Chapter 18: And the chaos begins...
I walked into the guild to see it was packed full of adventurers crowded around the reception and the notice board. I raised my brow at them, wondering what it was that got them so excited.
Naturally my curiosity peaked, so I went over there to also have a peak. My jaw dropped at a drawing of me. It was an announcement to the pubic which adventurer had joined what Familia and their information.
But the real eyecatcher about any of these posters were the levels that the adventurers belonged to. And my level was on full display in front of this rowdy bunch.
'When in the hell did they have time to do that? I only joined yesterday!'
One adventurer turned around and spotted me gawking at the same notice. He glanced back at the poster before he whipped back to me in fury. He was a little taller than me, dressed in a fur waistcoat and had a bald head with tattoos on it.
"Oi! You! Are the one on this goddamn poster?" He yelled out loud for all to hear.
People turned around at the sound of his voice and found me as well. Their lips curled up in disgust, fury, disbelief and every other negative emotion you could find.
"Yes I am." I calmly replied. "Can I help you?"
"HELP US!" Screaming at me, he turned around and tore off the poster from the wall and held it up in my face.
"YOU! A snot-nosed little brat barely off his mother's chest just waltzes into the Freya Familia and you have the balls to put up something like this!"
The other adventurers shouted and grumbled in agreement. They slowly advanced towards me in an attempt to intimidate me. I released a little bit of my mana and narrowed my eyes at them. They immediately stopped feeling all uneasy about going further but it did not stop their mouths from running.
"You tell him Bard!" Shouted some scruffy, twig thin guy with a ponytail and rat teeth. "We've been busting our asses off for years trying to level up even once. And this kid just walks in her and claims to be the most powerful person in the world!"
"Yeah! This is an insult to adventuring itself!" Baldy, apparently Bard, snarled.
I raised my eyebrow.
"Insulting that I drew a poster and stuck it up there? Well newsflash, but I didn't do that. It was some other member of my Familia, probably to tell the guild and adventurers alike that I joined."
"Don't act smart with me whelp!" Bard crumpled up the paper and threw it at me. It bounced off of my chestplate and bounced on the floor.
I began to feel a slight sense of irritation.
"You lie about your level. How do we know you're not lying about your affiliations, eh? I bet you're not even in the Freya Familia!"
"I am. And your opinions don't matter to me. After all, since when did the opinions of weaklings bring about any sort of change to reality? The only ones that seem to be lying is you lot, since you're lying to yourselves by not accepting the truth before you."
"What did you say kid?!"
"Who do you think you're talking to?!"
"You ought to be taught some manners!"
"Yeah." Bard shouted at me, his eyes turning red with anger. He walked up to me and grabbed a fistful of my cape. "If you're going to pull crap like this, then we better show you the ropes and how we do things around here kid!"
"Remove your hand." I said dangerously.
Bard sneered and leaned forwards.
"Oh yeah, and wh-"
RIIIIIPPP!
The sudden noise startled everyone there. Bard looked confused as well before suddenly feeling a coldness in his right arm. He looked down there to see...no arm at all. All that was left was a stump gushing out blood.
He looked back at me to see me clutching his torn off right arm in my own. After getting over the shock, he grasped the stump with his left hand and was about to shriek.
But before he could, I swung the stump around. The pressure from the swing hit everyone in the faces and they immediately felt cold sweat at the power contained in it.
I swung it around like a bat and bashed him right in the jaw. The bones in both the jaw and the arm shattered as his cheeks exploded and he was sent spinning through the air into the wall where his head connected.
There was another large splatter of blood on the wall before he slumped in silence.
Everybody stood stock still in shock at what just happened. They turned to me in disbelief. I bared my teeth at them and crunched up the mangled limb in my hand, letting the pasty mess of flesh drop to the floor with a thud.
"Anybody else want to try and be brave!"
The rowdy lot's minds could not comprehend what just transpired. They hadn't even seen me move! I was able to tear off a mans arm so fast he didn't even know it was missing nor did he even feel the pain until he saw it in my hand.
One guy couldn't handle it and in a fit of madness I suppose, he lunged forwards with his arms outstretched, as if he were trying to catch me. I sidestepped him, and before he could get past me, I sent a hard knee into his stomach.
Blood exploded from his mouth and sprayed out like a geyser across the room. Everyone there heard the bones in his back snapping and they cringed as he clutched his stomach sliding to the floor, unable to even breath.
Another guy who was quite large drew a sword and slashed towards my face. I stood still and everybody looked at me like I was mad. But the moment the sharp edge hit my face, the blade shattered into hundreds of fragments, leaving nothing but a jagged hilt in his hand.
He paused and looked at the shards on the ground before staring at me. The cold look in my eyes had him drop the hilt and stumble backwards.
"Wait! I didn't mean-"
I palmed him in the face and he was backflipping through the air and collided with a bunch of his mates. I almost winced at the sounds of skulls connecting with one another as they all fell like skittles at a bowling centre.
Those still standing jumped back a few paces with their arms held in front of them, as if trying to shield themselves from me. I stared them all down with murder written on my face.
I activated my [Aura of Despair] and said softly.
"Get...out."
They ran with their tails between their legs out of the door stumbling over each other in their haste. Some picked up Bard and the guy who'd just puked the blood out of his guts and carried them off.
Not even paying attention to the men still on the floor, I walked towards the reception desk in the direction of Misha. The adventurers who were not involved in the scuffle respectfully stepped out of my way to let me reach her.
"Hello Misha."
"H-Hey Garth."
"You will report EXACTLY what happened her right?"
"...r-right..." She stammered.
I shook my head.
"I came to talk about my dungeon run yesterday because we couldn't do it then. Mind if we take this to the boxes?"
"No. Let's go. " She said quietly and took me over to the boxes to speak. As I slid into the seat opposite her she said shakily.
"You didn't have to be so brutal you know?"
"Not my fault they are so fragile."
"Those guys were a bunch of level twos and threes."
I raised any eyebrow.
"Is that supposed to amaze me?"
Misha shook her head and said in a raised tone to me.
"Just because you're a higher level than them, it doesn't mean you can just do whatever."
"For every action, there is a reaction and consequences to face. As far as I'm concerned, they initiated it and they got what was coming."
Misha's mouth opened and closed in croaks as she lost words.
"You lot aren't going to incur a penalty on me are you?" I asked while narrowing my eyes.
"W-w-well no. After all, you didn't start it. But still, morally, it doesn't make what you did right!"
"Morally, I could not allow them to try and treat me like a doormat. Because even if they wouldn't have won with me, letting that sentiment continue would have affected people associated with me further down the line. It was best to put the fear of death into the from the start."
Misha sank her face in her hands.
"Why is it that you're so stubborn? And you're always doing stupid things..."
"What have I done that was stupid?"
She slammed her hands on the table.
"You joined a dangerous Familia to start with. Then you went down to the fourteenth floor on your first time in that hole of a dungeon. Then you talked smart to the King himself. And now you've only just mangled a few spiteful adventurers who belong to entirely different Familia. Assuming they're even still alive after that. In which case if not, then you just killed them."
"Dog eat dog world." I huffed. Misha rubbed her temples before leaning in close to me.
"Are those numbers even true? You're not lying about it right?"
I stood up and unclipped my armour. I hadn't worn the leather shirt as it was getting annoying having to take it off and put it on again. I turned around to she her my Falna.
her eyes skimmed over the deets before she collapsed in her seat in a daze.
"This is just unbelievable... it's actually authentic."
"I'm just amazing aren't I?" I grinned.
"This would mean that you're the most powerful person in the world..."
"I am. Now then, shall we sort this out?"
I took the large sack from yesterday out of my Inventory and shook it.
---
"Over a hundred million Valis huh? Not too shabby." I said to myself as I gripped the bag with my new clothes in it as I walked from the guild.
Misha couldn't even believe the amount of high quality cores I brought from the dungeon. They couldn't even exchange it all at the exchange box and had to take me to the back to exchange the cores.
My stomach growled again in a pleading manner. Fortunately for it, I was headed to the perfect place for a meal.
I stopped out of the Hostess of Fertility for breakfast and a drink. I walked in and shouted like an Italian.
"MAMMA MIA~" My voice echoed throughout the tavern. The tables looked to be freshly set.
"Yes? Somebody called me?" Mia came around the corner from the kitchen. "Oh its's you kid. Come here to fill ya belly or what?"
"Yep. Give me the tastiest plate of pancakes you can whip up and the sweetest most expensive mead you have. I've got a lot to spend thanks to my most recent dive."
"Is that so?" Mia grinned and held a thumbs up. "Well we've got you kid. Find a seat somewhere to put your ass on and you're order will be there soon." She disappeared back into the kitchen and yelled my order at Anya I think.
I sat at the counter and put my bag on it as Mia came out again with a tankard. She slammed it in front of me and grabbed one of the bottles on the counter. She popped the cork off and poured the sweet smelling liquid in.
"So...there's been interesting stuff going around about you lately." she said.
"You sure it was about me specifically?"
"Yep. I mean who else could this be?"
She reached out to a place under the counter and held up an identical notice like the one on the board back at the guild. My jaw dropped.
"Bloody hell! How many of those things are there?"
"Quite a few apparently. Freya seems to want to to drive the point home that she's got a freak in family." She quirked an eyebrow at me. "Knew you were something else."
"Apart from my actions in your establishment the other night, what else gave you that impression?"
"There aren't many that intimidate me in my own tavern when I'm reprimanding them." She gave me a deadpan stare.
I sipped the mead while sliding my coins over the counter-top. Without even looking at me, she pulled them off and jingled them in her hands, chucking them up and down.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. But I don't like being looked down on as weaker, especially in an environment where everybody is so keen on puffing their chests."
"I can understand the sentiment. but don't forget what this establishment is about you got me? I can't have you scaring away my customers."
"You have my word." I bowed my head a little to acknowledge her words and give more meaning to my promise. "You don't seem to be very surprised by the sheet. I've already had bunch of rabid adventurers try to jump me because the can't handle it."
"Freya isn't the type to lie like this. As absurd as it is, if she's the one endorsing this, then it's true."
"You speak from personal experience?"
Mia nodded.
"Seeing which Familia you joined, I guess it's okay to share this with you. I used to be the captain of the Freya Familia."
"Wow. Explains why so many adventurers piss themselves if you so much as frown at them."
"Haha. You don't go through several near death experiences and not learn how to deal with boys acting too big for their boots."
"Only you would refer to grown men as boys. Why did you leave the position and open up this place." I gestured around us.
"Personal reasons." She muttered.
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's okay. I've got to prepare for a busy night tonight. See ya around kid."
"Sure."
Mia waved and walked back in the kitchen. Not a few seconds later, Syr came around the corner and plopped my food in front of me.
"Hello Odr." She whispered.
"Hey Freya."
She pouted.
"We are married. Why don't you refer to me as love or darling?"
"All in good time." I stabbed my pancakes with my fork and shoved the forkful in my mouth. They were nice and fluffy. Better than the stuff I had to toast back home.
"Did you do as I told you?" Syr asked me as she came around the desk.
I patted the bag next to me and she opened it, rummaging around inside. She lifted the tuxedo out and inspected it.
"Do you like it?" I asked.
"It's decent. I'll let it slide. But surely you could have gotten something better?"
"Everything else was too fancy, baubly and horrendous. I had to keep myself from running out of there simply because of those monstrosities hanging around."
"Why are you so fussy and dramatic?"
"Look who's talking."
She pouted even harder.
"Don't try that with me. You're definitely cute in this form, that much is true but the puppy face is not going to work on me."
"You're no fun."
I frowned at her.
"By the way, what made you post so many bloody posters?"
"Have to let people know what is mine?"
"I'm not an object Freya."
"You are MY Odr."
"And you ARE my wife, but I am my own independent person."
She crossed her arms.
"I know that. But I have to let people know what they are dealing with if they try to take you from me. You wouldn't leave me would you?"
"Of course not. But it's kind of had the opposite effect you were wishing for. I've already been attacked by a few maggots."
She jerked in shock and anger. I held up a hand to calm her.
"Don't worry. I roughed them up a bit to let them know who's boss. You don't need to worry about me. That reminds me, have THEY been treating you well?"
Syr looked behind her at her shadow. From it rose two masses of darkness that waved at her and bowed to me before disappearing.
"Nothing has happened so far. But they've been helping me out a bit in the kitchen."
"Good. As long as nothing does happen to you."
"I know. I wouldn't need this anyway since Allen is usually guarding me from afar. But I haven't seen him at all today. I've even sent the shadow demons to look for him but nothing."
I blinked meekly in realization. Syr caught sight of this and narrowed her eyes.
"What did you do?"
I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head. She sighed and shook her head.
"You couldn't last half a day could you?"
"Sorry?"
"Never mind. I'll be getting off in a bit. Let's walk home together after this."
I suddenly remembered the thing with Ottar as well. And it must have showed on my face as Syr narrowed her eyes again.
"What is it this time?"
"Hehe..."
---
The Loki Familia and Ganesha Familia were gathered at the top of the coliseum staring at the bright light in the sky. Below them in the coliseum and outside it were gathered hundreds of adventurers and mages.
"It's getting closer and closer. Doesn't even matter if we begin evacuations now, its just going to kill us all where ever it goes." Finn muttered. "Will the mages be in position soon?"
"Yes. You sure a collective barrier spell will work Captain?"
"With Riveria leading the operation, it should raise our chances of survival." Finn nodded at Riveria, who nodded back and jumped off the roof to the mage below.
"To think that something this could exist and happen. Of all the places it could have targeted, why Orario specifically?" Tiona moaned.
"Meteor strikes happen at random. We were just unfortunate to be in its path." Tione said grimly.
Ais stared up at the bright light in the sky that supposedly meant certain death. Everyone had heard of meteor strikes and how dangerous they could be. Nobody could stand up to something like that.
Her eyes wandered over to the creased parchment in Tiona's hands. On it she saw the face of somebody who had been occupying her thoughts a lot recently. She felt her heart slightly flutter thinking of him, before she once again grew confused at that feeling.
Finn followed her gaze to the parchment and his eyes widened in realization. He snatched the paper from he hands before looking out at the rest.
"I still have my doubts about the authenticity of this. But he can help with mage team using his magic. Can somebody go get him for me? We're gonna need all the help we can get."
"I'll go." Ais stepped forward immediately. Finn nodded.
"Okay. Bring him here quick." He cast his eyes back to the sky. "We don't have much time."
Ais nodded and jumped off the roof before, shooting off to find Garth. Shakthi Varma from the Ganesha Familia came over.
"I've never seen the Sword Princess so pumped up for a task like this. Any reason why?"
Tione smiled at her.
"Oh nothing. Our Ais is just finally growing up. That's all."
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