Brutal Defense 3

Suma went inside his and look for an old box cover with a rusty brace. She took out a rugged clothing that covers a shiny jade box. 'Sumo, my dear. Looks like we can finally sell the last batch of strings you made. I wish he will use it for good.'

She went out of the storage to find Lucas, he was looking around the store, checking the linens and leathers she sold. "Hoho, youngster, you look like interested at them?"

"Haha, of course. It was my first time to see a leather at this size." He said as he pointed on the brown leather on the display, "At first, I thought it was fake but when I took a better look, it was marvelous! They are real skin! What skin is this auntie?"

"Who's auntie!?" She said he throw a silver coin at him, "Those are real leather, they are the skin of MCdame Rhinos. We bought them from the nobles cause we thought we can make the best equipment out of them. Haist, it was too late when we know that this skin is too tough and the only reason they are able to skin the rhino is that it died from a treetan attack. Now, we are trying to sell it, but we do tell them that even us can't penetrate its surface."

"So, this is an MCdame Rhino's skin?" He said as he touches the leather. The leather size was amazing, it looks like a cover of a minibus. "Au- Madam, haha. Can I buy this one too?"

"Of course! But first, check this string if this suite your taste." She removed the rugged clothing that covers the jade box. She slowly removed the locks and wait for Lucas to arrive, "Here, if you can't afford this just offer your price."

Lucas nodded as he arrived at her front, 'I just wish it to be good quality.'

She slowly opens the cover of the box. He was nervous, didn't know what kind of thing will come out of the box. When she finally removed the cover, he saw a silver colored silk that covers the string.

She removed the silk and shows a beautiful set of shining black string. The string is not that thick but also not so thin. Suma picks up one of the string to show him the length of the string.

"Here, a roughly three-meter long black string. This string is the last set of strings my husband made before he dies." She put the string back to its original position and close the box, "There's a hundred string on this jade box, and each string is made with the highest quality.

"You must be wondering what materials are used to make this? He is an adventurer when he was young and he was a hunter. He travels inside the forest, and one day, he stumbles into a giant planteros that looks like a horse. The planteros is injured and he decided to cure it. When the planteros was about to leave, he bowed in front of my husband and plucked his black hair to give it to him.

"These strings aren't only made of that planteros hair, it also soaked into the sap of king type Slinger Rubber Treetan for weeks and deep into Olive Wasp Oil for almost six months. Every single strand could lift up to 500 kilos of force. It was the best string this city has produced. But it was unlucky for the guild, 80% of the strings were bought by the nobles.

"And his only wish before he died, is for the last set to be sold to a person Neil trusted." She said and hand over the jade box to Lucas. She was satisfied that her husband last work were finally going to be sold for the right owner.

Lucas received the box from her and put it on his bag. He did not even check the quality and proceed to his speech that is full of resolve. "I'm sorry madam. I don't have any idea that your husband was killed by nobles too. Don't worry madam, we will avenge you!"

Suma looks at him in astonishment, but not long after, she started to laugh as hard as she can. She even slammed the table and tear started to flow at the edge of her eyes, "Sonny, I never said that he died because of nobles. He died naturally and only hate the nobles until he dies. Also, you have to pay for that string! 50,000 mana grains. If you buy that strings, I might put the leather skin on your bag for free!"

"Erg! O-okay, thank you." He took out two bags of mana grains and decided to leave earlier than he thought. 'Damn it, that was embarrassing!'

"Hoho, a great spender indeed. Good luck with making your now. Even though you can't avenge my husband... please do avenge my son." She said as she sits down to the corner. Her last words were mixed emotion of happy, sad and angry.

Lucas stops for a moment and turns around. "Madam, I will not let you down."

Suma looks at his back and nodded her head. A tear rolls on her chicks as she hugs a piece of rugged clothing on her chest. "Soremo, I hope I live till the day those who let you suffer dies. That way, I can tell you what happens when I pass away."

Lucas clenched his fist as he leaves the store. There are a sadness and anger on his face as his steps getting heavier. 'This world, how could they do such things!? I swear, that in this continent, that I will strip their title as a noble!'

He circled around the city to calm himself. Buying various equipment he can use in the kitchen and seeds that he wanted to raise.

Back to the dome

"Redford, why are your secret warriors are here?" Neil asks as he stares to the group of adventurers wearing a full metal armor and the adventurers who wear leather.

"I don't know either. I thought the dome is under attack! It looks like Hugo's wasting our time!" Redford reply as he glare towards Hugo.

Hugo who was the center of attention and can't help but felt ashamed of himself. 'Please, Lucas. I'm dead, I need your help!'

"What with the atmosphere?" A voice came from the top of the wall, "Oh, so the adventurers are finally here! Good! I just came back for a trip, so I'll speak directly to the point. Follow me."

"Lucas, what is this for?" Redford asks Lucas who just jump off the wall, "You said you want an expedition thing?"

Lucas nodded his head while waving his hand, telling them to follow him. Inside the dome, he offers log chairs he made from the crops. "Please sit down, I have something to offer you guys."

Redford sits down first and followed by his people, he stares at him feeling something strange, "What is it? First, Hugo said that you need us for an expedition, now you want to offer us something?"

"Haha, " Lucas laughs at him while taking out a bag of mana grains, "Actually, I want to form a group of warriors, dedicated their life in the guild and not those who serve the nobles! If you can do that, please... I need every rank B and above warriors. Also, I need an accurate crossbow user!"

Redford inhaled a cold air when he heard Lucas asking for people, it was suspicious knowing that he only depends on planteros the last battles. "What do you want from them? If you're going to use them as cannon folders... I will cut our connection!"

"Haha, old man, you're too serious! Well, I don't care about our connections but, I need warriors that are willing to learn how to ride an Acorn Horse. I need someone who wasn't afraid of heights and the most important is a person who could use my crossbow." He looks at the distance and pointed a crossbow, "That is the crossbow I want you to handle. I need sixteen for the crossbow, those are made of mahogany borrowers, so you don't have to worry."

"Ma-mahogany borrowers!?" Redford slap his knee to calm himself but he can't, "Do you have the sap?! If you still have them, we are willing to work on an exchange for sap!"

Lucas knitted his forehead as he raised his brows, "Old man... We can't do that for now, we only able to fill two tanks of water. We can't pay you unless we are done with our preparation."

Hearing his word, an adventurer with leather armor and helmet with fur of some kind of planteros raised his hands, "W-we know that the sap is important. But, we are willing to work for you if. If you could only give us a small bottle of that sap. We won't sell the sap, instead, we are planning to make a weapon out of it."

"Rangga! What are you saying!" Another adventurer with a full metal plate armor stood up held Rangga on his armor.

Blag! Redford stomps his foot on the ground, "The two of you, could you please shut up!?"

"Haha, " Lucas laughed at them, "Who would have thought that you guys have thought the same thing! Well, how about you hear me out first? I was actually planning to make a shrink string and shrink archery gloves for crossbow wielder. They don't need a quiver since I will make a proper storage for the bolts.

"I also making catapults from it. See? Now that I told you my plans with the sap, could you please let me know about your plan?"

Redford was stunned when he heard his plan, "Actually, we only plan on making a simple catapult out of it..."

Lucas smirked before asking him, "Well, then... Do I need to pay in mana grains or mahogany sap?"

"Hmp! If you got better ideas, then we prefer mana grains!" He said without budging, "Now, tell us about your plan and I will make every adventurer available to do the tasks!"

Lucas nodded slowly and told him about the plan. First, he wants to make an expedition in the endless land and kill every pine throwers in sight. He wants every planteros that couldn't be raised to be caught alive.

Second, he wants to conduct an expedition in the jungle and kill every treetans on his list. A shock resistant one, fire resistant and cold resistant.

At first, Redford and his people were hesitant about the jungle expedition. But when they heard him that he is going to lend two of his General Coconut cannon together with their horde.

The third task he wants them to work with is to become the best warrior of his fortress. He already has the blood orange Eagle, they can become a mount. Eagle has the advantage of being able to fly, but it also is useless if there are no riders who could fight for him. Lucas asks their best archers for Eagle Rider.

He also wants a horse rider, this time, he asks for a warrior that could handle spear, sword, and bow. Lastly, the 16 best crossbow user who is not only accurate but also good at decision making.

He also told them about his plan. A plan to fight back against the nobles. This is the last thing they want to hear. Everyone has their blood boiling in rage, being a country where Guild and Noble existing together, they suffer from the harassment of much stronger faction.

Redford accepts his conditions and sends Rangga to the guild to tell the receptionists to inform the best adventurers and his most trusted that it was time. He asks his people to go out of the fortress for a moment, "Lucas, I know that your fortress is under construction, but I just want to tell you an important news. The nobles finally learned about the battle between you and Marcus. At first, they ask the house of Randolf, but when they heard about their heir also died from the encounter, while losing King Tar and Melon Queen, added with the death of Elmico and disappearance of King Zan, the nobles are alerted and started to gather information about you.

"They now know about your relationship with us and Neil. They also already know about your place, we are still trying to slow down their movements. Allowing them to know about your force will be critical. I can only give you a month to prepare, that's winter. You are a threat to them, I'm sure they will going to get rid of you."