Chapter 439: Archangel’s Tear (1)
A field where acrid dust blew.
A dilapidated jeep rumbled through the wilderness, where even a foot ahead was barely visible.
Tutututu!
With an irritating spitting sound, sticky oil dripped from the back of the car.
Lennok, wrapped in a thick robe, looked down at the scene, lost in thought.
‘Archangel’s Tear, huh…’
He had no intention of being swayed by Hylaea’s words, not after realizing that Pandemonium’s work of collecting artifacts from the Old World was done through a cell-like organization.
But that being said, it was also true that Lennok couldn’t disregard the effectiveness of the Archangel’s Tear.
Was it merely a coincidence that the theme of the operation Hylaea had arranged was a spatiotemporal elixir that Lennok had been searching for as a freelancer?
Perhaps the operation itself was conceived by Myeong—
“I’m going back from here, so get out now.”
While Lennok couldn’t shake off his complex thoughts, the man in the driver’s seat reached out his hand without looking back.
“1.6 million Cell.”
“…….”
When Lennok didn’t reply, the man repeated.
“1.8 million Cell.”
“Why is the price going up by 200,000 Cell?”
Lennok asked, dumbfounded, and the man at the wheel replied nonchalantly.
“Because without me, you wouldn’t find your way out here and would just die.”
“…….”
“If I brought a fool who doesn’t even know where Kaiushyu is all the way here, shouldn’t I get an extra fee?”
The friendly attitude he had when Lennok first stated the destination and asked for directions was gone, replaced by a shamelessness that involved picking his teeth and spitting, which was surprisingly novel.
That’s why Lennok, without any guilt, pulled out a solid iron bar from his pocket.
“Say another word, and it’ll be 2 million Cell….”
Click!
The words stopped as the cold muzzle of a gun touched his temple.
Lennok looked down at the man and said.
“1.5 million Cell to drop me off here right now.”
“W-wait a minute… that’s….”
“1 million Cell.”
“A-alright! Alright! Damn it…!!”
The driver, his face pale, frantically unloaded Lennok’s luggage and sped away in the jeep.
Thinking he had put a considerable distance between them and feeling relieved, he yelled loudly at Lennok.
“You bastard, if I ever see you at the East Terminal again, I’ll just…!!”
Bang!
The jeep’s rear tire blew out, and the vehicle swerved before flipping over.
Lennok watched the man crawl out from under the overturned jeep and hastily flee before turning his head.
Davi, purring in his coat, let out a light snort.
[That mischievous organic being should have been spanked.]
“Killing him here would just mean needlessly disposing of a corpse. This is enough.”
[Even without that, I’m diligently making a switch for Master. Please look forward to it.]
“……Wait, what do you mean by that?”
Just as Lennok was about to reach into his coat to press Davi for an explanation of that unsettling remark.
The raging wind suddenly subsided, and the presence of someone began to be felt within it.
A raspy voice spoke from behind the startled wizard.
“I was waiting for reinforcements, but someone much more unpleasant than I expected has arrived.”
Gray hair, as if disheveled by the wind. His face was utterly filthy, as if smeared with soot.
His body was gaunt, and a reinforced suit faithfully covered him from head to toe.
The young man, arms crossed, eyeing him, slightly tilted his chin.
“The dual-personality stuck in the cathedral. Name.”
“……Are you talking about Hylaea?”
“Confirmation complete. Let’s go.”
The young man turned around sharply and sneered.
“Everyone’s a bit annoyed that the operation time has been delayed.”
“…….”
[These organic beings in the Western Continent all have terrible tempers.]
Davi’s murmur from inside his coat perfectly reflected Lennok’s feelings.
“Rick’s back. Now that everyone’s here, let’s do a quick introduction.”
Gathered in a field strewn with rocks were about seven people.
All of them were experts of Commander Wizard level or higher, with about two strong individuals reaching Ascendant level.
Lennok had expected a team, but not one of this size. Slightly surprised, he stood next to the man who had called him.
The man, with a firm impression and a scar covering his entire eye, clapped Lennok on the shoulder.
“This is Victor, recommended by Hylaea to join this operation. Give him a warm round of applause.”
“…….”
Naturally, no one applauded Lennok.
They only stared at Lennok, who wore a mask, with cold gazes, as if looking at an uninvited guest.
This man, who seemed to be the team leader, probably said this not for Lennok’s sake, but to gauge their reactions.
Understanding that fact, Lennok didn’t respond to his words.
He merely raised a finger towards the man patting his shoulder.
Chwa-reuk!!
At that moment, the man’s arm suddenly twisted upwards and bent behind his back.
A bizarre sight, as if manipulating a doll. The faces of the others subtly changed as they realized Lennok was manipulating mana threads.
“Manipulation type….”
“So he’s a specialist.”
“Even if it’s a parachute, a high-performance parachute is always better.”
“Good. This should be enough to not be a hindrance.”
The man whose arm had been twisted while patting Lennok’s shoulder casually reset it and grinned.
Udeuk!!
“Call me Tucker, rookie. I’m about to explain the operation, so listen carefully.”
“…….”
“Our target is the top-floor vault of the penthouse located in the heart of Kaiushyu. We’re going to steal the Archangel’s Tear from there and return safely.”
Tucker continued.
“We’ll divide into two teams and split the work. One team will monitor Je-byeok’s movements at the outer villa where he’s recuperating and secure the vicinity. The other team will infiltrate and retrieve the elixir.”
“Switch Olga and my positions.”
The sharp-featured young man sitting in the middle said.
“I’d be better than that foolish woman.”
“I’ve been going easy on you because you’re young, but it seems you don’t know your place, Piller.”
The woman called Olga said in a cold voice.
With her long hair swept high, she stepped forward, emitting hot flames from her fingertips.
“Shall we see who crawls on the floor?”
“No need to refuse.”
“Enough!”
Tucker shouted, stopping the two who had risen abruptly.
“I won’t tolerate any more reduction in our numbers. We absolutely need both of your help to breach the vault’s security.”
“Who’s to say those two won’t secretly eat the elixir and run off?”
“Can you even say that?”
Rick chuckled.
“You also just want to eat the elixir stashed in Je-byeok’s vault, don’t you? Let’s be honest.”
“……I’m not like you beggars.”
Piller, the sharp-featured young man, sneered.
“Don’t think we’re on equal footing just because we’re working together for a bit.”
Piller’s firm declaration, drawing a clear line, made the atmosphere around them chill.
Lennok stepped back and watched the scene, nodding his head.
‘What a mess.’
It wasn’t unusual for a superhuman who had reached Level 6 or higher to have such strong convictions that they had permeated their very core.
Hadn’t they survived and reached their current positions precisely because they had defined their own style and direction and believed it to be absolutely right?
It was only natural for conflicts to arise when a bunch of strangers, whom they had only just met, were haphazardly gathered.
As Lennok nodded, the man and woman sitting on the far left glanced at him with a smirk.
The other two, grouped with Lennok and Piller, didn’t seem to have any particular complaints about the team arrangement, suggesting they had a connection.
Thinking they had met Lennok’s gaze, the two chuckled and waved their hands.
“Masked man, let’s do well. You, not me.”
“Parachute, if you hinder us, I’ll kill you.”
“…….”
Despite their friendly gestures, their words were utterly brutal.
It was the midst of chaos, where, far from starting work together, it wouldn’t be surprising if the plan fell apart immediately.
But in this atmosphere, Lennok felt a strange warmth rather than annoyance.
Hadn’t such quarrels and conflicts been a daily occurrence when he first started as a freelancer under the name Van?
Over time, those who picked fights decreased, but that was because Lennok became overwhelmingly stronger at an astonishing pace, not because freelancers became gentler.
It was a brutal atmosphere where it wouldn’t be surprising if someone betrayed them or stabbed them in the back at any moment.
But precisely because it was this kind of situation, Lennok could use them as pawns and discard them without hesitation.
The only thing he had promised Hylaea was to obtain the Archangel’s Tear. He didn’t care if Pandemonium’s name was exposed or if these people gathered here died in the process.
In fact, it would be stranger if Pandemonium, a den of demons, couldn’t handle the aftermath of such an incident properly.
“Damn it….”
Tucker cursed and sighed, waving his hand.
“I don’t care if it’s Olga or Piller, just sort it out among yourselves. Je-byeok has 3 hours left before he goes to the villa to meet the healer. If you can’t decide by then, I’ll go with my judgment, so do what you need to do.”
There was no reply.
Kwang!
Tucker ignored the two who had drawn their weapons and clashed on the spot, turning his gaze to Lennok.
“You and I need to talk.”
Tucker led Lennok behind a rock and pulled out a cigarette case.
“Do you smoke?”
“Not that cheap stuff.”
“……Alright. You don’t seem to want to talk much, so I’ll keep it brief.”
Saying so, Tucker put a thick cigar in his mouth and lit it.
Glancing around and looking cautious, he spoke in a low voice.
“How much do you know coming here?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, do you know which organization arranged this job for us?”
“……You’re asking something strange. Are you trying to test me right now?”
Lennok’s voice, distorted by the mask, turned cold.
“If this wasn’t Pandemonium’s job, I wouldn’t have come here at all.”
“Pandemonium… Phew, good. That’s a relief.”
Tucker sighed in relief and continued.
“As you might have heard from Hylaea, these guys here don’t know that Pandemonium is the main party behind this.”
“…….”
“Some might suspect, but it’s officially a secret that Pandemonium arranged the job.”
“Why?”
“Because it prevents complications. We’ve gone through several trials and errors, but this is the most efficient way to collect Old World artifacts.”
Tucker replied, puffing out clouds of smoke.
“Pandemonium always sends reliable forces to recover artifacts they absolutely must retrieve. Considering the forces deployed in this operation, the Archangel’s Tear isn’t that high of a priority.”
“…….”
“You know why I’m telling you this beforehand, don’t you?”
Tucker stomped out the smoldering cigar filter and nodded.
“Let’s take it easy. We might see each other often, you know. If we run into each other somewhere, just pretend not to know me… Understood?”
“You know how to cut corners better than I thought.”
His words, coming from a face like a strict soldier, sounded more like an old sergeant.
Tucker grinned at Lennok’s indifferent reply.
“The ones who survive long in this business are the quick-witted ones. If you want to surpass that woman stuck in the cathedral and become a full member of Pandemonium, you’ll need to show your face to the higher-ups often, won’t you?”
After saying that, Tucker placed a remaining cigar in Lennok’s hand and left.
An overtly friendly gesture, Lennok chuckled, understanding his intention.
He hadn’t expected Tucker to be aiming for Hylaea’s position, but this friendly approach wasn’t a bad situation in itself.
It seemed he was trying to establish a rapport with those aware of Pandemonium’s existence. As long as he maintained that stance, he wouldn’t openly betray them.
‘The problem is that the powerful forces Pandemonium intentionally sent might be exactly this group…’
When he heard about the Archangel’s Tear from Hylaea, its importance didn’t seem low at all.
If Myeong had told her, Hylaea might have chosen Lennok as a reliable ‘means’ to recover the Archangel’s Tear.
Lennok thought that far and chuckled.
What did Hylaea think? What did it matter?
Now that Lennok was participating in this, whether the operation succeeded or failed, there would be no chance of the Archangel’s Tear being safely recovered by Pandemonium.
He had to mind Pandemonium’s business, but Lennok had certainly not participated in this kind of operation just to look good in Hylaea’s eyes.
He flicked his finger to light a fire, then briefly inhaled the scent of smoke through a gap in his mask.
“……Still tastes bad.”
Returning to the field, the commotion seemed to have settled. It was quiet all around, with a small crater.
“Damn it, what a nuisance.”
“…”
Olga, the gum-chewing woman, brushed her hands with an annoyed expression, and Piller sat down, suppressing his anger.
It was clear which way the victory had leaned.
Tucker, apparently not surprised, calmly re-declared the team assignments.
He probably already knew that Olga’s skill surpassed Piller’s.
“Alright, as I said, the infiltration team will be Rick, Olga, and me. The other four will each take a direction and keep watch. If there are no objections, we’ll start immediately.”
“Wait a minute. I have a question.”
The last question, surprisingly, came not from the others, but from Rick, who had previously not interfered with anyone.
His attitude was slightly cocky, just as it had been when he first recognized Lennok and brought him over.
He looked at Tucker, lowering his gaze slightly, and asked.
“Tucker, do you happen to know which organization arranged this job for us?”
“…….”
Suddenly, silence fell over the surroundings.
It wasn’t just because Rick had said something he shouldn’t have, but because everyone wanted to hear the answer to that question.
Lennok, too, watched with interest, curious about how Tucker would react.
“……Specific inquiries about the higher-ups are prohibited, aren’t they?”
Tucker’s eyebrows twitched with displeasure. Was he going to vaguely mention the rules and brush it off?
But Rick didn’t back down easily.
“Hey, Tucker. You know we didn’t gather here just to get a few free elixirs. Are you going to be resentful right before the job?”
“…….”
Seeing Tucker silent, Rick added, as if he had been waiting.
“From the idea of gathering such individuals to plan an operation, to the atmosphere where success or failure isn’t overly fixated upon, it’s all impressive. It’s impossible unless it’s an organization with a really big picture.”
“So?”
“I’m curious about what that organization is thinking by hiring us, and if they plan to stab us in the back. And don’t we just now have a way to find that out?”
As Rick’s gaze naturally turned to Lennok, the gazes of the other five also converged on Lennok.
“There’s a parachute who came down with a recommendation from the higher-ups. A friend who knows what kind of organization it is and roughly how this job will end.”
Rick licked his dry lips and wiggled a finger at Lennok, his eyes overtly gleaming.
Lennok, too, didn’t avoid his gaze.
“Let’s ask him. It’s a problem that can be resolved with a pleasant conversation.”
The other superhumans retreated, as if mesmerized by Rick’s words as he stepped forward, placing a hand on his waist.
Tucker, realizing the situation was turning serious, hardened his expression completely.
“Lower your hand. Je-byeok has less than an hour left before he leaves…!”
“That’s right. It’s been a while, so I made a mistake.”
Lennok cut Tucker off and stepped forward.
The wizard’s eyes, visible through the mask, gleamed coldly.
“I should have stomped on this earlier. It seems I need to reassert discipline.”
“……What?”
A refreshing feeling he hadn’t experienced since he started making a name for himself in Vulcan’s underworld under the alias Adamant Thunder.
Though he was hiding within Pandemonium under the name Victor, he had to do what needed to be done, didn’t he?
It was time to return to basics.