196 Prank
This started last night. If only I had quickly left the empire, this wouldn't happen.
But twice in a row is just too much, I'm getting fed up.
(Having to thoroughly crush people who just don't get it is a pain in the rear. Didn't they get the message? Or is this the work of another ringleader?)
"Can you make it quick? What do you want?"
Looking at the six again, I spotted a man with a bandaged arm. He must be one of my assailants last night.
"So y'see mister, we're just errand boys. Here to fetch your tamed beast."
An unkempt haired man with a cross shaped scar said that to me.
"Hand it over and nobody's gonna get hurt, yeah? Whaddya say?"
These six men are wearing leather armor. Worn out over long years of usage. It's clear that they're not well maintained.
Every single one of them looks dirty, clearly been drinking this early in the morning.
"Where'd this tamed beast anyway? I ain't seen one."
I disregarded the man and threw a question.
"Oy, you. Yeah you with a bandaged arm. Didn't you deliver my message to your employer? Is this how you're gonna play?"
I asked the man holding his arm. But he didn't reply and ground his teeth with a frustrated look instead, which made it clear to me.
"What, revenge huh. Boring. You were fully ready to kill me, getting killed yourself in self defense would have been justified. Don't you know you're only still alive now because of a whim? I don't need your thanks but at least realize how lucky you are."
"Oy, quit ignoring me! I hate peeps who make a fool outta me! That attitude gonna cost ya yer' life!"
The cross scar man is apparently their leader, talking must go through him it seems.
"...Acting arrogant with nothing to back up, what a sorry sight."
"...Our boss don't care if yer' dead or alive. Get what that means if ya keep running yer' mouth?"
"I only need to check on one thing, did you deliver my message to your employer after last night's failed assassination attempt? That's it."
"Oy oy oy! My stock's gonna nosedive if our boys' blunder got spread around. Like hell we're gonna report that!"
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I focused before the man could finish. He's gonna absolutely attack me regardless if I comply or resist anyway.
Thus I entered Accelerated state.
The cross scar man brandishing his sword aloft has stopped moving. Not even a twitch.
This all due to the sheer difference of speed in the 'World' I move in and his.
I still have no clue what's the mechanic behind this.
Even the term 'Acceleration' may actually be a misnomer and it works on an entirely different 'Rule'.
I don't know but I can use it. Nothing to be scared about. Later on, I might find out about its demerit that ruins me.
But not using this power due to that fear is dumb in itself.
At the end of the day, I have no way of knowing if 'that time' will even come, worrying about that is a waste of time.
I observed the man coming at me.
Pretending to start negotiation despite how short his fuse is, this guy must be a 'useless peon'. A disposable piece.
Otherwise, they would have never attempted doing something like this in front of an inn with so many witnesses nearby.
Just blowing them away here would be too light of a punishment. I was a bit fed up at this point and came up with a little prank.
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The man who was about to slash me had lost his sword. The remaining five men had also lost the swords hanging on their waists.
Of course. I took them up after all.
"!? ...Where the heck! What the heck's happening?!"
The cross scar man was perplexed to find his sword missing.
The rest had only noticed theirs after a bit.
"Oy! Where's my sword!?" "What's going on! Just when did it disappear?!"
"W-where is it! I coughed up a lot for that!"
"Aa, it must be you!"
One of them noticed me and raged on. That was the impetus for a chorus.
"Give it back dammit!" "Quit messing around!" "Wipe that smirk off yer face!"
I threw cold words back at these angry men.
"Oy, did anyone here notice me taking their swords?"
It took them a bit to understand that.
I executed the next prank.
"Wha!?" all the men glaring at me opened their eyes wide.
Of course. They never caught the instance.
Six swords got buried deep in the ground leaving only the grips out.
"Still up for it?"
The five men couldn't move from the fear of the unknown.
But the cross scar man drew a knife and lunged at me.
"Who gives a crap about yer lil' trick! Die!"
"Yeah, I loathe guys like you too."
I wasn't in accelerated state as I caught the lunging man's arm and threw him down the ground.