Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons - Chapter 281

Chapter 281: The red pill (2)
“Who supplied you with the demonic pills?” Arthur demanded, his voice cold and precise.

Roy’s body knelt before him.

“Demonic pills?” Roy’s hollow voice carried a hint of confusion. “If you mean the pill I consumed before… it was like this. I was closing my inn one day when a man with a hood came in. I told him the inn was closed, but he said he had something to show me.” Roy’s eyes flickered with the memory. “That day I was tired and had a fight with a few patrons, so I was in a bad mood.”

“Then?”

“I kind of fought with him. Well, not fight—more like gotten beaten up.” Roy’s admission carried no shame. “After defeating me easily, he threw me the pills. Said if I ever got in danger, I should use them. They would save me.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear on his face. “And you believed him?”

“No, Master. I didn’t believe him, and I had never used that pill before.” Roy’s voice grew quieter. “To be honest, when I used it earlier, I wasn’t sure it was going to work. It was a gamble my foolish self took when fighting you, considering that I was dying.”

Arthur paused, processing this unexpected information. Not a conspiracy of demons infiltrating the city, but perhaps something more concerning—random distribution of demonic power to people in the city.

‘What are they trying to do?’

“Tell me about this hooded man. Everything you remember.”

“Short. Strong. Moved like a fighter. The face was hidden, but his hands…”

“His hands had markings. Runes, maybe. I couldn’t see it clearly at that time. And his voice was… strange.”

“Did he say why he gave you the pills?”

“He said… he said that soon, everyone would need power to survive.”

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

The merge.

This mysterious stranger knew about it, was preparing for it by distributing power—dangerous, unpredictable power—to random individuals.

‘Is it random or selected? It’s too early to judge. I would need to do more research on this.’

“How many pills did he give you? Just those three? Did he ask you to distribute any?”

“Yes just those Three. I used one. You found the other two. And, no he didnt ask me to distribute any.”

Arthur considered his options.

Roy would be useful—an informant positioned perfectly in the bustling tavern where information flowed as freely as ale.

“Okay, I see. I will take you back to your mother’s house,” Arthur decided. “Keep serving her and continue your usual business. Look out for any information about that hooded person. And if he ever appears in your inn, notify me immediately.”

Relief flickered across Roy’s features. “Yes, Master!”

Arthur placed a hand on Roy’s shoulder and teleported them into the bartender’s house. Eleanor was still sitting in her chair, unaware that her son had died and been summoned in the span of an hour.

“Roy? Is that you?” she called, hearing the disturbance.

“Yes, Mother. I’m back,” Roy answered, his voice normal—The new affect of Arthur’s talent that he did not anticipated to he useful this soon.

‘With this new affect. My human summons would be able to have their own identities. Before it would’ve been difficult because they couldn’t speak. But now? Not anymore,’

“You were gone so long. Did you find what you needed at the tavern?”

“I did. Everything’s fine now.”

Arthur nodded in approval before teleporting back to the forest, leaving Roy.

Alone in the devastated clearing, Arthur processed everything he’d learned.

‘The city is more dangerous than I thought. The demons have already infiltrated, which means someone in the city is working with them. Otherwise, it would be impossible for this to go unnoticed.’ His mind ran through possibilities. ‘And that person… must have high authority in the city.’

The more time he spent in Armageddon, the more he realized how little he truly knew. He’d only scratched the surface of the realm’s complexity, and the waters ran deep with conspiracy and danger.

Arthur gazed at the countdown only he could see.

“I can only get stronger,” he concluded aloud. “That’s the only thing that’s going to help me. Now that I’m level 20, I have more confidence in going deeper into the forest and farming for epic items—for me, my summons, and my warriors.”

His decision made, Arthur opened his interface, checking his inventory and abilities.

The demonic pills were stored in his storage. He wouldn’t use them himself, but understanding them seemed to prove crucial.

With a thought, he summoned George.

“We have a problem,” Arthur explained, outlining what he’d learned from Roy. “Someone is distributing demonic power throughout Caldera.”

George’s face remained passive.

“I need you to get back to your job and find any information you can without alerting anyone.” Arthur paced the clearing. “I need to accelerate my plans. I’m going hunting in the deep forest, but I need you to coordinate our city operations.”

“What shall I focus on, Master?”

“Find traces of these pills. Start with the taverns, especially in the lower districts.”

“And if I find distributors?”

Arthur’s eyes hardened. “Don’t engage directly. Mark them for me. But based on my suspicion, it won’t be that easy. So you will just have to find information, even if it’s rumours.”

Geroge bowed in acknowledgment before returning to the city, leaving Arthur alone with his thoughts.

The deep forest was restricted territory, home to monsters far beyond what most people in Caldera could handle.

But Arthur wasn’t most people.

With his spatial abilities, he could escape any situation that proved too dangerous. And with his level 20 status, he finally had the time to go to areas that had monsters that would yield the epic-tier equipment he needed before the merge.

With preparations complete, Arthur focused on his destination—a section of forest marked in the map as “The Verdant Maw,” due to its terrain.

“It’s been a long time since I solely grinded loot and experience.” He muttered a soft sigh escaping his mouth.