Chapter 88 - Oi, Thunder King!

Chapter 88 - Oi, Thunder King!

The unwavering, silent train proved its speed through the scenery rushing past the windows.

The inter-zone train, also known as the Hyperloop.

A monstrous machine that could cover a route spanning thousands of kilometers—including stop times—in just 15 hours.

Somehow, it felt a bit lacking in romance.

A train journey was supposed to have a leisurely charm, after all.

Jin silently watched the futuristic world, streaking by as a blur.

It was, once again, an enormous city.

People had called it a megacity so often that it had become mundane, but looking at it now… this was practically continental in scale.

Should he be in awe of its sheer size?

Or should he be impressed by the technology that allowed people to traverse such vast land in mere hours?

Jin wasn't sure.

For someone like him, neither technically nor mentally equipped for this world, accepting it all so naturally was impossible.

An outsider from the peninsula, living in this land where magic and science coexisted.

Well, what could he do?

That was just who he was.

With a faint smile, Jin tore his gaze away from the unromantic train window and, like Raph who had dozed off first, folded his arms and closed his eyes.

He hoped they would arrive by the time he woke up.

[Our train will soon arrive at Sector 8. Please ensure you do not leave any belongings behind. Thank you.]

The announcement echoed in his ears, stirring Jin awake.

Sluurp.

He swallowed the drool pooled in his mouth, stretched out his arm, and shook Raph awake. Raph's head, which had been drooping forward, bounced up like a spring.

"Huh? What? Oh—huh?!"

"We've arrived."

Still dazed from sleep, Jin stepped off the train with the absentminded expression of someone who had just woken up.

Many passengers were disembarking onto the platform.

What stood out was that most of them had clean faces.

And by "clean," it didn't mean handsome or beautiful—it meant they didn't have neural implants drilled into their skulls.

A whole bunch of national purists had gotten off here!

Purists here, purists there.

Wow, check out that guy—his temples are spotless.

A faint sense of familiarity made Jin's face brighten.

With a lighter step, he left the station—

Only to freeze.

What the hell?

Was this medieval Europe?

Ancient buildings lined the streets, their timeless architecture stretching endlessly.

The stained-glass windows shimmered in the sunlight, casting colorful reflections—

Which turned out to be neon signs.

That wasn't all.

Walls covered in ivy had holographic touchscreens embedded in them, and the statues overhead weren't accompanied by pigeons, but by delivery drones zipping through the sky.

Was this what it meant to be in a noble family's domain?

A landscape where the legacies of the past and the innovations of the present intertwined seamlessly.

To Jin's eyes, though, it looked outright bizarre.

Like mixing black bean noodles with whipped cream...?

Or putting ketchup on a banana?

Wait, that might actually taste good.

Anyway, Jin had arrived in Area 8!

It had taken four days since leaving downtown, but he was finally at his destination.

"So, do you have a plan?"

Raph's question made Jin turn his head.

"Well… there's still some time before the opening ceremony. I was thinking of exploring the city. Anything famous around here?"

He could have just looked it up on his device, but he asked Raph instead, knowing the guy enjoyed explaining things.

It was absolutely not because Jin was a Finger Prince.

No way.

"If nothing else, you have to visit the Grand Tournel Cathedral."

"…A cathedral?"

Jin's expression twisted as he recalled a past incident—getting dragged into a church by a friend and practically held hostage.

"Do they serve free meals there?"

Raph, of course, had no idea what Jin was talking about and let out a scoffing laugh.

"Free meals? It's a cathedral, not a charity."

"Oh, really?"

"So, what do you think? Should we head there now?"

Jin hesitated at the suggestion.

Two guys visiting a cathedral together didn't seem quite right.

But his hesitation was brief.

Screw it—he had come all this way, might as well check it out.

If you visit Paris, you see the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.

If you visit Rome, you see the Colosseum.

Then the Grand Tour-whatever Cathedral must be something similar.

With that thought, Jin clapped his hands, pointed randomly, and shouted—

"Let's go!"

The legendary Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí once said:

"Straight lines belong to men, curves belong to God."

That philosophy was woven into his life's work, the unfinished Sagrada Família Cathedral—

And if Gaudí had lived to be 200 and completed his masterpiece, it might have looked something like what Jin was seeing now.

A jaw-dropping sight.

"…Whoa."

The Grand Tournel Cathedral.

A masterpiece showcasing the pinnacle of human creativity.

If one were to summarize Jin's thoughts among the many awe-struck visitors, it would be:

"Everything in sight is mesmerizing—further explanation unnecessary."

So, all he could do was mutter "whoa, whoa," moving his head like a child seeing an amusement park for the first time.

For the first time since buying his device, he even took pictures.

[Insane.]

With that brief caption, he sent the message to his contacts.

As Jin continued marveling at the cathedral, Raph spoke beside him.

"They used to worship the Sun God Ruel here. It had the most influence during the Age of Light and Roses."

"Oooh, the Sun God."

A proper reaction from the listener helps elevate the speaker's energy.

As soon as Jin showed interest, Raph grinned, tightening the scar on his nose as he continued.

"Back when the Sun God was in his prime, they say he had influence over more than seven noble families... but well, that's all old news now. Even though the Seven Families still stand after a thousand years, the Sun God's Order is gone, and the cathedral has become just a tourist attraction."

"Right. Why did it fall apart?"

"Who knows. There are various opinions about it, but I'm not a historian, so I can't say for sure. It could have just become obsolete. Who believes in gods in a world like today? Don't you think?"

As he said, it seemed not all purists had strong religious faith.

For Jin, it was curious.

If it were his hometown, he might understand, but wasn't this world one where, just a thousand years ago, religious faith could be converted into physical energy?

It was fascinating that even the people of Lost City, descendants of those who had borrowed the power of gods, and even purists, no longer sought the divine.

Jin came to his own conclusion.

It had to be the development of technology.

If he thought about it, they were in an age where metabolism was controlled by serum and hormones, and DNA codes were regularly adjusted to extend life.

Naturally, the power of prayer might have become less important than the power of medicine.

Well, the times had changed like that.

Even the purists must have felt it.

It was a sharp realization.

With a sense of satisfaction, Jin shrugged his shoulders.

Then, he walked toward a statue surrounded by a crowd.

Saint King Aldemain.

As he read through the plaque that looked like a stone platform, he heard a voice near his ear.

"...Has he truly passed?"

The voice, piercing through the white noise of the crowd, was unusually clear.

Jin turned his head without thinking.

There, a man dressed in platinum armor stood, looking like a cosplay character.

He had a wistful expression, and his face, turned sideways, looked beautifully drawn.

Just as Jin was about to speak, someone else asked.

"Do you think these art pieces would sell for a good price?"

"Stop it. Don't you know the Anarion family manages the entire cathedral? Are you looking to lose your head?"

"Come on, can't I just ask? I'm curious."

A few people passed by in front of him.

When they were gone, the cosplayer had vanished as well.

"What the...?"

Jin rubbed his eyes, feeling like he'd been entranced.

Just as he did, Raph, who had quietly approached, patted his shoulder.

"I think we've looked around enough. Shall we grab something to eat?"

"Sure, let's go."

Jin nodded, turned, and started walking.

But then, he suddenly whipped around, looking back like lightning.

There was nothing.

If it's like this, I'm not playing along, you bastard.

Give me a proper hint.

Jin muttered to himself, but the status screen remained silent.

***

Jin's eating habits were, in some sense, violent.

He would stab, cut, and chop the food on his plate as if it were his parent's enemy, then shove it into his mouth.

Wouldn't others eat like that?

Well, if anyone asked, Jin would admit his speed was about twice as fast as everyone else's.

And the amount he took in his mouth was about double too.

According to mathematical logic, the speed at which his plates stacked up was four times faster than others!

Even the Jecky and Jenny siblings, who had shared many meals with him, would sometimes flinch at the pace.

Raph, who had seen this for the first time, couldn't help but comment.

"Does a beggar live in your stomach? Slow down, man."

"This place makes great spaghetti," Jin replied, as he waved his hand to catch a staff member's attention, lifting his empty plate and flashing a victory sign!

Not because he was saying, "Look how well I ate," but rather, he wanted two more plates of the same.

Having seen the same gesture multiple times, the staff member shouted toward the kitchen.

"Two more meatball spaghetti plates!"

Raph, who had been watching the scene, chuckled and said, "How many times a day do you poop?"

"Dammit. I'm eating here," Jin frowned, but Raph apologized with a smile and twirled his fork around, bringing the noodles to his mouth.

The meal continued for a while, and eventually, when Jin felt full enough to chat, he spoke up.

"So, how did you end up joining the rotation?"

Raph blinked for a moment at the unexpected question, then responded.

"Well, there are many reasons, but mainly, I wanted to broaden my perspective."

"Perspective?"

"After all, the heirs of the noble families gather here. Even if they're the same age, the way they see the world is completely different. Watching them fight and, if I'm lucky, getting a chance to duel with them... How could I pass that up?"

Raph tapped his head with his index finger.

"Who knows, maybe those experiences will be the key to breaking through the wall I've hit."

"I see."

"And you? Got any other reason?"

Jin shrugged and said, his eyes moving left and right.

"Seems fun? I'm curious, too."

"Fun. That's important."

Raph nodded as if he understood, and Jin finished his last plate.

By then, it was late evening, and naturally, they decided to part ways in front of the restaurant.

There was no deeper reason—it was simply because they were staying at different accommodations.

"Thanks, I had fun. Hit me up if you get bored."

After exchanging numbers, Raph walked away, and Jin looked at the navigation device in his hand.

He compared the screen to his surroundings, then started walking.

Before long, he arrived in front of a massive building.

The name written on the exterior: 

Hotel Gilliot 

It was a luxury hotel group representing Lost City. 

"...Is this the right place?" 

Jin murmured quietly, looking up at the massive building that reached up to the 40th floor.

He walked toward the grand entrance. 

Feeling a bit uncertain, he entered through the side door instead of the main one, and the sparkling marble floors of the lobby filled his view. 

"Uh, I'm here to check in." 

Jin, cautiously scanning his surroundings, approached the front desk.

As soon as the door opened, the receptionist, who had been silently watching him, smiled and spoke. 

"Do you have a reservation?" 

"No." 

"Then I'll assist you. A one-night stay in a standard room costs 1.2 million credits..." 

The price was so shocking that Jin instinctively shut his ears to protect his brain from the blow. 

Without hesitation, as soon as the receptionist finished speaking, he pulled out a card from his pocket. 

"Can I use this instead?" 

"I'll check that for you." 

The receptionist scanned the card with a device resembling a scanner, and her eyes widened slightly. 

"This is Elina Vincent's card." 

"Oh, it's not stolen or anything..." 

Jin quickly tried to explain the situation. 

"Oh, you don't need to explain. It's noted that the original owner transferred it." 

The receptionist said, scanning Jin's face into the machine.

She then smiled and added, 

"Welcome to the Gilliot Hotel, Mr. Jin Evernight." 

From there, everything went smoothly. 

A concierge, dressed in a sharp suit, politely led the way, and Jin followed.

The elevator, upon his entry, headed directly to the 38th floor. 

After some talk about VIP services, security, and the like, the concierge explained things, but Jin only nodded along with a "Yes, yes." 

Soon, with a soft "Ding," the elevator arrived at its destination. 

As Jin stepped out, a voice echoed from behind. 

"Then, I hope you have a pleasant stay." 

Jin scratched the back of his head, checking the door that had closed behind him. 

Saint Black, right? 

He muttered the name of his room to himself as he walked past a very personal and luxurious-looking hall. 

In a corner, some men and women were gathered, chatting, and a few of their gazes turned toward Jin. 

"...Jin?" 

Jin turned his head in surprise upon hearing his name called from an unexpected place. 

What he saw was a familiar face. 

"Anna?" 

Anna Solard. 

After a long time, Jin's gaze moved from the welcoming face to the man standing beside her. 

"Oi, Thunder King!" 

At the same time, Kendrick forcefully sprayed the wine he had been holding in his mouth. 

"Puwwp!!!!"