Chapter 78: Mission update
He stared at the door with the kind of look that showed he was in no way interested in what was on the other side of that door.
He heaved a tired sigh and spoke, "Come in."
The door swung open and the figure stepped in. He was a royal guard, with no helmet, so his head showed.
He walked in and stood before the desk. "Captain, there is an issue," he spoke, his voice oozing with respect that was ill-placed on this figure.
"Huuuuuu?" The captain twisted his face like a thug, brow raised and lips curled. "If there is an issue, deal with it. Why the hell are you coming to me?" he asked, already dismissing the guard before he would say more.
"But Captain, someone beat up your men in town. They disrespected your branch. Every other captain will for sure look at you poorly after this," the royal guard explained.
The attention of the captain was snatched when he heard that. He dropped his legs and looked right at the guard. "Tell me the full situation and hold nothing back." His gaze had shifted. It was more serious and heavy.
"Yes, sir."
The guard replied and proceeded to explain everything that had happened. When he was done, he looked at the captain to see what he would say.
"So you are telling me some brat pulled swords on my men and left them badly injured, and that brat is still in this city?" he asked as he rose to his feet and slammed his hands on the table.
"Do you know what this will do to my reputation if the others hear? I’ll be mocked by those old asses. I cannot allow something like that to go on."
He moved from behind the table. "Get a full squad ready for me. Ready a horse. I’ll take the head of whoever that was and hang it over the gates of our headquarters so that everyone will see and know what happens when you try to disrespect me."
"Yes, sir," the guard barked and left the room, closing the door behind him.
The captain stared at the door for a long time after the man had left, and then he broke into a smile, a smile that lasted for a few seconds before it turned into a full-blown laugh. "I have not had fun in such a long time. This will be very good, very, very good," he said in an eager tone.
[.....]
[A captain of the Royal Guards is now after you]
[Time till arrival: two hours]
[Survive the encounter]
[Reward: 3 Star Flame Spell]
Ken had been sitting in the living room of Grey’s house when suddenly a mission update sprang up. This was the first time since he had gained the system that it gave this sort of mission.
He was stunned by it, but he also knew that he did not know everything about the system, so he accepted it as it came. He looked at the screen and read the contents. A slight frown formed on his face.
He got on his feet and headed to the door, but Grey Beard saw him leaving and called to him.
"Where are you headed, kid? Going out will be unsafe for you."
"I know, but I need to get some stuff in order before the guards come for me."
"Oi, kid, you should really not try to fight them this time," Grey Beard said.
"Do you really believe they will leave me alive?"
"Sigh, I doubt it. Fighting or fleeing would be your best choice, kid, but in the short time I’ve known you, I can say for certain you won’t run," Grey Beard said in a sad manner.
Ken looked at him once and then nodded. "Of course I’ll not run. Running would mean I was scared off. I stand above and will not be scared," Ken declared and then pushed the door open. He walked out.
When he entered the reception once again, he let out a smile. "Haha, a three-star spell. I can finally start using magic. There is no way I’d let that go. Bring them on. I’ll make sure I cut down everyone." He clenched his fist in the air, his eyes shining with eagerness.
He rushed upstairs and found his clothes so that he could change into something that would be far more convenient for what was coming. A simple fitting black shirt and pants, his sword hung at his side from his belt. He tied his boots properly and headed downstairs.
He saw Grey Beard standing at the counter again.
"Seems you are pretty adamant on fighting them, kid," he said in a low tone. Then he pulled something from under the counter. It was a gauntlet. He tossed it to Ken and Ken caught it.
The gauntlet was black with golden trims and shaped to look like a dragon arm.
"I’ve had that all my life and it’s very special. When you put it on, pour some mana into it and you’ll understand what to do, kid. If anything, it bettered your chances of survival." He said and then sat down.
Ken looked at the gauntlet. He could feel how special it was from its looks alone.
"You would give something this precious to me?" Ken asked.
"I have no use for it. I have kept it for years now and just looked at it. At my age, if I wore it, I would suffer greatly, but I believe that you, as a young strong lad, can handle it," Grey Beard said.
Ken let out a soft smile and then spoke, "Thank you then."
He turned and walked out, not yet wearing the gauntlet. He shut the door behind him. He could still smell the blood in the air and see the stains on the ground.
[Time till Arrival: 1hr 40 minutes]
[Prepare yourself and do not die]
"Is it me or do you somehow feel more free the way you speak, system? It’s been changing ever since your last upgrade," Ken said, but the system went quiet. He had no issues with it, though.
He walked and sat down on the ground with his back leaned against the wall, the gauntlet and sword resting on his body as he waited for the time to trickle down. Slowly but surely, it did.
[Time till Arrival: one minute]
The moment he read that on the screen, he rose to his feet. The time had come and he would be seeing the enemy anytime now.
He gripped his sword in his right hand, and in the left, he allowed his hand to slip into the gauntlet. He believed that it would be for defense, but what he did not expect was the type of defense.
[Special Artifact detected. Do you wish to turn it on?]
’Special Artifact? Who exactly is the old man?’ Ken thought to himself. He looked at the screen and willed it, and instantly he felt his mana surge and rush into his arm fast and then into the gauntlet.
The gauntlet hummed and the next second, an ethereal glowing golden geometric pattern formed around the gauntlet. Ken was stunned to see this. His eyes widened slightly.
"Whoa."
He could already feel how to use the gauntlet. He poured a bit more mana and the geometric patterns shifted and turned into magical circle shields. A smile formed on his face the very next moment. This was indeed an artifact, and the old man had it.
[Do you wish to imprint on the artifact and make it yours?]
"Whoa, whoa, slow down. This belongs to Grey Beard. No matter how cool it is, I can’t take it. And also, when did you start doing all this? You have been a pretty quiet system till date." He tried to talk to the system again, but it went silent again.
"Tch, well whatever," he said and then straightened himself. He turned off the gauntlet and gripped his sword in his right hand, his eyes pinned ahead as he began to hear the gallops of horses from a distance away. A few bystanders rushed to get completely out of the way to ensure that none of them got in trouble.
Then, he saw them. More than ten horses rushed his way. They carried a strict formation as they rode at him. In the front was the captain, his eyes already locked onto Ken.
