The Sword Saint of Arknights [MTL/Machine Translation]

Chapter 45 | Twist

"This is troublesome. I'd be happy to be honest with you, but I really don't know anything."

Listening to the other's words, W responded.

Perhaps because of the pain on her face or because she was no threat in his eyes, the Sarkaz warrior slowly lowered his blade. He decided to chat with his prey that couldn't escape. After all, just taking W's head wouldn't bring him much profit. If he could extract more information from her, perhaps even locate Babel, it would be a great gain!

"You're seriously injured, and we don't have much time. A hasty interrogation might kill you. I think that would be bad for both of us."

"Go after that woman. She knows more than I do."

As soon as the Sarkaz warrior threatened, W responded directly.

She unhesitatingly used Ines as a distraction, buying time.

Though Ines seemed difficult to deal with, she was a teammate. W believed she wouldn't leave her behind and trusted she wouldn't die here. This confidence wasn't blind; it came from their shared combat experiences.

"...Don't you hate her for using you as bait?"

Seeing W's expression, the Sarkaz warrior understood she was stalling for time, though it wouldn't help her.

But he wouldn't kill her immediately either. In the Sarkaz mercenary world, W held a certain prestige and status, meaning she knew more than ordinary mercenaries.

Capturing someone like her wasn't easy. Besides, with her looks, she could fetch a good price after interrogation, as Victoria's rich enjoyed such "goods."

"Cooperate with us, and it will be easier."

"Bait, huh..."

W furrowed her brows, appearing to weigh the pros and cons. The Sarkaz warrior didn't interrupt, willing to give her some time, as he had plenty.

"Have you ever used industrial Originium shards to lure Originium creatures?"

W smiled again, though it was twisted by her pain.

"What are you talking about?"

For some reason, the Sarkaz warrior felt uneasy, as if something was watching him.

After scanning the surroundings and finding nothing threatening, he refocused on W, his patience wearing thin. Soon, he might lose control and kill her with his weapon.

As for extracting information? He was just trying his luck, knowing that getting info from low-level mercenaries was easy, but from someone of W's status was difficult.

"It's just a Kazdel trick. Don't Originium creatures often cause trouble?"

"Wild Originium creatures are quite unintelligent and supposedly react to Originium... True or not, do you know what happens to Originium creatures lured by such bait?"

"Stop the cryptic talk!"

The Sarkaz warrior's patience was exhausted. However, W had achieved her goal.

She might not have any Originium explosives at hand, but that didn't mean she couldn't trigger pre-set ones. She had won!

Seeing Ines appear behind him like a ghost, W's smile brightened. Despite the sword at her throat, W showed no fear, knowing she had won and that sword had no chance to kill her now.

"They get blown to bits like those behind you!"

"What... When?!"

Hearing W's words and sensing the intense Originium energy blast, the Sakaz warrior showed fear.

If he had been alone, he wouldn't have approached W so boldly. One of his assurances was the comrades hidden behind him, but now, they were all dead.

"Sigh... I told you it was bait. Wouldn't we have set traps?"

"You should've killed me sooner or run away. Now, let's start over."

"Cough..."

W's words had a hint of mockery. After a pause, she continued:

"...So soon?! You were tracking us?!"

To emphasize her point, W mimicked her expression from their first encounter.

But the Sarkaz warrior had no time for this. He realized he had fallen into W's trap and wasted his chance to turn the tables!

"You're crazy!"

He raised his sword to strike W, but a sensation from behind stopped him.

The feeling of a blade against his skin, the imminent sense of death, made him halt.

"When?!"

"My affinity with shadows is high. Did you really think you could catch me without a scout?"

It was Ines, standing behind him with her rapier at his vital point.

"Tell me, who is your master?"

The sword slowly pierced his body, and the Sarkaz warrior screamed in pain.

But this was just the beginning; there was still time before this interrogation ended.

"I... won't..."

"Ahhhhh!"

Before he could finish, intense pain turned his words into a scream. Ines twisted her rapier inside him, ensuring he wouldn't survive.

"Kazdel... won't... forgive... you..."

His last words sounded like a dying curse before his body fell limp to the ground.