It unfolded about two hours later. The armed elves, a group of strikingly handsome men and beautiful women, slowly approached the humans’ trap. The girl the humans intended to kidnap was likely the one sitting on the palanquin carried by four male elves—the Priestess of Sahl herself. She had downcast eyes and a slightly melancholic expression. She looked to be in her late teens or early twenties, with an androgynous face, bluish-silver hair reaching down to her waist, and skin as flawless as virgin snow. Her clear emerald eyes shone with intelligence, seeming to see into the depths of one’s heart. Her sheer clothing, which exposed her back and shoulders, was designed to be both modest and suitable for the dances required of the Priestess of Sahl.
Perhaps due to having just performed a ritual dance, the girl’s slightly sweaty skin glowed with a healthy, vibrant aura that contrasted with her mournful expression.
I was momentarily mesmerized by the unexpectedly beautiful girl and was staring at her absentmindedly when I noticed a slight change in the hiding humans. Realizing that the situation was about to escalate, I used my ear cuff to summon Gobkichi.
In that instant, the twelve humans moved as one. With their pre-loaded crossbows, they fired simultaneously and with deadly accuracy, taking down twelve targets. The elves fell without ever knowing they had been ambushed.
The humans then swiftly switched to the second set of crossbows they had prepared at their feet, firing once more. Another twelve elves were struck down.
Thrown into confusion by the sudden ambush, the remaining eight elves tried to retaliate with their bows, only to be quickly silenced by the humans, who had discarded their crossbows and were closing in with blades. Throats slashed by daggers, their blood sprayed, and they died with expressions of agony on their faces.
It all happened in just about ten seconds. Swift and deadly, the humans executed their ambush flawlessly. The elves’ blood, repelled by the humans’ cloaks, stained only the ground and did not touch their attackers.
Afterward, one of the men approached the lone survivor, the elf girl, and pressed a cloth against her mouth. She struggled briefly, then soon went limp, losing consciousness. The humans, who had accomplished their mission without taking on a single injury, took the unconscious elf girl and began their retreat, making a swift and decisive exit.
Incidentally, I was waiting for them along their escape route. This was natural; I had been tracking them from behind, after all.
When the distance between us had closed sufficiently, I decided it was time to make my move. As soon as I appeared, I shot golden threads from my fingertips. A mass of the strong threads spread out, obscuring the humans’ entire field of vision. As an additional measure, I used Ground Control to ensure their escape routes were completely blocked. Earth walls erupted on three sides, leaving only one opening. The humans’ panicked expressions at the sudden development were amusing.
The result was an unequivocally successful capture.
The golden threads, an ability I’d gained from consuming a meal of Golden Spiders, retained their flexibility while gaining additional weight due to their golden composition. This not only exhausted my captives but also provided a degree of resistance to their various attacks. Cutting through these threads would not be an easy task.
The sight of the humans writhing on the ground, ensnared like golden cocooned insects, was hilarious.
However, leaving them like this risked the possibility that they would resort to releasing poison hidden in their molars or biting their tongues to commit suicide. I could heal them if it came to that, but it would be a hassle. So, I made them bite on gags of golden thread. Then, to further ensure my captives couldn’t escape, I dislocated their arm joints and securely bound their thumbs and wrists together.
Just as I was finishing up, Gobkichi returned. It would be his job to carry all twelve humans.
Even though they were only lightly equipped, twelve adult males would still be quite heavy. When Gobkichi lifted them, though, he made it look effortless. Equipment included, the total weight had to be over a ton. I tilted my head curiously but said nothing, seeing as he handled the task with ease.
The bodies of the fallen elf guards were a grim sight, either struck down by crossbow bolts or deeply gouged across the throat by daggers. The humans’ precision was impressive, and even though I could heal wounds, I couldn’t (yet) revive the dead, so there was nothing I could do for them now that their vital points had been so accurately destroyed.
I took all the equipment from the fallen elves, plus their hearts, then ensured their bodies were properly buried to prevent monsters from desecrating their corpses.
[Ability learned: Luck!]
[Ability learned: Doom!]
Interestingly, I acquired both a beneficial ability and a detrimental one from eating their hearts. I decided to keep Luck active at all times and made a mental note not to accidentally activate Doom.
After completing my task, I clasped my hands together in prayer. “May Buddha’s light guide you,” I muttered, hoping their souls would find peace.