Followed

One of the questions which Mallory was dealing with was the main issue which surrounded humanity.

There were many races who had some form of unity and worked together while others were out for their own benefits or had grudges against others which made them ignore the major threat.

There were still those that chose to ignore their biggest threat to continue to cause trouble all over the world.

Monsters were the primary threat and like them, in other worlds there would be a similar threat in the form of some kind of demon or devil race.

Those threats gained the most hatred and fear from all human races until a hero shows up to defeat them.

After that there would be a period of celebration, peace and prosperity for everyone but then would be the time where the direct threat had been removed and there was no longer a need for unity.

Discord would spread among the various races, tribes, cities and countries as those with differing ways of life would become enemies.

Without a primary threat, everyone had the potential to turn on each other once they knew the threat no longer remained or if they believed they had a way to solve the problem themselves.

Many races and belief systems would fall until everyone had to fall in line with one power.

The gods descended to the world for their own purposes and entertainment so it was unknown if they would remain or depart once the biggest threats were removed.

If they remained then without a main source of entertainment, they may cause problems out of boredom or to try create an entertaining event.

If they left then those who had been blessed by them may keep or lose their blessings and gained abilities.

If they kept them then others would be unable to gain such power and would have to spend their entire lives training to catch up to those which had levelled up, it would be much worse if those with that higher power used their power carelessly or unjustly.

If they lost their gained power then the power structures would be changes very quickly and those which had been strong would become vulnerable.

Their enemies or opponents would gain the opportunity to take down those who had been in power previously.

There would be a total change in era too as there would be less monsters to hunt so magical potions and items would no longer be made from monster parts or drops.

The age of heroes and adventurers would come to an end along with the change of the era.

Everyone would have to adjust to the changes and if they were unable to, they would be left behind.

It was the same in various end of the world, dungeon or rift novels which she had read in her past life where the world had changed to suit the change of the world but once the dungeons were conquered, there would be different outcomes based on how the author had ended the story.

The main difference was that the Danmachi world had been used to monsters being around for a much longer time so they would find it much more difficult to adjust to changes.

Mallory's own abilities were similar in a way to the need for the monsters because they provided protection, if used the wrong way or within the wrong person's hands then it could cause many problems within the world.

Monster run around causing problems and attacking humans but they are still needed for various things while her own abilities could be used for both good and evil.

If the people of Visa City become too dependant on her talismans and other items then they would only suffer more once she no longer remained or they had run out of protection talismans or others.

The talismans could provide protection and avert harm but they could not solve the underlying problems within humanity which were the main source of the problems inside and outside of the city.

People still needed to work hard to be able to properly protect themselves and acquire their own skillsets to thrive in life.

As Mallory walked through the streets, she carried a backpack which was filled with many cursed items.

She couldn't help but show a wide grin as she remembered her many visits to different households. 'So many cursed items and they have come in many different shapes or forms so this should be very useful for my research!'

Just like the first visit to the home which had a curse doll inside the daughter's bunny doll, there were many others that came in the form of ornaments, tools or jewellery.

There were different stories from each building she visited on who had gifted the curse items but she was unable to identify the culprits because they were not there.

Each suspected person who had gifted the curse items must have had their own reasons for harming the victims or they had gifted it without knowing that they were cursed.

In some more severe cases, there were already dead members within the family and there were some that had been exposed to them for a long time so they were so close to death that removing the curse would not prevent their death.

Others would still have to eat healthily and seek a means of treatment so they could make their bodies healthier.

It was the same for others that had been affected by the other things that were causing problems within the city.

While Mallory was lost in her thoughts, there were several people keeping a close watch over her movements and tailing her.

She did not notice at first but her enhanced hearing and smelling which came from her race helped her detect them.

If there was an advantage which she had over humans then it would be her enhanced balance, flexibility, climbing, leaping, hearing, night vision and smelling.

Her strength and agility would naturally be much higher than humans once she reached maturity but she had already gained a status from her goddess while upgrading it.

They did not match the smell of those she knew and that had followed her before she she did not feel good about them following her for so long.

She was not fearful towards being stalked by others she did not know so Mallory walked towards a nearby alleyway which was dark.

Her hands reached into her clothes as she removed a kunai and stabbed it into the ground near the wall at her side then did the same with another.

Each kunai had a talisman attached to it but in the dark, it was difficult to notice right away.

Mallory then continued to move as she jumped up to place one on an upper level above the two. 'This should do.. now for the next.'

She moved quickly as she continued to lay the same kunai placement a little further into the alleyway. "Done.. and just in time."

Her eyes turned cold as she locked onto the people who had entered the alleyway. "Stop right there and tell me why you are following me."

There were several burly men with different weapons on their bodies but they were all sheathed until the leader of the group removed the sword on his waist. "You do not need to know much. Just know that you have made your fair share of enemies. I will give you a quick death."

Mallory touched her chin in thought as she replied. "Fine then but do not expect things to turn out as you think it will."

Her mouth turned into a wide and cruel grin as her sharp fangs were showing and her eyes became sharp and cold as she prepared herself for battle. "You will all be a good way to test my progress."

Just as the leader of the group walked forward and the group were following them, the leader stepped past the second marked area with her kunai.

He had a bloodthirsty look in his eyes as he raised the sword to stab towards her. "Die! Men! Finish her quickly!"

Mallory wasted no time as she shouted in her native tongue and repeated the same thing eight times. "Protective barrier!"

The leader was not caught up in what she had set up and still attacked her but her keen reflexes and instincts kicked in as she quickly avoided being stabbed.

Another two kunai appeared in her hands as gained a little distance and one was thrown by her towards the leader which pierced his leg. "Argh!"

The leader held his leg in pain and complained. "What are you guys doing? Huh?"

He had briefly looked behind himself as he spotted what had happened behind him. "Magic?!"

Before he could make another move, remove the kunai or reach for a healing potion, he heard a cold voice behind him as he was hit. "Kind of but not exactly.."

Mallory took the opportunity to get close as she jumped up and hit him in the back of the neck. "That is one."

Her eyes looked towards the protective barriers which had formed in a rectangular shape as the kunai and talismans effects had been connected as they magic was released. "This is a decent trap but I doubt it can withstand too much damage."