The Returnee's Hidden Strategy Stream

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 46

West of the noble district in Edlen.

Avoiding the eyes of the people, the four of them hid themselves against a shadowed wall.

“That’s Harpen’s mansion. One of the humans following Barres,” Cowen said, looking at the mansion across the street.

The front door was tightly closed, and sharp iron bars were spread across the top of the wall. Through the gap, he could see two guards in the front yard.

Hanbit checked the message that had just popped up.

[Progress increased.]

[Main Quest #5: Infiltration]

You have learned more about Lia's situation.

To reveal the truth and set her free, you need a way to prove Brook and Barres' crimes.

Head to Camon's workshop, as mentioned in his note.

'Camon's Workshop' is located inside a sealing stone kept in the mansion of the city noble, 'Harpen.'

Objective: Secretly infiltrate the mansion and steal the sealing stone.

Reward: 100,000 gold, 50,000 experience, 5 Stat Points

*Current progress: 45 percent

The Sealing Stone theft designated as the main quest.

Sealing Stones were magical tools used against monsters, cursed objects, and the like. Sealing a building beyond that scale required a considerably high level of technology.

“There will be troops inside as well. It was a Sealing Stone that Barres himself was investigating, so he wouldn't have left it unattended,” Cowen warned, noting the danger.

“If Barres investigated it, does that mean he already checked the workshop?”

“No, that's not it. For some reason, he couldn't unseal it or destroy it. If it's a defense Camon prepared, I think your ring will be the key.”

Little was known about the Sealing Stone. The guess was that it was a device Camon had prepared before he died. It had such a complex structure that even after passing through the hands of many technicians, they couldn't figure out its principles or how to unseal it.

“I'll go,” Lia said, stepping forward while observing the situation.

But Cowen immediately blocked her way and shook his head.

“It's too dangerous for you to move, my lady. I'll go, since I know the interior.”

“Just tell me the location. If it's just bringing the item, it's right for me to go.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I'm confident!”

“No.”

-LOL

-Spear VS Shield

-But the shield is a bit big in this situation.

-I think Lia would do well.

-She'll really do it like King Nyaang.

The viewers watching their argument sided with Lia. In a way, she was the most suitable person, but it was dangerous to go now.

“I'll go,” Hanbit stepped forward and stood between the two. From the beginning, he hadn't even considered anything other than going himself.

“What, you don't trust me either, Oppa?” Lia pouted and grumbled.

“It's not that I don't trust you, it's that you're in the most danger here. If your face is revealed, even for a moment, it'll be out of our hands. I'm an outsider, remember?”

“That's true, but…”

When he presented a logical argument, Lia couldn't say anything more.

Cowen, who was watching, thought for a moment and spoke.

“Originally, I was going to aim for the guards' shift change time.”

“Even if we aim for that, it's obvious there will be a commotion. In the first place, your physique, Cowen, isn't common.”

“…I have nothing to refute.”

A person's characteristics are not limited to their facial features. Cowen's physique was one of the best in Edlen. In other words, it meant that even if he wrapped himself up tightly, it would be meaningless.

“Then what are you thinking of doing? Do you have a good plan?”

“It's not really a good plan. We just need to make sure there's no commotion.”

Hanbit pulled the scabbard from his waist. Then he tapped it on his palm and nodded.

“This should be enough.”

“…What are you going to do with that?”

“Use it as a weapon.”

-…?

-Being a pain in the ass again.

-Will it even do any damage?

-Since it's a normal attack, it’ll do damage equal to his stats.

-Can’t he just kill them?

Everyone had questions, but the plan remained unchanged. Hanbit adjusted his scabbard and leisurely started walking.

“I'll be back.”

* * *

“Ugh, I feel like I'm going to puke.”

“That's why I told you to stop drinking so much.”

In the front yard of Harpen's mansion two soldiers guarding the main gate were talking.

“What does it matter? We don’t have anything to do here anyway. Lord Harpen is always at his villa, right?”

“If you keep that up and something happens, you’re done for. There are even rumors that there's something really important in this house.”

“Oh, come on, nothing's going to happen. What crazy person would rob a judge's mansion? Important or not, no one's going to come here to steal it.”

Their mission was to guard the mansion, but there was a rumor going around. Something hidden inside the mansion of Judge Harpen. Even if they didn't know the truth, seeing that there were guards even inside the house, it didn't feel like just a baseless rumor.

“My stomach hurts. I'm going to go to the bathroom.”

“Seriously…”

“I can't just poop here.”

The soldier waved his hand and walked to the back of the building.

“Ugh.”

He shook his dizzy head as he approached the bathroom in the corner. And the moment he stumbled and stepped into the entrance…

Whack-!

A tremendous shock hit the back of his neck.

Thud-

His vision blurred as he lost consciousness.

Hanbit, who had caught his falling body, quietly laid him down on the floor so as not to make a sound.

-Instant kill;

-But wasn’t he trying to go to the bathroom?

-Ah…

-R.I.P

-The Black Dragon is truly wicked;

“Ah.”

It wasn't easy to knock someone unconscious with a scabbard in one shot. If the point of impact was even slightly off, it would fail. Unfortunately, he missed the soldier's situation, but it couldn't be helped.

Swoosh-

Hanbit tied up the soldier and moved him inside the bathroom.

Now there was only one soldier left outside. He seemed to have no openings as he diligently guarded the surroundings.

Thud-

Hanbit, clinging to the wall, grabbed the window frame and climbed up. Using the momentum, he moved to the railing above the soldier's head. Because he didn't make a sound, no one noticed.

“Why are you so late?” the soldier said in a dissatisfied voice, without changing his posture.

“Tsk.”

Unable to endure it any longer, he slightly turned his head to look towards the bathroom.

At that moment, a shadow fell over the soldier's head.

“Huh?”

Whack-!

The impact came at the same time he shifted his gaze. Unable to resist, the soldier immediately lost consciousness.

Thud-

Hanbit caught his falling body and tied him up behind a pillar shrouded in shadow.

Now all that was left were the guards inside the mansion.

Swoosh-

Moving to the opposite wall, Hanbit climbed through an open window and went inside. The structure of the mansion and the movements of the soldiers were vividly drawn in his mind.

Creak-

He opened the door, went out into the hallway, and moved to the central corridor. There, a soldier was yawning and looking at a closed door.

Rustle-

Hanbit muffled his footsteps and approached the soldier from behind. And grabbing both ends of the scabbard, he attacked.

“Gah!”

Surprised by the sudden pressure on his neck, the soldier struggled and twisted his body.

Hanbit slowly pulled him up the stairs.

Thump-

Thump-

Unable to breathe, the soldier's feet pounded hard on the floor.

“What's that sound?”

One of the soldiers on the second floor heard the sound.

Crack-!

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Hanbit put more strength into his grip and knocked the soldier unconscious. Then he hung from the staircase railing and hid himself.

"Peter?"

The soldier coming down from the second floor found his fallen comrade.

"An enemy…!"

Judging that there was an intruder, he raised his spear and looked down the stairs.

At that moment, Hanbit jumped over the railing.

Whack-!

The end of the scabbard, swung with all his might, hit the soldier's neck. It didn't take long for his body to fall forward.

-One shot, one kill

-The accuracy is insane;

-Maybe the scabbard meta is good?

-We can't do that;

The viewers expressed surprise at how easily things were going.

'Now there's only one left.'

There were five guards in the mansion. He had knocked out four, so all that remained was the knight guarding the room on the second floor.

"What's going on!"

As expected, a shout came from above, as if aware of the commotion.

He knew the guy's armor without even seeing it. The cautious knight was wearing full plate armor.

This time, he had to neutralize that.

Whirr-

The wind swirled around the scabbard, following its shape. He couldn't fully use the spirit's power, but that much was enough.

"Is anyone there! Answer me!"

The knight came running towards the stairs with his sword drawn.

Hanbit, who was in his blind spot, gauged the approaching distance by sound alone.

And the moment the knight stepped forward…

Whoosh-!

He swung the scabbard, imbued with the power of the wind, strongly upwards.

Clang-!

"Ugh!"

The scabbard, striking the lower part of the helmet, hit the joint of the full plate armor.

The impact, delivered with pinpoint accuracy, shattered the tightly fastened lock.

Crack-!

The knight's helmet was torn away from the armor.

Seizing that moment, Hanbit quickly closed in and turned around. Jumping lightly, he wrapped both arms around the knight's neck and held on tight.

"Gah-!"

In the agonizing pain of suffocation, the knight desperately tried to push Hanbit's arms away.

But Hanbit's technique followed immediately.

Crack-!

With the sound of something breaking, the knight's neck bone twisted. It didn't take long for the struggling knight's limbs to go limp.

-Assassination, amazing;

-As expected of a veteran;

-This is a new pattern, lol.

-Recommend this if you’re a Nesto Guild member who wants to learn the technique.

-No, go back.

Swoosh-

Leaving the fallen knight behind, Hanbit moved to the room at the back of the second floor.

A small box was placed in the corner. Inside, there was a uniquely shaped red stone.

[Modified Sealing Stone]

Rank: 4

Grade: Hero

Description: A special Sealing Stone modified with Dwarven technology. Camon's workshop space is sealed inside, and a special item is required to unseal it.

The item message that popped up was clear.

Hanbit picked it up and threw himself out the window.

Ding-!

[Main Quest #5 completed.]

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]