Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Chapter 153 Imprisonment (2)

The heavy door creaked slightly as the guard pulled it outward.

Arthur didn't move at first. He simply smirked, nodding at them in approval.

Perfect.

He had successfully removed Adam from the equation, locking him away in a position where he couldn't interfere—at least not for the next two weeks. The game's imprisonment system was strict; once a player was incarcerated, they would be held for a set period unless external intervention occurred. And Arthur had ensured that no such intervention would come.

Even better? He now had an ironclad alibi.

If anyone questioned him about his talents, all he had to do was point out that he, too, had been taken prisoner and his alibi was Adam.

And when the time came for Adam to be freed... well, Arthur would be freed too.

Arthur stepped out of the cell, rolling his shoulders as if he had just finished a long stretch.

"Well then, let's go."

The guards nodded, wordlessly leading him back up the stone stairway, leaving the cold, damp dungeon behind alongside Adam.

The moment Arthur stepped through the doors of the mayor's chamber, Charles was already on his feet.

The mayor squared his shoulders, his expression serious, and then—

He saluted.

"Protector Fateless." His voice was firm, his posture unwavering.

Arthur allowed himself a small chuckle before stepping forward and casually patting the mayor on the shoulder.

"Well done, Charles." His voice carried amusement, but there was an edge to it. "You deserve an Oscar for that performance."

Charles blinked, his head tilting slightly. "Oscar? What is that?"

Arthur waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. It's a good thing."

Charles hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded, accepting the answer without pressing further.

His brows furrowed slightly, and his tone lowered. "Protector...I have a question in mind, I've been meaning to ask."

"What is it?"

"Why didn't we just kill him?" He met Arthur's gaze with confusion. "We didn't need to go through all this trouble. We are strong enough."

Arthur's expression cooled, his smirk fading.@@@@

"It's not the time yet, Charles."

The air in the room seemed to shift.

The Goblin King stood silently, his piercing eyes scanning the room.

Arthur smirked. "Give him a job as a guard somewhere. Make the players think twice, before rioting. I expect Adam to start applying pressure so that you will release us. No matter what, do not do it. Kill, and do not imprison anyone. Understood?"

The mayor inhaled sharply but nodded. "Understood."

"If anything happens," Arthur continued, "the Goblin King will be here. He can communicate with me, so if you need to tell me something, he'll relay it."

Charles hesitated. "You... can talk to your summons?"

Arthur nodded. "Telepathically."

Charles exhaled slowly. "Very well. But... where exactly do we keep him? He's a bit..." The mayor trailed off, glancing up at the Goblin King's massive frame. "Large."

Arthur chuckled. "Just keep him stationed outside with the guards. He doesn't need to be indoors."

Charles nodded. "I will inform the guards immediately."

The Goblin King turned his head slightly toward Arthur, waiting for an order. Arthur gave a simple nod, and without a word, the goblin turned and stalked toward the exit, each step sending a heavy thud through the wooden floorboards.

With that settled, Arthur had one last thing to check before resting.

Adam.

More specifically, he needed to test something within the prison—something that could change everything.

Arthur turned to Charles. "I'll be back shortly."

Then, without another word, he left the office and made his way back toward the underground cells.

The guards let him through without question this time. They already knew who truly held authority here.

As he stepped into the dimly lit dungeon, the familiar cold weight of imprisonment settled over him once again.

[Ding! You have been imprisoned.]

[Debuff applied!]

[You have lost 50% of your combat prowess.]

Arthur barely paid attention to it.

Instead, he reached into his inventory and retrieved the Teleportation Scroll.

This was a crucial test.

If Adam could simply teleport out of here, then this entire setup was meaningless.

Holding his breath, Arthur activated the scroll. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire