It was two days after we reached Tondo. It was early in the morning while the sun was barely up. As always it the same way as the day starts. All of us waking up with a cup of coffee and some canned food again. Today I ended up getting a fruit cocktail with everybody else getting meat. On the bright side, I wasn't the one who got dog food. That was Mr. Williams. We were actually supposed to sell that stuff but accidentally ended bringing in one by mistake. Actually seeing Mr. Williams eating a can of dog food doesn't actually look disturbing. We seen the guy eat almost anything from crickets to meal worms. Take it from me. Mr. Williams took me to a hunting trip one time and we ate mushrooms that he just plucked from the ground without a second thought. But on the safe side we ended up cooking it for a bit. We didn't want the old man to get worms or anything. Almost everyone was camping out in a worn out shack. Where we were at the moment was at some old yacht near the pier we came from.
It looked like it was owned by some rich millionaire on massive size of it. The boat was at least two floors tall and it wasn't even including the haul. Who would have thought that such a grand use of luxury would end up being an entire waste of money? But it wasn't actually that bad. It looked like the place gave shelter to people over time to avoid any harm that is outside. All of us were set in going out, except Mr. Williams. He was on his crossbow with something on his sights. It was a boar. I was besides the old man and looked through a binoculars. Gram then checks it out. "Anytime, old man." I said. "Patience is key, boy." He replied. Gram looks at the distance intensely. "You're not gonna make it. The shot's too far for your crossbow." The lizardman said.
"I wouldn't mind real meat though. Canned food is good and all but I want a hot meal." I said.
"Then why don't try a crack on it at your bow?" Rebecca asked.
"The range is too far. Crossbows have more power and a longer distance." I replied.
But it was there that Mr. Williams ignored us entirely. His eyes became sharp like a hawk and breath started to slow down. The man's psyche was on a phase on its own. Nothing magical about it but it was something you don't see everyday. These were the eyes of a hunter, a predator fixed on his preys. He adjust his position and curves his crossbow in a slightly crooked position. Mr. Williams exhales slowly as he gets his trigger finger ready I go back on my binoculars and there the crossbow releases its bolt. As the arrow got further, it was picked off by the wind and started to curve. No matter how far the target was, it looks like the bolt was gonna make it. The bolt made its destination but the outcome was rather different. Instead of hitting the boar's head, the bolt landed and pierced through the animal's tusk. The sudden event startled the boar and made it stand on its hind legs. Pretty soon it ran towards the opposite direction and went for safety.
All of us were in a lost of words. Honestly if I had a camera and internet the thing would be good to get a few good hits online. The only thing we can do now is watch a meal ticket run for its life, constant squealing in panic. But in comedic irony we watch the boar being snatched from the ground by a giant spider under a boulder. "Damn, looks like I'm still not used to far range shots with crossbows." Mr. Williams groaned. I was rather startled by 'that' thing. The first thing that came to mind was a giant spider of epic proportions jumping out of the ground like one of those hungry hippo board games. And yet with what just occurred, 'that' was the first thing that popped out of his mouth? "That shot just now...you changed the trajectory of your crossbow to curve the bolt to follow the wind. Didn't you?" Gram asked out of curiosity. 'Are you really just thinking of that?' I asked in my head. Mr. Williams gave smirk. It looked rather joyful for him for someone to notice. "A friend of mine was a sniper. Every once in awhile I would be the one to treat his wounds. In the end I learned how to shoot a sniper rifle from him and got my time to join as one." Mr. Williams bragged.
Looking at his crossbow it did look much like a rifle. The stock was made out of wood but the moving parts were made out of steel. But they did look a bit familiar. "Say old man… where did you get the money for a crossbow?" Tyrell asked. "Some guy was making this out of some hunting rifle parts. I figured I might as well do the same by buying some parts of my own." He replied.
"Where did you even get the blueprints? Don't you need a help of a smith."
"Didn't actually need to. There was actually a guide on how to make one in one of Rebecca's books."
That on its own raised eyebrows on its own. I did use my Reference spell on all the books Rebecca had for practice and I never thought there would be something like that. There I summoned my scribe and started to skim the pages of whatever I can find. Mr. Williams turned out to be right on this one. There was actually an entire guide on how to turn a hunting rifle stock into a crossbow. "That explains the scope and parts of the stock…looks like the railing came from a hunting rifle." I pointed out. "There was surplus on replacement parts for guns. Cost me around twenty silver but it's pretty worth it." He implied.
The man took pride with the weapon he had as he carefully sheathed the crossbow at his back. But the one who was impressed even the most happened to be Gram. "I see the Hunter's Pact Ceremony is still taking place. It's impressive to see them do it till now." Gram complemented. "The Hunter's Pact Ceremony…?" I asked out of curiosity.
"It's an old custom that old time hunters made." Gram explains, "It was back then Hunters have a trial by fire by making their own weapons and use it to hunt. It's a good way for students to use what they learned from training."
"Come to think of it… some of the rogues make their own weapons and tools too at the other guilds we're associated with." Rebecca added.
"Then what's the use of a Smith if these guilds know how to make their own stuff?" Tyrell asked.
"Well...not everyone who came here isn't actually associated with weapons, especially us Terrans. So they changed it into more of a voluntary choice." Mr. Williams replied.
"So you were the ones who volunteered? Isn't that dangerous?" Tyrell asked.
"Bah! I just wanted to get my ass out of the city and hunt! I'm old but I'm not ready to take it easy yet!" Mr. Williams answered.
Honestly my feelings were the same as well. Being in a building for almost a month gave me cabin fever at one point. It was actually a dream to be outside. It felt I was at high school but I wasn't going home at all. Bored out of my ass in lectures and studying. The bright side of it though was at least I could use the skills. But now I just want a bed to sleep in. All we can do is to get ready to pack our bags. "It would be nice to taste some fresh meat though." Mr. Williams muttered. "We wouldn't have any space to spare for leftovers either way." Gram disagreed.
There we continued on with our journey. The sky had a violet sky work a red sun at the horizon. It was only there that our group managed to reach the Petra area of Cletus when the sun turned orange. There was barely a soul at sight as the guards were the only people awake at present. Again luck was at our side. But the guard had a cheeky smile on him. "Better watch this boy. Hope this munchkin doesn't kick the bucket, shining." He joked. Some of the guards laughed with him. I then gave my guild card. The look at his face turned white as a sheet. Extra shock factor came as noticed my daisho by my side. "So... Hanami?" He asked. "Is there a problem?" I asked the guard. The guard passes to the side with a frightened face. "Welcome back, sir. May St. Peter watch over you." The guard acknowledged.
The five of us passed without a hitch. But we were pretty odded out on what just happened. "What was that about?" Rebecca asked. "Hanami is pretty respected here in Cletus. They take place in the various defense raids here." Gram said.
"Defense raids? As in monsters attacking the city?" Tyrell asked.
"Yeah. Sometimes an HAP would happen and teleport a giant horde of monsters from an excluded part of Laputa to here. Sometimes the monsters themselves even come from Aria." Gram replied.
"But doesn't the city have an army or something? Surely they have some form of military." Mr. Williams asked.
"Cletus has only a self-defense force and the Municipal Guard. Their main job is to protect the city and the council in charge of it. That's why they choose guilds to take place in these raids so they wouldn't lose most of their own." Gram told Mr. Williams.
"Are guilds really capable in dealing with these raids?" I asked.
"Just look behind you." He said.
I followed what he said and there was a massive reptilian skull with curved horns of ram and jagged teeth the size of daggers. The skull itself was the size of an SUV. "Last year Hanami took down a Death Flare. It's a demonic dragon that can light up cities in seconds. We lost a couple of the guilds here because of that thing." He told us. The size of that skull gave us newbies chills down our spine. If anything… I think I would want to avoid something like that if it were possible. Memories of fire sure in my mind. There it was again, World War Two. A whole town lit in seconds as bombs drop. Rebecca then turned my head away and moved me forward. "Relax! Like your guild would want you to fight that!" Rebecca reminded me. "Yeah... remember? Baby steps." Tyrell put out. "Unless you're paired up with Richard…. I think I remember his group ended up killing some kind of gigantic spider the size of a bus crawling out of the Tetra wall." Gram mumbles, "It kept on weaving civilians to cocoons and eating them like a bloody sandwich."
The sound of it made my skin crawl. I then became pale as I see myself at the other side of that spider. Rebecca then covers the mouth of Gram. "Alright! Quit talking! Too much information!" Rebecca said. "But it's true!" Gram pointed out.
"We're not smart shaming you! Rin already has enough to think about!" Rebecca answered.
"I'm fine… I'm just trying to cope." I insisted.
But then again it was already too much to process. I then look at my scribe. It looked like I got more information produced and whatever information I got from using the Reference spell from the Ark Index was updated. "At least whatever we got from the animals and monsters we killed updated my scribe on new info. Some of the materials we managed to gather was even included in my scribe." I said. "That's some magic tool. I can't even believe you even managed to scan those books in there." Mr. Williams complemented.
"Yes. The scribe itself is the pride of a freelancer. Anything can be recorded in it. They actually benefit the most in terms of survival. But honestly it just cost too much to be one." Gram pointed out.
"I think I'll be fine though. Probably if I can keep this up we'll be able to make it out of here." I implied.
"But I gotta admit you would be applied with a lot of information." Gram pointed out.
"It's fine. There are places I would wanna check out and learn…." I admitted.
I started to blabber on about to learning about magic and learning new skills. But soon I saw the error of my ways as most of it sounded like a pipe dream. There was still taxes for permits, cost of skills and magic learned, living expenses and food, travel expenses, citizen tax...it was limitless on how many holes on the plan to even to expense on learning. I was soon mumbling as I kept on finding more pitfalls on this plan. "Okay Rin stop thinking! Baby steps, remember?!" Tyrell reminded me.
It was only later that we managed to reach Trium. Gram and Mr. Williams went inside the guild association building while the rest of us were waiting outside at some food stall. The three of us were able to get our merits and coin so we decided to catch a meal. The stall was managed by an orc selling some sausage. Odd enough we were the only Terrans there around the stall. Something glowed from inside our pockets. It turned out to be our guild cards and our levels changed. Rebecca managed to reach level eight and Tyrell managed to go up another level. As for me I barely managed to get raised one level. The orc then looked rather concerned despite how happy we were. He then nudges down and starts to talk to us. "You sure you folk should be out on the open like this? This isn't the place for your kind to stay in." The stall owner put out. Rebecca's gaze diverts to the orc. "What's that supposed to mean?" She asked rather offended. The orc raises his hands as a sign of surrender. "No offence, Terran. Just concerned is all."
A few mugs of beer were poured and we sat there to wait what was gonna happen. Lots of individuals were minding their own business. All the races were there from human, elf, beastfolk, and orc alike. But we soon hear the sound of footsteps and the loud banging of noises. The orc then taps me on the shoulder. "Best keep that hood and cap on boy." He warned me. I did as the orc said as the sound grew. The sound of chanting started to flood in the air as stomping and matching can be heard from the streets. I looked at the reflection of my glass mug. It turned out to be a rally full of picket signs. The crowd from a while ago just went inside the hall while others started to ignore. The protesters were all human. All of them chanted repeatedly, "Bring the bar down, bring us all in!"
My group had crooked eyebrows, wondering what the hell is going on. Loud music kept on flooding the streets with Bluetooth speakers and microphones spreading the same phrase at the top of their lungs. It was loud and annoying. Everybody else not part of the rally just hid at the stores, waiting for the protest to end. But it looks like the stall keep was rather calm. But judging by his actions, the orc was just straight up ignoring them. "What's with them?" Rebecca asked. "They're the United Terran Union. It's a group of Terrans fighting for the lowering of prices of the goods and taxes and letting in of more refugees into Laputa." The orc told us.
"Is the price hike really that bad?" Tyrell asked.
"Yeah the cost of goods and resources just gone up. I had to raise the price of my sausages from five to seven coppers today." The orc said.
"I can't blame you. These are pretty big." I replied.
"They used to be longer, enough to make one man full for two meals." The orc told me.
"I wouldn't mind eating this all day." Rebecca said.
"If this keeps up, I might need to go hunting with my buddies for some more meat." The orc replied.
"Kinda scary out there when I think about it." Tyrell commented.
"At least I can get extra cash out of whatever I can find outside. These guys are scaring my business away." The orc complained.
I started chewing on my sausage. It was as big as my forearms and the diameter was big as a shotgun barrel. The meat was far beyond what I ate before but it was delicious. "Say...what is this meat anyway? This is pretty good." I asked. That was where the orc raised his eyebrows. He was rather surprised by my response. "It's dog." The orc replied without hesitation. One of my companions started to choke on their food as they heard the response. "Yeah… a pack of feral dogs ended attacking us last week. My group and I were just lucky to make it out of there alive." The orc told us.
Both of my companions stopped eating. As for me I paused at first but in the end I kept on eating what was left. They looked at me rather oddly. All I can do was just stop and sigh. "Honestly I don't care at this point." I tell them, "I could be eating dog testicles and still wouldn't care. For all we know this could be the last hot meal we eat before we get out." I then continued to chow down on my dog meat sausage and soon enough my friends followed. The beer complemented the meal pretty well with some bread. It cost us an extra copper piece per loaf but it was worth it. Everybody else began to eat again. Odd enough Tyrell started to chew thoroughly. "This is the weirdest thing I ate so far." Tyrell said. "Speak for yourself." I tell him, "A few days ago I was eating bear that tried to make me his next meal."
"How was it?" Rebecca asked.
"It was too thick and tender. Maybe because it was old." I replied.
"That's one way for mother nature to get back at you." Rebecca commented.
"Bear, bugs, horse, dolphin, and now dog. Mother nature would throw a nuke at me and I could still care less what comes into my mouth." I answered blandly.
"Look at you, acting like a badass." Rebecca playfully said with a shove.
"Meat is meat. Doesn't matter as long as it's food." I replied with my mouth full.
I continued to chomp on my food and started to eat the remainder of my sausage like a hot dog sandwich with the bread. But as I continued to snack on my meal I could heard footsteps coming towards me. As I was halfway finishing my makeshift hot dog sandwich I looked behind me with the reflection of my beer. Turns out my guess was right. "There's somebody behind me is there?" I asked my companions. "Three of them actually." Tyrell whispered.
I cursed and put down my food. With a sip of my beer I gave a sigh and turned my head. "You wanna buy some food or something? Me and my crew are gonna be done in a few minutes." I told them. Their eyes were filled with anger. "Did I do something to you?" I asked. One of them then flicked my cap. "Why the hell are you eating stuff like that? Do you like killing animals for kicks?" One of them asked out of spite. I then took my cap from the floor and fixed it on my head. "I'm not here to cause any trouble. Just let me and my friends finish our meal and we'll be on our way." I insisted. I turned my back only to be pushed from behind. Rebecca was then about to pull out her shotgun but I stopped her hand before it could be raised. "We're just minding our own business. If you didn't like hearing what you said then it's your fault for nosing into our conversation." I told them off. "Don't you see we're suffering in here?! Why are you just sitting there doing nothing?!" One of them shouted. "Funny...we were just out at Tondo killing whatever wanted us as their next meal." I replied with sarcasm.
"Is this some kind of joke to you?!" Another protester shouted.
"I'm serious. Does it look like I want to be something's next meal ticket?" I answered back.
"Quit dodging the problem here! Don't you see how the big heads of this city are raising the prices of almost everything?" The protester asks me, "It's like they wanna drive us all out of here!"
"This is fascism!" Another of the protesters shouted.
There it was again. The anger started to feel the presence. But with this aura of hatred, I felt a familiar feeling. It was the feeling of dread. Quite a familiar feeling of the World War Two past life. Often times I find it annoying to hear about my superiors bragging at the many shit things they do. They often clouded their cruel deeds as imperialism. They were no different, their sense of so called 'justice' was just another excuse for their emotions to take over. "If you can't keep up with the prices and the expenses of living then why don't save a little and earn a buck outside." I told them off. "What was that?!" The protesters in front of me exclaimed.
"You heard me. You're lacking funds; might as well go hunt or get stuff outside."
"Those animals didn't do anything! Are you insisting us killing innocent animals."
"It's either you eat them or serve yourself on a silver platter."
"Are you say we're better of killing ourselves!"
"You said that not me."
"Then what are you saying?!"
"Take a few requests and head outside the walls. You're better off getting stuff outside then here."
"Then we're good as dead!"
"In or out of Cletus, either of us are gonna die in something's stomach or burned into ashes."
But it was after saying those words, it infuriating the protester. His face turned into pure rage and he socked me at the face. A bruise formed at my cheek as I fell off my chair and back to the shall. Rebecca took out her shotgun. The whole crowd then stops at their pace and back away. There I stood up as my wound started to heal. I then lowered Rebecca's weapon down slowly. She slowly puts it away as the girl sees my face. "Look man, we're just trying to survive here." I tell him, "If we fight then the stall keep's gonna get involved."
"Don't get him involved into this!" The protester shouted.
There somebody then points a gun at the back of the protester's head. I look and there was Richard out of the blue gets a good grip behind the protester's shoulder. "He's right, jackass." Richard says, "Once a brawl kicks in then it will start a riot. Do you really want to get innocent people involved?"
"What's it to you?! You damned Arian, piece of shit! Go back to your gods and go back to eating your fake bullshit!" The protester shouted.
The protester then goes for a swing at Richard. Richard retaliates by throwing him to the floor and pointing a gun at his back. The man pulls back the hammer of his 45 caliber revolver. "Richard that's enough!" I tell him, "He's just small fry. It's not worth it." He looks at me with an enraged face. I nodded at him to show my resolve. Richard let go of him and pushed the protester back to his group. "First of all I'm Half-Filipino so that makes me a Terran. Second, don't mess with my guild. And by the way, say shit about our gods one more time and it's a round up your ass!" Richard threatened.
I then took a hold of Richard and put his arm down. "Richard that's enough!" I shouted. Soon the guards come in with their arms. "What did I tell you to you protesters?!" One of guards shout, "Keep the peace or no more peaceful protest!" The guards then rush to the three protesters who advanced at me. "What about him! He assaulted me!" The protester pointed at Richard. "We saw the whole thing Terran! Harassing a bystander!? You should be ashamed!" One of the guards pointed out. The protesters then started to struggle. "Let go of me you fascist!" The protesters shouted. The three kept on shouting 'fascism' out loud as they were being dragged in the air. One of them escaped and tried to escape. It was the same guy who was harassing me. There it was again, the World War Two past life identity and whispered at my ear, "You know what to do… you are me after all."
I then grabbed my chair and threw it at the man's legs. The protester tripped and fell on the floor hard. I then took a paralysis paper charm and put it on his head. The protester couldn't move and he was frozen at the floor. "I can't move!" He shouted. "That's the general idea. Quit making this worse for yourself!" I told him off. The guards then took a hold of him. I then ripped the tag off him and the protester managed to move normally. "The guy's young, go easy on him." I told the guards. He then tried to get a grip on me but I backed away as the guards did their thing.
But they dragged the guy away like it was nothing. The crowd dispersed after that. It looked like Tyrell and Rebecca was doing alright. But as I turned my eyes to Richard, he was gripping towards his chest. I didn't understand what was going on back at the time but I knew that look. He had an angry look at his face. But it looked like the angry eyes were paired with gritted teeth. Only time I saw him do that was when he was still Sakamoto when somebody tried to harm Oryo. What is happening to you, Ryoma?
But it was that feeling that felt so familiar. The sudden stare of many filled the setting felt familiar. They were at both me and Richard. Feelings of fear and hate can be sensed all around. But that was when I can hear the breath of the one man. It was the World War Two past life again. "So you know this feeling? It's good to know that my current reincarnation isn't that dense." Kenshin whispered to my ear. I knew this feeling alright. This is the presence that encircles an object that disrupts balance. This was the feeling of infamy.