Chapter 173


    Reds strike grazed the left side of my face and pieced the wall behind me. This guy was a martial artist whose skill exceeded my CQC system. Three times they showed an opening that I always took, and left myself open to attack. It would be disadvantageous for me to continue this fight like this I took out the >M84 shbang< from my waist pouch and pulled the pin with one hand.


    I tossed it between me and Red, allowing it to explode midair fully aware Id be caught in it as well.


    Red let out a confused voice as I activated the light-shielding and noise-canceling function to reduce the effects I felt myself. They would not negate them but it shouldve been enough for me to mount a counterattack.


    Our gazes locked before the explosion and then the sh and noises came.


    Gyaaa!


    The alley was filled with blinding shes and ear-piercing bangs as well as Reds scream. I have been affected to a lesser degree thanks to the functions I activated that acted simrly to how they did within the game. It ap[peared that the status ailment also affected the inhabitants of this world differently to me. shes and explosions of the like affected them as they would a regr human, whereas I got the experiences to how they affected me in the game. And if it could be reduced to this much, itd be interesting to see how I could further use this within CQC.


    I directed the Welrods muzzle to Reds abdomen, and with the remaining five rounds, I ced two in his abdomen. He doubled back due to the pain.


    Hii, hii, I, is that what you hide behind the mask, you monster


    Monster?


    Taking note of his remark, I wondered if it was because he was still affected by the shbang. Wait That punch was meant to destroy my mask?


    I noticed my mask on the ground burning.


    In other words, Red saw it now. The avatars face-paint; cloudy white lidless eyes, skinless face, and burn marks around the left eye. Since there was no skin, the facial muscles were exposed and the forehead was burned and bald. Well, it didnt matter that much. In fact


    Look at my face all you like.Youare about to die.


    His movement stoppedpletely as he knelt from the damage. I ced the muzzle to his forehead. With this, the clowns were


    Stay away, monster!


    I caught the tall guy thrusting his spear right beside Reds head. How did he recover from  No, it didnt matter, He would not be fighting long.


    I jumped up, then used the nearby wall as a foothold to leave higher than Tall could reach with his spear. The alley walls belong to 3 and 4 story buildings. By alternating between them, I maintained a 7-8 meter height. I aimed down and shot twice. The first round was blocked but the second hit him in the >vicle< and that immobilized him. I kicked off one more wall and unloaded myst round into his head. He fell silent afterward.


    I confirmed his death when his blip disappeared on the map. There was noing back from that.


    Inded in the alley and turned to Red. He red at me while trying to stop the bleeding in his stomach with his hand. However, I noticed more blips approaching our position.


    I heard an explosioning from there!


    Close the door to the store tight!


    Send a messenger to the Deputy Leader! Knights to the front, mages to the back!


    Apparently, the Fourth Knights, whose task was to defend the Royal Capital, had begun to father. I put the now empty Welrod back in its holster at my waist and pulled out the AS_VAL and took of the safety.


    Now, all six clowns were down. Blue was unconscious, so lets neutralize Red, thest one, then collect the stone and leave. As for Koti Its a hassle so the Knights can handle her. With how the battle intensified, I barely remember how Koti and the box were still in the garbage


    Dogon!


    The box lid was kicked from inside with great force.


    Both I and Red turned to it as something seemed to struggle its way out of the box It was Koti. My sound sensor picked up her voice


    Its dark-nyaa-! Smelly  nyaa!


    Then she stopped crying for a moment as a jet of pushed ou. Kotis head popped out soon enough.


    I, I finally got out Nyaa?


    She looked around despite the odor and stiffened.


    Why, of course. There were the corpses of Baldy and Afroying next to it, with Fatty just across from them. Then, theres this person with a zombie-like face and an ugly clown bleeding from his stomach.


    Wha-What is going on here, nya? Where is Shaft-nya, and the stone ?


    The great mana stone was covered in sewage since the box was not covered with water summoned from Koti. It messed up the packing and caused the foul odor to spread It couldnt be helped, but I needed her to sleep a bit longer.


    Maintaining the AS_VAL in my right hand, I pulled the electric baton and extended it with a light shake. Koti retreated a few steps until her back touched a wall.


    Nyaa


    Perhaps looking for an escape, Koti turned her gaze up, down, left, right, and then on Red behind me. Red also noticed people were approaching and was about to escape.


    P-Please help me! Im being attacked by a monster!


    Eh?


    Red said that while he looked at me sideways. It had been out of my expectations. Should I silence him first? I thought to myself. Then, Koti attempted to use my hesitation to cast a spell.


    ~~~,~~~,


    Would it be the mist again? In that case, it wouldnt work on me. I really should incapacitate Red first, the Koti.


    I took aim with my firearm at Red whod just called me a monster.


    ~~, Leap-Nyaan!


    What?


    It was not the sleeping mist. I turned around and saw Kotiunch to the sky with the wind on her feet.


    I will never forget this humiliation- nyaaa!!


    I could only watch as she flew in a parabolic trajectory into the sky as my sensor picked up what she said.


    The 4th Central Knights are here! Stop fighting now!


    So, theyre here I checked the map and I saw them converging on the alley.


    Help me! I was suddenly attacked by a monster!


    You in the back! Turn around slowly! If we see you chanting magic or activating a skill, well take action immediately! Raise both hands and stick out your tongue, then turn around!


    I slowly did as instructed. The tongue part was probably to prevent magic chanting. I still held the baton in my left, as I was not told to drop my weapon.


    Eh..


    A demihuman?


    Looks more like an undead to me?


    The knights were understandably confused by my face. However, I was more surprised at who was among them. Felix Mendoza of Rafflesia was at the forefront. Behind him was Viscount Cypria Azavour, master of Sazanka. Wasnt Felix responsible for escorting the Royal Family? Did he delegate it to the knights in order to arrest Nekoyanagi? And why was the master of Sazanka here?


    The situation was not what I expected, and Red seemed to feel the same. He stopped screaming and instead, focused on his wound. Meanwhile, Felix stepped forward as the other knights were too confused to act.


    An undead And a thief disguised as clown. Both of which shouldnt exist in the capital.


    As I heard him mutter that, he drew his sword. A faint sh of the sword passed through Reds head. His upper pat of the head disintegrated, whether by skill or technique, I didnt know how it happened as it only left the lower part. When he finished his swing, he shifted to face me. In his hand was not a western-style sword, but it was a sword. Single-edged and simr to my worlds version of a katana. Lightning-like engraving decorated the silver de.


    A tendril of electricity ran through the engraving up to the des tip.


    [Lightning de ].


    A blinding sh filled the alley as he swung. The moment I was about to get hit, I knelt and activated the CBS. My vision became filled with light as the shading function went to work. Thunder sounded out quickly after. The shields energy was halved and the thunder even triggered the sound dampening function.


    It was not over yet as from behind the semi-transparent shield, I saw Felix continue his attack. He closed the gap with what seemed like [Dash]. But he was so fast that I could barely see him. So, I retracted the shield before redeploying it to parry his sword at the right time. At the same time, I directed the VALs crosshairs to a fatal spot under his hair and pulled the trigger.


    Enough!


    However, neither mine nor his attack reached their target. Someone else intervened.


    A crimson sword had bloated his de while the persons left hand caught the AS_VALs barrel. It made the shot fly far off the mark. The person who intervened was the master of the Sazanka n.