Chapter 213: Help! Gale Is Trying to Kill Me!
"What you're saying makes sense. As fellow companions from Rivira, we really should show some loyalty."
Hearing Bors say that, several people around him immediately smiled. There was a faint trace of malice in those smiles, but everyone's attention was on the murder and corpses, so no one noticed.
"Then let's head out now, Bors."
The werewolf spoke eagerly, clearly wanting to drag Bors into this.
"But what I value most is my own life. I don't give a damn whether other adventurers live or die."
"[Gale] is a wanted criminal on the dangerous-person list. I'm not stupid enough to pick a fight with a Lv.4 monster!"
Bors changed his tune after barely three seconds of secret excitement.
He might be greedy, but he was not stupid. He knew exactly how strong he was. Risking his life for some so-called "loyalty"? He was not that foolish.
"Speaking of wanted criminals, that reminds me. Isn't [Gale] still carrying a Guild bounty? Some merchant groups also put money on her head. I wonder if those are still valid."
"Ah, right! I remember the bounty was… eighty million valis?!"
However, the moment those words were spoken, Bors's attitude changed by a full 180 degrees.
"Boys, form a subjugation party! We'll avenge our companion from town ourselves!"
"No one is taking [Gale]'s head from us! And the bounty belongs to us too!"
"Wooooah!"
Once eighty million valis entered the conversation, everything became different.
Making money while also showing some "loyalty"? That was perfectly acceptable.
"Hehe. They took the bait."
In a corner, a man with a sinister expression quietly disappeared.
Meanwhile, Bors and the others were now overflowing with enthusiasm. The reason was simple.
An eighty-million-valis bounty, possibly not even counting everything, was enough to make them risk their lives.
Very realistic, and very true.
That was human nature.
Brotherhood? Loyalty?
Compared with real valis sitting in front of them, those things could hardly compete.
Step, step, step!
Just as everyone was shouting and preparing to hunt down [Gale], the sound of hurried footsteps approached.
Following the sound, Bors soon saw a "familiar" figure.
"Brother, what are you doing here?"
"Hm? Bors?"
The newcomer was none other than Ethan, who was hurrying toward the 27th floor.
He had not expected to meet Bors here. Wasn't this guy supposed to be managing Rivira on the 18th floor?
"Bors, this person is…?"
"Bastard, you don't even recognize my brother?"
"This is Ethan Starfall, the rising star of the Freya Familia! At this point, you're probably the only person in Orario who doesn't know him."
"Ethan? The Beloved Pet of the Goddess of Beauty? That genius who reached Lv.3 in only three months and Lv.5 in five months?"
"That's right. Him."
"Seriously? He's incredibly mysterious in Orario. Hardly anyone ever runs into him. Bors, you're actually brothers with him?"
At that moment, Bors truly experienced what it felt like to become the center of attention.
Ethan's reputation in Orario was extremely large.
Aside from Ethan himself being extraordinary, Freya had deliberately helped spread his fame, hoping to raise the Freya Familia's prestige even further.
They already had Orario's "Final Weapon," the city's only Lv.7.
Now another rising star had appeared. The Freya Familia's future would clearly only grow brighter.
Ethan felt helpless but did not deny it.
Although Bors had approached him with an ulterior motive at first, the two could now be considered friends. Using Ethan's name to raise his own status was not a serious matter.
"Brother, since we finally ran into each other again, you have to come back to Rivira and have a drink with me."
"I probably don't have time today. I accepted a Guild commission. Next time."
"Fine. But next time, you're not allowed to refuse."
"Definitely."
In truth, Bors did not genuinely care about drinking with Ethan.
He simply wanted to prove to everyone present that he truly knew Ethan well and that their relationship was solid.
For him, catching [Gale] was far more important right now. Drinking could wait.
"Speaking of which, why are you here?"
This was already past the 20th floor. It was nowhere near Bors's usual territory on the 18th.
"Ah, one of the guys from Rivira was killed here. I came down to investigate."
"Killed?"
"Yeah. And not by monsters. Someone deliberately murdered him."
"Based on the information we have now, the killer should be the wanted [Gale]."
"Gale? Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure. We have several witnesses here. They all saw [Gale]."
Ethan began searching through his memories.
He had been in this world for nearly half a year now, and many small details from the original story had become blurry.
There seemed to be a plot like this in the original.
He could not remember whether Ryuu had actually killed anyone, but he did remember that remnants of Evilus were behind the whole incident.
Among them was also one of Ryuu's enemies, someone connected to the tragedy that destroyed the Astraea Familia.
"Hm?"
Ethan subconsciously looked around.
As a faint oppressive aura leaked from his body, everyone nearby shrank back slightly.
So the rumors really were true.
This man was an even more terrifying monster than the Loki Familia's Sword Princess.
"I'll ask again, Bors. Are you certain?"
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Ethan's mood suddenly change, Bors became uncertain himself.
"I accepted a Guild commission to investigate Evilus activity in the Dungeon."
"Now a murder has happened here as well. I suspect the two incidents may be connected."
"Evilus? Are you serious?"
"Mm. The Guild has already confirmed the information. They simply haven't made it public because the impact would be too large."
"Those lunatics actually appeared again?"
Cold sweat immediately began flowing down Bors's forehead.
Only adventurers who had lived through that era truly understood how dangerous Evilus was.
They were lunatics.
Extremely dangerous lunatics.
Bang!
"Help! Somebody help me! [Gale] is trying to kill me!"
Suddenly, a blood-covered man ran toward them in complete panic.
He was a beastman, and one of his ears was already missing. Blood had soaked half his face crimson.
Yet from his mouth came the one name that instantly caught everyone's attention.
[Gale]!
…
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