Black Sword and Fragments [Vol. 1: Unforeseen Conspiracy]

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Unforeseen Crime

“Allastor Frauzz, bro! Wait! Are you going home right now?” Shouted by the huge man to Allastor Frauzz who's about to go outside the gate of Adventurer's Guild.

Because of this, Allastor halts on his way. He turned his attention to where the voice came from. He saw Roderick Flameberg, one of the Lookout officers of Adventurer's Guild, with his pleading look.

Allastor shook his head. “Nah. I want to look for available Life cores on the Tent-shops first, Sir Roderick.” Allastor paused for a moment. He was wondering when he continue. “Why? You need something? Heh. Just say it quickly, I still have much time.”

Roderick didn't directly answer the question of the young man.

“Allastor, It seems like you have already used to being an adventurer, huh? HAHAHA! It is really good to see the changes of our Adventurers from time to time.” Roderick Flameberg happily said. He pats Allastor's back. “Heh! I still remember how booger nervous you are before. But now, look at you. You really are a man now, Kid.”

“Hahaha. I don't really expect that I will be like this too, you know? Doing what you love will make you change wonder.” Allastor awkwardly laugh as he scratched his head.

“Every time I fight with magicule beasts and every time I become stronger and stronger, my confidence in myself stacks,” Allastor said, smirking. Not long after, his eyes changed when he realized something different about Roderick Flameberg now. He halts for a moment before slowly saying. “Wait a minute... I couldn't really identify it, but there seems a difference in your presence. Hmmm.”

Allastor's eyebrows raised when he realized something. “Don't tell me—?!”

Allastor didn't finish what he was about to say.

Roderick Flameberg nodded as he smirked widely. “Heh. You are right, my level has increased again.”

When he confirmed it to Roderick himself, a trace of admiration and happiness could be seen on Allastor's expression. “Oooh! Really? If that's so...” Allastor halt for a moment before excitedly continuing. “What is your level now, then?!”

Roderick fixed his posture as he placed his fist on his waist. He puffed up his chest as well and it was as if he became a golden statue that glitters under the moonlight. “Level thirty-eight!”

“Ooh!”

When the glittering lights fade, Roderick Flameberg speaks again as he pointed at himself. “Heh. That's why you should go home later this night. I will celebrate here in this pub tonight with the co-workers and staff. And yeah, all the food will be paid for by me!”

Allastor's eyes shone as he excitedly responded. “Could I eat Red-sesame Beefsteak, Sir Roderick?!”

Roderick smirked, making his sparkling teeth show up. He confidently said. “I don't mind even if you eat a hundred Red-sesame Beefsteak. The payment is all up to me!”

The reason why Roderick Flameberg treasures his leveling-up this much is that it was already three years that he was stuck at Level thirty-seven, and it is just this day that he has reached Level thiry-eight.

For Gold-Rank rankers, increasing their levels is much more difficult by a hundred folds if compared to the Silver-Rank rankers. Just by increasing their levels by one, it might take them a year or more. Even if you have a lot of money to buy a lot of Life cores, increasing your level as a gold rank still wouldn't be that easy.

In addition, the quality of Life-cores that can be bought in tent shops and even in the Luxurious shops near the palace is of insufficient quality to arouse the magicule energies required for the Gold rankers. That is why there are no shortcuts to leveling up as a Gold-rank, but to travel dangerous forests and kill stronger Magicule beasts.

That is also why Roderick Flameberg wanted to celebrate his achievement at gaining another level. Every increase in the level of a Gold ranker is worthy of celebration.

On the other hand, this is also the reason why only a few people were able to surpass gold rank, and there is also a high chance that those Platinum rankers were never able to surpass platinum rank anymore.

*   *   *   *

On the east side of the Kreo Kingdom, where the small town of Iron grass is located, Selena and Hukkon have arrived now on the door of the Orphanage. 

“Aunt Ishara, Great-Aunt Isabel! We are home!” The young man shouted as he opened the unlocked door slowly. Because of that, a lady with a sweet smile greeted them.

“Oh, you three babies are unexpectedly earlier. Your Aunt Isabel is still buying recipes for the dinner.” Shyly said Ishara. However, when he opened the door widely, her shy expression immediately dissipated when she saw Hukkon and Selena. “Why it is only you two? Where is Allastor?”

“Ah, Allastor will come home later, Aunt Isabel. He said that he was going to see if they could find higher-level life cores on the Capital's tent shops,” responded Selena.

Ishara nodded and told the two to come inside and take a shower. Even if Alllastor, Hukkon, and Selena are already twelve years old, for thei Aunt Isabel and Ishara is that they will always be their small babies. In truth, if only they can stop them from their dangerous job as an adventurer, they won't hesitate to stop them. Still, they also respect them and love them unconditionally. They don't want to deprive them of reaching their goals.

Inside the Kreo Kingdom, the profession of an adventurer is the most liberated and flexible. Nevertheless, on the other side of its liberating feature, this profession is really dangerous. Unlike the Royal Soldiers, Black Smith, and Herbalist, the Adventurer's Guild's Government doesn't prioritize the safety of their Adventurers. The only thing they prioritize is their Human rights.

*   *   *   *

“Boss Amon, we are already here on the location. Would you like to add something aside from abducting these children?” Earnestly said by the man in long cloth. His chest has gray gauze and several large scars—proof that he has already been on a battlefield for many years.

On the other side, aside from the large scars on his body, a straight sliced scar was curved on his two closed eyes. In other words, this man is blind. But, despite this disability, the magicules he is emitting are so heavy.

He is holding a communicator stone as he waits for the response of his boss.

“To add up, huh?” responded the man on the other line. “Ballion mentioned that there is a gray-haired child with a pair of red eyes living as well in that orphanage. Abduct him with no damage... And about the guardians of that Orphanage, if they would not submit, just kill them.”

“Kill them? But boss!... If we will do it, Ballion and Stallion would become more suspicious as our spy!” Anxiously responded by the blind man. “Not to mention. If we will kill here, we will have no spies to execute our attacks anymore...”

“Heh. You don't have to worry. I already calculated everything from the start. I won't let those two be in a dangerous situation.” Even if the blind man could only hear the voice of his boss, he knows that his boss is smirking right now. “As to the potential ceasing of Ballion and Stallion as our spies, aren't we doing this abduction for the sake of crafting more spies?”

Amon on the other line maniacally laughed.

 

The blind man smirked. He just nodded at what he heard. This blind man didn't know what is the plan of their boss on this risky situation. Yet, he is confident that his boss wouldn't let Ballion and Stallion Ibzaar be stuck in a dangerous situation. “I understood, boss.”

The blind man, as soon as he said his last word to the boss, clenched his fist, crushing the communicator stone in his hand. It became sand when he opened his palm again.

After using the communicator stone, it could never be used again anymore. On his back are thirty figures of bandits with various ranks from silver to gold. The blind man located their presence as he let out his command. 

“Kill the roaming Royal Soldiers first and be cautious of the surroundings!”

“Yes, Vice Leader!” Shouted by the bandits in unison.

After a few moments, the figures of the bandits fade into the dark one by one. Their leader smirked as he cautiously follow the way to the orphanage.

 

Near the location of the bandits, are Selena, Ishara, Isabel, Hukkon, and other more children who currently having their peaceful dinner. Hukkon and Selena are happy as they tell their experience as an adventurer. And of course, just like before, their Aunts didn't let even small detail from slipped their story. Their expressions are continuously changing to happy, sad, angry, and anxious. On the other side, the other children hearing their story couldn't help but admire their older brother and sister.

Along with Allastor, Selan and Hukkon became used to telling their experiences of being an adventurer. But of course, they still consider what to share with the others. They aren't sharing their experiences in more dangerous situations. They don't want their Aunts and little brothers and sisters to think anxiously about their safety every time they are away in the orphanage.

“Allastor is having a hard time reaching Level five?” Asked Isabel.

Selena and Hukkon nodded, but to the two of them, Selena is the only one who responded. “Yeah, Aunt. That is also why Allastor is also looking for higher-level Life cores at the tent shops in Capital.”

“Oh my... I see.” Earnestly nodded by Isabel.

“Speaking of Allastor. It was already late but he wasn't still here...” silently said the anxious Ishara.

Hukkon smiled slightly when he saw Ishara's Expression—hoping that this smile will calm down his Aunt. “Don't worry too much, Aunt Ishara. He might still be searching for Higher level Life-cores. Also, the tent shops will be closed after an hour, so Allastor will be here sooner as well.”

To be continued...

*   *   *   * 

Votes and Feedback are highly appreciated!💛