By 7:00 AM, a massive crowd began to flow onto the main street of the Southeast District.
The scent of fresh bread wafted from the ovens, vendors were busy setting up their stalls, and early-rising adventurers headed toward the Dungeon in small groups.
The joint patrol blended into the crowd, their footsteps sounding no different than usual.
Su Lun walked at a moderate pace. The stack of scrolls in his waist pouch felt heavy; he needed to conserve his energy. In the distance, he caught a glimpse of Alise's red hair flashing through the crowd, with Kaguya following behind her like a shadow.
The members of the Loki Familia had already dispersed, likely having already closed in on their targets by now.
As Alise walked, her pace suddenly faltered for half a beat. She turned her head toward Su Lun's direction. Though they were separated by two streets and she couldn't see a thing, she just felt that something was off.
That kid's breathing was too shallow today, and the way his feet hit the ground didn't feel right—it was as if he were pushing through sheer exhaustion. She frowned, swallowing the question on the tip of her tongue. Now was not the time to ask.
8:00 AM sharp.
Finn's voice rang out across the main street, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Move out."
The morning in the Southeast District instantly erupted into chaos.
The adventurers who had been lazily patrolling just moments ago underwent a sudden transformation. Across the street, the iron gates of a basement that was always kept shut were kicked inward, the metal bars bending under the force.
The entire area was thrown into a state of total disorder.
Su Lun didn't charge forward. He locked eyes with Ryuu, and the two turned simultaneously. With a few quick maneuvers through the crowd, they bypassed the most chaotic spots and headed straight for the plaza where the three main streets intersected.
The pendant at his waist grew slightly warm, making his feet feel light as he ran. Within a few steps, he left the noisy commotion behind.
The plaza was empty. The morning sun cast slanted rays across the stone floor, making the pavement glint. The three streets branched out from this point, wide and straight.
"This is the spot," Su Lun said, coming to a halt.
He reached into a hidden pocket in his waist pouch and pulled out a scroll. The first was Cloud of Daggers. It felt cold in his hand as he funneled a sliver of mana into it. The other scrolls were likewise ready.
He only had to wait for the rats to come so he could wipe them out in one fell swoop.
"Ready," he whispered, retreating to the waist-high stone platform in the center of the plaza.
Ryuu leaped up almost at the same time, landing silently behind his flank. She gripped her wooden sword. His breathing sounded off to her. Ryuu pursed her lips but said nothing, simply positioning herself so she could block anything coming from the front.
The sounds of fighting, shouting, and things breaking grew closer, surging toward them.
The first person to escape the alleyways came crawling out—a lanky Catman, his face pale with terror. He saw the plaza and the two figures on the platform. He froze for a second, glanced back at the direction of his pursuers, and then gritted his teeth, diving headlong into the street on the left.
Once the floodgates opened, they couldn't be closed.
A second person, then a third...
More and more people scrambled out of the alleys and intersections, panicking as they squeezed into the three streets. Most were Level 1, with a few Level 2s among them. Chased by the Loki Familia like stray dogs, they knew only to run blindly forward.
The crowd was like sheep being driven into a chute, pouring in all at once. Su Lun stood on the platform, watching.
Ten... fifteen... twenty... that's about enough. Time to start.
Just as the last few people charged into the right-most street screaming, Su Lun tore the scrolls open.
First came the Web.
At the exits of the three streets—on the walls, the ground, and in mid-air—the air hissed! The ground exploded as massive clumps of sticky white silk erupted. The magical webbing grew upon contact with the air, weaving into thick nets in the blink of an eye and sealing the exits shut.
The people running in front couldn't stop in time. They slammed straight into the webs, instantly wrapped into thick cocoons. They screamed, unable to break free.
"What the hell is this?!"
"It's an ambush! Gwah! It's magic!"
Screams of shock erupted in the middle of the street.
Immediately following that, a rhythmic clack-clack-clack echoed, sounding as if the ground itself were coming to life. The well-paved stone road suddenly buckled and cracked, and thumb-thick thorns covered in jagged spikes burst from the earth!
The things lashed out and entangled everything like living creatures. Every swipe of a barb left a bloody gash, and as the thorns sank in, it felt like the soles of their feet were on fire. The shrieks and wails spiked in volume before being choked off by pain, a chilling sound to behold.
Finally, came the Cloud of Daggers.
Above each street, the air suddenly shimmered, looking like the distorted heat haze of a summer day. In the next second, countless translucent magical daggers materialized out of thin air, suspended in the sky.
Then, without warning, the daggers spun violently and plummeted!
Swoosh—!
It was like a metallic storm had been unleashed. The streets were filled with the whistling sound of cutting blades.
Trapped by the magical webs and impaled through the feet by thorns, the "rats" had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Under the influence of the magic, all three streets were transformed into horrific meat grinders.
Splatter!!
Blood sprayed outward, staining the walls and the ground, mixing with the thorns and glinting under the morning sun.
Su Lun stood on the platform, looking down at the mangled scene below. The screams and groans were loud enough to make his ears ache. His face remained expressionless—neither excited nor disturbed.
This is what a prepared Mage looks like. Got a problem with that?
Over thirty people, all taken down.
Timing is about right, he thought, running through a mental checklist. Su Lun's head throbbed; he had made too many scrolls yesterday, and his body felt hollow.
Ryuu stood beside him, her wooden sword still in hand, though there was no longer a need to draw it.
Hurried footsteps approached from behind. Finn arrived at the intersection, flanked by Riveria and Gareth. The Pallum braver's blue eyes narrowed sharply when he saw the state of the streets. He instinctively raised his hand, pressing his thumb hard against his lip—a habit he had whenever he encountered an unexpected situation.
"This..."
Gareth spoke in a gruff voice, but the words caught in his throat.
"Solved," Su Lun said, jumping down from the platform. "The ones with light injuries might be saved. The ones heavily wounded probably won't move again until they return to the heavens. Start the arrests."
Riveria turned to look at Su Lun, her jade-colored eyes searching his. She could feel the massive amount of residual mana in the air, but also the aura coming off Su Lun—it was so weak it felt like it might dissipate at any moment.
"These spells... you handled this alone?" Riveria's voice betrayed her surprise.
"Yeah," Su Lun replied with a single word.
Finn rubbed his thumb a few more times. He took a deep breath and grinned, a smile as sharp as a drawn blade.
"Haha! Well done! We've wiped out the entire nest of rats in the Southeast District." He turned and shouted, "Start the arrests! Take a count! Bind anyone still breathing and send them to the Guild! Move it!"
Su Lun looked at Ryuu. "Where are our people?"
"They were all lured here according to plan," Ryuu said, her eyes still scanning his face. "Alise and Kaguya went to block the last few who tried to slip away elsewhere. They should be back soon."
Before she could finish, Alise's red hair appeared from a nearby alleyway. She ran over, her eyelids twitching as she took in the scene in the street. She immediately looked at Su Lun.
Sure enough, his face was as pale as paper. Alise's heart tightened, and her intended words shifted.
Finn nodded. "Clean this up. After today, the east side of Orario will be quiet for a long while."
Su Lun watched the bodies strewn across the street, the groans coming in ragged gasps.
"We finished on our end; caught five trying to escape through the western sewers." Ryuu moved closer to Su Lun and quietly handed him a small waterskin. "Drink some honey water," she said, her voice softening.
Terrify them once, and they'll think twice before trying to use hostages again.
The sun climbed higher, making the blood on the cobblestones shine. The carnage brought about by the magic was laid bare in the light.
Su Lun took the skin and pulled the plug, taking a sip. The water was warm and sweet with honey. He looked at Ryuu. The elf girl looked away slightly, the lines of her profile tense.
"Alise told me to bring it. She said you'd definitely need it."
In the distance, Finn glanced toward them out of the corner of his eye while directing the binding of prisoners.
Ruthless and precise methods, incredible mastery of magic, and an unnervingly steady temperament. The Astraea Familia has found a treasure... though this scene still leaves a bit of a bad taste.
Even though they had caught people, they were all small fry. Not a single heavyweight was among them. It suggested a mole—likely on the Guild's side.
Furthermore, Finn was troubled by a report from an informant about a sighting of the "White-Haired Ghost" in the warehouse district. He couldn't help but feel anxious; Valletta Grede had yet to show her face. He didn't know when she would appear.
The only option was to wait for the situation to change.
Beside him, Su Lun seemed to read Finn's mind. "I heard the informant found the White-Haired Ghost in the warehouse district?" Su Lun's eyes narrowed slightly.
This was clearly another trap. Suddenly, Su Lun had an idea—he planned to beat them at their own game.
"Finn, why don't you send us to the warehouse district to check it out? I have some information that should be enough to deal with those people."
Based on Su Lun's knowledge of the original story, these Evilus remnants were definitely making those self-destructing bombs in secret. However, hindered by materials and costs, their numbers likely weren't high.
Finn was surprised, but then he reconsidered. "True, if we turn the tables, we could wipe them out. But I'm worried they might take hostages or trigger explosions."
"I'll intentionally arrange a time to meet you before you head to the warehouse. The Evilus eyes will definitely see our meeting." Finn's expression turned shrewd.
"Using me as bait, then? Though, given the Astraea Familia's reputation with the Evilus, our 'taunt level' is already at its max," Su Lun said, raising an eyebrow.
Finn laughed helplessly. The Loki Familia was massive, and compared to the Astraea Familia, their numbers were simply too overwhelming. Even the Evilus wouldn't dare touch them head-on. If First-Tier adventurers like them went to investigate the warehouse, those scumbags would surely hide.
"My apologies. How about this: whatever you need for the warehouse investigation, just let me know."
"Good! Then I'll be sure to fleece a 'fat cat' like you."
A smile touched Su Lun's face. Now, the materials he had burned through making those scrolls could be recouped in one go. Not only that, he could make a tidy profit in materials and Valis.
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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