I Obtained the Final Boss' Power

Chapter 76 : Four Years Later (2)

Four Years Later (2)

"I'm asking you. Where are the others?"

Alpher, who had been enjoying his vacation to the fullest, turned pale at Louis' sudden question.

"Well...."

It was hard to answer.

That was because Tyr and Haif, those guys too, had gone on leave and were living it up, just the same.

Alpher, who had been fanatically proclaiming his love for freedom just moments earlier, hesitated the instant he made eye contact with Louis.

"And I didn't let you all out just to take a simple vacation, did I?"

"......"

At that question, Alpher's lips twitched again.

He paused for a while, thinking carefully about how to answer, and then said,

"If you're talking about those guys, they're probably working on the errands you assigned in this area right now, young master. I just finished my part too early, so I was killing time here. The late return is just because the task took longer than expected. Hahaha...!"

Alpher tacked on a nervous and forced laugh at the end, doing his best to explain himself.

Louis, hearing this, smiled brightly and said,

"So they're working around here?"

"Of course! Tyr and Haif. Those guys are actually quite diligent...."

It was exactly at that moment when Alpher was rambling.

"Ah, Alpher. That's enough."

"We've been caught."

Tyr and Haif appeared, wearing uneasy expressions as they spoke.

Louis, before grabbing Alpher, had already caught the other two.

Thanks to that, it was obvious that Alpher had lied.

"Just like you said, they were really diligent. The two were so absorbed in playing cards that they didn't even notice I'd arrived."

Alpher, Tyr, and Haif all trembled like prey before a predator upon realizing their lie had been discovered.

Louis, now in the seat of the predator, asked them,

"Guys. What did I assign you while letting you on vacation?"

"In this casino... You told us to gather information about the demonkin and Crown Prince Orbel."

"And to investigate the rumors thoroughly."

"Espionage is our specialty, after all."

Though not the most reliable bunch, they were an intelligence squad cultivated by the Imperial Court.

They were experts in gathering information.

With those skills, they had once helped frame the Seifert domain, Louis' home, as criminals.

"That's right. You guys, if nothing else, are unparalleled in intelligence work. That's the only reason you're still alive. If you didn't have that, I would've left you in a demon realm monster's nest a long time ago."

From Louis' point of view, they were enemies he shouldn't have let live.

The only thing that allowed him to swallow his grudge was their exceptional espionage skills.

"But if you guys don't even do that job properly, then there's no reason left to keep you alive, is there?"

"We're sorry, young master!"

"Please forgive us just this once!"

"We were just so exhausted! Since it was our hard-earned vacation, we wanted a tiny taste of freedom and let our guard down..."

Not doing the job properly meant death.

The three understood that immediately and bowed their heads.

Their cries for freedom just moments ago had disappeared without a trace.

Even after four years, Louis still inspired terror in them.

Honestly, even Louis himself thought he had worked this intelligence squad to the bone.

Four years ago, when he left Paruzan Fortress, he transferred all the promising talents to his own command.

These three were among them, and because of their skills, they had much more work than the other soldiers.

It was only natural they'd be worn down and long for freedom.

"So, did you or did you not do the job I assigned you?"

Of course, Louis didn't care at all.

If they hadn't done their job, he was planning to dispose of them on the spot.

"O-of course we did!"

"We just finished earlier than expected and were killing time here!"

"I know we passed the return date... but regardless, we completed the assignment!"

Only after hearing their response did Louis look satisfied.

Yes.

Only then are they worth keeping alive.

"But it's a bit difficult to report right this moment..."

As Alpher spoke, Louis understood immediately.

The entire casino's security was surrounding them.

From security guards in suits to soldiers in full armor—they were all there.

This was a large casino, visited even by nobles.

People didn't just come to gamble; the casino manager had collected various relics that nobles came to view.

Only those classified as VIP nobles could see those relics.

The manager safeguarded those relics so thoroughly that a considerable military force was stationed in the casino.

"You three are much more boisterous than any of our other customers."

At that moment, a middle-aged man in a white suit and hat strode out from among the security guards.

"Nice to meet you. I am Mond, the manager of this casino. And these are my bodyguards."

With a gentlemanly tone, the manager introduced himself and the four by his side as well.

Each of them carried a sword, and they were the strongest amongst the security staff.

Louis could tell just by looking.

"No matter how much you pay, causing this kind of scene is a problem for us. And on top of that, you've caused property damage and destruction—we can't just let that go."

There were even nobles among the gamblers.

To put their main customers at ease, this situation needed to be resolved swiftly.

"We apologize. We must have gone out of our minds."

"We'll leave immediately."

"Well then, goodbye."

At the casino's forceful attitude, the three members of the intelligence squad tried to comply and leave.

But the security guards barred their path like an immovable wall.

"Unfortunately, letting you leave isn't an option. If you were just any other troublemakers, we'd have given you a beating and thrown you out. But I can't just let someone who snooped into my casino's secrets go."

Mond, the manager, hit straight at the sore spot, leaving the three gasping for breath.

They'd thought they'd disguised themselves perfectly as ordinary customers—but to be discovered like this...

"How did you find out?"

Alpher asked nervously, and Mond answered with a mocking chuckle.

"Until the day before yesterday, there was nothing particularly suspicious. But starting yesterday, you acted like you were possessed, obsessed with gambling—shouting 'I am free!' at the tables. At the same time, it looked like someone accessed our casino's visitor records or information about the relics. That made me suspicious."

In truth, if they had returned to the fortress the day before yesterday, they could have made it back on time.

Louis had come here himself precisely because the three had failed to adhere to their schedule.

Because of that, they were caught by Mond, the manager.

Because they just wanted to savor "freedom".

"Guys."

"......"

Louis spoke, but the three had no answer.

"You know what blunder you made, don't you?"

"... Yes."

"We'll talk after this."

Normally, if it were just troublesome customers, security would have handled it.

But with Mond himself intervening, it meant something more sensitive had been triggered.

"Are you the leader of these people?"

Mond addressed Louis.

Though clearly just a boy in his mid-teens, he spoke like a gentleman...while hiding ulterior motives.

"You'll have to accompany us as well."

"Is this about the property damage caused by these guys? If so, I'll pay for everything..."

"No. That won't be necessary. There's no need to pay money for what you owe."

He was saying he'd collect something other than money.

But what else could they collect?

And seeing that they were being blocked from leaving, it clearly wasn't out of any goodwill.

Mond's arrogant expression as he spoke made that clear—Louis gave a wry smile and said,

"Do you really need to make all this fuss?"

"Your underlings were the ones who caused it first."

"I said we'd pay for it."

"The many nobles present here don't want that. Pride isn't something that can be compensated with money."

The intelligence squad's access of the casino's secret ledger was more than a simple security problem.

Almost having it stolen was a scratch on the casino's pride.

That was why, in front of all these distinguished guests, Mond planned to make an example out of Louis' group.

"Young master, there's no point listening to them anymore."

"Let's just get out of here!"

"With our speed, this kind of encirclement will be...eh?"

At that moment, an invisible force pressed down on the three members of the intelligence squad.

That force, invisible to the eye, was emanating from the pendant around Mond's neck.

"No matter how fast you are, you can't escape this enhanced gravity."

Louis instantly realized that pendant was some kind of relic.

Crushed by the power of the relic, the three's faces were pinned to the floor.

Of course, the intensified gravity also applied to Louis.

"I don't know what your goal is, but you've picked the wrong opponent."

Mond adjusted the artifact to its maximum, further strengthening the gravity.

He was just about satisfied, watching the three intelligence squad members getting pressed until they nearly passed out.

"Huh?"

But unlike the three, Louis was fine.

He even yawned as if it was nothing, making Mond's eyes go wide.

"Is that it?"

"......"

Enraged by Louis' taunt, Mond ordered the security to attack.

The gravity affected only the intelligence squad and Louis.

The security, being unaffected, had a huge advantage no matter how skilled Louis was.

Even a high Expert wouldn't be able to resist this level of suppression.

"That's all you've got, you little punk?"

"Huh?"

But then, in the blink of an eye, it was over.

Around Louis, the guards who had charged at him lay on the ground, bleeding.

Despite the oppressive gravity, Louis had swept through them all, leaving Mond speechless.

"What...what kind of monster...!"

But there were monsters on their side as well.

The four bodyguards trailing Mond closed in on Louis.

It might have looked similar to before, but they were not on the same level as the other guards.

In short, each could take on a hundred men alone.

Even just one of them had wiped out battalions greater than the ones Louis just defeated.

If all four attacked together, then no matter how formidable Louis was...

"Huh?"

One of the bodyguards, struck by Louis' fist, coughed up blood and dropped to his knees.

The remaining three swung their swords in unison, but Louis dodged with ease.

Even under the gravity's oppressive force, Louis looked completely unbothered.

Shocked, the four continued to act like professionals.

No matter how superhuman your reflexes, there are always openings.

One of them barely caught such a gap and swung his sword at Louis' face.

He grinned when it looked like the blade had landed.

But the next moment, Louis caught the sword in his teeth, right before it could hit, and the bodyguard's expression crumbled in despair.

Crunch!—

Like biting into candy, Louis snapped the sword with his teeth and then smashed one man's head with his fist.

Next, he shattered another's knee with a joint kick, and finished off the rest by driving his fist through their abdomens.

The entire force that guarded the casino—enough to rival a noble's private army—was annihilated.

By one man alone.

"Do you think you can get away with this...?"

Having lost all his security, Mond staggered backward in desperation.

"This place is sacred to many nobles. Do you think the nobles will let you off after you ruined it?"

Of course, considering that he'd damaged a casino considered a sanctuary, it was only natural the nobles wouldn't let him go.

With the relics housed here now at risk, nobles who'd been enjoying themselves nearby were glaring fiercely, ready to kill.

"Yeah. They'll have to let me."

But as soon as Louis rolled up his sleeve, the place went dead silent.

At the same time, the color drained from Mond's face.

"Because I outrank all of you."

On Louis' arm was the mark of the Special Task Force, the insignia of a royal family proxy.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Louis biting into the sword reminded me of OPM.

And how terrible season 3 is.

Fuck.

【(⩌_⩌ )】