Ogre Team (Seeking Follow-up)

House Finde, Howard's private parlor.

The new Count, having succeeded to the title and inherited the entirety of the estate, set aside all other affairs to personally raise a glass.

"Nimrod, thank you for your help this time."

Nimrod raised his glass, clinking it against Howard's.

"Nimrod, you have already risen to fame. The top-tier lawyer of the Hive City was defeated by you in open court. I believe you should abandon the factory; a single noble case earns more Mars Credits than all your profits from the Spire combined."

"More importantly, a lawyer is one of the highest-status professions a Hiver can hold, and one can even attain immense political influence within the upper echelons of the Hive City."

"I have no interest in being a lawyer long-term."

Nimrod knew that in times of peace, lawyers and legal professionals were the most common background for politicians, but Vostonia—and indeed the entire galaxy—was about to enter the magnificent era of the Great Crusade.

Since his role as a "Lawyer" was complete, he had no intention of fishing for political capital. The plan for a "Barbarian" to flip the table and ignite a violent revolution was already brewing in his mind.

As for Howard, through their interactions over this period, he had grown to appreciate the capability and temperament of this sixteen-year-old noble.

"Since that is the case, I will not force you. Follow me to the vault and choose your reward."

Howard set down his glass, rose, and led Nimrod forward.

Walking across the polished red brick floor, Howard noticed that Nimrod's gaze did not linger for even a second on the luxurious decorations, the priceless murals, or the exquisite furnishings.

He remained as calm as ever, following behind him at a steady, unhurried pace.

A moment later, a Logis-Engine appeared before them, with something resembling a human positioned in front of its panel.

It was a Servitor, an automated device created by lobotomizing a human and modifying the remains.

Nimrod realized this was no ordinary Servitor; it was a sentry.

"This was gifted to my ancestor by Magos Kivior when House Finde was first established. Only those with the family bloodline can activate it."

"The Artificer Power Armor I wear, named after him, was also a gift from that time."

Nimrod nodded. House Finde has deep ties with the Tech-Priests.

The sentry turned its head toward the two, and an amber iris lit up in one of its eye sockets.

Accompanied by a piercing shriek, it opened its jaw.

Its jaw was much wider than a normal human's, and its mouth was filled with sharp, metallic fangs.

The fangs pierced Howard's skin, embedding into his flesh, and a few drops of dark red blood flowed into the sentry's throat.

Following this, the hum of servo-motors and mechanical pumps echoed, and the Logis-Engine's video screen flickered incessantly.

The heavy metal door groaned open. Nimrod followed Finde into the Finde family vault, his superhuman vision taking in all five hundred and thirteen display cases within the two-thousand-three-hundred-square-meter chamber.

He walked up to a display case, and Howard introduced the item.

"This stone is solid, yet it seems to contain a surging ocean. Because of this property, it was collected by the sixth family head."

"It comes from a world covered by oceans, also located in the Vostonia system. Magos Kivior named it Oceanic Movement."

"When seawater strikes this stone, it emits a scream like a siren."

Nimrod nodded. The stone before him was known on the Blasphemy Slate as a Siren Stone, the primary ingredient for the Sequence 9 "Sailor" potion.

After fully digesting the "Lawyer" potion, he had returned to the Kingdom of Disorder and discovered that while his Source Essence authority had not increased, the slate now contained six new Sequence 9 potion formulas, "Sailor" being one of them. He also confirmed that the Chainsword was an auxiliary material for the "Warrior" path.

However, Nimrod did not intend to choose the Siren Stone. The "Sailor" path had no room to flourish in the oceanless Vostonia, and one of the primary ingredients listed on the Blasphemy Slate was impossible to find.

He continued forward, observing over a dozen potion materials before finally stopping in front of a round, black stone.

Howard continued his introduction: "This stone was discovered on a moon of Vostonia. Magos Kivior once said that the moon is very similar to the moon of Terra, the solar system where humanity originated."

"I will take this one."

This stone, known as a Moonstone, was the primary ingredient for the "Sleepless" path, and Nimrod had already gathered all the other materials.

With the Moonstone in hand, Nimrod had finally collected everything required for the "Sleepless" potion.

Returning to the Magneto Steelworks, he placed the Moonstone into a small, rectangular silver box and sent it to the Kingdom of Disorder.

Just then, his short-range communicator buzzed, and Rawlslev's excited voice came through.

"Boss, the biggest Lung Spider in the Underhive—the one they call the Black Widow—has been found."

The Boss rewarded merit, and this time he would be able to drink some fine Las-Vault.

"Wait for me in the control room."

A moment later, Nimrod arrived at the control room. Besides Rawlslev, he saw a boy with brown skin and bright blue eyes, who looked to be about eight or nine years old.

The boy looked at Nimrod with eyes full of reverence and worship.

"Boss, he's the one who found the Black Widow."

The thought of claiming all the credit existed in Rawlslev's mind for only a few seconds before he crushed it.

The Boss seemed to know exactly what everyone was thinking, and he had no desire to try and deceive his wise and mighty Boss.

"Boss, it's Bukayo."

The youth suppressed his excitement and introduced himself to the boss with practiced ease.

"Very good, you've done well. Now lead the way; I want to see this big guy."

"Yes, Boss."

Bukayo led the way, and Nimrod brought fifty men along as they set off toward the Lung Spider's nest.

The group included two rat-catcher squads who had honed their skills hunting giant rats; today, they were going to hunt the most terrifying predator in the area surrounding the Khanty-Mansi Dome.

After the team had traveled four kilometers along the dripping metal pipes, Nimrod's ears twitched.

About a kilometer behind them, a group of people had been following their twists and turns, staying on their tail the entire time.

They are coming for me.

After traveling a bit further, Nimrod reached a relatively open intersection and caught a glimpse of those tailing them out of the corner of his eye.

The most eye-catching were five hulking men, all over two and a half meters tall, making everyone around them look exceptionally small; the tallest among them stood at three meters.

Immediately, Nimrod's attention was drawn to the two people leading the Ogryn squad, as they felt strangely familiar.

He searched his memory and instantly locked onto their identities.

Dimitrov's men.

Hm? The Arbites wouldn't be stupid enough to send people after me, and the Ogryn aren't something he has the power to command.

The Ogryn were sent by Estupinian. Very well, they've come to deliver the main ingredients for my "Barbarian" right to my doorstep.

Nimrod did not launch an attack immediately; he spoke in a low voice.

"Bukayo, lead me to the nearest narrow passage."

The two men behind Nimrod were stunned by the request, but Bukayo reacted quickly, covering his mouth with his left hand.

"As you command, Boss."

The youth gripped his dagger tightly with his right hand and kept walking, not showing a hint of anything unusual.

Two kilometers away from the dim passage, he sensed the tunnel, which had a diameter of only three point six meters.

After stepping into the passage and moving forward three hundred and eighty meters, Nimrod issued a low command.

"Kill the lights! Spread out to the sides!"

The elite gangsters, who had grown through the conquest of the Khanty-Mansi Dome, reacted instantly, scattering to both sides and pressing against the metal walls.

At the same time, gunfire erupted.