Together, the Troupe confidently walks back behind the stage, heading straight for the safe room, with Shalnark, who discovered it earlier, taking the lead.
Alex, still deep in thought, follows a bit more reluctantly, continuing to scan everything with his En.
He can also feel that Jewel is doing the same; their En radius is pretty similar, making Alex feel slightly weird, as he feels Jewel's Aura. In fact, Alex almost feels Jewel's thoughts, or at least her current point of interest that she is focusing on.
Weird... but I need to focus on the mission.
Does Soulmate suspect something? Princess Jewel does not think the Peasant Troupe can be attacked or deceived easily. Realistically, they're too strong.
Phantom Troupe....
Even Princess Jewel is not confident in going against the stronger members. Also, absolutely nothing is supposed to happen, aside from finding the empty safe, just like Soulmate said.
I'm thinking about the risk factor for this mission, Jewel. This all feels a little too easy, don't you think? Via displayed all that advanced information, and this was supposed to be extremely risky. If not through NPCs... maybe through... well... let's just be careful.
Something should happen... you know my gamer instincts just tell me so. This would be the biggest trolling from the system if this were all just a ruse. Something has to change... maybe not now, but later. Anyway, remain vigilant; I don't want to die after finally dealing with that asshole Jason. If we're taking it easy now, we might get screwed.
Princess Jewel agrees!
"You look... suspicious," Machi says, staring at Alex. "You're making me slightly nervous."
"Hehe, what a coward," Uvogin taunts, grinning widely. "Do you want to hold my hand?"
I want to cut it off.
Despite feeling angry, Alex suppresses his rage and continues to concentrate on the scene, ignoring Uvogin's provocation.
As the Troupe arrives in front of the locked safe, a huge steel construct, Nobunaga immediately steps forward and tries to open it.
"Locked up," Nobunaga notes before inspecting the materials used to build it: high-quality, thick steel. "It looks tough. Even I probably can't cut it open."
However, Shalnark dangles a set of keys in front of him. "The guards obviously had them on them," he says, pointing toward two corpses lying nearby.
"How else were they gonna open the safe?" Feitan asks, sounding amused about Nobunaga's naivety.
Alex continues using En, scanning behind the safe.
Immediately, he tenses up.
There is... something behind it... but it should be empty....
"Weird... there are some things behind it," he blurts out before he can stop himself.
"Duh, of course there are!" Uvogin points out in a mocking tone. "The items being sold. Are you stupid, little Hunter? Really, you suddenly went all paranoid. One of our little missions with us, and you're already losing your nerves, Gyahaha."
"Uvogin," Shalnark says, smiling at him, though his expression now carries a mix of fake politeness and clear annoyance. "Please stop it, okay?"
He turns back to Alex. "What exactly is weird, Alex? Since you can use En at that level, you should be able to sense everything behind it. Did you sense something wrong?"
"Yes... I think I did. Look, I don't want to lie to you, but this feels wrong. I'm just suspicious as hell. This feels like a trap. Nothing happened earlier, despite Chrollo's warning, and now it feels like there aren't enough items in this safe. I only sense around 20 boxes inside, all feeling the same. There should be larger objects inside this safe too! Maybe there's a box filled with rigged C4 or something stupid? Even if we are Nen users, if the whole building blows up in our faces, we'll die too."
"Are you stupid? They would never kill their own people like that," Nobunaga cuts in. "You're worrying too much. Maybe only smaller items were being sold? As for the boxes, of course, they use the same type. Do you think they would kill their own just based on a weird suspicion that we're gonna rob the auction?"
"I agree," Shalnark adds. "We killed over a thousand Mafia members. I can't imagine them willingly sacrificing them."
Maybe not them....
"But... were the ten Dons among them? Or high-caliber Mafia leaders?!" Alex argues, questioning Shalnark's logic. "I feel like they somehow knew something was up. At most, we killed some smaller heads of families and a bunch of rich people... maybe they even used this event to get rid of some new annoying political enemies or something."
It could be... someone else too. Like Hunters... or Players?! The important thing is that this safe should be empty. That it's not is fucking suspicious; something has changed. As long as we don't know what and why, we can't proceed.
"Look, there should be only two cases concerning the safe." Alex begins to recount. "Either it's packed full of various items of all shapes and sizes, or somehow they learned about our attempt to steal the items, and it's empty. But neither is the case. Instead, just boxes... also, there are only around 20 or so. Look, this smells like a trap. As soon as we open it, I fear things will blow up in our faces... I fear that literally. I am not skilled enough to sense all the details, but there are various things in the boxes, most of them small. Could be bombs, could be C4, could be anything. Also, some things are hanging from the ceiling... like weird decorations? Like small cards. Jewel, a little help."
Princess Jewel agrees! This situation is strange. This placement looks suspicious. Princess Jewel recommends retreating. She guesses there are no treasures to be found inside.
She also recognizes something similar to her own web-strings, with long, thin objects attached to them. She can confirm that this is most likely a trap.
"At this point, it's almost confirmed it's a trap! Chrollo and Machi both warned us," Alex says, "and now this.... Let's just back off or think of a way to remotely open this thing. Maybe try to break through the wall from behind or something, or tunnel below? Maybe use a decoy to trigger the trap."
"Hmmm, you might be right," Shalnark says, his face genuinely looking concerned.
"You coward!" Uvogin roars, grabbing the key out of Shalnark's hand, who looks genuinely surprised.
"Hey!" Shalnark yells, shocked. "Do something!" he shouts at Feitan and Nobunaga.
"We aren't cowards... why should there be a trap?" Feitan says, shrugging. "You are overthinking things. Maybe just a few items are stored here? Let's grab what we can."
"I agree," Nobunaga says.
Seeing as the two are not reacting, Shalnark takes out a coin. "Then let's throw the coin."
"No," Feitan replies. "The boss gave us clear orders. Take everything. We only throw a coin in the absence of orders."
Alex's instincts are screaming; his SNS is going crazy.
Fucking arrogant fuckers! Idiots!
Alex draws his [Executioner's Blade R2] and steps forward, only for Nobunaga and Feitan to block his path. Feitan rests a hand on the umbrella he carries around, while Nobunaga takes on a combat stance.
"Who made you the boss? You are more than overstepping," Nobunaga says, his expression serious.
Do I flee, wait and pray, or do I risk it, get past these two retards and stop Uvogin?!
Princess Jewel suggests retreating!
"FUCK!" he suddenly yells as he already sees Uvogin about to open the safe. Acting on instinct, he turns around.
"I won't die with you fucking idiots! Wait until you open this thing until I'm fucking gone," Alex yells, running away as fast as he can, not even pretending to care anymore.
"What a coward," Uvogin laughs, unlocking the safe.
"I... I have a bad feeling! Shalnark, he didn't come across to me as a coward in our earlier meetings," Machi suddenly says, her face pale.
"Guys, stop! This deserves a coin throw," Shalnark tries to say, but the safe already swings wide open.
I won't die with these fucks, fuck the mission. I trust my instincts more than I'll ever trust these guys.
With Alex already a good distance away, to his surprise, nothing happens.
Now standing much farther away than the others, already back at the stage, Alex uses Gyo and enhances his vision, looking at the troupe and the boxes inside, already far away.
"See?! What did I tell you?! Coward!" Uvogin roars happily. "The loot is all ours, coward traitors get nothing! Gyahaha."
Still laughing, Uvogin opens two crates at the same time, holding a standard grenade in one hand, while gripping a large red cannonball with a red-nosed Jolly Roger inside in the other.
"Buggy Balls!" Alex yells, almost unable to believe what he's seeing.
Why are they here?!
Soulmate! There are explosion tags hanging from the ceiling! They have been activated! A trap has been triggered. With the grenades and the Buggy Balls, this entire building could collapse.
"What balls?" Nobunaga wonders, staring at Alex in the distance, confused and surprised, his face now showing a hint of concern for the first time.
"IT'S A FUCKING BOMB, YOU MORONS! RUN!" Alex yells, already turning and resuming his sprint, stacking one defensive ability after another.
Sealion's Icewing Embrace!
Barrier!
Ken!
The Troupe, sensing Alex's panic and the sudden surge of energy gathering around him, turns and runs as well. Even Uvogin looks shocked, dropping both the grenade and the Buggy Ball from his hands.
Alex, however, doesn't care about them anymore. He grabs Jewel, pulls her into his arms, shielding her instinctively, and runs as fast as he can.
I fucking warned them. If they die, I don't fucking care.
Reaching the exit of the auction hall, he pushes the door open and rushes into the front lobby. But then the explosion finally happens. Even though he doesn't see it, he hears it, a series of violent, deafening blasts behind him. His face turns pale as a sharp ringing fills his ears, followed by a massive wave of force crashing into him.
The explosion from behind launches him forward, sending him crashing into a stone pillar and scattered furniture in the lobby. Yet, almost miraculously, thanks to his defensive abilities, he doesn't take any serious damage, while Jewel remains safely protected in his arms.
You have received 47 damage (partially blocked by Barrier)
Icewing Embrace durability -8
"Fuck..." Alex curses, rubbing his head as he lies on the ground. "Another happy landing, I suppose."
Standing up, Alex looks around, stumbling slightly as he moves through the lobby, heading straight toward the door now directly in front of him.
The building might be rumbling and cracking, but thanks to his fast reactions, the exit is already within reach, right before his eyes.
Made it! Freedom. Also... are these idiots actually dead?!
Soulmate! Please be careful; Princess Jewel is sensing many presences ahead.
Good thing I'm wearing the mask... but still, should I turn around and go out of the back entrance instead? This place has more than one exit.
With smoke, flames, and cracks spreading through the building, Alex gulps.
Maybe not... let's try it the usual way, okay?
Alex stops the conjuration of Sealion's Icewing Embrace, the icy armor fading away. Instead, he uses Zetsu, feeling Jewel immediately imitate him.
"Now... time to make a run for it."
However, just as he's about to exit, his phone suddenly rings.
"Menchi?" Alex wonders, accepting the call.
"Alex! Are you alright?!" Menchi yells. "I heard a loud explosion!"
Alex sighs. "I want to make a bad joke, but this doesn't seem like the time. I'm alright, so is Jewel. My head hurts, but I can deal with that. As for the Troupe, I don't know; and honestly, I couldn't give a fuck right now... those fucking arrogant bastards almost killed me," He continues to curse loudly.
"Good, listen carefully. I'm outside the building. I just found out because of an old colleague. There are dozens of Hunters outside. There is a huge task force, secretly aiming for the Troupe, but also the Ten Dons. They somehow learned about the events that are unfolding and want to make a name for themselves by destroying both factions. I fear they've been instigated by players. They are led by Bushidora, but backed up by Teradein Neutral and Loupe Highland. It's the team of Hunters that was supposed to only form during the Chairman Selection far in the future!"
"Alex..." Menchi says, looking concerned. "There is an army of Hunters in Yorknew! They've reformed the Pure Paladin Squad!"
Pure what now?!
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