Bwooooosh!
The Sem River flows through the sprawling metropolis of Landa . Given the city’s considerable size, the Sem River boasted a considerable width, which presented a significant predicament. The river became a receptacle for all manner of waste and sewage from the city, rendering any voyage through it an ordeal of overpowering odors. The stench was potent enough to induce dizziness.
Even Joe, a resident of District X since his upbringing, was not immune to its effects. However, Oliver appeared unperturbed.
“Are you alright? The smell.” Joe inquired, his hand shielding his nose. Oliver, who had been gazing toward District Y from the boat’s bow, turned his head to respond.
“The smell? Ah… It does smell, but I’m fairly okay.”
Joe was taken aback.
Oliver seemed remarkably unfazed by the noxious emissions of the Sem River—a river notorious for its potential to yield mutant offspring in those living nearby. Joe would have preferred to believe Oliver was exaggerating, but he knew that his companion was not one to overstate matters. In fact, quite the opposite; Oliver had a knack for turning exaggerations into reality, evident in every one of his actions.
‘Well, he must be going to District Z alone for a reason.’ Joe mused to himself.
As Joe lost himself in thought, District Y on the opposite bank drew nearer, and the boat’s captain, Noah, called out.
“Alright, we’re docking. Everyone be careful! I won’t be responsible if you fall into the river like an idiot.”
As Noah, a smuggler and water-taxi driver, had forewarned, the boat gently swayed and eventually moored in District Y.
The ground was a mire of squelching mud, scattered refuse heaps, and decrepit huts, all elements that remained unchanged in District Y. This dismal scenery came complete with the ever-present threat of bandits and mutants, lurking, ready to pilfer.
‘Still here without dying… This place never fails to upset me.’ Joe thought to himself.
Even with his heightened perception, thanks to the discerning vision of a warlock, Joe couldn’t help but find the place repulsive. Beyond any physical danger, sensing the malevolent intentions of those around him was an unpleasant experience.
“Sigh… Are you really planning on going alone?” Joe inquired as he disembarked from the boat.
Oliver had been invited to District Z to retrieve a package from Ewan, a proposition that was undeniably unsettling.
“Yes, that’s the agreement.”
“I’ve said it four times now, including this one, but don’t you find it suspicious?”
It was a perfectly valid question. Inviting someone to District Z, renowned even within the hazardous confines of Landa , and insisting on coming alone was exceedingly suspicious. If this wasn’t suspicious, then nothing in the world was.
And that’s why Marie, Forrest, and James all opposed it.
“Isn’t it really suspicious? He didn’t even give you a plausible reason for calling you alone.”
“He said there was a compelling reason he couldn’t disclose… there must be some circumstances.”
“Do you have a particular reason for trusting him?”
“Yes. He helped a friend of mine.” Oliver replied without hesitation.
***
In the end, Joe’s attempts to dissuade Oliver proved futile, and he reluctantly had to let his companion go on his own.
Convinced by the enigmatic words about helping a friend, all Joe could do was provide Oliver with directions to District Z, as originally planned, and then make his way back alone to District X.
‘Just to let you know, don’t consider Districts Y and Z as Landa.’
Before parting ways, Joe earnestly cautioned Oliver.
‘They’re Landa in name only. The walls surrounding the Districts are proof.’
Joe gestured toward the imposing cement fortifications bristling with heavy armaments, watched over by vigilant city guards.
For reference, Joe’s warnings were not without reason. The existence of those formidable barriers itself acknowledged that Districts Y and Z were territories beyond Landa’s reach.
Joe continued with his admonitions.
‘From District Y onwards, all kinds of people are there. Looters, mutants no different from monsters, contaminated creatures, and even madmen. So please be careful. I beg you.’
Oliver assured him that he would be vigilant and departed with the map Joe had provided.
Navigating the route seemed straightforward, merely involving a turn at a prominent intersection as indicated on the map. Yet, as he walked that path, it became evident that Joe’s warnings were not mere empty words.
Certainly, Landa was a perilous neighborhood, and District X even more so, but District Y was an entirely different beast.
The graffiti and totems, commonplace in slums, exuded an even more sinister aura here. Bodies weren’t just strewn about; some were impaled atop buildings or hung by their limbs.
On some of these grim displays, messages had been crudely carved with a knife.
[Declaration of War!]
[From now on, this District is ours!]
[If you have complaints, bring it on!]
It appeared to be a territorial dispute among the gangs here. The roughly etched letters added an extra layer of ferocity to the words.
However, the most striking sight was an that caught Oliver’s eye.
[Wize Weapons Workshop. Special Crossbow Guns on Sale.]
The body that displayed the ad had crossbows protruding from various angles, seemingly to showcase the product’s capabilities. It seemed as if the words were intentionally left on the body to highlight the product’s performance.
In many ways, it was a scene befitting a post-apocalyptic setting.
‘I felt like this when I entered with Master Joseph too. No, has it gotten worse? Anyway, I’m a bit worried. I heard District Z is even worse than District Y.’
As Oliver harbored these thoughts, his pace remained steady, and he continued along his path.
Following Joe’s provided map, Oliver pressed on, passing a macabre market for acquiring corpses, moving past mutants confined behind iron bars, and traversing a section inhabited by a group of unclothed gang members. Eventually, he reached the pathway leading to District Z.
Although District Y turned out to be larger than expected and took longer to traverse, contrary to Joe’s apprehensions, he encountered no ambush.
‘Certainly, people are watching me, but nobody seems to have the intent to attack… It’s fortunate, but what is this?’
Oliver questioned the peculiar atmosphere of District Y.
Despite being closely observed, no one made a move against him.
He wondered if it had something to do with Solver Dave’s reputation, but he found that notion doubtful.
The idea that the reputation of a mere Solver like Dave had reached this far in the isolated Y and Z Districts seemed improbable.
In reality, a Solver’s reputation could often be hollow. Some people didn’t believe in it, and individuals could easily go unrecognized if they lacked distinctive characteristics.
And yet, the looters of District Y are not attacking him because of Solver Dave’s reputation? It was not convincing.
‘On top of that, they are oddly tense and fearful.’
As Oliver continued to assess the emotions of the many people discreetly watching him from a distance, he noticed that these emotions weren’t directed at him but rather at some other third party—
Vrrrrr!!!
As Oliver pondered, the moment he stepped into the entrance of District Z, as indicated by Ewan, he heard a loud, mechanical noise, heavy yet sharp in nature.
It emanated from beyond the wall as he entered District Z. Thanks to Oliver’s years of experience as a solver, he naturally detected emotions and Life-force, akin to breathing. With swift agility, he dodged, clad in a full black suit.
Simultaneously, the aged, robust wall crumbled, revealing an enormous mechanical contraption.
To Oliver’s surprise, the contraption resembled a military exoskeleton—a massive humanoid figure clad in armor. One hand boasted an enormous claw, while the other gripped a giant circular saw blade.
Though Oliver wasn’t an expert, it appeared that someone had haphazardly repaired and modified the exoskeleton.
Solder marks and components that seemed forcibly integrated served as evidence of the modifications.
Nevertheless, it was astonishing.
Based on Oliver’s knowledge, operating an exoskeleton demanded a high level of technical expertise, even among military equipment. The extent of modification it had undergone was a testament to an impressive level of skill.
‘But what’s most concerning is the flesh scattered on the exoskeleton’s cockpit.’
Oliver’s gaze fixed upon the fleshy appendages adhered to the center of the deteriorated exoskeleton.
These flesh masses, tinged with shades of red and pink, bore an uncanny resemblance to kneaded clay. They clung to the exoskeleton like sticky gum and launched an assault on Oliver.
Vrrrrr!!!
The exoskeleton, having forcefully breached the wall, swung its circular saw blade at Oliver with unwavering determination.
Oliver executed a graceful leap, propelled by legs ensconced in his black suit, landing lithely on the opposite wall.
Yet, the flesh adhering to the exoskeleton remained unfazed. It gazed at Oliver with its circular eyes and adeptly manipulated the exoskeleton, deploying its clawed hand in an attempt to seize him.
It was a skillful maneuver.
As a result, the exoskeleton moved with a swiftness that defied its imposing bulk, leaving Oliver with no alternative but to defend himself with his quarterstaff.
Clang! Whirrrr! Buzz!
The somewhat rust-tinged clawed hand clutched Oliver’s quarterstaff, pulling it along with the attached chains.
The machine exhibited astonishing strength.
Were it not for his black suit, Oliver might have been forcibly dragged or had his quarterstaff confiscated.
Fortunately, clad in his black suit, he was able to resist and even launch a counterattack.
[Ptah’s Assistant]
Concurrently with Oliver’s incantation, stored mana surged forth, coalescing into particles that formed a magical circle encompassing the exoskeleton.
From this conjured magic circle, multiple magical mechanical appendages sprouted forth and assailed the exoskeleton.
Snap! Whir! Crash! Thud! …Click!
To Oliver’s astonishment, these slender mechanical appendages, reminiscent of needles and scalpels, expertly disassembled the colossal iron structure that constituted the exoskeleton. It wasn’t merely a chaotic demolition; it was a systematic deconstruction.
This remarkable feat was made possible by the intricate “Ptah’s Assistant” spell, Oliver’s expertise in golem science, and his incidental knowledge of exoskeletons.
In a span of just 1-2 seconds, the exoskeleton lost its arms. In 3-4 seconds, it lost its legs and knelt. In 5-6 seconds, the exoskeleton’s functions came to a halt.
It proved to be a suppression technique more efficient than originally anticipated.
“By any chance, did Ewan create this?” Oliver pondered aloud as he employed the Ptah’s Assistant feature to disengage the clamp that had seized his quarterstaff.
At a cursory glance, the fleshy object affixed to the exoskeleton’s gloves bore a striking resemblance to the meat-based weapon crafted by Ewan.
However, instead of an answer to his inquiry, a colossal blade hurtled toward him as a response.
The wielder of the blade was a man clad in bandages, brandishing a colossal sword—a member of the Anti-Development Committee who had been hired by Shamus to assail Oliver on two prior occasions.
As Oliver raised his quarterstaff to confront the incoming blade, a resounding clash reverberated through the air.
Clang━━!!
The greatsword, more akin to a solid block of iron than a conventional blade, coupled with the extraordinary strength of the Anti-Development Committee member, unleashed an incomprehensible force. Oliver was forcibly propelled backward, inadvertently releasing several test tubes filled with the emotions he had been carrying.
“Hello again, long time no see.” he remarked, acknowledging his adversary.
Oliver extended a courteous greeting to the greatsword-wielding man swathed in bandages. After all, this marked their third encounter, and maintaining decorum seemed appropriate.
However, the greatsword-wielding man made no response to Oliver’s greeting. Instead, he charged at Oliver in silence, joined by other bandaged individuals converging from all directions.
[Authority]
Upon Oliver’s command, the test tubes he had inadvertently dropped earlier trembled, releasing the contained emotions into the atmosphere.
Drawing upon a black magic technique previously employed by Marie, Oliver replicated the methodology. The obsidian emotion particles intermingled, made contact, and intertwined, forming chains.
Like a fine mist coalescing into a tangible form, the minuscule particles assumed a concrete structure. Oliver gestured with a downward sweep of his hand, causing the emotion particles to materialize into hands that subdued the oncoming bandaged assailants, forcing them to kneel.
Groan────!
Even the greatsword-wielding bandaged man struggled in vain against the grip of the black magic, unable to rise to his feet.
It was an astonishing display of power. The very same greatsword-wielding man had previously delivered a devastating blow that sent Oliver hurtling through the air, yet now he found himself rendered powerless, forced to kneel.
At that moment, Oliver could have effortlessly dispatched his adversaries with his quarterstaff.
However, he chose not to.
“Why don’t you finish it?” a bandaged man, distinct from the others, queried from a distance within the alley. This individual held a quarterstaff and stood apart, clad in a robe. Unlike his compatriots, he articulated himself clearly. In a previous encounter, he had come close to inflicting severe harm on Oliver while attempting to capture Shamus but had withdrawn prematurely.
“Because none of you have a genuine desire to harm me.” Oliver responded. Indeed, among the bandaged assailants who had assailed him, some exhibited feelings of dissatisfaction, doubt, and anger, yet none bore murderous intentions.
It was an atypical situation for an organized assault.
The quarterstaff-wielding bandaged man retorted, “You’re too kind. Far too kind.”
With that declaration, he surged toward Oliver with the remarkable speed he had exhibited before.
