We slept inside Vollstrecker that night. I mean, the girls did sleep. Me? I couldn't fall asleep. I closed my eyes, I spun on the bed several times, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t fall asleep.
Why’s that? Simply because of [Intuition]. The skill was warning me of something bad that would happen the next day. As if a disaster was approaching. Hearing those pleas of Intuition, I got out of the vehicle, dressed in my Odyssey Outfit, and headed to the castle.
Passing through the corridors, which, by the way, had much heavier security than before, I looked for the Sheikh. First, I searched without my Skills. Oh! And speaking of skills, thanks to [Parallel Processing], I was now able to use some of the detection skills at the same time. More exactly, I could use 5 at the same time.
I had the following detection skills enabled. {Danger Detection}, {Magic Detection}, {Magic Circle Detection}, {Presence Detection} and [Detection Awareness]. By the way, the latter is a type of detection, but not connected to Skill [All-Out Detection]. It's weird, to tell you the truth.
One for dangers(duh!), one for Magic that can detect me, one for magic Circles that can find me(there is a skill called Magic Circle Manipulation), another to find the Sheikh, and lastly, if someone could detect my detection. I know, it’s a lot of D’s, but bear with me.
After looking around, I was led back to the research room, again. Inside, I could hear the voices of the Sheikh, his attendant, and one more voice. To tell you the truth, that last voice, and his presence, were… not weak, but compared to everything I've faced so far? A bit weak.
Yet… There was something about it. It’s the same feeling I had coming here. Like… when we were in that city prior to Xerssas. I could hear them, but I would like to see them with my own eyes. So, I jumped out of one of the windows in the hall, and went to one of the windows in the research room.
The windows were open, but I stayed outside, while looking inside.
“Whatcha ya yammering about, 'An adventurer can defeat me', huh?!”
A robust guy, in full social dress, like the ones in the Italian mafia we see in those movies, spoke up. He had, as incredible as it may seem, two guns, similar to Tommy Guns, except that they were Magic Guns. Hunh. Nice one. He was pointing them to the Sheikh, like he had the bigger foot in the room. Which, clearly it wasn’t. That is, until I heard the next phrase.
“Ya know? I came here, ta take the debt you own the boss. But as I see, ya don’t have the cash, do ya?”
“I do not.”
“Knew it. So? Whatcha ya gonna give me, hunh? I have business on the other town, close ta the sea. Ya better pay me, after I came back.”
“Respect the Sheikh more, you- GAH!” The attendant spoke, and was slapped, if that was a slap, on the face with the gun.
“I ain’t hearing bullshit from ya. Ya little idiot, ya lucky da boss sent me here. Cause if it was da Vulture, ya would become a meal fer him. HEHE!”
“We are still deciding on what I’ll be paying you. I did received from that same adventurer, some of the feathers of the Desert Titan.”
“Anh? Da big Chicken?” He called that guy a big chicken? And I thought I was rude. “Ha! Ya better gimme that. Da boss will be pleased with it. But I’ll get it later.” He turned around, reaching the door handle’s. “Oh, but also deal with that adventurer fer me.”
“What? How?”
“Do I look like I know? Ya got some of that stuff from the ruins, aight?” The Sheikh nodded. “Then try somethin from it! Hunh!”
When he was far away enough, the Attendant got up, and spoke his thoughts to the Sheikh.
“What do you think, Kaddrad-Sama?”
“I don’t want to kill that boy.” The Sheikh answered.
“Then? What we will do?”
“We still have one of those Advanced Slave collars, no?” Really?
“Yes! We do!” The attendant was thrilled. “So we can control him, and make him do what we want!”
“Yes. It is a shame, but he’ll be just a servant then.”
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[Author Speaking:
As you guys already know, I posted on the last chapter, that this one would have 2 different Outcomes. I wanted to post this chapter later, but you know what? I thought it better!
The chapter will be smaller(I think, since this is a small part), and will have both outcomes. At the end of the chapter, you guys will decide, if you want a carefree Kenji, or a more darker one.]
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Hearing that, I simply entered the room, and sit on the couch. The Sheikh and his Attendant turn their heads to the couch, where I appeared, with my arms crossed, and glaring at them.
“So? What you guys planned to me?”
“Tch!”
The attendant tried to run to the door, but I simply Flash Stepped, and kicked him back to the floor, finishing with a punch to the face, which made him lose conscious.
“So? Shall we talk again?”
“What did you heard?” The Sheikh asked, gulping loudly.
“Everything? From the: Whatcha mean, to the servant thingy.”
He gulped again, looking at me with fierce eyes.
“Seriously? I faced some monsters while grabbing things for you, and you think such glare will do anything?” I say so, shrugging his weak glare. “Also, didn’t you knew? I faced 2 Powerful Vampires. Compared to them, you’re dust.”
“It is for the good of my country.”
“No, it isn’t. It’s just to satisfy your pride.” I say so, and stomp on the Attendant, that was about to get up. “You lost your country to Goldguard. And now you want to get it back. It’s not for the good of the people. But for your own.”
“He killed, thousands.”
“Were they from an army?”
“Yes. An army from some of the nobles of the Dunes. They fought Goldguard, fair and square. Died with honor, even! But Goldguard killed them, like it was some sort of game.”
“I mean, yeah?” I said with a carefree face. “He has the power to do so. Not only that, but, speaking honestly? The Sand-Whale wouldn’t be able to even scratch him.”
“What do you know about Goldguard?”
“I didn’t fought him. But I was able to get a glimpse of his STATUS.” I grab a glass bottle, and 2 cups. I sniffle at it, and put the liquid on the cups. “Cheers.” I sip on the thing, and keep talking. “Goldguard is strong. I’ll give you that.” Taking another sip, I feel that this thing was really strong. “Nice drink. Anyway… His lower stat… If I can call that lower, for everything I was able to see? Sheesh, it was 600 thousand. And that was his INT stat.”
“What? That would be impossible!” The Sheikh is… shaking. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
“I mean, if the guy was normal, then yes, it would be impossible.”
“What you mean?”
“He has the Envy Sin.” He gulped. “The Envy sin, according to Appraisal, has the capability to make the user, basically, have no bounds. In other words, the guy can evolve as much as he can.” Finishing the drink, I put it on the table. “What’s the legal age to drink alcohol here?
“Uh… Fifteen.”
“Good. I’m all good then.” I breath in relief. Gotta say though, it’s a nice drink! “In other words, Goldguard, is powerful enough, to annihilate this entire country, and I believe the continent if he wanted to.”
“That’s… madness.”
“Uh… Yeah. But he wouldn’t do that. He has the pride of conquering things that the previous Emperor couldn’t. Like yours, the south, and the east country, that was the barrier between Rezia and Valor’s. He prides himself in that.”
“And why are you telling me this?”
“Dunno, I felt like it.” Shrugging, I continue speaking. “Even if you make me your puppet, it won’t matter. Goldguard will simply mop the floor with my face. And honestly speaking, I would like to fight him, but not now. And also, no one orders me around.”
I say so, oozing a bit of [Killing Instinct].
“As to that guy who just got out, I have the feeling I’ll be facing him, but not now. I have a Vampire to kill.”
The Sheikh sighed heavily. He started darting his eyes around, like looking for a solution.
“Then!” Like the light at the end of the tunnel, he spoke aloud. “Marry my daughter!”
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
“Come again?” I had a really strange face.
“Marry my daughter! And you’ll have the Solari Dunes at your favor!”
“That is seriously a nice idea!” He smiled broadly. “And this is totally not sarcasm.” His smile fell into sadness.
“W-Why?”
“Because, no. I don’t know her. I won’t marry someone, just because someone asked to. And honestly? Why would I marry someone I just met? Those are some serious questions!” I say so with my face contorting in different expressions. “Let me guess… Your daughter just wants to go on an adventure, right?”
He contorted his face, with his left eye twitching, and gulped, followed by a nod.
“Yeah, thanks, no thanks.” I finish, and move myself to the window. “This is our last talk, before I go to the north. Don’t even think about that, and goodbye, Sheikh Kaddrad. Displeasure doing business with you.”
Jumping off the window, I put my hood, and used my grappling hook, getting back to Vollstrecker. I simply entered, and fell on the bed. Interesting enough, was that I was able to fall asleep right after.
The next day-
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[Author’s Speaking:
This is the stuff for the next Chapter. The following part, is the other outcome. In my opinion is dark. Also, the Daughter being an Adventurer Admirer is different. Even that is a different story altogether.]
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Hearing all of that talk, my anger boiled a little. Just a little. I could enter the room, kill the 2, and no one would find out. That would be really stupid. I could have a bounty on my head for the rest of my life.
“He’ll try something tomorrow. You’re in for a surprise, Sheikh.”
I jumped off of the tower, and proceeded back to Vollstrecker. I entered, and lay down on the bed. My anger was still boiling, and I even let out a bit of my [Killing Instinct]. Calming a bit, I breathed out, and in.
I closed my eyes, but did not fall asleep yet. I got to stay on the bed, all night, thinking over what to do. With the rage subsiding very little to the hours passing, I get to think in various ways to let it out.
After the hours passed, day came, and we were eating something that Lucy made at the kitchen, putting it to good use. Honestly, I wasn’t able to taste the flavors. It felt all blend.
“Kenji-Sama? Is something the matter?” Amara asked, being the first one to notice my expression.
“Looks like the Sheikh is gonna be a jerk today.” I answer, letting once again, the [Killing Instinct] ooze out a bit.
“What you mean?” Suzuki asked.
“They had a little visit yesterday, when we already got to sleep.” I sip on the mug of coffee. Can’t feel the flavor.
“And what about it?” Suzuki asks again.
“Seriously?” I glance at her. “Their visit, was someone related to a Gang or something, from the League of Magic. I don’t care about them. No, I DO care about one of them. Since this exact guy, was responsible from gouging my left eye out, a few months ago.”
“I still don’t get it.”
“In small words. They talked about me. AND! The bastard from the gang, said to the Sheikh to do something with me. Since the day the Sheikh saw what I could do, he won’t let me slip through his fingers.”
“He wouldn’t do that. You helped him!” Suzuki said, with the most conviction she could muster.
“Heh!” I simply snort. “You’re so naive. You really think that the Sheikh isn’t bad? Then you’re completely stupid.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard what I said. That guy? He’s not what he looks to be. His objective, lies in taking the Dunes back from the hands of Goldguard. I won’t say that he is in the wrong, he has his pride to maintain. But even if he got a hold of me, the girls, and you together? We wouldn’t even get close to Goldguard. He’s powerful as shock.”
“How powerful is he?” Suzuki asked anxiously.
“I don’t remember all of his STATUS. But the lowest one, is 600 thousand.”
“600… Thousand?”
“And that was his INT stat.”
Suzuki was shaken. I mean, who wouldn’t? I don’t know exactly what the Envy sin does, and honestly I don’t care. But whatever it does, it sure gave Goldguard a whole boost on his STATUS.
“Funny that our classmates thought about even getting Goldguard’s position. They would meet certain doom if they did.”
“Then… even if we get away from the Emperor…”
“He could easily brought you back, without too much of a hassle.”
She had a hopeless expression. Not that I blame her. Golguard’s powerful, but that doesn’t mean someone can’t reach that same level. If he reached that stage, then who can’t? Why do I have this longing feeling? Hehe!
(So? What this Sheikh will do?)
“I bet he’s gonna call all of us, and then make only me enter his room. There, it’ll have some knights in wait.” I stopped briefly, and then thought on another point. “A healer came to see my condition, right?”
““Yes.””
“Then yeah, there will be lots of knights awaiting inside. And I bet he’s gonna use that.”
“That what?” Suzuki asked.
“Nothing much. Just a small thingy.”
I grinned broadly, and chuckled. After a few minutes of lazing around, a knight came, and called us to the castle. He was controlling his emotions the most he could. Of course, I was able to notice, thanks to Scan.
The marry go round mood on the castle was gone. The servants were nowhere to be seen. There were only knights all around. You thought that further?
Reaching the doors of the Throne Chamber, the Knight Commander opened, and let me in, while he stayed back.
“Kasumi. If anyone tries anything funny, you have my authorization to kill some of them. But do let some live, you hear?”
(… yes.) She took some time to answer.
Entering the room, my {Presence Detection} revealed a group of people around me. They were using [Camouflage] to hide themselves.
[Camouflage] is a spell, that allows the person to conceal themselves from others. Of course, if you have either a higher LVL, or a way to see it through, like my Scan, then that’s useless. You’ll need something like the function on the Odyssey Outfit, the Cloaking.
“Ah~ Kenji-Dono. I would like to bid you farewell, before your departure.” He says all pompous, and with a big grin on his face.
“Uhuh.” I answer in complete disinterest. I’m impressed he didn’t even thought I heard his conversation.
“Before you go however. I would like to give you a special reward.” He gets up, and takes the collar out. “And you can’t refuse, of course.”
“That’s why the big party? I guess you thought of things through, huh? Just a little bit.”
After saying that, he notices my smile, and simply points towards me. Time to fake a defeat.
The knights behind the [Camouflage] comes at me with full force. One of them charges at me from the left, to which I avoid by jumping above him, and avoid a punch that was thrown at me from another knight.
3 knights approach me with swords and shields in hands, to which I answer by delivering a Shockwave towards them, knocking them down.
“Heh! Guh!”
As I snort, 2 knights come from behind me, holding my neck and left arm, and the other my right arm. The guy who’s holding my left arm was smart. He noticed my gauntlet, and avoided having contact with the spot where the blade would come out. The other one, wasn’t so lucky.
“AGH!”
As the one who was holding my right arm was thrown off by the blade piercing his stomach, I tried to grab the other one, but yet another knight came, holding my right arm, avoiding the blade spot. And another grabbed me by the waist, and others swarmed me, maintaining me in a pinch. Until I finally was stuck, and couldn’t move a single limb.
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[Author’s Note: Another note, but it’s the last one. From here on, is on third person narration. I thought it would be better for this scene. I might be wrong though.]
Kenji was being held by the knights, while the Sheikh was approaching, step by step. He looked thrilled. As for Kenji, he was faking very well.
He fought a giant version of a Vampire. Defeated more than 5 Khnum’s, monsters that an entire squad of knights would be necessary to deal with the creature. No one knew about it, but he also fought Royal Basilisks, which are on the same Level of Danger as a Khnum.
“You tried to struggle, but to no avail. You’re mine now. And you gonna help in my mission.”
The Sheikh got more close, and one of the Knights held Kenji by the head, to make it easy for him to put the collar.
The collar was slightly bigger than Kenji’s neck, but in a split second, the collar shrunk, and it fit on Kenji’s neck easily.
“Gah!” The Knights let go of his body, and Kenji tried to take the Collar with his own hands.
“AHAHAHA! It’s impossible to take it off! This is an ancient relic! No one is able to take it off!”
The Sheikh was in a thrilled state. He looked at Kenji with so much happiness, and was sure that he could take the Dunes from the Emperor.
First the Sand-Whale, now, this adventurer! My Luck is better than I thought!, the Sheikh thought. Just then…
““Kenji-Sama!””
The four girls, together with Suzuki, appeared from the door. Behind them, there were countless knights, in a mountain of corpses. Of course, not all of them were dead, just a few. And the Knight Commander? He was the guy who was tossed to open the door.
“HA! Now it’s over!” The Sheikh looked even more thrilled. “I have a powerful adventurer! And someone that is able to read Divine Language! Soon, I’ll have all of you under my command.”
“I’LL KILL YOU!”
“Don’t move, Amara.”
Amara’s fit of rage was stopped by Kenji. With his hand on the air, he got up, still with his head down.
“Yes. You obey me now.”
The Sheikh acted all high and mighty. The next words, however, made him shudder.
“It’s a pretty nice collar, huh? This thing.”
“Huh?”
He glanced at Kenji, who was holding the collar on his neck.
“What you think you’re doing? You obey me now!”
“You think so? Sigh~ Didn’t expect to see that you was so stupid.” Kenji said, grinning broadly.
“What you mean? That collar is-!”
“A relic, blah blah blah. I know.” Kenji said without a care. “But you forgot a small thing, dumbass. Who was the guy who retrieved this from the ruins, and asked to label them?”
“Huh?”
“I not only retrieved and labeled this thing, but I analyzed all of the Relics inside the ruins. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice something like this? You’re really stupid.”
Dark-Blue lightning coursed through the collar, with the letters glowing in a pale color. Soon, the pale color also became Dark-Blue, and what no one thought possible, happened. The collar detached itself, falling on the floor.
The knights, Sheikh, and his attendant that just appeared on the room, were all flabbergasted. Even the girls were looking at Kenji. Albeit not for the same reason as the others on the room.
Why they were looking at him? Well, Kenji had a nasty grin on his face. And was looking directly at the Sheikh. More so, he was oozing [Killing Instinct], without a care for limits.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t be able to do anything?”
“B-But! Your skill is related to that! T-Technology! How?!”
“Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, Tsk! You saw my STATUS, but you’re so blind. It is [Technomagic]. The basic thing I learned, was that I can Hack into things related to technology. But! Where’s the magic on that? I can’t use magic as normally as you think. But I can Hack into Magical Circles, and of course, Circuits.”
“THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU COULD DO THAT TO A RELIC!”
“Oh, that?” He pointed to the collar. “Are you deaf? I analyzed every single Relic and Artifact inside the ruins. That thing? Was the most easier to figure it out how to shut it off.” He shrugged, like it was nothing. Of course, that was a huge deal. “Now.” He grinned broadly again. “Let’s shut you down.”
“No! Get them! What? Why no one is- Huh?”
Kaddrad glanced at his knights. All of them were knocked out. That was not only because of Kenji’s skill, [Killing Instinct], though. But because the skill evolved at such a fast rate, that it reached its maximum tier, and Evolved into [Bloodlust Aura].
The skill could do everything [Killing Instinct] did, and more. It caused the Knights to lose all the courage to fight, and knocked them out afterwards. Surprisingly, the Attendant was still awake. Cowering, but awake.
Step by step, Kenji approached Kaddrad. With that, the Sheikh cowered, crawling away from Kenji. He tried to get up, but his legs wouldn’t move as he wanted, and so, he fell to the floor again.
“Y-YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME! I’M A KING! GUH!”
Kenji grabbed him by the neck, suspending him.
“Nice. Now. Look at my face. And see if I care.” He tossed the Sheikh into the stairs taking him to the throne, which made the Sheikh cough blood.
“GARGH!”
“Trash is trash no matter where you go.”
“G-GIVE RESPECT TO KADDR-!”
The Attendant started speaking and tried to rush towards the Sheikh, but before he could reach him, Kenji waved his hand backwards, activating his blade, and severing the Attendant’s head. He couldn’t even finish his words.
“N-NO! I-I-I ONLY WANTED THE DUNES TO BE PROUD AGAIN! WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT?!”
“Nothing actually.”
“THEN WHY?!”
“You choose the wrong guy to pick a fight with. Now.” Kenji retrieved his arm, activating his blade. “Lights out.”
In one single motion, he also severed the Sheikh’s head. Breathing out, Kenji retrieved his blade, glancing upwards, and breathed in.
While he was trying to calm himself, a voice resonated, not that Kenji was able to notice, but the girls? They did noticed.
“SO THE EFFECTS, ARE TAKING PLACE. GOOD.”
They all looked around, but found no one. The travel to the Dunes certainly had a lot of big things happening.