The Systemic Lands

Chapter 46: Day 112 – Glorious Return

“Purgatory, I have returned.” I reached the East gate very early in the morning. In fact, it wasn’t even morning and closer to the middle of the night. The perfect time to go to the pillars. Less chance of unneeded drama.

I pulled my cart into the city and began to make my through the streets. Quiet and dark as ever. That changed once I reached the plaza and saw Red Dawn’s building lit up on the outside as well as the Guild’s building.

There were 10 guards at the pillars instead of the usual 5. The Captain had a table and chair set out with a chest on the table. The other guards were more alert and standing at attention, and I was quickly spotted. The Captain quickly stood up and his men lined up behind him.

No one drew a weapon, so I wasn’t that worried. “Sicario,” the Captain greeted me right away.

“Captain. Carlos still running things?” I asked.

“Boss Carlos is still in charge of the Red Dawn and the Council of Purgatory.” I smiled a bit, since the name had stuck. I named this place everyone, me! Look at that Mom and Dad, your son named an entire city.

“Good, I would appreciate some peace and quiet while I check the store.” I pulled out 20 5-point crystals.

“Um,” the captain muttered and looked away as I set the crystals on the table as a tip. The guards were also looking away.

“What seems to be the problem?” I asked.

“Your tax exemption has been revoked,” the Captain said. I frowned heavily at that. I took a deep breath before letting it out. That wasn’t going to happen.

“Then it appears I need to kill some people to remind them not to mess with me. I will give you all a choice. You can step aside, or I can kill you all. There are more dungeons out there than the slime dungeon.” I raised up a hand. Several of the guards took a step back and the Captain raised up his hands.

“Boss Carlos said you should speak with him first.”

“No. He is not my boss. Will you step aside? I will count down from five and then kill anyone between me and the Store. Five.”

“Please, be reasonable, everyone has to pay the tax.”

“Four.”

“It was the Guild. They insisted.”

“Three.” Some of the guards drew swords and I pointed my hand at them, and they froze in place out of fear.

“Don’t do anything rash, any of you.”

“Two.”

“Please, let us talk.”

“One.”

“Fine, back up. We are not fighting the Sicario.” The guards backed off and I pulled my cart up to the pillars. I quickly purchased a restore for 789 points. I then cashed all my 50 point crystals, which put me at a total of 176,814 points, including the small bit I had from before.

I purchased 80 upgrades right away for 111,800 points. The new stat was Absorption. I quickly distributed the upgrades. Body-70; Mind-20; Spirt-50; Perception-20; Aura-20; Rengeration-80; Endurance-20; Absorption-20, for a total of 300 upgrades so far.

I hadn’t been planning to put anything into Body, but the recent circumstances meant that I might need to keep up with people who had invested in just that stat. I let out a sigh. I purchased a property for 10,000 points on the East side of the plaza. Immediately a mental picture of the place appeared in my head.

I removed all the windows, purchased two reinforced doors for the front, door lock, reinforced window, water source and drain, light source, wood bed frame, table, two chairs, and bedding. I quickly checked for a mirror, and it was 1,000 points. I added that as well to my purchases and had it appear in my home. That all came to 54,000 points. I could move things around through the store once purchased and quickly set everything up where I wanted. A key appeared above the pillar with a chain necklace on one end.

I put the key to my new place over my neck and tucked it under my armor. That left me 1,014 points. I didn’t want to waste time checking everything else out or cashing my 5-point crystals. I dragged my cart to my building, the guards keeping an eye on me from the pillars, but they didn’t say or do anything.

Ah, I noted one of them had run off. I unlocked the double front doors. They were banded with metal and metal studs. I pushed my cart into the building. The light was already on. I closed and locked the doors. Safe.

I went inside and began stripping and laying out my gear on the table. Once that was done, I got out my knife and went into my shower room. I worked on cutting off large chunks of my hair. I then made my way to the table and mirror and sat down in the entry room with my cart. I worked on tidying up my face.

I looked worn and tired. Still, I was quite fit, but no abs. Maybe something in the store or a stat was stopping that in some way. I wasn’t about to work out just for abs, but I really wanted them. I shook my head and focused on cleaning up my hair as much as possible.

Once that was completed, I washed off my clothes and got another shower. I let everything dry out on the table and made my way up to the second floor. I opened the shuddered window made out of wood and banded metal.

There was a sizable group outside my house, and it was starting to get light. I noted Carlos with several of his captains. They had noticed me and quickly stopped talking.

“Michael.”

“Carlos, you broke our deal.”

“A compromise-“

“I don’t care. Your deal was with me.”

“Who do you think-“

“Acid Shot.” I targeted the person who had interrupted our conversation.

“AHHHH!” He let out a horrific scream as his body melted. Everyone began to panic, guards rushed in front of Carlos to shield him, but he pushed them out of the way as we stared at each other.

“That will cause problems,” Carlos said as the man finally died, and people backed away.

“Where are my 5,000 crystals?” I asked.

“It has been taxed retroactively, I am sorry, but the Council voted and even with the vote you left me I couldn’t do anything. The tax is only twenty five percent though.” I took a deep breath and let it out.

“You have one day to pay me 10,000 crystals and bring me the heads of all the council members who voted that way, or I will kill you and find someone who stands by the agreements they make. The extra 5,000 is for breach of contract. Once that is done, we can sit and renegotiate if I pay taxes or not.”

“It will be a blood bath.”

“You are in charge. The excuse of a Council doesn’t matter. There are more dungeons and skills out there. Do you really want to fight? So, what will it be?”

“I need to think on it,” Carlos said.

“Ten thousand crystals and you stay out of my way and point me to the council members,” I countered. Carlos looked away at that offer. I let out another sigh. Taxing me wouldn’t have gone through unless he allowed it to. He may of made a token protest, but I didn’t believe his excuse for a second.

I only hesitated for a moment but knew what I needed to do. If Carlos left, then I would have to kill so many people to get to him. Hesitation was death.

“Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot.” I began using my skill with both hands, activating the skill as fast as I could speak, alternating hands it came out of. Carlos fell to the ground screaming and three of his guards fell as well. Everyone else ran away screaming. So stupid.

I closed my window and made my way downstairs. I double checked all my gear, taking my time to allow my energy to regenerate. I would go full caster, left hand shield, right hand free for Acid Shot. I would keep a sword sheathed at my side just in case.

I checked out the window and in front of the door, there was no one. There were people watching in the distance. I closed the window and opened up my door. No one rushed me. I closed the door behind me and closed it, but only pretended to lock it.

The corpses were melted in front of my building. I spared a glance at Carlos’ partially melted corpse and shook my head before moving forward. Damn whomever forced me to do that. They would pay. If I didn’t kill Carlos, then people would think they could push me around and attack me in directions other than face to face.

This was the reason I worked so hard. In the face of absolute power, there can only be capitulation or death. There was about to be a lot of death, and everything had been going so well. I wanted to scream and rage, but that could come later.

There were a large gathering of Red Dawn people and other people on the far side of the plaza. Time to push all my chips into the center of the pot and hope my hand would hold up.

I made my way in their direction. I noted several captains including Tyrese and Underboss Roger. Captain Ruth was there as well. There were a couple of other people without armbands. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, and they quickly stopped as I approached. I noted that Captain Frank was there as well.

I noted the two people next to him. Those were probably the three people with skills. I would have to target them first. “So, do I need to kill all of you?” I casually asked. Several people flinched and backed away.

“Why did you kill Carlos?” Ruth asked.

“He broke a deal with me. Breaking a deal with me is death. No taxes. You may like to play politics here in Purgatory, but you forgot, my power. Who else has gone into unexplored land, you Captain Frank?” He looked away at that.

“Afraid. You think safety comes from a group. Well, I am about to throw that idea in the trash. Now, I am owed 5,000 crystals by Red Dawn for services rendered. The tax deal was with Carlos, so that debt has been paid and I won’t ask for compensation. Where are my crystals?”

“We don’t have them. They have gone into public housing,” Ruth said. You wanted to play hardball, well giddy up. Time for people to see why I didn’t want to be in charge. I would unleash misery on a scale that would make the ancient civilizations of Earth bow down to me in respect for my sheer brutality.

“Then Red Dawn is in default and breach of contract. I will accept payment that you Ruth are skinned alive and salt rubbed into your wounds.”

“Please, stop. We need to work together,” she begged. I didn’t care. Traitors, traitors everywhere. I help people out and get stabbed in the back.

“You can’t beat us all,” Underboss Roger spoke up. I turned to look at him and he flinched as I stared at him.

“As the Underboss, you will need to be skinned alive as well in lieu of payment. I will count from ten. If my crystals aren’t brought out by that time. I will kill everyone in this city and start over with another group of people.”

“You screwed us! Carlos owned all the buildings, we will lose everything now,” Ruth cried out in desperation. She could go screw herself. I was not yielding.

“Then you should have thought of that beforehand. Honestly it is surprising Carlos would think I would talk things out calmly. Ten.”

“We don’t have the crystals,” Underboss Roger said. Or maybe it was Boss Roger now, I could care less.

“Nine, I don’t care. A deal is a deal. I always keep my word. I may be a murdering asshole, but I don’t lie. So, believe me when I say that I will kill everyone within Purgatory unless I am paid. Eight.”

There was a long stretch of silence. “Seven.”

“The council members who voted against you. We will hand them over,” Ruth said.

“Ruth!” Underboss Roger spun to look at her.

“Five. I don’t care. The debt is with Red Dawn, and they must pay or die. If the Council tries to tax me, I will kill them also. Four.”

“You want to fight him?” Ruth shouted back and Underboss Roger looked ill.

“Three. Honestly it isn’t that much. I earn that amount in about a day. Still, it is the principal of the matter. No one cheats me and lives. Remember Evaline, she thought she was clever. Two.”

“Fine! Fine! Screw all of you. Get the emergency chest from storage,” Underboss Roger said.

“You can’t do that! It is the property of the Council,” A man spoke up. One of these mysterious Council members who had turned everything to shit.

“Then you fight him!” Underboss Roger pointed at me. I kept a careful eye on how his hand was positioned in case of a skill. I looked at the man.

“Ruth, can you explain what happened while I was gone. I need to know who to kill besides that man.”

“It was the Guild. They were unhappy with your status and threatened war. Carlos caved and a Council was formed. Three from Red Dawn, two from the Guild, and one from the business owners.”

“No seat for the strongest person?”

“No,” she looked off to the side. “The only exception was that you would be taxed at the same rate as the Guild if you joined them.

“How did they get that much power?”

“Carlos didn’t want to fight, and you weren’t here.” I turned to look at the man who had been speaking. He quickly ran away. Of course he ran away and by the time I thought to kill him he was out of range.

“He is going to get help,” Ruth said.

“I suggest the Red Dawn stands far away. I will kill anyone nearby, no hesitation.” I would clean out Red Dawn later.

“Your crystals?” she asked.

“I want them right away.” I noted people gathering outside of the Guild. I counted around fifty and six of them had bows. “Any of them have skills?” I asked.

“Not yet,” Ruth said.

“Then it isn’t even a fight. Keep everyone back, alright?” I looked at Underboss Roger.

“Back! The Red Dawn will not interfere.” Everyone began to fall back except Ruth.

“You didn’t have to kill Carlos, he wanted to work things out,” she said quietly.

“If I allow one person to break a deal with me, anyone will think that is okay. He was probably hoping I do what I am about to do to the Guild. But he forgot one key thing. You don’t force me into doing something if you want to live.” I turned to look at her. At least she wasn’t trying to get close to stab me or something annoying like that.

“You can kill them all?”

“I need the Red Dawn to ban any survivors from the store, no exceptions. Any captains I should know about?”

“Tyrese.” My eyes went wide a bit at that.

“Really?”

“He is basically a guild proxy at this point, and he was the leading voice against you when the vote happened to make the deal with the Guild.” Useless, everyone was useless. Traitors everywhere. Fine, I just had one more person to melt. I rolled my neck a bit and scanned the area again.

“Well, they look ready enough. You better get back.”

“I can watch your back,” she said and pulled out a sword. I noted she was also carrying a shield.

“Really?”

“I doubt you will side with anyone who doesn’t help you now.”

“You will probably be kicked out of the Red Dawn.”

“This place is a trap.” She realized what I had realized a while ago. “I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees.” There was a fire in her voice. She didn’t have red hair like an anime character would in order to showcase their fiery passion, it was a dark black done up in bun. No long hair swirling about, she really was ready for combat.

She looked right at me. She was about half a foot shorter and for the first time in a long time, I felt my blood stir. “You are getting me fired up. Well then, watch out for arrows and if people try to rush me from behind. I will be running around a lot to kite them. So, thirty feet or fifteen meters at least.”

“Got it,” she said, all business. I advanced forward. A shield wall had formed up with twenty people. Spearmen were at the sides, five on each side. Eight bowmen behind the lot, the rest being club wielders.

“I will give you all one chance. Surrender your council members to be skinned alive and salted for their transgressions or die!” I called out. There was silence at that.

“We have over fifty people, you are just one man. What can you do-“

“Acid Shot.” My aim was quite good since I had taking to sniping scorpions as they approached. The blob of acid soared over the front shield line and hit the man in the face. He let out death gurgles as he collapsed to the ground. “Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot.” I picked my next targets, as people without shields who I was sure I could hit.

They fell screaming to the ground as their guts or faces melted. “He has an energy limit, rush him!” a man shouted from the back.

“Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot.” Another three people fell screaming to the ground. “No limit with my upgrades!” I shouted out. The shield wall moved forward, uncaring about the screaming people nearby. Their mental fortitude was impressive. Nine people dead and they hadn’t routed.

I raised up my shield to block arrows that flew at me. One arrow was deflected off my greaves. I quickly turned and ran away. The shield wall collapsed as they chased after me. “Acid Shot.” I took out the person in the front. They didn’t block in time and fell to the ground screaming the rest froze and quickly brought up their shields.

I ran away again. My energy was super low. I noted Ruth running away also. “I thought you would kill all of them?” she shouted at me.

“They were supposed to rout. To my place,” I said back. My breathing was quite easy from all the walking and fighting I had been doing. It was nice to be in such good shape. “Door is open. I will hold them off, get ready to close it.” I slowed down and spun around with my hand raised. The people chasing skidded to a halt and brought up their shields.

It was a feint, and I went back to running. Ruth had pushed the reinforced door open. I rushed to the doorway and spun again. This time two people didn’t stop. “Acid Shot.” That was the last of my energy reserves. The woman fell screaming. I pointed my hand at the other man, and he dived to the side.

I went into my building and helped closed the door and locked it. “Now what?” Ruth asked.

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