Dragged Into Another World Because of My Otaku Friend-Chapter 36: Emergency Meeting

PANG!

A spark burst out, Bob’s sword had clashed against Kiwi’s staff, the blade halted just inches from Kiwi’s head. Kiwi’s eyes widened in shock. I stood frozen, stunned. Around us, the townspeople began to panic, murmuring nervously as the tension spiked.

Damn it, man.

I rushed over and grabbed Bob, yanking him back.

"What are you doing, moron?!" I shouted.

"What am I doing?!" Bob snapped. "This guy is from Black Eagle! This monster attack, it’s gotta be a revenge plot by them!"

"You’re wrong," I said firmly. "He’s not with them anymore. He’s the one who saved me when I couldn’t use my powers."

Kiwi lowered his staff slowly, his expression calm but serious. "Alan is telling the truth," he said. "And even if the Black Eagle wanted revenge, they don’t have the power to pull off something like this. This... is way beyond them."

Bob looked at Kiwi, then shifted his gaze to me, silently asking for confirmation. I gave a firm nod.

He exhaled sharply and lowered his sword.

"Then why are you here?" Bob asked, his eyes still wary.

"I came to meet you all," Kiwi replied, voice calm. "I was just waiting for the right moment. But... things happened, and now here we are."

I was about to ask more questions when suddenly, a shout rang out.

"How can you say you didn’t know about the attack?! There were hundreds of them! No way you didn’t notice!"

"What’s the point of you people doing night duty then?! Just a waste of our silver!"

"My son! Give me back my son!"

A tense crowd had gathered at the entrance of the bungalow house. People were circling a group of men, angry, shouting, their faces twisted with grief and rage. At the center stood one man, overwhelmed, yet trying to remain calm. I couldn’t help but feel pity as I looked at him.

He raised both hands, trying to calm the crowd.

"Please, everyone, calm down!" a voice heard from inside the bungalow.

Suddenly, the shouting stopped. The crowd fell silent. People who had been sitting now stood up and instinctively moved toward the entrance of the bungalow house. All eyes turned to the center of the gathering.

There, walking slowly but with undeniable presence, was an old man. He looked to be around seventy, maybe eighty. A smoking pipe rested at the corner of his mouth. Several men flanked him, like guards escorting a king. A circle quickly formed around him.

Me and Bob pushed gently through the crowd and managed to get to the front, just a few distance away from the mayor. Kiwi stayed further back, standing just outside the circle, observing quietly.

The old man stopped at the center, and the quiet murmurs of the crowd, like bees buzzing began to rise.

"Quiet, everyone!" one of the mayor’s men barked.

And just like that, silence returned.

The mayor raised his hand, calling for calm. "People of Lily town," he began, his voice steady despite the heaviness in the air, "what has happened to us today... it was sudden unexpected and tragic."

His eyes scanned the crowd.

"Many of you have lost loved ones. Others are wounded, physically or in heart." He lowered his head deeply. "For all of it... I take full responsibility."

The weight of his words settled like a blanket over the crowd. Some people began to cry again, soft sobs that cracked the silence. Others stood still, swallowing their pain, while a few comforted those who couldn’t.

The mayor slowly straightened, clasping his hands in front of him and raising them.

"We will give the fallen a proper burial," he said. "Once things settle down. But right now... we must gather our strength. We must stand together. For our families. For our home."

He raised his hands higher. A spark lit in the crowd.

"Yes! The mayor is right!"

"This is our home!"

"We fight!"

People raised their fists, tools, and whatever they held high into the air, planks, torches, even spoons. The energy shifted. Where grief had reigned moments ago, something stronger now stirred.

Hope.

Me and Bob, caught in the moment, raised our fists too.

"We will crush them to the ground!" Bob roared, his voice loud enough to make nearby townspeople closed their ears.

"YEAHHH!" the townspeople echoed, their spirits blazing. Even I couldn’t help but join in the momentum.

The mayor smiled, quietly nodding as he watched the town come back to life.

Then Lukas, the man at the mayor’s side, stepped forward. He has a long black hair down to his neck

His voice was commanding, trained.

"All those who are uninjured, report to Sir Van immediately. He needs help tending to the wounded."

People began moving.

"For the women, please head inside the mayor’s house. We need food prepared. Anything warm will help lift spirits and keep strength up."

"And finally," Lukas continued, eyes sweeping the gathered crowd, "anyone who can fight and is willing, gather on the second floor of the mayor’s house. We’ll hold a strategy meeting soon."

Everyone heard the orders and scattered like seeds in the wind, each finding their role in this moment of crisis.

I took a moment to look around the area.

Beneath the large oak tree nearby, a middle-aged man in white cleric robes moved gracefully from one wounded person to the next. His hands glowed softly with healing magic, patches of green light knitting flesh and calming pain. A gentle woman stood beside him, wiping sweat from his forehead as he focused. That had to be Sir Van, a healer class, no doubt.

Nearby, in a shaded corner, a group of children were playing with pebbles and sticks, laughing as if nothing had happened. A handful of teenage girls watched over them, trying their best to keep them distracted, their own eyes obviously reflected fear and exhaustion.

"Alan, what are you staring at? Come on, let’s go join the meeting," Bob called out, snapping me from the moment.

I turned to see him already heading toward the mayor’s house. Kiwi was there too, quiet as usual, but following without hesitation.

"Hey, don’t come from behind me! I still don’t trust you," Bob barked, suddenly spinning around, turning toward Kiwi.

I sighed, not even bothering to look back. Instead, I pushed ahead toward the bungalow house, ignoring Bob and his backward march as he kept Kiwi in sight like a predator stalking behind him.

We merged into a group of men moving toward the second floor. Just before we reached the stairs, I caught a glimpse of the kitchen area. Several women were busy at work, some chopping vegetables, others stirring a huge pot filled with a thick red soup. The smell wafted through the air, warm and comforting, made me suddenly hungry.

The stairs creaked slightly beneath our weight as we climbed.

The meeting room wasn’t grand, it is modest, practical, and clearly well-used. White-painted walls surrounded us. A sturdy rack of books lined one side, filled with old tomes and worn ledgers. At the center stood a long table, its wooden surface nicked with the marks of use. At a centre of ceiling above, a chandelier-like accessory with flame inside it flickered with steady light, bathing the room in a warm, orange hue.

I glanced over to the balcony, and from up here on the mayor’s hilltop house, the entire town sprawled out below. Flames clawed at rooftops, thick smoke raised and twisted into the sky. Somewhere high above, a strange flying creatures were trying to enter the barrier but failed. It looked like a bat, but with a human-shaped body flapping its wings

Down in the yard, hundreds of townspeople pushed themselves beyond their limits, trying to help as much as they could.Torchlights flickered everywhere.

"Everyone... thank you for joining this meeting. By joining this meeting, it means you are ready to sacrifice yourself for this town," Lukas announced solemnly. The mayor stood silently beside him, his expression heavy.

I swallowed hard. So, this was it. My life, on the line, fighting for a town that wasn’t even mine.

Lukas turned his gaze toward us. "I also want to thank Bob and Alan for joining us, especially Bob, whose heroic act saved many today. And also the gentleman there." He pointed to Kiwi.

I exchanged a look with Bob, who held his head high.

"Thank you, Bob."

"I’m in your debt."

"You’re truly courageous."

Words of praise fluttered through the room, landing on Bob. His cheeks flushed red, but his chest puffed out, showing how proud he was.

Enough, everyone. If we keep this up, I’m afraid Bob will inflate like a balloon and explode.

Lukas clapped his hands and said, "Now..." He gestured toward the table. Spread out on it was a map, drawn carefully on a piece of animal skin. The rough sketch of the town was clear, every street and building outlined in ink.

"From the intel of Alex, the source of this monster is at the center of town." He pointed firmly at the circular structure in the middle of the map, the fountain.

"Where is he?" a man asked, voice tense.

"He was gravely injured but still survived. Thanks to him and Bram, we managed to save many townspeople and prevent things from getting worse," Lukas replied.

"Hope he recovers. Such a shame about Bram," Tes muttered softly.

Nash, standing beside me, spoke "What’s actually summoning these monsters? A summoner? Summoning on this scale it’s unheard of."

John slammed his fist on the table. "I don’t care what it is. I want to make sure they pay for this."

Lukas nodded grimly. "We’re not sure either. But before Alex passed out, he mentioned something... about a man in crystal."

"A man in crystal?" Kiwi muttered, hand resting thoughtfully on his chin.

I turned to Kiwi. "Do you know anything?"

He shook his head slowly. "No. Nothing." Yet his eyes stayed distant, lost in deep thought, as if some hidden worry gnawed at him.

Lukas pointed again at the map. "So, our target is here. We’ll strike the center. I believe it’s the source. But the problem is, the concentration of monsters is overwhelming. With our numbers, it’ll take a miracle just to get through."

Bob opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off quickly. I could already guess what he was thinking, and I was completely against it.

"We cannot defeat that many monsters with just the two of us, Bob. Even if our powers are back," I whispered.

He clicked his tongue in frustration, "Tchh!"

"Can we ask for help from the adventurers in the city?" Ted asked hopefully.

"It’s too far. We don’t have time to waste," Liam shot back.

Then Liam’s eyes flicked to the map. "I have a plan, but it’ll require a lot of luck." He pointed to a small, secluded square at the southeast edge of town. "Here."

The mayor’s eyes widened in shock.

"Do you want to use that?" he asked, voice heavy with disbelief.

Liam didn’t hesitate.

"It’s our only chance to save this city," he said, his sharp eyes locking onto the mayor’s.

The mayor’s voice rose, trembling with frustration.

"And destroy everything we’ve built here?!"

A heavy silence fell. All eyes darted between the mayor and Liam, confusion thick in the air. The tension was palpable.

I glanced at Bob, who frowned and asked quietly,

"What are they talking about?"

The mayor sighed deeply, closing his eyes. Slowly, he opened them again, the weight of responsibility clear in his gaze.

"At that place," he said, pointing toward the southeast corner of the map, "there is a hidden mechanism, or weapon from ancient times. It was discovered by Cain—"

"—the founder of this town, my grandfather," Liam finished quietly. "He once told me that the reason he founded this town here was because this area is protected by an ancient power. He warned us to never use it unless in times of desperation. If we have no other choice, it’s our last resort."

Bob leaned close to me and whispered excitedly, "An ancient technology! Cool!"

I shot him a sharp look.

This is not the time for that, Bob.

"However," Liam continued, his voice tinged with frustration, "he never told me how to activate it. I’ve searched that place myself, but it only exists on this old map. When I went there, there was nothing, no sign of anything."

Rick’s voice cut through the murmurs. "But if it is really an ancient weapon, it could destroy not only the monsters, but the entire town... our home as well."

Mayor nodded solemnly, stepping over to the bookshelf and running a hand along the worn spines of old tomes. His face betrayed the weight of years and regrets. He never thought this day would come.

The room erupted into a heated debate. Voices clashed as some adamantly refused to use the weapon, fearing the cost, while others argued it might be their only salvation. The tension hung thick in the air, the fate of the town balanced precariously between destruction and hope.

The mayor carefully lifted one of the old books from the rack. It was blackened by age, its leather cover thick with dust and tangled in spider webs, as if untouched for decades. Setting it on the table, he slowly opened it.

"This," he said, voice low and heavy, "is the diary of Cain, the founder of our town."

He flipped to the inside of the front cover, revealing a strange, triangle-shaped object etched into the leather, with a key-like tooth structure carved beneath it. The faint glint of metal peeked through.

"And this," he continued, pointing to the object, "is the key to activating the ancient weapon."