My Charity System made me too OP-Chapter 161: Mercenary II

The atmosphere inside the inn remained tense even after the group left. Conversations had resumed, but there was an underlying unease. Leon and his group, however, seemed completely unfazed.

The bartender hesitated before approaching their broken table. "Uh… you gonna pay for that?"

Leon casually tossed him a few gold coins without looking. "That should cover it."

The bartender examined the hefty sum and whistled. "More than enough. Feel free to break another one."

Roman chuckled. "Well, looks like we’ve officially pissed off some dangerous people."

Roselia leaned on Leon’s shoulder, smirking. "And when have we ever cared about that?"

Leon took a sip of his drink before smirking. "Never."

Suddenly, the inn doors burst open again, but this time, the ones who entered were completely different from the previous group.

A tall woman with silver hair, wearing a dark-blue battle robe embroidered with golden runes, stepped forward. Behind her were two heavily armored warriors and a man in a mage’s cloak. Their presence was overwhelming, but unlike the last group, they didn’t reek of hostility—just pure authority.

Every adventurer in the inn went silent.

"…Great Shield Serena." Someone whispered, their voice filled with awe.

Roman narrowed his eyes. "She’s from Valkyria Sanctum, one of the top ten guilds dominating the fifth floor."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Another recruiter? Damn, I should start charging people just to talk to me."

Serena’s sharp, golden eyes landed on him. "Leon, is it? I’d like to talk."

Leon sighed, gesturing at the wreckage of the table. "As you can see, my last meeting didn’t go too well. Hope you don’t mind standing."

Serena ignored his remark, stepping closer. "I’ll be direct. What happened earlier will cause a chain reaction. The guilds that fear disruption will try to eliminate you before you gain more power. Others will watch, waiting to see if you survive. But we…" She placed a hand on her hip. "We see an opportunity."

Leon smirked. "An opportunity, huh? And what exactly do you want?"

Serena crossed her arms. "Your strength. Your unpredictability. You’ve already proven that you’re more than just another adventurer. If you truly wish to remain independent, then we’ll offer you something better than guild membership—a partnership."

Roman’s eyes widened slightly. "That’s… unexpected."

Serena continued. "Valkyria Sanctum has no interest in controlling you. We recognize power when we see it, and we’d rather have you as an ally than an enemy. In return, we’ll provide information, resources, and access to high-level dungeons. We won’t order you around, but if we ever need your strength, we’ll make an offer. You choose whether to accept or not."

Leon studied her for a moment before laughing. "Now that’s a much better deal than the last one."

Roselia smirked. "And why should we trust you?"

Serena’s gaze didn’t waver. "You don’t have to. But considering the enemies you’ve made today, it’s better to have powerful friends than to fight alone."

Leon leaned back, thinking for a moment. Then, he grinned. "Alright. I like the sound of that. Let’s call it a… mutual interest deal."

Serena nodded. "Smart choice. We’ll be in touch." She turned to leave but paused. "And Leon… be careful. The ones you pissed off today won’t play fair."

Leon’s grin widened. "Good. I like it when they struggle."

As Serena and her group exited the inn, Roman sighed. "You’ve gone and done it now, Leon. You’ve put yourself at the center of the battlefield."

Leon laughed. "Then let’s give them a damn good show."

***

Leon had unknowingly set a massive conflict in motion.

The guilds who saw him as a threat were already moving behind the scenes, preparing to eliminate him before he could rise further. Meanwhile, the guilds who saw his potential were plotting ways to secure him as an ally.

But amidst all the chaos, one thing was certain—Leon was no longer just another adventurer.

He had become a wild card.

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And the entire fifth floor was about to feel the consequences.

***

The moon hung high in the sky as Leon and his group returned to the inn. The streets were quieter than before, but the silence felt… unnatural.

Roselia, walking beside Leon, narrowed her eyes. "It’s too quiet."

Roman instinctively rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. "We’re being watched."

Millim, who had been humming softly, suddenly grinned. "Ohhh~ I smell bloodlust. How exciting."

Leon didn’t slow his pace. "They’re fast. I expected them to wait at least a day before trying something."

As they approached the inn, a shadow flickered across the rooftops.

Then—

SHNK!

A dagger whistled through the air, aimed directly at Leon’s throat.

CLANG!

Leon caught it between his fingers. His smirk didn’t waver as he examined the blade. "Poisoned? How unoriginal."

Suddenly—

BOOM!

The building behind them exploded, sending debris flying as figures clad in dark assassin gear emerged from the shadows. Their leader, a masked figure with dual curved blades, stepped forward. Continue your adventure with novelbuddy

"Leon." His voice was cold and emotionless. "Your existence threatens the balance. You need to disappear."

Leon sighed, tossing the dagger aside. "Let me guess. Some big-shot guild paid you?"

The assassin leader didn’t answer. Instead, he raised his hand—

"Kill them."

Five assassins lunged forward in an instant, their blades aimed at Leon and his group.

Roselia snapped her fingers, summoning dark chains from the ground. One assassin was caught mid-air, but before he could react—

SPLAT!

His body was crushed under an immense gravitational force.

Millim giggled as she vanished, reappearing behind another assassin and biting into his neck, drinking his blood while he screamed.

Roman blocked three strikes at once before countering with a brutal swing, cutting an assassin in half.

Leon?

He stood still, letting another assassin get close.

The assassin thrust his blade forward, aiming straight for Leon’s heart.

Then—

BANG!

Leon’s fist punched through his chest, shattering his ribcage. The assassin coughed blood before collapsing lifelessly.

The leader’s eyes narrowed. "Tch. Useless."

He vanished from sight, moving at inhuman speeds. In a blink, he was behind Leon, his twin blades descending—

SHHHING!

A sharp metallic sound echoed.