Earth: The Second

New Weapon, New Strategy

“Noblesse oblige?” asked Adma, replying to words that coming from Gon. One hour before his advance to the Duke’s mansion, Adma gathers every information available to corner Udeka and forces him to change his way of government. 

Meanwhile, Rika is right beside him, she helped Adma to choose sets of armor that fit for a beginner adventure. The types of equipment he previously chooses do not match each other, making him look more like a street performer than an adventurer.

Gon is leaning back to the shop’s counter with folded arms. “Yes. noblesse oblige is a benefit that is given by the kingdom when you’re acknowledged as a noble. Since this kingdom always leaves the government affairs to the people with royalty status, comes the term that ‘everything that has done by the nobles is meant for the kingdom’s glory.’” replied him.

Adma frowns his brow. “Even if what they did are torturing the whole population?”

“‘Glory of the kingdom’ has never been explained, and it leaves to each noble to interpret. Some are brought glory by winning a war, some are by making money, and some are just to paying taxes at a right time,” Gon stopped to look at Adma. “For Udeka, as long as he is able to pay taxes for the capital, and leave Horundah afloat as normal as possible, nothing would happen to his status in this city. But the turmoil that occurred with the village outskirt, is the one that would concern his standing.”

Gon finally walked past his counter, to one of the racks, as if he inspecting the merchandise that he wanted to sell.

“Are you talking about the resistance that comes from the village?” Asked Adma. Rika finally finished setting his equipment. Now, the only clothes that he needs is a mantle to conceal his identity.

“So you’ve heard of it? Yes, the possible uprising that happened months ago is actually one of those things that concern Udeka. Kingdom and royalty hate uprisings, because if it’s strong enough, they would overthrow all of their power that stands on this island. Udeka did his best to cover the previous uprising from the King’s face, hence, securing his position right now.”

Adma scratches his chin, he caught an idea that this is probably an exploit that he can use to confront Udeka. “I understand now. Why he decided to hire adventurers, is so that he doesn’t have to let the kingdom’s army intervene with his plan, and minimize any information that he must report to the capital. Their main concern is not the ‘people’, but the ‘kingdom’ itself!” replied Adma.

“I see you’ve finally got a plan in mind?” Gon showed a smile, he does not show any sense of worry, even though Adma’s action may cause his business trouble.

“Of course. After all, while I reject those children’s requests, I still have obligation to fix the situation of this city.”

Adma retrieves the dark mantle that he put on one of the chair’s shoulders. Sunlight that comes from the window outside catches his iron shoulder plate, and the armor reflecting it brilliantly.

“Are you sure you would not disappoint all of your fans? When they heard about ‘Man in Iron’, they would think of someone with a complete armor suit. But the only thing that ‘iron’ about you is just the shoulder part,” asked Rika. Just like what she said, Adma’s body is protected with a leather chest plate instead, and so does his feet and forearm guard that is covered by a thick layer of leather.

“Iron and steel armor are hindering my movement. They are equipment that is meant for protecting the wearer, where I prefer to charge forward. Besides, the ‘Iron’ part, supposed to mean for something else.” 

Rika responds to that statement with a face full of questions. But Gon is not saying anything, he just smiled to see his person of interest started the move for something big.

Adma had just planned to leave the shop, while he realizes that every piece of information told by Gon is valuable, and probably fetch a high price.

“How much is the cost?” asked Adma. but the shop’s owner just shaking his head. 

“I prefer to saves this moment for the useful prospect. My instinct said that we will meet each other a lot more in the future,” replied Gon.

“Heh, you wish,” hearing that the merchant decide to give the information free-of-charge, Adma put his mantle on, and walked past the door, and heading to the center of the whole city.

***

“I DEMAND THE AUDIENCE WITH THE DUKE!”

A loud and stern voice coming from the mouth of a stranger who just barges into the mansion’s main gate. Around him, lies soldiers that are supposed to guard the mansion. Some of them are still alive and growling, while some have already gone blackout. 

They are wearing a full set of steel armor, but the stranger manages to deliver a punching blow that passing through their protection, and the effect is strong enough to put them down.

“Damn it! Don’t think that you can get away with this!” screamed one of the remaining guards with a thick mustache, he looked at the subordinate beside him, and push him to attack the stranger.

Adma realized that the one guard is the Junior that he previously asked to warn the whole mansion about him. When the Junior guard swings his sword, Adma catches his hand, disarms the sword, and slamming him to the ground with a simple move.

“Good job, now just lie here, so you won’t get attacked,” whisper Adma. The guard did not answer, he just let out a gasping breath.

Now the only soldier left is just the Superior. He already unsheathed his sword, but fear and anxiety keep him from charging to Adma. Either because of his mental state that knew he would never win the fight or the fact that inside of this armor is grow hotter, sweat is coming down from his head, and his entire body.

“You are the last person here. Just make my work easier would you? All I want is just to meet the Duke,” asked Adma.

The superior guard is not answering, but his body already trembles in fear. His sword is pointed toward Adma, but he can not continue his moves.

“Ah...Ahah... Ah…” he is mumbling as his whole armor creates a clinking sound with one another. Previously, he ordered his subordinates around, but right now, he shook in fear that even his armor can not hide.

Eventually, he just froze up. His eyes went all white, and his body falls to the ground.

“What the hell? Does he faint?” muttered Adma. “Geez, now I have to get into the mansion myself.”

Adma just taking the first step, as the huge mansion door suddenly opened from the inside. He can see a figure with a black armor suit and a giant blade hanging on his back.

At this moment, Adma can not be surprised anymore. He knew that Duke is paying them to protect himself. Even worse, these people did not work like soldiers who were controlled by the law, and because of that, they are able to use any dirty trick to inflict the worst outcome for their enemies.

“Adma! Again, our reunion goes faster than I expected!” shouted Boss, as he walking down the stair. He already prepared with his left hand on the handle of the blade. Adma takes a glance at Boss and his ‘giant mauling weapon’. This time, he certainly can not use his body to withstand its attack, or he going to feel the sensation of a steel beam coming to crush him down.

Previously, he does just fine when it comes to stabbing and slashing attacks. Navigator also said that the material on his body is able to heal itself when it comes to scars like that. But the problem lies on if Adma loses his arm and legs, would the self-heal function still work?

Learning from his previous mistake, Adma decides to use a weapon. He realizes that pain is one thing that he able to exploit when he is fighting living things. In this case, a human.

He was able to deliver a finishing blow, such as breaking one’s neck, or set his arm strength to one hundred percent, and rip out someone’s heart. But those are not meant to be his way-out ticket from every situation.

Adma raises his mantle and taking out two short swords with the length of an adult forearm. When the weapon came in contact with his hand and unsheathed. The HUD on his vision showed an icon of two swords in the bottom right corner. Along with Navigator’s notification of newly equipped weapon. Adma’s body was then prepared with a battle stance where he able to utilize those twin swords.

Seeing Adma’s new weapon and set of armor, a smile painted on Boss’s face. He kicked out the fainted soldier guards on his way, and finally, release that giant sword from his back. With one hand, Boss raised that sword up in the air and then letting it falls to the ground beside him.

When the sword reaches the ground, it creates a huge noise of smashing sound, along with the crushing sound that leaves a crater on the ground.

Meanwhile, Kaina and Boran also prepared their weapon, and proceed to walk down the stair, before Boss lifts his hand to stop them.

“I knew you guys understand that an opponent like this does not come every day,” said Boss. “This one is mine.”

A moment of silence after that, Boss and Adma moved at the same time. Adma charged forward with the intention of stabbing. Boss already knew about this, and he swings his giant sword downward with a diagonal shape, right before Adma would reach him. 

Adma’s automatic defense kicked in, as he suddenly threw himself out of the way of the s***h. 

Boss showed a playful smile as he slowly moving forward, while Adma trying to find an opening for attack. From Navigator, he found out that the joints of steel armor are usually the weakest point since they have to be thinned, to help the movement of the wearer. Therefore, the arm, feet, and neck, should be Adma’s primary target.

“Alright, let’s do this again,” mutter Adma to himself. Once more he charged forward Boss, with his arm raised, as if he planning to do a stabbing attack. Boss’s right arm position is lifted, a sign that he will do a downwards s***h again, just like he previously did.

Adma jumped at the same time when Boss slammed his sword, and manage to miss on the blade. Seconds later, he already kneels on the Boss’s behind and thrust his twin swords to his enemy’s knee backside.