“Kim Yi-hyeon?”
The man with long hair neatly tied back arched one brow as he spoke. In his hand was a stack of papers packed with writing.
It was the report he had just received.
An unfamiliar name was mentioned repeatedly in the report. A self-proclaimed “vagrant” of unknown identity and unknown purpose.
“He seemed to know several of your names, Director. When Mr. Ghost gave him an out-of-nowhere name to check, he did not react.”
Leila explained while recalling her memories from that time as much as possible. Nearly two weeks had already passed, but it was not hard to remember.
“So I did wonder, but... it seems he really had nothing to do with you either, Director. Ahaha.”
Leila scratched her cheek with an awkward laugh. Even now, nothing at all had been uncovered about the man named Kim Yi-hyeon.
“......You do know this is not something to laugh about, right?”
“Y-yes. I’m sorry.”
The director. The man known here as “Kushan” pressed his fingers against the space between his brows. The more he read the report, the deeper his distress became.
“A Spell that creates weapons, no, a Spell that can create weapons too. Spell users themselves are not especially rare. There are also any number of people who know my identity. Cases of people disguising themselves as vagrants to explore closed areas are common enough too.”
But, he said, tapping the report.
“When all of that is put together, it becomes absurdly strange. Pavl, Ghost. How are those two?”
“Mr. Pavl occasionally mutters to himself, ‘That bastard isn’t dead, is he?’ As for Mr. Ghost, he simply does not say it out loud, but he shows signs of regret without realizing it.”
Leila chose her words, then continued.
“The Professor also seems to have been affected, because she is quite motivated. To be honest, I’m worried about Mr. Hyeon too.”
“From my perspective, I’m more worried about all of you. Did you all get brainwashed as a group?”
“Ahaha....”
Haaaa.
Kushan could not stop himself from sighing. Even though he knew his subordinates’ dispositions well, at times like this, he felt a suffocating weight settle in his chest like a stone.
‘......Still, I am grateful.’
According to the report, the situation Leila’s group had been in at the time was extremely dangerous. If Kim Yi-hyeon had not stepped forward... someone likely would not have returned alive.
‘Ghost may have tried to stay behind.’
They had nearly suffered a tremendous loss.
Ghost was the operatives’ spiritual pillar. If the Professor had returned in exchange for Ghost’s death, things would have become troublesome.
Kim Yi-hyeon. Would the day come when they encountered each other someday?
Honestly, Kushan was not looking forward to it.
Even though he did not even know the other party’s face, Kushan had already judged Kim Yi-hyeon to be quite the troublemaker.
He already had a headache from the information he had obtained recently. Kushan sincerely hoped nothing more troublesome would occur.
“Anything else? Aside from that self-proclaimed vagrant, is there any other issue I should know about?”
“Carib.”
Leila took one breath. The sight of the hacked-up corpse was engraved behind her eyes.
“The Spell of that ability user, whom Mr. Hyeon called Carib, was abnormally powerful. He also seemed to have some connection to the Professor. Could it possibly... be related to the Professor’s research?”
“......”
Kushan let out a heavy breath. Old memories rose to the surface inside his head.
“Leila. Bring the elite operatives.”
Now that Legion had begun to move, it was no longer something he could simply keep hidden.
***
The level of civilization in Polaris varied greatly by region.
Some regions had severely regressed to premodern levels, while others had moved beyond the modern era and entered a near-future stage.
The cause of that imbalance lay in the “calamities.”
The first recorded calamity was said to have occurred around 300 years ago. However, that was only a story written in records. The year they began in earnest was 2000.
The current year in the story was 2042. From about 40 years ago, calamities had devastated all sorts of cities and nations across Polaris.
The collapse of infrastructure. The loss of historical architecture. The devastation of grain-producing regions. Mutant beasts appearing in large numbers.
The territory where people could live had become extremely narrow.
‘Restoration is realistically difficult too. That’s why many countries abandon damaged regions entirely.’
Cadillac was a good example.
Ulanz’s standard of living was, if anything, close to the American frontier era. In contrast, Bavenburg, the capital, retained a fully modern appearance.
The shrinking of living zones and the concentration of infrastructure. In response to calamities, most nations were adopting similar measures. There were only differences in degree.
And.
Cilicia’s consuls had adopted an unusually extreme “selection and concentration” as their survival policy.
By abandoning all territory except the capital, they had reorganized their system into a city-state.
“Huh. I’d only heard about it, but this is... incredible.”
Rosco even stopped walking as he let out an exclamation. He was not overreacting. Even Kim Yi-hyeon had been momentarily stunned by the city’s scenery.
‘Seeing it in person really is impressive.’
High-rise buildings filled the city. Neon billboards installed throughout the streets gave off a distinctive dreamlike glow, and patrol drones floated in the air.
It was no exaggeration to describe it as another world. Tulavia had been completely closed off, and Ulanz had been an underdeveloped region with only a few vehicles.
“This is the first time in ten days that I think it was a good idea to follow you, brother. At this point, even getting thrown into prison would keep my back warm and my belly full.”
“I’m glad you like it. Still, let’s not commit crimes, unless you want to get deported.”
Kim Yi-hyeon rolled up his right sleeve. A titanium bracelet hung on his wrist. It was something issued during the immigration procedure.
Cilicia accepted immigrants without complaint, as long as they were not international criminals.
The reason it did not become a lawless zone despite that was because they thoroughly managed those who set foot in the city.
“This bracelet is basically an ID. Whatever you do, it leaves a record, so in that sense, it might not be that different from Ulanz.”
“How is that the same? You shouldn’t disparage the effort to maintain public order. At least the mafia won’t come barging in just because you touched some money, right?”
“Effort, huh......”
Kim Yi-hyeon glanced at Rosco. His fierce-looking face had loosened into a broad grin. It seemed Cilicia’s first impression was even better than expected.
“Why is the lady so quiet... What, are you all right?”
At Rosco’s words, Kim Yi-hyeon turned his gaze and found Asterike in a strange state. She was looking around uneasily while trembling all over.
“......I’m not all right.”
“Why are you suddenly like this? You were fine earlier.”
“Th-there are too many people. I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
Her complexion had turned earthy, and she grabbed the hem of Kim Yi-hyeon’s clothes. The stench that had grown even worse during their ten-day journey stabbed his nose.
Of course, Kim Yi-hyeon was in no position to talk about anyone else. With three people dressed like beggars standing plainly in the street, they could not have stood out more.
He felt like a monkey in a zoo. The more gazes turned toward their group, the more violently Asterike trembled along with them.
......To think she even had social anxiety.
“Let’s find lodging first.”
***
Naturally, they could not stay at a refined hotel. The group’s total funds were 1.35 million credits. Of that, 1.3 million was money Rosco had brought with him.
It was not an especially small amount, but they could not spend it lavishly. Until they secured a source of funds, they needed to save as much as possible.
They managed to find relatively cheap lodging near the red-light district. Compared to the central district, it was a shabby neighborhood, but even this was better than Ulanz.
“Fifty thousand a night is considered cheap? City prices are terrifying. If we go broke, we’ll have no choice but to sleep in the car.”
“I’ll earn money and pay you back threefold.”
“Haha. I appreciate the thought at least, lady.”
While Rosco answered with a kind smile, he was inwardly flicking an abacus.
He had no connections in Cilicia. He had no learned skills and could not hunt monsters alone.
The current structure would soon reverse. Inevitably, the giver and the receiver would switch places.
‘It’ll take ages to settle down, so I should do them favors while I can. Yes.’
Of course, Kim Yi-hyeon could read Rosco’s inner thoughts clearly.
However, Kim Yi-hyeon did not draw a line. In truth, he did feel indebted.
‘At the very least, he shortened things by two weeks.’
They had arrived in Cilicia much earlier than expected. This was precious time. Kim Yi-hyeon’s purpose in coming here was not tourism.
‘A little under three months left.’
Soon, Cilicia would be engulfed in the flames of war. He did not know what changes Shadower’s death would cause, but the incident itself would not disappear.
It was a large-scale tragedy that would make the previous 0-5 Stage look laughable. No matter what Kim Yi-hyeon did, there was no way to prevent all damage.
‘The key is how much I can reduce the damage.’
On a smaller scale, he had to protect people and organizations. On a larger scale, he had to protect the city. At the very least, he had to prevent it from falling into becoming Legion’s base.
And separate from the episode, there was something he had to obtain in Cilicia.
‘Should we divide roles?’
Kim Yi-hyeon glanced at Asterike. She finally looked somewhat like a person. It was thanks to washing the grime off completely and putting on new clothes.
“A bed! How long has it been?”
Creak, creak.
Each time she sat on the bed and bounced, the springs screamed. Her weight was one thing, but the main reason was that the bed was old and worn out.
‘She may act ditzy, but... she has more than enough ability.’
He struggled to shake off the anxiety poking its head up. Even if she looked like that, she was a 6-star operative. Was she not a person so powerful that she could not even be compared to him?
He had no one else he could trust.
“Asterike. There is something you need to do.”
“Hm? Me?”
“It’s an important job that only you can do among us.”
Asterike wore a blank expression. She needed time to chew over what she had heard. Soon, the corners of her mouth began twitching.
“If you put it that way... What is it? Swinging a pickaxe? Cleaning sewers? I’ve done all sorts of things.”
“Why the hell would I make you do mining work?”
“I really have done it! I did better than the potbellied old men. They stole all my day wages, but... I’m fine now. I won’t be treated like a pushover anymore.”
“That’s not what I meant......”
She was saying all sorts of pitiful things.
Kim Yi-hyeon swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth but did not comfort her. Her loser mentality would be corrected soon anyway.
If anything, he was worried she might become too full of herself.
“Anyway, it’s good that you’re motivated. You need to register as an independent competitor and enter the matches.”
“Oh! Is the lady entering the ‘League’?”
Rosco latched onto it in Asterike’s place. Although he knew almost nothing about Cilicia, he had heard rumors about the League.
An extreme sport where competitors participated in various matches, such as duels and monster hunts. Every season, competitors compared their records against each other.
Thousands of spectators gathered for so-called big matches. Tickets even came with premiums.
The League was one of Cilicia’s representative forms of entertainment and, at the same time, a massive business.
That was the setting.
‘Though it isn’t content in the game.’
In truth, because Cilicia itself soon became a mess, the League would also disappear before long.
It was strange to call it a substitute, but after the city collapsed, content called Suppression Battle opened.
The first-clear reward for this Suppression Battle was sweet.
‘Money aside, I need to secure the special solution.’
An important item used to raise operatives. The item description said, “Originally awarded to top-ranking League competitors.”
Kim Yi-hyeon needed that no matter what. If possible, he wanted to obtain it directly, but... if it was the League, it seemed fine to leave it to Asterike.
‘Since they’re official matches, they’ll mostly be head-on fights. She might actually be better than me.’
According to the setting, the League was entertainment for commerce. Since the audience’s enjoyment was the focus, there was a limit to the tricks an individual could use.
In that case, Asterike, who not only had outstanding physical ability but also a flashy Spell, was perfect. It would also be an opportunity for her to get used to using her Spell.
“If it’s Asterike, she’ll probably get sponsors quickly too. That makes me a little uneasy, but... Rosco, sorry, but can I ask you to act as her manager?”
“Ah, of course. Just leave it to me.”
There was no reason for Rosco to refuse either. If Asterike succeeded, crumbs would fall to him as well.
He could also aim to form connections with various companies. It looked much more attractive than manual labor.
“What about going to register tomorrow, no, today? Haha, I’ll need to study this and that too.”
“I don’t really know, but... I’ll try hard!”
“You’ll be fine, lady. But......”
After encouraging Asterike, Rosco shifted his gaze to Kim Yi-hyeon.
“What do you plan to do, brother?”
“I need to work. I can’t be the only one doing nothing.”
“As expected, you had a plan. Are you challenging the League too, brother?”
“No. I plan to move separately from you two.”
There was something he had to prioritize as much as the League’s reward, no, even more than that. Kim Yi-hyeon lifted his heel and lightly tapped the floor.
“I’m going underground.”
He had business in “Metrocity.”
***
Cilicia’s underground was brighter than the surface. Instead of neon light, daylight and neutral white incandescent lamps brightly illuminated the enclosed space.
At the center of the light stood a massive pillar like a tower. The nine levels built around the pillar showed off the majesty of the underground city.
Metrocity.
This place was the center of all kinds of commercial activity, the heart of the city, as important as the Assembly Hall on the surface.
‘Should I have taken the elevator?’
Kim Yi-hyeon was descending on an escalator. His curiosity about seeing Metrocity had caused this.
Five commercial levels. Up through B2 were shops for tourists, and up through B5 were offices belonging to various companies.
From B6 onward, the number of lights decreased. People gradually disappeared as well. Up to B8, the floors were warehouses for storing cargo.
B9.
Only after arriving at the lowest level did Kim Yi-hyeon step off the escalator. He did not walk forward right away, instead shifting his gaze to the side.
He could see the lower part of the pillar supporting the underground city. The pillar was shaped not like a circle, but like an octagon. Railways extended from each vertex.
‘It looks like some kind of mind map.’
Every railway was connected to a dark, deep tunnel.
Unlike modern subways, there were few users. Fewer than a hundred people were moving around in this wide space.
‘Well, it isn’t meant for people to ride.’
Most vehicles moving through Cilicia’s underground railway were freight cars. They said criminals were sometimes transported, but civilians almost never used it.
Because of outlaws and monsters.
Citizens who committed crimes on the surface were punished strictly. They were not left in prison for long, sucking up taxes.
Deportation, execution. Sometimes, like slave gladiators of old, they were forcibly made to compete in the League. Naturally, they were not treated as well as independent competitors.
‘Even if they win, they don’t receive money, and if they’re injured during a match, they don’t get treated... They’re literally slaves.’
In a way, it was a punishment worse than death.
Because they did not want to end up like that, criminals fled underground. They lived underground and caused trouble by attacking freight cars and the like.
As a response to the outlaws, the Cilician Council chose another method instead of sending in the security force.
They decided to place bounties on criminals who went missing.
If the competitors who participated in the League were aboveground.
Then underground, there were bounty hunters.
‘After vagrant, now bounty hunter.’
He laughed for no reason at his strange fate.