While the Loki Familia gathered to test the effects of the various elixirs, Allen sat in his shop, stifling a bored yawn. Gazing out the window at the somewhat dilapidated and desolate scenery, he mused meaningfully, "Loki's Familia, and the gods of this city... let's see how you react to things from the outside."
There was no doubt that the sword's perfect synchronization with Ais Wallenstein was no coincidence. It was the result of his meticulous design.
Days ago, Allen had noticed suspicious figures lurking around his shop. By using Track Humanoids, he quickly identified them as adventurers belonging to the Loki Familia. Clearly, since their encounter at the tavern, Finn had not given up on uncovering his identity; instead, he had surreptitiously sent people to keep watch from the shadows.
Realizing this, Allen had intentionally forged that sword, waiting for Ais Wallenstein to take the bait. As expected, the airheaded "Sword Princess" fell for it at first sight and happily purchased it. Before long, the sword's fame would spread alongside her own.
When that happened, both gods and adventurers would know of Allen's existence and the high-quality goods he provided. Even if he wasn't an adventurer, these products would allow him to carve out a niche in Orario and acquire the materials, knowledge, and technology that interested him. Once Vaelastrasz awoke from its slumber, they could discuss their next move.
According to Allen's estimates, he would likely need to use the power of the modified God Tree to extract the energy known as "Magic Power" from the depths of the Dungeon. He would then condense it into a fruit and consume it to further advance his strength.
"What exactly is Magic Power?"
Allen idly toyed with a deep-red crystal dropped by a monster, his face showing a look of genuine curiosity. Unlike Nen or Chakra, which were purely life energies, Magic Power seemed to be something entirely different. Although he could perceive it now, he couldn't control or utilize it.
Is it only attainable after joining a Familia and being 'consecrated' by a god's blood? Or is there some hidden secret behind it?
Furthermore, how exactly did an adventurer "Level Up" and significantly boost their physical attributes? Was it the Magic Power released into the air when Dungeon monsters were killed that the adventurers absorbed? Or did the Dungeon itself possess something like an "Abyssal Law," where constant slaughter allowed one to grow stronger by devouring the opponent's power?
While most people never bothered with such details, the ever-curious Allen wanted to get to the bottom of it.
As dusk fell and he prepared to close the shop until morning, a small figure suddenly burst in from the outside, frantically looking for a place to hide. In just two or three seconds, the little one, whose face was completely concealed beneath a hood, ducked into a blind spot beside the counter. They placed a right index finger to their lips, signaling Allen to stay silent.
"What's going on here?" Allen stood there, stunned.
Before he could even ask, several brawny adventurers clad in armor and wielding weapons stormed in, bellowing in rage, "Come out right now, you little brat! When we find you, you're dead!"
"That's right! I'm going to throw you into the Dungeon and let the monsters tear you apart."
"How dare you swindle us! You've got a death wish!"
Watching these thuggish, fuming men recklessly rummaging through his shop, Allen's expression darkened. He spoke up directly, "Hey! You lot! Where do you think you are? Did you have my permission to go through my things?"
"Kid! We're catching a thief and swindler who preys on adventurers! You'd better shut up and stay out of the way, or don't blame us for getting rough," the leader threatened menacingly.
Since this was the poorest area of Orario, public security was notoriously bad. Robberies, murders, and kidnappings were common occurrences. In this district, even the most honest adventurers would quickly find their inhibitions vanishing.
"Getting rough? Oh, I'm so scared!" Allen's lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
He gave a direct command to his three pets resting on the floor: "Get these idiots out of here."
"Awoooo—!!!"
Accompanied by piercing howls, three massive silver wolves slowly emerged from the corner, their eyes glowing with a terrifying light. Because they had been lying down and were obscured by the shelves, the intruders hadn't noticed them. But the moment they stood up, the innate, terrifying aura of a predator instantly enveloped the entire floor.
"Wol... Wolves?!"
The men who had just been mouthing off were instantly scared witless, scrambling toward the exit. One adventurer, paralyzed by nerves, reflexively unleashed a fire-like magic spell at the nearest wolf, Lupos.
BOOM!
Unsurprisingly, the spell couldn't even break through the defensive Nen surrounding Lupos; it merely destroyed an empty shelf, the same one Loki had cleared out earlier.
In the next second, Lupos lashed out with a single claw. Powered by terrifying strength, the unfortunate soul was sent flying horizontally like a tattered ragdoll. He crashed ten meters outside the front door, coughed up a spray of blood, and fell completely unconscious.
Seeing their companion taken out in one hit, the others were terrified out of their wits and turned to flee without a word.
Unfortunately, Allen had no intention of letting these troublemakers go so easily. He intended to "kill the chicken to warn the monkeys," making it clear to the observers lurking in the shadows what happened to those who offended him.
"No! No! Stay back! Stay away from me! AAAAGGHHHH!!!!!!"
One of the thugs was overtaken by Lupos II and began screaming in terror, wildly waving his sword. However, his adventurer level was far too low to cause any meaningful damage. Instead, Lupos II lunged and bit down, snapping his sword-arm with ease.
This was actually an act of mercy; otherwise, the man would have lost his life. The other two fared no better; neither made it very far before being pinned down and "rubbed into the dirt" by the pursuing wolves.
They likely never dreamed they would encounter such a terrifying and troublesome figure in a place like this. Ultimately, they gave up all resistance and knelt on the ground under the gaze of countless onlookers, loudly begging for mercy. The scene was both chaotic and utterly embarrassing.
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