Vol 4: Chapter 26
** Underground City Outer Wall **
To live in an underground city, we had to give up a lot of freedom.
Obviously, going out of the city was strictly prohibited, but there was almost no freedom in matters such as marriage either. Marriage partners were decided by the parents and the community to which they belong.
There are limited choices of food, alcohol, and entertainment.
The scope of education is also narrow.
Furthermore, there are numerous unspoken rules that must be followed.
——I want to break it.
That was how the Marshal felt and what he desired.
He comes from a family which holds a seat in the city council who govern the underground city and was also appointed as the head of the army—despite being blessed with such happiness that only a handful of individuals can obtain, he wanted to break the rules of this city.
——I’m already at my limit.
The ancestors who lived hidden underground to escape from terrifying monsters survived the conflict between the races that occurred hundreds of years ago.
The underground people do not know how many other races there are and how they have perished as a result of the conflict. The Marshal wondered if it wouldn’t be better to join forces with other races to counter the monsters. But ever since he was born, he was told, “There are only three races in the world. Only us – the underground people, dark elves, and dragonewts.”
And another important teaching — “There is a god in this world, and the voice of the god can only be heard by the Urume Head Family.”
He wondered why only the Urume Head Family could hear it but not anyone else? Moreover, they never reveal the contents of what they heard. He was scared when he first saw the repulsive Sarume who uses the mystique belief as a shield. The people accepted and revered her as she was, so it was unavoidable that young men would sell their body to her.
Only 3 races remained in the world. Moreover, the leader of one of those races, the underground people, is crazy. No, perhaps it was themselves who have already gone crazy, the Marshal thought.
That is why he was at his limit.
However, to destroy this city, this society, he needs “power”. Destroy it, rebuild it from base, and if possible, cooperate with the other races.
The Marshal found that “power” in skill orbs.
(Who is that boy!? No, more importantly, did he just pull out the skill orb!?)
The 6-star skill orb given to Sumeria was exactly the “power” that the Marshal had hoped for. But tonight’s intruder defeated Sumeria and even pulled out her skill orb.
The skill orb, looking quite ominous, shone bright in the dark underground city.
「Who are you?! That skill orb belongs to us!」
The battle was over. And while many people were frozen in shock, the marshal shouted.
The intruder’s hood came off due to the wind. The intruder’s face was that of a young boy, seeming to be in his teens.
「What ownership do you, who captured the Levs on the crashed airship without consideration, claim?」
The Marshal was startled. It wasn’t because the boy hit the mark, but because he said the name “Lev” instead of “Dragonewt”. The name of a country the Marshal hadn’t heard until a few days ago, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I see. So this boy is the one who defeated the patrol unit.
「Are you… an ally of the dragonewts?」
「They are Levs. They were unfairly arrested.」
「But you are thus illegally trespassing on our city.」
「If you call it trespassing despite being a city, why not install a gatekeeper?」
The marshal clicked his tongue, annoyed that the boy played around with words.
It was none other than Marshal who suggested ten years ago that lookouts should be posted on several routes into the underground city. However, when he actually posted the lookouts, no one at all tried to invade, and it was ridiculed as a “punishment game” for the guards. And the guards on lookout always only wrote “No abnormality today” in the report and went home. As a result, the Marshal had to withdraw his policy.
——The lookouts should be rejoicing that there was no abnormality!
The Marshal said at the time, but very few supported him. Even his own right hand man, the Hundredman Chief, like the other underground people, showed abnormal belief in the underground city never being invaded.
「Leaving aside the matter of the people you call “Levs”, the airship crash site is in our territory. It is our duty to figure out what happened there.」
「That may be the case. But, it’s no more than sophistry at this point since you locked up the Levs in cells.」
「You have a comeback for everything, don’t you! You started playing with words first!」
The boy simply shrugged in response, which frustrated the Marshal.
The staff officer, who was beside the Marshal, whispered.
「Marshal, please buy a little more time. I will block all the exits in that gap.」
There was still that option available to the Marshal. The moment when he was about to give his “OK”–
「Oh, right. I would suggest against moving your troops to block the exit at this point. Plus, I doubt you have someone stronger than this… Sumeria-san?」
「Ugh… maybe you are right.」
The boy was right. Since the patrol unit and even Sumeria were defeated, choosing to fight would only increase the damage to the city.
If so, what should we do?… The staff officer asked the Marshal through a sidelong glance.
Whether to block the exit or not, calculations began in the marshal’s brain.
This part of the city was destroyed so extensively (even if it was mostly Sumeria), the prisoners of war had escaped, and even the 6-star skill orb was taken from them – with all this, there is no doubt that he will be dismissed from his position as “Marshal”. No, it would be better if this situation ended with just that. But, knowing Sarume, she will definitely try to take away his father’s seat in the city council.
「Then, just stay still there. I will–」
「However!」
The Marshal decided to take a gamble.
「We can’t just let you walk out of the front door. Every single one of us will put our lives on the line to stop you. No matter how many people might die. Worst comes to worst, we will destroy all the exits and bury you alive with ourselves.」
The staff officer’s eyes widened in surprise to the Marshal’s words. The soldiers in the back said, “Are you serious, Marshal?”, “No way. I’m gonna run away first.” But the Marshal paid them no heed.
「Are you sane? You want to kill me even at the cost of the people in the city?」
The boy said, sounding astonished. But if the Marshal stepped back at this point, his gamble would fail.
「That’s right. Go, staff officer. You heard what I said, right?」
「Y-Yes… Are you sure about this?」
「Yes. Go now. The rest of you, surround him!」
Under the Marshal’s command, the soldiers started to move slowly to surround the boy from a distance.
「Haa… Alright, I get it. Having innocent citizens become casualties because of me will weigh on my consciousness. So what do you want? Ah, but I absolutely won’t return the Lev people, though.」
The Marshal thought he had won. In actuality, he had no intention of actually doing what he said. Rather, most of his men wouldn’t comply with that order—the underground people’s army has become that rotten and undisciplined.
「I don’t care about the ones you call Levs. I claim that the airship crashed in our territory, so we will requisition it.」
「Hmm, I don’t mind.」
「And also, return the skill orb.」
That was an absolute requirement.
If the Marshal can recover the skill orb, all these damage can be pardoned.
Speaking of damage, it was only damage to the outer part of the city, not human damage.
「Oh, that’s what this is about. I was thinking of returning it anyway.」
「–What?」
「Here, catch.」
The boy threw the skill orb as if it was no big deal. It drew an arc in the air and fell into the Marshal’s hands. This is… a 6-star skill orb…….
「I’ll say just one thing.」
The boy’s voice pulled the Marshal out of his trance.
「I definitely don’t recommend using【Insane Blade】. Because it causes a loss of memory. If this progresses, it will eventually interfere with daily life and eventually lead to death… I think.」
「W-What are you saying?」
「Don’t you think there’s some truth to that, looking at this person here?」
Sumeria lay unconscious at the boy’s feet. She was a bright and cheerful girl, but she had certainly changed since she got this skill.
Is that the cost of using this skill?
「…No way…」
Chills ran down the Marshal’s spine. …But then again… isn’t that exactly why this power is so strong. Isn’t this exactly what I wanted?
「If that’s your only condition? Then I’ll be leaving now.」
The boy walked towards the wall. The doorway there should have been blocked, but seeing him proceed without any worry at all, does he intend to do something with magic?
The soldier who half-heartedly surrounded the boy, opened up a path while moving away fearfully.
This is the end. Tonight’s turmoil will end with that, the Marshal thought and let down his guard.
「Why the hell are you standing around doing nothing?! If you let that intruder escape, I will make sure you won’t be able to live in this city anymore!」
The Marshal heard the voice he didn’t want to hear the most right now.
Sarume, with a large number of attendants, lumbering towards them.
Cold sweat gushed from his whole body.
This woman alone… Whenever he sees this woman, he physiologically feels disgusted and becomes unable to keep his composure.
「Marshal! Command your men quickly! Stop that bastard from escaping!」
「B-But… even Sumeria was defeated.」
「HA?!」
Seeing the fallen Sumeria in the distance, Sarume spat — a clerk ran to catch the spit in a golden spittoon. The whole scene made the Marshal’s head giddy.
「Then… Does that mean he has a stronger ability than a 6-star?」
「Yes… I think he has tremendous ability.」
「…………」
The Marshal hung down his head, unable to look up. He heard repulsive sounds as Sarume approached closer. It sounded like something was cut off.
「Do you know what I hate the most?! It’s losing!!! Did you not know that, Marshal! You damn halfwit!」
「I apologize.」
The Marshal felt pressured to go down to his knees and apologize, but he planted his legs firmly on the ground at the last second, protecting his last bit of self-respect.
「I never expected anything from you anyway!! If you can’t do it, just report it and get lost!」
「Sorry—」
「Move away!!」
The marshal staggered to the side as his shoulder was pushed. Sarume and her attendants walked past him. Beyond that was the boy, standing with a blank face.
He probably doesn’t understand what was happening at the moment.
「This bastard… rampaging around in my city as he pleases. Beat that guy to death!」
Sarume raised her right hand.
「Come out! Mediator!! Your enemy is here!」
At that moment, even the light source that faintly lit up the underground city disappeared. The surroundings became dark, like the entire space was painted with ink.
