--- Akira ---
You know what they say, there is always room to try new things.
Who thought I'd actually try getting kidnapped, though?
Cherry on top, I'm currently cross dressing as a girl!
The lengths I went to for this disguise are honestly a bit embarrassing to admit. I mean, who knew I had it in me to pull off the whole girl-next-door look?
I had to wear Alexia's uniform, and I went all out by crafting wigs from slime jelly to nail the hair aspect of our cosplay. I never thought I'd find myself in this kind of bizarre situation. But hey, desperate times call for desperate measures, right?
Thankfully, [Mirage Veil] helped smooth out the rough edges.
My experiments turned out way better than expected.
When I used Alexia, it's like whatever was blocking the two forces from connecting just vanished into thin air.
It felt like I stumbled upon a cheat code or something, which, I have to admit, added a whole new level of excitement to the situation.
But the best part? It seriously amped up my skill.
Sure, if you glance at it in the System window, nothing seems different.
But in reality – regular Magical Power can't break through this skill anymore.
Sure, I had to loop the glitch over and over until it hit this sweet spot. Who knows, maybe one day it'll be so resistant it even pushes back against my own magical power. But that's not the main deal here.
For those fools on the kidnapping mission for Alexia, there's no chance they'd catch on. That's how I managed to slip in smoothly and switch places with her.
It's kinda hilarious how they bought into the whole kidnapping act, even though I didn't put up much of a fight. It's like they thought they were doing me a favor by taking me away. Oh well, their misconception worked in my favor, I guess.
What can you do with third-rate characters? It's just how they are.
So there I was, dumped in some random hideout.
As I sat there lost in my thoughts, a smirk crept across my face.
I couldn't help but notice they didn't bother assigning someone to keep an eye on me. Guess they thought slapping some magical chain on me meant game over for yours truly.
Now, if I were Alexia, maybe that plan would work, but...
I glanced down at the magic-restricting chains binding my wrists and ankles, a faint smirk playing on my lips.
"Interesting," was all I muttered.
For any regular Dark Knight, these chains would spell doom, but not for me.
Crafting artifacts had been my recent obsession, and with a single glance, I could analyze these chains like I was reading a book.
The deal with these chains isn't that mind-blowing.
They work on basic principles—using restraining magic to suck up the Magical Power flowing through your veins, leaving you 'magically handicapped'.
In a world where everyone's hooked on Magical Power, those chains are pretty effective. Try casting a spell, and your power becomes their snack during the absorption process.
But...
Against me, those chains are about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
The only reason these chains haven't shattered into a thousand pieces yet is that, well, it's an artifact, even if it's a low-grade one. Still, it's quietly racking up damage.
Each time a bit of my Magical Power gets sucked into this thing, the embedded Trait takes a chunk out of it, chipping away at its durability.
If I dared to use magic right now, those chains would probably just blow up on me. Better not test that theory just yet.
Naturally, I made sure to dig deep into understanding how this magic worked. That's the only reason I bothered tinkering with those chains for so long.
My artifact crafting skills may still have some room for improvement, but these chains could come in handy. Only folks with seriously impressive physical strength or some unique magical abilities stand a chance against them, and even then, it's only because they're poorly made.
But what if I put my own Magical Power into crafting them...?
The outcome would likely be one of the best sealing artifacts in the world. I could even infuse some slime jelly with that restricting magic, making it easy to whip up a bunch of those chains for capturing live subjects, you know, for further experiments.
As much as I was intrigued by the idea, I couldn't spend all night pondering over it. I'd already gleaned the information I needed. Now...
I tightened my grip around the cold chains, the links groaning under the pressure I exerted. The metallic scent of iron filled the air, a prelude to the impending release of pent-up strength.
With a controlled burst, the chains exploded outward, the sound of snapping metal echoing through the confined space. Shards of broken links scattered around me, glinting ominously in the dim light.
Shifting my attention to the cuffs that had bound my wrists and ankles, there was only one thing to do. In a fluid motion, I snapped them off with a subtle twist, the metal yielding easily under my strength. The cuffs clattered to the ground, but I ignored it. There was no one to hear it, after all.
Now, there was only one last line of defense.
'Iron bars reinforced with Magical Power, huh'
With a steely determination, I gripped the sturdy bars in my hands, feeling the cold metal beneath my touch. With a slow, deliberate motion, I applied pressure to the iron, bending it to my will. Inch by inch, the bars began to warp and bend, the metal groaning in protest against the relentless force exerted upon it.
Finally, with a triumphant grunt, I succeeded in bending the bars enough to create a gap wide enough for me to pass through.
Taking a moment to size up the room, I scrutinized every nook and cranny with a careful eye, absorbing every detail with a sense of cautious curiosity.
Just as I figured, they stashed me away in some secure spot within the Capital.
Well, I already knew that, considering I only pretended to be knocked out.
And while we're on the subject, I got a good look at how they brought me here.
Anyway.
Time to uncover the mastermind pulling the strings behind this mess.
I activated [Mirage Veil], masking my presence as much as possible. My plan? Start poking around to squeeze more information out of those idiots who thought kidnapping me was a good idea.
--- Alpha ---
"...So you're saying he took down Zenon Griffey while Alexia Midgar got kidnapped?"
It didn't add up.
"Are you absolutely sure that's what you witnessed?"
After getting confirmation, I couldn't help but wonder.
"Yeah, but it's weird. There was no sign of a struggle. It's almost like she went along with being kidnapped..."
That's fishy.
Is that part of his plan?
the Cult needs Alexia's blood because it's got a higher concentration of the heroes' blood. They won't kill her, but they'll definitely try to control her completely.
...Is his goal to lure out some big shot from the Cult?
That seems like the only logical explanation.
Then...
"Delta."
As I called her name, a Therianthrope with black hair and purple eyes immediately appeared at my side.
"Yes, Lady Alpha."
"Go after Alexia. Your job is to keep an eye on the situation and step in only if it looks like she's in real danger. With her distinct silver hair and red eyes, she shouldn't be hard to spot."
I've got my hands full coordinating this large-scale attack, so I can't afford to chase after the princess myself. But if a real powerhouse shows up, she's the only one I trust to handle it besides me.
She's got the strength we need for any situation. Plus, with her sharp senses, tracking down the Cult will be a piece of cake.
They were in a rush, so they didn't cover their tracks well. But for someone like Delta, that's an easy job.
"...Got it! Delta will handle it!"
Good.
I just hope she won't mess this up...
"For the rest of us, it's time to root out those hiding in the shadows. Since Delta won't be joining us for now, Gamma will take charge overall. I'll lead the troops on the ground, with Beta by my side. Epsilon will provide support from behind..."
With a quick adjustment to our plan, I surveyed the entire Capital.
Today marks the end of the Cult's Fenrir Sect, but it's just the beginning.
We'll crush all those scheming in the background, just as our Master intended from the start.
""Understood""
Time to start the hunt.
---
Author's Note:
For those who are not familiar with Shadow Garden, Fenrir(5th seat of the Knights of Rounds) is the one overseeing the Capital and thus his faction is stationed there. Eradicating the Cult from the Capital equals destroying his faction.
As always, I'll be waiting for your opinions :)