Chapter 25 Part II

    Investigating the Elevator Sabotage and the Next Destination

    After repairing Black Lightning, it was quite late, so Möbius immediately stored it in the fourth dimension because he didn't want to attract any more attention. Having the three ladies around him was enough to draw the eyes of many people. He then went around Paradiso City to buy sweets to fill his new bag.

    Unbeknownst to him, dressed in a suit and carrying a guitar case while following the three ladies, he was just as conspicuous. Many female players pointed him out to their friends as someone who looked like a musician or a murderer.

    Now, the entire city of Paradiso was offering a 50% discount on food because after the Arc Magic Federation took responsibility for the vandalism of the system's elevator, citing it as a targeted attack for wartime reasons. The system calculated the damages at a staggering 150 million Ryo.

    This figure calculated by the system shocked the Arc Magic Federation, as a similar incident last year in another city only resulted in a fine of 20 million Ryo due to additional calculations including an elevator shaft that had to be exploded. As a result, Möbius saw a 15 million Ryo increase in his account, and to improve their image, the Federation announced they would cover the expenses for a 50% discount at all system-owned shops and restaurants in Paradiso City for three days.

    "It's great. I got both a car and money, and I also stocked up on discounted sweets."

    Gumiho said cheerfully. When she first saw the car, she wanted to try it too, and after riding it, the fox girl enjoyed it immensely, especially when jumping over wide gaps.

    "It serves them right. This time the Arc Magic has to pay at least 500 million Ryo."

    Leia said as she looked at the people who, upon hearing that food in the city was discounted by 50%, flocked to buy lots, especially from upscale restaurants. Even though these were expensive, the 50% discount encouraged many to try and see if the food was worth the price.

    "Huhu, let's go have French food tonight."

    The fox mother pointed to a beautifully decorated restaurant. Normally, she didn't consider eating French food much because if the prices were the same, this type of cuisine offered much less compared to others. But today, with Möbius flush with cash and the additional 50% off, she wanted to give it a try.

    "Sure, I'm hungry too."

    Möbius had been buying up energy potions from a player's shop—the twelfth one he'd visited—causing several merchants to close early and sell out their stock to him as they too wanted to take advantage of the 50% food discount. Additionally, Möbius purchased various several components for making bullets, managing to assemble enough components to make one Gamma Mörser bullet before heading into the restaurant the fox mother pointed out.

    The restaurant was decorated with colorful flowers, tables, chairs, and furniture, as well as the dishes that seemed to come straight out of medieval Europe, complete with real gold cutlery to ensure the food's taste didn't change after being scooped up. The menu featured a single small piece of grilled meat exquisitely garnished with multi-colored sauces and grilled vegetables, each plate costing 5,000 Ryo.

    Understandably, the two foxes ordered so much food that the waitstaff was amazed at how such slender figures could eat so much. Meanwhile, Möbius picked at the leftover vegetables because Gumiho and Inari focused solely on the meat, leaving him feeling guilty about the waste.

    "Mmm..."

    Leia fed Möbius a piece of grilled meat while the other two fox girls were momentarily distracted. The young man, preoccupied with thoughts of where to go next since the Arc Magic Federation might soon be after him, ate the meat that Leia offered absentmindedly.

    "Möbius, you're that's not fair, why only sweet to Leia?"

    Gumiho half-joked, half-serious. Although, among the three girls, Leia was the only one feeding Möbius, the fox girl's comment led to a playful rotation among the girls, taking turns feeding the young man. Leia continued with the meat, while Gumiho and Inari fed him the remaining vegetables on their plates.

    "This place's honey toast is really famous."

    Leia mentioned casually, but Gumiho immediately called over a server to order it. Leia appreciated being with people who ate heartily like Inari and Gumiho, because normally she would be full after just two or three dishes. But with the two foxes, she could try many more items.

    When it came time to pay, Möbius nearly fainted at the cost, which was still more expensive than a meal Teppanyaki had treated him to, despite the discount. The high price even earned him another secret mission voucher, which he considered a grueling adventure he wasn't eager to repeat.

    "Tomorrow, let's go to Tanuki City."

    Möbius told the girls as they left the restaurant. He chose this city because he wanted to give the secret mission voucher to the Teppanyaki’s group. The girls agreed, and they went to get the voucher stamped, while Möbius shopped for a new 10-foot futon, also discounted by 50%, like the food, before they all retired to a hotel for some rest.

    The next morning, Möbius woke up surprised because there were no issues with fighting over sleeping spots anymore. Moreover, the three women seemed much closer than before, prompting him to ask what had happened, especially since he was only absent when he had been unconscious in the underground dungeon.

    “What happened while I was out?”

    “It was a heart-to-heart talk among us women. If you want to know, you’ll have to open us up to in return.”

    Inari said, playfully circling her finger around the collar of her kimono, causing the young man to blush and quickly turn his face away.

    “Uh... let’s get going.”

    Möbius, visibly flustered and trying not to focus on Inari's fingertips, hurriedly suggested they leave the hotel quickly. However, as they stepped outside, they were confronted by a large group of about 40 people, all bearing the emblem of the Arc Magic Federation on their chests, clearly looking for trouble with Möbius. Gumiho, leading the group, asked them to clarify their intentions.

    “What do you want?”

    “We just want to invite you to our headquarters. Just come along nicely, little girl.”

    The man at the front of the group said, his demeanor aggressive. Since they were all above level 50 and there were 40 of them, it seemed impossible for one seemingly weak man and three beautiful women to resist.

    “Sorry, but we really can’t spare the time right now.”

    Inari politely declined, standing beside Gumiho, but it was clear that a polite refusal wouldn’t work with this crowd.

    “Just come along quietly. Don’t make us use force.”

    The same man said, now visibly irritated and perhaps envious of Möbius for being surrounded by such beautiful women.

    “Bringing this many people, you never intended to talk nicely in the first place, did you?”

    Leia said, her tone flat and her gaze dismissive, not showing any fear towards the group of over 40 men.

    “You...!!!”

    That man raised his voice loudly, startling Gumiho, his fists clenched as if he was about to strike the petite girl at any moment. But just then, a man who had been following behind them spoke up loudly.

    “You said you want to use force?”

    Möbius slowly stepped forward and signaled the girls to step back. Dressed neatly in a suit, his right hand holding a large guitar case, he faced the group of 40, who were all about ten levels above him, like a lone termite facing many. But as they locked eyes with Möbius, the group felt an immense pressure emanating from the man before them.

    “Yes… and don’t even think about fighting back. We are 40 strong, all above level 50.”

    The apparent leader tried to intimidate Möbius with numbers and levels, but Möbius merely scanned each one quickly, his gaze icy cold, showing no fear.

    “You think... this number of people... is enough?”

    Möbius spoke slowly, his voice rising, amplifying the pressure felt by the Arc Magic Federation group, making their bodies feel heavier.

    “We are one of the three great federations, the Arc Magic Federation. We’ve never been afraid of anyone.”

    Even the leader was starting to feel uneasy. He had been playing this game for a long time and he had never encountered anyone who could exert such immense pressure that seemed to physically weigh him down before.

    “Boss, this doesn’t look good. Didn’t the intel say he was below level 40? But this pressure, what is this?”

    A subordinate, standing behind, was also beginning to panic. Initially thinking this would be an easy job, it was clear now that it wasn't. Möbius’s demeanor, dress, and posture did not suggest a novice player at all. Suddenly, the young man smiled and proceeded to do something completely unexpected.

    “Heh heh heh heh heh... Hahaha!!!... A great federation, and you send just this many to invite me...”

    Suddenly, the previously calm Möbius burst into maniacal laughter, startling the group in front of him.

    “Boss, what do we do? This has to be above level 80 for sure. We can’t handle this pressure much longer.”

    The subordinates gritted their teeth to withstand the overwhelming force, which only intensified as Möbius laughed, making it feel like the air around them was crushing them.

    “Contact headquarters quickly about what to do next...”

    The leader, now terrified of Möbius, quickly ordered his subordinates to call for backup but before he could finish speaking,

    How ridiculous!!!”

    Möbius shouted at the top of his lungs, his pressure suddenly spiking so much that the lower-level subordinates fell to the ground, and even the higher-level ones in front seemed to feel faint.

    “Hey, calm down, if you get more marks on your record, it won’t be good.”

    Gumiho handed Möbius a blue potion, hoping to calm him down after he drank it. The mention of 'record' referred to the game recording that a player had killed another—if one had a high enough count, it could lead to penalties by the system. But if the target was unaware as when Leia killed the auntie who cut the queue, the system didn't count it because there were no witnesses.

    “Yeah, don't get too angry, or it'll end up like in Hagen City.”

    Leia offered Möbius another blue potion, referring to a mysterious explosion that had destroyed a building belonging to the Shield and Sword Federation. She made an offhand comment not realizing Möbius might have been involved in that incident. The young man took the blue potion and drank it coolly.

    “Let’s get out of here fast, before he runs out of potion and can't control his temper.”

    Inari said to the group, her tone sincere yet filled with pity.

    “Boss, if he’s this confident even when we surround him, he must be level 80 or higher, let's back off.”

    A subordinate, who was barely standing, urged their leader to follow the fox mother's advice.

    “No, if I succeed here, I’ll get promoted to replace Hatsad.”

    The leader, believing his position was more important than his life, stubbornly drew his weapon and aimed it at Möbius.

    "You're brave, it seems we really have to use this then."

    However, the young man, unfazed by the weapons before him, moved his large guitar case to the front—an object that had intrigued the Arc Magic Federation members, who wondered why he needed such a big case. Suddenly, the pressure increased so drastically that even the group leader had to kneel, as did his subordinates, while the ground beneath them began to crack from the immense force.

    "Wait!!!... We apologize... you can go."

    The leader quickly said, thinking Möbius was about to use a fearsome weapon from the case—possibly the one responsible for the mysterious explosion.

    "If you had been reasonable from the start, there would have been no problem."

    The young man placed the guitar case beside him again and smiled coolly at the group. Then, as if it were all an illusion, the intense pressure dissipated. The federation’s members, those still conscious, quickly dragged their friends away from Möbius and the three women, who walked through the center of the group without a hint of fear. Once on the road, Möbius discreetly brought out Black Lightning from his right hand, shielded by the women, and they immediately drove out of the city.

    "We need to report back that we shouldn't mess with them again; they might be level 100 or more."

    The group leader, believing he had narrowly escaped a severe justice from Möbius, watched the black car drive away with a heart full of fear.

    "Ha, ha..."

    Möbius, now letting Black Lightning drive itself, was sweating profusely as if he had just taken a bath. He had overused Grativa to create a false sense of pressure by increasing the gravitational pull around the Arc Magic members, causing them to faint from a blackout due to increased gravity that their bodies couldn't handle.

    Unaffected himself, as only the tips of his shoes were within the range of this ability, there were moments he nearly ran out of strength, but thankfully, the girls discreetly passed him a blue potion to drink.

    "Heh... good thing they're fools."

    Leia, moving to sit at the back with Gumiho, laughed a little as she spoke about the unlucky group.

    "Today, you were really clever to think of this method, Möbius."

    Inari complimented the man who was catching his breath. Perhaps he was more cunning than a real fox.

    "Wuu... so does this mean we can't go back to enjoy the delicious foods in Paradiso City?"

    Gumiho sat in the backseat, tears welling up in her eyes, muttering softly as the black car sped towards their next city.