Chapter 344: Message
The TYPE Series had achieved remarkable results. Although the monsters they faced were of strength level four, their specialized stats still reached around fifteen thousand. Monsters with stats less than half of that were no match for the TYPE Series, who had now mastered their teamwork.
However, it was a valuable discovery that combat outside the Dungeon had a time limit on their activity, as it didn’t last as long as expected. If they were biological monsters, they could simply eat something to replenish their strength, but for the robotic ones, they could only draw Magic Power from the internal Magic Stones. While there was some natural absorption, it seemed that efficiency was poor outside the Dungeon.
As a result, they decided on a strategy: once they wiped out a horde, they would transport the corpses back to the Dungeon to convert them into DP while replenishing their Magic Power. Until now, they had only converted monsters that naturally entered the Dungeon, but this should improve their DP efficiency.
For a while, preparations for the Stampede were going smoothly.
“Hmm…”
It seemed that the military, tasked with capturing me, had begun to move. Three individuals were walking nearby at the same pace, glancing over at me intermittently. Perhaps due to the gathering of troops in the city, I had started to notice more soldiers in matching uniforms, and these three were no exception. In that sense, they blended into the current atmosphere of the city.
I was on my way to the Adventurer’s Guild, a daily routine for me. They probably targeted me thinking I was alone, but I never expected them to approach me head-on. Even if they attempted a night raid, the walls of my house were covered with the Shell of the Sea Emperor Turtle, making it impervious to any assault.
As I pondered this, one of them moved from behind. I dodged the silent attack from the man behind me, tripping him and grabbing his arm to roll him onto the ground. Just as I was about to stomp on his arm, I caught an arrow that flew toward me and continued my motion, crushing the man’s arm with my foot.
“Ughhh!!”
His agonized groan echoed, and screams erupted from passersby as they quickly distanced themselves from me. I hadn’t noticed anyone else nearby, but there might be more lurking around.
To prevent them from escaping, I swiftly wound up and hurled the arrow back at the one who had attacked from a distance. I caught sight of someone tumbling off a roof in the distance while keeping an eye on the movements of the remaining two.
One of them approached me, while the other showed signs of retreat. I wouldn’t let them get away.
“Stop! If you continue to resist, the charges against you will—”
“Ugh!”
Before he could finish his sentence, I seized the head of the fleeing man with an invisible hand created by magic. Dragging him into the circle of chaos, I slammed him into the ground beside the man who had been interrupted.
“—!?”
The man whose words were cut off now stared back and forth between the man I had thrown and me, his face pale. As I glared at the men, I slowly approached, and the one who had been standing ready with a shaky stance thrust both hands toward me.
“W-wait! Are you sure you want to increase the charges against us!?”
“Charges?”
I maintained a nonchalant demeanor, as if I had merely brushed off some sparks from a fire, and questioned him.
“We are a formal military force! If you lay a hand on us, the charges will only increase!”
“Oh? So it’s not a crime for soldiers to suddenly attack civilians?”
“Of course it is! It’s because you’re a criminal who deserves to be judged!”
Interesting. It seems there are indeed some regulations within the military. However, whether they function properly is another matter entirely, much like how a commoner might be run over by a noble’s carriage. I had no intention of engaging in a lengthy debate, so I decided to cut to the chase.
“Hmm. Then, while we’re at it, could you pass a message to someone higher up?”
Activating my Intimidation Skill, I noticed the man’s face grow even paler.
“Ugh… what…”
Perhaps due to the pressure, he seemed unable to articulate his words.
“Once the Stampede is dealt with, I have a few words for the baron who instigated this, as well as the individuals who labeled me a criminal and those who acknowledged it. Tell them to prepare for my visit.”
As I stepped closer, I reduced the distance between us to about a meter, pointing my finger at him as I delivered my final words.
“Got it? Make sure you convey this: I’ll be coming directly, so they better be ready.”
As I intensified my presence, the man, now ghostly pale, nodded vigorously.
“You heard me clearly, right? If you understand, get going right now.”
I called out to the other man who was still on the ground and released my Intimidation. When I looked around, I noticed that the crowd of onlookers had completely vanished, leaving the Main Street eerily quiet.
The two men, now glancing around nervously, hurriedly fled the scene. The man whose arm I had crushed was left behind, but someone would surely take care of him later.
I had placed a marker on the fleeing man using Spatial Magic, and I would send a reminder letter to his bedside in a few days. Surely, he would deliver my message without fail.
Thinking that this would likely be the last of the troublemakers, I continued on my way to the Adventurer’s Guild.