Chapter 710: Noon (2)
The sun was high in the sky at precisely 12:12 p.m.
Bang!!
A gunshot echoed.
And it came from the prison, one of Landa's governmental institutions.
Even in Landa, where safety was often sacrificed for the sake of freedom and economic gain, such an incident was unimaginable.
However, as the saying goes, reality often surpasses imagination. The situation didn’t end with just the sound of a gunshot.
The prison's outer walls, built as a lesson from past incidents, were each systematically destroyed, along with the heavy machine guns mounted on top.
Crash!
Crash!
Crash!
With each shattering metallic noise, the heavy machine guns positioned on the walls turned into useless scrap.
It was as though someone was sniping at the machine guns.
The strikes were precise, destroying only the heavy machine guns in quick succession without missing a single one.
The attack was so fast and accurate that even the prison guards, who had been trained by the Defense Force, could only stand by and watch.
Before anyone could grasp the situation, all the heavy machine guns on the walls had been destroyed, leaving them no choice but to stand down.
But they hadn’t just sat idly by.
After all, these guards had been trained by the Defense Force.
The moment they detected spatial sniping, they ducked for cover and scanned their surroundings. One of them finally spotted something.
“Suspect spotted at the main gate!”
Given that the prison was a specialized facility located in an isolated area, it was rare to see any civilians around.
Yet, a man had appeared right there. A suspicious man, to say the least. Let’s see...
His clothing was neat, but even from this distance, it was clear that he was gaunt. His hair was stark white like an old man’s, and his arm was wrapped in bandages, possibly due to burns. And, most notably, he was leaning on a quarterstaff as he walked...
“…Shit.”
[What’s going on? What happened?!]
A voice from the communication device demanded an answer following the sudden expletive. Swearing in the middle of a report—such an unprofessional act.
Yet, this time, it was understandable.
The person intruding on the prison in broad daylight was beyond any standard measure.
“It’s Dave...”
[What?]
“Dave! The Woodcutter Dave is here!”
...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
From a distance, gunshots rang out from the prison in quick succession.
But it wasn’t just the noise that was unsettling. The emotions were chaotic too.
Surprise, shock, bewilderment, fear, suspicion, confusion—all mixed together.
Apparently, Oliver's sudden appearance in broad daylight was the cause.
Honestly, Oliver was taken aback too. To think he would boldly approach the prison in the middle of the day (though he was firing shots).
Under normal circumstances, he would have snuck in during the night to retrieve Forest and Jo. Instead, he had come here openly in broad daylight.
It just seemed... like the right thing to do.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Oliver approached the main gate of the prison at a steady, neither rushed nor slow pace.
As described, the prison’s defenses appeared formidable.
Tall, thick walls. Numerous heavy machine guns mounted on top, exoskeleton suits waiting inside, and precision bombardment magic arrays...
However, all of this defense was rendered useless before it could be deployed, thanks to the sniping that controlled the space around them.
Just like the Kingdom Army that had once tried to suppress Zone Z.
However, there were still defenses that hadn’t been neutralized.
The submachine guns held by the guards, for example.
“Open fire! No need for warnings!”
As Oliver drew closer, guards gathered on top of the main gate’s wall and shouted.
Simultaneously, countless bullets rained down from dozens of muzzles.
It wasn’t necessary for Oliver to do anything to avoid them, but he chose otherwise. Extracting emotions from a vial, he formed a shield to block the oncoming bullets head-on.
Ratatatatatatat!!
The rain of bullets pounded relentlessly against the translucent black shield, all impacts absorbed and condensed.
After a while, the gunfire ceased.
The guards on the wall, realizing it was futile, reloaded their magazines with empty determination, preparing to shoot again.
They already knew he was invincible. Rumors about the Woodcutter Dave had circulated for some time.
Stories about the terrifying man who, in a fit of rage, had slaughtered hundreds of druids and single-handedly swept through Landa, a monster who had taken down the Pied Piper on his own, and afterward, numerous black magicians had sought him out for alliances.
Frankly, the guards doubted that reinforcements would make much difference. Still, they couldn’t just do nothing.
Even if doing nothing might spare their lives, it would mean kissing their pensions or death benefits goodbye.
Click.
Just as a guard quickly reloaded his magazine and was about to pull the trigger...
Bang!
A bullet fell from above, destroying the gun the guard was holding.
Every single gun was disabled right next to the muzzle, rendering them unusable.
This happened almost simultaneously, and the two guards who had been conversing earlier immediately understood how the soldiers who tried to suppress Zone Z had been neutralized.
This insane black magician possessed the power to subdue an entire army single-handedly.
[Revenge Shock]
Oliver reprocessed the shield that had blocked the bullets, condensing the stored energy into a shockwave and directing it straight at the prison’s main gate.
The shield, now infused with even stronger emotions, transformed into a black shockwave that smashed into the heavy door, sending the massive structure flying.
Boom!!
The enormous, heavy door, which shouldn’t have been able to fly, was blasted off its hinges, causing cracks to spread across the prison walls.
“Deploy the barrier!”
At last, one of the guards, unable to bear it any longer, shouted urgently into his radio.
Immediately, mana began to flow from the ground, enveloping the prison’s walls with a protective shield.
An unusual amount of mana. Even for a prison’s security, this seemed excessive.
It would have been more economical to invest these resources into catching escaped criminals than in such defenses.
Just then, a thought passed through Oliver’s mind, and simultaneously, a surge of mana flashed to his left, summoning a large exoskeleton armor.
This model was one and a half times larger than the standard exoskeleton armor. It didn’t reveal the wearer, as they were fully enclosed within the metal plating, and most notably, its arms were equipped with magical gauntlets.
These gauntlets, with high mana storage and durability, could deliver enormous impact with a single strike.
And this weapon, traversing space, appeared directly in front of Oliver...
━━━━!!!
...striking him before he had a chance to raise his shield.
The gauntlet sent shockwaves rippling out as it struck, accompanied by an earth-shaking roar as the ground split beneath them.
Everyone’s eyes widened at the sight.
Oliver, who looked like he would break with a slight push, had stopped the exoskeleton armor’s punch barehanded—without any magic or black magic.
Gulp.
It was now certain.
The Pied Piper, who had once overturned Landa, hadn’t fallen to the Central Kingdom's coalition army as the public claimed; it had been Woodcutter Dave who had defeated him. The numerous black magicians seeking to ally themselves with him were a reality.
If he was this powerful, it was only natural to seek his protection.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
The massive steel exoskeleton released steam, trying to pull free from Oliver’s grasp. At that moment, Oliver interfered with the mana surging through the exoskeleton armor, stopping its engine and disrupting its joints, dismantling the exoskeleton completely.
The enormous hunk of metal halted and was instantly disassembled, revealing the guard trapped inside.
The guard’s face was one of sheer terror.
Because he had no idea what the monster standing before him would do next.
As the terrified guard shut his eyes, Oliver asked:
“Do you wish to continue?”
His tone was calm, without any anger, annoyance, mockery, or derision towards someone weaker standing in his way.
Having done everything he could, the guard shook his head, as did the others on the prison walls.
Their defenses were neutralized, and their guns rendered useless. They had done all they could. Anyone who suggested otherwise would be utterly heartless.
Seeing their sincerity, Oliver immediately lost interest in the guard, turning his attention back to the prison.
He placed his hand on the barrier surrounding the prison—a shield far too advanced for a place like this—and interfered with its mana. In an instant, he snuffed out the high-density mana barrier enveloping the massive structure like a candle.
All watched with open mouths as Oliver approached the enormous iron door that could withstand most magic and explosives, ripping it open with his bare hands to enter.
“Oh, please refrain from entering.”
Halfway in, Oliver paused, poking his head out to make the request.
Seeing this, the guards outside the prison were reminded of Woodcutter Dave’s reputation, which they had almost forgotten.
They recalled that although he had slain hundreds of druids in a fit of rage, before then, he was known as one of the more level-headed individuals among those who possessed terrifying strength.
Crackle... Crackle...
As if swept by a typhoon, Oliver continued forward, leaving the guards frozen in shock. The signal from the communication device broke the silence.
The guards, snapping out of their stupor at the sound, quickly activated their devices, only to hear it...
[Ugh… help... save me…]
It was the voice of a dying colleague. Through the transmission, it almost felt like they could smell the blood.
...
Inside, the prison facilities were relatively well-maintained.
It didn’t feel old; in fact, it felt more like everything was new.
But that didn’t mean it was comfortable.
It was still a prison, a place designed to hold and manage inmates. In Landa, this needed even greater attention to detail.
Among the inmates were quite a few superhumans.
While the ratio of superhumans to regular prisoners was low, even a single escaped inmate could cause an unimaginable disaster, so extra care had to be taken.
Thus, the prison not only invited magicians to reinforce the walls and install surveillance equipment but also created an atmosphere of heavy suppression.
Dark, dreary, and ominous.
The oppressive air prevented inmates from even thinking of acting out before they arrived.
But the smell of blood was, perhaps, taking it a bit too far.
"You're surprisingly calm."
Deep inside the prison.
A female guard, dressed in a prison officer’s uniform, stood in a blood-soaked hallway as she welcomed Oliver.
It was the first time he had seen her, but he already knew who she was.
Ever since he had gained the ability to see the sins of others, he could also perceive people's names and backgrounds.
"Usually, most people hesitate when a space this large is painted red," said the female guard, glancing over the decapitated bodies of the other guards and the prisoners locked behind bars.
The moment she had realized Oliver’s arrival, she had acted, killing not only regular inmates but even superhuman prisoners and guards alike in a very short span of time.
That alone spoke to her skill.
"Then again, for someone known as the new 'Finger,' this might not even be a threat. But still—”
"Davidel Gabel. Age twenty-seven. An orphan, and indeed a disciple of Puppet, correct?”
Without missing a beat, Oliver, who had smashed through the metal prison doors and calmly observed the blood-drenched scene, suddenly spoke.
At that, the female guard—no, Davidel Gabel—fell silent.
She was taken aback that Oliver, whom she was meeting for the first time today, knew her real name, age, and background, even the true identity of the corpse puppet she was using.
But the shock didn’t end there.
“You’ve repurposed Puppet’s disciple into a corpse puppet and infiltrated this prison under disguise.”
“...You're as terrifying as they say. Is this what happens when you defeat the Pied Piper? I can somewhat understand why so many black magicians are switching allegiances to you."
“And yet, you have no intention of doing so yourself. Puppet’s disciples are impressively loyal, I must say.”
Oliver thought back to the previous disciples of Puppet he had met.
The Dollmaker, who wished to return to the Black Hand even after being banished; Claude, who was used as material with Puppet’s appearance...
They were all unique individuals, yet shared a commonality—they specialized in manipulation-type black magic and showed unwavering loyalty to Puppet.
“After all, Puppet personally raised each of you orphans. I suppose that explains it.”
With a mere look at the corpse puppet, Oliver could not only uncover Davidel’s surface information but also her private background.
This was enough to make Davidel’s relaxed attitude start to crack.
“So, then, you must know that I have to stop you.”
“Do you think you can?”
Oliver asked. It might have sounded arrogant, but it was actually a genuine question.
“My master taught me that one doesn’t need overwhelming strength to control others. I still have Jo and Forest in my custody.”
“They’re only in your custody.”
Oliver exploited a weak point in Davidel’s words with a simple statement.
Though she was tasked with managing them, she had no authority over them. That power lay solely with Puppet, who had no intention of making any such choice.
From the emotions Puppet had displayed when they met in the Holy See and the way he pressured Zone Z only up to a certain point, it was clear.
It was uncertain if he even intended to use Jo and Forest as hostages, but at least for now, he wouldn’t make any move against them.
“There are other ways. If you move forward from here, I’ll frame you for the massacre that’s taken place here. Dave. Things could turn irreversible.”
Davidel’s threat came from her analysis of Oliver’s behavior.
Although it would have been easy for him to kill them all, Dave had merely neutralized the guards outside without taking their lives. He had even used conventional black magic rather than any abnormal techniques like those wielded by the Pied Piper.
Based on her assessment of his previous actions, Davidel surmised that he still cared about his public image.
As her master, Puppet, had told her, perhaps he still clung to the...
“That doesn’t matter. Do as you please.”
His tone conveyed genuine indifference.
In that instant, a chill ran down Davidel’s spine, and she instinctively activated the corpse puppet’s blood magic.
Squelch!
She suddenly found herself gazing at the decapitated, headless body of the corpse puppet.
In a flash, Dave had closed the distance and torn off the puppet’s head barehanded, without any sign or warning.
Despite the safety of being behind a corpse puppet, Davidel felt fear and tried to sever the connection.
Yet something was wrong.
She couldn’t disconnect from the corpse puppet.
Dave’s interference forcibly maintained her consciousness within it.
She understood this instinctively.
Confronted with this unprecedented and baffling phenomenon, Davidel rolled her eyes upward to look at Oliver, who surveyed the lifeless bodies around them and asked:
“Where are Jo and Forest?”
As if he didn’t already know the answer.