Chapter 203: Everyone’s Enemy (2)

Without a doubt, unity was the most foreign word in all of Liqueur. And yet, four of the five major factions of Liqueur’s surface had all gathered. There was the Black Forest, known for cannibalism, human experimentation, and ritual sacrifices; the Sandmen, voluntary beggars who chose a life of idleness; the Evil Bandits, a group of talentless but malicious pieces of trash; the Mercenary Guild, second only to beggars in numbers but far more skilled; and the Red Eye Gang, led by Maran, one of the Four Lunatics.

The Mercenary Guild was absent, but what mattered was that these people, who normally started by cursing out each other’s parents when they met, were maintaining a respectful distance and not fighting. It was a rare and spectacular sight.

The branch manager of Infinite Bank climbed to the rooftop, where he could get a good view of the surroundings, to assess the situation, and soon swallowed hard.

“This is unexpected.”

Those who followed him nodded in agreement.

They couldn’t believe that the scum of Liqueur had banded together to attack the Infinite Bank. Up until now, the bank had been able to defend itself precisely because of Liqueur’s system: whenever one major faction made a move, another would stab them in the back. But now that four out of the five major factions had gathered, no one was left to betray them.

“So they do use the things on their necks for more than decoration. Don’t know what’s gotten into them, but... Looks like you’re in quite the pinch, Mr. Branch Manager?”

Thousands of Liqueur residents, most at least aura users, were surrounding the place, but Keter was not afraid; instead, he carried himself like he had the upper hand in negotiations.

“Mmmm...”

The branch manager tapped his foot in thought.

Patience wasn’t a Liqueurian virtue; he couldn’t afford to deliberate too long when they might be attacked at any moment. He quickly calculated whether accepting Keter’s help, along with that of the mercenaries, could save the bank.

“Branch Manager Keter, can you promise me you’ll defend the bank with your full strength?”

It wasn’t a question for a Solver, but for the head of the Liqueur Mercenary Guild, whether he would take responsibility.

Keter didn’t hesitate for a second and said, “Once they know I’m here, half of them will scatter.”

Not to be outdone, Stella made her pitch.

“Keter’s name may carry weight, but as the division leaver of the White Lotus Society, mine should carry even more, don’t you think, Mr. Branch Manager?”

Their confidence wasn’t baseless. The branch manager was still weighing his choice when...

“Hey, Branch Manager of Infinite Bank! We can see you watching us from the roof!”

It was an executive of the Sandmen, one of those who measured career length by how long they had gone without bathing. He hadn’t bathed in so long that it seemed like a yellow haze was puffing from his mouth.

“I’ll keep this short! Leave everything you’ve got—your clothes included—and walk out here with nothing! Do that, and I promise to kill you without pain!”

He didn’t even pretend like he was going to spare him. It was a threat only a Liqueur native could make.

The branch manager let out a deep sigh the moment he saw the Sandmen. He wasn’t scared of being cut to death, but the sight of them, filthier than sewer runoff, made his stomach turn.

“I can’t put this off any longer. I...”

Even just having them near the bank made him feel contaminated. He resolved to make his choice now: side with Keter or with Stella. But before he could decide...

“Keter! Today’s the day you die! I, Cataract, will take your eyes in Lord Maran’s stead!”

The shout came from the Red Eye Gang’s side. The branch manager’s gaze toward Keter changed.

“It seems they’re not here for Infinite Bank, Keter... They’re here for you.”

There was a sting in his tone. He had assumed all the factions were targeting the bank, but now he realized one of them had come specifically for Keter, which meant he had, in effect, dragged trouble to Infinite Bank.

“Damn it... This is how it’s going to play out?”

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

If the fight wasn’t for Infinite Bank but simply happening with Infinite Bank in the crossfire, there was no reason for the bank to bend to Keter. Stella’s smile widened in quiet triumph. It was beautiful enough to enthrall any man, though to Keter it was nothing but an irritating smirk.

“In that case, Mr. Branch Manager, I suppose I’m the only one you can rely on now?”

No sooner had she said it than a voice rang out from the Evil Bandits.

“Stella, division leader of the White Lotus Society! We know you’re in there! Come out and surrender yourself, and we promise not to lay a finger on you and to protect you to the end!”

Stella’s delicate brows furrowed. She glared at the Craftsman who had dared speak her name and murmured, “A grasshopper-faced wretch dares utter my name? The only ones allowed to say it are my father and Keter.”

Her anger aside, the branch manager’s expression also changed.

“Well, well... it seems we’ve all walked into a trap.”

Every major faction present had a goal: to plunder Infinite Bank, to kill Keter, or to capture Stella. By sheer coincidence, it became possible to accomplish all of that in one move—right here, right now, with both Keter and Stella visiting the bank together.

* * *

The Godfather’s absence also meant the absence of his organization, the White Lotus Society. This could not be hidden, no matter how one tried. The three units under the White Lotus, Red Sand Division, Blue Blood Division, and Black Cloud Division had all withdrawn from the surface cities. From that, everyone was certain: Godfather Alkione had given up on maintaining order in Liqueur.

From that moment, the leaders of the great factions began a war to seize the Godfather’s now-empty seat, even as they held secret meetings to negotiate. The negotiations went surprisingly smoothly, their interests aligning with ease. First, they would all cooperate to take out Keter, the Solver. Second, they would work together to secure the Godfather’s daughter, Stella. And lastly, all entrances to the underground labyrinth would be sealed.

They declared that the only reason Keter had been left alive until now was because of the Godfather. Now that he was gone, there was no reason for them to hold back. Securing Stella was a precaution; if the Godfather or the White Lotus Society ever returned, even control of Liqueur would mean nothing. Since they knew Stella was still in Liqueur, they agreed to kidnap her if the opportunity arose, to use her as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Godfather.

However, the proposal to seal the labyrinth entrances was contentious. The first to insist on immediate sealing was the Black Forest.

“The labyrinth’s influence has begun to affect the surface. It seems to have accelerated since the Godfather disappeared. The sooner we seal the entrances, the better.”

The dark mist flowing out from the labyrinth beneath the city could spawn legendary monsters so dangerous that even Masters had to be on guard. In the labyrinth, fighting had purpose, as there were treasures to be found, but fighting monsters that emerged onto the surface served no purpose at all.

“But the labyrinth is something we must conquer eventually. If we seal it just because it’s troublesome now, it’ll only cause bigger problems later.”

“Some of our people went down into the labyrinth. We can’t just trap them inside.”

“Matters on the surface take priority. Besides, the missing Godfather has surely gone into the labyrinth. Blocking it off could be to our advantage.”

With support and opposition divided, no agreement was reached on that point.

In any case, they kept a close watch on Keter and Stella’s movements. The moment they saw Stella, visiting the Infinite Bank, they began gathering their forces. When word came that Keter had also arrived there, even the slower movers rushed to join, swelling their numbers to the thousands in an instant. At this rate, they could not only deal with both troublesome figures at once, but also loot the Infinite Bank as a bonus.

Keter and Stella didn’t know all these details, but they both understood one thing.

They’re prepared.

While none of the faction leaders had shown up, several high-ranking executives and hundreds of members from each group had been mobilized. It wasn’t an all-out war, but it was far from a casual probe.

Seeing the assembled faces, Keter frowned.

“I’m offended. You think you can catch me with just this? What good’s a big headcount if none of the leaders are here?”

Stella, tightening the whip at her waist, added, “Father said the White Lotus Society wouldn’t interfere in Liqueur anymore, but this isn’t about being the leader of the Red Sand Division; it’s about my pride. I have to fight.”

“Then I’ll sit this one out.”

“...?! ”

“I don’t mind fighting after the Infinite Bank’s been stripped bare.”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right. I should do the same.”

Keter and Stella withdrew their intent to fight, which dampened the branch manager’s relief.

“Can’t we just survive this crisis first and negotiate afterward? Surely that would benefit us both.”

“Absolutely not.”

Stella didn’t even bother responding to what she considered nonsense.

The branch manager glanced between the two before looking out at the encircling factions. At last, he made his decision.

“We must repay the attack on the Infinite Bank. However, if we withdraw from Liqueur, we can’t do that. Keter, as branch leader of the Liqueur Mercenary Guild, I promise you this: the Infinite Bank will fully support the guild. In return, I ask you to promise the bank’s safety and the restoration of Liqueur’s economy.”

He had chosen to stay in Liqueur and work to restore its economy. Keter grinned and offered his hand.

“Fine. Let’s do it.”

The branch manager clasped it firmly, sealing an alliance between the Infinite Bank and the Mercenary Guild. Stella wasn’t disappointed, as the White Lotus Society would suffer no loss whether the bank stayed or not.

“So, what can the Infinite Bank do?”

Time was short. Keter asked about the bank’s capabilities.

“We will summon a colossus. Can you buy us time until then, Mr. Keter?”

“Sure. I don’t know what that is, but it sounds reassuring.”

Keter turned to his companions: Dork, Joyray, and Six.

“Dork and Captain, you both know what to do. Six, you’d better earn your keep.”

While it would be nice if Six could distinguish friend from foe on his own, that was wishful thinking. Giving a blind attack order didn’t sit right.

“Don’t break again by charging in recklessly. Stick by Dork and attack only the enemies coming for me. Got it?”

“Yes. I will only attack those who target you, Keter.”

That made friend-or-foe recognition easy. No complicated orders needed.

“Even so, it’s going to be tough for just the four of us to hold back thousands.”

Joyray was blunt. For soldiers in the outside world, an overwhelming display of power could send them fleeing. However, once Liqueurians had decided to fight, they wouldn’t retreat even as comrades fell beside them. Even knowing their lives would be crushed like ants, they would gladly throw themselves in. Keter and Joyray’s skills were godlike, but the Liqueurians were not going to stop advancing. They might win the battles, but they would still lose the war.

“Master, our boss always has a plan. Trust him.”

Dork didn’t know about Keter’s Limitless Archery, but he was sure Keter had a winning strategy like he always had. It may seem like Keter fought recklessly and however he wanted, but Dork, who had watched Keter for decades, knew that he never started a fight he would lose. He never fought with defeat as an assumption.

“Before we get serious, let’s greet them properly.”

Clap!

Then, Demon Bow Amaranth appeared in his right hand, and in his left appeared the beautiful White Cloud, a pure white arrow gifted to him from Lord Eslow.