Gastle [1]

"Sequencer" was both a title with great meaning and one as common as sand. 

One could think of a "Sequencer" as "someone whose job or duty was primarily related to their Gene Sequence." Many people chose to adopt this definition because it made them feel better about themselves. 

Gene Sequences came in all shapes and sizes. It was easy to think of them as weapons to use against enemies, but that wasn't the case at all. 

Even Gio's Original Gene was non-combative, wasn't it? 

Non-Combative Sequences were grouped into two different categories: Cognitive Sequences and Industrial Sequences.

While Cognitive Sequences provided mental abilities unsuitable for combat, Industrial Sequences provided physical abilities with the same limitation. These people could be considered Sequencers if one truly wanted to use the broadest definition of the term, but if it was ever brought up, it was more than likely that they were not the subject of conversation. 

No, the term Sequencer was used to describe those with Combat Sequences who fought on the frontlines. 

Unlike ordinary people with Non-Combative Sequences, they used Bloodline Sequences to grow their power, ascend through the ranks, and become ultimates in the Gehenna Complex. 

The world of man was an orderly one. There were laws and regulations behind everything, keeping relative order within the masses.

But it was nothing like that for Sequencers.

Sequencers lived for battle and grew through battle. They were humanity's most essential weapons, so they couldn't very well be restricted, could they?

They had to grow stronger. They had to be able to fight to their hearts' content and experience the battlefield. 

As such, the world of Sequencers was far more chaotic than that of ordinary people. The two worlds existed together, but it almost felt like they were parallel universes.

That didn't mean they didn't intersect at all, though.

Because for every Sequencer who fought for humanity's cause, there were two who wanted to use their powers for greed.

Now that centuries had passed since the times when humanity was on the verge of extinction, it was hard to expect humans to maintain their united front. 

'Infighting. It was always the stupidest reason for humanity's downfall, yet the least avoidable.'

With Ricky holding onto his shoulders, Gio drove into the walls of Gastle as he entertained those thoughts. 

The security check at the gate was usually extremely difficult to pass for those without credentials, but Gio was able to get the two of them through relatively easily. 

Ricky might've only known about the Old Lady through her reputation and her pupils, but Gio was someone who lived under her wing for as long as he was conscious. 

Gastle was the city he called home when he was young.

'In the end, even this place was destroyed by that. The extent of human greed…'

Gio shook his head.

He remembered the moment when he returned to the Wasteland to find Gastle in ruin. Compared to the sight in front of him now, it was a stark contrast. 

The version of the city existing in 3005 was still flourishing on the surface.

Gastle was formatted in rings. The inner three rings were filled with highrises and skyscrapers that created a beautiful skyline against the fortress wall and the surrounding desert. Most of the population worked in those three rings, and that was where most of the amenities were located.

The two rings outside the central area were made up of higher-income residential areas. In the Wasteland, that only meant they had proper houses. Each one was only a thousand or so square feet at most. 

The two outer rings were the last of them. It housed the remaining population. 

'Sure, we lived in rusty shacks made of sheet metal. Sure, we only have the bare minimum when it comes to insulation, plumbing, and energy. None of that changes the fact that we lived in peace. We're able to live on paved streets and we're given access to basic necessities. That's more than anyone can ask for, especially when it's free.'

Gio took the bike through the city. He was familiar with its layout, and even if it had been an incredible amount of time, the route home felt as natural as ever. 

He turned onto his street and parked in front of his own shack.

Just as he described, it was made of mostly sheet metal and natural materials. It was insulated and had an attached air conditioning and heating unit. The bathroom worked just fine, and there was a bed, a table, and a small kitchen if he ever needed them. 

'I never spent time here unless I needed to sleep. The way that it's set up makes that pretty obvious.'

Parking the bike, Gio unlocked the door and invited Ricky in. 

"There isn't much space, but make yourself at home. At least until you can get a place for yourself, you can stay here."

Ricky already said back in the zephyr that he was a nomad. He hadn't ever settled in one place before, but after the events of the mine site, he decided to settle down at least for now. 

Since Gio was familiar with Gastle, he chose Gastle as his destination as well. That was really the extent of it. 

As Ricky found a seat for himself, Gio collapsed onto the bed. 

'It looks bad, but it's not really because we're this poor.'

Well, they were, but rather than money, the problem was resources.

'Pretty much everything here is mined and sent to the Upper Stratums. If we want access to those resources, we have to buy them back at a boosted market price.'

If it wasn't scavengeable, it could only be accessed through the powerful people who had a say in the Wasteland like the Old Lady. 

Naturally, the resources those people received would be put towards their own goals, so they still weren't attainable for ordinary folk. 

'The Old Lady is a bit different since she uses the resources for the betterment of the city as a whole. She started living in a shack in the outer ring to show that her intentions were pure.'

If she was willing to forgo the luxuries she herself was building in the central ring, who could say she was doing it for her own benefit?

'I should visit her soon.'

She was another person who had been very influential in his childhood. He wanted to see her after so many years.

'But that'll also have to wait.'

Gio closed his eyes.

'Let's go over where I am and where I need to be.'

Currently, his strength was still pitiful. He had to start training his body and going out into the Wasteland for combat training. He could also scavenge while he was at it to make some money.

'We took ten vaults which could have been a million credits, but getting that much was never a possibility. I already expected the vaults to be damaged during the escape, but to this extent…'

He blamed it on that final beast they saw outside the mine. 

Raymond did as he asked and analyzed the vaults he stole, but the findings were nowhere near what he wanted.

In total, of the ten cards, only four survived the journey. In total, those four cards held only 250,000 credits. 

'Ricky said he wanted a thirty-seventy split, so in total, I ended up with 175,000 credits.'

Gio wasn't going to reject the extra money.

He was getting Blood Serpent Poison from Raymond, but that was only one of the many ingredients he had to gather. 

All of the credits he had now would be spent soon enough. 

In fact, in a sense, the training he had to do was for the very same purpose.

Only after he had properly prepared the external factors and his body could he go to that hidden place deep within the Wasteland. 

There, he would find the first piece of the Bloodline Sequence that would turn him into a proper Sequencer.