19 Palopoltin

The trip back to the entrance of the instant dungeon took more than a day. I know because I had to complete a Daily Quest on the way.

"This is wasting too much time. I think it's time to find a mount."

After a few days of rest, I'll head into the Middle Floors and find a fast, rideable, flying monster to Purify.

Anyway, I leave my Soldiers in the graveyard of the Shadow catacombs next to the entrance.

'If I need them, it will be a bother to travel all the way down to the 30th floor to fetch them.' I think it as I leave.

On the stairs leading out of the dungeon, I hear the adventurers talk about War Games. It seems that Hestia Familia had beaten Apollo Familia in a Siege War Game a few days ago.

'Too bad. I wanted to watch the fight.'

I don't leave Babel right away; I head to the elevator. My destination is the bathing facilities on the 1st Floor of Babel Tower.

'It feels like I haven't done this in ages.'

Inside the instant dungeon, I used to wash myself using water bottles I bought from the system's Store. I wonder how the people of this world would react if I show them 'plastic' bottles… I wouldn't do it though.

Anyway, washing my body using bottles was only a means to clean myself. But laying in a warm tub is a majestic luxury.

I haven't thought of this before, but I think I prefer the Dungeon of Orario to instant dungeons.

Because in the Dungeon of Orario, I took bathes in the lakes scattered across the 18th Floor whenever I needed them.

---

After the bath, I change into a fresh set of clothes and head home.

I wander through the human traffic of West Main Street, looking around enjoying the faces and noises of people filling the street.

"This is a normal afternoon in Orario."

The bars are at the center of the storm of energy swirling around me. Demi-humans are smiling, drawing people off the streets and luring them into their respective establishments.

A group of Prums and Gnomes are standing shoulder to shoulder and singing to their hearts' content. Even a Dwarf joins in their jolly circle to hum a few notes.

Female animal-people try to bring in customers with some very "playful" clothing. But they are put to shame by a line of Amazons walking by wearing not much more than loincloths.

The Amazons don't seem to care about all eyes following them as they strut down the street. I tear my own eyes away from their little parade and keep walking.

"This should be it..." This is how every main street in the world should be like. Not the Amazons… the liveliness.

It's funny though, for ME to appreciate crowd and noise… The world is about to end or something.

Well, maybe it already has… since I live now in a fantasy world which I have no idea how I got to.

Huh, waking up in here for the first time… it feels like ancient history now. Even though it's been only less than three months.

'Oh, this side-street…' It's the one that leads to the old church that Hestia and Bell lived under. I haven't gone there before but when Nahza showed me the city…

"Lady Hestia and Mr. Bell live in a church on this side-street." She said while pointing at this side-street, she did that more than once.

It's just a couple of streets before ours, so it's normal that we frequently pass by this street.

'If I pass through this street now, will I find the church in ruins?' It should be... since the battle with Apollo Familia has already happened.

I turn and walk through the side-street. After some walking, I find the wrecked building that was a church in its past life.

"It isn't as bad as I thought it would be". I say it as I take a shortcut. A few back-streets later and I'm ho….

What is this? This feeling…?

Something is wrong… but I can't decide what it is.

The Blue Pharmacy is just around the corner, why did I stop?

This seems to be something I picked through my Sense Stat. But it disappeared as soon as I picked it.

I close my eyes and extend my senses to search around for anything that could be IT.

One, two… three!

The Blue Pharmacy is being watched from the roofs by three Level-1 adventurers... No, two Level-1, the third adventurer is Level-2.

But their distribution… there should be a fourth one stationed… somewhere near me?

There you are!... But why are you running...?

It's as if this adventurer found what they were looking for and went to inform the rest.

If that's true… then what I sensed was the feeling of being watched. And once the adventurer confirmed that it was me, they stopped watching in order to run to the others.

'Is this Dian Cecht's doing again?'

Did he learn nothing from his previous attempt? Now is not the time… First, I should stop this one from informing the rest. I don't want whatever they planned to do to be set in motion.

The target is a Level-1 adventurer running on the roofs, headed towards the Level-2 adventurer… It looks like this one is their leader.

I activate 'Stealth' and dart through the streets to intercept the target. I'm way faster than they are so I outrun them quite easily.

"Okay, you'll jump above me right… now!"

I use 'Ruler's Hand' to violently snatch the target from the air and slam them into the ground.

"A child?... no, a Prum or a Prum child… I can't really tell the difference."

Child or not, he's an adventurer so I'll treat him as such.

Ahem… chop, chop!

This is the part where you're supposed to get up… Shit! Is he dead?

Phew, he's still breathing. But he's badly hurt.

Well, he did just fall from a two-story building… not just fall, I slammed him pretty hard. I should learn to be more careful in adjusting my power output.

Anyway, I carry the Prum on my back and go further in the back streets until I'm in a narrow deserted street somewhere in the middle between the Blue Pharmacy and the Guild.

I lay the Prum on the ground in a sitting position, restrain him using the invisible 'Ruler's Hand', and pour a lowest-grade potion into his mouth. His complexion got a little better and he groaned as he starts opening his eyes.

"Do something I don't like, and you'll die before you know it." I say it as I squeeze him a little with 'Ruler's Hand' to make sure he knows that I'm serious.

"Uuugh… okay, okay!… I'll do as you say." He says in pain. There must be bruises all over his body after a fall like this.

"Then start by telling me who you are and what you were planning to do." I say.

"I'm Marcus and I was on my way to the pub…. AaaaamMMmmm!!!" He sarcastically answers before I squeeze him furiously.

He started screaming from the pain, so I cover his mouth with my hand. I crouch and bring my face close to his face as I'm still squeezing him.

"Ha-ha… very funny. Now, let's try again. What Familia do you belong to and what did your Familia plan to do after finding me?" I whisper in anger.

I notice a clear change in his eyes, so I stop squeezing him and remove my hand.

"We are Argus Familia…"

(Who the hell are Argus Familia?)

"Some idiotic god contracted us to kill you in exchange for a year of free potions…"

(Potions? It's Dian Cecht. I already killed his fighting members, maybe I can scare him into canceling the contract?)

"The rich idiot didn't put a limit on the amount we can take within the year, we plan to bleed him to death… No matter what you do, the contract is too good for us to go back on..."

(No, this isn't like him. Dian Cecht's a fox. There's no way he'd do that… He must've left a loophole for himself in the contract… Also, there's always the possibility that he was too angry to think. But I don't think I drove him to this extent.)

"You are dead, idiot! You hear me? You … are … dead."

As soon as he finishes his frantic speech, I use Ruler's Hand to strangle him.

"Spaces between words won't make me scared, you know…

I'm sure that you have your reasons to be so prideful and confident in your Familia's name. But I actually find it funny, because this is my first time ever hearing of this Argus Familia of yours.

Anyway, killing me isn't something your Familia can do openly. They'll have to wait for the right moment… either in a dark alley 'like the one we're in now' or inside the dungeon. For now, I can just avoid giving them the opportunity.

You know I have to kill you now, right? I don't want you to tell your friends that I know about the contract.

They'll most likely figure it out once they find your dead body, but it would delay them enough for me to know who my enemies are."

I talk out loud as I watch him struggling to take his breath. This is too cruel, for me. I mean, he looks exactly like a child… Give me a frigging break!

If I'm forced to kill someone, I'd prefer them to like cruel and evil not to look like children. And I'd like to do it fast and clean… like stabbing them through the heart or something.

But this time, I'm forced to watch this child-like man die slowly because we're inside the city… Inside the city means that I have to make it bloodless.

Blood will make it an official murder with investigations and such… And when I fight with another member of Argus Familia, It'll be as if I'm pinning the murder on myself.

Even if I survive the murder contract, I will be banished from the city for murder.

It's funny how these things work; Inside the city, a Familia can accept an assassination contract. But an individual can't kill one of his soon-to-be assassins.

Kill in the city? What are we… barbarians? Let's ambush each other inside the dungeon the way the civilized adventurers do it.

----

After the Prum is dead, I head to the Guild... Eina's desk, to be more specific.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Stark… Long time no see!" She says. Judging by her tone, I think she's mad at me for some reason.

Knowing her personality, it's maybe because I didn't visit her for the time I was in the dungeon. She likes it when people depend on her, she gets angry when they don't.

A little apology to smooth the conversation wouldn't hurt, even though I think I did nothing worth apologizing for.

"Hello, Ms. Eina! Before anything else, I'd like to say that I'm sorry I didn't come to check in with you… I've been away for the past three weeks." I say.

"Then, you should've told me before leaving." She pouted.

Now she's really pushing it. Why would I do that? She isn't my mother!

"Next time, I'll try to remember you…"

I cut my impatient talk because I felt alarmed… this again? I get the sense that someone is watching me. After a few seconds, it disappears. Dammit! Did they leave someone in the Guild in case I come here?

This place is full of adventurers, it's impossible to pinpoint the one who was watching me… This is bad… I killed the Prum for nothing.

"Mr. Stark… You spaced out while talking!" Eina says.

"I'm sorry, but I'm in hurry. Can you tell me everything you know about Argus Familia?" I ask.

"Um, I can't give you classified information about our conf..." She says before I cut her.

"No, I'm not asking about any classified info… I want to know the public stuff. Things I can find if I ask around.

Like the number of members in the Familia, the name and level of their captain, the average level of their members, and what kind of god Argus is." I quickly explain.

"If it's this much, I suppose I can tell you. But you aren't in some trouble with them, are you?" She's genuinely worried. This can't be good… are they something formidable?

"Maybe… I don't know, yet... That's why I'm asking." I vaguely answer.

"I'll tell you what you want to know AFTER you tell me everything." She says.

Sigh, I have no time for this shit.

"I've heard that while I was away, some Argus Familia members were asking around trying to find me. I don't know their reasons. And I know nothing about Argus Familia members, so I'd like to know everything that I can before they do find me."

I tell some lies that won't incriminate me in any way.

"This doesn't seem to be enough a reason for the 'specific' things you asked to know."

(She's making me regret ever coming to her.)

"But I think you should know anyway... Argus Familia is a C-rank Familia. They are known to be a small group of elites. They are only about 25 to 30 members."

(C is a pretty high rank and even if she calls them a small group, I'm still way outnumbered.)

"They are famous for completing hard 'and shady' Quests and for doing mercenary work for the warring countries outside of Orario."

(Shady enough to accept an assassination contract to kill me? Sure.)

"They are a very strong group of adventurers. Their captain is the Level-4 Amazon, 'Lyra Arnette'."

(In one-vs-one, I think I can beat a Level-4.)

"She is known to be one of the strongest Second-class adventurers out there. They say that she once beat Loki Familia's Anakitty Autumn in hand-to-hand combat."

(Now, I'm not that confident. I've seen Aki's aura first-hand.)

"And there is another Level-4 member, the Vice-captain of Argus Familia 'Ickler Usher'. He is a forest-elf Mage. They say that he has a destructive Fire-magic spell that seconds only to Lady Riveria's."

(Someone like that would be most troublesome in big battles.)

"There are also about half a dozen Level-3 adventurers, a dozen Level-2 adventurers, and the rest are level-1 Supporters."

(Most of them are Upper-class adventurers, even the lackeys.)

"And Mr. Stark, believe me when I say: They are a dangerous, highly trained, and highly organized mercenary squad that once overturned the fate of a war involving tens of thousands of soldiers."

(Okay, I believe you now.)

"And the rumors that reached the Guild about their misdeeds in that war… No, I shouldn't speak of that."

(Did they also commit war crimes? So, they are strong AND cruel... nice! My bad luck really did score this time.)

"If they want you in some deal or business, you should respectfully apologize and reject them. Most of their business is shady and illegal."

(They want business alright… But my head is the package they want to deliver.)

"If they are seriously after you, you should tell Lord Miach and seek asylum in the Guild until the matter is resolved. If it's not resolved, then you should consider leaving the city and run for your life."

Eina finally finishes the lecture named 'Scaring Rick of Argus Familia'. I can't say she didn't succeed, I'm actually quite nervous now.

"Well… thank you miss Eina. I'll be in touch… Wish me luck!" I say as I get up.

"May the fortunes of war shine upon you." Why the hell does she have to mention war?

---

I run home as fast as I can… I enter the Blue Pharmacy not caring about the watching eyes anymore.

They are way stronger than the first surveillance team. They are not sending the Level-1 Supporters anymore. So, is this where the real deal begins?

I didn't have time to check their number or levels… Because I sensed two presences inside the Pharmacy other than Miach and Nahza. And they both have bigger auras than Nahza's.

Ting~

The bell on the door rings as I enter…

"Oh, Rick!… Welcome back." Says Nahza sitting behind the counter.

"Hey Nahza, come with me please!" I say as I lock the Pharmacy's door behind me.

"Huh? What's going on?" She asks in confusion.

I rush to the living room where Miach and the other two presences are.

I find Miach sitting between two adventurer girls on the couch… Why are the three on the couch? There are two armchairs in the room.

"And who might you two be?" I aggressively ask.

"Ruuuude!" Says Nahza who entered the room behind me.

"This is not very nice of you, Rick! These two are the newest members of our Familia, Cassandra Ilion and Daphne Lauros.

You should get rid of this bad attitude which does not suit you, and welcome them properly." Miach reprimands me.

Oh! Cassandra and Daphne… After Apollo Familia got destroyed, they chose to join Miach Familia. I knew that, but still…

They chose a bad time to join us! If Argus Familia decides to go after me openly, people will think that Cassandra and Daphne bring bad luck or something.

"Oh, Um… I'm very sorry. I thought you were someon…." I start apologizing but I suddenly stop.

Every cell in my body is screaming: [DANGER].

Ominous energy starts descending from somewhere above us.

In a blink:

- I grab Nahza who is standing behind me and jump towards the couch.

'I won't make it in time!'

- I use Ruler's Hand to pull Cassandra, Daphne, and Miach off the couch and bring them closer as I jump at them.

- Once the four of them 'including Nahza' are near me, I spend every ounce of my mana to make a shield of Brilliant Light around us.

'It's not strong enough… use all Available Stat Points on Intelligence Stat!' [Intelligence: 222]

- And I spend my newly acquired mana strengthening the shield… and then,

BAAAAAAAAAM!

------

This all took less than one second...

Exactly the amount of time needed for someone with the speed generated by 132 Stat points to cover the distance of 4 meters.

Carrying Nahza, Rick's jump had only covered 3 meters by the time Ruler's Hand brought the other three to him.

Their feet never reached the floor… Airborne, he had erected 'Brilliant Star' a magic shield that protected them from all directions.

The shield never touched the floor either… Because that was when 'it' hit them…

"Palopoltin."

An overpowered magic spell that turned the whole building into ashes before it even hit. The heat that the spell generated was enough to burn down the old wooden building.

The spell itself erased every trace of the building from the face of the earth. It even drilled a hole in the ground where the pharmacy once stood.

The perpetrator and caster of this spell is Argus Familia's vice-captain the "Incinerator", Ickler Usher.

He was the one tasked with Dian Cecht's contract for killing the "Apostle Warrior", Rick Stark.

And his plan to carry the job was; Confirm that the target is in his house then blast the whole thing to the ground.

Fast, clean, untraceable, easy, and all it would take is a surveillance team of Supporters and one magic incantation.

Or so he thought…

---

[*Name: Rick Stark *Miach's Blessing (Level: 1)

*Level: 68

*Class: Ruler *Army Status: None (7/251)

*Title: Beast Lord - Transcendent of Predecessors

*HP: 77,520 *MP: 15,094 *Fatigue: 60

*Stats:

Strength: 132 Endurance: 114

Agility: 132 Intelligence: 222 Sense: 94

(Available stat points: 0)

*Damage Reduction: 47%

*Skills:

- Passive Skills: Unknown (Level: MAX), Advanced Sword Technique (Level: 2).

- Active Skills: Swift Strike (Level: 2), Whirlwind (Level: 2), Stealth (Level: 2), Ruler's Hands (Level: 2), Bloodlust (Level: 1).

- Class Skills: Light Magic (Level: 1), Purify (Level: 1).

*Equipment: - Ancient Supreme Helmet 'S' (15%, +20 Strength, +20 Agility), Keeper's Necklace 'S' (+20 Endurance), Koffac's Cloak 'A' (10%), Ancient Breastplate 'B' (12%), Ancient Boots 'B' (5%), Ancient Gauntlets 'B' (5%), Ancient Magician's Ring 'B' (+5 Intelligence).

*Gold: 231,449,030]

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