Earth: The Second

Little Surprise

Both Rika and Adma do not expect that Gon’s first customer is the leader of the Black Claws adventurer group. Reflexively, Adma and Rika put on their guard, but Boss seems like just finished chatting normally with the owner of the shop. Gon himself, standing on the counter just like how he used to, and there are no signs of fighting anywhere they see.

“What a surprise!” Boss chuckled as his eyes meet Adma. “I never expected we will meet again so soon!”

Adma did not answer, instead, he just glaring at him.

Rika seeing the air around them grew heavy and started to worry if both of them will resume their fight. It looks like, the rumor that she heard previously is true between the Boss and Adma. “Boss of the Black Claws? What your business here?” she opened the conversation, trying to avoid the scenario whatever can be done.

“Relax, you can put down your guard right now,” Boss scratching the back of his head, and letting out a big sigh. It is not the first time he sees people being overly cautious about him. “I’m just a humble customer, who doing normal business with the merchant. Did I do something that against the law over here?” Boss speaking with a mocking tone. As he gazes right to the shop owner, Gon finally joining the conversation.

“According to the Kingdom Law fourth article, registered merchants across the city have protection to conduct their business however they want. If I found two guys fighting in my shop, I can call the guards to arrest both of you,” now, he is glaring at Adma. “Of course the first person that started the fight will be considered the guilty one,” added Gon.

Can not do anything about that, Adma relaxing his guard a little. But he feels that it is dangerous to come near the counter, as he just leans his back near the exit. On the other hand, Rika just running past Boss and Gon, to the back of the shop.

“What a beautiful fella,” Boss suddenly commented, breaking the shop owner’s concentration.

“Isn’t she? Took her in three years ago. Not just a beauty, but also a fast learner too,” answer Gon. Both of them are chatting normally, and there no sense of fear coming from Gon himself.

It can’t be helped for Adma to look at both of them with suspicious eyes, after all, he just fights that one guy in front of him yesterday. Adma also did not forget that Boss said that he will not give up.

He also noticed that big thing that Boss carried on his back. It was shaped like a sword, just on a much bigger scale. The whole ‘sword’ is as tall as an adult, with a long handle for two hands. Boss did not bring that thing to their fights yesterday.

“I see you are interested in my Buster?” asked Boss without turning his head to Adma.

“That sword is too big, must be wasting a lot of whetstones,” 

Boss chuckle. “This thing is not to cut anything. It’s for slaying and only that,” Boss giving Adma an example move of how he will use that thing.

“In that case then that is not a sword, just huge chunks of metal,” replied Adma, half-mocking.

Beyond his expectation, Boss just burst out a laugh, and this time is not made up or satirically either. He really laughed out from the bottom of his heart.

“I knew you are always exceptional Adma, but you are certainly out of this world!” he then turning his body to face Adma. “In my entire life and career, no one had ever stood idly when they see this sword or heard its name. Back in my mercenary days, I have killed countless with this ‘Buster’, and without realizing, people around the kingdom just called me a King of Mercenaries.”

“If you’re a King, why to bother being an adventurer?” asked Adma. he wanted this to be an insult, but actually, he is also curious.

Boss shrugs his shoulder. “There is no particular reason. Mercenary kills people, and so does adventurer. Both of my lines of works directly face to face with death, but because of that, I’m able to see many new things that I’ve never expected to exist before.” 

Boss gives Adma a deep meaningful look. Then, he leaving the counter, and walked to Adma. Feel threatened, Adma straightens his back and clenched his fist.

“You should be proud that you are one of them.”

He half-whispered to Adma, but just that. No attempt whatsoever to caught, or attacking.

“Mr. Green, I’ll excuse myself right now. Thank you for the business and the little surprise!”

Boss bid farewell to Gon before he steps outside of the shop.

***

The sound of the doorbell can be heard as that figure leave the shop. Finally, Adma can sigh a relief, and lift his guard. 

“I wonder what had just happened between you two, that makes you guys act like that,” commented Gon.

“Whatever,” Adma replied, still feeling disturbance after this unexpected encounter. He then walked to Gon’s counter. “More importantly, what does he buy from you?”

This time, Gon is glaring at Adma, “Sorry friend, but a business transaction is supposed to be secret,” Gon answers as he folds his hand on his puffed-out chest.

Adma looked at the merchant. It seems like Gon has experience in profiting out from two opposition parties, but he still attempts to sway him away.

“How about this? I will buy your ‘information’ for an extra price,” replied Adma as he handed over four pieces of gold.

“This one ‘information’ is not for sale. I’m a businessman, not a government official that you able to buy off,” said Gon, as he rejects those coins. In the end, Adma giving up on taking advantage of Gon’s favoritism to Adma. 

“So? he finally leaves?” Rika sticks out her head from the back of the shop. Turns out, she already there and eavesdrop on the whole conversation.

“What? Rika? Aren’t you supposed to make breakfast?” Gon is protesting, but the girl just throwing up a bag of meat skewer at her teacher’s face.

“This concludes that rumor of Adma beating down Black Claws is valid! Jeez, I can’t believe you have the guts to take on a group of ex-mercenary, Adma!” commented Rika.

“Wait what? So you are the person that Boss is talking about? The ‘man of iron’ from the outskirt?” Gon half-shouting as he reaches one of the skewers. Hearing that, Adma glare at Gon, and slamming his hand on the table counter.

“Where are the business secrecy statement that you previously talking with proud!?” shouted Adma. even Gon almost choked out of his breakfast.

A moment later, Gon confessed what is Boss’s doing so early in his shop. Turns out, he does not buy anything or any information. Instead, he is selling this ‘man of iron’ information that manages to kill Black Claws members at the village outside of the city.

Adma combed his hair in stress. He realizes what had just happened, and what Boss’s planning to.

“Man of iron? Stop messing with me!” murmured him. “Gon, I need you to do a favor. I’ll pay you even if it’s possible. Keep his word a secret, and do whatever you can to make people stop believing it!” asked Adma, however, Gon shakes his head.

“Boss is not just selling the information, Adma. He tells it free of charge, and the cost that he is paying for is just for us, the merchants, to nod if someone comes and asks about the rumor,” replied Gon.

“...What?”

“There is a huge possibility that Boss already make a deal to the whole city districts about it. Since morning, the rumor about you has already spread widely, since this morning, Adma. He probably used all of his connections last night to spread the rumors,” Rika’s added information stressed Adma more than he can imagine. Turns out, hiding the truth about him won’t make anything better, since everyone in the city is already suspicious of him.

“But what does that mean? Human of iron? Do you can produce sword out of your body, Adma?” asked Gon as he eats the last meat skewer. 

Suddenly, a realization comes into Adma’s mind. the words ‘man of iron’ is too vague for people to understand. Therefore, there are chances that he will able to counter-argument those rumors for another thing that make more sense for the masses.

His attention gaze toward many things that this shop sells. Eventually, Adma found the equipment that matches his size. Leather boots, chest plate, shoulder armor, and the most important: a sword.

Rika and Gon, at first confused when seeing Adma wearing adventurer equipment.

“Hey, Rika, what happened between that man and Black Claws?” asked Gon.

“It’s the rumor that Boss has just said, remember? A man of iron from the village of the city killed two members of Black Claws. Looks like, Adma is the one who did it.” 

Gon’s mouth formed a big ‘I get it!’ expression. “Oh! So that is the point!” 

“Teach, I already commented much time that you are starting to getting old, isn’t it already your time to hand over your business?”

“What the hell? You said that as if I already dead, you rascal!” said Gon. Rika sticking her tongue out, and leave the two of them to the kitchen.

***

After Adma decide to suits up, he returns to the counter and hand over his bag of golds.

“I don’t know how much all of this costs, so I wanted you to counted it for me,” asked Adma.

“Whew, that is a lot of equipment,” comment Gon, as he started to list down everything that Adma wears right now. Adma himself just takes whatever suits the image of ‘adventurer’. Therefore, the random belt on his body and unmatched steel armor is looked hilarious, even on the standards of an amateur. “Are you going to take down those Black Claws again?” asked Gon.

Adma did not answer, he just stares at Gon as if telling him to hurriedly finish his job. But eventually, he answered. “Yes, I did. But there are even more than that.”

Gon lifts his eyebrow, to showed that he is interested.

“I’m also planning to take down Udeka’s corrupt government,” add Adma, with a smile full of confidence.