Chapter 408: Need for Speed (1)
“It’s not bad that the color doesn’t change…”
Awakening the Mystic Eye didn’t necessarily mean both eyes would change color, which was fine by him.
In battles between high-hierarchy superhumans, even minor changes in appearance could become variables.
A faint golden ring appearing was acceptable, but the process of fully opening the Mystic Eye wasn’t complete yet.
Olivera had shown him her Mystic Eye only once.
After that, she simply observed his complete control over his mana and his handling of abilities, occasionally offering brief advice.
It was less like a master-disciple relationship and more like a transactional one, a continuous exchange of information where they seemed to monitor and check each other.
But even that was enough for a new reaction to begin in his right eye, so he had to acknowledge her ability and results were certainly impressive.
The guidance of an Archmage, who understood the combination of abilities and spells better than anyone.
Even amidst this, Lennok tried to probe what the Cartel’s Chairman wanted from him, but it wasn’t easy.
The Chairman understood too well that not revealing her true intentions could be the most effective method.
‘This isn’t something I can finish right away. I’ll just have to focus on what I need to do.’
The moment Lennok brought his eye closer to the mirror to examine it more closely.
Crash!
The trembling mirror shattered into pieces.
“Ah…”
Fragments of broken glass grazed his forearm, and drops of blood began to well up.
Lennok’s expression darkened as he instinctively brought his hand to the sharp pain he felt.
Because the hot drops of blood flowing down his forearm clearly showed how weak and precarious the balance of his body was.
“……”
This was different from the fatigue and injuries caused by the aftermath of intense combat.
Normally, he protected his body with shields and armored barriers. But this body, which even a broken mirror shard could injure, rather than a powerful superhuman’s attack, was truly fragile.
Lennok stared blankly at the shattered mirror pieces on the sink, then held his forearm under the running water, washing away the blood.
Davi, who had been quietly watching him from the side, spoke.
[I’ll order a new mirror from the auction. A much sturdier one this time.]
“…Yeah. Thanks.”
[Then don’t get hurt this time. Hmph.]
Davi snorted lightly, then climbed onto Lennok’s head and coiled up.
Lennok watched her, gave a small chuckle, and raised his hand.
Whoosh!
Mana threads extended from between his fingers, instantly grabbing the mirror shards, disposing them in the trash, and staunching the bleeding.
Since he could now manipulate the physical force of his mana threads with greater precision, Lennok had been trying to apply his mana in various ways.
If he couldn’t balance his physical health with his spell research, he wouldn’t achieve anything.
Without Davi’s presence, he would likely have been lost in such thoughts, pondering all day.
The existence of the cyber spirit was, in some ways, coincidental, but it was clear that Lennok was receiving help from her in many respects.
“It’s time. I should get ready quickly.”
He checked the wall clock and immediately hurried to prepare to go out.
Hadn’t he forced himself to sleep during the day to reverse his internal clock for today?
The clothes he picked out were not the shadow coat he always wore under his ‘Van’ identity, but a short coat that could block the wind.
He was moving under Van’s name, but he couldn’t reveal Van’s identity.
As he checked the necessary equipment and his condition, his phone began to ring again, as if urging him on.
[Van, are you ready?]
Sebastian’s voice, clearly tense.
The broker’s hushed words, as if he was forcing his voice down, echoed quietly through the speaker.
[If you can, I’d appreciate it if you came as quickly as possible. We need time to get you in. Do you know how much effort I put into rewriting the participant list?]
“I thought we had about two hours until the appointed time.”
Lennok replied, changing his clothes.
[I said it’d be better if you came as quickly as possible. So we can jump in at any time, depending on how things are going…]
“It’s all done, don’t worry. However…”
This operation was to proceed without revealing Van’s identity.
Changing clothes and altering his face were obvious, but if he wanted an effective measure, there was one more method not far away.
“……”
The obsidian mask stood in one corner of his workbench.
It was an impressive object with a dark appearance that covered the entire face and a surface emitting a mysterious glow.
Lennok had never forgotten the item he received directly from the King of the Underworld of Pandemonium for even a moment.
As Myeong had implicitly recommended it as a way to hide his identity and contact Pandemonium, there could be no surer item for concealment than this.
But after a moment of consideration, Lennok stopped thinking and shook his head.
“…Later.”
He had confirmed that the mask had no tracking device or harmful power, but he had yet to figure out the artifact’s abilities.
If there was an irreversible ability upon wearing the mask, he would have to use that item the moment he decided to contact Pandemonium.
Quickly organizing his thoughts, Lennok grabbed Davi’s tail and left the mansion.
[Eh, it’s still time for my nap…]
Only the cyber spirit’s dying gasp echoed quietly through the deserted hallway.
Around midnight, past evening.
The air, closer to deep night, was chilly, enough to make his breath mist.
Through the cold night streets where even small sounds echoed loudly.
Vroooooom!
A deafening engine roar sounded ceaselessly.
Lennok, leaving the intense noise that rumbled in his stomach behind him, gazed up at Sebastian standing before him.
“Sebastian, I’m sorry, but your disguise is… quite unlike a broker.”
“I couldn’t help it. It’s been over ten years since I’ve been on the field like this myself.”
Sebastian, wearing a thick scarf and sunglasses, replied defensively.
Below the alley stairs where the two stood, was a wide boulevard.
Scores of people gathered below, each making completely different noises, standing as if waiting for something.
Rumble rumble rumble!
Engine noises from all sorts of vehicles overlapped, creating intense vibrations.
From basic four-wheel drives to armored vehicles, racing bikes, and even those in jeeps and trucks.
There were not only floating carpets that didn’t touch the ground but also handlers riding drooling beasts.
Sebastian awkwardly touched his disguised face and muttered.
“The Vulcan Outer District Cross-Country Race hosted by the Grimoire Gang… this is my first time seeing it myself. Thanks to you, I’ve come to a place like this.”
The Grimoire Gang, which held its own position in Vulcan’s underworld, not quite as powerful as The Triad.
What made them famous, who almost completely occupied two outer districts, was not their strong organizational power, but the irregular races they hosted.
Lennok followed Sebastian, carefully observing each of the participants already gathered below, and spoke to him.
“A particularly powerful terminal connected to Achilles’ security network was linked to the very heart of the gang.”
“…Considering there’s no direct contact between the two organizations, it’s highly likely to be Madrich Onnion’s line. The rumors about the Grimoire Gang also support that.”
Sebastian scratched his cheek awkwardly and replied.
“The city government’s public goods that the Grimoire Gang distributes are not at a level that can be simply dismissed as looting or embezzlement. Yet, these people don’t even hide such facts; they actively use them to expand their power.”
“So, the high-ranking officials of the city government are intentionally handing over public goods to them?”
“That’s right. If such a thing is truly happening as a result of some agreement, isn’t it because the Grimoire Gang itself has connections with someone in the higher echelons?”
Sebastian’s eyes gleamed sharply, and he chuckled.
“My acquaintances in the city council confirmed that there’s a high possibility that ‘someone’ is… Madrich herself.”
“……”
“As you know, Madrich herself hasn’t appeared in public for a long time. Even when he served as the head of the judiciary, he would send military spirits to handle her duties.”
“A Military Spirit Sorcerer…”
“There must be a reason why that maverick, who used military spirits to control those who defied her will, has come all the way here after centuries.”
Sebastian said so and tightened his scarf against the cold.
“But figuring that out isn’t my job. Are you ready?”
Instead of answering, Lennok turned his head downwards.
A feast of headlight beams settling on the dark road. Lennok’s eyes, watching them closely, deepened.
“Night expedition… Military Spirit Sorcerer… I see. Understood.”
Lennok replied, taking the equipment Sebastian handed him.
Click, clack!
What he held in his hands were rider’s gear typically used for motorcycles: a jacket, boots, and even a motorcycle helmet with a coated visor that completely obscured his eyes.
As Lennok, thoroughly disguised, reached for his sleeve cuffs.
Thump!
A blurry form instantly swelled in size, pressing its heavy front wheel onto the ground, and a massive monster bike emerged.
“Is this your first time driving it since taking possession?”
“Something like that.”
“Good.”
Sebastian nodded with a satisfied expression.
The fact that Lennok had directly commissioned the custom monster bike from Otterble’s CEO had not been publicly announced.
Furthermore, with the ten exterior modification functions attached to the bike, the chances of being discovered, even if he fully tested the bike’s capabilities here today, would be low.
“Then I’ll be going. The closer it gets to the race start time, the more eyes will be watching here.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Don’t forget to tell me the results later.”
Sebastian urged, then quickly disappeared into the darkness of the alley.
Lennok watched his retreating figure for a while, then slowly gripped the bike’s throttle.
He knew there was a reason why Sebastian, who usually dealt with wealthy clients without directly engaging in fieldwork, had personally come out for once.
At the very least, he intended to live up to the goodwill and expectations Sebastian had shown him here today.
Thinking this, Lennok took Davi from his arms and carefully placed her on the bike’s engine.
Davi, rubbing her eyes sleepily, slowly raised her head.
[Is it time to work?]
“Yeah.”
Lennok smiled.
Vroooooom!
The bike’s system interface lit up brightly, and a powerful engine roar echoed.
The thick wheels crushed the old concrete stairs and dropped onto the middle of the road.
Thump!
Attention from all directions began to converge on the unidentified rider who appeared wearing a helmet.
Someone leaning against the side of the road approached Lennok.
It was a woman with an impassive face and a long scar on her cheek. Her shaved side hair with a scratch was distinctive.
The woman, puffing on a pipe and silently looking down at Lennok, suddenly asked.
“Race participant?”
[Yes.]
Lennok replied in a reverberating voice through his visor.
It was an eerie tone, like a ghost scratching a window, which Lennok had personally modulated to be profoundly unsettling.
“Name?”
[Victor.]
This was the first demonstration of Otterble’s custom-made product. The CEO would probably allow him to use his name.
“Hmm…”
The woman, flipping through an old notebook at her waist, nodded.
“Ah, here it is. Sorry for checking. It’s just, if someone like you had participated before, I couldn’t have forgotten.”
[…….]
As Lennok ignored her words, arms crossed, the woman also nodded and subtly stepped back.
Another person, who had been watching him, began to speak.
“That’s a nice bike.”
A middle-aged man on a heavy tank, standing right in front, was looking at Lennok.
“I hear this is your first time participating in this race, but you might as well give up on expecting any significant results.”
The vehicle was more like a tracked tank than a wheeled one, clearly indicating an intention to win by power, not speed.
The man, sitting on the end of the tank’s track and smoking a cigarette, looked down at Lennok and laughed.
“The Grimoire Gang is famous for its rumors of having direct connections to high-ranking city government officials. Thanks to that, there are quite a few riff-raff who try to get scraps through races like this.”
[…….]
“I hope you’re not one of those pitiful guys.”
Lennok didn’t answer the man’s words, but he didn’t dismiss them either.
The Grimoire Gang was one of the gangs in Vulcan’s outer district that maintained stable profits and organization.
Aside from the rough explanation Sebastian had given him, Lennok had also independently gathered information about them through Jenny.
‘The Cigar Bang Gang mentioned that Grimoire was their role model. If they truly have a connection to Madrich, it makes sense that their roots are solid.’
And if such races were held irregularly but consistently, it wouldn’t be strange for those who heard the rumors to continue challenging them.
Naturally, Lennok, participating in this race for the first time, was at a relative disadvantage in terms of competitiveness.
While Lennok was deep in thought, people at the very front of the road began to murmur.
Shhhhii…!
The eerie night fog that had been flowing across the road suddenly began to gather, and then started to take on a human form.
The moment Lennok also began to observe the mana flow nearby due to this peculiar appearance.
“It’s time. The signal will drop soon.”
The fog, now transformed into a wizened old man, slowly began to speak.
The old man surveyed the participants filling the road, then turned his gaze towards the outskirts.
“Cashy, you’ve secured the necessary number of people, right?”
The woman, Cashy, who had politely bowed her head as soon as he appeared, immediately replied.
“Of course. Estimating up to the last participant, 112 people. We definitely exceeded the standard.”
“Good. Securing the headcount at the start of the race is important. Looks like you handled it.”
The old man quickly turned his head, looked down at the participants, and grinned.
“As you all well know, this race is one of the annual events directly planned by the gang. It’s a journey that starts from the outer district, goes all the way around the city outskirts, and ends in the undeveloped district’s downtown.”
“……”
There was no reply. The old man, perhaps not expecting much reaction, continued.
“You have about four hours left until dawn. If you reach the destination within that time, the gang will collectively provide resources to all participants. However!”
The old man broke off with a strong tone, looking around.
“Any participant who falls behind or is eliminated will be dealt with directly by the gang. Also, remember that you must pass through the previously notified checkpoints to cross the finish line.”
Still no reply. But no one refuted his words either.
“To uphold these two preconditions, we thoroughly screen participants for the race. If a participant voluntarily gives up, we confirm with the gang’s name that we will find out their backer and impose disadvantages.”
“What about the privileges granted to participants who rank?”
A bronze-skinned youth, stroking a leopard’s head at the front, asked.
His somewhat relaxed manner suggested he wasn’t new to this race.
“Last time, the prize was different from what was announced, which was a bit awkward.”
“…This race will proceed normally. Participants who rank within the top three will meet the boss directly and receive one desired resource each.”
The old man paused briefly before answering.
“Recently, high-quality artifacts and elixirs have come in, so if you do your best, you might achieve good results—”
Pew!
Before he could finish, a small flame erupted from the other side of the road.
At its sight, the atmosphere around them instantly tightened.
Woooooong!
The roaring engine and mana resonance echoed loudly around Lennok.
Naturally, Lennok also placed his hand on the throttle, waiting for the signal.
The old man also glanced back and slowly retreated to the edge of the road.
“It might be so. Then, I wish you all good luck, hoping you adhere to the previously announced rules.”
Boom!
Unidentified fireworks exploding in the night sky suddenly began to form clear numbers.
3, 2, 1.
The lingering traces of fireworks vanished into the dark sky.
The moment the last digit ‘1’ disappeared into thin air, everything with feet on the road simultaneously leaned forward.
Vroooooom!
With ear-splitting engine roars, they sped off on the asphalt.
Vehicles and beasts flashed past him in an instant. The moment Lennok gripped the throttle to accelerate.
The heavy tank running right in front of him suddenly decelerated sharply and started to reverse.
Crunch!
The tank’s body, crushing the asphalt with its heavy tracks, fiercely backed up.
“Ahahahahaha!!”
And from inside, the vulgar laughter of a middle-aged man echoed.
“If you’re still stupidly standing behind me, you’ll pay the price!!”
Bringing such a tank to a race itself meant he had no intention of competing on speed.
A blatant intention to crush other competitors from the start and secure a high rank.
Others had long realized this and created distance from the tank, but only Lennok had remained stationary in the tank’s blind spot from the beginning.
No matter how impressive the monster bike’s size was, it couldn’t compare to a tank used in war.
If the two collided like this, Lennok’s bike would be flattened like a plastic can.
But Lennok chuckled, clearly anticipating this.
[Understood.]
[Front alloy armor triple deployment. Jet thrusters activated. Force field glider opened.]
Whirring!
At that moment, alloy parts disassembled from the front of the bike gathered, transforming into a massive fox-headed shield.
Supports extended from various parts of the vehicle, churning through the air and forcibly lowering the vehicle’s weight.
Kwooosh!
Pipes popped out from behind the bike’s wheels, explosively spewing bluish flames.
The engine roared, not just making noise but intensely heating and vibrating the ground.
Just before the tank’s rear and the bike collided, Lennok’s bike vanished from its spot for a moment.
[Bang!]
Bwaaaam!
With Davi’s shout, parts of the utterly demolished tank scattered across the night sky from the middle of the road.
The new model of the bike, having completely disassembled a tank weighing tens of tons and sped forward.
As other competitors stared in awe at this unbelievable physical force.
Lennok, who had instantly sped past them, looked back and smiled.
[What’s needed now isn’t power, but speed.]