"This is Lucian Joseph de Argyll, Second-Class Tax Officer. Although I haven't inherited my title yet, I currently have a formal position. Please note this and remember to address me accordingly, former Baron Alphonse de Sade. By the way, you have now lost your nobility, therefore your [Baron] and [de] titles are superfluous."
The overt mockery from the Second-Class Tax Officer and future Count not only immensely irritated his old schoolmate and underlings, but also made the elves who were opposed to him equally disgusted by his triumphalism.
"Idiot noble."
The little girl, who was characterized by her uninhibited words, quietly spat out a sarcastic comment agreed upon by 99% of the crowd. Somehow, an incredibly sharp-eared neurotic was able to use his 'Teasing Capture' ability and heard the girl's comment that was supposed to be only heard by the hulking companion next to her and herself. Such a comment was overheard by the very person who was basking in satisfaction.
"Flame Wing!!!"
The contorted face changed direction and quickly chanted a spell. The tiny sparks caused by the collision of condensed mana instantaneously expanded into a firebird the size of a horse. With a sharp cry, the firebird, its flaming wings flapping, charged towards the girl who didn't have time to react. A young woman, who seemed like the girl's older sister, threw the small body under her own in an attempt to shield her from the terrifying heat.
The beak, claws, and wings of the massive firebird were all composed of lethal high-temperature flames. Even a mere touch was enough to set both the elves and the carriages ablaze, everything would be reduced to ashes amidst the blazing flames—a cruel and brutal scene only existed in some people's imagination.
The firebird might seemed incredibly fast to the residents of Welt, moving at a speed of approximately 360 kilometers per hour. But in the face of the sub-light-speed particle beam moving at 300,000 kilometers per second, it was as stationary as a fly in mid-air. The same piercing and vaporizing process that affected the lava golem controlled by Sade also affected the firebird. All that was left was a pillar of light reaching for the sky and the dispersing remnants of the fire sparks.
"Freya, you're nowhere near good enough at teasing. You need more practice. If it were me, I would be more polite. At least I would say something like— [Nobles? The only things associated with them are idiocy and syphilis]. Merely calling someone an idiot can be interpreted as an insult, you know. All the idiots in the world would be heartbroken."
"I see, I get it... But why does that joke feel so old! And your version sounds more like an insult, right?! Just how cryptic do you intend to be, you king of acidic tongues!"
Before she had time to feel the joy of survival, Freya was immediately overwhelmed by Li Lin's inappropriate mocking, making her start a headache-inducing dialogue.
Both in terms of mockery and acerbity, Freya had attributed Li Lin with the title of [King]. Unaware of this [honor], Li Lin had long since incorporated Blade Wing into his body. With a faint smirk to the disturbed girl, the cold mechanical emotion in his face re-emerges, as he coldly mocks the bewildered Tax Officers and soldiers. The magicians whose equilibrium was instantly taken away by the boy could only lower their heads in fear after casting a brief glance.
"I presume that old schoolmates who meet again after a long time must have lots to reminisce about. However, my companions and I have no interest in participating in such shallow disputes that we could predict, even without direct involvement. Petty time-wasting affairs should end as quickly as possible. Blocking our way home for so long is rather overbearing."
With his optical camouflage deactivated, four sharp and luminous crystals floated around Li Lin. Their angular and semi-transparent texture reflected light in a way that emphasized their crystalline beauty, yet the murderous intent concealed under such beauty sent shivers down one's spine. They were pointed at the trembling enemies surrounding him.
"Mr. Tax Officer and soldiers, just as you have the right to collect taxes, I hold the power and duty to resist unreasonable charges. There's no hard feelings between us. It's just your bad luck that you have an unintelligent superior and that you accidentally ran into me... In your next life, remember to be a good farmer."
He twisted the corners of his mouth upwards, mocking as if he was preaching. As the [Accompanying Attack Unit] lit up its propulsion and adjustment lights, the unit darted up into the wilderness sky before any surprised shouts could be made. The tip of the accelerated particle beam aimed at each frightened target. The final images of the victims surrounded by a red [Lock.On] light halo flashed in his rapidly calculating mind.
Crack-!!
A snap of the fingers pulls the trigger of slaughter, raining down particles like fierce downpour. The sensing operative weapon, reduced in output power so as to enable continuous firing, opens up a dense barrage of fire. Humans bathed under this barrage crumble like sand sculptures in a fierce storm, leaving behind only pinches of scorched ashes as the remnants of their existence in the world.
"This farce is truly over."
Standing on the stage and looking at the ashes dancing in the wind, the protagonist who played out the final act of the bloody spectacle made a concluding statement that carried a certain icy sharpness.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Time for the narrating mini-theater
Nidhogg: I´ll go first this time. I, the magic-skilled Black Dragon, will clear your doubts about runes! "Rune" probably originates from the Gothic word "runa", meaning "secret whisper". Later, it was applied to a set of characters used by the Norse or Germanic people, and these letters were initially used for magical purposes!
Li Lin: Well, then explain the scientific side of the weapon too.
Nidhogg: No, it's better for the sarcastic Li Lin to explain this to everyone... Also, why are you wearing a mask today?
Li Lin: The companion attack unit is a battle unit controlled remotely by wireless means - simply put, this is what it is. Compared with wired combat units, the companion attack has a larger radius, greater flexibility, and no issue with the number released within the range that the operating system can handle. However, the most important part is that, apart from the highly technical wormhole weapons, only companion attack units can perform an all-range attack (AllRangeAttack), that is, coordinated attacks launched from different angles in three-dimensional space by several attack units. Wired combat units, constrained by quantity and cabling, can only perform pseudo-all-range attacks within two-dimensional space at most.
Nidhogg: So, it's a cheat tool like the floating cannons (FUNNEL) in GUNDAM? Could it be that Lord Li Lin is actually an NT?
Li Lin: My companion attack unit, F.A.U, stands for Followsand.Attack.Unit, and unlike the simple accessorizing floating cannons, the F.A.U is synthesized and assembled by nanomachines within my body. Driven by my brain waves, it serves as a weapon much like a duplicate of myself. Apart from its primary attack function, it also has optical camouflage capabilities and detection functions. The nanomachines that make up the F.A.U function to collect information from the surrounding environment and change their shape or color to blend in seamlessly with the environment. They can also collect different types of information, such as sound, light, electricity, heat, etc., and sometimes serve as a means of communication and surveillance.
Nidhogg: Oh, it is indeed the prime example of scientific power! Are all the weapons of the scientific world so monstrous? But why do you wear the mask today? Is there a necessary connection? I still do not understand!
Li Lin: Because you are still a child...
%%%%%%%%%%%%%
PS: Readers who like this book, please cast your recommendations. Thanks in advance! Both the bullet screen and the recommendations for this book are too thin... What is going on the starboard side?