The atmosphere in my apartment had shifted from a simple arrest to a conceptual battlefield. Even though Officer Han hadn't been able to suppress my energy immediately, the man was a veteran; he had a staggering array of containment Skills that made him a nightmare for any Rogue Ranker.
He was an annoying obstacle, but a necessary one. With a man possessed by such a rigid 'Justice' complex, bringing him over to my side, or at least forcing a temporary cooperation, would be the fastest way to weed out the demonic infiltrators without spending months tied up in red tape.
"Come on, Officer Han... I'm serious. There's a larger threat at play here," I said, eyeing the silver, metallic links snaking around his arms. "Would you mind keeping those scary-looking chains away for a second and just listen?"
I was referring to his Star Relic, the 'Chains of the Ten Seals'. These solid-ethereal silver links possessed the terrifying ability to regress any caught being to their pre-awakened stage and nullify attacks.
They were troublesome even for me. To prove his point, Han flicked his wrist, and the heavy links lashed out, striking my 'Shadow Soldiers'. Upon contact, the warriors didn't just dissipate; they were forcibly reduced back into simple, harmless shadows on the floor.
"You have the right to remain silent. We will hear you out at the Ranker's Court," Han replied, his voice as unyielding as a mountain. "As long as you cooperate, I won't have to use my chains on you."
It was clear he wasn't interested in a heart-to-heart. To him, the world was a series of checkboxes and legal codes.
"[Activating The Class Exclusive Skill, 'Shield: Long Spears'!]"
"[Notice: The Class Exclusive Passive Skill, 'Absolute Manipulation', has been applied!]"
I didn't draw my sword yet. Instead, I conjured several translucent shields and molded them into thin, razor-sharp 'Shield Spears', launching them in a high-speed volley. Han didn't even move; his chains danced with a mind of their own, intercepting every spear. Whatever the metal touched was instantly nullified into mana dust.
"Ranker Management Law 2B: 'If a Ranker is not cooperating with legal procedure, the use of Skills and force is acceptable to bring them in'." Han mumbled, his green eyes glowing as he prepared his own counter-offensive.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'One Standing Court: Contempt of Court' Lvl 7!]"
The pressure inside my small apartment spiked. This wasn't a wide-area debuff; it was a focused, surgical strike on a single target: me. I felt my bones groan as the gravity affecting my body doubled, then tripled. My energy flow became sluggish, as if my blood had turned to lead. Taking advantage of my momentary heaviness, the 'Chains of the Ten Seals' lunged forward like vipers, seeking to coil around my torso.
"[Activating 'Absolute Wall' Lvl 1!]"
Just as the cold links were about to bite into my skin, a thin, shimmering barrier erupted. It created a microscopic gap, a sliver of 'Absolute' space that the chains couldn't bridge. I could have ended this "play" easily with my higher-ranked Skills, but causing massive collateral damage would only make my legal standing worse.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'One Standing Court: 'Writ of Seizure' Lvl 7!]"
Han was relentless. He slammed his palm against the wall of my room, and the 'Enchantment' spread through my furniture. My books, pens, and even my sofa began to twist and groan, taking on a predatory life of their own. They launched themselves at me in a chaotic swarm, but they dashed themselves uselessly against the [Absolute Wall].
I had to be careful. If I remembered the lore correctly, the [Exclusive Skill, 'One Standing Court'] had a Passive Skill that 'recorded' every ability used against the user to develop countermeasures. I couldn't keep showing him my hand. I needed to reset the board.
"[Activating 'Absolute Cancel' Lvl 5!]"
A wave of pure negation washed through the room. Suddenly, the 'living' furniture tumbled back to the floor, inanimate once more. More shockingly, the "RMB Officials" standing in the doorway flickered and vanished, reverting back into their original forms: pens, pencils, and rulers that clattered onto the hardwood. They were just high-level constructs.
"!!??—Wha!?" For the first time, Officer Han's mask of stoicism shattered. His eyes darted from the office supplies on the floor back to me, though he regained his composure with frightening speed.
"Your crimes won't change even if you can cancel my Skills, Mr. Tempest," he spat.
"Well, I'm sure you'd like evidence to back up that 'crime' talk," I said, finally seeing an opening. "How about this? Give me twenty-four hours, and I will bring you the evidence you need."
I noticed the 'Copy Condition' hadn't triggered. I hadn't technically 'broken away' from him yet; I was still standing in the middle of his web.
"....Twelve hours," Han said after a tense silence. "And I will accompany you. Even if you can cancel my Skills, I still have my chains."
I was genuinely surprised. I didn't think he'd actually bite. Did he have a hidden agenda, or was he just that confident in his martial prowess?
"Ranker Management Law 1C: 'Rankers are allowed to provide their evidence within 24 hours of being caught,'" Han added, adjusting his tie. "Do not misunderstand, Mr. Tempest. I am merely following the rules, minus twelve hours as a penalty for your assault on RMB's Officials."
I chuckled, the tension in my chest easing slightly. "Fair enough, Officer. Let's go then. A visit to the 'Reaper' Guild's main headquarters should clear my name quite nicely."