This one is a bonus chapter for 50 power stones.
"You are still on the job to protect the restaurant today?" A grating inhumane voice slithered through the room into his ears.
Trian's hair rustled and covered some of his sight as he looked at the identity of the speaker. Standing there amidst the laying and hurt people was it. The guardian of the Medic Sentinel Corps. It stood there menacingly, body so sleek and sharp, not figuratively but literally.
"Yes. Today should be the last." Trian nodded at it. His eyes then swept around the room and looked at someone who was staggering back to his feet.
In the next moment, he dashed at the guardian. His powerless appearance from seconds before was already gone, His mangled hand snapped back into its place, wounds closing in rapid pace, eyes glinting with madness.
The boy cocked his hand back and unleashed his power at the guardian.
The guardian's eyes shone in the deeper colour of red than him. Its feet shuffled around the floor, sidestepping the incoming attack. Moments later, its bladed hand pushed forward, piercing the abdomen of the attacker clean.
However rather than surrendering, the guy twisted his body, the blade slid to the side cutting his body almost to half if not for the other side of his waist. His legs whipped, flying in high speed towards the guardian's head.
Unfortunately for the boy, the level disparity between them was simply too vast to be bridged by guts alone. The guardian easily caught his feet with its clam and yanked him away across the room.
Trian let out a whistle, a smile bloomed on his face. "Damn. Everytime I see him I think he's becoming more and more crazy. But that kind of crazy is essentially what Lilith was looking for."
A low rumble that felt like a chuckle came out from the guardian. "Indeed. He will be a fine Medic once he graduates. His style reminds me of Ilea back in the day. Though, he's not as smart as her."
Trian smirked as his friend's name came out from the guardian. That girl… Since the very first time he met her, he knew she's trouble. A massive headache. No matter how many times they practiced, all formations and strategy went out of the window as soon as she was excited.
Sacrificing one limb to land one punch on the enemy was as natural as breathing for her. Still doing missions when it's clearly way above what was stated by the group? Yeah, that's a daily occurrence.
But that…
That's a proof of just how trusting she was at her ability. Well if he had her kind of ability, he would also go lengths to secure a victory. Though, he had to admit, he wouldn't be as trailblazing as her. Going North and even befriending Elves was way beyond his imagination of what he could do.
"Alright then, I'll leave now, Aki." Trian returned from his jog down the memory lane. "Take care of the kids for me, yeah?"
The guardian's eyes shone red again. Its neck creaked at him and something that looked like a smirk appeared on its cold and metallic face. "You say it like that as if today will be a long day for you."
Trian walked backwards while eyes still locked into the artificial consciousness which had been moved to a body of a Taleen Guardian. "You know it, Aki. When it came to things that Ilea had touched, nothing is simple. Have you ever thought that there will be a restaurant that connects to many worlds out there?"
Aki growled low. "Of course not. The only other world I have been to was that Demonic World you and Ilea jumped into."
Trian chuckled, his laugh echoed through the blood-soaked room. "Great time, isn't it? We even got ourselves some new friends."
Trian waved his hands to Aki and left the room after saying those words. Corridors come and go, and after giving a brief nod to the guards stationed at the entrance of their headquarters, he stepped into the street of Ravenhall.
The city wasn't like what he used to. The layout, the district, the style of the city had completely changed. For what purpose, he didn't even bother to ask. Let the higher ups do what they did. All he had to do was only one. Sentinel Medic Corps.
He had foreseen the ripple the corps would bring to the whole Elos. Even when no one had officially joined a group in Shadow Hand or created their own team, the pressure on their corps was already strong.
Those pressures would surely intensify once they became known. Spies came to their recruitment in flocks. Everyone eager to get their hand on the elixir to become one of the rarest Classes in Elos. If it's not for that, Lilith's power was sweet enough for people to come digging for information.
Trian turned right at an intersection, entering the commercial district of Ravenhall. Buildings selling their ware stood side by side on the busy street. From necessary items for adventurers like weapons and armor to mundane items like bed, bags, and clothes. No matter what you looked for, the commercial district had the answer for you.
Amidst the busy and ever moving street, one particular building had a long line of waiting customers. From those with Shadow Hand's uniform, commoner clothes, to the ever bright and expensive clothes of the noble. They were all standing there regardless of their class, waiting to be waved inside by the waiter.
Beside the door, a wooden sign with a golden drake stamped on it could be seen. The smell of food was also faintly wafting from the inside.
The place was a restaurant. One of the best restaurants in Ravenhall managed by someone Ilea team stumbled upon in one of her mission. But with how long the line was whenever he wanted to eat there, he thought he could settle for less.
Thankfully, Claire introduced him to Checkpoint. The place practically had no line. He could grabbed a quick bite there before leaving again, back to the den full of suicidal maniacs. But if anyone strong enough in the hierarchy of the world even got the faintest sniff on the power of the restaurant, Trian had no doubt in his mind that the restaurant would soon be packed.
Both with people who just come for novelty and those who came with their vested interest.
Trian went past the line before taking a turn further away. Now he entered the empty side of the commercial district. No, not because the shop around here didn't have the quality as compared to the previous street, but because it was still in the building phase.
And from what he heard from Claire and Ilea's conversation, it seemed like the plan for this area had been slightly shifted.
His eyes finally landed on the building that was the sole reason for that change.The building of the extraordinary restaurant was unassuming. Black rock in tune with the overall feeling of the commercial district, slanted roofs, and sparse windows unlike the Golden Drake. The only ornament that signified this building was open for business was the geometric sign stamped on the wooden boards just beside the door.
Ilea said it was a smart choice. But the reason went through his head. It had something to do with the original world of both Ilea and the Head Chef of the restaurant, Ludwig, apparently.
Trian twisted the doorknob to the side, pushing it in after he heard a click. Then the atmosphere changed. The hustle and bustle sound of metal hitting other metals echoed. His nose picked a savory and spicy smell dancing in the air. At the same time, residual grease and heat pricking at his skin.
"Welcome to Checkpoint." The ever so professional demoness waitress of the restaurant welcomed him. The voice of her friends echoed right after.
Offering a brief nod, Trian eyes swept through the room, looking for a certain Metal and Curse Mage who was his partner for this guard mission.
But rather than just finding him there, someone with their hood covering their face was sitting beside him with a tankard in front of their mouth.
That stance, that dangerous feeling pricking into him, and that title hanging above her head.
It was her.
Someone Claire warned him to not let her get involved in this matter.
Ilea Spears, or Lilith of the Shadow Hands.
Trian let out a resigned sigh. Ever since he got this mission from Claire, he had been eager to welcome whoever dared enough to attack this place when the owner was not around. Even though teaching and overseeing things in the Sentinel Medic Corps was good, his body sometimes itched for a fight.
Not a fight with teaching in mind, but a raw and instinctual battle to rip someone's life from their body.
But now…
Please, make Claire miscalculated for once.
His eagerness to fight had been snuffed like a candle in the storm. He didn't want anyone from that world to come now.
Trian arrived in his teammates' seat as he thought so. But before he could greet the wanderer and the Metal Mage, a muffled voice came out from beyond the hood. "Sit and brief me about the mission."
Trian's eyes went to the grey eyes of Kyrian as he took the seat. The bulky man just shrugged with a flat face before resting on the backrest of the chair which looked like it would break but didn't.
Even though he knew Ilea had come to realise they had a mission, he still decided to ask first. "How do you know we have a mission and not just come here to eat?"
Ilea swept his hood back, her eyes looking straight at with a tint of amusement. "Oh you want to play diplomacy now? Fine, I'll entertain you."
Ilea downed the content inside the tankard in one gulp before slamming it back to the table. "This guy right here." Ilea pointed at Kyrian. "Is strong enough to fight his way in the North. If not that, he should be chasing for Aliana and not here in Ravenhall. So the only probable reason he's here is because he has a mission here.'
Ilea then pointed at him. "And you. That's your mission clothes, not your Head Administrator's clothes. Satisfied?"
Trian looked down on his clothes. Black, Shadow Hand's Insignia and Sentinel Medic Corps' Insignia hanging on it. Yes, he had forgotten about his clothes.
He let out a resigned sigh before angling closer to Ilea, hands resting on the table before speaking in a barely audible volume. "Claire is currently in Rimuru's world with Cless, Ludwig, and Kushina. The night before she left, she told me that there's a chance someone from Kushina's world will attack this restaurant. So I was stationed here starting from tomorrow to guard this place and apprehend everyone who dares to do funny things."
Ilea looked at him before her eyes wandered. A rare occurrence. What she was thinking about, Trian didn't even dare to predict. But he was sure about one thing. She would fight for this place.
No, not for food. Or maybe because of the food. But the most important thing was because this place could be the kind of place they need to send Cless back home.
"So." Ilea said, eyes still wandering rather than looking at him. "We sit, we eat, and we wait. If Kushina's people show up and behave, we let them talk. If they don't…"
Kyrian rolled his shoulders, the movement making the wood beneath him creak again. "Then we make sure they understand where they are."
One of the demon waitresses passed by, setting a fresh plate of something fried and steaming in the middle of their table without a word. The clatter of dishes and distant sizzle from the kitchen filled the brief silence that followed.
Trian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Claire specifically told me: 'Keep Ilea out of it if you can.'"
"Adorable." Ilea said. "She should know better by now."
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