Narrow, dark, and void of people. In a small and hidden alleyway, there were barely any sounds to be heard and living things to be seen. The only where light shines from was from the top of the buildings.
Tap Tap Tap
The silent sound of footsteps echoed throughout the dark alleyway, filling the empty alleyway with a little bit of life. The one who was producing such sounds was a man draped by a dark hood, silent as the dead as he walked.
Suddenly, the man stopped. He looked left and right time and time again before proceeding to go on. Although his face was covered with a hood, caution was evident from his movements alone.
Knock Knock
Two short knocks replaced the sound of footsteps when the man stopped once again in front of a certain door. The man then whispered a few inaudible words and soon after, a creaking sound followed as the door opened.
Inside the room were more hooded figures gathered inside a small room, serious expressions painted on their faces. There were only a few figures, centered on a large man who was apparent to be the leader.
"Are you sure you weren't followed?" ［Leader］
"That's impossible. I made sure to be extra careful." ［Minion 1］
"Good. Then we shall proceed with the plan." ［Leader］
The other figures nodded their heads with the leader's words. Their expressions have become even darker and more serious as a gloomy and suffocating atmosphere swallowed the room whole.
The ones present in the room were none other than a few of the remaining members of Iblis. With their headquarters destroyed, they are now seeking revenge on the kingdom, ready to sacrifice their lives for their cause.
Long before people even started to enter the royal capital for the founding festival, they had already started executing their grand plan. They planted countless devices all over the city for the sale of revenge.
More than a month ago, they intentionally sacrificed some of their members to attack the Royal Academy, taking that time of chaos as a chance to infiltrate the royal capital without no one knowing.
Their rage even burnt hotter as they learnt that the ones responsible for destroying their headquarters were present in the capital. Although it would be a disadvantage that more powerful people are now in the capital, it was also a chance to wipe out their enemies all at once.
They have already sacrificed too much for the sake of revenge. It was too late to back out now that they have come so far. All their hearts wished for was the ruin of the kingdom and its people.
"Oh, right. About what I tasked you, what are the results?" ［Leader］
"It's...." ［Minion 1］
The man gritted his teeth as he clenched his fist, clearly infuriated about the current situation. His exaggerated reaction made the others anxious and confused at the same time.
"Have you gone mute? Why aren't you answering?" ［Leader］
"S.... S-rankers, two of them... Amongst the heroes, two of them were S-rankers. I believe they will be our biggest obstacles." ［Minion 1］
Chaos descended upon the room as soon as the man uttered those words. All that was present now wore faces of disbelief and fear as their discord spread even deeper. The only one who remained calm was their leader.
The leader was also a little shaken from hearing the man's words, but he did not let it show on his face. He needed to remain calm and collected to maintain order amongst the remaining members.
Thunkkk
The table produced such a sound as the leader threw something on top of it. It was a sack made of thick cloth, its entirety covered in blood, clearly containing a dead creature inside.
Upon seeing the sack, the chaos quickly disappeared as the members' attention was focused into it. All of them knew what was inside, and it was because they knew what was inside that they regained their calm.
"Don't forget, we also have a trump card of our own. Even if they do manage to stop our attacks, hundreds of thousands of lives would still be lost. Let's take this opportunity to let our cause be known and engrave ourselves in history!" ［Leader］
"""Ooooohhhh!!!"""
Morale was over the roof. The moment the leader yelled, the others also followed suit. The flames of determination have burnt even brighter inside their eyes. They were all ready to bring ruin.
...
"Grey, I'll make you swallow your words." ［Julius］
"Heh. Don't get me started. You haven't even gotten a single shot right." ［Grey］
"That's because I was just warming up." ［Julius］
"Warming up, my ass. This is your fourth time already." ［Grey］
Currently, Grey and Julius are on their 11th game. It was a dart shooting game where the closer the player's dart to the bullseye was, the higher their score would be. A common game within the festival.
Like Grey had said, it was already Julius' fourth time playing. While he does hit the target every single time, none of them hit the bullseye which was required to get the stamp they needed.
Once again, Julius breathed out a lengthy sigh and with a swift flick of his hands, he threw another dart towards the target. All eyes were towards the dart as it traveled towards the still target.
The dart's speed was even faster than a bullet, but unfortunately, speed was not what the game was all about. It was accuracy that Julius didn't fully possess. Just like before, although close, the dart didn't land on the bullseye.
"Argh! So close!" ［Julius］
"Just give up already and let me do the work." ［Grey］
"Alright, then let's see how you try!" ［Julius］
Unaffected by Julius' provocations, Grey paid the stall owner a few copper coins and received three darts in return. All were pretty small, just a little longer than a child's open palm.
Unlike Julius who was inexperienced with long range weapons, Grey was an expert in all classes. The "Rogue" class dealt with throwable projectiles was something Grey has mastered to the "High" level.
"Julius... This is how it's done." ［Grey］
A smug and confident expression plastered over his face, Grey threw the dart even without looking at the target. There was no need to as Grey was confident that he would strike the bullseye perfectly.
Grey was not one who loves showing off his skills, but in front of Julius whom he often banters against, it was a completely different matter. He just wanted to best and annoy him in every way he could.
The dart Grey threw was even faster than Julius. It was so fast that no one even saw it fly towards the target. Before they knew it, the dart had already struck the bullseye, creating a thud sound.
It didn't end there either. Grey fired off the two remaining darts, successfully hitting the very center twice more over again. Both times, Grey still didn't look and just smirked at Julius.
"Woah～! Amazing!"
"Young man, you sure are a talented one!"
Cheers reverberated around the stall as Grey hit three bullseye in a row. The fact that he didn't even look made the crowd more excited, but at the same time made Julius very irritated as he looked at Grey's obnoxious expression.
"Show off!" ［Julius］
"You're just bad at it. Just admit it already." ［Grey］
"Shut up! I'll get it this time!" ［Julius］
Driven by Grey's provocations, Julius once again paid for another try and tried to hit the bullseye again and again. But just like before, it was useless. Even in his fifth try, Julius couldn't hit a single bullseye.
After Grey received his stamp from the dart game, he and Julius continued playing for a few more minutes before stopping. The two-hour time lime had already elapsed. It was time to end the competition.
With the competition over, Grey and Julius headed back near the entrance where they and the girls split off to meet up with the latter. The moment they arrived, the girls were already there, waiting for them.
"So, how did it go?" ［Elise］
"I'd say we did pretty well. We got 12 stamps!" ［Julius］
"Yaay～! We won!" ［Eliza］
"Hehehe! We got 19!" ［Elise］
Julius' smug face quickly disappeared with Eliza and Elise's declaration. On the other hand, there were large smiles blooming on the girls' faces. Even his fiancée, Amelia, couldn't help herself but giggle as she covered her mouth with her hand.
Unlike Grey and Julius, who were competing with one another, rather than working together, the girls were basically the very definition of the word "teamwork". Of course, they made sure to have fun even when they were in a competition.
"We... We lost..." ［Julius］
"Well, it was already expected. We've just been fooling around, after all," ［Grey］
"Grey, read the mood, will you..." ［Julius］
"You're just overreacting. There isn't even a punishment for the gaー" ［Grey］
"But there is, though." ［Elise］
Grey couldn't even finish his words as he was interrupted by Elise. Both Grey and Julius, who was just acting as if he had lost big time, were quickly frozen at Elise's statement.
"Wait, this is the first time I'm hearing that!" ［Grey］
"Me neither. We haven't agreed on such a thing!" ［Julius］
"That's because we just decided on it just recently." ［Elise］
Elise ended her statement with a bright smile as she slightly tilted her head. The ones who were on the receiving end of her smile became frozen once again from sheer shock and disbelief.
Even when their faces were mostly covered with their hoods, one could still see the shock they felt with how stiff their bodies have become. They have now regretted not taking the competition seriously.
"Now, now, don't be too worried. The punishment is not harsh at all." ［Amelia］
"That's right! We'll only play a fun little game!" ［Yuna］
Or so the girls said, but deep inside Grey and Julius' hearts, they felt an ominous feeling brewing inside uncontrollably. The girls' bright smiles now looked like a devil's smile, even when two of the girls were their beloved girlfriends.
Void of any other choices, Grey and Julius were dragged along by the girls to a certain game they have just recently seen. It was a game Grey was quite familiar with back on Earth.
"A dunk tank...?" ［Grey］
Grey and Julius' faces quickly changed expressions when they saw what their punishment would be. Not because they were afraid to be wet, but because the water inside the tank was also filled with ice.
More severely than Grey, chills ran down Julius' spine as he saw just how cold the water tank was. While he enjoyed taking hot baths, he couldn't say the same for ice-cold ones. He wanted to avoid being drenched in such cold water at all costs.
Worst of all, the game was not a part of the list where one could get a stamp. It was only a game to enjoy with companions and have fun. There was no clear merit for Grey and Julius to play it.
"Nope, not happening. I won't be swimming in that cold water!" ［Julius］
"Julius, where, perhaps, are you going?" ［Yuna］
"Yuna, let me go! This isn't the time for jokes." ［Julius］
Julius quickly tried to turn his back and run away, but before he could even take a single step, Yuna had already grabbed him by the shoulders, preventing him from running away.
While Julius could easily overpower any normal adult, his impressive strength is useless against Yuna who was an S-ranker. He only looked like a child trying to get away from his mother's hold, all to no avail.
"Yuna, unhand me! This could be taken as assault against royー" ［Julius］
"Julius, please～!" ［Amelia］
Julius tried his best to struggle, even resorting to using his authority as a prince, but Yuna didn't let go of her. Julius only stopped struggling when his fiancée pleaded to him with irresistible eyes.
"Ugh.... Fine, dammit! I'll play the game!" ［Julius］
"Fufu, thank you!" ［Amelia］
In the end, Julius couldn't resist against Amelia's plea. No matter how tough he acts, he is soft and weak against the one he loves. Well, it wasn't only him. Grey was also in the same boat.
"Greyー" ［Yuna］
"It's alright, I'll participate." ［Grey］
"U-Un..." ［Yuna］
Yuna didn't even need to ask. Grey already knows that he will give in sooner and later the moment Yuna starts to ask him to. He brought it upon himself to agree without resistance as to not waste any time.
After lining up a short while, the group finally arrived in front of the game, and after paying a nickel coin, they were given two balls per try and the boys, Grey and Julius, were led towards the seat.
The first victim of the punishment was Julius. The very moment he took a seat, he could already feel the coldness from his feet, but he couldn't back out as he didn't want to disappoint and make Amelia sad.
"If you're all ready, you can start whenever you want."
""""Yes～!""""
The girls smiled in unison as they agreed to the staff's words. Now, other than the literal chills Julius got from the cold water below him, he also felt another type of chill once again run down his spine as he saw the girl's smile.
"Haap!" ［Eliza］
Splaaasshhhh
A huge splashing sound echoed all over the area as Eliza's shot accurately hit the dead center of the target, making Julius fall from his seat and enjoy a nice cold bath in icy water.
"Cooolllldddddd!" ［Julius］
Julius' scream came soon after the splash as he felt the real coldness of the water. The chills he felt from his feet before was just the tip of the iceberg. The water was much, much colder than he had anticipated.
Worst of all, that was still Eliza's first shot, she still had another one two go. After her would be the other girls, with Amelia being the last one. With ten shots in total, Julius was also dunked in the tank of icy water ten times over.
The very moment Julius' punishment was over, he looked like a wet kitten, shivering from the extremity of the cold. All his clothing was wet and his hood has now started to stick into his face. Thankfully, there was a free drying magic service available after playing the game.
"G-G-Grey... G-G-Good L-Luck..." ［Julius］
"Y-Yeah..." ［Grey］
Julius warned Grey as he headed to the drying area, all while shaking uncontrollably. He was shivering so intensely that even his words were stuttering. He could barely even say three words.
After Julius, it was now time for Grey to undergo punishment. Just like Julius, Grey also felt the coldness emanating from the icy water just with his feet alone. He now fully understood why Julius was shivering so much.
Thankfully, Grey was an S-ranker. With his threat level being so high, it was only natural that his resistance towards natural elements rose higher. It was the only thing he relied on in such a situation.
"Grey, tone down your power to match that of a normal person's, and no using of magic, okay?" ［Yuna］
Hopes were shattered with Yuna's words. Despair quickly followed as soon as Grey weakened his resistances. Even before he got dunk, he could already feel how cold the water below him was.
Splaaasshhhhh
Another set of splashes echoed towards the vast sky as Grey was dunked into the icy water 10 times just like Julius was. Not one shot from the girls missed as the shooting range was only a couple meters away.
It was even worse for him as he toned down his power to H-rank, unlike Julius who was maintaining his strength F-rank. Grey saw life flash before his eyes many times over over the course of a couple minutes.
"I... I'm... N-Never... D-D-Doing th-that... Ag-g-gain..." ［Grey］
Grey swore to the bottom of his heart. Even if Yuna were to beg him to do so, he would say no. If he was to ever do so, he'll just keep his power up. He doesn't want to experience the same hell over again.
"Dry!" ［Grey］
There was no need to head towards the drying area. The urgency of the situation made him aggressively used "Dry" to save himself from the coldness of the icy water. In just an instant, there were no traces of moisture on his clothing.
A refreshing feeling embraced his body as he felt the gentle warmth of the sun once again. It was as if the coldness he once felt was just a lie. He has never been so happy before from drying himself.
"G-Grey... Help me out t-too..." ［Julius］
Unlike Grey who was already dry in an instant, Julius was still wet from the icy water. While the drying service was free, it was not as powerful as Grey's dry spell. Julius was still a little cold.
"No way, endure it yourself. It's your fault for suggesting the competition in the first place." ［Grey］
"Y-You cruel basta-tard..." ［Julius］
Unfortunately for Julius, Grey did not heed his request. The latter wanted to get back at him, not only because of the punishment, but more so because his date with Yuna had become completely ruined.
If there was anything Grey was thankful for, it was that not only him and Yuna, but the others also enjoyed the day as well. After all, they could just reschedule a date whenever. It was different from spending their limited time with friends happily.
"Som where are we going nー" ［Grey］
『Mater, Mistress, be careful! I detect a sudden mana spike!』 ［Sirius］
Grey and Yuna's worst fear came to be with Sirius' sudden warning. There were large traces of urgency and seriousness evident on Sirius' voice as she gave her warning, obviously worried for Grey and Yuna's safety.
""Barrier!"" ［Grey and Yuna］
BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM
Not long after Grey and Yuna erected a large-scale barrier, an ear-deafening explosion rang throughout the whole capital, painting the sky red and black as large columns of smoke and fire rose from the ground.
CHAPTER 106 END