Unfortunately, the enemy was strong, and as soon as the ice wall and the barriers fell, the frontline troops were already closing in on us. There wasn’t even enough time to cast another barrier or build another wall.

“Alma, Shadow Arm!”

“Roger!”

In an instant, Alma’s shadow stretched forward. It separated into countless branches, each one transforming into the shape of a hand that seized the feet of the incoming forces.

Assassin skill: Shadow Arm worked by giving the user’s shadow a physical form they could control at will. The enemy troops tripped over and fell. They’d been focused on their attack; they wouldn’t be getting to their feet any time soon.

“We’ll take them in a clean sweep! Leon, Merciful Glaive!”

“All right, let’s do it. Merciful Glaive!”

Leon’s shout was accompanied by a thousand blades of light bursting out from the field of light surrounding him. Knight skill: Merciful Glaive created a storm of lustrous blades within a set area. It could only be used while Nova Circle was in effect, but because the blades were imbued with the holy element, they could penetrate and restrain any beast no matter how strong its defense.

As a result, the skill succeeded in hitting and holding back about half of the elemental soldiers. But even those who had successfully avoided Merciful Glaive struggled to move around those who were impaled.

“Now! Do it!” I shouted.

Koga, Alma, and Hugo replied with a unified battle cry. They focused their attacks while Leon’s skill had the soldiers stuck in place. First, Koga used Samurai skill: Crazy Cherry Blossoms to generate a flurry of strikes that sliced through the enemy like dancing cherry blossom petals.

Alma, meanwhile, fired off a combo of skills. Assassin skill: Perfect Throw. Assassin skill: Armor Piercing. Assassin skill: Shadow Arm. Her metal spikes would no longer miss their targets. They decimated the enemy armor as they flew through the cores of elemental soldiers one after the other, destroying them.

As a final flourish, Hugo used the Puppeteer skills Ether Link and Link Burst. The skills released the limiters on the ranged puppet soldiers attached by magic strings to Hugo’s fingertips, causing them to become a hundred times more powerful. As the puppet soldiers crumbled away, they channeled the last of their energy into ranged attacks with bows, guns, and magic, tearing through the elemental soldiers.

My clan’s triple threat laid waste to more than half of the elemental soldiers. However, the more powerful light and dark elemental soldiers still remained. The four of them burst through the clouds of dust and smoke.

The light elemental soldiers were equipped with dual blades and wrapped in golden armor. They were unbelievably quick, meaning they excelled when it came to hit-and-run tactics, but they could also attack from a distance with high-intensity beams of searing heat. What’s more, they could create holograms of themselves by refracting the light.

Meanwhile, the dark elemental soldiers were black vanguard-types bearing gigantic war hammers. They reinforced their own powers and deflected attacks by controlling gravity. Because they kept the area around them in a high-gravity state, it was near impossible to move close to them, let alone go in for a melee attack. They were incredibly dangerous.

At a depth of 10, not even one could be taken lightly—but four at once presented an immense challenge, even for a hardened group of Seekers. Not that Wild Tempest would have much trouble.

“Alma, Koga, Leon! We’ll head them off!”

“On it!”

“On my way!”

“Leave it to me!”

The three of them followed my orders in an instant, facing off against the elemental soldiers. Without wasting another moment, I gave my next order.

“Hugo! Scenario fifteen!”

“Scenario fifteen, is it? Understood,” Hugo replied with a nod.

The melee puppet soldiers raced after Alma, Koga, and Leon, who had broken into a sprint. Even with the puppets’ support, Alma and the others could not win in close-quarters combat. This was why I went with scenario fifteen.

“Engaging Shift Change.”

Just as the elemental soldiers collided with the party, Hugo raised the speed of his puppet soldiers and put his new skill into effect. The instant the elemental soldiers should have turned the puppet soldiers into dust, they swapped places. Unable to stop their attack, the elemental soldiers attacked themselves.

Puppeteer skill: Shift Change allowed a puppet to swap places with the target. Hugo and I had given numbers to the various scenarios in which the skill could be used. And thanks to scenario fifteen, the elemental soldiers had attacked themselves, suffering heavy damages.

“Don’t let up! Keep up the attack!” I shouted.

“Accel—Duodecuple!”

“Iai Flash!”

“Divine Impact!”

“Link Burst!”

Our full-on combination attack utterly decimated the elemental soldiers. With the last four down, we had cleared the battlefield of the Noble Blood’s grunts. The elemental soldiers did not have true physical forms, however; so long as the Noble Blood still had magic, it could summon them back anytime.

“Don’t give the lord time to summon reinforcements!” I shouted. “Koga and Alma, you’re on attack! Leon and Hugo, you’re on support!”

Alma and Koga, both quick on their feet, dashed toward the Noble Blood. Meanwhile, Leon and Hugo cast barriers on them or otherwise kept the lord busy with ranged attacks—every one of which hit. The second that the Noble Blood was wrapped in smoke, Koga leaped high into the air.

“Your neck is mine!” he yelled.

At the same time Alma kept moving at top speed while she sunk into the shadows. Assassin skill: Shadow Dive gave her the ability to move freely through the darkness. It consumed a huge amount of magic, but she could evade most attacks.

Koga leaped to face the lord head-on, while Alma appeared behind it. They were closing in to put an end to the Noble Blood, but…

“Fools.”

The Noble Blood’s utterance was thick with contempt. Even though Leon and Hugo had struck the lord, it was completely unharmed. It remained calmly seated on its throne, sneering at Koga and Alma’s surprise attack.

“Wha—?!”

“You kiddin’?!”

Alma and Koga were shocked. Their strikes ricocheted off an invisible wall, leaving the two in midair and completely out of balance. The Noble Blood snapped its fingers, and the two were suddenly struck by lightning.

“Alma!”

My spine grew cold, and I heard myself scream her name. The area around the Noble Blood’s throne was melted into lava by the sheer heat of the lightning. The air itself prickled with electricity. Even with a barrier in place, a direct hit from a lightning bolt would kill.

When the black smoke cleared, I looked around for Alma and was relieved to find her safe. Assassin skill: Phantom had turned her into an untouchable spirit for three precious seconds. Alma had sensed the danger and used it just in time for the lightning to pass through her completely. However, Phantom could only be used once every 24 hours. Alma’s face was pale, her breath ragged.

“Alma, you okay?” Koga cried from atop a clock tower he’d jumped onto.

In that instant, my accelerated mind suddenly saw a horrific scene play out before my eyes.

“Koga! Move! Now!”

He sprang away without asking why, landing on the ground. In battle, my orders were absolute. I’d made it clear to everyone in the party: they were to obey my orders immediately and without hesitation.

A split second after Koga jumped from it, the twenty-meter-tall clock tower crumbled into sand—exactly as I’d seen in the limited predictive abilities I had due to my accelerated thoughts. The only difference was that Koga didn’t turn to sand along with it.

“Hmph. You dodged it,” the Noble Blood muttered with an intrigued smile.

It was time-space magic. I was sure of it. He’d sped up time for his target—the clock tower—and it had aged to dust in a mere moment. There was no defense against it, only immediate death. Even if my predictive abilities could see it coming, the area of effect was too wide, the spell terrifyingly fast. Even the smallest mistake here would spell the end of our party.

“Ah, I see,” said the Noble Blood, looking at me with its jaw still resting on one hand. “You can make little predictions. Accelerated thought, perhaps? You sensed the minute movement of space-time, and as a result, you foresaw my spell. Quite impressive for an insect. How annoying.” The lord’s blood-red eyes narrowed as he spoke to me. “I believe I’ll crush you first.”

An incredible magic power surged forth from the Noble Blood.

“Quick!” shouted Leon. “Protect Noel!”

Leon began running over. Koga and Alma, realizing the danger, also ran to protect me. But none of them could make it in time. Hugo quickly maneuvered his puppet soldiers to guard me, casting multiple barriers to reinforce his defenses. However…

“It’s useless, you stupid bugs,” the Noble Blood said with a chuckle.

It was standing right in front of me.

“What?! How did—”

The lord should have been sitting calmly in its throne, and yet here it was. Before I could say another word, it grinned wide and thrust its hand through my chest.

“I stopped time. It doesn’t matter how strong you make your defenses; they’re useless when time stops. I know your role. You command the party and strengthen your allies. And without you, everyone is dead. I think I’ll take my time toying with them. Their deaths shall be my revelry.”

“Hrk… Ack!”

I coughed up blood and grabbed a hold of the Noble Blood’s arm. The lord wiped the blood from his cheek with its left hand and looked at it.

“But before I do that,” it said, licking its fingers, “I shall feast.”

The lord savored its moment of victory, its face a cruel and diabolical mix of delight and sadism. The next moment, its features contorted into a horrified grimace.

“Wh-what is this blood?!”

The Noble Blood hurriedly spat the blood on the ground. Seeing it so panicked had me roaring with laughter, even while impaled on the lord’s hand.

“Looks like my blood isn’t tasty enough for you, huh?”

“Y-you… What did you do?!”

The Noble Blood realized something wasn’t right and stopped speaking mid-sentence, whipping its head to and fro. None of the other party members had moved to help me despite having its hand plunged into my chest. If anything, they were keeping their distance…as if getting too close would put them in danger.

“You filthy insect!”

Finally realizing the reality of the situation, the Noble Blood angrily attempted to wrench its hand out of my body. Unfortunately for the beast, it was too late. We weren’t going to give it another chance to stop time.

“Looks like you were the real fool all along,” I said mockingly.

With a bright flash, my body exploded.

***

Buffers, starting with Talkers, are the weakest of all classes. Compared to all the others, they alone lack the means to defend themselves. Their constant need of support in battle makes things much harder for their allies—for example, a Warrior would struggle to fight if they had to worry about defending another. But even with the best of defenses, it is nearly impossible to protect someone should a specialized stealth class, such as an Assassin, set their sights on the buffer. On top of all of that, when a buffer is killed, their buffs drop from the party in an instant, leaving the team considerably weakened.

The Noble Blood was smart for a beast. It had seen that I was a buffer and determined that I was the weak point of the party. Killing me would not only strip the party of their commander, but it would also sap away the boons I’d bestowed upon them.

This particular beast had access to the most powerful magic of all: the ability to stop time. The spell made even the strongest of defenses meaningless. Knowing it would manipulate space-time during our fight, I had prepared a body double in advance.

Puppeteer skill: Imitation. This skill allowed a Puppeteer to reproduce a copy of whatever the user touched. It was not a perfect replica, as it lacked the soul of the real thing, but the replica looked every bit like its target. I’d had Hugo make a copy of me, which he controlled to act exactly as I would. My orders and buffs were sent not by my voice, but via our Link.

We’d placed an explosive inside of the replica, and it was no mere firecracker. The bomb had three head’s worth of Garmr bone marrow packed into it. Once it went off, it pulled in any nearby magic as fuel to compound the explosion. Considering the Noble Blood’s insane magical power, the blast would be astronomical—it could level the city ruins and leave nothing but a barren plain behind.

Hugo’s puppet soldiers had cast barriers around the area, confining the powerful explosion and protecting us all from the incoming blast.

Although the blast eventually broke through, it didn’t spread beyond the town square. The rest of us, protected by one of Leon’s barriers, were unharmed. I took off the armor that had disguised me as one of Hugo’s puppet soldiers and stepped out into the open.

“Don’t need the disguise no more?” Koga asked me.

I shook my head. “That trick won’t work a second time.”

Looking down at the newly formed gouge in the earth, I felt a palpable energy emanating from deep within. Then came the echo of a bitter, rage-filled voice.

“You… You…!”

“What? You just want to stay in your hole, cursing?” I laughed, goading the lord. “You coward. You don’t even deserve the rank of lord.”

A sudden gust of wind blew away the smoke within the crater, and a huge, winged monster soared out from it.

“You filthy insects!”

The beast’s roar reverberated through the air. The Noble Blood had taken so much damage that it had reverted to its true form, the beautiful countenance of the young man peeled away to expose the monstrosity within. Batlike wings sprouted from a coal-black mountain of muscle, and two horns curled out from its skull. A glowing red seal trailed over its skin like veins.

I laughed. “So that’s what you were hiding!”

“You have only revealed the truth! And you will suffer a thousand deaths for what you have done!”

“Lots of bark, ugly, but where’s the bite? How about stopping time again? Oh? What’s the matter? You can’t do it?”

“You…you insolent little gnat!”

The Noble Blood was so angry, its snarls emerged as stammers. I was the one controlling the battlefield now. However much it threatened me or transformed, it no longer looked like anything more than a clown to me.

“You can’t, can you?” I said. “Even a lord can’t use magic like that consecutively. On top of that, the blast hurt, didn’t it? You’re injured. You won’t be able to stop time while you’re using magic to heal your wounds.”

It was exactly as I’d calculated. Even if our enemy was in possession of peerless time-stopping magic, we of Wild Tempest would bring the creature to its knees.

“Heh heh heh… Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

I couldn’t hold back the laughter that bubbled up inside me. The battle was far from over. Even without time-stopping magic, our enemy was a lord—not a beast you could take down easily. Our chances of victory were miniscule, the tiniest needle in a great haystack. And if we could not find that needle, all that awaited us was death.

But even then, I laughed. I loved this. Nothing gave me a greater high. We had seized hold of an indomitable enemy, trapped it, and then sent it plummeting into the depths of fear and humiliation. Was there anything in the world more fun?

No, there was not. I chuckled.

“Well, then! Let’s start round two, shall we?”

***

“Everyone, prepare for aerial warfare!”

I shouted the command just as the Noble Blood shot high into the sky. In order to avoid our airborne enemy’s fearsome magic attacks, we needed to meet it in the air.

“Soaring Waltz!”

“Sky Walk!”

Koga and Alma—the party’s front-liners—took off first with the Samurai skill: Soaring Waltz, and the Assassin skill: Sky Walk, both of which granted the user aerial movement. Soaring Waltz created magical platforms in the air, whereas Sky Walk freed an Assassin from the constraints of gravity.

“Summon Pegasus!”

“Servant Valkyries!”

Leon and Hugo were unable to take to the skies with their own power, but both could summon flying support. Knight skill: Summon Pegasus conjured a winged horse, fully armored in silver-white barding and competent in aerial combat regardless of its summoner’s presence. Puppeteer skill: Servant Valkyries created stingray-shaped puppet soldiers. They couldn’t fight, but their wide backs made them excellent mounts.

Without a moment’s delay, Leon jumped on his Pegasus, and Hugo stepped on the back of his puppet-valkyrie. Unable to dish out aerial offense myself, I stepped aboard a puppet-valkyrie that Hugo had summoned for me.

As we rose into the sky, the Noble Blood began to summon a fireball so big, it seemed to rival the sun.

“You’re nothing but fleas! Fleas, I say! I shall turn you to dust!”

The high-speed fireball collided with the earth, wrapping it in a huge explosion. The high-intensity heat shock waves leveled the ruins of the town square, and as the blast was sucked back into an air vacuum, the explosion caused damage deep underground.

We looked down at the explosion we’d managed to avoid by the skin of our teeth and found that the ground below had spread into a bubbling pool of lava. From the blast center to the outskirts, most of the buildings had been toppled and left as rubble. What was once a huge city had been reduced to wasteland. This confirmed what we’d known from the beginning: the lord was a terrifyingly powerful opponent. Though it could no longer stop time, it was the far superior fighter.

Even then, however, our victory was set in stone.

“Koga, Alma! Move in to attack! Leon, you’re on support for the front-liners! Hugo! Time to bring back the puppet soldiers!”

“Yessir!”

“You got it!”

“On the move!”

“Understood, Master!”

Koga and Alma moved into range of the Noble Blood without showing a hint of fear, using aerial maneuvers to slice at the lord. Leon circled the skies on his Pegasus, casting defensive barriers on the vanguard. At the same time, he fired off balls of light with Divine Impact to provide covering fire from a distance.

But even as they kept up their assault, the Noble Blood moved like the wind, deftly dodging each and every one of their attacks. It had been able to fly even when in human form, but sprouting wings had given it a whole other level of mobility.

“Legion!”

Puppeteer Grandmaster skill: Legion generated hordes of puppet soldiers. The A-Ranker now had a literal army at his fingertips.

Sixty new puppet soldiers entered the fray—twenty ranged, ten support, and thirty valkyries. Hugo sent them into battle the instant that they were created. Arrows, gunfire, and a variety of elemental magic rained down on the Noble Blood, but the beast wove around each and every attack despite the unceasing volley. It didn’t suffer so much as a scratch.

“Just as I thought. Those precognitive abilities are going to be a handful…”

While we’d managed to prevent the Noble Blood from using its space-time magic, this power wasn’t only usable for combat—it also granted the beast the ability to see the future. That was its real trump card.

Koga was delivering thousands of attacks at once, and Alma was moving faster than the speed of sound—but because the Noble Blood already knew what was coming, their sudden attacks didn’t faze it in the slightest. It continued to dip and dodge, each attack missing by the barest margin, and returned fire with punches of its own. Its gravity control rendered the blows so deadly that even the shock waves from a punch could’ve been fatal.

For every attack that Koga and Alma dodged, the barriers that Leon and Hugo continually cast were shattered. The state of the battle was now obviously slanted in the Noble Blood’s favor.

Though the Noble Blood was enraged, it was still incredibly composed. It would have been easier to fight if it had gone on a rampage, but it had been conservative with its magic ever since transforming and blasting that giant fireball our way. I’d tried to provoke it into a blind rage, but I didn’t get the results I’d hoped for. If the fight continued this way, our stamina would run out and we’d lose.

I wasn’t about to let that happen.

Just as the Noble Blood had precognitive abilities, my own speed of thought was augmented to the point that I, too, had a similar skill. From the moment the battle had begun, I was constantly predicting the flow matching the beast move for move. My own predictive abilities paled in comparison to the beast’s—I didn’t see the future per se; I could only make predictions via a high-speed analysis of information and sensory stimuli. On top of that, I had to deal with a time lag between my predictions and informing the party. Even through Link, we could not respond as quickly or accurately.

Although my own abilities weren’t as powerful, I still had something the Noble Blood did not: a vast knowledge of warfare. My own predictions were reinforced by tactics and strategies used by the weak to defeat the strong, the kind of knowledge that even the overwhelmingly powerful Noble Blood could barely begin to imagine.

“Koga, dodge left in two seconds, use Crazy Cherry Blossoms, and spam a barrage of Secret Swordsmanship Tsubame Gaeshi. Alma, take that opportunity to slip in a surprise attack in three seconds—the enemy will fifty meters up at your two o’clock. Leon, let your barriers down for five seconds. Move forward and fire Divine Impact over and over. You’re aiming to bring the enemy into Alma’s attack range. Hugo, focus your barriers on Koga for three seconds, then provide immediate cover fire for Alma and secure her escape route after her attack. Koga, jump back thirty meters right now! Alma…”

All the orders I sent to the party were shuttled through our Link as I thought of them. The battle had been raging for half an hour now. Everyone responded to my predictive orders instantly, taking the best courses of action to avoid the Noble Blood’s attacks and respond with counters. If I was off by even a second, someone would die, and the party would be done for.

The strain of constantly reading the future had me at my limits. My head threatened to crack open, my stomach lurched, and I could feel even the tiniest blood vessels in my head opening and filling with blood. My heart might simply stop at any moment.

There was only one word for this level of suffering.

“It’s my destiny…”

No amount of pain—nor even death itself—could stop me now. I would not cower. I would keep giving orders. I would beat the Noble Blood at its own game. Victory would be mine. If I fell, everyone died. We’d lose everything. I remembered the words with which I swore an oath to my grandfather.

“I promise, Grandpa… I’ll become the strongest Seeker ever.”

“You will kneel before me!” I declared.

Then, as my ability to think surpassed its very limits, I saw a ray of light.

“I’ve got it!”

It was a light no larger than a pinprick, but it was our best shot at victory.

“Hugo, focus your barriers on Leon! Leon, Nightmare Charge!”

“Understood!”

“Okay!”

“Koga, use Ice Blade when the enemy appears below you! Alma, put everything you have into Shadow Arm, and aim at the sky!”

“Right!”

“Got it!”

Leon brought his Pegasus around at my Link order, and began a full-frontal assault. During Knight skill: Nightmare Charge, the Pegasus rider cast a barrier on themselves, then rushed at the enemy. The destructive power of the charge was multiplied by the Pegasus’s speed and the force of the barrier. Leon was protected by not just his own barrier but Hugo’s, too, so he would collide with the Noble Blood with the force of a meteor. A direct hit was sure to inflict critical damage on even a beast lord.

“Tsk!”

Seeing the future, the Noble Blood clicked its tongue in annoyance and dodged out of the way of Leon’s attack. However, as soon as it did, a gigantic mountain of ice appeared above him, and shadow hands reached for it from below. Our attack was far from over at this stage.

“Hugo, use Link Burst on everything! Leon, Seraphim’s Blade! Let’s put an end to this!”

“Link Burst!”

“Seraphim’s Blade!”

Hugo sent Link Burst through all of the ranged puppet soldiers. By destroying them, he was able to let loose an even more powerful attack. Leon stopped his horse and turned it around, lifting his sword high into the air and concentrating all of his magic. Even if the Noble Blood could see the future, it had been trapped by the four-way attack; there was no escape. The victor in our game of high-speed predictive chess…was me.

“Don’t you dare, vermin!”

The Noble Blood turned to Leon with an angry roar and unleashed a lightning attack. It couldn’t avoid all of the attacks, so it focused on the strongest: Seraphim’s Blade. In other words, it would take a hit to give a hit.

What a shame, then, that I had already seen this coming.

“Leon, Conversion! Now! Use Invincible!”

Tactics skill: Conversion. The targeted party member could use two skills simultaneously. As soon as I used it, the magical power funneled into Seraphim’s Blade transferred into the Invincible skill, which granted the user the ability to reflect any attack just once every twenty-four hours.

“Impossible!” cried the Noble Blood.

The lightning that zoomed toward Leon now suddenly turned back on its caster. It was the one attack the Noble Blood did not see coming; it had been backed into a corner from which it could not run, and in its panic and frustration it lost the ability to see what was coming.

“You will dance for me until you die!” I shouted.

Every attack landed clean. Along with everything we threw at him, the Noble Blood was also engulfed in an explosion following the lightning’s impact.

“Filthy humans!”

The Noble Blood threw up a barrier. Though it managed to withstand the wild energy, it lost its right arm in the process.

“It’s over! Koga, Alma, finish it!”

I gave the order. They were our most fluid and flexible attackers, and I would not let this chance slip through our fingers.

“Iai Flash!”

“Quick Attack!”

Koga went high while Alma went low, both moving in for the kill. The Noble Blood scrambled to defend itself with another barrier.

“Gaaaaaaaarrrrgh!”

The beast spat blood and roared. It had completely exhausted its magic. As a finishing touch, I pointed my index and middle fingers at the Noble Blood. In the east, this was called “the mark of the knife”—a mark used for curses.

“All things fall beneath these evil utterings! Bow before the curse!” I cried, swinging my fingers down like a blade at the end.

This man was Zero Lindrake, Lorelai’s vice-master. He was an A-Rank Swordsman—a Dark Knight.

“Allow me to turn on the lights,” Zero said, clapping his hands twice.

The chandelier dangling from the ceiling instantly bathed the room in warm light. This light came not from candles, but rather conductive light stones that worked by reacting to certain sounds.

“Two confidential letters have arrived for you, Master. The first is from Vulcan Industries, the other from Prince Caius.”

Johann took the envelopes from Zero and slit them with a letter opener. Both letters essentially said the same thing: everything was going to plan.

“How is the bioplant?” asked Johann.

“No issues. We’re using Rodanian technology, after all.”

“Hm. As I expected.”

Johann chuckled and rose from his chair. He walked over to the window and turned his gaze outside. Lorelai’s clan house was a twenty-story building, and the view from the highest floor was breathtaking. A sea of countless lights spread out beneath Johann’s eyes like an evening sky full of stars.

“Once we have train lines running through the country, the economic growth will be astronomical,” said Johann. “Then I will be in command. The Seekers Association—no, even the imperial family—will have little choice but to kneel before me. When the Valiant arrives, none will doubt that I should lead the charge against it.”

Johann turned back to Zero with an arrogant smile, then continued.

“I need you to prepare a press conference. There’s no better time to announce it and keep everything else under control.”

“Are you sure about this? We still don’t have everybody’s signatures.”

“I don’t care. That’s why we have the prince.”

“Some have voiced concerns regarding how the profit will be split, though. Shouldn’t we convince them before—”

“Enough! Didn’t I just tell you I don’t care?!”

“My apologies, Master.”

Zero gave a courteous bow, then left the room. Alone once more, Johann took the letters, put them in the ashtray on the desk, and set them alight with a match. The wavering flames flared before Johann’s proud, triumphant expression, staining it with a crimson glow.

Having left the office, Zero breathed out a sigh as he walked down the corridor.

“Tch. How ridiculous…” he muttered.

Then he heard a calm, low voice in his head, a transmission from the Link skill from another man.

“It’s me. Anything to report?”

“It’s rare for you to make direct contact like this,” Zero said, a smile crossing his face as he thought of the man behind this particular voice.

“We’re at a crucial stage. I’ll start my work soon as well.”

“Then you’d better hurry up. That guy doesn’t know his place. If we let him take care of everything in all his arrogance, our plans and hard work will have been for nothing.”

The voice laughed at the note of discontent in Zero’s voice.

“Say what you will. But he’s doing the best he can too. He may have too much pride, and he’s definitely got tunnel vision, but he’s done well working in place of me.”

“Well, you’re the one who chose him. Of course I’ll back him up.”

Zero’s curt reply caught the person on the other side by surprise.

“What’s got you in such a bad mood all of a sudden?”

“I’m the one always stuck cleaning up after him, you know. That’d put anyone in a bad mood.”

“Ha ha ha. You’re right. Sorry for the trouble.”

“I don’t mind. It is my job, in the end,” said Zero, and then, “but seriously, why call now?”

“I have a favor to ask… Do you remember the snake?”

“Noel Stollen? Of course I do.”

Noel Stollen, the clan master of Wild Tempest. Not a day went by that his name wasn’t somewhere in the news. He had proven the innocence of the Puppeteer Hugo Coppélia and helped capture the culprits who’d bombed the prison where he was held. More recently, he was being touted as a hero for successfully taking down a lord.

Wild Tempest was the clan closest to achieving regalia status. And every clan already on the regalia had their eyes on it, in order to make sure they didn’t lose their own spot. Since Johann had already taken part in a public interview together with the head snake himself, Lorelai had to be more careful than any of the others.

“That snake is cunning and extremely dangerous when it comes to information warfare. To achieve his goals, he won’t just use the royalty—he’ll go as far as using us too. It would not be at all surprising if he already knows of our plans.”

“Will he try to stop us?”

“I don’t doubt it. The snake aims to hunt us down,” the voice said definitively. “If I were the snake, that’s what I would do. We cannot let him interfere if we wish to meet our own goals. I’ve heard the snake works with a talented information broker. There is no doubt they will try to infiltrate our ranks. Tighten up security. Conduct all operations as if the spy were already among us. And do not let any information slip out into the public, under any circumstances.”

“Understood.”

So, Noel had an information broker. There were many types, but infiltrators were the most dangerous kind. They weren’t an issue if you flushed them out quickly, but true professionals wouldn’t make themselves easy to catch. There was the added irritation of having to doubt and suspect everyone involved in the project, which would slow progress down considerably. For that reason, Zero wanted to capture the information broker quickly and ensure that their plan would proceed without any complications.

“I’ll leave the snake wrangling up to you. I’ll tell him that too. You may deal with the situation as you see fit. I will take full responsibility.”

“So you’re saying that I won’t have to worry about things like collateral damage?”

Zero’s grin grew dark and twisted. The voice answered him without a second of hesitation.

“This is war. Anything goes. Anyone who stands in our way will share the same fate.”

***

The gorgeous sitting room was the height of luxury from top to bottom and a reflection of its owner’s personality. I’d come here to meet with Finocchio Barzini, head of the Barzini family, at his personal residence. Afternoon tea was just about to start; the table in front of me was laid out with an authentic, ostentatious tea set.

“Here you are, Noel. This is what you asked for.”

Finocchio passed me a thick envelope. I took out the documents inside and confirmed their contents. All of them had to do with the train system managed by the Republic of Rodania.

Magical engineering—along with beast materials—had led our civilization to prosperity. Compared with its neighbors, the empire had the most cutting-edge technology. In fact, it wouldn’t have been surprising for the empire to have already established a train system of its own. It was a simple enough feat from a technological standpoint. The ability to maintain the train system was the real issue, as the lands of the empire were prone to Abyss openings. This was why, even now, we still relied on horses.

The Republic of Rodania, by comparison, had successfully implemented its train system four years ago and was reaping the benefits. Its national power and wealth had steadily increased since then. I wanted to know the specific details as well as the present state of the train system. Concrete economic gains from implementation, unintentional losses… I needed to understand all of it. Thus, I’d used my connections in the Barzini family to get a hold of the necessary paperwork.

“Does Lorelai really plan to establish a train system of their own?” Finocchio asked.

I nodded as I continued to look through the documents. “Yes, I’m sure of it. From what I’ve dug up on them already, Lorelai is working with Vulcan Industries, which recently ramped up their purchases of both beast materials and raw metals. There’s no way they’d need the amount they’re buying if they weren’t planning to build train lines.”

“But how do they intend to make it work?”

“I have a few theories, but I don’t have any details to work with. More importantly, I have a plan, and it’ll work no matter what ace Johann is hiding up his sleeve.”

“A plan?” Finocchio balked. “You do know you don’t stand a chance against Lorelai if they seriously fight you. By the way, I’ll tell you right now that I’m in no position to lend you support. I’m surrounded by enemies as it is. I can’t afford to let my guard down.”

“Relax. I never intended to rely on your firepower anyway.”

This was an important time for Finocchio. Our secret alliance allowed him to target the head family he was part of and to aim for the top position: leader of the Luciano family. This put him in a precarious position where he needed to be careful of not just threats from outside the family, but also threats from inside, including other gangs and smaller families. He was not in a position to sacrifice any of his defenses for my own crazy plans.

“I’m going to spread amphetamines. That’s what I’m thinking,” I said, taking a sip of tea.

“Pardon? What did you just say?” Finocchio’s head tilted in confusion. He couldn’t wrap his head around it. “Could you repeat that one more time? Did you just say ‘amphetamines’?”

“I did.”

“And what are you going to do with them?”

“I’m going to spread them, like I said.”

I put my cup of tea back on the table and looked straight at Finocchio.

“The technicians and engineers of Vulcan Industries are the beating heart of the railroad system. Without them, it doesn’t matter how much money they have, or how much they’re plotting behind the scenes. The plan will crumble. So think about the sheer pressure that sits on the shoulders of these men and women. They’ll be working like crazy and totally exhausted. So we’ll recommend a little stimulant, a pick-me-up, something to ease their weary souls. They’ll be junkies in no time—and then they’ll be entirely useless. Lorelai’s plan will crumble to pieces.”

Finocchio’s face was aghast as he listened to me talk. The light seemed to fade from his eyes and left him with a dumbfounded expression. He looked like such an idiot, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“I’m joking! It’s a joke! I’d never actually do that.”

Finocchio let out a long, relieved sigh.

“Y-you… You gave me quite the fright, little Noel! Jokes have limits, you know! Even we gangsters know that spreading amphetamines like that is off-limits! You’d leave behind a whole sea of dead bodies with that plan—and that’s only if it succeeded!”

“I said I was joking, didn’t I?”

“Hmph!” Finocchio’s face scrunched up with unease. “You’re already guilty of that prison bombing not so long ago. Who knows what you’ll do next? Nobody, that’s who! Listen, I know you’ll do anything to achieve your goals, but one look at your methods and it’s clear you’re just another gangster! A little demon! Utterly inhuman!”

I shrugged and smiled. “It’s the highest honor to be called a little demon by the mad clown himself.”

His lips puckered. “Noel, my dear, surely you understand that you’re an unparalleled schemer? It’s true. Few in this world are so cunning and underhanded. Your enemies are practically dancing in your palm. But you know what they say: ‘The deceitful one oft falls into the snares of deceit.’ You keep digging into all of these dirty tricks, Noel, and eventually you’ll dig your own grave.”

“Do you have any examples of that? Any ways you predict I might be digging my own grave?”

“Huh? Examples? Well, I…” Finocchio stammered, caught by the way I suddenly turned the question on him. “F-for example, what if you do something terrible and then let it slip, so you can’t remain in the empire? I know you’re a pro when it comes to information warfare, but that information may well come back to haunt you in the end.”

“I don’t see that happening. Not ever,” I declared. I knew it for a fact.

“And what makes you so confident?!”

“Simple, I—”

“Stop, stop!” Finocchio cut me off and waved me off with both hands. “You used some kind of devious trick again, didn’t you? I know it! It’s awful! I don’t want to hear it! Why do I have to hear about it during my lovely tea time? They may call me the mad clown, but even I need a little time to soothe my own soul! So no! I shan’t listen!”

Finocchio covered both ears and began to speak loudly.

“I can’t hear a thing! It doesn’t matter what you say! I can’t hear it!”

I sighed, exasperated. “Whatever. Anyway, how are things with you, anyway? Plans going smoothly?”

“If you’re talking about the tournament, then yes. We’ve arranged for the land and the construction so we can open it as soon as possible. We’re ready to go whenever you are, we just need you to get the permission of the imperial family once you’re on the regalia. No problems whatsoever!”

“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about you becoming the head of the Luciano family.”

“Behind the scenes? So far, so good.”

“Hm. No problems, then,” I said, and then I narrowed my eyes. “So who do you have to kill?”

“Noel, you…”

Including Finocchio, there were thirteen people making up the leadership of the Luciano Family. For Finocchio to make it to the top, more than a few would need to disappear.

“I’m the one who pushed you into it,” I said. “You’ve got my help if you need it.”

“Oh, hush. I will do what needs to be done even without your help. I am Finocchio Barzini, the exquisitely beautiful outlaw known as the mad clown…and I will not hesitate to kill even those I call my sworn brothers, should they become my enemies.”

I could have done without the “exquisitely beautiful” part, but I could tell he wasn’t lying. He wouldn’t back down. I nodded.

“Good. I believe you.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“Miss Boss, we’ve brought him.”

“Ah, wonderful. Come in.”

The door opened, and two men entered. One was Finocchio’s henchman, an extremely heavyset man made of muscle. The other, a man in a wheelchair, looked like a vagrant who’d been living on the streets. He was missing both his arms and legs. The henchman pushed the man in the wheelchair over to us, and Finocchio and I stood from our chairs to meet them.

“You look in good shape, Albert. Slimmer, somehow.”

I looked down at Albert with a grin. Albert Gambino was once the boss of the Gambino family, but he’d been expelled and had his arms and legs liberated from him. He now spent his days at Finocchio’s pig farm. He sat entirely still in his wheelchair, his eyes shut tight.

“I brought him because you asked, Noel, but what in the world do you want from him?”

I turned toward Finocchio before I answered. “I’m interested to learn more about the alchemist he hired. I want to know where he is.”

“An alchemist… So that’s who made those amphetamines, huh? Wait! That story from earlier—was it true?!”

“No. I just want the alchemist to make me something,” I said, shaking my head before getting up close to Albert. “Wakey wakey, Albert.”

Albert remained unresponsive.

“He’s been having such a wonderful time with the pigs that it’s broken him into pieces,” said Finocchio. “It’s very difficult to have any sort of productive conversation with him these days.”

“Hmph. Is that so?”

I took a cigarette from my breast pocket, put it in my mouth, and lit up.

“Ew! Noel, sweetie, no! When did you start that filthy habit? It’s bad for your health. And by the way, I don’t allow smoking in my house. Not anywhere, thank you very much.”

Finocchio’s face twisted in disgust. I ignored him and blew a mouthful of smoke into Albert’s face, before swiftly pushing the lit end of the cigarette into his cheek. Just as I heard the sizzle of burning, Albert let out a shriek.

“Owwwwwww! It burns!” he hollered.

“Ah, so you were awake.”

I chuckled as Albert stared at me with pure hate in his eyes. He wanted to scream. He wanted to tell me that all of his misfortune was entirely my fault. He wouldn’t have been wrong.

“You heard what I said, Albert,” I said. “Tell me what I want to know.”

“I-I…I would never tell the l-likes of you!”

“Heh. I guess when you’re already living in the depths of hell, you think there’s nothing left to fear, huh? Oh, but there is, Albert. There is.” I took his face in both hands and pressed our foreheads together. “The pits of hell are very, very deep. You’ve just barely made it past the entrance gates. Maybe we’ll cut open the top of your skull while you’re still conscious and set up a mirror to give you a front-row seat to the procedure, hm?”

Albert shrieked again. His face went pale, and he tried desperately to get away, but without arms or legs, he had nowhere to run. And with his face still in my hands, he couldn’t even look away. Albert’s eyes darted around wildly, searching for a hiding place that simply did not exist.

“Do I scare you, Albert? Then you’d better tell me everything. I don’t have much patience. But if you talk, I’ll help you.”

“R-really?”

“Really. I don’t lie.”

“Okay, then… I’ll tell you where he is.”

Having finally given up, Albert told us everything about the alchemist.

“Y-you promised…” he stammered afterward. “Y-you promised t-to help me…”

Tears streamed from Albert’s eyes. He was begging. He was so pitiful that it was hard to watch. My heart wasn’t completely devoid of mercy, though; I really did intend to help him. But first, I wanted to know one more thing. I walked around behind Albert, placed my chin on his shoulder, then whispered in his ear.

“Albert, do you remember a young girl by the name of Chelsea?”

“Ch-Chelsea? N-nope. Don’t know h-her…”

“Oh? Well, I suppose you wouldn’t. It’s only natural, I guess.”

I hadn’t expected him to remember—and, in fact, I was relieved he had forgotten.

“P-please. C-come on. Help me. I-I don’t want to go back there…”

“I know, I know. That’s why I’m here.”

I lifted my head from Albert’s shoulder then gripped his head tight in both hands. Then I twisted it with great force, his neck breaking with a dull crack.

“Goodbye, Albert. Consider your crimes atoned for.”

Albert’s lifeless body tumbled from the wheelchair. He felt no pain. His consciousness would have stopped the instant that his neck snapped. I was like a god delivering him a final moment of divine mercy, considering the heinous things that he’d done. Finocchio and his henchman, however, were left in shock.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Should I not have killed him?” I asked.

Finocchio chuckled.

“Noel, I am telling you. You’re a born gangster. It’s your calling!”

***

While Noel plotted away and continued his shadowy work behind the scenes, the other members of Wild Tempest proceeded with their regular training. They weren’t accepting any new clan contracts, so maintaining their usual drills was the best way to keep their skills sharp. Now that Leon was Rank A, it was necessary for the whole team to learn to work in tandem with his new strength, skills, and abilities. Under Leon’s direction, all four members went through countless battle drills in the empire’s underground training facility.

Once the session was over, Hugo visited the atelier he’d purchased back when he worked as a dollmaker. He still owned the place, even after he’d been thrown in prison on false accusations. It had remained exactly where he’d left it.

Hugo wanted to continue doll-making, if possible. He planned to keep up his Seeker work, of course, but his true calling was craftsmanship. Pledging loyalty to Noel was by no means a reason to abstain from that calling, and given his talents, he could do both at the same time.

The Puppeteer knew from experience that devoting oneself entirely to their occupation was no way to build a long-lasting career. People needed reasons to live beyond their work. Careers should be built upon a foundation, such as their hobbies, their lover, or their family. When Hugo was a full-time dollmaker, he’d gone traveling to ease his stress—but now that he was working as a Seeker, he was intent on restarting his doll-making work. He’d been occupied with clan business, but now he had a little time, and Noel and the other members had no issues with his plans.

It took about thirty minutes by carriage from the training facility to reach the particular part of town where Hugo’s atelier stood. The city streets that stretched out from the window were a familiar sight. He alighted from the carriage and walked, soaking in the nostalgia of past memories as he did. Some of the shops had changed, but most were just as he remembered from two years ago, including the eateries and tailor he frequented. They’d undoubtedly be surprised to see him.

Hugo passed through the business district and into the residential part of town, a quiet place with lots of trees. It was the perfect environment for quietly concentrating on doll work. When he arrived at his atelier at long last, he found it overrun with more weeds than it had ever known, but otherwise nothing had changed.

“It’s just like I remember…”

As Hugo stood there, struck by the onslaught of nostalgia, a young girl arrived at the entrance to the garden. She was about seven years old, with fine features and a porcelain doll in her arms. The clothes she wore seemed expensive, but they were quickly dirtied by the long grass and weeds as she entered the garden. She made eye contact with Hugo, and he knew immediately that he’d never seen her before. He wasn’t sure what to do, but the girl ran over to him before he could choose a plan of action.

“Excuse me, sir. Are you the owner of this place?”

“S-s-sir?!”

Hugo was left wide-eyed, shocked to be addressed as formally as an older man would be. He was only 24 years old. It was true that there was quite an age difference between them, but the words still pierced his heart like needles.

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh… No, it’s nothing. I am indeed the owner of this house,” Hugo said.

The girl’s face lit up as she saw Hugo nod.

“That’s great. There was nobody inside, so I didn’t know what to do.”

Hugo noticed that the girl’s hands were dirty and black. He could easily imagine her placing her hands on the dirty windowsills and pulling herself up to look inside the atelier.

“Can I help you with something?” he asked.

“You’re a dollmaker, right? That’s what my mother said. I came here hoping you could fix my friend.”

The girl thrust out her doll for Hugo to see. There was a fracture running down its cheek like a bolt of lightning.

“Well? Can you fix her?” the girl urged, her face nervous and uncertain.

Hugo smiled. “I can, and I can do it right away.”

Hugo put a hand to the doll’s face and activated a skill. It was Repair, a skill that came with the Puppeteer class. The skill required materials depending on the amount of damage, but a touch of the hand would suffice for a simple fracture on a little doll.

“Wow! You really fixed her!” The girl hugged the doll to her chest, overjoyed. “Thank you, sir! You made me so happy today!”

“I, um… I’m glad to see you…so happy…”

Hugo still felt the sting of the girl’s address, but that pain was minor in the face of her overwhelming joy.

“I want to give you this as thank you,” she said, passing Hugo a candy wrapped in beautiful paper. “I have to go home now. Thanks again, sir!”

Hugo smiled as he watched the girl disappear into the streets.

“Not bad at all for my first day back on the job.”

***

Inside, the atelier was in worse condition than Hugo had expected. The place wasn’t merely filled with dust; there were holes in the roof he hadn’t seen from outside that had let water in, forming puddles. That had caused mold to grow on the furniture and floor, so all of Hugo’s dolls were rusted.

“First things first: I’d better get this place cleaned up and back in working shape.”

Hugo created ten puppet soldiers and ordered them to get to work cutting grass outside and cleaning up inside. The emotionless puppet soldiers worked quietly and steadily. In no time at all the grass was cut, and everything ruined by mold or rust was piled up outside.

As he watched the puppet soldiers at work, Hugo made a shopping list for things he’d need. Tools, furniture, and materials for renovating the place filled most of the list, but some items would take more time to access. He guessed it would take at least two weeks to get the atelier back to its former glory. His skills would do the rest once he had all the requisite materials, but things didn’t always go as smoothly as planned.

Hugo sighed just as a light knock came at the door. When he turned, he found the door already open, and a female elf was standing in the doorway. Her long, blonde hair was braided, and she wore a long, double-breasted jacket that made Hugo think of military clothing.

“You…”

“It’s been a while, Hugo,” the elf said with a smile.

The woman was Sharon Valentine, a member of the Supreme Dragon, the strongest clan in the empire and the top tier of the regalia. She was once the clan’s vice-master, but she had voluntarily relinquished the position to grant it to her pupil, Zeke Feinstein.

“Why are you here?”

Sharon’s face turned sad. “I wanted to apologize…”

“For what?”

“Well, I’m sorry that I couldn’t save you, Hugo. I knew you were being falsely accused, but I didn’t have any proof…”

Hugo nodded. That made sense. He’d been thrown in prison some two years ago for a crime he had no recollection of. He’d been slandered and labeled a murderer, and he was summarily sentenced to death. The only reason he was free and deemed innocent now was because of Noel. Without him, Hugo would be sleeping in his grave instead of talking with Sharon.

“There’s no need for you to apologize,” said Hugo. “If our positions were reversed, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything for you either.”

It would be a lie to say that Hugo hadn’t hoped for Sharon to help him during his two years of imprisonment. He was acquainted with her through her headhunting activities, so she at least had a reason to help…but that help never came.

Hugo couldn’t count the times he’d cursed his cell walls in anguish because of it. He could look back on it now, though, and understand how presumptuous it had been to expect any support. It would have been one thing if he were an official member of the Supreme Dragon, but he’d actually been the one to turn down Sharon’s offer.

“You were right. I was weak. I was so sure that I could pave my own way and live my life without relying on others, but that was truly arrogant in hindsight. In the end, the responsibility for what happened back then…well, it falls on my own shoulders.”

“I’m relieved to hear you say it. I was worried about you.”

“I am sorry if I caused you any undue concern. But as I’m fine now…” Hugo’s eyes narrowed as he watched Sharon carefully. “How about we do away with the formalities and speak frankly? Why are you here? A person of your stature wouldn’t come all the way here for someone like me simply to apologize. How did you know that I’d be here in the first place?”

“I was wondering if you’d catch that,” said Sharon. The smile on her face betrayed no hint of guilt. “I apologize for the ruse, but I really did want to apologize, you know?”

“Enough, please. What do you want?”

“Hugo…”

Sharon stood up straight, her face turning serious.

“Will you reconsider joining us? The Supreme Dragon?”

“Hm? I’m afraid I’m not sure I understand you.”

“I came here to offer you another chance to join us. I know that I didn’t save you, and I know that the person who did is the clan master of Wild Tempest. It’s only natural you feel indebted to him, and so my offer doesn’t have much appeal,” said Sharon, whose smile had grown suddenly cruel. “But even then, I can tell you now that you’ll be better off joining us. The future and fortune we offer is unparalleled. And besides…”

“Besides what?”

“You won’t have to fight us. That there is a blessing of sorts.”

Sharon’s smile never left her face as she spoke, but her gaze was sharp. Her eyes, devoid of mercy, were so laced with bloodlust that Hugo felt her stare alone might be enough to kill.

“We know how much of a plotter and a schemer Noel Stollen is. It’s the whole reason the clan has grown by leaps in bounds in such a short period of time. Our Zeke is quite taken by him in his own way, but I must admit I don’t quite understand it. I mean, really. How could an ant—even a hyperintelligent ant—take on an elephant?”

Her comments were unbelievably egotistical, but Sharon spoke from a place of well-honed skills and battle-hardened experience. She had served a long time as vice-master for the empire’s strongest clan, and though she had not reached Rank EX, she was peerless in battle against A-Rankers. Her inhuman determination had not wavered in the least even after conceding the position of vice-master to Zeke.

“Hugo, I want you to understand that my offer is one of mercy.”

Because things will not end with a simple refusal this time around, her eyes seemed to say. That steely expression, though, was what gave Hugo the courage to respond as he did.

“I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse,” he said.

“Then at the very least…would you mind telling me why?”

Hugo felt the temperature in the room suddenly drop. Could he have imagined it?

“The reason is very simple: I think Noel Stollen is the world’s strongest Seeker. Therefore, serving under anyone else would be foolish.”

“So that’s your answer?”

Sharon turned on her heels and headed for the door, but she added a final remark with her back still turned.

“I respect your decision, but remember this: so long as Noel Stollen continues to aim for the top of the mountain, we will always be there waiting for him, like the furious dragon of our namesake.”

Sharon did not look back and marched away with a confident gait. When she vanished completely from his sight at last, Hugo let out a deep sigh.

“I knew she was terrifying, but that was a nightmare…” he muttered.

She was more frightening than even a lord. In terms of simple battle prowess, a lord was more powerful, but what gave Sharon the edge was that, in battle, she was well versed in using every tactic necessary to win.

“Still, there is no way we can avoid them.”

Hugo looked down at his trembling hands. Sharon had spoken the truth. As long as Noel aimed for the top, he could not avoid a collision with Supreme Dragon. One day, he would have to fight Sharon and the rest of her clan. And who would come out the victor in that particular battle? The thought scared Hugo, but it also sparked a fierce curiosity within him.

“I’m afraid you’ve made one mistake, Miss Valentine,” he whispered. “Noel Stollen is not an ant. He’s a more cunning snake than anyone else, with extremely poisonous fangs.”

Hugo was certain that the question of which was stronger—the snake or the dragon—was one that would be answered in due time.

The following day, Lorelai was to hold a press conference regarding their new train system. The storm that would erupt in the wake of that event was caused by none other than the snake that devoured everything in its path.

***

Swathes of the empire’s people were gathered at the outdoor concert hall in the city square. Seen from above, it was a tremendous sea of people numbering upward of ten thousand. The group serving as their guidance and security was the strongest of the strong: the clan members of Lorelai. If any disturbances broke out, they would be dealt with swiftly.

Lorelai’s clan master, Johann Eissfeldt, had called for a press conference to make a sudden announcement. This was not a press conference for a small, select number of reporters—instead, it was to be held at an outdoor concert hall, completely open to the public. Even though the announcement had come out of nowhere, word spread fast and drew in huge numbers. Their rapt attention proved the great power and influence of the regalia.

“…As for the economic benefits of the train system, one need only look to the Republic of Rodania. Having created the so-called ‘engine’ with beast parts, they’ve made it possible to transport vast amounts of materials and people across the country. Rodania has seen a vast economic upswell in the four years since the establishment of their train lines.”

Johann spoke from the stage before the huge crowd, a microphone in hand. His confidence projected through his words, lending them a weight that made them all the more convincing.

“By contrast, even though our home has the means to build its own train system, we cannot guarantee its safety because the Velnant Empire is so prone to Abyss outbreaks. This leaves us reliant on roads and horses.”

He broke into a proud, triumphant smile.

“This is why, as I mentioned earlier, our clan has partnered with Vulcan Industries to present a solution to this very problem. We plan to open the empire’s very own train system—and to bestow its benefits upon all of you, the citizens of Velnant. Our plans have already been approved, thanks to support both from the second-eldest imperial prince, Prince Caius, and the lords of the lands through which the train system will pass. This puts us in position to begin construction as early as next week!”

At Johann’s proclamation, reporters seated near the front of the stage began asking questions.

“Can you tell us more about your solution to the empire’s current problem?”

“But of course.”

Johann nodded and glanced to the side, where a female clan member was clambering onstage. The watching crowd gasped at once both in fear and disbelief, but not due to the woman in question. It was because of the grotesque “thing“ she had brought with her.

Similar to a wolf in shape, it would have stood as tall as a full-grown man on its hind legs. One look at its muscular frame made it clear that its front paws could take off an ox’s head in one swipe. But in contrast to its terrifying appearance, the creature appeared docile, and it didn’t even let out a single growl in front of so many people. Instead, it followed the woman meekly. Something about the monster’s obedient nature made it even creepier.

“Allow me to introduce our newest invention: the demi-beast, a multipurpose quadrupedal beast combatant.”

At the sound of the word “beast,” the crowd visibly reeled with shock, but Johann remained calm and composed as he smiled and went on.

“It’s only natural for you to be shocked. But I assure you, you are all perfectly safe. Yes, it’s a biological weapon born from beast materials, but it will follow our orders to the letter. In times of peace, it’s set to safe mode, making it no different from any other big dog. The only place the demi-beast is able to use its strength is within the Abyss.”

Johann sent a wink to the woman with the demi-beast, and she gave it a pat on the head. The creature’s eyes closed in bliss at the sensation.

“As you can see,” Johann continued, “it’s very friendly. It’s intelligent too, and it will never take actions that put a person in harm’s way. But make no mistake; the demi-beast is fearsome in combat. In an Abyss, the demi-beast is capable of B-Rank combat abilities when set to battle mode.”

Johann turned from the beast to look over the crowd.

“After running a series of tests in the Abyss, we were able to prove that the demi-beast is more than capable of handling depth-8 beasts on its own. They’re ready for mass production, and we intend to have them placed at every station when the train lines are established. In this way, we will be able to purify Abysses promptly and at the moment of manifestation, ensuring safety for the trains and the tracks they ride on.”

The better half of the watching crowd were clearly impressed by Johann’s speech, but others were obviously upset—the Seekers. They didn’t like the idea of some B-Rank biological weapon essentially taking the food off their table. They felt threatened, and perhaps rightfully so. Johann noticed this reaction, however, and he continued with a knowing smile across his face.

“I know what the Seekers in the crowd are thinking: ‘Are these demi-beasts intended to replace us?’ I cannot deny that on some level, they will. They are truly exceptional, and no ordinary Seeker can compare. However, my intent was never to steal your careers from you. That’s why we are looking into establishing loan systems for demi-beasts.”

Johann’s statement sent ripples through the crowd. The demi-beast was the ace up Lorelai’s sleeve. Nobody imagined for a second that they would ever loan their ace out to rival Seekers.

“I’ve long held doubts as to whether the elimination of beasts should be shouldered by Seekers. Yes, there’s nobody better equipped to hunt them. I myself hold a deep pride in the work we do. However, is it really necessary for all of us to be Seekers? Shouldn’t we turn to other methods if they offer safer and more efficient ways to hunt? I have pondered these questions for a long time, and the answer now stands before you.”

Johann gestured to the demi-beast once more.

“With this power, we can eliminate beasts with an ease never before seen. But the benefits of this will not be mine alone. It is a power that anyone can take for themselves. Naturally, we won’t be able to loan the demi-beasts for free, but we’ll at least aim to make them as affordable as possible. Our plan is to loan them at as close to cost-price as we can so that anybody can use them.”

Johann raised his voice as he moved into the next phase of his speech.

“I am a Seeker. But before that, I was simply a citizen of the empire, and so it’s impossible for me to believe in keeping all the profit for myself. What’s more, the arrival of the Valiant looms on the horizon. Now is the time for us to throw away our greed and join forces to face this incoming threat. I will stand on the front lines to face it. I will give everything I have, from every hair on my head to every drop of blood in my body, for the empire’s honor and to guarantee its future. This is how I will repay the emperor for the glory of making me a part of the regalia.”

Johann raised a fist into the air.

“The train system and the demi-beast are our wings! They are proof of my resolve! And with these wings, we will fly the empire to ever greater heights! That, I promise you!”

In the next instant, the entire city square erupted into applause and cheers. The tens of thousands of people gathered were brought together as one, with Johann standing before them like the god they now worshipped. It was a truly impressive advertising strategy, and this was only the beginning; the news would soon spread like wildfire across the empire. No one else could have made a stronger impact on the citizens—not even the imperial family.

Standing there among all the citizens who simply didn’t know any better, I sent Johann some silent applause of my own.

“Demi-beasts, huh? Now that I didn’t see coming…”

I would have liked to have known about them before today’s reveal, but there was no point lingering on past impossibilities. The battleground existed in the present, and you couldn’t always fight in perfect conditions. If my enemy surpassed my expectations, that was never reason enough for me to back down. Although I was worried about the fact that all communications with Loki had suddenly stopped, now wasn’t the time to worry about it.

At the conclusion of Johann’s speech, the reporters pitched nothing but softball questions. Johann had brought them all here himself, so naturally, they only asked the sort of questions he wanted to answer. It was no wonder that one particular reporter’s question caught him entirely off guard.

“Mr. Eissfeldt, thank you for your amazing speech. Where its contents are concerned, do you mind if I call over a known expert in the field?”

“Hm? An expert?”

The reporter’s voice had the slightest tremble at its edges, and Johann’s brow furrowed in confusion. This was not part of the plan, his expression seemed to say. As he stood there bewildered, I pushed my way through the crowd, heading directly for the stage.

“Excuse me,” I said, “I’ve got a stage to get to!”

***

“The announcement—do it now.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

I sent the message through Talker skill: Link. The reporter I’d subjugated motioned a hand in my direction.

“Without any further ado,” he said, “I give you the genius Talker and master of Wild Tempest, Mr. Noel Stollen!”

“Th-the snake?!”

Johann’s eyes went wide with surprise at this announcement, but nobody in the crowd knew the reporter was going against his plan. They were oblivious to everything except the excitement of another big name climbing the stage. To thunderous applause, I leaped from the spectator’s seats and landed upon the stage. Then I turned to the crowd with an actor’s flourish and gave a graceful bow.

“Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! I am Noel Stollen, the clan master of Wild Tempest. It is a great honor to be invited here today to take part in such an historical announcement.”

I didn’t need a microphone. As a Talker, I had a voice strong enough to reach everyone on its own. I raised my head to excited shouts and cheers.

“Whoa! Even Wild Tempest is here!”

“Woo-hoo! Noeeeeel!”

“Damn, that guy knows how to make an entrance!”

When the crowd’s excitement reached its peak, I let a bold smile cross my face and thrust my fist into the air. The entire city square broke anew into a massive cheer.

“Wooooo!”

I gave one more bow and then turned to Johann. My sudden entrance had stunned him and the rest of Lorelai so much that none of them had thought to move.

“Long time no see, Johann. It is a pleasure to see you again.”

For a moment, Johann’s face twisted with pure hatred. That was to be expected; I’d just stomped all over his moment of glory. Who wouldn’t be angry? Considering the effort that it took to put the event together, Johann must have been seething with white-hot rage. But it was already too late for him to do anything. The moment I stepped onto the stage, I was in charge. If Johann ordered his clan members to have me removed, the crowd would not stand for it. They were not here for polite societal standards; they were here for the spectacle of the performance—and my sudden appearance had given them even more to be excited about. Getting rid of me now would mean being enveloped in the crowd’s discontent in the aftermath. Johann’s plan was to push his own agenda through a large-scale PR strategy, and he needed the people on his side for that. It would be foolish to sour their mood against him. I knew he wouldn’t get rid of me.

Above all else, Johann was a man of great pride. He was aching for a chance to get back at me since the last time we’d shared the stage, and his pride simply would not let him run away. Just as I thought he would, Johann swallowed his anger and allowed a bright smile to his face.

“No, no, it’s an honor to have you here,” he said. “I’m told you’re here to regale us with your expertise on the subject matter.”

“Indeed I am. I come here humbly to offer what little support I can to aid you, the Seeker I have admired for so long.”

“How heartwarming… Hm? So you knew about all of this before today? That would mean somebody leaked the information to you, would it not?”

“I can assure you, nothing like that happened. To be honest, I’d also been thinking a lot about the economic benefits of a train system, so I looked into the various ways it might be accomplished. When I heard you were announcing the founding of a railway company at a press conference, I felt compelled to talk with you about it. I was so excited that I got one of the reporters to let me participate.”

Johann had tried to stain my reputation by revealing I was underhanded, but it was no use. Before coming here, I had already considered every single possible conversation. However Johann tried to sway the topic, I would not lose control. The stage was mine. I refused to let it go.

“I see,” said Johann. “Then I would very much love to hear your opinion.”

“Of course. I would like to make it clear at the outset, however, that I agree with your goals. A train line is a necessity if we want to stay equal in economic power with the Republic of Rodania, and we’ll need it in the next few years. Plus, the quicker we implement a train system, the more impact that system will have on our battle against the Valiant. I have no reason to oppose the implementation of a train line; quite the opposite!”

Crushing Johann’s plan was quite easy, with no shortage of ways to do it, but the truth was that Johann’s plans would be a huge contribution to the country. There was huge risk involved in foiling a plot that had the backing of not just the wealthy and influential, but also an imperial prince. We couldn’t hope to win a battle in which our enemy was the country itself rather than a single clan.

At the same time, we couldn’t simply sit back and watch it unfold. Giving Johann the freedom to do as he wanted would only pave the way for him to rule over everything. So how to limit that freedom? I had a few ideas…

“Still, when I heard your explanation, I did think that proceeding as planned could prove extremely dangerous,” I said. “I can sense some big problems on the horizon.”

“Problems? Well, now, we can’t ignore those. I gather you have some basis for these problems you predict. Can you explain them to us all here and now, in full?”

“I certainly can.” Flashing a daring grin, I turned to address the crowd. “We all know that the train system is a remarkable feat of engineering. We also know how big of an impact it will have on the economy. I don’t doubt that for even a second—rather, I can’t wait for it!”

Then, I let some unease creep into my expression.

“For every action, there are reverberations—effects and reactions. Were you all aware that the engines powering these proposed trains emit exhaust fumes that cause serious harm to both people and the environment?”

The crowd collectively tensed at the sound of the words “serious harm.” Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Johann’s slight grimace; I’d hit a weak point. But right as he opened his mouth to argue the point, I raised the volume of my voice a touch higher and reclaimed the narrative.

“It’s no lie; it’s an established truth. At present, there is no shortage of people in the towns and cities next to the train lines who suffer from health problems. Crop production rates and harvests have also dropped. Among these grave troubles, the lords of these lands are now demanding compensation from the government-operated railway company, and a solution to the problem has yet to be found.”

All of what I’d said was true. It was in the documents Finocchio gave me. I was exaggerating some of the details, but I wasn’t lying. The words had an immediate impact on the audience. The cheers and excitement of mere moments ago had cooled, and now the crowd was lost, entangled in a complicated battle between trust and suspicion.

“Mr. Johann, surely you know about this…and yet, you never thought to mention it. Why is that?”

I asked the question with a smile. Johann returned it as he answered, masking his true feelings.

“It’s true. I did know what Noel here has told you all. And failing to reveal that to you here falls upon my own shoulders. You have my deepest apologies. Though I do wonder, is the data for Noel’s story really accurate? From what I remember, it still has yet to be scientifically proven that exhaust fumes produced by trains are dangerous. It’s still very possible that the problems faced in these areas are caused by something else. The Rodanian train system is only four years old. Many have overreacted in response to this new technology, with some blaming it as the source of their problems. It’s possible they fear a pollution that does not actually exist.”

It was a powerful retort, and the crowd seemed to buy it.

“Then, in your opinion, Mr. Johann, the exhaust fumes are not a problem?”

“All I’m saying is that nothing was detected in the exhaust that indicates it as an issue. Obviously, there’s always the possibility that something will be discovered in the future, but it’d be a foolish move to delay the establishment of an entire train line for such a trifling concern. It’s as you said, Noel: for every action, there are reverberations. Technology does not bring benefits alone—losses are equally likely. With that in mind, should we not utilize the profits and benefits technology provides to prepare for such a future?”

Johann was right on the money. You couldn’t fear sacrifices when it came to implementing new technology. Many people in the crowd seemed swayed by Johann’s words and were nodding in agreement. With his short reply, he’d managed to earn back the trust of two-thirds of them.

“These are irreversible losses we’re discussing. If the exhaust fumes were proven to be harmful, what then? If a woman can no longer give birth because of this pollution, do you think she’ll accept your reasoning?”

“That question is unfair and cowardly. Let’s try a different example, for instance: There’s a man in desperate need of surgery. If he doesn’t get it, he will die. The surgeon doesn’t do the surgery because she doesn’t want to bear the responsibility should she fail. When that man dies, who takes responsibility for his death? The doctor? Or society, which pushed the responsibility on her? The answer is the latter. Patients have a right to surgery, just as a surgeon has a right to protection. It is only by balancing these rights that people are saved. Can you see how similar this is to what we’re discussing?”

Johann was a superb speaker. They were only words to weave his way around responsibility, but his calm, confident projection had earned the complete trust of the crowd.

“I see your logic, but I do still wonder: might there still be people who don’t agree with your line of thought?” I asked.

“Oh? Who might they be? If they exist in your imagination, there’s likely no end to them.”

“The train lines are running through a number of different areas. I think there may well be lords of those areas who would oppose the train system unless they could be assured complete safety.”

“Ah, I see. Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? I announced that we’d already gathered full approval from all involved parties. The people you mention simply do not exist.”

“Are you sure? The discussions may be over, but how can you really know what a person feels in their heart?”

“Er, I don’t understand what you’re getting at. What are you…?”

In that moment, as Johann grappled with his confusion, I sent a message through Link.

“Now. Announce the news.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

I had not one but two reporters working for me in the crowd. My second reporter now approached Johann as I had ordered. Then, he gave Johann the news.

“Mr. Eissfeldt, we’ve just received word from one of the company’s subsidiary branches. It would appear there are large-scale protests being staged in two of the areas the railway is set to run through…”

“Protests?! What do you mean?!”

Fearful as he was of Johann and his scandalized expression, the reporter went on.

“It seems the lords presiding over the areas are discontent with the plans. Not only have they informed the people of the project and its harmful impact, but they’ve also reported that you intend to push through the establishment of the train system regardless of their consent… Current reports say that a small number of enraged citizens are marching toward the imperial capital in protest.”

“What?! Impossible! Are you certain?!”

“I-It’s true, sir! I w-would never lie to you!”

Johann sent a sharp glance at a clan member. “I want confirmation at each of those locations immediately! Report to me as soon as you have a clear understanding of the situation!”

“U-understood!”

Johann watched the clan member disappear like the wind, then turned to face me. His voice came out tense as he asked his next question.

“Was this your doing?”

I tilted my head to the side. “Pardon? I haven’t the faintest idea what you mean.”

That was a blatant lie, of course. It was my doing. For Johann’s plans to work, the cooperation of the lords of each area was indispensable. Loki had told me that some of those same lords were dissatisfied by the proposed distribution of profit—as long as those lords remained in opposition, the plan would never come to fruition. That was why I’d predicted that Johann would use the power of the imperial family to push the plans through at all costs.

Naturally, no lord could stand up to the power of the imperial family. But when they felt their rights were being trampled on, they became disgruntled, and that was what made them so useful to me. By using my connection with Count Lester Graham, current Minister of Justice and member of the aristocracy, I met with each of these dissatisfied lords and convinced them to rile up their people.

All lords put an emphasis on their own rights and interests, but those rights and interests were being ignored by none other than Johann Eissfeldt, who was set to use their land in whatever way he wanted. So, one option was to delay Johann’s plans through protests, then use the quelling of those protests as a way to demand a reconsideration of said plans.

Those idiotic lords had agreed with what I told them, and that was how it had come to this. The results had been better than I’d hoped for. By delaying the plans and putting the blame on Johann, we’d worsen his position in the proceedings. This, in turn, would weaken his influence. And because the problem had been revealed here on this stage, where Johann had bathed in praise, everyone would feel the entire thing was his responsibility anyway.

Admiration and responsibility had become one and the same. Who should take responsibility for this mess had become entirely self-evident. Now, as Johann stood stunned onstage, the crowd he’d toiled to win back faced him with apparent despair in their eyes. Were it possible, I would have liked to try turning the demi-beast into another problem for Johann to deal with, but I didn’t have enough information. Attempting a move like that without due diligence could easily throw the problem back into my face. Sometimes, it was dangerous to push your opponent too far into the corner.

“You son of a…” Johann muttered.

His cool and calm facade had all but faded, revealing a murderous gleam in his eyes. I knew that Johann and I would have to settle things between us eventually, but not now.

The empire needed the train system, no matter how you looked at it. It wasn’t my intent to bring the plans to a complete halt. The problem was the position Johann occupied as the main contributor to those plans. All I needed was enough time to throw a wrench in those plans and arrange for a way to bring Lorelai down, and I’d achieved that goal. Any more and I’d draw the attention of the imperial family, which I wanted to avoid. It was essential to know when enough was enough.

“I can only guess from the snippets I heard just now, but it appears that there really are a few people who have issues with your plans,” I said, a look of sympathy on my face as I walked toward Johann. “Like I said earlier, though, I’m in full support of the idea. The empire needs a railway. So, I’d like to pledge my support. I’ll help you clear up the problems standing in your way.”

“You’ll…what?”

“What do you think, Mr. Johann? I may still be young and inexperienced, but I’m sure there’s much I can help you with. Why not put our strength together to see this thing through?”

“Grr!”

Johann clenched his jaw tight in evident frustration. In order to get through the situation he’d found himself in, he’d need the help of the person pulling all the strings: me. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse. I turned to the crowd to give Johann the final push he needed.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you must understand that all great undertakings come with problems. It’s true that Johann Eissfeldt could have been more conscientious…but we’re all aware of his capacity for greatness. The empire simply will not prosper without him. Thus, I wish to do my best to see this plan to success. I ask you, the people of the empire! Will you lend us your trust once more?”

Applause reverberated through the audience. It started small, but soon everyone present was contributing to an unceasing wave of claps. I turned to Johann, smiling, and put out my right hand. Despite a brief moment of hesitation, Johann quickly regained his senses and shook my hand with a warm grin of his own. The sight of it sent the crowd into even more applause.

Johann and I mouthed the exact same words to one another.

Soon enough, I will crush you.

***

Zero Lindrake stood on the roof of a tall building some two kilometers from the main stage. The winds at that height sent his cloak fluttering madly in the wind, but Zero didn’t budge; instead, he continued to stare at a single point with no discernible expression. He raised one hand and engaged a skill.

Dark skill: Fatal Strike. A black spear appeared in his hand, crafted by his black magic. This spear had instant-kill capabilities that could only be wielded against humans. It didn’t matter if its target was of a higher rank, since the power of the skill was so effective there was no hope of resistance. The chances of instant death were extremely high. Dark Knight was a battle class that specialized in targeting human opponents. Though they were well versed in fighting beasts, facing human opponents brought out the best in the class.

With spear in hand, Zero prepared to launch it. His target was two kilometers away, standing on the stage: Noel Stollen.

“I knew that snake was a threat…” he muttered.

Zero had followed everything that happened since Noel’s arrival. He heard it all through a communication stone held by a fellow clan member, while also being able to watch every movement and daring expression flit across Noel’s face thanks to his ten-kilometer vision. He had concluded that the snake could not be allowed to live.

Zero’s spear would put a hole in Noel even at this distance, killing him without fail. There was always the danger that Lorelai would be accused of directing the assassination, but Zero had already decided it was worth the risk. It was far more dangerous to allow Noel to do as he pleased.

“Die,” Zero snarled, summoning all his strength into a mighty spear toss.

It was then that he felt something stir, causing him to pause. Noel was looking in his direction now, a wicked smile on his face.

“He noticed me? But that’s impossible. How?”

The answer to Zero’s question was above him. At a glance, one would think it only a small bird, but it circled around and around above Zero’s head. It was clearly not what it first appeared.

“Ah, I see. One of Hugo Coppélia’s puppet soldiers…”

Zero guessed that Noel, somehow expecting a potential sniping, had Hugo’s puppet soldiers keeping watch over all likely sniper points. If Zero went through with his attempt on Noel’s life, Hugo would stop it. He didn’t want to get into a confrontation with the Puppeteer here in the middle of the city.

“Guess I’ve got no choice.”

Zero sighed and let his spear vanish. He turned to look up at the little bird circling above him and sent it the middle finger. He’d given up for today, but nothing would end here.

“If you want it, I’ll be here ready to give it to you,” Zero whispered with a chuckle.

The snake was a powerful foe, this much was true. Too bad for Noel, then. It was also true that a real Seeker only grew more determined when faced with a powerful enemy.

***

Berry Planet was strictly a members-only bar. Passersby looking to enter were turned away, and membership required not only an introduction from three current members but a hefty member’s fee, to boot. If you didn’t have the status and the money, you would never see the inside of Berry Planet. Inside the bar were wall-to-wall private rooms, so the members granted entry never saw one another. The bar was a place for people who wanted an uninterrupted quiet to accompany their drinks.

I listened to the clink-clink sound of the ice melting in my glass. I’d been here an hour, all by myself, and I was sipping at my fifth glass of whiskey. Thin trails of smoke wavered in the air from cigarette butts in the ashtray in front of me.

The protesters, angered by a proposed train system that disregarded human safety, gave up on taking their message to the empire and headed home. Johann had appeared in front of them to assure them the current plans would be revised. The protesters had given themselves over to emotion and were spurred to action, but in the end, they were little more than a powerless mob of townsfolk. Regardless of how hot their tempers flared, they’d have little luck getting past one of the top clans in the regalia. Faced with the crushing strength of Lorelai, all it took then was Johann’s powers of persuasion for the protest to run out of steam.

Behind the scenes, I contacted the lords who had incited the protests to inform them of Johann’s decision to revise the train system plans. I instructed them not to do anything rash, and to focus simply on negotiating better terms in the deal, which they all agreed to. None of them really wanted the plans to be built up again from zero anyway. There was no need for them to do anything risky so long as they were receiving a satisfying slice of the profits.

With that, the matter was effectively settled. The railway plans were currently stalled, so they’d need at least one month before they could start on any of the construction work. No matter how equipped Johann looked to handle the matter, his reputation in the proceedings had taken quite the hit.

I, on the other hand, had made an utter killing. Before any of the earlier events took place, I used the clan’s property and fortune as collateral to buy shares in businesses connected to Vulcan Industries, the central pillar of Johann’s plans. It was a classic case of short selling. The prices of those shares exploded in value because they’d been bought up by the wealthy and influential who knew about the plans before they were announced. On the day of the announcements, they’d plummeted and then fallen even further due to the subsequent delay. This resulted in limit-down conditions for several days afterward.

Short selling is the act of borrowing high-priced stocks, then immediately selling them. Wait for the stock price to drop, re-purchase the same number of shares, and return those to your lender before their deadline. Profit comes from the difference in price between the high-price stock you sold and the lower-priced stock you returned to your lender.

Through my short-selling tactics, I’d made a total profit of 350 billion fil. It was a large enough sum to pay for the construction of four airships. Instead of keeping it all, I invested 90 percent of it into business development support for the railway planning division of Vulcan Industries. In return, I’d get a return of one percent each year, a sum that came to around 50 billion fil. It also put my name on the planning committee as a major contributor. When the railway was fully completed, there’d be a commemorative plaque at one of the stations with my name on it.

It had taken just a few days of scheming and plotting for me to earn the wealth and fame that Johann had spent years acquiring. It was just like the old Eastern saying: “One does not tire their own feet when they choose the right horse for the journey.” Johann was a horse that took me to exactly what I wanted. Victory was now in sight. I was destined for the highest honor of a place on the regalia.

That said, achieving this victory without effort gave me about as much satisfaction as a side dish.

“Johann Eissfeldt…are you really going to let things end here?”

I had no interest in easy victories. I hoped with everything I had that Johann would give me something to enjoy, something worthy of his status on the regalia. I sipped from my glass of whiskey, then noticed a spot of red on the table.

“Dammit…”

It was blood dripping from my nose. I still hadn’t fully healed since our battle with the lord. When I went to the doctor for a second analysis, I was told that I should have fully healed a long time ago, but because I was constantly putting stress on my brain, I was actually getting worse.

I put a handkerchief to my nose and another cigarette into my mouth. Thanks to the way they constricted my blood vessels, my bloody nose stopped. This was one of the reasons I’d taken to drinking alone here at Berry Planet: I didn’t want anybody to see me at my weakest. Especially not my teammates.

I felt sometimes that you simply had to give it your all. I was aiming for the top, just as I’d promised Grandpa, but because of that I’d done myself irreparable damage. I knew Grandpa would have hated to see it. So why was I sacrificing everything I had in an effort to be the best in the world? It was obvious—the fire that raged in my heart never showed any sign of fading. Not today, not tomorrow. It wouldn’t fade even at the instant of my death.

“Excuse me, Mr. Stollen.”

The voice came from the door. It was one of the hall staff.

“What is it?”

“I apologize for interrupting you, but another member has asked to borrow a little of your time. What would you like me to tell her, sir?”

“A little of my time? Who’s asking?”

“The clan master of the Goat Dinner, Miss Dolly Gardner.”

“What the…? Are you sure?”

“Quite, sir. Miss Gardner is a member of the establishment. She isn’t with company, sir. She’s alone.”

A smile grew on my lips. The Goat Dinner was a three-star regalia clan. I had never met Dolly Gardner myself, but I knew all about her. Rumors said she was quite the femme fatale.

Female Seekers were something of a rarity. It wasn’t that they weren’t capable, but rather that the profession seemed more compatible with men. Women with an indomitable thirst for battle and a mental fortitude that surpassed the fear of death were a rarity. Dolly wasn’t merely a clan leader; she was young and she had earned a place among the regalia. It was only natural for rumors to swirl around her.

And yet, if she was here now asking to meet me, she had to have some kind of leverage at hand. I’d need to handle her carefully. I gave it some more thought before answering.

“Let her in.”

“Understood, sir.”

The door to my private room opened, and a young woman entered. She looked about as old as I was, with an incredibly beautiful face and hair of a rich, blood-red color. She wore a strapless, hooded dress made of black leather that exposed her pearly skin.

“It’s an honor to finally meet you,” she said, a thin smile on her red lips. Her voice seemed to caress my ears.

“The honor’s all mine,” I replied. “Please, take a seat.”

I gestured to the seat next to me and Dolly sat down. A sweet scent wafted from her and teased my nostrils.

“I have been coming here for a while since earning my membership, but you must be the youngest current member, no? That’s a most impressive feat.”

“I like showing off. I came into so much money in such a short time, I wasn’t sure what to do with it all.”

Dolly placed a hand to her mouth as she giggled.

“You’re refreshingly humble for someone who made 350 billion fil in just a few days. I expected you to be much more arrogant.”

My eyes narrowed. Anyone with a half-decent information network would know that I’d earned a gigantic windfall from my short selling, but I had to be much more cautious around anyone who was able to get an exact number.

“Oh my, what a frightening expression!” said Dolly. “So there really is a snake behind that face.”

“Did you come here hoping that bragging about your information network would kill my mood, is that it? I’d be a bit more careful, if I were you. It’s worth remembering that my fangs could just as easily turn on your neck as they have Johann’s.”

“Quite the spirited one. But I like that. It makes it that much easier to have a conversation.”

Dolly shifted over so she was sitting closer to me. We were close enough to feel each other’s breath now. Her cold hand pressed over the top of my right one.

“Won’t you join me, snake?”

“What?”

“Lorelai, Johann Eissfeldt… They’re as much of a bother to me as they are to you. If we join forces, Johann and his clan are as good as buried.”

“Do you even understand what’s going on?” I asked. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m already in a position to crush him all on my own. If I join forces with you now, what’s in it for me?”

“You may be right. Still…I think after you hear what I have to say, you may change your tune.” The atmosphere around Dolly grew serious, and her blue eyes burned deep into mine. “Johann is a Rodanian.”

“A Rodanian…? Are you saying he’s a spy?”

“No, not that. There’d be far less to explain if he were just a spy.”

I tilted my head. Dolly was really going about answering in a roundabout way.

“If he’s not a spy, then what?”

“Have you heard of Deep Snow?”

“They were a bandit gang that made a mess of Rodania some ten years ago…”

Deep Snow was a gang of bandits made up of extremely tough individuals who’d burned down a great many towns before they were finally stopped. The army had them surrounded with several thousand troops, but they were strong enough not just to endure their forces but to fight back in turn.

I’d heard that in the end, an alliance was formed between clans as capable as those on the empire’s regalia. They used their combined military might to battle until Deep Snow was brought to its knees. The story was so extraordinary and unbelievable, though, that in the empire, it was mainly used as a way to make fun of Rodania. It must be mighty peaceful over there if they need their entire military to take down a group of bandits, those kinds of jokes.

“You aren’t seriously saying that Johann was a member of Deep Snow, are you?”

“He wasn’t just a member; he was their leader.”

I looked at Dolly and the grim expression on her face as she nodded, and I laughed.

“You’re actually serious?!”

“I know it’s hard to believe, but—”

Dolly began to explain, but I put a hand up to stop her.

“Oh, I believe you. And I can understand why you’d be afraid of the leader of Deep Snow.”

“I don’t like your tone. Isn’t it better to be cautious when you risk making enemies of the powerful?”

“Hmph. Depends on the situation.”

I shrugged, which caused Dolly’s face to fall into a frown. I laughed again and lit another cigarette. The room began to fill with a thin veil of smoke.

“I know you’ve been telling the truth since you first came in,” I said. “I can read even minute expressions, and I can see through lies the moment they’re told. It’s just…there’s still one thing I don’t get. From what you’ve told me, it looks like you believe what you’ve been told about Johann’s past, and you see his power as absolute. You’re stronger, though, aren’t you? At least, that’s how it looks to me. So tell me…what else is Johann hiding? He’s got other secrets, doesn’t he?”

A thin smile formed on Dolly’s face. “I intend to tell you everything…if you’ll join forces with me.”

“I knew you’d say that. Doesn’t hurt to ask, though.”

I stood up and turned my back to Dolly.

“I appreciate your offer, but I’m not going to join you,” I said.

“You don’t get it, do you? Don’t you want to know the truth about Johann? If you choose to fight him, there’s no way you can win.”

“I’ll win. No matter who my opponent is,” I said, my back still facing Dolly. “So you just shut up and watch me. Johann Eissfeldt is my prey.”

Dolly said nothing, but I could feel the shock radiating from her. I opened the door to the private room and stepped outside. In terms of sheer efficiency, teaming up with Dolly was the right move. But what did I get for doing so? What could I prove? I loved winning. Plotting, deceiving people, setting traps—for the sake of victory I would do it all. But I wasn’t fighting just to win. I fought to prove my strength. It didn’t matter to me who Johann Eissfeldt was because there was only one truth I chased after.

“You better show me a good time.”

I uttered it in a whisper. The flames in my heart grew stronger.

***

After Noel left, Dolly stayed in the private room. The hall staff had informed her that the night’s tab was paid entirely by Noel. An audacious boy, through and through…but Dolly liked how eagerly his fighting spirit burned. It felt like looking at a younger version of herself. As she sipped at a sweet cocktail alone, a voice rang in her head.

“Ooh, someone got dumped.”

The voice was mocking her. Dolly sighed. There was no way to tell if Noel had noticed, but the one it belonged to had been listening to their entire conversation.

“I told you, I hate kids.”

“You looked like you had a pretty good time to me.”

“You probably need to see a therapist.”

Dolly shot back a venomous retort, but the voice gave only an odd peal of laughter by way of response.

“This is hardly a laughing matter.”

“Then pardon me. It’s a pity that we weren’t able to recruit the snake, but I’d still like your help with the assassination of Johann Eissfeldt. There’s quite the reward in it. You could even earn yourself an important position in Rodania, if you so desire.”

“Don’t be stupid. I’ve no interest in a country run by a foolish political system like democracy. A society revolving around politicians spouting scripts to win the votes of the sheep, acting all arrogant as they line their own pockets? Abhorrent. I prefer the royalty; they’re stupid, but at least they’re adorable.”

Dolly could see the potential in democracy. It was the only system that could truly support diversity, developing culture, and civilization, not to mention an increasing population. It was, however, necessary to instill in the people—essentially the core of a democracy—a certain amount of common sense and good judgment. Being carried along on the stupidity of the general public would only result in a mobocracy. Unfortunately, politicians found it more convenient for the general public to remain stupid, which inevitably meant that truly exceptional candidates would never rise to the top.

Dolly felt that perhaps someday in the far future, when those within society could play their roles for the world without compromising their identities, she might be more accepting of democracy. That time was not yet here. She knew that at present, it was mobocracies everywhere you went.

“I failed to secure the cooperation of the snake, so as per our agreement, our relationship ends here. My apologies to you, Rodanian secret agent.”

The voice did not pipe up in response. It belonged to an agent dispatched by the Republic of Rodania, tasked with the assassination of Johann Eissfeldt. When the agent approached Dolly for aid in the matter, Dolly had but one condition: they must enlist the snake to assist their efforts.

Dolly knew the truth about Johann and the threat he posed, but she did not think it likely that she would lose if she fought with all she had. She also knew that, even in victory, the losses would be great. It would be far from a perfect conquest. This was why she wanted support. They had to be capable, of course, but also smart and invested in Johann’s defeat. As far as Dolly knew, Noel was the only option. His refusal had taken her by surprise, but now that he’d turned her down, she knew it best not to get wrapped up with Johann.

“I must say, though,” said Dolly, “the information you provided was extremely helpful. I can’t aid you with the assassination, but while you remain in the empire, I am happy to act as your guarantor. It should be easier for you to move around if I do, no?”

“You have my gratitude.”

The voice gave a short thanks and made no complaints.

“By the way, why not continue to watch from the shadows and simply let the snake do the rest? His chances of victory are admittedly extremely low, but he may just perform a miracle.”

“There are mountains of miracles I wish I could put my faith in, but the organization won’t permit it. I’ve been ordered to find other means to complete my duties in the case that I cannot secure your cooperation.”

“Other means…?” Dolly asked, but there was no response.

The voice had cut the Link from its side. Dolly had stopped being able to sense it just a short while ago, meaning the user had likely already left the bar.

“So impatient… It’s an awful way to live, leashed by the will of others.”

Dolly’s one core principle was to live free, unrestricted, and not bound to anyone. The power and fame she received as a Seeker were merely a means for her to live by this principle. For the right reasons she would join forces with anyone, and just as easily, she would fight them. She’d only humored the Rodanian secret agent in the first place because she thought she might be able to use them. In the end, she’d had to pull out, but she hadn’t lost anything. As long as she judged that it was in her best interests, she was still prepared to partner with anyone.

“Well, anyone but her…”

What came to mind for Dolly then was not the snake, and not the Rodanian secret agent, but the mediator who had introduced the secret agent to her.

***

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Gardner. I am called Reisen.”

The one who called herself Reisen was, in fact, a hybrid beast. From her head of black hair sprouted a pair of fox ears. She apparently hailed from the far east, judging from how she wore one of their traditional dresses. This dress had a revealing design that emphasized her chest and her legs, so she was likely skilled in the art of using her body to get her way.

Case in point, the person who had asked Dolly to meet with Reisen was one of their clan investors, who also happened to have a weak spot for women. She imagined he’d been wrapped around her little finger the whole time. But because he was a sponsor, she couldn’t refuse, so she invited Reisen to the clan house to meet with the woman herself.

“And what can I do for you?” asked Dolly.

Reisen got straight to the point: she wanted Dolly to help a Rodanian agent to kill Johann Eissfeldt, the leader of Lorelai. She talked about Johann’s plans and also revealed the truth about him. Dolly laughed.

“You can’t be seriously asking me to plot an assassination. Are you crazy?”

“I’m deadly serious. I think you’re very well suited to the job.”

“You flatter me! As much as I appreciate the kind words, are you sure it’s not your own death that you’re really after?”

Dolly was a clan master. She’d received a place on the regalia from the emperor, and now she was being told to collaborate with an agent from a foreign country? There was no greater insult. Dolly was genuinely ready to murder this Reisen where she stood. But in response, Reisen simply accepted the violence in Dolly’s eyes. She didn’t show a single tremor of fear as a thin smile crept upon her face.

“Do you find my request insulting? Then I must apologize. Surely you understand that leaving Johann to act freely will result in huge losses for you and your clan. At the recent symposium, he didn’t even try to hide his ambition. He wants to bring all clans under this control. That must be far from an ideal outcome for you.”

“I won’t deny that. Still, it’s not so awful I have to resort to something as foolish as collaborating with a spy. The whole point may be to get rid of Johann, but the risks far outweigh the rewards.”

“So you’re saying you’re fine to leave things as they are?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Assuming that all of Reisen’s information was correct, Johann was a deadly threat that needed to be buried as soon as possible. Dolly knew that cooperating with the spy was the better option. Even then, the risks were still high. There had to be a better way to handle the situation. Dolly stood from the sofa and turned her hand to a vase on the table. She spoke as she gently teased the flower inside it with the tips of her fingers.

“If you will leave certain things to my discretion, then I promise to support your agent’s mission.”

“In other words, if your conditions are met, you’ll participate?”

“If my conditions are met, yes…”

“Understood. I will inform the others.”

“By the way…” said Dolly, plucking the flower from the vase and turning to face Reisen directly. “Do you know the secret to maintaining beauty?”

“Hm? I must say I’m not particularly interested in the topic.”

“That makes two of us. What I hate is the idea that I’m deteriorating. Getting old. The secret to maintaining beauty is eliminating stress. That’s why I quickly kill the people I don’t like. Just imagining them out there somewhere having fun makes me incredibly angry.”

The flower in Dolly’s hand shriveled into a husk in the next instant.

“I’m a Healer. That’s my class. My skills give me a certain control over life. I can give it, and I can take it away. Ever since I became an A-Rank Archangel, my skills work even upon the life of a lord. And yet…” Dolly said, the corners of her mouth twisting in a grin reminiscent of a monster baring its fangs, “you’re still alive. Why is that?”

Dolly had unleashed her skill without any sound or any motion, yet Reisen simply took it without any apparent change whatsoever. She must be resisting it. The problem was that Dolly’s skills were extremely difficult to resist, even for lords, even for…EX-Rank Seekers. Which begged the question: who exactly was this woman standing before her?

“You’re a scary one,” said Reisen. She stood up from the sofa without answering Dolly’s question. “If we’re done here, I’ll take my leave.”

Reisen lifted a mask to her face that was designed to look like a skull.

“How creepy.”

“I like them, that’s all,” Reisen said. “People, that is.”

With that, she smiled and left.

I couldn’t help but return it.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Tanya?”

The girl standing before me was none other than my former teammate.

***

“Ahhhh! That’s the stuff! Nothing like a little liquor at lunchtime!”

Alma placed the now-empty mug of ale on the table. Her grin spanned the full width of her face.

“Can’t say I disagree. That little bit of guilt makes it all the tastier,” added Lycia, a mug of ale in her own hand.

“Okay, so I know it feels great now, but no passing out drunk like last time, okay?”

The third member at the table, also drinking, was the witch dressed in red: Veronica. Her smile was mildly troubled by her friends’ antics even as she brought her own mug to her lips.

The three girls were at The Stuffed Cat. It was a popular lunch spot, so it was packed with people. Amid the smacking lips of diners enjoying their food and drink over friendly conversation, the three Seekers were having their own little drinking party.

Alma and Lycia were already friends, but Veronica was a recent addition to the mix. Lycia’s clan, Lightning Bite, had recently merged with King of Dukes and Veronica’s clan, Red Lotus, to form a new clan called Mirage Triad. It was this merger that connected Lycia and Veronica.

Veronica was strong-willed, reliable, and smart, as expected of the leader of her own party. She also took good care of those in her circle. She was a godsend for Alma and Lycia, who were both rather careless and free-spirited.

“Can I ask for your honest opinion on something?” Veronica asked Alma in the midst of their chatter. “How big is the gap between the Mirage Triad and Wild Tempest?”

“Do you want the honest truth?”

“Of course.”

“From here to the moon. You could spend your whole life, and you’d never make up the difference.”

Veronica buried her face in her hands, struck by Alma’s answer.

“That was…entirely…too much honesty…” Veronica muttered. Her voice trembled as tears welled in her eyes.

Alma chuckled. “Sorry, I guess it was. But don’t get the wrong idea. In terms of basic combat abilities, our clans aren’t so far apart. I’d say the gap is…from here to about the clouds, maybe.”

“You’re not even trying to make me feel better, are you?”

“But you could rise above the clouds, I think. If you all really, really worked for it.”

Alma wasn’t trying to act superior or arrogant. She was stating facts.

“What separates us from you,” she continued, “is Noel. As long as he’s around, you’ll never beat us. I know you’re well connected, so you probably heard already, but Noel made 350 billion fil on the stock market. Who else does that?”

When it came to sheer strength, tough Seekers were a dime a dozen. To beat out the competition, you needed something more—like cunning, shrewd dealing, or political sway. In this regard, Veronica showed promise; she was a quick thinker and knew the importance of gathering intel. Wolf was the master of the Mirage Triad, but it was Veronica, the vice-master, who truly carried the clan. But even she couldn’t hold a candle to Noel.

“Even when you know the truth, it’s still so depressing to hear it said so bluntly…” Veronica said. Her eyes drooped as she ran a finger sadly along the rim of her mug. “I really was pretty set on getting ahead of you guys someday…”

Veronica gazed off somewhere far into the distance as a sympathetic Lycia rubbed her shoulder.

“Now, now,” Lucia soothed, “Let’s stop it with all this serious talk. We should be thinking about our own plans before we get all carried away competing with Noel.”

“Maybe it’s okay for you to be all casual about it because you’re head over heels for the guy, but for me he’s a rival I’m hell bent on beating someday.”

“E-excuse me?! Wh-wh-who’s head over heels?! How about not making assumptions about people for a change?!” Lycia’s face went bright red as she vehemently denied Veronica’s accusation, but her true feelings were clear as day. Didn’t matter how you looked at it—Lycia really was head over heels for Noel. Even Alma was getting sick and tired of Noel being pretty much all that Lycia talked about.

“You’re an elf in heat,” she said. “Go back to the forest.”

“Don’t spring an attack on me! Especially when you’re the one who’s all hot and bothered, Alma! You can hardly keep your hands off him!”

“I’m his big sister. It’s only natural that we get along.”

“Big sister?! You’re the only one who sees your relationship that way!”

“Say whatever you feel like if it makes you feel better. I don’t mind.”

“Wait, what?! Why are you acting like I’m the weird one?!”

Veronica, caught in the middle of the argument, heaved a great sigh.

“Will you two stop it?” she asked, rubbing her temples as if she were massaging a headache. “I feel like I’m getting dumber just listening.”

Veronica was at the limits of her patience, and as her gaze drifted out the window, something caught her eye.

“Oh? Speak of the devil. Isn’t that Noel over there walking down the street?”

“What?!” Alma and Lycia cried in unison. “Where?”

The two girls leaned over the table in an effort to get a better view. Meanwhile, Veronica shrank backward and pointed to where she’d seen him.

“Look,” she said. “He’s right there!”

“Oh, yeah, it really is him,” Alma said with a bright smile, which in the next instant darkened into a sharp glare. “Wait. Who’s the girl?”

“No way. That’s Tanya,” said Lycia.

“Oh, wow. You’re right. It is Tanya.”

Veronica and Lycia looked like they were seeing a ghost. Alma turned to them in confusion.

“Tanya? As in Noel’s old teammate?”

“Yeah. I heard that she betrayed him and ended up as a slave as a result… What are they doing together?”

“Judging by her clothes, it looks like she ended up a slave to someone rich. If she’s just waltzing around town freely like this, she’s probably less of a slave and more like a mistress. They probably bumped into each other by coincidence. Velnant is a big place, sure, but it isn’t crazy to think this could happen.”

“I see, I see…” chimed Alma and Lycia in unison.

Veronica’s deduction had satisfied the two of them. Alma nodded and stood up from her chair.

“I’m heading out,” she said. “We don’t know what that girl’s going to do to Noel, so I’ll kill her quickly before she does anything.”

“Wait a second! You can’t just kill someone on the street! Think of the trouble you’ll get into!” said Lycia, halting Alma in her tracks. “You have to do it where people won’t see you.”

“So you aren’t even trying to stop her…” muttered Veronica, exasperated.

“You know just as well as I do the sort of person Tanya is,” said Lycia.

“Well, yes, but…is murder really the answer?”

“You know it is, so don’t try to stop us. Alma, let’s go!”

“Okay!”

The two girls left for the street, a murderous aura following them out. Veronica stared at their silhouettes, so amazed by their behavior that a part of her was impressed.

“Love really does make complete fools out of people…” she muttered with a chuckle, before realizing something. “Wait. I have to pick up the tab?!”

***

Tanya Clark was the daughter of an ordinary merchant family, one that was neither particularly rich nor poor. As a young girl she lived a completely ordinary life in a peaceful countryside village, surrounded by her three sisters and her parents.

Tanya was different from other girls in one way: she adored Seekers. Lots of boys her age wanted to be Seekers. In both the city and the countryside, it wasn’t uncommon to see them playing in the streets outside, living imaginary adventures of their own. It was mostly treated as a fad, so most boys gave up on these dreams when they grew up. Girls who wanted to be Seekers were comparatively rare. They existed, sure, but boys seemed better-suited to the work. Tanya was not dissuaded even then. Like many of the boys her age, she was enamored with one particular Seeker.

The Seeker in question had been active in times long past and lived on largely in legend. The Healer known as the Heavenly Maiden traveled together with a hero called the Messiah, and together they accomplished many a great feat. According to legend, the two were married, and they founded the Holy Kingdom of Rodania—now the Republic of Rodania.

This was a tale as old as time, one that had passed into legend embellished and exaggerated with each retelling, but Tanya loved it. She read the story so many times, she could recite most of it from memory… Though even as a child, she found the idea of a messianic hero who could use every class quite laughable.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that much of Tanya’s personality was shaped by this story. When she found out from the appraiser that her own class was identical to that of the Seeker she looked up to—Healer—she was over the moon. She began playing at Seeker adventures with the boys and dreamed of one day becoming a real Seeker herself. While other girls her age were playing house, toying with dolls, or getting interested in romance and fashion, Tanya had been ensorcelled by her dreams of becoming a Seeker.

Naturally, Tanya’s family did not approve of her dreams. They made it so clear that sometimes she thought her ears would fall off. The other girls also looked down on her, thinking her suspicious for only ever playing with boys. But what hurt Tanya the most was that many of the boys with similar dreams to her own began to look at her with heated eyes. This was likely due to the fact that Tanya was much more beautiful than the average village girl, and her body developed quickly; it was all too much for boys who were beginning to become aware of their desires.

As boys started looking at her more often, some also went as far as trying to touch her inappropriately. On more than a few occasions, she was almost attacked. Though she was able to defend herself, the result of these experiences left Tanya unable to trust people. From that point on, Tanya trained all by herself. On the day she turned fifteen, she left home and headed for the Velnant Empire.

Life in Velnant wasn’t easy. The Seeker Training Academy was completely free, but that didn’t include daily living expenses, which Tanya had to cover herself. She had no choice but to devote all of her time outside of the academy to working part-time jobs.

But even through the hardships, Tanya felt fulfilled. She couldn’t make any friends, and she didn’t have time for anything but study and work, but walking the path to become the Seeker she dreamed of more than made up for it. And best of all, entering the training academy had opened Tanya up to her own true potential. Many of her classmates were jealous of her growth, but she was strong enough now that she no longer needed to care about them. She didn’t actually have enough time to waste on such things.

As graduation drew near, Tanya found herself standing at a crossroads. Before her were two choices: join an existing group, or form a new one herself. As a talented and capable Healer, Tanya could easily get into one of the bigger clans. However, the most exceptional of Seekers struck out on their own, forming unique teams and clans.

To join a clan was to adopt their colors. But aiming for the top meant trusting your own abilities, so Tanya knew what choice she had to make. The problem now was who to form her new group with. Tanya didn’t trust her classmates. There were other ways to find allies, but she was frozen by past trauma; she simply did not trust anyone but herself.

It was at this point in her life, as she puzzled over what to do next, that Tanya met him—an arrogant, eccentric, and unique boy named Noel Stollen. He was also looking for teammates with whom he could reach the very peak of the Seeker world. What surprised Tanya was that he had already successfully recruited Lloyd, who was the star student when it came to frontline tactics. Seeing a future in Noel’s group, Tanya approached him in hopes of joining it.

After Tanya was accepted into the group, Noel then recruited the problematic but undeniably capable Walter. He joined them after undergoing something of a rough grace period. The group thus formed, they dubbed themselves Blue Beyond.

Even as rookies, the exceptionally talented Blue Beyond successfully took on and accomplished a vast number of contracts. Because they were constantly aiming higher and higher, they were seen as a voracious group of up-and-comers.

For Tanya, every day was fun. She could feel her dream taking shape. More than anything else, it felt as if light was beginning to shine on the darkness locked up at the bottom of her heart. All of it was thanks to Noel.

Noel was not one for flattery or compassion. Instead, he was prepared to give up his own life in order to reach the very top of the Seeker world. He had a bad attitude, but he was genuine and even pure at heart. Every day, without fail, he put himself through intense training and continued to study whatever he could about Seekers. He was rational and practical to his core, which was comforting to someone like Tanya, who struggled to trust others. She even thought of his approach as beautiful sometimes.

Tanya had always been alone, and Noel was the first teammate she met whom she felt she could trust from the bottom of her heart. He would never betray her expectations. That strong bond reminded her of what it meant to trust in others.

Tanya began to dote on Noel. He was younger than her, and so he felt to her like a little brother. She prepared his meals, took care of things for him, and even made him clothes. The ever-stoic Noel didn’t care for her bothersome behavior very much, but to Tanya, his reaction was cute, like a cat that still wasn’t used to affection. She found herself hoping that these days might go on forever, but of course, that hope was dashed.

Oh, I… I love Noel.

Her realization came very suddenly, like an epiphany. It hurt as she reflected on the day, preparing to go to sleep for the night. She awoke to her own true feelings. From trust to fondness, and from fondness to love, it was a natural progression. He was the first teammate she’d ever trusted, and because she felt so strongly about their similar goals, the love that awakened in her had blossomed in an instant.

If Tanya were the type of girl to think that falling in love was the definition of happiness, she probably would have been over the moon. The love she felt for Noel was stronger than any experience she had ever known, eclipsing everything lesser. So it was especially unfortunate that Tanya’s feelings for Noel brought back her the trauma of the past. It brought back the fear of suddenly being preyed on by the same boys she had talked to about dreams of becoming a Seeker. All of the trauma seemed to awaken just as vividly as her newfound feelings, lurking in the back of her mind.

For Tanya, the very worst of it was that now she was in a position not unlike the boys that had caused her own trauma. Her feelings were a clear betrayal of Noel’s trust. She knew she should give up, and she knew that if she told him her feelings, he would turn them down. It was because of this very attitude that Tanya had grown to trust him.

But the more she knew it was futile, the more her feelings grew, and the more deeply she cherished his presence. Lost under the control of her own twisted feelings, Tanya fell into a deep self-hatred, often to the extent of vomiting. She could run away from the boys who had once tormented her, but it was impossible to run away from herself.

Tanya stopped doting on Noel as her emotional turmoil worsened. But even then, her feelings only grew, and her repressed emotions turned on the other girls who were interested in Noel. She got rid of them from the shadows. Most of them simply listened when she threatened them, but some rebelled, and Tanya made short work of them. Even healers came with offensive abilities, and few could stand up to a talented healer like Tanya. All it took was a little pain for them to run off crying, realizing their lives were far more important.

Meanwhile, the ignorant men called her a saint because of her unceasing smile and her gentle manner. They were so very, very wrong. She was more like a demon…and nobody knew that better than Tanya herself.

“Tanya, can I have a moment?”

One day, Lloyd confessed his love to Tanya. She’d sensed it beforehand, and she’d felt similar feelings from Walter. With everything she had been through, the confession did not make her happy. She couldn’t believe the leader of the party would do such a thing, especially considering how Walter had held off from confessing so as not to disturb the harmony of the party. Rage and indignation bubbled up from within her.

“Are you serious?” she asked. “You’re the party leader. You should be putting the party first.”

Lloyd chuckled. “Can you really talk about duty and responsibility when you’ve been bashing others in the shadows?” he replied.

Tanya felt the blood drain from her face.

“I know your secret, Tanya. But what would Noel think if he knew? I think you’d be out of the party, for starters.”

“Is that a threat?”

It wasn’t simple rage that boiled within her; it was an urge to kill. Tanya did not care who the source was; she did not intend to yield to any form of intimidation. She had fallen so far in her own estimation that she no longer feared anything.

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” said Lloyd, shaking his head. “I’m not threatening you.”

Lloyd let out a sigh before going on.

“You do what you do because you love him, don’t you? Noel, I mean. But you have to know he’ll never return your feelings.”

“Then why are you telling me what I already know?”

“Why do you keep doing it? The person you hurt the most is yourself.”

Tanya couldn’t answer. She stood there, gazing at the floor. Her teeth sank into her own lip.

“You’re tired,” Lloyd said. “You’ll never make good decisions when you’re so exhausted. Me… I’m tired too. The more we succeed, the heavier all the pressure feels.”

In response to Lloyd’s complaint, Tanya let a faint smile grow upon her lips. She laughed at him.

“If you can’t take the heat, leave the kitchen to Noel, perhaps?”

There was a cold menace in her voice. Lloyd’s face twisted. It was clear she’d hit a soft spot. His pained expression was nothing like the cool and sophisticated man he usually was.

“He’s something special, I’ll give him that. But the moment I admit to him being my better is the moment I commit to living in his shadow. I can’t allow it.”

“Pride is so cheap…”

“A woman could never understand my feelings.”

Tanya thought his excuse was selfish and weak. Lloyd only ever thought of himself. Still, Tanya felt a small bud of sympathy bloom within her right then.

“You want someone to support you, don’t you?” Tanya asked.

“As do you, no? It’ll be better for the party as a whole if we both have the support we require. The thing we need most right now is to stand tall and to walk on. If we get too caught up in our own feelings, we’re doing a disservice to Noel.”

Lloyd was exactly right. At this rate, all their hard work would come to nothing.

“Let me be clear up front,” said Tanya, “I don’t like you all that much.”

“You have to admit, though—I’m better than Walter.”

“You’re so mean,” Tanya giggled as Lloyd took her hand.

“I’ve always loved you, Tanya. Ever since I first saw you at the academy. So I don’t care if you pretend at first. Won’t you love me back, Tanya?”

Lloyd was being completely honest. Tanya felt lost and unsure how to respond for the longest time, but eventually she replied with a short nod. Life, she realized, was at times a game of compromise.

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll try to love you.”

That was how Lloyd and Tanya became a couple. Although Noel and Walter initially frowned upon the idea, it was still a small price to pay to ensure the party remained together. Sadly, things did not end up the way they hoped.

Even when Tanya and Lloyd became a couple, she refused to give him her body. Romance was meant to bloom over the evening, but Tanya shirked away from even a mere kiss. Intimacy brought Tanya’s trauma rushing back, filling her with hatred for Lloyd. And when Noel’s face fluttered through her mind, she simply could not get in the mood.

From the outside, they were a match made in heaven—both attractive, enviable figures. But appearances aside, they merely tolerated one another. In this way, they were like a crotchety old couple. All that remained in Tanya’s heart for Lloyd was a mixture of sympathy and guilt.

It wasn’t long before Lloyd got hooked on gambling. Tanya tried to stop him, but the guilt in her heart kept her from saying anything too strong. Instead, she went with him to the gambling dens, hoping to stop him before things got out of hand. But her efforts were a complete and utter failure. She’d tried to pull Lloyd back from the temptation of gambling, only to become hooked on it herself. As a result, they gambled away the entirety of the party’s wealth and ended up on the run, chased down by their former teammates.

Lloyd was convinced they’d be able to get away, but Tanya knew it was useless. Noel was merciless. He would not take betrayal lightly. And just as she expected, Lloyd and Tanya were captured before they could even put up any kind of a fight. Noel didn’t just judge them for the crimes they committed; he sold them off as slaves, to boot. Tanya had expected some kind of punishment, but in the face of potential slavery, she struggled fiercely. She pleaded for a chance at redemption, but Noel would hear none of it.

“Oh, you silly, silly idiots!” laughed Finocchio as they rode in their carriage. “The two of you already knew who you were dealing with. All you had to do was be good teammates. Backstabbing him, though? That’s crazy! There’s a lesson here about playing with snakes, I’m sure of it.”

Tanya did not reply. Lloyd sobbed next to her. Tanya wished she could do the same, but she’d been so hard on Walter that she’d lost even the energy to do that. She’d been emotional, but there was no denying she’d been horrible to him. Walter had done nothing wrong. It was Tanya who was entirely at fault.

After Tanya became a slave, it did not take long for a buyer to appear. He was a wealthy old man who took great care of her, as though she were his own granddaughter.

“You know, when I was a young man, I wanted to be a Seeker too,” he said inside the luxurious house he bought for her. “Unfortunately, that dream never came true. I ended up with too many responsibilities when I became the head of the family. But I don’t regret it. Still, as time begins to run short, I sometimes like to wonder what kind of life I would have lived if I’d ended up a Seeker.”

The man looked at her with a warm smile that filled his face with wrinkles.

“So I’d like you to tell me all about your adventures, if you please,” he said.

“But I was a Seeker for little more than a year at best. I fear I’ll run out of things to tell you before I even get started.”

“Well, I think I only have a few years left on the old clock, anyway. Besides, my memory and my focus aren’t what they used to be. I think about a year’s worth of stories is just right for me. And to have such a beautiful storyteller like you all to myself, well, nothing would make me happier.”

“Very well. If you’re sure, then, my master…”

In any case, Tanya had no right to refuse. So it was that every now and again, that wealthy old man would visit Tanya’s house looking to hear stories of her time as a Seeker.

The old man was kind to the bottom of his heart. Seeing him enraptured before her with his eyes bright as he listened intently to her stories, Tanya felt a sense of pride. He never once tried to do anything physical with her or use her body; at the very worst, he sometimes used her thighs as a pillow while she cleaned his ears. Their relationship really was not unlike that of a grandfather and granddaughter.

One day, out of the blue, the old man died of a heart attack. He’d had heart troubles since some years back, and in many ways the death was unavoidable. Tanya was thus freed of her slave contract, and she was left with the house the old man had bought for her and an enormous inheritance. His family did not say very much about it; it seemed the sum Tanya received was only a tiny sliver of the old man’s total wealth.

Free of all that once bound her, Tanya was unsure of what to do. She could do whatever she wanted. But what did she want? She drank expensive wine, bought expensive jewelry, and dressed in gaudy clothes, but none of it fulfilled her. Just as she was about to fall into complete and utter self-destruction, however, something pulled her back from the edge. It was a newspaper article that detailed the adventures of the clan master of Wild Tempest. It was about Noel.

Noel had achieved huge success in only a short time. He was now a clan master already within reach of a place on the regalia. He walked a path of domination with all new teammates, as if Lloyd, Walter, and herself had never even existed. Tanya was happy, but at the same time, it was unforgivable.

I’m the one who should be by Noel’s side, she thought. Tanya was aware that it was she herself who threw it all away. But even knowing that, the fact that she had been so completely erased from his life left her unable to stop the tears. I brought this on myself, and it was my fault in the end. Such thoughts could have led Tanya to salvation, were she able to put the events in perspective and move on. But Tanya could not let it go. Inside of Tanya’s heart was a whirlwind of dark feelings—hatred, sadness, anger, and the curse that even now would not release her from its grip: love.

Tanya desperately wanted to see Noel again. She knew she could do nothing if she did, that attacking him was entirely futile. But she didn’t care. If he killed her, his hands would be sullied by her blood, and he would forever carry the burden of having murdered one of his former teammates. Even an exceptional Seeker like Noel couldn’t erase the past. And even if it was only the smallest of ways, the tiniest of scratches, Tanya could still leave her mark upon him. If she could do nothing else, and if she were worth practically nothing in his eyes, then that tiny scratch would be enough. It was what Tanya longed for.

Her wish was granted without her having to arrange for anything.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Tanya?”

He stood right before her, the man who, even now, she could not stop pining for.

***

“This is such a surprise. How about a cup of tea?”

Noel looked at his watch. “Sure. How about the café over there?”

He motioned with his eyes to a nearby café, a stylish spot with an open terrace. There weren’t many customers, so there were lots of free tables.

“Works for me,” said Tanya.

The two walked over to the café and took their seats at a table on the terrace. The server came over for their orders immediately, and both asked for tea and tea only. Neither expected to be there long.

“It’s good to see you looking so well,” Tanya said with a smile. “Congratulations on founding a clan too. You’re clearly keeping busy.”

“Keeping busy?” Noel burst into laughter. “I’m hardly just keeping busy—we’re almost on the regalia. And we’re heading for the top once we get there. Busy, really? I don’t need your half-baked social niceties. They mean nothing to me.”

Noel’s offensive attitude sent the blood rushing to Tanya’s head. Just as it was boiling into utter rage, Noel put a hand up to stop her from speaking. A cold smile drew across his face.

“If you intend to explode into another rage, our conversation is over. I’m going home.”

Tanya was the one who had invited Noel for tea in the first place. She couldn’t stop him from leaving whenever he wanted. At that moment, the server brought over their cups of tea. There was nothing left but to swallow her anger.

“You haven’t changed a bit, have you?” Tanya said.

“I’m as kind as I’ve ever been. I’m just particular about who I’m kind to.”

Noel spoke the line with blunt honesty as he lit up a cigarette.

“You’ve started smoking…”

“Unlike you, I’m a busy person. These come in handy.”

Something about the first part of Noel’s statement clawed at Tanya.

“You know what happened to me after I became a slave, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. I heard it all from Finocchio,” Noel said. He blew a puff of smoke into the air and went on. “You really ended up with quite the catch, huh? That just shows how high quality the two of you were as slaves. I knew you were living the good life as soon as you started living it. And you have to admit, that luxurious life is a whole lot better than being arrested for embezzlement or living life as a fugitive.”

“So what? You’re telling me to be grateful?”

“Yes. Exactly that. Tanya, let’s be clear—you should be grateful to me,” Noel told her without even a hint of shame. “Because of me, you’ve gotten yourself a good life.”

“I can’t believe you…”

Tanya was shaking with rage as Noel chuckled.

“The truth is the truth, however you spin it. You betrayed me, and I made you pay for it. But now we’re both living better lives. So what’s the problem? It’s all in the past. I don’t feel anything for you anymore. Not rage, not hate, nothing.”

“It’s…in the past?”

Tanya could not hide her shock. She knew that Noel had forgotten about her and embarked on a different path. She knew, and yet still she hadn’t expected him to say it right in front of her, so coldly. She hadn’t wanted an apology; she’d wanted him to hate her for her betrayal. She wanted him to show her the feelings that he had for her and her alone. Then she might have been satisfied. But Noel didn’t have any feelings for her. His chilling gaze appraised her like it might a rock on the side of the road.

“You don’t want to hear about Lloyd or Walter?” Noel asked, breaking the silence. “Just like with you, I know who bought Lloyd, and I know what kind of life Walter’s living back at home. The reason I didn’t turn down your invitation for tea was because of our past friendship and because I thought you might want to know what the others are doing.”

“I don’t care what they’re doing,” Tanya spat as she stared straight at Noel. “But I want you to tell me something.”

“Hm? And what’s that?”

“If… If nothing had happened between us, would Blue Beyond be where you and your clan are now?”

Noel’s answer came quickly and without hesitation. “Of course. I chose each of you. There would have been a few differences, but we would have achieved the same level of success.”

“So why didn’t you forgive us, then?!” Tanya screamed, kicking a chair as she stood to her feet. “I know that what we did was inexcusable! I know we ran from you! But why not forgive us instead of chasing us down and making us slaves?! You didn’t even need to forgive us! All I wanted was a chance to redeem myself! And if you wouldn’t allow even that, I could have been your slave! I’m not like Lloyd! You could have had me swear a written Oath of Subordination, and I would have done it if it was for you!”

Tanya didn’t flinch for a moment from the eyes of the strangers around her, and her voice continued to wail with sorrow.

“Yes! A written oath! You said you couldn’t trust me, but you could trust me if you had a written oath, couldn’t you? I would do anything for you, Noel! Even give you my life. So please. Please. Just give me one more chance to be your teammate again. You know I have the ability. And with a talented Healer, surely you—”

Noel cut Tanya’s impassioned pleas off with a short, sharp, single word reply.

“No.”

“But…why?”

“What I want is to stand at the very top of all Seekers. The teammates I need to get there are wolves. They have to be. I don’t need little doggies begging to be tied up in chains,” said Noel, his eyes narrowing. “So I don’t need you.”

Tanya staggered backward as though Noel’s words were physical blades piercing through her.

“That stupid elf acquaintance of yours told me once that it wasn’t Lloyd you really loved—it was me. Looks like she was telling the truth.” Noel laughed at the stupidity of it. “Someone like you, hoping for someone like me? Not a chance.”

In the next instant, Tanya had flicked up the hem of her dress and pulled a hidden knife from a sheath around her thigh. She held it ready to stab Noel right through the chest, but…

“Why aren’t you striking back?” she asked.

Even though Tanya had readied herself to kill Noel, he hadn’t moved a muscle in response. He simply watched her, expressionless.

“With your skills, you could easily counter me! So why didn’t you?! Answer me!”

Noel remained silent in the face of her demands. Tears welled in Tanya’s eyes. The knife slipped from her hand, clattering to the floor. The watching bystanders breathed a collective sigh of relief. They saw it as an outburst of passion and infatuation, and it was just that.

“Why are you being so quiet? Say something…please…” Tanya begged.

Noel took another puff of his cigarette.

“Forget about me,” he said. “You have your own life to live.”

“But I can’t forget you! It’s because of you that—”

The words caught in Tanya’s throat. She pushed herself against him into a kiss, where she breathed into Noel with a passionate sigh. But even then, Noel remained calm and collected, shoving her away without any further comment. The near-transparent string of saliva that connected their lips stretched apart, then broke.

“Give it up,” said Noel, crushing his cigarette butt in the table’s ashtray, then rising from his chair. “Be well.”

Noel put money on the table to cover both of their drinks, then turned and left. He did not look back even once. Tanya watched his back as he walked away, clenching her fist so tightly that it drew blood.

“If you won’t be mine, that’s fine!” she screamed. “But don’t forget! I’m never going to forgive you! I’ll never forget you! And I will kill any woman who gets close to you! Every last one of them! I’m dead serious! Because that’s what I’m capable of! And if you don’t like it…if you don’t like it…!”

Tanya sank into her chair and sprawled across the table, unable to stand it any longer.

“If you don’t like it, then never stop being a person I can look up to and adore. Never show anybody your weaknesses. Be the very best there ever was, bar none…”

Tanya’s whispered curse was racked with sobbing, and for a single moment, Noel stopped.

“Nobody will ever control me,” he said. “I am my own king.”

His statement hanging in the air, Noel walked on. Tanya did not watch him go; she knew he wasn’t coming back.

“It’s love… I love you to death…”

He’d caused in her the kind of love that made a person crazy. But she knew full well that snakes had no interest in humans.

***

“Ooh…”

Alma and Lycia had just witnessed the unbelievable from their vantage point in the shadows. Their pale faces twitched in response.

“We never should have come here. We never should have seen that…” Lycia muttered, stunned.

“I agree…” said Alma.

It was true that they were worried about Noel. It was only natural for Tanya to feel a grudge against him for making her a slave, even if the fault lay with her. They knew Noel could handle himself and wouldn’t go down easily, but they couldn’t tell if Tanya had something else hidden up her sleeve. They told themselves they’d come to help if he were taken by surprise.

But their main reason for coming was to find out what sort of conversation would pass between Noel and Tanya. They basically wanted to poke their noses into Noel and Tanya’s business. What kind of stance would he take? Here was a person who had loved him and fallen into slavery. What words and emotions would she throw at him? Alma and Lycia wanted to watch it all to appease their curiosity. After seeing the conversation unfold, all that remained in them was a feeling of guilt that was difficult to put into words.

They wished they hadn’t watched or listened so flippantly. They felt a deep, aching regret within their hearts. If they could have gone back in time to stop themselves, they would have.

“I knew that Tanya loved Noel, but I didn’t know she was so serious! I thought she was just possessive like that…”

Even now, the sound of Tanya’s sobbing rang in Lycia’s ears. She had cursed him like she was spitting blood, but the words were filled with fierce feelings of love. The idea of loving someone to such a deep extent left her shivering.

“I don’t like Tanya,” she said. “She said some horrible things to me in the past. But I feel sorry for her. To think her love will forever go unrequited…”

Give it up. Tanya had clung to him, but Noel had mercilessly cut her off.

“I know Noel has his own things to worry about, but can men really get to the point where they’ll be that cold to girls in love with them?”

Her question held no anger as she spoke; Lycia honestly couldn’t understand it. Tanya wasn’t some mere stranger to Noel. She’d betrayed him, but for a year, they’d been teammates who shared highs and lows as they fought side by side. It shocked her to see him deny Tanya even the tiniest shred of sympathy after all they’d been through.

“Not men,” said Alma with a chuckle and a shrug. “Noel. No ordinary man would throw away a bombshell like her.”

“You think?”

“I do. Noel is different. He’s wrapped up in his own curse… In that sense, he’s not so different from Tanya.”

Noel’s curse was in his desire to reach the top, a curse that left him cutting away and discarding anything that didn’t help him reach his goal. It was not a healthy lifestyle from any angle.

“The difference between Noel’s curse and Tanya’s is that Noel’s curse makes him stronger.”

“But neither of them ends up happy at the end of the road…”

“Can’t argue with you there.”

Everyone had their own idea of happiness, but however you thought about it, sacrificing everything for a single goal was no way to live.

Alma’s own father—who had died by her hand—had also lost his way due to being so obsessed with a singular goal. Noel had a stronger heart than her father had, but danger still lurked within. Recently, Alma worried that she wasn’t pulling her weight. She wasn’t as powerful in battle as Leon or Hugo, and in the battle against the Noble Blood, it had been Koga who struck the killing blow. She didn’t think of herself as less than any of them, but the results spoke for themselves.

Alma felt worried, agitated, and impatient, but these feelings would not bring results or successes any sooner. To best support Noel—who was prone to rash decisions—Alma felt it was important to have a certain amount of patience and calm. She saw evidence to support this idea in Noel and Tanya’s conversation. There was no way for Alma to support Noel if she became like Tanya. Noel wanted Alma for her own unique strengths.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” said Alma. She puffed out her chest with a smile. “Noel has me.”

Lycia laughed. “That’s right. And he has me too.”

“But he doesn’t really need you.”

“What?!”

Alma sighed. “For starters, you’re in a different clan, so don’t try to cozy up to him like you’re buddies. It’s creepy.”

“You don’t have to be so nasty! I know we’re in different clans!”

“And even if you were one of us, you’d be gone in no time.”

“What is that supposed to mean?!”

“A scampering elf in heat, all over Noel? Someone like that would be first on Tanya’s list. She’d murder you.”

“N-n-no, she wouldn’t!”

Lycia denied it vehemently, but she’d already been warned by Tanya once. Don’t you go near him again. The memory of the words brought the fear rushing back, and she found herself suddenly drenched in a cold sweat.

“A-and even if she d-did try to attack me, I-I wouldn’t lose!”

Lycia had accumulated enough experience in battle to earn herself an increase in rank. She was a B-Rank Archer: a Hawk Eye. Tanya had been away from the game long enough that Lycia could now handle her with ease.

“Tanya’s rich now. All she has to do is hire a professional hitman and you’re done. Too bad for you…”

“B-but what’s stopping her from hiring a hitman to kill you?!”

“I’ll be fine.”

Lycia tilted her head, confused. “Why?”

“Because I’m Noel’s big sister,” Alma declared.

“What kind of logic is that?!”

Lycia couldn’t hide her shock, but Alma simply clicked her tongue and wiggled her finger.

“The big-sister position is peerless. You don’t have any romantic rivals because you’re not a lover, meaning you don’t get added to any hit lists by Tanya-types. You have the freedom to touch him all over, as much as you want. In other words, it’s a big sister’s time to hit the jackpot, and I fully intend to cash in.”

“I still…don’t understand the logic…”

Lycia gripped her head in her hands, the whole thing confounding her. As long as you weren’t after a romantic relationship with Noel, you were probably safe. So even though the big-sister role was, perhaps, the more cowardly option, it was much safer than making yourself a potential target.

Noel didn’t flatter anyone, nor did he yield to anyone either. That was why Lycia liked him. Still, the idea that she fell for guys who were difficult made her chuckle.

“By the way,” said Lycia, “I don’t suppose there are any open positions for another big sister, are there?”

“Nope. It’s me and only me.”

“Ah.”

She’d been shut down almost as soon as she asked the question. Lycia then made a vow to herself, in silence: If Tanya ever comes after me, you can bet I’m gonna get you wrapped up in the madness, Alma…

***

The following day, an article in the newspaper had the whole of Velnant talking.

WILD TEMPEST’S LEADER NOEL STOLLEN’S HOT ROMANCE UNCOVERED?! SPOTTED WITH FORMER TEAMMATE TANYA CLARK!

The news about the ever-popular clan master had spread through the empire before anyone could blink, and people were talking about it morning and night. Not only that, but the article also made use of a new projection technology called “photography.” Readers could see for themselves that Noel and Tanya had kissed.

One would have expected the report to end with news of their romance, but there was more to the article than that.

Noel’s former teammate Tanya, his passionate lover, was forced into slavery by none other than Noel himself! Our investigation uncovered that her wealthy master died of a heart attack! Tanya’s inheritance was a literal fortune! An uncanny relationship… This recent incident… What is the dark truth these two are hiding?!

The newspaper article didn’t just make it public knowledge that Noel had been the source of Tanya’s enslavement; it also alleged that he’d plotted to kill her master in order to get to his money. Because the newspaper publisher was small, few took much notice of the article outside of its romantic allure. There just weren’t that many fools who believed such bombastic news at face value. However, it did provide people who disliked Wild Tempest with ammo to criticize the clan once again. This criticism wouldn’t go unheard; Wild Tempest’s brand was sure to suffer for it.

Though one might think fast spreading rumors like this would send the image of the clan plummeting, it wasn’t the case. After the first article was published, new reports about Noel and Wild Tempest stopped. The other newspapers, and even those caught up in writing articles of their own, went silent. As a result, the fuss about the article settled in about a week. The rumors also lasted little more than a few days. Without new information to add fuel to the fire, they simply dissipated. It was not long before the article about Noel was washed away by a stream of other news. All the people who were criticizing the clan essentially vanished as well.

There was one man who was very vocal about all of this.

“All the empire’s journalists are a bunch of cowards!”

Down a little-known street, in a little-known bar, a lone man sat drunk. He had a beard and his clothes were all wrinkled, but he was still young and in his late twenties. His name was Joseph, and he held a whiskey glass in hand as he spewed forth his rage to anyone who might listen. He was the author of the exposé that kicked off the rumors in the first place.

Joseph was a freelance journalist who had worked in another city before moving to Velnant. His forceful interviewing style had earned him his fair share of enemies, to the point that he was forced out of town, but his unyielding search for the truth had earned him lots of fans.

He didn’t regret having to leave his old home base. He’d always intended to end up in the imperial capital anyway. It was the heart of Velnant, a place where the incidents kept flowing, meaning that the articles did as well. He was excited to test his mettle in an all-new environment.

As soon as Joseph arrived at the capital, he set his sights on Noel and Wild Tempest. The clan was on a meteoric rise, having become a clan in only a mere six months. The clan master was just sixteen years old—a brat, basically. The clan was filled with exceptional talent, but Joseph smelled something fishy. His journalistic instincts told him that Noel was someone worth investigating.

His instincts proved right. The more Joseph dug, the more dirt he uncovered. Joseph was delighted, and he immediately went to pitch a feature article at all the largest newspapers in the empire. But not a single one of them wanted the article. Joseph turned his sights on the mid-tier and low-tier publishers and eventually found one willing to lend him an ear. The article was published and released into the world, and the response was even better than anticipated. On top of that, it was little more than an introduction; Joseph had much, much more he could write about Noel.

However…

“Yeah, well, u-unfortunately we w-won’t be publishing anymore of your work. Why? Because s-slander runs against our company ethics policy… Y-yes! That’s why, so d-don’t you ever come back here again!”

Joseph was thrown out by his editor and unable to continue writing his series of articles, even though his editor had initially been the one of the people made happiest by the initial article’s response.

“Runs against the company ethics policy? Hmph. Guy probably tells better lies in his sleep…”

Joseph knew that the newspaper had folded under pressure from somebody. It was either Wild Tempest or one of their sponsors. Whoever it was, they’d made sure the publisher would not put out another similar article. Joseph was certain that was why the other newspaper publishers had turned him down, too.

“Who’s going to look for the truth if journalists are too afraid?!”

Rage boiled in Joseph as he waded through old memories, so he slammed his glass on the counter. The bar was empty, but the bartender sent Joseph a cold stare. He felt empty too. His emotions were going round in circles. Every publisher had folded under Noel’s pressure. If nobody would publish his articles, what point was there to even continuing his investigation?

“You need to know when to quit, huh? Is that what they say?”

Joseph let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumped.

“Why the long face?”

The voice surprised him. Joseph spun to find a young, brown-skinned man in a black coat standing to his side. The man’s mouth was hidden by his collar, but he was clearly quite handsome. It was Zero Lindrake, Lorelai’s vice-master. Joseph had met him before. In fact, he’d been extremely cooperative when Joseph began his investigation of Noel. He’d even given Joseph a piece of cutting-edge technology—a camera—to aid in his work.

It was obvious that Zero wasn’t doing all of this out of the goodness of his own heart. Wild Tempest and Lorelai were rivals. Joseph knew that Zero was using him to throw dirt on Wild Tempest’s reputation, but there was no reason to deny the help when it came in service of his own goals.

“What do you expect? Every newspaper is under Wild Tempest’s thumb,” Joseph said. “Nobody will publish my work.”

Zero shrugged. “I see. That’s a pity,” he said with a laugh. “But we’re not completely out of options yet.”

“Really?”

Joseph looked up as if clinging to a last hope. Zero nodded.

“Of course. You just need to publish your article, correct? In that case, leave the arrangements to us.”

“You’re saying I should ignore the newspapers and publish it myself?”

“Exactly that. We’ll give you all the financial support you require.”

It wasn’t a terrible idea, in Joseph’s estimation. Unfortunately, there was one big problem: nobody would believe an article published outside of the major newspapers. People didn’t idly believe the information they were given; they believed the people who wrote it and the companies that published it. And who would believe someone like Joseph, who had almost zero recognition in these parts? An article nobody could trust was the same as no article at all.

“I need more than financial support. I need your platform. People will trust an article if it’s endorsed by you, Lorelai, a clan on the regalia.”

Zero shook his head, his face expressionless. “Impossible. If our involvement comes to light, nobody will believe what you publish. You know we’re rivals with Wild Tempest, don’t you?”

“Dammit. Of course…”

Readers weren’t stupid. If Lorelai’s name were involved, people would immediately cotton on that they wanted to smear Wild Tempest’s name. In trying to gain trust with Lorelai’s endorsement, he’d only throw it further away.

“So what else have we got?” asked Joseph.

“It’s simple. Ask the snake for an exclusive interview. You know his weaknesses, so they’ll become your shield as you do your work. Then you publish your article. The people will believe what you’ve written if your position and connection to the subject is clear.”

Joseph put a hand to his mouth as he mulled over the suggestion.

“You think that’s even possible?”

“It won’t be easy. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going, no?”

Zero spoke like it wasn’t his problem, which brought a frown to Joseph’s brow. Still, it was worth a try. Joseph knew how dangerous an opponent Noel was. But he would never reach the truth if he was unwilling to face a little danger.

“Okay. I’ll give it a shot.”

Determination filled Joseph’s eyes with a glimmer, like the eyes of a predator staring at its prey.

***

“The clan master has agreed to an interview.”

When Joseph visited Wild Tempest’s clan house, negotiating an exclusive interview was easy. Though he arranged it through Noel’s secretary, it was plain to see that the deal was made with Noel himself.

Joseph was excited. But his excitement was also mixed with a certain amount of fear. Noel was a dangerous individual. Joseph felt there was a good chance he could be attacked during the interview and then left to sink in a muddy river. This was why he avoided holding the interview immediately and instead specified the location via owl post a few days after negotiations.

The journalist was sure he’d be safe if he did the interview at a regular inn. If he found himself in danger, they’d be in a closed room, just the two of them, so Noel couldn’t make any excuses. Noel also couldn’t kidnap or imprison Joseph without the lodging staff or customers seeing it happen. It was the best place to do the interview and stay safe. This was why he expected Noel to raise some kind of objection, but to his surprise, Noel was entirely fine with the proposed location. He even informed Joseph that he would be coming alone.

It was all going too smoothly; it put Joseph on edge. He’d prepared all sorts of material expecting some sort of negotiation process, but Noel had simply agreed to do what Joseph wanted. It was unthinkable. Unfathomable. He couldn’t help but feel that something was up.

“That son of a… What is he scheming?”

Anxious as Joseph was about what Noel had in mind, he’d never find an answer by overthinking things. He came to a simple conclusion.

Perhaps Noel Stollen really is just a brat in the end…

Maybe Noel hadn’t really thought things through and intended to simply come and threaten Joseph. Noel had probably never run into a person he couldn’t intimidate. Perhaps he wasn’t even capable of imagining it. The thoughts didn’t entirely allay Joseph’s anxieties, but there was a certain logic to them.

Soon, the day of the interview arrived. It took place at the agreed time, at the specified room. Noel and Joseph faced each other, a table between them.

“So you’re the journalist who wrote the article, huh?” Noel said, raising his chin and looking down at Joseph with arrogance. The judgment was palpable. “The article was third-rate, but you took a good picture, I’ll give you that. I guess when the tools are high quality, it doesn’t matter who’s using them.”

Noel’s gaze dropped to the camera hanging from Joseph’s neck.

“That there isn’t the sort of tool a third-rate journalist can buy very easily. I’m guessing you got it from Lorelai. We’re rivals, but you already knew that. And if there’s anyone looking to smear us right now, they’re top of the list.”

Joseph was shocked that Noel had already figured out the situation, but he was prepared for this. Anybody could have surmised this much.

“Third-rate. Quite the compliment,” Joseph’s mouth twisted into a grimace and he went on, pushing for a reaction. “If you’re going to be that way, fine. I don’t intend to play nice either. Let’s get straight to the point.”

“That’s why I’m here, so get on with it.”

Joseph’s teeth clenched at Noel’s attitude. He was a kid making light of an adult. In his head, Joseph was intent on making Noel pay for his haughty attitude.

“Get on with it? I’m already done. I’ve done all the research I need into your dirty secrets. The whole point of this interview is to gain readers’ trust. They’ll know I went to the source. So you don’t have to say anything. I’ve already got what I want.”

The trust of the readers was all that mattered, and getting the interview was key. It didn’t matter what Noel said, because Joseph already knew what he would write.

“Aha. So you’ve walked me into a trap, essentially.”

Noel looked intrigued. It brought a smile to Joseph’s face.

“Quit acting cool, kid. It’s not a good look when you’ve lost. I know that you’ve got tight connections in the Barzini family and that you were behind the prison-bombing incident. Once my exposé is out in the world, you’re finished.”

Joseph liked the sound of that. His grin grew broad as he continued.

“And let me tell you, it wouldn’t be wise to try anything. Not here. All I have to do is raise my voice, and people will come rushing. You could always add to your list of crimes if you want, but you’ll play nice if you don’t. And don’t even think about killing me; my friends have the article. If they stop hearing from me, they’ve been told to make it public.”

It was a bold statement, but it was also a bluff. Joseph didn’t have any friends. Still, he was banking on the fact he could make Noel hesitate.

“I’ll say it one more time,” Joseph added. “You’re finished.”

Basking in victory, Joseph brough the camera up and snapped a picture of Noel. The shutter sound rang, and the strobe flashed. Although Noel was momentarily blinded by the light, a smile rose to his lips.

“What is it you want? Money? How much?”

The words were so flippant and thoughtless that Joseph flew into a rage, slamming his fist on the table.

“You goddamn brat! Don’t you dare belittle me!” he shouted, pointing at Noel. “Don’t think money will get you out of this one! I’m not a journalist for money or fame! I’m a journalist because the truth matters! The people deserve to know, and it’s my duty to bring your crimes to light!”

Part of Joseph really did want the money and the fame, but there was something more important to him than both. He wouldn’t be swayed, no matter how much money he was offered.

“The pen is mightier than the sword,” declared Joseph. “No matter how good a Seeker you are, you can’t escape the truth.”

“Ah, so you’re a man of principle, then,” said Noel, clapping his hands. “Impressive. You’re the first journalist I’ve met who can’t be swayed by money. You’ve earned my respect. I apologize for calling you third-rate.”

But Noel wasn’t done yet, and the smile that spread across his face next put a chill down Joseph’s spine.

“But like you, I’m just as prepared to do battle with the pen,” said Noel, taking out a pen and a piece of paper and writing something down. “Here.”

Noel passed the paper across the table, and Joseph took it in his hand. The moment his eyes skimmed over its contents, he felt some intangible force clutch his heart. Sweat began to pour down his face as fear gripped his body.

“I see it’s to your liking,” said Noel.

“Y-you…”

On the piece of paper were names. They belonged to all of Joseph’s blood relatives and associates. His parents, his aunts and uncles, his brothers and sisters, and their families. Even his former friends and lovers were included in the list.

“Journalists always see themselves as the people who control information. That’s why their fragility shows the moment they become the subject of investigation themselves. The pen is mightier than the sword. Have you ever really thought about what that means?”

Noel slowly rose to his feet, smiling as Joseph sat stunned. Noel continued around the table until he was behind Joseph, whereupon he placed his hands on Joseph’s shoulders. Noel may have resembled a petite and beautiful girl, but the moment those hands gripped his shoulders, Joseph knew he could not fight back. There was immense strength in them.

“You said you’ve done all the research you need,” Noel said, whispering into Joseph’s ear. “So you know what’s going to happen to all the people on that piece of paper. I don’t care if they’re little girls or the elderly; they’ll all meet the same fate.”

“S-stop it…”

Joseph’s whole body was trembling with panic. Noel let out a carefree laugh completely devoid of mercy. He was obviously enjoying every moment of this.

“Hey, what happened to the tough guy I was talking to earlier? Isn’t pursuing the truth your great mission? Isn’t it worth sacrificing your friends and family for?”

Noel chuckled derisively as he spoke. Joseph bit his lip. His work was worth risking his own life for. But he could not sacrifice the lives of those who had nothing to do with this.

“P-please. Just stop it… I’m sorry…”

“Huh? What? I can’t hear you.”

Noel put a hand to his ear in an exaggerated mockery. Joseph begged again, shaking all over with fear and frustration.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m begging you, please forgive me.”

Noel’s sudden bark of laughter cracked in his ears.

“Forgive you? Were you acting all high and mighty just now because everything was in your favor? Wouldn’t a first-rate journalist be ashamed of kneeling before a goddamn brat, like me? Hm? No?! Answer me!”

The menace in Noel’s voice rang through to the back of Joseph’s teeth.

“You think I’ll forgive you just because you’re acting meek and terrified? Are you trying to belittle me, you piece of trash? Hey, are you listening to me? I asked you a question. Are you?! How about your little sister’s kids, huh? Should I have them brought here right now?! Huh?!”

Joseph shook his head frantically, tears of terror clouding his vision. He’d been through all sorts of hardships for his work, but this was the first time he’d ever been in a position where he felt absolutely certain that, no matter what he did, he could not get away.

He’d planned to set a trap, and everything had gone so perfectly. But he was foolish. So stupid! Noel was known as the snake for a reason. He never showed sympathy or mercy, just set his eyes on his prey and then swallowed them whole. Joseph had never imagined it was possible to face a fear worse than death.

“Pitiful. Utterly pitiful,” muttered Noel, disgusted. Then, he suddenly inserted a knife in the table, standing on its blade, and went on in a gentle, cajoling voice. “Joseph, do you know how the yakuza apologize for their wrongdoings?”

Joseph didn’t know what Noel was talking about. He looked up, still trembling, and into Noel’s eyes. They were like two deep, black wells.

“I’m a generous man,” Noel said. “I’ll forgive you for five of them.“

His bright, joking voice invited Joseph into the darkest sanctum of hell itself.

***

Zero was in a private room looking over documents when there was a knock at the door.

“A package has arrived for you, sir.”

“Come in.”

The clan member entered the room with a small package. He was much younger than Zero, a friendly looking young man who often ran errands.

“It’s addressed to you, sir. Thing is, we don’t know the sender.”

“Have you checked its contents?”

Lorelai had members in its ranks who could see through objects. Using these skills made it easy to inspect any suspicious packages.

“No, sir. I didn’t want to go doing so without permission, see. Would you like me to run a scan?”

Zero thought for a moment then shook his head.

“No, I’ll take it from here. Thank you.”

“I don’t suppose it’s…?”

The young clan member raised his little finger and grinned as he gestured. He clearly thought the package had come from a girl or a lover. Zero chuckled.

“You’re a sharp one,” he said. “Now get back to work.”

“Yes, sir. Give me all the details later.”

Zero watched as the clan member put the package down and left. Then when he was alone, he began to carefully unwrap the package. As he did, a small card fell to his desk.

“To my dearest friend, with kind regards,” it read.

That the superb penmanship felt written with bad intentions was not just Zero’s imagination; the small white box that accompanied the message was stained red along the bottom.

“Well, well.”

Zero opened the box. Inside of it was the camera he’d sent to Joseph, along with…five severed fingers. They were Joseph’s—of this Zero was certain.

“That snake,” Zero grumbled, his voice full of a deadly chill. Then he grinned. “Adopting yakuza tactics now, is he?”

The snake used whatever means necessary to achieve his goals. He was cunning, and he was not afraid to get his hands dirty. However, the intent behind his actions was unclear. Was it impulsive, or had he come to this decision after much thought? Or did his actions betray his personality? It was because Zero wanted to know more about the inner workings of Noel that he had been happy to sacrifice Joseph; and now he had his answer.

“Now I know who you are. You’re a perfectionist bound by your own pride.”

From Noel’s position, there were any number of ways he could have dealt with Joseph. He could easily have taken care of the journalist in secret. And just as easily, he could have turned Joseph into a spy to peek in on his rival clan. But instead, Noel had chosen to pass judgment on the man, and display his very brutality to the clan behind him: Lorelai.

He was essentially using fear as a message. The use of fear as a means of controlling others was proof of a proud personality that would not allow for error. It was exactly the sort often seen in the yakuza. It was also apparent in how Noel refused to forgive his former teammates for their betrayal.

Once you knew what made your enemy tick, planning countermeasures was simple. After all, nobody could run from themselves. Intelligence and tactical decision making didn’t matter; a person’s resolution came down to their personality.

Zero stood from his chair and took the clan house elevator down to the fourth-floor basement. The only people with access to the floor were Johann—the clan master—and Zero. Only they held the keys that took the elevator down so low. In fact, the fourth-floor basement was a secret to even the other clan members.

Zero’s footsteps echoed through the dimly lit corridor. He stopped at a thick metal door and opened the small sliding panel to peek through to the other side. His nostrils were immediately assailed by a foul, sour scent. In the center of a room was a small, black silhouette crouched into a ball.

The room was a cell, and the prisoner inside wore a collar that stopped him from using his skills. The cell was exceptionally secure, impossible to escape without the aid of particular skills. If a prisoner did manage to escape the cell, getting any further without the use of the elevator was impossible.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”

The silhouette slowly raised its head at the sound of Zero’s voice. The sunken face was at the limits of exhaustion, drained of life, and filled with despair. The prisoner was fed the barest minimum to ensure survival, and being locked in the cell for so long had taken a cruel toll on their mental fortitude.

“You don’t look well,” said Zero. “I don’t really like the idea of treating you this way, but I hope you understand that we can’t go showing sympathy to spies.”

It was no lie. Zero really didn’t like it. But he also wasn’t interested in improving the situation, either. Any small show of sympathy could lead to feelings of pity and compassion. This prisoner was a tool, and a tool had to be treated as such.

“I’ve finally worked out how to use you,” Zero whispered, “Mr. Faceless.”

As the air settled, a figure in a long, navy-blue coat was revealed. His longsword was pointed in an artfully directed arc at Johann.

“I’m relieved that at least you will give me a fight I can enjoy.”

Johann looked irritated by the new arrival.

“Zeke Feinstein,” he muttered. “The Innocent Blade…”

Facing off against Johann was Zeke Feinstein, the vice-master of Supreme Dragon, the Empire’s most powerful clan.

***

The night before the battle, Leon visited Supreme Dragon’s clan house on the invitation of a certain someone—Zeke Feinstein, EX-Rank Seeker and one of the strongest men in the empire.

Leon had successfully hired Mirage Triad as mercenaries during his preparations to battle Lorelai. The clan would lend powerful support, but Wild Tempest’s chances of victory were still slim. Leon knew they needed someone even more powerful…but unfortunately, there were no other clans they could trust.

After much deliberation, Leon decided to ask not for the support of a whole clan, but of just one individual: Zeke Feinstein. Forget having the strength of an army—Zeke easily surpassed one. Leon had never met Zeke, but Noel seemed to be on friendly terms with him, since Zeke had granted him the use of his name to hold a symposium. Knowing Noel, it was less a friendship and more of a partnership behind the scenes, no different than his relationship with Finocchio.

Whatever the case, Noel was an important figure as far as Zeke was concerned. If Wild Tempest lost, Noel’s value was lost with it. Zeke wouldn’t want an outcome like that, so he could potentially be relied on to help fight Lorelai. With these thoughts in mind, Leon sent an offer to Zeke in secret. Zeke, in turn, summoned Leon to Supreme Dragon’s clan house in order to give him a reply.

“You can’t be serious? Trying to scramble for help from other clans to solve your own problems… You should be ashamed of yourself.”

They were in the Supreme Dragon’s gorgeous drawing room. The icy comment came from the clan’s third-in-command, Sharon Valentine, but she was not alone. All the heads of Supreme Dragon were in attendance: Sharon Valentine, Zeke Feinstein, and Victor Krauser—the clan master known as the Beginning One.

With slicked-back golden hair, Victor was a sheer mountain of muscle even at close to 60 years of age. As they weren’t on the battlefield, Victor was dressed in a tuxedo, but even from afar, it was all too easy to single him out as a war hero from his entire aura. From behind his glasses, his two golden eyes were predatory as he stared at Leon.

Leon felt like a dead man surrounded by Supreme Dragon’s top brass, or maybe a lowly herbivore thrown into a room of apex predators. The only ones actually sitting down in the room were Victor and Leon. Zeke and Sharon remained standing, as if ready to slay Leon at a moment’s notice. If he showed even a hint of enmity, he’d be dead before he even knew it.

What the hell was Zeke playing at? Calling Leon to the clan house was one thing, but why bring Sharon and Victor into it? Was Zeke’s intent to kill Leon? If that was the plan, there was no need to invite him to the clan house to do it. Leon stole a glance at him from the corner of his eye, but he was still unable to discern Zeke’s motives. Zeke looked as he always did, his eyes narrow and his features set in a confident, superior expression.

“Leon, was it?” Victor said. He sounded relaxed. “Zeke has told me of your objective. Lorelai is indeed a threat. I also understand that, should they continue on their path of destruction, they will need to be eliminated. However, we are not the authorities, nor are we the police. We are Seekers. We have no reason to act unless ordered to by imperial rule. Besides, you are their target, are you not? Ergo, this is your problem. Solve it yourself.”

“Mr. Krauser, if I may—”

Leon was just about to voice an objection when he found Zeke’s sword pointing directly at his neck. He still had his head on his shoulders, fortunately, but a drop of blood dripped and fell from his neck.

“Who gave you permission to speak?”

Zeke’s words were deadly serious. If Leon did anything outside of what they allowed here, Zeke really would kill him. Leon found himself gulping nervously at the sheer intensity in the room.

“I can imagine what you want to say,” said Victor. “You only want help from Zeke, yes? However, Zeke is our second-in-command. If Zeke acts, then by definition, we have sided with your clan. I know that it is not uncommon for clans to form alliances. In the past, we too have worked in collaboration with other clans. The problem, as it stands, is in your methods.”

There was a quiet anger in Victor’s voice as he went on.

“I do not take issue with you contacting Zeke individually. After all, it is his decision to make. However, I take issue with the reward of 30 billion fil, as proposed in your communique. It is no small sum, but we are the first star of the regalia. If it is discovered that we were moved to action by monetary rewards from a new clan such as Wild Tempest, it would impact the honor of our clan… Nay, our organization. You may have been sincere in your offer, but it has not had the effect you intended. There are some partnerships that are best settled without money. With money out of the picture, we can move and fight of our own volition. We will not be motivated by any rewards.”

Victor glanced at Zeke, who lowered his blade from Leon’s neck.

“Leon, my boy,” Victor said. “If you have an explanation, then speak.”

“Thank you, Mr. Krauser,” Leon said, his eyes locked on Victor’s. “There is truth to your words. Money isn’t everything. But if I am allowed to say as much, your words are also arrogant. Whatever you may say to the contrary, the world revolves around money. People cannot live without it, and that is a hard truth, which is why I named a price—to show my sincerity and to prove there was no ulterior motive to my offer. If you wish to refuse the offer, that’s fine, but you can only refuse because you sit at the very top of the mountain. Not motivated by any rewards, you say? How much do you even know of money? Aren’t you just looking to talk big and hide behind your claim to be a Seeker and nothing more?”

Leon took apart Victor’s reasoning smoothly and concisely. He didn’t think Victor was wrong. It was Leon who had been out of line earlier, and if that had been the only issue, then Leon would gladly bow in humility. It just annoyed him quite a bit to be forced to listen to a lecture at swordpoint.

“Don’t get too cocky just yet.”

Sharon put her gun to Leon’s head as she spoke. He wasn’t afraid. In fact, he was filled with rage at being taken so lightly.

“You all resort to violence whenever someone talks back, then. Is this how the empire’s strongest operate?”

“What did you say?”

“I’m not an idiot. If Victor’s logic is correct, then you don’t even need to resort to violence. I’ll just leave.”

Leon glared at Sharon. He may have found himself in the lion’s den, but he wasn’t about to roll over obediently before them. He had his own pride, his own honor to uphold. He was the second-in-command of Wild Tempest, and if he let them push him around, they would take it as incentive to treat his entire clan the same way. Leon wouldn’t let that happen. It was his duty and responsibility as vice-master to ensure that it did not.

“I am the vice-master of Wild Tempest. You think that if I am pushed around, that if I am made a fool of, that I won’t be angered? Miss Valentine, I’m not cocky. I’m furious.”

His eyes on all three of them, Leon reached for his sword.

“You understand what it means to take such an action?” Sharon asked.

Leon chuckled. “Hmph. You started it.”

Naturally, he had no intention to fight them. Reaching for his weapon was a symbol of his unwillingness to yield to their violence. If they responded by attacking him, he would run away with everything he had. I can’t just stay here wasting my time, Leon thought.

That was when it happened.

“Ah ha ha ha ha!”

Out of nowhere, Zeke burst into laughter.

“I didn’t think you were much more than an opportunist, but you’ve got guts. I can see why Noel chose you as his second.” Zeke wiped the tears from his eyes and turned to Victor. “Master, I plan to help Wild Tempest.”

“What?!” Sharon shouted. Her voice soared in pitch from the sheer shock. “What are you saying?! It doesn’t make any sense! Explain yourself!”

“I’ve intended to help them since the beginning. The two of you have probably noticed already, but Noel and I have a partnership of sorts—a connection. If I want Noel’s aid, Wild Tempest needs a place on the regalia.”

“And what is it he’s helping you to get?”

“I can’t make that news public just yet, but it’s a favor that’s as much for all of us as for me. So, Master, will you grant me this freedom?”

Zeke smiled and tilted his head to the side as he asked his question. Victor heaved a great sigh.

“This was what you were planning all along, wasn’t it?” he asked.

“Yup, you guessed it! Just needed to make sure that we weren’t dealing with the sort of small fry who’d shake in their boots at the mere sight of us. Leon handled himself well, I think. He hit you right where it hurts, didn’t he, Master?”

“Shut it. You’re certain that helping them will be of use to us?”

“I’m not big on lying. I can guarantee it’ll shake things up in a really interesting way.”

“Very well. But do not forget that there is responsibility in the freedom you are given.”

“I understand. I’m grateful for your permission, Master.”

Zeke bowed in reverence. Leon felt like he’d been tricked, but could understand Zeke’s motives for doing so.

“Have I convinced you, Teach?”

In response to Zeke’s joking tone, Sharon’s face morphed into an expression that would’ve suited a demon.

“Men! Ugh! Is there any creature more irrational?! Do what you want! See if I care!”

Sharon turned on her heel and stormed out of the drawing room, practically breaking the door behind her on her way out. Leon could sympathize with her somewhat, but Zeke had already turned to him with a bold grin upon his face.

“Leon, I said I’d help you, but I have conditions. I’m a fickle sort, my dude—if the battle bores me, I’m out. Are we clear?”

Leon nodded. “Crystal.”

In other words, Zeke had no interest in loaning his power to make the battle easier and was prepared to prove it. Whether they could borrow the power of the Master Swordsman depended on how they showed themselves in battle. Leon accepted the condition all the same.

***

“I never imagined that Supreme Dragon’s famed vice-master would make an appearance. Do you really have so much free time that you can just poke your nose into other people’s fights? I’m almost jealous.”

Johann grinned, and Zeke flashed a wild smile of his own.

“C’mon, you must be aware of the position you’ve put yourself in? You’re no longer honored members of the regalia, just a group of mangy bandits. Seekers are praised for this kind of work, you know? Protecting the populace by hunting down the bad guys…”

“Protecting the populace, you say? Interesting that you say that with such a wicked look on your face… But fine. Fighting you will be fun.”

Johann raised a hand above his head and engaged a skill.

“Resurrection.”

Lorelai’s clan members saw their wounds healed once more, but the demi-beasts stayed dead. Healing skills were useless on them, perhaps because of their body composition.

“Clan members, get behind me and stand down!” shouted Johann, raising his voice. “Do not move until I give the signal!”

“Understood, Master!” said Zero, who had returned to human form. He retreated along with the other members.

“A smart move,” said Zeke, still smiling. “None of them would even slow my blade down. Leon, that order also goes for you. I don’t have the dexterity to watch out for wandering ants during battle. If you and the others want to live, get clear and go far away.”

Leon cringed at being compared to an ant, but he nodded.

“All Seekers, fall back!”

Wild Tempest and Mirage Triad all moved in the opposite direction from Lorelai. On the way, they bumped into an injured Wolf, being helped along by Koga.

“Hey, Leon,” said Koga. “What the hell’s going on?”

“I hired Zeke as an extra mercenary. We leave the rest to him.”

At the pained tone of Leon’s voice, Koga looked away. Leon could tell what he wanted to say. If they were leaving everything to an outsider, what point was there in fighting as hard as they had? Behind them, Alma walked on silently. Her dissatisfaction was so clear in her face that she didn’t have to say a word. Still, the truth of the matter was that if Zeke had never shown, all of them would be dead.

When the clans had retreated, Zeke and Johann took a step toward each other.

“Looks like you can use a whole bunch of different class skills,” said Zeke.

“You’ve been watching from afar, then. Wouldn’t have figured you for a peeping tom.”

“Yeah, I’m disappointed in myself, to be honest. Would have been way more fun to find that out in the heat of battle. It’s like knowing the twist at the end of a mystery novel before you even start reading it.”

Zeke’s slumped shoulders said everything; he really was disappointed.

“Not that it makes any difference now,” he added.

Zeke let out a sigh. The moment he did, he brought his sword up to block Johann’s spear. The clash sent out an intense pulse of energy, whipping up fierce gusts of wind in its wake.

“You like playing dirty?” Zeke said.

“I like to win,” replied Johann.

Their smiles dripped with arrogance as they kicked off from each other and separated.

“Javelin Rain!”

“Air Slash!”

A countless number of spears appeared in the empty sky behind Johann before they all fired at Zeke as one. Around Zeke billowed a swirling wind, wreathed in a jade-colored Brave Aura.

Master Swordsman was the Swordsman’s EX-Rank subclass. Swordsmen were capable of turning their magical energy into a form of attack energy known as auras, which they could then imbue with a wind or lightning element. The B-Rank Swordsman Wolf’s element was lightning; Zeke’s appeared to be wind. He turned the wind into blades that sped straight for Johann’s spears.

“Holy Shield!”

“Defense!”

In response to the storm of a shock wave that hurtled toward them from the battle, Leon and Hugo both cast barriers to protect their teammates. Though they poured considerable energy into them, they still strained under the force of the blast.

“That destructive power is incredible,” said Hugo, standing next to Leon, his face pale. “Johann Eissfeldt must have made it to Rank EX.”

***

He was never very good at things like flattery or subservience, not since he was a boy.

All he had to do was laugh along, but he never saw the point, and his parents grew tired of his attitude. His personality left him with no one to call a friend, which made him a target for violence.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. His insistence on paying back what he was given in fights earned him a reputation as the worst kid in the city, feared even by his own parents. Because of the way he lived, he never once believed there was anyone stronger than him.

“If you’ve learned your lesson, you won’t disobey me again.”

That same man had been hanging naked from a tree for a week. No food, no water. The one who put him there was a gorgeous elf. Now she said the following:

“You will join Supreme Dragon, Zeke. If you don’t want to, I’ll leave you here to hang.”

The beautiful elf—Sharon Valentine—was a recruiter for the clan. She knew of Zeke’s potential, and she’d come because she wanted to give him special training as a future clan member. Thinking he’d been sold by his parents, however, Zeke responded with curses and badmouthing, leading Sharon to summarily hang him from a tree. He was still mad, but he had no right to refuse; it was a choice between Supreme Dragon and sure death.

In hindsight, that was the first and the last battle he ever lost. He underwent training, fought in real battles, and began to rank up. He had never lost to anybody except Sharon, his teacher, and he ultimately surpassed her. Even though Sharon was an A-Rank Seeker, if Zeke ever got serious, he could kill her in seconds. The gap between them now was far wider than when their roles were reversed, back when they first met.

It felt good to be strong, but it was also boring. Neither person nor beast could stand up to Zeke’s ferocity. It didn’t matter how strong he became if there was no opponent for him to go all out on. Tortured by this emptiness, Zeke continued to train alone, all the while believing that someday a fitting opponent would arise.

His wish was granted. Enter Leo Edin, clan master of Pandemonium and EX-Rank Seeker. Along with him, the Valiant was coming. He’d felt abandoned all this time, but it seemed that the gods had not abandoned Zeke just yet.

But human beings are strange creatures. When his wish was granted, Zeke found that he could not stand for the existence of anyone who could be deemed a worthy opponent.

“In this world, there will be none stronger than I.”

The Master Swordsman, Zeke Feinstein, owed the essence of his person to the selfish boy he’d been as a youth.

***

The destructive powers of the Rune Lancer’s Javelin Rain and the Master Swordsman’s Air Slash were even. Zeke could tell that Johann’s battle abilities put him at Rank EX too. He also knew they’d get nowhere fighting as they were. Zeke wanted to draw this fight into close quarters. Right as he channeled energy into his feet to move, his senses rang out in alarm. He retreated immediately—but it was already too late. Johann’s spears surrounded him from all angles.

“You can use different class skills at the same time?!”

Johann had just used the Royal Road skill, which negated attack distance. By the time Zeke realized what was up, spears were already pushing their tips against his skin. Escape was impossible. The only option left was to cut the spears down before they impaled him.

“Air Burst!”

While wrapped in Brave Aura, wind streamed out from Zeke’s body to cut the spears into thin slices. Suddenly, he stumbled. His arms and legs went numb, and his body wouldn’t respond to his commands.

“It’s Blood Poison. The tips of those spears were laced with it. Stopping the instantaneous Royal Road was truly impressive, but getting out of it entirely unscathed is—”

Johann couldn’t finish his sentence. In assuming he’d already won, Johann left an opening that Zeke closed off in an instant. He moved at an impossible speed, slicing Johann’s left arm clean off, then quickly followed back up to take off his head.

“Grr! Trick Room!”

Johann responded by using a skill to trap Zeke inside of invisible barriers. So long as he was inside those barriers, his magic energy would overload, leaving him unable to use skills. Zeke had realized this for himself and threw everything he had into a sword slice.

“Agh!”

The barrier should have been nearly unbreakable from the inside, but after a momentary flash from Zeke’s white blade, the barrier was torn to pieces as though it were paper. The wind generated by the sword attack cut through the air, taking a swipe out of Johann’s cheek.

“Now hang on a second,” said Johann with a chuckle as he wiped the blood from his face. “Sword slashes aren’t supposed to be able to break through Trick Room, let alone destroy it. But never mind that—you’re supposed to be poisoned! A Master Swordsman doesn’t have any poison resistance.”

“I cut it.”

“Huh? You what?”

“Like I said: I cut it,” Zeke said, as if talking to a petulant child. “I used the Brave Aura within my body to eliminate the poison in my blood.”

“You’re being serious right now? You managed to locate and cut down only the poison?”

“Never was a great liar. Anyway, all the proof you need is me standing here.”

The technique Zeke mentioned was no simple affair. Ordinarily, if one used Brave Aura inside of themselves, they’d shred their insides to pieces. Zeke wasn’t just able to focus on his blood vessels alone, but he could also wield the skill on a cellular level. It was an incredible feat. He’d only come to gain full control over the Brave Aura skill after years of arduous training.

“I learned something in our back-and-forth,” said Zeke. “You use multiple class skills, but that’s only the half of it—you can use them at the same time! That alone makes you a threat, but I’m pretty sure you can’t use all of them at an EX-Rank level. Compared with your Rune Lancer skills, the others are less accurate. There are class skills that are off the table to you too, huh? If you had the whole range at your disposal, why wouldn’t you go wild using Hugo Coppélia’s Puppeteer skills? You can’t access rare classes that can only be passed on via family bloodlines, can you?”

Johann shook his head. “No, I can’t. You’re right. Perceptive types like you are a real nuisance. Can’t hide anything from you. You aren’t the only one with sharp eyes here, though. That’s a glaring weak point you have there, Zeke Feinstein.”

“Hm? Remind me?”

“No need to rush. I’ll show you.”

Johann drove his spear into the ground. Then he kicked his left arm off the ground, caught it, and put it back in place.

“Here we go,” he said. “Kaleidoscope, engage.”

Unveiling a refreshed fighting spirit, Johann split his body into four. Death Apostle skill: Kaleidoscope. This allowed the user to split themselves into four copies. Each copy had a physical body of its own, could think independently, and was capable of using skills.

The four Johanns readied their spears, then launched at Zeke. Their spears quite literally covered the sky as they attacked Zeke with fierce attacks and ample use of Javelin Rain, but Zeke calmly parried all of it. He proceeded to counter them with insulting ease until only one remained. Zeke’s sword was like a crazed beast baring its fangs as he cut down the last Johann.

That was when he noticed.

“They were all fakes?!”

Where was the real Johann? He looked around, keeping on guard, as Johann’s laughing voice wafted through the sky.

“I used Death Apostle skill: Vanish right as I split myself into parts. You didn’t notice, did you?”

“Knock off the cheap party tricks! Think you can just disappear and run away?!”

The enraged Zeke deployed Air Burst, which launched a torrent of blades all around him. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t see his opponent when he used an area-of-effect skill such as this. The high-speed air blades screamed as they sliced through the air. Johann took that moment to engage yet another skill.

“X Invincible.”

It was the ultimate defensive skill that reflected any and every attack, and it left Zeke with air blades coming at him from every angle—but Zeke already knew it was a trap.

“Air Burst!”

By using the area-of-effect skill once more, Zeke was able to nullify the air blades coming in. He’d also rendered X Invincible useless, as it could only be used once every twenty-four hours. No other class had a similar defensive skill. In short, Zeke had walked right into Johann’s trap to take away the X Invincible skill.

As a bonus, since it required so much magic to cast, Zeke could now pinpoint Johann’s location. Seekers with a high level of experience in Abysses could feel the flow of mana through their skin. Though one might be able to hide their physical presence, they could not hide their use of mana.

“Gotcha!”

Zeke’s eyes flew wide as his voice grew ecstatic. He looked like the very portrait of a wild beast as he flew toward his prey. He wouldn’t stand for any more tricks. This last slice would be final. As he moved toward the space where Johann was hidden, his sword flew through the air.

Then, for a split second, Zeke’s thoughts screeched to a halt.

Johann stopped using his skill and allowed himself to appear. Zeke couldn’t work out why, and it confused him. Within that tiniest window of hesitation, Johann used a new skill.

“Lands of this forsaken earth, answer my rage. Open the gate to Apocalypse.”

“Huh?!”

Zeke’s sword was just about to slice into Johann…but whatever unknown power Johann unleashed stopped Zeke from doing so. Its power was so great that merely standing in Johann’s vicinity was nearly impossible. Zeke drove his sword into the ground. As he looked behind himself, he could not believe the sight that met his eyes.

“What the hell…is that?!”

A black sphere floated in the air. The gravity of it drew Zeke, along with everything else around it, into its vicinity. Trees, birds above, and the earth below was pulled in before disappearing into the center of the sphere. Even those watching from a distance had to cast barriers in order to resist its pull.

“Apocalypse is the Messiah’s dying message,” Johann said. He spoke calmly, completely devoid of emotion. He was the only thing unaffected by the black sphere. “By engaging seven different class skills at once, I open the gate to Apocalypse. You can’t run from it. It sucks everything in, breaks it apart, and sends it to the outer edges of reality. It is the end of everything, like a dying star. And that includes you, Zeke Feinstein.”

Fuck you! Zeke tried to scream, but his voice was swallowed by the black sphere and never reached Johann.

“Your one weakness is that you lack experience against truly strong opponents,” said Johann, looking down at Zeke as he hung on for dear life. “I can see it in the way you fight. You’ve gotten stronger by winning all the fights you expected to win, but you lack the imagination and the creativity to turn the tables when you’re behind. That’s why you were defeated so easily here. With more experience, you’d probably have become even stronger than me. A pity, Zeke Feinstein, but you were no match for me in the end. It really is a pity.”

Johann opened his arms wide.

“Leave us, beasts. Oceans, wither. Blood, strangle life. Blasphemers, burn in flames. Darkness, bring pain and suffering. Lord, connect us to the spirits of evil…”

With each utterance, the black sphere grew stronger. And then…

“Heavens, split. The end has come. Close the gate of Apocalypse.”

Johann brought both hands to his chest, at which point the black sphere—and Zeke with it—disappeared from the world. The battle was over. Johann, the victor, took a cigarette from his jacket and lit it. He breathed out smoke that seemed to reach for the clouds above.

“I expected more,” Johann said with a dry chuckle.

Before he could finish laughing, his chest was cut open by a diagonal slice.

“Wh-what?!”

Johann put his hands to the gushing blood and stumbled backward. He stood in shock as light streaked across the empty space before him. They were cast from a sword. Zeke emerged from the empty expanse through a gate of sword slashes, his body covered in cuts and bruises.

“Heh…heh heh… Haven’t felt like I was at death’s door since I was a kid…”

Zeke had returned from the outer edges of reality itself. He was completely dyed in blood, his left arm and his right eye both crushed. He seemed to have deep injuries that wouldn’t be identified until far later. Standing took supreme effort, and he looked ready to pass out at any second. Even then, his spirit and determination had grown so much stronger.

“I owe you my thanks, Johann Eissfeldt. I reached new heights because of you. You pushed me to the very limit. I admit, even I never thought I could cut through the very universe.”

Lost in shock for a moment, Johann came to his senses and burst into laughter.

“Never have I met anyone quite as unpredictable as you. You’re a worthy foe, I admit that now. So…it’s time to unleash my full power.”

Johann healed the wound upon his chest and readied his spear. Zeke gripped his sword tight in hand.

“I’ll make you regret not giving it your everything from the start,” said Zeke.

“Regret? Please. I feel nothing but joy.”

They were like two beasts in human skin. They howled together, each craving the other’s demise.

“Let’s finish this!”

***

The fight was like something of the gods. Each move, each strike heralded calamity and disaster as it was used. From afar, all Leon and the others could do was protect themselves to make sure they didn’t lose their lives to the aftershock. Fortunately, nobody had died yet, but you could never predict what came next when the gods themselves went wild.

“This… This isn’t our battle anymore…”

Alma’s voice was filled with rage and frustration as she spoke. Leon felt the same way. He’d hired Zeke, but he never expected that they’d be so far apart in ability. He thought himself capable of more, perhaps due to his own vanity. Leon and the others were just as Zeke said: they were ants. Wild Tempest, Mirage Triad, they were despondent wrecks. Humans simply could not win against gods.

“Everyone, I’m sorry I got you invol—”

Before Leon could finish his apology, Hugo covered his mouth.

“Stop it. You did nothing to warrant an apology. We are here because we chose to be here. You did the best you could, Leon. Be proud.”

“But—”

“The fight isn’t over yet. You can reflect on it all you want when it is.”

“You’re right…”

Leon nodded, his head drooping. Next to him, Wolf heaved a sigh.

“Way things have turned out, it wouldn’t have made much difference if Noel showed up or not…”

“Nah, I don’t believe that,” said Koga, shaking his head. “Those two out there are monsters, sure. But ya know…I bet if Noel were here, he’d find some way to get one over on both of ’em.”

“Koga…”

Loyalty wasn’t the term for the pride in Koga’s voice—it was unwavering camaraderie. He believed in Noel with everything he had. Leon remembered what he’d lost and felt a pang in his heart.

“I know how you feel. I get it,” said Lycia, with a somewhat embarrassed laugh. She’d been injured in the battle, but her voice still sang with its usual brightness. “I feel like Noel could win even if it was impossible for anyone else. Not that I have any way of proving it, though.”

Lycia scratched the back of her head, blushing. Then she whipped her head up to look at the sky.

“No way… Really?”

Leon’s head tilted with confusion as he looked at the shocked Lycia.

“What is it?”

But the answer came not from Lycia, but Alma.

“He’s here,” she said. “Our snake’s here.”

“That’s impossible…”

Leon was completely dumbstruck as someone pointed up at the sky and cried out. “Hey! Isn’t that one of the Association’s small attack ships?!”

It was a two-man airship, but perhaps the term mechanical horse was more fitting. Piloting the ship was an older gentleman: Wild Tempest’s coordinator, Harold Jenkins.

The airship suddenly picked up speed and dropped to about ten meters above ground. A young man with black hair and black clothes leaped out from it, carrying a coffin on his back. He landed in between Zeke and Johann.

“Yo, looks like you two are having a good time. Deal me in.”

It was Wild Tempest’s clan master, Noel Stollen.

***

Noel remained fast asleep in the clan house infirmary. Loki began to think that might be for the best. There wasn’t anything that Noel could do now, even if he was to wake up somehow. Lorelai wasn’t the sort of opponent you could beat without careful preparation, and that went double for a buffer. Noel managed to climb to his position through his smarts and his cunning, which made up for his weakness in battle. This had an unfortunate downside, though. Noel was powerless in battles that went beyond scheming.

In truth, Loki knew that he was also growing weaker. He was prepared to give up his own life should he fail in his mission. He’d ended up a hostage instead, and caused Noel to fall comatose. All of this was his fault. Loki sat in his chair and sighed.

“Huh? You…”

At that moment, the door to the infirmary opened, and an older gentleman in a tuxedo entered. For some reason, he carried a black coffin on his back. Loki stood up before he could think. He thought at first that the man might be an undertaker, but no, he didn’t seem the type. Loki even thought he might know who this old man was. Namely, the coordinator of Wild Tempest, Harold Jenkins.

“No need to get so tense,” Harold said. “I’ve heard of you. I assume you’ve heard of me also?”

Loki nodded hesitantly, and Harold smiled.

“Very good. However, I must admit I’m surprised. From what Noel had told me about your line of work, I’d expected someone colder, someone…rougher around the edges. And yet, you seem to have stayed with him all this time.”

“No, I—”

“Please, relax. I have no intention of spreading rumors that may damage your reputation or character, especially since Noel is about to wake up. He will as soon as we use this medicine, anyway.”

Harold revealed a metal needle.

“You see, he predicted even this eventuality. He asked me to come here at the appointed date and time to inject him with this should he end up comatose. He could have been more polite about it, but you know how kids are these days with their attitudes…”

Harold shook his head while Loki’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean he predicted this?”

“Well, more precisely, he considered every potential development and prepared countermeasures for each outcome. Nothing if not thorough, this one. He even saw the battle of Bascoud as a trial through which his fellow clan members could mature and grow.”

“A-are you for real? Hey, shouldn’t you have used this medicine sooner? There must be some limit to how far he can see ahead.”

“You’re right. The best course of action would be for him to wake up without using the medicine at all. I’m afraid that we have no choice. Not everything goes the way we want.”

Something about what Harold said caught Loki’s attention. As Harold was about to stab Noel with the needle, Loki grabbed a hold of his arm, stopping him.

“Wait. That medicine is just gonna wake him up?”

“Does such a convenient medicine exist? This gives him access to unfathomable powers, but at the cost of his life.”

Loki understood everything now. This medicine was the reason Noel had defeated Zero…and it was also the poison that had put him in this coma.

“Stop! You can’t do this!” Loki shouted, still holding Harold’s arm. “His life?! No! You can’t!”

“Protest all you want, but Noel himself is the one who created this medicine, and he asked me to do this.”

“There’s no need for it! Give it to me!”

Loki reached for the needle, but Harold pushed him away. He took out a gun and pointed it directly at Loki.

“I see. You’re…” Harold trailed off, returning his gun to its holster with a smile. “You’re right. Even if Noel asked for it, I don’t have to give it to him. Still, I want to see his desires come to fruition.”

“Why? What good is it to you?”

“I want to see it,” said Harold, a dark obsession in his voice. “I want to see what comes next. When I grew older, I was ready to give it all up. Everything. But I didn’t. The world is now full of unlimited ambition. Potential. Noel is reaching for the true peak of it all, the place my old friend once gave up on. I do not mind being called a monster if it means helping him get there!”

Harold plunged the needle into Noel’s neck, and the snake’s eyes flew open.

***

The battle between Zeke and Johann was tipping steadily in the former’s favor. In terms of damage, Zeke was clearly the weaker of the two, but he also yearned to win with a much fiercer determination and resolve. He continued his fearsome sword attacks, gradually pushing Johann to his limit.

“Is this the best you’ve got? Huh, Johann Eissfeldt?!”

“Grrr!”

Johann was thrown by one of Zeke’s strikes and landed on his knees.

“Haah, haah… Amazing. You’re stronger than me, I’ll admit it.”

“Hmph. Admitting defeat, are we? Here? Now? Where’d all that confidence go?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” said Johann. “If I can’t win, I’ll have to wake up someone who can.”

Johann got to his feet. A wide grin was spreading across his face. Zeke knew Johann wasn’t lying. He could tell from the bottomless well of bloodlust that was radiating out from his person.

“It’s time. Awaken…”

But just as Johann was waking up that power inside of him, a black figure landed between the two of them.

“Hey! Deal me in, c’mon!”

It was the snake, Noel Stollen. Both Zeke and Johann were at a loss for words, and they weren’t the only ones—so was everyone on the battlefield, who were also swallowed up in the glory of his entrance. Noel stood there as if time had stopped, a joyous grin on his face, as though interrupting a battle of the gods meant nothing to him at all.

“Heh heh heh. How long are you two going to stand there looking like idiots? This is a battlefield, isn’t it?”

Zeke raised his sword at Noel’s cheeky, fearless comment.

“Hey, Noel, I don’t mind you making a grand entrance…but read the room a little, will you? This is no place for someone like you. Go off with your little friends and let us get back to it.”

“The one who needs to wake up and read the room is you, Zeke. This battle is between Lorelai and Wild Tempest. Don’t act like it’s yours for the taking. You were just the opening act. It’s time to disappear and make room for the main event.”

“The hell?!”

Zeke was enraged, but Noel walked casually toward his pointed sword.

“If you still aren’t satisfied, then fine. I’ll play with you.”

Noel’s threat was straightforward. You want to fight, I’ll fight. It was nothing more than that. And yet, Zeke leaped backward.

“Noel, you…”

He’d lost the words to say anything more. He knew Noel was capable, but that was as a strategist, as a schemer and planner. He’d never once considered him a danger on the battlefield. But here, Zeke felt an instinctive fear of the man standing before him. Alarm bells rang ceaselessly in his head, screaming that his very life was in danger.

“Hm… Interesting…”

Zeke didn’t stop fighting because of that fear. The idea of accepting Noel’s challenge held its own appeal. Regardless of reason, Zeke sheathed his sword.

“You really are an intriguing one. But you and I can fight somewhere more fitting than here… And to be honest, I’m tired,” said Zeke. As he turned around and walked away, he added, “Make sure you keep your promise to me.”

***

With Zeke out of the picture, I stood facing Johann. Our eyes locked.

“Let’s put an end to this,” I said.

“So arrogant for one so late. I’ve no reason to refuse, even so.”

“One-on-one, fair and square.”

“You don’t need your friends to help?”

“No need to bring them into a fight like this. This is between you and me. Hey, Harold!”

At my call, Harold dropped from the airship and landed between the two of us.

“As an official inspector of the Seekers Association, I, Harold Jenkins, shall act as the official observer of this duel between the two of you.”

Harold gave a deep and respectful bow, but Johann was unimpressed. “Hmph. You’re pushing me into this, but fine. However, let me make it clear: official inspector or not, if I see you siding with the snake, then I’ll respond in kind.”

“Understood.”

Now it was settled. I turned to the rest of the clan and raised my voice so they could hear.

“Everyone! Your orders are to wait as you are. This fight is between clan masters, one-on-one, to decide a victor!”

Johann shouted at his own clan in turn.

“Lorelai members, you are no different. Wait until further orders!”

Johann then pointed to the table mountain in the distance.

“I have a condition,” he said. “If we are not involving our clans, then we move the battlefield to Table Mountain. It’ll be easier to fight if you don’t have to worry about them, no?”

“Works for me.”

I nodded, and Johann pointed his hand at the space in front of him. It fractured, opening a hole large enough for a person to pass through. On the other side of it lay the snow-covered peak of Table Mountain.

“I’ll see you there.”

Johann had used his Warp Drive skill to open a portal that reached Table Mountain. Harold and I made to follow him, when a voice called out to us from behind. I turned around to see Leon standing there.

“Noel, are you really going to fight him?”

His face was a portrait of pure exhaustion. I nodded with a grin.

“I know what happened. You did good, Leon. You and the others can rest. I’ll handle things now, as the clan master of Wild Tempest.”

“You really are taking him on, then. All right. If you’re sure of it, then you have my trust. But be careful, Noel. Johann Eissfeldt can use a variety of class skills, and on top of that, he’s got one weird case of multiple personalities.”

“Hm… Is that so?” I said, thinking. That would’ve explained how he used the Warp Drive skill and the strange feeling I got from him. “Thanks for the info.”

I turned away from Leon and entered the portal. I was wrapped in an instant of a floating sensation, then found myself standing at the top of the snow-covered mountain. Harold was right behind me.

“So your vice-master told you about me. I could hear him from here, you know.” Johann laughed and snapped his fingers. The moment he did, the portal closed. “This is the first time we’ve met face-to-face. Forma had absolutely nothing good to say about you, so it makes me happy to meet you under these circumstances.”

“If we’re talking spoilers from our seconds, then you’re no different, eh? You didn’t seem particularly fazed by my arrival.”

“It’s true; I heard about you. That’s why I wanted to fight you.”

Johann thrust a hand out, ready to go.

“Use your otherworldly power,” he said.

“Better hope you don’t regret it.”

I took a needle from my coat and thrust it into my neck.