Defusing the Crisis
"L-Lord... If I may be so bold, is that... really the right way to handle it?"
Haon, Karimru's secretary standing beside him, asked cautiously.
"...It probably is."
Karimru spoke calmly, but inside, his mind was in turmoil.
This feels familiar somehow... Am I doing this right?
He knew a wrong move could spell disaster. But leaving it alone was no solution at all, so he had to do something.
Monahan.
He gazed with complicated eyes at Monahan, bound to the massive bomb orb.
Monahan wasn't just the training hall director—he was one of Karimru's few true confidants. They'd met back in the Growth Stage and kept their bond ever since; a long-time subordinate and friend.
How did you end up like this...?
Karimru swallowed a groan as he recalled the recent chaos.
He'd been in the VVIP lounge overlooking the Sama Battleground arena, watching intently—especially his precious daughter Robed's team match.
Then came the uninvited brown-haired woman out of nowhere.
Hello, Lord. Nice to meet you.
She'd bluntly declared Monahan's life was in danger, then beckoned him to follow. Wary but compelled, he'd gone with her to the tower's 13th floor.
There, in the materials storage room, loomed a gigantic bomb orb.
He wasn't a bomb expert, but even he could tell: an explosion like that would obliterate not just the tower, but everything for kilometers around. Easily enough to engulf the entire arena.
And tied right to the bomb was Monahan.
No escape.
What do you want?
Hehe, I'm just curious what choice you'll make in this situation, Lord. The timer is 20 minutes. What will you do?
Karimru ground his teeth at the brown-haired woman's attitude—like she was toying with their lives for amusement.
He glanced sideways again.
Monahan, bound tight in spider webs tangled hopelessly with what looked like the detonator. One wrong touch, and boom.
You bastard...
As Karimru gnashed his teeth in fury once more—
Lord!
Norton burst in with a surge of intense energy. He grasped the situation instantly and lunged to subdue the woman—but her power was no joke. She dodged his strike and slipped right out of his grasp.
After that, his secretary caught wind of the commotion, sealed off the tower entrances with warriors, ordered a thorough search for more bombs, and urgently summoned bomb disposal experts.
But time's too tight.
The timer in the bomb's center now read 11 minutes.
Eleven minutes to disarm it? Even if an expert arrived right now, could they do it?
...Robed.
He steeled himself. If disarming failed, he'd ignite his own body to contain the blast radius.
The moment he resolved to do it—
Hm?
A sudden presence nearby.
He turned to see a boy standing there, having approached unnoticed.
For a split second, he thought he'd seen wrong.
How did he get in? Don't tell me... he scaled the wall through that hole?
A boy who didn't even look like Growth Stage, climbing a 13-story tower wall? No, more than that—this face looked familiar...
"Aleck?"
* * *
"First time meeting you, Lord."
I was startled inside as the Lord recognized me. Had we met before? Not in my past life or this one—not face-to-face, anyway. Unless word of my exploits had reached even him.
I'd made some waves worth noticing, but for the Lord himself to remember me...
"How did you get up here? More importantly, it's dangerous—get out now!"
The Lord's face looked genuinely urgent as he spoke to me.
I glanced at Monahan, passed out and bound to the bomb, then at the Lord standing before it, his bewilderment plain. I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Good thing I wasn't too late.
With that thought, I stepped even closer to the Lord instead.
"Lord, I'll explain the details later. For now, shouldn't we disarm that bomb?"
"...!"
I felt him freeze at my words. His eyes turned to me, confused—like asking what a kid like me could possibly do here.
I smiled faintly and addressed him again.
"I can disarm the bomb right in front of you. Time's short—mind if I take a look?"
Luckily, this wooden bomb orb was a model I knew well. All the rage during the continental wars. Seeing one here brought back memories—bittersweet ones.
"You can disarm that? You know this isn't the time for jokes, right?"
Anger flickered in the Lord's eyes.
Made sense from his perspective: some Infant Stage-looking kid suddenly claiming he could handle a bomb? It'd look like a prank. I'd think the same.
Only one way to handle this.
"I'm serious."
I said it short and sharp, pouring sincerity into my gaze. Eyes deep as the abyss, forged in twenty years of struggle. Eyes wishing no more would fall prey to the Four Lords' games.
"...You really, really can disarm it?"
The Lord's gaze softened from before as he asked again. He'd read the truth in my eyes, probably.
"Yes, I can. No other options, so trust me—just this once."
"...Fine. I'll trust you."
"L-Lord!"
As the Lord nodded, the secretary-looking guy beside him cried out in shock.
Understandable. Totally. But time was critical—no time to convince him too.
I exchanged a look with the Lord and strode straight to the bomb.
Tick, tick.
The massive wooden bomb's second hand ticked relentlessly. Barely 10 minutes left.
Whew.
I took a steadying breath. Mind calm now.
Then examined the wooden orb again.
Thunderstrike wood, huh...
This was the prototype of what later got called Thunderstrike Bombs. Thunderstrike wood amplified explosions exponentially under specific conditions.
Paired with bomb dust beetle gas? Utterly vicious reaction.
Four tubes leading from the bomb orb's center.
When the liquefied gases from those tubes converged, boom—specific explosion triggered.
To disarm: prevent those liquids from meeting.
Not as easy as it sounds. Even a slight vibration, and those tubes detonate.
Instant massive kaboom.
Normally, you'd delicately separate the detonator... but not today.
I grinned and raised my index finger.
Then quietly activated the skill.
Pulverize
Ziiiiiing.
The pulverizing power of white ants, wood's natural enemy, gathered at my mantis finger.
I thrust it into the lowest of the four tubes.
Ssshh.
My finger sank in smooth as piercing tofu.
"...!"
"No way!"
Karimru and secretary Haon gaped at my feat. They'd figured even a slight touch could set it off—no tremor at all.
They never imagined I'd punch a hole so easily.
"If you've got a container, catch the liquid here."
The secretary scrambled for one and held it underneath.
First condition for explosion: sealed shut. Those four liquids only blew up combined.
Better safe—drain the rest too.
I scanned the others.
First tube here... second around there.
Safe puncture points per tube. I knew them, so I hit each precisely.
All tubes holed, liquefied explosive gas draining out.
Seemed easy, but it took mad skill. No vibrations allowed, and wrong spot? Liquids converge instantly by design.
Done anyway.
I stood and turned to the Lord.
"Bomb disarmed."
"Ha... hahaha."
The Lord wore a bizarre expression, half-laugh, half-cry. Tension released, emotions crashing in.
"Aleck... So many questions, but first—I'll never forget what you did today. Thank you."
Whatever about remembering my efforts... Fine, whatever.
Eh, I prefer tangible rewards.
Couldn't say it outright, so I poured my intent into my gaze at him.
This signal should get through, right?
* * *
Like hell it did.
I'd figured at least a decent elixir, but a week after the incident? Radio silence.
This throws my whole plan off.
I clicked my tongue.
Sama Battleground event? Suspended post-chaos, then canceled outright.
Made sense—can't proceed after that mess.
My plan to snag MVP entry to the Sama Treasury? Up in smoke.
Tch.
Regrettable, but unavoidable. Regret aside, I needed a new route fast.
Had to find some way into the treasury.
Take external missions?
Build merits that way... but this weak body? Efficiency sucks.
Enough merits for treasury access? A year or two at least.
Catch the perp, and it's one-shot.
The brown-haired woman pegged as mastermind.
Capture her, I'd rack up merits to demand treasury access on the spot.
But even Norton lost her. Can't be me now.
Norton chased all day, still slipped away. Escaping an Ultimate Body mantis...
Hearing that, I finally guessed who.
Kiria of the Cloud Centipede clan.
Cloud Centipedes—kin to King Centipedes—named for walking on clouds. Only clan that treads air wingless at Complete Body.
Kiria: continent-spanning top villain right now. Massive bounty on her head, naturally.
Issuer? One of the Four Lords: Craig.
But I know the joke.
She's one of Craig's hidden enforcers.
Amar King Centipede clan pretends benevolence in the south, but their filthy desires need a dirty blade.
Enter continent-level villain Kiria.
Bounty or not, it never pays out. Craig—the issuer—is the real puppetmaster.
Til I lopped her head off in my past life.
I chuckled, recalling her mad grin even as my blade took her head.
This life? Off with it sooner. Top priority once I regain power.
Wait... Could I snag her cloud-walking skill too?
The thought hit me—excitement surged.
That'd boost non-combat mobility perfectly.
Stealth from the ghost ant I'm digesting now? Endless utility.
Cloud Centipede air-walk? Game-changer.
Nice. Looking forward to that day.
As I plotted my loose future plans—
Aleck Trainee, you are hereby summoned by the Lord. Prepare immediately and report to the Sama Battleground main palace within 30 minutes.
The Lord's summons?
My eyes lit up at the unannounced call.
Something sweet was in the air.