After he finished his business at the Adventure Guild, Hikaru found himself with some free time. The sun was still high in the sky, casting a warm, golden light over the bustling city streets. Feeling the urge to explore, he set off down a cobblestone path, taking in the sights and sounds of the lively city.
Merchants shouted their wares from colorful market stalls, and the enticing aroma of street food filled the air. Orbies of various races conversed animatedly with each other, creating a lively and diverse atmosphere. Hikaru’s curiosity led him through winding alleys and past charming shops, each one offering something unique.
As he turned a corner, a large, imposing building caught his eye. It was the Golden Gavel Auction House, its grand entrance adorned with ornate carvings and banners that fluttered in the gentle afternoon breeze. Intrigued, Hikaru decided to step inside.
The interior was just as impressive, with high ceilings and chandeliers casting a warm glow over the room. The stage was closed, and the main hall, which usually had rows of plush seats, had been transformed to display various items on pedestals. Most of the items were Soulstones, each with their detailed descriptions. The hall was filled with people, mostly nobles with a lot of money, as commoners typically trained to obtain their skills rather than using Soulstones.
Feeling wealthy after receiving one platinum coin as his mission reward, Hikaru walked among the displays, curious to see what treasures were up for bidding. As he moved about, he observed the auction’s process: to bid on an item, one needed to provide their Bailey ID to the clerk and state their offer. Bidders could see the current highest bid for each item. If they remain the highest bidder until the bidding closes, the auction house will collect payment from them before giving them the item. If the winning bidder leaves the auction house before the bidding closes, a courier from the auction house will collect payment at the bidder’s residence before delivering the item.
Most of the displayed soulstones were solo skill soulstones. Hikaru observed several of them before moving on to the next pedestal. Amidst the collection, he discovered a L2 Wind Sovereign soulstone set, which is compatible with his bloodline. Intrigued, he approached the clerk to inquire about it.
The clerk confirmed that there were no current bids on the soulstone set and informed Hikaru that the starting price was 120 gold coins. He explained that their auction house often handled Wind Sovereign innate skill soulstones, which typically made them more affordable compared to other innate skill soulstones.
Further elaborating, the clerk mentioned that like other innate skills, the Wind Sovereign skill is specific to one race, in this case, the elven race. Typically, only dark elves can naturally wield the Wind Sovereign skill, without the use of bloodline implantation of course.
Curious about the reasons behind the sale of innate skills, Hikaru listened intently as the clerk explained various details. With a furrowed brow, he interjected, “Excuse me,” and continued, “Isn’t it regretful for dark elves to sell their innate skill just for a paltry sum of money?”
The clerk smiled knowingly, adjusting his glasses before responding. “Ah, a common question,” he said. “You see, most dark elves have a low fertility rate, which means they often cannot pass down anything to future generations. As they near the end of their lifespan, many choose to switch out their skills and sell the soulstones to obtain retirement funds.”
Hikaru nodded thoughtfully, considering the implications of such a decision. “So,” he mused, “it’s a practical choice for them, ensuring financial security in their later years.”
“Exactly,” the clerk affirmed.
Hikaru considered the implications of owning such a skill. He weighed the pros and cons of having the Wind Sovereign skill. After a moment of deliberation, he decided to place a bid of 120 gold coins, intrigued by the prospect of acquiring another innate skill that he could use.
As the evening bid closure approached, Hikaru waited with anticipation. As expected, no other bids came in for the soulstone. With resolve, he paid using 1 platinum coin and 20 red Eden beads, finalizing the transaction that left most of his savings depleted. He chose to wait in the auction house instead of waiting for their courier to come to his residence because he wanted to keep his Amun-Ra Elemental Sovereign Bloodline a secret from everyone.
Little did Hikaru know, as he anxiously awaited the auction’s closing bid, someone was secretly staring at him—Colonel Melvin Slater, someone whom he intended to avoid for as long as possible. The relentless enforcer tasked with apprehending all of Kaito’s subordinates.
The colonel observed Hikaru discreetly from the corner of the room, determination etched on his face as he muttered to himself, “You already got away from me once! Don’t think you can escape from my grasp again.”
After completing the transaction, Hikaru stepped out of the auction house, a prickling sense of unease crawling up his spine. The air seemed charged, and he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. So he casually slipped into a quiet alleyway, his footsteps echoing softly against the cobblestones. It was a strategic maneuver to prevent innocent bystanders to get involved.
Sure enough, Colonel Melvin Slater followed closely, his footsteps echoing lightly against the cobblestones. Just as Hikaru paused mid-stride, he whirled around, facing the hidden watcher. “I know you’re there,” he called out, his voice steady.
With a flicker of movement, Colonel Slater emerged from the shadows, his expression steely and resolute. “You slipped away once,” he growled, a glint of determination in his eyes. “But not this time.”
Hikaru was taken aback as he saw his captor in front of him. ‘Shit I thought it was a hoodlum wanted to rob me! I wanted to teach them a lesson, but who knew Colonel Slater was the stalker! What do I do!?’
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The colonel ran toward him swiftly to prevent him from escaping. He unsheathed the sword at his waist and summoned four tentacle-like appendages from his back, resembling those used by an octopus.
*Whoosh* As Hikaru readied his stance, one of the tentacles suddenly extended and bound him, constricting him tightly and making it hard to breathe.
[Body Fortification] (L1 Body Arts skill)
Hikaru used Body Fortification to lessen the constriction’s effect.
“Hahaha, now you’ve got nowhere to go!” The colonel gloated, feeling victorious.
“Now this is payback for escaping the first time!” The colonel declared.
*Crackle* Small thorns suddenly sprouted all over the tentacles that were holding Hikaru.
“Now feel the pain!” the colonel exclaimed, expecting Hikaru to scream from the poisonous thorns.
[Sleepy Touch] (L1 Illusion Magic Skill)
Hikaru cast the illusion touch spell, attempting to put the colonel to sleep. ‘As I thought, the colonel’s wits attribute is too high for my Sleepy Touch spell to be effective,’ Hikaru mused to himself while maintaining a calm demeanor.
“Weird, even if you’re a Bamborean, you shouldn’t be immune to the poison of Toxic Tendrils!” the colonel muttered to himself.
As the colonel pondered, Hikaru aimed his right palm at the colonel’s face.
[Fireball: shoot] (L1 Fire Magic skill)
*Boom* the fireball was blocked by one of the tentacles, resulting in the destruction of that tentacle.
“You could destroy my tentacle!” the colonel muttered.
[Fiery Breath] (L2 Fire Sovereign skill)
*Fwoosh* a stream of fire gushed out of Hikaru’s mouth, destroying the tentacle that held him, leaving the colonel with only two tentacles.
“YOU!!!” The colonel glared with visible anger as he threw the sword he held toward Hikaru, who swiftly dodged it.
[Phoenix Wings: activated] (L1 Fire Sovereign skill)
*Rush – Rush – Rush* Hikaru hovered in mid-air, looking down at the colonel.
But the colonel suddenly levitated toward him while staring dangerously at him.
As Hikaru moved away, the colonel followed closely.
‘Looks like the colonel can levitate, but luckily, his flying speed seems slower than mine!’ Hikaru thought to himself.
*Shing –Shing –Shing* three icicles headed toward Hikaru, but he evaded two of them, while the last one managed to nick his arm.
After a brief moment of consideration, Hikaru abruptly halted in mid-air and flew towards the colonel, attempting to engage in close-quarters combat.
*Whip – Whip* Learning from his previous mistake, the colonel extended both tentacles, lashing at Hikaru as he closed the distance.
Hikaru managed to dodge one lash, but the second tentacle slammed into him, propelling him backward into the roof of a nearby residence.
*Crash* the impact of his fall shattered the roof of a random residential building, but Hikaru swiftly regained his footing and changed direction, realizing that close-quarters combat with the colonel was a bad idea.
The colonel continued his pursuit, trying to close the gap unsuccessfully as Hikaru managed to widen the distance, before abruptly stopping once more.
[Blazing Assault] (L2 Fire Sovereign skill)
*Fssshhh – BOBOOM* Feathery projectiles headed towards the colonel, who instinctively shielded himself with his tentacles. The ensuing explosion obliterated the tentacles, severely burned the colonel’s hands, and sent him crashing into a nearby building.
Hikaru approached the colonel and felt relieved that the colonel was unconscious but still alive. He swiftly carried him towards the Purple Walnut, hidden by the veil of evening darkness.
As Hikaru arrived at the Purple Walnut, Lydia and Loyd paused mid-meal, their eyes widening at the sight of the burned and bloodied stranger slung over Hikaru’s shoulder. Lydia, her concern evident, immediately questioned Hikaru about the stranger’s identity.
“Hikaru, who is this?” she asked.
Hikaru gently lowered the unconscious man onto a nearby chair, his expression grave. “This is Colonel Melvin Slater from the Elvira Kingdom,” he explained quietly. “He’s the one who’s been after me. We had a confrontation, and it left him in this condition.”
Lydia and Loyd exchanged a glance, clearly taken aback by the revelation. Loyd, ever the pragmatic one, moved closer to inspect the colonel cautiously. “Is he going to be alright?” he asked, eyeing the injuries with concern.
Hikaru nodded, though uncertainty flickered in his eyes. “He’s unconscious, but he’s alive,” he reassured them, his tone reflecting both relief and apprehension. “I don’t know what to do with him? It was his job to capture me, but I don’t want to kill him for that!”
Lydia nodded in agreement, her expression softening with empathy. “Let’s apply some healing potion on his wound, and make him comfortable,” she suggested, already reaching for a healing potion.
As they tended to the colonel, Hikaru recounted the harrowing events of his confrontation, omitting the part about purchasing the L2 Wind Sovereign skill set, and explaining the urgency of the situation.
After administering a healing potion, Colonel Slater’s labored breathing gradually steadied. Lydia visibly relaxed and invited Hikaru to join them for dinner. Grateful for the warm meal after the intense confrontation, Hikaru accepted the invitation and joined Lydia and Loyd for dinner.
Once they finished eating, Hikaru and Lydia immediately prepared a carriage to take the colonel to Bailey Hospital. Together, they carefully lifted the unconscious colonel and placed him in the carriage, ensuring he was securely positioned for the ride. Upon arriving at Bailey Hospital, they quickly arranged for the colonel to be admitted, making sure he would receive the necessary medical attention.
With the colonel in capable hands, Hikaru and Lydia exchanged relieved glances, knowing they had done all they could to help.
“You don’t need to worry, Hikaru. Once he wakes up, we’ll convince him to call off his pursuit and let you go,” Lydia assured. “I’ll also tell the Prince so he can station some of his men in the hospital to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t go anywhere.”
Hikaru thanked Lydia as they made their way back to the Purple Walnut. Exhausted but relieved, he retired for the night, knowing he had done everything possible to create the best possible outcome with the limited tools that he had.