Chapter 293
Zeon and Brielle came out to the vacant lot in the slums early in the morning.
The large open area was packed with vehicles and people.
The assault forces mobilized for the mana stone mine raid had gathered there.
There were four hundred vehicles, three thousand Awakeners, and hundreds more personnel assigned to support them.
It was a mission led by City Hall.
Naturally, not only were the rewards generous, but they had also promised to grant part of the operational rights to the new mana stone mine city to the assault force that achieved the greatest merit.
Of course, countless assault forces eagerly joined.
Even a tiny share of the mana stone mine’s operating rights guaranteed enormous profits.
Once operational rights were secured, they would gain stable long-term income and also establish a foothold near the new mana stone mine.
The rulers of Neo Seoul’s current districts had also started small.
But they participated in the development of existing mana stone mines, earned merit, and obtained partial operating rights.
Using that as their foundation, they grew into the massive powers they were today.
With such clear precedent, it was only natural that countless assault forces rushed to participate.
In addition, the established districts also dispatched assault forces.
Their intention was to secure shares in the new mana stone mine as well and further expand their influence.
Because of that, numerous assault forces gathered in the slum’s vacant lot.
The small assault force Aaron and Dominic belonged to was one of them.
They were waiting to depart from the very back corner of the lot.
It was the sorrowful reality of being part of an insignificant small assault force.
Jang Yongbeom’s party was waiting in a far better location than they were.
It was an assault force led by an S-rank Awakener.
Naturally, they deserved a prime position.
The vehicles they had mobilized were excellent as well.
Desert-specialized buggy cars, transport buses covered in heavy armor plating, and supply transport vehicles.
It truly looked like a proper assault force.
Jang Yongbeom sat atop the roof of a buggy car with a bored expression.
“Seriously, those bastards at City Hall are so damn slow at handling things. We could just leave already, so why the hell are they making us wait like this?”
“That just means it’s a dangerous mission. There’s probably a lot to prepare and review.”
At Aiden’s reply, Jang Yongbeom looked unimpressed.
“In the end, we’re just killing one magical beast. Didn’t they say there’s only a single beast in the open-pit mine?”
“The estimated rank of that magical beast is supposedly S-rank.”
“I’m S-rank too.”
“That doesn’t mean you can solo an S-rank magical beast.”
“Tch!”
Having nothing to say in response, Jang Yongbeom clicked his tongue.
The strength of an S-rank magical beast was on an entirely different level from A-rank beasts.
No matter how powerful an S-rank Awakener was, hunting an S-rank magical beast alone was not easy.
Unless they possessed absurd abilities like Zeon.
“Haha!”
Suddenly, laughter burst out beside the two.
The one who had unknowingly laughed out loud was Levin.
Jang Yongbeom glared at him.
“You think that’s funny?”
“Sorry. It was just too funny.”
Levin covered his mouth with his hand and tried to suppress his laughter.
But he couldn’t stop his face from turning red.
Jang Yongbeom looked at Aiden with displeasure.
“Tsk! Isn’t it because you keep treating me like an equal that my authority’s dropped to the ground?”
“But it makes you more human and approachable.”
“My ass! Human and approachable… Anyway, none of you bastards are likable.”
“Still, thanks to him, we received more than enough potions, didn’t we? Cheer up.”
“Tsk!”
In exchange for supplying potions to Jang Yongbeom’s party, Zeon had proposed that Levin be accepted as a temporary member of the assault force.
Levin wanted to protect his friends.
But he also couldn’t join the assault force his friends belonged to.
Small assault forces were usually closed-off and had their own internal culture.
Once you joined one, it wasn’t easy to leave.
A place where he could stay near his friends while still moving freely.
That was why he chose Jang Yongbeom’s assault force.
Jang Yongbeom needed potions, and Levin needed an assault force that allowed him freedom while staying close to his friends.
That was the reason Levin had become a temporary member of Jang Yongbeom’s assault force.
It was a mutually beneficial deal.
Though he grumbled, Jang Yongbeom also knew how strong Levin was.
And how useful his abilities could be.
If they utilized Levin’s abilities properly, they could achieve major merit during this mission.
If that happened, they might obtain partial operating rights to the mana stone mine.
Aiden didn’t think the current situation was bad at all.
‘No, this is insanely good. We’re forming a deeper connection with that Sand Mage.’
No matter what anyone said, Zeon was an utterly overpowered Awakener.
Aiden had personally witnessed just how terrifyingly strong he was in the desert.
There was absolutely no downside to getting more deeply involved with him.
Just then—
Vroooom!
A thunderous engine roar echoed as a massive vehicle entered the vacant lot.
It was a transport vehicle sent by City Hall.
Awakeners stepped out from inside.
The first group to appear was Pathfinder Team 3.
At present, they were the only ones who knew the location of the mana stone mine.
Since they needed guides, Pathfinder Team 3 naturally had to participate.
There was another familiar face as well.
“Oh! It’s Noona Mandy.”
Levin brightened when he saw Mandy getting out together with Pathfinder Team 3.
Mandy was also participating this time as a supervisor.
She spotted Levin as well and waved her hand.
At that moment, a man in his forties who had exited beside her spoke in a cold voice.
“Everyone’s watching, so what kind of improper behavior is that? Put your hand down.”
“Yes.”
Mandy replied with a dissatisfied expression.
The man’s name was Go Minwoo.
He was an analyst affiliated with City Hall and the person in charge of this mission.
An analyst was someone who gathered and analyzed information that flowed into City Hall.
They normally worked inside City Hall itself and rarely appeared in the field.
Rumor had it that Go Minwoo had pushed aggressively for this appointment and personally became the leader of the mission.
Go Minwoo was an extremely ambitious man.
His goal was to become Neo Seoul’s currently vacant vice mayor.
Officially, Neo Seoul had two vice mayor positions.
However, both seats were empty.
Securing even one of them would make him the second most powerful person in Neo Seoul.
It was a position that guaranteed authority rivaling that of the rulers of the four districts.
Anyone with ambition couldn’t help but covet such a position.
‘If I successfully develop the mana stone mine, the mayor will definitely look upon me favorably. Then becoming vice mayor won’t just be a dream.’
Go Minwoo was a B-rank Awakener.
Although his rank was lower than the Numbers, it was still high enough that nobody could casually look down on him.
Go Minwoo was confident this expedition would succeed.
The force gathered here made success inevitable.
No matter how powerful the magical beast occupying the mana stone mine was rumored to be, if its estimated rank was S-rank, the assembled forces here would surely be enough to kill it.
Strutting arrogantly, Go Minwoo spoke to Mandy.
“Has everyone gathered?”
“Yes! We’ve confirmed that every assault force that applied is present.”
“Heh-heh! Then we can depart immediately.”
“You won’t personally inspect the personnel and equipment?”
“That’s the sort of thing you should handle yourself. As long as the commander commands properly, why bother with such trivial details? That’s your responsibility. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Mandy answered while forcing herself to maintain a calm expression.
Inside, however, she was boiling with rage.
She was so furious she almost felt like Eloy might burst out of her.
‘This incompetent bastard. Just how much of his dirty work is he planning to dump on me?’
The person she hated most in City Hall was Go Minwoo.
And she absolutely despised the fact that she had to accompany him to the new mana stone mine.
“Haa…”
Secretly sighing, she looked toward where Zeon was standing.
Zeon and Brielle were chatting cheerfully together, completely unaware of the frustration eating away at her.
‘I wish I could be over there too.’
The only consolation was that Levin was going along.
Even though they would be riding in different vehicles, just the fact that they would be moving together comforted her a little.
Climbing atop the command vehicle, Go Minwoo loudly announced,
“Alright, let’s depart. If we succeed in this mission, we’ll leave a major mark in Neo Seoul’s history. The rewards will be just as sweet, so let’s all give it our best.”
“Waaaaah!”
“Let’s gooo!”
With loud cheers, hundreds of vehicles began moving at once.
Watching the scene, Brielle suddenly spoke.
“Levin will return safely, right?”
“If you’re worried, you should’ve gone with him.”
“Honestly, I’m not worried. If Levin truly wants to escape, nobody can catch him.”
“That’s true.”
Zeon nodded.
If Levin transformed into a ghost and fled, there were almost no beings capable of capturing him.
Even if the entire expedition force were wiped out, Levin alone would probably survive.
The real problem was Levin’s friends.
Although Zeon had forced a great deal of experience upon them in a short amount of time, they still lagged far behind other Awakeners.
Even Zeon couldn’t confidently say whether they would survive and return.
“We can only hope luck is on their side…”
“Then why don’t we follow them?”
“City Hall probably wouldn’t want that.”
“Really?”
“If I achieve major merit, they’d have to give me part of the mana stone mine’s operating rights. Do you think Jin Geumho wants that?”
“He probably doesn’t?”
“You can tell from the fact that he never invited me to participate. He no longer wants my influence to grow.”
“That could be true.”
Brielle nodded.
Zeon had no interest whatsoever in power within Neo Seoul or the slums.
But every major power in Neo Seoul watched his every move with extreme caution.
That was how destructive a presence Zeon was.
What they truly wanted was for Zeon to do absolutely nothing in Neo Seoul.
“Don’t you have any ambition, Zeon?”
“What kind of ambition?”
“Like building your own territory in Neo Seoul, or becoming the mayor.”
“Why would I bother with something so troublesome? I just like living here peacefully.”
“Right? Honestly, I’m the same. I just want to focus comfortably on alchemy without getting tangled up in annoying things.”
“And play with Gaia whenever you’re not researching?”
“Yong!”
Brielle answered without even the slightest hesitation, causing Zeon to smirk.
“Now that everyone’s gone, let’s head home too.”
“Okay!”
The hundreds of vehicles that had filled the vacant lot had vanished like a lie.
They had all departed for the mana stone mine.
Before heading home, Brielle briefly looked around the empty lot.
Then she suddenly frowned.
“Yong?”
“What’s wrong?”
“N-no…”
Her voice trembled as she answered.
Sensing something unusual, Zeon looked toward the direction Brielle was staring.
It was where the slum residents who had gathered to watch the expedition depart had been standing.
Now that the expedition had left, the onlookers were dispersing in all directions.
“What’s over there?”
“That’s…”
“What is it?”
“I think I… might’ve seen wrong. There’s no way they’d be here.”
“They? Who are you talking about?”
“The hunters.”
“What hunters?”
Instead of answering, Brielle bit her lip.
She seemed so shocked that she didn’t even notice blood dripping from her lips.
Zeon spoke gently.
“Brielle.”
“Huh?”
“What hunters are you talking about?”
“That’s…”
“Are you talking about the people who captured you from the High Elf Village?”
“I think so!”
“Then we should confirm it.”
“But maybe I saw wrong.”
“Or maybe you saw correctly. So tell me. About the people who captured you.”
Encouraged by Zeon’s gentle voice, Brielle finally answered.
“There were a few strange people among the ones who kidnapped me.”
“How were they strange?”
“There was a beastman and a dwarf together.”