I rode my motorcycle through the city at a moderate speed before dismounting.
The motorcycle was too conspicuous. To evade the police, I needed to ditch the bike and rely on my Deception (SS) skill to conceal myself.
I don't know where that woman lives... but she's the wife of the Eastern Police Chief, right?
If I went to the Eastern Police Station and roughed up the officers, I could probably find out the chief's address.
It was quite late, but the city was in chaos because of me. The police were likely still on duty, unable to go home.
Even if most have left for the day, there'll still be officers on duty.
I started moving toward the Eastern Police Station. I had a rough idea of its location, thanks to my daytime wanderings that had given me a basic understanding of the city's layout.
Heh heh. This is going to be fun.
A car sped past with its siren wailing a police car.
Heh heh. Stupid cops. They don't even know I'm right here!
Deception (SS) was an incredibly useful ability for escaping. But I couldn't let my guard down. The blonde woman who appeared to be a Special Police officer possessed the Fairy Eye, which could see through my Deception (SS).
Even Dragon Eye (S) couldn't penetrate my Deception (SS)... Does the Fairy Eye compensate for its inability to see the Status Window with a superior penetrating ability compared to Dragon Eye?
The Blonde Woman's Fairy Eye might be SS-Rank.
I need to be careful around her.
I soon arrived at the Eastern Police Station. As expected, the lights were still on. They must be working late because of me.
I'm getting closer to that middle-aged woman.
I plan to find her and leave immediately.
It's a shame about the Blonde Woman and the Redhead, but it's too risky right now. I'll deal with them later.
As I headed toward the Eastern Police Station, promising myself I'd definitely deal with them next time, I sensed an arrow flying toward me with my heightened senses. I dodged it by twisting my body sideways.
The blue arrow embedded itself in the spot where I had been standing. I snapped my head up and glared in the direction it had come from.
On the rooftop of a building over eight stories tall, a blonde woman aimed her bow at me. Her fluorescent Fairy Eyes locked onto me with unnerving precision.
Damn it.
An arrow shot toward me.
I dodged the arrow using the Heavenly Demon Step, darting behind a wall for cover.
Should I infiltrate the Eastern Police Station? Or just run?
District 57's civilization was advanced. The police carried guns and even drove magical cars.
They almost certainly have radios.
The police moved with such coordinated efficiency, it was practically a certainty.
Even if I managed to infiltrate the Eastern Police Station, interrogate the police, and successfully locate the Police Chief's residence, there was a high chance the police would swarm and surround me.
And that blonde woman is watching me. She'll know exactly where I'm going.
There's no time to get to the woman at the Police Chief's house. Using the scroll to take her with me is impossible; it's designed for single use.
Is giving up here my best option?
As time passes, more Special Police will converge. If that happens, it's over. I might even end up in the worst-case scenario: unable to tear the scroll.
Retreating now feels unsatisfying... I haven't even secured the money properly.
Just as I was considering breaking into a nearby building to steal some cash, the red-haired woman with the short cut who had bumped into me earlier darted out of an alleyway. The tall woman swung a black baton at me.
I dodged the staff using the Heavenly Demon Step and reached out toward her.
Demonic Heavenly Art.
Demonic Dragon Hand.
She gripped the staff and yanked it toward herself.
"Ugh!"
Instead of being pulled along, she released the staff and swung a fist at me. Even disregarding technique, her strength and speed clearly surpassed mine.
But I have the Demonic Heavenly Art.
I fully unleashed the Demonic Heavenly Art, engaging her in close combat.
I parried her weaker punches and evaded the stronger ones with the Heavenly Demon Step. I managed a few counterattacks, but her skill was formidable.
Momentary.
When a rare opening appeared, I didn't hesitate to use Momentary.
Momentary activated. Remaining stacks: 3
I plunged into her defenses, pressing my palm against her abdomen.
Demonic Heavenly Art.
Immersing Essence.
Immersing Essence was a type of Internal Energy Manipulation Technique.
I channeled Demonic Heavenly Energy into her body.
"...!"
Her eyes widened in shock. The Demonic Heavenly Energy was raging within her, causing her immense pain.
Her resistance is stronger than I anticipated. Her Mana stat must be quite high.
Even if I couldn't kill her, I could inflict severe internal injuries. Of course, even if I could kill her, I wouldn't. This woman was too valuable to waste.
She staggered, nearly collapsing sideways, but her legs suddenly braced themselves.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
With a battle cry, she unleashed a spinning kick aimed at me.
Momentary activated. Remaining stacks: 2
I burrowed back into her arms. This time, I didn't use Immersing Essence. Instead, I struck the back of her neck hard.
Thwack!
Her eyes rolled upward.
Thank God she passed out in one hit. If she hadn't, I would have kept hitting her.
I caught her as she collapsed and kept her from slamming into the pavement.
No. This isn't the time for that.
I began searching her pockets. There were various items: a wallet, keys, a handkerchief, handcuffs, and more. None of them would help me escape this situation. But then I found a walkie-talkie clipped to the back of her waist.
"Natalia?! Why aren't you responding?! I can't see you clearly from here the wall's blocking my view! Natalia! Answer me! Natalia!"
An urgent female voice crackled through the radio. It seemed the red-haired woman's name was Natalia.
Natalia. Natalia. Got it.
He absently checked her breathing, lost in thought.
Should I escape using the Scroll? No, it's not that critical yet.
Besides, he'd already knocked this woman out. It would be a waste to leave without using that advantage.
"Natalia! What's the situation?! Are you in danger? The Soid Team is heading your way now! Natalia! Answer me!"
He frowned at the radio, his brow furrowing.
That's the Blonde's voice. But why is she making such a racket? She's worrying about her teammate way too much. ...Wait a minute.
A hunch struck me.
Could the Blonde and Natalia be... involved?
I don't have any solid proof, but...
Suddenly, my gaze fell on the ring on Natalia's finger. On a whim, I checked it.
Jessica ? Natalia.
Jessica and Natalia. Clearly female names, and they were engraved on the ring.
"This is undeniable. Friends don't do this kind of thing. And there's even a heart in there."
The Lord of the Heavens shows interest.
- Natalia! Answer me! Natalia!
I grinned at the radio, brought it to my lips, and spoke.
"The red-haired woman is Natalia, right? She's unconscious, and she's in This Sovereign's hands."
"Y-you... that voice... you're the Clown?!"
"This Sovereign is Cheonmada."
"Don't be ridiculous! Clown! If you try anything with Natalia, I'll !"
"The woman is merely unconscious. For now, at least."
"...What do you want?"
As expected of a police officer, he quickly assessed the situation. I grinned with satisfaction.
"Such obedience is most pleasing. This Sovereign wishes to escape this place. You will assist me in this endeavor."
"You're asking me a police officer to help a criminal like you?! Do you really think I'd do that?!"
I retrieved a knife from my Inventory and gripped it in my right hand. Pressing the blade against Natalia's throat, I stepped out from behind the wall.
"You refuse to aid This Sovereign?"
Jessica, the woman aiming her bow at me from the rooftop, hesitated. With her Fairy Eye, she could see me as clearly as if she were using binoculars, even from this distance.
"Five seconds. I'll give you five seconds to answer. Did you say you wouldn't help This Sovereign?"
The knife's blade pressed against Natalia's throat.
An urgent voice crackled through the radio.
- Alright! I'll do it! Just don't kill Natalia!
"Tch. You should have agreed sooner. If you cooperate willingly, this woman won't die. I'll return her to you unharmed."
- That promise... you're not lying, are you?
"This Sovereign rarely kills beautiful women. Whether she lives or dies depends entirely on you."
Jessica lowered the bow she had been aiming at me, clearly understanding my words.
"First, feed your comrades false information about This Sovereign. Tell them I've headed north."
...Is that all you want?
"Your task is to continue spreading false information there, preventing the Police from pursuing This Sovereign."
When will you release Natalia?!
"She'll be released once the situation has settled down. Don't worry. But if you try any tricks... this woman's life will be forfeit."
Jessica would have understood perfectly. I grabbed Natalia and started running.
I would release Natalia eventually, but I had no intention of letting her go until I was safely clear.
Heh heh. What a stroke of luck.
Earlier that day, while wandering around, I had spotted a few promising abandoned buildings unfinished construction projects.
Time to make sure she can't interfere...!
My nerves were so taut that every muscle felt ready to snap.
Inside the abandoned building, I took a quick look around. It was relatively clean, despite the dust. The third-floor space had no windows, allowing the cool night breeze to seep in.
I laid Natalia down on the floor.
Gotta take precautions before she wakes up.
Whatever else, this woman's physical abilities surpassed mine. If she attacked me once she recovered, my game in this world could end that very day.
Since she seems capable of using Mana, handcuffs or ropes wouldn't hold her for long.
I drew Demonic Heavenly Energy to my fingertip and began tapping Natalia's body with it.
Demonic Heavenly Art.
Heaven Sealing.
Heaven Sealing was the acupoint strike technique of the Demonic Heavenly Art. Using Demonic Heavenly Energy, it created a seal that was virtually impossible to break through by ordinary means.
It's my first time using this, but thankfully it worked.
To be honest, I hadn't given failure much thought. This wasn't reality; it was the world within God's Atlantis, and I possessed the Demonic Heavenly Art as a Skill. In other words, activating the Demonic Heavenly Art was governed by the System.
"The Demonic Heavenly Art is S-Rank. Even if it's my first time using this technique, the System's assistance should ensure its success."
If it had been A-Rank instead of S-Rank, I might have failed.
"This woman won't be able to use Mana for the next few hours. And her physical strength will be severely diminished."
She's practically an ordinary person now.
"I could use this Acupoint Strike Technique for torture, but... there's no need to inflict pain to extract information."
I surveyed the surroundings and led Natalia toward the wall. Propping her against a nearby pillar, I bound her wrists and ankles with rope.
Natalia's tall, long-legged frame suited the uniform well.
"Hmm. Still not quite right."
I used the knife to cut away her belt, radio clip, and any loose parts of the uniform that might conceal a tool.
"No more surprises."
I checked her pockets, waistband, and sleeves one more time, making sure she wasn't carrying a spare blade, lockpick, or hidden communicator.
There's no need to go any further.
I hesitated as I reached for the remaining knots.
To remove the rest of her gear, I'd have to loosen the restraints, which seemed like too much effort. Since she was sealed and tied down already, I decided to leave it alone.
I stepped back and looked over Natalia one last time, confirming the ropes and the acupoint seal were secure.