Tattoo Artist (3)
At the heart of Cherwin stood a seven-story building. This was the headquarters of Mercury Industries, the current second-ranked corporation. It also served as the guild base for Benjamin and Elisa, who had teamed up with Damian on a request before.
"Here you go."
Guild master Benher handed a document to the two of them.
"This is a request from Mercury, our sponsor. They want you to look into a company called Orion."
"......Orion Company, you mean?"
Benher lit a thick cigar and held it in his left hand.
"Suck... puff...... Nah. Not anymore. They just got promoted to Orion Corporation a while back."
"Hmm. But is there any reason we need to pay attention to them right after their promotion?"
Benher gave a faint smile at Elisa's nonchalant remark, as if he'd just seen something adorably cute from his grandkids.
"Do you know what their corporate value ranking is right now?"
"Well, if they just climbed up...... they'd be lucky to hit the top 20."
"Nope. Tenth place."
"P-Pardon?"
Benjamin jumped in surprise at Orion's valuation. Normally, a fresh corporation title meant they weren't that big yet, but top 10 already? It was an astonishing growth rate.
"Is that even possible? From what I know, that's practically impossible."
"Exactly. That's why Mercury finds it suspicious too. Maybe they've got real power, or maybe there's something shady going on...... Zeus is probably tearing their hair out over it too. That guy's gotta be fuming! Kuhahaha!"
Benher let out a hearty laugh as he mentioned Zeus Corporation, the current top dog ahead of them.
"Times have changed. Ability users are everywhere now, and that means all sorts of powered folks cropping up."
Benher stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray and continued.
"But like I always say, power isn't everything. Too much of it can turn into poison eventually. We need talent like that too—not just raw strength, but someone with that special something."
The guild master puffed away at another cigar, lost in thought.
"Um, about that, sir."
Benjamin hesitated before speaking up.
"Remember that request we handled recently?"
"Esteno Company's one?"
"Yes. There was this guy we met there......"
"Oh, you're talking about Damian? Then let me tell you."
Elisa cut in at the mention of Damian. Talking about him was always a delight.
"Ah, no, Elisa! I was gonna—"
"Guild master, this guy's...... ugh, just thinking about him gets my heart racing. He was amazing. Really."
She skipped the part about Deron betraying them since she'd reported that ahead of time and dove into the battle scenes she hadn't shared before. How a Silver-grade guy took on three Gold-grade stage 1 foes by himself. And how he even pulled in the Divine Guard to finish them off perfectly.
"Think you could pull that off?"
"Hmm......"
"Guild master! I swear, he's not just strong. There's definitely something more. Can't quite put my finger on it, but......"
"Did he set your heart on fire or something? Kuhahaha! Looks like our promising star felt it too!"
Benher teased Benjamin, whom he classified as a rising talent, with a playful tone laced with camaraderie—the sense that the kid had picked up on the same vibe he had.
"Anyway. If what you two say is true, he does sound intriguing. Worth checking out. Hmm."
Dr-r-r-ruck.
With his troll-like bulk and massive mechanical right arm the size of his torso, level 100 Benher summoned someone.
"Get someone else to check on Orion, and Benjamin, you look into this Damian guy."
We all leaped off the bridge in unison. The gap between the wooden bridge and the train wasn't too wide.
But jumping onto a speeding train wasn't as cinematic as it sounded.
Thud!
Alpano and Kethar landed flawlessly. Fitting for agility classes.
I managed without issue too. The others looked a bit shaky but held on.
Whiiiiiish!
The moment we hit the train roof, a ferocious wind tried shoving us off.
"We can't stay like this! Ability user bro!"
Michael shouted, clutching his sniper rifle tight to his chest for fear it'd fly away.
-Grrrrr!
-Raaaagh!
Then, monsters howled from the third car. They'd sensed us on instinct.
Screeech.
"What the hell's wrong with these bastards all of a sudden? Did the anesthetic work right?"
"Yes! Checked it multiple times! Anesthesia's fine!"
"Damn it. Then why...... Huh?"
I locked eyes with a guy who'd come out to check the noise. He blinked dumbly at me, like what the hell are you doing here?
Whiiiiiish!
Stab!
Stab! Stab!
We needed to ride this train to the lab. Any commotion would be trouble.
So I quickly summoned two daggers and put them down with Shadow Strike.
'Leave the first car running for now and clear the second.'
We had to handle this fast and clean to keep the train moving.
So.
Whirr. Whirr.
I peered through the windows and opened Void Rift. Rifts bloomed inside everywhere.
The sudden phenomenon panicked them.
"Wh-What the hell?"
"Did Erven do this?"
"What? No way I'd do that! Means we've got intruders!"
The protection-magic mage called Erven caught on. But too late.
Whiiiiiish!
Whiiiiiish!
Slash!
Countless rifts spat out weapons. They zipped between the foes, dropping them one by one.
"......Is this Damian's power?!"
Kethar's eyes went wide. Seeing Damian's strength in real life, not the game, must've been a shock.
"D-Damage! Head this way if you're safe!"
They were spread too thin for me to hit every spot. Some slipped out of Void Rift's range.
Even leveled up, I couldn't cover my ideal area yet. But most were dead anyway.
Booom.
Clang! Clang clang!
Still, some blocked without fleeing. Amid the screams, weapons hit something solid.
"......That one's starting to fight back."
Transparent walls rose inside everywhere—right in front of each rift, and around the mage.
"You good?"
"I'll handle it. Gotta see how far my power goes."
Kethar stepped up at the sight of him. No point stopping him; he wouldn't listen.
Screeech.
"You the one behind this pathetic attack?"
"......"
Whether the guy talked or not.
Kethar rolled his neck, loosening his muscles.
Then.
Crack!
He activated his wolf tattoo, covering his body in black fur.
-Grrrrr......!
"What kind of mangy mutt......"
'Monster Transport Officer, Erven' scowled. A werewolf popping up and drooling at him? Fair reaction.
-Raaaagh!
Kethar moved first. Front blocked by the guy's wall.
He used the train wall as a foothold, brushing past the barrier lightly.
Thud!
But another wall blocked him. Kethar slashed with his claws.
Ting ting!
Sounded like blades on steel. The walls had shields by default.
They had energy like HP.
And all his walls shared the same shield pool. Wouldn't break till the energy was gone.
'Simple attacks won't shatter it easily.'
Thud! Thud!
Now Erven attacked. Four walls boxed Kethar in tight.
Then squeezed, crushing him.
"Just get squished already."
-Gr, grrrr......!
Kethar groaned in pain. I'd never felt it myself, but probably like being crushed by metal slabs.
Crack!
Kethar didn't just take it. He spotted a gap above and leaped over with insane jump power.
Clang clang clang clang!
Not just escaping. He raked his claws nonstop from jump to landing.
Shields gone, walls were useless. Kethar chipped away steadily.
But minor damage wouldn't break it.
'Kethar's true power hasn't kicked in yet.'
Another effect of Blood Thirst.
It made tattoo artists stronger the more dire the crisis.
"You think those puny claws can crack my walls?!"
Whoosh!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Then. Walls formed in midair slammed down hard.
Kethar quadruped-dodged, widening the gap again.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Kaboom!
But the assault continued. Two flat walls smashed furniture inside, barreling at Kethar.
-Gurk!
Dodged the first.
But the second clipped him, sending the hulking werewolf tumbling through the rear wall.
Enough force to fling that bulk like a toy.
"......Shouldn't we help?"
"Lemme disrupt 'em at least, bro!"
Jackson and Michael geared up. But this was Kethar's solo test run.
Our interference would muddy his self-assessment.
"Let's watch a bit longer."
"B-But bro!"
"......Fine. Michael, hold off."
Jackson got it.
Just a little more. It hadn't triggered yet.
"Attacking a train with that weak shit. Got some balls."
Erven shoved chair debris aside with walls, advancing.
-Grrrrr......
Kethar shook himself off and stood, growling like he'd resolved something.
Stab! Stab stab!
-Grurk!
Kethar clawed his own body deep. Blood poured out, overwhelming even his regen.
"Turned into a dog and lost your dog brain too?"
Erven sneered. Self-mutilation? Worth mocking.
But I saw different.
'......Right. This is reality, so that works here.'
Thud thud thud!
Bleeding everywhere, Kethar charged. Staggering from the pain.
Erven anticipated, raising walls again.
Thud!
Kethar didn't flinch. Like he'd timed it, he slashed full force.
Ching!
"No learning ability at......"
Clang! Clang clang!
Erven trailed off.
Looked like the same obvious attack.
Clang clang clang!
Clang clang clang clang!
"......He's faster?"
Why Kethar hurt himself.
To trigger another Blood Thirst effect.
The lower HP, the faster attacks.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
But not just speed. He was building to that.
Rapid strikes to wound, scout weak spots.
Hit the weak spot for criticals.
Clang clang clang.
Chiiiiiing!
The transparent walls chipped under the barrage.
Then, Kethar's aimed critical exploded.
Crack!
Shatter!
Fragments flew. The critical collapsed the whole wall.
Kethar must've spotted a tiny gap we couldn't see.
Targeted it for the crit.
"N-No way...... You broke my, my walls?!"
-Grrrrr......
Now...... it begins......
Thud!
He pounced on the retreating fool.
Shieldless, the guy was wide open.
Crunch!
Crunch crunch!
"G-Gaaaah! Gyaaaa!"
Kethar devoured him like prey, chomping away.
Erven just trembled, helpless.
Thus, Kethar felled a level 25 boss-grade monster.
He'd gauged his power now.
-Ptoo!
After a long feast, Kethar spat out a chunk of flesh and stood.
-Finish him...... if you want.
Passing me the kill?
Why? He'd miss the EXP.
-You need to grow more than me......
That was it.
Betting on me? Or seeing me as the only ticket out?
Either way, he offered. No reason to refuse.
"Got it."
Whoosh!
Shing!
'Monster Transport Officer, Erven' has been defeated.
Brockton's boss-grade monster has been defeated.
Acquired 1,230 EXP.
Leveled up.
I lightly stabbed the dying guy with a dagger.
I claimed his EXP.
Roll roll.
A bead rolled from his hand across the floor.
Time to check it out.
Whether Weapon's Memory could snag his skills.