38 「Envy and Animosity」 (2/2)

Cocco Doll emerged from the basement door, revealing the path to the tunnel system beneath the city. His face as dominated by a long pointed nose, similar to that of a stereotypical witch.

His predatory eyes scanned the foyer of the building. There was a deadman not even ten feet away from the door. His back was turned, as if he had been about to start running when he was killed. Walking closer to the stairwell as he spotted an empty bag, he rested his eyes on another corpse.

”Hmm,” running his hand through his blonde hair, he brushed off the red sleeves of his blouse before kicking the body over onto its stomach. His eyes resting on the single wound to the back. It appeared the man had died from head trauma.

Soon enough some of his own detail entered the building from the basement.

”Check the rooms. Take observations. Find out who we're dealing with.” Was his only order as he looked around. This man, Cocco Doll, was the leader of the Slavery Ring within the Nation of Re-Estize. For the time being, the entire kingdom was ignorant in the change of the seat of power.

The Valencia Palace where the crown presides has become unusually quiet.

As he watched his lackeys make their way up the steps, moving around the body, he stood there staring at the mess which was there. Or the lack there of.

This was no a standard raid. He was sure this had nothing to do with the Military Patrols that was for sure. This was done by a small team, or one incredibly strong individual. Maybe both.

It was generally assumed ninety nine percent of the world's population was uselessly weak compared to the players and other apparently god-like individuals which renown power.

So as he began to enter rooms which were being searched, he laid eyes on two people who had been more or less nailed to the wall with extreme prejudice. That was not all though, as they had been melded to the wall through the use of ice magic.

The others were given blunt force trauma. Some so extreme, that their lower bodies or body parts had been thrown from their bodies. Others were seemingly attacked by a sword.

Cocco approached what looked like a man with his back propped up against the wall and his legs laying out in front of him. He nodded the man's leg, once and then twice. Unlike the others, this man looked like he had been stomped on by about a dozen different people. Could he had been rioted by the women? From what he could remember, he had made sure they couldn't run away.

”Hmm...” He groaned in annoyance before fastening his corset as it became slightly loose around his waist as he was wearing it over a red blouse.

One of the men came up to Cocco, slowly, as if wanting to avoid being bitten by an angry snake.

”What is it your report?” He'd snarl, holding back a fit which was all too easy to be seen in his eyes. He wanted to kill something, someone. The tip of his tongue moistened his lips, like he was getting ready to bite this man's head off.

”Eh.. Two of the rooms were forced open using a magic tool it seems, flew right off the hinges. Force was applied evenly over the entire surface.” The man looked over at the room he was talking about, then towards the others. ”The others were opened forcefully with different amounts of muscle and techniques. Some of the doors remained on the hinges, others not so much. Some of them were just opened regularly.”

Cocco was looking at the man as if he was this next evenings desert. ”The likely scenario?”

”We're looking a strike team of three to six people. Judging by the lack of missing valuables, they came here with a purpose.”

Cocco nodded hearing the man and placed the knuckles of his closed fist against his chin. ”I must convene with the other members of the Eight Fingers… We might need the Six Arms to deal with this. Clean up the bodies, remove the evidence. Once we take care of this, we'll get back into business.” Doll turned on his heel and made his way for the door to the basement.

As he descended into the tunnels below the surface of the city, he walked with two men on either side of him. He was making his way towards their headquarters through a series of hidden passages.

As he arrived in what could be assumed to be a massive building or an underground room, he strolled through what appeared to be absolute darkness. He had one destination in mind, the center of the room where there was a massive nonagon shaped table with rounded extensions along the sides.

Finding his rightful seat, he sat down. His eyes rested on the man in prominent robes, it appears this meeting was already expected. Had one of his men barked? It seems he would have to remedy that.

He turned his head to see the rest of the Eight Fingers appearing from the absolute shadows which consumed the rest of the room. There was nothing to focus on except for one another.

”This meeting has become, all may be seated.” The man in magenta robes was none other than the Council Executive, the leader of the organization itself. Of what could be see upon the features of his face, he seemed to be a man of compassion. He had a necklace which symbolized the Water God, one of the Four Great Gods, or alternatively possibly the Six Great Gods.

There was Zero, a monk. He was the leader of the Six Arms, the security department of the Eight Fingers. He was powerful in his own right, but the question was, was this man a member of the ninety nine percent, or was he one to be remembered?

Hilma sat there in her seat, a pipe in her hands. She was a beauty with a filled bosom. She wore a pale pink dress that boasted all of her lady-like qualities accompanied by a frilled trim. Along her left arm was a snake tattoo, while it obscured her beauty in the eyes of some, it in itself actually had the power to summon a dangerous toxic snake to defend herself with.

The other individuals seated at the table were Lubelina, Count Iselk, Staffan Heivish and the Smuggling Division Chief that keeps his name quite anonymous.

”So the word got out that you were attacked? Hah!” Zero was mocking the weak man known as Cocco Doll. His name could very well make him a very well suited target for bullying.

The slaver ultimately grumbled under his breath while looking at the man. ”The entire brothel needed cleaning. It was a strike from an unknown group.”

”Unknown group?” Zero raised a brow with a hum of interest.

Staffan tilted his head slightly to the side, ”The patrols witnessed a group of girls entering a mansion in the noble residential district. However they seemed to be in relatively good health and capable of running.” He informed with a smug look on his face. ”Though it seems the blasted Princess was involved in this operation. Climb, her little fool, attempted to get my patrol involved.”

”Involved?” Zero looked over at the man with a brow raised. ”Do tell.”

”He came out of an alleyway, going towards the Palace, running while wearing full plate armor and out breath. He tried telling us some people were killed in what looked like a criminal operation. He just happened to find the front door wide open.” Staffan huffed and yawned, placing his hands on the table, shaking his head at this.

”...Maybe he wanted a little fun after dealing with the bitch Princess and walked in on it?”

”That is a possibility too...”

Doll scowled silently in his seat before looking over towards Zero. ”I am in no shortage of funds. I want you to find who did this and take them out.”

Zero looked over at Doll and smiled, but it wasn't friendly smile. ”You can afford our services? The strike team might be waiting for us to make a move. They could be quite a challenge.”

”As I said, I can afford you. I can also afford to hire someone else.”

Zero slowly nodded at this and grinned. ”It looks like we're going hunting… But first, we need more information.” His eyes rested upon Staffan, ”I will arrange for Succulent to accompany you to the residence. Don't act too rash.”