Chapter 221: Clearing the Rabble and the Would-Be Queen

"Ah… This is the most cushy gig I've ever done!"

"Yeah with the stat boosts that came with being undead, none of these little losers can even lift a finger against us!"

"How much longer will we need to do this for?"

"I think the boss said another week, then we start converting people. Apparently, there's some kinda big meeting in a month or so that he wants votes for, but that's above my paygrade!" the man said, giving a hearty chuckle beneath his hooded robes.

"Ain't that the truth!" the other guffawed.

"Oh, would you look at this fellas? We got some fresh meat at the center!"

The trio of men pushed passed the weary crowd of adventurers, spotting a man with long red hair wearing nothing but a frown, a grey hoodie, and some raggy-looking pants.

"Where did you roll in from friend?" one of the men asked, wrapping his arm around the newcomer's shoulder.

"Oliver Queen, huh? Level 11! On the higher side of the adventurer pool aren't we? But don't get a big head about it man! Haha, some of the monsters out there are even in their 20s now! But you know…" the man said leaning in, "For a fee… We can make sure nothing bad happens."

"And don't forget to use this center there's also a service fee!" bellowed another with a laugh.

"Don't forget the city tax as well!" chuckled the other.

The bystanders looked on with disgust in their eyes but none of them were strong enough or willing enough to stick their neck out for this stranger.

"Hey! Say something. Are you deaf, dumb, and stupid or something?"

"Maybe we came across Hellen Keller?" sneered one of the men, bringing down his hood to look the man in the eyes.

"So you are as pale as him. Are you ghouls or full-fledged idiots?" the man finally asked.

"What the fuck did you say..?"

The man who pulled down his hood growled, baring four elongated fangs and dull crimson eyes, his skin a pale unhealthy gray.

"Is this all of you?" the man in the hoodie asked, ignoring the other man's outburst.

"You think we need more than just us to take care of some fucking level 11?"

The three men surrounded the man in the hoodie, cracking their knuckles and necks looking at him balefully as their weapons manifested in their hands.

"I think you're going to need far more than anything you have in this city, you walking pile of maggot-infested garbage."

"I've heard enough of this sick dog's barking! We don't need a disobedient animal! Kill him!"

The three men rushed forward with their weapons curving in vicious arcs towards the hooded man.

The red-haired man suddenly shimmered with power, his hair shifting and cascading to a gentle green as he weaved through their blows casually.

"I'll ask three questions. A chance for each of you to answer," he said.

"Screw you lowbie! We ain't got shit to say to you!"

Swing after swing, blow after blow passed the man harmlessly.

"T-this guy can't be level 11… I'm specced for Dexterity and a higher level! Something ain't right here!"

"Question one," the man said coldly, "How many of you are in this city."

"I ain't tellin' you shit, meat!" one of the three yelled, swinging down a two-handed battle ax.

The green-haired man didn't miss a beat, letting the head of the ax pass him as he stepped to the side, raising his foot just as the haft hit the ground cracking it open.

The green-haired man stomped his raised foot down into the ax shattering it into countless pieces at the dismay of the man who looked on in horror.

"Question two. Have you met a woman named Maria Wallen?"

The three continued to swing their weapons and now fists at the green-haired man. Their responses delayed as they helplessly brought down their weapons on empty air, time and time again in the fight.

Several seconds of silent attempts to strike the green-haired man went by, sweat and frustration beginning to form on their faces. Their grunts began to be overtaken by the cheers of the crowd of adventurers surrounding them.

"Yeah, keep it up!"

"Get them!"

"Teach them a fucking lesson!"

"Don't let them keep abusing us!"

One of the trio turned, scowling deeply at the crowd letting out his aura to silence them.

"You little bastards are getting a big head just cause some new piece of meat is-" but his words were cut short as his vision shifted, spinning as it came closer to the ground. The sight of the snow-covered asphalt filling his vision before it went black.

"I'm not done asking questions, so don't turn your back to me. It's rude," hummed the man with green hair, the remnants of a blue magic circle dissipating at the tip of his two outstretched fingers.

"W-what the fuck! Y-you killed Kenny! Y-you killed him! Y-you! You bastard!" one of the remaining two roared as he rushed forward.

But he was instantly stopped in his tracks, the snow on the ground coalescing around his legs as it began to creep up them slowly, the excruciating chilling pain encapsulating his whole body, every thought, every breath. So much so he could barely hear the man's next question over the deafening experience.

"Third and final question. Where is Adam?"

The question was said almost like a statement, as if he knew the man he was looking for wasn't here, or that the remaining two men had no idea where this Adam was.

The last remaining man of the trio had fallen on his rear, seeing his compatriots beheaded and frozen into a icy statue one after the other forced him into a state of disbelief.

"I-i don't know an Adam!" he pleaded.

"Then who do you answer to?" the man asked, bending down to get eye level.

"I… I don't know! Ahhh!!!"

The man with green hair pressed his hand on the shoulder of the remaining of the trio, his hair turning the same color as the pristine white snow. But his hand was a fiery orange, bubbling with searing heat as it melted away the flecks of snow falling in the hair, turning the area into a steam-covered blanket.

The last of the trio wretched and screamed as the other man's hand slowly inched down from his shoulder filling the air with the smell of burnt charred flesh. The bystanders no longer cheered as they looked on with horror. Some covered their mouths and those with a weaker stomach balked, spilling their lunches on the asphalt below from the smell.

"I'm asking my fifth question now. You must talk to someone. Someone has to give you orders of some kind, you don't expect me to believe you turned into a vampire by happenstance and are planning to take over this city just because? After our little fight, I can't take you three for intellectuals smart enough to come up with that on your own. Now, is it Adam or someone else?"

"I-i swear. I swear! I don't know who it is! We go t-to a designated area that changes with every letter and a different person meets us each time with the n-next destination! Please! I promise!! I'm just a grunt, we all were! I-I don't know!" the man pleaded, gripping at his mutilated arm as it slowly began to heal, just like Adam's had, "I just took this deal because of the stats!"

"You threw away your humanity… for stats…?" the man growled, standing up.

The last of the trio looked at him with abject fear, his hand summoning tens of earthy brown magic circles without casting, jet-black spikes slowly emerging from each.

"For mere stats, you tortured people. Oppressed them. Threw them to the wolves to do your… ADAM'S dirty work?!"

"D-don't do this!" the man cried, his eyes dripping tears not of regret for what he had done, but tears of being caught and being punished for it, "If you kill me the rest will just come! You can't imagine how many there are! They have an army! You're just one person against an undead army! It's why we switched sides too! Stats, strength, being on the winning side! Right? Doesn't that sound good?!"

"An army?" the man said, pausing.

The man on the ground took that as an opportunity to further push his point, thinking the pause meant the other man was considering his offer.

"Y-yeah! If you come with me to the next meeting I can put in a good word f-for you! You can come to the winning side!"

"Winning side?" the man scoffed, "I've always been one for being the underdog."

The smile the man with white hair gave to the man on the ground silenced any confusion he may have had of him joining the undead legion. It was a primal one of anticipation and excited trepidation.

"Let them bring an army. I've been dying for a good fight," then the man raised his hand, giving the other a thumbs down, the spikes of jet black flying forward and skewering him to the floor.

His hair changing for the umpteenth time to black, he looked at the crowd, "Gather everyone in the city. You no longer have to stay here, you can come with me if you want, or wait to see if what this loser said is true."

—----

Drake heaved a heavy sigh, looking back down at the body of the vampires.

I couldn't get anything useful out of them. At least they haven't run into my mom it looks like. But an army… I'll have to move the schedule forward. Drake thought, clenching his fists.

"Once they all get back here we'll go pick up Sarah and head to ReUnite. I wanted to let the kids be kids a little longer but…" Drake sighed once more, "It looks like war is already here."

While Drake was busy fighting his own moral dilemma in his head a brave adventurer moved to talk to him.

"M-most of the city is here now. W-where are you taking us?"

Breaking from his thoughts, Drake raised a brow, putting on a half smirk, but instead of diffusing the situation after what he just displayed it terrified the people present.

"Ah. My bad," Drake coughed, "I am going back to my town, ReUnite. You are all free to come if you wish. There is shelter, food, and work to be had. There are also many benefits for any adventurer who comes and quests there, I guarantee it."

"Who says we won't be turned away like the other cities?" someone shouted.

Drake removed his disguising necklace, "You can't be turned away by the owner," he smiled, "Now, who's coming?"

—--------------

"Valor…" the woman growled, staring up at the man from the bottom of the steps, "Will you truly not heed the call of your Queen?"

The man scoffed at the word, "Queen? Lady Aralleen… You may have been the late King and Queen's daughter but that line is no more in this new world. What you suggest would lead us to war."

"You would forsake my sister?! The countless elves that have been taken by those vile savages! We must save them, we must go at once while they are still alive, while we are still strong enough to do so!" Aralleen shouted back.

"You may have convinced the loyalists to follow you in your foolish attempt to seize control from me, but that is all your childish game amounts to. You hold no real power, the small faction you've gathered pales in comparison to the human army that would come should we attack that town. Even if we are in the right, the humans will not stand such a thing," Valor sighed, "You must see that it is not in the best interest of the Dark Elves or our race as a whole. See reason."

Araleen let her aura leak, filling the room with a deathly chill, her next words dripping with venom it threatened to melt the very air it was spoken with.

"Since when did condemning your own people to a life of slavery and torment become the better option?! If we do not have the numbers now I will find more! The dwarves, beastmen, anyone!"

"And what exactly do you intend on offering them? Your body? Your," he scoffed, "Kingdom? Perhaps the God Sapling? I have humored you long enough. I have not the time nor the patience to entertain a spoiled child any longer," Valor said, waving to the guards to remove Aralleen.

"Valor! Do not do this! If not each other, what do we have now that we have been ripped from our home!?" she pleaded.

"That is just it. We have been scattered to the wind, battered, and bruised. You, Would-be Queen. Should we follow you, would have the rest of our race die for your lofty ideals and pride."

"At least we would die fighting! At least we would have our own choice! We could make the choice to live! And not die on the ground like filthy dogs should we bend the knee and continue to be disgraced, hollowed out like a rotting tree!"

"Enough! You are no longer in charge and neither are the King and Queen. Guards! Take her away!"

Valor turned sitting down on the throne made of branches watching as the guards escorted the Princess, Aralleen Silverwood out of the building.

He smiled as the doors closed behind her.

"Now, it is only a matter of time until I rule over the rest of the elves. All I have to do is sell off a few of the rabble, sacrifice a few to that man and all will fall into place as I bide my time until I reach E-Rank."

Opening his status, he grinned wider a slow maniacal laughter until it filled the room.