Chapter 20

The way back to their lodgings from the arena was quite complicated. In Kilicia, it was harder to find areas that weren't complex. Most of all, there were so many people. Navigating through the bustling crowd wasn't easy for Asterike, who was used to traveling through mostly deserted places.

Countryside, wilderness. Abandoned ghost cities.

They had intentionally chosen places with fewer people. Cities where Pecatum could live comfortably were hard to find.

In that sense, Kilicia was certainly unique. Even if she walked around with her horns visible, people would only glance briefly and move on. Everyone was indifferent to each other.

Walking was uncomfortable, but her mind was at ease.

Asterike found it amazing that she could blend so naturally among the people coming and going.

Thunk.

"Oh, sorry."

She bumped into a young boy. He bowed his head politely and expertly weaved his way through the crowd on the main street. She was just thinking how polite he was when…

"Asterike, check your pockets."

"Huh? My pockets?"

"See if you've been pickpocketed."

At Roscoe's words, Asterike patted herself down, checking her belongings. Her hands moved faster and faster, her face turning pale.

Her reaction told the whole story.

"You've been had. What did the kid take?"

"Well… Hyun's money pouch, the jerky, chocolate bar, and the canned food… everything's gone…!"

"Money aside, what's with the canned food?"

"Emergency rations. You never know."

"Sheesh, what, did a starving ghost latch onto you? What kind of disaster do you think would require emergency rations in the middle of a city?"

Roscoe clicked his tongue. He remembered hearing she had been pickpocketed in Ulanth too. How could someone be so careless?

"Think of it as a good lesson and be more careful in the future. I've heard that here, people will steal the very clothes off your back."

"I thought the security was good here?"

"No matter how harshly they punish criminals, there are just too many people. In a crowd like this, picking a pocket is nothing."

Asterike hung her head.

"W-what should we do?"

"How much was in it?"

"A million."

"…Why did you bring all that?"

"I've never had that much money before…."

"Trying to feel rich, were you?"

Her head dropped even lower, as if she had been hit right in the heart. Roscoe smacked his forehead.

What an idiot.

"Ugh, let's go catch him then! Check all the alleyways. They usually hide and check the wallets there…!"

Roscoe ran in the direction the boy had disappeared. Asterike followed, pushing through the crowd, hearing curses as she went.

Fortunately, they spotted the pickpocket quickly. Entering a nearby alleyway, they saw the small boy's back.

"My money…!"

Asterike gritted her teeth. It was a fortune she had never had before. More than the amount, she didn't want to lose what Kim Ihyeon had given her.

She pushed off the ground with more force. The distance between them closed rapidly. Faster than she had been during the match, she grabbed the boy by the scruff of his neck.

"Ugh, what the…!"

Thunk.

The boy dropped Asterike's belongings. Roscoe arrived, panting, and picked them up.

"Whew. Thankfully, we got it all back."

"You guys, what do you think you're doing? Let me go!"

The pickpocket flailed his arms and legs. But he was so small that he couldn't escape Asterike's grip.

"Roscoe, what do we do with this kid?"

"Hmm. That's a problem. Catching him red-handed is one thing, but we don't have concrete evidence…."

They could check all the street CCTV footage to prove the crime. But it was unlikely they'd invest that much effort in a petty theft.

As they were deliberating,

"Please help me! Kidnappers!"

"K-kidnappers? What are you talking about—"

"AAAAH! These people are trying to take me! Please, someone help!"

The boy started screaming at the top of his lungs. His high-pitched voice echoed loudly.

"You little…."

Roscoe felt a sense of defeat. The alleyway opened onto a crowded main street. People would come running when they heard the screams.

To the uninformed passersby, they would look like criminals threatening a child. Asterike realized this too and let go.

But it didn't end there.

"My money! Give me back my money! I saved up to treat my mother's illness…!"

Tears welled up in the boy's eyes. Asterike was dumbfounded.

'What kind of nonsense is this?'

And then she noticed.

Cameras.

There were cameras here too. She didn't know if they recorded sound, but… it was likely to work against her.

'W-what should I do?'

Asterike was flustered. She was experiencing the harsh reality of the saying "robbed in broad daylight."

Kilicia was a tough city for the naive.

"What's the commotion?"

A man walked up from the other end of the alley. Seeing the newcomer, the boy's face lit up with hope. He pointed at Asterike and Roscoe, shouting,

"Help! They took my money! It was for my mother's hospital bills…!"

The boy's eyes widened in shock. The man grabbed his collar and, with his other hand, pulled back the boy's hair, revealing a characteristic inverted triangle-shaped ear.

Confirming his suspicion, the man, Kim Ihyeon, scoffed.

"A hobbit, huh."

"W-what?"

"If you're gonna pull this trick, at least cut your ears off first."

Kim Ihyeon flung the boy—no, the middle-aged hobbit—into a trash pile.

"And you didn't shave well. Hobbits don't grow much body hair, you know. Aren't you embarrassed, being this old and pulling stunts like this?"

"U-ugh."

"Just get lost. Before I call the security force."

The hobbit stumbled to his feet, glaring at Kim Ihyeon before fleeing the alley.

The commotion ended just like that. Roscoe, who had been watching in a daze, finally spoke up.

"W-why are you here?"

"I was heading to the arena, thought I'd check out today's match. Looks like I was a bit late… more importantly, what were you thinking, just standing there? Pull yourself together."

"Ugh, I have no excuse."

Roscoe awkwardly rubbed his neck. Asterike, meanwhile, was staring at the alley where the hobbit had disappeared, then turned to Kim Ihyeon.

"Hey, Hyun. Is it okay to just let him go?"

"Hm?"

"What if someone comes to arrest us later…?"

"Arrest us?"

Kim Ihyeon waved his hand dismissively.

"Scammers like that hate making things big. They've got their own skeletons in the closet. An investigation would be bad for them too."

If you stand your ground, they usually back off. Especially in Kilicia, where the punishment for criminals is severe.

"…I see."

"Handing them over is tough, and you can't just bury them. Best to avoid getting involved…."

He yawned midway. It was too early to be sleepy. Probably because his schedule was often flipped due to working underground.

"Anyway. Did you win your match?"

"Yeah. So far, five wins, no losses."

"Oh, doing well."

Kim Ihyeon casually fixed Asterike's messy hair. She didn't resist at all.

It was like taking care of a puppy. Just as he was thinking that, she suddenly spoke up.

"Have you eaten?"

"No, not yet."

"Let's go eat. I have lots of money."

"Isn't that the money I gave you?"

"Then it's mine now. I'll give you all my prize money."

"How much is the prize money?"

"How much is it?"

"…Huh?"

"Huh?"

Roscoe chuckled. How much could the prize money in a fourth-league match possibly be? But he didn't spoil the mood.

They did look good together.

* * *

Thunk!

The [FE-7 Riot Shield] slammed into the Mine Rat's body. The massive rodent hit the ground, and a blade swiftly ended its life.

As the name suggests, these giant rats typically inhabit mines. They're common underground in Kilicia, hunting in packs.

'They were the worst when I was a newbie.'

In the game, they're an early rush enemy. Without a specialist in dealing with hordes, Mine Rats could be overwhelming.

In reality, they were even more dangerous.

Let your guard down, and they'd gnaw your flesh, swarming over you until there was nothing left but bones. Underground was littered with such remains.

They were a bounty hunter's nightmare. Unlike outlaws, killing a hundred Mine Rats didn't earn you a single credit.

'And they stink.'

Kim Ihyeon took down each rat with his shield before finishing them off with his machete, [Caries].

He couldn't imagine wielding just a sword without the shield. It wasn't just about safety—he didn't want to be drenched in rat blood.

Thud, thud!

Two metal arrows struck the Mine Rats that were closing in on Kim Ihyeon. He swiftly confirmed the kills.

"Is that all of them?"

"Seems like it. Good job, Hyun."

White Fang member Pep approached, lowering his crossbow

. The battle was over. Kim Ihyeon dismissed his equipment and caught his breath.

"Wow, they said working with you makes things easier, and it's true. The others don't even think about covering me. Just shoot from the back. Who's gonna step up then?"

"You were shooting from the back just now…."

"Haha. I'm good at shooting. How about teaming up next time too?"

"Ignore him, Hyun. He was talking behind your back about you being a parachute until recently."

Jenna, another member, chimed in. Pep was new today, while Jenna had been with Kim Ihyeon for three missions.

Kim Ihyeon had been rotating through different squads, helping with various operations.

The flexible composition of the White Fang squads was quite unique.

'Feels like a college group project.'

White Fang's total force was fifteen, with three squad leaders.

Squads weren't fixed; squad leaders picked their members based on the mission.

In a positive light, it was flexible and adaptive. In a negative light, it was chaotic and unorganized.

'Well, it's comfortable, at least.'

It had been a month since Kim Ihyeon started working with White Fang. He had grown accustomed to it.

During this time, he had bought a communicator, an essential item for Kilicia citizens, and rented a place near Metro City.

Asterike had advanced to the third league two weeks ago. With a winning streak and bonus points, she was eyeing the second league.

Life had improved significantly for them. Compared to their struggles in Ulanth, it was like heaven.

But that was just their personal lives. White Fang's investigation had been slow.

"Damn, another bust."

Bryce, who had organized the team, kicked a plank in frustration.

After the battle with the Mine Rats, they followed the lead but found no one.

The information wasn't false.

There were traces of human activity. However, the outlaws had already fled, leaving behind a messy hideout.

"Pep. Did you find anything?"

"Looks like the Mine Rats rampaged through here. Found some pig bones. They probably killed their livestock before fleeing."

"Those rats sure ate well. Why'd they leave the pigs behind? They must be short on food too."

Jenna's question prompted Kim Ihyeon to speak up.

"They probably didn't want us to have it. We've only encountered two outlaws in a week. Both dead. We've seen three empty hideouts. It's too much to be a coincidence."

They were wary of the 'outlaw hunt.' There was no other explanation.

"…Right. They might be catching on to our activities. They do have their networks."

Bryce agreed. Then Pep hesitantly spoke up.

"I think we might have made a mistake."

"A mistake?"

"By stirring things up, we might have pushed them to band together. They might think we're about to wipe out the underground and feel threatened."

"So we should've left them alone? Let them stockpile guns and ammo?"

Jenna snapped back, making Pep wave his hands defensively.

"That's not what I meant… We should've thought more about our approach. It's not as simple as just smashing things up."

It wasn't entirely wrong. So far, White Fang's hunt hadn't yielded significant results. They had only dealt with minor outlaws.

They still hadn't tracked down the Legion. If the outlaws decided to hide, White Fang would be out of options.

'That's what happened in the game.'

A unified outlaw group, backed by the Legion, would eventually attack Metro City. A fierce battle would ensue on the surface.

The outlaws and Kilicia's forces would decimate each other, and the Legion would then take over Kilicia.

If things continued, the same tragedy from the game would unfold.

Kim Ihyeon had silently followed White Fang's lead for a month to determine the 'timing.'

"Guys, please don't fight…."

There were five people present.

A young woman who had quietly followed along. Her youthful face didn't match her military gear.

5-star agent Mary.

The sole survivor of White Fang.

'Kilicia's Collapse' was Mary's side story. From the beginning to the end, it was told from her perspective.

And now.

The battle with the Mine Rats, the empty outlaw hideout, the argument between Pep and Jenna. All of it was part of the LW-02 stage.

The scenes from the game were being perfectly recreated in reality. This meant that the upcoming events could be predicted.

'I can start moving now.'

Having successfully aligned with the story, it was time to change its course.