"Brat, where are you heading? This is a restricted zone now."
An Ace ranker in solid stage wearing full plate armour asked a young man who was casually making his way on a mildly active road. Only a few colt-drawn wagons and carriages were allowed to pass through the curfew initiated by Edinburgh's army.
Ace ranker was assigned to the guards' platoon around the city of Osan. The young man in front of him looked like he was loaded. So the guard decided to extort him for some extra money in exchange for granting him entry.
"Hello, Ace…?"
The young man asked for the guard's name.
"Ace Claho. You can call me Claho, the squad leader. I'm in charge of the city of Ocean's perimeter detail. You see, brat, we are only allowing the entry of essential supplies into the city. So it'd be difficult for me to allow you entry.
That is unless… hehehe… you can make me believe that your entry to the city is indeed essential."
The young man nodded in understanding before retrieving four Extols from his storage. He got down from his colt. He calmed the beast by stroking its back. Then he caught the leash by its mouth and walked with it towards Sergeant Claho.
"Nice to meet you Ace Claho. My name is Eren Idril. You can check my ID storage which can prove that I'm a resident of the city of Osan. Here are some reasons for you to consider my entry into the city as essential."
Eren offered Claho four Extols that he thought should be enough to gain entry. He could have done many things to avoid paying the bribe. But he thought it was better that he chooses the easy way out instead of trying to fight with the system or evade it.
Claho was indeed pleased to see that the young man had casually taken the four Extols out. But if the guy can pay four Extols without any fuss, he can surely pay more, right? At least that's what Claho thought and addressed Eren in a suppressed anger:
"Brat, you think I'm some kind of beggar trying to ask you for charity? I'm a squad leader in the army. I'm in my 30s, yet I am already a solid-stage Ace ranker.
Do you know what that means brat? That means the "reasons" you gave me just now are not enough. I need more of them."
Eren had creases on his forehead when he heard Claho's greedy demand. He also released his Ace rank mana and spoke up:
"Ace Claho, please be kind towards a fellow Ace. This is all I have. I'm a student from LA here to spend a few days in the city before leaving for my on-field assignment."
Eren used his Ace rank mana and his identity as a student of LA to create pressure. But this in turn irked the guy even more.
"You academy students think that this whole kingdom is your oyster, don't you? What does it matter if you are an LA student? I've seen your pompous kind. I'm not letting you go until you hand over double the "reasons" you are offering me. You get it?"
'Heh! This guy is just like you with his greed for money. How do you like meeting a half-brain-dead version of yourself, Eren? Hehehe!'
Layla commented in Eren's mind. The latter just ignored her in response.
Eren narrowed down his eyes on Claho when he heard the guy's blatant disregard for his identity. His voice got in response as he spoke up:
"Look Claho. I'm not in the mood for a quarrel over a few Extols. We are both Ace rankers and we should both act with a bit of modicum, don't you think?
Here… I'm offering you six Extols. I suggest you take it, lest you regret it later."
Stunning Speed
Sedated Perception
He took the guy's right hand before placing the extols in his palms. He had activated his time element combo before he did so.
Claho didn't know what had happened after he blinked but his right palm felt like something was placed over it he looked down and found out that he was holding six Extols at the palm of his hand.
'What… what just happened?'
Claho had a difficult time believing a young ranker like Eren who was in the early stage of the Ace rank could intimidate him so much. He was about to lose his cool when he heard a voice from behind him:
"Claho… resume your position already. What are you doing dilly-dallying with random strangers?"
Another soldier shouted at Claho from behind him. He was with the whole squad when he approached Claho's position.
Claho turned back and regained some of the courage he was beginning to lose by sensing his squad behind him. He mustered his courage and tried to act cool. The guy stored the Extols away, lest the soldiers coming from behind snatch it for themselves. Then he looked at Eren and said in a threatening voice:
"Brat, don't think this will be enough to ensure your safety. I'd watch my back from now on if I were you. Get the fuck out now. Your empty threats aren't scaring anybody here."
Claho said as he wiped the sweat off his forehead under Eren's gaze. He felt like the temperature of the surroundings had suddenly dropped and yet he was being subjected to a sea of flames.
Eren did not react after he heard Claho's false bravado. He didn't want to create any scene so he left the squad leader alone as his squad was catching up to him from behind him.
Eren climbed onto his horse and rode into the distance, towards the city of Osan. As Claho watched Eren depart, one of the guys in the squad asked him a question.
"What happened, Claho. Why do you look so spaced out? The boy gave you trouble?"
Claho snapped back to reality when he heard his squad member's question. He snorted aloud before responding:
Kelmar, those young guns from the childish academies, you know about their pompous attitude, don't you? Because of their connections to institutions, they believe they can boss us around.
He was one of them, that boy. Well, I agree that I demanded a bit more entry fee from him than our usual rate. But he used his identity to threaten me. I'm kinda pissed about that."
The guy who asked Renar that question also looked at Eren's figure and registered his image in his mind. He then laughed menacingly before soothing his squad leader with his words:
"Hahahaha! That's it, right? Don't worry, Claho. We can't let our leader's reputation get sullied like that. We'll find an opportunity to get back to the young kid.
The brat won't know what hit him! Kekekeke!"
Claho felt a friendly tap on his back after he heard that. Then another. Then some more. He laughed cunningly after he was assured of most of his squad members' involvement in his petty revenge.
