I'm just about done exploring the town when the sky turns red.
My first thought is that it's simply sunset - after all, sometimes sunset abruptly causes lighting changes.
But - while most things in this world do seem to follow game-like logic, glitches and bad programming in quite that sense isn't something I've seen yet.
...Also everyone around me have definitely noticed the change, too.
Kael stops in his tracks, staring up at the sky with a frown. Random townsfolk spook and begin to run...somewhere. Presumably their own homes?
"No. It isn't normal." Kael says that before I can even speak.
Well, then.
If he's sure, I won't question him.
The clouds in the sky turn a sickly yellow-purple.
Given the color palette swap, if this isn't normal, then this is most likely...
A draconic screech splits the air.
A dragon.
I haven't heard a real dragon before. But I know what that sound is.
"--Shit." Kael hisses, "We need to-"
"BEHOLD THE MIGHT OF OUR GREAT KING!"
The voice rings through the streets, from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Warning: The demon king's fourth lieutenant, Redhai, has been sent to raze this village, Master!"
Before I can scold that damn voice for spoiling the introduction, the figure in question swoops into view.
A gold-red dragon breaks through the clouds, and upon it sits a woman in some kind if indistinct black armor.
The beast twirls in a circle as it dives toward the city, and passes by us at such speed that it rattles the windows and tugs at my clothes like it's a passing train.
A gout of fire explodes somewhere behind me on the street.
Kael breaks into a run. "Elara and the others!"
I'm not sure if he's calling me, or simply reminding himself that they need to be warned, but he's off, sprinting through the town before I can try to stop him.
Not that I would.
Kael's perfectly capable of handling that mess of chaos himself.
My gaze fixes on the woman doing strafe runs. If she simply had her dragon blast fire non-stop doing this she would likely have engulfed most of the city already. Instead, she's only occasionally dropping fire.
It's very inefficient.
Well.
I guess it's time to leave.
If we stick around, the place is just going to end up a pile of ash and we'll lose time getting to the next city.
"Master?! But the Demon King's Lieutenant is attacking the city! It needs to be rescued! What's wrong with you??"
She is flying.
I hate dealing with flying enemies before I get any kind of range weapons, they just fly around out of reach and it takes three hours to chip them down when they bother to get close enough to get hit.
What do you expect me to do? Throw rocks?
...Although...
Throwing rocks could be a valid strategy. Annoying, but there is a certain satisfaction in the challenge of taking down a dragon only throwing rocks.
Still, it's not my first choice.
I'll have to get a bow or something next time I get the chance.
She sweeps by again, cackling. Another gout of fire, and this time I hear the screams of citizens in response. It's probably those whose houses were caught up in the flame. Understandable, really.
But.
...Wasn't this city supposed to be fortified against attacks from the Demon King's forces?
"The Demon King's Lieutenant is too powerful for even the city's defenses! They stand no chance in a direct assault like this, Master!"
Too powerful...?
I keep hearing that. And being disappointed.
But still.
I suppose this is a Demon King Lieutenant, right? That's promising.
I cross my arms and squint up at the sky. I still don't want to have to do the throwing stones strategy.
There's just not a lot of those around my feet right now.
"Hey! You wanna come down here and fight like a man?!" I shout, as loud as I can manage. "Stop strafe running like a coward!"
--Eh, it's worth a shot, right?
Especially if she really is a challenge.
I admit, I'm not in the best headspace for a sudden deadly challenge, but I'm not going to pass it up if I can get it. And these types are often arrogant enough that a few insults ought to rile them up.
Hopefully.
This could actually be fun, though. It's worth a try.
Assuming she's not a useless bullet sponge I have to throw rocks at for eight hours. That is not challenge. That is tedium.
"Who dares-?!" The woman halts, floating in place, casting her gaze around a moment, before her gaze settles on me.
Exactly as I expected. Good.
She's too far to gauge her expression, but her voice is at least loud enough to hear.
"Wh-who...wh-w-what are you talking about?! L-like a man?!"
...Did she just stutter.
"Y-you! You dare challenge me?!"
She's definitely stuttering.
Yeah.
Hate that.
"You want a challenge, come down here." If I ignore the stuttering, maybe she'll get a grip. Pointing it out will definitely make it worse. Even I know that. "Or give me a dragon and I'll fight you up there."
I'd take a dragon.
Would definitely get me to the Demon King fast.
"Yuh-Y-you! Youuuu!!!!"
She covers her face in her hands.
Her face had already been covered by her helmet.
"What the hell are you doing?"
This is embarrassing.
"I-I'm--! I'm gonna!!" She screams and suddenly rears up the dragon.
And flies away from me?!
"WHAT?"
She's running away?!
"What a great job, Master! You scared her away with your charisma!"
I-
I what??
"The Lieutenant's name is Redhai, and she is the most timid of the lieutenants, Master. She's an incredibly fierce opponent, with some of the strongest offensive abilities in the world, but you efficiently targeted her weaknesses!"
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING."
The hell!
I was trying to start a fight, not end one!
How could I have done it any better?! This is insane!
I run my fingers over my face with a groan.
This.
This is why I can't be bothered.
I just.
Cannot be bothered with this damn world.
Whatever.
The townsfolk are running around me, milling like a hoard of ants that are desperate to rebuild their anthill after it's kicked.
People are screaming.
The color of the sky is blotted out by the black billows of smoke in the air.
Water splashes on the ground near me.
Someone is trying to set up a bucket brigade, I think, though it's messy and chaotic.
Someone crashes to the ground with a scream, covering their head with their hands, just before disappearing, blocked off by the running people.
...But the lieutenant is gone.
She was barely even here, honestly. It couldn't have been more than five minutes from the time the sky went red, to the time she just. Flew off on her dragon powered by sheer tsundere.
"Master, can't you tell...?"
Tell what.
The danger is gone. She flew off like some kind of cameo boss.
The continued panic is pointless. The danger is gone.
A woman bounces into me, crashing to the ground at my feet.
I stare down at her.
Blue eyes stare at me, tearful. "Please, please I need to find my sister! She was-she was in the square, but I got separated and-"
"I don't know her. Go ask a guard."
She looks at me like I've slapped her.
I don't know why. I've just gotten to this city. I don't know anyone in it, I couldn't even begin to guess where anyone would go in a crisis like this, nor tell the difference between anyone.
I refuse to go on some weird escort rescue quest. Getting stuck searching burning wreckage and searching under random rubble piles for hours just to get a minor reward is one of the most annoying quest types.
The woman scrambles up after a moment, and sprints off, shouting, "Please! Someone help! My sister, she was at the fountain, but then there was an explosion, and I can't-"
"Miss! Pleas-"
"Someone-! Anyone I-!"
I squint up at the sky.
Through the billows of smoke, the sky seems blue?
I think it is.
That must mean the raid really is over.
I sigh and press my fingers to my forehead.
What's the point of rating this a SSSS rank world if even when a danger appears it runs away after two minutes?
Has there ever even been a single threat worth calling this world that, even if I don't account for these damn broken cheat abilities?!
"Ryo."
The voice cuts through the din, and I lift my head.
Kael is standing there, accompanied by Elara, Arin, Meera, and her cat. They're covered in soot.
He makes his way closer to where I'm standing. "She set fire to the inn, but we got everyone out before it collapsed. A few people were injured, but no deaths."
That's not really a surprise. Her attacks were so random I'd be surprised if she managed much destruction or harm at all.
I sigh once more and shake my head. "Well. Good then."
As I turn to leave - we may as well just leave the city, since it's not likely we'll be able to shop like this even tomorrow, Kael's voice cuts through the din.
"You did nothing."
"Uh."
That accusation came out of nowhere.
Elara frowns and rubs her arm. "...I'm. I'm sure Ryo was trying to help on the front line."
I blink.
"Uh."
I mean.
I did try to engage her in combat. She just. Refused to fight.
Kael stares at me. "...You didn't even move from this spot."
I blink again.
...Okay, fair. But it's because I didn't need to. If she's come down to fight, it'd be a different matter.
"She wasn't a threat-"
I'm.
Punched.
It doesn't hurt.
But it is a little dizzying.
I stare up at Kael.
"...You punched me."
"And I'll do it again." I don't think I've seen him look this angry before. "Elara and Meera almost died! There's people-! People are trapped! Screaming for help! And you're just standing there like a fucking statue. Are you insane?! Don't you even care about the people in your party?!"
"--I didn't ask for any of you to follow me."
The words come out before I can stop them.
I can see the punch coming.
But.
I can't dodge it.
I'm knocked back, and hit the ground.
Kael stares at me for a long, tense moment, and then turns and walks away.