I Have a Task Log

Colin carefully read the contents of the note.

The person to be investigated this time was named Karen Stone Heart.

The man’s surname sounded a bit unusual, mainly because many Adventurers were commoners without a family name, so they often adopted their nicknames as surnames.

The note said he was a member of the Gray Squad. During a recent deep exploration of the Undercity, his entire squad was wiped out, leaving him as the sole survivor.

Afterward, the Black Tower had him take a backseat, handling simple tasks like escorting sewer cleaners.

Due to this traumatic experience, Karen’s behavior had become somewhat erratic, such as his recent habit of wandering aimlessly around the city.

Normally, this would be attributed to trauma from losing his squad, but because it was currently the period of intensive speeches by the City Lord candidates, a minor investigation was required.

Colin glanced at it a few more times before silently stuffing the note into his pocket.

The corresponding entry promptly appeared in his Task Log.

-----------------

[Commission: Investigate Personnel]

[Status: Not Started]

[Reward: Not Calculated]

-----------------

Leaving the Black Tower, Colin followed the main road toward the Dwarf Sewer.

When there was nothing else going on, Kase and the others would usually be training over there.

’I wonder if it’s because I’m improving too quickly,’ Colin thought. ’Kase and the others seem to be training with a lot more enthusiasm.’

After crossing a few major streets and reaching the main road between the Trade District and the Southern District, Colin suddenly noticed a crowd gathered up ahead, with shouts echoing from it. He didn’t pay it much mind and continued straight forward.

"Look at this damned coachman! He stole our cargo!"

"Heaven knows how much the Carriage Guild has been skimming! The high prices now are all their fault!"

Colin had originally thought it was a speech or some other event, so he was surprised to hear this as he drew closer.

Before he could walk around the crowd, a loud CLANG suddenly rang out from the side, followed by several shrieks from within the mob. A few people started to move away, whispering to each other about whether to call the Sheriff.

His path blocked, Colin looked toward the center of the crowd.

Some poor soul was surrounded in the middle of the road by a few thugs dressed like Ordinary citizens of Thousand Masts City.

Judging by the shouts from before, the man was probably a member of the Carriage Guild—most likely a coachman.

The mob surrounding him was now trying to remove a wagon wheel and force it over the poor man’s body.

Colin sighed and silently stepped forward.

He reached out, placed a hand on the wheel, and looked at the big man leading the group. "What are you doing?"

"What are we doing? We’re serving our own justice!" the big man said.

Colin glanced at the coachman on the ground.

The man’s clothes were torn, and his face was covered in bruises and scrapes.

"My personal advice is to wait for the Sheriff. If this man really is a thief, you’ll need evidence, at the very least," Colin said.

Just then, a smaller man to the side noticed the ring on Colin’s finger, the symbol of a City Watcher.

The man immediately shrieked, "Look! He’s a lapdog who’s taken bribes from the Carriage Guild! They’re all in it together!"

Hearing this, Colin instantly realized these guys were just looking for trouble. "I don’t care what your business is," he said, growing impatient. "If there’s a problem, wait for the Sheriff. Otherwise..."

He was cut off mid-sentence as the big man, without a word, swung the axe in his hands straight at him.

’Hobgoblins, Cultists, Skeletons...’

The images of countless monsters he had faced before overlapped with the figure of the big man.

Before his mind could even process it, Colin’s body was already in motion.

He tilted his body slightly, and the axe skimmed past the hairs on his head, striking empty air.

His feet dug into the ground as he twisted his waist and hips, channeling power through his legs.

With a sharp CRACK and a fleeting flash of white mist, the big man convulsed as if electrocuted and fell stiffly to the ground.

The smaller man who had been shouting just moments before also charged forward.

’If they dare to attack, they’re not citizens, they’re thugs.’

Colin didn’t plan on holding back. He hopped back half a step and landed a jab on the man’s face.

Another crisp THWACK, and the smaller man went limp, collapsing cleanly to the ground.

Belatedly, Colin looked down at his own fist.

’My strength and reflexes really have gotten stronger,’ he realized. ’Stronger than I expected.’

At that moment, a murmur rose from the surrounding crowd.

"Hey, I saw that Chest Armor in the paper this morning. Isn’t that Colin the Dragon Slayer?"

"It’s the Adventurer who killed the dragon!"

"Nicely done!"

Hearing that it was the antique-level Muscle Chest Armor he was wearing that got him recognized, Colin felt somewhat conflicted.

Seeing this, the troublemaking thugs turned and fled without a moment’s hesitation.

Wary of the citizens around him, Colin refrained from using Magic and simply grabbed the nearest one with a backhand motion.

"Don’t, I beg you..."

The captured thug said, clawing at the hand that held him.

Colin applied a little more pressure, and the thug couldn’t break free at all. Due to the physical enhancement from long-term Casting strengthening his body via the Magic Net, the man couldn’t even scratch the back of his hand.

Colin asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because this coachman stole our cargo! Because he’s a thief!" the man shouted to the crowd. "Gentlemen, what would you think if you ran into a petty thief? We’re the ones in the right!"

Colin recited a Spell, and the Flame of a Flaming Arrow instantly bloomed at his fingertips.

He brought his burning fingers close to the man’s face and said, "I don’t believe that’s the truth. As you can see, I’m a Mage, and a Mage who would rather not waste energy Casting on a small fry like you.

So, are you going to tell me the truth, or do you want me to use Magic to pry open your mind? Mind you, doing so might have some... unforeseen side effects."

Seeing this, the captured thug was scared witless.

Anyone with a bit of common sense in this world knew that Mages didn’t typically wear Plate Armor. If someone could cast Magic while wearing it, they were definitely not to be trifled with.

After coming to his senses, the thug started desperately screaming for help.

’Looks like he’s trying to use the crowd’s goodwill to pressure me,’ Colin thought as he glanced around. The surrounding people showed no sign of moving.

Between a hero from the newspapers and a thug who had just assaulted someone else, everyone tacitly chose to trust the former.

Just as Colin was about to take further action to interrogate the man, two uniformed City Guards arrived.

"Someone’s taking the law into their own hands, sirs! Vigilante justice!" the captured thug yelled at the approaching City Guards.