by Sakon Kaidou
There was nothing on Zeta, who always disappeared from her crime scenes before getting spotted, or Gerbera, who was new to the clan and had gone to the gaol before doing anything significant.
“You lost against a Superior, and you’re gonna pick a fight with another?” asked one of Gakido’s boys. “That’s a bit...”
“Think about it — even if he’s a Superior, he’s a loser just by bein’ here in the fuckin’ gaol. There’s no way he’s as much of a beast as Bigman.”
Any Master who’d been here long enough would call Gakido an idiot for thinking that, but unfortunately, the only ones on the scene were the members of Sixth Realm Chaos.
Most Masters from the three western countries would’ve said the same, but this clan was from the far-east land of Tenchi, and didn’t know much about the King of Crime beyond the name of his job.
“We’ll kick his ass and take his wealth as reparations,” Gakido said confidently. “I mean, he has a clan, sure, but he’s all alone here. I heard that even Al Capone was really pathetic after they locked him up.”
A cool-headed Master would’ve pointed out that Al Capone hadn’t had an Embryo, but everyone in Sixth Realm chaos was too angry to think that much.
“Let’s start by gatherin’ info,” said Gakido. “We’ll find out what he does, where he hangs, and attack him when there’s no one to get in the way.”
“Hell yeah!”
They went around the gaol and found out lots of things about him.
Strange as it was, all the prisoners talked about Sechs like he was above them, but no one said that he was strong.
They mentioned that he was a model prisoner, had a café, enjoyed reading, made good coffee, that he had a soft demeanor, had nice glasses, and cute employees, making the Sixth Realm Chaos members conclude that he was absolutely harmless.
“Kheheheh. That dumbass,” Gakido spat and grinned. “This is gonna be so easy. It hasn’t even happened, and I’m already cheering up.”
After finding out all they needed, they decided to attack him in two days, when the café would be closed and there would be no customer Masters to get in the way.
Imagining the attack and their victory, they began the preparations for the assault.
However, none of them had noticed the soft, sympathetic gazes the other Masters were giving them.
They were looking at the clan like they were just another in a long line of poor sacrifices, but none of the clan members were in the state of mind to realize it.
And they hadn’t noticed that each and every single fellow prisoner hadn’t said a single word about how dangerous the KoC really was.
Thus, two real life days passed, and Sixth Realm Chaos attacked the café, Dice.
◆◆◆
April 6th, 2045, Bow Hunter, Gerbera
“COME OUT OR WE’RE BURNING YOU DOWN WITH YOUR CAFÉ!”
The suicidal idiots barking outside were a bunch of filthy-looking men in clothes that made them look like stereotypical criminals.
The one at the front was extra weird. He wore animal skins and flashy clothing that looked kinda like the “kabuki” style from my dad’s country, while at the same time not even close to it.
The cherry on the cake was the cringy gloves, though.
His clothing aside... what was up with that face? He could choose anything he wanted during character creation, and he’d gone with something that brutish?
...Speaking of which, I was beautiful in real life, too.
Yeah, I had spent some time making my character, but the overall beauty rating was the same.
That reminds me that I forgot to change my breast size, I thought. I hope the leader doesn’t realize that I have pads on...
“Yes, yes, who is it?” the leader asked as he opened the door with a face like he was being visited by children selling cookies.
Does he ever feel any danger? I thought one moment before he bent his upper half forward, probably due to a punch in his stomach.
The people passing by instantly ran away, because of course they would.
“YOU TOOK TOO FUCKIN’ LONG!” the boss-looking guy shouted.
“My apologies. So, who might you be?” said our leader, clearly not caring about the stomach blow.
Why would he?
After all... physical attacks did nothing to his HP.
“I’m the King of Grind, Gigamaru Gakido! I’m the man who was tenth on Tenchi’s duel rankings!”
Gigamaru Gakido... what a weird name. Also, this was the first time I’d ever seen someone from Tenchi.
Our clan didn’t have a single member from there, come to think of it. I wouldn’t mind if some cool-looking samurai guy joined. I’d talk to the leader about that later.
For now, the main matter was Gakido, and uhhh...
“Tenth? Isn’t that kinda lame?” I asked.
I lived in Gideon, the Mecca of duels, but even I knew only the first eight. Wait, no. I’d forgotten the seventh... what was his name, again? It was the burning, smothering guy, right?
B... B... Bijmal?
“What the hell’d you just say?!” Gakido snapped.
“Oh no no, Miss Gerbera,” said the leader. “That’s certainly not true. Tenchi’s dueling scene is particularly strong. It has about twice as many participants as the others, so the tenth there is about as strong as the kingdom’s fifth.”
I nodded in understanding. Well, I did hear that Tenchi was “the land of strife” or something.
“And, uh... the King of Grind?” I asked. That job name seemed to have a familiar aura...
“The King of Grind is more or less the Eastern version of King of Destruction,” the leader explained. “Both jobs excel at object destruction. But while the KoD is focused on STR, the King of Grind is more balanced and thus is easier to use in combat.”
“You really know everything, don’t you?” I commented.
Anyway, if going by job alone, this weirdo here was on the same level as the King of Destruction.
...It really didn’t feel that way, though.
“Ohh, ‘Gakido’?” the leader said casually. “Now I remember. You lead a bandit clan called ‘Sixth Realm Chaos,’ which was destroyed by the King of Brigands, Bigman the Mountain-Splitter, about five days ago. So that sent you here to the gaol. From what I recall, your crimes are burglary, murder, and sexual assault, among many others. Oh yes, that is certainly enough to put you on the wanted list.”
It felt like our dear Sechs Würfel was a bit too knowledgeable. At least, for someone stuck in the gaol.
Wait. It suddenly hit me that one of our people, La Crima, was currently operating in Tenchi, so he’d probably gotten that info from him.
“Well, you sure know a damn lot about us,” sneered Gakido. “Then I guess you know why we’re here, don’t ya?”
“I cannot even begin to imagine,” our leader replied. “Coffee, perhaps?”
“NO! YOU’RE LA CRIMA’S BOSS! SO WE’LL KILL YOU AND TAKE YOUR SHIT AS REPARATIONS!”
“Is that it?”
“LIKE HELL! WEAK-ASS OR NOT, KILLING A SUPERIOR WILL MAKE US FAMOUS! IT’LL SEND A MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE GAOL, AND WE’LL SOON BE THE TOP OF THIS SHITTY PLACE!”
Hearing his words made me choke.
I had no idea why, but it felt like my old wounds were opening up — like I was watching a detailed replay of a very dark, very cringy period in my life.
“But there is no rule that says that defeating me would make you the top of the gaol,” the leader said calmly.
“But tons of prisoners treat you like you’re above them, don’t they? If I beat you, that means I’m above you and them!”
I choked again. Oh, how I wished for him to stop talking. He sounded exactly like I had when I was going after the KoD. It was making me cringe.
Gakido, please. I really don’t want or need this kind of familiarity. Shut up, or I’ll kill you.
“Oh... very well,” said the leader. “Are we having a duel?”
/> “Nope. It’s already over. Look at your stomach,” said Gakido.
From where I was, I could only see the leader’s back, so I made Alhazred move in front of him and checked.
On his stomach, there was a circle-stamp with a large “B A N” written on it.
“What would this be?” he asked.
“That’s a seal made by my Embryo, Banten’in. Better not touch it, my guy. You’ll be torn to shreds.”
I looked and noticed that the same stamp was on the knuckle parts of Gakido’s gloves.
That is so lame.
“I see,” said the leader. “So it’s an Embryo that inserts a bomb through touch... or more like, changes the parts of the body touched into bombs.”
“You got that right! And just so you know, no one who’s had it on them has ever come out alive!”
Oh, so that was the purpose of the stomach blow from before.
Would our leader actually die from being torn to shreds, though?
He probably wouldn’t...
“If you admit defeat, I wouldn’t mind removi—”
“Excuse me for a moment,” the leader said, cutting off Gakido and then walking past him to stand in the middle of the street.
“Where the hell do you think you’re goin—”
“Like this?”
Before anyone could stop him, Sechs Würfel touched the seal on his stomach and, like advertised, exploded into little bits.
Dark red pieces of flesh and blood rained down on the surroundings, dirtying the unpaved road and Gakido’s clan.
Ew.
“Whoa?!” Gakido shouted.
“H-He went and killed himself...!” cried a man behind him.
The leader had probably gone away from the café to avoid making a mess inside.
I really didn’t see why he’d bothered. He could easily use The Saint’s purification magic to clean up.
“Wh-Whatever,” said Gakido. “This still counts as a win against him. It just ended in one hit.”
“Oh, yeah. Suuure,” I said with all the sarcasm in the world.
They finally noticed my presence, and Gakido asked, “Who the hell are you?”
“A freeloader.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re the KoC’s bitch.”
“...Huh?”
I feel like he just said something staggering.
“You have a good face, but your tits look fake as hell. Man, the guy has shit taste in women.”
“Huhhhhh?” I yelled. “Who the hell are you calling fake? You better not mess with me!”
Did this idiot actually just call me flat— I mean, the KoC’s bitch? What is he, a porn-crazed brat from a 2000s MMO? This is the first time anyone in Dendro’s talked to me with the lower half of their body!
Wait, there was also La Crima... but the circumstances and implications there were different.
I considered just beating them right here and now. Alhazred was outside with them, and none of them had a clue.
That made me think it was possible, but Gakido had a Superior Job, and I didn’t have a good track record with them here in the gaol. What to do, what to do...?
“Argh, forget this fake-ass hoe,” said Gakido. “Let’s just take everything in the café. Get to it, boys!”
“Roger!” his bootlickers replied almost mechanically.
You could tell they were used to this and that it was no surprise that they’d gotten on a wanted list.
As they tried to enter the café, something called out to them and stopped them.
“Please-wait-a-mo-ment.”
“Wh-What? Who’s talkin’... Huh?” Gakido’s people looked around and quickly found the source of the voice.
The entity was sitting on a chair, looking at them with inorganic eyes that had been closed until just a moment ago.
It was none other than the Prism Person, April.
She hadn’t moved an inch even when her owner had blown up, but now... she stood up.
“Are-you-en-ter-ing-this-es-tab-lish-ment-with-the-in-ten-tion-to-rob-it?” She hadn’t participated in the conversation at all, but she seemed to have listened.
“What’s this? It’s like a human, but it’s got spherical joints. Is it a Marionetter’s doll?”
“Well, damn,” Gakido grinned. “Score. It looks like it costs a whole lot. Let’s take it, and—”
Gakido entered the café with the intention to take April, but the moment one of them stepped in...
“Rec-og-nized-as-a-threat. Initiating battle mode — eliminating.”
April stopped speaking in monotone. Words just flowed out of her mouth...
“Eh?”
“Eh?”
And the man who tried to touch her was split in half, making him speak through two mouths.
Before either of his halves could even fall to the ground, he was cut into little pieces and became bits of light before a single drop of blood touched the floor.
“Ah?!”
“H-He had a Brooch, right?! How did he die in one hit?!”
A Brooch, eh?
April attacked with both hands, so it had broken with the first, I’d guess.
I mean, they were all really susceptible to damage right now.
“Starting elimination of enemies within the café’s perimeter,” she said smoothly before stepping outside.
I’d thought this back during training, but it was staggering how well-spoken April was in battle compared to how she was usually. Did the café employee work she was assigned to put some sort of load on her AI?
“Tch...! Don’t let her scare you! There’s just one of her!”
“It’s just a robot! We took out dozens of guard robots in ruins back in Tenchi!”
Ruins, huh? I’d never been to one.
Even so, I was pretty sure that there wasn’t a single robot stronger than April.
...Oh?
Some guy who was probably in the nobushi grouping came out of his hiding spot and attacked April from behind. “Got you now...! Huh?”
His aim was true, and his spear was heading straight into her. But...
“I-It’s not piercing?! How?! Why isn’t my surprise attack working?!”
The nobushi grouping was focused on surprise attacks, but this one couldn’t even break through April’s clothes.
“Eliminating,” April said as she responded with a swing of her arms.
Her arms didn’t reach the guy due to the spear’s range, but that didn’t matter.
“GHUAH?!”
The man was decapitated, exposing the flesh and bone of his neck.
Gross.
“W-Wires?!” The onlooking bandits finally realized what her weapon was — they were metal wires extending from inside April’s wrists.
They were thicker than the steel threads used by some assassins — enough to be called wires.
It didn’t seem like they were strong enough to cut people apart, but that was exactly what they did.
“Khh...! Protect your weak spots! Those wires won’t do shit if they don’t touch your body!” Gakido screamed.
He wasn’t wrong. There was nothing to those wires besides their toughness.
But I would really recommend against focusing on defense.
“GHUAH?!” a man in heavy armor screamed as he was torn into shreds and became bits of light.
“Th-The armor’s in pieces...?!” someone shouted.
“What?! What’s going on?!”
Looking at them reminded me of tofu, a food my dad liked. Tofu could be cut using threads, and these wires broke their bodies apart just as easily.
There was no point in just watching out for them, though.
The reason why they were so easy to tear apart... was the fact that they were simply really fragile right now.
“Huhh?!”
“Wh-What’s wrong?!”
“M-My END’s supposed to be 4,050... b-but it’s 50 now!”
“Just minus 4,000?” I commented. “That’s... pretty tame, April.”
“There are no endurance-type Superior Jobs or Guardians,” she said. “This is more than enough.”
Oh, so she’s just conserving energy, I thought.
“A... a skill that lowers defense!” one of them screamed.
“Heh! Then I’ll just run circles around it with my speed and— GHAAHH?!”
An AGI build did nothing more than stomp on the ground, but that was enough to give him a compound fracture.
Actually, it seemed like the leg was just gone.
It was the expected result, though.
His END was probably so low now that it was actually in the negatives.
So yeah. April the Prism Person had the ability to reduce the toughness of surrounding material.
It was extra lethal on AGI builds, which had low END to begin with. Just like now, it could easily bring that stat to below zero.
Simply running too hard could make an AGI build’s bones shatter and flesh crumble, while an END build’s toughness would do as much good as a sheet of paper.
AGI builds would be driven to self-destruction, END builds would lose their one selling point, and all would be slain.
That was the power of the Diamond Slayer’s transformation weapon, Material Slider.
When I’d first heard about it, I had reflected that the one who’d made it didn’t care one bit about game balance.
Though, honestly, that kinda applied to Dendro as a whole.
“U-Use ranged attacks! Beat it from a distance!”
“I-It’s not working! Arrows and bullets don’t do anything!”
April’s Material Slider not only lowered the toughness of surrounding material — it could also raise her own.
Their attacks were all negated by a defense which, from what I could tell, easily exceeded 100,000.
“April’s easily Superior-level,” I commented to myself. I hadn’t won against her once during training.
I just made myself sad again...
“Shit! I beat the King of Crime, and now I’ve gotta deal with this fuckin’ monster?! Outta my way, boys! No matter how tough, my Banten’in’s gonna turn it into scrap!” Gakido clenched his fists, covered in Banten’in, and struck a boxing pose.
Well, if Banten’in could blow up any material it placed a seal on, then maybe it had a chance against April.
However, to pull it off, Gakido would have to get close to April while being conscious of his severely lowered defense, which didn’t even allow him to run as fast as he wanted.