Chapter 16: The deal
I turned my head towards the furious voice of Nicolas, spotting him with his vibrant blue hair, an imposing figure leading a group of determined youths. His gaze burned with a fierce intensity, revealing his determination to confront William and his followers.
Wasting no time, I ordered my chip, "Scan Nicolas's stats!"
The chip promptly responded with the numbers: "Nicolas, Strength: 1.6, Agility: 1.2, Vitality: 1.7, Status: Healthy."
Comparing Nicolas's stats to William's, I realized that while both were considered weak compared to me, Nicolas possessed a moral integrity that William clearly lacked. His white knight personality was more interesting, but in the dangerous magical world we lived in, his naivety could easily lead him into unnecessary dangers in the future.
Internally, I thought, "Hahaha... Change of plans... I have an idea. After all, it's much more satisfying to see how far someone will go to maintain their so-called white knight honor. Besides, William no longer has his small army and is alone against Nicolas."
William turned to face Nicolas, a triumphant smile plastered on his face. "It's over, Nicolas... I now have someone strong on my side," he said, attempting to provoke his rival.
Nicolas and his companions looked at me, visibly impressed by the scene around me but also apprehensive about the prospect of facing me along with William.
Before the tension could escalate further, I intervened. "I don't care about William," I declared, my voice firm and determined. "You can do whatever you want with him. Take this opportunity to defeat him; after all, he's alone and his subordinates are unconscious."
William looked at me, surprised and furious at the same time, upon hearing my words. "What are you doing?!" he exclaimed, clenching his fists as he glared at me with hatred. "Didn't you say you wanted a slave?"
I shook my head, disapproving of his petty mentality. "William, unlike you, who manipulates your subordinates by offering them opportunities to lie with any girl under your control, I am not an animal driven by base instincts. I am a scientist," I declared firmly.
As I spoke, Nicolas seized the opportunity to act. "Quick! Grab him, don't let him escape," he shouted, urging his companions into action.
Before they could approach William, my fist moved in a quick and precise motion, hitting him with enough force to knock him out instantly.
"Pow~~"
Then I looked at Nicolas, who was cautiously approaching. "I have a proposal," I announced, keeping my tone calm and controlled.
The group around Nicolas quieted, impressed by the speed and efficiency of my strike. Nicolas swallowed hard as he saw William collapse to the ground with just one punch, realizing that facing me would be much more difficult than dealing with William.
Nicolas stared at me, his blue eyes searching for answers as he considered my proposal. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice laden with curiosity and caution.
A smile curved my lips as I formulated my offer. "I will help you maintain order among everyone on the dirigible," I replied, maintaining my calm and confident tone. "But in exchange, I want what I asked William for."
The faces around me lit up with anticipation as Nicolas sighed, clearly pondering over my proposal. "What did you ask William for?" he questioned, his expression serious and determined.
"I want to choose a girl from all those on this dirigible," I declared without hesitation, facing the disapproving looks cast at me. Despite the negative reaction from those present, I stood firm in my words. "I promise I will help you maintain peace on the dirigible. There will be no more aggression against the weaker ones, and William will no longer be the leader of a gang. You can do whatever you want with him. In return, I want to choose a girl, and we will all live in peace."
Nicolas took a deep breath, sensing that he was on the brink of the opportunity he had always wanted for that place: peace among the youths. However, his honor prevented him from accepting it easily, as it meant sacrificing an innocent girl.
He closed his eyes for a moment, pondering the consequences of his decision. Then he opened them again, seeing that everyone around him wanted him to accept, to the point of almost shouting for him to do so. The weight of the responsibility on his shoulders was as heavy as a mountain.
Everyone without exception awaited Nicolas's response. His closest subordinates, anxious, watched him as if he were their leader, waiting for his final word.
Seeing this scene unfold before me, a thought crossed my mind as I smiled with delight, watching Nicolas struggle with his own thoughts. "What will you choose, Nicolas? Honor or peace?"
Amid the bombardment of gazes around him, Nicolas remained steadfast, clenching his fists in determination. "I need to think," he murmured, his words barely audible amidst the growing clamor that surrounded him.
As soon as the words escaped Nicolas's lips, a cacophony of voices erupted around him, a unified chorus of appeals and demands.
"Accept!"
"Dude, what are you doing??"
"Accept!"
"Just accept his request!"
"Accept!"
"He promised to keep the peace in exchange for just one girl!"
"Accept!"
"This is a sacrifice that can be made."
The shouts echoed in the air, resonating in Nicolas's mind like a deafening storm. The spectators around him pressed Nicolas, literally pushing him to accept. I watched, my smile remaining unshaken, as I observed the internal struggle I had created unfold within Nicolas.
His face began to flush with shame and discomfort, his heart seeming to seize under the crushing pressure. He didn't want to accept, I could feel that, but he had no choice.
I remained still, knowing that the final choice belonged to Nicolas and only to him. And then, after a moment of agonizing hesitation, he finally gave in, the words escaping his lips with difficulty, as if his ego had taken a severe blow.
"I... I... accept..."
A tense silence fell over the group as Nicolas's words hung in the air. His gaze met mine. "I... accept..."
Upon hearing Nicolas's words, confirming our agreement, I responded with determination. "Our deal is sealed!" I extended my hand towards him, a gesture of commitment. "For the peace on the dirigible!" I declared with conviction.
Nicolas sighed and shook my hand, his eyes meeting mine in a moment of mutual understanding. "For the peace on the dirigible," he echoed, his voice laden with hope.
But just as we were concluding our agreement, the environment around us was shaken by a powerful impact. "Boom~~" A deafening rumble echoed through the air, causing the dirigible's floor to tremble violently beneath our feet.
The chip in my head went on alert, flooding my mind with urgent warnings. "Danger alert! Danger alert! Host's body is extremely close to a source of danger. It is recommended to move at least 5,000 meters away!"
My heart raced as I turned around, only to be confronted by a terrifying sight.
In the air, outside the dirigible in the vast blue sky, was a mutant Griffon, a creature that should have been majestic and imposing, now a grotesque distortion of nature.
Its bulging eyes seemed to pierce into my soul, glowing with a disturbing intensity. Every feather on its body seemed out of place, some missing, others tangled in a chaotic mess. But it was the sight of the stitches that really took my breath away.
The Griffon's body was covered in crude sutures, as if it had been assembled from different parts of various creatures. Some stitches were worn, exposing the twisted, dark flesh beneath, while others were fresh, as if the abomination had been recently patched up with parts of its latest victims.
Every detail of this monstrosity was an affront to nature, an insult to what is right and beautiful in this world.
I heard the creature's raspy voice echoing through the garden, its demanding words cutting through the air. "A magic crystal, please! I just need one magic crystal!" repeated the Griffon, its voice resonating like distant thunder.
The air around me seemed to grow denser, filled with particles of energy that filled the empty space left by the hurried escape of the other youths. Everyone had heard the Griffon's demands, but none of them, in their right mind, stayed behind. The instinct for survival spoke louder, driving them to flee from the imminent threat.
Only a few youths remained, unconscious on the ground from the earlier fight, and I, who had moved to a safe distance, observing the Griffon with caution. I knew that if that monster punctured the dirigible's great balloon, we would be doomed to fall from thousands of meters above, with no hope of escape.
As I observed the scene unfolding, my rational mind began to work. "Why is this Griffon asking for magic crystals?" I questioned internally. "Could 'magic crystal' be the name of the currency used in this magical world?" Moreover, I was certain that the mage running the dirigible wouldn't stand idly by in the face of this threat.
While pondering these questions, a black shadow dashed past me, racing up the stairs in the blink of an eye. Its speed was so absurd that even my chip couldn't keep up with it.
"ZOSHHH~~"
A chill ran down my spine as I wondered who or what could move with such agility.
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1603 Words
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50 power stones = 1 chapter
100 stones = 2 chapters
200 stones = 3 chapters
500 stones of power = 5 chapters
- 20 - Golden tickets = 1 extra chapter!
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