Chapter 21: Hierarchy - 3
Chapter 21: Hierarchy - 3
Three days later, in the barracks library.
Jiha sat tucked away in a secluded corner, lost in thought.
"I've got money, and I still can't spend it...."
From the bet on his fight with Baujing, Jiha had gotten his hands on 30 million Rel.
It was a small fortune—the kind a Normal Grade would have to work a full year to earn—but to Jiha, it was practically meaningless.
Food and a place to sleep were provided in the barracks.
Any Common with half a brain would invest in a Mana-infused weapon or armor as soon as they got some money.
"The problem is, they don't sell anything sized for humans."
The tool shop in the barracks only stocked gear for non-humans.
Human Commons were, after all, extremely rare to begin with.
And even when they did have something, it came with a ridiculous price tag.
Did it make any sense to demand 50 million Rel for a single dagger with a faint Mana infusion? When one for beastmen cost 500,000?
If it were only a matter of weight, he could have managed with Mana. But when the size was wrong, it was simply unusable.
"And they say a custom order takes six months...."
He had the money but couldn't buy the gear. And it wasn't a problem that would be solved anytime soon.
"I'll put the weapon aside for now...."
As Jiha shifted his focus, Mana cloaked his entire right arm.
"It really has grown."
After repeatedly drinking Enril's blood, his Mana had swelled dramatically—enough that he could physically feel the increase in strength.
Subduing the Blue Seal Commons was no longer a challenge.
The Purple Commons likely wouldn't be much trouble either.
"The real problem is what comes next...."
The next grade up was the issue. Jiha estimated his current strength was around the low end of Rare Grade. Even if he could somehow defeat a Rare, he was still outmatched against a Unique, or a Legend, the rank above that.
Drinking the blood of small animals no longer produced any noticeable effect. So, drink Enril's blood again?
Even a blood donation had its limits. He'd have to wait at least a month before he could drink his fill from Enril again.
"I need a woman, Rare Grade or above, to drink from. For starters, two or three.... There are a number of candidates, though."
He lacked a proper weapon, and his Mana growth had stalled. But he couldn't afford to sit on his hands.
As Jiha asserted his will, a hand sprouted from his shadow, opened a book, and turned its pages on its own. Then it lifted a teacup and brought it to his lips.
"Shadow Hand can only operate within my shadow. As my Mana increases, I can manage more delicate movements, and the hand can now bear roughly 200 kg of weight...."
Jiha had practiced relentlessly to control Shadow Hand with finesse, and he was seeing results. He could now use it like his own hand.
Clop, clop, clop.
At the sound of footsteps, Jiha suppressed his Mana and concealed Shadow Hand.
Uben approached and sat down across from him.
"You really do like the library."
"What about the errand?"
To fight Purple's Quadoran, he needed to know the exact date and match number in advance.
"It's the day after tomorrow. The 4th match."
"Good work."
Now all he had to do was call Enril and go out that day.
Uben asked with a hint of doubt.
"But are you sure this is okay? The Giant Quadoran has a reputation for being the strongest among the Purple Commons right now. It's not much different even if you count our side."
"All the more reason to kill him."
Crushing a guy whose strength was infamous was the fastest way to prove himself.
Uben looked at him for a quiet moment, then pulled something from his coat and pushed it toward Jiha. A thick shortsword, about as long as a forearm—a blade.
"A sword for a human. They say infusing it with Mana won't be a problem."
"...."
Jiha gripped the hilt and felt a surge of private satisfaction. He was simply grateful for a size that fit perfectly in his hand.
"Where did you get this?"
But a weapon like this wasn't sold at the Blue Seal barracks tool shop.
"There are human Rare Grades, so Mana-infused weapons for humans do exist in Warsland. But bringing them into the barracks requires an incredibly long and complicated process, doesn't it?"
Commons were slaves, and the weapons and armor they used in the Summoning War went through strict inspections by each faction before they reached the tool shop. Truly good weapons never made it there.
If the slaves ever started a rebellion, wouldn't it be a nuisance if they were holding good weapons?
"I had it smuggled in through the Purple side. If it becomes a problem, just shift the blame to Purple. Don't ever say I gave it to you."
So it was contraband.
Uben added, "I don't need money. Just win."
"You're being so good to me, it's starting to feel like a burden."
As Jiha made a show of it, Uben shook his head.
"Purple helped with this too. The Purple Commons really hate Quadoran. He's strong, but he acts overly arrogant and insolent."
"So you want me to take care of your problem child. That's perfect."
A guy with no allies was even better. If Jiha won, the Purple Commons' loyalties would shift that much faster.
"This isn't the time to act like you've already won. Quadoran isn't just strong, he's cunning. Watch yourself, because you never know what tricks he might pull."
"Such as?"
"Word is, after hearing about you, he's started digging around. He's probably already figured out you really do possess Mana."
Well, that much was only natural. As Jiha nodded, Uben rose from his seat.
"That's all I had to say. Next time, let's meet somewhere that doesn't smell like books."
Once Uben was gone, Jiha grabbed the sword and channeled his Mana into it. A blue aura coiled around the blade. This would keep the weapon from breaking, whether his opponent was a giant or something else.
"Not bad...."
His arsenal was reinforced right before the decisive battle. He'd call Enril and confirm he was entering the match the day after tomorrow.
Jiha concealed the sword inside his coat and left the library. He planned to keep it hidden until then.
"Since that bastard is investigating me too...."
The fact that Jiha had publicly sworn to avenge Hakal had reached Quadoran's ears. It was calculated. Just as there were people like Uben who secretly collaborated with Purple, the reverse could also be true.
Jiha had used Uben to gather information on Quadoran, and Quadoran was likely using someone in Blue Seal to gather information on him.
"There's a high probability he's even figured out I came up empty at the tool shop...."
The more a man thought he had things figured out, the worse he was at adapting to situations that defied his expectations. Hiding the sword and drawing it at a critical moment would be effective.
As Jiha was mulling this over, the sound of footsteps reached his ears. A light, delicate gait coming up from below. His eyes landed on a cascade of crimson hair that fell to the waist.
It was the succubus Yura.
Her head was downcast in a complicated mix of emotions, and she was climbing the stairs without even noticing Jiha's gaze. Jiha narrowed his eyes, taking in the contrast between her naive face, her voluptuous figure, and the smooth nape of her neck.
Yura, still climbing, only spotted Jiha at the last moment and visibly flinched.
Glancing frantically around, she took a step back and offered an awkward greeting.
"Ah, Jiha...."
"...."
Jiha didn't return the greeting, only watching her quietly. How was Yura herself processing what had happened before—the sexual act they'd shared? He had to know that before he could decide how to deal with her.
As Jiha deliberately held his silence, Yura squirmed, her eyes darting left and right to avoid him. Then, letting out a deep sigh, she bowed her head low.
"Um, I'm sorry about last time."
"...."
She's apologizing first?
Jiha looked at the pale crown of her head, just visible through her red hair.
"I-I lost my mind and just... I'm really so sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?"
"What if I am?"
"Pardon? How badly are you hurt?"
Yura lifted her head, her face a picture of distress. Watching her flounder in bewilderment, Jiha spoke calmly.
"This isn't the best place for a long conversation. Shall we go somewhere else?"
"Ah, no, that's a little...."
As Yura immediately shook her head, Jiha frowned. Yura blamed herself for that incident, but at the same time, she was wary of Jiha—as if terrified it might happen again.
'Is she blaming herself for her succubus instincts running wild? Still, shouldn't she be holding me at least a little bit responsible, since I was the one who pushed things?'
She was far too deferential toward a man. Or maybe she really was that soft-hearted.
"I wasn't exactly unhappy about it either, so you don't have to squirm like that."
"Ah, no. No. I'll be careful to make absolutely sure it never happens again. Absolutely."
Jiha found himself in a slightly awkward spot. For a reason he hadn't anticipated, Yura was dead set on avoiding being alone with him.
"Where were you heading just now?"
If a frontal approach fails, circle around and dig in from the side.
Yura looked considerably relieved by the change of topic.
"Ah, ever since that ogre passed away, they said the Commons have been very depressed. So, whenever I have time these days, I've been looking around the barracks."
"That situation is resolved. You don't need to worry about it."
A Unique Grade was personally patrolling because the atmosphere was unsettled after Hakal's death? The implication was that the Rare Grades, the middle managers, had pressured Yura into doing it.
'A real doormat.'
If it were Enril, no one would dare make such a request. Yura was going out of her way to personally carry out a request that wasn't even an order from her subordinates, and she didn't show a hint of resentment. She was a succubus who was naive to a fault.
"Ah, so it ended without any trouble?"
Yura nodded, watching for his reaction. She seemed to want Jiha to end the conversation so she could quickly get away.
If Jiha didn't give her permission to leave, wouldn't she just keep standing there squirming?
"Don't people ever call you a pushover?"
"Huh? Is that a new grade?"
"...Ah, well. I guess you could see it that way."
There was a new rank below the lowest Common: pushover.
Jiha made up his mind and let the topic unfurl.
"I've handled things for now, but I wanted to talk with you, a Unique Grade, about the Commons' future. Some sensitive topics might come up, so somewhere out of sight."
"That's a little...."
"Enril dislikes me, so it's hard to communicate with her. She also looks down on Commons."
Jiha looked straight at Yura.
"So I wanted to talk with you, since you're relatively easier to approach, with me speaking as the representative of the Commons."
"Ah, but...."
Yura's expression was clearly eager to avoid being alone with Jiha at all costs.
"Wasn't listening to the concerns of the Commons part of your duties?"
"...Urgh. But still."
Yura looked even more troubled, but her reluctance remained firm. She was distinctly wary that the same thing might happen again with Jiha.
Pushing any further was pointless. So he needed to pull a little instead.
"How about we meet at the library? It's practically empty even during the day, so it's perfect for a private talk. And since it's an open space, the chances of what you're worried about happening are pretty low."
"Ah, the library?"
A bit of the resistance faded from Yura's face. Because she figured it was an open space where what happened before couldn't occur.
"I'm already compromising as much as I can here. Let's both gather ourselves, sort things out, and then meet to talk."
"...."
"Or do you plan on avoiding me forever? It's starting to sound like you're openly saying you're going to discriminate against me."
As Jiha pressed her, Yura's distress deepened until she nodded.
"Yes, I understand."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'm sorry, but that's a little... I have to go give a regular report tomorrow."
She meant she had a prior engagement and couldn't make it. Well, she would be busy as a Unique Grade.
"Then when works?"
"Four days from now would be fine."
That was too far off.
The decisive battle with Quadoran was in two days—was meeting before that impossible?
As Yura waited awkwardly for his response, Jiha nodded.
"Fine. Four days from now, at the library, just the two of us, with nothing to hold over each other. Don't forget. That's a demand from the representative of the Common Grade."
Jiha declared himself the Commons' representative without a shred of hesitation. Once he obliterated Quadoran, everyone would accept it, and if anyone objected, he'd just crush them.
"...Yes."
Yura accepted his demand. She bobbed her head as if steeling her resolve, then glanced around cautiously.
"Then that's settled. We'll talk details then. You can go."
"Yes, goodbye then."
Yura bid him a hasty farewell, unfurled her wings, and hurriedly flew back the way she came. At what was practically a flight, Jiha gave a wry smile.
'She's incredibly wary. Though I suppose that's natural....'
Still, Yura's self-flagellation was a bit unexpected.
Ideally, he'd wanted to meet and drink her blood before his showdown with Quadoran, but if she had to report to her superiors, he had no choice.
"If I push too hard, she might just report me up the chain. I'll have to subdue her completely...."
He would tear Quadoran to pieces, then drink that succubus's blood and further fortify his Mana. She was a woman far too kind and naive for the title of Unique Grade, making her easy to exploit. If left as she was, someone else would bleed her dry.
'Well, I'll do it before they get the chance.'
A piece of unclaimed gold lying on the street?
Better to snatch it up before someone else gets there.