The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard-Chapter 88: That Noble’s Presence (2)

After spending time analyzing with closed eyes, Turan concluded there were no civilians at their base.

’Good, let’s resolve this quickly.’

Though simply rushing in and beating them to death wouldn’t be difficult, since he planned to massacre unprepared opponents before tonight ended, he needed to conserve magical power and stamina.

And the best way to save both was to expend other resources instead.

Turan had Bize circle around the base while he began scattering fire spirits.

Having secured hundreds of kilograms now, he had no reservations about using them.

The black powder falling from the sky, hidden in the dark night, spread throughout the pirates’ residential area riding wind magic.

Then came the explosions.

With horrifically loud booms, light, and flames, buildings collapsed and pirates’ bodies burst apart.

Turan continued causing explosions while not missing those fleeing, detected by his holy relic’s senses.

Two hundred people, hundred fifty, hundred, fifty...

The last survivors were three or four knights and one noble hiding in the stone fortress at the base’s center.

He had replaced the effort of killing hundreds spread across a wide area one by one with a few handfuls of fire spirits.

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’It seems difficult to kill opponents inside. Even stone buildings, if thick enough, can’t be completely destroyed...’

Explosions using fire spirits seemed easy to increase in range but difficult to strengthen in intensity.

Well, even when he first saw it, wasn’t it unable to cause instant death despite detonating an entire pouch’s worth?

While inputting this new information in his mind, Turan entered the ruined pirate base with Bize.

The corpses inside the central fortress were relatively intact, probably thanks to the stone ceiling and walls.

Judging by blood flowing from their eyes and ears, they likely died from the explosion’s pressure.

Reaching the innermost part, he saw the surviving knights and one noble.

"You, you are..."

Looking at the noble with half-burned mustache holding a trident magical device, Turan recalled information obtained from the Parayan Island pirates.

Name Bargos, a noble with water-controlling bloodline.

One of Cobinus’s trusted subordinates.

"Where is Cobinus? Tell me and I’ll give you a clean death."

"Why would someone as strong as you make such an attack?"

"I don’t like what you’re doing."

Turan didn’t tell them they were dying merely for kidnapping and using a few people.

They should feel more frustrated dying for an even more trivial reason.

Bargos glared and shouted angrily.

"Don’t spout nonsense! Even if I die, I won’t betray Big Brother! Everyone att-"

Before "attack" could finish, an explosion threw the surrounding knights in all directions.

The technique of accurately exploding a small amount of fire spirits blown by wind right in front of the body.

Thanks to the recent practice determining the appropriate amount to kill knights, none survived.

Meanwhile, Bargos was also rolling on the ground, but unlike the others who were caught in the explosion, he had lost one leg to a pre-prepared sling attack.

No chance to use his prized trident magical device or water-controlling magic.

Turan grabbed Bargos’s head and said.

"Now only you remain."

"Ugh, uugh-!"

Though Bargos wore a terrified expression, he didn’t dare attempt resistance.

To still have such power after unleashing such grand magic?

At this level, he must be a top-tier powerhouse even among major houses, no, perhaps a monster equal to a house head.

Not knowing the explosions weren’t purely from magical power, Bargos could only think this way.

But even facing such an opponent, he grit his teeth and maintained his stubbornness.

"I... won’t betray Brother..."

"Is that so."

Turan looked down at Bargos with dry eyes before breaking his neck to kill him.

It was out of respect for his intention to maintain loyalty among themselves, even if they were evil shepherds.

==

Contrary to expectations, the inner parts of the ruined Binatu Island didn’t store much wealth.

Presumably most was either loaded on Cobinus’s flagship or stored in warehouses on the island where he stayed.

After dispersing the nobles’ and knights’ magical power and collecting the valuables, Turan sank several ships he couldn’t take anyway before flying to the second island.

Unfortunately, Cobinus wasn’t there either.

’Should I consider this good luck or bad luck?’

While it was effective at cutting down their forces before the opponent could prepare, Turan actually wanted to kill Cobinus immediately, cut off his head, then clean up the rabble.

Even with large amounts of fire spirits, they were still limited resources, so using magical power would be better.

By the time he had bombarded two islands and rested to replenish magical power, dawn had deepened.

If he wasn’t at the next place either, he was probably moving somewhere by ship, which would become quite troublesome.

’Please be there this time.’

Thinking this while arriving at the final destination, Deben Island, Turan frowned at the presences he sensed.

One noble at Solif’s level, three nobles weaker than him but stronger than Turan, and seven nobles weaker than Turan but equal to ordinary house heads...

’What is this?’

No matter how he thought about it, this was an impossible level for a pirate group’s forces.

At this level, they could deal meaningful damage even to Meisa’s Black Spirit subjugation force.

If a mere pirate had this much power, they would have already unified the South Sea and become a major house.

Turan landed at the island’s foot and created a small tunnel to hide Bize.

He worried about her being captured by some noble like last time.

"I’ll be back soon, but even if I don’t come back, don’t come out until you’re really hungry. If you come out, flee this island. Understand?"

[Be careful!]

After preparing sufficient dried meat and water, Turan stealthily infiltrated the island.

Naturally, mere pirates couldn’t prepare against Zahar’s stealth ability, so he successfully entered the fortress.

Checking presences, most nobles seemed to be sleeping gathered upstairs, with exactly two staying in the basement.

The strongest noble’s presence was felt below.

’Let’s check there first...’

Moving slowly for several minutes to prepare for a situation like being detected by Rida last time.

Arriving at the fortress basement prison, Turan’s eyes widened at an unexpected sight.

’That is?’

First visible was a noble youth leaning casually against the bars.

Inside, surprisingly, was Solif, thoroughly beaten and tightly bound.