Chapter 61: – Twin Magicians (2/2)

I did call it spread out, but we were separated for no more than 10 meters.

We took up positions away from the front of the cavern in order to ensure Chrisse’s firing line.

Looking towards Chrisse, she took up a pose on her knees—a kneeling-shooting position.

I changed over from semi-auto to full-auto mode.

I raised my left hand to where everyone could see,  and I started counting.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1—

“Go!”

By supporting our bodies with Body Strengthening, Snow, Shia and I jumped out from the thickets and opened fire on the ogres while they were huddled around the bonfire.

[!!!!!!!!???????]

The ogres turned their heads toward us in surprise.

But they were too late.

With me from the left and Snow & Shia from the right, we fired, making the shape of the letter X.

The ogres momentarily hesitated on which way to turn, and because of that, they were defenseless and fell prey to a mountain load of 7.62mm Russian shot.

But because of their robustness that’s superior to orcs, they didn’t die easily even after receiving those.

[OOOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOO!!!!]

They roared even as they took a shot or two and charged towards me.

I strengthened my body—my eyes in particular.

Just like how I once defeated the goblins, I changed my aim to their heads.

I had overwhelming firepower, unlike with the revolver.

Because of the great power, the ogre’s thick skull was smashed on a direct hit to the head, splattering grey matter everywhere.

The magazine change was also smooth and without pause.

Just when I used up the second magazine, the ogres that were coming to attack me had been annihilated.

Likewise, Snow and Shia also defeated theirs.

Timewise, it all took under one minute.

—silence fell.

We installed fresh magazines taken from our magazine pouches and turned the muzzle towards the cavern’s entrance.

Snow, Shia and I nodded to one another and slowly walked, encircling the cavern’s entrance.

Three more minutes passed, and the two magician-looking men from earlier showed up with the woman as hostage.

Each had the left and right halves of their faces tattooed in black ink.

If you brought them together, they would make single pattern.

Other than the tattoos, their faces and stature were identical.

These two men were now unmistakably identified as the twin magicians.

The man with tattooes on the right half of his face held a knife at the woman, using her as a shield.

The woman didn’t seem to have been raped; but her face was swollen, likely because of being hit.

“Who the hell are you!? How did you take down all these ogres without even using magic!?” x2

The men asked in unison.

“It doesn’t matter who we are, does it? Rather than that, it’s you—- wait, we don’t know your names yet.”

“To not know about us—ignorance is sin! We are the twin magicians who are famous ’round this neighborhood; when the two of us use our magic together, our power rises! Now you’d do well to see our magic and carve our names to your souls as it—gaaaah” x2

—BANG!

“Gyaaaaah!”

The enemy’s speech was answered with bullets.

Chrisse fired the M700P, hitting the shoulder of the man who was holding the hostage with a [7.62mm×51 NATO bullet]

As the hostage slipped away and the man became dumbfounded, one of his legs was shot.

“GUAAAAAH!!!”

The two men agonized because of pain they had never felt before.

Chrisse relentlessly fired one more bullet at each of the men.

I raised my hand, signalling her to stop.

Together with Shia, we rushed up to the agonizing men and kicked them in the jaw.

The two men lost their consciousnesses quickly.

Their legs and shoulders were bleeding heavily; the bullets have pierced right through.

We attached our magic-prevention collars precautiously and tied them up. Afterwards, Shia treated their shoulders and legs.

Here, we could take it easy and not kill them. Because we could take them back alive, they could be dragged out before the law and make up for their crimes.

Snow rushed over to the cowering woman and called her.

She took out a knife and cut the rope binding her arms.

“Please be at ease, we’re here to help. The monsters have all been exterminated, so you’ll be alright.”

“T-, ttttt-, thank y—”

Overcome with fear, the woman must have found it hard to say her thanks while she was shivering.

Snow paid it no mind, as she offered her a canteen and rubbed her back to calm her down. Then she applied healing magic on her face.

Thanks to the healing magic’s power, the bruises on her face cleanly disappeared.

After making sure of her state, I waved to Chrisse.

She came along to check whether there are any more survivors, then I gave everyone instructions.

“Shia, you go back first and tell Gomugo-san and the others that everything’s fine. When you’re there, take a horned horse and come back here. We’re going to be carrying these twin magicians with us. Chrisse and I will check the perimeter for any more survivors. Snow will stay next to her until she calms down.”

Having received their instructions, everyone started to move.

Thus we were able to safely rescue the woman and successfully capture the object of reward, the twin magicians.