Earth: The Second

Threat

“What the hell are those people doing!” Udeka screamed angrily at the result of the fight between Adma and Udeka. After he excitedly thinks that his hired man will prevail, Boss ends up the one who is laying on the ground. Along with his defeat, Udeka’s confidence went downhill. His best men from the guild can not win against that man, and even his soldier showed that they are no match for him.

Udeka gnawing his handkerchief, extremely annoyed by this result. In his mind, he always imagines what the artifact would be like if he is the one who wears it. He keeps imagining himself being the ‘Man in Iron’ who is invulnerable to any type of attack.

“And yet, those commoners can’t even do their job properly! What the hell is ex-King of Mercenary!? The best adventurers? They make me puke!” Udeka screamed again, and make his expensive handkerchief almost ripped in half.

“My Lord, it’s dangerous here, we should evacuate immediately!” plead his head butler who has always been with him since the Adma’s attack started.

“Don’t give me that crap! That artifact is worth more than this entire mansion! It may even become my way to become a king!” screamed his master. Again, Udeka leered at that ‘Man in Iron’. He has been standing at the front door for some time now. Would he start to come inside the mansion?

Suddenly, an idea comes into Udeka’s mind. 

“I get it! If he is going to come inside, why don’t I take him on myself!” Udeka screamed happily, he leaves the window and heads toward one of the corridors. On the walls, an ornament of morning star maced was hanged, together with a shield and sword. Udeka takes the mace and the shield in a hurry. There is supposed to be armor too somewhere, but Udeka knows that his body won’t fit inside it. 

“My Lord, don’t tell me that… You are going to take him yourself!?” the head butler showing a heavy disapproving look. Sweat can be seen on his forehead as he panicked about the attack that suddenly happened.

“Stop giving me that look! I have to get that Artifact no matter what!”

“But what can you do? Our men are taken down easily!”

Udeka smiled, in his mind, he can only imagine what it will be if his plan went well.

“This is my home, and he is planning to get me. Of course, I know this place better than anyone! I’m going to hide, and hit that man when he did not expect it!” replied Udeka. His head butler just stood in silence hearing that strategy. He can only think how childish that strategy is, and the warrior that is called ‘Man of Iron’ definitely has more resilience to fight against that single piece of mace.

Trying to keep his butler image as good as possible, the head butler trying to convince his master to just take the alternative solution.

“With all respect my lord. Taking that man right now would be very difficult. As you can see, our best men just barely win, and we don’t have any reinforcement at this time. I suggest for you to evacuate.” asked the butler.

“Coward! Nonsense!” screamed Udeka angrily. He almost swung his mace to punish the butler, until a sound across the room stopping him.

“Lord Duke, you are the one that being nonsensical over here!” 

a voice of women caught their attention. When they turned around, they can see Kaina, one of the Black Claw’s members.

“You!?” Udeka screamed with his finger pointed. “Why are you doing here!? You are supposed to catch that bastard, and bring them to me!” screamed Udeka, to which Kaina just replied lazily.

“It’s no use, Boss just lost the battle and fainted. He is the one who can handle that giant sword, and without it, it will be hard to chop down that man’s arm and leg,” Kaina paused a moment, then slowly approaching the two of them.

“Besides, Boss is the type that hoarding revenge after he was defeated. when he woke up, the only thing that will come to his mind is training, so he will be able to win against Adma in the next fight. It would be a problem if we are the ones that defeat his target.”

From the back, Kaina showed a roll of rope, to Udeka and his butler.

“That is why we struck a deal with the ‘Man in Iron’. Please be obedient and went along with us,” asked Kaina.

***

Previous minutes before Black Claws and Adma struck a deal…

Adma finally releases his grip on Boss’s body, leaving him to fall on the ground unconsciously.

“Report: damages to the back area considered non-vital. Proceed to auto-fix the broken parts,” said Navigator. Adma wriggling his body and focused his energy to fix his broken part. However, this means that his battle capabilities would highly be decreased.

Meanwhile, in front of the door, he still sees two of Boss’s subordinates.

“I have defeated your leader. And you still wished to fight me?” asked Adma. He tried to act tough, at least to intimidate both of them.

The girl steps forward. He seems normal and not disturbed by his boss’s defeat. 

“Your name is Adma, right? The ‘Man in Iron’ that can not bleed or feel pain. Why don’t you just killed Boss?” asked Kaina.

Adma frown, he is still upset that these people are spreading rumors and gossip about him.

“I always thought twice, before I decide to kill someone. You’ll never know what will happen after you took someone’s else life, either for yourself or everyone around you,” replied Adma.

“Even if someone is threatening your own life?” asked Kaina again.

“If the worst situation came, and there are no choices left, then killing is probably the answer.”

Kaina looked at Adma deeply. Kaina is one of the unfortunates that have to spend her childhood on the battlefield. In those harsh worlds, killing or be killed is the only thing that she understands. Indeed that her insight grew larger as she met Boss, Boran, and other people, but the original principle never changed.

“Those thoughts are coming from someone who never lived together with hardship in life,” she commented, which make Adma alert even more. “You are still not late to kill him,” add Kaina again.

Adma is confused. He looked at Kaina, then glancing at Boss’s body.

“Isn’t he is your leader? Why would you encourage me to kill him?” asked Adma.

“The strong eat the weak. Simple as that,” replied Kaina. “If you let him go now, Boss will just keep getting stronger. Eventually, he will be the one that will surpass you. What will you choose?” asked Kaina.

Adma goes quiet. This is the first time he gets chased because of the thing that makes him unique, and definitely not the last. If the letting Boss escapes now, he probably spread those rumors even further, which will lead to an even bigger problem sometime in the future.

“No,” Adma replied. even if he is concerned about what will happen, killing someone is morally wrong in the first place. “I just wanted an audience with the Duke. I’m not here to kill anyone,” said Adma with a confident voice.

Kaina did not answer for a moment, she thought that Adma’s attitude is too naive and he wastes all of the good things that he can achieve with that body.

A little irritated, Kaina turned his back and walked upstairs. 

“Kaina?” asked Boran which has been spectating them all this time.

“You heard him, Boran, he just wanted to speak with the lord. He means no ill wish, and he also beat Boss, fair and square,” commented Kaina. Boran seems to understand what she means and offers help to her.

“Just get Boss back to the inn. He probably won’t wake up until tomorrow,” asked Kaina.

Adma let Kaina and Boran did their job. Boran even showed his gratitude by bowing to Adma, before carrying Boss’s body and sword to the outside of the mansion.

Some times after waiting later, Kaina returned to the entrance. She pulls the ropes which binding the Duke and his butler. 

The Duke showing an angry eye for Adma, while the butler seems to accept whatever fate he will find himself into.

“I’m Adma, or from what people said, I am the ‘Man of Iron’ that had become subject of mouth lately. While this is also bothering me to have to meet you with this situation. I would ask the Duke to come to the village’s plaza, 5 days after today,” asked Adma.

“Blasphemy! You tie up a noble, and asked him to went to the backwater place? You could be hanged for this young man!!” screamed Udeka.

While Adma thinks that hanging his neck won’t kill him, he realizes that nobles are seemed to act just like what he heard. Full of ego, and always think about themself.

“Oh! And you have to hand over that Artifact too! Those are not something for the commoners like you!” screamed Udeka.

“Huh? What are you talking about,”

“Fools! Don’t talk to me back like that! I know what you have been hiding all this time, wearing an invulnerable suit that can protect you from any danger? Those are supposed to be mine! A noble! Not a stink commoner like you!”

Suddenly, Adma’s stomp flying toward Udeka’s face. It’s not hitting him because Adma moved the direction slightly to the side, but the air that coming from it is enough to make Udeka freeze in fear.

“Gosh, what a child, how come a person like you are allowed to control a whole city?”

“Hiiiiii!!!” Udeka squealing in fear, he wanted to intimidate his attacker, but instead, he put himself in a threatened state.

“I know what you have been doing. Corrupting the fund, hiring people for your eternal gain, and also boasting your power to the weaker people. Don’t you feel ashamed by doing that?”

“I-I’m a noble! I have those privileges!” Udeka screamed, but Adma quickly catches his cheeks with his hand.

“Listen to me, fatso! Once more you speak of your privileges, I will tear this mouth up! Five days, you hear me? come to the village plaza, and hear what people want to say!” Adma pushed Udeka until he fell to the ground, where he wailing again, like a pig.

Udeka himself can not think of any words to fight against him. what he can feel instead is a warm sensation under his pants.

“Whoa, he peed himself,” commented Kaina.

Adma is stuck in silence. He knows that he probably let his anger take over at the last threat, but he never expected to be like this.

“At least… The message has been delivered.”