CH 72

The city became quieter than the last time I visited, the fact that there were fresh blood stains on the road gave off an abnormal atmosphere.

The adventurer’s guild announced that any hooded residents would be arrested and named a considerable reward, because of that, the adventurers would even incapacitate non-hooded residents, put a hood on them and send them to the guild.

The situation calmed down when Elma-san herself got caught but, the residents that were released haven’t got past their fears, with the adventurer’s guild basically inviting the threat known as RIO to the town, even without my intervention, the town is as good as non-functional.

Just to catch Elma-san alone, the adventurer’s guild sure is making a mess out of everything and causing chaos, all while acting innocent.

A governance from violence, despite so, it is not fierce.

『So quiet』

『Littebuette a bit scary somehow』

『Atmosphere like a outdoors dungeon』

『I heard from the forum but it was terrible』

……I checked the messages thoroughly occasionally. After all, there might be messages from the adventurers about Elma-san.

「Haaa, what a dark town that makes sightseeing alone depressing. 」

Feeling the emptiness on each step, I muttered in monologue.

Without Boss-san who can snipe from behind, and without Flying who I can summon for an escape route, what a discouraging mood.

Naturally, turning the residents into kins are forbidden, the only ones going with me are the viewers.

I was informed to come alone but, assuming the opponents have countermeasures in place for their advantage, I will refrain from doing anything flashy.

「It’s RIO.」

「Fumu, you may pass. 」

By naming myself without using Flesh Manipulation, I was let through the gate without any questions asked.

As I continued walking, an Arabian building came into sight, as if built with the motive of looking like a palace.

『Ooh, ain’t that the luxurious guild. 』

『Other name ・ Marble Citadel』

『When I was still around, the guild was at the southern district though』

『Littebuette has sure changed from before』

『It’s about to change again, mostly from RIO-sama』

『Then do it like a vampire and put a crappy flag on the top of the guild 』

Before the adventurer’s guild took over, it used to be a mansion with many foreign country aspects of a quirky aristocrat.

After the adventurer’s guild stripped authority from the former aristocrat owner of the building, they took it over, and perhaps the design of the building was defense oriented, it wasn’t demolished but remodeled upon several times, and it became an exotic and luxurious guild branch.

Unlike the outer districts that have main streets that allows invading enemies to easily cause damage, the adventurer’s guild in the central district has complicated layouts, making invasion difficult. It was a town structure that emphasized the difference in status between the people.

「Excuse me. 」

For me, it was unlike the other guilds that I have assaulted before, the interior and core position was completely different, just stepping inside was enough to cause confusion.

「Hooh―. She really came to the guild. 」

「Yo, RIO, don’t try anything weird? Your important little hostage is at the second floor. 」

……The moment I stepped into the lobby, the sound of breathing of many adventurers reached my ears.

About ten adventurers, could it be they have just returned from a quest? The smell of sweat awfully reeked, and I was being directed ridiculing gazes.

In any case, there’s a high chance that Elma-san is upstairs.

「Well? Who do you mean by the hostage that is important to me? 」

「Puh! This girl is still acting casually, gehehehe」

「This is where you will get shamed. Kihi kihi. 」

「Better pray for good luck. Buhyahya! 」

……They were vulgar laughter different from Eriko. After this, I should call Eriko and bleach this off my memory.

Still, their expression and behavior showed absolute confidence in their victory, they must’ve been told a victory strategy from the mastermind.

However, it would only be wasting time unnecessarily to spend time with these adventurers that are out of scope.

『This way』

『That way』

『Stop this that way kind of directions please ww』

『Straight, it’s straight forward』

Following the instructions from the viewers that knew the floor structure, I climbed the stairs, and arrived at the door that is my destination.

「It would be good if it’s not a room with several tens lying in wait……」

I confirmed with 《Blood Scent Detection》 beforehand.

「Three reactions, rather, the room depth is unknown. And…… there’re multiple reactions coming from behind. 」

The group of adventurers in the lobby is probably blocking my retreat route.

This is the end of worrying for myself. I busted the door open with a fist and entered.

「……Adventurers there, name yourselves. 」

The wind grazed past my cheeks, the people in the room with moist air that can be smelled.

「【A ranker, 698th ・ Lanusist】. Yaa, I’m glad you’re here. Even though you wouldn’t die here today if you didn’t come, how sad that you’re a healthy vampire girl. 」

「【A rank, 822nd Catcher】. Let me teach you something good, that nothing is good. 」

Fumu, the adventurers that were waiting for me were people I’ve seen before.

Then…….

「Nnnn 」

Restrained by Catcher-san’s arms, there was a young girl who couldn’t move.

Her mouth was blocked physically but, if she could say something, perhaps she would be saying 「Please save me Onee-san」.

「Adventures, what are your intentions to kidnap her. 」

「Hehehe, isn’t it obvious? The vampire RIO that threatens our town, it’s our job to punish her with death as allies of justice. 」

Catcher-san replied so but, it was all written on his face, perhaps because of his self-expressing desire.

「My goodness, as expected of RIO-sama, not making a move at all after seeing this guy here. 」

「Fuhaha. To think someone that can destroy three towns can’t even forsake a child. 」

Pointing out myself that was just standing, they laughed invincibly.

Well then, what should I do. Although it may be best to find the best idea from the viewers, I wanted to be the one to think of a breakthrough strategy myself here.

「Don’t show that hard face. If you don’t do anything, we won’t hurt the hostage. It’s not like you’ll be treated as a sandbag. We will return the unneeded hostage sometime in the future. 」

「In place of that, you will get treated with my debuff magic. First will be from STR. Goodness, it’s so exciting. 」

The adventurer with the second rate looks took out a glowing wand from somewhere.

……I grasped the adventurers’ intentions.

It’s likely they want to degrade my status completely, rather than getting an upper hand, they want to challenge me in a match where I have the disadvantage.

Playing with an unresisting person is stale and third-rate for a villain but, to start a duel with the hostage on the line knowing I can’t wield my full power, it sure is a nasty tactic to breaks a streamer’s heart.

「I mean, I don’t really care even if you make a move? Use your favorite transforming weapon, I’m all welcome. 」

「But that means this girl is gonna die. Of course, it’s all your fault. Even if you blamed us, you’re looking for the wrong guy. 」

「Like Lanusist said, no matter how many times you kill me, everything and anything is all your fault. I’m not to blame at all, gihihihihii! 」

Fumu fumu, saying that I’m the one that killed her if I went against them? Even though they are the one doing the act, what a strange story.

With lines of sophistry, the courage to justify killing an innocent girl, that’s beyond me.

I should praise them. The effort to try filling in the gap between themselves and someone much stronger is worth a big red 0 scribbled on their face.

It’s the viewers’ role to condemn acts like this.

『Fiends』

『Cowardly』

『Interpretation) if you don’t value her life, then fight us』

『Adventurers sure have fallen a new depth』

『How much do they intend to torment RIO-sama!』

『What shits they have to be to one-sidedly hit a girl』

『Elma-chan was kidnapped by people like these』

『Elma pitiful……』

Well, it’s up to here that I listen to the adventurers’ nice story.

This is where the gambling time starts.

Choosing a long range attack, I changed into the machine gun.

「Three seconds. That’s enough time to decide your fates. 」

Saying so, I prodded for their reaction while holding the fully transformed weapon.

「Aa~ah, good graces. 」

One second……. Catcher-san shrugged his shoulders and took out a mace-like weapon.

「I will kill her!? I’m killing her now! Yeah, she’s definitely dead now! But maybe if you stop, I stop too? 」

Two seconds. He took his mace and swung down to her head―― or should I say, the practice swings.

There, three seconds.

Despite the dangerous words, no one was killed.

But I suppose that makes sense, if they killed Elma-san, they would just be cleaned by me, after having my reason of not fighting lost.

「With my bullets, I shall present you with the choice of returning to heaven or earth. 」

「……Oo? 」

Pointing the machine gun towards Catcher-san, I put my finger on the trigger.

「O-Oi you, is your brain stuck? This little chibi’s gonna die too? 」

「Lanusist don’t space out! That girl’s got the eyes of killing everyone! It’s too dangerous! 」

「Oi Catcher! What kind of idiot let their hands off the hostage! 」

――They were so foolish that I can’t put it into words.

As expected, they weren’t particularly more excellent than any players. They had no experience in performing crimes, and their plans didn’t have details.

Prioritizing his own life, ditching the hostage and escaping on his own. That is exactly how I’ve led him by the nose, but he probably won’t ever notice it.

Therefore, in terms of being a villain, he was very inferior, a fool without resolve.

「Hegyaaaaaa!! 」

True to my aim, Catcher-san whose arms loosened just with some coaxing turned into a beehive.

「Catcher!? S-Shit, it’s not something I can handle now! 」

On the other hand, Lanusist-san took a different route while his comrade became the sacrifice but, he’s probably still hiding in the guild somewhere anyways.

Elma-san who became freed from captive, although staggering and ragged, she was still alive.

A/N: Don’t think you can escape from RIO confirmed