Chapter 155: The Man - 12
Chapter 155: The Man - 12
Iroha spoke.
"Lungtao is a Normal Grade."
That was already known.
"But he can use Mana."
Jiha stared at her, incredulous.
Lungtao could actually use Mana?
How was that a weakness?
"Isn't it natural for someone who fights for a living to hide their true strength? You want me to report him to City Hall for pretending he can't use Mana?"
"Because he's forcing himself."
Iroha said it quietly.
"Lungtao can't fight a prolonged battle. Five minutes is his absolute limit."
"...That is a weakness."
If true, it was a fatal one.
Iroha spoke up out of nowhere.
"Do you know why Uniques are called strategic weapons?"
"Their Mana is strong and their Special Abilities are formidable, that goes without saying. But isn't it the difference in their Mana recovery rate?"
"Right, they're strong, but more than that—they never get exhausted."
A Unique's overwhelming strength came not just from their power, but from the Mana constantly springing forth within them, allowing them to unleash powerful techniques in rapid succession.
Even when Jiha, fresh from acquiring his Bloodsucking Mana, had subdued Enril, it had been an extremely short battle.
Even if a Rare Grade had a similar Mana capacity or comparable skill, if the fight dragged on?
A Rare could never defeat a Unique.
Over time, Jiha had acquired various Special Abilities and increased his own Mana considerably.
Thanks to drinking Enril's blood again, his arms and one of his legs were now filled with it. His Mana had grown enough that he could even use Wind Blade twice in a row.
Against most opponents, he felt confident he could subdue them in a one-on-one fight.
Yet against a Unique, he had no choice but to be cautious.
If he fought a Unique, it had to be a short, decisive battle.
Iroha continued.
"A Unique's strength doesn't stand out so much in a one-on-one duel. But on a battlefield, in a group fight, it's a completely different story. A being who can unleash powerful Special Abilities without reservation can single-handedly control the tide of war."
"What's your point?"
"That Lungtao is the complete opposite. He's strong, but he can't fight for long."
"..."
"Does that answer your question?"
Jiha let out a low laugh.
The reason Lungtao had gone out of his way to become a Dirga escort guard and gather followers who obeyed him.
So that was it.
"Alright, I get it."
"Then keep your promise. Treasure that young lady who opened her heart to you."
She was saying this as if she didn't know it was Enril.
When Jiha gave her a puzzled look, Iroha calmly revealed her inner thoughts.
"I've been here a long time. I've watched people for many years. I'm not greedy for wealth, nor do I have some grand personal dream. I'm just waiting to see if a better world will come."
"..."
"I'm cooperating with you because I think you might just build that better world. But how can a man who treats his own people harshly speak of a better world? How can a man coldhearted to someone he's shared body and soul with bring order to the world? Even if he could, it could never be an improvement."
Iroha lifted her glass and spoke with composure.
"That's all I have to say."
"I'll think about it."
Jiha gave a brief reply and moved on.
For now, tonight's business came first.
High-end bar, Vekaldi.
It was famous in Waris as a refined drinking establishment.
The interior atmosphere was pleasant, and the menu was tailored to women's tastes. Getting a table required a reservation days in advance.
But Jiha walked in without one and easily secured a VIP room.
He didn't even pay.
After Jiha invested in the inn business, he'd been looking for his next investment target.
The merchants, gauging his mood, kept offering him various forms of hospitality.
'Investing in a bar would be smart. It would make gathering information much easier. But if I'm going to invest anyway, I'd like a solid proposal...'
Jiha sat lost in thought, toying with the glass in front of him.
"...Wait just a moment."
This was a place for dates. Showing up as a man alone would look suspicious, so he'd brought someone.
There were only two of them in the room.
Mayan, wearing a colorful dress that bared her shoulders, was visibly angry.
Her dog ears had been stiffly upright ever since she sat down.
"Why in the world did you call me here?"
"I was bored."
At his answer, Mayan tapped the table sharply.
The juicy steak wobbled.
"For a dinner engagement, you should obviously be inviting the young lady! What on earth are you thinking?!"
"That I wanted to see you? You wanted to see me too, didn't you?"
"I only came because the young lady told me to, I had no choice!"
Jiha laughed, and Mayan stamped her feet in frustration.
"When I told her, she even picked out this dress and insisted I come. I had no choice, but this is beyond words. You can't even just make the young lady happy, why with me...?"
"It's important."
"..."
Two doors down from this VIP room, Lungtao and the Elf Seven Council were meeting.
Jiha was simply waiting for the right moment.
Mayan got a grip on herself, but soon pressed him again.
"Even so, you should spend quality time with the young lady. It seems you haven't even spoken to her since then."
"That's enough."
At Jiha's words, Mayan flinched.
She still didn't fully grasp how frightening he could be.
Until now, Jiha had always treated her like a puppy, finding her naive and cute in her own way.
But the moment his expression hardened, her beastman instincts screamed of danger.
"..."
Mayan's tail slowly drooped down.
Jiha's aura had frightened her.
Seeing Mayan freeze up, Jiha shook his head.
Of all people, he'd chosen Mayan because she had combat ability and a keen sense of smell he could use.
More importantly, as a beastman like Lungtao, that connection could prove useful.
And since he'd taken Enril in, her maid Mayan was someone he'd have to manage for the long haul.
He'd called her here to start drawing a line in their relationship.
"I know you're loyal to Enril, but this is a matter between a man and a woman. It's not your place to interfere."
"...Understood. I apologize. I overstepped."
Mayan apologized politely.
Though seeing her clam up so stiffly was a bit much.
Truth be told, Jiha genuinely enjoyed teasing and messing with Mayan.
It felt like watching a puppy put on a show.
"It just pained my heart because Lady Enril was so overjoyed. I'm sorry."
"Your chest is flat. Where is there even room for it to hurt?"
"...I didn't mean that kind of chest. And how are you so sure they're small?!"
"I squeezed them before and they were tiny."
"When did you touch them?! No, you've never touched them!"
"They were so small you didn't even notice a man grabbing them."
As Mayan's face turned bright red, Jiha spoke gently.
"Just behave like this."
"..."
"I have my own thoughts about Enril. I understand your loyalty. But stay in your lane."
Now that Mayan was instinctively frightened, Jiha offered the carrot.
Realizing this, Mayan slowly nodded.
"Yes, I'll be more careful."
"Good, be careful. Last time I thought I was grabbing your chest and ended up with a handful of air. Try to grow them a bit."
"Wait, so why are you so sure of that?!"
Her current dress had so much decoration around the chest it was hard to tell by eye.
But whether it was true or not, the fun was in the teasing.
"That reminds me, how did Kamain manage to subdue you?"
"Huh?"
"You're both Super Rares, right? Why were you helpless against him?"
"..."
Kamain's Special Ability involved wrapping his weapon in flames. There was no reason Mayan should have been subdued so easily.
"I... was tricked."
"How?"
Mayan's face flushed red as she stammered.
"...I was deceived into drinking water, but it was drugged. That's why I couldn't use Mana."
"A stimulant? It was an aphrodisiac?"
"..."
Mayan's face only reddened further; she couldn't say a word.
She'd been acting a little strange while held hostage by Kamain—she must have been suppressing her sexual arousal.
"Still, you barely showed it, so the effect must have been weak. It wore off over time?"
"...Yes."
"Where did that bastard get it? At your level, you should've been able to expel a drug with your Mana."
Jiha could drink alcohol and expel the intoxication at will.
He could flush out most poisons too.
It was something any high-tier Rare could do.
For a Super Rare or a Unique, it was child's play.
"...I never expected a drug would work on me. After I drank it, strangely, I couldn't gather my Mana."
"A drug that even works on you..."
The story about Dirga's guards searching for an aphrodisiac called Beugrara.
The trick Kamain had pulled.
And Mayan's report that she couldn't gather her Mana—taken together, a hypothesis formed.
"Do you remember the smell?"
"..."
When Jiha asked seriously, Mayan nodded.
"I remember."
"After we're done here, track it. Find out where in Waris it's coming from, trace its origin. Be careful not to be seen by Dirga's guards."
"Understood."
An aphrodisiac that could immobilize even a Super Rare.
'Coral said Kamain procured the drug on his own. For it to work on Mayan... it's incredibly potent. It might even work on a Unique...'
Jiha's Direct Bloodsucking was far more powerful.
But the similarity in effect intrigued him.
'This could be a clue about my Bloodsucking Mana... And I can guess why Dirga's guards are after it.'
He'd used his Bloodsucking Mana valuably up to now, but he knew far too little about it.
It needed investigating.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and a waiter entered.
"The person you mentioned has just gone in."
"Good. Wait quietly, Mayan."
Jiha gave the command and rose from his seat.
He headed straight for the men's restroom.
When he opened the door without hesitation and walked in, he saw a man standing at the urinal, in the middle of his business.
Jiha locked the door and approached him.
"That's a weak stream. How do you expect to get any real work done like that?"
"..."
Jiha pressed down on the man's shoulder and laughed.
Having someone mess with you from behind while you're in the middle of going—it was a guaranteed shock.
"I-I like women!"
"Sure, that's why you're fighting tooth and nail to become her fiancé, Guason Lochek."
"..."
The man, a member of the Elf Seven Council, stiffened when his name was called and quickly tried to turn around.
But Jiha pressed his shoulder firmly, stopping the movement.
"Ah-ah. Don't turn around while you're doing your business. You'll make a mess."
"Wh-who are you?"
"You don't know who I am?"
Instead of answering, Jiha gave Guason's lowered pants a slight tug down.
Guason jumped in place, so startled Jiha had to channel Mana into his shoulder to hold him still.
Crack.
"Ghk, guh..."
"I said don't thrash around."
Jiha deliberately kept his tone pleasant.
"Right now, I have no interest in your backside. But if you start spouting nonsense, I might suddenly develop a great deal of interest, you see?"
Because that made the threat sound even more horrifying.
Pale as a sheet, Guason nodded.
'Well, this is the moment a man is at his weakest...'
Jiha had posted a waiter on standby to figure out when Guason would enter the restroom alone, then launched his ambush.
"How are the talks with Lungtao going?"
"We're working out the details now. Lungtao is demanding 100 million rel per man for hiring his subordinates, so we're negotiating..."
"Wow, his asking price for one fight with me is 100 million just for that? Seven men, 700 million? He's making a killing."
"We told him it was unreasonable, but... his subordinates were subtly threatening us."
Jiha chuckled.
"You lot were also arguing over who had to pay more, weren't you?"
"..."
Caught completely red-handed, Guason flinched.
"Let me guess. Quority said to just accept it, then the others stirred things up to make someone else pay more? And you, from the weakest family, ended up in the worst spot."
"I'm planning to not hire anyone. My family can't afford it..."
"No, no. You can't back out."
"..."
Now that he'd finished his business, Guason's face hardened.
He'd been frightened at first, but he was starting to realize this was a voice he'd heard before.
"All done? Then you should get back to the table."
"..."
When Jiha let go and stepped back, Guason slowly pulled up his trousers.
Turning around with a stiff expression, he recognized Jiha and his face filled with horror.
He glanced left and right, lowered his voice, and whispered.
"...What are you thinking? It's not just us—Lungtao has thirty subordinates here. We're all Rare Grades, but we couldn't afford to get on their bad side."
"Why? Because objecting would get you killed?"
"..."
Guason silently confirmed it, then dropped his voice even further.
"I don't know why you're here, but you should leave quickly. You could still get out safely now."
"Why are you worried about me?"
Wasn't Guason also Leticia's fiancé, trying to gain a Super Rare Grade position?
Guason looked bewildered and shook his head.
"...I'm far less competitive than the other six. I just got lucky and ended up qualified to attend. I'm just filling a seat, a mere extra."
"Is that so? Then why did 'an extra' try to meet with Pamin Rosen?"
When Jiha pinpointed him, Guason was dumbfounded.
"H-how..."
"An extra, you said?"
Jiha grinned.
"Then I'll make you the lead. So take point."
Seven was too many.
Tonight, Jiha intended to reduce those numbers and set the stage for round two against Lungtao.