken. A dark hallway led to the stairs.

I sensed presences on other floors too.

If they were allies, we'd be in trouble—but the attackers were from out of town. They wouldn't blend in with residents. In that case, moving openly was better than half-hearted stealth.

Proposing this to the commander, he agreed without hesitation.

We made no effort to hide our footsteps, chatting casually as we climbed.

Egul was still observing, but only until the second floor.

The moment we stepped onto the third-floor stairs, the presences shifted at once.

"They're moving."

The moment I warned them, the commander ordered the charge.

We stormed up the stairs, and I kicked the door open, rushing in.

Simultaneously, a lamp shattered, and a thrown knife destroyed a guard's lantern.

Darkness swallowed the room, and the guards hesitated.

The attackers lunged at me—the first inside—and the commander by the door.

These guys were leagues above the last group.

Clearly experienced in this kind of fight, they slashed fearlessly even in the dark.

Dodging by sound, I relied on faint moonlight to cast [Reference Point] and [Appraisal].

The small man in the back was Twin Claws Egul.

As described, he wore hook blades on both hands, watching the battle intently.

And against the wall, trembling, was the young non-combatant—Matthias.

His skills and magic were empty, his stats average—a textbook civilian. Derrick had stressed not to harm him, but he wasn't even resisting, just cowering in the corner.

Leaving him was fine, but—

Deflecting a knife Egul threw, I dodged another attacker's slash.

If he's free to act, this'll get messy.

Confirming the guards had recovered, I lunged at Egul.

He blocked my [Wind Blade]-enhanced slash with his claws, then countered with the other hook.

I barely dodged and kicked, but he absorbed it with his elbow.

Yeah, he's trouble.

Only C-rank in strength, but too skilled in indoor combat. Another one who defied stats. Plus, his hook blades were perfect for tight spaces, while my scimitar relied on slashes. A bad matchup.

That said, the gap in raw ability was overwhelming.

Using [Martial Arts] to pressure him, Egul was soon forced on the defensive.

Gritting his teeth, he desperately dodged, using furniture to block direct hits.

Even when overwhelmed, his defense was solid. And basic [Martial Arts] lacked finishing power. Even when I landed hits, Egul's movements didn't slow.

Either way, in specific conditions, he was far stronger than his stats suggested.

If Derrick had charged in first, he might've been killed.

Dodging Egul's desperate counter, I glanced back.

The commander and another guard were holding off the attackers' assault, while the last blocked the door. Despite being outnumbered, they were fighting well.

And Derrick's group was closing in. Once they arrived, the tide would turn.

Egul noticed too, growing frantic at the sound of footsteps.

Looking around for an escape, he left himself wide open. My palm strike slammed into his temple, sending him reeling.

As I moved to finish him, I froze.

Staggering, Egul reached behind his back.

Spotting what looked like a rod, I cast [Appraisal] and shut my eyes just as—

The backs of my eyelids turned white.

It was a wand of [Intense Light].

The name suggested a mid-tier spell, and it was exactly that.

But most attackers hadn't reacted in time either. Only the suspicious man and one other avoided the flash, sprinting for the window as the guards faltered.

Meanwhile, Egul turned to flee but threw something at the last second.

Activating [High-Speed Movement] and [Moving Up], I braced—but the whistling blade wasn't aimed at me.

What the hell?

Moving swiftly, I deflected the thrown knife with my scimitar.

The impact and the sound against the wall confirmed it, but the target was—inexplicably—Matthias, the non-combatant.

With strict orders not to harm him, I had no choice but to protect him.

As the light faded, I opened my eyes to see Egul leaping out the window.

Derrick's group arrived just then, restraining the blinded attackers.

They could handle things here.

"I'll chase Egul."

With that, I dashed out as Derrick shouted in panic.

"W-wait! It's the fourth floo—!"

I was already airborne, looking down.

Egul, likely anticipating this, was scaling the wall using protrusions.

The two markers were already fleeing. The main target first.

Flipping midair, I kicked off the wall and plummeted.

Egul noticed but only looked up as I reached him.

The moment my palm strike connected with his face—

"Huh—?"

An unprecedented acceleration and recoil forced a dumbfounded sound out of me.

Egul was slammed into the ground, but that wasn't the issue.

Even [Leaping Rabbit] couldn't fully cancel my momentum, and I cratered alongside him.

Gritting through the pain, I checked my status—my HP had taken a massive hit.

I'd protected my head, and my bones seemed intact.

Relieved, I pulled out a healing potion.

But my first real injury in ages was self-inflicted?

Hard to laugh about it… but yeah, that just happened.

Tipping the vial, I checked my status again—sure enough, [Palm Strike] had been added.

Not that I'm complaining, but really? Now?

Testing my movement, I stood and looked down at Egul.

Bent at an odd angle, but still alive. Alive or dead didn't matter, so I left him.

Turning my gaze, I searched for the two who'd fled—the suspicious man and his companion.

But once again, I tilted my head.

The markers had stopped some distance away, unmoving.

Staring silently, I muttered under my breath.

"I'm sick of being confused. Do whatever you want."

Grumbling, I headed over—only to find the two dead.

Using [Presence Detection] and [Appraisal] to confirm, the scene held no guards or Derrick's group.

Cautiously approaching, I rolled the suspicious man onto his back with my foot.

"Well, this is obvious—but why is he in town?"

Both had their throats slit.

They likely hadn't even realized they were dead, let alone resisted.

Recognizing the wounds, I smirked bitterly and returned to the road.

Derrick and the guards had gathered around Egul, and the moment they spotted me, Derrick rushed over.

"Are you hurt!?"

"Busted myself up on the landing. Had to kill the two who fled."

"No—were you cut by Egul!?"

When I asked why, he explained they'd found knives coated with a potent venom in the room.

The thrown ones? I'd already checked my status—no abnormalities.

Assuring him I was fine, Derrick sighed in relief.

"Likely blowgas venom. Only seen it twice myself."

"Rare?"

"Fairly. Found in southern Mez Riez and the depths of the Deep Temple Forest. The venom Egul used was probably from a specimen slain long ago."

"He didn't use it against me. Really wanted that man dead, huh?"

Derrick, who'd been talkative until now, stiffened.

"I know what you want to ask, but I can't say. The chairman will explain tomorrow.

Ask him directly. Taking down Egul was a major accomplishment."

With that, Derrick returned to the guards.

The attackers and Matthias were taken away, and we headed back to Lamlon Trading Company.

No fatalities on our side, four injured—including me in the vanguard.

Ironically, I was the most hurt. Self-inflicted, but still.

With all objectives achieved, the strike team marched proudly through the midnight streets.

While the others looked pleased, Derrick's expression remained stern.

The reason was obvious.

A crowd had gathered in front of Lamlon Trading Company—brothel patrons and passersby.

At its center lay six men, bound hand and foot, with broken bones and severe bruises but no other visible injuries.

As we approached, the remaining guards updated Derrick, while Cliff came to me.

"You're unharmed, Velk?"

"Mostly. What's with these guys?"

"No idea. Heard a noise upstairs, and then this."

Following his gaze, I saw the usual woman standing at the third-floor window.

The moment our eyes met, she smiled bewitchingly.

So these guys fell from there? And didn't notice until it was too late?

Soon, more guards arrived and took the men away.

We'd had it rough, but they were swamped too.

With the strike team disbanded, I stayed on guard with Cliff just in case.

All in all, this request had been baffling from start to finish.

Orianna's [Phallus Image] was a threat, but way too easy to detect. If Egul had been part of the attack, he'd have seen through it.

Yet Derrick had anticipated that and still chosen to trust my intel.

He must've had reason to believe Egul wouldn't move.

Ruben would explain tomorrow, but—

Something felt off. I doubted I'd get any real answers.