Sunny Town

"Put the ice on your head, it will help with the swelling."

Amos took the ice, "How long was I out?"

Blue face glanced at him, "Long enough to make it a problem."

"Then, we should continue with my mission."

"We? There is no we here. I rather not associate myself with fools."

"Oh come on Blueface, cut that fool shit out. Just shut up and let's go, do I look like I have time to waste?"

"Where did this sudden change of attitude emerge from?"

Amos stood, holding the bag of cold ice on his swollen head, "I had a bad dream, " he checked for his sword, "And I don't think they're going to stop now. Let's go."

"But you've only been out for 7 minutes, where did you get the time to dream so effectively?"

Looking at Amos from behind as he left, the MTS assistant stared in complication. To him, Amos only looked this serious when he had dark-gloomed, but apparently, Amos was dead serious despite regaining most of his sentimentality again. He then followed Amos.

***

Next to a tall green tree, three little girls boisterously played together, and Amos chose to ask them for directions to Sunny Town, since the map was indicating that they had already arrived at their destination. Looking down at the golden map of the second continent of Archeria [Arimu], Amos saw that he was in the midst of Sunny Town, yet there was no sign entitled 'Sunny Town' anywhere, and there was an immense disparity between his surroundings and the map's depiction of it.

He decided to put away the map and ask for directions.

"Hello children, " Amos looked down at them, "Where are on Archeria are we at the moment?"

"Huh?" asked a malnourished figure.

"What village am I in right now? Do you know?"

"Huh?"

Blue face: "Yeah, asks six-year-olds for directions. Real smart, Amos, real smart."

A woman then came, "Mary, let's go home. Playtime is over."

"But Mom, we were playing tag."

"You'll continue tomorrow. We have to go now."

Amos looked at the woman. There were multiple scars on her skinny arm, and her face seemed to be blue-black at the moment. She had brown hair, and a very pale skin complexion. Just like her daughter, she was malnourished. She possessed beauty, but a sickness or hardship of whatever kind made her ugly. Underneath her eyes were sheerly darker than normal, and she had dried tears on her scrawny cheeks.

Blueface noticed Amos' scrutinizing of her, and whispered, "Amos, you already know the outcomes of getting involved with other peoples' problems."

Nevertheless, Amos could not bear to see a young lady like her so melancholic, so he approached her.

"Excuse me, lady."

"Good day."

"Yes, good day to you as well, " he took out the map from his pants pocket, "I am a foreigner and I'm lost. My map here shows that I am in Sunny Town, Am I?"

She wiped her tears, "Oh, sorry. The sign was removed. But yes, you are in the midst of Sunny Town."

He looked around. As he had extrapolated, the town seemed darker than the name conveyed. Sunny was the opposite of this town.

"Oh, that explains why I couldn't find it, " he looked down at the map, "it seems that the town must've been renovated or something, " he looked at the lady, "Thank you, miss."

He noticed scratches that were seemingly caused by sharp fingernails on both sides of her neck.

"No problem, have a good day, " she was about to leave.

"Hey, lady, " Amos called out to her, causing her to stop, "Are you okay? You don't look so—

"Yes, I am just fine, " she continued walking, holding her daughter closely.

Amos could not have done anything, at least for now. He had to watch her walk away, returning to the home of her distress, and it bothered him excessively.

"Amos, " said the assistant, "She said she's alright, I'd suggest we do this mission and leave immediately, I sense a strange aura in this town."

The same aura Xui Zang and I sensed when we were here back in the day. Amos has to be careful, I don't like it here.

Amos looked at him, "Blueface, that woman, " he frowned, "that woman's being abused, I can see it. There are too many clues that advocate the possibility of this surmise."

"Yes, but you can not get involved. What are you planning to do? Kill her daughter's father and leave them hungry? That woman is conspicuously a housewife, she possesses no occupation other than dwelling in the household of her abuser, formerly her family's breadwinner."

"Then I'll come back and help, just for the mission's sake. Can't stop thinking about what that man does to those innocent female children."

Amos pushed aside the matter, and focussed on one of the problems of more importance — determined, he was ready to commence and commit to his conspiracy.

"We are probably in the most lively part of the town, all we need to do now is find that lolicon."

"Hey Amos, I thought Suzy said the target lives in Ruxford, or are you deaf or something? Why did you tell me Sunny Town."

"The Map says Sunny Town with Ruxford above it in brackets. And it was the only thing I saw close to the name Ruxford Village."

"That's incorrect. Sunny Town is in the place Ruxford, you fool."

"So why did Suzy call it Ruxford Village, huh?"

"She must have made a simple mistake. In fact, I forgot that Ruxford comprises of many towns, Sunny Town is merely one out of sixteen of them, if I'm not mistaken. That's why I asked how far was your target—and I meant in distance. My memory seems to be failing me a bit."

"I thought you said you were an Axonian, how the heck do you know this much about Archeria."

"Fool, I've spent countless hours on Archeria, the worst part was the fact that I had to endure those hours with foolish MTS users."

"User with an s?"

"Yes, you are not the first. Don't feel special."

"Whatever."

Amos looked at the paper with the details of his target, "Hmm, looks like his name is Jonathan Mitchell, " he looked at the information below his name, "Age, forty-two, " he scoffed, "disgusting, he's so old, but yet still he targets little children, " Amos looked at the paper again, "Occupation, Witch and Juniors Necromancer Private Teacher."

"Ask someone for his address."

"On it."

Amos asked a man in the street, "Hello sir. Do you know where Mr.Johnathan Mitchell lives?"

"Why the hell you chose to ask me, it's a purple house, the only purple house here, now bug off!"

"Thank you, sir."

The only thing left to do was...

Amos clenched his fist, "Commence the conspiracy!"

***

"So, what the heck do you want me to do? Just knock on his front door, leaving myself open to him!?"

"No you fool, just knock on the door, he doesn't know all of that yet, and lower your tone."

"No, I have to plan things out first."

"Just knock on the door, you idiot. All that pep talk only to be scared now."

Someone opened the door, causing instantaneous silence.

Amos gulped down the air in his mouth nervously.

"You, " pointed the strange man, "You're interrupting classes."

Amos looked at Blueface, expecting him to answer for them, but of course, the man did not see Blueface at all.

"Oh, " Amos scratched his head, " We're—I, I was looking for a Johnathan Mitchell."

"That would be me."

Amos was shocked. The man was tall, with broad shoulders, a stern look on his face, and his physique did not match the man in the picture given to Amos by Suzy. The man looked like a Japanese man, but obviously, Japanese people are not a thing in the world of Archeria.

But the anomaly was the fact that this face seemed 'too' familiar to Amos.

Surprised, Amos realized that he was frozen and lost in his thoughts and promptly answered the man, "Oh, you're Johnathan Mitchell?"

"Yes, yes I am. Any business inquiries? Have a child who's interested in learning magic early?"

"No, " Amos forced a fake smile, "I'm not—you know what, yes, I have one. I have a daughter who's intrigued by the arts of Necromancy."

This man, do I know him? Did I grow so tall to the point where people assume I'm an adult? And this, this is where I shine. I'll use his assumption to my own advantage. And when the time's right, I'll slaughter him for the lives he's stolen!

Johnathan smiled, "Then come in, no need to take your shoes off."

Amos followed the man inside.

The interior of the building looked like a school, except that there were a kitchen and a living room. In a room somewhere in the house, Amos heard children — specifically the female students.

Johnathan had his hands behind his back, "Sir? Can I help you with anything to drink? I have tea, water, beer, wine, and many other consumables."

Amos remembered that he was thirsty, and for the sake of pretending to be polite, he said, "Yes, I'll take some water, thanks."

Johnathan deliberately strolled to the kitchen, with a strange smile on his face.

This man, it is true, he has girls in this house. I should ask him to see the room where he teaches them.

"Hey, Johnathan?"

"Yes?"

"The girls, where do you keep them?"

He glimpsed back at Amos, "I have a classroom built just for them, " he came with the cup of water in his hands.

He handed it to Amos, "Thanks again."

"You are welcome. Also, sit down."

Amos looked at the leather chair behind him and sat down, and Johnathan sat in the opposite one-seater chair. The man kept looking in Amos' eyes.

"What's your name, sir? I did not get it."

"Amos, my name is Amos."

He took out a note pad, "Just Amos?"

That's right, I always tell people Amos alone. From here on out, I'll use my last name from my previous life on Earth.

"Amos Woods."

"Where do you live Amos Woods, all information is relevant to register your daughter at this small but effective private institute."

"I live on the outskirts of Gropsville."

He glanced at Amos, "You're coming from a bit far now, aren't you?"

"Y-yes, but I'll be moving to Sunny Town very soon."

"I see..."

Amos looked at the purple interior walls and saw pictures of female students in silver frames. There was also a picture of Johnathan Mitchell standing next to a mature woman, hand in hand, in front of a wooden house. But the pictures of the female girls caught Amos' eyes the most.

"Those students, " he looked at the wall, "They were the most exemplary ones I've ever taught."

"And where are they now?"

"They're just fine, " he looked at Amos with a smile.

Amos looked at him, "I have a son too, you know. And he's much more interested in Necromancy than my daughter, why don't you teach male students?"

He fixed his glasses, "Necromancy is more of a feministic practice to me."

It was quiet for a while, Amos decided not to say too much due to his little knowledge about Necromancers.

"Mr.Woods, " Johnathan Mitchell looked at Amos, "A little too young for two children, aren't you? You look like twenty-one."

"Twins, " Amos smiled, "My girlfriend made me lucky with twins when we didn't even get the time to marry each other. It just happened, " he forced a fake laughed.

"Must say I'm interested. What a young relationship you and your wife have."

"Yeah, her parents are still after me for it. Especially her father, he's gone crazy upon knowing his daughter's pregnant at such a young age."

He wrote it down.

"And what occupation helps to keep your family living? Your occupation."

"I-I'm a...construction worker."

"Hmmm, I see..."

He fixed his glasses, "And Mr.Woods, why are you armed with weapons and martial armor?"

"Um, I'm also a soldier, part-time, " he grinned.

He wrote it down, "I see..."

Then he asked, "What is your daughter's name?"

"Quincy Emily..."

"Emily?"

"Woods, Quincy Emily Woods."

Quincy was a girl Amos had a huge crush on in his previous life.

"Why did you not bring Quincy here to register?"

After those words, Amos hallucinated Johnathon Mitchell with a long smirk stretched across his face, and a tongue licking his lips. But of course, none of this actually took place.

"Uhm, she's a bit sick."

"Okay, " Johnathan stood, "Come with me."

Amos followed him to a room where the girls were being taught. They were all sitting in wooden benches, jotting down notes from the board.

"This is where your daughter will be, " he presented, "This school will ensure her utmost excellence. And I am sure you know about the ten million Arichrysos being offered to young female Necromancers at the International Tournament this year, not so?

Amos lied, "Yeah I do."

"Good. I've been getting a lot of students recently because of this fact. All of the parents want their daughters to make them money—especially the poor ones. The majority of the students in this class are living in a less fortunate household. Not to mention most of them living here in Sunny Town."

The students were insanely quiet for their ages. They did not speak, they just wrote notes upon notes.

"What's wrong with your girls, sir?"

"What do you mean Mr.Woods?"

"I don't know, nevermind, they're just a little quiet."

"Mhm."

"And sir, how many female students do you get here per year."

"About one hundred."

Amos scoffed and clenched his fists.

"Yes, I sometimes even get more than this amount. These girls are angels, you know that right? You are judging their silence, which shows just how obedient they are, " he fixed his glasses, "I teach them well, they even start to like me, that's how great I am when it comes to being their teacher. Just don't listen to those stupid people, this school can be trusted, and the girls who died here, did not die at all."

Johnathan then walked up to one of his students and started rubbing her head, "I can guarantee that Quincy will learn a lot, " he smiled.

Bastard, this old bastard. I can't stand looking at him without thinking about punching him! But these students, I should not murder him in their presence — I'll be putting their lives at stake too. Because I bet he'll hold one hostage. But I can't withstand a minute of his sick blabbering any longer.

The assistant looked up at him, "Amos, take it slow. Just relax."

"Hey, Sir, what exactly caused those peoples' suspicions of the girls being dead?"

"Not sure. Sunny Town is a scary place, Mr.Woods, wake up."

"Huh?"

The environment suddenly got dark, perhaps the clouds blocked the sun.

"I'm sure you realized that this town isn't Sunny at all. It's a dark cold place, where evil people dwell in the darkness. Deaths happen here every week, and there is a force much stronger than we think it is. This place may not be the place for you and your family. Everyone here is doing something, something unlawful. There are scammers, murderers, thieves, monsters, night-turners, " he looked at Amos, "and even rapists."

Amos clenched his fists with more force this time, and he started gritting his teeth aggressively.

"Mr.Woods, come with me. Let's complete your registration, I can not wait to meet this Quincy of yours."

Amos followed him back to the main room, where the girls can not witness violence.

Amos sat down, and Johnathan did the same.

Johnathan Mitchell was constantly writing in his notepad.

"How old is Quincy?"

Amos did not want to answer him, but he had to.

"She's six."

"Perfect. What about her Magical Ability?"

"None."

"And yours?"

"....Lie Detection, " Amos lied to intimidate him, "And I know what you do here."

He stared, "What an impressive skill. He held the notepad in his hand, "I have a similar Magical Ability, " his eyes glowed, it allows me to predict and detect peoples' lies, inner thoughts and actions. Nice having you here, I don't often get many assassins at my house."

Amos pulled out his sword, and Johnathan revealed the notepad to Amos. On the notepad, there was a highly detailed depiction of a creature — Johnathan had not written a single word, only runes which allowed him to activate a spell.

"Demonborg Spirit, arise!"

Then suddenly, something grabbed Amos' both arms, restraining him from using them from utilizing his weapon and his Magical Ability.

"Unhand me!"

"You're an anomaly, you know that right, Mr.Woods?"

As Amos looked behind him, he saw the depiction drawn by Johnathan amidst reality. It was rather transparent, and sheerly imperceptible. Its eyes glowed red, and it constantly emitted a strong spiritual aura.

"Like him? His name is Demonborg, and he takes up a lot of my Black Magic to summon, not many people can see him. But again, you're an anomaly, " he stood, "I've started drawing him promptly after receiving my results upon seeking knowledge about you from the ancestral spirits. They've told me a lot, even your future, " he adjusted his glasses, "and your past, Amos, or should I call you...

Axel Woods."

Amos was shocked, "That's not me, you bastard!"

"You're the strangest being I've encountered in my life, so many anomalies under your feet. I have no idea how you came to Archeria, but I am going to make sure you die, and never return."

"I'd like to see you try, rapist!"

"Incorrect. Do not call me a rapist, " suddenly a black cloak with golden stripes appeared on his body, "for this, I'll make sure that there is not a single cell remaining in your body — or should I say the body of Aragorn's son, Aldon!"

"Huh!?"

"We Necromancers possess the ability to communicate with the dead, using Black Magic, or Witchcraft. We can either use these ancestral spirits to predict the future, state the past, seek knowledge, or even use them as weapons.

Demonborg is a spirit seeking nothing but chaos, and I'm going to let him kill you now. Here and now. Devour him, my spirit."

Demonborg suddenly used its sharp black claws to dig deep into the flesh of Amos' left rib, delivering utmost agony, as well as a fraction of its Dark Mana, capable of deteriorating flesh gradually. Amos used this as an opportunity to escape its restraints. He pushed his body forward, rolled, and made a defensive pose. He held his sword firmly, and his eyebrows pressed down, forming wrinkles below them as he panted heavily.

"Get him, Demonborg, make it quick, and try not to disturb the girls."

Demonborg rushed into Amos, ready to use its nails which were about a hand in breadth and a meter in length. Amos started running up to it, as it did the same. It extended its demonic right arm in an abrupt backward motion, and shot it leftwards with extreme force behind it. Nonetheless, Amos built up enough momentum to slide, with his sword in the air precisely below the spirit's moving right arm — to bisect the creature's arm.

Crestfallen, Amos stood again in confusion, for his blade failed to cut the spirit. Demonborg was laughing maliciously, and Amos realized why.

Shit! Weapons can't cut spirits! This means he is intangible, but how on Earth is he visible to my naked eyes then? What do I do!?

The Demon narcissistically approached Amos with a fancy pompous gait. It was a rather strange spirit. It did not possess most of the normal human features. It was a completely black figure, made out of darkness, no skin what so ever. It lacked a nose, but it had evil eyes and a grinning mouth glowing luminously red.

Judging by its walk, Amos deemed himself hopeless in the likes of it. It sparked fear in his heart, and he endured the pain inflicted by its single assault as he stood. The wound near his ribs bled profusely. And the amount of black mana in his bloodstream from this one attack was tremendous.

Demonborg struck again, with meteoric speed. Amos could not have dodged this one even when he was much more susceptible to his fatality. Instead of scratching, Demonborg grew its nails three times longer and was about to impale Amos radically. Amos could not have slashed his sword to stalemate the situation eye-for-an-eye, due to the intangibility nor could he have dodged in time.

It's aiming straight for my heart, and this time, I can't dodge, if I sacrifice an arm for my heart, that may suffice to avert the penetrating of my biggest weak spot. But, discerning his speed, and the length of his nails this time, he can probably impale both my arm and my heart simultaneously —the risk is too high! I'll die today! I have no time to think! I'll just break through this obstacle!

There was a minimalistic explosion that blinded the spirit. As the smoke from the explosion cleared, the spirit saw Amos much further away from his initial position.

Johnathan Mitchell put away his glasses in shock,

That axel must have used the Mana Absorption which the spirits told me about.

Blueface smiled, "Alas, one smart move from the fool."

Johnathan was correct. Since there was no way out of Amos' given circumstance, he absorbed the Dark Mana from his wound in the costal area, and carried it to the core of his body. When he charged up adequate energy, he combined it with the little quantity of mana he had, and exploded the left side of his body, sending himself flying to the right side of the room.

Consequently, his injuries from his self-destruction were almost fatal. His left arm was broken, and most of the ribs in his left costal area were broken as well.

Nevertheless, Amos stood partially straight, holding his broken left arm, and coughed up large quantities of his blood, "Time to return to hell, you bastard. Both of you!"