Chapter 409: Chapter 226，Part1: 1 - Torch Knights

Chapter 226 Torch Knights?

Part 1

Following her order, members of 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 , including their Leader, all raise their hands in salute and come to a halt.

There are two main factors that determine the strength of a Party. One is the strength of each individual and the other is the coordination between the Members.

In order to defeat powerful Phantoms and Monsters that are unmanageable by ordinary people, the power of each person, trained through relentless training, must be increased several times through coordination in order to win.

And, naturally, top-class Party often have a high level of individual strength and coordination, but 《Strange Grief (Nageki no Borei)》 was more the type to rely on individual strength, while the 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 was the opposite.

Maybe these differences are also due to the difference in the content of their works.

Just like the first time I met them, Touka and the others were like a real knight order. No, in fact, they seem more sophisticated. Or rather, didn’t the number of people with them increase a little bit?

An iron will that doesn’t waver in the slightest bit even in the face of public scrutiny. As receiving their salute would draw attention to us as well, I hurriedly say.

“W-Well, well, there are people around, so take it easy.” (Cry)

“End of the salute!” (Touka)

Their salute was also undone in a coordinated motion.

To begin with, 《Torch Knights’ (Touka Kish-Dan)》 client is not me, but Sytry. It appears that she is supporting them with supplies and finances.

Their Knight Order moves by profit and not by logic. Therefore, 《Torch Knights’ (Touka Kish-Dan)》 position inside 《First Step (Hajimari no Ashiato)》 is special and their response toward me was also special.

I am their Boss because I am Sytry’s Party Leader and because they know that we get along well.

In a sense, they are much easier to deal with than those who have a strange trust in me.

Their salute performance was probably also a smart way to attract more customers. Merchants and noblemen would prefer a well-organized group of mercenaries to a violent group of mercenaries.

Luke, who loves to fight strong guys, frowns and calls out.

“Don’t tell me, you’re going to compete at the Supreme Martial Arts Festival too, Touka?” (Luke)

“Umu…… We received an offer. Are you competing too, 《Thousand Swords (Senken)》?” (Touka)

There are various competitors at the Supreme Martial Arts Festival. Sometimes it is the Leader of a country’s Knight Order, while other times it is the Members of a widely known mercenary group.

That must be why 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 is well-known among merchants and noblemen. If the Leader of the group was to participate in the Supreme Martial Arts Festival, that mercenary group would become even more well-known.

Luke had a subtle, indescribable look on his face.

The reason Luke the Manslayer doesn’t immediately slash at Touka is because she is the type of person who doesn’t fight futile fights (Literally, fights that don’t pay), so she doesn’t mesh well with Luke in a good way.

Luke doesn’t want a one-way sword fight, he wants to cut each other up. Our Clan’s motto is to get along with each other, so Luke, who is strangely disciplined, follows it to the letter.

Touka quickly checked Sytry. Checked Lucia and the others, and then looked at me.

“Master too, I am sorry but I won’t hold back. As we didn’t get paid for it.” (Touka)

So as long as you get paid, you will go easy…… She is like always. Or rather, Touka seemed to be under the wrong impression that I will compete.

She must have heard that through the gossip.

.

Actually, between you and me, Touka――That 《Infinite Sky Flower (Senten Banka)》 is not actually me.

That guy――――Is the real me!!!

Everything was different except for his name and Alias (Though it seemed to be a self-proclaimed one), but maybe the always dignified Touka would be bewildered if she learns about Kryhi’s existence.

I smiled a grin and pretended to be a badass.

“Same here, I am sorry but the real me won’t hold back. Not to brag, but the real me is pretty strong. Even the cloak makes a *basatto* swoosh sound.” (Cry)

Well, even the fake me can make a *basatto* swoosh sound with a cloak if I wanted it.

Touka immediately looked bewildered. I didn’t expect her to be bewildered before even seeing Kryhi, so my delight was quickly taken away from me.

“A-Aaah… I see…… A cloak?? W-Well, please go easy on me.” (Touka)

“W-Well, this time my goal is only to spectate the games…… The main focus is on Luke and the others, you know.” (Cry)

I hurriedly made an excuse…… She wouldn’t get angry later if she found out that I was not really competing, right?

It’s okay, it’s okay. Even though they rarely stop by the Imperial Capital, they know that I am a pacifist and always want to retire as a Hunter.

As always, the Members of 《Torch Knights’ (Touka Kish-Dan)》 have an extraordinary atmosphere wrapped around them.

Hunters who are recognized as high level often have an air that is clearly distinguishable to the general public, but the atmosphere around the Members of 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 is quite similar to the atmosphere of a? Knight Order when they return in triumph.

Is it because of the charisma of Touka, their leader, that they are able to maintain such a high level of leadership? I, who am always being swept away by Luke and the others, would like to learn from her.

The relationship between 《Strange Grief (Nageki no Borei)》 and 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 is delicate. It is neither good nor bad. In fact, since they are rarely in the Imperial Capital, their relationship with us is fundamentally thin.

However, our Party’s attitude towards 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 was quite positive.

We sat around the table together since they proposed it. We were being entertained by Touka and other key Members of the Party.

“Us meeting here must be some kind of fate. Please drink as much as you want, drinks on me.” (Sytry)

Was what she said, so it seems to be Sytry’s treat. She seems to like 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 a lot. Probably because problems with them can be easily solved with money.

“That’s what she said. It is the customer’s request. Don’t waste Sytry’s goodwill! Drink! Don’t forget to thank her, not many “Master (Client)” are this generous. Salute!” (Touka)

“Itadakimasuuuu!” (Torch Knights Members)

Everyone saluted again in unison. Sytry blinked her eyes as if she was amazed.

They seem to think that a salute is good for everything. And isn’t their way of using the word Master weird?

I checked how Touka and her companions’ were doing while drinking.

It seems that 《Torch Knights (Touka Kish-Dan)》 returned to attend the Supreme Martial Arts Festival after traveling around the country, chasing after bounty Hunters and participating in battles as they usually do.

I was thinking how they could do so many things like hunting Orcs that were attacking a village, crushing a beastmen group of thieves, and raiding Treasure Shrines for fun, but when I think about it, we also did a lot of stuff too.

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Cry do you know that you are only creating more misunderstanding by saying that Kryhi is the real you! XD

But well I am sure that the Divine Strategist did that because he is playing a 5D chess game with his enemies.

Tchao à plus!

Footnotes

Itadakimasu: it means thanks for the food.