Kahlarkhun (2)

When the next day arrived, the City of Kahlarkhun was still bustling with activity.

The recent announcement and changes sent most Hunters to a craze.

But the biggest difference, at least from Lucas' perspective, was the tension.

Faces scrunched up to a frown, shoulders a bit more stiff than usual, and restless eyes that glanced at the sky every few seconds.

Security could even be seen on every corner of the street, openly announcing their presence.

Even he felt a need to hurry up.

But it was understandable, no one could tell when the disaster would strike.

It could be now, the next minute, or tomorrow.

No one was safe from the calamity, except maybe the Twelve Emperors.

As he walked, Lucas observed the city.

He had visited at least four of the fifteen megacities, and each one offered a distinct feeling and lifestyle.

The City of Kahlarkhun was known for its Battle Mage philosophy, which Sage Kahlarkhun founded during his prime years. To describe it simply, it was to possess both martial strength and a mage's intellect.

Thus, residents and visitors of the city were encouraged to be quiet, steady, and patient.

During normal times that was usually the case.

But...

Lucas paused.

Line after line filled every corner of the city and traces of impatience could be seen in everyone's expressions.

He saw the long line at the Jade Alchemy Labs and noticed the guy at the back of the line kept muttering something unreadable, tapping his head every few seconds.

Meanwhile, the person in front of him seems annoyed by the noise.

He wouldn't be surprised if a fight suddenly broke out between the two.

Safe to say...

Then,

"--You fools! You sinful, disgusting, creepy, excuses for living beings! Do you not see the redness of the sky?! Do you not feel His presence?! Do you not feel the heartbeat of chaos?!"

A cloaked old man suddenly shouted, taking everyone's attention. His arms were spread together as he looked up at the sky. His pious face made it seem like he was doing something good.

"You ignorant monkeys... The Lord is coming, and only His followers will obtain salvation! Don't you see?! This is not a calamity, but an opportunity! If you wish to—"

Bang!

Before he could finish, a gunshot tore through the air.

"—Nyarly..."

The old man finished, not reacting to the gunshot the slightest bit.

A hole opened in the center of the old man's forehead. Creepily, his expression barely changed—almost as if he didn't notice. Then he dropped, crumpling to the ground like a broken scarecrow.

From the alley behind him, a man stepped out, wearing the security uniform of Kahlarkhun.

His green eyes were sharp. He had a short, scuffed beard that made him look too mature for casual conversation. On his back was no ordinary rifle—it was an R164, the latest piece of tech-magic fusion on the market.

Lucas and everyone else froze in their tracks.

The person tapping his head stopped as well.

The man pressed the side of his headgear.

"Alpha, this is Looker. One hostile down. Send in retrieval for a deceased cultist."

Then he looked around at everyone nearby, cleared his throat, and spoke:

"Security protocol. The recent changes caused a spike in cultist activities in the city. If you find any, please report them immediately to the nearest station. You will be heftily rewarded for it."

... Safe to say, this wasn't during normal times.

The city was a little different from what he knew.

Lucas' eyes shifted to the dead cultist. There was nothing as unreliable as the human heart, especially in times of crisis.

As humanity's situation worsens each day, ordinary people and even Hunters, turn crazy and resort to worshiping Alien Gods from the universe.

He personally didn't empathize with it, but he understood why. Unlike past religions, the Alien Gods are irrefutably real, and they also bestow power and blessings on their followers.

Some even promise eternal salvation, a second life, a chance to turn things around...

Many more, Lucas shook his head. He was all too familiar with such methods, after all, he was the usual "victim" for the cultists to preach on back in the past.

'If I challenged a random cultist on how many Alien Gods they could name... I'd probably win.'

The cultist's death was just a small episode in the city.

Some were shaken, but most were like Lucas, indifferent to what happened.

Most hunters had seen their fair share of deaths after all.

But safe to say, the city

After a while of walking, Lucas finally arrived at the Hunter Association. He went ahead to renew his Hunter ID since he would need it for his plans for the day.

***

The process was fast and simple, all Lucas did was fill up a form and get his signature scanned.

Twirling the ID in his hand, he walked away from the entrance of the Hunter's Association.

His next destination was to the center of the city.

Going there through walking would take him hours to arrive, so Lucas went to the nearest train station instead.

"One to the center."

Lucas showed his Hunter ID to the receptor and bought a ticket.

Aside from serving as identification, the Hunter ID also recorded a hunter's personal achievements and accumulated merit value.

The worth and value of a hunter hinges on those two things.

On his way to the train, he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Sorry... huh?"

Lucas turned around to apologize. But when he saw the person's face, he couldn't help but stop in his tracks.

The person, wearing a cap, didn't seem to care and continued walking.

He stared at the person's back...

At that moment, the train conductor announced that the train was leaving.

"Now boarding—Line 3 to City Center."

Lucas shook his head and dismissed the thought, stepping into the train just as the doors began to close.

"It's probably just my imagination..."

"There's no way that dead cultist is still alive..."

At that moment, the person wearing the cap stopped.

He slowly turned his head to the departing train--

But it was already gone.