Among hundreds of passengers crowding the internal deck, X stood before the ship’s massive observation windows.
Below—beyond a sea of moonlit clouds—shimmered a vast expanse of lights stretching to the horizon. Towering spires rose from the cityscape, entwined with ancient mountains and snow-capped peaks that pierced the heavens.
Vohmir.
Lauded as the Jewel of the East, the city sprawled beneath them in breathtaking defiance of scale.
X shifted slightly, her gaze fixing on three colossal towers scattered across the metropolis. While most nations struggled to maintain even a single Grand Dungeon, Vohmir possessed three—each bound together by massive blackened chains.
So those are the infamous Three Towers…
Faint pulses of light traveled along the chains, revealing silhouettes of buildings and small flying vessels clinging to their lengths like insects to iron.
Then came the sound.
A shrill, whistling echo rolled upward from the depths below—loud, piercing, unsettling.
X winced and covered her ears. She wasn’t alone.
Her gaze narrowed as she studied the ground more carefully. Countless openings dotted the land, as though the earth itself had been riddled with holes by a wrathful god.
The Whistling Tunnels…
Her frown deepened as she turned away from the view.
Since when did those two become friends?
She watched Adam and Alfred standing a short distance away, laughing casually like old acquaintances. The sight unsettled her.
X drifted closer, humming softly as if admiring the scenery, careful not to stare.
Fragments of their conversation finally reached her.
“…Once again, I sincerely apologize for what happened three months ago,” Alfred said, lowering his head.
Adam chuckled. “It’s in the past. You were just doing your job.”
He helped Alfred straighten, tapping his shoulders lightly.
“You’re truly magnanimous,” Alfred said.
Adam laughed. “If anything, we’re the grateful ones. Who knows how long we’d have been stuck in Wrathriver if your vessel hadn’t passed through.”
“Praise be to Bordon,” Alfred replied softly. “It was simply fate.”
He extended his hand. “Though our time together was brief, it was a pleasure meeting you, Ulric.”
“Likewise,” Adam said, shaking it.
The handshake broke, and Alfred reached into his coat, retrieving a golden amulet threaded on a silver chain.
“Please accept this,” Alfred said, placing it into Adam’s hand before he could refuse. “A wedding gift for you and Uri. Write to me with the date—I’ll attend, if duty allows.”
He tapped Adam’s shoulder firmly. “We’ll dock soon. Should you encounter difficulties in Vohmir, contact me. Our headquarters are easy to find.”
Another pat to the shoulder.
“Take care of yourself, Ulric.”
With that, Alfred turned and walked toward the restricted section of the deck.
“Thank you… Alfred,” Adam called after him.
The knight raised a hand without turning.
X stepped beside Adam. “Already missing your boyfriend?”
Adam smirked. “You’re finally talking to me again?”
She frowned faintly. Over the past three months, their conversations—when alone—had been scarce. Largely due to Adam’s refusal to explain how he had circumvented the TruthSeeker.
“That’s not important,” X muttered. “Since when did the two of you get so close?”
Adam chuckled. “Who said we were?”
X hesitated. Then were they only pretending?
Adam lifted the amulet. “Wedding gift,” he said lightly. “Nice, isn’t it?”
Before she could respond, he placed it in her palm.
“You should keep it. It’d look good on you.”
Heat crept up her cheeks. She punched his shoulder. “Don’t think you can flatter your way out of my bad books.”
Adam laughed. “It’s working, though.”
She punched him again.
Then leaned closer. “Could there be something wrong with—”
Adam gently pressed a finger to her lips.
“Don’t stress over trivialities,” he murmured. “He’s just kindhearted.”
Before she could protest, he plucked the amulet back from her hand.
“I’ll give it back during our honeymoon,” he said with a wink, gesturing toward the windows.
X watched him walk away.
There’s definitely something wrong with that jewelry.
Deeper within the vessel—far beyond the reach of ordinary passengers—Alfred walked alone through a dim corridor.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Massive sword-wielding statues loomed along the passage, their embedded eyes glowing faintly to illuminate the way. His boots echoed sharply against the wooden floor.
He stopped before a colossal door.
Two statues flanked it, etched with roaring dragons masked as crucifixes. Human knights stood motionless at attention.
The door creaked open on its own.
Endless darkness spilled forth.
Alfred hesitated, then stepped inside.
The world twisted.
A single candle appeared, levitating before him, its crimson flame illuminating only inches of space. Darkness stretched infinitely beyond.
Alfred fell to his knees.
“Grandmaster Flinn,” he said reverently. “I have done as instructed.”
Silence.
Minutes passed.
Then—a whisper.
“You have done well, Alfred.”
He shuddered but did not move.
“If he is truly a Demonkin, we will know soon. You may leave.”
“Thank you, Grandmaster.”
As Alfred turned to go, the voice spoke again.
“When will you return to Varidan Academy?”
“In one… no, two months,” Alfred replied. “After settling matters in Ravar.”
“As a Reeves, that is your duty,” the voice said. “We will speak again upon reaching the island.”
“I will proceed with your arrangements,” Alfred said solemnly.
He exited without another word.
An hour later, Adam watched as the Knights’ massive vessel lifted once more into the sky.
He turned toward the port.
Wrathriver had once seemed enormous—but compared to Vohmir, it was insignificant. The port felt like an amalgamation of Earth’s greatest airports, multiplied and fused together.
Ships landed. Others departed. Crowds surged endlessly.
“Money truly is king,” Adam murmured, smiling.
A tug at his side.
“I’ll claim our luggage,” X said, pointing toward a hovering noticeboard. “Wait there.”
Adam nodded, watching her vanish into the crowd.
Then—
“Adam,” the demonic voice whispered urgently. “What are you waiting for? Get rid of that thing already.”
“It’s rare to see you acting this panicky,” he chuckled. “I’m almost tempted to keep it.”
“You had better not dare to,” the demon snapped.
Adam only laughed, shaking his head as he moved in the opposite direction from where X had pointed. His eyes swept over the area, sharp and calculating.
System, activate Stealth Mode.
[STEALTH MODE: CON 0 (-20) | AGI 73 (+40) | END 60 (+30) | DEX 0 (-20) | STR 0 (-30)]
Adam smiled.
His form blurred—like a fading memory—and vanished.
In the same instant, two men in casual suits appeared where he had been standing.
“He really was Awakened,” one muttered, scanning the crowd. “But where did he go?”
His partner gripped his shoulder. “Now isn’t the time for useless questions. Use the orb. Confirm his location—now.”
The man snapped out of it and retrieved an azure orb from his pocket. Rubbing his thumb across its surface, he murmured an incantation. The orb flared to life, releasing a pulsating golden glow that pointed eastward.
They exchanged a look and moved.
Slipping seamlessly through the crowd, they advanced at speeds no ordinary human could match. Moments later, they spotted a middle-aged man standing alone, glancing anxiously at his pocket watch.
The two slowed, blending into the flow of passersby.
“I can’t believe he changed his appearance that quickly,” one whispered.
“We can’t afford to lose him again,” the other replied. “Stay sharp.”
The man with the watch suddenly broke into a sprint.
They followed.
Unbeknownst to them, a young man with cherry-red hair watched their departure from a nearby seat.
That should take care of that… Adam smiled faintly as the two spies vanished into the distance.
“Good job, Adam,” the demonic voice purred.
“Now you’re giving compliments?” Adam muttered. “The world must be ending.”
“You have no idea how terrifying that thing truly is,” the voice replied.
Adam didn’t bother asking. He already knew the entity wouldn’t answer.
Hopefully that guy won’t be treated too roughly… A dry smile tugged at his lips as he imagined the interrogation awaiting the unfortunate decoy.
He subtly shifted his appearance once more and returned to the spot where he and X had agreed to wait.
She wasn’t there.
Retrieving the luggage—their agreed code for changing appearances.
Was she caught?
Adam frowned, scanning the area. Then he froze.
Something familiar—too familiar—caught his eye.
No fucking way…
He approached a nearby poster, his steps light and cautious, and stared at the bold lettering.
ELLIOT’S FISH AND CHIPS!
The number one meal for those seeking fishy goodness.
Founded by Elliot Racker-B17 and Adam-K19.
Adam’s lips parted as disbelief reflected back at him in the shop’s glass window.
The same poster he had seen in Dratol—now here, in faraway Vohmir.
Elliot-B17… Adam-K19?
What the hell does that mean?
His gaze lingered on the strange codes beneath the names, trying—and failing—to make sense of them.
A nearby couple caught his attention.
“My dear, which terminal is our ship again?” the man asked. “C-17 or C-71?”
The woman shot him a glare. “It’s D-15. How many times do I have to say it? Are you trying to get lost?”
Adam lifted his eyes to the floating terminal boards overhead.
B-10, he noted, glancing back at the poster.
K-19… That’s where I’m supposed to go, right?
He looked toward the direction X had disappeared earlier.
How am I supposed to know if she’s been caught?
His brow furrowed as he weighed his options—wait, or investigate the terminal and return quickly?
A sudden tug from behind snapped him out of his thoughts.
Adam turned to find a young girl holding a large lollipop, its surface slick with saliva.
“A pretty lady asked me to give this to you,” she said, holding out a small, folded paper.
“Thank you,” Adam said, taking it.
“No need,” she replied cheerfully. “She already gave me my reward.”
The girl skipped away before he could say another word.
Adam unfolded the paper.
Don’t wait for me.
—X
He crumpled the note and slipped it into his pocket.
So we’ll rendezvous at the safe house…
Hopefully she’s safe.
Turning away from the spot X had vanished, Adam exhaled quietly.
Let’s find that K-19 terminal.
An hour passed.
Adam sat in front of a familiar stall in a sparsely populated terminal, his frown deepening.
Twenty minutes, he thought. And still nothing.
He shifted in his seat, scanning the quiet wing. Most of the shops were closed or abandoned, the few passersby moving without interest.
Thirty more minutes, he decided. Then I’m leaving.
Footsteps approached.
Adam turned—and his hands clenched into fists.
A familiar, smiling face came into view: a young man in an apron, moving toward him with hurried steps.
“I’m terribly sorry, dear customer,” the man said. “Had to deliver some items to Terminal Z.”
Adam’s eyes flicked to the absurdly tall chef’s hat perched atop his head.
“Is it Elliot,” Adam asked calmly, “or Dave?”
The man laughed, gesturing to the signboard. “The name’s on the poster, sir.”
“The usual?” he added with a grin.
Adam knew instantly—the disguise had been seen through.
How?
He didn’t know.
But he remembered the Negative World all too well, and he knew better than to underestimate this man.
“Is he here?” Adam asked quietly.
“The boss?” Elliot echoed.
Adam’s glare was answer enough.
Elliot chuckled, removing his apron. “He’d never come to a place like this.” He hummed thoughtfully. “Forget business for now. Come—follow me. I’ll make you something nice.”
He grinned. “On the house.”
Minutes later, Adam sat across from Elliot in a small private room. A neatly polished table separated them, its surface littered with empty plates.
“My cooking’s improved, hasn’t it?” Elliot said proudly. “I’m thinking of opening a chain in every major eastern city.”
He laughed, eyes distant. “I can see it now—Elliot’s Fish and Chips. The number one place for fishy goodness.”
He burst into laughter, thoroughly pleased with himself.
Adam said nothing.
The food had been better than in Dratol—but he wasn’t here for nostalgia.
“…Now that your stomach’s full,” Elliot said at last, retrieving a file from a hidden compartment beneath the table, “it’s time I gave you this.”
He slid a white folder across the wood.
Adam stared at it without touching it.
Cartman Brothers.
Those were the only two words written on the folder.
“Go on,” Elliot urged. “Read it.”
After a brief pause, Adam reached out, unsealed the file, and unfolded the letter inside.
Congratulations on making it to Vohmir.
If you are reading this file, a more advanced mission has been assigned to you.
Refusal is not an option. Failure will result in severe consequences.
Mission Objective: Eliminate the Cartman Brothers
Estimated Rank: C
Estimated Battle Prowess: Comparable to A-rank
Affiliation: Scavengers
Position: Bishops
Good luck.
This letter will self-destruct when the paper turns red.
