I Became a Raid Boss

Suddenly, the situation entered a lull due to the appearance of mysterious figures.

Thanks to that, Max, whose life was prolonged, slid down to the ground while leaning against a tree.

It was as if his legs had given way; he struggled to get back up, but his movement was nothing more than futile flailing.

Even if he had the strength to escape, he probably couldn’t flee anyway.

Tap tap.

“Ashie. Wake up. Is that him?”

“Ugh…! Ah, Jeie….”

“Yes, Jeie.”

So is that guy really Max?

Kana poked Ashie’s back with her tiny hand and asked again.

However, Ashie was too busy retching with his face buried in the ground.

‘…Jeie?’

Hearing the familiar name, Max barely lifted his head and found familiar faces, his eyes widening.

“How did that guy get here so soon…?”

He thought they would chase him, but not this fast.

Furthermore, the guy next to him, who was holding onto the tree and retching, was the magician who used to work at his shop.

“Hey, hey. What’s going on? Didn’t I tell you to watch? Can’t you manage your underlings properly? They’re completely useless… Is life that easy these days?”

“…I’m sorry, bro.”

Molden, who had been watching the absurd situation unfold, scolded his subordinate.

However, both Molden and his subordinate chuckled and found no seriousness in the situation.

It was true that he wasn’t pleased that he had ordered someone to watch for movement, but they had let them pass without any disturbance and didn’t report it.

They were probably lounging somewhere else.

Molden examined the intruders with his emotionless eyes, in stark contrast to his grinning lips.

One magician, one woman who looked like a swordsman, one man with an unpleasant appearance.

And one little kid.

Upon seeing the girl with the cape, Molden licked his lips.

Maybe his subordinates knew his preferences and let her pass based on her looks.

Molden shook his head at that thought.

Unless they had secretly smuggled her out without reporting to him, they weren’t the type to do something so clever.

Thus, the appearance of the girl resembling Edel right before his eyes was destiny….

Molden thought.

“Today is my lucky day.”

Molden grinned widely, exposing his yellowed teeth.

“I’ll give you some delicious treats if you come over here, how about that?”

Chirp chirp chirp.

“…?”

“What? Why isn’t there any response?”

Molden squinted, perplexed, as he beckoned to the girl as if calling a dog passing by the street.

Typically when he acted this way, people would show signs of discomfort, but the girl simply stared at his face without any reaction.

A formerly quick-witted subordinate approached him, looking pale.

“Boss, it seems she doesn’t understand. She used a different language when talking with her party earlier.”

“Really? Did she come from some corner of the continent or something?”

Molden’s words were unexpectedly sharp.

Even while feeling somewhat disappointed, the sight of the girl made him think, ‘It’s not surprising if there’s a bit of a language barrier.’

Rather, thinking that even small words might get tainted with his color made his greed bubble up.

“Weak.”

“…Is that something a brute like you should say?”

“I’m not a brute; I’m a lady, so it’s okay.”

“Yeah, whatever lady.”

“But I told you to leave quickly.”

“How was I to know you’d drag a person like a sack of potatoes?”

Having recovered a bit of strength, Ashie staggered to his feet.

While he wasn’t as bad off as the other two retching, Da-eun’s pale complexion returned somewhat to her original color.

“Gueeeek!”

There were still those who hadn’t recovered.

As Kana looked down at the magician, making statements about the superiority of swordsmen, Ashie approached Molden.

“Captain Molden of the Red Claw.”

“Oh? You guys recognize me? I must be quite famous then, huh? If even a squire like you knows my name.”

“Congratulations, boss!”

“….”

Whether they were mercenaries or bandits, what they did was even worse than mere banditry. Still, Ashie looked at them with a complicated expression and spoke up.

“I’ll get straight to the point. I have business with that guy behind you. So, would you move aside?”

“Oh my. I didn’t realize someone had business with our client. May I ask what it’s regarding?”

“…Someone stole something from my master’s workshop.”

“Your master? Workshop? I thought you were someone important because your neck was so stiff, but you’re just an apprentice?”

Molden, who secretly disliked Ashie’s handsome appearance and tall stature, couldn’t hide his disappointment.

How dare an apprentice look down on him?

His heart swelled with a low anger born from an inferiority complex, but he tried hard to suppress it.

He couldn’t afford to get angry on such a joyous day.

Thus, Molden feigned a calm tone.

“…You seem pretty confident relying on your seemingly insignificant magician and swordsman; sorry, but we’ve actually been hired to protect ourselves.”

“Doesn’t seem like it from where I’m standing.”

“Don’t tell me. It was just a ‘minor’ misunderstanding. We’re really good friends. Right?”

“P-Please! If you help me, I’ll make it worth your while…!”

“Oh, how seriously you misunderstand me.”

The world is rather cruel like this.

With a shrug, Molden spun his sword around.

The sunlight hitting the serrated blade shattered into pieces.

“I have a proposal. If you give me everything you have along with the women, I’ll spare your lives.”

“You’re speaking nonsense.”

“…Hmph. Looks like you’ve got quite the fiery master. You’re sharp, I’ll give you that.”

“He does have a fiery temperament.”

“Too bad you have such a master. But worry not.”

Swish—

As soon as his words fell, the mercenaries surrounded them, drawing their weapons.

“It’s not needed anymore. You all know, right?”

“Don’t touch the women, do you?”

“Come on, boss, this isn’t our first job. Why the fuss?”

“So, you’re going for a tough road?”

“Eh?”

Had he lost his mind from fear?

Scratching his head, Molden dismissed Ashie’s words as the ramblings of a madman.

His overly calm expression was due to that.

“Ugh, ughuh…! It’s all over now….”

A magician, a swordsman, plus a good-for-nothing apprentice and a kid.

On the other hand, they had a lot more in numbers, each of whom were skilled killers.

Max, who had briefly held on to hope due to the appearance of the intruders, finally lost his sanity and let out a grotesque laugh.

“What will you do?”

“What will we do? Kill them all.”

“K-Kill?”

“They’re worthless trash that don’t help anyone alive. Trash has to be cleaned up in advance.”

“I’m not a cleaner.”

Kana complained as she drew her sword.

Only now did Molden and the mercenaries realize that Kana had a sword, but that fact didn’t threaten them.

A small girl with a sword the same size as her own.

If they were scared of that, they wouldn’t have made a living killing others.

Due to her short arms, the sword she held dragged on the ground, leaving scratches.

‘Such a cutie.’

That kind of dangerous item should be hidden away so she could be showered with cuteness instead.

Molden smiled contentedly.

The Red Claw mercenaries slowly closed the distance.

“Little girl, you’re nice, right? How about putting that down and coming here?”

“Don’t unnecessarily resist; it’ll hurt if you get injured, right?”

“…What are you saying?”

“Don’t mind it. They’re all nonsense.”

“I thought that’s what you’d say.”

“Kana, go for it…!”

“Uh-huh.”

Is it necessary to cheer like that?

Kana tilted her head while happily accepting Da-eun’s encouragement.

The mercenaries felt unease at the sight.

‘…What’s going on?’

Why were they so calm?

The reactions of the group, who had pushed a little girl into peril or worse, were too detached.

‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.’

If trash got involved, things could have turned quite tedious.

They could get hurt, after all.

Molden stood comfortably, waiting for his subordinates to present the girl to him.

However, one second, two seconds, ten seconds passed, and his subordinates remained still in their approach.

“What are you….”

Perhaps they were mesmerized by her beauty upon seeing her up close.

Even thinking that they could understand their emotions, Molden roared at his subordinates who dared to eye his possession.

“Hey! Why aren’t you moving faster?!”

Yet his subordinates remained frozen.

Finally, when his anger boiled over and he took a step forward himself—

As if waiting for that moment, a line was drawn on the bodies of his subordinates who had approached the girl.

Shhhuuu—!

Thud!

Like puppets with their strings cut, his subordinates fell.

Their bodies that once were one now lay separately.

Thud…

“…!”

Molden gulped as his eyes met one of the soulless bodies.

A face twisted with an unpleasant smile.

One that couldn’t even conceive of the thought of dying, let alone that he was already dead.

In fact, maybe they were still alive.

Molden refused to acknowledge reality, but his body was already taking a firm step back.

“Wh-What have you done?!”

His voice, once filled with bravado, lost all remnants of calm.

“Magic! Right! That magician used some trick…!”

“Th-That voice… UEEEK!”

Molden could not fathom that a little girl could commit such a massacre.

It was only natural.

Even players like Da-eun, who were accustomed to countless fictions, would be astonished by Kana’s power.

For Molden, a man with the common sense of a Silian, it wasn’t just unreasonable—it was impossible.

Meanwhile, as Molden stumbled back, Kana tilted her head.

‘Expert, huh?’

For someone engaging in such disgraceful acts, he seemed rather mediocre.

If experts had heard it, they would hold their necks in disbelief at his audacity.

Though he appeared stronger than his subordinates, he wasn’t all that impressive.

They seemed like opponents they wouldn’t lose to if they teamed up. Why did they follow someone like him?

‘Hmm, I wonder….’

In any case, there must have been a reason.

With that thought, Kana surveyed the remaining hostiles.

There were seven left, including their leader.

The remaining foes were stronger than the ones just dispatched, but not enough to threaten Kana.

‘At least not to Kana.’

“Joanie.”

“Uh, huh?”

Joanie, who had been peacefully watching from behind, jumped in surprise at Kana’s sudden call.

W-Why am I being called out of the blue?

Unintentionally, Joanie answered, trembling with unease.

“…Kana, right? I believe you’re a nice girl.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Hehe, hehe.”

Kana gently lifted the corners of her mouth.

Just as Joanie was starting to relax at Kana’s harmless smile.

“Hurry up. We need to train.”

“….”

The words shattered her moment of peace.

“But we already trained today!”

“The more you train, the better.”

“B-But that’s too dangerous! They’re guys who wouldn’t hesitate to murder for money!”

Her words rang true, momentarily silencing Joanie.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you die.”

“…That’s sweet, but should I be thankful for that?”

“That’s up to you, just hurry up.”

Realizing she couldn’t change Kana’s mind, Joanie sulkily trudged along.

Behind her, Ashie watched her with a sympathetic gaze.

Her actions of hesitating to draw her sword displayed no enthusiasm.

“I take back what I said about Kana being a nice girl…”

“…Why?”

“…Don’t you know why I’m asking?”

Tilt.

Kana genuinely didn’t understand, tilting her head.

The thought of pinching her soft, annoying cheeks surged in Joanie’s mind.

“How is any of this ‘nice’?!”

“Hmm….”

Helping someone improve their skills without the threat of death could be considered nice, right?

Unable to hold back, Joanie grabbed Kana’s chubby cheeks and pulled them.

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