The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

14 – Bombma (1)

The site of the massive explosion was a densely populated residential area.

No doubt.

It was an explosion aimed at mass murder.

In an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Baltaria Empire, which reigns as a powerful nation representing humanity, they committed heinous acts. As the horrifying scene unfolded through shattered windows, I drew my pistol.

“Just a moment… I’ll be back.”

Hwangseong Aldebaran.

And a specially designed pistol firing magic bullets.

This should be sufficient.

What more could be needed?

Even if I were to encounter any enemies hostile to the saint’s party, I was confident I would emerge victorious.

Therefore, looking at Elizabeth surrounded by guards, I spoke. The culprit who turned the city into a sea of flames would undoubtedly be weaving another sinister plot. The explosion was unlikely to end with just one.

“Stop, Edanthe! It’s dangerous to go out now!”

“I’ll be fine.”

An anxious shout echoed.

In response, I showed the pistol clenched in my hand to Platinum Princess and shrugged.

“I’ll be back, little one.”

“Yeah! Trust Edan, Max’s little brother!”

Despite the sudden calamity and the chaotic state, Rue bravely suppressed her fear and cheered for me as I leaped into the sea of flames.

Quite commendable.

Indeed, she couldn’t be anything less than the mascot-like talent of the saint’s party.

Rue waved her hand.

I nodded in response, acknowledging her encouragement.

“The flames gradually shifted to a bluish hue. Does that mean it’s a magical explosive made from processed mana stones?”

Observing the transformation of the fire into a bluish hue, he speculated about the mastermind behind the terror.

Those guys.

A criminal organization that primarily used mana explosives to carry out acts of terrorism.

However, they must have been dealt with by the Sword Saint, a member of the Holy Maiden Party. Although he regrettably missed the leader during the crackdown, they would have lost most of their members.

Could it be the surviving remnants plotting a retaliation?

Damn them.

Even cockroaches can’t match such persistent tenacity. Try doing something good for a change.

“Bomb-ma Gale.”

He spat out the presumed villain behind the scenes.

And immediately leaped from the fourth-floor window.

* * *

Smoke intermingled with scorch marks.

Flames that could engulf the entire body in an instant.

Numerous lives swallowed by the grotesque fire.

Truly horrifying.

It was a spectacle reminiscent of an infernal realm.

The mastermind behind the large-scale bomb terror, having detonated the explosives, would be watching the scene of the hellish fire he created. Imagining the eerie face, I felt nauseous.

“They strategically placed explosives in residential areas to maximize casualties. Moreover, the epicenter of the explosion is adjacent to a slum, making it easy to prepare for the crime.”

He raced quickly.

The city that he had strolled through with Rue was now a sea of flames.

Screams echoed.

The sounds of agonizing wails and crying struck his ears.

But he didn’t stop.

Most importantly, stopping the Bomb-mas’ plan was crucial.

“Bomb-ma Gale… Bomb-ma Gale… Where did that guy who appeared in Chapter 2 aim for? It’s been too long since I read the original, and my memory is a bit hazy.”

Villains committing crimes in succession each have their own inertia.

Habits,

Or shall we call them routines.

Although it may seem like chaotic destruction, villains also have their own rules. Reading into that, he might be able to catch up with Gale. So, as much as possible, he recalled the content of the original while racking his brain.

“Darn it.”

I abruptly halted my steps.

And raised the gun.

-Krrrrrrrr!!

-Grrrk! Grrrk!! Gaaaaah!!

Predatory beasts, tearing apart a partially mangled corpse, emerged.

Infernivore.

As the name suggests, a demon with innate flame resistance.

Sharp horns and teeth.

Eyes as red as refined hellfire.

Four legs armed with razor-sharp claws and spikes on the grotesque torso unmatched in its brutality.

A sinister strategy that triggered widespread explosions with explosives while summoning demons, causing devastation in the surroundings. Just as dark magic intervened when the villains attacked the Hoenberg family, this time too, it was evident that a dark sorcerer was supporting the explosive demons.

Hmm.

It’s a dire situation.

There’s no easy way out.

I’ve always faced unfortunate outcomes, much like someone who betrayed their country in a past life.

This time was no different.

I muttered while facing the glowing eyes of the ferocious demons.

“Take down that ugly head!”

I pulled the trigger towards the presumed leader of the demons.

Bang!

The demon’s skull shattered with the gunshot.

As the leader fell, demons approaching from the rear rushed in. Exhaling a rough breath, I drew the second gun.

-Cachong!!

Extending both hands wielding dual pistols, I aimed at the beasts.

I pulled the trigger incessantly.

As bullets rained down, the number of demons rapidly diminished.

However, the battle was far from smooth. The sharp gunfire echoed continuously, and the demons unleashed by the dark sorcerer swarmed in. While securing the safety of the citizens was a positive outcome, unfortunately, I found myself cornered.

“Indeed, it’s tough with just two guns. The numbers are overwhelming.”

The beasts surrounded from all sides.

The sharp fangs and claws felt ready to tear me apart at any moment.

It’s difficult with just a handgun.

The precarious barrier holding back the ferocious beasts began to waver.

As I reminisced about the days of working as a temporary member of the Holy Party, recalling the hardships endured, I summoned the protection I had sealed away. Lives of countless citizens were at stake. With a resolute decision, I pushed aside the overwhelming hesitation that churned in my mind, along with the handguns held firmly in both hands.

“With the entire surroundings filled with a sea of flames, there should be no worry of leakage. Should I use the protection a bit?”

I threw away the handguns.

Then, I grasped the hilt of the Holy Sword Aldebaran. It was to release the ‘restraint.’

A dark, inky color, like black powder, emerged.

Following that, the formless darkness transformed into muskets with elongated barrels.

Tada-dadadadang—!!!

Rapid fire. Muskets adorned the air with a volley of flames.

A barrage of bullets against the vast emptiness.

The ferocious beasts, charging fiercely, turned into a swarm of victims under the relentless hail of bullets. Despite persisting in their blood-soaked state until the end, they couldn’t breach the newly reinforced barrier.

“It’s gunfire!”

“I hear gunshots from over there!”

As the protection of the gunslinger who had completed the original mission was invoked,

Beyond the flames, screams accompanied by the clangor of cold metal started to echo.

Imperial knights.

Finally, a large force had been deployed to the scene transformed into a sea of flames.

As soon as the emergency signal dropped, knights rushing in courageously pierced through the flames and simultaneously engaged in combat with the demons summoned by the dark sorcerer. A battle unfolded within the blaze. True to their role of defending the empire, the knights effortlessly cut down the demons in a one-sided spectacle.

Then they arrived at the scene where the rapid fire had occurred. Knights witnessing the scene of numerous corpses twitching on the ground showed signs of shock, swallowing hard as they hesitated.

“Y-you… Master Hoënberg?!”

“You’ve come not too late. Well, actually, quite late.”

Informing the knights who joined the scene while picking up the handguns from the ground, I revealed the situation.

Bombma Gale.

The malicious criminal is planning a second terror attack with his subordinates.

The knights, initially hesitant and skeptical, eventually nodded. Perhaps because they had limited information at the moment, they reluctantly seemed to trust. Or maybe it was because of my presumed close relationship with Princess Ludmila.

“Mas-Master…! Where are you going?”

A knight, likely the commander, asked urgently with a desperate tone.

He responded to him.

“To confront the Bombma. I have a rough idea of where they might be.”

He speculated on the new target that the ruthless criminal was planning.

There is no evidence.

It is a decision based solely on intuition.

Therefore, he could not casually reveal conjectures to others.

He decided to go alone.

Because there is no one else but me to confront Bombma now.

* * *

Gael Doher, mainly referred to by the alias “Bombma” rather than his real name, threatened Beatrice by blowing up the cathedral of the Saboyan Empire, which sponsored the Holy Maiden Party.

There is nothing sacred.

For four years, he was nothing more than a prostitute who exploited faith.

He set numerous lives on fire with malice towards religion.

Why does Bombma resent the leaders of the goddesses so much? It’s because Gael, who had his face disfigured in a tragic fire, pleaded for divine magic from the priests of the cathedral but was ultimately rejected.

It was because of his destitution.

It was because of my lowly status.

So, they did not even show minimal mercy and turned away.

Was it the evil and hatred boiling inside that manifested outwardly? Gael’s face, already filled with scars as he was swept away by the flames, became even more grotesque.

“Yes, I knew you’d be here!”

As Bombma, who had ordered his henchmen to set up explosives, was recalling the past while harshly scratching the scars on his face,

Kwaang──!!

A rough noise echoed as the entrance shattered.

With fragments scattering in all directions, the intruder revealed their presence.

“Who are you…?”

“Someone who came to stop the arson.”

Arson.

It was an irritating tone as if someone came to stop something ridiculous.

In response to the intruder’s answer, Gael twisted his face.

Anger rose at the provocation, calling the great revolution that aimed to demolish the hypocrisy of the guides who boasted of sanctity and piety nothing more than arson. Moreover, the appearance of the young man with a gun pointed at him unpleasantly reminded him of someone.

“You think you can stop the arson alone?”

“I may only know how to mimic, but… Well, I’ll give it a shot.”

Strangely, the intruder was the only man.

In other words,

He burst into a place surrounded by explosive devices with reckless abandon.

Gale couldn’t help but be bewildered by the intruder’s audacious actions, far beyond common sense. However, as he eventually drew a sharp dagger and explosives simultaneously, he revealed his enmity toward the intruder.

“Mimic? You’re spouting ridiculous jokes. Load me up with bombs from head to toe. A body shattered into pieces would be quite a spectacle.”

“Then go die imitating.”

Mimic.

Yes,

No matter how hard one tries, it would only be a mimicry.

But for now, that was enough.

Recalling the rugged face of the man who always led from the front, Gale drew the sword of the Holy Sword, Aldebaran, bathed in a vivid crimson.