Chapter 287 - The Surface (1/2)
”Take that you pervert!”
Mercury was hit square in the jaw and sent flying backward by a brawny looking man in leather armor, Mercury was annoyed, he had thought he could find some clothes by sneaking around in the back alleys but he had been dragged out of an ally by some rough looking men before he had the chance to find some clothes, he had never felt so humiliated in his new life, so of course he got angry and was about to stand up when he suddenly put to much force on his injured leg and stumbled back down again, the rough-looking men let out laughs before one of them spoke
”Let's beat up this pervert!”
Just as Mercury was about to circulate his mana to kill these fools a shout stopped the rough-looking people in their tracks
”Stop right this instance!”
A woman in some black of uniform pushed her way through the crowds, she frowned when she saw Mercury and her frown deepened when she saw his injured leg
”Come on Molly, we're just teaching this pervert a lesson”
Molly took off her jacket and handed it to Mercury to cover himself with before she spoke
”Is this what proud hunters do, ganging up on an injured man?”
The hunters paused before they suddenly looked embarrassed until one of them spoke up
”So what if he's injured, running around butt naked in the middle of the night? He's obviously a danger to the town!”
The other hunters agreed before the previous hunter continued
”Say what, why don't you move and we'll rid the town of a pervert right now? We'll do you a favor Molly!”
Mercury watched with a sense of dread, he didn't dread dying, he dreaded having to kill these people if they threatened him more, so he stood up and stomped the ground with his uninjured leg making the earth shift and sunk under the feet of the hunters before it carved inwards around their legs squeezing them tightly locking them in place, the hunters were shocked, so were Molly that looked at Mercury as if she had seen a monster before she stammered
”C-Chantless magic?”
Mercury ignored her and instead walked up to one of the hunters, the one that had been most outspoken about 'getting rid of him' and gave him a smile before he hit him square in the jaw knocking him out, along with a few teeth then he turned to Molly the only one that had been adamant about helping him and asked
”Do you perhaps know where I can get some clothes?”
Molly was still a little shocked about his display of power and therefore gave a nod
”Yes, please follow me this way”
Mercury limped after her leaving the hunters knees deep in the earth, soon he found himself inside the guild building where he was shown to a room out back, he then traded Molly her jacket back for some cheap clothes which he wore while Molly stood with her back turned, after getting dressed he quickly thanked her
”Thank you miss, you are the most generous person I have met in my life”
Molly turned around and saw him dressed and gave a smile
”Surely you must be joking… Anyway I'll just take it as a compliment”
The two of them shared a rather awkward silent moment before Molly continued speaking
”Anyway, can you tell me what you were doing running around the town naked?”
”I… Would rather not, it's a very embarrassing story…”
”I see, in that case, pretend that I didn't ask…”
”On another note… Can you give me some directions to the temple? I am meeting a friend there”
Molly gave a smile
”Sure”
Mercury limped down the empty streets trying his best to ignore his injured right leg, soon he found what looked like a concrete bunker with a start above the only entrance
'Must be the temple…'
Mercury limped into the temple and looked around, the inside was lit with a soft white light that seemed to not have a source as it left no shadows in the room
'Weird…'
When he walked in the person standing behind the counter looked over at him, it was a priest wearing white priest like clothes, he gave a thin smile and asked
”Are you here for a prayer room?”
Mercury didn't know what a prayer room was but he figured it would help him come in contact with Party so he gave a nod
”Please follow me then”
”Sure, lead the way”
Mercury followed the priest down some stairs and soon he found himself in a long hallway where the priest led him to one of the doors and opened it for Mercury before he gestured for him to step inside as he spoke
”Don't touch the avatar”
”....Sure thing”
Leaving those words the priest closed the door behind Mercury, Mercury looked around inside the prayer room, in the middle of the room stood a pedestal with a clear crystal ball on top of it, behind it opposite the door was an altar was some kind of doll lay, the doll was dressed in priest-like clothes and had neutral features making it difficult to discern its intended gender
'That must be the avatar… Wonder what it's for?'
Mercury looked around the room but didn't find anything else so he walked up to the crystal ball and looked into it for sometime before he reached out and put his hand on top of it before it suddenly lit up causing him to flinch and pull his hand back, then a cold metallic voice sounded out inside the small prayer room